Ray mentioned this at the end of the second round, creating a thread to explain why each of us GMs picked who we did. Thought it was a good idea so I started this one. GMs, step up to the plate and explain yourself to the media.
anthers: CAROLINA PANTHERS anthers: First Round: Reggie Nelson S Florida Carolina has needs especially at safety and inside linebacker. The best inside backer was off the boards to the Bills so I went with safety. FS Mike Minter retires at the end of the year and he's better at SS anyway and the SS position has been a mess of scrubs. Nelson is a ballhawk who can cover centerfield and can make big interceptions in the back. Best safety on my board so I grabbed him. Second Round: David Harris ILB Michigan Tough choice between him and Brandon Merriweather. In the end I didn't think I could find a good ILB in the third round whereas I thought I could get a good SS in the third. Harris is one of the best inside LBs, right after Patrick Willis. Dan Morgan can't stay healthy and we have NO ONE after him so this was a crucial need.
New York Jets #25 - Robert Meachem - WR - Tenn - Coles wasnt as good as his stats show this past year and is getting older. Plus, Meachem was too good to pass up at that point. This guy should be a top 15 pick #59 - Tenard Jackson - CB - Syracuse - The jets have been trying to fix this need for a while and Jackson has the size and instincts to be a very good starting CB in the NFL #63 - Quinten Moses - OLB - Georgia - The jets moved to a 3-4 defense last year but werent as successful as they wanted to be because they were missing that dominate pass rusher. Moses has great size and pass rush ability to be a 3-4 Rush LB, and physically is alot like Shaun Phillips when he came out and could have very similar success in the right system.
New Orleans Saints First Round- Marcus McCauley CB Fresno State Other top 4 CB's already taken (Hall, Houston, Revis & Ross), I went with a guy with size & speed. Saints need this in their secondary. Second Round- Brandon Siler ILB Florida Saints needed an ILB. My top 3 were Willis, Siler & Harris. Willis went in the 1st round. Harris went earlier in the 2nd, but was my #3 overall. Thought Siler had better speed though.
At 23 overall I Took Dwayne Jarrett WR Usc Because K.C. despertly needs a WR. True there were other recievers who were faster but at 6 4 219, he will create match up problems. His size will probably mean more 1 on 1 coverage for the rest of K.C.'s recieving core. Huge red zone target too! Speaking of speed he ran a 4.63 while Bowe ran a 4.51 and Meachem ran a 4.39. That is not that huge of a difference considering his size. In the second round I took Ryan Kalil C. He's heads and tails above the other centers out there. I am sure he could transition to G rather easily. K.C. needs G help with Shields turning 35. This bolsters a line which needs some help.
1st pick - D. Bowe - Best player available that fit a priority need. I was gonna take B.Grubbs though if he hadn't been picked at #29. 2nd pick - Sabby Piscitelli - A. Because he was the best SS available B. SS is a priority need C. He's a *** like me, only much bigger, faster, and stronger than I ever was. I was gonna take Brian Leonard here because I think he'd be a great fit for this offense should we lose Turner.
Browns: #3 Adrian Peterson- Because they have Jamal Lewis who seems to be slowing down production wise and they have nobody else to speak of and Peterson is the best RB in this draft by a long shot. Not to mention their offense sux. #36 Justin Blalock- Did i mention their offense sux? I was looking for a DT, CB or a OL and Blalock was the best value and fills a need.
Honestly, if he fell to us in the 2nd... I think we should take him regardless of whether or not Turner is gone. Knowing he's gone next year anyway, Leonard would step right in in '08. I know Pinnock is not the answer. He's Jermaine Fazande Jr.
If we have Turner for this season id say no way AJ picks RB day one. He could easily pick a RB on th 2nd day. There is a better class in 2008. Id actually like to have Leonard but we can fill a need in the 2nd round.
So do you think that there will be a RB available to us next year in the 2nd or 3rd round who would be better than Leonard? I honestly don't know because I haven't looked at next year yet.
