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repicking the 2005 draft (1 Viewer)

GreedoShotFirst

Footballguy
Interesting read. 2005 Draft day reduxWhat if teams had a chance to change their picks?Hindsight is a beautiful thing to have on your side when it comes to the NFL Draft. Looking back at what should have happened is so much easier than predicting what's going to take place. But for the second year in a row, we're taking a crack at re-doing the draft's first round, given that we know now what we wish we knew then.There wasn't any clear-cut Ben Roethlisberger-type correction to make this time around. But we're still going by the basic tenet that rookie-season production carries the day over projection in this draft redux. In most cases we've re-ordered the first round to account for late-season realities, and reward those players who already have proven themselves NFL ready.Here's the way things should have unfolded in New York on April 23:Don Banks' Revised Draft Position Team 1 San Francisco 49ersSHAWNE MERRIMAN, LB, MarylandOriginal pick: Alex Smith, QB, UtahMaybe Smith will develop into a Pro Bowl quarterback in San Francisco, but as of this writing, he still hasn't thrown his first NFL touchdown pass. Merriman, who went 12th to San Diego, has made a bigger impact than any defensive rookie, and he looks like he'll be a playmaking force for years to come. The 49ers used four QBs this year, and could have saved money and made due by taking Ryan Fitzpatrick in the middle rounds. 2 Miami DolphinsCARNELL WILLIAMS, RB, AuburnOriginal pick: Ronnie Brown, RB, AuburnWe're not getting real tricky here. Even with Ricky Williams' renaissance, the Dolphins were wise to take the highest-rated running back on the board. It's just that after one season, you have to give the early edge to Cadillac, who started fast and is finishing strong for the first-place Bucs. Brown isn't far off the pace, and may end up being more durable. But Cadillac will be the league's Offensive Rookie of the Year. 3 Cleveland BrownsBRAYLON EDWARDS, WR, MichiganOriginal pick: Braylon Edwards, WR, MichiganBefore suffering a season-ending knee injury in Cleveland's 10th game, Edwards was starting to flash some of the big-play potential that made him such a high pick. In his last three games, he caught 15 passes for 218 yards and two touchdowns, to finish with a respectable 32-catch, 512-yard, three-touchdown rookie season. In retrospect, landing Troy's Demarcus Ware for Romeo Crennel's 3-4 defense would have been shrewd as well. 4 Chicago BearsMATT JONES, WR, ArkansasOriginal pick: Cedric Benson, RB, TexasHistory has borne out the Bears weren't in desperate need of a running back, because Thomas Jones has more than done the job with a 1,273-yard rushing season. What Chicago still lacks is another playmaking receiver to pair with free-agent addition Muhsin Muhammad, who has 39 more catches than any other Bear. We're giving them Jones, who's raw but has managed 33 catches for 377 yards and four touchdowns in Jacksonville. 5 Tampa Bay BuccaneersRONNIE BROWN, RB, AuburnOriginal pick: Cadillac Williams, RB, AuburnThe back half of our Williams-Brown flip-flop makes sense for the Bucs, too, because we've all seen this season what kind of team Tampa Bay can be when it runs effectively. Brown hasn't been as sensational as Williams, but he put together some very good numbers in the middle third of the season. 6 Tennessee TitansDARRENT WILLIAMS, CB, Oklahoma StateOriginal pick: Adam "Pacman" Jones, CB, West VirginiaJones was a calamity for much of this season in Tennessee, and has only recently started to contribute, mainly via his role as the Titans' punt and kickoff return man. Williams, a second-round pick in Denver, made plays from the time he walked in the door. He has missed the past two games with injuries, but he was deservedly getting some Defensive Rookie of the Year attention earlier this season. 7 Minnesota VikingsLOFA TATUPU, LB, USCOriginal pick: Troy Williamson, WR, South CarolinaWilliamson could grow into a game-breaking speed-receiver threat, but he spent a good bit of this year in head coach Mike Tice's doghouse and fighting to be active on game day. Tatupu, a second-round pick, started all season in Seattle and would have made Minnesota younger and stronger at middle linebacker, where veteran Sam Cowart has been solid but far from a difference-maker. 8 Arizona CardinalsSAMKON GADO, RB, LibertyOriginal pick: Antrel Rolle, CB, MiamiRolle has been a major disappointment in the desert, appearing in only five games. Playing behind a horrendous offensive line, the Arizona running game has been non-existent. The Cardinals have just two rushing touchdowns all season, so why not give them the undrafted free agent Gado, who had three 100-yard games in his five starts? I know Dennis Green doesn't like drafting QBs high, but investing in Alex Smith might have been the wise move for the future. 9 Washington RedskinsODELL THURMAN, LB, GeorgiaOriginal pick: Carlos Rogers, CB, AuburnThurman has played and played well in the middle as a second-round pick in Cincinnati this season. He would have been a nice fit in Washington, where the Redskins lost the emerging Antonio Pierce to the Giants in free agency, replacing him with a lesser talent in Lemar Marshall. Rogers has started opposite Shawn Springs at times, but his impact has been limited thus far. 10 Detroit LionsDEMARCUS WARE, LB, TroyOriginal pick: Mike Williams, WR, USCSelecting a receiver in the first round for a third consecutive year looked like a mistake on draft day. Now we know it was. The Lions didn't need another underachieving pass-catcher, they needed some youth who could step into the lineup and make things happen. Ware has done that in Dallas, racking up seven sacks. I know the Lions don't play a 3-4 defense, but you invent ways to get a talent like Ware on the field. 