Possible Veteran Cuts and Notes
The Giants look loaded this season, and I think they will be a better team overall than they were last season when they won the Super Bowl. It looks like the GMen, when healthy, will have more firepower and depth than they have had in recent memory. That being said, there are several veterans who may not be on the team when we take the field against Washington as defending champions on September 4th. Here are a few of the players who should not feel secure going into training camp:
- Sinorice Moss -The Giants have great depth and wide receiver and plenty of offensive weapons for Eli Manning going into the 2008 season. Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer and Steve Smith are all guaranteed spots on the team. Rookie Mario Manningham is a deep threat and David Tyree is a Super Bowl hero and special teams standout, both of who should have roster spots. Michael Jennings is a fan favorite and was coming into his own as a wideout until an achilles injury ended his 2007 season before it started. Dominick Hixon is a standout return man who dosn’t bring much to the table as a receiver, and Brandon London is still with the team. Now add undrafted rookie free agent DJ Hall to the mix, and you have to wonder where Moss fits in. At least six and maybe seven of these ten players will be on the opening day roster. I think we can cross off London and Jennings right now…we love you Jennings (he is the guy who wore the “Mr. Coughlin, please don’t cut me” T Shirt to camp), but when speed is your game a ruptured achilles is too tough to come back from. DJ Hall has been impressive, however due to the overall talent we have at receiver, I doubt he makes the final roster. That leaves the Giants with seven receivers. Moss has been a major disappointment on the field, and has never proven himself capable in the return game. If I had to guess right now, I would think Tyree and Hixon will make the team based on their special team skills alone. This leaves the GMen with Burress, Toomer, Smith, Manningham, Tyree, Hixon as the top six wide receivers. Sinorice’s best shot would come if he could return kicks, because there is no doubt he brings more receiving skills to the table than Hixon does. Will we carry seven receivers or the usual six? There are other ways to stash players like Hixon on rosters as well, I think when it comes down to it, Moss gets one final shot.
- Chase Blackburn -Blackburn is a fan favorite who has been a solid reserve for the Giants and has filled in admirably when given the opportunity. He can play any of the three linebacker spots and is very familiar with the defensive scheme. The Giants have great overall depth at linebacker with Mathias Kiwanuka, Antonio Pierce, Danny Clark, Gerris Wilkinson, Zak DeOssie and rookies Bryan Kehl and Jonathan Goff. The GMen will not carry seven linebackers, however, DeOssie can be stashed on the roster as a longsnapper. I feel that, of all of these linebackers, Blackburn is in the most danger of being cut. His primary position on the roster was backup middle linebacker, a position that will be assumed by the gifted Goff, who many assume will be the heir to Antonio Pierce. He does bring a lot of versatility, however his best shot to make the roster just might come if Michael Strahan retires and Kiwi is moved back to defensive end.
- Reuben Droughns -Ruben is a tough inside runner who brings some special teams ability. With Brandon Jacobs entrenched as the starter coupled with the emergence of Ahmad Bradshaw and the return of Derrick Ward, I doubt Droughns makes the final roster.
- Sam Madison or RW McQuarters - The rumor I have heard is that Sam Madison is being groomed for the job of assistant secondary coach once he retires. As of now it looks like he will play one more season. McQuarters is not a player that I like, but he did step up in the playoffs and brings some versatility to the secondary. RW can play corner, free safety and return punts - although we all hold our breath on his punt returns. The Giants have good depth at cornerback with Madison, Aaron Ross, Corey Webster, Kevin Dockery, RW McQuarters and rookie Terrell Thomas. If I had to guess right now, I think McQuarters is in the most danger of being cut. I would not be surprised to see Sam Madison retire before the start of the season, and the remaining corners make the roster.
- NOTES: I wanted to give a quick update on the Jeremy Shockey and Michael Strahan situations.
- The rumor is that Strahan is looking for a sizeable pay increase to play for the Giants in 2008. Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News is reporting that Strahan is seeking $8 million dollars to play for the GMen next season, double the $4 million he is currently owed for 2008. This is the exact same amount of money that the Miami Dolphins owe Jason Taylor for the upcoming season, a player at the same positon with similar age and production.
- Saints GM Mickey Loomis says they had talks with the Giants about Jeremy Shockey, but the deal is now dead. Shockey will be a Giant next season, and according to Kevin Gillbride, we will look to feature him in the offense. There is no doubt we are more dangerous with Shockey than without him, so let’s put the trade rumors to rest once and for all.
- Veteran defensive end Renaldo Wynn visited the Giants this week. He did not leave the team with a contract, but left on good terms, and may be a backup plan if Strahan retires. If The Giants want to keep Kiwanuka at strongside linebacker, Wynn (6′3 296lbs) may get the call to become a reserve D-End. Wynn is 33 years old and had 3.5 sacks in 12 games with the Saints last season. He can also move inside and play some defensive tackle.
- Pointless Giants side note of the week: John Favreau, director of Iron Man and star of Swingers and Made was courtside at the Lakers playoff game last night…wearing a blue Michael Strahan jersey. Representing the Giants in L.A. Good work!
Giants Rookie Mini Camp Thoughts
The Giants rookies recently got their first practices under their belts as members on the Big Blue Wrecking Crew at their rookie mini camp. I have also included a few other Giants notes from the past few days. Here are some of the highlights:
- DJ Hall, the undrafted rookie free agent receiver from Alabama, was the most impressive offensive player in camp. A talented playmaker at Alabama who had some character issues which caused him to fall in the draft, Hall is making the most of his opportunity with the Giants so far. The 6′2 195lb receiver made several spectacular catches, with most of his success coming against second round cornerback Terrell Thomas. Hall thinks that if he continues to do what he is doing, he will make this team. The biggest obstacle Hall will have to cross to make this team is the overall depth we have at wide receiver. We know Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer and Steve Smith will be on the roster. We also have to assume that Mario Manningham and Sinorice Moss will be on the team. Dominick Hixon and David Tyree should have good shots at roster spots because of their exceptional special teams talents. Michael Jennings is also returning from an achilles injury which cost him all of last season. That makes eight wide receivers without Hall. Most teams carry six, so the talented Hall will have his work cut out for him.
- Quarterback Andre Woodson and Wide Receiver Mario Mannngham both left practice with minor injuries and did not return. Manningham tweaked a hip flexor and Woodson strained his quad, however neither injury is believed to be serious. A few other lesser known players were also nicked up and missed some practice time. Tom Coughlin took a dig at them later in the day, saying “The main lesson today is that you can’t miss practice and expect to make an NFL team.”
- The first two passes Andre Woodson threw as a Giant were intercepted by Big Blue’s rookie linebackers. Woodson was first picked off by Bryan Kehl, the Giants fourth round selection and then by Jonathan Goff the Giants fifth round pick. Goff is seeing work at inside linebacker right now, while Kehl is getting most of his reps on the weakside.
- Kenny Phillips is wearing number 21, in order to honor a fellow University of Miami safety, the late Shawn Taylor. Phillips is working at both safety spots right now, and when asked how he can help on this team, the first thing he mentioned was special teams. Smart answer if you know Tom Coughlin.
- The Giants made a few roster moves yesterday, signing offensive tackle Jacob Hobbs from Albany, defensive tackles Brian Soi of Utah and Nate Robinson of Akron, defensive end Alex Morrow of USC, corner Miguel Scott of NCST, Safety Terrance Stringer of Tuskegee and long snapper Nick Leeson of Virgina Tech. To make room for these players, the GMen released linebacker Rory Johnson from Ole Miss, defensive tackle Joshua Muse of Louisiana Tech and kicker Owen Tolson from Army. These moves brought the Giants to the 80 player roster limit.
