Extremely Premature Mock

[Kayoh]

I don't personally like the idea of mock drafts before the offseason, but I've gotten myself so invest in this season's class that It's difficult to resist at this point.

I'm not going to assume that we're going to make any splash free agent signings other than just making sure that we keep the key guys around.

Need to keep around: DT Vance Walker, CB Robert McClain, SS William Moore, SS Chris Hope

I'd like to see us either re-sign Grimes if he's able to return at full speed/athetic ability OR rework Robinson's contract to free up some cap space.

Would like to keep around but not necessary: G Garrett Reynolds, CB Chris Owens, CB Dominique Franks

No longer needed: RB Michael Turner, DT Peria Jerry, QB Luke McCown, RB Antone Smith, FB Mike Cox, DE Lawrence Sidbury, OT Will Svitek

Retiring: TE Tony Gonzalez, C Todd McClure

No, I don't have us drafting a RB because I hate the idea of drafting a RB with a high round pick and there are no real "sleeper" RBs in this draft that could go on to be what we would need them to be. Worst case scenario, Quizz & Snelling split the load next season. We know what they can do and I'm quite confident that with an improved Oline, they'll be just as productive, if not moreso, than any 4th round rookie would be.

I'm hoping we win the SB so I'll just say we do. Hooray! Pick 32.

Rd 1: Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida

-I'm hoping he's here, if not Sheldon Richardson likely will be in which case he'd be the pick. Either way, I think it's 100% key that we use this pick on an interior lineman, whether it's Floyd or Richardson, or if one of the 3 Alabama Olinemen falls to this spot, or even slightly reaching for Larry Warford at this spot, we need to address the interior of both lines.

Rd 2: Joseph Fauria, TE, UCLA

-This might be viewed as a bit of a reach right now, but here's my thought process: Fauria is a brilliant receiver. More physical than Zach Ertz, better redzone threat than Tyler Eifert. He isn't the best blocker in the world, but you know who else wasn't the best blocker in the world? Tony Gonzalez this season. As a matter of fact, Gonzo was one of the worst run blocking TEs in the entire NFL this past season. Fauria isn't an incredible blocker, but he is an effort blocker who I can't say would be a downgrade in any way from Gonzo.

Rd 3: Gabe Jackson, RG, Miss St

-If we're able to pull the trigger on Floyd or Richardson in the 1st, Jackson is a must-have guy in the 3rd, and hopefully he makes it there. I haven't seen him ranked in the top 100 players on any big boards, and guards are generally less of a premium in the draft, so the chances of him dropping here are relatively good. He's a plug-and-play starter for us from day 1 and a major uprade at the RG position from both Konz and Reynolds.

Rd 4: Michael Williams, TE, Alabama

-And now, if Fauria continues to struggle as a blocker in the NFL, we have a guy who could arguably be the best run blocking TE in the draft, as well as another 6'7" receiving threat when we get into the redzone. We can rotate Fauria, Williams and Ewing in and out of sets seamlessly with Fauria acting as a TE/Slot WR, Williams acting as an in-line TE/H-Back, and Ewing being a pure lead blocker. Our goal line set just got a lot scarier.

Rd 5: Devin Taylor, DE, South Carolina

-This is a bit of a hope pick because I'm not sure Taylor drops this far. I love that Jadeveon Clowney has been stealing all the thunder in South Carolina on the DL because Taylor is just as much of a physical freak. More stout vs the run than Clowney, and a guy with his size has all the potential in the world as a pass rusher.

Rd 6: Spencer Nealy, DL, Texas A&M

-If you ignore his size, Nealy should be a 2nd round draft pick this season. He's undersized, but it hasn't mattered, because he demands double teams on every play, and the rare occasions that he doesn't get doubled, he absolutely destroys single blocks. Made Barrett Jones his own personal b*tch in the Alabama game on more than one occasion. An overachiever for sure, but a real character guy that TD & MS would love.

Rd 7: Nick Becton, LT, Virginia Tech

-I see a lot of potential in this guy. Ideal size, very fluid in his kick step, great use of hands and strong at the point of attack. At the very worst, he competes with Svitek for the starting LT job and all it cost us was a 7th round pick. His floor is fairly low, but his ceiling is as a guy who can actually beat out Baker for the starting job. Also has the potential to kick inside as a G for added depth.

