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The ESPN crew doesn’t like this pick at all. Mel Kiper called Turner a 6th or 7th round pick.
NFL.com analysis-
Positives: Long, lean build with adequate overall muscle development. Long arms and big hands. Good lateral quickness and hand play to get off the line of scrimmage cleanly. Better foot quickness and balance as a route-runner than most receivers of his height. Good vision and willing to cut back inside against the grain to generate yards after the catch. Times his leaps well and has the strength to go up and make the catch with defenders draped on him. Can track over his shoulder and can extend. Stepped up his play as a senior and was a pleasant surprise at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.
Negatives: Relies on build-up speed to get downfield. Lacks the burst off the snap or out of his breaks to threaten defenders, potentially allowing NFL-caliber cornerbacks to stick in his pocket on underneath and intermediate routes. Not the physical dominator his size would indicate. Doesn’t use his size and strength often enough to generate separation from undersized defenders. Lacks the agility in the open field or the strength to run through tackles to be much of a playmaking threat after the reception.
ESPN writes-
Turner is a bigger receiver who lacks the quickness and fluidity to create adequate separation at the NFL level. He also lacks the top-end speed to ever be considered a home-run threat. However, he does an excellent job using his frame to shield defenders from the ball and does not drop many balls when catching within his frame.
How he fits: This is an interesting pick because of the mixed feelings regarding Turner, combined with the receivers still on the board. Miami desperately needed a target to play opposite of Ted Ginn Jr. and compete with Greg Camarillo. It remains to be seen if Turner is that guy. He is a big body who can contribute on special teams. This may be the replacement for Ernest Wilford, who appears to be a bust.
This is another puzzling choice made by Miami. There had been a rush of Wide Receivers before the Dolphins made their pick, but there were much higher ranked(Scouts Inc. had him as the 38th best WR and he was the 14th selected) available receivers out their than Turner. Turner at 6’5 has size, but alot of question marks.
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| Sunday, April 26, 2009 |
 Now that they’ve finally started drafting, the picks are coming hot and heavy. With the 11th pick in the third round, the Cowboys took Robert Brewster, who played offensive tackle at Ball State but is expected to move to guard in the NFL.
Goose Gosselin ranked him 81st, so another pick where the Cowboys didn’t take the best available player.
Here’s what NFL.com has to say:
Pick Analysis: The Cowboys pick up a hulking interior prospect with the selection of Brewster. Though he spent his college career as an offensive tackle, Brewster will likely move inside to guard for the Cowboys.
Overview
Ball State’s national ranking in 2008 was the first in school history. With Brewster providing stellar blocking in the trenches, the Cardinals scored 33 of 48 times in the red zone, including 27 touchdowns and six field goals.
Brewster had 13 touchdown-resulting blocks through 14 games. That performance by Brewster earned him consideration for the Lombardi and Outland trophy, given to the best interior lineman in college football.
At Wyoming High School, Brewster lettered three times in football and also competed for the basketball team. He was named the Cincinnati Hills League Offensive Player of the Year as a senior, leading the team to a 7-3 record. He also garnered All-State, All-City and “Tremendous 26″ Division III Player of the Year accolades. The team would compile a 34-11 record during his prep playing days.
As a true freshman, Brewster immediately earned a starting job. He lined up at right offensive tackle for the first four games, shifting to right guard for the final seven contests. He provided solid pass protection as quarterback Joey Lynch set a school season-record with 18 touchdown tosses. The lineman would go on to post 65 knockdown blocks, helping the Cardinals average 299.0 yards per game.
Ball State allowed 43 quarterback sacks in 2005 and Brewster graded 82.7% for blocking consistency, delivering nine touchdown-resulting blocks. His play up front saw the Cardinals reduce their sacks allowed total to 28, as the offense gained 4,215 yards, an average of 351.2 yards per game.
Brewster continued his dominance in 2007. He was a first-team All-Mid-American Conference pick, collected 105 knockdowns and 13 touchdown-resulting blocks in 13 games. The team averaged 433.8 yards per game, including 284.9 yards via their aerial attack, finishing the year with an 82.54% grade.
Brewster earned All-American midseason honors from Sports Illustrated and was a unanimous All-MAC first-team choice in 2008. He allowed just 2.5 quarterback sacks on 405 pass plays and led the conference down linemen with 100 knockdowns, while ranking second in the league with 14 touchdown-resulting blocks.
