The "I can't believe I'm doing one this early but (1 Viewer)

[Warpig]

I love this stuff!

 

[Rounders]

So from a fantasy perspective, all that I'm reading about is the big 2 at RB (Peterson, Lynch), is that all that we are seeing this year as potential breakout runners?

What about Bush from Louisville? I know that he's hurt, but if he proves his health at the combine, where does that put him?

What about Irons? Any others?

It's not looking like a good year for high rookie draft picks (from a fantasy perspective.)

 

[nightshift]

So from a fantasy perspective, all that I'm reading about is the big 2 at RB (Peterson, Lynch), is that all that we are seeing this year as potential breakout runners? What about Bush from Louisville? I know that he's hurt, but if he proves his health at the combine, where does that put him?What about Irons? Any others?It's not looking like a good year for high rookie draft picks (from a fantasy perspective.)

Not RBs anyway. If we follow this draft, neither of the "big 2" are going to a good situation. Irons might be different story.

 

[shakeybarn]

Nice to see focus on just not the numbers or opposition with Cal's Lynch.

 

[Godsbrother]

Great stuff, as always. Of course I have to weigh in on Pittsburgh.....I don't think you can call Ike Taylor an Uber-bust. Ricardo Colclough is more deserving of that label. Taylor was a late 4th round pick who played his way up the depth chart to the point where he was at a near- Pro Bowl level last season. He seems to have regressed this year, but he hasn't been horrendous, and is still likely the team's best cover corner. I think the Steelers still see him and McFadden as their cover guys for the future, so I doubt they go CB in round 1. I think LB (actually, a DE to convert, like Gaines Adams if he's there) or OL is more likely, but tackle is probably the least of their concerns. A guy like Blaylock might be a possibility if he's around, otherwise a trade down a few spots for someone like Kyle Young seems like an option.

Taylor has been starter for two seasons: one was very good, the other not-so-good. They just gave him a big contract so they aren't going to give up on him and they are fairly deep at the position (McFadden, Townsend). I do not see the Steelers taking a CB in the first round at all. Their biggest needs are on the offensive line or either a DE or OLB that can generate some pressure (which would help their secondary out tremendously).

 

[Pnishthm]

i will #### a gold brick if jamarcus russell drops to 31

This is VERY painful :X

 

[DPRugby]

Good job AD. Love seeing the Boltz win the SB.

I agree with the poster that doesn't think the Raiders will draft a QB in round one as long as Davis is breathing. How would your draft look assuming they don't take Quinn?

 

[Andy Dufresne]

I agree with the poster that doesn't think the Raiders will draft a QB in round one as long as Davis is breathing. How would your draft look assuming they don't take Quinn?

There is a history of Al Davis taking a QB in the first. The more recent ones aren't stellar, but they exist:1991 Todd Marinovich1980 Marc Wilson1968 Eldridge Dickey, QB, Tennessee St. /2n round - Ken Stabler, QB, Alabama 1962 Roman GabrielIf they don't take Quinn, then it's likely either Johnson or Peterson. There are two likely scenarios that come from that:2. Oakland - Calvin Johnson3. Arizona - Alan Branch 4. Tampa Bay - Brady Quinn 5. Green Bay - Adrian Peterson 2. Oakland - Adrian Peterson3. Arizona - Alan Branch 4. Tampa Bay - Calvin Johnson5. Green Bay - Brady Quinn Gaines Adams may sneak in there to Tampa. If that happens, Calvin Johnson may go to the Pack and then Quinn free falls.

 

[DPRugby]

I agree with the poster that doesn't think the Raiders will draft a QB in round one as long as Davis is breathing. How would your draft look assuming they don't take Quinn?

There is a history of Al Davis taking a QB in the first. The more recent ones aren't stellar, but they exist:1991 Todd Marinovich1980 Marc Wilson1968 Eldridge Dickey, QB, Tennessee St. /2n round - Ken Stabler, QB, Alabama 1962 Roman GabrielIf they don't take Quinn, then it's likely either Johnson or Peterson. There are two likely scenarios that come from that:2. Oakland - Calvin Johnson3. Arizona - Alan Branch 4. Tampa Bay - Brady Quinn 5. Green Bay - Adrian Peterson 2. Oakland - Adrian Peterson3. Arizona - Alan Branch 4. Tampa Bay - Calvin Johnson5. Green Bay - Brady Quinn Gaines Adams may sneak in there to Tampa. If that happens, Calvin Johnson may go to the Pack and then Quinn free falls.

