#mitch kiper

[nowthatswhaticalllosing]

Now That’s What I Call Music! 7

Preface: Hi internet! I belong to a fantasy football league with my friends from college, and I lost this season! I received my punishment for placing last of the 12 teams, and I am required to listen to all of the Now That’s What I Call Music! compilations that currently exist (70 as of May 2019), review them (by rating each song on a scale of 1-10/10), and (at the end of this descent into madness) create my definitive power ranking of each album.

Album: Now That’s What I Call Music! 7

Release Date: July 31, 2001

Track Listing and Awarded Scores:

Average Score: 6.63/10

The Good: 

Hey guys! [Name redacted] here! Just getting ready for a regular routine post about early 2000s music and how depressing this is and OH MY GOODNESS WHAT’S GOING ON

IT’S A GUEST POST FROM OUR PAL MITCH! Take it away.

Hi everyone, Mitch Kiper here. When I'm not reviewing fake football teams with voodoo math, I take breaks to join my pal [name redacted] on road trips and listen to Now compilation albums.

Now 7 was experienced months ago, on a trip down to the famous, known-by-all Santa Ana Observatory. The reason you're only hearing about it now is because [name redacted] fancies himself a bit of a Gandalf who can ride in whenever he damn pleases. But we all know this scrubs-wearing scrub is a Radagast at best. Amirite?!  

*Plays custom crickets rap air horn*

Anyways, we listened to Now 7 on the way to Santa Ana to see the Lonely Island in concert, and while nothing can match the musical stylings of Jack Sparrow, not to mention the opportunity to sing it in a crowd and not be judged, NOW 7 was pretty dang good. My ratings are as follows:

1. Survivor - 8

2. All for You - 7

3. Baby Come on Over - 7

4. In My Pocket - 6

5. Play - 5

6. The Call - 10

7. Playas Gon' Play - 5

8. Ride Wit Me - 8

9. Danger - 6

10. Fiesta - 4

11. Let Me Blow Your Mind - 6

12. What Would You Do? - 8

13. Don’t Let Me Be the Last to Know - 3

14. This I Promise You - 7

15. Never Had a Dream Come True - 7

16. Hanging By A Moment - 4

17. Jaded - 5

18. From My Head to My Heart - 5

19. Flavor of the Weak - 8

These total to a starter %ile of 76%, a Bench % ile of 69 (nice), a RosScore of π^i and a Grade of B+. Well done Now 7. And thank you, [name redacted], for this invigorating guest post opportunity.

Mitch Average Score: 6.26/10

The Good (cont’d): Special thanks Mitch for the input. My other follower is going to go bananas when he sees this. 

These albums are all starting to blend together. And no, it doesn’t help that I’m taking my damn time going through these. 

High points include “Survivor,” “All for You,” the delectable bhangra-sploitation of Mandy Moore’s “In My Pocket,” and “The Call” - arguably the single greatest BSB song/video combination ever. Please check out the video, I’ll place it below. Despite coming out in 2001, the lyrics “my battery is low, so you know, we’re going to a place nearby, gotta go” remain to ring true to date in the high pressure world of dating while being an internationally renowned boyband and not sleeping with literally everyone. 

^Directed by Francis Lawrence - absolute fucking legend of a video. WATCH IT

The Bad: The album doesn’t seem to peter out quite as badly as others, unless you’re Mitch in which case it DEFINITELY did that. I for one was particularly offended by Britney Spears’ “Don’t Let Me Be the Last to Know,” but it’s one of those songs that’s just so meandering and pointless that I have nothing quippy or interesting to say about it. I will post no link to it, she is awarded no points, and may god have mercy on her soul. 

Potpourri: FUCKING MYSTIKAL. DANGER! 

Song’s a red hot banger. Does it drag out about 2 minutes longer than it needs to be? Yes. Is it still culturally relevant? Just ask John Oliver or Carlos Danger. 

Guy made his rap career yelling random things. Whether it’s shake yo ass (or “shake it fast” depending on who had cool parents or not) or DANGER(!), this song will stand all tests of time. 

Takeaways: Eh it’s fine. There are good songs and okay songs and one bad song. This is hard. 

NEXT IS NOW 8 WOOOOOOOOO

Current Power Rankings:

Now 4 (7.72/10)

Now 6 (6.89/10)

Now 2 (6.67/10)

Now 1 (6.65/10)

Now 7 (6.63/10) (Mitch score = 6.26/10)

Now 5 (6.58/10)

Now 3 (6.22/10)

[bulbwalrus6-blog]

The Bear’s Den, February 19, 2019

BEAR DOWN, CHICAGO BEARS, BEAR DOWN!!!!

BEARRRSSSS

Stankevitz’ Bears grades and needs: How can the running game improve in 2019? - NBC Sports Chicago - The Bears need to be more effective running the ball in 2019, which may start with finding new personnel to inject into their inconsistent running back unit.

Ellis: It sure sounds like the 49ers have plans to keep kicker Robbie Gould - NBC Sports Chicago - The Robbie Gould reunion isn’t looking likely.

Wide Receiver Busts May Provide Low Risk FA Signings - Dolphins Wire - With the Miami Dolphins potentially cutting their losses with WR DeVante Parker, could low-risk free agents from the same 2015 class help?

