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znModeratorDaniel Jeremiah projects Rams’ first three picks, led by Jabril Cox
* https://theramswire.usatoday.com/lists/rams-nfl-draft-three-picks-daniel-jeremiah-projection/
Although it’s not ideal that the Rams have to wait until the second round (again) to make their first pick in the 2021 NFL draft, their trade for Jalen Ramsey looks like an absolute win after he put together an All-Pro season in 2020. And despite their first pick coming at No. 57 overall, they will have plenty of options as they try to plug holes at linebacker, cornerback, center and defensive end.
Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network appeared on Path to the Draft this week (vid here: https://www.nfl.com/videos/daniel-jeremiah-projects-rams-first-three-selections-in-2021-nfl-draft ) and projected the Rams’ first three picks – beginning with LSU linebacker Jabril Cox with the 57th overall selection.
It wasn’t a true mock draft, but rather Jeremiah slotting one prospect at each of the Rams’ draft positions. So let’s get into the picks.
57. LSU LB Jabril Cox
Cox would be one of the ideal prospects for the Rams in Round 2, though there are two things working against this connection. Cox could go earlier than No. 57, and the Rams have shown almost no interest in any linebackers with pre-draft meetings.
But with Cox’s range, coverage skills and athleticism, he would be a major upgrade to arguably the worst linebacker unit in the NFL.
“One of the few bright spots on the LSU defense last year,” Jeremiah said. “Very athletic, he’s long, he’s somebody that the Rams could use in different ways. You can play him over the No. 2 receiver out there and let him cover underneath. You can blitz him. He’d give them a nice versatile piece there to play with.”
88. East Carolina OT D’Ante Smith
In Round 3, Jeremiah has the Rams taking an offensive lineman to potentially take over for Andrew Whitworth whenever he retires. Smith is a versatile prospect who can play tackle or guard, giving the Rams good flexibility up front.
He could play guard and push Austin Corbett to center, or he could sit for a year and compete for the starting left tackle spot in 2022 if Whitworth calls it a career after this season.
“I’m not so sure Whitworth’s not going to play until he’s 60. … Eventually, you’re going to have to pass the torch and I think D’Ante Smith is somebody who can play outside, can play inside. Tremendous length. A good football player,” Jeremiah said.
103. Texas DL Ta’Quon Graham
After trading Michael Brockers to the Lions and losing Morgan Fox in free agency, the Rams have a hole at defensive end. It could be filled by A’Shawn Robinson, but regardless, they need depth along the defensive line.
Graham is another versatile player who can play defensive end or tackle, and Jeremiah sees him as a player who can rush the passer as a complementary piece to Aaron Donald.
“Talk about D’Ante Smith having inside-outside flexibility, Ta’Quon Graham has it on the other side of the ball,” he said. “You can line him up at end, he can kick inside and give you some interior rush to complement the great Aaron Donald. Now remember, Brockers has moved on. He’s now a Detroit Lion, so adding more depth along that defensive front is going to be a priority in this draft and lots of upside. A lot to work with with Ta’Quon Graham.”
April 6, 2021 at 4:11 pm in reply to: internal atrocities: Malcolm X , Fred Hampton, MLK, Tulsa #128893znModeratorPlease don’t act like everyone loved my father then or authentically honors him today.
He was assassinated.
A 1967 poll reflected that he was one of the most hated men in America.
Most hated.
Many who evoke him today to deter justice would have likely hated him then. pic.twitter.com/yvPgW5vYlD
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) April 4, 2021
znModeratorIt’s funny how well this draft lines up with Rams needs. I would list Rams needs this draft this way (alphabetical order): CB, LOT, OC, OLB, WR (ie. a speed guy to develop behind Jackson). Here, according to Lance Zierlein, are the top positions in this draft:
***
2021 NFL Draft: Ranking each position group in this year’s class
Lance Zierlein
Mock drafts are great for projecting potential picks, and prospect rankings help illuminate which individual players are worthy of attention — but what about sizing up which position groups are loaded with talent and which groups are lacking?
That’s what my ranking of the position groups in the 2021 NFL Draft is for.
Before we get to the rankings, though, let’s consider the criteria. In assessing each position group, I identified star-caliber players, future starting talent and overall depth relative to that particular position. In general, I focused my assessments on players who should be available between Round 1 and Round 5.