11 Dallas CowboysDERRICK JOHNSON, LB, TexasOriginal pick: Demarcus Ware, OLB, TroySince the Cowboys just missed out on Ware in our little draft revision, we're giving them another ball-chasing outside linebacker who has been on the field plenty as a rookie. Johnson hasn't dominated in Kansas City, but he hasn't been a disappointment either. And besides, he's a Longhorn who would have been even further inspired by staying home in Texas. 12 San Diego ChargersLUIS CASTILLO, DL, NorthwesternOriginal pick: Shawne Merriman, LB, MarylandThe Chargers nailed both of their first-round picks, taking Merriman 12th and Castillo 28th. But since they weren't in position to steal Merriman with their first pick in our draft, we're trying to do the right thing and award them Castillo, who has actually seen more playing time this season than Merriman. Castillo has started 14 games at left end and been more productive than the No. 20 pick, Dallas left end Marcus Spears. 13 New Orleans SaintsALEX SMITH, QB, UtahOriginal pick: Jammal Brown, OT, OklahomaNothing against Brown, who has held down the starting right tackle slot in New Orleans for much of his rookie season. But with Aaron Brooks looking like an ex-Saint in the near future, and no obvious replacement on the horizon unless Adrian McPherson develops overnight, the Saints need another option at quarterback. Smith would have represented a bargain in this slot. 14 Carolina PanthersHEATH MILLER, TE, VirginiaOriginal pick: Thomas Davis, S-LB, GeorgiaDavis has played only part-time in Carolina, and while he may blossom into the playmaking force the Panthers believe him capable of being, it's not a matter of waiting around for Miller to develop. The Steelers rookie tight end has caught 36 passes for 397 yards and six touchdowns. He would look pretty good in Carolina's lineup, replacing middle-of-the-road veteran Kris Mangum. 15 Kansas City ChiefsELLIS HOBBS, CB, Iowa StateOriginal pick: Derrick Johnson, OLB, TexasWhile Patrick Surtain has upgraded the Chiefs' secondary at one corner, veteran Eric Warfield isn't the answer on the opposite side. Hobbs was taken by New England in the third round, and he has steadily progressed into the latest nice find in the Patriots secondary. Also keep in mind that we have OLB Derrick Johnson going to Dallas at No. 11. 16 Houston TexansALEX BARRON, OT, Florida StateOriginal pick: Travis Johnson, DT, Florida StateThe Texans still get an ex-Seminole. They just get the one many of us had them taking for most of last draft season. Johnson has been almost non-existent in terms of impact, so Houston would have been better off addressing its long-standing need for upgrading its pass protection. Isn't that right, David Carr? Another option would be defensive end Chris Canty, who has looked like a steal for Dallas in the fourth round. 17 Cincinnati BengalsTHOMAS DAVIS, S, GeorgiaOriginal pick: David Pollack, LB, GeorgiaThe Bengals still get themselves a Bulldog with a position switch in his future, but we're going with Davis, who can play both safety and linebacker, over Pollack, who has been a bit slow to make the switch from defensive end to linebacker. Davis hasn't exactly been a fast starter in Carolina, but he's an upgrade for the Bengals over strong safety Ifeanyi Ohalete. 18 Minnesota VikingsCEDRIC BENSON, RB, TexasOriginal pick: Erasmus James, DE, WisconsinBenson's training camp holdout buried him with the Bears, but he was just starting to show us a little bit when he went down with a knee injury in Chicago's ninth game. His college resume is too impressive to ignore, and the Vikings desperately need a consistent rushing threat to replace the inconsistent Michael Bennett-Mewelde Moore tandem. 19 St. Louis RamsJAMMAL BROWN, OT, OklahomaOriginal pick: Alex Barron, OT, Florida StateNothing real sexy about this one. The Saints took Brown 13th in the real draft, and left Barron for the right tackle-needy Rams. In our draft, we've got Barron going to the Texans at No. 16, leaving Brown, who has been only fair as a New Orleans rookie, for the Rams. But St. Louis has had a revolving door at the position for years, so Brown or Barron make solid sense. 20 Dallas CowboysMIKE NUGENT, K, Ohio StateOriginal pick: Marcus Spears, DE, LSUOn our board, Spears is still available, and it's not likely that Bill Parcells would pass on pass-rushing defensive end in order to take a kicker in the first round. But then again, after making four kicking changes this season since training camp, maybe he would. Nugent has been a very solid 19 of 24 on field goals for the Jets, and that's kicking in the tricky winds of the Meadowlands half the time.21 Jacksonville JaguarsJEROME MATHIS, WR/KR, HamptonOriginal pick: Matt Jones, WR, ArkansasSorry, Jags, Mr. X Factor -- Matt Jones -- is long gone by now. But we're going to give you another intriguing and speedy prospect to toy with. Mathis is going to the Pro Bowl as a rookie kick returner, and he leads the NFL with a gaudy 29.1-yard average and two touchdowns. Besides, your Chad Owens pick was a bust. Throw in his one receiving touchdown on just three catches and Mathis has been one of the few bright spots in Houston this season. 