According to an article at ESPN.com (as well as other sources), the Houston Texans have made their first selection, and it ain't Reggie Bush!
ESPN is reporting that the Texans and North Carolina State DE Mario Williams have agreed to a 6-year, $54M contract.
For starters, I love this draft pick. What Reggie Bush is on offense, Mario Williams is on defense. Both are capable of making game-changing plays, and with Williams lining up at DE, the Texans finally have a defensive player opponents need to gameplan around.
Bush is a great player, and I fully expect a team with extra draft picks this year (like say, the Jets) to trade up to draft Reggie Bush. Despite the rumors of him likely being ruled ineligible by the NCAA for the 2005 season (and forfeiting his Heisman Trophy), he's still worthy of being the first offensive player taken on Saturday.
And yes, I am officially 0-1 in my picks.
Friday, April 28, 2006
Campbell's Chunky Campaign Gets Chunkier
Campbell's has made a few changes to their "Mama's Boys" advertising campaign, which currently stars Wilma McNabb along with her son, Philadelphia Eagles QB Donovan McNabb.
Joining the ranks will be Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger and his mom, Brenda. Maybe eating some Chunky soup will, you know, get him into the end zone this time.
Also added to the national campaign is Seattle Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck, and his mom, Betsy.
Judging by the size of the jersey, I'm guessing that Campbell's initially intended to get Byron Leftwich or Jared Lorenzon to take part in these commercials.
This is unchartered territory for Seahawks fans. Not only will people see their QB on the Campbell's ads, look who's on the cover for Madden 2007:
If you didn't know who the Seahawks were before, you're about to get a crash course on the subject.
Joining the ranks will be Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger and his mom, Brenda. Maybe eating some Chunky soup will, you know, get him into the end zone this time.
Also added to the national campaign is Seattle Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck, and his mom, Betsy.
Judging by the size of the jersey, I'm guessing that Campbell's initially intended to get Byron Leftwich or Jared Lorenzon to take part in these commercials.
This is unchartered territory for Seahawks fans. Not only will people see their QB on the Campbell's ads, look who's on the cover for Madden 2007:
If you didn't know who the Seahawks were before, you're about to get a crash course on the subject.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Mac's FINAL 2006 Mock Draft (7 Rounds, 255 Picks)
It’s obvious to anyone who watches sports that the NFL Draft has become much more than just 32 teams adding players to their rosters. What once was held in a conference room with a fixed camera on the podium for when then-Commissioner Pete Rozelle announced the picks, has now become a massive event televised on not one, but two networks.
ESPN will have their usual wire-to-wire coverage, with reporters huddled outside the “war rooms” of teams expected to be major players in the draft. The NFL Network debuts it’s draft-day coverage this year with Rich Eisen, Mike Mayock and Adam Schefter in New York, and Derrin Horton holding down the fort back in their Los Angeles studio.
Major League Baseball and the NHL could never dream to get this much attention for their drafts. The closest any of the other major sports came was the NBA, but when they started drafting high school players and Europeans that nobody had ever heard of, people found better ways to spend a summer evening in June. Though it is worth tuning in, if only to see suits with 34 buttons and families so big they severely test the occupancy limit.
The increased television coverage “The Draft” has created a cottage industry of “draftniks”. It all started with the late Joel Buschbaum, who published his own draft report and wrote draft analysis pieces for Pro Football Weekly. He lived for nothing but the NFL Draft and helped inspire the new breed of “expert”, most notably Mel Kiper. The “Hairdo” is brash and unafraid to verbally spare with NFL decision makers (like Colts GM Bill Polian when he drafted Trev Alberts, which Mel was right about). He’s good television, and that’s why he’s on there.
But here’s the thing: With all due respect to the passion that guys like Kiper, Mayock, et al. put into the draft, they really don’t have any more of an idea than you or I do about what a team is going to do.
Take Todd McShay’s 7-round mock draft (linked below) that he put up last week. What it doesn’t take into account are pre-draft trades (like Seattle sending a 6th round pick for S Mike Green, which is huge, because it reduces the likelihood of them drafting a safety), or trades made on Draft Day.
The New England Patriots have 11 picks this weekend. Does anyone actually believe that they’ll send 11 cards up to the podium? Of course they won’t. Last year, the Patriots traded down and wound up with a bevy of additional picks this year, which they’ll use to trade up. Right now, they’re sitting at #21. Don’t bet against them moving up on Saturday (possibly with Baltimore, who is looking to trade down) to get WR Chad Jackson out of Florida, this year’s top WR prospect.
Inspired by Todd McShay's effort, I’ve done a 255-selection mock draft of my own. I did this a few years ago, and just as I suspected, I was way off on 99% of the picks. Still, it’s fun to do, as long as you understand that you will be nowhere near accurate.
Anyways, here’s “Mac’s Mock”, and you can check back on Saturday for pick-by-pick analysis of the 1st round, as well as a Day 1 recap. I’ll also be comparing how I did against McShay’s mock draft and providing in-depth analysis of each of the Seattle Seahawks draft picks.
Round 1
1. Houston - RB, Reggie Bush, USC
2. New Orleans - LT, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Virginia
3. Tennessee - QB, Vince Young, Texas
4. NY Jets - DE, Mario Williams, NC State
5. Green Bay - OLB, AJ Hawk, Ohio State
6. San Francisco - DB, Michael Huff, Texas
7. Oakland - DT Haloti Ngata, Oregon
8. Buffalo - TE, Vernon Davis, Maryland
9. Detroit - QB, Matt Leinart, USC
10. Arizona - OT, Winston Justice, USC
11. St. Louis - QB, Jay Cutler, Vanderbilt
12. Cleveland - DE/LB, Kamerion Wimbley, Florida State
13. Baltimore - DT, Brodrick Bunkley, Florida State
14. Philadelphia - WR, Chad Jackson, Florida
15. Denver - RB, DeAngelo Williams, Memphis
16. Miami - OLB, Ernie Sims, Florida State
17. Minnesota - CB, Jimmy Williams, Virginia Tech
18. Dallas - S, Donte Whitner, Ohio State
19. San Diego - CB, Tye Hill, Clemson
20. Kansas City - DE/LB, Manny Lawson, NC State
21. New England - OLB, Chad Greenway, Iowa
22. San Francisco - WR, Santonio Holmes, Ohio State
23. Tampa Bay - C, Nick Mangold, Ohio State
24. Cincinnati - CB, Johnathan Joseph, South Carolina
25. NY Giants - OLB, Bobby Carpenter, Ohio State
26. Chicago - TE, Marcedes Lewis, UCLA
27. Carolina - RB, LenDale White, USC
28. Jacksonville - DB, Antonio Cromartie, Florida State
29. NY Jets - RB, Laurence Maroney, Minnesota
30. Indianapolis - CB, Ashton Youboty, Ohio State
31. Seattle - CB, Richard Marshall, Fresno State
32. Pittsburgh - WR, Sinorice Moss, Miami
Round 2
33. Houston - OT, Eric Winston, Miami
34. New Orleans - OLB, Demeco Ryans, Alabama
35. NY Jets - QB, Brodie Croyle, Alabama
36. Green Bay - OG, Davin Joseph, Oklahoma
37. Denver - TE, Leonard Pope, Georgia
38. Oakland - OG, Max Jean-Gilles, Georgia
39. Tennessee - OT, Marcus McNeill, Auburn
40. Detroit - CB, Kelly Jennings, Miami
41. Arizona - DB, Jason Allen, Tennessee
42. Buffalo - DT, Gabe Watson, Michigan
43. Cleveland - DE, Mathias Kiwanuka, Boston College
