Boomer,

[DrAstroZoom]

I change my mind daily, but I have to say that I have just watched 2 old Auburn games and Carnell has some serious game. I think he'd be a stunning addition to this squad.

As would Mike Williams.

And Braylon.

And Ronnie Brown.....I'm so torn.

But no love for Alex Smith? Beefy beefy swine!

I could be happy with any of those guys.

 

[KB21]

I think it's just a little bit of a lot of things that makes me uneasy about him. The fact that he's carried the ball alot, even more than record-breaking Ricky did, worries me. I'm afraid that he'll be another Eddie George and be washed up by age 28 or so.

He didn't seem to have good games against the top teams he faced like Ricky did. Nor is he on Ricky's level as a back and athlete. Maybe I'm just spoiled from that 2002 season. But Ricky came out a much higher prospect than Benson.

Character is also a concern. I don't know the guy from a sack of coal (that's me buying in. lol). But after being burned by previously by a flaky guy (albiet an unbalanced one), I'm treading lightly when that word gets thrown around again. On the other hand you have Brown and Caddy getting glowing praise for their personality, attitude and work ethic. Perhaps if we were getting good reports on Benson, I'd breathe a little easier. But his stock only seems to be dropping, whereas Brown and Williams' stock keeps climbing.

I feel like Benson is probably going to be a better back than Brown, who has all the measureables but isn't elusive and apparently lacks vision. I just want the draft to get here already so I can stop worrying about it. lol

From talking to people associated with the Tea Sippers' program, Cedric Benson is not a flake like Ricky Williams. He does not have abnormal neurochemistry or a social anxiety disorder that will eventually make him go off the deep end. He is known to smoke a little weed though, but I'd venture to say 75% of the NFL does. (Gosh, I sound like a liberal! Yuck!)

I don't believe he will fiz out like Eddie George did. Eddie is an upright runner. He took a lot of hits due to his upright style. Benson runs with great body lean, and while he is a punishing runner, he doesn't seem to absorb the hits like an upright runner does.

I personaly feel that using the amount of carries against him is as ridiculous as using a lack of carries against Ronnie Brown. The fact is, if you have started for four years, you are going to carry the ball a lot.

 

[FIN-IN-RI]

I change my mind daily, but I have to say that I have just watched 2 old Auburn games and Carnell has some serious game. I think he'd be a stunning addition to this squad.

As would Mike Williams.

And Braylon.

And Ronnie Brown.....I'm so torn.

I feel your pain!

 

[Boomer]

But no love for Alex Smith? Beefy beefy swine!

I could be happy with any of those guys.

I do like him, but I'm realistic enough to know that in today's NFL you can't use a 1st rounder and a 2nd rounder on a QB and expect to win anytime soon when you have holes on the OL, at TB, at DT and in the secondary. I want a guy that will line up and smack someone in the face in week 1 and still be doing it come SB sunday.

 

[Boomer]

I feel your pain!

Awful isn't it.

 

[KB21]

I do like him, but I'm realistic enough to know that in today's NFL you can't use a 1st rounder and a 2nd rounder on a QB and expect to win anytime soon when you have holes on the OL, at TB, at DT and in the secondary. I want a guy that will line up and smack someone in the face in week 1 and still be doing it come SB sunday.

You also can't expect to win when you have nothing at the quarterback position. If I were completely sold on Alex Smith/Aaron Rodgers, then there would be no question that I would take one of them. There is simply too much doubt surrounding AJ at this point to pass on taking a quarterback, if you are completely sold on that quarterback.

 

[Boomer]

You also can't expect to win when you have nothing at the quarterback position. If I were completely sold on Alex Smith/Aaron Rodgers, then there would be no question that I would take one of them. There is simply too much doubt surrounding AJ at this point to pass on taking a quarterback, if you are completely sold on that quarterback.

But surely you agree that we don't know enough about AJ to justify using the 2nd overall pick? I know your argument about "franchise passers", but what if AJ turns next season into a nice looking player? We still don't have the TB, OL, DT, DB help that we are crying out for. But we do have a QB that is carrying a clip board, wearing a visor and taking up plenty plenty cash.

 

[fin-atic]

First of all great disicussion. Its nice to see this in here instead of out where the idiots can run rampant with it.

