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2020 Top 32 Big Board: Pre Bowl Edition (Final)

Discussion in 'The Bill Nunn Draft Room' started by AskQuestionsLater, Dec 14, 2019.

  1. AskQuestionsLater

    AskQuestionsLater Writing Team

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    The time that has passed between my last write up on the Top 32 and now is quite significant for a number of reasons. One of which is the incoming declaration that many Juniors will declare sooner than later. Others will likely head back for their Senior campaign. The biggest change comes from Championship week which happened a week ago. Due to such circumstances, Championship week offers a great oppurtunity for those to raise their stock but also invites the risks of lowering it should their performance be unsatisfactory. As such, today will mark that major change that took place seven days ago. Before we begin, a disclaimer;



    These written statements by the author do not reflect nor are shared opinions of members of TheSteelersFans Message Board, Staff Members and/or Site Administrator.



    For those of you returning, much like the last time, I will only focus on key segments of the board order as those specific players will have been moved based purely from a performance standpoint. For those of you who are new to this, I will include a link below not just to outline the guidelines that will be used but also the previous Big Board.



    Pre Bowl Top 32




    Now that all major points of emphasis have been outlined, let us not waste any more time and let us begin.



    2020 NFL Big Board: Pre Bowl Edition (Final)



    1.) Chase Young: EDGE from Ohio State University

    2.) Joe Burrow: Quarterback from Louisiana State University

    3.) Andrew Thomas: Offensive Tackle from the University of Georgia

    4.) Jeffery Okudah: Cornerback from Ohio State University

    5.) Derrick Brown: Defensive Tackle from the University of Auburn

    6.) Isaiah Simmons: Hybrid Defender from the University of Clemson

    7.) CeeDee Lamb: Wide Receiver from the University of Oklahoma

    8.) Tristan Wirfs: Offensive Tackle from the University of Iowa

    9.) Justin Herbert: Quarterback from the University of Oregon

    10.) Jerry Jeudy: Wide Receiver from the University of Alabama

    11.) Tyler Biadasz: Center from the University of Wisconsin

    12.) Xavier Mckinney: Defensive Back from the University of Alabama

    13.) A.J. Epensea: EDGE from the University of Iowa

    14.) Dylan Moses: Linebacker from the University of Alabama

    15.) Creed Humphrey: Center from the University of Oklahoma

    16.) Kristian Fulton: Cornerback from Louisiana State University

    17.) Trevon Diggs: Cornerback from the University of Alabama

    18.) Javon Kinlaw: Defensive Tackle from the University of South Carolina

    19.) Yetur Gross Matos: EDGE from Penn State University

    20.) Tua Tagovailoa: Quarterback from the University of Alabama

    21.) Henry Ruggs III: Wide Receiver from the University of Alabama

    22.) K'Lavon Chaisson: EDGE from Louisiana State University

    23.) Grant Delpit: Safety from Louisiana State University

    24.) Neville Gallimore: Defensive Tackle from the University of Oklahoma

    25.) Johnathan Taylor: Running Back from the Univeristy of Wisconsin

    26.) Antonie Winfield Jr.: Safety from the University of Minnesota

    27.) Raekwon Davis: Interior Defensive Lineman from the University of Alabama

    28.) Jalen Hurts: Quarterback from the University of Oklahoma

    29.) Jalen Raegor: Wide Receiver from Texas Christian University

    30.) Kennith Murray: Linebacker from the University of Oklahoma

    31.) Julian Okwara: EDGE from the University of Notre Dame


    32.) Marvin Wilson: Interior Defensive Lineman from Florida State University




    Much like before, I will only dive into some changes. However, unlike the first time around, I will be focusing on major ones that shifted the board in a big way. Let us conclude the analysis shall we?!



    Final Notes:



    - Now, onto the Big Board's biggest riser and faller. Last year when I did this, I would highlight which player was worthy of that distinction in addition to the numerical amount to in which they rose. This year will be different as I will discuss each. Let us start with the big winner here in Johnathan Taylor. He has not lost any sort or form of power or elusivenss since the beginning of the season. This is also not accounting for his continued improvement in the passing game as a receiver. Pass blocking has been better but still needs work here. Overall though, despite the ease to find contributions from the position, I had to elevate Taylor to the Top 32 because his instincts, ball carrier vision and football IQ are simply traits you cannot teach. I do worry about his touches as, including his receptions, he has totaled 945 in all.


