Round Table
Welcome back to the TSF Round Table where the guys at Truth Serum Football are joined by our very special guest Daniel Beebe! The Draft is right around the corner and as always we're here to answer some questions. Have a question you want us to answer at next week’s Round Table discussion? Drop it in a comment below.
- What do you see the Falcons doing with the 4th pick?
Zach: I’ve spent way too much time thinking about this. Right now I have them taking Trey Lance. It makes perfect sense to have him sit behind Ryan for the next two years. They’d have that position locked up for years to come instead of wandering through the wilderness for 40 years or however long, who knows when the next time they’ll be in the position to take a top notch QB in the top 5?
Jason: I have the Falcons trading out of that spot and moving down in the draft. The Falcons do need an eventual successor for Matt Ryan; however, I do not believe they find their guy in this year's draft class.
Pyle: Trading down..
Geoff: For me I would like to see Sewell or trade back. I do think there is a chance of drafting Pitts here just because of his freakish build and athleticism. If the Falcons draft a QB here it will be a mistake.
Daniel: The Atlanta Falcons find themselves in an interesting predicament for this year’s NFL Draft. The Falcons are one of the teams that possess an aging quarterback. Matt Ryan is still playing at an extremely high level. This is incredible considering the problems the offensive line has been experiencing over the past few seasons. The offensive line ranked 21st last season. The Falcons spent two picks last season helping the line and I believe they should continue that trend. Not only should the Falcons not move off of the 4th Pick, but they should select OL Rashawn Slater from Northwestern University. NFL Scouts believe that Slater could be a valuable asset at guard or tackle in the NFL. A pick like this could help father time stay a little further from Matt Ryan.
- Who do you see as the better all around back? Najee Harris or Travis Etienne?
Zach: It’s close but I gotta go with Harris. He’s the bigger, stronger back but is still very skilled. Etienne is probably more special but I’d say Harris has a slight edge as far as “all around” goes.
Jason: Najee Harris is the best back in this draft class. He is the better overall back between him and Etienne. He is a big-bodied back but is extremely fluid in space. A team can feature him lined up in the backfield or out wide as a receiver.
Pyle: I'd be lying if I said I did my homework on this one, but I'm going with Harris.
Geoff: I give the slight nod to Najee solely based on the system and coaching that had developed him into more of a true NFL ready running back. Both will be home runs regardless in my opinion.
Daniel: Let me start off by saying both of these backs possess incredible attributes that will allow them to have success in the NFL. I believe that Travis Etienne is the better all around back though. Etienne has a versatile skill set that would appeal to any NFL team. Teams can line him up in the backfield or split him out to get a favorable matchup. Etienne has maybe the best hands in the draft, as well. During his time in Clemson, Etienne racked up 102 receptions for 1,155 yards and 8 touchdowns. Combine that with his ability to run the ball and Etienne is an absolute nightmare matchup. He ran for 4,952 yards and 70 touchdowns. The argument could be made that Harris had to wait his turn at Alabama, but honestly an NFL team can’t go wrong with either of these backs. If it was my name on the line the card I turned in would say: Travis Etienne Running Back- Clemson University.
- After the big 5 of Lawrence, Wilson, Lance, Fields and Jones, who do you see as the 6th best QB in this draft class?
Zach: An argument can be made for each of Kellen Mond, Kyle Trask and Davis Mills but I lean towards Mond. He’s a complete QB and has progressed very consistently.
Jason: The 6th best QB is this draft class is Kyle Trask. He isn't a very mobile QB, but possesses great pocket presence. He put up monster numbers at Florida in 2020 and should be an easy 2nd-3rd round pick in next week's draft.
Pyle: Kyle Trask
Geoff: I would say it's a tight race for 6th between Mond, Trask, and Mills. If I had to go with one it would be Mond for the competition that he has faced and his ability to extend plays, throw accurately on the run, and also a talented runner when plays break down.
Daniel: Every year NFL teams wonder if they are going to pick the next Patrick Mahomes. The 2021 NFL Draft Class is no different than any other year. I believe that the next quarterback taken after the Big 5 will be Texas A&M quarterback, Kellen Mond. If you were to blindly put the stats in front of an NFL Scout between Kellen Mond and Trey Lance I would be willing to bet the scout would choose Kellen Mond’s resume.