1) Wide receiver
For the second year in a row, the receiver position appears to be the deepest in the draft. For what it’s worth, I actually have the top three receivers in 2021 ranked above the top three receivers from last year, both as a group and individually. Ja’Marr Chase, DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle all have game-breaking elements to their play, while targets like Elijah Moore and Kadarius Toney are going to be nightmares to cover from the slot. It’s also worth noting the amount of size/speed prospects with good upside that will be available on Day 3 of the draft.2) Offensive tackle
Last year featured some outstanding first-round talent, and while this year presents a similar offering, there are definitely more holes to poke in this year’s potential first-rounders than there were in last year’s group. Rashawn Slater feels like a safe player but may get kicked inside eventually. Penei Sewell boasts lots of upside but needs to prove he has improved his play strength and consistency after opting out of the 2020 season. While the top end falls below last year’s group, this class is actually much deeper in Rounds 2 through 4, and it should produce a fair number of future starters.3) Interior offensive line
After landing in last place on last year’s list, this position is very quietly developing into one of the deepest in the draft. Alijah Vera-Tucker will be considered the headliner if he’s drafted as a guard instead of a tackle, but setting him aside, players like Landon Dickerson, Quinn Meinerz, Aaron Banks, Creed Humphry and Trey Smith should all become starters and may go as early as the second round. Even beyond the aforementioned talent, your team should find players with a chance to become eventual starters into Day 3 of this year’s draft.4) Edge defender
It is not a stretch to say that this year’s top edge prospects have a high projectable ceiling but carry a slightly lower floor than other position groups in this draft. I happen to like the upside potential, considering the incredible physical and athletic traits of Jayson Oweh, Kwity Paye, Azeez Ojulari, Jaelan Phillips and Gregory Rousseau, though there is a lack of production and polish for some in that group that is clearly concerning. Payton Turner and Dayo Odeyingbo could be two of the most talked-about players in this class when it’s all said and done. I like the depth here.5) Cornerback
Patrick Surtain is a player I would run the card up for, and Jaycee Horn isn’t that far behind. While the health of Caleb Farley will determine his slotting, there are still players like Greg Newsome and Eric Stokes who could become first-rounders and early starters. Day 2 offers a much more exciting group of cornerbacks to choose from than last year’s crop did, boasting length, speed and ball production. The well could dry up somewhat beyond the fourth round, but this is a better overall class than 2020.6) Linebacker
This class feels similar to what we saw in 2020, but with more game-ready options at the top. Micah Parsons and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah have a chance to become dominant players, and Zaven Collins is a versatile, consistent performer with first-round talent. Teams could feast on linebackers like Jamin Davis, Nick Bolton, Jabril Cox and Baron Browning on Day 2, with all of them becoming early contributors or starters. Beyond that, the crop ranges from good backups to potential starter types.
7) Quarterback
I would be willing to put the top three quarterbacks from 2020 up against the top three quarterbacks from 2021. However, this draft has five potential first-round starters, and a couple of quarterbacks in Davis Mills and Kellen Mond who are generating some interest along the same lines as Kyle Trask. Beyond those names, there isn’t much, but it’s an OK class relative to star power and depth. All that said, I’m not nearly as high on quarterbacks not named Trevor Lawrence in this draft as others appear to be, which is why I have this position a little lower than some others might.8) Safety
For the second year in a row, we could see a draft with no safeties taken in the first round. That’s not to disparage 2020 second-rounders Antoine Winfield Jr. and Jeremy Chinn, who had big impacts on their defenses. Trevon Moehrig, Jamar Johnson, Jevon Holland and Elijah Molden all have ball-hawking tendencies and can play over the slot. Richie Grant is a hot name in many in NFL circles, and Rounds 3 through 5 should offer a greater depth of low-end starters to good backups this year.9) Running back
Travis Etienne is the best of this year’s group, in my opinion, but Najee Harris and Javonte Williams aren’t far behind and should become early starters in the league. Beyond those three, it becomes much tougher to find for-sure future starters. Trey Sermon came out of nowhere at the end of the year, and coaches really like Michael Carter from Duke, but this is a very average group in general.10) Tight end
If the overall draft class is more like a wading pool, Kyle Pitts is clearly his own body of water. Pitts is to the tight end position what Trevor Lawrence is the quarterback spot — and the difference is even more pronounced here. Pat Freiermuth is solid, but I don’t see him as special. Tommy Tremble has exciting upside and is a feisty blocker but needs to prove he can catch the ball. I’m lower on Hunter Long and Brevin Jordan than others are — beyond that, it becomes pretty sparse.
11) Interior defensive line
The 1998 NFL Draft was the last that didn’t feature at least two defensive tackles selected in the first round — but it’s likely to happen again this year, with only Christian Barmore going. Levi Onwuzurike and Milton Williams are both very intriguing prospects who are likely to go in the second round, but this draft is light on impact interior defenders and very average from a depth standpoint.znModerator.@LanceZierlein ranks each position group in the 2021 NFL Draft.https://t.co/TWKWN52Hwo pic.twitter.com/RjCgUtwT1X
— NFL Draft (@NFLDraft) April 6, 2021
znModeratorThese fish stole an antifreeze gene from another fish and became natural GMOs 🐟🧬(another example, out of many, of gene transfer in nature) https://t.co/VWedviqRVp #GMO #nature pic.twitter.com/Gv0IzBDrsd
— Daniel Norero (@DanielNorero) April 6, 2021
znModeratorfrom NFL pro day takeaways for the 2021 NFL draft: A coveted QB class, opt-out riddles, which prospects are rising
No scouting combine. No in-person visits from prospects. No business as usual for those involved in the 2021 NFL draft.