    Now, regarding the biggest faller of the Board, by no means is A.J. Epenesa a bad player. Not even close. The issue however is that, at the Top 10 level and nevermind Top 5, players have to seperate themselves from their contemporaries with the basics and fundamentals of their positions already at either an NFL Pro Bowl to All Pro level and possess special traits that help them standout from the conventional level at which the position is being played; versatility being chief among them. While A.J. does have some versatility to his game with a motor that remains hot regardless of circumstances, his limitations on what he can do in addition to his limited athletic capabilities let him down here. That said, his technique, play recognition and leverage are what stand out; hence why he is not being kicked out of the Top 15. While A.J. might be more limited to a 3-4 Scheme, this does not mean he will be average at the next level.



    - Two Centers in the Top 15?! You betcha! Creed might have the greater ceiling but Tyler has the better Day one impact of the two. Both are great at reaching the second level of the defense and both possess leadership qualities one would come to expect from Top 15 propsects. That said, each do come with their own limitations; Tyler not being as athletic as some of the best Centers in Football and Creed not having the discipline within his fundementals. Still, their processing capabilities, pre snap recognition and awareness in addition to their own unique gifts outweigh any major issues. While neither are likely to go into the Top 15 together, expect both to be drafted within the Top 20.


    - Henry Ruggs III vs Jalen Raegor will be a fun one to watch come the NFL Scouting Combine. Both players have speed that simply can break any game in which they are on the field. The key difference though is more about who has the superior route running and more knowledge of the route tree given their playstyles. Henry definitely has the leg up on Jalen in this regard as, unlike TCU, Alabama's Coaching Staff make it a point to train their recruits in the NFL mold the moment they step onto campus. That said, don't sleep on Raegor's athleticism. He is more nimble and agile than one would believe despite his simplistic tree. Either way, whomever drafts these two will increase their offenses explosive capabilities greatly as the speed of these two are simply unmatched in this draft.



    - Andrew Thomas vs. Tristian Wirfs. Master class technician vs. Freak of nature. Again, much like Chase Young vs. A.J. Epenesa( although that one has been all but decided), these two are still in the fight for being the first Offensive Tackle taken in the Top 5. History often points to the technican as their discipline and fundamentals are already on an NFL level. That, coupled with their great athleticism, allows Offensive Coordinators to plug those tackles in without fear or worry about any major mistakes. This is why Andrew Thomas is the best Offensive Tackle currently on the board. There really is not any major technical, fundemental or position based flaws that prevent him from being the best. Tristian's athleticism though is at a level that might surpass that of Lane Johnson; the new standard for freakish Offensive Tackles. That said, while I would plug in Tristian, I would advise on the right side. Have him round out the more finite nuances of the position as athleticism will only carry you so much in the NFL. Once he gets those nuances down though, he could become the most athletically gifted Offensive Tackle of his generation.



    - Initially, coming into the 2019 NCAA Football Season, for me, Jerry Jeudy was the defacto number one receiver in the class. His seperation, quickness, agility, football IQ, instincts and smooth routes were something I had only seen once before in Amari Cooper. Fast forward to today and I don't have those same feelings. Yes, Jerry can beat press coverage but not with his physicality. That is something Amari could do during his time at Alabama in addition to his release off the line once the ball has been snapped. Jerry has better explosive abilities than Cooper but inferior physical capabilities. Add the improved presence of CeeDee Lamb and his ascension and, while I believe Jerry will become a number one receiver, I do not see him becoming a top 5 NFL Receiver like I once did.


    Speaking of CeeDee Lamb though, what an impressive run down the stretch. Big wins against Baylor and TCU have added onto an already impressive resume. His best ability stems from his next gear when transitioning to and from the routes at which he is running. He is not going to beat Jerry in terms of quickness and agility but CeeDee's superior length and physicality really make this a moot point all together. His football IQ and instincts are also great as, even by Big XII standards, 20+ in the YAC department is no laughing matter. While he is not the perfect prospect, he is the best Wide Receiver this draft class has to offer.


