If this draft were any other year Claypool would be drafted in the first round or second round at the latest.
He needs to play his ass off and work towards the contract after his rookie contract ends.
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The 1st place I look at re: mocks is the Packers since I know them best. They are just wrong on the Pack picking a tight end at that spot, especially if Murray (who fits one of their two biggest needs) is still available as this mock opines.
There are many specious moves in this draft. Just to begin with, Miami isn’t going to jump 2 spots to get a qb who is going to be there at 5 anyway and, according to this draft they would do that without giving up either of the later picks in the first round. There is no way Simmons lasts to 12; in fact indications are the Lions are going to choose between him and Odukah at 3. The Jags are unlikely to pass on him at 7 since he is viewed as a generational fit at LB for the way offenses are evolving. At this point, 7 is too high for Brown who seems to be slipping and may not even be the 1st DL off the board. Herbert is not going to drop to 19, for one thing the Colts at 13 are unlikely to pass on Tua, Love, or Herbert if they are available at 13. At LB, Baun isn’t going to be picked ahead of both Murray and particularly Queen.
As for Claypool, even though he did well at the combine, ala Boykin whose success helps him and who he mirrors in many respects (but he was taken at 93), he isn’t going to be the 5th wr off the board before, according to this draft, with Higgins, Shenault and Aiyuk among others still available. The Packers needs a WR but Claypool doesn’t really fit what they really need which is quickness. He is more likely to go in the 1st half of the 2nd round. Kmet isn’t viewed as a 1st round talent and there isn’t a big gap between the top 3 TEs in the draft so no one is going to be stretching to grab him in the 1st. As a matter of fact, Okwara is more likely to be picked ahead of Kmet than the other way around.
Hey it is just one mock and a lot of who gets picked and when will be affected by free agent moves/signings. It is nice to see ND players being seen as elite types by the NFL.
the sense to draft him).
They have wasted some of the all time great talent... and then there is living here. I'm ok with this but I'm not a young superstar.
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Chase Claypool going in the first round to a team that can afford to be patient (doesn't need him to step in and instantly be a starter), could certainly happen. If they already have a decent receiving corp in place, while he learns the finer points of a pro-style offense's route running, it would be the perfect fit. I don't think we've seen any receiver with this combination of sheer size, strength, and speed in quite a while.
The main things separating him from someone like Ruggs or Jeudy, is that those guys are more polished and developed, basically ready to go from day one.
a "polished" receiver.
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Juedy was a 5 star and Ruggs a high 4 star while Claypool was a lower-midlevel 4 star coming from Canada. In that context, I think Alexander and the ND staff did a very good job developing him.
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