2018 Draft Thread -- because the "off-season" is when you get better!!!

**JAB1985** · 02-16-2018, 09:17 AM

Im starting to see some speculation for Derwin James. Im not crazy about spending a high pick on anything but offense, but If James falls to 16, that would make a succession plan for Weddle much smoother. Hes re[eatedly referenced as an Alpha and that would help bring back some of that intimidation that people were question bisciotti about. Hed also really help us be able to cover TEs better, so he would have a day 1 impact. That leadership quality is something that we should consider as well for long term. Webb, Jimmy, and Weddle are all getting to the end of their time here and they mark our leadership in the secondary.

**HbgPARavenfan** · 02-16-2018, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by Ravens Fan

From what I watch hes not going to be very good on short or medium routes. He has build up speed not explosive speed. I didn't see a lot of sharp breaks on his routes. And yes he has good body control and ball tracking but his focus and hands are meh. If you draft him you are getting a deep threat but hes not well rounded. To me Senior Bowl is nice but game tape means more.

He has the hand play and footwork to beat nearly any defender off the ball outside true shut down corners. He has to work on route running, but its not like he's #11. His footwork off the snap proves he can learn any route with ease. (provided you have any sort of competent WR coach).

I simply disagree with your entire view of his ball tracking and hands. I think he's far far above average. The biggest knock is he hasn't needed to run an entire route tree

**Ravens Fan** · 02-16-2018, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by HbgPARavenfan

He has the hand play and footwork to beat nearly any defender off the ball outside true shut down corners. He has to work on route running, but its not like he's #11. His footwork off the snap proves he can learn any route with ease. (provided you have any sort of competent WR coach).

I simply disagree with your entire view of his ball tracking and hands. I think he's far far above average. The biggest knock is he hasn't needed to run an entire route tree

He can win vs. press. I never said otherwise. The problem for him will be vs. off man. He looks like a running back. I don't see the ability to run sharp routes and separate from DB's. He has good long speed and can track the ball well which is why i call him a deep threat. I like him, just not at 16 overall.

**rhapsody** · 02-16-2018, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by JAB1985

Im starting to see some speculation for Derwin James. Im not crazy about spending a high pick on anything but offense, but If James falls to 16, that would make a succession plan for Weddle much smoother. Hes re[eatedly referenced as an Alpha and that would help bring back some of that intimidation that people were question bisciotti about. Hed also really help us be able to cover TEs better, so he would have a day 1 impact. That leadership quality is something that we should consider as well for long term. Webb, Jimmy, and Weddle are all getting to the end of their time here and they mark our leadership in the secondary.

James is always billed as an SS with excellent virtues associated with that role. Which is what Jefferson should have been/should be doing. We need a lesser Ed Reed or faster Weddle, which I do not see in the draft so far. I accept that James is a great player but I am not sure we will get the full value if we take him to take on an FS role.

**wickedsolo** · 02-16-2018, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by JAB1985

Im starting to see some speculation for Derwin James. Im not crazy about spending a high pick on anything but offense, but If James falls to 16, that would make a succession plan for Weddle much smoother. Hes re[eatedly referenced as an Alpha and that would help bring back some of that intimidation that people were question bisciotti about. Hed also really help us be able to cover TEs better, so he would have a day 1 impact. That leadership quality is something that we should consider as well for long term. Webb, Jimmy, and Weddle are all getting to the end of their time here and they mark our leadership in the secondary.

Agreed. I like James too.

**Ravens Fan** · 02-16-2018, 10:40 AM

Derwin James would be a nice money backer in Peanuts spot

**Mizerooskie** · 02-16-2018, 10:49 AM

James would be a fantastic pick for a team with a creative DC. Do we have that now? It remains to be seen, but given the tendencies of the head coach, I doubt it.

**yellajacket20** · 02-16-2018, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by rhapsody

James is always billed as an SS with excellent virtues associated with that role. Which is what Jefferson should have been/should be doing. We need a lesser Ed Reed or faster Weddle, which I do not see in the draft so far. I accept that James is a great player but I am not sure we will get the full value if we take him to take on an FS role.

I agree on James. I would much rather have Jordan Whitehead in the 3rd than James in the first. He has shown the ability to play centerfield with the instincts and ball skills we were missing so much from Weddle last year.

**BigPlayReceiver** · 02-16-2018, 12:18 PM

JWash was the Texas state champ in the triple jump (explosiveness), could dunk a 360 at 5'10, state qualifier in doubles tennis (footwork) and has a black-belt in taekwondo (explosiveness and balance).

He's gained probably 30-40 lbs since HS, but allegedly, he still VJ's at 39".
You can see some of it on film, but for the 2016 season, PFF had him at 362 yards gained when targeted against press ranked--4th in the nation.
I don't have his 2017 total and rank.

It is true that he is not a burst athlete and his flexion is more like Watkins, not a cat like Cooper or Beckham.
But he's a got long arms, excellent long speed, feet, balance.
He chops, rips and slaps at the LOS, stacks down field, is an excellent ball-tracker, and has an elite-ish vertical, allegedly.
He's a very good, contested catcher with a superior catch radius--it may be the largest radius of any sub-6ft WR in Combine history, we'll see.

We go over this every year, but almost all CFB'ers need improvement on route-running.
JWash's particular skill-gap is at the top of his stem. He needs polish and nuance, but until that develops, he has long-ass arms to push off with, and his great balance should help bring his technique along nicely.

He'll get grilled in Indy on his blocking want-to, which may be his worst shortcoming.

I can understand someone not wanting him at 16, or someone believing he's not a good fit in Baltimore, but I'm really not sure that there are two WRs better than him in the Draft. There definitely isn't three.

Doesn't mean that he or any of the others will be good pros though. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

**BigPlayReceiver** · 02-16-2018, 12:19 PM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

Agreed. I like James too.

Dear God. Take James at 16 and run!

**BigPlayReceiver** · 02-16-2018, 04:28 PM

Good stuff...

Guice saw eight or more defenders in the box on 31.8 percent of his total rushes, by far the most of the top backs in this class according to Pro Football Weekly.

Barkley saw 8+ six times. Sixteen percent of all of Barkley's run netted negative yds.

**HbgPARavenfan** · 02-16-2018, 04:47 PM

Originally Posted by BigPlayReceiver

Good stuff...

Guice saw eight or more defenders in the box on 31.8 percent of his total rushes, by far the most of the top backs in this class according to Pro Football Weekly.

Barkley saw 8+ six times. Sixteen percent of all of Barkley's run netted negative yds.

LSU typically uses more traditional run formations compared to penn state who has used a lot more spread from what I remember. That is interesting tho