[DYNASTY] 2010 Top 24 Rookies (1 Viewer)

[Cookiemonster]

Regarding Gilyard, I think he would fit in nicely as a WR2 in a downfield passing offense that relies on finesse WRs (like what the Colts do and what the Bears will do under Martz). He's never going to be a dominant WR1. If you drop him down, you have to put someone ahead of him. Who should be ahead of him? There just isn't much impressive talent this year outside the top 10-15.

True. I can think of 4 or 5 I'd list above him, but there really is a lack of players with much upside after about 15. Lots of low ceiling/high floor and even more low ceiling/low floor. Sprinkled in is a few HUGE risk/high reward.

 

[Rodeojones]

.

 

[kremenull]

Very nice prospect analysis and good list overall. Almost grudgingly, it seems, you have bumped up Benn and Tate from your previous rankings. I still think they warrant even higher rank, ahead of a marginal prospect like Hardesty, for sure. But you already addressed that already.

I believe that Eric Decker will be at least as good as say, Kevin Walter or Ricky Proehl, maybe turn into a Housh-type best-case. Yet, he gets no mention even in your 'Others' list. Are u totally disregarding this guy, even though he could quite possibly get drafted in the 3rd-4th Rd?

 

[EBF]

I believe that Eric Decker will be at least as good as say, Kevin Walter or Ricky Proehl, maybe turn into a Housh-type best-case. Yet, he gets no mention even in your 'Others' list. Are u totally disregarding this guy, even though he could quite possibly get drafted in the 3rd-4th Rd?

No, I just forgot about him.I agree with your take. He's a modest athlete with good size, hands, instincts, and intangibles. He'll make a team and become a decent depth guy, but there's not much upside.

 

[BeTheMatch]

I believe that Eric Decker will be at least as good as say, Kevin Walter or Ricky Proehl, maybe turn into a Housh-type best-case. Yet, he gets no mention even in your 'Others' list. Are u totally disregarding this guy, even though he could quite possibly get drafted in the 3rd-4th Rd?

No, I just forgot about him.I agree with your take. He's a modest athlete with good size, hands, instincts, and intangibles. He'll make a team and become a decent depth guy, but there's not much upside.

I'll continue to disagree on this one. Decker has plenty of upside. As does Dennis Pitta, who also got no mention at all in this thread.

 

[Crimson King]

I'm intrigued by the rankings of Jahvid Best here and elsewhere and am looking for some clarification. He's been ranked as high as the #1 back by Lammey and Waldman and as low as #4 or #5 by others. What I've seen on tape is a back with great vision (I think the best of this years group), exceptional lateral agility(also best of the group) and explosive speed (second only to spiller).

On the otherhand the injuries (particularly the concussion) are worrisome, but what really is bothering me is that i've been reading that he may be too small or has a slight frame that might preclude him from being as effective in the big league. The size thing just doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me when at the combine he measured 5'10" 199, which certainly isn't big, but is bigger than the 5'11" and 196 that Spiller measured in at and I don't see as many of the size comments used against Spiller. Are the size questions simply being used because of his injury history? Or do people really think he's too small to be more than a COP back?

Best is just a perplexing prospect for me. The more of him I watch, the more I become impressed with his overall skillset and natural run instincts. I think the kid chance to be really good.

However, I would love to hear from those who aren't as high on him in order to build a more complete picture. What does he lack that Spiller possesses? Why is it that he is unlikely to become more than a COP back? etc.

 

[Go deep]

I'm intrigued by the rankings of Jahvid Best here and elsewhere and am looking for some clarification. He's been ranked as high as the #1 back by Lammey and Waldman and as low as #4 or #5 by others. What I've seen on tape is a back with great vision (I think the best of this years group), exceptional lateral agility(also best of the group) and explosive speed (second only to spiller). On the otherhand the injuries (particularly the concussion) are worrisome, but what really is bothering me is that i've been reading that he may be too small or has a slight frame that might preclude him from being as effective in the big league. The size thing just doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me when at the combine he measured 5'10" 199, which certainly isn't big, but is bigger than the 5'11" and 196 that Spiller measured in at and I don't see as many of the size comments used against Spiller. Are the size questions simply being used because of his injury history? Or do people really think he's too small to be more than a COP back?Best is just a perplexing prospect for me. The more of him I watch, the more I become impressed with his overall skillset and natural run instincts. I think the kid chance to be really good. However, I would love to hear from those who aren't as high on him in order to build a more complete picture. What does he lack that Spiller possesses? Why is it that he is unlikely to become more than a COP back? etc.

