Archive for February, 2009
Previous Pick: Detroit Lions
2. St. Louis Rams
-Jason Smith (LT/Baylor)
- NFL.com
With Orlando Pace as its anchor, the Rams used to have one of the dominant offensive lines in the NFL. As his ability has declined, so has that of the offense as a whole. For the past few years, St. Louis has been trying to find a player to succeed Pace and return the Rams to the being one of the elite teams in the NFC. After missing out on Jake Long last year, I think the Rams jump at the chance to draft an offensive tackle with the #2 pick. And they don’t have much choice. Alex Barron hasn’t improved much over the last two years; Marc Bulger has to be better protected; and the unit allowed 45 sacks over the regular season.
Since Jason Smith and Eugene Monroe are both talented pass blockers and have great athleticism, it’s difficult for me to say which one will be chosen. Resulting from his great combine, I would think Jason Smith gets the slight edge over Monroe. Plus Smith might be a better fit because he has that nasty nature and finishes his blocks very well. That will come in handy when he paves the way for Steven Jackson in the run game.
-Eugene Monroe (LT/Virginia)
- NFL.com
Monroe has all the things you look for in a offensive tackle: long arms, quick feet, great size, intelligence, work ethic. Unfortunately, he lost momentum at the combine when he only posted 23 reps when his peer, Jason Smith, recorded 33 reps. I suspect Monroe’s long arms make it tough to bench press as efficiently as the more barrel-chested linemen.
On a more positive note, Eugene Monroe is a less risky pick because of his experience. Whereas his counterpart Smith, only recently entered the elite talent conversation.
It comes down to whom the Rams give the slight edge. After all, there isn’t much separating these two extremely talented football players.
-Aaron Curry (OLB/Wake Forest)
- NFL.com
If the Rams decide to go with the best player available, Curry would be the right choice. Although St. Louis has more pressing needs, linebacker does need help. So don’t rule out Curry because you never know if the defense-oriented Spagnolo might make a move for Curry if the Lions don’t take him first.
Michael Crabtree is a possibility here, but I just don’t see new coach Steve Spagnolo advocating that decision so early in his tenure.
Next on the clock: Kansas City Chiefs
Make sure to vote so I can include the fan picks into each post. We can make a little game out of comparing the fan picks with my own! At the end of my completed mock draft I will show all the results.
I’ve grown tired of the idea of traditional mock drafts. So I designed one that accounts for possible trade spots and for a range of scenarios. That way when a player is chosen well before he should be, you won’t be thrown for a loop when your team is on the clock.
Each team will have a few players (listed in order of likelihood of being picked) that I believe they can target, depending on who else is chosen prior to that pick. So naturally, you may see a few players show up more than once.
Each post will look in-depth at 1 team starting with pick #1:
1. Detroit Lions
- NFL.com
- Aaron Curry (OLB/Wake Forest):
For a team with one of the NFL’s worst defenses of all time, Curry could be the catalyst to jump start a roster starving for talent. Seldom do you see such a complete player come along, and when you do, take him. He simply has no weakness: very vocal leader, extraordinary intensity, awesome speed and athleticism, intelligence, and no injury history. I can’t think of a bad thing to say about this guy. I was super excited to see him destroy competitors at the combine, where he placed first in all the drills except bench press (7th place overall). To top it off, he looked awesome in position drills and posted one of the fastest 40 yard dash times amongst all of the defensive players (4.56 seconds).
Although he doesn’t play a premium position, he is definitely the best player available. Let’s face it, the Lions simply cannot afford to miss on this pick because the money issues would cripple them beyond belief. He obviously is being seriously considered because Lions GM Martin Mayhew took only about 4 players, including Curry out to dinner during the combine.
-Jason Smith (LT/Baylor)
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- NFL.com
After allowing 52 sacks (2nd worst in NFL), it’s hard to argue Detroit’s offensive line doesn’t need some help. Left tackle Jeff Backus allowed more sacks than nearly every other starting left tackle during 2008. Offensive guard Edwin Mulitalo was sent packing, and there is little to look forward to behind him. Basically, Jason Smith could step in early and help anchor the line at left tackle, while Jeff Backus could theoretically be moved to guard or vice versa.
Both Mayhew and coach Schwartz emphasized how essential the trenches are to winning. They want to be able to run the ball and stop the run. Jason Smith, although a better pass blocker than run blocker has the best tools of the top 3 tackle prospects.
-Matthew Stafford (QB/Georgia)
Although Daunte Culpepper was recently resigned, the likely departure of Dan Orlovsky leaves the Lions a bit thin at the quarterback position. Anyone who watched the 2008 season knows the Lions don’t have an all-pro caliber player there, so they might grab Matthew Stafford if they evaluate him highly enough.
- NFL.com
Most people argue Stafford is the obvious pick for Detroit because history tells us that new regimes like to pick a quarterback to begin their rebuilding plans. Bill Polian did it in Indianapolis and Carolina by choosing Peyton Manning and Kerry Collins respectively. Bill Parcells chose Drew Bledsoe when he came to the Patriots. But here is the twist. The Lions are in a unique position since they are the first team to ever go 0-16. This unique situation calls for a unique fix.
Stafford was one of the 4 guys to be taken out to dinner by Detroit during the combine. But that could easily have been a smokescreen to increase trade value. However, he is a smart guy who has a wonderful set of physical skills.Yet, he does suffer from inconsistent play, as you can see by Stafford’s numbers against top 25 defenses. And I doubt he is quite as ready for the pro game as most top flight quarterbacks. He will likely have to sit a while before he is ready to start. Additionally, I think Stafford actually hurt himself by not throwing at the combine. Coach Jim Schwartz expressed disappointment in a player who doesn’t have the will to compete.
