Drek
04-30-2007, 12:20 PM
Here's my best and worst 5 draft weekends from around the league.
Best:
Cleveland - Were very pro-active and added a franchise LT and franchise QB to a team that already had a franchise WR and some other good offensive investments. Lost their future first round pick but they were considering Quinn at #3, its very possible that they'll be better in '07 and even if they aren't they got top value this year with a late 1st contract instead of a top 3 contract.
San Francisco - Amazing draft here. Patrick Willis was a great choice. Then they made great moves with both the Pats and Colts to move from 42 up to 28, the end cost being only 16 spots back on their 4th rounder and swapping firsts with the Colts in '08. Wouldn't surprise me if they were both in the early to mid 20's in next year's draft with the direction they're each headed this off-season. They used 28 on Staley who is a good developmental LT answer for them. Jason Hill is a good developmental WR, and McDonald is a great fit for their 3-4 front at DE. They also added Darrell Jackson from a division rival for only a 4th round pick. My choice for best draft of the year.
Minnesota - Peterson and Rice were great talent picks at need positions. Little meh on McCauley but Robison, Allison, and Alexander were all great values. They got a lot of talent throughout the draft, made great use of all their picks, and they walked away with our '08 3rd in the process.
Carolina - Beason, Jarrett, Kalil, Shaw, and Johnson, five potential starters. Hell of a draft for them. A lot like Minnesota's, a draft that'll pay dividends for years to come.
Dallas - They got a good pass rusher who should do well as a OLB opposite Ware, two good OT prospects, and a great athlete in Stanback. That's a solid draft in its own right, but at the same time they pocketed a future first. Some very smart moves there.
Worst:
Houston - Okoye was a pretty good pick, but they have a lot of other, much bigger, needs. They didn't address OL until the 5th round, took a flyer on a small school WR with their only other first day pick despite this being a deep WR class. They should've been hunting for a trade back, even if it meant taking future picks as part of the package. They didn't address needs well at all.
Philly - Worst draft of the year? While other teams that moved out of the first round netted future 1sts to compensate Philly did it for a bunch of later round picks. They then blew their only top 50 pick on a QB when they're financially tied to McNabb. They made some ok choices from there on out but they didn't get any real steals or great values. They didn't bring back a single sure fire starter in this draft, and have no future value to show for it. SAD attempt.
Tennessee - You can sum this draft up with one word. "REACH". I like Griffin but with Nelson and Meriweather also still on the board there was no need to take him here, a trade back could have still gotten them their guy. They then take Chris Henry in the middle of round 2, even though he's done nothing to prove himself as a football player, just an athlete. Bring in a host of 3rd tier WRs and you have the makings of a totally unremarkable draft out of a team that had middle picks in every round along with an extra late 4th and two late 6ths. Young will still be trying to carry them offensively and their defense won't be able to hold up any better than last year while Griffin is trying to cover the whole backfield.
Miami - Overpicked Ginn, took an older "safe" pick QB when they're looking to bring in a stop gap QB with Trent Green as it is, and brought in a center who they'll probably have to move to guard. Not exactly how you should address needs in the first day. Soliai wasn't a bad pick but he's got character concerns and has questions about his motor. Booker was an ok choice but you minimize his role by already having Ginn. Lot of questionable moves for a team picking near the top holding plenty of ammo.
New York Giants - Wasn't really that bad of a draft but they overpicked on Ross and Alford while doing nothing to fix their OL exodus. They've been lucky with late rounders and retreads at OL before so maybe it'll pay off again, but they had the chance to add some real long term talent there or at safety instead of an overpicked CB and made what I think is the wrong choice. Still, they're the best of this bad lot, far better than the other four.
Best:
Cleveland - Were very pro-active and added a franchise LT and franchise QB to a team that already had a franchise WR and some other good offensive investments. Lost their future first round pick but they were considering Quinn at #3, its very possible that they'll be better in '07 and even if they aren't they got top value this year with a late 1st contract instead of a top 3 contract.
San Francisco - Amazing draft here. Patrick Willis was a great choice. Then they made great moves with both the Pats and Colts to move from 42 up to 28, the end cost being only 16 spots back on their 4th rounder and swapping firsts with the Colts in '08. Wouldn't surprise me if they were both in the early to mid 20's in next year's draft with the direction they're each headed this off-season. They used 28 on Staley who is a good developmental LT answer for them. Jason Hill is a good developmental WR, and McDonald is a great fit for their 3-4 front at DE. They also added Darrell Jackson from a division rival for only a 4th round pick. My choice for best draft of the year.
Minnesota - Peterson and Rice were great talent picks at need positions. Little meh on McCauley but Robison, Allison, and Alexander were all great values. They got a lot of talent throughout the draft, made great use of all their picks, and they walked away with our '08 3rd in the process.
Carolina - Beason, Jarrett, Kalil, Shaw, and Johnson, five potential starters. Hell of a draft for them. A lot like Minnesota's, a draft that'll pay dividends for years to come.
Dallas - They got a good pass rusher who should do well as a OLB opposite Ware, two good OT prospects, and a great athlete in Stanback. That's a solid draft in its own right, but at the same time they pocketed a future first. Some very smart moves there.
Worst:
Houston - Okoye was a pretty good pick, but they have a lot of other, much bigger, needs. They didn't address OL until the 5th round, took a flyer on a small school WR with their only other first day pick despite this being a deep WR class. They should've been hunting for a trade back, even if it meant taking future picks as part of the package. They didn't address needs well at all.
Philly - Worst draft of the year? While other teams that moved out of the first round netted future 1sts to compensate Philly did it for a bunch of later round picks. They then blew their only top 50 pick on a QB when they're financially tied to McNabb. They made some ok choices from there on out but they didn't get any real steals or great values. They didn't bring back a single sure fire starter in this draft, and have no future value to show for it. SAD attempt.
Tennessee - You can sum this draft up with one word. "REACH". I like Griffin but with Nelson and Meriweather also still on the board there was no need to take him here, a trade back could have still gotten them their guy. They then take Chris Henry in the middle of round 2, even though he's done nothing to prove himself as a football player, just an athlete. Bring in a host of 3rd tier WRs and you have the makings of a totally unremarkable draft out of a team that had middle picks in every round along with an extra late 4th and two late 6ths. Young will still be trying to carry them offensively and their defense won't be able to hold up any better than last year while Griffin is trying to cover the whole backfield.
Miami - Overpicked Ginn, took an older "safe" pick QB when they're looking to bring in a stop gap QB with Trent Green as it is, and brought in a center who they'll probably have to move to guard. Not exactly how you should address needs in the first day. Soliai wasn't a bad pick but he's got character concerns and has questions about his motor. Booker was an ok choice but you minimize his role by already having Ginn. Lot of questionable moves for a team picking near the top holding plenty of ammo.
New York Giants - Wasn't really that bad of a draft but they overpicked on Ross and Alford while doing nothing to fix their OL exodus. They've been lucky with late rounders and retreads at OL before so maybe it'll pay off again, but they had the chance to add some real long term talent there or at safety instead of an overpicked CB and made what I think is the wrong choice. Still, they're the best of this bad lot, far better than the other four.