There’s an old expression that goes something like this: “Good teams build through free agency, great teams build through the draft.” Like many old sayings, its wisdom may not hold true, but there can be no doubt that a successful draft is key to building and maintaining a competitive team in the NSFL. With that in mind, let’s start by looking at the position-by-position draft needs for the New Orleans Second Line.
QB: Starter Borkus Maximus III is well entrenched, and was draft not so long ago, in season six. It’s too early to start planning for his eventual replacement, and JugsMachine2 has an amazing talent for clipboard security.
Position Group Need Ranking: 2/10
RB: Starter Darren Smallwood is electric and very effective on the field, but he is a season two draftee, so his days are numbered. Behind him is Bubba Nuck, who is also long in the tooth. NOLA would be well-served by keeping an eye out for some young blood at RB.
Position Group Need Ranking: 8/10
TE: In Ardie Savea and Paul DiMirio, NOLA has a superb tandem at tight end, which offers them a ton of flexibility on offense. However, both players are season two draftees, so NOLA’s GM, Bovo Bovonstein, needs to keep his eyes open for a successor here.
Position Group Need Ranking: 6/10
WR: NOLA have three strong options at WR, in Charlie Law, Dustin Evans and Mayran Jackson. However, Evans and Mayran were drafted in season two and one, respectively, and Law is not far behind, at season three.
Position Group Need Ranking: 7/10
OL: You don’t worry about OL, let me worry about OL.
CB: Both starting corners on NOLA’s defense are strong players, Benson Bayley being an elite player at CB. Vladimir Fyodorovich is young and talented, and Bayley was drafted in season three, so they can worry about this position later.
Position Group Need Ranking: 4/10
LB: In Julian O’Sullivan, Brian Mills and Vincent Sharpei, NOLA has a great group of LBs, one of the strongest in the league. However, Sharpei has already announced this will be his last year, and O’Sullivan is no spring chicken. This trio will be great for the coming season, but this is a serious need, after that.
Position Group Need Ranking: 10/10
DE: The addition of Jayce Tuck gives NOLA’s defense a brilliant pair of DEs, with Fuego Wowzy manning the opposite end. However, Wowzy has announced his retirement and Tuck is plain old. Backup Juan Andres would not be terrible as a stopgap, for a season, but he is neither talented, nor young enough to be the future at DE.
Position Group Need Ranking: 9/10
DT: I’m starting to feel like a broken record writing this. Both of NOLA’s starting DTs are solid, Joseph Askins in particular. However, Askins, and his compatriot Godfrey King, were both drafted in season three, so the clock is ticking on them.
Position Group Need Ranking: 5/10
S: NOLA is set for some time at Safety. Starting Strong Safety, William H Harrison, is just entering his second year in the league, and his arrow is point upwards. Veteran Blackford Oakes is a very good defensive back and he has a few seasons left in him.
Position Group Need Ranking: 3/10
P/K: NOLA has an embarrassment of riches at special teams. Last year’s starter, Peg Leg, remains on the roster, and the team brought in a skilled veteran, Iyah Blewitt.
Position Group Need Ranking: 1/10
It’s easy to see that NOLA will have a lot of pressing needs coming soon, despite their roster being solid, with few notable weaknesses, for now. Let’s take a look at a few of the top prospects at LB, RB and DE, the positions of highest need for NOLA.
LB Prospects:
Kolby Deringer
Height (ft.): 6'4"
Weight (lbs.): 250lbs
College: University of Texas
Though Deringer doesn’t have a remarkable ability in speed, strength agility, or tackling, what he does have is no real weakness. Extremely coachable and dedicated in the weight room, he should be a difference maker on defense for years.
Likelihood of lasting to NOLA’s first pick: Infinitesimal
Jesse Marchand
Height (ft.): 6'5"
Weight (lbs.): 240lbs
College: Kansas
Marchand’s physical gifts are similar to Deringer’s, though slightly lesser. The main difference between the two is Marchand lacks Deringer’s football IQ. However, scouts say he is very coachable, and are confident he can improve.
Likelihood of lasting to NOLA’s first pick: Pretty damn low
I’m going to level with you, dear readers. NOLA doesn’t pick until the fourth round. We’re wasting our time looking at top prospects. Let’s look at some prospects they might actually have a chance at drafting.
Tyler Griffin
Height (ft.): 6'2"
Weight (lbs.): 230lbs
College: UAB
Undersized, but fast and a technician at form tackling, Griffin could be a great fit in a system that asks a lot of coverage from their linebackers.
Barnaby Earl
Height (ft.): 6'2"
Weight (lbs.): 248
College: Army
Although stiff in the hips, Earl is fast for his build and a sure tackler. If he continues to work on his skills, he will have a place in NSFL base defenses, though he will be a candidate for substitution in Nickel and Dime defensive packages.
DE Prospects
The defensive end group is not deep at all this draft – there’s only one player in it. However, he is not a highly-touted prospect, and there’s a chance that NOLA could snap him up – if they so choose.
Young Spaghetti
Height (ft.): 6'4"
Weight (lbs.): 300 lbs
College: University of Olive Garden at Sketchy Mall
Fast and strong, Spaghetti has all the physical tools to make it in the NSFL. There are major questions about his dedication, and his football IQ is disappointing. A skilled coaching staff might be able to coax greatness out of him, however.
RB Prospects
The RB class is deep, and all four prospects are similarly talented. This bodes well for NOLA, as it could increase the chance of a quality back falling to them.
LaMarcus Strike
Height (ft.): 6'2"
Weight (lbs.): 225lbs
College: Northwestern
Strike lacks any great moves in the open field, and his cuts are questionable, but he has the straight-line speed to hit a hole like a rocket. He has decent enough hands to contribute in the passing game. I think he is the most likely of the four RB prospects to fall to NOLA.
