2023 NFL Draft As-It-Happens

[MichiganCardinal]

I feel attacked.

 

[Tenacious D]

So, how should I feel?

[MichiganCardinal]

Just now, Tenacious D said:

So, how should I feel?

Somewhere between wanting Holmes fired and booking tickets to Vegas.

[Motown Bombers]

 

[Motown Bombers]

 

[Motown Bombers]

Mike Martz really likes Hooker. Martz made a grocery store bagger into a HOF QB.

 

[Sports_Freak]

So all of these "experts" that had their mock drafts totally wrong all now grade every team on their picks? And we're supposed to look at them for their "expert" opinions? Wrong about picks and wrong about their grades. Let's find a group of folks who grade teams picks from 3 to 5 years ago. That would be much more accurate.

[KL2]

1 hour ago, Motown Bombers said:

Mike Martz really likes Hooker. Martz made a grocery store bagger into a HOF QB.

 

He also sucked *** here.

[sagnam]

He was only at Tennessee for 2 years.  And the drafted younger = better is confirmation bias.  Better players leave college sooner.

[Motown Bombers]

I have to wonder if Hooker had an advantage being 25 playing against players around 21 and younger?

[RandyMarsh]

PFF put out their way to early 2024 mock, not sure what they used for the projections but they had the Lions projected to pick 25th with the Eagles and 9ers being the only NFC teams picking after them. 

Aside from that the one thing that caught my eye was that the Cardinals are projected to have the top 2 picks with the 1st one being the one they got from the Texans for Will Anderson. I'm sure Will Anderson is going to be a stud for Houston but that trade could end up being a franchise changer for Arizona. 

[MichiganCardinal]

17 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

I have to wonder if Hooker had an advantage being 25 playing against players around 21 and younger?

It’s an interesting theory. When I was in a stats class a long time ago, I did a group project on MLB players age and their performance relative to the league as a function of their age. We expected to see at least something of a bell curve around the late 20s / early 30s “prime”, but one wasn’t to be found (except in the youngest of the sample, who were the worst), because relative to the entire league, all that matters is that you’re carrying your weight. For instance, whether you’re 21 and you’re in the big leagues or you’re 40, you’re expected to be able to meet X expectations, or you won’t be there. On an individual level you do see more of that performance peak around the late 20s, but it doesn’t translate league wide.

I am not sure how that would translate to the college level though. At 25, is he entering his athletic “prime”, against athletes who are not there yet, and is therefore just better than them because he’s more developed? Or does it not matter, because they’re all playing the same sport with the same expectations?

My gut says it’s the latter. If he was a MAC or Mountain West QB I might be more worried, but he led an SEC squad to 9-1. I don’t think his age is what helped him hang 52 on Saban.

[RatkoVarda]

nfl.com grade

Draft picks: Ohio State CB Jeff Okudah (No. 3 overall), Georgia RB D'Andre Swift (No. 35), Notre Dame LB Julian Okwara (No. 67), Ohio State OG Jonah Jackson (No. 75), Kentucky OG Logan Stenberg (No. 121), Wisconsin WR Quintez Cephus (No. 166), New Mexico State RB Jason Huntley (No. 172), Utah DT John Penisini (No. 197), Ohio State DE Jashon Cornell (No. 235)
Day 1 grade: A
Day 2 grade: A-
Day 3 grade: A-
Overall grade: A-
Draft analysis: On the first two days of the draft, the Lions secured a shutdown cornerback, explosive running back, much-needed interior offensive line help and brought together two family members in a literal sense. They hit the offensive line again with Stenberg, who has exactly the type of nastiness and strength you want up front -- at times it got the best of him during his collegiate career, though, so maturity will be a factor in how fast he can contribute. Cephus was a third-round talent with a seventh-round 40 time (4.73). He'll be a factor in the Lions' offense sooner than later. Huntley can be a special teams ace. Penisini meets the team's need for a backup nose tackle.

3 years later: 1st, 2nd, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th picks gone with very little to show outside one guy, 3rd and 5th picks could be solid contributors or not make 2023 team; 4th pick far and away best player

[MichiganCardinal]

12 minutes ago, RandyMarsh said:

PFF put out their way to early 2024 mock, not sure what they used for the projections but they had the Lions projected to pick 25th with the Eagles and 9ers being the only NFC teams picking after them. 

Aside from that the one thing that caught my eye was that the Cardinals are projected to have the top 2 picks with the 1st one being the one they got from the Texans for Will Anderson. I'm sure Will Anderson is going to be a stud for Houston but that trade could end up being a franchise changer for Arizona. 