His injury history is really the biggest problem.

 

[Crimson King]

By the way, great work as always EBF. I look forward to these rankings every April.

 

[EBF]

However, I would love to hear from those who aren't as high on him in order to build a more complete picture. What does he lack that Spiller possesses? Why is it that he is unlikely to become more than a COP back? etc.

This is a good question. He's actually a bit thicker than Spiller if you look at the height/weight. My hunch is that the gap between the two of them is a lot smaller than conventional wisdom would have you believe. I think this applies to all of the prospects in my top 6. The margins are pretty thin and I think who you draft will mostly be a matter of taste because you can find a flaw with all of these guys. I think Best has better lateral movement than Spiller. This is one of the most important skills at the RB position, so it might be something that we're too quick to gloss over. Spiller has better playing speed despite what their 40 times might say (although Best is still very fast). Spiller looks thicker in the lower body, although it might be a moot point since Best probably trumps him in the hips/balance departments. The main issue with Best is the durability. On the field he looks more like a CB than a RB and he has had trouble staying healthy. Were these fluke injuries? Maybe, but rightly or wrongly Best will be tagged as a committee back until he proves otherwise. Again, I think a Jamaal Charles comparison is warranted. They have a pretty similar overall package of skills. Best will be an effective player. The only question is whether or not he'll get the touches to be a RB1 in FF leagues. Spiller shares some of the same concerns, so maybe you're right in being puzzled by the disparity in their perceived value.

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

However, I would love to hear from those who aren't as high on him in order to build a more complete picture. What does he lack that Spiller possesses? Why is it that he is unlikely to become more than a COP back? etc.

This is a good question. He's actually a bit thicker than Spiller if you look at the height/weight. My hunch is that the gap between the two of them is a lot smaller than conventional wisdom would have you believe. I think this applies to all of the prospects in my top 6. The margins are pretty thin and I think who you draft will mostly be a matter of taste because you can find a flaw with all of these guys. I think Best has better lateral movement than Spiller. This is one of the most important skills at the RB position, so it might be something that we're too quick to gloss over. Spiller has better playing speed despite what their 40 times might say (although Best is still very fast). Spiller looks thicker in the lower body, although it might be a moot point since Best probably trumps him in the hips/balance departments. The main issue with Best is the durability. On the field he looks more like a CB than a RB and he has had trouble staying healthy. Were these fluke injuries? Maybe, but rightly or wrongly Best will be tagged as a committee back until he proves otherwise. Again, I think a Jamaal Charles comparison is warranted. They have a pretty similar overall package of skills. Best will be an effective player. The only question is whether or not he'll get the touches to be a RB1 in FF leagues. Spiller shares some of the same concerns, so maybe you're right in being puzzled by the disparity in their perceived value.

Solid breakdown there EBF. The only thing I would change from the Jamaal Charles comparison is that Charles is a bit more powerful in that he lowers his shoulder much more. But everything else is pretty spot on.

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

Spiller's first game vs Georgia Tech 20 for 87 4.4.....thats worse than many of the RB's above with more carries.

You fail to mention that he also had 69 yards receiving and a TD that game.All told vs. GT in 2 games...

40 carries for 320 yards (8 yards per carry)

5 catches for 74 yards

5 TDs

That's pretty elite.

As a Clemson homer, I will say that he played behind a garbage OL the past few years. His freshman year, the OL was very good and it showed with he and James Davis running wild. His YPC was 7.3 as a freshman and dropped after that, but he actually became a better RB. 4 of the 5 OL graduated after his freshman year, and they've been garbage since. His running ability though has improved quite a bit.

The breakdown was in regards to the Georgia Tech run D not being a juggernaut. It was in regards to run D, not pass D. But if you want to skew numbers to make yourself feel better in regards to spiller then do that. But look again, lots of runners had a ton of success on the ground vs Georgia Tech. It proves nothing when Caleb King averaged 9.2 a carry.

