2017 Official Draft Discussion

[Matt]

Goes in here.

With the draft getting ready to roll on Friday I thought I'd get the thread ready.
What's a discussion without a mock draft?


1 - 1 (1) - ORL - T Shaun Cunningham - Shaun Cunningham seems to make a better choice than CB Phillip George here, but ORL could go either way.
1 - 2 (2) - LOU - CB Phillip George - This one's tough. LOU could use a T as well, it makes just as much sense to pick Kyle Ford
1 - 3 (3) - GEO - T Kyle Ford - Kyle Ford seems to make a better choice than QB Ed Wilkins here, but GEO could go either way.
1 - 4 (4) - MUR - CB Pat Mallow - CB isn't really a huge need for MUR, but how can you pass up Pat Mallow?
1 - 5 (5) - LAS - WR Kerry Detsch - Kerry Detsch probably makes a better choice than CB Lamont Cano here, but LAS could go either way.
1 - 6 (6) - FRE - OLB Matthew Surcon - This one's a toss-up. FRE could use a C as well, they might also consider Jeff Swasey
1 - 7 (7) - VAN - QB Ed Wilkins - Ed Wilkins seems to make a better choice than RB Darryl Fletcher here, but VAN could go either way.
1 - 8 (8) - LRK - T Rex O'Connor - This one's tough. While LRK doesn't necessarily need a RB, it makes just as much sense to pick Darryl Fletcher
1 - 9 (9) - DAK - DT Rex Ralph - DAK could use a DT and Rex Ralph would be hard to pass up here.
1 - 10 (10) - LAN - C Jeff Swasey - LAN might also think about QB Shane Koehn here.
1 - 11 (11) - HAR - RB Darryl Fletcher - HAR could use a RB and Darryl Fletcher would be hard to pass up here.
1 - 12 (12) - VER - RB Sherman Gerhardt - Sherman Gerhardt could be a better pick than DT Shawn Newton here, but VER could go either way.
1 - 13 (13) - BOS - CB Chad Dierdorf - Not sure what they'll do here. BOS could use a CB; they could have easily gone with Lamont Cano
1 - 14 (14) - WIC - DT Shawn Newton - Not sure what they'll do here. While WIC doesn't necessarily need a T, another option they might look at is Jamie Cuomo
1 - 15 (15) - REN - CB Lamont Cano - This was a tough one to call. REN could use a CB; another option they might look at is Cris Martinez
1 - 16 (16) - MTL - T Jamie Cuomo - MTL could look at WR Ron Reeves here.
1 - 17 (17) - MUR - S Ethan Riley - Not sure here. While MUR doesn't necessarily need a RB, they could have easily gone with Harvey Saleski
1 - 18 (18) - LAW - RB Harvey Saleski - RB isn't really a huge need for LAW, but Harvey Saleski would be pretty tempting here.
1 - 19 (19) - MAD - RB Butch Devaney - MAD could also consider S Levon Elliott here.
1 - 20 (20) - NFK - DE Johnnie Lincoln - Johnnie Lincoln might only be a slightly better pick than DT Buddy Novack here, but NFK could go either way.
1 - 21 (21) - SLC - RB Eddie Unutoa - This one's a toss-up. SLC could use a T as well, it makes just as much sense to pick Juan Peterson
1 - 22 (22) - ANC - DT Buddy Novack - This was a tough one to call. ANC could use a CB as well, they might go with Cris Martinez
1 - 23 (23) - TEX - DT Charles Robbins - TEX could use a DT and Charles Robbins would be hard to pass up here.
1 - 24 (24) - IWC - DE Dave Bertolini - Dave Bertolini may only be a slightly better pick than C Mark Hoppe here, but IWC could go either way.
1 - 25 (25) - HOU - T Juan Peterson - Juan Peterson may only be a slightly better pick than S Levon Elliott here, but HOU could go either way.
1 - 26 (26) - CLE - P Dre' Scibona - Tough one to call. While CLE doesn't necessarily need a RB, another option they might look at is Fred Jansen
1 - 27 (27) - WVA - RB Fred Jansen - Very tough one here. WVA needs a RB; they might go with Toby Vaughn
1 - 28 (28) - LAW - OLB Shane Rainwater - LAW may choose C Mark Hoppe here.
1 - 29 (29) - DAK - CB Cris Martinez - Cris Martinez probably makes a better choice than DE Winfred Garcia here, but DAK could go either way.
1 - 30 (30) - LAN - QB Shane Koehn - Shane Koehn could be a better pick than DE Winfred Garcia here, but LAN could go either way.
1 - 31 (31) - POR - RB Toby Vaughn - POR might choose DT Calvin Gibson here.
1 - 32 (32) - NWK - FB Jamie Segas - NWK desperately needs a FB, and Jamie Segas is the best available at this point.

[Matt]

Mel Kiper is pretty sure we're going with a FB in the first round.

He's an expert, what can I say

[tarcone]

Thats a pretty good pick in exchange for Duane Edwards.....lol

[Matt]

lol
true. I did get some other picks there too. You just never know!

[Hoosier]

A wide receiver for LAS? I don't get it....cornerback I can see, but I don't like wide receivers....ask Tarc...

[tarcone]

A wide receiver for LAS? I don't get it....cornerback I can see, but I don't like wide receivers....ask Tarc...