Mayer: Massie sees Bears as Super Bowl contenders - ChicagoBears.com - Right tackle Bobby Massie re-signed with the Bears due in large part to his belief that the team will rebound from its bitter playoff loss to the Eagles and contend for the Super Bowl.

Medina: Adrian Amos’ Price Tag Is Rising - Bleacher Nation - Adrian Amos could be one of the NFL’s seven highest-paid safeties if he hits free agency.

NFL Free Agency: 49ers expected to use franchise tag on Robbie Gould - NBCS Bay Area - The 49ers figure to be in a lot of close games next season, and their kicker could be in a position to decide games.

2019 Offseason Outlook: Mitch Trubisky and the Improvement That Comes from Within - Bleacher Nation - There isn’t much left for the Bears to do to help Mitch Trubisky. The ball is in No. 10’s court right now.

Robbie Gould Lays Out What He Wants Out of His Next Deal – Wherever It May Be - Bleacher Nation - Robbie Gould has his priorities lined up and will consider all opportunities if he reaches free agency.

Robbie Gould Seeking Stability For Family, A Winning Team In Free Agency - 670 The Score - The Bears may be interested in impending free agent Robbie Gould.

Chicago Bears 2019 Mock Draft: Replacing Adrian Amos, Finding Kyle Long’s Heir - The Chicago Audible Podcast - Without a first-and second-round pick it is going to be difficult to draft impact players, but in this mock, Ryan Pace is able to fill two potential needs.

Mullin: Looking to upgrade RB, Bears have more options than draft alone - NBC Sports Chicago - Taking stock of the Bears’ best options at RB.

The Parkey Purge Countdown Timer - Countdown to Jun 1, 2019 in Chicago - Countdown to Jun 1, 2019. Showing days, hours, minutes and seconds ticking down to the time Cody Parkey is no longer a Chicago Bear.

POLISH SAUSAGE

Cardinals QB Josh Rosen OK after car accident - NFL.com - Josh Rosen is okay after getting in a car accident over the weekend, and the Arizona Cardinals QB put any worries to rest once having fun with the incident through social media.

Carr: Ten quarterbacks worth pursuing via trade/free agency/NFL draft - NFL.com - David Carr is here to help the NFL teams in need of a quarterback this offseason. The former NFL QB ranks his top 10 quarterbacks worth pursuing via trade, free agency or the 2019 NFL Draft.

KNOW THY ENEMY

Vikings Off Season Plan - Don’t Quit My Day Job Edition - Daily Norseman - What does Mark have in store for us this time?

Mel Kiper Mock Draft: Offensive line focus continues for the Vikings - Daily Norseman - Once again, ESPN’s draft expert focuses on the front line

2019 NFL mock draft: Packers again projected for Polite, Hockenson - Acme Packing Company - Mock draft season has become predictable with regard to the Packers, who once again landed Jachai Polite and T.J. Hockenson in the first round.

Matt LaFleur, coaching staff look to inject Packers with “energy” and “enthusiasm” - Acme Packing Company - The rookie head coach introduced his staff on Monday and it’s clear a new regime is in charge

Packers offensive coaches plan to hit Aaron Rodgers from “all angles” – ProFootballTalk - The hope in Green Bay is that quarterback Aaron Rodgers is able to turn in a better 2019 season than he managed in 2018 and there will be three members of the coaching staff working with him on making that happen.

Luke Getsy has no doubt Aaron Rodgers wants coaching – ProFootballTalk - Luke Getsy returns to the Packers staff as their quarterbacks coach, charged with coaching Aaron Rodgers. The much debated question, though, is whether Rodgers is receptive to coaching? Getsy, who served as the offensive coordinator at Mississippi State last season, seems to have no doubt.

Notes: Kiper has Lions going with a tight end in new mock draft - Pride Of Detroit - A tight end at #8?

5 free agent cornerbacks the Lions should take a look at - Pride Of Detroit - Detroit needs a reliable corner to play opposite Darius Slay.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Berckes & Snyder: Bears Over Beers Episode 1: Inside Linebackers - Windy City Gridiron - Jeff and EJ discuss the inside linebacker position in the launch of WCG’s newest podcast

WCG Round Table: Other than the 3 NFC North teams, which team do you dislike the most? - Windy City Gridiron - We thought we’d take these next few WCG roundtables in a different direction and go for some likes and dislikes.

Wiltfong: Don’t expect the Bears to use a franchise tag this year - Windy City Gridiron - Teams can start announcing their franchise tagged players starting on February 19. The deadline to do so is March 5.

Schmitz' Video Breaking Down the Bears: Rookie WR Anthony Miller - Windy City Gridiron - Robert Schmitz is giving us a video breakdown of Anthony Miller’s rookie year and the future is bright for the Bears wide out.

WCG CONTRIBUTORS BEARS PODCASTS & STREAMS

2 Minute Drill - Website - iTunes - Andrew Link; Steven’s Streaming – Twitch – Steven Schweickert; T-Formation Conversation - Website - iTunes - Lester Wiltfong, Jr.; WCG Radio - Website - iTunes - Robert Zeglinski

THE RULES

Windy City Gridiron Community Guidelines - SBNation.com - We strive to make our communities open and inclusive to sports fans of all backgrounds. The following is not permitted in comments. No personal attacks, politics, gender based insults of any kind, racial insults, etc.

