Archive for April, 2009
For each selection, I will give a number preceded by a “+” or “-” symbol to indicate what I think of the pick:
-1=dislike/+0=indifferent/ +1=like
Detroit Lions
All the picks followed a trend: infusing talent if it addressed any need. The Lions got the best player available at 3 positions of need with their first picks.
-1 Matthew Stafford QB- Not particularly keen on this choice for too many reasons to mention. Lions paid way too much for a single player, I just hope he works out.
+0 Brandon Pettigrew TE- Massive target that should be equally adept at blocking and being a large receiving target for Stafford. Would have liked to have seen a defensive player chosen here.
+1 Louis Delmas FS- Excellent player. All great defenses have an elite safety at their heart. Delmas has been compared to Bob Sanders. He shows the same reckless intensity and ability to fly around the field that has become the trademark of Sanders. Let’s see if that comparison stands the test of time.
quick thoughts on 2nd day picks:
I really expected the Lions to hit the trenches harder than they did. Only 2 linemen chosen overall was very disappointing.
-1 Deandre Levy OLB- speedy LB that can deliver a blow in the box. Jim Schwartz plans to try him at MLB. If that experiment succeeds, then Levy will be worth it.
+0 Derrick Williams WR- Much needed special teams player, who should be able to contribute immediately. Hopefully Williams will push Ronald Curry for time at slot receiver. I wanted Lawrence Sidbury or some other lineman instead of an offensive skill position.
+1 Sammie Lee Hill DT- Intriguing small school athlete, very raw, but if developed properly, should be the long-term replacement for Grady Jackson.
-1 Aaron Brown HB- Another special teams player? Again, the Lions needed to hit the trenches hard, but opted for another skill position.
+0 Lydon Murtha OT- Has good size, but will struggle to make the roster. Lions had the right idea here, but too little too late.
+1 Zack Follett OLB- Love his intensity and aggression on the field. Great late round pick who will at least make a good special teamer.
+0 Dan Gronkowski TE- Excellent blocking prospect, but may struggle as a receiver.
Score: 0
Minnesota Vikings
Vikings did a wonderful job of grabbing players that fit a need in their system.
+1 Percy Harvin WR- Precisely the type of player needed to distract opponents from Adrian Peterson and the Vikings running game. Harvin is already one of the most explosive players to come into the league in a while. Incredible talent for a pick at #22.
+1 Phil Loadholt OT- Massive tackle to push out Ryan Cook on the right side. Fits the Viking offensive scheme well. If he continues to struggle against quicker defensive ends at tackle, guard is a possibility for him.
+1 Asher Allen CB- Aggressive defensive back that fits the mold of other Minnesota DB’s like Antoine Winfield and Cedric Griffin.
+1 Jasper Brinkley ILB- Yet another fine defensive fit, South Carolina thumper adds insurance for MLB E.J. Henderson.
-1 Jamarca Sanford FS- Might end up a career special teamer because of his good tackling ability, but lacks coverage skills.
Score: 3
Green Bay Packers
Ted Thompson is a whiz at getting bang for his buck. Masterful job at addressing needs in the second day. Jamon Meredith probably was one of the biggest steals of the draft.
+1 B.J. Raji NT- Bulky nosetackle that may have filled the team’s most pressing need. Kind of player that alters game plans. NFC North teams will hate playing him multiple times a year. Possesses great blend of pass rushing and run stuffing ability. One of my favorite picks of the draft.
+0 Clay Matthews Jr. OLB- Love the player, not keen on the price tage though. Matthews was valued around this spot, but Thompson had to trade a great deal to get him. Very athletic player, has incredible upside, will definitely bring versatility to Dom Capers’ 3-4 defense.
+1 T.J. Lang OT- Versatile offensive tackle from Eatern Michigan. Might become a swing tackle type like Dan Loper and Max Unger. In a year or two, he might become the starter at one of the tackle spots for Green Bay.
