The Draft

[bennyl08]

JC was released in Feb. Essentially missed the last 2 seasons.

Yeah but they've been fine without him. Him not being on the team isnt a huge change like it once was.

Fournette and McCaffrey were gone so nobody worth picking up at that position. Deep rb group this year so a good player can be found later.

[311Hog]

Yeah but they've been fine without him. Him not being on the team isnt a huge change like it once was.

Fournette and McCaffrey were gone so nobody worth picking up at that position. Deep rb group this year so a good player can be found later.

I really think Cook could be an All Pro, if he gets with the right team and injuries.  I bet he won't last long today in Round 2.

Crazy talk i know but i actually think Cook may have better career than Fournette.  Just seems faster and less reliant upon taking/giving a beating to get his yards.

[Boss Hog in the Arkansas]

Weren't we the runner-up to Stanford in the Solomon Thomas recruiting sweepstakes?

Yeah. It was down to us and Stanford on signing day. If he came here, his talent would've been wasted just like Ledbetter and Wise. Idk if it falls at the feet of segrest or rob smith, but someone cost our guys at least a round or 2 in the draft and quite a bit of money

[Jackrabbit Hog]

I really think as the commentators suggested that Reid sees Favre in Mahomes, and you do kind of see it in the tape.

If he is even half of favre then it was worth the price.

I don't see it.  Maybe the "last 4 years of his career" Favre. 

I've got nothing against Mahomes but I will be extremely surprised if he ever becomes the no. 1 QB for an NFL team.

[bennyl08]

Sprinkle gets taken today. Teams started to panic when oj howard went off the board and drafted 2 or 3 other tight ends. Too many teams are weak at that position and cant take the chance of someone else picking him up

No the didn't. A panic would be if teams started reaching in the first round for TEs that weren't projected there. 2 to 3 TEs were expected to be taken.

[hogcard1964]

I like Mahomes.  I think he's going to a good one.

[311Hog]

I don't see it.  Maybe the "last 4 years of his career" Favre. 

I've got nothing against Mahomes but I will be extremely surprised if he ever becomes the no. 1 QB for an NFL team.

Oh i will be surprised to, i just mean the big arm talent, the gunslinger/multi angle delivery, he can run a little etc.

I think people are counting on him settling down when he is in a more traditional offense where he doesn't have to score 60 to win.

[onebadrubi]

A lot of teams had him with a third round grade. Clemson won a lot of games with him as qb, but same is true for guys like Coker and McElroy at Bama. Watson is undoubtably a better qb than those two players, but Watson didn't individually win any of those games.

Watson was in a Petrino-esque offense where any qb was going to put up stats. With all of that surrounding talent, he was a turnover machine with a td:int ratio of < 3, regressing in his last year from his previous year.

Has an NFL arm and above average mobility but his size and arm strength are pretty average by NFL standards. I.e. not a weakness, but nothing to make you get on the edge of your seat about.

Not that any of the qb's taken ahead of him have demonstrably better resume's themselves. A little bit better arm talent, but that's about it. Weak year for qb's, but in a qb needy league, they inevitably become reaches.

But Watson made the throws, all the throws, when games were on the line or in crunch times.  Something that these t shirt drills will never highlight.  Watson is by far the best current QB in the draft. 

-Trubisky will be a project, but he will not enjoy the early throwing under the bus with little talent around him. 
-Mahomes is a head scratcher, waisted a good pick on a guy that they don't anticipate being ready for 2-3+ years and they are competitive now.  They needed to add a beneficial piece for the next couple of years. 

[bennyl08]

I really think Cook could be an All Pro, if he gets with the right team and injuries.  I bet he won't last long today in Round 2.

Crazy talk i know but i actually think Cook may have better career than Fournette.  Just seems faster and less reliant upon taking/giving a beating to get his yards.

Fournette ran a 4.51 at the combine and Cook a 4.49. Virtually identical.

The NFL requires a blend of quickness and power to be a great rb. Speedy backs rarely have success because everybody on defense is fast too. Power backs that lack a quick first step don't produce much either.

[longpig]

Has Reed put on 10 or 20 lb?  If not then even taking him as a UFA would be down right mean.  Kids too skinny and did next to nothing his senior year.