After the Todd Marinovich disaster the locals around here don't think he'll ever make that move again. As a Raider/ND hater I'd like to see Quinn come to the Raiders and fail miserably.

 

[Chaos Commish]

Great job!But as a Baltimore homer, I can offer insight that the Ravens will not take Troy Smith in the first round.Their Scouting Director, Eric DeCosta, was on the radio last Tuesday (filling in on the "Brian Billick Show" since Billick was too busy during the short week to appear) and someone asked about Smith -- he said a fourth, maybe third, round pick who will be a decent NFL back-up but not a legit front-line starter.

Thanks for the input. Ravens taking Smith is a very popular projection in mocks. I think Smith goes much earlier than DeCosta suggests when it is all said and done though.

 

[The_Man]

Great job!But as a Baltimore homer, I can offer insight that the Ravens will not take Troy Smith in the first round.Their Scouting Director, Eric DeCosta, was on the radio last Tuesday (filling in on the "Brian Billick Show" since Billick was too busy during the short week to appear) and someone asked about Smith -- he said a fourth, maybe third, round pick who will be a decent NFL back-up but not a legit front-line starter.

Thanks for the input. Ravens taking Smith is a very popular projection in mocks. I think Smith goes much earlier than DeCosta suggests when it is all said and done though.

Interesting. He said that Smith's biggest problem was his size and that he actually had a stronger arm than a lot of people give him credit for. But he also clearly didn't think he was an NFL starter.

 

[The Great Snook]

As a NE homer I have to question your Patriot selections. I don't think BB and Scott Pioli will ever take a LB or DB in the first round. They seem to believe in big bodies for the first round (OL, DL, TE). As badly as we need help at LB and DB they will wait until at least the 3rd round before picking someone and they will probably draft a smallish lineman to convert to a LB and a fast LB to convert to a safety.

 

[thesurfshop19]

As the picks currently are, do the Broncos and Redskins flip-flop picks?

The #7 would be HUGE for the Broncos ....

 

[aposulli]

As a NE homer I have to question your Patriot selections. I don't think BB and Scott Pioli will ever take a LB or DB in the first round. They seem to believe in big bodies for the first round (OL, DL, TE). As badly as we need help at LB and DB they will wait until at least the 3rd round before picking someone and they will probably draft a smallish lineman to convert to a LB and a fast LB to convert to a safety.

After having the DB decimated for the 3rd consecutive year I think BB and Pioli have seen quite enough of Troy Brown and guys picked off the streets starting at DB.With the injuries to Harrison and Wilson, it's tough to believe they wouldn't look at a top Safety like Landry or even a CB like McCauley.

Hobbs is average at best (Though I think he can turn into a very solid starter), Samuel is getting more and more $$$ from another team with each INT, Harrison is 87 years old, Wilson is always hurt and they can't seem to find a position for him, Chad (and/or Gus) Scott, James Sanders, Artrell Hawkins, Tory Brown are all below average DB's IMO.

The injury to Seau and Vrabel's and Bruschi's age are all factors that are going to force them to draft a LB at SOME point, and I would be shocked if it weren't early and/or often.

The ONLY position they are missing on the OL and DL is ORT and we got alot of young guys there already.

The only WTF move I can see the Pats making in the draft is to draft ANOTHER TE (assuming Graham signs elsewhere)... one that is a blocking specialist.

What I think they'll target: WR, blocking TE, ILB, OLB, CB, S

 

[Ryan_21]

Ginn to Dallas. I wish Andy, I really do. One, I doubt he falls so far. Two, Parcells is rather firmly on the record being against the notion of round 1 wide receivers. Still, you always do a nice job taking care of Dallas in these mocks.

His size is a big red flag to me. Steve Smith is the exception, not the rule. I see him slipping just like Sinorice Moss did last year and for the same reason.

I've said before I'll be debunking the many Ginn myths. He's 6-0 tall. Sinorice and Steve Smith are not comparisons. Ginn is also very very strong physically, so you could compare him to Smith in that regard.

I was going to say the same thing. Everywhere I have looked Ginn is listed at 6'0". Even if he is closer to 5'10" That is still taller than Smith at 5'9" and a Sinorice Moss comparison is rediculous, Moss is only 5'7".

 

[MLBrandow]

18) Why would PHI spend a #1 pick on a QB when McNabb is so good? People boo him because they are Phili fans, which almost qualifies them as idiots by default. McNabb is a top-5 QB in this league, arguably top-3 behind Manning and Brady.

