43 minutes ago, RLC said:

Desai needing 2 gappers, but Howie loving 1 gappers, is a legitimate cause for concern.

Its not. You get guys who can do both. Benton, Mazi Smith... tons of big DEs in this class who can do both.

They drafted Jordan Davis last year. Josh Sweat was a 2 gapper at florida state. Big free agent signing Hargrave was a 2 gapper at Pittsburgh. 

Your concern is unfounded.

9 minutes ago, LeanMeanGM said:

We’ve reached the "hedge your bets” part of the draft season.

yeah. I dont think theyre taking JSN at 10. This sounds more like smoke screen to see if they can find a trade down.

15 minutes ago, HazletonEagle said:

Its not. You get guys who can do both. Benton, Mazi Smith... tons of big DEs in this class who can do both.

They drafted Jordan Davis last year. Josh Sweat was a 2 gapper at florida state. Big free agent signing Hargrave was a 2 gapper at Pittsburgh. 

Your concern is unfounded.

He drafted Sweat to be a 1 gapper. Davis is the most athletic DT of the past 10 years and can theoretically play any style.

The last chance he had for a 1 vs. 2 gapper was Williams vs. McNeil and he got MEMEd.

3 minutes ago, RLC said:

He drafted Sweat to be a 1 gapper. Davis is the most athletic DT of the past 10 years and can theoretically play any style.

The last chance he had for a 1 vs. 2 gapper was Williams vs. McNeil and he got MEMEd.

The DC who spent time as a scout wanted Williams too. 

1 minute ago, RLC said:

He drafted Sweat to be a 1 gapper. Davis is the most athletic DT of the past 10 years and can theoretically play any style.

The last chance he had for a 1 vs. 2 gapper was Williams vs. McNeil and he got MEMEd.

Howie said himself Davis needed to be more than just a 2 gapper in order to justify taking him where they did. Hopefully Davis proves that to be true. I like Benton & Mazi. I'm thinking at or right around 30 for either. Mazi could play the part of Hargrave. He has the size and athletic ability to rush the passer. Plus he's better against the run. Make a lot of sense there. 

This JSN/Bijan chatter, if true, means that Howie doesn’t expect a difference making defensive player to be there at 10, and doesn’t want to settle for another Derek Barnett level player at a premium position.

1 hour ago, RLC said:

Desai needing 2 gappers, but Howie loving 1 gappers, is a legitimate cause for concern.

Believe nothing 

5 minutes ago, D-Shiznit said:

This JSN/Bijan chatter, if true, means that Howie doesn’t expect a difference making defensive player to be there at 10, and doesn’t want to settle for another Derek Barnett level player at a premium position.

It's also a convenient hint to other teams who may hope they fall in the draft. 

3 minutes ago, UK Eagle said:

It's also a convenient hint to other teams who may hope they fall in the draft. 

Normally I would agree 100%, but I think the word is out on Howie being the biggest swindler in the NFL. It might be a situation akin to:

3 minutes ago, D-Shiznit said:

Normally I would agree 100%, but I think the word is out on Howie being the biggest swindler in the NFL. It might be a situation akin to:

A GM could look at both, look at the Eagles roster and think, I can see why they'd take either.  Do they want to take the risk of losing out on JSN?  Upgrading the slot will be open up new dimensions on the O scheme. Etc

I'd be surprised if either were taken with the holes at OT, DT and DE, but you never know

Only the mad won't agree

 