The way TEs went in the first, won't be surprised if Sprinkle goes 3rd round.

[bennyl08]

But Watson made the throws, all the throws, when games were on the line or in crunch times.  Something that these t shirt drills will never highlight.  Watson is by far the best current QB in the draft. 

-Trubisky will be a project, but he will not enjoy the early throwing under the bus with little talent around him. 
-Mahomes is a head scratcher, waisted a good pick on a guy that they don't anticipate being ready for 2-3+ years and they are competitive now.  They needed to add a beneficial piece for the next couple of years.

I agree Watson can make all the throws. I said he had an NFL arm. But the other guys taken as well as Webb and Kizer can make all the throws as well. It was measured and Watson had the weakest velocity when trying to throw fast.

A key reason so many games were on the line were the 30 ints he threw over 2 seasons.

Trubisky is used to not having talent around him and was still able to take care of the ball. Watson is the only qb in this class who isn't used to going against teams with more talent and despite not having to carry his team, he made a lot of bad decisions. What happens when he is now expected to carry a team and is at a talent disadvantage?

Luckily, he plays in a weak division with the Texans.

[EastexHawg]

How did he do against good defenses? Oh that's right they don't play defense in the Big 12 and thus their QB's all have huge #'s yet fail year in and year out.

I seem to recall watching him in DWRRS and he did okay against an SEC defense that night.  He also threw for 370 yards and 4 TDs against LSU that year.

This past year he put up 819 (all time Division 1 record) yards and 7 touchdowns against Oklahoma, the same Oklahoma defense that held Auburn...who if I am not mistaken scored 56 points and gained well over 600 yards against us...to 19 points and a little over 300 total yards.  OU also held Kansas State to 17 points and 330 yards.  Kansas State...aren't they the ones who scored 33 and gained about 420 against the Texas A&M team that scored 45 points and gained almost 600 yard against us?

The main team that didn't play any defense in the Big 12 was Texas Tech.  They also didn't run or block, for that matter.  Mahomes had to put up 50 in order for them to have a chance most nights, and four times in the last two years even that wasn't enough.

The guy forced Baker Mayfield and Davis Webb to transfer so they wouldn't ride the pine in Lubbock.  But keep it up, so far he has only led the nation in total offense, set the all-time record for total offense in a game...against a team that finished #5 in the final poll, not some palooka like Eastern Michigan or Nicholls State...and had an NFL franchise trade up to get him at #10 in the draft.  Keep hoping and maybe you'll get to be right eventually.

[King Kong]

Has Reed put on 10 or 20 lb?  If not then even taking him as a UFA would be down right mean.  Kids too skinny and did next to nothing his senior year.

The way TEs went in the first, won't be surprised if Sprinkle goes 3rd round.

Reed will be signed as an undrafted FA

[311Hog]

Fournette ran a 4.51 at the combine and Cook a 4.49. Virtually identical.

The NFL requires a blend of quickness and power to be a great rb. Speedy backs rarely have success because everybody on defense is fast too. Power backs that lack a quick first step don't produce much either.

yeah i know their 40 times, shrug Cook just seems faster on film, and not quiet a "small" back either.  I can see why Fournette was chosen first i just think he will take a beating behind a poor OL and doesn't seem to have the "shiftyness" to avoid or make it happen without just simply bowling over people.

[LZH]

A lot of teams had him with a third round grade. Clemson won a lot of games with him as qb, but same is true for guys like Coker and McElroy at Bama. Watson is undoubtably a better qb than those two players, but Watson didn't individually win any of those games.

Watson was in a Petrino-esque offense where any qb was going to put up stats. With all of that surrounding talent, he was a turnover machine with a td:int ratio of < 3, regressing in his last year from his previous year.

Has an NFL arm and above average mobility but his size and arm strength are pretty average by NFL standards. I.e. not a weakness, but nothing to make you get on the edge of your seat about.

Not that any of the qb's taken ahead of him have demonstrably better resume's themselves. A little bit better arm talent, but that's about it. Weak year for qb's, but in a qb needy league, they inevitably become reaches.

