When Billick got to Baker Mayfield, he told Kurt Warner he was stumped. Kurt Warner couldn't come up with anybody who compared to Baker Mayfield either. Guess he couldn't find a mirror.
Funniest thing I've seen for awhile. Maybe Aaron Rodgers should have sat right in front of Billick instead. Or Drew Brees.
Billick also repeated that Favre had a much stronger arm than Mayfield. I'm sick of this. Nobody has a much stronger arm than Mayfield! That kid slings it! Favre had a stronger arm. Leave it there.
43 minutes from the draft, Mayock ranks Sam Darnold first, Mayfield fourth. Most of the other guys are split between Darnold and Mayfield.
Mayfield is definitely better, but Darnold does have great upside, as he is a terrific improviser when things break down, and excels at "off-platform" throws.
Accuracy and anticipation. But his record vs top teams...well he's talented as hell anyway...
Mayock mocks Darnold first overall to the Browns and has them trade down to 12 and 23 and draft Denzel Ward and Kolton Miller. I'll buy that for a dollar...except for the Darnold part.
It's also possible that Fitzpatrick could make it to 12 (that would be better). Miller is a better LEFT tackle prospect than Mayock's top tackle (you see left and right tackles are different).
T-minus 7 minutes...
The picks are in Mayfield check. But Denzel Ward over Bradley Chubb (or a trade-down) stunned me.
No knock on Ward, who is the consensus-best cornerback in this draft, but hasn't the secondary already been upgraded a lot?
I don't like this pick, but know my limitations. Certainly, Gregg Williams had a bullhorn voice in this decision, and I'll have to wait my two or three years to do my "I was right and you were wrong" dance (and hope I never get the opportunity).
Well let's see: It looks like Gregg wanted a shut-down guy badly, and didn't think he had one (or enough).
In earlier posts, I pointed out that Gregg had to play more zone and off-man than he wanted to, because Joe Haden had (irrefutably) declined, none of the other perimeter corners qualified as reliable press/man guys, and Jabrill Peppers was a sunstandard free safety.
I do see the logic here: Ward can literally be locked onto an opposing number one receiver and more or less "erase" him for 3.5-4.5 seconds (after that, he's faster than most of them, and can at least catch up to them and muffle the YAC yards)
I guess Gregg is confident that Darius Randall is his "angel" safety, and just felt that he needed a certified "shut-down" corner to make everything else work right.
I'll study on this some more and get back to you. It's really hard to figure Gregg Williams out...this was way out of the box (I mean for non-Buckeye fans).
The Browns secondary seems to have gotten a huge face-lift here. With Howard Wilson coming back from injury, plus Gaines, Carrie, and Randall, it was already looking much better. Denzel Ward really nails it down.
Mayfield is obviously a great pick. I just hope he can "stifle himself" for awhile and let Tyrod Taylor start.
I "grok" Mayfield's attitude. I have been stuck behind players I was better than. I let my frustration show, and got reamed for it. It was political, and unfair, and I couldn't handle it. I GET Baker.
Naturally, there's no comparison between us in terms of excellence or magnitude, but I know that he will master Dorsey's playbook quickly, and know that he is better than Tyrod before game one, and feel like he's getting screwed.
This will be interesting:
Tyrod Taylor is massively underrated, and is a dual threat who can do stuff Mayfield can't. He's a veteran who rarely screws up. He's been where no Mayfield has gone before, and can't be suckered or surprised.
Can Baker accept the fact that, even though he is the better quarterback, he's not the most prepared quarterback?
On to round two:
Color secondary and quarterback covered. Unlike most of you, I do remember that Joe Thomas himself said that Shon Coleman could play left tackle, but Dorsey can't take that to the bank, so he needs to at least draft a project left tackle.
I like Carlos Hyde too, but Dorsey HAS TO nab one of these stud running backs in this rare running back draft.
While this draft is thin on star wide receivers, it's very deep in big possession guys (like Anthony Lazard), and he can scoop one or more of them up dirt cheap.
The top second round pick represents another trade-down opportunity if Dorsey doesn't use it in a trade-up for a left tackle or something...
A note on that: The value of that specific pick is a factor in negotiations due to it's trade value. Count on Dorsey to exploit this, should he trade up.
First round picks get "fifth year club options", or essentially an extra year on their rookie contracts, and Pat Kirwan says that teams will occasionally trade back into the first round as much for this reason as to guarantee the player they want.
Dorsey might also need to "consolidate" his picks.
Hyperbolic Memorex Moron bullcrap aside, the Browns already have a talented, young roster. Dorsey is at the point at which, (in this draft), aside from future left tackle, running back, number two wide receiver (debatable), he's going to start cutting good veterans, or draft picks, if he uses all the picks that Sashi Brown left him.
Trading up is how he can avoid this. Secondarily, trading into the future works well too (you always get a round higher, ie this year's third is next year's second).
Lord Insideous has done this for a long time. It's analytical.
Wow!!! Bill just drafted 6'2 1/2" offensive tackle Isaiah Wynn at 23! Doesn't he read the expert opinions? Wow what a dumbass.
Obviously he's not a dumbass. And for all I know Wynn will be a guard for the Pats. Or he has extra-long arms I dunno.
Back to Dorsey: I know Waittilnextyear liked Denzel Ward at 4, but Dorsey didn't pick him to make Buckeye fans happy.
This pick by the Sith Lord was a lot "crazier" than Denzel Ward, but it goes to show you: The real pros do their own homework, and ignore Mayock, Kiper, and everybody else.
Down to pick 27: Several LEFT tackle (long-term) pospects are still hanging around, along with a sload of running backs.
The Stoolers drafted safety Edmonds at 28. I was glad to see Shazier up there to greet him. I dunno from Edmunds. Hope he sucks.
There goes 30 (cb Mike Hughes to the Vikings, as if they needed help.)
Oh dammit there goes Sony Michel (to the Sith Lord)! It figgers.
Well the first round is over. Sadly, the Cravens landed Lamar Jackson (don't panic! They still suck otherwise and Flacco is still gonna start!)
Anyhoo, now Dorsey has the "first overall pick" again entering day two.
In the woids of Rocky's manager Mick, it's a ting a beauty.
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