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+---- Thread: *An Overview and Analysis of the Seawolves' Draft (/showthread.php?tid=19946)
*An Overview and Analysis of the Seawolves' Draft - Coterminity - 03-08-2020
Hi everyone!
It’s been quite a week - from the NSFL draft to the Prospect Bowl, and ending with the draft for what I understand is the DSFL’s largest ever rookie draft class.
Now that the dust has begun to settle and everyone’s beginning to settle into their respective roles, teams, and rosters, I thought I’d try and provide everyone with a quick and succinct look into the moves that the Norfolk Seawolves have made, and a quick look at the contribution and profiles of some of our main draft picks. As I myself (as a rookie player) have been doing some research and learning more about the roster, I thought it would be useful to share and add some additional perspectives to the mix out there.
Do bear in mind that as it is early days yet - for both the teams and players as they begin training, rostering, and game-planning, so what I”m trying to provide is mainly an objective (as much as possible) overview of the individual players and how they’re going to contribute to the system over at Norfolk. Hopefully my readers will appreciate these top level, bite sized analyses and it will give them a glimpse into how we’re going to do this season.
Without further ado, let’s have a look at our picks:
Pick Overall: 6
User: baueranthony9
Player Name: Thubba Bumper
Position: CB
College: Texas A&M
Age: 19
Handedness: Right
Jersey Number: 27
Height (ft.): 6'3"
Weight (lbs.): 205lbs
Birthplace: Chicago, IL
Player Archetype: Zone (Eg. Richard Sherman, Josh Norman)
Improved Stats: Speed, Hands
Comments: As the saying goes - offense wins games, but defense wins championships. Personally, my interactions with Bauer on the team Discord have been nothing short of pleasant, and I can already tell that he’s a valuable locker room presence, always happy to chat, build camaraderie, and help a fellow rookie out with some questions. Post-draft, he’s already sitting at 149 TPE, a truly crazy amount for a rookie, and a blistering 82 Speed. I honestly think this was an amazing pick, and as a Wide Receiver myself all I can say is I sure as hell am glad I’m not lining up opposite Thubba. There was a huge crop of quality defensive players in this year’s draft, but I am very sure Thubba will be head of the pack, one of the best corners in the league, and is going to contribute to a monstrous defensive showing from the Seawolves throughout this season!
Pick Overall: 10
User: Tesla
Player Name: Magnus Rikiya
Position: DT
College: Washington
Age: 22
Handedness: Left
Jersey Number: 70
Height (ft.): 6'3"
Weight (lbs.): 310lbs.
Birthplace: Osceola, AR
Player Archetype: Nose Tackle (Eg. Vince Wilfork, Brandon Williams)
Improved Stats: Strength, Speed
Comments: Lining up together with Bubba in the Seawolves defensive unit is Magnus Rikiya, an absolute unit of a pick that is going to be a living nightmare for the offensive lines going up against him. To put into perspective the kind of activity and development that we’ve already seen from Magnus, he’s already built up a monstrous 149 TPE and is sitting on Tier 6 equipment before the season has even started! He’s also pumping out massive amounts of media - all of fantastic quality (seriously, read these if you get the chance). In my mind, the best way to disrupt offenses (beyond smothering coverages that we’ll see from CBs like Thubba - is pressuring the passer, and you can be damn sure Magnus is going to do that, especially with the focus on Strength and Speed. Absolutely fantastic pickup and just surprised he was still available at the 10th pick.
Pick Overall: 14
User: J0EB
Player Name: Matt Cross
Position: S
College: Arizona State University (ASU)
Age: 21
Handedness: Ambidextrous
Jersey Number: 33
Height (ft.): 5'11"
Weight (lbs.): 192 lbs
Birthplace: Phoenix, AZ
Player Archetype: Playmaker (Eg. Eric Weddle, Reggie Nelson)
Improved Stats: Intelligence, Tackling, Speed, Hands
Comments: I am supremely confident that Matt will be yet another piece to the puzzle that is Norfolk’s Great Wall. 3 picks into the draft, we can already clearly see that Norfolk’s draft was well orchestrated and well planned - they came into the draft with an important goal in mind (building an amazing defense that will be nightmarish to break through), and they stuck with it. While it’s hard to call any draft flawless, you can already see with this third pickup that the Seawolves’ draft was as well executed as they come. Cross has definitely got what it takes to become a leading Safety in this league. Again, a very very valuable locker room piece, always a listening year and encouraging voice in the back room, and has really contributed to the very palpable sense of confidence among the defensive unit. Sitting pretty at 140 TPE and with no signs of slowing down on the media production front, it is clear that we’ve got a gem of a player here. Finally, his even stat focus across Intelligence, Tackling, Speed and Hands shows that Norfolk are going to have an all purpose Safety here that we can rely on in pretty much every situation. Can’t wait to watch him make some plays!
