If the Vikings do pick at #23...

I am alright moving down if it is a plus-plus trade... for example, in my mock I have the Vikings moving down to #31 and picking up SF's #90 pick and still landing DT Newton. But they have to land a Newton-level player at #31 and not a Cine-level one this time. And the #23 trade essentially becomes moving up 11 spots while getting a 2024 3rd and giving up a 2025 2nd. Questionable value but it could work.

While I would agree a DT (Newton most likely) and EDGE (possibly Latu if teams shy away from medicals) would be good value picks at #23 - especiallly for our roster - it's the sunk cost that we've poured into #23 that puts somewhat of a damper on it for me...

Right now, that #23 picks contains the value of 42nd pick in 2024 and a 2nd Rd pick in 2025; will the DT/EDGE prospect selected there - let's say Jer'Zhan Newton - have enough of an impact during his first 4 (or 5) seasons to jusify that much Draft capital sunken into that pick? If he turns out to be a Dexter Lawrence/Quinnen Williams/Christian Wilkins type of player, then the answer is quite possibly "yes", especially given the lack of really good interior DL pass-rushers in the NFL and much the good ones are coveted/paid...

...but Newton profiles as more of a Grady Jarrett-type of penetrating 3T in a 4-3 (like Floyd was on Zimmer's 4-3 DL front) than a stout 3-4 DE that holds his own against the run inside and can rush the passer from the interior, and I'm not sure that the DL front Flores runs plays to his strengths, especially since it's quite possible we could get a 3T-type of prospect in Rd 3 if we tradeback out of #23 to acquire that Rd 3 pick...or we could select a DT like Kris Jenkins after the tradeback (possibly less pass-rush juice on the inside, but more of a higher DT/DE floor) along with another LOS prospect in Rd 3.

I guess it's the old question: would you have rather have "Player A" in Rd 1, or "Player B" in Rd 2 and "Player C" in Rd 3?

Hm? We seem to mostly agree on who to take at #23.

While I'm not saying that Chop is Hunter, people said the same thing about Hunter comin' out of LSU - all traits without the production. Odafe Oweh - another traits-based EDGE (ironically also out of Penn St) - was taken at the back-end of Rd 1 by Baltimore in 2021 and started out solid, had a bit of a "Sophomore slump" in 2022, but seemingly turned the corner in 2023 into the prospect they thought he was; the 'ol "broke out in season 3" trend that traits-based players have when you take them. 

If Latu is there at #23 - who oddly enough has a similar profile as Jaelen Phillips (whom Flores drafted in 2021) - and he follows a similar career-arc to Phillips in the NFL (so-so rookie year and broke out in Yr 2), would you rather have just him at #23, or Chop (who profiles similar to Oweh, who broke out in Yr 3) AND another Top 100 pick in Rd 3 from the tradedown? You're basically saying that you'd rather have the breakout year for the EDGE occur in Yr 2 vs Yr 3 with the value of another solid player in Rd 3 that could provide value in Yr 2/Yr 3, as well. 

While I definitely love a breakout EDGE player in Yr 2 like Phillips and possibly Latu, for the sake of the entire roster, I think I'll rely on Greenard/Van Ginkle holding down the EDGE fort for 2024/2025 while Chop takes depth snaps those years before he starts in 2026 and add another Rd 3 selection to the roster. 

I just happen to disagree that either are DT1's in other Drafts.

Top DT's in the last 5 Drafts:
2023: I wouldn't take either over Jalen Carter, but I would over Calijah Kancey
2022: I personally feel both are DT3 behind Devonte Wyatt who was DT2 that year
2021: No DT's in Rd 1 and Christian Barmore was DT1 in Rd 2, and I still would have taken Barmore ahead of Murphy & Newton
2020: Kinlaw has been a bust, but at the time of the Draft they were probably DT3 behind Derrick Brown & Kinlaw
2019: Probably one of the best interior DL Drafts in a while with 5 DT's going from #3 to #19 and they likely would have been DT6 and DT7 ahead of Tillery

I think Murphy & Newton might stand out a bit (like Kancey did last year) because the quality of interior DT's with 6'3" 300 lb+ 33"+ that can play the run & pass has gone downhill significantly, which is why those teams that have them aren't letting them hit the open market (w/ the exception of Wilkins because Miami couldn't afford it cap-wise). Taking a top DT in a DT class that doesn't have any Wilkins/Brown/J Carter feels a bit like overdrafting...

My point is that you guys seem to hate trading for #23 if it doesn't end up getting bundled into a trade up for a QB.

I think the Defensive Players at #23 are significantly better than the ones at #42. So I won't be too upset if #23 gets used on a Defender because Kwesi decided not to overpay for McCarthy.

And Uncle, we simply disagree on Interior Players on both sides of the Line. Something fundamentally different about how you and I evaluate those positions versus most of the rest.

In regards to Robinson I agree about the ceiling. But Teams have been chasing the next Hunter since he hit and 80% of the freaks with below average production have not panned out. I'd hate to see him with the Lions in case he doe hit, but I'm not spending a 1st on him. Especially since he doesn't hold a candle to Danielle against the run.

Verse if he is there! A small trade back would be great as long as we stay in first round. DL would also be great, Murphy or Newton. I dont think Latu would be a good move, awesome talent but medicals make me say elsewhere.