Dane Brugler's top 100 draft board

BritCard

ASFN Icon
Joined
Jan 10, 2020
Posts
21,029
Reaction score
37,079
Location
UK
For those that have an Athletic subscription (which is well worth it)

https://theathletic.com/2332366/202...ugler-alabama-has-one-tenth-of-top-prospects/

For those that don't here's his top 10

1. Trevor Lawrence, QB1, Clemson (6-6, 220)

Although there are areas of his game that require improvement, Lawrence is a generational talent with his combination of size, arm talent, mobility, processing skills and intangibles. His rare blend of traits makes him the easy choice at No. 1.

2. Penei Sewell, OT1, Oregon (6-6, 330)

For a blocker with his size and strength, Sewell is astonishingly efficient with his movement patterns due to his natural flexibility and footwork. Not only does he offer impressive physical traits, but his split-second reads and reflexes are also advanced for a player his age.

3. Ja’Marr Chase, WR1, LSU (6-0, 210)

Chase is extremely talented after the catch and with the ball in the air, exemplifying the “my ball” attitude to consistently win the catch point (plays like a smaller Larry Fitzgerald). He appears very natural with his route movements but needs to do a better job making every route look the same off the line of scrimmage.

4. Zach Wilson, QB2, BYU (6-2, 212)

Although scouts wish he was bigger and faced a tougher schedule, Wilson has the dynamic skill set that NFL teams covet. A naturally accurate passer, he has outstanding mobility with a whip for an arm to make off-platform throws look routine.

5. Kyle Pitts, TE1, Florida (6-6, 240)

Described as a “unicorn” by the Florida coaching staff, Pitts is what a twitchy big man looks like, using his natural reflexes, flexible movements and athletic ball skills to be a cheat code as a pass-catcher. Although he lacks the body power to convincingly sustain or drive block, he is willing and competitive to contribute as a blocker, but he should be evaluated more as a weapon than a traditional tight end.

6. Rashawn Slater, OT2, Northwestern (6-4, 308)

Slater doesn’t have ideal height or length, but he is agile, stout and power-packed and doesn’t allow rushers to go through him (Isaiah Wynn conversation all over again). He is very quick to lock up pass rushers before they can set up their moves, rarely straying from his fundamentals.

7. DeVonta Smith, WR2, Alabama (6-0, 172)

Despite a frail build and average stopwatch speed, Smith is natural in everything he does, finding space, finishing catches and not going down easy (he is tougher and more competitive than most 225-pound receivers). The Alabama coaches used him across the formation and routinely highlighted him as having the best hands on the team, accounting for only seven drops on 268 catchable targets in his career.

8. Jaylen Waddle, WR3, Alabama (5-10, 182)

With his natural speed and burst, Waddle is dangerous before and after the catch, showing the creativity, competitiveness and separation skills to stress defenses in different ways (responsible for four receptions of 75-plus yards in his career). While still a work-in-progress with several details of the position, he showed clear maturation with his route construction and ball skills in 2020.

9. Justin Fields, QB3, Ohio State (6-3, 218)

Fields is remarkably talented with his size, athleticism and upside as a passer. While his passing vision is not currently NFL-ready, he throws a clean, accurate ball and NFL coaches will love his toughness and composure.

10. Caleb Farley, CB1, Virginia Tech (6-2, 205)

Farley checks boxes with his size, speed and reaction skills while also developing his comfort level on defense, which has allowed him to anticipate the action and play ultracompetitive. With only two years of experience at corner, he needs continued work with his route recognition and fundamental muscle memory, but the majority of his flaws are due to inexperience and not inability.


I thought Chase at 3 over Smith was interesting, although something I agree with. I like SMith fine but I think Chase is the better NFL prospect.

I think this was the highest I have seen Slater although I assume he would be lower if ranked as a G and not OT2.

Farley over Surtain is also against the grain from what I have seen, although Surtain is #11 so not much between them.

Other notables

He has Ajeez Ojalari as his EDGE1 at #16 and Kwity Paye at #19. Oweh at #21 and Rousseau all the way back at #24 as EDGE4 and 7 EDGE total in the top 32.

He has 4 LB's in his top 23. Parsons, Owusu-Koramoah, Bolton, Collins.

