Looking around the division

[cowboysfan31]

Overall, none of our division opponents had drafts that really scare me or that I think were even very good. This is the way I view it:

Philthy's Picks:

2(36) Kevin Kolb QB 6-3 220 Houston
2(57) Victor Abiamiri DE 6-5 271 Notre Dame
3(87) Stewart Bradley OLB 6-4 256 Nebraska
3(90) Tony Hunt RB 6-0 230 Penn State
5(159) C.J. Gaddis FS 6-0 210 Clemson
5(162) Brent Celek TE 6-4 261 Cincinnati
6(201) Rashad Barksdale CB 6-2 210 Albany
7(236) Nate Ilaoa FB 5-8 248 Hawaii

Kolb may be good down the road, but right now he's a backup to McNabb and is no threat to anyone unless McNabb gets hurt again. Abiamiri is a good pass-rusher, but he's not going to be starting over Cole, Kearse, and Howard. Bradley is a good pick, I think he'll be a good backup at the SLB behind Spike and be a situational pass-rusher. Hunt doesn't scare me because he's still stuck behind Buckhalter/Westbrook. He will be a good short-yardage back but not much more. Gaddis is good value where he got picked, and might push Considine for playing time. Celek is nothing special at TE and will be blocked by Smith and Schobel. Barksdale is good depth, I do like him. Ilaoa could be dangerous, but I don’t see him getting many touches.

Giants’ Picks:

1(20) Aaron Ross CB 6-1 192 Texas
2(51) Steve Smith WR 5-11 199 Southern California
3(81) Jay Alford DT 6-3 304 Penn State
4(116) Zak DeOssie OLB 6-5 250 Brown
5(153) Kevin Boss TE 6-6 257 Western Oregon
6(189) Adam Koets OT 6-5 298 Oregon State
7(224) Michael Johnson SS 6-3 211 Arizona
7(250) Ahmad Bradshaw RB 5-9 198 Marshall

Ross is definitely an improvement over what they had, but I don’t even think he was the best Longhorns’ CB last year. He will improve their secondary, but I think they could have had a better DB. Burress, Toomer, and Moss seemed like a good enough WR corp for Eli. Smith can be good out of the slot, but his lack of speed will hurt him in the pros. I’m not impressed by Alford at all. Cofield and Robbins up the middle with Joseph backing them up wasn’t too bad. Alford is a DE/DT tweener who probably fits best as a 1-gap tackle playing the 3 technique. He is very average in pretty much all aspects and IMO doesn’t add much besides some depth. DeOssie is a great pick up here. He is still quite raw and probably won’t start right away, but I think he can be a real good player. Boss comes in to take Shiancoe’s role which wasn’t very big to begin with. The Giants really needed to try and find a LT that could be developed after letting Petitgout go and now having Whitfield starting there. Koets is more of a RT or a G. Johnson might be a good special teams player, but their safeties are pretty solid. Bradshaw is a dangerous return man and might pose some problems, but Morton, Ward, and Moss are all pretty good at returning too so he may not even have a spot on the team.

Washington’s Picks:

1(6) LaRon Landry FS 6-2 205 Louisiana State
5(143) Dallas Sartz OLB 6-5 235 Southern California
6(179) H.B. Blades ILB 5-11 237 Pittsburgh
6(205) Jordan Palmer QB 6-6 231 Texas-El Paso
7(216) Tyler Ecker TE 6-6 269 Michigan

For once the Skins final make a good choice in the first, and I think he will give us headaches for years to come but he is the only choice of theirs that I like. Sartz is a soft LB that cannot play in space. Blades was a good college player with big production, but his size and speed don’t project well to the NFL especially for a team with a struggling defensive line. Palmer is a nice developmental QB, but I think he ends up on the PS. Ecker is an average blocker that can’t catch the ball, I don’t think he’ll make their roster either.

 

[smarta5150]

I have to disagree about Landry giving us a headache.

They now have 2 safeties that play the game to light people up.

I believe their safety situation will be more exposed than ours of last year.

 

[JFlgn]

Whitfield retired. I'm not sure who they'll have at OTackle, but as for Bob Whitfield, that old headbutting hack is finally retired.

 

[burmafrd]

If the skins do not get a pass rush it does not matter how good your safeties are.

 

[parchy]

I have to disagree about Landry giving us a headache.

They now have 2 safeties that play the game to light people up.

I believe their safety situation will be more exposed than ours of last year.

I don't think that's the book on Landry. He can lay the wood, but by "complete package," scouts refer to his ability to play CF in addition to his ability to play at the line. He's not as good in coverage as, say, Nelson, but he's a true NFL FS for sure.

That said, it won't matter if their pass rush continues to suck and their corners continue to go downhill.

 

[The30YardSlant]

If the skins do not get a pass rush it does not matter how good your safeties are.

Not to mention Landry is as bad in coverage as Taylor

 

[smarta5150]

I don't think that's the book on Landry. He can lay the wood, but by "complete package," scouts refer to his ability to play CF in addition to his ability to play at the line. He's not as good in coverage as, say, Nelson, but he's a true NFL FS for sure.

That said, it won't matter if their pass rush continues to suck and their corners continue to go downhill.

