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6 Key Value/Need Targets

Posted on 4/17/14 at 8:20 am
Posted by blueslover
deeper than deep south
Member since Sep 2007
22792 posts
Posted on 4/17/14 at 8:20 am
The more I look, the more these guys look like they could be THE fit for value and need. They all could be gone at #27. One left might be an easy choice. Who's your choice if more than one is left? Answer by ranking these 6.

Nice concise reports from Greg Gabriel. Check his resume. Not just a talking head.

Kyle Fuller – Virginia Tech
A couple of months ago, you would have been hard pressed to find Fuller's name at the top of the corner charts of many draft analysts. That wasn’t the case with NFL scouts. After only two tapes I was sold! You won’t find many NFL clubs that don’t have him listed as one of their top three corners.
Fuller has size (5116 – 190) to go along with speed (4.47) and length (33” arms). He also has excellent feet and quickness. He lines up on the short side of the field and can play press, off and zone. He is very aware and instinctive, with very good closing and ball skills. He is an aggressive player who plays the run almost as well as Dennard. He is a consistent tackler and has been a valuable special teams' player throughout his career.
Like Gilbert and Dennard, Fuller is ready to come in and start right away. His special teams' play only enhances his value.

Odell Beckham Jr. - LSU
LSU probably had the best receiving corps in the SEC this past season. Few clubs had receivers like Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry. While Landry is a top receiver in his own right, he doesn’t have the natural traits of Beckham Jr.
Beckham Jr. has adequate size at 5112 – 198, but he is an exceptional athlete with speed (4.43), quickness and body control. He is a loose-hipped guy with excellent change of direction and a burst.
He runs good routes, and with his body control, is consistently able to get separation. He has very good hands and adjusts well to the ball in the air. After the catch, he consistently shows the skills to turn a short pass into a long gain. His run skills are outstanding, and he is an accomplished returner.
Beckham can play outside or in the slot.

Marqise Lee – USC
Look at 2012 tape and you very well could have figured that Lee would be the first receiver off the board in this draft. That season, Lee caught 118 passes for 1721 yards and 14 touchdowns. USC had quarterback and coaching problems and Lee missed three games with a knee injury. Because of all of that, his production dropped to 57 catches for 791 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Lee is quick, fast, and very athletic. He has outstanding body control and a quick burst. He is a top route runner who is consistently able to gain separation. While he can makes a number of acrobatic catches, he also has some concentration drops. After the catch, he shows outstanding run instincts. He has been a top returner in the past and has NFL return skills.

Bradley Roby – Ohio State
Roby is a fourth-year junior and a three-year starter who is entering the draft early. At 5112 – 194 with 4.39 speed, Roby has the athletic traits to be a top NFL corner. His long arms allow him to play taller than he measures.
Ohio State doesn’t play as much press as some other schools, but when asked, Roby shows a good jam and good mirror skills. He has the quickness and suddenness needed to excel in this coverage. He is a very good off and zone player showing awareness and anticipation. He is seldom out of position when in zone. Roby tracks the ball well in the air and has good hands.
Like the others, Roby is a good run support player. He can be a big hitter when tackling but needs to wrap up more consistently.

Brandin Cooks – Oregon State
If there is a receiver in this draft that is similar to DeSean Jackson, it’s Brandin Cooks from Oregon State. Cooks has a slightly thicker build than Jackson at 5096 – 189, but he is a similar athlete with excellent speed (4.33). On the field, Cooks is quick, fast, and explosive. He is an excellent route runner who is consistently is able to get separation.
He has very good hands, can adjust to the ball, and is an excellent runner after the catch. He also has NFL return skills. Despite lacking some size, he is a fearless competitor and competes for the ball in traffic.
Cooks can play lined up either outside or in the slot, but will probably play early in his career as a slot.

Jason Verrett – TCU
The only thing Verrett lacks is good height. At 5096, he is too short for some teams to consider. When you watch tape, Verrett may be the most talented corner in the draft. If he was 5110, I would venture to say that he would be a top 10 pick.
Verrett has speed and quickness (4.38) to go along with loose hips to turn and no wasted motion in transition. He is an aggressive press man cover guy who can mirror receivers through moves. He shows excellent anticipation in off and is aware and rangey in zone.
While he may be short, he is a top competitor and plays a very aggressive game. He reacts quickly in run support and is a sure tackler. When the ball is in the air, he consistently makes plays and has good hands.
Because he is shorter than 5’10", there are some clubs who will not have Verrett on their board. They have size rules in their grading system and adhere to them. He will probably play as a club's third corner as a rookie and ascend to a number two corner by year two.

