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    Many of us know about Matt Waldman. Football guy, draft analyst.

    Here in a series of tweets, he feels compelled to address the big issues we’re seeing right now. It’s worth a read IMO. He talks about being the husband of a black woman and father of a black child in today’s USA.

    Matt Waldman@MattWaldman
    Seeing some of my colleagues talk about what it’s like being black in America–
    @DianteLee_ comes to mind prominently this afternoon, I’d like to offer a different perspective.

    Being white, growing up in the north and south, and becoming part of a black family. What you learn.

    The first thing you learn is that no matter how open-minded, loving, and book-educated you are, you are not ready for what you’ll experience once you become emotionally invested in the lives of people who are black.

    Seeing, experiencing, and feeling it on a visceral level.

    You will at first do what black people do as they’re growing up and first experiencing it: Wondering if what you experienced happened as you perceived it and trying to rationalize the motivations as not racist. Revisiting multiple times to make sure you’re not crazy.

    Black people revisit, replay, and analyze things that happen–even after experiencing events like it for decades.

    You learn there’s a constant state of questioning, analyzing, explaining (while angry). It’s stressful and wears you out.

    You learn why a lifetime of having to be on guard for the potential of significant danger to well-being physically, financially, and emotionally is a drain on mental, physical, and financial health–and considering how doctors have been mistrained (even recently)…

    about the pain tolerance, dosages, and overall untrue differences with black patients, it’s not surprising there’s a distrust of U.S. healthcare.

    BTW-I learned with one of my roommates in 1990 in Miami that if I didn’t barge past the ER front desk in an empty waiting room,

    my roommate, who waited 30 minutes with a medical emergency (I rushed him there) and was hyperventilating and sweating bullets was about two minutes from a stroke if I didn’t grab an annoyed doctor (once he saw my roommate–five folks were working on him immediately)

    Even w/that story, at 20 yrs old, having influential teachers talk to me about their life in America, reading Malcolm X, learning history beyond my high school curriculum, I still wanted to rationalize what my roommate went through.

    The truth: Being dangerously ill while black

    I learned how to have “the talks” with my kids about retail stores, police, school, and the parents of their white friends. Things I never had to consider growing up. Sometimes those talks happened after the fact with incidents that came earlier than I hoped to God would.

    Teacher putting my talkative kid in a desk and putting a tape perimeter around her to tell other kids not to interact with her and wanted her tested for a learning disability–when all she did was finish her assignments early (and correctly and consistently) and was bored.

    Cashier being rude to my girlfriend because the clerk shorted $20 at the grocery. The manager being ruder when summoned. Neither manager nor cashier offering the slightest apology after counting drawer and it being exactly $20 over.

    Countless times followed by retail clerks or front store security behaving brusquely until they realized I was with them and then behaving 180 degrees different. Cops thinking the way to behave with my executive wife whose family all earned college degrees was to speak ebonics

    Wife pulled over for alleged “rolling stops”, going through yellow lights, or going 5mph over the speed limit & questioned about the veracity of her ownership of the car because of the cognitive dissonance of her dark skin & German last name that’s on her license and insurance.

    Cops questioning that she owns the car even after they see the name match with the IDs. Cops following her home after everything checks out but they want to make sure that nice car is hers–the “don’t-fuck-with-me,” car that I would never have to drive for people at work to see

    that she’s not some charity case they hired but a star employee. Not to mention that her dad, sister, and brother were Baltimore PD. And they know police training has been cut well short of optimal in the past 15-20 years.

    My wife having to deal with “Cooper-like” women (not new) using tears as a weapon when they become threatened about my wife’s positive work relationships w/males at the job. And those males taking the bait because they don’t expect white women to be mature one but need rescuing.

    Ex-girlfriend and I once applied for same job. She had more desirable industry experience, called her first, talked salary, & scheduled interview. She arrived in a stunning Chanel suit–very interview appropriate. Hiring manager took one look at her, said job was filled, offered

    entry-level gig. Then manager called me, I went through three interviews–one was clearly a “does the owner give the stamp of approval that I’m a white male,” interview and was offered the job (I graphically told them what they could do with the offer).

    The dread I felt when my wife decided to take a drive in her new car and forgot to tell me she was doing so after she ran an errand at night and I thought she’d be home in 20 minutes. Me driving around the county looking for her because I hoped she wasn’t pulled over.

    My wife panicking and wanting to leave a concert when my daughter, a Marine, got pulled over for a traffic stop at night in a county that 15 years ago had signs that essentially told black people to leave at night.

    I notice how some people who are uncomfortable around blacks get tense and shaky and I have to be 1-2 steps ahead and wonder if this is the day I’m going to jail for my wife. I have learned how to take the temperature of a room in a way I never had to before.

    I notice black people taking the temperature of my behavior. Am I at ease and self-aware or am I going to be that guy trying to act black? Am I that guy who will treat my wife as some fetishized trophy? Am I the well-meaning but ignorant liberal social justice warrior 24/7?

    All of this is done out of protection and understandably so. Some have seen and experienced too much to even want to try with me. And I get that. Hate it’s that way, but I get it and know I can’t change that in one interaction–and in some cases, ever.

    What did I learn?

    Being outwardly and vocally hateful was wrong and made your family look bad but being exclusionary for ignorant reasons, telling jokes, reinforcing racism behind the scenes was intentionally and unintentionally encouraged.

    It’s the source of gaslighting.

    That racism was often tolerated by younger adults not to upset their older parents or authority figures in society with the purse strings.

    That it was ok to be friendly but not close to black people.

    That black entertainers were exceptional and not the norm. Ring a bell?

    That the norm was more like what I saw on the news. What did I see on the news? Murders, robbers, rioters in Miami reacting to police murder/brutality.

    I knew this wasn’t true. Didn’t change the emotional reactions I had from these being internalized. Sound familiar?

    Like many, these lessons created an ingrained fear. Fear of saying the wrong thing. Fear of being labeled a racist more than tacitly supporting racism. Fear of where to even begin with gaining real knowledge. It’s why so many never even begin.

    Fact is, 5 yrs ago the reactions to this behavior was met with a lot more resistance. Progress is sadly slow but it’s there. Feeling that helplessness is a part of honest recognition.

    Mostly, I’ve learned that I had to unlearn subtle and unintentional behaviors that I was taught that perpetuated systemic racism. Things family and authority taught. That it took time, effort, humility, and painful self-reflection. I’m still learning. We’re all still learning.

    And, it’s exhausting to explain as often as it needs to be explained to give someone uninitiated a clear picture. A clear picture you may not see immediately or in its totality. I’m not telling you how to be, just sharing how I’ve been. Hope it helps.

    Avatar photozn
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    Coronavirus is reportedly killing young people at unprecedented rates in developing countries

    https://www.businessinsider.com/washington-post-coronavirus-young-people-developing-world-2020-5

    Younger people are dying at unprecedented rates from COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, as developing countries become new hotspots for the pandemic, The Washington Post reported.

    As the coronavirus has been ravaging countries in the developing world like Brazil and India, young people make up a population of the victims and hospitalized patients at a rate unseen in previous epicenters, according to the report.

    In Brazil, people under 50 account for 5% of deaths, ten times greater than that recorded in Italy or Spain, the Post reported, and in Mexico, nearly one-fourth of the dead were aged between 25 and 49. In India, another rising hotspot, officials reported this month that nearly half of the dead were younger than 60, according to the Post.

    The same trends can be seen in hospitalizations for patients with extreme cases, the Post reported, like in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro state, where more than two-thirds of hospitalizations are for people younger than 49.

    The Post wrote that experts point to existing issues like overwhelmed healthcare, extreme poverty, and inequality as exacerbating factors in the death tolls recorded in developing countries.

    In India, the explosion of cases in Mumbai has been connected to the dense cityscape and the conditions in areas like Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum, where hospitals are overwhelmed, police forces overextended, and social distancing is impossible, the New York Times reported.

    Though authorities announced in the initial weeks of the pandemic that older individuals were the most at-risk of death from the novel coronavirus, the past few months have provided widespread evidence that infection and serious cases are likely to strike younger people between 20 and 44 and analysis like the Post’s highlights the grim effect socioeconomic factors have on who is more likely to dodge or survive the virus.

    In the US, officials have identified sharply higher rates of coronavirus infections and deaths among non-white Americans in preliminary data that have been connected to higher rates of co-morbid diseases and other issues like limited access to healthcare.

    After initial numbers from states like Michigan, Illinois, and North Carolina reported last month showed African Americans were by far the hardest hit by the coronavirus, experts clarified that the pandemic did not run through all communities equally.

    A recent study by amfAR in coordination with a team of epidemiologists and clinicians from four US universities reported by CNN concluded that a wide array of “structural factors including health care access, density of households, unemployment, pervasive discrimination and others drive these disparities, not intrinsic characteristics of black communities or individual-level factors.”

    In the developing world, the coronavirus is killing far more young people

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/coronavirus-brazil-killing-young-developing-world/2020/05/22/f76d83e8-99e9-11ea-ad79-eef7cd734641_story.html?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

    RIO DE JANEIRO — When the coronavirus first came to Brazil and a call went out for volunteers to work the critical care wards, Isabella Rêllo analyzed the risks. She was 28. She lived alone. She didn’t have preexisting conditions.

    So while older physicians stepped back from the front lines of the coronavirus response, Rêllo stepped up.

    Soon Rêllo, a pediatrician, was treating dozens of coronavirus patients. But they weren’t who she’d expected. This patient was only 30 years old. That one was 32. Nearly half the people she was seeing were young, she said, and many were dying. The narrative seared into the global consciousness in the early months of the pandemic — that the virus spared the young and ravaged the elderly — was not what she was watching unfold in Brazil.

    The young were at risk. She was at risk.

    Isabella Rêllo, 28, thought her youth made her safe from the coronavirus. She was shocked to see how many younger people are dying.

    “One patient was young, apparently healthy,” she said. “He was so sick, with so many complications. I thought, ‘This could be me. He could be my friend.’ The quickness that this kills people, including the young, has been a shock.”

    As the coronavirus escalates its assault on the developing world, the victim profile is beginning to change. The young are dying of covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, at rates unseen in wealthier countries — a development that further illustrates the unpredictable nature of the disease as it pushes into new cultural and geographic landscapes.

    In Brazil, a dying man and a desperate search for an open bed

    In Brazil, 15 percent of deaths have been people under 50 — a rate more than 10 times greater than in Italy or Spain. In Mexico, the trend is even more stark: Nearly one-fourth of the dead have been between 25 and 49. In India, officials reported this month that nearly half of the dead were younger than 60. In Rio de Janeiro state, more than two-thirds of hospitalizations are for people younger than 49.

    Sign up for our Coronavirus Updates newsletter to track the outbreak. All stories linked in the newsletter are free to access.

    “This is new terrain compared to what’s happened in other countries,” said Daniel Soranz, the former municipal health minister in Rio de Janeiro. “Brazil is a very important country to be looking at.”

    Analysts say the emerging data suggests many of the problems that have long troubled the developing world — intractable poverty, extreme inequality, fragile health systems — are increasing vulnerability to the disease. In countries with more poverty and fewer resources, people who might have survived elsewhere are instead dying.

    George Gray Molina, chief economist for the United Nations Development Program, said poverty is triggering “compounding effects.” Because population density is so much higher in much of the developing world — and because so many people must keep working to survive — a far greater share of the population ends up being exposed to the virus.

    The virus then spreads through a population that’s less resilient. People in the developing world grapple not only with the diseases that have long been associated with it — malaria, dengue, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS — but increasingly with those more closely associated with wealthier countries. Rates of diabetes, obesity and hypertension are surging. But treatment for many such illnesses is lacking.

    When newly infected coronavirus patients already weakened by preexisting conditions seek treatment, they find hospital systems that are overwhelmed and unequipped to handle the deluge of patients.

    “It all points to social economic status and poverty,” Gray Molina said. The positive benefits associated with the developing world, such as younger populations, are being “wiped out.”

    “As this plays out,” he said, “we will see a balancing of the scales.”

    When the coronavirus hit Brazil, it was an infection of the rich. Brought in by travelers to the United States and Europe, the coronavirus circulated primarily among the wealthy and connected. The Brazilian senate leader caught it. So did President Jair Bolsonaro’s press secretary. The Rio de Janeiro Country Club along Ipanema beach, one of Brazil’s most exclusive clubs, suffered a devastating outbreak.

    Domingos Alves, a data scientist with the University of São Paulo, has been tracking the virus here since those early weeks. The pattern in Brazil at first mirrored that in the developed world: The dead were almost exclusively elderly. Coronavirus patients were flocking to private hospitals, and anyone who needed a hospital bed received one.

    But by early April, as the virus began seeping into the favelas and slums of São Paulo and Rio, and the public hospital system started buckling, Alves noticed a sharp shift in the data. Younger people were being hospitalized at higher rates. People younger than 49 were dying. The disease was reaching lower into the demographic pyramid. The victim profile was changing.

    Public health experts: Coronavirus could overwhelm the developing world

    “Our country is made up of various smaller countries,” Alves said. “When you walk through Rio de Janeiro, you go through places that have the characteristics of Switzerland to places more like the Congo, all in the same city.”

    Cátia Simone de Lima Passos, 48, has lived her entire life in a part of the city no one would confuse for Switzerland. Every day, she and her daughter, Agatha, 25, would ride crowded buses through northern Rio to the medical clinic where they worked in the favela of Maré. Lima said they did everything they could to stay safe. They doused their hands in sanitizer. They wore masks. Her asthmatic daughter stayed home from work for weeks.

    But they both got the coronavirus and were hospitalized. Lima, after 10 days in the hospital, survived. Her daughter didn’t. Now Lima spends her days isolated in her house, alone and unable to grieve with loved ones, trying to understand why a virus that everyone said would kill only the elderly had taken her daughter but spared her.

    The unexpected cruelty of it, she said. It’s more than she can bear.

    “My house is empty,” she said. “We were partners in life.”

    Bolsonaro, a global leader in minimizing the virus, repeats a mantra: Only the elderly are at risk. So the best policy is to isolate only them. He has called it “vertical isolation.”

    “What has happened in the world has shown that the people at risk are older than 60,” he declared in a national address in late March. “So why close the schools?”

    The contradictory messaging in Brazil — between local leaders begging people to stay inside and a president calling people to return to the streets — has fueled widespread confusion. As the virus explodes here, cresting 300,000 cases and 19,000 dead, people are increasingly ignoring isolation guidelines. The beach boardwalks in Rio de Janeiro are packed on weekends. The typical infected person infects nearly three others, according to researchers at Imperial College London, one of the world’s highest rates.

    While other countries look to open up, Brazil can’t find a way to shut down

    Pedro Archer, a physician at a public hospital in Rio, said his young patients have been stunned by their illness. Some had parroted Bolsonaro, who has repeatedly belittled the illness as a “gripezinha” — a little flu. Until they got sick.

    “I have people say to me, ‘I really had thought this was only a gripezinha, and now I see this is serious,’ ” Archer said. “I’ve seen people dying who have said the same thing.”

    Others keep going out because they must. Government aid — around $105 per month for informal workers — has for many been either blocked by bureaucratic hurdles or woefully insufficient. Buses are still filled with people heading to work. Lines of people waiting for emergency funds have snaked around banks.

    “Young people are dying at a higher rate because they are coming into contact with the virus many times more, because of their working and living conditions,” said Ligia Bahia, a public health professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. “Doormen are still working. Housekeepers are still working. . . . Their viral load, their exposure, is greater.”

    Marcelo Mitidieri, a 48-year-old father of two, understood the risks but continued working as a driver to support his family. He fell sick in late April. He could scarcely breathe. He had pain in his chest. His daughter took him to a medical clinic in the impoverished Rio neighborhood of Engenho de Dentro, but it had only three respirators and three hospital beds. They had no room for him. So he sat in a broken chair for 24 hours, wheezing, texting his daughter Marcela and waiting.

    Limits on coronavirus testing in Brazil are hiding the true dimensions of Latin America’s largest outbreak

    “They want to bring me into the emergency room,” he wrote to his daughter. “But there is no equipment.”

    “Try to be calm,” pleaded Marcela, hopeful his age would save him. “Inhale and exhale. You are strong, and we are together on this.”

    “I’m very ill,” he responded in his last message before his death.

    Marcela now seethes. “If he’d gotten better treatment, he would be with me now,” she said.

    All of it has left Rêllo, the 28-year-old pediatrician who volunteered to treat coronavirus patients, terrified. But she kept working — until earlier this week, when she started to feel ill.

    A dry cough. Sneezing. Body aches. A test soon confirmed her fears: She’d caught the virus. She doesn’t know what it will do to her. She’s young, but she says she no longer believes that’s enough.

    She says she thinks of others whom she treated. She knows what they looked like.

    “Like me,” she said.

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    Evidence is growing that when masks are worn by nearly everyone, it can slow coronavirus transmission.
    Masks help stop the spread of coronavirus – the science is simple and I’m one of 100 experts urging governors to require public mask-wearing

    https://theconversation.com/masks-help-stop-the-spread-of-coronavirus-the-science-is-simple-and-im-one-of-100-experts-urging-governors-to-require-public-mask-wearing-138507?fbclid=IwAR1F3fS-wsAD8605JV66yyxx_TlRKJTuCSj1NL1v1sgDqch3LM8eqXizlk8

    I’m a data scientist at the University of San Francisco and teach courses online in machine learning for fast.ai. In late March, I decided to use public mask-wearing as a case study to show my students how to combine and analyze diverse types of data and evidence.

    Much to my surprise, I discovered that the evidence for wearing masks in public was very strong. It appeared that universal mask-wearing could be one of the most important tools in tackling the spread of COVID-19. Yet the people around me weren’t wearing masks and health organizations in the U.S. weren’t recommending their use.

    I, along with 18 other experts from a variety of disciplines, conducted a review of the research on public mask-wearing as a tool to slow the spread SARS-CoV-2. We published a preprint of our paper on April 12 and it is now awaiting peer review at the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

    Since then, there have been many more reviews that support mask-wearing. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/resp.13834

    On May 14, I and 100 of the world’s top academics released an open letter to all U.S. governors asking that “officials require cloth masks to be worn in all public places, such as stores, transportation systems, and public buildings.”

    Currently, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone wears a mask – as do the governments covering 90% of the world’s population – but, so far, only 12 states in the U.S. require it. In the majority of the remaining states, the CDC recommendation has not been enough: Most people do not currently wear masks. However, things are changing fast. Every week more and more jurisdictions require mask use in public. As I write this, there are now 94 countries that have made this move. https://airtable.com/shreZdkFaYZqfpEqU/tbl5o6qUd54BL9wkw

    So what is this evidence that has led myself and so many scientists to believe so strongly in masks?

    The evidence

    The research that first convinced me was a laser light-scattering experiment. Researchers from the National Institutes of Health used lasers to illuminate and count how many droplets of saliva were flung into the air by a person talking with and without a face mask. https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMc2007800 The paper was only recently published officially, but I saw a YouTube video showing the experiment in early March. The results are shockingly obvious in the video. When the researcher used a simple cloth face cover, nearly all the droplets were blocked. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=19&v=UNHgQq0BGLI&feature=emb_title

    This evidence is only relevant if COVID-19 is transmitted by droplets from a person’s mouth. It is. https://www.thestar.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editors/2020/05/09/evidence-shows-covid-19-is-almost-exclusively-spread-by-droplets.html There are many documented super-spreading cases connected with activities – like singing in enclosed spaces – that create a lot of droplets.

    The light-scattering experiment cannot see “micro-droplets” that are smaller than 5 microns and could contain some viral particles. But experts don’t think that these are responsible for much COVID-19 transmission.

    While just how much of a role these small particles play in transmission remains to be seen, recent research suggests that cloth masks are also effective at reducing the spread of these smaller particles. In a paper that has not yet been peer-reviewed, researchers found that micro-droplets fell out of the air within 1.5 meters of the person who was wearing a mask, versus 5 meters for those not wearing masks. When combined with social distancing, this suggests that masks can effectively reduce transmission via micro-droplets.

    Another recent study showed that unfitted surgical masks were 100% effective in blocking seasonal coronavirus in droplets ejected during breathing. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-0843-2

    If only people with symptoms infected others, then only people with symptoms would need to wear masks. But experts have shown that people without symptoms pose a risk of infecting others. In fact, four recent studies show that nearly half of patients are infected by people who do not themselves have symptoms.

    This evidence seems, to me, clear and simple: COVID-19 is spread by droplets. We can see directly that a piece of cloth blocks those droplets and the virus those droplets contain. People without symptoms who don’t even know they are sick are responsible for around half of the transmission of the virus.

    We should all wear masks.

    Against the tide

    After going through all of this strong evidence in late March and early April, I wondered why mask-wearing was controversial amongst health organizations in the Western world. The U.S. and European CDCs did not recommend masks, and neither did nearly any western government except for Slovakia and Czechia, which both required masks in late March.

    I think there were three key problems.

    The first was that most researchers were looking at the wrong question – how well a mask protects the wearer from infection and not how well a mask prevents an infected person from spreading the virus. Masks function very differently as personal protective equipment (PPE) versus source control.

    Masks are very good at blocking larger droplets and not nearly as good at blocking tiny particles. When a person expels droplets into the air, they quickly evaporate and shrink to become tiny airborne particles called droplet nuclei. These are extremely hard to remove from the air. However, in the moist atmosphere between a person’s mouth and their mask, it takes nearly a hundred times as long for a droplet to evaporate and shrink into a droplet nuclei.

    This means that nearly any kind of simple cloth mask is great for source control. The mask creates humidity, this humidity prevents virus-containing droplets from turning into droplet nuclei, and this allows the fabric of the mask to block the droplets.

    Unfortunately, nearly all of the research that was available at the start of this pandemic focused on mask efficacy as PPE. This measure is very important for protecting health care workers, but does not capture their value as source control. On Feb. 29, the U.S. surgeon general tweeted that masks “are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus.” This missed the key point: They are extremely effective at preventing its spread, as our review of the literature showed.

    The second problem was that most medical researchers are used to judging interventions on the basis of randomized controlled trials. These are the foundation of evidence based medicine. However, it is impossible and unethical to test mask-wearing, hand-washing or social distancing during a pandemic.

    Experts like Trisha Greenhalgh, the author of the best-selling textbook “How to Read a Paper: The Basics of Evidence Based Healthcare,” are now asking, “Is Covid-19 evidence-based medicine’s nemesis?” She and others are suggesting that when a simple experiment finds evidence to support an intervention and that intervention has a limited downside, policymakers should act before a randomized trial is done.

    The third problem is that there is a shortage of medical masks around the world. Many policymakers were concerned that recommending face coverings for the public would lead to people hoarding medical masks. This led to seemingly contradictory guidance where the CDC said there was no reason for the public to wear masks but that masks needed to be saved for medical workers. The CDC has now clarified its stance and recommends the public use of homemade masks while saving higher-grade masks for medical professionals.

    Results of mask-wearing

    There are numerous studies that suggest if 80% of people wear a mask in public, then COVID-19 transmission could be halted. https://arxiv.org/abs/2003.07353 Until a vaccine or a cure for COVID-19 is discovered, cloth face masks might be the most important tool we currently have to fight the pandemic.

    Given all of the laboratory and epidemiological evidence, the low cost of wearing masks – which can be made at home with no tools – and the potential to slow COVID-19 transmission with widescale use, policymakers should ensure that everyone wears a mask in public.

    #115115
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    How close is a coronavirus vaccine?

    https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/may/12/how-close-coronavirus-vaccine/?fbclid=IwAR3C9KZNWoyobmHbkywCVke_bGQZ3lF8VPGUMm_xjejkmxXcNEhm-M4Vaf0

    • The long-cited 12-to-18 month timeline to an effective vaccine is probably still on track, though meeting that deadline will require everything going right.

    • There are more than 100 vaccine projects under way across the globe. At least eight efforts have moved to the early clinical trial phase.

    • Based on the emerging evidence, experts are cautiously optimistic about whether a vaccine could confer at least some immunity, and that mutations in the virus won’t be too fast to stymie vaccine development.

    Americans are counting on a safe and effective vaccine against the novel coronavirus. Two months into the pandemic, is the U.S. and the world any closer to one?

    The short answer is yes, experts say. But creating an effective vaccine will still require a lot to go right.

    There are more than 100 vaccine projects under way worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. At least eight of them have moved to the early clinical trial phase. Four of these vaccines were created in China, one in the U.K, one in the European Union, and two in the United States. Others could move to clinical trials in the coming months.

    Having so many potential vaccines in the testing phase is impressive, experts say, considering the short time scientists have known about the novel coronavirus.

    “Multiple groups from government, industry, and academia have come together to forge partnerships that advance candidate vaccines,” said Matthew B. Laurens, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health. “The shift from other research activities to this urgent public health crisis is both encouraging and exactly what needs to happen.”

    In early April, Kathleen M. Neuzil, director of the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, told PolitiFact that if all went well, there might be five or six vaccines in trials within six months. Five weeks later, there are already more than that undergoing trials.

    Officials including Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, have remained consistent in their estimation of the timeline for creating a workable vaccine: 12 to 18 months. That’s a much shorter time frame than for previous vaccines, which have taken between four years and several decades. But given the intense pressure of the coronavirus pandemic, standard development and production models are being telescoped.

    Here’s the state of play on coronavirus vaccine research, and how developments in the past two months have changed the outlook.

    What are the leading vaccine candidates?
    The one that has attracted the most attention so far is being developed by researchers at Oxford University in the U.K.

    It uses a weakened version of a common cold virus that has been modified so it doesn’t cause sickness in humans. Researchers then added proteins, known as antigens, from the novel coronavirus, in the hope that these could prime the human immune system to fight the virus once it encounters it.

    Testing by the U.S. National Institutes of Health found that one dose of the vaccine prevented rhesus macaque monkeys from getting sick after being exposed to large amounts of the virus. The vaccine has now moved on to clinical trials with 6,000 volunteers.

    The Oxford team is working in partnership with global pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca to manufacture several million doses by September — an even faster timetable than the 12-to-18 month goal.

    “That’s pretty out in front, so they must be very confident,” said William Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine and infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

    Several other vaccine efforts have moved forward as well. Some are using a different approach that uses genetic material, known as mRNA, that provides the instructions for a body to produce the needed antigens themselves. This is a relatively untested approach to vaccination, but if it works, it has aspects that could simplify the manufacturing process.

    One of the vaccine candidates using this method is being developed by the U.S. pharmaceutical company Moderna. Backed by federal funding, the vaccine has been approved for a second round of clinical trials. If successful, a third trial could come this summer. The company has partnered with a Swiss company, Lonza Ltd., to produce as many as a billion doses annually.

    Another mRNA vaccine is being developed by drug giant Pfizer and BioNTech, a German company. Clinical trials are under way.

    Meanwhile, Inovio Pharmaceuticals, a U.S. company, is working on a vaccine that uses a similar approach to mRNA but using DNA material instead. This effort is receiving funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Department of Defense, among others.

    Then there are the four vaccines being tested in China. Three of these use a more traditional vaccine method that involves a killed, and thus safe, version of the novel coronavirus. Another one uses a similar approach to the Oxford group.

    Other companies are expected to start trials within months.

    The pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson, in conjunction with a division of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, has chosen a lead candidate for its vaccine. It has not yet begun clinical trials, but executives have publicly pledged to start producing it late this year and to deliver 1 billion doses in 2021, assuming it’s shown to be safe and effective.

    And the French company Sanofi is aiming to begin clinical trials this year for a vaccine it is developing that’s a variation on one originally used against SARS, an earlier coronavirus that caused outbreaks in Asia two decades ago.

    The fact that several vaccine approaches are being tested, with more on the way, is a positive development, since it means we aren’t putting all of our eggs in one basket.

    Should we worry about recent findings about coronavirus immunity and mutations?
    One concern is whether, and how long, a person will have immunity from the coronavirus after either being infected. If the coronavirus doesn’t inspire immunity of any significant length, that would undercut the idea of attacking it with a vaccine.

    We don’t know the answer yet, but scientists are seeing preliminary evidence that infection or a vaccine could confer at least some immunity.

    For instance, a study by Chinese researchers published in Nature Medicine found that all 285 patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 had developed a specific antibody against the novel coronavirus called IgM within two to three weeks of their first symptoms. The National Institutes of Health touted the finding as suggesting that “the immune systems of people who survive COVID-19 have been primed to recognize (the virus) and possibly thwart a second infection.”

    Another concern is that the novel coronavirus, like many other viruses, is mutating over time. If the virus changes enough, that could become a problem that bedevils vaccine researchers.

    Experts hope the rate of change from mutations will stay manageable.

    “There’s some fuzziness around the edges, but basically the virus is remaining stable,” Schnaffner said. “This does not seem to be a virus that flips around and mutates a lot, like the seasonal flu. It doesn’t seem to be enough to cast a pall over the vaccine effort.”

    Is the 12-to-18 month timeline still on track?
    In normal times, a vaccine trial occurs in several phases. But the coronavirus pandemic has thrown this longstanding model out the window, with each phase of the process needing to be shorter or handled on parallel tracks. The federal government has launched “Operation Warp Speed” to fast-track vaccine efforts, with a goal of 300 million doses available by January 2021.

    Experts applaud efforts to create manufacturing and distribution capacity ahead of a vaccine being approved for wide use. Several pharmaceutical companies are moving forward with facilities, and the Gates Foundation is planning to fund factories for up to seven vaccines. A nagging problem, however, could be a shortage of appropriate packaging, akin to the shortages in swabs and reagents that have hampered the rollout of wide-scale testing.

    One possibility for shortening the timeline is the use of “human challenge” studies, in which otherwise healthy, lower-risk volunteers are deliberately infected with the virus. This can produce much faster findings than simply waiting for the volunteers to encounter the virus in ordinary life. This approach was successful in the recent FDA approval of Vaxchora, a vaccine developed to prevent cholera, Laurens said.

    All told, experts still have their eye on the 12-to-18 month goal.

    “It’s predicated on absolutely everything going right,” Schnaffner said. “So it’s optimistic. But I don’t think it’s too optimistic.

    #114983
    Avatar photoZooey
    Moderator

    https://news.yahoo.com/conservative-victimhood-complex-made-america-095001554.html

    The conservative victimhood complex has made America impossible to govern
    The Week
    Ryan Cooper
    •May 14, 2020

    The United States has had the worst national response to the coronavirus pandemic among rich nations largely because President Trump is an incompetent leader whose narcissism means he can focus on little beyond his own approval ratings. From the start of the crisis to today, he has completely failed to take the virus seriously, and refused to do anything meaningful to stop it. It was his job to protect America, and he can’t do the job.

    But Trump’s appalling failure is only the most visible part of a vast ocean of right-wing dysfunction. For conservative zealots and media figures, the pandemic is quickly becoming just another culture war battleground — an axis of postmodern symbolic conflict, another vent for bottomless grievance, and fuel for a screeching victimhood complex. The practical effect will be to fuel infection and hamstring economic recovery. It’s a stark obstacle before fixing this or any other crisis.

    Let’s take mask-wearing. As research about the coronavirus has developed, the effectiveness of masks in slowing the spread of the disease has become clear, above all in confined indoor spaces. Studies have found that being outdoors is relatively low-risk, and most infections happen when people are in proximity to each other indoors for a long time — but also that masks can drastically reduce the possibility of infecting others if you happen to be contagious. Offices, public transportation, stores, restaurants, church services, and especially homes are where most transmission happens. Wearing a mask whenever one is indoors around strangers is a cheap and no-consequence way of protecting one’s community — even if it only helps a little, it’s a minuscule inconvenience.

    Yet a developing narrative on the right holds that masks are a sign of weakness and cowardice. Trump refuses to wear one even to set an example, reportedly because he thinks it will make him look bad. Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) refuses to wear one even though it is not clear he is permanently immune after recovering from the disease. Vice President Pence refused to wear one even while visiting COVID-19 patients. On Fox News, Laura Ingraham defended Pence from critics, saying “They’ll say this whole mask thing is settled science just like they do with climate change. Of course, it’s not and they know it,” despite having previously endorsed wearing them. (Naturally, after two cases of coronavirus cropped up in the White House last week, all staffers are now required to wear masks when in the building.)

    Further down the conservative food chain, anti-mask fulmination has gotten more extreme and much weirder. First Things editor R.R. Reno claimed on Twitter that “Masks=enforced cowardice.” A city order in Stillwater, Oklahoma requiring masks in businesses was quickly reversed when conservative lunatics threatened violence against workers trying to enforce the rule. The conservative base is taking the elite cue — in a recent poll, just 47 percent of Republicans report wearing masks in public, against 69 percent of Democrats. At New York, Ed Kilgore reports that in a suburban Georgia grocery store, conservatives glared daggers at him for wearing a mask.

    Something similar is holding true with pandemic control measures like business closures. Smallish groups of mask-less protesters have swarmed state capitols across the country, demanding the economy be somehow reopened. When one Dallas salon owner refused to obey business closure rules and was locked up for a week, Texas Governor Greg Abbott quickly reversed his own action. “Throwing Texans in jail who have had their businesses shut down through no fault of their own is nonsensical, and I will not allow it to happen,” he said. The salon owner, of course, successfully claimed victimhood and collected over half a million dollars from a crowdfunding campaign (which very well might have been the entire point).

    It shouldn’t be surprising that the reality of masks and other pandemic control measures is the precise opposite of the conservative agitprop line. Most masks and lockdown orders are primarily a way to protect others, not just yourself — which you would think would be exactly in line with purported conservative values of traditional masculinity. But facts have never stood in the way of the conservative persecution complex. Nothing gets their blood flowing like playing martyr before imaginary liberal tyranny. Casting oneself as Anne Frank for having to wear a two-dollar cloth mask at Walmart during the worst pandemic in a century would be a stretch for most people in the world, but not American movement conservatives.

    This instinct is strengthened by how badly Trump has botched the crisis. He is the hero-president, the man before whom all Republicans must bow five times per day. His gargantuan, world-historical failure cannot be admitted, but neither can it be avoided. Therefore scapegoats and distractions must be found to relieve the cognitive dissonance. The virus is fake, or it only kills worthless old people, or it’s a Chinese conspiracy. Measures to fight it are howling liberal tyranny, even if it’s Republican governors enacting them.

    Conservative media probably just can’t help itself. The entire “perpetual misinformation machine,” as Alex Pareene calls it, runs on whipping elderly white conservatives into a frothing rage over whatever is happening. Plus today, the president and half of the Republican congressional caucus are themselves eager right-wing propaganda addicts, forming a perfectly-sealed loop of insanity. It was likely inevitable that the pandemic would get sucked into the hysteria industrial complex, because that’s what right-wing media does with everything.

    Already this has created an ideal coronavirus transmission pool — a critical mass of right-wing extremists who are unwilling to obey government pandemic control measures and are convinced personal measures to do so are beta male cowardice. Many will become sick as a result, and some will die — but not only conservatives, as the virus will infect any available host. This will keep the pandemic raging, and hence further delay the restoration of the economy.

    A different president who wasn’t an addle-brained dolt would certainly have done something to fight the pandemic. But he or she still would have run directly into the conservative lunacy problem. It’s hard to see how America can be governed when much of the country has taken leave of its senses.

    #114973
    Avatar photozn
    Moderator

    from Smokers Hospitalized Less Often for COVID-19

    https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200430/smokers-hospitalized-less-often-for-covid-19

    Few of those hospitalized with the coronavirus are smokers, and researchers are trying to understand why, according to VICE. One hypothesis is that nicotine, which has anti-inflammatory properties, may interfere with the way that COVID-19 causes an overreaction of the immune system.

    “We all know that smoking is obviously bad for you,” Raymond Niaura of New York University told VICE. Niaura co-authored the paper with Farsalinos. “It follows logically that smokers would be way worse off. I would think that too. But I’ve been surprised: That’s not the story we’re necessarily seeing.”

    In France, researchers plan to test nicotine patches on hospital workers and patients who tested positive for COVID-19, according to The Guardian.

    Another preprint paper, based on a study in Paris, found data similar to that seen in China. Among 350 people admitted to the hospital, about 4.4% were regular smokers.

    Data in the U.S. look similar as well, according to the CDC. Among 7,000 hospitalized patients, about 1.3% were current smokers and 2.3% were former smokers, though about 14% of the country smokes.

    For now, scientists and public health experts are studying the hypotheses as quickly as they can. Public health agencies continue to encourage people to quit smoking and vaping during the pandemic since COVID-19 is a respiratory disease that can severely affect the lungs.

    #114883
    Avatar photowv
    Participant

    ————–
    China to test ENTIRE POPULATION of Wuhan for Covid-19 after disease reemerges

    Chinese authorities plan to test all of Wuhan’s 11 million residents for Covid-19 in a little over a week. After more than a month without newly-recorded cases, the disease has suddenly reappeared in the city.

    All districts in the city were ordered to submit a plan on how they will conduct testing of all residents in their areas within 10 days, local media reported, citing a document from the authorities. The officials were told to prioritize the testing of vulnerable groups and places like residential compounds.

    The measure was announced as a response to the six new locally-transmitted cases that were recorded in Wuhan on Sunday and Monday, after no infections were registered for 35 consecutive days in the central Hubei Province, where Wuhan is the capital. All six new patients were living in the same compound.

    RT:https://www.rt.com/news/488416-wuhan-mass-testing-china/

    Avatar photoBilly_T
    Participant

    A Dr Gupta — not the one who appears on CNN — said today that a recent Berkeley model shows a 12-fold reduction in transmission if 80-90% of the country wore masks.

    12-fold.

