I’ve put together 8 rounds of Britball questions.
Words, Geography, History, Maths (!) and a whole lot more covering all the different facets of the game (Contact/Flag, mens/womens etc).
There is a prize to giveaway. We’ll select at random anyone that subscribes to the channel and puts #eyespeeled in the comments. Any good Quiz team names too we’ll give a prize away.
Enjoy, and well done to anyone that spots a mistake in the anagram round.
By Tim Monk (@Tim_MonkF10Y)
The 2020 NFL Draft has finished, the excitable young rookies have found their new homes and the ripple effects are in full force in the fantasy football world.
What are going to be the biggest headaches through the off-season and maybe throughout your 2020 league seasons? Here are some to just skim the surface and there are plenty more headaches out there that will make up part 2 of this series.
If you have any particular backfield or Wide Receiver room you want me to look at and guide you on, please let me know on Twitter (@Full10Yards).
CeeDee Lamb being drafted in the 1st round of this year’s draft was a jaw-dropper for everyone. He joins studs Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup in Dallas in what looks to be a case of too many mouths to feed. But is it?
The bad news is that there are very few offences ever that have supported 3 WRs in fantasy. The good news is that Dallas had the most yards on offence last year by some distance, almost amassing 7,000 of them, with 4,902 (71%) through the air.
To create a bit more wiggle room, Jason Witten (529), Randall Cobb (828) and a few other small contributors have vacated over 1,500 yards of receiving output so even if Amari Cooper (1189) and Michael Gallup (1107) sustain their high production or get near it, the left over could more than funnel its way to CeeDee Lamb to be able to break the milestone in his first season.
Even if you bring Dak Prescott’s high watermark in passing yards from last season down by 10%, there is still viability that these 3 WR could all achieve 1,000 yard receiving seasons, something we have not seen since the 2008 Arizona Cardinals (Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston) and has only been seen 5 times in the NFL since the merger.
So where’s the problem I hear you ask? Well unfortunately, there are going to be a multiple number of weeks where 1 WR comes to the fore and scores a TD or 2 and hits 100yds, 1 has a mediocre output (say 5 receptions for 76yards) and 1 which takes a backseat (1 catch, 12 yards). THIS is your nightmare! Not being able to predict where the targets are going week to week is what will keep you awake every day of the week.
With the amount of talent in each of those wide receivers, it could be a case of “flavour of the week” every week and for players that you are going to be spending early to mid round picks on, this is not ideal. Amari Cooper will likely be the defacto #1 (at least in 2020) due to his big offseason contract that was signed, making him a $100m receiver. But are you willing to spend a 2nd round redraft pick on him with the headaches that will come attached to it when you have the likes of Kenny Golladay, Cooper Kupp, the Tampa Bay WRs (which we’ll get to shortly) and Keenan Allen?
Michael Gallup, who had an under the radar stellar second year almost seems certain to fight it out with Lamb for the 2nd look. With Lamb being a shiny new toy, you’d expect him to go drafted ahead of Gallup so there could be value in taking Gallup in the mid to later rounds.
All of these guys will have safe floors and you’d expect them to all be low WR2/high WR3 come the end of the season. But on a week to week basis, there’ll likely be more ups and downs than the bigger dipper at Blackpool.
That being said, this definitely a WR core to invest in for your Bestball leagues.
With the exit of Todd Gurley, the question before the draft was whether or not they saw fit to replace their former star RB… the answer was emphatic.
With their first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft at number 52, the Rams selected Cam Akers out of Florida State. Will Cam Akers come in and take the bulk of the load? Probably. But the nightmare here is the decision to hold either or both of the handcuffs as it could possibly be burning holes in your benches, especially in shallower leagues.
Dynasty leagues with bigger benches, you can probably get away with holding Malcolm Brown, but what if Henderson makes a 2nd year leap? What if it turns into a hot hand approach or a nasty 3 headed monster in the backfield?
For the Akers’ truthers, they’ll point to his tape behind a poor O-line in college and still managing to achieve 5ypc along with the fact that McVay and the coaching staff already knew what they had in Henderson and Brown, yet still decided to use their first pick in the draft on him.
However, the poor offensive line play from the Rams recently supercedes all of these backfield quandaries. If you have poor offensive line play to the tune of being ranked 31st in 2019 by PFF, it doesn’t matter how good your running back is or the volume he gets, the ceiling is already capped.
Do you want to be wasting a 1st round rookie draft pick on a guy that could be in a 3 way time share. Akers should get goal-line work which gives you a bit of hope that he’ll perform adequately in fantasy, but why give yourself the headache?
Tight Ends aren’t the most exciting of positions at the best of times, but to take the 2019 TE6 and usually reliable fantasy option Austin Hooper and slotting him into the Browns means that we potentially have 2 to choose from.
David Njoku has not pulled up any trees since joining the league and was injured for the majority of last season. THe nightmare here is primarily for Austin Hooper owners. Tight Ends generally take a few years to acclimatise to the NFL before any production is seen. David Njoku is now looking to hit that sweet spot and break out entering his 4th year and has had his 5th year option exercised by the Browns. Clearly the Browns plan to do something with him. Kevin Stefanski, the new Browns HC even had this to say:
“I think there’s an obvious skill set there. It’s a big year for David, and a lot of that is gonna be up to him and the work that he puts in to this. We have big plans for him, but it’s about for him coming back in the building and working. And then ultimately seeing if we can utilize him in role that will take advantage of his skill set.”
Kevin Stefanski – at the NFL Combine.
These two are going to be far from the Gronk/Hernandez pairing from yesteryear so that leaves you with the headache of which one (if any) could post usable fantasy points at any given week.
You need to weigh up whether Stefanski’s words about Njoku or the actions of signing Austin Hooper to a 4 year, $44m dollar deal are worth following up on.
Of all running back conundrums, the Miami one is certainly the one that most warrants pulling your hair out over.
They signed Jordan Howard in Free Agency to a deal and then went and traded for Matt Breida during the NFL draft for a 5th round pick.
Since 2016, Howard has the third-most rushing yards and seventh-most rushing touchdowns in the NFL. Howard’s consistent touchdown production makes him one of just five players to rush for at least six scores in each the past four seasons, yet he finds himself on his 3rd team in 5 years.
During his three-year career, Breida averages an even five-yards-per-pop and he’s scored 10 touchdowns and compiled 2,463 yards from scrimmage on just 448 touches (381 carries and 67 receptions).
In summary, Matt Breida seems to at most be the 1b here as a 5th round pick investment doesn’t say too much that he’ll come in an get the lions share. Most will be surprised that the Dolphins didn’t invest in this years draft directly for a running back, and that says to me they are more than happy to roll with Howard for the most part in what could be a a lightning and thunder approach. Jordan Howard getting early down work and Breida getting the pass catching duties (though both are sufficient at either) and a mixture at the goal line.
What this means to your fantasy teams is that they are at best, week to week flex plays. Trying to decipher who will be better in positive or negative gamescripts can help, but its not going to be that simple with these two newly acquired backs. Add in a sprinkle of Patrick Laird and my friends, you have a nightmare.
Time to look at another muddling wide receiver core. This time we take a look at the Texans. We don’t need to reopen the DeAndre Hopkins wounds for Texans fans but as we are all too aware, he packed his bags for Arizona.
The replacements? Randall Cobb and Brandin Cooks through Free Agency/Trades and Isaiah Coulter in the draft. Add these to Will Fuller and Kenny Stills and you have a mess bigger than the M25 at rush hour.
