To Pearl
I had only known Pearl for a little over three years now but she left her mark upon me. Pearl always smiled and said how beautiful everybody was and how much she loved everybody. In the short time that I knew Pearl I made a promise that I was going to take care of her Granddaughter forever, which I cannot recall if it was verbal or just an understanding. I made the same promise to her husband Phil even though I never had the honor of meeting him. But from the first day that I really sat down to talk to Pearl, I wanted to make sure that she too was happy and knew that she was loved by me. People who really care can have these types of unwritten contracts with each other. Pearl did things because she cared and she was a wonderful human being. The world needed Pearl more than Pearl needed the world. Sunday night, everybody had taken notice of how lovely Pearl looked, that she did not have the wrinkles of somebody who was stressed. That is because the only thing Pearl was capable of was smiling and bringing laughter to everybody. It was little things, like trying to trick me into giving her an extra Werther’s, yelling out “That’s my hat!” during a slideshow at Erika’s 30th birthday party, always saying “Hi honey” when we would come over, being excited about Stacy and I living in her house even though we had only been together for three and a half months, catching her walking without her walker when I came by for a monthly biscotti visit, soft hands, telling me that it was Lori’s teeth in her hands when I knew full well that it was Pearl’s pearls in her hands, knowing that she helped a little neighbor girl who needed a second mother, knowing that when times were bad she was the mediator and the one who could stay calm and sort things out, and the list continues with all of us. One of the things that I am most appreciative of is allowing me to become a part of her family that she made so many sacrifices to create. It saddens me a great deal to see her go but the root of the sadness lies in the fact that she became a part of my family and that she was such a great human being. I know that there were some trying times for Pearl and sometimes it was hard to hang on but I thank her for hanging on as long as she did because I know I speak for so many family and friends when I say that she has shaped me in a way that nobody else could. One of my greatest mentors shared a word with me, Saive, which means everything you do makes me who I am. To Pearl, Saive and thank you for everything you have done to shape me and everything that you have done that will shape my future.
I will love and miss you.
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Updated Info -- Draft
New player that i just read about that I think may turn out to be a super sleeper. Big guy from a division III school, may go undrafted but he seems to have some skills and a lot of fight in him. Guy by the name of Daryll Jackson out of Kean University. Not a ton of info on him but he sounds like a solid player to watch. Would not mind him making his way to Green Bay.
Now for my picks for the Packers and Bears
The Packers are in relatively good shape and just need a few players to smooth out the current rough edges as well as plan for the future. I will also list some back-up picks just in case my guy is not available.
Round 1 (23) : Patrick Robinson CB Florida State – Where the Packers pick and with their current needs I think that Robinson is the best player for them to pick. He needs to gain consistency but he has two great ones ahead of him to show him the ropes while he plays the Nickel spot. In a year he will step in and be fantastic. When he has been on he has been amazing so the potential is there and his consistency issues are not attitude related. Back-up: Brandon Graham DE-LB Michigan Jerry Hughes LB TCU
Round 2 (56) : Koa Misi LB Utah – Koa Misi is underrated and he will work his rear off to be better with each passing game (remind you of a draft pick of theirs from last year? He will cause headaches for opponents trying to figure out who is blitzing Matthews or Misi. I like this kid a lot. Back-up: Tyson Alualu
Round 3 (86): Jared Veldheer OL Hillsdale – Veldheer is chock full of potential but he needs time to develop. While a third round pick may be high for somebody who just has potential the gamble is worth it in this case. He will sit behind Chad Clifton, probably play in a game here or there, and take over the position for the next 8-10 years. The Packers need a young tackle and Veldheer fits the bill. Back up: Linval Joseph DT-DE
Round 4(122) Darrell Stuckey Kansas – I think that this guy may be one of the most underrated players in the draft. He has the right combination of coverage skills and likes to hit. While he may not jump out on film I would love to have him on the Packers because they do not need a huge playmaker, they just need consistency and Stuckey will bring it. This may be a little high for him, but I would take him just to secure him being on this team. Back-up: Akwasi Owusu-Ansah CB-S
Round 5 (154)(169) I am torn between a few players:
One of these two running backs:
Trindon Holliday RS-RB-WR – Maybe this seems a little high for a guy that will probably just be a return specialist. Maybe I am dreaming in thinking that he can be a change of pace running back. But I see him filling both rolls and finding a way to get on the field in more than just a returning capacity. Even if he is only a returner I think he is going to be a great one. Small but the kind of guy you want on your team.
Deji Karim RB Southern Illinois – More of a running back then a return man on the surface than Holliday but he will serve the same purpose as Holliday. He is a better running back than anybody else on the Packers minus Grant.
Zoltan Mesko P Michigan State – I think that he is the best bet for punter in this draft, strong leg, played for a real time program, high character, punted in poor weather. He is also a decent athlete and will make a hit if he needs to. That is one thing I really liked about Jon Ryan (The guy the packers never should have cut), he made plays when his punts were about to be blocked and would lay a hit if need be. The only other punter I like is going to be a free agent and that is Scott Ravanessi from Southern Illinois
Myron Rolle S – This only makes sense if the Packers do not draft Stuckey in the fourth round. It kills me that a knock on a guy is leaving to be a Rhodes scholar for a year. Hey, he may be a little out of football shape but that does not take away from how well he played the three years before that.
Back-ups: Jason Fox OT Miami Michael Hoomanawanui TE Illinois
Round 6 (193):
E.J. Wilson North Carolina – He is a little undersized for a 3-4 end but he has a lot of striking similarities to Cullen Jenkins. Okay he is not that caliber of a player but he has enough where he can play the end position for the Packers and rotate in. With the uncertainty of the future at DE with Jenkins and Jolly beyond this season Wilson is worth a look to develop. Back-up: Ed Wang OT Virginia Tech
Or
Patrick Stoudmire CB Western Illinois – I had to run around a bit to get more information on this kid. From what I have read, I think he is a real sleeper. He is quick and tough and still a bit raw—played basketball so he may have some untapped skills. If the Packers do not grab a cornerback at this point I think that he is the right player to grab here. He may also have some return skills but I could not find any info on him doing this in the past.
Round 7 (230) Kevin Matthews C-G – Maybe I just keep thinking about the history of the Matthews, late bloomers and savvy players. Some of the best centers in the NFL are crafty high character and smart players who are not super athletes. Matthews seems to be the same way and it is hard to argue with the success of his Dad. I am not expecting him to be the next Bruce Matthews but maybe the next Franky Winters. Worth taking at this point, even if he takes a year or two on the practice squad.
Back-up: Kelton Tindal WR-RS Newberry – This guy reminds me a little bit of Devin Hester in the sense that he is insanely fast. He is a little smarter than Devin Hester and does not have quite the shiftiness…yet. I think that he is incredibly raw and could develop into something more than a fast kick returner in three years. That is a long time but Donald Driver took two years to show anything outside of practice. Worth a try here.
On the other side, the Bears have a lot more needs than picks and Angelo has really screwed them royally to date. I think that his offseason moves were desperate and he overpaid for everybody. I think that Brandon Malumal….you know who I am talking about and Chester Taylor were good moves but he paid too much. Right now the Bears need to be conservative and get some players that are what they are and forget about potential.
Round 3 (75): Eric Norwood OLB – The Bears have thrived off of tough high character linebackers for a long time and Norwood fits the bill. He has some deficiencies but that is why he is going in the third round. More importantly he will be able to produce right away for the Bears and has a few mentors on this team.
Round 4 (109): Jordan Shipley WR – The bears are chock full of potential players at WR but who is the reliable one? That is why they need Shipley and they need to hang onto him. The Bears gave up too quickly on two other players in the past that went on to become solid third down receivers; Ricky Proehl and Bobby Engram. While neither player was a super star their third down conversion rates were astounding. Shipley can be the third down receiver and will work hi butt off to be a solid player for them.
Round 5 (141): Darrion Stewart S – Another South Carolina Gamecock for the Bears. Stewart is another high character guy who will bust his butt for 60 minutes and he is a decent athlete. I will be surprised, assuming that the Bears draft him, if he is not starting right away but at the very least he will be a core special teamer.
