Welcome to the best day of the offseason, the NFL draft. The best teams look to get better, while the bottom-dwellers look to change the face of their franchise. I'll be updating MPB live for the first few rounds with my thoughts and analysis of each pick.
2:39pm:
We already know OT Jake Long will be selected #1 overall by the Dolphins, and word from the draft is that the Rams will select DE Chris Long with the 2nd overall pick. The Rams were apparently shopping their pick, but their demands were apparently too high for the Patriots and the Ravens to make a move. The Pats were hoping for Chris Long, while the Ravens were hoping to move up before the Falcons pick at #3 in order to guarantee they land Boston College QB Matt Ryan. Both deals didn't come to fruition, and the Falcons will most likely select Ryan at #3.
We're 20 minutes away from draft time and I can't wait!
3:03pm: Dolphins select OT Jake Long (1st overall)
The Dolphins officially made OT Jake Long the first overall draft pick of 2008. Long, who looks to see a large amount of playing time immediately, will be the cornerstone of Miami's running game, which Dolphins President Bill Parcells is looking to improve. Considering the success of OT Joe Thomas (2nd overall pick last year, by the Browns), the Dolphins made a safe pick with the beastly Long, who allowed only 1 sack during his senior year.
3:11pm: Rams select DE Chris Long (2nd overall)
The St. Louis Rams have selected DE Chris Long with the #2 pick in the 2008 draft. Long, a 6'3", 270lb defensive end, is largely considered a dynamic playmaker. He had 79 tackles last year, despite his notoriety. He is also one of the fastest DEs available, running only a tenth of a second slower than RB Darren McFadden in the scouting combine.
The Rams will likely use Long immediately, letting him devastate opposing quarterbacks and anchoring the teams' struggling defense.
3:18pm: Falcons select QB Matt Ryan (3rd overall)
The Atlanta Falcons have selected Boston College QB Matt Ryan with the #3 overall pick. Ryan, widely touted as the best quarterback available, will fill the void left by Michael Vick after his arrest. Ryan led the Boston College Eagles to one of their most successful seasons to date, bringing the team to #2 overall in the country. Many scouts have described Ryan as an extremely intelligent, and clutch player who is obsessed with football. Although the Falcons were enamored by LSU's DT Glenn Dorsey, the team ultimately decided that Ryan was more important to the franchise. Add to the fact that Ryan played in an NFL-style offense with small receivers, the Falcons determined he was too valuable to pass up.
The Falcons still have a ways to go, but their offense looks to be healthy with newly acquired RB Michael Turner and franchise QB Matt Ryan.
This pick marks the first time since 1975 that two ACC players have been drafted in the top three spots.
3:30pm: Raiders select RB Darren McFadden (4th overall)
The Raiders continue to stockpile marquee offensive players through the draft after selecting RB Darren McFadden with the 4th overall pick. McFadden had an outstanding career at Arkansas, and will join QB Marcus Russell on a young, high-profile offense. The Raiders have never backed away from a player due to off-the-field issues, and didn't change their ways this year, as McFadden has had a highly questionable past. The pick could be a steal, however, as McFadden most likely fell to #4 because of those character issues.
The Raiders have made some smart moves this offseason, mostly focusing on defense (they have assembled the best defensive secondary in the NFL, without a doubt), and will hopefully have a significant turn-around from their recent failures. Adding McFadden adds a fabulous running back to spell surprise-star RB Justin Fargas.
3:38pm: Chiefs select DT Glenn Dorsey (5th overall)
After trading away DE Jared Allen, the Chiefs look to rebuild their defensive line by adding DT Glenn Dorsey from LSU. Dorsey will join young DE Tamba Hali on a struggling football team. Coach Herm Edwards has always been drawn towards defensive players, and obviously saw the undeniable talent dripping out of this guy's eyebrows. He is big, 6'1" 300lbs, extremely strong, and has shocking speed.
