NFL 2008

[alldaws1]

Tashard Choice is a very good RB. He will not be inactive. No team goes with only 2 RBs active on game day.

The Cowboys did a few times last season. Tyson Thompson wasn't often active, and when he was it was just to return kicks.

[gunnar hendershow]

We got Ray Rice as well? Whoa, did not expect that. Management must really have faith in Jared Gaither and it leaves us reliant on McAllister and Rolle for another years, but I like Rice so I'm not going to complain. But:

He can throw the ball basically 80 yards and all he has to really work on is his telegraphing and he could fit in well for the Ravens. He has the height and the smarts to be a solid QB in the NFL.

Yeah, that Kyle Boller is a real lo-oh, wait, you didn't mean him. Ain't that interesting?

Fortunately we don't have Brian Billick there to ruin Flacco's confidence after his 3rd practice.

[VerbalPuke]

Well, the Lions addressed the needs they had coming into the draft, I'll give them that much. They also got screwed up with Mayo going to NE (fucking cock suckers) and Stewart going to Carolina, so I wasn't too bummed with the OT pick. Mendenhall would have been the sexy pick, but it's time to build the lines and quit fucking around with the sexy pick year after year.

As for the rest of the draft? I don't even know who these guys are, just that the defensive players are undersized.

[Evil Chase K]

Too bad Cherilus sucks.

[TheArsenal]

Giants did pretty well in the draft. The only selection I found a bit odd was taking a Quarterback. We must have 5 or 6 now.

[VerbalPuke]

Too bad Cherilus sucks.

We'll see what he can do in the NFL. They took him over Otah because he is supposedly a better run blocker, and has a mean streak that Otah lacks. They needed to address the offensive line early.

[Evil Chase K]

Too bad Cherilus sucks.

We'll see what he can do in the NFL. They took him over Otah because he is supposedly a better run blocker, and has a mean streak that Otah lacks. They needed to address the offensive line early.

Cherilus is more polished, but he sucks. He's clumsy, and he has a hard time getting good leverage. He'll never be a left tackle in the NFL. I was actually afraid the Steelers would take him until Detroit selected him. And most scouting reports I've read say he lacks a killer instinct.

Otah is bigger and stronger and has only been playing football for about 5-6 years. As a Pitt fan I've seen a LOT of Otah and the guy is just a mauler. Otah needs work but he has waaaay more upside than Cherilus and arguably more than any other OT in the draft. Whether or not the Panthers are able to develop him into the kind of player he could be, who knows?

All I know is that I'd have taken Otah before Cherilus in a second.

[NobBe Nobbs]

I'd bet Cherilus' draft stock got boosted by Matt Ryan, the theory being if Ryan could do so well he had to have help from his offensive line. Picking Cherilus over Otah, insane, and this draft will probably go down as another Matt Millen special if he busts (even if everybody else picked does decently)

[Vendetta]

Matt Flynn ends up in Green Bay with Brian Brohm. Not to bad back up wise between Rodgers, Flynn, and Brohm.

Colt Brennan winds up in Washington.

Tampa Bay drafts Geno Hayes who is being billed as the next Derrick Brooks.

DB David Vondora is Mr. Irrelevant this year going to St. Louis

FB Jacob Hester to San Diego to replace Lorenzo Neal

QB Dennis Dixon to Pittsburgh

Eric Ainge to the Jets

John David Booty to Minnesota

Jacksonville spends all their picks but one on defense with their last pick being Chauncey Washington from USC.

Michigan Running Back Mike Hart to Indianapolis to back up Addai.

Houston may have found their running back in Steve Slaton

Cincy takes three wide recievers which means we might see a Chad Johnson trade before the season depending on how training camp and preseason go.

Chicago disappoints me but not drafting a QB. Evidently they are happy having Sexy Rexy.

Baltimore may have had one of the best defensive drafts picking up Gooden, and Zibikowski (Who I think is vastly under rated.

[Cactus Drags]

How can you be surprised at Chicago not taking a QB?

[gunnar hendershow]

Great draft for the Ravens from a defensive standpoint. We're going to make a smooth transition to a new generation of players on that side of the ball. But we need to find an heir for Ogden, I don't see our line picks this year doing that. We should've, could've, would've taken Otah if we weren't convinced that Flacco is going to develop into a franchise QB. But a lot of that feels like Kyle Boller all over again, but as long as he doesn't have his confidence shattered I think he might be able to mature well. He just isn't polished at all.

Still, if Otah turns into the guy that everyone thinks he will, we would've lost out on solidifying our line for the next decade with him and Grubbs there.

I'd say KC had the best draft with Detroit having the worst.

Edited April 28, 2008 by damshow

[Mr. X]

Chicago disappoints me but not drafting a QB. Evidently they are happy having Sexy Rexy.

How can you be surprised at Chicago not taking a QB?

This draft really didn't help us in drafting a QB. The few that may end up being starters were taken after we drafted Williams (who is a need) and once Flacco/Henne/Brohm were gone everybody else became a reach. Unless we trade for someone this year, I think next year we must go in with QB/OL as the definitive area to improve.

[Thatz]

Well, the Lions addressed the needs they had coming into the draft, I'll give them that much. They also got screwed up with Mayo going to NE (fucking cock suckers) and Stewart going to Carolina, so I wasn't too bummed with the OT pick. Mendenhall would have been the sexy pick, but it's time to build the lines and quit fucking around with the sexy pick year after year.

