Just to show that you don’t need bad hair to rate the NFL draft, here is yet another worthlessly wild shot at explaining the most over-hyped and unimportant two days on the sporting calendar.
Big Winners
Taking the only lineman rated higher than the rookie Pro Bowler from a year ago is certainly a good start. Among Miami’s many, many needs was a left tackle to solidify a unit that not long ago was down right awful. With tackle Jake Long, the Dolphins have an offensive line fixture for the next 10 years. Even if he proves unable to handle the left side, a move to right tackle would still mean years of solid line play to go with last year’s second round pick, center Samson Satele. The Dolphins also added line depth with guard Shawn Murphy in the third round. Grabbing Chad Henne, a four-year starter at Michigan, in the second round was another stout move as neither Josh McCown or 27-year-old sophomore QB John Beck could solidify their hold on the position last year. Miami may also have found a replacement for Jason Taylor in defensive end Phillip Merling.
When perhaps the most dominant athlete in the draft falls in your lap at No. 5, a good draft is nearly assured. Kansas City struck gold with a man so damn nasty that not even a sore hamstring, a sore back and a sprained right knee prevented him from becoming a first-team All-America and winner of the Bronco Nagurski Award, Vince Lombardi/Rotary Award, Outland Trophy and SEC Defensive Player of the Year. The hits kept coming with perhaps the third best lineman (guard/tackle Brandon Allen) in the draft to go along with plenty of help for the defensive backfield with Brandon Flowers, Dajuan Morgan and Brandon Carr. Tailback Jamaal Charles is too small to be an every-down back but his 4.37 speed is a nice addition.
With the Carolina Panthers seemingly always on everyone’s short list for an NFC title, last year’s 7-9 mark was an unquestioned disappointment. The good news for 2008 is that they were able to fill needs while getting good players in great spots. Oregon’s Jonathan Stewart has perfect NFL size at 5’ 10” and 235 to go along with a nice 4.48 40. He’s also a tougher runner than No. 4 overall pick Darren McFadden. Moving up to take massive Jeff Otah at 19 was a good move to go along with free agent O-line pick ups Milford Brown, Toniu Fonoti and Keydrick Vincent. Grabbing Penn State linebacker Dan Connor in the third round was simple larceny.
Reached
Lions’ President Matt Millen did something unusual — he actually drafted to fill needs. Unfortunately, he may have over-valued each pick. Gosder Cherilus (No. 17 overall) was a four-year starter at Boston College whose play declined after making the switch to the left side, causing his draft projection to sink to a late round one, early round two pick. Jordon Dizon may have been the best ball hawk in college since Chris Spielman, but there was no rush to grab him before the third round. The NFL doesn’t clamor for slowish, smallish linebackers no matter how impressive their stats in college. Had the Lions grabbed Rashard Mendenhall at 18, moved to get Cherilus in the second and Dizon in the third, this would have been one nice draft.
Strange
While neither Rex Grossman, Kyle Orton nor Brian Griese are as bad as Bears fans would have you believe, allowing one of the deepest quarterback classes in recent years to pass without picking a signal caller is simply dumbfounding. After Matt Ryan was picked too high at No. 3, 54 picks passed before Brian Brohm — the No. 1 ranked quarterback in the preseason — was called up to the podium as the second QB taken. The Bears could have grabbed Brohm at 44 and most likely have gotten running back Matt Forte with little effort later in the draft.
Nice Grabs
As mentioned before, Carolina getting the No. 2 ranked inside linebacker in the third round was simply a steal.
One look at Dennis Dixon and you can’t help think of a new century version of Kordell Stewart, but with more speed and perhaps a better arm. Dixon will be a project for the Steelers, but he’s an amazing athlete and could get a look at quarterback, wide receiver or maybe even some at H-back if Mike Tomlin gets frisky.
This may be a bit of a homer pick, but grabbing an accurate quarterback a year removed from a predicted first or second round slot in the sixth is a pretty nice haul. Colt Brennan will have time in Washington to sit and learn while working with one of the league’s most respected developers of quarterbacks, head coach Jim Zorn.
Mike Hart’s slow 40 time, history of injuries and size killed his chances of being anything but a mid-round pick. But the ultra-professional Colts have to love a proven leader who refuses to fumble and who has very nice hands. What more can you hope for at No. 202 in the draft?
The seventh round is a throw-away where finding a practice squad player would not constitute a wasted selection. Finding a 6-foot, 3-inch, 200 pound wide receiver who had nine catches for 153 yards vs Florida in the Capital One Bowl could turn out to be felony theft. Even if Adrian Arrington ends up being the Saints’ No. 4 wide out, that’s still a lot of production from someone who was 15 picks from being Mr. Irrelevant.
