2009 NFL Draft Day Conversation

Omniscient · #1 04-25-2009, 02:05 PM

T-minus 1 hour until the Lions walk up to the podium with the envelope that gives them the right to overpay Matt Stafford up to $78M over the next 6 years. The Rams are effectively on the clock right now and the frothing at the mouth is beginning on ESPN2.

We've had a few months to flap our gums about who our teams should draft and which players are going to amount to anything. Today we at least get the answer to the first half of that question. I know a bunch of you are going to be settling in to watch the manufactured drama with me, so lets start the banter anew.

I'll predict the Rams will select Baylor OT Jason Smith with the second over all. Others are projecting Eugene Monroe, but I think Smith is a much better prospect and the Rams will replace Pace with a more athletic guy like Smith.

SenorBeef · #2 04-25-2009, 02:11 PM

I'm really hoping either Curry or Sanchez make it to #5. Curry to draft, Sanchez because ideally someone will trade for him. I'm not that enthusiastic about Crabtree but I wouldn't hate the pick. Everyone else (Orakpo, Jackson, Raji) isn't that appealing and might be available 5 picks later.

Jules Andre · #3 04-25-2009, 02:12 PM

I'm in! I'll be playing the role of the needy Doper for today. I don't have access to ESPN, so I'll need pick by pick updates from the rest of the Dopers, please. And I won't be paying. Also, updates on the boo volume from the Jets fans.

I'm hoping for a lot of wheeling and dealing. That has always been my favorite part.

SenorBeef · #4 04-25-2009, 02:16 PM

And FFS, I hope we can survive the day without a Braylon Edwards trade. If it actually happens for the proposed 2nd and 5th I'm gonna blow the whole thing up.

SenorBeef · #5 04-25-2009, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jules Andre

I'm in! I'll be playing the role of the needy Doper for today. I don't have access to ESPN, so I'll need pick by pick updates from the rest of the Dopers, please. And I won't be paying. Also, updates on the boo volume from the Jets fans.

I'm hoping for a lot of wheeling and dealing. That has always been my favorite part.

This may be a way of watching the draft live. Not exactly sure what coverage will be avaialble at this link:

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2009/live/landing

Jules Andre · #6 04-25-2009, 02:33 PM

Thanks, SenorBeef. I'll check it out. It starts in half an hour, right?

Omniscient · #7 04-25-2009, 02:34 PM

It seems like every year there is the near certainty of a couple big draft day trades to get that franchise QB or other need player in the days prior to the draft. It almost never happens. Wonder if this year will be any different, I'm starting to doubt it. The amount of money paid to Stafford probably makes a move into the top 5 even less likely considering the price those spots will now command.

I think that neither Edwards, Ochocinco or Boldin get traded either. Boldin is the most likely, but if it happens it will be after the draft ala Shockey last year.

It's gonna be interesting being a Bears fan at the draft and not having any first round picks. You guys won't get the pleasure of hearing me commit hari kari as they proceed to fuck it up and my favorite guys get drafted ahead of us.

I predict another HUGE slide for the WRs this year. Last season not a single WR was taken in the first round and many of the mocks have 7 or more WRs going this year. I don't think that happens. I think Crabtree will fall out of the top 8. I think Maclin slides past Oakland and both guys might fall even farther back. Kenny Britt will go ahead of Heyward-Bey and Nicks is out of the first round altogether. Harvin might go in the final 2 or 3 picks. I think Mel will be screaming about the WRs and RBs still on the board come pick 20.

Omniscient · #8 04-25-2009, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jules Andre

Thanks, SenorBeef. I'll check it out. It starts in half an hour, right?

First pick is due at 4:10PM EST.

ESPN.com has a pretty good live Draftcast that will give you all the updates. They also have streaming radio feeds. The NFL might have live video too.

Jimmy Chitwood · #9 04-25-2009, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Omniscient

It's gonna be interesting being a Bears fan at the draft and not having any first round picks. You guys won't get the pleasure of hearing me commit hari kari as they proceed to fuck it up and my favorite guys get drafted ahead of us.

I predict another HUGE slide for the WRs this year. Last season not a single WR was taken in the first round and many of the mocks have 7 or more WRs going this year. I don't think that happens. I think Crabtree will fall out of the top 8. I think Maclin slides past Oakland and both guys might fall even farther back. Kenny Britt will go ahead of Heyward-Bey and Nicks is out of the first round altogether. Harvin might go in the final 2 or 3 picks. I think Mel will be screaming about the WRs and RBs still on the board come pick 20.