McGinns yearly scouts take on prospects 

1. MICHAEL MAYER, Notre Dame (6-4 ½, 252, no 40, 1-2): Third-year junior left South Bend with 180 receptions, third on the school's all-time list. "He's everything you want off the field," said one scout. "Typical Notre Dame guy. Arm length (31 5/8) is
a little shorter than you want. He's strong and powerful in run and pass. Good hands.
Uses his body well to separate. Smart with the ball in his hands to get good RAC. Consistent player. Can compete for a starting job right out of the gate. I'd take him in the back half of the first." Comes from a family filled with outstanding athletes. "He's
probably the best," said a second scout. "He's the most complete. Good route runner. Functional blocker. Very good (catching) in contested situations. Has good enough speed. I don't think he's a vertical threat down the seam. I don't know if he'll be a Pro Bowler but solid across the board." Several scouts said he was a better prospect than Cole Kmet, another ex-Irish TE who went to the Bears in the second round in 2020. "I go with him No. 1 just because of his background," said a third scout. "He's a very solid short receiver. What did guys like Travis Kelce (4.63) and George Kittle (4.55) run? One thing he has, he knows how to position his body. He gets open by doing that. Now vertically, he is not going to help you at all. He makes a block effort, but is inconsistent." Finished with those 180 catches for 2,099 (11.7) and 18 TDs. Scored 23 on
the Wonderlic.

DARNELL WASHINGTON, Georgia (6-6 ½, 268, 4.63, 1-2): Third-year junior made 27 starts in 36 games for the two-time FBS national champions. "He's the freak of freaks," one scout said. "You go to a game or practice and you see this big, lumbering, one-speed guy. Then you watch him at the combine and you see this kind of hidden burst. He's got real speed. He's not the kind of receiver that will run all the precision cuts underneath. He'll be one of those down-the-seam and across-the-field and to-the- corner (route runners). Then he can capture the edge as a blocker because he's like an
extra tackle. Is he a finished product? No. Was he underutilized at Georgia? Absolutely. Somebody that really understands how to utilize him will make a really strong pro in two years. He's got two children. Doesn't know who his father is. He's got like nine siblings, all different dads. But he's intrinsically motivated to do this. I bought it. I don't think the background will hold him back." Finished with 45
receptions for 774 (17.2) and three TDs. "Very self-sufficient," a second scout said.
"Great kid. Love the person."
 

SAM LaPORTA, Iowa (6-3, 246, 4.60, 2): Lightly recruited, he increased his production all four years. "He's my favorite guy," one guy said. "He has very good hands. He's got to get better as a blocker but he's more than willing as a blocker. He had a **** quarterback (Spencer Petras). I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up being one of the better tight ends if not the best in this class." On the small side and bench- pressed just 16 times. "Struggled to sustain as a blocker in the run game," a second scout said. "He's a No. 2 tight end coming in with an arrow up if he could do anything as a blocker. He's willing; he's just not that good at it. Threat in the pass game. Sets u
defenders well. Changes speeds, has good head fakes to get separation.

 

Remind me do the nba playoffs reseed?

Just now, ToastJenkins said:

Remind me do the nba playoffs reseed?

No.

Just now, just relax said:

No.

Bogus

 

Is there an offensive lineman worthy of a top-10 selection based on draft standards
over time? "Not legit," said one scout. "Broderick Jones and Paris Johnson are the two that are going to go because we're in an era now where a kid that's a 5-star recruit, he comes in and it's Covid the first year, backs up and plays a little bit the second year and starts the third year, they have the measurables and they re the best in class. This is the
world we're in right now. "Johnson and Broderick both will go in the top 10, top 12. But their resumes are
nowhere near a Joe Thomas or Jonathan Ogden, or Walter Jones or Orlando Pace.
Trent Williams, for that matter." Clearly, the path to first-round money and notoriety was wide open for Dawand Jones after his destructive work in Day One at the Senior Bowl. "It was almost embarrassing
the way he went out and was throwing people around," said an AFC evaluator. At one point, Jones practically body-slammed Army's Andre Carter out of bounds
during one drill. "I said, 'Oh, my God," another scout recalled. Then it was over. Jones decided not to practice the rest of the week or play in the game. A month later, at the combine, he agreed to run two 40's and do drill work but turned down the bench press, the jumps and the shuttle runs. When pro day arrived in
Columbus, Jones stood around refusing to work or even weigh in. "After the first day of the Senior Bowl, when he was the talk of the town, he completely f---ed this whole thing up," an evaluator said. "He had one good day of
practice and then basically shut himself down. He's killed himself in the process." Listed at 359 by Ohio State in the fall, Jones scaled 374 at the combine while measuring 6-8 1/4. He clocked 5.36 in the 40. His arms (36 3/8 inches) and hands (11 5/8
inches) each were among the longest recorded. In the last 10 years, five tackles of Jones' physical dimensions have been drafted. Two became fine players, one failed, one has been bedeviled by injury and another has
barely played.
 

