The 2010 NFL Draft is officially over. Lets take a look at some of the winners and losers over the past 3 days
Winners
1. New England Patriots: The Pats looked to move toward youth on defense in this draft. They drafted cornerback Devin McCourty in the first round, then drafted Brandon Spikes and Jermaine Cunningham out of Florida. They also added a TE for Tom Brady in the second round. The Pats were a middle of the pack defense last season, something that is unacceptable to coach Bill Belichick. The Pats also added several more picks in next years draft by moving around a lot.
2. Seattle Seahawks The Seahawks add an anchor to their left tackle position, and then add safety Earl Thomas to improve a defense that gave up the third most passing yards per game in the NFL. They also add WR Golden Tate from Notre Dame to a receiving corps that lacks young talent. The Seahawks also acquired RB Leon Washington from the New York Jets to add to their backfield.
3. Cleveland Browns The Browns went out and added the best cornerback in the draft in Joe Haden from Florida. The Browns had only 10 interceptions all of last season, Haden will add to that by himself. They also add a safety in T.J. Ward from Oregon. On offense, they addressed the running game with Montario Hardesty from Tennessee, and quarterback with Colt McCoy from Texas. Just have to worry if both players can stay healthy as McCoy left the national title game last season after getting hit in the shoulder, and Hardesty has battled knee problems.
4. Carolina Panthers The Panthers select the second best quarterback in the draft and get him at a steal all the way at 48th overall. The Bills, Raiders, and Browns, all in need of a quarterback, all passed on him, which left Carolina to take him. They also added youth to the WR position by taking Brandon LaFell and Armanti Edwards. That will alleviate some of the pressure off of Steve Smith and create some more room for him down the field.
5. Baltimore Ravens The Ravens get a talented OLB in Sergio Kindle who will rush the quarterback with some consistency. They also grab Mount Cody from Alabama to play nose. With all those weapons already on defense, I wouldn't want to be an offensive lineman looking across to that lineup. They also grab two TE's, Ed Dickson from Oregon and Dennis Pitta from BYU to add to their repertoire on offense.
Losers
1. Jacksonville Jaguars The Jags went all defense and totally reached with their pick of DT Tyson Alualu. They did not add a wide receiver to a unit that had 15 touchdowns in the air all of last season. They also did not do anything to improve their pass defense that ranked fifth worst in the NFL last season.
2. New York Giants The Giants stressed VALUE in this draft, but did not do anything to improve the void they have at the linebacker position. They also took a risk on their 15th pick with a DE that has one year of real football experience. They also failed to add an OT in a draft filled with them for a team who struggled to run the ball with any consistency last season.
3. Washington Redskins The Skins chose an offensive tackle with the fourth pick, but they did not have any picks until the fourth round, and failed to trade back in to the second or third rounds, where gems are found. They also were actively shopping DT Albert Haynesworth, but were unable to find a partner to take on that massive contract.
4. Buffalo Bills For a team with a lot of needs on offense, running back was not one of them. But with the 9th pick they drafted RB C.J. Spiller from Clemson. Its a pick that probably left a lot of people shaking their heads. They needed help in the passing game, and they passed on Golden Tate and failed to pick up a wide receiver until the 4th round. They also do not have the quarterback position set in stone either.
5. Minnesotta Vikings The Vikings traded out of their 30th spot in a trade with the Lions when they desperately needed help in the secondary. They also took a running back that is not really a compliment to Adrian Peterson or speedster out of the backfield. They better hope Favre comes back...
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Showing posts with label NFL draft. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NFL draft. Show all posts
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
2010 NFL Draft- Live Blog
Thanks for checking out the blog. I will post a whole recap after the draft is over
11:05: The Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints select DB Patrick Robinson from Florida State. The Saints are a Juggernaut on offense, but the defense surprised a lot of people, including me with the amount of pressure they put on opposing teams. They blitzed second most in the NFL behind the Jets under defensive coordinator Greg Williams. With the amount of blitzing they do, they need a corner to go 1 on 1 with receivers.
10:55: The Colts with the 31st pick select DE Jerry Hughes from TCU. They Colts have Freeney and Mathis, and Hughes will add some depth to the DE position.