44. Baltimore - OG, Deuce Lutui, USC
45. Philadelphia - OLB, Rocky McIntosh, Miami
46. St. Louis - DE, Tamba Hali, Penn State
47. Atlanta - DT, Claude Wroten, LSU
48. Minnesota - ILB, D'Qwell Jackson, Maryland
49. Dallas - OT, Andrew Whitworth, LSU
50. San Diego - WR, Demetrius Williams, Oregon
51. Minnesota - OLB, Thomas Howard, UTEP
52. New England - RB, Joseph Addai, LSU
53. Washington - DE, Darryl Tapp, Virginia
54. Kansas City - CB, Cedric Griffin, Texas
55. Cincinnati - TE, Anthony Fasano, Notre Dame
56. NY Giants - DT, Rodrique Wright, Texas
57. Chicago - CB, Alan Zemaitis, Penn State
58. Carolina - TE, Joel Klopfenstein, Colorado
59. Tampa Bay - DE, Mark Anderson, Alabama
60. Jacksonville - S, Ko Simpson, South Carolina
61. Denver - WR, Maurice Stovall, Notre Dame
62. Indianapolis - OLB, Jon Alston, Stanford
63. Seattle - OG, Charles Spencer, Pittsburgh
64. Pittsburgh - ILB, Abdul Hodge, Iowa
Round 3
65. Houston - S, Daniel Bullocks, Nebraska
66. Houston - OC, Chris Chester, Oklahoma
67. Green Bay - DT, John McCargo, NC State
68. Denver - DT, Orien Harris, Miami
69. Oakland - S, Darnell Bing, USC
70. Buffalo - OT, Daryn Colledge, Boise State
71. NY Jets - OC, Greg Eslinger, Minnesota
72. Arizona - QB, Kellen Clemens, Oregon
73. Buffalo - CB, Dee Webb, Florida
74. Detroit - ILB, Gerris Wilkinson, Georgia Tech
75. New England - WR, Greg Jennings, Western Michigan
76. Philadelphia - S, Patrick Watkins, Florida State
77. St. Louis - DT, Montavius Stanley, Louisville
78. Cleveland - S, Danieal Manning, Abilene Christian
79. Atlanta - RB, Brian Calhoun, Wisconsin
80. Dallas - CB, David Pittman, Northwestern State
81. San DIego - OT, Johnathan Scott, Texas
82. Miami - WR, Travis Wilson, Oklahoma
83. Minnesota - QB, Charlie Whitehurst, Clemson
84. San Francisco - DE, Parys Haralson, Tennessee
85. Kansas City - WR, Derek Hagan, Arizona State
86. New England - S, Bernard Pollard, Purdue
87. NY Giants - RB, Maurice Drew, UCLA
88. Chicago - DT, Kyle Williams, LSU
89. Carolina - OLB, James Anderson, Virginia Tech
90. Tampa Bay - WR, Jason Avant, Michigan
91. Cincinnati - DE, Victor Adeyanju, Indiana
92. Jacksonville - TE, Dominique Byrd, USC
93. Atlanta - OT, Guy Whimper, East Carolina
94. Indianapolis - RB, Jerome Harrison, Washington State
95. Minnesota - WR, Brandon Williams, Wisconsin
96. Pittsburgh - S, Anthony Smith, Syracuse
97. NY Jets - S, Brian Iwuh, Colorado
Round 4
98. Houston - WR, Brandon Marshall, Central Florida
99. New Orleans - DT, Babatunde Oshinowo, Stanford
100. San Francisco - CB, Demario Minter, Georgia
101. Oakland - QB, Omar Jacobs, Bowling Green
102. Tennessee - OC, Jason Spitz, Louisville
103. NY Jets - DT, Dusty Dvoracek, Oklahoma
104. Green Bay - DE, Ray Edwards, Purdue
105. Buffalo - WR, Michael Robinson, Penn State
106. New England - WR/CB, Will Blackmon, Boston College
107. Arizona - TE, David Thomas, Texas
108. Philadelphia - RB, Leon Washington, Florida State
109. St. Louis - TE, Tony Scheffler, Western Michigan
110. Cleveland - WR, Devin Aromashodu, Auburn
111. Baltimore - S, Roman Harper, Alabama
112. Cleveland - DT, LeKevin Smith, Nebraska
113. San Diego - OG, Rob Sims, Ohio State
114. Miami - OG, Fred Matua, USC
115. Minnesota - DT, Jesse Maholena, Tennessee
116. Philadelphia - OT, Jeremy Trueblood, Boston College
117. NY Jets - CB, Charles Gordon, Kansas
118. New England - ILB, Tim Dobbins, Iowa State
119. Denver - OT, Rashad Butler, Miami
120. Chicago - OT, Ryan O'Callaghan, Cal
121. Carolina - OT, Zach Strief, Northwestern
122. Tampa Bay - OLB, Brandon Johnson, Louisville
123. Cincinnati - S, Calvin Lowry, Penn State
124. NY Giants - WR, Mike Hass, Oregon State
125. Jacksonville - DE, Stanley McClover, Auburn
126. Denver - DE, Julian Jenkins, Stanford
127. Philadelphia - OG, Calvin Boothe, Cornell
128. Seattle - DE, Eric Henderson, Georgia Tech
129. Pittsburgh - CB, Tim Jennings, Georgia
130. Denver - WR, Johnathan Orr, Wisconsin
131. Pittsburgh - RB, Jerius Norwood, Mississippi State
132. Baltimore - QB, Bruce Gradkowski, Toledo
133. Pittsburgh - QB/WR, Reggie McNeal, Texas A&M
Round 5
134. Buffalo - WR, Todd Watkins, BYU
135. New Orleans - ILB, Freddie Kieaho, San Diego State
136. New England - CB, Derrick Martin, Wyoming
137. Tennessee - OLB, AJ Nicholson, Florida State
138. NY Jets - OT, Paul McQuistan, Weber State
139. Green Bay - CB, Anwar Phillips, Penn State
140. San Francisco - ILB, Leon Williams, Florida State
141. Detroit - RB, Andre Hall, South Carolina
142. Arizona - OLB, Spencer Havner, UCLA
143. Buffalo - DE, Elvis Dumervil, Louisville
144. St. Louis - DE, Chris Gocung, Cal Poly
145. Cleveland - ILB, Kai Parham, Virginia Tech
146. Baltimore - OT, Joe Toledo, Washington
147. Philadelphia - DT, Johnathan Lewis, Virginia Tech
148. Atlanta - CB, Dion Byrum, Ohio
149. Minnesota - TE, Owen Daniels, Wisconsin
150. Dallas - DT, Johnny Jolly, Texas A&M
151. San Diego - S, Greg Blue, Georgia
152. Cleveland - CB, Marcus Maxey, Miami
153. Washington - OG, Adam Stenavich, Michigan
154. Kansas City - QB, Tavaris Jackson, Alabama State
155. Carolina - DE, Jeremy Mincey, Florida
156. Tampa Bay - OT, EJ Whitley, Texas Tech
157. Cincinnati - DT, Barry Cofield, Northwestern
158. NY Giants - OG, Jahri Evans, Bloomsburg
159. Chicago - OLB, Clint Ingram, Oklahoma
160. Jacksonville - OT, Jeromey Clary, Kansas State
161. Denver - WR/RS, Jeremy Bloom, Colorado
162. Indianapolis - OG, Mark Setterstrom, Minnesota
163. Seattle - TE, TJ Williams, NC State
164. Pittsburgh - OG, Chris Kuper, North Dakota
165. Green Bay - OC, Ryan Cook, New Mexico
166. Baltimore - CB, Gerrick McPhearson, Maryland
167. Pittsburgh - WR, Greg Lee, Pittsburgh
168. Philadelphia - CB, John Walker, USC
169. Tennessee - ILB, Tim McGarigle, Northwestern
Round 6
170. Houston - OLB, Omar Gaither, Tennessee
171. New Orleans - WR, Hank Baskett, New Mexico
172. Tennessee - DE, Brent Hawkins, Illinois State
173. Washington - S, Marcus Hudon, NC State
174. New Orleans - OC, Patrick Ross, Boston College
175. San Francisco - OLB, Keith Ellison, Oregon State
176. Oakland - OLB, Terna Nande, Miami
177. Arizona - OG, Dan Stevenson, Notre Dame
178. Buffalo - RB/FB, Lawrence Vickers, Colorado
179. Detroit - OT, Derek Morris, NC State
180. Cleveland - ILB, Cameron Vaughn, LSU
181. Baltimore - WR, Cory Rodgers, TCU
182. Dallas - OG, Rob Meadow, Washington
183. St. Louis - OC, Marvin Phillip, Cal
184. Atlanta - S, Dwayne Slay, Texas Tech
185. Minnesota - S, Scott Ware, USC
186. Kansas City - FB/TE, Matt Bernstein, Wisconsin
187. San Diego - QB, Drew Olson, UCLA
188. San Diego - WR/RS, Skyler Green, LSU
189. Washington - CB, Darrell Hunter, Miami (OH)
190. Kansas City - S, Jahmile Addae, West Virginia
191. New England - CB, Josh Lay, Pittsburgh
192. San Francisco - WR, Martin Nance, Miami (OH)
193. Cincinnati - OLB, Anthony Trucks, Oregon
194. Tampa Bay - OLB, Travis Williams, Auburn
195. Chicago - WR/RS, Devin Hester, Miami
196. Washington - S, Antoine Bethea, Howard
197. Jacksonville - OLB, Jamar Williams, Arizona State
198. Denver - S, Dawan Landry, Georgia Tech
199. Indianapolis - ILB, Freddie Roach, Alabama
200. Chicago - FB, Gilbert Harris, Arizona State
201. Pittsburgh - OT, Terrance Pennington, New Mexico
202. Tampa Bay - RB, PJ Daniels, Georgia Tech
203. Baltimore - RB, Wendell Mathis, Fresno State
204. Philadelphia - ILB, Oliver Hoyte, NC State
205. New England - DE, James Wyche, Syracuse
206. New England - PK, Josh Huston, Ohio State
207. Indianapolis - WR/RS, Jovon Bouknight, Wyoming
208. Baltimore - DE, Brandon Guillory, UL-Monroe
Round 7
209. Cincinnati - OT, Troy Reddick, Auburn
210. New Orleans - RB, Gerald Riggs, Tennessee
211. NY Jets - OLB, Robert Iwuchukwu, Purdue
212. Miami - CB, Chijioke Onyenegecha, Oklahoma
213. San Francisco - OT, Dennis Roland, Georgia
