MOtorboat
04-25-2008, 01:16 PM
Tomorrow is one of the strangest days in all of sports. Yet none of us can turn our eyes away.
For approximately eight hours on Saturday and another eight on Sunday, many National Football League fans will be glued to their television, as an NFL suit, be it Roger Goodell or some other exec, will march to the podium every ten minutes and call out one name.
And we're riveted.
We're riveted by the Mock Drafts that started being circulated the minute after the 2007 Draft ended. We're riveted by what our team might do, and who they might trade with and who they might select. And we're riveted by Mel Kiper's hair (I don't think it has moved in the 15 years I've been watching the draft).
Draft talk has trumped everything on the radio and in your local major daily, and its focused on ESPN as much, if not more than the NBA Playoffs (Real, actual games).
And still, there I will be at 2 p.m. tomorrow, staring at the television and wondering who is going to be chosen next.
So...who do you want?
There seems to be three factions of Broncos fans right now when it comes to the No. 12 pick.
Fan 1 wants an offensive tackle to replace future Ring of Famer Matt Lepsis.
Fan 2 wants a running back that will bring the Denver running game back to the dominant force it was with Terrell Davis and Clinton Portis at the helm.
And Fan 3 wants to trade down to acquire more picks, specifically a third-round pick, which the Broncos lack after giving up way too much for a defensive tackle last year.
While no one will argue with Fan 3, that, of course is the harder of the three options since it requires another team to want to move up. Maybe Matt Ryan drops down and someone is willing to trade up and get him. Or maybe Arizona wants Keith Rivers and thinks Carolina will take him at No. 13, so they have to get to No. 12 to get him. All sorts of trade scenarios could be played out, and we’d never predict it right.
In Fan 1’s scenario, the Broncos are looking at any one of four guys: Ryan Clady of Boise State, Jeff Otah of Pittsburgh, Chris Williams of Vanderbilt and Brandon Albert of Virginia.
In Fan 2’s scenario, the Broncos are looking at Rashard Mendenhall of Illinois or Jonathan Stewart of Oregon.
I’ve been very clear that I’m Fan No. 1. I think this team needs a solid left tackle. However, we can’t afford another George Foster, an under-motivated player, who had all the physical tools, but never turned it in to production. So who do I think is the best player at that spot? Right now, Ryan Clady. I’ve stated that all along, and I’ll stick with it. My second choice would by Chris Williams out of Vanderbilt, who we know knows Jay, and who we know is an intelligent young tackle. I’m not going to pretend to be a scout, but that’s my layman’s assessment of the situation.
In Scenario 2, I’d rather have Mendenhall. I remember him eating up the Ohio State defense in that crazy game at the Horseshoe last year. That was the moment I said, “man, he’s pretty good, and I wouldn’t mind having him on the Broncos.”
If we can find a trade partner, I think taking Stewart or Otah might be the best options for this team later in the first round, unless Mendenhall slips, which I think is a possibility.
So...who do you want?
Here’s my mock...it’s not perfect, and I guess I’m not stepping out on to any limbs, but hey, gotta give it a go. Everyone else does.
I think if you look at teams that may trade down, it has to be Kansas City, New Orleans and Denver, but then you have to ask if there are people that want to move up to get anyone?
My Mock
1, Miami Dolphins – Jake Long, T, Michigan
2, St. Louis Rams – Chris Long, DE, Virginia
3, Atlanta Falcons – Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
4, Oakland Raiders – Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
5, Kansas City Chiefs – Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC
6, New York Jets – Vernon Gholston, DE/LB, Ohio State
7, New England Patriots – Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy
8, Baltimore Ravens – Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
9, Cincinnati Bengals – Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida
10, New Orleans Saints – Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee State
11, Buffalo Bills – Keith Rivers, LB, USC
12, Denver Broncos – Ryan Clady, T, Boise State
13, Carolina Panthers – Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida
14, Chicago Bears – Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois
15, Detroit Lions – Branden Albert, G, Virginia
16, Arizona Cardinals – Jeff Otah, T, Pittsburgh
17, Kansas City Chiefs – Chris Williams, T, Vanderbilt
18, Houston Texans – Jerod Mayo, OLB, Tennessee
19, Philadelphia Eagles – Devin Thomas, WR, Michigan State
20, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina
21, Washington Redskins – Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas
22, Dallas Cowboys – Limas Sweed, WR, Texas
23, Pittsburgh Steelers – Phillip Merling, DE Clemson
24, Tennessee Titans – DeSean Jackson, WR, Cal
25, Seattle Seahawks – Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma
26, Jacksonville Jaguars – Dan Connor, ILB, Penn State
27, San Diego Chargers – James Hardy, WR, Indiana
28, Dallas Cowboys – Calais Campbell, DE, Miami
29, San Francisco 49ers – Mario Manningham, WR, Michign
30, Green Bay Packers – Jonathan Stewart, RB, Oregon
31, New York Giants – Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College
For approximately eight hours on Saturday and another eight on Sunday, many National Football League fans will be glued to their television, as an NFL suit, be it Roger Goodell or some other exec, will march to the podium every ten minutes and call out one name.
