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+---- Thread: *Taking a deeper look at the Wraiths draft picks (/showthread.php?tid=4313)
*Taking a deeper look at the Wraiths draft picks - jaskins811 - 09-07-2017
Now that the S3 rookie draft for the NSFL is complete, it is important to look at how every team did in the draft, including all of their picks, as the league is often won not by the major stars selected in the first couple of rounds, but instead by the players selected in the later rounds who hope to make a big impact for their team. So without further ado, let's delve into the draft picks selected by the Yellowknife Wraiths!
Overall
Before the draft began, the Wraiths had glaring needs at offensive line and defensive tackle. They entered the draft knowing these two positions were an area of need for their team, but this did not stop them from drafting better players when available. While these positions were addressed, they definitely took a BPA strategy to their first round of drafting. The Wraiths had acquired the number 3 overall pick before the draft began and hoped to acquire a strong player with such a high pick.
Round 1
Pick 3
With this pick, Yellowknife selected Brice Boggs, a line backer. This was an excellent selection from the Wraiths as he was clearly the best player available at this point. Many considered Boggs to be the best player overall in this draft, so when he fell to the team at pick 3 it was a no brainer to select him. Boggs is not unfamiliar with the team, as he played for them last year as a free agent before entering the draft for his first full season. Although LB was not an urgent need for the Wraiths, being able to select such a strong player was much more important than reaching for an area of need because with Boggs they know they will have a star for years to come. The Wraiths hope that his already proven chemistry with the team will help him become one of the best members of their squad.
Round 2
Pick 1
With the first pick in the second round, the Wraiths selected Francois Lameroux, an offensive lineman. The French man is not new to this league, as he played with the Las Vegas Legion last season for a few games. He looked promising with them, and looked like a possible first round pick entering this draft. Although he will be new to the Wraiths, they believed that he is a strong enough player to select with the 9th overall pick of the draft. Lameroux is a somewhat controversial figure in the league already due to some of the outlandish comments he has made, so it will be interesting to see how he fits in with the Wraiths locker room.
Pick 5
Eidur Gustavsson was selected with the Wraiths second pick in the second round. This is a solid pick by the Wraiths as some of the obvious choices begin to dwindle away at this point in the draft. Gustavsson, a defensive end, had expressed a lot of interest in playing for the Wraiths already due to the fact that playing in Yellowknife will be similar to his home of Iceland. This was a good pick for the Wraiths because it helped fill a position of need for the Wraiths in their defensive line while also drafting an active player who wants to be a part of the Wraiths winning culture! While he is somewhat new to the league, he has already shown that he wants to be taken seriously and will hopefully be a monster in the future for his team.
Round 3
Pick 8
James Warner was the next draft choice for the Yellowknife Wraiths, their only pick in the third round. As a speed rusher coming straight out of Florida St., Warner will be a nice complement to the Wraiths deep group of linebackers. The rookie will be competing with the Wraith's first round draft pick in Boggs to see the year in their first year with the team. Warner will be a nice addition to the squad as he has previous experience in this league, so while the pick may seem like somewhat of a stretch in the third, many see this as a steal.
Round 4
Pick 3
Finally, Yellowknife decided to address their dire need at defense tackle. With the number 27 overall pick, the Wraiths selected Ryan Fitzfatrick, a defensive tackle out of Yale. A new prospect to this league, Fitzfatrick seems like a guy who can be active in this league and be a help to the Wraiths gaping hole at DT. This pick was obviously made to fill a hole for the Wraiths, and they got pretty good value out of a guy selected in the 4th round. All in all, this is a very solid pick by the Wraiths in the part of the draft where good players begin to thin out.
