Apologies to those of you who read this at the DCH HAS RESPONDED thread, but I wasn't sure everyone that's interested in the draft and free agency would read it.
Thus here it is again.
OK, the draft.......Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger are the two top QB's. Manning has the family history and the leadership. He does all the little things really well, but isn't as much of a film geek as Peyton and is much more chilled. Roethlisberger is a junior but has indicated that he will declare. He has it all, but is raw. He's huge, incredibly mobile and has a cannon of an arm. But he has terrible talent at Miami of Ohio and rarely showcases because of it. But when you watch his mechanics, footwork, etc, you see that he is a legitimate top 10 pick. Manning also is a top 10 guy. I don't think we have a shot at either to be honest. The 2nd tier guys are led by JP Losman of Tulane who figures to be a 1st rounder. He's raw, but makes things happen both with arm and legs. He's a leader - a little like Patrick Ramsey. Can gun the ball downfield. Has variable accuracy, but R1 skills. Two juniors who could figure in R1 are Arizona State's Andrew Walter and Kyle Orton of Purdue. I would however imagine both will stay in school as they figure to be top 10 talents next year. I can't see us taking either of the top 2 and I think we have too many holes elsewhere to go with Losman who clearly needs some work. If we had a 2nd rounder, I could see us getting involved in the Drew Henson sweepstakes. I would think we would certainly have a high level interest in the former Wolverine. It just depends what Houston do, IF they can get him signed and what they want from him. I would imagine they will be looking to recoup that 2nd rounder that they gave up for Tony Hollings in the supplemental draft. They only conceivable way that we get Henson is, IMO, if we tender Wally Ogunleye with a 1st and 3rd rounder and then let him go and use one of those, or a combination of 3rd rounders say, to get him.
We don't need a TB, but the there are a few names who will sneak into R1: Carnell Williams of Auburn, Steven Jackson of Oregon State and Kevin Jones of Virginia Tech are the top 3 backs, just for your draft lists.
At WR, where to start. The bounty is MASSIVE. Once again though, the lack of a 2nd rounder KILLS us. We realistically, in the mid 2nd, would have a chance at what usually would be a mid 1st pick, the talent level is that high. Pitt's Larry Fitzgerald, who is eligible and will likely declare is a top 3 talent, then you are looking at Reggie Williams and Roy Williams as top 10 picks. Then Rashaun Woods, Michael Jenkins, Lee Evans, Bernard Berrian, Darius Watts, Michael Clayton, Fred Gibson, Ernest Wilford, Devard Darling, Braylon Edwards, James Newsom, Jerricho Cottchery, etc. The list stretches on and on.
Again we don't need a TE, but Kellen Winslow is a high R1 pick, then there's Ben Troupe, Ben Utect, the guy I really like at Pitt Kris Wilson and Ben Watson of Georgia.
The all important OL has some solid players - the top 2 left tackles will be gone in the top 5-7 picks - Robert Gallery is as impressive as Sean Taylor and Larry Fitzgerald are, in what he does. He's a tremendous run blocker and an outstanding pass protector. He's just huge. He kept Eric Steinbach at LG last year. Guy could be the top overall pick. Arkansas RT Shaun Andrews can play either side, but will he come out? It's likely. The guy I think Miami should go for is Miami LG Vernon Carey who amazingly is having to play there instead of LT and it's knocking his draft status. He can play either side and has great upside. Nat Dorsey of Georgia Tech has dominated since he was a freshman - not many players keep Julius Peppers quiet at NC but he did. He's a late 1. Pure RT's like Tony Pape are nice elsewhere on day 1, whilst Carlos Joseph is a solid LT playing out of position at the moment on the right side. Ray Willis of FSU has mighty strength and is very raw, whilst Mike Munoz and Maryland junior CJ Brooks are nice players.
