The 2025 Draft Thread

[method man]

He’s normally available in my mocks in the 6th or 7th rounds. I wonder if he will move up the boards a good bit after the combine. Another guy I see quite late is Logan Brown from Kentucky. He’s another one that seems to have all the prototypical traits. I don’t know much about him beyond reading some scouting reports. I wonder why both of these guys are not further up the board especially given the lack of OT depth in this draft. Is it because they are looked on as developmental projects?

Those mocks are probably a bit dated. Travis had a pretty good showing at the Senior Bowl. He has good movement skills at his massive size. As a comp, he is a better prospect than Javon Foster who went in the 4th last year and Braeden Daniels and Carter Warren who went in the 4th the year before. I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes in the 3rd like Amegadjie when it is all said and done. Doesn’t quite have his upside from a physical standpoint but he did hold his own in the Big 12 for a season after spending most of his career at Princeton

 

[Anselmheifer]

IMO there isnt an obvious trade up candidate within range. Josh Simmons is coming off of a bad injury. K. Banks might still land at 29 albiet likely gone but he might be better at guard than tackle. I like but not love Conerly but he also might fall to 29.

If we are stuck on O line Id stick to 29. It’s not like last year as for top level or depth at tackle.

I think Josh Simmons is worth trading up for. Judging by his tape, he looks like a plug and play, franchise LT. I think most scouts I’ve read see him the same way and Logan Paulsen has Simmons as his #1, or 1A OT. Paulsen describes him as, “Special”.

I tried to find exactly what his knee injury was, and it looks like it was a ruptured patella tendon. He should be quickly back to 100%. Patella tendon ruptures don’t cause any damage in the joint. With an ACL tear, you’re about 5 times as likely to have arthritis, and Ben with a reconstruction. A meniscus surgery leaves you with less cushion in the joint.

I’d way rather give up on a 2nd round WR or RB and wind up with a guy that protect Jayden’s blind side and stabilize the OL for the next 8 to 10 years.

If we are set at QB and LT, and have a WR1, it gets a lot easier to add pieces to complete the offensive roster.

 

[method man]

Jamaree looks like a poor man's Tyleik. If Tyleik is continues to keep his weight down his athleticism and football growth potential is off the charts. Both need to work with good NFL coaching. Caldwell might make more sense as a later add. It will depend on the direction they decide to go to improve their run defense. If they wish for immediate impact in the middle, Tyleik is their man while they teach him more rush moves.

One of the things Tyleik has over Jamaree is length, which you can’t teach. However, most of these EDGES and DTs w plus athletic traits don’t really ever become plus pass rushers. I think there is a lot of natural instinct involved. Payne is our case study in this.

That being said, if they took Tyleik with the expectation they would let him be a run stuffing NT on 1st and 2nd downs in the 2nd round, I’d be happy with that as I think he is the best at this in this draft today, even better than Grant at it

 

[method man]

I think Josh Simmons is worth trading up for. Judging by his tape, he looks like a plug and play, franchise LT. I think most scouts I’ve read see him the same way and Logan Paulsen has Simmons as his #1, or 1A OT. Paulsen describes him as, “Special”.

I tried to find exactly what his knee injury was, and it looks like it was a ruptured patella tendon. He should be quickly back to 100%. Patella tendon ruptures don’t cause any damage in the joint. With an ACL tear, you’re about 5 times as likely to have arthritis, and Ben with a reconstruction. A meniscus surgery leaves you with less cushion in the joint.

I’d way rather give up on a 2nd round WR or RB and wind up with a guy that protect Jayden’s blind side and stabilize the OL for the next 8 to 10 years.

If we are set at QB and LT, and have a WR1, it gets a lot easier to add pieces to complete the offensive roster.

If we hadn’t traded the picks away for Lattimore, I would’ve been all for it.

 

[skinsinparadise]

I think Josh Simmons is worth trading up for. Judging by his tape, he looks like a plug and play, franchise LT. I think most scouts I’ve read see him the same way and Logan Paulsen has Simmons as his #1, or 1A OT. Paulsen describes him as, “Special”.

I tried to find exactly what his knee injury was, and it looks like it was a ruptured patella tendon. He should be quickly back to 100%. Patella tendon ruptures don’t cause any damage in the joint. With an ACL tear, you’re about 5 times as likely to have arthritis, and Ben with a reconstruction. A meniscus surgery leaves you with less cushion in the joint.

I’d way rather give up on a 2nd round WR or RB and wind up with a guy that protect Jayden’s blind side and stabilize the OL for the next 8 to 10 years.

