Draft thread

Might as well get one started and try to keep discussion consolidated for the time being. I'm definitely not as up on prospects as I have been in past years, so anyone with impressions and/or information, please post it.


Needs:
QB - Even if Delhomme has to be addressed for salary concerns, it's hard to argue that we need to look at QB in the draft. LeFors showed some things, whether or not he's an eventual starter, and I think many of us have concluded that drafting QBs on the first day is generally not a good idea.

RB - Obviously this depends on what happens with our existing backs. Will Eric Shelton improve? Is Stephen Davis just slow to recover from his off-season surgery, or is he done? Will DeShaun Foster re-sign with us? Stay tuned.

FB - Some people love Hoover. Other people have always fantasized about getting back to that Howard Griffith-type who can knock people over.

TE - Some people want the TE to be a bigger part of the offense, and it seems fairly clear that the Mike Seidman experiment hasn't worked out. Will Michael Gaines continue to improve and will Kris Mangum be enough, or should we look for more? If we get someone, will Henning and Delhomme actually use him?

WR - Colbert has regressed, although that's not unusual for young receivers, but the real question is where he goes from here. Do we feel comfortable with two very short starters anyway?

OT - Gross has regressed since his rookie season and Wharton seems to be playing out of position. Can we get by with these young guys and hope they continue to improve, or do we need to address the position?

OG - LG seems fine, since Wahle will be there unless he moves out to LT, in which case Wharton would still move inside and take care of one guard spot. On the other side, Reyes has struggled and we have yet to see what Mathis can do.

C - Jeff Mitchell has fallen off faster than I think anyone expected, but having a rookie calling signals can be problematic.


DE - Mike Rucker has been resurgent this season, but he's getting up in age and in the next couple of years we have to consider the prospect of replacing him at some point.

DT - Kris Jenkins has had the last two seasons wiped out by injuries, and no one knows how well he'll recover or if he can stay healthy. Buckner is also nearing retirement, while Moorehead has yet to step up. Carstens has been solid, but do we want to count on him as a starter, or should be more of a part-time Shane Burton type player?

SLB - We'd all be thrilled if Mark Fields could come back and play at a high level, but we're not really hearing anything about his condition or the prospect of a comeback. Many say that the second bout with cancer is harder than the first, so is it even reasonable to think he can come back and be a starter in the NFL?

MLB - Dan Morgan is signed to a crapload of undeserved money. Next.

WLB - Will 'Spoon be re-signed? Will Thomas Davis move here?

CB - Lucas is signed to big money, while Gamble is progressing and still has a number of years on his rookie contract. An interesting point will be whether or not we keep Manning to be our nickel man.

FS - Mike Minter is playing out of position at free safety, and we don't know how Colin Branch will bounce back from his injury.

SS - Will Minter move back? Will McCree be re-signed?



2006 NFL Draft prospects:
QB:
Matt Leinart tops everyone's list. He seems just a tad slow in his release and decision making to me, but otherwise he's very mechanically sound and seems to have a great understanding of the position. I'm not at all convinced that he'll be above average in the NFL, though. I don't think he's nearly as physically talented as Carson Palmer was.

Vince Young has tons of physical talent, but there are major questions about his mechanics, his accuracy, and his ability to read defenses. Pasquarelli quoted an anonymous GM as saying he'd be a top 5 pick, but I think that's insane. He does have at least a chance of being a superstar, but he has a very high chance of being a bust as well. Texas hardly ran any timing or precision routes with him, so I think he's years away from being able to play in the NFL.

Brady Quinn - what am I missing? Was he considered a potential first round pick before Charlie Weis got there? He seems solid, but I haven't been overly impressed with his arm, accuracy, or decision-making in the games I've seen.

Omar Jacobs - He seems very physically talented, but I simply haven't seen Bowling Green enough to say much. He didn't stand out to be in the one game I did see.

Jay Cutler - I haven't seen Vanderbilt, so can the SEC fans give some input?

Paul Pinegar - He has the size and the arm, but something seems to be missing from his game.

Drew Olson - He has the size and his season has been better than Matt Leinart's last season or this season. I haven't seen UCLA enough to say much, but I'm curious as to why he's generally ranked as a fairly mediocre prospect while Matt Leinart is in the top 5.

Others: Charlie Whitehurst, D.J. Shockley, Reggie McNeal, Brodie Croyle, etc.


RB:
Reggie Bush is an amazing athlete on the order of Michael Vick, but how will he be as a full-time starter at running back in the NFL?

LenDale White is getting a lot more love from draft sites than I had expected. I lobbied for him to get more praise at USC, but I'm not quite as sold on him as an NFL prospect. He is powerful and reasonably quick, but he doesn't have a lot of moves and I think his offensive line has made him look a lot better than he is.

DeAngelo Williams got a lot of press early in the year, but he hasn't had the season some expected, in part because of injuries Memphis had at quarterback. He's short, but very solidly built. I think he could definitely end up being the best RB out of this class.

