working

ADVERTISERS

Sports Outside the Beltway

NFL Draft 2007 – Round 5

NFL Draft Logo 2007 The 5th round of the 2007 NFL Draft is well underway. It gets much less exciting for the fans at this point, as the reaction to our team’s picks is generally “Who?!”

Still, some great players wind up being taken here. Picking well in the 5th and 6th rounds distinguishes great drafts from merely good ones.

 

NFL Draft 2007 – Round 4

NFL Draft Logo 2007 Round 4 of the 2007 NFL Draft is underway. The Oakland Raiders started us off by taking Michael Bush, a running back who would likely have gone early in the first round were he healthy. He’ll likely sit out his first year, a la Willis McGehee a couple years back, but the Raiders are getting him for a high 4th, not a low 1st that the Buffalo Bills spent. Potentially, the steal of the draft.

 

2007 NFL Draft Day Trades

NFL Draft Logo 2007 The guys at ESPN.com analyze all the trades from Day 1 of the 2007 NFL Draft. While I tend to look at these trades in terms of the numerical value of the picks, they simply look at the players each team winds up picking with the selections.

 

NFL Draft 2007 – Round 3

NFL Draft Logo 2007 The draft has been ongoing over nine and a half hours and Round 3 is just now getting under way, with the Oakland Raiders taking Georgia DE Quentin Moses. Thankfully, as Norm Hitzges points out, teams only get 5 minutes a pick from here on out.

 

NFL Draft 2007 – Round 2

NFL Draft Logo 2007 Round 2 is underway and I’ll update as it goes along. The trades are fast and furious and there’s much less information available as we get deeper in the draft and I won’t do player-by-player analyses other than perhaps for the picks made by the Dallas Cowboys and really oddball news (like Philly taking Houston QB Kevin Kolb with their first pick).

 

NFL Draft 2007 – Round 1 #16 – Green Bay Packers – DT Justin Harrell

The Green Bay Packers have reached to get some help on the defensive line, taking Tennessee’s Justin Harrell with the 16th pick.

What the Experts Say:

Scout.com Profile:

Justin Harrell Photo Civies Player Evaluation: A hard-working lineman with a lot of physical skill, Harrell could be one of the most underrated players in this draft. His injury last season will decrease his final grade, yet he offers starting possibilities as either a two-gap lineman or as a conventional tackle.

STRENGTHS: Explosion, Intensity/Effort, Quickness off Ball

Justin Harrell Photo Vols Uni AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT: Disengaging Skills, Lateral Range

Biography: Three-year starter who totaled seven tackles in three games last season, after being sidelined with a torn bicep. Awarded All-Conference honors as a junior after totaling 39/7.5/2.5.

Pos: Tough, athletic defender who plays with top effort. Gets off the snap with a quick first step, is fluid changing direction and slides off blocks to make the play. Bends his knees, gets leverage on opponents and is rarely off his feet. Flashes power on the inside, gets push in the middle of the line or holds the point. Consistently doubled by opponents.

Neg: Gets wired in blocks and is slow to shed. Makes most of his plays up the open field in a small area.

UPDATE Scouts.inc:

Make no mistake about it, Justin Harrell is a talented player, and staying away from a player who has problems keeping his weight down like Alan Branch makes sense considering the problems the Packers had with Grady Jackson. However, tight end is a far greater need and Greg Olsen was still on the board, so they probably could have gotten a little more bang for the buck here, especially considering QB Brett Favre does a great job of finding his tight ends.

Harrell is coming off a serious arm injury, so there’s reason to worry about his ability to stay healthy, and he isn’t a great pass-rusher, but he should immediately improve the Packers’ run defense. He has excellent lower-body strength and is virtually impossible to move once he establishes position. His ability to collapse the pocket will also make it easier for the edge rushers to get to the quarterback.

 

NFL Draft 2007 – 100 Top Prospects

The ultimate guides to the NFL draft are produced by Rick “Goose” Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News and ESPN’s Mel Kiper. Gosselin’s is the best, in my judgment, because it’s compiled by consulting the people who actually make the decisions: the scouts and general managers. He’s put out his top 100 prospects. Here are the top 40, which should theoretically take us well through the first round:

1-10
Rank, player Position School
1. Calvin Johnson WR Ga. Tech
Gosselin on Johnson: Since the NFL opened the door to underclassmen in 1990, juniors have gone first overall in 10 of 17 drafts. Come Saturday, make it 11 times. The Oakland Raiders are likely to select either LSU QB JaMarcus Russell or Johnson with the first overall choice. Both are skipping their senior seasons. It also will be the third consecutive draft an underclassman has gone first overall, following QB Alex Smith in 2005 (San Francisco) and DE Mario Williams in 2006 (Houston). A record 15 underclassmen were selected in the first round in 2005. Seventeen juniors carry potential first-round grades into this draft. At 6-5, 239 pounds with 4.35 speed in the 40, Johnson is the best of the bunch.
2. Adrian Peterson HB Oklahoma
3. JaMarcus Russell QB LSU
4. Joe Thomas OT Wisconsin
5. Brady Quinn QB Notre Dame
6. Gaines Adams DE Clemson
7. LaRon Landry S LSU
8. Darrelle Revis CB Pittsburgh
9. Levi Brown OT Penn St.
10. Leon Hall CB Michigan
11-20
Rank, player Position School
11. Jamaal Anderson DE Arkansas
12. Patrick Willis MLB Mississippi
13. Adam Carriker DE Nebraska
14. Marshawn Lynch HB California
15. Lawrence Timmons OLB Florida St.
16. Robert Meachem WR Tennessee
17. Reggie Nelson S Florida
Gosselin on Nelson: Since 1967, when the AFL and NFL merged drafts, there have never been four safeties taken in a first round. That could change with LaRon Landry, Nelson, Michael Griffin and Brandon Meriweather all toting first-round grades. The search is on for safeties with ball skills, and Nelson is coming off a six-interception season for the national champions. "His nickname is the Eraser," Florida CB Reggie Lewis said. "If I got in a situation where I was beaten, I knew I had the Eraser back there. With Reggie behind me, I knew I didn’t have any problems."
18. Ben Grubbs G Auburn
19. Ted Ginn Jr. WR Ohio St.
20. Joe Staley OT C. Michigan
21-30
Rank, player Position School
21. Amobi Okoye DT Louisville
22. Aaron Ross CB Texas
23. Jarvis Moss DE Florida
24. Jon Beason OLB Miami-Fla.
Gosselin on Beason: The Hurricanes are no longer a college football power, but they remain a dominant force every April. They’ve had first-round selections in 12 consecutive NFL drafts, the longest current streak among the colleges. The next longest streak is five by Oklahoma. Miami also has had 22 players selected in the first round this decade – 10 more than runner-up Florida State. The Hurricanes can pad both totals with three potential first-round draft picks: Beason, S Brandon Meriweather and TE Greg Olsen. Beason has been compared to ex-teammate Jonathan Vilma, a No. 1 pick by the Jets in 2004. A bit undersized (6-0, 237), Beason packs a heavyweight’s punch in a middleweight’s body.
25. Dwayne Bowe WR LSU
26. Michael Griffin S Texas
27. Paul Posluszny MLB Penn St.
28. Justin Harrell DT Tennessee
29. David Harris MLB Michigan
30. Brandon Meriweather S Miami-Fla.
31-40
Rank, player Position School
31. Greg Olsen TE Miami-Fla.
32. Anthony Gonzalez WR Ohio St.
33. Alan Branch DT Michigan
34. Anthony Spencer DE Purdue
35. Chris Houston CB Arkansas
36. Ryan Kalil C Southern Cal
37. Trent Edwards QB Stanford
Gosselin on Edwards: The pre-draft hype focused on the two elite passers at the top of this board, LSU’s JaMarcus Russell and Notre Dame’s Brady Quinn. But three quality quarterbacks factor into the second round: Edwards, Drew Stanton of Michigan State and Kevin Kolb of Houston. All could go quickly. Edwards went 26-0 in his final two seasons at Los Gatos (Calif.) HS and set a state record by completing 78.1 percent of his passes as a junior. But he played on some terrible teams at Stanford, winning only 10 of his 31 starts. He also took a beating, missing time with shoulder, thumb and foot injuries. Still, he’s 6-4, 231 pounds with a big arm. The NFL loves measurables at quarterback.
38. Arron Sears G Tennessee
39. Dwayne Jarrett WR Southern Cal
40. Drew Stanton QB Michigan St.

For 41-100, see his guide.

Mel Kiper is the most famous of the draft geeks and he’s good. He lives and breathes the prospects and knows them better than almost anybody. But that doesn’t mean his opinion–even if it’s right–will match up with that of the GMs and scouts on draft day. Here are his final projections for the 1st round:


FIRST ROUND PROJECTION
Pick

Team
Player
Position
School
1.
Oakland Raiders
JaMarcus Russell
QB
LSU
2.
Detroit Lions
Calvin Johnson
WR
Georgia Tech
3.
Cleveland Browns
Brady Quinn
QB
Notre Dame
4.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Gaines Adams
DE
Clemson
5.
Arizona Cardinals
Joe Thomas
OT

Wisconsin
6.
Washington Redskins
LaRon Landry

S
LSU
7.
Minnesota Vikings

Adrian Peterson
RB
Oklahoma
8.

