Rookie drafts are all the rage. Plus, everyone loves the good email chain that goes off into 50 different directions. In addition to the picks themselves, this rookie mock draft will include some of the comments along the way. Here are the drafters and the rotating order:
- 1.01 Jordan Spires
- 1.02 Tim Torch
- 1.03 Tyler Huggins
- 1.04 Doug Veatch
- 1.05 Patrick Kerrane
- 1.06 Justin Huestis
- 1.07 Chad Parsons
- 1.08 Katie Flower
- 1.09 Jordan Spires
- 1.10 Tim Torch
- 1.11 Tyler Huggins
- 1.12 Doug Veatch
The Rookie Draft
1.01 Todd Gurley
Jordan Spires: The “safe pick” is Cooper or White probably but Gurley truly is that generational running back that we haven’t seen in a long time. He has all the tools to be a contributor in multiple facets of the game right away.
The conversation shifted to Amari Cooper vs. Kevin White:
Chad: How often do you think white will go before Cooper in rookie draft if white is the first receiver off the board in the NFL Draft?
Justin: A lot more than he should! I love the landing spot hype. It creates a lot of opportunity / value with talent
Patrick: My guess would be the later the rookie draft the higher the chance that White goes first. I see White generating a lot of buzz in camp with teammates and coaches praising his athleticism and ability to fight for the ball. Plus it’s more time for pre-draft evaluations to wear off.
1.02 Amari Cooper
Tim Torch: Oh man. I thought I was going to shock the UTH draft and take Todd Gurley at 1.02. Cooper is my man crush at wide receiver in this draft. He is a very smooth athlete, incredible hands, and is age insulated (21 years old for the ’15 season). The fact that he put up 124 receptions, 1727 yards, and 16 touchdowns in the SEC and continued his strong play in the NCAA playoffs only makes me love him more. Size might be a concern for some, but I think OBJ last year was reason enough for us all to say that height isn’t everything.
1.03 Kevin White
Tyler Huggins: The last of the no brainers. Explosive, aggressive, & physical. He excels at the catch point with great YAC ability as well. With a fantastic size/speed combo & room to grow as a technician, this is what a #1 looks like.
1.04 Melvin Gordon
Doug Veatch: I’m taking a little leap of faith here, but I’m starting to like Gordon a little more every day. I also considered a couple different WRs but at the end of the day, I believe Gordon is the safest asset and the best player available here at 1.04. I love drafting out of this spot because I own this particular pick in a few different leagues and I need to get used to the idea of taking Gordon at 1.04.
Tim: Are you getting used to the idea of drafting him or are you looking to move back a couple of picks here? I know it would depend on the offer, but what’s you line here?
Doug: I’m getting used to the idea, but you know me I’d sell almost anything for the right price.
Chad: I bet one of the top3 in this draft falls to 1.04 in >25% of leagues
Chad: I was putting 90% odds you took Gordon
1.05 DeVante Parker
Patrick Kerrane: Parker is my 2nd ranked WR in the class (behind Cooper), so I’m thrilled to get him here. What I love about Parker is how well-rounded he is: great production, great athlete, great draft position. Parker dominated in his age 21 season, posting excellent raw numbers and maintaining a highly efficient 12.2 yards per target while accounting for a ridiculous 57% Louisville’s passing yards. And while not an elite athlete, Parker is well above the NFL average by almost any measure. Finally he’s likely to be drafted in the 11-20 range, and WRs in this range have historically been just as successful (actually slightly more so) than WRs drafted in the top 10.
1.06 Jay Ajayi
Justin Huestis: Ajayi is my love. A do-it-all back who runs like a bat out of hell and has as soft of hands as an angel holding a harp. Ajayi is nearly landing-spot proof because of his ability to fit in most systems and be any role.
Chad: Justin sure lays it on thick. Sounds like a note you slipped in Ajayi’s locker in high school
Katie: Come on Chad, you’re killing me. You’re OTC and I know who you’re going to snipe, just rip the bandaid and do it already so I can settle for someone else…
Doug: For real Chad, why are you torturing Katie?
1.07 T.J. Yeldon
Chad Parsons: Give me Yeldon here. Don’t care of he’s Day 2, metrics and film align for the perfect storm on my board. Argument for Jaelen Strong, but breaking ties for my target player.
Katie: Yup, as expected there goes Yeldon.
1.08 Breshad Perriman
Katie Flower: If this was one of my real league drafts I would have already had at least 1 if not 2 picks in the 1st round already and the choice here would be a swing for the fences type pick with some risk. But alas it is not and so I must choose BPA from a myriad of prospects who all have some big question marks. If I take Strong I am getting a guy who is 6’2 and thick as a steak, only problem is I fear that he is more chuck steak than filet mignon and I am definitely partial to a nice juicy mid rare filet. DGB has the potential to be filet mignon but it may not be as tender and juicy as I like after it has been suspended for 4 games or a whole season and sits on the end of my bench frustratingly.
1.09 Jaelen Strong
1.10 Dorial Green-Beckham
Tim Torch: Katie and I just had a text message exchange with each other the other day talking about if each of us still liked DGB and both of us said “yes.” He is a 6’5, 237 lbs thoroughbred. I know the risk is here, I know the previous red flags are there, and I have been a Josh Gordon owner before. Those are all ingredients for not drafting DGB. What I learned from Josh Gordon is that no matter how bad you are if you have one season that you “blow up” you can sell a player for anything you want. The night before the first round of the 2014 NFL draft I sold Josh Gordon for the 1.01, DeAndre Hopkins, and a 2015 1st (1.04). Within the next 24 hours the other owner was left with “nothing.” If DGB has a season like Josh Gordon’s 2013 campaign I will be able to name my price for him.
1.11 Nelson Agholor
Tyler Huggins: Agholor jumps off the tape at me. He has a very well-rounded game–excels in the slot & outside. I love the way he works once the ball is in his hands–total badass in the screen/quick hitch game. For a guy his size, he is incredibly tough over the middle. His game should translate very well to the next level.
Tim: I think Chad and Doug just spit out whatever they were drinking and took Tyler off of the UTH contributor list.
Tyler: Hahaha. I knew this one be met with some disagreement, but I’m sticking to my guns.
Chad: I wonder about the ‘a guy his size’ comment re: Agholor. Dude is 6′, 198. He better be able to move (at +14% in athleticism, I will argue he can’t to a large degree).
Tyler: That’s fair. I tend to be all about the big WR, so anyone in that size range is a little guy to me. Perhaps I’m over-compensating for missing out on AB & OBJ(and by no means am I trying to draw a comp outside of relative size), but I’m all about this kid as a pro.
Tim: No big surprises in this round until Nelson Algholor with the 1.11 pick. There are a lot of people who are high on him, but he is just another Robert Woods and Marquise Lee clone that will just be another guy in the NFL. DLF does have Nelson Algholor as their #13 overall rookie in ADP.
1.12 Devin Funchess
Doug Veatch: This was a difficult decision for me as this is where the rubber meets the road in rookie drafts. At the end of the day, gimme a big ol’ WR who I think could develop into a Kelvin Benjamin type talent. Will he ever push for 90 receptions? Probably not but I like his chances to flirt with double-digit TDs on an annual basis.
Chad: Wow – Doug going Funch at 12 surprised me more than Agholor at 11. Really thought he was going RB there….
Tyler: I think it shows just how polarizing this class is. Tier 1 is largely agreed upon, and Parker & Gordon tend to be the next 2 off the board. After that, it becomes the wild west. Very interested to see how all of the different drafts play out this year.
Stay Tuned for Round 2 of the UTH Rookie Mock…..