This wide receiving core may end up sorting itself out as most of these players have been dogged with injuries. Will Fuller would kill for working hamstrings and Brandin Cooks has had multiple major concussions that his alarm bells ring 24/7. But drafting these guys prior to season start or trading for them at any time will come with the compulsory crossing of fingers.
Let’s look at investments of the players brought in;
Brandin Cooks was traded to the Houston Texans for the 57th pick in the NFL draft, not quite the previous 1st rounders when traded to the Patriots and Rams but you have to say he could be the equivalent of Soccer’s Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink or Nicholas Anelka in terms of the amount of investment paid for a player. Considering the lack of draft capital the Texans had and currently have going forward, this is a big indication to me that DeShaun Watson and Brandin Cooks will be a constant sentence in 2020 (injuries aside).
Randall Cobb was given a 3 year $27m (almost $19m guaranteed) deal to move him just down the road from Dallas to Houston. Kudos to Randall’s agent on that one. I am reliably informed that the Houston Texan’s offence will suit Randall Cobb and could be a sneaky key contributor to this offence. So I’m all for it in the last round of PPR leagues, maybe a bit of bestball too. However, he himself has had injuries over his 10 year career in the NFL, so beware.
Talking of Bestball, that is where Will Fuller’s safest purchase can be found. He isn’t worth trying to figure out or rely on week to week and I don’t think he ever has. The former 1st round pick back in 2016 is an unrestricted free agent in 2021 and is currently in his exercised 5th year option. You have to wonder if BO’B let’s Fuller walk, especially with Houston’s lack of draft capital.
Kenny Stills isn’t going to trouble leagues unless it’s a deeper bench or unless the aformentioned teammates hit the treatment table.
Isaiah Coulter is highly thought of here at Full10Yards HQ and the 171st overall pick in the NFL Draft from this year is yet another piece of the cake that has too many ingredients in.
All in all, I would only consider Brandin Cooks if in the mid to late rounds of draft. There will be plenty that will have written him off. Randall Cobb as a late round dart in PPR redraft leagues and Will Fuller in the alter rounds of Bestball. If you pivot these players into formats other than those listed, welcome to nightmare heaven.
How things can look different after 12 months. This time last year, Bruce Arains was taking over at the helm, everyone was getting excited about an OJ Howard breakout and Jameis Winston was looking primed for a big season in a contract year.
Fast forward 365 days and we now have a new QB (Free Agency), new RB (draft) and a new TE (out of retirement) to add to the mix.
Tom Brady doesn’t strike many as a guy who can support 2x 1,000 wide receivers, mainly because he was devoid of any talent on the outside for so long in New England and became the dink and dunk master. Is that what Tampa Tom Brady looks like? TB12 will be 43 when the season (eventually) rolls around. Does he still have the arm? Possibly not. Does he still have the skill? Absolutely. Tom Brady will walk into Raymond James stadium and the player’s locker room and not know what to do with all the weapons at his disposal.
For fantasy, there is the potential headache of not knowing what the change at QB means for Chris Godwin and Mike Evans. Change generally means a dip in production in first year whilst you allow for the new player to acclimatise. Tom Brady will be no different, especially with the pandemic threatening to curtail the offseason workouts and building any chemistry.
Added to the mix of hungry hippos chomping at the bit for targets, we have 3 Tight Ends. We all know the history of Gronk and Brady and we all know the history of how much Brady loves tight ends. But was that as a consequence of a lack of outside talent? What will Tom Brady’s tendencies be in this new Bruce Arians offence – a typical vertical type offence. Does Brady still have the arm for it?
If the answer to that question is no, Mike Evans could be the guy that ends up disappointing those taking him with a 2nd round fantasy draft pick. Godwin’s versatility should see him be as safe as last year.
Another factor we must bear in mind is the decision making change at the quarterback decision. For all the intereceptions Jameis threw, he made up for it with the yardage and touchdowns afterwards whilst in comeback mode. You wont have that dynamic anymore in Tampa Bay, which will directly impact possessions and total yardage through the air. Couple that with the fact that the defence should be a bit better than it was last year (through talent but also probably having to spend less time on the field thus, being a bit fresher and not as worn down and ultimately should not concede as many points).
The nightmare was there for all to see last year with Godwin and Evans generally taking it turns to post big games with the other being taken out of the game, epitomised by only one game where both scored touchdowns.
The headache remains for 2020 and we no longer have gunslinger and interception thrower Jameis Winston to bail us out. Pass me the aspirin.
BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE!
Not only do we have pass catching nightmares, we potentially also have rock carrying ones too.
Tampa Bay invested a 3rd round pick/#76 overall in Ke’Shawn Vaughn, running back out of Vanderbilt. He comes in to do battle with Ronald Jones, the much maligned 2nd round/38th overall pick in the 2018 draft.
So what’s the outcome?
One factor to key in on here is Tom Brady’s love of dump offs to the running back. This is one of the main reasons why James White, Rex Burkhead, Dion Lewis, Shane Vereen, Danny Woodhead, Kevin Faulk (the list goes on) are given more love in the fantasy world and are so undervalued in real life by fans.
In Tampa, considering the investments, this screams time share. Whilst Vaughn is more competent at the pass blocking which gives him a good opportunity to ciphen work away from Jones even from week 1 , Jones is still learning and is improving as his career and skill sets evolve. I think both with be flex worthy players during the season, but again may be one for bestballs rather than you redraft/dynasty leagues. Vaughn kind of fits the Arians/David Johnson mould of someone that can be a 3 down back but due to his exposure going to Tampa, everyone wants a piece and it’s not a piece I am looking to overpay for. He isn’t going to be peak David Johnson, before any starts to put those two dots together.
Still, there is one silver lining: at least we don’t have Peyton Barber to worry about – probably the only Barber that won’t be in demand after Covid19 is over.
What are your fantasy nightmares for 2020? Let us know through our social media @F10YFantasy and we’ll be happy to help solve them! Watch out for part 2 over the next few weeks.
By Tim Monk (@Tim_MonkF10Y)
Here we are then, everyone. We made it (and well done to you for doing so!). A final mock draft means that the real thing is just around the corner. A 2 round mock from yours truly to whet the appetite ahead of the big few days in a world where we are thirsty for anything sport related (how about that marble racing!?).
I don’t know how excited you can get at being able to see inside Roger Godell’s house, but it’s happening, get over it (on a side note, if he dubs in to the broadcast a chorus of boos, he’ll instantly turn from heel to a face WWE style). Let’s see in which order the names will be announced with regards to how I see it playing out come Thursday.
Let me know your thoughts, are you happy with your team’s selections. Make sure you check out some of our other mock drafts by our other talented writers, with the link on the homepage and don’t forget to get involved with our prediction competition!
Obvious and everything that needs to be said has been. So let’s move swiftly on.
Yes, Washington have decent defensive line presence and yes they have put some feelers out for people that may want the pick to come and take a QB, but no-one is on the other end making the call so Washington stick here and pick the monster that is Chase Young.
Corner is a big need for Detroit and Okudah is by far the best CB in the draft. First 3 picks are simple. Do Detroit trade back here? I think they would like to trade back with Miam, but Miami know that their trading rivals wouldn’t dare poke the bear so nothing happens here.
