My First Crush(2023 Draft)

College football and the NFL Draft

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cblaz11
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He’s falling under the radar as of now and it’s probably because people think of him as a tweener.

That said, I see a 4-3 DE that can kick inside at times. His flash off the line combined with his strength should transition nicely to the next level.

I think the combine is huge for him…is he 6-4 or 6-2…Is he 275 or 290. We will see but I’ve watched full games or him and he’s very active.
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I just recently got into him, exactly because he's not a prototype anything for us.

I agree that ideal fit here would be outside on rushing downs and inside on passing

One catch is - I suspect he's going to go high enough that he really needs to be able to contribute on all 3 downs. If he's only a half-time specialist/role player for us, I don't think you can justify the 'draft capital price tag' on him.
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wab
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The combine is going to be huge. I think he's pretty close to 6'4. Weight wise...he doesn't look 290.

I do feel like he's going to be one of those guys that move up in the draft. Late R2-ish
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My first big crush looked like a 16 year old cross between Paulina Porizkova and Stephanie Seymour. But you do you. LOL

I don't watch college football closely enough to have any non-obvious players I like. Being an Illinois guy I do love Chase Brown in the mid-late rounds (4=-5).

But I think for my *favorite* I'd go with two guys who will go in the middle of the first round: Witherspoon from IL at CB and Q Johnson from TCU at WR. I absolutely love both of them but realize both at this point would be luxury picks, given the need on the DL.

BUT... I'm hoping the Bears convince the Texans they have to pick first to get who they want, and give up both of their first rounders. And then also Poles makes a splash in FA and picks up 2 stud DL (including Payne) to team up with Anderson as the #2 pick. Then at 12 the Bears pick either of my two favorites and trade down a couple of slots if they can if both are still there. To me, that is perfect.
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cblaz11
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wab wrote: Thu Jan 19, 2023 9:57 am The combine is going to be huge. I think he's pretty close to 6'4. Weight wise...he doesn't look 290.

I do feel like he's going to be one of those guys that move up in the draft. Late R2-ish
I’d bet the over…I think he ends up top 20.

Here’s the thing…he can play DE in a 3/4 or 4/3, and 3 tech in a 4/3.
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cblaz11 wrote: Thu Jan 19, 2023 3:05 pm
wab wrote: Thu Jan 19, 2023 9:57 am The combine is going to be huge. I think he's pretty close to 6'4. Weight wise...he doesn't look 290.

I do feel like he's going to be one of those guys that move up in the draft. Late R2-ish
I’d bet the over…I think he ends up top 20.

Here’s the thing…he can play DE in a 3/4 or 4/3, and 3 tech in a 4/3.
Yeah, but so could Jarron Gilbert, as far as we were blue-skying it at this point in 200whatever. He was just all power and no twitch, and Leadfooted JJ Watt doesn't have a place in the NFL (seriously, they were remarkably close except for their agility scores).

We know what Tuipulotu did on the field. Next, we'll learn a bit more about *how* he did it, and that'll give us an idea of whether it'll translate.
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I think my first crush right now is the TE Darnel Washington out of GA. Everything about him says, "I'm gonna run right over you bitch." He's 6'7" 270lbs, and amazingly athletic. As soon as he catches the ball in space, it's instant business decision time for a CB. Depending on the combine, he'll go anywhere between late 1st round and middle of the 2nd.
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Cameron Latu is my favoured TE
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On defense, other than the obvious guys like Will Anderson and Tyree Wilson, I'm interested in Dorian Williams (LB), Nick Hampton (LB), KJ Henry (EDGE), Will McDonald (EDGE), Mike Morris (DL), and Jalen Redmond (DL).

There are a lot of guys i like on offense right now. More than defense actually.
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wab wrote: Fri Jan 20, 2023 9:38 am On defense, other than the obvious guys like Will Anderson and Tyree Wilson, I'm interested in Dorian Williams (LB), Nick Hampton (LB), KJ Henry (EDGE), Will McDonald (EDGE), Mike Morris (DL), and Jalen Redmond (DL).

There are a lot of guys i like on offense right now. More than defense actually.
A whole bunch of edge guys to like this year. That's my top position group for this draft, nearly 30 guys who look draftable. (Combine will likely weed some out from being drafted but should be UDFA targets.)
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dplank wrote:I agree with Rich here
RichH55 wrote: Dplank is correct
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Will Anderson Jr.
Ringo
Breese ( Damn injuries)

Here is one I just love. Zach Charbonnet I believe the best RB in the draft. You only need to know one thing about him at UCLA. Chip Kelly fed him the ball. Chip Kelly hates running the ball.
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EricTighe wrote: Fri Jan 20, 2023 9:27 pm Here is one I just love. Zach Charbonnet I believe the best RB in the draft. You only need to know one thing about him at UCLA. Chip Kelly fed him the ball. Chip Kelly hates running the ball.
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Rashee Rice, WR, SMU. The more I read, the more I like. He's giving me Davante Adams vibes:

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/bears-eye- ... 47809.html

If the Bears snag a high 2nd round, they could use it on him.
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cblaz11 wrote: Wed Jan 18, 2023 2:18 pm

He’s falling under the radar as of now and it’s probably because people think of him as a tweener.

