NFL Draft

[Ricker]

Trading down from 36 NYG ended up at #43 and added #114 and #146 and didn't lose having availability of Dean at LB, Trey McBride #1 TE, Safety Nick Cross, Why take a fragile 5'8 180lb WR at 43 that is on lists at 80? We haven't had a player that size survive to even meaningfully play. I would have preferred a much surer pick and go for this type of player way later

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Trading down from 36 NYG ended up at #43 and added #114 and #146 and didn't lose having availability of Dean at LB, Trey McBride #1 TE, Safety Nick Cross, Why take a fragile 5'8 180lb WR at 43 that is on lists at 80? We haven't had a player that size survive to even meaningfully play. I would have preferred a much surer pick and go for this type of player way later

Yeah idk about the pick. Wanted a LB or CB. Maybe this means the rumors about trading Toney are true…Wouldn’t like that, but apparently he’s been a bit of a headache, and is constantly injured.

 

[navery12]

Trading down from 36 NYG ended up at #43 and added #114 and #146 and didn't lose having availability of Dean at LB, Trey McBride #1 TE, Safety Nick Cross, Why take a fragile 5'8 180lb WR at 43 that is on lists at 80? We haven't had a player that size survive to even meaningfully play. I would have preferred a much surer pick and go for this type of player way later

Seems like a bit of a reach since he was being mocked in the late 2nd, would have preferred a different WR. But this is the exact type of player Daboll and Kafka have thrived with in KC and Buffalo so trying to give it a chance. The size doesn't bother me, can have a lot of fun with him and Toney moving all around

 

[superjohn]

Surprised Travis Jones is still waiting to hear his name, somebody is going to get a steal.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Surprised Travis Jones is still waiting to hear his name, somebody is going to get a steal.

Lotta guys surprisingly still on the board. I have no idea how Dean is still available, and Skyy Moore is better than most the WR’s that have gone in the 2nd

 

[Ricker]

I understand Mel Kiper's ratings aren't the gospel, but going at #67 for the OL he has rated at #151 just doesn't seem smart. Would seem like the guy would for sure be available with your #81 pick and likely even with picks at #112 and #114. I don't have a personal view towards the players with the last 2 picks, but it seems they would have both been there later. Not impressed with round #2 strategy

Now up to #77 and only 4 players on Kipers list from 100 to 151 have been picked. Moreover, Ezeudu is the lowest rated guy in the whole draft so far, and we used pick #67 to get him?

 

[Scoe]

This would explain Nakobee Dean falling.

 

[nomar]

Boy, Kiper really sold UConn there: “This guy didn’t produce as well as he could have because there was no talent around him.”

 

[CardiacAndre7]

The last 3 picks seem to be reaches from the Giants, but we won’t know until we see them play

 

[Scoe]

Of course the Eagles take Dean smdh.

 

[navery12]

Robinson was a decent pick, but the next 2 have been getting progressively worse

 

[HuskyHawk]

Boy, Kiper really sold UConn there: “This guy didn’t produce as well as he could have because there was no talent around him.”

Pretty accurate really. Meanwhile the Patriots made a pick much much worse than yesterday. Just abominable reality.

 

[Ricker]

I loved the 2 trades back from 36 to 38 then to 43 while adding picks 114 & 146 for that small move back. Great tactical move but then I think there was much better value available at 43, 67, and 81 than they used the picks for.

My preferences:
@43 TE Trey McBride 6'3 246lb Colorado St (went 55) Kiper 46, 1st team all-amer, top TE, Mackey Award,
@67 G Dylan Parham 6'2 311lb Memphis (went 90) Kiper 95, 3rd best guard in draft, says all pro future,
@81 S Nick Cross 6'0 212lb Maryland (went 96) Kiper 75, fast safety with size at position of need

Giants went:
@43 WR Wan'Dale Robinson 5'8 178lb Kentucky Kiper 80, small target
@67 G Joshua Ezeudu 6'4 308 North Carolina Kiper 151 !! Only picks 93, 104, 105 drafted lower
@81 CB Cordale Flott 6'0 175lb LSU Kiper 85, physically tall but really thin, less of a reach

Additional possibility:
LB Channing Tindall 6'2 230lb Georgia (went 102) Kiper 79, very fast and aggressive in position of need

 

[EnochRoot]

Yeah, I grew up in Manchester in the 70's-80s. It was at least 80-20 Red Sox to Yankees. On the football side, Patriots were the most popular team by far, followed by a mix of Steelers, Cowboys and Giants fans. Never met a Mets or Jets fan until I got to UConn. But Manchester also had a lot of transplants (like my family from KC) due to insurance and P&W.

I was a Pratt brat growing up next door on Minnechaug Mountain in Glastonbury during the 70s and 80s. I’d say the split was a lot closer to 50-50. Certainly nowhere near 80-20 (in either direction).

 

[Pgh2Storrs]

Hope you weren't thinking of taking a CB instead, given Tomlin's inability to develop any early round CB during his tenure.

I married into Pitt, so I watched most of the games last year. They were a fun team to watch. I was able to experience something that no UConn fan has in years - confidence that the QB would lead the team downfield when needed. love his leadership and football IQ, he's accurate, can make all the throws needed, and can escape when needed. He's not Mahomes, but he might be Romo.

