Ray Farmer Done Okay

Round 1:

I would have taken the wide reciever, despite his mother's rather ignorant protestations.  But I know my limitations, and that Mike Pettine (and company) had more say than I did.

I remain afraid that Danny Shelton's knees and/or ankles will buckle under his weight, or that he will have a heart attack.

While I can see that his propensity to accumulate lard is genetic, I sincerely hope that Hans and Franz (the Browns nutritionists and strength and conditioning people) can at least prevent him from ballooning up into immobility.

While I remain fearful of a brief and injury-riddled career for this guy, there's no denying that he is a stud.

At the Senior Bowl, Danny Shelton was "unblockable" throughout the practice week.  He just wrecked EVERYTHING the offense tried.

Unlike many nose tackle prospects, Danny's "motor" is non-stop.  He's never been accused of taking plays off.  He never stops pursuing the play with all his might until the whistle blows.

Gil Brandt told me two weeks ago how slow he was.  More recently, he's been telling me how he's as quick as any DT prospect within a ten-yard circle.  (Thanks for the egg on my face, Gil.)

This pick was called "safe" by most pundits, because Shelton is bar-none the best nose tackle in this draft, and undeniably exceptional.

I was expecting the stud wide reciever with the ignorant mother, and was stunned when the sheep pick was made.

Well, Mike Pettine does adapt his defenses to his personnel.  I'd assumed that with the return of Phil Taylor, nose tackle was no priority--and a stud number one reciever was much the priority.

But apparently, Mike (not Ray), thought otherwise.

I'll pick on Ray Farmer over quarterbacks now, because I've proven to myself and my crickets that I'm better than he is there.  But I'll never second-guess these guys anywhere else, because they know what they're up to, and I'm clueless.

So: With Danny Shelton, Mike can run a TRUE base 3-4 which, clearly, he wants to.

I love Mike's ideal 3-4.  Like all 3-4's. the one critical element is a true nose tackle.  I believe he would have tried it with Phil Taylor, but Phil is starting to look injury-prone, and at that position is no Danny Shelton either.

With Danny, Mike can count on the center and one guard trying to block (as in not "chip") him on both runs or passes.

Understand Mike's 3-4:  There's the nose tackle yeah.  But one of the defensive ends lines up shaded outside one guard, and the other nose-to-nose with a tackle.

Both "defensive ends" dictate blocks by forcing engagements.  The guard on the 3-technique ( DE lined up on the guard) and the DE lined up in the tackle's face FORCE that guard and that tackle to block those players, see?

Because of this, only one guard is left to help the center with the nose tackle.

All the defensive linemen know how they must be blocked.  Against the run, they must all hold their ground, because then, the rest of the defense knows where the pile-ups and gaps will be.

Inside linebackers and a safety know before the snap where these gaps should be IF IF IF the defensive linemen aren't driven back.  

Now, this leaves one offensive tackle free.  A little known fact is that offensive tackles are not generally good at blocking smaller people in space. Another overlooked fact is that they're outside the tackle-box.

OK: So there's the two passrushing outside linebackers too, see?

Well, the free tackle can't do anything until he knows that the OLB on his side isn't blitzing.  If it's a run, he'll target and charge towards that guy, telling the rest of the defense it's a run.  If it's a pass, he has to back up and set until he's sure the OLB isn't coming.  The threat of a blitze neutralizes or slows down that free tackle in either case.

On the other side, on which the defensive end forces engagement with the other OT, only a running back or tight end can hope to slow down the other OLB, should he blitze.

The blitzes matter on runs, since a well-executed 3-4 will plug every inside hole. A backside blitzer will deprive the runner of time and cutback lanes.  An in-your-face blitzer will  force you out of bounds, or to cut back into a tackle.

Two tight end offenses were designed to attack 3-4's...but I digress:

Cameron Erving is the best center in this draft, but was also an all-american left tackle.  He is NOT just Kevin Mack insurance, but a probable starter in 2015.

John Greco is actually an excellent right guard, so if he is replaced by a younger player, it coudn't be called more than a marginal upgrade.  But between Erving and Micheal Bowie, RT Mitchell Schwartze is likely to be replaced, and this will be a nice upgrade.  It will make every starter on this offensive line elite.  It will make this the best offensive line in football.

If you are rolling your eyes at that statement, you need your head examined.  Where do Joe Thomas, Alex Mack, Joel Bitonio rank?  Are you aware that Greco rates right at the top too?  Can you count to four?  Ok then--wake up.

The rest of the draft was pretty good too.  More later.