Good summary of why I think DT is my preferred position in the first round. Lot of good players in that range, you can play them immediately as part of a rotation, and the guys we have are not spring chickens. Safety doesn’t bring as much value and I don’t like Starks and Emmanwori as much as others. Corner wouldn’t be bad, but I’d almost rather them bring back another stop gap vet than go R1 rookie there. Seems like Flores needs savvier guys at CB and doesn’t necessarily need a high RAS speed freak you’d want in a first round pick.
Like Willie Nelson, my heroes have always been defensive tackles, but of the "Big Three" of Grant, Harmon, and Nolen the only one I really want in the first round is Grant. Nolen is erratic, boom/bust, Harmon, to quote Steve Palazzolo is a "can't stop the run pass rusher. We already have that" (in Allen and Hargrave). Grant, of course, is a "Gift from the football gods." Just ask Jim Harbaugh. So as much as I want a DT if Grant's gone and they can trade back and get Zabel or Jackson at left guard and then grab from Alexander, Collins, Pegues, West,or Caldwell in the 2nd-4th I'd be a happy man. I mean happy fan.
Good summary of why I think DT is my preferred position in the first round. Lot of good players in that range, you can play them immediately as part of a rotation, and the guys we have are not spring chickens. Safety doesn’t bring as much value and I don’t like Starks and Emmanwori as much as others. Corner wouldn’t be bad, but I’d almost rather them bring back another stop gap vet than go R1 rookie there. Seems like Flores needs savvier guys at CB and doesn’t necessarily need a high RAS speed freak you’d want in a first round pick.
Like Willie Nelson, my heroes have always been defensive tackles, but of the "Big Three" of Grant, Harmon, and Nolen the only one I really want in the first round is Grant. Nolen is erratic, boom/bust, Harmon, to quote Steve Palazzolo is a "can't stop the run pass rusher. We already have that" (in Allen and Hargrave). Grant, of course, is a "Gift from the football gods." Just ask Jim Harbaugh. So as much as I want a DT if Grant's gone and they can trade back and get Zabel or Jackson at left guard and then grab from Alexander, Collins, Pegues, West,or Caldwell in the 2nd-4th I'd be a happy man. I mean happy fan.
Absolutely draft one. Insurance in case one of the free agents injury lingers. Provides rotation.
There is no substitute for a big NT. Like a 7 foot basketball center who can play. No amount of scheming can make up for not having one.
Take the best DT or OG on the board unless a trade down brings back a 2nd round pick. Great article Mathew 👏