This is the second consecutive draft impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and teams have had little face-to-face time, scarce medical information, fewer games to review and just as many questions to answer as usual. In the months leading up to the draft, which begins April 29, there have been pro days and … a whole lot of hoping for the best with virtual meetings with prospects.
With the bulk of those on-campus workouts now wrapped up, we scoured the results and found takeaways from the athletic testing numbers, quarterback throwing sessions, surprises and moments that wowed social media. Here’s everything you need to know from the 2021 pro days:
How less medical information has changed the process
The biggest loss for every team this year is what they covet most from the combine: the results of prospects’ medical exams. In most years, 330-plus players would receive one of the most extensive medical exams of their lives at the combine as medical staffs from each team have access to their medical records and can examine each in person.
The prospects who are flagged are sent for more tests before they leave the combine. And those with the biggest injury questions are brought back to Indianapolis in the weeks before the draft for another exam.
As a result, teams could have far less information on roughly 55% of the prospects who would have been invited to the combine in previous years. Some of the middle- to late-round players with injury questions who don’t make that top 150 could be impacted.
Even a high-profile prospect such as Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley, who recently had surgery on his back — an outpatient microdiscectomy, according to several teams — could see his draft status differ from projections if teams don’t find a comfort level with his recovery.
Vanderbilt’s Dayo Odeyingbo, an intriguing, versatile pass-rusher who suffered a torn Achilles in January, could be impacted as well, with the worst-case scenario a fall into Day 3 for an injury he would have had examined multiple times in previous years.
Another example is Duke cornerback Mark Gilbert, whose last full season on the field was 2017, when he led the ACC in passes defensed. He missed most of 2018 and all of 2019 due to hip surgery and then played in just two games last season (114 snaps in all) before he had right foot surgery. There are more wild cards than usual this year.
Why the QB class is so coveted this year
The quarterback math has always been difficult to wrestle with through the years.
Most personnel executives will only, begrudgingly, concede during a season there might five or six “great” quarterbacks in the league at that particular moment. And then those same personnel executives act like there are that many future great quarterbacks in every draft.
That’s in a normal year. The frenzy is in overdrive this year, as quarterbacks could be selected with each of the first four picks for the first time in history. One general manager contacted in recent weeks had predicted “the quarterback pro days will be more out there than usual.” Meaning any and all reactions to one throw here, one throw there, against air, may appear to have more meaning after several trips through the social media cycle than usual. It’s all aligned for history to be made.
Six quarterbacks were selected in the first round of the 1983 draft, with the first (John Elway), the third (Jim Kelly) and the last (Dan Marino) picks fitted for gold jackets when their careers were over. The last time quarterbacks went 1-2-3 in the draft? It was 1999, when Tim Couch, Donovan McNabb and Akili Smith were picked.
In 2018, four quarterbacks — Baker Mayfield (No. 1), Sam Darnold (No. 3), Josh Allen (No. 7) and Josh Rosen (No. 10) — were selected among the top 10 for the first time in seven decades. And last year, three went in the top 10: Joe Burrow (No. 1), Tua Tagovailoa (No. 4) and Justin Herbert (No. 5).
One of the most glaring indicators that the struggle continues to be real at the top of the board is that quarterbacks went 1-2 in both 2015 and 2016 (Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota in ’15, Jared Goff and Carson Wentz in ’16) and none of the four is still with his original team.
With so much uncertainty this year, there’s a feeling in the league that the teams at the top of the board believe the time, environment and the prospects available create the perfect storm to roll the dice on a quarterback. So much so that if you averaged many of the actual grades on the top quarterbacks in this draft, they might fall something like this:
Quarterbacks have always been selected well above their actual grades because, well, they’re quarterbacks. There is also the residual impact of the Bills trading up to No. 7 to select Allen in 2018, the year after the Chiefs had moved to No. 10 to select Patrick Mahomes. Those two teams made big trades and got their guys, and every other team has been watching closely.
I reached out to roughly two dozen scouts and personnel executives in recent weeks for an unscientific poll to try to get a snapshot of how Round 1 will really go. These are the results, with quarterbacks listed in no specific order within each tier (there were a handful of those surveyed who said they would flip Lance and Jones, but agreed with the rest):
So with only a few weeks to go until the draft begins, expect quarterbacks to remain the biggest talking point.
Opt-out riddles: Another wrinkle in a strange year
The prospects who opted out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic have teams relying on methods they’ve used in the past for prospects who missed the season before they entered the draft. Rob Gronkowski, who did not play his final season at Arizona due to a back injury, was a tidy 270-pound Super Bowl reminder that body of work is important in this process. He was the No. 42 overall pick in 2010.
