Category: NFL Draft (Page 94 of 102)

After 2 days, 17 hours and 255 selections, the 2006 NFL Draft has come to a close. Overall, the draft provided plenty of action and the Houston Texans got it all started by passing on Reggie Bush for Mario Williams. Some liked the decision, some hated it.

Matt Leinart fell, Vince Young rose (no pun intended) and the Brick gets to go home to the Big Apple.

There was no shortage of trades (nfl insider required) throughout the draft either, with most of the swaps coming on Day 1.

Scouts say that it takes up to three years to efficiently evaluate a draft. It will be awhile before we can see these players play in a live game, but I think I can speak for everyone in saying that I can’t wait for the 2006 season to get here.

Round seven is never really a fan favorite with teams selecting players that are usually unheard of. But many teams find gems in this round that have slipped, because of injury or character issues.

Best Value: Rodrique Wright, Miami. The Dolphins grab Wright, who Mel Kiper saw as a possible Day 1 pick in the seventh round. A little bit of an underachiever, but the former Longhorn has great agility and would fit nicely in a one-gap scheme.

Need Filler: James Wyche, Jacksonville. This was a nice pick for the Jaguars, as Wyche fills an immediate need at defensive end. Paul Spicer is getting older and Bobby McCray is a bit undersized. Wyche is huge at 6’5 258 and if he works on his technique he could possibly become a starter in a couple years for the Jags.

Head Scratchier: Marcus Vick, undrafted. Character issues not withstanding, Maurice Clarett went in the third round last year, the third round! And he hadn’t played all year. Vick is a headcase and I agree with the NFL panel who were saying this guy takes accountability for nothing. However, Ron Jaworski is on something for saying this guy wasn’t going to be a first day draft pick if he hadn’t of had all of these problems. If guys like Michael Robinson and Brad Smith get selected based on athletic ability alone, Vick could certainly land with someone.

Sleeper Section: None, they’re all sleepers at this point.

Round six is over and we’re getting closer to the end of the draft where more and more players are being selected from lesser known schools. Right about now, ESPN has analyzed the first five picks of round one for the 4,000 time.

Best Value: Babatunde Oshinowo, Cleveland. Oshinowo was projected to go in the latter part of Day 1. The Browns nab Oshinowo in the sixth round and might have gotten a potential steal. He doesn’t play with the mean streak that you’d normally like in a DT, but he is extremely intelligent and has tons of power. Oshinowo may lack agility, but he fits well as a big body in the middle of Cleveland’s 3-4 defense.

Need Filler: Tyrone Culver, Green Bay. The Packers struggled last year in the interception department and current safeties Mark Roman and Nick Collins need someone to come in and push them for playing time. Culver should provide that for Green Bay with his sound tackling and play making ability.

Head Scratchier: Adam Jennings, Atlanta. Mel Kiper and Mike Golic project Jennings to be a solid return man for the Falcons. Fantastic, he can step in line with Allen Rossum, DeAngelo Hall and Michael Jenkins. Why not go after Jeff Webb who was selected almost directly after Jennings and whom would have provided a WIDE RECIEVER for Michael Vick, not the third best return man on the team? Its clear that the Falcons are drafting purely on speed with some of these picks and not overall football ability.

Sleeper Selection: Bruce Gradkowski, Tampa Bay. I’ll go back to back MAC quarterbacks for my sleeper pick and go with Toledo gun slinger Bruce Gradkowski. Gradkowski is a great rhythm quarterback and once he gets into the flow of the game, he can pick opposing defenses apart. He’s also has some mobility and could be a good backup to Chris Simms.

Here is the link to all of Round 5’s selections. Safeties, tight ends and wide recievers continue to come off the board, but some deep sleepers are still out there. Will Marcus Vick get selected?

Best Value: Greg Blue, Minnesota. Greg Blue is a pure hitter and if anyone saw the highlights that ESPN had on this guy, I think they’d have the same opinion. Blue should come in and be a special teams wizard first and foremost, but might blossom into a solid safety for the Vikings in the near future.

Need Filler: Jeff King, Carolina. The Panthers have very quietly put together a nice draft. The selection of King is a move that not only fills a need, but might also produce an immediate starter. Kris Mangum, the current starter, is a solid blocker but doesn’t give Carolina a real receiving threat in the middle of the field. King isn’t fast, but is tough in the middle of the field and has decent hands.

Head Scratchier: Mark Anderson, Chicago. I understand that you build depth on Day 2 of the draft. But why, oh why, are the Bears focusing on defense, which was their strong suit last year? Nothing against Anderson, but I thought the Bears major need coming into the draft was tight end? Or what about getting another receiver opposite of Muhsin Muhammad? Five picks in for Chi-town, and they’ve all been on the defensive side of the ball.

Sleeper Selection: Omar Jacobs, Pittsburgh. Another MAC quarterback taken in the draft; Jacobs racked up all kinds of numbers for the Falcons at BGSU, but is extremely raw. As Mel Kiper noted, Jacobs has an unorthodox throwing style, but he’s got good size and has great touch on the mid-range pass.

Day 2 has started and as ESPN has been advertising, these are the rounds you build solid depth for your franchise. Round 4 has seen nine wide recievers taken and two highly rated safeties chosen.

Best Value: Darnell Bing, Oakland. Bing was once projected to go in the first round behind Michael Huff. The Raiders grab him in the fourth and will immediately feel his presence on special teams. Bing has an outstanding combination of size, speed and he flies to ball. Some feel he might have trouble grasping the complexity of an NFL playbook, but at No. 101 overall, he’s definitely worth a shot.

Need Filler: Ko Simpson, Buffalo. At first glance I was ready to put this pick in my head scratchier section because of the Whitner selection in the first round. But on second thought, Ko Simpson makes a lot of sense for the Bills. Lawyer Milloy went to Atlanta in free agency and Troy Vincent is on the downside of his career. So, what the Bills did was pair Whitner and Simpson – two highly rated safeties of the 2006 class.

Head Scratchier: Michael Robinson, San Francisco. Excellent athlete, but what position will he play? He played quarterback at Penn State, and ESPN has him slated as a running back on TV and a wide receiver on their website. The Niners have had an excellent draft, but they’re going to have to figure out where Robinson will play.

Sleeper Selection: Alan Zemaitis, Tampa Bay. Some boards had Zemaitis rated below fellow Penn State teammate Anwar Phillips, but I think Zemaitis has a bigger upside. Zemaitis seemed to always be around the ball for Nittany Lions and is a playmaker. He has good size and plays well against the run, but his speed is a big question mark.