- Andre Woodson thought he would be drafted in the second round, and says he does not understand why he fell all the way to round six. An unnamed league source told profootballtalk.com that he blames the media, especially ESPN’s Todd McShay. McShay had Woodson pegged as a third rounder. The source claims that McShay could not get a job as a talent scout with any NFL team, even as an intern. He says everyone in the NFL knew that Woodson would drop, because he stares down receivers and has a slow delivery with a hitch in it. He says these so called “experts” give players unrealistic hopes with their bad evaluations.
- Offensive Coordinator Kevin Gilbride says that he expects Jeremy Shockey to be a Giant next season, although it is out of his hands. He says if Shockey is still with the team, he will be a feature player in the offense.
NFL Offseason Power Rankings
I watched a recent video on nfl.com where two dopey sportswriters were debating their top five NFL teams and it got me thinking about my own top five, which I then extrapolated into ranking all 32 teams. Once the teams were ordered, I began to notice large gaps in certain spots. So teams 1-9 I believe are 10+ win locks, teams 10-16 are “frisky,” and teams 17-22 are “worth a look” while teams 23-32 are not. I weighted last year’s performance, especially playoffs, with my projections for next year in making this list.
10+ win locks. There were seven AFC teams who had 10 wins or more last season, and I think we’ll see the same thing happen this year. Here’s how I rank the top group.
1. New England – 18-1 is still unbelievable. I would love to see this team suffer from the Super Bowl Loser’s Curse, but for now they are top dog. Jerod Mayo and Adalius Thomas will wreak havoc for their defense next year and Tom Brady’s death star offense is still fully operational.
2. San Diego – This team really showed me something at the end of last season and during the playoffs. They beat Indy at Indy and made it a game against the Patriots without Antonio Gates, Ladainian Tomlinson and half a Philip Rivers. Antonio Cromartie and Shawne Merriman are two of the best playmakers in the game on a defense that is just plain nasty and Philip Rivers seems like he has come into his own. With LT still running like there’s no tomorrow this is their year to make it to the big dance. Experts who can’t see that San Diego is clearly better than Indianapolis have either no guts or little vision. Or both.
3. Indianapolis – This team peaked both offensively and defensively in 2004 when Peyton Manning threw 49 TDs to the likes of Harrison, Wayne, Stokley and Clark and handed the ball off to Edgerrin James and Dominic Rhodes. Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney were just entering their prime and had Gary Brackett, Rob Morris, Cato June and David Thornton behind them. Talent-wise, they have declined since then, and I think this is the year that slippage will catch up to them. If a key player like Freeney or Wayne goes down, it wouldn’t shock me to see them lose the AFC south to either Jacksonville or Tennessee. Still, the NFL is a quarterback’s league, and any team with a modicum of talent will be one of the best as long as Peyton Manning is at the helm.
4. New York Giants – All signs point to the Giants winning the NFC East next season. Don Banks, a sports illustrated writer of little talent, believes the Giants are “going down” next year because of their track record after Super Bowl appearances is six, eight and seven win seasons (after the 1986, 1991 and 2001 super bowls). “Staying hungry after the ultimate success is particularly difficult in the fishbowl that is the New York market” he writes. Using statistics like that is so meaningless as to not even warrant a response. It’s hard to imagine the Giants winning less than 10 games next season with a top-5 defense and a Super Bowl MVP QB with the kind of weapons most offensive coordinators dream of. Right now, it’s us and Dallas, with the rest of the NFC trailing far behind.
5. Dallas Cowboys – This team was loaded with talent before the draft; yet first round picks Felix Jones and Mike Jenkins will contribute right away (that is, unless Jones gets a bad case of Reggie Bush-itis and realizes he can’t hit a home run on every play in the NFL). I downgrade them behind the Giants for three reasons: first, they have more cracks in their armor, particularly in their WR corps, second because I can easily see them imploding under the weight of team cancers like T.O., Pacman Jones and Patrick Crayton, and third because HBO is filming their training camp and we all know how well that worked out for Kansas City last year.
6. Jacksonville Jaguars – How incredibly smart does Jack del Rio look now after making the then-questioned move to dump Byron Leftwich? It was one of those genius-or-insane moves that has turned out to be pure genius. Kudos to him on a ballsy move. Though they made a questionable move in the draft to get Derrick Harvey, there’s no doubt this team is poised to win now. The CB combo of Rashean Mathis and Brian Williams is one of the best in the business and LB Mike Peterson is an admirable captain of this ferocious defense. They get the nod over Pittsburgh for beating them at Heinz Field in the playoffs and, if the ball bounces their way, could wind up on top of the AFC south.
7. Pittsburgh Steelers – This is a team whose success will depend, more than most in this top group, on the production of their draft selections. Ideally, they would like first rounder Rashard Mendenhall to team up with Willie Parker at RB and have second round pick Limas Sweed fill the flanker position opposite Hines Ward so speedster Santonio Holmes can play the slot position. I believe Mendenhall will have an excellent year, but the jury is still out on Sweed. On defense, Casey Hampton is the glue. If he can stay healthy and productive then the LBs will fill their roles so S Troy Polamalu can make plays. OLB James Harrison is a fierce pass rusher and it will be fun to watch him eat immobile AFC North QBs Joe Flacco, Carson Palmer and Derek Anderson alive to the tune of double-digit sacks next season.
8. Cleveland Browns – I’m not sold on QB Derek Anderson yet, especially after he flat out lost the game with a playoff berth on the line. I have zero faith in RB Jamal Lewis’ ability to repeat the kind of production he had last year and I’m not high on Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams being stars yet, as it takes talented free agents about one year to adjust to a new system (see 2007 San Francisco 49ers or 2006 Minnesota Vikings). Cleveland is a talented team no doubt, but they still play second fiddle to Pittsburgh in my book.
9. Tennessee Titans – How did this team make the playoffs last year? Their offense was supposed to revolve around QB Vince Young, but he clocked in with an abysmal sophomore season: 2,546 yards, 9 TDs, 17 INTs, 395 yards rushing, 3 rushing TDs and 10 fumbles (3 lost). Yet despite VY’s sophomore slump + Madden curse induced season, the Titans won 10 games and made the playoffs. From the AFC South no less. I expect to see VY turn it up next season despite a crappy showing from his front office on draft day. Jeff Fisher is a great coach, and the solid coach/QB combo is always a formula for success in this league.
Frisky. All the below teams are competitive, and, with a little luck, could make deep runs into the playoffs. But these organizations are a few pieces short of all-the-way.
10. Green Bay – Drafting Brian Brohm, once considered the best QB prospect in this year’s class, with the second pick of the draft? That’s one heck of a statement the Packer front office is making about their confidence in Aaron Rogers. I understand that competition at every position is important, but the guy has to fill the role under center that Brett Favre just vacated. You’d think he has enough pressure on his shoulders to perform. Still, they have a great defense with players like Aaron Kampman, Atari Bigby, Charles Woodson and Al Harris (oh Al Harris…) and a captain like Nick Barnett.
11. Philadelphia – Much to our chagrin, Philly has been a successful team for a long time with QB Donovan McNabb under center. But what the Eagles’ front office has done to McNabb lately is really a shame. DeSean Jackson? Give this guy some weapons on offense besides Brian Westbrook and we’d be talking rings, not NFC Championship games. McNabb will rebound from his post-ACL surgery year to post solid numbers, but he and the Eagles have missed their chance at a Lombardi Trophy for some time.