I have heard from a buddy who has the kind of network of contacts to know that there is one NFL team with Percy Harvin at #2 on that team's board, and there are 3 receivers in the top 7 and 4 in the top 10 on that same team's board. That's the overall board, ranked not by need or availability or anything.

Jules Andre · #10 04-25-2009, 02:47 PM

the Live feed at the Link SenorBeef gave just started up. Is that Deion Sanders announcing?

Edit to add: They just showed him, it is Prime Time.

Omniscient · #11 04-25-2009, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimmy Chitwood

I have heard from a buddy who has the kind of network of contacts to know that there is one NFL team with Percy Harvin at #2 on that team's board, and there are 3 receivers in the top 7 and 4 in the top 10 on that same team's board. That's the overall board, ranked not by need or availability or anything.

That would be shocking information from any team not named the Raiders. I wonder if that ranking is current or if that was before all the Pro Days and private workouts.

furt · #12 04-25-2009, 02:52 PM

As an Eagles fan, I'm hoping for a trade for Boldin. Supposedly a 2nd rounder plus a player gets him. My dream scenario:

Trade our #2 and Reggie Brown for Boldin
Get a RB and a DB in the draft.

Jules Andre · #13 04-25-2009, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by furt

As an Eagles fan, I'm hoping for a trade for Boldin. Supposedly a 2nd rounder plus a player gets him. My dream scenario:

Trade our #2 and Reggie Brown for Boldin
Get a RB and a DB in the draft.

That would be fantastic.

Jimmy Chitwood · #14 04-25-2009, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Omniscient

That would be shocking information from any team not named the Raiders. I wonder if that ranking is current or if that was before all the Pro Days and private workouts.

I know, but it factored in everything except possibly the drug thing -- I don't know how early that was known. But it was as of, like, this week, supposedly. Weird, right?

Jimmy Chitwood · #15 04-25-2009, 02:57 PM

furt, did you mean Sheldon Brown?

gonzomax · #16 04-25-2009, 03:00 PM

This is good for the Lions. They used to draft people and never signed them. Already we are doing better.
A rookie QB eats up a bunch of money and will not impact the team for quite a while. We need help now. As far as helping this year, this draft choice is a waste.

Omniscient · #17 04-25-2009, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimmy Chitwood

I know, but it factored in everything except possibly the drug thing -- I don't know how early that was known. But it was as of, like, this week, supposedly. Weird, right?

I'm almost hoping Harvin comes off the board shockingly early so that we can know who this nutty team is!

SenorBeef · #18 04-25-2009, 03:00 PM

This feed I linked earlier seems to be the straight NFL network feed, which is great. I was going to watch ESPN, but this is better. And Mayock is probably better than Kiper.

garygnu · #19 04-25-2009, 03:03 PM

I'm really hoping the 49ers do something intelligent. Now that Nolan is gone, we have a chance of doing that.

Jules Andre · #20 04-25-2009, 03:04 PM

No wait on that first pick, nice.

garygnu · #21 04-25-2009, 03:04 PM

There's boos for Stafford. Wow.

Omniscient · #22 04-25-2009, 03:05 PM

Lions make it official, Stafford, your move Rams. Already Mort is predicting a trade.

gonzomax · #23 04-25-2009, 03:05 PM

In a shocker the Lions picked Stafford number 1.

Omniscient · #24 04-25-2009, 03:10 PM

The Rams have strangely been one of the quietest teams in the league during this predraft process. I can't remember a time when a #2 overall pick got this little talk and was in this few rumors without their having made clear who they are picking.

Jules Andre · #25 04-25-2009, 03:10 PM

Apparently, according to Marshall Faulk, the happiest person to hear about the Stafford pick is Detroit WR Charles Johnson.

garygnu · #26 04-25-2009, 03:11 PM

The little sidebar on ESPN says 91% of respondents say the NFL needs a rookie salary cap.

furt · #27 04-25-2009, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimmy Chitwood

furt, did you mean Sheldon Brown?

No, Reggie. If they have Jackson and Boldin, either Kevin Curtis or Reggie Brown is unnecessary.

Sheldon Brown they need to either resign or else tell him they'll deal him after the season. If they deal him away now, they need to replace him as a starting CB. The Eagles are thin in the secondary as it is, IMO.

garygnu · #28 04-25-2009, 03:14 PM

Rams pick... nobody?

garygnu · #29 04-25-2009, 03:15 PM

Rams pick OT Jason Smith.

Omniscient · #30 04-25-2009, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by garygnu

The little sidebar on ESPN says 91% of respondents say the NFL needs a rookie salary cap.

