411's NFL Round Up 3.18.08: Mock Draft 2.0

Posted by Emmett Wilks on 03.18.2008

Mock Draft 2.0, a strange sense of déjà vu, and why teams draft at positions they don't need right now. All this and more in this week's NFL Round Up!

Hey everyone. Hope your week is going well. A quieter week in the NFL went down. No major retirements or signing, but still plenty of goings to be sure.

QUICK THOUGHTS

I am just not digging the whole Brett Favre revisionist thing so soon after he leaves. Lead by ESPN's Sal Palantonio, there is growing writing occurring trying to deconstruct the legend of Favre, citing his mediocre playoff passer rating and record over the last decade. Cannot buy it folks. Favre was the reason the Packers were often in the playoffs to begin with. He had to deal with a woefully inconsistent defense for years after Reggie White and company left/retired, and deal with managements questionable drafting over the last decade (Ahmad Carroll anyone). Just let the man retire in peace. I have stated before that while I deeply repect Favre, I could never put him in the top 5 of all time QB's, and he just gets into the top 10. But he was still the man for a time, and I will leave it at that.

Just watched Miami DE Jason Taylor's dancing debut on ABC's Dancing with the Stars. The man has got moves and could prove to be a solid competitor this season. And for those who attack Taylor for doing the show, saying he could get hurt or should be focused on football, lighten up. Life's too short, and if he's having fun, more power to him.

FREE AGENCY NEWS

Former Pro Bowl corner DeAngelo Hall is heading to Oakland after his 4 season stint in Atlanta. One of the leagues most athletically gifted players, Hall has had a see-saw career in terms of performance. His attitude has labled him a bad boy, so he should fit right into Raiderland. I love this for Oakland. Hall is there kind of guy, and if properly disciplined, could form an elite corner tandem with Nnamdi Asomugha. Lest we all forget, Hall is still just 24 years old, and he still has more talents that are yet to be tapped.

Carolina continued to add new legs to its receiver corps by signing Seattle man DJ Hackett to a 2 year, $3.5 million contract. Though oft injured, Hackett could be a great complement to All-World Steve Smith, who faced a huge number of double teams the last few seasons. The big question now is will there be anyone healthy enough to throw to them.

Former Colts and Patriots D-lineman Dan Klecko signed with Philly to play full back. A former Temple standout, Klecko is being brought in to clear lanes for running back Brian Westbrook. A native of the Philly area, Klecko is likely to be a fan favorite, though the significance of his signing is still waiting to be seen.


Journeyman QB Trent Dilfer's release by the 49ers may signal the end to his career. Once considered a disappointment by the Tampa Bay Bucs, who drafted him 6th overall in 1994, Dilfer went on to lead the 2000 Ravens to a Super Bowl win. A great character guy, Dilfer will leave the game with a ring on his finger and a model example for kids that no matter how many times you get knocked down, always get back up. Congrats to Trent on what was a very good career.

Former Cardinal and Nittney Lion Bryant Johnson inked a deal with the Niners, which will likely make him the #2 receiver. A first round pick by the Cardinals, Johnson was quickly overshadowed by teammate Anquan Boldin and remained a 3rd option after the drafting of Larry Fitzgerald. Like this signing a lot. Alex Smith needs help, as this will officially be his make or break year in San Fran.




DÉJÀ VU



Boston College DE Mike Mamula leaped ahead of now future Hall of Famer Warren Sapp in the 1995 Draft

