Well the one reason is EGO, he came across as way too cocky. Reminiscent of a a guy named Leaf. Combine that with the Tedford factor, you shouldn’t be surprised. I think the Tedford thing is crap, but when the teams in the top 5 (the only ones with need at QB really) have a dozen other needs and question your character…good bye.
The Pats already have two first-round TEs on their roster from the past two drafts… then again, they weren’t supposed to take a TE last year and they did. If they didn’t continually find new ways to surprise, I’d assure you that the first pick is going to be a CB or LB.
Not sure it’s going to become a point, though - I can’t imagine Pitt passing on Miller if he’s still there. That looks like the perfect fit to me.
In other news, to make Omni’s day even worse, Hawkins blew another at about the same time the Cards were walking off with a 1-0 victory behind a 10 inning CG from Mulder in which he only threw 104 (!) pitches. Care to let me know who the next Cubs closer will be so I can pick him up in our fantasy league? 
Actually, I think it’s a good trade regardless. Remember, it’s not just Jolley, it’s Jolley plus the 47th overall pick. Those mid-second rounders are excellent picks becuase of the quality of players compared to the cost of their rookie contracts.
See, there we go, as the Pats take Logan Mankins of Fresno St. They needed a replacement for Andruzzi in the keeping Brady and Dillon happy department, and apparently decided that his attitude and flexibility made him the right pick. I imagine they tried to trade down half a round or so, since he has been valued as a mid second to early third round pick, but they probably couldn’t, and something made them believe he wouldn’t be there at the end of round 2. Fills a need, and even if he isn’t the highest rated guard on most boards, they obviously see something in him. Plus, there’s always the bonus of the ESPN analysts looking clueless for about 15 seconds while they get the info on someone they didn’t expect
As a Vikes fan, I’ll be holding my breath for a couple years to see how Williamson turns out. I should be scared that Detroit picked up Williams, since we have to see them twice a year, but as long as they have the worlds worst QB, I’m okay with it. This draft will haunt me two years from now, facing Aaron Rogers after Bret retires and facing Williams when Detroit finally gets someone, anyone, other than Harrington.
I dunno. I guess Williamson fits better because of his speed. Now that we’ve lost Moss, defenses will play us 8 in the box to stop our run. That’s a wonderful thing to do against teams with no passing game and no QB. But with Daunte at QB, it makes sense to make teams pay if they try 8 in the box. The kid has some speed, sure, but does he have the hands for the NFL? I know Williams does. I dunno if Williamson does.
Then we miss out by one spot on the RDE I covetted, Pollack, and get an injury prone Erasmus James. James is great when he’s healthy, but he’s been hurt alot.
The Jets took kicker Mike Nugent awfully high.
They still got the CB they wanted with their next pick, though, so it actually worked out pretty well for them, since Minnesota was said to be interested in Nugent. I think the Jets actually did pretty decent today considering they had no first rounder.
How about the Clarett bombshell at the end of the third? I think that has to be pretty automatic as biggest surprise of the day, given how everyone (except Denver, apparently) was ranking him.
You should see the Denver message boards. The general reaction seems to be that it was a questionable move at best and that Denver would have been better off taking a punter for one of those CBs or Clarett. Seriously, Denver needs a good punter and what are they going to do with all those CBs? Convert some of them to safeties and nickle backs?
Late getting to the thread, just popping in to comment on the Packer’s draft so far.
I knew Ted Thompson coming back was going to be good.
Rodgers: I did a double take. I figured he’d go top-10 and GB would look for a DE to immediately help out KGB in pass-rushing. Needless to say I love this pick. For the past few years I’ve assumed Nall was the future and felt OK about it. He’s a quality QB for the NFL. Then we picked up Sullivan from NO and I started thinking they were looking for someone else. So maybe Nall is destined for trade-bait or Pederson’s role. I’m so pumped getting a good QB in the first round. And he’ll have 1 or 2 years at least to study under Favre. Rating: Very happy.
Nick Collins: I have to admit I never heard of him until now. I’ve been researching his college carreer and can say I’m not very nervous about this pick. With a need at Safety, I like his size and speed. For a DB 5’11" and 206# he’s pretty well sized. The thing keeping me from dancing in the streets is that he’s coming out of I-AA. Not a bad thing in many cases. My concern is that I hope he’s a smart, common sense guy who realizes the bigger jump he’s making to the NFL than that of I-A guys. Of course, the huge chip on his shoulder coming from I-AA may be the fire he needs to make a name for himself in the league.