214. Oakland - RB, Wali Lundy, Virginia
215. Tennessee - RB, Taurean Henderson, Texas Tech
216. Buffalo - S, Jarrad Page, UCLA
217. Detroit - OLB, Stephen Tulloch, NC State
218. Arizona - RB, De'Arrius Howard, Arkansas
219. Baltimore - DT, Kedrick Golston, Georgia
220. Philadelphia - QB, Paul Pinegar, Fresno State
221. St. Louis - S, Charlie Peprah, Alabama
222. Cleveland - OT, Brad Butler, Virginia
223. Atlanta - DE, Rob Nankovich, Purdue
224. Dallas - DE, Frostee Rucker, USC
225. San Diego - DT, Tony McDaniel, Tennessee
226. Miami - DE, Ryan Lacasse, Syracuse
227. San Diego - OLB, Will Derting, Washington State
228. Kansas City - DT, Domata Peko, Michigan State
229. New England - QB, DJ Shockley, Georgia
230. Washington - DT, Marcus Green, Ohio State
231. Cincinnati - WR/RS, Brad Smith, Missouri
232. NY Giants - TE, Jeff King, Virginia Tech
233. Miami - S, Darrell Brooks, Arizona
234. Carolina - OC, William Montgomery, Virginia Tech
235. Tampa Bay - DT, Titus Adams, Nebraska
236. San Francisco - RB, Dontrell Moore, New Mexico
237. Carolina - FB, JD Runnels, Oklahoma
238. Tennessee - S, Nate Salley, Ohio State
239. Seattle - PT, Ryan Plackemeier, Wake Forest
240. Pittsburgh - DE, Jason Hatcher, Grambling
241. Tampa Bay - WR/RS - Willie Reid, Florida State
242. St. Louis - CB, Reuben Houston, Georgia Tech
243. St. Louis - OC, Michael Degory, Florida
244. Tampa Bay - OT, Jimmy Martin, Virginia Tech
245. Tennessee - WR, Marques Colston, Hofstra
246. Tennessee - CB, Justin Wyatt, USC
247. Detroit - TE, Charles Davis, Purdue
248. Buffalo - OT, Will Allen, Texas
249. Seattle - S, Reed Doughty, Northern Colorado
250. Washington - DE, Mike Kudla, Ohio State
251. Houston - PT, John Torp, Colorado
252. New Orleans - PK, Jonathan Scifres, SW Missouri State
253. Green Bay - WR, Jeff Webb, San Diego State
254. San Francisco - ILB, Anthony Schlegel, Ohio State
255. Oakland - TE/H-Back, Anthony Mix, Auburn
Thursday, April 20, 2006
2006 NFL Mock Draft - April 20th Revision
Despite finding "mock" drafts to be utterly ridiculous, I'm going to revise my earlier entry now that we're only 9 days away the draft.
If you're interested, and an ESPN Insider, here's a link to Todd McShay's (of Scouts, Inc.) full 7-round mock draft. I've read through it, and if McShay thinks that the Eagles are going to take OT Derek Morris of NC State with the 204th pick, he's insane. I can't wait to rub it in his face when he's wrong. Incidentally, Derek Morris has come a long way since he was too busy to spend any time with his son, Zack, who was constantly in trouble during his days at Bayside High.
Now, on to the updated mock draft! In this one, I've decided to forego predicting who they'll actually take, and instead am focusing on who they should take, based on need and how well the player would fit.
1. Houston Texans - LT, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Virginia Tech. Reggie Bush would be nice, but until they improve that offensive line, they'll always be a 5-11/6-10 team. Plus, with Domanick Davis signed for a number of years they don't really need Reggie Bush, who doesn't appear to have the build to carry the ball 20-25 times a game over the course of a 16-game NFL season.
2. New Orleans Saints - DE, Mario Williams, NC State. After losing Darrin Howard through free agency, the Saints should add Williams, the most complete defensive end in the draft. He's a game-changer, and has the speed to run down QBs like Mike Vick.
3. Tennessee Titans - QB, Vince Young, Texas. Obviously, Steve McNair is nearing the end of the road, but he still has some miles left on him (provided, of course, they let him back into the facility). Young is nowhere near ready to step right in and produce, so they can take a year or two to get his mechanics right while awaiting for McNair to pass the torch.
4. New York Jets - QB, Matt Leinart, USC. With Chad Pennington's shoulder resembling the cheapest item on the menu at Artie Bucco's restaurant, the Jets need a QB. More than that, they need a marquee name to get its fanbase excited.
5. Green Bay Packers - OLB, AJ Hawk, Ohio State. After years of producing sub-par NFL talent, I don't rate Buckeyes entering the NFL draft that highly. However, AJ Hawk is probably the best LB in the draft, and if he plays the "Will" position, he might not get exposed for being the fraud he probably is.
6. San Francisco 49ers - DB, Michael Huff, Texas. I absolutely love this kid, and he'll start immediately for the 49ers at the FS position. He's a ball hawking, hard-hitting defensive back who is versatile enough to play some CB if necessary. The 49ers need a ton of help if they're ever to return to their glory days, and Huff is a good guy to start with.
7. Oakland Raiders - QB, Jay Cutler, Vanderbilt. They've got the natural disaster commonly known as Aaron Brooks for 2 years, which is plenty of time to let Cutler develop. He could probably step in right now, but why rush it?
8. Buffalo Bills - DT, Haloti Ngata, Oregon. Stopping the run is the quickest way to turn your franchises fortunes around, and with Ngata, you get a massive inside DT capable of plugging the hole and freeing up a guy like Takeo Spikes to run sideline-to-sideline to make tackles.
9. Detroit Lions - OLB, Ernie Sims, Florida State. The temptation to select Vernon Davis at this point would have Matt Millen drooling profusely, but the Lions need to improve the overall defense. Pairing Sims with Boss Bailey as the team's outside linebackers would increase that group's athleticism.
10. Arizona Cardinals - OT, Winston Justice, USC. Two Trojans in the Top 10, and not one of them is named "Reggie Bush". I know, you probably think I'm crazy. Trust me, I am. Just like the Texans, the road to respectability in the NFL starts up front. And right now, what the Cardinals (and Texans) are attempting to pass off as an offensive line is abysmal.
11. St. Louis Rams - TE, Vernon Davis, NC State. The Rams have been so desperate for a TE the last few years, they've tried passing off planetoids like Brandon Manumanaluma as one. Davis is a rare, special talent, and would be an ideal safety valve for the rare occasions Torry Holt isn't open.
12. Cleveland Browns - OLB, Chad Greenway, Iowa. Romeo Crennel loves him some linebackers, and Greenway provides the 2nd year head coach with a versatile football player. After the way Crennel helped shape Mike Vrabel's career, Greenway couldn't land in a better place.
13. Baltimore Ravens - DT, Brodrick Bunkley, Florida State. The Ravens have abandoned the 3-4 defense, and adding Bunkley to the defense would be enormous. He's a quick, athletic DT, and the character issues people have on him would be a non-issue on a veteran defense like Baltimore has.
14. Philadelphia Eagles - WR, Chad Jackson, Florida. This one is pretty obvious, isn't it? Philadelphia always needs a WR, and Jackson is the type of WR that can get down field and make big plays. He and last year's 2nd round pick, Reggie Brown, would make a dynamic duo.
15. Denver Broncos - RB, Reggie Bush, USC. Yes, he's finally off the board. And since any RB can run for 1,000 yards in Denver, the question of whether or not Bush will succeed at the next level is answered. Plus, Denver could use Bush as a slot WR, which is something they desperately need.
16. Miami Dolphins - DB, Donte Whitner, Ohio State. The Dolphins most glaring need is at safety, and Whitner could step in right away and start. They could also use a CB, and a guy like Tye Hill would be awesome in Miami.
17. Minnesota Vikings - WR, Santonio Holmes, Ohio State. Their most accomplished WRs right now are Marcus and Koren Robinson. Yikes! Troy Williamson could become a good WR, but the jury is still out on him. Plus, you never know when Koren Robinson is going to fall off the wagon.