22 Baltimore RavensMARK CLAYTON, WR, OklahomaOriginal pick: Mark Clayton, WR, OklahomaSigning late seemed to set Clayton back considerably, but he has started to show the promise that elevated him to first-round status to begin with. In his last four games, Clayton has hauled in 21 passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns, developing a good rapport with quarterback Kyle Boller. If not Clayton, here's an idea: Mid-round quarterbacks Charlie Frye and Kyle Orton have both proven to be capable of winning games as rookies. 23 Oakland RaidersREYNALDO HILL, CB, FloridaOriginal pick: Fabian Washington, CB, NebraskaHere's why the science of drafting is a bunch of malarkey (not Mike): Hill goes in the seventh round to Tennessee and easily out-plays the likes of Washington, Antrel Rolle, Pacman Jones and Carlos Rogers, who all were first-round cornerbacks. For all the work that NFL teams put into draft weekend, players like Hill and Samkon Gado eventually put the lie to the accuracy of scouting grades. 24 Green Bay PackersAARON RODGERS, QB, CalOriginal pick: Aaron Rodgers, QB, CalOK, so we're breaking our own production over projection rule. But Rodgers still makes a lot of sense for the Packers this far down in the round, and we can't pass judgment on him in any way until he gets a shot to succeed Brett Favre. If he develops into a star for years to come, Green Bay will have pulled off yet another coup at the game's most pivotal position. 25 Washington RedskinsCarlos Rogers, CB, AuburnOriginal pick: Jason Campbell, QB, AuburnPassing on Campbell might some day look like a mistake from our vantage point, but it doesn't today and here's why: With Joe Gibbs not long for the NFL in his second go-round of coaching, the Redskins are built to win now. And for now, they have plenty of quarterbacking with the resurgent Mark Brunell and the still youthful Patrick Ramsey. We give them Rogers 16 spots lower than they selected him and say use a mid-round pick on Orton or Frye. 26 Seattle SeahawksTROY WILLIAMSON, WR, South CarolinaOriginal pick: Chris Spencer, C, MississippiThe Seahawks took Spencer as the eventual replacement for veteran Robbie Tobeck, and that's all well and good at the bottom of the first round I suppose. But with the lightning-fast Williamson still on my board, I'm not worried about the offensive line down the road. I'm trying to find some one who can stretch the field the way Seattle once hoped Koren Robinson would. 27 Atlanta FalconsCHRIS HENRY, WR, West VirginiaOriginal pick: Roddy White, WR, Alabama-BirminghamWhite hasn't looked deserving of first-round billing thus far. He has just 25 catches for 399 yards and a pair of touchdowns. By comparison, the 6-foot-4 Henry has been a pleasant surprise in Cincinnati, scoring six times on 31 receptions for the playoff-bound Bengals. And he only cost Cincy a third-round pick. 28 San Diego ChargersMARCUS SPEARS, DE, LSUOriginal pick: Luis Castillo, DL, NorthwesternI had the Chargers taking Castillo at No. 12, so give them Spears to help make up for the playing-making presence of outside linebacker Shawne Merriman, who wasn't there for the taking for San Diego this time. Castillo might some day shift inside to tackle, freeing up left end for Spears. Another good option would be Wisconsin DE Erasmus James, who Minnesota took 18th in the real draft. 29 Indianapolis ColtsADAM "PACMAN" JONES, CB, West VirginiaOriginal pick: Marlin Jackson, CB, MichiganJackson has played some as an extra cornerback for Indy this season, and he hasn't fared badly. But while Jones has been disappointing in coverage, his speed is enticing and he does bring the added dimension of making plays as a kick/punt return man. That's one of the few areas the Colts, with their embarrassment of riches, could use an upgrade. 30 Pittsburgh SteelersBRANDON JACOBS, RB, Southern IllinoisOriginal pick: Heath Miller, TE, VirginiaWith Miller long gone to the Panthers at No. 14, the Steelers could invest in Jacobs, grooming him as the short-yardage, power-running back who will take over the pivotal Jerome Bettis role once he retires. Jacobs has run a bit too straight up and timidly at times this season for the Giants, but the fourth-round pick does have six rushing touchdowns for New York. 31 Philadelphia EaglesMARION BARBER, RB, MinnesotaOriginal pick: Mike Patterson, DT, USCThe Eagles threw the ball entirely too much this season, and at times their running game seemed like an afterthought. Barber ran for more than 500 yards and five touchdowns as a part-time player in Dallas this season, and the fourth-round pick is the kind of tough, inside runner that Andy Reid likes to have around when the weather turns nasty in the NFC East. 32 New England PatriotsLOGAN MANKINS, OL, Fresno StateOriginal pick: Logan Mankins, OL, Fresno StateWho else but the personnel-savvy Patriots would have taken Mankins in the first round? All he did was walk into the void created by left guard Joe Andruzzi's signing with Cleveland and seamlessly replace him, starting all 15 games thus far. Mankins is a tough, all-business type who was the perfect Patriots' team guy even before New England drafted him.