Terrence Murphy: I really have no idea about this guy. No sense of what to think of him. What I see is a KR of average ability, but could be very versatile. He’s also played QB, but in HS. I suspect he’s likely to return kicks, but I can see him being a threat in trick plays. Either as a passer or rusher. Generally Thompson won’t take a guy if he can’t contribute to a win, but I just don’t know enough about this kid to make a concrete decision.
The hell with vertical jump height and 40 times…hips are it!
The Packers got a safety and this is from his bio: Shows some looseness in his hips, turning fluidly coming out of his backpedal…
I don’t know Duffer, Rodgers might be a steal, but the two others we’ll have to wait on.
Apparently, this is the proper range for Pack fans to check in, I’ll make three in a row.
I was surprised and very happy that Rodgers slipped down to 24, this will be a great opportunity for him to spend a season or two studying, instead of having someone thrown in the fire.
I still haven’t seen much about Nick Collins, but the size and speed seem solid, and he must be doing something right to move up to the second round.
I have seen Murphy play, and I think he is a real bargain in the third. His size isn’t great, but that really doesn’t seem to matter in the pack’s system. What will really help him in the system is his that he runs smart and precise routes, will be where the QB expects him to be.
Aree there any Bengals fans out there? Since it’s my hometown team, I follow them too. I would have rather them take Marcus Spears in the 1st instead of Pollack, I like his bulk better to stop the run, but Thurman in the second, Henry in the third, and Ghiaciuc in the 4th are all needs and values for their spot taken in the draft.
I’ll be glad to…I’ll enjoy watching your ERA and TB stats bloom.
Realy like that Anthony Davis pick, he’ll be a excellent fit in Indy and anyone who watched him play week-in-week-out knows how he can flat out dominate. Obvious health concerns, but this guy is every bit as dominating as Frank Gore was against better defensive teams. Might be the steal of the draft so far.
Also, let me be the first to say that here’s to hoping the Rodgers-Leaf comparisons are true.
Some general thoughts:
Best First Round Pick - Aaron Rogers at 24. Of course, I’m not biased at all.
Worst First Round Pick- Troy Williamson. I’m always happy to see the Vikes fuck it up.
Risky, surprising pick: Frank Gore. Sometimes it’s OK to give up on a guy. Picking him before Barber, Faison, Moats, Morency, Pearman, and Sproles was just plain silly.
The pick that made me laugh out loud: Mike Nugent in the second round. Ahhh, you can always count on the Jets for a good laugh during the draft.
The stupidest pick of all stupid picks: Maurice Clarett in the third round. That guy has PATHETIC tattooed on his fucking forehead. And his arm. And his back. And his momma’s back too.
Thing Omni is right about: Ronnie Brown is really good. Johnson going to the Chiefs will prove to be a huge step in the right direction for them. Anthony Davis was a great pick, with incredible value and upside.
Things Omni is wrong about: Cedric Benson was a great pick for the Bears. He’ll be a solid running back for years to come, and is a great pick to complement the perennially overrated Thomas Jones. Actually Jones will be complementing him.
Things Omni is horribly wrong about: Matt Jones. Overrated athlete who has no position to play, and no reason, besides hype, to be taken in the first round. While he is an impressive specimen, he’s a athlete in search of a position. Unless they plan on changing their whole offense to suit him (and he ain’t that good), he’ll get lost in the shuffle. It is possible he’ll be a Antonio Gates type player, I just don’t see it happening. The Jags will rue the day they took him over Clayton.
Since I spent Draft Days with almost all Viking fans, my thoughts on their draft:
Williamson was a dumb, dumb pick. Worst pick of the draft, possibly. BUT, after that, they did outstandingly well. Having E. James fall into their lap was lucky, but they knew well enough to take him. M. Johnson is a big guy who could quickly develop into a solid starter for a long time. Fox has a great head for the game, and Ward could develop. But the best pick was getting Faison. I’m surprised he fell so far. Although their first round put them in a huge hole, I think the Vikes just may be coming out ahead of the game.