Yeah. Unless the WR can run block real well.

[Mike17]

A punter in the first round? That guy looks good, and we need a punter, but seriously, first round?

[JesterBlaze]

1 - 18 (18 ) - LAW - RB Harvey Saleski - RB isn't really a huge need for LAW, but Harvey Saleski would be pretty tempting here.

RB isn't a huge need? I have 2 on my roster. One sucks and everytime I go to cut the other one he waves a hand and says "I'm not the RB you're looking for" and I get all confused.

RB in 2017 might be the Phantoms greatest need ever, though you can't manufacture players in a draft based on need.

[JesterBlaze]

A punter in the first round? That guy looks good, and we need a punter, but seriously, first round?

St. Louis move for Wiggins has given a great name to special teams value league-wide!

[dthompso8]

Thought I would add a top 10 mock (was going to do the whole 1st round but with events in Whitehaven, Cumbria today not really in the right frame of mind as its where I grew up and have lots of family and friends).

Anyway here it is...

1. Orlando Pirates – QB Ed Wilkins – The Pirates need a QB to replace Mueller so badly that they will not even stop to consider LT Cunningham or either of the top two CB’s who would also fill a major need as Orlando hand in the card as soon as the draft opens

2. Louisiana Voodoo – LT Shaun Cunningham – It is a simple choice for the Voodoo, either take one of the best tackles to ever come out of college to meet a major need on the OL, or select one of the best CB’s to strengthen their secondary, so George and Mallow would be the names in the hat. Normally I would suggest you can’t win if no lead is safe. However with QB Sullivan looking for someone to help him stay on his feet and RB Tribble wanting someone to create holes to run through the best tackle could be the way to go.

3. Georgia Generals – RCB Pat Mallow – The Generals are in an interesting position as their needs don’t necessarily marry up with the top talent. Russell and Butler are decent tackles but Kyle Ford would be a major upgrade on them both. Bert Puppe is a great CB who would benefit from George or Mallow playing opposite. The wild card here is SE Kerry Detsch who would give the Generals two top draw WR’s and allow Finch to play in the slot. They probably go CB, but.......

4. Murfreesboro Mules – RCB Phillip George – The Mules will also consider Detsch as despite having 3 good WR’s on the roster they are all on the downside in regard to age. Its the same at tackle where Kyle Ford is certainly a player they will have to consider. However one look at the secondary and their appears to be a key need for help here so its CB as the Mules pass on some really nice talent.

5. Los Angeles Liberty – SE Kerry Detsch – Liberty would like to improve their DE’s where Greason is the only good rated player. While if one of the top two CB’s were to drop to 5 then they would probably snap them up. However despite there being real quality at tackle still on the draft board they add the top WR to play opposite Joyner.

6. Fresno Warthogs – SLB Matthew Surcon – The Warthogs must have been hoping that Detsch would fall to them to offer QB Schwartz a quality target. If they really want him they may need to move up! Fresno would also have liked to see a CB drop to them but that is unlikely to happen. They are also a team not in a real need for a tackle as they already have quality on the roster, so this pick is used to improve their LB corp on the only top draw one in this draft who goes higher than his value suggests.

7. Vancouver Killer Whales – RT Kyle Ford – The Whales could really do with a QB as Hutton appears not to be able to get the job done, this will ensure Shane Koehn is looked at in some detail. However they also have needs at DT and tackle where there is some real talent still available. DT’s Ralph, Newton and Novack will all be considered but there is too much talent at tackle that they can’t pass on the 3^rd highest rated player in the draft.

8. Little Rock Toads – RT Rex O’Connor – Little Rock are in an interesting position with options to select another quality tackle in Rex O’Connor. They would like a DE but there is no value this early in the draft. The one other consideration has to be QB Koehn as Rogers is not going to lead them to the promised land anytime soon. Its a tough decision to make, Koehn may not be all he appears and O’Connor is a real value pick at this spot especially with Bryant in his 13^th season.

9. Dakota Spirit – QB Shane Koehn – The Spirit wonder where to use this pick, QB is a need as Stanfield and Richard are not the answer. WR is an area they really need quality and bodies so Ron Reeves will be a major consideration, though his route ruuning may be a massive issue down the road. RT Cumo despite not attending the combine will be of interest as star RT Garrison is coming off a serious injury while the secondary could do with an influx of quality so FS Riley may well be considered as well as CB’s Martinez and Prestbye. The other area to be considered is DT where there is also quality available. Dakota really could go in many directions but it all starts at QB so maybe its time to roll the dice again.

10. Lansing Ogres – SE Ron Reeves – The Ogres would have selected Koehn if he had been available. They will consider Williamson, though may not want to pull the trigger on him here. There are options at C where Swasey and Hoppe are both top draw and would anchor the line for the next ten years, while on defense they need a DE so will put Lincoln and Bertolini under the spotlight. The value at this pick however is Reeves as playing opposite Strong he would take some of the coverage away and would be dangerous everytime the ball was thrown to him. >>

[Matt]

I didn't hear about that over here until you mentioned it. Sorry to hear that

[JesterBlaze]

Me neither.


Nice mock draft article!

[Matt]

nice mock draft.

With the utility available now, man made mocks are hard to come by

[kkiley]

I'm looking to move up from 1.11. Any one looking to move out of the top 10?

[Jave]

Haha, The mock draft has someone panicked!