Gettleman uses all his bits of stacked paper to etch the name Wirfs on his draft selection card (are those still going to be written on this year?). Giants don’t trade during the draft and another option could be Simmons, but protecting Danny Dimes should be the focus with this pick.
First big pivotal point for this mock draft and the Dolphins take Too. Would seem to be a waste of all that tanking and not get the guy you were being touted for for almost 12 months! Even better, they let him fall in to their lap.
After one pivotal selection, this one will be the same come draft night. Do the Chargers take Herbert? Well, as you can see…no. They take another piece to add to what could be a top 3 defence in 2020.
I would fully expect Panthers GM David Tepper to field calls for this pick and could get a lovely haul for it too should Herbert fall here. But the slide continues for the Oregon QB and Carolina add a cinder block to their defensive line. Are they tanking? Are they not? who knows, but this defence could be bottom 3 bad in 2020.
I do not expect Arizona to field calls for this selection as their offensive line has been a wreck for longer than the Titanic. They pretty much get their pick of the litter here and take the half man, half monster in Becton. Coming from Louisville, he could probably pass off his helmet for a Cardinals one. There’s a couple of hundred dollars saved.
Trade w/ JAX – TB sends #14, 45, 2021 2nd
We all know how much New England Tom liked offensive lineman. Tampa Tom is no different. Bruce Arians and co signal their intent by grabbing possibly the best lineman in the class, to add to a offensive line the ranked inside the top 10 according to PFF in 2019, giving all that time for Winston to…erm..yeah.
I do get a sneaky suspicion that the Browns could trade back here and allow the WR party to get started. However, as the offensive lineman are starting to come off the board, the Browns may not get one if they go back to 12 or 15 so they pick the last of the big 4 lineman to help Baker Mayfield.
Trade w/ NYJ – DEN sends #15, #77, 2021 2nd
Similar comments for the Jets apply here with regards to O-lineman. This shows how pivotal it is for the Jets that Justin Herbert, still available here, goes inside the top 10 as it would allow them to get the last of the OL. However, they don’t so decide to accumulate a few more picks. Denver trade up to get the first stab at the WR and take CeeDee Lamb to partner Courtland Sutton in an offence I have high hopes for in 2020.
The Raiders may think at this point that they can chance their arm at WR because if the Jets wanted one, they would’ve stayed at pick 11. So Las Vegas’s first pick is CJ Henderson to help bolster a defence that started to turn a corner towards the back half of last year.
As a direct replacement for DeForest Buckner who they traded to the Colts, they pick man mountain Kinlaw and he’ll slot right in at home and that ferocious D-Line will be just as mean in 2020.
From Tampa Bay
Don’t be surprised to see Jacksonville have THREE first round picks in this draft, getting the additional one by way of trading Yannick Ngakoue or Leonard Fournette. Josh Dobbs should not be anywhere near 2nd on a depth chart. The Jags get some actual competition for Minshew. Yes, the Jags like him now, but wait ’til he stinks it up in the first 6 weeks of the season, the team in disarray. Mark my words, the Jags come out with a top 4 or 5 QB from this draft. It’s Herbert in this one falling to them.
Pick from Denver
The Jets get someone at 15, who they could have taken at 11. That is #Value. A big name to replace Robby Anderson in the WR and immediately comes in as their number 1. Now they just need to keep Darnold upright to do make into something useful.
In the running for “most obvious pick to come true” betting without Joe Burrow and Chase Young, this surely has to be it. Tak McKinley and Vic Beasley have not lived up to the hype so Atlanta reload the gun and add another bullet to the chamber.
I REALLY want Dallas to take Xavier McKinney here, but the signing of HaHa Clinton-Dix makes me feel like they’ll address safety later, possibly in the second round.
Miami add a lineman to protect their new star QB with the 2nd of their 2 1st rounders. After splashing a lot on defence through Free Agency, expect the Dolphins to maybe use all 3 picks in the first round on the offensive side of the ball.
Vegas get away with it a little bit with still having Ruggs on the board, who could have possibly gone before this pick. Only Hunter Renfrow from the wide receivers covered himself in any glory and Say Jones isn’t the answer to any question.
A really versatile piece in the Jags new look defence as they take the safety that can do pretty much everything from make plays in the back but also come up into the box. Guy loves a tackle. Don’t rule out a WR in the first round after the release of Marqise Lee, but it’s likely a position to address in the later rounds
Philly probably won’t be as aggressive as they usually are due to hearing that they want to take care of their picks this year, luckily the number 4 WR lands here. Dustmen were lining up for the Eagles last year and still were able to make the playoffs, Jefferson will be a great tool for Pederson and Wentz.
It’ll be interesting to find out whether the Vikings use either of their first round picks to draft a replacement for Stefon Diggs. Seeing as though 4 WR are off the board, a 5th here could be a bit of a waste so instead they retool their defence after a mass exodus during Free Agency.
You are seeing this right and it isn’t due to a trade but the Patriots select from 23 this year. They use that pick to add Ezra Cleveland. On a side note, don’t be surprised to see Joe Thuney offered to the masses during the draft after they placed the Franchise Tag on him.
Not too many positions of need for the Saints and they are not cap healthy either so don’t expect any trading up like they did for Marcus Davenport a few years ago. A solid player here falling to #24.
Trade w/ MIN (BAL sends #28, #92, #106)
Baltimore got steamrolled by Derrick Henry in the Divisional round in 2019, Patrick Queen will help ensure they do not suffer a repeat. With the offence on fire, Baltimore take a defensive player with their picks and move up a few spots at the cost of a 3rd and 4th.
Miami were awful last year at getting pressure and getting sacks. Gross-Matos will come in and help right away.
Trade w/ SEA (IND sends #44, #75, 2021 2nd
Chris Ballard is usually quite conservative with his draft picks. However, Jordan Love is still here and Philip Rivers is on a 1 year deal. Love would be perfect to sit behind Rivers for a year and take over the mantle for a team still counting the cost of Andrew Luck’s retirement.
Minnesota are next on the clock at #58 so unless they can move back a tiny bit once more, it’s likely that the cream of the WR crop has well and truly vanished. So here they take Reagor to replace Diggs.
Titans said goodbye to Conklin, which was a grave error in my opinion. However, they try to rectify that huge loss by selecting a replacement here.
Green Bay have probably lost patience with their wide receivers not named Davantae Adams. They try once again with a bit more heavy investment and take Shenault who is going to be exciting to watch if Rodgers can find anything next year.
I fully expect the 49ers to trade back here to a CB needy team, but they need one themselves and they address 2 of the few holes they have on defence with both 1st round picks. Richard Sherman has to retire one day…
There is no love for the running backs these days. Kansas again could trade back a few spots and acquire some more draft capital but it would be also very fun to see Swift in an Andy Reid offence.