Evaluators have tried to make the best of what they saw at the Senior Bowl in January and the pro days of some of the opt-out players. Stanford’s Paulson Adebo, for example, is still a tough call for some as the two-time All-Pac 12 pick had an injury end his 2019 season nine starts in and he opted out in 2020.
Overall, there will be some fluctuations between how the opt-out season impacts a variety of prospects, with each team having its own criteria for how those players are graded.
Prospects who wowed at pro days
Pro days are just one piece of the puzzle, and when scouts criticize the media for their evaluations of prospects, they will often say too much emphasis was placed on a pro day or combine workout and that one play made in a noncompetitive situation should not get as much love as it does.
Here are a few of the non-quarterbacks who made the most of the showcase in recent weeks:
Many people in the league came away from Northwestern’s pro day raving about how offensive tackle Rashawn Slater looked after missing a season. They got the confirmation they needed to make him a top-15 pick.
Wisconsin-Whitewater lineman Quinn Meinerz didn’t get to play a game in 2020 because his team’s season was canceled. But he made the most of his Senior Bowl week, especially in the one-on-ones, and he followed that up with a top-shelf pro day on March 9, including a reliably timed sub-4.9 40-yard dash at 320 pounds and top times in shuttle drills.
The game video showed Oklahoma center Creed Humphrey didn’t surrender a sack in 2020, and his pro day was stellar for his position, including shuttle drill times similar to those for a skill position player.
Penn State edge rusher Jayson Oweh had a pro day one scout called “high-end ridiculous” as the 6-foot-5, 257-pounder had double-take numbers such as a 39½-inch vertical and a 40 time in the 4.3s. He is one of the biggest pro day/game tape question marks of this class because he finished last season without a sack.
BYU wide receiver Micah Simon, a former prep quarterback, went undrafted in 2020 after COVID-19 forced his pro day to be canceled. He caught passes from Zach Wilson at BYU’s pro day this year and dropped a 4.3 40 on those in attendance. He was signed by the Panthers last week.
znModeratorI always suspected that you hate Isaac Bruce. The only mystery is why it took you so long to express it.
It’s amazing how many Seahawks fans are on this board when it’s such a small board.
Bruce was okay. I mean he was no Tyler Lockett or anything. But he was pretty okay.
April 6, 2021 at 8:40 am in reply to: interestin stuff (vids, tweets, etc. that fit this & not another category) #128881znModeratorWOW 😳 New HIV vaccine with a 97% antibody response rate in phase I human trials. This is the most effective trial HIV vaccine to date. It is based on the Moderna's COVID vaccine. COVID tech acceleration could change Rx for cancer & HIV in future. https://t.co/3Nl0UJj6xW
— Dr. Ayoade Alakija (@yodifiji) April 4, 2021
znModeratorI’m sure someone has already made this point. But the landmark 2003 Supreme Court case McConnell v. FEC had that name because Mitch McConnell himself filed a lawsuit against federal laws that limited corporations’ ability to spend money influencing elections. https://t.co/YCMozabjmx
— Mark Joseph Stern (@mjs_DC) April 6, 2021
April 5, 2021 at 5:12 pm in reply to: Blythe signing w/ Vikings? (Chiefs actually). So who’s the center? #128870znModeratorYes, the Rams should draft a center, but do they need to use their 1st pick? https://t.co/F8fT4e8VkU
— The Athletic L.A. (@TheAthleticLA) April 5, 2021
znModeratorTop-5 drafted NFL QBs, 2015-18:
No. 1 Jameis Winston, not re-signed
No. 2 Marcus Mariota, not re-signed
No. 1 Jared Goff, traded
No. 2 Carson Wentz, traded
No. 2 Mitchell Trubisky, not re-signed
No. 1 Baker Mayfield, still with Browns
No. 3 Sam Darnold, traded— Rich Hammond (@Rich_Hammond) April 5, 2021
–
The Jets/Panthers trade basically ensures that for the third time in draft history, QBs will go 1-2-3. The other two …
1971: Jim Plunkett/Archie Manning/Dan Pastorini.
1999: Tim Couch/Donovan McNabb/Akili Smith.In no draft (yet) have QBs gone 1-2-3-4.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) April 5, 2021
znModerator2021 QB picture gets a little clearer with Sam Darnold traded to Panthers https://t.co/GrrY6AIT2L
— TurfShowTimes (@TurfShowTimes) April 5, 2021
znModeratorThe Rams and 49ers have the highest projected NFC West win totals for 2021, with 10.5 each. https://t.co/3IU5NIfgPd
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) April 5, 2021
znModeratorRoss Tucker@RossTuckerNFL
Yes!It’s “QB Is A Leader Because He Gathered Guys In A Warm Location To Throw The Football Together” Season. 💪
znModerator4th and 15? No problem. Kurt Warner finds the Wizard of Az (Hakim) for 6!
