PhinfanBo1
Scout Team
To start out, a couple of notes. First of all, My Ranking (below) refers to the personal draft board that I take several months comprising beetween late January and late April. The number (ie 55) is the overall ranking of the player, among my 200 ranked players. The 2nd number (ie R3) is the players round value. This is what helps me determine what players are of good value at the positions they are selected, and it gives me my own way of interpreting the draft at its conclusion.
Second of all, I apolgize for this taking me such a long time to write up. I was having the time of my life with my wife down in South Beach, and I finally got around to it just now. Let me know what you guys think. .
Quick view
Best Selection: Wade Smith OT Memphis (I had Smith ranked as the number 5 Offensive Tackle in this draft, ahead of Wayne Hunter. I actually had a late 2nd to early 3rd round grade on this vastly underrated prospect.)
Worst Selection: Yeremiah Bell S Eastern Kentucky (Not a terrible pick, but he played against weak competition to begin with, isn't exactly my type of true safety, and its going to be real tough coming back from that injury)
Best Value: Taylor Whitley (This guy doesn't have a huge upside, but I think he's real NFL ready, rock solid, and a better prospect than Seth McKinney was last year. Guards always drop, but he had legitimate late 2nd round value.)
Worst value: Eddie Moore (I like the player a lot; but not this high. I understand the reasoning with the run on LB's, and some of the guys they wanted to stray away from at this pick, but Moore was a mid to late 3rd rounder on my board.)
Intriguing: Davern Williams DT Troy State (Seems like he fits our system, and he's real tough and strong.)
2003 Starters: Eddie Moore ("Sam" Linebacker)
Future starters: Wade Smith (Left Tackle), Taylor Whitley (Left or Right Guard)
"Good value" Picks: Wade Smith (65th on my board), Taylor Whitley (67th), Davern Williams (unranked, but after learning about him, I'd probably give him a 5th round grade with an upside)
Making the team: Eddie Moore, Wade Smith (backup LT), Taylor Whitley (backup Guard), Donald Lee TE Mississippi State (2nd TE), J.R Tolver WR San Diego State (4th WR), Davern Williams (4th DT)
*Practice Squad: Tim Provost, Corey Jenkins
Not making the cut: Yeremiah Bell
Pick by pick analysis
2)Eddie Moore OLB Tennessee (6-0 237 4.6 40) My ranking: 74, R3
I have to admit, I didn't like the value of this pick. Moore should've been drafted in the 3rd round, ideally, but you know what? If we wouldn't have drafted him where we did, he wouldn't have made it past the next few picks, with each team taking a LB. Anyway, I really like the player Eddie Moore. In addition to watching a lot of Vols games during the season, I have read up justa bout everything I can on this kid, and here's my initial read. He's obviously a speed guy, a real athletic linebacker. He wasn't a real sideline to sideline type guy with that system in Tennessee, but he was always flying all over the place, and he has what all LB's have; great instincts. This is exactly what Morlon Greenwood lacks, and that's what seperates players at that position. No false steps, reads the play well, and reacts in a hurry. The other thing is how fluid his hips are and his pure cover skills. That's what makes him perfect for lining up over the TE. He's a sound tackler, and a BIG hitter. Great special teamer. The 2 concerns, obviously, are the size and the injury history. Well, in our system, he's definetly plenty big enough, and he's a lot stronger and more tough than most players his size. The injuries have me worried but he's of good health now, he just needs to maintain this. He will play hurt though, he definetly proved that. I like the pick, I think he'll start from Day One over Greenwood who he is definetly an upgrade over, and he'll be a little bit more of an impact guy.
Grade (Prospect/Value): B-/C+
3) Wade Smith LT Memphis (6-4 298 5.1 40) My ranking: 65, R3
The fact that people had Wayne Hunter rated over Smith is exactly what bothers me about the NFL Draft. Hunter was a little bit more of a "name" and a guy that caught some hype, so many of us just assumed, as did many experts, that he was a better LT than the guy we got; some people even had Hunter with a first round grade, ridiculious. Here's the truth: Smith doesn't have quite the prototypical size that Hunter has, but he is just about 300 pounds with room to get bigger, and he's big enough. The biggest thing is that Smith is a much better athlete than Hunter is, not to mention the advantages Smith has in being more NFL ready, and technically sound. Smith has already shown the dedication to get bigger, stronger and work on his game. Hunter has been criticized in league circles for being a little on the lazy side. The Memphis tackle has exceptional feet, maybe the best in the draft, he slides and mirrors beautifully, and can reach the second level with ease. Hunter plays on his toes a lot, and while his 40 time is impressive he needs a lot of time to develop better footwork. Smith's best asset will be his ability to handle speed rushers. Not the biggest guy, like I said, but he plays with great leverage and he's got a strong hand punch in the running game. He looks a lot bigger than he measures also, but his size will keep him from starting until his 2nd year. He needs to get up to that 310 area to maximize his potential, but I think he immediately provides good depth behind Dixon, and is a quality young tackle to bring along. Here's the other reason why I like this pick so much: we were ready to give up next years 1st round, and this years 2nd and a 3rd to get up for Steinbach or Kwame Harris. Think about that, we would have been left with no 1st or 2nd round pick next year, as well as just 2 picks in the first 3 rounds this year. NOT WORTH IT. Stinchcomb was gone, that was it for "value" with the tackles.