33. CIN – Denzel Mims WR
34. IND – Tee Higgins WR
35. DET – AJ Epenesa EDGE
36. NYG – Zack Baun EDGE
37. SEA – Cesar Ruiz IOL (Trade with LAC, SEA sends #44, #75, #133)
38. CAR – Damon Arnette CB
39. MIA – KJ Hamler WR
40. HOU – Julian Okwara EDGE
41. CLE – Joshua Uche EDGE
42. JAX – AJ Terrell CB
43. CHI – Trevon Diggs CB
44. LAC – Isaiah Wilson OL (From IND, SEA)
45. JAX – Ross Blacklock DT (From TB)
46. DEN – Bryce Hall CB
47. ATL – Jonathan Taylor RB
48. NYJ – Lucas Niang OL
49. PIT – Neville Gallimore DT
50. CHI – Ashtyn Davis S
51. DAL – Kyle Dugger S
52. LAR – Terrell Lewis EDGE
53. PHI – Jaylon Johnson CB
54. BUF – Curtis Weaver EDGE
55. BAL – JK Dobbins RB
56. MIA – Antione Winfield Jr S
57. LAR – Jordyn Brooks LB
58. MIN – Justin Madubuike IDL
59. SEA – Prince Tega Wanogho OL
60. BAL – Grant Delpit S
61. CLE – K’Von Wallace CB (CLE Sends #74, 97)
62. GB – Cole Kmet TE
63. KC – Jeremy Chinn S
64. LV – Brandon Aiyuk WR (LV Sends #81, #91)
Next up on our tour of the UK American Football scene, we head way up north to Aberdeen and their offensive co-ordinator. Dont forget to check out our interview with the Manchester Titans here and a whole host of podcasts over on apple podcasts/spotify. If you would be so fabulous and subscribe to our pod and leave a 5 star review, that would make our day.
On with the interview…
Name and Role: Matthew Watt – Offensive Coordinator
How long have you been with the team: 2 and a half years
How did you first get into American Football and what made you go in to coaching:
I started watching American football in 2003 when on holiday in America, with a Sunday night football game. I would watch on tv in the UK periodically over the next few years when I then started watching religiously as I got more into it. I’d always enjoyed the schematics of the game, and after a brief playing career in my university days I decided to message the team to see where I could fit in with the current coaching staff.
How would you describe the teams play style, do you have a particular way of playing and what does your team try and achieve:
Our style on both sides of the ball tends to follow a more modern style of play with a scheme made to suit the talents of our roster. Offensively we follow utilise mainly spread and air raid concepts in tandem with zone running, with consideration of our speed and agility. This coming season was due to see some new players and coaches come in to employ new ideas and play styles and we felt that we would have a great deal of success scoring points and keeping defences off balance.
Give us a quick reminder of how the team got on last season and what your or the team learned:
We ended 2019 in 3rd place of Division 1 North with a 4-6 record and it was certainly a bittersweet year. The Roughnecks clearly showed they were capable of the level of play of the division however some loses were certainly within grasp and the team hopes to continue to progress and challenge the top teams in the division.
Obviously the offseason has been disrupted, but did you manage to conduct any offseason training/rookie days (and how important are the rookie days in your view?):
Yes absolutely, we were very much in the final stages of preparation for our last preseason scrimmage and were running through the game plan for game 1 of the season before the unfortunate suspension of all activities. Rookie days are hugely vital to all teams and the sport of American football in the UK in order to keep introducing more people to the sport whether it be playing or coaching. It’s an immensely tough sport to learn so we always want to get new guys in and given as much experience as possible before playing games. We have been lucky over the past couple of years to have rookies come in and contribute for the team and continue to get better in their respective roles.
What other teams (Flag/Youth) do you have as part of the setup?
The Roughnecks are in the process of building up a youth and junior team and have had great success in building up numbers there.
What has been advised to the players to help them try and stay as well conditioned as possible considering the current pandemic?
As things stand, we’re not asking too much of the players, but we have plans in place to get started at a moments notice should we be lucky enough to get the go ahead. For now, the team is encouraged to ensure they are watching film and processing play designs as necessary.
Do you think we will see any Britball football this season and would you settle for a shortened/more compact season (i.e play each team once, less gaps between games):
I think it’s looking highly unlikely we get any competitive football as we know it this year due the worldwide situation, which is extremely unfortunate. I absolutely believe that the sport in the UK needs to have some form of games this year, I know our team have been working exceptionally hard and it would be crushing to be unable to do anything until 2021. In terms of a compacted season, I do think this could work, and there’s been ideas thrown around, although I imagine there’d be complications in working such things if promotions and relegations were factored in.
Who would win in a tug of war between your Oline and all the defence?
It would be close, but I’d have to go for the O Line this year…
Favourite/least favourite training ground drill?
I’m a big fan of any run fits or running back drills where I’m allowed to strip the ball. Preseason 1v1 drills across the team are always exciting as well.
Which player (or player position group) is most likely to forget their gumshield?
Wide receivers for sure
Which player (or player position group) is most like to sleep on an away game?
I think the unanimous answer for the Roughnecks is #4 Stu Don
Which player (or player position group) think they are in the NFL?
Again, definitely the Wide Receivers…
In support of our BRITBALL WEEK podcasts, we have gotten in touch with a few people from different teams in order for us to know a bit more about the Britball community. We will have a series of written interviews over the coming week or so to ease up on the podcast overload!
First up we have Luke Carlton, the offensive co-ordinator for the Manchester Titans Adult contact team (Twitter/Instagram – @ljacarlton).
How long have you been with the team:
This would be my fourth season as Offensive Coordinator for the Adult Contact team, but I spent four years playing for the junior and youth teams.
How did you first get into American Football and what made you go in to coaching:
First got into American Football after being bored of playing Soccer and Rugby. Was off school ill for a few days when I was 14 and started playing my brother’s copy of ESPN NFL 2K5. Soon after, some friends at school started bringing in a football to throw around and we got playing games in the playground. Two friends and I decided to go down to the Titans in early 2008 and I’ve been infatuated with the game ever since.
On the coaching side, I was never injury prone until I got to American Football. I fractured, dislocated and chipped off part of my throwing shoulder in my first pre-season game at 11-a-side in 2010. Then came back the next year and tore my ACL and MCL in the third game of the next season in 2011. So, played four games, completed two, season ending injuries in the others. I took that as a sign that maybe I shouldn’t be playing anymore, so I got into coaching when I went off to the University of Central Lancashire a few months later in 2011, who were just in the process of setting up a team.
How would you describe the teams play style, do you have a particular way of playing and what does your team try and achieve:
We’re not a huge team in size, so our offensive hallmark is Space and Pace. We want to exploit space as fast as possible and manipulate you into covering the entire width of the pitch. We’re a calculated team, we’re never without a plan and we’re always working to take what’s available. I personally feel as though we do a great job of understanding what players can bring what to the table and work with their strengths.
Our defense does a great job of being opportunistic – they set up a plan to take away what you want to do most and force you into your plan B. As a team, we really don’t try to be something we’re not.
As for what we try to achieve – we try to play entertaining football. It sounds cliché, but for us, it’s important to put on a show and be fun to watch from the side-line. We want to bring ideas and styles to Britball that aren’t straight from the cookie cutter and allows our players to be creative. A Manchester Titans game shouldn’t look like any other game in the UK.
Give us a quick reminder of how the team got on last season and what your or the team learned:
We went 7-3 in the Premiership North for our second season in a row, with our three losses coming away to Merseyside and Edinburgh, and at home to Tamworth. Despite what we were able to accomplish, we all came away from the season feeling as though we could and probably should have come away with more, with only ourselves to blame. It felt as though in 2018, we had more to prove than we did last year. We maybe struggled to adapt to being the team with a target on their backs.
However, in the grand scheme of things, it was a successful season for us. We were able to assert ourselves once again as a playoff team in the Premiership North and beat each team in the North at least once, which is something nobody outside of the Phoenix can say they’ve done in recent years. We’ve seen our youth and Flag teams in the organisation consistently be near the top of the pile and now it finally is starting to feel as though our Adult Contact team is up there with them.
