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The Bees went into this draft with fairly specific needs and not too many spaces for players. Still, when most guys on the roster aren't very good, how can you say no to making more picks? Utah needed eliteness at RB, TE, WR, DT, and CB.
We addressed some of those needs early - WR & DT - but after that, the philosophy became what it was last year. "Throw as many DBs as the wall from the late rounds, and see what sticks." It's gettin' crowded back in thurrr.
1.14 - WR - Colin Fletcher, Stanford - We would have been happy with Fletch or Knight at 22, but of course didn't know if both would make it. If neither did, it would've left us really hangin'. Fletcher brings some dynamism to the Bees offense, and takes some of the pressure off of Alvin "No Hands" Foley. Randy Boone has to be happy about this.
2.18 - DT - Lance Orbik, Ole Miss - The Bees send a strong message to serviceable, but disappointing Don Ilardi. The miffed former first-rounder, picked under a previous administration (so to speak; "CPU"), has already requested a trade both privately and publicly. He helps solidify the front seven at Utah in a big, big way.
3.20 - OG - Bryce Forbes, Colorado State - Very disappointing here for Utah, who wanted either Billy Joe McCarthy (RB) or CB Blake Everett at this spot. Guard wasn't an eminent need by any means, as there is a serious glut of promising youth there on the team. Still, we feel that Forbes has home run potential, and that's what we are going for here.
4.27 - CB - Kirk Marsh, West Virginia - A fine consolation prize for Everett a round later, and coveted by at least one team (Columbus ;)) with the pick immediately after. Utah has more need at corner than safety in the secondary, so he likely stays at CB despite looking like a better S at this point. This'll allow Utah to show a lot more Nickel and Dime looks.
5.15 - WR - Richie Carlisle, Marshall - Fletcher means Daluiso is the new leader in Utah, and Daluiso means promising big-play receivers Owens and Doleman have to go. Rich makes up for the Bees missing out on Rex Beers to Columbus in the 4th round two drafts ago.
5.22 - TE - Rich Esquivel, Oregon State - Back to the big schools, Utah makes what could be another misstep here. With no immediate trade interest, Utah feels the pressure and makes a need-based selection. There are some good signs about him, but there are some at least as good signs about other TEs taken later in the game. We'll look for him to play a blocking role. The right move here would have been to find a trade taker.
6.15 - FB - Kerry Duran, Georgia - How does a 5'9, 238 lb fullback has the 6th-best agility score in the entire draft at 6.98? Monstrous quick. He could move to TE, where he'd be an affinity...It'll be a tough call. I expect him to replace Sammie Clinton at FB. Not something we necessarily envisioned happening, but it's how the draft shook out.
6.25 - S - J.J. Whalen, Boston College - Here's where things get interesting. Instead of picking quality and need, Utah throws more and more darts at their secondary. Two Whalen clones were selected in the sixth and seventh rounds last year by Utah, and you have to wonder how they'll make space for all of them. I don't know, either. But solid players at say, RB at this point in the draft, would probably struggle to unseat my current guys. Whalen, could be a home run.
7.24 - OLB - Colin Bauer, Oklahoma State - Another home run or bust guy. Utah decides to take a shot at a pass rushing LB of the future. Bauer is a tweener, which isn't a good sign, and I have no idea if he'll be a decent player or not. It seems to me that I'll either strike gold and he turns out a monster off the edge....or he'll be pre-pre-season cut material. This need wouldn't even be here if I hadn't let WLB Percy Hampton go to Gainesville. 2018 was a year where I didn't do much thinking, apparently.
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In the end, we're still searching for that dynamite CB and RB. A lot of hope will be put on the shoulders of Ken Schacht and Glen Plummer, and equally, in the young group of corners and safeties we have accumulated in the past two drafts: Kevin Cate (CB), Don Berlat (SS), Chuck Horton (CB), Kirk Marsh (CB/S?), and J.J. Whalen (S).
We addressed some of those needs early - WR & DT - but after that, the philosophy became what it was last year. "Throw as many DBs as the wall from the late rounds, and see what sticks." It's gettin' crowded back in thurrr.
1.14 - WR - Colin Fletcher, Stanford - We would have been happy with Fletch or Knight at 22, but of course didn't know if both would make it. If neither did, it would've left us really hangin'. Fletcher brings some dynamism to the Bees offense, and takes some of the pressure off of Alvin "No Hands" Foley. Randy Boone has to be happy about this.
2.18 - DT - Lance Orbik, Ole Miss - The Bees send a strong message to serviceable, but disappointing Don Ilardi. The miffed former first-rounder, picked under a previous administration (so to speak; "CPU"), has already requested a trade both privately and publicly. He helps solidify the front seven at Utah in a big, big way.
3.20 - OG - Bryce Forbes, Colorado State - Very disappointing here for Utah, who wanted either Billy Joe McCarthy (RB) or CB Blake Everett at this spot. Guard wasn't an eminent need by any means, as there is a serious glut of promising youth there on the team. Still, we feel that Forbes has home run potential, and that's what we are going for here.
4.27 - CB - Kirk Marsh, West Virginia - A fine consolation prize for Everett a round later, and coveted by at least one team (Columbus ;)) with the pick immediately after. Utah has more need at corner than safety in the secondary, so he likely stays at CB despite looking like a better S at this point. This'll allow Utah to show a lot more Nickel and Dime looks.
5.15 - WR - Richie Carlisle, Marshall - Fletcher means Daluiso is the new leader in Utah, and Daluiso means promising big-play receivers Owens and Doleman have to go. Rich makes up for the Bees missing out on Rex Beers to Columbus in the 4th round two drafts ago.
5.22 - TE - Rich Esquivel, Oregon State - Back to the big schools, Utah makes what could be another misstep here. With no immediate trade interest, Utah feels the pressure and makes a need-based selection. There are some good signs about him, but there are some at least as good signs about other TEs taken later in the game. We'll look for him to play a blocking role. The right move here would have been to find a trade taker.
6.15 - FB - Kerry Duran, Georgia - How does a 5'9, 238 lb fullback has the 6th-best agility score in the entire draft at 6.98? Monstrous quick. He could move to TE, where he'd be an affinity...It'll be a tough call. I expect him to replace Sammie Clinton at FB. Not something we necessarily envisioned happening, but it's how the draft shook out.
6.25 - S - J.J. Whalen, Boston College - Here's where things get interesting. Instead of picking quality and need, Utah throws more and more darts at their secondary. Two Whalen clones were selected in the sixth and seventh rounds last year by Utah, and you have to wonder how they'll make space for all of them. I don't know, either. But solid players at say, RB at this point in the draft, would probably struggle to unseat my current guys. Whalen, could be a home run.
7.24 - OLB - Colin Bauer, Oklahoma State - Another home run or bust guy. Utah decides to take a shot at a pass rushing LB of the future. Bauer is a tweener, which isn't a good sign, and I have no idea if he'll be a decent player or not. It seems to me that I'll either strike gold and he turns out a monster off the edge....or he'll be pre-pre-season cut material. This need wouldn't even be here if I hadn't let WLB Percy Hampton go to Gainesville. 2018 was a year where I didn't do much thinking, apparently.
--
In the end, we're still searching for that dynamite CB and RB. A lot of hope will be put on the shoulders of Ken Schacht and Glen Plummer, and equally, in the young group of corners and safeties we have accumulated in the past two drafts: Kevin Cate (CB), Don Berlat (SS), Chuck Horton (CB), Kirk Marsh (CB/S?), and J.J. Whalen (S).
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