Official 2018 NFL Draft Discussion Thread

[Coltsalr]

Originally Posted by FatDT

Is Davenport going to be a great player? Seems like kind of a project.

True, though Harold Landry also appears like he’s probably not going to be an immediate contributor either.

Bradley Chubb might be the only instant impact pass rush player in the draft.

[ZiaColt]

Originally Posted by Puck

Barkley and Chubb will be gone before we pick at 6. Nelson will be available and no one is going to want to trade up. We will pick at 6 or take a lot less than most think on here. If we pick at 6 and Nelson is there..... He would be the BPA

Depends on what is meant by "a lot less" IMO. Certainly I don't think (as I said above) the Colts could expect to get both of Buffalo's 1st round picks, but something like the trade I mentioned might be realistic and would be approximately "equal value" on the trade charts. And the 12th pick would still have lots of value for the Colts in this draft, especially on defense.

I think the key to this draft for them is the 2nd (and to a lesser extent 3rd) round, more than the 1st. So moving from #6 to #12 in order to get 2 more picks between #49 and #67 would be potentially attractive to me.

If Ballard keeps the pick, I don't have a major problem with that either. If he uses it to draft Nelson, so be it. Personally I'd be VERY reluctant to use the 6th overall pick, in any draft, on any offensive lineman other than a very promising left tackle, and I don't agree with those who think the addition of Nelson would dramatically improve the Colts' OL--too many other issues there IMO. But I wouldn't get bent out of shape if that does turn out to be Ballard's choice.

Same for Smith. Personally I think he'd be something of a reach at #6, given that I feel he can realistically only play one position (W) in the pros, but if he stays healthy he should be able to play that position at a very high level, especially compared to Indy's current LB corps.

And, again, in some ways I'm actually more interested in seeing who might fall to the Colts at #36, #37, #49 and #67 than in seeing what their choice is at #6. Some really talented OLs, CBs and RBs should still be there when Ballard picks in Round Two--maybe Round 3 as well.

Possibly a LB (Malik Jefferson?) will fall farther than he should on Draft Day as well. I wouldn't mind seeing what an LB combo of Smith and Jefferson might look like 2-3 years down the road.

Or an OL combo of Nelson and, maybe, O'Neill in Round Two. Possibly with some RB like Michel or R. Jones drafted in between them?

And maybe the Colts could get lucky and see a promising CB (Carlton Davis?) slide to Round 3. Stranger things have happened....especially with teams like Cleveland drafting.

[Dam8610]

Originally Posted by Puck

Barkley and Chubb will be gone before we pick at 6. Nelson will be available and no one is going to want to trade up. We will pick at 6 or take a lot less than most think on here. If we pick at 6 and Nelson is there..... He would be the BPA

I've heard a lot of talk from Ballard about Brian Urlacher and Derrick Johnson. I think Edmunds or Smith is the pick if they don't trade down and Chubb isn't available at 6.

[ZiaColt]

Originally Posted by Dam8610

I've heard a lot of talk from Ballard about Brian Urlacher and Derrick Johnson. I think Edmunds or Smith is the pick if they don't trade down and Chubb isn't available at 6.

The analogy of Urlacher and Edmunds makes some sense, especially in terms of size and raw talent. Not as much with Smith, but I could realistically see Ballard choosing either one (or Nelson) at #6, especially if Eberflus thinks Edmunds could play either inside or outside.

Maybe the Colts do trade down on Draft Day BUT not in the 1st Round. What if someone like Mason Rudolph's there at #36 or #37 and someone like Miami or Arizona misses out on a QB in Round One? And they offer their 2nd rounder and.....?

[njcoltfan]

Originally Posted by Racehorse

Somebody is going to trade up, either with us or with one ahead of us.

Well, maybe

Don't be surprised if the Bears come calling, they are supposedly in love with Nelson. I'd take #8 and #39 to move down 2 spots.