Obviously the offseason has been disrupted, but did you manage to conduct any offseason training/rookie days (and how important are the rookie days in your view?):
We’d been training since the first weekend of January all the way up until the order from BAFA came in. So we’d been training twice a week working towards a training camp that was due to take place from April 3rd-5th and our opening game taking place on April 19th.
Rookie days are massively important for us. It gives us an opportunity to fill out our roster and evaluate incoming players who are eager to impress and develop. It also allows us to continue to add to our Bee Team, which gives players who might not be able to immediately contribute at a Premiership Playoff level a chance to develop and not slip through the net. We began to realise that for where we are as a team, we need to do a better job of retaining those players within the organisation and it’s been great to see the Bee Team begin to set up and really flourish.
What other teams (Flag/Youth) do you have as part of the setup?
Oh boy, where to start! We’ve got:
– Adult Contact A Team
– Adult Contact Bee Team
– Adult Flag A Team
– Adult Flag B Team
– Women’s Contact team
– Women’s Flag Team
– U19s Contact team
– U17s North Contact team
– U17s South Contact team
– U17s Flag team
– U12s Flag team.
It’s probably the part of the organisation I’m most proud of – being able to consistently offer American Football to so many people in North West.
What has been advised to the players to help them try and stay as well conditioned as possible considering the current pandemic?
We’re just telling them to not be idiots and follow instructions laid out by the government. While Football is important, there are more important things happening in the world that take precedent over it right now. We’ve got a few Personal Trainers in the team so one of our players (shout out Cade Makin) has put together a training programme for our guys who are interested. Other people like Sam Fossey is uploading videos of different home workouts to try. Outside of that, our hands are really tied. We can’t set the timeline for this, only the virus can. Once we understand when we’ll be back, we’ll start discussing what we need from our players.
Do you think we will see any Britball football this season and would you settle for a shortened/more compact season (i.e play each team once, less gaps between games):
I’d be surprised. Given the game plan from the government seems to be to time the peak for the Summer, it’ll be a struggle to give teams the appropriate amount of preparation time to safely be ready for the start of a season. Throw in the logistical issues of ensuring grounds and venues can be booked on certain weekends and then you’ve got to take into account the limited amount of refereeing crews, I think it’ll be a logistical nightmare to be able to get anything official off the ground. If I had to guess something, I think it’d be on teams to arrange friendlies and joint scrimmage days against other teams for Football to go ahead this season.
Quickfire:
Who would win in a tug of war between your O-Line and all the defence?
I’m never going to bet against my O-Line. Sorry, D!
Favourite/least favourite training ground drill?
Favourite – Run Skelly. It’s nasty, physical, realistic and it’s so much fun throwing in a play action and we get to call out linebackers for assuming it’s a run.
Least Favourite – Any drill where the defense knows what the play is/where it’s going before the ball is even snapped. It’s not realistic and there are creative ways around it to ensure the defense can practice reaction and swarm.
Which player (or player position group) is most likely to forget their gumshield?
Wide Receivers. I won’t name names, but they know who they are.
Which player (or player position group) is most like to sleep on an away game?
Defensive Backs.
Which player (or player position group) think they are in the NFL?
Defensive Line.
By Tim Monk (@Tim_MonkF10Y)
The picture is now a bit clearer after teams have made some moves in Free Agency. But how does that shake up the draft board? Let’s have a look at the movers and shakers.
I have not done any trades for this one just so that you can see the effect Free Agency has had on the first round as it stands. I will do my final 3.0 mock draft with trades the week of the draft. Happy to be shouted at over on Twitter @Tim_MonkF10Y, but I’d be happier if you told me your opinions on your teams pick as a rebuttle rather than a shouting match!
Enjoy!
#1 – Joe Burrow – QB
Let’s not get too crazy right out of the gate, Joe Burrow is a 1/100 shot currently with bookmakers to go 1st overall. AJ Green will be back this year giving another reason for Burrow to not pull a fast one and try to get away.
#2 – Chase Young – DE
Again, not getting too creative here at 2 and the Redskins get a monster who’ll make his presence felt as soon as he walks through the door as the edge rusher from Ohio State lands in the Nation’s capital. Ron Rivera must weigh up whether or not he wants a stud here or pick up depth and trade back. Considering the impact Bosa had on the 49ers last year, you have to think Rivera will try to follow suit.
#3 – Jeffrey Okudah – CB
Detroit hold firm here and take Okudah. This especially makes sense now that Darius Slay has packed his bags for Philadelphia. Okudah comes in a saves the Lions some Cap space, whilst potentially not having much of a drop off in terms of production. Similar to Washington, Patricia and co. must weigh up whether they want to take a phone call from another team and try and pick up extra picks and move back a couple of spots and still have the potential to get the same guy.
#4 – Tristan Wirfs – OL
The Giants don’t trade in the draft and they stick to type here. Plenty of holes for Big Blue and whilst Okudah would have been nice for them to have fall in their laps, they take an Offensive lineman in Wirfs who had a stellar combine and gets the hype you need to go in the top 5 of drafts.
#5 – Tua Tagaviola – QB
No trades in the top 5. Surprising? Possibly, but this draft’s dominoes fall perfectly for Miami with the Chargers not moving ahead to sniper Miami, Tua Tagaviola and the #TankforTua works out perfectly.
#6 – Justin Herbert – QB
The Chargers take their shot at QB in Oregon QB Justin Herbert. He’s raw, and a project and the Chargers certainly wont want to be starting him until the latter parts of the 2020 season at the earliest! There are scenarios where I see them trade out of this spot as they acquire their QB in free agency (maybe Cam Newton?) but we’ll leave that until we have a bit more clarity. For now, Herbert is their guy.
#7 – Isaiah Simmons – LB
Lots of holes appearing in the Panthers roster. James Bradberry has moved the New York and had Luke Kuechly retiring. They get to draft the replacement for the latter here and Simmons is a an absolute must here for the Panthers, who are clearly in rebuild mode could trade back if they find a suitor.
#8 – CeeDee Lamb – WR
Arizona’s HC Kliff Kingsbury loves 3 and 4 WR sets. Imagine Hopkins, Kirk, Fitz and Lamb on the field! Yeah, good luck defending that. Whilst defence is more of a need after signing Nuk in FA, I just want to put that Murray had a little Lamb.
#9 – Derrick Brown – DT
The Jaguars were one of the worst against the run in 2019. How to fix that? Stick in Derrick Brown. Javon Kinlaw was another option.
#10 – Mekhi Becton – OT
I will be stunned if the Browns look this gift horse in the mouth. Plenty of tackle options for the Browns in this prime spot, Becton is an absolute monster of a man. He’s a freak of nature who moves unbelievably well for a man that is 6 foot 7 and 350+ lbs. Whilst he wont be as effective as some of the other tackles from day 1, a few years down the line, he could be one of the best around. A key piece for Baker’s resurgence as he enters his 3rd year. Better yet, he only has to the take the I-71 north and it’ll lead him right there.
#11 – Jedrick Wills – OL
The most sensible option here for the Jets would be to take a offensive lineman to help protect Sam Darnold. As Jedrick Wills is still on the board and seemingly a great fit, the Jets take an offsenive lineman, to the dismay of Jets fans wanting a WR. Sam Darnold was pressured a lot last season and he needs to be able to feel comfortable with his line to eradicate poor decisions and ultimately interceptions. As the WR is ridiculously deep, look for the Jets to grab a WR in round 2 and/or maybe 3. Having Crowder, Perriman and Enunwa as your wideouts is not desireable.
