Name your top 8

College football and the NFL Draft

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Mikefive
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It's time. We did this last year.

In this exercise, put yourself in Ryan Pace's shoes and name your top 8 prospects in the 2018 NFL Draft and list them in order of priority, highest priority at the top. Your list effectively expresses what you would do on draft day.

Read the following carefully, as misunderstanding what is said here may result in your being deservedly bashed.
There are 2 other optional items to include which DON'T count among your 8 choices. The first optional item is <trade up>, which indicates that you'd trade up for any of the prospects listed above where it is placed in your list. The second optional item is <trade down>, which indicates that you'd prefer to trade down if the prospects below it are the only ones left on the board when our pick is up. Even if you put trade down, the remaining prospects would be your priority choices if a trade down is not available. Note that <trade up> and <trade down> are OPTIONAL and can be omitted.

You may change your list at any time and as many times as you like until the draft begins.

Example (using posters instead of college players):

1. UOK
<trade up>
2. G08
3. docc
4. Richie
5. wab
<trade down>
6. Pagan
7. Umbali
8. Adipost

In the above example, the poster would be trying to trade up to get UOK for as long as he is available. If a trade up partner can't be found, the user would choose UOK if he falls to 8. If he's not available, then G08. If not available, then docc. If not available, then Richie. If not available, then wab. If none of them are available at 8, then poster would seek out and choose to trade down. If no reasonable trade down is available, poster would choose Pagan if available. If he's not there, he'd take Umbali. If Umbali is off the board then he'd take Adipost.

(My list moved to a separate post.)



Post your list and remember that you can change it whenever you like up to the start of the draft.
Last edited by Mikefive on Sat Mar 31, 2018 8:51 am, edited 1 time in total.
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malk
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I'm gonna be posting with a chip on my shoulder from my own. Not top 8?

Smh.
"I wouldn't take him for a conditional 7th. His next contract will pay him more than he could possibly contribute.".

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The Marshall Plan
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1. Roquan Smith
2. Marcus Davenport (This is more of a 1a for me. I'm getting more comfortable taking him at 8.)
3. Minkah Fitzpatrick
4. Tremaine Edmunds
5. Saquon Barkley
5. Denzel Ward
6. Bradley Chubb
7. Quenton Nelson
8. Mike McGlinchey

I don't know why I'm so nervous about Davenport. I really don't. Its the small program issue for me, but the guy is awesome and I think Fangio can make him a great pro. Smith is the prototypical linebacker that we need, but then he gets hurt at the combine. How does he hold up at the pro level then and I don't want another Kevin White. Ultimately I'm excited with Davenport at #8 even though I think its a risk.
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Rusty Trombagent
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malk wrote:I'm gonna be posting with a chip on my shoulder from my own. Not top 8?

Smh.

Haha dude, dont be such a bitch.

WAIT WHAT!?!?
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1. Chubb
2. Harold Landry
3. McGlinchey
4. Roquan Smith
5. Davenport
6. Ridley
7. Minka Fitzpatrick
8. Nelson
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malk
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RustyTrubisky wrote:
malk wrote:I'm gonna be posting with a chip on my shoulder from my own. Not top 8?

Smh.

Haha dude, dont be such a bitch.

WAIT WHAT!?!?
Ha! My post makes me sense! (Should have read "from now on").
"I wouldn't take him for a conditional 7th. His next contract will pay him more than he could possibly contribute.".

Noted Brain Genius Malk, Summer 2018.

(2020 update, wait, was I right...)
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wab
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This is the perfect draft to trade down. But Pace doesn’t seem like that kind of guy.
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UOK
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wab wrote:This is the perfect draft to trade down. But Pace doesn’t seem like that kind of guy.
Pace will trade down, but in round 2 and/or 3. Round one is just too valuable.
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1. Bradley Chubb
2. Tremaine Edmunds
3. Quenton Nelson
4. Marcus Davenport
<trade down>
5. Vita Vea (for which I blame wab)
EDIT TO ADD:
6. Minkah Fitzpatrick (for which I blame G08)
END EDIT
7. Roquan Smith