+1 Quinn Johnson FB- Gotta love those old-school blockers. He will knock guys on their backs.
+1 Jamon Meredith OT-One of the best values of the draft. Regarded as a preseason first-second round pick. Very smart and strong lineman. Love this selection by the Packers.
-1 Jarius Wynn DE- Not going to give Green Bay much help in their pass rush, which was sorely needed. Going to have to bulk up some more to play end in the 3-4 defense.
-1 Brandon Underwood CB-Cincinnati defensive back provides too little aid for an extremely old group of cornerbacks.
+1 Brad Jones LB- Highly athletic linebacker from Colorado. Worth the risk in the 7th round.
Score: 3
Chicago Bears
Jerry Angelo traded back out of the first draft day to build depth. The trend for the Bears this year was to draft project players that might or might not contribute down the road.
+1 Jarron Gilbert DL- Extraordinarily athletic big man from San Jose St. University. Was expected to go in the early 2nd round. He should offer a nice speed element to the interior line rotation behind Marcus Harrison and Tommie Harris. I really like this pick.
+1 Juaquin Iglesias WR- Sound football player, very good hands and is said to be fearless when running over the middle of the field. Great pick for a talent-starved receiving corps.
+0 Henry Melton DE- Very raw athlete (played HB for two years), but has very good speed and strength. Defensive line guru Rod Marinelli will get the best from Henry. Might have been a little early for such a project player.
+1 D.J. Moore CB- Another high value player.Could have easily gone in the second round (but fell to the 4th). Played a little bit of receiver in addition to starting at CB for Vanderbilt. Doesn’t have incredible straight line speed, but is quick and has good vertical leap to make up for it. Probably will be Bears’ nickelback.
-1 Johnny Knox WR- Quick twitch receiver. Not much of a route runner. Drafted for his speed. The Bears needed receivers, but sheer athetes aren’t going to cut the mustard. I don’t expect him to make much of an impact for a while, if at all.
+1 Marcus Freeman OLB- Fast in a straight line, hard-hitting linebacker from Ohio St. Good value pick in the 5th round.
+0 Al Afalava FS- Adds depth at a position of need.
+0 Lance Louis OG- Interesting athleticism for a guard. Another project type.
+0 Derek Kinder WR- Decent pick up in the 7th round. Doesn’t excel in any one area, but is an average player in all aspects of the game.
Score: 3
But I’m hoping for an early Spring
- (NFL.com) Stafford: Lions’ #1 pick
Mitch Albom wrote a masterful piece in Sports Illustrated several months ago that captured the essence of what Detroit has gone through after the 0-16 season, as well as the tough economic hardships the city has suffered over the years. Most fans would have long lost hope, but the Detroit faithful are loyal to a fault. After half a century of mediocrity, all this town asks for is a team that embodies the spirit of its people: a tough, blue-collar football team that is dedicated to running the ball and puts out a ferocious defense. In essence, we just want something similar to the situation in Baltimore and in Pittsburgh. The reason a person can’t walk a mile without hearing buzz about their team is because the Steelers and Ravens understand how to build a team the way their fans would build one.
We aren’t asking for flash or glitz, or even annual playoff berths, all we want is a team with whom we can identify.
Now, William Clay Ford, the man who apparently doesn’t understand that we are in a recession, ended up running Ford Motors into the ground, and has not ever been able to relate to the fans because of his upbringing, has put together a front office that absolutely doesn’t understand us. If they did, I have little doubt that they would have ever flirted with picking Matt Stafford, the boy who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He grew up in Highland Park, Texas for heaven’s sake. That is the creme de la creme of Dallas’ high society. It’s not his fault for having that life. But it most certainly is the Lions’ fault for choosing him as the face of this franchise.
Is it any accident that Lions fans were head over heels in favor of selecting Aaron Curry as the number 1 overall pick of the 2009 Draft? Absolutely not!
