49ers
The 49ers traded down multiple times before taking second-round WR De’Zhaun Stribling at No. 33 overall. Mike Sando of The Athletic cites one anonymous executive who liked San Francisco’s approach of continuously moving back before selecting a player they liked.
“The consensus piece is really more about extracting value,” the executive said. “Compare what the Niners did with what the Jaguars did. The Jaguars are getting panned for consensus stuff, too. The Niners at least traded back before making their picks. The Jags did not do that. The Niners may know they are picking against consensus and they are getting something for it, and then saying, ‘All right, let’s just pick our guy — let’s not get too cute with this.’”
One executive points out that Stribling isn’t a dynamic route runner, but has size, speed, and can block.
“Stribling is not a dynamic route runner and does not run a full route tree, but he is bigger, faster, will block and is a competitive guy,” the executive said. “He is not as good as Aiyuk was. He is a better receiver than Deebo. He is a faster, better (Jauan) Jennings and a great guy. Those guys (Stribling and Evans) will block and do it all the right way, how the head coach wants it.”
Although there was talk about San Francisco reaching on players like Stribling, another executive couldn’t comment about “consensus boards” and respects that the 49ers took the player they wanted.
“All the talk about consensus boards is interesting,” the executive said. “I don’t have a great answer, but I respect teams like San Fran that say, ‘F— you guys, we aren’t looking at that stuff.’ I love the discussion. It’s a little like best player available versus need. We are never going to solve it.”
Rams
Rams DL Byron Young is happy with the team’s draft picks and believes that rookie QB Ty Simpson will be a great quarterback of the future.
“I think he’s a good quarterback, he’s a great kid,” Young said of Simpson, via Rams Wire. “With the front office, trusting everything that they do is in the best interest of this team. I’m looking forward to seeing where this goes. We got some great players, got some D-linemen, got some tight ends. Got some receivers in there. I can’t wait to see what these guys bring to this. I have no doubt that these guys will come in, definitely help motivate you regardless of what pick they are.”
Seahawks
Notre Dame RB coach Ja’Juan Seider said that Seahawks second-round RB Jadarian Price is a student of the game, which separates him from other players.
“He wants to know what the play is, what the coverage is, so he can anticipate,” Seider said, via The Athletic. “When he’s not in the game, he’s still into it. That’s what makes him special.”
Seider added Price is on the same level in some ways as Cardinals first-round RB Jeremiyah Love, who he shared a backfield at Notre Dame. Seider feels Price may be the fastest running back he’s had in terms of putting his foot in the ground, bouncing toward the numbers, getting vertical and attacking safeties.
“That’s his love language, to put him in outside zone, to stretch, puncture,” Seider said, adding, “He’s as good as Jeremiyah is [in that area]. He’s equally good in that department. (People) just didn’t talk about him as much because he played with the No. 3 pick in the draft. But he has those same qualities, those same traits.”
Seahawks fifth-round OL Beau Stephens said he’s starting out on the right side of the line at guard.
“A lot of it’s the same,” Stephens said. “A lot of the same words. There’s definitely some differences; there’s definitely more complexity. But I feel like I’ve gotten a great starting point and it’s very helpful. … I feel like I’m going to have a handle on it.”
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