12. Minnesota – I couldn’t help but notice Peter King listening to me say “too soon” on his call to put Minnesota #7 on his rankings, ahead of all my picks from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia. I like his “nowheresville to Super-Bowl contention” argument, but I’m not ready to crown this team champion of any NFL division just yet (NFC South and West don’t count). They have an amazing running game behind two of the best run-blockers in the league (LT Bryant McKinnie and LG Steve Hutchinson), but the NFL is not a runningback’s league, it’s a quarterback’s league, and when you put it in that perspective, this team have some serious questions. How will mediocre QB Tarvaris Jackson do, and to whom will he throw? Will Sidney Rice break out as the true #1 the Vikings have been looking for all these years? These questions swirl along with the words ADRIAN PETERSON and SOPHOMORE SLUMP (you hear that fantasy owners?) Frankly I just don’t see it. As far as the Jared Allen pickup is concerned, here’s my take: he was a selfish player in Kansas City more concerned with sacks than anything else. I also refer you to the free agents take one year to develop theory.
13. Buffalo – A bit of a surprise pick here, but I think Buffalo will pick up nine wins and a winning record this year behind Stanford QB Trent Edwards. They have a solid defense and rookies Leodis McKelvin and James Hardy will contribute right away to a steadily improving team.
14. Washington – For those doing their math at home, you’d know that the Redskins are the last place team in the NFC East (which, in my opinion, is tied with the AFC South as the toughest division in the league). They’ll have a talented offense this season now that second round picks Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly add some much needed size to a WR group headed by the oft-injured Santana Moss and highest paid slot WR in the league Antwaan Randel El. Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts are still a solid one-two combo, but the defense is hurting from the departure of whiz coordinator Greg Williams. Overall they are an above-average team with the exception of Jason Campbell, who is not the answer at QB. Your organization will come in last place in a division when you’re bringing Campbell to the table while your opponents have Eli Manning, Donovan McNabb and Tony Romo.
15. Houston – Much like the Redskins, the Houston Texas are a talented team hampered by an average quarterback in a division where they must contend with the likes of Peyton Manning, Vince Young and David Garrard (who shined in the playoffs last year and deserves every bit of his extension). Like Campbell for the ‘Skins, Houston QB Matt Schaub is capable, but unspectacular.
16. Seattle – Matt Hasselbeck will lead an offense of backups and castoffs (Julius Jones, Maurice Morris, T.J. Duckett, Deion Branch, Nate Burleson and Bobby Engram) to yet another NFC West title (yawn). Some bright spots on defense in Patrick Kerney, Lofa Tatupu and Marcus Trufant make this team marginally competitive against the big boys. Especially at home where they get crowd noise pumped in by Bose.
Worth a look. One of these teams will come out of this list and make the playoffs, and that would be the team from the NFC South - the worst division in football. Still, any of these teams could pull an upset under the right conditions, and some (Jets, Cards) are a year away from being taken seriously.
17. New York Jets – The Jets will reap most of the benefits of their free agent haul in the 2009 season, but still, additions like Calvin Pace, Kris Jenkins and Alan Faneca are sure to improve this team. Too bad there were no QBs on the market, because the answer to the Jet QB woes lies with neither Kellen Clemens nor Chad Pennington. Also, Jet fans should be rejoicing the fact that Darren McFadden did not fall to them. Not because I think McFadden will be a bust, but because Thomas Jones will provide plenty of production (approx. 1,500 total yards), and Vernon Gholston is a perfect rush LB for their 3-4 defense. He and Calvin Pace will wreak havoc together for some time.
18. Carolina – At 18th best team in the league, the future winner of the NFC South finally makes an appearance. At first I was not sold on Carolina winning it, but they have some bright spots: Steve Smith and the Jonathan Stewert/DeAngelo Williams combo will produce some fireworks on offense and John Fox will approach this season with something to prove for his Jon Beason-led defense. If Julius Peppers remembers how to knock down a quarterback and Jake Delhomme keeps himself upright, this division is theirs for the taking.
19. Arizona – I would be fully confident picking this team to be my surprise of 2009 were it not for the offseason grumblings of WRs Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. I thought the Cardinals organization was turning a corner, but losing control of your house like that is a classic Cardinals move. This makes me worry that, despite excellent coaching and good trench play on both sides of the ball, the results of next season will be classic Cardinals as well. I see some flashes from this 8-8 team, but not enough to put them over the hump. Yet.
20. Tampa Bay – Ronde Barber, Derrick Brooks, Joey Galloway, Luke Petitgout, Ike Hilliard and Jeff Garcia. This team’s five year plan seems to be don’t die. Aqib Talib would benefit from learning a thing or two from these wily veterans (emphasis on the latter) before they fossilize.
21. New Orleans – There are weapons here, to be sure, but was anyone surprised that a Sean Payton team would go from incredible to ineffectual in just one year? The same thing happened when he was with the Giants. When Peyton became offensive coordinator in 2000 we went to the Super Bowl, but after that the offense was so stale that in the 2002 season Jim Fassel (Jim Fassel!) stripped him of his playcalling duties. They’ll challenge Tampa Bay and Carolina for the NFC South and might have eight wins this season. That isn’t saying much.
22. Denver – Mike Shanahan’s offensive line is crumbling, his QB and #1 WR are fighting and his defense grows more and more porous. This is a team bound steadily southward.
Cellar Dwellers. With the exceptions of KC, Baltimore, St. Louis and Miami, rebuilding teams with bright futures and solid front office foundations, I don’t want to be bothered with this group. Oakland, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Chicago, Detroit, and San Francisco are such laughingstock organizations that any armchair GM in America could run them at this point.
23. Baltimore
24. Kansas City
25. St. Louis
26. San Francisco
27. Miami
28. Detroit
29. Chicago
30. Cincinnati
31. Oakland
32. Atlanta
If Michael Strahan Retires…
Once again Michael Strahan may or may not retire. I have detailed this in my last post, located below. Replacing Strahan’s production will be tough, and some changes will have to be made on the field to improve the Giants pass rush. What moves would the Giants make if Strahan decides to hang up his cleats? The key will be on where Mathias Kiwanuka lines up next season. Here are some options.
- Move Kiwanuka Back to Defensive End - This is a popular option right now among Giants fans. Kiwi was a defensive end in college, and was productive as a DE in limited playing time as a rookie. Between his first and second year with the Giants, Kiwi was moved to strongside linebacker, where he was successful before a broken leg ended his season on November 18th. At the time Kiwi was injured, he was the Giants leading tackler (46 tackles) and was effective on the blitz (4.5 sacks). We know Justin Tuck will be starting in Strahan’s place, but moving Kiwi back to defensive end would allow Tuck to move inside on passing downs, where he was so successful last year. This would give the Giants three legitimate pass rushing threats on the field, and would give Spagnulo an opportunity be creative when the Giants are on the defensive. The Giants rode their stellar pass rush to a championship last season, and losing Strahan would jeopardize this strength, unless Kiwi is moved back to defensive end. The GMen also can afford to make this move, because of their current depth at linebacker. If Kiwi was switched back to DE, the GMen could start Clark/DeOssie on the strongside and Wilkinson/Clark on the weakside with Pierce in the middle and plenty of depth behind them (Blackburn, Kehl, Goff).
- Keep Kiwanuka at Strongside Linebacker - Kiwanuka was impressive while playing linebacker last season, although he looked lost in coverage at times. The GMen would still have an impressive pass rush with Osi, Robbins, Coefield/Alford, Tuck and Spagnuolo’s blitz schemes. Kiwi blitzed on most passing downs from the strongside last season anyway, and was improving each week as a linebacker.