    Hindsight is 20/20, etc. . . . but I did say this back in March: If we had all been told to wear masks back in January, and there was a national buy-in, we wouldn’t have had all of these tragic deaths. As in, they were preventable. It’s just common sense. It’s not that the wearer gets fool-proof protection, though there is some, depending on the grade. It’s that he or she is largely prevented from spreading disease, by the mask. Again, common sense.

    The N95s do both. They protect the wearer and the patient. But all of us should have been wearing the basics months ago.

    And right off the bat, as I said here, I think we should retrofit all public buildings to be touch-free at any points of (human to surface) contact — to the degree technically feasible. Motion-sensors or voice activation everywhere. Doors, cupboards, elevators, bathrooms, desks, computers, etc. Especially bathrooms. We should automate our hygiene as much as we can.

    Make it a habit. Every flu season. Donn the masks. Get our flu shots, wash our hands like crazy. Just expect this as the new normal. Yearly. And during any outbreak. Habit. Routine. No big deal.

    If it saves even one life . . . why would anyone have a problem with it?

    #114837
    Avatar photoZooey
    Moderator

    Chomsky: COVID-19 Has Exposed the US Under Trump as a “Failed State”

    The label “failed state” has started to fit the U.S. like a glove as the COVID-19 national health crisis continues to reveal the structural flaws and weaknesses of the United States, argues world–renowned public intellectual Noam Chomsky in this exclusive interview for Truthout. Meanwhile, the Trump administration continues to exact a high price in human lives due to its caricaturish but highly dangerous response to the crisis. In the interview that follows, Chomsky also analyzes what’s behind Trump’s encouragement of the “anti-lockdown” protests, discusses the right-wing determination to destroy the U.S. Postal Service, and lays out his views on the electoral “lesser of two evils” principle.

    C.J. Polychroniou: Noam, it is widely accepted by now that the U.S. coronavirus response not only was delayed, but remains mired in contradictions as Trump battles with scientists over policy. Moreover, the country as a whole was shown to be completely unprepared for a major health crisis. Are we talking here not simply of an incompetent administration but also of a failed state?

    Noam Chomsky: Fifteen years ago, I wrote a book called Failed States, a common locution in the day, referring to states that are incapable of meeting the needs of citizens, in the most important case because of deep policy choices, and are a danger not only to their own citizens but the world. The prime example was the United States. Extensive evidence was reviewed. That’s not of course the intended use of the phrase in the doctrinal system, just as “rogue state” means some enemy, not ourselves, the prime example.

    I still stand by that judgment, which was not mine alone. A few years later, a Gallup/WIN international poll found that the U.S. is regarded as the greatest threat to world peace, no one else even close. And the severe threats of government policy to the domestic population, already quite apparent when the book appeared, became much clearer a year later when the housing bubble burst and the financial crisis ensued — along with Obama’s response: bail out the perpetrators, who became richer and more powerful than before, and forget about the congressional legislation that called for some help to the many who had lost their homes in corporate scams facilitated by the Clinton-Rubin-Summers deregulation extravaganza, extending the neoliberal assault on the population that took off under Reagan.

    That’s a large part of the background for what finally brought us the Trump malignancy — which may, quite literally, doom human society on Earth. We’ve discussed elsewhere why this is no exaggeration. I hope that the basic facts and their dread import are well understood, and won’t review them here.

    Trump has indeed hit America with a hammer blow — and much of the world as well, a matter we should not overlook. Just keeping to the current COVID-19 crisis, it is remarkable to see how little attention has been given to his sadistic assault against poor and suffering people around the world in pursuit of his goal of enhancing his electoral prospects.

    There has been some attention to his extending his vicious attacks against refugees fleeing from misery and oppression, appealing to a deluded voter base that has been led to believe that refugees are the source of their suffering under the programs to which Trump is passionately committed.

    “Incompetent” is not the right word for Trump’s malevolence, which turned serious problems in the U.S. into a devastating crisis.
    But there is hardly a word about his attack against poor people in Africa, where unknown numbers will die thanks to his defunding of the World Health Organization (WHO), which has been protecting them from a wide range of diseases, now this new plague. Or about Palestinians in the occupied territories, victims of Israel’s racist contempt for their health and other basic needs, amplified by Trump’s defunding of their meager health, educational and support systems generally because — as he explained — they weren’t treating him with enough respect while he’s smashing them in the face.

    Trump’s withholding funds from the WHO was just the first step in his campaign to destroy the organization. The campaign provides real insight into the deeply rooted malevolence not only of Trump but of the gang he has collected around him, most of whom cower in silence (though some speak out), sometimes even outdoing the boss. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has been in the forefront of demonizing the WHO in support of Trump’s increasingly desperate efforts to find a scapegoat for his terrible crimes against Americans. It doesn’t matter how many miserable people are slaughtered in Africa and elsewhere in the Global South as crucial WHO services are undermined. Just “shithole countries” anyway, as the Dear Leader has explained.

    It is by now common understanding that the U.S. under Trump is a failed state that is a serious danger to the world. Diplomats speak in muted tones, not wanting to offend the raging beast in Washington who has unlimited power to destroy. But the meaning is clear when a “senior European official” says that “The U.S. administration is very fixated on the reelection campaign and on who can get blamed for this catastrophic covid-19 situation in the U.S. They are blaming WHO and China for it. Therefore it is very difficult to agree on a common language about the WHO.”

    The “common language” in question has to do with a UN Security Council resolution that the Trump administration is blocking. The resolution calls for “a global ceasefire pertaining to armed conflict in response to the pandemic [and urges] member states to ‘share timely and transparent information regarding the outbreak of COVID-19.’” But the resolution is unacceptable to the White House, because it calls on countries to “support the full implementation of the WHO International Health Regulations.” As the senior European official said, asking countries to implement procedures to contain the crisis is harmful to Trump’s reelection campaign.

    In brief, the dedication to slaughter poor and suffering people in pursuit of personal gain is so profound that even reference to WHO health regulations cannot be mentioned. The WHO is reaching the status of climate change, a phrase that has to be excised from official documents dealing with the environment. Across the board, Trump and his acolytes are echoing the words of Francisco Franco’s fascist Gen. Millán Astray: “Down with intelligence! Long live death!”

    Turning directly to your question, I think “incompetent” is not the right word for Trump’s malevolence, which turned serious problems in the U.S. into a devastating crisis. But we should not overlook the serious problems inherited by the cruel gang in today’s White House. It’s crucial to understand the background for the crisis if we hope to contain the next pandemic, likely to be worse than this one because of the impact of the global warming that is a far more severe threat.

    At the root, there are three factors: general capitalist logic, the more brutal neoliberal variant, and reactions by individual governments.

    In 2003, after the SARS epidemic, scientists were well aware that a pandemic is likely, probably a related coronavirus. They also understood how to prepare for it — just as scientists today have a good idea as to how to prepare for the coming one.

    But it’s not enough to know. Someone has to pick up the ball and run with it. The obvious candidate is Big Pharma, with huge resources, bloated with profits thanks to the exorbitant patent rights granted them under the highly protectionist “free trade” agreements. They’re ruled out, however, by normal capitalist logic. There’s no profit in preparing for a catastrophe down the road. And in fact it can be in their interest to impede a constructive response.

    Next, the government could step in, but that’s blocked by the neoliberal intensification of capitalism’s inherent inhumanity. As Reagan declaimed in his inauguration speech, government is the problem, not the solution. Translation: Take decision-making away from government, which is at least partially responsive to public influence, and hand it over to private tyrannies that are unaccountable to the public. An essential component of neoliberalism, overt since its origins in interwar Vienna, is that democracy is a threat that must be contained, even destroyed by state violence if necessary, principles advocated in word and action by the gurus of the movement: Ludwig von Mises, Friedrich Hayek and others. Furthermore, as Milton Friedman counselled in the Reagan years, the unaccountable tyrannies who control decision-making must be guided by sheer greed. Any concern for others would shake the foundations of civilization.

    The creed was not strictly observed. Obama tried to evade it slightly, but the efforts were quickly smashed by capitalist logic (the ventilator-Covidien affair that we’ve discussed elsewhere is an example). But government intervention was largely blocked.

    The third factor is the reactions of individual governments. They varied. China very quickly provided the WHO and the world with all relevant information. By early January, Chinese scientists had identified the virus and sequenced the genome. Some countries at once reacted: Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, New Zealand, a few others, which now seem to have the crisis largely under control. Europe dithered but finally acted, with varying degrees of success.

    An essential component of neoliberalism is that democracy is a threat that must be contained, even destroyed by state violence if necessary.
    At the bottom of the barrel is Trump, reflecting his dedication to his primary constituency, private wealth and corporate power, lightly hidden under a farcical display of “populism.” Throughout his term in office, Trump has systematically pursued policies that enrich his primary constituency while harming others, including his adoring crowds. One part of this program was steadily defunding the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and dismantling programs that could have provided advance warning of what was likely to happen. As a result, the U.S. was singularly unprepared.

    Though the U.S. and a few other failed states had all the information that led functioning societies to react appropriately, of course not all was entirely clear. That could hardly have been possible in such tumultuous circumstances. Like others, high U.S. health officials had some uncertainty about what exactly was happening and how best to handle it. Nevertheless, it was possible to take effective action, as shown by the record of governments that have some concern for their citizens. U.S. intelligence and health officials understood more than enough. Through January and February, they were trying to get through to the White House, but Trump was too busy watching his TV ratings. In the style of petty dictators, he has surrounded himself with sycophants or comical figures. So, nothing from them. Or from the Republican Party, now trembling in fear of the crowds that can be mobilized by Trump and his corporate sponsors.

    When some dare to inject a little rationality into administration discussions, they quickly learn their lessons, like the physician in charge of developing vaccines who was dismissed in April for warning against one of the quack medicines that Trump was advertising.

    “Down with intelligence! Long live death!”

    Trump should be given credit for his considerable achievements. It’s not easy to get away with holding up a banner with one hand saying “I love you, I’m our savior, I’m chosen by heaven to protect you,” while the other hand is stabbing you in the back. But Trump is doing it, brilliantly. He’s the supreme con man, who makes P.T. Barnum look like an amateur. He’s in a long tradition, back to trading tales for fun in the old West, to the self-declared King of France in Huckleberry Finn, to the guy who’ll sell you the Brooklyn Bridge. Moving to a different sphere, we might also include the president who won the “marketer of the year” award from the Association of National Advertisers for his political campaign, easily defeating Apple and other amateurs, and went on to win a Nobel Peace Prize for some pleasant rhetoric.

    But Trump is in a class by himself. Not just as a con man, but much more significantly as a dedicated enemy of the human race. That much is demonstrated by his policies on accelerating environmental catastrophe and dismantling the arms control regime that has provided some protection from terminal nuclear war, quite aside from a stream of peccadilloes of the kind already mentioned.

    While praising Trump for his considerable achievements, we must also bear in mind that the health system that he has been wrecking was already in terrible shape. The privatized profit-driven health system in the U.S. was an international scandal long before Trump, with costs about twice as high as comparable countries and some of the worst outcomes. On the eve of the pandemic, the costs of this dysfunctional system were estimated at $450 billion in wasted expense and 68,000 deaths annually by The Lancet, one of the world’s leading medical journals.

    Beyond that, the neoliberal business model dictates that hospital care must be “efficient”: the minimum number of nurses and hospital beds to just get by in normal times — not much fun for patients even in normal times even at the world’s best hospitals, as many can attest (myself included). And if anything goes wrong, tough luck.

    It should be added that contrary to common belief, the U.S. does have universal health care. It’s called “emergency rooms.” If you can drag yourself to one, they’ll take care of you, often with superb care — and often a hefty bill. It’s the most cruel and expensive form of universal care known, but at least it’s there.

    Bad as the situation was that Trump inherited, he has been committed to making it worse. One illustration of the commitments (and moral level) of the White House is the budget it submitted for the coming year on February 10, while the pandemic was raging. It called for still further cuts for the CDC along with increased subsidies to the fossil fuel industries that are driving us to final catastrophe. And, of course, more funding for the bloated military and for the famous wall that will protect us from the rapists and murderers surging across the border.

    That barely skims the surface. Failed state? Four more years?

    Are the anti-lockdown protests, which Trump is openly encouraging, merely about the shutting down of the economy and quarantines?

    We have enough experience to see that virtually everything Trump does is about himself — the country and the world be damned. In this case, one can detect a strategy behind the ongoing circus. Trump has been casting about to find someone to blame for his crimes. After evoking the Yellow Peril and laboring to destroy the WHO, with grim effects, he’s pretty much run out of targets. A rational next step is to tell governors that it’s your business: the federal government, which has all the resources, can’t do anything for you. If anything goes wrong, it’s your fault, not mine. And if something happens to go right somewhere, it demonstrates what a stable genius I am, and will be trumpeted by Sean Hannity as the most brilliant decision in human history.

    Trump is in a class by himself. Not just as a con man, but much more significantly as a dedicated enemy of the human race.
    This is similar to the strategy of saying one thing today and the opposite tomorrow, each echoed rapturously by Fox News while the liberal press dutifully tots up the lies (20,000?). If you shoot arrows at random, some may hit the target. And if one does? I’m vindicated and the scam goes on. You can’t lose.

    The governors’ ploy is about the same: enforce lockdown, open up the economy (and protect our “Second Amendment rights,” which has nothing to do with anything but pushes the right buttons). If it makes life harder for the governors and leads to many deaths, that’s OK too. It’s all the fault of the urban centers where diseases and other maladies fester among those who are poisoning our lily–white society.

    Malevolent, but not stupid.

    It’s tempting to add the injunction to the states by Mitch McConnell, the real evil genius of the Republican organization. Go bankrupt. The Republican Senate is not going to compensate you for your foolish decision to give pensions to firefighters, teachers, policemen and other undeserving takers. We have to save the money for the makers, like the airline industries that need $50 billion because in the glory days of high profits, instead of improving services and building the enterprises, they spent close to $50 billion in buybacks to inflate stock prices and compensation for management. After all, first things first. There’s no need to elaborate. His vileness has been so egregious that there’s been plenty of commentary in the mainstream press.

    In defense of Trump, McConnell and rest of the merry gang, they are carrying to an extreme the only way of dealing with the dilemma that the Republicans have faced since they turned to pure service to the business world. It’s hard to go to voters and say, “Look, we’re the more extreme of the two business parties. We’re designing policies to benefit our primary constituency of great wealth and corporate power, and to throw you into the waste bin. So vote for us.”

    Somehow, that doesn’t work well. So it’s important to divert attention to “cultural issues,” to pretend to be adamantly opposed to abortion rights and love assault rifles, to be terrified of them, to dismiss global warming as a Commie plot, and all the rest. The word “pretend” is quite appropriate, but I won’t go into that here.

    The Democratic establishment has its own sins to answer for, but it is nothing like this; more like the moderate Republicans of the days before the Gingrich-Hastert-McConnell era. And it is subject to popular pressures, which have moved the party considerably to the left in recent years. That’s not insignificant.

    World leaders’ approval rating has soared as a result of their handling of the coronavirus crisis, with the exception of Donald Trump. Could coronavirus be the determinant element that will put an end to four years of a nightmarish scenario written, directed, produced and carried out by the most dangerous buffoon this country has had for president? Trump’s Waterloo, so to speak?

    Trump benefited from the usual leadership bump when he finally acknowledged that the crisis was real, two months late, and assumed the proper presidential pose. His approval ratings have since receded to the norm from the beginning of his presidency. That’s a pretty impressive performance considering what he’s done to the country. I can’t guess where it will go from here. It’s really hard to say. He’s damned resilient, and his voting base and media echo chamber stay loyal. Current statistics show that he seems to be back to his norm of approval, which hasn’t varied a great deal through his term. And if it looks bad, they might pull something before November. Like concocting an incident and bombing Iran.

    Why is Trump bent on destroying the U.S. Postal Service (USPS)?

    What does the postal service contribute to private wealth and corporate power (Trump’s primary constituency)? Essentially nothing. Just means that they have to pay taxes for rural mail service and other services for ordinary people — insofar as they pay taxes, another interesting topic that I’ll put aside. If the USPS is privatized, it can contribute to private wealth and corporate power, and they can run it “efficiently,” like the health care system.

    A good deal more is involved. It’s important to them to drive out of people’s heads the idea that democracy might work, that a public system can serve the needs of the general public. In much of the country, the local post office not only serves people’s needs efficiently but is even a place where you can stop by and chat with a human being and meet your friends.

    And — horror of horrors — activists might be able to help people realize why the postal service was set up by the founders. Its prime function in early years was to deliver journals and magazines cheaply, a subsidy to an independent press, what the founders seem to have had in mind in framing the First Amendment. These matters are explored in depth in scholarly work by Robert McChesney and Victor Pickard, who carry the discussion right to the 20th century struggles to join the world in having vibrant public media, a critical matter for media activists today.

    That’s dangerous turf. Better to destroy the virus of democracy before it infects too many people.

    Joe Biden expressed the fear last week that Trump might attempt to delay the November 2020 election. Is this a likely scenario? Does the sitting president have the authority to do so on account of a national crisis?

    No constitutional authority, but Trump is quite capable of imitating his ludicrous friend Jair Bolsonaro and declaring “I am the Constitution.” Unlike the Brazilian judiciary, the Roberts Supreme Court might back such a statement up. And if granted another four years of court-packing up and down the line with young ultra-right figures, virtually anything will be possible. Anything, that is, but mildly progressive measures. Their fate will be dim for a generation or more.

    It’s also not beyond imagination that if Trump loses the electoral college (not just the popular vote), he’ll declare the election illegitimate, claiming that the Democrats brought in undocumented immigrants, and insist on staying in office, surrounded by armed militias.

    I can’t verify it, but it’s been credibly reported that if he has to leave the White House, Trump may be facing serious charges brought by states’ attorneys. That aside, given his mental state, Trump might not be able to handle defeat and walk away like a normal human being.

    Many on the left feel, naturally, and with much justification, extremely uncomfortable about Joe Biden. In fact, we hear now from some quarters the same arguments we heard in 2016 about Hillary Clinton, which is to say that it would be unconscionable for progressives to accept the “lesser of two evils” principle. How can we understand the political and conceptual context of electoral choices made by progressives and the left in November 2020?

    These questions are plainly important. They are a matter of intense discussion and often impassioned debate on the left, and plenty of invective. That makes them worth discussing. To be quite frank, I don’t see much other reason for discussing them. I’ve tried to explain in recent interviews, and judging by the reactions, have failed. So, I will repeat in more detail.

    I’ve been around for a long time and can’t think of a candidate about whom I was not “extremely uncomfortable,” at least since FDR (and I was too young to have considered opinions then).

    In Biden’s case it’s easy to think of reasons to be extremely uncomfortable. We can begin with his participation in the destruction of Libya and Honduras, in Obama’s global assassination campaign, in breaking all records in deportation — and on from there. But while continuing with constant efforts to change that world, we have to take off a few minutes to each make our own choices on election day.

    In the moral domain, what matters is the predictable consequences of your actions, those you are well aware of but choose to ignore. No one cares if you feel your conscience is clear.
    Let’s think through the two concepts that lie behind the question: “unconscionable” and “lesser of two evils principle.”

    Let’s start with “unconscionable.” There are those — including close personal friends and long-time activists whom I greatly respect — who take the position that some actions are simply “unconscionable,” whatever the consequences. I will ignore this position. To me, frankly, it seems not worth discussing. In the moral domain, what matters is the predictable consequences of your actions, those you are well aware of but choose to ignore. No one cares if you feel your conscience is clear.

    Let’s turn to the lesser of two evils principle.

    Throughout my lifetime of activism (almost 80 years), I’ve been familiar with two doctrines about voting. One is the official doctrine.

    Official doctrine holds that politics consists of showing up every few years, pushing a lever, then going back to one’s private pursuits. Citizens are “spectators,” not “participants in action,” according to official doctrine. They can choose one or another member of the leadership class (“the responsible men”) but that’s the limit of popular participation. I happen to be quoting Walter Lippmann, a respected public intellectual of the 20th century (a Wilson-FDR-JFK liberal), in his “progressive essays in democracy,” but the ideas are representative of prevailing liberal opinion. They trace back to the framers of the Constitution. That’s why the “gold standard” in constitutional scholarship, a fine and illuminating study by Michael Klarman, is called “The Framers’ Coup” — a coup against the popular demand for democracy.

    On the right, views are much harsher.

    A second doctrine is the one that has always prevailed on the left, call it “left doctrine.” Politics consists in constant direct popular engagement in public affairs, including a wide variety of activism on many fronts. Occasionally an event comes up in the formal political arena called an “election.” For left activists, that requires spending a brief period assessing the options (a very brief period for legitimate activists, who’ve been following everything relevant closely). Then comes a decision as to whether it’s worthwhile to take a few minutes away from ongoing political work to push a lever in the quadrennial extravaganza. It’s at most a brief departure from political engagement.

    That’s the doctrine that I’ve followed all my life, sometimes abstaining because the show didn’t seem to matter and there’s no point legitimizing the charade by participating, sometimes voting for a third party, sometimes voting for Jones if it’s important to block Smith. I’ve sometimes voted for a Republican, in years when the Republicans were still a bone fide political party and had a better candidate.

    There are, of course, myriad other cases, but the general point of left doctrine seems clear.

    In recent years, a third doctrine has made an appearance and is now consuming much debate on the left: the lesser of two evils principle. I’d never heard of it before, in a lifetime of intensive political engagement (in the left doctrine sense). And it seems quite strange to me. It obviously is quite different from left doctrine, the prevailing doctrine on the left. The intensive debate about it falls within official doctrine, with its laser-like focus on the elections.

    My own feeling about the lesser of two evils principle, of course, is that we should reject it in favor of left doctrine. It has no merits that I can see, so I think we can put it aside, along with the often–fevered debate about it.

    Let’s now consider the immediate case in hand. If the traditional left doctrine were applied to the current situation, it would require comparing Trump and his entourage with Biden and his, and asking whether there is a difference between them.

    I personally think the difference is colossal. First and decisive, another four years of Trump and we’ll have approached or possibly passed tipping points on the path toward environmental catastrophe toward which Trump is racing, his “party” in tow, virtually isolated in the world, certainly in the political system here. Just as important, the arms control regime will be dismantled, sharply increasing the threat of terminal war. The severe threats that Trump has incited in the Middle East will have increased, if not exploded. The Doomsday Clock, already reduced to seconds under Trump, will probably be close to abandoned. The reactionary international led by the White House that Trump is establishing will be well solidified. At home, the judiciary will be so packed by ultra-right young judges that no progressive initiatives will be able to be implemented for a generation. By the wayside we’ll be observing other horrors, like children sent to concentration camps on the border, Black people murdered on a whim, etc.

    An advocate of left doctrine will spend a few minutes reviewing the familiar facts, then take off another few minutes to push a lever, then go back to work.

    I know of only one proposed counterargument. We have to put pressure on the Democratic establishment. To begin with, it’s not a counterargument. It simply reiterates the main thesis of left doctrine: constant pressure. The only remaining question is how to impose pressure. There are, basically, two proposals on the table. The first is left doctrine. The second is refusing to vote for Biden.

    Let’s take a look at these.

    Left doctrine efforts can work, as they often have before. We all know that that has been the main source of progress over the years.
    First, left doctrine. We continue with what has been done, and has been very effective. One illustration is the Sanders campaign, which has been a remarkable success in shifting debate and policy choices to the left. The activism of the Sunrise Movement — aided by young congresswomen brought to office in the Sanders wave, notably Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — has brought to the legislative agenda a Green New Deal, with the cooperation of liberal Democrat Ed Markey, senator from Massachusetts. Some version of a Green New Deal is essential for survival. There have also been significant shifts in other areas (health care, minimum wage, harsh repression in vulnerable communities, women’s rights, on and on). We can, in fact, see this in Biden’s program, which is well to the left of previous Democratic front-runners. That’s why Biden is supported against Trump by Sanders (who had a large role in bringing the shift about) and also by longtime labor activists like Lawrence Mishel and Jared Bernstein. It’s not my program, or yours, but we can hardly doubt that it is an improvement over what preceded.

    Left doctrine efforts can work, as they often have before. We all know that that has been the main source of progress over the years, particularly when there were administrations susceptible to activist pressure.

    It could be argued that political programs are just words. True, but irrelevant. Left doctrine efforts can keep Biden’s feet to the fire, as has often happened in the past. And there will be opportunities to go far beyond, an urgent necessity.

    In contrast, we can be sure that a Trump administration will be rock solid in opposition.

    The second approach is to refuse to vote for Biden in the hope that withholding the vote will convince the Democratic establishment to take us seriously down the road. I can’t honestly construct a plausible version of this view, and it would be unfair to try.

    Turning finally to your question, “How can we understand the political and conceptual context of electoral choices made by progressives and the left in November 2020?”

    To me the answer seems clear. We should assess whether there is meaningful difference between the candidates, and also recognize that, for most of us, voting takes a few minutes. Then we go back to our real activist work.

    #114720
    Avatar photowv
    Participant

    fwiw:

    Vitamin d:https://aru.ac.uk/news/vitamin-d-linked-to-low-virus-death-rate-study

    published: 7 May 2020 at 13:16
    Image of the COVID-19 virus

    New COVID-19 research finds relationship in data from 20 European countries

    A new study has found an association between low average levels of vitamin D and high numbers of COVID-19 cases and mortality rates across 20 European countries.

    The research, led by Dr Lee Smith of Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and Mr Petre Cristian Ilie, lead urologist of Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn NHS Foundation Trust, is published in the journal Aging Clinical and Experimental Research.

    Previous observational studies have reported an association between low levels of vitamin D and susceptibility to acute respiratory tract infections. Vitamin D modulates the response of white blood cells, preventing them from releasing too many inflammatory cytokines. The COVID-19 virus is known to cause an excess of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

    Italy and Spain have both experienced high COVID-19 mortality rates, and the new study shows that both countries have lower average vitamin D levels than most northern European countries. This is partly because people in southern Europe, particularly the elderly, avoid strong sun, while skin pigmentation also reduces natural vitamin D synthesis.

    The highest average levels of vitamin D are found in northern Europe, due to the consumption of cod liver oil and vitamin D supplements, and possibly less sun avoidance. Scandinavian nations are among the countries with the lowest number of COVID-19 cases and mortality rates per head of population in Europe.

    Dr Lee Smith, Reader in Physical Activity and Public Health at Anglia Ruskin University, said:
    “We found a significant crude relationship between average vitamin D levels and the number COVID-19 cases, and particularly COVID-19 mortality rates, per head of population across the 20 European countries.

    “Vitamin D has been shown to protect against acute respiratory infections, and older adults, the group most deficient in vitamin D, are also the ones most seriously affected by COVID-19.

    “A previous study found that 75% of people in institutions, such as hospitals and care homes, were severely deficient in vitamin D. We suggest it would be advisable to perform dedicated studies looking at vitamin D levels in COVID-19 patients with different degrees of disease severity.”

    Mr Petre Cristian Ilie, lead urologist of Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn NHS Foundation Trust, said:
    “Our study does have limitations however, not least because the number of cases in each country is affected by the number of tests performed, as well as the different measures taken by each country to prevent the spread of infection. Finally, and importantly, one must remember correlation does not necessarily mean causation.”

    Avatar photoAgamemnon
    Participant

    LA Rams 2019 mid-season additions act like 2020 NFL Draft picks

    LA Rams 2019 mid-season additions act like 2020 NFL Draft picks
    by Bret Stuter 1 day ago Follow @milroyigglesfan

    The LA Rams added 3 players in the midst of the 2019 NFL season. Here’s why they should be considered to be 2020 NFL Draft picks

    The LA Rams ended the 2019 NFL season with just five draft picks. The team faced multiple scenarios through the course of the year which required roster adjustments, whether to shed players, add players, or exchange players. In the end, each transaction affected the roster at a point midway through the year.

    Unlike player injuries or coming back from injury, or even being called up or demoted to the practice squad, these three circumstances placed a jersey on football players who had no foreknowledge of the LA Rams’ playbook, coaching staff, players, or even community. And one of the greatest assets for the LA Rams is offensive line coach Aaron Kromer. Two offensive linemen, one of whom a starter at multiple positions in 2019, never had the chance to benefit from his training camp.

    The shortage of 2020 NFL Draft picks stems from the Rams desperate attempt to go all-in on the chance to make the 2019 NFL Playoffs. While that effort fell short, the team finished at a very respectable 9-7 record. That is despite all the horror stories of multiple injuries that haunted the offensive line all season, a defensive backfield which was blown up and restocked in mid-season, and three of the most highly paid players on offense all having sub-standard seasons.

    Addition 3: Center

    The LA Rams added center Coleman Shelton by signing him from the Arizona Cardinals practice squad. At the time, the team had lost rookie center Brian Allen for the season and had lost veteran interior offensive lineman Austin Blythe for several games due to injury. To compensate, the LA Rams had to trade for an interior offensive lineman in midseason and then needed a center to be the team’s backup.

    Fortunately for the LA Rams, they chose very wisely.

    Coleman Shelton has not had the benefit of LA Rams offensive line coach Aaron Kromer, and as a result, has waited patiently for his opportunity to take offensive snaps on the starting line for several years. At 6-foot-5 and 285 pounds, he is a huge center who becomes the offense’s own worst enemy to shorter quarterbacks trying to peer over him to find receivers downfield. Thankfully, LA Rams quarterback Jared Goff stands in a 6-foot-4, giving him plenty of height see over Shelton and find his targets in their downfield routes.

    Shelton is extremely athletic, a muscular center whose role on an offensive line requires plenty of snaps to understand his own assignment, and that of other players at the line of scrimmage. While he has yet to play significant snaps for any NFL team, he has yet to benefit from an offseason training program under Coach Kromer. At worst, he is the equivalent of a seventh-round pick. But compared to the talent level of the 2020 NFL Draft, Shelton is more like the equivalent of a fourth-round pick.

    Addition 2: Interior offensive lineman

    After a series of injuries exhausted the LA Rams reserve offensive lineman, general manager Les Snead acted quickly by trading the team’s 2020 fifth-round draft pick to the Cleveland Browns for their reserve interior offensive lineman Austin Corbett. Originally drafted by the Browns in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Corbett soon found himself buried on the depth chart. That is where he was when the LA Rams traded a 2020 NFL Draft fifth-round pick for him.

    From the moment he arrived at the Rams, he was placed into service. First at the center, then at the left guard, he was the Rams version of duct tape. Despite the hurried manner of onboarding, he was a solid player and he held his own on the team’s badly besieged offensive line.

    After a better than expected debut in 2019, Corbett now has the opportunity to train, practice, be coached, and earn his 2020 starting role once more. Not only should he be able to do so, but he should be able to perform as one of the better NFL offensive linemen this season. His original draft spot of pick 33 is the equivalent 2020 NFL Draft pick value he has for the Rams this season.

    Addition 1: Cornerback

    When the LA Rams decided to trade for cornerback Jalen Ramsey, the team had to overcome a number of hurdles in order to do so. The team had to clear a roster spot. In addition, the team had to clear sufficient salary cap space to do so. And then ultimately, the LA Rams needed to exchange sufficient assets to make the trade complete.

    Despite the lack of a first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the LA Rams can equate that value in obtaining one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL today, Jalen Ramsey. The Rams traded their 2020 first-round pick plus their 2021 first and fourth-round picks to the Jacksonville Jaguars for cornerback Ramsey, whose contract expires in 2020.

    The ultimate cost to the Rams for Ramsey is more than the picks required to pry him from the Jacksonville Jaguars. He also cost the Rams the play of both Aquib Talib, Marcus Peters, and a fifth-round pick. Ultimately, was he worth it? Yes.

    In the 2020 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected edge rusher, K’Lavon Chaisson with the 20th pick. Four cornerbacks had already been selected off the board and the players remaining on the board did not have the same value as that of Rams CB Ramsey. In essence, Ramsey is the equivalent of the Rams 2020 first-round draft pick.

    While the LA Rams added nine rookie players in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Rams have the equivalent of a fourth-round pick for Coleman Shelton, a second-round pick for Austin Corbett, and a first-round pick for Jalen Ramsey. That translates into 12 pick-equivalents from the 2020 NFL Draft and includes two interior offensive linemen who will be capable of starting in 2020, plus an elite cornerback. In the end, the LA Rams 2020 NFL Draft was fairly comprehensive after all.

    Agamemnon

    #114247
    Avatar photozn
    Moderator

    Snead, McVay recap third and final day of 2020 NFL Draft

    Stu Jackson

    https://www.therams.com/news/snead-mcvay-day-3-nfl-draft-recap

    Rams general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay met with local media Saturday evening to put a bow on the 2020 NFL Draft. Here is a recap of some of the most important topics they covered:

    Addressing eight different positions – RB, WR, OLB, S, TE, S, LB, K, OG – with nine picks by the end of Day 3

    Snead said it wasn’t necessarily the goal to spread out their approach in that manner, but when the Houston Texans called and presented an opportunity for the Rams to move back and acquire a pair of additional seventh-round picks, they felt it was the right move. It allowed them to get linebacker Cody Johnston, kicker Samuel Sloman and offensive guard Tremayne Anchrum, who Snead felt the Rams may not have been able to get had they just stayed put.

    Such a spread-out approach reflects the competitiveness of the team, according to McVay.

    “All these players give us the ability to do that with a unique blend of things coming together, where they added value and they happen to fulfill needs as well,” McVay said.

    As for earlier in the draft, the intent was to get players who could potentially step in to fill roles of the players they lost in free agency, according to Snead. However, sometimes with the way the draft board falls, it forces a team to go from Plan A to Plan B.

    The Rams found themselves in that situation when Purdue tight end Brycen Hopkins was still available after they traded back with the Texans to pick No. 136.

    “We really like our tight end room right now, but we had him highly rated and felt like he could come in and carve out a role early but also later,” Snead said. “We didn’t have to make that pick, but sometimes when you make those types of picks, there’s an element of drafting in a microscope, but also with a telescope and you feel like, ‘Hey, the guy can make plays.’

    Confidence in the offensive line

    While some experts believed Los Angeles would look to address its offensive line early, it instead waited until much later in the draft to do so, using its final pick to take Clemson offensive guard Tremayne Anchrum in the seventh round.

    Snead said that approach reflected their confidence in the younger offensive linemen the Rams have taken in previous drafts.

    “When Sean mentioned yesterday trading for Austin Corbett, it was just a couple of years ago that he was the 33rd pick in the draft,” Snead said. “Even this year, we wouldn’t have been able to pick an Austin Corbett. We’ve been adding those players, and fortunately or unfortunately a lot of them got to play last year, with David Edwards and Bobby Evans in particular. They got a chance to play when we were really going to spend a year developing them as backups. We felt confident that if we continued grooming and developing these players, they’d have a chance to become a very solid offensive line.”

    Other positions to address?

    It’s too soon to tell. Snead said they planned to let the draft settle, then sit down and look at their roster.

    Part of the reason for the patient approach is because Snead said they will do what they’ve done every year – evaluate the roles of young players who didn’t see the field much or at all as rookies, then were elevated into larger roles to address needs.

    The example Snead used was defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day, a 2018 sixth-round pick who was inactive for all 16 games and three postseason games in 2018, then helped fill the void left by the departure of Ndamukong Suh by taking on a bigger role in 2019.

    “So that’s what we’ve discussed about some of our younger players that may have less playing time, but you’re always going to look to see, ‘Hey, how can you make a more competitive or add someone to be more competitive any time you get that chance.'”

    Avatar photocanadaram
    Participant

    Ourlands on Tremayne Anchrum

    Three-year starter, Powder Springs, GA. Earned first-team All ACC honours in 2019 after being named second-team in 2018. A college right tackle who will make the move to guard in the NFL. Has a lot of power potential if he can simply get more aggressive with his hands at the start. He too often trusted his ability to anchor in college, which did work most of the time. He will be a project, as he is changing positions and has plenty to clean up, but there is still a chance he can evolve into a starter. Very stout and strong from top to bottom. Has a powerful anchor and heavy hands. Gets out of his stance assertively but under control. Usually stays in phase and won’t abandon his lower body techniques. Maintains a wide base. Can play with a low centre of gravity, creating good balance against power. Effective against linebackers in space, stays patient. Will struggle to re-establish good hand position if a defender swipes them away. Loses against speed and quickness too often. Will wait too long to attack a defender at times, needs to be more aggressive with his hands. Gets top heavy during engagement. OSR: 30/41. Fifth/sixth round. (A-33 5/8, H-9 5/8, BP-26, 10-1.83).

    • This reply was modified 5 years, 12 months ago by Avatar photocanadaram.
    #114099

    In reply to: DRAFT DAY 3

    Avatar photoAgamemnon
    Participant

    My 2020 250 player Big Board

    50. Donovan Peoples-Jones – WR – Michigan – 6′-2″ 212 lbs. – Good hands and an excellent athlete. Underused in that woeful Mich. offense. He is more of a projection due to lack of production.

    65. Troy Pride – CB – Notre Dame – 5′-11″ 193 lbs. – Under-rated athletically, has good speed and can work in man and zone coverages. A perfect #2 CB.

    67. Bryce Hall – CB – Virginia – 6′-1″ 202 lbs. – Long, physical and smart. Always taking good angles and is in the proper position. Not the world’s best athlete. he will outwork you. Zone CB.

    68. Brycen Hopkins – TE – Purdue – 6′-4″ 245 lbs. – Your prototypical new age TE. A mismatch problem in the middle of the field that is a smooth, easy mover. Not an inline blocker, I worry a bit about his hands.

    69. Jacob Eason – QB – Washington – 6′-6″ 231 lbs. – Biggest arm in the class, but is a statue and panics a little too easily for my taste.

    71. Leki Fotu – IDL – Utah – 6′-4″ 330 lbs. – A monster NT with a little pass rush juice to him. Good motor and is almost impossible to move. Not the athletic freak Lawrence was last year.

