2014 NFL draft thread (no longer too early)

Re: (Way too early) 2014 NFL draft thread

Your honor, as precedent I cite the case of Mario Williams vs. Vince Young.

 

Re: (Way too early) 2014 NFL draft thread

I can imagine Manziel having a good NFL career, I just don't see anything about him that screams "top 5 pick"

There's a reason no QB under 6-foot has been taken in the first-round of the last 50 years. I think Manziel has walked into a perfect storm of sorts thanks largely to a lot of teams needing a QB and the success of Russell Wilson. Teams are afraid to pass on that guy.

Typically, the QBs who are taken in the first round are the ones who are at least 6-2 and fit the NFL prototype. That certainly doesn't mean all those guys are going to be better than their smaller counterparts who slip into the later rounds, but that's the way it's been done, for better or worse...

 

Re: (Way too early) 2014 NFL draft thread

But both those teams already have freak pass rushers. ... and look how far it got them.

 

Re: (Way too early) 2014 NFL draft thread

A lot of places were projecting him as the top pick (or at least top 5) even before the combine. He's definitely helped solidify that in the past week.

 

Re: (Way too early) 2014 NFL draft thread

When Wilson came out, I believe the consensus was if the kid was only three inches taller, he'd be a candidate for the No. 1 overall pick.

 

Re: (Way too early) 2014 NFL draft thread

You can never have too many.

Putting Watt and Clowney together, or Long and Quinn and Clowney (and insulating yourself from Long or Quinn leaving) would be huge.

 

Re: (Way too early) 2014 NFL draft thread

Ask New England how effective the front four was for the Giants.

Anything a defense can do to keep a TE and/or a RB in to block or chip is huge in this day and age.

 

Re: (Way too early) 2014 NFL draft thread

No disagreement that pass rushers are huge. BUT QBs are even more important. Houston with Clowney and no QB is still a shitty team. Houston with no Clowney and a real QB is a playoff team.

 

Re: (Way too early) 2014 NFL draft thread

 

Re: (Way too early) 2014 NFL draft thread

The question is whether any of the guys at the top of this year's list qualify as "a real QB."

There is no question Clowney is a big-time NFL pass rusher if his head is on anywhere close to straight (which, of course, IS a question)

 

Re: (Way too early) 2014 NFL draft thread

Aldon Smith's head is as sideways as a head can get. He is still a franchise player.

If you can get those guys dialed in 10 plays a game, they can swing the whole thing.

 

Re: (Way too early) 2014 NFL draft thread

That team also has a quarterback who was chosen first overall. Obviously, neither of those positions are important.