Things I Believe About This Draft...

TexasBearfan

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That guy makes me furious every time I see the name.
He dropped a TD Pass in the playoffs for the Ravens that ultimately lead to the Cundif 23 yard Field Goal Miss....yes I have been through this with my two favorite teams...... :mad: :mad:?
ouch....you realize since i've moved to NE...the Ravens had the Patriots perfect season ended, stopped them on 4th down and one of BIllick's asst. coaches called time out and killed it
 
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Raskolnikov

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Keep in mind, next's years QB crop is supposed to be one of the worst in recent history. As it stands right now the top QB for 2022 is Sam Howell at North Carolina. If any of Wilson, Fields, Lance or Lawrence were to stay in school they would easily be the #1 pick next year. So, my point is, waiting another year isn't always best because next year, as it stands today, is not a year you want to be drafting a QB.
And Mac Jones is the most Bill Walsh QB of them all.

I think you can make a strong case for all 5 of them. I wont be sad if we jump up a little and take a risk on one of these 5.

Or stay at 20 and take Trask.

I think the QB craze also creates great position value at #20.

Just sit there and grab a defensive stud or WR.
 

baredown

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There's too narrow a focus here on perceived need (QB, OT, WR) with regard to the high picks. My interpretation of Pace's track record with his high picks (rds 1-3...) is that he looks to build/sustain the talent base, not fill needs with those picks. He makes his need picks in the mid/late rounds. That being the case, if the Bears stay at 20, I think its at least 50-50 that pick will be on the defensive side. With the 5 QBs, Pitts, the two top-level OTs, and all those WRs likely to go in the top 15, there's going to be some top-level defensive talent available at 20. If Pace likes one of them more than what's available on the offensive side, he'll take the guy.

For those who think, or more accurately hope, that Pace is on the hot seat and therefore will be drafting to save his job, I think you're delusional. Nagy's position probably isn't real secure (taking play-calling away from him in mid-season wasn't much of a vote of confidence...), but George M. is more a continuity guy than a "fire 'em" type.
 

greg23

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To be honest, my guys in this draft are a pair of tackles:
Jackson Carman of Clemson, and Daniel Faalele of Minnesota. Huge assets for the run game, and both could be fixtures for a while. Both are physical monsters, particularly Faalele (6'9", 400 pounds), who should help any QB.

Get those two, find a good WR and ILB to replace Miller and Trevethan, and I'm OK.
]

no list of 18 draft picks you have the bears making due to trade downs?
 

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ouch....you realize since i've moved to NE...the Ravens had the Patriots perfect season ended, stopped them on 4th down and one of BIllick's asst. coaches called time out and killed it
Yeah I guess that year was not meant to be, but all everyone will ever remember is the dropped TD and the missed chip shot.

For years we referred to a missed field goal at a critical time in the game, as "Cundiffed".
 

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I think the 2021 Draft is the most interesting of any draft that I can remember.
 

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I can never tell for sure when you're being sarcastic.
Zero sarcasm.

I am an NFL Draft guy. I've always found it fascinating, and this year is more so than others. We all know that you need (aside from those very few examples) a QB to win in the NFL, and this year you can have up to 5 going in the first round - and that makes it even more fascinating. Look, we all know Lawrence is going #1, and conventional wisdom suggests that Wilson is going #2 to the Jets, but why? Why do so many people assume Wilson over Fields, Jones, and Lance?

Better yet, what happens if the Jets choose one of the other three over Wilson? Did they make a bad pick? Why would they choose (for instance) Trey Lance over Zach Wilson? What did they see in one that they didn't see in the other? That we would be talking about the QB position makes it even more so.

Now go to the Bears. I think/hope they take an OT, but why Darrisaw over Cosmi? Why Cosmi over Darrisaw? They both play the same position. They both have some of the same measurables, so why one over the other? Why invest so much time/money on one person, as opposed to the other? That is something that I will never not find fascinating.

PS, I'll let you in on a dirty little secret:

Whenever I call Pace a racist for drafting Mitch over Watson/Mahomes, I'm just trolling. I don't think that had anything to do with it.
 

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@WindyCity @Adipost @bearmick @bears26 @Midway Nick

What are your thoughts a little more than a week out?

Others?

Here is an interesting tidbit on the draft:

The industry surrounding the NFL Draft has given fans the benefit of instant access to information about obscure college prospects and enough data for observers to form strong opinions on undrafted free agents.