Laurence Maroney - I haven't seen Minnesota this season and it bothers me a little that they seem to have so many 1000 yard rushers. Is it the line, the scheme, or do they just know how to develop running backs?

Michael Bush - He's been nicked up this season, but has been amazingly productive when in the lineup. Is he another Eric Shelton, though?

Others: Joseph Addai, Leon Washington, P.J. Daniels, Gerald Riggs, Wali Lundy, Cedric Humes, Demetris Summers, etc.


FB:
Brian Leonard - Why is he ranked highly by GBN? Is he that good or a blocker or is it because he's a hybrid sort of threat?


WR:
Santonio Holmes - Maybe the only legitimate prospect in what could be the worst crop of WR prospects I have ever seen in one draft. Holmes is explosive and has great ability as a return man, but still has some developing to do as a wide receiver.

Derek Hagen - Haven't seen him.

Martin Nance - Haven't seen him.

Steve Smith - He's a little taller, but he reminds me a lot of Colbert in that he seems to do everything well at the college level, but isn't outstanding at anything.

Others: ???


TE:
Mercedes Lewis is a wide receiver in a tight end's body. He has definite upside as a receiver, and by all accounts, is an able blocker as well.

Leonard Pope is obviously a physical beast, but I'll let the SEC fans give more input as to his strengths and weaknesses.

Vernon Davis is probably still underrated, but he's a very good receiver in addition to being a quality blocker.

Dominique Byrd - He seems to make plays when I watch USC, but has never stood out. I don't know if that's because of the weapons around him or if he just isn't that special. He has the physical skills to be effective, but I wonder about his development.

Others: Jeff King, T.J. Williams, etc.


OT:
D'Brickashaw Ferguson still has a lot of growing to do (how old is he?), so there is a little concern about how his size and strength would hold up when pressed into NFL action immediately, but over the long term his potential is almost unlimited. He is very quick and agile, and his body leaves a lot of room for continued growth.

Marcus McNeill - Educate me, SEC fans.

Eric Winston - I keep hearing about him as being a top offensive lineman, but from what I've seen he is a plus run blocker and very average as a pass blocker. I would absolutely not want him as a left tackle in the NFL, but perhaps he's still recovering from injury.

Winston Justice - He's huge and the USC line has been awesome, but I haven't really watched him enough to get a feel for his prospects.

Others: Jonathan Scott, Ryan O'Callaghan, Andrew Whitworth, Jeremy Trueblood, etc.


OG:
Max Jean-Gilles - Holy crap is he huge. GBN has him projected to guard at the NFL level, so that's why I have him here. Thoughts, Georgia fans?

Others: Davin Joseph, Matt Lentz, Mark Setterstrom, Tatusi Lutui, etc.


C:
Kyle Young - I don't remember anything about him from the Fresno games I saw.

Mike Degory - Long-time starter and high effort guy, so he could step in and play right away without too much trouble, but what is his upside?

Nick Mangold - Never paid attention to him.

Others: Greg Eslinger, Marvin Philip, Ryan Cook, Donovan Raiola, David Castillo, etc.

 

DE:
Mario Williams is a physical freak, but he just hasn't seemed to be as dominant as he should be. Still, he's the type who could go on and be much better at the NFL level than he was in college.

Mathias Kiwanuka gets tons of press, in part because of his background, but I just haven't been overly impressed with him. He gives great effort, and maybe I'm not giving him enough credit, but he just hasn't even wowed me. I know he had a zillion sacks in that game against N.C. State, but I only heard it on radio so I didn't see him dominate.

Manny Lawson - He'll either have to bulk up to play at the next level or maybe even move to SLB. He'll probably stay at DE, but I wonder about his pro potential as an every-down player.

Elvis Dumervil - For a guy who threatened the NCAA sack record, he doesn't seem to be getting a lot of publicity as an NFL prospect.

Others: Parys Haralson, Darryl Tapp, Kamerion Wimbley, Frostee Rucker, etc.


DT:
Rod Wright - I should have watched him more closely in the last two Texas games, but I didn't. It bothers me that Texas A&M ran on them at will, so I would like to have reviewed that tape to see why they could. I'll certainly pay more attention against USC, for if he can hold his own against them, he'd be fine in the NFL.

Haloti Ngana - Don't know anything about him except that he's big.

Jesse Maholena - The defensive line was the one bright spot for Tennessee this season, but I didn't watch Maholena enough to make any kind of judgment on him.

Gabe Watson - From what I read, he's extremely talented but has a suspect worth ethic.

Others: Orien Harris, Dusty Dvoracek, etc.


OLB:
A.J. Hawk is quick, strong, and very instinctive. Linebackers can be difficult to project, but he should be special at the next level.

Chad Greenway - Haven't seen him.