The Bear’s Den Specific Guidelines – The Bear’s Den is a place for Chicago Bears fans to discuss Chicago Bears football, related NFL stories, and general football talk. It is NOT a place to discuss religion or politics or post political pictures or memes. Unless otherwise stated, the Den is not an open thread, and profanity (including profanity only stated in pictures) is prohibited.

Click on our names to follow us on Twitter:

WCG Contributors: Jeff Berckes; Patti Curl; Eric Christopher Duerrwaechter; Kev H; Sam Householder; Jacob Infante; Aaron Lemming; Ken Mitchell; Steven Schweickert; Jack Silverstein; EJ Snyder; Lester Wiltfong, Jr.; Whiskey Ranger; Robert Schmitz; Robert Zeglinski; Like us on Facebook.

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2019/2/19/18230496/chicago-bears-den-offseason-links-news-information-free-agency-draft-salary-cap-gould-white-howard

[mitchkiper]

Mega-Trade RAPID RESPONSE

Mel Kiper had his moment during the recent NFL Draft. Even though the Dynosteve draft is about half a month away, it’s officially Mitch Kiper time. Before I delve into the trade, it’s been a while, so let’s recap a few key moments from the Dynosteve offseason thus far:

Tyreek Hill and Kareem Hunt bombed the Fenoms’s thesis of “just pick Chiefs,” though in a way I think all of us would rather not have happened.

Hammerfest owner Thatcher Thatcher has participated in all three preseason trades to date, continuing his trait of trading like a pork belly dealer in the Chicago Mercantile Exchange: fast, wild, and with most likely no idea what he’s doing (*more on this later).

Related note: Rob Gronkowski is retired. Michael Thomas is not. Now you might think Mitch Kiper will be doing a running tally of all the points each of these two players score over the upcoming 2019 season. If you think that...

YOU ARE WRONG!!!

As of this sentence in this paragraph, Mitch Kiper is establishing his new 2019 season guidelines. It’s a new year, which means fresh starts for everyone. The previous listicle was Mitch Kiper’s way of saying goodbye to last season. From here on out, Thatcher is a declared “Friend of Kiper” and will not be subject to undue targeting. Thatcher, I extend my digital hand in peace to you--unless of course you do something ridiculously stupid.

Now, for the first truly big move of 2019...

The Mega Mega Mega Mega Trade

In this trade, we saw 4 teams, an arguable #1 overall WR, and several young promising dynasty players trade hands. I won’t list them all here--attaching the image in tumblr made it appear WAY too big--but you can check the Dynosteve Facebook page for details if you want a reference while you check out my analysis.

First off, before I get into my gut reactions for each team’s move, here are the the team-by-team rankings according to my new and (maybe?) improved KiperScores. This year’s scores, in an effort to be more like a power ranking and less of a predictive tool, uses a heavier dose of positional weighting to create some starter and bench metrics that I don’t really care to explain, along with current FPG instead of 3-year averages (which in this case refers back to 2018 only--which I acknowledge the shortcomings of, but a man can only put so much time into a hobby, right? ... he said to the wrong people).

Here’s what it looked like before the trade:

And after...

Quick Takeaways -- Based on the fuzzy numbers:

- The Hellslinkies acquisition of Davante Adams helped them close the gap on goose, though not enough to overtake him. This was a clear “win now” move, which is reflected in their Starter sub score rising considerably (better than ZIMBAB and top of the league) at the expense of their Bench, which had formerly been the strongest in the league, on par with several starting rosters towards the bottom of the standings.

- Hammerfest weakened themselves according to these metrics, but I have something to say about that later*.

- The Longships achieved something no one thought was possible: a decent trade. They are the only team to raise their power ranking.

- According to this analyst, the Stockholm Syndrome did nothing to help their cause. They became slightly weaker, and their starter score is actually lower than that of Helsinki’s bench.

Mitch Kiper’s illogical, totally opinionated analysis:

- The only potential downside for Helsinki is that they are weaker in the FLEX, and one injury or underperforming player can severely hinder their championship chase. Then again, we can say that about most top teams.

- 2Hammerfest 2Furious took a hit to their starting roster and starting FPG, but holy shit did they make an improvement to their bench. Chubb was looking like a stud to build off of, and even with Kareem Hunt potentially stepping in to split the load later in the season, there’s no guarantee Hunt will thrive after such a long break or under the Brown’s system. We’ve seen that Chubb can deliver, and should be able to do even better with the space that OBJ and “Bless Em” Landry will provide. I like this move a lot for the Hammerfest. While they lose one dominant WR, they pick up some youth and depth that will inoculate them against injuries or unexpected underperformance.

- I love to tout the Syndrome. Mitch Kiper has a great relationship with fellow Midwest Living subscriber Coach Waring. However, this move baffles him. When you factor in positional weighting, Marlon Mack is arguably a more valuable piece than Brandin Cooks even before factoring in Keke Coutee. Add that to what was already a perilously thin RB situation, and Kiper simply can’t endorse this move--especially since the “Two Strong WR” strategy has yet to pan out even remotely (see Nickelsnatchers, Gakusei Kai).

