(02-02-2021, 02:37 AM)TheO-LineMatters Wrote: 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.

To be clear, the above hypothetical presumes we kept the #25 overall pick and spent it on the Alabama NT, and that we are switching to a 3-4.  Admittedly, I did not make the part about the 3-4 clear.  Although a NT is key to having an effective 3-4 and I like Barmore as a player, I do not advocate taking him at 25.  But as long as we're talking 3-4, I think Hamilton, if healthy, has the build to play NT and the up field quickness and pass rush ability to play DE in that alignment.  More on the 3-4 later.

As for your no anti trade up philosophy, under this scenario, while nobody is saying the tackles likely to be available to us at the top of the 2nd would ever be mistaken for an in his prime Boselli, getting the right one could substantially upgrade the position for us and our QB.  History demonstrates most LTs are found in round 1, there have been rare instances where solid LTs have been found lower in the draft (Roos, Bakhtiari).  OI.  If, for whatever reason, the new brass decided to prioritize defense at 25, and the team was unwilling/unable to sign Trent Williams in free agency (another part of the hypothetical I left out), I would submit LT becomes even more of a priority.  Conversely, if we sign T. Williams, the hypothetical becomes largely moot in my mind.  Sub question:  are any of the Ts you like above potential franchise LTs in your mind, or at least worth trading up from 25 to ensure?  Consider there are a slew of teams picking right in front of us that have a potential need at LT (Was, Chi, Indy, Ten, Pit).

I understand your reticence to trade up for a TE.  In this scenario, a trade up for Friermuth may not be necessary.  The scenario posits acquiring the ability to address TE and LT.  We could take Friermuth at 33 in this scenario.  Though TEs are generally found in the middle rounds by good drafting teams, there is a drop off between Pitts and Friermuth, and then another dropoff between Friermuth and the other TEs.

We are in agreement about DB availability in this draft.  If we play our cards right, I think our draft would look something like this

1.  Lawrence
25.  LT
33.  Friermuth
45.  CB/NT
65.  IOL, WR, NT, LB, S
100.  IOL, NT, LB, S
124.  IOL, NT, LB, S, RB

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