I would like to hear more opinions of CK and Boomer about our draft plans.

[CANDolphan]

Your posts are always top notch, CK, and you find ways of saying things that I can't seem to find the words for. Out of all the forums I'm a member of, and even the one I "write" for, I find you and Boomer to not be the most knowledgeable or most intelligent, but the ones who express what they mean with the most grace and ease. Thanks for taking the time to post all of it.

 

[jim1]

1. Chris Long played from an up position a LOT more than you are giving him credit for. He did so more than Vernon Gholston or just about any of the other potential conversion players.

2. Consistent top end pass rushers are among the hardest players to find in all of football, and among the most valuable.

3. Chris Long did have good years prior to his senior year. He had a total of 70 QB pressures from 2005 to 2007. Just because he didn't sack the quarterback as often doesn't make them bad years. How often does Richard Seymour sack the quarterback, from the same type of position?

4. As rafael said, picking a position over a player is among the WORST methods of rebuilding a team that is in bad need of TALENT. Guess what, we've got holes everywhere. You can maybe afford to pick a position over a talent if you're closer to championship caliber...but we're not even close.

So if we had signed Calvin Pace who would you draft #1 overall?

I still see a risk in Chris Long in terms of a position switch, even though he played up a lot. How much of a strength or weakness will he be in coverage? I just don't see, in the spirit of your quantification versus qualification issues, how Jake Long is a reach over Chris Long, and it wouldn't surprise me in the least if we picked Jake Long. BP may prefer to draft defense higher, but the cupboard is bare at OT, and some drafniks of merit see great value in Jake Long, superior to Chris Long, which eliminates at least from that perspective the quantification dilemma:

Scott Wright's Top 32 Prospects for the 2008 NFL Draft Player Class Position School

1. Darren McFadden JR RB Arkansas Elite talent who is destined to become one of the league's top rushers.

2. Jake Long SR OT Michigan A left tackle who is not quite Joe Thomas but is better than Levi Brown.

3. Chris Long SR DE Virginia Technician who plays the run and pass and has an unparalleled motor.

4. Glenn Dorsey SR DT L.S.U. Simply one of the best defensive tackle prospects we've seen in years.

5. Vernon Gholston JR DE Ohio St. Versatile pass rusher extraordinaire and also a rare physical specimen

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/sub/rankings.html

p.s. where's Boomer, would love to hear more of his opinions on all of the players.

 

[joeydolfan]

Chilo Rachal?

Hi ck,

I have been reading all the posts on the upcoming draft and have not really seen anyone mention Chilo Rachal the big guard from USC. Looking at him during the combine it appeared he had no neck and a similar bulked up physique to Athyba Rubin from Iowa State.

Any opinion on Chilo and whether or not we are considering drafting him since it looks like Brandon Alberts will not make it to pick #32?

 

[Minnphin]

Find me 20,000 people that would be willing to spend $10 on a book from us and then we'll talk.

That's actually not a terrible idea...if you and Boom got together and put together a dolphincentric online draft guide. Put it on Finheaven, charge $10 and split the earnings with the site. I know if there was a completely dolphincentric, organized draft evaluation of top prospects in need positions for the dolphins and how they'd fit or wouldn't fit in our system, I'd buy it in a second. Since you're doing all the evaluation and all the posting anyway, might as well organize it and post it. Maybe you do a special question and answer thread or board like this for people who buy the online guide only...something to think about anyway.

 

[ckparrothead]

So if we had signed Calvin Pace who would you draft #1 overall?

