Buffalo Junction

This is a key point that a fair amount of people neglect to mention on the national level, and it’s a critical component moving forward. Allen is not only coachable, but has the intelligence and work ethic for the coaching to be effective. Simply put, he’s going to be a better QB next year, particularly if he spends the off-season making his footwork instinctual and improving his touch. Also, this “coachable” trait seems to be something McBeane drafts for... They’re looking for intelligent guys with drive and physical tools. I think moving forward we will see them continue this trend where they’ll take the “coachable” prototype in the first two rounds despite inconsistency in college performance or lack of elite competition.

I think he will be the first TE off the board, and might be the first receiving option to get drafted. Him coming out definitely pushes Fant down. I do think that Beane may be more comfortable with Smith because of the info that Daboll may have provided. I actually wouldn't rule out a trade with say GB - our 1st and 2nd for both their 1sts and whatever makes up the difference... In that case I could see us taking Smith with that second 1st rounder. This WR class reminds me of 2008 - the James Hardy draft. All the talent was late 1st - early 3rd. There were some serious gems (Nelson and Jackson), but a lot of the talent washed out. Butler actually reminds me of Hardy to a fair degree. I absolutely agree that the weakness in top offensive talent will drive up the value for a few players. Namely Hockenson and Metcalf. Without that neck injury I think Metcalf would have been the defacto #1 WR in the class and a top 10 pick. I do think that Montez Sweat may climb after the combine. A team may take a flier on Simmons or an OT as well. It's going to be an interesting draft. If Hockenson runs a 4.55-4.6 I wouldn't be surprised to see him be the first offensive skill position player taken. Definitely a strange year.

I see him as more of a Witten type, and not a Gronk. I think he'll be a reliable, top end, do it all TE. I watched 5-6 Iowa games this year, and while he stood out I didn't come away with the impression that he was an overwhelmingly dominant force. That said, I think he's the best blocking TE in the draft that can reliably catch the ball... Furthermore, I think he might actually have the best hands in the draft. I would absolutely take Gronk in the top 10.... You have to remember though.... When Gronk came out he had back issues, ran a 4.65, and had occasional games where his concentration was off. Without the back problems he would have gone around 15-20. That's what I'm saying about Hoch.... Amazing prospect, but he hasn't done anything to blow everyone away.

He may very well be one of the best TE's in the NFL by his third year. Those things are difficult to predict. However, he's still a TE.... which means that the positional draft value isn't there for a top 10 pick unless he puts up freak (Vernon Davis 4.38) numbers at the combine in the 40 or vertical jump. Teams would rather try and find a Gronk or George Kittle between the 2nd and 5th than spend a top 10 on a TE. It's a strange year though. Without any other sure thing playmakers or QBs in the draft his value might be bumped up and a team may pull the trigger early. Fact remains, I don't see anything about him that says he'll be a transcendent player though. Excellent, yes.... But the type of guy that completely redefines the position on his way to the Hall of Fame? No. I don't see that. Is he worth the #9 pick? Perhaps, but it's dependent upon the value of the defensive players left on the board.

He’s not transcendent enough at that position to warrant a top 10 pick. He’s not Gonzalez or Vernon Davis. I could see him at 15 though. I doubt he could drop past NE. Heck, he might not get past GB if all the good edge guys are gone by then. At 9 though... Nah. There’s probably better value at edge, corner, OT, or DT unless the kids pulls a 4.4 40.

With that neck injury I’d be making Sterling Sharpe comparisons instead of Julio Jones.... The talent is there. Teams just have to be 100% sure about the injury risk, and accept that he might be forced out of the league early.

It depends on how the player is polarizing. This team could probably absorb a Richard Sherman type that talks a lot, but works his tail off and sets an example with his “work ethic”. I’d say “hard no” on keeping guys with massive off field problems (Everson Griffen or Hunt) out of trouble though. IIRC McDermott said every team can handle a couple big egos. I think a few guys like that are needed as confidence can be infectious. However, I don’t think Josh Allen has enough clout and presence to deal with a Primadonna receiver yet. In a way it comes down to established vet presence.... I guess I’d say our defense is likely capable of taking on a massive personality, but our offense isn’t.

Daboll seems pretty comfortable substituting WRs like the rams do. I’m not sure if that stemmed from trying to find a reliable group, or if that’s going to be his MO moving forward. If it’s what he wants to do then some of these slot guys are in play, and I’d expect Beane to go for pure value and “process”. My money would be on guys who’ve proven to be reliable outlets for scrambling QBs and are under 30... Cobb (Rodgers), Humphries (Fitzmagic), etc. Along with guys that have all the physical tools to be a #1, stretch the field vertically, or play teams. I’d assume Humphries, Cobb, Brown, Williams, and Patterson are in play. I’m tempted to throw Jared Cook into the equation as a TE option as well, though I think he stays in Oakland/LV or goes back to GB.