This week, I was overcome by a weird sense of déjà vu regarding the slight fall and big rise of Glenn Dorsey and Chris Long, respectively. This eerie sense of familiarity comes is a product of the 1995 Draft, one strongly remember by several teams for its long lasting effects. The two most remembered storylines from that Draft was the selection of Penn State RB Ki-Jana Carter 1st overall by the Bengals, whose career would be marred by major injuries. The other storyline is the one giving me the whole déjà vu feel, that of University of Miami DT Warren Sapp and little known Boston College DE Mike Mamula. Going into the Draft, Sapp was regarded as one of the two best defensive players in the country, along with Florida DT/DE Kevin Carter. Most experts at the time though pegged Sapp as the man with the most Pro potential. It was a forgone conclusion that Sapp would be gone by Top 8, if not within the 4 in the Draft. Certainly he would not fall past Tampa Bay at pick 7, or perhaps with the Philadelphia Eagles trading up at pick 11, a team that was still reeling from the loss of Reggie White the season before. However, Sapp became plagued by a variety of character issues stemming from a marijuana charge he received before the Draft. Suddenly, teams took a microscope view at Sapp and became scared, seeing him as a potential problem child. The sure fire top 10 pick was close to a free fall. And then came Mamula. A little known player nationally, Mamula had finished a solid career at Boston College as a second round pick. It wasn't until the NFL Combine in Indianapolis that people really started taking notice. Mamula was a workout fiend, dominating the drills and making GM's salivate. On draft day, with worries about Sapp at a high, the Bucs traded their 7th overall pick to Philadelphia, where they selected Mamula. Sapp would fall to the 12 spot and be taken by Tampa Bay.

There careers then took drastically different paths. Sapp would go on to become the best 3 technique defender of the 1990's, garner an AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1999, make the Pro Bowl 7 times, and lead a dominate Bucs defense to a Super Bowl XXXVIII trophy. Mamula would struggle to live up to expectations, working his way into a 6 season career that managed a paltry 31.5 career sacks and no major impact as a DE. Though he had two successful seasons in 1996 and 1999, with 8.5 sacks in each of those seasons, he never approached the player that Sapp was for the Bucs.

Fast forward to 2008. Perhaps the most celebrated and discussed 3 techniques since Sapp, LSU's Glenn Dorsey is beginning to fall down many draft boards with concerns of injury. Up rises the young, intelligent, and solid DE from Virginia Chris Long, who was not considered at first round pick until his excellent senior campaign. While the two situations do have strong differences, there are still a number of similarities that deserve mentioning. Firstly, Dorsey has been a highly regarded talent for some time, like Sapp, and did nothing with his on-field performances to diminish the high praise brought on him. Chris Long, like Mamula, came onto the national forefront later with a huge host of fanfare due to his tremendous workouts at the Combine. His terrific senior year of 14 sacks and a boat load of tackles do warrant him as a top 10 pick, no doubt. But the fact remains that he was not a household name until very recently, and too many people are jumping on the band wagon while at the same time jumping off Dorsey's. I firmly believe that both of these players will be at the minimum solid NFL players. Greatness can of course never be foreseen. For me though, I still contend that Dorsey is the better player at his position of the two. I do not recall seeing a play of Dorsey's where he was not double teamed. In the NFL game, when a d-lineman commands that kind of attention, as Dorsey is able to, it make the entire defense better. Should Dorsey fall down to the 9th or 10th pick, I believe that there will be some very upset teams come 2014.


FUTURE IS NOW

I took a great deal of criticism from folks last week when my first Mock Draft had the Bears selecting Clemson DE Phillip Merling with their first pick. Everyone was going crazy because the Bears have 5 DE on the roster now, all of whom are solid to great players. Adewale Ogunleye, Mark Anderson and Alex Brown have been sensational the last few seasons. The point I failed to make properly was that Merling was the best player on the board at the time, and despite the fact that the Bears are well set at DE for the 2008 and 2009 season, it is what comes after that can be such a huge factor.

Case in point, the 2002 NFL Draft.

