MadDog49er 2017 NFL Draft Best Board Top 50 Draft Day Edition | Page 2

MadDog49er · 2017-04-27T02:20:59-07:00

It is draft day, and let's have some fun. I will be on the board for much of the draft the next three days throwing in my humble opinion about each selection. Very excited about the potential for the team to rebuild this roster. Here is my final best board, and some notes to go with it. First, I have removed two players completely off my top 50 board. Although the talent and film is sparkling for both Reuben Foster and Gareon Conley, you will not see them listed. Both would be top 10 on my board. Conley's circumstances are rare in being so close to the draft. It will be nearly impossible for teams to get all the information and make a judgment on his guilt or innocence. As for Foster, he simply doesn't get it. He has a 7-year child, but gets kicked out of the combine for yelling at a hospital employee (nobody else seemed to throw a tantrum at the hospital). has a diluted urine sample, is self-admittedly white-board challenged, and scored a low Wonderlic score. Middle linebackers are usually the team captain on defense. Not for me. I first moved him to OLB, then simply off it. Too many other good players to have than wasting energy on this guy who is clearly clueless. A best board for me doesn't automatically mean the surefire on the clock draft choice. Teams sometimes avoid a duplicate pick at the same position, or have a slim enough difference in grade between players that sometimes one leapfrogs over the rest. Some positions are simply more valuable than others. My best board is simply a projection of who I see has the greatest likelihood of success in the NFL. The top tier for me is from 1-6. I don't see any holes, or any question marks, in any of these top prospects. No deficiencies. Hooker and Davis are my best players who have a question mark attached (Can Hooker clean up his tackling and is he experienced enough; is Davis fully healed, and what would he post for a 40 time...we don't know). As chronicled many times before, my lower than expected score on Fournette is due to a couple issues: I don't believe he will be a three down back in the NFL and that cuts out a LOT of snaps; and that the huge gaping holes he saw at LSU are not going to exist in the NFL, and he is going to have to improve lateral cuts to be a top back. I could spend a day on each prospect, but that would take us into June, and that is no good. I welcome all questions, differences of opinion and more. As always, the draft is for fun (we are not solving the Israeli-Palestinian crisis here) and witchcraft (nobody truly knows what they are doing, and those who think they do are fooling themselves). Strap on the seatbelts, and let's roll. The numbers indicate the round graded (I have 20 players graded as first rounders) and positional ranking. 2017 NFL Draft Best Board Pick Player School Position Grade Position Rank 1 Myles Garrett Texas A&M Edge 1 1 2 Solomon Thomas Stanford Edge 1 2 3 Forrest Lamp Western Kentucky G 1 1 4 Haason Reddick Temple ILB/OLB 1 1 5 Christian McCaffrey Stanford RB 1 1 6 Jamal Adams LSU SS 1 1 7 Malik Hooker Ohio State FS 1 1 8 Corey Davis Western Michigan WR 1 1 9 Marshon Lattimore Ohio State CB 1 1 10 Patrick Mahomes Texas Tech QB 1 1 11 Mitchell Trubisky North Carolina QB 1 2 12 Derek Barnett Tennessee Edge 1 3 13 OJ Howard Alabama TE 1 1 14 Zach Cunningham Vanderbilt ILB 1 2 15 Jonathan Allen Alabama DT 1 1 16 Mike Williams Clemson WR 1 2 17 Evan Engram Mississippi TE 1 2 18 TJ Watt Wisconsin Edge 1 4 19 Kevin King Washington CB 1 2 20 John Ross Washington WR 1 3 21 Zay Jones East Carolina WR 2 4 22 Cooper Kupp Eastern Washington WR 2 5 23 Blair Brown Ohio ILB 2 3 24 Tarell Basham Ohio Edge 2 5 25 Obi Melifonwu Connecticut SS 2 2 26 TreDavious White LSU CB 2 3 27 Jordan Willis Kansas St Edge 2 6 28 Ryan Ramczyk Wisconsin OT 2 1 29 Chidobe Awuzie Colorado CB 2 4 30 Ahkello Witherspoon Colorado CB 2 5 31 Marcus Maye Florida FS 2 2 32 Alvin Kamara Tennessee RB 2 2 33 Kareem Hunt Toledo RB 2 3 34 Leonard Fournette LSU RB 2 4 35 Cam Robinson Alabama G 2 2 36 Carl Lawson Auburn Edge 2 7 37 Sidney Jones Washington CB 2 6 38 Budda Baker Washington SS 2 3 39 Garrett Bolles Utah OT 2 2 40 Taylor Moton Western Michigan OT 2 3 41 Dion Dawkins Temple G 2 3 42 Malik McDowell Michigan St DT 2 2 43 Chris Wormley Michigan DT 2 3 44 Jarrad Davis Florida ILB 2 4 45 DeShaun Watson Clemson QB 2 3 46 Marcus Williams Utah FS 2 3 47 Takkarist McKinley UCLA Edge 2 8 48 Joe Mixon Oklahoma RB 2 5 49 Dalvin Tomlinson Alabama DT 2 4 50 Charles Harris Missouri Edge 2 9

Apr 27, 2017 at 5:47 AM

#16

49erThrowback
Veteran
Posts: 1,194

MD, since you eliminated some obvious characters from your board, among those currently on it, whom would you consider to have the greatest high-risk/high-reward future in the NFL.

