More great Draft analysis from Ryan that you won’t get anywhere else:
“An exciting weekend, even if my mock draft did go down in flames (at least I had 30 of the 32 players selected in the round correct—I’ll take solace in that). Before we get to the team-by-team stuff, some overall thoughts on the good and the bad of the draft.
What I Liked
-Gene Washington announcing the Los Angeles Raiders as on the clock to begin day 2 and then walking off the stage with a very sheepish look on his face.
-Suzy Kolber referring to Isaiah Stanback, the QB from the University of Washington, as “Isaiah Washington.”
-The elimination of the players’ roundtable set, which would feature Andrea Kremer and current players such as Corey Chavous and Jon Jansen evaluating the picks. It always seemed odd to me when these guys would criticize the picks other (and even their own) teams were making. I can’t imagine how this would endear them to their new teammates or provide their new opponents with motivation material.
-Michael Smith. Seemed to be on top of everything going on; I was very impressed by him on the whole (and he dressed a lot nicer than Trey Wingo as well).
-Roger Goodell offering Brady Quinn a private suite to wait in until he was drafted in order to avoid the prying eyes and cameras of ESPN and the NFL Network. A classy move.
What I Didn’t Like
-Brady Quinn taking Goodell up on his offer. Now, I can’t imagine the kind of emotional rollercoaster Quinn was going through, but everyone talks about how strong he was, sitting there gutting it out. Wouldn’t he have seemed even stronger if he had said to Goodell, “No thanks. I decided to attend the draft, and I knew something like this could happen. I’m going to sit here and wait it out like people in the past, and people at home currently are. My situation isn’t any more special than theirs.” Now that would have been impressive.
-Roger Goodell on the whole. I know it was his first draft, but I didn’t like the conversational “this is what you’ve been waiting for Raider fans” kind of thing that he did a few times before announcing the picks. He’ll improve, hopefully.
-Keyshawn Johnson. As much as I dislike Michael Irvin, at least he’s retired. Keyshawn still plays for a team, and his presence just felt awkward, not only because of things like Andy Reid’s inadvertent tampering (one of the other funnier moments during the day) but also because of the lovefest he had with Raiders coach Lane Kiffin (another USC guy) during the teleconference. No professionalism there at all.
-The lack of analysis regarding day 2 players. The highlight packages felt crammed into tiny blocks that were few and far between. Let Mel do his job! We get it, the Pats traded for Randy Moss—move on.
-The length. It was the longest first round ever, and it certainly felt like it as day 1 extended past 11 PM. I don’t think we’ll see the picks in the first round being shortened from 15 minutes, though. Instead, perhaps the Commish will quietly tell teams that if they don’t have to take the full 15, then they shouldn’t, especially those teams that trade up for a pick: you clearly know who you’re going to take if you’re trading up—there’s no point in burning some additional time after the fact.
And now, onto the teams. These are just some overall thoughts on their picks—no point giving grades out the day after the pick, because those are really just based on pre-draft rankings, which are subjective anyway.
Arizona Cardinals
Levi Brown was their guy all along. They’re almost lucky Joe Thomas went at 3, because had they taken Brown over him, they probably would have been really hearing it today. Still, I really like this pick. Brown is a mauler who the Cards will be able to play on the right side of their line in order to protect Matt Leinart’s blind side and be a power blocker. Teams are best built from the lines out, so he was a good pick. Alan Branch, who slid out of the first round, I’m less enthused by. Maybe the slip will be a wake-up call to him. I like Buster Davis, a feisty, undersized linebacker who will be helped by having Branch and big-bodied Gabe Watson in front of him (even if those two guys just get in the way of people and don’t do much else). Steve Breaston is a very good return man, and that’s what he’ll focus on being behind Fitzgerald, Bolden, and Johnson, and Ben Patrick gives them a potential pass-catching tight end to pair up with the mountain Leonard Pope.