Grade (Prospect/Value): B/B+
3) Taylor Whitley OG Texas A&M (6-4 321 5.25 40) My ranking: 67 R3
This might be my favorite selection because I honestly think this guy will at the very least, be a top, versatile backup on this line for a long time, and I could see him being a solid 10 year starter. He's NFL ready, coming in as a three year starter, he's very technically sound in both the run and pass blocking aspects. He's got good enough feet for guard, good leverage and aggression in the running game, and he's the type of player you want on your football team because of his character and toughness. Guards always drop, but this guy should have went higher. If he was a tackle with the same grade, he would be a early to mid 2nd round prospect. I could see him impressing early on to the point where they get rid of Todd Perry and stick him in, but I'm taking the safe bet and saying he will be a solid backup his first year in the league. I would feel comfortable with him in a game any time this season, that's how good I feel about this player.
Grade (Prospect/Value): B+/B+
5) Donald Lee TE Mississippi State 6-3 249 4.79 My ranking: 158, R5
I'm not sure about this pick yet; this guy is definetly intriguing but I have mixed feelings. The Dolphins are obviously high on his blocking skills, but I think he is mor eon the Randy McMichael level: a wall off type of decent blocker, just with a little more nastiness. His speed, like Randy's, doesn't time exceptionally well, but he's definetly a good runner, and he's got great leaping ability, that he showed off with a 39 inch vertical which is incredible for a TE. Obviously, he was underused at Miss State, and then he really impressed me with a great receving performance in the East West Shrine game, making some spectacular catches. He's pretty complete, but I need to see him up close and in person before I call him a good pick.
Grade (Prospect/Value): B-/B-
5) JR Tolver WR San Diego State (6-1 202 4.62) My Ranking: 122, R4
I liked this pick based on value, but its another "wait and see" move. Tolver is more explosive than his speed indicates, he's a great jumper, and he's got prototypical size and hands. Beyond that, I know very little about him except that he is a good character guy, and a super productive guy at SDS. We'll see.
Grade (Prospect/Value): C/B-
6) Corey Jenkins OLB South Carolina (6-0 225 4.57 40) My ranking: None
They saw something in this kid. He's got good size, real athletic, and he's another one of those high character guys. Boy he can hit too! A lot of talent, worth the risk of being a projection. Let's see what he can do, especially on Special Teams.
Grade (Prospect/Value): Unknown/C-
6) Tim Provost OT San Diego State (6-5 301 5.2) My Ranking: 184, R6
Could develop into a pretty decent right tackle, but he needs time. I actually like a lot of things about him; he's got a frame to grow into, he's got a lot of experience and has been very productive, and he'll work for you. I just want to see him get bigger, and stronger, and work on his fundamentals. Could land on the practice squad. A little on the average side in everything he does.
Grade (Prospect/Value): C/C
7) Davern Williams DT Troy State (6-3 300 5.3 40) My Ranking: None
I have to admit, I knew nothing about this player coming into the draft. Now that we have drafted him, I think we might have found a diamond in the rough, and he's the least talked about Day 2 pick that we have. This guy fits our system perfectly-like Moore; he has spent most of his time in a 4-3 using that big, super strong frame to take up blockers. Has a killer instinct, and a certain toughness to him. Experienced and productive, and he's gone against some quality football programs. I think he will be the 4th DT, and he has quite a bit of upside to him.
Grade (Prospect/Value): B-/B+
Overall, this was a solid draft. Like a lot of people, I wanted to see them get a game breaking WR, or move up for a top LT. But the price for the latter was way too high, and the former would have meant spending our top pick on a guy (Kelly Washington) who most people don't realize is one hit from being out of the NFL. He has Moss like talent, players like that slip for a reason. I like what we did, each of these kids has a good chance to come in here and make this football team. We actually got some players, who, if we weren't as good a football team as we are, could be starters. I think each of our top 4 picks would end up being starters on most football teams, or major contributors. Here, we'll have a couple guys jump out, and the rest provide quality depth. A good draft, for now, and for the future.
