2024 NFL Draft 4th through 7th round gamethread WITH SPOILERS
- Thread starter tims4wins
- Start date
Seems like fewer trades than normal. Teams are overpaying to move up to get guys when the spot is on the clock here and there, but it seems like the days of draft chart just because trade stockpiling may be numbered.
Lazar’s Best Availables this AM:
WR Javon Baker, UCF
Baker is at his best at the top of routes, where he suddenly snaps off route breaks off his vertical stems. The foundation is his ability to stack corners and track the deep ball over his shoulder, so DBs have to respect his ability to finish deep targets at the catch point, and that opens up avenues for some flashy route breaks. After transferring from Alabama, Baker finished a strong two-year campaign at UCF with 1,139 yards and seven scores in 2023. He'd fit the mold as an outside/X receiver who can play on the backside of the formation opposite Polk.
WR Javon Baker, UCF
Baker is at his best at the top of routes, where he suddenly snaps off route breaks off his vertical stems. The foundation is his ability to stack corners and track the deep ball over his shoulder, so DBs have to respect his ability to finish deep targets at the catch point, and that opens up avenues for some flashy route breaks. After transferring from Alabama, Baker finished a strong two-year campaign at UCF with 1,139 yards and seven scores in 2023. He'd fit the mold as an outside/X receiver who can play on the backside of the formation opposite Polk.
This team just needs a talent infusion. After three they really couldn't screw up too badly but it appears they are going all in on building an offensive portfolio to dream on.
Thank god indeed. The more swings you take the more hits you’ll have. Getting younger talent on the offense is mission critical.
The best way forward is putting Drake Maye in a position to succeed.
Really surprised he dropped. The run on offense early has led to value at defense later and seeing mostly defense go between 103 and 110 felt good.
Not elite top end speed but makes contested catches and has good hands. Similar size to Polk. I haven’t seen any tape to know if they’re similar players but their descriptions seem like they’re basically the same kind of player.
Eh, the more I think of it, I think Baker was the one guy who could potentially profile as an X receiver with some upside left, so I'm more into it. His repertoire is way more vast than Walker's.
You've said that twice. I think you should add the context that he cleaned it up and had 0 in his last 5 games.
I don’t get some of the comments in this thread.
When we look back and trash past Patriots drafts it is because players either never made it or weren’t starters in the NFL. When we look back and say “what a great draft!” it is because we got 3-5 solid starters out of the draft.
It seems a lot of people here are wanting to swing for the fences with “high ceiling” guys rather than drafting guys who you think will be starters in the NFL 5 years from now.
Give me the latter every time.
When we look back and trash past Patriots drafts it is because players either never made it or weren’t starters in the NFL. When we look back and say “what a great draft!” it is because we got 3-5 solid starters out of the draft.
It seems a lot of people here are wanting to swing for the fences with “high ceiling” guys rather than drafting guys who you think will be starters in the NFL 5 years from now.
Give me the latter every time.
Time and again the blueprint for getting great receivers tends to be either picking a stud really high or just taking lots of them year after year. There’s not a magic sauce. You just have to keep trying (you’ll find plenty of “busts” in the Steelers wr draft history for example). Glad we’ve gone in this direction.
For pick 102, Broncos gave up 121, 136 and 207. Got back 235.
If Franklin had dropped one more and had that deal been on the table for the Patriots it would have looked pretty good. Not lopsided but I guess a chance at one more good player.
If Franklin had dropped one more and had that deal been on the table for the Patriots it would have looked pretty good. Not lopsided but I guess a chance at one more good player.
I didn't say they didn't. But it seems like he might have figured something out and adding context and more info would seem to be best, no?
Also the scouting reports don't seem to say this. From ESPN:
Baker has excellent eye coordination and can pluck the ball out of the air. His top-end speed is average, but he has the frame, vertical and body control to make acrobatic catches and win contested catches downfield. Baker is an instinctive open-field runner, he runs hard and flashes the ability to make the first defender miss after the catch. He has a good feel for how to attack zone looks and leverage defensive backs as a route runner. -- Steve Muench
Sounds like his hands are a feature, not a bug. Also he's 22, his age-20 or 21 seasons don't have to be his permanent reality.
I had to Google that. I loved F Troop reruns when I was like 4 years old but don't really remember it.
I do wonder if there’s something to the Packers comparison, especially similar guys like Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams who didn't have top end speed. Like that we took multiple shots at finding our own.
