Tyron Smith (per Twitter)

[Preacherman0]

Adam Schefter (dweeb of the year) tweeted:

"USC OT Tyron Smith, who weighed 285 at college, weighed in today at 307. Added weight, added value."

If that's an in-shape 307, he's sounding like a better possibility at 1.31.

[aj_law]

...an in-shape 307...

That phrase would only be seen on MGS and a few sites that Otis has saved in his favorites.

[Finnegans Wake]

I read that he was ~#305 about a month, month and a half ago.  Concurrent to that, he's been consistently mocked well before 1.31, closer to 1.15, plus or minus.

I think he'll have a great combine and cement that, but if teams see him as primarily an inexperienced RT only guy, I'd be happy to draft him at 1.31 and let him get his feet wet at RT, then slide to LT.  But, bottom line, I've given up realistic hope on us drafting him, sorry.

[Preacherman0]

Saw a mock today that had him going at 10, Pouncey at 23.  Blast. 

[Finnegans Wake]

Saw a mock today that had him going at 10, Pouncey at 23.  Blast.  

That's fine, although I think it has Mike drafting a bit on Maurkice's talent, as has been the case throughout college for him.  IMO, talent-wise, he's a R2, probably 2a, but not a 1b/c.  Smith didn't run at Indy, due to one or both knees being scoped, which could affect his spot.  But I think he's the second OT after Castonzo off the board, and well before us.  If he does drop for some reason, he remains my top pick.  My second pick, CB Jimmy Smith, Colo., seems to be getting more recent draft momentum up and away from 1.31.  So at the moment, my best picks for 1.31 without trade ups or downs:

1. OT Gabe Carimi, Wisc.
*Edit: 2. OT Derek Sherrod, Miss. St.
3. OG/C Stefen Wisniewski, PSU

After that, I have a cluster of DL I'm working through, which seems to have good value:  NT Taylor, DL Corey Liuget, DE Cameron Heyward, and possibly DE Muhammed Wilkerson and DL Stephen Paea.  Some of this is going to depend on workouts, frankly.

I'm less enamored of the CB value if Smith is off: Brandon Harris, Miami, and Aaron Williams, Texas, look to be solid picks but reaches at that spot, IMO.

Not high on OG Danny Watkins, too old; was disappointed with OT Willie Smith, ECU, and his 40, which is nowhere near the great value I was hoping for; big mover up is Marcus Cannon, OT/OG TCU.  The big man (6'5", 358#) ran a 5.26, which is about what Carimi and Castonzo did.  He looked like a good fit at R2 before, but that may move him up some.  Played LT at TCU but some concern over whether he could at the pros; in any event, he looks like the PS vision of an OL for the past few years (Colon, J. Scott, Foster) except fast and nimble.  

[Finnegans Wake]

BTW, Stephen Paea just set the record for 225# reps at 49.  He's a bit smaller than I'd like for a NT (6'1" 295#), but I wonder if he might be the next NGata NT/DL type guy.  Hasn't played a ton of football, would be a guy we could mold.

[Finnegans Wake]

On 1.31 alternates, I mentioned Brandon Harris, CB from Duh U.

Scratch.  I don't think a 5'9" CB is worth it in the first 3-4 rounds, sorry.

[Preacherman0]

BTW, Stephen Paea just set the record for 225# reps at 49.  He's a bit smaller than I'd like for a NT (6'1" 295#), but I wonder if he might be the next NGata NT/DL type guy.  Hasn't played a ton of football, would be a guy we could mold.

That is absolutely beast, beyond unheard of.  Put 20 lbs. on that guy and he might make Ngata look like chump change.  I'd be interested to see film on that dude.

[aj_law]

Interesting.  Watch the end of the clip.  Not too many guys in the top 9 for bench all time at the combine that end up getting a lot of Pro Bowl invites.

Stephen Paea breaks bench press record HD

What's scary is that for a guy his size, he moves like a LB.  Don't see him as a 3-4 NT at all; DE in Pittsburgh's system might be a stretch too.  He strikes me as having prototypical 4-3 DE abilities.

Stephen Paea Highlights

Stephen Paea: Outland, Nagurski, Lombardi & Lott Award Candidate

[Finnegans Wake]

Don't see him as a 3-4 NT at all; DE in Pittsburgh's system might be a stretch too.  He strikes me as having prototypical 4-3 DE abilities.

Agree with that, but Tomlin's shown he thinks outside the framework of frame:  Timmons, ballyhooed as an OLB, had the frame more for ILB, but was that what we took him as?; Hood, not the quintessential run-stopper, 6'5" DE, shorter than the previous paradigm; Pouncey, rangier, faster, and smarter than most of our recent rhino-esque OL adds.

I can see Paea being a guy who we'd start as a DE but who could add 20# or more to that frame and slide to nose.  Kyle Williams (Buff.) is about this size now, and he had no problem wreaking havoc with our line.  Not that that's some incredible accomplishment, but.  Anyway, shorter may work to leverage advantage, per Harrison.  I understand Paea is a stretch for NT in the 3-4, but stranger things have happened.