08-07-2022, 06:16 PM
(This post was last modified: 08-08-2022, 09:01 AM by DREAMSLOTH. Edited 6 times in total.)
INTRO
This is it. The moment you have all been waiting for. It's the return of the ISFL Mock Draft, presented by dreamSloth Futuristics!
For this year I took a slightly different approach with my methodology than I did for S36, focusing first on scouting each team and identifying what kind of players they need to sign in the near-term or draft this year. For player evaluations, I considered what I knew about the user (which in most cases was not much), including how active they are in the community and whether they have a positive reputation, while also taking into account the more tangible TPE and performance metrics that all teams use for ranking.
Pick grades are based on the criteria above. Disclaimer: by no means do pick grades reflect my personal opinions on the character of a person, they are strictly following what I think of the alignment between the team and player. The A-F system is gone in favor of a more clear marker: Poor, Fair, Good, and Excellent. These marks should be self explanatory.
I've also broken this mock into a few components accounted for in my methodology, 1. Scouting Report and 2. Mock Draft. Pick grades are included in the mock; I've decided to forego team grades for this year since the class is relatively small. You'll find the Scouting Report in this thread and the Mock Draft at the link below.
Without further ado, here we go!
[CLICK HERE to check out the Mock Draft]
SCOUTING REPORT
Arizona Outlaws
Position Needs: RB, S, DT, WR, QB, CB, LB
The position that Arizona needs most is a shaman who can help them ward off whatever bad juju has attached its stink onto this franchise. Pretty sure you can't draft a shaman though, to Arizona's great chagrin. It's really a miracle that this team continues to make it to the finish line every year only to fall dead just before the race ends. What can you really say that will get Arizona that one extra step and back into Ultimus-winning territory?
Well, it's safe to say they need to revisit their offensive core. OL and TE are safe, but many of their offensive assets at QB, RB, and WR are aging out. Jay Cue Jr. is entering his twilight years, the sim apparently cares not for Wendell Sailor's near-max TPE, and Billy Stinkwater is the only WR that was drafted after S31. On the defensive side of the ball, this team needs a complete overhaul. They only have three (3!) players drafted after S30, only two of which are over 503 TPE.
This franchise is riding high on faith; the S36 draft may have helped significantly with filling the gap, but it's going to take time for those players to dev up even assuming all of them stay active. The road is looking a bit rough for Arizona in the near future.
UPDATE: Welp, Arizona got both of the Turtles and Mark Goodhead in free agency, so it looks like the defense isn't going to be in such a bad way this coming season. Still, it's only a stopgap measure and they should consider getting more depth to support future areas of need.
Austin Copperheads
Position Needs: OL, S, DT
Austin had all the makings of a playoff-bound squad for S36. So.. what went wrong? They certainly had some bad breaks from the sim this season, but it's hard to say exactly why they ended up 7-9 when they look better on paper than some squads that performed better in the regular season. TE82 is nearing max TPE and has all the weapons they need to put together an MVP-caliber year. There really isn't much near-term need here save for bolstering the offensive and defensive line and maybe recruiting a safety that won't go IA.
UPDATE: I completely missed the safeties taken by Austin in S36 draft, so it's fair to eliminate that position of need from this report. My draft is a little bit off as a result but not by much.
Baltimore Hawks
Position Needs: WR, QB, RB, LB, DT, CB
One year removed from Ultimus contention, Baltimore finished S36 with a 7-9 record and a lot more questions than answers. Their S36 draft haul was limited and their core players are aging, indicating Baltimore will be undergoing a rebuild over the next couple seasons. The Hawks' high-flying players on offense like Dante King, Busch Goose, Luke Quick, and Gimmy Jaroppolo Jr. are all from the S28 or S29 class.
Their remaining young weapons on offense are solid for the most part, and fortunately their defense is 2-3 seasons away from hitting the same level of widespread regression. With so many unknowns around the future of this team, Baltimore needs to find ways to add depth to their roster sooner than later.
UPDATE: And of course the Greek Bros. end up in Baltimore. Strike some of those defensive needs for the time being.