If we are set at QB and LT, and have a WR1, it gets a lot easier to add pieces to complete the offensive roster.

Got no idea about the medicals. Though I've heard some pessimism about it in the mix of optimism. But heck that's why you have the combine. Medicals are huge. I know the agent will leak out everything is great. But over time the real stuff leaks out. I recall for example all the optimism around Bryce Love but some disclaimers on it, too coming off of his injury.

Heard Kiper talk about it in his podcast and he more or less said it was a wildcard and referenced a team should be OK with red shirting him next season and count on him for 2026.

Some other draft geek I think it was a PFF guy who said he heard the knee injury was really bad.

But I don't know. Enough uncertainty for me where I can't say lets go for it.

 

[DWinzit]

^^^ so scary to risk by moving up, especially when OL is already a big weakness and the best player is injured for most of next year already.
He is going to go through everything teams can possibly do or ask to figure out where his recoup is coming

 

[burgold]

I compare drafting by need to shopping for groceries when hungry.

 

[The Chump Bailey]

Grey Zabel OT North Carolina State & my crush from last year Donovan Jackson OG Ohio State IMO could make for nice additions - also could be nice trade down targets.

 

[The Chump Bailey]

I think Josh Simmons is worth trading up for. Judging by his tape, he looks like a plug and play, franchise LT. I think most scouts I’ve read see him the same way and Logan Paulsen has Simmons as his #1, or 1A OT. Paulsen describes him as, “Special”.

I tried to find exactly what his knee injury was, and it looks like it was a ruptured patella tendon. He should be quickly back to 100%. Patella tendon ruptures don’t cause any damage in the joint. With an ACL tear, you’re about 5 times as likely to have arthritis, and Ben with a reconstruction. A meniscus surgery leaves you with less cushion in the joint.

I’d way rather give up on a 2nd round WR or RB and wind up with a guy that protect Jayden’s blind side and stabilize the OL for the next 8 to 10 years.

If we are set at QB and LT, and have a WR1, it gets a lot easier to add pieces to complete the offensive roster.

Just starting to do my evals for this group. He's going to be in my top 5 easy BUT right now I do not see him as a worthy trade up candidate. The Penn State game is what gave me some pause on my enthusiasm for Simmons. He seems to struggle with power and inside moves to an extent - all have flaws though certainly. That dude for me right now as a potential trade up target is OT Armand Membou, Missouri. I do not see anyone the level of Joe Alt last draft though personally. Cameron Williams Texas could also be a trade up target for me.

 

[DWinzit]

Just starting to do my evals for this group. He's going to be in my top 5 easy BUT right now I do not see him as a worthy trade up candidate. The Penn State game is what gave me some pause on my enthusiasm for Simmons. He seems to struggle with power and inside moves to an extent - all have flaws though certainly. That dude for me right now as a potential trade up target is OT Armand Membou, Missouri. I do not see anyone the level of Joe Alt last draft though personally. Cameron Williams Texas could also be a trade up target for me.

While different type players, guys like Williams or Membou could become the starting RT and allow Wylie to kick inside and backup at T or cut depending on if you bring back Lucas

 

[The Chump Bailey]

While different type players, guys like Williams or Membou could become the starting RT and allow Wylie to kick inside and backup at T or cut depending on if you bring back Lucas

True. Membou and Williams sort of remind me of another RT that should continue to get better in the league, Darnell Wright - another prospect that I was very high on coming out of TN.

 

[method man]

Membou is the type of player I can see coming in and being a good rookie tackle right away. The draftniks think he had the best tape of any of these guys. I don't see Cameron Williams being the type of guy these guys like - he is an underachiever relative to the physical tools he possesses.

 

[DWinzit]

If they can't bring in a FA or draft pick that is a big OT upgrade, maybe they grab a major G upgrade then a T in round 3 or 4 option built like Dawand Jones with lots of durability and experience that be a swing and eventually start at RT and maybe LT - Rutgers Hollin Pierce from Rutgers. 6'8" 342


Edit was spelling correction

 

[The Chump Bailey]

Membou is the type of player I can see coming in and being a good rookie tackle right away. The draftniks think he had the best tape of any of these guys. I don't see Cameron Williams being the type of guy these guys like - he is an underachiever relative to the physical tools he possesses.

Thanks will look at Cameron Williams closer.

 

[Anselmheifer]

(That's not to say we don't need more blue chippers. We do. But I want a damn fine foundation, too. Otherwise, the blue chippers won't get a chance to shine. Look at Cinci. They have some great players and every year they struggle to get into the playoffs because their overall roster overcomes the brilliance of their four or five blue chippers.)

