My Draft Needs Analysis - Defense

Well, I did the offense and didn't get many bad reviews, hopefully the same can be said on D.

NT - This is probably the 2nd easiest group for me. McCullers and McClendon are a solid pair. I don't see a need here at all.

DE - Well, we have our starters, and they will probably be there for the next few years so despite the need, I don't think I make them high picks. I would say anything in the 6th or 7th would probably meet our needs. We should watch for guys who we lost last year to be waived and grab them back up should that happen. We just need depth here.

ILB - I think we probably have too many guys here already. Timmons, Spence, Shazier, and Williams is a really, really solid group of 4 that I really trust to get better. Add in the special team battle of Garvin and Zumwalt and this position really doesn't have a need for any picks or even UDFAs after the draft.

OLB - MAJOR area of need. We all know it. In all honesty, I could see us double dipping at the position should the right guy come along. Timmons/Woodley anyone? I know we moved Timmons to the inside, but I could see us going 2 OLBs should the right guys be there on the board. For instance, I don't think drafting Dupree would prevent us from also drafting say Orchard (names just examples, nothing more). I expect a first or second round pick.

CB - The other 1st/2nd round pick will probably be a CB. Again, MAJOR area of need. Again, We all know it. I could also see us double dipping here....it is that large of a need. Personally, I would take Peters if I am the FO and he is sitting there. If he becomes what I think he can be, and you get Allen to get his head out of his butt and get his game fixed, you are then looking at Blake and Gay as depth as opposed to what we have right now...them as starters.

GETTING A DIFFERENCE MAKER AT OLB AND CB ARE THE LARGEST ASPECTS OF THIS DRAFT.

S - Mitchell and Thomas...can they be our starters next year? Did Mitchell need a year to adjust or was he a SS forced into the FS role? Is Thomas going to contribute on special teams alone or can he play D? We need a guy in the draft, I would say rounds 3-5, and if I was picking someone right now it would be a pure ball hawk FS.

Hope you guys enjoy. Let me know what you think.

 

i think safety is a bigger need than you are thinking. i'm not of the theory that we only need a 3rd through 5th for what we need here.

olb may not be as big of need as you think. i don't believe #1 or 2 guy needs picked here just to say we got one. so much is uncertain yet here.

cb could use at least 1 top guy and i wouldn't be opposed to one cb/safety type of guy. (rowe) for example. again so much is uncertain here.

 

If I had my first round pick right now, it would be Peters without a doubt. Safety and OLB would then be the next 2 things on my list.

 

Safety is definitely a huge need. I like Mitchell better than most on here, and he is our best safety on the roster... That's not a good thing. We could use either a SS or a FS. We could take one at any time of the draft too. I think corner and safety are bigger needs than OLB. I could see any or all of the three being picked in the first three rounds this year.

 

I'm not as dead set on when we pick guys as I am on who we pick. if we wait until the 3rd to pick an OLB we could just as well wait until the 4th or 5th and get a guy just as good I think. peters, I'm not real sold on, but I am on rowe or grant or jones. all are good corners and could or can play FS. later on I'd like another corner/safety type. the options are open though if one isn't taken in the first.