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Purdue TE Brycen Hopkins

Discussion in 'The Bill Nunn Draft Room' started by steelersrule6, Jan 1, 2020.

  1. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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    Cut Vance McDonald, and draft Hopkins in the second round.
     
  2. AskQuestionsLater

    AskQuestionsLater Writing Team

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    Sure!! I am all for him.....



    ..... Assuming he gets out of the early portions of Day Two. Best and most complete Tight End in the class. Not even close.



    Think Dallas Goedert.
     
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  3. turtle

    turtle

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    I guess my problem with the TE position is that I'm not sure what they are looking for right now. Which in a sense may mirror the team, the identity they wanted to establish was lost on me this year due to the injuries. They wanted a receiver type so they went out and got McDonald two years ago and he was an all around (receiving and blocking) threat in 2018. They drafted some sheet bag project in Gentry and then traded for Vannet who I liked coming out of OSU much better than Heuermann. He seems like a receiver/blocker type as well.
    I am beginning to think they are not looking for the receiving threat ala Travis Kelce in the early rounds but the guy who is better than average at both. Just by looking at the body type of the guys they usually look at in the draft will confirm that somewhat. Tall, usually not rocked up.

    I think Vanimal's production in 2018 was due to Ben. The true RF offense as we seen it this year had very little use for the TE and I think spending a high pick on a TE (as much as I would like that) is not in the works. I think RF wants the TE as the 3rd option behind the WR's and RBs.

    I'm not putting much energy into scouting the TEs unless we get a different OC and that ain't gonna happen because RF will get an undeserved pass due to injuries.
     
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  4. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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  5. Hawaii 5-0

    Hawaii 5-0 Well-Known Member

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    I've read he's expected to blow up the Combine, in which case he won't make it down to our 2nd round selection.
     
  6. steeler_george

    steeler_george Well-Known Member

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    Mr. AskQuestionsLater... In the short time I am here, you have become one of my favorite posters here. I have found your post extremely informative, not like most of us (me include) who sometimes just post BS.

    If you are serious and comparing him to Goedert, then he has to be our pick! Just saying that makes me feel like I am about to hook up with a hot chick! LOL

    I wanted Goedert big time in that draft!
     
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  7. AskQuestionsLater

    AskQuestionsLater Writing Team

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    First off, very much appreciated you feel that way about my posts. Thank you very much! I do what I can to give the best overall impressions of players.


    That said, I do believe that Brycen Hopkins has Dallas Goedert potential for certain. Granted, Goedert was heavier and taller coming out of college, both possess very similar athletic profiles. While Brycen might not be as technically sound as a blocker as Goedert was coming out, Goedert was not hailed as a mauling Tight End either.



    What both do have is impressive athletic ability. Goedert had that in spades coming out. Should Brycen do well for the remainder of the Senior Bowl Week and test well at the combine, expect him to be the first TE off the board.
     
  8. AskQuestionsLater

    AskQuestionsLater Writing Team

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    This all but confirms what I have in my sig assuming that he performs well for the remainder of Senior Week. Did not have a good Day One from what I read.
     
  9. steeler_george

    steeler_george Well-Known Member

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    [​IMG]

    ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. has the internets buzzing on this Friday with the release of his first mock draft of 2020 and his positional rankings that goes ten-deep. Obviously, fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers probably won’t have much interest in Kiper’s mock draft with the team not having a first-round selection this year. Kiper’s positional rankings, however, are quite interesting and especially at the tight end position, a position the Steelers might choose to select early this year in rounds two or three.

    Below are Kiper’s top 10 tight ends post the Senior Bowl practices and as usual, his order includes a few headscratchers. Perhaps the biggest headscratcher when it comes to Kiper’s tight end rankings is that he has Adam Trautman, a Dayton product, ranked eighth overall.

    In case you’re curious, the average draft position of the eighth tight end drafted over the course of the last five years is 143.6, which is basically at the end of the fourth-round to the start of the fifth-round. Personally, I can’t see Trautman lasting that long.

    Obviously, everyone’s positional draft rankings are subjective. That said, I have a feeling that below might be the lowest we see Trautman ranked positionally the remainder of the draft season.

    Overall, this year’s tight end draft class leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to players that can not only flex out, but play on the end-of-the-line and block effectively. Trautman can do all of that and I believe he showed NFL scouts, coaches and front office people that he can this past week in Mobile, AL.

    In case you’re curious, Kiper only has one tight end being selected in his inaugural 2020 mock draft that was released on Friday and it’s Cole Kmet out of Notre Dame, who he has going 20th overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

    Mel Kiper’s Inaugural 2020 Tight End Draft Rankings:
    1. Cole Kmet, Notre Dame
    2. Jared Pinkney, Vanderbilt
    3. Harrison Bryant, Florida Atlantic
    4. Thaddeus Moss, LSU
    5. Brycen Hopkins, Purdue
    6. Hunter Bryant, Washington
    7. Albert Okwuegbunam, Missouri
    8. Adam Trautman, Dayton
    9. Colby Parkinson, Stanford
    10. Jacob Breeland, Oregon

     
  10. steeler_george

    steeler_george Well-Known Member

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    someone mentions that Steelers like their TE tall... taller than 6.5 ... Hopkins fit right in
     