But it can be overwhelming, too. Small but sensational differences between players at high-profile positions often drive conversations, and this can exaggerate what analysts think about the prospects in the draft.

Instead, we can distill what the draft community truly feels by looking at the one place they have to nail their feet to the floor: player rankings. And we can further get a lay of the land by combining the rankings of a multitude of experts to see how players stack up in the eyes of the analyst community at large.

We’ve compiled a list of the top 300 prospects in the NFL Draft that represents a consensus from more than 50 big boards and will be updated as more become available. Over the years, this practice has been a fantastic predictor of how the draft will go. When compared to the individual boards, the consensus board ranked ninth in its ability to predict player order in the 2020 draft and seventh in 2019.


1Trevor LawrenceClemsonQB1
2Penei SewellOregonOT1
3Kyle PittsFloridaTE1
4Ja'Marr ChaseLSUWR1
5Justin FieldsOhio StateQB2
6Zach WilsonBYUQB3
7Jaylen WaddleAlabamaWRS1
8DeVonta SmithAlabamaWR2
9Rashawn SlaterNorthwesternOT2
10Micah ParsonsPenn StateLB1
11Patrick Surtain IIAlabamaCB1
12Trey LanceNorth Dakota StateQB4
13Jaycee HornSouth CarolinaCB2
14Kwity PayeMichiganEDGE1
15Christian DarrisawVirginia TechOT3
16Alijah Vera-TuckerUSCOG1
17Jeremiah Owusu-KoramoahNotre DameLB2
18Caleb FarleyVirginia TechCB3
19Jaelan PhillipsMiami (FL)EDGE2
20Azeez OjulariGeorgiaEDGE3
21Trevon MoehrigTCUS1
22Mac JonesAlabamaQB5
23Teven JenkinsOklahoma StateOT4
24Zaven CollinsTulsaLB3
25Najee HarrisAlabamaRB1
26Greg Newsome IINorthwesternCB4
27Christian BarmoreAlabamaDL3T1
28Rashod BatemanMinnesotaWR3
29Kadarius ToneyFloridaWR4
30Jayson OwehPenn StateEDGE4
31Travis EtienneClemsonRB2
32Gregory RousseauMiami (FL)EDGE5
33Landon DickersonAlabamaOC1
34Terrace Marshall Jr.LSUWR5
35Elijah MooreOle MissWRS2
36Rondale MoorePurdueWRS3
37Javonte WilliamsNorth CarolinaRB3
38Alex LeatherwoodAlabamaOT5
39Samuel CosmiTexasOT6
40Jamin DavisKentuckyLB4
41Asante Samuel Jr.Florida StateCB5
42Creed HumphreyOklahomaOC2
43Joseph OssaiTexasEDGE6
44Carlos Basham Jr.Wake ForestDL5T1
45Levi OnwuzurikeWashingtonDL3T2
46Dillon RadunzNorth Dakota StateOT7
47Liam EichenbergNotre DameOT8
48Eric StokesGeorgiaCB6
49Nick BoltonMissouriLB5
50Pat FreiermuthPenn StateTE2
51Jalen MayfieldMichiganOT9
52Jevon HollandOregonS2
53Joe TryonWashingtonEDGE7
54Richie GrantCentral FloridaS3
55Wyatt DavisOhio StateOG2
56Ifeatu MelifonwuSyracuseCB7
57Elijah MoldenWashingtonCB8
58Daviyon NixonIowaDL3T3
59Jabril CoxLSULB6
60Tyson CampbellGeorgiaCB9
61Aaron RobinsonCentral FloridaCB10
62Dyami BrownNorth CarolinaWR6
63Baron BrowningOhio StateLB7
64Ronnie PerkinsOklahomaLB8
65Quinn MeinerzWisconsin-WhitewaterOC3
66Amon-Ra St. BrownUSCWR8
67Tylan WallaceOklahoma StateWR7
68Kelvin JosephKentuckyCB11
69Payton TurnerHoustonEDGE8
70Jackson CarmanClemsonOT10
71Michael CarterNorth CarolinaRBC1
72Josh MyersOhio StateOC4
73D'Wayne EskridgeWestern MichiganWRS4
74Chazz SurrattNorth CarolinaLB9
75Trey SmithTennesseeOG3
76Pete WernerOhio StateLB10
77Alim McNeillNorth Carolina StateDL3T4
78Amari RodgersClemsonWR9
79Tommy TogiaiOhio StateDL3T5
80Jay TufeleUSCDL3T6
81Andre CiscoSyracuseS4
82Kyle TraskFloridaQB6
83Nico CollinsMichiganWR10
84Spencer BrownNorthern IowaOT11
85Hamsah NasirildeenFlorida StateS5
86Paulson AdeboStanfordCB12
87Kenneth GainwellMemphisRB4
88Tommy TrembleNotre DameTE3
89Milton WilliamsLouisiana TechDL5T2
90Brady ChristensenBYUOT12
91Brevin JordanMiami (FL)TE4
92Hunter LongBoston CollegeTE5
93Quincy RocheMiami (FL)EDGE9
94Walker LittleStanfordOT13
95Jamar JohnsonIndianaS6
96Aaron BanksNotre DameOG4
97Kellen MondTexas A&MQB7
98Cameron McGroneMichiganLB11
99Tyler ShelvinLSUDL1T1
100James HudsonCincinnatiOT14

