The 2024 Draft

[wulfy]

I see, physically, more of DK Metcalf than Alshon.

[wulfy]

I love the outlandish rumors .... for those of your familiar with Pretty Rickey (who is either really lucky in his guesses or knows somebody) ....

[HurricaneBear]

That's an old and broken platitude you want to use to counter a term that means something different than you're trying to make it. It's not a literal term and not reality when seen this way. The odds of a failure due to lack of talent are far lower with top picks who are not QB. You are always gonna find a few exceptions to that but overall it's true. Top picks tend to have more productive NFL careers. If that wasn't the case why would teams trade multiple picks to draft the one elite rookie they want? Why not trade your top pick every year for more later round picks and play the odds that way? More players better odds right? Except is doesn't work that way.

A 27% success rate is what it is, WR is one of the hardest positions to forecast in the draft.

Exactly. Which is why you trade up for MHJ. Hasn't been a wr this close to a lock since Megatron. The bloodline is strong.

Dreaming the dream!

[dplank]

I agree that MHJr is the best bet of the bunch. WR3 in this draft, not so much.

[wulfy]

Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson on the market? Would you part with a 3rd and give him a new contract? 30 years old and 3 time Pro Bowler.

[cblaz11]

I’d pass on Trey, he’s approaching 30.

I’d love to see the Giants go QB!

[G08]

At this point, I really think the 4 QB's go first and then the 3 WR's next, with teams trading up hard for them. Thats 7 picks right there so it will leave us with Alt, Turner, Bowers, Murphy, and Verse. Who's your Grizzly? I take Alt or Turner all day.

At this point I make the pick at #9 if one of Alt/Turner/Odunze is available.

If they're all gone? Trade as far down as you can where you still can pick a player in your cloud.

24 hours to go boys!!!

[HurricaneBear]

I agree that MHJr is the best bet of the bunch. WR3 in this draft, not so much.

Until he is drafted by someone else, I'm living the dream. Stranger things have happened on draft day.

I know you are on the Dline train. If the improbable happens and they walk out of this draft with Williams and MHJ, would you be happy?

[HisRoyalSweetness]

At this point, I really think the 4 QB's go first and then the 3 WR's next, with teams trading up hard for them.

If the WR class is as deep as claimed then are teams going to trade up hard to grab one of the big 3? I can see all 3 being off the board by the #9 pick but I doubt teams will trade up very far if at all to take one.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

Rome Odunze: It would be 'awesome' to land with Bears, Caleb Williams in draft

Caleb Williams held a throwing session last week with two of his future teammates.

Maybe three.

In anticipation of being drafted No. 1 overall Thursday night, the USC quarterback threw passes to the Bears’ best two wideouts, DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, in Los Angeles. They were joined by Washington receiver Rome Odunze, who could be available when the Bears pick ninth.

“If that ends up being the duo for them — with Caleb back there throwing them the ball — I know they’ll be in good hands,” Odunze said Wednesday after an NFL charity event at the site of the former Tiger Stadium.

And what if he drafted to be the Bears’ third receiver?

“That’d be awesome,” the 22-year-old said. “If they come get me … that’d be awesome and something I’d love to be a part of.”
...

Odunze — whose private coach, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, helped arrange the workout invite — said he’d love to learn from Allen, who, he said, “is on the way to a Hall of Fame career.”

With Moore on the field, too, it would be almost impossible for any of the Bears’ three receivers to be double-teamed.

“It would be explosive,” Odunze said. “Honestly, there’s a lot of weapons on the field in that offense.”
...

“If I’ve got a first overall pick quarterback, I want to serve him with the ninth pick …” NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said. “If it was me, I’d take Rome Odunze if he’s there. I wouldn’t even wait. If it’s 10 minutes on the clock … I’d figure out what to do with the other 9½ minutes.”

Odunze is one the players who gets Williams’ vote. Asked whom the Bears should draft ninth, Williams first named Penn State tackle Olu Fashanu, his former high school teammate who would “put his life on the line protecting me,” and then settled on one of the top three receivers.

“Whoever’s there at 9,” Williams said.
...

Full article: https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2024 ... rs-detroit

[mmmc_35]

At this point, I really think the 4 QB's go first and then the 3 WR's next, with teams trading up hard for them. Thats 7 picks right there so it will leave us with Alt, Turner, Bowers, Murphy, and Verse. Who's your Grizzly? I take Alt or Turner all day.

At this point I make the pick at #9 if one of Alt/Turner/Odunze is available.

If they're all gone? Trade as far down as you can where you still can pick a player in your cloud.

24 hours to go boys!!!

I'm kinda in this boat.

I dont think this is a deep draft. Why not try for 2 starters from the top 10. I dont think this is a 3 starter draft.

[karhu]

At this point I make the pick at #9 if one of Alt/Turner/Odunze is available.

If they're all gone? Trade as far down as you can where you still can pick a player in your cloud.

24 hours to go boys!!!

I'm kinda in this boat.

