02-13-2018, 10:14 AM
(This post was last modified: 02-14-2018, 08:44 AM by Supersquare04.)
After I got drafted into the DSFL two seasons ago, I really enjoyed a piece that kckolbe did breaking down his thinking on each of the draft picks. Then we have guys that SwagSloth that just did something similar for the NSFL. Obviously its somewhat of a tradition for GMs to release draft notes and their thought processes, so in that spirit, I figured I'd post something as well on how @run_CMC and myself looked at this draft class and the results of it.
Keep an eye out for a Not Famous Yet podcast out shortly from Hero and I breaking down the draft and going more in-depth on some of the picks and thought processes. Also there's rumbling some other GMs are doing something similar, so looking forward to hearing their thoughts on this draft.
There's some overall thoughts at the bottom, but otherwise this recap is broken down pick by pick.
First Round
1. Howard Miller (BenLongshaw) - WR
This pick comes as no surprise to us. Miller was also the top of our draft board; he has 125 TPE and is halfway to the DSFL cap already, has been pumping out media and tweets, was active in scouting conversations, and is a known entity around the site as a recreate. Literally, every checkbox you could have is what Miller brought this draft and he was our clear first overall.
He was our clear first insofar as we even tried to trade up to grab him. We put together a package of other top picks to try and convince Kansas City to give up their 1st. We were close but couldn't agree on the value of the other picks. With 4 picks in the top two rounds going to San Antonio we didn't feel an urgency to get this done and although we missed on Miller we're very happy with what we ended up getting.
2. Alvin Chipmunk (Andybj) - TE
I think this pick might have surprised some people, but we had Andy second on our draft board for a reason: his guy was versatile and amenable to the run game. Since the Marshals are getting both Bush and Nyquist back for a year we wanted to have a TE who could be a check-down to a new QB as well as a tool during rush drives. All that is without going into Andybj as a user, who is tremendous and a guy that both Run and I really got along with and wanted to have in the LR.
I think there was some surprise that we didn't take a QB here, considering how active and present some of those prospects were on the board. For us, it was just due to the logic of our picks and how we had 3 in a row at #4, #5, and #6 OA after Tijuana picked at #3. We knew that Miller would go #1 and there were several QBs we were very interested in. Even with Tijuana likely taking one, we were confident to grab our #2 QB off the board if they took our preferred option.
3. Sam Penner (Pens) - QB
Pens made a big name for himself in the leadup to the draft, so I'm not surprised to see him go here at #3 OA. We had some great discussion with Pens and Sam Penner as a QB is a great pocket passing build - an archetype that usually pays dividends in the lower TPE DSFL. Pens going #3 is a great spot, and exactly where Run and I predicted him to go.
4. Ryan Applehort (Daybe) - QB
And here is where we made our QB move. As I discussed above, we knew Tijuana would likely get a QB but with 4 really awesome prospects this draft, Run and I weren't too worried about losing out on one. That said, these were our last picks of the draft so we wanted to grab a QB here and have someone to rely on in long or pass-friendly down situations. We had QB as a positional need before Mike Vike came back, but even with Vick coming back we wanted to get a reliable arm to supplement his legs.
And Daybe is exactly that guy. We liked our scouting conversations with him, we liked the build and we liked the user - this was exactly what we were hoping to grab. To be honest, Daybe was our #1 QB, but it was extremely tight - Pens, Angels_Otani and TrueTexican were all pretty much incredible QB prospects that we'd be lucky to have. Ryan Applehort was now a Marshal, we just needed some receiving talent to give him weapons.
Second Round
5. Footballer Catcherman (cpetrella) - WR
And there's the talent that we wanted. We had great scouting conversations with cpetrella, liked his engagement, loved the build and knew this was a guy we wanted in the LR. He's got the legs and skill to be the kind of vertical threat that the Marshals are craving with our new QB. We had a good idea that at this stage of the draft we were in the drivers seat and we knew exactly what we wanted to do ...
6. Jeff Taven (TetrisTech) - WR
Jeff Taven rounds out the last of the San Antonio picks, but damn we were happy we got him and cpretrella. Both guys are active on the discord and engaged with their builds. TetrisTech is even a little more evenly built, in a non-traditional manner, and I like it. We're gonna be testing ways to use some of that run and pass blocking in unique ways.