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons had their sites set on Brown or LaRon Landy, and with both of them gone, Jamaal Anderson became their guy. He’s an eye of the beholder type of player, but Atlanta felt strongly enough to take him here. He fills a need with Kearney gone and provides a lot of upside. I really liked their second round picks, Justin Blalock and Chris Houston. Blalock’s a masher who should fit the power running game Bobby Petrino wants to install. Houston’s a feisty man-to-man corner who should pair with DeAngelo Hall to give the Falcons, if nothing else, the most talkative corner tandem in the league. Another player of note was Daren Stone, a safety they took from Maine late in the draft. The only reason he’s of note is because after he was drafted, ESPN showed video of him jumping over a car (this must be on YouTube, right?). What an athlete. (Editor’s note: Yep, here and here. Good jumping.)
Baltimore Ravens
They tried hard to get Brady Quinn but ended up with Troy Smith four rounds later. It might be a blessing in disguise. I think Smith has some maturity issues (knowing he’d have a lot to prove at the combine, he still showed up out of shape, blaming the “banquet circuit”), but he’ll have time to develop behind McNair. This is a situation that bears watching. Ben Grubbs was a solid addition in the first round, which looked ever better when they grabbed a tackle prospect in Marshal Yanda. Yamon Figgins is a return man and nothing else, still his speed was hard to ignore in round three.
Buffalo Bills
A solid draft in terms of filling most of their needs (no corner?). Marshawn Lynch is rough around the edges off the field, but has the potential to be very good on it. As a very good outlet receiver, he will be J.P. Losman’s best friend. Paul Posluszny is a possible steal in round two. People claim that he’s stiff, but that’s because he played last year at less than 100%; if he regains his form, he’s the long-term answer at any linebacker spot for the Bills. Dwayne Wright is another guy who could be real good if he’s at 100%. I also liked the pick of Trent Edwards as a developmental QB behind Losman (who, lets be honest, is still a bit of a developmental QB himself). (Editor’s note: check the stats and ask someone who saw him all year on that one.)
Carolina Panthers
I like what the Panthers did in rounds 2 and 3 better than round 1 (aside from trading down). Jon Beason is a heady, speedy linebacker, but I’m not sure he can play the middle like Carolina might want him to. The Panthers got a pair of USC steals in round two with Dwayne Jarrett (who I am a believer in) and Ryan Kalil. Charles Johnson, who came out early, was also an excellent pick in round 3. Tim Shaw is another guy to keep an eye on as a linebacker. He has a great motor and played out of position all year because the coaches asked him to, no doubt damaging his draft stock. That’s a solid team guy.
Chicago Bears
Greg Olsen fell into their lap at pick 31, where he represented great value. He’s another weapon for Rex Grossman, who could really use one. Dan Bazuin is a quick end who can get after the passer—something the Bears on the whole actually struggled with last year. Garrett Wolfe should provide a good change of pace for Cedric Benson, but expect him to be limited otherwise. He was a reach in the third round, especially considering the Bears won’t need to use him as a returner.
Cincinnati Bengals
I thought this draft was pretty ho-hum. Leon Hall dropped to them (probably due to his lack of recovery speed), but represented a solid pick at 18. Kenny Irons had the talent to go in the first round but has big injury questions—something he shares with their current running back Chris Perry (who actually did go in the first round a couple years back). I’m surprised they didn’t go defense again early on, particularly looking for a playmaker at linebacker.
Cleveland Browns
Count me among the people who liked the Browns’ move to get Brady Quinn. Neither Charlie Frye nor Derek Anderson are franchise quarterbacks, which means the Browns would have been looking for one next season with their top pick. If it’s in the top ten, as expected, they’d be paying that guy a whole lot more than Quinn, who was taken 22 overall, and would be an additional year behind in their rebuilding process. Real solid move by the Browns. As was taking Joe Thomas at 3—Brady Quinn would have been no good to them at that spot if they didn’t have anyone to keep him upright. Eric Wright was also very good value in round 2. He had character concerns at USC but stayed clean after transferring to Vegas, of all places. Look for him to keep it up in the pros.
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys played the draft (and unfortunately, my Eagles) very well. They were prepared to take Anthony Spencer at 22, and essentially traded down four spots, gave up third and fifth round picks, and picked up a first rounder next year while still getting their guy. Real shrewd move. Spencer should thrive in Wade Phillips’s version of the 3-4, even if he won’t be an every-down linebacker just yet. They also picked up a couple tackles, one (James Marten) who’s a good run blocker and another (Doug Free) who’s adept at pass protecting, that provided good value.
