21 Jordy Nelson WR
22 Lavelle Hawkins WR
23 Curtis Lofton LB
24 Josh Johnson QB
25 Chris Johnson RB
26 Kevin Smith RB
27 Dan Connor LB
28 Steve Slaton RB
29 Mike Hart RB
30 Tashard Choice RB
Fun list. I am excited about this class. Those voicing discontent need to snap out of it. It isn't often a list this promising appears at 21 - 30 and some serious sleepers are still dormant. It makes me want to dump some veteran talent and stockpile draft picks. I have to be careful with that thinking. My love of the draft and drafting and unproven collegians could turn foolish quickly this year. The mystery of it all is what makes this fun. Nelson and Hawkins. I guessed it on my second try. I have a
few WRs ahead of Hawkins and someone above Nelson all in a lower tier. Nelson is a high ceiling player, and I too would gladly draft him. I can understand ranking him higher than those backs, even if I disagree. I like Hawkins. So many times he'd be making a big play, and I thought for sure it was Desean. He was outstanding last year. I just cannot imagine drafting him before Johnson, Slaton, Choice or Smith.
Lofton ahead of Connor and Rivers. I am on record very unimpressed with the IDPs this year, but I like these three fine. Rivers reminds me of Wilbur Marshall/Carl Banks -- very high praise but it's just a comparison in type, not a belief that he's that good.
Josh is one of my guys too. I was sad to see you list him so high. I'd like to see him ignored until the later rounds. I have been on the sidelines watching this freak go nintendo all day. He's going to need even more time than Tarvaris, but his ceiling is ridiculous. Similar talents have vanished without ever getting a shot though. The fog at QB (like WR) is reason to wait to draft one. I'm not convinced the top two or three QBs are the best this class has to offer. I'm not even sure this class has anthing to offer at QB, but the fantasy potential is interesting with Josh on extensive dynasty rosters.
A tier of RBs I have considerably higher -- Johnson, Smith, Slaton, Hart, Choice. I would be happy to land any of these but Hart here. Choice grew on me last year. Some of it is my love of his character and leadership. I too don't see a big difference in him and Forte... thus, those WRs would have to wait. I've loved Slaton since he was a Freshman and would spend a draft pick and pray whatever he lost, he finds. I doubt I'll have a shot at Chris Johnson or Kevin Smith as most will have them higher than me and way higher than Bloom. I don't know how important maturity, character and work ethic ultimately are, but I have a hard time seeing coaching staffs not fall in love with Slaton, Choice and Johnson. Choice may end up just a hustling special teamer, but it's that character that leads me to believe his chance will come. Slaton and Johnson are going to work their way into the playbook beyond special teams, probably in 3rd down roles, but sometimes better opportunity comes for guys who do that. Wildman makes it uncomfortable to be too low on KSmith. He nailed Bradshaw when few were paying attention. These RBs are a better risk than those WRs, I think.
I suppose some RBs will lose their luster through situation, which could put you ahead of the curve here.
Good stuff. So much juicy talent still out there.
It's not hype. There's always some hype, but this
is a very deep class of skill position talent. It may be lacking in elite talent, but this is so much more interesting from an FF perspective.
