MTD: Live 7 Round Mock Draft
by BAL_Hawk on Apr 4, 2011 4:00 PM EDT
Email
Print
Mocking The Draft recently held a live 7 round mock draft with fans/bloggers from every team acting as general managers and making picks for their teams. I had the honor of acting as the Ravens' GM and after a long, laborious draft process, I believe that I've drafted a successful mock class for the Ravens. I'm not going to say that everyone is going to love it because I strictly adhered to a BPA philosophy, which was solely based on my own big board.
That being said, I made two trades in the draft. In both trades, I moved up several picks. I knew ahead of time that I wanted to trade up to draft J.J. Watt if possible. Watt was the eighth overall player on my board and the player I believe would help the Ravens the most in the entire draft. With that in mind, I negotiated a trade with the Rams at 14th overall. I wanted to trade above the Patriots at 17th overall because I believed it was a strong possibility that they would draft Watt. I would have traded with the Patriots or any other team between 14th and 17th overall, but the Rams were the only team that showed interest.
Furthermore, I made out like a bandit in the trade with the Rams. I traded the Ravens' 1st round pick, which is 26th overall and worth 700 points by the trade chart, the 3rd round pick, which is 90th overall and worth 140 points, and the first 6th round pick, which is 175th overall and worth 22.4 points. Therefore, I received the Rams' 14th overall pick, which is worth 1100 points, for only 862.4 points, and that's in the Ravens' favor by 237.6 points, the relative equivalent of the 71st overall pick. Just to illustrate how good that trade was... I was negotiating with the Vikings at 12th overall, and they wanted the Ravens' 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 6th round picks for their 1st round pick. The funny part is that trade was still slightly in my favor. The second trade was more fair but still favored the Ravens. I traded the Ravens' 4th round pick, 122nd overall and 50 points, the second 6th round pick, 186th overall and 18 points, and the 7th round pick, 215th overall and 6.4 points, for the Seattle's 4th round pick, 99th overall and 104 points. That trade favored the Ravens by 29.6 points (104 - 74.4), the equivalent of the 157th overall pick. I made that trade because Marcus Gilbert was the BPA on my board and a huge need for the Ravens that I passed over in the first two picks. I drafted Gilbert at 99th overall, and he was the 59th overall player on my big board.
First round, 14th overall: Received via trade from St. Louis. Drafted J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin. Like I said above, I believe that Watt is one of the best 3-4 ends I have ever seen and a future super-star in the NFL. He's also my 8th overall rated player, and that makes him very underrated based on where he's ranked on other boards versus mine. I also believe that Watt could make a huge, immediate impact with the Ravens, and I believe immediate contribution will player a larger part than ever in the Ravens' draft. Watt would also be a great long-term pick as he would make the Ravens' defense very nasty for the foreseeable future. He just seems like the perfect player to trade up for in the Ravens' position. Furthermore, it's a mock... I'm trying to make it interesting. I wanted to see how trading up in the first round would impact the Ravens' draft. Highlights of Watt.
First round, 26th overall: Traded to St. Louis for their 14th overall pick.
Second round, 58th overall: Drafted Mikel LeShoure, RB, Illinois. I was not targeting LeShoure going into this draft. I scouted him only because I was scouting running-backs in general. After watching LeShoure on tape for 30 seconds, anyone can tell you that he's a first round prospect. He's an amazing player, spectacular on film. I honestly have him ranked over Mark Ingram as this year's best running back and as my 23rd overall player. He reminds me of Steven Jackson, and considering how much respect I have for Jackson, the league's best overall RB in my opinion, that's a huge compliment. I was targeting an offensive lineman with this pick, but I just couldn't pass on LeShoure at 58th overall and don't think the Ravens realistically would either. I'm sure LeShoure won't fall this far in the real draft. Highlights of LeShoure.
Third round, 90th overall: Traded to St. Louis for their 14th overall pick.