- Finally, while this is a seemingly objective win for the Ludders, especially for the current season, Kiper’s only gripe is that it continues a pattern of Laeso 2-for-1 deals where Owner McCormick gives up multiple pieces for one higher quality, but now higher stakes piece.

Of course in isolation, while the trend is troubling, this move is a clear win. He has multiple picks this year, and should be able to add an instant RB2 with Josh Jacobs, but personally I’d rather see Laeso use his assets to acquire multiple opportunities at young depth instead of a TD-dependent RB who may be stuck in a committee this year, and carries a high chance of being irrelevant by the time the Longships’ window finally arrives.

That said, this is the type of trade that helps you avoid the Toilet Bowl. The intrinsic value of that alone makes this trade a win, despite the minor long-term gripes.

----

And that’s it for the first Mitch Kiper of this nascent season. Best of luck to you, and see you soon (especially you, Thatcher!)  #FreeRico

[thasportsjunkies101]

Mel Kiper Talks 2017 NFL Draft On ESPN Conference Call

Mel Kiper Talks 2017 NFL Draft On ESPN Conference Call

NFL Mel Kiper Talks 2017 NFL Draft On ESPN Conference Call Yesterday, I had the outstanding opportunity to gain knowledge about the NFL Draft from one of the best draft experts in the country. ESPN Mel Kiper Jr held a conference call for media members  and I had the pleasure of representing TSJ Sports. After listening to everything Kiper said, here some things I took away from the conference…

[dickiebhee]

Trump and Brady Are Only Delaying the Inevitable

Trump and Brady Are Only Delaying the Inevitable

I don’t give a fuck what that idiot Mel Kiper says, the best quarterback prospect in the 2017 NFL Draft is Clemson’s Deshaun Watson, hands down.

I mean, we just watched the young man bring his team from 10 points down to win a National Championship against heavily favored Alabama, throwing for 420 yards and 3 touchdowns while also running one in and I’m supposed to believe that North Carolina’s…

[weekegg2-blog]

The Bear’s Den, February 19, 2019

BEAR DOWN, CHICAGO BEARS, BEAR DOWN!!!!

BEARRRSSSS

Stankevitz’ Bears grades and needs: How can the running game improve in 2019? - NBC Sports Chicago - The Bears need to be more effective running the ball in 2019, which may start with finding new personnel to inject into their inconsistent running back unit.

Ellis: It sure sounds like the 49ers have plans to keep kicker Robbie Gould - NBC Sports Chicago - The Robbie Gould reunion isn’t looking likely.

Wide Receiver Busts May Provide Low Risk FA Signings - Dolphins Wire - With the Miami Dolphins potentially cutting their losses with WR DeVante Parker, could low-risk free agents from the same 2015 class help?

Mayer: Massie sees Bears as Super Bowl contenders - ChicagoBears.com - Right tackle Bobby Massie re-signed with the Bears due in large part to his belief that the team will rebound from its bitter playoff loss to the Eagles and contend for the Super Bowl.

Medina: Adrian Amos’ Price Tag Is Rising - Bleacher Nation - Adrian Amos could be one of the NFL’s seven highest-paid safeties if he hits free agency.

NFL Free Agency: 49ers expected to use franchise tag on Robbie Gould - NBCS Bay Area - The 49ers figure to be in a lot of close games next season, and their kicker could be in a position to decide games.

2019 Offseason Outlook: Mitch Trubisky and the Improvement That Comes from Within - Bleacher Nation - There isn’t much left for the Bears to do to help Mitch Trubisky. The ball is in No. 10’s court right now.

Robbie Gould Lays Out What He Wants Out of His Next Deal – Wherever It May Be - Bleacher Nation - Robbie Gould has his priorities lined up and will consider all opportunities if he reaches free agency.

Robbie Gould Seeking Stability For Family, A Winning Team In Free Agency - 670 The Score - The Bears may be interested in impending free agent Robbie Gould.

Chicago Bears 2019 Mock Draft: Replacing Adrian Amos, Finding Kyle Long’s Heir - The Chicago Audible Podcast - Without a first-and second-round pick it is going to be difficult to draft impact players, but in this mock, Ryan Pace is able to fill two potential needs.

Mullin: Looking to upgrade RB, Bears have more options than draft alone - NBC Sports Chicago - Taking stock of the Bears’ best options at RB.

The Parkey Purge Countdown Timer - Countdown to Jun 1, 2019 in Chicago - Countdown to Jun 1, 2019. Showing days, hours, minutes and seconds ticking down to the time Cody Parkey is no longer a Chicago Bear.

POLISH SAUSAGE

Cardinals QB Josh Rosen OK after car accident - NFL.com - Josh Rosen is okay after getting in a car accident over the weekend, and the Arizona Cardinals QB put any worries to rest once having fun with the incident through social media.

Carr: Ten quarterbacks worth pursuing via trade/free agency/NFL draft - NFL.com - David Carr is here to help the NFL teams in need of a quarterback this offseason. The former NFL QB ranks his top 10 quarterbacks worth pursuing via trade, free agency or the 2019 NFL Draft.