Pick Overall: 30
User: Coterminity
Player Name: Kevin Koh
Position: WR
College: University of Washington
Age: 20
Handedness: Right
Jersey Number: 16
Height (ft.): 5'10"
Weight (lbs.): 185 lbs
Birthplace: Singapore, Singapore
Player Archetype: Route Runner (Eg. Antonio Brown, Keenan Allen)
Improved Stats: Speed, Agility
Comments: Hard to be objective here given that this is me, so I guess the next best thing will be to just give a quick first-person perspective of the draft and it’s immediate aftermath. To be perfectly honest, the pre-draft process for a first-time rookie was very exciting, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I did have some conversations with various GMs that reached out to me over the past weeks, but it was difficult to really assess the various programmes and teams with what little knowledge I had of the league at that point in time. Having come on board, all I can say is I’m delighted to be with the Seawolves - we’ve got a great team, especially on the defensive front, and I am filled with confidence in the decisions of our front office. I am really happy I was so quick off the draft board, and I just can’t wait to get started with the real season. I’m currently sitting on about 156 TPE, and I feel like i had a great showing in the Prospect Bowl, which my team, the Buffalo Ramblers, won convincingly. Just looking forward to more success to come with Norfolk, and I could not be more sure that we are going to have a great season. I know I am going to leave it all out there on the field, and having such a quality defense to work alongside is going to make it that much easier on doing what I do best - scoring points.
Pick Overall: 38
User: Lightnoir
Player Name: Wesley Eriksen
College: University of Arkansas
Age: 21
Handedness: Left
Jersey Number: 23
Height (ft.): 6'0"
Weight (lbs.): 190lbs
Birthplace: Little Rock, Arkansas
Player Archetype: Center Fielder (Eg. Earl Thomas, Malik Hooker)
Improved Stats: Strength, Intelligence, Tackling, Speed, Endurance
Comment: Yet another steal in the third round! Was also surprised to see Wesley fall this far, given the value placed on a good safety as a key piece in any well-oiled defense. Currently sitting pretty with 116 TPE (and set to increase once media money, contract, and equipment purchases roll in), Wesley looks like he’s going to be another well-balanced safety that can line up together with Matt Cross and command the center of the field, reacting to whatever plays develop from the offense. I can see him playing either as a free or strong safety, and can be a strong zone coverage option as well. His versatility is again clearly illustrated by his stat spread - rather than getting pigeonholed into a specific role of stat, Wesley has wisely chosen to retain flexibility by focusing on a wider array. Having also played against him in the Prospect Bowl and being impressed by his performance against Cincinnati (10 tackles and 1 pass deflection), I’m happy he’s on my side this time and cannot wait to see him in action against our division rivals.
Pick Overall: 54
User: muse316
Player Name: Luke Skywalker
Position: QB
College: University of Michigan and Lehigh University
Age: 23
Handedness: Left Hand
Jersey Number: 12
Height (ft.): 6' 4"
Weight (lbs.): 200 lbs
Birthplace: Philadelphia, PA
Player Archetype: Pocket Passer (Eg. Tom Brady, Drew Brees)
Improved Stats: Arm, Intelligence, Throwing Accuracy, Speed
Comment: As always, a wide receiver like myself is happy to see a fresh face quarterback on the roster that I could hope to form a connection with in the coming weeks and months. While Luke Skywalker did undoubtedly take some time to get going on the TPE and media train, he’s more than made up for that in the preceding weeks, and has now accumulated 128 TPE. We’re also friendly on Twitter, and I’ve seen that he’s fairly active on there - always a good sign given that it’s a reliable means of cash generation for most players. Who can say if he will live up to the Archetype comparisons of Tom Brady or Drew Brees, but for now it’s definitely nice to see the addition of extra weapons to the Seawolves’ arsenal, and I sincerely am looking forward to getting a great relationship going with Luke in training. Can’t wait to be on the receiving end of one of his passes! Also worth mentioning that he’s focused some TPE into Speed, which will be really useful in opening up the offense further and hopefully will see him blossom in a dual-threat quarterback to some degree. May the force be with him!
Pick Overall: 62
User: Evok
Player Name: Sam Sidekick
Position: K/P
College: -
Age: 18
Handedness: Left
Jersey Number: 66
Height (ft.): 6'3"
Weight (lbs.): 200lbs
Birthplace: Glasgow, Montana
Player Archetype: Accurate (Eg. Dan Bailey, Johnny Hekker)
Improved Stats: Kick Power, Kick Accuracy
Comment: No team is complete without a good, reliable kicker that can make conversions and field goals when the chips are down and the game is on the line. As such, I’m really pleased to see the team pick up such an accurate kicker in the vein of Johnny Hekker himself. Given that Sam Sidekick is a recreate of a veteran user, Evok, it also adds somewhat to the reliability of what we can expect from Sam in terms of productivity, activity, and TPE/cash generation, all of which enhance the value of this pick, even at #62. All in all, I do think this was a great choice, with front office prioritising off-field qualities such as reliability and veteran knowledge which differentiate Sam from other Kickers available in the draft.