Round 6 (181): Brandon Carter G – As my brother always points out, offensive lineman need some ugly factor (I actually do not know what Carter looks like) but you need a guy who is going to be mean and is a little pissed off at the world. Carter is mean. He plays hard and loves to smash opponents. Olin Kruetz still has this attitude but he has really fallen off, the bears need a player to be a brute again and Carter will do this. Plus their offensive line is weak.
Round 7 (218): Jimmy Saddler-McQueen DT-DE: The Bears need some consistency and they need a guy who is NOT a youtube sensation, just a guy that does his job. Saddler McQueen is probably not a starter but he is a rotation guy that has some value.
No matter what the Bears need a lot more but this type of a draft may assist in winning at least 7 games this year. I am not patronizing, I really think that Angelo has screwed this team up that bad.
Round 1 (23) : Patrick Robinson CB Florida State – Where the Packers pick and with their current needs I think that Robinson is the best player for them to pick. He needs to gain consistency but he has two great ones ahead of him to show him the ropes while he plays the Nickel spot. In a year he will step in and be fantastic. When he has been on he has been amazing so the potential is there and his consistency issues are not attitude related. Back-up: Brandon Graham DE-LB Michigan Jerry Hughes LB TCU
Round 2 (56) : Koa Misi LB Utah – Koa Misi is underrated and he will work his rear off to be better with each passing game (remind you of a draft pick of theirs from last year? He will cause headaches for opponents trying to figure out who is blitzing Matthews or Misi. I like this kid a lot. Back-up: Tyson Alualu
Round 3 (86): Jared Veldheer OL Hillsdale – Veldheer is chock full of potential but he needs time to develop. While a third round pick may be high for somebody who just has potential the gamble is worth it in this case. He will sit behind Chad Clifton, probably play in a game here or there, and take over the position for the next 8-10 years. The Packers need a young tackle and Veldheer fits the bill. Back up: Linval Joseph DT-DE
Round 4(122) Darrell Stuckey Kansas – I think that this guy may be one of the most underrated players in the draft. He has the right combination of coverage skills and likes to hit. While he may not jump out on film I would love to have him on the Packers because they do not need a huge playmaker, they just need consistency and Stuckey will bring it. This may be a little high for him, but I would take him just to secure him being on this team. Back-up: Akwasi Owusu-Ansah CB-S
Round 5 (154)(169) I am torn between a few players:
One of these two running backs:
Trindon Holliday RS-RB-WR – Maybe this seems a little high for a guy that will probably just be a return specialist. Maybe I am dreaming in thinking that he can be a change of pace running back. But I see him filling both rolls and finding a way to get on the field in more than just a returning capacity. Even if he is only a returner I think he is going to be a great one. Small but the kind of guy you want on your team.
Deji Karim RB Southern Illinois – More of a running back then a return man on the surface than Holliday but he will serve the same purpose as Holliday. He is a better running back than anybody else on the Packers minus Grant.
Zoltan Mesko P Michigan State – I think that he is the best bet for punter in this draft, strong leg, played for a real time program, high character, punted in poor weather. He is also a decent athlete and will make a hit if he needs to. That is one thing I really liked about Jon Ryan (The guy the packers never should have cut), he made plays when his punts were about to be blocked and would lay a hit if need be. The only other punter I like is going to be a free agent and that is Scott Ravanessi from Southern Illinois
Myron Rolle S – This only makes sense if the Packers do not draft Stuckey in the fourth round. It kills me that a knock on a guy is leaving to be a Rhodes scholar for a year. Hey, he may be a little out of football shape but that does not take away from how well he played the three years before that.
Back-ups: Jason Fox OT Miami Michael Hoomanawanui TE Illinois
Round 6 (193):
E.J. Wilson North Carolina – He is a little undersized for a 3-4 end but he has a lot of striking similarities to Cullen Jenkins. Okay he is not that caliber of a player but he has enough where he can play the end position for the Packers and rotate in. With the uncertainty of the future at DE with Jenkins and Jolly beyond this season Wilson is worth a look to develop. Back-up: Ed Wang OT Virginia Tech
Or
Patrick Stoudmire CB Western Illinois – I had to run around a bit to get more information on this kid. From what I have read, I think he is a real sleeper. He is quick and tough and still a bit raw—played basketball so he may have some untapped skills. If the Packers do not grab a cornerback at this point I think that he is the right player to grab here. He may also have some return skills but I could not find any info on him doing this in the past.
Round 7 (230) Kevin Matthews C-G – Maybe I just keep thinking about the history of the Matthews, late bloomers and savvy players. Some of the best centers in the NFL are crafty high character and smart players who are not super athletes. Matthews seems to be the same way and it is hard to argue with the success of his Dad. I am not expecting him to be the next Bruce Matthews but maybe the next Franky Winters. Worth taking at this point, even if he takes a year or two on the practice squad.
Back-up: Kelton Tindal WR-RS Newberry – This guy reminds me a little bit of Devin Hester in the sense that he is insanely fast. He is a little smarter than Devin Hester and does not have quite the shiftiness…yet. I think that he is incredibly raw and could develop into something more than a fast kick returner in three years. That is a long time but Donald Driver took two years to show anything outside of practice. Worth a try here.
On the other side, the Bears have a lot more needs than picks and Angelo has really screwed them royally to date. I think that his offseason moves were desperate and he overpaid for everybody. I think that Brandon Malumal….you know who I am talking about and Chester Taylor were good moves but he paid too much. Right now the Bears need to be conservative and get some players that are what they are and forget about potential.
Round 3 (75): Eric Norwood OLB – The Bears have thrived off of tough high character linebackers for a long time and Norwood fits the bill. He has some deficiencies but that is why he is going in the third round. More importantly he will be able to produce right away for the Bears and has a few mentors on this team.
Round 4 (109): Jordan Shipley WR – The bears are chock full of potential players at WR but who is the reliable one? That is why they need Shipley and they need to hang onto him. The Bears gave up too quickly on two other players in the past that went on to become solid third down receivers; Ricky Proehl and Bobby Engram. While neither player was a super star their third down conversion rates were astounding. Shipley can be the third down receiver and will work hi butt off to be a solid player for them.
Round 5 (141): Darrion Stewart S – Another South Carolina Gamecock for the Bears. Stewart is another high character guy who will bust his butt for 60 minutes and he is a decent athlete. I will be surprised, assuming that the Bears draft him, if he is not starting right away but at the very least he will be a core special teamer.
Round 6 (181): Brandon Carter G – As my brother always points out, offensive lineman need some ugly factor (I actually do not know what Carter looks like) but you need a guy who is going to be mean and is a little pissed off at the world. Carter is mean. He plays hard and loves to smash opponents. Olin Kruetz still has this attitude but he has really fallen off, the bears need a player to be a brute again and Carter will do this. Plus their offensive line is weak.
Round 7 (218): Jimmy Saddler-McQueen DT-DE: The Bears need some consistency and they need a guy who is NOT a youtube sensation, just a guy that does his job. Saddler McQueen is probably not a starter but he is a rotation guy that has some value.
No matter what the Bears need a lot more but this type of a draft may assist in winning at least 7 games this year. I am not patronizing, I really think that Angelo has screwed this team up that bad.
Thursday, April 08, 2010
NFL Mock Draft in Andre's Eyes
4/8 update – QB shake ups! McNabb traded and Bulger released! Mistakes for both teams!
Here is a Mock Draft of sorts where I use my not so humble opinion on who should be taken and who will be taken. The should be taken at that spot will be based on who I think is going to be taken by the previous teams (So that is why pick 1 and 2 is Russell Okung)
1. Rams – Should be taken: Russell Okung – Bradford is not worthy of the first overall pick, the most talented player in the world can’t play if they are hurt. Okung will be a building block for the offensive line. I am also a firm believer with building lines first.
Who they will pick: Sam Bradford.