KNOW THY ENEMY

Vikings Off Season Plan - Don’t Quit My Day Job Edition - Daily Norseman - What does Mark have in store for us this time?

Mel Kiper Mock Draft: Offensive line focus continues for the Vikings - Daily Norseman - Once again, ESPN’s draft expert focuses on the front line

2019 NFL mock draft: Packers again projected for Polite, Hockenson - Acme Packing Company - Mock draft season has become predictable with regard to the Packers, who once again landed Jachai Polite and T.J. Hockenson in the first round.

Matt LaFleur, coaching staff look to inject Packers with “energy” and “enthusiasm” - Acme Packing Company - The rookie head coach introduced his staff on Monday and it’s clear a new regime is in charge

Packers offensive coaches plan to hit Aaron Rodgers from “all angles” – ProFootballTalk - The hope in Green Bay is that quarterback Aaron Rodgers is able to turn in a better 2019 season than he managed in 2018 and there will be three members of the coaching staff working with him on making that happen.

Luke Getsy has no doubt Aaron Rodgers wants coaching – ProFootballTalk - Luke Getsy returns to the Packers staff as their quarterbacks coach, charged with coaching Aaron Rodgers. The much debated question, though, is whether Rodgers is receptive to coaching? Getsy, who served as the offensive coordinator at Mississippi State last season, seems to have no doubt.

Notes: Kiper has Lions going with a tight end in new mock draft - Pride Of Detroit - A tight end at #8?

5 free agent cornerbacks the Lions should take a look at - Pride Of Detroit - Detroit needs a reliable corner to play opposite Darius Slay.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Berckes & Snyder: Bears Over Beers Episode 1: Inside Linebackers - Windy City Gridiron - Jeff and EJ discuss the inside linebacker position in the launch of WCG’s newest podcast

WCG Round Table: Other than the 3 NFC North teams, which team do you dislike the most? - Windy City Gridiron - We thought we’d take these next few WCG roundtables in a different direction and go for some likes and dislikes.

Wiltfong: Don’t expect the Bears to use a franchise tag this year - Windy City Gridiron - Teams can start announcing their franchise tagged players starting on February 19. The deadline to do so is March 5.

Schmitz' Video Breaking Down the Bears: Rookie WR Anthony Miller - Windy City Gridiron - Robert Schmitz is giving us a video breakdown of Anthony Miller’s rookie year and the future is bright for the Bears wide out.

WCG CONTRIBUTORS BEARS PODCASTS & STREAMS

2 Minute Drill - Website - iTunes - Andrew Link; Steven’s Streaming – Twitch – Steven Schweickert; T-Formation Conversation - Website - iTunes - Lester Wiltfong, Jr.; WCG Radio - Website - iTunes - Robert Zeglinski

THE RULES

Windy City Gridiron Community Guidelines - SBNation.com - We strive to make our communities open and inclusive to sports fans of all backgrounds. The following is not permitted in comments. No personal attacks, politics, gender based insults of any kind, racial insults, etc.

The Bear’s Den Specific Guidelines – The Bear’s Den is a place for Chicago Bears fans to discuss Chicago Bears football, related NFL stories, and general football talk. It is NOT a place to discuss religion or politics or post political pictures or memes. Unless otherwise stated, the Den is not an open thread, and profanity (including profanity only stated in pictures) is prohibited.

Click on our names to follow us on Twitter:

WCG Contributors: Jeff Berckes; Patti Curl; Eric Christopher Duerrwaechter; Kev H; Sam Householder; Jacob Infante; Aaron Lemming; Ken Mitchell; Steven Schweickert; Jack Silverstein; EJ Snyder; Lester Wiltfong, Jr.; Whiskey Ranger; Robert Schmitz; Robert Zeglinski; Like us on Facebook.

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2019/2/19/18230496/chicago-bears-den-offseason-links-news-information-free-agency-draft-salary-cap-gould-white-howard

[gakuseikainickelsnatchers]

New Opening in Gakusei Kai

In response to rat bastard Mitch Kiper’s unscrupulous reporting, KAI PR rep Clay Aiken would like to issue the following statement:

Due to the ouster of KAI GM Haymitch Golden, who was unoriginal and no one really liked him anyway (especially after he got rid of Rico Gathers) there is an open spot in the Gakusei Kai family. Requesting someone with a moderate knowledge of football who showers at least 50% of the days in the week. If you have your own essential oils dispenser, even better. Please apply to the Gakusei Kai email address, which can be found via the scavenger hunt map provided by Slim at the corner by Cal Mart.