As for the rest of the draft? I don't even know who these guys are, just that the defensive players are undersized.

I wouldn't be surprised if Kevin Smith ends up being better than Mendenhall. I'm a Lions fan, and from what I've read, he could actually be really good/great.

[Evil Chase K]

Smith and Mendenhall are in two totally different situations and are very different backs.

Mendenhall is the more complete back, a better receiver, he runs north and south and can run people over as well as make them miss.

Smith is more of a speed guy and he's pretty good, but he's not as polished and hasn't faced the level of competition Mendenhall has.

Plus Mendenhall has the luxury of Willie Parker in his backfield. Kevin Smith is going to be the be-all-end-all in terms of running back in Detroit.

And, as shit as the Steelers line is...it's light years ahead of Detroit's.

[Cactus Drags]

Chicago disappoints me but not drafting a QB. Evidently they are happy having Sexy Rexy.

How can you be surprised at Chicago not taking a QB?

This draft really didn't help us in drafting a QB. The few that may end up being starters were taken after we drafted Williams (who is a need) and once Flacco/Henne/Brohm were gone everybody else became a reach. Unless we trade for someone this year, I think next year we must go in with QB/OL as the definitive area to improve.

That's how I was looking at it. I was surprised there wasn't an attempt to make a move for a veteran QB, either to back-up the winner of the Rex/Neckbeard competition, or someone like McNabb (especially when the Iggles failed to draft a receiver with their first couple of picks). But yeah, drafting a quarterback really wouldn't have helped.

[NobBe Nobbs]

4. This is what bothers me about Baltimore's pick of Joe Flacco: The Ravens are putting him in the same position as another big-armed quarterback, Kyle Boller, when he was a rookie. Boller didn't have an experienced quarterback to school him, and neither will Flacco. You tell me who's going to mentor the guy: Boller or Troy Smith? Oh, and one other thing: When you saw that video of Flacco heaving the ball a mile, did it remind you of those pre-draft stories of Boller bombing 50-yarders from his knees? Yeah, me, too.

Anybody know where Vinny Testaverde is these days?

[alldaws1]

Giants did pretty well in the draft. The only selection I found a bit odd was taking a Quarterback. We must have 5 or 6 now.

I'd expect Hefty Lefty and Anthony Wright to be gone by the start of the season with Eli, Carr & Woodson as the three QBs.

Smith and Mendenhall are in two totally different situations and are very different backs.

Mendenhall is the more complete back, a better receiver, he runs north and south and can run people over as well as make them miss.

Smith is more of a speed guy and he's pretty good, but he's not as polished and hasn't faced the level of competition Mendenhall has.

Plus Mendenhall has the luxury of Willie Parker in his backfield. Kevin Smith is going to be the be-all-end-all in terms of running back in Detroit.

And, as shit as the Steelers line is...it's light years ahead of Detroit's.

Or you could look at it another way in that Kevin Smith will get plenty of chances to shine in Detroit whereas Mendenhall could be limited being behind one of the NFL's best backs. Then again he could be the Steelers' version of Michael Turner, too.

I don't like the Packers drafting two quarterbacks. If their plan for this season is to have Rodgers as the starter backed up by Brohm and Flynn, they're nuts. You need a veteran influence.

[Evil Chase K]

That's true too, but I wasn't talking stats I was talking about development and actual talent as opposed to just their stats.

[livid]

I think the Packers will add a veteran into the mix as I'm not completely sold on the fact that Matt Flynn will even make the team. Besides, he could just become a practice squad guy while they have Rodgers, Brohm and veteran on the active roster.

I'm happy with the 49ers draft. We filled needs rather than going for flashy picks and the fact that WR wasn't adressed until the later rounds makes me happy as I think the additions of Bryant Johnson and Isaac Bruce will bolster the group as Martz improves the offense as a whole. Plus I'm really high on Jason Hill as he seems like the prototypical Martz-type WR. Rachal seems to be a mauler at Guard that will hopefully create more production at the Guard spot than the obviously run-down Larry Allen. I didn't necessarily like the drafting of a Center with Cody Wallace but apparently he has the flexibility to rotate at Guard too which helps the depth. Hopefully the 49ers look to add someone else on the O-Line though as I don't really like the prospect of Jonas Jennings continuing to start at RT.

And while the 49ers didn't address the pass rush that much, they seem to be content with Lawson (who was injured last year so if he can stay healthy should improve the pass rush himself) and guys like Parys Harolson and Jay Moore to go along with Tully Banta-Cain (hopefully he plays a lot better this year as last year he was awful) on the edges. I think Balmer will be good for the team, hopefully creating bookend 3-4 ends with Justin Smith (if he can translate into a 3-4 DE which I hope happens but he might just end up being a glorified pass rusher in their hybrid schemes on 3rd downs). I think with the addition of Reggie Smith, the 49ers secondary gets deeper and younger.

All in all I think it was a solid, yet unspectacular draft that addressed needs rather than BPA but there weren't too many reaches.

And it's quite obvious that the Chiefs had a great draft and really made their team better. If they have another solid year of drafting next year, I could see them becoming a power in the lackluster AFC West again.

[NobBe Nobbs]

AND SPEAKING OF DRAFTS, it's quite clear that we need a better fantasy league than in the past where it was done on the boards and people made decisions like picking Reggie Bush second overall. I propose that I create it using Fleaflicker and we all have a fun time with it. To do so, I need to know who among you would actually be interested in joining and whether it should be under Keeper or Redraft rules.