2021 NFL Draft Consensus Big Board: 50 lists, one ranking of the top 300 prospects
 

Wild_x_Card

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@playthrough2001 sorry brotha. It's been a busy year for me. I had to take a step back from my normal deep dives. Hopefully I can get back on the saddle next year. My insight is surface level for my standards. Nothing that hasn't already been mentioned in here.
 

playthrough2001

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Here is an interesting tidbit on the draft:

The industry surrounding the NFL Draft has given fans the benefit of instant access to information about obscure college prospects and enough data for observers to form strong opinions on undrafted free agents.

But it can be overwhelming, too. Small but sensational differences between players at high-profile positions often drive conversations, and this can exaggerate what analysts think about the prospects in the draft.

Instead, we can distill what the draft community truly feels by looking at the one place they have to nail their feet to the floor: player rankings. And we can further get a lay of the land by combining the rankings of a multitude of experts to see how players stack up in the eyes of the analyst community at large.

We’ve compiled a list of the top 300 prospects in the NFL Draft that represents a consensus from more than 50 big boards and will be updated as more become available. Over the years, this practice has been a fantastic predictor of how the draft will go. When compared to the individual boards, the consensus board ranked ninth in its ability to predict player order in the 2020 draft and seventh in 2019.


1Trevor LawrenceClemsonQB1
2Penei SewellOregonOT1
3Kyle PittsFloridaTE1
4Ja'Marr ChaseLSUWR1
5Justin FieldsOhio StateQB2
6Zach WilsonBYUQB3
7Jaylen WaddleAlabamaWRS1
8DeVonta SmithAlabamaWR2
9Rashawn SlaterNorthwesternOT2
10Micah ParsonsPenn StateLB1
11Patrick Surtain IIAlabamaCB1
12Trey LanceNorth Dakota StateQB4
13Jaycee HornSouth CarolinaCB2
14Kwity PayeMichiganEDGE1
15Christian DarrisawVirginia TechOT3
16Alijah Vera-TuckerUSCOG1
17Jeremiah Owusu-KoramoahNotre DameLB2
18Caleb FarleyVirginia TechCB3
19Jaelan PhillipsMiami (FL)EDGE2
20Azeez OjulariGeorgiaEDGE3
21Trevon MoehrigTCUS1
22Mac JonesAlabamaQB5
23Teven JenkinsOklahoma StateOT4
24Zaven CollinsTulsaLB3
25Najee HarrisAlabamaRB1
26Greg Newsome IINorthwesternCB4
27Christian BarmoreAlabamaDL3T1
28Rashod BatemanMinnesotaWR3
29Kadarius ToneyFloridaWR4
30Jayson OwehPenn StateEDGE4
31Travis EtienneClemsonRB2
32Gregory RousseauMiami (FL)EDGE5
33Landon DickersonAlabamaOC1
34Terrace Marshall Jr.LSUWR5
35Elijah MooreOle MissWRS2
36Rondale MoorePurdueWRS3
37Javonte WilliamsNorth CarolinaRB3
38Alex LeatherwoodAlabamaOT5
39Samuel CosmiTexasOT6
40Jamin DavisKentuckyLB4
41Asante Samuel Jr.Florida StateCB5
42Creed HumphreyOklahomaOC2
43Joseph OssaiTexasEDGE6
44Carlos Basham Jr.Wake ForestDL5T1
45Levi OnwuzurikeWashingtonDL3T2
46Dillon RadunzNorth Dakota StateOT7
47Liam EichenbergNotre DameOT8
48Eric StokesGeorgiaCB6
49Nick BoltonMissouriLB5
50Pat FreiermuthPenn StateTE2
51Jalen MayfieldMichiganOT9
52Jevon HollandOregonS2
53Joe TryonWashingtonEDGE7
54Richie GrantCentral FloridaS3
55Wyatt DavisOhio StateOG2
56Ifeatu MelifonwuSyracuseCB7
57Elijah MoldenWashingtonCB8
58Daviyon NixonIowaDL3T3
59Jabril CoxLSULB6
60Tyson CampbellGeorgiaCB9
61Aaron RobinsonCentral FloridaCB10
62Dyami BrownNorth CarolinaWR6
63Baron BrowningOhio StateLB7
64Ronnie PerkinsOklahomaLB8
65Quinn MeinerzWisconsin-WhitewaterOC3
66Amon-Ra St. BrownUSCWR8
67Tylan WallaceOklahoma StateWR7
68Kelvin JosephKentuckyCB11
69Payton TurnerHoustonEDGE8
70Jackson CarmanClemsonOT10
71Michael CarterNorth CarolinaRBC1
72Josh MyersOhio StateOC4
73D'Wayne EskridgeWestern MichiganWRS4
74Chazz SurrattNorth CarolinaLB9
75Trey SmithTennesseeOG3
76Pete WernerOhio StateLB10
77Alim McNeillNorth Carolina StateDL3T4
78Amari RodgersClemsonWR9
79Tommy TogiaiOhio StateDL3T5
80Jay TufeleUSCDL3T6
81Andre CiscoSyracuseS4
82Kyle TraskFloridaQB6
83Nico CollinsMichiganWR10
84Spencer BrownNorthern IowaOT11
85Hamsah NasirildeenFlorida StateS5
86Paulson AdeboStanfordCB12
87Kenneth GainwellMemphisRB4
88Tommy TrembleNotre DameTE3
89Milton WilliamsLouisiana TechDL5T2
90Brady ChristensenBYUOT12
91Brevin JordanMiami (FL)TE4
92Hunter LongBoston CollegeTE5
93Quincy RocheMiami (FL)EDGE9
94Walker LittleStanfordOT13
95Jamar JohnsonIndianaS6
96Aaron BanksNotre DameOG4
97Kellen MondTexas A&MQB7
98Cameron McGroneMichiganLB11
99Tyler ShelvinLSUDL1T1
100James HudsonCincinnatiOT14

