Gil Brandt: Raiders Comfortable With Montez Sweat But He’s Off Half The League’s Draft Boards
April 23rd, 2019
Montez Sweat
Very telling stuff last night from Hall of Fame NFL scouting godfather Gil Brandt.
As usual, Brandt was sharing his unique insight and connections on SiriusXM NFL Radio, which included a conversation with the Raiders trainer as well as athletic freak defensive end prospect Montez Sweat himself.
The Mississippi State edge rusher has a heart condition detected at the NFL Scouting Combine this year. Details have not been made public, but it was not significant enough for the NFL to tell him he couldn’t participate in the pre-draft underwear Olympics.
Sweat is considered a top-5-overall-pick talent; and the Bucs own the No. 5 overall pick.
Brandt said he personally talked to Sweat on Friday and his grandparents are yearning to attend the draft in Nashville but Sweat won’t go to Nashville because he is too fearful of not getting drafted. Per Brandt, Sweat’s grandparents “Deborah and Charles” raised him “are heartsick” about missing the draft, but Sweat said he just can’t stomach the thought of not getting drafted because of his health situation.
Brandt added he is confident Sweat is off half the draft boards across the NFL because of his health.
The Raiders, however, are on board with believing Sweat is medically sound, per Brandt’s comments about talking directly with the Raiders’ trainer.
Joe will assume the Bucs pass on Sweat. If there’s no consensus on Sweat by team doctors around the NFL, then why not just go with the healthy player at No. 5 overall? Perhaps the Bucs will get lucky and the Raiders will take Sweat.
Brandt believes Alabama DT Quinnen Williams will be off the board in the first three picks and DE Josh Allen and Sweat will be there at No. 4 overall when Oakland is on the clock.
April 23rd, 2019 at 10:13 am
So Brandt has no idea if he’s off half the boards just guessing. Yep, sounds like most analysts these days
Hard to knock the player when he had double digit sacks in back to back seasons in the SEC. while Q Williams only started one year…
Draft either Sweat or White and the d improves immediately
April 23rd, 2019 at 10:13 am
I have zero confidence in Licht’s drafting abilities. Maybe BA or Bowles can provide better evaluation. All I know is that Bucs need lots of defensive players, both starters and for depth.
April 23rd, 2019 at 10:16 am
EO @ 5…and trade into late 1st if he he there
April 23rd, 2019 at 10:23 am
All draft analysis is a guess.
An educated guess perhaps, but a guess nonetheless. Which is what makes it fun.
Hopefully lady luck will shine on the bucs Thusday.
April 23rd, 2019 at 10:23 am
AlteredEgo Says: Your comment is awaiting moderation. Says:
April 23rd, 2019 at 10:16 am
EO @ 5…and trade into late 1st if he he there
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100% agree with AlteredEgo post.
April 23rd, 2019 at 10:33 am
The “Surprise Pick” that the Raiders have teased about with their 4th Pick will be Sweat, allowing Josh Allen, Q. Williams, or maybe even Bosa, to drop to us. Gruden has Always been enamored with Combine numbers and Freakish Athletic “Potential” and because of that Gruden will select Sweat…. in my humble opinion.
April 23rd, 2019 at 10:36 am
Maybe Gruden will trade up to the Bucs and have back to back picks…
Bucs get Raiders 2 late 1st round picks and the Raiders 2nd round pick…..
how’s that for gristle week ?
April 23rd, 2019 at 10:38 am
C’mon Chucky, show us how much you love us one more top by messing up your 1st pick and giving us an elite prospect!
April 23rd, 2019 at 10:39 am
Take no chances about guessing what the Raiders will do. Just ship off a second rounder to the Jets and move up to #3. Draft Quinnen Williams and thank heaven you just got the best DT since Aaron Donald was drafted.
Don’t over think it, don’t try to get cute, don’t over analyze it or try to predict what other teams will do. No risk it, no Quinnen Williams.
Get it done. Enough p-ssy footing around.
April 23rd, 2019 at 10:40 am
Fingers crossed for Josh Allen.
April 23rd, 2019 at 10:47 am
Sweat is getting drafted, he just doesn’t want the cameras in his face if he starts to slide. Can’t say I blame him.
April 23rd, 2019 at 10:48 am
The whole Q Williams love is hilarious especially how people hype up a player who was a one year starter
April 23rd, 2019 at 10:54 am
Talk up here in the ATL is that the Falcons are strongly considering mortgaging the farm to get the #3 from the Jets. Quinn and Dimitrov are in WIN NOW mode, as Licht should be….Would be just our luck we stand still and the Dirty Birds get Quinnen Williams to destroy our O-Line for years to come.
pistol
April 23rd, 2019 at 10:54 am
ed oliver @5 is the best bet!!!!!
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!!
April 23rd, 2019 at 11:01 am
pistol pete
i hear ya…..i have a friend who’s a dirty bird fan and he told me the falcons need/want someone to pair with grady jarrett….their targeting q.williams as you mentioned or ed oliver…..simmons is on their minds too, but they want someone that can come in and help immediately….
imo, if they trade up for QW we have to select ed oliver….
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!!
April 23rd, 2019 at 11:13 am
I wouldn’t mind us drafting Sweat.
April 23rd, 2019 at 11:16 am
For some reason I thought the draft was at like 5 mountain time but it’s 6 thank god. Picking my wife up from DIA at 5 from her training in FL and going straight to Hooters.
She has no idea how crazy I’ve gone with this draft. She knows this time of year is bad for me – but it’s been really bad this season lol. Who knows how many first-pick.com mocks I’ve done late at night for absolutely no reason.