You just had to be there. Greatest Show On Turf pic.twitter.com/BkmFSZBvWP
— RAMS ON FILM (@RamsOnFilm) April 5, 2021
znModeratorMike Renner@PFF_Mike
The OL class being billed as special has certainly been backed up by their pro daysAlmost every top guy has tested in the elite tier
Brandon Thorn@BrandonThornNFL
Just tried typing out a “my guys” list for OL prospects outside of Sewell/Slater & had to stop the list at 9 names…I see this class as being LOADED and I’m still not done grading.znModeratorI worry about Jefferson’s toughness. Woods and Kupp can take the physical part of the game–I’ve seen signs that Jefferson has some “Isaac Bruce” to him, meaning the part of Bruce that would not take hits or get the best out of physical contact situations.
znModeratorVan Jefferson's footwork is far beyond a rookie. This is just a sneak peek of what he is capable of and tbh I think he's very similar to Michael Thomas of the New Orleans Saints. Jefferson routinely on film made NFL starting CBs look silly. Why he was stuck behind 11 is beyond me pic.twitter.com/PPt2el0Tn8
— JAKE ELLENBOGEN (@JKBogenDTSN) April 5, 2021
znModeratorNot sure we should be taking economic advice from the guy governing a state with the highest adult (19.6%) and child (27.8%) poverty rates in the country, which is at the bottom in educational rankings, a has negative population growth and annual GSP growth below 1 percent. https://t.co/caH3i7qBdB
— Joy-Ann Pro-Democracy & Masks Reid 😷 (@JoyAnnReid) April 4, 2021
znModerator.@AaronDonald97 is very, very, VERY good. #ProBowlVote | #LAvsDET pic.twitter.com/Pj8lPtjD5g
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) December 2, 2018
znModeratorfrom Matthew Stafford names one aspect of Aaron Donald’s game that isn’t recognized enough: https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2021/04/04/rams-aaron-donald-matthew-stafford-analysis-2021/
“I think his physical traits jump off the screen to you. That’s obvious,” Stafford said in an interview on TheRams.com. “To see his ability to slash and get in between, block, defeat, one, two, three guys, whoever’s blocking him. That stuff is a bit obvious. But you know, his mental aptitude for the game is off the charts and something that I don’t know is talked about enough. He’s the guy that recognizes blocks as quickly as anybody I’ve ever seen. I’m excited to get to have him on my team and be in a red jersey when I play him in practice and not live.”
znModeratorToday is a good day to remember this Chilean dog stealing an empanada on live TV pic.twitter.com/ywS1VJVbx2
— Laura Martínez®️ (@miblogestublog) April 2, 2021
znModeratorLions’ Matthew Stafford Called ‘Volatile’ Quarterback in 2020
Jul 28, 2020
Matthew Stafford has been up and down over the course of his career, so it might make sense that many think the player is volatile in nature heading into the season for the Detroit Lions.
Recently, Pro Football Focus took a look at picking out some quarterback tiers for every signal caller this coming season. Stafford himself was said to be a tier 3 player, which is defined by writer Steve Palazzolo as a “volatile or conservative quarterback that rely heavily on supporting cast and play calling” in any given season.
Here is what Palazzolo wrote on Stafford’s case:
“Stafford getting back to a downfield attacking machine is a great sign for the Lions, and that should absolutely be their approach in 2020. There are a handful of games each year in which Stafford looks like a top-five quarterback, using his strong arm and playmaking feel to make “wow” plays all over the field. While it’s not easy to bottle that up and trot it out there for 16 games, a more aggressive, downfield-throwing Stafford has a much better chance of unlocking that potential, and the Lions have the skill position talent to put points on the board.”
The rating for Stafford isn’t likely too far off. Certain seasons the quarterback has been better than others, and it has a direct result of what type of players he has complementing him and what type of system he is playing in. With Darrell Bevell now in the fold and the team looking comfortable on offense, the hope is that the Lions have finally found Stafford the kind of system that allows for consistency.
Joining Stafford in this tier were plenty of players, including Carson Wentz, Kirk Cousins, Dak Prescott, Baker Mayfield, Jared Goff and even Cam Newton. Theoretically, Stafford could be in position to be better than some of these players this coming season.
Right now, though, Stafford is still volatile, which means anything could be the case.
Matthew Stafford Played ‘Best Football’ During 2019
ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky went back and watched the tape from early in the 2019 season when Stafford was healthy. What he found was a quarterback that he thinks was playing the best football in the entire league at that point at his position.
Dan Orlovsky@danorlovsky7
Go re-watch the first 8 games for the @Lions last year. Matthew Stafford was the best QB in footballOrlovsky’s take might be shocking to some. Quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes and company had great seasons. Stafford was on their level until he suffered a back injury which cost him the second half of the year and a chance at team and personal success.
