ESPN 2013 NFL Draft preview...

[DaWolf]

Hopefully not a repost...

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/page/...now-2013-draft

If the draft were tomorrow, how many guys would be in play as a No. 1 pick?

Kiper: On my current Big Board, I see five that make sense, with the possibility of seven if we include a quarterback craze factoring in. The five guys I see with value in that range are :

• Jarvis Jones, a brilliant, relentless pass-rusher out of Georgia;

• Manti Te'o, the prototype middle linebacker out of Notre Dame (a very high standing for an interior linebacker, I admit);

• Star Lotulelei, the best defensive tackle in the class, who plays at Utah;

• Luke Joeckel, the best left tackle in the class, of Texas A&M; and

• Damontre Moore, also of Texas A&M, and a rival to Jones as the best current pass-rusher on my board.

The curveballs are the quarterbacks. If a team falls in love with a QB, we know the history. They go at No. 1 an awful lot.

How does the 2013 QB class stack up to the 2012 class?

McShay: It's early in the process and there's still a lot of tape that needs to be watched. A year ago at this time, I didn't think much of Ryan Tannehill. Come April 1, I really liked him as a top-10 pick.

There's no one right now who I'd sit at a table and fight for, but I still haven't done all the tape. Last year at this time, I mentioned that I liked Tannehill's potential more than I liked Matt Barkley's. And I still believe that's the truth. That's not to say Barkley's a horrible quarterback, and I think it's highly likely he's a first-round draft pick. I think the same of Geno Smith, and there are obvious weaknesses in their games right now.

For both of them, it comes down to finding the right fit and making a decision based on how high the potential is for what that team does. I think Barkley will only be successful in a West Coast offense where you can limit the amount of down-the-field throws, and his vertical accuracy isn't that good.

With Smith, I think he's still developing as a quarterback. He's a smart kid, he works unbelievably hard and he has all the intangibles you're looking for, but a little bit like Christian Ponder, he didn't always transfer that information on the field. Ponder would often lock in on his initial read, and I think there's a lot of the same questions about Smith.

This class better resembles the 2011 class than the 2012 class.

Which team is in line to make the biggest splash?

Kiper: Even before we know the draft order, two teams come to mind. Congrats, Missouri! Rams and Chiefs fans should plan to get to Radio City.

For the Rams, it's a matter of volume. Right now, they're the only team in line to have two first-round picks thanks to getting two future first-rounders in the deal that allowed the Redskins to grab RG3. Those picks would be at Nos. 13 and 15 overall if the draft were held tomorrow. That's major impact potential, and this for a team that already has a glut of young talent, particularly on defense.

Kansas City is also in line to deliver a huge splash. The Chiefs could draft No. 1 overall, and quarterback is a huge need. Right now, I don't have a QB rated among my top 20 overall players, but when that position is a major need, sometimes the value equation changes. That said, what if the Chiefs were to take Te'o with their first pick, and then target value at quarterback early in Round 2, landing them Smith, Barkley, Tyler Wilson, a talent like Mike Glennon or a high-ceiling project like Logan Thomas? It's so early that the QB evaluations will change a great deal (think of where RG3 was last year before the combine and workout process) and K.C. will have time to figure out the value at that early pick. But for splash, they're an early candidate.

[notorious]

This morning on ESPN:

Kiper "The Chiefs need to draft Teio (Sp?) and plug him into the best LB group in the NFL".



I just about drove my Yukon into a telephone pole to end the pain.

[suds79]

Originally Posted by MahiMike

Why not both? Get Alex Smith in here to play for a year or two before Charles get old. Draft the other Smith to sit in the meantime...

That whole statement speaks to building around Jamaal Charles.

Here's the problem with that. For as much as I love Jamaal Charles, he's great. My favorite Chief. Who gives a crap about his window?

You don't build NFL teams around RB. It never works. How many SB teams have there been where their main man is the RB? So take Jamaal completely out of the picture. Having said that, nobody wants to have Alex Smith here to build around and watch for a couple of years.

[The Franchise]

I can't believe the Chiefs are going to make me suffer like this. They're going to make me root against Te'o. I ****ing hate this team.

[Fat Elvis]

Originally Posted by notorious

This morning on ESPN:

Kiper "The Chiefs need to draft Teio (Sp?) and plug him into the best LB group in the NFL".



I just about drove my Yukon into a telephone pole to end the pain.

If Chiefs follow history and win a couple of meaningless games at the end of the season, this very well could happen.

[saphojunkie]

Originally Posted by PhillyChiefFan

This. Smith had 2274 yds and 20 TD's BEFORE he threw his first interception.