2. Lions – Should take: Can I say Russell Okung again? Well assuming that the Rams take Bradford they should take Okung for the same reason, and they will take Okung so it works out well. Another choice would be Suh but the Lions have enough players in this spot that it does not quite make sense
3. Buccaneers – Should take: Ndamukong Suh. Suh is the best player in this draft and will be good for a long time. Everybody envisions that the bucs will take McCoy (Possibly the bucs themselves) because they see Sapp in McCoy. I don’t. I think that McCoy is a little too soft, a lot softer than Sapp ever was, and I don’t typically believe in Oklahoma players. Suh could be the center of the defense for a decade. In the end they will not listen to me (Because the Bucaneers are reading this blog) and take McCoy.
4. Redskins – McNabb instantly changed this situation and that trade could have saved a lot of heartache in the capital. Not because McNabb is going to dominate, though he will be decent, but because it saved them from drafting Claussen. They already have one primadonna in Colt Brennan and they do not need another. The Redskins are a bit of a mess so there are a lot of needs. Again, I believe in building a team from the line out. I would say Suh for them but they have Haynesworth even if he is a big fat bust he still has talent and draws a double team. Despite the fact that I do not think he is worthy of this high of a pick and that he is going to be very average the safest OT is Bulaga and that is who they are going to take. Personally, I think that the best offensive lineman at this position is Lupati or Pouncey but this seems to be too high to draft either. So basically if I could not trade out I would go for the best player available which at this point is Suh so take him.
5. Chiefs – The Chiefs are going to take Eric Berry and they should. They have some pieces in place and Berry is the best player on the board that fits them. While they may be tempted to take Suh if he is available they need to take a step back with their DL.
6. Seahawks – If Suh is still available at this point the Seahawks should take about 3 seconds to make their pick. If everything falls the way that it does then he will be there and they will take him. So Suh and Suh
7. Browns – With Eric Berry being taken two slots ahead of them they are going to be disappointed but Holmgren is unphased about these kinds of things to a fault (Oh no Daniel Graham I will just reach for Jerramy Stevens). Holmgren will have to think long and hard about Claussen here but I don’t think he will go that direction for two reasons, the fans probably do not want another ND QB and I think that Holmgren is in love with Tebow and will take him in the second round. Holmgren will also think long and hard about Earl Thomas. When all is said and done they will probably go with Derrick Morgan to help their pass rush. I am a little torn as to who he should take because there is a need for a playmaker on both sides of the ball. But gun to the head I would bite the bullet and take Earl Thomas or Derrick Morgan…let’s just go with Morgan.
8. Raiders – If everything falls the way I predict they will take Bruce Campbell because they need an offensive lineman and Al Davis loves measurables. He may also take Pierre-Paul but I think that they want a new offensive lineman. This will be another awful pick. If I was the raiders I would take Rolando McClain to lead the defense. Alternatively I would also think about Earl Thomas at this point.
9. Bills – The Bills will take Jimmy Claussen because they forced themselves to take him. What I mean is that they have convinced themselves that they need a quarterback more than anything else. If I was the Bills I would take CJ Spiller and dump Marshawn Lynch. Fred Jackson and CJ Spiller could make an explosive combination. Forget about Brohm, who is a spoiled child apparently, Fitzpatrick and Edwards are good enough to lead this team. They may also want to think about OL and take Lupati (Again, I like this kid and do not like the any of the OT’s at this point).
10. Jaguars – The Jags may fall into a panic and there is a lot of thought that they may still crave a pass rusher, though I am not sure of that. Many are projecting Pierre-Paul but I think that the Jags are going to avoid taking another pass rusher in the first round. I think that they are going to grab Dez Bryant at this spot. While I am wary of Dez Bryant it makes sense here. While it may seem a little odd here, I would take Maurkice Pouncy. Meester is old and I think that a good center makes a line ten times better. Pouncy seems to be a very rare center who could play anywhere on the line but is smart and savvy enough to play center. The fact that he can sit behind Meester or push to start should help him. I really actually think the Jags have almost everything in place to succeed this year.
11. Broncos – The fact that the Bronco’s have this pick is a testament to how savvy they were in trading Cutler. With this pick they can take the best player available which is probably Lupati or Haden. Considering that Andre Goodman is listed as their starting corner I think that there is a good bet that they are going to take Haden here and they should. Haden will be solid for the next 5-10 years and will have an excellent mentor in Champ Bailey.
12. Dolphins – Not a good spot for the Dolphins but they are a franchise on the rise so they should be happy with grabbing Rolando McClain at this point and that is what they should do. However, I think that they are going to gamble a little bit and go with Pierre-Paul to bolster their pass-rush which is in a little bit of disarray. I think I am a little conservative so I would go with the safer pick in McClain.
13. 49ers – The 49ers have another pick at 17 so there is no need to reach for anybody here. Really it is a chess game for them because they have to decide who do they want that the Seahawks Giants, and Titans might take. Looking at their needs and those teams needs they may have some interesting decisions to make. The best player on the board that the 49ers can use is going to be Lupati, the other tackles available are too big of a gamble and Lupati is a tough guy and there is a chance that he would not be available with their next pick, particularly with the Seahawks picking next.
14. Seahawks – While the Seahawks need some OL help they need a legit running back and the OL help available at this point is nothing special and CJ Spiller is far too talented to pass up. While they already have smaller quick running backs on the team there is no way that they can pass up CJ Spiller at this point. So once again, with the way that the draft has fallen the Seahawks will take Spiller and should take Spiller.
15. Giants – The Giants could not be happier at this point with how the draft has fallen. Their biggest need is going to be linebacker and McClain is still available. Some were concerned with him being tired at his last workout due to his Crones disease but this kid is the real deal and will lead the team. So the Giants will take McClain and they should take him at this point.
16. Titans – The Titans will look at who has fallen and who they could use. Ultimately though the player that they wanted all along will be available in Maurkice Pouncey. Mawae is getting a little long in the tooth and dominating centers rarely fall into your lap like this. The titans will pull the trigger on him and they should.
17. 49ers – The 49ers will find themselves in an interesting position here because there are three or four players that they can seriously consider. The niners will be happy with Anthony Davis, Earl Thomas, Brandon Graham, and Kyle Wilson. Since they just drafted Lupati, who may be a OT but is more likely a guard, they will not take Davis. Graham could boost their pass rush but they have enough on their team that they ultimately will go for a DB. Earl Thomas is a bit of a mystery because he may be able to play CB as well as safety and the niners need both. Because of his versatility I think that the Niners will go with Thomas because Wilson is not a sure thing and Thomas is a bigger playmaker. I love Thomas and I am not that hot on Wilson so I would take him as well.
18. Steelers – Their hearts were cracked when Pouncey was taken by the titans but not broken. The Steelers need help in a few areas. While I just said that I am not the biggest fan of Kyle Wilson, this is who they are going to take because they have a need at CB. I agree with the position but I would instead go with Patrick Robinson because I think Robinson will be the better player in the long run and he will get the coaching he needs. I am happy that he is not taken here though.
19. Falcons – The Falcons have a few needs but they are in pretty good shape overall. What that means is that they can afford to take the best player on the board. Depending on who you are you might say that it is Anthony Davis or Kyle Williams, but I do not like either of them. Both players fill a need for them so I am going to venture to say that they will take Williams so they have two shorter but tough corners on their roster who will cause coverage sacks. Personally I would be tempted to take Gresham here. I know they have Tony Gonzalez but the question is will they next year? Another option would be Sergio Kindle because they could use another playmaking linebacker.
20. Texans – The Texans are going to feel like two CB’s were stolen from them by the Falcons at this point. With that said they will take the next CB in line who could be McCourty, Patrick Robinson, or Perrish Cox depending on who you listen to. I have a feeling that they are going to be intrigued with McCourty’s skills and attitude but I may be wrong. They may also take a flier on another Scarlett Knight in Anthony Davis because their offensive line has never really been steady. If I had to pick though I would say that they will take McCourty. If I was them I would take Patrick Robinson but again I am happy if they do not take him.