    72. Ben Bartch – OT – St. Johns (MN) – 6′-6″ 309 lbs. – Small School prospect that held his own at Senior Bowl. TE turned OT. Athletic with a nice anchor, he needs seasoning. Arm length probably moves him inside.

    74. Eno Benjamin – RB – Arizona State – 5′-9″ 207 lbs. – Physical for his size, smooth lower half and can be slippery to tackle. Change of pace back only.

    77. Jake Fromm – QB – Georgia – 6′-2″ 219 lbs. – Smartest QB in the draft, has a noodle for an arm and is a little on the small side.

    80. Alohi Gilman – S – Notre Dame – 5′-10″ 201 lbs. – A zone safety that is an absolute hammer coming forward. Another versatile player that can do a little of everything.

    81. Prince Tega Wanogho – OT – Auburn – 6′-5″ 308 lbs. – Surprise, an athletic, raw skilled LT from Auburn. He has elite tools, but needs a year learning and gaining strength.

    82. Curtis Weaver – Edge – Boise St. – 6′-3″ 265 lbs. – He could either be a 43 or 34. Lacks an ideal athletic profile, but has a hot motor, a good first step, active hands and handles his own against the run. Another high floor, lower ceiling type.

    84. Akeem Davis-Gaither – LB – Appalachian St. – 6′-2″ 224 lbs. – Highly productive WILL that plays fast, can cover and rush the QB. I like him outside in a 43, but maybe a MO in a 34…

    86. Albert Okwuegbunam – TE – Missouri – 6′-5″ 258 lbs. – Big target with enough athletic ability to create issues in the seam. A decent and willing blocker inline. Offense and QB really slowed down his progression.

    87. Darnay Holmes – CB – UCLA – 5′-10″ 195 lbs.- Smooth and quick are his calling cards. I wish he was more aggressive. off man or zone scheme fit.

    88. K’Von Wallace – S – Clemson – 5′-11″ 206 lbs. – Physical, will stick his face in the fan and has some nice ball production. Not overly athletic or fast, but versatile.

    90. Thaddeus Moss – TE – LSU – 6′-2″ 250 lbs. – Not the freakish athlete his dad was, but is a monster in the blocking game, is a nuanced route runner and knows how to get open. Competes hard.

    91. Troy Dye – LB – Oregon – 6′-4″ 231 lbs. – Another see ball, chase ball LBer that needs to add strength. But he makes plays all over the field.

    92. Antoine Brooks Jr. – S – Maryland – 5′-11″ 220 lbs. – Here is that big nickel LBer or third safety I have been talking about for the last year or so. best working around the box in sub packages. Physical, emotional and not extremely rangy.

    94. Saahdiq Charles – OT – LSU – 6′-4″ 321 lbs. – A smooth mover with good athleticism, but lacks power. A move inside might be in his future. zone scheme prospect.

    98. Steven Montez – QB – Colorado – 6′-4″ 231 lbs. – Big arm, all the tools, has just never put it all together.

    99. Logan Stenberg – IOL – Kentucky – 6′-6″ 317 lbs. – Meanest, nastiest OG in the draft. Won’t win on style points and will talk your ear off. Not a great athlete.

    100. Tyler Biadasz – IOL – Wisconsin – 6′-4″ 314 lbs. – OC for any scheme. Excellent mover with a great anchor and good strength. Off season hip surgery slowed him down last season. Followed by shoulder surgery this off season. Could be a heck of a steal.

    101. Khalid Kareem – Edge – Notre Dame – 6′-4″ 268 lbs. – Long and strong, excellent against the run, not much juice as a pass rusher. A bit stiff. 43 end only.

    103. Rashard Lawrence – IDL – LSU – 6′-2″ – 308 lbs. – What you would expect in an LSU DL, tough, strong and excellent against the run. Doesn’t offer much in the way of a pass rush.

    106. Bradlee Anae – Edge – Utah – 6′-3″ 257 lbs. – Can rush the passer and hold his own against the run, excellent hand fighter, with a top-notch motor. Not the greatest athlete. 43 or 34 compatable.

    107. Hunter Bryant – TE – Washington – 6′-2″ 248 lbs. – Smooth moving, explosive pass catcher. Offers nothing in the way of blocking and his size won’t scare anyone.

    108. Larrell Murchison – IDL – NC State – 6′-2″ 297 lbs. – A nose for the ball with a great motor. Not the rangiest 3 tech, but he will apply constant pressure.

    110. Quartney Davis – WR – Texas A&M – 6′-1″ 201 lbs. – A skilled route runner with excellent footwork. Not slow, but not exactly a deep threat. hands are spotty. .

    113. Amik Robertson – CB – Louisiana Tech – 5′-8″ 187 lbs. – slot corner due to his size. But he is a mean, physical little dude that will bring the fight to you.

    114. Lamical Perine – RB – Florida – 5′-11″ 216 lbs. – A patient power back with just enough juice to get to the house. Enough wiggle to get outside, but is at his best working north to south.

    115. Collin Johnson – WR – Texas – 6′-6″ 222 lbs. – Touted as the next Randy Moss, it didn’t happen, but he has good speed, wins with his size and is a contested catch, 50-50 ball machine. Size mismatch.

    118. Kenny Willekes – Edge – Michigan State – 6′-4″ 264 lbs. – Relentless, tough, strong, try hard with average athletic ability for the position. I think due to that he is a 43 DE.

    119. Anthony McFarland – RB – Maryland – 5′-8″ 208 lbs. – An undersized, raw talented HR threat from anywhere on the field. Not a 3 down guy.

    120. Ben Bredeson – IOL – Michigan – 6′-5″ 315 lbs. – A LG prospect I love that has played in Gap/man/OSZ at Mich so he is versatile. Decent mover with good balance and very good power that looks to finish blocks.

    121. Shaquille Quarterman – LB – Miami – 6′-1″ 234 lbs. – A real old school MLBer that reads, reacts and then thumps. I think he moves well enough to help in some coverage.

    124. Evan Weaver – LB – California – 6′-2″ 237 lbs. – Not the world’s greatest athlete, but he is so instinctual he’s always around the ball. Super productive. Not a hammer and not great in coverage.

    125. Tyler Johnson – WR – Minnesota – 6′-1″ 206 lbs. – A nuanced route runner that knows how to get open. Plays with some physicality. I question his speed and he didn’t run so…

    126. Netane Muti – IOL – Fresno St. – 6′-3″ 315 lbs. – Skill set, power and movement ability should have him as the top IOL in the draft. he can flat out dominate. And looks to dominate you. Cannot stay healthy. Serious medical red flags.

    130. David Woodward – LB – Utah State – 6′-2″ 230 lbs. -Not fast or super athletic, but he is smart, instinctual and has a big motor. He is everywhere. ILB

    131. Nick Harris – IOL – Washington – 6′-1″ 302 lbs. – Smaller, smooth moving OC that lacks the power to go heads up against any kind of power. Good technique. Zone scheme only.

    132. Shane Lemieux – IOL – Oregon – 6′-4″ 310 lbs. – mauler, not an athlete. Choppy footwork. Works well in a man scheme.

    133. Nick Coe – Edge – Auburn – 6′-5″ 280 lbs. – Big, long and strong. Played from 2 and 3 point at Auburn. He is going to end up being a 34 End in the NFL. I question his passion for football.

    134. Jared Pinkney – Vanderbilt – 6′-4″ 257 lbs. – Great hands, good athlete, good enough blocker to play inline. Needs to cleanup route running. Not a monster after the catch.

    136. Quintez Cephus – WR – 6′-1″ 202 lbs. – Wisconsin – Big strong physical. Good route runner that can get himself open. Lacks deep speed. Faced 2 counts of sexual assault, case was dismissed.

    137. Jason Strowbridge – IDL – North Carolina – 6′-4″ 275 lbs. – A gap jumper that lacks the size to hold his ground against double teams. Once he is into gaps, causes issues for the offense. A 34 DE or 43 DE is his future.

    138. Alton Robinson – Edge – Syracuse – 6′-3″ 264 lbs. – A toolbox full of length, athletic ability, bend and explosiveness. Decent against the run. Just needs to put it all together. 34 Edge with a high ceiling.

    139. Joe Bachie Jr. – LB – Michigan State – 6′-2″ 230 lbs. – a ILB with good instincts and decent range. Will pop you in the mouth when given the chance. Probably a 2 down ILBer in the NFL. Steroid suspension…

    141. Solomon Kindley – IOL – Georgia – 6′-3″ 337 lbs. – Another mammoth Georgia lineman. A OG with beastly power that loves to use it. Again, needs a lot of technique work. His hand usage is a mess.

    142. Joshua Kelley – RB – UCLA – 5′-11″ 212 lbs. – Strong, tough with good balance and hard to bring down, but lacks wiggle and HR speed. A one cut and go type of back.

    145. K.J. Hill – WR – Ohio State – 6′-0″ 196 lbs. – A good route runner with decent ability in the open field. Not a burner, but not a slug either.

    146. Colby Parkinson – TE – Stanford – 6′-7 252 lbs. – Big with a big wingspan, he will torture defenders in the middle of the field and the endzone. Not a great blocker and needs to get stronger.

    147. Jack Driscoll – OT – Auburn – 6′-5″ 306 lbs. – A smaller RT with a good athletic profile. In other words. Perfect for a zone scheme only. Needs to add power and some technique work.

    148. Antonio Gandy-Golden – WR – Liberty – 6′-4″ 223 lbs. – Crazy catches are littered throughout his highlights. Outstanding catch radius combined with flypaper hands make him a bigtime contested and 50-50 ball receiver. Not a great athlete or burner.

    150. J.R. Reed – S – Georgia – 6′-1″ 202 lbs. – An old school SS that works best moving forward as he doesn’t have the foot speed to be ultra rangy.

    151. Harrison Bryant – TE -Florida Atlantic – 6′-5″ 243 lbs. – Athletic with good hands and is a good route runner. He isn’t a blocker. His calling card is in the middle of the field.

    153. Javelin Guidry – CB – Utah – 5′-9″ 191 lbs. – Quick, oily and super fast. Size is going to limit him to slot/nickel/dime work.

    154. Hakeem Adeniji – OT – Kansas – 6′-4″ 302 lbs. – Another smaller LT that moves well and could slide into a zone scheme easily. needs to add power.

    155. Jacob Breeland – TE – Oregon – 6′-5″ 252 lbs. – An average at best athlete, but plays with an edge and isn’t afraid of contact. Good hands and can get deep. Decent inline blocker.

    156. Isaiah Hodgins – WR – Oregon State – 6′-4″ 210 lbs. – A good route runner for a man his size, good catch radius. Good hands. Not a deep threat.

    157. Geno Stone – S – Iowa – 5′-10″ 207 lbs. – Another kid from Iowa with smarts, instincts and lacks a big athletic profile. Works best in the box or zone coverage.

    158. Markus Bailey – LB – Purdue – 6′-1″ 235 lbs. – A Kiser clone in the fact that he is a smart. between the tackles, run stopping machine. Not enough athletic ability or speed to cover against the pass. 2019 knee injury muddies his water. 2 down ILB.

    159. Anthony Gordan – QB – Washington State – 6′-2″ 205 lbs. – Tough leader with an OK arm. Air Raid muddies the water, but he can manage a football team.

    162. Gabriel Davis – WR – UCF – 6′-2″ 216 lbs. – Exciting athlete with decent speed and plays with a bit of an edge. hands are meh, and he didn’t run a ton of different routes.

    163. D.J. Wonnum – Edge – South Carolina – 6′-5″ 258 lbs. – An above average athlete that can do a little of everything, but isn’t great at any one thing. Perfect size for 34 Edge with a great motor.

    164. Justin Strnad – LB – Wake Forest – 6′-3″ 238 lbs. – Smooth moving forward and backward, can run and cover and go sideline to sideline. Would rather run around blockers then stack and shed. Still learning the nuances so his arrow is pointing up. ILBer in an odd front or WILL in an even front.

    165. Raequan Williams – IDL – Michigan State – 6′-4″ 308 lbs. – Not a great athlete, but is strong, can stack and hold his ground and when he does get in the backfield, he finishes well. Needs to get more consistent on effort.

    166. Terence Steele – OT – Texas Tech – 6′-6″ 312 lbs. – Great hands and a powerful upper body, needs some sand in his pants. More of a man blocking guy, as he lacks movement skills for zone.

    167. Myles Bryant – CB – Washington – 5′-8″ 183 lbs. – another slot CB, plays faster than he ran, explosive movement skills.

    168. Lamar Jackson – CB – Nebraska – 6′-2″ 208 lbs. – Big, long and physical. Speed will give him issues. Press man CB.

    171. Essang Bassey – CB – Wake Forest – 5′-9″ 191 lbs. – a nickel/slot CB that gets after it and is a smooth enough athlete to mirror really well.

    172. Charlie Heck – OT – North Carolina – 6′-8″ 311 lbs. – As Alyo has stated, the son of a coach. Smart, good technique and excellent length. Needs to add some weight and power. Great developmental type of L/RT.

    173. James Lynch – IDL – Baylor – 6′-4″ 289 lbs. – Monster sack production from a guy with not a ton of athletic ability. Not twitchy and not explosive. Just average strength. Really just wins on an all-day motor and a give ’em hell attitude.

    174. Trevis Gipson – Edge – Tulsa – 6′-4″ 261 lbs. – an easy mover with decent burst and good flexibility. Can get bullied against the run. Developmental 34 Edge.

    175. James Morgan – QB – FIU – 6′-4″ 229 lbs. – A toolsy gunslinger with no fear. Not sure he has the tools above the neck to be a pro QB.

    176. John Simpson – IOL – Clemson – 6′-4″ 321 lbs. – A power blocker that can get over-extended at times, but will run you over. Lacks horizontal movement ability. Man power scheme fit.

    177. A.J. Green – CB – Oklahoma State – 6′-1″ 202 lbs. – Physical CB, sometimes too physical. Decent speed and a decent athletic profile.

    178. Harrison Hand – CB – Temple – 5′-11″ 197 lbs. – Smart, tough and has some ballhawk to him. Not the quickest CB. Zone CB

    179. Jalen Elliott – S – Notre Dame – 6′-0″ 205 lbs. – Slow, moderate athlete, but man he loves to blow up ball carriers. IMO a box safety or a big nickel LBer.

    180. Mitchell Wilcox- TE – South Florida – 6′-3″ 247 lbs. – Hard working combo TE that had good production, but won’t wow you as an athlete. I worry a bit about his hands.

    181. Michael Onwenu – IOL – Michigan – 6′-3″ 344 lbs. – An absolute tank in the trenches. Surprisingly decent footwork. Great power. Not a great mover. Man scheme.

    182. Trevon Hill – Edge – Miami – 6′-3″ 248 lbs. – Athletic, bursty edge with a nice pass rush. Needs to add weight to handle the run. Pass rush specialist early. 34 Edge.

    183. Binjimen Victor – WR – Ohio State – 6′-4″ 198 lbs. – Another big catch radius guy with nice hands. Not a deep threat, but is kinda dangerous in the open field.

    184. Carter Coughlin – Edge – Minnesota – 6′-3″ 236 lbs. – an undersized 34 edge rusher with some burst and fluid movement skills. Cannot match power with anyone, and his run defending suffers from that.

    185. Josiah Scott – CB – Michigan State – 5′-9″ 185 lbs. – A nickel back with good speed and decent toughness for his size. Good ball skills. Too small to survive on the outside.

    186. Jonathan Garvin – Edge – Miami – 6′-4″ 263 lbs. – 43 DE that can set a strong edge and keep everything inside. Not a ton of burst, and average athletically. Decent pass rush on physical traits alone.

    187. Scott Frantz – OT – Kansas State – 6′-5″ 300 lbs. – Mauler strength and a maulers mentality. Not a great athlete and needs to add weight.

    188. – Patrick Taylor Jr. – RB – Memphis – 6′-1″ 217 lbs. – big, powerful and hard to bring down. Not great feet and not very imaginative with the ball. Short yardage back IMO.

    189. Khalil Davis – IDL – Nebraska – 6′-2″ 308 lbs. – Not real long, but a quick first step and a good motor is where he wins. Not a great run defender due to his lack of length.

    190. Myles Dorn – S – North Carolina – 6′-2″ 205 lbs. – A decent all-around S with good work in the box and some solid pass defense stats. His lack of speed may limit his upside.

    191. Kendall Coleman – Edge – Syracuse – 6′-3″ 257 lbs. – Average athlete that is really still developing his skill set. Good motor and plays with nice physicality. Needs to be developed. Developmental 34 Edge.

    192. Jake Hanson – IOL – Oregon – 6′-4″ 303 lbs. – A zone scheme OC. A technician and good athlete, lacks the strength to trade power with defenders.

    193. Mykal Walker – LB – Fresno State – 6′-3″ 230 lbs. – Has played DE, Edge and ILB. So, he is a movable chess pc. I like him as an ILB in an odd front. Certainly knows how to blitz, can drop into coverage and will stick his nose in the fan in run support. Needs development time, due to so many position changes.

    194. Lavert Hill – CB – Michigan – 5′-10″ 190 lbs. – A hard-nosed press man. Lacks speed to stay with the fast WRs. Might work inside. Man only.

    195. Cheyenne O’Grady – TE – Arkansas – 6′-4″ 253 lbs. – A natural pass catcher with good route running. A willing blocker, although it isn’t a strength. Tough to bring down. His biggest issue is he was dismissed from the team for saying he was going to quit after the Bama game.

    196. – Michael Warren II – RB – Cincinnati – 5′-9″ 226 lbs. – Decent feet for his build (a bowling ball) with good power and contact balance. Not making you miss and isn’t a HR hitter. Another short yardage back IMO.

    198. Aaron Parker – WR – Rhode Island – 6′-2″ 209 lbs. – A good blend of physicality combines with his ability to go up and get it makes him a contested catch monster. He needs to develop his route running.

    200. Sewo Olonilua – RB – TCU – 6′-3″ 232 lbs. – Another short yardage specialist. Not fast, quick or nimble. He is a load to bring down and will wear you out.

    201. Kyle Murphy – IOL – Rhode Island – 6′-3″ 316 lbs. – Overpowered FCS competition, needs to add size and power to do that at the NFL level. He’s an easy mover with good footwork. Scheme versatile.

    202. Joe Reed – WR – Virginia – 6′-0″ 224 lbs. – A deep threat with good hands and can return in STs. Has some wiggle. Another gadget kid early as he learns to run routes properly.

    203. Stephen Sullivan – TE – LSU – 6′-5″ 248 lbs. – Massive seam buster that got lost in the shuffle of an all star offense. Long, middle of the field mismatch. Not a tremendous blocker.

    204. Benito Jones – IDL – Ole Miss – 6′-1″ 316 lbs. – a fire hydrant with very good strength. Won’t slide thru gaps but holds more than his own against the run. A true NT with a little pass rush push.

    205. Jaylinn Hawkins – S – California – 6′-1″ 208 lbs. – Smart, physical with some range. Not a ton and won’t wow you going sideline to sideline. Decent ball skills, but he has room for improvement.

    206. Trajan Bandy – CB – Miami – 5′-8″ 180 lbs. – Smooth footed DB that moves well in space and has OK speed. Lack of size and strength is an issue.

    207. Jauan Jennings – WR – Tennessee – 6′-3″ 215 lbs. – A runaway beer truck in the open field. Tough to bring down. Slow play speed and ran a 4.74 so that matches what you see.

    209. Kyahva Tezino – LB – San Diego State – 6′-0″ 235 lbs. – Plays the run well, decent athlete that can get to the sidelines and plays with patience and intelligence. Lacks length and quickness.

    211. Jace Whittaker – CB – Arizona – 5′-11″ 185 lbs. – a ballhawk with good instincts and good speed. Not very physical and lacks great size.

    212. Colton McKivitz – OT – West Virginia – 6′-6″ 306 lbs. – Big, strong RT prospect that has issues against speed. Can get out over his feet when he lunges at targets.

    214. Kindle Vildor – CB – Georgia Southern – 5′-10″ 191 lbs. – Ballhawking athletic CB with the size and footwork to work in any scheme. Not great in run support. Can be over-aggressive.

    215. Stephen Guidry – WR – Mississippi State – 6′-3″ 201 lbs. – Long with long arms and decent deep speed. Can go up and get it, or win over the top. Not a great route runner.

    216. J.J. Taylor – RB – Arizona – 5′-5″ 185 lbs. – Scat back with good receiving skills. Plays fater then he ran, but obviously not a between the tackles type.

    217. James Robinson – RB – Illinois State – 5′-9″ 219 lbs. – A hammer that did it all for ISU. Surprising speed can catch you off guard. not very shifty.

    218. Justin Herron – OT – Wake Forest – 6′-4″ 308 lbs. – A OG in the NFL. Good pass blocker with decent footwork, has trouble trading power in the run game. Zone scheme OG.

    219. Reggie Robinson II – CB – Tulsa – 6′-1″ 205 lbs. – Long with decent athletic profile, does his best work in a zone and things are in front of him. Nice production. Modest athlete.

    220. Tyrie Cleveland – WR – Florida – 6′-2″ 209 lbs. – Long and fast. Never ran a diverse route tree, but he can eat up a DB in a hurry. Will need some development.

    221. Jon Runyan – OT – Michigan – 6′-4″ 306 lbs. – I think he moves inside to OG. Son of an NFL OT. So he is smart. Good athlete but lacks strength. zone scheme OG.

    222. Tipa Galea’i – EDGE – Utah State – 6′-5″ 235 lbs. – An explosive, oily, easy mover. Needs to add mass if he wants to hold up against the run.

    223. Nigel Warrior – S – Tennessee – 6′-0″ 190 lbs. – Vols played him everywhere from what I saw. So he can do some of everything. Good athlete, good run defender for hsi size. Lack of ball production is a concern.

    224. Nevelle Clarke – CB – UCF – 6′-1″ 190 lbs. – I called him a mini Ramsey. Plays with a swagger and a ballhawks mentality. Great size for a CB. Easy mover. Needs to add strength and some weight to reach his full potential.

    225. Salvon Ahmed – RB – Washington – 5′-11″ 197 lbs. – Long speed despite what he ran at the combine. Decent wiggle in the open field. Due to size, a 3rd down back only. Lacks power and vision.

    226. James Proche – WR – SMU – 5′-11″ 201 lbs. – Natural hands and just catches everything. Smooth athlete, with great college production. Not a burner. Needs to work on route running.

    227. Cameron Brown – LB – Penn State – 6′-5″ 233 lbs. – Long for a LBer. Also raw. Can cover a ton of ground quickly and goes sideline to sideline. Not great in coverage. Not sure his position fit. 43 OLB or maybe add 15-20 lbs and make him a 34 edge?

    228. Sean McKeon – TE – Michigan – 6′-5″ 242 lbs. – A combo TE that can block in line and be used as a pass catcher. Not the most dynamic route runner, or athlete, but he competes hard. Good 3rd TE for a roster.

    229. Cole McDonald – QB – Hawaii – 6′-3″ 215 lbs. – An absolute howitzer of an arm. Good NFL size. A rhythm passer that loves getting the ball deep. Everything breaks down once he is off schedule.

    230. Quez Watkins – WR – Southern Miss – 6′-0″ 185 lbs. – Will take the top off a defense. No idea how to run a route, gets open from DBs being scared of being ran by. Electric in the open field. Needs to add some good weight.

    231. Bravvion Roy – IDL – Baylor – 6′-1″ 333 lbs. – Not your typical NT. He can dominate against the run, but has some juice to get after the QB (6 sacks this year) Short length will limit his upside.

    232. Kamal Martin – LB – Minnesota – 6′-3″ 240 lbs. – A 34 ILB that fills that downhill run plugger role that is tight hipped and lacks the range to work 3 downs. Will stick you when given the chance.

    233. Grayland Arnold – CB – Baylor – 5′-9″ 186 lbs. – Nickel CB with great ball production. Smooth lower body makes him sticky, has a ballhawk mentality. Lacks size to hold up on the outside.

    234. Trey Adams – OT – Washington – 6′-8″ 318 lbs. – Power blocking scheme only, once a top 25 pick, now maybe undraftable due to multiple injuries. Carries bad weight. A better athlete then mauler so his skill set doesn’t match his power (or lack thereof)

    235. Charlie Taumoepeau – TE – Portland State – 6′-2″ 240 lbs. – Literally a move TE. He played H-back, RB, TE, WR for Portland State. So he can block and catch and be a nice depth piece. Nothing athletically extrordinary.

    236. Darryl Williams – IOL – Mississippi State – 6′-2″ 304 lbs. – A OG/OC prospect with decent power and good technique. Needs to add some power. A tad stiff movement wise. Developmental depth for a power blocking team.

    237. Tyler Clark – IDL – Georgia – 6′-4″ 300 lbs. – nice get off with good hand usage to keep himself clean. Kinda frenetic, and will wash himself out at times. Good power.

    238. Levonta Taylor – CB – Florida State – 5′-10″ 190 lbs. – a CB turned safety, smooth lower half and good speed and lack of strength make him an ideal zone fit, either as a nickel or S. had back problems in the past.

    239. Kalija Lipscomb – WR – Vanderbilt – 6′-0″ 207 lbs. – Good route runner with reliable hands. Just an OK athlete and not a burner.

    240. Tyler Huntley – QB – Utah – 6′-1″ 205 lbs. – A real athlete with the ball in his hands. Can scramble, throw on the run and generally work his way around in the pocket. Accuracy is OK. Pretty good arm strength. I don’t think he can read a defense yet.

    241. Stanford Samuels III – CB – Florida State – 6′-1″ 187 lbs. – Long and a bit clumsy. Would be a good zone CB with some developmental upside.

    242. Robert Landers – IDL – Ohio State – 6′-1″ 285 lbs. – A 34 DE that lacks the usual length. Strong with a good burst. Decent athlete. At his best in a straight line.

    243. Shyheim Carter – S – Alabama – 5′-10″ 194 lbs. – A CB/S that was used as a hybrid 3rd safety for the Tide. Could be a movable piece in the secondary. Not overly fast or athlete. Declined to test at the combine reinforcing that idea.

    244. Freddie Swain – WR – Florida – 6′-0″ 197 lbs. – Good athlete with good hands and good speed. Not a very nuanced route runner and lacked college production. Punt returner bonus.

    245. Mohamed Barry – LB – Nebraska – 6′-1″ 245 lbs. – A bull in a china shop ILBer with sideline to sideline athleticism. Tough and strong just kinda running around out there hitting things and overrunning other things…

    246. John Reid – CB – Penn State – 5′-10″ 187 lbs. – A physical press man CB that due to lack of size will end up being a Nickel Back. Average speed to match his average athletic ability.

    247. Jordan Fuller – S – Ohio State – 6′-2″ 203 lbs. – A single high safety that is too slow to play single high in the NFL IMO. Racked up a ton of tackles and loves to hit. I like him as a depth/3rd safety with plenty of upside in the box.

    248. Darius Anderson – RB – TCU – 5′-10″ 208 lbs. – A tough little runner with plenty of takeoff, lacks the top end to be a HR threat and lacks the size to be a between that tackles guy.

    249. Derrek Tuszka – Edge – North Dakota St. – 6′-5″ 251 lbs. – A 43 end that will transition to a standup 34 edge. Tough, strong and can hold up vs the run. Great pass rush production. Decent athlete, but lacks flexibility to bend around the edge.

    250. Rodrigo Blankenship – K – Georgia – 6′-1″ 197 lbs. – He kicks footballs and I love his nerd glasses. I dare you to find that kind of draft analysis anywhere but here. LOL

    Agamemnon

    #113963
    Avatar photozn
    Moderator

    Gary Klein@LATimesklein
    McVay: “We’ve got a nice opportunity to be patient on Thursday, and then Friday will be an exciting chance for us to get four picks off the board. But you know Les Snead. He’s a wheeler and dealer, you never know.”

    Anyone care to guess: In what year will Sean McVay make an NFL first-round pick as a head coach for the first time?

    Myles Simmons@MylesASimmons
    You know, having covered the Rams at draft time for the last five years… I am *really* not used to having a lot of things to do at the top of the draft on Thursday night.

    #113958
    Avatar photonittany ram
    Moderator

    Link: https://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/hydroxychloroquine-not-looking-good-for-covid-19/

    We have been tracking the story of the hype surrounding hydroxychloroquine over at Science-Based Medicine, but there is a brief follow up I wanted to comment on. The short version of the story so far is that one very bad French study claimed to show dramatic reduction in detected virus in those treated. This study, however, was not only preliminary, it was a horrible study, so much so that the results are uninterpretable. The big problem was that it did not count patients who became too sick or died. That is a classic way to make a treatment look better than it is. The author is also a climate change denier who initially mocked China for taking steps to mitigate Covid-19. He does not exactly have street cred within the scientific community.

    But that one horrible study from a sketchy researcher was enough to spark media hype, at least in certain circles, and capture the attention of a president apparently desperate to make this problem go away. Amid the fear of a pandemic, that was a toxic combination. The notion that hydroxychloroquine (with our without the antibiotic, azythromycin) might fight the SARS-Cov2 virus is not implausible. But most things in medicine that are “not implausible” don’t work out. We need high quality clinical science to ultimately tell.

    The big question always is – what is the risk vs benefit? Hydroxychloroquine and Azythromycin both have the same potentially deadly side effect, prolonging the QT interval of the heart, which increases the risk for sudden cardiac death. This is a manageable side effect in the right setting, but is potentially serious. This is not a good drug or combination to be taking just on the chance it might help.

    The entire episode is a good reason to remind everyone why science-based medicine is so important, the nature of clinical research, and the pitfalls of falling for preliminary data. After that initial terrible study there were two more preliminary studies, the kind that are done to see if there is any potential for the treatment that deserves more rigorous study. An open-label study in China found no benefit from hydroxychloroquine. There was also a French study attempting to replicate the results of the original study, and could not. They also found no benefit from the drug – no reduction in the virus, directly contradicting the original study.

    But perhaps most devastating is the most recent study to show results – this was a VA retrospective study comparing patients treated with hydroxychloroquine, hydroxychloroquine + azithromycin, and just usual care. They found no benefit on any measure for those treated with the drugs. However, those treated with the drugs were twice as likely to die:

    Rates of death in the HC, HC+AZ, and no HC groups were 27.8%, 22.1%, 11.4%, respectively.

    That is a huge red flag, the kind of preliminary finding that could kill the prospects for a new drug. That is exactly the reason that small preliminary studies are done, to make sure the treatment isn’t killing people before doing a larger study. Even these results are not the final word, however. This is a retrospective study, which means subjects were not randomized. It is therefore possible that sicker patients were given the drugs, for example. But we can look at all the preliminary data we have so far and conclude that it’s not looking good for the prospects of hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for Covid-19. Further, this drug has a serious potential side effect that may actually increase the risk of death for those given the treatment.

    Certainly, this is not the stage when this drug or combination should be hyped or recommended. It is nothing less than dangerously reckless to do so. Further, hydroxychloroquine is a proven treatment for some autoimmune diseases, like Lupus, and some patients who rely it are finding it difficult to get the drug because demand has spiked due to the hype. It’s pretty much a lose-lose all around.

    At this point we do need a double-blind randomized placebo controlled trial of hydroxychloroquine in Covid-19 to get some rigorous evidence. One solid negative trial, however, should end it. If the results are promising, then further study should be done. There would be many finer questions about dose, who should get the drug, who should not get it, etc. But at this point the odds are in favor of this treatment not working out, and in fact being harmful. No one should be taking this drug for Covid-19 outside an approved clinical trial.

    #113954

    In reply to: draft talk (April)

    Avatar photozn
    Moderator

    Deadpool

    Rams vertically stacked Board

    Basically what happens with an NFL stacked draft board, scouts,coaches and the FO get together and go through players and 1st stack them by position (which I did) then overall regardless of position (which I also did) then they shave off names that don’t fit. Then they stack according to need and depth of class and obviously talent and lastly, scheme and lockerroom fit. I think most teams are now doing a horizontal board, but it just doesn’t work on a message board format, so this will have to do.

    I ended up with 150 names, which is a bit much, but without having any idea what they are looking for as far as ILBers or Edge, it added a bunch of names. As did the WRs, since we have no idea what they are looking for and how deep the class is. As far as RBs, if they can fit into an outside zone scheme, they were included, as far as OL, if you can zone block inside or out, you got in. Any questions feel free to ask. FWIW my 1st stacked board had 6 of 11 players and 1 UDFA. So not bad. last year I got 5 of 8 correct, and 4 of the first 5. Missed on Gaines, Allen and Scott. So here you go, ask any questions you may have.

    1. Cesar Ruiz – IOL – Michigan – 6′-3″ 307 lbs. – Zone or man, excellent pass blocker, can play OG or OC. Best combo of size/strength and athletic ability in the IOL group. I like him as a Zone scheme OC.

    2. D’Andre Swift – RB – Georgia – 5′-8″ 212 lbs. – Bellcow back with excellent footwork and balance, HR speed and can catch passes. Not a between the tackles type.

    3. Laviska Shenault Jr. – WR – Colorado – 6′-1″ 227 lbs. – A physical, workhorse that just punishes defenders in the open field. Injuries are a concern.

    4. Josh Jones – OT – Houston – 6′-5″ 319 lbs. – Super athlete with great feet, decent anchor that would work best in a zone scheme. Not the dog the top 4 are, but still will get after it.

    5. Zack Baun – Edge – Wisconsin – 6′-3″ 238 lbs. – A bit smaller edge, but he is smart, relentless and refined. Will have trouble against the run due to size. I think he works best as a LBer you move around inside early, out late.

    6. Lloyd Cushenberry – IOL – LSU – 6′-3″ 312 lbs. – Another OG/OC candidate. Strong and tough, not as mobile as the other top OCs. Really improved over the year.

    7. Denzel Mims – WR – Baylor – 6′-3″ 207 lbs. – Big, strong with decent speed. He can go up and get it. A real 50/50 ball stud. Lacks any real route running.

    8. JK Dobbins – RB – Ohio State – 5′-9″ 210 lbs. – Inside out back that can catch passes, extremely tough after first contact and can go the distance. I wish he was a tad bigger.

    9. Justin Jefferson – WR – LSU – 6′-1″ 202 lbs. – Good route runner, good hands, good speed, good blocker. Not explosive, but gets open, makes catches and scores.

    10. Brandon Aiyuk – WR – Arizona State – 6′-0″ 205 lbs. – Another big play waiting to happen. Can take the top off the defense and is slippery in the open field. Not a very nuanced route runner, hands are OK.

    11. Terrell Lewis – Alabama – 6′-5″ 262 lbs. – Another high ceiling guy with injury history. Loooong levered. Smooth. Stong. 34 Edge

    12. Jonathan Taylor – RB – Wisconsin – 5′-10″ 226 lbs.– A workhorse back with HR speed and excellent vision. Pass catching is his worst trait, and its fine.

    13. Tee Higgins – WR – Clemson – 6′-4″ 216 lbs. – a highpoint, catch radius WR that wins at all levels of the field, but is at his best winning 50/50. Good, not great speed.

    14. Jalen Reagor – WR – Arizona State – 5′-11′ 206 lbs. – He’s a jittery HR hitter that is electric deep or in the open field. His hands are iffy IMO, or he’d be higher on my list.

    15. Clyde Edwards-Helaire – RB – LSU – 5′-7″ 207 lbs. – An easy mover with a powerful lower half. May lack the size to handle a full NFL load.

    16. Austin Jackson – OT – USC – 6′-5″ 322 lbs. – Lost time/strength due to helping his sister with a medical issue. He may need a year, but a full toolbox with a good balance of strength and agility.

    17. K.J. Hamler – WR – Penn State – 5′-9″ 178 lbs. – Electrifying. In the open field as dangerous as any WR in the draft. Hands can be iffy, and he is small, but a HR hitter and someone a defense needs to plan for.

    18. Lucas Niang – OT – TCU – 6′-6″ 315 lbs. – Another nice power/athletic combo blocker that plays with a nice edge. Injury slowed him some, and needs to get consistent.

    19. Jordyn Brooks – LB – Texas Tech – 6′-1″ 240 lbs. – An absolute heat seeking missile that is devastating going downhill, lacks pass coverage reps. Sideline to sideline.

    20. Van Jefferson – WR – Florida – 6′-1″ 200 lbs. – A route running technician, good hands and is OK in the open field. Not explosive and not what I would call a HR threat.

    21. Marlon Davidson – IDL – Auburn – 6′-3″ 303 lbs. – 3T or 34 DE. I like him as a penetrating DE in a 34 that can also hold his own against the run. Big time motor.

    22. Michael Pittman Jr. – WR – USC – 6′-4″ 223 lbs – Another physical WR that is starting to put everything together. Not a burner, but a good athlete with a great work ethic. A big Robert Woods.

    23. Donovan Peoples-Jones – WR – Michigan – 6′-2″ 212 lbs. – Good hands and an excellent athlete. Underused in that woeful Mich. offense. He is more of a projection due to lack of production.

    24. Matt Hennessy – IOL – Temple – 6′-4″ 307 lbs. – A OZS OC that is an excellent mover with great technique. Needs to get stronger, but IQ and skill set are outstanding. Reminds me of Garrett Bradbury.

    25. Julian Okwara – Edge – Notre Dame – 6′-4″ 252 lbs. – A 34 Edge with a nice blend of explosiveness and flexibility. Needs to get stronger against the run.

    26. Jonathan Greenard – Edge – Florida – 6′-4″ 263 lbs. – I just love his athletic ability, balance against the run and pass and supposedly a hard worker off the field. Not the most flexible, but his length and strength make up for it. high floor, lower ceiling type.