Jaycee Horn is #20.

Najee Harris is RB1 but only at #28.

Samuel Cosmi who most seem to have in their top 20 is #42 on Brugler's board.
 

Dr. Jones

Has No Time For Love
Joined
Nov 2, 2004
Posts
24,795
Reaction score
13,532
I love Waddle. And think he is the first WR with shockingly fast speed and "twitch" to come out since Reek. Without "twitch" a 4.25 40 isn't nearly as "shocking" IMO.

But that's a huge comp and I recognize it may not be what others think.

I love me some Slater and see a Guard or Center that could be special. He may make it to us. Probably not though.

I'm not a big Cosmi guy so far. think his feet are good but he may be two to three years from productivity.

Love Pitts. Love him. Just not sure he fit's the Cards.

If Surtain makes it to us (he shouldn't) he has to be considered a top option IMO.

Again, Keim has said over and over his 1st rounders will most likely be: Pass Rushers, those that stop pass rushers, QB, or CB.
 

football karma

Happy in the pretense of knowledge
Joined
Jul 22, 2002
Posts
14,739
Reaction score
12,870
I love Waddle. And think he is the first WR with shockingly fast speed and "twitch" to come out since Reek. Without "twitch" a 4.25 40 isn't nearly as "shocking" IMO.

Kyle Shanahan reportedly prioritizes WRs that were productive punt returners in college. It tells him that it was a guy who had good hands, was comfortable catching in traffic, good short area quickness/can make people miss, and explosion

given the way the 49ers have hit on WRs of late, its something i consider
 

DVontel

ASFN Icon
Joined
Jan 28, 2015
Posts
12,357
Reaction score
21,037
I don’t want a WR in round 1 period, but give me Smith & Waddle over Chase if I had the choice.
 

DVontel

ASFN Icon
Joined
Jan 28, 2015
Posts
12,357
Reaction score
21,037
For those that have an Athletic subscription (which is well worth it)

https://theathletic.com/2332366/202...ugler-alabama-has-one-tenth-of-top-prospects/

For those that don't here's his top 10

1. Trevor Lawrence, QB1, Clemson (6-6, 220)

Although there are areas of his game that require improvement, Lawrence is a generational talent with his combination of size, arm talent, mobility, processing skills and intangibles. His rare blend of traits makes him the easy choice at No. 1.

2. Penei Sewell, OT1, Oregon (6-6, 330)

For a blocker with his size and strength, Sewell is astonishingly efficient with his movement patterns due to his natural flexibility and footwork. Not only does he offer impressive physical traits, but his split-second reads and reflexes are also advanced for a player his age.

3. Ja’Marr Chase, WR1, LSU (6-0, 210)

Chase is extremely talented after the catch and with the ball in the air, exemplifying the “my ball” attitude to consistently win the catch point (plays like a smaller Larry Fitzgerald). He appears very natural with his route movements but needs to do a better job making every route look the same off the line of scrimmage.

4. Zach Wilson, QB2, BYU (6-2, 212)

Although scouts wish he was bigger and faced a tougher schedule, Wilson has the dynamic skill set that NFL teams covet. A naturally accurate passer, he has outstanding mobility with a whip for an arm to make off-platform throws look routine.

5. Kyle Pitts, TE1, Florida (6-6, 240)

Described as a “unicorn” by the Florida coaching staff, Pitts is what a twitchy big man looks like, using his natural reflexes, flexible movements and athletic ball skills to be a cheat code as a pass-catcher. Although he lacks the body power to convincingly sustain or drive block, he is willing and competitive to contribute as a blocker, but he should be evaluated more as a weapon than a traditional tight end.

6. Rashawn Slater, OT2, Northwestern (6-4, 308)

Slater doesn’t have ideal height or length, but he is agile, stout and power-packed and doesn’t allow rushers to go through him (Isaiah Wynn conversation all over again). He is very quick to lock up pass rushers before they can set up their moves, rarely straying from his fundamentals.

7. DeVonta Smith, WR2, Alabama (6-0, 172)

Despite a frail build and average stopwatch speed, Smith is natural in everything he does, finding space, finishing catches and not going down easy (he is tougher and more competitive than most 225-pound receivers). The Alabama coaches used him across the formation and routinely highlighted him as having the best hands on the team, accounting for only seven drops on 268 catchable targets in his career.