- Move Kiwanuka around, why label him with a position? - There is no rule that says Kiwanuka needs a position, and he could be what is now referred to as a “tweener”. For example play him at linebacker on first and second down, rotate Tuck inside on third down, and play Kiwi at DE. Switch it up next series, and keep everyone fresh. Versatility is key in the NFL right now, and I think Kiwi has the ability to drop back in coverage one play, put his hand on the ground and rush the passer the next play, then blitz as a linebacker the next play. You want your best players on the field at all times, and incorporating Kiwi’s flexibility will maximize the Giants defensive versatility. Spags is so creative that I think this may be the best option for the GMen if Strahan does opt for retirement.
- NOTES:The New York media has dubbed the Giants rookie linebackers “the Brainbackers.” Jonathan Goff (Vanderbilt) and Bryan Kehl (BYU) both majored in engineering from prestigious schools and graduated with accolades. Kehl even graduated from high school with a perfect 4.0 GPA and was recruited to play football at Harvard and Yale before opting for BYU. Vanderbilt’s coach Bobby Johnson said of Goff, “He understands the game so well, and is always the smartest player on the field. He runs the defense.” Smarts are a great quality to have in linebackers, and it looks like we found two brainy ones in the draft.
Strahan, Shockey and Diehl Updates
A major question that continues to loom over the Giants off season is if 36 year old future hall of fame defensive end Michael Strahan will retire. Strahan considered retiring prior to last season, but returned to play a key role for the Giants as they won the Super Bowl. It seems like everyone who is close to #92 has a different opinion on if he will be back in blue for the 2008 season.
- SI.com’s Peter King reported yesterday that he gets the feeling Strahan will announce his retirement shortly. King claims Strahan told him the only reason he was still playing was to get a ring, and that he has a studio job lined up with FOX Television as soon as he retires. Note: Peter King ranked the Giants the sixth best team in the NFL and second behind Dallas in the NFC. Although he lives in Jersey, he continues to disrespect the champs who he claims “got hot at the right time.”
- Fellow Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora said of Strahan’s status, “I talked to him after the season and I thought he was going to retire. I talked to him a month ago and I thought he was coming back. Then I talked to him maybe a week ago and I thought he was going to retire. It just changes day to day with Michael.”
- The well dressed Amani Toomer told Ralph Vacchaino of the New York Daily News, “Oh no question, I think he’ll be a member (of the 2008 Giants). I think he loves the fact that he’s Michael Strahan. I think he loves the fact that he’s playing and doing what he wants to do. He loves hanging around with the guys. I think it’s going to be a hard transition. But I think it is going to be one of those things that when you know you’re done it becomes a pretty easy decision and for him to be toiling over it I think that says something right there.”
Every Giants fan out there hopes that Strahan returns for the 2008 season. Last season, he got better and better as the year went along, and there is no doubt Strahan has a lot of football left in him. He was dominant in the playoffs and a force to be reckoned with in the Super Bowl, tormenting the Patriots offensive line, and relentlessly putting pressure on Tom Brady. Big Mike, don’t hang up the spikes just yet, come back and help the GMen defend the Lombardi Trophy.
Note: According to multiple sources, the Saints are not done trying to acquire Jeremy Shockey from the Giants. This is a story that will not go away it seems. Sean Payton has loved Shockey since his days as Giants offensive coordinator and it seems that he feels the adding him would make the Saints a true contender next season. I thought this story would go away after Shockey was not traded during the draft, but it seems the Saints are obsessed with the idea of getting a play making tight end. Now the rumor is the Saints are putting out feelers to see what combination of players and 2009 draft picks it would take to pry Shockey from the Giants. Personally I expect Shockey to be starting for the GMen in 2008.
- Update: However, ESPN’s Pat Yasinskas and FOXSports.com both believe Shockey will be a Saint before the start of training camp. Both report that he wants out of New York and Sean Payton has told those close to the team that the Saints will make a big offer to get a deal done.
Finally there is some actual Giants news!
- The Giants have signed David Diehl to a contract extension which will pay him more like a left tackle. The contract is for six years and $31 million dollars, and is contingent on him playing left tackle. There are annual escalators each season as long as he continues to play offensive tackle. This contract was signed before the draft, but was kept from the public until today. Congratulations Diehl, keep up the good work on Eli’s blindside!
The Ramifications of a Good Draft: Analyzing and ranking teams’ first round draft picks since 2000 (continued)
This post is a continuation from the post with the same title below.
2. Stand-outs
Carolina Panthers: The Carolina Panthers first round draft record has been consistently above average. With little fanfare, they’ve amassed starter-worthy talent almost every year. Only Rashard Anderson, drafted eight years ago, stands out as a bust. Dan Morgan’s only fault is his unexpected propensity for concussions. Apart from those two, the Panthers have done an excellent job picking out talent from all areas of the first round.
Busts → Rashard Anderson (2000)
Underachievers → Dan Morgan (2001)
Starters → Jordan Gross (2003), Chris Gamble (2004), Thomas Davis (2005), DeAngelo Williams (2006), Jon Beason (2007)
Stars → Julius Peppers (2002)
Dallas Cowboys: Begrudgingly, you have to give credit to the Dallas Cowboys for their solid first round drafts. None of their players have busted out of the league, and with the exception of two recent (and still relatively unknown) additions to a deep defensive front seven, the Cowboys have drafted nothing but solid starters and pro-bowlers since 2000. Though Roy Williams more overrated than the 2000 stock market, Terence Newman and Demarcus Ware are stars you can build a formidable defense with.
Busts → N/A
Underachievers → Bobby Carpenter (2006), Anthony Spencer (2007)
Starters → Marcus Spears (2005)
Stars → Roy Willliams (2002), Demarcus Ware (2005), Terence Newman (2003)
Buffalo Bills: The Bills inched up from a three ranking to a two based on two criteria: first that they are picking better talent now than they were before, and second that I believe Donte Whitner and Marshawn Lynch have a significant future in the league. Unfortunately, the Bills have never been able to address their dire need for a franchise quarterback since Jim Kelly retired more than ten years ago (he was succeeded by Todd Collins, fyi). My Bills fan friend wanted so desperately for J.P. Losman to be the long-term solution, but for now, the solid first round talent that gets hauled up to Buffalo will remain hankering for a stable and capable signal caller.
Busts → Erik Flowers (2000), Mike Williams (2002)
Underachievers → J.P. Losman (2004), John McCargo (2006)
Starters → Lee Evans (2004), Donte Whitner (2005), Marshawn Lynch (2007)
Stars → Nate Clements (2001), Willis McGahee (2003)
Kansas City Chiefs: Another surprise entry to this list is the Kansas City Chiefs. Despite two busts in the early 2000s and only six first rounders in eight years (shaaame), the Chefs are getting their act together and pulling in some talented players on both sides of the ball. Larry Johnson is one of best running backs this side of 2000, Derrick Johnson and Tamba Hali are emerging as above-average defenders, and Dwayne Bowe looks like the all-pro WR the Chiefs have been looking for all these years.
Busts → Sylvester Morris (2000), Ryan Sims (2002)
Underachievers → N/A
Starters → Derrick Johnson (2005), Tamba Hali (2006), Dwayne Bowe (2007)
Stars → Larry Johnson (2003)
New York Jets: Of all the teams to get the two-nod…I definitely would not have guessed the Jets were so successful in the first round. No legitimate busts, though Jet fans I know love to hate on Anthony Becht, Gang Green seem to find solid starting material every year. And they’ve enjoyed a gluttonous eleven first round picks in the last eight drafts. Yet the Jets can’t seem to translate their first round successes onto the playing field, and a whopping zero of their four stars remain on the team.
