You're the GM - What would you have done differently?

I am not really thrilled with how the draft went for us this year. I think that selecting Jarvis Jones in the 1st round was the right move, but after that I think a couple of really bad decisions were made. The first was drafting Bell in the 2nd. If there's one position where you can get solid, early production from low draft picks and undrafted feee agents, it's running back. In my opinion, you only spend a 1st - 3rd round pick on a running back if he's really special. It's not that I think Bell is a bad player. He looks like a pretty solid RB. However, I don't see him being several rounds better in value than a bunch of guys who went much later. The bigger problem that I had with the Bell pick was who we left on the board. At the time of that pick, Keenan Allen, Jamar Taylor and Arthur Brown were still available. Those guys are all excellent players and all play positions that are much more difficult to fill with productive players later in the draft. The second decision, and this one KILLS me, is that we essentially traded a future 3rd round pick for a backup QB. I know that TECHNICALLY we used that pick to draft Thomas, and our regular 4th rounder was used to draft Landry Jones, but our 4th round pick should have been either of the two Thomas' that went in the mid 4th, and we should have held onto that future 3rd rounder. If we really felt that we needed to trade up for S. Thomas, our 6th would have easily done the job. Just look at the trade that Giants made to grab Nassib. They gave up pick #187 to move ahead of us, so our 6th/#186 would have been more valuable to the Cards than the Giants' pick. Trading away a 2014 3rd rounder for a backup QB will hurt us. I've heard people rationalize that we don't need next year's 3rd rounder because we will get a 3rd round comp pick for Wallace. I think that's a crock. You never know what's going to happen in next year's draft, and that foregone 3rd rounder could have great value. Imagine if, next year we're sitting there in the 1st watching a top tier guy at a position of need sitting there just our of our reach in the 1st round. That 3rd round pick would be nice ammo to have, but it has been spent - put on the credit card, essentially for a backup QB.

Anyway, enough ranting. I know it sounds like I hate the entire draft. I don't. I like the J. Jones, Wheaton and Thomas picks. I also think that, even though we reached big time for Bell, he will be our starting RB next year. Therefore, I see our 1st 4 selections as guys who will make some sort of positive impact next year. After that, I'm kind of neutral to our picks. I can see any of them either making the 53 man roster or washing out of the league in training camp. None of them represented good value where they were drafted IMO, but none were Bruce Davis or Mike Humpal kind of WTF picks either. If I'm going to be critical, I think I also need to put out there what I would have done differently so that I'm not just blindly throwing rocks. here's what I would have done based on my draft board. I will be looking back in a few years to see if "my guys" end up being better, more productive players than the guys were drafted. I honestly hope that I'm wrong, and our front office is right.

1. Jarvis Jones - The right move
2. Keenan Allen - IMO the best WR in the entire draft
3. Barrett Jones - Great versatility, and well versed in the zone scheme; can play C, G or even T in a pinch
4. Philip Thomas, S, Fresno St. - I like Shamarko too, and could have gone with either Thomas here
5. Jordan Poyer, CB, Ore St. - Doesn't fit every system/scheme, but I think he will be a nice zone corner; creates turnovers - there's a little bit of Asante Samuel in him
6a. Andre Ellington, RB, Clemson - A good change of pace to the Dwyer/Redman tandem; not my BPA here, but I needed to take a RB at some point
6b. Chase Thomas, LB, Stanford - I know he went undrafted, but he would have been far and away my BPA at this point, and I think he can play inside or outside in a 3-4; SMART player
7. Zac Dysert - I think he's a better pro prospect than Landry Jones

Just one final note - if anyone takes this as me saying that our front office stinks, that's not what I'm saying. Overall I think they do a solid job. However, they have had less than stellar drafts in the past (see 2008), and while I don't think this draft is nearly that bad, I do think they took some reaches and risks that they should't have. I can live with the Bell pick. I am TICKED OFF at giving away a 2014 3rd rounder.

Flame away. /end rant

 

LOL! I'll take it. However, can I eat raven instead of crow? It's sweeter meat. Tastes just like chicken.

 

Based on how the draft did play out, these are the picks I would have made.

1. OLB Jarvis Jones (Georgia)
2. LB Arthur Brown (Kansas St)
3. WR Markus Wheaton (Oregon St)
4a. OG Barrett Jones (Alabama)
4b. S Shamarko Thomas (Syracuse)
5. RB Kenjon Barner (Oregon)
6a. S Bacarri Rambo (Georgia)
6b. ILB Michael Mauti (Penn St)
7. QB Zach Dysart (Miami OH)

I feel Jarvis Jones was definitely the right pick to make in the 1st round. He will compete to be the opening day starter, but at a minimum will be a very dangerous situational pass rusher. I expect 6-8 sacks from Jones in his rookie season.

I feel like I will grow to really like the Bell pick, however, I did not see RB as that big of a priority. Arthur Brown is a terrific player who I think could have moved inside. I think he could have started by Year 2 and really push Foote right from the get go.

I really like the Markus Wheaton pick and was one of the WRs I was targeting in Round 3. He is electric in and out of his breaks and has the deep speed we were looking for. I really liked his tape, but was disappointed with alot of drops in his combine workouts. However, some of those could have been chalked up to shaky QBs.

