Lets get an early start. Hoping we are somewhere in the late 20s....... Micah Parsons ILB Penn State 6-3 245 Tackling machine with great size & instincts. Figure Avery Williamson will be gone (unless re-signed to much less $$). Also CJ Mosley's guaranteed money basically ends after the 2021 season as he is about to turn 30. Whether you like CJ or not, - whether he is good or not, - the fact is = he was a Maccagnan signee.
Unless Parsons is the second coming of Dick Butkus and Sam Huff, I would be really disappointed if an ILB were the first pick. The Offense is still a red headed step-child after a decade and a half of defense-first philosophy. Personally I want the #1 WR or another top OL.
We also need an Edge and maybe a CB. I think Herndonfan said that it was going to be a great year for TEs as well, with 3-4 top TE prospects.
I’m personally hoping Permian and Mims both have 1000yds and 10 TDS each and WR is no longer a need. Huge fan of Parsons, will be rooting for him to have a huge year and become a top pick next draft.
I wouldn't be surprised to see us go OL again next year in RD1. What I would do to get Ja'Marr Chase. If we have the success, and we are a few pieces away I wouldn't mind a trade up. Thats when you do that, when you are a few pieces away.
I don't know if it'll be a great TE class, but there are some blue chip prospects at the top assuming Pitts, Wydermyer, and Jordan declare. Not to mention Freiermuth, who has drawn comparisons to Gronk. I might be in the minority here when I say that there's room for more than one pass catching TE. Griffin isn't a long term player, Wesco is meh at best, and as much as I like him, Herndon needs to stay healthy and out of trouble. One could make a case for taking a TE in the first two rounds next year.
The best possible outcome for us in the 2021 draft would be not giving a shit because we will be drafting in the thirties.
Jaylen Waddle is a play maker in the same form if CeeDee Lamb - maybe even better considering the conference he plays in. The dude can take over games with the ball in his hands. There wasn't really a corner in the NCAA that could keep up with Jamarr Chase. Najee Harris is like a smaller much better pass catching version of Derrick Henry. The dude is a baller. I'm not a big first round runningback guy but his versatility might be worth it. Creed Humphrey for the center of the future and Trey Smith from Tennessee is a road grader at OG. We should really be looking for pass rushers I'm just not really sure of any off the top of my head. I know next year is supposed to be a really good secondary draft.
I don't think we have great season. I don't believe in Gase, and also we have a tough schedule and a lot of young players at important positions. I do have hope Darnold improves so we could be middle of the pack. Here are players I like... Ja'Marr Chase - WR - LSU Justyn Ross - WR - Clemson Walker Little - T - Stanford Israel Mukuamu - CB - S. Carolina Travis Ettiene - RB - Clemson Creed Humphrey- C - Oklahoma Carlos Basham - Edge - Wake Forest Jaylen Waddle - WR - Alabama *he could fall*
I'll have to investigate Basham. I live in Winston-Salem where Wake Forest is located. As a general rule, even though Wake Forest has a good coach and good football program, I don't like players from Wake Forest. They don't get topflight players usually. They're the smallest school (only about 5,225 undergrad students) in the ACC. They're well-coached and play teams tough and tight, but I can't remember the last player they had that was really good in the NFL. Most of them don't make it at all or are STs players and backups. Calvin Pace went to Wake Forest. Aside from him Aaron Curry is probably the most well-know Wake Forest alum in the NFL recently. For the old timers, Norm Snead QB of the Eagles went to Wake Forest. Since 1961, they've had 3 players taken in the 1st round: Norm Snead (1961), LB Aaron Curry (2009), and DB Kevin Johnson (2015). The Jets have drafted two Wake Forest players: FB Tommy Bohannon (2013) and DB Josh Bush (2012). LB Justin Strnad was drafted in the 5th round this year by the Broncos and T Justin Herron was drafted by the Patriots this year. I doubt that Basham is a very good prospect. Most of Wake Forest's players aren't. G Joe Looney of the Niners is probably the best former Wake Forest player in the NFL at present. From that list, I'd love Chase, Ross, Ettiene, Humphrey or Waddle, but we probably won't get a shot at any of them.
I get your point. Wake Forest generally doesn't do well. But if the is a season and Basham can build off his 11 sack 3 ff from last season I wouldn't mind a shot at him. He could turn out well. And for the other 5 I don't see us finishing much outside of the bottom 10. We should have a top 10 pick or close to it. Chances are one may easily fall to us.
PSU fan here and Micah is such an interesting case. He came onto campus as a highly rated LB who many felt he’d be a pass rusher. But Franklin moved him to ILB. He’s thrived, his instincts are evolving into something potentially scary. He’s legit a star ILB. Still, he’s maintained his ability to rush the passer and IMO, he’s still PSU’s best pass rusher. he can do it all, play the run, rush the passer, cover TE’s in man and play zone. I’m in love with Micah as a prospect. If Gregg had Micah, he’d have a field day just lining him up all over...him and Jamal would be a freakish pair of defenders.
Good thing about 2021 draft is that we can actually take BPA (within reason) because presumably have our QB and LT of the future, while we also have no position outside of maybe safety that couldn't stand for an upgrade. We'll obviously have a better idea what the holes on the roster will be after this season but at this time it looks like we have some answers at the most important spots.