Only 8 defenders taken in the first 32 picks. Welp. Some team is gonna get a great steal in Johnny.
2024 NFL Draft Thread
- Status
Well, the cardinals pick of Mizzou’s (
) Robinson was the one slot where I feel Newton could have gone. But they chose Robinson instead. He’ll go early tomorrow I have a feeling.
) Robinson was the one slot where I feel Newton could have gone. But they chose Robinson instead. He’ll go early tomorrow I have a feeling.
Guess they are playing the Sabre Metrics game. Newton will be a steal for someone
This year is an aberration from most drafts. WR class is absolutely loaded this year. OT quality falls off a bit after the top guys. Penix going as high as he did was the biggest shocker. McCarthy I'm still not sold on as an NFL prospect.
It’s a definite splashy selling point to recruits that the staff develops 1st round talent, but more wins and overall NFL placement of Illini players will sell a lot more. Does suck for Johnny from a money and prestige standpoint.
the national
- the Front Range
This is true. But Johnny is deserving of the bright lights of the first round. It’s a dang shame.
As a side note, Iowa fans are feeling similar with Cooper DeJean. The 1st round offensive lovefest didn’t leave a lot of room for the defensive players.
SactownIllini
- Coleman Hawkinsland
You can’t not watch Newton’s film and say he’s not first round talent. This is almost as bad as Aaron Rodgers free fall (and I’m a Bears fan). Hope by some miracle the Bears jump up and take him! Though Montez Sweat for a second round has worked out great thus far.
Newton is absolutely gonna be a 2nd Round steal!! And Cooper too, despite him wearing the wrong colors.
Newton is absolutely gonna be a 2nd Round steal!! And Cooper too, despite him wearing the wrong colors.
I'd like to see Johnny with the Bears too but edge rusher opposite Sweat is a bigger need than 3 technique. Plus the Bears only have 2 more picks in the rest of the draft so unless Poles adds more draft capital they can't afford to draft Johnny.
Chargers and titans possibilities here. Or maybe wait a bit and then it appears there are a bunch of teams in need of DL help.
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Tipsheet: Quarterbacks dominate NFL Draft as teams seek next franchise savior
Teams fell over each other trying to take quarterbacks in this NHL Draft. Meanwhile the Arizona Cardinals made high-impact addition at receiver and defensive line.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
I endorse the reasoning that leads to that kind of position priority in modern football, I just think they're wrong about defensive tackles specifically. Elite pocket disruption from that position is arguably MORE valuable than on the edge.
The other knock on Johnny was his short arms, every fan believes tape is more important than measurables but who knows what to think on that kind of stuff.
Last edited:
Wish the Bears still had their 2nd round pick. Getting Newton would've made this pretty much a picture perfect draft. Sad for him that he fell- he's a sure thing 1st rounder most years. Fairly shocked he fell to the 2nd. Some team is going to get a crazy steal. Never thought him and DeJean would still be on the board at this point.
Can confirm. Played QB in college and interior pressure is much more difficult to navigate than edge pressure, unless the edge pressure wins instantly.
OrangeBlue98
- Des Moines, IA
I get QB is the key position on a NFL team and all, but the idea that Penix, McCarthy, and Nix all went ahead of Brock Bowers is mind-blowing to me. I’ve always been biased to good pass catching TEs, as I feel they open a defense because you have to factor the middle of the field much more. But Nix was a second round pick at best in my mind. Penix and McCarthy were each picked 10-15 places higher just because everyone is so desperate for a quarterback.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Part of the reason I'm pretty disillusioned with NFL football is that the only thing that matters is whether you have a franchise QB, so it's actually rational to take a flyer on a relatively low percentage chance of getting one over taking an elite sure-thing player.
I used to be OBSESSED with the draft as a kid. I didn't even watch last night, just followed the picks on my computer while watching something else.
Chuck Nuggets
Dip your nuggets in my staff source sauce.
What a great night for the Bears. The number of things that had to go just right for all of this to happen is befuddling. Ryan Poles gets all the credit for pushing buttons, but there's no doubt Lady Luck wasn't sitting this one out. It's amazing.
OrangeBlue98
- Des Moines, IA
In all three cases (Falcons, Vikings, and Broncos), I could make a case that not reaching for a QB would have been a lot better for their team. The only one that MIGHT make sense is Minnesota picking McCarthy. I'm still far from sold that McCarthy is going to be THE GUY for a perennial playoff team. His ceiling seems like Kirk Cousins to be completely honest, as I don't see him as much more than a good game manager. The Falcons must have questions about Kirk Cousins' health (and if they do, why on Earth did they just give him a contract with $100M of guaranteed money???). That's the only think I can think of, because a healthy Kirk Cousins is plenty good enough to justify adding pieces around him to support him. The Broncos picking Bo Nix at 12 is in the Tebow pick territory. I get Denver was badly burned by the failed Russell Wilson experiment, but picking Nix that high really feels like a knee-jerk reaction.
Of course, I also think Caleb Williams is either going to be a talent in the Mahomes realm or a JaMarcus Russell-style bust without any real in-between, so maybe I'm not the right person to have an opinion on this. I just don't think any of the six QBs picked are sure-fire long-term starters, let alone the QB on a consistent playoff contender.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
I am 100% convinced the Cousins-Penix thing is the Jordan Love effect. Love, Rodgers, Mahomes to a degree, I think they've convinced themselves that if you can take a raw talent at QB and really, truly sit them, where starting is not a consideration and the situation can survive struggles of a credible incumbent, that it's a sure thing.
Are they right? I'm not sure. Is Cousins on a new team actually credible enough to be the Favre/Rodgers/Alex Smith figure where no one even thinks about the rookie? I'm a little dubious. But I think that is Atlanta's thinking, I don't think it reflects some newfound doubts about Cousins.
OrangeBlue98
- Des Moines, IA
I'd 100% agree with that except for one thing - Penix is already 24 years old. If he sits two seasons, he'll be a first-time starter at age 26. If that was the Falcons plan, they should have gone with McCarthy since he's only 21. Plus, the Cousins deal is still for $180M with $100M guaranteed.
The whole Atlanta situation just doesn't seem all that well thought out when you put the pieces together - huge guaranteed money for Cousins, an older rookie QB, and a Falcons team that honestly doesn't seem that many pieces away from being a solid playoff contender in a really weak NFC South.
Mr. Tibbs
- southeast DuPage
It’s all theater for TV .
If I see one more picture of Goodell holding up a jersey with the draftees name over a number 1, I might just throw up
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
I'm skeptical of the plan too, but I do think that is the plan and it's not some doubt about Cousins. It's precisely their confidence in Cousins making them think they can pull it off.
I have to admit I chuckled when JC Latham picked up Goodell and darned near tossed him into the crowd like Andre The Giant.
Johnny's injury is more of a concern for teams than originally thought.
Agree though I think more of Nix than you do. Had the Bears done the trade-down thing to get more picks, he was the QB that I wanted in the 10-20 range.
Just sticking this receipt out here so that one of the two of us can pull it out next year!
Mr. Tibbs
- southeast DuPage
that sucks
concern as if he might lose a lot of time this summer / fall ?
- Status