How good would Stafford have finished? Nobody knows, but it’s clear if the player that was around in the beginning of last season shows up in 2020, the team will benefit in a significant way. It could have everything to do with the system he’s in, which could mean big things for the Lions and calming some volatility.
Matthew Stafford Called Elite Quarterback
Stafford is clearly valued by folks in the NFL community in a big way. Recently, Bucky Brooks of NFL.com revealed a list of his top 5 quarterbacks who are transcendent in the league right now. Stafford was included, and was included amongst some true luminaries right now at the position.
Bucky Brooks@BuckyBrooks
Apr 4, 2020
Top 5 Transcendent QB Talents1. Patrick Mahomes, KC
2. Russell Wilson, Seattle
3. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay
4. DeShaun Watson, Houston
5. Matt Stafford, DetroitTranscendent: (adjective) surpassing the ordinary; exceptional; supreme; magnificent
#Top5 #NFLIt’s likely to be controversial for many that Stafford is on the list given his lack of big success in the NFL in terms of wins and losses at this point, but there is little doubting the fact that Stafford has some major talent to rely on at this point. He’s got a great arm and all the tools to dominate.
The hope is Stafford’s talent shines through and he starts to win bigger on the big stage in the future. For now, though, he still makes the cut in terms of elite players at his position in the mind of Brooks and likely plenty of others.
Matthew Stafford Named Potential 2020 NFL MVP by ESPN
That back injury ended up costing Stafford the rest of the 2019 season, but now that he has presumably healed up, the sky could be the limit for the quarterback during the 2020 season. In fact, some already see Stafford as being in the mix for a major award for his play during next season.
ESPN recently put together an Insider piece predicting some outcomes for the 2020 season. When it came to league MVP, there were scant votes for Stafford, but one insider was bold enough to say he thinks the Detroit quarterback could be the league MVP.
In a piece by MLive.com’s Benjamin Raven, the thoughts of ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler from the piece are presented. Here’s a look at what was written by Raven that Fowler shared in the piece:
“The Lions quarterback was playing some of the best ball of his career before going down with fractured bones in his back, though, and his level of play was reason enough for one ESPN analyst to pencil him in as the 2020 NFL MVP.
“Mahomes is still the game’s best player, but Stafford was playing really good football before his midseason back issues,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes (ESPN Insider). “If he leads Detroit to contention, which isn’t so farfetched considering the talent around him, he’ll be in the MVP mix because he puts up numbers and the NFC North is as open as Kenny Golladay.”
The Lions were arguably getting MVP level play out of Stafford before he got hurt, and the numbers proved that he was acclimating just fine to Darrell Bevell’s new offense in Detroit. Last season, Stafford was cruising along to the tune of 19 touchdowns, 5 interceptions and 2,499 yards. Clearly, he was the most valuable player for the Lions considering what happened to the team when he went down.
The hope is that next season, Stafford can put together just as elite of a year and dominate on the field in similar fashion. If he can, he’s likely to surge higher on tiers such as this for 2021
znModeratorHow the Indianapolis Colts plan to fix new quarterback Carson Wentz https://t.co/qLsDAmHUGK
— Joe Curley (@vcsjoecurley) April 4, 2021
znModeratorWhy is Twitter allowing Mike Huckabee to target hatred against Asian people on its service?
Hate crimes against Asian Americans have skyrocketed.@TwitterSafety should remove Huckabee's hateful tweet. #StopAsianHate
CC: @yoyoel @nickpickles @delbius @jack $TWTR #ESG pic.twitter.com/W9RZPVJIqB
— Nancy Levine (@nancylevine) April 4, 2021
znModeratorThis proposed rule change mostly effects screens/sweeps with blockers on the perimeter
I can live with it because they’ve added the provision that it’s illegal for defenders as well. Many DBs will take on linemen by cutting at their legs
DBs won’t like this change if it passes https://t.co/RVbeEBHJ31
— Paul Alexander (@CoachPaulAlex) April 4, 2021
znModeratorA week of compelling and potentially devastating testimony at Derek Chauvin’s murder trial
https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/03/us/george-floyd-derek-chauvin-trial-weekly-wrap/index.html`
(CNN)Pain, trauma and regret spilled out from a Minneapolis courtroom during a first week of critical testimony in the murder trial of Derek Chauvin, the former police officer who knelt on the neck of George Floyd.
The week concluded with potentially devastating testimony from the police department’s most senior officer, who called Chauvin’s actions on the day of Floyd’s death “totally unnecessary.”
Jurors heard for the first time that Chauvin actually knelt on Floyd for 9 minutes and 29 seconds — not the 8 minutes 46 seconds that had became a symbol and rallying cry of a worldwide protest movement against police brutality.Prosecutor Jerry Blackwell broke it down: 4 minutes and 45 seconds as Floyd cried out for help, 53 seconds as he flailed due to seizures, and 3 minutes and 51 seconds as Floyd was non-responsive.
