It's mid-week, that means it's time to mock draft!
With only five picks to work with in the roster reformation Adofo-Mensah has quite a boulder to try and roll. The lower value of the 23rd pick diminishes the opportunity to trade down while simultaneously getting high value in return and maintaining a presence in the first round for the fifth-year-option. The best chance to stay above this year's 32nd would be to bamboozle another GM the way he was bamboozled during Thursday & Friday last year, that's not a given though. It also makes trying to project selections more of a pickle than usual, which is also adds intrigue.
Snowed-in and having done fewer of these to this point than planned, the decision was made to do a little catch-up and run through all seven rounds three times - with explanations for each of the picks all the way through.
Enough pretense though, it's time to get on with the simulations!
The first selection came with three trade possibilities. New Orleans for 29 and next year's second round pick, Tampa Bay for 50 & 82 as well a second, third & fourth next year and 28 & 60 from Cincinnati this year.
Five picks for one would be quite a haul but skipping on the first round completely was too big of a pill to swallow right out of the gate. So the choice was between NOLA & Cincy. Next year's second could be higher than 60 but a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush so the Stripes offer was accepted.
At 28 there remained the option of a successor to Kirk Cousins but it was deemed that that can wait til at least pick 60. Tackle Bryan Bresee & end Nolan Smith were the top two defenders on the board with a handful of offensive options that could serve the purpose of running-mate for Jefferson. It made the decision to drop down seem even more correct.
Considering the high probability that Brian Flores isn't long for the defensive coordinator position the team needs to make a point of capitalizing on his pedigree. We still don't have resolution on the Za'Darius Smith situation so adding a young, high-upside pass rusher makes a lot of sense. Adding a potential star to the middle of the defensive front would also help extend the window for success by the once-vaunted Purple D and Bresee could become that so he was the first choice.
When pick 60 came along there were a pair of offensive lineman from the Northern Prairie available - Minnesota's John Michael Schmitz & NDSU's Cody Mauch. Adding Schmitz would turn-up the heat on Garrett Bradbury to repeat & improve upon his quality 2022 season. The team is likely to competition at the center position, even considering the three-year extension Bradbury just signed, but it seems more likely the selection will come on day three or after the draft.
As for the North Dakota native, if the team wants insurance across the whole line then he could be in play at this point. The team already made a point of trying to improve the physicality of the line & skill positions so the converted TE could fit-in nicely and possibly let K.O. go into his bag of tricks during the season (secondary benefit). With as many needs as there are, addressing the line could also wait for later but in seizing the opportunity the human caricature (Mauch) was the pick.
Those two moves would leave the gapping-hole at corner and a wide swath of the fanbase fuming Friday evening. If this year's group of cover-men is as deep as predicted then waiting til the 80s to address it may not be a death-nell for the secondary. Depending on what Flores wants Alex Austin (Oregon St.) & Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson (TCU) are very different sorts of players but each is worth monitoring. Austin's physical traits earned him the edge this time.
If one is good then two could be better and at 119 Louisiana Tech's Myles Brooks could give the team the chance for a long-term tandem!🙌
So with two picks to go, as of now, the team would be at DT, OL, CB, CB. Not a bad haul all things considered. But it begged the question of what would be next? Wide receiver & linebacker could certainly use more young talent. Many signs continue to point toward the Purple adding a successor for #8 and that may well happen prior to 158. In this simulation a late-round target remained on the board and was too good to bypass - Dorian Thompson-Robinson (U.C.L.A.).
He has the physical skills to succeed at the next level but needs time to learn & improve, which he would have for a season. Then, if he goes the route of Kellen Mond, the team could re-sign Cousins & go back to the drawing board next April without a big swing & miss to their resumes.
And then there was one
So between LB & WR it could come down to best player available. Should.
BYU's Puka Nacua could bring the speed element that so many people have been clamoring for alongside JJ but Duke's Shaka Heyward has a chance to be a starting LB in a 3/4 and potentially could excel in a pressure scheme like the one the Purple are likely to run. In other words, the last pick may come down to whether the head coach has sway with his GM or not. To end this exercise, the Devil was in the details.
The second run-through also started with trade propositions. Drafting off Detroit & Green Bay last year, Chicago came through with a 53/61/64 & second round pick next year for 23 & 87. The Honolulu Blue went with 48, 55 & a two next year for 23. A counter-offer of just 23 for Chicago's package was declined but the option to add an extra player in the top 65 and bolster next April's thin pool of picks was too good to reject.
If KA-M were to go that route it would put an even bigger bullseye on all the picks Friday & Saturday. The first one to help answer that bell is Alabama LB (by way of Arkansas) Drew Sanders. In 12 games at his second University he had 103 tackles with 13.5 TFLs & 9.5 sacks while showing functionality when he was told to play in coverage. He's 6'4" piece of clay that Flores needs to mold!
61 brought an offer from the former St. Louis team of pick 69 and a four next year. With no slam-dunk players on the board at the moment & pick 64 upcoming, the opportunity to multiply picks was again taken.
With the 64th pick it came back to the Tide's well in the form of cornerback Eli Ricks.
At 69 New Orleans brought an offer of 71 & 165 which was yet again accepted. Adding the extra ammo didn't cost the simulation the desired player as Oklahoma speedster Marvin Mims was still available.
At pick 119 DE Isaiah Land (FL A&M) joined Austin & TH-T as a possible target. On the idea that pressure can help corners more than corners help pass rushers the edge got the nod this time.
39 picks later safety got the spotlight, what with Harrison Smith being in his twilight and Lewis Cine being shadowy after he was beat-out for the starting job as a rookie and then having to rehab from the injury. Florida's Rashad Torrence II could be the latest draft & develop success story.
At 165 the chance to draft & stash DT-R again presented itself and was taken.
In addition to Z. Smith, D. Cook's status with the team remains a topic of regular conversation and skepticism. If he is employed elsewhere prior to the draft then the 211th pick could very well be Mo Ibrahim. The other position under consideration this time was OL but there is enough smoke to think that the Chef's time at Vikesborg has come to an end.
As with the first two, pick 23 came with possible trades. The first was from the Capital with DC offering 24 & a two next year for 23 & 119. A counter of 23 for 47 & next year's first was made and accepted. That would be met with some boos at the Purple Palace on the first night but having two firsts to play with next April would open up many possibilities!
At 47 Drew Sanders was once again the pick.
At 87 New York's Big Men threw down 89 & 160 to move up two and get next year's sixth rounder. A counter which included 209 was made and accepted.
At the 89th Hendon Hooker was still on the board. There will be impact players taken after that point so if the Vol doesn't work out it would be talked about plenty but was still too good of value to forego.
This time 119 brought consideration of Texas LB DeMarvion Overshown but a double-dip for the front-seven before a DB is added seemed like a misappropriation. If not for CB Carrington Valentine (Kentucky) it still may have been DMO.
The fifth round may well be the point when Bradbury's competition is acquired. If he's as much of a handful on the field as his name is a mouthful then Michigan's Olusegun Oluwatimi will challenge for a spot in Canton. From 158 to 160 the focus then shifted back to Flores' bunch and Rashad Torrence was again tabbed.
209 again pitted Heyward & Nacua, with the coin-flip going Nacua's way this time before Heyward was added again at 211 to finish off the three-peat.
Finishing with seven new names and a future first round pick would make this a win of a draft.
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