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*5 Days of Prep, 1 Mock - IsaStarcrossed - 08-10-2019
Obviously a rookie who has little to no knowledge on the actual players in this draft or how GMs in the NSFL actually approach the drafts overall, but figured I could have some fun and put together a mock with my whole five days of knowledge. I'm sure GMs will be amused by my analysis, so I hope everyone enjoys!
Ironside Streaming has now gone live! Titled "An Outsider's Attempt at a Mock".
The stream loads with Bjørn sitting at his desk, facing the camera with a wicked smile on his face. "Welcome guys and girls! Today I'm going to take a stab at the season 17 NSFL draft! Obviously I am not a GM, but I'm going to be as unbiased as possible and try to let you guys in on where I think these players should go and why. Not a lot of time today, so I'm going to stick to the first round. Be gentle guys, this is a new format for me and I'm going to try and slide into the groove of things."
1.
Ashley OwensAt number one I've obviously got to go with Ashley Owens in this slot. This may be the one unquestioned and absolutely necessary pick in this draft. There are honestly a good many holes on this Copperheads roster. They may be on the edge of needing to completely hit the reset button and I'm not the man to tell them where to start. If I personally had to pick a single player from this draft to build my future on though, it would have to be Owens. He led the DSFL in every possible statistical category for a running back this past season. The athletic ability is obviously there and she is clearly prepared for top level competition. When you mix this athletic ability with the single best work ethic in the league, you end up with an electric player with a near endless ceiling. He is constantly training, never missing a chance to get better, and quite frankly outworks all of his peers. I don't know that the Copperheads' biggest need is at running back, but when you pick first overall you have the luxury of picking the best player available on the board. There is no question in anyone's mind that Owens is that player and it isn't possible to present a mock that doesn't have him going first overall here.
2.
Saba DonutWith the second overall pick, I have the Yeti taking Saba Donut. I went back and forth multiple times with this pick because the Yeti really do have several spots they could fill with this pick. At first glance you can see clearly that their defensive line is void of talent. That might even be the obvious place to go. That said, the Yeti have a pretty solid secondary. They cover well and actually led the league in passes defended last season. This secondary does work for the Yeti and while their defense gave up a few big games last season, I do not believe that it was their biggest weakness. That title belongs to the other side of the ball. The Yeti only averaged 19 points a game last season, putting them only one point a game over the hapless Copperheads. Its hard to win games when you struggle to hit 20 points in a game. For this reason, I think offense is their biggest need this off season. They have a young quarterback and a young halfback who are moving up in this league and need some development and their only developed weapon is James Bishop, their star wide receiver. He can't do it all himself though. He needs help and adding another young star to this developing offense may be what the Yeti need to take that next step.
In this draft there are a couple fantastic options at receiver and with the second pick, the Yeti really have their pick of the litter. Saba may not be the most obvious choice here, but I think he would fit into the role nicely. He's not the most athletic receiver available, but he is vocal, works hard, and is always looking for chances to improve. Not only that, he seems to be great presence who does what he can to guide other players and he could be a leader on this offense in time. Saba has done a lot of promoting for himself and works hard to keep himself in the eye of scouts and GMs. I think he would be a solid pickup for the Yeti that could really take this team into the future, but I could see him slipping quite a bit if the Yeti go for another receiver here.
3.
Tyron BrackenridgeI have New Orleans taking Tyron Brackenridge at number three. This team lead the league in rushing last season and was middle of the pack in scoring. Their offense seemed to run smoothly for the most part last season, only occasionally having games where they struggled to move the ball. For that reason, I don't like them going for more offense here. Instead I want to look at the other side of the ball. Specifically, their secondary. This team gave up a ton of points last season and in their worst games, most of the damage was done through the air. If this team is going to remain a run first offense, they'll need to stop the bleeding. They already have one of the better secondaries in the league, but I believe they are one piece away from being an elite secondary. One piece and they go from being one of the better secondaries to being the absolute best.
I believe the addition of Tyron Brackenridge can help this secondary take that step. He is the highest rated safety in the draft and has put a lot of effort into increasing his draft stock. With this pick, the Second Line would have two imposing presences over the top once paired with William Harrison. The combination of these two could stem the bleeding and would stop a lot of the big plays that allow teams to run the score up on the Second Line. Half of New Orleans' games last season were blowouts last season. The other half were close games that could go either way. With another weapon in their secondary, I think they close the gap on those blowouts and this become a team that can challenge even the top shelf on any given day.
4.