Because he's 30 and injured. He might not be back until mid-season next year. And the Eagles are on the verge of a shakeup.

31) Rex Grossman is a quality QB. It's not his fault that the team won't bench him because of his hand injury. He is not making poor decisions so much that his mechanics are suffering due to the strained ligaments in his palm. There's no way they kick him to the curb after this season.

Now there's info I did not know.

Also, while I feel that both Smith and Russell are definitely first-round talent, because of the lack of QB need right now in this league, I don't think either makes it into the first round. I think where you have them going (late first) is probably their best bet.I could see several teams jumping all over them in the second round though, regardless of need.

There could be some that trade up a bit into the latter part of the 1st as well. That's why I think the Lions roll the dice with Thomas as the 1st rounder, expecting Russell, Smith, or even Stanton to be their 2nd pick. That would be a nice start for them, wouldn't it?

1) How much of an impact will the Eagles late run have on this do you think? I would be very, very hard-pressed to believe there will be any sort of shakeup in this organization. McNabb has several years left in him and Reid isn't going anywhere anytime soon.2) If you look back to the NE game last week, he seriously aggravated it. There are clips of him shaking his hand vehemently to even get feeling in it. After that, he was throwing interceptions, ducks and blind mice and the kitchen sink, everything but completions... It was there before because of the same problem, but it's even worse now. In watching him, he has that command of the field and still the faith of his offense, but one has to wonder though when he is going to be labeled an "injury-risk" and they'll give up on him that way. Personally I see them giving him at LEAST one more season to prove his worth before they start exploring other options.3) That logic seems to escape Millen. I really hope they fire him, but for some reason, I think he'll stay. The owner isn't stupid, and if he's kept Millen around for this long, there's got to be some economic reason behind it, in terms of efficiency. Think LA Clippers for the longest time.... could be something like this going on here. Whatever it is, I don't understand it, but feel that Millen is going to be there for at least another season...

 

[Boston]

As far as the Pats go...

*You can never, ever say the words "obvious pick" when it comes to the Patriots. There's no such thing.

*I would absolutely love for the Pats to use both #1's on defense. They need a nice shot of young playmakers on that side of the ball. Secondary needs are very obvious as is the need for a front seven player who can really rush the passer. One area this D is starting to slip in is the playmaking department. Bruschi and Harrison are getting older and Law and Willie are gone. Those guys were/are solid defenders but they were/are playmakers who could make huge game changing plays.

*If past history is an indicator the Pats won't use a high pick at LB (which probably means they will this year). Their system does not translate very well to college LBs. Vrabel, Bruschi, Colvin, Banta-Cain and ex-Pat Willie McGinest were all former DE's in college. While it seems like they get predicted to pick a LB every year they never do. Infact they have rarely even used a draft pick on a college LB during the BB/Pioli regime. In my dreams they take a run at Briggs in free agency but that may only be a dream. They do need help here so they may break the trend but just wanted to point out their history/tendencies here.

*I really hope the Pats don't address the WR position early in the draft. They are already developing Chad Jackson and Caldwell is a youngster. I'd much rather see them get some solid ready to play veterans in free agency to build up this position.

*The Samuel situation is interesting to watch. Hopefully they resign him. He's a quality CB. I felt if the Pats wanted him back they would be smart to resign him last summer when his pricetag would be more reasonable. He's the exact type of player who will get overpaid in free agency. Solid CBs always do. I've heard they are talking about a contract but it remains to be seen what happens. He could be a candidate for the franchise tag as well. With Koppen resigning the only other high profile player entering free agency is Graham. While he's good he's injuryprone and I could see them letting him walk and tagging Samuel. The Pats have a ton of capspace and could take the hit for a year and still have plenty of cap space available.

 

[delusional]

wouldnt be surprised to see the panthers make a move on ginn jr as keyshawn is pretty much at the end of his career

eagles wont spend a 1st on a QB but 2nd or 3rd possibly. McNabb has been hurt too much the past 3 years and may not even be able to go at the start of next season & they have 0 back ups to groom

 

[beef]

I can live with AP at #5 for the Pack.

 

[ZenMaster]

If the Raiders passed on Leinart last year only to draft Quinn this year, I'm sending all my Raiders stuff back to Al Davis and picking a new favorite team.