 
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Gado to Arizon is interesting.
I think it is abusrd. This team has so many holes beyond RB - thebacks cannot run when they do not have holes. Also free agency gave him a chance at getting a back like Edgerrin and Alexander - maybe at a higher price than the 8th pick , but how much higher?The Cards need to build that O line or develop a pass rush.

Ware would have been the better pick, IMHO>

 
I generally like Don Banks, but this article is silly on a LOT of levels. Banks shouldn't need a lesson on how "1 year does not a career make"...and I just about stopped reading at Matt Jones going 4th overall, LOFL.

 
I generally like Don Banks, but this article is silly on a LOT of levels. Banks shouldn't need a lesson on how "1 year does not a career make"...
I agree that, as the saying goes, it takes five years before you can really evaluate a draft.But at least giving draft grades out now is a lot better than doing it the day after the draft before anybody's played a down yet (which is the normal practice).

 
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Gado to Arizon is interesting.
I think it is abusrd. This team has so many holes beyond RB - thebacks cannot run when they do not have holes. Also free agency gave him a chance at getting a back like Edgerrin and Alexander - maybe at a higher price than the 8th pick , but how much higher?The Cards need to build that O line or develop a pass rush.

Ware would have been the better pick, IMHO>
I should have elaborated more. Interesting in that he is so high on him. I think Arizona would have had a very similar record with Gado.
 
I generally like Don Banks, but this article is silly on a LOT of levels. Banks shouldn't need a lesson on how "1 year does not a career make"...
I agree that, as the saying goes, it takes five years before you can really evaluate a draft.But at least giving draft grades out now is a lot better than doing it the day after the draft before anybody's played a down yet (which is the normal practice).
I agree Maurile, but Banks would've been better served [as others have done] assigning a letter grade to each team's draft class versus trying to re-mock the entire draft. Jones at 4? Gado to Arizona? No way. For example, Marion Barber looks every bit a franchise caliber back, didn't have the fumbling problems Gado did, and had a better pedigree coming into the draft.
 
Almost a year after the draft and I'd still take Ronnie Brown over Caddy at #2 for the Dolphins.
....and why is that....
I can think of several reasons...Brown = 4.5 YPC versus the 7th most difficult schedule versus the run

Williams = 4.1 YPC versus 21st most difficult schedule versus the run
Brown = 30 receptions at 7.3 YPR
Williams = 20 receptions at 4.0 YPR
 
Almost a year after the draft and I'd still take Ronnie Brown over Caddy at #2 for the Dolphins.
....and why is that....
I can think of several reasons...Brown = 4.5 YPC versus the 7th most difficult schedule versus the run

Williams = 4.1 YPC versus 21st most difficult schedule versus the run
Brown = 30 receptions at 7.3 YPR
Williams = 20 receptions at 4.0 YPR
Thanks. You beat me to it.
 
Almost a year after the draft and I'd still take Ronnie Brown over Caddy at #2 for the Dolphins.
....and why is that....
I can think of several reasons...Brown = 4.5 YPC versus the 7th most difficult schedule versus the run

Williams = 4.1 YPC versus 21st most difficult schedule versus the run
Brown = 30 receptions at 7.3 YPR
Williams = 20 receptions at 4.0 YPR
Thanks. You beat me to it.
Not to mention Brown is bigger and faster...and they both seemed roughly equivalent as blockers this year.
 
He thinks Gado is better than Benson?
Benson, 58 carries, 237 yards, 0 touchdowns.Gado, 143 carries, 582 yards, 6 touchdowns.

Not too hard to understand that.
Not to mention Benson runs for a top 5 Run blocking unit, while Gado did this behind one of the worst run blocking O-lines in the NFL. :yes:
 
Brown = 4.5 YPC versus 19.643 average rank total of team rush defenses played

Best rush defense played = Tampa Bay - 9 carries 22 yards
Brown = 30 receptions at 7.3 YPR
Brown = Rush Yds 886 Yds/Game 63.3 TD 4
Williams = 4.1 YPC versus 19.538 average rank total of team rush defenses played
Best rush defense played = Chicago - 20 carries 84 yards
Williams = 20 receptions at 6.2 YPR
Williams = Rush Yds 1097 Yds/Game 84.4 TD 6
Almost a year after the draft and I'd still take Ronnie Brown over Caddy at #2 for the Dolphins.
I don't know if one could say one is better than the other just yet.
 
Brown = 4.5 YPC versus 19.643 average rank total of team rush defenses played

Best rush defense played = Tampa Bay - 9 carries 22 yards
Brown = 30 receptions at 7.3 YPR
Brown = Rush Yds 886 Yds/Game 63.3 TD 4
Williams = 4.1 YPC versus 19.538 average rank total of team rush defenses played
Best rush defense played = Chicago - 20 carries 84 yards
Williams = 20 receptions at 6.2 YPR
Williams = Rush Yds 1097 Yds/Game 84.4 TD 6
Almost a year after the draft and I'd still take Ronnie Brown over Caddy at #2 for the Dolphins.
I don't know if one could say one is better than the other just yet.
I'll agree with you there.I also think Williams stepped into a better situation than Ronnie did. Caddy had an Oline thats played together longer and also had a better QB.