And we're riveted.
We're riveted by the Mock Drafts that started being circulated the minute after the 2007 Draft ended. We're riveted by what our team might do, and who they might trade with and who they might select. And we're riveted by Mel Kiper's hair (I don't think it has moved in the 15 years I've been watching the draft).
Draft talk has trumped everything on the radio and in your local major daily, and its focused on ESPN as much, if not more than the NBA Playoffs (Real, actual games).
And still, there I will be at 2 p.m. tomorrow, staring at the television and wondering who is going to be chosen next.
So...who do you want?
There seems to be three factions of Broncos fans right now when it comes to the No. 12 pick.
Fan 1 wants an offensive tackle to replace future Ring of Famer Matt Lepsis.
Fan 2 wants a running back that will bring the Denver running game back to the dominant force it was with Terrell Davis and Clinton Portis at the helm.
And Fan 3 wants to trade down to acquire more picks, specifically a third-round pick, which the Broncos lack after giving up way too much for a defensive tackle last year.
While no one will argue with Fan 3, that, of course is the harder of the three options since it requires another team to want to move up. Maybe Matt Ryan drops down and someone is willing to trade up and get him. Or maybe Arizona wants Keith Rivers and thinks Carolina will take him at No. 13, so they have to get to No. 12 to get him. All sorts of trade scenarios could be played out, and we’d never predict it right.
In Fan 1’s scenario, the Broncos are looking at any one of four guys: Ryan Clady of Boise State, Jeff Otah of Pittsburgh, Chris Williams of Vanderbilt and Brandon Albert of Virginia.
In Fan 2’s scenario, the Broncos are looking at Rashard Mendenhall of Illinois or Jonathan Stewart of Oregon.
I’ve been very clear that I’m Fan No. 1. I think this team needs a solid left tackle. However, we can’t afford another George Foster, an under-motivated player, who had all the physical tools, but never turned it in to production. So who do I think is the best player at that spot? Right now, Ryan Clady. I’ve stated that all along, and I’ll stick with it. My second choice would by Chris Williams out of Vanderbilt, who we know knows Jay, and who we know is an intelligent young tackle. I’m not going to pretend to be a scout, but that’s my layman’s assessment of the situation.
In Scenario 2, I’d rather have Mendenhall. I remember him eating up the Ohio State defense in that crazy game at the Horseshoe last year. That was the moment I said, “man, he’s pretty good, and I wouldn’t mind having him on the Broncos.”
If we can find a trade partner, I think taking Stewart or Otah might be the best options for this team later in the first round, unless Mendenhall slips, which I think is a possibility.
So...who do you want?
Here’s my mock...it’s not perfect, and I guess I’m not stepping out on to any limbs, but hey, gotta give it a go. Everyone else does.
I think if you look at teams that may trade down, it has to be Kansas City, New Orleans and Denver, but then you have to ask if there are people that want to move up to get anyone?
My Mock
1, Miami Dolphins – Jake Long, T, Michigan
2, St. Louis Rams – Chris Long, DE, Virginia
3, Atlanta Falcons – Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
4, Oakland Raiders – Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
5, Kansas City Chiefs – Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC
6, New York Jets – Vernon Gholston, DE/LB, Ohio State
7, New England Patriots – Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy
8, Baltimore Ravens – Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
9, Cincinnati Bengals – Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida
10, New Orleans Saints – Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee State
11, Buffalo Bills – Keith Rivers, LB, USC
12, Denver Broncos – Ryan Clady, T, Boise State
13, Carolina Panthers – Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida
14, Chicago Bears – Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois
15, Detroit Lions – Branden Albert, G, Virginia
16, Arizona Cardinals – Jeff Otah, T, Pittsburgh
17, Kansas City Chiefs – Chris Williams, T, Vanderbilt
18, Houston Texans – Jerod Mayo, OLB, Tennessee
19, Philadelphia Eagles – Devin Thomas, WR, Michigan State
20, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina
21, Washington Redskins – Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas
22, Dallas Cowboys – Limas Sweed, WR, Texas
23, Pittsburgh Steelers – Phillip Merling, DE Clemson
24, Tennessee Titans – DeSean Jackson, WR, Cal
25, Seattle Seahawks – Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma
26, Jacksonville Jaguars – Dan Connor, ILB, Penn State
27, San Diego Chargers – James Hardy, WR, Indiana
28, Dallas Cowboys – Calais Campbell, DE, Miami
29, San Francisco 49ers – Mario Manningham, WR, Michign
30, Green Bay Packers – Jonathan Stewart, RB, Oregon
31, New York Giants – Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College