10:48: The Vikings have traded the 30th pick to the Detroit Lions, and with the pick the Lions select RB Jahvid Best from Cal. Detriot has Kevin Smith in the backfield, but adding Best will alleviate some of the pressure on Matthew Stafford who can dump balls to Best out of the backfield.
10:37: The J-E-T-S JETS! JETS! JETS! select CB Kyle Wilson from Boise St. With Darelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, and now Wilson, the Jets are set at corner for a long, long time. The schemes Rex will come up with now with all these corners will be scary, but again I am surprised Kindle did not go here...
10:31: The Miami Dolphins select DT Jared Odrik from Penn State. He will be converted to DE in the 3-4 that Miami plays and he is certainly big enough to play the position, I just don't understand why they didn't take Sergio Kindle to replace Jason Taylor...
10:25: The New England Patriots select DB Devin McCourty, Rutgers. Don't know a whole lot about the kid, but the Pats do need help in the secondary.
10:20 The Arizona Cardinals select NT Dan Williams from Tennessee. The Cards need to sure up their defense, they play a 3-4, which is what Williams played at Tennessee. Good fit for Williams.
10:08: The Baltimore Ravens have traded their pick to the Denver Broncos, and the Broncos select QB Tim Tebow from Florida. Denver shipped away Jay Cutler, and I hope Tebow is not forced to play now. They have Kyle Orton and Brady Quin, so lets hope they don't rush him.
10:00: The Dallas Cowboys have traded up to #24 and select WR Dez Bryant. Bryant is the best WR in this raft, although he comes with a lot of baggage, but that fits nicely in Dallas. Lot of targets for defenses in the NFC East to defend now on Dallas.
9:53: The Green Bay Packers select OT Bryan Bulaga from Iowa. The Packers offensive line struggled big time early last season as they got off to a slow start. He is going to have his hands full with Jared Allen.
9:47:The Pats have traded their first round pick to Denver, who has traded down twice. And with the pick, Denver selects WR Demaryius Thomas from Georgia Tech. After the Broncos traded Brandon Marshall, they are desperate for a WR, just surprised they chose Thomas over Dez Bryant. According to ESPN, Thomas met with head coach Josh McDaniels who fell in love with him.
9:41: The Bengals select TE Jermaine Gresham from Oklahoma. The best TE in this draft, and a hell of a target for Carson Palmer in the red zone.
9:37 The Houston Texans defense is the reason they are not a playoff team. They select CB Kareem Jackson from Alabama. Played opposite Javier Arenas and is a heck of a player who sees the field well.
9:33: The Falcons select OLB Sean Weatherspoon from Iowa. Tremendous athletic ability and the best OLB in the draft in my opinion.
9:29: The Pittsburgh Steelers select C Maurkice Pouncey from Florida. Pouncey is a hell of a lineman and can play either center or guard. Mendenhall will be buying a lot of dinners for him in the years to come.
9:26: 49ers select Mike Iupati G from Idaho. This means they are sticking with Alex Smith and strengthening that line for Frank Gore with Iupati and Davis.
9:22 The Tennessee Titans select DE Derick Morgan from Georgia Tech 16th overall. The Titans defense struggled last season compared to the stellar season the year before. They lost Albert Haynesworth and Kyle Vandenbosh, so they are rebuilding, starting with Morgan.
9:14 The Giants select DE Jason Pierre-Paul. The Giants do not need a DE, however I feel they were forced to make this pick at this time. They already have Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, and Mathias Kiwanuka at the DE position. However, they do need help on defense. They need help on the interior of the defensive line and desperately need a linebacker. I expect one of those 3 DE's to be traded by the end of the Draft. With Spiller and McClain both gone, Jerry Reese goes with the best available player with this pick.
9:05 The Seahawks make their second pick of the night, and select S Earl Thomas. They rank 30th in pass defense, and Earl will certainly help their secondary.
8:58 The Eagles select DE Brandon Graham from Michigan. Graham will improve the already aggressive Eagles defense up front. Only hope they aren't sacrificing their secondary with this pick.
8:51 The Broncos have traded down again, this time to the Eagles for two 3rd Round picks. The Eagles need to get younger in the secondary, and Earl Thomas is what I am thinking here.