The best thing about grabbing TetrisTech, and for that matter the rest of our guys (Andybj, Daybe, and cpetrella), is that I think we're going to be tough to gameplan against. With send-downs Carter Bush and Willy Nyquist still running the committee in the backfield we've completely altered the look of the San Antonio offense. Run and I plan on using that to wreck havoc for any opponent trying to matchup. With guys like Andy and Tetris who can line up almost anywhere, and Daybe complimenting Vick's legs, we have a pretty versatile offense we are excited to gun this season.
7. Ugandan Knuckles (bennyboy_456) - DE
I'll have to admit, this was an interesting pick for me. I didn't have Ugandan Knuckles this high on our draft board - mainly because he didn't reply to any scouting conversations so I didn't really get a chance to see his activity. Prior to draft night he also hadn't signed in for weeks. I'm not sure if Tijuana knew something that I didn't, but this was a reach for me by a team that had plenty of lower round picks they could've used on a seemingly inactive DE.
Although I guess I should note that this was a limited defensive class. I only got replies from 2 of the 6 defensive prospects in scouting, so coming in Run and I knew that we were pretty much limited to the offensive guys. It worked out for us - but pro tip to new creates who read this, reply to scouting PMs if you want to go higher in the draft.
8. Dustin DeMarco (ramrod18) - WR
This is another interesting pick. I don't think its that bad of a decision, because after going Penner in Round One, Tijuana really needed a receiving option and DeMarco was the last one on the board. That said, ramrod18 is another guy who didn't reply to San Antonio scouting so wasn't at this position on our draft board. Once again maybe Tijuana was playing with more information or caught up with these guys on a discord chat I missed. In addition, ramrod18 decided to bank the 50 TPE until post-draft - always a risky call to draft a prospect who might be IA who hasn't applied the 50 TPE and might have to be played for 2 weeks.
But like I said, I won't classify this as a reach because Pens needed a guy to throw to and DeMarco can be that guy.
Third Round
9. Thomas Kane III (greygoosevodka) - LB
This is a solid pick - but this is due to the good guy that @PDXBaller is. Greygoosevodka is another prospect that didn't answer Marshal scouting, but PDX let the other DSFL GMs know that he has been present around the LR. Coming into the third round of a weak defensive draft class, it makes sense that taking a chance on a proven LB with 60+ TPE already assigned and who has a chance of being active makes sense. Especially in a smaller draft class like the S7s.
10. Cole McCoy (TrueTexican) - QB
So the Portland Pythons entered this draft with only one pick since the draft was limited to only 4 rounds and 1 pick. Of course PDX turns this one pick into an absolute steal at 10th OA with TrueTexican. This is a guy that Run and I really liked in our conversations, but unfortunately due to his player backstory, he didn't want to play for a Texas team. I even went so far as to RP a message trying to appeal to his Texas pride, but it didn't work and we had to leave him off the draft board entirely. Otherwise our QB decisions in the first round would've been more complicated (and our trading negotiations more flexible).
I'm excited to see what The Cowboy can do in his new hipster Portland home. I'm looking forward to continue to reading his stuff, and maybe leaning on our Texas guys to upstage him when we play Portland. Texan pride and whatnot.
11. Lonnie Rott (Kigs77) - S
Another guy who didn't reply to scouting messages going to the Luchadores. But coming in the 11th OA pick, the only safety with a playmaking build doesn't really make this look like too much of a reach. Plus although Kigs77 has an aversion to writing PM responses to scouting questions, he was around in the Senior Bowl twitch stream and joined the discord - so the potential is there for this to be a solid pick if his activity picks up.
12. Kevin Kendrick (BARRAGMING) - RB
Barragming joined about 30 minutes prior to the draft, but he was able to get to a frantically typed out scouting message that Run and I sent him about 30 minutes prior to the start of the draft. Obviously this is a risk for the Luchadores, since activity on one day doesn't always translate to activity the next, but as the sole RB in the draft class I suppose its a worthwhile risk. With Spinelli in the backfield already in Tijuana, I imagine Kendrick will be rolled out in a committe: a dangerous new prong with Penner in the pocket as well.
Fourth Round
13. Bubba Beau-Boucher (Angels_Otani) - QB
What a steal at #13. Angels_Otani is incredibly active on discord and the site, so grabbing this player at 13th overall is just an indication of what happens when there is this much QB talent in one draft. Now KC will join SA as another DSFL team rolling two active QBs to start, again a mobile archetype and a traditional one in Mark Strike. I'm not sure for other teams, but it was the mobile build that held Run and I back from going first round with Angels_Otani. With Vick being active again and a mobile build, we didn't want to have two duplicates in the pocket. But, I'm excited to see what Beau-Boucher will do with the Coyotes, especially since he'll be fired up after going 13th in this draft.