Busts → N/A
Underachievers → Chad Pennington (2000), Anthony Becht (2000), Dewayne Robertson (2003)
Starters → Bryan Thomas (2002), Nick Mangold (2006), D’Brickashaw Ferguson (2006), Darrelle Revis (2007)
Stars → John Abraham (2000), Shaun Ellis (2000), Santana Moss (2001), Jonathan Vilma (2004)
1. The best of the best (of the best, sir!)
Baltimore Ravens: Since Baltimore joined the league in 1996, they have provided a textbook example of a team that builds through the draft. Before 2000, they have enjoyed first round successes like Ray Lewis (1996), Jonathan Ogden (1996), Peter Boulware (1997), and Chris McAlister (1999). While the Ravens’ drafts pre-2000 were spectacular, their continued success in the league is a direct result of their ability to continue to pull in (and retain) talent at the highest level. The team mortgaged four years of its future on the arm of Kyle Boller, and his underachievement has probably cost them multiple Super Bowl trips. Now the franchise rests on new QB Joe Flacco’s shoulders, can he take the team where Kyle Boller could not?
Busts → Travis Taylor (2000)
Underachievers → Kyle Boller (2003), Mark Clayton (2005)
Starters → Haloti Ngata (2006), Ben Grubbs (2007)
Stars → Jamal Lewis (2000), Todd Heap (2001), Ed Reed (2002), Terrell Suggs (2003)
Indianapolis Colts: Hands down, the Colts are the best team on draft day, particularly in the first round. Bill Polian wins multiple NFL Executive of the Year awards for a reason. Since brought in to turn the team around from a 3-13 finish in 1997, he has drafted the players you see below, plus first round studs like Tarik Glenn (1997), Peyton Manning (1998) and Edgerrin James (1999). You wonder why the Colts continue to rack up double digit wins? Look no further than it’s performances in round one of the NFL draft.
Busts → N/A
Underachievers → N/A
Starters → Rob Morris (2000), Marlin Jackson (2005), Anthony Gonzalez (2007)
Stars → Reggie Wayne (2001), Dwight Freeney (2002), Dallas Clark (2003), Joseph Addai (2006)
New England Patriots: Patriots front office executives are the envy of the entire league (just ask the Giants, who offered VP of Player-Personnel Scott Pioli their GM job twice). Not only are the Patriots the best team in free agency, but they are among the best on draft day as well. Their model is simple: draft the basic necessities like offensive and defensive linemen, and add specialty players like WRs from the free agent market. Sounds simple, but keep in mind it also requires hall-of-fame coaching and quarterbacking. Most teams just aren’t that lucky.
Busts → N/A
Underachievers → Daniel Graham (2002), Brandon Meriweather (2007)
Starters → Ty Warren (2003), Benjamin Watson (2004), Laurence Maroney (2006)
Stars → Richard Seymour (2001), Vince Wilfork (2004), Logan Mankins (2005)
Pittsburgh Steelers: It’s not surprising that another AFC powerhouse team like the Pittsburgh Steelers excel in the first round. One thing I particularly like about the Steelers draft strategy is continuity: they stick to their guns and keep their first round pick every year. Of all the players on their list, Santonio Holmes was hardest to grade: he had almost one thousand yards on just 52 catches with eight touchdowns last season. Those are solid numbers for a second year wideout, but I can’t shake this feeling that Steelers staff likes him best as a slot option, which isn’t what you’re hoping for with a first round WR.
Busts → N/A
Underachievers → Lawrence Timmons (2007)
Starters → Kendall Simmons (2002), Heath Miller (2005), Santonio Holmes (2006)
Stars → Plaxico Burress (2000), Casey Hampton (2001), Troy Polamalu (2003), Ben Roethlisberger (2004)
San Diego Chargers: You show me a team that drafted LT, Merriman and Cromartie in the first round, and I show you a team that deserves to be mentioned among the best first round drafters since 2000. Add a solid starter like Luis Castillo along with Philip Rivers, a raw QB talent that is starting to come into his own in this league, and I’ll show you a team that will be competing for the Vince Lombardi trophy for the next few years.
Busts → N/A
Underachievers → Sammy Davis (2003), Craig Davis (2007)
Starters → Quentin Jammer (2002), Philip Rivers (2004), Luis Castillo (2005)
Stars → LaDainian Tomlinson (2001), Shawne Merriman (2005), Antonio Cromartie (2006)
Observations: I have three noteworthy observations from compiling this list:
1. Consistently above average first round drafts do not necessary mean consistently above average teams.
Only one of the five teams with a 2 ranking made the playoffs last year. That team, the Dallas Cowboys, was also the only team in that grouping to post a winning record. One of the teams (Jacksonville) who received a 5 ranking made the playoffs last season and even won a game. Teams who received 4 rankings like Green Bay and Denver enjoyed relatively steady success in the 2000s. Does that mean first round successes/failures is unimportant? No, there are other factors at work. I posit two very important non-draft factors for consideration: coaching and quarterbacking. A great coach and/or a great quarterback can overcome poor drafting. So in Denver’s case, a coach like Mike Shanahan can overcome mistakes and cancers like Willie Middlebrooks and Ashley Lelie. And these factors can work against a team. Kansas City, for example, fell apart once Herm Edwards took over the team, despite their best efforts on draft day. The Jets and Bills are both clear examples of this problem: their solid drafts are constantly limited by painfully talentless quarterbacks. Thus we can conclude that above average (or below average) drafts are not guarantors of consistent success because other important factors can impact a team’s chance for winning or losing.
2. But consistently great first round drafts result in consistently great teams.
That said it is clear from the above list that any team that can consistently add spectacular talent in the first round is all but assured to be an excellent team. In a league like the NFL with such a strict salary cap, it is nearly impossible to add franchise talent to your team in any other way but on draft day. Some franchises try to win super bowls by mortgaging their future through backloaded superstar contracts via the free agent market, but those teams fade away just as quickly as they rose. Success in the NFL draft, particularly in the first round, is simply the only way to insure long-term success.
3. Assessing the first round draft as a metric for explaining the current NFC/AFC balance of power.
The balance of power in the NFL clearly resides with the AFC, and the analysis above illustrates that point nicely. For the NFC: two teams received a 5, five teams received a 4, seven teams received a 3, two teams received a 2, and zero teams received a 1. For the AFC: three teams received a 5, two teams received a 4, three teams received a 3, three teams received a 2 and all five who received a 1 were in the AFC. What do these numbers say? The NFC is experiencing a glut of mediocre teams (12 of the 17 teams with a 3 or 4 ranking are NFC teams), whereas the AFC has a few extremely poor teams and nearly all of the most talented teams (8 of the 10 teams with a 1 or 2 ranking are AFC teams). Sounds a lot like the league we are in today.
The Ramifications of a Good Draft: Analyzing and ranking teams’ first round draft picks since 2000
Teams give greatest consideration to drafting their first round choice. They are supposed to be the most talented players at their given position, and teams respond to that players’ ability by compensating them accordingly. This is a reflection of the general understanding that first round players are more likely in their first six years as a pro to make the team roster, play games, start games and make the pro bowl than those drafted in any other round. Furthermore, the relative probability of making the pro bowl is most pronounced from the first round to all proceeding rounds, followed by the probability of being a starter and so on. In fact, according to one study, the amount teams compensate their draft picks directly correlate with that players’ likelihood of making a pro bowl. Given the high importance and expectations placed on first round picks, I thought it conspicuous to begin a study on “The Ramifications of a Good Draft” by breaking down each team’s first round draft picks based on four categories and then ranking their draft on a one to five scale (1 being the best, 5 being the worst).
