Let's talk Defensive Line

[Couch-Potato]

Went through a bunch of threads to identify all of our interests across the defensive line, is this all of them? Who else should be added to the list? Removed from the list? Should anyone be moved up or down on the draft target list?

FA Targets
-DE Yannick Ngakoue, IND
-DT Da’ron Payne, WAS
-DT Poona Ford, SEA
-DE Jadaveon Clowney, CLV
-DT Kalen Saunders, KC
-DT Greg Gains, LAR
-DT Armon Watts, CHI
-DE Ardon Key, JAX
-DE Clean Ferril, LVR
-DE Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, HOU
-DT Chris Wormley, PIT
-DT Maurice Hurst, SF
-DT Andrew Billings, CIN

Vet Trade Targets
-DE Brian Burns, CAR
-DE Chase Young, WAS
-DE Carl Granderson, New Orleans
-DE Za'Darius Smith, Minnesota
-DE D.J. Wonnum, Minnesota

1st Rd Targets
-DT Byran Breese,
-DE Lukas Van Ness, Iowa
-DE BJ Ojulari, LSU
-DE Keion White, Georgia Tech
-DE Derick Hall, Auburn
-DE Isahiah Foskey, ND
-DE Nolan Smith, Georgia
-DL Tuli Tuipulotu, USC
-DE Andre Carter, Army

2nd Rd Targets
-DT Siaki Ika, BU
-DE Will McDonald IV, Iowa St.
-DL Calijah Kancey, Pitt
-DE Zach Harrison, Ohio State
-DE Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State
-DT Mazi Smith, Michigan

3rd Rd Targets
-DT Gervon Dexter, Florida
-NT Keanu Benton, Wisconsin
-DE Adetomiwa Adebawore, Northwestern
-DL Byron Young, Tennessee
-DT Zack Pickens, South Carolina
-DL Mike Morris, Michigan
-DE Dylan Horton, TCU

4th Rd Targets
-DT Byron Young, Alabama
-DE Viliami Fehoko, San Jose St
-DE Thomas Incoom, Central Michigan
-DL Yaya Diabi, Louisville
-DE Habakkuk Baldonado, Pitt

5th-7th Rd Targets
-DE Isaiah McGuire, Missouri
-DE Caleb Murphy, Ferris St
-DE Derek Parish, Houston
-DT Dante Stills, West Virginia
-NT Elijah Simmons, Tennessee

[O.city]

I kinda worry sometime when there's alot of "depth and similarity" of a group in a draft it's more because there's not really any one that separates themselves and it's all kinda grouped together.

Luckily, we have the best staff going to figure out who's who.

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by O.city

I kinda worry sometime when there's alot of "depth and similarity" of a group in a draft it's more because there's not really any one that separates themselves and it's all kinda grouped together.

Luckily, we have the best staff going to figure out who's who.

If you're speaking on edge, I think there's clear delineation in talent levels.

I think you have Anderson and Wilson then a drop to a tier of Van Ness, Murphy, Foskey, and Tuipulotu and then another drop to a tier of Smith, Hall, McDonald, Anudike-Uzomah, and Ojulari before it drops again. I just so happen to think Smith is going to get drafted higher than some others because of his athleticism in a 3-4 fit.

That's my take at least, I can't speak for everyone.

[The Franchise]

I'm on the Foskey at 31 train.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by kccrow

If you're speaking on edge, I think there's clear delineation in talent levels.

I think you have Anderson and Wilson then a drop to a tier of Van Ness, Murphy, Foskey, and Tuipulotu and then another drop to a tier of Smith, Hall, McDonald, Anudike-Uzomah, and Ojulari before it drops again. I just so happen to think Smith is going to get drafted higher than some others because of his athleticism in a 3-4 fit.

That's my take at least, I can't speak for everyone.

I'm more of the, post the first 2, there isn't much that separates the prospects, other than projecting them out. Which is definitely part of the whole deal, don't get me wrong, but that gets tough to do.

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by O.city

I'm more of the, post the first 2, there isn't much that separates the prospects, other than projecting them out. Which is definitely part of the whole deal, don't get me wrong, but that gets tough to do.

Depends on what you're looking at I think. In terms of run defense, that 2nd tier is a whole lot better than the 3rd tier. I think that's what creates your dividing lines, honestly.

[O.city]

There's a big drop either way you look at it after about the 2nd round level of these guys, so we need to hit it early and often if that's the route they wanna go.

[staylor26]

Originally Posted by O.city

There's a big drop either way you look at it after about the 2nd round level of these guys, so we need to hit it early and often if that's the route they wanna go.

Veach can legitimately hit anywhere in the draft. Have you learned nothing?

[O.city]

Originally Posted by staylor26

Veach can legitimately hit anywhere in the draft. Have you learned nothing?