With 3 picks in Round 1 and 2, many thought the Eagles would address the wide receiver situation (yes, its been going on that long) or bolstering the defensive line. Instead, the Eagles with their first three picks selected not one, not two, but three defensive backs, Lito Sheppard, Michael Lewis, and Sheldon Brown. While fans in Philly weren't mortified by the decision (a certain amount of trust had been placed in Andy Reid after getting the Donovan McNabb pick right) people were pretty confused. Many of the ridiculous draft grades at the time gave the Eagles B- or C's for the draft. The Eagles already featured one of the NFL's most talented secondary, with Chris Vincent and Bobby Taylor at corner, and Blaine Bishop and Brian Dawkins at safeties. Why use all of those picks on positions you are already set with. Simply put, the Eagles were thinking about the future. During their rookie seasons, none of the draft picks made huge impacts, but all saw some playing time. Vincent, Taylor, and Dawkins all made the Pro Bowl that season, manning the secondary of the best team in the regular season in 2002. The next season wouldn't be much different. Vincent and Taylor were still there, along with Dawkins, but Michael Lewis cracked the starting lineup. The Eagles again had a big season, going 12-4 behind excellent secondary play. After that season, the Eagles felt they had gotten all they could out of Vincent and Taylor and let them go into free agency. For the Eagles, both players were on the wrong side of 30 and had given Philadelphia there best years. So, it wasn't until 2004 season that Sheldon Brown and Lito Sheppard became full time starters. And what happened that season. Behind a powerful offense and a terrific defense, the Eagles stormed out to a 13-3 record and a Super Bowl berth. Sheppard went to the Pro Bowl with Lewis and Sheldon Brown was not far off in terms of production.

This becomes so important because fans need to remember three years from now as much as this season. Football teams are puzzles with constantly changing and shifting pieces. Today's solution may not always be tomorrows. Both Alex Brown and Adewale Ogunleye are signed through 2009 and will both be on the wrong side of 30. Though Michael Strahan has taught us not to focus on age for a DE, they will both likely command money that Chicago will not be able to meet. In comes Merling, who having spelled for the first team the last two seasons is now ready to contribute full time. I don't know if that is what the Bears are thinking, but it makes sense. Fans can get too caught up in now and forget about three years form now.



1. MIAMI DOLPHINS
Chris Long: DE, Virginia 6-3, 266 lbs.
I am not knocking him, but I still contend that Glenn Dorsey is better at his position. A great prospect that Bill Parcells loves. It is just best not to argue with Tuna, because he is far more right than wrong.

2. St. Louis Rams
Jake Long: OT, Michigan 6-7, 309 lbs.
No one would claim he is the same talent as Joe Thomas, but has best upside of any tackle this season, and did well to stay in school for another year. Both his playing ability and wallet have improved.

3. Atlanta Falcons
Matt Ryan: QB, Boston College 6-5, 221 lbs.
I really like this kid, and hope he won't be thrown right into the fire with such a dysfunctional situation in Atlanta. Easily the best QB right now, and a definite right move for the Falcons.

4. Oakland Raiders
.Glenn Dorsey: DT, LSU 6-1, 310 lbs.
My thoughts on the situation are seen above. Though he and Sedrick Ellis are better 3 techniques, Raiders may be crazy, but not stupid and would never pass on a potential once a decade d-lineman for there 3-4 scheme.

5. Kansas City Chiefs
Sedrick Ellis USC DT, 6-1, 308 lbs.
Better athlete than Dorsey, but doesn't command the same respect. Both could go at 4 or 5.

6. New York Jets
Darren McFadden Arkansas RB, 6-2, 212 lbs
Just too good to pass up, especially after seeing what Adrian Peterson did in Minnesota.

7. New England Patriots
Vernon Gholtson Ohio State LB, 6-4, 255
He is one scary dude, and a perfect fit for the Pats D.

8. Baltimore Ravens
Leodis McKelvin CB Troy, 5-11, 186 lbs
With no elite corner, the debate of who's best is raging. My nod goest to McKelvin, whose great workout sold me that he's the one to watch at CB.


9. Cincinnati Bengals
Derek Harvey DE Florida 6-4, 258 lbs.
An immediate impact type player with great athleticism

10. New Orleans Saints.
Aqib Talib CB Kansas, 6-2 197 lbs

Junior had sensational season and can provide difference maker on in defensive secondary Detroit has lacked


11. Buffalo Bills
Mike Jenkins CB South Florida, 6-0 200lbs.

Though the loss of Nate Clemens wasn't glaring last year, an upgrade at corner wouldn't hurt

12. Denver Broncos
Ryan Clady OT Boise State, 6-6 317 lbs.
With the Great Ogden gone, there is a mammoth hole to fill at left tackle

13.Carolina Panthers
Malcolm Kelly WR Oklahoma, 6-4 200 lbs

Steve Smith cannot do it all alone, and Kelly is a playmaker.

