draftageddon 2017

is the local pidgin for a phenomenon called

Draftageddon 2017: This Was Homer It Was Always Homer Edition

This is Part X. Let’s just get it over with and have some football.

Previously: Picks 1-10 (Hurst, Gary Speight), Picks 11-20 (Peters), Picks 21-28 (Cole), and Picks 29-40 (McCray, Mone) Picks 41-50 (Winovich), Picks 51-60 (Bredeson, Kekoa, Khaleke), Picks 61-70 (Evans, Kinnel, Bunting), Picks 71-80, Picks 81-90 (K.Hill, Solomon, L.Hill)

[Jump here if you want this, shaddup and scroll if you don’t]

is what someone says when they’re too polite to admit that they’re writing another

Draftageddon 2017: ASK FOR THE PANDA YOU GET THE PANDA Edition

This is Part IX (the penultimate of this year). We are drafting Big Ten players to give you an overview of the guys and dudes around the conference, and to learn them ourselves. You’re along for the ride, and if you want to get off we use the same lead image every time so you can do that.

THAT WHICH HAS ALREADY OCCURRED

click to read

BiSB is on the clock and has no outside receivers, so he’ll take another slot.

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BiSB: ROUND 21, PICK 1: KJ Hill, WR (OSU)

Off: QB Brandon Peters (UM), QB Clayton Thorson (NW), RB Saquon Barkley (PSU), RB Ty Johnson (MD), WR DJ Moore (MD), WR K.J. Hill (OSU), TE/WR Mike Gesicki (PSU), G/C Billy Price (OSU); G/T Beau Benzschawel (UW), G/T Ryan Bates (PSU), G/T Ben Bredeson (UM)

Def: NT Bryan Mone (UM); DT Conor Sheehy (UW), DE Tyquan Lewis (OSU), DE Chase Winovich (UM), LB Tegray Scales (IU), LB Jason Cabinda (PSU) CB Rashard Fant (IU), CB Derrick Tindal (UW), S Godwin Igwebuike (NW), S D’Cota Dixon (UW)

I'm hitching my wagon to [OSU’s nepotismo WRs coach] Zach Smith. I may have gone mad.

Last year was the first year under Urban Meyer that Ohio State hasn't had at least a relatively reliable and productive traditional receiver; Curtis Samuel had over 900 yards, but no one else had more than Noah Brown's 402. Brown is gone, leaving K.J. Hill as the leading returning wide receiver (not counting TE Marcus Baugh). Hill's small-sample numbers were good; his 10.9 yards per target led the team, as did his 75% success rate. Bill Connelly had him as the 5th best freshman wide receiver in the country.

It's a bit of a crapshoot, as there are a number of talented wide receivers waiting in the wings in Columbus, including Austin Mack, Binjimen Victor, and Terry McLaurin. But Hill is a versatile guy who can play outside, in the slot, or at H-back, and he's the most productive guy they've got. Odds are he'll get enough touches to make it worth my while. And if we subscribe to Brian's "Freshman Receivers Suck" theory, Hill is primed for a breakout sophomore campaign.

On the other hand... Zach Smith.

[AFTER THE JUMP: A shutdown fullcast about draftageddon then 11 more picks, then people bitching about draftageddon in the comments. At least this one is guaranteed to get you excited about Michigan football]

but my Mom still calls it

Draftageddon 2017: The Search for the Most Iowa Name Ever

This is Part VIII. We are drafting Big Ten players to give you an overview of the guys and dudes around the conference. You come out of it with a four-deep preseason All-Big Ten. We come out of it knowing the names of Iowa offensive linemen.

Previously: Picks 1-10 (Hurst, Gary Speight), Picks 11-20 (Peters), Picks 21-28 (Cole), and Picks 29-40 (McCray, Mone) Picks 41-50 (Winovich), Picks 51-60 (Bredeson, Kekoa, Khaleke), Picks 61-70 (Evans, Kinnel)

THAT WHICH HAS ALREADY OCCURRED

click for full size.

We pick up our snake draft after a run on scat-backs. It’s Brian’s turn.

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Brian: ROUND 18, PICK 3: Emmit Carpenter, K, Minnesota

(Pioneer Press: John Autey)

Off: QB Wilton Speight (M), RB Akrum Wadley (IA), RB LJ Scott(MSU), TE Troy Fumagalli(UW), WR Malik Turner(ILL), WR Kekoa Crawford(M), OT Mason Cole(M), G Michael Deiter(UW), C James Daniels (IA).

