If there is a safety I want in this draft, the top name on my list would be Syndey Brown. Great athleticism, good football IQ and just a physical player. Imo he is this year’s Jevon Holland. A player that was rated higher on NFL draft boards than most mock sites and fans. Holland ended up being a baller for Dolphins. 
 

Brown can do it all! He can play deep, nickel, and in the box. He would be an upgrade from Epps who I like but sounds like he is going to get a ton of interest in FA. Having Brown and CJGJ at safety would be fantastic. Both are very similar and versatile so they can both can line up everywhere and be good for this defense. The FS and SS positions are starting to become more irrelevant in todays game where the safeties need to do everything. 
 

I think Brown will be a 2nd round lock. Not sure where in the 2nd but I would not be surprised if he was a top 5 pick in the 2nd round.
 

Agree. He is my top S too. I think he is better than any of the top guys, and can be had a round later. Better player and better value.

Still plenty of bargains on the PFF board... or at least how the simulator logic has changed.

 

1 hour ago, Waiting4Someday said:

Still plenty of bargains on the PFF board... or at least how the simulator logic has changed.

 

I like this. I need more picks though so would drop out of that 30 into early 2nd if Nolan isn't there a comp is probably McDonald IV. Mostly because I want a better RB1 and WR3 and one of these TEs. I know we're all thinking CB but I'm not sure if Howie will go there given his track record. So I'm wondering if he'll even drop out of 10 if his coveted pass rusher isn't there.

43 minutes ago, judunno said:

I like this. I need more picks though so would drop out of that 30 into early 2nd if Nolan isn't there a comp is probably McDonald IV. Mostly because I want a better RB1 and WR3 and one of these TEs. I know we're all thinking CB but I'm not sure if Howie will go there given his track record. So I'm wondering if he'll even drop out of 10 if his coveted pass rusher isn't there.

If Howie really has his eye on somebody, I think it’s more likely that he moves up than stays put/trades back. Agreed on more picks - likely an opportunity at 30. 

These guys did pretty well versus expectations at the combine - so the McDonald IV suggestion is a good exercise if the selections don’t break our way.

11 minutes ago, Waiting4Someday said:

If Howie really has his eye on somebody, I think it’s more likely that he moves up than stays put/trades back. Agreed on more picks - likely an opportunity at 30. 

These guys did pretty well versus expectations at the combine - so the McDonald IV suggestion is a good exercise if the selections don’t break our way.

He doesn't have much to move up with unless he starts digging into 2024 picks and trading existing players. Looks like they're going to need some bodies if they can't fill holes with re-signs, trades, and UFAs. Going to be interesting to see how he plays it. I guess it'll start clearing up once we start signing our own, restructuring, and FA hits.

3 hours ago, Waiting4Someday said:

Still plenty of bargains on the PFF board... or at least how the simulator logic has changed.

 

Maybe we want to make it an Illini first round, Witherspoon and Brown, 1a and 1b.

7 minutes ago, EagleVA said:

Maybe we want to make it an Illini first round, Witherspoon and Brown, 1a and 1b.

Chase Brown 2.

3 minutes ago, Waiting4Someday said:

Chase Brown 2.

Yeah, he's a damn good runner.

EagleVA said a swear word! 

1 hour ago, EagleVA said:

Yeah, he's a damn good runner.

Philadelphia Crimson Illini?

17 hours ago, EagleVA said:

Maybe we want to make it an Illini first round, Witherspoon and Brown, 1a and 1b.

 

17 hours ago, Waiting4Someday said:

Chase Brown 2.

My god. It really cant get much better than that. 

I think we trade out of 30 to pick up extra day 2 picks, I think Brown will be available in the 3rd.

There should be a lot of Safety talent available in the mid rounds, I also like Martin (that may take #62), Skinner,  Ji'ayri Brown and also Ward, any of them have a decent shot at the next level.

1 hour ago, Cochis_Calhoun said:

I think we trade out of 30 to pick up extra day 2 picks, I think Brown will be available in the 3rd.

There should be a lot of Safety talent available in the mid rounds, I also like Martin (that may take #62), Skinner,  Ji'ayri Brown and also Ward, any of them have a decent shot at the next level.

It seems a growing trend in recent years where safeties that are projected to go late round 1 or on day 2 fall to round 4 or 5.  

