Possibly. Good OT prospects don't make it out of the top ten very often. Much may depend on how many QBs go in the top ten and where Carter lands. If only three QBs go who are the next 5 before pick #9? Anderson is one for sure. I think Wilson also goes before #9. Then what? Carter could go. Bijan Robinson could go. Myles Murphy? Gonzales? Maybe?
If all four of the top QBs go then I believe there's a better chance Johnson is there at #9 but if not there's still Broderick Jones, Darnell Wright, and Peter Skoronski. He may end up at OG but for now as a RT he's still better than anyone we have. IMHO if Poles wants an OT in round one he'll be able to get a good one.
Possibly. Good OT prospects don't make it out of the top ten very often. Much may depend on how many QBs go in the top ten and where Carter lands. If only three QBs go who are the next 5 before pick #9? Anderson is one for sure. I think Wilson also goes before #9. Then what? Carter could go. Bijan Robinson could go. Myles Murphy? Gonzales? Maybe?
If all four of the top QBs go then I believe there's a better chance Johnson is there at #9 but if not there's still Broderick Jones, Darnell Wright, and Peter Skoronski. He may end up at OG but for now as a RT he's still better than anyone we have. IMHO if Poles wants an OT in round one he'll be able to get a good one.
+1 I'm thinking along the same lines as you on this. Makes you wish we had 2 first round picks... it drives home how well Poles has set us up for 2024, with two 1st round picks. That is huge.
FWIW Dave this is what I see. Poles always seeks value and fit. Where is some of the best value at the top of this draft? Dane Brugler's top 100 has three OT ranked within the top 12 players. Skoronski @ #4 (local kid with a great pedigree), Johnson @ #9 (ironic eh?), and Jones @ #12 (where some feel we may trade back again).
It's true we also need help at DE and DT and whatever meager research I've done tells me there is value again in the second round we can use to draft these spots because we already have players to fill them. Maybe not the right players or enough of them but there we need more depth and competition whereas at OT we need a starter.
Based on this logic alone I'll go out on a limb I almost never do and say I see Poles getting his OT with his first pick. I won't predict who or whether it's at #9 or at a lower pick but this is where logic and common sense leads me. If he gets it done and it works he has both his bookend OTs on rookie deals and his QB as well.
Those are pricey spots to pay for once rookie deals are over yet Poles can control Fields and Braxton Jones thru 2025 and a rookie OT 1st round pick thru 2027 if he chooses. With a significantly rising cap that should allow him a whole lot of freedom to build on what he's already done as far as building a championship roster again.