I'm not sure if a cap is the way to go, but they need to fix something. Perhaps a slotting system based on a percentage of the overall salary cap with a standard contract length might be the way to go. Make the overall #1 pick's contract automatically worth, say, 7 percent of the cap a year for 4 years. Then every pick after that drops proportionally to that figure.

Rams take J. Smith as predicted.

Hamlet · #31 04-25-2009, 03:19 PM

I've only been watching the coverage for 10 minutes, and already I'm annoyed to hell. Whether it is Mort's hyping a trade up every pick to Kiper's hard on for Sanchez, I think I'll be switching to listening on the radio.

I just don't see anyone paying the price to move up to grab Sanchez, especially after the money the Lions spent on Stafford. Losing not just the draft picks, but also the huge risk in money, seems too pricy to me.

Omniscient · #32 04-25-2009, 03:20 PM

SenorBeef, loosen the grip on the couch. There's still a couple minutes before we see if your boy Curry comes off the board.

Hamlet · #33 04-25-2009, 03:20 PM

I predict Aaron Curry goes next.

Hamlet · #34 04-25-2009, 03:22 PM

I also predict that teams will take awhile with each team taking the full time to see if they can sucker someone into trading up.

Omniscient · #35 04-25-2009, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hamlet

I just don't see anyone paying the price to move up to grab Sanchez, especially after the money the Lions spent on Stafford. Losing not just the draft picks, but also the huge risk in money, seems too pricy to me.

Agreed, if you take Sanchez in the top five you're probably still guaranteeing him $30M and paying him $55M over 5 years. That PLUS giving up a couple picks to move up 7 or 8 spots would hurt a lot.

garygnu · #36 04-25-2009, 03:25 PM

Chiefs pick DE Tyson Jackson.

Wow. I saw it predicted, but it's still a reach.

Omniscient · #37 04-25-2009, 03:26 PM

What do you know, Peter King and Mel Kiper were right about Tyson Jackson going to the Chiefs at #3. Interesting move.

Now the Seahawks finally make it clear what they'll do. Crabtree? Sanchez? Curry? Monroe? Raji? Trade? I think a trade and the Jets or Skins come get Sanchez.

dalej42 · #38 04-25-2009, 03:29 PM

Still a lot of Boldin trade rumors flying around out here in Cardinal land. The Cards have their fingers crossed that Wells will fall to them.

Hamlet · #39 04-25-2009, 03:31 PM

I agree garygnu. Four and a half sacks tells me he's not going to be the dominate force a #3 pick should be. And, in my opinion, DE's in the 3-4 are there basically to get two guys to block him so that the stars (OLBs) can make plays. The effect of teams moving to a 3-4 is going to lead to a lot more reaches for players who "fit" the system with less emphasis on getting great football players. Which is fine as long as the Packers don't do it.

Although having Curry available makes things a lot more interesting for the Browns/Bungles/ and Seahawks.

garygnu · #40 04-25-2009, 03:31 PM

I had Jackson as #13 on my own board.

Would the Cardinals be willing to trade Boldin to the 49ers? I think he's certainly worth a 2nd and a 6th.

Hamlet · #41 04-25-2009, 03:33 PM

Yeah for the Seahawks. Great pick with JP gone. Curry/Tatupu will make things interesting in the NFL West.

garygnu · #42 04-25-2009, 03:33 PM

The Seahawks replace Julian Peterson with a guy that looks almost exactly like Julian Peterson.

Omniscient · #43 04-25-2009, 03:34 PM

The 'Hawks replace Peterson with the best player in the draft. Probably the right move. It's now official, no one is trading up for Sanchez. SenorBeef, you still with us?

I think the Brownies are going to grab Crabtree. Just a hunch, even though Raji is probably a smarter pick.

SenorBeef · #44 04-25-2009, 03:36 PM

Stgvdjjdhjdthf

Hamlet · #45 04-25-2009, 03:38 PM

Hey, whatta know, Mort is saying that someone should trade up to THIS pick to grab Sanchez.

Or were they simply playing a repeat of him saying the exact same thing in every prior pick.

garygnu · #46 04-25-2009, 03:39 PM

I have a feeling somebody good is going to fall to the 49ers at #10, but who? Crabtree?

Jules Andre · #47 04-25-2009, 03:39 PM

Trade! And the Jets on the clock! This is good times!

Hamlet · #48 04-25-2009, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Omniscient

The 'Hawks replace Peterson with the best player in the draft. Probably the right move. It's now official, no one is trading up for Sanchez. SenorBeef, you still with us?

I think the Brownies are going to grab Crabtree. Just a hunch, even though Raji is probably a smarter pick.

Woo Hoo, the Jets fuck up at the draft AGAIN!!!

This time the Brownies get the benefit of poor Jet drafting.