- (NFL.com) Aaron Curry-the People’s choice for #1
Was it a good business decision? Well, maybe not the best, but Curry was the kind of man that perfectly symbolized Detroit in every manner. The Lions could have rallied the fans around this young man, and they had the opportunity to demonstrate what should be most valued by this organization. Picking Curry would have stuck it to all the pundits and said “we value our fans, and we will build this team starting with a foundation of defense.” The number one pick symbolizes the direction that this team is headed in, and what the organization values most.
In an era where a sound understanding of the salary cap is king, the Lions threw more guaranteed money than the Falcons gave Matt Ryan last year. In a state where there is 12% unemployment, the Lions are spending money like there is no tomorrow. To put things in perspective, Tom Brady’s contract entitles him to somewhere around $25 million guaranteed. Stafford will be receiving $41 million over 6 years.
The Lions could have scored extra brownie points with fans by selecting Curry for somewhere around $15 million less than Stafford.
Instead, the Lions took the shortcut again and made strides to alienate the fans even more than 0-16.
It cannot be stressed enough, the fans of Detroit need signs that this time will be different than the Millen era (and all the eras before that). And the draft picks over the weekend gave little indication that we should expect much better out of Martin Mayhew than we did from Matt Millen.
The new regime said they ‘would build this team from the inside out,’ that they wanted to build through the trenches. How can you do that when you select only 2 linemen (4th round and 7th round). And what about that defense? Just one defender has been chosen in the first round since 2000, and this year did nothing to change that statistic. The selections were not bad by any means: Brandon Pettigrew, Matt Stafford, and Louis Delmas were the best at their positions in the draft. But the picks were not what was promised. The front office isn’t creating a team that represents us. And they haven’t reached the point where they are beyond reproach. Guys like Belichick and Parcells, you just don’t question because they have the rings to back up their decisions. The Lions have yet to earn such confidence. Until then, we will be skeptical, for better or for worse….
A friend created a site around the idea that the Lions are in a state of winter since they cannot escape the dire situation that has faced them for so long.
It might be a long winter…but I’m hoping for an early spring.
Pete Prisco of NFLDraftscout.com raved about the Lions’ draft, ultimately giving them an “A,” the second best grade of all the teams (then again, last year we got a grade of A, too). Sure it’s early to give out grades because we all know that it takes about 3 years to know what you have. But, besides me, there are those who are very positive about the Lions’ future. I sure hope that optimism can rub off on me sooner rather than later. Someone please give me a ray of sunshine because I want to believe that better days are on the horizon.
What Were They Thinking?
- (NFL.com) Biggest tragedy of the Draft was letting Mr. Curry fall to number 4
Every year, a franchise makes one of those boneheaded decisions that makes you question their sanity,and you start to think maybe you would be a more competent drafter than these professionals. Well, needless to say, I had a few of those moments today.
The first surprise for me was the Chiefs selecting Tyson Jackson at #3. I was thinking: are you kidding me? He is good, but you can’t tell me he is better than Aaron Curry, and up until last week, he was nowhere on the top 10 radar. Defensive linemen who cannot rush the passer do not deserve top 15 consideration. Jackson didn’t show the pass rush ability that Richard Seymour of the Patriots demonstrated on his way to becoming a number 6 pick.
Second, but not surprising to my readers was the befuddling decision of the Al Davis to select Darrius Heyward-Bey at #7. The guy is very raw, and should not have been chosen in the first round, let alone being chosen over Michael Crabtree as the top receiver of the draft. Apparently, speed demon receivers haven’t made much of a splash in the NFL because outright speed is not a replacement for crisp route running as a means to separate from defenders. By the way, did you see the look on Bey’s face when he was picked? I’ve never seen a more sour face than that kid, and for good reason. Nobody wants to willingly play for Al Davis!