I’m not sure we feel THAT differently, and this might be mostly semantics, but I’d argue that your blue chippers ARE your foundation.

(That's not to say we don't need more blue chippers. We do. But I want a damn fine foundation, too. Otherwise, the blue chippers won't get a chance to shine. Look at Cinci. They have some great players and every year they struggle to get into the playoffs because their overall roster overcomes the brilliance of their four or five blue chippers.)

I think we probably don’t disagree all that much, and maybe this is a discussion about semantics, but, I think that your blue chippers players actually ARE your foundation.

Your pro bowl players, potential pro bowl players, maybe your top 10 to 12 guys. Everything else is the mortar. Do you need depth and average to solid starters? Sure. Of course. But those players are changed out every year. Replaced by a FA upgrade or a 4th round draft pick

Your better players that you try to keep beyond on contract, this are the guys that not only have more impact, but are harder to replace.

You references Cincinnati, but I’m not sure that makes your point. Cincinnati, with a better owner and GM, would be killing it with a core of Burrow, Chase, Higgins, and Hendrickson. They lucked into the hard part, and failed on the easy part. They have started poorly, didn’t resign Higgins early, as they should have, and haven’t been great signing starters and depth players in FA. Cincinnati is what happens when Dan Snyder lucks into drafting a top 5 Qb.

We need more blue chippers players to help build our core. Peters should be able to fill out the rest with solid drafting and judicious FA signings.

 

[burgold]

Yeah, a little while ago, I started a thread on blue chippers and it turned out to be really interesting not for who was on our list, but for how varied our definitions of what a blue chip player was.

It might be fun to revisit that thread now that the season is over.

 

[skinsinparadise]

While different type players, guys like Williams or Membou could become the starting RT and allow Wylie to kick inside and backup at T or cut depending on if you bring back Lucas

I haven't watched Williams yet. I know he looks the part and likely has the length. His stats are by far the worse among the O lineman I've collected stats on. 5 sacks, 18 hurries.

At least by PFF grades, looks like he's good with zone but not gap schemes. I know this running scheme was at least a sizable amount of gap.

 

[skinsinparadise]

 

[DWinzit]

I haven't watched Williams yet. I know he looks the part and likely has the length. His stats are by far the worse among the O lineman I've collected stats on. 5 sacks, 18 hurries.

At least by PFF grades, looks like he's good with zone but not gap schemes. I know this running scheme was at least a sizable amount of gap.

He isn't a sure thing but like many, put in the right scheme he can become a long time starter. I have not studied him yet either, only read a little.

Here is one take:
The tape doesn't lie - Williams is a dancing bear with rare physical gifts who needs an offense built to maximize his strengths early in his career. Watch him against Georgia's edge rushers in the SEC Championship game and you'll see both the mouth-watering potential and the technical wrinkles that need ironing out. His ability to shut down power rushers and handle stunts in that game jumped off the screen, but those few losses to speed around the edge exposed the footwork issues that could plague him against NFL athletes.

Put him in a quick-game passing attack with heavy play-action concepts, and Williams becomes an immediate problem for defensive coordinators. His massive frame and vice-grip hands shine when he can set vertically and play in a phone booth. The Michigan game particularly highlighted this - watching him rag-doll defenders on quick passes and play-action concepts had me rewinding the tape multiple times. But asking him to consistently hold up on seven-step drops against wide-9 techniques is setting him up to fail as a rookie.

I'm convinced Williams has legitimate starting right tackle potential in a scheme that plays to his strengths. The improvement in his pass sets from September to December was remarkable - you can see the game slowing down for him with each start. A power-based offense that can give him occasional chip help against elite speed while letting him maul in the run game would unlock his ceiling as a force on the right side. The technical foundation is there - now it's about building on it.

 

[burgold]

I think a meat and potatoes draft is what we need. Since we are picking low (in the first round) we are not likely to get any of the super elite blue chip prospects so it's okay that the draft doesn't have them. What we do need are really solid trench players on both sides of the ball. I'm assuming that's what they mean by M&P. The unsexy positions, guards, defensive tackles, run stoppers, etc. that's what we need most.

On that note, I am a little leery about reaching for a left tackle in a left tackle poor draft. I don't mind a developmental one that we can groom into a starter, but I don't know that I want a first rounder that we will feel compelled to plug in (unless Peters is like... Damn! We got our guy!) Then again, just to disagree with myself, there are more than thirty good players in even a poor draft, so you should be able to find starter worthy player at 29.