I wanted to gamble on Willis or go DL/OL. It took about 8 years, an awful ACC scheduled, and an all world WR before Pickett looked like a star. He turns the ball over and after having to deal with Ben’s dead arm, I worry about Pickett’s deep ball ability as he didn’t hit many big plays at Pitt.

If Pickett went anywhere other than Pitt, the optics of this look different. Art Rooney II’s fingerprints are on the last 2 first round picks and that’s not a good thing.

 

[Edward Sargent]

Boy, Kiper really sold UConn there: “This guy didn’t produce as well as he could have because there was no talent around him.”

There is a glass half full way to look at it which says despite the lack of talent around him this guy stood out

 

[storrsroars]

I wanted to gamble on Willis or go DL/OL.

So you wanted a guy who ducked QB competition at Auburn to go to a CUSA team, was worse than Pickett in Y/A, INT%, can't throw an out pattern, is wildly inaccurate throwing on the run, and has no touch.

 

[Pgh2Storrs]

So you wanted a guy who ducked QB competition at Auburn to go to a CUSA team, was worse than Pickett in Y/A, INT%, can't throw an out pattern, is wildly inaccurate throwing on the run, and has no touch.

Big risk, big reward. You can’t cite his school being in a lesser league without acknowledging he had lesser talent around him.

Willis has a much higher ceiling, Pickett is all about the floor. We’re never going to be bad enough to pick in the top 5 where you’re getting a good chance at a surefire star so there’s going to always be some risk. I’d rather bet on ironing out Willis’ deficiencies and maxing out his athleticism/arm.

 

[HuskyHawk]

So you wanted a guy who ducked QB competition at Auburn to go to a CUSA team, was worse than Pickett in Y/A, INT%, can't throw an out pattern, is wildly inaccurate throwing on the run, and has no touch.

I think Ridder was probably the best and Corral may become Drew Brees. But all these guys are big questions.

 

[storrsroars]

Big risk, big reward. You can’t cite his school being in a lesser league without acknowledging he had lesser talent around him.

Likewise, he played against worse defenses in that league. Maybe go watch the Liberty @ Ole Miss game again. Awful.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I loved the 2 trades back from 36 to 38 then to 43 while adding picks 114 & 146 for that small move back. Great tactical move but then I think there was much better value available at 43, 67, and 81 than they used the picks for.

My preferences:
@43 TE Trey McBride 6'3 246lb Colorado St (went 55) Kiper 46, 1st team all-amer, top TE, Mackey Award,
@67 G Dylan Parham 6'2 311lb Memphis (went 90) Kiper 95, 3rd best guard in draft, says all pro future,
@81 S Nick Cross 6'0 212lb Maryland (went 96) Kiper 75, fast safety with size at position of need

Giants went:
@43 WR Wan'Dale Robinson 5'8 178lb Kentucky Kiper 80, small target
@67 G Joshua Ezeudu 6'4 308 North Carolina Kiper 151 !! Only picks 93, 104, 105 drafted lower
@81 CB Cordale Flott 6'0 175lb LSU Kiper 85, physically tall but really thin, less of a reach

Additional possibility:
LB Channing Tindall 6'2 230lb Georgia (went 102) Kiper 79, very fast and aggressive in position of need

I absolutely hope that Schoen knows a lot more than many (including alleged experts) know but last night baffled me.

I told a coworker yesterday that if we could land Dean in round two then Cam Jurgens & Bernard Raiman at the top of the third (Jurgens was mid third projection, Raiman anywhere from mid second to late third), the draft would be a grand slam before Saturday.

The two trades had me worried that it would cost us Dean (I personally believe a year lost to injury would be a small price to pay to get a first round talent in round two) but as all three were still there with our later second round pick, that part worked out well.

We could have landed (in basically reverse order) the three I wanted but unfortunately they never asked for my input.

I hope the three guys we drafted work out but I believe each would have been available in round four.

 

[Scoe]

I like the TE pick and the Beavers pick, an ex Uconn player who transferred to Cincy btw.

Very much wait and see moves. Drafted 2 guards from UNC, at least Schoen has pursued the oline agressively, 3 olineman this draft, 9 olineman this offseason, has Gettleman or Reese ever acquired that many in their entire tenures.

 

[Pgh2Storrs]

Likewise, he played against worse defenses in that league. Maybe go watch the Liberty @ Ole Miss game again. Awful.

Pickett had his bad games too. Unfortunately Willis wasn’t on the Tommy Callahan 7 year plan so there’s less tape. Both come with risk. Outside of Pickett and Leal, the draft has been great.

 

[kobe]

imagine not being a fan of a university that has had 9 players selected in this years draft. couldn’t be me. I’ll tell you that much.

 

[Hi-Low]

Boy, Kiper really sold UConn there: “This guy didn’t produce as well as he could have because there was no talent around him.”

Kiper also said put Travis Jones at Oh St or Alabama and he was a lock at top 15...Kiper clearly sold on Jones just honest about UConn. Ravens got 1st round talent in 3rd round but Jones in a good spot for longevity in the league.

UConn football a disaster last 3+ years but semi-optimistic with Mora, even as an indy, we'll be back to Bowls in a couple years.