There were definitely some surprises this year with this 2008 NFL Draft. There were also several picks that didn't really make much sense, but atleast that gives us something to talk about for a while. I don't have any specific direction that I'm trying to go with this post, but I'll throw in my opinions for ****s and giggles. So here goes:
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MrClean's Top 5 AFC Team Draft Rankings
1. Kansas City Chiefs (Grade: A+)
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DT Glenn Dorsey is arguably the best defensive line prospect in this draft. Dorsey has a great initial explosion, outstanding power, good agility for his for his massive frame, and a motor that won't quit.
OT Brandon Albert and
CB Brandon Flowers are both likely starters next season. Dorsey and Albert will definitely make a big impact and help bolster their offensive/defensive lines respectively.
RB Jamaal Charles was a steal for the 3rd round, and only fell that far down because of strength issues. But Charles has enough speed (4.38), power, and agility (6.80 secs on the 3-cone drill at the Combine was the 3rd fastest of the runningback group) to make up for any weaknesses. He is the only Texas running back in school history to post a run of at least 80 yards and a reception of at least 70 yards in the same game. During his 3 years at the university, he generated 102 rushing attempts that gained at least 10 yards, including 31 carries for over 20 yards and had 16 receptions for 10 yards or longer. Charles was also a standout for the Longhorns' track and field team. The four-time All-American clocked a personal-best 10.26 seconds in the 100-meter dash in winning the Big Twelve Conference title as a freshman. That season, he also ran the third leg of Texas' first-place 4x100m relay (39.19) at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships to help Texas land an automatic berth into the NCAA Championships.
Their pass defense definitely needed to be addressed and I thought they did a very good job of that with players like CB Brandon Flowers,
S DeJuan Morgan, and
CB Brandon Carr.
TE Brad Cottam has unbelievable size (6'8, 270lbs), good strength (24 reps), a great verticle (33"), and very sound speed (4.63). The explosive
WR Will Franklin ran the 2nd fastest time (4.37) of the wideout group, making him a great 4th round pick.
OT Barry Richardson is very big and talented, but will likely be utilized at guard. DE Brian Johnston is a very balanced defensive lineman that has shown good mobility and body control, despite his large body mass.
DT Glenn Dorsey (LSU)
5th pick - 1st Round
RB Jamaal Charles (Texas)
10th pick - 3rd Round
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (Grade: A)
- The Steelers couldn't pass up
RB Rashard Mendenhall at 23rd pick, especially since he had solidified his draft stock with a 4.37 at the Combine. Mendenhall is an excellent runningback that has showed a great deal of versatility through running, blocking, or catching out of the backfield. He was projected to be drafted around the 15th pick, but was also thought to likely be the second runningback taken. His only major weakness is a tendency to want to bounce outside rather than take it through the gaps, despite his good NFL size at 225lbs.
WR Limas Sweed was also a great pick in the 2nd round. Sweed has great size, excellent hands, an outstanding verticle, and showed that he did atleast have good straight-line speed with a 4.46 at the Combine. Sweed lacks overall explosiveness/quickness and is not the most agile wideout by any means, but he should fit very well into this offense. The Steelers picked up a great pass rusher in
DE Bruce Davis, although he definitely needs to develop his coverage if he were to be used as a DE/OLB hybrid. The Steelers also helped bolster their defense with
LB Mike Humpal and
S Ryan Mundy.
OT Tony Hills will be a huge anchor for their offensive line with his outstanding size and weight. It should also be very interesting to see how
QB Dennis Dixon develops as a talented dual-threat quarterback. Dixon was named one of three finalists for both the Maxwell Award and the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award in 2007. In addition, he was selected as one of 15 National Scholar-Athletes by The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame and is a finalist for the Foundation's Draddy Trophy. Ever the team-first athlete, he rejoined the squad as a student assistant coach, mentoring his replacements at quarterback during the final weeks of his college career.
RB Rashard Mendenhall (Illinois)
23rd pick - 1st Round
WR Limas Sweed (Texas)
22nd pick - 2nd Round
3. Buffalo Bills (Grade: B+)
- The Bills nailed their first two picks with
DB Leodis McKelvin and
WR James Hardy, who both fill major needs on this team. McKelvin, with blazing 4.38 speed (Combine), has also gained much attention due to his extraordinary abilities as a return specialist. Hardy is definitely a wideout with elite size, The Bills also addressed other defensive needs with
DE Chris Ellis, CB Reggie Corner, and
S Kennard Cox. Ellis was a great 3rd round pick as a very aggressive defensive end with great instincts, good quickness, and run support ability.
LB Alvin Bowen and
HB Xavier Omon were great 5th and 6th round picks, respectively. The Bills still have big hole at the tight end spot as
TE Derek Fine was arguably a questionable pick.
DB Leodis McKelvin (Troy)
11th pick - 1st Round
WR James Hardy (Indiana)
10th pick - 2nd Round
4. Denver Broncos (Grade: B+)
- Denver had several great picks because of availability and their specific areas of concern.