I'm really having a hard time finding eight guys I would be happy to take. Both Saquon Barkley and DJ Moore fit the athleticism profile of a top pick, but neither fills a team need well. It's a quandary.
Last edited by thunderspirit on Fri Mar 16, 2018 10:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
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dplank wrote:I agree with Rich here
RichH55 wrote: Dplank is correct
:shocked:
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wab
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1 - Tremaine Edmunds
2 - Quenton Nelson
3 - Vita Vea
4 - Marcus Davenport
<trade down>
5 - Taven Bryan
6 - Roquan Smith
7 - Harold Landry
8 - Kolton Miller
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G08
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wab wrote:This is the perfect draft to trade down. But Pace doesn’t seem like that kind of guy.
Pace wants freaks in round 1. Gun to my head, I think one of these dudes will be a Bear in 2018 (in my order of preference):

Tremaine Edmunds
Minkah Fitzpatrick
Quenton Nelson
Vita Vea


*I'll post my 8 later on
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wab
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I would have had Fitzpatrick on my list had Amukamara not been brought back.
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G08
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wab wrote:I would have had Fitzpatrick on my list had Amukamara not been brought back.
Yeah he enters a crowded situation, but in this scenario I'd probably just tell him he's a nickel but really put him all over the field and blitz the shit out of him. Kid's a talent.
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wab
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G08 wrote:
wab wrote:I would have had Fitzpatrick on my list had Amukamara not been brought back.
Yeah he enters a crowded situation, but in this scenario I'd probably just tell him he's a nickel but really put him all over the field and blitz the shit out of him. Kid's a talent.
I'm not comparing the two at all, but I'd really like to see if Hall can fill that role.
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FWIW, Fitzpatrick is very very good and is athletic, but didn't demonstrate "wow" athleticism.

With that said, his football IQ is off the charts and he absolutely can be a matchup weapon on defense. Offenses are making run-down LBs and box safeties hard to keep on the field. LBs who can hit and cover (Edmunds, for example) and nickel cover guys who can tackle reliably (Fitzpatrick, for example) are key chess pieces and worth the investment.

Which means I'll add Minkah to my list. Good call, G08.
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dplank wrote:I agree with Rich here
RichH55 wrote: Dplank is correct
:shocked:
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Hiphopopotamos
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From the other thread:

1. Q Nelson
2. T Edmunds
3. Vita Vea
4. D Ward
5. R Smith
6. H Landry
7. C Williams
8. M Davenport
Holy Shit - We got Justin Fields!

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Oh, and if you were wondering - yes I'm real. And I'm fantastic.
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G08
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Hiphopopotamos wrote:From the other thread:

1. Q Nelson
2. T Edmunds
3. Vita Vea
4. D Ward
5. R Smith
6. H Landry
7. C Williams
8. M Davenport
I started digging into Vea a bit, dude is a fucking freak. A DL of Hicks/Goldman/Vea is a God-damned nightmare (for the offense!).
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mmmc_35
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I would probably do something like this.

Chubb, Bradley
Nelson, Quenton
Edmunds, Tremaine
Barkley, Saquon
Williams, Connor
Fitzpatrick, Minkah
Davenport, Marcus
Ward, Denzel
Vea, Vita
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I think of them in three tiers. Top tier guys I believe will be 4 year starters and make a few pro bowls. Not sure about position for Nelson and Edmunds but they're killers. Then I look to trade back. No good offers? Ok I'll take a guy who will be a 4 year starter but not at a position of need. Barkley is much better than Kwiakowski but we could also give the kid a chance. Ward would be a great CB3 but drafting a nickel corner at 8? I dunno. Next I'm like OK everyone I like is off the board. Is there even a shitty offer? Ok so I'm gonna overdraft a guy that I believe will contribute. He might be a starter if the hype is real but I have some concerns with Vea and Ridley, and Fitz will struggle for playing time. Maybe we play big nickel more? Dunno.

Bradley Chubb
Quenton Nelson
Tremaine Edmunds
<trade back>
Barkley, Saquon
Denzel Ward
<trade back>
Vita Vea
Calvin Ridley
Minkah Fitzpatrick
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Mikefive
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G08 wrote:
wab wrote:I would have had Fitzpatrick on my list had Amukamara not been brought back.
Yeah he enters a crowded situation, but in this scenario I'd probably just tell him he's a nickel but really put him all over the field and blitz the shit out of him. Kid's a talent.
That was my thought. And there's no guarantee that Fuller will sign a long term deal.
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I'm having a hard time setting this up because I'd take Barkley if he was there... but I don't see any world in which that happens, and then I have to re-think what to do with Howard/Cohen. I'm sure this will change in the future:

1. Bradley Chubb
2. Saquan Barkley
3. Tremaine Edmunds
<trade back>
4. Vita Vea
5. Marcus Davenport
6. Quenton Nelson
7. Minkah Fitzpatrick
8. Denzel Ward
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Hiphopopotamos
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It should be noted that my list wasn't a 'Top 8 Players in the Draft', it was a list of the top 8 players i expected to possibly be there at 8.