All performances vs Georgia Tech this season.

Brandon Wegher had his best game of the year vs them in the bowl game 16 113 7.1 td

vs Georgia Caleb King 18 for 166 2 td

Washaun Ealey had 20 for 183

Vandy had seven rushers with over a 5 yard per carry average

vs Va Tech Ryan Williams had 14 for 100 and a td.

vs Florida State Jermaine Thomas had 19 for 98 TD

Anthony Dixon 18 for 106

Graig Cooper 17 for 93 5.5

J. James 14 for 72 5.1

 

[mrgerty]

 

[Crimson King]

Great breakdown EBF. I don't want it to come across like I'm glossing over Best's injury history because I'm not and it is significant enough to be a red flag for those considering drafting him. However, I feel like those issues aside, I like him every bit as much as I do Spiller as a prospect and he just seems to be a much more natural runner. He took awhile to grow on me but the more I see the more I like. Just my two cents.

 

[EBF]

Great breakdown EBF. I don't want it to come across like I'm glossing over Best's injury history because I'm not and it is significant enough to be a red flag for those considering drafting him. However, I feel like those issues aside, I like him every bit as much as I do Spiller as a prospect and he just seems to be a much more natural runner. He took awhile to grow on me but the more I see the more I like. Just my two cents.

I like Best. I think he's going to be a good pro. The only limiting factor might be his workload. I could probably get on board with the idea that Spiller is overrated and Best underrated.

 

[Trent]

EBF what are your thoughts on Dennis Pitta the TE from BYU? I'm thinking if he goes in the 3rd or 4th round to a team lacking in Te production like Miami he could surprise. I have traded out of the 1st round this year and only have the 24th and 28th picks, I am hoping he lasts that long. Our league scoring heavily favors the position.

 

[EBF]

EBF what are your thoughts on Dennis Pitta the TE from BYU? I'm thinking if he goes in the 3rd or 4th round to a team lacking in Te production like Miami he could surprise. I have traded out of the 1st round this year and only have the 24th and 28th picks, I am hoping he lasts that long. Our league scoring heavily favors the position.

I think there are at least three low profile mid round TE prospects who could emerge from the 3rd-4th to become solid pros:Tony MoeakiGarrett GrahamDennis PittaAre these guys going to be superstars? No, but they may be talented enough to win a starting job somewhere and they all have the receiving skills to possibly become fringe TE1 options in FF leagues. Pitta is probably my least favorite of the trio, but he has some potential. He moves reasonably well and he has adequate height with good production. Bear in mind that he'll be a 25 year old rookie, so he had an age/maturity advantage over his college competition. I would say landing spot will be key. On a team with no quality options at TE he could become a factor in 2010 or 2011. Otherwise he's probably more of a backup/role player.

 

[Crimson King]

I'm not necessarily saying that I think Spiller is overrated, just that I think Best may be slightly underrated right now and offers many of the same things Spiller does.

 

[noneother]

.

 

[EBF]

A couple quick notes on the eve of the draft:

- I still think Bryant is the best skill player in the draft. He's the only one who looks like a can't-miss talent.

- That said, the decision at 1.01 might come down to Spiller/Mathews for a lot of teams because RBs carry more trade value than WRs in many leagues and are typically quicker to pay dividends. Why take Bryant when you can take Spiller/Mathews and then trade them for Dez + pieces next offseason? Spiller/Mathews is a tough debate. My take is that Spiller has more superstar potential, but that it comes coupled with more outright bust risk since he's a pretty atypical RB prospect. In some respects it reminds me of 2008, when Mendenhall/Stewart looked like safe picks while McFadden/Johnson were the high risk/reward guys. Johnson became the best of that quartet while McFadden became the worst. Stewart and Mendenhall both became solid pros, albeit a notch below the super elite. I might actually advocate Mathews over Spiller simply because I think you're less likely to regret drafting him. He will most likely become a fringe RB1 in FF leagues and hold top 30 trade value. Spiller has top 10 potential, but he could also slip into a Reggie/Felix type of supporting role. I would have a tough time pulling the trigger on him at the 1.01 despite his massive potential.

