The Tweeners:
St. Louis? – I was close to putting these guys in the L column. What held me back was the overwhelming promise and potential Chris Long carries with him. Long has all the fundamentals down and is a balanced rusher. He lacks elite speed or strength, but he is a smart rusher who can run sideline to sideline. Simply a pure football player. Adding to that, I think the Rams got steals in CB Justin King out of Penn State and WR Keenan Burton out of Kentucky, both taken in the 4th. The Rams don’t have to overpay either of the two, allowing a grace period where the two can be groomed into elite players at the next level. Both have the potential, but only time will tell. However, what knocks the Rams down are their other choices. WR Donnie Avery in the second round? I think there were a few other winners available here at the same position. Avery has elite mobility and speed, but there are too many question marks. OT John Greco won’t make an immediate impact, and neither will OG Roy Schuening. LB’s Chris Chamberlain and David Vobora are excellent options in the seventh round. Both have assets of their own, and can be developed over time.
Atlanta? – Is Matt Ryan the answer at quarterback? That is the major question here. I do not doubt his physical skills as a passer nor his playmaking ability in the clutch (a la at Virginia Tech), but he simply threw too many INTs in college to make me believe in him as an NFL kind of guy. 31 touchdowns is an impressive number in the ACC, but 19 interceptions is just average at best. Sam Baker should pan out, but he needs to develop his run blocking skills. WR Harry Douglas out of Louisville is quick and a great route runner, but he doesn’t have the top end speed to run away from DB’s. I also obviously like the selection of hometown player Thomas Brown for his quickness, agility, and raw power, but does he have the durability to play in the NFL? Questions like these also hold true for the rest of the players taken. Will Curtis Lofton continue to overcome his size to be an effective linebacker? Will Chevis Jackson’s experience as an SEC corner be adequate enough to overcome his lack of elite speed? Will Kroy Biermann make a smooth transition to OLB from defensive end? There are just too many questions you could ask about this draft class. But in the end, you cannot be measured until there are results.
Cincinnati? –
1 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Josh Millan about 1 year ago
I think Buffalo and New England stand out here as two teams who rank a little above the tweener set. Both teams addressed needs and a did a good job doing it. In the case of Buffalo, McKelvin should be a solid player at the next level and Hardy, while he does not possess elite speed, should be a target for Trent Edwards in the red zone with his size and ability to catch balls in traffic. He is a good WR opposite Lee Evans.
New England needed to address problems on the defensive side of the ball and they did. The thing with NE is that they do not need elite players, only players who can learn to play the Bill Belichick system of football. With Mayo, Crable, and Ruud plus the CB's I think this is what they got. I understand how you feel about the Kevin O'Connell pick but what I think is missed is the potential for this kid to be traded on down the road. Being from the San Diego area I have seen him play and I can say he is solid in the pocket and is not easily flustered. Those two qualities can help greatly in the NFL. Matt Schaub was a full-time backup and became a starter through a trade. I could see the same thing happen for O'Connell.
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