Pick 6
With the 6th pick in the 4th round, the Wraiths selected Joseph Askins, an intriguing TE prospect out of ASU. Although he is primarily a blocking tight end, he claims to be a very versatile player who can play many different parts of the offense. This is a bit of a surprising pick for the Wraiths in the 4th round considering they hold Ricky Maddox on their roster, the best tight end in the league. Many wonder if Askins will be asked to switch to a different role in the offense, and if he declines, if he will be sent down to the DSFL. The rookie shows a lot of promise so far, but with the depth chart of the Wraiths being so clogged, it will be interesting to see if Askins hits the field for any reasonable amount of time this season. Askins is just happy to be selected by a team and to have such a good mentor in Maddox to look up to, but at the end of the day you must wonder if it is a bit disappointing for the rookie to know he will be riding the bench for at least a few years behind Maddox.
Round 5
Pick 5
Kiko Bakari was the next player drafted by the Yellowknife Wraiths. By this point in the draft, it is somewhat of a crapshoot for who is drafted, so it is hard to gauge what is a good or bad pick. Bakari looks like he may have some promise, considering he said "I believe I am, without a doubt, the best DB in the draft". If his statement can hold true, then this pick will be an absolute steal for the Wraiths, but unfortunately he will most likely spend some time down in the DSFL racking up his skill set so that he can be a contributor to the NSFL in future seasons!
Round 6
Pick 5
Once again, these picks get harder and harder as the draft continues. In the 6th round, the Wraiths decided to select Nicholas Pierno. Although the Wraiths already have their quarterback situation figured out, it is always good to draft depth at this point in the draft either for trade fodder later on, or to develop into eventual starters. Pierno actually looks very promising at this point, with a high activity level and a drive to want to win. Although it looks like the player may spend some time in the DSFL, I would not count out this player becoming a monster in years to come.
Round 7
Pick 5
The linebacker Dion Jacobs was selected at this point in the draft. This pick will help add more depth to the Wraiths at linebacker for the upcoming season. Jacobs will almost assuredly play in the DSFL for his first season. While maybe not showing an incredible amount of activity to this point, he has shown perseverance because it took him many different tries to figure out how his TPE worked, and in the end decided to save spending it for a later date. Rather than giving up, he continued trying multiple times to fix his problems which can be a good trait in players in the NSFL.
Round 8
Pick 5
With their final pick in the draft, the Wraiths selected Eddy Kim, a safety out of USC. He declared for the draft very late, so not much is known about this player. He was one safety out of a small class, so it was worth a flier to the Wraiths to select him in case he does pan out. Close to being Mr. Irrelevant, Kim will have a lot to work for to prove he is worth much in this league. He will likely spend all of next season in the DSFL.
Conclusion
Overall, this was a strong draft class for the Yellowknife Wraiths. They used a very good mixed strategy of partial BPA and partial team need. They selected good players in Francois Lameroux, and Ryan Fitzfatrick. This helps fill their holes at offensive line and defensive tackle and they will both hopefully pan out to be good players. They also selected the best players available at many points of the draft with players like Brice Boggs and Joseph Askins. Although linebacker and tight end are already two solid position groups for the Wraiths, they selected these players knowing that they had the ability to turn into phenomenal players eventually. All in all, the Wraiths got players who fit their scheme and they hope to win the Ultimus next season with their new and improved squad!
(1,578 words)
Graded
Payout=$2,178,000
*Taking a deeper look at the Wraiths draft picks - kckolbe - 09-07-2017
Great write-up, though LB was actually a need for us as Shelton and Hampshireton are both inactive. Also, Lamoreux fits just fine in Yellowknife.
*Taking a deeper look at the Wraiths draft picks - SimmerDownBruhh - 09-07-2017
Very very well done, brotha! The Wraiths on the come up, the rest of the league better watch out for us!
#WraithsNation
*Taking a deeper look at the Wraiths draft picks - Bzerkap - 09-07-2017
Great article! You'll ge tyour playing time this year. No worries!
*Taking a deeper look at the Wraiths draft picks - Archon - 09-07-2017
Awesome write up bro!
*Taking a deeper look at the Wraiths draft picks - RainDelay - 09-07-2017
(09-07-2017, 07:57 PM)Bzerkap Wrote:Great article! You'll ge tyour playing time this year. No worries!
Damn right he will
Great write-up, @jaskins811! You're an awesome addition to the team