Fourth round, 99th overall: Received via trade from Seattle. Drafted Marcus Gilbert, OT, Florida. Gilbert seems like a prototypical Baltimore offensive lineman. He's a big, strong man with versatility and could really help the Ravens this upcoming season. I'm not sure if he'll be starting, but last season taught us that be need as much depth as possible. I wish I could have been more original with this pick since I know this has been mocked to the Ravens by just about everyone here, but that's just how the draft panned out. I believe that drafting LeShoure was the correct move, but it put me into a bind looking for an offensive lineman. I lost my 3rd round pick in the trade with St. Louis. Luckily, Gilbert fell all the way through the third round into the fourth. My next pick was at 122nd overall, at the bottom of the fourth. Gilbert was really the last tackle on the board who could make any impact or even potentially start for the Ravens and my 55th ranked player. That made him a steal in the fourth and worth trading up for since I didn't believe he'd make it past the first six picks in that round. That's why I traded up, and I believe it was a worthwhile trade. I received good value based on the trade chart and my board. Furthermore, OT is a position of great need. Highlights of Gilbert.
Fifth round, 164th overall: Drafted Ricky Stanzi, QB, Iowa. This probably doesn't seem like the most interesting pick to most people since Stanzi isn't considered a starting caliber quarterback and the Ravens have a franchise quarterback. I've heard the comparisons to Matt Schaub in reference to Stanzi and can see that comparison. However, I see more Matt Ryan when watching his tape. I like Stanzi's leadership and decision making abilities, and he has good arm strength. Stanzi was an incredible value in the fifth round since he's generally considered a third to fourth round prospect. I had him ranked as my 75th overall player, and he was the BPA at 164th overall. Since Bulger is probably seeking out a starting job somewhere else, I believe quarterback is a need... making Stanzi a solid, value pick and a great potential backup for Joe Flacco. Highlights of Stanzi.
Fifth round, 165th overall: Drafted Greg Salas, WR, Hawaii. Salas is simply one of my favorite players in the draft, and that's why I drafted him. Most other scouts have him ranked much lower than 165th overall because they're concerned with his ability to transition to the NFL. Hawaii runs arguably the most un-NFL-like offense in college football and is notorious for having players rack up insane, NFL-irrelevant statistics. That doesn't scare me away from Salas, though. Most people would call this pick a reach, but I had Salas ranked as my 140th overall player. Salas reminds me of a faster Anquan Boldin. He's big, tough as nails and very good at YAC. He has the same reckless, aggressive style that I saw and loved in Tyson Alualu last season. Greg Salas is just fun to watch play football... much like Boldin, who was one of my favorite NFL players even before last season. Anyway, I know that many scouts are down on Salas, but I believe he will be drafted higher than anyone imagines because he has the same hard-nosed qualities that made Alualu a high pick last season. Highlights of Salas.
Sixth round, 175th overall: Traded to St. Louis for their 14th overall pick.
Sixth round, 186th overall: Traded to Seattle for their 99th overall pick.
Seventh round, 215th overall: Traded to Seattle for their 99th overall pick.
To see the entire live 7 round mock draft, please read the full write-up at Mocking The Draft!
The opinions posted here are those of the administrator of this blog and his loyal readers. They are in no way official comments from the team, and should not be misconstued as such, even though he thinks he could do just as well or even a better job!
61 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I commented on mocking the draft as well, but great draft Hawk. I would have liked Titus Young in the 2nd, but I completely agree that Leshoure is an outstanding back and has great value there at the end of the 2nd so no complaints there. Gilbert in the 4th is amazing because I feel he has just as much upside as some of the first round OT’s, so again great value. I would be thrilled if our draft turned out this way.
Love this draft man. Thanks for filling in for me, now you can realize how tiring and stressful those live mocks are, and I have done like 8 of them.
Getting Watt would be a dream come true, because he is probably the best player that we can realistically grab in this draft. Absolutely love the pick and love the move.
Leshoure is a very interesting move, but one that I could definitely see Ozzie making. With Willis leaving and it being a priority to take some of the pressure off Rice, Leshoure would be a great #2 and gives us the youngest and one of the most effective RB duos in the league.
Gilbert, not much to say about that one. We all know he fits in with us. He is worth a 3rd round pick in my opinion, so grabbing him in the 4th is great value.
Stanzi pick is very solid and is another one I see us making. Ozzie has been following Stanzi closely judging by the reports over the last few weeks. With FA up in the air right now and Bulger clearly on the way out for a starting job, it is almost a guarantee that we will be drafting a QB this year to back up Joe.
