I think Schoonmaker is going to end up being a solid receiving tight end. He has a lot of tools.
[Reply]

This guy isn't a 1st rounder but go watch some video on LB Daiyan Henley probably a 3-4 but that dude has major upside...
[Reply]

I don't get the depth at WR argument. The top 5 is weak compared to previous years and thereafter there's a load of "who knows" but again I don't see more than in previous years. There will be great value picks all the way, there always is, but it doesn't stand out to me as a good year.
[Reply]

That could be, but I don't see Burt Verch drafting him. I just went through everyone single draft class he's had with us as GM and there were 6 players that were either 23 or nearly 23 when drafted. I just eyeballed their age and the draft year, I did not dig deep down in to their exact birthday and calculate it. Zero players were 24 and Schoonmaker is already 24. The vast majority of his picks were 21/22 years old when drafted, which makes sense because you graduate HS at 18, then have 3-4yrs of college. I don't see him picking up many RS SR players but I get why. After their rookie deal, they will be getting close to 30, so the return on that draft pick investment is going to be a little lower.
[Reply]

Just because it may not have a bunch of 6 top-20 picks doesn't mean it isn't deep. If last year proved anything as well, teams are going to overdraft WRs.

I think the basis of my argument with the talent of this class is that I can find near comparisons for most of the top WRs in this group to former 1st round picks. Here are some comps that I think are close.

Quentin Johnston
Most closely resembles: Kevin White - 7th overall
Speed, size, agility, he has it all. Easily the best bet to be the 1st WR taken and a potential top-10 pick. Remember Kevin White from West Virginia? That's going back but I like the comp. White busted due to basically destroying his tibia and fibula in back-to-back seasons. Unfortunate because that kid had every ounce of talent in the world and I think Johnston is really close athletically. I don't know if Johnston is as good of a route runner and his hands aren't quite as good.

Zay Flowers
Most closely resembles: Jahan Dotson - 16th overall
Just a really good route runner and he's quick. I don't know if he has elite top-end, similar to Dotson. Really good hands. That said, he's going to get open he's likely going to be a quality player. Definite potential to be a Tyler Lockett type.

Jalen Hyatt
Most closely resembles: Will Fuller - 21st overall
The ability of Hyatt to take the top off is undeniable. He's an incredible talent. A bit of a linear athlete and has an unrefined route tree. We saw a very similar Jameson Williams go 12th overall last year and Henry Ruggs III only a couple of seasons ago at the same spot. Hyatt is in that range of 15-20 I think.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Most closely resembles: Kadarius Toney - 20th overall
People forget just how absolutely insane this kid is. He puts clown shoes on people. The legitimate concern is he's Kadarius Toney 2.0 in terms of health issues paired with incredible talent. So, I guess we see what the NFL thinks. That's a tough go as an executive. He can play every position but he's best off the line and is elite from the slot.

Jordan Addison
Most closely resembles: Hollywood Brown - 25th overall
Acceleration is A+. Route running is A+. So slippery and hard to cover. Like Brown, he's a smaller, wire-frame receiver with an outstanding ability to uncover and make plays. I think top-20 is absolutely on the table but somewhere before the end of the round is a certainty.

Cedric Tillman
Most closely resembles: Michael Pittman Jr. - 34th overall
I'm really quite high on Tillman despite my lack of pounding the table for him. Honestly, there may not be a better JuJu replacement where the Chiefs pick if that's the type of WR they want. Anyhow, NFL bloodlines, tough in traffic, amazing hands, and enough speed to make a play down the field. He's not going to juke your shorts off or blaze by you with a 4.3 but he's just a good, consistent, starting NFL WR.

Josh Downs
Most closely resembles: Elijah Moore - 34th overall
I don't know if Downs is as fast as Moore but I see a lot of similarities in their ability to work every inch of the field under 10 yards and sneak deep once in a while. Downs was definitely Mr. Reliable when NC needed a play. I think Downs makes his living in the NFL as a slot and, like Moore, ends up a high 2nd round pick.

Tyler Scott
Most closely resembles: DeSean Jackson - 49th overall
If there were ever a WR to bet on putting on a show at the Combine, it's probably Scott. He's probably going to be in that Henry Ruggs range for speed, vertical, etc. Scott does more than run deep as he can work the short and intermediate zones and has some wiggle as a former RB. He also does a tremendous job of high-pointing in traffic. I like that he primarily played his snaps on the outside (to the point of almost exclusively) and can win reps. We can argue the value NFL teams put on finding the next DJax as well as speed tends to go high.

There are several 2nd and 3rd round-caliber WRs as well, which really speaks to the depth of the class, not just these guys I figure to be in the conversation for round 1.
[Reply]

Love debating this WR class so I want to hop in:


Quentin Johnston- love the Kevin White comparison. The more I watch Quentin Johnston, the less I like him though. For such a gifted athlete, he leaves a lot to be desired. At times he looks like an unstoppable force at the receiver position, other times he leaves me wanting more. He has the size, he has the speed, and he has the quickness. I don't want to make the same DK Metcalf mistake though, I think Johnston is going to be a really good football player but I don't know if he has the ball skills and route running ability to be elite in the NFL.