#12 – Jerry Jeudy – WR
The Alabama WR heads to Sin City to be their star attraction. Jeudy is great at separation and garnering yards after the catch, something Derek Carr will love and it will give a helping hand to Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller after the Antonio Brown experiment failed catastrophically last year. Feel free to interchange this name with CeeDee Lamb as I undoubtedly will do as I get through more iterations of mock drafts.
#13 – Andrew Thomas – OT
*TRADE: SF trades DeForest Buckner for #13*
With the 49ers not having many middle round picks, you have to feel that they either trade back here or trade their #31 overall. That being said, you could also see a scenario where they trade up with the Jets to get the WR they want. However, Joe Staley is 35 years young and a replacement wil be needed. Andrew Thomas was a 3 year starter in Georgia and can slot in whenever the time comes.
#14 – Kristian Fulton – CB
Tampa Bay and Tom Brady wouldn’t have appreciated the pick previous, especially as Bruce Arians has apparently “spent a lot of time this year on the offensive line”, therefore have to switch to plan B. With Suh back for another year and JPP tied up to a new contract, look for the back end to be addressed here with the CB from LSU.
#15 – Henry Ruggs – WR
Difficult to pinpoint exactly what Denver want to do here. It must be refreshing that the QB talk (for now) has dissipated and in this mock, they give current QB Drew lock and his main guy Courtland Sutton a huge helping hand. Lock could do with someone opposite Sutton and both could prosper. There are a few holes for Denver to fill including O-Line and CB/LB but hey, WR are more sexy to mock aren’t they!?
#16 – K’Lavon Chaisson – EDGE
The Falcons let Vic Beasley go in Free Agencty. His replacement? Enter the man with a name perfect for an edge rusher almost so perfect, it’s a shame Chase Young is in this draft class. The LSU pass rusher is an explosive guy off the edge and should slip in quite nicely here in Atlanta.
#17 – CJ Henderson – CB
Safety is a position Jason Garrett avoided like the plague. But judging by some of the deals they have made throughout the offseason, it’s likely that the’ll seek a replacement for Jones with this pick, rather than go safety. They get a bit of a steal with the 2nd best CB in the class with play making ability, something Dallas needs in its defensive ranks.
#18 – Xavier McKinney – S
This is the Minkah Fitzpatrick pick that the Steelers sent over. Teams love to draft players of the same position so that they can directly see who will win the trade. Dolphins need a lot of help on defence and this is one of the final pieces after an expensive Free Agency shopping trip.
#19 – Trevon Diggs – CB
Marcus Mariota seems to be the guy that will do battle with Derek Carr this offseason, therefore we need to look elsewhere for the Raiders. Here we go for Trevon Diggs, CB out of Alabama. Jon Gruden loves picking from the big teams and his first 3 picks in 2019 either came from Clemson or Alabama. I expect him to follow suit here with Jeudy going earlier in the round.
#20 – Jordan Love- QB
The Jags are in disarray and have pretty much tried to have a firesale. After shipping out Nick Foles, The Jags bring in Love to compete with Minshew. With the Jags clearly not in win now mode, Love can sit for a year behind Minshew as they try and sort themselves out from the big mess they find themselves in. Doug Marrone is somehow still on a leash and he can extend that by being able to play the Rookie QB card at anytime. Whilst they are happy with Minshew for the moment, the Jags know he wont be the answer.
#21 – Justin Jefferson – WR
Philadelphia showed their hand in Free Agency that they will probably take a WR with this pick after signing Darius Slay in Free Agency. With Lamb, Jeudy and Ruggs off the board (to their dismay) off the board, they pick up Jefferson.
#22 – Javon Kinlaw – DT
*TRADE: MIN sends Stefon Diggs for #22*
The Vikings need to reload on defence. They start here by getting one of the best, if not the best interior defensive line pass rusher in the class. Can also see Minnesota go WR here, but considering the arrial of Tajae Sharpe and the tendencies to run the ball, they’ll pick a WR up in the later rounds.
#23 – Grant Delpit – S
Grant Delpit falls all the way to 23 here into the arms of a welcoming Bill Belichick. Whilst WR probably makes more sense here, Tom Brady is no longer slinging the rock. Is it possible they’ll be #TankingForTrevor?
#24 – Jeff Gladney – CB
WR is probably off the board here considering the signing of Emmanuel Sanders in Free Agency. Corner is in need of a bolster so Jeff Gladney goes to the saints here and could be a long term starter.
#25 – Kenneth Murray – LB
Murray drops to #25 in this mock the athletic LB from Oklahoma is a sideline to sideline guy and would add a lot of speed to this defence that is in refurb mode.
#26 – Cesar Ruiz – OL
The Dolphins have taken their QB, now they take the guy snapping the ball to him. Ruiz can also play at Guard which would be great versatility for the Dolphins.
#27 – Terrell Lewis – EDGE
The Seahawks may trade back here to someone who wants to come up and get their guy or a QB. That being said, Ziggy Ansah and Jadeveon Clowney headed to Free Agency this offseason and neither are back yet. This Alabama edge rusher is explosive and should help fill the gaping hole.
#28 – Patrick Queen – LB
The offence is pretty much there for the immediate future with no glaring holes. So they decide to bolster the defensive side to stop instances like the Derrick Henry train running through them like they did in the postseason. A quick-footed, speedy linebacker who can play all 3 downs is the call here.
#29 – Ross Blacklock – DL
The Titans have 1 or 2 holes to fill in the trenches on both sides of the ball with Conklin and Casey leaving Nashville. However, Blacklock is a good pickup for a Titans team as he’ll require a lot of effort to nullify from opposing O-lines due to his explosiveness and how disruptive he could be.
#30 – Laviska Shenault Jr. – WR
Aaron Rodgers’ window is not going to open for much longer. The Packers focused their efforts on the defence last offseason so this time, they give Aaron Rodgers a bit more help to try and win a 2nd ring. Do it all WR Shenault Jr will be a fun toy to play with and can stick around with Adams years after Rodgers retires. with the departure of a few pieces at LB, a replacement is possible here too.
#31 – Damon Arnette – CB
Richard Sherman getting toasted by Sammy Watkins will send alarm bells ringing and he is now 31 years old. They also need help opposite him with Witherspoon not pulling up trees, Verrett still always on the treatment table. Moseley filled in capably but the back end of the defence needs a bit of youth injected in to it. Arnette, the corner out of Ohio State is a decnet cover corner.
#32 – Noah Igbinoghene – CB
Whilst RB is a popular pick here, there is also a need at CB. With a fair amount of secondary players gone in the first round, the Chiefs make sure they don’t have scraps to pick from when their turn comes back around.
By Tim Monk (@Tim_MonkF10Y)
It’s an historic day in the NFL amidst all the uncertainty at the moment about the new league year and beyond with the looming hindrance of the Coronavirus outbreak with Free Agency/rookie pro days scheduled in jeopardy along with the potential postponement of the draft.
However in the past few hours and after months of negotiation, it has been confirmed that the NFL players have agreed to the terms of the new Collection Bargaining Agreement.
