Let's talk Defensive Line

[Couch-Potato]

Went through a bunch of threads to identify all of our interests across the defensive line, is this all of them? Who else should be added to the list? Removed from the list? Should anyone be moved up or down on the draft target list?

FA Targets
-DE Yannick Ngakoue, IND
-DT Da’ron Payne, WAS
-DT Poona Ford, SEA
-DE Jadaveon Clowney, CLV
-DT Kalen Saunders, KC
-DT Greg Gains, LAR
-DT Armon Watts, CHI
-DE Ardon Key, JAX
-DE Clean Ferril, LVR
-DE Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, HOU
-DT Chris Wormley, PIT
-DT Maurice Hurst, SF
-DT Andrew Billings, CIN

Vet Trade Targets
-DE Brian Burns, CAR
-DE Chase Young, WAS
-DE Carl Granderson, New Orleans
-DE Za'Darius Smith, Minnesota
-DE D.J. Wonnum, Minnesota

1st Rd Targets
-DT Byran Breese,
-DE Lukas Van Ness, Iowa
-DE BJ Ojulari, LSU
-DE Keion White, Georgia Tech
-DE Derick Hall, Auburn
-DE Isahiah Foskey, ND
-DE Nolan Smith, Georgia
-DL Tuli Tuipulotu, USC
-DE Andre Carter, Army

2nd Rd Targets
-DT Siaki Ika, BU
-DE Will McDonald IV, Iowa St.
-DL Calijah Kancey, Pitt
-DE Zach Harrison, Ohio State
-DE Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State
-DT Mazi Smith, Michigan

3rd Rd Targets
-DT Gervon Dexter, Florida
-NT Keanu Benton, Wisconsin
-DE Adetomiwa Adebawore, Northwestern
-DL Byron Young, Tennessee
-DT Zack Pickens, South Carolina
-DL Mike Morris, Michigan
-DE Dylan Horton, TCU

4th Rd Targets
-DT Byron Young, Alabama
-DE Viliami Fehoko, San Jose St
-DE Thomas Incoom, Central Michigan
-DL Yaya Diabi, Louisville
-DE Habakkuk Baldonado, Pitt

5th-7th Rd Targets
-DE Isaiah McGuire, Missouri
-DE Caleb Murphy, Ferris St
-DE Derek Parish, Houston
-DT Dante Stills, West Virginia
-NT Elijah Simmons, Tennessee

[O.city]

Yeah, I've pretty much zerod in if he's there, I would take him.

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Uh....he very well could be.

What's there not to like in his profile? Measurables, production, no character flags. He's tenacious and his tape shows a guy who will do the dirty work. He's scheme versatile to boot.

There are times I wonder why he's not a top 20 prospect already. There's just not much to complain about with him.

He's 24 and has one good season of production. Not that either are deal-breakers, but it's enough teams could choose others over him. I still think he's got a legit shot to go in round 1 to a 3-4 team in need of a base 5-tech, but 4-3 teams have more than enough options to likely pass.

[RunKC]

My rankings for the EDGE prospects in the 2023 Draft. Broke it all down on today's podcast. pic.twitter.com/1L80RRIif5

— Chris Simms (@CSimmsQB) April 10, 2023

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by RunKC

My rankings for the EDGE prospects in the 2023 Draft. Broke it all down on today's podcast. pic.twitter.com/1L80RRIif5

— Chris Simms (@CSimmsQB) April 10, 2023

Simms ALWAYS does ranking that push against the grain because he knows people will talk about what he said.

I think Tyree Wilson could be picked ahead of Will Anderson because of well the history of the NFL.

[O.city]

Again, listening to Middlekauf talking about some of his scouting buddies, they aren't really top end of the draft high on Will Anderson.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by O.city

Again, listening to Middlekauf talking about some of his scouting buddies, they aren't really top end of the draft high on Will Anderson.

He's probably not an ideal 4-3 player.

If you're going to take him high, you probably need to be a 3-4 team. So for Seattle I was happy to have him fall to me in the CP Mock. But I could see teams that are focused on finding traditional 4-3 DEs being a little less enthusiastic about him because I'm not sure he's stout enough to be an every down lineman in a 4-3.