I dont think this is a deep draft. Why not try for 2 starters from the top 10. I dont think this is a 3 starter draft.

I'm with ya. And heck, we've already added a long-term starter with our second-rounder and a short-term starter with our fourth, along with a solid rotational IOL in Bates with our fifth. We haven't made a pick yet, and our draft is already more successful than, say, 2015's.

We don't need more lottery tickets this year. Two highly educated stabs at long-term contributors are enough. Might even want to trade a pick or two next year for higher-round picks in subsequent years; that's when we'll want to start adding solid players who'll be on their rookie contracts when Williams comes off his.

[Bearfacts]

I agree that MHJr is the best bet of the bunch. WR3 in this draft, not so much.

And yet scouts and analysts much smarter and more experienced than you or I have them graded nearly the same and all three are ranked within the top six picks. You're trying to back a position that in this draft with these three WR isn't working with me or 32 NFL GMs. I'll bet you a buck all three go in the top ten.

Now, should Poles choose to pass and trade down for a DL like Murphy, Turner or Verse I'll be on board with it even though I still won't agree it was the way to go. But that's why he gets paid to run the Bears not me. I also believe that if he does trade the pick whoever his trade partner is will draft the remaining WR.

[karhu]

So the whole "Grizzly" talk from Poles, I'm going to trust. I think he stays put at #9 and takes one of his grizzlys. He seens to like his mid round picks and seems pretty damn good at them. I'm guessing he trades back several times from that 3rd round and ends up with a shit ton of 4, 5, and 6's. I think 8 or more picks here.

Bingo. Except that I think he ends up with five or six picks this year and one or two more in 2025.

[Grizzled]

Quality versus quantity. 1999: the Saints trade their entire draft plus the following year's 1st and 3rd to the Dedskins for the draft pick giving them Ricky Williams, who was gone after 3 years. Then the Dedskins traded their 1-12 to the Bears for 1-7, a 3rd, 4th, and 5th, and a 3rd in the following draft. The Bears went with Cade McNown. The Dedskins picked Champ Bailey. The Bears could have taken Daunte Culpepper at 7; he wasn't great but was certainly better than McNown.

[dplank]

I agree that MHJr is the best bet of the bunch. WR3 in this draft, not so much.

Until he is drafted by someone else, I'm living the dream. Stranger things have happened on draft day.

I know you are on the Dline train. If the improbable happens and they walk out of this draft with Williams and MHJ, would you be happy?

Absolutely yes

[dplank]

“My guy” is Tory Taylor. My obsession with punters continues….

[dplank]

So the whole "Grizzly" talk from Poles, I'm going to trust. I think he stays put at #9 and takes one of his grizzlys. He seens to like his mid round picks and seems pretty damn good at them. I'm guessing he trades back several times from that 3rd round and ends up with a shit ton of 4, 5, and 6's. I think 8 or more picks here.

Every team has these unique stickers for their boards. The best one I saw was a team that had a pot leaf sticker for any player that they suspected had a drug or alcohol issue.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

Every team has these unique stickers for their boards. The best one I saw was a team that had a pot leaf sticker for any player that they suspected had a drug or alcohol issue.

They don't use emojis then?

Blue Chip:



Red Chip:



Starter:



OK; might have a chance:



A complete nutcase but has talent; might be worth a punt:



Not worth considering:

[STLINI]

Draft day is finally upon us. Thought we could use a fresh thread for the day of the draft.

Here's the final mock draft from Dane Brugler of The Athletic. https://theathletic.com/5442096/2024/04 ... nd-1-2024/

His top 10 is:
1. Bears - Williams, QB
2. Commanders - Daniels, QB
3. Pats - Maye, QB
4. Cards - MHJ, WR
5. Vikings (from LA) - McCarthy, QB
6. Giants - Odunze, WR
7. Titans - Alt, OT
8. Jets (from ATL) - Nabors, WR
9. Bears - Murphy, DT
10. ATL - Turner, Edge

I find it interesting that he has Odunze going before Nabors, when all of the recent chatter has been that Nabors is viewed by some as the #1 overall WR. I could totally see the Jets trying to jump the Bears for a WR if they want one of the big 3 and are worried about the Bears taking one. To be 1 pick away from Nabors would be a tough pill to swallow for me. I love him.

I'm just not a huge Murphy guy. If we traded back and took him I'd feel better about it. But I don't get the wide margin of love for him over Newton, when Newton has way better production on the field over the last 3 years and they have the same size knocks against them.

[STLINI]

Isaiah Adams, OG from Illinois is a guy to think about in the 3rd-4th round also if we want interior help. He was great as a OG in 2022, and then kicked out to OT in 2023 out of necessity and had some ups and downs. If he would've played OG again this past year, there was talk that he could make his way into the 2nd round. He's been considered a possible Center as well.

[spudbear]

“My guy” is Tory Taylor. My obsession with punters continues….

