Receiver with first pick

[mykc14]

I see the Hawks picking a receiver with their first pick this year. ADB is a question mark heading forward and they really don’t have much depth at the position. Like most I see them trading back in round 1, but wherever they fall I think there is a decent chance that they pick a receiver. It is not a deep position this year but I see The Hawk first pick early in round 2. PC and JS have a history of drafting receivers in round 2 (Tate, Richardson, Lockett). Some recovers the Hawks maybe targeting: Paris Cambell, K’neal Henry, Terry McLaurin, AJ Brown, Debo Samuel, and Emmanuel Hall. Obviously I could be way off here- what do you think?

[NorthHawk]

Very possible they take a WR early.
They have brought a couple in to interview already, but
part of me is wondering if it’s to get other teams to think
they are seriously considering a WR at 21 so as to encourage
a trade down scenario or some options.
I’m probably over thinking this, though.

McLaurin looks like a Seahawks type of WR because he’s a good
down field blocker and ST player with great speed.
Harry might be the big WR Pete has been looking for from his
first season.

We need DL, but it’s a pretty decent draft for them so maybe
they think they can get a good player after their first pick.

[mykc14]

McLaurin looks like a Seahawks type of WR because he’s a good
down field blocker and ST player with great speed.
Harry might be the big WR Pete has been looking for from his
first season.

We need DL, but it’s a pretty decent draft for them so maybe
they think they can get a good player after their first pick.

I agree about McLaurin he looks like a Seahawks receiver for sure. The fact that the DL is so deep is one of the reasons I think we look receiver early. It seems like there will be DL options later so we jump on the receiver early who can be a game changer and then get a DL a bit later who can be a rotational guy for a season or two before he develops. Obviously this all changes if there is a run on receivers early, but our FA activity, IMO, shows that we will not target a pass rusher early- the value just isn’t there. The value late 1st early 2nd is at WR or I could see interior DL too, but my gut is going WR.

[RiverDog]

Mykc you'll need to throw your two cents into Cbob's annual draft thread.

My take is that the Hawks will trade down with their first pick, although maybe not entirely out of the first round.

There's a lot of positions that one could justify using a first or second day pick on. For example, even a linebacker or a tight end, of which both are perceived as strengths, especially if Hendricks is available and Dissly is healthy, could be taken if the right player is available. My opinion is that we'll go after a DL, that there are several out there in the late first round range that would fit nicely.

[NorthHawk]

As we all know the draft has a number of levels of players in how they are ranked.
So if our FO sees the same quality of player from 21 to 40 (just as an example), they
would be fine trading back twice and still get the same quality player with a later pick.
It means a team that trades up will have to have a better fit or need for a player
than we do. Someone maybe like the Giants for a WR to replace OBJ, or maybe
the Chiefs looking for a DL who can create pressure. It depends on how the draft
falls though.

[mykc14]

Mykc you'll need to throw your two cents into Cbob's annual draft thread.

My take is that the Hawks will trade down with their first pick, although maybe not entirely out of the first round.

There's a lot of positions that one could justify using a first or second day pick on. For example, even a linebacker or a tight end, of which both are perceived as strengths, especially if Hendricks is available and Dissly is healthy, could be taken if the right player is available. My opinion is that we'll go after a DL, that there are several out there in the late first round range that would fit nicely.

I would like to but just don’t have the time to research that deep in the draft- maybe when my kids are older! I agree there are lots of positions that make sense for the Hawks early this year. I could definitely see them going DT with their first pick, but there seems to be more depth there which might allow them to hold off until their second pick... they also are in need of a nickel corner.

[NorthHawk]

Losing Coleman means a Nickel DB could be a higher priority. Outside of ET, we've never taken
a DB earlier than the 3rd round (Shaquill Griffin is the only one), but maybe this year they will
break their tendencies. Someone like Marvell Tell III who is a S, but is much like Trey Flowers
in body type.
I can see that coming about because of the success of the Pats using their Safety's up close
to the LoS against the Rams to counter the side to side plays they like to call.

[NorthHawk]

They can go in any direction this year, but I think we can say that the first player
they choose will surprise some, if not most of us.

[RiverDog]

If I recall well, Pete has wanted a big receiver since USC days, but he has had more success with smaller, quicker wide outs. McLauren is the type who can separate and run good routes.

The big guys are given short shift, especially with the box out in the red zone, as it seems, as Russell does not throw the high ball well, preferring to throw to the numbers.

I am not convinced that they will take a WR early, but it would not be a surprise.

10-4 on your observation about Russell throwing the high ball to big receivers. Jimmy Graham is a classic example. Might have something to do with a slightly different trajectory of a 5'10" QB's high ball vs that of a 6'4" QB.

[NorthHawk]

You’re confusing height with release point.
Russ has a high release point, but Philip Rivers has a lower one and he doesn’t have any issues.

[Oly]

The last I looked at the success rate of 1st round WRs--at least 5 years ago, so this could have changed--it is a fool's errand to expect a mid- to late-1st WR to pan out. As much as I think WR is one of the biggest need on the Hawks, I would want them to trade down at least once before gambling like that.

[mykc14]

The last I looked at the success rate of 1st round WRs--at least 5 years ago, so this could have changed--it is a fool's errand to expect a mid- to late-1st WR to pan out. As much as I think WR is one of the biggest need on the Hawks, I would want them to trade down at least once before gambling like that.

I agree with that. I don't like picking a WR in round one. I think most everybody agrees that they will move down and they have shown an ability to draft good receivers in the 2nd round (Tate, Richardson, and Lockete). Of those I would say Richardson was the worse but Tate and Lockete were very solid picks.

[Aseahawkfan]

Maybe O-line. We have to protect the 35 million dollar man. Receiver would be good too given Baldwin's health.

[mykc14]

Maybe O-line. We have to protect the 35 million dollar man. Receiver would be good too given Baldwin's health.

Im always for drafting along the OL or DL!!

[idhawkman]

I'm not seeing a lot of holes in the offense other than WR so I could see us going for a WR first in the draft. On defense, I think we are good at DL and LB but we might be thin for depth at DB and especially at the safety position. Wouldn't mind seeing us draft a PK this year, too. It worked out well for the punter position and might be where we need to go to get someone more consistent.

[RiverDog]

Maybe O-line. We have to protect the 35 million dollar man. Receiver would be good too given Baldwin's health.

We can always use some depth on the OL and I wouldn't mind taking advantage of one happening to fall onto our radar scope, but so long as Iupati is healthy and produces, we should be OK. We also have Jamarcus Jones returning from injury. It was hoped that he would press Ifedi for a starting job before he got injured last season. They've also had a full season of experience under Solari/Schott.

IMO our top need will be on the defensive line, especially if we lose Frank Clark. JS had better start finding some diamonds in the rough in the later rounds as unless we trade Clark before the draft, we'll be trading down a lot and making a bunch of 4th and 5th round selections.

[NorthHawk]

I think OL is more of a concern than thought.
Iupati was released with an injury designation because of back problems.
Fluker has a history of injuries as well. I think our FO will look at a good
Guard as a priority.
On DL we need to replace the loss of Sharmar Stephen and we have to also
replace Justin Coleman at Nickel Corner.
Baldwin is coming off of 3 surgeries this off season and there is talk of him
considering retirement, so WR will be on the table, too.

That's a lot to consider so we see the necessity to trade down and get more picks.