Berlin Fire Salamanders
Position Needs: WR, TE, OL, DE
Calling it right now, this is going to be one of the scariest defenses in the ISFL in a few seasons. What Berlin needs to focus on near-term is getting some support for their young QB, Bageshwari Singh, as they head into their sophomore ISFL outing. Zayne Dangle leads the WR core but there's not much behind him, including an aging TE in Gronku Muerto and a lead back that might edge out as an RB2 on most ISFL rosters.
It's possible they addressed some of these needs with their S36 TE (L F.T) and QB (Roque Santa Cruz, likely to position swap when called up) selections. Some threats coming from skill positions and bulking up along the line will set this team up for playoff contention.
Chicago Butchers
Position Needs: CB, QB, WR
Chicago had one of the better draft hauls in S36, strengthening their defense by a considerable margin with two of the top S36 players and deep selections in later rounds (Joseph Reed, Walter McKinley) while also adding a perpetual threat on and off the field, Austin Morley. There's really not much that fits into the "Need" category for Chicago, as I can see this team being contentious for years to come. Some depth at CB would be nice for them to have, as would additional weapons at WR and some consideration for what the future holds at QB once Kazimir Oles Jr. finally hangs up his cleats.
Colorado Yeti
Position Needs: LB, CB, OL, WR
The Yeti dynasty of yore seems so far away now. Having been in perpetual rebuild mode for a while now, Colorado looks ahead with a lineup full of young talent and promise. QB Live Laughlove continues to be one of the top QBs in the league, and he now has new weapons like Ceti Pyxis, Eeeeeeee phenssta, and Mister Hogmally in his supporting cast. The Colorado offense still needs a lot of love if they want to make the most of LLL's prime years, however. The defensive situation is looking quite a bit more dire; only three of Colorado's defensive players are over 600 TPE, and only five are over 500 TPE. Luckily, all but one of those five were drafted S30 or later. Still, this team needs to continue adding weight on defense and bringing in some more star power on offense if they want another shot at the Ultimus.
Honolulu Hahalua
Position Needs: DT, DE, LB, S, QB, TE
Coming off their second Ultimus victory in a row and third appearance in as many years, it's hard to say this team really *needs* much of anything. They took two offensive weapons in the S36 draft that are looking to have solid earning potential -- Octavio Perez (led by longtime user Raven) and Bean Delphine Jr. -- and otherwise have a fairly solid core on offense despite some aging players. Dexter Zaylren is already into his twilight years having dropped from his max TPE of 1518 to a still-respectable 1209, and regular user but irregular updater Kobefromthefrobe is only holding 412 TPE with their S30 TE.
If Honolulu chooses to address any needs on offense at all, it's likely looking to the future in those two roles. The defense also holds a massive average TPE (957.27), though with that strength comes a high age average as well. With Honolulu failing to address the defense looking to the retirement home in S36 and a shallow class in S37, they'll need to prioritize their picks for defense over the next couple of years. All this said, I don't think it'd be impossible for Honolulu to have a real shot at the Ultimus again next year, and if they can strengthen their defense sooner rather than later they may be a perennial powerhouse for years to come.
New Orleans Second Line
Position Needs: LB, CB
New Orleans had one of the better S36 drafts, landing at least two likely high-earning players, possibly four or five if they can keep them active in the LR. Rookie QB Elessar Jones put up a respectable first go in S36, so given the weapons they've added and what they already had in place (The Stig, Rex Crenshaw, Squidward Tentacles) it's easy to see the world of possibilities at play here. The defense is fairly young and keeping their updates active. Outside of Glims there is next to no linebacking corps, however, so I could see that being an area of need to address sooner than later. CB is in a similar boat. Now that I look at it, NOLA can actually be a formidable contender if their young squad on both sides of the ball maintains a solid TPE earning record.
New York Silverbacks
Position Needs: DE, OL, WR, DT, TE
The Silverbacks appear to have a good squad on paper. Look just beneath the surface, however, and you can see some glaring issues with the roster, namely on the offensive side of the ball. Does the sim really hate Malcolm Savage - the concensus S36 #1 fantasy QB - or does he just have a weak supporting cast around him? I'd argue it's the latter.