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Posted by CharethCutestory
New Orleans
Member since Mar 2014
48 posts
Posted on 4/17/14 at 8:36 am to
I'd go:

1. Fuller
2. Lee
3. Beckham
4. Verrett
5. Cooks
6. Roby

I'd rather one of the 3 main CBs (Gilbert, Dennard, Fuller) over any other WR outside of Evans and Watkins. Obviously, Watkins and Evans will not be possibilities at 27. The WR class to me is so deep, I think we could get a good one in round 2. However, I wouldn't want to reach for a CB outside of the 3 named above. Verrett and Roby interest me tho.
Posted by adono
River Ridge
Member since Sep 2003
7307 posts
Posted on 4/17/14 at 8:38 am to
Assuming all of these guys were available at #27 (which won't happen), I think they go Fuller. The bottom line is that this staff never ever, ever travels the path that most folks go down. They just as easily could pick a DT, OT, or other position that does not appear to be a need. You never know.
This post was edited on 4/17/14 at 8:40 am
Posted by Chad504boy
4 posts
Member since Feb 2005
166136 posts
Posted on 4/17/14 at 8:38 am to
Not 1 front 7 player Blue
Posted by blueslover
deeper than deep south
Member since Sep 2007
22792 posts
Posted on 4/17/14 at 8:42 am to
some other position guys certainly in the mix. And there's plenty ranked higher that could be must-picks on value (Mosley, Ebron). These 6 fit as targets for both need and value tho
Posted by WhoDatTigahsTampa
S.E.LA2WestFL
Member since Oct 2013
2281 posts
Posted on 4/17/14 at 8:55 am to
Is DB really a pressing need? I mean, 1st round pressing need? P-Rob had a pretty good season last year, until he got injured of course. He looked a lot better pre-injury than he had in 2012. We bring in Bailey, and have Corey White also. I don't see us taking DB #1 overall. We have bigger needs...We can definitely address this need in round 2 or 3 though with the depth at the position.

Not sold on Lee or Brandin Cooks. Cooks will most likely be gone by our pick anyways as he's jumped into most people's top 20 list. I don't buy it. Lee, too much bust potential surrounding him.

I'd have to go with Odell with these guys that have been mentioned, although he wouldn't be my first choice. I would take him over both Lee and Cooks, just because I think he fits what we need at the position over a guy like Cooks. And Lee is just .
This post was edited on 4/17/14 at 8:57 am
Posted by BilJ
Member since Sep 2003
158754 posts
Posted on 4/17/14 at 9:05 am to
hoping for a Lee drop, I think he's the most ready of the WRs to make an immediate impact
Posted by Alt26
Member since Mar 2010
28257 posts
Posted on 4/17/14 at 9:07 am to
quote:

Is DB really a pressing need? I mean, 1st round pressing need? P-Rob had a pretty good season last year, until he got injured of course. He looked a lot better pre-injury than he had in 2012. We bring in Bailey, and have Corey White also. I don't see us taking DB #1 overall. We have bigger needs...We can definitely address this need in round 2 or 3 though with the depth at the position.


You can find not just good, but GREAT WRs in rounds 2-4. It's harder to find great CBs later. In a league that has become so passing oriented, having too many good DBs is a problem every team would love to have. Look at your Super Bowl champs. Seattle has an outstanding and deep DB corps. WRs? mediocre at best.

To me, there are certain positions where you take the best guy on your board if he falls to you even if you don't "need" him:

DE/OLB
CB
OT
Posted by WhoDatTigahsTampa
S.E.LA2WestFL
Member since Oct 2013
2281 posts
Posted on 4/17/14 at 9:09 am to
quote:

Seattle has an outstanding and deep DB corps. WRs? mediocre at best.
Good point. I just think, to me, if it's not Dennard or Gilbert it's not worthy of the 27 pick (DB wise). Would personally just rather a DE, OLB, or WR.
Posted by mm2316
New Orleans Pelicans Fan
Member since Aug 2010
6942 posts
Posted on 4/17/14 at 9:11 am to
quote:

Is DB really a pressing need? I mean, 1st round pressing need? P-Rob had a pretty good season last year, until he got injured of course. He looked a lot better pre-injury than he had in 2012. We bring in Bailey, and have Corey White also.

I do think CB is one of the bigger needs.

If healthy, Bailey should be a pretty good #2, but he's certainly not a sure thing, and will only be here for 2 years max. As optimistic as I am about Bailey, injury or not, we all know how he looked last season.

Robinson looked improved in the '11 season, but we're about to go into the '14 season; that's a long time. While it shouldn't be difficult to re-sign him if he bounces back, I do believe he's on the last year of his deal. Anything he contributes this season will be a nice bonus.

White has a lot of playing experience in his first few years with us, but I don't think he'll ever be someone you want starting. I do think he will be an above average 3rd/4th CB, and along with Robinson will provide us with great depth.

CB is a position where you can't have enough depth. Last year we started the year with Lewis, Greer, Robinson, and White, and ended up with White and Sweating as the 1 and 2 in the Eagles game.
This post was edited on 4/17/14 at 9:16 am
Posted by Chad504boy
4 posts
Member since Feb 2005
166136 posts
Posted on 4/17/14 at 9:11 am to
quote:

You can find not just good, but GREAT WRs in rounds 2-4. It's harder to find great CBs later. In a league that has become so passing oriented, having too many good DBs is a problem every team would love to have. Look at your Super Bowl champs. Seattle has an outstanding and deep DB corps. WRs? mediocre at best.


there's some pretty huge flaws in this logic.
Posted by blueslover
deeper than deep south
Member since Sep 2007
22792 posts
Posted on 4/17/14 at 9:24 am to
Need Discussion from PFT

Only one ranking of the 6 so far. Can ya'll post those along with the comments/discussion?