Def: NT Stephen Richardson (Minn), DT Mo Hurst(M), DE Anthony Nelson(IA), DE Jesse Aniebonam(MD), ILB Josey Jewell(IA), ILB TJ Edwards(UW), CB Grant Haley(PSU), S Josh Kalu (Neb)

ST: K Emmit Carpenter(MN)

Carpenter was 22 of 24 last year and hit some dang bombs. He was 10/10 on 40+ yard field goals, hit both of his attempts from 50+, won the Big Ten kicker of the year award, and finished 9th nationally in FEI's Field Goal Efficiency metric. (This is nominally a team stat, but come on.) PSU's Tyler Davis had an identical hit rate last year but finished just 27th because he wasn't hitting some dang bombs.

He also had an impressive 50% touchback rate and help limit Minnesota KO returns to under 19 yards a pop, second best in the league. I bet he can punt, too!

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Ace: Let the special teams shenanigans commence.

Brian: It's not  shenanigan to take a kicker to be a kicker

Ace: You’re foreshadowing the shenanigans, Brian.

Brian: Blame Bryan.

BiSB:I drafted a QB to be a QB. Speaking of which... Conor Sheehy and Clayton Thorson

Ace: Yesssssssssssssssssssssssssssss.

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[Hit THE JUMP for the Clayton Thorson decision tree chart]

is a nicer way of saying

Draftageddon 2017: Jukeboxes and Jitterbugs Edition

This is Part VII. We are drafting Big Ten players to give you an overview of the guys and dudes around the conference. You come out of it with a four-deep preseason All-Big Ten. We come out of it with very strong opinions on Justin Jackson.

Previously: Picks 1-10 (Hurst, Gary Speight), Picks 11-20 (Peters), Picks 21-28 (Cole), and Picks 29-40 (McCray, Mone) Picks 41-50 (Winovich), Picks 51-60 (Bredeson, Kekoa, Khaleke)

THAT WHICH HAS ALREADY OCCURRED:

1. Ohio State (11 players): DE Nick Bosa (3rd, Seth), QB JT Barrett (6th, Seth), DE Tyquan Lewis (8th, BiSB), CB Denzel Ward (11th, Seth), DT Dre’Mont Jones (13th, Ace), OC Billy Price (17th, BiSB), DE Sam Hubbard (20th, Ace), LB Jerome Baker (21st, Ace), OT Jamarco Jones (28th, Ace), NT Bob Landers (51st, Seth), DE Jalyn Holmes (54th, Seth)
2. Michigan (11 players): DT Maurice Hurst (2nd, Brian), DE Rashan Gary (5th, Ace), QB Wilton Speight (7th, Brian), QB Brandon Peters (an obligatory 16th, BiSB), OT Mason Cole (26th, Brian), LB Mike McCray (36th, Ace), NT Brian Mone (40th, BiSB), DE Chase Winovich (48th, BiSB), OG Ben Bredeson (57th, BiSB), WR Kekoa Crawford (58th, Brian), VIPER!!! Khaleke Hudson (59th, Seth) 
3. Iowa (7 players): RB Akrum Wadley (18th, Brian), G/C Sean Welsh (22nd, Seth), LB Josey Jewell 23rd, Brian), OT Ike Boettger (35th, Seth), DE Anthony Nelson (42nd, Brian), CB Manny Rugamba (43rd, Seth), OC James Daniels (47th, Brian)
4. Penn State (7 players): RB Saquon Barkley (1st, BiSB), QB Trace McSorley (4th, Ace), “TE” Mike Gesicki (25th, BiSB), S Marcus Allen (29th, Ace), OT Ryan Bates (41st, BiSB), LB Jason Cabinda (49th, BiSB), Brendan Mahon (53rd, Ace)
5. Wisconsin (6 players): LB Jack Cichy (14th, Seth), TE Troy Fumagalli (15th, Brian), OG Beau Benzschawel (33rd, BiSB), OC Michael Dieter (34th, Brian), LB TJ Edwards (39th, Brian), WR Jazz Peavy (44th, Ace)
6. Indiana (5 players): LB Tegray Scales (9th, BiSB), WR Simmie Cobbs (12th, Ace), WR Nick Westbrook (30th, Seth), CB Rashard Fant (32nd, BiSB), S Jonathan Crawford (52nd, Ace)
7. Maryland (3 players): DT Kingsley Opara (19th, Seth), OT Damian Prince (45th, Ace), WR DJ Moore (56th, BiSB)
8. Minnesota (2 players): DT Stephen Richardson (10th, Brian), WR Rashad Still (38th, Seth)
9. Nebraska (2 players): OG Tanner Farmer (46th, Seth), S Joshua Kalu (50th, Brian)
10. Northwestern (2 players): S Godwin Igwebuike (24th, BiSB), RB Justin Jackson (60th, Ace)
11. Michigan State (2 players): OG Brian Allen (37th, Ace), RB LJ Scott (55th, Brian)
12. Rutgers (1 player): OT Tariq Cole (27th, Seth)
13. Illinois (1 player): WR Malik Turner (31st, Brian)