Well, yeah, what's not to like?
"Taylor was a three-time All-American and in his final season was a unanimous first-team All-American and won the Ray Guy Award for the nation's best punter. He also holds the Big Ten Conference record for career average yards per punt with 46.3 yards."
What round does a punter like that get drafted? I'm guessing with the few picks that Poles had starting today (OH BOY, finally) he won't be using one on a punter.

Poles will probably have a few UDFA punters in camp. Therefore, joining in on your punter obsession, I'll choose for my guy Ryan Sanborn out of Texas who averaged 45.7 yds/punt last year. How cool would it be to have two try-hard white guys with the same last name? And Ryan Sanborn sounds like he should be hosting American Idol.

[spudbear]

I'm not liking that mock above. Good Bad Ugly
The Good: Minny moving up for McCarthy will cost them dearly in the next few years.
The Bad: All three WR's are gone before the Bears pick.
The Ugly: Murphy?! No. If Turner is on the board then you have to take him or another edge that Poles has highly rated.

[HurricaneBear]

Asked whom the Bears should draft ninth, Williams first named Penn State tackle Olu Fashanu, his former high school teammate who would “put his life on the line protecting me,” and then settled on one of the top three receivers.

“Whoever’s there at 9,” Williams said.

If alt and the wrs are gone, I'm sold on Fashanu. Going into this year I had an eye on him for this draft and it may fall so he's the BPA on offense at 9. I'd be happy with a Williams/Fashanu first round.

[Moriarty]

“My guy” is Tory Taylor. My obsession with punters continues….

Well, yeah, what's not to like?
"Taylor was a three-time All-American and in his final season was a unanimous first-team All-American and won the Ray Guy Award for the nation's best punter. He also holds the Big Ten Conference record for career average yards per punt with 46.3 yards."
What round does a punter like that get drafted? I'm guessing with the few picks that Poles had starting today (OH BOY, finally) he won't be using one on a punter.

Who knows?
I've seen all over the spectrum, from R3 to R7. Consistently all over. And from good sources, too - not the crappy ones who have lots of eye-rolling takes.
However, 2 of my very favorites have 3/4 and 4, so I'm guessing the higher end, although I'm not convinced as high as they say. 4/5 is my best guess.

I'd be perfectly happy with a consolation prize of Rehkow in 6/7.

[Moriarty]

I'm not crazy about the Bear selection.
But aside from that, I think it's extremely plausible. Arguably, you could flip Nabors and Odunze, but that's also fairly trivial, especially from a Bears at 9 standpoint.

[dave99]

I agree that MHJr is the best bet of the bunch. WR3 in this draft, not so much.

And yet scouts and analysts much smarter and more experienced than you or I have them graded nearly the same and all three are ranked within the top six picks. You're trying to back a position that in this draft with these three WR isn't working with me or 32 NFL GMs. I'll bet you a buck all three go in the top ten.

Now, should Poles choose to pass and trade down for a DL like Murphy, Turner or Verse I'll be on board with it even though I still won't agree it was the way to go. But that's why he gets paid to run the Bears not me. I also believe that if he does trade the pick whoever his trade partner is will draft the remaining WR.

The Beast Top 100 top 10:
Williams
Harrison
Nabers
Maye
Alt
Odunze
Bowers
Daniels
Fautanu
Arnold

All three WR are top 10 (and most rankings are similar, a few have Nabors as #1).
Not a fan of Alt but I would not be adverse to Fautanu because most analysts say he could play all five positions, including LT and center. Also, class A slober knocker and you can probably get him after a moderate trade down.
Note the only defensive player is Arnold. Turner is the first edge at 14, Murphy is 16 and Verse is 20.
Big fan of Verse, he has Chicago Bear written all over him.
Not the last word but interesting.

[Moriarty]

https://www.startribune.com/how-interes ... 600360439/

[STLINI]

I'm not crazy about the Bear selection.
But aside from that, I think it's extremely plausible. Arguably, you could flip Nabors and Odunze, but that's also fairly trivial, especially from a Bears at 9 standpoint.

Yeah, somebody jumping up to Atlanta's pick to get one of the top 3 WR's is something I could see happening. If' I'm the Bears, I'm either taking Turner or I'm open for trade downs. I know some don't think Turner fits what Flus would want, but I like him as a prospect.

[thunderspirit]

Well, yeah, what's not to like?
"Taylor was a three-time All-American and in his final season was a unanimous first-team All-American and won the Ray Guy Award for the nation's best punter. He also holds the Big Ten Conference record for career average yards per punt with 46.3 yards."
What round does a punter like that get drafted? I'm guessing with the few picks that Poles had starting today (OH BOY, finally) he won't be using one on a punter.

Who knows?
I've seen all over the spectrum, from R3 to R7. Consistently all over. And from good sources, too - not the crappy ones who have lots of eye-rolling takes.
However, 2 of my very favorites have 3/4 and 4, so I'm guessing the higher end, although I'm not convinced as high as they say. 4/5 is my best guess.

I'd be perfectly happy with a consolation prize of Rehkow in 6/7.

Rehkow would be fine, yeah. Austin McNamara or Porter Wilson, too.