Official Draft Thread
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Here's more of an explanation as to why Alex Mack's stock seems to be falling:
C Alex Mack, California (Sr.)
6-3 7⁄8, 310, 5.1e
Is smart, naturally strong, very tough and will grind defenders into the ground with the warrior’s mentality with which he plays. However, he does not always play to his size because his hips are so tightly wound that he struggles to bend, uncoil and stay on his feet, resulting in too much time on the ground. His lack of hip flexibility has left evaluators questioning his core functional football playing strength, which is very important when trying to match up with big-bodied pluggers. Should be a solid NFL starter but always could struggle handling massive widebodies.
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especially with haloti ngata and casey hampton (and his eventual replacement) in our division, it begs the question of whether there ever be a center who's strong enough to handle massive DTs. it's almost like we need to find a exceptionally strong tackle and convert him to center.
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[Mack]Should be a solid NFL starter but always could struggle handling massive widebodies.
Alo, I really dug your idea of drafting a new center, but we'd just be getting a guy with Fraley's issues. Didn't Hadnot play center for a bit in MIA? Perhaps he's worth a look there...
Thomas---Steinbach---Hadnot---Tucker/McKinney---anyone but Shaffer (perhaps Loadholt in Rd. 2?) might work...
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'Peen....I think you are suffering from REVERSE HOMERISM!!!
It is just like when we OVER-RATE a player doing well on our team....we UNDER-RATE the value of a player on our team when they don't meet expectations.
The truth is, DA is worth at LEAST a 3rd...more likely a high 2nd. His value is experience....a manageable contract...and a big upside. He has proven he CAN do it in the league...and with all the crap going on in Cleveland right now it is very likely that opposing GM's may decide that his problems were more from the team than they were from any regression (bad play calling, WR's dropping passes, Lewis not getting yards, more sacks).
There are only 2 QB's in this draft that will rate above him (Stafford/Bradford) and they are both underclassman and may not come out....and the FA market is thin at best. Cassel faced his first major test and failed vs Pittsburgh. McNabb is old and frail. Garcia is old and limited arm. Beyond that there is nothing. Keep in mind, Schaub got 2 2nds and had a lot less to show than DA. I bet we get a 2nd and a 3rd for him.
As for K2....he may be injured, but he is also one of the top 4 TE's in the game. I would be surprised if he doesn't get at LEAST a 2nd...if not a couple of picks. I don't see us getting a 1st for him, but a 2nd and 3rd wouldn't surprise me at all.
Seriously, if we trade just those 2 players, we may very well end up with the following first day:
RD 1: Ours
RD 2: Ours plus 2
RD 3: Ours plus 2
'Peen....I think you are suffering from REVERSE HOMERISM!!!
It is just like when we OVER-RATE a player doing well on our team....we UNDER-RATE the value of a player on our team when they don't meet expectations.
The truth is, DA is worth at LEAST a 3rd...more likely a high 2nd. His value is experience....a manageable contract...and a big upside. He has proven he CAN do it in the league...and with all the crap going on in Cleveland right now it is very likely that opposing GM's may decide that his problems were more from the team than they were from any regression (bad play calling, WR's dropping passes, Lewis not getting yards, more sacks).
There are only 2 QB's in this draft that will rate above him (Stafford/Bradford) and they are both underclassman and may not come out....and the FA market is thin at best. Cassel faced his first major test and failed vs Pittsburgh. McNabb is old and frail. Garcia is old and limited arm. Beyond that there is nothing. Keep in mind, Schaub got 2 2nds and had a lot less to show than DA. I bet we get a 2nd and a 3rd for him.
As for K2....he may be injured, but he is also one of the top 4 TE's in the game. I would be surprised if he doesn't get at LEAST a 2nd...if not a couple of picks. I don't see us getting a 1st for him, but a 2nd and 3rd wouldn't surprise me at all.
Seriously, if we trade just those 2 players, we may very well end up with the following first day:
RD 1: Ours
RD 2: Ours plus 2
RD 3: Ours plus 2
K2 and DA are an absolute key to getting what we need out of the draft. A huge effort should be made on getting quality player and not quanity. Browns better have an ace up there sleeve when it comes to the WR and RB position because the draft should concentrate on foundation positions, we need alot and this draft can't get us everything.
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I love K2.
When healthy the guy's a beast.
Problem is he's damaged goods who is pretty high strung during games, as of late he's cost us on the field as much as he's helped.
He's not going to be around that much longer, the damage in his knee is pretty severe, how many seasons do you think we've got in him?
If his value is peaked and we're not going to keep getting production out of him isn't it best we get something while we can?
REMEMBER, the NFL is a business first, loyalty costs too much.
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Back to the Crazy Al drafts Taylor Mays scenario, here's PFW on the future of Michael Huff:
Raiders FS Michael Huff was benched earlier this season in favor of backup Hiram Eugene, and he remains firmly planted as the No. 2 on the depth chart, even though Eugene isn’t blowing observers away with his play. Sources in Oakland say the Raiders could revisit the option of trading Huff, the team’s first-round pick in 2006, or perhaps even consider cutting him in the offseason.
If that's the case, then a sub-4.4 40 could put Mays at the top of the Raiders' draft board (though WR and LT are definitely bigger needs).
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Back to the Crazy Al drafts Taylor Mays scenario, here's PFW on the future of Michael Huff:
Raiders FS Michael Huff was benched earlier this season in favor of backup Hiram Eugene, and he remains firmly planted as the No. 2 on the depth chart, even though Eugene isn’t blowing observers away with his play. Sources in Oakland say the Raiders could revisit the option of trading Huff, the team’s first-round pick in 2006, or perhaps even consider cutting him in the offseason.