I still see a risk in Chris Long in terms of a position switch, even though he played up a lot. How much of a strength or weakness will he be in coverage? I just don't see, in the spirit of your quantification versus qualification issues, how Jake Long is a reach over Chris Long, and it wouldn't surprise me in the least if we picked Jake Long. BP may prefer to draft defense higher, but the cupboard is bare at OT, and some drafniks of merit see great value in Jake Long, superior to Chris Long, which eliminates at least from that perspective the quantification dilemma:

Scott Wright's Top 32 Prospects for the 2008 NFL Draft Player Class Position School

1. Darren McFadden JR RB Arkansas Elite talent who is destined to become one of the league's top rushers.

2. Jake Long SR OT Michigan A left tackle who is not quite Joe Thomas but is better than Levi Brown.

3. Chris Long SR DE Virginia Technician who plays the run and pass and has an unparalleled motor.

4. Glenn Dorsey SR DT L.S.U. Simply one of the best defensive tackle prospects we've seen in years.

5. Vernon Gholston JR DE Ohio St. Versatile pass rusher extraordinaire and also a rare physical specimen

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/sub/rankings.html

p.s. where's Boomer, would love to hear more of his opinions on all of the players.

If we had signed Calvin Pace, it would still be down to Chris Long or Glenn Dorsey. Still the best two players in the draft in my book. But, I might be persuaded to lean toward Dorsey more, where right now I'm leaning toward Long.

 

[jim1]

If we had signed Calvin Pace, it would still be down to Chris Long or Glenn Dorsey. Still the best two players in the draft in my book. But, I might be persuaded to lean toward Dorsey more, where right now I'm leaning toward Long.

That's fair enough. They're both damn good players.

 

[ckparrothead]

That's actually not a terrible idea...if you and Boom got together and put together a dolphincentric online draft guide. Put it on Finheaven, charge $10 and split the earnings with the site. I know if there was a completely dolphincentric, organized draft evaluation of top prospects in need positions for the dolphins and how they'd fit or wouldn't fit in our system, I'd buy it in a second. Since you're doing all the evaluation and all the posting anyway, might as well organize it and post it. Maybe you do a special question and answer thread or board like this for people who buy the online guide only...something to think about anyway.

Boomer, Keith and I have batted the idea around in the past. We do understand we're probably leaving a lot of money on the table because we're too lazy to get it organized. :)

 

[vmarcilfan75]

CK can you give us a rankings of your top 5 CBs and LBs???
And who we might be looking at?(if any)


Thanks in advance

 

[ckparrothead]

That's fair enough. They're both damn good players.

They are. I have to admit, lately...I've been swinging a bit back toward Dorsey. I'm still undecided. I see the argument I've made several times about pay grade relative to other DTs, but I also wonder what some of the other top DTs would get if they were to sign a 6 year deal tomorrow.

I've also watched some more Virginia tape and noticed that in addition to Clint Sintim, Jeffrey Fitzgerald was a pretty damn talented player on that DL and both of those guys could be the primary reason why Long went from a guy that was getting pressure to a guy that was getting pressure AND the sacks. Altogether I think Virginia was like 6th in the nation in sacks. A lot of that is on Chris Long. But, some of that is also on Fitzgerald and Sintim and the scheme changes.

While we'll be getting a good player at #1 especially if we pick Chris Long or Glenn Dorsey, it makes me all the more convinced we need to try and trade down if possible...which admittedly, might not be possible.

 

[adamprez2003]

They are. I have to admit, lately...I've been swinging a bit back toward Dorsey. I'm still undecided. I see the argument I've made several times about pay grade relative to other DTs, but I also wonder what some of the other top DTs would get if they were to sign a 6 year deal tomorrow.

I've also watched some more Virginia tape and noticed that in addition to Clint Sintim, Jeffrey Fitzgerald was a pretty damn talented player on that DL and both of those guys could be the primary reason why Long went from a guy that was getting pressure to a guy that was getting pressure AND the sacks. Altogether I think Virginia was like 6th in the nation in sacks. A lot of that is on Chris Long. But, some of that is also on Fitzgerald and Sintim and the scheme changes.

While we'll be getting a good player at #1 especially if we pick Chris Long or Glenn Dorsey, it makes me all the more convinced we need to try and trade down if possible...which admittedly, might not be possible.