Only four players on the NYS offense are over 600 TPE, and only one of those was drafted S34 or later. The rest have an average age of S29, and all the players below those four appear to be inactive. The defense actually appears to be in a much better position, especially after an S36 haul that included Teemo Swift and Bonzi Buddy, but could still use support at DE and DT. With the right pieces on the offense and a few key additions on defense, it's safe to say the Silverbacks can work their way out of the bottom of the league.
Orange County Otters
Position Needs: LB, S, DT, OL, WR, QB
Looking at the Orange County roster, it's a bit surprising to see that they ended up 7-9 on the season. For a squad this good on paper, you think they would have more to show than one winning season in the last three, but here we are. OCO is largely stacked on defense, and not just with aging players. Same goes for their offense. The real challenge that Orange County faces is building depth.
Only four of their defensive players drafted S31 or later are active earners, and five of their eight offensive players are in the same boat. What OCO really needs are warm bodies; they drafted Thomas Robinson (WR) and Leandre Diarra (FB) last year as well as Suggs Upshar II (CB) in S36, so they're at least working to fill some gaps. Unfortunately for Orange County, their first selection this year is in the third round (40 OA). Given the shallow nature of this class, it's unlikely they will be able to do much to start building for the future until next season. OCO needs to go hard in free agency or find a way to nab some early picks in S38 (another class that appears shallow at this time) if they don't want to be stuck in an eternal rebuild.
Philadelphia Liberty
Position Needs: CB, S, LB, KP
Take my notes here with a grain of salt given that I belong to this roster. I was (and still am) critical of Philadelphia's draft strategy in S36, taking two RBs when better players were available *and* after having taken a RB with their second pick (15 OA). Despite that particular blunder, Philly looks poised to break its four-year playoff drought with the youngest roster in the ISFL and a plethora of active players in tow.
On offense, the Liberty are led by S33 QB Kaguya Shinomiya, heading into their second ISFL season as one of the top dual threat signal callers in the league. Shinomiya has a variety of weapons at their disposal (Escanor Sama, Erwin Kemp, American Boot, Jarvis Harbinger-Marjin, Derrick Prince) all drafted S32 or later. In fairness, the Liberty are set for quite some time here unless the presently active players stop earning.
Defense is where the picture is a bit darker for the Liberty, as only three of their defenders drafted S31 or later are over 600 TPE. Teams with a similar makeup and comparatively active players tend to be much higher earning, so Philadelphia needs to find a way to either bring on some max earners or extract as much value as they can from their current lineup. GM negs should provide some support to an aging secondary once he's eventually called up, but Philly will continue to need support on that front. The linebacker unit needs some love as well; despite an average age of S33, the average TPE for that group is 530.5.
The kicking situation leaves a lot to be desired though, and it wouldn't be surprising to see Philly try to take a KP in this draft to replace their now-IA hopeful from S36.
There are some standouts on this roster, now it's just a matter of building depth to take a shot at another playoff run that hearkens back to Philadelphia's glory days.
San Jose Sabercats
Position Needs: QB, OL, LB
Is it time to take Panda McKyle out to pasture? If I were making the calls for SJS, yes, absolutely. This team is far too talented on offense to be held back by their signal called. Whether it's fair or not, the sim doesn't care about feelings. Threats like Jaycee Higgins, Deshawn Penne, Louis Blondin, and Deandre King all have a couple years to go before they start hitting regression, and each is maintaining a solid track record of earning. Shy of upgrading the OL and obviously the QB situation - and OL only because that unit is aging out of effectiveness - San Jose is good on the offensive side of the ball.
Looking at the defense, it's easy to see how this team ended up with 10 wins and a playoff berth. They have strength all across their secondary, fortified even further with pickups like Ja'uan Holland and Will Nightingale in the S36 draft, not to mention the dynamic duo of Fat Jack and Mike Scott taking on the responsibility of powering this defensive line. They could use some depth at linebacker given the retirement of late addition BamBam McMullet and lack of activity from most of the unit, otherwise this defense is in fairly good shape for years to come. San Jose might be a team to watch if they can get some good pickups in this draft.
Sarasota Sailfish
Position Needs: RB, LB, OL, DT, WR, QB
The reigning almost-champions held the #1 ranked offense and defense in S36, and they managed a hell of a draft last season considering the capital they had available: Harley Andrews, Aqeel Steele, Justin Cloud, and Pete Zuh (all still active). The biggest challenge for Sarasota will be replacing their players that are aging out given what they have selected in the draft as of late.