    27. Curtis Weaver – Edge – Boise St. – 6′-3″ 265 lbs. – He could either be a 43 or 34. Lacks an ideal athletic profile, but has a hot motor, a good first step, active hands and handles his own against the run. Another high floor, lower ceiling type.

    28. Cam Akers – RB – Florida State – 5′-10″ 217 lbs. – Another feature back buried on a horrible offense. Does a little of everything., but he’s a downhill 1 cut style power back at his best.

    29. Kyle Dugger – S – Lenoir-Rhyne – 6′-1″ 217 lbs. – Small school kid. Great size and athletic profile that can play free or strong. Excellent blitzer and played really well at the Senior Bowl. Will need some coaching.

    30. Jeremy Chinn – S – Southern Illinois – 6′-3″ 221 lbs. – Simmons-lite in a safety body. he could be a LBer a S or an edge rusher with crazy athleticism. Love his physicality and the fact that he is always around the ball.

    31. Josh Uche – Edge – Michigan – 6′-1″ 245 lbs. – Smaller edge that will have issues against the run. but he is a flexy, bursty little dude that is also good in space.

    32. Zack Moss – RB – Utah – 5′-9″ 223 lbs. – A big, bigtime power back with some wiggle to him. Hard to bring down. I like his footwork. Not a HR hitter and a 1 cut and go type back.

    33. Jonah Jackson – IOL – Ohio St. – 6′-3″ 306 lbs. – A technician with decent strength that can play anywhere on the inside. Needs to be more consistent. Plays with an edge.

    34. Akeem Davis-Gaither – LB – Appalachian St. – 6′-2″ 224 lbs. – Highly productive WILL that plays fast, can cover and rush the QB. I like him outside in a 43, but maybe a MO in a 34…

    35. Chase Claypool – WR – Notre Dame – 6′-4″ 238 lbs. – A big possession WR, that wins contested catches, 50-50 balls and is tough in the redzone. Tested better then he plays, but is still a great athlete.

    36. Bradlee Anae – Edge – Utah – 6′-3″ 257 lbs. – Can rush the passer and hold his own against the run, excellent hand fighter, with a top-notch motor. Not the greatest athlete. 43 or 34 compatable.

    37. Robert Hunt – IOL – Louisiana-Lafayette – 6′-5″ 323 lbs. – 2nd nastiest OG in the draft. He is a punisher. Needs to be a little more patient, but he will finish on all levels.

    38. Malik Harrison – LB – Ohio St. – 6′-3″ 247 lbs. – Old school type MLBer that stuffs the run and plugs gaps. Quick to react, strong and will drop the hammer. Too stiff to contribute in a lot of coverage.

    39. Brycen Hopkins – TE – Purdue – 6′-4″ 245 lbs. – Your prototypical new age TE. A mismatch problem in the middle of the field that is a smooth, easy mover. Not an inline blocker, I worry a bit about his hands.

    40. Prince Tega Wanogho – OT – Auburn – 6′-5″ 308 lbs. – Surprise, an athletic, raw skilled LT from Auburn. He has elite tools, but needs a year learning and gaining strength.

    41. Leki Fotu – IDL – Utah – 6′-4″ 330 lbs. – A monster NT with a little pass rush juice to him. Good motor and is almost impossible to move. Not the athletic freak Lawrence was last year.

    42. Ben Bartch – OT – St. Johns (MN) – 6′-6″ 309 lbs. – Small School prospect that held his own at Senior Bowl. TE turned OT. Athletic with a nice anchor, he needs seasoning. Arm length probably moves him inside.

    43. Eno Benjamin – RB – Arizona State – 5′-9″ 207 lbs. – Physical for his size, smooth lower half and can be slippery to tackle. Change of pace back only.

    44. Matt Peart – OT – Connecticut – 6′-7″ 318 lbs. – An easy moving OT with decent strength that again, could use a year or 2 learning and adding power, but there is no denying the skills are there.

    45. Tyler Biadasz – IOL – Wisconsin – 6′-4″ 314 lbs. – OC for any scheme. Excellent mover with a great anchor and good strength. Off season hip surgery slowed him down last season. Followed by shoulder surgery this off season. Could be a heck of a steal.

    46. Raekwon Davis – IDL – Alabama – 6′-7″ 311 lbs. – a 34 DE, because he will get out-leveraged on the inside. powerful with a solid anchor against the run, pass rush potential is there, but never developed.

    47. Albert Okwuegbunam – TE – Missouri – 6′-5″ 258 lbs. – Big target with enough athletic ability to create issues in the seam. A decent and willing blocker inline. Offense and QB really slowed down his progression.

    48. Bryan Edwards – WR – South Carolina – 6′-3″ 212 lbs. – He wins with his size and physicality in the middle of the field. Not a burner, but plays hard and smart.

    49. Darnay Holmes – CB – UCLA – 5′-10″ 195 lbs.– Smooth and quick are his calling cards. I wish he was more aggressive. off man or zone scheme fit.

    50. Troy Dye – LB – Oregon – 6′-4″ 231 lbs. – Another see ball, chase ball LBer that needs to add strength. But he makes plays all over the field.

    51.Kenny Robinson – S – XFL – 6′-1″ 205 lbs. – A ballhawking single high Safety that needs development, but has a real nice athletic profile and flashes elite ball skills.

    52. Thaddeus Moss – TE – LSU – 6′-2″ 250 lbs. – Not the freakish athlete his dad was, but is a monster in the blocking game, is a nuanced route runner and knows how to get open. Competes hard.

    53. Cole Kmet – TE – Notre Dame – 6′-6″ 263 lbs. – Another size mismatch with decent athleticism. Should be a better blocker then he is. Good hands, decent route runner.

    54. Adam Troutman – TE – Dayton – 6′-5″ 255 lbs. – Exciting athlete that is new to being a TE. Extremely productive, but a raw skill set including route running. A plus blocker.

    55. Darrell Taylor – Edge – Tennessee – 6′-4″ 267 lbs. – Good athlete, with plenty of flex, decent get off and enough size to hold up against the run. hasn’t put it all together. High upside, high bust potential.

    56. Nick Harris – IOL – Washington – 6′-1″ 302 lbs. – Smaller, smooth moving OC that lacks the power to go heads up against any kind of power. Good technique. Zone scheme only.

    57. Saahdiq Charles – OT – LSU – 6′-4″ 321 lbs. – A smooth mover with good athleticism, but lacks power. A move inside might be in his future. zone scheme prospect.

    58. Logan Stenberg – IOL – Kentucky – 6′-6″ 317 lbs. – Meanest, nastiest OG in the draft. Won’t win on style points and will talk your ear off. Not a great athlete.

    59. Ezra Cleveland – OT – Boise State – 6′-6″ 311 lbs. – Absolute athlete for his size/length. Real smooth mover with light feet. Needs to add strength and needs technique work. I’d say an OZS LT right now.

    60. Willie Gay Jr. – LB – Miss. St. – 6′-2″ 243 lbs. – Athletic and quick, will pop you in the mouth. And he did punch his own QB in the face, so there is that. Could be a 3 down ILBer with some seasoning.

    61. Terrell Burgess – S – Utah – 5′-11″ 202 lbs. – He’s an exciting athlete with good speed and a bigtime motor. Lack of size might be an issue.

    62. Larrell Murchison – IDL – NC State – 6′-2″ 297 lbs. – A nose for the ball with a great motor. Not the rangiest 3 tech, but he will apply constant pressure.

    63. Brandon Jones – S – Texas – 5′-11″ 198 lbs. – A smaller, tad more rangy version of Brooks. He is a thumper with an all-day motor, and a nose for the ball.

    64. Jordan Elliott – IDL – Missouri – 6′-4″ 302 lbs. – Strong and bursty, he can cause havoc in the backfield. Easy mover with excellent hands. Not the fastest off the snap, timing issues slow him down.

    65. Tyler Johnson – WR – Minnesota – 6′-1″ 206 lbs. – A nuanced route runner that knows how to get open. Plays with some physicality. I question his speed and he didn’t run so…

    66. Netane Muti – IOL – Fresno St. – 6′-3″ 315 lbs. – Skill set, power and movement ability should have him as the top IOL in the draft. he can flat out dominate. And looks to dominate you. Cannot stay healthy. Serious medical red flags.

    67. AJ Dillon – RB – Boston College – 6′-0″ 247 lbs. – A bigger bodied back with more speed than one would think. A gap power fit. Loses a lot when stretched out east to west.

    68. Ben Bredeson – IOL – Michigan – 6′-5″ 315 lbs. – A LG prospect I love that has played in Gap/man/OSZ at Mich so he is versatile. Decent mover with good balance and very good power that looks to finish blocks.

    69. Amik Robertson – CB – Louisiana Tech – 5′-8″ 187 lbs. – slot corner due to his size. But he is a mean, physical little dude that will bring the fight to you.

    70. Lamical Perine – RB – Florida – 5′-11″ 216 lbs. – A patient power back with just enough juice to get to the house. Enough wiggle to get outside, but is at his best working north to south.

    71. Jabari Zuniga – Edge – Florida – 6′-3″ 253 lbs. – Decent burst, OK against the run, good athlete with range. Another boom bust prospect.

    72. Kenny Willekes – Edge – Michigan State – 6′-4″ 264 lbs. – Relentless, tough, strong, try hard with average athletic ability for the position. I think due to that he is a 43 DE.

    73. Alex Highsmith – Edge – Charlotte – 6′-4″ 248 lbs. – Dynamic athlete off the edge with plenty of range, good flexibility and a great motor. Not the sturdiest run defender. 34 Edge.

    74. Logan Wilson – LB – Wyoming – 6′-2″ 241 lbs. – A easy flowing downhill ILBer with average athletic ability, plays with smarts and under control. Don’t think he has the range to cover on passing downs. 2 Down ILBer.

    75. Anthony McFarland – RB – Maryland – 5′-8″ 208 lbs. – An undersized, raw talented HR threat from anywhere on the field. Not a 3 down guy.

    76. Shaquille Quarterman – LB – Miami – 6′-1″ 234 lbs. – A real old school MLBer that reads, reacts and then thumps. I think he moves well enough to help in some coverage.

    77. Antonio Gibson – RB – Memphis – 6′-1″ 223 lbs. – A wr/rb/do it all back with home run ability. Elusive with a bit of power. A jack of all trades, master of none.

    78. Evan Weaver – LB – California – 6′-2″ 237 lbs. – Not the world’s greatest athlete, but he is so instinctual he’s always around the ball. Super productive. Not a hammer and not great in coverage.

    79. David Woodward – LB – Utah State – 6′-2″ 230 lbs. -Not fast or super athletic, but he is smart, instinctual and has a big motor. He is everywhere. ILB

    80. Ke’Shawn Vaughn – RB – Vanderbilt – 5′-10″ 214 lbs. – Decent vision with good balance and ok speed. Good pass catcher. Lacks wiggle and not explosive.

    81. Quintez Cephus – WR – 6′-1″ 202 lbs. – Wisconsin – Big strong physical. Good route runner that can get himself open. Lacks deep speed. Faced 2 counts of sexual assault, case was dismissed.

    82. Jason Strowbridge – IDL – North Carolina – 6′-4″ 275 lbs. – A gap jumper that lacks the size to hold his ground against double teams. Once he is into gaps, causes issues for the offense. A 34 DE or 43 DE is his future.

    83. Alton Robinson – Edge – Syracuse – 6′-3″ 264 lbs. – A toolbox full of length, athletic ability, bend and explosiveness. Decent against the run. Just needs to put it all together. 34 Edge with a high ceiling.

    84. Joe Bachie Jr. – LB – Michigan State – 6′-2″ 230 lbs. – a ILB with good instincts and decent range. Will pop you in the mouth when given the chance. Probably a 2 down ILBer in the NFL. Steroid suspension…

    85. Joshua Kelley – RB – UCLA – 5′-11″ 212 lbs. – Strong, tough with good balance and hard to bring down, but lacks wiggle and HR speed. A one cut and go type of back.

    86. Lynn Bowden – WR – Kentucky – 5′-11″ 204 lbs. – a gadget WR that can play RB and QB (wildcat) A real team guy that you will need to game plan to get the ball in his hands as he learns to be a slot WR.

    87. Colby Parkinson – TE – Stanford – 6′-7 252 lbs. – Big with a big wingspan, he will torture defenders in the middle of the field and the endzone. Not a great blocker and needs to get stronger.

    88. Antonio Gandy-Golden – WR – Liberty – 6′-4″ 223 lbs. – Crazy catches are littered throughout his highlights. Outstanding catch radius combined with flypaper hands make him a bigtime contested and 50-50 ball receiver. Not a great athlete or burner.

    89. Darrynton Evans – RB – Appalachian State – 5′-10″ 203 lbs. – Lightning in a bottle. His change of direction and lateral jump cuts will have defenders tackling air. HR speed. Narrow frame with little room for growth. Better outside then inside. OZS committee back.

    90. J.R. Reed – S – Georgia – 6′-1″ 202 lbs. – An old school SS that works best moving forward as he doesn’t have the foot speed to be ultra rangy.

    91. Harrison Bryant – TE -Florida Atlantic – 6′-5″ 243 lbs. – Athletic with good hands and is a good route runner. He isn’t a blocker. His calling card is in the middle of the field.

    92. Javelin Guidry – CB – Utah – 5′-9″ 191 lbs. – Quick, oily and super fast. Size is going to limit him to slot/nickel/dime work.

    93. Hakeem Adeniji – OT – Kansas – 6′-4″ 302 lbs. – Another smaller LT that moves well and could slide into a zone scheme easily. needs to add power.

    94. Jacob Breeland – TE – Oregon – 6′-5″ 252 lbs. – An average at best athlete, but plays with an edge and isn’t afraid of contact. Good hands and can get deep. Decent inline blocker.

    95. Geno Stone – S – Iowa – 5′-10″ 207 lbs. – Another kid from Iowa with smarts, instincts and lacks a big athletic profile. Works best in the box or zone coverage.

    96. Markus Bailey – LB – Purdue – 6′-1″ 235 lbs. – A Kiser clone in the fact that he is a smart. between the tackles, run stopping machine. Not enough athletic ability or speed to cover against the pass. 2019 knee injury muddies his water. 2 down ILB.

    97. Josiah Deguara – TE – Cincinnati – 6′-2″ 242 lbs. – Good inline blocker regardless his size, is also a good route runner and pass catcher. Not a tremendous athlete, but is first team try hard TE. A balanced TE.

    98. Gabriel Davis – WR – UCF – 6′-2″ 216 lbs. – Exciting athlete with decent speed and plays with a bit of an edge. hands are meh, and he didn’t run a ton of different routes.

    99. D.J. Wonnum – Edge – South Carolina – 6′-5″ 258 lbs. – An above average athlete that can do a little of everything, but isn’t great at any one thing. Perfect size for 34 Edge with a great motor.

    100. Justin Strnad – LB – Wake Forest – 6′-3″ 238 lbs. – Smooth moving forward and backward, can run and cover and go sideline to sideline. Would rather run around blockers then stack and shed. Still learning the nuances so his arrow is pointing up. ILBer in an odd front or WILL in an even front.

    101. Myles Bryant – CB – Washington – 5′-8″ 183 lbs. – another slot CB, plays faster than he ran, explosive movement skills.

    102. Lamar Jackson – CB – Nebraska – 6′-2″ 208 lbs. – Big, long and physical. Speed will give him issues. Press man CB.

    103. Julian Blackmon – S – Utah – 6′-0″ 187 lbs. – Fun kid on tape. Plenty of speed and range, great physicality, but at the same time, not a tremendous athlete.

    104. Devin Duvernay – WR – Texas – 5′-10″ 200 lbs. – a speed demon that would rather run you over then around you. A RB in a WRs body. A smart OC can do alot of stuff with this kid. Small catch radius.

    105. Essang Bassey – CB – Wake Forest – 5′-9″ 191 lbs. – a nickel/slot CB that gets after it and is a smooth enough athlete to mirror really well.

    106. Charlie Heck – OT – North Carolina – 6′-8″ 311 lbs. – As Alyo has stated, the son of a coach. Smart, good technique and excellent length. Needs to add some weight and power. Great developmental type of L/RT.

    107. James Lynch – IDL – Baylor – 6′-4″ 289 lbs. – Monster sack production from a guy with not a ton of athletic ability. Not twitchy and not explosive. Just average strength. Really just wins on an all-day motor and a give ’em hell attitude.

    108. Trevis Gipson – Edge – Tulsa – 6′-4″ 261 lbs. – an easy mover with decent burst and good flexibility. Can get bullied against the run. Developmental 34 Edge.

    109. A.J. Green – CB – Oklahoma State – 6′-1″ 202 lbs. – Physical CB, sometimes too physical. Decent speed and a decent athletic profile.

    110. Jalen Elliott – S – Notre Dame – 6′-0″ 205 lbs. – Slow, moderate athlete, but man he loves to blow up ball carriers. IMO a box safety or a big nickel LBer.

    111. Mitchell Wilcox- TE – South Florida – 6′-3″ 247 lbs. – Hard working combo TE that had good production, but won’t wow you as an athlete. I worry a bit about his hands.

    112. Trevon Hill – Edge – Miami – 6′-3″ 248 lbs. – Athletic, bursty edge with a nice pass rush. Needs to add weight to handle the run. Pass rush specialist early. 34 Edge.

    113. Josiah Scott – CB – Michigan State – 5′-9″ 185 lbs. – A nickel back with good speed and decent toughness for his size. Good ball skills. Too small to survive on the outside.

    114. Myles Dorn – S – North Carolina – 6′-2″ 205 lbs. – A decent all-around S with good work in the box and some solid pass defense stats. His lack of speed may limit his upside.

    115. Kendall Coleman – Edge – Syracuse – 6′-3″ 257 lbs. – Average athlete that is really still developing his skill set. Good motor and plays with nice physicality. Needs to be developed. Developmental 34 Edge.

    116. Jake Hanson – IOL – Oregon – 6′-4″ 303 lbs. – A zone scheme OC. A technician and good athlete, lacks the strength to trade power with defenders.

    117. Mykal Walker – LB – Fresno State – 6′-3″ 230 lbs. – Has played DE, Edge and ILB. So, he is a movable chess pc. I like him as an ILB in an odd front. Certainly knows how to blitz, can drop into coverage and will stick his nose in the fan in run support. Needs development time, due to so many position changes.

    118. Lavert Hill – CB – Michigan – 5′-10″ 190 lbs. – A hard-nosed press man. Lacks speed to stay with the fast WRs. Might work inside. Man only.

    119. – Michael Warren II – RB – Cincinnati – 5′-9″ 226 lbs. – Decent feet for his build (a bowling ball) with good power and contact balance. Not making you miss and isn’t a HR hitter. Another short yardage back IMO.

    120. Tanner Muse – S – Clemson – 6′-2″ 227 lbs. – A big S, maybe a LBer…4.41 speed, can play deep due to his speed and athleticism, can play in the box due to his size. Never put it all together for his profile.

    121. Aaron Parker – WR – Rhode Island – 6′-2″ 209 lbs. – A good blend of physicality combines with his ability to go up and get it makes him a contested catch monster. He needs to develop his route running.

    122. Kyle Murphy – IOL – Rhode Island – 6′-3″ 316 lbs. – Overpowered FCS competition, needs to add size and power to do that at the NFL level. He’s an easy mover with good footwork. Scheme versatile.

    123. Joe Reed – WR – Virginia – 6′-0″ 224 lbs. – A deep threat with good hands and can return in STs. Has some wiggle. Another gadget kid early as he learns to run routes properly.

    124. Stephen Sullivan – TE – LSU – 6′-5″ 248 lbs. – Massive seam buster that got lost in the shuffle of an all star offense. Long, middle of the field mismatch. Not a tremendous blocker.

    125. Benito Jones – IDL – Ole Miss – 6′-1″ 316 lbs. – a fire hydrant with very good strength. Won’t slide thru gaps but holds more than his own against the run. A true NT with a little pass rush push.

    126. Jaylinn Hawkins – S – California – 6′-1″ 208 lbs. – Smart, physical with some range. Not a ton and won’t wow you going sideline to sideline. Decent ball skills, but he has room for improvement.

    127. Davion Taylor – LB – Colorado – 6′-1″ 228 lbs. – Late comer to football. Kid is a PAC 12 track star, so he can fly, great athlete, smooth mover. Great motor. Needs to get stronger and needs massive development. WILL or ILB in a 34.

    128. Kyahva Tezino – LB – San Diego State – 6′-0″ 235 lbs. – Plays the run well, decent athlete that can get to the sidelines and plays with patience and intelligence. Lacks length and quickness.

    129 Devin Asiasi – TE – UCLA – 6′-3″ 257 lbs. – a combo blocker/receiver with good size for the position. Needs technical work in all aspects. Developmental type traditional TE.

    130. Dalton Keene – TE – Virginia Tech – 6′-4″ 253 lbs. – Here is your late round, H-back, fullback, TE. He can block and catch but was never really given much opportunity. Decent athlete, but plays like an old school TE.

    131. Kindle Vildor – CB – Georgia Southern – 5′-10″ 191 lbs. – Ballhawking athletic CB with the size and footwork to work in any scheme. Not great in run support. Can be over-aggressive.

    132. Stephen Guidry – WR – Mississippi State – 6′-3″ 201 lbs. – Long with long arms and decent deep speed. Can go up and get it, or win over the top. Not a great route runner.

    133. Justin Herron – OT – Wake Forest – 6′-4″ 308 lbs. – A OG in the NFL. Good pass blocker with decent footwork, has trouble trading power in the run game. Zone scheme OG.

    134. Reggie Robinson II – CB – Tulsa – 6′-1″ 205 lbs. – Long with decent athletic profile, does his best work in a zone and things are in front of him. Nice production. Modest athlete.

    135. Tyrie Cleveland – WR – Florida – 6′-2″ 209 lbs. – Long and fast. Never ran a diverse route tree, but he can eat up a DB in a hurry. Will need some development.

    136. Jon Runyan – OT – Michigan – 6′-4″ 306 lbs. – I think he moves inside to OG. Son of an NFL OT. So he is smart. Good athlete but lacks strength. zone scheme OG.

    137. Tipa Galea’i – EDGE – Utah State – 6′-5″ 235 lbs. – An explosive, oily, easy mover. Needs to add mass if he wants to hold up against the run.

    138. Nigel Warrior – S – Tennessee – 6′-0″ 190 lbs. – Vols played him everywhere from what I saw. So he can do some of everything. Good athlete, good run defender for hsi size. Lack of ball production is a concern.

    139. Nevelle Clarke – CB – UCF – 6′-1″ 190 lbs. – I called him a mini Ramsey. Plays with a swagger and a ballhawks mentality. Great size for a CB. Easy mover. Needs to add strength and some weight to reach his full potential.

    140. James Proche – WR – SMU – 5′-11″ 201 lbs. – Natural hands and just catches everything. Smooth athlete, with great college production. Not a burner. Needs to work on route running.

    141. Cameron Brown – LB – Penn State – 6′-5″ 233 lbs. – Long for a LBer. Also raw. Can cover a ton of ground quickly and goes sideline to sideline. Not great in coverage. Not sure his position fit. 43 OLB or maybe add 15-20 lbs and make him a 34 edge?

    142. Sean McKeon – TE – Michigan – 6′-5″ 242 lbs. – A combo TE that can block in line and be used as a pass catcher. Not the most dynamic route runner, or athlete, but he competes hard. Good 3rd TE for a roster.

    143. Quez Watkins – WR – Southern Miss – 6′-0″ 185 lbs. – Will take the top off a defense. No idea how to run a route, gets open from DBs being scared of being ran by. Electric in the open field. Needs to add some good weight.

    144. Grayland Arnold – CB – Baylor – 5′-9″ 186 lbs. – Nickel CB with great ball production. Smooth lower body makes him sticky, has a ballhawk mentality. Lacks size to hold up on the outside.

    145. Charlie Taumoepeau – TE – Portland State – 6′-2″ 240 lbs. – Literally a move TE. He played H-back, RB, TE, WR for Portland State. So he can block and catch and be a nice depth piece. Nothing athletically extrordinary.

    146. Levonta Taylor – CB – Florida State – 5′-10″ 190 lbs. – a CB turned safety, smooth lower half and good speed and lack of strength make him an ideal zone fit, either as a nickel or S. had back problems in the past.

    147. Mohamed Barry – LB – Nebraska – 6′-1″ 245 lbs. – A bull in a china shop ILBer with sideline to sideline athleticism. Tough and strong just kinda running around out there hitting things and overrunning other things…

    148. John Reid – CB – Penn State – 5′-10″ 187 lbs. – A physical press man CB that due to lack of size will end up being a Nickel Back. Average speed to match his average athletic ability.

    149. Jordan Fuller – S – Ohio State – 6′-2″ 203 lbs. – A single high safety that is too slow to play single high in the NFL IMO. Racked up a ton of tackles and loves to hit. I like him as a depth/3rd safety with plenty of upside in the box.

    150. Derrek Tuszka – Edge – North Dakota St. – 6′-5″ 251 lbs. – A 43 end that will transition to a standup 34 edge. Tough, strong and can hold up vs the run. Great pass rush production. Decent athlete, but lacks flexibility to bend around the edge.

    #113949

    In reply to: draft talk (April)

    Avatar photoAgamemnon
    Participant

    1. Cesar Ruiz – IOL – Michigan – 6′-3″ 307 lbs. – Zone or man, excellent pass blocker, can play OG or OC. Best combo of size/strength and athletic ability in the IOL group. I like him as a Zone scheme OC.

    2. D’Andre Swift – RB – Georgia – 5′-8″ 212 lbs. – Bellcow back with excellent footwork and balance, HR speed and can catch passes. Not a between the tackles type.

    3. Laviska Shenault Jr. – WR – Colorado – 6′-1″ 227 lbs. – A physical, workhorse that just punishes defenders in the open field. Injuries are a concern.

    4. Josh Jones – OT – Houston – 6′-5″ 319 lbs. – Super athlete with great feet, decent anchor that would work best in a zone scheme. Not the dog the top 4 are, but still will get after it.

    5. Zack Baun – Edge – Wisconsin – 6′-3″ 238 lbs. – A bit smaller edge, but he is smart, relentless and refined. Will have trouble against the run due to size. I think he works best as a LBer you move around inside early, out late.

    6. Lloyd Cushenberry – IOL – LSU – 6′-3″ 312 lbs. – Another OG/OC candidate. Strong and tough, not as mobile as the other top OCs. Really improved over the year.

    7. Denzel Mims – WR – Baylor – 6′-3″ 207 lbs. – Big, strong with decent speed. He can go up and get it. A real 50/50 ball stud. Lacks any real route running.

    8. JK Dobbins – RB – Ohio State – 5′-9″ 210 lbs. – Inside out back that can catch passes, extremely tough after first contact and can go the distance. I wish he was a tad bigger.

    9. Justin Jefferson – WR – LSU – 6′-1″ 202 lbs. – Good route runner, good hands, good speed, good blocker. Not explosive, but gets open, makes catches and scores.

    10. Brandon Aiyuk – WR – Arizona State – 6′-0″ 205 lbs. – Another big play waiting to happen. Can take the top off the defense and is slippery in the open field. Not a very nuanced route runner, hands are OK.

    11. Terrell Lewis – Alabama – 6′-5″ 262 lbs. – Another high ceiling guy with injury history. Loooong levered. Smooth. Stong. 34 Edge

    12. Jonathan Taylor – RB – Wisconsin – 5′-10″ 226 lbs.- A workhorse back with HR speed and excellent vision. Pass catching is his worst trait, and its fine.

    13. Tee Higgins – WR – Clemson – 6′-4″ 216 lbs. – a highpoint, catch radius WR that wins at all levels of the field, but is at his best winning 50/50. Good, not great speed.

    14. Jalen Reagor – WR – Arizona State – 5′-11′ 206 lbs. – He’s a jittery HR hitter that is electric deep or in the open field. His hands are iffy IMO, or he’d be higher on my list.

    15. Clyde Edwards-Helaire – RB – LSU – 5′-7″ 207 lbs. – An easy mover with a powerful lower half. May lack the size to handle a full NFL load.

    16. Austin Jackson – OT – USC – 6′-5″ 322 lbs. – Lost time/strength due to helping his sister with a medical issue. He may need a year, but a full toolbox with a good balance of strength and agility.

    17. K.J. Hamler – WR – Penn State – 5′-9″ 178 lbs. – Electrifying. In the open field as dangerous as any WR in the draft. Hands can be iffy, and he is small, but a HR hitter and someone a defense needs to plan for.

    18. Lucas Niang – OT – TCU – 6′-6″ 315 lbs. – Another nice power/athletic combo blocker that plays with a nice edge. Injury slowed him some, and needs to get consistent.

    19. Jordyn Brooks – LB – Texas Tech – 6′-1″ 240 lbs. – An absolute heat seeking missile that is devastating going downhill, lacks pass coverage reps. Sideline to sideline.

    20. Van Jefferson – WR – Florida – 6′-1″ 200 lbs. – A route running technician, good hands and is OK in the open field. Not explosive and not what I would call a HR threat.

    21. Marlon Davidson – IDL – Auburn – 6′-3″ 303 lbs. – 3T or 34 DE. I like him as a penetrating DE in a 34 that can also hold his own against the run. Big time motor.

    22. Michael Pittman Jr. – WR – USC – 6′-4″ 223 lbs – Another physical WR that is starting to put everything together. Not a burner, but a good athlete with a great work ethic. A big Robert Woods.

    23. Donovan Peoples-Jones – WR – Michigan – 6′-2″ 212 lbs. – Good hands and an excellent athlete. Underused in that woeful Mich. offense. He is more of a projection due to lack of production.

    24. Matt Hennessy – IOL – Temple – 6′-4″ 307 lbs. – A OZS OC that is an excellent mover with great technique. Needs to get stronger, but IQ and skill set are outstanding. Reminds me of Garrett Bradbury.

    25. Julian Okwara – Edge – Notre Dame – 6′-4″ 252 lbs. – A 34 Edge with a nice blend of explosiveness and flexibility. Needs to get stronger against the run.

    26. Jonathan Greenard – Edge – Florida – 6′-4″ 263 lbs. – I just love his athletic ability, balance against the run and pass and supposedly a hard worker off the field. Not the most flexible, but his length and strength make up for it. high floor, lower ceiling type.

    27. Curtis Weaver – Edge – Boise St. – 6′-3″ 265 lbs. – He could either be a 43 or 34. Lacks an ideal athletic profile, but has a hot motor, a good first step, active hands and handles his own against the run. Another high floor, lower ceiling type.

    28. Cam Akers – RB – Florida State – 5′-10″ 217 lbs. – Another feature back buried on a horrible offense. Does a little of everything., but he’s a downhill 1 cut style power back at his best.

    29. Kyle Dugger – S – Lenoir-Rhyne – 6′-1″ 217 lbs. – Small school kid. Great size and athletic profile that can play free or strong. Excellent blitzer and played really well at the Senior Bowl. Will need some coaching.

    30. Jeremy Chinn – S – Southern Illinois – 6′-3″ 221 lbs. – Simmons-lite in a safety body. he could be a LBer a S or an edge rusher with crazy athleticism. Love his physicality and the fact that he is always around the ball.

    31. Josh Uche – Edge – Michigan – 6′-1″ 245 lbs. – Smaller edge that will have issues against the run. but he is a flexy, bursty little dude that is also good in space.

    32. Zack Moss – RB – Utah – 5′-9″ 223 lbs. – A big, bigtime power back with some wiggle to him. Hard to bring down. I like his footwork. Not a HR hitter and a 1 cut and go type back.

    33. Jonah Jackson – IOL – Ohio St. – 6′-3″ 306 lbs. – A technician with decent strength that can play anywhere on the inside. Needs to be more consistent. Plays with an edge.

    34. Akeem Davis-Gaither – LB – Appalachian St. – 6′-2″ 224 lbs. – Highly productive WILL that plays fast, can cover and rush the QB. I like him outside in a 43, but maybe a MO in a 34…

    35. Chase Claypool – WR – Notre Dame – 6′-4″ 238 lbs. – A big possession WR, that wins contested catches, 50-50 balls and is tough in the redzone. Tested better then he plays, but is still a great athlete.

    36. Bradlee Anae – Edge – Utah – 6′-3″ 257 lbs. – Can rush the passer and hold his own against the run, excellent hand fighter, with a top-notch motor. Not the greatest athlete. 43 or 34 compatable.

    37. Robert Hunt – IOL – Louisiana-Lafayette – 6′-5″ 323 lbs. – 2nd nastiest OG in the draft. He is a punisher. Needs to be a little more patient, but he will finish on all levels.

    38. Malik Harrison – LB – Ohio St. – 6′-3″ 247 lbs. – Old school type MLBer that stuffs the run and plugs gaps. Quick to react, strong and will drop the hammer. Too stiff to contribute in a lot of coverage.

    39. Brycen Hopkins – TE – Purdue – 6′-4″ 245 lbs. – Your prototypical new age TE. A mismatch problem in the middle of the field that is a smooth, easy mover. Not an inline blocker, I worry a bit about his hands.

    40. Prince Tega Wanogho – OT – Auburn – 6′-5″ 308 lbs. – Surprise, an athletic, raw skilled LT from Auburn. He has elite tools, but needs a year learning and gaining strength.

    41. Leki Fotu – IDL – Utah – 6′-4″ 330 lbs. – A monster NT with a little pass rush juice to him. Good motor and is almost impossible to move. Not the athletic freak Lawrence was last year.

    42. Ben Bartch – OT – St. Johns (MN) – 6′-6″ 309 lbs. – Small School prospect that held his own at Senior Bowl. TE turned OT. Athletic with a nice anchor, he needs seasoning. Arm length probably moves him inside.

    43. Eno Benjamin – RB – Arizona State – 5′-9″ 207 lbs. – Physical for his size, smooth lower half and can be slippery to tackle. Change of pace back only.

    44. Matt Peart – OT – Connecticut – 6′-7″ 318 lbs. – An easy moving OT with decent strength that again, could use a year or 2 learning and adding power, but there is no denying the skills are there.

    45. Tyler Biadasz – IOL – Wisconsin – 6′-4″ 314 lbs. – OC for any scheme. Excellent mover with a great anchor and good strength. Off season hip surgery slowed him down last season. Followed by shoulder surgery this off season. Could be a heck of a steal.

    46. Raekwon Davis – IDL – Alabama – 6′-7″ 311 lbs. – a 34 DE, because he will get out-leveraged on the inside. powerful with a solid anchor against the run, pass rush potential is there, but never developed.

    47. Albert Okwuegbunam – TE – Missouri – 6′-5″ 258 lbs. – Big target with enough athletic ability to create issues in the seam. A decent and willing blocker inline. Offense and QB really slowed down his progression.

    48. Bryan Edwards – WR – South Carolina – 6′-3″ 212 lbs. – He wins with his size and physicality in the middle of the field. Not a burner, but plays hard and smart.

    49. Darnay Holmes – CB – UCLA – 5′-10″ 195 lbs.- Smooth and quick are his calling cards. I wish he was more aggressive. off man or zone scheme fit.

    50. Troy Dye – LB – Oregon – 6′-4″ 231 lbs. – Another see ball, chase ball LBer that needs to add strength. But he makes plays all over the field.

    51.Kenny Robinson – S – XFL – 6′-1″ 205 lbs. – A ballhawking single high Safety that needs development, but has a real nice athletic profile and flashes elite ball skills.

    52. Thaddeus Moss – TE – LSU – 6′-2″ 250 lbs. – Not the freakish athlete his dad was, but is a monster in the blocking game, is a nuanced route runner and knows how to get open. Competes hard.

    53. Cole Kmet – TE – Notre Dame – 6′-6″ 263 lbs. – Another size mismatch with decent athleticism. Should be a better blocker then he is. Good hands, decent route runner.

    54. Adam Troutman – TE – Dayton – 6′-5″ 255 lbs. – Exciting athlete that is new to being a TE. Extremely productive, but a raw skill set including route running. A plus blocker.

    55. Darrell Taylor – Edge – Tennessee – 6′-4″ 267 lbs. – Good athlete, with plenty of flex, decent get off and enough size to hold up against the run. hasn’t put it all together. High upside, high bust potential.

    56. Nick Harris – IOL – Washington – 6′-1″ 302 lbs. – Smaller, smooth moving OC that lacks the power to go heads up against any kind of power. Good technique. Zone scheme only.

    57. Saahdiq Charles – OT – LSU – 6′-4″ 321 lbs. – A smooth mover with good athleticism, but lacks power. A move inside might be in his future. zone scheme prospect.

    58. Logan Stenberg – IOL – Kentucky – 6′-6″ 317 lbs. – Meanest, nastiest OG in the draft. Won’t win on style points and will talk your ear off. Not a great athlete.

    59. Ezra Cleveland – OT – Boise State – 6′-6″ 311 lbs. – Absolute athlete for his size/length. Real smooth mover with light feet. Needs to add strength and needs technique work. I’d say an OZS LT right now.

    60. Willie Gay Jr. – LB – Miss. St. – 6′-2″ 243 lbs. – Athletic and quick, will pop you in the mouth. And he did punch his own QB in the face, so there is that. Could be a 3 down ILBer with some seasoning.

    61. Terrell Burgess – S – Utah – 5′-11″ 202 lbs. – He’s an exciting athlete with good speed and a bigtime motor. Lack of size might be an issue.

    62. Larrell Murchison – IDL – NC State – 6′-2″ 297 lbs. – A nose for the ball with a great motor. Not the rangiest 3 tech, but he will apply constant pressure.

    63. Brandon Jones – S – Texas – 5′-11″ 198 lbs. – A smaller, tad more rangy version of Brooks. He is a thumper with an all-day motor, and a nose for the ball.

