Equanimeous St. Brown - 2nd Round Target

[win4ever]

He has the size/speed combination with good production in college (albeit it went down quite a bit this year), and he reminds me a lot of Allen Robinson (who I'm in favor of signing as a FA).  He's 6'5", and about 200 pounds, so lanky.  

I like to look at prospects that are facing good defenses, so here is the game vs. Stanford.  

 

:17 - Notice the CB is shading him to the inside, but he's physical, moves the QB the outside and gains inside leverage.  On the replay, you can see him become open on the out-route.  An NFL QB can hit that play consistently (Ok- non Hackenberg QBs)

1:03 - I can't see what he does, but he's wide open.  That is a horrible throw from the QB.  

1:37 - Shows off pure speed

3:10 - Once again elusive in the open field

3:20 - A great double move, absolutely blows by defender, QB decides to lob it for an interception.  

 

:02 - He gets behind the LSU secondary, and catches the ball, albeit it's a bit behind him.  

1:05 - Evidence the ND QB might be blind.  

I think he's going to test very well and be someone in the discussion near the end of the first round/early second round.  I think he's a No. 1 type receiver in the waiting, and would fit perfectly with our need for a red zone threat, along with a high end receiver.  I don't see the Jets going this way mainly because Stewart/Hansen last year, but this kid could be special.  I see a ton of Allen Robinson in him, and I think bad QB play really stifled his numbers.  He has size, he has speed, good hands and routes.  If we pick him in the second (once again, unlikely because I think they have bigger holes to fill) I think it'd be a steal.

He compliments the receiving core extremely well since Kearse can be No. 2, Anderson in the slot, and Enunwa eased in as a TE/WR combo.  

[King P]

Big fan of ESB. I think he has the highest ceiling of the WRs in this draft.

Would definitely take him with 1 of our 2nd round picks

[BigO]

Great talent. Big ND fan. HOWEVER, we have greater needs. if you cant protect the QB, he can’t throw to the wr’s. Doesn’t matter if you have Jerry Rice and Lance Alworth out there. They’d be useless.  Get a QB, revamp the OL through the draft and FA. We need a LT, a RT, a C immediately. Even add a G since Winters is nothing to scream about. 2 of the 3 we could acquire through FA and use one of our #2’s to complete the revamp. This would bolster the offense and we’d have good depth on the OL.  With the other 2nd rounder, grab a corner or edge rusher.  Of course this is all contingent on who Mac targets through FA. I am not fond of taking OL past round 2 unless it’s for depth. 

[CrazyCarl40]

The talent is there and it’ll be interesting to see where he goes. He was much better last season with Kizer throwing him the ball, which is no surprise. 

I wouldn’t hate the Jets taking a look a Josh Adams. Doesn’t have the name recognition of some of the other running backs, but he’s going to be a steal. 

[win4ever]

20 hours ago, King P said:

Big fan of ESB. I think he has the highest ceiling of the WRs in this draft.

Would definitely take him with 1 of our 2nd round picks

I think Ridley is the No. 1 receiver of this draft, absolutely love him.  His speed in and out of breaks are excellent, and I love how he runs his routes.  If he played with a system that emphasized passing, I think he'd be a top 5 pick.  I see a lot of OBJ/Cooper in him, even though Cooper struggled this year.  Unfortunately, we can't take a chance on WR with the first pick.

I think St. Brown is the second best guy out there though, great physical set with ability to catch the ball and run routes.  He has No. 1 upside in the mold of AJ Green, someone that acts as an anchor at WR for a long time.  With the Anderson arrest, it muddles the pool a bit more because we might need a receiver if he's suspended.  

I would love to take him in the second round.  

20 hours ago, BigO said:

Great talent. Big ND fan. HOWEVER, we have greater needs. if you cant protect the QB, he can’t throw to the wr’s. Doesn’t matter if you have Jerry Rice and Lance Alworth out there. They’d be useless.  Get a QB, revamp the OL through the draft and FA. We need a LT, a RT, a C immediately. Even add a G since Winters is nothing to scream about. 2 of the 3 we could acquire through FA and use one of our #2’s to complete the revamp. This would bolster the offense and we’d have good depth on the OL.  With the other 2nd rounder, grab a corner or edge rusher.  Of course this is all contingent on who Mac targets through FA. I am not fond of taking OL past round 2 unless it’s for depth. 

I agree with going away from receiver at the first pick, as much as I love Ridley, I can't justify taking him with the 6th pick (unless we trade down I guess), but I'm not sure how much we're going to improve the line with second round picks, unless someone unexpected drops.  

