FanPost

The value in trading down

If, as expected, we get to pick 13 and Milliner has gone, then Xavier Rhodes seems to be the consensus pick at 13. But what if he goes too? Who do we go for then? There's likely to be some decent pass rushers still there, could we pick one of those? But why would we use pick 13 on a player that would be rotation and special teams at best? There's always Tavon Austin, but with Smith, Ogletree and Underwood on the books that looks unlikely. Kenny Vaccaro is out as we're set at safety. There's no way MD will take an offensive linesman like DJ Fluker at 13. A defensive tackle could be available, but again this is the same as DE. So who do we go for?

I believe we trade down. But trade all the way down to 31 and trade with San Francisco. I think they'd trade up to 13 because they are only one or two players at most from a super bowl win. We're a few players off. For me there is more value in the players we need at the end of Round 1 than in the middle. So I'd offer the 49ers our 13 for their 31 and 34. For those who say that there is no way we'd get that, check the trade value charts. Pick 13 is 1150 while picks 31 and 34 come to a combined 1160. If we threw in our later 6th round pick then we'd be still getting a decent deal.

So who do we pick? Pick 31 has to be Johnthan Banks. He was considered a lock for us at 13 not so long ago and ticks all the boxes for our current recent picks in terms of team captain and 2 years starter. He is also prolific in run defence which suits Coach Schiano's mantra. He is a decent cover corner and is good value at 31. Pretty much all the mock drafts have him still on the board at pick 31, but we could use a 4th rounder to trade up if needed.

Then we come to pick 34 and suddenly the backups look quite decent. Margus Hunt is a unit at DE and has an outstanding record on special teams. Rutgers under Coach Schiano had a reputation for blocked punts, and imagine how many extra points we could gain if we could block punts? With him and Watson on special teams, would you really want to be a kicker or punter against us? Failing that there's Johnathan Hankins who could be a good rotational DT, or you could go with Kassam Greene at linebacker, adding some extra pass rush from the middle. If a player like Eifert dropped to the second round, we could pick him up there as well. So there are plenty of good options.

With our second round pick we have the option then of a second corner in Logan Ryan, while Gavin Escobar at TE is a good option in round 3. Round 4 you've then got some good chance of getting competition in the offensive line and at quarter back.

So lets say we trade 13 and 196 for 31 and 34. Imagine this for a draft:
31 - Johnthan Banks (CB Mississippi State)
34 - Margus Hunt (DE SMU)
43 - Logan Ryan (CB Rutgers)
73 - Gavin Escobar (TE San Diego State)
112 - Matt Scott (QB Arizona)
126 - Ricky Wagner (ROT Wisconsin)
147 - Jelani Jenkins (OLB Florida)
181 - Everett Dawkins (DT Florida State)

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