Interesting Mock draft (Skins fan @ Extreme)

[Charles]

Have some patience and read through the lead up

http://www.extremeskins.com/forums/showthread.php?t=196773

Courtesy of Dirk Diggler @ extremeskins.

The future is now... the phrase is so cliche isn't it? You hear it every time a team loads up in free agency or trades away draft picks for veterans.

But make no mistake, this has been a core belief of Joe Gibbs since he took over in 2004. Virtually every move the big man has made here has been with his eye on that year’s prize. There has been no rebuilding year and no games to spare on players who need to develop. There was only one option - to conted immediately.

The price is seemingly never too steep. Right off the bat, Gibbs refused to bet on Ramsey or Betts. He wanted Brunell and Portis at the price of Bailey and 2 draft picks. He wanted to build the defense through free agency - did you know a staggering 9 of 11 players on our starting defense were not drafted? Every year it's about focusing on a handful of players and doing what he has to do to get them. If it involves throwing in a draft pick...fine. If it involves an extra 2 mill of a signing bonus...done.

Even when drafting, we rarely sit tight and let the draft come to us. Cooley, Campbell, and McIntosh... each move cost multiple first day picks. That's not peanuts - it aint like throwing a 5th rounder Philly's way for Thrash. Like virtually all teams, the Skins fall in love with certain free agents and certain rookies during the offseason. But unlike most teams, the Skins are willing to move heaven and earth to get their guy. I firmly believe the current object of their affection is Calvin Johnson.

Think about the press conference... it was a well-orchestrated parachute for landing the Georgia Tech phenom. Some fans will be ecstatic over CJ regardless of the price. Others will be outraged – not only at the cost of future picks and Shawn Springs but at the decision to pass yet again on addressing the defensive line. Gibbs/Snyder/Cerrato repeated that their first pick has to be an impact guy, a perennial pro bowler. They made references to the highly successful trades to acquire Samuels and Cooley. They mentioned their high hopes for Lloyd and McIntosh – other players that came at the cost of future picks. But the most important harbinger of a CJ trade was Gibbs praise of Golston and Montgomery. If the fans can buy into those 2 players making major contributions this season, then the decision to neglect the Dline becomes much more palatable. Should those 2 second year DTs come through and Andre Carter follow along the path that he traveled to end the season – the Dline is just as good as it was in 2004 and 2005. It’s a gamble but it’s easier to make when you have incredible confidence in your defensive staff – as Gibbs clearly does.

"The future is now" is about limiting the amount of guess work that goes into player acquisitions. It's no secret that Gibbs is not very comfortable at #6. It's not CJ country but it is within reach of the #2 pick. If Johnson is considered the only "can't miss" player in this draft then you only need to look at our history to know what direction we'd like to go.

But that's only part of it. Gibbs can't justify such a heavy price by simply uttering the words "he can't miss" or "he has true Commander character." The player doesn't need to just be a Pro Bowler...he needs to be incendiary. He needs to be Randy Moss or Lawrence Taylor. He needs to become a player who is so good that the defense doesn't want to sit on the bench while the offense is on the field because they are afraid that they will miss something. Bill Parcells used to talk about catalytic players...players who ignite teams. Players who ignite seasons and revive coaching careers. These guys only come around about once every decade.

Clearly, Snyder and Gibbs were befuddled by last season. They thought they were on their way to the Super Bowl or at the very least, the playoffs. They thought every thing was in place, but the roof caved in. Does Gibbs have enough life left in him to build this thing back up and develop young players? Of course not. It's always been about the quick fix here. CJ is the signature move and the last in a series of quick fixes. But the crazy thing is...it just might work.


Now to the mock

1 Oakland QB Jamarcus Russell
2 *Washington WR Calvin Johnson
3 Cleveland QB Brady Quinn
4 **Atlanta OT Joe Thomas
5 Arizona RB Adrian Peterson
6 Detroit DE Gaines Adams
7 Minnesota LB Patrick Willis
8 Tampa DT Amobi Okoye
9 Miami OT Levi Brown
10 Houston (from Atlanta) S Laron Landry
11 San Francisco DE Adam Carriker
12 Buffalo CB Leon Hall
13 St. Louis DE Jamaal Anderson
14 Carolina DT Alan Branch
15 Pittsburgh LB Jon Beason
16 Green Bay TE Greg Olsen
17 Jacksonville FS Brandon Merriweather
18 Cincinnati CB Darrell Revis
19 ***Dallas DE/OLB Jarvis Moss(*** Look at what we gave up at the bottom):laugh1:
20 New York Giants OT Joe Staley
21 Denver DE Anthony Spencer
22 Tennessee WR Dwayne Bowe
23 Kansas City WR Robert Meachem
24 New England LB David Harris
25 New York Jets DE Justin Harrell
26 Philadelphia LB Lawrence Timmons
27 New Orleans CB Chris Houston
28 New England WR Anthony Gonzalez
29 Baltimore CB Aaron Ross
30 San Diego WR Tedd Ginn
31 Chicago LB Paul Posluszny
32 Indianapolis S Michael Griffin


* Skins trade 2008 1st and 3rd round pick and Shawn Springs

**Atlanta trades 2nd and 4th round pick

***Dallas trades 4th and next year’s 3rd round

 

[VACowboy]

Uh. I sure hope not, at least our pick.

I actually hope the Skins do it. Johnson is a physical freak, is polished, works hard and has (almost) spotless character. But of all the players on the field, WRs affect the game the least, and I like the idea of the Skins mortgaging their future some more. If we were talking about Julius Peppers, Deion Sanders, John Elway or any similarly talented player at almost any position other than WR, I'd be praying against it. But I don't think a WR puts them over the edge, no matter how good he is, and that's the only time I'd be willing to pay that price for one player. You'd think their draft position would be a clue.

 

[Charles]

Uh. I sure hope not, at least our pick.

I actually hope the Skins do it. Johnson is a physical freak, is polished, works hard and has (almost) spotless character. But of all the players on the field, WRs affect the game the least, and I like the idea of the Skins mortgaging their future some more. If we were talking about Julius Peppers, Deion Sanders, John Elway or any similarly talented player at almost any position other than WR, I'd be praying against it. But I don't think a WR puts them over the edge, no matter how good he is, and that's the only time I'd be willing to pay that price for one player. You'd think their draft position would be a clue.

I agree. It all starts in the trenches. Calvin could be a once every 10 year player, but he'll be a none factor if we can get Ware on that suspect LG and Leonard Davis on their aging Dlinemen.

 

[VACowboy]

I think they're nuts if they don't stay put and take Okoye or Adams.