dwmyers
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http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/huddleup/2008/04/dan-pompeis-nfl.html
Originally posted: April 26, 2008
Dan Pompei's NFL draft analysis
By Dan Pompei
1. Dolphins: OT Jake Long from Michigan. He gave up one sack last season.
2. Rams: Virginia DE Chris Long. They choose him instead of DT Glenn Dorsey. Long is a better fit for the Rams because they drafted another defensive tackle, Adam Carriker, in the first round a year ago. Interesting that the Rams did not come to a decision on Long versus Dorsey until Friday night. Also interesting that they rebuffed offers from the Saints and Ravens to trade up.
3. Falcons: Boston College QB Matt Ryan. I know Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff sees some Tom Brady like qualities in Ryan. It wasn't an easy decision to take Ryan over Glenn Dorsey, however. The Falcons loved Dorsey too. Part of the issue had to be this: Can the Falcons give Ryan the on field support he needs to succeed? The Falcons have a lot of holes, and the last thing they want to do is set him up to fail.
4. Raiders: Arkansas RB Darren McFadden. Could Al Davis really have picked anyone else? McFadden and JeMarcus Russell could form one of the NFL's dominant combinations over the next decade. A number of talent evalutors through McFadden was the best talent in the draft. Lane Kiffen will find a way to get a lot of mileage out of him, and soon. McFadden is the early favorite for offensive rookie of the year.
5. Chiefs: LSU DT Glenn Dorsey. This is somewhat of a surprise, but the Chiefs didn't think Dorsey would be on the board as of last night. It's a great value pick, though the Chiefs had greater needs. Some evalutors, including this one, thought Dorsey is the best player in the draft.
s6. Jets: Ohio State DE Vernon Gholston. The player they really wanted probably was McFadden. But they won't complain about Gholston—a pass rusher who fills a need. The Jets might have even been willing to move up for Gholston, so they are fortunate he fell to them. They also have to be happy the Patriots didn't jump ahead of them to take Gholston. I think Gholston has some bust in him. He's the first player taken in this draft who has some holes in him.
7. Saints: USC DE Sedrick Ellis. The Saints have been desperate to trade up for a DT. Ellis is a great pick, and a player who will have a lasting impact. Trading down also was a good move for the Patriots, as there was no player left at 7 who was a good fit for them.
8. Jaguars: Florida DE Derrick Harvey. The Jags paid a steep price to move up with Baltimore, but Harvey has too much talent and the position he plays is too important for him to have lasted too much longer. He's the perfect fit for the Jaguars, a team that could be in the brink of something special. If the Ravens couldn't get Matt Ryan, they are better served moving down.
9. Bengals: USC LB Keith Rivers. I believe they would have liked Sedrick Ellis or Derrick Harvey, but two teams jumped them to take the defensive linemen. Rivers is a solid point at this point of the draft, even though he will not be the kind of playmaker Ellis and Harvey could be. The Bengals are wise for going defense in the first--they needed to address that side of the ball more than anything.
10. Patriots: Tennessee LB Jerod Mayo. This is the first big surprise of the draft. It's awful early for Mayo. If the Patriots believe a player fits their system, they don't care if the consensus says they are taking a player too high. Mayo fills a great need, but he looks like a reach to me. They would have been better served with Brandon Albert.
11. Bills: Troy CB Leodis McKelvin. A corner makes the most sense here, especially because McKelvin is the best corner in the draft. He also may be the best return man. The talk for days had been they would take Devin Thomas, but McKelvin is a much more solid pick.
12. Broncos: Boise State OT Ryan Clady. There is one fewer offensive lineman for the Bears to choose from. Clady is a talent who fits the Broncos system. The team internally had debated Clady vs. Chris Williams. They would have been better served with Williams.
13. Panthers: Oregon RB Jonathan Stewart. I like this pick. The Panthers have struggled ever since they have struggled to run the ball. Stewart will fix that. The Bears have to be pleased the Panthers did not take an offensive lineman. Now they have their pick of Chris Williams, Gosder Cherlius or Jeff Otah. Of course they also could take Rashard Mendenhall.
14. BEARS: Vanderbilt OT Chris Williams. This is a solid pick. Williams should step in and play left tackle for the Bears quickly, and he should still be playing there 10 years from now if his health permits. Passing Mendenhall is hard, but this is what is best for the big picture. They'll be able to pick up a running back in the second or third round.