If I were sitting across from Steven A. Smith this morning on ESPN I would have screamed that exact thing in his face......

[311Hog]

I agree Watson can make all the throws. I said he had an NFL arm. But the other guys taken as well as Webb and Kizer can make all the throws as well. It was measured and Watson had the weakest velocity when trying to throw fast.

A key reason so many games were on the line were the 30 ints he threw over 2 seasons.

Trubisky is used to not having talent around him and was still able to take care of the ball. Watson is the only qb in this class who isn't used to going against teams with more talent and despite not having to carry his team, he made a lot of bad decisions. What happens when he is now expected to carry a team and is at a talent disadvantage?

Luckily, he plays in a weak division with the Texans.

UNC was/is not bereft of talent.  And what Watson did to Alabama (twice) is all i needed to know about him as a QB at the college level.  And now i think he will have a great chance at success, you can't ask for a better chance honestly.  A team with a defense and has offensive weapons.  Or he could be like Trubisky who went to a dumpster fire, and Mahomes who will sit for how ever long Alex Smith keeps playing.

Watson may have been picked third but IMHO, he has the best "chance" at success of the three.

[Boss Hog in the Arkansas]

yeah i know their 40 times, shrug Cook just seems faster on film, and not quiet a "small" back either.  I can see why Fournette was chosen first i just think he will take a beating behind a poor OL and doesn't seem to have the "shiftyness" to avoid or make it happen without just simply bowling over people.

They seem to think Brandon allen is the future down there in Jacksonville (according to fan boards anyway). If they are able to draft some talent up front, Allen and Fournette could be a pretty good tandem

[EastexHawg]

UNC was/is not bereft of talent.  And what Watson did to Alabama (twice) is all i needed to know about him as a QB at the college level.  And now i think he will have a great chance at success, you can't ask for a better chance honestly.  A team with a defense and has offensive weapons.  Or he could be like Trubisky who went to a dumpster fire, and Mahomes who will sit for how ever long Alex Smith keeps playing.

Mahomes will push Smith out in 2018 if not later this year.  Smith is a bus driver, a game manager.  Even if you don't watch him play, his 6.78 career yards per attempt tell you the story.  How much longer does Andy Reid want to watch his team try to win games 17-14?

[Boss Hog in the Arkansas]

No the didn't. A panic would be if teams started reaching in the first round for TEs that weren't projected there. 2 to 3 TEs were expected to be taken.

Panicked or not, a good number of tight ends were taken in round 1. That works in sprinkles favor

[sickboy]

Reed will be signed as an undrafted FA

Kids that fast get opportunities. You gotta produce, but speed like that is rare.

[Pig in the Pokey]

 :razorback:

I seem to recall watching him in DWRRS and he did okay against an SEC defense that night.  He also threw for 370 yards and 4 TDs against LSU that year.

This past year he put up 819 (all time Division 1 record) yards and 7 touchdowns against Oklahoma, the same Oklahoma defense that held Auburn...who if I am not mistaken scored 56 points and gained well over 600 yards against us...to 19 points and a little over 300 total yards.  OU also held Kansas State to 17 points and 330 yards.  Kansas State...aren't they the ones who scored 33 and gained about 420 against the Texas A&M team that scored 45 points and gained almost 600 yard against us?

The main team that didn't play any defense in the Big 12 was Texas Tech.  They also didn't run or block, for that matter.  Mahomes had to put up 50 in order for them to have a chance most nights, and four times in the last two years even that wasn't enough.

The guy forced Baker Mayfield and Davis Webb to transfer so they wouldn't ride the pine in Lubbock.  But keep it up, so far he has only led the nation in total offense, set the all-time record for total offense in a game...against a team that finished #5 in the final poll, not some palooka like Eastern Michigan or Nicholls State...and had an NFL franchise trade up to get him at #10 in the draft.  Keep hoping and maybe you'll get to be right eventually.

:razorback: damn, you crushed dude.

[bennyl08]

UNC was/is not bereft of talent.  And what Watson did to Alabama (twice) is all i needed to know about him as a QB at the college level.  And now i think he will have a great chance at success, you can't ask for a better chance honestly.  A team with a defense and has offensive weapons.  Or he could be like Trubisky who went to a dumpster fire, and Mahomes who will sit for how ever long Alex Smith keeps playing.