QB: Starter Borkus Maximus III is well entrenched, and was draft not so long ago, in season six. It’s too early to start planning for his eventual replacement, and JugsMachine2 has an amazing talent for clipboard security.
Position Group Need Ranking: 2/10
RB: Starter Darren Smallwood is electric and very effective on the field, but he is a season two draftee, so his days are numbered. Behind him is Bubba Nuck, who is also long in the tooth. NOLA would be well-served by keeping an eye out for some young blood at RB.
Position Group Need Ranking: 8/10
TE: In Ardie Savea and Paul DiMirio, NOLA has a superb tandem at tight end, which offers them a ton of flexibility on offense. However, both players are season two draftees, so NOLA’s GM, Bovo Bovonstein, needs to keep his eyes open for a successor here.
Position Group Need Ranking: 6/10
WR: NOLA have three strong options at WR, in Charlie Law, Dustin Evans and Mayran Jackson. However, Evans and Mayran were drafted in season two and one, respectively, and Law is not far behind, at season three.
Position Group Need Ranking: 7/10
OL: You don’t worry about OL, let me worry about OL.
CB: Both starting corners on NOLA’s defense are strong players, Benson Bayley being an elite player at CB. Vladimir Fyodorovich is young and talented, and Bayley was drafted in season three, so they can worry about this position later.
Position Group Need Ranking: 4/10
LB: In Julian O’Sullivan, Brian Mills and Vincent Sharpei, NOLA has a great group of LBs, one of the strongest in the league. However, Sharpei has already announced this will be his last year, and O’Sullivan is no spring chicken. This trio will be great for the coming season, but this is a serious need, after that.
Position Group Need Ranking: 10/10
DE: The addition of Jayce Tuck gives NOLA’s defense a brilliant pair of DEs, with Fuego Wowzy manning the opposite end. However, Wowzy has announced his retirement and Tuck is plain old. Backup Juan Andres would not be terrible as a stopgap, for a season, but he is neither talented, nor young enough to be the future at DE.
Position Group Need Ranking: 9/10
DT: I’m starting to feel like a broken record writing this. Both of NOLA’s starting DTs are solid, Joseph Askins in particular. However, Askins, and his compatriot Godfrey King, were both drafted in season three, so the clock is ticking on them.
Position Group Need Ranking: 5/10
S: NOLA is set for some time at Safety. Starting Strong Safety, William H Harrison, is just entering his second year in the league, and his arrow is point upwards. Veteran Blackford Oakes is a very good defensive back and he has a few seasons left in him.
Position Group Need Ranking: 3/10
P/K: NOLA has an embarrassment of riches at special teams. Last year’s starter, Peg Leg, remains on the roster, and the team brought in a skilled veteran, Iyah Blewitt.
Position Group Need Ranking: 1/10
It’s easy to see that NOLA will have a lot of pressing needs coming soon, despite their roster being solid, with few notable weaknesses, for now. Let’s take a look at a few of the top prospects at LB, RB and DE, the positions of highest need for NOLA.
LB Prospects:
Kolby Deringer
Height (ft.): 6'4"
Weight (lbs.): 250lbs
College: University of Texas
Though Deringer doesn’t have a remarkable ability in speed, strength agility, or tackling, what he does have is no real weakness. Extremely coachable and dedicated in the weight room, he should be a difference maker on defense for years.
Likelihood of lasting to NOLA’s first pick: Infinitesimal
Jesse Marchand
Height (ft.): 6'5"
Weight (lbs.): 240lbs
College: Kansas
Marchand’s physical gifts are similar to Deringer’s, though slightly lesser. The main difference between the two is Marchand lacks Deringer’s football IQ. However, scouts say he is very coachable, and are confident he can improve.
Likelihood of lasting to NOLA’s first pick: Pretty damn low
I’m going to level with you, dear readers. NOLA doesn’t pick until the fourth round. We’re wasting our time looking at top prospects. Let’s look at some prospects they might actually have a chance at drafting.
Tyler Griffin
Height (ft.): 6'2"
Weight (lbs.): 230lbs
College: UAB
Undersized, but fast and a technician at form tackling, Griffin could be a great fit in a system that asks a lot of coverage from their linebackers.
Barnaby Earl
Height (ft.): 6'2"
Weight (lbs.): 248
College: Army
Although stiff in the hips, Earl is fast for his build and a sure tackler. If he continues to work on his skills, he will have a place in NSFL base defenses, though he will be a candidate for substitution in Nickel and Dime defensive packages.
DE Prospects
The defensive end group is not deep at all this draft – there’s only one player in it. However, he is not a highly-touted prospect, and there’s a chance that NOLA could snap him up – if they so choose.
Young Spaghetti
Height (ft.): 6'4"
Weight (lbs.): 300 lbs
College: University of Olive Garden at Sketchy Mall
Fast and strong, Spaghetti has all the physical tools to make it in the NSFL. There are major questions about his dedication, and his football IQ is disappointing. A skilled coaching staff might be able to coax greatness out of him, however.
RB Prospects
The RB class is deep, and all four prospects are similarly talented. This bodes well for NOLA, as it could increase the chance of a quality back falling to them.
LaMarcus Strike
Height (ft.): 6'2"
Weight (lbs.): 225lbs
College: Northwestern
Strike lacks any great moves in the open field, and his cuts are questionable, but he has the straight-line speed to hit a hole like a rocket. He has decent enough hands to contribute in the passing game. I think he is the most likely of the four RB prospects to fall to NOLA.