Final Grade : C+
Second of all, I apolgize for this taking me such a long time to write up. I was having the time of my life with my wife down in South Beach, and I finally got around to it just now. Let me know what you guys think. .
Quick view
Best Selection: Wade Smith OT Memphis (I had Smith ranked as the number 5 Offensive Tackle in this draft, ahead of Wayne Hunter. I actually had a late 2nd to early 3rd round grade on this vastly underrated prospect.)
Worst Selection: Yeremiah Bell S Eastern Kentucky (Not a terrible pick, but he played against weak competition to begin with, isn't exactly my type of true safety, and its going to be real tough coming back from that injury)
Best Value: Taylor Whitley (This guy doesn't have a huge upside, but I think he's real NFL ready, rock solid, and a better prospect than Seth McKinney was last year. Guards always drop, but he had legitimate late 2nd round value.)
Worst value: Eddie Moore (I like the player a lot; but not this high. I understand the reasoning with the run on LB's, and some of the guys they wanted to stray away from at this pick, but Moore was a mid to late 3rd rounder on my board.)
Intriguing: Davern Williams DT Troy State (Seems like he fits our system, and he's real tough and strong.)
2003 Starters: Eddie Moore ("Sam" Linebacker)
Future starters: Wade Smith (Left Tackle), Taylor Whitley (Left or Right Guard)
"Good value" Picks: Wade Smith (65th on my board), Taylor Whitley (67th), Davern Williams (unranked, but after learning about him, I'd probably give him a 5th round grade with an upside)
Making the team: Eddie Moore, Wade Smith (backup LT), Taylor Whitley (backup Guard), Donald Lee TE Mississippi State (2nd TE), J.R Tolver WR San Diego State (4th WR), Davern Williams (4th DT)
*Practice Squad: Tim Provost, Corey Jenkins
Not making the cut: Yeremiah Bell
Pick by pick analysis
2)Eddie Moore OLB Tennessee (6-0 237 4.6 40) My ranking: 74, R3
I have to admit, I didn't like the value of this pick. Moore should've been drafted in the 3rd round, ideally, but you know what? If we wouldn't have drafted him where we did, he wouldn't have made it past the next few picks, with each team taking a LB. Anyway, I really like the player Eddie Moore. In addition to watching a lot of Vols games during the season, I have read up justa bout everything I can on this kid, and here's my initial read. He's obviously a speed guy, a real athletic linebacker. He wasn't a real sideline to sideline type guy with that system in Tennessee, but he was always flying all over the place, and he has what all LB's have; great instincts. This is exactly what Morlon Greenwood lacks, and that's what seperates players at that position. No false steps, reads the play well, and reacts in a hurry. The other thing is how fluid his hips are and his pure cover skills. That's what makes him perfect for lining up over the TE. He's a sound tackler, and a BIG hitter. Great special teamer. The 2 concerns, obviously, are the size and the injury history. Well, in our system, he's definetly plenty big enough, and he's a lot stronger and more tough than most players his size. The injuries have me worried but he's of good health now, he just needs to maintain this. He will play hurt though, he definetly proved that. I like the pick, I think he'll start from Day One over Greenwood who he is definetly an upgrade over, and he'll be a little bit more of an impact guy.
Grade (Prospect/Value): B-/C+
3) Wade Smith LT Memphis (6-4 298 5.1 40) My ranking: 65, R3
The fact that people had Wayne Hunter rated over Smith is exactly what bothers me about the NFL Draft. Hunter was a little bit more of a "name" and a guy that caught some hype, so many of us just assumed, as did many experts, that he was a better LT than the guy we got; some people even had Hunter with a first round grade, ridiculious. Here's the truth: Smith doesn't have quite the prototypical size that Hunter has, but he is just about 300 pounds with room to get bigger, and he's big enough. The biggest thing is that Smith is a much better athlete than Hunter is, not to mention the advantages Smith has in being more NFL ready, and technically sound. Smith has already shown the dedication to get bigger, stronger and work on his game. Hunter has been criticized in league circles for being a little on the lazy side. The Memphis tackle has exceptional feet, maybe the best in the draft, he slides and mirrors beautifully, and can reach the second level with ease. Hunter plays on his toes a lot, and while his 40 time is impressive he needs a lot of time to develop better footwork. Smith's best asset will be his ability to handle speed rushers. Not the biggest guy, like I said, but he plays with great leverage and he's got a strong hand punch in the running game. He looks a lot bigger than he measures also, but his size will keep him from starting until his 2nd year. He needs to get up to that 310 area to maximize his potential, but I think he immediately provides good depth behind Dixon, and is a quality young tackle to bring along. Here's the other reason why I like this pick so much: we were ready to give up next years 1st round, and this years 2nd and a 3rd to get up for Steinbach or Kwame Harris. Think about that, we would have been left with no 1st or 2nd round pick next year, as well as just 2 picks in the first 3 rounds this year. NOT WORTH IT. Stinchcomb was gone, that was it for "value" with the tackles.