High School
Attended Wyoming (Cincinnati, Oh.) High School, playing football for head coach Bernie Barre…Lettered three times in football and also competed for the basketball team…Was named the Cincinnati Hills League Offensive Player of the Year as a senior, leading the team to a 7-3 record…Also garnered All-State, All-City and “Tremendous 26″ Division III Player of the Year accolades…The team would compile a 34-11 record during his prep playing days.
Analysis
Positives: Good initial quickness off the snap, lateral agility and flexibility for the cut block. Can get out and run to make blocks at the second level. Good initial pop. Can turn the defender and seal. Flashes some nastiness and looks to finish his opponent when he feels vulnerability. Bends naturally at the knees and eases out of his stance fluidly with the balance to mirror defenders.
Negatives: Operates out of the spread and is rarely asked to block out of a three-point stance. Inconsistent hand punch. Only marginal hand quickness. Will allow his hands to get outside the chest-plate when run blocking. Lacks the strength to consistently sustain.
Scouts, Inc. gives him very mixed reviews and a grade of 52.
| Overall Football Traits |
| Production |
1 |
Brewster started all 11 games during his true freshman season in 2005. He lined up at right tackle during the first four games and then moved to right guard for the final seven games. 2006-’08: Brewster makes 39 consecutive starts at right tackle and earns first team All-Mac selections in 2007 and 2008. |
| Height-Weight-Speed |
2 |
Adequate height, adequate top-end speed and above-average bulk. |
| Durability |
1 |
Started all 50 games of four-year collegiate career. |
| Character |
2 |
Known as a self-starter. Majors in criminal justice. |
| Offensive Tackle specific Traits |
| Strength/Toughness |
4 |
Showed adequate upper body strength at the Combine but it doesn’t show up on film enough. Doesn’t jar defenders with a violent initial punch and though blocks from the snap until the whistle needs to be more aggressive at times. |
| Agility |
2 |
Quick, moves well and does a nice job of adjusting to moving targets in space. Makes a smooth transition to the second level and shows good lateral quickness. |
| Awareness |
2 |
Shows good pre-snap awareness, quickly recognizes blitzes and gets into sound position to pick up assignment. Does a nice job of staying at home when sees line stunts unfolding and waits for inside rusher to loop around when defensive end shoots inside. |
| Pass Protection |
3 |
Gets set quickly. Light on his feet, maintains balance and does a nice job of shuffling feet. However, he has a tendency to catch pass rushers and needs to develop a stronger initial punch. Doesn’t do a good job of sinking hips and gives too much ground to bull rushers despite size. |
| Run Blocking |
3 |
Gets into sound initial position and uses hands well. Capable of reaching five-techniques and sealing the edge. However, is more of a finesse blocker than a road grader and doesn’t get enough push. |
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| Sunday, April 26, 2009 |
 After trading away their first for Roy Williams and their second for more picks, this was the Cowboys’ first choice in the draft. If Goose Gosselin’s Top 100 is any indication — and it usually is — it wasn’t a very auspicious start.  He was rated the 84th best player in the draft.
Scout.com only publishes a Top 50 and Williams didn’t make it. Indeed, he was only the 11th ranked outside linebacker on their list.
NFL.com is more enthusiastic:
Pick Analysis: The Cowboys pick up an athletic linebacker with outstanding speed and quickness. Williams has the ability to rush off the edge and is a potential playmaker as an outside linebacker/special teams player.
Overview
One of the most underrated players in the 2009 NFL Draft, Williams was a terror in opposing backfields since shifting to weak-side linebacker from strong safety as a sophomore. In each of his last three seasons, he ranked among the nation’s leaders in forced fumbles and tackles behind the line of scrimmage.
As a sophomore, he tied for 10th in the country with three forced fumbles and ranked second in the Gateway Conference with 10.5 stops for loss. In 2007, he placed fourth in the Football Championship Subdivision with five forced fumbles, tying the school and league record. His 16.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage led the team and conference. He would capture the forced fumble title in the FCS with six in 2008, as he also finished second in the league with 17.0 stops for loss.
Williams’ 14 forced fumbles set the NCAA FSC career-record and is tied with Adam McGurk of Division II Adams State (2002-05), Kenechi Udeze of Southern California (2001-03), Terrell Suggs of Arizona State (2000-02) and Antwan Peek of Cincinnati (2000-02) for the overall collegiate record. His 42.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage rank seventh in school history, fourth in Gateway Conference annals and 21st in the NCAA FCS ranks.