Need plays into the value rating but I certainly don't think they go in saying "We're gonna get a ___ in Rd 1. It's all about value and ranking over need. I wanted to gauge the board rank on these. The WR & CB groups offer 3 players that could fit the ranking matrix. So the likelihood of them being in the mix is much greater. They hafta be prepared for every scenario. There might be 3-4 desired players on the board that might have to be chosen from. So ya gotta have a clear rank when that time comes. Just compare them head to head to rank. Do you want Fuller over Beckham? Lee over Verrett? Roby over Cooks? etc etc
Posted by Dunk47
Member since Jan 2014
1059 posts
Posted on 4/17/14 at 9:39 am to
1. Fuller
2. Roby
3. Beckham
4. Lee
5. Verrett
6. Cooks

I like Fuller and that analysis of his skills is solid. He was also off everyones radar until recently.

I like Roby over the two WRs because I think we need a CB first. Champ is a stop gap. PRob is not proven and the talent at safety can help band aid a young CB who is learning at the NFL level.

I like Beckham because of his ability to make plays after the catch and his return skills make him an immediate impact player. Add in his working with a former NFL coordinator and coach and hes got an edge.

I like Lee because he has elite NFL WR written all over him...in 2012. The injuries last year did not help and not having an elite QB getting him the ball. He has the size and speed we need and WR is a very real need.

I like Verrett but hes low on the list because of size and although he thinks he shut down Beckham...he didn't. 5 catches for 119 yards is not a shut down corner. He has speed and instincts but I think of all the players listed he has the best chance of being available at 27.

I like Cooks but we need a replacement for Colston and I don't see Cooks being a viable number one. He fills a slot position and his speed will help him stretch the field but Stills did that pretty well as a rookie last season. We need a bigger WR if we go for one in the first round.
Posted by iAmThatMan
Member since Jan 2014
1879 posts
Posted on 4/17/14 at 10:10 am to
Man...I really want Jordan Matthews a lot...He's a hard worker,tough,smart,great route runner...And he is 6'3 and runs a 4.46 40.
Posted by Brageous
Member since Jul 2008
107724 posts
Posted on 4/17/14 at 10:18 am to
quote:

Is DB really a pressing need?


I think so. Champ is at the back end of his career, Corey White isn't a #2, and P Rob is still somewhat of a question mark. In this day of football, you need numerous solid cornerbacks. I think we go CB in one of the first two rounds because of the way football has evolved. Having Byrd and Vacarro will certainly take a little stress off of our CBs, but we still need youth and depth there. If we don't go CB/WR in the 1st round, I think we are seriously going BPA at LB.
Posted by Isaid
Member since Nov 2011
743 posts
Posted on 4/17/14 at 11:44 am to
quote:

Good point. I just think, to me, if it's not Dennard or Gilbert it's not worthy of the 27 pick (DB wise). Would personally just rather a DE, OLB, or WR.


Tha fuq
Posted by drake20
Baton Rouge
Member since Oct 2005
13123 posts
Posted on 4/17/14 at 2:33 pm to
Cooks
OBJ
Fuller
Lee
Verrett
Roby
Posted by CocoLoco
Member since Jan 2012
29108 posts
Posted on 4/17/14 at 3:13 pm to
My order of preference:

Cooks - I just think he would excel in this offense. I love his game. He's easily one of my favorites in this draft.

Beckham Jr. - Would be very happy with him on this team. I've seen plenty of this guy and he would be a great asset.

Lee- Another good receiver, and probably the most likely of the 3 to be there at 27. I don't think he will be as good as Cooks or Beckham, but will likely be solid

I really want one of these WRs to fall to the Saints, because it's the biggest need right now IMO. I think having a long term #2 corner is a need, but we have 3 guys fighting for that spot this season. Someone will be able to do it. If not any of these, and no big time player falling, my order of preference for corners would be Fuller, Roby , Verrett.
Posted by Brageous
Member since Jul 2008
107724 posts
Posted on 4/17/14 at 3:15 pm to
Don't quote that shite like I said it, dick.
Posted by KG5989
Das Boot
Member since Oct 2010
16324 posts
Posted on 4/17/14 at 10:54 pm to
1. Cooks - speaks for itself.

2. Roby - great size and athleticism. Very good in run support. Would be a great CB2 with Lewis.

3. Lee - Great value pick at 27. Regardless of what he did this past season, he's a top 5 WR in the draft and could be a really good player at the next level.

4. Verrett - doesn't possess great size, but makes up for it with his speed and instincts. Brandon Flowers type CB

5. OBJ - not as high on him like a lot of people. Would prefer other WRs over OBJ like Matthews, Lattimer.

6. Fuller - Always nervous about players who make huge moves for what they did in shorts and t shirt AFTER the season ends. Good size and athleticism but never played like a 1st round CB in pads on the field. Rising on boards for what he did in shorts and tee shirt. But is a great athlete that comes from good stock. Fuller family is loaded with freaks.
This post was edited on 4/17/14 at 11:19 pm
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