- The best value in the draft might come in the 1.04-1.06 range, where Demaryius Thomas and Jahvid Best offer difference maker potential without the can't-miss hype of the consensus top 3 picks (Mathews, Spiller, Bryant). I have said enough about Thomas on here. I think he'll be an above average #1 receiver in the NFL. Best has dynamic ability in a small frame. I wish he was 10-15 pounds heavier, but I still think he's one of the guys who could surprise people and become an instant star (maybe sort of like Portis or MJD). He's unlikely to be a complete bust and his risk/reward equation looks pretty similar to Spiller's, so I think he's definitely a potential bargain considering what he might cost.

- Upon further reflection and reading, I would have to rank Aaron Hernandez above Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham. He's a better receiver than either by a wide margin and while his lack of blocking skills might limit his playing time, I think he's more likely to become a startable TE in FF leagues (and he won't need years to develop like Graham).

- One guy that I overlooked a little bit is Eric Decker. I'm still not sold on him as a great pro prospect, but he probably has more FF value than guys like Gronkowski and Graham. What I like about him is that he's a reliable playmaker with a good frame and sneaky athleticism. He could become one of those guys like Kevin Walter or Nate Burleson who makes a solid living as a possession WR.

 

[Unwrittenlaw]

Thoughts on Deji Karim? I think he's by far the biggest reward/low risk player(somewhat) for someone drafting in the 25-32 range of the rookie draft. Had an impressive pro day and had huge numbers in college - reminds me of Brian Westbrook though not as good as a pass catcher as him.

 

[EBF]

Thoughts on Deji Karim? I think he's by far the biggest reward/low risk player(somewhat) for someone drafting in the 25-32 range of the rookie draft. Had an impressive combine and had huge numbers in college - reminds me of Brian Westbrook though not as good as a pass catcher as him.

Westbrook was a third round pick despite playing at the 1AA level. If Karim can impress the scouts enough to get picked that high then maybe I'll move him up out of "sleeper" territory. I haven't seen him play much because it's hard to track down clips, but he definitely stands out from a raw measurables standpoint and could be a good gamble out of the late rounds.Of course, there have been guys like this in recent seasons who put up really nice workout numbers, but still fell in the draft and never amounted to anything in the NFL (Cedric Peerman and Jalen Parmele come to mind). It's very rare that a talented back makes it out of the top 4 rounds, so I will be interested to see what the pro scouts think of Karim and how high a team is really willing to take him.

 

[BeTheMatch]

- One guy that I overlooked a little bit is Eric Decker. I'm still not sold on him as a great pro prospect, but he probably has more FF value than guys like Gronkowski and Graham. What I like about him is that he's a reliable playmaker with a good frame and sneaky athleticism. He could become one of those guys like Kevin Walter or Nate Burleson who makes a solid living as a possession WR.

Finally! I still think he could be a Hines Ward type.

 

[Crippler]

Thoughts on Deji Karim? I think he's by far the biggest reward/low risk player(somewhat) for someone drafting in the 25-32 range of the rookie draft. Had an impressive combine and had huge numbers in college - reminds me of Brian Westbrook though not as good as a pass catcher as him.

Westbrook was a third round pick despite playing at the 1AA level. If Karim can impress the scouts enough to get picked that high then maybe I'll move him up out of "sleeper" territory. I haven't seen him play much because it's hard to track down clips, but he definitely stands out from a raw measurables standpoint and could be a good gamble out of the late rounds.Of course, there have been guys like this in recent seasons who put up really nice workout numbers, but still fell in the draft and never amounted to anything in the NFL (Cedric Peerman and Jalen Parmele come to mind). It's very rare that a talented back makes it out of the top 4 rounds, so I will be interested to see what the pro scouts think of Karim and how high a team is really willing to take him.

Now this draft is different because of the defensive depth. There is like 85 players with 2nd round grades. Do you think a 4th rounder normally = 5th rounder this year in the end. This has been claimed to be one of the deepest drafts of all time by the experts.