14. Harrison Goetz (Byden) - LB
Here goes the other linebacker to Tijuana. Harrison Goetz also didn't reply to scouting messages from the Marshals, so we didn't have much on him. But since he was a waiver pick up last season, he has 60+ TPE and therefore even if his activity doesn't rebound there's insurance he's better than a bot. For a pick at 14th in a small draft class, that's all you can ask for.
15. Joel Schroeder (Shrodawg) - CB
This is my steal of the draft - I absolutely loved our scouting conversations with Shrodawg. He seems like a great dude and a guy who has his shit together. Since he won't be able to be too active for a little bit due to school, we didn't put him high enough on our draft board to take him #6, but he was still inside our top 10. I can't believe he fell to 15th - both because he's the sole CB and because he has a likelihood of being active and present. Great pick by Tijuana.
16. Dae-Jung Jo (datboi) - DE
The Luchadores once again end up with datboi late in a draft - almost replicating what happened in the DSFL S4 draft where Isaac Brown was grabbed near the end of that draft. We had mixed scouting on datboi, but at least he was around on twitch streams and replying to scouting PMs. Compared to some earlier picks by Tijuana that's gold. Grabbing him at 16th seems like a good pick.
17. Stone Hans - TE (Official DT)
If I'm the Coyotes I'm pretty happy about this last pick in the draft. Although Official DT didn't reply to San Antonio scouting, he's a known entity and there's the chance he could grow active on the team. Picking last in a DSFL draft that is more than you can hope for. I would've been more concerned if I'm Kansas City being stuck with an IA who didn't apply the 50 TPE, who isn't a recreate, and who may never become active. At least with Stone Hans, even if Official DT doesn't show up, you have a useable TE. Great pick Coyotes.
Overall Thoughts
I really liked this small, gem-filled draft class. I'm incredibly excited about the talent that San Antonio pulled in. But all in all, I think DSFL GMs did a good job this draft. Like our trusty commissioner @iamslm22 said during the stream, none of these were too big of a reach of picks where I was completely lost. Even Tjuana's interesting second round picks can be justified in a defensively dry draft class. Now we get to just see what these kids can do on the field.
Keep an eye out for a Not Famous Yet podcast out shortly from Hero and I breaking down the draft and going more in-depth on some of the picks and thought processes. Also there's rumbling some other GMs are doing something similar, so looking forward to hearing their thoughts on this draft.
There's some overall thoughts at the bottom, but otherwise this recap is broken down pick by pick.
First Round
1. Howard Miller (BenLongshaw) - WR
This pick comes as no surprise to us. Miller was also the top of our draft board; he has 125 TPE and is halfway to the DSFL cap already, has been pumping out media and tweets, was active in scouting conversations, and is a known entity around the site as a recreate. Literally, every checkbox you could have is what Miller brought this draft and he was our clear first overall.
He was our clear first insofar as we even tried to trade up to grab him. We put together a package of other top picks to try and convince Kansas City to give up their 1st. We were close but couldn't agree on the value of the other picks. With 4 picks in the top two rounds going to San Antonio we didn't feel an urgency to get this done and although we missed on Miller we're very happy with what we ended up getting.
2. Alvin Chipmunk (Andybj) - TE
I think this pick might have surprised some people, but we had Andy second on our draft board for a reason: his guy was versatile and amenable to the run game. Since the Marshals are getting both Bush and Nyquist back for a year we wanted to have a TE who could be a check-down to a new QB as well as a tool during rush drives. All that is without going into Andybj as a user, who is tremendous and a guy that both Run and I really got along with and wanted to have in the LR.
I think there was some surprise that we didn't take a QB here, considering how active and present some of those prospects were on the board. For us, it was just due to the logic of our picks and how we had 3 in a row at #4, #5, and #6 OA after Tijuana picked at #3. We knew that Miller would go #1 and there were several QBs we were very interested in. Even with Tijuana likely taking one, we were confident to grab our #2 QB off the board if they took our preferred option.
3. Sam Penner (Pens) - QB
Pens made a big name for himself in the leadup to the draft, so I'm not surprised to see him go here at #3 OA. We had some great discussion with Pens and Sam Penner as a QB is a great pocket passing build - an archetype that usually pays dividends in the lower TPE DSFL. Pens going #3 is a great spot, and exactly where Run and I predicted him to go.