Bubba ThumperWith the fourth pick, I have the Hawks going with Bubba Thumper. This is a roster that is already set at quarterback with a solid one two punch at wide receiver and a young up and coming star at halfback. Their receivers are getting up in age and the Hawks could potentially look for a replacement here, but I think instead they go for the best defensive tackle available in the draft. This defense has elite corners, young stars at safety, linebacker, and defensive end and is an overall solid unit that should develop into one of the best in the NSFL in the next couple seasons. All they need is an anchor at the middle of that defensive line and you have a real force to be reckoned with.
Enter Bubba Thumper. This is one of the top picks in the draft and I could easily see him going before this pick if someone decides to take the best available pick at two or three instead of an optimal fit. Thumper is an absolute monster in the middle that should be capable of plugging any hole the interior of the defense looks to open up. He's an imposing force that forces opposing teams to bounce around the edge instead of trying to run into the teeth of that defense. He's a top shelf player at a position of need for most teams and should develop into one of the best in the league. I can't see him dropping any further than this and I think the Hawks would be ecstatic with this pick.
5.
Brayden EnnisAt number five, the Sabercats may be getting the steal of the draft with Brayden Ennis. San Jose is a pretty solid team across the board who relies on one of the better defensive lines in the NSFL. Being a position that rarely has talent coming in, it is hard to keep talent at that position. With their defensive tackles entering their fifth and sixth years and looking regression in the face, San Jose is in the unique position to replace a key position ahead of time and bolster their defensive line while they're at it. On paper, they have one of the premier defenses with talent at almost every level and I am a firm believer of bolstering what you're best at.
Brayden Ennis is one of the hardest working talents in the draft. He's vocal, active, and is looking to have a long and productive career. Obviously defensive tackle isn't the biggest need that is facing San Jose, but defensive end is one of the few places this team lacks talent. With the combination of Ennis, Riposte, and Sackerman, they could move one to defensive end and have the beefiest defensive line in the league. It would be a nightmare to run against this team and could move this team into defensive legend status. Ennis could grow on this team without a ton of pressure and develop into a solid leader as the veterans start to retire.
6.
Jordan AndrewsJordan Andrews goes to the Wraiths at number six. There isn't too much to talk about here. We're getting to some of the better teams in the NSFL now and Yellowknife is a solid team without too many glaring weaknesses and yet still sit at sixth. I've always been the type to try and match players to where they fit the best, but not this time. In rare fashion, I'm going to say that Yellowknife should absolutely take the best player left on the board. Jordan Andrews is absolutely without a doubt that player.
Andrews was one of the best pass defenders in the league last season. The Wraiths lack talent at weak side corner and I think with a little of development, Andrews would be one of the best. He's the number one corner in the class and may be the second ranked recruit in the class overall. I could easily seem him going earlier, but I think as teams look to fill their most desperate needs he might fall this far.
7.
Mervin LeonardMervin Leonard comes off the board with the Otters' number seven pick. This is the third defensive back I have coming off the board in the top 10, but it is a pretty talented class. The Otters had one of the leading offenses in the NSFL last season and there isn't a ton of room for addition development on that side of the ball. This makes Mervin Leonard easily slide into this spot. The Otters have two pretty good safeties roaming the middle of the field, but their help on the edges is lacking. A young corner back could fill a void in this defense.
I strongly believe that Leonard will be the best remaining defensive athlete at this pick. This a team that is loaded with young talent in their front seven, but only has aging stars and plugins in their secondary. It makes Orange Country the perfect landing spot for Leonard as he'd be able to start right away and make an impact. The Otters had one of the premier pass rushes in the NSFL last season and with quarterbacks having to make hasty decisions, Leonard should have a chance to show off his ball hawking abilities with impunity. I feel like this is one of the better fits in the draft.
8.
Dexter Banks IIFalling all the way to number eight, I think the Copperheads get an absolute steal here with Dexter Banks II. Austin was the worst offense in the NSFL last season and you simply cannot win games if you cannot score points. It doesn't matter what else you do, outscoring the other team is the only way to win. With two first round picks, they are in a position to make a huge splash on that side of the ball. They will get the most gifted offensive athlete in the draft first overall, but I do believe there is a chance they pick up another of the top three here.
It was hard for me to put Banks here as the second wide receiver off the board. As an athlete, I think he is the best pass catcher in this draft. I see him falling from a mixture of other teams filling holes at defense and the fact he doesn't seem to promote his brand as much as Saba. I think he will be a solid player with a long career, but I do think he could build on his presence. If another team were to look past that, I could easily seem him moving up in the draft and even swap spots with Saba.
9.