 

[Wilna]

Regarding Gilyard, I think he would fit in nicely as a WR2 in a downfield passing offense that relies on finesse WRs (like what the Colts do and what the Bears will do under Martz). He's never going to be a dominant WR1. If you drop him down, you have to put someone ahead of him. Who should be ahead of him? There just isn't much impressive talent this year outside the top 10-15.

Nice list EBF. I've got 1.03 in an dynasty start-up league. Presumably my pick is as straightforward as whichever is left from Spiller, Bryant and Matthews? If something strange happened and say, Bradford and Clausen were taken 1 and 2, what would your order be of the three I mentioned above? Thanks.

 

[Wilna]

Regarding Gilyard, I think he would fit in nicely as a WR2 in a downfield passing offense that relies on finesse WRs (like what the Colts do and what the Bears will do under Martz). He's never going to be a dominant WR1. If you drop him down, you have to put someone ahead of him. Who should be ahead of him? There just isn't much impressive talent this year outside the top 10-15.

Nice list EBF. I've got 1.03 in an dynasty start-up league. Presumably my pick is as straightforward as whichever is left from Spiller, Bryant and Matthews? If something strange happened and say, Bradford and Clausen were taken 1 and 2, what would your order be of the three I mentioned above? Thanks.

 

[EBF]

Regarding Gilyard, I think he would fit in nicely as a WR2 in a downfield passing offense that relies on finesse WRs (like what the Colts do and what the Bears will do under Martz). He's never going to be a dominant WR1. If you drop him down, you have to put someone ahead of him. Who should be ahead of him? There just isn't much impressive talent this year outside the top 10-15.

Nice list EBF. I've got 1.03 in an dynasty start-up league. Presumably my pick is as straightforward as whichever is left from Spiller, Bryant and Matthews? If something strange happened and say, Bradford and Clausen were taken 1 and 2, what would your order be of the three I mentioned above? Thanks.

Depends on your scoring format and team needs. The draft may also change things a bit. As of right now, I would have a really tough time passing on Bryant in PPR. I just think he's the most bulletproof player of the lot. Spiller has the potential to make you regret passing on him (Chris Johnson), but he also has the potential to make you regret drafting him (Darren McFadden). There's a broad range of outcomes for his career whereas Mathews has a more narrow range. He'll be a solid fringe RB1 when healthy and that's about it. I would go with him at 1.02 knowing that he's not a superstar, but that he'll become a solid starter for me. I see his value as being very similar to that of Mendenhall coming out of Illinois with the caveat that he doesn't look as durable. It's better to miss out on Chris Johnson for Rashard Mendenhall than it is to miss out on Rashard Mendenhall for Darren McFadden. Using that reasoning, I would take Mathews over Spiller. In non-PPR you generally shouldn't take WRs high, so I wouldn't consider Dez at 1.01. I would go with Mathews and then Spiller or Best at 1.02.

 

[EBF]

Thoughts on Deji Karim? I think he's by far the biggest reward/low risk player(somewhat) for someone drafting in the 25-32 range of the rookie draft. Had an impressive combine and had huge numbers in college - reminds me of Brian Westbrook though not as good as a pass catcher as him.

Westbrook was a third round pick despite playing at the 1AA level. If Karim can impress the scouts enough to get picked that high then maybe I'll move him up out of "sleeper" territory. I haven't seen him play much because it's hard to track down clips, but he definitely stands out from a raw measurables standpoint and could be a good gamble out of the late rounds.Of course, there have been guys like this in recent seasons who put up really nice workout numbers, but still fell in the draft and never amounted to anything in the NFL (Cedric Peerman and Jalen Parmele come to mind). It's very rare that a talented back makes it out of the top 4 rounds, so I will be interested to see what the pro scouts think of Karim and how high a team is really willing to take him.

Now this draft is different because of the defensive depth. There is like 85 players with 2nd round grades. Do you think a 4th rounder normally = 5th rounder this year in the end. This has been claimed to be one of the deepest drafts of all time by the experts.

Historically, RBs picked outside the first four rounds have a very low success rate. Almost to the point where you can completely ignore them in FF leagues. Even if this year's draft is a little deeper than most, I'm not going to flip my wig for a 5th-7th round pick. It's hard to justify taking those guys until the 1st-4th round talents dry up in your draft.

