Originally posted by MadDog49er:
Have to wait and see. Depends on the trajectory of Watt, Smith and CK. if Watt becomes the GOAT for DL ( way to early to project, but he just had the greatest single year of any DL), then you have to compare how Smith and CK develop their game, if Watt was an average to good player, it would be easy to concede. In that he has no peer amongst 34 DE, unlike peers that both Smith and CK possess, the value of what he creates for a team is huge,
In other words, compare Watt with the next best 34DE. Then, compare CK with Wilson, RGIii, Luck, Rodgers, manning, Brees, Brady, Ben, etc. This doesn't discount the talent of CK at all. It just shows a team is more likely to find a guy that fits into this group than Watt and any other 34 DE. The same applies to Smith who has a peer in Miller, someone similar in Ware, Wake, Matthews.
At this point, Watt is the only transcendent player of the three based on on the field performance and in comparison to players at the same position. In the link provided, ProFootballFocus stated that Watt had the highest grade ever given to any player at any position. He was the most dominant player in the game and that cannot be minimized.
All of this being said, it is way too early in these careers to decide which class is better. Too much football to be played, too many variables including injuries, knife fights, car crashes, DUI's, etc.
One final note: if there is one player in the league who may match Watt's dedication to the game, it may be CK. That dude loves football and wants to be great. And, we all hope he will.
I dunno MadDog, we have a pretty good 3-4 DE in Justin Smith. Watt may be the class at that position, but your post seems to indicate he has no peers. I think that's false. And yes A. Smith and Kaep aren't head and shoulders above the other best players at their respective positions, but we didn't have a franchise OLB or a franchise QB before 2011 and now we do ... we have an All-Pro DE in Justin Smith. I think for drafting for need and hitting two home runs, it was an excellent draft.