Blackwell, in opening statements, said 9-2-9 were the “three most important numbers in this case.” That was the time it took for Chauvin to squeeze “the very life” out of Floyd. The revised time emerged from a review of officers’ body cameras months after May 25, 2020, police encounter.
“It’s heartbreaking to know the torture lasted even longer,” Chris Stewart, an attorney for Floyd’s family, told CNN. “This isn’t the standard situation where an officer has to make a split second decision.”
The time difference, which has little impact on the case, was an early highlight of the closely watched criminal trial. Here are others:Chauvin, 45, has pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The ex-cop, in a suit and tie, sat at the defense table most of the week, scribbling notes on a legal pad.
In opening statements, defense attorney Eric Nelson argued that video evidence failed to fully capture the complexity of the moment. Chauvin followed his police training, the lawyer told the jury.
Nelson argued that Floyd’s death was the result of drug use and preexisting health issues. A crowd of what the attorney called hostile bystanders had distracted the officer.Mixed martial arts fighter Donald Wynn Williams II was one of the most vocal bystanders that day. He pleaded for Chauvin to get off Floyd. He called the ex-cop a “bum” and a “tough guy.”
“I just was really trying to keep my professionalism and make sure I speak out for Floyd’s life because I felt like he was in very much danger,” Williams testified.
Under cross examination, Williams acknowledged calling Chauvin and another officer names. He yelled at them even after Floyd had been taken away. But, he said, he was not an angry onlooker.
“You can’t paint me out to be angry,” he said.
Williams was so disturbed by what he saw he called 911, he said.
“I called the police on the police,” he said. “I believed I witnessed a murder.”The prosecution witnesses had little in common. A White off-duty firefighter. Some high school students. A 61-year-old man who broke down in tears. A 9-year-old girl. The Black MMA fighter.
But the trauma of watching an unarmed Black man die under a White cop’s knee had brought them together. They spoke of their feelings of helplessness and guilt as Floyd gasped for air and pleaded for his life.
“These words are going to be churning around in jurors’ minds and the question that’s going to come out of this is, looking towards Derek Chauvin, the defendant in this case, ‘Why didn’t you move?'” CNN senior legal analyst Laura Coates said of the testimony. “Why didn’t this move you the way it obviously moved so many other people?”The teenager who took the widely known bystander video testified that in Floyd she saw her own Black father, brothers, cousins and friends.
“I look at that and I look at how that could have been one of them,” Darnella Frazier said through tears.
“It’s been nights I’ve stayed up apologizing to George Floyd for not doing more and not physically interacting and not saving his life. But it’s not what I should have done, it’s what he should have done,” she added, referring to Chauvin.
Frazier was walking with the 9-year-old girl to the Cup Foods convenience store at the time of the arrest.
“I was sad and kind of mad,” the girl testified. “Because it felt like he was stopping his breathing, and it was kind of like hurting him.”
Minneapolis firefighter and certified EMT Genevieve Hansen was out for a walk on her day off. She testified that she saw Chauvin kneeling over Floyd’s neck. She wanted to render aid and repeatedly asked police to check Floyd for a pulse. They refused.“I tried calm reasoning, I tried to be assertive, I pled and was desperate,” said Hansen, who wept on the stand at one point. “I was desperate to give help.”
Under cross, Nelson tried to get Williams and Hansen to agree with his assertion that they and others were angry and threatening.
“I don’t know if you’ve ever seen someone die in front of you, but it’s very upsetting,” Hansen told the defense lawyer at one point.CNN legal analyst and defense attorney Mark O’Mara warned against attacks on sympathetic prosecution witnesses.
“The defense team has to be extraordinarily careful,” he told CNN. “If you’re losing those 12 people because of your attack … on one of the witnesses, you may never get that credibility back. This idea of throwing attacks, small as they may be, against whatever witness comes up can really backfire.”
Christopher Martin, the 19-year-old cashier who suspected Floyd had handed him a counterfeit $20 bill before the police were called, echoed the regret of other witnesses.
“If I would have just not taken the bill, this could have been avoided,” said Martin, who was a cashier at Cup Foods, where the initial call to police was made that day.Charles McMillian, 61, described for the jury how he briefly confronted Chauvin moments after Floyd’s limp body was taken away in an ambulance. “What I watched was wrong,” he said.
“That’s one person’s opinion,” Chauvin is heard saying as he got into his squad car. “We had to control this guy because he’s a sizable guy. It looks like he’s probably on something.”
The short body cam clip provided the first public glimpse into the former officer’s perspective.