So we just got done having an argument about Justin Jackson. Speaking of guys wearing #21 for the Wildcats…

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Seth: Round 16, Pick 2: Kyle Queiro, Safety, Northwestern

Off: QB JT Barrett (OSU), WR Nick Westbrook (IU), WR Rashad Still (MN), OG Sean Welsh (IA), LT Tariq Cole (RU), RT Ike Boettger (IA), OG Tanner Farmer (NE)

Def: NT Robert Landers (OSU), DT Kingsley Opara (MD), DE Nick Bosa (OSU), DE Jalyn Holmes (OSU), LB Jack Cichy (UW), VIPER!!! Khaleke Hudson (UM), S Kyle Quiero (NW), CB Denzel Ward, CB Manny Rugamba

Holy cow!@NUFBFamily's Kyle Queiro just out-did @JourdanJD's INT.

More video » https://t.co/Afb2pFbefb https://t.co/igOEAFZnss

— Northwestern On BTN (@NUOnBTN) October 22, 2016

1. No. No he didn't. Unless you're thinking of an entirely different pick.
2. That's pretty cool
3. The reason he one-handed it is his other hand was in a club.

PFF's College football twitter last month started putting out graphics of their top 3 returning players for each team, with last year's grades. The Northwestern one both confirmed a sleeper pick I've been close to pulling the trigger on for a few rounds, and outs him.

Saturday morning news special: Those safeties up at Northwestern are pretty good. pic.twitter.com/qoMg1h6yxg

— PFF College Football (@PFF_College) July 22, 2017

PFF thought Kyle Queiro was almost as good as Iggy while playing mostly deep centerfield to Igwebuike's boxier role. On film the distance is wider. Igwebuike is a Player who eats jet sweeps and screens for lunch. Queiro, who's 6'3, is more of a Jarrod Wilsonian binkie, keeping the hashes clean and long runs to field goal drives. He's athletic enough that they use him to cover slots out of the nickel in their sub packages. Injuries kept him off the field for the early part of his career and much of September so his 53 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, 6 PBUs, and 2 INTs (you remember the club) are in 10 games.

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Seth: And let's make this clear: Lewis was alone in man-to-man and in better "I'm not touching you" personal space invasion technique than my brothers could master in a childhood of up north road trips. Queiro is drifting back in zone coverage with help over the top and Lagow significantly underthrew it.

[Hit THE JUMP for what Tom Haverford calls a scatback]

naw but really it’s

Draftageddon 2017: The Gang Gets In an Argument About Justin Jackson

This is Part V. We are drafting Big Ten players to give you an overview of the guys and dudes around the conference. You come out of it with a four-deep preseason All-Big Ten. We come out of it with very strong opinions on Justin Jackson.

Previously: Picks 1-10 (Hurst, Speight), Picks 11-20 (Gary, Peters), Picks 21-28 (Cole), and Picks 29-40 (McCray, Mone) Picks 41-50 (Winovich)

THAT WHICH HAS ALREADY OCCURRED:

1. Ohio State (9 players): DE Nick Bosa (3rd, Seth), QB JT Barrett (6th, Seth), DE Tyquan Lewis (8th, BiSB), CB Denzel Ward (11th, Seth), DT Dre’Mont Jones (13th, Ace), OC Billy Price (17th, BiSB), DE Sam Hubbard (20th, Ace), LB Jerome Baker (21st, Ace), OT Jamarco Jones (28th, Ace)
2. Michigan (8 players): DT Maurice Hurst (2nd, Brian), DE Rashan Gary (5th, Ace), QB Wilton Speight (7th, Brian), QB Brandon Peters (an obligatory 16th, BiSB), OT Mason Cole (26th, Brian), LB Mike McCray (36th, Ace), NT Brian Mone (40th, BiSB), DE Chase Winovich (48th, BiSB)
3. Iowa (7 players): RB Akrum Wadley (18th, Brian), G/C Sean Welsh (22nd, Seth), LB Josey Jewell 23rd, Brian), OT Ike Boettger (35th, Seth), DE Anthony Nelson (42nd, Brian), CB Manny Rugamba (43rd, Seth), OC James Daniels (47th, Brian)
4. Penn State (6 players): RB Saquon Barkley (1st, BiSB), QB Trace McSorley (4th, Ace), “TE” Mike Gesicki (25th, BiSB), Marcus Allen, S (29th, Ace), OT Ryan Bates (41st, BiSB), LB Jason Cabinda (49th, BiSB)
5. Wisconsin (6 players): LB Jack Cichy (14th, Seth), TE Troy Fumagalli (15th, Brian), OG Beau Benzschawel (33rd, BiSB), OC Michael Dieter (34th, Brian), LB TJ Edwards (39th, Brian), WR Jazz Peavy (44th, Ace)
6. Indiana (4 players): LB Tegray Scales (9th, BiSB), WR Simmie Cobbs (12th, Ace), WR Nick Westbrook (30th, Seth), CB Rashard Fant (32nd, BiSB)
7. Minnesota (2 players): DT Stephen Richardson (10th, Brian), WR Rashad Still (38th, Seth)
8. Maryland (2 players): DT Kingsley Opara (19th, Seth), OT Damian Prince (45th, Ace)
9. Nebraska (2 players): OG Tanner Farmer (46th, Seth).SJoshua Kalu (50th, Brian)
10. Northwestern (1 player): S Godwin Igwebuike (24th, BiSB)
11. Rutgers (1 player): OT Tariq Cole (27th, Seth)
12. Illinois (1 player): WR Malik Turner (31st, Brian)
13. Michigan State (1 player): OG Brian Allen (37th, Ace)

It’s my turn in our snake draft, and yes it’s another Buckeye, sorry.

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Seth: Round 13, Pick 3: Robert Landers, DT, Ohio State

Off: QB JT Barrett (OSU), WR Nick Westbrook (IU), WR Rashad Still (MN), OG Sean Welsh (IA), LT Tariq Cole (RU), RT Ike Boettger (IA), OG Tanner Farmer (NE)

Def: NT Robert Landers (OSU), DT Kingsley Opara (MD), DE Nick Bosa (OSU), LB Jack Cichy (UW), CB Denzel Ward, CB Manny Rugamba

For our fifth Ohio State d-lineman let's try a nose, and at this point which one should be obvious. Landers racked up 7.5 TFLs (tied with Dre'Mont Jones) in his redshirt freshman campaign, and was at +10 on 243 snaps as of The Game preview PFF sent. Unlike Jones, who Wally Pipped the 3-tech job when Tracy Sprinkle was injured in Game 1, Landers had to scrap for equal snaps with standard plugger Michael Hill.

It only took a few games into the season for Ohio State fans to pick the low man in that battle, and after the PSU game PFF had joined them:

Bosa led the Buckeyes with seven pressures, but it is perhaps Landers who is pressing the strongest claim to jump into the starting lineup. Starting defensive tackles Dre’Mont Jones and Michael Hill struggled for the second straight week (longer still for Hill by himself), as Penn State gained 8.2 yards per carry between the tackles, with Jones and Hill frequently backed up into the second level when they faced double teams. After giving up 137 yards between the tackles to Wisconsin last week, the alarm bells are ringing loud and clear in the Ohio State run defense right now, and Landers has been performing well enough to justify a spot in the starting lineup.

Short in stature, Landers uses that to his advantage for leverage and speed. Urban Meyer calls him "twitched-up." Draft Analyst calls him a 2nd or 3rd rounder. I call him the last shot at a surefire disruptive NT.

[Note: this pick was made before we knew Hill would be suspended indefinitely. Not that it matters because Landers is better.]

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Seth: From that last link:

One offensive prospect I’m not impressed with is Jamarco Jones. Rated by some as the number two offensive tackle prospect from the senior class, Jones is short, marginally athletic and won’t get drafted then will have to play guard at the next level.

Please be so.

[After THE JUMP: Time-traveling 2015 guy can’t fathom why the entire Indiana secondary is gone before anyone from the Michigan State defense.]

but my friends call me

Draftageddon 2017: The Long Night Edition

This is Part IV. We are drafting Big Ten players to give you an overview of the guys and dudes around the conference. You come out of it with a four-deep preseason All-Big Ten. We come out of it with very strong opinions on Rutgers linemen.

