So here is my annual NFL Draft Blog. Sorry I am packing everything in one posting. I will update if somebody else sticks out in the next couple of weeks. After the draft I will be analyzing everything as well.
Without further ado:
Guys that I really like in this Draft/intriguing guys:
Eric Fisher LT Central Michigan – I think both him and
Joekel will be good but I think Fisher is just a meaner player. He is getting a lot of comparisons to Joe
Staley because he has a similar physical make-up and is from the same school but
I think he is a different player, probably a bit more of a mauler type.
Lane Johnson LT Oklahoma – There is something very
intriguing about a left tackle that used to play quarterback. I don’t think he is quite ready yet but I am
intrigued
Kyle Long LT Oregon – A total boom or bust type player. He has overcome a lot of stupid decisions and
a part of me really believes that he is going to put it all together. One odd thing is that he seems to have a
strange attitude about being a Long (Howie Long is his Dad) and almost seems to
want to disassociate based on an interview I heard. This makes me think he is perhaps a little
bit too much of a loner.
Le’Veon Bell RB Michigan State– I really like this guy a
lot. I have been burned in the past with
MSU running backs and players but I really see a lot of Steven Jackson in him,
though he is not quite as hard-nosed.
One of my favorite players in the draft.
Jordan Mills RT Lousiana Tech – I heard an interview with
this guy at the Senior Bowl (he was a late addition) and I was intrigued with
him. After checking him out I really
started to like him. He is not going to
be a left tackle in the NFL but I think he could be a very good to great
RT. He just has that tough mad at the
world chip on the shoulder attitude.
Brian Schwenke C Cal – He may be my favorite player in this
draft because he just plays. He plays
smart, with strength, and is a line leader.
You want your center to play with attitude while keeping their head on straight
and I think Schwenke does just that.
The Missouri Western Boys – Two guys I am very intrigued
with from the same small school:
David Bass OLB/DE looks to have some solid raw talent and
pass rushing ability but he is very raw.
Michael Hill RB – Humble attitude with confidence. 6-0
210 pounds so he has decent size and looks to have some solid
quickness. He does not have quite the
shakes of an NFL runner and looks perhaps a little straight linish but he lit
it up when given the chance so he is worth a late round pick.
Trevardo Williams OLB Connecticut – I heard an interview
with this kid and read up a bit about him.
Right now it seems like he is primarily a pass rusher and needs work on
the other parts and he is a bit small for playing DE and a 3-4 OLB. However, so were Elvis Dumerville and Jason
Taylor and I think he has a shot at being just one level below both of them.
Conner Vernon WR Duke – When I watched him play, he just
made plays. He looks faster than he
times and looks like he finds ways to get open and find soft spots. I say this almost every year but he has some
Ricky Proehl to him.
Ziggy Ansah DE/OLB (3-4) BYU – I really do not buy into raw
physical guys all that much. His path
has been strikingly similar to Jason Pierre Paul but he is even less
experienced. With that in mind, when I
saw him play at the Senior Bowl, I saw a very instinctual and aware player who
also was pretty darn good at stopping the run. If he is this raw he may have a bright
future. If the Packers traded up to get
him I would not be upset.
Zavier Gooden OLB Missouri – Again, this is a guy that really
stood out to me at the Senior Bowl. He
is a little light and is not a blow you up linebacker yet. However, he has some great instincts and
always seems to be around the play. He
was a safety and still retains some of that speed. He is not for everybody but I think he has a
similar make-up to Derrick Brooks when he came out of college but a step below.
Kerwynn Williams RB Utah State – This was a guy that stood
out to me at the East-West Shrine Game.
He is a runner and needs to work on all of the other things like pass
protection that running backs need to do in the NFL. But as a runner, I think he has some special
skills. Not your bellcow but a very good
rotation guy.
Dennard Robinson Michigan – What the heck do you do with
this guy? He is a great athlete but he
showed not so great hands at the Senior Bowl, though he looked better catching
at the combine. His best position may be
a situation RB and QB on trick plays. He
is most likely going to be overdrafted but could be an interesting pick-up
after round 4 if he lasts.