Grade (Prospect/Value): B/B+
3) Taylor Whitley OG Texas A&M (6-4 321 5.25 40) My ranking: 67 R3
This might be my favorite selection because I honestly think this guy will at the very least, be a top, versatile backup on this line for a long time, and I could see him being a solid 10 year starter. He's NFL ready, coming in as a three year starter, he's very technically sound in both the run and pass blocking aspects. He's got good enough feet for guard, good leverage and aggression in the running game, and he's the type of player you want on your football team because of his character and toughness. Guards always drop, but this guy should have went higher. If he was a tackle with the same grade, he would be a early to mid 2nd round prospect. I could see him impressing early on to the point where they get rid of Todd Perry and stick him in, but I'm taking the safe bet and saying he will be a solid backup his first year in the league. I would feel comfortable with him in a game any time this season, that's how good I feel about this player.
Grade (Prospect/Value): B+/B+
5) Donald Lee TE Mississippi State 6-3 249 4.79 My ranking: 158, R5
I'm not sure about this pick yet; this guy is definetly intriguing but I have mixed feelings. The Dolphins are obviously high on his blocking skills, but I think he is mor eon the Randy McMichael level: a wall off type of decent blocker, just with a little more nastiness. His speed, like Randy's, doesn't time exceptionally well, but he's definetly a good runner, and he's got great leaping ability, that he showed off with a 39 inch vertical which is incredible for a TE. Obviously, he was underused at Miss State, and then he really impressed me with a great receving performance in the East West Shrine game, making some spectacular catches. He's pretty complete, but I need to see him up close and in person before I call him a good pick.
Grade (Prospect/Value): B-/B-
5) JR Tolver WR San Diego State (6-1 202 4.62) My Ranking: 122, R4
I liked this pick based on value, but its another "wait and see" move. Tolver is more explosive than his speed indicates, he's a great jumper, and he's got prototypical size and hands. Beyond that, I know very little about him except that he is a good character guy, and a super productive guy at SDS. We'll see.
Grade (Prospect/Value): C/B-
6) Corey Jenkins OLB South Carolina (6-0 225 4.57 40) My ranking: None
They saw something in this kid. He's got good size, real athletic, and he's another one of those high character guys. Boy he can hit too! A lot of talent, worth the risk of being a projection. Let's see what he can do, especially on Special Teams.
Grade (Prospect/Value): Unknown/C-
6) Tim Provost OT San Diego State (6-5 301 5.2) My Ranking: 184, R6
Could develop into a pretty decent right tackle, but he needs time. I actually like a lot of things about him; he's got a frame to grow into, he's got a lot of experience and has been very productive, and he'll work for you. I just want to see him get bigger, and stronger, and work on his fundamentals. Could land on the practice squad. A little on the average side in everything he does.
Grade (Prospect/Value): C/C
7) Davern Williams DT Troy State (6-3 300 5.3 40) My Ranking: None
I have to admit, I knew nothing about this player coming into the draft. Now that we have drafted him, I think we might have found a diamond in the rough, and he's the least talked about Day 2 pick that we have. This guy fits our system perfectly-like Moore; he has spent most of his time in a 4-3 using that big, super strong frame to take up blockers. Has a killer instinct, and a certain toughness to him. Experienced and productive, and he's gone against some quality football programs. I think he will be the 4th DT, and he has quite a bit of upside to him.
Grade (Prospect/Value): B-/B+
Overall, this was a solid draft. Like a lot of people, I wanted to see them get a game breaking WR, or move up for a top LT. But the price for the latter was way too high, and the former would have meant spending our top pick on a guy (Kelly Washington) who most people don't realize is one hit from being out of the NFL. He has Moss like talent, players like that slip for a reason. I like what we did, each of these kids has a good chance to come in here and make this football team. We actually got some players, who, if we weren't as good a football team as we are, could be starters. I think each of our top 4 picks would end up being starters on most football teams, or major contributors. Here, we'll have a couple guys jump out, and the rest provide quality depth. A good draft, for now, and for the future.
Final Grade : C+