Busts → Player is out of the league entirely or clearly will not make an impact in any significant way on any team
Underachievers → Player has failed or is failing to meet their team’s expectations; is a backup or spot starter somewhere
Starter → Player has played eight or more games in their seasons in the league.
Stars → This player has made at least one Pro-Bowl.
5. The Bottom Dwellers
Detroit Lions: Calvin Johnson is an enigma. He showed flashes of brilliance, but also had some injury trouble not to mention a few uninspired contests. I can’t place him in any of these four categories, but regardless it’s safe to say Matt Millen has established himself as the Isaiah Thomas of the NFL. The Lions draft team is a joke, plain and simple.
Busts → Joey Harrington (2002), Charles Rogers (2003), Mike Williams (2005)
Underachievers → Kevin Jones (2004)
Starters → Jeff Backus (2001), Ernie Sims (2006)
Stars → Roy Williams (2004)
San Francisco 49ers: The 49ers suffered tremendously from poor first round choices in the first half of this decade. After four indisputable busts, the gold diggers out west started to turn things around, but they bet the franchise on QB Alex Smith and thus far he has failed to deliver, and for that reason I give this team’s first round picks a last-place rating.
Busts → Ahmad Plummer (2000), Mike Rumph (2002), Kwame Harris (2003), Rashaun Woods (2004)
Underachievers → Alex Smith (2005), Manny Lawson (2006)
Starters → Andre Carter (2001), Vernon Davis (2006)
Stars → Julian Peterson (2000), Patrick Willis (2007)
Jacksonville Jaguars: If the NFL were composed solely of defensive tackles, the Jaguars would have the best draft team in the league. With four legendary busts, I can’t help but rate this team at the bottom of first round drafters. Interestingly, I see three commonalities between this team and the Lions: both teams took an overwhelming amount of WRs, the riskiest first round pick possible, both drafted sub-par quarterbacks who played for the Falcons last season, and both were most successful drafting defensive players (though only 4 defensive players were drafted in the 16 combined rounds).
Busts → R. Jay Soward (2000), Byron Leftwich (2003), Reggie Williams (2004), Matt Jones (2005)
Underachievers → Marcedes Lewis (2006)
Starters → Reggie Nelson (2007)
Stars → Marcus Stroud (2001), John Henderson (2002)
Miami Dolphins: Miami has picked in the first round only 5 times in the past 8 years, and those five first round picks have produced marginal talent at best. Small wonder they won only one game last season. This will be talent hawk Bill Parcells’ biggest test.
Busts → Jamar Fletcher (2001)
Underachievers → Jason Allen (2006), Ted Ginn Jr. (2007)
Starters → Vernon Carey (2004), Ronnie Brown (2005)
Stars → N/A
Oakland Raiders: Their miserable first round draft picks are a reflection of how well this team is run (hint: not well). By the way, their free agent splurge this off-season comprises a full 50% of their cap money for the 2008-09 season.
Busts → Derrick Gibson (2001), Robert Gallery (2004)
Underachievers → Phillip Buchanon (2002), Michael Huff (2006), JaMarcus Russell (2007)
Starters → Sebastian Janikowski (2000), Napoleon Harris (2002)
Stars → Nnamdi Asomugha (2004)
4. A few stars among the rif-raff
Atlanta Falcons: Michael Vick should, under my rubric, be considered a star. But I could not rate him after the complete havoc his imprisonment has wrought on the Falcons organization. Choosing Matt Ryan with the third overall pick was smart: this team needs to move on. Memo to team owner Arthur Blank: stop writing Michael Vick letters.
Busts → N/A
Underachievers → T.J. Duckett (2002), Michael Jenkins (2004), Jamaal Anderson (2007)
Starters → Roddy White (2005)
Stars → DeAngelo Hall (2004)
Green Bay Packers: The Packers’ record on first round picks is surprisingly poor. Jamal Reynolds and Ahmad Carroll are legendary busts, and Justin Harrell’s contribution to the team in his rookie season last year was sparing at its best. The team seems to have success with linebackers in the first round, but GMs Ron Wolf and Ted Thompson are really at their best after this first round. Mark Tauscher (7th rnd 2000), Aaron Kampman (5th rnd 2002) and Corey Williams (6th rnd 2004) are just some of their late round heists.
Busts → Jamal Reynolds (2001), Ahmad Carroll (2004)
Underachievers → Javon Walker (2002), Justin Harrell (2007)
Starters → A.J. Hawk (2006), Bubba Franks (2000)
Stars → Nick Barnett (2003)
Minnesota Vikings: With four busts, this team should join the 49ers and Jaguars in the draft basement, but they have also produced three studs that the Vikes have built their team around. Nonetheless, they receive a ranking of 4 for their serious first round consistency issues.
Busts → Michael Bennett (2001), Kenechi Udeze (2004), Erasmus James (2005), Troy Williamson (2005)
Underachievers → Chris Hovan (2000)
Starters → Chad Greenway (2006)
Stars → Bryant McKinnie (2002), Kevin Williams (2003), Adrian Peterson (2007)
St. Louis Rams: The Rams clearly struggle with first round picks, and only have Steven Jackson’s tremendous ability to thank for not falling dropping to a 5 ranking.
Busts → Trung Canidate (2000), Adam Archuleta (2001), Jimmy Kennedy (2003)
Underachievers → Damione Lewis (2001), Tye Hill (2006)
Starters → Alex Barron (2005), Adam Carriker (2007)
Stars → Steven Jackson (2004)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Bucs have paid dearly for their success in the late 1990s and early 2000s by not taking advantage of the few draft picks left after the Gruden trade. For treating their draft picks like the American government treats the national debt, the Floridian corsairs automatically receive a demerit. This is a team still riding the successes of their 1995-1999 drafts. Derrick Brooks and Ronde Barber can only last so long.
Busts → Kenyatta Walker (2001)
Underachievers → Michael Clayton (2004), Cadillac Williams (2005)
Starters → Davin Joseph (2006), Gaines Adams (2007)
Stars → N/A
Cincinnati Bengals: The Cincinnati Bungles’ first round draft picks fit their namesake: they simply can’t get the first round right. This team would be a bottom dweller if not for Carson Palmer, who is one of the best at the NFL’s most important and difficult to fill position. As for their most recent draft picks, I can’t give the two cornerbacks Joseph and Hall a starter ranking. The team is expecting more from these two talented cornerbacks, though admittedly they suffer on a defense with no pass rush to speak of.
Busts → Peter Warrick (2000), Chris Perry (2004), David Pollack (2005)
Underachievers → Johnathan Joseph (2006), Leon Hall (2007)
Starters → Justin Smith (2001), Levi Jones (2002)
Stars → Carson Palmer (2003)
Denver Broncos: The Broncos first round draft team has produced a few solid starters, but they are on the bottom half of a four ranking. The first round production is indicative of this team’s identity: their success has much more to do with good coaching than overwhelming talent.
Busts → Willie Middlebrooks (2001), Ashley Lelie (2002)
Underachievers → George Foster (2003), Jarvis Moss (2007)
Starters → Deltha O’Neal (2000), D.J. Williams (2004), Jay Cutler (2006)
Stars → N/A
3. Solid, but unspectacular
Arizona Cardinals: Overall, the Cardinals are a good drafting team; their poor record is a reflection of their misuse or impatience with solid starters like Thomas Jones, who was traded away in 2002 and responded with three 1,100+ seasons, and Leonard Davis, who now thrives as a guard in Dallas.
