Another NFL Draft Article
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by user Kevinsecaur
Original post found here.
Hey everybody. Long time, no blog posts, so I apologize. I’m also sorry for the unorganized/impromptu nature of this entry. I’ve been pretty busy and haven’t had a whole lot of time to do research. I’ve also got a big weekend coming up, so I sort of threw this thing together hastily and at the last minute. But, without further ado, I present my thoughts on this weekend’s 2007 NFL Draft.
The Raiders – I actually sort of feel bad for Oakland because they have the top pick in a draft with no clear #1. This draft seems WEAK to me with very few clear-cut stars. I’d trade the #1 pick away if I could, but they won’t because the Raiders need a quarterback too badly.
JaMarcus Russell – I think he’ll be an average NFL QB. I just don’t see him becoming a superstar. Remember, this is a guy absolutely no one was even considering for the top overall draft pick until January of this year. If this guy was that good, he’d have been on our radar throughout the 2006 season. He wasn’t.
Brady Quinn – I think he’ll be a back-up in the NFL. Sorry to say it, but he’s not the franchise savior that he’s promoting himself as. Quinn never beat a quality opponent in his time at Notre Dame. Not a superstar in the making, I actually think he’ll be out of the league altogether by 2016.
Joe Thomas – Closest thing to a sure thing this draft has (sorry Calvin Johnson). Arizona’s gotta take him to help ail its offensive line woes.
Calvin Johnson – I know he’s an incredible talent, and I know his ceiling is pretty much “best wide receiver since Jerry Rice.” However, taking him high is a gamble just because of the history of WRs going this high. That said, if he’s there at #4, the Bucs have to take him, right?
Amobi Okoye – I love this guy because he’s so young. At 19, he’s only going to mature and get better. Lot of potential, I see him being a star in the league someday.
Adrian Peterson – Another guy I feel sorry for. Incredible talent but he’s so injury prone. Since running back is the most likely position to suffer an injury, I wouldn’t take A-Pete anywhere in the top 20. I know that sounds way too conservative, but I still wouldn’t chance it.
Ted Ginn – This is a tough guy to get a read on. I’ve read everything from Ginn is the next Devin Hester … to he’s the next Peter Warrick. Unfortunately, I tend to think he’s more like a Warrick and will be a bit of a bust in the NFL. I see him being an above average kick returner (but not at the level Hester is or Dante Hall was) and a below average WR. Another guy I wouldn’t take in the top 20, and I DO NOT want my beloved Bengals to draft him under any circumstances.
Michigan Guys – These guys are going to be busts! If you’re smart at all, you will stay away from the two big Michigan draftees. They are tempting picks, but they’re going to SUCK in the NFL. Alan Branch has all the talent in the world but look at his college numbers – they aren’t that great. He doesn’t play hard on every down, and he’s potential trouble in the locker room.
As for the other Wolverine projected to go high, well, this just boggles the mind. Leon Hall is not going to be a good NFL cornerback. Did anyone watch the OSU-Michigan game or the Rose Bowl? I honestly feel like I’m the only person in the world who saw the Buckeyes-Wolverines game for what it really was. Hall got absolutely owned in the two biggest games of his college career, yet we’re supposed to believe he is the best corner in the draft. I wouldn’t touch Leon Hall with a ten-foot pole. If Cincinnati takes Hall, I’m egging Marvin Lewis’ house on Saturday night. That’s a promise.
Cincinnati Bengals – With Tory James leaving, Keiwan Ratliff sucking and Deltha O’Neal regressing from Pro Bowler to mediocre CB, the Bengals desperately need a corner. I know this is the biggest need, BUT this draft is not that deep at that position. You’ve just read my thoughts on Leon Hall, and I’m also not particularly sold on the Revis kid from Pitt. If Who-Dey Nation has to take a corner at #18, I actually kind of hope it’s Chris Houston from Arkansas.
Here’s the thing, though: You don’t have to take a corner in the first round. How about a safety in the first round and a corner in the second? Then you’ve addressed your top two needs right away, and you can add depth at the LB position and pick up a few offensive players in the later rounds.
If I were in the Bengals war room on Saturday, I’d take Reggie Nelson, Safety, Florida with the 18th pick in the NFL Draft. I love Nelson in this spot. Now, if Nelson is off the board, the choice is a lot tougher for me. I’d actually like Texas’ Michael Griffin if Nelson is not available, but I don’t think Cincinnati would take him. Instead, they’d for sure take a corner. In which case, I’d prefer Houston over Revis, but to reiterate both are better than Leon Hall. We do not want Leon Hall. No way we should draft Leon Hall.
If the Bengals get a safety in the first, Usama Young, a CB from Kent State, should be available in the second. Another kid with a ton of potential, I like Young as the Bengals #2 choice on Saturday.
I could probably write ten more pages on this weekend’s draft, but lack of time from me and lack of interest from you prohibits this. With that in mind, happy drafting everybody. Have a good weekend.