    - K'Lavon Chaisson is reminding me a bit of Brian Burns of a year ago. While I do believe that Brian was the more polished of the two, Chaisson possess potential that rivals any other player in this draft and nevermind pass rushers. However, going to the right system will be critical for him to master that limitless potential. Should the situation prove correct, K'Lavon could become a bigger name than even Chase Young. Julian Okwara has immense potential but not to the level that K'Lavon possesses. This is also accounting for the fact that Julian is currently hurt. That said, Julian can be a disruptive force but he is limited to a 3-4 OLB despite the immense athleticism he has.



    - Outside of Dylan Moses, is there any other Off Ball Linebacker who warrants Round 1 consideration?! Kennith Murray defintiely has the production to stake his claim. That said, his abilities in pass coverage are concerning for sure. Not Shaquill Quaterman levels but enough to question whether or not he is a three down linebacker.



    - Xaiver Mckinney is the best overall Safety in the class. That said, he does not have the special qualities Minkah Fitzpatrick possessed when coming out. Everything Xaiver does is great but Minkah was a class of his own when tasked to do the same responsibilities at Alabama. Despite such shortcomings, Xaiver has more than enough tape to warrant a Top 15 grade. Now, will his athleticism be able to cement that remains to be seen.



    - Grant Delpit man..... yikes. Everytime he does something great, he performs another area horribly. Cannot be a Jekyll and Hyde level player as a multi role defensive back; a term I really need to stop calling him at this point. I do believe he is the most versatile player among defensive backs. I do not believe he is the most prolific though when it comes to overall coverage. Yes, he does have the range but what good is range when one is so sporadic more often than not. In comparison, Minnesota's Antonie Winfield Jr. has the best overall coverage skills of any Safety in this year's class. Any position he lines up within the secondary is where he will have great success at. His issue befalls not just his height but limited athletic capabilities. While Grant does not have the athletic issues Winfield Jr. has, his consistency issues far exceed Winfield Jr's. Winfield Jr. maintains his consistency namely due to his desire and discipline. Grant does not.


    Now thinking about it, is Grant Delpit "Greedy Williams 2.0"?! I don't think so personally. However, I also believe that taking Grant Delpit comes with more risk than reward.



    Well guys, these are the updated notes before the Bowl Games begin. The Bahamas Bowl begind Decemebr 20th. As such, I believe it to be appropiate to have the board updated before then as a lot will be going on heading into Bowl Week. Before leaving though, let's wrap this one up!



    Conclusion:



    I do feel this is a very talented class. This class surpasses the 2019 class and 2018 class. However, comparing the 2018 class and the 2020 one, I do not feel as strong currently as I once did comparing this class to some of the best classes of the decade. Comparing the classes of 2010-2012, 2014, 2017 and this one, the 2020 class feels top heavy in comparison. There was far more depth in those classes than this one. That said, I still like the talent and potential of this class. Plenty of great overall talent with good depth to it.




    Well everyone, that will do it for this edition of the Top 32 Big Board. Keep in mind that, due to bowl season, I will not be updating any more Big Boards until after the conclusion of the 2019 NCAA Football Playoffs as there will be immense information; the majority of which I will not be able to keep up with given my technical limitations. In addition, for those of you who were looking forward to the Top Five By Position Rankings, sadly, this has been pushed back to Monday as my editing app on my phone deleted all of my previous history. I will be working on that though and will have it ready first thing Monday!



    Once again though, thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoyed! Until we meet again fellow readers, take care and happy holidays!



    Go Steelers!! :herewego:
     
  2. mac daddyo

    mac daddyo Well-Known Member

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    Hard to get excited about these first rounders without a first round pick. Now some guys could drop some but then we ask why.

    I'm hoping we can nab a wr or offensive lineman in the second. A dlineman would also be a want it we can't sign hargraves back.

    I do hope Cain can work his way into the top 4 of the receiving group. I think he will be a nice target for ben.:cool:
     
  3. SteelCity_NB

    SteelCity_NB Staff Member Mod Team

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    Oct 23, 2011
    I think the best value in round 2 could be at the RB position.

    TE is my #1 priority, unfortunately this is likely not that draft.
     