Apr 27, 2017 at 6:05 AM

#17

genus49
Moderator
Posts: 28,017

Originally posted by All22:
So pre-draft consensus is now synonymous with truth?

Please tell me you're ashamed to have implied that.

Yet your implication is somehow truth?

pre-draft consensus typically is right more than wrong btw...we'll see what happens here.

Apr 27, 2017 at 6:06 AM

#18

genus49
Moderator
Posts: 28,017

Originally posted by All22:

Originally posted by genus49:

Originally posted by All22:
The latter. He needs a very specific team situation to ever live up to that #2 spot.

How does his game not translate to the NFL?

It's not some secret... from his NFL.com scouting report:

WEAKNESSES Considered a "tweener" by scouts, who believe he could struggle to keep enough weight on his frame to play along interior. Length is below average as five-technique. Plays with inconsistent pad level. Needs to get bigger and stronger through his lower body. Tends to play taller as play rolls along and can get washed out of plays by strong down blocks. Hands are quick but need more consistent pop behind them. Overall play strength can be improved. "Big and strong" across from him causes some issues. Gets engulfed at times.

SOURCES TELL US "He's damn good. I don't think he gets drafted as early as you do because he's not big enough for inside and he's not as long as you like on the outside. You have to figure out where you will play him, but he won't stop. He's going to be really productive." -- Director of scouting for AFC team

And yet they have him as the 2nd best prospect in the draft...

Sounds like a guy whose game doesn't translate to the NFL

Apr 27, 2017 at 6:20 AM

#19

All22
Veteran
Posts: 2,880

Originally posted by genus49:

Originally posted by All22:
So pre-draft consensus is now synonymous with truth?

Please tell me you're ashamed to have implied that.

Yet your implication is somehow truth?

pre-draft consensus typically is right more than wrong btw...we'll see what happens here.

No, I'm stating my opinion. You implied that majority consensus means my opinion is wrong. That's not the way it works though.

As far as pre-draft consensus, it has some extremely regular and spectacular failures... see Jared Goff.

Apr 27, 2017 at 6:24 AM

#20

pdizo916
Member
Posts: 38,241

Originally posted by All22:
And the mass-overrating of Soloman Thomas continues... he'll be the NFL's Sam Bowie or Darko Milicic.

i agree with you, but we will see if that's the case.

Apr 27, 2017 at 6:30 AM

#21

genus49
Moderator
Posts: 28,017

Originally posted by All22:
No, I'm stating my opinion. You implied that majority consensus means my opinion is wrong. That's not the way it works though.

As far as pre-draft consensus, it has some extremely regular and spectacular failures... see Jared Goff.

Jared Goff still has time to prove his worth.

You are certainly entitled to your opinion but your comment was pretty much bashing everyone else for overhyping Thomas. My point was, maybe he's getting talked about because a lot of people see something in him that you may not?

Apr 27, 2017 at 6:30 AM

#22

gold49digger
Veteran
Posts: 17,688

Originally posted by All22:

Originally posted by genus49:

Originally posted by All22:
The latter. He needs a very specific team situation to ever live up to that #2 spot.

How does his game not translate to the NFL?

It's not some secret... from his NFL.com scouting report:

WEAKNESSES Considered a "tweener" by scouts, who believe he could struggle to keep enough weight on his frame to play along interior. Length is below average as five-technique. Plays with inconsistent pad level. Needs to get bigger and stronger through his lower body. Tends to play taller as play rolls along and can get washed out of plays by strong down blocks. Hands are quick but need more consistent pop behind them. Overall play strength can be improved. "Big and strong" across from him causes some issues. Gets engulfed at times.

SOURCES TELL US "He's damn good. I don't think he gets drafted as early as you do because he's not big enough for inside and he's not as long as you like on the outside. You have to figure out where you will play him, but he won't stop. He's going to be really productive." -- Director of scouting for AFC team

This was my problem with him as well. I think he is pretty athletic and has a nonstop motor, but size and strength is a concern for me, especially if we're planning on moving him inside with AA at the LEO.

Apr 27, 2017 at 6:33 AM

#23

All22
Veteran
Posts: 2,880

Originally posted by genus49:

Originally posted by All22:

Originally posted by genus49:

Originally posted by All22:
The latter. He needs a very specific team situation to ever live up to that #2 spot.

How does his game not translate to the NFL?

It's not some secret... from his NFL.com scouting report:

WEAKNESSES Considered a "tweener" by scouts, who believe he could struggle to keep enough weight on his frame to play along interior. Length is below average as five-technique. Plays with inconsistent pad level. Needs to get bigger and stronger through his lower body. Tends to play taller as play rolls along and can get washed out of plays by strong down blocks. Hands are quick but need more consistent pop behind them. Overall play strength can be improved. "Big and strong" across from him causes some issues. Gets engulfed at times.