Ronnie also had to share with Ricky.

But you're right it's too early to tell.

 
Brown = 4.5 YPC versus 19.643 average rank total of team rush defenses played

Best rush defense played = Tampa Bay - 9 carries 22 yards
Brown = 30 receptions at 7.3 YPR
Brown = Rush Yds 886  Yds/Game 63.3  TD 4
Williams = 4.1 YPC versus 19.538 average rank total of team rush defenses played
Best rush defense played = Chicago - 20 carries 84 yards
Williams = 20 receptions at 6.2 YPR
Williams = Rush Yds 1097  Yds/Game 84.4  TD 6
Almost a year after the draft and I'd still take Ronnie Brown over Caddy at #2 for the Dolphins.
I don't know if one could say one is better than the other just yet.
I'll agree with you there.I also think Williams stepped into a better situation than Ronnie did. Caddy had an Oline thats played together longer and also had a better QB.

Ronnie also had to share with Ricky.

But you're right it's too early to tell.
Let's not forget that Nick Saban coached against Ronnie and Caddy and arguably knew them both better than anyone else making NFL personnel decisions last year...and he chose Ronnie.
 
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For example, Marion Barber looks every bit a franchise caliber back, didn't have the fumbling problems Gado did, and had a better pedigree coming into the draft.
Well, Banks does have Barber going near the end of the first round. On the topic of Barber, does anybody know how long JJ is signed for?
 
For example, Marion Barber looks every bit a franchise caliber back, didn't have the fumbling problems Gado did, and had a better pedigree coming into the draft.
Well, Banks does have Barber going near the end of the first round. On the topic of Barber, does anybody know how long JJ is signed for?
He's signed up to 2010.
 
The Browns really don't need injured first round draft picks. I don't know how he can say he'd still have them taking Braylon Edwards knowing that he blows out his ACL. There's no guarantee he won't lose speed. With the #3 overall pick you need proven playmakers. Edwards hasn't proven anything. Given the limited returns all we can say is he can't stay healthy.

 
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29 Indianapolis ColtsADAM "PACMAN" JONES, CB, West VirginiaOriginal pick: Marlin Jackson, CB, MichiganJackson has played some as an extra cornerback for Indy this season, and he hasn't fared badly. But while Jones has been disappointing in coverage, his speed is enticing and he does bring the added dimension of making plays as a kick/punt return man. That's one of the few areas the Colts, with their embarrassment of riches, could use an upgrade.
This made me LOL. Jackson will serve us just great. He's been banged up and missed a bit of development time, but he fills very well vs. the run, and that was somethign sorely missing in the current Cover-2 crew from the DB position. Pac-man a Colt....HAHAHAHAHAH! Riiiiiiight.
 
I generally like Don Banks, but this article is silly on a LOT of levels. Banks shouldn't need a lesson on how "1 year does not a career make"...
I agree that, as the saying goes, it takes five years before you can really evaluate a draft.But at least giving draft grades out now is a lot better than doing it the day after the draft before anybody's played a down yet (which is the normal practice).
I always thought it was 3 years to evaluate a draft class?Anyway, I thought it was funny that the 2nd defensive player off the boards was Darrent Williams, the CB drafted by Denver in the second. Remember once upon a time when "Mike Shanahan simply couldn't draft CBs to save his life"? Well, two straight GREAT selections at CB, and suddenly it's beginning to look like perhaps random chance plays a much bigger role in football than anyone was previously willing to admit.

I mean, could Shanahan just not draft CBs for years, and suddenly he got a flash of inspiration and learned how to evaluate them? Or is it perhaps possible that random chance said that, since roughly 50% of high draft picks bust, there's a good chance that several high draft picks in a row will all bust, even if Shanahan's no worse than average at drafting that position?

Sorry, off on a tangent, I'm just on a crusade to get people to admit that random chance plays a much bigger role in every aspect of football than anyone wants to admit.

 
but Banks would've been better served [as others have done] assigning a letter grade to each team's draft class versus trying to re-mock the entire draft.
This is precisely why this article works on any level. Its way more interesting to read something like this than it is to read a retread grading article. I agree that part of what makes a good draft is where you get value, but this isn't what he's doing. He is merely stating that with the hindsight of actually knowing what teams needed and where they were in their development, in his opinion, that these players would make more impact for their team. While I disagree with some of the picks, that happens you know, I think the concept is pretty cool.

 
Let's not forget that Nick Saban coached against Ronnie and Caddy and arguably knew them both better than anyone else making NFL personnel decisions last year...and he chose Ronnie.

I'll tell you what Saban remembered was R.Brown ABUSING Marcus Spears (Saban's own 1st roung DL), throwing him to the ground like a J.V. safety.

 
The Browns really don't need injured first round draft picks. I don't know how he can say he'd still have them taking Braylon Edwards knowing that he blows out his ACL. There's no guarantee he won't lose speed. With the #3 overall pick you need proven playmakers. Edwards hasn't proven anything. Given the limited returns all we can say is he can't stay healthy.
You sure are a Negative Nancy sportsfan.
 