Since Jones pulled back, evaluators have expressed serious concern. In the survey, the
scouts were asked to pick which of the top offensive linemen was most likely to bust. Dawand Jones was a runaway choice with seven votes compared to two each for Broderick Jones and Wright and one each for Bergeron, Harrison, Johnson and
Skoronski. One of the 16 scouts declined to vote. "He's a better athlete than Orlando Brown," said one personnel man. "If he had clean character and wasn't lazy and didn't have a weight problem, you're looking at a first-
ballot Hall of Famer. "You're taking a risk, for sure. But this guy is the real deal when he wants to be. And
even when he doesn't want to be he's still pretty good."

Some more takes

BRODERICK JONES, Georgia (6-5 ½, 313, 4.94, 1): Like Johnson, he was a 5-star recruit. "Damn good athlete," one scout said. "He's just still raw and green. Got a lot of technical (bleep) to clean up and he doesn't finish plays, but he's a really good foot athlete. He's got some bad habits. ... Sisters raised him with his mom in Atlanta. He's a good kid." Played two games as a true freshman in 2020, filled in for injured LT Jamaree Salyer (four starts) in 2021 and started all 15 games at LT for the national champs in 2022. "This guy is ultra-athletic," said a second scout. "But he's raw as can be, and very inconsistent. It's all about, when you interview him, to see what's inside him and if he will develop. He has developmental movement and feet but his hands are
all over the place. He gets caught off-guard with anticipation and vision. Falls off a lot.
Looks like he has 36-inch arms (actually 34 ¾) and keeps them down by his side.
C'mon. He's just so far away. It's all the assumption that he's this great athlete. Someone will be disappointed." Wonderlic of 12. "You're taking a little bit of risk on the kid," said a third scout. "He's got some immaturity to him. Like a lot of these Georgia guys, a lot of talent but maybe not the greatest football character. He's athletic and he's strong and he shows he can be mean. It's just are you going to get it out of
him? Is he going to be a pro?" From Lithonia, Ga.

 

27 at RT, 13 at LT and two at RG. "There's a lot of entitlement with this kid but did he shut out (Alabama's) Will Anderson," another scout said. "Absolutely. If you want to
like him that's the tape you point to and say, 'This guy's a starting left or right tackle. Case closed? But when you dig into it, he's never been much of a worker. Barely does enough to get by. Not super cooperative. Hard work is not in his vocabulary. Just does enough ... But he has absolutely helped himself. Had a good Senior Bowl. Had a good
combine. He's probably been clean enough in the interviews that somebody would say, 'Hey, we'll work with him? I think he could flame out pretty quick because he's not a worker. It might not be as easy as he thinks it's going to be in the league." So-so arm length (33 ¾), tiny hands (9). "Pro Bowl-caliber player," a third scout said. "Looked a lot more comfortable on the right side. Really strong hands. Aggressive, can move people in the run game. Hard to beat in pass pro because he's good with his set. You can't run through him because he's strong." Wonderlic of 18. "He's got character but he's talented," a fourth scout said. "He's just got poor football character. Lazy, but he
blocked Alabama, he blocked Georgia like it was nothing."

55 minutes ago, RLC said:

He drafted Sweat to be a 1 gapper. Davis is the most athletic DT of the past 10 years and can theoretically play any style.

The last chance he had for a 1 vs. 2 gapper was Williams vs. McNeil and he got MEMEd.