And now, for the real information:
PACKERS:
Overall, it was a huge roller coaster. I’d waver between thrilled to angry to confused, to pleasantly optimistic. Which is a nice way to spend Draft days.
Aaron Rodgers: I loved getting Rodgers with the 24th pick. I’m still not sure why he fell so far, but I’m damn glad he did. If it was ego, a later draft pick and sitting behind Favre will certainly help straighten him out. I put no weight in the over analysis of this holding the ball near his ear, or the Tedford curse. It’s great to get a franchise QB on the cheap. I was thrilled with this pick. Grade: A.
Nick Collins: What. The. Fuck. Some no name from a small school with questionable experience taken with the 51st pick? I know he’s supposedly got the speed and size they like and he’s versatile enough to play both safety and corner back, but for the love of god, what were they thinking taking him so soon. I’d be thrilled to have him in the 6th, even the 5th round, which was the highest I’d seen him projected, but there is no way in hell he’s the 51st best prospect and no way in hell they shouldn’t have waited to pick up this guy. They fucked up by not getting Dan Cody or Channing Crowder here and waiting to get this developmental project later. Grade: D.
Terrence Murphy: I’m content again. Watching how the Pack suffered through injuries in the wide receiver corp late last year and previously, I’m happy to get another good, solid player. He’ll be a great KR and a fine #4, and he could develop into a very solid #2 WR. Although I was pissed they didn’t fill a more important need, such as DE or CB (I liked Tuck or Green), if he can hold onto the ball, I think this was a good, solid pick that will help the Pack on special teams immediately. Grade: C+.
Marviel Underwood, S + Brady Poppinga: I was concerned when the Pack traded out of the third round to pick up an additional pick, but I like the two guys they got in the fourth. Still, though I would’ve preferred getting Blackstock in the third. Underwood is another versatile CB/S with great speed and athleticism. I’m concerned about his smarts and ability to play the zone, but, if he can learn the system, he could be a solid starter in three years. Poppinga is a nice, but limited pick. He’s a can do type of guy who isn’t going to stun you with his athleticism, but he plays smart and hard. I don’t think he’ll really develop into much and he maybe under-skilled for the NFL, but I like his intangibles. All told, I like both these picks. Grade: B.
Junius Coston C/G, Michael Hawkins, Arena League. I was hoping to get Grigsby or A. Hawthorne in this round, but, oh well. I really like Coston, though I’m convinced Hawkins will be a bust. Coston is another small school project who, I think, will take well to coaching and, if he gives it some effort, could be a great pick. He can play either C or G, which is nice, but he needs to develop a mean streak if he wants to replace Clifton or Tauscher. Hawkins is a highly athletic, talented player is terribly raw and doesn’t have the mental toughness to make it in the NFL. He’s got all the measurables, but none of the heart or head stuff he needs to succeed. Here’s hoping I’m wrong about him. Grade: C.
Mike Montgomery DE, Craig Bragg, WR: I was pissed that the Pack traded down and let Oakland grab A. Hawthorne. You smoke a little pot and you drop 4 rounds. They really should’ve scooped him up, because his talent level and production were well worth taking a chance on in the 6th round. Dummies. However, I like the guys we did get. Montgomery scared some people off with his heart problems, but, if he’s healthy, I think he could be a great steal. He does need some training in his technique, and he is a bit of a ‘tweener, but I think he could develop into a solid starter for the Pack. Which is great for a 6th rounder. And Craig Bragg is outstanding pick here. He’s another guy who could easily step in and be a contributor on the team. He’ll never be a star, but his production is great and he could very well help this year as a possession receiver and could develop into a solid #2. Although the Pack passed on a big, run stuffing chunk o’ man to help on the DL, they got a couple of prospects who could become starters. Grade A/F - so we’ll call it a B-.
Kurt Campbell, S: Huh? Who? Grade: ?
Will Whitticker, G: Hey, I’ve heard of him. He’s that guard from Michigan State right? Good enough for me: Grade: C.
I only hope that we can get Omni to save this thread and, in a couple years, I can come back and gloat about how right I was. Or not. Either way, I love the NFL draft!!!
Well, I’ve not been paying too much attention to this draft. I’m slowly coming to loathe both Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen, but I expect them to be gone after the coming 4 or fewer wins this season, so I hope they’re at least putting things in order for the future. But it’s been painfully difficult to follow the draft on ESPN. They seem to cut out to commercial just as they’re about to show something about the Bucs, then they come back and it’s all about Tennessee or someone else.