Denver Broncos
A lot of people talk about Brian Billick as egotistical (which he is—as are most head coaches, they have to be to survive), but for my money, no one has brass ones like Mike Shanahan. The Broncos needed to improve their pass rush, and added talented ends Jarvis Moss and Tim Crowder. Moss is light, had off-field issues, and can’t do much aside from rush the passer, but he sure has the speed to drive tackles crazy. Crowder is an underachiever. Throw in defense tackle Marcus Thomas—who was kicked off Florida’s team twice—and there are a lot of question marks there. I do like the addition of Ryan Harris, an offensive tackle who should thrive in Denver’s zone blocking scheme.
Detroit Lions
They did the right thing taking Calvin Johnson. Past draft mistakes shouldn’t dictate present decisions. Johnson was the best player, so they took him. That offense should be downright scary, especially considering they added Tatum Bell and TJ Duckett to balance the workload in the backfield. I’m less enthused by Drew Stanton, who’s a gamer, but I question his ability in Mike Martz’s offense. Defensive end Ikaika Alma-Francis is a good project for Rod Marinelli, one of the best D-line coaches in the league before taking the Detroit head coaching job, to work on.
Green Bay Packers
I don’t get the Justin Harrell pick—I said he was going to go higher than expected, but I didn’t think this high. I’m all for taking the best player on the board, but the Packers had serious needs on offense that pretty much went unaddressed this weekend. Greg Olsen would have made more sense in round one for them. I’m not sure Brandon Jackson can be a difference maker at running back, so unless they swing a trade for Michael Turner (who according to reports is staying put), Brett Favre could be coming back for another long season.
Houston Texans
At least David Carr can take a sigh of relief that the Texans are inclined to give Matt Schaub as much help as they gave him—i.e., none. Amobi Okoye offered great value at 10 in round one. I can’t argue with that pick, he and Mario Williams should terrorize teams for the next decade together. Jacoby Jones is a sleeper at wide receiver, but he won’t be able to step in at contribute right away. Also, there was no improvement of the offensive line. If Schaub had been dying for some game action the last few years, he should get ready—he’ll have a lot headed his way soon.
Indianapolis Colts
I think they had one of the best drafts. Anthony Gonzalez is a very underrated player who should thrive in their offense. Everyone wants to talk about Ted Ginn’s amazing speed, but when Troy Smith needed to make a play, he looked Gonzalez’s way. I also like the trade for Tony Ugoh. The Colts’ top pick next year should be in the low 20s, and to have your left tackle of the future learn for a year so he can step in seamlessly is smart, planning-ahead football—something winning teams do. Much was made of the Colts losing Nick Harper and Jason David in free agency, but they grabbed a very good one in Daymeion Hughes in round 3. This was a guy who was projected in round 1 before he ran a terribly slow 40. He’ll be a perfect fit for the Colts’ cover 2 defense. Great selection.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Like Dallas, Jacksonville pulled a savvy trade in round one, dropping down four picks while still getting the guy they wanted (their payout wasn’t as good as Dallas’s though) in Reggie Nelson. Aside from that, I’m not seeing a whole lot that excites me or will help this team this season.
Kansas City Chiefs
For years, it has seemed like the Chiefs have been in need of a big, playmaker wide receiver—and for years, they’ve passed on taking one in the first round. Finally, they did, and Dwayne Bowe’s a good one. He’s got great size but slightly inconsistent hands. Still, I like the pick. Turk McBride, a high-motor defensive end, and Tank Tyler, a run-stuffing defensive tackle, were solid picks as well.