4. Ryan Applehort (Daybe) - QB
And here is where we made our QB move. As I discussed above, we knew Tijuana would likely get a QB but with 4 really awesome prospects this draft, Run and I weren't too worried about losing out on one. That said, these were our last picks of the draft so we wanted to grab a QB here and have someone to rely on in long or pass-friendly down situations. We had QB as a positional need before Mike Vike came back, but even with Vick coming back we wanted to get a reliable arm to supplement his legs.
And Daybe is exactly that guy. We liked our scouting conversations with him, we liked the build and we liked the user - this was exactly what we were hoping to grab. To be honest, Daybe was our #1 QB, but it was extremely tight - Pens, Angels_Otani and TrueTexican were all pretty much incredible QB prospects that we'd be lucky to have. Ryan Applehort was now a Marshal, we just needed some receiving talent to give him weapons.
Second Round
5. Footballer Catcherman (cpetrella) - WR
And there's the talent that we wanted. We had great scouting conversations with cpetrella, liked his engagement, loved the build and knew this was a guy we wanted in the LR. He's got the legs and skill to be the kind of vertical threat that the Marshals are craving with our new QB. We had a good idea that at this stage of the draft we were in the drivers seat and we knew exactly what we wanted to do ...
6. Jeff Taven (TetrisTech) - WR
Jeff Taven rounds out the last of the San Antonio picks, but damn we were happy we got him and cpretrella. Both guys are active on the discord and engaged with their builds. TetrisTech is even a little more evenly built, in a non-traditional manner, and I like it. We're gonna be testing ways to use some of that run and pass blocking in unique ways.
The best thing about grabbing TetrisTech, and for that matter the rest of our guys (Andybj, Daybe, and cpetrella), is that I think we're going to be tough to gameplan against. With send-downs Carter Bush and Willy Nyquist still running the committee in the backfield we've completely altered the look of the San Antonio offense. Run and I plan on using that to wreck havoc for any opponent trying to matchup. With guys like Andy and Tetris who can line up almost anywhere, and Daybe complimenting Vick's legs, we have a pretty versatile offense we are excited to gun this season.
7. Ugandan Knuckles (bennyboy_456) - DE
I'll have to admit, this was an interesting pick for me. I didn't have Ugandan Knuckles this high on our draft board - mainly because he didn't reply to any scouting conversations so I didn't really get a chance to see his activity. Prior to draft night he also hadn't signed in for weeks. I'm not sure if Tijuana knew something that I didn't, but this was a reach for me by a team that had plenty of lower round picks they could've used on a seemingly inactive DE.
Although I guess I should note that this was a limited defensive class. I only got replies from 2 of the 6 defensive prospects in scouting, so coming in Run and I knew that we were pretty much limited to the offensive guys. It worked out for us - but pro tip to new creates who read this, reply to scouting PMs if you want to go higher in the draft.
8. Dustin DeMarco (ramrod18) - WR
This is another interesting pick. I don't think its that bad of a decision, because after going Penner in Round One, Tijuana really needed a receiving option and DeMarco was the last one on the board. That said, ramrod18 is another guy who didn't reply to San Antonio scouting so wasn't at this position on our draft board. Once again maybe Tijuana was playing with more information or caught up with these guys on a discord chat I missed. In addition, ramrod18 decided to bank the 50 TPE until post-draft - always a risky call to draft a prospect who might be IA who hasn't applied the 50 TPE and might have to be played for 2 weeks.
But like I said, I won't classify this as a reach because Pens needed a guy to throw to and DeMarco can be that guy.
Third Round
9. Thomas Kane III (greygoosevodka) - LB
This is a solid pick - but this is due to the good guy that @PDXBaller is. Greygoosevodka is another prospect that didn't answer Marshal scouting, but PDX let the other DSFL GMs know that he has been present around the LR. Coming into the third round of a weak defensive draft class, it makes sense that taking a chance on a proven LB with 60+ TPE already assigned and who has a chance of being active makes sense. Especially in a smaller draft class like the S7s.
10. Cole McCoy (TrueTexican) - QB
So the Portland Pythons entered this draft with only one pick since the draft was limited to only 4 rounds and 1 pick. Of course PDX turns this one pick into an absolute steal at 10th OA with TrueTexican. This is a guy that Run and I really liked in our conversations, but unfortunately due to his player backstory, he didn't want to play for a Texas team. I even went so far as to RP a message trying to appeal to his Texas pride, but it didn't work and we had to leave him off the draft board entirely. Otherwise our QB decisions in the first round would've been more complicated (and our trading negotiations more flexible).
