You love your tight ends and are the TE guru
. I can totally get on board with Loveland at #29. I think we'll need to wait on the combine to learn more but, as of now, who are some tight ends you like that may go rounds 2-5 that you would like for us from a schematic fit standpoint?
Thanks. I got to admit I am behind on watching TEs partly because I suspect we aren't taking one at least early. Seems like the draft is so loaded at the D line and running back and decent at CB -- and coupled with this can be a SB run now that I suspect they aim elsewhere. But I did happen to watch Warren and Loveland both whom I love. Deeper in the draft, I've watched Ferguson a little and I liked what I saw but need to watch much more of him and the others.
I am trying to cram as much as I can at DE, DT, RB with a little CB before the combine. But eventually I'll get to the TEs.
As for RB, I love Hampton. I know that's an obvious one but wow is he a complete back. Does it all including pass protect and catch the ball. Power and plenty enough speed. Special. I really like Kaleb Johnson who to me is a slightly poor man's version of Hampton.
I thought I was a big Henderson guy until reading some of the commentary on this thread. Some are apparently even bigger on him than me. But I like him a lot. I wonder about Henderson's durabilty and his own coaches leaked to the media he works better as a by committee back. I like him in pass protect but IMO he's slightly overrated on that front. I'd go Hampton by a hair over him in pass protect. But yeah as a by committee back ala Gibbs with Detriot he's intriguing. Speed kills. He's not IMO as elusive as Gibbs. He's more straight line speed but he has plenty of it, more elusive IMO vertically than horizontally.
Speaking of speed if Henderson is gone where they are picking, I love Sampson. I wish he was bigger though and he needs to address his fumble issues especially lol if he has to play against Philly. Also in that third-5th round range. I like RJ Harvey who I've talked about some. He is explosive. Ditto B. Tuten who reminds me of a rich man's Keaton Mitchell who I liked back in the day as a late round back and went undrafted.
I dig Neal and Giddens but I wish they had more had breakaway speed. But both are elusive as heck especially Giddens. And Neal is screaming with intangibles so fits the locker room culture. J. James IMO sort of a slightly poor man's version of both. All three to me have medium level speed. Not bad. But nothing special. But will see at the combine, sometimes I am surprised.
Even though I prefer speed, and Skattebo feels so cool that maybe he's now uncool -- prospect fatigue, etc -- but its tough for me to ignore how tough a runner he is. Baller type. Tone setter. In ways that Robinson is not. But what puts him on the table for me is his pass catching ability.
That's my RB cliff notes for now.
I am going deep into the DTs. Some talk up the edge spot being insane but IMO the DTs are just if not more stacked in this draft. I am in the camp that Allen and Payne's best days are behind them. Payne's career year feels especially with hindsight driven by his quest for a payday considering how overt he was about it including the money signs he would make that season when he had a sack along with stuff leaked about him that he's not the hardest worker in the world but that season brought out his drive, etc. As for Payne considering this is sort of a contract year for him, you can dislodge out of his contract in 2026 much easier maybe that would spur him? Am not saying that money alone is the issue with Payne but it feels like a driver as part of the soup with him. Allen I think puts everything he's got into the spot but wonder how much he has left? At a minimum Allen doesn't seem to be at his peak.
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