2024 NFL Draft discussion

[Luke]

He has the potential to be the best tackle in the draft and Oklahoma lineman seem to always hit in the NFL. Even Wanya Morris was productive last year for the Chiefs. Don't rule out the center from Oklahoma in the mid rounds.

good call. found this tidbit from the senior bowl..

Andrew Raym showed glimpses of his potential in the practices leading up to Saturday's exhibition game.

The 6-3, 315-pound and former Broken Arrow standout most notably held his own in a drill against Texas defensive lineman T'Vondre Sweat, who's projected by many to go in either the first or second round of the NFL Draft.

Raym made 29 starts in four seasons with the Sooners. He started in all 12 regular-season games in 2023 before he opted out of OU's Alamo Bowl game against Arizona.

 

[playthrough2001]

I fully expecting Harbaugh to go OT at 5. Or trade down. I just don't see him prioritizing a WR in the top 5.

For the Bears at 9, I would like to see a WR if they stay at 9 or a trade down if they want to go defense.

If Harbaugh takes Alt, Tennessee is probably going OT at 7 too.

 

[BaBaBlacksheep]

I fully expecting Harbaugh to go OT at 5. Or trade down. I just don't see him prioritizing a WR in the top 5.

For the Bears at 9, I would like to see a WR if they stay at 9 or a trade down if they want to go defense.

Why? Don’t they have a good LT? WR seems like the bigger need to me.

 

[Canth]

Why? Don’t they have a good LT? WR seems like the bigger need to me.

Harbaugh has always prioritized the trenches and OL in particular. There was even a recent interview with him where he talked about it - maybe the coaches breakfast deal?

In addition, the Chargers OL has had its own issues in staying healthy and performing - especially in the run game. And again, Harbaugh is going to want to run the ball.

Of course nothing is certain, but I could easily see the Chargers either taking Alt or if MHJ or a QB falls in their lap, they trade back in a draft deep at OL and WR and get both later.

 

[Yogi]

Just a random annoying observation I have about the analysis of this WR class, and more specifically how people talk about MHJ as the best since Calvin and Randy, is how overlooked AJ Green and Julio Jones are as all-time WR prospects.

Julio especially it was so apparent how much of a freak he was, basically a slightly shorter version of Calvin (but still 6'3" and looks like he could break MHJ over his knee) and was more refined as a route runner.

AJ was slightly hurt by a slower 40 time (by today's standards), but also a 6'4" unstoppable freak in the SEC. And those were the days when the top SEC teams played like Michigan this year with a great defense + run-run-pass offense, but both still dominated and led those receiving rooms since the moment they walked on campus.

It feels like they've been forgotten in these conversations, and I'd take both above any receiver in this class without hesitation (also that 2011 draft was STACKED).

 

[BaBaBlacksheep]

Harbaugh has always prioritized the trenches and OL in particular. There was even a recent interview with him where he talked about it - maybe the coaches breakfast deal?

In addition, the Chargers OL has had its own issues in staying healthy and performing - especially in the run game. And again, Harbaugh is going to want to run the ball.

Of course nothing is certain, but I could easily see the Chargers either taking Alt or if MHJ or a QB falls in their lap, they trade back in a draft deep at OL and WR and get both later.

I haven’t verified this but I saw Chargers fans saying he’s never spent a 1st on an OL.

 

[dabears70]

Harbaugh has always prioritized the trenches and OL in particular. There was even a recent interview with him where he talked about it - maybe the coaches breakfast deal?

In addition, the Chargers OL has had its own issues in staying healthy and performing - especially in the run game. And again, Harbaugh is going to want to run the ball.

Of course nothing is certain, but I could easily see the Chargers either taking Alt or if MHJ or a QB falls in their lap, they trade back in a draft deep at OL and WR and get both later.

The most popular rumor over the last few weeks is them trading down which is what i think they'll be pushing to do over anything else. Obviously if MHJ is there he could be their choice or maybe Nabers but pretty sure trading down will be the end choice.