15. Chiefs: Virginia G Brandon Albert. What a first round for Kansas City. They get Glenn Dorsey and Brandon Albert, two of the best linemen available. Albert is especially good for the Chiefs because he has the versatility to play a few positions, and the Chiefs have multiple open spots on their offensive line.
16. Cardinals: Tennessee State CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. With the decision to move Antrelle Rolle to safety, the Cardinals needed a corner. He has the talent, but he's going to have a transition to the NFL game because he played against a lower level of competition. He also is going to have to become more physical.
17. Lions: Boston College OT Gosder Cherilus. This is a surprise. The Lions needed a tackle, but they really needed a running back, and Rashard Mendenhall is still on the board. Cherilus is a bit of a reach at this point. If they were going to go OT, they should have gone Jeff Otah.
18. Ravens: Deleware QB Joe Flacco. This may be a bit high for Flacco, but the Ravens really needed a quarterback, and in order to get their second highest ranked passer, they had to take him here. Look for a run on QBs to start in the second half of the round. Chad Henne and Brian Brohm also could go.
19. Panthers: Pittbsurgh OT Jeff Otah. Nice move by the Panthers. They get Jonathan Stewart and a guy to create holes for him. Otah is a good value here. The Panthers offense will be a different one with these two guys.
20. Bucs: Kansas CB Aqib Talib. The talent is there to justify picking Talib here. Some teams wouldn't have touched him, especially this high, because of character concerns. Interesting that the Bucs took Talib over local product Mike Jenkins, who some teams thought was a better player.
21. Falcons: USC OT Sam Baker. The Falcons traded up for Baker. Remember what I told you about the OTs getting hot? This is a good move. The Falcons needed a tackle desperately. Baker is the last player on the board who can be counted on to play left tackle in the pros. They need someone to protect Matt Ryan and block for Michael Turner.
22. Cowboys: Arkansas RB Felix Jones. Interesting they took Jones ahead of Rashard Mendenhall, and it could be a mistake. Jones fits better with Marion Barber than Mendenhall would have, but Mendenhall is the more complete back. Mendenhall has to be picked soon.
23. Steelers: Illinois RB Rashard Mendenhall. He doesn't fill a need for the Steelers because they have Willie Parker, but he's too good a value for the Steelers to pass up. Too bad the Bears couldn't have moved back into the end of the first round and taken Mendenhall.
24. Titans: East Carolina RB Chris Johnson. Wow. This is high for Johnson, a player a lot of teams think is just a change of pace back. The Titans also have a lot of backs now. And they had bigger needs. They obviously didn't think much of Devin Thomas, the No. 1 receiver on most boards.
25. Cowboys: South Florida CB Mike Jenkins. Even though the Cowboys traded for Pacman Jones, they still needed another cornerback. Jones can't be counted on. But if Jones comes through, the Cowboys will have a very good group of cornerbacks--even if Anthony Henry is moved to safety.
26. Texans: Virgina Tech OT Duane Brown. This is high for Brown. Hardly anyone expected him to be a first round pick. But he is a nice fit for the Texans' offense. And you can't argue with the value of the position. The Texans obviously believe they have a left tackle.
27. Chargers: Arizona CB Antoine Cason. He and Antonio Cromartie could make a nice combination, but they very different types of players. Cason is nowhere near as gifted as Cromartie, but he is a physical, instinctive corner.
28. Seahawks: USC DE Lawrence Jackson. Phillip Merling is a higher rated defensive end, but Jackson is a better fit for the Seahawks defense. This is higher than most people thought Jackson would be taken. He is a proven producer over time, which appeals to GM Tim Ruskell.
29. 49ers: North Carolina DE Kentwan Balmer. The 49ers didn't think Balmer would be here. They need help up front on defense, and Balmer can help them as a tackle when they go with a four man front, and he might even be able to play some end with they go 3-4. Interesting they passed on Devin Thomas with their need at WR.
30. Jets: Purdue TE Dustin Keller. The Jets want to play more multiple tight end sets, and now they have a weapon that will enable them to do that. Kellar is a playmaker who will give the Jets another dimension. His blocking is not going to help Thomas Jones, however.