 

[BigRed]

I thought about that. But he does have a history (ancient though it may be, look back) of taking a QB in the 1st

That didn't wash so I checked - a whopping 3 years in their entire history and the last 15 yrs ago. Aint happening.Also think no way Smith (OSU) goes 1st. Size issue plus he has a whopping one full great year on his resume. Don't trust that esp for a QB.

 

[nightshift]

Think about this in regards to Houston. Given their current o-line and the transplanted Shanahan philosophy of using a horde of RBs, I think they might not take a RB, but either take the best lineman available or trade down.

 

[jbz]

As the picks currently are, do the Broncos and Redskins flip-flop picks?

The #7 would be HUGE for the Broncos ....

Nope, the Skins are likely keeping the first and giving up future pickshttp://blogs.rockymountainnews.com/denver/...hree_rs_re.html

 

[The Man Who Met Andy Griffith]

3) That logic seems to escape Millen. I really hope they fire him, but for some reason, I think he'll stay. The owner isn't stupid, and if he's kept Millen around for this long, there's got to be some economic reason behind it, in terms of efficiency. Think LA Clippers for the longest time.... could be something like this going on here. Whatever it is, I don't understand it, but feel that Millen is going to be there for at least another season...

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=F&t=my

The Fords are amongst the worst owners in sports.

 

[The Man Who Met Andy Griffith]

I thought about that. But he does have a history (ancient though it may be, look back) of taking a QB in the 1st

That didn't wash so I checked - a whopping 3 years in their entire history and the last 15 yrs ago. Aint happening.

So... about 3 out of the last 30 first round picks (10%) have been QB's. What % of first round picks are generally QB? I'd guess around 10%.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

I thought about that. But he does have a history (ancient though it may be, look back) of taking a QB in the 1st

That didn't wash so I checked - a whopping 3 years in their entire history and the last 15 yrs ago. Aint happening.

So all we need to do for mock drafts is look back at what teams have done in the past and that's what they're going to do in the present? Well why didn't you say so? That makes this a whole lot easier.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Ginn to Dallas. I wish Andy, I really do. One, I doubt he falls so far. Two, Parcells is rather firmly on the record being against the notion of round 1 wide receivers. Still, you always do a nice job taking care of Dallas in these mocks.

His size is a big red flag to me. Steve Smith is the exception, not the rule. I see him slipping just like Sinorice Moss did last year and for the same reason.

I've said before I'll be debunking the many Ginn myths. He's 6-0 tall. Sinorice and Steve Smith are not comparisons. Ginn is also very very strong physically, so you could compare him to Smith in that regard.

I was going to say the same thing. Everywhere I have looked Ginn is listed at 6'0". Even if he is closer to 5'10" That is still taller than Smith at 5'9" and a Sinorice Moss comparison is rediculous, Moss is only 5'7".

The point was that they're all small compared to the theoretical/prototypical NFL wide receiver. Whenever you say a receiver is "not big enough", someone always points out "well Steve Smith is good!"

 

[DeepOut]

despite likely losing Clements, the Bills drafted two DBs that started their first year, and their offensive line has been so woeful it's hard to believe they won't try to do something there, even if it involves some sort of wacky trade like the one resulting in McCargo at DT tackle last year.

--------------------

"Forget it, Jake.... it's Chinatown".

 

[Andy Dufresne]

despite likely losing Clements, the Bills drafted two DBs that started their first year, and their offensive line has been so woeful it's hard to believe they won't try to do something there, even if it involves some sort of wacky trade like the one resulting in McCargo at DT tackle last year.

They drafted two SAFETIES that have played - Ko Simpson and Donte Whitner. The CB they drafted, Ashton Youboty, hasn't played a game (from what I can tell) and was declared inactive last week.

 

[Buckna]

Think about this in regards to Houston. Given their current o-line and the transplanted Shanahan philosophy of using a horde of RBs, I think they might not take a RB, but either take the best lineman available or trade down.

Where they are picking there likely won't be an O'lineman worth taking. As a homer I believe Houston is going D again in the first. If we assume he grades as well as people think, then in this mock there's no way they would pass on Landry. We need an upgrade at safety BAD.I also don't think the Lions would pass on Quinn nor the Raiders on Peterson. I then see Green Bay taking Lynch. Houston will pick up a RB like Bush, Irons or Hart in the later rounds.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Where they are picking there likely won't be an O'lineman worth taking. As a homer I believe Houston is going D again in the first. If we assume he grades as well as people think, then in this mock there's no way they would pass on Landry. We need an upgrade at safety BAD.

