2025 Mock Draft from Athlon Sports NFL Draft Preview...
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Are you suggesting that, if your team needs a QB, and is probably going to draft one of the higher rated QB's, then going to a Pro Day is pulling wool over your eyes?
I believe that type of environment, painting a bed of roses, has convinced many a NFL front offices to pull the trigger on QB's that had no business taking as high as they did.
Is it good for interviews? Probably.
To speak to the medical team and to clear the bill of health? Yessir.
To see what physical and mechanics improvements might have been made since seasons end? I suppose.
To gauge QB play from the course of a career into how it projects at the NFL level? Absolutely not.
Because you end up getting obsessed with QB's completing timing throws to receivers they know without any variables that would actually include a QB's live-game passes.
Want to impress me? Script a pro day against the scout or walk-on team with certain rules (no pressures beyond 4, 3pt stances, certain motion shifts and coverage shells) Then tell said scout team it's for scholarships. I'd rather see a QB complete 70% against bodies than 95% against air. Even if it's training camp type light. You get a better understanding of the quality of QB you're getting but also the quality of competitor.
I believe that type of environment, painting a bed of roses, has convinced many a NFL front offices to pull the trigger on QB's that had no business taking as high as they did.
Is it good for interviews? Probably.
To speak to the medical team and to clear the bill of health? Yessir.
To see what physical and mechanics improvements might have been made since seasons end? I suppose.
To gauge QB play from the course of a career into how it projects at the NFL level? Absolutely not.
Because you end up getting obsessed with QB's completing timing throws to receivers they know without any variables that would actually include a QB's live-game passes.
Want to impress me? Script a pro day against the scout or walk-on team with certain rules (no pressures beyond 4, 3pt stances, certain motion shifts and coverage shells) Then tell said scout team it's for scholarships. I'd rather see a QB complete 70% against bodies than 95% against air. Even if it's training camp type light. You get a better understanding of the quality of QB you're getting but also the quality of competitor.
Exactly! The combine doesn't show a QB's pre-snap intellect/read as well as the ensuing progression reads after the snap (from that information gathering) before we even factor in NFL DBs covering the targets have much better closing speeds working in tandem with the front 7 hurrying passers.
Every year when they run the quick/short out routes - the leader of the drill has to re-emphasize we're not looking for completions as much as we want to see the timing. When you plant make the throw to where it is supposed to go - DO NOT hesitate/wait for a Receiver that is slow to get there. They know if you wait on these throws in the NFL - these are pick 6s.
You used a term "processor" recently - which ultimately becomes the make or break for these guys. How quickly can you get that pre-snap intellect up to speed so that your throws within the progression reads are on time enough to be accurate. The better the processor is the better the computer is relying on it - same applies to QBs.
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I still remember the 2000 draft when we drafted the following edge rusher (Courtney Brown) from Penn State 1st overall. Take a look at what he did below before going to Cleveland and getting injured more than once on those 16 game schedules. Check out the combine results for a guy that big. Now the Browns are considering a guy that has 2 injuries in his first 16 game season. Even worse, Drew Rosenhaus is his agent. Don't be surprised if the Browns draft him only to learn after the signing bonus - he needs surgery before he can play. For what it's worth the only edge rusher here that made the Pro Bowl during Courtney Brown's tenure in Cleveland was his replacement Jamir Miller. That's what injuries can do to even the best of prospects...
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I don't like foot injuries. Especially bone issues. Each foot has 20 something bones in them, and most are pretty small. In a high stress situation like competitive sports, it seems like once they start breaking, it never stops.
Bone breaks in other areas of the body can actually heal. In the foot? Your feet support everything else. Once they start breaking...they are small, hard to place pins....naaa, I think I shy away from that.
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I don't like foot injuries. Especially bone issues. Each foot has 20 something bones in them, and most are pretty small. In a high stress situation like competitive sports, it seems like once they start breaking, it never stops.
Bone breaks in other areas of the body can actually heal. In the foot? Your feet support everything else. Once they start breaking...they are small, hard to place pins....naaa, I think I shy away from that.
I don't like foot injuries. Especially bone issues. Each foot has 20 something bones in them, and most are pretty small. In a high stress situation like competitive sports, it seems like once they start breaking, it never stops.