Previously: Picks 1-10 (Hurst, Speight), Picks 11-20 (Gary, Peters), Picks 21-28 (Cole), and Picks 29-40 (McCray, Mone)

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THAT WHICH HAS ALREADY OCCURRED:

1. Ohio State (9 players): DE Nick Bosa (3rd, Seth), QB JT Barrett (6th, Seth), DE Tyquan Lewis (8th, BiSB), CB Denzel Ward (11th, Seth), DT Dre’Mont Jones (13th, Ace), OC Billy Price (17th, BiSB), DE Sam Hubbard (20th, Ace), LB Jerome Baker (21st, Ace), OT Jamarco Jones (28th, Ace)
2. Michigan (7 players): DT Maurice Hurst (2nd, Brian), DE Rashan Gary (5th, Ace), QB Wilton Speight (7th, Brian), QB Brandon Peters (an obligatory 16th, BiSB), OT Mason Cole (26th, Brian), LB Mike McCray (36th, Ace), NT Brian Mone (40th, BiSB)
3. Wisconsin (5 players): LB Jack Cichy (14th, Seth), TE Troy Fumagalli (15th, Brian), OG Beau Benzschawel (33rd, BiSB), OC Michael Dieter (34th, Brian), LB TJ Edwards (39th, Brian)
4. Penn State (4 players): RB Saquon Barkley (1st, BiSB), QB Trace McSorley (4th, Ace), “TE” Mike Gesicki (25th, BiSB), Marcus Allen, S (29th, Ace)
5. Indiana (4 players): LB Tegray Scales (9th, BiSB), WR Simmie Cobbs (12th, Ace), WR Nick Westbrook (30th, Seth), CB Rashard Fant (32nd, BiSB)
6. Iowa (4 players): RB Akrum Wadley (18th, Brian), G/C Sean Welsh (22nd, Seth), LB Josey Jewell 23rd, Brian), OT Ike Boettger (35th, Seth)
7. Minnesota (2 players): DT Stephen Richardson (10th, Brian), WR Rashad Still (38th, Seth)
8. Maryland (1 player): DT Kingsley Opara (19th, Seth)
9. Northwestern (1 player): S Godwin Igwebuike (24th, BiSB)
10. Rutgers (1 player): OT Tariq Cole (27th, Seth)
11. Illinois (1 player): WR Malik Turner (31st, Brian)
12. Michigan State (1 player): OG Brian Allen (37th, Ace)

We pick up our snake draft with BiSB on the turn:

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BiSB: ROUND 11, PICK 1: Ryan Bates

Bates had a growth year. [photos: Harvey Levine, via Scout]

Off: QB Brandon Peters (UM), RB Saquon Barkley (PSU), TE/WR Mike Gesicki (PSU), G/C Billy Price (OSU); G/T Beau Benzschawel (UW), G/T Ryan Bates (PSU)

Def: NT Bryan Mone (UM); DE Tyquan Lewis (OSU), LB Tegray Scales (IU), CB Rashard Fant (IU), S Godwin Igwebuike (NW)

Penn State started a 6’4” freshman at left tackle last year. Ordinarily, this would be cause to point and laugh at the continued struggles of Penn State to find offensive linemen. In this case, it was because the Ryan Bates was just really good. He was shorter than the ideal left tackle by about 3 inches, but while he was adequate in pass protection, he was an extremely effective run blocker. PFF had him as Penn State’s best offensive lineman in the Rose Bowl, and I agree.

Bates was named a first-team Freshman All American by USA Today, which for an offensive lineman largely means he was (a) a freshman, who (b) did not spontaneously combust. But still, he did not spontaneously combust. He struggled a bit with pure speed rushers (though tended to do an adequate job of forcing them deep enough for McSorley to step up), as well as with blitz identification and assignment, but the latter should improve as he becomes not a freshman.

Let this not be seen as an endorsement of Penn State’s offensive line in general. The Nittany Lions were 120th in the country in Adjusted Line Yards, 119th in Power Success Rate, and 123rd in Standard Down Line Yards Per Carry. These are fancy ways of saying “Saquon Barkley is a goddang wizard.”

[After the JUMP: CORN, CORN CORN CORN CORN CORN CORN hey free football content CORN CORN CORN CORN CORN look a tree CORN CORN CORN]