 

[Canth]

I haven’t verified this but I saw Chargers fans saying he’s never spent a 1st on an OL.

Eh, I think that is technically true but also ignores the reality that Harbaugh was only with the 49'ers for 4 years and paired with a GM in Baalke and it became clear those 2 were not on the same page.

I looked at pro football reference, and they spent a lot of resources on defense in those years. The only non defense 1st round pick was a WR that did absolutely nothing in the NFL taken at 1.30.

The only top 10 pick they had was Aldon Smith at 1.07 - which again is focusing on trenches.

So, I think it's hard to translate what happened with the 49'ers and Baalke as any trend for what Harbaugh does now.

 

[Chicoman]

Mike Florio is such a cunt. He’s a Viking fan and he’s been passive, aggressive about the Bears being in position to draft Williams for weeks.

This is from PFT today regarding Williams visit to Halas Hall:

“Via Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, Williams made his official visit to the Bears on Wednesday. Rapoport says that it will “likely” be Williams’s only visit.

This implies that Williams apparently won’t be trying to avoid the Bears and play elsewhere. Despite the fact that the Bears have a defensive head coach and an offensive coordinator who would parlay Williams’s success into a head-coaching job. Forcing Williams to get accustomed to a new offensive coordinator. And, possibly, so on and so on and so on as Williams thrives and offensive coordinators say, “See ya!”

Williams is in a tough spot. Even if he’d rather play for another team, how can he pull it off without becoming a pariah? Media and fans would clobber him if he dared to say he’d rather play for another team. If he plays for the Bears, he’ll need to hope it works out better for him than it did for their first-round pick from 2021, who was traded to the Steelers last month for a future sixth-round pick.”

Caleb Williams visits Bears, in what is "likely" his only team visit

With 22 days to go until the draft, it's looking more likely that the Bears will be taking quarterback Caleb Williams — and that he'll willingly play for them.

www.nbcsports.com

I was so pissed after reading this, but that drumming is just gonna get loader. RGIII, Mike Florio, Frelund NFL Network, not to mention twitter and every other supposed 'sports writer' trying to make a name for themselves by throwing up non stop click bait material. Just hope the Bears keep their shit together through it all.

 

[pseudonym]

I really doubt Nabers falls to #9 but if he did, I would RUN RUN RUN that pick up. I feel almost as strongly about Odunze. If they're both gone, then we have to see if Alt is there, how they rank the other top LT, or DE, like Verse or Turner. If Alt, Verse, Turner are gone plus the three elite WRs that leaves some great DEs there. Or if they feel the OTs/DEs go deeper, trade back a few spots.

 

[playthrough2001]

I was so pissed after reading this, but that drumming is just gonna get loader. RGIII, Mike Florio, Frelund NFL Network, not to mention twitter and every other supposed 'sports writer' trying to make a name for themselves by throwing up non stop click bait material. Just hope the Bears keep their shit together through it all.

Florio is a whiny little cunt. He has zero influence on Poles or anyone else.

 

[maxhatter]

They seem to be looking at multiple late first round guys. Guyton, Worthy, Bowers, Chop Robinson off the top of my head. I don’t see them getting a late first round pick from anyone but Minnesota.

JJ falls to 9, they give us 11 and 23 for 9 and picks next year. Would they actually give up pick 23 to move up two spots? Or am I missing something here.

The Bears' top 30 visits, scheduled so far, are Caleb Williams, QB, USC; Rome Odunze, WR, Washington; Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia; and Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama. All carry a top 10 grade. Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas, holds a 2nd-round grade, as does Kiran Amegadjie, OT, Yale, Nehemiah Pritchett, CB, Auburn, Elijah Jones, CB, Boston College, Cam Hart, CB, Notre Dame, and Jha’Quan Jackson, WR, Tulane, carry a day 3 grade. I don't know how you can conclude that the Bears are looking at late first-round draft prospects.

 

[Yogi]

If Bowers is getting enough interest to warrant an official visit, it's hard to see how he won't be considered their BPA at 9 if he's there.

