2021 NFL Draft Discussion Thread

[pacofunk64]

So that chat on Twitter this morning was a mock draft done by Dane Bruegler??(something like that) but he has Davonte Smith going to us at 14. While it doesn't address an immediate need, WR3 is still a pretty big need. Also, the next best thing to not having a great PB OL is to get guys who can get open quickly. Sign me up for it.

Go get a serviceable DT like Atkins or Short (you could entice him like we did with Richardson). With short the sales pitch is simply, you get to play next to Pierce and Hunter. You will get to eat, and then you get a nice contract.

[WarriorPride]

So that chat on Twitter this morning was a mock draft done by Dane Bruegler??(something like that) but he has Davonte Smith going to us at 14. While it doesn't address an immediate need, WR3 is still a pretty big need. Also, the next best thing to not having a great PB OL is to get guys who can get open quickly. Sign me up for it.

Go get a serviceable DT like Atkins or Short (you could entice him like we did with Richardson). With short the sales pitch is simply, you get to play next to Pierce and Hunter. You will get to eat, and then you get a nice contract.

Although WR isn't the biggest need for this team, let's not forget that this is an offensive league, Thielen is going to begin the decline of his career shortly, and we have very very little behind him and Jefferson. As deep and as good as this draft class is I'm fine going WR

[pacofunk64]

Although WR isn't the biggest need for this team, let's not forget that this is an offensive league, Thielen is going to begin the decline of his career shortly, and we have very very little behind him and Jefferson. As deep and as good as this draft class is I'm fine going WR

But that's the thing...it is fairly deep so in the same mold you could wait until one of our 3rd picks. I agree though, Adam isn't getting younger and who knows, maybe injuries start to nag him too. We for sure need depth there and these WR's are coming in more ready than ever.

[WarriorPride]

But that's the thing...it is fairly deep so in the same mold you could wait until one of our 3rd picks. I agree though, Adam isn't getting younger and who knows, maybe injuries start to nag him too. We for sure need depth there and these WR's are coming in more ready than ever.

I just don't put much stock in the "this position is stronger then the other so wait on that position". By that mantra you could argue that the Vikings should have waited on WR last year and not taken Jefferson because the WR class was also considered very deep last year. I don't love the BPA thought until you're good and deep enough to do that. I think you take the 4-5 position groups that you need the most help in, and take the BPA out of those positions. If that's WR in first round, I'm good with it.

[pacofunk64]

I just don't put much stock in the "this position is stronger then the other so wait on that position". By that mantra you could argue that the Vikings should have waited on WR last year and not taken Jefferson because the WR class was also considered very deep last year. I don't love the BPA thought until you're good and deep enough to do that. I think you take the 4-5 position groups that you need the most help in, and take the BPA out of those positions. If that's WR in first round, I'm good with it.

Yep agreed. You have to figure OL DL our are top 2 needs. Followed by Safety and then probably WR. If said WR is say a 90 rating and the other needs are a 85, you take that WR. If its a matter of 1 point or so then you take that need imo.

[WarriorPride]

Yep agreed. You have to figure OL DL our are top 2 needs. Followed by Safety and then probably WR. If said WR is say a 90 rating and the other needs are a 85, you take that WR. If its a matter of 1 point or so then you take that need imo.

Completely agree. I'd throw CB in there as well. As promising as some of these young CB's looked at times last year, if there's someone that we think is a shutdown CB I think that needs to be considered. Although our track history with CB's makes my confidence in us grading them very low.

[SiteWolf]

Safety jumps up if we're not gonna pay Harris....and Jevon Holland could slot in nicely (maybe even being able to slide down in the 1st and still get him)
CB could be less of a need if Hughes can be healthy.

not having a 2nd rd pick hurts at this point...I was both excited and apprehensive about the Yannick signing, and here's where the apprehension manifests itself

[pacofunk64]

Positional depth rankings from BR and Yahoo Sports.
QB 1 & 5
RB 7 & 9
WR 3 & 1
TE 8 & 10
OL 2 & 5 (Yahoo had OT 3rd and iOL 7th)
DL 5 & 2
LB 4 & 6
CB 6 & 4
S 9 & 8

[pacofunk64]

So based on the above, just using those two sources for example, you have to plan your big board behind as well. Obviously we can knock QB, RB, LB & TE off the list of 1st rounders (some see Pitts as a WR but he is the exception). So that leaves WR, OL, DL, CB & S as our 5 options for 1st round pick.

Now, go down the depth. WR appears to be the deepest position again so it does not make any sense to take WR in the 1st round, UNLESS, said WR drops and is graded so much higher than anyone else out of the remaining 4 positions.

OL & DL are a push so that leaves Safety. There appears to be no Safety that warrants a pick at 14. The dude from TCU appears to be the #1 Safety for most but is considered a 2nd rounder by most accounts. So scratch him off.