Salas is a good pick as well. Would have liked to grab a WR earlier in the draft and I think that is one of the main priorities, but Salas is an ideal slot WR and draft Leshoure was too good of value there. Big guy as well, I think he is around 6’1". Great route runner, great hands, would be a solid contributor to our possession style of football.
Overall, great job. I might have made a few different moves, but can’t complain with the guys chosen.
Real G's move in silence like lasagna
I was almost hoping that someone would draft LeShoure right before I picked. Not because I don’t like him or don’t think we could use a solid RB, but because it’s not very realistic that he’ll be available at our pick. I knew that if he was available, there was no way I could not draft him. I was hoping for Torrey Smith in the second round, but I believe Cleveland drafted him with their second round pick.
Pretty good, I’m definitely a fan of J.J. Watt (and Cam Jordan too actually), and a defensive end of that caliber would really give our line some scary potential. On the other hand, using all those picks (not that it was a bad deal) limited the number of selections and you didn’t get to draft any cornerbacks. But you build from the trenches outward so I still say this is good.
I’m a huge fan of Ryan Williams though. Leshoure is a very talented player too, and I agree is good value and could see the selection, but I think Ryan Williams is going to end up being the best running back from this class. He absolutely dominated in his redshirt freshman season, but people aren’t high on him because of his injury last year. Well he’s completely healed, and will be a steal in the draft. Actually all three top running backs were steals in this mock – Ingram at 52, LeShoure at 58, and Williams at 77 – but I think Williams will be the best.
He absolutely dominated in his redshirt freshman season
Oh, you mean when he had 1,655 yards, 21 TD’s on 293 carries? Yea, I guess you could say he “dominated.”
Real G's move in silence like lasagna
I think Ryan Williams is going to be a Raven. I was targeting him in this mock. He’d be an awesome compliment to Rice.
Williams would be a nice addition to the Ravens. He has a very similar skill set to Rice, but I am fine with that.
YES! You are the only person besides myself who I have heard say this.
Real G's move in silence like lasagna
At first I was confused
when I rea the draft before you posted it. The email with link I got made it looked like you took Pouncey at #26 not traded up. The pick of Watt is great and he would be a solid complement to Suggs in our new pass rush.
However,, as good as LeShoure is, I wouldn’t spend a 2nd pick on a backup and with Titus Young and even Casey Matthews (a reach in the 2nd), I would have passed on the RB. Gilbert would be great at RT right away.
If we had gotten Watt, Young or Matthews and Gilbert, we would have definitely improved the team in a big way. Great job.
Keep posting!
aka 'Rexx'
Why would you think there is no way we trade up? We have 9 picks in this draft, and I highly doubt 9 rookies are going to make the roster next season. BAL_Hawk was able to give up our 3 lowest picks and a 3rd to get one of the best talents in this draft that fits a major need for us.
I would much rather trade up in the first and end up with 6 picks or so than stay put with 9 picks, because we know for sure that there is no way nearly a 5th of our roster will be made up of rookies.
And saying no way we draft a RB is illogical. With Willis on the way out it looks like, getting a quality backup early in the draft is definitely a smart move. There is no such phrase as “no way” when discussing Ozzie’s draft strategies.
Real G's move in silence like lasagna
I realize this draft is unorthodoxed and very unlike the mainstream mocks. If I wanted to just pick needs based on players the fans like, I could have grabbed Houston or Wilkerson in the first round and drafted OL in the second, and everyone would have been happy reading the same old mock. I’m not necessarily saying that the best option is to trade up or that I endorse that option. I just wanted to experiment and see what could unfold if I traded up and stuck to a strict BPA philosophy… with a focus on players who ‘play like a Raven’ in my opinion. One thing was made very clear to me, there is going to be some very good players falling in this draft.
I realize this draft is unorthodoxed and very unlike the mainstream mocks.
I think Ozzie is very unorthodox and we will see a draft different than the mocks we are used to. I keep telling people who I talk to about the draft that we could see players chosen by Ozzie that we never thought would be the pick. Guys like Aldon Smith, Ben Iljana, Pouncey, and so on.