8:50 The Chargers select Ryan Mathews, RB from Fresno State. One of the bigger backs in this draft, he will be a nice compliment to Sproles in the Chargers backfield.
8:45 The Dolphins have traded their first round pick to the Chargers. The Chargers need a running back. They rank next to last in the NFL in rushing.
8:44 The 49ers select Anthony Davis, the OT out of Rutgers. Davis will secure the LT position in San Fran. Two big DE's still on the board......
8:39 Jacksonville takes Tyson Alualu. WHO? A defensive tackle out of Cal. After signing Aaron Campman at DE, the Jags decided they needed to beef up inside. Since Spiller was taken, the Jags might have panicked a little.
The Broncos have swapped their 11th overall pick with the San Francisco 49ers. The Broncos will receive a 4th round pick for the swap and will pick 13th overall.
8:31 Not wasting any time, the Bills have drafted RB C.J. Spiller. Buffalo needs a QB, and I am surprised they did not either trade out of this spot or draft Clausen. But Spiller is a game changer, something the Bills have not had for a long, long time.
8:30 DA RAIDAS select LB Rolando McClain, by far the best inside linebacker in this draft. A bit of a reach though with the 8th overal pick, but its to be expected when the Raiders are picking. Jerry Reese much be scratching his head right now...
8:22: The Cleveland Browns have a lot of needs, but they go with CB Joe Haden with the 7th pick. Haden is a stellar cornerback who will help the Browns defense who are one of the worst in the league against the pass.
8:14 The Seattle Seahawks select OT Russell Okung 6th overall. Okung will anchor the offensive line for many years and protect Matt Hasselbeck for the remainder of his career.
8:08: The Kansas City Chiefs have selected Safety Eric Berry from Tennessee. One of the most dynamic safeties in this draft, Berry will contribute right away in the Chiefs defense.
8:00: Little bit of a surprise as Trent Williams is drafted by the Washington Redskins fourth overall ahead off Russell Okung. The Redskins need help on the line to protect Donovan McNabb and Williams certainly is that guy, who's stock rose dramatically over the pas couple of days.
7:55: No surprises so far as Suh goes to the Lions and McCoy goes to the Bucs. Two players that will certainly help two of the worst defenses in the NFL last season.
7:37: The St.Louis Rams have selected Sam Bradford first overall. No surprise here, the Rams are desperate for offense after ranking last in the NFL last year in total offense.
The St. Louis Rams are on the clock.....
I will be blogging live throughout the draft tonight, posting picks and insight on my perspective as it happens. If you have any questions, please put them in comments and I will respond to them.
HAPPY DRAFT DAY!
11:05: The Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints select DB Patrick Robinson from Florida State. The Saints are a Juggernaut on offense, but the defense surprised a lot of people, including me with the amount of pressure they put on opposing teams. They blitzed second most in the NFL behind the Jets under defensive coordinator Greg Williams. With the amount of blitzing they do, they need a corner to go 1 on 1 with receivers.
10:55: The Colts with the 31st pick select DE Jerry Hughes from TCU. They Colts have Freeney and Mathis, and Hughes will add some depth to the DE position.
10:48: The Vikings have traded the 30th pick to the Detroit Lions, and with the pick the Lions select RB Jahvid Best from Cal. Detriot has Kevin Smith in the backfield, but adding Best will alleviate some of the pressure on Matthew Stafford who can dump balls to Best out of the backfield.
10:37: The J-E-T-S JETS! JETS! JETS! select CB Kyle Wilson from Boise St. With Darelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, and now Wilson, the Jets are set at corner for a long, long time. The schemes Rex will come up with now with all these corners will be scary, but again I am surprised Kindle did not go here...
10:31: The Miami Dolphins select DT Jared Odrik from Penn State. He will be converted to DE in the 3-4 that Miami plays and he is certainly big enough to play the position, I just don't understand why they didn't take Sergio Kindle to replace Jason Taylor...
10:25: The New England Patriots select DB Devin McCourty, Rutgers. Don't know a whole lot about the kid, but the Pats do need help in the secondary.
10:20 The Arizona Cardinals select NT Dan Williams from Tennessee. The Cards need to sure up their defense, they play a 3-4, which is what Williams played at Tennessee. Good fit for Williams.