SAR's workhorse RB, John Huntsman, is about to enter his second season of regression. Their top two WRs are S28 and S31, though like their S28 OL Stumpy Jones, it appears this offense is fairly immune to the sands of time. For better or worse, depending almost entirely on who you ask, Carter Knight is about to enter his second-to-last year free of regression, so it might be time to start thinking of who can take that position in the future, especially if Pete Zuh's rumored position swap ends up taking place.
Sarasota has done a great job of keeping their roster active on defense as well, with only two players going IA (one of them unfortunately being their TPE leader). An aging CB, LB, and DE have all largely been replaced already, though some further depth at LB and DT will keep this team set for quite some time.
Yellowknife Wraiths
Position Needs: WR, QB, S
I had Yellowknife as my #1 defense going into the S36 season. Shows what I know! While the Wraiths performed admirably throughout the season and netted a quick exit in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, their successes in the regular season were mired in a shadow of occasionally and completely throwing games away.
The sim continues to show its fangs by making life damn near impossible for Dustin Parmelee, who with 1334 TPE had a relatively disappointing season given the expectations for this team. Yellowknife also has the smallest offensive roster in the league with only seven players, five of whom are actively updating. Mark Walker has already announced his retirement and Troy Abed isn't too far behind. J.T. Kurbis was an incredible pickup for them in the S36 draft, though Richard Harden and Reece Wells II may or may not end up as viable assets in the long-run. With Parmelee getting up in age and a sheer lack of bodies on this offense, they're going to need a lot of help here in the near-term.
Now, the reason I thought this defense would be so dominant is because of the strength and youth of the majority of this squad. They have six players drafted S31 or later all with 680+ TPE, and two up-and-comers with Absolute Unit and Jack McPherson set to take on more responsibility in this defense. There's really no particular area that is lacking here shy of maybe adding another S, which is why I was a bit surprised to see this team perform the way it did. Perhaps they need more depth (or more luck) than I had initially considered.
Alright, now that you've checked out the Scouting Report [CLICK HERE to check out the Mock Draft!]
This is it. The moment you have all been waiting for. It's the return of the ISFL Mock Draft, presented by dreamSloth Futuristics!
For this year I took a slightly different approach with my methodology than I did for S36, focusing first on scouting each team and identifying what kind of players they need to sign in the near-term or draft this year. For player evaluations, I considered what I knew about the user (which in most cases was not much), including how active they are in the community and whether they have a positive reputation, while also taking into account the more tangible TPE and performance metrics that all teams use for ranking.
Pick grades are based on the criteria above. Disclaimer: by no means do pick grades reflect my personal opinions on the character of a person, they are strictly following what I think of the alignment between the team and player. The A-F system is gone in favor of a more clear marker: Poor, Fair, Good, and Excellent. These marks should be self explanatory.
I've also broken this mock into a few components accounted for in my methodology, 1. Scouting Report and 2. Mock Draft. Pick grades are included in the mock; I've decided to forego team grades for this year since the class is relatively small. You'll find the Scouting Report in this thread and the Mock Draft at the link below.
Without further ado, here we go!
[CLICK HERE to check out the Mock Draft]
SCOUTING REPORT
Arizona Outlaws
Position Needs: RB, S, DT, WR, QB, CB, LB
The position that Arizona needs most is a shaman who can help them ward off whatever bad juju has attached its stink onto this franchise. Pretty sure you can't draft a shaman though, to Arizona's great chagrin. It's really a miracle that this team continues to make it to the finish line every year only to fall dead just before the race ends. What can you really say that will get Arizona that one extra step and back into Ultimus-winning territory?
Well, it's safe to say they need to revisit their offensive core. OL and TE are safe, but many of their offensive assets at QB, RB, and WR are aging out. Jay Cue Jr. is entering his twilight years, the sim apparently cares not for Wendell Sailor's near-max TPE, and Billy Stinkwater is the only WR that was drafted after S31. On the defensive side of the ball, this team needs a complete overhaul. They only have three (3!) players drafted after S30, only two of which are over 503 TPE.
