One Week Out

With the roster having more holes than a truck-load of cheese wheels and a dearth of draft picks to fill them it's been a challenge to get excited for this draft.

Then came a free agency that added as many probable key players as any FA period in the franchise's history! Kwesi is still eventually going to have to hit on at least half of the selections in a draft but that proposition is eased by so many of the positions having a presumptive A player ready to go.

So the typical offseason marathon will be more like a 5K this year, which can also be enjoyable!

And as an added bonus, we'll get to see some possible landing spots for the latest best of the Bison

We're down to the final days so the let's keep the mock drafting going!

Here is last week's edition.

Now onto the new one

24 brought a trio of trade possibilities, the most tempting being with Houston for 25 & 58 which also would have included the 97th pick. If not for the top player on the board I would have proposed a counter to try and squeeze some more currency out of the deal. However, the chance to correct the first draft failure and pick-up Harrison Smith's apprentice was too good to pass up.

Malaki Starks (Georgia Safety)

New York's Blue followed suit with an intriguing option but the top ranked player was once again too good to bypass.

Emery Jones (LSU OL)

The Cleveland computer also made a run at a trade, offering four picks from 179 to 216 for the 139. With no clear choice and the array of needs on the roster the four swings got the edge.

That opened the door to a defensive tackle to develop behind a firm rotation. Virgini Tech's Aeneas Peebles is a possibility to reach that but I went a different direction

Ty Robinson (Nebraska DT)

The same philosophy went into 187

Mitchell Evans (Notre Dame TE)

Which still leaves the massive void at cornerback depth. Minnesota's Justin Walley would be a possibility but there's a better possibility to be in the wildcard defense of Brian Flores

Upton Stout (Western Kentucky)

There also is some question about the season-long viability of the running back group. With a lauded class available to them, the Purple may well stand pat until after it's done to address that but in this run through I didn't want to wait for free agency

Jarquez Hunter (Auburn)

To put a bow on it (and give the team another chance at a contributor down the line) it was another bite into the cornerback group

Jason Marshall (Florida)

So that was the end of that, but as will happen during the real thing, there comes a twist - ran it again!

At 24 Houston came with the 25th and a 2026. I was able to make it the third round pick next year for a player I wasn't considering

WIN WIN BABY

So I didn't waste any time with the selection

Nick Emmanwori (South Carolina Safety)

It also should be noted that Grey Zabel was simmed to Denver with the 20th pick!

97 brought an offer from Cincy that seemed more like a loss than even a draw so instead I took another stab at the future of the Eaters

Shemar Turner (TAMU DT)

The laser-focus continued at 139

Korie Black (Oklahoma St. CB)

Four picks all going defense could happen, though it would be great if Kwesi could navigate to more ammo. For the final pick of this exercise I prioritized offensive line depth at 187.

While he might be too tall to play guard at the highest level, he did get run there while at Wisconsin and versatility as a backup is a major bonus!

Jack Nelson

There you have it

Two different outcomes with the reality of next week's extravaganza probably existing between them when it's over. Soon enough we'll know!

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