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"Professional" to me implies a certain level of competence. Since it's nearly impossible to be a competent mock drafter, I don't think there is such a thing, Kiper by default isn't a pro mock drafter.I can agree he's a professional researcher of talent.
No. Kotite was an amateur coach at the professional level.Just like Mike Tice.
True that. Mel's first attempt made less sense than the efforts put forth here by you, bloom and Andy. It's a little arrogant to be too critical of anyone's mock this early as long as it is an honest and reasonably researched effort, and Mel's is. But, I would think he could do a little better explaining of a few things. The missing offensive lineman for starters.
For what it's worth, Kiper is on Colin Cowherd's show on ESPN radio right now, talking about the backs. Not Carolina specifically, but the notion that some backs may slide, as there aren't a ton of teams that have it as a top need.If so, and if the value is there, then maybe it makes a bit more sense.
It sure is a deep draft, but I have a couple sources (one a retired scout I just started emailing because his information was posted at OurLads), and another who is a retired special teams and defensive coach (whose son lives down the street from me), and they are both very high on Calhoun. It should be noted that Addai has moved ahead of Maroney at NFL Draft Scout (who as Wood explains, has been about the best online source lately). I wouldn't think Addai has moved up because of anything he has done. It's all the question marks (speed, power, hands, blocking) surrounding Maroney that have him falling. Thus, Calhoun is a candidate to move ahead of Addai. Food for thought.
Agreed. I was very critical of Maroney when he was being touted as better than Bush and Wiliams, but as his stock drops his value gets better and better. The kid can grind out yards, and he is a threat to break a big one any time the blocking is there. Watch him rip off a sub 4.4 and shoot right back into the top 20.
A big fat
for you.
He's usually fairly accurate by the time draft day rolls around. Right now we don't know anything about these guys except how they played in college vs. all kinds of different competition. We also are just guessing on what teams will actually need on draft day so until that is sorted out and we get some comparable workouts to fairly compare guys it's all pretty meaningless (but fun).
I don't get how they can say he's undersized when Kevin Mawae, a Pro-Bowler, is listed at 6'-4" and 289.
Eslinger is typically listed as the #1 C prospect available. He has a lot going for him : experience, smarts, great technician, great guy. The cons are that he is thin for a lineman, doesn't have a big frame, and isn't particularly powerful. Some teams are afraid he'll get pushed around by the bigger NTs of the NFL. This lack of upside will keep him from being drafted high, plus, C isn't a position that is typically at a premium on draft day as it is. I say he goes in round 3.
Rarely do centers go in the first round. They need to be completely dominant. I know Dallas regrets taking Al Johnson early in the second, and his biggest problem has been size and stregth (injuries haven't helped). Johnson measures out very similar to Eslinger (heavier actually). Also the top four centers are all hard to rank. Ryan Cook may end up being the best pro prospect, and we should wait for the Senior Bowl and see what the experts on the ground report (Degory and Mangold grade right there with Eslinger too).
Meh. He was pathetic in the 90s, but he was deliberately being controversial to gain attention. If you recall, his criticism of several GMs turned out to be very misguided, and a few NFL staffers let him have it in the media. He has become more conservative and dropped the strange hype and over rating of guys he likes (Dumervil early this year). I didn't follow it too closely last Spring, but in 04 he was decent. In 03 he was awful. Of the ten most popular draft sites his final mock was 9th in accuracy. Scott Wright's NFL Draft Countdown was the most accurate that year. I prefer his information to any other free source, and he is better than most the subscription sites as well.
Best free site by a mile.
Agreed. It's very well done and I like his mocks.Looking for an updated one, though.
Incredibly
Kiper's mock will go through massive change between now and April, just as our own mocks will. Last year many people on this board had fantastic mocks with very detailed explanations. Among the staff, Colin and I both do several detailed mocks and even did a collaborative final mock just prior to the draft. I would say it's downright impossible for anyone to get more than 60%-70% of the 1st round projected correctly year in, year out.
Me too. I just wne tback and looked at some of the older ones - check out his 2004 final mock. Wow. I think he nailed the first 15 picks or so without a mistake.Agreed. It's very well done and I like his mocks.Looking for an updated one, though.
He recently said he expects the mock to be updated 8-10 times by the end of April. But for now, he's gearing up for a week of blogging and posting from the Senior Bowl. He did just revise his position rankings. Man, he has Jerome Harrison at RB15. Ouch.Me too. I just wne tback and looked at some of the older ones - check out his 2004 final mock. Wow. I think he nailed the first 15 picks or so without a mistake.Agreed. It's very well done and I like his mocks.Looking for an updated one, though.
He's slow and runs bad routes, which are things that were measurable before the draft.
But Kiper hasn't produced a mock draft that shows Jacobs going in the 4th round has he? He may have, but I haven't seen it. My point being, there is a difference in saying someone is a "4th round prospect", and actually thinking they'll go in the 4th round. I'm pretty sure Quincy Carter was regarded as a 4th round prospect too. I also think Jacobs is a ways from being a sure thing to be the 4th Qb selected in this draft, regardless of where the next QB is selected.
You're not seeing the issue: Kiper is implicitly saying that IN HIS OPINION in evaluating talent, there will be a 2.5 round gap between QB3 and QB4. Regardless of whether is right or wrong in how it plays out, he is either admitting his rating of Jacobs as QB4 is too high, or his tagging him "a 4th round prospect" is too low. EIther way, he's contradicting himself b/c as stated, there is no way on earth that only 3 QBs go on the first day if all 3 of them go in the top-10..
You're not seeing the issue: Kiper is implicitly saying that IN HIS OPINION in evaluating talent, there will be a 2.5 round gap between QB3 and QB4. Regardless of whether is right or wrong in how it plays out, he is either admitting his rating of Jacobs as QB4 is too high, or his tagging him "a 4th round prospect" is too low. EIther way, he's contradicting himself b/c as stated, there is no way on earth that only 3 QBs go on the first day if all 3 of them go in the top-10..
I think you are looking at it wrong still. He can say both things and still be accurate to his beliefs.1. He can feel Jacobs is the QB4
. There are lots of reasons to knock Kiper, but this isn't one of them IMO.
Recent draft history certainly backs up your contention:Number of QBs drafted by pick 128
I'm curious to see which 5/6 will be taken. Living in Aggie-land the fidiot talk radio hosts here have McNeal going no later than the 3rd round, with many projecting him in the second. IF he's taken here, I have to believe he'll be drafted for a different position (WR & ST), as I can't fathom him learning an entire NFL playbook, or being able to ever be an accurate enough passer. I see:Rd 1: Leinart/Young/Cutler