Bone breaks in other areas of the body can actually heal. In the foot? Your feet support everything else. Once they start breaking...they are small, hard to place pins....naaa, I think I shy away from that.
That 1st 16 game schedule he played took a toll on him. I had a high school teammate that got a shoulder injury during our freshman season. It re-visited him during JV football and he missed about 4 starts total on varsity (while constantly aggravating it). He was a DT that lined up head-up/outside shoulder across from the OT (back in 78-81 line-up location didn't have a technique attached to it). Today, they'd say that's 5-6 technique. He'd be in a 6 technique on the outside shoulder any time we used a 6 man front. He was a great player for us. He said anytime I forget I have this thing - and I have to extend my arm to grab and pull I get a very painful reminder it's still there. Injuries to the feet or ball and socket can be very painful and quite unpredictable.
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I don't like foot injuries. Especially bone issues. Each foot has 20 something bones in them, and most are pretty small. In a high stress situation like competitive sports, it seems like once they start breaking, it never stops.
Bone breaks in other areas of the body can actually heal. In the foot? Your feet support everything else. Once they start breaking...they are small, hard to place pins....naaa, I think I shy away from that.
That 1st 16 game schedule he played took a toll on him. I had a high school teammate that got a shoulder injury during our freshman season. It re-visited him during JV football and he missed about 4 starts total on varsity (while constantly aggravating it). He was a DT that lined up head-up/outside shoulder across from the OT (back in 78-81 line-up location didn't have a technique attached to it). Today, they'd say that's 5-6 technique. He'd be in a 6 technique on the outside shoulder any time we used a 6 man front. He was a great player for us. He said anytime I forget I have this thing - and I have to extend my arm to grab and pull I get a very painful reminder it's still there. Injuries to the feet or ball and socket can be very painful and quite unpredictable.
That 1st 16 game schedule he played took a toll on him. I had a high school teammate that got a shoulder injury during our freshman season. It re-visited him during JV football and he missed about 4 starts total on varsity (while constantly aggravating it). He was a DT that lined up head-up/outside shoulder across from the OT (back in 78-81 line-up location didn't have a technique attached to it). Today, they'd say that's 5-6 technique. He'd be in a 6 technique on the outside shoulder any time we used a 6 man front. He was a great player for us. He said anytime I forget I have this thing - and I have to extend my arm to grab and pull I get a very painful reminder it's still there. Injuries to the feet or ball and socket can be very painful and quite unpredictable.
And on a pro level you know opponents are aware of any injuries and will definitely exploit them.
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I was a kid in the heyday of shorter, boxier type rush ends. Trent Cole, Dumervil, Mathis and Freeney... All good players.
The concern and the draw back was that the Eagles struggled against the runs to Cole's side. The Colts struggled to stop the run in just about every post season but one. It was possibly the biggest reason that Manning and Indy struggled to get over the hump those first 7-8 years.
Fast-forward to today and I have my questions, my concerns, about a 6'2, 245lb Cart being parked anywhere between a 5-9 tech and how that effects the Brownies ability to limit the running game and create more pass rush opportunities. But also how Schwartz would look to re-tool his defense with the departure of Dalvin and the possible addition of Abdul.
Maybe it's just me, but I don't see Carter as a *need* for this team. He is a talent, but I also don't see Micah Parsons when I watch him. So I have to question the wisdom of selecting him top 5, even top 10.
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I was a kid in the heyday of shorter, boxier type rush ends. Trent Cole, Dumervil, Mathis and Freeney... All good players.
The concern and the draw back was that the Eagles struggled against the runs to Cole's side. The Colts struggled to stop the run in just about every post season but one. It was possibly the biggest reason that Manning and Indy struggled to get over the hump those first 7-8 years.
Fast-forward to today and I have my questions, my concerns, about a 6'2, 245lb Cart being parked anywhere between a 5-9 tech and how that effects the Brownies ability to limit the running game and create more pass rush opportunities. But also how Schwartz would look to re-tool his defense with the departure of Dalvin and the possible addition of Abdul.
