USA Today Draft Grades:
- Thread starter DolFan74
- Start date
C-HUCKS
Starter
This is the best draft we have had in years!
DolFan74
It's 5 0'Clock Somewhere.
Yeah it was, cant wait to see some of these guys on the field.
FrostyFinFan
Club Member
I can't remember the last time we got a A for our draft!
I would hope any team with the first pick in every round would get a high draft grade, although it doesn't always happen.
I liked KC's draft although they had the 5th pick and 13 choices, but they also did well. I really like AZ's draft, it seemed like every round a highly rated player fell in their lap; kudos for taking advantage.
I thought Miami could have shown a little more love to WR, Sec, and LB. We'll see if the extra front 13 depth pays off.
RW
I liked KC's draft although they had the 5th pick and 13 choices, but they also did well. I really like AZ's draft, it seemed like every round a highly rated player fell in their lap; kudos for taking advantage.
I thought Miami could have shown a little more love to WR, Sec, and LB. We'll see if the extra front 13 depth pays off.
RW
DolFan74
It's 5 0'Clock Somewhere.
Your Welcome :up:
DolFan74
It's 5 0'Clock Somewhere.
Same here and its about time..I just hope who we got works out for us..including who we have been signing as FA's.
Not that I am stating an original thought here, but strong line play on both sides of the ball will make the rest of the positions stronger.
- More time to throw the ball, more time to get open, bigger holes to run through, etc.
- Less time to have to cover receivers, 3rd and 7 instead of 3rd and 1, etc.
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The thing about all drafts, and this one in particular, isn't that they'll make you better overnight--even if you get 7 starters. It's that you've laid the foundations to become better down the road. OL guys always take time; so with the exception of Jake Long, don't expect greatness right away. Satele should be solid in his second season. Smiley should be good as he's a productive veteran with leadership qualities. And Vernon Carey is a much better RT than he is an LT, so I'd expect a better year from him, and he's also in a contract year. Long will be good immediately and great next year IMHO. The last line spot will be a growing year for whichever kid earns the spot.
The DL is a complete rebuild. Really, not a single guy can be counted on as a returning starter. Roth cannot play a 34 DE. Holiday isn't a good fit, but can do it ... but don't expect him to have a good year as he's undersized and it de-emphasizes his quickness. Starks and Ferguson are both veterans but also new players. They should be the only 2 standouts we really have along the DL this year. Hopefully Wright continues to progress and Soliai starts to progress. Neither Merling nor Langford are quite big enough at the moment to be very good. This will be a learning season for both of them.
All in all, we'll have very sporadic play from our DL. Ferguson and Starks will be good while in there, but they'll be rotated out a lot. And even when they're playing they'll have a bit of a weak link at the other DE. It'll either be a guy who is a poor fit (e.g. Holiday, Roth) a young player learning a new system (e.g. Wright, Soliai), or a rookie (e.g. Merling, Langford). So, expect us to look good in spots and be very inconsistent overall.
Our draft will come into focus 2 years from now though, as I think we will have added 4 or 5 potential starters in Long, Merling, Langford and either an OL prospect or Henne.
I hate to say it, but we'll be drafting early again next year.
The DL is a complete rebuild. Really, not a single guy can be counted on as a returning starter. Roth cannot play a 34 DE. Holiday isn't a good fit, but can do it ... but don't expect him to have a good year as he's undersized and it de-emphasizes his quickness. Starks and Ferguson are both veterans but also new players. They should be the only 2 standouts we really have along the DL this year. Hopefully Wright continues to progress and Soliai starts to progress. Neither Merling nor Langford are quite big enough at the moment to be very good. This will be a learning season for both of them.
All in all, we'll have very sporadic play from our DL. Ferguson and Starks will be good while in there, but they'll be rotated out a lot. And even when they're playing they'll have a bit of a weak link at the other DE. It'll either be a guy who is a poor fit (e.g. Holiday, Roth) a young player learning a new system (e.g. Wright, Soliai), or a rookie (e.g. Merling, Langford). So, expect us to look good in spots and be very inconsistent overall.
Our draft will come into focus 2 years from now though, as I think we will have added 4 or 5 potential starters in Long, Merling, Langford and either an OL prospect or Henne.
I hate to say it, but we'll be drafting early again next year.
Exactly. Someone else besides me who understands that. I think there are too many people expecting our lines to immediately impact things. No, it will take time.
DolFan74
It's 5 0'Clock Somewhere.
Very good replies everyone and very valid points. It will take time, It would be nice if we win the SB in 2010, the yr our daughter graduates from HS, but that would mean us making the playoffs next year, which I dont see us doing. We can dream though.