1 hour ago, time2rock said:

It seems a growing trend in recent years where safeties that are projected to go late round 1 or on day 2 fall to round 4 or 5.  

If we could find a good young Safety in the 4th or 5th (hell even the 3rd) that would be great!

4 minutes ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

If we could find a good young Safety in the 4th or 5th (hell even the 3rd) that would be great!

Indeed.  I know every time we expect a draft heavy on defensive players we end up going pretty much 50/50 on both offense and defense, but ideally we are grabbing a DT and CB with 2 of our top 3 picks and then grabbing a S shortly thereafter.  

3 hours ago, time2rock said:

Indeed.  I know every time we expect a draft heavy on defensive players we end up going pretty much 50/50 on both offense and defense, but ideally we are grabbing a DT and CB with 2 of our top 3 picks and then grabbing a S shortly thereafter.  

True... what typically happens is Howie refills the cupboard with re-signings, FA, and trades then they end up going somewhat BPA favoring the trenches.

35 minutes ago, judunno said:

True... what typically happens is Howie refills the cupboard with re-signings, FA, and trades then they end up going somewhat BPA favoring the trenches.

Pretty much.  Unfortunately the FA acquisitions recently are usually only 1 year rentals (in particular in the secondary like Nelson, Bradberry, etc).  They did hit previously on McLeod and Jenkins.  And most recently they’ve traded quite a few picks (mostly day 3) for 1 year or less rentals (CJGJ, Quinn).  The good … many of those will lead to decent comp picks in 2024.  The bad … we’ll have several holes to fill once again.  

14 minutes ago, time2rock said:

Pretty much.  Unfortunately the FA acquisitions recently are usually only 1 year rentals (in particular in the secondary like Nelson, Bradberry, etc).  They did hit previously on McLeod and Jenkins.  And most recently they’ve traded quite a few picks (mostly day 3) for 1 year or less rentals (CJGJ, Quinn).  The good … many of those will lead to decent comp picks in 2024.  The bad … we’ll have several holes to fill once again.  

2024 comp picks are great but you're talking about at best pick 99 and often much later. That means IF they turn out you're probably looking at 2025 before any real expected contribution.  You could trade those comp picks for established players but you'd have to hit the sweet spot of cost controlled good players which is difficult.  The other caution is that these value signings don't often work out as well as they did last year.

5 minutes ago, pgcd3 said:

2024 comp picks are great but you're talking about at best pick 99 and often much later. That means IF they turn out you're probably looking at 2025 before any real expected contribution.  You could trade those comp picks for established players but you'd have to hit the sweet spot of cost controlled good players which is difficult.  The other caution is that these value signings don't often work out as well as they did last year.

I see what he's doing. He gets some quality deals for 1 year guys looking to boast their value for a longer contract. I just think last year at some point he was like holy crap we got a shot at a title and did a little extra with the trades.

13 minutes ago, judunno said:

I see what he's doing. He gets some quality deals for 1 year guys looking to boast their value for a longer contract. I just think last year at some point he was like holy crap we got a shot at a title and did a little extra with the trades.

Things really came together last year with Bradberry getting released and CJGJ.  Howie deserves credit but those opportunities don't come up like that every season especially Bradberry.  Imagine the team without him last year. Entire defense is changed

9 minutes ago, pgcd3 said:

Things really came together last year with Bradberry getting released and CJGJ.  Howie deserves credit but those opportunities don't come up like that every season especially Bradberry.  Imagine the team without him last year. Entire defense is changed

A shame they couldn't seal the deal. I still contend that a better DC with all of this talent gets one of those needed stops.

 

27 minutes ago, judunno said:

I see what he's doing. He gets some quality deals for 1 year guys looking to boast their value for a longer contract. I just think last year at some point he was like holy crap we got a shot at a title and did a little extra with the trades.

Yup.  I have no doubt that is what he was thinking.  Now we’ll take a year to get our cap situation more in control and then perhaps next year follow the same strategy of using picks for proven players to make another run (since we will likely have 12 … the 8 we currently have plus 4 comp picks that we are likely to receive).  

7 minutes ago, judunno said:

A shame they couldn't seal the deal. I still contend that a better DC with all of this talent gets one of those needed stops.

 

I agree though I try not to think about it too much or I'll get sad 

If eagles cannot bring back CJGJ then Brown I assume will be a top target on day 2. He is the closest safety in this draft to CJGJ