Busts → Wendell Bryant (2002)
Underachievers → Bryant Johnson (2003), Antrel Rolle (2005), Matt Leinert (2006)
Starters → Thomas Jones (2000), Leonard Davis (2001), Calvin Pace (2003), Levi Brown (2007)
Stars → Larry Fitzgerald (2004)
Chicago Bears: Brian Urlacher and Tommie Harris have been studs, and their efforts on the Chicago defense catapulted them to a Super Bowl appearance despite the best efforts of offensive duds like Cedric Benson and Rex Grossman. The Bears put a lot on the line for Benson and Grossman, and their failure to be continuously successful in this league is a result of their failure to live up to expectations. After one full season as the featured back with a decent offensive line, Benson can be safely termed a bust. Grossman is not far behind.
Busts → David Terrell (2001), Michael Haynes (2003), Cedric Benson (2005)
Underachievers → Rex Grossman (2003)
Starters → Marc Colombo (2002), Greg Olsen (2007)
Stars → Brian Urlacher (2000), Tommie Harris (2004)
New Orleans Saints: Very good first round drafts give the Saints a solid three ranking. Robert Meachem and Reggie Bush will rebound from poor 2007 seasons and contribute more to the team next year, though I agree with many that Reggie Bush will not be a featured back in the league. Nonetheless, this team has done well with their first round picks.
Busts → Jonathan Sullivan (2003)
Underachievers → Robert Meachem (2007), Reggie Bush (2006)
Starters → Charles Grant (2002), Donté Stallworth (2003), Will Smith (2004), Jamaal Brown (2005)
Stars → Deuce McAllister (2001),
New York Giants: Much like the Saints, Big Blue has produced solid, but unspectacular, first rounders. Ron Dayne is still producing in the league, so I have to disregard my nagging desire to ignominiously term him a bust, but without a doubt William Joseph was a complete disaster of a selection. Apart from those two black marks, the Giants have picked six above average starters, and I believe we will be seeing at two of them (Manning and Ross) playing in pro bowls in the near future.
Busts → William Joseph (2003)
Underachievers → Ron Dayne (2000)
Starters → Will Allen (2001), Eli Manning (2004), Mathias Kiwanuka (2006), Aaron Ross (2007)
Stars → Jeremy Shockey (2002)
Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles have spent an overwhelming number of their first round selections on defense (5 of 7), and it is clear their affinity for choosing linemen (5 of 7), particularly defensive linemen (4 of 7). Their haul since 2000 has produced solid enough players for the Eagles to continue to be competitive in the league, but three of the last four selections have been average at best, and the Eagles have traded out of the first round this year and last. Doth ill this portend for the sorry saps of Philadelphia?
Busts → Freddie Mitchell (2001)
Underachievers → Corey Simon (2000), Jerome McDougle (2003)
Starters → Mike Patterson (2005), Brodrick Bunkley (2006)
Stars → Lito Sheppard (2002), Shawn Andrews (2004)
Seattle Seahawks: Shaun Alexander and Steve Hutchinson bring major star power to this haul, though Alexander’s career is everything but officially over (he killed my fantasy team last season). Marcus Trufant had his coming out party last season and will be a shutdown corner for the tealies for some time. Though they are starters, the jury is still out on Spencer and Jennings.
Busts → Chris McIntosh (2000),
Underachievers → Marcus Tubbs (2004), Koren Robinson (2001), Jerramy Stevens (2002)
Starters → Chris Spencer (2005), Kelly Jennings (2006)
Stars → Shaun Alexander (2000), Steve Hutchinson (2001), Marcus Trufant (2003)
Washington Redskins: The team expects more from its franchise QB, especially after he was outperformed last season by career backup Todd Collins. Though he clocked in a solid rookie season, Carlos Rogers has yet to recover from his sophomore slump, and is expected to step up with the decline of Fred Smoot and Shaun Springs. The star power of Samuels and the short-lived successes of Arrington and Taylor cancel out the negative impact of major busts Gardner and Ramsey.
Busts → Rod Gardner (2001), Patrick Ramsey (2002)
Underachievers → Jason Campbell (2005), Carlos Rogers (2005)
Starters → LaRon Landry (2007)
Stars → Chris Samuels (2000), LaVar Arrington (2000), Sean Taylor (2004)
Cleveland Browns: In giving the Browns a 3 ranking, I decided to weigh recent picks more than later picks because they will have a greater impact going forward. Phil Savage joined the team in 2004 and has turned a once sorry franchise into a contender in a very difficult division. Kudos to him.
Busts → Courtney Brown (2000), Gerard Warren (2001), William Green (2002)
Underachievers → Jeff Faine (2003), Brady Quinn (2007)
Starters → Kamerion Wimbley (2006)
Stars → Kellen Winslow (2004), Braylon Edwards (2005), Joe Thomas (2007)
Houston Texans: Somehow, the Texans have made 5 top ten selections in the past six years with very little fanfare. Their choices are extremely solid, and former GM Charlie Casserly has to be congratulating himself on picking Williams over Bush in 2006. Mario Williams is an important element to the Texan defense and will be a better player than Bush in the long run.
Busts → Jason Babin (2004)
Underachievers → David Carr (2000)
Starters → Dunta Robinson (2004), Travis Johnson (2005), Amobi Okoye (2007)
Stars → Andre Johnson (2003), Mario Williams (2006)
Tennessee Titans: With players like Adam (Pacman) Jones and Vince Young, the Titans are tough to grade based on results. My feeling is Vince Young last year was an anomaly; a combination of Madden Curse and sophomore slump. He will be a star and can carry the Titans offense on his back despite the worst receiving corps in the league.
Busts → Andre Woolfolk (2003)
Underachievers → Pacman Jones (2005)
Starters → Vince Young (2006), Michael Griffin (2007)
Stars → Keith Bullock (2000), Albert Haynesworth (2002)
You can expect the team’s with draft rankings of 1 and 2 in a second installment later on this evening…Until then!
College Players To Watch: Quarterbacks
Note: I wish I had some Giants news to pass along, but all is quiet. It is a dead time in the NFL, between the draft and minicamps. The 2008 draft has already been broken down over and over, so I switched it up and went a different route today.
Fresh off of the 2008 NFL Draft, I was thinking “Who will be the top prospects in the 2009 NFL Draft?” It is too early to call anyone the top prospect for 2009, so I decided to make a list of players to watch at each position in the college ranks during the 2009 season. First up, the signal callers:
Quarterbacks:
* Denotes Underclassmen
- Matt Stafford*, Georgia -Stafford is poised for a breakout year, and he has all of the physical skills that you could want in QB. The junior is 6′3 240lbs with a rocket launcher for an arm and a great feel for the game. Right now Georgia is my pick to win the National Title and Stafford is a big reason why. (Most of their roster returning and Jersey’s Own Knowshon Moreno are the other reasons.)
- Tim Tebow*, Florida -Tebow is a big (6′3 235lbs) athletic lefty who can kill you with the run or the pass. He became the first sophomore to win the Heisman last season, and Florida should be more talented around him this season. To make the pros, Tebow must become less of a runner and more of a passer, best case scenario he is the next Steve Young. I should say that I am a huge Steve Young fan, and if I had to start a team with one lefty QB All-Time, I take him. Lorenzen second.
- Curtis Painter, Purdue -Painter could be a dark horse for the Heisman going into the 2008 season. He is the prototypical pocket passer at 6′4 230lbs, and has a huge arm. Purdue may give Ohio State a run for their money in the Big Ten this season with Painter at the helm. Last season Painter threw 36 TDs 8 INTs and most yardage in Purdue history, and I expect him to continue to produce at this level.