So that leaves me with OL & DL being the best options at 14 considering value of depth. Which is where we should be looking anyways.

[pacofunk64]

With that being said...here is my TDN mock draft with no trades.
14.
Christian Darrisaw
OT, Virginia Tech - toss up between him and Paye. I felt the value I could get with Darrisaw here was greater then what I could find in round 3 in terms of OT. Also, Darrisaw is a legit stud at LT and fits our scheme very well.

78.
Dayo Odeyingbo
EDGE, Vanderbilt - In terms of value I had to go this route over DT. Not having a 2nd rounder really hurts as we'd likely be able to address that but we may need to look to FA to address DT and role with Watts (which I'm actually excited to see his development).

90.
Hamsah Nasirildeen
S, Florida State - a slight reach for Hamsah here but knowing the potential drop in Safety value I had to pull the trigger. I wanted Shaun Wade (he went pick 89) who many believe will convert to Safety and that's where I would play him.

119.
Tylan Wallace
WR, Oklahoma State - Wallace is a burner and is also good at contested catches. Could slide in an make an immediate impact as WR3.

125.
Robert Hainsey
OT, Notre Dame - Doesn't appear to have much upside but is regarded as a solid player who can play G or T.

134.
Ambry Thomas
CB, Michigan - Big, physical CB, who say out 2020 season. Stock might be lower because of that but fits what Zim likes in his CB's.

143.
Dazz Newsome
WR, North Carolina - Honestly, I really like Newsome. I think he'll be one heck of a player depending on the team he lands on. He would be my sleeper pick at WR for mid to late round guys.

158.
Caden Sterns
S, Texas - essentially Safety depth and ST's player.

172.
Patrick Johnson
EDGE, Tulane - His game reminds me of Everson a bit. Same type of build, could play inside and rush on obvious passing downs.

[natelpete]

Found a mid-late round guy I really like.

Jaelon Darden WR North Texas

From The Draft Network
"North Texas wide receiver Jaelon Darden is a dynamic, explosive threat with the football in his hands. Darden’s stature is likely to limit him to more of a complementary role in an offense, but his vertical receiving skills and ability to generate yards after contact with his slipperiness is difficult to overlook. Darden would benefit from playing in a spread offense that spaces the field and minimizes the congestion he’ll have to run through at the NFL level—and teams would be wise to implement him most often on quick “now” screens, bubbles, out breaking patterns, and targets vertically down the field. Darden, as an added bonus, has two years of primary punt return duties on his resume (2017 and 2019) and can contribute on the special teams units as an added boost to his 53-man roster outlook. Darden is a natural in making the first arriving defender miss and teams who need depth and help creating explosive plays would be wise to look his way in the middle rounds of this year’s 2021 NFL Draft. "

He's only 5'9" but could add an extra dimension to our offense. Watching his highlights kinda reminds me of Mecole Hardman.



1190 YDS 19 TDs last season

[pacofunk64]

Found a mid-late round guy I really like.

Jaelon Darden WR North Texas

From The Draft Network
"North Texas wide receiver Jaelon Darden is a dynamic, explosive threat with the football in his hands. Darden’s stature is likely to limit him to more of a complementary role in an offense, but his vertical receiving skills and ability to generate yards after contact with his slipperiness is difficult to overlook. Darden would benefit from playing in a spread offense that spaces the field and minimizes the congestion he’ll have to run through at the NFL level—and teams would be wise to implement him most often on quick “now” screens, bubbles, out breaking patterns, and targets vertically down the field. Darden, as an added bonus, has two years of primary punt return duties on his resume (2017 and 2019) and can contribute on the special teams units as an added boost to his 53-man roster outlook. Darden is a natural in making the first arriving defender miss and teams who need depth and help creating explosive plays would be wise to look his way in the middle rounds of this year’s 2021 NFL Draft. "

He's only 5'9" but could add an extra dimension to our offense. Watching his highlights kinda reminds me of Mecole Hardman.



1190 YDS 19 TDs last season

Nice find...hadn't heard his name before. I like these short shifty guys. If we go WR in the mids , it has to be someone shifty like this and that can play out of the slot. Adding a legit 3rd WR who can get open quickly offsets our crappy pass blocking.

[SiteWolf]

if he can be our version of someone like Mecole Hardman I'm all for it....wanted Quez Watkins instead of KJ Osborn last year

[vikingsfan0845]

Wisconsin Whitewater C Quinn Meinerz is a mid round sleeper. Had a really nice week at the Senior Bowl.

[natelpete]

Nice find...hadn't heard his name before. I like these short shifty guys. If we go WR in the mids , it has to be someone shifty like this and that can play out of the slot. Adding a legit 3rd WR who can get open quickly offsets our crappy pass blocking.

Marquez Stevenson could be another interesting one to look out for.

Stevenson and Darden could both add a new element to the offense and contribute big on special teams.