Honda EdmondWith the ninth pick, there can be no other choice than Honda Edmond if he's available. Philadelphia placed second in this season's championship race and they have a chance here to fill one of the biggest holes in their defense. Looking back at the match-up between the Liberty and the Outlaws, the most glaring weakness of this team was the middle of their defense. Near nonexistent defensive tackles and a lone bright spot at linebacker. They need to beef up the interior of their front seven if they don't want a repeat of the finals with a team dominating them at the line of scrimmage and having their way in the run game.
Honda Edmond has the opportunity to make one of the single largest impacts of any pick on this board. The Liberty were one game away and likely lost because of a single glaring hole that caused their entire defensive game plan to fall apart. Edmond should develop into one of the best young linebackers in the league and help Philadelphia solidify their defense. He could be the difference next season in a title or another heartbreaking exit.
10.
Action JacksonAt number 10, with the final pick of the first round, the Arizona Outlaws pick Action Jackson. Our season championship was the underdogs of underdogs. With some of their primary stars staring regression in the face on a spotty offense at best, they managed to grind out the gauntlet and win a title. Some will call it luck, some will call in unadulterated grit. Whatever you call it, without some help it isn't likely to happen again. This is a spotty offense with a lot of aging stars and a void of talent. They're going some young star power to move forward in the league.
Action Jackson will likely be the best offensive star remaining with the 10th pick. Arizona desperately needs to get younger on the offensive side of the ball and there is no better place to look than Jackson with this pick. With quick feet and some great hands, Jackson can come in and immediately start opposite of Brock Landers. This would give our defending champion two young guns in the passing game that could make Arizona less one dimensional that they were last season. This could give Reese a chance to extend his career by an extra couple years and perhaps see him have some of his best seasons as he enters the twilight of his career. There are a lot of places that Arizona could go here, but I think bolstering this passing game can open things up for them and it will be exciting to see if they can repeat.
Bjørn takes a deep breath and looks up from his notes. "There you go guys and girls, that's how I think it should shape up. I figured I would shake it up a little bit. Have some players move higher or lower than the pundits think they should. After all, its all for fun. Obviously much smarter people than me are going to be making these decisions and I feel like the top 10 in this draft are very strong. I don't think you can go wrong picking any of these kids and it can be hard to figure out what teams value most. That's why they call these things mocks. All we can do is guess and speculate. I like to think every player gets a chance to land exactly where they need to be and I hope that's how it works in this draft. Until next time ladies and gentleman. Bjørn signing off."
And with a simple click, the screen turns to black.
Ironside Streaming has gone offline.
*5 Days of Prep, 1 Mock - SabaDonutMan - 08-10-2019
Quote:With the second overall pick, I have the Yeti taking Saba Donut
Thanks for putting me that high
*5 Days of Prep, 1 Mock - Opera_Phantom - 08-10-2019
This is good stuff, nice read
*5 Days of Prep, 1 Mock - SwagSloth - 08-10-2019
This is very impressive! As a GM, I can't comment on the prediction accuracy, but you obviously did your homework and gave in-depth reasoning for every choice. Fantastic job.
*5 Days of Prep, 1 Mock - AdamS - 08-11-2019
Last season was our 1st season as we are an expansion team so I'll probably wait a bit before I hit any reset buttons.
*5 Days of Prep, 1 Mock - IsaStarcrossed - 08-11-2019
(08-11-2019, 04:14 AM)AdamS Wrote:Last season was our 1st season as we are an expansion team so I'll probably wait a bit before I hit any reset buttons.
Haha. Fair enough.
Hard to get a handle on league history when you've been around for 5 minutes. I suppose instead of a reset, more of a jump start!
*5 Days of Prep, 1 Mock - Duilio05 - 08-11-2019
@run_CMC
Haha he called you a girl!!
*5 Days of Prep, 1 Mock - IsaStarcrossed - 08-11-2019
(08-11-2019, 07:10 AM)Duilio05 Wrote:@run_CMC
Haha he called you a girl!!
I swear to jesus that if "Ashley Owens" in fact has a penis, I will forever use gender neutral descriptors for the rest of my time in the NSFL.
*5 Days of Prep, 1 Mock - AdamS - 08-11-2019
(08-11-2019, 05:21 AM)IsaStarcrossed Wrote:I swear to jesus that if "Ashley Owens" in fact has a penis, I will forever use gender neutral descriptors for the rest of my time in the NSFL.
Ashley is actually sometimes used as a male name for Southerners. Was more common in previous centuries but still exists.
*5 Days of Prep, 1 Mock - run_CMC - 08-11-2019
1) this is a really great article! Nice work!
2) lol yeahh Ashley is a guy. Don’t beat yourself up, it’s very rare as a guy’s name nowadays; not like you had any way to know. Also anyone who says Ashley isn’t a great name can fight me