I could definitely see Houston taking Landry.

I also don't think the Lions would pass on Quinn nor the Raiders on Peterson. I then see Green Bay taking Lynch. Houston will pick up a RB like Bush, Irons or Hart in the later rounds.

Where are people getting this "Peterson to Oakland" thing? That's something I don't see given their other needs.And my assumption (see post #1) was that Bush wouldn't be coming out this year. Irons/Hart are a possibility if they don't get Lynch. Man I think Lynch would do well in that system.As far as Houston's o-line is concerned, wasn't this year's poor performance due more to injury than lack of talent?

 

[Buckna]

The Peterson thing is something I just keep hearing. Rumors swirling about how dissatisfied they were with Lamont even before he got injured. I'm also partially basing it on a belief that I don't think the Lions pass on Quinn. (I don't think it's what they should do either, by the way.) As you said, the Raiders could go Calvin Johnson there too, it's hard to say.

Texans O'line is missing 3 starters and having to start two rookies in those spots this year so there are definitely some injury woes. I doubt there will be an O'line guy worth taking where they end up picking in the 1st but I could see us adding a player or two later on like this past April.

 

[Chaos Commish]

Where they are picking there likely won't be an O'lineman worth taking. As a homer I believe Houston is going D again in the first. If we assume he grades as well as people think, then in this mock there's no way they would pass on Landry. We need an upgrade at safety BAD.

I could definitely see Houston taking Landry.

I also don't think the Lions would pass on Quinn nor the Raiders on Peterson. I then see Green Bay taking Lynch. Houston will pick up a RB like Bush, Irons or Hart in the later rounds.

Where are people getting this "Peterson to Oakland" thing? That's something I don't see given their other needs.And my assumption (see post #1) was that Bush wouldn't be coming out this year. Irons/Hart are a possibility if they don't get Lynch. Man I think Lynch would do well in that system.As far as Houston's o-line is concerned, wasn't this year's poor performance due more to injury than lack of talent?

My take on Peterson is that he is the best football player in the draft at any position. RBs may not hold the value of franchise QBs, LTs, or DEs, but Peterson is to this draft what Bush was to last year. Who Dat once wrote a "perfect" comparison of the two and short-term Peterson is better. I think Davis is interested in short term success.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

My take on Peterson is that he is the best football player in the draft at any position. RBs may not hold the value of franchise QBs, LTs, or DEs, but Peterson is to this draft what Bush was to last year. Who Dat once wrote a "perfect" comparison of the two and short-term Peterson is better. I think Davis is interested in short term success.

I guess that I just didn't realize how down the Raiders were on Jordan.

 

[Ridgelake]

The fun starts early. Great job, Andy!

Dallas Cowboys. Drafting. Parcells.

1) Parcells' strong preference for first rounders is defensive front 7. One of the biggest holes on the team is backup NT. 30+ YO Jason Ferguson is the only legit NT on the roster. If a quality 2-gap NT is available when Dallas picks at 32, they will likely take him.

2) Another significant front-seven need is a passrusher. Dallas is near the bottom of the league in sacks. Ware is legit. Greg Ellis was good, but he's over 30 and coming off an achilles tear. Backup d-linemen Jay Ratliff and Jason Hatcher have some promise, but if someone like a Kiwanuka were available, then it would not surprise to see Dallas take him.

3) The biggest weakness on the team this year has been free safety. Its possible that rookie Pat Watkins will develop enough mental skills over the next year to become a solid player. Dallas likes his physical abilities. But unless Parcells believes he can develop Watkins' mental game, a free safety would not surprise. That said, Dallas has big money tied up in Roy Williams, Anthony Henry, and Newman is about to redo his rookie deal. Major, major bucks tied up in the secondary.

4) Backup O-Line: Dallas will likely resign Gurode to play center, but Al Johnson is likely gone in FA. They have no backup center. Marco Rivera is getting older. Drafting someone to potentially fill these spots would not surprise. It should be noted that Parcells has spoken very highly of rookies Pat McQuistan (tackle) and Corey Proctor (guard). McQuistan, especially, is being groomed to be the LT when Flozell Adams retires. Finally, Parcells has spoken against taking oline in the first round. So don't get your hopes up on this topic.

5) CB: Henry and Newman are solid starters with several years of good service ahead of them. Aaron Glenn is an ageless wonder as the nickle CB. Thats the spot an early pick could fill. Glenn has been an excellent tutor to Dallas' young DBs. Getting a physically talented guy to mentor would not be out of the question.

