A lot of teams took Sweat off their board because of the (seemingly) misdiagnosed heart condition so you don't know that the Dolphins would have taken Sweat. I like Sweat, he was one of my choices at #13 before the draft. I didn't think Wilkins would make it to 13.
No doubt....the part we don't know are things like that, Taylors knee or how kids interview.....I think Sweat went 10-12 picks low likely because of his medicals, ... so he would have been in the 10-15 range without that at least IMHO.
Wilkins is a better player then Sweat. Just because one position CAN be more impactful, doesn't mean you take that position. This wasn't Wilkins vs. Josh Allen debate. We took Wilkins at 13, not top 5. Throwing out draft numbers as if they are factual and then selling Grier out for not taking a hypothetical trade, is a bit much.
I get that sometimes we have to approach things with the ole, " No risk, no reward." mentality; however, these days I am all about playing it safe. I admit, guys like Sweat and Simmons could end up being great players, but we just have too many holes to fill, and we still need to build the foundation. I am for us going for doubles and not swinging for the fence. A strike out could set us back even further than we are. :-)
Wilkins is not a bad player, hes just not a guy that is going to cause offensive coordinators problems. Hes not a guy that teams will gameplan against. He can be a good player without being an impact player, and I think thats what my 2 cents is trying to get across. Football is a team sport more than any other, but even still there are a handfull of positions that can have a greater impact on the game then others. QB, CB, EDGE, and LT are in the first tier. I think if you are picking in the top half of the first round and you have holes in those spots if the grade is close take one of those. I think the second tier is RT WR, RB, LB, S, and K. Finally I think you have DT, interior OL, TE, FB, P, LS. I dont understand taking a guy at 13 when there is at least equally talented players... at need positions... at higher impact positions. If you look historically DTs can be found later in the draft, I would have taken Quinnen Williams or Oliver at 13, but I think Williams is the best player in this draft and I think Oliver is a poor mans Aaron Donald. Since both of them are gone, I would have looked to trade down, and the Eagles deal is something I would have done in a heartbeat. We are building for the future. Towards the end of round one you always catch a team looking to trade back into the round and willing to give up a decent haul or I could have picked up an OT, or a CB. If I had to stay there Sweat, Haskins, Taylor, Dillard, Baker would have been better picks IMO
I am guessing here, but I think Flores was really excited about Wilkins being there. I read somewhere he got his bachelors in 2.5 years and has his masters. The guy is really smart. I believe they are saying he is really football smart, too. I don't know exactly what Flores has in mind with our defense, but I imagine he can be even more creative when he has guys who can understand and process things at a high level. As with Minkah, Wilkins' could have some versatility that could really end up helping us because I have read he can play in any scheme.
I was reading an article where Wilkins said Hobby was the reason he is the player he is. Sounds like Hobby may have bent the ear of Flores. Last time we did that we let Sherman convince us to draft Tannehill and mediocrity ensued for 7 years
Still doesn't change the fact that Wilkins is a 1000x better prospect than RT ever was. And I was OK with the RT pick. I thought #8 was a reach, but at least he had a good arm and seemed like he had a QB mind. Turns out the latter was false. Wilkins is a top level DT.
I hated the RT pick from jump, I thought he was a mediocre prospect who had an Andy Dalton ceiling. I think Wilkins can be a solid starter, I just dont think at 13 you should be drafting solid starters. At 13 you take impact players who can change the outcome of games, you take pro bowl players. In round 2 and 3 you take solid starters. We can agree to disagree on Wilkins being a top DT.
The thing is that we're bad in so many positions that I'm happy to have a good to great player even if it isn't in a sexy position. Let us build a proper base of talent through the roster.
Wilkins is like the Mike Pouncey of defensive lineman....good, not great pick. Should’ve traded down.
Hes a 3 down player in multiple fronts... I just think if you have a 93 grade on him and a 92 on Sweat... You take Sweat, as he is more likely to have game changing plays. Its not that Wilkins is a bad player, its that outside of Donald I would take the top 10-15 DEs ahead of the number 2 DT.
I slightly disagree. Yes an edge rusher causes more pressure and impact plays on their own but a DT can open up impact plays from others as well as improve play at the second level.
But when he opens up the second level hes not making the play he is creating an opportunity. DEs get sacks, put offenses behind the sticks, and get strip sacks at a higher rate than a DT will... If we are talking about a hole clogger to let LBs run free you dont draft them at 13... I mean Aaron Donald was the 13th pick...Hes a gap splitting penetrating DT who is arguably the best player in the NFL... Wilkins isnt close to that realm
Donald was the best defensive player in the the draft, said that predraft, however him dropping were Gms making critical mistakes based on their size prototypes.. so he dropped to 13, I don’t see Donald in Wilkins but there are traits, hi level talents, versatility, leadership, that justify the value..
I agree with the analysis, had him mid to later first round grade, however, as I kept watching and studying him, his game resonated more..I think he has to focus on power and speed through strength training and he can take his game to another level.
I thought Harris was waaay over drafted, didn’t want to go there, so we’re seeing eye to eye on some players, I feel much better about Wilkins justifying the value because of the versatility and maybe some things he can do outside his original position.. the big man can break down in space with excellent technique, has soft hands and look like he can score some tds..
Excellent pick. Eager to see his usage and impact in the new defensive scheme. And those whining about how we had Suh, and the impact he did not make, were not paying attention to how the defense was being run at that time.
Some D-tackles demand double teams because of their power, with Wilkins it will be because of his short area quickness and agility, make no mistake, if you block him with one guy he is going to beat you to the spot.
Does sweat fit in this defense? Did the Pats have any guys that couldnt set the edge? This is a team defense. You know the saying about the one leaky tube...
I'm not trying to say their ppsitional value evens out exactly. I just think it's a smart and safe pick for a team that isnt looking to win right now but wants to build a core. I want to see what we do the rest of the way before I judge our draft.
Harris was a God Awful Pick! You have a guy who made a name by bearing up on subpar players. His spin move was his only trick and its not an NFL move. He would step inside the reach of the OT get into his chest then spin out. In the NFL, you get near the OTs chest he sinks his meat hooks into you and its over... Which is why he has what 2 sacks?