[the-nfl-football-fan]

Bears Video: Mel Kiper breaks down North Carolina QB Mitch Trubisky; says he has good pocket presence, impressive timing as passer (ESPN)

Bears Video: Mel Kiper breaks down North Carolina QB Mitch Trubisky; says he has good pocket presence, impressive timing as passer (ESPN)

from ESPN http://espn.go.com/nfl/ via IFTTT

[backatbattle]

Bears Video: Mel Kiper breaks down North Carolina QB Mitch Trubisky; says he has good pocket presence, impressive timing as passer (ESPN)

Bears Video: Mel Kiper breaks down North Carolina QB Mitch Trubisky; says he has good pocket presence, impressive timing as passer (ESPN)

from ESPN http://espn.go.com/nfl/ via IFTTT

[ontapsportsapp]

2017 NFL mock draft: In trade-riddled first round, Patriots gain a pair of picks - Washington Post

Washington Post

2017 NFL mock draft: In trade-riddled first round, Patriots gain a pair of picks Washington Post A mock draft can be as carefully crafted as possible, aligning the top prospects and positional needs with every team, acknowledging every franchise's preferred draft method … and it still blows up as soon as NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell steps to ... NFL mock draft 5.0: With pro days complete, how does board stack up now?USA TODAY 2017 NFL Mock Draft: Predictions for Boom or Bust ProspectsBleacher Report NFL Draft 2017: Why Mitch Trubisky to Jets makes sense, says Mel Kiper Jr.NJ.com The San Diego Union-Tribune -cleveland.com -Chicago Daily Herald -CBSSports.com all 157 news articles »

Read more at http://ift.tt/2oMwnDX Support us through http://ift.tt/S7ofg3

[buddyrabrahams]

Josh Dobbs has great response to question about learning NFL playbook

Standout Tennessee quarterback Josh Dobbs should have no problem learning an NFL playbook, based on his senior year course load.

Part of the NFL Draft process, players are subject to intense evaluations of their physical and mental capabilities. We get to see how players perform in position drills and physical tests during the NFL Combine. On the other hand, what happens during interviews often stays behind closed doors.

Dobbs hasn’t been mentioned alongside other quarterbacks like Mitch Trubisky, Deshaun Watson, and DeShone Kizer leading up to this month’s draft. However, if there’s one area he’s impressed in leading up to the draft it’s the interviews.

Among the many questions Dobbs was asked was how he would handle learning an NFL playbook, which can certainly be a challenge. His response was a confident one.

“My senior year I was taking astronautics, propulsion and an aerodynamics class, all on the same day,” he said, via Sports Illustrated’s MMQB. “At the same time as football season when I was leading an SEC team. I think I can handle it.”

To say Dobbs has been exposed to difficult learning material would be an understatement, given his aerospace engineering major. Grasping the playbook may not be something a team considering him would need to worry about.

Dobbs finished his career at Tennessee with a 23-12 record, including a perfect 3-0 in bowl games. He ranks fifth in school history in passing yards (7,138) and third in total offense (9,360). Dobbs also leaves as the Volunteers’ all-time leader in rushing yards (2,160) and touchdowns (32) among quarterbacks. ESPN’s Mel Kiper said Dobbs could be a late second or early third round selection.

On conference call, @MelKiperESPN said @josh_dobbs1 a potential late 2nd/early 3rd round pick. His 6th or 7th QB in draft@Vol_Football

— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) April 5, 2017

H/T ProFootballTalk

from Larry Brown Sports http://ift.tt/2nd15ca

[mitchkiper]

KIPREVIEW: Week 04

THE KIPREVIEW: WEEK FOUR

 Greetings gents. Mitch Kiper here, with another visual delight for your nerd eyeballs to scan. This week won’t carry the controversy of Week Three, but the Kipe won’t let that stop him from providing fun and questionably valuable metrics as we head in to the fourth week of fantasy. It’s hard to believe we’re almost a quarter of the way through the season. Not only that, we’re officially entering bye weeks! Ç'est Magnifique! That’s right—Mitch Kiper speaks French.

NOTABLE TRANSACTION:

Gakusei Kai Nickelsnatchers – Trade SASWW for Buck Allen: Was it a great long term dynasty trade? Probably not. However, that trade saved the Nickelsnatchers week 3, and probably benefitted the league as a whole. Buck Allen was the key contributor to the Nickelsnatcher upset of the Brooklyn Yeshivas. Without him, KAI would have played Marcus Murphy (if you’re asking “who?!”, you’re right) and lost by just a few points.

According to KiperMetrics, Allen also adds to the overall strength of the Nickelsnatchers team. Adding Allen shifted the Nickelsnatchers from 11th to 10th overall, and more importantly closer in score to the middle tier than the bottom (see league overview for this). Here is what the Nickelsnatchers team looks like right now.

Honorable mentions go to…

Gakusei Kai Nickelsnatchers – Week 03 Tyler Eifert trade: For the simple fact that the moment they traded him away, he posted up a double digit scoring game. Eifert needs one more for the Nickelsnatchers to level up and earn at least one of the Boxtable’s 2nd round picks.

Dishonorable mention goes to…

Bergen Boxtables – Starting Deshaun Watson AGAIN: While not a transaction, per se, this needs to be noted. Bergen has a good team. Mitch Kiper stands by this statement, as well as his pre-season rankings. Alas, a good team means nothing if you’re starting the absolute wrong player. Watch Deshaun Watson for five minutes and you see a quarterback going through a sophomore slump. Teams have scouting on him now, and know how to make him struggle with his progressions. Here is a comparison between the Boxtables’ two best QBs:

Ben has started Watson for three straight weeks. For three straight weeks, Drew Brees—a perennially good fantasy QB, as proven by the fact that he is #1 all time among all NFL players in composite rating—has outperformed Watson. WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!