[ukcolt]

The way that Ballard was bigging up Sheard, Simon and Basham in is his press conference, makes me feel that Chubb won't be the selection even if he is on the board with the 6th pick. If all 3 of those guys are going to be DE's, then although you might argue with justification that they are not proven, they have their guys there already. But the LB cupboard is almost completely bare.

We have 4 picks in the first 48 selections, so that does give some flexibility in this draft as to what positions we target and in which rounds. To me the best player in this draft is Nelson, he is better than all of the QB's, Chubb and Barkley, it's just that the guard position is not considered to be hugely important. If he is available i would take him, but there are other guard options that will likely be available in the 2nd rounds that i also like and it could screw up the rest of the draft because if we want interior LB's Edmunds and Smith are the options early, but there is a bigger drop off in talent level when it comes to the 2nd round. Vander Esch might make it, but i suspect he is a guy who is going to be picked in the later part of the 1st round so you are left with no LB's that are value picks early in the 2nd round.

My ideal draft would be G Quenton Nelson, ILB Kyle Vander Esch, CB Carlton Davis, ILB Malik Jefferson in the first 2 rounds.

But i don't think that it is very realistic that Vander Esch drops to the 2nd, so would probably draft Edmunds, 1 of the guards (Wynn, Price or Hernandez), CB Davis and ILB Jefferson.

[VeveJones007]

Originally Posted by YDFL Commish

I think it depends on which QB Cleveland takes. My instinct is that the Giants only want Darnold. If he's taken, then they will look to trade down if possible. If a deal is not worked out, I see them taking Barkley.

As for the Colts, it has to be Chubb or trade down.

Originally Posted by JesusChrist

I think either Cleveland or Denver trades down with Buffalo instead of us getting to do so.

I think the Colts stay put and take Roquan Smith a bit earlier than people think if Chubb is gone.

Logged on to share the same thought as JC. If Chubb is there (and I think there's a reasonable chance), Ballard takes him. If not, I think he ends up staying put and taking Smith.

[VeveJones007]

Originally Posted by njcoltfan

Don't be surprised if the Bears come calling, they are supposedly in love with Nelson. I'd take #8 and #39 to move down 2 spots.

This is an ideal scenario, but I don't think it will happen. The Bears wouldn't have another pick until the 4th round in this scenario.

[VeveJones007]

Originally Posted by ukcolt

The way that Ballard was bigging up Sheard, Simon and Basham in is his press conference, makes me feel that Chubb won't be the selection even if he is on the board with the 6th pick. If all 3 of those guys are going to be DE's, then although you might argue with justification that they are not proven, they have their guys there already. But the LB cupboard is almost completely bare.

We have 4 picks in the first 48 selections, so that does give some flexibility in this draft as to what positions we target and in which rounds. To me the best player in this draft is Nelson, he is better than all of the QB's, Chubb and Barkley, it's just that the guard position is not considered to be hugely important. If he is available i would take him, but there are other guard options that will likely be available in the 2nd rounds that i also like and it could screw up the rest of the draft because if we want interior LB's Edmunds and Smith are the options early, but there is a bigger drop off in talent level when it comes to the 2nd round. Vander Esch might make it, but i suspect he is a guy who is going to be picked in the later part of the 1st round so you are left with no LB's that are value picks early in the 2nd round.

My ideal draft would be G Quenton Nelson, ILB Kyle Vander Esch, CB Carlton Davis, ILB Malik Jefferson in the first 2 rounds.

But i don't think that it is very realistic that Vander Esch drops to the 2nd, so would probably draft Edmunds, 1 of the guards (Wynn, Price or Hernandez), CB Davis and ILB Jefferson.

I think this is a very reasonable scenario, though I think Smith is Ballard's guy over Edmunds.

[VeveJones007]

Originally Posted by Puck

Barkley and Chubb will be gone before we pick at 6. Nelson will be available and no one is going to want to trade up. We will pick at 6 or take a lot less than most think on here. If we pick at 6 and Nelson is there..... He would be the BPA

Not sure many would agree with me, but I believe Roquan Smith would make a bigger impact on this team than Nelson.