Atlanta Falcons (from HOU)
Amobi Okoye
DT
Louisville
9.
Miami Dolphins
Levi Brown
OT
Penn State
10.
Houston Texans (from ATL)
Leon Hall

CB
Michigan
11.
San Francisco 49ers

Patrick Willis
LB
Ole Miss
12.

Buffalo Bills
David Harris
LB
Michigan
13.
St. Louis Rams
Jamaal Anderson
DE
Arkansas
14.
Carolina Panthers
Reggie Nelson
S
Florida
15.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Lawrence Timmons
LB
Florida State
16.
Green Bay Packers
Marshawn Lynch
RB
California
17.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Adam Carriker
DE

Nebraska
18.
Cincinnati Bengals
Darrelle Revis

CB
Pittsburgh
19.
Tennessee Titans

Ted Ginn Jr.
WR
Ohio State
20.

New York Giants
Joe Staley
OT
Central Michigan
21.
Denver Broncos
Alan Branch
DT
Michigan

22.
Dallas Cowboys
Aaron Ross
CB

Texas
23.
Kansas City Chiefs
Justin Harrell

DT
Tennessee
24.
New England Patriots (from SEA)

Robert Meachem
WR
Tennessee
25.

New York Jets
Greg Olsen
TE
Miami
26.
Philadelphia Eagles
Brandon Meriweather
S
Miami
27.
New Orleans Saints
Chris Houston
CB
Arkansas
28.
New England Patriots
Paul Posluszny
LB
Penn State
29.
Baltimore Ravens
Ben Grubbs
OG
Auburn
30.
San Diego Chargers
Dwayne Bowe
WR

LSU
31.
Chicago Bears
Anthony Spencer

DE
Purdue
32.
Indianapolis Colts

Jon Beason
LB
Miami

We’ll check back tomorrow to see who got closest. It’ll take four or five years to know whose picks were best.

 

Kansas City Testing Trade Waters with Johnson

The Kansas City Chiefs are having trouble signing their superstar running back Larry Johnson to a long-term contract. To make sure they don’t end up with nothing if Johnson leaves via free agency after next season the team has been talking trade with a few teams including my Green Bay Packers:

The Chiefs have spoken with the Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills and possibly others, but have not found anything close to a taker.

A Chiefs official insisted Tuesday that his team has not engaged in “specific” trade talks with any team. But it’s a matter of semantics. They clearly have spoken in trade generalities with a number of teams, trying to gauge Johnson’s value around the league and to their organization.

The reason the Chiefs are shopping Johnson is the exact reason that other teams are leery about trading for him.

Johnson is heading into the last year of his contract and is seeking a new deal that would eclipse the eight-year, $60 million contract given to San Diego running back LaDainian Tomlinson two years ago, before the NFL’s salary-cap increased 36 percent. With the salary-cap skyrocketing, so is Johnson’s asking price, and rightfully so.

As much as I’d love Johnson wearing the green and gold his salary would be way to high. Mike McCarthy’s zone blocking scheme appears to be like Denver’s. The running back isn’t as important as the blocking technique. Thus Denver could continue having an effective running game after trading Clinton Portis to Washington. The talent of the offensive linemen and the scheme are more of a key than the running back blasting through the holes. We’ll see if the Packers can garner some ball control without Ahman Green who left to go to Houston. The Packers are better off drafting a running back or two Saturday and putting their salary cap room into finding a safety and improving all-around depth.

“Future of Larry Johnson Still Cloudy”

[Cross-posted to The American Mind.]

 

NFL Mock Draft 2007

Rick Gosselin has put together his first NFL Mock Draft of the 2007 season. He got himself into the sportswriters wing of the NFL Hall of Fame doing these, so he’s worth paying attention to.