But putting him behind McDonald is stupid. They're the same style of player, Anderson's just better.

[DJ's left nut]

So - why isn't anyone talking about Colby Wooden?

Are they and I'm just not hearing it? Wouldn't mind seeing a little more arm length but his are by no means short. Good mass, solid athleticism, seems to have nice bend and a good pass rush approach.

I'm routinely seeing him available in the 3rd - is there any reason at all that we shouldn't be pretty damn stoked to get him there if he made it? What am I missing? I've been focused on Zach Harrison there as a possibility but Wooden is just...better. Just a lot more dynamic from what I can see.

Why does he suck? Because I don't feel like he does.

[Couch-Potato]

DTs

1st - Breese, Smith, Benton
2nd - Dexter, Roy

Any NT types that we like later in the draft? Coburn, maybe?

[Couch-Potato]

DE's

1st - Murphy, White, Foskey, McDonald
2nd - Tuipulotu, Adebaware, Hall
3rd - Harrison, Young, Carter
4th - Diaby, McGuire, Fehoko, Brooks
5th - Incoom

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

So - why isn't anyone talking about Colby Wooden?

Are they and I'm just not hearing it? Wouldn't mind seeing a little more arm length but his are by no means short. Good mass, solid athleticism, seems to have nice bend and a good pass rush approach.

I'm routinely seeing him available in the 3rd - is there any reason at all that we shouldn't be pretty damn stoked to get him there if he made it? What am I missing? I've been focused on Zach Harrison there as a possibility but Wooden is just...better. Just a lot more dynamic from what I can see.

Why does he suck? Because I don't feel like he does.

I like him. Ended up snagging him in the middle of the 4th for the Patriots. Not sure if I'd take him in the 3rd but maybe. His run defense is lacking and his sack/pressure production isn't enough to make up for it, especially as an outside rusher. He's still better than Harrison in my opinion too.

[Nightfyre]

Let's say hypothetically:
Lukas Van Ness falls to like 20.
Mazi Smith falls to like 50.
Is it worth it to move up in either scenario? Both scenarios? How does this D line compare to spags SB winning dline with the giants?

For my part, this is the dream, and I would not hesitate to burn a second from next year to move up for van Ness and 95 this year to move up for smith. The dline instantly becomes a huge strength and the defense becomes incredible for the foreseeable future.

[DJ's left nut]

I'd have to see the board.

My first impression is no, I wouldn't trade up for either.

[Couch-Potato]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

Let's say hypothetically:
Lukas Van Ness falls to like 20.
Mazi Smith falls to like 50.
Is it worth it to move up in either scenario? Both scenarios? How does this D line compare to spags SB winning dline with the giants?

For my part, this is the dream, and I would not hesitate to burn a second from next year to move up for van Ness and 95 this year to move up for smith. The dline instantly becomes a huge strength and the defense becomes incredible for the foreseeable future.

Sure! Let's do it!

[Couch-Potato]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

Let's say hypothetically:
Lukas Van Ness falls to like 20.
Mazi Smith falls to like 50.
Is it worth it to move up in either scenario? Both scenarios? How does this D line compare to spags SB winning dline with the giants?

For my part, this is the dream, and I would not hesitate to burn a second from next year to move up for van Ness and 95 this year to move up for smith. The dline instantly becomes a huge strength and the defense becomes incredible for the foreseeable future.

How about Myles Murphy and Keanu Benton?

[DJ's left nut]

Murphy - maybe.

Benton - still no.

If Kancey's height/length issues have him sliding in the 2nd though, that's a guy I might be willing to move up for. Because unlike your Mazi Smith sorts, he's a guy who might be a difference maker.

Could Kancey be a Dre'mont Jones sort of interior pass-rusher? Yeah, I think he can be. And maybe a little better especially with Jones being able to draw some attention and maybe help him keep guys hands off him a bit.

If I've traded up for Murphy, though, I'm not also trading up for Kancey. It's just too much capital to throw at the DL when I still think we need a substantial infusion of talent/depth at WR and OL.