I'm excited to see what The Cowboy can do in his new hipster Portland home. I'm looking forward to continue to reading his stuff, and maybe leaning on our Texas guys to upstage him when we play Portland. Texan pride and whatnot.
11. Lonnie Rott (Kigs77) - S
Another guy who didn't reply to scouting messages going to the Luchadores. But coming in the 11th OA pick, the only safety with a playmaking build doesn't really make this look like too much of a reach. Plus although Kigs77 has an aversion to writing PM responses to scouting questions, he was around in the Senior Bowl twitch stream and joined the discord - so the potential is there for this to be a solid pick if his activity picks up.
12. Kevin Kendrick (BARRAGMING) - RB
Barragming joined about 30 minutes prior to the draft, but he was able to get to a frantically typed out scouting message that Run and I sent him about 30 minutes prior to the start of the draft. Obviously this is a risk for the Luchadores, since activity on one day doesn't always translate to activity the next, but as the sole RB in the draft class I suppose its a worthwhile risk. With Spinelli in the backfield already in Tijuana, I imagine Kendrick will be rolled out in a committe: a dangerous new prong with Penner in the pocket as well.
Fourth Round
13. Bubba Beau-Boucher (Angels_Otani) - QB
What a steal at #13. Angels_Otani is incredibly active on discord and the site, so grabbing this player at 13th overall is just an indication of what happens when there is this much QB talent in one draft. Now KC will join SA as another DSFL team rolling two active QBs to start, again a mobile archetype and a traditional one in Mark Strike. I'm not sure for other teams, but it was the mobile build that held Run and I back from going first round with Angels_Otani. With Vick being active again and a mobile build, we didn't want to have two duplicates in the pocket. But, I'm excited to see what Beau-Boucher will do with the Coyotes, especially since he'll be fired up after going 13th in this draft.
14. Harrison Goetz (Byden) - LB
Here goes the other linebacker to Tijuana. Harrison Goetz also didn't reply to scouting messages from the Marshals, so we didn't have much on him. But since he was a waiver pick up last season, he has 60+ TPE and therefore even if his activity doesn't rebound there's insurance he's better than a bot. For a pick at 14th in a small draft class, that's all you can ask for.
15. Joel Schroeder (Shrodawg) - CB
This is my steal of the draft - I absolutely loved our scouting conversations with Shrodawg. He seems like a great dude and a guy who has his shit together. Since he won't be able to be too active for a little bit due to school, we didn't put him high enough on our draft board to take him #6, but he was still inside our top 10. I can't believe he fell to 15th - both because he's the sole CB and because he has a likelihood of being active and present. Great pick by Tijuana.
16. Dae-Jung Jo (datboi) - DE
The Luchadores once again end up with datboi late in a draft - almost replicating what happened in the DSFL S4 draft where Isaac Brown was grabbed near the end of that draft. We had mixed scouting on datboi, but at least he was around on twitch streams and replying to scouting PMs. Compared to some earlier picks by Tijuana that's gold. Grabbing him at 16th seems like a good pick.
17. Stone Hans - TE (Official DT)
If I'm the Coyotes I'm pretty happy about this last pick in the draft. Although Official DT didn't reply to San Antonio scouting, he's a known entity and there's the chance he could grow active on the team. Picking last in a DSFL draft that is more than you can hope for. I would've been more concerned if I'm Kansas City being stuck with an IA who didn't apply the 50 TPE, who isn't a recreate, and who may never become active. At least with Stone Hans, even if Official DT doesn't show up, you have a useable TE. Great pick Coyotes.
Overall Thoughts
I really liked this small, gem-filled draft class. I'm incredibly excited about the talent that San Antonio pulled in. But all in all, I think DSFL GMs did a good job this draft. Like our trusty commissioner @iamslm22 said during the stream, none of these were too big of a reach of picks where I was completely lost. Even Tjuana's interesting second round picks can be justified in a defensively dry draft class. Now we get to just see what these kids can do on the field.
Quote:2428 words
READY FOR GRADING
RICARDO MORRIS
Arizona Outlaws | Defensive Tackle | S15 - Present
Career: 554 TPE | 82 TCK | 4 TFL | 2/1 FR/FF | 10 SCK | 1 TD
Arizona Outlaws | Defensive Tackle | S15 - Present
Career: 554 TPE | 82 TCK | 4 TFL | 2/1 FR/FF | 10 SCK | 1 TD