With the draft only two days away, the smoke is flowing heavily out of NFL war rooms around the league, with many teams trying to confuse and outsmart one another, looking for a competitive advantage on Draft Day and hoping to get the player of their choice.
It is difficult to believe much of what teams are telling us, because they have no good reason to signal their intentions, so take it for what it is worth, but following are some of the comments we have heard in the last week from NFL teams, some of which we believe to be very true and others very conceivably nothing more than smoke:
“(USC WR) Mike Williams will fall out of the top 10. His speed is too much of an issue to overcome, and his character is not helping him. (Falcons GM) Rich McKay knows the kid’s family and knows his character better than anyone, and he doesn’t even have him stacked on their board.â€Â
“(Oklahoma OT) Jammal Brown helped himself more than any other player in the country by coming back for his senior season. He was consistent every game. He does not get beat. He showed the toughness that you didn’t see early in his career. He could easily be the first tackle drafted. I think he may be a top-15 pick.â€Â
“(Georgia S) Thomas Davis will not get out of the top 15, not in this draft.â€Â
“The Browns have decided on three players and feel comfortable knowing they will get one of the three if they cannot move the pick. (Utah QB) Alex Smith and (Michigan WR) Braylon Edwards are two. The third is a mystery. It’s not a running back or receiver.â€Â
“The Buccaneers like (Auburn QB) Jason Campbell better than (California QB) Aaron Rodgers. (Personnel executive) Doug Williams is not keeping that a secret, and he’s getting paid a lot of money for his opinion.â€Â
“(Oklahoma State RB) Vernand Morency is inching his way back up. We have him as the fourth running back on our board. His speed is not a big concern to us. He runs hard.â€Â
“Jerry Jones likes (Maryland OLB-DE) Shawne Merriman and (Troy OLB-DE) Demarcus Ware. Bill Parcells likes Marcus Spears. They both want size on their defense and could take two defensive players at 11 and 20.â€Â
“There are some teams looking to trade up from the end of the first round for an offensive tackle.â€Â
“The Bears have liked (Texas RB) Cedric Benson all along. When (the team's draft decision-makers) met with ownership last night, they hit a snag. It’s a lot of money to risk at No. 4 if you’re not right.â€Â
“If there’s a back available at No. 8, the Cardinals are going to use it as leverage on the clock to make the Travis Henry trade happen and take the cornerback they desperately need.â€Â
“(Packers offensive coordinator) Tom Rossley and (college scouting director) John Dorsey met with (Akron QB) Charlie Frye’s parents at the Senior Bowl. Don’t rule it out.â€Â
“The Titans will not draft Mike Williams. That decision has been made.â€Â
“Aaron Rodgers better be prepared for a free fall.â€Â
“If (former Ohio State RB) Maurice Clarett is available on the second day, he will be a Cowboy.â€Â
“There may not even be five fullbacks drafted this year.â€Â
“(Northwestern DT) Luis Castillo is not getting out of the first round.â€Â
“Houston CB Stanford Routt is as athletic as any corner in the draft. He’s just raw. He would look perfect in silver and black.â€Â
“Don’t be surprised if (former Nebraska C) Richie Incognito gets drafted a lot sooner than people expect, despite all the character issues. We have him graded as a first-rounder, and character is never a big issue for us.â€Â
“Seattle has been trying to move up into the top 10. Chad Brown is gone. (Texas OLB) Derrick Johnson is their guy.â€Â
“Oakland has the worst defense in football. That’s where all their emphasis will be in the draft.â€Â
“(Iowa State CB) Ellis Hobbs could be taken in the early second round. Guys have fallen in love with him.â€Â
“Coaches have pushed (San Diego State LB) Matt McCoy up to the second round. They love that guy.â€Â
“(West Virginia RB) Kay-Jay Harris is such a con artist I think he fools himself sometimes.â€Â
“Shawne Merriman could really slide. He’s so stiff and straight-linish. The Cowboys may be able to get him at No. 20.â€Â
“(West Virginia CB) Pac-Man Jones is the third corner on our board, and I know he’s in the same spot on others. He may fall.â€Â
“(Titans defensive coordinator) Jim Schwartz has spent a lot of time with Pac-Man Jones. Dave McGinnis wants (Miami CB) Antrel Rolle. That room is split. You think these decisions are made ri now. They aren't. A lot of them come down to the final 24 hours.â€Â
“I don’t think there will be a trade in the top five, although the Redskins are looking at going up to get Braylon (Edwards). They just can’t get up there without giving away their draft. They don’t value draft picks much, so it could happen.â€Â
“Teams in the top five are not getting many calls. Believe me. We are doing the calling.â€Â