  4. AskQuestionsLater

    AskQuestionsLater Writing Team

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    I am hoping this as well. Hopefully Big Ben can restructure his contract willingly as that is the only way I see us keeping both Hargrave and Dupree; Tuitt as well. That said, other moves will have to be made the same.
     
  5. turtle

    turtle

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    i just don't see how they could pass on offensive line. Unless the talent isn't available when they pick of course. D-line would be my second choice.
     
  6. Jball

    Jball Well-Known Member

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    I don't think that they could go wrong with any offensive position.
     
  7. TGH

    TGH Well-Known Member

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    I say we go for Anthony Gordon QB in round 2.
     
  8. NY STEELERFAN

    NY STEELERFAN Well-Known Member

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    Love the work you put in here AQL however with no first round pick isn't spending time on the top 32 useless? I am not trying to down play all the hard work you put in but I am guessing our first pick won't come till in the 50's right? IMO I would love to see your board on the players from 50-150 2nd to 5th rounds?

    Every year this is my interest as so many people focus on the 1st round and imo there is talent outside of that. There is also diamonds in the rough the get pushed out for whatever reasons and could be great bargains. :thumbs_up:
     
  9. AskQuestionsLater

    AskQuestionsLater Writing Team

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    Appreciate the feedback man! I understand your major concern is my Big Board overall. Let me break it down as to why I did a Top 32.



    To start, keep in mind that I have been doing such Big Board's since 2010. Whether or not the Steelers have a First Round pick was by no means the deciding factor. The second reason is that I enjoy giving my own thoughts and feelings about each player to the best of my ability. What I see, what they are good or not so good at and most importantly, which of these players are among the best of the best.



    Here is the biggest reason though; opinion. Everyone has one and I am no different. Keep in mind this is just my Top 32. Others have already formulated their own opinion and will oh most definitely be different from barring certain circumstances; Chase Young being the de facto best player as the best example here.




    That said, some of these players might not hear their name called Day 1. Some may even get pushed back to Day 2 for extreme circumstances. All of the information is based on a opinion that has been thoroughly researched via tape study and knowledge of each position. In the end, it all will come down to the NFL Teams themselves. They control the NFL Draft Deck!




    That said, I do have a list that will be more beneficial for you. I will hyperlink it below as it is based off of position and not top 32 overall. This differs because some positional skillgaps are so abundant that certain players get pushed down due to the wealth of talent available at that position.



    Positional Rankings!!
     
  10. NY STEELERFAN

    NY STEELERFAN Well-Known Member

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    AQL, please understand I am not trying to put down anything you do or have done in the past. I also have no problem with you giving your opinion, :smiley1:. I just see how much work you put into this and thought it is a waste(as far as Steeler related) with us not having a first. I know this year is an exception as far as us not having a first rounder which is why I said what I said. I would love to read what you have say about the guys you had ranked from 50-150.

    I am not a big draft guru but I do a lot of reading and watch as much as I can on guys. I understand we all have opinions and that is what makes the draft talk so cool. Our opinion have nothing to do with where guys are drafted as we have no control of that but it is fun to mock and chat about these guys. Where I am different is I look more at the later round guys and try to find that diamond. I am not so big in on the first round guys you know the top 20 cause they get beat to death by the so called experts. lol

    Hope you didn't take what I said the wrong way I did not mean no disrespect I was actually giving you a complaint.
     
  11. AskQuestionsLater

    AskQuestionsLater Writing Team

    21,265
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    Apr 21, 2016



    First off, please don't take my comments towards your post as a reaction of being slighted. Not in the least. I enjoy all feedback; good and constructive the same. It is how writers SHOULD grow and learn. Again though, very high emphasis on the word "should".



    More importantly, as you stated, this is all opinionated. Here is the best part about study driven opinions like these; they can change due to the immnese level of variables affecting that particular form of interest we study. My opinions of these players can and will change should there be any noticable differences.



    Again though, most important of all no less, I understood what you meant. Did not take offense to it. Understand that interpretation on the internet is very difficult and semantics without body language make statements like mine to come off as snarky and insensitive; something I am not!


    All good NY! All good! :drinks:
     
    • Like Like x 1
  12. NY STEELERFAN

    NY STEELERFAN Well-Known Member

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    Good deal man :drinks:

    I agree from now to draft time players will bounce up and down for sure. :thumbs_up:
     

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