Watson may have been picked third but IMHO, he has the best "chance" at success of the three.

Bereft of talent? No, of course not. Compared to Clemson though? Watson wasn't even the first player from his team drafted. What are your opinions on Austin, then? He ripped Bama a new one this year.

I'm not sold on the Texans as a whole. They were the #1 defense last year, but their defense often folded when faced with a good qb and simply beat up on weaker offenses. I'd still rank them top 10 probably, but not #1. He has some good WR's to throw to which will help but a terrible HC. Further, I wouldn't put him that much over guys like Savage the Texans already have, which knowing O'Brian, means that they'll probably rotate like Garcia and Conner did at SC with Spurrier? Better position than the bears are in though, can't argue that.

Mahomes is in a much better position though. Alex Smith is an above average and underrated qb. Meaning that Mahomes won't be pressed into starting time this year unless he truly earns it. Smith doesn't usually try to go out and single handedly win games, but go back and watch the chiefs-niners playoff game and Smith was breaking 40 yard runs, completing huge passes and going toe to toe with Kaepernick when he was in pro bowl form. However, Smith does prefer to play it safe. Mahomes has the strongest arm of any qb, very good athleticism and mobility, and unlike any of the other first round qb's taken, actually has a coaching staff that will help his development. Watson will likely have the most success in year one of the first round guys, but Mahomes is in the best position to have long term success.

[bennyl08]

They seem to think Brandon allen is the future down there in Jacksonville (according to fan boards anyway). If they are able to draft some talent up front, Allen and Fournette could be a pretty good tandem

That's the backup qb syndrome from fans talking. Heck, if you read hogville, you might get the impression that Austin is a scrum who's just a placeholder for our third string qb.

[Jackrabbit Hog]

The Chiefs and the Niners played a playoff game?  I must've slept through that one..

[311Hog]

Bereft of talent? No, of course not. Compared to Clemson though? Watson wasn't even the first player from his team drafted. What are your opinions on Austin, then? He ripped Bama a new one this year.

I'm not sold on the Texans as a whole. They were the #1 defense last year, but their defense often folded when faced with a good qb and simply beat up on weaker offenses. I'd still rank them top 10 probably, but not #1. He has some good WR's to throw to which will help but a terrible HC. Further, I wouldn't put him that much over guys like Savage the Texans already have, which knowing O'Brian, means that they'll probably rotate like Garcia and Conner did at SC with Spurrier? Better position than the bears are in though, can't argue that.

Mahomes is in a much better position though. Alex Smith is an above average and underrated qb. Meaning that Mahomes won't be pressed into starting time this year unless he truly earns it. Smith doesn't usually try to go out and single handedly win games, but go back and watch the chiefs-niners playoff game and Smith was breaking 40 yard runs, completing huge passes and going toe to toe with Kaepernick when he was in pro bowl form. However, Smith does prefer to play it safe. Mahomes has the strongest arm of any qb, very good athleticism and mobility, and unlike any of the other first round qb's taken, actually has a coaching staff that will help his development. Watson will likely have the most success in year one of the first round guys, but Mahomes is in the best position to have long term success.

Well yeah Mike Williams his WR went a few picks ahead of him no surprise there this team won a NC and runner up the year before of course they have better talent, but we are talking about same conference, etc. We aren't talking about Clemson talent vs Wyoming.

And Austin has talent, but i think the rest of his body of work speaks for itself.  Also Watson did it on the biggest stage that exists in CFB, and did it twice.  So Saban saw this coming for an entire year and still couldn't stop it is more my point.

I will ask this though, Austin has approx the same measurables as Trubisky would you agree if the Hogs go 8-5 (like UNC) and Austin goes to the combine and puts up Trubisky like numbers and Trubisky like stats (not a stretch) would you expect Austin Allen to be picked 2nd over all? or even in the first round.  I mean his brother Brandon put up similar stats and is granted a bit smaller but he was barely drafted.