If we get a first for Turner this year, i hope that team stinks it up. There are some good RB's that could be in the draft in 2008 but some will be Juniors like Steve Slaton/ WV, Darin McFadden/Arkansas ,Mike Hart/Michigan(senior),Tashard Choice(senior)GaTech, Kregg Lumpkin/Ga(senior), Yvenson Bernard/Oregon/(senior).....just to name a few. That doesnt count those that will get their shot this coming year that might be juniors taking over for some starters that they filled in for that scouts know about. Id have to do some research. Leonard imo is a good player but if we keep Turner, he isnt a need at all for this year. Man if we filled our needs this year and had all luxery picks in 2008....id LOVE to get McFadden or Slaton with an extra first rounder that is higher than ours or just trade up with it....provided they turn pro
St. Louis Rams Round 1 Pick #13 Alan Branch DT, Michigan This was a no brainer. The Rams BIGGEST need was DT, but I thought there would a good chance that either of the top two defensive tackle I had on my draft list would be available. Not only was one of the two available, the guy I had ranked as the best DT in the draft was there. I thought he'd be gone in the top ten picks, but he fell into my lap. If I were a Ram fan, I'd be stoked big time over this pick. Round 2 Pick #20 Overall Pick #52 Tony Ugoh OT, Arkansas I had identified o-line and basically anything on defense as needs for the Rams. The Rams did however aquire 4 players that might end up in starting rolls on defense via a trade and 3 free agent pickups. This made me a bit more comfortable looking towards the o-line. I know SDRon & in particular Loren blasted this pick to the point that I felt insulted, I'm still very happy. Yes, they are the self proclaimed experts, yet I'm not impressed. I had noticed that Arron Sears was dropping down the board. I had projected him as a late first round pick. Well, my luck ran out when leisure grabbed him with the 12th pick of the 2nd round for Atlanta. The top three players on my board when my pick came were Victor Abiamiri DE, Zach Miller TE, & Tony Ugoh OT. I could have dropped further down my board, but I really felt these guys offered the best value of the players that were left. Well, the Rams picked up Randy McMichael via free angency, who I think is an excellent TE, so it came down to Abiamiri & Ugoh. Both players in positions of need. Yes, Loren, I know you said that the Rams have Pace, but I don't think he makes it through the year. He only started 9 games last season. So Abiamiri or Ugoh? I would have been happy with either. I could have gone either way, but I'm a huge believer that that the oline is the foundation of a great team. If you left things up to me, I'd load up on OL talent every season. I choose to add to the foundation. I was amazed at the unprofessionalizm displayed by the bashing I got for this pick and will not have any further involvement in mock drafts for this website because of it. This unprofessional behavior doesn't represent what I believe BoltTalk to be. This is the explaination of my picks. Maybe next season Loren and Ron should make all the picks themselves.
I'd love that scenario too. Still, the way I see it, this team doesn't really have any "pressing" needs now that Dielman is signed. I see our first and second round picks this year as depth... and then starting next year. The only big question now is Turner (Whether he stays or goes... and if he stays... he goes next year for nothing). So I'm thinking a guy like Leonard has enough versatility to learn both FB and RB this year so he's prepared to step in right away and lessen the impact of losing Turner. I'm thinking long run, not just this season. And Leonard is a true team guy. No character questions. No talent questions. No questions about his experience. He was projected to go first round initially, until all these DBs and WRs came out running 4.3's. So I just think if a guy like Leonard is still on the board that late in the 2nd... you grab him for the value he brings.
To Boltjolt: Yes it could be a step. But what is better ? A step or 2 inches ? We'll see, Don't knock Jarrett to much he could be a Charger next year. It's not that far fetched.
I know he's tested really well and his stock has risen quite a bit. I'd take a shot at him with a late round pick. I don't think Leonard is going to fall as far as he did in our mock.
They say the difference between a player that is .1 faster is two feet of seperation so Bowes 4.5 to Jarretts 4.67 is huge and its really huge if your comparing it to Meachems 4.39 This was from an article about 40 times a couple of years ago and no i dont have a link. However, i do think playing speed is more important but Jarrett dont look speedy to me on the field. Rice looks to have good game speed as does Bowe while both are not pure burners running a go pattern.
If we trade Turner to a team in the top 15 for a first rounder we need to take the best safety or receiver available and then take the other position with our own number one. I would also package both of our threes for another pick in the second, if anyone would go for the deal. It's possible Reggie Nelson would be there at 12 and if not Michael Griffin would likely be available. Nobody knows what will drop to the bottom of the round, but there will still be excellent receivers. The only thing for sure is that some teams will make some really wierd choices. :yawn:
My mistake...i was thinking if AJ accepted a first in 2008 while they only offered a 3rd for this year. Dont know if he would even do that but i was saynig the 2008 RB class will be better. Also, you cant trade comp picks so we cant package both our three's
Minnesota Vikings 1) Brady Quinn,QB,Notre Dame I picked Brady Quinn becaus the vikings desperatly needed a starting QB as they only had Tavaris Jackson..now is he going to be an NFL star..no but Quinn showed that he had the athletic ability and the talent to hpefully become an NFL QB 2) Craig Davis-WR-LSU I picked Davis because Minnesota needs a WR opposite Koren Robinson and Davis was the best WR availble at the time..he showed good hands during college.
at 15-Jarvis Moss- good DE/OLB, i felt that he will be able to fill in nicely on Pittsburgh new 4-3 as a DE if he bulks up 2nd Round- Josh beekman- good size, good run block, felt him to be the best pick for pittsburgh at the time. http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/sub/rankings.html
