Most mocks now have Rams picking Austin @16. Should help trade back.

If they have a targeted player available at 15, i don't think they move back.

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However, the mentality on this board is that we should trade back and pick up three average players instead of targeting an impact player in the top half of the 1st round.

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I disagree, the concern has been trading back for two contributors instead of taking BPA if BPA is not a must have player.

Draft Austin at 15, plain and simple

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Is the "trade back" thing a joke or something now? I see about 4 threads a day about trading back. WTF?

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You're right. There's just so much more important info to put on the board at this critical time.

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pick up three average players instead of targeting an impact player in the top half of the 1st round. Because nobody good comes out of the 15th pick.

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considering that the general thought amongst "experts" in the national realm is that this draft is loaded with no great players, your stance is wrong. if there were any "impact players" at the 15 spot, then you would be accurate; however, this is not the case. I saw Mayok say a couple weeks back that you can take all 32 "top" players this year, shuffle them up and you'd have some teams draft board. Here is this from Peter King's column yesterday LINK

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As the smoke begins to clear for the 2013 draft, this is obvious: No one loves the top of it. No one. When you talk to league people, you hear over and over about how this is a middle-class draft, with an egalitarian class from the teens until the middle of the second round, and no real can't-miss stars at the top.

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This is not his opinion; it is his reporting of what he is being told. So before you start rolling your eyes at peoples' desire to trade back, you may want to stop and look at your opinion as not being the one that is dominated by the people in the know. Also, just stop using the term "impact player" at 15, because it has become quite clear that there is no true impact player in this draft.

If any of the 3OTs are available, or Mingo/Jones, no way we move back. That said, knowing that might make a team who desperately wants him to pony up more than they normally would.

Did you read the column? He's saying there isn't a can't miss guy at the top like a Mario Williams or Andrew Luck. I completely agree with that.

He also says that the second 10 picks could be just as good as the top 10. I agree with that too. That's why I don't want to trade back.

He compares 2013 NFL draft to the 2008 draft.

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Premier players: In the top 10, there are two, Ryan and Mayo. In the second 10, I'd say there are three: Clady, Albert (a slight stretch, though a top-12 left tackle in this game today has to be considered premier) and Flacco. Jake Long would have been, had injuries not derailed his career. He still may be one, but he'll have to be sturdier in his new address, St. Louis.

Better than average players: Five in the top 10 -- Jake Long, Chris Long, Ryan, McFadden (marginally, because of his injuries) and Mayo. And I would say eight in the second 10 -- McKelvin, Clady, Stewart (4.7 yards per carry in a job-sharing career with DeAngelo Williams), Albert, Rodgers-Cromartie, Cherilus, Flacco and Talib.

Busts: Gholston, Harvey and Rivers in the top 10, only Williams and Otah in the second 10.

By any stretch, the second 10 has to be considered a stronger collective group than the top 10 from the 2008 draft.

Think of this draft. Who would be all that surprised if Jarvis Jones, Tavon Austin, Alec Ogletree, Xavier Rhodes, Desmond Trufant and Bjoern Werner go in the second 10 ... and outplay their peers in the top 10?

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If this is correct...Why in the world would we trade back and not get any of those guys???

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Also, just stop using the term "impact player" at 15, because it has become quite clear that there is no true impact player in this draft.

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Ok. King uses "Premier players". I'll just start using that term instead.

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Did you read the column?

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I did

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He also says that the second 10 picks could be just as good as the top 10

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I don't think you completely understand what he is saying. His point is that there is no distinction between who gets picked 12 or 32 and that any of those players can outperform the #1 pick. He is referencing picks 11-20 from the 2008 draft because those were the ones who were successful. For the full context of his statement though, you can not disregard his previous paragraph in which he states...

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When you talk to league people, you hear over and over about how this is a middle-class draft, with an egalitarian class from the teens until the middle of the second round

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He specifically states the "teens" and "middle of second round".... not "teens to 20". The part you highlighted about the "second 10" is strictly in context of the 2008 draft.

Regardless, the point is that this is a draft in which one team's 32nd ranked player is another's 12th, so it is disingenuous to state that trading back from 15 to say 25 is getting a lesser player. In fact, this is the reason why so many of us are hoping we can trade back, because we can get a similarly graded (if not higher) player at 25 than at 15 along with another player or two.

In a draft like this where it is more of a crap shoot than a "sure fire" thing, it's better to throw as many flawed darts at the board in hopes to get a bullseye than it is to throw just one.

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I don't think he fits our need at WR. While he may be good, I believe we are more in need of an all purpose WR (aka a true #1) than a specialized playmaker. I prefer Keenen Allen. I'd be ok with either pick though

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If you want an all-around player you take Nuk Hopkins, period. Nuk takes a giant, diarrhea dump on Keenan Allen. Everything Allen can do, Nuk can do better, simple as that.

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1. If he's there and he's the top guy on their board, you sprint to the podium, draft him, and never look back.

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I understand your point but the BPA approach only works if there is a significant difference in value. If Jones, Mingo or Annsah are there, there won't be a difference in value and defense is certainly a priority.

Not saying the team definitely won't pick Austin (see Meachem as proof that Payton isn't shy)...just saying they shouldn't