It is that time of year. Actually, it was gonna be last week already, but the Free Agency period was so hectic from the start that I hit the brakes. Doesn’t make sense to do Team Mocks when you don’t have a fairly clear picture of the team depth charts. It’s still a bit of a gamble, but the cannon fire is pretty much over until after the Draft. Only some musket volleying is likely in the next 2-3 weeks personnel wise… I think.
I am instituting some changes from previous years Team Mocks that I have put together in these spaces. Each article will feature a Division from around the League. Meaning there will be 8 postings instead of 32. I will conduct a 4-team Draft within each conference listing. The Picks will be based on my Top 300 Prospect Rankings, aligned with what I think a team needs within a value range.
With any Round 1 Pick, the drafting team may pick any player ranked at their spot and beyond, but none that rank higher than their Pick. Same for Round 2, except that they may pick one player above their draft spot. For example: 49’ers own the 43rd Pick in this Draft. They may select any player I have ranked from 42 and later. In Round 3, the picking team may select 2 spots higher than their Pick. For example: 49’ers own Pick 102, so they may draft anyone from 100 or later on my list. That formula progresses one number per round thru Round 5. Once we get into Round 6/7 a team may Pick any prospect beyond 185.
Once all the Picks are made from that division, I will move on to the next division, with all ranked prospects being available to select. So in essence, a player can show up on several Pick lists, but only once per division’s picks.
I feel like I really cut my teeth, Draft wise, during the RON WOLF era in Green Bay. So that means that I am a believer in his theory of taking the best available football player at your Draft Pick. But, like him, I also believe that position of need decides a pick if players ranked as being of equal ability are available. A tough evaluation to make quite often, but I am not drafting a QB if I already have a Franchise QB starting and a developmental back-up in the wings.
I must qualify, given the aggressive trade moves we have already seen this year, that I do not propose trades in my Team Mocks. But do I think we will see more trades in the weeks to come… Y-E-S! I have 5 QB’s ranked in my Top 16 prospects. The thirst for QB is nigh-on insatiable in today’s NFL. And trading a Pick that could net a team one of these 5 guys, would bring multiple valuable Picks to the team trading out.
My work on the first Division Mock, the NFC West, begins now. Look for it early next week here at the gbnreport.com .
Pigskin