And for once, a neutral mention goes to…

Brooklyn Yeshivas & Bergen Boxtables – Ito Smith to BOX, John Brown to YESH: There’s no arguing that this trade is mutually beneficial. The Yeshivas get a young promising WR to replace a lagging Brandon Marshall as their WR3, and Ben Buccigross gets a promising young Falcon RB who is primed to possibly take a bigger role next year once Tevin Coleman is gone. Yet as far as the KiperRatings go, this move does not make much of a dent in their overall roster composition.

The Yeshivas gain slightly by adding Brown, at least according to C-PPG, which is a more long term measure. John Brown carries a 10.62 c-ppg, while Brandon Marshall is at 9.86. For how far ahead of the pack the Yeshivas are, this does not make enough of a dent to be considered anything more than a minor move. Perhaps it will pay off come playoff time, but for now it makes next to no difference in his overall ranking. Here’s how the Yeshivas looked before and after this trade:

TOP FREE AGENTS:

It’s a sad, lonely world in free agency. But if you want to brave it, here are the top free agents according to cppg, and the rostered players closest to them in the ranks:

Notable tidbits:

- People are hanging on to kickers that are well below the leaders in the league. In particular, Jason Myers should be signed by someone, as he’s currently in the top 10% of all kickers currently in the NFL according to C-PPG. If you look at the current K rankings by FPG, the top 5 are taken and then there’s a wide gap before we hit other owned players. Sure, the difference is miniscule, but every point counts.

- According to C-PPG, Deshaun Watson is not far off from Joe Flacco and Andrew Luck. This should be a signal to the owners who insist on playing these QBs in lieu of alternatives (or, owners who insist on holding even worse QBs—cough cough Dak Prescott—in lieu of Flacco).

- D/ST pickings are not bad. As this article was written, HAMM dropped the Jets for the Dolphins. That means there is one D/ST available that is still better than 80% of the D/STs currently on Dynosteve rosters. For those who have been paying attention the last few weeks, 75th percentile seems to be the mark you want to stay above to win points in positional battles.

- RB free agents are virtually non-existent. Alfred Blue is the best option available, and he puts up fewer points than fellow FA WR Terrelle Pryor. Terrelle Pryor.

- Same goes for TEs. But hey, if anyone wants someone who puts up points, Garrett Celek is there.

- There are certain players that, according to C-PPG, are due for a regression: Dolphins WRs Jakeem GGrant and Albert Wilson are the main suspects. To a lesser extent, Chris Godwin and Keelan Cole are outperforming their history. On the flip side, Mitch Kiper expects to see slightly more from Duke Johnson and Tavon Austin.

TAXI WATCH:

Here is the taxi squad as it currently stands, followed by relevant updates and changes:

- Dante Pettis: With Garoppolo out for the season, Pettis has seemingly gotten comfy in his taxi seat. He is currently in the lower half of Dyno WRs as far as points scored goes. There’s no reason to bring him up.  Antonio Callaway is ranked similar to Pettis, and for now is in the same boat.

- Nyheim Hines: Hines remains our best taxi player, and yet due to the strength of the Falls, his promotion seems far off. He’s performing better than 60% of the Dynosteve RBs. This would qualify him as a worthwhile sub on most squads. The fact that the Falls can afford to keep Hines off the active roster is a slap in the face to us all.  

- Mark Andrews: A newbie to the taxi watch, Mark Andrews is currently performing better than 60+% of the TEs on Dynosteve rosters. Considering how many teams have been scrounging for TE talent, Andrews is a valuable stash, and possible trade bait.

- Ito Smith: The trade of Ito Smith is, I believe, our first ever taxi-squad only trade. Because the Boxtables had to drop Dalton Schultz to make room for Ito, the total taxi pool has dropped by one player this week.

LEAGUE OVERVIEW:

Finally, the league overview.

- ZIMBAB and YESH remain in a league of their own, while the Fenoms amazingly lead the pack for the last two spots in the championship tier.

- Without Lev Bell to buoy them, the Juneboshers have fallen to merely above average. They’re in the thick of things, barely separated in score from WALL and BOX.

- Mitch Kiper still predicts that BOX will rise and ONED will fall in the standings by season end, mainly due to bench strength and lack thereof, respectively. He believes that the coming bye weeks, not to mention injuries, will more directly hurt the Syndrome, while the Boxtables have enough bench strength to weather the storm. This is also why he predicts KAI to suck eventually. There’s very little depth in the Gakusei Kai household.

And that’s it! Tune in next week—maybe I’ll find more controversy to dig up. We can only hope!

[junker-town]

Mel Kiper’s 3rd 2017 mock draft has the 49ers going defense instead of QB with No. 2 pick

Kiper also has the Browns taking a quarterback, but not with the first pick.

While college players are participating in drills at their pro days, ESPN’s Mel Kiper continues to predict where some of them will land in the 2017 NFL Draft. He released his third mock draft on Wednesday, but you will notice glaring differences from his last one.

This is Kiper’s first mock draft after the combine, and he still believes Myles Garrett will be the first player selected in April. However, he changed his mind about who will go second.

The 49ers will go defense

Kiper had the San Francisco 49ers drafting quarterback Mitch Trubisky in his second mock draft. However, he doesn't feel that was now, as he thinks the 49ers will select defensive lineman Solomon Thomas with the second pick. Thomas is now the favorite to land with the 49ers across all mock drafts.

