The worst/laziest 2024 NFL Draft take you keep seeing...
 

So I'm watching Simms' pod today and he's doing his mock draft...he has Brian Thomas Jr. falling to the Bills at 28...he isn't the first I've seen with this notion and I just can't do it anymore.

I still don't think he makes it out of the top 20 and if he did, a team would move up to the early to mid 20s to get him...there isn't a scenario worth discussing IMO where falls to 28 right in the Bills lap. It's so dumb.

So what is one or two you keep seeing/reading that is driving you nuts?

Xavier Worthy at any point in the first round.

I'm sure there is a possibility that Veach loves the kid but every mock draft doesn't have to be him in some form. If it's not at 32, then it's trading up a ridiculous amount to get him. And it always comes with the caveat of "they need to replace Hill!".

I have a hard time bagging on simms he’s one of the better ones imo even though he’s not a draft specific analyst. He does get bagged down on trends of teams and management styles that he played for and has trouble working outside that box on occasion. Hes not like most of the shit bags who are like chiefs take worthy at 32 because he runs 4.22 and that’s what the chiefs do.

For what it's worth, he has Odunze falling to 18 and Cincy (another head scratcher) and the Chiefs taking Newton...

The guy makes Bryce Young look like Shaq.

Wouldn't be mad at Newton. However if Odunze hits the teens we should be calling lol.

That's also weird because Simms had Thomas as the #2 WR in the draft, behind Nabers and ahead of Harrison.

The thing that annoys me is mocks with us taking a CB in the first, or especially analysts talking about CB being our biggest need. Obviously I get why they think so (they lost a good CB, they must need a replacement!), but it's super lazy.

His reasoning was in part due to hearing from people lately that Thomas has a knee problem...not a huge issue but one that could see him fall out of the top 15 or so.

I feel like mock drafters don't consider the motivation for teams to trade up enough. That makes many mocks repetitive and boring. These guys need to look at the board and say who would be calling?

I don't know if it really irritates me, everyone has an opinion right... but there are some players where I don't think I agree with where they are being rated but I have to kind of hedge against my own personal opinion and keep them in that conversation because everyone else seems to have them there.

Some specific ones...

Ladd McConkey. I like his size/athleticism profile he is a really technically savvy route runner but he's got an injury history. So, are teams really going to spend a 1st on him? My head says no. Hell, I'm thinking mid-2nd.

J.J. McCarthy... Look, I think he's pretty solid but should a team really trade up into the top 5 to get this kid? Man... I don't know. If it weren't for Minnesota and Denver really needing a QB I wouldn't even fathom it. I think Nix is the better player, honestly. End of the day, I wouldn't be surprised Minnesota stood pat at 11 and banked on him falling. If Denver moves for him, let them and take Nix. That's how I'd play it.

Drake Maye... Also just not a top 5 QB. From a natural talent perspective, he could end up the best when it's all said and done but he shouldn't have came out his year. He needs a redshirt year at minimum. He's not mentally ready IMO.

Brock Bowers... I mean, I see him exactly the same as Sam LaPorta. Is he a top-10 type of guy? Hell, is he actually a round 1 type of guy? He'd be fringe for me personally but the overwhelming majority think otherwise.

Amarius Mims... Scary to take this kid in the 1st round. He's incredibly raw and should have went back to school. Man alive this is the one I absolutely struggle with the most in my head. He's mid-3rd as a player but a rare athlete at his size.

Terrion Arnold... Not my top corner. Struggles with speed. I keep him highly rated because of outside opinions. I probably wouldn't draft him in the 1st.

Jer'Zahn Newton... I still don't understand how an elite pass rusher from the DT spot is considered a fringe 1st round prospect but to each their own. I don't think he's significantly less of a prospect than a guy like Jalen Carter was. It interests me to see what NFL teams will think.

Troy Fautanu... Not sure how he isn't the top offensive line prospect and top LT prospect in this draft class. He's absolutely nails. I pray he falls within striking distance, I really do. Don't think he will. I just don't think Alt or Fashanu are as good as he is, especially in pass pro.

Chop Robinson... Purely a traits guy. The production isn't there. We've seen this flame out a lot. We'll see if this one hits. Kind of how things have been lately with so much emphasis on traits over football players.

I can't be the only one who looks and thinks, do the Chiefs really care about acquiring seven rookies? Go get your impact guy and try and get pocket change capital back for next year, shore up any glaring holes with the significant excess cap space. The team only has so many roster spots for 24.

I've been frustrated by some of the Kool-Aid McKinstry to KC takes.

None of which say "The Chiefs have a chance to get a value at CB..." or anything similar. They're all "Chiefs must replace Sneed..."

If there was a better than average shot that he's the best player on their draft board, that would be one thing. But I don't think even the people making the selection for them believe that.

You're not the only one, trust me...with the position the Chiefs are in and going all in for a 3peat, I'm more than ok with being uber aggressive and coming out of this draft with 2 or 3 real impact guys and letting the chips fall where they may.

