Now that we have some idea where the Boys will draft

[silverbear]

This might be a good time to speculate as to which players will be available with each pick... this is according to current draft ratings, which of course will fluctuate wildly over the course of the next couple-three months... players will be rated in the order of their current draft grade (players with asterisks after their name are underclassmen who have not yet declared for the draft, but many experts think they will):

Round 1a-- 11th overall

Derrick Johnson, OLB, Texas
Mike Williams, WR, USC
Mathias Kiwanuka, DE, Boston College*
Braylon Edwards, WR, Michigan
Ahmad Brooks, LB, Virginia*

Two linebackers, two wide receivers, and one defensive end highlight this list... it's quite possible that Johnson and perhaps Williams will be off the board by the time the Boys pick, but if either one slips, he'd be the way to go at pick 11...

Round 1b-- 18th to 20th overall

Elton Brown, OG, Virginia
David Baas, OG/C, Michigan
Jonathon Scott, OT, Texas*
Ernest Shazor, FS, Michigan*

If any of the players in the first 5 falls this far, you'd have to give them serious thought as well... Shazor might be the best pick for the Boys as far as need goes, but those offensive linemen are all studs... I'm particularly partial to Brown, who's just HUGE, but I like that Baas can play center as well... actually, I'd be in favor of trading this pick down to the 25-35 picks, hopefully adding a 3rd rounder that we're currently missing... many of these players would still be on the board at the end of the first round or early in the second...

Round 2-- 42nd overall

Haloti Ngata, DT, Oregon*
Carlos Rogers, CB, Auburn
Corey Webster, CB, LSU
Antonio Perkins, CB, Oklahoma
Jimmy Williams, CB, Virginia Tech*
Justin Miller, CB, Clemson*
Michael Huff, FS/CB, Texas
Troy Williamson, WR, South Carolina*
Chris Henry, WR, West Virginia*
Terrance Murphy, WR, Texas A&M
Vincent Jackson, WR, Northern Colorado

Parcells says he doesn't think it makes sense to draft a cornerback, any cornerback, in the first round, given the rules these days... but he didn't say anything about drafting one in the SECOND round, and given the depth at the cornerback position in this draft, it might be wise to invest in one at this point... at the same time, there will also be a lot of nice WRs on the board, and if the Boys didn't go WR in the first round, they ought to take a hard look at the 4 listed above...

Round 4

Mike Nugent, K, Ohio State
James Butler, FS, Georgia Tech
Chris Canty, DE, Virginia
Anthony Bryant, DT, Alabama
Chris Kemoeatu, OG, Utah
Claude Terrell, OG, New Mexico
Sam Mayes, OG, Oklahoma State

As the second day opens up, the Boys might want to break with tradition, and spend a pick on a highly-rated kicker... Billy Cundiff is just too inconsistent, and his weak kickoffs hurt the team... Nugent is a solid field goal kicker, and booms his kickoffs into the end zone routinely... Butler is the best pure coverage FS in this draft, and may be off the board at this point... Canty has slipped down the draft boards because of his season-ending injury, but if he's fully recovered by draft day, he might be a STEAL at this point... you can't beat his height for the position... there are 3 really nice guards likely to still be on the board at this point, and any one of them would be able to step in and compete for a starting job at RG....

Round 5

Matt Jones, QB (WR), Arkansas
Zach Tuiasosopo, FB, Washington
Brandon Jacobs, RB, Southern Illinois
Dontrell Moore, RB, New Mexico*
Calvin Armstrong, OT, Washington State
Albert Means, DT, Memphis

The websites that I used as sources for my draft ratings had boards rating players regardless of position, anywhere from the top 75 players to the top 150... as a result, I'm only able to go 5 rounds deep in projecting draft picks at this point, though I will offer some hunches on later round picks in just a bit...

Jones really intrigues me, he's 6-6, and runs a sub-4.5 second 40... most NFL scouts think he lacks the arm to make it in the NFL, but think that he can make a successful switch to WR... in fact, he is most often compared to Hines Ward... Tuiasosopo sounds like a Parcells-type FB, a smooth receiver as well as a strong blocker... he is a converted LB...