As such - Chubb, Barkley, Darnold, and Rosen weren't on my list
Holy Shit - We got Justin Fields!

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Oh, and if you were wondering - yes I'm real. And I'm fantastic.
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wab
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Hiphopopotamos wrote:It should be noted that my list wasn't a 'Top 8 Players in the Draft', it was a list of the top 8 players i expected to possibly be there at 8.

As such - Chubb, Barkley, Darnold, and Rosen weren't on my list
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wab wrote:
Hiphopopotamos wrote:It should be noted that my list wasn't a 'Top 8 Players in the Draft', it was a list of the top 8 players i expected to possibly be there at 8.

As such - Chubb, Barkley, Darnold, and Rosen weren't on my list
Same
But would either of you take Darnold or Rosen if by some fluke they were there at 8?
This is a funny game to play. I don't see how you could ever choose a <trade up> without specifying how far up you're willing to go, or down for that matter.
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If Quenton Nelson is there at 8 I think we have to take him. If he is already gone, then trading down is a good call.
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Mikefive
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Hiphopopotamos wrote:It should be noted that my list wasn't a 'Top 8 Players in the Draft', it was a list of the top 8 players i expected to possibly be there at 8.

As such - Chubb, Barkley, Darnold, and Rosen weren't on my list
That's not the right way to play it. There's a reason the game is name your top 8, and not 4, 5, 6 or 10. The point of the game is to eliminate assumptions and show priorities. You should list your top 8. Period. That way it diagrams what you would actually do on draft day. What if someone falls who you don't expect? If he's not on your list, you're saying you wouldn't pick them under any circumstance.

Make sense?
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1. Bradley Chubb
2. Saquan Barkley
3. Quenton Nelson
4. Minkah Fitzpatrick
5. Tremaine Edmunds
6. Harold Landry
7. Josh Jackson
8. Denzel Ward

I fully think Landry would be in this convo had he came out last year instead of returning for his Senior season. That shouldn't knock the kid down, he's talented.
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1. Edmunds- Haven't liked a MLB this much since Urlacher. Freaks like this just don't come around to often.
2. Nelson-Nothing not to like about.
3. Payne- I just keep going back to watching him stand out in every game for Alabama in the last two years more than some other highly touted Alabama players.
4. Ward- The only CB i would even think about taking in round 1.

My list may change only at 2 and 3. I can't keep thinking of how nice it would be to have Hicks on one side and Payne on the other. Payne will need to be double teamed from day one. The other reason it may change is becuase I like the kid Smith from Auburn as much as I like Nelson. Smith we could get in the second round.
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G08 wrote:I'm having a hard time setting this up because I'd take Barkley if he was there... but I don't see any world in which that happens, and then I have to re-think what to do with Howard/Cohen. I'm sure this will change in the future:

1. Bradley Chubb
2. Saquan Barkley
3. Tremaine Edmunds
<trade back>
4. Vita Vea
5. Marcus Davenport
6. Quenton Nelson
7. Minkah Fitzpatrick
8. Denzel Ward
Does it prevent you with any difficulty that Edmunds didn't run your fav 3-cone (or any other agility test at the combine or his pro day) and that Chubb's 3-cone was considerably worse than awe-inspiring?
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Middleguard wrote:
G08 wrote:I'm having a hard time setting this up because I'd take Barkley if he was there... but I don't see any world in which that happens, and then I have to re-think what to do with Howard/Cohen. I'm sure this will change in the future:

1. Bradley Chubb
2. Saquan Barkley
3. Tremaine Edmunds
<trade back>
4. Vita Vea
5. Marcus Davenport
6. Quenton Nelson
7. Minkah Fitzpatrick
8. Denzel Ward
Does it prevent you with any difficulty that Edmunds didn't run your fav 3-cone (or any other agility test at the combine or his pro day) and that Chubb's 3-cone was considerably worse than awe-inspiring?
Both bother me, but I would say Edmunds more just because I like putting a number next to what I see on "tape". His burst is still outstanding but if I was the Bears I'd definitely want him in for a private meeting and run him through some OLB drills and see how he runs the arc.
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