At G, there are some very nice late 1st, early 2nd round prospects - BC's Chris Snee and Michigan's David Baas are the pile movers that we lack. Real nasty. These are two guys we should be REALLY trying hard for. Baas however is a 4th year junior, whilst Snee is a 3rd year sophomore. Stephen Peterman of LSU, Adrien Clarke of Ohio State, the kid at Wisconsin Clinkscale, junior Mike Erickson of Nebraska and Nick Leckey at KState are all solid players. But if Snee and Baas come out, these would be my guys. They are the Andre Gurode/LeCharles Bentley interior tough guys that we lack.
At C, it looks like McKinney is the guy, but coaches can't be that happy with him if he can't beat out the dross that is currently playing from LG to RT. Toby Cecil, Alex Herron, Ben Wilkerson and tough guy Alex Stepanovich are big nasty guys at the point. Wilkerson is very athletic and is a junior, as is Herron.
At DE, there are likely 2 senior 1st rounders in Will Smith and Claude Harriott and then a decent crop of 1st round juniors in David Pollack, Kenechi Udezi, and Antwan Odom and one redshirt soph, Mathias Kiwanuku at BC. The latter three I really like as rush ends, although I doubt strongly we'll take a guy at end in 1.
At DT, we are getting old. Wilfork, Tommie Harris, Randy Starks of Maryland who I like, Albert Means who is raw but could be great, Antajj Hawthorne and Shaun Cody of Wisconsin and USC are 2 sensational juniors. It's a good group, but surely we have to go offense.
At LB, again I doubt we go here in R1. There are just too many holes. There are some solid names though and I suppose time will come when we have to look for a Zach replacement - the best MLB prospects are Freddie Roach of Alabama who is a redshirt soph but a great player. Vilma at Miami, Richard Siegler at Oregon State, Rod Davis of Southern, Daryl Smith of Georgia Tech, and Lance Mitchell, whose stock has fallen coming off the ACL he suffered about a month ago, are all solid players.
Same for corner, although free safety could be an issue with Brock likley to get waxed and Freeman intent on moving on. Sean Taylor is the best defensive player in college ball IMO, whilst Purdue's Stuart Schweigert, Madieu Williams of Maryland who is something we lack in the deep patrol - a safety with great cover skills - and UCLA's Matt Ware are all nice prospects.
In free agency, the pickings are thin at QB - AJ Feeley and Mike McMahon are the RFA's whilst UFA's you're looking at Todd Bouman or Shaun King. Let's nor kid ourselves that Bulger or Peyton will be FA's. I'd rather restructure Jay.
At WR its also a thin crop. We can't afford Terrell Owens and so the best UFA's are Darrell Jackson, who the Hawks will surely resign, Tai Streets who the 9ers will sign and Dennis Northcutt - scraping the barrell now!! Of the RFA's only Steve Smith of Carolina merits any worth.
On the OL, again, lets not kid ourselves that we will sign Orlando Pace or Walter Jones. The best bets are the unheralded but excellent Jeno James at Carolina, John Tait at KC, Floyd Womack at Seattle (RFA), Marques Sullivan at Buffalo (RFA), Rick DeMulling (RFA) at Indy, Adam Timmerman of the Rams (UFA), Chad Clifton of the Pack (UFA) and Damian Woody (UFA) of the Pats, who will resign him and Damion McIntosh of San Diego. The rest is chump change.
So what would I do? Well, I'd tender Wally Ogunleye with 1st and 3rd round picks and let him go if we got the right bid. If not, I'd take the best available WR or OL. I might be inclined to trade down and pick up a 2nd rounder and then go T, G, WR on day 1. Vernon Carey, Chris Snee and Darius Watts would be nice. I really think grunters, big, dirty, nasty chain movers up front are what we need. I would let Todd Wade go via FA, I would let Ruddy go, I would probably keep Nails as he's 2 years on from the injury and see what we got in FA in terms of keeping him and Perry.
The lack of a 2nd rounder hurts us, but there are players out there who can help, if the chips fall right. But it's the draft and when do the chips ever fall right????
As a footnote, I think Wade Smith will be a quality football player for us. The guy should be inactive each week if the coaches sorted out the OL in the off-season. Instead, with 1 and a half years LT experience, he's facing all pros. As for Whitley, he is an excellent mover and just needs strength. I thought Montrae Holland was the better pick, but he has tools. Remains to be seen if he is tough enough.