Miami Dolphins
Now this was the surprising one, eh? If Cam Cameron and Randy Mueller weren’t new to the Dolphins, I’d say Ted Ginn, Jr. might just get them fired (heck, he still could if he doesn’t pan out two years down the line). He’s all potential right now, and he’s also currently damaged goods. Still, apparently the grades the Dolphins had on Brady Quinn and John Beck weren’t too far apart, most likely less than the grades they had on Ginn versus any receiver available where they picked in round two. This pick could end up being a great one for the Dolphins, but if Ginn ia just a kick returner (which is how Cameron foolishly introduced the pick to a booing crowd), they’ll have a lot of explaining to do. I do like the pick of Lorenzo Booker, though, who also adds more speed to the Dolphins offense and should be a nice change of pace guy to Ronnie Brown. Also, kudos for taking Kelvin Smith. Go Orange!
Minnesota Vikings
I really like what the Vikings did. They stuck at seven and chose Adrian Peterson, arguably one of the three best prospects in the draft. Not only did they get him, but they grabbed Sidney Rice in the second round—a guy with great hands but questionable speed (the opposite of current Viking Troy Williamson, somewhat). If the Vikings do begin the year with Tavaris Jackson as their quarterback, they’ve at least tried to provide him with some desperately needed weapons (take note, Texans and Titans front offices). This team could surprise. Marcus McCauley, if he can play like his junior year of college, could also be a real solid addition too. Excellent job by them addressing their needs while getting good value.
New England Patriots
You can see my feelings on the Randy Moss trade below. I don’t really consider Brandon Meriweather, their number one pick, a big character risk, even if his best hit during his senior year occurred against a Florida International player lying on the ground. He’s a versatile player who can play some safety or corner. Aside from him, I don’t see a whole lot here.
New Orleans Saints
Robert Meachem fell into their laps, and was definitely a good value there, but this team had more pressing needs on defense. If Alan Branch does put things together in Arizona, the Saints will be kicking themselves for passing him up. Antonio Pittman was a good value where they got him, although he probably won’t see much time in the Saints backfield this season if Reggie Bush progresses as a runner (which he was pretty awful at last year on the whole).
New York Giants
I don’t like what the Giants did, even though I like Aaron Ross, the corner they took in the first round. Eli Manning isn’t going to get any better without some protection, and with Joe Staley (or even Ben Grubbs) on the board, one of them would have been a better pick. Steve Smith is a solid addition in round two, but I’m not sure he provides much of a difference from last year’s second rounder, Sinorice Moss. Kevin Boss was a nice pickup late, as a tight end with some physical skills (he led the Western Oregon basketball team in blocked shots this past year) and Zak DeOssie looks like a small school keeper as well.
New York Jets
Top-heavy year for the Jets. I like that they moved up to grab Darelle Revis, who many believed to be the best corner in the draft, and big run stuffing middle linebacker David Harris, who could have gone the middle of round one. Still, this team is not two players away; maybe they’ll find someone good in the rookie free agent pool, but otherwise they’ll need both these guys to make impacts right away.
Oakland Raiders
JaMarcus Russell scares me just a little bit. That being said, he was still the right pick at number one overall. The reason he scares me? He really was just a one-year wonder in school. He came in as a heralded recruit, didn’t do much at first, and had to fight to keep his job this past season. The big clip of the weekend was showing Russell throwing the ball 65 yards while kneeling. Big deal: they had the same clip for Kyle Boller a few years ago—how’d that turn out? I think the Raiders did a good job otherwise setting Russell up to succeed. Zach Miller is a good pass-catching tight end, and Michael Bush is a potential stud at running back if he can stay healthy (watch his clips and try not to think of a young, fast Jerome Bettis—his feet move so quickly for a man his size).
Philadelphia Eagles
I’m an Eagles fan—let’s get that out of the way. I’ve been thinking about the Eagles draft for the past couple days now, trying to figure out a way to rationalize it. I don’t mind the drafting of a quarterback—in fact, if the Eagles really were thinking about taking Kevin Kolb at 26, I’m happy they traded down (even if the Cowboys definitely got the better end of that trade). The perceived value of Kolb (at least by the Eagles) was higher than any safeties/cornerbacks left on the board at that point, so I’m fine with them selecting him—this team didn’t have any glaring needs anyway. Still, this will be the ultimate “wait three years to grade them” draft; the Eagles will either look real foolish or like geniuses. Regarding their other picks, Victor Abiamiri provides some nice depth at defensive end, with Jevon Kearse’s health in question, and Tony Hunt, a big back, should be a nice complement to Brian Westbrook (although I think Michael Bush has more upside—and more question marks, though). On the whole, not a lot to get excited about for Philly fans.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Lawrence Timmons was a guy who seemed earmarked to them for awhile, and he’ll step right into Joey Porter’s old spot. LaMarr Woodley is an excellent pass rusher, and if coach Mike Tomlin chooses to go to more 4-3 fronts, he could be a real asset. I also think Dallas Baker, who they grabbed at the end, could be a sleeper at wide receiver provided he stays healthy.