Landry was no ball hawk in college and he sure inst gonna suddenly be 1 in the NFL.

The guy was known for laying people out and blitzing from the safety position.

The guy blew multiple coverages in 1 of his biggest games of his life... the Sugar Bowl against ND.

 

[parchy]

Not to mention Landry is as bad in coverage as Taylor

That's bollocks, both because Taylor is horrible in coverage and because Landry isn't.

Here's Scouts Inc.'s assessment of him.

Positives:

Instincts

Total package. Projects as immediate starter at FS. Can hold up in the box, in deep-middle zone coverage and one-on-one vs. slot receiver. Good height, decent bulk and the frame to get bigger. Good fluidity and top-end speed. Consistently gets a good break on the ball and diagnoses the run very quickly. Good toughness and strength in run support. Makes plays sideline to sideline. Fills hard and shows adequate power at the point of attack. Above-average range in zones. Fast learner and tremendous leader.

He wasn't the best coverage safety in the draft, but to say he's as bad as Taylor is incorrect.

 

[smarta5150]

Landry had a whopping 3 INTs and 1 Pass Def. his senior year...

In the Sugar Bowl he was late on NDs ealry long TD pass and also missed an easy TFL for about -8 yards.

The typical workout warrior numbers once again inflated a player's draft...

Sorry Hos, I think you loved him, for knocking your guy

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I have to disagree about Landry giving us a headache.

They now have 2 safeties that play the game to light people up.

I believe their safety situation will be more exposed than ours of last year.

Not to mention Landry is as bad in coverage as Taylor

where do you guys come up w/ this stuff?

 

[The30YardSlant]

That's bollocks, both because Taylor is horrible in coverage and because Landry isn't.

Here's Scouts Inc.'s assessment of him.

Positives:

Instincts

Total package. Projects as immediate starter at FS. Can hold up in the box, in deep-middle zone coverage and one-on-one vs. slot receiver. Good height, decent bulk and the frame to get bigger. Good fluidity and top-end speed. Consistently gets a good break on the ball and diagnoses the run very quickly. Good toughness and strength in run support. Makes plays sideline to sideline. Fills hard and shows adequate power at the point of attack. Above-average range in zones. Fast learner and tremendous leader.

He wasn't the best coverage safety in the draft, but to say he's as bad as Taylor is incorrect.

That scouting report reads exactly like Taylor's did coming out of college

Landry is too aggresive, like RW. Bites on run fakes too easily.

 

[smarta5150]

where do you guys come up w/ this stuff?

I dont just watch the combine and pretend a guy is good because he puts up the best "numbers."

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I dont just watch the combine and pretend a guy is good because he puts up the best "numbers."

me either, and I don't watch just 1 game and formulate an opninion on a player either

 

[The30YardSlant]

where do you guys come up w/ this stuff?

Because, unlike the vast majority of posters here who claim to be "draft experts", I watch a lot of college football

 

[smarta5150]

me either, and I don't watch just 1 game and formulate an opninion on a player either

If you are assuming I only watched the Sugar Bowl then the assumption is wrong.

Its the best example to use however because that was the only game most people around here watched.

When I saw him make plays, and he did make plays, they were hard hits and plays in the box... they were not INTs and Pass Deflections which is what the Skins NEEDED.

SO like I said, Landry will not give us a headache... unless he rips our WRs across the middle.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Because, unlike the vast majority of posters here who claim to be "draft experts", I watch a lot of college football

so saying you watch alot of college football, that doesn't make you a wannabe draft expert?

 

[Bob Sacamano]

If you are assuming I only watched the Sugar Bowl then the assumption is wrong.

Its the best example to use however because that was the only game most people around here watched.

When I saw him make plays, and he did make plays, they were hard hits and plays in the box... they were not INTs and Pass Deflections which is what the Skins NEEDED.

SO like I said, Landry will not give us a headache... unless he rips our WRs across the middle.

Landry can play CF, cover slot-receivers AND he can play in the box, that's why he was a top 10 pick, and the 1st safety chosen, and the 1st safety on just about everyone's draft board

I agree Landry won't give us headaches, but because the Skins have no pass-rush to protect him

 

[The30YardSlant]

so saying you watch alot of college football, that doesn't make you a wannabe draft expert?

I am not a draft expert and never claimed to be, there is no such thing as a "draft expert", Mel Kiper is nothing more than a glorified scout. The draft is far too inexact and involves too much luck and circumstance for anyone to be an expert on anything.

That being said, yes, watching a player over the course of a season can give you an idea of how his skill set will translate to the next level.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I am not a draft expert and never claimed to be, there is no such thing as a "draft expert", Mel Kiper is nothing more than a glorified scout. The draft is far too inexact and involves too much luck and circumstance for anyone to be an expert on anything.

That being said, yes, watching a player over the course of a season can give you an idea of how his skill set will translate to the next level.

it's in the eye of the beholder, and frankly, I don't trust your eye-sight

no offense, it's just how it is

 

[ZeroClub]

Looking around the division, I think the Cowboys need to add another QB. - one who has a brother who is a very good QB. Does Tom Brady have a brother?