That said, I see a 4-3 DE that can kick inside at times. His flash off the line combined with his strength should transition nicely to the next level.

I think the combine is huge for him…is he 6-4 or 6-2…Is he 275 or 290. We will see but I’ve watched full games or him and he’s very active.
Greg Gabriel loves him as a 3T in our defense and thinks he might be a better fit than Jalen Carter...
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The Marshall Plan
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G08 wrote: Sat Jan 21, 2023 11:32 am
cblaz11 wrote: Wed Jan 18, 2023 2:18 pm

He’s falling under the radar as of now and it’s probably because people think of him as a tweener.

That said, I see a 4-3 DE that can kick inside at times. His flash off the line combined with his strength should transition nicely to the next level.

I think the combine is huge for him…is he 6-4 or 6-2…Is he 275 or 290. We will see but I’ve watched full games or him and he’s very active.
Greg Gabriel loves him as a 3T in our defense and thinks he might be a better fit than Jalen Carter...
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cblaz11 wrote: Wed Jan 18, 2023 2:18 pm

He’s falling under the radar as of now and it’s probably because people think of him as a tweener.

That said, I see a 4-3 DE that can kick inside at times. His flash off the line combined with his strength should transition nicely to the next level.

I think the combine is huge for him…is he 6-4 or 6-2…Is he 275 or 290. We will see but I’ve watched full games or him and he’s very active.
Every site is taking his size from USC official page at 6'4" and 290lbs. Seen him a bunch he is defiantly a "Lunch pail" type of player.
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cblaz11 wrote: Thu Jan 19, 2023 3:05 pm I’d bet the over…I think he ends up top 20.
Walterfootball agrees with you...
https://walterfootball.com/nfldraftbigboard

Seems to be all over the map depending on where you look... 59?

https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/buzzbigboard/2/2023
https://www.drafttek.com/2023-NFL-Draft ... Page-1.asp

This cannot be right...121?

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/prospect-rankings/

Sporting News???

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/new ... elanbwoag0
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Combine hasn't happened yet. Those rankings are likely to change after that.
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dplank wrote:I agree with Rich here
RichH55 wrote: Dplank is correct
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Truly amazing how guys shoot up draft boards or precipitously fall without playing a down. I guess some from much more indepth investigations into personalities and characteristics, physical issues which get disclosed, direct interviews at the Combine and player days, etc. Let the hype machine gin up.
Drafts are like snowflakes, no two are alike.
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Bears Whiskey Nut wrote: Thu Jan 19, 2023 7:11 pm I think my first crush right now is the TE Darnel Washington out of GA. Everything about him says, "I'm gonna run right over you bitch." He's 6'7" 270lbs, and amazingly athletic. As soon as he catches the ball in space, it's instant business decision time for a CB. Depending on the combine, he'll go anywhere between late 1st round and middle of the 2nd.
The other Georgia TE is the one I'd be feening for. It's possible he petitions the NFL for early entry into the draft.

Not only guys on this board are big on Andrei Isivas:

https://beargoggleson.com/2023/01/27/ch ... i-iosivas/
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Even if we achieve my goal of drafting Murphy in the first round this is My Guy for the second round.

Andre Carter II: DE from Army.

6'7" 260

Bookend him with Murphy and you've got a pair of huge DEs that can get to the QB.

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bearsoldier wrote: Sun Jan 22, 2023 1:51 pm
cblaz11 wrote: Thu Jan 19, 2023 3:05 pm I’d bet the over…I think he ends up top 20.
Walterfootball agrees with you...
https://walterfootball.com/nfldraftbigboard

Seems to be all over the map depending on where you look... 59?

https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/buzzbigboard/2/2023
https://www.drafttek.com/2023-NFL-Draft ... Page-1.asp

This cannot be right...121?

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/prospect-rankings/

Sporting News???

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/new ... elanbwoag0

As of now, he’s my guy in this draft. I keep going back between him and Paris Johnson.
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cblaz11 wrote: Wed Jan 18, 2023 2:18 pm I think the combine is huge for him…is he 6-4 or 6-2…Is he 275 or 290. We will see but I’ve watched full games or him and he’s very active.
I agree. It will be key for him to improve his draft stock and if his measurables are higher than expected, he will be a riser for sure.
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Just wrapped up my initial pass through on this year's draft. Came in at just over 130 draftable guys who I think fit the Bears' offensive and defensive schemes, and around another 40 guys at UDFA level. The Combine always changes things a bit (full measurements rather than various website estimates, plus athletic measurements which send you back to the game tape to see what you may have missed), and then the pro days for the guys who weren't invited too; but my goal was to finish before the Combine measurements started rolling in.

I've mentioned two names as guys I really like before, one of whom (Kentucky CB Carrington Valentine) is in Indy this week and one (Louisville/C Arkansas WR Tyler Hudson) who isn't. I think they're both sleepers (though I suspect no one will be sleeping on Valentine after this week).

Crush-wise, while I really like Tyjae Spears and Zach Charbonnet, I keep looking at Evan Hull and picturing a perfect replacement for David Montgomery. And Wanya Morris looks like the ideal Ryan Poles type of offensive lineman.
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dplank wrote:I agree with Rich here
RichH55 wrote: Dplank is correct
:shocked:
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