I agree on Millen's picks...he paid too much. But what else would you expect from the Lions? I think Hart might work out...I know he's dinged up, but it's just a hunch. Who I am anxious to see is Brennan! I hope he proves all those naysayers wrong...let's hope he survives camp and cuts.
Andre Woodson
Apr 28, 2008 | 3:21PM - Edit | Delete For the past two seasons Ohio State has dominated the Big Ten. Also for the past to seasons the SEC has dominated Ohio State in the BCS championship game. Those games weren't even close, Ohio State was just simply over matched in both, first by Florida and then LSU. It makes abosolutly no sense at all how on earth Andre Woodson (UK) did not get drafted before any quarterback from the Big Ten. He (Woodson) was not only in a pro style offense but went up against pro style deffenses every week of the season and beat many teams that had DB's go earlier in the draft. Henni (UM) never saw a pro style deffense all year except for maybe thier bowl game and Michigan does not even run a pro style offense. The fact that all these other QB's went before Woodson doesn't make any sense at all. Also, I want applaude the Bears on a "Great" Draft. Yes, good job Chicago, because your QB situation is is just great, isn't it. What BLEEP's
cats...I think the biggest problem Dre had was that he failed miserable at reads/coverages. Couple that with some mechanics issues and you have a work in progress. You don't get drafted high in the draft with these kinds of problems. He was very inconsistent. He's also 24...it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks, but I just can't get past that awkward motion he has. Like Brennan, he threw out of the shotgun a lot, but he looks less comfortable than Brennan under center. Granted, Brennan has the side-arm throw that is kind of funky, but Brennan was consistent....Dre was not. He was up-down all season. In any case...let his passes do the talking in pre-season...he may surprise everyone.
Lisa: What do I expect from Millen? Absolutely nothing! That's why there is no predraft anxiety for Lions fans. They know he'll screw it up.
Catsfan: The SEC is by far the best football conference in the country, but Florida and LSU's success against the Big Ten has no application to Woodson's fall from grace. That being said Woodson does have a nice arm, good size and pretty good feet, but his slow release, weird delivery and decision making, not to mentioned poor play at the Senior Bowl cost him. The Senior Bowl play was likely not all his fault. Mike Martz's assanine approach to an all-star game offense confused more than just Woodson.
Last edited by HawaiiHotAir on May 1st at 5:02 PM.
Agree with most of your statements except one glaring error: Stewart is a tougher runner than McFadden?????? All you have to do is look at the two side by side. McFadden is a specimen. Also d-mac played against the best in college football, Stewart played against the Arizona Meowcats. PLease explain your logic.
Kelly: Your friend is right. I'd rather have my eyes pulled out from my ears that watch 14 hours of NFL draft. I was switching to the coverage between innings of a Tigers game.
Guyute: A side-by-side comparison shows that McFadden is three inches taller and 30 pounds lighter. Do I sense some Arizona-based hostilities?
Last edited by HawaiiHotAir on May 2nd at 6:15 PM.
This is as dumb an article as there is. Dooooche bag says the Lions reached when they took Cherilous. Hmmm Sam Baker was taken a few picks later. Whats that tell ya? To me it says OL is going quick. Lets see, Cherilous at 17 or Sam Baker a few picks later? NOT EVEN CLOSE BUBB. It all sounds good because he is hoping like hell most readers dont know WTF is really going on. As for Dizon, should they wait and hope he's still there in the 3rd? Thats just plain D U M B. If they want him they gotta go get him.
Oh, and as I read on I see the DOOOOOCHE bags brilliant statement that Mike Hart has a history of injury??????????????? Jesus, it just keeps getting dummmmerer. Mike Hart had over a thousand carries in his college career. How many players have had more. Lets see......? how about ZERO. Quite a history of injury there genius. Man this guy is dumb.
no name...I said he was dinged up, and Hawaii is spot on...he does have a history of injuries. He IS dinged up. He has more mileage on him than Paris Hilton.
If Henne had a decent line from protecting him from pass rushers, maybe the D would have been kept more honest, but they didn't, and Lloyd Carr's predictable play-calling (1-10, hand off to Hart for a blast, 2-5, hand off to Hart for off-tackle play, 3rd and 2, Henne for a screen pass but gets sacked), perhaps Hart wouldn't have had his ankle injuries. Take off your myopic, rose-#### glasses and come up for air.