    64. Jordan Elliott – IDL – Missouri – 6′-4″ 302 lbs. – Strong and bursty, he can cause havoc in the backfield. Easy mover with excellent hands. Not the fastest off the snap, timing issues slow him down.

    65. Tyler Johnson – WR – Minnesota – 6′-1″ 206 lbs. – A nuanced route runner that knows how to get open. Plays with some physicality. I question his speed and he didn’t run so…

    66. Netane Muti – IOL – Fresno St. – 6′-3″ 315 lbs. – Skill set, power and movement ability should have him as the top IOL in the draft. he can flat out dominate. And looks to dominate you. Cannot stay healthy. Serious medical red flags.

    67. AJ Dillon – RB – Boston College – 6′-0″ 247 lbs. – A bigger bodied back with more speed than one would think. A gap power fit. Loses a lot when stretched out east to west.

    68. Ben Bredeson – IOL – Michigan – 6′-5″ 315 lbs. – A LG prospect I love that has played in Gap/man/OSZ at Mich so he is versatile. Decent mover with good balance and very good power that looks to finish blocks.

    69. Amik Robertson – CB – Louisiana Tech – 5′-8″ 187 lbs. – slot corner due to his size. But he is a mean, physical little dude that will bring the fight to you.

    70. Lamical Perine – RB – Florida – 5′-11″ 216 lbs. – A patient power back with just enough juice to get to the house. Enough wiggle to get outside, but is at his best working north to south.

    71. Jabari Zuniga – Edge – Florida – 6′-3″ 253 lbs. – Decent burst, OK against the run, good athlete with range. Another boom bust prospect.

    72. Kenny Willekes – Edge – Michigan State – 6′-4″ 264 lbs. – Relentless, tough, strong, try hard with average athletic ability for the position. I think due to that he is a 43 DE.

    73. Alex Highsmith – Edge – Charlotte – 6′-4″ 248 lbs. – Dynamic athlete off the edge with plenty of range, good flexibility and a great motor. Not the sturdiest run defender. 34 Edge.

    74. Logan Wilson – LB – Wyoming – 6′-2″ 241 lbs. – A easy flowing downhill ILBer with average athletic ability, plays with smarts and under control. Don’t think he has the range to cover on passing downs. 2 Down ILBer.

    75. Anthony McFarland – RB – Maryland – 5′-8″ 208 lbs. – An undersized, raw talented HR threat from anywhere on the field. Not a 3 down guy.

    76. Shaquille Quarterman – LB – Miami – 6′-1″ 234 lbs. – A real old school MLBer that reads, reacts and then thumps. I think he moves well enough to help in some coverage.

    77. Antonio Gibson – RB – Memphis – 6′-1″ 223 lbs. – A wr/rb/do it all back with home run ability. Elusive with a bit of power. A jack of all trades, master of none.

    78. Evan Weaver – LB – California – 6′-2″ 237 lbs. – Not the world’s greatest athlete, but he is so instinctual he’s always around the ball. Super productive. Not a hammer and not great in coverage.

    79. David Woodward – LB – Utah State – 6′-2″ 230 lbs. -Not fast or super athletic, but he is smart, instinctual and has a big motor. He is everywhere. ILB

    80. Ke’Shawn Vaughn – RB – Vanderbilt – 5′-10″ 214 lbs. – Decent vision with good balance and ok speed. Good pass catcher. Lacks wiggle and not explosive.

    81. Quintez Cephus – WR – 6′-1″ 202 lbs. – Wisconsin – Big strong physical. Good route runner that can get himself open. Lacks deep speed. Faced 2 counts of sexual assault, case was dismissed.

    82. Jason Strowbridge – IDL – North Carolina – 6′-4″ 275 lbs. – A gap jumper that lacks the size to hold his ground against double teams. Once he is into gaps, causes issues for the offense. A 34 DE or 43 DE is his future.

    83. Alton Robinson – Edge – Syracuse – 6′-3″ 264 lbs. – A toolbox full of length, athletic ability, bend and explosiveness. Decent against the run. Just needs to put it all together. 34 Edge with a high ceiling.

    84. Joe Bachie Jr. – LB – Michigan State – 6′-2″ 230 lbs. – a ILB with good instincts and decent range. Will pop you in the mouth when given the chance. Probably a 2 down ILBer in the NFL. Steroid suspension…

    85. Joshua Kelley – RB – UCLA – 5′-11″ 212 lbs. – Strong, tough with good balance and hard to bring down, but lacks wiggle and HR speed. A one cut and go type of back.

    86. Lynn Bowden – WR – Kentucky – 5′-11″ 204 lbs. – a gadget WR that can play RB and QB (wildcat) A real team guy that you will need to game plan to get the ball in his hands as he learns to be a slot WR.

    87. Colby Parkinson – TE – Stanford – 6′-7 252 lbs. – Big with a big wingspan, he will torture defenders in the middle of the field and the endzone. Not a great blocker and needs to get stronger.

    88. Antonio Gandy-Golden – WR – Liberty – 6′-4″ 223 lbs. – Crazy catches are littered throughout his highlights. Outstanding catch radius combined with flypaper hands make him a bigtime contested and 50-50 ball receiver. Not a great athlete or burner.

    89. Darrynton Evans – RB – Appalachian State – 5′-10″ 203 lbs. – Lightning in a bottle. His change of direction and lateral jump cuts will have defenders tackling air. HR speed. Narrow frame with little room for growth. Better outside then inside. OZS committee back.

    90. J.R. Reed – S – Georgia – 6′-1″ 202 lbs. – An old school SS that works best moving forward as he doesn’t have the foot speed to be ultra rangy.

    91. Harrison Bryant – TE -Florida Atlantic – 6′-5″ 243 lbs. – Athletic with good hands and is a good route runner. He isn’t a blocker. His calling card is in the middle of the field.

    92. Javelin Guidry – CB – Utah – 5′-9″ 191 lbs. – Quick, oily and super fast. Size is going to limit him to slot/nickel/dime work.

    93. Hakeem Adeniji – OT – Kansas – 6′-4″ 302 lbs. – Another smaller LT that moves well and could slide into a zone scheme easily. needs to add power.

    94. Jacob Breeland – TE – Oregon – 6′-5″ 252 lbs. – An average at best athlete, but plays with an edge and isn’t afraid of contact. Good hands and can get deep. Decent inline blocker.

    95. Geno Stone – S – Iowa – 5′-10″ 207 lbs. – Another kid from Iowa with smarts, instincts and lacks a big athletic profile. Works best in the box or zone coverage.

    96. Markus Bailey – LB – Purdue – 6′-1″ 235 lbs. – A Kiser clone in the fact that he is a smart. between the tackles, run stopping machine. Not enough athletic ability or speed to cover against the pass. 2019 knee injury muddies his water. 2 down ILB.

    97. Josiah Deguara – TE – Cincinnati – 6′-2″ 242 lbs. – Good inline blocker regardless his size, is also a good route runner and pass catcher. Not a tremendous athlete, but is first team try hard TE. A balanced TE.

    98. Gabriel Davis – WR – UCF – 6′-2″ 216 lbs. – Exciting athlete with decent speed and plays with a bit of an edge. hands are meh, and he didn’t run a ton of different routes.

    99. D.J. Wonnum – Edge – South Carolina – 6′-5″ 258 lbs. – An above average athlete that can do a little of everything, but isn’t great at any one thing. Perfect size for 34 Edge with a great motor.

    100. Justin Strnad – LB – Wake Forest – 6′-3″ 238 lbs. – Smooth moving forward and backward, can run and cover and go sideline to sideline. Would rather run around blockers then stack and shed. Still learning the nuances so his arrow is pointing up. ILBer in an odd front or WILL in an even front.

    101. Myles Bryant – CB – Washington – 5′-8″ 183 lbs. – another slot CB, plays faster than he ran, explosive movement skills.

    102. Lamar Jackson – CB – Nebraska – 6′-2″ 208 lbs. – Big, long and physical. Speed will give him issues. Press man CB.

    103. Julian Blackmon – S – Utah – 6′-0″ 187 lbs. – Fun kid on tape. Plenty of speed and range, great physicality, but at the same time, not a tremendous athlete.

    104. Devin Duvernay – WR – Texas – 5′-10″ 200 lbs. – a speed demon that would rather run you over then around you. A RB in a WRs body. A smart OC can do alot of stuff with this kid. Small catch radius.

    105. Essang Bassey – CB – Wake Forest – 5′-9″ 191 lbs. – a nickel/slot CB that gets after it and is a smooth enough athlete to mirror really well.

    106. Charlie Heck – OT – North Carolina – 6′-8″ 311 lbs. – As Alyo has stated, the son of a coach. Smart, good technique and excellent length. Needs to add some weight and power. Great developmental type of L/RT.

    107. James Lynch – IDL – Baylor – 6′-4″ 289 lbs. – Monster sack production from a guy with not a ton of athletic ability. Not twitchy and not explosive. Just average strength. Really just wins on an all-day motor and a give ’em hell attitude.

    108. Trevis Gipson – Edge – Tulsa – 6′-4″ 261 lbs. – an easy mover with decent burst and good flexibility. Can get bullied against the run. Developmental 34 Edge.

    109. A.J. Green – CB – Oklahoma State – 6′-1″ 202 lbs. – Physical CB, sometimes too physical. Decent speed and a decent athletic profile.

    110. Jalen Elliott – S – Notre Dame – 6′-0″ 205 lbs. – Slow, moderate athlete, but man he loves to blow up ball carriers. IMO a box safety or a big nickel LBer.

    111. Mitchell Wilcox- TE – South Florida – 6′-3″ 247 lbs. – Hard working combo TE that had good production, but won’t wow you as an athlete. I worry a bit about his hands.

    112. Trevon Hill – Edge – Miami – 6′-3″ 248 lbs. – Athletic, bursty edge with a nice pass rush. Needs to add weight to handle the run. Pass rush specialist early. 34 Edge.

    113. Josiah Scott – CB – Michigan State – 5′-9″ 185 lbs. – A nickel back with good speed and decent toughness for his size. Good ball skills. Too small to survive on the outside.

    114. Myles Dorn – S – North Carolina – 6′-2″ 205 lbs. – A decent all-around S with good work in the box and some solid pass defense stats. His lack of speed may limit his upside.

    115. Kendall Coleman – Edge – Syracuse – 6′-3″ 257 lbs. – Average athlete that is really still developing his skill set. Good motor and plays with nice physicality. Needs to be developed. Developmental 34 Edge.

    116. Jake Hanson – IOL – Oregon – 6′-4″ 303 lbs. – A zone scheme OC. A technician and good athlete, lacks the strength to trade power with defenders.

    117. Mykal Walker – LB – Fresno State – 6′-3″ 230 lbs. – Has played DE, Edge and ILB. So, he is a movable chess pc. I like him as an ILB in an odd front. Certainly knows how to blitz, can drop into coverage and will stick his nose in the fan in run support. Needs development time, due to so many position changes.

    118. Lavert Hill – CB – Michigan – 5′-10″ 190 lbs. – A hard-nosed press man. Lacks speed to stay with the fast WRs. Might work inside. Man only.

    119. – Michael Warren II – RB – Cincinnati – 5′-9″ 226 lbs. – Decent feet for his build (a bowling ball) with good power and contact balance. Not making you miss and isn’t a HR hitter. Another short yardage back IMO.

    120. Tanner Muse – S – Clemson – 6′-2″ 227 lbs. – A big S, maybe a LBer…4.41 speed, can play deep due to his speed and athleticism, can play in the box due to his size. Never put it all together for his profile.

    121. Aaron Parker – WR – Rhode Island – 6′-2″ 209 lbs. – A good blend of physicality combines with his ability to go up and get it makes him a contested catch monster. He needs to develop his route running.

    122. Kyle Murphy – IOL – Rhode Island – 6′-3″ 316 lbs. – Overpowered FCS competition, needs to add size and power to do that at the NFL level. He’s an easy mover with good footwork. Scheme versatile.

    123. Joe Reed – WR – Virginia – 6′-0″ 224 lbs. – A deep threat with good hands and can return in STs. Has some wiggle. Another gadget kid early as he learns to run routes properly.

    124. Stephen Sullivan – TE – LSU – 6′-5″ 248 lbs. – Massive seam buster that got lost in the shuffle of an all star offense. Long, middle of the field mismatch. Not a tremendous blocker.

    125. Benito Jones – IDL – Ole Miss – 6′-1″ 316 lbs. – a fire hydrant with very good strength. Won’t slide thru gaps but holds more than his own against the run. A true NT with a little pass rush push.

    126. Jaylinn Hawkins – S – California – 6′-1″ 208 lbs. – Smart, physical with some range. Not a ton and won’t wow you going sideline to sideline. Decent ball skills, but he has room for improvement.

    127. Davion Taylor – LB – Colorado – 6′-1″ 228 lbs. – Late comer to football. Kid is a PAC 12 track star, so he can fly, great athlete, smooth mover. Great motor. Needs to get stronger and needs massive development. WILL or ILB in a 34.

    128. Kyahva Tezino – LB – San Diego State – 6′-0″ 235 lbs. – Plays the run well, decent athlete that can get to the sidelines and plays with patience and intelligence. Lacks length and quickness.

    129 Devin Asiasi – TE – UCLA – 6′-3″ 257 lbs. – a combo blocker/receiver with good size for the position. Needs technical work in all aspects. Developmental type traditional TE.

    130. Dalton Keene – TE – Virginia Tech – 6′-4″ 253 lbs. – Here is your late round, H-back, fullback, TE. He can block and catch but was never really given much opportunity. Decent athlete, but plays like an old school TE.

    131. Kindle Vildor – CB – Georgia Southern – 5′-10″ 191 lbs. – Ballhawking athletic CB with the size and footwork to work in any scheme. Not great in run support. Can be over-aggressive.

    132. Stephen Guidry – WR – Mississippi State – 6′-3″ 201 lbs. – Long with long arms and decent deep speed. Can go up and get it, or win over the top. Not a great route runner.

    133. Justin Herron – OT – Wake Forest – 6′-4″ 308 lbs. – A OG in the NFL. Good pass blocker with decent footwork, has trouble trading power in the run game. Zone scheme OG.

    134. Reggie Robinson II – CB – Tulsa – 6′-1″ 205 lbs. – Long with decent athletic profile, does his best work in a zone and things are in front of him. Nice production. Modest athlete.

    135. Tyrie Cleveland – WR – Florida – 6′-2″ 209 lbs. – Long and fast. Never ran a diverse route tree, but he can eat up a DB in a hurry. Will need some development.

    136. Jon Runyan – OT – Michigan – 6′-4″ 306 lbs. – I think he moves inside to OG. Son of an NFL OT. So he is smart. Good athlete but lacks strength. zone scheme OG.

    137. Tipa Galea’i – EDGE – Utah State – 6′-5″ 235 lbs. – An explosive, oily, easy mover. Needs to add mass if he wants to hold up against the run.

    138. Nigel Warrior – S – Tennessee – 6′-0″ 190 lbs. – Vols played him everywhere from what I saw. So he can do some of everything. Good athlete, good run defender for hsi size. Lack of ball production is a concern.

    139. Nevelle Clarke – CB – UCF – 6′-1″ 190 lbs. – I called him a mini Ramsey. Plays with a swagger and a ballhawks mentality. Great size for a CB. Easy mover. Needs to add strength and some weight to reach his full potential.

    140. James Proche – WR – SMU – 5′-11″ 201 lbs. – Natural hands and just catches everything. Smooth athlete, with great college production. Not a burner. Needs to work on route running.

    141. Cameron Brown – LB – Penn State – 6′-5″ 233 lbs. – Long for a LBer. Also raw. Can cover a ton of ground quickly and goes sideline to sideline. Not great in coverage. Not sure his position fit. 43 OLB or maybe add 15-20 lbs and make him a 34 edge?

    142. Sean McKeon – TE – Michigan – 6′-5″ 242 lbs. – A combo TE that can block in line and be used as a pass catcher. Not the most dynamic route runner, or athlete, but he competes hard. Good 3rd TE for a roster.

    143. Quez Watkins – WR – Southern Miss – 6′-0″ 185 lbs. – Will take the top off a defense. No idea how to run a route, gets open from DBs being scared of being ran by. Electric in the open field. Needs to add some good weight.

    144. Grayland Arnold – CB – Baylor – 5′-9″ 186 lbs. – Nickel CB with great ball production. Smooth lower body makes him sticky, has a ballhawk mentality. Lacks size to hold up on the outside.

    145. Charlie Taumoepeau – TE – Portland State – 6′-2″ 240 lbs. – Literally a move TE. He played H-back, RB, TE, WR for Portland State. So he can block and catch and be a nice depth piece. Nothing athletically extrordinary.

    146. Levonta Taylor – CB – Florida State – 5′-10″ 190 lbs. – a CB turned safety, smooth lower half and good speed and lack of strength make him an ideal zone fit, either as a nickel or S. had back problems in the past.

    147. Mohamed Barry – LB – Nebraska – 6′-1″ 245 lbs. – A bull in a china shop ILBer with sideline to sideline athleticism. Tough and strong just kinda running around out there hitting things and overrunning other things…

    148. John Reid – CB – Penn State – 5′-10″ 187 lbs. – A physical press man CB that due to lack of size will end up being a Nickel Back. Average speed to match his average athletic ability.

    149. Jordan Fuller – S – Ohio State – 6′-2″ 203 lbs. – A single high safety that is too slow to play single high in the NFL IMO. Racked up a ton of tackles and loves to hit. I like him as a depth/3rd safety with plenty of upside in the box.

    150. Derrek Tuszka – Edge – North Dakota St. – 6′-5″ 251 lbs. – A 43 end that will transition to a standup 34 edge. Tough, strong and can hold up vs the run. Great pass rush production. Decent athlete, but lacks flexibility to bend around the edge.

    Agamemnon

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    Rams General Manager Les Snead & Head Coach Sean McVay – – April 21, 2020

    (On what he learned this Spring during the evaluation process that might change or impact how he approaches the draft this year)
    MCVAY “I think what’s been really good is the dialogue, especially between (Rams General Manager) Les (Snead) and myself and really our groups as far as looking back on the three years of experience that we’ve had. The good things, maybe some things that we would say, maybe we would handle differently and that’s what it’s always about is self-evaluating, being able to learn from our mistakes, continue to try to replicate some of the things that have enabled us to have a certain level of success. I think it’s about recommitting every single year to evaluating your own roster, what are some of the needs? What do we feel like based on the flow of the league and trying to be competitive within your own division, the types of players that we want to onboard and the types of people that we want in our building? We’re hopeful that our people and our way of doing things will create our edge. We’re excited about attacking this draft process and fulfilling some of those needs to try to complete our roster to be a competitive group in 2020 in a very tough division.”

    (On if any players other than OL Brian Allen or anyone in the organization has tested positive for COVID-19)
    MCVAY “No, not that I know of. When we spoke last time, out of respect for the privacy of (OL) Brian (Allen) and where that was at, at that time and that’s why I didn’t want to reveal any specific names. When he had decided to speak about it openly, then you at least felt comfortable to acknowledge who it was. I was really pleased and proud of the way that Brian communicated immediately. I think (Senior Director of Sports Medicine and Performance) Reggie Scott’s guidance and leadership through that process, as you’re trying to navigate through it and handle it in all the right ways, was instrumental in us taking those steps with some urgency and now our facilities are opened back up. There hasn’t been anybody else that’s been exposed to that, to my knowledge.”

    (On what went into the decision to trade WR Brandin Cooks)
    SNEAD: “Many variables go into any time you trade someone, but probably to keep it simple is – a lot of teams did contact us about (WR) Brandin (Cooks) throughout this, I guess you’d call, offseason, whenever the new league year started, even before a little bit. We were committed to keeping Brandin because of what he did for our offense. I think in that time where we, I’d call it, naturally played hard to get because we weren’t actively trying to move him. When a few teams did come with a chance to get a second-round pick, that’s probably when we sat down and (Rams Head Coach) Sean (McVay) and I discussed, ‘Hey, what could be best moving forward?’ That pick being very valuable. Us with the emergence of (WR) Josh Reynolds and (WR) Robert Woods and (WR) Cooper Kupp, especially Josh Reynolds coming. We’ve got a deep receiver room, I think that helped and then getting another pick in the top 60, very valuable. I think those two variables – getting a second-round pick, having Josh Reynolds to go with two other very accomplished players allowed us to do that.”

    (On how he sees WR Josh Reynolds fitting in and if it will be Cooks’ role or seeing interchangeable parts with his three starting receivers)
    MCVAY “In a lot of ways, it’s a big vote of confidence to what we feel like Josh is capable of, of continuing to ascend to. He’s stepped in and been a starter and he’s got the ability to play really our X or Z, he can play in the slot. I think, really, we just feel like he’s a capable starting receiver if you’re getting into some of those three receiver sets. I think it’s also a reflection of the confidence that we have, really in our skill group as a whole. You can activate five different skilled players at any time, it doesn’t necessarily always have to be three receivers. You look at the emergence of (TE) Tyler Higbee, we’ve talked a lot about the confidence that we have in (TE) Gerald Everett, we’ve got to get (RB) Darrell Henderson going. We’ve got some skilled players that we’re excited about doing a better job of developing and seeing these guys have success. When you take a look at that unit as a whole and the entirety of what they represent, those are where you feel comfortable to make those decisions and there are some capable guys that we might be able to add in there in the next couple of days.”

    (On how they see the possibilities for drafting a wide receiver given how many there are in this draft)
    SNEAD: “Again, it’s obviously been well stated, this is a very deep receiver draft. With that being said, usually when a draft is considered deep in a position, it’s probably a lot of those players are gone in the first 32 (picks). That’s usually what deep means, right? There’s a lot of quality players. The one thing about the wide receiver position in college football, there’s a lot of teams throwing the football, there’s a lot of wide receivers on the field, so it’s imperative for us, our scouting staff working with our coaching staff to maybe get beyond some of the household names that make this draft deep ,that are probably going to go in the top-32 and find some of those players that have a skill set that can fit in to Sean’s offense and help us continue gaining yards, getting first-downs and scoring touchdowns.”
    MCVAY “I think a lot of the same. Really, for us, I think our coaching staff, Les and his group have done a great job collaborating to find players that we see value in. It doesn’t exclusively have to be that receiver position. It’s players that have an opportunity to make plays when the ball is in their hands and ultimately, it’s about scoring points. There’s a lot of different playmakers that come from different position groups in this draft and that’s something that we’ll see how things play themselves out. We’ve got a nice opportunity to be patient on Thursday and then Friday will be an exciting chance for us to get four picks off the board, but you guys know Les Snead. He’s a wheeler and dealer, you never know.”

    (On how the logistics are looking and if everything has gone smoothly on his end and if he has any concerns about the communication for this weekend)
    SNEAD: “It’s been very smooth. I think the experts we have helping us or assisting us get through this on our IT team, our video team, I give that group all the credit. Sean’s probably a little more adapt at some of this than I am, but I do know this have relied on some smart people and have not had a glitch at all and definitely am not anticipating any glitches. I do know this, if like anything, you have a phone, so if the screens go out or as (Senior Director of Communications) Artis (Twyman) just did with myself, I don’t know if you all knew this, but I was struggling to get into this Zoom conference, so guess what Artis did? He gave me a call on the old cell phone and it all worked out.”

    (On what the NFL draft setup will be like at their homes)
    MCVAY “This is the command center, that you can see here. It looks like I can set off a spaceship at this thing. Les and I have the same setup. They even got a camera in my office that they’ll film during the draft to make sure that Les and I aren’t at the same location. This is something that’s going to be different for sure.”

    (On what has been the biggest challenge has been having to go virtual since the NFL Combine and not being able to bring players to the facility)
    MCVAY “That’s really been the biggest challenge. I think in a lot of ways, the best part about this is, we’ve probably been more efficient, more detailed, just being able to operate on a cleaner schedule because it does take out – when you’re only just remotely working – you don’t have some of the other distractions that do inevitably come up. So, certainly not minimizing all the stuff that’s going on way bigger than football, but it has probably been the smoothest process. Les and I were able to talk this morning. We’ve been able to connect with the personnel and coaching staff and really have some clarity that you probably haven’t had in previous years because of the limited distractions that you have outside of ‘Hey, let’s focus on getting ready for this draft,’ and then our virtual offseason program with the players will start next Monday (April 27, 2020). So, that’s where there’s been positives. The negatives are where you don’t have that interpersonal interaction, that when you can bring the Top 30’s in. One of the things that I thought was instrumental in our first year that Les has done in previous years, we went around and actually got a chance to workout some guys. We worked out (WR) Cooper Kupp, we worked out (TE) Gerald Everett, some other guys that we were considering. Those are really beneficial things to get that up close and feel, most importantly for the human being, but then also some of the physical things that you’re looking for. That’s where you get a little bit minimized, but it’s sometimes does create clarity because we’re asking them to play football. The Zoom meetings or the FaceTimes have enabled you to have some interaction with the players, where you can still get a feel for their personality and how they’re wired.”

    (On if the Rams are in the market for a backup quarterback through the draft that the team can develop or if they are satisfied with QB John Wolford in that role)
    MCVAY “Yeah, I think, you’re always looking to upgrade that position, but John Wolford is a guy that we’re very excited about. We feel like he is more than capable of continuing to ascend and develop. I think his skill set and just the way that he’s wired above the neck are great traits and things that we look for from that quarterback position. I think what’s just as important is the rapport that he has with (QB) Jared (Goff) because it starts with Jared and then making sure that there’s a good comfortable relationship with whoever that person is as the backup. You never know exactly how this thing sorts itself out, but if you said, ‘We’re going into a season and John Wolford is your backup, and God forbid something happen to Jared, do you think he can come in operate and have you function as an offense?’ The answer is absolutely.”

    (On if McVay can give a visual tour to media on the call of his at-home command center)
    MCVAY “I can give you a quick view as long as it’s got the screensaver that doesn’t have our board. So really, that’s where our boards will be on those monitors – offensive board, defensive board and then the draft tracker, and the other one. That’s really what that entails, so it’s as close to a simulation as what we would have if we were sitting in our draft room at the office. I can’t say enough about (Rams Manager, Information Technology) Jeff Graves and Dan Dmytrisin (Director, Video) on what a job they’ve done of making this as smooth as a process with IT and the video.”

    (On if the draft board is behind the screensavers of McVay’s command center monitors)
    MCVAY “Don’t ask me to show that, now we’re getting carried away (laughs).”

    (On concern of hackers during the 2020 NFL Draft)
    MCVAY “I’m not too worried about that. If they’re worried about hacking us, these things never go exactly according to plan. So, the board is a demonstration of where we have it, but it doesn’t always work out that way, which is why the planning and contingency planning is vital.”
    SNEAD: “…You see, I’ve got this little thin notebook.”
    Media Member: “It’s the little red book?”
    MCVAY “His (Les Snead) penmanship is pretty impressive, too. He’s sent some notes. It’s impressive.”
    SNEAD: “Yeah, I think it says ‘2019 Draft area scout draft meeting, coaches meetings.’”
    MCVAY “You see the problem is, Les doesn’t know what year it is, but other than that we’re in good shape (laughs).”

    (On Snead’s quarantine beard)
    SNEAD: “I don’t know if this is a beard, this is just probably laziness of not shaving. Then when I got the text from (Rams Senior Director, Communications) Artis (Twyman) this morning, I was slightly embarrassed that I was coming back on a Zoom call, with kind of my fisherman look. I do plan to clean up before the draft. The dress code is the pros of this quarantine.”
    MCVAY “Like a true PR director too, look at Artis (Twyman). He looks like he is getting ready to film a shot on Good Morning America or something. He’s got the office setup. I just got my mom’s blinds as an interior designer (laughs).”

    (On if there’s any concern regarding computer glitches while selecting draft picks)
    MCVAY “I think there’s enough time in between picks. The NFL has done a great job of communicating and understanding and some flexibility if some of those things do arise. If you were telling me we’re operating on a real play clock, like 40 seconds or 25 in a really game, I’d say maybe I’d feel a little bit differently, but we have a little bit more time in between those selections and I think the NFL has done a nice job of kind of getting ahead of some of those things that could come up.”

    (On how the League’s practice draft went and if doing that affected the way they’ll approach the draft)
    SNEAD: “I think it went well. I think it served what a – if you want to call it a practice session is for. To get everyone on the same page, to get used to how it was going to play out, especially from a technical standpoint. I don’t think it will change a lot of how you’re going to strategize in the draft. I think if we do make a trade, as Sean mentioned earlier, that’s definitely a possibility. I do think at that point, it’ll probably be a little different than just on the phone, just walking through it. Maybe we’ll be a little more careful to make sure all parties are onboard and in the know, so we can execute a trade without a glitch. I do think like Sean said, I do think the league will be well aware if two teams are trying to make a trade. I do think Jeff Graves showed me, I think there’s an emergency line that you can eventually call in and go, ‘Mayday, mayday. We’re trying to make a trade but technology is down.’ Don’t quote me on that, but I do believe that is the case. I did tell Jeff, that I’m glad Jeff is going to be here. An IT person can be in your home, so that will be a great sidekick.”

    (On why there’s been a delay in Leonard Floyd being introduced and how important it is to find a potential successor for LT Andrew Whitworth in the 2020 NFL Draft)
    SNEAD: “We’ve agreed to terms with (OLB) Leonard (Floyd) and (DL) A’Shawn (Robinson) based on language in your contract on when the players can get physicals and things like that is really the nuances of why you can’t officially announce. That is, again, a little bit of the adversity during these quarantined-times with the physicals. On the OL, I think we have been trying to strategically attack the offensive line position over the last few years and with one main goal to accomplish, is get as many young players that can grow together as possible. When you step into a draft, and say, ‘you have to find your next left tackle.’ It doesn’t matter where you’re picking, that may be hard to do. I think just like in drafts past, if there’s a potential player that can maybe have a shot to replace ‘Big Whit’ (T Andrew Whitworth) in time – now as Sean may say, ‘I don’t know if Whit’s ever going to retire.’ He may be 50 and we’re still talking about replacing ‘Big Whit.’ We’ve done it with (OL) Joe Noteboom, we’ve drafted (OL) Bobby Evans, we can do it again this year. Goal would be, draft someone who can be versatile, not only a left tackle, but as many players that can play left tackle as possible is always good.”

    (On what would have to happen for the Rams to trade into the first round)
    SNEAD: “I think simply put, there’s a football player where we really like the human being and we really like the skillset and we think that player and person can be a benefit, can help us continue contending, continue our winning ways that we’ve established over the past few years.”

    (On if trading up to the first round is a possibility)
    SNEAD: “There’s definitely been, since we’ve been here, we’ve proven that we’ll go get a player and we’ll also move back to acquire, let’s call it, more picks in the draft, which ultimately means more players. So that’s the benefit, you either give up a player on the back end to go get one, or maybe you gain one or two more that you weren’t expecting if you trade back. We’ll try to navigate that as the draft comes to us, because when you’re picking 52 (overall), 57 (overall), there is an element that you have to allow the draft to come to you a little bit.”

    (On if they expect this year’s draft to be more unpredictable in terms of where players are taken)
    SNEAD: “No, I think all drafts are unpredictable. I think the way, let’s call it your profession (media), covers the draft – we all could name maybe the 15-20 (or so) players that we feel like might be first rounders, I don’t know if we could get the order right, so that’s even unpredictable in itself. Except, maybe you can get the names right. I do think once you get late 20s, into the second, third round, you can study a lot of mocks and those players go anywhere from second to fifth (round). The draft’s always unpredictable in that nature. What I like to say is, ‘Everything up to this point is speculation. But no one has seen each 32 team’s draft boards and what they feel and who they feel can help them.’ Then when that team decides to take a player that becomes his IPO, his initial public offering, everything else is speculation up until that point.”

    (On if Snead tends to get more calls when the Rams do not have a first round pick to move into the round or does he tend to make more of the calls to see what’s out there)
    SNEAD: “I think you try to make calls to get a feel for who may be willing to move. In all honesty, when you’re at 52 (overall), I bet teams that are trying to move out of late first would rather not come back that far, and usually the ammo it takes to move up, could be a little unrealistic or maybe less rational unless you’re just wanting to come away with one player.

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    http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001110012/article/daniel-jeremiahs-top-150-prospects-in-the-2020-nfl-draft-class
    Daniel Jeremiah’s top 150 prospects in the 2020 NFL Draft class

    By Daniel Jeremiah
    NFL Media analyst
    Published: April 20, 2020 at 10:26 a.m.
    Updated: April 20, 2020 at 11:50 p.m.

    Top 150
    Top 50: 4.0
    3.0
    2.0
    1.0

    With the Cincinnati Bengals set to make the first pick of the 2020 NFL Draft on Thursday, April 23, it’s time for my final prospect rankings of draft season.

    RANK

    1

    Chase Young, Edge

    School: Ohio State | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 1

    Young is a tall, long and athletic defensive end. As a pass rusher, he explodes off the ball and gains ground in a hurry. He uses a quick swipe move and also has the ability to control the wrists of blockers. He can convert speed to power and is effective on loops and games. He does have a little tightness at the top of his rush. Against the run, he sets the edge easily and uses his quickness to slip blocks and create chaos behind the line of scrimmage. Overall, Young is an All-Pro talent, reminiscent of Julius Peppers and Mario Williams.

    RANK

    2

    Joe Burrow, QB

    School: LSU | Year: Senior (RS)
    Previous rank: 2

    Burrow has solid size for the position and he possesses many elite qualities. He operated out of the ‘gun in the LSU spread attack and he is extremely accurate, efficient and instinctive. He is very smooth in his drop and he has the ability to process through his reads at a rapid pace. He throws with anticipation and he can naturally layer the ball over and under coverage. He doesn’t have top-shelf arm strength when driving the ball outside the numbers. He relies more on timing/touch. He doesn’t flinch versus pressure when he sees something he likes down the field. If he needs to buy time, he can slide and climb the pocket with excellent feel/awareness. He has a nice burst when he leaves the pocket and he is more than a capable runner. Overall, Burrow lacks special arm strength, but his combination of poise, accuracy and toughness is very appealing.

    RANK

    3

    Isaiah Simmons, LB/S

    School: Clemson | Year: Junior (RS)
    Previous rank: 3

    Simmons is an extremely versatile, athletic defensive chess piece. He is a long, rangy athlete who lined up at linebacker, over the slot and in the deep middle for Clemson, thanks to his diverse and unique skill set. Against the pass, he has terrific range and instincts from the deep middle. He has the speed and agility to match up with top-flight tight ends and backs underneath. He is an explosive blitzer off the edge and in through the middle. Simmons overpowers running backs in protection. Against the run, he takes good angles and his speed allows him to make plays from the back side. He will struggle at times if he has to take on blocks on the edge. Overall, Simmons is built for today’s NFL and his role could change week to week, depending on the opponent.

    RANK

    4

    Jeff Okudah, CB

    1

    School: Ohio State | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 5

    Okudah has ideal size, length, twitch and competitiveness for the position. He is very comfortable and effective in both press and off coverage. He is patient in press and very fluid/smooth when he opens up. He does a nice job of staying on top versus vertical routes and he can locate the football down the field. He has the agility to mirror underneath. In off coverage, he explodes out of his plant and he is a dependable open-field tackler. This is a very clean player with a very high floor and ceiling.

    RANK

    5

    Derrick Brown, DT

    1

    School: Auburn | Year: Senior
    Previous rank: 4

    Brown has excellent size, power and athleticism for the defensive tackle position. As a pass rusher, he has a quick first step and uses his hands very effectively. He wins with a violent club/swim move, a rip move or a nifty up-and-under counter move. Against the run, he easily holds the point of attack. The Auburn product creates separation from blockers with an explosive punch, which allows him to close quickly and make plays. His effort is consistent. Overall, this is a complete player capable of dominating on all three downs. He’ll be a difference maker on Day 1.

    RANK

    6

    Tua Tagovailoa, QB

    School: Alabama | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 6

    Tua lacks ideal height for the position, but he has quick feet, eyes and release. He primarily operated in the ‘gun at Alabama, but he did take some snaps under center. He is very crisp and urgent in his setup. He throws off a firm platform and he spins the ball really well. He always throws with the proper pace on slants and crossers. He doesn’t have an overpowering arm, but he can still place balls in tight windows. He understands how to hold and manipulate safeties with his eyes. He makes good decisions in the RPO game. He is a nifty runner, but he prefers to buy time behind the line and remain in passing mode. He did struggle with identifying some underneath defenders when in the red zone. He is coming off a serious hip injury and that must be factored into his evaluation. Overall, Tua is the ultimate point guard. If he can remain healthy, he has the potential to be one of the NFL’s most efficient passers.

    RANK

    7

    Mekhi Becton, OT

    School: Louisville | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 7

    Becton is a massive left tackle prospect with a similar size/skill set to former first-rounder Bryant McKinnie. In pass protection, he has surprisingly nimble feet and uses his length to steer defenders. Even when he fails to land his punch, he can absorb rushers with his girth. He needs to improve his awareness versus games up front. He is a dominating run blocker and collects knockdowns by the bunches. He latches on and uses his upper-body strength to torque and toss. He isn’t as effective when working in space. Overall, Becton has areas to improve — mainly balance and awareness — but he is a rare athlete at this size and his upside is through the roof.

    RANK

    8

    Javon Kinlaw, DT

    School: South Carolina | Year: Senior
    Previous rank: 8

    Kinlaw is a hulking defensive tackle prospect. As a pass rusher, he has a sudden get-off and he’s quick to shoot his hands and drive back blockers. He will also incorporate a push/pull move on occasion. He does need to broaden his arsenal of moves, but there is tremendous upside. Against the run, he easily locks out single blocks, but he gets washed by angle blocks and double teams. His effort is solid. Kinlaw showed out against elite competition, but he played down to the level of lesser opponents. Overall, Kinlaw’s best football is in front of him and he has Pro Bowl potential.