We really have no idea which guys Ozzie likes or not, and it is going to be exciting seeing what his thinking is when he passes on certain players that we talked about so much or moves up for players that we rarely talked about. I fully expect to see picks similar to Webb, Kruger, Zbi, and so on, those guys who we did not expect to end up Ravens.
Real G's move in silence like lasagna
Exactly… I can’t tell you how many times Ozzie has completely surprised me with his picks, but they’re always good picks. I was actually just watching an interview with Pouncey and thinking that I could totally see Ozzie drafting him. I’ve only ever been exactly right about one pick (Cody) for the Ravens. Sometimes I get the positions right, but it’s nearly impossible to pick it perfectly. I think that’s because Ozzie lets the draft unfold for him and doesn’t reach. He finds guys all over the draft board that could be Ravens and just picks the BPA when his times up. Really, it boils down to great scouting and excellent talent evaluation.
What’s some of your opinions on Greg Little?Nobody is talking about him and the more tape I watch of him, the more I love this guy. Along with Julio Jones he might be the most physical WR in the draft and he definitely plays like a Raven. I know he missed last year, but he appears to have stayed in great shape and was arguably a first round pick if he didn’t miss last year. I have seen many mocks with him falling to the 3rd or 4th and if we could get him there I feel he potentially could be one of the steals of the draft.
Little was a TE that moved to WR at UNC. He is definitely a tough WR that goes across the middle. I wouldn’t mind him in the mid rounds at all.
Real G's move in silence like lasagna
I love his hands, concentration and physicality. The only thing I worry about with Little is his ability to separate in the NFL.
I think he’d make a great Raven.
I think he would be a good pick for us as well, but not sure how much of an impact Little would make in what we are trying to do in the passing game as far as getting it down field in a hurry. He seems like a bigger version of Boldin, which isn’t a bad thing, but I want a Mike Wallace type guy in the 3rd or 4th over Little.
Real G's move in silence like lasagna
That’s why I like him because he reminds me of a bigger Boldin. I agree that a speed guy would be a better fit, but I wouldn’t mind grabbing 2 WR’s in the draft and if he is there in the 3rd I would not mind drafting say a Titus Young in the 2nd and grabbing Little in the 3rd. I think they would compliment each other’s game very nicely and give Flacco some legit young WR’s to grow with.
Agreed… and as much as I hate to admit it, I’m really starting to like Titus Young.
I actually think he’d make a solid second round pick now. I’m still worried about his hands and concentration issues. He made some bad drops in college, and seems to have a hard time concentrating on the ball and catching at full speed. That said, he is a very good route runner and a much better competitor than I originally saw on his tape. I would like the pick but not in the first.
Glad your coming around Hawk lol I agree that he does need to work on his hands and he actually has pretty decent natural hands, but I think the concentration as you mentioned is the issue. Either way that’s the easy stuff to fix for a WR. It’s very hard to teach a WR how to be explosive going in and out of your breaks and that’s something he does as well as any WR in the draft. Him and Reed in the slot could be very dangerous and could give us that game breaker we need to get past Pitt.
Glad you are starting to like Young. I thought you were on drugs when you said he reminds you of Figurs. Young is a desean jackson clone with his freestyle type of running, insane agility. Figurs was all straight line.
Real G's move in silence like lasagna
Decosta believes that Young has ok speed not great so i doubt we take him. Seems that he is real high on Hankerson and Baldwin.
http://blogs.baltimoreravens.com/2011/04/07/ravens-scouting-report-receivers/
by Raven_all_day on Apr 7, 2011 10:44 PM EDT up reply actions
It’s actually Joe Hortiz who they are talking too, but definitely wouldn’t mind Hankerson or Baldwin either.
I can definitely see Ozzie moving up in the 2nd round to get one of those guys. I am predicting one of the most aggressive drafts in Ravens history this year.
Real G's move in silence like lasagna
I hope so they all have unique things about their game. I like Hankerson’s productivity and he seems like he has a great work ethic to get better.Some have concerns about Baldwin’s separation, but he is so huge that he doesn’t need much and a 42’ veritcal is ridiculous. Now when Cam tries to throw fades in the endzone it would actually make sense.
Desean Jackson clone? Hold on now. Let’s not get carried away.