At DuSable High School, Williams was recognized more for his rushing and passing exploits than that as a linebacker. He led his team to an undefeated mark in the Chicago Public League’s Intra-City Central Conference as a senior and was a two-time All-City and All-Section pick. He rushed for 2,988 yards, threw for 3,015 and tallied 71 total touchdowns (35 rushing and 36 passing) in his career.
Williams enrolled as a 200-pound athlete at Western Illinois in 2004, redshirting that season as a scout team strong safety. In 2005, he appeared in 10 games, seeing limited action early in the year while being listed third on the depth chart at strong safety. His special teams play helped earn him a starting position for the team’s final two games, as he posted 23 tackles (14 solos) with a stop for a loss and one blocked kick.
Williams continued to excel on special teams in 2006. The All-Gateway Conference honorable mention shifted to weak-side linebacker. He was the only defender to start all 11 games for WIU. He was the recipient of the team’s Green Beret Award for his significant contributions to the kicking game. He ranked second on the team with 92 tackles (41 solo), including three sacks and 10.5 stops for loss. He also caused three fumbles.
Williams was fourth nationally with a school single-season record tying five forced fumbles in 2007. The All-American and All-Gateway Conference first-team choice finished second in the voting for league Defensive Player of the Year honors. He led the Leathernecks with 107 tackles (42 solo) and eight sacks. His 16.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage led the conference, as he also recovered two fumbles.
As a senior, Williams was named a consensus All-American and unanimous All-Gateway Conference first-team selection. He finished fourth in the voting for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the top defensive player in the FCS ranks. He started every game at weak-side linebacker, leading the nation with a school season-record six forced fumbles, the second-best total by a Gateway player. He finished second in the league with a team-high 17.0 stops for loss and had four sacks among his 67 tackles (39 solos).
High School
Attended DuSable (Chicago, Ill.) High School, where he was recognized more for his rushing and passing exploits than that as a linebacker…Led his team to an undefeated mark in the Chicago Public League’s Intra-City Central Conference as a senior and was a two-time All-City and All-Section pick…Rushed for 2,988 yards, threw for 3,015 and tallied 71 total touchdowns (35 rushing and 36 passing) in his career.
Analysis
Positives: Good speed and hustle to chase down plays down the line or from behind. Comes downhill in a hurry, but can change direction if the runner makes a move. Takes on fullback blocks in the hole so others can make plays. Often played as a stand-up rusher. Solid wrap-up tackler in space. Will try to get under the pads of guards to hold his position. Forces turnovers by attacking the ball with his hands after securing the tackle. Active in coverage, with the quickness to stay with tight ends and running backs.
Negatives: Has a strong safety build, thin in the legs and only adequate upper-body strength. May be a classic inside-outside linebacker “tweener.” Played inside quite a bit for but is better on the edge because he lacks the strength to hold up versus NFL interior lineman. Has tight hips. Could get off blocks better to make plays. Inconsistent getting through trash inside. Must learn not to overrun plays.
Compares To: JAMES HARRISON, Pittsburgh — This is high praise for an unknown player, but the more film scouts watch on Williams, the more they will notice he has the “it” factor. With patient coaching and in the right system, he could turn into one of the better finds in this draft. He plays with excellent field vision and awareness. Williams demonstrates the instincts to quickly track down the ball. He has the change-of-direction agility and lateral movement to string plays wide and hits ballcarriers with force, driving with his legs to push the opponent back through the rush lane.
Chicago’s first selection of the draft. Their first round pick went to Denver for Jay Cutler.
ESPN writes- Magee is versatile enough to line up inside in a four-man front or outside in a three-man front. He’s arguably a better fit on the outside and he’ll hold up against the run better there. Although he needs to develop his arsenal of pass-rush moves, Magee’s capable of improving in that area. Finally, he has lined up at fullback in short-yardage situations in high school and could possibly do that in the NFL.
Back to back Iowa Hawkeye selections.
ESPN writes- Fletcher is 6-feet tall and, like we said yesterday in regards to Utah cornerback Sean Smith, corners this tall can have a hard time changing directions. In Fletcher’s case, he doesn?t have the burst or hip fluidity to consistently matchup in man coverage. However, he does a good job masking his weaknesses with instincts. Because of his long arms he doesn’t necessarily have to be in perfect position to make a play on the ball.
The Jets trade up to make this pick.