I am going to keep the future trade that the Steelers pulled off, but it is not for Shamarko Thomas. Obviously the Raiders were keyed in on a QB with their pick, and St Louis and Dallas had already chosen Safeties in the draft. Shamarko would have been there for our original 4th round pick. I am trading up for Barrett Jones. He won the Outland and Rimington awards in college. I am stunned he only went in the 4th round. The Rams got a tremendous value pick. He could have came in and been the backup to all 5 line positions. In this scenario we could have got BOTH Jones and Thomas.

To address the RB position, I would have taken a RB I really like and has pegged as good value in Round 5. Barner is explosive and would have been a really good change of pace back. I know we signed Stephens-Howling as well, who is similar, but Barner is too good to pass up in the 5th.

I am someone who believes we could have easily taken 2 safeties in this draft. Rambo fell to the 6th due to character concerns, so obviously he was probably off the Steelers board. I would have taken the risk though, because he is a very talented kid. We took a chance on Mike Adams, Rambo was no worse.

I know we already took Brown in the 2nd in this scenario, but I have no problem adding another guy in Mauti. This was we can clean house with our current depth which has been pedestrian at best. If not for Mauti's injury, he would have been selected much higher.

I also believe we did need to select a QB, but not as early as Round 4, and since Ryan Griffin was taken earlier than expected, I go with Dysart, a Miami OH alumni.

LOVE this draft

 

I'm right there with you guys. Mine would look something like this:

1 Jarvis Jones LB
2 Arthur F Brown LB
3 Wheaton WR
4 S. Thomas S
4 Q Patton WR
5 Mike Gillislee RB
6a Jordan Poyer CB
6b M Mauti LB
7 Zac Dysert QB

UDFA RBs to call after the draft ends- Cierre Wood, Miguel Maysonet.

I thought, and still do think the Bell pick was a reach. Pre-draft I expressed my point of view on this team drafting a back early. I think Bell will do well, and I'm not putting him down one bit, as I'm sure he'll have success. My opinion is just based on value in round 2. The Jones pick in round 4 made me scratch my head, and still does honestly. Definitely a guy who could have been gotten in later rounds. Now, if we're drafting a QB in round 4, let's trade up and get Nassib. Giants did very well in terms of value there. (In our mock draft, I selected Nassib for the Giants in a later round and was pleasantly shocked he was still there. Strange how life imitates...well, you get it.)

 

SC_NB, I could live with your draft, and maybe giving away the 2014 3rd rounder for Barrett Jones. I like mine better, and prefer to keep the 2014 3rd rounder for use in 2014, but Barrett Jones is a pretty high value player IMO. Trading away that pick for him would not make me feel the way I do about us indirectly using it for Landry Jones, which I am still sputtering mad about.

 

I'm going to give before and after versions.

1) Eifert TE - I really didn't know who I wanted to take in the 1st, I had it down to Vaccaro, Jones and Eifert. Vaccaro was off the board when we picked and if I am to be honest with myself, I guess my reaction to Jones being picked gave me my answer, I was a little disappointed in my initial reaction that we didn't choose Eifert.

2) Arthur Brown LB - Since I took Eifert, I wouldn't have felt as much a need for a WR here like Allen and thinking Bell could be had next round Brown would have been the pick.

3) Le'Veon Bell RB

4) Shamarko S

4) John Simon LB

5) Ryan Swope WR

6) Cornelius Washington LB

6) Jordan Poyer CB

7) Da'Rick Rogers WR

After going over everything and digesting all the picks, I'm on board with everything they did but taking a QB. I was tempted to keep Poyer from my draft but I explained it below.

1) Jones LB - After digesting the picks we made, this is the right choice and I liked it when we made it, I just loved the idea of the damage Eifert could do on offense but we need to start getting to the QB more.

2) Le'Veon Bell RB - In hindsight, Bell wouldn't have made it to us in the 3rd. Ball, Giovani, Lacey, Christine were all picked in the 2nd, someone definitely would have taken Bell and as far as I am concerned he is the best back in the draft. I don't buy into the school of thought that you can just plug any decent RB in and you'll be fine, I want the best and the best there was Bell, not a reach at all IMO, how can it be when all those other guys went in the 2nd too?

3) Markus Wheaton WR - Another perfect choice that I wouldn't change, I couldn't choose him above because I didn't know who he was, don't know how I missed this guy, love everything I have learned about him.

4) Shamarko s - same in both drafts for me

4) John Simon LB- Sticking with Simon, still feel it is to soon to be addressing QB even know I like Jones as a player.

5) Terry Hawthorne CB - Another pick I wouldn't change, didn't know about him either and while I like Poyer one of the knocks on him is receivers ability to eat up his cushion, with the way our guys play off WR's, this could be a problem.

6) Justin Brown WR - Going with the Steelers again, Ben gets his big target

6) Vince Williams LB - Liking this pick they made more and more, leaving it.

7) Zac Dysert QB - *edited* Stayed with the Steelers pick of Nick Williams here originally but not really expecting much from him so changed it to Dysert, not as a successor to Ben, just a back up, I have an easier time swallowing a 7th round pick for a QB then I do in the 4th. I still like Da'Rick here but I'm sticking with the Steelers game plan of not drafting character issue guys. They brought in players with good leadership skills and character, I think we are going to have a really unified team this year, they put together a good cast.

Love this draft, I think good things are coming!