AFC East Draft Picks: Bills, Dolphins, Patriots, & Jets

[Hostile]

Buffalo Bills Draft picks

Round 1...#11... Aaron Maybin DE Penn State

Sophomore
6’ 4”, 246 lbs.
Penn State
Strengths: Speed, Effort, Quickness, Athleticism
Weaknesses: Size, Technique, Beating Blockers





In what some consider to be a bit of a surprise, sophomore defensive sensation Aaron Maybin has chosen to forgo his final two seasons at Penn State and enter the 2009 NFL Draft. With that, Maybin has really only had one productive season to offer NFL scouts so there will be a lot of questions heading into offseason workouts with Maybin. Just how high will he go? How NFL ready is Maybin.
When you look at Maybin, what you see is a pass rusher who has a lot of quickness and a lot of explosion off the line. His first step is immense and he has the speed to make it past offensive lineman and get to the quarterback. Maybin can also change his direction well while he is pursing the play and can adjust to line up and go where he thinks that the play is going to go. Maybin is also a strong run defender who isn’t afraid to take on the run unlike some NFL defensive ends can be weak at.
In that, Maybin also has a great work ethic and room to grow which should be promising for any NFL team that decides to look at taking him. Watching tape of Maybin will reveal that the moves that he possesses make it hard for blockers to stay on him and keep their blocks because of the speed that he has and the moves that he puts on offensive linemen. With some additional coaching in the NFL, Maybin could be one of the best defensive linemen to come into the league in a long time. Some of the other interesting and positive aspects that Maybin can bring to an NFL team include the speed to pursue and make the play from the backside.
However, like every other player, Maybin does have a downside. What he lacks, first and foremost, is size. While he is taller he isn’t as heavy as some of the better defensive ends in the NFL. He may have a hard time against offensive tackles as a result of this playing the defensive end position. Another issue that relates to this is that he has a problem getting loose from offensive players in particular larger ones that can block him out of the play. Because of these issues, he may be a better fit at an outside linebacker position particularly in a 3-4 defense. He also needs to work on some moves to break free of blockers and get in to the open field to make the play.



While Maybin has some moves that are good enough to get him past blockers, a good offensive lineman, the kind that you see every day and on every snap in the NFL will keep him at bay and could render him ineffective. Along with that, as mentioned, Maybin is a little light and this will cause him to get overpowered by bigger and stronger offensive lineman. Adding weight and learning the finesse parts of the pass rushing game will help him out in the future.
Maybin played his high school ball at Mount Hebron High School in the Baltimore area. He was honored by being named to the 2005 Baltimore Sun All-Metro team. He was also named first team All-Howard County and a second team big school All-State Selection.
Maybin was named a finalist for the Hendricks and Bednarik Award this past season. He had a fantastic season which vaulted him into 1st round NFL Draft consideration. He finished 2008 ranked 6th in the NCAA with 12 sacks and 5th in tackles for loss with 20.
While Maybin did have a stellar combine he should still be able to turn a lot of heads thanks to his athletic ability and his flexibility. While he may be a little too light to play defensive end (full time) in the NFL, it does appear that he might make a fine outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense so his calling might come there. A team that he might be a good fit for could quite possibly be the New England Patriots or perhaps even the Denver Broncos with their new 3-4 defense. While he still has a lot to learn, Maybin still offers whoever will draft him a lot of promise and potential. Right now, he’s a first round talent who should be able to go somewhere at the bottom of the first round.


Round 1...#28 (from Eagles via Panthers)...Eric Wood, C, Louisville

Overview

Wood is the picture of durability. The unquestioned leader of the Cardinals' front wall, he finished his career with 49 consecutive starts at center, the second-longest streak in school history behind Travis Leffew (51, 2002-05). It was also the sixth-longest streak among active NCAA players last season, topped by Andrew Hartline of Central Michigan (51), Andrew Gardner of Georgia Tech (51), Jason Phillips of Texas Christian (50), Dallas Reynolds of Brigham Young (50) and Clint Sintim of Virginia (50).

Called by many the "most prepared player in the nation," Wood has been known to be found in the wee hours of the morning still examining game tapes in the film room, preparing for his upcoming opponent. He not only brings incredible knowledge and instincts to the field, but plays with the true nastiness that has scouts comparing him to the NFL's old time centers like Mike Webster of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tim Grunhard of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Performing as his team's Iron Man is nothing new for Wood. He started every game in his final two seasons at Elder High School, as the team compiled a 28-2 record during that span. As a 15-game starter at offensive tackle, he guided the school to its second straight state title with a 31-7 win over St. Edward's High as a senior, picking up all-league first-team accolades.