Maybe it's just me, but I don't see Carter as a *need* for this team. He is a talent, but I also don't see Micah Parsons when I watch him. So I have to question the wisdom of selecting him top 5, even top 10.
Maybe it's just me, but I don't see Carter as a *need* for this team. He is a talent, but I also don't see Micah Parsons when I watch him. So I have to question the wisdom of selecting him top 5, even top 10.
To say it in a similar but different way- Carter makes this team go from 3 wins to maybe 5-6 wins over the next several years. The Browns need more than this type of ceiling before this becomes a full teardown. The Browns woes are fundamentally on offense.
A lot of people seem to be commenting on the Eagles and their defensive line dominating in the SB as a thought bubble on taking Carter. I obviously don't disagree, but it was also constructed after the QB position was known and with varying levels of picks. Carter would be a luxury on a team driving a beater car, in my opinion.
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In the era of prolific passing, no defense ever had too many pass rushers.
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In the era of prolific passing, no defense ever had too many pass rushers.
In the era of prolific passing, no defense ever had too many pass rushers.
...or cornerbacks.
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In the era of prolific passing, no defense ever had too many pass rushers.
...or cornerbacks.
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We need those too for sure, so Hunter is definitely in the mix.
And there are a ton of edge rushers in this year's draft, but not too many real quality corners like Hunter. If we are not going for the QB, I'd rather go Hunter and then an edge.
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We need those too for sure, so Hunter is definitely in the mix.
And there are a ton of edge rushers in this year's draft, but not too many real quality corners like Hunter. If we are not going for the QB, I'd rather go Hunter and then an edge.
If we are not going for the QB, I'd rather go Hunter and then an edge.
...and then QB, OT, RB, TE, WR, DT, LB, G/C......and that's all 10 picks and we still need a Safety.
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If we are not going for the QB, I'd rather go Hunter and then an edge.
...and then QB, OT, RB, TE, WR, DT, LB, G/C......and that's all 10 picks and we still need a Safety.
...and then QB, OT, RB, TE, WR, DT, LB, G/C......and that's all 10 picks and we still need a Safety.
It's like skipping breakfast and lunch before heading to an all you can eat buffet for dinner - everything looks delicious for the insatiable appetite.
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It's like skipping breakfast and lunch before heading to an all you can eat buffet for dinner - everything looks delicious for the insatiable appetite.
Hey, fasting is a great way to limit calories and lose weight. Now we just need the browns to cut some dead weight
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I was a kid in the heyday of shorter, boxier type rush ends. Trent Cole, Dumervil, Mathis and Freeney... All good players.
The concern and the draw back was that the Eagles struggled against the runs to Cole's side. The Colts struggled to stop the run in just about every post season but one. It was possibly the biggest reason that Manning and Indy struggled to get over the hump those first 7-8 years.
Fast-forward to today and I have my questions, my concerns, about a 6'2, 245lb Cart being parked anywhere between a 5-9 tech and how that effects the Brownies ability to limit the running game and create more pass rush opportunities. But also how Schwartz would look to re-tool his defense with the departure of Dalvin and the possible addition of Abdul.
Maybe it's just me, but I don't see Carter as a *need* for this team. He is a talent, but I also don't see Micah Parsons when I watch him. So I have to question the wisdom of selecting him top 5, even top 10.
I was a kid in the heyday of shorter, boxier type rush ends. Trent Cole, Dumervil, Mathis and Freeney... All good players.
The concern and the draw back was that the Eagles struggled against the runs to Cole's side. The Colts struggled to stop the run in just about every post season but one. It was possibly the biggest reason that Manning and Indy struggled to get over the hump those first 7-8 years.
Fast-forward to today and I have my questions, my concerns, about a 6'2, 245lb Cart being parked anywhere between a 5-9 tech and how that effects the Brownies ability to limit the running game and create more pass rush opportunities. But also how Schwartz would look to re-tool his defense with the departure of Dalvin and the possible addition of Abdul.
Maybe it's just me, but I don't see Carter as a *need* for this team. He is a talent, but I also don't see Micah Parsons when I watch him. So I have to question the wisdom of selecting him top 5, even top 10.