I was watching NFL Network last night and they were talking about Brandon Albert. I dont know if it was hype or not but they said in practice he gives Chris Long everything he can handle. The question I have is 1) have you heard the same and 2) would that change your evaluation of either player

 

[ckparrothead]

CK can you give us a rankings of your top 5 CBs and LBs???
And who we might be looking at?(if any)


Thanks in advance

Cornerbacks is easy...

First Tier:
1. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
2. Mike Jenkins
3. Leodis McKelvin

Second Tier:
4. Aqib Talib
5. Antoine Cason

Third Tier (no particular order, yet):
Terrell Thomas, Charles Godfrey, Justin King, Tracy Porter, Brandon Flowers, Reggie Smith, Patrick Lee, Orlando Scandrick.

Fourth Tier (no particular order, yet):
Trae Williams, Antwaun Molden, Tyvon Branch, Chevis Jackson, Jack Williams, DeJuan Tribble, Jack Ikegwuonu

Now linebacker is a bit harder. Are you talking about pure linebackers? Or are you talking about Rush End types?


First Tier Rush Ends:
1. Chris Long
2. Vernon Gholston
3. Quentin Groves

Second Tier Rush Ends:
4. Shawn Crable
5. Chris Ellis
6. Cliff Avril
7. Bruce Davis

Third Tier Rush Ends:
8. Jeremy Thompson
9. Marcus Howard
10. Ezra Butler

Fourth Tier Rush Ends:
11. Kroy Biermann
12. A.J. Raebel
13. Vincent Redd
14. Jonal Saint-Dic
15. Bryan Smith

As for Linebackers...

First Tier Linebackers:
1. Keith Rivers
2. Dan Connor

Second Tier Linebackers:
3. Curtis Lofton
4. Xavier Adibi
5. Jerod Mayo

Third Tier Linebackers:
6. Erin Henderson
7. Jonathan Goff
8. Gary Guyton
9. Phillip Wheeler
10. Tavares Gooden
11. Geno Hayes
12. David Vobora

Fourth Tier Linebackers (no particular order, yet):
Beau Bell, Vince Hall, Ben Moffitt, Jordan Dizon, Wesley Woodyard, Bryan Kehl, Larry Grant, Stanford Keglar, J Leman, Spencer Larsen.

 

[Phinja]

Boomer, Keith and I have batted the idea around in the past. We do understand we're probably leaving a lot of money on the table because we're too lazy to get it organized. :)

Have you ever thought about doing a smaller one in maybe PDF format, and couple it with a VIP membership? Maybe charge a few more $$$ for VIP, and you get the membership, The custom Dolphins focused Draft guide, and maybe some FH gear.... It would persuade a few more people to be come VIPers I think.



Just a though.....








I'd be more than happy to be a test subject for it :d-day:

 

[ckparrothead]

I was watching NFL Network last night and they were talking about Brandon Albert. I dont know if it was hype or not but they said in practice he gives Chris Long everything he can handle. The question I have is 1) have you heard the same and 2) would that change your evaluation of either player

1. No
2. No

Branden Albert is big and powerful, and hellishly quick for that size. He's got everything you could want in a guard. He gets push off the line of scrimmage, he anchors in pass pro, and he is a remarkably quick puller. Watching him, for me, is a lot like watching Jeff Otah play. You love what you see, and you want to see more. But, he is very prone to losing concentration for entire stretches of the game. I'm not sure what his penalty counts are, but I severely doubt he's the Jake Long type that has been penalized only twice in like four years. Just checking and he's been penalized five times in 2006 and 2007 together...not bad, but it fits with his mentality. He is capable of getting his QB killed when he lacks focus. If you have that Texas Tech game taped, go check the very end when the QB fumbled on his own goal line on a screen pass and basically lost Virginia the game. That was Branden Albert's man that blazed in untouched on that screen. Albert didn't sell the screen AT ALL...you're supposed to drop back and at least slow the guy down a bit so the QB would have some semblance of time to drop back and lob the screen, and also faking like you just got beat so the DL doesn't suspect screen pass...but Albert let Rajon Henley scream right by him untouched on a direct fast line to the quarterback. That was the play, more so than any other, that basically lost the entire game. And it was only the third lackluster play from Albert on a lackluster series that saw him get a false start on first down, backing them into a hole, missing a block on second down, and then the poorly executed screen block on third down hands Texas Tech the tie. It wasn't the only stretch of the game where he looked lost, either...at the very beginning of the game, the first drive or two, he also looked like he wasn't into the game yet.

