I don't trade up under any circumstances. We need to keep that #25 pick, because we must get a very good OT and they are gonna go very quickly. The elite OT's will go in round 1 and the good ones are gonna go pretty high in round 2. I know people are clamoring for help on the defensive interior, but that need will be determined by which scheme we end up running. If we stick with a 4-3 base, it remains a top need. If we switch to a 3-4 base, that need goes way down, because Hamilton would play the NT with Costin on the outside at 5 Technique and possibly, a re-signed Smoot at the other 5 technique position. Even if Smoot isn't re-signed, it's a lot easier to find 5 techniques later in the draft, than it is to find pass rushing 3 techniques. The level of that need should be determined when the team announces what kind of defense we're gonna run. IMO, a 3-4 base would be a lot more effective, given our current personnel and creates one less immediate need at the top end of the draft.

I also have the philosophy that I would never trade up in the draft, unless it's for a franchise QB or perhaps a franchise LT. Obviously, we're getting our QB with the first pick, so there is no need to trade up there. Penei Sewell is the trophy of the LT position in this draft and we'd have to somehow get ahead of the Bengals at #5 to get him. That isn't happening. I live in the Cincinnati area and everything I'm hearing is that the Bengals are locked in on him. The other OT's I'm interested in are Eichenberg, Darrisaw, Jenkins and Radunz. All could be gone by the #33 pick, but all should be gone by the end of the second round. Slater and Vera Tucker will likely be gone before we pick at #25 and that is fine by me, because I see them as OG's in the NFL. I'm also not high on Mayfield, because I don't like starting college RT's at LT in the NFL. I believe we can find competition for the RT spot later in the draft. I want nothing to do with Cosmi either. He's way too raw and is too up and down in pass protection. I don't see him as a major upgrade over Robinson. Leatherwood should definitely move inside to OG as well, but may be decent as a RT. He not an NFL LT though.

I also target a starting CB in round 2. We have Henderson on one side, but we must upgrade the other starting CB spot and we are most definitely going to have a new starting Nickel as well. That is a high priority. Safety is a HUGE issue and although there is no "elite" Safeties in this draft, the position is very deep in the middle rounds. I believe we could find a very good starter in the 3rd or 4th rounds. Hopefully, we address at least one Safety spot in free agency.

I am totally against trading up in any way for a TE. Typically, rookie TE's take a long while to develop. I believe this is one position that must be addressed in free agency. As I have said before, I believe Jonnu Smith would be a really good fit for our offense. If not and we are forced to draft one, there are several under the radar type players who can probably be drafted in the 4th or 5th rounds that we could develop.

As I said before, the DT position will be the key. Once we find out the defensive scheme, we can make a true draft plan, but we have a ton of needs and we'll need all of those first and second day picks to address those critical positions. If we are smart in drafting and are able to bring in some good free agents at crucial spots, we can turn this team around possibly one year faster than we anticipated.

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