St. Louis Rams
I like the players they drafted, but I’m not sure how much I like them for the Rams’ scheme. Adam Carriker, an end in college, will most likely be moved to defensive tackle, which is good considering his lack of speed. Still, at 6’6”, 295, he’ll probably need to bulk up to play inside, and his big frame means it might take him some time learning to leverage himself on the inside. Brian Leonard is another guy I really liked, but once again, I’m not sure how he fits with Steven Jackson—as Leonard’s strengths as a running back (toughness, great hands, versatility) are the same as Jackson’s—but without Jackson’s speed. If the Rams just use him as a fullback, pass catcher, occasional rusher, it will be a shame. They would have been better served taking Ryan Kalil here (instead of Dustin Fry later) and grabbing a change of pace back later in the draft.
San Diego Chargers
Eric Weddle made a lot of people’s “all-underrated” teams heading into the draft weekend, but it doesn’t seem that way after the Chargers traded four picks to get him. Still, he fills a need, as does Craig Davis, a raw receiver with good down-the-field speed who should mesh nicely with the big targets Vincent Jackson and Malcolm Floyd that the Chargers have developed. Still, I’m not sure a shifty guy like Steve Smith wouldn’t have made more sense for them.
San Francisco 49ers
One of my other favorite drafts. Patrick Willis will be a beast on the inside of the 3-4, learning under Mike Singletary. He’ll also provide that defense with some leadership and intensity. They traded a number one in 2008 to take Joe Staley at 28, which I don’t have a problem with either. Their pick will no doubt be higher than 28, but having a left tackle to protect Alex Smith’s blind side this year is of greater importance. Jason Hill was a nice get in the third round if he can bounce back from a sub-par senior season.
Seattle Seahawks
A very ho-hum draft for the Seahawks after trading away their first rounder for Deion Branch. They grabbd Joseph Wilson, a smallish corner, in round 2 when some people thought he might sneak into the end of round 1, but other than that, I’m not enthused by much here.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs defense was aging rapidly, and I think they found some good fits in Gaines Adams, Quincy Black, and Tanard Jackson (go SU), who are athletic playmakers. Arron Sears should help the offensive line some, but they really could have used an offensive tackle, not a guard, and a playmaking wide receiver wouldn’t have hurt as well.
Tennessee Titans
Didn’t care for their draft at all. Michael Griffin is a solid-enough safety, who should start right away, but I think the Titans took him a few picks earlier than he would have gone otherwise. Chris Henry didn’t live up to his measurables in college, and he’s similar in size and build to last year’s second rounder, LenDale White (although not as soft around the middle). I’m not sure he’ll be the difference maker at the running back position they were looking for. After losing Drew Bennett and Bobby Wade to free agency, the Titans passed on adding a player like Bowe or Meachem in the first round. The receivers they took are all just OK—the Titans did this a few years ago, drafting Brandon Jones, Roydell Williams, et al, only to see none of them really pan out. I know last year it seemed like Vince Young won a lot of games on his own, this year they’re really going to be that way.
Washington Redskins
LaRon Landry looks like a stud, and he will hopefully be better (and make better) Sean Taylor, who’s had an inconsistent career. Still, with an awful pass rush last year, not taking Jamaal Anderson or Amobi Okoye could prove costly. The Redskins were otherwise pretty much out of the draft due to previous trades. I do like the addition of HB Blades late in the draft, as he should be able to learn from another undersized middle linebacker (London Fletcher), but aside from that, this draft doesn’t look too special.”