SOURCES TELL US "He's damn good. I don't think he gets drafted as early as you do because he's not big enough for inside and he's not as long as you like on the outside. You have to figure out where you will play him, but he won't stop. He's going to be really productive." -- Director of scouting for AFC team

And yet they have him as the 2nd best prospect in the draft...

Sounds like a guy whose game doesn't translate to the NFL

He's only second because after years of dominance people decided to nitpick Jonathan Allen and Fournette. Without the NC game Thomas wouldn't even be in the first round. Hell, if you check the mocks from just a couple months ago the guy couldn't even sniff #2 or even the top 10.

http://walterfootball.com/draft2017overreaction.php
https://www.profootballfocus.com/draft-jonathan-allen-myles-garrett-first-2017-mock-draft/

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2017/mock-drafts/daniel-jeremiah/330601 -- #17 in this one

Apr 27, 2017 at 6:38 AM

#24

genus49
Moderator
Posts: 28,017

Originally posted by gold49digger:
This was my problem with him as well. I think he is pretty athletic and has a nonstop motor, but size and strength is a concern for me, especially if we're planning on moving him inside with AA at the LEO.

Why is his strength a concern? Dude put up 30 reps on the bench and is a beast in the weight room. You can maybe have concern about his size(though that should be pretty far down in terms of concerns) but his strength is fine.

Apr 27, 2017 at 6:40 AM

#25

All22
Veteran
Posts: 2,880

Originally posted by genus49:

Originally posted by All22:
No, I'm stating my opinion. You implied that majority consensus means my opinion is wrong. That's not the way it works though.

As far as pre-draft consensus, it has some extremely regular and spectacular failures... see Jared Goff.

Jared Goff still has time to prove his worth.

You are certainly entitled to your opinion but your comment was pretty much bashing everyone else for overhyping Thomas. My point was, maybe he's getting talked about because a lot of people see something in him that you may not?

Or maybe it's just pre-draft hype. I mean damn, the scouting comparisons on him are beyond crappy. Justin Smith comparisons are just laughably wrong. Aaron Donald is better.

I think they're only saying Justin Smith because he's being hyped for the 49er fan base.

Apr 27, 2017 at 6:44 AM

#26

jreff22
Veteran
Posts: 67,311

What is the ceiling on Adams?

Apr 27, 2017 at 6:46 AM

#27

genus49
Moderator
Posts: 28,017

Originally posted by All22:
He's only second because after years of dominance people decided to nitpick Jonathan Allen and Fournette. Without the NC game Thomas wouldn't even be in the first round. Hell, if you check the mocks from just a couple months ago the guy couldn't even sniff #2 or even the top 10.

http://walterfootball.com/draft2017overreaction.php
https://www.profootballfocus.com/draft-jonathan-allen-myles-garrett-first-2017-mock-draft/

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2017/mock-drafts/daniel-jeremiah/330601 -- #17 in this one

Guys climb up draft boards all the time. It's not like Thomas is just a combine freak who gets pushed up regardless of tape. The tape is there, the leadership, the demeanor and work ethic are all there.

Allen is being pushed down due to concerns about his shoulders. Fournette is a RB, a position simply not getting the same pull as far as value it did even a decade ago.

Carson Wentz was a 2nd/3rd round pick...how did that turn out?

Apr 27, 2017 at 6:46 AM

#28

genus49
Moderator
Posts: 28,017

Originally posted by All22:
Or maybe it's just pre-draft hype. I mean damn, the scouting comparisons on him are beyond crappy. Justin Smith comparisons are just laughably wrong. Aaron Donald is better.

I think they're only saying Justin Smith because he's being hyped for the 49er fan base.

Yeah...that must be why.

Apr 27, 2017 at 6:50 AM

#29

All22
Veteran
Posts: 2,880

Originally posted by genus49:

Originally posted by gold49digger:
This was my problem with him as well. I think he is pretty athletic and has a nonstop motor, but size and strength is a concern for me, especially if we're planning on moving him inside with AA at the LEO.

Why is his strength a concern? Dude put up 30 reps on the bench and is a beast in the weight room. You can maybe have concern about his size(though that should be pretty far down in terms of concerns) but his strength is fine.

Play strength is far more complicated than that.

Vic Beasley put up 35 reps but you wouldn't want to make him a 3t either.

Apr 27, 2017 at 6:54 AM

#30

gold49digger
Veteran
Posts: 17,688

Originally posted by genus49:
Why is his strength a concern? Dude put up 30 reps on the bench and is a beast in the weight room. You can maybe have concern about his size(though that should be pretty far down in terms of concerns) but his strength is fine.

gym strength is different than functional strength. My friend benches a lot more than me but i can easily outmuscle him when playing any sport.

Still, I wouldn't be mad at all if we get him, but i wont be excited either.