Boomer.
Thus here it is again.
OK, the draft.......Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger are the two top QB's. Manning has the family history and the leadership. He does all the little things really well, but isn't as much of a film geek as Peyton and is much more chilled. Roethlisberger is a junior but has indicated that he will declare. He has it all, but is raw. He's huge, incredibly mobile and has a cannon of an arm. But he has terrible talent at Miami of Ohio and rarely showcases because of it. But when you watch his mechanics, footwork, etc, you see that he is a legitimate top 10 pick. Manning also is a top 10 guy. I don't think we have a shot at either to be honest. The 2nd tier guys are led by JP Losman of Tulane who figures to be a 1st rounder. He's raw, but makes things happen both with arm and legs. He's a leader - a little like Patrick Ramsey. Can gun the ball downfield. Has variable accuracy, but R1 skills. Two juniors who could figure in R1 are Arizona State's Andrew Walter and Kyle Orton of Purdue. I would however imagine both will stay in school as they figure to be top 10 talents next year. I can't see us taking either of the top 2 and I think we have too many holes elsewhere to go with Losman who clearly needs some work. If we had a 2nd rounder, I could see us getting involved in the Drew Henson sweepstakes. I would think we would certainly have a high level interest in the former Wolverine. It just depends what Houston do, IF they can get him signed and what they want from him. I would imagine they will be looking to recoup that 2nd rounder that they gave up for Tony Hollings in the supplemental draft. They only conceivable way that we get Henson is, IMO, if we tender Wally Ogunleye with a 1st and 3rd rounder and then let him go and use one of those, or a combination of 3rd rounders say, to get him.
We don't need a TB, but the there are a few names who will sneak into R1: Carnell Williams of Auburn, Steven Jackson of Oregon State and Kevin Jones of Virginia Tech are the top 3 backs, just for your draft lists.
At WR, where to start. The bounty is MASSIVE. Once again though, the lack of a 2nd rounder KILLS us. We realistically, in the mid 2nd, would have a chance at what usually would be a mid 1st pick, the talent level is that high. Pitt's Larry Fitzgerald, who is eligible and will likely declare is a top 3 talent, then you are looking at Reggie Williams and Roy Williams as top 10 picks. Then Rashaun Woods, Michael Jenkins, Lee Evans, Bernard Berrian, Darius Watts, Michael Clayton, Fred Gibson, Ernest Wilford, Devard Darling, Braylon Edwards, James Newsom, Jerricho Cottchery, etc. The list stretches on and on.
Again we don't need a TE, but Kellen Winslow is a high R1 pick, then there's Ben Troupe, Ben Utect, the guy I really like at Pitt Kris Wilson and Ben Watson of Georgia.
The all important OL has some solid players - the top 2 left tackles will be gone in the top 5-7 picks - Robert Gallery is as impressive as Sean Taylor and Larry Fitzgerald are, in what he does. He's a tremendous run blocker and an outstanding pass protector. He's just huge. He kept Eric Steinbach at LG last year. Guy could be the top overall pick. Arkansas RT Shaun Andrews can play either side, but will he come out? It's likely. The guy I think Miami should go for is Miami LG Vernon Carey who amazingly is having to play there instead of LT and it's knocking his draft status. He can play either side and has great upside. Nat Dorsey of Georgia Tech has dominated since he was a freshman - not many players keep Julius Peppers quiet at NC but he did. He's a late 1. Pure RT's like Tony Pape are nice elsewhere on day 1, whilst Carlos Joseph is a solid LT playing out of position at the moment on the right side. Ray Willis of FSU has mighty strength and is very raw, whilst Mike Munoz and Maryland junior CJ Brooks are nice players.
At G, there are some very nice late 1st, early 2nd round prospects - BC's Chris Snee and Michigan's David Baas are the pile movers that we lack. Real nasty. These are two guys we should be REALLY trying hard for. Baas however is a 4th year junior, whilst Snee is a 3rd year sophomore. Stephen Peterman of LSU, Adrien Clarke of Ohio State, the kid at Wisconsin Clinkscale, junior Mike Erickson of Nebraska and Nick Leckey at KState are all solid players. But if Snee and Baas come out, these would be my guys. They are the Andre Gurode/LeCharles Bentley interior tough guys that we lack.