My outlook for the first pick:

We sign Cousins (or hopefully not Bradford/Bridgewater/Bortles), then we need to trade down in this draft.  Too many teams want QBs, some team will pay up if one of them drops.  If we sign Cousins, we need to pair him with a veteran receiver as well (I say Allen Robinson).  This way, trading down fills the trenches, go offensive lineman and CB with extra picks.  I don't see the point of paying top money to Cousins and WR, only to have problems with building a line through the draft and having them all get on one page.  

We don't sign significant QB, then we spend money on offensive lineman to bolster the protection for a young QB.  We pick a QB at 6, and a WR with upside in the second, and use the free agent money to make sure that they are protected as they grow.  The more veteran lineman make sure the QB has time to develop, and pair a high upside WR to go along with them since I don't think anyone on our roster is a No. 1 receiver.  Very similar to Jags, pair Bortles with Robinson.  We've seen this a few times in the past.  

Bortles - Same Draft Robinson

Mariota - Same Draft DGB (Didn't work out, idea was there)

Winston - Evans already on team from year before

Carr- Cooper next year

Ej Manuel - Watkins next year

Luck - I think they went Fleener/Allen/Hilton right after

Tebow - Demarius Thomas

I don't see the point of signing a big name running back like Bell because he's going to be paid for what he did in Pitt with a good line and a HOF caliber QB/WR combination.  I'd rather draft a RB in the draft that doesn't get paid nearly as much and has less miles.

I'm of the theory that RB/WR positions rely heavily on the QB/OL/WR combinations.  Someone that thrives with Tom Brady may not actually be that great with Rosen/Darnold/Mayfield/Jackson/Allen/Rudolph or whomever.  Offensive line is more straight forward, you judge people based on individual blocking ability, same with CBs and LBs.  That's why I'd rather shore up the offensive line through free agency, and go QB/WR with the first two picks.  Then we can go CB with the other pick, I'll have my targets for that one later.  

18 hours ago, CrazyCarl40 said:

The talent is there and it’ll be interesting to see where he goes. He was much better last season with Kizer throwing him the ball, which is no surprise. 

I wouldn’t hate the Jets taking a look a Josh Adams. Doesn’t have the name recognition of some of the other running backs, but he’s going to be a steal. 

I think he has tremendous upside, although part of me says he rises up too much in the pre-draft process and just goes in the first.  He has the size/speed combination that usually rockets up the boards after the combine because I think he's going to run near 4.4, if not better, and that creates a ton of interest.  Heck last year, John Ross became a top 10 pick just based on speed, when he was a late first/second round type guy at this time, albeit he ran a historic time.  He's one of those guys I expect to see on Sports Science and they are like "He scores in the 92nd percentile of our lab created spinning while flipping upside down test".  

I haven't looked at running backs yet.  There are a few that interest me.  I was very high on LJ Scott, I thought he would be a sneaky 3rd round type pick, but he went back to school.  What's your scouting on Adams?  I haven't really looked at him yet.  

[Paradis]

I've been one of his biggest fans - in fact i draft the whole family. To me, He's the most exciting X receiver in the draft. 

[Patriot Killa]

2 minutes ago, Paradis said:

I've been one of his biggest fans - in fact i draft the whole family. To me, He's the most exciting X receiver in the draft. 

His write up. I absolutely think he is the best WR in the draft. I’m almost sure we don’t go WR in the 2nd tho...

1/13/18: St. Brown had 33 receptions for 515 yards and four touchdowns in 2017. Throughout the season, St. Brown got open through his excellent route-running while also seeing a lot of double teams, but the immense struggles of Notre Dame's quarterback play and passing offense limited St. Brown. 

7/17/17: Sources who have done advance work on the 2018 class are really impressed and intrigued with St. Brown. They say he is a super-polished route runner with tremendous speed, athletic ability, body control, and hands. They said they think St. Brown could be more gifted and talented than the three wideouts who went in the top 10 of the 2017 NFL Draft, but St. Brown gets fewer opportunities to show his skill. In 2016, he had 58 receptions for 961 yards with nine touchdowns.

Read more: http://walterfootball.com/draft2018WR.php#ixzz54yRLIFJ0

[JetFanatic]

I think he goes in the 1st round.

[Paradis]

18 minutes ago, Patriot Killa said:

His write up. I absolutely think he is the best WR in the draft. I’m almost sure we don’t go WR in the 2nd tho...

1/13/18: St. Brown had 33 receptions for 515 yards and four touchdowns in 2017. Throughout the season, St. Brown got open through his excellent route-running while also seeing a lot of double teams, but the immense struggles of Notre Dame's quarterback play and passing offense limited St. Brown. 