 

[Chicago4Life]

The Bears' top 30 visits, scheduled so far, are Caleb Williams, QB, USC; Rome Odunze, WR, Washington; Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia; and Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama. All carry a top 10 grade. Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas, holds a 2nd-round grade, as does Kiran Amegadjie, OT, Yale, Nehemiah Pritchett, CB, Auburn, Elijah Jones, CB, Boston College, Cam Hart, CB, Notre Dame, and Jha’Quan Jackson, WR, Tulane, carry a day 3 grade. I don't know how you can conclude that the Bears are looking at late first-round draft prospects.

i wouldnt just go by the top 30 visits and some team will likely make worthy a late 1st rd selection, his 40 time likely propelled him into the 1st and also would make sense to get him on a 5th yr option as well.. guyton and robinson are also around the late 1st early 2nd rd range. bears are keeping all their options open since its really unknown how the first 8 are gonna fall.

 

[Yogi]

Another thought on Bowers that makes him intriguing over a WR like Odunze: let's say he turns into the best and highest paid TE in the league- he's going to get a contract extension at ~$15-16M AAV, which is about half of what top WRs make despite impacting the game in similar ways.

That keeps a significant amount of cap money free to spend elsewhere, be it on a QB extension, defense, etc.

 

[pseudonym]

If Bowers is getting enough interest to warrant an official visit, it's hard to see how he won't be considered their BPA at 9 if he's there.

He's an elite TE, IDK if they consider him if any of the top three WRs are there. Kmet has been solid. It's good that they're doing their research, but I'd say they go LT/DE over Bowers.

 

[Les Grossman]

Another thought on Bowers that makes him intriguing over a WR like Odunze: let's say he turns into the best and highest paid TE in the league- he's going to get a contract extension at ~$15-16M AAV, which is about half of what top WRs make despite impacting the game in similar ways.

That keeps a significant amount of cap money free to spend elsewhere, be it on a QB extension, defense, etc.

I disagree with that. They impact the game in different ways. With the exception of a once in a lifetime player like Kelce, top TEs are putting up ~1000 yards at TE... and even that

Top WR stats are pushing much more than that...

Last year the top TE had 1020 yards. The top WR had 1799 yards

 

[Yogi]

I disagree with that. They impact the game in different ways. With the exception of a once in a lifetime player like Kelce, top TEs are putting up ~1000 yards at TE... and even that

Top WR stats are pushing much more than that...

Last year the top TE had 1020 yards. The top WR had 1799 yards

I think it's more about mismatches in today's NFL when I mentioned impact, and the Kelces and Kittles of the world are just as much of a mismatch as the top WRs.

Kansas City already chose their top TE as their preferred mismatch over that same receiver that just lead the league with 1799 yards, and I think most people agree they picked the right player in terms of importance to their offense, as well as what it allowed them to do cap wise. And similarly I think there's more rumblings of San Francisco being willing to move on from Aiyuk and very little consideration of moving on from Kittle.

And in terms of prospects, I see Bowers having a better chance of being in that elite tier of 2-3 TEs than I do Odunze being a top 5 receiver. I would put MHJ and Nabers in that tier and pick them over Bowers, though.

 

[pseudonym]

I think it's more about mismatches in today's NFL when I mentioned impact, and the Kelces and Kittles of the world are just as much of a mismatch as the top WRs.

Kansas City already chose their top TE as their preferred mismatch over that same receiver that just lead the league with 1799 yards, and I think most people agree they picked the right player in terms of importance to their offense, as well as what it allowed them to do cap wise. And similarly I think there's more rumblings of San Francisco being willing to move on from Aiyuk and very little consideration of moving on from Kittle.

And in terms of prospects, I see Bowers having a better chance of being in that elite tier of 2-3 TEs than I do Odunze being a top 5 receiver. I would put MHJ and Nabers in that tier and pick them over Bowers, though.

I do agree, but what about Kmet? How would that shake out?

 

[InsideTheLines]

Trade the #1 pick?