In my opinion, Dorsey would have been taken before DE Chris Long, as he is one of the most amazing Defensive Tackles to declare for the NFL draft in years.
3:45pm: Jets select Vernon Gholston (6th overall)
With the 6th overall pick of the draft, the New York Jets selected DE/LB Vernon Gholston from Ohio State. Gholston is 6'3" 266lbs and has been projected by many NFL insiders as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme, or a DE in a 4-3. Gholston has great size, speed, and power. The Patriots held several visits with Gholston, and the Jets most likely selected him in part to prevent him from playing in New England. Expect Gholston to be a force in the NFL for years to come.
The Jets have been on an offseason spending-spree, signing several players to huge contracts. These new, big deals caused some tension in the locker room, as several veterans who have been with the team have questioned why they weren't getting that money.
The team has a new look, though, and should be able to compete with the Bills and Dolphins for second place in the AFC East next year.
3:51pm: Patriots trade their #7 pick to the New Orleans Saints for pick #10
The Pats traded their 1st (7th overall) and 5th round picks for the Saints' 1st (10th overall) and 3rd round picks.
3:53pm: Saints select DT Sedric Ellis (7th overall)
The Saints traded up with the Patriots to land DT Sedric Ellis from USC. Ellis is fast, and extremely strong - he had 34 bench press reps at the combine. He went under the radar because of Glenn Dorsey, but Ellis is a beast nonetheless. He will be able to step in and make his mark known on the slightly refurbished Saints defense.
3:56pm: The Baltimore Ravens trade their #8 pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars, up from #26
The Ravens receive the Jaguars' 1st, two 3rd, and a 5th round pick for their #8 pick.
4:01pm: Jaguars select Derrick Harvey (8th overall)
The Jacksonville Jaguars traded up from #26 with the Ravens in order to snag DE Derrick Harvey from Florida to bolster their defensive line. This may be the first reach in the draft, as Harvey hasn't shown the ability to bring down the quarterback as some of the other defensive ends. He's quick, but not blazing fast - he's more of a brute force end. The Jaguars have long stood by their defensive line, and felt they needed to bolster it to gain more of an advantage.
I don't like this pick. Harvey wouldn't have been selected by any other team in the next few picks, and now will demand much more money from the team.
4:05pm: Bengals select Keith Rivers (9th overall)
The Cincinnati Bengals selected LB Keith Rivers of USC with the 9th overall pick. This was not a surprise, as the Bengals had one of the thinnest linebacking corps last year (they had to sign several LBs the week before they played the Patriots). Rivers is more of a finesse 'backer, with great speed. He will be able to step immediately and help this struggling Bengals team
4:12pm: Patriots select Jerod Mayo (10th overall)
With the 10th overall pick (acquired from New Orleans), the Patriots selected LB Jerod Mayo form Tennessee. He is 6'0", 242, and had 140 tackles last year. He played both middle and outside linebacker last year, has outstanding character, and is known for his extreme smarts. 4.54 40 yard dash. This is a great pick to add to our aging linebacking corps. In my opinion, Mayo should have been drafted before Rivers, who was selected #9 by Cincinnati.
In 36 games at Tennessee, Mayo started 24 contests. He recorded 236 tackles (137 solo) with six quarterback pressures, 6.5 sacks for minus-51 yards and 21 stops for losses of 82 yards. He recovered and caused a fumble, as he deflected three passes and intercepted another for a 34-yard touchdown return.
Pats fans have been begging for a young linebacker for several years, but Belichick and Pioli have been reluctant to draft the position high. Mayo seems to be the type of player worth the risk, as he seems to be all over the field on every play.
The Pats now have a bunch of picks in the first 3 rounds, and this draft has been largely considered one of the deepest in years. The Pats are playing the smart game, trading out of #7, getting a better financial deal with #10, and getting a quality #3 pick.
