This isn’t a complete draft thread, just a “who are they going to take with #8”. I can’t see free agency affecting this pick at all as the Bears have so many needs. All the mocks I’m seeing have them taking either Joshua Jackson or Calvin Ridley. I’m all for taking a top flight CB. You can never have too many of those. I’d like an edge rusher or OT here too. That, and if history is any guide, wide receiver is probably the last position to draft in the first round value-wise.
Right now......and this is subject to change with injuries, underwear olympics, and individual pro days/team meets. Calvin Ridley isn't worth the #8 pick. He may be the best WR in the draft class, but I think he's more 10-25 range, not top 10. You blow value picking him at 8 when there are better values at other spots. And I think the mid rounds is where you can find and develop some talented WR gems. Courtland Sutton at best is Ridley's equal, and I've seen some scouts think he's top 10. They tend to be in the minority. Jackson has flown up draft boards because after Minkah Fitzpatrick, who reminds me a lot of Jalen Ramsey from the Jaguars--can play S and CB. Jackson is strictly a competent coverage CB with fantastic speed and fundamentals. If you peruse chicitysports, the flavor of the month over there is Virginia Tech lb/edge Tremaine Edmunds. I'm staying as far away from Barkevious Mingo 2.0 as possible. Considered the most talented, athletic edge in the draft, and 19 years old: he's shit for brains. Prone to mental mistakes, misreading offense, and is known best for his rebound in athleticism when he blows his assignment. So a hyper-athlete who has no clue how to read offenses and frequently misses contain. That's about as useful as tits on a bull. The NFL exposes bad flaws like that, and Pace cant miss on the #8. I can keep dreaming about Bradley Chubb at 8. He's your game-changer at edge rusher. But he's top 2-3, and if he falls, Tampa before the bears won't let him fall further. OF course crazier thinks have happened. So realistically? Jackson I'm open to. You just cant miss with him. One of the 2 Notre Dame OLinemen, McGlinchy the tackle, who's top 10-15 or Quentin Nelson, who's considered top 5 talent, but is a G that compares to one of the best, longtime stalwart Raven Marshall Yanda. From a pure talent perspective, Nelson is the best value if on the board, and easily the best offensive linemen in the draft. Of course--where do you put him? Texas OT Connor Williams, who I bring up in the draft thread has surrounded himself with great trainers and staff for all the pre-draft stuff. In my draft thread write-up, his flaw is that for a 6'6 OT, he lacks weight (was 280 lbs) and strength. He's supposedly been increasing both while maintaining hands, bend, and technique. Orlando Brown from Oklahoma I haven't heard much on. Some people still love him high and consider him the best OT, and some think because of the rise of some other specs, he naturally falls. He's a large man (6'6, 347) and needs to improve his bend/technique against pure speed rushers. But watch tape on the guy, he annihilates and suffocates bull rushers and opposing ends trying fancier moves like rip, swim, club, or the Shea McClellin special, the spin. Edge rusher is still a thing. Boston College's Harold Landry is still a guy. People have soured on him because Boston College sucked all year, but he's worth it. Senior Bowl standout Marcus Davenport from Texas San-Antonio entered the conversation. He harassed offensive linemen at the senior bowl in practice and the exhibition game itself. The comps are to Demarcus Ware, another small school product. Roquan Smith at ILB from Georgia. Saquon Barkley, the RB from Pedophile State, Vita Vea, the 5 tech from Washington, and that's about it. Trading down poses a lot of other options.
It’s a weird year. If you research all the draft sites you will be hard pressed to find consensus top players at any position outside of guard. Can’t take a WR at number 9. Learned my lesson with White. I don’t see an Amari Cooper in this draft. There are plenty I would be happy with in the second. Or later in the first in the unlikely event we trade down. This feels like a good draft to add a difference maker to the defense. Chub will be gone as well as Fitzpatrick but I would be happy with Ward the cb from Ohio state, Jackson the cb from Iowa or the ILB Smith out of Georgia.
I'm cool with taking the best edge rusher or CB here. I honestly would prefer the best LT on the board though. BPA at a need position is the right move.