6) QB: Romo seems entrenched. Bledsoe is likely gone. A first round backup probably doesnt make sense. Signing a vet FA and a late round draft pick does. But you never know.

7) WR: Yes TO and GLenn are older than dirt collectively. But Dallas has high hopes for Sam Hurd and Austin Miles. Not to mention Patrick Crayton. The fact that these 3 guys collectively cost Dallas 1 seventh round draft pick to acquire gives you a good idea of how Parcells believes WRs can be developed and acquired. Hint: its not with 1st round draft picks.

Its always fun to speculate on these things

 

[hacman]

Where they are picking there likely won't be an O'lineman worth taking. As a homer I believe Houston is going D again in the first. If we assume he grades as well as people think, then in this mock there's no way they would pass on Landry. We need an upgrade at safety BAD.

I could definitely see Houston taking Landry.

I also don't think the Lions would pass on Quinn nor the Raiders on Peterson. I then see Green Bay taking Lynch. Houston will pick up a RB like Bush, Irons or Hart in the later rounds.

Where are people getting this "Peterson to Oakland" thing? That's something I don't see given their other needs.And my assumption (see post #1) was that Bush wouldn't be coming out this year. Irons/Hart are a possibility if they don't get Lynch. Man I think Lynch would do well in that system.As far as Houston's o-line is concerned, wasn't this year's poor performance due more to injury than lack of talent?

My take on Peterson is that he is the best football player in the draft at any position. RBs may not hold the value of franchise QBs, LTs, or DEs, but Peterson is to this draft what Bush was to last year. Who Dat once wrote a "perfect" comparison of the two and short-term Peterson is better. I think Davis is interested in short term success.

Definitely not a fan of the Raiders, but they are a ball-control offense away from being a contender. Ball control may not jibe with Al Davis' style, but it would be smart for them to go this route. If Peterson can truly be a difference maker, then I would draft him and keep Jordan for one more year. They do have to address their offensive line however-

 

[-OZ-]

FWIW, I had a dream last night that I drafted Adrian Peterson in my main league, and he was wearing a green helmet.

That seems to indicate Jets, but I'm not sure how he'd drop that far. (barring injury)

 

[TwinTurbo]

1. Detroit - Joe Thomas - OT, Wisconsin -

Marinelli has repeatedly voiced his support for Kitna and while Jon's no world beater he is good enough. Brady Quinn does not fix this team and after seeing what Mangini did in New York by building o-line first, the Lions finally "get it" and start building the trenches.

2. Oakland - Brady Quinn - QB, Notre Dame -

A mixed blessing for the Raiders. Sure they'd rather upgrade the o-line, but nobody's worth it now that Thomas is off the board. Neither Brooks nor Walters are the long-term answer, so this is an easy pick for the Raiders. At the very least, Quinn should sell some tickets and merchandise for the Raiders who surprisingly are in the bottom third of sales in the latter category.

You know, it wasn't so long ago that Oakland appeared to "get it" and started building the trenches, by drafting OT and then C with their 1st and 2nd picks in 2004. Now they need an "upgrade."

The franchise "got it". Too bad the picks themselves didn't. Who knew Gallery would flame out like he has?The Lions have never "gotten it."

People forget that the Lions also "got it" and drafted a first round O-line pick three years in a row from 99-01. Yes who can forget Aaron Gibson, Stockar McDougle, and the mighty Jeff Backus. All drafted in the first round. All worthless. These 3 OL picks were actually worse than the 3 WR picks in a row. At least Roy Williams turned out to be good.

 

[-OZ-]

1. Detroit - Joe Thomas - OT, Wisconsin -

Marinelli has repeatedly voiced his support for Kitna and while Jon's no world beater he is good enough. Brady Quinn does not fix this team and after seeing what Mangini did in New York by building o-line first, the Lions finally "get it" and start building the trenches.

2. Oakland - Brady Quinn - QB, Notre Dame -

A mixed blessing for the Raiders. Sure they'd rather upgrade the o-line, but nobody's worth it now that Thomas is off the board. Neither Brooks nor Walters are the long-term answer, so this is an easy pick for the Raiders. At the very least, Quinn should sell some tickets and merchandise for the Raiders who surprisingly are in the bottom third of sales in the latter category.

You know, it wasn't so long ago that Oakland appeared to "get it" and started building the trenches, by drafting OT and then C with their 1st and 2nd picks in 2004. Now they need an "upgrade."