To me winning a NC, and still being extremely phyiscally gifted means something.  Sure the list of "system" guys who won NC on bama teams and washed out is long and glorious, but those guys are not Watson didn't live his life with his mom and tongue cancer etc. i just think the kid has something.

Oh and the texans were without JJ Watt last year.  If he comes back at even 90% of what he was, they will be good again. (considering No.1 without him that is pretty stark)

[TDHawgs]

Now you can see why it's hard to beat the Alabama's of college football..  No where near the level of talent as they get, hopefully things change someday..

[SemperHawg]

Does Brooks Ellis get drafted?

[311Hog]

Now you can see why it's hard to beat the Alabama's of college football..  No where near the level of talent as they get, hopefully things change someday..

yeah 32 picks and basically 2 misses by recruiting rankings.  1 was a walk on from NJ and the other a kid that went to trade school because his dad said he should learn to weld.

Im not a "stars guy" but it is getting more and more difficult to ignore the definite impact of a legit 5 star player.

[HOGINTENNESSEE]

we thought up to the last minute he was ours i believe.. wasnt his GF a student here?

His gf at the time went to Arkansas and his sister was a student during his recruitment

[Jackrabbit Hog]

Kids that fast get opportunities. You gotta produce, but speed like that is rare.

Elite speed in football = 7 footer in basketball.  Even if you're short on skills, somebody's gonna dream and give you a shot.

[bennyl08]

Well yeah Mike Williams his WR went a few picks ahead of him no surprise there this team won a NC and runner up the year before of course they have better talent, but we are talking about same conference, etc. We aren't talking about Clemson talent vs Wyoming.

And Austin has talent, but i think the rest of his body of work speaks for itself.  Also Watson did it on the biggest stage that exists in CFB, and did it twice.  So Saban saw this coming for an entire year and still couldn't stop it is more my point.

I will ask this though, Austin has approx the same measurables as Trubisky would you agree if the Hogs go 8-5 (like UNC) and Austin goes to the combine and puts up Trubisky like numbers and Trubisky like stats (not a stretch) would you expect Austin Allen to be picked 2nd over all? or even in the first round.  I mean his brother Brandon put up similar stats and is granted a bit smaller but he was barely drafted.

To me winning a NC, and still being extremely phyiscally gifted means something.  Sure the list of "system" guys who won NC on bama teams and washed out is long and glorious, but those guys are not Watson didn't live his life with his mom and tongue cancer etc. i just think the kid has something.

Oh and the texans were without JJ Watt last year.  If he comes back at even 90% of what he was, they will be good again. (considering No.1 without him that is pretty stark)

Um, Austin is shorter than Brandon and will be lucky to measure 6' though our roster #'s are a bit more accurate than they used to be. 6'2" is basically the minimum height the NFL wants a qb to be and you have to really show something extra to be considered if you are shorter than that. BA was listed by us at 6'2 and was actually 6'1. Austin is listed at 6'1, and is probably right about 6'.

Russell Wilson probably would have been a top 10 pick if he was 6'2 220 pounds. Pretty much the only reason he fell to the third was his height. Austin would have to basically win the hiesman and the natty next year to be considered in the first round based on his height.

If Austin was about 3 inches taller, cuts down on his interceptions this year, and improves his play by the average amount that any qb does from his first season starting to his next, then I'd say that he would be in consideration for being over drafted like Trubisky was. Austin's height alone will probably put his ceiling of the draft in the late second. He won't put up the same numbers in the combine either. Austin's more of a 4.8 guy than a 4.6 guy like Trubisky.

However, PFF rated him as the 8th overall returning NFL talent in the SEC this upcoming season. The list wasn't just returning seniors as Guice was listed as well. It was about who PFF graded as the best players in the SEC returning and they grade on an NFL rubric, not a collegiate one. The 8th SEC player taken in the draft will usually be taken somewhere in the 2nd round.