21. Bengals – The Bengals will probably take who they perceive to be the best target for Palmer. Just because they have been stockpiling WR does not mean that they will not take one here. They have an interesting choice here because there are varying opinions on the guys available at this spot. I think that they may take the most explosive player at the position which would be Golden Tate. If they want a wideout though, I would take either Arrelious Benn or Demaryius Thomas. They could also take Gresham here which would probably be the smartest pick. But to separate myself a bit I think that they are going to take Golden Tate here.
22. Patriots – The Patriots usually surprise us with their picks—if he is a bust they say, “We don’t need to rely on the draft anyways.” If he is a good player they say, “Look how smart we are!”. Not that I am done with that, they will take Brandon Graham and use him as an outside linebacker and as much as I hate the Patriots, it is the right pick for them and they should draft him here.
23. Packers – Like I said I really like Patrick Robinson and if the draft falls the way that I think it will I want them to take him. No hesitation grab him. Are you listening Ted? Take him. Please do not take Anthony Davis. Don’t even think about Taylor Mays either. Take Robinson! Wait, aren’t you listening to me? Okay, we agree then? Okay, let’s do it. Robinson and Robinson.
24. Eagles – My mind is blown that PFW (I love you guys by the way) think that the Eagles will take Tebow here. No, they won’t and they should not. I think that the Eagles will look at this spot and they will be happy to draft Anthony Davis here, which is probably where he should actually go, and I cannot argue too much with that pick. However, Sean Weatherspoon may be the best pick here because their other LB either cannot stay on the field or are just not good enough to start and Weatherspoon is versatile
25. Ravens – The Ravens are going to be extremely happy with taking Demaryius Thomas at this spot. This is what they should do and this is what they will do. The Ravens will finally have a WR that is big and can play.
26. Cardinals – The Cardinals need help at linebacker and at DE. Sean Weatherspoon is the best player between those two positions and they will take him and should take him. The End
27. Cowboys – The Cowboys learned their lesson with Roy Williams and will steer clear of Taylor Mays and take Jerome Murphy and move him to free safety. With their team needs this is a bit of a reach but they really could use him so I will agree with this pick.
28. Chargers – The Chargers may have traded away their starting cornerback (and with him all of his illegitimit children and headaches) but they have Caeson in to step in) but they also lost their big guy in the middle in Jamal Williams (Who was perhaps on his last set of knees anyways). So that leaves a glaring need and a 3-4 nose tackle is the most valued position so it makes sense to take the top nose tackle here in Dan Williams. The Chargers have been known to surprise in the past but I think that this is to straightforward to ignore at this point so this is what they will do and this is what they should do.
29. Jets – The Jets are a fairly solid team overall. They could use a bit of help at the safety spot so I think that they may go for TJ Ward at this spot. It is a bit of a reach though. Personally I would go after Vladimir Ducasse as he will fill a need down the road and they can be patient with him. It is so hard to read teams in these types of spots though, I am still going to go with Ward.
30. Vikings – The Vikings are stupid. So they will take Taylor Mays here because they are dumb enough to fall into this trap. He will start for them and Aaron Rodgers will pick him apart. Then I will laugh at them. I hope they pick Mays because I hate them so much and he will fail with them.
31. Colts – The Colts are going to look at their draft board and decide that they will listen to Andre Smith and draft Brian Price. Price is a quick powerful high motor type of DT that fits the Colts defense. While Odrick is higher on many teams boards Price just fits their system better and he is probably the best player on their board at this point. So Price and Price.
32. Saints – The Saints will be jumping for joy at this point. The top bellcow type running back will still be on the board in Ryan Matthews and they need one of those types of backs to compliment Reggie Bush. I could not agree more. So Matthews and Matthews.
As I said, the Browns will take Tebow in round 2. Beyond that your guess is as good as mine!
Here is a Mock Draft of sorts where I use my not so humble opinion on who should be taken and who will be taken. The should be taken at that spot will be based on who I think is going to be taken by the previous teams (So that is why pick 1 and 2 is Russell Okung)
1. Rams – Should be taken: Russell Okung – Bradford is not worthy of the first overall pick, the most talented player in the world can’t play if they are hurt. Okung will be a building block for the offensive line. I am also a firm believer with building lines first.
Who they will pick: Sam Bradford.
2. Lions – Should take: Can I say Russell Okung again? Well assuming that the Rams take Bradford they should take Okung for the same reason, and they will take Okung so it works out well. Another choice would be Suh but the Lions have enough players in this spot that it does not quite make sense
3. Buccaneers – Should take: Ndamukong Suh. Suh is the best player in this draft and will be good for a long time. Everybody envisions that the bucs will take McCoy (Possibly the bucs themselves) because they see Sapp in McCoy. I don’t. I think that McCoy is a little too soft, a lot softer than Sapp ever was, and I don’t typically believe in Oklahoma players. Suh could be the center of the defense for a decade. In the end they will not listen to me (Because the Bucaneers are reading this blog) and take McCoy.
4. Redskins – McNabb instantly changed this situation and that trade could have saved a lot of heartache in the capital. Not because McNabb is going to dominate, though he will be decent, but because it saved them from drafting Claussen. They already have one primadonna in Colt Brennan and they do not need another. The Redskins are a bit of a mess so there are a lot of needs. Again, I believe in building a team from the line out. I would say Suh for them but they have Haynesworth even if he is a big fat bust he still has talent and draws a double team. Despite the fact that I do not think he is worthy of this high of a pick and that he is going to be very average the safest OT is Bulaga and that is who they are going to take. Personally, I think that the best offensive lineman at this position is Lupati or Pouncey but this seems to be too high to draft either. So basically if I could not trade out I would go for the best player available which at this point is Suh so take him.
5. Chiefs – The Chiefs are going to take Eric Berry and they should. They have some pieces in place and Berry is the best player on the board that fits them. While they may be tempted to take Suh if he is available they need to take a step back with their DL.
6. Seahawks – If Suh is still available at this point the Seahawks should take about 3 seconds to make their pick. If everything falls the way that it does then he will be there and they will take him. So Suh and Suh
7. Browns – With Eric Berry being taken two slots ahead of them they are going to be disappointed but Holmgren is unphased about these kinds of things to a fault (Oh no Daniel Graham I will just reach for Jerramy Stevens). Holmgren will have to think long and hard about Claussen here but I don’t think he will go that direction for two reasons, the fans probably do not want another ND QB and I think that Holmgren is in love with Tebow and will take him in the second round. Holmgren will also think long and hard about Earl Thomas. When all is said and done they will probably go with Derrick Morgan to help their pass rush. I am a little torn as to who he should take because there is a need for a playmaker on both sides of the ball. But gun to the head I would bite the bullet and take Earl Thomas or Derrick Morgan…let’s just go with Morgan.
8. Raiders – If everything falls the way I predict they will take Bruce Campbell because they need an offensive lineman and Al Davis loves measurables. He may also take Pierre-Paul but I think that they want a new offensive lineman. This will be another awful pick. If I was the raiders I would take Rolando McClain to lead the defense. Alternatively I would also think about Earl Thomas at this point.
9. Bills – The Bills will take Jimmy Claussen because they forced themselves to take him. What I mean is that they have convinced themselves that they need a quarterback more than anything else. If I was the Bills I would take CJ Spiller and dump Marshawn Lynch. Fred Jackson and CJ Spiller could make an explosive combination. Forget about Brohm, who is a spoiled child apparently, Fitzpatrick and Edwards are good enough to lead this team. They may also want to think about OL and take Lupati (Again, I like this kid and do not like the any of the OT’s at this point).
10. Jaguars – The Jags may fall into a panic and there is a lot of thought that they may still crave a pass rusher, though I am not sure of that. Many are projecting Pierre-Paul but I think that the Jags are going to avoid taking another pass rusher in the first round. I think that they are going to grab Dez Bryant at this spot. While I am wary of Dez Bryant it makes sense here. While it may seem a little odd here, I would take Maurkice Pouncy. Meester is old and I think that a good center makes a line ten times better. Pouncy seems to be a very rare center who could play anywhere on the line but is smart and savvy enough to play center. The fact that he can sit behind Meester or push to start should help him. I really actually think the Jags have almost everything in place to succeed this year.