7/17/17: Sources who have done advance work on the 2018 class are really impressed and intrigued with St. Brown. They say he is a super-polished route runner with tremendous speed, athletic ability, body control, and hands. They said they think St. Brown could be more gifted and talented than the three wideouts who went in the top 10 of the 2017 NFL Draft, but St. Brown gets fewer opportunities to show his skill. In 2016, he had 58 receptions for 961 yards with nine touchdowns.

Read more: http://walterfootball.com/draft2018WR.php#ixzz54yRLIFJ0

In fairness, there's also a crowd who sees E-Q as round 3-4 receiver as well. It'll be a "how much you like him" kind of situation. The FEB-MARCH Draft-circuit will be have a big impact on his stock.

I'd rather take him in round 2 or 3 per say, then burn a 1 on Sutton or Ridley... If we wound up with Cousins, he or miller would be delight. If we could only talk Macc into burning our first 3 picks on Barkley, EQ and Goedert in that scenario - it would make up for years of pain

[win4ever]

6 hours ago, Paradis said:

I've been one of his biggest fans - in fact i draft the whole family. To me, He's the most exciting X receiver in the draft. 

I love Ridley at the top receiver in the draft because I think his ability to get in and out of breaks is just special.  He's probably the safest pick for me in the draft, but we can't afford a receiver in the first.   

After Ridley, I agree, there isn't anyone I like better.  I don't know why Sutton gets a ton of press as a possible top 15 pick, because besides his size, he doesn't really stand out to me.  They force-fed him the ball in that offense, and many times he was just going at horrible defenses.  

Yeah, saw some article comparing them to the Lonzo Ball family, about how all three are great prospects.  

With Anderson's woes, I'm starting to wonder if they go and take a guy like St. Brown in the second. 

Enunwa (if healthy this year) gets paid or he doesn't make a full recovery and just doesn't show the potential he once had.  Either way, make or break year before he's expensive.   

Anderson as a UDFA is only signed through next year, after which he's a free agent and once again, gets paid or suspended.   

Kearse is a free agent after next year, and will probably get a raise if he is anywhere near productive.  

Hansen/Stewart - unknown at this point because Bowles doesn't let the kids plays.  

So on a two year outlook, the team really only has Stewart/Hansen because the other guys are going to get paid if they perform.  I wonder if they stock up on receiver in the second round, with someone that has upside and can probably contribute from Day 1.  

 

6 hours ago, Patriot Killa said:

His write up. I absolutely think he is the best WR in the draft. I’m almost sure we don’t go WR in the 2nd tho...

1/13/18: St. Brown had 33 receptions for 515 yards and four touchdowns in 2017. Throughout the season, St. Brown got open through his excellent route-running while also seeing a lot of double teams, but the immense struggles of Notre Dame's quarterback play and passing offense limited St. Brown. 

7/17/17: Sources who have done advance work on the 2018 class are really impressed and intrigued with St. Brown. They say he is a super-polished route runner with tremendous speed, athletic ability, body control, and hands. They said they think St. Brown could be more gifted and talented than the three wideouts who went in the top 10 of the 2017 NFL Draft, but St. Brown gets fewer opportunities to show his skill. In 2016, he had 58 receptions for 961 yards with nine touchdowns.

Read more: http://walterfootball.com/draft2018WR.php#ixzz54yRLIFJ0

He's going to get hyped, and one of those guys that will test well.  I know right now he's a second round target, but he could fly up the charts, especially if he runs a sub 4.4 40, at which point he's going to skyrocket.  

However, we can't really afford to take him in the first, so have to hope he falls down a bit.  I can see some team like the Pats or Lions pick him off in the first though.  

6 hours ago, JetFanatic said:

I think he goes in the 1st round.

There is a chance he could go in the first, especially after the combine.  

6 hours ago, Paradis said:

In fairness, there's also a crowd who sees E-Q as round 3-4 receiver as well. It'll be a "how much you like him" kind of situation. The FEB-MARCH Draft-circuit will be have a big impact on his stock.

I'd rather take him in round 2 or 3 per say, then burn a 1 on Sutton or Ridley... If we wound up with Cousins, he or miller would be delight. If we could only talk Macc into burning our first 3 picks on Barkley, EQ and Goedert in that scenario - it would make up for years of pain

Yeah, I think the combine is going to be big for him, because he has a chance to really blow up with size/speed.  

If we get Cousins, I think we're going to dip into the WR free agent market and get him a veteran like Robinson/Landry.  I think the FA QB idea is going to be a package deal, we'll give you X money plus a top receiver.  I can see them go Cousins/Robinson/Barkley/OL/DB/OL in the first three rounds.   

If we don't get Cousins, I think they are going to go OL in free agency with a RB, then draft QB/WR/DB.   

My fear is someone like Bates over-selling himself and vowing to fix Bortles.