2017 Underclassmen Thread

boozeman

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Up to yesterday per NFL.com:

» KD Cannon, WR, Baylor
» James Conner, RB, Pitt
» D'Onta Foreman, RB, Texas
» Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
» Wayne Gallman, RB, Clemson
» Jermaine Grace, LB, Miami
» Charles Harris, DE, Missouri
» Carlos Henderson, WR, Louisiana Tech
» Brian Hill, RB, Wyoming
» Josh Jones, S, N.C. State
» Nazair Jones, DT, North Carolina
» DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame
» Jerome Lane, WR, Akron
» Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford
» Malik McDowell, DL, Michigan State
» Jeremy McNichols, RB, Boise State
» Artavis Scott, WR, Clemson
» Damore'ea Stringfellow, WR, Ole Miss
» Eddie Vanderdoes, DL, UCLA
» Charles Walker, DL, Oklahoma
» Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
» Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
 

1bigfan13

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I like Cannon. I think he'll be a Desean Jackson clone. I've been saying that since his freshman year and he's proved it on the field so far.
 

Rev

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I like Cannon. I think he'll be a Desean Jackson clone. I've been saying that since his freshman year and he's proved it on the field so far.
Same here.
 

Rev

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That would block Rico Gathers....
 

dallen

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Well, it isn't like Rico Gathers can block anything by himself
 

Simpleton

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Big and athletic, but very raw. Looked decent even with Kaaya throwing the ball to him though.
Yea, I'd take a chance on him in the 3rd depending on what else was available. He has shown some ability to play inline, let him sit behind Witten for a year or two and hope you can fully develop that athletic ability. And it's not like he'd be just getting drafted on potential, he had over 600 yards and like 8 TD's this year.
 

boozeman

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That would block Rico Gathers....
That is if we are stupid and think he is a budding Antonio Gates. This is a very good and very deep TE class for a change. We need to take advantage of that instead of being worried about progress stoppers.
 

Rev

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That is if we are stupid and think he is a budding Antonio Gates. This is a very good and very deep TE class for a change. We need to take advantage of that instead of being worried about progress stoppers.
I agree with you but they have been loyal to the players they like in the past. I can easily see them thinking just what you brought up but I will wait and see. It seems that Stephen is starting to do smarter things.
 

Cowboysrock55

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That is if we are stupid and think he is a budding Antonio Gates. This is a very good and very deep TE class for a change. We need to take advantage of that instead of being worried about progress stoppers.
The sad thing is we are probably at the point now where we should start seriously considering a TE. Witten is still great but sometimes I do get a little jealous of other teams TEs who are fast and athletic and take a short catch and make a big gain. You figure a guy could develop as our number 2 TE for a year or two while slowly taking over for Witten. But instead we have wasted so many damn high picks on wasted TEs that it's hard to stomach another one now.
 

1bigfan13

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We haven't drafted a TE in 4 years. We're due.

And this would be the one year where I wouldn't mind it at all.
 

1bigfan13

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We haven't drafted a TE in 4 years. We're due.

And this would be the one year where I wouldn't mind it at all.
I should say we haven't drafted a TE with a fairly high draft pick in 4 years.
 

Cowboysrock55

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We haven't drafted a TE in 4 years. We're due.

And this would be the one year where I wouldn't mind it at all.
I would love to have a real athlete at TE. Watching guys like Kelce and Jordan Reed definitely makes me a little jealous sometimes. Kelce took a 4 yard pass for 80 yards and a TD the other day. That stuff is just long past Witten.

And I hope Rico can develop but I don't think he will ever run like that. I just don't think he has that type of speed and explosion.
 

Simpleton

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Witten will be 35 next year, and while Swaim, Hanna, and I guess Gathers could definitely make for a solid TE group, you don't have that dynamic threat.

The situation seems perfect to add a guy like Njoku in the 3rd, sit him behind Witten for a year or two and then make him the focus of your passing game (as far as TE's go) while the others do most of the dirty work as blockers.

I'd be fine with Butt at the end of the 2nd, and I'm still contemplating Howard at the end of the 1st. The board would have to be bare, our trade down options would have to be shit, and I'd like to see him run a sub-4.6 at the Combine, but 6-6, 250 lb TE's that can block like he does and run after the catch like he does don't come around often. It'd hurt to spend a 1st on a TE but if he's the BPA, he's the BPA.

Ideally I want to grab a guy like Njoku or Jordan Leggett in the 3rd or 4th, but Howard in the 1st or Butt in the 2nd could be clear BPA's. I'd look hard at Evan Engram too but something tells me we won't be interested in him.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Witten will be 35 next year, and while Swaim, Hanna, and I guess Gathers could definitely make for a solid TE group, you don't have that dynamic threat.

The situation seems perfect to add a guy like Njoku in the 3rd, sit him behind Witten for a year or two and then make him the focus of your passing game (as far as TE's go) while the others do most of the dirty work as blockers.

I'd be fine with Butt at the end of the 2nd, and I'm still contemplating Howard at the end of the 1st. The board would have to be bare, our trade down options would have to be shit, and I'd like to see him run a sub-4.6 at the Combine, but 6-6, 250 lb TE's that can block like he does and run after the catch like he does don't come around often. It'd hurt to spend a 1st on a TE but if he's the BPA, he's the BPA.

Ideally I want to grab a guy like Njoku or Jordan Leggett in the 3rd or 4th, but Howard in the 1st or Butt in the 2nd could be clear BPA's. I'd look hard at Evan Engram too but something tells me we won't be interested in him.
What about Bucky Hodges? I feel like you just ignored him entirely.
 

Simpleton

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What about Bucky Hodges? I feel like you just ignored him entirely.
I did and it's because I feel like he is basically just a big slow receiver who never lined up as a true inline TE. Same can be said for Engram but I think he is more explosive.

I'd be fine with Hodges in the 3rd but never in the 1st and I feel like he will be taken before our pick in the 2nd based on potential.
 

Cowboysrock55

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I did and it's because I feel like he is basically just a big slow receiver who never lined up as a true inline TE. Same can be said for Engram but I think he is more explosive.

I'd be fine with Hodges in the 3rd but never in the 1st and I feel like he will be taken before our pick in the 2nd based on potential.
I actually think Hodges looks more explosive then the majority of the TE's you've listed. I've seen the guy basically run past DB on fly routes and get separation deep. He doesn't look just big and awkward like Gavin Escobar for instance. He actually looks like a TE with the wiggle of a WR to make guys miss or to get open with his routes. I probably wouldn't take him in the first either but to me he looks like the most explosive of the TE's in this draft that I've seen.

Evan Engram looks like a WR because he is actually the size of a WR. The guy is like 6'3" 230 pounds. Highly productive but he is a WR. Hodges is at least 6'6" 245 pounds.
 
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boozeman

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Since we are talking TEs, Nate Sprinkle of Arkansas pulled a Joseph Randle today at a Charlotte Belk store. Before the Razorbacks were going to play in the Belk Bowl.

You can't buy that special kind of stupid.
 
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