Ugh, this goes against every fiber in my being as a football fan (trading down in the draft for the sake of doing it), but..... I'd call this guy. Bills have a lot of capital in terms of draft picks. 2 picks in the 1st, 2 in the 2nd, and 2 in the 5th in 2018, and I believe 2 3rds in 2019. Bears need play-makers and help in the trenches on both sides of the ball.
How could FA not have an affect on the pick? As it stands right now, i'd say OLB, CB, WR & OL are all realistic options in round 1. If the Bears spend big money on say Landry and another FA WR, then no way do they go WR in round 1. So there's the effect. If the Bears resign Fuller and sign another big contract guy as well then i don't see them going CB at 1st round. FA is really supposed to impact what you do in the draft. It didn't with the QB position last season of course, but that is the outlier imo. Or at least it should be if you ever wanna get the team built. Its a real shame there isn't a stud top10-lock OT in this draft. With all the QB's prob going early a top Tackle falling to #8 would've been real nice value. The Bears really HAVE to target a OLB in the top 2 rounds imo, they just don't have the production right now and a Fangio D really needs it. Pretty impossible to say much more on the draft at this point. FA should give some direction. Pace has plenty of money to spend and has got to go out and land some quality players. Of course, i said the exact same thing a year ago and he shat all over the mattress. I have zero faith in Pace to actually spend the money well, however, just spending it and addressing certain positions should at least make things clearer re the draft.
Some mocks have Bears going Quenton Nelson or Tremaine Edmunds. I like Neslon alot, but Edmunds and Floyd could wreak some havoc. I think the draft is a little deeper at WR this year, and wouldn't go WR in the 1st round. I think the crappy play calling by Frodo made our wide outs look waaay worse then they are. Heck in 2010 we went 11-5 won the division and made it to the NFC championship game with Johnny Knox, Hester, Rashied Davis, Earl Bennett and Devin Aromashodu. We couldn't get out of our own way with Marshall and Jeffery.
Taking a WR in the first is not a wise idea. With the exception of QB, I would bet that WR has the most “busts” of any other position. No thanks. Build the OL, get a lockdown CB, bolster the pass rush from the outside, get another DE, another ILB. All at least as high or higher priority than drafting a WR in the first.
I'm avoiding Tremaine Edmunds like the plague. The athletic ability is spectacular, but his scouting report says "stay away"..... Instincts are average and relies on athletic gifts. Can be a step slow to diagnose. Lured by misdirection. Will take random downhill paths that trap him in the quagmire. Patience is lacking. Races ahead of plays and voids his leverage and run fits at times. Needs to add more upper and lower body strength. Average base strength and high center of gravity create issues holding up at the point of attack. Needs to be quicker to punch in order to maintain clearance. Mental busts in man coverage hurt his team. Takes time to process moving pieces. http://www.nfl.com/draft/2018/profiles/tremaine-edmunds?id=2560062 Yeah I don't have any desire to add a linebacker who's constantly out of position and uses his athleticism to rebound when he makes mistakes. If he's an edge rusher and his job is to contain weak-side, I don't want him randomly shooting gaps he shouldn't be in because he's lured by whatever play fake. That's how opponents will put up 6 points on their drive, or how Aaron Rodgers will put up a 40-point performance on this defense. The NFL exposes "athletic sensations" like this guy, and the bears don't need another Barkevious Mingo, or that lineman who jumped out of a damn pool. He's an athlete, not a football player; and he's 19 years old. He's going to get manhandled by the interior OL or OT of the league if he's edge or ILB. Ryan Pace can't miss with this first round pick. Picking this kid means he has to redshirt or be a part time player because he's too young/inexperienced and you don't know if he can be taught how to read offenses. And the #8 pick cant be a part time player redshirting for 2019 or beyond, best case scenario. This kid has to play every possible snap if he's the guy, and if he doesn't understand basic offensive schemes, that's a problem. Right now, even though its not sexy, take a lineman. Offensive or defensive. Nelson became a possibility cutting Sitton.
For the record, the above report could very well be swapped out for Amos'. I remember watching his college tape and thinking, "great safety if he could figure out where to be, or how to take an angle". I didn't want him because of that. I agree with your assessment, and I wouldn't want to take that guy at 8 with all the other talent likely to be on the board. But it will be interesting to see how he grows...