- Sam Bradford*, Oklahoma - Bradford will be a draft eligible redshirt sophomore this season, and if he is as productive as he was in 2007, he may skyrocket up the rankings. He has good size at 6′4 215lbs with the frame to bulk up. I bet he stays one more year, but he is still a player to keep your eye on.
- Chase Dainel, Missouri -A Heisman Candidate last season, Daniel returned to Missouri for his senior year, due to concerns about his size (6′2 200lbs). Missouri should be ranked in the top five all season long, and Daniel will be drafted in the mid-rounds next season if he continues to produce.
- Cullen Harper, Clemson - This kid was so much fun to watch last season. Threw 27 TDs to 6 picks and made second team All-ACC. The 6′4 215lb Harper could become a top pro prospect with a solid season.
- Graham Harrell, Texas Tech - Texas Tech quarterbacks often get a lot of criticism because the system they play inflates a players stats. No Texas Tech QB has ever been great in the pros, and I feel that Harrell will meet the same fate. Sometimes the numbers do lie, I recommend the arena league.
- Todd Boeckman, Ohio State -Boeckman is a huge QB at 6′5 245lbs, who looked great at times and mediocre at other times last season. He is another player that has a shot to emerge as a top QB with a great season. We all know he has all of the weapons in the world at his disposal at THE Ohio State University.
- Hunter Cantwell, Louisville -Cantwell has been stuck behind Brian Brohm for the past few seasons, but he played great when Brohm went down with an injury. He has the size at 6′5 230lbs and a good enough arm, lets see if he can put it together on the field.
- Colt McCoy*, Texas - After his performance last season I am not a huge fan of McCoy’s game. Looked average at best last season, throwing 18 picks, compared to seven as a freshman. He took a obvious step back in 2007, and I think he stays for his senior year, as he needs two years to change the minds of scouts.
- Jake Locker*, Washington - Locker is going to be a redshirt sophomore in 2008, but he showed flashes of brilliance as a freshman starter in 2007. He is a threat in both the running and passing games, and should emerge as one of the top quarterbacks in the country this year.
- Mitch Mustain*, USC -Mustain left Arkansas after the Razorbacks offensive coordinator and his former high school coach left to coach Tulsa. Mustain has all of the talent in the world, and could transfer anywhere in the country, so he went to powerhouse USC. He showed how good he can be with Arkansas in 2006, leading them to an 8-0 record to start the season as a true freshman.
Overall, I think there are more strong quarterback prospects to watch this season than there were last season in the college ranks. There are several players that will be competing for the spot of top NFL QB prospect in the 2009 NFL Draft. Out of the current quarterbacks, I would rank Georgia’s Matt Stafford as the number one NFL prospect, but that will change throughout the season. Is there anyone else that should have been added to this list, other than Rutgers superstar Mike Teel?
Note: I left off USC’s current starter Mark Sanchez*, because I have not seen enough of him to rank him. As we know USC QBs tend to get drafted, so he will be added to this list if he beats out former Arkansas QB Mitch Mustain, who is mentioned above.
Grading the New York Giants 2008 Draft Class
The Giants did a great job at filling positions of need and getting great value in the 2008 NFL draft. When you can do both of those things you have a great formula for success. I will now grade each individual pick the Giants made last Saturday
Round 1, Pick 31 - Kenny Phillips - S Miami- As most of you know I was pushing for Phillips to be picked here for quite some time and needles to say I was thrilled when I heard the commissioner announce the pick. Phillips is a perfect fit for this Giants defense and fills the teams biggest need at safety. Not only can Phillips step in and be a solid starter from day 1, he also has the potential to be one of the best safetys in the league one day. This is the guy that Steve Spagnulo wanted for his defense and its good to see that Jerry Reese listened to Spags.
Bottomline: This was the prefect pick for the Giants and I wouldn’t have even thought about going any one else in this situation. A+
Round 2, Pick 63 - Terrell Thomas - CB USC- Another thing most of you know is that I didn’t feel LB was a first day need and that I didn’t like Dan Connor as a prospect, not for this team at least. Apparently 32 teams shared similar thoughts with me through the first 73 picks. I knew that CB would be targeted here and while it was unlikely I held out hope that Tracy Porter would fall to pick #63. After Porter the top 3 corners on my board were Patrick Lee, Terrell Thomas and Charles Godfrey. Patrick Lee went before pick #63 so it was between those two who the Giants were choosing from. Godfrey is a good prospect but is more of a prospect so Thomas was much more suited for the Giants in this situation. Thomas is a big athletic corner that is going to do very well in Spags system. Thomas is physical and can play press coverage very well.
Bottomline: Thomas had some injury problems while at USC but when healthy he was one of the best corners in the nation. Once again the ideal pick for me in this situation. A
Round 3, Pick 95 - Mario Manningham - WR Michigan- Manningham should not have been here under any circumstance and the Giants took advantage of that. The Giants have not been a team to take chances on players with character concerns in the past but the value is just way to great in this situation. its extremely rare that a 1st round talent falls to the end of the third round. I have faith that the Giants organization checked him out and made sure that none of the things that led Manningham to fall this far will affect him as a Giant. If there is anywhere Manningham can succeed it is here because of the Giants strong core of leaders and Tom Coughlin the disciplinarian. Manningham offers the Giants a receiver that can get great separation on a consistent basis for the first time in a while.
Bottomline: This could turn out to be the steal of the draft. For the third straight pick in a row the Giants pick the player that I want. A+
Round 4, Pick 123 - Bryan Kehl - OLB BYU- The Giants traded the first of their 3 6th round picks in order to move up to secure Kehl here and I love the move. I didn’t know tons about Kehl coming in to the draft but after all that I have read on him it seems like he is a perfect fit for this defense. A big athletic weakside Linebacker with the ability to rush the passer. He seems to have all the tools that you look for when looking for a star LB and I think his potential is very high. At the very least he is going to be an excellent special teams player and provide good depth.
Bottomline: Kehl seemed to be a favorite sleeper pick by many and it was good for the Giants to trade up to secure the guy they wanted. I like the pick, but its not the slam dunk the first 3 were. B+
5th Round, Pick 165 - Jonathan Goff - MLB Vanderbilt- Another great value pick here by Jerry Reese. Goff was one of the top MLB’s in this draft and should have probably gone in the 3rd-4th round range. Goff was an All-SEC preformer at Vanderbilt and like Rich said previously he has a real nose for the ball. Some Giants fans were calling for an eventual replacement for Pierce in this draft so that we can groom him for a couple of years and this is the guy.
Bottomline: After taking a LB in the previous round it was assumed another would not be taken but this was just way too good a value pick to pass up on and a replacement for Pierce would have been needed eventually. Great pick here. B+
Round 6, Pick 198 - Andre Woodson - QB, Kentucky- I’m starting to sound repetitive but another great value selection here. A lot of people were confused by this pick, but Carr is only signed for one year and Eli is going to need a reliable backup to depend on and we got one that will hopefully be on the team for years. He has very good size and is a very accurate passer with a good arm. A lot of scouting reports said that a team has to be patient with Woodson and that’s exactly what the Giants are going to be. Woodson can hopefully either turn out to be a solid backup for years, or into a decent trading chip like Matt Schaub was for Atlanta.
Bottomline:As I was watching the draft I kept thinking about when Woodson was going to go because I thought he was a lot better then people were giving him credit for. While he didn’t land in the ideal situation for him here I’m happy he is a part of this team and like I said he could turn