ESPN writes- At 227 pounds Greene is a powerful between-the-tackles runner who can carry a heavy load and appears to get better with each carry. He doesn’t have great top-end speed, but he’s quicker than he is fast and runs with good balance. Although he is an inconsistent receiver at this point he’s an above-average pass-blocker for a college prospect.
The Dolphins again go for more help to improve a pass defense that ranked 25th in the NFL last season.
ESPN writes-
The pick: Sean Smith, CB, Utah
What he brings: Smith possesses an extremely rare blend of size and speed. Although there are some concerns about his ability to stay low and quickly change direction, Smith is able to mask these flaws with his outstanding length.
How he fits: Miami tried to bolster its corners by taking another in the second round. Smith fits the Bill Parcells mold for corners because he’s got good length, size and adequate top-end speed. He fits Miami’s scheme and general manager Jeff Ireland has certainly been proactive in addressing this weakness.
This could be a sleeper pick for Miami that won’t compensate for the Pat White pick which I think has all the makings of a bust.
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| Sunday, April 26, 2009 |
 The Cowboys traded their 2009 1st, 3rd, and 6th round picks to the Detroit Lions for WR Roy Williams and a 2010 7th rounder. Thus far, it has been an awful trade but Williams was hurt and didn’t have the benefit of an offseason working with Tony Romo and the Cowboys’ system. Those excuses will be gone this season.
The trade meant that the Cowboys’ first chance to pick came at the #51 spot but they traded that pick to the Buffalo Bills for their 3rd and 4th round picks. Indeed, those of us watching on television thought the Cowboys had “passed” on the pick entirely!  Apparently, they had their sights set on Oregon center Max Unger but the Seattle Seahawks traded up and grabbed him two spots earlier. Thinking there were no players left worth spending a 2nd rounder on, they pulled the trigger on the trade.
So, Day 1 of the draft was a complete bust for Cowboys fans. With a whopping twelve picks on day 2, though, Jean Jacques Taylor says there are no excuses for not dominating today.
There will be no acceptable excuses today for the Cowboys failing to obtain every single player they covet because they will control the draft. That’s what having two picks in the third round and three picks in the fourth and fifth rounds does for them.
They can target specific players and, with the bevy of picks they’ve accumulated, easily move up and down the board to scoop them up.
The Cowboys entered this draft needing to shore up their secondary since Roy Williams and Adam Jones have been released, backup Keith Davis is a free agent and so many teams use formations with three and four receivers. The Cowboys also need to improve their depth at receiver since Miles Austin and Sam Hurd have combined to catch 42 NFL passes. While the Cowboys love Austin and they like Hurd, neither has proved anything yet.
The Cowboys entered the second round with several potential candidates, but five of the 21 players they brought in for predraft visits were selected with the first 17 picks of the round.
But he also makes a good point:
Jerry [Jones] didn’t seem to think there were many players in the draft who could help this team right away aside from contributing on special teams or third downs.
Well, this team didn’t make the playoffs. It has holes. It’s not flawless.
It’s just hard to believe none of the draft’s top 64 players can have an impact on this team. It almost sounds like the philosophy the Cowboys espoused during the 1995 draft. The Cowboys drafted backup players that year because they were so talented, they didn’t believe anyone could break the starting lineup and didn’t want to pay players to sit on the bench.
It’s too early to evaluate this draft, obviously. But every single other team in the division — the New York Giants, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Washington Redskins — got significantly better yesterday. The Cowboys didn’t.  They’ve got some serious catching up to do today.
Huh?
Miami needs a wide receiver but White was a college Quarterback at West Virginia. He’s got good speed, and size is adequate. The need for the Dolphins at WR is indisputable but to draft a player who for it who didn’t play it in college. Yes Miami used the Wildcat last year, but that’s a gimmick offense that was the league was catching to to as the year progressed.
The best WR on the board was Georgia’s Mohamed Massaquoi. I’d gone for him not White.
White is not a factor in the quarterback picture, though I got to guess that John Beck is unlikely to be on the Dolphin roster for the 2009 season.
ESPN writes-
White is yet another player who doesn’t have a great fit at the NFL level. He isn’t tall or accurate enough to develop into an every-down quarterback and he is a raw receiver who is going to have to learn how to run routes before pushing for playing time in that kind of role. On the flip side, he can do a number of different things for your team and is the kind of player you want in your locker room.
This pick is a definite a head scratcher for Miami Dolphin fans.
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