However, we're also talking about a 5th rounder box safety versus a linebacker being considered for the #8 pick overall. Gambling on an athlete with no instincts in the 5th rounder is easier to swallow than #8 overall. Its also the move that gets Ryan Pace fired.
I like the fact he's only 19 and has this much buzz. Most kids at 19 are still in their redshirt year in college. Kid can play inside or outside. I like him and wouldn't be mad if pace selected him at 8. Most mock drafts have Nelson gone at 7 with the Bucs. I thought Trubisky was the move that was going to get Pace fired.
Thought I’d give this thread a bump now that the meat and potatoes of FA has passed. I think Pat is being a bit tough on Edmunds. When you watch the tape there is a lot to like. That NFL.com profile is lazy. We are not talking about an athletic freak that doesn’t have the on field production to match up. Edmunds has 2 solid years of tape that back up his draft status. Does he bit on a fake and get caught out of position every now and then. Sure most players do and I personally didn’t see it enough to make it as concerning as that profile did. That being said if your going ILB IMO you can’t take Edmunds over Roquan Smith. When you match the tapes up Smith is a superior player. He is fast. And I mean playing speed fast not just 40 time fast. He is a bit undersized I guess but he uses his speed to make up for it. He is my personal favorite to be the pick at 8. I wouldn’t have a problem with Nelson, Fitzpatrick or Ward. Anyone else I would be disappointed. I am assuming there is zero chance at Barkley or Chubb.
If they took Edmunds it would be with the intent he is moved to the outside as a pass rusher. From what little I’ve seen of him in his highlight films that is where he would belong, and possibly thrive.
Except NFL.com isn't the only information source saying that about him though. Many sources and scouts (with a simple google search of 'Tremaine Edmunds scouting report') say that's a problem with him, some go even further to point out how he just lapses/guesses wrong on assignments. Although many say the athletic risk is worth a few shithead plays here and there. I'd prefer not to have a few shithead plays for obvious reasons, first being that the NFL exposes players like that. And second, well that loses games. I'm not oblivious, he's being considered a first rounder for a reason. He's got some impressive tape where he does the right thing and blows up a play in the backfield. I like that part. Its just the part where his assignment is the running back out of the backfield who runs past him for a 70+ yard TD because he was too busy not doing his job and instead decided to shadow the quarterback. Without communicating anything to his fellow defensive teammates. I don't care if he's 19, he cant redshirt to learn how to play defense if you're taking him in the 1st round. We agree? Odd.....well, except-- Roquan Smith is undersized at 6'1? You mean weight-wise, right? At the combine he was 236 lbs. Isn't that about the height you want your ILBs in a 3-4 to be? Was Ray Lewis undersized at 6'1? How about Bobby Wagner at 6'0? Patrick Willis was 6'1 too. Trevathan is 6'1. Or are you a Derrick Johnson guy because he's 6'2?
We both agree Edmunds should not be the pick. We can let time tell us how good his instincts wind up being. As for Smith don’t kill the messenger. I think his size is fine. But it is the one knock on him in most draft reports. Just like it was for all the guys you mentioned. Like them I think Smith will be a beast despite the undersized label.
The draft is less than a week away. I understand we all have lives and real things going on - but what the fuck??? Let’s discuss some football! This board makes my stupid married suburban life look exciting. And that sucks. My gut says that we trade down with the Bills. And I would not mind that. We don’t have a third, and if there’s nobody at 8 that we are in love with (Nelson) or that falls due to trades, why not pick up extra picks and get the guy we could’ve had at 8 anyway?
That's ideal. I want to see how the top 5 shakes out. Bills have enough ammo to trade higher than 8 if they really want someone. My gut says if its a trade down, it's with Arizona, who has limited trade capital compared to Buffalo and New England (each with 2 1sts and 2 2nds). I'm not sure Pace gets 2 firsts from them, but I can see 8 for 15, 47 (Arizona's 2nd), and a future mid rounder, 3-5 round. If its a trade down I'll guess McGlinchy or Landry at 15. If they keep, my guess is Roquan Smith. I think Tampa snags Nelson at 7 unless they truly are in love with Derwin James as some people seem to think.