Now For QB’s – Given that it is the most important position
I want to outline my thoughts on some of the top prospects. When I watched the Senior Bowl I saw a lot of
inaccuracy with the quarterbacks and nobody really thrilled me except EJ
Manuel.
I think there are two guys that could start in this league
eventually
Geno Smith – He seems to have all of the tools, accuracy,
etc but for some reason people are talking him down. There has also been some talk of his lack of
football intelligence and that he came off as a little cocky in NFL interviews. Every interview I heard with him does not
support this but if I knew what to look for I would not be blogging this. I think he may need some time in the league
to develop on probably a similar schedule to Steve McNair. But one of the key things I liked about him
is that in an interview he was set up to say “most definitely” but instead
chose “certainly”. A patient team will
be happy with him.
E.J. Manuel – I really like this guy. I think he is a winner above all else and he
is a pretty darn good athlete on top of that.
When I saw him play, he just brought a presence to the field and found
ways to win. He needs some time to
develop though—at least two years.
However, I think he may be able to come off the bench during that time
period and rally a team to win a game or two.
Matt Barkley – What to do with this guy? A year ago he seemed like a legit quarterback
but some of his downfalls surfaced. Part
of me thinks he is a Brian Brohm clone.
I think he may be a step above that but he is not going to be a top
quarterback in this league. I am
thinking like Ty Detmer kind of career.
Mike Glennon – This guy is getting a lot of press and I do
not really understand it. Okay, he has a
big arm and he is tall but he is really inaccurate. I think he has bust written all over him.
Tyler Bray – Falls into the same category as Glennon but I
think he has better raw tools. He seems
like a guy that just has not put it all together yet and he should have.
Ryan Nassib – I see him as more of a system type
quarterback. He reminds me a little bit
of Kellen Clemons in that he theoretically should be good but something is just
missing when he is out there. He has a
shot at developing and starting one day but I think he is a few years away at
best.
Zac Dysert – Again, he is somebody that really looked bad
when I watched him at the Senior Bowl and looked wildly inaccurate. He reminds me of Charlie Frye a little bit. He will not make it in the NFL.
Tyler Wilson and Landry Jones both seem to be really strong
characters that can play decent for an NFL team. I think they can both win some games for a
team but they seem like the type of guys that somebody will always be looking
to replace. Very similar to Kyle Orton’s
career.
I have to throw in my Boy’s little Brother-Jordan Rodgers –
I actually think that Jordan is being underrated because he is not his brother
and well, he is not his brother. That
does not mean he cannot play. He is not
ready yet but I think he has some potential.
He reminds me a little bit of Matt Hasselbeck when he came out of
BC. I want him on the Packers so he can
go to QB school next year and I think he can develop into a decent overall
player.
Busts
D.J. Fluker OT Alabama - has bust written all over him in my
mind. He is big and strong but he seems
oafy out there when I have seen him.
There seems to be a guy like him every year and these guys all end up
being mild to major busts.
Anybody from Clemson – I know I said it last year but it is
seriously funny to me.
Marcus Lattimore South
Carolina- It pains me to write this and it may seem like an odd one but it is
so dangerous to put faith in a running back who has torn his ACL. Both Frank Gore and Willis McGahee managed to
recover and put together good (McGahee) and excellent (Gore) NFL careers. But I think somebody may gamble too early
(anything above the 4th round) and lose on him.
Alec Ogletree LB Georgia – It is a shame that such a
talented guy cannot stay out of trouble.
When the spot light is on you and you cannot avoid drinking and driving,
you are not very smart. He will continue
to get into trouble in the NFL and ruin a very promising career. The other thing that one has to wonder is if
he was just surrounded by very good talent.
He had a monster of a man in front of him and excellent guys outside of
him. Wasted talent.
Tavon Austin WR West Virginia – I don’t think he is going to
be a full on bust but if he goes in the first round, teams are reaching. That is not to say that he is not a very good
player but the impact of guys like him seem limited. Look at Dexter McCluster who has a very similar
build and type of player. Yeah, you like
him but how much impact does he really have?
Jonathon Cooper G N.C. – I looked at this guy and read a bit
about him and it sounds like a lot of Jeckyl and Hyde with him. Sometimes it seems like he is amazing and other
times it seems like he is giving up. An
offensive lineman who is known to let pain bother him is in the wrong
business. I think he is not going to
make it in the NFL.