10:08: The Baltimore Ravens have traded their pick to the Denver Broncos, and the Broncos select QB Tim Tebow from Florida. Denver shipped away Jay Cutler, and I hope Tebow is not forced to play now. They have Kyle Orton and Brady Quin, so lets hope they don't rush him.
10:00: The Dallas Cowboys have traded up to #24 and select WR Dez Bryant. Bryant is the best WR in this raft, although he comes with a lot of baggage, but that fits nicely in Dallas. Lot of targets for defenses in the NFC East to defend now on Dallas.
9:53: The Green Bay Packers select OT Bryan Bulaga from Iowa. The Packers offensive line struggled big time early last season as they got off to a slow start. He is going to have his hands full with Jared Allen.
9:47:The Pats have traded their first round pick to Denver, who has traded down twice. And with the pick, Denver selects WR Demaryius Thomas from Georgia Tech. After the Broncos traded Brandon Marshall, they are desperate for a WR, just surprised they chose Thomas over Dez Bryant. According to ESPN, Thomas met with head coach Josh McDaniels who fell in love with him.
9:41: The Bengals select TE Jermaine Gresham from Oklahoma. The best TE in this draft, and a hell of a target for Carson Palmer in the red zone.
9:37 The Houston Texans defense is the reason they are not a playoff team. They select CB Kareem Jackson from Alabama. Played opposite Javier Arenas and is a heck of a player who sees the field well.
9:33: The Falcons select OLB Sean Weatherspoon from Iowa. Tremendous athletic ability and the best OLB in the draft in my opinion.
9:29: The Pittsburgh Steelers select C Maurkice Pouncey from Florida. Pouncey is a hell of a lineman and can play either center or guard. Mendenhall will be buying a lot of dinners for him in the years to come.
9:26: 49ers select Mike Iupati G from Idaho. This means they are sticking with Alex Smith and strengthening that line for Frank Gore with Iupati and Davis.
9:22 The Tennessee Titans select DE Derick Morgan from Georgia Tech 16th overall. The Titans defense struggled last season compared to the stellar season the year before. They lost Albert Haynesworth and Kyle Vandenbosh, so they are rebuilding, starting with Morgan.
9:14 The Giants select DE Jason Pierre-Paul. The Giants do not need a DE, however I feel they were forced to make this pick at this time. They already have Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, and Mathias Kiwanuka at the DE position. However, they do need help on defense. They need help on the interior of the defensive line and desperately need a linebacker. I expect one of those 3 DE's to be traded by the end of the Draft. With Spiller and McClain both gone, Jerry Reese goes with the best available player with this pick.
9:05 The Seahawks make their second pick of the night, and select S Earl Thomas. They rank 30th in pass defense, and Earl will certainly help their secondary.
8:58 The Eagles select DE Brandon Graham from Michigan. Graham will improve the already aggressive Eagles defense up front. Only hope they aren't sacrificing their secondary with this pick.
8:51 The Broncos have traded down again, this time to the Eagles for two 3rd Round picks. The Eagles need to get younger in the secondary, and Earl Thomas is what I am thinking here.
8:50 The Chargers select Ryan Mathews, RB from Fresno State. One of the bigger backs in this draft, he will be a nice compliment to Sproles in the Chargers backfield.
8:45 The Dolphins have traded their first round pick to the Chargers. The Chargers need a running back. They rank next to last in the NFL in rushing.
8:44 The 49ers select Anthony Davis, the OT out of Rutgers. Davis will secure the LT position in San Fran. Two big DE's still on the board......
8:39 Jacksonville takes Tyson Alualu. WHO? A defensive tackle out of Cal. After signing Aaron Campman at DE, the Jags decided they needed to beef up inside. Since Spiller was taken, the Jags might have panicked a little.
The Broncos have swapped their 11th overall pick with the San Francisco 49ers. The Broncos will receive a 4th round pick for the swap and will pick 13th overall.
8:31 Not wasting any time, the Bills have drafted RB C.J. Spiller. Buffalo needs a QB, and I am surprised they did not either trade out of this spot or draft Clausen. But Spiller is a game changer, something the Bills have not had for a long, long time.
