Thursday, April 28, 2011

KD's 1st Round Draft Thoughts

I got this idea from a poster, Phil, who does this every year on the Dolphins site I frequent. Rather than grade each pick as they happen - though I will be giving grades for each team's complete draft starting next week - I'll record any lightbulbs that pop as the draft starts. Here we go.

Sometime around 5:45pm - Dr. Phil is on ESPN discussing the draft and how rookies don't get enough training about what to do with their money. I guess he's unaware of the Rookie Symposium. Seriously, what has the world come to when Dr. Phil is on ESPN covering the NFL Draft?

6:04pm - I get a text from my oldest friend Tyler, better known as "Nuts" for several reasons I'll not disclose, saying he and his fiancee just had a baby girl. No name as of yet, but congrats buddy! Perhaps they'll name her Melanie after Mel Kiper.

6:16pm - Get a text from one of my old interns asking if Miami is really considering Ryan Mallett at 15. I reply "yes" as I polish off my first beer. I honestly wouldn't be too upset if Mallett is the pick.

6:17pm - Read a post on the Dolphins board that the rumor is Miami will not select a QB in the first round unless they're able to trade back and recoup that 2nd round - or at least that's what they'd want you to think.

My reaction: *$&^, Miami's going to take Colin *%#&!#$ Kaepernick in round 2. Damn you Nick Saban, Daunte Culpepper, Joey Harrington, Trent Green, Cleo Lemon, John Beck, Chad Pennington, Chad Henne, Pat White, and Tyler Thigpen! Please note these are only the Dolphins starting QBs since 2006, and Nick Saban just because.

6:22pm - Ed Werder and John Elway interview. Elway is clearly bothered by being so close to Werder in the closet they're filming this in in "Denver". I get the sense Ole #7 isn't too high on Tim Tebow despite what he's saying.

6:35pm - Tyler's daughter is named Kaylee Grace. Congrats Tyler & Jen!

6:45pm - Naked Pizza arrives. If you haven't tried it, do it. Thank me later.

6:58pm - The rumor source also now says it could be Andy Dalton. Even worse. At least whoever the new coach and GM in 2012 will get Andrew Luck in 2012.

7:35-7:37pm - Roger Goodell getting booed with fans chanting "We Want Football!". Say what you want about New Yawkers, but they can start a chant with the best of them.

8:03pm - Cam Newton's going to the Panthers before Goodell even starts the draft. I hate how the TV cameras get access to the "Green Room" - takes all the drama out of it.

8:07pm - Cam is the pick. The Universal Draft guys called this one back in January. Kudos guys!

8:13pm - Von Miller to Denver...wonder how that's going to workout with Elvis Dumervil there. Should be an interesting handshake with Roger Goodell.

8:20pm - Damn, Buffalo's D is nasty up front with Dareus and Kyle Williams - the most underrated D-lineman in the NFL. Miami really needs Pouncey now!

8:26pm - Just found out from a source with NFL ties that Ryan Mallett isn't on Miami's draft board...great....

8:35pm - Atlanta with a huge trade with the Browns. Atlanta's offense is crazy good, and Cleveland got a king's ransom. I think this is a good trade for both parties, but makes the Dolphins two 2nd rounders for Brandon Marshall seem like peanuts.

8:43pm - Shocking that San Fran takes Aldon Smith...does Miami move up with Dallas for Gabbert now if he gets past Tennessee?

8:45pm - Well, I had Mallett in my mock to Tennesee, so I'm not that surprised with the Locker pick, but WOW for Tennessee passing on Gabbert and Fairley for him.

8:52pm - Jaguars almost land a deal with Dallas. Jags looking to move up still.

9:00pm - Truth - Schefter reports Jags trade up with Washington for Gabbert. Good move for the Jags in my opinion. He can learn under Garrard for a year or two.

9:06pm - I've received over 200 text messages/Facebook posts about the Draft today...and I'm no guru by any means. So glad Judge Nelson lifted the lockout; not sure what I'd do without the NFL.

9:48pm - After a dozen more texts and a phone call, I'm pretty happy with Mike Pouncey at 15 for my Dolphins. Yeah, it's a little high for a LG, but I think he'll prove to be worth it.

Unknown - After talking with a bunch of people about Miami's pick I lost track of time after a few celebratory Jack 'n Cokes...so the rest of the list will be bullitted.

- Ryan Kerrigan to Washington. Surprised, but looking back on my Mock Draft 2.0 a day later, I got 10 picks right - meaning that I correctly picked these team's picks (Newton, Green, Peterson, Pouncey, and Wilkerson) exactly, 3 guys slotted exactly right, but going to different teams (Ryan Kerrigan, Phil Taylor, Mark Ingram), and I'm going to be generous and give myself 2 more for calling Tennessee and Minnesota to take a QB that was unexpected (Mallett, Locker) when in reality it went Locker, Ponder. So, overall, I'll take that. Plus, I got another 3 teams that picked players at the same position, just the wrong player. I feel pretty good about that.

- For all the fawning over New England and their draft abilities, they pick Nate Solder. Really? I know they need offensive linemen, but Nate Solder. Yikes! I guess I can't complain too much for them drafting a very soft and very raw prospect. I guess if there's one O-line coach who can teach him it's the Pats Dante Sarnecchia (I know I butchered that spelling).

