Where the Top WRs Come From

[Brown Warrior]

Y, I think they do look at the whole draft and all the positions and theorize on the best overall draft getting the best value out of each pick while filling the primary needs.

Nobody wants to come out of a draft with serious holes and key positions. WR is especially key to the Browns this year not just because it's such a glaring weakness, but for the reason Kiper and King and Shefter have noted: McCoy. And also because they need a guy who will start the opener, not a developmental WR (like Greg Little, who I otherwise love).

You add all of that up and you have a "missing piece" situation. You can see the consequences of not dealing with that very serious problem. You can see a constipated offense lacking an outside presence, again focused on short-fielders like Hillis and Watson. You can write the articles about how McCoy dumps off too much and defenses stack the box. You can see us being in games but not winning them. You get a very painful sense of pre deja vu.

So how do you come out of the draft with a serious starting #1 WR but also address the front 7? You look at the big picture.

[YtownBacker]

Originally Posted by Brown Warrior

Y, I think they do look at the whole draft and all the positions and theorize on the best overall draft getting the best value out of each pick while filling the primary needs.

Nobody wants to come out of a draft with serious holes and key positions. WR is especially key to the Browns this year not just because it's such a glaring weakness, but for the reason Kiper and King and Shefter have noted: McCoy. And also because they need a guy who will start the opener, not a developmental WR (like Greg Little, who I otherwise love).

You add all of that up and you have a "missing piece" situation. You can see the consequences of not dealing with that very serious problem. You can see a constipated offense lacking an outside presence, again focused on short-fielders like Hillis and Watson. You can write the articles about how McCoy dumps off too much and defenses stack the box. You can see us being in games but not winning them. You get a very painful sense of pre deja vu.

So how do you come out of the draft with a serious starting #1 WR but also address the front 7? You look at the big picture.

As I explained before teams measure needs strength of the draft, the players ability and how they fit their schemes when setting up their boards. They just don't look at Kipers top 100 and go down the list. They set their board based on their needs and project depth in the draft by positions and then fit the players and their skills. Taht said, they don't just say we will take a WR in round one, a DL in round two, a CB in round three and a RT in round 4. They may want those positions covered but when they get to round three maybe there's better Rt then a CB there and the same with the other spots they are drafting from.

Honestly, I don't think we are far off in how we think teams pick it's just how we are saying it, knowing that there could be a unique situation that makes them move off their board. I think Wr should be a #1 consideration and you do also, but we don't know how Heckert and Holmgren plan to go about this rebuild. That's why I say CB is an option at #6 just like WR and DL. Again, I said options. I didn't say I'd do it but IMO, any defensive position is an option because we are so thin on defense at all levels. Taking a CB wouldn't mean they are tossing the thought of a pass rush aside, it would just mean that they think the player available was better at that position in the draft. Good players come from every round. Good GMs and scouts have to have confidence that they can find them. That's all I'm saying.

Personally, I am starting to like Jones even over Green. I love his toughness and attitude. He seems to be a guy who loves football. That's the kind of players we need. But, will Heckert see the defensive line as a bigger need and have players from that position rated higher then the WRs? That is the question and we don't really know.

Sorry, enough from me. I'm checking out on this subject after today. It's gotten a bit old.

[Bronx Cheer]

Originally Posted by YtownBacker

Sorry, most teams don't cluster players by position in rounds to try to fill needs. That makes about as much sense as saying don't take a CB this year because we took one last year. You are looking for the best football players to fit your team. The players at a certain position may not be the best players on your board when it comes to your turn. I could very well see this team taking a DL and then at #37 taking another one if he is the best player on their board.

I'm not saying teams actively cluster players. I am saying they take into account natural clusters at positions. For example, there is a huge cluster of DEs and DTs in the pick 20-50 range of the "consensus" board this year, which most people see these guys all as really good bets to be immediate starters and valuable contributors. Because of this anomaly, you have a really good chance of getting a good DL at #37, and your DLs in the top 20 get devalued. Would I take Dareus? Hell yes. Would I thereafter double dip and take a DE at #37 after taking Dareus? Possibly, if a good DE falls. Would I take any other DL at #6? Not a chance, in my opinion, because nobody else is good enough to justify taking him over a WR given the near certainty that you will get someone 95% as good at #37.

[Brown Warrior]

That's cool, Y. I tend to find draft philosophy endlessly fascinating, along with team architecture on the whole. But I find a lot of things "endlessly fascinating" that make my wife wanna punch herself in the head until she's unconscious. She hasn't come out and said it, but I wouldn't entirely blame her (!).

I liked your phrase "unique situation." I think that sums up my feelings about Green or Jones at #6.

[YtownBacker]

Originally Posted by Brown Warrior

That's cool, Y. I tend to find draft philosophy endlessly fascinating, along with team architecture on the whole. But I find a lot of things "endlessly fascinating" that make my wife wanna punch herself in the head until she's unconscious. She hasn't come out and said it, but I wouldn't entirely blame her (!).

I liked your phrase "unique situation." I think that sums up my feelings about Green or Jones at #6.

Is this a new wife or the one that you caught messing around with the CB.........

[YtownBacker]

"Endlessly Fascinating" and "unique situations" are good phrases during draft week that discribe fan interest vs the reality of others making the decisions that don't necessarily think like us.

I also like "you need to consider all options". It stirs a lot of debate. But, that's just me.