2017 NFL Mock Drafts & Top Prospects

[YoloinOhio]

@christrapasso

IMO Gareon Conley > Marshon Lattimore because: better ball skills, longer, more explosive athlete, more experience. Both solid CB prospects

[GunnerBill]

@christrapasso

IMO Gareon Conley > Marshon Lattimore because: better ball skills, longer, more explosive athlete, more experience. Both solid CB prospects

#evaluationfail.

[Kirby Jackson]

@christrapasso

IMO Gareon Conley > Marshon Lattimore because: better ball skills, longer, more explosive athlete, more experience. Both solid CB prospects

Nope

 

I like Conley a lot and he has a pretty high floor too. Lattimore has rare athleticism.

[JohnC]

I have Watson ahead of Wentz I thought Wentz was pushed up way too high because of the pro-style thing.

The result of Wentz being drafted by the Eagles in an expensive deal is that they now have a franchise qb. He started off well and then struggled. What's so surprising about that? The inevitable and inescapable learning process took place. What the Eagles now have is a legitimate franchise qb taking the snaps and their rebuilding process accelerated because the qb position is secured.

 

Now compare that to the Cleveland franchise that received a boatload of picks for the trade with the Eagles. They still don't have a franchise qb and they are still in pursuit of that critical acquisition. Sure they have a surplus of picks but the value of those picks and potential players doesn't come close to the value of having a franchise qb anchored to the team.

 

The people (not you) who clamor for value when discussing the draft don't understand that there is an altogether different metric when discussing the qb position compared to all the other positions. A team that doesn't have a franchise qb and selects a franchise qb prospect who is rated in the 25-50 range potentially has more value and impact on a team than a top five ranked player who is a DB. A player who turns out to be an all pro safety doesn't come close to matching the value of acquiring a qb such as Dalton or little better caliber qb. That's how important the position is.

 

The Bills have passed on a number of reasonable good qb prospects that have gone on to elevate other teams because of their stupid patchwork mentality towards roster building. If more than a generation of futility isn't enough of a demonstration of the foolishness of their method of acquiring players then they are irredeemably obtuse. Too many people have grown comfortable with this environment of mediocrity that has lasted more than a generation. Not I!

[thunderingsquid]

@christrapasso

IMO Gareon Conley > Marshon Lattimore because: better ball skills, longer, more explosive athlete, more experience. Both solid CB prospects

 

If we traded back into late first we might still be able to get him. Where does he project, like 18 to 30 or thereabouts?

Edited April 14, 2017 by thunderingsquid

[thebandit27]

 

If we traded back into late first we might still be able to get him. Where does he project, like 18 to 30 or thereabouts?

 

I think Conley is going top-20

[thunderingsquid]

I have a weird feeling that we are going offense or trading down with our first pick.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

 

I would take Mahomes over Wentz even after Wentz had a decent rookie year and Trubisky over Jared Goff.

 

That standard means you never draft a QB. I am starting to see that's what you desire.

 

If the QB prospects were so great that Todd McShay and Mel Kiper and Mike Mayock all agreed they were wonderful future franchise QB's then we couldn't even trade up for them! Even if we offered our entire draft.

 

Sorry Wentz is a better prospect than any QB in this draft.

I haven't seen anyone that has these guys graded ahead of Wentz. He was a decent prospect IMO and still don't love him.

 

I have tried to be pretty clear as to what I desire. The Bills are getting decent QB production. It is in line with Miami, Baltimore, Cincy, KC and Minnesota. It isn't perfect. I have no interest in drafting a prospect that is maybe a 35% chance to ever get to that level. I am only interested in a prospect that is 50/50 to exceed it while at worst being in that group. The Bills have the luxury of being selective (like those other teams). If you see a guy that has a floor like that group and a ceiling like the elite guys go get him. I don't see it in this group and I don't think that I am alone. That standard doesn't mean you never draft a QB. There are probably 3 guys now in 2018 that check that box.