“If you really think about it, what he was really just explaining away was, ‘I would do anything that I needed to do. He’s a big guy. He might have been on drugs,’ and basically explaining away, in a very non-emotional way, the fact that this had happened to Floyd,” O’Mara said of Chauvin’s statement to the bystander.
McMillian testified as the prosecution played graphic excerpts of Floyd’s final moments. Floyd gasped that he was claustrophobic. He repeatedly said he couldn’t breathe. He called for his mother.
McMillian broke down.
“I feel helpless,” he said. “I don’t have a mama either. I understand him.”The jury also heard Chauvin’s call to his supervisor shortly after kneeling on Floyd to explain his version of events.
“I was just going to call and have you come out to our scene here,” Chauvin told Sgt. David Pleoger in a call captured on body camera footage.
“We just had to hold a guy down. He was going crazy. He wouldn’t … he wouldn’t go in the back of the squad — ”Chauvin said Floyd became combative after officers tried to put Floyd in the car. After a struggle, Chauvin said, Floyd had a medical emergency, according to Pleoger. Chauvin did not mention he held his knee on Floyd’s neck and back.
At the scene later, Pleoger asked officers to speak to witnesses. “We can try but they’re all pretty hostile,” Chauvin responded.
At Hennepin County Medical Center later that night, Chauvin for the first time told his supervisor that he had knelt on Floyd’s neck, Pleoger testified.
Pleoger told the jury that Chauvin’s use of force should have ended earlier.
“When Mr. Floyd was no longer offering up any resistance to the officers, they could have ended the restraint,” he said.
“It would be reasonable to put a knee on someone’s neck until they were not resisting anymore, but it should stop when they are no longer combative.”
The prosecution said Chauvin pressed down on Floyd’s neck and back for nearly 4 minutes during which Floyd was non-responsive.A pair of Hennepin County paramedics who treated Floyd said he was unresponsive, not breathing and had no pulse when they arrived on the scene.
Paramedic Derek Smith checked Floyd’s pulse and pupils, with Chauvin still kneeling on him. He believed Floyd’s heart had stopped. One paramedic had to motion for Chauvin to lift his knee to lift Floyd onto a stretcher.
“In layman terms,” Smith said, “I thought he was dead.”
At one point in the courtroom, Philonise Floyd turned his eyes away from the screen showing video of his brother on a stretcher. Philonise Floyd lowered his head, shaking it. He rubbed his bald head with his hand.George Floyd’s brother describes having to relive his death in courtroom 02:44. “This life changing,” he told CNN during a break in the proceedings. “All this testimony is so hard on everyone.”
The first week of testimony has been an “emotional roller coaster,” Philonise Floyd said.
“To everybody else, it was a case and a cause,” he said. “To me, it was my brother, somebody that I grew up with.”George Floyd’s girlfriend talks about his life as a father and a son 04:54
Courteney Ross, 45, said she met Floyd in 2017 when he worked as a security guard at the Salvation Army. They both were addicted to opioids, which they were initially prescribed to treat chronic pain.
Floyd was a mama’s boy who was a “shell of himself” after his mother’s death in 2018, she said.
In March 2020, she found Floyd doubled over in pain and took him to the emergency room. He was hospitalized for an overdose, she testified.
Ross testified she believed he had started using again in May 2020.Top homicide cop says Chauvin’s actions were ‘totally unnecessary’
The final witness of the week was Lt. Richard Zimmerman, head of the homicide division for more than 12 years. He joined the department in 1985, making him the most senior officer on the force.
Zimmerman said Chauvin’s actions after Floyd was handcuffed and in a prone position were “uncalled for” and “totally unnecessary.”
The former’s officers handling of the encounter violated department use of force policy, according to Zimmerman.
Asked by prosecutor Matthew Frank if he was ever trained to kneel on a person, Zimmerman said no.
“Because if your knee is on someone’s neck — that could kill them,” the lieutenant said.
Chauvin at that point raised his head at the defense table and shot a look at Zimmerman.Minneapolis Police Lt. Richard Zimmerman said Chauvin’s actions after Floyd was handcuffed and in a prone position were “uncalled for” and “totally unnecessary.”
Zimmerman was a signatory to an open letter in which Minneapolis officers condemned Chauvin last year.
Under cross-examination, Zimmerman agreed that an unconscious person can become combative when revived, kicking and thrashing about.
Nelson sought to show that policing has changed significantly since Zimmerman got his training. He drew attention to Zimmerman’s limited use of force experience as an investigator in comparison to a patrol officer.
Coates said Zimmerman provided the “most compelling law enforcement testimony” in the trial so far. She called it “damning.”
“It blows out of the water any notion that the officer was trained to sustain this level of force on somebody once they were no longer posing any conceivable threat,” she said.
CNN’s Eric Levenson and Aaron Cooper contributed to this report.znModeratorRams select QB-turned-LB Chazz Surratt in Todd McShay's new mock draft https://t.co/fQxZJ4ugAL
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