2021 NFL Draft Consensus Big Board: 50 lists, one ranking of the top 300 prospects

This is a great list to help us fans ascertain value vs. need as the Bear picks come off the board.
 

playthrough2001

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@playthrough2001 sorry brotha. It's been a busy year for me. I had to take a step back from my normal deep dives. Hopefully I can get back on the saddle next year. My insight is surface level for my standards. Nothing that hasn't already been mentioned in here.

Understandable, it’s been a crazy year. I have always enjoyed your takes and I remember the conviction you had on Shenault last year. I think he will thrive with Lawrence although he does remind me of Patterson when I watch him play.
 

Wild_x_Card

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Understandable, it’s been a crazy year. I have always enjoyed your takes and I remember the conviction you had on Shenault last year. I think he will thrive with Lawrence although he does remind me of Patterson when I watch him play.
100% he has some patterson in his game. But he's a also a much better natural wr.
 

Gustavus Adolphus

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Zero sarcasm.

I am an NFL Draft guy. I've always found it fascinating, and this year is more so than others. We all know that you need (aside from those very few examples) a QB to win in the NFL, and this year you can have up to 5 going in the first round - and that makes it even more fascinating. Look, we all know Lawrence is going #1, and conventional wisdom suggests that Wilson is going #2 to the Jets, but why? Why do so many people assume Wilson over Fields, Jones, and Lance?

Better yet, what happens if the Jets choose one of the other three over Wilson? Did they make a bad pick? Why would they choose (for instance) Trey Lance over Zach Wilson? What did they see in one that they didn't see in the other? That we would be talking about the QB position makes it even more so.

Now go to the Bears. I think/hope they take an OT, but why Darrisaw over Cosmi? Why Cosmi over Darrisaw? They both play the same position. They both have some of the same measurables, so why one over the other? Why invest so much time/money on one person, as opposed to the other? That is something that I will never not find fascinating.

PS, I'll let you in on a dirty little secret:

Whenever I call Pace a racist for drafting Mitch over Watson/Mahomes, I'm just trolling. I don't think that had anything to do with it.
@Midway Nick I notice you put the yawn up for this post. Could you explain why?
 