This franchise is riding high on faith; the S36 draft may have helped significantly with filling the gap, but it's going to take time for those players to dev up even assuming all of them stay active. The road is looking a bit rough for Arizona in the near future.
UPDATE: Welp, Arizona got both of the Turtles and Mark Goodhead in free agency, so it looks like the defense isn't going to be in such a bad way this coming season. Still, it's only a stopgap measure and they should consider getting more depth to support future areas of need.
Austin Copperheads
Position Needs: OL, S, DT
Austin had all the makings of a playoff-bound squad for S36. So.. what went wrong? They certainly had some bad breaks from the sim this season, but it's hard to say exactly why they ended up 7-9 when they look better on paper than some squads that performed better in the regular season. TE82 is nearing max TPE and has all the weapons they need to put together an MVP-caliber year. There really isn't much near-term need here save for bolstering the offensive and defensive line and maybe recruiting a safety that won't go IA.
UPDATE: I completely missed the safeties taken by Austin in S36 draft, so it's fair to eliminate that position of need from this report. My draft is a little bit off as a result but not by much.
Baltimore Hawks
Position Needs: WR, QB, RB, LB, DT, CB
One year removed from Ultimus contention, Baltimore finished S36 with a 7-9 record and a lot more questions than answers. Their S36 draft haul was limited and their core players are aging, indicating Baltimore will be undergoing a rebuild over the next couple seasons. The Hawks' high-flying players on offense like Dante King, Busch Goose, Luke Quick, and Gimmy Jaroppolo Jr. are all from the S28 or S29 class.
Their remaining young weapons on offense are solid for the most part, and fortunately their defense is 2-3 seasons away from hitting the same level of widespread regression. With so many unknowns around the future of this team, Baltimore needs to find ways to add depth to their roster sooner than later.
UPDATE: And of course the Greek Bros. end up in Baltimore. Strike some of those defensive needs for the time being.
Berlin Fire Salamanders
Position Needs: WR, TE, OL, DE
Calling it right now, this is going to be one of the scariest defenses in the ISFL in a few seasons. What Berlin needs to focus on near-term is getting some support for their young QB, Bageshwari Singh, as they head into their sophomore ISFL outing. Zayne Dangle leads the WR core but there's not much behind him, including an aging TE in Gronku Muerto and a lead back that might edge out as an RB2 on most ISFL rosters.
It's possible they addressed some of these needs with their S36 TE (L F.T) and QB (Roque Santa Cruz, likely to position swap when called up) selections. Some threats coming from skill positions and bulking up along the line will set this team up for playoff contention.
Chicago Butchers
Position Needs: CB, QB, WR
Chicago had one of the better draft hauls in S36, strengthening their defense by a considerable margin with two of the top S36 players and deep selections in later rounds (Joseph Reed, Walter McKinley) while also adding a perpetual threat on and off the field, Austin Morley. There's really not much that fits into the "Need" category for Chicago, as I can see this team being contentious for years to come. Some depth at CB would be nice for them to have, as would additional weapons at WR and some consideration for what the future holds at QB once Kazimir Oles Jr. finally hangs up his cleats.
Colorado Yeti
Position Needs: LB, CB, OL, WR
The Yeti dynasty of yore seems so far away now. Having been in perpetual rebuild mode for a while now, Colorado looks ahead with a lineup full of young talent and promise. QB Live Laughlove continues to be one of the top QBs in the league, and he now has new weapons like Ceti Pyxis, Eeeeeeee phenssta, and Mister Hogmally in his supporting cast. The Colorado offense still needs a lot of love if they want to make the most of LLL's prime years, however. The defensive situation is looking quite a bit more dire; only three of Colorado's defensive players are over 600 TPE, and only five are over 500 TPE. Luckily, all but one of those five were drafted S30 or later. Still, this team needs to continue adding weight on defense and bringing in some more star power on offense if they want another shot at the Ultimus.
Honolulu Hahalua
Position Needs: DT, DE, LB, S, QB, TE
Coming off their second Ultimus victory in a row and third appearance in as many years, it's hard to say this team really *needs* much of anything. They took two offensive weapons in the S36 draft that are looking to have solid earning potential -- Octavio Perez (led by longtime user Raven) and Bean Delphine Jr. -- and otherwise have a fairly solid core on offense despite some aging players. Dexter Zaylren is already into his twilight years having dropped from his max TPE of 1518 to a still-respectable 1209, and regular user but irregular updater Kobefromthefrobe is only holding 412 TPE with their S30 TE.