I’ve told her about the stick carriers and podcast and we have wanted to try and go but every year seems to be crazy with some life thing (this time her getting fired but luckily getting this new job). I still can’t believe the recent story out there with JP. Last thing I ever saw coming.
Either way I hope you guys have an awesome time and it’s nice that fans have found a way to have fun and connect regardless of the miserable product that the Glazers have put out for us each year.
Should make for a lot of debate / heated freak outs when the selection goes in.
GO BUCS!
April 23rd, 2019 at 11:18 am
Secretariat had a large heart too…
April 23rd, 2019 at 11:23 am
Raiders won’t grab Sweat but Atlanta will, and I’m afraid the dude will wreak havoc on us for years to come just like the Saints Marcus Davenport will do starting this season.
Yeah, we don’t need an edge rusher. We need a backup DT behind Vea, Allen, and Gholston. or a run stopping ILB while the league continues to throw deep. Makes sense …but hey, this is the Bucs.
April 23rd, 2019 at 11:24 am
We have needs everywhere….that being said it would not kill me to take the OT from UF at 5. Our depth at Tackle sucks, Dotson goes down what the heck do we do? God forbid Donovan goes down…#blindside.
This is a robust draft from the defensive side of the football, there will be talent there in rounds 2-4 that can help shore things up on the D line/LB.
pistol
April 23rd, 2019 at 11:34 am
@catcard LOL
Was thinking that the other day.
It weighed 22 pounds and the normal heart size for a horse is 8lbs.
If he does slide down the board and we have picked Ed Oliver or by some miracle Q Williams, I would trade my 2nd and 3rd for Sweat and walk away happy honestly.
Bucs D Line would be SICK and the CBs and Safties we have now would do for 1 year.
April 23rd, 2019 at 11:53 am
Starting to worry/think they will ignore OG early because they want Cappa to work at OG.. He was a 3rd round pick.
Earl Warford sucks per everything I’ve read.
Lord Corn realistic no trade down at 5 dream draft with big 3 gone:
1. Ed Oliver DT
2>Trade back for another 3 since depth at both S and interior OL is great in R2 so we have another 3 picks in the 2nd/3rd>
take BPA at OG, hybrid SS, & OLB/DE with those 3 picks… i.e.
OG/C Elgton Jenkins / SS Darnel Savage / OLB/DE Jachai Polite
possibly substitute CB for SS
But basically the idea is adding a playmaker at each level of the defense and solidifying the O-line. Not sure what more we can ask for in one draft
April 23rd, 2019 at 12:49 pm
O & D lines
picks 1 thru 4
after that have your look at me… I am a genius picks Jason…
April 23rd, 2019 at 1:03 pm
LC
have faith brother….lol…
i dont think they will ignore it…..BA loves offense and we have to have decent protection up front to be productive….imo, i think they ignore the secondary knowing thats TB’s specialty…..maybe draft a DB in the final 2 rounds but nothing before then…..
im thinking, hoping, praying (lol) earl warford provides us with similar production just as joe hawley did when we signed him…..i never thought he was going to be as solid as he was…..everything i read said he was washed up….he got back with a familiar system and did a nice job imo…..
but we knew hawley wasnt the long term answer and instead of drafting a C, so the rookie can learn and adapt to the speed of the game, we slide marpet to C and force benenoch to play out of position…..creating yet another hole…..
the bucs problem has been waiting to fill a hole knowing that it will be created…..we took a step in the right direction by draft VV to replace GMC…..but now, we have beau allen….instead of playing this season with beau as a starter, we should select ed oliver…..that way we’re filling a hole before its actually created…..
same with the OLB position…..we signed shaq barrett to a 1year deal but (just for example)we should select jachi polite to fill his hole once he isnt resigned or at the worse re sign barrett while polite could serve as good quality depth…..
same with OG…..even tho we have earl warford, we should still select elgton jenkins or tytus howard…..
i think we get 3 starters with our first 3 picks…..DT, G,DE/OLB
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!!
April 23rd, 2019 at 1:41 pm
Joe, I believe that the former Mississippi State strength and conditioning coach is now with the Bucs. He should be able to give us the inside dirt on Sweat.
April 23rd, 2019 at 2:28 pm
“The Godfather” is pretty plugged in so if he says half the league has Sweat off their board I’ll take him at that. I can not imagine a player getting selected in the top 10 who is off half the leagues boards. The point is that the discovery of the heart condition is significant enough to have NFL teams who will not take him at any portion of the draft. Those players typically fall into the second round AT THE LEAST so I would expect the Bucs to get a second crack at Sweat at the top of the 2nd and would be shocked if the Raiders did anything crazy if they too know that Sweat’s stock has since tanked.
Remember, Bucs pick Gaines Adams died of an undetected heart condition early in his playing career.
April 23rd, 2019 at 5:17 pm
I’m afraid Oliver ends up playing for an NFC South opponent just Like MCCaffrrey. Maybe even on the same team! (That would really send me into a tailspin of deep depression)
April 23rd, 2019 at 5:19 pm
Ed Oliver looks like a great player, just hearing him in interviews and watching how serious a guy he is makes me want him. He looks so mature compared to some of the other highly touted draft prospects. Thats the kind of player we need, not a freak athlete that doesn’t have his head into the game. He sounds like he literally wants to prove he’s great. Some of the other guys brag and boast how great they are but as soon as they get into the league they aren’t ready to compete with the man-beasts.