Bearly

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Said in another thread since OT is so deep and with Fuller gone will not be surprised if it's Newsome at 20 now., would not be upset with Moore but imo that's more of a nice to have than filling an immediate hole.
Could be but LT is never that deep. RT more so.
 

Zvbxrpl

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Zero sarcasm.

I am an NFL Draft guy. I've always found it fascinating, and this year is more so than others. We all know that you need (aside from those very few examples) a QB to win in the NFL, and this year you can have up to 5 going in the first round - and that makes it even more fascinating. Look, we all know Lawrence is going #1, and conventional wisdom suggests that Wilson is going #2 to the Jets, but why? Why do so many people assume Wilson over Fields, Jones, and Lance?

Better yet, what happens if the Jets choose one of the other three over Wilson? Did they make a bad pick? Why would they choose (for instance) Trey Lance over Zach Wilson? What did they see in one that they didn't see in the other? That we would be talking about the QB position makes it even more so.

Now go to the Bears. I think/hope they take an OT, but why Darrisaw over Cosmi? Why Cosmi over Darrisaw? They both play the same position. They both have some of the same measurables, so why one over the other? Why invest so much time/money on one person, as opposed to the other? That is something that I will never not find fascinating.

PS, I'll let you in on a dirty little secret:

Whenever I call Pace a racist for drafting Mitch over Watson/Mahomes, I'm just trolling. I don't think that had anything to do with it.

I used to find the draft utterly fascinating until 'mock draft insanity' where there's a mock draft every day by national/local, unconnected to front office jagoffs who use logic for some but sheer laziness because 32 individual write ups and explanations are tedious when you have a deadline and an editor up your ass. Now I find them to be tedious and useless and wish that the NFL took a page out of the NBA/NHL playbook of having the draft a month right after the championship series/Superbowl because 3ish months after the Superbowl when real college to NFL buzz starts as early as week 2 of college season--its just exhausting.

Its exhausting because its so easy to get sucked in, but when it comes to making sense of things, connecting dots--for some its as simple as "I was able to trade down and get umpteen more picks/trade up without giving up the farm in a mock draft simulator so why can't the bears do it?" when it really isn't that simple. It especially doesn't help that most every NFL team (especially the bears and Ryan Pace) are silent. When an idea is met with silence, no matter how wrong it can be--the idea has plenty of room to grow because pundits do their job of generating the buzz.

People assume Wilson over Fields, Jones, and Lance for the mysterious element. If Wilson comes out last year he's a 6/7th rounder or undrafted. Nobody wants a guy struggling to throw for 2300 yards and 11 TDs with 9 INTs against better collegiate competition. But when he looked good--which he did often in 2020 (albeit against incredibly inferior competition) followed by a pro day where he could show off, he looked like a guy who you could stir the pot with, which is why pundits who need to pump out constant mock drafts love the guy. It's why the Chris Simms' of the world put him as the #1 overall guy ahead of Lawrence. Stir the pot and generate interest/conversation.

I also think Wilson's hype comes from the lack of controversy because as soon as Trevor Lawrence decided to return to Clemson for the 2020 season, he was the consensus #1 pick for this draft. And that's not very sexy. You can't make that pop to people to get them to keep watching or clicking or engaged when they know for the next segment/article you're talking about the same consensus top guy over and over. When everybody knows the answer to the big question--its a letdown and you lose attention. I don't root against him, wouldn't be shocked if the Jets make him #2 but will also not be shocked to see the kid have a big drop-off and be the 4-5th guy taken. People don't want to see that/believe that because some jackass who wasn't good in the league/was the son of a HOF says he's the best. That's where the mind comes in because you can easily convince yourself when you see Wilson at his pro day jogging and slinging gorgeous looking bombs without pads or pressure of a big, fast 250-300 pound LB/DL trying to earhole him. How many board scouts' heads will explode if Wilson falls to 10?

I find how teams invest time/money in a kid to be fascinating as well. I think its window dressing when you see the underwear Olympics--because there's plenty of tape to see how fast a guy really is/how good his technique/hands/feet are as opposed to seeing a guy work out with cameras in a big, empty stadium. That an interview between GM/Coach/Execs and an early 20-something could be the reason a kid who is a bust for team A is a HOF for team B. It's a double-edged sword though, especially when you hear a team lacking due diligence on a guy--whether they knew then ignored something obvious or the kid had skeletons in his closet that were perfectly hidden until they weren't.