New DC

QB: Ryan/Davis

RB: FA/Rodgers/Snelling

FB: Ewing/Snelling

TE: Fauria/Williams/Palmer/Gallarda

WR: White/Jones/Douglas/Davis

LT: Baker/Becton/Svitek

LG: Blalock/Becton

C: Konz/Hawley

RG: Jackson/Manley

RT: Clabo/Holmes

LE: Biermann/Taylor

UT: Floyd/Babineaux/Robertson

NT: Walker/Nealy/Peters

RE: Abraham/Matthews

SB: Nicholas/Biermann

MB: Dent/Schiller

WB: Weatherspoon/James

CB: Samuel/(Robinson or Grimes)/McClain/Franks/Owens

SS: Moore/Hope

FS: DeCoud/Mitchell

[<~MEAT GOAT~>]

Mocks ok. Only bad thing about not drafting a RB, you're going to have to PAY for a free agent RB. Not sure we are going to have the cap to be able to pay a guy when we can replace that position a lot cheaper in the draft. Like Floyd pick, don't like fauria, don't like Devine Taylor at all and I'm a gamecock fan.

[Kayoh]

Mocks ok. Only bad thing about not drafting a RB, you're going to have to PAY for a free agent RB. Not sure we are going to have the cap to be able to pay a guy when we can replace that position a lot cheaper in the draft. Like Floyd pick, don't like fauria, don't like Devine Taylor at all and I'm a gamecock fan.

I don't 100% understand how the cap/rookie cap thing works tbh. I know that'we re right up against the cap but I also know that a few of the players we're letting go like Turner, McClure, Gonzo and Jerry are all probably eating up quite a bit of space. If I absolutely had to pick, I probably would replace the Taylor pick with a 5th round RB. If Spencer Ware was available in the 5th, I'd take him over Taylor. Cierre Wood should be around at that point, I'd probably look at him too since his big question is his ability to be a 3rd down back, which Quizz would be anyway. There are guys late in the draft that I'd rate about the same as guys like Taylor, Ball and Gillislee, so I just don't like the idea of wasting a high draft pick on a guy who's value is basically the same as a guy you can get in the 5th/6th.

[<~MEAT GOAT~>]

I don't 100% understand how the cap/rookie cap thing works tbh. I know that'we re right up against the cap but I also know that a few of the players we're letting go like Turner, McClure, Gonzo and Jerry are all probably eating up quite a bit of space. If I absolutely had to pick, I probably would replace the Taylor pick with a 5th round RB. If Spencer Ware was available in the 5th, I'd take him over Taylor. Cierre Wood should be around at that point, I'd probably look at him too since his big question is his ability to be a 3rd down back, which Quizz would be anyway. There are guys late in the draft that I'd rate about the same as guys like Taylor, Ball and Gillislee, so I just don't like the idea of wasting a high draft pick on a guy who's value is basically the same as a guy you can get in the 5th/6th.

I agree, there is plenty of late round RB talent to be found. We could address the position in FA but if we don't, seems likely we would draft a guy around round 3 or 4 depending on the flow of the draft. I personally think that Taylor should have done more with the amount of attention that clowney garners. Would rather have a RB at that slot, but that's just me.

[jbrinson]

This draft is pretty good. I like the idea of drafting 2 TE. Fauria as a receiving threat and Williams as the dominant blocker. I never thought about Nealy but he is actually pretty good. I seen him play against Bama and beat Barrett Jones a couple of times. If I had to chose between Floyd and Richardson, I would take Richardson. He's the quicker of the 2 although Floyd is better against the but I just like quick guys. I like this.

[Kayoh]

This draft is pretty good. I like the idea of drafting 2 TE. Fauria as a receiving threat and Williams as the dominant blocker. I never thought about Nealy but he is actually pretty good. I seen him play against Bama and beat Barrett Jones a couple of times. If I had to chose between Floyd and Richardson, I would take Richardson. He's the quicker of the 2 although Floyd is better against the but I just like quick guys. I like this.

yeah, the idea of getting Fauria and Williams in the same draft is what excited me enough to make this draft in the first place.

Our 1st round pick is kind of up in the air. I honestly hope we don't use it on a TE because this class is so deep that the dropoff from the 1st to 4th round isn't really that gigantic. Gs & DTs are both very top heavy though so if we don't get a quality guy at one of those positions in the 1st we might miss out all together.