  11. turtle

    turtle

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    I like Bryant so far early on if the team goes for a receiving type TE. I would go the other direction myself and look for the guy who can benefit us in the trenches. Gentry isn't that guy and who knows if Vanimal or Vannett are here for 2020.
    A TE who can block aids the running game and keeps the bigger guys off our RBs who everyone complains about being injured. Want the bigger d-lineman and lbers off JC30, OK get someone on offense who can seal the edge and work to the 2nd level and let the RBs go one on one with the DBs.

    https://www.profootballnetwork.com/2020-reeses-senior-bowl-sleepers-harrison-bryant-vildor-kareem/
     
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  12. turtle

    turtle

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    https://thedraftnetwork.com/player/luke-farrell/iIam94CjRa scouting report. cons - not a great receiver, I can live with that, get after those blocks

    https://www.cleveland.com/osu/2019/...ng-a-rare-opportunity-almost-draws-tears.html
    They block a lot, and block well. Farrell does it the highest level, in the run game and in pass protection, and does it quietly.
    “He’s not a guy that takes a lot of maintenance," Day said. “You tell him something once, he gets it. And that’s not easy as a tight end, because you have to be involved in so many things. You have to be a high processor. He does that. Like you said, he doesn’t bring a lot of attention to himself when he’s not getting the ball or anything like that like. Never heard anything like that from Luke.”
     
  13. steeler_george

    steeler_george Well-Known Member

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    This draft class of TE is finally starting to make some noise and their projection round of being drafted is falling align where we draft!

    I can actually see us taking 2 in this draft to compete with Gentry, and if we resign Vennet...
     
  14. steeler_george

    steeler_george Well-Known Member

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    Good read, sounds like the steeler type of a late round project.
     
  15. Hawaii 5-0

    Hawaii 5-0 Well-Known Member

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    I wouldn't think so, we only have 6 draft choices and many other needs also...
     
  16. steeler_george

    steeler_george Well-Known Member

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    IF Vennet is asking for crazy money, then cheapest route is via draft or udfa...
     
  17. Hawaii 5-0

    Hawaii 5-0 Well-Known Member

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    Vannett didn't have a very good season, he's crazy if he's asking for crazy money.
     
  18. steeler_george

    steeler_george Well-Known Member

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    If he is asking for 2-3 M, which is cheap for a TE, even Gimble was paid that muh, might be too much!
     
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  19. Vox Ferrum

    Vox Ferrum Well-Known Member

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    That would leave an unproven Gentry and a rook at TE, not a smart move at all. The cap savings is pretty minimal for cutting McDonald, yes his year was pretty bad, but so were many on the offence. Hard to judge with all the craziness that we had this year. That said one review sight said Hopkins reminded him of McDonald..be careful what you wish for.
     
  20. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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    If they decline Vance's option they would save 5.6 million, I wouldn't call that cap saving minimal :shrug:.
     
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  21. Vox Ferrum

    Vox Ferrum Well-Known Member

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    My bad, I read it wrong. I guess it comes down to semantics and bodies. They are going to need some vet presence there, trying to resign Vanette (or another similar FA) and cutting Macdonald will save a few million potentially. What is the cost of production potential? If Macdonald returns to 2018 production that few million is worth it, that said RF seems uninspired about using the TE so might as well make the cut.
     
  22. NY STEELERFAN

    NY STEELERFAN Well-Known Member

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    I have yet to watch much on Hopkins but he is on my watch list. I will say I am liking this TE class more and more. Just this weekend at the senior bowl Harrison Bryant really stood out to me mostly because of his blocking.....he can catch as well. My first look at this class have me drooling over Okwuegbunam but since watching bowl games and shrine/senior bowls I have found some other guys who are very interesting. Hunter Bryant don't have the height and don't play much next to the OT but he is one heck of a receiver. Josiah Degura, Jared Pinkney and Joey Magnifico are also guys that I have seen show promise. I need to watch Brycen now but what is nice is the class imo isn't just one or two guys anymore........
     
  23. turtle

    turtle

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    The guy from Florida international or atlantic, whatever it is, Harrison Bryant is probably my favorite so far in the limited that I've watched. But I think I'd still rather draft one who is a stud blocker. If Ben is one and done after next year, I'd like to get that ground game going at its best and a road grader at TE would really help long term. How many times have we read in the TC reports that these previous guys can barely move the blocking sleds. Plus you can probably land one of them in the 6th, saving the first four picks to add to both lines and a WR and S.
     
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  24. NY STEELERFAN

    NY STEELERFAN Well-Known Member

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    I am a little on the other side, we have guys that can block I want a receiving thread. Also what we read most of the time you can take with a grain of salt regarding who can and can't block. That all changes when they get to the NFL, a lot of what we see is by design as far as what these kids can do. jmo
     
  25. Diamond

    Diamond Well-Known Member

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    Thats right it's by design, zac ertz was a 2nd rd pick, travis kelce was a 3rd round pick and kittle was 5th round pick, all 3 was evaluated to fit in these teams offense as receivers and they can block as well, if your not going to feature these guys in your offense then you have no business in drafting them in the first place, the steelers dont know how to use their TEs so there is no reason to draft one....
     

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