Man! 3 wks till draft...

[medaille]

I'll strongly disagree that elite safety play is as paramount to defensive success as a trenches player, pass rusher, or corner. I just think you can find safeties anywhere and thats evidenced by good safeties being available in free agency every year due to teams not wanting to pay them BECAUSE they can find safeties anywhere. You can convert corners to safety. It's why I always say, unless I'm getting a Sean Taylor type talent at the position, I'd be hard pressed to use a 1st round pick on a safety

I don't think what the rest of the NFL does really applies to Flores, who intentionally differs from what the rest of the league does.

What Flores needs are different, so I think scheme fits are probably more important than necessarily how well they rank on big boards.

I do agree that the trenches in general are most important and the secondary can whither a little bit, as the goal is to have the pressure get home before the secondary has time to fail, but I think Safeties are probably the second most important position on the defense (behind the edges) as they make the coverage more confusing to the offense.

If Downs falls to within our reach, I think he's a no brainer pick.  Other than that I think there's several DTs that offer both pass rush and run defense which I think fits what we want to do a lot.

[pattersaur]

Just because we got by last year with solid CB play from a small gaggle of guys playing over their heads, I'm not sure why that would prevent us from taking a top CB in the draft if that's BPA.

Flores had Xavien Howard playing like the best CB in the league when he was HC of the fish. We've had some huge swings and misses at CB in the early rounds of the draft the past 10ish years for sure, maybe this time would be different lol.

[medaille]

Just because we got by last year with solid CB play from a small gaggle of guys playing over their heads, I'm not sure why that would prevent us from taking a top CB in the draft if that's BPA.

Flores had Xavien Howard playing like the best CB in the league when he was HC of the fish. We've had some huge swings and misses at CB in the early rounds of the draft the past 10ish years for sure, maybe this time would be different lol.

IDK, it kind of feels like every year here, he's been filling the CB room with guys from the bargain bin.  I think we're at the point where it's a trend and that's just what he does.

[MaroonBells]

IDK, it kind of feels like every year here, he's been filling the CB room with guys from the bargain bin.  I think we're at the point where it's a trend and that's just what he does.

I don't disagree. The pass defense stats seem to suggest he knows what he's doing. This is why IMO it was so important to keep Flo. Without him, first thing you have to do is go get some better corners.

[JimmyinSD]

I'll strongly disagree that elite safety play is as paramount to defensive success as a trenches player, pass rusher, or corner. I just think you can find safeties anywhere and thats evidenced by good safeties being available in free agency every year due to teams not wanting to pay them BECAUSE they can find safeties anywhere. You can convert corners to safety. It's why I always say, unless I'm getting a Sean Taylor type talent at the position, I'd be hard pressed to use a 1st round pick on a safety

you have to spend to get,  if you want a shot at the next great S,  then you likely need to go first round or very early 2nd round to get that guy,  I will take a great multi role player over guys that are locked into smaller roles due to the ability to move other pieces around as a result.  I think its pretty shortsighted to pass on a very talented player at a position of need,  simply because its easy to find average talent at that position.  I hate the idea of taking a RB in the first,  but I acknowledge that there are some that you make exceptions for,  a good/great S is certainly harder to find than a great RB or WR and provide more to a teams over all success.  WR is becoming another position that seems to be getting easier and easier to strike gold on,  dont really see that as a premium pick anymore either except for the fact that you can get them on the cheap whereas teams are overpaying for mediocracy in FA at that position now as well. 

as far as S from corners.... some,  but maybe they were miscast as Corners to begin with.  Typically corners arent nearly as willing to hit as Safeties are and less physical in getting off blocks and making tackles at the LOS,  some make the switch but most are not very good at the position.