 

[section122]

The result of Wentz being drafted by the Eagles in an expensive deal is that they now have a franchise qb. He started off well and then struggled. What's so surprising about that? The inevitable and inescapable learning process took place. What the Eagles now have is a legitimate franchise qb taking the snaps and their rebuilding process accelerated because the qb position is secured.

 

wentz is nowhere near a guarantee to be a franchise player. in fact almost across the board he had worse numbers than TT last year. so your narrative could be correct or they mortgaged their future for a bust or he could be a TT level player.

[jeffismagic]

 

Sorry Wentz is a better prospect than any QB in this draft.

 

 

Yes, pro-style QB, we know.

wentz is nowhere near a guarantee to be a franchise player. in fact almost across the board he had worse numbers than TT last year. so your narrative could be correct or they mortgaged their future for a bust or he could be a TT level player.

 

You honestly cannot compare TT to Carson Wentz. The Eagles are pleased as punch with Wentz. The Bills are looking to replace TT.

 

Wentz was asked to carry the Eagles offense. TT was hidden behind an elite running game and not asked to do the same things. Wentz was a first year rookie coming from Division 2 football. TT was in his 6th year in the NFL.

Edited April 14, 2017 by jeffismagic

[Buffalo Barbarian]

 

It's sad that this is such a factor in 2017. The way you hear some of these talking heads discuss QB's it's still 1985 and every team has a fullback.

 

you seem to be forgetting that real GMs are looking for prostyle QBs because Spread QBs are mentally waaaaay behind and this is why they are being avoided because Teams are tired of being burnt. It's not outdated thinking it is new thinking based on the experience of Spread QBs not being able to go through progressions, read defenses and call audibles under pressure.

[YoloinOhio]

 

If we traded back into late first we might still be able to get him. Where does he project, like 18 to 30 or thereabouts?

Gareon? He won't last until 30... 18 might be the floor. His position is coveted and lots of teams need CBs. Crapple went 10th last year. Edited April 14, 2017 by YoloinOhio

[Buffalo Barbarian]

 

Yes, pro-style QB, we know.

 

You honestly cannot compare TT to Carson Wentz. The Eagles are pleased as punch with Wentz. The Bills are looking to replace TT.

 

Wentz was asked to carry the Eagles offense. TT was hidden behind an elite running game and not asked to do the same things. Wentz was a first year rookie coming from Division 2 football. TT was in his 6th year in the NFL.

 

wentz is nowhere near a guarantee to be a franchise player. in fact almost across the board he had worse numbers than TT last year. so your narrative could be correct or they mortgaged their future for a bust or he could be a TT level player.

 

 

this is why Stats are garbage.

 

it is clear watching Wentz is going to be a good to great QB, TT is a RB with an arm.

[jeffismagic]

 

 

 

this is why Stats are garbage.

 

it is clear watching Wentz is going to be a good to great QB, TT is a RB with an arm.

 

You nailed it.

[SWATeam]

 

 

 

this is why Stats are garbage.

 

it is clear watching Wentz is going to be a good to great QB, TT is a RB with an arm.

Uh oh, has Wentz been Buffalo Barbarian'd?

[GunnerBill]

wentz is nowhere near a guarantee to be a franchise player. in fact almost across the board he had worse numbers than TT last year. so your narrative could be correct or they mortgaged their future for a bust or he could be a TT level player.

Wentz got off to a hot start last year and the narrative was set at that point. His performance after week 4 was not very good. I never felt like he was a guy you should trade up for (nor did I for Goff) but if I was Cleveland I would absolutely have taken him at #2. Nor do I feel that you should trade up for any of this year's QBs, but I really don't see this big vaccuum between Goff and Wentz as propsects and Watson and Trubisky - indeed I have Watson graded higher.

 

I suppose I just think the 2016 pair were a little overrated (Mayock said at one point he thought they were better than Winston and Mariota - crazy talk) and that this year's class has been a little underrated by many out there.

 

Both classes lacked (in my opinion) true top 10 talent at the QB position but both had guys who if I didn't have one I would be happy to take in the top 10 if I was drafting there.