31. Giants: Miami (FL) S Kenny Phillips. The draft broke perfectly for the Giants. Phillips is a good value and he fills their biggest need. That's great luck for a team that had the last pick in the round. Phillips is the best safety in the draft.
http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/huddleup/2008/04/dan-pompeis-nfl.html
Originally posted: April 26, 2008
Dan Pompei's NFL draft analysis
By Dan Pompei
1. Dolphins: OT Jake Long from Michigan. He gave up one sack last season.
2. Rams: Virginia DE Chris Long. They choose him instead of DT Glenn Dorsey. Long is a better fit for the Rams because they drafted another defensive tackle, Adam Carriker, in the first round a year ago. Interesting that the Rams did not come to a decision on Long versus Dorsey until Friday night. Also interesting that they rebuffed offers from the Saints and Ravens to trade up.
3. Falcons: Boston College QB Matt Ryan. I know Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff sees some Tom Brady like qualities in Ryan. It wasn't an easy decision to take Ryan over Glenn Dorsey, however. The Falcons loved Dorsey too. Part of the issue had to be this: Can the Falcons give Ryan the on field support he needs to succeed? The Falcons have a lot of holes, and the last thing they want to do is set him up to fail.
4. Raiders: Arkansas RB Darren McFadden. Could Al Davis really have picked anyone else? McFadden and JeMarcus Russell could form one of the NFL's dominant combinations over the next decade. A number of talent evalutors through McFadden was the best talent in the draft. Lane Kiffen will find a way to get a lot of mileage out of him, and soon. McFadden is the early favorite for offensive rookie of the year.
5. Chiefs: LSU DT Glenn Dorsey. This is somewhat of a surprise, but the Chiefs didn't think Dorsey would be on the board as of last night. It's a great value pick, though the Chiefs had greater needs. Some evalutors, including this one, thought Dorsey is the best player in the draft.
s6. Jets: Ohio State DE Vernon Gholston. The player they really wanted probably was McFadden. But they won't complain about Gholston—a pass rusher who fills a need. The Jets might have even been willing to move up for Gholston, so they are fortunate he fell to them. They also have to be happy the Patriots didn't jump ahead of them to take Gholston. I think Gholston has some bust in him. He's the first player taken in this draft who has some holes in him.
7. Saints: USC DE Sedrick Ellis. The Saints have been desperate to trade up for a DT. Ellis is a great pick, and a player who will have a lasting impact. Trading down also was a good move for the Patriots, as there was no player left at 7 who was a good fit for them.
8. Jaguars: Florida DE Derrick Harvey. The Jags paid a steep price to move up with Baltimore, but Harvey has too much talent and the position he plays is too important for him to have lasted too much longer. He's the perfect fit for the Jaguars, a team that could be in the brink of something special. If the Ravens couldn't get Matt Ryan, they are better served moving down.
9. Bengals: USC LB Keith Rivers. I believe they would have liked Sedrick Ellis or Derrick Harvey, but two teams jumped them to take the defensive linemen. Rivers is a solid point at this point of the draft, even though he will not be the kind of playmaker Ellis and Harvey could be. The Bengals are wise for going defense in the first--they needed to address that side of the ball more than anything.
10. Patriots: Tennessee LB Jerod Mayo. This is the first big surprise of the draft. It's awful early for Mayo. If the Patriots believe a player fits their system, they don't care if the consensus says they are taking a player too high. Mayo fills a great need, but he looks like a reach to me. They would have been better served with Brandon Albert.
11. Bills: Troy CB Leodis McKelvin. A corner makes the most sense here, especially because McKelvin is the best corner in the draft. He also may be the best return man. The talk for days had been they would take Devin Thomas, but McKelvin is a much more solid pick.
12. Broncos: Boise State OT Ryan Clady. There is one fewer offensive lineman for the Bears to choose from. Clady is a talent who fits the Broncos system. The team internally had debated Clady vs. Chris Williams. They would have been better served with Williams.
13. Panthers: Oregon RB Jonathan Stewart. I like this pick. The Panthers have struggled ever since they have struggled to run the ball. Stewart will fix that. The Bears have to be pleased the Panthers did not take an offensive lineman. Now they have their pick of Chris Williams, Gosder Cherlius or Jeff Otah. Of course they also could take Rashard Mendenhall.
14. BEARS: Vanderbilt OT Chris Williams. This is a solid pick. Williams should step in and play left tackle for the Bears quickly, and he should still be playing there 10 years from now if his health permits. Passing Mendenhall is hard, but this is what is best for the big picture. They'll be able to pick up a running back in the second or third round.