Anyway, I thought it was funny that the 2nd defensive player off the boards was Darrent Williams, the CB drafted by Denver in the second. Remember once upon a time when "Mike Shanahan simply couldn't draft CBs to save his life"? Well, two straight GREAT selections at CB, and suddenly it's beginning to look like perhaps random chance plays a much bigger role in football than anyone was previously willing to admit.
Bill Polian, the Colts GM, says that if you hit on 60% of your draft picks you are doing a great job (not a good job, a great job).
 
djcolts, to add to that, Parcells has said that a 50% hit rate on picks is pretty good.The guy that I'm surprised didn't make it into the mock is Chris Canty. He has been a beast on occasions and might end up as the best Dlineman of this draft. Certainly one of the best 32 rookies.

 
mike nugent has been solid, but he hasn't made a field gaol over 45 yards...and now he should have been a 1st round selection? pleasehindsight should tell you that very, very, very few kickers are worth being selected in the first two rounds, let alone #20 overall like banks lists. is nugent one of these special cases? so far i'd say no and that this was bank's worst selection. dallas could have solved their kicker problem without spending a first round pick on nugentlights out going #1 overall is interesting though. for a guy who caught a lot of heat for switching agents after the draft and being inactive week 1 he's shown a great deal of promise. i'm just not sure that i trust he'll stay healthy enough to select him #1 if you could go back. i'd probably select demarcus ware myself

 
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Great read. That would make for an interesting draft. I think Parcell's needs to get some credit for this years draft. I think he hit on more than 50%. Barber was a steal. Ware and Spears have been awesome. People passed on Canty because of an eye injury. parcell's overlooked it. Worked out pretty good.

 
mike nugent has been solid, but he hasn't made a field gaol over 45 yards...and now he should have been a 1st round selection? please

hindsight should tell you that very, very, very few kickers are worth being selected in the first two rounds, let alone #20 overall like banks lists. is nugent one of these special cases? so far i'd say no and that this was bank's worst selection. dallas could have solved their kicker problem without spending a first round pick on nugent

lights out going #1 overall is interesting though. for a guy who caught a lot of heat for switching agents after the draft and being inactive week 1 he's shown a great deal of promise. i'm just not sure that i trust he'll stay healthy enough to select him #1 if you could go back. i'd probably select demarcus ware myself
One of the few misses I think was Dallas passing on Merriman. I think Parcell's had a character question about this guy,t hat is what I read on the Cowboys site at least. He is a monster though.
 
He seems a little high on Gado - isn't he?
Was Gado a stud in college? I admit that I had only read about him from reports on here from the KC Chiefs fans. (He originally was a Chief right?)I don't remember ANYONE talking about Samwise Gamgee on draft day of being a first rounder.

 
mike nugent has been solid, but he hasn't made a field gaol over 45 yards...and now he should have been a 1st round selection? please

hindsight should tell you that very, very, very few kickers are worth being selected in the first two rounds, let alone #20 overall like banks lists. is nugent one of these special cases? so far i'd say no and that this was bank's worst selection. dallas could have solved their kicker problem without spending a first round pick on nugent

lights out going #1 overall is interesting though. for a guy who caught a lot of heat for switching agents after the draft and being inactive week 1 he's shown a great deal of promise. i'm just not sure that i trust he'll stay healthy enough to select him #1 if you could go back. i'd probably select demarcus ware myself
Big JEt fan pleased with Nugent this year but agree with you 100%. No way he should have gone in the 1st rd - I could live with the Miller/Nugent combo since the JEts were eyeing up Miller in the 1st rd anyway. So they still got Miller and add both Nugent and Doug "the anchor" Jolley as well.
 
I thought the article was a good read from an entertainment standpoint, but I hope Banks isnt paid to actually provide "insight". Looks like Banks just put in the names he recognized, and looked to see who had good stats.

1 San Francisco 49ers

SHAWNE MERRIMAN, LB, Maryland- No problem here. Merriman has been absolutely dominant.

2 Miami Dolphins

CARNELL WILLIAMS, RB, Auburn

3 Cleveland Browns

BRAYLON EDWARDS, WR, Michigan

4 Chicago Bears

MATT JONES, WR, Arkansas- WTF? Why? You can't tell me any GM in the NFL would consider Jones a top 5 talent, or the 2nd best WR in this draft in hindsight.

5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

RONNIE BROWN, RB, Auburn

6 Tennessee Titans

DARRENT WILLIAMS, CB, Oklahoma State- Wasn't this an amazing pick by Shanny?

7 Minnesota Vikings

LOFA TATUPU, LB, USC- Also a great pick. Tatupu is arguably the DEF ROY even with Merriman in the Pro Bowl.

8. Arizona Cardinals

SAMKON GADO, RB, Liberty- This is just stupid. A Rb who can't block, catch, or hold on to the ball, who had a few good games against bad defenses. Is he really any better than Marion Barber?

9 Washington Redskins

ODELL THURMAN, LB, Georgia- Thurman was a first round talent who fell from character concerns. Given the problems hes had this year, Im not ready to call him a top 10 pick, even with his great play.

10 Detroit Lions

DEMARCUS WARE, LB, Troy- Ware has been non-existent in the 2nd half of the season for Dallas. His talent would be wasted in Detroit's def scheme.

