Random Draft Thoughts 2018

I grew up a Cincinnati Bengals fan, ergo, Draft Day is like a holiday. Longtime Saints fans can relate to this, I’m sure.

For the longest time, I would sit there, writing down the players’ names & info as they came off the board, so that I would have a hard copy of each NFL first round and learn the basics on who these players were (though who am I kidding, I was already a big enough fan to know these guys already).

I’m not sure what the point of this was, or is, other than to say that yes, I’ve followed this almost compulsively for a very long time.

With all that said, I thought I’d continue my draft tradition of writing down some thoughts prior to the big event. Obviously, please take this with a grain of salt as I have massive blind spots.  For a great example of this, see my opinion, or lack thereof, on Lattimore last year (I didn’t like him because I thought he was a massive injury risk).

So, yeah.

But here we go anyway. Here’s one guy’s clearly flawed opinion.

  1. Wyoming QB Josh Allen has the potential to detonate the Browns for another half decade, so I’m kind of pulling for it to happen. This breakdown from Bill Connelly explains it better than I ever could, but the short of it is this: there’s literally no reason to draft this guy. I mean, sure, you can take a flier in the second round if you love the arm and all that, but he’s basically a poor man’s DeShone Kizer or Tim Tebow. That the Browns are seriously thinking of going that direction at No. 1 overall is tantalizing to even consider. The latest scuttle says it doesn’t happen, but I love a great tire fire. Bonus: The guy just had to delete a bunch of racist shit off Twitter from when he was in high school. I’m totally Team Tire Fire.
  2. There’s a maxim about Big 12 quarterbacks not translating in the pros, but I could see OU’s Baker Mayfield breaking that mold. I like the eye test above everything else, and the eye test says that guy is damn good. And when the math supports the eye test? Go for it. Yeah, he might turn out to be a head case, but I’d gamble on greatness before tying myself to a guy I know has a ceiling of DeShone fuckin Kizer. He’s my No. 1 QB.
  3. There are two guys I’d feel super great about drafting no matter what team I am: Penn St. RB Saquon Barkley and Georgia LB Roquan Smith.
    Honorable mention: Washington DT Vita Vea because highly ranked interior defensive linemen have a good batting average at success.
    Honorable honorable mention: Notre Dame G Quenton Nelson because:

  4. There’s been so much speculation on the Saints either A.) Drafting a tight end; or B.) Trading up, presumably to grab a quarterback of the future (TM). For whatever it’s worth, I like the second scenario a whole hell of a lot better. Why? Well, as noted Saints commentator Ralph Malbrough so correctly points out, it’s more interesting, particularly if it’s mutant Quicksilver Lamar Jackson. This guy can destroy a defense like few others, so he sounds like a really fun understudy for Drew Brees.
  5. It’s not nearly as sexy for New Orleans, but what if a guy like Rashaan Evans or Da’Ron Payne is sitting there? Clearly each of these players suffer from the “Impossible to differentiate Alabama defenders” phenomenon, but they’re both good and they would further fortify a defense that suddenly has talent AND depth. There’s something appealing about sitting there at No. 27 and hoping a stud defender drops to you … especially when you’ve got noted weirdos Buffalo and Cincinnati drafting ahead of you and liable to select someone out of left field.
  6. All of that having been said, a versatile offensive lineman makes a ton of sense. Georgia’s Isaiah Wynn played tackle in college and projects at guard in the league … meaning he can probably play both in a pinch. That’s a theme we keep seeing with this Saints line as injuries inevitably occur and more youth there is always welcome. I thought Ramczyk was much more of a sure thing last year (I advocated him at No. 11), but you can’t be all that picky at No. 27 either. You take who’s there. Wynn, or another guy who’s moved around some already, is just plain smart.
  7. Homer bonus thoughts: I think the K-State guys are worth drafting, but I don’t see a big impact for any of them. D.J. Reed will have trouble thanks to his speed limitations, BUT he can return kicks and that may allow him to stick around a bit. Similar story with Byron Pringle: he body catches and that will limit him, but he can also do things on special teams. With Florida State, I love Derwin James and Derrick Nadi is a high-effort grinder who will blow shit up. I wouldn’t touch LSU’s Arden Key with a 10-foot pole, but Derrius Guice should be a nice pro (who I don’t want in New Orleans because of the depth chart at RB).

So there you go. Get at me if you want to discuss/sound off.