 

[Michael Fox Fan]

Historically, RBs picked outside the first four rounds have a very low success rate. Almost to the point where you can completely ignore them in FF leagues.* Even if this year's draft is a little deeper than most, I'm not going to flip my wig for a 5th-7th round pick. It's hard to justify taking those guys until the 1st-4th round talents dry up in your draft.

* Unless selected by Shanahan

 

[Wilna]

Regarding Gilyard, I think he would fit in nicely as a WR2 in a downfield passing offense that relies on finesse WRs (like what the Colts do and what the Bears will do under Martz). He's never going to be a dominant WR1. If you drop him down, you have to put someone ahead of him. Who should be ahead of him? There just isn't much impressive talent this year outside the top 10-15.

Nice list EBF. I've got 1.03 in an dynasty start-up league. Presumably my pick is as straightforward as whichever is left from Spiller, Bryant and Matthews? If something strange happened and say, Bradford and Clausen were taken 1 and 2, what would your order be of the three I mentioned above? Thanks.

Depends on your scoring format and team needs. The draft may also change things a bit. As of right now, I would have a really tough time passing on Bryant in PPR. I just think he's the most bulletproof player of the lot. Spiller has the potential to make you regret passing on him (Chris Johnson), but he also has the potential to make you regret drafting him (Darren McFadden). There's a broad range of outcomes for his career whereas Mathews has a more narrow range. He'll be a solid fringe RB1 when healthy and that's about it. I would go with him at 1.02 knowing that he's not a superstar, but that he'll become a solid starter for me. I see his value as being very similar to that of Mendenhall coming out of Illinois with the caveat that he doesn't look as durable. It's better to miss out on Chris Johnson for Rashard Mendenhall than it is to miss out on Rashard Mendenhall for Darren McFadden. Using that reasoning, I would take Mathews over Spiller. In non-PPR you generally shouldn't take WRs high, so I wouldn't consider Dez at 1.01. I would go with Mathews and then Spiller or Best at 1.02.

I'm in a standard PPR league and am leaning Bryant, Spiller, Matthews as my top three, but I take your point on solidity rather than shooting for the stars on Matthews/Spiller. Thanks for the reply.

 

[joker]

- One guy that I overlooked a little bit is Eric Decker. I'm still not sold on him as a great pro prospect, but he probably has more FF value than guys like Gronkowski and Graham. What I like about him is that he's a reliable playmaker with a good frame and sneaky athleticism. He could become one of those guys like Kevin Walter or Nate Burleson who makes a solid living as a possession WR.

Finally! I still think he could be a Hines Ward type.

I agree. The guy has great size (6'3", 220ish), decent speed, great hands, strength (19 reps at 225 for a WR doesn't suck), and intelligence (the rumor is that he had the highest wonderlic score of anyone at the combine - even if it wasn't the highest, it had to be one of the highest). In addition, he's a two-time draftee of MLB, so you know he's a good athlete. I don't know if he'll be a superstar, but he's certainly got a chance to be productive and may come cheaply.

 

[MoraccoMole]

Great breakdown EBF. I don't want it to come across like I'm glossing over Best's injury history because I'm not and it is significant enough to be a red flag for those considering drafting him. However, I feel like those issues aside, I like him every bit as much as I do Spiller as a prospect and he just seems to be a much more natural runner. He took awhile to grow on me but the more I see the more I like. Just my two cents.

I like Best. I think he's going to be a good pro. The only limiting factor might be his workload. I could probably get on board with the idea that Spiller is overrated and Best underrated.

Would you trade Donald Brown for rookie 1.04? Assuming the usual suspects (Spiller, Mathews, and Bryant) go top three, would you advocate such a move? Thanks

 

[EBF]

Great breakdown EBF. I don't want it to come across like I'm glossing over Best's injury history because I'm not and it is significant enough to be a red flag for those considering drafting him. However, I feel like those issues aside, I like him every bit as much as I do Spiller as a prospect and he just seems to be a much more natural runner. He took awhile to grow on me but the more I see the more I like. Just my two cents.

I like Best. I think he's going to be a good pro. The only limiting factor might be his workload. I could probably get on board with the idea that Spiller is overrated and Best underrated.