11 Dallas Cowboys

DERRICK JOHNSON, LB, Texas

12 San Diego Chargers

LUIS CASTILLO, DL, Northwestern- Chargers lucked out this guy decided to dope up before the combine.

13 New Orleans Saints

ALEX SMITH, QB, Utah

14 Carolina Panthers

HEATH MILLER, TE, Virginia- Would be a great fit, assuming Delhomme would throw to him.

15 Kansas City Chiefs

ELLIS HOBBS, CB, Iowa State- Asinine. Rolle, Rogers and especially PacMan are all much better long-term talents and, PacMan especially, have outplayed Hobbs THIS season.

16 Houston Texans

ALEX BARRON, OT, Florida State- Theres no way Houston actually drafts an offensive tackle, that would be silly.

17 Cincinnati Bengals

THOMAS DAVIS, S, Georgia

18 Minnesota Vikings

CEDRIC BENSON, RB, Texas

19 St. Louis Rams

JAMMAL BROWN, OT, Oklahoma

20 Dallas Cowboys

MIKE NUGENT, K, Ohio State- Makes me wonder if Don Banks watches the games.

21 Jacksonville Jaguars

JEROME MATHIS, WR/KR, Hampton- Another brillantly stupid pick. If you want a KR, draft PacMan, who returns kicks(#5 in the league) AND punts(#1 in the league). Jacksonville also has no discernable talent across from Mathis.

22 Baltimore Ravens

MARK CLAYTON, WR, Oklahoma- If Matt Jones is going #4, Clayton should be a top 10 pick.

23 Oakland Raiders

REYNALDO HILL, CB, Florida

Hill has played very well, but still, he doesnt have the potential or talent of his higher-picked peers.

24 Green Bay Packers

AARON RODGERS, QB, Cal- I think Id sure rather have what Ive seen from Charlie Frye.

25 Washington Redskins

Carlos Rogers, CB, Auburn

26 Seattle Seahawks

TROY WILLIAMSON, WR, South Carolina

27 Atlanta Falcons

CHRIS HENRY, WR, West Virginia- I hate the justification for this pick. "White hasn't looked deserving of first-round billing thus far. He has just 25 catches for 399 yards and a pair of touchdowns." Gee Don, could it have something to do with playing with Michael Vick vs. Carson Palmer? Before the draft, Henry was called a "first round talent with a seventh-round head". I think hes proven this year that his head hasn't gotten any better. Give me White with all the same talent but none of the personal problems.

28 San Diego Chargers

MARCUS SPEARS, DE, LSU

29 Indianapolis Colts

ADAM "PACMAN" JONES, CB, West Virginia

30 Pittsburgh Steelers

BRANDON JACOBS, RB, Southern Illinois- :shock: If Im drafting a Rb in the first round, I want him to be able to do something other than run short yardage. Which Jacobs is only marginal at despite his size.

31 Philadelphia Eagles

MARION BARBER, RB, Minnesota

32 New England Patriots

LOGAN MANKINS, OL, Fresno State- Mankins surely shouldnt have lasted to the end of the round. Hes played very well.

Further...Banks leaves off a host of rookies who actually DESERVE to be on this list, unlike Hobbs, Jacobs, Henry, Rodgers, Mathis, NUgent, Davis and Gado.

Wheres Kirk Morrison who has 110 tackles for a poor Raiders D? Leroy Hill? Michael Boley? Charlie Frye? Kerry Rhodes? How about Khalif Barnes who's outplayed every other rookie OT this year? Trent Cole who has become a fearsome pass rusher very quickly? If Mike Nugent is worth a 1st round pick, what is Chris Kluwe worth, considering he was a Pro-Bowl candidate? What has Marcus Spears done to be worth more than Chris Canty? How about Nick Collins, who has played remarkably well considering the defense around him? And has Logan Mankins really outplayed Nick Kaczur on the same OL?
 
...

15 Kansas City Chiefs

ELLIS HOBBS, CB, Iowa State- Asinine. Rolle, Rogers and especially PacMan are all much better long-term talents and, PacMan especially, have outplayed Hobbs THIS season.

...

21 Jacksonville Jaguars

JEROME MATHIS, WR/KR, Hampton- Another brillantly stupid pick. If you want a KR, draft PacMan, who returns kicks(#5 in the league) AND punts(#1 in the league). Jacksonville also has no discernable talent across from Mathis.

...

23 Oakland Raiders

REYNALDO HILL, CB, Florida

Hill has played very well, but still, he doesnt have the potential or talent of his higher-picked peers.

...

How about Khalif Barnes who's outplayed every other rookie OT this year?...
Agree with most of what you said, disagree with those 4 though.First off, I don't get what you like about PacMan. Was it his NUMEROUS character issues, including SEVERAL off-field disasters before the season even began? How about the fact that he didn't even TRY to cover Jerry Porter, or even to tackle him? He's probably been the worst starting CB in the entire NFL this season not named Duane. He's been very good on punt returns, but for any team that wants a CB, PacMan should be near the BOTTOM of the list. Williams, Hobbs, Hill, and Foxworth (also from Denver) have outplayed him in a HUGE way.

Second, I think it's stupid to draft a guy in the first round just to be a kick returner, but Jerome Mathis has been the #1 kick returner in the entire NFL this season, without question. Houston has the 9th best average starting field position in the entire NFL, despite a HORRID defense, and finishing last in the league in takeaways. That's 100% the responsibility of Jerome Mathis.