My $.02 worth:

I think we need a back, unless RW is returning which I highly doubt.

I think it will be Brown or Benson, unless we trade out which is a 50/50 prospect.

Brown, good athlete and fast. Good hands. Not the shifty type, and will need the holes to get the yards, but if he has a seam he can run.

Benson. Benson is simply a feature back. He wants the rock, he carries it a lot. Very quick feet and can create yardage and find cut back lanes and get to them, and he is powerful. Although hands are not as good as Browns, he still is rated as a"good" pass catcher.

So where I land on it is this:

We need a back to take pressure of of the QB position until AJ proves he can learn the new system. We really important in a new offense. We also need a back who can help us manage games by protecting the lead later in the game. So if I have to choose between a good runner, with great hands or a great runner with good hands, I take the runner. I pick Benson.

As far as the character stuff goes, it is a bucnh of hogwash. The rap on Marino was that he liked to burn a litte grass, he turned out okay. He has nothing really serious hanging on him. As far as idolizing RW, didn't we all until he burnt us?

Benson is a man, and he is his own man. To think he wants to be a head case on purpose because of RW is just wrong.

Finally, I think we are really going to be in good shape whomever we land. Benson, Brown, Edwards it doesn't matter because it will be better than what we have. I am going to trust Saban and the brain trust until they give me reason not to trust them.

I am very anxiously waiting for the draft.

 

[fin-atic]

But surely you agree that we don't know enough about AJ to justify using the 2nd overall pick? I know your argument about "franchise passers", but what if AJ turns next season into a nice looking player? We still don't have the TB, OL, DT, DB help that we are crying out for. But we do have a QB that is carrying a clip board, wearing a visor and taking up plenty plenty cash.

Good points here. I think also many draft experts really do not rank this QB class that high. As always as you get closer to the draft everyone gets a little mooney eyed, but at seasons end no one was really talking about how great Rodgers and Smith are. Once the media wheels get goign they can even sell a Ryan Leaf, Jim Drunkenmiller or Akili Smith as the next great franchise QB.

I have as much faith in AJ as any of those guys at this point. I know AJ can win games, I know he has a cannon of an arm, and I think he has great leadership. He has made some mental mistakes, and he is virtually a rookie playing in a horrible offense.

I draft RB and pick up Frye or Orton later for my QB concerns.

 

[ckparrothead]

I think Aaron Rodgers will be an awesome pro, but I am a little more worried that Alex Smith is being hyped too much based on intelligence that often times makes the guy a better coaching prospect than quarterback prospect. Smarter for QBs does not equal better. It's a lot like height. You like your QB's to be of a nice good height, say 6'4" or 6'5", but that doesn't mean a guy who is 6'7" or 6'8" is all the more coveted. That's not to say that I feel a guy should be knocked for his intelligence, I'm just saying that what would happen to his draft stock if he were of average intelligence? It would plummet. I feel a certain number of factors swirled together to make for Alex Smith being considered a possible #1 pick in the draft.

1. This QB situation WAS a two-horse race. But those horses were Aaron Rodgers and Matt Leinart. Then Rodgers team, lacking a healthy receiver with much college experience, took a bit of a downturn toward the bowl games, while Matt Leinart lit up the national championship game with pretty good, but not excellent passes. At this time, Alex Smith was rising, definitely a fast riser, but when I say fast riser, I mean like, rising from Round 2 to the middle of Round 1.

2. Matt Leinart declares that he's going BACK to USC. All the sudden, is this a one-horse race again? Should be, but teams like two-horse races in the draft. Alex Smith is a fast riser, why not toss him up against Rodgers?

3. Because of Phil Rivers syndrome. Phil Rivers has to be one of the most meteoric QB risers and controversial QB picks I've seen. Most scouts didn't even have him being a 1st round pick before the Senior Bowl. But all he does is win games. All Tom Brady does is win games, he won't flash you a bunch of draft skills. All Alex Smith does is win games...but why did his team win those games? I know the Gators think they've got themselves a goooood coach down there in Gainesville....