8:30 DA RAIDAS select LB Rolando McClain, by far the best inside linebacker in this draft. A bit of a reach though with the 8th overal pick, but its to be expected when the Raiders are picking. Jerry Reese much be scratching his head right now...
8:22: The Cleveland Browns have a lot of needs, but they go with CB Joe Haden with the 7th pick. Haden is a stellar cornerback who will help the Browns defense who are one of the worst in the league against the pass.
8:14 The Seattle Seahawks select OT Russell Okung 6th overall. Okung will anchor the offensive line for many years and protect Matt Hasselbeck for the remainder of his career.
8:08: The Kansas City Chiefs have selected Safety Eric Berry from Tennessee. One of the most dynamic safeties in this draft, Berry will contribute right away in the Chiefs defense.
8:00: Little bit of a surprise as Trent Williams is drafted by the Washington Redskins fourth overall ahead off Russell Okung. The Redskins need help on the line to protect Donovan McNabb and Williams certainly is that guy, who's stock rose dramatically over the pas couple of days.
7:55: No surprises so far as Suh goes to the Lions and McCoy goes to the Bucs. Two players that will certainly help two of the worst defenses in the NFL last season.
7:37: The St.Louis Rams have selected Sam Bradford first overall. No surprise here, the Rams are desperate for offense after ranking last in the NFL last year in total offense.
The St. Louis Rams are on the clock.....
I will be blogging live throughout the draft tonight, posting picks and insight on my perspective as it happens. If you have any questions, please put them in comments and I will respond to them.
HAPPY DRAFT DAY!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
2010 NFL Mock Draft - Round 1
Here is how I see the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft going down on Thursday:
1. St. Louis (1-15): SAM BRADFORD, QB, OKLAHOMA
2. Detroit (2-14): NDAMUKONG SUH, DT, NEBRASKA
3. Tampa Bay (3-13): GERALD MCCOY, DT, OKLAHOMA
4. Washington (4-12): RUSSELL OKUNG, OT, OKLAHOMA STATE
5. Kansas City (4-12): BRYAN BULAGA, OT, IOWA
6. Seattle (5-11): TRENT WILLIAMS, OT, OKLAHOMA
7. Cleveland (5-11): ERIC BERRY, S, TENNESSEE
8. Oakland (5-11): BRUCE CAMPBELL, OT, MARYLAND
9. Buffalo (6-10): JIMMY CLAUSEN, QB, NOTRE DAME
10. Jacksonville (7-9): JASON PIERRE-PAUL, DE, SOUTH FLORIDA
11. Denver (CHI): DEZ BRYANT, WR, OKLAHOMA STATE
12. Miami (7-9): DERRICK MORGAN, DE, GEORGIA TECH
13. San Francisco (8-8): JOE HADEN, CB, FLORIDA
14. Seattle (DEN): C.J. SPILLER, RB, CLEMSON
15. New York Giants (8-8): ROLANDO MCCLAIN, ILB, ALABAMA
16. Tennessee (8-8): BRANDON GRAHAM, DE, MICHIGAN
17. San Francisco (CAR): ANTHONY DAVIS, OT, RUTGERS
18. Pittsburgh (9-7): GOLDEN TATE, WR, NOTRE DAME
19. Atlanta (9-7): EARL THOMAS, S, TEXAS
20. Houston (9-7): KYLE WILSON, CB, BOISE STATE
21. Cincinnati (10-6): SERGIO KINDLE, OLB, TEXAS
22. New England (10-6): SEAN WEATHERSPOON, OLB, MISSOURI
23. Green Bay (11-5): JERMAINE GRESHAM, TE, OKLAHAOMA
24. Philadelphia (11-5): JERRY HUGHES, OLB, TEXAS CHRISTIAN
25. Baltimore (9-7): MAURKICE POUNCEY, C, FLORIDA
26. Arizona (10-6): MIKE IUPATI, OT, IDAHO
27. Dallas (11-5): CHARLES BROWN, OT, SOUTHERN CAL