IDK. I’d be pretty happy to add a receiver that provides 60 receptions, 600 yards, 4 tds, and the ability to return kicks (average of last 4 seasons)... All while not getting in trouble off the field, getting taunting penalties, or providing opponents with bulletin board material. Beane has money to spend. There are definitely better options than Cobb. I’m just not sure there’s a better value. Time will tell.

As is your right... I think he’ll be able play any of the interior positions in a zone scheme and center in any scheme. Living in the ? pack home area for the past few years I’ve watched almost every game. Bradbury is amazing, but he doesn’t thrive when run blocking against talented 1 tecs and NTs with good hand technique. He doesn’t consistently drive them out of the hole like you’d want to see from a guard in a power scheme. He’s amazing at turning them, making reach blocks, combos, etc. Also keep in mind that Bradbury was surrounded by talented O-linemen... As a unit they blanked Clemson’s front seven. Only sack came from a CB blitz. It’s possible that he adds weight and strength during the draft season, so his ability to drive 1techs may improve. He did come into NC State as a TE. I don’t see the point of playing him at guard though, especially with this roster. If Beane drafts Bradbury the kid will beat out Bodine by the end of camp unless he gets injured.

He’s definitely not what he was and he gets nagging injuries every year. However, last year our receivers did an absolutely amazing job of being clueless when Allen broke contain and started playing yard ball. We need someone in that receivers room with experience playing that style of football... Cobb fits that profile. One could argue that Tate brings a similar skill set and experience level. Tate’s also likely to cost more. Pick your poison... This WR FA class is disappointing with regards to top end talent and value. A cheaper option that can help a younger group get up to speed might be a worthwhile investment.

Bradbury isn’t really physically suited to play guard, particularly in a power scheme. He’s a hell of an athlete, but he might weigh around 290-300 pounds. We’ll see at the combine. He’s the guy to grab if we want a year one starter at center though.

I like John Brown at a decent price. I think he’d work well to round out the WR corp with a draft pick. Im also a fan of nabbing Randall Cobb of he hits the market. He might be the best available WR with regards to getting open in the QBs eyesight during a scramble. That could be an invaluable resource for J Allen.

The closest comparison success-wise is Lombardi and Starr. However, the modern NFL and 60’s NFL aren’t comparable. The one true commonality is a dedication to discipline and perfection; mistake free football from the full roster. We often underrate BB’s ability to get a modern roster to buy in to that brand of football every year. Tactical brilliance aside, that alone makes him rather unique. Simply put, BB is the greatest modern era coach. Previous eras aren’t comparable because it’s almost a different sport.

Depending on how the edge rushers pan out GB might be in play as well. Something along the lines of our 1 & 2 for both their 1’s with a later pick being used to adjust values.

I love Bradbury, but he’s not a top ten talent. He’s not noticeably scheme versatile, and he can struggle a bit with the higher talent NTs. He also played on a line that was talented across the board. Stat of note; Clemson’s front seven had 0 sacks against the wolfpack. The only sack came on a corner blitz. It’s likely that 4-5 guys on that o-line find their way into the nfl. I can see Bradbury going in the late teens where talent and need line up. The guy isn’t transcendent though, which an interior o lineman needs to be when cracking the top ten. If we trade back Bradbury may be in play.

Udoh is an interesting pick. I’m not sure he goes that high, but it’s difficult to project small school guys pre-combine. That said, Udoh’s technique needs work, particularly balance and hand fighting. He has the physical talent, and Elon is a Christian school so he probably fits the character mold.

Both those guys block downfield. As much as I like Harmon, he sometimes disappears for stretches against top corners. Meyers sort of finds a way to make something happen, especially against zone coverage or off breaks in the intermediate range.

I’ll be focusing on the o and d lines. I’ll probably focus a bit more on Bradbury, Risner, and Udoh. However, I want to see if anyone pops or dominates. I’m particularly interested in finding out which linemen perform well while pulling and blocking in space.

Thank you. Been reading silently for over a year. ?. I was on the BBMB before drifting over. Signed up there around 06’

This. I’ve spent the past three years living outside of Durham and watching a ton of Wolfpack games. Bradbury is probably the best center prospect in the draft. It’s amazing how technically proficient the kid is considering he’s only been an o lineman for three years. As good a prospect as he is there’s still a lot of room to improve. Bonus is that he has a similar disposition to K Williams. The only thing I’d worry about is scheme fit. I doubt he’ll ever be a power guy with his frame. Also, keep an eye on Udoh. Elon is a small Christian school in N.C. The kid’s lacking in technique, but he has all the physical tools. Could be a late round prospect.