4:18pm: Bills select Leodis McKelvin (11th overall)
The Bills took the first CB of the draft by selecting Leodis McKelvin from Troy. He's a dynamic CB as well as a kick returner. He's great in man coverage, and has made great strides every year. After losing Nate Clemens to free agency last year, the Bills were in dire need of DB help, and McKelvin should step in and be productive as a nickelback.
4:24pm: Broncos select Ryan Clady (12th overall)
The Broncos have selected OT Ryan Clady from Boise State (the Broncos, ironic…). This guy is big, 6'6" and 309lbs, he should see quality playing time immediately. He is durable (started 27 straight games), and is constantly developing. This is a quality pick, but he has yet to prove himself against great DEs.
4:28pm: Panthers select Jonathan Stewart (13th overall)
The Panthers add another RB through the draft by selecting Jonathan Stewart from Oregon. Apparently RB DeAngelo Williams has not developed into the every down back they had hoped for, and they were in need of a replacement for recently-released RB DeShaun Foster. The team is still in need of defensive help, as they lost playmaker DT Kris Jenkins through a trade to the Jets, and several others to free agency.
4:37pm: Bears select OT Chris Williams (14th overall)
The Bears took OT Chris Williams from Vanderbilt with the 14th pick in the draft. The 6'6", 315lb lineman has been a workhorse throughout his career, starting the team's last 33 games. He displays great footwork and has been consistently been getting stronger, although he only had 21 bench press reps at the combine.
The Bears are in need of much more than an OT, but this is a great place to start. Offense, of course, is their main area of concern, but they need a new QB much more than they need a new OL.
4:42pm: Lions trade the #15 overall pick to Kansas City
4:44pm: Chiefs select Branden Albert (15th overall)
After picking Glenn Dorsey with the 5th overall pick, the Kansas City Chiefs have selected OG Branden Albert from Virginia with the 15th pick. Albert is 6'5" 309, and has made 37 consecutive starts. He is absolutely huge, and overpowered nearly all of his competition in the NCAA. Albert could have been selected much higher in the draft, and the Chiefs were smart to trade up for him at this spot.
Even after adding two great players, the Chiefs still need much more help in order to be contenders.
4:52pm: Cardinals select Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (16th overall)
The Arizona Cardinals, forever in the gutters of the NFL, have selected CB Diminique Rodgers-Cromartie from Tennessee State with the 16th pick in the draft. Cromartie was highly touted in the draft, with much of the hype resulting from the success of his brother Antonio with the Chargers. Dominique is tall (6'1"), fast (4.33 40), and can line up against great receivers. It will be interesting to see how this pick turns out. The Cardinals desperately needed CB help, and they got one of the best players available at that spot. Unfortunately, he didn't impress enough to truly separate himself from the other CBs available, and cheaper equivalents could be found elsewhere.
4:57pm: Lions select Gosder Cherilus (17th overall)
The Detroit Lions have selected OT Gosder Cherilus from Boston College the 17th overall pick in the draft. Cherilus comes from a BC which has a long legacy of producing NFL-ready offensive lineman and projects to be a RT in the Lions offense (after the team sent Damien Woody to the Jets). He has great run-blocking ability, and should be able to step in on day one. He may have been picked a bit too early (there were several other OTs available), but the Lions found their man (and must have trusted the pedigree of BC-alum Damien Woody).
5:00pm: Texans trade pick 18 to the Ravens
5:03pm: Ravens select QB Joe Flacco from Delaware (18th overall)
The Ravens, much in need of a QB, selected QB Joe Flacco from Delaware. Flacco has been described as having the strongest arm, by far, in the NFL draft this year. He played in an NFL-like offense, and displayed great pocket presence. He's no Matt Ryan, but a good pick nonetheless.
5:09pm: Eagles trade pick #19 to Carolina
5:12pm: Panthers select Jeff Otah (19th overall)
The Carolina Panthers selected OT Jeff Otah from Pittsburgh with the 19th pick overall. He's 6'6" 322 lbs (yeah, he's gigantic). He proved himself by defeating DE Chris Long, and will definitely help the Panthers run game. He is a high-risk player, as he hasn't been consistent over his career.