If that's the case, then a sub-4.4 40 could put Mays at the top of the Raiders' draft board (though WR and LT are definitely bigger needs).
Aloysius said:
Back to the Crazy Al drafts Taylor Mays scenario, here's PFW on the future of Michael Huff:If that's the case, then a sub-4.4 40 could put Mays at the top of the Raiders' draft board (though WR and LT are definitely bigger needs).
I always thought Huff was over-rated coming out of college. I seen him go sissified and get out of the way of ball carriers, play chase, or step aside and try to tackle from the side, instead of head-on. This has been a common problem with our own safeties since returning to the league in 99'. If we do make a few straight on tackles, they've resulted in injuries.
I want a bruiser ... a 'lights-out' hitter and enforcer over the middle. An eraser, that wipes away the mistakes of our putrid LB corp in both coverage and run support.
I put a lot of emphasis into both safety positions, something we have not done as a team or philosphy since returning to the league.
I doubt I'd pay Sean Jones a bonus to see if he could regain some form, I'd like to find our guy in the draft (someday).
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in the last three weeks of the season, the raiders play new england at home, houston at home and then go on the road against tampa bay. they won't win against NE. it's possible, but very improbable, that they could somehow win against houston, but i don't really see it happening. the texans can put up too many points and the raiders can't score any.
however, it's possible that TB could be in a position to rest their starters in week 17. if that happens, it would be the best scenario for the raiders to get their fourth win and possibly let us slip ahead of them in the draft.
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Below are the rankings of some of the players we have been following (Scouts, Inc/Kiper/Scot Wright...average) (only seniors are ranked by Kiper & Wright)
Aaron Curry (6/1/2...3)
Maualuga (12/3/4...6)
Cushing (21/6/15...14)
Orakpo (14/11/9...11)
Mays (29/na/na....29)
Selvie (26/na/na...26)
Laurinaitis (19/16/5...13)
Chung (56/31/na...31) talked about as 2nd round choice
Mack (42/15/19...25)
Out of these players...picking 8th (probably)....we will be looking at Curry/Maualuga/Orakpo most likely. Two are considered to be OLB's....1 an ILB. May depend on how the coaches feel about Bell. Also, may be hinged on who we go with in the 2nd round...if we are looking at a hitter like Chung we may go OLB. Will be interesting.
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Sleeper ILB:
Jasper Brinkley, Southern Carolina
6'2" 270, 4.70 40
He is coming off a knee injury in 2007...but was a DOMINANT player in 2006...and looks to be back again this year.
Here is a nice video of him:
He might be a later round steel...
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Below are the rankings of some of the players we have been following (Scouts, Inc/Kiper/Scot Wright...average) (only seniors are ranked by Kiper & Wright)
Aaron Curry (6/1/2...3)
Maualuga (12/3/4...6)
Cushing (21/6/15...14)
Orakpo (14/11/9...11)
Mays (29/na/na....29)
Selvie (26/na/na...26)
Laurinaitis (19/16/5...13)
Chung (56/31/na...31) talked about as 2nd round choice
Mack (42/15/19...25)
Out of these players...picking 8th (probably)....we will be looking at Curry/Maualuga/Orakpo most likely. Two are considered to be OLB's....1 an ILB. May depend on how the coaches feel about Bell. Also, may be hinged on who we go with in the 2nd round...if we are looking at a hitter like Chung we may go OLB. Will be interesting.
Out of these players...picking 8th (probably)....we will be looking at Curry/Maualuga/Orakpo most likely. Two are considered to be OLB's....1 an ILB.
I'd disagree a little with you there. Though Curry plays 4-3 OLB at Wake, he'd probably fit best as an ILB in a 3-4.
He could play some 3-4 OLB, but I'm sure he's good enough of a pass rusher to do it full-time. Kind of like Bart Scott, only (I think) better.
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Here's good highlight reel of Curry from the Virginia game earlier this year (11/07):
It shows how big a playmaker he is: 1 FF, 1 fumble recovery (great play!), a QB hit that led to a pick, a couple of open-field tackles, and one TFL in the red zone.
Put him next to D'Qwell, and you've got two playmakers in the middle of your defense.
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I haven't seen a lot of him, but I really don't want Orakpo. It seems like the worst thing a 5 or 6 win team should do is draft a specialist player. Not to mention the fact that every profile of him sounds exactly like Vernon Gholston's (who has 12 tackles, 0 sacks this year).
I think we have to get a true impact player. QB, RB, ILB. Someone who's in just about every play. Obviously the Browns won't be drafting a QB so it's between Maualuga, Curry, and Beanie for me. Yeah, I like Harrison too but our running game is terrible. I also don't like the idea of spending a top 10 pick on an RB in theory, but I just don't think anyone else can make an impact like Beanie could for our offense.
Definitely wouldn't complain about getting one of the stud LBs either. I think my order would be Wells-Curry-Maualuga
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That is more or less my feelings Rudy....I might add 1 of the 2 corners in this draft...Jenkins and Davis.
The DE is maybe a bit undersized at 6'3"....250.....
Tough choice ahead.
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I haven't seen a lot of him, but I really don't want Orakpo. It seems like the worst thing a 5 or 6 win team should do is draft a specialist player. Not to mention the fact that every profile of him sounds exactly like Vernon Gholston's (who has 12 tackles, 0 sacks this year).
I think we have to get a true impact player. QB, RB, ILB. Someone who's in just about every play. Obviously the Browns won't be drafting a QB so it's between Maualuga, Curry, and Beanie for me. Yeah, I like Harrison too but our running game is terrible. I also don't like the idea of spending a top 10 pick on an RB in theory, but I just don't think anyone else can make an impact like Beanie could for our offense.
Definitely wouldn't complain about getting one of the stud LBs either. I think my order would be Wells-Curry-Maualuga
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