Third, potential and talent are overrated when it comes to CBs. CB is very much like RB in that if a player is going to succeed, he's going to do it pretty quickly. CB has one of the shortest learning curves in the NFL, historically. I'd take Hill over PacMan, even if we're only talking long-term here.

Finally, Khalif Barnes hasn't outplayed Barron. Not even close. Barron has been a STUD. Did you see the way he manhandled Indy's DEs?

Other than those 4 things, excellent analysis. :)

 
...

15 Kansas City Chiefs

ELLIS HOBBS, CB, Iowa State- Asinine.  Rolle, Rogers and especially PacMan are all much better long-term talents and, PacMan especially, have outplayed Hobbs THIS season. 

...

21 Jacksonville Jaguars

JEROME MATHIS, WR/KR, Hampton- Another brillantly stupid pick.  If you want a KR, draft PacMan, who returns kicks(#5 in the league) AND punts(#1 in the league).  Jacksonville also has no discernable talent across from Mathis. 

...

23 Oakland Raiders

REYNALDO HILL, CB, Florida

Hill has played very well, but still, he doesnt have the potential or talent of his higher-picked peers.

...

How about Khalif Barnes who's outplayed every other rookie OT this year?...
Agree with most of what you said, disagree with those 4 though.First off, I don't get what you like about PacMan. Was it his NUMEROUS character issues, including SEVERAL off-field disasters before the season even began? How about the fact that he didn't even TRY to cover Jerry Porter, or even to tackle him? He's probably been the worst starting CB in the entire NFL this season not named Duane. He's been very good on punt returns, but for any team that wants a CB, PacMan should be near the BOTTOM of the list. Williams, Hobbs, Hill, and Foxworth (also from Denver) have outplayed him in a HUGE way.

Second, I think it's stupid to draft a guy in the first round just to be a kick returner, but Jerome Mathis has been the #1 kick returner in the entire NFL this season, without question. Houston has the 9th best average starting field position in the entire NFL, despite a HORRID defense, and finishing last in the league in takeaways. That's 100% the responsibility of Jerome Mathis.

Third, potential and talent are overrated when it comes to CBs. CB is very much like RB in that if a player is going to succeed, he's going to do it pretty quickly. CB has one of the shortest learning curves in the NFL, historically. I'd take Hill over PacMan, even if we're only talking long-term here.

Finally, Khalif Barnes hasn't outplayed Barron. Not even close. Barron has been a STUD. Did you see the way he manhandled Indy's DEs?

Other than those 4 things, excellent analysis. :)
Thanks for the reply SSOGRe: PacMan/Mathis

I hated PacMan in camp. Living here in Nashville, every day in August I got to hear some soundbyte from him about his contract, and such, and there was the whole barfight turned lawsuit incident.

It took half a season, but PacMan really settled down, and while hes still getting called for too many penalites, his coverage skills have improved dramatically, and you can see from his ability to break on the ball, his hands, and his excellent running with the ball skills that he will be a great pro once he matures.

Yes, Mathis was the #1 KR this year. But PacMan was the #1 PR this year. And PacMan also finished 5th in KR, while Mathis doesnt return punts.

Further, despite how bad you may think PacMan to be at corner, I hope its obvious he is a better corner than Mathis is a WR, and specifically for Jacksonville, PacMan would fill a much bigger need than Mathis would.

Edit to add: Re: Barron

Barron looked absolutely dominant the first time I saw him play, when he got put in in the 2nd half vs. the Titans. But in the other games I saw, while he dominated at times, he also gave up alot of stupid penalties, and had alot of trouble vs. the blitz. I dont recall seeing Barnes being beaten much, if at all in the 4-5 games I saw of them. Maybe I just saw the wrong games to draw my conclusions from.

 
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27 Atlanta FalconsCHRIS HENRY, WR, West VirginiaOriginal pick: Roddy White, WR, Alabama-BirminghamWhite hasn't looked deserving of first-round billing thus far. He has just 25 catches for 399 yards and a pair of touchdowns. By comparison, the 6-foot-4 Henry has been a pleasant surprise in Cincinnati, scoring six times on 31 receptions for the playoff-bound Bengals. And he only cost Cincy a third-round pick.
no way!
 
8 Arizona CardinalsSAMKON GADO, RB, LibertyOriginal pick: Antrel Rolle, CB, MiamiRolle has been a major disappointment in the desert, appearing in only five games. Playing behind a horrendous offensive line, the Arizona running game has been non-existent. The Cardinals have just two rushing touchdowns all season, so why not give them the undrafted free agent Gado, who had three 100-yard games in his five starts? I know Dennis Green doesn't like drafting QBs high, but investing in Alex Smith might have been the wise move for the future.
Looks like the Shark Pool wasn't the only place where people drank the Gado Kool-Aid.
 
The do over was worse than the actual draft. Looks like some of these GMs know a thing or two about talent.

 
Funniest part is the Detroit pick...

Even 3 years later, he was dead on with whom my Lions should have picked. And, wasn't there rumors that they were trying to get Ware for Roy Williams and were laughed at?

 

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