boysfanindc said:
Free Agent Pick Ups
Fred Smoot CB – We definitely have a need at the CB position. Frazier has looked OK, but is on the small side plus we still have a need at nickel. Have seen every game Smoot has played in the NFL. He is a very solid corner, very good against the run and a top notch team and club house guy. His play for the last 2 years has been at a pro bowl level. He will be expensive but won’t break the bank for if not a pro bowl caliber player then close to pro bowl player.
Darren Howard DE – Would I love to have Abraham sure, but I don’t think we can get him from the Jets. Jets also have Ellis but I believe Howard is a better player with less help around him while he has been in the league. This guy is still young has had an 11 sack year and has averaged about 7 -8 sacks a year and plays the run almost as well as Greg Ellis. I think this guy could be very solid for a pretty reasonable price.
Draft
(1st RD Draft) Anttaj Hawthorne DT – This guy is a beast already at 6’3” 315lbs and has a body to handle another 20lbs easily. Antaj is a big bodied individual, who has great athleticism. He’s pretty fast for a guy his size, and should run around 5.0 at the combine. He’s a disruptive force who has looked good despite seeing multiple double-teams this year. He’s the kind of guy who has a wingspan to stifle the running back as he runs past, and is powerful enough to consume two or even three offensive lineman.
(1st RD Draft) Ahmad Brooks OLB – Is only a sophomore but if he comes out would finally give us a play maker at LB. Brooks is a madman on the field and a great tackler to boot. He can play inside or out. A physical freak at 6-4 and 250 pounds with 4.62 speed, Brooks is a playmaker in every sense of the word and to give you an idea of how athletic he is, the Cavaliers actually had him returning kicks!
(2nd RD Draft) Brodney Pool S – Great size...Good speed...Very productive...A playmaker with a nose for the ball...Very good athletic ability...Still has upside and a potential impact player. He is a FS and would allow Roy to move back to where he belongs. Excellent prospect who really stands out on a very talented defensive unit...Could be the best defensive back the Sooners have produced, which is saying something when you consider Andre Woolfolk and Derrick Strait have come out of there the last couple of years.
I think that DT is something we should definitely get, and I'm suprised at the talent waiting down at the end of the first and into the second round. Check out these two DT's.
Orien Harris
Official Bio College: Miami (FL) Height: 6-4
Position: Defensive Tackle Weight: 300
Class: Junior 40-Yard: 4.80
SCOUTING REPORT
Strengths: Very athletic...Good size and frame...Very fast and quick...Very strong...Brings a nasty demeanor to the field...Has a motor that is always running at 100%...Can be a force against the run or as a pass rusher...Still has a ton of upside and potential.
Weaknesses: Doesn't have a ton of experience...Lacks great technique and relies too much on his natural talent...Needs to continue to work on his technique and master of nuances of the game...Has dealt with some minor injuries.
Notes: Brother of San Francisco offensive tackle and former 1st Round Pick Kwame Harris...Might just be the next in a long line of great defensive tackles the Hurricanes have produced, following in the footsteps of past stars such as Cortez Kennedy, Warren Sapp, Damione Lewis and Vince Wilfork.
ALSO.....
Haloti Ngata
Official Bio College: Oregon Height: 6-5
Position: Defensive Tackle Weight: 345
Class: Junior 40-Yard: 4.87
SCOUTING REPORT
Strengths: Excellent size and a huge frame with long arms...Great athletic ability...Fast and quick...Strong as an ox...Can stuff the run as well as get penetration and rush the passer...Still has a ton of upside.
Weaknesses: Coming back from a major knee injury...Doesn't have a lot of experience...Still raw and gets by on his talent more often than not at this point.
Notes: Was a premier recruit coming out of the prep ranks...If he can prove that he is totally healthy Nagata is an intriguing prospect to say the least...The sky is the limit in terms of his potential.
EITHER OR BOTH of these guys would be GREAT! In the top 100, Harris is ranked 35th and Ngata is ranked 54th!! I would prefer one of them over Hawthorne in the first round. So if they'll be around in the second and third rounds, I saw trade one of the 1st round picks down nearly every rung of the 1st round ladder and get as many picks as we can in the process. Can you imagine loading up with about 1 high first round, 1 low first round, 3 2nd rounders and a 3rd rounder?? Our team would have a HUGE influx of talent provided we can fit it all into the rookie pool. There are some talented players in the second round, and Dallas could do a number on the rest of the league. They are in the driver seat with 2 1st round picks!
Obvious needs are DT, DE, WR, FS and another promising CB. Of course, we don't have to draft them in that order, just fill the needs as you go, the BPA at one of those positions every time we're on the clock.
