Hi mate - nice to see you too.
Personally if I was going after a QB I'd only want to early on - Leinart and Brady Quinn. But Matt is going 1st or 2nd depending on who gets the 1st pick and I think Quinn will be staying at Notre Dame. I like Jay Cutler and the way he's developing. I could see him ending up a little like Patrick Ramsey in that he becomes reasonably well known on the national stage as the season rolls on and then slides into the bottom half of round 1 with a good workout.
Personally I think we need help in all areas. Yes we need a passer - whether that comes with a drafted QB or someone like Phil Rivers remains to be seen. Irregardless, I think it's unlikely we start a rookie in 2006. We are set of course at TB. We need a #1 WR. 2-4 we are good with Chambers, Booker and Welker and Gilmore can also be a strong contributor as a WR as well as being a borderline Pro Bowl player as a special teamer, a little like Alex Bannister was for Seattle a couple of years ago. TE we are set. On the offensive line, D'Brickashaw Ferguson to my mind is the best LT in the draft, but his intensity levels have been strongly questioned as has his long term commitment to the game. I think we really need to come out of free agency with Steve Hutchinson if at all possible. Seattle will not want to let him go, but they face the re-signature of Shaun Alexander this year and not only is he apace for 2000 yards, he could be a league MVP. He won't be cheap. Couple that with the fact that one of the leagues premier corners, Marcus Trufant is a year away from a major contract as well, might prove interesting. Seattle, much like New England, have done well with rotating players in and out up front. But to my mind Hutchinson would be a HUGE get for us. You could then contemplate putting Hadnot at C, Carey inside at RG and McIntosh, who's been our best lineman this season, at RT. That said, Carey has been really playing well on the right side, so who knows. Plus, the T and G spots are strong in this draft with guys like Sam Baker of USC (if he declares), Justin Blalock if he declares (Texas), Ferguson, the outstanding and hugely underrated Daryn Colledge, Inman at Georgia if he comes out, Marcus McNeil, Winston (both have struggled this year), Winston Justice, Jake Long if he declares, Jon Scott, a guy I really like Joe Thomas at OSU if he comes out, Whitworth at LSU, the kid at Cal, O'Callaghan, Jeremy Trueblood at BC.....and that's just tackles. Inside, you're looking at the supreme Max Jean Gilles who can play in or out, Davin Joseph, James Marten at BC who looks like he could become the next Chris Snee, Kasey Studdard if he declares and the kid at Hawaii, Samson Satele if he comes out, Jason Spitz at Louisville, etc.
On defense, we desperately need players at DT and a couple of young linebackers, one inside, one out. A guy like Bobby Carpenter has the prototype Saban size and he's a late 1, early 2 guy, Chad Greenaway is another, AJ Hawk, Kai Parham also has prototype Saban size. And we need a corner opposite Travis Daniels, who to my mind has played very well. Yes he's been beaten, but he's rarely out of position and rarely beaten by anything more than half a step. Plus he is the best tackler in the secondary. Jimmy Williams and Michael Huff are the top 2 prospects, but I think Williams will go to safety. Watch him backpeddle and he seems uncomfortable. Huff is just getting better and better. Plus he has great size and can tackle well. I know the kid Mitchell is there and Will Poole who I really like are both coming back from injury but their's no guarantee either can play. And we need a safety opposite Schulters. Brian Iwuh at Colorado is a big time prospect with Saban type size.
I'm not a huge Will Demps fan. I think Tank Williams is a guy that Saban will covet because of his size. He has plateaud a little, but as a rookie and into his 2nd year he was playing Pro Bowl level football.
Hope that helps some dude.
