NFC South Draft Analysis

[Piper]

Ahhhh.
Home sweet home.

Tampa

3 21(86) MARQUISE WALKER WR MICHIGAN
4 21(119) TRAVIS STEPHENS RB TENNESSEE
5 22(157) JERMAINE PHILLIPS S GEORGIA
6 21(193) JOHN STAMPER DE SOUTH CAROLINA
7 22(233) TIM WANSLEY CB GEORGIA
7 39(250) Compensatory Pick TRACEY WISTROM TE NEBRASKA
7 43(254) Compensatory Pick AARON LOCKETT WR KANSAS STATE
7 44(255) Compensatory Pick ZACK QUACCIA C STANFORD

New Orleans Saints

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1 13(13) DONTE STALLWORTH WR TENNESSEE
1 25(25) from Miami CHARLES GRANT DE GEORGIA
2 12(44) LeCHARLES BENTLEY C OHIO STATE
3 17(82) JAMES ALLEN OLB OREGON STATE
4 27(125) from Miami KEYUO CRAVER CB NEBRASKA
5 15(150) MEL MITCHELL FS WESTERN KENTUCKY
6 14(186) JOHN THOMAS "J.T." O'SULLIVAN QB CALIFORNIA-DAVIS
6 24(196) from NY Jets JOHN GILMORE TE PENN STATE
7 13(224) DERRIUS MONROE DE VIRGINIA TECH


Atlanta Falcons
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RD PK(OVR) NOTES NAME POS SCHOOL
1 18(18) from Washington through Oakland T.J. DUCKETT RB MICHIGAN STATE
3 15(80) WILL OVERSTREET OLB TENNESSEE
4 18(116) (Supplemental Selection) from Houston MARTIN BIBLA OG MIAMI (FLA.)
5 13(148) KEVIN McCADEM SS VIRGINIA TECH
5 23(158) from Oakland KURT KITTNER QB ILLINOIS
6 12(184) KAHLIL HILL WR IOWA
7 6(217) from Dallas MICHAEL COLEMAN WR WIDENER
7 33(244) Compensatory Pick KEVIN SHAFFER OT TULSA

Carolina Panthers

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RD PK(OVR) NOTES NAME POS SCHOOL
1 2(2) JULIUS PEPPERS DE NORTH CAROLINA
2 2(34) DeSHAUN FOSTER RB UCLA
3 8(73) from Cincinnati WILL WITHERSPOON OLB GEORGIA
4 2(100) DANTE WESLEY DB ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF
5 2(137) RANDY FASANI QB STANFORD
5 10(145) from Cincinnati KYLE JOHNSON FB SYRACUSE
6 2(174) KEITH HEINRICH TE SAM HOUSTON STATE
7 2(213) PETE CAMPION OG NORTH DAKOTA STATE
7 47(258) *Non-Compensatory Pick BRAD FRANKLIN CB LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE

 

[Piper]

My thoughts.

Bucs

Well, Tampa elected to trade their first two picks, as well as the first two for next year, for a coach that hasn't really had any more success than the guy they fired. Whatever. I'm sure Al Davis is happy with Buchanon and Jolley, and whatever prizes he finds next year.

This is still a good team, for now. But they have needs that were screaming to be filled. They need a fast deep threat at reciever, they draft a big possession reciever. Travis Stephens should be the Charlie Garner type back that Gruden can work into the WCO, should he develop his pass catching skills. Phillips has some skills, and will be a Cooper type special teams player for them.

Not much after that. Cornerback will have to wait, and the depth isn't there for the team. The team is still a very talented defensive team, and they got that way by drafting very well for a number of years. Dilger will give the Johnson boys something to throw to, if either of them will let go of the ball.

New Orleans

A strong draft, though they may have to wait a few years to see the true impact. Grant may take a while to develop, and recievers, particuarly underclassman like Donte, take a while to adjust. And I think they can get Bentley to start in a year or two and Craver will make a good nickle.

Atlanta

They ignored reciever and Tackle, though I suppose Hill could mature. Bibla could come on at guard. I like Overstreet in the 3-4, and Kittner could be the draft's Tom Brady if Vick doesn't pan out.

If they can get that line into shape though, I do think Duckett will be a better runningback than Jamal.

Carolina

I can only point to one stick them in starter, Peppers. He and Foster will be the ones that make this draft, regardless we took lots of risk up and down the board. WW I believe will contribute as a nickle linebacker. He was a reach, but lord knows we need the depth here. Wesley, we shall see. He certianly has the athletic measurables, but so did Rashard. At least this is a 4th rounder.

 

[magnus]

Tampa: getting Walker was undoubtedly the best value. Problem is it's a bad trend. After getting a big posession guy to team with, uhh, a big posession guy, they draft...

not to mention that after getting Pittman, he tabbed Stephens. Stephens was a good value as well, but their needs are greater than that.

anyway, I guess this means Anthony will be the situational deep threat and Keyshawn will be expected to do more downfield as well.

Saints getting Stallworth was about expected, and should upgrade their offense a good deal. I imagine their offensive strategy as a whole would have had to have changed with RW gone and Deuce in, so I can see what they're trying to do there. Grant was a definate need, and they like the bigger ends. grant might be able to push Howard to RDE to take advantage of his impact. Bentley is a top notch OL that should add to their push and still give them athleticism along the line. I liked Allen over Witherspoon, so I feel he's a good pick there, but I can't very well remember any of their linebackers at this moment anyway.

The regret out of that top 4 pick is that there was no DT. Craver was a good gamble in 4.

Atlanta - this makes no sense, Duckett, considering their receiver need. OT was never that great a value in this draft thanks to reaches like Jones and Columbo, making guys like Langston Walker go before they should as well. But receiver was there all day and they could have easily tabbed Walker or Bryant even after their Duckett pick.
Agree about Overstreet and Bibla, those should help a good deal in making them more solid overall, though they have similar players already that aren't very dynamic.

Us? The regret here is not taking a corner. Foster was the right guy IMO, but I feel like they passed up good corners on the way to taking Witherspoon. regardless, all three top picks should be long term starters, and they filled in their offensive skill depth, something that was sorely lacking. I feel t was fine to ignore receiver at this point, but it should probably be taken care of next year.

 

[Piper]

Tampa just didn't have the cards to play to address the needs. They took good value, and that's all you can really hope to do past round 2.

 

[magnus]

I guess so. I just wanted to see them do some different things than they did. I like their players, though.

Anyone else on this one?

 

[LarryD]

yes, damnit. just not right now.

outside of saying that new orleans is going to be fast on offense -- always in the game. the more i think about it, the better duckett sounds in atlanta -- even with dunn. the bucs' window just closed. the panthers need 1 and 2 to be pro-bowlers in 3 years and to find a day 2 starter for this to be a good draft.

 

[Piper]

The Bucs will be forced to rely on FA in the future, and we know where that can lead to.

I think they'll miss Dunn, honestly. I know he was hurt a lot last year and wasn't a consistent feature, but he's been their biggest playmaker. Just think about what he's done to the Rams.

Now, they really don't have a big play guy.

I do like Duckett in Atlanta.
The only bad thing about using the 3-4 is their line. I like their linebackers a lot.