The franchise "got it". Too bad the picks themselves didn't. Who knew Gallery would flame out like he has?The Lions have never "gotten it."

People forget that the Lions also "got it" and drafted a first round O-line pick three years in a row from 99-01. Yes who can forget Aaron Gibson, Stockar McDougle, and the mighty Jeff Backus. All drafted in the first round. All worthless. These 3 OL picks were actually worse than the 3 WR picks in a row. At least Roy Williams turned out to be good.

You might want to check your information, especially on Backus. That kind of "worthless" player is welcome on my team any day.

 

[MLBrandow]

3) That logic seems to escape Millen. I really hope they fire him, but for some reason, I think he'll stay. The owner isn't stupid, and if he's kept Millen around for this long, there's got to be some economic reason behind it, in terms of efficiency. Think LA Clippers for the longest time.... could be something like this going on here. Whatever it is, I don't understand it, but feel that Millen is going to be there for at least another season...

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=F&t=my

The Fords are amongst the worst owners in sports.

They are very successful businessmen, and if Millen is still around, there is a reason for it beyond "their stoopid".If you qualify "worst" as not winning championships, etc, then yes... DET hasn't won one in years and years.

I could be mistaken, but I'm pretty sure the DET franchise isn't losing money. They surely have economists evaluate that franchise just like they have them to evaluate their business, and with some complex modeling they have decided that this is the most efficient way to run it.

Even if they did fire Millen, it's unlikely to me that they will draft someone other than Quinn with that #1 pick, because he brings a clean new face to the franchise with a new coach who is trying to rebuild.

You won't find disagreement with me that the pick is terrible, but that doesn't mean it's not still going to be the pick.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

You won't find disagreement with me that the pick is terrible, but that doesn't mean it's not still going to be the pick.

I think that the "Brady Quinn is overrated" thing has gained momentum only because it's been repeated enough. I also believe it is false. If the Lions took Quinn with the #1 overall, I don't think it would be a mistake at all. He's better than Alex Smith was in college and Smith is turning into a productive NFL qb with franchise potential. Whether the Lions organization could coach up Quinn like the '9ers have Smith is something else entirely, though.I've been tracking QB talk in the draft for a bout 5 years now, and every year there's a top QB coming out, his detractors are given a larger voice than supporters for some reason. A perfect example of that is Carson Palmer. There was a vocal crowd doubting his talent before he was drafted too. That's the bad thing (one of many) about the internet - even idiots can have an opinion taken seriously. On the other hand, I'm thankful for that too!

 

[Chaos Commish]

You won't find disagreement with me that the pick is terrible, but that doesn't mean it's not still going to be the pick.

I think that the "Brady Quinn is overrated" thing has gained momentum only because it's been repeated enough. I also believe it is false. If the Lions took Quinn with the #1 overall, I don't think it would be a mistake at all. He's better than Alex Smith was in college and Smith is turning into a productive NFL qb with franchise potential. Whether the Lions organization could coach up Quinn like the '9ers have Smith is something else entirely, though.I've been tracking QB talk in the draft for a bout 5 years now, and every year there's a top QB coming out, his detractors are given a larger voice than supporters for some reason. A perfect example of that is Carson Palmer. There was a vocal crowd doubting his talent before he was drafted too. That's the bad thing (one of many) about the internet - even idiots can have an opinion taken seriously. On the other hand, I'm thankful for that too!

I thought the Young haters were over the top and included many who obviously were incapable of evaluating him reasonably. The Leinart Cutler debates involved "doubters" who were clearly not idiots. We've already seen Who Dat, Colin and some other non idiots pick Quinn to bust. I'm pretty curious about that take on him. I think Quinn will be fine. He has a better arm than Leinart (both strength and accuracy), better wheels, and similar (probably better) pro-style experience. Leinart struggled way more than advertised as a Senior (and I broke that down game by game if you recall). I agree Quinn struggled on occasion, but for NFL purposes I rate him a little better than Leinart, who looks excellent down the road. These are franchise grade QBs. I think the NFL is going to experience a needed rennaissance at QB over the next few years and it will be led by last year and the next two years worth of college QBs.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

I think the NFL is going to experience a needed rennaissance at QB over the next few years and it will be led by last year and the next two years worth of college QBs.

That sounds strangely familiar... And I wasn't implying that people that are predicting Quinn to bust are idiots. Hopefully nobody took it that way.