11. Broncos – The fact that the Bronco’s have this pick is a testament to how savvy they were in trading Cutler. With this pick they can take the best player available which is probably Lupati or Haden. Considering that Andre Goodman is listed as their starting corner I think that there is a good bet that they are going to take Haden here and they should. Haden will be solid for the next 5-10 years and will have an excellent mentor in Champ Bailey.
12. Dolphins – Not a good spot for the Dolphins but they are a franchise on the rise so they should be happy with grabbing Rolando McClain at this point and that is what they should do. However, I think that they are going to gamble a little bit and go with Pierre-Paul to bolster their pass-rush which is in a little bit of disarray. I think I am a little conservative so I would go with the safer pick in McClain.
13. 49ers – The 49ers have another pick at 17 so there is no need to reach for anybody here. Really it is a chess game for them because they have to decide who do they want that the Seahawks Giants, and Titans might take. Looking at their needs and those teams needs they may have some interesting decisions to make. The best player on the board that the 49ers can use is going to be Lupati, the other tackles available are too big of a gamble and Lupati is a tough guy and there is a chance that he would not be available with their next pick, particularly with the Seahawks picking next.
14. Seahawks – While the Seahawks need some OL help they need a legit running back and the OL help available at this point is nothing special and CJ Spiller is far too talented to pass up. While they already have smaller quick running backs on the team there is no way that they can pass up CJ Spiller at this point. So once again, with the way that the draft has fallen the Seahawks will take Spiller and should take Spiller.
15. Giants – The Giants could not be happier at this point with how the draft has fallen. Their biggest need is going to be linebacker and McClain is still available. Some were concerned with him being tired at his last workout due to his Crones disease but this kid is the real deal and will lead the team. So the Giants will take McClain and they should take him at this point.
16. Titans – The Titans will look at who has fallen and who they could use. Ultimately though the player that they wanted all along will be available in Maurkice Pouncey. Mawae is getting a little long in the tooth and dominating centers rarely fall into your lap like this. The titans will pull the trigger on him and they should.
17. 49ers – The 49ers will find themselves in an interesting position here because there are three or four players that they can seriously consider. The niners will be happy with Anthony Davis, Earl Thomas, Brandon Graham, and Kyle Wilson. Since they just drafted Lupati, who may be a OT but is more likely a guard, they will not take Davis. Graham could boost their pass rush but they have enough on their team that they ultimately will go for a DB. Earl Thomas is a bit of a mystery because he may be able to play CB as well as safety and the niners need both. Because of his versatility I think that the Niners will go with Thomas because Wilson is not a sure thing and Thomas is a bigger playmaker. I love Thomas and I am not that hot on Wilson so I would take him as well.
18. Steelers – Their hearts were cracked when Pouncey was taken by the titans but not broken. The Steelers need help in a few areas. While I just said that I am not the biggest fan of Kyle Wilson, this is who they are going to take because they have a need at CB. I agree with the position but I would instead go with Patrick Robinson because I think Robinson will be the better player in the long run and he will get the coaching he needs. I am happy that he is not taken here though.
19. Falcons – The Falcons have a few needs but they are in pretty good shape overall. What that means is that they can afford to take the best player on the board. Depending on who you are you might say that it is Anthony Davis or Kyle Williams, but I do not like either of them. Both players fill a need for them so I am going to venture to say that they will take Williams so they have two shorter but tough corners on their roster who will cause coverage sacks. Personally I would be tempted to take Gresham here. I know they have Tony Gonzalez but the question is will they next year? Another option would be Sergio Kindle because they could use another playmaking linebacker.
20. Texans – The Texans are going to feel like two CB’s were stolen from them by the Falcons at this point. With that said they will take the next CB in line who could be McCourty, Patrick Robinson, or Perrish Cox depending on who you listen to. I have a feeling that they are going to be intrigued with McCourty’s skills and attitude but I may be wrong. They may also take a flier on another Scarlett Knight in Anthony Davis because their offensive line has never really been steady. If I had to pick though I would say that they will take McCourty. If I was them I would take Patrick Robinson but again I am happy if they do not take him.
21. Bengals – The Bengals will probably take who they perceive to be the best target for Palmer. Just because they have been stockpiling WR does not mean that they will not take one here. They have an interesting choice here because there are varying opinions on the guys available at this spot. I think that they may take the most explosive player at the position which would be Golden Tate. If they want a wideout though, I would take either Arrelious Benn or Demaryius Thomas. They could also take Gresham here which would probably be the smartest pick. But to separate myself a bit I think that they are going to take Golden Tate here.
22. Patriots – The Patriots usually surprise us with their picks—if he is a bust they say, “We don’t need to rely on the draft anyways.” If he is a good player they say, “Look how smart we are!”. Not that I am done with that, they will take Brandon Graham and use him as an outside linebacker and as much as I hate the Patriots, it is the right pick for them and they should draft him here.
23. Packers – Like I said I really like Patrick Robinson and if the draft falls the way that I think it will I want them to take him. No hesitation grab him. Are you listening Ted? Take him. Please do not take Anthony Davis. Don’t even think about Taylor Mays either. Take Robinson! Wait, aren’t you listening to me? Okay, we agree then? Okay, let’s do it. Robinson and Robinson.
24. Eagles – My mind is blown that PFW (I love you guys by the way) think that the Eagles will take Tebow here. No, they won’t and they should not. I think that the Eagles will look at this spot and they will be happy to draft Anthony Davis here, which is probably where he should actually go, and I cannot argue too much with that pick. However, Sean Weatherspoon may be the best pick here because their other LB either cannot stay on the field or are just not good enough to start and Weatherspoon is versatile
25. Ravens – The Ravens are going to be extremely happy with taking Demaryius Thomas at this spot. This is what they should do and this is what they will do. The Ravens will finally have a WR that is big and can play.
26. Cardinals – The Cardinals need help at linebacker and at DE. Sean Weatherspoon is the best player between those two positions and they will take him and should take him. The End
27. Cowboys – The Cowboys learned their lesson with Roy Williams and will steer clear of Taylor Mays and take Jerome Murphy and move him to free safety. With their team needs this is a bit of a reach but they really could use him so I will agree with this pick.
28. Chargers – The Chargers may have traded away their starting cornerback (and with him all of his illegitimit children and headaches) but they have Caeson in to step in) but they also lost their big guy in the middle in Jamal Williams (Who was perhaps on his last set of knees anyways). So that leaves a glaring need and a 3-4 nose tackle is the most valued position so it makes sense to take the top nose tackle here in Dan Williams. The Chargers have been known to surprise in the past but I think that this is to straightforward to ignore at this point so this is what they will do and this is what they should do.
29. Jets – The Jets are a fairly solid team overall. They could use a bit of help at the safety spot so I think that they may go for TJ Ward at this spot. It is a bit of a reach though. Personally I would go after Vladimir Ducasse as he will fill a need down the road and they can be patient with him. It is so hard to read teams in these types of spots though, I am still going to go with Ward.
30. Vikings – The Vikings are stupid. So they will take Taylor Mays here because they are dumb enough to fall into this trap. He will start for them and Aaron Rodgers will pick him apart. Then I will laugh at them. I hope they pick Mays because I hate them so much and he will fail with them.
31. Colts – The Colts are going to look at their draft board and decide that they will listen to Andre Smith and draft Brian Price. Price is a quick powerful high motor type of DT that fits the Colts defense. While Odrick is higher on many teams boards Price just fits their system better and he is probably the best player on their board at this point. So Price and Price.
32. Saints – The Saints will be jumping for joy at this point. The top bellcow type running back will still be on the board in Ryan Matthews and they need one of those types of backs to compliment Reggie Bush. I could not agree more. So Matthews and Matthews.
As I said, the Browns will take Tebow in round 2. Beyond that your guess is as good as mine!
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Some draft thoughts
Busts or Overhyped
Gerald McCoy – I am not sure why anybody would pick him over Suh. Suh is a beast to me and McCoy seems very soft. He reminds me of Glenn Dorsey but not as strong. Everybody wants to compare him to Warren Sapp and I can see it but I just don’t think he has the same instincts and strength.