- Looking back at my first mock draft, I got 8 guys exactly right, plus Phil Taylor slotted correctly at 21, and I had Christian Ponder slotted in round 1. Overall I feel pretty good about the mocks, even if my percentage is low.

- Steal for the New York Giants with Prince Amukamara. Absolute steal.

- Peyton Manning is going to be a real happy guy with Anthony Castonzo at LT. Bill Polian got his 1st rounder right this year. No offense Jerry Hughes.

- My buddy B-Rad, a Browns fan, bails out before the Browns pick. I think he'll enjoy it when he wakes up. Phil Taylor is very good if he can keep his weight in check.

- Look at the bling on some of these guys who don't have contracts yet. Dareus, Pouncey, Ingram...all SEC players. And to think they don't get paid in college. I remember the HBO special on the Cam Newton/Cecil Newton scandal. One head coach of a BCS Conference school, not in the SEC though, asked for anonymity, but he said, "If we were recruiting a player to come to our school, and we learned that he was being recruited by an SEC school, we just gave up. We don't have that kind of money."

- Chizzy's got to like the military coming out on stage right before the Eagles pick. That's pretty patriotic in itself, especially with a team whose logo is on our national seal up to bat.

- And the Eagles draft a Canadien! Ha, should've seen that one coming. USA! USA!

- Okay, all things considered, Danny Watkins is the toughest, nastiest SOB in the entire draft. He played hockey, wrestled, and played rugby. He can play both T spots, LG, and C. I'm sure he'll be a starter from day one in Philly.

- Wow, Da'Quan Bowers' knee must really be messed up.

- James Carpenter to Seattle is not the reach that Mel Kiper is making it out to be. Can't wait to see what Todd McShay says about this. Solid pick by Seattle for a team that needs OL help, badly!

- Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome, master of letting the draft come to him, must have a major trade deal in the works to get passed up by KC. That's a really good pick for KC with Jonathan Baldwin there. Schefter reports Ravens on the phone with the Bears that whole time and had a misfire in communicaton. Good pick though with Jimmy Smith (I learned this morning that Smith had a codeiene problem at Colorado and thus, why he slid so badly).

- If there's one player in the draft I'd root for even if he went to a team I hate it's Mark Ingram. Heisman winner; humble dude; great story; and just a fun player to watch - he runs HARD. I thought that was a great moment with he and Suzy Kolber reading his dad's e-mail to him on stage. Great pick by the Saints as they get rid of Reggie "BUST".

- My buddy JM, a Packers and Wisconsin Badgers fan, is PISSED that Gabe Carimi goes to Chicago. Great pick by the Bears!

- Damn, the Steelers just draft defense well. Simply put, they're just unbelieveably good at defense - both playing it and drafting for it.

- Good pick by the Jets with Wilkerson. Up and coming player, and I'm afraid to see how Rex Ryan will use him.

- JM doesn't like Derek Sherrod. I'd spoken to him during the Combine and told him Sherrod could be their pick. I guess I should've gone with my gut in the mock drafts.

Well, there's my draft thoughts for the 1st round. The two major surprises were that Ryan Mallett slipped out of round 1. I guess the drug issue is more of a factor than we thought as 31 teams passed on him - note the Raiders didn't have a 1st round pick. Da'Quan Bowers' knee must be REALLY screwed up. He'd have been a top 10 pick for sure if healthy.

Todd McShay must be furious that his beloved Ginger QB Andy Dalton slipped out of round 1.

Fearless forecast for tomorrow, well, now tonight's Draft:

1) Da' Raidas will take Nevada QB Colin Kaepernick.

2) The Patriots will make more moves tomorrow and walk away with a pretty average draft despite having 5 picks tonight. ESPN overrates them way too much.

3) Someone's going to steal Andy Dalton from right under Cincinnati's nose, so keep an eye for them to take Ricky Stanzi, whom was their starting QB in the Senior Bowl, in round 3.

4) A run on RBs and TEs is going to start soon.

5) I bet an unexpected QB goes in round 3. The gut-shot straight draw would be Greg McElroy of Alabama.

2 comments:

  1. I am coming around on Sherrod quickly. Part of my overreaction was continued fallout from the Carimi pick that had me seeing red. As we've discussed, in Ted Thompson I trust and that trust was only strengthened this weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ted is a genius, period. Question though for you regarding him, I'm not aware of Packers history in the front office, but did he study under Ron Wolf?

    As for my team, having learned that their 1st round draft board read as follows:

    1. Jake Locker
    2. Blaine Gabbert
    3. Robert Quinn
    4. Mike Pouncey
    5. Colin Kaepernick

    I've come away quite frightened from this weekend despite knowing that we'll get 2 day-one starters, another that will eventually be a starter, and a Donald Lee-esque 2nd TE. The fact that those were their top 3 QBs makes me scared, very scared.

    At this point I'm hoping that our defense remains a top 6 unit and that Tony Sparano is fired at season's end (hello Mr. Cowher) and Ireland is retained/new GM comes in and sells the farm in 2012 and 2013 for Andrew Luck. Guy is Quarterback Jesus.

    "Until, I'll wear my sunglasses at night and fist pump field goals." - Tony Sparano

    ReplyDelete