18. Dallas Cowboys - CB, Tye Hill, Clemson. Anthony Henry and Terence Newman are inconsistent CBs, and Tye Hill could pressure one of them (likely Henry) for a starting job.
19. San Diego Chargers - Johnathan Joseph, CB, South Carolina. They just dumped Sammy Davis (and his one eye) to the 49ers, so CB is suddenly a position of need.
20. Kansas City Chiefs - Kamerion Wimbley, DE, Florida State. Wimbley and Jared Allen would be a dynamic pass-rushing duo, and with guys like Aaron Brooks and Jake Plummer in the division, having speed at the DE position is crucial.
21. New England Patriots - OLB, Bobby Carpenter, Ohio State. Who knows, maybe Bill Belichick would've made Andy Katzenmoyer an All-Pro. Linebacker is a position where the Patriots need to inject some youth.
22. San Francisco 49ers - CB, Jimmy Williams, Virginia Tech. With 6 divisional games against Seattle, St. Louis and Arizona, the 49ers cannot have too many DBs.
23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - DE, Manny Lawson, NC State. The guy played opposite #2 pick Mario Williams, but while he's not as great an athlete that Williams is, Lawson is a high quality DE.
24. Cincinnati Bengals - CB, Antonio Cromartie, Florida State. He's a bit of a project, but he won't be asked to start immediately in Cincinnati. He hasn't played football in awhile, but his upside is through the roof. He'd make an excellent nickel back in year 1, until he's ready to step in as a starting CB.
25. New York Giants - OLB, Demeco Ryans, Alabama. Even though they just signed Brandon Short, their lack of depth at linebacker could be the sole reason they couldn't stop Carolina in the playoffs last year.
26. Chicago Bears - TE, Leonard Pope, Georgia. He's a massive target for whatever QB (Grossman, Orton) emerges as the starter.
27. Carolina Panthers - C, Nick Mangold, Ohio State. It's suddenly a position of need, and while centers rarely go this high, Mangold is the cream of this year's crop.
28. Jacksonville Jaguars - CB, Ashton Youboty, Ohio State. The Jaguars could go DE at this point, but I think that's foolish. They have a solid front 7, but need to improve the secondary. Youboty is the best DB left.
29. New York Jets - RB, DeAngelo Williams, Memphis. After adding a marquee name in Matt Leinart, the Jets need to give a weapon. Enter DeAngelo Williams, who is likely the most complete RB not named Bush in this draft.
30. Indianapolis Colts - RB, Laurence Maroney, Minnesota. Maroney is the closest thing the Colts will find to Edgerrin James in the draft. There's little chance they enter the season with Domenic Rhodes as their top RB.
31. Seattle Seahawks - DE, Mathias Kiwanuka, Boston College. The most glaring need is in the secondary, but you know what? Adding a pass-rushing DE improves your secondary. If they can get a guy who knows how to pressure the QB, the CBs won't have to cover the WRs as long as they would if you didn't have a good pass rush.
32. Pittsburgh Steelers - RB, LenDale White, USC. Good fit on a veteran team, who won't allow him to slip into being this year's Tyrone Wheatley. Has the size to be an instant touchdown machine.
Tune in to ESPN on April 29th to see how wrong I am. My best guess? I'll get 2-3 of these picks right.
If you're interested, and an ESPN Insider, here's a link to Todd McShay's (of Scouts, Inc.) full 7-round mock draft. I've read through it, and if McShay thinks that the Eagles are going to take OT Derek Morris of NC State with the 204th pick, he's insane. I can't wait to rub it in his face when he's wrong. Incidentally, Derek Morris has come a long way since he was too busy to spend any time with his son, Zack, who was constantly in trouble during his days at Bayside High.
Now, on to the updated mock draft! In this one, I've decided to forego predicting who they'll actually take, and instead am focusing on who they should take, based on need and how well the player would fit.
1. Houston Texans - LT, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Virginia Tech. Reggie Bush would be nice, but until they improve that offensive line, they'll always be a 5-11/6-10 team. Plus, with Domanick Davis signed for a number of years they don't really need Reggie Bush, who doesn't appear to have the build to carry the ball 20-25 times a game over the course of a 16-game NFL season.
2. New Orleans Saints - DE, Mario Williams, NC State. After losing Darrin Howard through free agency, the Saints should add Williams, the most complete defensive end in the draft. He's a game-changer, and has the speed to run down QBs like Mike Vick.
3. Tennessee Titans - QB, Vince Young, Texas. Obviously, Steve McNair is nearing the end of the road, but he still has some miles left on him (provided, of course, they let him back into the facility). Young is nowhere near ready to step right in and produce, so they can take a year or two to get his mechanics right while awaiting for McNair to pass the torch.
4. New York Jets - QB, Matt Leinart, USC. With Chad Pennington's shoulder resembling the cheapest item on the menu at Artie Bucco's restaurant, the Jets need a QB. More than that, they need a marquee name to get its fanbase excited.
5. Green Bay Packers - OLB, AJ Hawk, Ohio State. After years of producing sub-par NFL talent, I don't rate Buckeyes entering the NFL draft that highly. However, AJ Hawk is probably the best LB in the draft, and if he plays the "Will" position, he might not get exposed for being the fraud he probably is.
6. San Francisco 49ers - DB, Michael Huff, Texas. I absolutely love this kid, and he'll start immediately for the 49ers at the FS position. He's a ball hawking, hard-hitting defensive back who is versatile enough to play some CB if necessary. The 49ers need a ton of help if they're ever to return to their glory days, and Huff is a good guy to start with.
7. Oakland Raiders - QB, Jay Cutler, Vanderbilt. They've got the natural disaster commonly known as Aaron Brooks for 2 years, which is plenty of time to let Cutler develop. He could probably step in right now, but why rush it?
8. Buffalo Bills - DT, Haloti Ngata, Oregon. Stopping the run is the quickest way to turn your franchises fortunes around, and with Ngata, you get a massive inside DT capable of plugging the hole and freeing up a guy like Takeo Spikes to run sideline-to-sideline to make tackles.
9. Detroit Lions - OLB, Ernie Sims, Florida State. The temptation to select Vernon Davis at this point would have Matt Millen drooling profusely, but the Lions need to improve the overall defense. Pairing Sims with Boss Bailey as the team's outside linebackers would increase that group's athleticism.
10. Arizona Cardinals - OT, Winston Justice, USC. Two Trojans in the Top 10, and not one of them is named "Reggie Bush". I know, you probably think I'm crazy. Trust me, I am. Just like the Texans, the road to respectability in the NFL starts up front. And right now, what the Cardinals (and Texans) are attempting to pass off as an offensive line is abysmal.
11. St. Louis Rams - TE, Vernon Davis, NC State. The Rams have been so desperate for a TE the last few years, they've tried passing off planetoids like Brandon Manumanaluma as one. Davis is a rare, special talent, and would be an ideal safety valve for the rare occasions Torry Holt isn't open.
12. Cleveland Browns - OLB, Chad Greenway, Iowa. Romeo Crennel loves him some linebackers, and Greenway provides the 2nd year head coach with a versatile football player. After the way Crennel helped shape Mike Vrabel's career, Greenway couldn't land in a better place.
13. Baltimore Ravens - DT, Brodrick Bunkley, Florida State. The Ravens have abandoned the 3-4 defense, and adding Bunkley to the defense would be enormous. He's a quick, athletic DT, and the character issues people have on him would be a non-issue on a veteran defense like Baltimore has.
14. Philadelphia Eagles - WR, Chad Jackson, Florida. This one is pretty obvious, isn't it? Philadelphia always needs a WR, and Jackson is the type of WR that can get down field and make big plays. He and last year's 2nd round pick, Reggie Brown, would make a dynamic duo.
15. Denver Broncos - RB, Reggie Bush, USC. Yes, he's finally off the board. And since any RB can run for 1,000 yards in Denver, the question of whether or not Bush will succeed at the next level is answered. Plus, Denver could use Bush as a slot WR, which is something they desperately need.
16. Miami Dolphins - DB, Donte Whitner, Ohio State. The Dolphins most glaring need is at safety, and Whitner could step in right away and start. They could also use a CB, and a guy like Tye Hill would be awesome in Miami.
17. Minnesota Vikings - WR, Santonio Holmes, Ohio State. Their most accomplished WRs right now are Marcus and Koren Robinson. Yikes! Troy Williamson could become a good WR, but the jury is still out on him. Plus, you never know when Koren Robinson is going to fall off the wagon.
18. Dallas Cowboys - CB, Tye Hill, Clemson. Anthony Henry and Terence Newman are inconsistent CBs, and Tye Hill could pressure one of them (likely Henry) for a starting job.
19. San Diego Chargers - Johnathan Joseph, CB, South Carolina. They just dumped Sammy Davis (and his one eye) to the 49ers, so CB is suddenly a position of need.