Now, for some players to look at in the later rounds:

Patrick Cobbs, RB, North Texas
Derek Farmer, RB, Stephen F. Austin
Alvin Pearman, RB, Virginia

Parcells has dropped hints that he'd like to add an elusive scatback type, who can double as a kick returner... all 3 of these backs are speedy, and I really like Pearman...

Will Matthews, FB, Texas

A 260 pounder who can catch the ball some...

Rodney Magwood, C, Albany St.
Chase Johnson, C, TCU
Jeremy Parquet, OT, Southern Miss
Quintin Outland, OT, Baylor

Peter Sands, FS, Central Florida
Patrick Body, FS, Toledo

Sands is a 230 pound free safety, which is of course uncommonly big... Body is very, very fast...

Tyler Jones, K, Boise State

Has hit over 80 per cent of his FGs the last 2 years (43 of 52), and in 2002 over half of his kickoffs went for touchbacks... if nothing else, bring him in and let him be the designated kickoffs/long FGs kicker, and you can keep Cundiff... after all, Billy is 21 for 21 under 30 in his career, and 35 for 38 under 40 yards... from 45 yards in, he's really pretty reliable...

OK, there are some early thoughts about the upcoming draft; I await your thoughts on my thoughts... LOL...

 

[Avery]

Here's my thoughts on these:

Round 1a-- 11th overall

Derrick Johnson, OLB, Texas
Mike Williams, WR, USC
Mathias Kiwanuka, DE, Boston College*
Braylon Edwards, WR, Michigan
Ahmad Brooks, LB, Virginia*

Pretty much can't go wrong with any of these guys. I would go with Williams in this case. I think we could find decent hybrid DE/LB's in the draft if need be and would feel compelled to take a young WR who can step in and dominate NFC CB's with his size. He's a complete mismatch for anyone.

Round 1b-- 18th to 20th overall

Elton Brown, OG, Virginia
David Baas, OG/C, Michigan
Jonathon Scott, OT, Texas*
Ernest Shazor, FS, Michigan*

I'm really not a fan of taking any of these guys this high to be honest, but Brown is the best of the lot.

Round 2-- 42nd overall

Haloti Ngata, DT, Oregon*
Carlos Rogers, CB, Auburn
Corey Webster, CB, LSU
Antonio Perkins, CB, Oklahoma
Jimmy Williams, CB, Virginia Tech*
Justin Miller, CB, Clemson*
Michael Huff, FS/CB, Texas
Troy Williamson, WR, South Carolina*
Chris Henry, WR, West Virginia*
Terrance Murphy, WR, Texas A&M
Vincent Jackson, WR, Northern Colorado

Wow, this is a tough group to pick from. Lots of corners to choose from. I think Ngata is a talent to watch and would be my second choice, but I'm going to select Rogers. I feel we could get a decent run-stuffing DT in FA more than a CB who would benefit our secondary and is possibly the BPA. I would rather have Rogers at #20 and take Ngata here.

Round 4

Mike Nugent, K, Ohio State
James Butler, FS, Georgia Tech
Chris Canty, DE, Virginia
Anthony Bryant, DT, Alabama
Chris Kemoeatu, OG, Utah
Claude Terrell, OG, New Mexico
Sam Mayes, OG, Oklahoma State

Another tough call here. Nugent would be a good pick thus far but in the end, we need a FS in here more than to boot Cundiff. Canty also isn't a bad selection at this point.

Round 5

Matt Jones, QB (WR), Arkansas
Zach Tuiasosopo, FB, Washington
Brandon Jacobs, RB, Southern Illinois
Dontrell Moore, RB, New Mexico*
Calvin Armstrong, OT, Washington State
Albert Means, DT, Memphis

I go for the RB to spell JJ and Jacobs can fill that role. Jones is interesting as well but making a position change will be difficult and take time. Moore is also solid.

Rounds 6 + 7 - Grab some tweener DE/LB's and maybe another FS. QB project perhaps?