Kawann Short DT Purdue – Maybe I am just soured on Purdue
Lineman but he also seems to be a bit of a lazy, rely too much on natural
talent kind of guy. The fact that he
cannot keep his weight in check is also problematic. The only coach that may be able to whip him
into shape is Bill Parcells and well, he is not coaching anymore. If he could just get his head on straight and
be a pro, he might be something.
Mike Glennon – See QB description. Bust
Braxton Cave C Notre Dame – I throw him in because there was
some press about him being one of the top centers. The guy looks weak to me and I think he will
be eaten alive in the NFL.
Packers and Bears Draft Picks – The Packers and Bears are in
a purgatory type area of this draft. IT
is really hard to say who will be there and who will not. The bears could use help on the defensive
line but there are so many talented players that most of them are going to be
gone by the time they pick. The same
could be said with the Packers. They
could use a good LT but the top three may go in the top ten of this draft. There will be some reaching in these picks
but you are better off getting the guy that you want and not second best. As always, I do not think that this is how
either team will pick, this is just how I would pick if I was in their
postions.
Packers Draft Picks:
I like a lot of guys that are falling a bit into that late
first to third round area. So that means
that some of my picks will look like I am overdrafting and some may be long
gone by the time I have the Packers picking them.
1 (26) – Brian Schwenke C Cal - Maybe this is a reach but I think that he
is the best center to come out since Ryan Kalil. I have always believed that Center is the
single most underrated position in football.
It is true that you can find good guys later in the draft but I think
that Schwenke is going to be a 10 year player.
2 (23) 55th overall – Le’Veon Bell RB Michigan
State –Love this kid and I don’t care if it is a reach, he reminds me of Steven
Jackson in a lot of ways and I think he is a perfect fit for the Packers as
their bellcow.
3 (26) 88th overall – This is going to be a tough
area to project because there are varying opinions on each of these players
1.
Terron Armstrong LT Arkansas Pine-Bluff – Super athletic
but has shown enough football skills to warrant being picked in this area or
above
2.
Vance McDonald TE Rice – I have seen him
projected anywhere from the 2nd round to the 4th
round. Again, he may be gone at this
point so that would make this pick invalid
3.
Jesse Williams DL Alabama – Raw physical talent
but he is an ox. I see him in a similar
role as Ryan Pickett where he can play both NT and DE in the 3-4. Again, he may not be here.
If any of these guys are not here, jump down to the guys I
have in the 4th round.
4 (25) 122nd overall – Trevardo Williams OLB
Connecticut – Again, he is not a finished product but I was impressed by what I
heard in his interview, just seems like a make it kinda guy. He is one sided at this point but when your
one side is pass rushing you have a lot of value. He may also be gone at this point so here are
some back-ups
1.
Earl Wolfe SS North Carolina State – He has the
tools and he will give you all he has.
It sounds like he may have some coverage limitations but adjustments can
be made to focus on his strengths within schemes.
2.
Reid Fragel OT Ohio State – I am not sure if he
is a left tackle but he has length and athleticism. I have seen him projected anywhere from 3rd
– 6th round but I think his raw tools puts him closer to the 4th
round. He could be something special or
just another that falls by the wayside as a never quite made it.
5 (26) 159th (34) 167thoverall – The two
previous players apply here if they are available. Since they have two picks relatively close together
I am going to just lump them together.
1. Nick Kasa TE Colorado – Developmental TE
prospect. Seems to be solid all around
2.
Kyle Juszczyk FB/H-Back Harvard – I am not sure
where he fits but he is a brute and worth a pick here. Could fill the vacant role of Tom Crabtree
but he is a little shorter and a bit more athletic
3.
Connor Vernon WR Duke – A solid and
unspectacular WR who is deceptively quick and bigger than he measures
4.
David Bass OLB Missouri Western State – Raw pass
rusher that could be something special
6 (26) 193rd overall- Any previous guys that were
still available and the following.
1.
Jordan Rodgers QB Vanderbilt – I think he is
more than just the kid brotherof Aaron but again, he is not Aaron. A solid back-up that you have faith in.
2.