14. Chicago Bears
Rashard Mendenhall RB Illinois, 5-11 225 lbs

Has looked stellar at combine workouts. May be taken sooner, but if available here, will not get past Chicago. Running backs will be in again this season after Adrian Peterson showed once again what a shot in the arm a young RB can be for a team.

15. Detroit Lions
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie CB Tennessee State, 6-2 180 lbs
Rodger-Cromartie has HUGE upside and could be a long term solution for Detroit.


16. Arizona Cardinals
Phillip Merling DE Clemson, 6-4, 275 lbs.

Can't really see him falling this far, but if he does, a gift for the Cardinals for letting Calvin Pace get away. Jonathan Stewart would certainly be the other choice here.

17.Minnesota Vikings
Limas Sweed WR Texas, 6-4 216 lbs

Sweed is best receiver here and Vikings will likely bite. Tarvis Jackson won't mind, as he will get a real shot to become THE guy in the twin cities.

18. Houston Texans
Jonathan Stewart RB Oregon, 5-11 235 lbs
This years Laurence Maroney, Stewart could give Houston that play making tailback they've yet to possess.

19.Philadelphia Eagles
Chris Williams OT Vanderbilt, 6-5 318 lbs
The Eagles were fortunate to have one of footballs elite tackle tandems in Jon Ruyan and William Thomas, but age has caught up to them. With the exception of Winston Justice, the Eagles have had a knack for drafting lineman, and Williams could be a great addition.

20.Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Joe Flacco QB Deleware, 6-6 232 lbs.
While I don't love this kids potential as much as I should putting him here, he still has a great deal of natural tools to go along with a great work ethic, and is right now the 2nd best QB out there. Jon Gruden would groom him for maybe even two seasons, which would be a Godsend for Flacco.

21.Washington Redskins
Mario Manningham WR Michigan, 6-0 190 lbs
Though spaced would have to be made on the roster, Manningham could be another playmaker the Skins have searched have failed to grab with Brandon Lloyd and Antwan Randel-El

22.Dallas Cowboys
Calaius Campbell DE Miami, 6-6 287 lbs.
Bad workouts have hurt his stock, but ignoring Campbell's potential is too difficult.

23. Pittsburg Steelers
Jeff Otah OT Pittsburg, 6-6 340 lbs

Best tackle available at this point, could also go with additional help at safety here.

24 Tennessee Titans
Devon Thomas WR Michigan State, 6-2 217 lbs
A new toy for Vince Young to play with, Thomas may be most ready to play of the receiver crop this year.

25.Seattle Seahawks

Sam Baker OT USC, 6-5 320lbs

Tough realization that Walter Jones won't be around forever sets in, Hawks will then grab powerful and athletic big man for the future. Many have him out of 1st round right now, but he will sneak back in.

26. Jacksonville Jaguars
Quentin Groves DE , 6-3 245 lbs
Impact player needed at DE, Groves best available here, but no consolation prize. Could have great impact in the league.


27. San Diego Charger
Goserd Cherilus OT Boston College, 6-7 313 lbs.
Monster tackle could slide Marcus McNeil over to right side where he could be, making Chargers O-line the elite unit.


28. Dallas Cowboys
Keith Rivers LB USC, 6-3 235 lbs
Major difference maker at USC, could be opening day starter for a host of NFL teams.

29.San Francisco From Indianapolis
DeSean Jackson WR California, 6-0 170 lbs
One of the Drafts most interesting prospects could turn into a Steve Smith-esque playmaker with Vince Young.

30.Green Bay Packer
Fred Davis TE USC, 6-4 245 lbs
Davis is still my top TE, but Dustin Keller isn't far behind. Both viable options here with not tackles worth the pick at this spot.

31. New England Patriots
PICK FORFEITED

32.New York Giants
Dan Connor LB Penn State, 6-2 195

Still needs a little filling out for the NFL game, was nonetheless a mega playmaker for Linebacker U.