He made the right pick as Williams is better,  and can play both. 

He can be a big DE on a 2 gapping line and slide in a a quick rushing DT in rush situations.

 

Howie has been getting guys who do both for a while now.  You may not have been paying attention.  Your concern is unfounded.

 

4. ANTON HARRISON, Oklahoma (6-4½, 316, 4.99, 1-2): Third-year junior. "Not gifted athletically but he plays with balance and has enough movement," said one scout. "Guys that really know how to play, they're going to make it and they last and they play well. The hand use, the punch, he's patient, the vision. He does all that little stuff that you say, 'Wow. This guy really knows how to play? Not elite with his feet and movement and athletic ability, but good enough in all those areas." Backup in 2020 before starting 24 games at LT in 2021-22. "It might take him a year or two but the ceiling is very high for him," a second scout said. "Maybe he hasn't played up to his talent level but I would be optimistic he'll get there. The character's fine. The work ethic? Same. It's certainly not ideal. I think he's relied upon his athleticism and gotten away with that.?" Arms were 34 1/8, hands were small (9 ¼). Wonderlic of 19. "He's not a
consistent finisher and his technique can be a little inconsistent," said a third scout. "But he's got good feet and quick hands. Plays a little bit high sometimes." From Washington. "Do you see the foot agility? Sure, but that is it," a fourth scout said. "I
thought he was just underdeveloped ... Ordinary. Is he a get-in-the-way pass protector? Yes, against lousy rushers in the Big 12. I think when he's playing real bonafide NFL football he's going to struggle big time if he's put on that field this year. He's a little bit undersized for tackle. He's not powerful enough to play on the right side. I would be
leery of him."
 

5. MATT BERGERON, Syracuse (6-5, 317, no 40, 1-2): From Victoriaville, Quebec (Canada). "Mentally, he could play all five spots," one scout said. "He's an acquired taste, though. Pretty good athlete. Probably better moving inside but he could play tackle in a pinch." Started five games at RT in 2019 as a true freshman before moving to LT in 2020-'22. "He's a starter Year 1," said a second scout. "Really nice feet, really good athlete. He's got the girth and is square enough to play guard but he's also got enough length (33 ¾ arms) to play out there on the edge with his feet. He goes in the top 50 and he starts next year." His Wonderlic score of 27 paced the top 10 tackles. "I
think he's an All-Pro guard in the making," said a third scout. "He's got unbelievable

 

6. DAWAND JONES, Ohio State (6-8, 374, 5.36, 2): Biggest man in the draft. "He's so enormous and I love watching him play," one scout said. "I was scouting the other guy, Paris Johnson, but I couldn't take my eyes off Dawand. Some absolutely love him and some think he's absolutely no good. It's a strange thing. He does have some character issues." Started just one of 15 games from 2019-'20 before starting 25 games at RT from 2021-'22. "He has just dominating strength," a second scout said. "He's a
big guy that actually plays big. His bend for his size is amazing. He's got great feet. He's crazy long. His hand use is really good. He's light on his feet. His punch is ridiculous. He's really similar to the best Mekhi Becton played in college (at Louisville) but he's more dominant. You can see the basketball player in him." Fielded mid-level Division I basketball offers after a top-notch career on the court for Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis. "I think he likes basketball more than he likes football," said a third scout. "I don't know if he really likes football." Arms (36 3/8) and hands (11 5/8) were the longest at the combine. His Wonderlic score of 11 was the lowest of the top 12 tackles. "He just wins with his size," said a fourth scout. "He does stay on his feet for the most part but reaching guys, adjusting, space, slide, all that, he just struggles to do that. How much of that will transfer? Zach Banner was so big and had those limitations, too, and he just kind of bounced around." Made a terrible post-Day 1 impression at the Senior Bowl and then at pro day. His weight of 374 at the combine
didn't thrill scouts, either. "He was listed at 359 (in the fall)," a fifth scout said. "That (374) scares me. When a guy gains weight before the combine that shows you how
much pride he has. Next thing you know he's going to be 400."