I agree Tia. Light in the ass edge setters don't turn me on. To me you need one guy who can dictate the run game on one side of the field. Either the back is going to have to cut inside, back in to traffic or dip way deep and have to run 15 yards wide and back to get to the LOS.
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Dane Brugler of The Athletic just dropped “The Beast”, which aims to be “the most comprehensive and detailed NFL Draft guide available.” It is indeed detailed. I’ll link it, but pretty sure it’s a subscriber only thing, though l think there’s a free trial thing. It’s a fun thing to peruse.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5698361/2025/04/09/the-beast-2025-redirects/?source=user_shared_article
NFL Draft 2025 ‘The Beast’ Guide: Dane Brugler’s scouting reports and player rankingsHere are some super random nuggets of info l’ve picked up reading it:
Kurtis Roarke is Canadian and his older brother Nathan is a QB in the CFL. Before the 2024 season Nathan signed a contract with the BC Lions for $600k annually, which made him the highest paid player in the league.
Cam Scattebo, when he was 6 he would put on his older brother’s football pads and run in to telephone poles for fun while the older kids were playing.
Emeka Egbuka also played baseball in high school and hit for the cycle as a sophomore.
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Dane Brugler of The Athletic just dropped “The Beast”, which aims to be “the most comprehensive and detailed NFL Draft guide available.” It is indeed detailed. I’ll link it, but pretty sure it’s a subscriber only thing, though l think there’s a free trial thing. It’s a fun thing to peruse.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5698361/2025/04/09/the-beast-2025-redirects/?source=user_shared_article
NFL Draft 2025 ‘The Beast’ Guide: Dane Brugler’s scouting reports and player rankingsHere are some super random nuggets of info l’ve picked up reading it:
Kurtis Roarke is Canadian and his older brother Nathan is a QB in the CFL. Before the 2024 season Nathan signed a contract with the BC Lions for $600k annually, which made him the highest paid player in the league.
Cam Scattebo, when he was 6 he would put on his older brother’s football pads and run in to telephone poles for fun while the older kids were playing.
Emeka Egbuka also played baseball in high school and hit for the cycle as a sophomore.
Dane Brugler of The Athletic just dropped “The Beast”, which aims to be “the most comprehensive and detailed NFL Draft guide available.” It is indeed detailed. I’ll link it, but pretty sure it’s a subscriber only thing, though l think there’s a free trial thing. It’s a fun thing to peruse.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5698361/2025/04/09/the-beast-2025-redirects/?source=user_shared_article
NFL Draft 2025 ‘The Beast’ Guide: Dane Brugler’s scouting reports and player rankingsHere are some super random nuggets of info l’ve picked up reading it:
Kurtis Roarke is Canadian and his older brother Nathan is a QB in the CFL. Before the 2024 season Nathan signed a contract with the BC Lions for $600k annually, which made him the highest paid player in the league.
Cam Scattebo, when he was 6 he would put on his older brother’s football pads and run in to telephone poles for fun while the older kids were playing.
Emeka Egbuka also played baseball in high school and hit for the cycle as a sophomore.
"Like a Wil-da-beast" - gonna guess you know the movie that came from. Love the guide IBB! Interesting to see he has Kelvin Banks Jr with the guards; but that's not a bad idea at all. Like Josh Simmons, he got injured last year - unlike Simmons he returned for the end of the season and throughout the playoffs. I'm sure the injury inhibited his lateral movement and agility some; but moving to Guard removes a lot of space on 1 side of him.
I'm thinking about Cam Skattebo in a Browns uniform a lot lately. Outside of averaging 5.8 yards per carry on the ground and rushing for 21 TDs and 1711 yards in just 13 games - he's also a very good receiver that added 45 receptions for 605 yards and 2 TDs. Some of these aren't just short swing passes either.
Unfortunately for Kurtis Roarke, when his team got overmatched vrs Ohio State - he looked like the kid on the yellow raft in the movie Jaws. That said, when his Oline gave him a chance, he completed 69.4% of his passes last year for 29 TDs and just 5 INTs. Not for nothing, when a QB leads Indiana to 10 wins in 12 starts - that's quite an accomplishment. This might be a pretty good pick for someone anywhere from round 5-7.
Last but not least from the beast, he had Hunter ranked #1 as a Corner.
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