5:20pm: Buccaneers select Aqib Talib (20th overall)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected CB Aqib Talib from Kansas with the 20th overall pick. Talib is a great DB, and always seems to be in the right place at the right time. However, his drawback is that despite being properly positioned, he had very few interceptions. Talib is 6'0" and 202lbs, and he's extremely quick, but he has had some questionable off-the-field issues, having been suspended by his team at one point.
5:29pm: Redskins trade pick #21 to the Falcons
5:30pm: Falcons select Sam Baker (21st overall)
The Atlanta Falcons selected OT Sam Baker with the 21st overall pick of the draft. Baker is 6'5", 309lbs, but has battled injuries through his career. He played LT at USC, but will most likely move to RT or a guard position. This could be a great pick for the Falcons as long as Baker can stay healthy, but will most likely be a considered a reach by NFL analysts.
5:37pm: Cowboys select Felix Jones (22nd overall)
The Dallas Cowboys selected RB Felix Jones from Arkansas with the 22nd overall pick. Jones is 5'1", 207, acted as a punt/kick returner and played behind Darren McFadden (he will play behind Marion Barber on the Cowboys). He's fast, and strong, and will surprise many skeptics with his ability. The Cowboys have a great team, and added to it by trading for CB Pacman Jones, however, they are a team filled with questionable characters. Jones has no black marks on his record, but his association with McFadden may be an omen of what to expect.
5:41pm: Steelers select Rashard Mendenhall (23rd overall)
The Pittsburgh Steelers, still in need of RB help since the departure of RB Jerome Bettis, selected RB Rashard Mendenhall from Illinois.
5:51pm: Titans select Chris Johnson (24th overall)
The Tennessee Titans selected RB Chris Johnson from East Carolina. The team needed to fill the void left by departed free agent RB Chris Brown, and saw the tools in Johnson. This pick, however, was a bit high, as Johnson was projected to be a mid 2nd round pick.
5:58pm: Seahawks trade the 25th overall pick to the Cowboys
6:01pm: Cowboys select Mike Jenkins (25th overall)
The Cowboys bolstered their defensive secondary shortcomings by selecting CB Mike Jenkins from South Florida with the 25th overall pick. He will join Pacman Jones as one of the starting two CBs for Dallas. Jenkins has the best hands of any CB in the draft, and he was high on the Patriots draft board.
6:02pm:
Have to run out to celebrate my father's birthday. Will keep you posted upon my return.
To finish out the first round:
Pick 26: Houston Texans select OT Duane Brown from Virginia Tech (6'4" 315 lbs)
Pick 27: San Diego Chargers select CB Antoine Cason from Arizona (6', 190lbs)
Pick 28: Seattle Seahawks select DE Lawrence Jackson from USC (6'5", 268lbs)
Pick 29: San Francisco 49ers select DE Kentwan Balmer from UNC (6'5" 298 lbs)
Pick 30: New York Jets select TE Dustin Keller from Purdue (6'3" 242lbs)
Pick 31: New York Giants select FS Kenny Phillips from Miami (6'2" 208 lbs)
With the 62nd pick in the draft (round 2, pick 31), the Patriots selected CB Terrence Wheatley from Colorado. Wheatley is 5'9", 178 lbs, and is considered one of the fastest players in the NFL draft. Although Mel Kiper had projected him as a 4th round pick, Wheatley may have been a steal for the Pats at #62, specifically because of Wheatley's recent reputation as a true shut-down cornerback. Over the last two years, he made it clear that he was quite possibly the best CB in his conference. He was passed over by many teams because of a wrist injury that kept him out of the entire 2005 season. The Pats, however, are experts are finding unheralded talent, and Wheatley could easily become the next Asante Samuel (an under-evaluated player who has incredible talent), who was taken in the 4th round.
Loading ...