Michael Hill RB Missouri Western State – It sounds
like he is gaining enough momentum to project him at this spot
3.
Lawrence Okoye – Yeah, he is probably just a
creation of the media but his raw tools make him a worthwhile pick. Remember that Antonio Gates was a basketball
player, why can’t a rugby player/discus thrower play?
7 (26) 232nd
overall- Dave Kruger DL Utah – Not to be confused with either of his brothers
Joe (who is also coming out and a better OLB prospect) or Paul who just played
in the superbowl. Dave is not a top
prospect and barely mentioned but I did get a chance to read about him a little
bit and he seems like a solid if not unspectacular 3-4 DE prospect. Just a rotation guy but sometimes those
rotation guys end up making the other players better.
Bears draft picks:
The Bears need some quality offensive lineman and quality
players in general. The loss of Urlacher
is being buffered by the signing of DJ Williams so that changes from an
immediate need to a high priority. Martellus
Bennett is a stop gap regardless of what anybody says because he is a bit of an
underachiever so TE could be addressed as well in the first. Shea McClellan was a poor scheme fit and will
most likely not be a solid 4-3 pass rusher so they may need to pick somebody
else up early—the problem is that the best defensive lineman will probably be
gone at this point. They are in a tough
spot in the first round since this year’s draft seems to be one of the most
unpredictable in a long time.
1 (20) – I have seen a lot of projections with any of the
following picks being available. If any
one of these guys is available for them they should grab them in this order:
1.
Xavier Rhodes CB Florida State – There is an
outside chance he will be available here.
He would be the best player available for an aging cornerback group.
2.
Bjoern Werner DE Florida State – I have seen him
projected to fall this far and he would be worth it at this point. Instantly upgrades a good pass rush by taking
pressure off of Peppers.
3.
Tyler Eifert TE Notre Dame – Notre Dame TE have
reversed the stereotype recently and I think Eifert is going to be a better pro
than Zach Ertz. A good TE can make up
for a poor offensive line.
4.
Manti Teo MLB Notre Dame – I know he was well
publicized with his stupid catfish thing, so he is naïve. He also did not do so swell in the national
championship. However, he is good enough
and savvy enough to hold down the MLB spot for 10 years. This would be a smart but not flashy
pick.
2 (18) 50th – David Queensberry OG-OT San Jose State – This is
a reach for sure but it addresses a need on the offensive line and it is
possible that Queensberry could play tackle in the pros which makes this a
better pick. Regardless, I think he will
be a good pick here.
4 (20) 117 Jordan Mills RT Louisiana Tech – No third round
pick will really hurt the Bears.
However, this puts them in a nice area to grab one of my favorite
players. Again, not a flashy pick but
with the drafting of these two lineman it could solidify a not so good
offensive line.
A second option here is Zaviar Gooden OLB Missouri – He fits
the role of a Tampa 2 outside linebacker who may not thump opposing players but
he will tackle strong and will be excellent matching up against an athletic
TE. Both Gooden and Mills will most
likely not be there in the fifth so they are perhaps reaches here but both a
worthwhile.
A third option here is to grab Gerald Hodges LB Penn State –
I think this guy is getting a little underrated and could man the middle for a
long time.
5 (20) 153 – Jahleel
Addae S Central Michigan – This guy is feisty and hits hard. May not be dynamite in coverage but could be
solid. He seems like a cross between two
former Bears, Mike Brown and Chris Harris.
He is faster than Harris but not as good of a player as Brown.
6 (20) 188 – If the Bears miss out on Mills in this draft a
nice pick-up may be Garrett Gilkey OG-OT out of Chadron State may be a diamond
in the rough. It is hard to project a
guy up from a D2 school but he seems to have the raw skills and a pissed off
mentality that leads to chip on his shoulder.
Local kid would fit in nice with the Bears at guard or possibly tackle.
If they miss out on the TE in the first round another option
may be to take MarQuies Gray who was a college QB and WR that is being
projected to TE in the NFL. They will
have to be patient with him but he could pay off down the road.
Another option would be P.J. Lonergan C LSU – He can only
play center but he may be a very solid developmental prospect and the Bears are
old at Center
So maybe I am wrong and maybe I am right. Either way it is documented.
Thanks random friends and family!