15. Chiefs: Virginia G Brandon Albert. What a first round for Kansas City. They get Glenn Dorsey and Brandon Albert, two of the best linemen available. Albert is especially good for the Chiefs because he has the versatility to play a few positions, and the Chiefs have multiple open spots on their offensive line.
16. Cardinals: Tennessee State CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. With the decision to move Antrelle Rolle to safety, the Cardinals needed a corner. He has the talent, but he's going to have a transition to the NFL game because he played against a lower level of competition. He also is going to have to become more physical.
17. Lions: Boston College OT Gosder Cherilus. This is a surprise. The Lions needed a tackle, but they really needed a running back, and Rashard Mendenhall is still on the board. Cherilus is a bit of a reach at this point. If they were going to go OT, they should have gone Jeff Otah.
18. Ravens: Deleware QB Joe Flacco. This may be a bit high for Flacco, but the Ravens really needed a quarterback, and in order to get their second highest ranked passer, they had to take him here. Look for a run on QBs to start in the second half of the round. Chad Henne and Brian Brohm also could go.
19. Panthers: Pittbsurgh OT Jeff Otah. Nice move by the Panthers. They get Jonathan Stewart and a guy to create holes for him. Otah is a good value here. The Panthers offense will be a different one with these two guys.
20. Bucs: Kansas CB Aqib Talib. The talent is there to justify picking Talib here. Some teams wouldn't have touched him, especially this high, because of character concerns. Interesting that the Bucs took Talib over local product Mike Jenkins, who some teams thought was a better player.
21. Falcons: USC OT Sam Baker. The Falcons traded up for Baker. Remember what I told you about the OTs getting hot? This is a good move. The Falcons needed a tackle desperately. Baker is the last player on the board who can be counted on to play left tackle in the pros. They need someone to protect Matt Ryan and block for Michael Turner.
22. Cowboys: Arkansas RB Felix Jones. Interesting they took Jones ahead of Rashard Mendenhall, and it could be a mistake. Jones fits better with Marion Barber than Mendenhall would have, but Mendenhall is the more complete back. Mendenhall has to be picked soon.
23. Steelers: Illinois RB Rashard Mendenhall. He doesn't fill a need for the Steelers because they have Willie Parker, but he's too good a value for the Steelers to pass up. Too bad the Bears couldn't have moved back into the end of the first round and taken Mendenhall.
24. Titans: East Carolina RB Chris Johnson. Wow. This is high for Johnson, a player a lot of teams think is just a change of pace back. The Titans also have a lot of backs now. And they had bigger needs. They obviously didn't think much of Devin Thomas, the No. 1 receiver on most boards.
25. Cowboys: South Florida CB Mike Jenkins. Even though the Cowboys traded for Pacman Jones, they still needed another cornerback. Jones can't be counted on. But if Jones comes through, the Cowboys will have a very good group of cornerbacks--even if Anthony Henry is moved to safety.
26. Texans: Virgina Tech OT Duane Brown. This is high for Brown. Hardly anyone expected him to be a first round pick. But he is a nice fit for the Texans' offense. And you can't argue with the value of the position. The Texans obviously believe they have a left tackle.
27. Chargers: Arizona CB Antoine Cason. He and Antonio Cromartie could make a nice combination, but they very different types of players. Cason is nowhere near as gifted as Cromartie, but he is a physical, instinctive corner.
28. Seahawks: USC DE Lawrence Jackson. Phillip Merling is a higher rated defensive end, but Jackson is a better fit for the Seahawks defense. This is higher than most people thought Jackson would be taken. He is a proven producer over time, which appeals to GM Tim Ruskell.
29. 49ers: North Carolina DE Kentwan Balmer. The 49ers didn't think Balmer would be here. They need help up front on defense, and Balmer can help them as a tackle when they go with a four man front, and he might even be able to play some end with they go 3-4. Interesting they passed on Devin Thomas with their need at WR.
30. Jets: Purdue TE Dustin Keller. The Jets want to play more multiple tight end sets, and now they have a weapon that will enable them to do that. Kellar is a playmaker who will give the Jets another dimension. His blocking is not going to help Thomas Jones, however.
31. Giants: Miami (FL) S Kenny Phillips. The draft broke perfectly for the Giants. Phillips is a good value and he fills their biggest need. That's great luck for a team that had the last pick in the round. Phillips is the best safety in the draft.