If Honolulu chooses to address any needs on offense at all, it's likely looking to the future in those two roles. The defense also holds a massive average TPE (957.27), though with that strength comes a high age average as well. With Honolulu failing to address the defense looking to the retirement home in S36 and a shallow class in S37, they'll need to prioritize their picks for defense over the next couple of years. All this said, I don't think it'd be impossible for Honolulu to have a real shot at the Ultimus again next year, and if they can strengthen their defense sooner rather than later they may be a perennial powerhouse for years to come.
New Orleans Second Line
Position Needs: LB, CB
New Orleans had one of the better S36 drafts, landing at least two likely high-earning players, possibly four or five if they can keep them active in the LR. Rookie QB Elessar Jones put up a respectable first go in S36, so given the weapons they've added and what they already had in place (The Stig, Rex Crenshaw, Squidward Tentacles) it's easy to see the world of possibilities at play here. The defense is fairly young and keeping their updates active. Outside of Glims there is next to no linebacking corps, however, so I could see that being an area of need to address sooner than later. CB is in a similar boat. Now that I look at it, NOLA can actually be a formidable contender if their young squad on both sides of the ball maintains a solid TPE earning record.
New York Silverbacks
Position Needs: DE, OL, WR, DT, TE
The Silverbacks appear to have a good squad on paper. Look just beneath the surface, however, and you can see some glaring issues with the roster, namely on the offensive side of the ball. Does the sim really hate Malcolm Savage - the concensus S36 #1 fantasy QB - or does he just have a weak supporting cast around him? I'd argue it's the latter.
Only four players on the NYS offense are over 600 TPE, and only one of those was drafted S34 or later. The rest have an average age of S29, and all the players below those four appear to be inactive. The defense actually appears to be in a much better position, especially after an S36 haul that included Teemo Swift and Bonzi Buddy, but could still use support at DE and DT. With the right pieces on the offense and a few key additions on defense, it's safe to say the Silverbacks can work their way out of the bottom of the league.
Orange County Otters
Position Needs: LB, S, DT, OL, WR, QB
Looking at the Orange County roster, it's a bit surprising to see that they ended up 7-9 on the season. For a squad this good on paper, you think they would have more to show than one winning season in the last three, but here we are. OCO is largely stacked on defense, and not just with aging players. Same goes for their offense. The real challenge that Orange County faces is building depth.
Only four of their defensive players drafted S31 or later are active earners, and five of their eight offensive players are in the same boat. What OCO really needs are warm bodies; they drafted Thomas Robinson (WR) and Leandre Diarra (FB) last year as well as Suggs Upshar II (CB) in S36, so they're at least working to fill some gaps. Unfortunately for Orange County, their first selection this year is in the third round (40 OA). Given the shallow nature of this class, it's unlikely they will be able to do much to start building for the future until next season. OCO needs to go hard in free agency or find a way to nab some early picks in S38 (another class that appears shallow at this time) if they don't want to be stuck in an eternal rebuild.
Philadelphia Liberty
Position Needs: CB, S, LB, KP
Take my notes here with a grain of salt given that I belong to this roster. I was (and still am) critical of Philadelphia's draft strategy in S36, taking two RBs when better players were available *and* after having taken a RB with their second pick (15 OA). Despite that particular blunder, Philly looks poised to break its four-year playoff drought with the youngest roster in the ISFL and a plethora of active players in tow.
On offense, the Liberty are led by S33 QB Kaguya Shinomiya, heading into their second ISFL season as one of the top dual threat signal callers in the league. Shinomiya has a variety of weapons at their disposal (Escanor Sama, Erwin Kemp, American Boot, Jarvis Harbinger-Marjin, Derrick Prince) all drafted S32 or later. In fairness, the Liberty are set for quite some time here unless the presently active players stop earning.
