sporting news mock

[Hiero]

Hystorically, BP does not draft OLs in the first. Something to keep in mind. Now, if there is a guy who we rate as can't miss, then OK. We will have to see who falls to us. I, for one, would not get too excited over the idea of McNeill being there at 18. I think there's a very good chance that he could be gone by then.

He has commented on this in his PC's you must have missed it. But they asked him specifically about this, and he said he took Jumbo Elliot back in the day and for teh first time since he HAS been thinking about taking OL in the first. Doesnt mean he will but I am glad to know he will if he can.

 

[Hiero]

Perhaps but the truth of the matter is that he didn't. You can say that we will take McNeill but nobody knows what our draft board looks like. At this point, it's all speculation. As I said earlier, the draft is deep at OT. I think that it's a very good possability that we elect to take a guy later rather then in the first round. All depends on how they grade out.

more than likely all of the top tackles will be gone by our 2nd pick. I dont want to risk it. Just because there is a good tackle class doesnt mean you wait it out to pick one, the class is top heavy and all the good guys will probably be gone by the 50th pick

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

He has commented on this in his PC's you must have missed it. But they asked him specifically about this, and he said he took Jumbo Elliot back in the day and for teh first time since he HAS been thinking about taking OL in the first. Doesnt mean he will but I am glad to know he will if he can.

Your absolutly right, I did miss this. Having said that, I would not trust anything Parcells says, where the draft is concerned, at all. He, like all NFL teams are notrious for giving disinformation.

The reason he took Jumbo Elliot, according to Parcells, was based on the 300 lbs theory. According to him, back in the day, there were only so many guys who were 300 lbs+ and athletic enough to be Tackles in the NFL. Now, we know that you can't swing a dead cat around any major college football program and not hit a 300 lbs+ OT. However, the principle still holds in that if there is a player that BP feels is worthy, he would do it. I think any team would follow that criteria. I do suspect that there is an OT in this draft that BP likes and would take with a first round pick. However, I don't know that he would move up to get him. If he's there, I could absolutly see it and it wouldn't hurt my feelings one bit. I believe this is the biggest weakness on the team. It's just that historically, BP doesn't take OLs in the first and I don't see a Ferguson or a McNeill or a Scott or a Whitworth still there. To me, Winston, Justice, Blalock, Trueblood and maybe Colledge are all going to grade out about the same and could be had later. JMO of course.

 

[playit12]

I can't really see us going Tackle in the first round next year unless the talent level at that position just demands the choice. The problem is this...

Next year we'll have Tucker, Adams, and Rob all going for the starting spots. Assuming that Rob (like all rookies) improves his strength and endurance during his first real offseason, I like both our Tackles and our depth. (We have the former first round pick as well)

Of bigger concern to me is our Gaurds and centers. Both our starting gaurds are relatively old and we don't have any great prospects grooming behind them. Also I've always been a proponent of the idea that your running game starts with the gaurds, your passing game with the Tackles. Our running game was clearly the more deficient of the two last year, so our focus should be dirrected there.

Allen isn't fast enough to pull or block in space anymore. He is still the best man-up run blocker in the league, but we were beat on way too many traps last year thanks to him. It's time to start looking for his replacement.

Rivera did not impress me this year. Certainly he should be better next year with a full off season and additional time to recover from the injuries, but either way it would be foolish to assume that both LA and MR will be healthy for the whole season.

Peterman hasn't earned his way onto the field yet. I'm not sure he can be more than just depth.

BP churned the roster all year behind those three guys, which should certainly tell you about our depth at Gaurd. If we are going to be a ball control offense, we need to be able to establish the run. I'd like to see us draft someone in the mold of Shawn Andrews. The best prospect I've seen is that guard from USC whose name I'll reserve learning to pronouce or spell until the draft. Our current position is a little high for a gaurd but we could certainly trade down to the mid 20s and pick up the best prospect there. That might also give us an additinal 3rd round pick.

After that I'd look at LB, FS, LB, and maybe a little LB. We have a serious need of talent at LB in my opinion. I think we are sorely lacking a true FS as well. I actually believe BP would have taken one of the top three FS prospects last year, had any slipped to our second round pick. By then Marlin, Josh Bullocks, and Pool were already gone (Davis was really a SS). Anyone that seriously followed the Free Safeties would have to admit that there was a huge drop off in talent after those three guys. Next up were guys like Fox, Considine, Underwood and maybe Fuller; but all of those guys were taken ahead of their projections. Yes I know some of those guys were listed as CBs, but I projected them all to FS and I think that's where they will end up.

As for next year, I'd like to see us grab someone with our second pick. That is usually where you can find a top 3 rated FS (except last year).

 

[playit12]

Also someone mentioned earlier that we shouldn't draft a LT to play RT. All college programs (with right handed QBs) put their best athletes at LT. I'm betting if you counted all of the Tackles in the league, at least 80% of them were LTs in College. Sure it can take some additional time to master the switch, but the upside is bigger on a College LT than with a RT. Another factor is the changing positon of RT. It used to be that all the teams you would face would have a good DE lined up against your LT and a run stopping DE on the other side. But now teams like the Giants run two good pass rushing DEs against you. So you need the footwork of a college LT playing RT in the pros.

Really what I'd like to see is someone with some real fundamental strength at the position. We get caught up wanting a 6-8 360 pound tackles on the line and forget that the two best tackles in 05 were the 6-5 308 pound Walter Jones and the 6-5 320 pound Willie Roaf. Those guys have quick hands, excellent footwork, and most importantly are very strong.

 

[DIAF]

Looks like im not the only one who doesn't think Cutler is a 1st-round quality talent.

 

[Pooz]

Michael Huff baby! We need a freakin safety real bad.

 

[fortdick]

no cutler in 1st round

Saw that too. Kinda makes the credibility of this mock questionable, don't
it?

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

more than likely all of the top tackles will be gone by our 2nd pick. I dont want to risk it. Just because there is a good tackle class doesnt mean you wait it out to pick one, the class is top heavy and all the good guys will probably be gone by the 50th pick

There are a good 8 Tackles, not including small school prospects that could cary a first round grade in this draft. I doubt all will be gone by the time we pick. having said that, if they are, then something else of considerable value will likely fall to us and that's a very good thing.

 

[Hiero]

There are a good 8 Tackles, not including small school prospects that could cary a first round grade in this draft. I doubt all will be gone by the time we pick. having said that, if they are, then something else of considerable value will likely fall to us and that's a very good thing.

8 tackles, 50 picks, a LOT of teams with absolutely dreadful OL's that are actually starting to realize how bad that make stheir team. I think it could definitely happen.