Our own Dan Kadar’s latest mock draft doesn’t agree, though. He also the 49ers going defense, but he had them drafting safety Malik Hooker.

So what has changed since Kiper’s last mock draft? Well, San Francisco signed Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley in free agency, and Hoyer could be the starter once the season starts.

After all, Hoyer reunited with Kyle Shanahan, who was his offensive coordinator in 2014 as a member of the Cleveland Browns and who is now the head coach of the 49ers. On the other hand, just because the 49ers aren't not selecting a signal caller with the second pick doesn't mean the team will not try to bolster the position.

They can still draft a quarterback in later rounds — Kiper even floated Patrick Mahomes out of Texas Tech as a possibility.

More receivers in the first round

In Kiper’s second mock draft, he had only two receivers going in the first round. Now, he has four of them. He predicts the Buffalo Bills will use their 10th pick on Mike Williams, and Tennessee will draft 40-yard dash record holder John Ross.

Kiper has Kansas City selecting Zay Jones and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers choosing Corey Davis. Other than Tampa Bay, all of these teams need a receiver who can make plays consistently. The Buccaneers already have Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson, but Kiper thinks the pick makes sense.

“Davis, who had 331 catches for 5,278 yards and 52 touchdowns in his collegiate career, would give Jameis Winston another fantastic option, but he's a different player than both Jackson and Evans,” Kiper wrote.

Cleveland drafting a quarterback

Unlike the 49ers, the Browns didn’t sign any quarterbacks in free agency. Sure, Cleveland traded for Brock Osweiler, but that was a salary-dump trade so the Browns could secure the Texans’ second-round draft pick in 2018. Now they’re expected to release or trade Osweiler.

The Browns could also still try to trade for Patriots backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Unless that happens — or the Browns decide to sign a free agent like Jay Cutler -- they’ll probably draft a quarterback early. Garrett seems like a sure thing with the first pick, so that likely means they’ll take a quarterback with their second first-round pick.

Kiper predicts the Browns will use their 12th pick to draft Ohio native Mitch Trubisky, while Kadar has them drafting Deshaun Watson. For the Cardinals at No. 13, it’s the opposite: Kiper has Watson going to Arizona and Kadar mocks Trubisky there.

Trubisky and Watson are the only two quarterbacks in Kiper’s first round.

Players climbing and falling on the draft boards

Players like Thomas, Christian McCaffrey, and O.J. Howard are climbing the draft boards quickly. Before the combine, all three players were expected to be late first-round picks, but Kiper has them going earlier than that.

Thomas jumped from No. 11 to No. 2, while McCaffrey — who was incredible at the combine — went from sneaking into the first round at No. 32 in Kiper’s second mock draft to Washington taking him at No. 17 in the latest version. Meanwhile, Howard could be the first tight end to go in the top 10 since Eric Ebron was drafted 10th overall by the Detroit Lions in 2014. Kiper has him at No. 6 to the Jets, all the way up from No. 18.

However, players like Reuben Foster, Dalvin Cook, and Sidney Jones are falling in the draft. Their stock is decreasing for a number of reasons. Foster got into a heated argument with a hospital worker, and that could scare some teams off even though Foster issued an apology letter to all 32 teams.

Kiper has Foster dropping too — from No. 9 to No. 15 — but not because of that incident.

“Let's be clear here: I don't have Foster, a top-five talent, dropping because of his bizarre combine ejection. He's dropping here because not many teams above the Colts at No. 15 need a true inside linebacker,” Kiper said.

Meanwhile, Cook is a threat at the running back position, but he didn’t have a great combine and McCaffrey and Leonard Fournette are seen as the premier backs in the draft. Cook fell to the Packers at No. 29 in Kiper’s mock draft, a pick he said could be a “a great value.”

Jones tore his Achilles at Washington’s pro day, but he is a great player when healthy and still thinks he can be a first-round round pick.

“I’m the best corner in the draft, plain and simple,” Jones told USA TODAY Sports this week.

He dropped out of Kiper’s first round, and Kadar doesn’t have him as a Day 1 pick either.

[plutofit]

49ers: UNC QB Mitch Trubisky goes No. 2 in Mel Kiper's Mock Draft 1.0; could become face of the franchise - Nick Wagoner (ESPN)

http://espn.go.com/nfl/

[the-nfl-football-fan]

49ers: UNC QB Mitch Trubisky goes No. 2 in Mel Kiper's Mock Draft 1.0; could become face of the franchise - Nick Wagoner (ESPN)

49ers: UNC QB Mitch Trubisky goes No. 2 in Mel Kiper’s Mock Draft 1.0; could become face of the franchise – Nick Wagoner (ESPN)

from ESPN http://espn.go.com/nfl/ via IFTTT

[backatbattle]

49ers: UNC QB Mitch Trubisky goes No. 2 in Mel Kiper's Mock Draft 1.0; could become face of the franchise - Nick Wagoner (ESPN)

49ers: UNC QB Mitch Trubisky goes No. 2 in Mel Kiper’s Mock Draft 1.0; could become face of the franchise – Nick Wagoner (ESPN)

from ESPN http://espn.go.com/nfl/ via IFTTT