20. Kansas City Chiefs - Kamerion Wimbley, DE, Florida State. Wimbley and Jared Allen would be a dynamic pass-rushing duo, and with guys like Aaron Brooks and Jake Plummer in the division, having speed at the DE position is crucial.
21. New England Patriots - OLB, Bobby Carpenter, Ohio State. Who knows, maybe Bill Belichick would've made Andy Katzenmoyer an All-Pro. Linebacker is a position where the Patriots need to inject some youth.
22. San Francisco 49ers - CB, Jimmy Williams, Virginia Tech. With 6 divisional games against Seattle, St. Louis and Arizona, the 49ers cannot have too many DBs.
23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - DE, Manny Lawson, NC State. The guy played opposite #2 pick Mario Williams, but while he's not as great an athlete that Williams is, Lawson is a high quality DE.
24. Cincinnati Bengals - CB, Antonio Cromartie, Florida State. He's a bit of a project, but he won't be asked to start immediately in Cincinnati. He hasn't played football in awhile, but his upside is through the roof. He'd make an excellent nickel back in year 1, until he's ready to step in as a starting CB.
25. New York Giants - OLB, Demeco Ryans, Alabama. Even though they just signed Brandon Short, their lack of depth at linebacker could be the sole reason they couldn't stop Carolina in the playoffs last year.
26. Chicago Bears - TE, Leonard Pope, Georgia. He's a massive target for whatever QB (Grossman, Orton) emerges as the starter.
27. Carolina Panthers - C, Nick Mangold, Ohio State. It's suddenly a position of need, and while centers rarely go this high, Mangold is the cream of this year's crop.
28. Jacksonville Jaguars - CB, Ashton Youboty, Ohio State. The Jaguars could go DE at this point, but I think that's foolish. They have a solid front 7, but need to improve the secondary. Youboty is the best DB left.
29. New York Jets - RB, DeAngelo Williams, Memphis. After adding a marquee name in Matt Leinart, the Jets need to give a weapon. Enter DeAngelo Williams, who is likely the most complete RB not named Bush in this draft.
30. Indianapolis Colts - RB, Laurence Maroney, Minnesota. Maroney is the closest thing the Colts will find to Edgerrin James in the draft. There's little chance they enter the season with Domenic Rhodes as their top RB.
31. Seattle Seahawks - DE, Mathias Kiwanuka, Boston College. The most glaring need is in the secondary, but you know what? Adding a pass-rushing DE improves your secondary. If they can get a guy who knows how to pressure the QB, the CBs won't have to cover the WRs as long as they would if you didn't have a good pass rush.
32. Pittsburgh Steelers - RB, LenDale White, USC. Good fit on a veteran team, who won't allow him to slip into being this year's Tyrone Wheatley. Has the size to be an instant touchdown machine.
Tune in to ESPN on April 29th to see how wrong I am. My best guess? I'll get 2-3 of these picks right.
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
2006 NFL Mock Draft
As we get closer to the 2006 NFL Draft, now is the time where I usually do my "mock draft". I find these things to be utterly useless, as it's impossible to get into the heads of NFL personnel men. Kudos to the sites (Stevenson's, Great Blue North) and people (Mel Kiper, Mike Mayock) that earn a living off this. They're right alongside weathermen in terms of earning a comfortable living, despite being wrong 75% of the time.
# 1 - Houston Texans - Reggie Bush, RB, USC - No real surprise here. He's so athletically-gifted, the Texans can't pass him up. However, with Domanick Davis signed for the long-term, where they'll play him is up in the air. #1 picks usually don't return kicks and punts, as they have an actual position.
#2 - New Orleans Saints - D'Brickashaw Ferguson, OT, Virginia - He's a classic left tackle, and since the Saints just dealt Wayne Gandy to the Falcons, Ferguson would be a great protector for Drew Brees. They could be crafty and trade down a few slots, and it's likely Ferguson will be there.
#3 - Tennessee Titans - Vince Young, QB, Texas - They really seemed to like him during his Uncle Rico impersonation (credit to PFT.com for that reference), and with Steve McNair nearing retirement, Young or Leinart appears to be their guy. I have them taking Young because of his signability. Leinart is probably the smarter pick, but he really wants to play in the Big Apple, and might prove to tough for the Titans to sign. This is another example of why the NFL really needs to slot the rookie salaries.
#4 - New York Jets - Matt Leinart, QB, USC - I see the Jets trading up to the Saints spot to take Leinart, but I already detailed how Leinart could "slide" to 4th. He's a marketable guy, going to a team that really needs a QB since Chad Pennington's shoulder is wrecked.
#5 - Green Bay Packers - Mario Williams, DE, NC State - The best defensive player in the draft, and by a wide margin. Williams isn't quite Julius Peppers, but he's close.
#6 - San Francisco 49ers - Michael Huff, S, Texas - There isn't one area where the 49ers don't need help, so I have the 49ers taking the best defensive player remaining.
#7 - Oakland Raiders - AJ Hawk, OLB, Ohio State - I'm not sold on the guy, but everyone seems to think he's going to be a great pro. The question I have is whether or not he's another Chris Speilman, or another Andy Katzenmoyer.
#8 - Buffalo Bills - Vernon Davis, TE, Maryland - He's a game-changing talent at the TE position, and Buffalo's anemic offense needs help. He could be a great safety valve for JP Losman.
#9 - Detroit Lions - Haloti Ngata, DT, Oregon - Though I'm sure Millen would love to add another WR, but adding a run-stuffing DT takes priority. They could go offensive line here, but I don't see an offensive lineman available that would merit a Top 10 pick.
#10 - Arizona Cardinals - Winston Justice, OT, USC - Since he's not worth a Top 10 pick, how can Arizona resist him? Justice is a fine player, a definite 1st rounder, but the offensive line is the one thing keeping the Cardinals from becoming a contender. Adding Justice will help, but it's still a reach.
#11 - St. Louis Rams - Brodrick Bunkley, DT, Florida State - Once again, the Rams will use a 1st round pick on a DT. They've done it multiple times in the last few years, and none have panned out. Bunkley, however, is more athletic than Ngata, who I have going 2 spots earlier.
#12 - Cleveland Browns - Chad Greenway, OLB, Iowa - He's a versatile LB, and that's just what Romeo Crennel's defense needs.
#13 - Baltimore Ravens - Kamerion Wimbley, OLB, Florida State - He'd be a perfect fit alongside Ray Lewis. He's big and fast, very much in line with how the Ravens like their players.
#14 - Philadelphia Eagles - Chad Jackson, WR, Florida - They added Reggie Brown in the 2nd round last year, and I think he's going to be a good #2 WR in the NFL. Jackson is a guy who can play split end and get deep, which is something they're lacking with T.O. out of the picture.
#15 - Denver Broncos - Santonio Holmes, WR, Ohio State - As tempting as taking a RB usually is to this group, addressing the WR position is a must.
#16 - Miami Dolphins - Ernie Sims, OLB, Florida State - I'm sure they would've loved to see Chad Jackson here, but adding youth to that defense is probably a good idea. Seau, Thomas and Taylor aren't getting any younger.
#17 - Minnesota Vikings - Donte Whitner, S, Ohio State - They did a nice job of adding Darren Sharper a year ago, but they'd be well-served to inject some youth into that secondary.
#18 - Dallas Cowboys - Jay Cutler, QB, Vanderbilt - After tinkering with Drew Henson, the replacement for Drew Bledsoe falls into their lap. And why wouldn't the Cowboys steal some headlines by taking a QB many thought could go in the Top 10?
#19 - San Diego Chargers - Jimmy Williams, S, Virginia Tech - As impressive as their front 7 is, the secondary for the Chargers is awful. Adding Williams is an instant upgrade.
#20 - Kansas City Chiefs - Gabe Watson, DT, Michigan - Watson is a huge, run-stopping DT. Something KC desperately needs.
#21 - New England Patriots - LenDale White, RB, USC - There may be questions about his work ethic, but don't think the Patriots will be scared off by that. He's a big RB with a nose for the end zone. Think of him as a bigger version of Corey Dillon, who is close to the end.
#22 - Denver Broncos - DeAngelo Williams, RB, Memphis - You knew that Denver couldn't resist taking a RB. Williams is a complete back, something Denver never seems to have.
#23 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Bobby Carpenter, OLB, Ohio State - Tampa Bay is another defensive-minded team with aging personnel, so getting a young and versatile defender is their top priority.
#24 - Cincinnati Bengals - Jason Allen, DB, Tennessee - The team has addressed the defensive side of the ball the last few years, and I expect that to continue.
#25 - New York Giants - Demeco Ryans, OLB, Alabama - This was a position that was in dire straits late last year, and unless they jump back into the Lavar Arrington sweepstakes, they'll target a LB in round 1. If Carpenter is here, they'd take him over Ryans.