I like Young’s competitiveness and route running. That’s what I think the separates him from a pure speed guy like Figurs, but Young still drops way too many balls. That scares me away a bit. I think he’s better than Figurs and I like his character, but he’s far from being compared to one of the league’s best deep threats. Jackson doesn’t drop anything.
Not saying he will turn out like Jackson, but that they just share similar skill sets in what they do when the ball is their hands. Titus Young was one of those late bloomers as a football player also, which many people should keep in mind. He really took a huge leap from his first two years to his last two years and that says alot about his upside IMO.
Real G's move in silence like lasagna
Many players are good with the ball in their hands and can run fast. The problem is getting the ball in their hands down field… at full speed in tight coverage. Like I said above, I like Young as a prospect and wouldn’t mind him on the Ravens at the right price, but I don’t think he’s going to make an immediate impact for any team. I like his potential, but he’s a project in my opinion.
I think that if the Ravens go D, they’ll go with a pass rusher. Houston is still my favorite prospect for the Ravens. I’m not real high on players like Heyward, Brooks Reed, etc. One thing interesting to watch is the stock of Da’Quan Bowers. He has been going around pick 20 recently in mocks and if he needs surgery on his knee he could fall more. If he’s somehow there at 26, the Ravens would get a huge steal and they are notorious for picking players with some issues (Kindle last year). Kindle had a 1st round grade but because of his knees and other issues, he dropped. Bowers would make sense because we will run the 4-3 next year but when we do run the 3-4, I think he’s big enough to play end. He’s just someone to keep an eye on, that’s all.
I don’t even want to start dreaming about the chance of getting Bowers. Wow would that be an insane steal. I watch the ACC very, very closely and Bowers is the best DE pass rusher I have seen since Mario Williams, another ACC guy.
He is definitely capable of playing in the 3-4, which is our base defense. 6’4" 280 pounds, I think he could easily play LDE for us. What an incredible pick that would be, I have him rated in my top 8 players in this draft.
But, I don’t see him falling past 16. A guy who led the nation in sacks is not going to last till 26.
Real G's move in silence like lasagna
I don’t know…
Bowers may actually fall to the Ravens. He had an awful pro day. I’m not sure if he could play in their current system, but he may be the type of guy you just put on the field… regardless of the system. They could almost build a system around him if he really is as talented as Mario Williams. That would be awesome to get a guy from Clemson back on the team since the cut the last one (Trevor Pryce).
I’d be doing cartwheels in my living room if we land Bowers. I have a feeling that with that many picks, we could deal with a team like TB, give them a 5th and 7th and snatch Bowers. What a steal that would be… you never know.
by BmoreRavensFan on Apr 7, 2011 8:17 PM EDT up reply actions
Should we really but so much into a guy that only performed well for one season. Was it injuries that hampered him the previous seasons or what?
by Raven_all_day on Apr 7, 2011 10:50 PM EDT up reply actions
I think Watt would be more successful for the Ravens than Bowers. I think Watt is the ideal player for the Ravens.
I agree. I would definitely take Watt over Bowers because Watt fits us better, but Bowers would also be a pretty damn good pick.
But yes, in my opinion Watt is the best player we could realistically get in this draft. Guy is a freaking monster and is going to rip it up in this league.
Real G's move in silence like lasagna
I agree, and as much as I’d love to see a Clemson player of that quality on the Ravens, I still think Watt will be better short and long term and could have a Clay Matthews-like effect on the Ravens’ defense.
Things are starting to shape up for the defense. I think Pagano is going to be awesome. I was hoping they would hire him before they announced Mattison after Ryan left. Cody and Kindle will hopefully contribute, and with Foxworth back and a good draft pick (like Houston or Watt), I have a feeling that our defense is going to be down-right nasty next year.
Unless his knee scares off teams. I am not going to be shocked if he does fall into the twenties and if he did, I could easily see Oz trade up like he did for Oher. Far fetched? Yes, but after his knee issue, a bad pro day, and basically being a one year wonder, Bowers could take a fall.
by BmoreRavensFan on Apr 7, 2011 8:15 PM EDT up reply actions
But are all those things you mentioned in that last sentence things that will scare us off? I am not sure.