Pass rushers from the mid late round in terms of the type we need now, aren't exactly high occurrences.

[staylor26]

Originally Posted by O.city

Pass rushers from the mid late round in terms of the type we need now, aren't exactly high occurrences.

That's my bad. I forgot this is a DL thread. I thought you were talking in general.

But I still think we can get a guy like McGuire, Harrison, or Young in the 3rd. Or somebody like Roy at DT. There will be talent still available in the 3rd on the DL, and I wouldn't be surprised if they took a guy in the 1st/2nd AND the 3rd.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by staylor26

That's my bad. I forgot this is a DL thread. I thought you were talking in general.

But I still think we can get a guy like McGuire, Harrison, or Young in the 3rd. Or somebody like Roy at DT. There will be talent still available in the 3rd on the DL, and I wouldn't be surprised if they took a guy in the 1st/2nd AND the 3rd.

I think those guys can turn into nice rotational pieces for sure, but I'm wanting a real pass rusher that can play every down.

[staylor26]

Originally Posted by O.city

I think those guys can turn into nice rotational pieces for sure, but I'm wanting a real pass rusher that can play every down.

I disagree that that is their upside/ceiling. Those guys can definitely develop into starters.

You get too caught up with this "you can only find good players and starters early in the draft" shit dude.

We have our starting edge rushers going into the season. Whoever we take, regardless of the round, is going to be a rotational player early on.

It's entirely possible that you take 1 in the 1st and 1 in the 3rd and it's actually the guy in the 3rd that develops into a starter. You just build your roster laterally, and continue to stack talent at those important positions. Everything else will sort itself out.

[staylor26]

Keion White was FLYING at his Pro Day ��

White clocked in at an unofficial time of 4.65, which would’ve been the FASTEST time of any player over 283 pounds at the NFL Combine this year.

White weighed in at 6’5” 285 pounds.

The Georgia Tech DE is a FREAK. pic.twitter.com/IprBs3GmNu

— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) March 18, 2023

[JPH83]

Originally Posted by staylor26

I disagree that that is their upside/ceiling. Those guys can definitely develop into starters.

You get too caught up with this "you can only find good players and starters early in the draft" shit dude.

We have our starting edge rushers going into the season. Whoever we take, regardless of the round, is going to be a rotational player early on.

It's entirely possible that you take 1 in the 1st and 1 in the 3rd and it's actually the guy in the 3rd that develops into a starter. You just build your roster laterally, and continue to stack talent at those important positions. Everything else will sort itself out.

Yeah I think everyone should be excited tbh. The way I see it Veach IS going to miss on a few, it's just a numbers game and he's due an early round whiff. But we've got a million picks and he'll definitely hit on some too.

It's not whether we will get better in every position, I just don't think that's realistic. It's whether we are better across the 53 when the season starts. Sounds crazy to think with a SB team but there's just so many ways it can still improve. Last year nobody liked the DTs or RT and plenty thought the WR and DE groups were poor. Will we get better across all of these? Maybe not. But where are we at at present? I'd say we're already better at DE, LB, and safety we could be worse but could also be better when you consider better LB coverage. We're probably worse at WR, OT and DT. I think we can DEFINITELY start the season with improvements in at least two of those positions, if not all 3.

[JPH83]

Originally Posted by JPH83

Yeah I think everyone should be excited tbh. The way I see it Veach IS going to miss on a few, it's just a numbers game and he's due an early round whiff. But we've got a million picks and he'll definitely hit on some too.

It's not whether we will get better in every position, I just don't think that's realistic. It's whether we are better across the 53 when the season starts. Sounds crazy to think with a SB team but there's just so many ways it can still improve. Last year nobody liked the DTs or RT and plenty thought the WR and DE groups were poor. Will we get better across all of these? Maybe not. But where are we at at present? I'd say we're already better at DE, LB, and safety we could be worse but could also be better when you consider better LB coverage. We're probably worse at WR, OT and DT. I think we can DEFINITELY start the season with improvements in at least two of those positions, if not all 3.

Just to add - the mistake I always make is to focus on the picks where there seemed an obvious alternative that would've been better. Obviously, that's a bummer, but the real question should always be "does this pick make us better". If the answer is yes, and you may not know that for a year or more, then it's a win.

[RunKC]

Tavius Robinson, Ole Miss
6’6”
257 lbs
33.75 arms
4.66 40
1.63 10
23 bench reps

Would love to get this guy on the beginning of day 3. Excellent depth piece that could probably do some of what Omenihu does but needs time to get a bit stronger.

With Danna likely leaving next Spring and Turk coming back from a big injury, it would be nice to have this guy.

Time to get rid of Herring and Kaindoh and bolster the depth