Payton Turner: How Do you like the Pick? (1 Viewer)

[Derrick 63]

So...

How do you like the pick?

I'm a solid *MEH* vote. After sleeping on it (I have learned that lesson,) I still feel pretty much the same way I felt last night. They reached. I don't see much indication they couldn't have gotten him in round 2 if they really wanted him that badly and I see plenty of possibilities at positions of actual need. I think it was a bad first round pick judged on just this one pick alone. It could get a better or worse grade from me depending on the rest of the draft.

To me one of the biggest lines of BS in the NFL draft discussion is "luxury picks." A luxury pick doesn't exist in the first round for any NFL team and they never have. First rounders are expensive and you need to nail down a guy that you honestly believe have a chance to be a starter or at least a contributor week one. You would also hope to get a pick that is still going to be playing for you in the next 5-6 years. I don't see that here.

I would have much rather seen a trade up for a CB. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt that they just couldn't get a deal done. Regardless, a trade down seems the better choice than a reach. In no way does this mean I think he will be a bust or is in any way a comment on how good of a player he will be. Time will tell. I'd also like to believe that they have a better idea of what their actual needs are but IMO this is questionable draft strategy regardless of how good of a player he actually turns out to be.

I think it unlikely they will earn a much higher draft grade than B+ unless they knock the ball out of the park with the rest of the picks. I also suspect this pick will put them in the position of having to trade and move up to get players they really need. I personally would grade this pick a C-.

 

[Paul]

I don’t like nor dislike a draft pick until we see them on the field after a season or two.

 

[St. Widge]

Yep, so many don't get this....his quickness measurements are absolutely elite for a guy his size....that is why we drafted him. Plus the belief that he is more than just a project, right now....we'll see...

I posted this in another thread, but the below rep shows some amazing quickness and change of direction for a guy his size. And he even uses a little swim move to beat what is apparently an All-American LT. He also does a nice job setting the LT up for the move. I don't know if he does this consistently, but at least in this rep he shows some technical skills as a pass rusher.:

 

[sfidc3]

I posted this in another thread, but the below rep shows some amazing quickness and change of direction for a guy his size. And he even uses a little swim move to beat what is apparently an All-American LT:

Wow, that LT had no chance of blocking him in space....

 

[tomwaits]

There was an article that he had some recent medical information that was released that may have eased some team's concerns about him.
If that is true, he may have been graded lower because of medical concerns that are no longer concerns.
This could be an explanation why he was graded lower, but then he was hearing from team that he could go in the 20-40 range.

 

[SAINTSFAN]

Interesting (don't know anything about this indicator, but Tannenbaum is a former GM)-

 

[meily]

Saints keep that Defensive line a strength much like they do with the offensive line and he looks like a clone of Davenport and a replacement for Jordan, you cant help but like the pick when you know how the roster is shaped or being shaped.

 

[Saintscuffy]

Forgot about this post from PFF..like the pick much better:

2021 NFL Draft: 4 players who could be surprising first-round selections

The NFL draft always comes with a handful of surprises at the back end of the first round. Here are four players who could surprise us when the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft kicks off in two weeks.

www.pff.com

 

[No2DC]

What's the med concern that some people mention?

 

[Holy Avenger]

I guess this is the one thing about other teams' grades - we draft better than most teams, we are one of the best drafting teams in the NFL recently. So

Considering the fact that the majority of our roster was built from guys we drafted, guys we signed as rookie free agents and developed, it's astounding that we still heavily doubt this front office.

That's a good point. When I read stuff like "other teams had him with a 2nd round grade" - like who? The Jets, Lions and Niners? TF do I care what garbage franchises picking in the top 5 every year think about our selections?

 

[sfidc3]

I guess this is the one thing about other teams' grades - we draft better than most teams, we are one of the best drafting teams in the NFL recently. So

That's a good point. When I read stuff like "other teams had him with a 2nd round grade" - like who? The Jets, Lions and Niners? TF do I care what garbage franchises picking in the top 5 ever year think about our selections?

Great point....it's not necessarily that teams had him with a 2nd round grade, it is....which teams? Wonder what the Steelers and the Pats had him at (and they make mistakes also, just not many of them)....

 

[St. Widge]

What's the med concern that some people mention?

Nobody seems to know. Apparently he missed two games one year with a foot injury and missed 3 games last year due to a positive COVID test. I don't think that counts as injury prone.

Apparently teams were waiting on some medical information on him that, because there was no Combine this year, didn't get to teams until yesterday or the day before. But whatever it was, the medicals were apparently good and he started to rise up on draft boards. Maybe he just hadn't had the normal physical that players usually get at the Combine so teams had a red flag on him until they saw the result of a physical?

 

[St. Widge]

Great point....it's not necessarily that teams had him with a 2nd round grade, it is....which teams? Wonder what the Steelers and the Pats had him at (and they make mistakes also, just not many of them)....

The Pats make lots of mistakes. Bill just usually collects enough picks that the misses don't matter.

 

[HburgSaints]

LOL, I’ll let the kid prove himself before I trash the pick

 

[B_doggman47]

I spent most of the night after our pick researching Payton Turner. And from al the information I've read about him all the analysists basically say the same things about Turner. I know some here are worried about his injury history, well He injured his knee in high school. He injured his foot when he was a Sophamore in college and last year he missed a couple of games due to Covid-19.

Payton Turner- DE 6'5"/270#, These are his pro day's numbers: No 40 due to a turf toe, Vertical- 35.5", Bench Press- 23 Reps., 20-Yd. Shuttle- 4.25, Wingspan- 84".

Analysts and scouts said Turner's rare length and athletic ability for his size have a lot of teams salivating over the thought of adding a talent like his to their D-Lines.

Turner is a three-year starter who has shown a continued level of positional growth. So I believe he will be playing much sooner rather than later. He is a big, long 4-3 DE with natural play strength and a surprising level of bend and agility for his size, impressive reaction time and athleticism. He's growing into his frame and his talent. The tape I've watched shows me a player who is beginning to understand his own strength and athletic potential. Once he gets an advantage, he is an absolute menace to recover against for blockers. He has a twitchy get-off for his size and generates explosion into contact. Turner is a 3-down starter who is on the way up.

He needs to shoot his hands a little bit earlier. He can be upended by strong angle blocks. Needs better instincts as a counter rusher. His pass rush plan is limited, but he has a go-to move that opens the door to the QB. Better technique will correct all of this.

In my opinion, after some thought, I like the pick. I admit at the time we made the pick I was confused. But after I did some research and watch some game film, I felt better about it. We may have gotten a steal here.