2 hours ago, RLC said:

JSN might be BPA at 10. I wouldn't do it, but I'd get it.

I’d take him over a RB 

39 minutes ago, UK Eagle said:

Only the mad won't agree

 

 

Rams best uniforms were the 99 Super Bowl team jerseys.  Nike already tried that awful blue and white when the Rams first moved back to LA.  

 

 

 

GUARDS 1. PETER SKORONSKI, Northwestern (6-4, 312, 5.14, 1): Third-year junior with 33 games played at LT and 33 games started at LT. "I think he's the safest (pick at the
position) because he has the perfect mix of character and talent," said one scout. "There really are no holes. He has two-position versatility at a starting level and he's a kick-ass person. He works his butt off. He's a leader." Led the guards in the vertical jump (34 ½) and broad jump (9-7), and bench-pressed 30 times to tie for second. "He probably belongs in the top 10," said a second scout. "He's more ideal for guard but he could play tackle. There's no risk with the person. I don't think he's great, but he's really good. He might not dominate things but he's certainly going to support the runner and prevent the passer from getting hit." His Wonderlic score of 29 tied for the best among guards. "I didn't think he was a (tough guy) early but it got better," said a
third scout. "
"You probably want a little more (rugged play) but I think he's got it in
him. I wrote him at guard but I could see him playing tackle 

2. O'CYRUS TORRENCE, Florida (6-5 ½2, 331, 5.34, 1-2): Started 36 games from 2019-21 at Louisiana. In the last three drafts, the Ragin' Cajuns had three offensive linemen drafted and get off to successful starts: guard Kevin Dotson (fourth round) in Pittsburgh, guard Robert Hunt (second round) in Miami and tackle Max Mitchell
(fourth round) with the Jets. "Is he the best of the four? He probably is," one scout said. "But he helped himself by going to Florida." Played his final season in Gainesville, starting at RG. "Good player, not a great player," that same scout said. "He was a gap-
scheme guard all the way." Largest hands among the guards (11 ¼), arms were 33 7/8. "When I watched his pro-day stuff, is he a better athlete than I ever expected," said a second scout. "I'm not talking good. I'm talking really good." Scored 18 on the Wonderlic. "He is a power-oriented guard but he doesn't move bad for a big guy," a
third scout said. "Really strong, can anchor. Plays on his feet. Really heavy-handed. Needs to work on his hand use as far as placement and maximizing his length. But if he hits you he's got a powerful punch. His (negative) is technique-oriented. He's a good second-round player on talent, particularly if you run a power scheme." 
 

 

3. CODY MAUCH, North Dakota State (6-5, 302, 5.06, 2): Walked on as a 220-pound
defensive end in 2017 before gaining weight and moving to the offensive line in spring 2018. "He'd be a zone-scheme guard," one scout said. "He's no powerhouse guy but he's pretty athletic. People are projecting him to guard because he played left tackle. If the (small-school) guys can just break even during the one-on-one's at the Senior Bowl that's a pretty good indicator they're going to make it, and this guy did that. He'll be a starter." Hardly saw the field in 2018-'19 before making 37 starts at LT and two at RT in 2020-22. Took snaps at every line position in the Senior Bowl game. "He's the only true five-position player in the draft," another scout said. "He helped himself immensely by playing center at the Senior Bowl. Made it look easy on FCS tape. Truly nasty. He tested off the charts. Incredible interview." His Wonderlic of 29 shared the position lead. Turned 24 in January. "He's highly competitive," said a third scout. "He needs some work, but you'd want to work with him. He's older, so I don't know how much better he's going to get. He's not bad. He'll end up being one (a starter)" Arms were 32 3/8. "His success will come down to whether or not he's strong enough," said a fourth scout. "He'll be a starter. Great kid. The athleticism is what stands out." 
 

