kearly's 2013 dream draft, final version

[kigenzun]

Agreed.
However, no longer being fooled by an East Coast media bias of our "critical need to draft a WILL first thing Friday morning", and to get us all to finally stop thinking the same... i.e. "All we need is a new OLB in Rd2 and we're fine" mentality, I made a point in my final mock of NOT DRAFTING ANY LBs AT ALL. Not even at 242, where I take a NT instead (who i am aware will likely be gone btw), which is a "BUT BUT BUT...WHERE'S THE BEEF IN OUR RUN D??" jester pick.

This is where kearly is a analysis genius and is 'identifying the true problem' of helping the offense, (especially for cap flexibility in 2014 and beyond) and weighting his draft accordingly. I wish we could get Ertz, and Swope too, which is why I posted here. Cuz yeah, nobody back east gets as deep as kearly for our team. Much much much props. Thus, my 'adjustments' are also weighted to help the offense, now, and especially in 2014.

Personally, my whole world view on the state of the defense changed after we signed Cliff Avril AND Michael Bennett... and then especially after signing both Antoine Winfield AND Kam Chancellor. I mean that's basically 4 new starters, & all of em upgrades(!) because now that Kam Chancellor is locked in contractwise, he himself is a bigger, faster, better TE coverage skills, and more experienced big game hitter COMBINATION, than any of those projected rookie OLB such as Greene, Brown, Gooden, Jenkins, Dimanche etc etc anyways. And has a successful history of 'positional changes', cuz he's so football-smart that he used to be a ...wait for it... QB. So, why not let him get jiggy earning that cash BURYING Gore and FACEPLANTING Kaepernick on the read option! :thfight7:

With these key signings, it's lookin like a 'whole new thang' on D... a futuristic 21st Century... cutting edge... flexible, blitzable, muti-layerable, customized, hybridized, for reals #1 Deal to me. :thirishdrinkers:

For instance, right this second our basic 8 in the box (from L to R) might look like this:
Winfield, Irvin/Bryant, Mebane, Wagner, Bennett, Avril, KJ, Chancellor
with 3 Pro Bowlers (Sherman, Thomas, & Browner) holding down the back end.

It could be argued that's 5 Pro Bowl defensive backs, a MLB, and 5 interlocking rushers/runstoppers. I don't know what to call it except... (if you know the song, sing along...) THIS IS %@#&$% AWESOME!!!

Yet, being a natural people pleasing kind o guy...AAWolf... if you have to have a linebacker (...lest I give thee a brain tumor lol...) how about Rd. 5, pick 154, Korey Toomer, OLB, Idaho. Last year. Who now this year is a 2nd year practice squad vet who already knows our guys and our system.

 

[Attyla the Hawk]

I would see them taking a LB for three reasons:

1. Competition. We have 3 backups vying for the Will. While I expect one of the three to be the day 1 starter, I also expect us to take a 'light a fire under them' pick. Presumably to take one of the current 3 WLBs roster spot.

2. History. We've drafted a LB every season. It's a high volume, high turnover position. We have equal need here as we've ever had it. I don't see us straying away from form.

3. Schneider's seal of approval. Typically, when Schneider speaks in his combine press conference, he's been atypically candid about his thoughts on the draft. Even if in generic terms. When he offers that he likes the LB group specifically -- I would take that seriously.

Do I think we are going to take a WLB early? Maybe. Do I think these signing alter how we go into the draft. Yes. But I don't think the signings indicate completion. Rather I see these signings as giving us flexibility. We don't "HAVE" to take a WLB early. But I still think we do.

None of these defensive signings make me think they are outright removing positions from their board. These are all bridge contracts. Hedge bets in case we can't sufficiently fill needs. The needs still remain. 3 tech. WLB. LEO. These are all positions that could use a long term solution. These signings simply dull the urgency. Which means we don't HAVE to take them right away. But we'll still likely take them somewhere.

 

[aawolf]

Agreed.
However, no longer being fooled by an East Coast media bias of our "critical need to draft a WILL first thing Friday morning", and to get us all to finally stop thinking the same... i.e. "All we need is a new OLB in Rd2 and we're fine" mentality, I made a point in my final mock of NOT DRAFTING ANY LBs AT ALL. Not even at 242, where I take a NT instead (who i am aware will likely be gone btw), which is a "BUT BUT BUT...WHERE'S THE BEEF IN OUR RUN D??" jester pick.

This is where kearly is a analysis genius and is 'identifying the true problem' of helping the offense, (especially for cap flexibility in 2014 and beyond) and weighting his draft accordingly. I wish we could get Ertz, and Swope too, which is why I posted here. Cuz yeah, nobody back east gets as deep as kearly for our team. Much much much props. Thus, my 'adjustments' are also weighted to help the offense, now, and especially in 2014.

Personally, my whole world view on the state of the defense changed after we signed Cliff Avril AND Michael Bennett... and then especially after signing both Antoine Winfield AND Kam Chancellor. I mean that's basically 4 new starters, & all of em upgrades(!) because now that Kam Chancellor is locked in contractwise, he himself is a bigger, faster, better TE coverage skills, and more experienced big game hitter COMBINATION, than any of those projected rookie OLB such as Greene, Brown, Gooden, Jenkins, Dimanche etc etc anyways. And has a successful history of 'positional changes', cuz he's so football-smart that he used to be a ...wait for it... QB. So, why not let him get jiggy earning that cash BURYING Gore and FACEPLANTING Kaepernick on the read option! :thfight7:

With these key signings, it's lookin like a 'whole new thang' on D... a futuristic 21st Century... cutting edge... flexible, blitzable, muti-layerable, customized, hybridized, for reals #1 Deal to me. :thirishdrinkers:

For instance, right this second our basic 8 in the box (from L to R) might look like this:
Winfield, Irvin/Bryant, Mebane, Wagner, Bennett, Avril, KJ, Chancellor
with 3 Pro Bowlers (Sherman, Thomas, & Browner) holding down the back end.

It could be argued that's 5 Pro Bowl defensive backs, a MLB, and 5 interlocking rushers/runstoppers. I don't know what to call it except... (if you know the song, sing along...) THIS IS %@#&$% AWESOME!!!

Yet, being a natural people pleasing kind o guy...AAWolf... if you have to have a linebacker (...lest I give thee a brain tumor lol...) how about Rd. 5, pick 154, Korey Toomer, OLB, Idaho. Last year. Who now this year is a 2nd year practice squad vet who already knows our guys and our system.

I like it. The modified nickel defense that you've envisioned eliminates the need for a traditional WLB with Winfeild and Chancellor sealing the run lanes and covering tight ends. But, as attyla pointed out, competition with KJ and even Wagner could be good in this system and I believe that we will sill be using a conventional 4-3 a lot, as we did last year, so a traditional WLB may be beneficial. This is because, if Winfeild and Chancelor are being blocked by TE's and OT's, then they might have more trouble disrupting the running game than a traditional WLB. However, as you observe, its not as glaring a need as I had thought with this modified cutting-edge defense.