Third gaff might be the Bengals choosing Andre Smith over Eugene Monroe. In my opinion, Monroe is on his way to being one of the best tackles in the NFL, and Andre Smith is a RT at best. The guy has about 50 pounds of excess fat, and if you trim off some of that, he gets down to about 300 lbs and is 6’4. Suddenly, that isn’t the imposing run-mauler that teams bargained for. Sure, he does have great talent, but he is a question mark in my book. Monroe would have been the better fit to cover Carson Palmer’s backside. What is it with the Bengals? They can’t seemt to keep their hands off of questionable players.
More analysis to come tomorrow (I’m getting sleepy now).
You’re on the clock
I spent the last month or so sharing with you folks how I see the 2009 NFL Draft unfolding. Yet, I am equally interested in how you think things will turn out. Barring any crazy news stories, I want to use the rest of the time before the Draft to open up this space for any brave mock drafters to post their ideas. Ideally, I would offer some sort of prize for the winner, but as a poor young guy, I can only offer you the spotlight on my site.
For all of you willing enough to make an insightful comment (in the comment section) on tomorrow’s draft, I will personally post them to this article and give a brief critique of it (if you’re interested).
To get the creative juices going, here is something to discuss: If Detroit passes on Stafford, how far does he drop? Also, as Profootballtalk.com rumors have it, the Patriots tried to swing a trade up into the top 10 picks. Who are they targeting? And what is all this nonsense about Tyson Jackson going 3rd to the Chiefs? Gimme a break! This isn’t Richard Seymour we’re talking about.
Here begins the discussion, starting with Brettsky, author of Monsters of the Midway Illustrated:
Hmmm Mathew Stafford is passed up by the Detroit Lions (the smartest move they can make by the way) so how far does he fall. Well if it’s me making the draft call I’m passing on him for as long as possible. If I’m Denver I address my need for defense at 12 and then go Stafford at 18. That’s about the only place in the draft I feel safe drafting Stafford.
Having followed him a lot prior to the ASU game, AFTER the ASU game I feel pretty confident in my assessment of him. My assessment (not that anyone cares) is he’s not worthy of number one overall. I wouldn’t draft him and spend a boat load of guaranteed money on him.
It’s truly not worth the risk especially the risk given he’s an underclassmen QB. Their rate of success is even less than other first round drafted QBs. The only in recent memory to have much success coming out as an underclassman is Ben Rothlesberger and he had and has had a major support force around him. Annually a great running game and a great defense in Pittsburgh.
So is Stafford NFL ready on day one like he’ll be required to be for the Lions no. Not even close.
Although now word is leaking out that Stafford has come to a deal with the LIons and he will be #1 overall.
And a brave attempt at mocking the draft by the Ghostwriter:
Hey David,
Sure, I’ll toss my hat in the ring. This isn’t exactly my area of expertise, but it can’t hurt to try. At least I know that I’ll get one out of the thirty-two correct (thank you, Stafford). Here goes…1.Det: Matt Stafford
2.STL: Eugene Monroe
3.KC: Aaron Curry
4.SEA: Michael Crabtree
5.CLE: Brian Orakpo
6.CIN: Jason Smith
7.OAK: Jeremy Maclin
8.JAX: B.J. Raji
9.GB: Michael Oher
10.SF: Mark Sanchez
11.BUF: Everette Brown
12.DEN: Rey Maualuga
13.WAS: Aaron Maybin
14.NO: Brian Cushing
15.HOU: Malcolm Jenkins
16.SD: Tyson Jackson
17.NYJ: Josh Freeman
18.DEN: Vontae Davis
19.TB: Peria Jerry
20.DET: Clay Matthews
21.PHI: Chris Wells
22.MIN: Percy Harvin
23.NE: Larry English
24.ATL: Evander Hood
25.MIA: Robert Ayers
26.BAL: Darius Butler
27.IND: Hakeem Nicks
28.BUF: Andre Smith
29.NYG: James Laurinaitis
30.TEN: Darrius Heyward-Bey
31.ARZ: Knowshon Moreno
32.PIT: Alex MackHmm…now I just have to find a place for Brandon Pettigrew, who will surely go somewhere in the first round.