    RANK

    9

    CeeDee Lamb, WR

    School: Oklahoma | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 9

    Lamb is a tall, lean wideout with top-tier hands, toughness and production. He lines up inside and outside. He is a smooth, fluid route runner and understands how to set up cornerbacks. He also has a good feel in zone. He attacks the ball when working back to the quarterback and tracks the ball naturally down the field. Lamb doesn’t have elite speed, but he can find some extra juice when the ball is in the air. He is at his best after the catch, as he consistently breaks tackles and is also very elusive. Overall, Lamb is a polished player who is equally explosive and reliable.

    RANK

    10

    Jedrick Wills, OT

    School: Alabama | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 10

    Wills lined up at right tackle for Alabama. He has average height for the position and he’s carrying a little extra weight. An excellent pass protector, Wills is quick out of his stance and he’s an easy mover versus speed and counters. He is a natural knee bender and he reworks his hands to maintain leverage/control. He is aware versus games and stunts. In the run game, he is at his best when working up to the second level. He also flashes the ability to roll his hips and uproot defenders over his nose. He’s never on the ground. Overall, Wills doesn’t have the ideal body type, but he has all of the necessary tools to be a 10-year starter at either tackle spot.

    RANK

    11

    Jerry Jeudy, WR

    School: Alabama | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 11

    Jeudy is an elite route runner with outstanding burst, body control and awareness. He explodes off the line and uses his quickness to avoid press coverage. His snap at the top of the route is as good as any prospect in the last decade. He has the ability to make plays outside of his frame, but he will have some concentration lapses, which lead to drops. After the catch, he is very slippery and elusive, although he isn’t going to break a lot of tackles. Overall, Jeudy is a loose athlete with elite route skills and he should emerge as a high-volume production guy very early in his career.

    RANK

    12

    Henry Ruggs III, WR

    School: Alabama | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 12

    Ruggs has an unbelievable blend of speed and toughness. He lines up outside and in the slot. He ran a lot of slants and take-off routes in Alabama’s offense — and he was special on both. Ruggs boasts world-class speed — he truly explodes off the line and after the catch. He needs to continue to refine his releases against press (he gives up his chest too often), but not many defenses will want to take that chance against his speed. His hands are good, not great, and he does allow too many balls into his chest. After the catch, he runs away from most defenders while occasionally running through them. He is outstanding on jet sweeps and also has kick-return value. Overall, Ruggs has Tyreek Hill-type ability. He will be a matchup nightmare every week.

    RANK

    13

    Tristan Wirfs, OT

    School: Iowa | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 13

    Wirfs is a big, powerful offensive tackle. In pass protection, he launches out of his stance and hasn’t had issues versus outside speed rushers. However, he has experienced issues against inside counter moves. He over-sets and struggles to redirect back inside, allowing too many pressures in the games I studied. When he can land his punch, it’s over. His hands are so strong and he has the power base to end the play right there. In the run game, he is very strong and aggressive. He creates a ton of movement, but also will overextend and fall off at times. He’s on the ground too much. I love his aggressive demeanor, but he needs to play more under control. Overall, I believe he can survive at tackle, but he’d benefit from playing with neighbors on both sides. I think Wirfs has All-Pro potential at guard.

    RANK

    14

    Justin Jefferson, WR

    School: LSU | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 14

    Jefferson is a tall, slender wideout with off-the-charts production. He lines up in the slot and out wide. He is an outstanding route runner. He does a nice job getting on the toes of cornerbacks and then creating separation out of the break point. He does a lot of work in traffic and will extend and finish before taking hard contact. He can play above the rim down the field and can contort his body to make special catches. He doesn’t have elite speed, but he’s plenty fast enough. After the catch, he has some wiggle and will fight for extra yards. Overall, Jefferson is a polished receiver and should make an immediate impact at the next level.

    RANK

    15

    Patrick Queen, LB

    School: LSU | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 15

    Queen is an undersized linebacker with outstanding burst, instincts and coverage ability. Against the pass, he is very fluid in his drops and his change-of-direction ability is excellent. He has good instincts to jump routes and he closes to the flat in a hurry. He is a very dynamic blitzer (see him flat-back an offensive guard in the Texas A&M game). In the run game, he is quick to key/read and shoot gaps. He does get uprooted at times because of his size, but he usually finds a way to beat blockers to spots. Overall, Queen is a high-tempo playmaker at the second level and should impact all three downs.

    RANK

    16

    D’Andre Swift, RB

    School: Georgia | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 16

    Swift is a compact running back with excellent patience, vision and quickness. On inside runs, he lets things develop before exploding through the line of scrimmage. He has the vision to see and set up second- and third-level defenders. He has make-miss ability in tight quarters, but prefers to drop his shoulder and seek contact. He has enough speed to capture the corner on outside runs. He is a cradle catcher in the passing game, but it’s effective. In pass protection, he likes to cut block and he’s reliable. Overall, Swift has a similar skill set to Josh Jacobs, and I expect comparable results at the next level.

    RANK

    17

    Kenneth Murray, LB

    1

    School: Oklahoma | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 18

    Murray is an off-the-ball, run-and-hit linebacker. He is at his best when he’s free to chase and make plays to the perimeter. He closes in a heartbeat and he is an explosive tackler. He struggles when he has to play off blocks and locate the football through the trash inside, as he doesn’t use his hands and gets swallowed up. He has had some success dipping and slipping blocks. He is very athletic in coverage versus running backs, easily mirroring them in space. He is also a very dynamic blitzer. Overall, I believe Murray would be best served to play outside and off the ball, where he would be afforded clean sight lines to attack with his speed.

    RANK

    18

    Andrew Thomas, OT

    1

    School: Georgia | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 17

    Thomas is a thick, powerful offensive tackle. In pass protection, he has average foot quickness in his set, but he possesses a powerful punch and strong anchor. He gets in trouble at times because his base is too wide; he lunges and loses balance. He plays with good overall awareness. He is a dominant run blocker. He can uncoil and uproot defenders over his nose and has the strength to wash defenders down the line of scrimmage on down blocks. He is effective working up a level when he can stay on one track, but he struggles to redirect in space. Overall, some teams view Thomas as a guard, but I believe he can hold up at tackle if he improves his balance issues.

    RANK

    19

    Ross Blacklock, DT

    School: TCU | Year: Junior (RS)
    Previous rank: 19

    Blacklock is a dynamic interior defensive lineman. As a pass rusher, he launches out of his four-point stance and his bull rush is ferocious. He creates immediate knock-back. He is ultra-twitchy. He flashes a long-arm move where he can jolt, separate and finish. As a run defender, he successfully stacks and sheds single blocks, but he needs to improve his awareness and effectiveness versus double teams, where he gets washed down the line. He does have some durability concerns, but his skill set is special. Overall, Blacklock comes with some risk, but he’s worth it. He has the potential to develop into a top-flight interior pass rusher.

    RANK

    20

    Justin Herbert, QB

    School: Oregon | Year: Senior
    Previous rank: 20

    Herbert has exceptional size, mobility and arm strength. He has quick feet in his setup and he bounces on his toes once he gets to the top of his drop. His motion can be a little robotic at times, but the ball comes out tight with high RPMs. He has a big arm, but his placement is a little inconsistent. His front side flies open on some throws, impacting his accuracy. That can be corrected. He has shown the ability to touch up the ball underneath and makes some impressive throws on the run. He is a very good runner. He builds speed and he is effective on zone reads. The biggest area he needs to improve is his lack of anticipation. He waits too long to cut it loose. According to everyone at Oregon, his work ethic and character are off the charts. Overall, Herbert has some special physical tools, but he needs to play with less caution and learn to embrace an attacking mentality.

    RANK

    21

    CJ Henderson, CB

    School: Florida | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 21

    Henderson is an extremely explosive and athletic cornerback prospect out of Florida. He played outside and inside on the games I studied. He is very physical in press coverage, landing a two-hand jam consistently. He is extremely loose and fluid to open up and mirror all over the field. He’s hardly ever out of position and possesses rare makeup speed when he is caught in a bind. You see that same burst when he’s in off coverage and the ball is thrown in front. He does need to improve on finding the ball down the field, as he’s often a little late to look back. The major concern with this player is tackling. He has way too many misses and that must be improved. Overall, Henderson has some elite traits and could emerge as the top cornerback in this class, but his tackling must be addressed.

    RANK

    22

    Xavier McKinney, S

    School: Alabama | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 22

    McKinney was an instinctive safety for the Tide and he also spent some time playing nickel linebacker. When aligned deep, he is fluid in his movement and he’s quick to key/read and drive on the football. His range is excellent. While he can effectively locate the ball, he will occasionally lose a 50/50 battle down the field. He is a dependable wrap/drag tackler. He has a very good feel as a blitzer, displaying timing and burst. Overall, McKinney is an intelligent, versatile defender and he should be very effective in multiple roles.

    RANK

    23

    Jordan Love, QB

    School: Utah State | Year: Junior (RS)
    Previous rank: 23

    Love has ideal size, arm strength and athletic ability. He operated out of the ‘gun at Utah State and was very fluid and smooth in his setup. He throws from a variety of platforms and arm angles. The ball jumps out of his hand. He is at his best on skinny post drive throws and over-the-top deep balls. His decision making was very concerning this past season. He forced too many balls into crowds and didn’t ever give up on a play — to a fault. His supporting cast wasn’t very good, but he still fell into too many bad habits. He uses his athletic ability to escape and extend plays, but there are occasions when he fails to climb and reset his feet. Overall, Love is a raw prospect who will need some time to develop. There is risk with him, but the payoff could be huge.

    RANK

    24

    Brandon Aiyuk, WR

    School: Arizona State | Year: Senior
    Previous rank: 24

    Aiyuk is one of my favorite players in the draft class. He has a solid, muscular frame and plays an aggressive brand of football. He is explosive in his release and he attacks the leverage of cornerbacks before suddenly snapping off his route. Aiyuk doesn’t run a wide variety of routes, but he’s very efficient and effective. He has strong hands and can finish in traffic. He is at his best after the catch, breaking tackles and making people miss without gearing down. Those skills serve him well as a returner, too. Overall, Aiyuk will need a little time to develop as a complete route runner, but he’s a tough, explosive playmaker with added special teams value.

    RANK

    25

    K’Lavon Chaisson, Edge

    School: LSU | Year: Sophomore (RS)
    Previous rank: 25

    Chaisson primarily lined up as a stand-up rusher in the Tigers’ defensive system. He is long, explosive and very athletic. As a pass rusher, he relies more on pure get-off speed and athletic ability than technical skill. He is at his best as a looper, where he can find a crease and explode through. He has yet to figure out how to use his length to his advantage on a consistent basis. Against the run, he flashes the ability to stack and hold the point, but he excels at slipping blocks and creating havoc. His speed and effort show up on the back side of plays. Overall, Chaisson is more athlete than football player right now, but he has all of the raw tools to be a dominant force at the next level.

    RANK

    26

    A.J. Epenesa, Edge

    School: Iowa | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 26

    Epenesa is a skilled pass rusher with outstanding size, strength and effort. He has average get-off quickness, but he boasts strong hands, can flip his hips and is a reliable finisher. He has a variety of hand techniques, including a violent club move, swipe move and a push/pull move. He also will flash a long-arm move with his inside arm. He has a great feel when an OT is leaning outside, which creates an opening for his up-and-under inside-counter move. Against the run, he can hold the point of attack easily. His effort on the back side is outstanding, but he lacks the burst to make a ton of plays from distance. Overall, Epenesa has a very high floor as a prospect. He should be a consistent 8-to-10-sack performer at the very least.

    RANK

    27

    Tee Higgins, WR

    School: Clemson | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 27

    Higgins is a tall, long and rangy wideout with elite high-point skills. He uses a quick foot fire to defeat press coverage. He is a smooth, long-striding route runner. He is at his best when on the move: slants, posts and go routes. He lacks snap at the top of his route when working back downhill. He has incredible ball skills down the field. He can elevate and also adjust to the back-shoulder ball. After the catch, he is very smooth and slippery. Overall, Higgins isn’t going to do a lot of the dirty work in the middle of the field, but he’s very effective on the outside and provides big-play ability.

    RANK

    28

    Austin Jackson, OT

    School: USC | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 28

    Jackson brings an intriguing blend of size, athleticism and upside. In the passing game, he has the quickness to easily cut off speed rushers and he plays with good knee bend and balance. He needs to improve on his punch, as he’s often late to shoot his hands and gives up his chest, leaving him vulnerable to the bull rush. He flashes the ability to settle down after giving ground, but this needs to improve. In the run game, he has the quickness to reach/cut off on the back side and he does a good job of staying attached on the front side. His overall play strength needs to improve, but he’s only 20 years old and that should come in time. Jackson isn’t ready to play at a high level right away, but the upside is tantalizing.

    RANK

    29

    Jaylon Johnson, CB

    School: Utah | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 29

    Johnson offers an enticing size/speed combination for the position. He plays a lot of press-bail technique, but also flashes a firm two-hand jam. He is very fluid to open up and has plenty of long speed to carry vertical routes. He also excels when he slides inside to cover the slot. He was rarely challenged down the field in the games I studied. His ball production was outstanding in 2018 and opposing teams chose to avoid him last fall. He is very aggressive versus the run. He closes quickly before coming to balance and delivering firm tackles. Overall, Johnson is very talented and should be a Day 1 starter outside with the potential to cover in the slot as well.

    RANK

    30

    Yetur Gross-Matos, Edge

    School: Penn State | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 30

    Gross-Matos was a tall, long edge rusher for the Nittany Lions. He will stand up on the edge or launch out of his four-point stance. He is a very productive pass rusher. He doesn’t have an elite get-off, but he has very active hands and an array of moves. He has a quick swipe move, inside spin and he can also bend/wrap at the top of his rush. I’d like to see him develop more power, but he still has a lot to work with. He is very effective on loops and games. He does need to improve versus the run, as he sometimes plays too high and gets uprooted. Overall, Gross-Matos offers double-digit sack potential, but he does need to add strength at the next level.

    RANK

    31

    A.J. Terrell, CB

    School: Clemson | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 31

    Terrell is a tall, slender cornerback prospect with a strong resume in a variety of coverages and techniques. In press coverage, he uses an effective one-hand jam before turning and opening up. He can carry vertical routes with his speed, but he is a little bit sticky when he’s forced to gear down and come back downhill. In off coverage, he has a quick pedal, but there is a brief pause in his plant/drive. He has very good ball awareness down the field. He is a reliable tackler and an outstanding blitzer from the boundary corner spot. He had a rough outing against LSU in the national title game, but was otherwise very steady last season. Overall, Terrell has some tightness, but he’s a very solid player who should emerge as a quality No. 2 cornerback for his drafting team.

    RANK

    32

    Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB

    School: LSU | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 32

    Edwards-Helaire is a short, compact runner with quick feet, power and prowess in the passing game. On inside runs, he’s a quick-stepper with darting lateral agility to slide and avoid contact. He runs extremely low to the ground and is tough for opponents to square up. He drives his legs on contact and pulls out of a lot of tackles. He is quick to capture the perimeter and refuses to run out of bounds, choosing instead to fight for extra yards. He is outstanding in the passing game. He can line up anywhere in the formation and he runs clean/crisp routes. He catches the ball outside his frame very smoothly and he’s outstanding after the catch. His ability to start/stop in space is elite. He is rarely used in pass protection because of his value out in the route. Overall, Edwards-Helaire has a very similar skill set to Austin Ekeler — I envision a similar role/results at the next level.

    RANK

    33

    Marlon Davidson, Edge

    1

    School: Auburn | Year: Senior
    Previous rank: 34

    Davidson has average height and a thick/square build. He typically lined up at defensive end for the Tigers, but also possesses the ability to slide inside. As a pass rusher, he is devastating when he has a runway. He generates a lot of power in his bull rush and has an array of hand moves he can incorporate on the move. He doesn’t have an elite get-off, but he wins in the ways just mentioned. He destroys tight ends with his strength and power combination. Against the run, he uses his length to stack blocks, and his effort to pursue is outstanding. Overall, Davidson has some inside/outside flexibility and his production should carry over to the next level.

    RANK

    34

    Zack Baun, LB

    1

    School: Wisconsin | Year: Senior (RS)
    Previous rank: 33

    Baun is a slightly undersized outside linebacker with excellent athleticism and versatility. He spends a lot of time playing over tight ends and gets the best of them in the run and pass games. As a rusher, he has a good initial burst and can really bend at the top of his rush. He has a nifty inside counter move and he can get skinny before closing on the quarterback. He mixes in a stutter/bull rush, but usually stalls out after generating some push. He is very athletic as a dropper in coverage. He is very good as a back-side run defender because of his burst and effort. Teams will differ on where to play him at the next level. He reminds me of former USC LB Uchenna Nwosu, someone whose versatility the Chargers have tapped into. I’d do the same with Baun.

    RANK

    35

    Jonathan Taylor, RB

    School: Wisconsin | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 35

    Taylor is an ultra-productive running back with outstanding strength and speed. On inside runs, he’s sudden, carries his pads low to the ground and shows the balance to bounce off tacklers while keeping his legs alive. He isn’t overly shifty, but he avoids taking flush hits and he always falls forward for extra yardage. He has plenty of speed to capture the edge and once he gets in space, he can run away from the crowd. In the passing game, he is very effective on screens, where he can set up his blocks and collect big chunks of yardage. He trusts his hands and attacks the ball when he’s out in the route. He didn’t have a lot of reps in pass protection in the games I studied. Overall, Taylor is an explosive home run hitter with upside in the passing game.

    RANK

    36

    Laviska Shenault, WR

    School: Colorado | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 36

    Shenault is arguably the best athlete in the entire draft class. He is tall with a thick, muscular build. He lined up everywhere in Colorado’s offense — out wide, in the slot, at running back and he even took snaps as a Wildcat quarterback. Shenault isn’t a nuanced route runner, but he is a monster with the ball in his hands. He excels on quick hitters, fly sweeps and vertical routes. He has strong hands and his transition into a running back is immediate after the catch. He steps through tacklers and has a burst to finish. He is very competitive. Overall, Shenault comes with some durability concerns and will need time to develop into a fully polished wideout, but he can have an immediate impact for a creative offensive coordinator. He’s too big, strong and fast to not contribute. His drafting team just has to figure it out.

    RANK

    37

    J.K. Dobbins, RB

    3

    School: Ohio State | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 40

    Dobbins is a compact running back with tremendous power, balance and instincts. He is at his best on inside runs. He doesn’t hesitate, accelerating into contact and breaking a ton of tackles. He has a nifty inside spin move and can make second- and third-level defenders miss in space. He has enough speed to get to the perimeter, but he always looks to turn upfield as soon as possible. In the passing attack, he is effective in the screen game, but he has more work to do as a route runner. He had two tough drops vs. Clemson in the College Football Playoff, but he was reliable in every other game I studied. He is very aware in pass protection — he can drop his weight and anchor linebackers. Overall, Dobbins’ game should translate very well to the next level. He’ll be a dependable starter immediately.

    RANK

    38

    Cesar Ruiz, C

    1

    School: Michigan | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 37

    Ruiz is an extremely consistent, physical and aware center. In pass protection, he has a tight punch and immediate anchor. His lower body is outrageously strong. He is very aware vs. twists/stunts. He lacks elite foot quickness, but he doesn’t have any issues sliding and redirecting to stay square vs. defenders. In the run game, he latches and runs his feet to create movement. He is outstanding on combo blocks, staying under control, locating and walling off linebackers. His lack of foot quickness shows up on outside pulls. Overall, Ruiz reminds me of Travis Frederick coming out of Wisconsin.

    RANK

    39

    Joshua Jones, OT

    School: Houston | Year: Senior (RS)
    Previous rank: 39

    Jones lined up at left tackle for the Cougars. He has the ideal frame and length for the position. In pass pro, he is very smooth and efficient in his set. He isn’t overly explosive, but he has enough foot quicks to kick out and cover up speed rushes. He has a firm punch and he does a nice job replacing his hands when they get knocked down. He does play a little high and that impacts his ability to redirect versus up-and-under moves. In the run game, he can create movement on down blocks and is effective at the second level. He shows awareness against both run and pass. Overall, Jones has some games where he looks like a top-15 player (see: the Oklahoma tape), but he needs to play with better knee bend on a consistent basis. He should be a solid, dependable starter early in his career.

    RANK

    40

    Grant Delpit, S

    2

    School: LSU | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 38

    Delpit is a tall, fast free safety who also possesses the ability to play in the slot. From the deep middle, he trusts his eyes and explodes to the ball, whether run or pass. He has outstanding range and I trust his ball skills. His numbers dropped this past season, but that was the result of some nagging injuries. He is fluid and smooth when lined up in the slot. He is aggressive as a force defender, but he has too many fly-by missed tackles. Everyone at the school raves about his leadership and intangibles. Overall, Delpit needs to clean up some tackling issues, but he has Pro Bowl potential at free safety.

    RANK

    41

    Cole Kmet, TE

    School: Notre Dame | Year: Junior
    Previous rank: 41

    Kmet has an ideal frame for the TE position. He lined up inline and flexed out in Notre Dame’s offense. In the passing game, he has good speed and does a lot of damage working in the seams. He uses his big frame to wall off defenders and pluck the ball in traffic (see: Georgia game). He isn’t very polished or nuanced at the top of his route. He is at his best when he stays on the move instead of working back to the quarterback. He is physical after the catch, but he doesn’t provide much wiggle or elusiveness. In the run game, he can effectively shield and wall off at the point of attack, and he takes good angles working up to the second level. Kmet was the closer on Notre Dame’s baseball team and should make major strides now that he’s solely focused on football. Overall, Kmet isn’t a dynamic player, but he’s going to get stronger. I see him as a reliable, long-term starter at the position.

    RANK

    42

    Jeff Gladney, CB

    4

    School: TCU | Year: Senior (RS)
    Previous rank: 46

    Gladney lacks ideal size/bulk for the position, but he excels because of his blend of quickness and feistiness. He plays outside and inside. He is at his best in off coverage, where he uses a quick, fluid pedal before efficiently planting and driving on balls thrown in front of him. He doesn’t waste steps. He is always in good position, but will get walled off at times by bigger wideouts. When he does press, he usually sits at 2 yards and carries his hands low before trying to catch wideouts and re-route them. His overall ball awareness is very good. He does a good job coming to balance before tackling runners and he’s also an effective blitzer. Gladney needs to get a little stronger, but I love his scheme versatility and toughness.

    RANK

    43

    Kristian Fulton, CB

    1

    School: LSU | Year: Senior
    Previous rank: 42

    Fulton has good size for the position and he’s very fluid, smart and competitive. In press coverage, he switches up his technique. He’s primarily patient, but he’ll occasionally land a quick two-hand jam. He lacks elite top speed and he’s had some issues timing his leap on jump balls down the field. From off coverage, he’s very aware and shows some pop out of his plant/drive. He is very aggressive in run support. He fights through blocks and is very reliable in space. Overall, Fulton has some flaws, but I’ll bet on his intangibles and toughness.

    RANK

    44

    Jeremy Chinn, LB

    1

    School: Southern Illinois | Year: Senior
    Previous rank: 43

    Chinn is a fun player to study. He lined up all over the field in SIU’s scheme. He has an outstanding blend of size, speed and instincts. He is at his best when he’s in the box as a down safety/nickel linebacker. He has tremendous range to make plays sideline to sideline. He can locate and play the ball naturally (see: the high-point INT vs. UMass). He does have a little tightness when he’s in space, but he recovers quickly. He is a very firm/reliable tackler. Overall, I believe Chinn is ideally suited to play WLB at the next level. He is exactly what teams are looking for in today’s NFL.

    RANK

    45

    Justin Madubuike, DT

    1

    School: Texas A&M | Year: Junior (RS)
    Previous rank: 44

    Madubuike is a strong, versatile defensive lineman. He aligns at every spot along the defensive front, but he’s best suited as a 3-technique (on the edge of the guard). Against the pass, he is very quick to shoot his hands and generate knock-back. He has a quick club/rip move and is very adept at working through half the opponent instead of rushing down their numbers. His effort is outstanding. He is a dominant run defender. He excels at stacking blockers, separating and locating the football. Overall, Madubuike isn’t an elite pass rusher, but he’s impactful and can dominate on early downs.

    RANK

    46

    Denzel Mims, WR

    1

    School: Baylor | Year: Senior
    Previous rank: 45

    Mims is a tall, rangy wideout with exceptional burst and body control. He uses his quickness and burst to escape press coverage, excelling on vertical routes down the field. He tracks the ball naturally and wins a bunch of 50/50 balls. He will need some time to develop as a complete route runner. He simply wasn’t asked to run a large variety of routes in Baylor’s offense. After the catch, he is slippery and elusive, but he isn’t going to break many tackles. Overall, Mims is a big-play generator on the outside and has all of the tools to develop into a complete receiver.

    RANK

    47

    Antoine Winfield Jr., S

    School: Minnesota | Year: Sophomore (RS)
    Previous rank: 47

    Winfield is an undersized safety prospect with outstanding instincts and ball skills. His movement skills are very smooth and easy from the back end. He does a nice job playing over the top. He keeps everything in front of him, collecting a bunch of picks on tips and overthrows. He also spends a lot of time covering in the slot. He has enough speed to carry vertical routes down the field and he is also an excellent blitzer. As a tackler, he usually comes to balance, settles his feet and wraps up. Overall, there is some concern due to size and durability (missed time in 2017 and 2018 due to injury), but Winfield is a playmaker from the deep middle and his ability to match up in the slot is a bonus.

    RANK

    48

    Michael Pittman Jr., WR

    NR

    School: USC | Year: Senior
    Previous rank: NR

    Pittman is a tall, muscular wideout who had excellent production for the Trojans. He lines up out wide and he uses his upper-body strength to power through press coverage. He builds speed as he goes and he is a jump-ball specialist down the field. He high points the ball consistently and big brothers opposing cornerbacks routinely. He doesn’t have elite speed, but he’s very efficient getting in and out of breaks for such a big receiver. He is at his best after the catch, when his competitiveness and strength form a winning combination. He refuses to go down on first contact. Pittman has earned a reputation as one of the best special teams players in the country for his ability to cover and block punts. Overall, Pittman reminds me a lot of current Charger Mike Williams, and he can make an impact on all four downs because of his special teams value.

    RANK

    49

    Trevon Diggs, CB

    1

    School: Alabama | Year: Senior
    Previous rank: 48

    Diggs has elite size, athleticism and ball skills. (He also played wide receiver and returned kicks during his career at Alabama.) He uses an effective one-hand jam in press before opening up and staying on the hip. He’s fluid for such a big cornerback. It’s important for him to stay in phase with the wideout because he lacks elite recovery speed. From off coverage, he reads through the wide receiver to the quarterback and has a good feel for jumping routes and making plays. His ball skills are outstanding — as you’d expect, considering his brother is Stefon Diggs. He does need to improve as a tackler in space. Overall, Diggs has some room to develop, but he will excite teams looking for a big cornerback to match up with guys like Mike Evans and Courtland Sutton.

    RANK

    50

    Jalen Hurts, QB

    School: Oklahoma | Year: Senior
    Previous rank: 50

    Hurts is slightly undersized for the position, but his production, poise and playmaking ability are very impressive. He has crisp footwork in his drop and he throws from a very firm platform. He has a quick release and generates excellent velocity on drive throws. Hurts flashed the ability to touch the ball up, but his ball placement still needs to improve. His vision and anticipation are other areas that need work. He’s an outstanding runner, both on designed runs and when pressured. He gains ground quickly and runs through contact consistently. I love his competitiveness and toughness. Overall, Hurts must continue to improve in the passing game, but I’m going to bet on his eventual success due to his playmaking skills and overall competitiveness.

    RANK

    51

    Jordan Brooks, LB

    School: Texas Tech | Year: Senior

    RANK

    52

    Lloyd Cushenberry, C

    3

    School: LSU | Year: Junior (RS)

    RANK

    53

    Ezra Cleveland, OT

    School: Boise State | Year: Junior (RS)

    RANK

    54

    Logan Wilson, LB

    School: Wyoming | Year: Senior

    RANK

    55

    Cam Akers, RB

    School: Florida State | Year: Junior

    RANK

    56

    Jalen Reagor, WR

    School: TCU | Year: Junior

    RANK

    57

    KJ Hamler, WR

    School: Penn State | Year: Sophomore (RS)

    RANK

    58

    Josh Uche, LB

    School: Michigan | Year: Junior (RS)

    RANK

    59

    Damon Arnette, CB

    School: Ohio State | Year: Senior (RS)

    RANK

    60

    Robert Hunt, OT

    School: Louisiana-Lafayette | Year: Senior (RS)

    RANK

    61

    Matt Hennessy, C

    School: Temple | Year: Junior (RS)

    RANK

    62

    Willie Gay, LB

    School: Mississippi State | Year: Junior

    RANK

    63

    Saahdiq Charles, OT

    School: LSU | Year: Junior

    RANK

    64

    Jacob Eason, QB

    School: Washington | Year: Junior (RS)

    RANK

    65

    Neville Gallimore, DT

    School: Oklahoma | Year: Senior (RS)

    RANK

    66

    Isaiah Wilson, OT

    School: Georgia | Year: Sophomore (RS)

    RANK

    67

    Jordan Elliott, DT

    School: Missouri | Year: Junior (RS)

    RANK

    68

    Adam Trautman, TE

    School: Dayton | Year: Senior (RS)

    RANK

    69

    Van Jefferson, WR

    School: Florida | Year: Senior (RS)

    RANK

    70

    Jake Fromm, QB

    School: Georgia | Year: Junior

    RANK

    71

    Harrison Bryant, TE

    School: Florida Atlantic | Year: Senior

    RANK

    72

    Chase Claypool, WR

    School: Notre Dame | Year: Senior

    RANK

    73

    Noah Igbinoghene, CB

    School: Auburn | Year: Junior

    RANK

    74

    Kyle Dugger, S

    School: Lenoir-Rhyne | Year: Senior

    RANK

    75

    Bradlee Anae, Edge

    School: Utah | Year: Senior

    RANK

    76

    Malik Harrison, LB

    School: Ohio State | Year: Senior

    RANK

    77

    Curtis Weaver, Edge

    School: Boise State | Year: Junior (RS)

    RANK

    78

    John Hightower, WR

    School: Boise State | Year: Senior

    RANK

    79

    Antonio Gandy-Golden, WR

    School: Liberty | Year: Senior

    RANK

    80

    Devin Duvernay, WR

    School: Texas | Year: Senior

    RANK

    81

    Lynn Bowden Jr., WR

    School: Kentucky | Year: Junior

    RANK

    82

    Ben Bartch, OT

    School: St. John’s (Minn.) | Year: Senior

    RANK

    83

    Darrynton Evans, RB

    School: Appalachian State | Year: Junior (RS)

    RANK

    84

    Reggie Robinson, CB

    School: Tulsa | Year: Senior (RS)

    RANK

    85

    Amik Robertson, CB

    School: Louisiana Tech | Year: Junior

    RANK

    86

    Ashtyn Davis, S

    School: California | Year: Senior (RS)

    RANK

    87

    Josiah Scott, CB

    School: Michigan State | Year: Junior

    RANK

    88

    Terrell Burgess, S

    School: Utah | Year: Senior

    RANK

    89

    James Lynch, DE

    School: Baylor | Year: Junior

    RANK

    90

    Darrell Taylor, Edge

    School: Tennessee | Year: Senior (RS)

    RANK

    91

    Damien Lewis, OG

    School: LSU | Year: Senior

    RANK

    92

    Hakeem Adeniji, OL

    School: Kansas | Year: Senior

    RANK

    93

    Davon Hamilton, DT

    School: Ohio State | Year: Senior (RS)

    RANK

    94

    Bryan Edwards, WR

    School: South Carolina | Year: Senior

    RANK

    95

    Akeem Davis-Gaither, LB

    School: Appalachian State | Year: Senior

    RANK

    96

    Leki Fotu, DT

    School: Utah | Year: Senior

    RANK

    97

    Matt Peart, OT

    School: Connecticut | Year: Senior (RS)

    RANK

    98

    Davion Taylor, LB

    School: Colorado | Year: Senior

    RANK

    99

    John Reid, CB

    School: Penn State | Year: Senior (RS)

    RANK

    100

    Bryce Hall, CB

    School: Virginia | Year: Senior

    RANK

    101

    Terrell Lewis, Edge

    School: Alabama | Year: Junior (RS)

    RANK

    102

    Cameron Clark, OG

    School: Charlotte | Year: Senior (RS)

    RANK

    103

    Grayland Arnold, CB

    School: Baylor | Year: Junior (RS)

    RANK

    104

    Jonathan Greenard, Edge

    School: Florida | Year: Senior (RS)

    RANK

    105

    Zack Moss, RB

    School: Utah | Year: Senior

    RANK

    106

    Brandon Jones, S

    School: Texas | Year: Senior

    RANK

    107

    Antonio Gibson, WR

    School: Memphis | Year: Senior

    RANK

    108

    Raekwon Davis, DT

    School: Alabama | Year: Senior

    RANK

    109

    Ke’Shawn Vaughn, RB

    School: Vanderbilt | Year: Senior (RS)

    RANK

    110

    Julian Okwara, Edge

    School: Notre Dame | Year: Senior

    RANK

    111

    Shaquille Quarterman, LB

    School: Miami (Fla.) | Year: Senior

    RANK

    112

    AJ Dillon, RB

    School: Boston College | Year: Junior

    RANK

    113

    Jack Driscoll, OT

    School: Auburn | Year: Senior (RS)

    RANK

    114

    Jared Mayden, DB

    School: Alabama | Year: Senior

    RANK

    115

    Julian Blackmon, S

    School: Utah | Year: Senior

    RANK

    116

    Larrell Murchison, DT

    School: North Carolina State | Year: Senior (RS)

    RANK

    117

    Khalid Kareem, Edge

    School: Notre Dame | Year: Senior

    RANK

    118

    Charlie Heck, OT

    School: North Carolina | Year: Senior

    RANK

    119

    Josiah Deguara, TE

    School: Cincinnati | Year: Senior (RS)

    RANK

    120

    L’Jarius Sneed, S

    School: Louisiana Tech | Year: Senior

    RANK

    121

    Devin Asiasi, TE

    School: UCLA | Year: Junior (RS)

    RANK

    122

    Kindle Vildor, CB

    School: Georgia Southern | Year: Senior

    RANK

    123

    Geno Stone, S

    School: Iowa | Year: Junior

    RANK

    124

    K’Von Wallace, S

    School: Clemson | Year: Senior

    RANK

    125

    Alton Robinson, Edge

    School: Syracuse | Year: Senior

    RANK

    126

    Hunter Bryant, TE

    School: Washington | Year: Junior

    RANK

    127

    Jabari Zuniga, Edge

    School: Florida | Year: Senior (RS)

    RANK

    128

    Dalton Keene, TE

    School: Virginia Tech | Year: Junior

    RANK

    129

    Joe Bachie, LB

    School: Michigan State | Year: Senior

    RANK

    130

    Jacob Phillips, LB

    School: LSU | Year: Junior

    RANK

    131

    Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR

    School: Michigan | Year: Junior

    RANK

    132

    Cameron Dantzler, CB

    School: Mississippi State | Year: Junior (RS)

    RANK

    133

    Tyre Phillips, OG

    School: Mississippi State | Year: Senior (RS)

    RANK

    134

    Jason Strowbridge, Edge

    School: North Carolina | Year: Senior

    RANK

    135

    Nick Harris, C

    School: Washington | Year: Senior

    RANK

    136

    Jonah Jackson, OG

    School: Ohio State | Year: Senior (RS)

    RANK

    137

    Kevin Dotson, OL

    School: Louisiana-Lafayette | Year: Senior (RS)

    RANK

    138

    Joshua Kelley, RB

    School: UCLA | Year: Senior (RS)

    RANK

    139

    Tyler Johnson, WR

    School: Minnesota | Year: Senior

    RANK

    140

    Darnell Mooney, WR

    School: Tulane | Year: Senior

    RANK

    141

    Darnay Holmes, CB

    School: UCLA | Year: Junior

    RANK

    142

    Javaris Davis, CB

    School: Auburn | Year: Senior (RS)

    RANK

    143

    Alohi Gilman, S

    School: Notre Dame | Year: Junior

    RANK

    144

    Azur Kamara, Edge

    School: Kansas | Year: Senior

    RANK

    145

    James Proche, WR

    School: Southern Methodist | Year: Senior (RS)

    RANK

    146

    D.J. Wonnum, Edge

    School: South Carolina | Year: Senior

    RANK

    147

    Albert Okwuegbunam, TE

    School: Missouri | Year: Junior (RS)

    RANK

    148

    Michael Ojemudia, CB

    School: Iowa | Year: Senior

    RANK

    149

    Jake Luton, QB

    School: Oregon State | Year: Senior (RS)

    RANK

    150

    Trevis Gipson, Edge

    School: Tulsa | Year: Senior (RS)

    Follow Daniel Jeremiah on Twitter @MoveTheSticks.

    Agamemnon

    #113785
    Avatar photowv
    Participant

    LAtimes:https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2020-04-17/malaria-drugs-fails-to-help-coronavirus-patients-in-controlled-studies
    Malaria drugs fail to help coronavirus patients in controlled studies

    By Melissa HealyStaff Writer
    April 17, 2020
    3:08 PM

    The malaria drugs touted by President Trump as potentially “the biggest game changers in the history of medicine” have received a decidedly more sober assessment of their coronavirus-fighting potential from researchers in China, France and Brazil.