28. San Diego (13-3): JARED ODRICK, DE, PENN STATE
29. New York Jets (9-7): TAYLOR MAYS, S, SOUTHERN CAL
30. Minnesota (12-4): TERRENCE CODY, DT, ALABAMA
31. Indianapolis (14-2): BRIAN PRICE, DT, UCLA
32. New Orleans (13-3): EVERSON GRIFFEN, DE, USC
Comments
1. St. Louis (1-15): SAM BRADFORD, QB, OKLAHOMA
2. Detroit (2-14): NDAMUKONG SUH, DT, NEBRASKA
3. Tampa Bay (3-13): GERALD MCCOY, DT, OKLAHOMA
4. Washington (4-12): RUSSELL OKUNG, OT, OKLAHOMA STATE
5. Kansas City (4-12): BRYAN BULAGA, OT, IOWA
6. Seattle (5-11): TRENT WILLIAMS, OT, OKLAHOMA
7. Cleveland (5-11): ERIC BERRY, S, TENNESSEE
8. Oakland (5-11): BRUCE CAMPBELL, OT, MARYLAND
9. Buffalo (6-10): JIMMY CLAUSEN, QB, NOTRE DAME
10. Jacksonville (7-9): JASON PIERRE-PAUL, DE, SOUTH FLORIDA
11. Denver (CHI): DEZ BRYANT, WR, OKLAHOMA STATE
12. Miami (7-9): DERRICK MORGAN, DE, GEORGIA TECH
13. San Francisco (8-8): JOE HADEN, CB, FLORIDA
14. Seattle (DEN): C.J. SPILLER, RB, CLEMSON
15. New York Giants (8-8): ROLANDO MCCLAIN, ILB, ALABAMA
16. Tennessee (8-8): BRANDON GRAHAM, DE, MICHIGAN
17. San Francisco (CAR): ANTHONY DAVIS, OT, RUTGERS
18. Pittsburgh (9-7): GOLDEN TATE, WR, NOTRE DAME
19. Atlanta (9-7): EARL THOMAS, S, TEXAS
20. Houston (9-7): KYLE WILSON, CB, BOISE STATE
21. Cincinnati (10-6): SERGIO KINDLE, OLB, TEXAS
22. New England (10-6): SEAN WEATHERSPOON, OLB, MISSOURI
23. Green Bay (11-5): JERMAINE GRESHAM, TE, OKLAHAOMA
24. Philadelphia (11-5): JERRY HUGHES, OLB, TEXAS CHRISTIAN
25. Baltimore (9-7): MAURKICE POUNCEY, C, FLORIDA
26. Arizona (10-6): MIKE IUPATI, OT, IDAHO
27. Dallas (11-5): CHARLES BROWN, OT, SOUTHERN CAL
28. San Diego (13-3): JARED ODRICK, DE, PENN STATE
29. New York Jets (9-7): TAYLOR MAYS, S, SOUTHERN CAL
30. Minnesota (12-4): TERRENCE CODY, DT, ALABAMA
31. Indianapolis (14-2): BRIAN PRICE, DT, UCLA
32. New Orleans (13-3): EVERSON GRIFFEN, DE, USC
Comments
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Florida Pro Day
The Day Tim Tebow fans have been waiting for has finally come. Tebow today worked out in front of pro scouts and coaches for his final shot to prove he is NFL ready and fit to be a starting quarterback in the league. Will his new and improved motion on display in front of scouts elevate his draft status come April? Only time will tell. You can read my take on Tebow from an earlier blog here. For a complete breakdown of Tebow's day, be sure to check out the Fox Sports Blog.
CB Joe Haden was also looking at a shot to improve his draft status after a not so good showing at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. Haden reportedly ran a 4.43 40, much better than the 4.57 he ran at the Combine. Need to be in that range to be able to run with wide receivers in the NFL. Haden will be a first round pick come April, and his showing today only solidified that.
TE Aaron Hernandez also had a nice showing today by reportedly running a 4.5. He is going to be a beast of a tight end in the NFL. At 6-2, 250 he is a big, physical tight end with great hands that will be an unstoppable weapon in the red zone come Sundays. He gets off blocks and his lack of ability in pass protection is overblown in my opinion. Behind Oklahoma's Jermain Gresham, he is the best TE available in the Draft.