As a junior, Wood started at both offensive guard and tackle, in addition to lining up at tight end, earning all-district honorable mention. He also earned a pair of letters playing on the basketball team, picking up all-league recognition during his final campaign.

Wood enrolled at Louisville in 2004, turning down scholarship offers from Bowling Green, Ohio University, Cincinnati, Indiana and Columbia. He spent that season performing on the scout team, but a stellar performance in 2005 spring drills earned him the starting center position, a job he would maintain throughout his playing career. He was a consensus Freshman All-American, adding Academic All-Big East Conference honors, as he delivered 85 knockdowns and had touchdown-resulting blocks on nine of the team's 41 scores on the ground.

As a sophomore, Wood received All-Big East Conference second-team recognition. He started all 13 games, registering 79 knockdowns to go with 10 touchdown-resulting blocks. He made all the line calls, as the offense ranked second in the country, averaging 475.31 yards per game. He also posted a pair of tackles.

In 2007, Wood led the nation's sixth-ranked offense, picking up All-Big East first-team honors. He collected 86 knockdowns and 11 touchdown-resulting blocks. He was one of the few bright spots on a turnover-prone offense, grading 83.25 percent for blocking consistency. He helped the team average 488.0 yards per game, but the Cardinals' running game was halted, placing 64th in the country (146.08 ypg) after finishing 12th the previous season (185.31 ypg).

For the second season in a row, Louisville failed to make the bowl season in 2008. Wood continued his stellar play, receiving third-team All-American and first-team All-Big East honors. The offense scored only 34 times, with Wood ranking second among the nation's centers with 16 touchdown-resulting blocks. He graded 87.08 percent for blocking consistency and made 78 knockdowns as the Cardinals averaged 376.67 yards per game. He also recorded an assisted tackle.

High School

Attended Elder (Cincinnati, Ohio) High School...Started every game over the course of his final two seasons, as the team compiled a 28-2 record during that span...As a 15-game starter at offensive tackle, he guided the school to its second-straight state title with a 31-7 win over St. Edward's High as a senior, picking up All-League first-team accolades...As a junior, Wood started at both offensive guard and tackle, in addition to lining up at tight end, earning All-District honorable mention...Also earned a pair of letters playing on the basketball team, picking up All-League recognition during his final campaign.


Round 2...#42... Jarius Byrd CB Oregon

Round 2...#51 (acquired from Cowboys)... Andy Levitre OL Oregon State

Round 4...#121 (from Eagles)... Shawn Nelson TE Southern Miss

Round 5...#147... Nic Harris S Oklahoma

Round 6...#183... Cary Harris CB USC

Round 7...#220...Ellis Lankster CB WVU

[Hostile]

Miami Dolphins Draft picks

Round 1...#25...Vontae Davis DB Illinois

6’0”, 205 lbs.Illinois

JuniorStrengths: Speed, Attitude, Coverage Skills Weaknesses: Discipline, Overbearing, Production (Interceptions)