[bennyl08]

Panicked or not, a good number of tight ends were taken in round 1. That works in sprinkles favor

Yes and no. There are two things in play. Talent at the position and need for that talent. The teams with the strongest need for the best talent at TE have already filled their appetite so to speak. What is left are teams that need a TE but had other priorities and teams that want a little extra depth at TE. The problem now is that the can't miss guys are gone. Which means the pressure to get "your" guy is gone as well save for a few teams that have their hearts set on a certain player. However, maybe a team wants Bucky Hodges, TE from VT who tested insanely at the combine but didn't have a ton of production on the field. If they are picking at the bottom of the second, they can just as easily miss on him and then get Sprinkle in the bottom of the third without losing too much. The pressure to have to trade up and get your guy is much lower. Also, for me at least, there are 3 TE's (Everette, Butt, and Hodges) that I'd personally draft before Sprinkle.

[hawginbigd1]

Hodges maybe if you are looking for that H back guy, I will take Sprink over the other 2 any day, Butt is way over rated.

[Boss Hog in the Arkansas]

Hodges maybe if you are looking for that H back guy, I will take Sprink over the other 2 any day, Butt is way over rated.

He just picked up a cool sponsorship deal with charmin though, so theres that lol

[LZH]

Butt is way over rated.

I'm guessing you're still pretty young.......

[hawginbigd1]

I'm guessing you're still pretty young.......

HaHa no I wish

[LZH]

HaHa no I wish

Lol.

Btw, Jacksonville ain't screwin' around.....just picked Cam.  Man I hope BA gets a real shot.

[LRRandy]

Hodges maybe if you are looking for that H back guy, I will take Sprink over the other 2 any day, Butt is way over rated.

two more tight ends just came off the board. In the second round. One from Ashland. Sprinkle stock not very high

[LRRandy]

Joe Mixon just got drafted in the second round. His offenses makes Sprikles shoplifting look like jay walking.

[AirForceHog]

I wouldn't have drafted Joe Mixon at all

[HOGINTENNESSEE]

Joe Mixon just got drafted in the second round. His offenses makes Sprikles shoplifting look like jay walking.

Yeah, but he is a much better talent than Sprinkle as well

[HOGINTENNESSEE]

Does Brooks Ellis get drafted?

Most have him as an UDF. But it only takes one team to like him enough to pull the trigger

[Dr. Starcs]

Drew Pearson absolutely torched the Eagles. Again! 

Legendary.

[HiggiePiggy]

Yeah, but he is a much better talent than Sprinkle as well

He went higher than what I though he would have.  Probably could have hit the first round had he come back for another year.

[BigoBoys]

Drew Pearson absolutely torched the Eagles. Again! 

Legendary.

Epic

[Kenny Dowell Loggains]

5 FL Defensive players drafted so far in the first 3 rounds.  The same D that AR put 31 pts., 223 rushing yards & 243 passing yards against.  The weeks prior & post FLORIDA (against Auburn & LSU), Hogs played like they had never seen a football before.

College football is funny like that.

[Pig in the Pokey]

5 FL Defensive players drafted so far in the first 3 rounds.  The same D that AR put 31 pts., 223 rushing yards & 243 passing yards against.  The weeks prior & post FLORIDA (against Auburn & LSU), Hogs played like they had never seen a football before.

College football is funny like that.

last of Boom's recruits leaving, pretty much. All of t he one's he actually developed. Randy Shannon will destroy that defense and SwampDonkey can't replicate the sheer amount of defensive talent. They may very well win with Swampdonkey, but they better find a QB and start scoring some points!

[HamSammich]

Was that our Solomon that went like number  4 from Stanford??? Crap what a miss if so.

[Pig in the Pokey]

Was that our Solomon that went like number  4 from Stanford??? Crap what a miss if so.

#3 and yes. also , Bolles went 1st round.

[Jackrabbit Hog]

5 FL Defensive players drafted so far in the first 3 rounds.  The same D that AR put 31 pts., 223 rushing yards & 243 passing yards against.  The weeks prior & post FLORIDA (against Auburn & LSU), Hogs played like they had never seen a football before.

College football is funny like that.

I know the draft has absolutely nothing to do with our upcoming team, but it still grates on me to watch the draft so far and see 3 Tennessee guys, 2 Toledo guys, 650 Alabama guys and 86 Florida guys get drafted while we are still shut out so far.  I know we'll have multiple guys drafted today (at least I hope so), but boy we sure look like we didn't have much elite talent last year.