New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin was on site to see the 15 or so University of Florida players workout at their Pro Day. The Giants are in desperate need of linebacking help after they released their middle linebacker and leader Antonio Pierce. Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes was an option for the Giants to replace him along with Alabama middle linebacker Rolando McClain. I say was because Spikes has been a concern for a lot of pro scouts because of his speed and is not projected as a top 15 pick by most. Most draft experts have Spikes going late first round, early second round. But his stock may drop even further after not breaking 5 seconds on his 40 time today, leaving me and many others shaking their heads. He ran a 5.02 and 5.08 in his two attempts, according to reports. The Giants might be looking in a direction other than Spikes for their middle linebacker, but regardless this issue must be cleared up prior to the start of the season if the Giants wish to return to their Super Bowl form from 3 years ago. If they do not sign or draft a middle linebacker by the start of the season, the competition in camp will be between Chase Blackburn and Jonathon Goff.
The Giants current starting linebackers are Danny Clark, who is 32 and his tackles have declined in recent years, and Michael Boley who, when healthy last year, was great in pass defense and productive in stopping the run. The Giants really could have settled this issue by pursuing LB Carlos Dansby, but Giants GM Jerry Reese decided to go in a different direction and build through the draft after a busy offseason last year in signing free agents on defense.
If the Giants want to use their #15 pick to get a middle linebacker, they will have to hold their breath between picks 9-14 to see if McClain falls to them. Denver plays a 3-4, a system McClain thrived in at Alabama under coach Nick Saban, and would fit perfect in their defense. A system the Giants do not play. If Denver loses WR Brandon Marshall prior to the draft, they will undoubtedly take WR Dez Bryant from Oklahoma State. If not, McClain could be their man. The Browns also need help on defense, although mainly in the secondary. McClain may be their guy. If hes gone, look for the Giants to trade down.
Comments. Happy St. Patrick's Day!
CB Joe Haden was also looking at a shot to improve his draft status after a not so good showing at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. Haden reportedly ran a 4.43 40, much better than the 4.57 he ran at the Combine. Need to be in that range to be able to run with wide receivers in the NFL. Haden will be a first round pick come April, and his showing today only solidified that.
TE Aaron Hernandez also had a nice showing today by reportedly running a 4.5. He is going to be a beast of a tight end in the NFL. At 6-2, 250 he is a big, physical tight end with great hands that will be an unstoppable weapon in the red zone come Sundays. He gets off blocks and his lack of ability in pass protection is overblown in my opinion. Behind Oklahoma's Jermain Gresham, he is the best TE available in the Draft.
New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin was on site to see the 15 or so University of Florida players workout at their Pro Day. The Giants are in desperate need of linebacking help after they released their middle linebacker and leader Antonio Pierce. Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes was an option for the Giants to replace him along with Alabama middle linebacker Rolando McClain. I say was because Spikes has been a concern for a lot of pro scouts because of his speed and is not projected as a top 15 pick by most. Most draft experts have Spikes going late first round, early second round. But his stock may drop even further after not breaking 5 seconds on his 40 time today, leaving me and many others shaking their heads. He ran a 5.02 and 5.08 in his two attempts, according to reports. The Giants might be looking in a direction other than Spikes for their middle linebacker, but regardless this issue must be cleared up prior to the start of the season if the Giants wish to return to their Super Bowl form from 3 years ago. If they do not sign or draft a middle linebacker by the start of the season, the competition in camp will be between Chase Blackburn and Jonathon Goff.
The Giants current starting linebackers are Danny Clark, who is 32 and his tackles have declined in recent years, and Michael Boley who, when healthy last year, was great in pass defense and productive in stopping the run. The Giants really could have settled this issue by pursuing LB Carlos Dansby, but Giants GM Jerry Reese decided to go in a different direction and build through the draft after a busy offseason last year in signing free agents on defense.
If the Giants want to use their #15 pick to get a middle linebacker, they will have to hold their breath between picks 9-14 to see if McClain falls to them. Denver plays a 3-4, a system McClain thrived in at Alabama under coach Nick Saban, and would fit perfect in their defense. A system the Giants do not play. If Denver loses WR Brandon Marshall prior to the draft, they will undoubtedly take WR Dez Bryant from Oklahoma State. If not, McClain could be their man. The Browns also need help on defense, although mainly in the secondary. McClain may be their guy. If hes gone, look for the Giants to trade down.
Comments. Happy St. Patrick's Day!
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