If Richardson were available at 5, would the Hawks have selected him?

[seabowl]

I say yes but curious what others think.

 

[oldhawkfan]

Doesn’t really matter anymore. Could pose this question about any of the four picked before they chose.

 

[BASF]

No. He is a two year project. While Carroll does run the program like college, getting the replacement for a player the year before his contract ends (see Derick Hall being chosen when Nwosu and Taylor are on the last year of their contract), drafting a two year project makes zero sense especially when the defense is very bad. Given how close to retirement Carroll is why would he want to hitch his few remaining years to a two year project?

 

[rjdriver]

I initially thought "For sure".

However, now I tend to believe the reports that it was exclusively Anderson and Spoon we were willing to select with pick 5. If Richardson had been available, I think a trade with Vegas would have been plausible, still allowing us to get Spoon.

 

[James in PA]

This question has been posed in other threads, and I think if we piece everything together the answer is "no." The 2 targets were apparently Anderson and Spoon. They had a pretty good idea that Anderson would be gone, but were still hoping he'd slip. They were nervous about someone taking Spoon because he wasn't being talked about a lot previously, but the buzz really picked up as the draft got closer. If those 2 had both been gone by 5, it sounds like John was already on the phone with another team, ready to trade back.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Like someone else said, it doesn't matter at all. Speculation is not facts. Meh, I'm happy with who they took. And more importantly, Pete and John are very happy. They know 10 times more about football than any of us.

 

[Bobblehead]

I thought PC mentioned that they would have taken him.

 

[JerHawk81]

My read is that they would have taken Richardson at 5 if available. I think the top of their board, in order, was:

Anderson
Richardson
Witherspoon
<a ton of other guys>
Levis

I think I read that there were 20 players who the Hawks graded as a 1st round talent. Only 5 were left at pick 1. Only 1 was left at pick 37.

(I've heard fewer reports on Stroud and Young, which I presume is simply because everyone expected them to be gone by 5).

 

[Mick063]

No. He is a two year project. While Carroll does run the program like college, getting the replacement for a player the year before his contract ends (see Derick Hall being chosen when Nwosu and Taylor are on the last year of their contract), drafting a two year project makes zero sense especially when the defense is very bad. Given how close to retirement Carroll is why would he want to hitch his few remaining years to a two year project?

"Developing" a player that costs 250 million guaranteed for renewal is an insane idea. Three years of rookie contract use before you have to discharge half of your veterans to keep him. You damn well better get the full five years of play or the pick is a wasted pick. A top five pick should be a first day starter. For example, Witherspoon (with the amount of three receiver sets being used, I consider a nickel or slot corner to be the equivalent of a starter).

 

[Ozzy]

I lean towards yes. There has been enough stuff leaked out, hints dropped etc that it was obvious Pete/John were heavily interested and considering him. I think they had zero interest in Levis but a ton in Richardson.

 

[Jac]

Yes, I think he was on the very short list for #5. I think Geno's contract was structured as such.

 

[Smellyman]

Great athlete, but not a great QB. witherspoon makes them better, AR would not. They would NOT have taken AR

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda. Again, why does it matter? Maybe they would have, maybe they wouldn't have. Glad he wasn't available at that point.

 

[CactusJack]

This question has been posed in other threads, and I think if we piece everything together the answer is "no." The 2 targets were apparently Anderson and Spoon. They had a pretty good idea that Anderson would be gone, but were still hoping he'd slip. They were nervous about someone taking Spoon because he wasn't being talked about a lot previously, but the buzz really picked up as the draft got closer. If those 2 had both been gone by 5, it sounds like John was already on the phone with another team, ready to trade back.

This was the plan.

I don't know how anyone could think otherwise. Given what has been reported.

 

[Ad Hawk]

Of course the answer is NO.

Those who say yes are doing so only for their own conscience' sake or desire to validate their own draft acumen.

Enough has been published by the FO to make clear that Witherspoon and Anderson were the options at 5. Might we have taken him at 20? That's a different thread, I suppose.

 

[Jac]

Of course the answer is NO.

Those who say yes are doing so only for their own conscience' sake or desire to validate their own draft acumen.

Enough has been published by the FO to make clear that Witherspoon and Anderson were the options at 5. Might we have taken him at 20? That's a different thread, I suppose.

Those that are definitively saying 'No' really don't know either.

 

[CactusJack]

Those that are definitively saying 'No' really don't know either.

 

[Jac]

What is it you think this confirms?

 

[onanygivensunday]

And that should end the conversation... or not.

 

[Seahawker]

No. They are out to win a championship and unlike many of you they feel Geno Smith is the man to get them there.