re: Draft Prospect: Ezekiel Ansah

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So? Just because they're good doesn't mean he's going to be.

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That was not the logic being used. The point is the guys I mentioned were considered projects with huge potential (JPP because of lack of play, Irvin and Smith because of lack of size). Project get drafted all the time in the first round when teams judge the talent potential to be worth it. I did not say that it means Ansah will for certain break the rookie sack record.

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RG3
Luck
Wilson
Watt
Aldon Smith
Von Miller
Bruce Irvin
Matt Kalil

All guys off the top of my head who pretty much came in and in some ways "dominated" from just the last two draft classes. I don't know about you, but I automatically assume a first round pick is going to come in and be a high performer. Even 2nd and 3rd round picks I expect to start/and or contribute pretty majorly.
If you don't expect your first round pick to do that, then I don't know what to tell you.

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And the list is twice as long of guys who came in and stunk up the joint or were just plain mediocre. Your expectations are precisely why most fans throw a hissy fit when Player X doesn't blow up in his first year. Yes, we all hope and want every guy we draft to "dominate" but to realistically expect that to happen year in and year out is just yearning to be disappointed. IT JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN. There are too many variables.

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Usually by teams who can afford to develop them. With all the holes on our defense right now and with little money to improve it in FA, we can not.

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Aldon Smith was drafted 7th overall while JPP and Irvin were both drafted at #15. I really don't think any of those teams really count as teams that could wait given that they were picking earlier than halfway through the 1st round.

It comes down to value at the position. If the Saints think they can develop him, then he's a valuable pick given his physical attributes.

say it takes a season and a half to two seasons for him to develop into a very good DE in the league and double digit sacker. Do you honestly think there is someone that is that much of an immediate difference maker in this draft around the middle of the first round that it would be worth passing up better long term potential?

Well I can't tell you exactly since we haven't had picks 1-14 yet but just in the last couple years players who went between 15-32:
Brian Cushing, Clay Matthews, JPP, Devin McCourty, Ryan Kerrigan, Bruce Irvin, Chandler Jones.

This year guys like Sheldon Ricardson, Alec Ogletree, Montgomery could all be in that area.

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And the list is twice as long of guys who came in and stunk up the joint or were just plain mediocre. Your expectations are precisely why most fans throw a hissy fit when Player X doesn't blow up in his first year

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I think this is pretty off base. Are you really telling me you don't expect a first round pick to come right in and start at a high level? That's pretty ludicrous. Like I said before, the first round is where you expect a star, 2nd and 3rd round starters, 4-7 round potential starters with mostly backups. Just because they don't alway fit that mold doesn't mean that's not what your expectations should be.
Just because some don't pan out doesn't mean your expectations of them should be any less.
And just by looking at the track record, most coaches and GMs disagree with you by the growing rate rookies are playing and excelling.

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the first round is where you expect a star, 2nd and 3rd round starters, 4-7 round potential starters with mostly backups.

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they're a little more detailed than that. I think you could find several tiers of player quality in just the 1st Rd. Here's some typical grading scales-

A: Rare athletic ability and rare production in college. Has minimum height, weight, and speed grades of 8.0 Examples: John Elway and Eric Dickerson. Round 1

B: Rare athletic ability, but limited college production due to system. Has minimum height, weight & speed grades of 8.0. Example: Irving Fryar.Round 1.

C: Rare athletic ability and rare production in college. Height/weight grade is lower than 8.0 but higher than 6.0. Examples: Barry Sanders (height) and Terry Glenn (weight). Round 1.

D: Outstanding athletic ability and outstanding production in college. Meets minimum height, weight & speed requirements for the position. Examples: Tony Boselli and Fred Taylor. Round 1.

E: Inconsistent players who do not play up to their talent level. Rounds 3-7.

F: Limited athletic ability and good college production. Over-achieving type. Meets the minimum height and weight requirements, but usually lacks speed and burst. Rounds 2-7.

G: Very good athletic ability and very good college production. Does not meet the minimum height requirement for his position. Examples: Sam Mills and Antoine Winfield. Rounds 1-7.

H: Player who is switching to a new position that he did not play in college. Rounds 3-7.

I: Player who meets the height, weight & speed requirements of his position. Players that play to the limit of their athletic ability. The “middle class” of the NFL. Most NFL players come from this grouping. Rounds 1-7.

J: Very good athletic ability and very good college production. Does not meet the minimum weight requirement for his position. Examples: Terry Glenn and DeSean Jackson. Rounds 1-7.

M: Player who meets the height, weight & speed requirements of his position. He either lacks the instincts for the position of has trouble learning. Rounds 3-7.

Z: Major character question marks limit players draft status. Only can be drafted in the seventh round or signed as an undrafted free agent.

NFP NUMERICAL GRADING SCALE

8.5-9.0: Pro bowl player, a true difference maker. Top-10 selection.

8.0-8.4: Highly productive starting player. First round selection.

7.0-7.9: Very good starting player. Second round selection.

6.5-6.9: Very good starting player. Third round selection.

6.0-6.4: Solid starter/very productive backup. Third round selection.

5.5-5.9: Very good backup and very good special teams player. Fourth round selection.

5.0-5.4: Quality backup and good special teams player. Fifth round selection.

4.5-4.9: Backup player/special teams player and project players. Sixth round selection.

4.0-4.4: Backup player and special teams player and project development players. Seventh round selection and high priority free agents.

3.9: Priority free agent.

3.7-3.8: Players with one or more limitations. Backup/special teams-type player. Solid free agent.

3.6: Not recommended as draftable or should only be considered as an adequate free agent signing.

HERE is an application. Only two players score above 8.5 and one of those is returning to school. Very few players can project as a star. I would go so far as to say not even a majority of 1st Rders usually project as starters. There can be all kinds of potential and upside but not what you can peg as surefire.
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In debating Ansah as a potential/upside/project type pick I would put Sam Montgomery as the perfect opposite sort of safer surefire pick but without as high of a ceiling. Sam could be picked before or after Ansah. Which one of these would you prefer?

I see what you mean but that 1st round pick gotta be spot on!

I threw his name out in another thread a while back. I knew his name would be coming up big here. I really like him. I really like Mingo and Montgomery, but if its between these 3 Id go Ansah.