Kellen Mond vs Trey Lance
Passing Yards:
9,661 2,947
Passing TDs:
71 30
Passing Percentage:
59% 65%
Interceptions:
27 1
Rushing Yards:
1,608 1,325
Rushing TD:
22 18
Rushing Attempts:
438 192
I realize that Trey Lance didn’t play the 2020 College Football Season due to the covid-19 pandemic, but the numbers don’t lie. Kellen Mond has raised his passer completion rating every year since 2017 ( 51.5, 57.3, 61.6, and 63.3). Trey Lance actually dropped significantly from 2019-2020. He went from 66.9% to 50%. This shows me that Kellen Mond is putting in the necessary work to be an impactful player in the NFL. A good player comparison to Kellen Mond would be Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.
- Full PPR redraft, Jonathan Taylor or Austin Ekeler?
Zach: It’s Ekeler. Taylor’s hype train is getting out of control. I’ve seen him ranked by an expert as the RB2 for redraft! The guy went on a run in the fantasy playoffs averaging 27 points a game, scoring nearly half of his total in that four game span. Before that he was the RB16 averaging just 13 points per game. Nyheim Hines ended up as the RB15! Now Marlon Mack is back in the picture too. Ekeler took a step back from his monster 2019 campaign but he still averaged 16.5 PPG. LA’s offense is much more trustworthy too.
Jason: I am probably in the minority here, but I have to go with Ekeler. He is going to be the featured back in a STACKED offense next season and I believe he is going to be a top 5 RB in PPR, as long as he stays healthy.
Pyle: Taylor
Geoff: I'm going with Ekeler only because I believe the Chargers have a more explosive and dynamic offense than the Colts will have this year.
Daniel: When just speaking on the 2020-21 Fantasy Football season I believe it is a no-brainer that most fantasy owners would select Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor. In 2020, Taylor finished as RB6 and tallied 252.8 points for a PPR League. Taylor ran for 1,169 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was also able to haul in 36 receptions for 299 yards and a touchdown. There was always the chance of Nyheim Hines poaching goal line opportunities, but that was short lived. Taylor became the lead dog in the crowded backfield. The Los Angeles Chargers running back finished as RB22 for the 2020-21 NFL Season. Ekeler missed a lot of time after being injured against the Buccaneers. Ekeler scored 165.3 points for PPR Leagues. He had 116 attempts for 530 yards and a touchdown. Ekeler caught 54 passes for 403 yards and two touchdowns. The Chargers have weapons all over the field and love to air it out with Justin Herbert which is another reason I would select Jonathan Taylor over Ekeler.
- Start, Bench, Cut: Chase Claypool, Diontae Johnson and JuJu.
Zach: Start Johnson, and cut the other two. They apparently have better things to do on TikTok.
Jason: Start Dionate, Bench Claypool, Cut JuJu
Pyle: BYE BYE Diontae, have a seat JuJu and Claypool show us what ya got!
Geoff: Start Johnson, bench Claypool, cut Juju.
Daniel: Again this is another easy one for me. If I am looking at these three receivers Claypool is starting. Smith-Schuster is being benched. Diontae Johnson is getting cut. This may surprise some people with the decision to cut Johnson, but the inability to stay on the field is a huge factor in my decision. Johnson has several tiny injuries that continue to creep up year after year. Chase Claypool is an athletic freak that can do anything on the field. He has the ability to take a handoff to the endzone. Smith-Schuster is a seasoned veteran in a stable full of young bucks. He is willing to do anything to win a football game. This includes catching touchdowns or blocking to spring touchdowns for teammates. He reminds me a lot of former Steelers great: Hines Ward. I want that type of player on my team when it comes down to crunch time. There were times in the 2020 NFL Season where Diontae Johnson looked lost and suffered a case of the yips, maybe. He had several receptions, but also had a plethora of drops late in the season. The talent is there for Johnson, but for me I would rather have Claypool and Smith-Schuster.
That’s it for this week guys. Thanks for reading and as always, stay true.
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