I simply meant that there are a lot of idiotic things written on the internet that are taken as fact. Predicting that Quinn (or anyone else) will bust at the NFL level is not one of them. EVERY player comes with concern.

 

[nightshift]

I think the NFL is going to experience a needed rennaissance at QB over the next few years and it will be led by last year and the next two years worth of college QBs.

That sounds strangely familiar... And I wasn't implying that people that are predicting Quinn to bust are idiots. Hopefully nobody took it that way.

I simply meant that there are a lot of idiotic things written on the internet that are taken as fact. Predicting that Quinn (or anyone else) will bust at the NFL level is not one of them. EVERY player comes with concern.

All rookie NFL players, drafted or FA signed, are the cream of the college crop. There are many variables that go into whether or not a player is successful at the NFL level of play. Opportunity, coaching, surrounding cast, work ethics, determination, courage, etc. etc. etc. With that said, very very few make it. Of those, even fewer become "studs" of the game. So it is very easy to predict that any given player will "bust" in the NFL.

Now if you can consistently predict the studs correctly, I wanna talk to you!

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

Great job!But as a Baltimore homer, I can offer insight that the Ravens will not take Troy Smith in the first round.Their Scouting Director, Eric DeCosta, was on the radio last Tuesday (filling in on the "Brian Billick Show" since Billick was too busy during the short week to appear) and someone asked about Smith -- he said a fourth, maybe third, round pick who will be a decent NFL back-up but not a legit front-line starter.

Smoke screen.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Down & dirty revision

1. Detroit - Brady Quinn

Although AP is now a serious consideration with both KJ and Calhoun dealing with serious injuries.

2. Oakland - Adrian Peterson

Lamont is obviously on his way out.

3. Tampa Bay - Calvin Johnson

4. Arizona - Joe Thomas

5. Houston - JaMarcus Russell

The David Carr era is over. He simply cannot get the ball down the field.

6. Washington - Gaines Adams

7. Cleveland - Alan Branch

8. St. Louis - Jake Long

Alex Barron is a bust.

9. San Francisco - Leon Hall

10. Green Bay - Marshawn Lynch

11. Minnesota - Laron Landry

Cornerback is not a first round concern since rookie Griffin has performed well.

12. Carolina - Reggie Nelson

13. Miami - Justin Blalock

14. Pittsburgh - Lemarr Woodley

Moves to OLB in the 3-4.

15. Buffalo - Dwayne Jarrett

16. Tennessee - Ted Ginn

17. Atlanta - Michael Griffin

18. New York Jets - DeMarcus Tyler

19. Philadelphia - Paul Posluszny

Deal with it.

20. Kansas City - Quinn Pitcock

Ryan Sims is a bust.

21. Denver - Ray McDonald

22. New York Giants - Levi Brown

23. New England - Patrick Willis

24. Dallas - Amobi Okoye

Plays for a year or two behind Furgeson to mature.

25. Jacksonville - Buster Davis

26. Cincinnati - Zach Miller

27. New Orleans - Rufus Alexander

28. New England - Darrelle Revis

29. Baltimore - Troy Smith

30. Indianapolis - Justin Harrell

31. Chicago - H.B. Blades

32. San Diego - Eric Weddle

 

[kaso]

Not sure if I can see Peterson going to Oakland. Jordan definitely wasn't very effective this year, but I don't think he was the problem. And Peterson won't solve any of the problems that exist in Oakland.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Not sure if I can see Peterson going to Oakland. Jordan definitely wasn't very effective this year, but I don't think he was the problem. And Peterson won't solve any of the problems that exist in Oakland.

But then again, the decision makers in Oakland aren't going to solve any of the problems that exist in Oakland either are they?

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

Not sure if I can see Peterson going to Oakland. Jordan definitely wasn't very effective this year, but I don't think he was the problem. And Peterson won't solve any of the problems that exist in Oakland.

But then again, the decision makers in Oakland aren't going to solve any of the problems that exist in Oakland either are they?

Thats whats going to make mocking the top of the first difficult this year. Usually, you analyze what blue chipper would help the team the most in a problem area. This year, the Texans, Lions and Raiders, three horribly mismanaged franchises, will be picking very high. So what does a mock draft writer do? Think "what player would cause the largest number of fans to cancel their season tickets?" I guess all we can do is pick who we would pick for them.

 

[diesel7982]

While Barron has been disappointing at times, BUST is terribly strong. He'll be a starter for a long time there. He does need to get motivated though.