Just for fun, if you take away the Baylor game (656 yds, 8 TD/0 INT) he still had 1618 yds and 12 TD/0 INT through 5 games.

Good enough for 323 yds/gm and a 76% completion rate.

If WVU had ANY semblance of a defense Smith would be talked about more than he is in the national media. He was their sweetheart before the TexTech game.

Here are Geno's stats.

The top group is total stats. In the bottom group, I threw out his best game (Baylor) and worst game (KSU).

What is left is a legitimate #1 overall pick, especially because he passes every eyeball test except for the jackasses' reeruned "skin color eye test."

[saphojunkie]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

I can't believe the Chiefs are going to make me suffer like this. They're going to make me root against Te'o. I ****ing hate this team.

This is why I'm terrified they will draft him. I can't handle Chiefs fans hating Te'o. I've wanted KC to draft him since he came out of high school. But only if we draft Geno and trade back up into the first.

Oh my God I can't even think how happy that would make me.

We'd have our offensive and defensive captains for the next 15 years.

[Chiefnj2]

I'm not saying that Geno isn't the #1 QB prospect right now, but his system definitely plays a part in his numbers.

Harrell - 5,700 yards, 71.8%, 48 TD to 14 INT
Keenum (08) - 5000 yards, 67.3%, 44 TD to 11 INT
Keenum (09) - 5632 yards, 70.2%, 44 TD to 15 INT
Weeden - 4727 yards, 72.3 %, 37 TD to 13 INT

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

I'm not saying that Geno isn't the #1 QB prospect right now, but his system definitely plays a part in his numbers.

Harrell - 5,700 yards, 71.8%, 48 TD to 14 INT
Keenum (08) - 5000 yards, 67.3%, 44 TD to 11 INT
Keenum (09) - 5632 yards, 70.2%, 44 TD to 15 INT
Weeden - 4727 yards, 72.3 %, 37 TD to 13 INT

Holgorson's system is BASED on Leach's. They're far from equivalent.

[whoman69]

Originally Posted by MahiMike

Why not both? Get Alex Smith in here to play for a year or two before Charles get old. Draft the other Smith to sit in the meantime...

If you draft someone in first these days they expect to go into the job right away. Alex is not going to want to go into a situation where he will be replaced again. If he signs elsewhere it will be as the starter until he proves that he's not up to it, probably sooner rather than later.

[saphojunkie]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

I'm not saying that Geno isn't the #1 QB prospect right now, but his system definitely plays a part in his numbers.

Sure, but I don't want Geno Smith because of his numbers. I want Geno Smith, because when I watch him, I see a gifted passer. I see beautiful throws, patience, eyes downfield, pocket awareness, a willingness to tough it out and find the open man, and the ability to get him the ball when he's open.

I think the big thing for Geno will be learning that in the NFL, you throw guys open. He won't have Austin getting two yards of separation. He'll have to anticipate those openings.

Then again, Big Ben has won two superbowls on the Geno Smith style of extending plays until wide receivers are wide open. It's a special skill, and DAMMIT it's exciting to watch.

Oh, and I wasn't a Geno Smith fan at all at the beginning of the year. I just heard everyone talking about him in August, so I started watching the games.

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by saphojunkie

Then again, Big Ben has won two superbowls on the Geno Smith style of extending plays until wide receivers are wide open. It's a special skill, and DAMMIT it's exciting to watch.

Geno needs to eat more cheeseburgers if he wants to be that guy

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

Kiper gone full reerun.

All the qbs available in the second?

Smith Wilson Barkley? Second round?

He's been ****ing his mother for far too long
Posted via Mobile Device

This. That was the dumbest ****ing thing I've read since Spongebob posted..well...anything.

[saphojunkie]

Originally Posted by SNR

Geno needs to eat more cheeseburgers if he wants to be that guy

Dare say he needs to rape at least two cheeseburgers per meal.

[suds79]

Originally Posted by SNR

Geno needs to eat more cheeseburgers if he wants to be that guy

Yeah. Unless you have the Big Ben/Cam Newton type of build. I don't need Geno trying to shake off defenders to extend plays.

Just do what you do Geno. Use your feet, by time and take your shots.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

I'm not saying that Geno isn't the #1 QB prospect right now, but his system definitely plays a part in his numbers.

Harrell - 5,700 yards, 71.8%, 48 TD to 14 INT
Keenum (08) - 5000 yards, 67.3%, 44 TD to 11 INT
Keenum (09) - 5632 yards, 70.2%, 44 TD to 15 INT
Weeden - 4727 yards, 72.3 %, 37 TD to 13 INT

Same could have been (and WAS) said about RG3. Thing is, he's putting up similar numbers right now in the NFL.