Bryan Bulaga – maybe I am thinking about all of the Iowa offensive linemen that have come out over the course of the last 15 years and that most of them do not have solid NFL careers. Bulaga is a good lineman who can start for a long time but he is not going to dominate. A top 10 pick really should dominate so I think that he is a little overrated at this point. I also think he is more of a guard than a tackle.
I think that most of the OT in this draft are overrated with a lot of bust potential—particularly with the speculation that there will be a run on OT’s early in the draft. Here is my quick breakdown:
Anthony Davis – This kid is not a bad player but I think that some of the same fears that everybody had for Jeff Otah a few years ago should apply to Davis. He is powerful and big and a little slow. He has a mean streak but he is a bit immature and may turn out to be a bit of a head case. He does not have enough ugly factor and offensive lineman need ugly factor. Should be projected as more of a late first rounder early second rounder and needs a little bit of time to develop.
Trent Williams – Just an average player with a high ceiling to me. We see players like him every year.
Bruce Campbell – My god I hope that the Packers do not draft him. All the talent in the world but lack of production. Between Campbell and Okung they have the highest ceilings but I think that Okung is much further along and is battle proven whereas Campbell is still learning how to play the position.
Jason Pierre-Paul – Well I like his name. But ultimately I cannot figure this one out. He seems like the Akili Smith of DE’s—that is to say, somebody who shows up for half of a season and does well then makes themselves eligible for the draft. A guy with a lot of upside but not a lot of production, to me at least, is a guy that you take a chance on in the third or fourth round. It is going to take a gutsy and overconfident coach and GM to draft this guy. I don’t see him becoming anything more than a perennial tease or one of those guys that only shows up in a contract year.
Carlos Dunlap – We have seen this before; great talent and poor work ethic. Dunlap has been known to nurse injuries, take plays off, has a limited number of pass rushing moves, and is known as being immature. The question is, at what point do you draw the line with players like this? This is a guy that obviously needs hard coaching but is probably not receptive to it. This leaves a team with either a player who walks off the field crying, ala Manny Wright, or they totally shut down. Either way you do not want them on your team. Sure, there is a chance that he will turn out, but again you should probably take a flier on a player like this in the middle rounds.
Terrence Cody – Giant overeating defensive lineman typically do not work out in the NFL. Gilbert Brown worked out well but he was his own worst enemy and ate his way out of the league at one point in time. Look at anybody nicknamed Bigdaddy and you will find guys that did not work out. The only player that comes to mind that was able to control himself with being a big physical presence and not overeating to the point that his endurance was gravely affected was Ted Washington. Washington was smart Cody’s intelligence has been questioned. So I don’t see the light clicking for him.
Golden Tate – Golden Tate saw an opportunity to declare for the draft and possibly get picked in the first round. I am not convinced that he is going to be a bust but I really do not think that he is going to be a dominate #1 receiver. He needs to work on his quickness and fundamentals from what I see/understand. He reminds me of Devery Henderson, who is decent, but not a super star. When a receiver is under 6 foot, usually they need to be quick like Wes Welker and Steve Smith (CAR) and I am not sure that Tate has that same type of quickness. He certainly has the long speed though. I am not ready to call him a bust but I don’t think he is going to dominate. He also needs to work on catching with his hands instead of his body but that is just fundamentals that he can work on. Overall though, I am a little wary of all of the top WR prospects in this draft.
Sam Bradford – I already outlined this in my previous post, I don’t think Bradford will be bad, but he is not worthy of the top pick this year. There are too many question marks with him in my opinion. Now, what is interesting and perhaps mulligans my statements is that Gil Brandt was at his personal workout and he said that it is the best quarterback workout he has seen since Troy Aikman (He was the one that drafted Aikman). The only person in the history of my football obsession that understood scouting better than Brandt was the late Joel Buschbaum so I may be wrong in my assessment.
Colt McCoy – Boy last year at this time I may have said something else but I have some serious concerns with how he is going to pan out. I am always wary of Texas players, nothing against the school, but a lot of players from Texas have grown up being coddled and are a bit of “Legends in their own Minds” and McCoy may be no different. Still, it is hard to ignore his insane completion percentage the last two years. I would take a flier on him in the fourth round but I just don’t think he has the talent. I look at him as a Tim Rattay type player. I am not sure that he will be a bust per se but I do think that he has been a little overhyped.
Taylor Mayes – Boy Taylor Archuleta Williams Mays sure can hit! He sure can put the hurt on a receiver after he catches the ball. He sure can miss that big hit and allow for that player to run it in for a touchdown. But man look at that freakish talent! If you haven’t guessed yet, I think Taylor Mays is going to be exactly like Roy Williams and Adam Archuleta. He goes for too many big hits and misses and he has too many coverage deficiencies to be an effective safety. I would not touch him. The one thing he may be able to do though is if a team really likes him they could convert him to linebacker ala Thomas Davis. He may be effective at that but do you really want to draft a guy that you are projecting to a different position in the first round? The Vikings are rumored to take him, I say let them!
Underrated/the real deal players
Russell Okung—I think that Okung could be a great starter for a long time. He is not for everybody because he is more of an athletic zone tackle rather than a power player. So he will dominate against speed rushers and may have a little bit more trouble with power rushers. Still I like him a lot and I think that there is a huge gap between Okung and the next best OT.
Jared Veldheer from tiny little Hillsdale college. He has just as much potential as Campbell but teams will be a bit more patient with him. It is really hard to project a guy from this small of a school to the NFL. But Veldheer is not lacking in size, strength, smarts, or instincts. There have been a few small school offensive lineman that have made it to the NFL recently (Boothe, Bernadeau) from small schools. This is complicated though because none of them have been from quite as small of a school as this guy but none of those that have made it have nearly the upside that Veldheer does. Because of that I think that this guy will make it and I want this guy on the Packers.
Mike Kafka – I have already discussed him before so I will make this shorter. He reminds me of Jake Delhomme but he is further along at this point. He may not ever win pretty but he will win. He will surprise a lot of people with his intangibles and is a late bloomer.
Joe Haden – I am always wary of Florida players. I typically would never go out on a limb and claim to like one but I have a feeling that Haden is different. He is a good all around player, good athlete, and gets the job done.
Ed Wang -- Maybe he does not have it all in regards to speed and he may seem a little stiff according to some sources but Wang is going to fight tooth and nail to be successful. He has a lot of pride in his play and is treating playing in the NFL like it is a legacy, which to a degree it is. With two olympians as parents going home during the offseason means that he will possibly lose weight. He will fit well with a zone blocking team.
There are other guys I like and dislike in the draft but this is what I have right now. I am working on the Mock Draft so I will post that hopefully tomorrow.
Gerald McCoy – I am not sure why anybody would pick him over Suh. Suh is a beast to me and McCoy seems very soft. He reminds me of Glenn Dorsey but not as strong. Everybody wants to compare him to Warren Sapp and I can see it but I just don’t think he has the same instincts and strength.
Bryan Bulaga – maybe I am thinking about all of the Iowa offensive linemen that have come out over the course of the last 15 years and that most of them do not have solid NFL careers. Bulaga is a good lineman who can start for a long time but he is not going to dominate. A top 10 pick really should dominate so I think that he is a little overrated at this point. I also think he is more of a guard than a tackle.
I think that most of the OT in this draft are overrated with a lot of bust potential—particularly with the speculation that there will be a run on OT’s early in the draft. Here is my quick breakdown:
Anthony Davis – This kid is not a bad player but I think that some of the same fears that everybody had for Jeff Otah a few years ago should apply to Davis. He is powerful and big and a little slow. He has a mean streak but he is a bit immature and may turn out to be a bit of a head case. He does not have enough ugly factor and offensive lineman need ugly factor. Should be projected as more of a late first rounder early second rounder and needs a little bit of time to develop.
Trent Williams – Just an average player with a high ceiling to me. We see players like him every year.
Bruce Campbell – My god I hope that the Packers do not draft him. All the talent in the world but lack of production. Between Campbell and Okung they have the highest ceilings but I think that Okung is much further along and is battle proven whereas Campbell is still learning how to play the position.