On the other hand, after those first drives and until that last costly fumble, Branden Albert was a one-man wrecking crew on the offensive line. He pulled seemingly half of the plays, and he pulls extraordinarily well. In drive blocking, he moved his men and sealed them in textbook style. His block created the primary gaping hole that Mikell Simpson used to burn out a 96 yard touchdown run. To create a play like that, everyone needs to block right...and sure enough, the Center got a slight piece of Albert's man and then released out for a great seal block on the MLB, Eugene Monroe did a great job getting out to the weak side linebacker, and the receivers did a great job blocking into the secondary...but if Albert had not so completely and thoroughly removed the DL from that gap, a micro-second of hesitation or adjustment in Mikell's track would have changed the 96 yard touchdown to maybe an 8 to 15 yard gain. He never needed to make that hesitation because Albert took his DL out of an entire gap.

And that wasn't even among his most impressive blocks of the day. I wish I could tell whether or not the guy should be playing LT in the pros. I know he'll be a hell of a guard. But he'll also frustrate you until he gets comfortable, that much I can guarantee.

 

[taaff]

Have you ever thought about doing a smaller one in maybe PDF format, and couple it with a VIP membership? .......

I'd be more than happy to be a test subject for it :d-day:

A downloadable PDF would be a great idea----I am ordering one today!!!!!

Perhaps combine it with the draft-day message-board, or just let it stand alone. You really should consider doing that, you might be pleased at the response.

Ruminate upon the idea.:)

 

[vmarcilfan75]

Cornerbacks is easy...

First Tier:
1. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
2. Mike Jenkins
3. Leodis McKelvin

Second Tier:
4. Aqib Talib
5. Antoine Cason

Third Tier (no particular order, yet):
Terrell Thomas, Charles Godfrey, Justin King, Tracy Porter, Brandon Flowers, Reggie Smith, Patrick Lee, Orlando Scandrick.

Fourth Tier (no particular order, yet):
Trae Williams, Antwaun Molden, Tyvon Branch, Chevis Jackson, Jack Williams, DeJuan Tribble, Jack Ikegwuonu

Now linebacker is a bit harder. Are you talking about pure linebackers? Or are you talking about Rush End types?


First Tier Rush Ends:
1. Chris Long
2. Vernon Gholston
3. Quentin Groves

Second Tier Rush Ends:
4. Shawn Crable
5. Chris Ellis
6. Cliff Avril
7. Bruce Davis

Third Tier Rush Ends:
8. Jeremy Thompson
9. Marcus Howard
10. Ezra Butler

Fourth Tier Rush Ends:
11. Kroy Biermann
12. A.J. Raebel
13. Vincent Redd
14. Jonal Saint-Dic
15. Bryan Smith

As for Linebackers...

First Tier Linebackers:
1. Keith Rivers
2. Dan Connor

Second Tier Linebackers:
3. Curtis Lofton
4. Xavier Adibi
5. Jerod Mayo

Third Tier Linebackers:
6. Erin Henderson
7. Jonathan Goff
8. Gary Guyton
9. Phillip Wheeler
10. Tavares Gooden
11. Geno Hayes
12. David Vobora

Fourth Tier Linebackers (no particular order, yet):
Beau Bell, Vince Hall, Ben Moffitt, Jordan Dizon, Wesley Woodyard, Bryan Kehl, Larry Grant, Stanford Keglar, J Leman, Spencer Larsen.

Thanks :hi5:

Anyone here we might be looking at to draft in the later rounds??
Cason in 2nd??