So, can anyone tell me how we’ve done?
But Oakland is like a nature preserve for headcases and individuals with questionable character. It’s only fitting that he goes to Oakland where he can romp and play in an atmosphere tailored to him.
I didn’t follow the Buc’s draft much, but it seems they did fine. They got a potential franchise running back in Cadillac Williams, the second best TE in the draft win Alex Smith, a solid, but unspectacular LB in Barret Ruud (a bit of a reach in the 2nd round), a potentially impressive JuCo player, and a bunch of nice, if questionable prospects. Plus you got some guys with cool names like Hamza and Razzano. All in all, a middle of the pack draft class with Cadillac having the potential to be a stud. Of course that happens when you get to draft 5th because your team sucked last year.
You said it. I was at my buddy’s house for gamer night by the time they got to the 70s, and since both the Jersey teams were picking in the seventies, we took a break from Madden to catch up.
The moment we turned to the tv, it was the beginning of the blooper reel showing all the boneheaded picks Gang Green has made over the years. My favorite was probably the one with all the fans chanting/shouting “SAPP! SAPP! SAPP!” and then the Jets picked some schmoe.
At this point the Jets fan in the room started to get a bit worried, so we rewound the Tivo to find out…a kicker!!! Bwahahahahahaa!!! Funniest goddamn pick ever. Well, the Jets did have a minor kicking issue last year. hehheh.
I’m happy with the Giants picks overall. CB Corey Webster already looks better than Will Allen, who will likely be with us only one more year. DE Justin Tuck looks okay, and despite RB Brandon Jacobs looking iffey, (much too tall, too heavy, too easily tackled, can’t move the pile), I love his attitude:
“Short yardage, long yardage, whatever the situation maybe, I just want to get the job done,” Jacobs said. “I was just talking to someone and they said, ‘The Giants haven’t been able to get a third-and-1 in a long time.’ So this will stop finally because I will not be denied one yard.”
Oh man, that’s music to a Giants fan’s ears. Hearing our short yardage back say “I will not be denied one yard” damn near brings a tear to my eye.
The last pick, DE Eric Moore, I’m not much concerned with, although it’s nice to have another end, where we only had two warm bodies. I tend to suspect he was drafted because they didn’t want Tuck to be the only guy on the team with a single-digit wonderlick score. sigh
Hey, I really hope you’re right about Benson. I honestly do. But, in the meantime you’ll see me in that stands at Soldier Field holding up a sign comparing the stats of Benson vs M. Williams with a call for Angelo’s head on a stick. I’ll be happy to be wrong.
Tell me this though, even if Benson is a probowl back, are you telling me they wouldn’t have been better of getting M. Williams at #4 and a guy like Arrington, Shelton, Fason or Barber III with one of those later picks? Hell, Thomas Jones is plenty servicable and coupled with a beast like Shelton would have made for a really nice tandem. The difference between M. Williams and M Bradley is about 400% of the difference between Benson and Shelton/Arrington.
The only justification is if they were convinced that somehow one of the mid-level guys (Williamson, Clayton) would slip to the top of the second round, really stupid if they thought this. Or if they were really targeting this guy for some reason. I certainly hope not since he’s not clearly better than Terrance Murphy, a guy I’d have prefered.
WR was a much shallower position this year than RB, so you should have taken the WR at #4, no brainer.
Idiotic, Benson will have to be a Tomlinson/Alexander/McAllister caliber back right away to justify this.
The interesting pick to me is Orton, I’m a little torn on the guy. Certainly has a lot of potential, and if he translates into the NFL the way Brees did he could be a nice value here. However he played in shotgun for 80% of his snaps in college, something the Bears never do. In any case, you can expct this to create a slower learning curve…likely a big reason Brees took so long to blossom. He does have all the tools though.
In the end though, I’d have prefered LeFors or Orlovsky. Especially Orlovsky a couple rounds later, Detroit got a steal taking him there and the pressure is surely on Harrington. Hope I’m wrong here, but it’s tough to know what the guy has upstairs and perhaps Orton has what it takes.
In the end, I really wish the Bears had the draft class the Lions have.
sigh