Jason Pierre-Paul – Well I like his name. But ultimately I cannot figure this one out. He seems like the Akili Smith of DE’s—that is to say, somebody who shows up for half of a season and does well then makes themselves eligible for the draft. A guy with a lot of upside but not a lot of production, to me at least, is a guy that you take a chance on in the third or fourth round. It is going to take a gutsy and overconfident coach and GM to draft this guy. I don’t see him becoming anything more than a perennial tease or one of those guys that only shows up in a contract year.
Carlos Dunlap – We have seen this before; great talent and poor work ethic. Dunlap has been known to nurse injuries, take plays off, has a limited number of pass rushing moves, and is known as being immature. The question is, at what point do you draw the line with players like this? This is a guy that obviously needs hard coaching but is probably not receptive to it. This leaves a team with either a player who walks off the field crying, ala Manny Wright, or they totally shut down. Either way you do not want them on your team. Sure, there is a chance that he will turn out, but again you should probably take a flier on a player like this in the middle rounds.
Terrence Cody – Giant overeating defensive lineman typically do not work out in the NFL. Gilbert Brown worked out well but he was his own worst enemy and ate his way out of the league at one point in time. Look at anybody nicknamed Bigdaddy and you will find guys that did not work out. The only player that comes to mind that was able to control himself with being a big physical presence and not overeating to the point that his endurance was gravely affected was Ted Washington. Washington was smart Cody’s intelligence has been questioned. So I don’t see the light clicking for him.
Golden Tate – Golden Tate saw an opportunity to declare for the draft and possibly get picked in the first round. I am not convinced that he is going to be a bust but I really do not think that he is going to be a dominate #1 receiver. He needs to work on his quickness and fundamentals from what I see/understand. He reminds me of Devery Henderson, who is decent, but not a super star. When a receiver is under 6 foot, usually they need to be quick like Wes Welker and Steve Smith (CAR) and I am not sure that Tate has that same type of quickness. He certainly has the long speed though. I am not ready to call him a bust but I don’t think he is going to dominate. He also needs to work on catching with his hands instead of his body but that is just fundamentals that he can work on. Overall though, I am a little wary of all of the top WR prospects in this draft.
Sam Bradford – I already outlined this in my previous post, I don’t think Bradford will be bad, but he is not worthy of the top pick this year. There are too many question marks with him in my opinion. Now, what is interesting and perhaps mulligans my statements is that Gil Brandt was at his personal workout and he said that it is the best quarterback workout he has seen since Troy Aikman (He was the one that drafted Aikman). The only person in the history of my football obsession that understood scouting better than Brandt was the late Joel Buschbaum so I may be wrong in my assessment.
Colt McCoy – Boy last year at this time I may have said something else but I have some serious concerns with how he is going to pan out. I am always wary of Texas players, nothing against the school, but a lot of players from Texas have grown up being coddled and are a bit of “Legends in their own Minds” and McCoy may be no different. Still, it is hard to ignore his insane completion percentage the last two years. I would take a flier on him in the fourth round but I just don’t think he has the talent. I look at him as a Tim Rattay type player. I am not sure that he will be a bust per se but I do think that he has been a little overhyped.
Taylor Mayes – Boy Taylor Archuleta Williams Mays sure can hit! He sure can put the hurt on a receiver after he catches the ball. He sure can miss that big hit and allow for that player to run it in for a touchdown. But man look at that freakish talent! If you haven’t guessed yet, I think Taylor Mays is going to be exactly like Roy Williams and Adam Archuleta. He goes for too many big hits and misses and he has too many coverage deficiencies to be an effective safety. I would not touch him. The one thing he may be able to do though is if a team really likes him they could convert him to linebacker ala Thomas Davis. He may be effective at that but do you really want to draft a guy that you are projecting to a different position in the first round? The Vikings are rumored to take him, I say let them!
Underrated/the real deal players
Russell Okung—I think that Okung could be a great starter for a long time. He is not for everybody because he is more of an athletic zone tackle rather than a power player. So he will dominate against speed rushers and may have a little bit more trouble with power rushers. Still I like him a lot and I think that there is a huge gap between Okung and the next best OT.
Jared Veldheer from tiny little Hillsdale college. He has just as much potential as Campbell but teams will be a bit more patient with him. It is really hard to project a guy from this small of a school to the NFL. But Veldheer is not lacking in size, strength, smarts, or instincts. There have been a few small school offensive lineman that have made it to the NFL recently (Boothe, Bernadeau) from small schools. This is complicated though because none of them have been from quite as small of a school as this guy but none of those that have made it have nearly the upside that Veldheer does. Because of that I think that this guy will make it and I want this guy on the Packers.
Mike Kafka – I have already discussed him before so I will make this shorter. He reminds me of Jake Delhomme but he is further along at this point. He may not ever win pretty but he will win. He will surprise a lot of people with his intangibles and is a late bloomer.
Joe Haden – I am always wary of Florida players. I typically would never go out on a limb and claim to like one but I have a feeling that Haden is different. He is a good all around player, good athlete, and gets the job done.
Ed Wang -- Maybe he does not have it all in regards to speed and he may seem a little stiff according to some sources but Wang is going to fight tooth and nail to be successful. He has a lot of pride in his play and is treating playing in the NFL like it is a legacy, which to a degree it is. With two olympians as parents going home during the offseason means that he will possibly lose weight. He will fit well with a zone blocking team.
There are other guys I like and dislike in the draft but this is what I have right now. I am working on the Mock Draft so I will post that hopefully tomorrow.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
2010 NFL Draft part 1
So right now, this is my current take on my favorite April event, the NFL draft:
I am consistently incorrect about the Quarterbacks that will make it and the duds for the most part. I hit on a few in the ’99 draft with thinking that McNabb was going to be a star and that Akili Smith and Culpepper were the busts (Culpepper kinda was) but was totally incorrect in thinking that McNown and Couch were going to be good. I was totally wrong last year in thinking that both Stafford and Sanchez were not NFL ready (time will tell but they both look good now). But here goes:
QB’s – Overall I think that this is a group that is chock full of potential but a lot of players that need some time to develop.
Sam Bradford – Overrated but he will be decent if he does not take a ton of punishment early in his career. I keep thinking of David Carr when I look at him. Not in the purest sense but I keep thinking that he has talent but will get destroyed early in his career and never quite catch on. The rams would be fools to take him first overall.
Jimmy Clausen – I want to believe that he will be good. I think he really has talent and I really want him to be good. But he has to go to the right team. The best thing that can happen to him is to fall the way of Aaron Rodgers and Brady Quinn where he drops in the draft. But unlike Quinn he needs to go to a good team where he can develop for a year or two. Although, it may end up that he goes to the Redskins where I think he will be successful so perhaps the slide is not necessary.
Tim Tebow – The question really is what seperates Tebow from guys like Rex Grossman, Cade McNown, Ryan Leaf, Daunte Culpepper, David Carr, etc etc? His noggin! Look, Tebow may not have that perfect throwing motion, he may have been in an unorthodox system, and he may be too eager to run but he wants to get better. He is willing to change things to get better and he has clear talent. He is not going to be the savior of a franchise right away but he can gain some experience his first year, fill in for a game or two, and win. He kind of reminds me of a middle class man’s Steve Young.
Tony Pike – I feel like I am repeating myself a bit here but this is a guy that needs to have a year or two to develop and get a little bigger and thus less fragile. He is a gamer and wants to win and has a lot of talent if teams do not worry about his slightly different release or ball grip as I have heard that this is the knock on him. He has been rising a bit recently to the point where I hear that some are ranking him as the third best QB in the draft. He draws a lot of comparisons to Flacco who I was hot and cold on when he came out. I don’t think that is a fair comparison but I think he may find similar success eventually.
Colt McCoy and Dan LeFevour both win the Ryan Leaf award for me—that is great college quarterbacks that are overhyped. I don’t forsee either doing anything in the NFL although LeFavour does have some intangibles and could go the way of Tim Rattay.