    Both chloroquine and its close relative hydroxychloroquine offered signs that they may ease some of the hallmark symptoms of coronavirus infection in patients who were hospitalized with COVID-19. But the drugs largely failed to deliver improvements on other key measures when evaluated in rigorous research studies.

    In research done in France, hydroxychloroquine reduced neither deaths nor admissions to intensive care units among patients who received it. In a study conducted in China and another in Brazil, the two drugs failed to help patients clear the coronavirus faster.

    And in Brazil, two deaths and a rash of heart troubles among patients who got a high dose of chloroquine prompted a hasty alteration of the trial there after just 13 days. Concluding that “enough red flags” had been raised, the researchers halted testing of the drug in its extra-strength form.

    “My own impression so far is that these medications are a colossal ‘Maybe,’” said Dr. Michael H. Pillinger, a professor of medicine at New York University and chief of rheumatology at the Veterans Affairs’ New York Harbor Healthcare System.

    “Is there enough possible benefit that we could use these on a wing and prayer until something better comes along? I’m underwhelmed” by the evidence for that, Pillinger said.

    In the Brazil study, two of the 37 patients who were getting high doses of chloroquine developed ventricular tachycardia, a dangerous heart arrhythmia that led to their deaths. Five other patients in this arm of the trial developed QT interval prolongation, a condition that makes the heart’s electrical system slower to recharge between beats. It can cause the heart to beat erratically, also raising the risk of sudden death.

    The death toll among patients who were randomly assigned to receive high-dose chloroquine did not rise above that in a comparison group of patients who did not get the drug. But researchers had set out to establish that high-dose chloroquine would save lives. When it failed to do so, they concluded the risks of cardiac side effects could not be justified.

    “Preliminary findings suggest that the higher chloroquine dosage should not be recommended for COVID-19 treatment because of its potential safety hazards,” the study authors wrote in a report posted Thursday to MedRxiv, a clearinghouse for preliminary research results.

    After the two deaths, the remaining 39 patients were switched to a lower dose of chloroquine, which was already being tested in 40 other patients. All would be tracked for an additional 13 days, with results still to come.

    Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has allied himself closely with President Trump and has echoed his extravagant claims about chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine. He has ordered the Brazilian army to ramp up its orders of chloroquine and told the public that the malaria drugs “could go down in history as having saved thousands of lives in Brazil.”

    The authors of the Brazil study, which was conducted in the Amazonian city of Manaus, suggested that Bolsonaro’s support complicated their efforts to test the drugs as rigorously as they would have liked.

    Normally, they would have conducted a head-to-head comparison by randomly assigning some people to get the drugs while others received a dummy pill, or placebo. But since the drugs have been “recommended at the national level,” the researchers were unable to assign anyone to a group that would not get chloroquine. Instead, they used “historical data from the literature to infer comparisons.”

    The French study of hydroxychloroquine, posted Tuesday to MedRxiv, followed a more conventional design. Researchers there enrolled 181 COVID-19 patients who were admitted to four French hospitals over the last two weeks of March, then compared the outcomes of 84 people who quickly received hydroxychloroquine to 91 patients who never received the drug. (Patients in both groups got a range of other treatments, including antiviral medications, corticosteroids and breathing support.)

    The researchers found that treatment with hydroxychloroquine did not reduce the likelihood that a COVID-19 patient would die or be admitted to the intensive care unit within a week of hospital admission. Nor did it drive down a patient’s likelihood of developing serious breathing problems.

    Hydroxychloroquine did, however, raise some risks. Eight of the 84 patients who got hydroxychloroquine experienced changes in heart rhythm that required discontinuation of the drug, and another patient developed a related heart-rhythm disorder.

    “The negative clinical results of this study argue against the widespread use of hydroxychloroquine in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia,” the French researchers concluded.

    Chinese researchers were just a bit more encouraging.

    Their study, also posted to MedRxiv on Tuesday, found that COVID-19 patients who got hydroxychloroquine were no better at clearing the coronavirus from their systems than patients who didn’t get the drug. And at the 28-day mark, patients in both groups had the same number of symptoms.

    But two weeks after admission to the hospital, patients who got hydroxychloroquine reported they felt better than their counterparts who did not. And they appeared to have lower levels of inflammation — a symptom of COVID-19 that can escalate and lead to death if unchecked. (In fact, in doses much lower than those tested in the COVID-19 trials, hydroxychloroquine is used to treat autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis because of its anti-inflammatory effects.)

    Also, while 30% of the patients who got hydroxychloroquine reported a side effect, just 9% of patients in the comparison group did so. None of these side effects appeared to be heart-related.

    The Chinese researchers referred to “shreds of evidence” that support the hope that hydroxychloroquine could help patients fend off bouts of inflammation that can damage the lungs and other organs.

    But researchers in the United States cautioned that the small number of patients in the studies, their hurried execution and the difficulty of assessing any drug during a medical crisis made all of the findings far from definitive. And it doesn’t help that the drugs have become political footballs, they added.

    “We kind of have the red pill people and the blue pill people,” said Dr. Michael J. Ackerman, a Mayo Clinic cardiologist who was among the first to warn that the malaria drugs can dangerously disturb heart rhythms. “I don’t think either side now has the ammunition to say these drugs do or don’t work,” he added.

    Yale University cardiologist Harlan Krumholz agreed. He noted that the studies, none of which has been vetted in a traditional peer-review process, “can’t exclude large effects in either direction. They leave us a little bit where we started.”

    But there is a troubling signal in these and previous studies, and they create a challenge for those who would advocate use of the malaria drugs, he said.

    When a drug that could be widely used poses potentially deadly dangers to the heart, “we will need a strong amount of evidence that they provide benefit,” Krumholz said. “At the moment, there is no evidence” for that, he added.

    Avatar photoBilly_T
    Participant

    I agree about the fan viruses. Can be benign or highly dangerous. The Rams virus, for instance, doesn’t cause too much misery, unless it mutates into its Warner/Bulger form, in which case patients end up throwing various virtual and inanimate objects at each other…

    ==============

    Ahh. I see you call it the Warner/Bulger Virus. Only an Evil Warnerite would call it the Warner/Bulger virus. The fact is it was the Bulger/Warner Virus.

    w
    v

    You West Virginians always stick together, doncha!!

    ;>)

    All seriousness aside, I actually thought Bulger was the one unfairly bashed (at the time) in that food fight. Now, I just wish it had never happened.

    Fan boards all over the world were in turmoil. Massive Armeys were conscripted, taking the planet to the brink of annihilation. Trillions of dollars spent, bankrupting future generations forever. Assassinations, coups, black ops galore, not to mention all the Martzian professors and activists blackballed by the notorious HUACT investigations.

    Dozens of those poor sots never recovered once Mike McCarthy formed his House Un-American Coryell Tree mob.

    Sheesh. Easily one of the worst periods in American history. Easily. We can only look back at it in shame.

    Avatar photowv
    Participant

    I agree about the fan viruses. Can be benign or highly dangerous. The Rams virus, for instance, doesn’t cause too much misery, unless it mutates into its Warner/Bulger form, in which case patients end up throwing various virtual and inanimate objects at each other…

    ==============

    Ahh. I see you call it the Warner/Bulger Virus. Only an Evil Warnerite would call it the Warner/Bulger virus. The fact is it was the Bulger/Warner Virus.

    w
    v

    Avatar photoBilly_T
    Participant

    I have a theory, myself. I think a Virus wiped out the Dinosaurs. It was a meteor-virus. A big meteor landed and there was an alien corona-virus on it.
    And that was that.

    w
    v

    They didn’t have a vaccine for the Spanish Flu, and it took 3 years to go away. (Probably because it mutated into something more benign, like, for example, dedicated football fandom).

    I agree about the fan viruses. Can be benign or highly dangerous. The Rams virus, for instance, doesn’t cause too much misery, unless it mutates into its Warner/Bulger form, in which case patients end up throwing various virtual and inanimate objects at each other, in hopes of deeply wounding or even killing their prey; or, if the Saints virus mutates into the badcall virus, wherein referees are chased out of New Orleans like poor little coyotes; or the Patriots virus, when it becomes mugholtbrucefaulkitis. That one pretty much devastated millions across the land.

    #113576
    Avatar photowv
    Participant

    Its being used in two London hospitals now, fwiw.

    NHS:https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8211717/Malaria-drug-championed-Donald-Trump-used-coronavirus-patients-NHS-wards.html

    “..Hydroxychloroquine is being used at Barts in London and the Royal Devon and Exeter to keep critically ill coronavirus patients alive.

    President Trump described the drug as a ‘game changer’ and it has been added to the Chinese guidance for tackling the disease, but up until now the NHS has strongly discouraged its use….”

    #113575
    Avatar photozn
    Moderator

    SLF

    A friend of mine has both parents that have tested positive. Paraphrasing from his Facebook and a few texts I had with him.

    -we’ve all heard about the loss of appetite and smell. As a result both parents slowed their eating.

    -that messed with their blood sugar, potassium, sodium and other levels

    -the problem is COVID-19 seems to then make it tough for the doctors/nurses to dial things back in. Under normal conditions they can adjust, but Coronavirus is throwing things for a loop when trying to get things like blood sugar right. Experienced medical professionals with decades of experience are now having problems getting patients back to correct ranges.

    -then the cascade effect hits as heart attacks, strokes and other issues hit as a result of their blood numbers being off.

    His dad had a stroke yesterday and his mom might have this morning.

    #113474

    In reply to: draft talk (April)

    Avatar photozn
    Moderator

    Deadpool

    My 2020 250 player Big Board

    A few notes before I get to the list:

    1. I have seen every player. Some guys I have only seen in the Shrine Game. Others I have seen a ton. So my grading is not perfect.

    2. This is a board built from a scoring system and not where I think they will land in the draft. That is a predictive board. So I get Joe Burrow is going #1 and not where I have him. Its where he scored.

    3. As far as scoring, its new to me, and I altered it from last year. I grade a player on several categories (depending on position) on a 1-10 scale. Injuries now do come into play. Some red flags from off the field as well.

    4. My top 10 lists per position are coming.

    5. I summarized each player to give you an idea of their strengths and weaknesses, if you see one with too many comments one way or the other, it doesn’t mean he should be higher or lower.

    6. ask any questions you like.

    1. Chase Young – Edge – Ohio St. – 6′-5″ 264 lbs. – Size/speed/strength/athleticism. He is the total package in a prototypical 43 DE body.

    2. Jeff Okudah – CB – Ohio St. – 6′-1″ 205 lbs. – Big, quick, fast, smooth and physical. Perfect fit in a press man system, but will work in off man and zone.

    3. Derrick Brown – IDL -Auburn – 6′-4″ 326 lbs. – Explosive, strong, excellent hand fighter and has an all-day motor. Total package.

    4. Isaiah Simmons – LB – Clemson – 6′-4″ 238 lbs. – ILB, Safety, CB, Edge. Kid can do it all with his blend of elite speed, athleticism and strength. In a league wanting more do it all types, he may be the best of them all.

    5. Jedrick Wills – OT – Alabama – 6′-4″ 312 lbs. – Played RT to protect a lefty QB. He can dominate you power wise and has plenty of juice to move, slide hit and rinse repeat. Oh and he is a technician as well as a mauler…

    6. Jerry Jeudy – WR – Alabama – 6′-1″ 193 lbs. – Excellent hands, excellent route runner and electric speed. Everything you want in a #1 WR.

    7. Tristan Wirfs – OT – Iowa – 6′-5″ 320 lbs. – Some think he’s an OG. They are wrong. Athletic and powerful with good technique. He can play either side and be a 10 year rock star.

    8. CeeDee Lamb -WR – Oklahoma – 6′-2″ 198 lbs. – a size/speed WR that is an absolute terror in the open field. Excellent hands are just the cherry on top. Could use some strength.

    9. K’Lavon Chaisson – Edge – LSU – 6′-4″ 254 lbs. – My top 34 Edge. Speed to power guy with plenty of athletic ability and a leader mentality. Good motor as well. 3 down edge.

    10. Mekhi Becton – OT – Louisville – 6′-7″ 357 lbs. – The Mountain. He is a physical rarity. He is fast, strong big and agile. Has had issues maintaining his weight in the past.

    11. Javon Kinlaw – IDL -South Carolina – 6′-5″ 324 lbs. – Another big, explosive lineman that can get after it. may have some character concerns.

    12. Kristian Fulton – CB – LSU – 6′-0″ 197 lbs. – Good size to go with a smooth, athletic profile. Always under control and doesn’t panic. Another press man CB.

    13. Kenneth Murray – LB – Oklahoma – 6′-2″ 241 lbs. – Sideline to sideline ILBer with power and everything you want in a defensive leader.

    14. Joe Burrow – QB – LSU – 6′-3″ 221 lbs. – Above average in most categories. Elite movement in and manipulation of the pocket makes him special. Prototypical size helps.

    15. Andrew Thomas – OT – Georgia – 6′-5″ 315 lbs. – Not the athlete the top 3 are, but if hands are on you, be prepared to eat dirt. Excellent hands combined with that power makes for a long day against the run.

    16. Tua Tagovailoa – QB – Alabama – 6′-0″ 217 lbs. – Love his athletic ability, accuracy to all levels and competitiveness. Injury history drops him a slot.

    17. Grant Delpit – S – LSU – 6′-2″ 213 lbs. – Single high is the safety everyone wants, and Delpit is an excellent single high with great range, smooth change of direction and can drop into the box and blitz.

    18. C.J. Henderson – CB – Florida – 6′-1″ 204 lbs. – Explosive, smooth and fast, he has a ballhawk mentality. Didn’t want to tackle this year. Business decision? Off man or zone corner.

    19. Patrick Queen – LB – LSU – 6′-1″ 229 lbs. – A new age ILBer that can run, cover and hit. His lack of length is a bit of a concern.

    20. Xavier McKinney – S – Alabama – 6′-0″ 201 lbs. – Not a single high, but a tough nosed moveable chess piece that wins everywhere on the field.

    21. Laviska Shenault Jr. – WR – Colorado – 6′-1″ 227 lbs. – A physical, workhorse that just punishes defenders in the open field. Injuries are a concern.

    22. A.J. Epenesa – Edge – Iowa – 6′-6″ 275 lbs. – A bit stiff, but he works, strong as a bull and I think he gives you End work on early downs and moves inside on 3rds.

    23. Henry Ruggs III – WR – Alabama – 5′-11″ 188 lbs. – Here’s your HR threat. a pure speed machine that won’t wow you with his route running ability.

    24. Neville Gallimore – IDL – Oklahoma – 6′-2″ 304 lbs. – Good athlete with power, all day motor and tough. Not as dynamic as a pass rusher as the top 2 guys.

    25. Cesar Ruiz – IOL – Michigan – 6′-3″ 307 lbs. – Zone or man, excellent pass blocker, can play OG or OC. Best combo of size/strength and athletic ability in the IOL group. I like him as a Zone scheme OC.

    26. Justin Herbert – QB – Oregon – 6′-6″ 236 lbs. – Big kid, big arm. Needs to fix some mechanics involving his legs. I worry he isn’t a natural leader.

    27. Jonathan Taylor – RB – Wisconsin – 5′-10″ 226 lbs. – A workhorse back with HR speed and excellent vision. Pass catching is his worst trait, and its fine.

    28. Yetur Gross-Matos – Edge – Penn St. – 6′-5″ 266 lbs. – Raw, but the tools spill out of his toolbox. 43 DE. Love his length and explosiveness from a 3 point stance. high ceiling.

    29. D’Andre Swift – RB – Georgia – 5′-8″ 212 lbs. – Bellcow back with excellent footwork and balance, HR speed and can catch passes. Not a between the tackles type.

    30. Trevon Diggs – CB – Alabama – 6′-1″ 205 lbs. – Brother to Stephon, he is a zone/man cb prospect with excellent footwork and fluid movement skills. Add that to his length and he is a handful.

    31. Antoine Winfield Jr. – S – Minnesota – 5′-9″ 203 lbs. – Undersized ballhawking, instinctual and extremely physical S. Again, not a sigle high, and more of a halves type safety.

    32. Tee Higgins – WR – Clemson – 6′-4″ 216 lbs. – a highpoint, catch radius WR that wins at all levels of the field, but is at his best winning 50/50. Good, not great speed.

    33. JK Dobbins – RB – Ohio State – 5′-9″ 210 lbs. – Inside out back that can catch passes, extremely tough after first contact and can go the distance. I wish he was a tad bigger.

    34. Noah Igbinoghene – CB – Auburn – 5′-10″ 198 lbs. – Former WR turned college CB, so he needs to be developed, but he is ultra fast, explosive and just an overall smooth athlete. Zone or man fit.

    35. Ross Blacklock – IDL – TCU – 6′-4″ 290 lbs. – Incredible feet with good power has him in gaps consistently. Not the fastest react time. Achilles injury 2 years ago.

    36. Jordan Love – QB – Utah State – 6′-4″ 224 lbs. – I don’t get the Mahommes comp., He pressed bigtime this year and struggled. Big time athlete with big arm.

    37. Justin Jefferson – WR – LSU – 6′-1″ 202 lbs. – Good route runner, good hands, good speed, good blocker. Not explosive, but gets open, makes catches and scores.

    38. Jeff Gladney – CB – TCU – 5′-10″ – 191 lbs. – Physical, hard-nosed press man CB with excellent speed. More than willing to help against the run.

    39. Josh Jones – OT – Houston – 6′-5″ 319 lbs. – Super athlete with great feet, decent anchor that would work best in a zone scheme. Not the dog the top 4 are, but still will get after it.

    40. Van Jefferson – WR – Florida – 6′-1″ 200 lbs. – A route running technician, good hands and is OK in the open field. Not explosive and not what I would call a HR threat.

    41. Justin Madubuike – IDL – Texas A&M – 6′-3″ 293 lbs. – An explosive, penetrating type DT with good strength that needs to be more consistent.

    42. Austin Jackson – OT – USC – 6′-5″ 322 lbs. – Lost time/strength due to helping his sister with a medical issue. He may need a year, but a full toolbox with a good balance of strength and agility.

    43. Clyde Edwards-Helaire – RB – LSU – 5′-7″ 207 lbs. – An easy mover with a powerful lower half. May lack the size to handle a full NFL load.

    44. Lucas Niang – OT – TCU – 6′-6″ 315 lbs. – Another nice power/athletic combo blocker that plays with a nice edge. Injury slowed him some, and needs to get consistent.

    45. Lloyd Cushenberry – IOL – LSU – 6′-3″ 312 lbs. – Another OG/OC candidate. Strong and tough, not as mobile as the other top OCs. Really improved over the year.

    46. Terrell Lewis – Alabama – 6′-5″ 262 lbs. – Another high ceiling guy with injury history. Loooong levered. Smooth. Stong. 34 Edge

    47. Marlon Davidson – IDL – Auburn – 6′-3″ 303 lbs. – 3T or 34 DE. I like him as a penetrating DE in a 34 that can also hold his own against the run. Big time motor.

    48. Jalen Reagor – WR – Arizona State – 5′-11′ 206 lbs. – He’s a jittery HR hitter that is electric deep or in the open field. His hands are iffy IMO, or he’d be higher on my list.

    49. Kyle Dugger – S – Lenoir-Rhyne – 6′-1″ 217 lbs. – Small school kid. Great size and athletic profile that can play free or strong. Excellent blitzer and played really well at the Senior Bowl. Will need some coaching.

    50. Donovan Peoples-Jones – WR – Michigan – 6′-2″ 212 lbs. – Good hands and an excellent athlete. Underused in that woeful Mich. offense. He is more of a projection due to lack of production.

    51. Denzel Mims – WR – Baylor – 6′-3″ 207 lbs. – Big, strong with decent speed. He can go up and get it. A real 50/50 ball stud. Lacks any real route running.

    52. Zack Baun – Edge – Wisconsin – 6′-3″ 238 lbs. – A bit smaller edge, but he is smart, relentless and refined. Will have trouble against the run due to size. I think he works best as a LBer you move around inside early, out late.

    53. Ashtyn Davis – S – California – 6′-1″ 202 lbs. – A physical safety that works in a variety of sets, works best when he’s free to roam in a zone and make plays.

    54. Matt Hennessy – IOL – Temple – 6′-4″ 307 lbs. – A OZS OC that is an excellent mover with great technique. Needs to get stronger, but IQ and skill set are outstanding. Reminds me of Garrett Bradbury.

    55. Damon Arnette – CB – Ohio St. – 6′-0″ 195 lbs. – Easy moving, physical press man CB with very good instincts.

    56. Jeremy Chinn – S – Southern Illinois – 6′-3″ 221 lbs. – Simmons-lite in a safety body. he could be a LBer a S or an edge rusher with crazy athleticism. Love his physicality and the fact that he is always around the ball.

    57. Cam Akers – RB – Florida State – 5′-10″ 217 lbs. – Another feature back buried on a horrible offense. Does a little of everything., but he’s a downhill 1 cut style power back at his best.

    58. K.J. Hamler – WR – Penn State – 5′-9″ 178 lbs. – Electrifying. In the open field as dangerous as any WR in the draft. Hands can be iffy, and he is small, but a HR hitter and someone a defense needs to plan for.

    59. Julian Okwara – Edge – Notre Dame – 6′-4″ 252 lbs. – A 34 Edge with a nice blend of explosiveness and flexibility. Needs to get stronger against the run.

    60. A.J. Terrell – CB – Clemson – 6′-1″ 195 lbs. – Fast, big press man that needs to rely on his skill set and not resort to getting so handsy. This is football, not the backseat of your dads Olds on date night.

    61. Jordyn Brooks – LB – Texas Tech – 6′-1″ 240 lbs. – An absolute heat seeking missile that is devastating going downhill, lacks pass coverage reps. Sideline to sideline.

    62. Brandon Aiyuk – WR – Arizona State – 6′-0″ 205 lbs. – Another big play waiting to happen. Can take the top off the defense and is slippery in the open field. Not a very nuanced route runner, hands are OK.

    63. Josh Uche – Edge – Michigan – 6′-1″ 245 lbs. – Smaller edge that will have issues against the run. but he is a flexy, bursty little dude that is also good in space.

    64. Jonah Jackson – IOL – Ohio St. – 6′-3″ 306 lbs. – A technician with decent strength that can play anywhere on the inside. Needs to be more consistent. Plays with an edge.

    65. Troy Pride – CB – Notre Dame – 5′-11″ 193 lbs. – Under-rated athletically, has good speed and can work in man and zone coverages. A perfect #2 CB.

    66. Malik Harrison – LB – Ohio St. – 6′-3″ 247 lbs. – Old school type MLBer that stuffs the run and plugs gaps. Quick to react, strong and will drop the hammer. Too stiff to contribute in a lot of coverage.

    67. Bryce Hall – CB – Virginia – 6′-1″ 202 lbs. – Long, physical and smart. Always taking good angles and is in the proper position. Not the world’s best athlete. he will outwork you. Zone CB.

    68. Brycen Hopkins – TE – Purdue – 6′-4″ 245 lbs. – Your prototypical new age TE. A mismatch problem in the middle of the field that is a smooth, easy mover. Not an inline blocker, I worry a bit about his hands.

    69. Jacob Eason – QB – Washington – 6′-6″ 231 lbs. – Biggest arm in the class, but is a statue and panics a little too easily for my taste.

    70. Jaylon Johnson – CB – Utah – 6′-0″ 193 lbs. – Decent size and speed that excels in man coverage. Fast to react and is a ballhawk. Smooth mover.

    71. Leki Fotu – IDL – Utah – 6′-4″ 330 lbs. – A monster NT with a little pass rush juice to him. Good motor and is almost impossible to move. Not the athletic freak Lawrence was last year.

    72. Ben Bartch – OT – St. Johns (MN) – 6′-6″ 309 lbs. – Small School prospect that held his own at Senior Bowl. TE turned OT. Athletic with a nice anchor, he needs seasoning. Arm length probably moves him inside.

    73. Cameron Dantzler – CB – Mississippi State – 6′-2″ 188 lbs. -a big CB that may move to S due to speed restrictions. I like him in press man, but his ability to sniff out routes should help in zone concepts as well.

    74. Eno Benjamin – RB – Arizona State – 5′-9″ 207 lbs. – Physical for his size, smooth lower half and can be slippery to tackle. Change of pace back only.

    75. Matt Peart – OT – Connecticut – 6′-7″ 318 lbs. – An easy moving OT with decent strength that again, could use a year or 2 learning and adding power, but there is no denying the skills are there.

    76. DaVon Hamilton – IDL – Ohio St. – 6′-4″ 320 lbs. – A powerhouse run defender that was never tasked to rush the passer. Early 2 down starter with the athletic profile to possibly add some inside pass rush.

    77. Jake Fromm – QB – Georgia – 6′-2″ 219 lbs. – Smartest QB in the draft, has a noodle for an arm and is a little on the small side.

    78. Robert Hunt – IOL – Louisiana-Lafayette – 6′-5″ 323 lbs. – 2nd nastiest OG in the draft. He is a punisher. Needs to be a little more patient, but he will finish on all levels.

    79. Jonathan Greenard – Edge – Florida – 6′-4″ 263 lbs. – I just love his athletic ability, balance against the run and pass and supposedly a hard worker off the field. Not the most flexible, but his length and strength make up for it. high floor, lower ceiling type.

    80. Alohi Gilman – S – Notre Dame – 5′-10″ 201 lbs. – A zone safety that is an absolute hammer coming forward. Another versatile player that can do a little of everything.

    81. Prince Tega Wanogho – OT – Auburn – 6′-5″ 308 lbs. – Surprise, an athletic, raw skilled LT from Auburn. He has elite tools, but needs a year learning and gaining strength.

    82. Curtis Weaver – Edge – Boise St. – 6′-3″ 265 lbs. – He could either be a 43 or 34. Lacks an ideal athletic profile, but has a hot motor, a good first step, active hands and handles his own against the run. Another high floor, lower ceiling type.

    83. Chase Claypool – WR – Notre Dame – 6′-4″ 238 lbs. – A big possession WR, that wins contested catches, 50-50 balls and is tough in the redzone. Tested better then he plays, but is still a great athlete.

    84. Akeem Davis-Gaither – LB – Appalachian St. – 6′-2″ 224 lbs. – Highly productive WILL that plays fast, can cover and rush the QB. I like him outside in a 43, but maybe a MO in a 34…

    85. Raekwon Davis – IDL – Alabama – 6′-7″ 311 lbs. – a 34 DE, because he will get out-leveraged on the inside. powerful with a solid anchor against the run, pass rush potential is there, but never developed.

    86. Albert Okwuegbunam – TE – Missouri – 6′-5″ 258 lbs. – Big target with enough athletic ability to create issues in the seam. A decent and willing blocker inline. Offense and QB really slowed down his progression.

    87. Darnay Holmes – CB – UCLA – 5′-10″ 195 lbs.– Smooth and quick are his calling cards. I wish he was more aggressive. off man or zone scheme fit.

    88. K’Von Wallace – S – Clemson – 5′-11″ 206 lbs. – Physical, will stick his face in the fan and has some nice ball production. Not overly athletic or fast, but versatile.

    89. Bryan Edwards – WR – South Carolina – 6′-3″ 212 lbs. – He wins with his size and physicality in the middle of the field. Not a burner, but plays hard and smart.

    90. Thaddeus Moss – TE – LSU – 6′-2″ 250 lbs. – Not the freakish athlete his dad was, but is a monster in the blocking game, is a nuanced route runner and knows how to get open. Competes hard.

    91. Troy Dye – LB – Oregon – 6′-4″ 231 lbs. – Another see ball, chase ball LBer that needs to add strength. But he makes plays all over the field.

    92. Antoine Brooks Jr. – S – Maryland – 5′-11″ 220 lbs. – Here is that big nickel LBer or third safety I have been talking about for the last year or so. best working around the box in sub packages. Physical, emotional and not extremely rangy.

    93. Cole Kmet – TE – Notre Dame – 6′-6″ 263 lbs. – Another size mismatch with decent athleticism. Should be a better blocker then he is. Good hands, decent route runner.

    94. Saahdiq Charles – OT – LSU – 6′-4″ 321 lbs. – A smooth mover with good athleticism, but lacks power. A move inside might be in his future. zone scheme prospect.

    95. Adam Troutman – TE – Dayton – 6′-5″ 255 lbs. – Exciting athlete that is new to being a TE. Extremely productive, but a raw skill set including route running. A plus blocker.

    96. Zack Moss – RB – Utah – 5′-9″ 223 lbs. – A big, bigtime power back with some wiggle to him. Hard to bring down. I like his footwork. Not a HR hitter and a 1 cut and go type back.

    97. Darrell Taylor – Edge – Tennessee – 6′-4″ 267 lbs. – Good athlete, with plenty of flex, decent get off and enough size to hold up against the run. hasn’t put it all together. High upside, high bust potential.

    98. Steven Montez – QB – Colorado – 6′-4″ 231 lbs. – Big arm, all the tools, has just never put it all together.

    99. Logan Stenberg – IOL – Kentucky – 6′-6″ 317 lbs. – Meanest, nastiest OG in the draft. Won’t win on style points and will talk your ear off. Not a great athlete.

    100. Tyler Biadasz – IOL – Wisconsin – 6′-4″ 314 lbs. – OC for any scheme. Excellent mover with a great anchor and good strength. Off season hip surgery slowed him down last season. Followed by shoulder surgery this off season. Could be a heck of a steal.

    101. Khalid Kareem – Edge – Notre Dame – 6′-4″ 268 lbs. – Long and strong, excellent against the run, not much juice as a pass rusher. A bit stiff. 43 end only.

    102. Ezra Cleveland – OT – Boise State – 6′-6″ 311 lbs. – Absolute athlete for his size/length. Real smooth mover with light feet. Needs to add strength and needs technique work. I’d say an OZS LT right now.

    103. Rashard Lawrence – IDL – LSU – 6′-2″ – 308 lbs. – What you would expect in an LSU DL, tough, strong and excellent against the run. Doesn’t offer much in the way of a pass rush.

    104. Isaiah Wilson – OT – Georgia – 6′-6″ 350 lbs. – from the No duh file, dude is massive. An absolute mauler that is in desperate need of technique work. Right tackle.

    105. Jalen Hurts – QB – Oklahoma – 6′-1″ 221 lbs. – Athletic, alpha dog that has problems with seeing the whole field and accuracy issues. Needs to be coached up.

    106. Bradlee Anae – Edge – Utah – 6′-3″ 257 lbs. – Can rush the passer and hold his own against the run, excellent hand fighter, with a top-notch motor. Not the greatest athlete. 43 or 34 compatable.

    107. Hunter Bryant – TE – Washington – 6′-2″ 248 lbs. – Smooth moving, explosive pass catcher. Offers nothing in the way of blocking and his size won’t scare anyone.

    108. Larrell Murchison – IDL – NC State – 6′-2″ 297 lbs. – A nose for the ball with a great motor. Not the rangiest 3 tech, but he will apply constant pressure.

    109. Brandon Jones – S – Texas – 5′-11″ 198 lbs. – A smaller, tad more rangey version of Brooks. He is a thumper with an all-day motor, and a nose for the ball.

    110. Quartney Davis – WR – Texas A&M – 6′-1″ 201 lbs. – A skilled route runner with excellent footwork. Not slow, but not exactly a deep threat. hands are spotty.

    111. Jordan Elliott – IDL – Missouri – 6′-4″ 302 lbs. – Strong and bursty, he can cause havoc in the backfield. Easy mover with excellent hands. Not the fastest off the snap, timing issues slow him down.

    112. Terrell Burgess – S – Utah – 5′-11″ 202 lbs. – He’s an exciting athlete with good speed and a bigtime motor. Lack of size might be an issue.

    113. Amik Robertson – CB – Louisiana Tech – 5′-8″ 187 lbs. – slot corner due to his size. But he is a mean, physical little dude that will bring the fight to you.

    114. Lamical Perine – RB – Florida – 5′-11″ 216 lbs. – A patient power back with just enough juice to get to the house. Enough wiggle to get outside, but is at his best working north to south.

    115. Collin Johnson – WR – Texas – 6′-6″ 222 lbs. – Touted as the next Randy Moss, it didn’t happen, but he has good speed, wins with his size and is a contested catch, 50-50 ball machine. Size mismatch.

    116. Jabari Zuniga – Edge – Florida – 6′-3″ 253 lbs. – Decent burst, OK against the run, good athlete with range. Another boom bust prospect.

    117. Michael Pittman Jr. – WR – USC – 6′-4″ 223 lbs – Another physical WR that is starting to put everything together. Not a burner, but a good athlete with a great work ethic. A big Robert Woods.

    118. Kenny Willekes – Edge – Michigan State – 6′-4″ 264 lbs. – Relentless, tough, strong, try hard with average athletic ability for the position. I think due to that he is a 43 DE.

    119. Anthony McFarland – RB – Maryland – 5′-8″ 208 lbs. – An undersized, raw talented HR threat from anywhere on the field. Not a 3 down guy.

    120. Ben Bredeson – IOL – Michigan – 6′-5″ 315 lbs. – A LG prospect I love that has played in Gap/man/OSZ at Mich so he is versatile. Decent mover with good balance and very good power that looks to finish blocks.

    121. Shaquille Quarterman – LB – Miami – 6′-1″ 234 lbs. – A real old school MLBer that reads, reacts and then thumps. I think he moves well enough to help in some coverage.

    122. Damien Lewis – IOL – LSU – 6′-2″ 327 lbs. – Aggressive and powerful, lacks the lateral movement skills to work in a zone scheme. Will overwhelm you in man power.

    123. Antonio Gibson – RB – Memphis – 6′-1″ 223 lbs. – A wr/rb/do it all back with home run ability. Elusive with a bit of power. A jack of all trades, master of none.

    124. Evan Weaver – LB – California – 6′-2″ 237 lbs. – Not the world’s greatest athlete, but he is so instinctual he’s always around the ball. Super productive. Not a hammer and not great in coverage.

    125. Tyler Johnson – WR – Minnesota – 6′-1″ 206 lbs. – A nuanced route runner that knows how to get open. Plays with some physicality. I question his speed and he didn’t run so…

    126. Netane Muti – IOL – Fresno St. – 6′-3″ 315 lbs. – Skill set, power and movement ability should have him as the top IOL in the draft. he can flat out dominate. And looks to dominate you. Cannot stay healthy. Serious medical red flags.

    127. Willie Gay Jr. – LB – Miss. St. – 6′-2″ 243 lbs. – Athletic and quick, will pop you in the mouth. And he did punch his own QB in the face, so there is that. Could be a 3 down ILBer with some seasoning.

    128. AJ Dillon – RB – Boston College – 6′-0″ 247 lbs. – A bigger bodied back with more speed than one would think. A gap power fit. Loses a lot when stretched out east to west.

    129. Alex Highsmith – Edge – Charlotte – 6′-4″ 248 lbs. – Dynamic athlete off the edge with plenty of range, good flexibility and a great motor. Not the sturdiest run defender. 34 Edge.

    130. David Woodward – LB – Utah State – 6′-2″ 230 lbs. -Not fast or super athletic, but he is smart, instinctual and has a big motor. He is everywhere. ILB

    131. Nick Harris – IOL – Washington – 6′-1″ 302 lbs. – Smaller, smooth moving OC that lacks the power to go heads up against any kind of power. Good technique. Zone scheme only.

    132. Shane Lemieux – IOL – Oregon – 6′-4″ 310 lbs. – mauler, not an athlete. Choppy footwork. Works well in a man scheme.

    133. Nick Coe – Edge – Auburn – 6′-5″ 280 lbs. – Big, long and strong. Played from 2 and 3 point at Auburn. He is going to end up being a 34 End in the NFL. I question his passion for football.

    134. Jared Pinkney – Vanderbilt – 6′-4″ 257 lbs. – Great hands, good athlete, good enough blocker to play inline. Needs to cleanup route running. Not a monster after the catch.

    135. Ke’Shawn Vaughn – RB – Vanderbilt – 5′-10″ 214 lbs. – Decent vision with good balance and ok speed. Good pass catcher. Lacks wiggle and not explosive.

    136. Quintez Cephus – WR – 6′-1″ 202 lbs. – Wisconsin – Big strong physical. Good route runner that can get himself open. Lacks deep speed. Faced 2 counts of sexual assault, case was dismissed.

    137. Jason Strowbridge – IDL – North Carolina – 6′-4″ 275 lbs. – A gap jumper that lacks the size to hold his ground against double teams. Once he is into gaps, causes issues for the offense. A 34 DE or 43 DE is his future.

    138. Alton Robinson – Edge – Syracuse – 6′-3″ 264 lbs. – A toolbox full of length, athletic ability, bend and explosiveness. Decent against the run. Just needs to put it all together. 34 Edge with a high ceiling.

    139. Joe Bachie Jr. – LB – Michigan State – 6′-2″ 230 lbs. – a ILB with good instincts and decent range. Will pop you in the mouth when given the chance. Probably a 2 down ILBer in the NFL. Steroid suspension…

    140. Michael Ojemudia – CB – Iowa – 6′-1″ 200 lbs. – Great size for the position. Plays hard, plays smart and is always under control. Not the best athlete for a CB. Zone scheme.

    141. Solomon Kindley – IOL – Georgia – 6′-3″ 337 lbs. – Another mammoth Georgia lineman. A OG with beastly power that loves to use it. Again, needs a lot of technique work. His hand usage is a mess.

    142. Joshua Kelley – RB – UCLA – 5′-11″ 212 lbs. – Strong, tough with good balance and hard to bring down, but lacks wiggle and HR speed. A one cut and go type of back.

    143. Lynn Bowden – WR – Kentucky – 5′-11″ 204 lbs. – a gadget WR that can play RB and QB (wildcat) A real team guy that you will need to game plan to get the ball in his hands as he learns to be a slot WR.

