2017 Draft Prospects Thread

King Stannis said:

You could draft the next Elway and he'd be dead by Week 6 behind this line and that defense.

Folks, Kessler is already on concussion number two. Out of how many starts? RG3 is fucked and McCown is probably going down, again, very soon. Do you really want to spend THE #1 pick on a QB who not only wouldn't be a top the pick in most years, but whose career could be done before he turns 24? Build the foundation first. Build around the lines on both sides of the ball. There is no point in going through Couch 2.0.

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This is a little bit flawed.

I think you'd be incredibly surprised how many sacks occur from a QB processing information in front of him too slowly (Kessler), a lack of pocket awareness (McCown) and holding onto the ball too long (both guys).

The offensive line isn't on the Cowboys level, but it's not nearly as bad as people think.

For comparison, the Browns gave up 53 sacks last year with Mack and Schwartz starting 16 games apiece. They're on pace for 55 this year. Basically the same performance with lesser talent. McCown alone was sacked 23 times last year in only 8 starts.

Some quarterbacks are just sacked more than others regardless of who is blocking in front of them.

CBBI said:

This is a little bit flawed.

I think you'd be incredibly surprised how many sacks occur from a QB processing information in front of him too slowly (Kessler), a lack of pocket awareness (McCown) and holding onto the ball too long (both guys).

The offensive line isn't on the Cowboys level, but it's not nearly as bad as people think.

For comparison, the Browns gave up 53 sacks last year with Mack and Schwartz starting 16 games apiece. They're on pace for 55 this year. Basically the same performance with lesser talent. McCown alone was sacked 23 times last year in only 8 starts.

Some quarterbacks are just sacked more than others regardless of who is blocking in front of them.

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The Browns had one of the best offensive lines with Mack and Schwartz, ranking towards the top in Pass Block Efficiency and still were getting multiple sacks.

Fans always think the offensive line is to blame, but that's just not the case.


Yes, the injuries on the OL have opened up some holes. But the Browns offensive line is not bad at all when healthy, and I'd expect another addition to be made this off-season to make it even better.

King Stannis said:

You could draft the next Elway and he'd be dead by Week 6 behind this line and that defense.

Folks, Kessler is already on concussion number two. Out of how many starts? RG3 is fucked and McCown is probably going down, again, very soon. Do you really want to spend THE #1 pick on a QB who not only wouldn't be a top the pick in most years, but whose career could be done before he turns 24? Build the foundation first. Build around the lines on both sides of the ball. There is no point in going through Couch 2.0.

Embrace the pain. There is no true franchise QB this year. Want to take a flyer? Take Falk in Round 3 and groom him. For all those juicy Round 1 and 2 picks, I only want to see D and OL. Look at Dallas, behind that line, a rookie QB is soaring while any RB has success blasting through wide-open holes. Force multipliers like the OL and DL are essential in ensuring the success of skill positions. I wanted the Browns to take Dak. But face it, Dak would be dead by now on this team.

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Behind this line, yes. But this line is easily fixable. Bitonio will be back. Thomas is still solid. Greco has been fine. Leave Erving at the Pittsburgh airport after Week 17 and add a C/RT, one via the draft, one via FA. I'd argue that's a very serviceable line without much effort.

And @CBBI said it already but Kessler is doing himself no favors. This is the play that he got concussed: https://t.co/uM3Q7tDspJ

Pasztor gets bull rushed back into him which is what makes him bail on the play but Kessler still has time to take a 5 step drop, pump the ball, and pause to look again before bailing out of the pocket. The ball needs to be out at that point. Timmons is the one who crushed him on the play and he originally blitzed up the middle and was blocked by Erving. Timmons had enough time to pull off that block, think about dropping back into coverage, run around the end and clean up Kessler.

It seems like our line is garbage because every QB has been killed but really, it's more like our line isn't great and every QB we have has been killed because they all hold onto the ball forever.

A QB capable of quick decision making would do a ton to help us fix this.

Spectre said:

Behind this line, yes. But this line is easily fixable. Bitonio will be back. Thomas is still solid. Greco has been fine. Leave Erving at the Pittsburgh airport after Week 17 and add a C/RT, one via the draft, one via FA. I'd argue that's a very serviceable line without much effort.

And @CBBI said it already but Kessler is doing himself no favors. This is the play that he got concussed: https://t.co/uM3Q7tDspJ

Pasztor gets bull rushed back into him which is what makes him bail on the play but Kessler still has time to take a 5 step drop, pump the ball, and pause to look again before bailing out of the pocket. The ball needs to be out at that point. Timmons is the one who crushed him on the play and he originally blitzed up the middle and was blocked by Erving. Timmons had enough time to pull off that block, think about dropping back into coverage, run around the end and clean up Kessler.

It seems like our line is garbage because every QB has been killed but really, it's more like our line isn't great and every QB we have has been killed because they all hold onto the ball forever.

A QB capable of quick decision making would do a ton to help us fix this.

