Back with part 2 of this series, as explained on the past one, 'll just write random thoughts i get while i see class, but for keep some tendency lets finish to revies rest of positions.
Offensive Linemen
This is a position tha i struggle to value, there's so many details have to pay atention to, many attributes matters on this position and almost any GM have different thoughts about how important or not are some attributes, my first analysis on the class is that has a lot of OL, but many of them are just players waiting to take a place on depth as fillers, i made a quick excersive of taking out those OL that definetily have no future and i found a lot, because were slow, low strenght, bad block skills or just awful awr, so at leats half of the list is trash, and i think even more than half. I don't think there's a truly elite OL on the group probably the best bet is O'Neil but depends of skew for athleticism, then have some interesting projects, my initial comment is that OL will offer some surprises if a team can find a gem and develop it, yet, not the strogest position of draft. I'll include Centers on this analysis despite being different for league effect, there i see some very interesting projects, but they require patience and progression.
#1 Brian O'Neil: I see him as the best prospect of the draft, he's tall with 6"7, only 21 yo, and very polished with 70 awr – 93 pbk and 82 rbk, he has the attributes of a veteran. Agility and Aceleration at 77 are premium, the only thing that could "affect his value" is the speed, he's at 63 and could go down to 58 or up to impressive 68. He depends a lot of the skew for determine if goes very high at 1st round of at mid-late, if he's closer to the 68, he's going to be draft near the top, but if skew down the speed, even with how progressed he is, that takes away the premium player tag and move him to a very good player. His str at 98 and with how generous progression is, should be at 99 without problems.
#2 Alex Kappa: Very athletically OL, with decent block skills, and a good awr for a rookie, he isn't at the same level as O'Neil, but is more physical. 6"6 and 22 yo. Kappa big question mark is the acceleration, is a bit low compared to the speed, and a skew down there could affect his value, and specially how worthy is to progress him if has a low acceleration.
#3 Wyatt Teller: He has more awr than some OL near regression, the 78 awr is very high, and he also has 95 rbk,with a mid avg 79 pbk. The combination of the progressable attributes makes him a very interesting prospect, he's no so athletic, but a skew up could boost him a lot and a skew down makes him a non so physical but gifted blocker. The risk on him is low, at worst end with a very smart player on the OL, at best end with a top prospect.
#4 Mason Cole: The first and only center on this list, he do have very good physical attributes, with a bit low str of 90, but comes with high block skills at 85 and 82, his awr has to improve but overall he's my favorite prospect of the position, there is multiple options of similar players, and Center tends to be a position that drops on draft so im not expecting Cole or another C to be draft very high.
#Rest of OL: Orlando Brown is a top target if doesn't care about strenght, he's almost good at everything, he's tall, heavy, fast and very polished with over 90 block skills and a decent awr of 61, the agility is low, but premium acc, he's on the category of potential steal of draft, if fall enough. Quenton Nelson is a shy prospect, with ton of potential, only 21 yo with elite Rbk, and decent awr and Pbk, he just doesn't have that special ingredient other of OL listed have, but he could be a franchise OL for the team that drafts him, an excellent target for 2nd round pick. C Frank Ragnow has elite STR, PBK and RBK, his speed is not bad, but i feel the 50 awr and the meh agi and acc will make him drop, excellent pick if drafted at right spot. There's many more OL that for a reason or another could be interesting but i'll stop here, specially because as have been saying, OL is not a position i evaluate well.
Defensive Edges
At first glance i don't like this part of the draft and couldn't be more glad of being set at this position, cause personally wouldn't love to pick any of this guys, but here always comes... in the right spot, some of the players on this positions are just not so good at my eyes for spend a high pick on them, but if fall to the right spot and know how to maximize the potential, could end being solid players, for this comment i mean the players with some kind of potential, there's some DE's that seems to be not more than depth players.
#1 Josh Sweat, this won't be a popular opinion and i highly doubt that Josh Sweat is the first DE drafted, but im sharing my pov and on my book Sweat is the best prospect at the position, he isn't overly athletic 80 spd – 71 str – 82 agi and 88 acc. The strenght is low, and he's a bit undersized, the spd – agi and acc are good. But of the class he's the prospect with the best learning curve, 60 awr and 73 tak. I do value awr on my DL, that's something that have always mention and a Madden principle that i don't want to leave behing, even if in the league is very hard to get, Sweat isn't a sexy prospect, but i feel will be a productive one.
#2 Bradley Chubb, the difference between him and the #3 prospect is whether preffer agility or acceleration, personally i preffer acceleration and that's why picking him here. He's fast and strong with uber elite acceleration, with the right skew he could be a beast from an athletic pov, i don't like his tackle and awr, but i feel he will be the first DE drafted and a league favorite, potential is there, specially if that speed goes up.
#3 Sam Hubbard, almost a clone of Chubb but with more agility than acceleration, he's an inch taller and a bit more balanced, has the same problem of low awr – tackle combination, and the same situation where a favorable skew could drastically increase his value as player, or take him down. I think we will know more about the PW after we see the first DE drafted
#Rest of players: Have already said i don't like them? I was tempt to not add anyone here and just skip it, but let's say that Davenport with the right skew and progression could be interesting, but let's move to DT's, (Another position i don't love)
Defensive Tackles
Yuppi! Another position i don't love, but have to be professional and write about them, here i think could be more interesting prospects but not many of them, favorable skews, draft spot and progression could change the valuation of them.
#1 Vita Vea: He's a big man at 340 pounds, and very smart with 73 awr, yeah now im feeling weird saying i don't love the class, considering how much have been asking for smart DT's and Vea is there, but his high awr comes with a no bad 72 tak, but that kind of force to apply points there, yet is smarter than players from previous drafts. He isn't overly athletic with speed of 64, and agility of 71 and 67 acc, the typical prospect for DT position his strenght of 93, could scare some GM's but will go up with progression, he isn't the kind of generational talent that worth drafting at top 10 of draft but i see him as a good value pick for late 1st, or 2nd round.
#2 Daron Payne: I think he's very similar to Vea, smaller, but stronger, and lower awr but higher tackle, i wouldn't be surprised if he's the 1st DT off the board, myself had doubts about who to place #1 and #2. Payne has elite agility not that much agility, but overall a very complete prospect, he's only 21 yo, as Vita, so in my book that increase the value, is kind of hard to see right now, but with some love and patience in some seasons he could be a DT that many teams say: i would love to have it on my team, DT position isn't the most sexy position to draft, and it's hard to draw the line between those that deserve being drafted high and those mid late picks with similar attributes, but i think both Payne and Vea, have that little extra that worth to be draft higher than just rotational DT's
#3 B.J Hill: He checks the boxes for a very athletic DT, he's fast for the position, max strenght, with decent agi and acc, his awr and tackle are low for my taste but still could be progressed, he isn't my favorite prospect but i see some potential in him, and wouldn't be surprise if he's draft at 2nd round.
#Rest of players: Of man, another position i don't really have players to imput, i mean, some will end being decent prospects specially with a right skew, but the one name i'll throw here is: Julian Taylor, he's the kind of DT i like to use, fast one, and not so heavy, i see him to be potentially seing as a 3-4 DE, if the skew stays or go up, he's better than most DE's so i kind of predict him being drafted and position changed to RE. Very athletic but with low awr and tackle, as said, i see him as a good RE.
I'll leave it here, for this edition and finishing rest of positions during the next article, aditionally will do a coverage of the FA grabs i liked more, thanks for read. May the force be with you
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