OT Ryan Clady was a great 1st round pick and should fit very well into their offense, but
WR Eddie Royal was a bit of a head-scratcher, but he has the athleticism with his speed (4.39), verticle (36"), strength (24 reps of 225lbs at the Combine). However, the Broncos did bring in several players who should have an immediate impact. They addressed their need for defensive backs with
CB Jack Williams, who ran an unbelievable 4.25 on his Pro Day. Denver also picked up another speed defensive back in
S Josh Barrett (4.33), who definitely has the size and physicality to go along with his athleticism. And then finally the Broncos were able to add some needed depth to their backfield.
HB Ryan Torain is definitely a power back, lacking true halfback speed, but he does pack a very mean punch as well as being very durable and consistent.
FB Peyton Hillis is regarded by all draft analysts to be the very best fullback prospect this year. Hillis ran a 4.58 (Combine) at 6'1, 240lbs, also turning out 26 reps of 225lbs. He was a very significant part of the success of Arkansas' all-star runningbacks, Darren McFadden and Felix Jones. So his blocking abilities have definitely been displayed for several years now. However, one of Hillis' best attributes would have to be his outstanding hands as he has led the Razorbacks in receiving production at the end of two different seasons. Throughout his 4-year career at Arkansas, Peyton Hillis has racked up the following stats:
Rushing (Career) ~ 203 carries for 959 yards with 12 TDs --
Receiving (Career) ~ 118 receptions for 1,195 yards with 11 TDs --
Special Teams (Career) ~ 37 returns for 470 yards.
- So Hillis was definitely a STEAL in the 7th round. Hillis should develop very well in that offense. He has a great work ethic and will undoubtedly get a great deal of attention in the next couple of years. The Broncos definitely did a great job of addressing each of their main areas of concern.
FB Peyton Hillis (Arkansas)
20th pick - 7th Round
OT Ryan Clady (Boise State)
12th pick - 1st Round
5. Miami Dolphins (Grade: B+)
- The Dolphins did an excellent job with their 9 picks, especially with their first 3. However, they failed to bring in more depth at wide receiver or defensive back, which are two major areas of concern. Miami did address the obvious need at offensive line with super-athlete
OT Jake Long, who is by far the very best franchise tackle in the draft. Long has the elite size (6'7, 315lb) to play on the next level, and a wealth of experience coming out of Michigan as the Big Ten is known for producing some of the best offensive line prospects in college football. Long really boosted his draft stock with his steller Combine performance by leading in bench press (37 reps - which tied with DE Vernon Gholston for the most reps of ANY draft prospect). Long also had a solid verticle (27.5") for his enmormous size and his 7.44 secs on the 3-cone drill was the 3rd fastest of any offensive lineman.
OG Shawn Murphey and
OG Donald Thomas. There are still questions about
DE Phillip Merling's size and speed, but he does possess several intangibles to be a good DE on the next level. The Dolphins also added more offensive depth with
QB Chad Henne,
HB Jalen Parmele, and
FB Lex Hilliard. Miami's other serious need was at defensive tackle for which they drafted
DT Kendall Langford and
DT Lionel Dotson, both of whom are very big and athletic.
OT Jake Long (Michigan)
1st pick - 1st Round
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Other Notable Drafts:
Baltimore Ravens (Grade: B-)
- The Ravens had 9 picks to address several pressing needs, but they managed to pull out a fairly solid draft. With Steve McNair retired, Baltimore went after
QB Joe Flacco after Atlanta drafted Matt Ryan. Flacco has great size (6'7, 236lbs), arm strength, and athleticism. He was a top performer at the NFL Combine in the verticle jump (28.5), broad jump (9'2"), 3-cone drill (6.82 = fastest QB time), and the 20-yard shuttle (4.27 = 2nd fastest QB time).
RB Ray Rice is definitely undersized at 5'8, 199lbs, but he has displayed sound speed at the Combine (4.47).
RB Allen Patrick is not an overly explosive player, but he has shown good consistency at a polished program like OU. Rice and Patrick should develop well for that offense as a viable backup to Willis McGahee. The Ravens upgraded their secondary with
FS Tom Zbikowski, a hard-hitting safety that lacks speed but can play up in run support. They also drafted
FS Haruki Nakamura, whose quickness and speed give him good value and provide good depth at this position. Both Zbikowski and Nakamura will also likely be utilized on special teams as well. The Ravens added more depth to their receiving corps with the decent sized route-runner
WR Marcus Smith and
WR Justin Harper, who has both size (6'4, 198lbs) and speed.
OLB Tavares Gooden is very athletic, but will need to develop further to become a force in an already aging linebacker corps. Baltimore also benefited their offensive line with
OG Oniel Cousins and
OT David Hale.