#26 - Chicago Bears - Sinorice Moss, WR, Miami - Whoever emerges as this team's starting QB won't have many weapons to throw to. Adding Moss addresses that need.
#27 - Carolina Panthers - Nick Mangold, C, Ohio State - Currently, the team is without a center. Mangold could step in right away and start.
#28 - Jacksonville Jaguars - Ahston Youboty, CB, Ohio State - CB was a weakness for the Jags in '05.
#29 - New York Jets - Tye Hill, CB, Clemson - CBs are drafted in bunches, and with Mangini's background, and the loss of Ty Law, the Jets go for another Tye with their 2nd pick in round 1.
#30 - Indianapolis Colts - Laurence Maroney, RB, Minnesota - RBs tend to slip in round 1, and the Colts could consider themselves lucky to have Maroney fall to them here.
#31 - Seattle Seahawks - Mathias Kiwanuka, DE, Boston College - After using a 3-man rotation at the DE position a year ago, Seattle could certainly use some help at that position. Kiwanuka gives them a dynamic, and at 6-7 a physically imposing, option at DE. Another option at this position is DB.
#32 - Pittsburgh Steelers - Johnathan Joseph, CB, South Carolina - Ike Taylor is developing into a quality CB, but Pittsburgh needs to improve in that area.
# 1 - Houston Texans - Reggie Bush, RB, USC - No real surprise here. He's so athletically-gifted, the Texans can't pass him up. However, with Domanick Davis signed for the long-term, where they'll play him is up in the air. #1 picks usually don't return kicks and punts, as they have an actual position.
#2 - New Orleans Saints - D'Brickashaw Ferguson, OT, Virginia - He's a classic left tackle, and since the Saints just dealt Wayne Gandy to the Falcons, Ferguson would be a great protector for Drew Brees. They could be crafty and trade down a few slots, and it's likely Ferguson will be there.
#3 - Tennessee Titans - Vince Young, QB, Texas - They really seemed to like him during his Uncle Rico impersonation (credit to PFT.com for that reference), and with Steve McNair nearing retirement, Young or Leinart appears to be their guy. I have them taking Young because of his signability. Leinart is probably the smarter pick, but he really wants to play in the Big Apple, and might prove to tough for the Titans to sign. This is another example of why the NFL really needs to slot the rookie salaries.
#4 - New York Jets - Matt Leinart, QB, USC - I see the Jets trading up to the Saints spot to take Leinart, but I already detailed how Leinart could "slide" to 4th. He's a marketable guy, going to a team that really needs a QB since Chad Pennington's shoulder is wrecked.
#5 - Green Bay Packers - Mario Williams, DE, NC State - The best defensive player in the draft, and by a wide margin. Williams isn't quite Julius Peppers, but he's close.
#6 - San Francisco 49ers - Michael Huff, S, Texas - There isn't one area where the 49ers don't need help, so I have the 49ers taking the best defensive player remaining.
#7 - Oakland Raiders - AJ Hawk, OLB, Ohio State - I'm not sold on the guy, but everyone seems to think he's going to be a great pro. The question I have is whether or not he's another Chris Speilman, or another Andy Katzenmoyer.
#8 - Buffalo Bills - Vernon Davis, TE, Maryland - He's a game-changing talent at the TE position, and Buffalo's anemic offense needs help. He could be a great safety valve for JP Losman.
#9 - Detroit Lions - Haloti Ngata, DT, Oregon - Though I'm sure Millen would love to add another WR, but adding a run-stuffing DT takes priority. They could go offensive line here, but I don't see an offensive lineman available that would merit a Top 10 pick.
#10 - Arizona Cardinals - Winston Justice, OT, USC - Since he's not worth a Top 10 pick, how can Arizona resist him? Justice is a fine player, a definite 1st rounder, but the offensive line is the one thing keeping the Cardinals from becoming a contender. Adding Justice will help, but it's still a reach.
#11 - St. Louis Rams - Brodrick Bunkley, DT, Florida State - Once again, the Rams will use a 1st round pick on a DT. They've done it multiple times in the last few years, and none have panned out. Bunkley, however, is more athletic than Ngata, who I have going 2 spots earlier.
#12 - Cleveland Browns - Chad Greenway, OLB, Iowa - He's a versatile LB, and that's just what Romeo Crennel's defense needs.
#13 - Baltimore Ravens - Kamerion Wimbley, OLB, Florida State - He'd be a perfect fit alongside Ray Lewis. He's big and fast, very much in line with how the Ravens like their players.
#14 - Philadelphia Eagles - Chad Jackson, WR, Florida - They added Reggie Brown in the 2nd round last year, and I think he's going to be a good #2 WR in the NFL. Jackson is a guy who can play split end and get deep, which is something they're lacking with T.O. out of the picture.
#15 - Denver Broncos - Santonio Holmes, WR, Ohio State - As tempting as taking a RB usually is to this group, addressing the WR position is a must.
#16 - Miami Dolphins - Ernie Sims, OLB, Florida State - I'm sure they would've loved to see Chad Jackson here, but adding youth to that defense is probably a good idea. Seau, Thomas and Taylor aren't getting any younger.
#17 - Minnesota Vikings - Donte Whitner, S, Ohio State - They did a nice job of adding Darren Sharper a year ago, but they'd be well-served to inject some youth into that secondary.
#18 - Dallas Cowboys - Jay Cutler, QB, Vanderbilt - After tinkering with Drew Henson, the replacement for Drew Bledsoe falls into their lap. And why wouldn't the Cowboys steal some headlines by taking a QB many thought could go in the Top 10?
#19 - San Diego Chargers - Jimmy Williams, S, Virginia Tech - As impressive as their front 7 is, the secondary for the Chargers is awful. Adding Williams is an instant upgrade.
#20 - Kansas City Chiefs - Gabe Watson, DT, Michigan - Watson is a huge, run-stopping DT. Something KC desperately needs.
#21 - New England Patriots - LenDale White, RB, USC - There may be questions about his work ethic, but don't think the Patriots will be scared off by that. He's a big RB with a nose for the end zone. Think of him as a bigger version of Corey Dillon, who is close to the end.
#22 - Denver Broncos - DeAngelo Williams, RB, Memphis - You knew that Denver couldn't resist taking a RB. Williams is a complete back, something Denver never seems to have.
#23 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Bobby Carpenter, OLB, Ohio State - Tampa Bay is another defensive-minded team with aging personnel, so getting a young and versatile defender is their top priority.
#24 - Cincinnati Bengals - Jason Allen, DB, Tennessee - The team has addressed the defensive side of the ball the last few years, and I expect that to continue.
#25 - New York Giants - Demeco Ryans, OLB, Alabama - This was a position that was in dire straits late last year, and unless they jump back into the Lavar Arrington sweepstakes, they'll target a LB in round 1. If Carpenter is here, they'd take him over Ryans.
#26 - Chicago Bears - Sinorice Moss, WR, Miami - Whoever emerges as this team's starting QB won't have many weapons to throw to. Adding Moss addresses that need.
#27 - Carolina Panthers - Nick Mangold, C, Ohio State - Currently, the team is without a center. Mangold could step in right away and start.
#28 - Jacksonville Jaguars - Ahston Youboty, CB, Ohio State - CB was a weakness for the Jags in '05.
#29 - New York Jets - Tye Hill, CB, Clemson - CBs are drafted in bunches, and with Mangini's background, and the loss of Ty Law, the Jets go for another Tye with their 2nd pick in round 1.
#30 - Indianapolis Colts - Laurence Maroney, RB, Minnesota - RBs tend to slip in round 1, and the Colts could consider themselves lucky to have Maroney fall to them here.
#31 - Seattle Seahawks - Mathias Kiwanuka, DE, Boston College - After using a 3-man rotation at the DE position a year ago, Seattle could certainly use some help at that position. Kiwanuka gives them a dynamic, and at 6-7 a physically imposing, option at DE. Another option at this position is DB.
#32 - Pittsburgh Steelers - Johnathan Joseph, CB, South Carolina - Ike Taylor is developing into a quality CB, but Pittsburgh needs to improve in that area.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Seahawks Announce 2006 Schedule
To read how much of an event the NFL makes the release of the full schedule, I recommend Mark Kreidler's article over at the Worldwide Leader.
At 2pm ET, the Seattle Seahawks announced their schedule for the 2006 regular season. There has been talk about how the Seahawks were "disrespected" when they weren't announced as one of the teams playing on primetime in Week 1, which usually consists of the Super Bowl participants from the previous season.
Any talk of such "disrespect" can quickly be brushed aside today, as the Seahawks will play FOUR (4) nationally-televised football games this year, three of which will be played at Qwest Field. That's an enormous indicator in how the league views the team, the stadium and the fans in Seattle.