Defense is where the picture is a bit darker for the Liberty, as only three of their defenders drafted S31 or later are over 600 TPE. Teams with a similar makeup and comparatively active players tend to be much higher earning, so Philadelphia needs to find a way to either bring on some max earners or extract as much value as they can from their current lineup. GM negs should provide some support to an aging secondary once he's eventually called up, but Philly will continue to need support on that front. The linebacker unit needs some love as well; despite an average age of S33, the average TPE for that group is 530.5.
The kicking situation leaves a lot to be desired though, and it wouldn't be surprising to see Philly try to take a KP in this draft to replace their now-IA hopeful from S36.
There are some standouts on this roster, now it's just a matter of building depth to take a shot at another playoff run that hearkens back to Philadelphia's glory days.
San Jose Sabercats
Position Needs: QB, OL, LB
Is it time to take Panda McKyle out to pasture? If I were making the calls for SJS, yes, absolutely. This team is far too talented on offense to be held back by their signal called. Whether it's fair or not, the sim doesn't care about feelings. Threats like Jaycee Higgins, Deshawn Penne, Louis Blondin, and Deandre King all have a couple years to go before they start hitting regression, and each is maintaining a solid track record of earning. Shy of upgrading the OL and obviously the QB situation - and OL only because that unit is aging out of effectiveness - San Jose is good on the offensive side of the ball.
Looking at the defense, it's easy to see how this team ended up with 10 wins and a playoff berth. They have strength all across their secondary, fortified even further with pickups like Ja'uan Holland and Will Nightingale in the S36 draft, not to mention the dynamic duo of Fat Jack and Mike Scott taking on the responsibility of powering this defensive line. They could use some depth at linebacker given the retirement of late addition BamBam McMullet and lack of activity from most of the unit, otherwise this defense is in fairly good shape for years to come. San Jose might be a team to watch if they can get some good pickups in this draft.
Sarasota Sailfish
Position Needs: RB, LB, OL, DT, WR, QB
The reigning almost-champions held the #1 ranked offense and defense in S36, and they managed a hell of a draft last season considering the capital they had available: Harley Andrews, Aqeel Steele, Justin Cloud, and Pete Zuh (all still active). The biggest challenge for Sarasota will be replacing their players that are aging out given what they have selected in the draft as of late.
SAR's workhorse RB, John Huntsman, is about to enter his second season of regression. Their top two WRs are S28 and S31, though like their S28 OL Stumpy Jones, it appears this offense is fairly immune to the sands of time. For better or worse, depending almost entirely on who you ask, Carter Knight is about to enter his second-to-last year free of regression, so it might be time to start thinking of who can take that position in the future, especially if Pete Zuh's rumored position swap ends up taking place.
Sarasota has done a great job of keeping their roster active on defense as well, with only two players going IA (one of them unfortunately being their TPE leader). An aging CB, LB, and DE have all largely been replaced already, though some further depth at LB and DT will keep this team set for quite some time.
Yellowknife Wraiths
Position Needs: WR, QB, S
I had Yellowknife as my #1 defense going into the S36 season. Shows what I know! While the Wraiths performed admirably throughout the season and netted a quick exit in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, their successes in the regular season were mired in a shadow of occasionally and completely throwing games away.
The sim continues to show its fangs by making life damn near impossible for Dustin Parmelee, who with 1334 TPE had a relatively disappointing season given the expectations for this team. Yellowknife also has the smallest offensive roster in the league with only seven players, five of whom are actively updating. Mark Walker has already announced his retirement and Troy Abed isn't too far behind. J.T. Kurbis was an incredible pickup for them in the S36 draft, though Richard Harden and Reece Wells II may or may not end up as viable assets in the long-run. With Parmelee getting up in age and a sheer lack of bodies on this offense, they're going to need a lot of help here in the near-term.
Now, the reason I thought this defense would be so dominant is because of the strength and youth of the majority of this squad. They have six players drafted S31 or later all with 680+ TPE, and two up-and-comers with Absolute Unit and Jack McPherson set to take on more responsibility in this defense. There's really no particular area that is lacking here shy of maybe adding another S, which is why I was a bit surprised to see this team perform the way it did. Perhaps they need more depth (or more luck) than I had initially considered.
Alright, now that you've checked out the Scouting Report [CLICK HERE to check out the Mock Draft!]