NFL Draft

[rockymtn devil]

With the draft tomorrow, I thought a generic thread is appropriate.

Some thoughts:

1. I think the Lions are crazy if they go with a QB. That team has so many holes that they need to start on the line (either O or D) and build from there. Stafford may well be an excellent NFL QB, but if he's the pick, he's being set up for failure. At one point Ryan Leaf, Tim Couch, Joey Harrington, and Akili Smith were viewed as "can't miss" players. Each of them probably had NFL talent, but they went to BAD teams and that killed their career (Leaf was a head case, so he's the exception; I think Couch could've been really good had he not been destroyed in Cleveland). I know Matt Ryan had huge success last year, but the Falcons weren't as bad the Lions and they made huge free agency pickups to improve the talent surrounding Ryan. The Rams are currently a model for building intelligently. I think they'll be very good for a long time in the coming years, but they're waiting to get a new QB. Lions should take note.

2. If the Lions decide on Stafford, he needs to take whatever they offer and not try and haggle. He's not in a position of power here. If the Lions pass on him, he could drop all the way to SF at #10 and even "low ball" #1 money is better than what he'll get there.

3. Broncos need to avoid the temptation of trading up for Mark Sanchez. That team has such good offensive weapons that Kyle Orton will be just fine for the time being. It needs defense and with two first round picks tomorrow, it has the opportunity to land two impact players for that side of the ball (wasn't that the point of the Cutler trade?). Trading those two picks for a guy who has made 16 college starts is stupid.

4. It won't happen because they need O-line, but I would love the Steelers to be able to get James Laurinaitis. I think he'd be a perfect fit in the middle of their 3-4 and that is their secondary need.

[Shammrog]

As someone who grew up in the Detroit area, please do not underestimate the ability of the Lions to fuck this up, regardless of what they do.

[bjornolf]

There are three teams that I never underestimate in their ability to shoot themselves in the foot. The Oakland Raiders, the Detroit Lions, and my Washington Redskins (oh, if only Cook had left the dang team to his son!).

[rockymtn devil]

There are three teams that I never underestimate in their ability to shoot themselves in the foot. The Oakland Raiders, the Detroit Lions, and my Washington Redskins (oh, if only Cook had left the dang team to his son!).

The Raiders seem to revel in making bad picks. It's like the Red Sox and loving being the tortured souls of baseball. Much like Sox fans have lost some of their personality, the Raiders would be less interesting if Al Davis wasn't making a mockery of the NFL.

The Redskins, like the Bengals, seem to be run by non-football people. The results speak for themselves. On the other end of the spectrum, the Steelers rarely make big, sexy picks (Roethlisberger is the exception) but they have smart people calling the shots and they've been consistently good for nearly four decades (it also helps when you have had only 3 coaches since 1969).

[Ben63]

As someone who grew up in the Detroit area, please do not underestimate the ability of the Lions to fuck this up, regardless of what they do.

At least Matt Millen isn't the GM anymore.

[captmojo]

There are three teams that I never underestimate in their ability to shoot themselves in the foot. The Oakland Raiders, the Detroit Lions, and my Washington Redskins (oh, if only Cook had left the dang team to his son!).

You would not have been close to being out of bounds had you added the Panthers to the list.

I'll just whisper.............. Rae Carruth

[CameronBornAndBred]

I just want to see where Tauilili goes. I don't think Riley will get drafted, but it will surprise me if he's not on somebody's roster at least for the summer.

[rockymtn devil]

Well the Raiders didn't disappoint. It's too early to say whether Heyward-Bey will be a decent NFL player, but there's no doubt Oakland could've traded down and got him in the teens. Perhaps there wasn't a buyer and if that's the case, I'll give Al Davis a pass. If there was a buyer or Oakland didn't investigate it, it explains why the Raiders have become such a joke.

I also think the Vikings made a poor decision going with Percy Harvin. On the field he's undersized and has yet to learn how to run routes (ask Ted Ginn Jr. how far pure speed will get you in the NFL). Off the field he's a nightmare, which isn't good for a team that has had a lot of off field problems over the past few years. Smoking pot isn't a problem, per se. Knowing that smoking pot is against the rules and that you'll be tested for it at the combine and still smoking before the combine shows a level of arrogance and disregard for rules that I wouldn't want on my team. This guy is Antwan Randle-El with Chad Johnson's personality. That's not 1st round material.

[bjornolf]

I don't know much about the DE from Texas that the Redskins took, Orakpo, but I hear he's pretty good, and that everyone was surprised he fell that far. I'm just pleased that we drafted for the defensive line. We need guys on both lines, and this will help a lot, if he turns out.