Yeah, I saw one earlier today that had the Bucs taking Brian Thomas Jr because he fell to them. I can't see that one actually working out that way. If he falls to their spot, Tampa will have teams like the Chiefs and Bills burning up their phones to get him.

We have some good secondary players and one or more might be ready to step into the role, maybe nobody is ready. The answer to that question tells me a great deal about whether we need to draft a CB. Without knowing, I lean toward the idea that CB is not a pressing need like OT and WR, but something we should look at a little later.

Worst? Laziest? ...this one doesn't qualify as either, but feels like counter intuitive over analysis to me.

~"Can't take WR Xavier Legette because he didn't breakout with 1,250 yards until his 5th year."
~"He's just an elite size & speed athlete with poor production."

Several things come to mind:

1. Are we just going to ignore the hot hand? Momentum is a good thing.
2. Dude leveled up, something clicked, that's worth being a fan of rather than discrediting.
3. His last 1-4 years college production is similar to, or better than, a lot of other notable borderline 1st-2nd round WRs like McConkey and his comp DK Metcalf for instance.
4. These guys are still young, there's lots of room for NFL coaching to mold premium athletes into stars! See Tyreek Hill as a reference.
5. Plenty of NFL pundits are suggesting we draft a 160-170 lb WR in Worthy, Franklin, or McConkey but there's a plus size WR with similar speed available and a clear NFL ready body that can move between slot and outside WR, and win at all three levels.

*Bonus = Have you heard this guy's voice!? He and Mahomes together would be so weird! *HOLY SHIT! ...I just had a premonition = The Chiefs will draft Xavier Legette, Mahomes, Kelce, and Legette will be hired to refresh the Budweiser brand image by bringing back the old bud frog gimmick ""BUD!" "WEIS?" "ER! Super Bowl commercials will feature a rotating cast of stars trying out for the 3rd frog spot, including Taylor swift, before settling on X Legette. Damn. Sometimes it's a heavy burden being so tapped into the universe.

I have zero concerns about Legette's ability to run a route and catch the ball and what he can do after the catch. My concerns with him are his willingness to block and his effort on plays that aren't planned on going to him. I am guessing those things are what kept him down the depth chart in his first few years at SC. It's not like it took him until this last year to reach level 50 and evolve into his current physique. Dude had the physical tools. Either he's slow at learning routes/plays or he was lazy on plays that he wasn't involved with.

His history is weird/interesting.

Played QB in high school.

South Carolina had awful coaching in place when he got to South Carolina.

COVID happened.

He was injured in a car/motorcycle accident as a sophomore.

The scheme was trash and the QB was trash until his last two years.

His work ethic and effort have actually been consistently praised by the current coaching staff.

A take I don't like very much is that the Chiefs go get a DT of the future.

They don't need one. Jones is under contract for years, and the rest of the DT room is bodied out with fine depth across the board.

Agree on all fronts, but what about my Super Bowl commercial pitch? lol

The worst and laziest takes belong to Balto.

That's not fair the mental gymnastics taken to trade MVS for Kupp are a level of work my brain cant even fathom.

Multi-dimensional even.

You think he's talking to other Baltos in some kind of multiverse? "Bro Julio Jones is still good where i'm at. Let's trade 2k yard Kadarious Toney for him!"

How many times have you heard a coach be like "yeah.... he's a lazy twat" ? I can't recall. Generally coaches hype people in public. I just see the lack of effort on tape, acrual game footage, not his highlight reel. Also, check out his stats against good opponents. He is baller against weak opponents and disappears against good teams. I'm not saying he can't be a success in the NFL but it'll take a few years at a minimum.

Jermaine Burton, for one.

They don't say it publicly but they don't appear to have a problem saying it behind the scenes. Seems like nobody likes Jermaine very much...

Jermaine Burton is this year's George Pickens, but not quite as good IMHO

I'm starting to inch 'Draft Bowers and Profit!' as annoying me almost as much as the "Chiefs will take a CB" stuff.

Being the best TE in a weak TE class doesn't mean you're some set and forget badass. This guy just doesn't stand out to me. He's...good. A very good prospect. But why in God's name should I move up to grab him when I have Travis Kelce and nothing in Reid's entire history demonstrates that he needs some premier prospect to get plus production from the position?

Or that ANY team has unlocked a rosetta stone for finding first round talent at TE. The bust rate on 1st round TEs is insane. And the hit rate for mid/late rounders is higher than most positions.

Yeah, I've come to the point where I think you take the guy in Round 3 or 4 and roll the dice.

The talent is worth it. I still see a lot of Stafon Diggs with him.

So was there a coach/pundit questioning Legette's efforts you can point to online? ...maybe I'm misinterpreting the above, but I'd be really interested to hear that take!

I thought I heard Chris Sims complain about 2 of these 3: Legette, Coleman, or Mitchell about taking plays off but I can't recall 100%.

Just curious.