The deal was voted on by the players over the last 10 days and the final vote turned out in favour of passing the deal by 1019 votes to 959, as only a simple majority was required. This means just 51.5% of players voted in agreement of the change (something we know a great deal about here in the UK #brexit). More of concern though, is that only around 80% of the players voted. Reasons as to why the 20% or so didn’t remains to be seen.
Roger Goodell, commissioner of the NFL issued a statement, saying:
“We are pleased that the players have voted to ratify the proposed new CBA, which will provide substantial benefits to all current and retired players, increase jobs, ensure continued progress on player safety, and give our fans more and better football.”
So what does this mean for the NFL and you, the fan?
Well, fans of the Dallas Cowboys and Tennessee Titans look away now as it also means that there is no longer the facility to use both a franchise tag AND a transition tag meaning things could get quite interesting for Dak Prescott, Amari Cooper, Byron Jones, Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry. Rumour has it that the league is considering delaying the start of the new league year in order to allow these teams to usher along negotiations with their respective parties.
It has been announced the salary cap for the upcoming season is $198.2m, a rise of just $10m. This is expected to shoot up over the next couple of years once the extra revenue streams and TV deals start leaking their money into the bloodstream of the NFL.
Looking a bit further into the future and the 2020 season, you will likely see a new playoff format come in to effect, with 7 teams now advancing to the playoffs from each conference and consequently, only the #1 seed from both the AFC and NFC will get a first round bye. Whilst unlikely, if all the dominoes fell the right way, this could actually see 1 division provide 4 playoff teams.
Fast forward to 2021, this is where the league could exercise it’s right to move to 17 regular season games (with the last pre-season game making way) , and thus trigger the upper echelon of player revenues to 48.5%, a 0.5% increase from season where 16 games are played.
Some other bits of cornerstones surrounding the new CBA which will take effect in 2020:
Players at the higher end of the play scale have publicily voiced their disapproval at the deal and you have to wonder whether or not there may be some repercussions from the big names of the NFL (I’m not suggesting a holdout, but you have to wonder if there are any loopholes that will allow the Russell Wilsons or JJ Watts to miss time without punishment.
The crux of the matter is though, that the NFL and it’s players have an agreement in place which will run through to 2030, which means good news for the majority including the millions of fans across the globe.
The fallout however, is only just beginning.
Who will Dallas and Tennessee franchise tag? How will Free Agency and the players entering it be affected? And will the leagues stars have a trick up their sleeve to show their dissatisfaction? How will the coronavirus affect the next few weeks and months and possibly the season? Make sure you keep those eyes peeled to find out and keep it here at Full10Yards.
By Tim Monk (@Tim_MonkF10Y)
Time to jump on the bandwagon and start to put a few feelers out there in terms of the 1st round of the NFL draft. Don’t forget to check out the Full 10 Yards College Football podcast that will cover a whole host of topics and no doubt mock drafts from now until April rolls around. Without any further a delay, here is my first mock draft for 2020 (going straight in with trades!).
#1 – Joe Burrow – QB
Let’s not get too crazy right out of the gate, Joe Burrow is a 1/100 shot currently with bookmakers to go 1st overall. I don’t buy all the current smokescreen that Burrow will “pull an Eli”. Not saying I won’t do a mock draft where this happens, but let’s keep things simple, stupid.
#2 – Chase Young – DE
Again, not getting too creative here at 2 and the Redskins get a monster who’ll make his presence felt as soon as he walks through the door as the edge rusher from Ohio State lands in the Nation’s capital. Whilst I think the Redskins will be open to trading back with teams such as Miami, we’ll save the trades until pick number 3,
#3 – Tua Tagoviola – QB
*MIA TRADE #5, #26 and #70 to DET for #3*
Miami trade up to take Tua, who’ll sit behind Ryan Fitzpatrick for at the most part of the 2020 season. The price they pay is their 5th overall, number 26th (from the Texans) and a 3rd round pick. The price could easily be a lot steeper should the Panthers and Chargers sniff around and if Tua’s medical issues are not too much of an issue.
#4 – Jeffrey Okudah – CB
Another year, another top 5 pick for the blue side of New York. This time it’s Okudah that gets the call. The Cornerback out of Ohio State helps plug one of many needs for the Giants. I would suggest that the Giants are candidates to move back, but Gettleman isn’t know for his creativity or intricacy in April (or any month of the year for that matter). As they have a new HC, they’ll keep things simple and go with a best player available approach.
#5 – Isiah Simmons – OLB
*MIA TRADE #5, #26 and #70 to DET for #3*
I wouldn’t put it past Detroit to fall further back and accumulate even more picks from here. Matt Patricia of course would have learned from the best in Bill Belichick in terms of acquiring more dart throws. For now, we have the Lions selecting Simmons, Linebacker out of Clemson. A team that have plenty of gaps to fill on the defensive side of the ball start here.
#6 – Justin Herbert – QB
The Chargers take their shot at QB in Oregon QB Justin Herbert. He’s raw, and a project and the Chargers certainly wont want to be starting him until the latter parts of the 2020 season at the earliest! There are scenarios where I see them trade out of this spot as they acquire their QB in free agency (maybe Cam Newton? Maybe Tom Brady) but we’ll leave that until we have a bit more clarity. For now, Herbert is their guy.
#7 – Derrick Brown – DT
Brown somehow falls to the Panthers here at #7. Whilst they’ll be strong candidates to go QB in the 1st round too as all signs point to Carolina wanting to strip this whole thing back with a whole new coaching staff (which is why I can see Cam going to LA), in this scenario, they take Brown as the QBs left on the board are not worth the #7 overall.
#8 – Jedrick Wills – OT
Arizona have just re-signed DJ Humphries to a long term extension and they double down here and select the first offensive lineman on the board in 2020. The Alabama tackle will come in straight away and help fix the patches on the line and give Kyler Murray the protection they’ve been wanting to provide for years. If Wills isn’t here or they aren’t enamoured with the OT in the class until later on, Arizona are another trade back candidate.
#9 – Javon Kinlaw – DT
The Jaguars were one of the worst against the run in 2019. How to fix that? Stick in a 6 foot 6, 301 anchor from South Carolina. There’s a lot of questions and holes to fill in east Florida, and Kinlaw can be the first guy to plug up the leak in the trench from day 1 and he’ll only improve with the more experience he gets.
#10 – Mekhi Becton – OT
I will be stunned if the Browns look this gift horse in the mouth. Plenty of tackle options for the Browns in this prime spot, Becton is an absolute monster of a man. He’s a freak of nature who moves unbelievably well for a man that is 6 foot 7 and 350+ lbs. Whilst he wont be as effective as some of the other tackles from day 1, a few years down the line, he could be one of the best around. A key piece for Baker’s resurgence as he enters his 3rd year.
#11 – Tristan Wirfs – OL
The most sensible option here for the Jets would be to take a offensive lineman to help protect Sam Darnold. Tristan Wirfs is the guy here who can play either side of the line. Sam Darnold was pressured a lot last season and he needs to be able to feel comfortable with his line to eradicate poor decisions and ultimately interceptions. They could go WR here too, filling the void that Robby Anderson will likely leave.
#12 – Jerry Jeudy – WR
The Alabama WR heads to Sin City to be their star attraction. Jeudy is great at separation and garnering yards after the catch, something Derek Carr will love and it will give a helping hand to Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller after the Antonio Brown experiment failed catastrophically last year. Feel free to interchange this name with CeeDee Lamb as i undoubtedly will do as I get through more iterations of mock drafts.