I think the Alex Smith situation has always been more hype than anything else. Everything about it screams of hype to me...from the circumstances under which he ended up being considered along side Aaron Rodgers, to his pro day workout that supposedly got a "standing ovation" which hasn't happened since....ever. If his pro day was so convincing, the best pro day since Troy Aikman, why is it that so many teams, including the 49ers and Phins, want to get another look? During that workout, Smith tossed the out-route to WRs who weren't running at full speed, and threw balls that some scouts have reported would have been batted down or intercepted in the pros. Is it any wonder that the 49ers brought Arnaz Battle and Brandon Lloyd out to Utah with them to work out with Smith?

The reasons are stacking. I semi-believe Boomoer when he says Scott McGloughan is in love with Smith, and will end up making him the #1 pick. But, I think a good mixture of hype has led to Smith's meteoric rise.

It's not that I believe Smith will be a bust, the next Ryan Leaf or Jim Druckenmiller or Heath Shuler. I just think he has been rising lately for all the wrong reasons. Meanwhile, Rodgers has been sinking for all the wrong reasons, namely his connection to Jeff Tedford, who coached the likes of Kyle Boller, Akili Smith, AJ Feeley, and Joey Harrington.

Rodgers had his best season under Tedford when Tedford did something uncharacteristic...had his runningbacks run the ball more than his quarterbacks threw it. At least, I've always thought of that being very uncharacteristic for Tedford.

 

[KB21]

But surely you agree that we don't know enough about AJ to justify using the 2nd overall pick? I know your argument about "franchise passers", but what if AJ turns next season into a nice looking player? We still don't have the TB, OL, DT, DB help that we are crying out for. But we do have a QB that is carrying a clip board, wearing a visor and taking up plenty plenty cash.

I'm more worried about what will happen if we pass on a QB AND AJ DOESN'T prove to be that guy. You know as well as I do that the quarterback crop is barren over the next couple of years. The best prospects at the college level, outside of Leinart, are freshmen. Chad Henne and Erik Ainge.

I'd much rather draft a QB and have AJ play extremely well than to pass on a QB and have nothing a year from now.

 

[Boomer]

I'm more worried about what will happen if we pass on a QB AND AJ DOESN'T prove to be that guy. You know as well as I do that the quarterback crop is barren over the next couple of years. The best prospects at the college level, outside of Leinart, are freshmen. Chad Henne and Erik Ainge.

I'd much rather draft a QB and have AJ play extremely well than to pass on a QB and have nothing a year from now.

Yeah but that's the price you pay. You can't know the future. I don't believe that you can handcuff the team with 2 players that essentially used up the 2nd and 34th picks in the 2005 draft. We can't afford that.

 

[phunwin]

I'm more worried about what will happen if we pass on a QB AND AJ DOESN'T prove to be that guy. You know as well as I do that the quarterback crop is barren over the next couple of years. The best prospects at the college level, outside of Leinart, are freshmen. Chad Henne and Erik Ainge.

I'd much rather draft a QB and have AJ play extremely well than to pass on a QB and have nothing a year from now.

Speaking of (and I know this is off topic), but do Kyle Wright and Kirby Freeman have any pro prospects, or is it too soon to tell?

Also, what about Chris Leak? Is it just height that's an issue, or does he lack the requisite arm strength, too?

 

[KB21]

Speaking of (and I know this is off topic), but do Kyle Wright and Kirby Freeman have any pro prospects, or is it too soon to tell?

Also, what about Chris Leak? Is it just height that's an issue, or does he lack the requisite arm strength, too?

It's too early to tell for Kyle wright and Kirby freeman. Chris Leak definitely has a size disadvantage. They list him at 6'0", but I think he's closer ot 5'10".

 

[KB21]

Yeah but that's the price you pay. You can't know the future. I don't believe that you can handcuff the team with 2 players that essentially used up the 2nd and 34th picks in the 2005 draft. We can't afford that.

I think there is a difference between possibly handcuffing the team now and pissing the future away by making the wrong decision at the quarterback position.

The quarterback position is the one position where, if you make a bad decision on who plays there, it doesn't matter who you have around him. See Jay Fiedler. Dave Wannstedt's critical mistake was hitching his career to Jay Fiedler. I'd hate to see Nick Saban make the same mistake with AJ Feeley.