/rant
 

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There's too narrow a focus here on perceived need (QB, OT, WR) with regard to the high picks. My interpretation of Pace's track record with his high picks (rds 1-3...) is that he looks to build/sustain the talent base, not fill needs with those picks. He makes his need picks in the mid/late rounds. That being the case, if the Bears stay at 20, I think its at least 50-50 that pick will be on the defensive side. With the 5 QBs, Pitts, the two top-level OTs, and all those WRs likely to go in the top 15, there's going to be some top-level defensive talent available at 20. If Pace likes one of them more than what's available on the offensive side, he'll take the guy.

For those who think, or more accurately hope, that Pace is on the hot seat and therefore will be drafting to save his job, I think you're delusional. Nagy's position probably isn't real secure (taking play-calling away from him in mid-season wasn't much of a vote of confidence...), but George M. is more a continuity guy than a "fire 'em" type.
Your not wrong but we've lacked those 1st round picks and positions like QB and LT tend to only get value in round one so emphasizing that is not wrong think.
 

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I used to find the draft utterly fascinating until 'mock draft insanity' where there's a mock draft every day by national/local, unconnected to front office jagoffs who use logic for some but sheer laziness because 32 individual write ups and explanations are tedious when you have a deadline and an editor up your ass. Now I find them to be tedious and useless and wish that the NFL took a page out of the NBA/NHL playbook of having the draft a month right after the championship series/Superbowl because 3ish months after the Superbowl when real college to NFL buzz starts as early as week 2 of college season--its just exhausting.

Its exhausting because its so easy to get sucked in, but when it comes to making sense of things, connecting dots--for some its as simple as "I was able to trade down and get umpteen more picks/trade up without giving up the farm in a mock draft simulator so why can't the bears do it?" when it really isn't that simple. It especially doesn't help that most every NFL team (especially the bears and Ryan Pace) are silent. When an idea is met with silence, no matter how wrong it can be--the idea has plenty of room to grow because pundits do their job of generating the buzz.

People assume Wilson over Fields, Jones, and Lance for the mysterious element. If Wilson comes out last year he's a 6/7th rounder or undrafted. Nobody wants a guy struggling to throw for 2300 yards and 11 TDs with 9 INTs against better collegiate competition. But when he looked good--which he did often in 2020 (albeit against incredibly inferior competition) followed by a pro day where he could show off, he looked like a guy who you could stir the pot with, which is why pundits who need to pump out constant mock drafts love the guy. It's why the Chris Simms' of the world put him as the #1 overall guy ahead of Lawrence. Stir the pot and generate interest/conversation.

I also think Wilson's hype comes from the lack of controversy because as soon as Trevor Lawrence decided to return to Clemson for the 2020 season, he was the consensus #1 pick for this draft. And that's not very sexy. You can't make that pop to people to get them to keep watching or clicking or engaged when they know for the next segment/article you're talking about the same consensus top guy over and over. When everybody knows the answer to the big question--its a letdown and you lose attention. I don't root against him, wouldn't be shocked if the Jets make him #2 but will also not be shocked to see the kid have a big drop-off and be the 4-5th guy taken. People don't want to see that/believe that because some jackass who wasn't good in the league/was the son of a HOF says he's the best. That's where the mind comes in because you can easily convince yourself when you see Wilson at his pro day jogging and slinging gorgeous looking bombs without pads or pressure of a big, fast 250-300 pound LB/DL trying to earhole him. How many board scouts' heads will explode if Wilson falls to 10?

I find how teams invest time/money in a kid to be fascinating as well. I think its window dressing when you see the underwear Olympics--because there's plenty of tape to see how fast a guy really is/how good his technique/hands/feet are as opposed to seeing a guy work out with cameras in a big, empty stadium. That an interview between GM/Coach/Execs and an early 20-something could be the reason a kid who is a bust for team A is a HOF for team B. It's a double-edged sword though, especially when you hear a team lacking due diligence on a guy--whether they knew then ignored something obvious or the kid had skeletons in his closet that were perfectly hidden until they weren't.

/rant
Hard to find fault with what you are saying here. I posted a link to an article that said the mock draft industry is just a way to generate clicks. Guys like Todd McShay hate doing them, but are obligated to do it based on their contracts.

That's an interesting idea to move the draft up, and I would agree with it. The problem is that the NFL does a fantastic job of making sure their season is the full 12 months, and ESPN and the like are willing to oblige. Moving it up has its benefits: such as giving QBs more time to prepare. (Not for nothing, but I think QBs should not count against the salary cap, but that is a whole other conversation)
 

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