If NFL teams are looking for a top quality, high end cornerback they need look no further than Illinois defensive back Vontae Davis. The brother of San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis, this Davis has what it takes to be special on defense and should do well in the NFL. There is some question as to whether or not he would come out this season but with a solid year in 2008 it appears that he is ready to come out and could benefit by his decision. The biggest attribute that Davis has is his athletic ability. His speed is good enough to help him stick with some of the faster wide receivers and he won’t get burned too many times. He is also very athletic and combines great athleticism with great skill for his position which is very important for a cornerback. Davis is very well built of the position and is also very aggressive which is good for a player in his position. However, there are times when he plays a little bit too aggressively and this has hurt him in the past (allowing him to get burned) so he will need to tone things down a little bit in the NFL. At Illinois, he has been tasked with covering the opposing team’s best receiver and he has done very well at that.
Getting some education in the NFL is going to enhance the already special skills that Davis has. Davis exhibits great ball skills and finds the ball well when it is in the air and can make a play on it. He has the ability to leap up and either tap the ball away or come down with the interception. Mechanically Davis is pretty sound and makes the transitions and moves necessary for a top of the line cornerback to have. He is also well adept at supporting against the run which is something that is desired in NFL cornerbacks.
Davis isn’t afraid to mix things up a bit with receivers as they run their routes down the field and will often throw receivers off their routes when playing bump and run coverage. He also has some special teams experience which would come in handy on any NFL team. It only serves to enhance his value.
The downside to Davis is that he lacks some discipline but will learn it well in the NFL. Getting tutored by a good NFL defensive coordinator and secondary coach will help out with that. Davis also has some trouble with being too aggressive at times and that has sometimes taken himself out of the play or taken himself out of position allowing for the opposing player to get away and turn what should have been a short gain into a long gain. He could also be more productive in creating turnovers, both interceptions and fumbles.
Some of the honors that Davis has received include 2008 Playboy All-American, 2008 Preseason First Team All-American (Sporting News), Bronko Nagurski Trophy Candidate (2008), Chuck Bednarik Award Candidate (2008), Jim Thorpe Award Candidate (2008), 2008 Second Team All-American (Lindys), 2008 Preseason Third Team All-American (Athlon), Big Ten’s Best Athlete (2008, Sporting News), 2008 Sporting News #14 Collegiate Player, Lindy’s 2007 Number 4 Cornerback in the Nation, 2007 Preseason First Team All Big Ten (Athlon, The Sporting News and Blue Ribbon), 2007 #2 Cornerback in the Big Ten (Sporting News), 2007 #1 Overall Draft Prospect for the 2009 NFL Draft (Sporting News), 2007 Jim Thorpe Award Finalist, 2007 Coaches First Team All Big Ten and 2007 Media Second Team All Big Ten.


Davis’s stats during his collegiate career are as follows:
2006: 52 total tackles with 30 solo and 22 assisted. He had two tackles for a loss, one fumble recovered, one interception and six pass breakups.
2007: 76 total tackles with 56 solo and 20 assisted. He had four tackles for losses, four interceptions, eight pass breakups and two blocked kicks.
2008: 69 total tackles with 45 solo and 24 assisted. He had seven tackles for a loss, three forced fumbles with one fumble recovered. He also had one interception and eight pass breakups.
Davis went to high school in Washington D.C. While there he earned honors as a Washington Post First Team All-Metro player, a PrepStar All-American, Washington D.C. Gatorade Player of the Year, All-Conference Selection, #1 DC Area Recruit by Rivals.com, and was a three star recruit by Rivals.com and Scout.com.
If Davis has good workouts and impresses the scouts enough, he has a very good chance of being either the first or second cornerback taken in the NFL Draft. I would look for him to go somewhere between the fifth and 15th pick in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He is very talented and will be a force in the NFL at some point in the future.



Round 2...#44 (from Redskins)... Pat White QB WVU

Round 2...#56... traded to Colts

Round 2...#61 (acquired from Colts)... Sean Smith CB Utah

Round 3...#87... Patrick Turner WR USC

Round 4...#108 (from Raiders)... Brian Hartline WR Ohio State

Round 5...#161... John Nalbone TE Monmouth

Round 5...#165 (From Colts)... Chris Clemons S Clemson

Round 6...#181 (from Raiders)...Andrew Gardner OT Georgia Tech

Round 7...#214 (from Browns)... J.D. Folsom LB Weber State

Round 7...#237 (from Panthers)...

[Hostile]

New England Patriots Draft picks

Round 1...#23... Traded pick to Ravens

Round 1...#26 (acquired from Ravens)... Traded pick to Packers

Round 2...#34 (from Chiefs)...Patrick Chung S Oregon

Round 2...#40 (acquired from Raiders)... Ron Brace DT Boston College

Round 2...#41 (acquired from) ... Darius Butler CB UConn

Round 2...#47 (from Chargers)... Traded to Raiders

Round 2...#58... Sebastian Vollmer OT Houston

Round 3...#83 (from jets through packers)... Brandon Tate WR North Carolina

Round 3...#89...

