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shoktart
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For all you Tavon Austin fans out there I apologize for not including WR as one of the options but I simply can't stomach the thought of the Lions using the #5 overall pick on a WR. If we trade down and pick up another 2nd round pick then I'm fine with taking Austin in the 1st round. As long as we can still draft 3 potential starters at need positions in the first 3 rounds I'm okay with the luxury pick of Austin. But only if we earn it by trading down.
However, for the purpose of this thread I am assuming we don't find a sucker to trade up with us and we are stuck with the #5 pick. At that spot in the draft we will have an important decision to make. Offensive line, cornerback or defensive end.
But we can narrow this down even more can't we? Let's be honest, there is really only one CB in play at #5 - Dee Milliner. And since Dion Jordan doesn't fit our scheme there is really only one DE in play at #5 - Ziggy Ansah.
Okay, so with the #5 pick it really comes down to Dee Milliner, Ziggy Ansah or an offensive lineman.
Let continue to keep it real and narrow this down even more. Joeckel & Fisher will both be gone by the time it gets to our pick. There is ZERO chance either will still be there. Trust me, it's wishful thinking if you believe Chip Kelly would actually pass on arguably the #1 talent in the draft if Eric Fisher were to fall in his lap at #4. Especially since the Eagles OL was a mess last year. A bright head coach like Kelly isn't stupid enough to pass on a franchise LT in his first season. Get real!!! And we aren't trading up. So cross Joeckel & Fisher off the list.
Okay, so with the #5 pick it really comes down to these 5 players and ONLY these 5 players:
1. Dee Milliner
2. Ziggy Ansah
3. Lane Johnson
4. Chance Warmack
5. Jonathan Cooper
If either Dion Jordan or Sharrif Floyd were to fall out of the Top 4 there is a possibility that 1 or 2 of these players will be gone by the time we pick. I find this doubtful, but who knows? For all we know Joeckel, Fisher, Johnson & Milliner could be the TOP 4 picks and that would leave us with only Ansah, Warmack & Cooper to choose from. However, if this were to happen it would put us in great position to trade down because Jordan & Floyd are top commodities that some team would likely be willing to trade up to get.
However, for the sake of this thread let's say that the Top 4 are as predicted....Joeckel, Jordan, Floyd, Fisher.
And let's say we can't trade down.
Who do we take? Well, let's break it down by different criteria and grade the results.
SAFEST?
1. Chance Warmack
1. Jonathan Cooper
3. Dee Milliner
4. Lane Johnson
5. Ziggy Ansah
UPSIDE?
1. Ziggy Ansah
2. Lane Johnson
3. Dee Milliner
5. Chance Warmack
5. Jonathan Cooper
IMMEDIATE IMPACT?
1. Chance Warmack
1. Jonathan Cooper
3. Dee Milliner
4. Lane Johnson
5. Ziggy Ansah
IMPORTANCE OF POSITION?
1. Ziggy Ansah
2. Lane Johnson
3. Dee Milliner
5. Chance Warmack
5. Jonathan Cooper
BIGGEST NEED?
1. Ziggy Ansah
2. Dee Milliner
3. Lane Johnson
5. Chance Warmack
5. Jonathan Cooper
So, what are the results?
1. Ziggy Ansah - 13
2. Dee Milliner - 14
3 .Lane Johnson - 14
4. Chance Warmack - 17
4. Jonathan Cooper - 17
Based on my criteria, this would be the pecking order with Ziggy Ansah the pick!!
However, this is all subjective. I am placing slightly more value on positional importance and upside over playing it safe. Mayhew might have a different priority.
Clearly, if the priority is to play it safe and ensure an immediate positive impact on the team we should go with one of the two guards - Warmack or Cooper.
If the priority is to solidify our secondary and select someone that is both moderately safe (injury concerns aside) and with a moderately high upside - Dee Milliner should be the pick.
If the priority is to address our biggest need, which also happens to be the most important position on the field other than QB (look at recent Superbowl winners, a pass rushing DE is more important in the NFL today than an elite LT or CB. It's true!!) - Ziggy Ansah should be the pick.
However, if the priority is to salvage our first round pick from last year and upgrade 2 positions on our OL at the same time - Lane Johnson should be the pick.