 

Maybe the 2018 class really is the 2004 class reincarnated (I haven't watched enough to know) but unless the Bills plan to be bad, and it is clear to me that they don't, then they should not let that prevent them from drafting a Quarterback who they feel could be a franchise guy at #10 this year.

[jeffismagic]

 

you seem to be forgetting that real GMs are looking for prostyle QBs because Spread QBs are mentally waaaaay behind and this is why they are being avoided because Teams are tired of being burnt. It's not outdated thinking it is new thinking based on the experience of Spread QBs not being able to go through progressions, read defenses and call audibles under pressure.

 

Of course NFL teams want to draft players with no projection or skill involved. When you have a top talent like an Andrew Luck playing in an NFL offense in college it makes the job easy. The problem is that real GM's DO look at spread QB's because that's where most of the talent is. If you ignore most of the talented players you have to depend on getting a #1 draft choice in a year where a top talent pro-style QB comes out. And I see that this is what you have advocated for under different threads before.

 

But for the teams that aren't drafting #1 in such a year, you have to have skill and do scouting. Scout the traits.

 

Now take Mahomes. He runs a gimmicky spread offense. Now the goal is to get the ball out fast. And he does that. He also does go through progressions if the initial read isn't there. He also, unlike most Air Raid QB's, has the power to change the play at the line. He also is reading the defenses (unfortunately, whether you are spread or pro-style, the college defenses are far less sophisticated). He also has a coach that played with Brady and the Patriots and who installs NFL plays for Texas Tech.

 

So is it going to be easy? No, not for Mahomes or anyone. But I love the skillset and if you create an NFL offense around what he can do and expand Mahomes could be playing as soon as this year.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

 

Of course NFL teams want to draft players with no projection or skill involved. When you have a top talent like an Andrew Luck playing in an NFL offense in college it makes the job easy. The problem is that real GM's DO look at spread QB's because that's where most of the talent is. If you ignore most of the talented players you have to depend on getting a #1 draft choice in a year where a top talent pro-style QB comes out. And I see that this is what you have advocated for under different threads before.

 

But for the teams that aren't drafting #1 in such a year, you have to have skill and do scouting. Scout the traits.

 

Now take Mahomes. He runs a gimmicky spread offense. Now the goal is to get the ball out fast. And he does that. He also does go through progressions if the initial read isn't there. He also, unlike most Air Raid QB's, has the power to change the play at the line. He also is reading the defenses (unfortunately, whether you are spread or pro-style, the college defenses are far less sophisticated). He also has a coach that played with Brady and the Patriots and who installs NFL plays for Texas Tech.

 

So is it going to be easy? No, not for Mahomes or anyone. But I love the skillset and if you create an NFL offense around what he can do and expand Mahomes could be playing as soon as this year.

 

I used to think this but spread guys proved me wrong too many times.

[jeffismagic]

 

I used to think this but spread guys proved me wrong too many times.

 

The NFL and the College game are getting closer, not farther apart. Teams such as the Patriots, Chiefs, and Broncos use Air Raid concepts to get the ball out quicker. Fewer and fewer colleges run anything but spread offenses.

 

I honestly think the issue is the college defenses more than the offenses. I was talking to a coach in college and he said it's just hard to teach them combo man/zone coverages. So I think it's a big step up for all the college QB's, regardless of system.

[JohnC]

wentz is nowhere near a guarantee to be a franchise player. in fact almost across the board he had worse numbers than TT last year. so your narrative could be correct or they mortgaged their future for a bust or he could be a TT level player.

Wentz was a rookie last year. So the comparisons are not fair to make. Regardless what stats you want to use in comparison what is revealing is that our GM didn't have much interest in retaining him. The contract that was reworked indicated that he was at best a bridge qb who is working on a very short term and cheap contract.

 

There is a good reason why the Bills are putting in a lot of effort in evaluating this draft class. It's indisputable that one of the reasons is that the organization doesn't see much long term potential in TT.

 

This is my opinion but there is no team in the league that would take TT over Wentz, assuming of course that the decision-makers are sober.