Would you trade Donald Brown for rookie 1.04? Assuming the usual suspects (Spiller, Mathews, and Bryant) go top three, would you advocate such a move? Thanks

Yea, definitely. Brown is a good breakout candidate on paper because he's a young first round pick in an explosive offense whose only competition for touches is a mediocre veteran, but I have never been too impressed by his talent and he didn't do anything last season to change my mind. At worst moving him for the 1.04 would be a lateral move because that's about what he was worth last season. Personally, I would much rather have a guy like Thomas or Best than Brown.

 

[OMG! Ponies!]

14. QB Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame - Clausen improved every year during his career at Notre Dame, which culminated in a monster junior season that has him poised to become a first round draft pick. Scouts like his arm strength, mechanics, accuracy, and poise. (1) His deep ball has been known to flutter, he has marginal size at just 6'2", and (2) his maturity and leadership have been questioned. If you need a QB, Clausen is clearly one of the top two prospects in this draft, but I think he carries more risk than Bradford. (3) He benefitted from a friendly scheme that made Brady Quinn look like a superstar, he had an (4)elite supporting cast highlighted by two NFL caliber WRs and a future NFL TE, (5)he only had one good season, and I question his mental makeup.

(1) Your's would too if you were fighting off a toe injury all year.(2) By who? ESPN? Surely not by his coach and teammates.

(3) You're telling me that learning to run a pro set offense in college is a "friendly scheme"? Are you kidding? What's easier? Actually running an offense and reading / diagnosing defenses...or....standing in the shotgun and looking over at the sidelines so the coaches can tell you what defense it is and which progression you should throw the ball to?

(4) Wow. At this point you're simply looking for things to use to downgrade Clausen. You're punishing him for having NFL quality players on the offense. Here, in case you haven't paid too much attention, I'll let you in on a little information. During the time that both Clausen and Floyd were at ND, Floyd missed 1/3 of the games. Would be nice if that NFL talent was on the field.

(5) He improved every year, culminating in his 2009 Junior season. Isn't that what you want a player to do? Improve every year?

(6) Of all the OL Clausen played with in three years, only one will likely ever be selected in the first 3 rounds. one. and two of the three LTs he played with should never play a down of NFL football. but i see you didn't mention that Bradford played with 2 first rounders on his OL and at least 1 first rounder on his defense. sure does make life easier, eh?

to be honest, i'm thrilled that i can pick up clausen near the end of round 2 of my rookie draft. he will be the best QB to come out of this class.

 

[lyon812]

to be honest, i'm thrilled that i can pick up clausen near the end of round 2 of my rookie draft. he will be the best QB to come out of this class.

Not to mention, Clausen is well regarded as a hard worker who logs plenty of hours breaking down film and dedicating himself to his job, which bodes well for people who have the necessary physical talent to succeed. Which he does. It seems at times as if people want to criticize Clausen for things they're willing to overlook for Bradford. I think it boils down to likeability.

 

[J Giles Band]

Excellent take EBF... a great read. Thanks for the effort.

Look forward to your follow up after the draft when we know more about each prospect's situation. I find that even more compelling.

 

[Rodeojones]

Any thoughts now that we are through 3 rounds EBF!?

 

[EBF]

Any thoughts now that we are through 3 rounds EBF!?

The first thought is that some of my rankings sucked. I'm a bit embarrassed about having Dwyer over Best. That's one I wish I could have back. I nearly put Jahvid ahead of him in this draft, but felt like the bigger back had more upside. Woops. Anyhow...I liked what happened today. Gerhart lands in a bad FF spot. Gilyard and Dwyer fall off the map (not to mention Aaron Hernandez, the most shocking drop of them all). Tate and Hardesty soar. Benn goes about where you would expect while some interesting WR sleepers emerge in the third round.I think mid first rounders became a lot more valuable when Tate and Hardesty went off the board with consecutive picks to teams that have no quality starter at RB. These guys could both start on opening day and their fantasy value could blow up next season ala Forte/A-Train/Greene. I think the second round of PPR rookie drafts will have some real value and offer some great opportunities to pluck good prospects off the board while your leaguemates fall for the fool's gold. I will have more specifics in the near future. I'm going to hold back on my full thoughts for a couple days until I finish some of my rookie drafts, but you can rest assured that my next set of rankings will look radically different. I'm not too pleased with this list in hindsight and there some things I want to fix.