At C, it looks like McKinney is the guy, but coaches can't be that happy with him if he can't beat out the dross that is currently playing from LG to RT. Toby Cecil, Alex Herron, Ben Wilkerson and tough guy Alex Stepanovich are big nasty guys at the point. Wilkerson is very athletic and is a junior, as is Herron.
At DE, there are likely 2 senior 1st rounders in Will Smith and Claude Harriott and then a decent crop of 1st round juniors in David Pollack, Kenechi Udezi, and Antwan Odom and one redshirt soph, Mathias Kiwanuku at BC. The latter three I really like as rush ends, although I doubt strongly we'll take a guy at end in 1.
At DT, we are getting old. Wilfork, Tommie Harris, Randy Starks of Maryland who I like, Albert Means who is raw but could be great, Antajj Hawthorne and Shaun Cody of Wisconsin and USC are 2 sensational juniors. It's a good group, but surely we have to go offense.
At LB, again I doubt we go here in R1. There are just too many holes. There are some solid names though and I suppose time will come when we have to look for a Zach replacement - the best MLB prospects are Freddie Roach of Alabama who is a redshirt soph but a great player. Vilma at Miami, Richard Siegler at Oregon State, Rod Davis of Southern, Daryl Smith of Georgia Tech, and Lance Mitchell, whose stock has fallen coming off the ACL he suffered about a month ago, are all solid players.
Same for corner, although free safety could be an issue with Brock likley to get waxed and Freeman intent on moving on. Sean Taylor is the best defensive player in college ball IMO, whilst Purdue's Stuart Schweigert, Madieu Williams of Maryland who is something we lack in the deep patrol - a safety with great cover skills - and UCLA's Matt Ware are all nice prospects.
In free agency, the pickings are thin at QB - AJ Feeley and Mike McMahon are the RFA's whilst UFA's you're looking at Todd Bouman or Shaun King. Let's nor kid ourselves that Bulger or Peyton will be FA's. I'd rather restructure Jay.
At WR its also a thin crop. We can't afford Terrell Owens and so the best UFA's are Darrell Jackson, who the Hawks will surely resign, Tai Streets who the 9ers will sign and Dennis Northcutt - scraping the barrell now!! Of the RFA's only Steve Smith of Carolina merits any worth.
On the OL, again, lets not kid ourselves that we will sign Orlando Pace or Walter Jones. The best bets are the unheralded but excellent Jeno James at Carolina, John Tait at KC, Floyd Womack at Seattle (RFA), Marques Sullivan at Buffalo (RFA), Rick DeMulling (RFA) at Indy, Adam Timmerman of the Rams (UFA), Chad Clifton of the Pack (UFA) and Damian Woody (UFA) of the Pats, who will resign him and Damion McIntosh of San Diego. The rest is chump change.
So what would I do? Well, I'd tender Wally Ogunleye with 1st and 3rd round picks and let him go if we got the right bid. If not, I'd take the best available WR or OL. I might be inclined to trade down and pick up a 2nd rounder and then go T, G, WR on day 1. Vernon Carey, Chris Snee and Darius Watts would be nice. I really think grunters, big, dirty, nasty chain movers up front are what we need. I would let Todd Wade go via FA, I would let Ruddy go, I would probably keep Nails as he's 2 years on from the injury and see what we got in FA in terms of keeping him and Perry.
The lack of a 2nd rounder hurts us, but there are players out there who can help, if the chips fall right. But it's the draft and when do the chips ever fall right????
As a footnote, I think Wade Smith will be a quality football player for us. The guy should be inactive each week if the coaches sorted out the OL in the off-season. Instead, with 1 and a half years LT experience, he's facing all pros. As for Whitley, he is an excellent mover and just needs strength. I thought Montrae Holland was the better pick, but he has tools. Remains to be seen if he is tough enough.
Boomer.