    144. Logan Wilson – LB – Wyoming – 6′-2″ 241 lbs. – A easy flowing downhill ILBer with average athletic ability, plays with smarts and under control. Don’t think he has the range to cover on passing downs. 2 Down ILBer.

    145. K.J. Hill – WR – Ohio State – 6′-0″ 196 lbs. – A good route runner with decent ability in the open field. Not a burner, but not a slug either.

    146. Colby Parkinson – TE – Stanford – 6′-7 252 lbs. – Big with a big wingspan, he will torture defenders in the middle of the field and the endzone. Not a great blocker and needs to get stronger.

    147. Jack Driscoll – OT – Auburn – 6′-5″ 306 lbs. – A smaller RT with a good athletic profile. In other words. Perfect for a zone scheme only. Needs to add power and some technique work.

    148. Antonio Gandy-Golden – WR – Liberty – 6′-4″ 223 lbs. – Crazy catches are littered throughout his highlights. Outstanding catch radius combined with flypaper hands make him a bigtime contested and 50-50 ball receiver. Not a great athlete or burner.

    149. Darrynton Evans – RB – Appalachian State – 5′-10″ 203 lbs. – Lightning in a bottle. His change of direction and lateral jump cuts will have defenders tackling air. HR speed. Narrow frame with little room for growth. Better outside then inside. OZS committee back.

    150. J.R. Reed – S – Georgia – 6′-1″ 202 lbs. – An old school SS that works best moving forward as he doesn’t have the foot speed to be ultra rangy.

    151. Harrison Bryant – TE -Florida Atlantic – 6′-5″ 243 lbs. – Athletic with good hands and is a good route runner. He isn’t a blocker. His calling card is in the middle of the field.

    152. Anfernee Jennings Edge – Alabama – 6′-2″ 256 lbs. – A strong, good run defender lacking the juice and athletic ability to be a consistent pass rusher. Is he a 43 DE or 34 Edge on early downs? Not pass rusher regardless.

    153. Javelin Guidry – CB – Utah – 5′-9″ 191 lbs. – Quick, oily and super fast. Size is going to limit him to slot/nickel/dime work.

    154. Hakeem Adeniji – OT – Kansas – 6′-4″ 302 lbs. – Another smaller LT that moves well and could slide into a zone scheme easily. needs to add power.

    155. Jacob Breeland – TE – Oregon – 6′-5″ 252 lbs. – An average at best athlete, but plays with an edge and isn’t afraid of contact. Good hands and can get deep. Decent inline blocker.

    156. Isaiah Hodgins – WR – Oregon State – 6′-4″ 210 lbs. – A good route runner for a man his size, good catch radius. Good hands. Not a deep threat.

    157. Geno Stone – S – Iowa – 5′-10″ 207 lbs. – Another kid from Iowa with smarts, instincts and lacks a big athletic profile. Works best in the box or zone coverage.

    158. Markus Bailey – LB – Purdue – 6′-1″ 235 lbs. – A Kiser clone in the fact that he is a smart. between the tackles, run stopping machine. Not enough athletic ability or speed to cover against the pass. 2019 knee injury muddies his water. 2 down ILB.

    159. Anthony Gordan – QB – Washington State – 6′-2″ 205 lbs. – Tough leader with an OK arm. Air Raid muddies the water, but he can manage a football team.

    160. McTelvin Agim – IDL – Arkansas – 6′-3″ 309 lbs. – Strong off the snap with plenty of juice to shoot gaps and finish. Really losses interest playing the run. If you can get that turned around, you have a 310 man with rare athletic traits for that size.

    161. Josiah Deguara – TE – Cincinnati – 6′-2″ 242 lbs. – Good inline blocker regardless his size, is also a good route runner and pass catcher. Not a tremendous athlete, but is first team try hard TE. A balanced TE.

    162. Gabriel Davis – WR – UCF – 6′-2″ 216 lbs. – Exciting athlete with decent speed and plays with a bit of an edge. hands are meh, and he didn’t run a ton of different routes.

    163. D.J. Wonnum – Edge – South Carolina – 6′-5″ 258 lbs. – An above average athlete that can do a little of everything, but isn’t great at any one thing. Perfect size for 34 Edge with a great motor.

    164. Justin Strnad – LB – Wake Forest – 6′-3″ 238 lbs. – Smooth moving forward and backward, can run and cover and go sideline to sideline. Would rather run around blockers then stack and shed. Still learning the nuances so his arrow is pointing up. ILBer in an odd front or WILL in an even front.

    165. Raequan Williams – IDL – Michigan State – 6′-4″ 308 lbs. – Not a great athlete, but is strong, can stack and hold his ground and when he does get in the backfield, he finishes well. Needs to get more consistent on effort.

    166. Terence Steele – OT – Texas Tech – 6′-6″ 312 lbs. – Great hands and a powerful upper body, needs some sand in his pants. More of a man blocking guy, as he lacks movement skills for zone.

    167. Myles Bryant – CB – Washington – 5′-8″ 183 lbs. – another slot CB, plays faster than he ran, explosive movement skills.

    168. Lamar Jackson – CB – Nebraska – 6′-2″ 208 lbs. – Big, long and physical. Speed will give him issues. Press man CB.

    169. Julian Blackmon – S – Utah – 6′-0″ 187 lbs. – Fun kid on tape. Plenty of speed and range, great physicality, but at the same time, not a tremendous athlete.

    170. Devin Duvernay – WR – Texas – 5′-10″ 200 lbs. – a speed demon that would rather run you over then around you. A RB in a WRs body. A smart OC can do alot of stuff with this kid. Small catch radius.

    171. Essang Bassey – CB – Wake Forest – 5′-9″ 191 lbs. – a nickel/slot CB that gets after it and is a smooth enough athlete to mirror really well.

    172. Charlie Heck – OT – North Carolina – 6′-8″ 311 lbs. – As Alyo has stated, the son of a coach. Smart, good technique and excellent length. Needs to add some weight and power. Great developmental type of L/RT.

    173. James Lynch – IDL – Baylor – 6′-4″ 289 lbs. – Monster sack production from a guy with not a ton of athletic ability. Not twitchy and not explosive. Just average strength. Really just wins on an all-day motor and a give ’em hell attitude.

    174. Trevis Gipson – Edge – Tulsa – 6′-4″ 261 lbs. – an easy mover with decent burst and good flexibility. Can get bullied against the run. Developmental 34 Edge.

    175. James Morgan – QB – FIU – 6′-4″ 229 lbs. – A toolsy gunslinger with no fear. Not sure he has the tools above the neck to be a pro QB.

    176. John Simpson – IOL – Clemson – 6′-4″ 321 lbs. – A power blocker that can get over-extended at times, but will run you over. Lacks horizontal movement ability. Man power scheme fit.

    177. A.J. Green – CB – Oklahoma State – 6′-1″ 202 lbs. – Physical CB, sometimes too physical. Decent speed and a decent athletic profile.

    178. Harrison Hand – CB – Temple – 5′-11″ 197 lbs. – Smart, tough and has some ballhawk to him. Not the quickest CB. Zone CB

    179. Jalen Elliott – S – Notre Dame – 6′-0″ 205 lbs. – Slow, moderate athlete, but man he loves to blow up ball carriers. IMO a box safety or a big nickel LBer.

    180. Mitchell Wilcox- TE – South Florida – 6′-3″ 247 lbs. – Hard working combo TE that had good production, but won’t wow you as an athlete. I worry a bit about his hands.

    181. Michael Onwenu – IOL – Michigan – 6′-3″ 344 lbs. – An absolute tank in the trenches. Surprisingly decent footwork. Great power. Not a great mover. Man scheme.

    182. Trevon Hill – Edge – Miami – 6′-3″ 248 lbs. – Athletic, bursty edge with a nice pass rush. Needs to add weight to handle the run. Pass rush specialist early. 34 Edge.

    183. Binjimen Victor – WR – Ohio State – 6′-4″ 198 lbs. – Another big catch radius guy with nice hands. Not a deep threat, but is kinda dangerous in the open field.

    184. Carter Coughlin – Edge – Minnesota – 6′-3″ 236 lbs. – an undersized 34 edge rusher with some burst and fluid movement skills. Cannot match power with anyone, and his run defending suffers from that.

    185. Josiah Scott – CB – Michigan State – 5′-9″ 185 lbs. – A nickel back with good speed and decent toughness for his size. Good ball skills. Too small to survive on the outside.

    186. Jonathan Garvin – Edge – Miami – 6′-4″ 263 lbs. – 43 DE that can set a strong edge and keep everything inside. Not a ton of burst, and average athletically. Decent pass rush on physical traits alone.

    187. Scott Frantz – OT – Kansas State – 6′-5″ 300 lbs. – Mauler strength and a maulers mentality. Not a great athlete and needs to add weight.

    188. – Patrick Taylor Jr. – RB – Memphis – 6′-1″ 217 lbs. – big, powerful and hard to bring down. Not great feet and not very imaginative with the ball. Short yardage back IMO.

    189. Khalil Davis – IDL – Nebraska – 6′-2″ 308 lbs. – Not real long, but a quick first step and a good motor is where he wins. Not a great run defender due to his lack of length.

    190. Myles Dorn – S – North Carolina – 6′-2″ 205 lbs. – A decent all-around S with good work in the box and some solid pass defense stats. His lack of speed may limit his upside.

    191. Kendall Coleman – Edge – Syracuse – 6′-3″ 257 lbs. – Average athlete that is really still developing his skill set. Good motor and plays with nice physicality. Needs to be developed. Developmental 34 Edge.

    192. Jake Hanson – IOL – Oregon – 6′-4″ 303 lbs. – A zone scheme OC. A technician and good athlete, lacks the strength to trade power with defenders.

    193. Mykal Walker – LB – Fresno State – 6′-3″ 230 lbs. – Has played DE, Edge and ILB. So, he is a movable chess pc. I like him as an ILB in an odd front. Certainly knows how to blitz, can drop into coverage and will stick his nose in the fan in run support. Needs development time, due to so many position changes.

    194. Lavert Hill – CB – Michigan – 5′-10″ 190 lbs. – A hard-nosed press man. Lacks speed to stay with the fast WRs. Might work inside. Man only.

    195. Cheyenne O’Grady – TE – Arkansas – 6′-4″ 253 lbs. – A natural pass catcher with good route running. A willing blocker, although it isn’t a strength. Tough to bring down. His biggest issue is he was dismissed from the team for saying he was going to quit after the Bama game.

    196. – Michael Warren II – RB – Cincinnati – 5′-9″ 226 lbs. – Decent feet for his build (a bowling ball) with good power and contact balance. Not making you miss and isn’t a HR hitter. Another short yardage back IMO.

    197. Tanner Muse – S – Clemson – 6′-2″ 227 lbs. – A big S, maybe a LBer…4.41 speed, can play deep due to his speed and athleticism, can play in the box due to his size. Never put it all together for his profile.

    198. Aaron Parker – WR – Rhode Island – 6′-2″ 209 lbs. – A good blend of physicality combines with his ability to go up and get it makes him a contested catch monster. He needs to develop his route running.

    199. Jacob Phillips – LB – LSU – 6′-4″ 229 lbs. – Great size, great production, but is lacking that toughness you want in a LBer. Good speed, but not exactly explosive. Plays with patience and under control. ILB or WILL

    200. Sewo Olonilua – RB – TCU – 6′-3″ 232 lbs. – Another short yardage specialist. Not fast, quick or nimble. He is a load to bring down and will wear you out.

    201. Kyle Murphy – IOL – Rhode Island – 6′-3″ 316 lbs. – Overpowered FCS competition, needs to add size and power to do that at the NFL level. He’s an easy mover with good footwork. Scheme versatile.

    202. Joe Reed – WR – Virginia – 6′-0″ 224 lbs. – A deep threat with good hands and can return in STs. Has some wiggle. Another gadget kid early as he learns to run routes properly.

    203. Stephen Sullivan – TE – LSU – 6′-5″ 248 lbs. – Massive seam buster that got lost in the shuffle of an all star offense. Long, middle of the field mismatch. Not a tremendous blocker.

    204. Benito Jones – IDL – Ole Miss – 6′-1″ 316 lbs. – a fire hydrant with very good strength. Won’t slide thru gaps but holds more than his own against the run. A true NT with a little pass rush push.

    205. Jaylinn Hawkins – S – California – 6′-1″ 208 lbs. – Smart, physical with some range. Not a ton and won’t wow you going sideline to sideline. Decent ball skills, but he has room for improvement.

    206. Trajan Bandy – CB – Miami – 5′-8″ 180 lbs. – Smooth footed DB that moves well in space and has OK speed. Lack of size and strength is an issue.

    207. Jauan Jennings – WR – Tennessee – 6′-3″ 215 lbs. – A runaway beer truck in the open field. Tough to bring down. Slow play speed and ran a 4.74 so that matches what you see.

    208. Davion Taylor – LB – Colorado – 6′-1″ 228 lbs. – Late comer to football. Kid is a PAC 12 track star, so he can fly, great athlete, smooth mover. Great motor. Needs to get stronger and needs massive development. WILL or ILB in a 34.

    209. Kyahva Tezino – LB – San Diego State – 6′-0″ 235 lbs. – Plays the run well, decent athlete that can get to the sidelines and plays with patience and intelligence. Lacks length and quickness.

    210. Devin Asiasi – TE – UCLA – 6′-3″ 257 lbs. – a combo blocker/receiver with good size for the position. Needs technical work in all aspects. Developmental type traditional TE.

    211. Jace Whittaker – CB – Arizona – 5′-11″ 185 lbs. – a ballhawk with good instincts and good speed. Not very physical and lacks great size.

    212. Colton McKivitz – OT – West Virginia – 6′-6″ 306 lbs. – Big, strong RT prospect that has issues against speed. Can get out over his feet when he lunges at targets.

    213. Dalton Keene – TE – Virginia Tech – 6′-4″ 253 lbs. – Here is your late round, H-back, fullback, TE. He can block and catch but was never really given much opportunity. Decent athlete, but plays like an old school TE.

    214. Kindle Vildor – CB – Georgia Southern – 5′-10″ 191 lbs. – Ballhawking athletic CB with the size and footwork to work in any scheme. Not great in run support. Can be over-aggressive.

    215. Stephen Guidry – WR – Mississippi State – 6′-3″ 201 lbs. – Long with long arms and decent deep speed. Can go up and get it, or win over the top. Not a great route runner.

    216. J.J. Taylor – RB – Arizona – 5′-5″ 185 lbs. – Scat back with good receiving skills. Plays fater then he ran, but obviously not a between the tackles type.

    217. James Robinson – RB – Illinois State – 5′-9″ 219 lbs. – A hammer that did it all for ISU. Surprising speed can catch you off guard. not very shifty.

    218. Justin Herron – OT – Wake Forest – 6′-4″ 308 lbs. – A OG in the NFL. Good pass blocker with decent footwork, has trouble trading power in the run game. Zone scheme OG.

    219. Reggie Robinson II – CB – Tulsa – 6′-1″ 205 lbs. – Long with decent athletic profile, does his best work in a zone and things are in front of him. Nice production. Modest athlete.

    220. Tyrie Cleveland – WR – Florida – 6′-2″ 209 lbs. – Long and fast. Never ran a diverse route tree, but he can eat up a DB in a hurry. Will need some development.

    221. Jon Runyan – OT – Michigan – 6′-4″ 306 lbs. – I think he moves inside to OG. Son of an NFL OT. So he is smart. Good athlete but lacks strength. zone scheme OG.

    222. Tipa Galea’i – EDGE – Utah State – 6′-5″ 235 lbs. – An explosive, oily, easy mover. Needs to add mass if he wants to hold up against the run.

    223. Nigel Warrior – S – Tennessee – 6′-0″ 190 lbs. – Vols played him everywhere from what I saw. So he can do some of everything. Good athlete, good run defender for hsi size. Lack of ball production is a concern.

    224. Nevelle Clarke – CB – UCF – 6′-1″ 190 lbs. – I called him a mini Ramsey. Plays with a swagger and a ballhawks mentality. Great size for a CB. Easy mover. Needs to add strength and some weight to reach his full potential.

    225. Salvon Ahmed – RB – Washington – 5′-11″ 197 lbs. – Long speed despite what he ran at the combine. Decent wiggle in the open field. Due to size, a 3rd down back only. Lacks power and vision.

    226. James Proche – WR – SMU – 5′-11″ 201 lbs. – Natural hands and just catches everything. Smooth athlete, with great college production. Not a burner. Needs to work on route running.

    227. Cameron Brown – LB – Penn State – 6′-5″ 233 lbs. – Long for a LBer. Also raw. Can cover a ton of ground quickly and goes sideline to sideline. Not great in coverage. Not sure his position fit. 43 OLB or maybe add 15-20 lbs and make him a 34 edge?

    228. Sean McKeon – TE – Michigan – 6′-5″ 242 lbs. – A combo TE that can block in line and be used as a pass catcher. Not the most dynamic route runner, or athlete, but he competes hard. Good 3rd TE for a roster.

    229. Cole McDonald – QB – Hawaii – 6′-3″ 215 lbs. – An absolute howitzer of an arm. Good NFL size. A rhythm passer that loves getting the ball deep. Everything breaks down once he is off schedule.

    230. Quez Watkins – WR – Southern Miss – 6′-0″ 185 lbs. – Will take the top off a defense. No idea how to run a route, gets open from DBs being scared of being ran by. Electric in the open field. Needs to add some good weight.

    231. Bravvion Roy – IDL – Baylor – 6′-1″ 333 lbs. – Not your typical NT. He can dominate against the run, but has some juice to get after the QB (6 sacks this year) Short length will limit his upside.

    232. Kamal Martin – LB – Minnesota – 6′-3″ 240 lbs. – A 34 ILB that fills that downhill run plugger role that is tight hipped and lacks the range to work 3 downs. Will stick you when given the chance.

    233. Grayland Arnold – CB – Baylor – 5′-9″ 186 lbs. – Nickel CB with great ball production. Smooth lower body makes him sticky, has a ballhawk mentality. Lacks size to hold up on the outside.

    234. Trey Adams – OT – Washington – 6′-8″ 318 lbs. – Power blocking scheme only, once a top 25 pick, now maybe undraftable due to multiple injuries. Carries bad weight. A better athlete then mauler so his skill set doesn’t match his power (or lack thereof)

    235. Charlie Taumoepeau – TE – Portland State – 6′-2″ 240 lbs. – Literally a move TE. He played H-back, RB, TE, WR for Portland State. So he can block and catch and be a nice depth piece. Nothing athletically extrordinary.

    236. Darryl Williams – IOL – Mississippi State – 6′-2″ 304 lbs. – A OG/OC prospect with decent power and good technique. Needs to add some power. A tad stiff movement wise. Developmental depth for a power blocking team.

    237. Tyler Clark – IDL – Georgia – 6′-4″ 300 lbs. – nice get off with good hand usage to keep himself clean. Kinda frenetic, and will wash himself out at times. Good power.

    238. Levonta Taylor – CB – Florida State – 5′-10″ 190 lbs. – a CB turned safety, smooth lower half and good speed and lack of strength make him an ideal zone fit, either as a nickel or S. had back problems in the past.

    239. Kalija Lipscomb – WR – Vanderbilt – 6′-0″ 207 lbs. – Good route runner with reliable hands. Just an OK athlete and not a burner.

    240. Tyler Huntley – QB – Utah – 6′-1″ 205 lbs. – A real athlete with the ball in his hands. Can scramble, throw on the run and generally work his way around in the pocket. Accuracy is OK. Pretty good arm strength. I don’t think he can read a defense yet.

    241. Stanford Samuels III – CB – Florida State – 6′-1″ 187 lbs. – Long and a bit clumsy. Would be a good zone CB with some developmental upside.

    242. Robert Landers – IDL – Ohio State – 6′-1″ 285 lbs. – A 34 DE that lacks the usual length. Strong with a good burst. Decent athlete. At his best in a straight line.

    243. Shyheim Carter – S – Alabama – 5′-10″ 194 lbs. – A CB/S that was used as a hybrid 3rd safety for the Tide. Could be a movable piece in the secondary. Not overly fast or athlete. Declined to test at the combine reinforcing that idea.

    244. Freddie Swain – WR – Florida – 6′-0″ 197 lbs. – Good athlete with good hands and good speed. Not a very nuanced route runner and lacked college production. Punt returner bonus.

    245. Mohamed Barry – LB – Nebraska – 6′-1″ 245 lbs. – A bull in a china shop ILBer with sideline to sideline athleticism. Tough and strong just kinda running around out there hitting things and overrunning other things…

    246. John Reid – CB – Penn State – 5′-10″ 187 lbs. – A physical press man CB that due to lack of size will end up being a Nickel Back. Average speed to match his average athletic ability.

    247. Jordan Fuller – S – Ohio State – 6′-2″ 203 lbs. – A single high safety that is too slow to play single high in the NFL IMO. Racked up a ton of tackles and loves to hit. I like him as a depth/3rd safety with plenty of upside in the box.

    248. Darius Anderson – RB – TCU – 5′-10″ 208 lbs. – A tough little runner with plenty of takeoff, lacks the top end to be a HR threat and lacks the size to be a between that tackles guy.

    249. Derrek Tuszka – Edge – North Dakota St. – 6′-5″ 251 lbs. – A 43 end that will transition to a standup 34 edge. Tough, strong and can hold up vs the run. Great pass rush production. Decent athlete, but lacks flexibility to bend around the edge.

    250. Rodrigo Blankenship – K – Georgia – 6′-1″ 197 lbs. – He kicks footballs and I love his nerd glasses. I dare you to find that kind of draft analysis anywhere but here. LOL

    JackPMiller
    Participant

    https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-04-07/hospitals-washington-seize-coronavirus-supplies

    Hospitals say feds are seizing masks and other coronavirus supplies without a word
    By Noam N. Levey Staff Writer
    April 7, 2020
    2:07 PM

    WASHINGTON — Although President Trump has directed states and hospitals to secure what supplies they can, the federal government is quietly seizing orders, leaving medical providers across the country in the dark about where the material is going and how they can get what they need to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

    Hospital and clinic officials in seven states described the seizures in interviews over the past week. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is not publicly reporting the acquisitions, despite the outlay of millions of dollars of taxpayer money, nor has the administration detailed how it decides which supplies to seize and where to reroute them.

    Officials who’ve had materials seized also say they’ve received no guidance from the government about how or if they will get access to the supplies they ordered. That has stoked concerns about how public funds are being spent and whether the Trump administration is fairly distributing scarce medical supplies.

    “In order to have confidence in the distribution system, to know that it is being done in an equitable manner, you have to have transparency,” said Dr. John Hick, an emergency physician at Hennepin Healthcare in Minnesota who has helped develop national emergency preparedness standards through the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.

    The medical leaders on the front lines of the fight to control the coronavirus and keep patients alive say they are grasping for explanations. “We can’t get any answers,” said a California hospital official who asked not to be identified for fear of retaliation from the White House.

    In Florida, a large medical system saw an order for thermometers taken away. And officials at a system in Massachusetts were unable to determine where its order of masks went.

    “Are they stockpiling this stuff? Are they distributing it? We don’t know,” one official said. “And are we going to ever get any of it back if we need supplies? It would be nice to know these things.”

    PeaceHealth, a 10-hospital system in Washington, Oregon and Alaska, had a shipment of testing supplies seized recently. “It’s incredibly frustrating,” said Richard DeCarlo, the system’s chief operating officer.

    “We had put wheels in motion with testing and protective equipment to allow us to secure and protect our staff and our patients,” he said. “When testing went off the table, we had to come up with a whole new plan.”

    Although PeaceHealth doesn’t have hospitals in the Seattle area, where the first domestic coronavirus outbreak occurred, the system has had a steady stream of potentially infected patients who require testing and care by doctors and nurse in full protective equipment.

    Trump and other White House officials, including his close advisor and son-in-law Jared Kushner, have insisted that the federal government is using a data-driven approach to procure supplies and direct them where they are most needed.

    In response to questions from The Times, a FEMA representative said the agency, working with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Defense, has developed a system for identifying needed supplies from vendors and distributing them equitably.

    The representative said the agency factors in the populations of states and major metropolitan areas and the severity of the coronavirus outbreak in various locales. “High-transmission areas were prioritized, and allocations were based on population, not on quantities requested,” the representative said.

    But the agency has refused to provide any details about how these determinations are made or why it is choosing to seize some supply orders and not others. Administration officials also will not say what supplies are going to what states.

    Using the Defense Production Act, a Korean War-era law that allows the president to compel the production of vital equipment in a national emergency, Trump last month ordered General Motors to produce ventilators to address shortfalls at hospitals.

    The law also empowers federal agencies to place orders for critical materials and to see that those get priority over orders from private companies or state and local governments.

    Experts say judicious use of this authority could help bring order to the medical supply market by routing critical material — ventilators, masks and other protective gear — from suppliers to the federal government and then to areas of greatest need, such as New York.

    Yet there is little indication that federal officials are controlling the market, as hospitals, doctors and others report paying exorbitant prices or resorting to unorthodox maneuvers to get what they need.

    Hospital and health officials describe an opaque process in which federal officials sweep in without warning to expropriate supplies.

    Jose Camacho, who heads the Texas Assn. of Community Health Centers, said his group was trying to purchase a small order of just 20,000 masks when his supplier reported that the order had been taken.

    Camacho was flabbergasted. Several of his member clinics — which as primary care centers are supposed to alleviate pressure on overburdened hospitals — are struggling to stay open amid woeful shortages of protective equipment.

    “Everyone says you are supposed to be on your own,” Camacho said, noting Trump’s repeated admonition that states and local health systems cannot rely on Washington for supplies. “Then to have this happen, you just sit there wondering what else you can do. You can’t fight the federal government.”

    #113411
    Avatar photowv
    Participant

    NYtimes:https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/06/us/politics/coronavirus-trump-malaria-drug.html
    Trump’s Aggressive Advocacy of Malaria Drug for Treating Coronavirus Divides Medical Community

    While Dr. Anthony Fauci has urged caution in using hydroxychloroquine, some doctors are prescribing it to patients who have the virus despite the fact it has never been tested for it.

    WASHINGTON — President Trump made a rare appearance in the Situation Room on Sunday as his pandemic task force was meeting, determined to talk about the anti-malaria medicine that he has aggressively promoted lately as a treatment for the coronavirus.

    Once again, according to a person briefed on the session, the experts warned against overselling a drug yet to be proved a safe remedy, particularly for heart patients. “Yes, the heart stuff,” Mr. Trump acknowledged. Then he headed out to the cameras to promote it anyway. “So what do I know?” he conceded to reporters at his daily briefing. “I’m not a doctor. But I have common sense.”

    Day after day, the salesman turned president has encouraged coronavirus patients to try hydroxychloroquine with all of the enthusiasm of a real estate developer. The passing reference he makes to the possible dangers is usually overwhelmed by the full-throated endorsement. “What do you have to lose?” he asked five times on Sunday.

    Bolstered by his trade adviser, a television doctor, Larry Ellison of Oracle and Rudolph W. Giuliani, a former New York mayor, Mr. Trump has seized on the drug as a miracle cure for the virus that has killed thousands and paralyzed American life. Along the way, he has prompted an international debate about a drug that many doctors in New York and elsewhere have been trying in desperation even without conclusive scientific studies.

    Mr. Trump may ultimately be right, and physicians report anecdotal evidence that has provided hope. But it remains far from certain, and the president’s assertiveness in pressing the case over the advice of advisers like Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease specialist, has driven a wedge inside his coronavirus task force and has raised questions about his motives.

    If hydroxychloroquine becomes an accepted treatment, several pharmaceutical companies stand to profit, including shareholders and senior executives with connections to the president. Mr. Trump himself has a small personal financial interest in Sanofi, the French drugmaker that makes Plaquenil, the brand-name version of hydroxychloroquine.

    “I certainly understand why the president is pushing it,” said Dr. Joshua Rosenberg, a critical care at Brooklyn Hospital Center. “He’s the president of the United States. He has to project hope. And when you are in a situation without hope, things go very badly. So I’m not faulting him for pushing it even if there isn’t a lot of science behind it, because it is, at this point, the best, most available option for use.”

    A senior physician at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn, where doctors are not providing the drug, however, said the current demand was worrisome for patients on it chronically for rheumatic diseases. At St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx, another doctor said his staff was giving it to coronavirus patients but criticized the president and Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo for “cheerleading” the drug without proof. “False hope can be bad, too,” he said.

    The professional organization that published a positive French study cited by Mr. Trump’s allies changed its mind in recent days. The International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy said, “The article does not meet the society’s expected standard.” Some hospitals in Sweden stopped providing hydroxychloroquine to treat the coronavirus after reports of adverse side effects, according to Swedish news media.

    But Mr. Cuomo told reporters on Monday that he would ask Mr. Trump to increase the federal supply of hydroxychloroquine to New York pharmacies, allowing the state to lift a limit on purchases. “There has been anecdotal evidence that it is promising,” Mr. Cuomo said, while noting the lack of a formal study….see link

    Avatar photozn
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    Mitra Khazain on Facebook
    Amish Shah is an emergency room doctor and an Arizona State Representative. Here is his view from the frontlines of #COVID19. It’s worth your time to read.

    Amish Shah

    Friends,

    Two weeks have passed since my last post. We are now squarely in the throes of this crisis, and the situation has changed for the worse as we all expected. COVID19 continues its devastating march across the world, but one country has been hit especially hard – The United States. America now has the most confirmed cases at 311,000. We now stand at 8,400 deaths and rising fast. For comparison, we had 25,000 cases and under one thousand deaths just two weeks ago. Yesterday we recorded over 34,000 cases and 1,300 deaths in 24 hours – again, the most recorded in the world. Since our testing is uneven and haphazard, there are likely many more cases in the community that are unrecorded. Unfortunately, our situation will still get worse before it gets better.

    The New York City metro area is hardest hit, and conditions at many of their hospitals are dire. I trained at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx and worked as a faculty member at Mount Sinai in Manhattan and Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, so I feel for the health care workers at those locations in particular. (See for example: https://www.nytimes.com/…/ny…/nyc-coronavirus-hospitals.html)

    I have spoken with some of my colleagues at the New York hospitals and have read their accounts. They describe a heartbreaking scene:
    – Huge lines of very sick patients waiting to be seen, all coughing and febrile
    – A painful and miserable course for patients lasting weeks, including persistent shortness of breath and severe weakness
    – Multiple “Code Blue” (cardiac arrest) announcements throughout the day
    – Emotionally and physically exhausted staff who are afraid for their lives but continue to persevere
    – Several doctors and nurses who have fallen sick and a few who have lost their lives
    – Lack of PPE (personal protective equipment) and supplies such as masks, drugs, and ventilators
    – Dead bodies being loaded into refrigerated trucks because there is no space in the morgue

    The Governor of New York and their Mayor continue to plead for help, and the help they are receiving does not seem to be enough to meet demand, possibly because other hot spots have emerged across the country, such as Detroit and New Orleans.

    We must use all available means to prevent this from happening in Arizona. Currently, we continue to see large increases in cases here. Today, April 5, we have 2,269 cases and 64 deaths – compared to the 100 cases and one death that I mentioned in my last post. Unfortunately, these numbers will continue to rise. Compared to New York, our growth rate is lower, with cases doubling about every five days instead of every three.

    Despite the increase in cases, the good news is that the *growth rate* is actually slowing across America – meaning that even if we are on the upslope, the curve is starting to flatten. We believe that this is a result of our ever-stricter social distancing. Let’s keep it up. This is crucial for the sake of our individual safety and for those on the front lines. From all of us health care workers out there, we really appreciate how the vast majority of the public has acted with great responsibility and sacrifice, as well as offers of help.

    Meanwhile, I have reached out to many of my physician colleagues to understand how our health system is coping. So far, our Arizona hospitals are not yet saturated with cases. Emergency departments are seeing fewer patients overall. Patients that do present are more often truly ill or injured. We are freeing up resources appropriately, and I’m grateful that the public is responding to our messages to come to the hospital only when appropriate. With regard to sicker patients, several Arizona hospitals have ICUs that are partially full with COVID19 patients, and one (in Flagstaff) is reported to have a full ICU. But most hospitals still have capacity, and the Governor’s order to increase beds in every hospital by 50% will certainly help.

    Meanwhile, our hospitals continue to see an increased demand for PPE and are keeping up at this point, even as the situation is tenuous. I have been personally working to connect our hospitals and the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) with suppliers. While manufacturing has ramped up and more supplies are available for sale, we have also received reports of a chaotic and difficult marketplace. Hospitals, state governments, the Federal government (by way of FEMA) and foreign countries are vying for the same precious resources. Just today, however, we received welcome news that Honeywell will manufacture millions of masks here in Arizona for our use.

    Testing continues to expand. The US has tested over 1.7 million people. This number continues to increase rapidly with more tests entering the market due to expedited FDA approval. Yet Arizona is still behind. We have run over 27,000 tests, but there are concerning bottlenecks, including availability of swabs and testing reagents. Currently, we can only test those who are ill or with whom we have higher suspicion of contagion. With increased availability, we hope to broaden testing criteria. (I discussed the individual and public health benefits of testing in my prior posts.) Also, researchers in Colorado have developed an antibody test to determine who has already recovered from the virus. This will take months to formulate, but if successful may help many people return to normal life.

    Throughout these two weeks, our Governor has taken more steps to maintain social distancing. We’ve pared down the list of essential businesses, allowed for emergency refills of chronic medications, and allowed the use of telemedicine for a number of occupations including physical therapists and veterinarians. Schools are closed for the rest of the year. This will continue to reduce human interactions and therefore viral spread. The CDC has not yet issued a national recommendation that everyone wear a mask in public, but I believe it would be helpful.

    Meanwhile, the economy continues to be in free fall, and the pain is real. This week, Arizona saw 88,000 unemployment claims, compared to the few thousand we usually see. The US had over 6.5 million, compared to the usual few hundred thousand. These figures are unprecedented since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Importantly, the supply of food, financial services, and other necessities remains very stable. We are continuing to provide for the basic needs of our people.

    These past two weeks, I have heard from so many tenants who have had difficulty with rent, small business owners who are afraid that they will have to permanently shut down, and unemployed people facing uncertainty. We are working to connect every constituent to resources to help them through this difficult time. To highlight, we have increased unemployment benefits, made Small Business Loans much more accessible, and placed a temporary halt on evictions, among other initiatives. Please visit my website at http://www.AmishForArizona.com/Covid for a complete list.

    Finally, I want to address a few questions that I have been asked frequently in recent days.

    How are we doing? Is our public response adequate? Since the beginning of this crisis, I have continued to support all of our elected officials who continue to act in good faith to serve the American people. This is not a time for politics and backbiting, but rather a time of national unity and good governance. We are certain to learn some important lessons, and once this is over, I hope that we will never forget nor let this happen again. Our human toll and the economic hardship cannot be in vain.

    In the longer term, we will have to take specific actions to protect humankind. The origin of the current virus appears to be a food market in China with wild animals and unsanitary conditions, and the international community will have to insist that these types of markets be closed or heavily regulated to stop the emergence of such diseases. We will have to spend more money on research into the development of vaccines for known, predictable threats. Most importantly, we will have to ensure that the national preparedness plan is not just a dusty document on a shelf but a reminder of a real danger to our existence.

    Have any drugs been proven effective in treating COVID-19? As for medications, we have had mixed news. Chloroquine has been touted as a promising drug, and one small controlled trial demonstrated some efficacy, but another showed no effect. Larger studies are still ongoing. Another drug, Kaletra, was not found to be useful in one trial. But researchers continue to investigate dozens of other drugs that either block viral entry into our cells or stop its replication. Vaccine development is also promising as more than one research lab has identified a real candidate, but these will take several months of development before we can demonstrate true efficacy and safety in humans.

    When will this end, and how can we end it? The timing is very difficult to predict, but it will take at least several weeks before cases start to decline. Once we are certain that the decline is stable, we will want to end the crisis by progressively clearing areas and declaring them virus-free and safe for resumption of normal life.

    But to get there, we will need a systemic public health effort to track and trace the virus. This piece of the puzzle has been glaringly absent so far. Such an effort would begin with rigorous quarantine of all positive cases. Then, we would find all of their recent contacts and test/isolate them if positive. We would rinse and repeat until very few positives occur. Several Asian countries enacted such a strategy, and it is akin to using a fine scalpel to cut out the disease from society. It would be a win-win scenario, because once we have only a few positives, whole communities that are free of disease can re-open and restart the economy.

    Unfortunately, we do not have a “scalpel” available to us yet. That takes preparation and effort. All we have instead is the “hammer,” meaning massive lockdowns that disrupt much of society. The hammer is blunt and causes collateral damage. My hope is that our hammer buys us enough time to develop a scalpel soon. (For more, see: https://medium.com/…/coronavirus-the-hammer-and-the-dance-b…)

    I know that the days ahead are dark, especially the next few weeks. I wish I had better and more uplifting news for you, but my intent here is to give you a real look at what our people are now facing. If this is not affecting your immediate circle, it likely will soon, and I want you to be safe and prepared. I feel the melancholy of our national mood, but find real strength in the knowledge that all of you are striving to make your contribution to our great country every day. For some of you, this means providing essential services like staffing grocery stores and maintaining the food supply despite personal risk. Others are navigating the stress of family obligations while working at home. Some of you are just isolating and making TikTok dance-challenge videos. While social distancing may not feel always like contributing, it’s the most patriotic and community-minded action we can take.

    I promise that one day this will end. We have seen other countries get past their terrible peaks and we will, too. Until then, let’s continue to give it our best fight every day, like so many proud generations of Americans have before us during the most difficult of times.

    Thank you, and please continue to reach out.

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