 

[coolnerd]

Any thoughts now that we are through 3 rounds EBF!?

The first thought is that some of my rankings sucked. I'm a bit embarrassed about having Dwyer over Best. That's one I wish I could have back. I nearly put Jahvid ahead of him in this draft, but felt like the bigger back had more upside. Woops. Anyhow...I liked what happened today. Gerhart lands in a bad FF spot. Gilyard and Dwyer fall off the map (not to mention Aaron Hernandez, the most shocking drop of them all). Tate and Hardesty soar. Benn goes about where you would expect while some interesting WR sleepers emerge in the third round.I think mid first rounders became a lot more valuable when Tate and Hardesty went off the board with consecutive picks to teams that have no quality starter at RB. These guys could both start on opening day and their fantasy value could blow up next season ala Forte/A-Train/Greene. I think the second round of PPR rookie drafts will have some real value and offer some great opportunities to pluck good prospects off the board while your leaguemates fall for the fool's gold. I will have more specifics in the near future. I'm going to hold back on my full thoughts for a couple days until I finish some of my rookie drafts, but you can rest assured that my next set of rankings will look radically different. I'm not too pleased with this list in hindsight and there some things I want to fix.

If anything I think you are being hard on yourself. Besides, Dywer at your top 14 players manged to get drafted and for the most part, close enough to your pecking order. You will need to re-order a bit, but honestly this was one your better efforts. In the past I have seen you really jocking 5th round WRs and 7th round RBs as top 20 types and there is none of that this year.

 

[twr]

Any thoughts now that we are through 3 rounds EBF!?

The first thought is that some of my rankings sucked. I'm a bit embarrassed about having Dwyer over Best. That's one I wish I could have back. I nearly put Jahvid ahead of him in this draft, but felt like the bigger back had more upside. Woops. Anyhow...I liked what happened today. Gerhart lands in a bad FF spot. Gilyard and Dwyer fall off the map (not to mention Aaron Hernandez, the most shocking drop of them all). Tate and Hardesty soar. Benn goes about where you would expect while some interesting WR sleepers emerge in the third round.I think mid first rounders became a lot more valuable when Tate and Hardesty went off the board with consecutive picks to teams that have no quality starter at RB. These guys could both start on opening day and their fantasy value could blow up next season ala Forte/A-Train/Greene. I think the second round of PPR rookie drafts will have some real value and offer some great opportunities to pluck good prospects off the board while your leaguemates fall for the fool's gold. I will have more specifics in the near future. I'm going to hold back on my full thoughts for a couple days until I finish some of my rookie drafts, but you can rest assured that my next set of rankings will look radically different. I'm not too pleased with this list in hindsight and there some things I want to fix.

i share the same love affair you had with dwyer, and im also very perplexed about his free fall... if hes drafted before dixon he might have some hope... if not.. something says steer clear.

 

[gheemony]

I own 1.02 and was pretty sure that I'd be able to take Matthews, my #1 back. Now, I think he goes first. So I'm forced to look carefully at Spiller (this is non-PPR). Just watched highlights of him and Best. I think Best is better, and it's not close. In 9 minutes of hghlights, I don't think I saw a long run that started on the inside. Instead, Best had tons of runs that looked like short gains that he exploded on. His big play abilty looks just as good as Spiller's. Put aside the concussion - tell me how Spiller is better than Best.

 

[EBF]

I own 1.02 and was pretty sure that I'd be able to take Matthews, my #1 back. Now, I think he goes first. So I'm forced to look carefully at Spiller (this is non-PPR). Just watched highlights of him and Best. I think Best is better, and it's not close. In 9 minutes of hghlights, I don't think I saw a long run that started on the inside. Instead, Best had tons of runs that looked like short gains that he exploded on. His big play abilty looks just as good as Spiller's. Put aside the concussion - tell me how Spiller is better than Best.

I don't disagree.I still think 1.02 comes down to Bryant vs. Mathews though. I have that pick in a couple leagues and I will most likely draft whichever of the two falls.