For the record, I'm not whining and I think Caserio, Ryans had a solid draft. I would have gone a different direction, but I'm very happy with their draft.
The shoulders (which if i remember correctly from back in the day are pretty important for a defender) are more troublesome than the knee. He's so fun to watch though, all around the ball wherever it is. Reminded me a lot of Dat Nguyen at ATM Another "always around the ball" guy yet not a physical freak is Jaylon Ford, I'm curious how his career turns out. The dude just made plays.
https://theathletic.com/5467312/2024/05/03/nfl-draft-afc-best-worst-classes-insider-reaction/ Houston Texans Unrelated to the Texans, and speaking in general terms, an exec from a team picking inside the top 20 made a comment we regularly hear this time of year. “Call it pick 20 to pick 40, shake them up and throw them out, they are all similar players,” he said. Whether or not that is true, execs agreed the 2025 draft should be deeper than the current one, so that acquiring picks next year carried additional value. These are interesting considerations for the Texans, who traded the 23rd pick with a seventh-rounder to Minnesota for the 42nd pick and a sixth-rounder, plus the Vikings’ second-round pick next year. Houston previously traded its own 2025 second to Buffalo for Stefon Diggs. The net effect was acquiring Diggs for the short term, moving up in the 2025 second round unless Minnesota outperforms Houston this season, and then living with whatever downgrade comes with drafting Kamari Lassiter at 42 relative to the corners available in the 23rd slot; Philadelphia made Quinyon Mitchell the first corner chosen at 22, before Detriot traded up to take Terrion Arnold at 24, before Baltimore took Nate Wiggins at 30. “The only issue there is, I would have gone Max Melton (chosen 43rd by Arizona) over Lassiter for his speed and ability to cover,” an exec said. That could simply be a matter of personal preference. “Lassiter ran slow, but his tape is really good,” another exec said. “He was one of my favorite corners in the draft. Houston did a really good job overall of adding character with talent. Cade Stover was a good example of that, and so was Lassiter.”
Spoiler Indianapolis Colts The Colts had reason to become Falcons fans during this draft. “I don’t think the run on offensive players would have lasted as long if Atlanta had not taken (Michael) Penix,” an exec said. “They basically gave Indianapolis and some of those other teams really good defensive players.” Execs generally expected Atlanta to bolster its defense with the No. 8 pick. The Penix selection contributed to Denver taking a quarterback at 12, and to this draft setting a record with 14 consecutive offensive players selected from the start. Latu was the consensus best pass rusher in the draft but also a risky selection following neck fusion surgery that led him to quit football for a time. “Indy has a pretty solid roster but needed more difference makers, so this year they went away from what they’ve done in the past,” an exec said. “They took risks with big upside. Latu has Joey Bosa-like hand usage and the best tape of any edge rusher in the draft, but the neck is a concern. AD Mitchell is as gifted as the top three wideouts even, but there were some concerns. On paper, Indy got tremendously better.” GM Chris Ballard’s post-draft rant against anonymously sourced character criticisms on Mitchell seemed to reflect an edge. Another exec suggested Indy had erred on the side of caution in the past and now appeared willing to make calculated risks, perhaps after realizing there were missed opportunities. “It looks like they are thinking, ‘We have the coach, we have the quarterback, we are out of excuses,'” a different exec said. Jacksonville Jaguars Moving back from No. 17 to No. 23 without missing out on a receiver and while pocketing 2025 third- and fourth-round picks from Minnesota seems like a dream scenario. The question now becomes whether Brian Thomas Jr. can finally give the Jaguars a long-term No. 1 receiver. “Thomas can be that guy in two years,” an exec said. “I don’t think he’s going to be required to be that right away. They’ve got some guys.” Allen Robinson, Christian Kirk, Allen Hurns, Calvin Ridley and D.J. Chark are the Jaguars’ only 1,000-yard receivers over the past 18 seasons. Each reached the mark only once with Jacksonville. “There is going to have to be some development with him,” another exec said of Thomas. “He is not walking in there and transforming what they do. He has the physical traits to develop. Does he have the other stuff? That remains to be seen.” Pro Football Focus listed Jaguars second-round choice Maason Smith as one of its biggest Day 2 reaches, albeit one with huge upside. “Smith is a traits guy, and maybe you hit on him, maybe he is just kind of average,” an exec said, “but I don’t think he will be a bust. He’s tall, he plays with high pad level, but he’s big, he’s long, he’s in that mold of a DeForest Buckner, but he doesn’t have that kind of twitch.” Jaguars GM Trent Baalke drafted Buckner in San Francisco. “I think (third-round pick) Jarrian Jones is someone who we could look back on and wonder why he was available that long,” another exec said. “He is a good, good player. Tough, tackles well, covers well, can play in the nickel, can play outside.” Tennessee Titans The Titans gambled on a talented defensive tackle in 2019, taking Jeffery Simmons — who pleaded no contest to simple assault in 2016 — in the first round. This year, their second-round bet on Texas defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat came less than three weeks after authorities in Austin charged him with driving while intoxicated. Execs had no concerns about Sweat’s talent. “Oh God, if they get him going, it’s gonna be a helluva combo,” one said. One year after drafting Simmons, the Titans took Georgia offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson in Round 1 despite teams having concerns about his maturity. He was arrested twice during his first season in Tennessee and was traded for a swap of seventh-round picks after playing one regular-season game. “They have more willingness to take risk,” another exec said. “Simmons has been a great pick. We’ll see on Sweat.” Sweat’s weight was a popular topic after he declined to weigh in at the Senior Bowl. He weighed 366 pounds at the combine. Scouts told The Athletic’s Dane Brugler that Sweat played around 380 last season. “The guy is going to break your heart,” a third exec said. “At his worst, he will control the A-gaps, which is valuable,” a fourth exec said. “There is real value in that. It’s just, where do you take that pick?” JC Latham’s selection with the seventh pick was more straightforward. The Titans badly needed help on their line. They will entrust Latham to Bill Callahan, an acclaimed line coach. “You can argue that Latham is the most talented tackle in the draft,” one exec said.
I agree & so does the internet (I really hope it is our pick tho ) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_NFL_draft
Don’t we hear this every year - next years draft is better. Most people know this years draft had some really good depth - both before the season started, after the season and draft.
Haven't read the article yet, but all I can think is that the extra covid year, and the new transfer & nil rules will have sorted themselves out a bit after this season and there will be some more regularity in the draft classes. Hell if I know, though. nvm: it's just a draft recap with a little anonymous blurb saying "execs say" that the next draft 12 months in the future will be better. How ****ing informative.