Real G's move in silence like lasagna
He missed time in 2009 due to a knee injury.
by Raven_all_day on Apr 7, 2011 10:50 PM EDT up reply actions
Oh he’d be a big time risk, but I’d most definitely rather take a chance with him than select a ‘2nd round’ type player at the bottom of the 1st. I actually disagree with you guys on the whole Watt thing. He, for one will be a top 15 pick. Secondly, I think that Bowers would be the better fit for our defense. How many times have we plugged in these big bodied DE’s and expected them to get good pressure? Watt is a hustle player that is going to get drafted higher than his true value IMO. Da’Quan Bowers could give us something we’ve never had before. He’s built like a freak. Look at guys in the past with his build. Jevon Kearse, Julius Peppers, Mario Williams, etc. etc. Even look at the Bengals. Carlos Dunlap is long, lengthy, and quick off the edge. They also have Michael Johnson. The Ravens haven’t had that. Sure, we got a good year out of Pryce, but we’ve never really had those type of DE’s. I think Watt is a good player, but I’d rather have Da’Quan Bowers because he shows the ability to be a dominant pass rusher. That’s just my take, but if he gets to 20, I think we should trade up for him.
by BmoreRavensFan on Apr 8, 2011 3:08 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Even look at the Bengals. Carlos Dunlap is long, lengthy, and quick off the edge. They also have Michael Johnson. The Ravens haven’t had that. Sure, we got a good year out of Pryce, but we’ve never really had those type of DE’s.
That’s because the Ravens run a 3-4 hybrid and the Bengals run a classic 4-3 defense. We don’t typically draft 4-3 ends like Dunlap, Johnson or Bowers because they don’t fit into our scheme. Conversely, the Bengals don’t typically draft guys like Clay Matthews, the only first-round USC LB they didn’t draft, or Terrell Suggs because they don’t fit into their scheme.
You do have a good point with guys like Peppers and Williams, though. Some of those guys are just so talented that you put them on the field regardless of the position or scheme. That may or may not be the case with Bowers. That being said, there’s always a risk when you draft a player that doesn’t fit into your scheme.
Yes, exactly. We cannot use guys in the quote below as an example with our defense, BmoreRavensFan.
Look at guys in the past with his build. Jevon Kearse, Julius Peppers, Mario Williams, etc. etc.
Like BAL_Hawk said above, those guys are pure 4-3 DE, and that is why their numbers look so good. The sack numbers come from those DE in a 4-3 system and it comes from the OLB in the 3-4 system.
Watt would definitely get pressure, just not the sack numbers you typically see from 4-3 DE, and that is because it is not the DE job in a 3-4 system to get huge sack numbers. Watt would free up our OLB to get to the QB. I think people are having a problem of using sack numbers as an example of QB pressure.
Either way, Watt or Bowers would fit in nicely here. I would prefer Watt because he fits our scheme better, but no doubt we can get away with plugging Bowers into the 3-4 DE spot. Dude is a freak.
Real G's move in silence like lasagna
Watt will be gone in the top 15 IMO. I like him, but Idk what he’s going to bring to the table as far as a pass rusher and if he could free up guys. Personally, a player like Houston fits us perfectly and to be quite honest, I think he’s our guy. The only problem is that he will most likely be gone by the time we pick unless we trade up a few spots. If Bowers does fall, it’ll be interesting. I know he does have issues and we do need someone who can step on the field this year, but it will be tempting. A lot of people criticize that he takes plays off, but when you look at him in his pursuit to the QB he is relentless. I mean I think if you have him on the board next to guys like Heyward, B. Harris, B. Reed, Solder, Sherrod, Ayers, etc., how could you not take him?
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Baltimore Beat Down
Related FanShots on Baltimore Beat Down
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
SBNation.com Recent Stories
In Association With
Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
- Former high-school star Brian Banks does serious time on trumped-up charge, now hopes for an NFL shot
- Former ‘idiot kicker’ Mike Vanderjagt in trouble after accosting junior-high heckler
- Adrian Peterson blows teammates away in footraces; appears to be on the mend
- UPDATE: Charlie Sheen didn’t buy Lawrence Taylor’s Super Bowl ring
- Alex Smith gets blown up by Jon Beason over Cam Newton comments