Mike Kafka – My official Andre underrated guy. I love this guy and I truly think that he was a late bloomer and is only going to get better in the NFL. He has leadership, athleticism, a good head on his shoulders (Northwestern), and is just a winner. Hear me now! This is your Jake Delhomme kind of guy who is not always pretty but will lead his team to victory. Instead of cassion moxy he has Chicago Moxy.
So instead of drafting Bradford, the Rams should trade down and draft Okung in the first and steal Kafka in the fifth. I will address other stuff later but I love starting with the most important position on the field first.
I am consistently incorrect about the Quarterbacks that will make it and the duds for the most part. I hit on a few in the ’99 draft with thinking that McNabb was going to be a star and that Akili Smith and Culpepper were the busts (Culpepper kinda was) but was totally incorrect in thinking that McNown and Couch were going to be good. I was totally wrong last year in thinking that both Stafford and Sanchez were not NFL ready (time will tell but they both look good now). But here goes:
QB’s – Overall I think that this is a group that is chock full of potential but a lot of players that need some time to develop.
Sam Bradford – Overrated but he will be decent if he does not take a ton of punishment early in his career. I keep thinking of David Carr when I look at him. Not in the purest sense but I keep thinking that he has talent but will get destroyed early in his career and never quite catch on. The rams would be fools to take him first overall.
Jimmy Clausen – I want to believe that he will be good. I think he really has talent and I really want him to be good. But he has to go to the right team. The best thing that can happen to him is to fall the way of Aaron Rodgers and Brady Quinn where he drops in the draft. But unlike Quinn he needs to go to a good team where he can develop for a year or two. Although, it may end up that he goes to the Redskins where I think he will be successful so perhaps the slide is not necessary.
Tim Tebow – The question really is what seperates Tebow from guys like Rex Grossman, Cade McNown, Ryan Leaf, Daunte Culpepper, David Carr, etc etc? His noggin! Look, Tebow may not have that perfect throwing motion, he may have been in an unorthodox system, and he may be too eager to run but he wants to get better. He is willing to change things to get better and he has clear talent. He is not going to be the savior of a franchise right away but he can gain some experience his first year, fill in for a game or two, and win. He kind of reminds me of a middle class man’s Steve Young.
Tony Pike – I feel like I am repeating myself a bit here but this is a guy that needs to have a year or two to develop and get a little bigger and thus less fragile. He is a gamer and wants to win and has a lot of talent if teams do not worry about his slightly different release or ball grip as I have heard that this is the knock on him. He has been rising a bit recently to the point where I hear that some are ranking him as the third best QB in the draft. He draws a lot of comparisons to Flacco who I was hot and cold on when he came out. I don’t think that is a fair comparison but I think he may find similar success eventually.
Colt McCoy and Dan LeFevour both win the Ryan Leaf award for me—that is great college quarterbacks that are overhyped. I don’t forsee either doing anything in the NFL although LeFavour does have some intangibles and could go the way of Tim Rattay.
Mike Kafka – My official Andre underrated guy. I love this guy and I truly think that he was a late bloomer and is only going to get better in the NFL. He has leadership, athleticism, a good head on his shoulders (Northwestern), and is just a winner. Hear me now! This is your Jake Delhomme kind of guy who is not always pretty but will lead his team to victory. Instead of cassion moxy he has Chicago Moxy.
So instead of drafting Bradford, the Rams should trade down and draft Okung in the first and steal Kafka in the fifth. I will address other stuff later but I love starting with the most important position on the field first.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Cheesy but I don't care right now
Now that I have lost Bella I didn't realize just how much she affected me every day. I missed her sister when she left us but I guess somehow Bella still helped fill that newly missing part. You never realize what everyone and everything does for you every day.
Even if she was just a pet rat my heart has been broken since I lost her. The only thing that she ever wanted from us is affection and a bit of food. She always understood that whatever we were eating was rightfully hers as well (lemons, cinnamon twists, turkey sandwiches, etc). We always understood that she felt this way. She was mischievous but never malicious. Even when she mistook our fingers for a piece of food she was still gentle. Gentle, loving, and caring were the best ways to describe her and her sister.
I have had pets my whole life off and on, but I have never had a pet that understood so well how to show affection towards her parents. I would come home and look at her and she always looked like she wanted to come out and play with us. Both her and her sister found ways to escape their cage not so they could run around the house, but so they could jump into bed with us.
I guess that I was setting myself up for heartbreak when we bought those two, I knew they did not live long. Regardless, they both captured my heart and made me feel so happy when I was sad. I don't know what heaven is or if the afterlife is anything like what is said. What I do know is that if there is a heaven I want Bella and Sayouri to be there. Sayouri broke my heart with the look she gave me with our last goodbye. I just have a feeling that she was there when Bella was almost gone. I think she came down to her and told her that it was time. I thought Bella had passed on, I couldn't hear or feel her heartbeat and her eyes were closed. But in Stacy's arms, she opened her eyes, reached out her hand and grabbed Stacy's finger to say her last goodbye. In those two rats I saw God. I know that they too were Atman and a part of this world. I don't know if I have ever been this upset at something in my entire life. Some might say that I must have a charmed life. But really it just says how much something so small, so innocent, so loving, so caring, and so wonderful two amazing creatures can be.
Thank you to anybody who reads this because it has broken my hear to write it. Appreciate the small things like pets and love and anything that makes you smile. Don't take these things for granted. No matter what, when they are gone, you probably think that you did just as I feel I did. Even though I told them everyday that I love them.
Bella and Sayouri, I miss both of you. The way you smelled, your fur, your cheetoh colored teeth, your affection, your OCD cleaning of each other and us, your 4:30 am bedroom visits, your excitement, your hands wrapped around your cage bars like you were in jail, you stealing our food, you letting me play the pied piper at 7:00 am, the happiness that you brought your crazy parents, and so on. This is my goodbye to you for now, but I look forward to meeting you again when I come up to heaven.
Take care everybody.
Even if she was just a pet rat my heart has been broken since I lost her. The only thing that she ever wanted from us is affection and a bit of food. She always understood that whatever we were eating was rightfully hers as well (lemons, cinnamon twists, turkey sandwiches, etc). We always understood that she felt this way. She was mischievous but never malicious. Even when she mistook our fingers for a piece of food she was still gentle. Gentle, loving, and caring were the best ways to describe her and her sister.
I have had pets my whole life off and on, but I have never had a pet that understood so well how to show affection towards her parents. I would come home and look at her and she always looked like she wanted to come out and play with us. Both her and her sister found ways to escape their cage not so they could run around the house, but so they could jump into bed with us.
I guess that I was setting myself up for heartbreak when we bought those two, I knew they did not live long. Regardless, they both captured my heart and made me feel so happy when I was sad. I don't know what heaven is or if the afterlife is anything like what is said. What I do know is that if there is a heaven I want Bella and Sayouri to be there. Sayouri broke my heart with the look she gave me with our last goodbye. I just have a feeling that she was there when Bella was almost gone. I think she came down to her and told her that it was time. I thought Bella had passed on, I couldn't hear or feel her heartbeat and her eyes were closed. But in Stacy's arms, she opened her eyes, reached out her hand and grabbed Stacy's finger to say her last goodbye. In those two rats I saw God. I know that they too were Atman and a part of this world. I don't know if I have ever been this upset at something in my entire life. Some might say that I must have a charmed life. But really it just says how much something so small, so innocent, so loving, so caring, and so wonderful two amazing creatures can be.
Thank you to anybody who reads this because it has broken my hear to write it. Appreciate the small things like pets and love and anything that makes you smile. Don't take these things for granted. No matter what, when they are gone, you probably think that you did just as I feel I did. Even though I told them everyday that I love them.
Bella and Sayouri, I miss both of you. The way you smelled, your fur, your cheetoh colored teeth, your affection, your OCD cleaning of each other and us, your 4:30 am bedroom visits, your excitement, your hands wrapped around your cage bars like you were in jail, you stealing our food, you letting me play the pied piper at 7:00 am, the happiness that you brought your crazy parents, and so on. This is my goodbye to you for now, but I look forward to meeting you again when I come up to heaven.
Take care everybody.
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