If the Cardinals start as terrible as they likely will, you have to wonder if they delay Kyler's return as long as possible. If they finish with top pick, they're going to take Caleb Williams and move Kyler.

[Motown Bombers]

 

[Shinzaki]

One thing I liked about Benton's hi-lights...even when he's engaged with a blocker, he can follow the ball and make the play.  

[KL2]

38 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

 

Well hell i could have told you that. 

[kdog]

Quote

5. I like what the Lions did on the last two days of the draft. Tight end Sam LaPorta is going to convert a ton of third downs for Detroit, and Alabama’s Brian Branch will make a big difference in the Lions secondary. He is very bright and physical and covered up a lot on Bama’s back end.

Hendon Hooker, in the third round, is a terrific value. Based on all the coaches I’ve spoken to in the NFL and in the SEC, his skill set — his arm, especially his quick release, vision, toughness and smarts — is worth a roll of the dice. Yes, there’s going to be a steep learning curve transition from a Vols offensive system that’s rooted in the old Art Briles Baylor attack to the NFL, but with Jared Goff entrenched there and Hooker rehabbing from his knee injury, there’s no rush.

As one QB coach told me of Hooker last week, look at him as “a three-year project. The first year he needs to learn. I think he needs a year, and then he can compete to be a No. 2, and then in Year 3, you’ve got the guy.” Maybe. If not, it was a third-round pick, not a first, to get a guy who many of quarterback coaches think has the tools to be a starter in the league someday.

I also like the fifth-round pick of William & Mary offensive lineman Colby Sorsdal. At 6-6, 301, he might be able to help at offensive tackle, but even if his 33-inch arms make him better suited inside, he’s a guy we hear could play all across the line if need be. Sorsdal has really good initial quickness, and even though, he played at the FCS level, he has the talent to have played in the SEC or Big Ten if he had entered the transfer portal. After earning his degree in 2022, he could have spent his final season at the FBS level, but  he wanted to captain the team and help the program, and he did, getting William & Mary deep into the FCS playoffs with an 11-2 record.

From Bruce Feldman of the Athletic.

[MichiganCardinal]

1 hour ago, kdog said:

From Bruce Feldman of the Athletic.

I think what he has on Hooker is exactly right. Ideally, I'd like to see us pickup Bridgewater on a one-year deal, release Sudfeld, and have Hooker redshirt behind both Goff and Bridgewater, not even dressing this year. Then have him take over as QB2 in 2024, and if you like what you see, prepare for him take over as QB1 in 2025. Otherwise, extend Goff and cut weight.

[Motown Bombers]

By the time Hooker is ready to take over, he'll be the same age Goff was at the start of this past season.

[buddha]

8 hours ago, MichiganCardinal said:

If the Cardinals start as terrible as they likely will, you have to wonder if they delay Kyler's return as long as possible. If they finish with top pick, they're going to take Caleb Williams and move Kyler.

its not going to be easy to move kyler.  look for mr harrison jr in phoenix.

[MichiganCardinal]

8 minutes ago, buddha said:

its not going to be easy to move kyler.  look for mr harrison jr in phoenix.

It's possible. I could see them just paying Kyler for Caleb to play for them though.

[RandyMarsh]

Kiper gives us a B and criticizes us for "reaching for need" yet every pre draft mock he did had us passing on superior prospects(according to his grades) for position of needs. Can't make this up. 

[MichiganCardinal]

1 hour ago, RandyMarsh said:

Kiper gives us a B and criticizes us for "reaching for need" yet every pre draft mock he did had us passing on superior prospects(according to his grades) for position of needs. Can't make this up. 

I think the value argument is so ridiculous when you could shuffle the players around and improve the grade.

If Branch / Hooker / Gibbs / Campbell / LaPorta would be an A, I don’t know why Gibbs / Campbell / LaPorta / Branch / Hooker should be a B. It’s not like they went crazy or off the board and took Tavai. They just picked their guys on their own priority.

[RandyMarsh]

The only time I get the value argument if you can confidently say that the guys you picked would've been there the next time you picked but I don't think that was the case with our picks. And even in that case I rather take the player I want too early then miss out on him. 

In hindsight with the drop of Sanders and Simpson you could possibly say Jack wouldve but at the time you don't know that. He was 1A,1B or 1C for his position depending on where you looked so theoretically all it would've taken was 1 out of the other 31 teams to decide they want to go that position and he could've been gone. 

Besides like 75٪ of the mocks had us taking a TE with that pick and by the results of the draft that would've been a reach too by their standards.