Ultimately, the Lions are insistent on signing their top pick before draft day. Stafford is the least likely to do this because his agent is known around the league for being a hardballer, fighting to get top dollar contracts for his players.
Next On the Clock: St. Louis Rams
Make sure to vote so I can include the fan picks into each post. We can make a little game out of comparing the fan pick with my own!
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Yesterday, with the closing of the 2009 NFL Combine, we saw how certain players benefited from the experience. But we also witnessed some sub par performances that may have dropped the “draft stock” of other, even high profile players. How about we take a closer look at who emerged as winners in terms of their draft day stock.
Winner’s Circle
- Superman Linebacker Aaron Curry runs 40 yard dash (thanks to NFL.com)
1. Aaron Curry–Wake Forest/OLB
Solidified himself as a legit top 3 pick by running faster than all the linebackers, and actually placed a better time than a large number of the defensive backs at the combine. But keep in mind, he is also about 60 pounds heavier than most of the defensive backs! Furthermore, if you watched him in the position drills, he looked super smooth and fluid. Everything came effortlessly to him. He should be a serious candidate at number 1 for the Lions after what he did this week. To top things off, he was the top performer in the 40 yard dash (4.56 sec), vertical leap (37 in), broad jump (10’4 ft), and 60 yard shuttle (11.35 sec). He finished 7th in the bench press, which was the only drill he participated in where he failed to achieve the top performance!
2. Jason Smith–Baylor/OT
After successfully navigating through all the drills, Smith emerged as a top performer in the bench press (33 reps), 3-cone drill (7.53 sec), and put up a respectable 5.22 sec in the 40 yard dash. He generally looked good in the position drills (especially the one where they mirror the defender), and Tom Kowalski of MLive.com said Smith was the most composed and mature of the elite tackle prospects during interviews.
3. Darrius Heyward-Bey–Maryland/WR
This was his coming out party. At Maryland, he was never properly utilized. But on Sunday, we saw a glimpse of what this guy could have done, and what he could athletically do in the NFL. Heyward-Bey was a top finisher in the bench press (16 reps), 40 yard dash (4.30 sec-fastest time at combine), broad jump (10’6 ft), vertical leap (38.5 in), 3-cone drill (6.80 sec), and 20 yard shuttle (4.18 sec). If he lives up to his athletic potential, the sky is the limit for him. But can he use that speed to get open?
To see him run at the combine click the wide receiver video here at NFL.com
4. Brian Cushing–USC/OLB
Had the top performance for bench press in the linebacker group. He was 7th fastest amongst linebackers in the 40 yard dash (4.76 sec), 10th in vertical leap (35 in), 7th in broad jump (10’0 ft), 1st in the 3-cone drill (6.84 sec), and 4th in 20 yard shuttle (4.22 sec).
5. Jared Cook–South Carolina/TE
Ran the fastest time for tight ends (4.50 sec), finished 1st in vertical leap (41 in), 1st in broad jump (10’3 ft), and 7th in bench press (23 reps).
Honorable Mentions
6. Evander Hood–Missouri/DT
He was 4th best bench presser (34 reps), and recorded one of the only defensive tackles to break 5.0 seconds in the 40 yard dash (4.91 sec).
7. Clay Matthews–USC/OLB
A walk-on at USC, and son of former NFL player Bruce Matthews. Finished in the top 10 in each of the following categories: 40 yard dash (4.67 sec), vertical leap (35.5 in), broad jump (10’1 ft), 3-cone drill (6.90 sec), and 20 yard shuttle (4.18 sec).
How did I do?
I published an article about a week ago, calling attention to 10 players to watch at the combine. Out of the 10 players to whom I called attention, I am excited to say only 1 player didn’t do as I hoped (Alex Mack). But he decided not to participate, so you’ll have to forgive me for that oversight. But every one of those players performed in the top 10 in at least one category. I’m excited! Take a look and tell me how you think I did.
The final day of workouts was somewhat anticlimactic. The top defensive backs left everyone expecting more. Only a few players ran under 4.5 seconds, and nobody ran under 4.4 seconds in the 40 yard dash. However, I’d like to award Darius Butler of Connecticut with the best performance during the ball drills. He looked extremely smooth, fluid in his backpedal, and had great footwork and awareness.
Here are the NFL combine results for February 24th:
1) Malcolm Jenkins–Ohio St/DB
Bench press- 15 reps
40 yard dash- 4.55 sec
2) Vontae Davis–Illinois/CB
Bench press- 25 reps
40 yard dash- 4.49 sec
3) Alphonso Smith–Wake Forest/CB
40 yard dash- 4.56 sec
4) D.J. Moore–Vanderbilt/CB
40 yard dash- 4.58 sec
Vertical leap-39.5 in
5) Louis Delmas–Western Michigan/S
Bench press- 12 reps
40 yard dash- 4.55 sec
6) William Moore–Missouri/S
40 yard dash- 4.56 sec
7) Rashad Johnson–Alabama/S
40 yard dash- 4.56 sec
Vertical leap-
8 ) Patrick Chung–Oregon/S
Bench press- 25 reps
40 yard dash- 4.54 sec
*Best Performance:*
9) Darius Butler–Connecticut/CB
40 yard dash- 4.53 sec
Vertical leap- 43 in