#13 – Andrew Thomas – OT
Whilst the Colts could have made it three WR in a row, the Colts’ offensive line could see Anthony Castanzo vacate his spot on the line so the Colts could plug that hole back up with the All-American Tackle from Georgia. Who knows who he’ll be protecting at Lucas Oil Stadium.
#14 – Grant Delpit – S
Whilst it’s not the sexiest of picks, the Buccaneers struggled against the pass mightily and have done so for a while. A Shaq Barrett replacement could also be used with this pick but let’s assume he returns to Raymond James here. The LSU Safety has the ability to be one of the best on the field, despite his knock of missing tackles and is most people’s top Safety on the board in this class. McKinney truthers will have to wait a few more picks.
#15 – CeeDee Lamb – WR
Difficult to pinpoint exactly what Denver want to do here. It must be refreshing that the QB talk (for now) has dissipated and in this mock, they give current QB Drew lock and his main guy Courtland Sutton a huge helping hand. CeeDee will help take safety coverage away from Sutton and both could prosper. There are a few holes for Denver to fill including O-Line and CB/LB but hey, WR are more sexy to mock aren’t they!?
#16 – K’Lavon Chaisson – EDGE
The Falcons have made it clear they will not entertain Vic Beasley in one of their new uniforms next season. Enter the man with a name perfect for an edge rusher almost so perfect, it’s a shame Chase Young is in this draft class. The LSU pass rusher is an explosive guy off the edge and should slip in quite nicely here in Atlanta.
#17 – Xavier McKinney – S
Safety is a position Jason Garrett avoided like the plague. Under a new era sparks a new way of thinking. McKinney is very versatile and can play both up top on the line and back deep too. With Byron Jones questions lingering, he could also help fill in at CB. He’ll primarily be their Safety and the odd Nickel/Dime slot Corner, but McKinney ticks a lot of boxes for a team that isn’t known for its brilliance on defence in terms of takeaways.
#18 – A.J Epenesa – EDGE
The Miami Dolphins take another player here to fill a big need. The Iowa pass rusher will come and fill in for a depleted pass rush room where Taco Charlton, a Cowboys castaway is currently “the guy”…yikes. Teams do like to pick a like for like replacement on pick trades; with this being the Minkah Fitzpatrick pick from the Steelers, don’t be surprised to see the Dolphins pick a safety if Delpit/McKinney fell here.
#19 – Jordan Love – QB
If the Raiders, more specifically Jon Gruden, want to transition from Derek Carr, they will be taking a Quarterback in this draft. Love is a more mobile Quarterback than Jacob Eason and seems more like a “Gruden guy”. If they aren’t interested in a QB in this draft, either because they “like” Carr or they bring in a vet from FA, they will likely go defensive side of the ball here with a guy like LB Kenneth Murray. That’s for later.
#20 – Henry Ruggs – WR
*BUF trades #22, #86 #150 for JAX #20, #187*
Buffalo need to give Josh Allen a few more weapons. They have a decent defensive roster and their RB from 2019 Devin Singletary acquitted himself well. With John Brown reaching the age where father time gives him a visit, the WR core needs improvement and rather than getting sloppy seconds after Philadelphia, they trade 2 picks up to get their guy.
#21 – Tee Higgins – WR
Whilst Buffalo traded up to get their guy, Philadelphia’s guy wasn’t the one they selected and Tee Higgins makes it 2 WR in a row. Alshon Jeffrey’s status is unclear but considered Greg Ward and Mack Hollins were rolled out last year, their need at WR is a lot bigger than that at CB.
#22 – Kristian Fulton – CB
Offensive line is another possibility here, but it’s strange how poetic the franchises makes these picks. This being the Rams’ pick for Ramsey, they draft his replacement with one of the picks they receive and use it on the Cornerback from LSU.
#23 – Josh Jones -OT
Isiah Wynn’s injury history seems to be a bit of concern. We know the Patriots like to draft trench players early. If Tom Brady returns, he’ll want the same treatment as he has gotten over the past 2 decades. Kenneth Murray dropping here was the other plausible option here. If either McKinney or Delpit fell, they would be snapped up by Belichick and co. too.
#24 – CJ Henderson – CB
Who knows what the Saints will go with here. Cornerback, Wide Receiver help or dare I say QB (Yes Brees is back, but for how long. Teddy Bridgewater is not a guarantee to stick around and no, Taysom Hill is not the answer)? Considering the WR that are off the board, the Saints would probbaly go with CB here and CJ Henderson is the pick. A CB from Florida joins up with fellow Gator Gardner-Johnson from 2019 draft.
#25 – Kenneth Murray – LB
Murray drops to #25 in this mock and that’s only because the Vikings will rue the Cornerback run from Jacksonville and New Orleans. The athletic LB from Oklahoma is a sideline to sideline guy and would add a lot of speed to this defence. If Minnesota still go CB hunting Trevon Diggs could fit the bill.
#26 – Terrell Lewis – EDGE
The Lions make their second pick in the first round after the trade back with Miami. They fill another hole, this time at pass rush. This Alabama edge rusher is explosive and should help improve this defence along with their other 1st rd pick.
#27 – Yetur Gross-Matos – EDGE
The Seahawks may trade back here to someone who wants to come up and get their guy or a QB. That being said, Ziggy Ansah and Jadeveon Clowney are headed to Free Agency this offseason, will either be back? Who knows. Let’s say they aren’t or 1 is, taking this Penn State Edge rusher helps ease the pain of losing the other (or both).
#28 – Patrick Queen – LB
The offence is pretty much there for the immediate future with no glaring holes. So they decide to bolster the defensive side to stop instances like the Derrick Henry train running through them like they did in the postseason. A replacement for Josh Bynes, who could head for Free Agency. A quick-footed, speedy linebacker who can play all 3 downs is the call here.
#29 – Ross Blacklock – DL
I am not going to explore the idea that Derrick Henry isn’t a Titan next season, purely because i think the coaching staff think he is too ingrained into their offensive identity. They have 1 or 2 holes to fill in the trenches, especially if trying to retain Conklin goes south. However, Blacklock is a good pickup for a Titans team as he’ll require a lot of effort to nullify from opposing O-lines due to his explosiveness and how disruptive he could be.
#30 – Laviska Shenault Jr. – WR
Aaron Rodgers’ window is not going to open for much longer. The Packers focused their efforts on the defence last offseason so this time, they give Aaron Rodgers a bit more help to try and win a 2nd ring. Do it all WR Shenault Jr will be a fun toy to play with and can stick around with Adams years after Rodgers retires.
#31 – Jeff Gladney – CB
Richard Sherman getting toasted by Sammy Watkins will send alarm bells ringing and he is now 31 years old. They also need help opposite him with Witherspoon not pulling up trees, Verrett still always on the treatment table. Moseley filled in capably but the back end of the defence needs a bit of youth injected in to it. Gladney, the corner out of TCU is quite a versatile guy to have on the team, the type of guy that Saleh will do a lot with and will be able to get a lot out of.
#32 – Jacob Eason – QB
*TB Sends #45, #107, 2021 2nd rnd for #32, #128*
Sorry Kansas fans, you wait all night for your pick and they trade out with someone who wants to go up and get Eason. The Buccaneers offence is a decent fit if they wish to move on from Winston or even just keep him for another season or 2, like is currently being reported. Even if Winston leaves, the fun might not stop in Tampa Bay.