8. Jaylen Waddle, WR3, Alabama (5-10, 182)

With his natural speed and burst, Waddle is dangerous before and after the catch, showing the creativity, competitiveness and separation skills to stress defenses in different ways (responsible for four receptions of 75-plus yards in his career). While still a work-in-progress with several details of the position, he showed clear maturation with his route construction and ball skills in 2020.

9. Justin Fields, QB3, Ohio State (6-3, 218)

Fields is remarkably talented with his size, athleticism and upside as a passer. While his passing vision is not currently NFL-ready, he throws a clean, accurate ball and NFL coaches will love his toughness and composure.

10. Caleb Farley, CB1, Virginia Tech (6-2, 205)

Farley checks boxes with his size, speed and reaction skills while also developing his comfort level on defense, which has allowed him to anticipate the action and play ultracompetitive. With only two years of experience at corner, he needs continued work with his route recognition and fundamental muscle memory, but the majority of his flaws are due to inexperience and not inability.


I thought Chase at 3 over Smith was interesting, although something I agree with. I like SMith fine but I think Chase is the better NFL prospect.

I think this was the highest I have seen Slater although I assume he would be lower if ranked as a G and not OT2.

Farley over Surtain is also against the grain from what I have seen, although Surtain is #11 so not much between them.

Other notables

He has Ajeez Ojalari as his EDGE1 at #16 and Kwity Paye at #19. Oweh at #21 and Rousseau all the way back at #24 as EDGE4 and 7 EDGE total in the top 32.

He has 4 LB's in his top 23. Parsons, Owusu-Koramoah, Bolton, Collins.

Jaycee Horn is #20.

Najee Harris is RB1 but only at #28.

Samuel Cosmi who most seem to have in their top 20 is #42 on Brugler's board.
Farley over Surtain is a lot more common than you think. The only reason it’s close is because Farley opted out. Farley has more translatable traits than Surtain & I’m a Bama alumni saying this.
 

football karma

Happy in the pretense of knowledge
Joined
Jul 22, 2002
Posts
14,739
Reaction score
12,870
on the CBs:

11. Patrick Surtain, CB2, Alabama (6-2, 205)

With his foot athleticism, body range and ball skills, Surtain plays sticky coverage and doesn’t panic downfield, consistently staying balanced and in phase. While he is athletic and false steps are infrequent, he lacks suddenness in his movements, giving explosive receivers a chance to separate early.


20. Jaycee Horn, CB3, South Carolina (6-1, 205)

With his length and athleticism, Horn matches up well vs. size and shows more ownership for the catch point than most receivers, displaying improved route recognition the last three seasons. While his aggressive nature is a strength to his game, it also works against him at times — he is the type of corner who immediately finds the official after each play to make sure no flags were thrown (five penalties in seven games in 2020).



fwiw: PFF has Surtain at #17 and Horn at #23

feels like the gap between Surtain and Horn isnt as large as it first seemed

also, it seems Horn has a Richard Sherman-like edge to him
 

DVontel

ASFN Icon
Joined
Jan 28, 2015
Posts
12,357
Reaction score
21,037
Alabama WRs just rarely live up to their draft position.
Julio is a future HOFer.

Ridley is a top 10 WR knocking on the door of being a top 5 WR.


Cooper has carved out a solid career.


Jeudy needs to fix his hands, but had a solid rookie campaign with Drew Lock as his QB with a RB playing as QB for a game.


Ruggs was a reach, but he doesn’t exactly play to a QB who plays to his strengths.




Yet, you want a TE in round 1, where they never live up to their draft position.


You gotta make it make sense, Chris.
 

Chris_Sanders

Super Moderator
Super Moderator
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2002
Posts
37,577
Reaction score
26,232
Location
Scottsdale, Az
I truly believe Pitts is a special talent based on what I saw. That's it
 

Chris_Sanders

Super Moderator
Super Moderator
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2002
Posts
37,577
Reaction score
26,232
Location
Scottsdale, Az
It wasn't just Chopper. It's just me watching football and drafts for so long. Yes there are some very good ones but the hit rate just isn't there.

