Re: New Orleans Saints' biggest steal, reach in the 2016 NFL draft
 

Doesn't matter. To call him a reach is ridiculous.

Re: New Orleans Saints' biggest steal, reach in the 2016 NFL draft
 

its just an opinion that all as i said. he gets a lets sit back and see rating in my book.

as far as ridiculous? time will tell and i stand by what i said during the draft

with that said i will be cheering the draft on to make me eat crow.

Re: New Orleans Saints' biggest steal, reach in the 2016 NFL draft
 

Right after the draft, I went back and watched quite a bit of Rankins tape @ Louisville. NEVER once did I see him get shut down. Not once. The guy consistently beats the man in front of him (see Senior bowl before the knee injury). He has shown just about every thing you can (combine, Senior bowl, & more importantly game footage) see as a top notch interior D tackle.

You could be right that everyone did not see him as the #1 DT but I'm sure he was high on a lot of NFL teams draft board based on team need. Rankins could easily become an animal on that D line.

I don't see him as a reach at all.

Re: New Orleans Saints' biggest steal, reach in the 2016 NFL draft
 

Fixed that for you

Re: New Orleans Saints' biggest steal, reach in the 2016 NFL draft
 

The only reach I see might have been Onyemata......but not much. The sky is the limit for that ultra talented young man. If he gets in some snaps and hones his skills this year he'll be a valuable asset next year. What else do you want from a fourth round draft choice? Oh, and Lasco was a steal!!! he could lead this team in jersey sales for years.

Re: New Orleans Saints' biggest steal, reach in the 2016 NFL draft
 

watch him struggle to shed blocks in games against Florida State and Texas A&M.

Worse case? Another Sedrick Ellis? Do not see see it
Best case? Another Arron Donald? Do not see it
Media favorite comparison? Another Kawann Short? I do not see it.
So were will he end up? this is what makes pre draft to the real world so much fun.


Will he be good? Probably
Will he be great? doubt it
Will he be all pro? seriously doubt it

I just do not see him as a corner stone of defense. A good piece for the sum of whole.

So he was a reach IMO at 12.

Draft ranking? mid 20s or lower. When the season ended he was a solid round two guy by most. Still think Kenny Clark was better player during the season than Rankings and if you want a quick big guy he was a safer pick.

Nick Fairley will make or break Rankings. Unless a quality starting NT drops from the sky. Do not put Rankings on the opposite side of Jordan. Sandwich him between Fairley and Jordan. That is what I am expecting

Rankings reminds me of Peat -
lacks a ‘mean streak’
standard run of the Mill ‘high floor low ceiling’ prospect.

That was basically how I saw this kid.

But he is saints now so saddle up the doggies and lets see what you got big boy. :bng:

Re: New Orleans Saints' biggest steal, reach in the 2016 NFL draft
 

Sometimes, a DT doesn't shed blocks due to sheme and the need to tie up blockers to allow the LB's to flow to the ball.