The 2025 NFL Pre-Draft General Talk

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Merlin

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One of the worst practice players you’ve ever seen
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El Chapo Jr

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Bottom line is the Rams or any team wants to draft any player and feel they need more info, they call that particular player's position coach and tell the position coach to give an honest assessment. The vast majority of time said position coach gives an honest assessment because you never know who you will be working for down the road. Anyway McGinn has had this column for over 40 years and it is my favorite draft time read. Make of it what you will, but I have always found it eye opening and insightful.
Not saying the guy isn't insightful but totally agree about teams doing their due diligence by talking to coaches who have worked closely with any player. Now I'm going off of memory, but I also remember Burden's head coach defending him as a good team player and about his work ethic. I just don't trust anything that is put out to any media member, regardless of rep, just because all teams try their best to play misdirection games to get their or a guy to fall.
 

Elmgrovegnome

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Not saying the guy isn't insightful but totally agree about teams doing their due diligence by talking to coaches who have worked closely with any player. Now I'm going off of memory, but I also remember Burden's head coach defending him as a good team player and about his work ethic. I just don't trust anything that is put out to any media member, regardless of rep, just because all teams try their best to play misdirection games to get their or a guy to fall.
That’s a bit oversimplified. Tape backs it up and every scout McGinn talks to isn’t going to make up the same lie. Most of what I hear from draft analysts is that when teams like a player, they don’t talk about him. You don’t hear much about him and scouts don’t offer much. And remember, some of these guys like Brugler talk to coaches themselves. Others do their own evals too. They don’t all get info based on what scouts tell them. If you were McGinn, who’s been around a long time, don’t you think you’d have your trusted sources and know who is BS by now? Do the same guys pull the wool over his eyes every year and he keeps falling for it? I doubt that’s the case.
 

Elmgrovegnome

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My View: I've had this thought rattling in the back of my head for awhile that the reason Tutu got paid and other WR's were getting paid wasn't just cause it was a bad FA WR class this year but that teams already knew that it was slim pickings in the draft by December. It's also why so many pundits are lumping pass catchers together and have some of the TE's interspersed in there like how Loveland and Warren slot in around 2-4 in the above mentioned guys.

Yep. It’s also why Tutu only got a one year deal. It indicates that they don’t want to commit to him. It was a necessity signing. If they loved him like a few people claim, they’d have signed him to a longer deal. If he was as good as some think, another team would have signed him for more money and a longer deal.

The WR class isn’t good. It’s helping to elevate the other pass catchers in this draft, in the tight end group too.

Snead hasn’t reached for need in the last two drafts. The last time he did was probably Tutu. I don’t expect him to reach for a WR in round one. Maybe he’ll feel Egbuka is worth it as a clean prospect, but anyone they take this year will be receiver four. Is that worth a first? If you are picking a receiver to develop then I’d go after guys with better traits and hope I can develop them, but that’s not ideal in the first two rounds.

I think at 26 a few other positions will be better value. A good linebacker like Campbell could instantly help stop the run. A good corner can instantly upgrade the corner group. Both could have a bigger impact in their second year than a project receiver. A backup OT potentially could have more impact than a fourth receiver.
 
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WestCoastRam

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Yep. It’s also why Tutu only got a one year deal. It indicates that they don’t want to commit to him. It was a necessity signing. If they loved him like a few people claim, they’d have signed him to a longer deal. If he was as good as some think, another team would have signed him for more money and a longer deal.

The WR class isn’t good. It’s helping to elevate the other pass catchers in this draft, in the tight end group too.

Snead hasn’t reached for need in the last two drafts. The last time he did was probably Tutu. I don’t expect him to reach for a WR in round one. Maybe he’ll feel Egbuka is worth it as a clean prospect, but anyone they take this year will be receiver four. Is that worth a first? If you are picking a receiver to develop then I’d go after guys with better traits and hope I can develop them, but that’s not ideal in the first two rounds.

I think at 26 a few other positions will be better value. A good linebacker like Campbell could instantly help stop the run. A good corner can instantly upgrade the corner group. Both could have a bigger impact in their second year than a project receiver. A backup OT potentially could have more impact than a fourth receiver.
I like Golden and Egbuka and would happily take either at 26, just not sure either reaches us. They're are a few guys later in the draft that intrigue but the class is pretty meh.
 

Londoner

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The WR class isn’t good.
Agreed.

If we count Travis Hunter as primarily a CB, then the only WRs with true first-round potential in this draft are Tet McMillan and Matthew Golden. And the former has serious question marks about him, having apparently stated that he doesn't watch much football and isn't a fan of reviewing game tape either.
 

Elmgrovegnome

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I like Golden and Egbuka and would happily take either at 26, just not sure either reaches us. They're are a few guys later in the draft that intrigue but the class is pretty meh.
Is it an ideal situation for a team to use a first round pick on a number two or possibly number three receiver? I’d think not. But, I guess this draft is so devoid of talent overall that it’s a probability. That’s why I like Ayomanor (High character, high intelligence, prototypical size, good measurables). Over many of these other receivers. He may not be as finished but his ceiling is higher than most of them. Unfortunately he likely gets picked earlier than he would in other drafts.
 

WestCoastRam

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Is it an ideal situation for a team to use a first round pick on a number two or possibly number three receiver? I’d think not. But, I guess this draft is so devoid of talent overall that it’s a probability. That’s why I like Ayomanor (High character, high intelligence, prototypical size, good measurables). Over many of these other receivers. He may not be as finished but his ceiling is higher than most of them. Unfortunately he likely gets picked earlier than he would in other drafts.
I think Golden and Egbuka have traits that they could have an outside shot at being very good number 1s in this league. You have to squint but they're there. I can't say that for many others. Don't know much about Ayomanor.
 

El Chapo Jr

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That’s a bit oversimplified. Tape backs it up and every scout McGinn talks to isn’t going to make up the same lie. Most of what I hear from draft analysts is that when teams like a player, they don’t talk about him. You don’t hear much about him and scouts don’t offer much. And remember, some of these guys like Brugler talk to coaches themselves. Others do their own evals too. They don’t all get info based on what scouts tell them. If you were McGinn, who’s been around a long time, don’t you think you’d have your trusted sources and know who is BS by now? Do the same guys pull the wool over his eyes every year and he keeps falling for it? I doubt that’s the case.
Like I said, it's possible that its not true or it may be overblown or true. Do you think every scout is going to be completely truthful to media knowing that this info will get out? I can't fathom that it is based off of the intentions of the sources sharing whatever information they may decide to share. It doesn't necessarily have to be flat out lies and could be facts that are exaggerated. So Burden's head coach coming out to defend him means nothing? Didn't something similar happen with Jalen Carter and the Eagles still drafted him in the 1st round? I'm sorry but I just can't put 100% trust in anything during lying season. I'm just gonna wait and see what happens on draft day.