I know it's risky. But for me, the risk is worth the reward. Ziggy Ansah might be raw, but he has elite potential as a DE and has the highest ceiling of ANY player in the entire draft. We won't EVER win a championship without upgrading our pass rush. I would be okay with any of the 5 options because there are benefits to all of them. But Ansah would make me most excited.
However, for the purpose of this thread I am assuming we don't find a sucker to trade up with us and we are stuck with the #5 pick. At that spot in the draft we will have an important decision to make. Offensive line, cornerback or defensive end.
But we can narrow this down even more can't we? Let's be honest, there is really only one CB in play at #5 - Dee Milliner. And since Dion Jordan doesn't fit our scheme there is really only one DE in play at #5 - Ziggy Ansah.
Okay, so with the #5 pick it really comes down to Dee Milliner, Ziggy Ansah or an offensive lineman.
Let continue to keep it real and narrow this down even more. Joeckel & Fisher will both be gone by the time it gets to our pick. There is ZERO chance either will still be there. Trust me, it's wishful thinking if you believe Chip Kelly would actually pass on arguably the #1 talent in the draft if Eric Fisher were to fall in his lap at #4. Especially since the Eagles OL was a mess last year. A bright head coach like Kelly isn't stupid enough to pass on a franchise LT in his first season. Get real!!! And we aren't trading up. So cross Joeckel & Fisher off the list.
Okay, so with the #5 pick it really comes down to these 5 players and ONLY these 5 players:
1. Dee Milliner
2. Ziggy Ansah
3. Lane Johnson
4. Chance Warmack
5. Jonathan Cooper
If either Dion Jordan or Sharrif Floyd were to fall out of the Top 4 there is a possibility that 1 or 2 of these players will be gone by the time we pick. I find this doubtful, but who knows? For all we know Joeckel, Fisher, Johnson & Milliner could be the TOP 4 picks and that would leave us with only Ansah, Warmack & Cooper to choose from. However, if this were to happen it would put us in great position to trade down because Jordan & Floyd are top commodities that some team would likely be willing to trade up to get.
However, for the sake of this thread let's say that the Top 4 are as predicted....Joeckel, Jordan, Floyd, Fisher.
And let's say we can't trade down.
Who do we take? Well, let's break it down by different criteria and grade the results.
SAFEST?
1. Chance Warmack
1. Jonathan Cooper
3. Dee Milliner
4. Lane Johnson
5. Ziggy Ansah
UPSIDE?
1. Ziggy Ansah
2. Lane Johnson
3. Dee Milliner
5. Chance Warmack
5. Jonathan Cooper
IMMEDIATE IMPACT?
1. Chance Warmack
1. Jonathan Cooper
3. Dee Milliner
4. Lane Johnson
5. Ziggy Ansah
IMPORTANCE OF POSITION?
1. Ziggy Ansah
2. Lane Johnson
3. Dee Milliner
5. Chance Warmack
5. Jonathan Cooper
BIGGEST NEED?
1. Ziggy Ansah
2. Dee Milliner
3. Lane Johnson
5. Chance Warmack
5. Jonathan Cooper
So, what are the results?
1. Ziggy Ansah - 13
2. Dee Milliner - 14
3 .Lane Johnson - 14
4. Chance Warmack - 17
4. Jonathan Cooper - 17
Based on my criteria, this would be the pecking order with Ziggy Ansah the pick!!
However, this is all subjective. I am placing slightly more value on positional importance and upside over playing it safe. Mayhew might have a different priority.
Clearly, if the priority is to play it safe and ensure an immediate positive impact on the team we should go with one of the two guards - Warmack or Cooper.
If the priority is to solidify our secondary and select someone that is both moderately safe (injury concerns aside) and with a moderately high upside - Dee Milliner should be the pick.
If the priority is to address our biggest need, which also happens to be the most important position on the field other than QB (look at recent Superbowl winners, a pass rushing DE is more important in the NFL today than an elite LT or CB. It's true!!) - Ziggy Ansah should be the pick.
However, if the priority is to salvage our first round pick from last year and upgrade 2 positions on our OL at the same time - Lane Johnson should be the pick.
I know it's risky. But for me, the risk is worth the reward. Ziggy Ansah might be raw, but he has elite potential as a DE and has the highest ceiling of ANY player in the entire draft. We won't EVER win a championship without upgrading our pass rush. I would be okay with any of the 5 options because there are benefits to all of them. But Ansah would make me most excited.