I have been spending time in recent days watching the top prospects and the more I have watched Ohio St. LB Sonny Styles, the more impressed I became. So much so that yesterday morning, I tweeted this:
The top three perfect fits for the Cardinals' who bring the most consistently relentless effort, tough as nails tackling and outstanding production.
1. Rueben Bain Jr., ED, The U
2. Caleb Downs, S, Ohio St.
3. Sonny Styles, ILB, Ohio St.
This was before anyone saw this:
If there ever was a 10.0 RAS, this one by Sonny Styles takes the cake.
I based my morning tweet on game film evals with regard to the consistent quality of play. That's where Rueben Bain. Caleb Downs and Sonny Styles have been popping out and separating themselves from others.
So, as I often like to do this time of year, I wanted to test my evals with nfl.com's Lance Zierlein, whom I consider the most comprehensive and fair-minded judge of NFL talent. Lo and behold, this is what I found:
Fascinating: http://nfl.com/NextGenStats' Highest Ranked Total Scores with Player Comps:
1. 92 - Jeremiyah Love, RB1, ND - Jahmyr Gibbs
2. 87 - Sonny Styles, LB1, OSU - Fred Warner
3. 86 - Fernando Mendoza, QB1, IU - Joe Burrow
4T. 84 - Reuben Bain, ED1, The U - Brandon Graham
4T. 84 - Caleb Downs, S1, OSU - Jalen Pitre
6. 83 - David Bailey, ED2, TTU - Nik Bonitto
7T. 82 - Arvell Reese, ED3, OSU - n/a
7T. 82 - Spencer Fano, T1, UTA, Brian O'Neill
9. 77 - Francis Mauigoa, T2, The U, Taliese Fuaga
The Cardinals should hopefully learn from their trade down from pick #3 mistake in 2023 to "stick and pick" this time. The pick at #3 is a home run with any of the top 5 on this list: Love, Styles, Mendoza, Bain and Downs all #1 ranked at their positions and are instant plug and play ballers.
Cards could be stylin with Styles. If MO trades down from the 3rd pick—after already botching prior drafts by passing on elite, franchise-level talent—it’ll just be more of the same short-sighted asset shuffling instead of actually securing a difference-maker.
I give Baines a slightly higher grade than Bailey. He's a littl better versus the run. Wahim.s hoping Styles would slip to tge second round so we would have a shot at him. He reminded me of Daryl Washington...real fluid athlete
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I am still in favor of Bain/Bailey at #3 - After so many failed ILB drafts I am wary of using yet another 1st round pick on ILB.
ReplyDeleteOn another track - how 'bout those NFLPA grades Cardinal fans? Bidwill rising the ranks!!!
He'll fix that, just give him time to sink back to the very bottom. It's where he's happiest and most fulfilled
Delete...and, it has always been this way. Players have to overcome ownership! Take it from HOF players who have interacted with Bidwills'.
Deletehttps://www.si.com/nfl/cardinals/onsi/news/hall-fame-wr-slams-arizona-cardinals-michael-bidwill
Cards could be stylin with Styles. If MO trades down from the 3rd pick—after already botching prior drafts by passing on elite, franchise-level talent—it’ll just be more of the same short-sighted asset shuffling instead of actually securing a difference-maker.
ReplyDeleteAnother trade down - please NO! take BPA #3 no frills, no muss, no drama, no Bidwill effect.
ReplyDeleteI give Baines a slightly higher grade than Bailey. He's a littl better versus the run. Wahim.s hoping Styles would slip to tge second round so we would have a shot at him. He reminded me of Daryl Washington...real fluid athlete
ReplyDelete