I have a strong feeling that the four Big Boards that come out this week will be in the same zip code in terms of placement, barring Dre selecting Gardner as the number 1 talent in the class (a move I don’t put past him at this moment in time). Big Board’s are a lot like trying to make housing in the Freshman dorm of a small college. I *think* this guy goes here? But that’s two kids from Eastern Pennsylvania close to each other, is that good? Woah, I can’t have TWO names that start with D this close together, can I?
At the end of the day, we’ll most likely look back on these Big Boards with an article in mind titled either “I Told You So” or “Wow, Was I Wrong!”, both strong blog ideas in our defense. It’s a controversial topic that really carries no merit when you think about it other than drafting for the Greg Malek Special of Best Play Available.
In the first portion there really shouldn’t be too many glaring arguments maybe other than Derek Stingley Jr. still coming in as the top CB in the class. I love Sauce and I truly believe he’s a starting corner at the next level, but what we’ve seen from Stingley in the past is a premiere blue chip pick. He will need almost a miracle to reach that again, but if you can still be a first-round pick and have room to grow the NFL can be your best friend.
From the 10-21 range we start to see the board open up a bit. I am extremely high on Drake London and Jahan Dotson for this specific draft class as they offer a bit of upside we have been missing with the rest of this class since Williams went down. Charles Cross has a wonderful chance to raise his stock come combine time and although the Dancing Bear Jordan Davis has slid a bit in recent mocks, I still have the run stopper high.
22-33 gets a bit murky as this will most likely be where you see the TFTB guys differ. I am high on Zion Johnson as an interior guard, but the tackles just put on a show at the Senior Bowl so he stays around 25 here. I love the landing spots recently for Jaquan Brisker (Chiefs especially) and we have our first quarterback of the class in this range with Kenny Pickett at 29. I believe the QB’s in this class will differ the most around combine time as we just don’t know who the lead dog is with Pickett finishing the year as strong as he did.
Matt Corral leads off with 34-45 mark, a fitting place for him on my board considering I have no clue what he is at the next level. I do however have him ahead of recent favorite Malik Willis for the simple reason that Corral looked better this year at the college level. Willis had somewhat of an opportunity to light teams on fire at Liberty and seemed complacent despite his big arm and athletic ability. Pickens enters this class as an interesting prospect I see as potentially the “Elijah Moore” of this class, meaning a slept on day one starter who can fit nicely into a young quarterbacks arsenal. We also have the first RB and TE in this section with Kenneth Walker III and Trey McBride, two Day 2 players that could be worthy of fantasy awareness depending on their landing spots. Another name to watch is Kyler Gordon from Washington as he continues to rise up some boards.
The last leg of the big board has some surprising heat with the pre-season TE of the year Jalen Wydermyer remaining in my top 50. Isaiah Spiller is another skill position player who could find himself in good favor depending on his landing spot while Carson Strong barely makes it onto the Big Board right now. A name I love to watch in my personal mocks is Mario Goodrich of Clemson. Although Goodrich projects as a day three guy, he’s a start now corner who can fill in easily behind a steady number one. I’m not banging the table for the Steelers to take him just yet, but place him beside a Tredavious White or a J.C. Jackson and Goodrich can instantly improve a secondary.
Sorry Josh, no Chad Mouma just yet.
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