QB Joe Flacco (Delaware)
18th pick - 1st Round
FS Tom Zbikowski (Notre Dame)
23rd pick - 3rd Round
Oakland Raiders: (Grade: C) [this is for Professor]
- There's absolutely no doubt that former Razorback
RB Darren McFadden is one of the most outstanding runningbacks in recent college football history, as well as being arguably the most talented prospect in the draft. His incredible career production has put him among the ranks of former SEC greats Hershel Walker, Bo Backson, Emmitt Smith, and Kevin Faulk. In 38 games as a Razorback, DMac rushed for over 100 yards 22 times. By winning the
Doak Walker Award in both 2006 and '07 (as well as being the Heisman runner-up in both years, winning the
Walter Camp Award in '07). he became just the 3rd Arkansas player to ever garner national award recognition in the 112 years of the program, joining Bud Brooks
(1954 Outland Trophy) and Loyd Phillips
(1966 Outland Trophy). He does offer a rare breed of athleticism with good size (6'2, 210lbs), blazing speed (4.33), excellent vision, and a broad jump of 10'8". This pick was questionable, however, because of the Raider's having already used a top 1st round pick on QB JaMarcus Russell last year. They really needed to put more focus on bringing in a franchise offensive or defensive lineman, but McFadden will be worth every single penny in the long run. The Raiders were also not able to bring in more depth with a top prospect at safety or linebacker.
CB Tyvon Branch is a good sized defenisve back who is both strong (19 reps) and extremely fast (4.31). Branch possesses exceptional range and good ball skills in the secondary, but he made a name for himself as a kickoff returner in 2007, establishing school records while leading the Big East Conference with an average of 28.89 yards per return. Regarded as the fastest cornerback in college football, his ability to compete for the ball in flight and make plays in run support could see him shift to FS at the next level. Oakland did need to provide more depth at wide receiver for which they brought in
WR Arman Shields and
WR Chaz Chilens. Shields did not have as good a senior year as he did as a junior, but he's still tall (6'1, 194lbs), very fast (4.37), and 6.67 time on the 3-cone drill was the 3rd fastest of any other competiting player at the Combine. Schilens excites people because of his exceptional size (6'4, 208lbs), speed, and explosiveness after the reception. Due to his pure athleticism, he will have a chance to make the roster. The Raiders drafted the talented but underated
DE Trevor Scott. As a senior, Scott earned All-Mid American Conference second-team accolades. He shifted to left end, starting all 12 games. He collected 46 tackles (25 solo), as he led the team again with 10 sacks, ranking second in the MAC and 16th in the NCAA. His 15 stops behind the line of scrimmage was a team high, as he added seven pressures and a pass breakup. He recovered one fumble and caused three others. In 41 games at Buffalo, Scott started 24 contests. He recorded 99 tackles (59 solo) with 19 sacks for minus 136 yards, 28.5 stops for losses of 163 yards and 12 quarterback pressures. He caused three fumbles and recovered two others, returning one 17 yards. He also broke up two passes, blocked one kick and had nine receptions for 97 yards (10.8-yard average). I was caught between grading Oakland with either a C+ or B-, but I decided to give them atleast a little credit. They still failed to bring in needed depth at offensive line, linebacker, and safety.
(ESPN analyst comments on the choice of Darren McFadden over Glenn Dorsey)
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Bill Williamson, ESPN.com
Sure, Oakland passed on LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey, who was taken one spot later by AFC West rival Kansas City. Oakland needs a defensive lineman. Dorsey is likely going to be a longtime stalwart who will make multiple Pro Bowl trips.
But Dorsey wouldn't make Oakland relevant. McFadden can. The Vikings are being chatted up as an NFC contender this year because of Peterson's presence. Star running backs bring that type of cachet to a team. McFadden has a chance to be that guy for Oakland. And the Raiders will need him to step up and be that guy, which should be no problem for arguably the most talented and versatile player in the nation.
Kiffin has made the point that the Raiders have plenty of running backs.
Between Justin Fargas (who just re-signed with the Raiders this offseason), Dominic Rhodes, LaMont Jordan and Michael Bush, who still is recovering from a serious college leg injury, the Raiders didn't seem to have room for McFadden.
With all due respect to Fargas, Rhodes, Jordan and Bush, the Raiders do have room for McFadden. This is a player who can rush for 1,500 yards and be a threat to score every time he touches the ball. The other Raiders running backs are serviceable. And now they are serviceable reserves. Any team that can throw fresh backs at an opponent in the second half is going to be a team that wins a lot of games.
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- Yes, I completely understand why so many are critical of that pick. But I do like the pairing of two former SEC rivals in QB JaMarcus Russell (LSU) and RB Darren McFadden (Arkanasas). This offense is going to be explosive a few years down the line, but my expectations aren't unrealistic at this point. I've changed my mind in thinking now that Al Davis made the right decision to bring in a player like Darren McFadden, as he is undoubtedly a very unique athlete with outstanding talent and excellent versatility. Having a franchise runningback like DMac is one of the first steps in taking the pressure off of your franchise quarterback. McFadden has every ability in the world to step up and make a significant impact for the Oakland offense next season. And like I said several weeks ago, those off-the-field issues made absolutely no difference whatsoever. McFadden is an extremely humble, hard-working individual who will be an outstanding team player for whatever team he plays for.
RB Darren McFadden (Arkansas)
4th pick - 1st Round
(And yeah that's right, DMac is the only player in the entire draft that deserves three images displayed)
Handing out draft grades for AFC teams
Handing out draft grades for AFC teams
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