Thread: Assassin's postseason mock

Now that most underclassmen have declared and bowls are over, it's time for my initial postseason mock draft. One major change from my mid-season mock is w/ the first overall pick. Now I love Rolando McClain and feel he will be a stud, but he is no longer my #1 pick for a few reasons:

A) His current stock is such that he might not be around at #11.
B) ILB is not an IMMEDIATE need. If we can make the DLine better, than what we have now will be sufficient. We can get by w/o taking ILB in round 1.
C) After re-assessing the season, poor OLine play, IMHO, is the reason why we shit the bed after the bye week.

Now I really don't like to predict trades, but I feel it's a foregone conclusion that BMarsh is gone. I also believe we get a 1 and a 3 for his services.

So let's begin...

ROUND 1
MIKE IUPATI, OG, IDAHO
6'6" 330

Guards RARELY go in round 1. Iupati appears to be the exception. He is the roadgrader that we need to take over for Hamilton and would help the run game immensely. He is athletic enough for some zone blocking, but big enough to move the pile. #10 or 11 is clearly a reach, but I see him as the biggest difference maker we could take at this spot.




ROUND 1A
DAN WILLIAMS, NT, TENNESSEE
6'3" 327

As predicted, Williams is skyrocketing up the draft boards. I wasn't sure he'd go round 1, but it appears that is a legit option at this time. At @ 330lbs, he is a legit option to play the nose. I still think he's a better 4-3 prospect than 3-4, but we play the 3-4.




ROUND 2
JERRY HUGHES, OLB, TEXAS CHRISTIAN
6'3" 257

Some say Hughes is a round 1 prospect, but too many folks are projected that high. His teammate Washigton is likely to go ahead of him. Hughes is a perfect fit for 3-4 OLB and can flat out get to the QB. He is uber-athletic and, given that Doom's contract is up, offers depth at the position. On passing downs, either he or Ayers can put their hand down while the other rushes from his feet. Ask the Giants. You can never have too many pass rushers.




ROUND 3A
ERIC NORWOOD, ILB/OLB, SOUTH CAROLINA
6'31 252

Norwood played OLB in college, but I think he's a real nice fit for ILB in a 3-4 scheme. He does get to the QB and is stout vs the run. A stalwart on a very good SC defense, Norwood would also be a special teams stud. He's not McClain, but he's really not THAT far behind. Also showed excellent leadership at SC. This pick would offer some flexibility and more youth at the LB position.




ROUND 3B
DEZMON BRISCOE, WR, Kansas
6'3" 200

We will obviously need a young WR now. Although Briscoe isn't a Dez Bryant, he is very capable and will be undervalued given the fact that he is a Jayhawk. Don't be fooled. This guy can play and looks to be a solid fit in McD's system.




ROUND 4
BJ WALTON, C, BAYLOR
6'3" 305

We obviously need help at center. While there are some solid FA options, some more youth would be nice along the front line.




ROUND 6
CLIFTON GEATHERS, DE, SOUTH CAROLINA
6'8" 281

Geathers' brother is a Bengal so the bloodlines are there. A bit of a project, but as a 3-4 DE, he wouldn't need to be a pass rushing machine. He is the perfect size to play end.




ROUND 7
JONATHAN CROMPTON, QB, TENNESSEE
6'4" 230

I'll bite. Dude has the skillset to deserve a shot. He was the #3 QB out of high school the same year Sanchez came out. he sat behind Eric Ainge and then struggled early. Then BLEW UP. Very low risk choice here. He has shown that w/ the right coach he can be successful.

I would give you props but i know nothing of any of those guys. I think mine will look a lot different. lol

do you see ayers moving to DE next season?

Ayers wont ever be a straight up 5 technique, he might put his hand in the ground on certain situations. But hes definately going to be playing OLB in a 3-4 scheme

shit... i totally missed the description of the hughes pick. i guess the more appropriate question is: do you expect us to let doom walk?

Very nice mock. I thought that I would be the only one projecting Iupati with the 10th pick, but I guess not. He's going to be a star in the NFL. Williams is a bit of a mystery. Because most of his strength is in his lower body, he might make the transition to NFL NT. I'm not sure that he'll be there with that 2nd first round pick though. I think he might climb up the boards like Tyson Jackson did last year.