And Julio was obviously different. Again he just popped as a special talent.

Ridley though has been better than I expected.
 

DVontel

ASFN Icon
Joined
Jan 28, 2015
Posts
12,357
Reaction score
21,037
So what is the hit rate?

There has been 5 Alabama WRs drafted in the 1st round in the Saban era.


One is going to be wearing a gold jacket.


One is on the verge of being a top 5 WR where WR talent is very deep.


One has had a pretty good career & is top 15.


One was coming off his rookie season where the hospital ball king Drew Lock was his QB while also having to catch passes from Brett Rypien, Jeff Driskell, & a RB.


One was a reach, but also has some good moments like catching a GWer as well.




So.....what is this hit rate you’re looking at
 

Chris_Sanders

Super Moderator
Super Moderator
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2002
Posts
37,577
Reaction score
26,232
Location
Scottsdale, Az
I have zero interest in arguing this with you. We are at 13 years of WRs and the only ones remotely of note are the ones you mentioned and 2 of them aren't worth mentioning.

We aren't going to agree so move on
 

Bkbobo

Hall of Famer
Joined
Mar 5, 2019
Posts
1,344
Reaction score
1,694
Location
Washington, DC
So I guess Pitts is out of consideration. We drafted our unicorn last year, :). Though having one on offense and defense would be impressive.
 

Dr. Jones

Has No Time For Love
Joined
Nov 2, 2004
Posts
24,795
Reaction score
13,532
Yet in 8 drafts he's taken a G, 2 LB's and a S and a dubious DT.
Guards stop the pass rush right?
I think you get the point I was making. these were Keim's comments. Not mine.

thinking the same thing

and the one pass rusher they drafted, they spent 3 years trying to make him an ILB

WILB's in a 3-4 are pass rushers. Hell..... So are safeties if they play like Deone did.

But Safeties are also pass coverage.

I think the key takeaway here is that Keim has said on the record that a pass catcher (WR, RB or TE) is not something he targets in round 1. Whether he goes against that or not will be up to the optics of each and every pick. But so far his actions have backed up his words.
 
OP
OP
BritCard

BritCard

ASFN Icon
Joined
Jan 10, 2020
Posts
21,029
Reaction score
37,079
Location
UK
Guards stop the pass rush right?
I think you get the point I was making. these were Keim's comments. Not mine.



WILB's in a 3-4 are pass rushers. Hell..... So are safeties if they play like Deone did.

But Safeties are also pass coverage.

I think the key takeaway here is that Keim has said on the record that a pass catcher (WR, RB or TE) is not something he targets in round 1. Whether he goes against that or not will be up to the optics of each and every pick. But so far his actions have backed up his words.

What I'm taking away is that Keim talks out his butt :)
 

Harry

ASFN Consultant and Senior Writer
Joined
Jan 7, 2003
Posts
10,743
Reaction score
22,497
Location
Orlando, FL
on the CBs:

11. Patrick Surtain, CB2, Alabama (6-2, 205)

With his foot athleticism, body range and ball skills, Surtain plays sticky coverage and doesn’t panic downfield, consistently staying balanced and in phase. While he is athletic and false steps are infrequent, he lacks suddenness in his movements, giving explosive receivers a chance to separate early.


20. Jaycee Horn, CB3, South Carolina (6-1, 205)

With his length and athleticism, Horn matches up well vs. size and shows more ownership for the catch point than most receivers, displaying improved route recognition the last three seasons. While his aggressive nature is a strength to his game, it also works against him at times — he is the type of corner who immediately finds the official after each play to make sure no flags were thrown (five penalties in seven games in 2020).



fwiw: PFF has Surtain at #17 and Horn at #23

feels like the gap between Surtain and Horn isnt as large as it first seemed

also, it seems Horn has a Richard Sherman-like edge to him

Horn could easily turn into Dre, part 2. He lacks top end speed and NFL refs will be unlikely to let him mug receivers the way he has in college. If you don’t like PP’s penalties, this guy is not your man.
 

Latest posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
534,761
Posts
5,246,043
Members
6,273
Latest member
sarahmoose
Top