Round 3...#97 (Compensatory pick)... Tyrone McKenzie OLB South Florida

Round 4 #123 (from Ravens) ... Rich Orhnberger OG Penn State

Round 4...#124... Traded to Raiders

Round 5...#170 (Compensatory pick)... George Bussey OG Louisville

Round 6...#198... (from Raiders)... Jake Ingram Long Snapper Hawaii

Round 6...#199... Traded to Raiders

Round 6...#207 (Compensatory pick)... Myron Pryor NT Kentucky

Round 7...#232 (From Dolphins through Jaguars)... Julian Eldelman WR Kent State

Round 7...#234... Richard Darryl DT Georgia Tech

[Hostile]

New York Jets Draft picks

Round 1...Acquire pick #5 from Browns..take Mark Sanchez QB USC

Junior
USC
6’ 3” 225 lbs.
Strengths: Smart/Crafty, Arm Strength, Poise, Accuracy, Mechanics, Production
Weaknesses: Experience, School, Consistency





The talent level between Mark Sanchez and Matt Stafford is a lot closer than many people think. The issue is experience.
Stafford has been a three-year starter in the SEC for Georgia while Sanchez has only one year of starting experience for USC. Sanchez posted better numbers in his one season than Stafford has managed in any of his years but Stafford may be closer to seeing NFL grass.
The physical tools are undeniable. Sanchez can make every throw with accuracy (more so than Stafford) and is a crafty player who reads defences very well and finds secondary options. Stafford has more a gunslinger mentality that too often becomes a hindrance for long stretches; Sanchez is very cerebral and is more willing to take what is there and come back again. Despite only one year of starting, Sanchez has a great anticipation, hits receivers in stride and possesses the arm strength and velocity to attack the whole field. He has better touch on the football than expected of such an inexperienced player and he is very smooth in his setup and delivery. His mechanics are further along than Stafford’s are and Sanchez has all of the intangibles as well.
Sanchez leaves USC with only 16 starts but went 14-2 in those games. He started three games in 2007 after John David Booty went down and led USC to Rose Bowl victory over Penn State in 2008 where he threw for 413 yards and 4 TD. He was a Coaches All- Pac 10 Conference First Team pick in 2008.
Like the other two underclassmen in the QB trio, Sanchez would have benefited greatly from another year in school and would be talked about as the #1 pick had he gone back and had another great season. Sanchez has the tools but having only one year under his belt as a starter makes him a huge question mark. Experience goes a long way in making a good, young QB in the NFL and Sanchez is the least experienced between Stafford, Josh Freeman and himself. Without another year it will be tough for him to answer questions about how much the great athletes at USC factored into his success. Playing on such a great team made him look a lot better than he may actually be. Not that difficult to hit receivers with 5-yard gaps between them and a defender.
He suffered a dislocated knee before the season and played through the injury but it raises questions about how durable he is because of how little action he has seen. He was also arrested in April of 2006 in a sexual assault investigation but the charges against him we’re dropped.
This year’s weak QB class has pushed Stafford, Sanchez and Freeman higher up the draft than their talent and records indicate they should go. Sanchez and Stafford just have far too many questions to be worthy of going #1 or in the top 10 while Freeman is at best a third round talent but is going as high as #20 in some mocks due to a lack of talent in the draft and free agency.
I personally think Sanchez could prove the better QB of the three thanks to his more consistent accuracy, his ability to read defences and his ahead-of-the-curve mechanics. With another year of seasoning Sanchez could have quelled the questions about his lack of experience and set himself up for a huge pay day as the top pick.
Right now his best bet appears to be the 49ers at #10. They need a QB and Sanchez is a Cali-kid who would make a great face of a franchise. He’s Latino and that opens him and his team up to a whole new fan base. The Lions could surprise and take him #1 but his high-water mark will be the Niners at #10. If he drops past that, the Jets at #17, the Bears at #18, the Bucs at #19 or the Lions at #20 could give him a home. Don’t be shocked to see the Vikings try to move up in front of the Jets to secure him if he falls.
A second opinion: Robert Bryant says, “I am not so keen on these recent USC quarterbacks, I don’t like Sanchez as good as liked the Cardinals Matt Leinart coming out od college. Sanchez was surrounded by immense talent and looks like a system guy to me. Besides lack of experience, I don’t like his delivery, he has a wind-up, slow delivery and he will have to modify that to have success in the NFL. With patience he can be a good NFL quarterback, but he is not as ready as Stafford. To me he (Stafford) has a stronger arm, a quicker delivery and is just as accurate. He will still be a first round selection in the 2009 NFL Draft, but if Oklahoma’s’ Sam Bradford and Texas’s Colt McCoy were in this draft he would likely slip to the second round.”

Round 3...#65 (from Lions)... Shonn Greene RB Iowa

Round 3...#76 (from Saints)...

Round 4...#115 (from Redskins)...

Round 6...#193... Matt Slauson OG Nebraska

Round 7...#228...