Ernie Simms - I find it a little odd that he's ranked higher when A.J. Nicholson is the one who stood out to be when watching Florida State. Simms is a big talker, but he does have plenty of speed.

Bobby Carpenter - This is a guy I've been thinking about as a potential long-term solution to our SLB issue. He has the size to be very effective in taking on blockers, and has shown himself to be adept at shedding and getting after the ball carrier. He's also better than I expected in coverage. Honestly I think he'd be getting a lot more publicity if he wasn't playing next to A.J. Hawk.

A.J. Nicholson - The guy is always around the ball. He has a great motor, wraps up well, has decent strength, and should be able to smoothly make the transition to life in the NFL.

Others: DeMeco Ryans, Spencer Havner, Jamar Williams, Omar Gaither, etc.


MLB:
Ahmad Brooks - GBN has him listed as a MLB, so I'll list him here too, but I'd really expect him to play outside in the NFL. He has outstanding talent, but the injury concerns could have him going anywhere.

Paul Posluzny - I never paid attention to him.

Anthony Schlegel - I'm not as high on the third member of the OSU trio, but he is tough and smart, so he can play in the NFL. I'm just not sure that he can be a starter.

Others: Abdul Hodge, D'Qwell Jackson, Justin London, Fred Roach, Aaron Harris, etc.


CB:
Jimmy Williams gets a lot of press, but I didn't think he was that great. He certainly hasn't finished strongly, so I wonder if there is an injury we haven't heard about. He doesn't look very instinctive to me in coverage, as I've seen him lose the ball a number of times. He definitely has the measurables, though.

Tye Hill - Flashly guy with tons of speed and quickness, and has a nose for interceptions.

Will Blackmon - He's probably even more of a work in progress than Chris Gamble, but he has the athleticism to make the transition.

Allen Zemaitis - Haven't really seen him.

Kelly Jennings - Pretty unheralded for someone at Miami, but he has good technique and always seems to be in the right position. I'm not sure if he can play more than nickel back, but I always like a guy in the secondary who knows where he is supposed to be.

Others: Ashton Youboty, Charles Gordon, Cedric Griffen, Marcus Hudson, etc.


FS:
LaRon Landry - SEC fans, help me out.

Greg Blue - He should really play for a team with blue jerseys, just for the puns about a flash of blue. I wouldn't have believed that Georgia could produce another Thomas Davis so quickly, but he might be even better. That dude just flies across the screen and delivers hits. He is a monster. But like Davis, I have serious doubts about his ability to play FS. He doesn't appear quite as clueless in space, so he might have a chance, but he's probably a little too big, and SS would take more advantage of his greatest strengths.

Others: Jason Allen, Pat Watkins, Nate Salley, etc.


SS:
Michael Huff - GBN has him making the transition to SS from CB, but I haven't paid attention to know why they're doing that. He's a little on the small side for someone projected to SS.

Darnell Bing - As bad as the Trojans have been in the secondary, I'm curious as to why he's rated this highly.

Others: Bernard Pollard, Donte Whitner, Dawan Landry, and Greg Threat.



Ok draftniks, now help me out.

 

too many words :imagestor

 

We ought to draft this guy just to screw with the announcers.

 

I'd gladly except either of the first two TE's you listed with the 32nd. pick.

 

The TEs would be great value, but all three should actually be gone before our selection (assuming we keep winning). Plus, I'm just not big on the idea of drafting someone we obviously won't use.

Right now my ideal scenario is:
#1) DeAngelo Williams. If he falls, I just think he has a chance to be a dynamite player.

#2) Bobby Carpenter. I do have the habit of falling in love with certain players, but I just think Carpenter could be one of those very rare SLBs who can dominate an offense. The whole Fields situation and Thomas Davis debate have opened my eyes to how rare true, dominating SLBs are.


Unless Williams' stock rises or some of the underclass RBs don't declare, both should at least have a decent chance of making it to our selection. If they don't, then DT would be fine with me, I'm just not crazy about any of the DTs available in this draft.

 

.

 

That Ngana kid sounds good from what I have read on him. I love the idea of a big DT who can clog up the middle like a Ted Washington. I am not sure that this kid can do that but he has the size.

The game with the Falcons reminded me how much better we are when we can run the ball. I do not think the long term answer for us at runningback is currently on our team. I am not sure about the backs coming out this year but if we have a chance at a good one we ought to take it.

 

There's size in this draft, but not necessarily great quality, at DT. If not a Wright or Ngata, there's always a big NT type like UGA's Gerald Anderson or a big wildcard like junior Xavier Lawson-Kennedy. I do like the idea of another huge guy, but we've never really had that guy here in the four years of Fox. Even Burton was around 300, only Jenkins really getting much bigger than that.

 

I know Michael Bush is a big back, but he's looked slow the few times I've seen him, and seems to go down easy. Another Troy Hambrick perhaps? Maybe it's the scheme and Shelton and Bush just need some real coaching? Who knows.