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Austin Pasztor has quietly turned in a fine season after some struggles early in the season.

He's graded out above average in pass protection. They need to get him to be more efficient in the run game, but he's only 25 and definitely has some potential to develop more.

I've got no problem with them keeping him go-forward.

Even if the offensive line isn't serviceable they still have ample opportunity to build it up through the draft and free agency. It isn't as if they would be forfeiting the opportunity to improve the rest of the roster by drafting a QB.

Of course, a rookie QB is always going to take some lumps. That happens. But if the QB has the talent and the physical and mental makeup to play the position in the NFL I just don't believe he's going to be "ruined" because he takes some shots as a first-year player. We wouldn't be drafting him for one year, we'd be drafting him to be the face of the franchise for 10-15 years.

I'm reading from people who have been spot on in the past that Mitch Trubisky is the #1 prospect on our board and if the season ended today, we'd take him #1 overall.

Ob1 said:

I'm reading from people who have been spot on in the past that Mitch Trubisky is the #1 prospect on our board and if the season ended today, we'd take him #1 overall.

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Who?

AZ_ said:

Who?

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Go on r/Browns and read up on the guy who posted it. He's been 100% since the new regime came in.

Ob1 said:

Go on r/Browns and read up on the guy who posted it. He's been 100% since the new regime came in.

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Eh, I'll pass.

Teams haven't even begun the process of figuring out draft boards at this point. Making educated guesses isn't something I'm interested in during November.

Ob1 said:

Go on r/Browns and read up on the guy who posted it. He's been 100% since the new regime came in.

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Maybe b/c I am kind of old-ish, but I have no fucking clue how to use reddit. So if you can post stuff in here that that guy posts, would be fun to see if he actually hits on stuff. But if he starts missing, don't bother.

SixPACK said:

Maybe b/c I am kind of old-ish, but I have no fucking clue how to use reddit. So if you can post stuff in here that that guy posts, would be fun to see if he actually hits on stuff. But if he starts missing, don't bother.

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Sure. The last three things I've seen from him:

#1. Josh Gordon rehab a few hours before it was reported by any other source
#2. Cory Coleman was #1 WR we were targeting
#3 (today): that Trubisky is #1 QB on our board and that if they had to draft today he'd be the pick.

THe people on there really believe in him. I think people have found out that he has a close relationship to either Sashi or Paul

I don't know if Trubisky is their #1 overall prospect on their board, but I'm pretty confident that he is the #1 QB on their board. Trubisky has the whole package, minus the experience. His arm is awesome, he has good *at times, fixable with mechanics* accuracy, and he is mobile. I think he's Hue's perfect QB. The question is, do you think he is going to be elite at QB? Because if you draft #1 overall, you absolutely HAVE to get a prospect that turns out.|I don't know if Trubisky is that guy.

I don't envy the Browns choice. They have Garrett, a maybe once in a lifetime pass rushing prospect, right there. That's going to be near impossible for them to pass up on.

Myles Garrett then Trubisky.

GreasySpread36 said:

E

ven if the offensive line isn't serviceable they still have ample opportunity to build it up through the draft and free agency. It isn't as if they would be forfeiting the opportunity to improve the rest of the roster by drafting a QB.

Of course, a rookie QB is always going to take some lumps. That happens. But if the QB has the talent and the physical and mental makeup to play the position in the NFL I just don't believe he's going to be "ruined" because he takes some shots as a first-year player. We wouldn't be drafting him for one year, we'd be drafting him to be the face of the franchise for 10-15 years.

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People keep going "WELL WE TRIED THAT, AND IT DIDN'T WORK"

...

We didn't "try" that. We drafted QB's in the late first round who dropped like a rock and were not the "elite" prospects that everyone and their brother was drooling to draft.

2007...Brady Quinn, dropped like a rock. Granted the "elite" prospect was Jamarcus Russell that year, but again, dude was picked 22nd overall.

2012- Brandon Weeden. RG3 (who I think had his career destroyed by a completely toxic situation in Washington) and Andrew Luck were the "elite" guys that year. Weeden? Dude was like 28 and just...yeah, he was projected as a 2nd rounder IIRC.

2014- Johnny Manziel. Blake Bortles , David Carr and Teddy Bridgewater were all more highly regarded. Manziel was a wildcard, and a guy that again dropped like a rock.

Let us not forget the 2005 attempt at turning Charlie Frye into a starting NFL QB (3rd round) and 2009 with Colt McCoy.

Christ in 2004...with one of the best drafts for QB's since 1983...we sat out and went "Yep. Jeff Garcia will lead us to the promised land".

We haven't "tried that". Not since 1999. And christ, it wasn't like Timmy didn't show promise. He did. He just didn't have an offensive line around and a GM that didn't value that all that much. I don't think in this day and age...you'd see the Browns front office go and do that. This isn't 1999. For as BAD as this team is? You at least have some pieces to toy around with.