Here's a game-by-game look at the 2006 Seattle Seahawks regular season schedule (all times Eastern):
September 10th, 2006 - 1pm (FOX) - @ Detroit Lions - Seattle returns to the scene of the crime.
September 17th, 2006 - 4pm (FOX) - ARIZONA CARDINALS - The Cardinals could challenge for a playoff spot this year.
September 24th, 2006 - 4pm (FOX) - NEW YORK GIANTS - 60 more minutes of false starts, dropped passes and missed field goals for the G-men?
October 1st, 2006 - 8:15pm (NBC) - @ Chicago Bears - Battle of the top 2 seeds from the 2005 NFC Playoffs. It's good to get the trip to Chicago out of the way early.
Week 5 is a bye week
October 15th, 2006 - 1pm (FOX) - @ St. Louis Rams - The Rams have taken a few steps back on paper, but they're not too far removed from owning the NFC West.
October 22nd, 2006 - 4pm (FOX) - MINNESOTA VIKINGS - Steve Hutchinson returns to the place that made him an All-Pro. Something tells me that I may have to be there for this one.
October 29th, 2006 - 1pm (FOX) - @ Kansas City Chiefs - The 1st meeting of the year with the old AFC West rivals.
November 6th, 2006 - 530pm (ESPN) - OAKLAND RAIDERS - Here's the storyline for you already. On an ESPN game in 2001, Shaun Alexander had 266 yards against the Raiders. The over/under on how many times that performance gets mentioned is 4,000,000.
November 12th, 2006 - 4pm (FOX) - ST. LOUIS RAMS - Almost a year to the day of my first trip to Qwest Field. Results should be about the same, too.
November 19th, 2006 - 405pm (FOX) - @ San Francisco 49ers - Just like last year.
November 27th, 2006 - 530pm (ESPN) - GREEN BAY PACKERS - If Brett Favre stays (which I don't think he will), this may have to be the game I go to this year.
December 3rd, 2006 - 415pm (FOX) - @ Denver Broncos - Doesn't matter what the year is, I hate when the Seahawks go to Denver.
December 10th, 2006 - 405pm (FOX) - @ Arizona Cardinals - We'll know by this point if Arizona is the real deal. Supposed to be a beautiful new stadium down there.
December 14th, 2006 - 5pm (NFL) - SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS - Seattle only gets 3 days rest between games, but thankfully they'll be playing the 49ers on short rest.
December 24th, 2006 - 4pm (CBS) - SAN DIEGO CHARGERS - 10 days off to recuperate and host the Chargers. Very nice Christmas present from the NFL.
December 31st, 2006 - 1pm (FOX) - @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers - The longest road trip of the year will hopefully be followed by a bye week in the post-season.
At 2pm ET, the Seattle Seahawks announced their schedule for the 2006 regular season. There has been talk about how the Seahawks were "disrespected" when they weren't announced as one of the teams playing on primetime in Week 1, which usually consists of the Super Bowl participants from the previous season.
Any talk of such "disrespect" can quickly be brushed aside today, as the Seahawks will play FOUR (4) nationally-televised football games this year, three of which will be played at Qwest Field. That's an enormous indicator in how the league views the team, the stadium and the fans in Seattle.
Here's a game-by-game look at the 2006 Seattle Seahawks regular season schedule (all times Eastern):
September 10th, 2006 - 1pm (FOX) - @ Detroit Lions - Seattle returns to the scene of the crime.
September 17th, 2006 - 4pm (FOX) - ARIZONA CARDINALS - The Cardinals could challenge for a playoff spot this year.
September 24th, 2006 - 4pm (FOX) - NEW YORK GIANTS - 60 more minutes of false starts, dropped passes and missed field goals for the G-men?
October 1st, 2006 - 8:15pm (NBC) - @ Chicago Bears - Battle of the top 2 seeds from the 2005 NFC Playoffs. It's good to get the trip to Chicago out of the way early.
Week 5 is a bye week
October 15th, 2006 - 1pm (FOX) - @ St. Louis Rams - The Rams have taken a few steps back on paper, but they're not too far removed from owning the NFC West.
October 22nd, 2006 - 4pm (FOX) - MINNESOTA VIKINGS - Steve Hutchinson returns to the place that made him an All-Pro. Something tells me that I may have to be there for this one.
October 29th, 2006 - 1pm (FOX) - @ Kansas City Chiefs - The 1st meeting of the year with the old AFC West rivals.
November 6th, 2006 - 530pm (ESPN) - OAKLAND RAIDERS - Here's the storyline for you already. On an ESPN game in 2001, Shaun Alexander had 266 yards against the Raiders. The over/under on how many times that performance gets mentioned is 4,000,000.
November 12th, 2006 - 4pm (FOX) - ST. LOUIS RAMS - Almost a year to the day of my first trip to Qwest Field. Results should be about the same, too.
November 19th, 2006 - 405pm (FOX) - @ San Francisco 49ers - Just like last year.
November 27th, 2006 - 530pm (ESPN) - GREEN BAY PACKERS - If Brett Favre stays (which I don't think he will), this may have to be the game I go to this year.
December 3rd, 2006 - 415pm (FOX) - @ Denver Broncos - Doesn't matter what the year is, I hate when the Seahawks go to Denver.
December 10th, 2006 - 405pm (FOX) - @ Arizona Cardinals - We'll know by this point if Arizona is the real deal. Supposed to be a beautiful new stadium down there.
December 14th, 2006 - 5pm (NFL) - SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS - Seattle only gets 3 days rest between games, but thankfully they'll be playing the 49ers on short rest.
December 24th, 2006 - 4pm (CBS) - SAN DIEGO CHARGERS - 10 days off to recuperate and host the Chargers. Very nice Christmas present from the NFL.
December 31st, 2006 - 1pm (FOX) - @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers - The longest road trip of the year will hopefully be followed by a bye week in the post-season.
Jon Papelbon
Just a few days ago, I mentioned that Jon Papelbon would replace Keith Foulke in the "closer" role by June 1st. After Foulke struggled in his season debut on Tuesday, I asked to amend that, as it was obvious Keith Foulke no longer has the makeup for the position.
I guess I wasn't alone in that assessment, as Red Sox manager Terry Francona called on Papelbon in the 9th inning of a 2-1 game last night in Texas. And the kid was dazzling.
Look, I don't wish to tear down Keith Foulke, without whom the Red Sox wouldn't have won a World Series in 2004. He was absolutely phenomenal that season, and even more so in the playoffs. It's unfortunate that his knees are now bone-on-bone, and it's even more unfortunate that some rather bone-headed statements made on WEEI have tarnished his image in Boston. I deplore the people of Boston to realize how important Keith Foulke was to that franchise erasing 86 years of futility, and remember him for that, and not the "Johnny from Burger King" remarks made during a period where Foulke was having some off-field issues, not including him obviously knowing his career was coming to a screeching halt.
But his days as a closer in Boston are officially over. Barring an injury in the rotation which necessitate Papelbon making some spot starts, I can't see any scenario where Keith Foulke is given the ball in the 9th inning in a game the Red Sox lead by 3 runs or less (those circumstances constitute a "save situation", by the way).
The role of closer is one that requires a player who has ice water coursing through his veins. The best closer in baseball is still Mariano Rivera, who operates with a surgeon-like precision, rattling him is nearly impossible. Same thing can be said about Brad Lidge or Billy Wagner. These guys can be beaten from time to time, but they're going to rebound from that, both mentally and physically.
Keith Foulke doesn't appear to meet the "physically" part of that. It could be argued that he doesn't have the capacity to rebound from either aspect, but since I'm not in Foulke's head, I couldn't possibly make that claim. The "deer in headlights" look on his face last night in Texas seems to lend credence to that argument, though.
I mentioned to the couple of friends that were over watching that 9th inning last night that Papelbon has the look of a serial killer when he's on the mound, and that's why I think he has the makings of a successful closer. We know he has the stuff to succeed at the position, and that steely-eyed calmness he displays on the mound is why I think he could be much more than just a serviceable closer, but a dominant closer at the major league level.
I guess I wasn't alone in that assessment, as Red Sox manager Terry Francona called on Papelbon in the 9th inning of a 2-1 game last night in Texas. And the kid was dazzling.
Look, I don't wish to tear down Keith Foulke, without whom the Red Sox wouldn't have won a World Series in 2004. He was absolutely phenomenal that season, and even more so in the playoffs. It's unfortunate that his knees are now bone-on-bone, and it's even more unfortunate that some rather bone-headed statements made on WEEI have tarnished his image in Boston. I deplore the people of Boston to realize how important Keith Foulke was to that franchise erasing 86 years of futility, and remember him for that, and not the "Johnny from Burger King" remarks made during a period where Foulke was having some off-field issues, not including him obviously knowing his career was coming to a screeching halt.