Pick Overall: 70
User: TheRocheLimit
Player Name: Jack Banks
Position: LB
College: Cal
Age: 21
Handedness: Right
Jersey Number: 99
Height (ft.): 6'3"
Weight (lbs.): 243lbs
Birthplace: Oakland, CA
Player Archetype: Balanced (Eg. Luke Kuechly, Sean Lee)
Improved Stats: Strength, Tackling, Speed
Comment: Having filled out the offensive side of the roster sheet with the past couple of picks, here we see the Seawolves’ front office turning back toward the bread and butter of their draft strategy - further shoring up the defensive line. At 6’3” and 243lbs, Jack Banks will be a force to be reckoned with in any defensive line, and will contribute to some great pressure on the offense of any opponents. Given the number of rookies this season, didn’t have a lot of opportunity to interact with Jack pre-draft, but he’s already begun to ramp up activity in the discord, which is always a good sign. Furthermore, he’s already done a couple of tasks such as the Wiki point task, and the Week 1 predictions for next week, so that’s always a good sign of things to come! Furthermore, he’s also active on Twitter, which is always a good way to create a healthy bank account.
Pick Overall: 78
User: xbijin
Player Name: Spike Suzuki
Position: LB
College: SJSU
Age: 22
Handedness: Right
Jersey Number: 55
Height (ft.): 6'3"
Weight (lbs.): 245 lbs
Birthplace: Tokyo, JP
Player Archetype: Speed Rusher (Eg. Von Miller, Vic Beasley)
Improved Stats: Strength, Endurance, Speed
Comment: I have to say again that I haven’t had much opportunity to interact with Spike. That said, another Linebacker will be welcome, and it’s going to be exciting to see him on the line next to Jack. What an absolutely awesome name though, I have to say - I definitely wouldn’t want to be lined up across from a 245lb rusher called Spike. It’s also nice to have another Asian on the roster, and hopefully he shares my love of Asian food so I have a dinner buddy. Hope he finds production that’s as good as Von Miller’s, and given his focus on Speed I’m hoping to see him absolutely obliterate some quarterbacks over the course of the season. Another good value pick in the late rounds.
Pick Overall: 86
User: infyy
Player Name: Godrick Fallstrum
Position: DT
College: Rutgers
Age:21
Handedness: Left
Jersey Number: 71
Height (ft.): 6'4"
Weight (lbs.): 308 Lbs
Birthplace: Punkeydoodles Corners, Ontario, Canada
Player Archetype: Nose Tackle (Eg. Vince Wilfork, Brandon Williams)
Improved Stats: Tackling, Speed, Hands
Comment: Another speed rusher to round out the line. Again, you can clearly see Norfolk’s philosophy here, and I’m a big fan of the focus. Not prevent defense or zone, but really pressuring the passer and trying to generate plays even on defense. I love that - none of that passivity that costs teams even though it might be easier to build around. Even the largest linebacker so far, our nose tackle, is focused on Speed and I think that’s a great sign.
Pick Overall: 88
User: sensual-snickers-bar
Player Name: Bayden Brosley
Position: CB
College: Delaware
Age: 21
Handedness: Right
Jersey Number: 46
Height (ft.): 6'3
Weight (lbs.): 190 lbs
Birthplace: Edmonton, AB, Canada
Player Archetype: Zone
Improved Stats: Hands, Tackling, Endurance
Comment: Down to our final pick in this analysis (the last of the Seawolves’ picks in the top 100). Aside from clearly sharing my love for Snickers and good chocolate, Bayden Brosley is another promising Cornerback picked up by Norfolk late in the draft. With about 90 TPE at this point, Bayden is looking like a bit of a late bloomer, but I still believe that there’s a lot of potential here, especially given that activity is looking to pick up a little bit. With a great focus on tackling and hands, he’s already got the ingredients for a solid coverage player, so here’s hoping he keeps up the momentum and continues to develop! Another good value pick late in the draft.
Summary
That brings my quick analysis of the Seawolves’ draft picks in the top 100 to an end - I hope everyone found it at least an interesting read, and perhaps an informative look at what we can expect from our rookie picks, through the eyes of a rookie on the team. In conclusion, I think we’ve got a great team, and props to the front office for putting together a fantastic draft, especially on the defensive end.
Thanks for reading, and here’s to a great season ahead!
2,578 words (1.5x draft bonus)
*An Overview and Analysis of the Seawolves' Draft - Lightnoir - 03-08-2020
Great write up Co really enjoyed it! Stoked about this team!
*An Overview and Analysis of the Seawolves' Draft - gucci - 03-09-2020
Y’all got two Matt Crosses AND two Bauers?
*An Overview and Analysis of the Seawolves' Draft - Coterminity - 03-09-2020
(03-09-2020, 08:04 AM)gucci Wrote:Y’all got two Matt Crosses AND two Bauers?
Should only be one Cross! Thanks for the save - that’s what I get for proofreading before bedtime haha
*An Overview and Analysis of the Seawolves' Draft - TheRocheLimit - 03-09-2020
Nice work!
The #HitSquad is coming!