I'm not sure that I'd go with Hughes over a Maurkice Pouncey, or a stud DE though. Both are bigger needs, and the Broncos have some decent depth at OLB. You make a valid point about never having enough pass rushers though. I don't think there's any way we let Doom walk.

Can't disagree with really any of those picks but you know if Rolo is there at 11, he's ours.

Excellent mock, SA. Alot will say #11 is too high for an OG, but I'm of the school that says draft the best player for need. Right now the biggest needs are OL and DL and Iupati will likely be the best available of the two areas when it's our turn.

Best mock I've seen thus far.

Originally Posted by shawshank24

shit... i totally missed the description of the hughes pick. i guess the more appropriate question is: do you expect us to let doom walk?

I think Doom stays, but like I said...you can never have too many pass rushers. Look at the Giants. They keep taking em regardless of their situation.

Originally Posted by CoachChaz

Excellent mock, SA. Alot will say #11 is too high for an OG, but I'm of the school that says draft the best player for need. Right now the biggest needs are OL and DL and Iupati will likely be the best available of the two areas when it's our turn.

Best mock I've seen thus far.

1st RD OGs (TRUE OGs - not guys like Mike Williams moved inside)

Ben Grubbs OG (29th) - 44 starts in 3 seasons for Baltimore
Davin Joseph OG (23rd) - 56 starts in 4 seasons for TB
Logan Mankins (32nd) - 80 starts in 5 seasons for NE
Kendall Simmons (30th) - 76 starts over first 6 seasons for Pit, then injuries derailed career.
Steve Hutchinson (17th) - 132 starts over 9 seasons and several pro bowls future Hall of Famer.


Point? When a true OG gets tagged as 1st rder? They rarely fail - bottomline you get (in most cases) a good/very good starter possibly more. Do you really think if 7.SF (Andre Carter), 8.CHI (David Terrell), or 9.GB(Jamal Reynolds) could go back they wouldn't agree they should have taken Hutch? They would have been ripped for taking him that highly, but you can't look at it that way... if you take great players, 3-5 years down the line you will be MUCH better off.

OG is one of the very safest picks and it is a need for the Broncos... Awesome pick taking Iupati. Would not have an issue... AT ALL!

11 is FAR too high for Iupati. We should trade down and take him later. I absolutely love him as a player, but that's definitely way too high in my opinion.

Other than that I like it a lot.

I'm a believer in the idea that if you like a player, you get him. You don't play games because some right behind you might like him just as much. I don't think 11 is too high for a player who is CLEARLY the best at his position and possibly the best to come out in the last 5 years.

Originally Posted by SmilinAssasSin27

I'm a believer in the idea that if you like a player, you get him. You don't play games because some right behind you might like him just as much. I don't think 11 is too high for a player who is CLEARLY the best at his position and possibly the best to come out in the last 5 years.

Well I only joined these boards about 20 minutes ago so I'm not sure how people around here feel, but people on other forums sure seem to be giving Josh a lot of crap for doing that same thing.

There's also no such thing as a guaranteed pick. I would still feel more comfortable trading down to nab Iupati a few spots later.

Everyone remember a few years ago. Schefter revealed that Denver and Shanahan had a HUGE hard on for Dwight Freeney and believed he would be there with their pick... why wouldn't they, he was being projected anywhere from early to mid 20s... yet Indy created a small stir when they selected the very short Freeney.

I agree you take the best player regardless, but you still have to be conscious of giving up too much value (either by not moving down or by moving up - McD gets grief because of how much he gave up... you can't get every player you want... I would love ... absolutely love to have Eric Berry and restore for the next 10years Denver's great safety tradition... Dawk is great but will always be a hired gun... but you can't give up say all of this draft and next draft to get him... you don't always get what you want or who you think is best... like Shanahan did taking Portis, his 2nd rated RB, loved Tomlinson... couldn't give up all that value to go get him), still all things being equal at the 10th or 11th (hasn't been decided), I would not take another guy simply because the pundits have more hype around him or he is at a skill position... as I've shown in a couple threads.. you start doing that and you end up passing on an all-pro caliber player... happened with TG, Hutchinson and Ed Reed ... non-priority positions where people REALLY regret passing on them years later.

If all you do is take great players, your team will be just fine, even if they are OG, C, ILB, TE, S positions usually downgraded a bit in the draft.

Good post JDL. We can only hope that McD will take that philosiphy, much like the Steelers have over the last decade.