Zay Flowers- I am a huge fan of Zay Flowers even if he is a bit undersized because I think his ability to change direction is elite. His route running and ball skills are fantastic and I think he has the ability to win routes in the short and intermediate areas of the field. We'll see how he tests at the combine but if he tests better than people anticipate, I can see him drafted before some of the other notable WR's in this draft class. In regards to a comparable, I see a little bit of Antonio Brown in him honestly but Lockett is another good comparison.

Jalen Hyatt- I've used the Will Fuller comparison as well so I agree 100% with your write-up. Your assessment is bang on, what I have a hard time foreseeing is if Hyatt can develop the short to mid game. Unquestionably the day you draft Hyatt, the home run ball is in play every snap but to be worth a 1st round pick, I want a guy who can win everywhere. Myself personally I have a hard time with speed merchants knowing if I'm drafting Tyreek Hill or Parris Campbell.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba- For me JSN is the hardest player to evaluate because of his injury. On one hand, his production in his sophomore year is insane. 1600 yards in an insanely talented WR room, out producing Olave and Wilson who both had very impressive NFL rookie campaigns. On the other hand, if Hyatt is a speed merchant, JSN is a route running merchant. Nothing screams elite to me about JSN's measurables, he just has a knack of getting open and catching the ball. Nothing wrong with that, maybe a less physical Juju Smith Schuster?

Jordan Addison- My favorite receiver of this draft class. Jordan Addison can win in any situation, he's not your typical #1 receiver due to his slight frame but there is no one better at the receiving craft than Jordan Addison in this class. Excellent ball skills to go along with great route running, I think he is fast enough to win deep as well. Calvin Ridley I think is going to be Addison's most common draft comparison, he reminds me also of a better version of Darnell Mooney. I see a little bit of Keenan Allen as well, maybe not as good as a route runner but a little more athletic.

Cedric Tillman- Haven't deep dived into Tillman quite yet so I'll hold off.

Josh Downs- I love that Josh Downs had 2 years of production, and it wasn't all on chunk plays. Reliable hands, above average route runner to go with above average athletic ability. Reminds me a bit of Rondale Moore but bigger, maybe not as shifty. I like too that Downs has some nice contested catches on film although he is a smaller guy. I think the tricky part of this draft class is wading through all of these 5'10 185lbs guys and determining who is going to have the most success at the NFL level. My money is on Zay Flowers, I don't love Josh Downs where I think he'll be taken but I think he can be a decent complimentary weapon.

Tyler Scott- Another receiver that I find hard to evaluate. I know you just put him as your first rounder in your latest mock draft. He has 1st round intangibles but I just can't put him that high since he really hasn't faced top level competition. His production was fairly inconsistent as well, you have unreal production in 4 games, but you have 2 games where Scott didn't even record a catch, and another where Scott only recorded a single catch for 11 yards. I don't know if it's subpar coaching or what, but to me if you have this elite talent who can help you win football games, why aren't we manufacturing more touches for Scott to impact the game? I also wish he would have moonlighted in the slot more often, I would value him more if he was more versatile, at the NFL level how much coaching is he going to require if I'd like him to be in the slot also.

I think he's a solid prospect but I have a hard time putting him in the top 5 of this class. Tyquan Thornton is an interesting comparison for me, they had similar production in their last year of college and I think they have similar traits that might hold them back a bit. Tyquan was drafted in the 2nd round largely due to his combine day, Scott could be the same story.
[Reply]

I kinda like the idea of drafting a DT or EDGE guy if he works out you have an elite D-line, Backers, and some corners who balled out as rookies. In other words an elite defense to go along with an elite offensive line & elite QB/HC
[Reply]

We've just seen Andy be able to get skill guys from all over the draft for years.

I think you just go OL/DL early and then pick your developmental skill guys later.
[Reply]

I’m with you guys man. Biggest obstacle in our way back to the SB is Joe Burrow and if we can get pressure on him we’ll win.

Get another pass rusher and we’re in business
[Reply]

If there's a WR there they absolutely love, sure. But for the most part, just pile on as many front 7 players as you can and we'll figure the rest out.
[Reply]

As I run these mock drafts, the guy I'm typically settling on is Ojulari and occasionally Hyatt.

I think I'd be fine with either of those guys. They present some real explosive potential on both sides of the ball and both have the potential to be real dynamic complementary players for us.
[Reply]

Do you worry that we just keep running into "complementary" type guys with where we're picking though?

At some point some of them need to turn into build around guys.
[Reply]

Both of those guys have tremendous upside. I think you're reading too much into "complementary". I think he's referring more to their immediate impact.
[Reply]

That's the nature of picking at the back of the 1st.

A little bit. I don't think Hyatt is a likely do everything #1 WR type, but I think w/ Kelce and Toney and maybe another possession WR, Hyatt's skill-set fits really well. And ultimately I think that's probably how we're going to continue building our offense going forward. We want to give Mahomes a variety of weapons and styles to use.

Defensively, I see Karlaftis as the 'necessary' SDE in a Spags scheme where Ojulari can be a guy who plays well off the attention that Jones draws and the relentlessness of Karlaftis. And the two of them will present different aim points that opposing offenses have to deal with.

I don't see 'complementary' as a perjorative. It just means they fit well with our surrounding players. Would it be nice to find the next Chris Jones who draws attention and still dominates? Yup. But there's as much luck as there is skill involved there.
[Reply]

Oh, it's a great pick if they become those type of guys. Having good players is never a bad thing.

I think you keep swinging with good players, and let your coaching staff develop them into potential high enders if luck breaks your way.
[Reply]