But his days as a closer in Boston are officially over. Barring an injury in the rotation which necessitate Papelbon making some spot starts, I can't see any scenario where Keith Foulke is given the ball in the 9th inning in a game the Red Sox lead by 3 runs or less (those circumstances constitute a "save situation", by the way).
The role of closer is one that requires a player who has ice water coursing through his veins. The best closer in baseball is still Mariano Rivera, who operates with a surgeon-like precision, rattling him is nearly impossible. Same thing can be said about Brad Lidge or Billy Wagner. These guys can be beaten from time to time, but they're going to rebound from that, both mentally and physically.
Keith Foulke doesn't appear to meet the "physically" part of that. It could be argued that he doesn't have the capacity to rebound from either aspect, but since I'm not in Foulke's head, I couldn't possibly make that claim. The "deer in headlights" look on his face last night in Texas seems to lend credence to that argument, though.
I mentioned to the couple of friends that were over watching that 9th inning last night that Papelbon has the look of a serial killer when he's on the mound, and that's why I think he has the makings of a successful closer. We know he has the stuff to succeed at the position, and that steely-eyed calmness he displays on the mound is why I think he could be much more than just a serviceable closer, but a dominant closer at the major league level.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Opening Day 2006
Even though it's abundantly clear that the NFL is miles ahead of Major League Baseball, it was great to see the return of our national past time yesterday. The "official" start of the 2006 season may have been Sunday night, but for most of us, the 26 teams that took the field in 13 games yesterday was when it really got started.
For 10 hours yesterday, I was entirely consumed by baseball. From the 1pm start of the Nationals-Mets game, right up until the Yankees plated their 12th run, I was a channel-surfing baseball nerd. And I loved every minute of it.
Some observations:
1. Bartolo Colon's conditioning leads me to think that he won't last the full season. Buster Olney mentioned in his blog that Colon's velocity was way down from a year ago, and I didn't really pay much attention to that. What I did notice was that he started out dominating the Seattle hitters, but the second time through, the hitters were getting the best of him. If Colon breaks down, the Angels won't be going anywhere this year.
2. Welcome to the US, Kenji Johjima! I was skeptical of how Johjima, an All-Star catcher in Japan, would acclimate to the playing in the States, but Johjima did really well yesterday. He even hit his 1st major league HR (off the aforementioned Colon).
3. If you thought Cecil Fielder was big, wait 'til you get a load of his son, Prince, who is playing 1B for the Brewers. The guy is positively MASSIVE, and while he struck out 4 times yesterday, when he makes contact, the ball flies.
4. Speaking of the Brewers, I'm inches away from adopting them this year. I just love the way they play the game, and JJ Hardy and Rickie Weeks comprise an intriguing doubleplay combo up the middle. If Carlos Lee and Geoff Jenkins produce, and Ben Sheets gets healthy, the Brewers can win in the NL Central.
5. I have to give it up for FOX Sports in LA, who employed "Mound Cam" yesterday. It's always a treat to get a close-up view of Derek Lowe giving up a homerun.
6. I'm not saying that the Florida Marlins are a young team, but word is their games are being broadcasted by Nickelodeon. Still, they'll be fun to watch this year. I was really impressed with the arm on RF Jeremy Hermida.
7. The next time you go to a steakhouse in the Boston area, don't be surprised if your waiter asks if you want your steak cooked "rare", "medium", "well done" or "Keith Foulke", which I'm sure would be cooked to the point where it would break into peices if you dropped it. I thought Jon Papelbon would be closing by June 1st. I'd like to amend that, if I could.
8. When Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck, who threw out the ceremonial first pitch the 2006 Mariners season, threw a strike on the outside corner, I'm sure that Mike Hargrove was hoping he'd stick around to work out of the bullpen.
(By the way, Seattle is officially a football town. That place went nuts when a few of the Seahawks were introduced before the game. Biggest ovation: FB Mack Strong.)
9. The Yankees are on pace to score 2,430 runs this season...
9a....and Chris Shelton is on pace to hit 324 homeruns. He plays for the Tigers, which was the answer to the question you just asked yourself.
10. The Braves had a 6-run lead on the Dodgers in the 8th inning, and barely hung on to win 11-10. Do you think they'll miss Leo Mazzone this year?
On a side note, and since I don't think I mentioned it on here when it happened, but can we get over the "Johnny Damon is a traitor" nonsense? So he signed with the Yankees. Big deal. The only reason he played for the Red Sox is because in 2001, they were offering him the most money. It's not as though he worked his way through the organization or anything, so let's stop with the hatred people feel towards this guy. He's a mercenary, a hired gun with no loyalties to a particular team. The fan base with a legitimate gripe about Damon are the 7 remaining Royals fans. That's where Damon developed, until he got too pricey and had to be dealt away to Oakland for prospects.
Harboring ill will towards Damon is as cheap and pathetic as Damon playing with a "chip on his shoulder" because the Red Sox low-balled him.
Still, I fully expect to hear a chorus of "boos" when Damon returns to Fenway this year, which is about as predictable as a "Yankees Suck" chant during a Red Sox-Orioles game in mid-May.
For 10 hours yesterday, I was entirely consumed by baseball. From the 1pm start of the Nationals-Mets game, right up until the Yankees plated their 12th run, I was a channel-surfing baseball nerd. And I loved every minute of it.
Some observations:
1. Bartolo Colon's conditioning leads me to think that he won't last the full season. Buster Olney mentioned in his blog that Colon's velocity was way down from a year ago, and I didn't really pay much attention to that. What I did notice was that he started out dominating the Seattle hitters, but the second time through, the hitters were getting the best of him. If Colon breaks down, the Angels won't be going anywhere this year.
2. Welcome to the US, Kenji Johjima! I was skeptical of how Johjima, an All-Star catcher in Japan, would acclimate to the playing in the States, but Johjima did really well yesterday. He even hit his 1st major league HR (off the aforementioned Colon).
3. If you thought Cecil Fielder was big, wait 'til you get a load of his son, Prince, who is playing 1B for the Brewers. The guy is positively MASSIVE, and while he struck out 4 times yesterday, when he makes contact, the ball flies.
4. Speaking of the Brewers, I'm inches away from adopting them this year. I just love the way they play the game, and JJ Hardy and Rickie Weeks comprise an intriguing doubleplay combo up the middle. If Carlos Lee and Geoff Jenkins produce, and Ben Sheets gets healthy, the Brewers can win in the NL Central.
5. I have to give it up for FOX Sports in LA, who employed "Mound Cam" yesterday. It's always a treat to get a close-up view of Derek Lowe giving up a homerun.
6. I'm not saying that the Florida Marlins are a young team, but word is their games are being broadcasted by Nickelodeon. Still, they'll be fun to watch this year. I was really impressed with the arm on RF Jeremy Hermida.
7. The next time you go to a steakhouse in the Boston area, don't be surprised if your waiter asks if you want your steak cooked "rare", "medium", "well done" or "Keith Foulke", which I'm sure would be cooked to the point where it would break into peices if you dropped it. I thought Jon Papelbon would be closing by June 1st. I'd like to amend that, if I could.
8. When Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck, who threw out the ceremonial first pitch the 2006 Mariners season, threw a strike on the outside corner, I'm sure that Mike Hargrove was hoping he'd stick around to work out of the bullpen.
(By the way, Seattle is officially a football town. That place went nuts when a few of the Seahawks were introduced before the game. Biggest ovation: FB Mack Strong.)
9. The Yankees are on pace to score 2,430 runs this season...
9a....and Chris Shelton is on pace to hit 324 homeruns. He plays for the Tigers, which was the answer to the question you just asked yourself.
10. The Braves had a 6-run lead on the Dodgers in the 8th inning, and barely hung on to win 11-10. Do you think they'll miss Leo Mazzone this year?
On a side note, and since I don't think I mentioned it on here when it happened, but can we get over the "Johnny Damon is a traitor" nonsense? So he signed with the Yankees. Big deal. The only reason he played for the Red Sox is because in 2001, they were offering him the most money. It's not as though he worked his way through the organization or anything, so let's stop with the hatred people feel towards this guy. He's a mercenary, a hired gun with no loyalties to a particular team. The fan base with a legitimate gripe about Damon are the 7 remaining Royals fans. That's where Damon developed, until he got too pricey and had to be dealt away to Oakland for prospects.
Harboring ill will towards Damon is as cheap and pathetic as Damon playing with a "chip on his shoulder" because the Red Sox low-balled him.
Still, I fully expect to hear a chorus of "boos" when Damon returns to Fenway this year, which is about as predictable as a "Yankees Suck" chant during a Red Sox-Orioles game in mid-May.
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