4. STEVE AVILA, Texas Christian (6-3 ½, 332, 5.19, 2-3): Started 17 games at center, 15 at LG, two at RT and one at RG. "If he ends up going to the Pro Bowl one day as a guard that wouldn't surprise me one bit," one scout said. "Love the kid. He can play center but I think his best position is guard. But between him and Mauch, I wouldn't even hesitate to take Mauch." Posted a 20 on the Wonderlic. "I don't think he's smart enough to play center," a second scout said. "He's a third-round guy at guard. He's a little overweight. He should lose about 15. He's better in a zone scheme." From Arlington, Texas. "He doesn't look great on the hoof," said a third scout. "TCU is not a lean mass team so whatever you show up at, that's your playing weight. They like 'em bigger a little bit. He probably needs to get his body right. He was dominant in Senior Bowl one-on-one's. No one could move him.' Arm length was a pedestrian 33. "Typical guy that plays in the league," said a fourth scout. "Not much difference between him and all those other guys. He does everything you want. Not nimble or anything like that. The way this is stacking up he'll be picked in the second or third. 

5 hours ago, Sack that QB said:

I'm not sure RB is a position of need. I think that depends on if Penny stays healthy. If Penny gets hurt then it becomes one(as currently constructed). If not, I think this RB group is fine. Good, actually. I like Gainwell and Scott as change of pace backs and Penny when healthy is really Fing good.

As it stands currently I think DT, OT, OG, Safety, LB, slot WR are more immediate needs for 2023 and Edge, CB are more long-term needs. I'd put RB down the list in terms of needs.

I don't think you have to throw out the playbook. The playbook is why the Eagles made the SB this past season in the first place. Their commitment to keeping the lines strong is why whenever they falter they always climb out of it very quickly. The Eagles don't stay bad for long when they do fall because their lines are always good so it doesn't take much to pull them out of it. And once they find a good QB they typically are a playoff team with those lines. I want them to continue investing in those lines. It's how you stay a playoff team for years to come.

I mean, if Penny stays healthy he’s going to average 6.5+ ypc on volume and likely be an all-pro candidate.

The thing is, you can’t count on him to stay healthy.

That’s another reason I want Gibbs at 30ish over Bijan at 10-15… Bijan is close to Penny in terms of skill set. If Penny is healthy, Bijan becomes redundant, or we bench a healthy Penny for Bijan and miss out on that cheap production. Gibbs can complement a healthy Penny, and replacing Penny with a power back mid season (if he gets hurt) or next year (if he stays healthy) should be relatively simple.

But Gibbs has a rare skill set. There just aren’t many guys with his speed and moves and hands who are still big enough to be a RB on first and second down.

17 minutes ago, TEW said:

I mean, if Penny stays healthy he’s going to average 6.5+ ypc on volume and likely be an all-pro candidate.

The thing is, you can’t count on him to stay healthy.

That’s another reason I want Gibbs at 30ish over Bijan at 10-15… Bijan is close to Penny in terms of skill set. If Penny is healthy, Bijan becomes redundant, or we bench a healthy Penny for Bijan and miss out on that cheap production. Gibbs can complement a healthy Penny, and replacing Penny with a power back mid season (if he gets hurt) or next year (if he stays healthy) should be relatively simple.

But Gibbs has a rare skill set. There just aren’t many guys with his speed and moves and hands who are still big enough to be a RB on first and second down.

I don't know about the redundancy. Bijan to get the lead and then Penny to hold it in Q4. I'm a broken record on this but IMO ball control is the best D in this era of the NFL where rules and refs have pass attack success as the priority and effectiveness of D against the pass has been modulated down by the same systemic changes. 

1 hour ago, EaglePhan1986 said:

I’d take him over a RB 

no. A 3rd WR who is likely at best a 4th option in the offense (5th if you account for Hurts running) has far less effect on an offense than a bellcow RB, who can also catch passes very well.