Yes, I'm happy they threw two darts here. Really like Polk and he could start right away, Baker is more of a project, but I think there's some savvy to his game that could lead to playing time in 2024 as well. If anything, he could be a guy they design some shots to off PA.
Three big needs going into the draft:
QB: They draft Maye, a QB with enormous potential.
OL: They draft a solid OT and a solid OG (whether G was a need or not is unclear, but they’re building the OL which, in general, is a good idea).
WR: They draft a really good receiver in Polk and then an X who profiles really nicely for them in Baker.
I’d say that, if nothing else, they’re quite serious about rebuilding the offense. It’s been a good draft from that perspective. Now, of course, the guys have to actually pan out.
QB: They draft Maye, a QB with enormous potential.
OL: They draft a solid OT and a solid OG (whether G was a need or not is unclear, but they’re building the OL which, in general, is a good idea).
WR: They draft a really good receiver in Polk and then an X who profiles really nicely for them in Baker.
I’d say that, if nothing else, they’re quite serious about rebuilding the offense. It’s been a good draft from that perspective. Now, of course, the guys have to actually pan out.
I don’t want them giving up anything for next year unless there is someone they love a lot. With what they have left, I think realistically the most they could trade up for is maybe mid fifth.
Trade up with what, though? This is supposed to be a weak draft in the later rounds, so I doubt a lot of teams will want to stock up on sixths and a seventh. You trade next year's picks, and you leave yourself shy in the second year of the rebuild. So, unless there's a player someone wants for a late fourth or a fifth, there's not much to make a move with
Quality, this.
I totally relate. Give me a chalk draft for once.
Like a 6.3 RAS. Awful.
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Yeah another 4.5 40 guy doesn’t thrill me.
I get what you’re saying but disagree. A bunch of Jakobi Meyers and Cole Stranges solid NFL pros don’t move needles. They help you be average or competitive. But not great.
100% agree.
Walker would have needed a feel of a support network to be so far from home. Carolina or Atlanta would have been ideal.
Good points. Not sure how they would trade up, but I want Stover or Wiley. They have 180, 193, and 237 plus 3 7ths next year and maybe some current players they might not like but might have a little value to somebody else? I'm probably grasping at straws.
I have to say my experience with BB made me skeptical of the draft picks. Combined with the requirement that they "preserve" the dynasty I had a hardened view.
I am excited about the clean slate, which allows me to dream about the Bledsoe rebuilding: start the season 1-10 but at that point Maye takes a spot and throws to binkies Polk and Baker (Ben Coates) behind rookie linemen Robinson and Wallace.
Sure, I have no personal knowledge of any of these guys, and the odds are against this. But I'm dreaming.
I am excited about the clean slate, which allows me to dream about the Bledsoe rebuilding: start the season 1-10 but at that point Maye takes a spot and throws to binkies Polk and Baker (Ben Coates) behind rookie linemen Robinson and Wallace.
Sure, I have no personal knowledge of any of these guys, and the odds are against this. But I'm dreaming.
Feeling similar. Dreaming is fun ! Not as fun as playing in the Super Bowl every other year but still fun!
With all these TEs going off before Stover and Wiley I guess it's pretty clear that NFL scouts don't agree with PFN at all on the TEs.
Unless the Pats plan on bringing back Stevenson on a second contract - do any good teams do this with RBs anymore? - the RB of the future isn't on the roster.
I'm cool going forward with taking the best player available, but I'm hoping one of those players ends up being a RB.
I don't have the same issue with the draft a lot of people here seem to have. They got Maye. They got a WR that bails out QBs and helps them look good - HUGE for a young QB. They got multiple linemen. They got a second WR that has high ceiling potential. All the complaints about "pick value" and where people were projected to go? I hate that hypothetical shit.
I was down on the front office prior to the draft. The draft (thus far) has moved the needle in the right direction for me.
I'm cool going forward with taking the best player available, but I'm hoping one of those players ends up being a RB.
I don't have the same issue with the draft a lot of people here seem to have. They got Maye. They got a WR that bails out QBs and helps them look good - HUGE for a young QB. They got multiple linemen. They got a second WR that has high ceiling potential. All the complaints about "pick value" and where people were projected to go? I hate that hypothetical shit.
I was down on the front office prior to the draft. The draft (thus far) has moved the needle in the right direction for me.