Team Player Pos. School
1. Oakland JaMarcus Russell QB LSU
2. Detroit Adrian Peterson RB Oklahoma
Matt Millen has struggled with top-10 picks in his stint as general manager of the Lions. Peterson would be a safe and popular choice. Detroit had success using first-round picks on Oklahoma runners Steve Owens (1970) and Billy Sims (1980).
3. Cleveland Calvin Johnson WR Georgia Tech
4. Tampa Bay Brady Quinn QB Notre Dame
5. Arizona Joe Thomas OT Wisconsin
6. Washington Gaines Adams DE Clemson
7. Minnesota LaRon Landry S LSU
8. Atlanta Leon Hall CB Michigan
9. Miami Alan Branch DT Michigan
10. Houston Amobi Okoye DT Louisville
11. San Francisco Jamaal Anderson DE Arkansas
12. Buffalo Marshawn Lynch RB California
13. St. Louis Darrelle Revis CB Pittsburgh
14. Carolina Patrick Willis LB Mississippi
15. Pittsburgh Adam Carriker DE Nebraska
Carriker is the prototypical defensive end for a 3-4 scheme. But his true value lies is his versatility. With his size (6-6, 296), he can line up at any of the four positions along the defensive line.
16. Green Bay Ted Ginn Jr. WR Ohio State
17. Jacksonville Jarvis Moss DE Florida
18. Cincinnati Reggie Nelson S Florida
19. Tennessee Robert Meachem WR Tennessee
20. N.Y. Giants Levi Brown OT Penn State
21. Denver Lawrence Timmons LB Florida State
22. Dallas Dwayne Bowe WR LSU
With two starting wide receivers in their 30s, the Cowboys need a young player to build a future downfield passing game for Tony Romo. Bowe is a physical receiver in the Michael Irvin mold.
23. Kansas City Justin Harrell DT Tennessee
24. New England Jon Beason LB Miami
25. N.Y. Jets Aaron Ross CB Texas
26. Philadelphia Chris Houston CB Arkansas
27. New Orleans Dwayne Jarrett WR Southern California
28. New England Michael Griffin S Texas
29. Baltimore Joe Staley OT Central Michigan
30. San Diego Anthony Gonzalez WR Ohio State
31. Chicago Paul Posluszny LB Penn State
32. Indianapolis Greg Olsen TE Miami

 

How about them Dolphins?

Forgive me for having a Robin Williams moment. The Miami Dolphins have been very busy over the last few days. Here is the good news.

The Dolphins have agreed to terms with former Pittsburgh linebacker Joey Porter on a five-year, $32 million contract, a source said today.

The deal is pending Porter passing a physical examination, which he is expected to take tonight or tomorrow.

The deal includes a $12 million signing bonus and another $8 million in guaranteed salary, a source said.

Porter, who was released by the Steelers last Thursday in a salary cap-related move, logged 60 sacks in his eight seasons with the Steelers while emerging as one of the AFC’s top outside linebackers in Pittsburgh’s 3-4 defense. The Dolphins deploy the same kind of defensive system and are in need of an outside linebacker with Donnie Spragan now an unrestricted free agent.

No question, Porter is a great addition to the team. Now for the bad Dolphin news.

The Miami Dolphins’ busiest day of the free-agency period ended with the team better positioned for April’s draft and picking up more space under the salary cap.

It could be just the beginning of a roster overhaul that might signal a youth movement under first-year coach Cam Cameron and General Manager Randy Mueller.

Miami traded popular wide receiver Wes Welker on Monday for second- and seventh-round draft picks, giving the Dolphins nine picks – and possibly more to come.

Tight end Randy McMichael and his $4 million salary and quarterback Joey Harrington, who was due a $1 million roster bonus this week, were released.

Harrington was no great loss. Welker is an overacheiver who gets little respect because of his size but his stats were good last year his first season playing mostly full-time. Welker also livened up Miami’s kick returns that have been pathetic for years.

Then the team dumps McMichael. Couldn’t the team find room for his bonus? They’ve got enough over priced overrated players dump them. So what will Miami do at tight end now. Here is one possible answer.

The Dolphins have made their first free-agent acquisition of 2007 by signing Green Bay tight end David Martin to a contract, a source said Sunday.

*****

Martin played in 11 games for the Packers in 2006 with four starts, catching 21 passes for 198 yards with two touchdowns. The 6-foot-4, 265-pound Martin is regarded as a quality receiver who has battled injuries throughout his first six NFL seasons in Green Bay.

Here are the stats on the piece of junk player Miami will replace Randy McMichael with. I’m so overwhelmed by those 87 career pass receptions. NOT!

Oh and if anyone cares, The Dolphins’s 3rd string QB at the end of last season, Shane Matthews, has retired.

Quarterback Shane Matthews, a 14-year NFL veteran, said Friday he plans to retire permanently.

Matthews, a former Florida Gators star, came out of retirement in December to sign with Miami after the team placed Daunte Culpepper on injured reserve to rehabilitate his knee. He did not appear in any games.

In his NFL career, Matthews played for six teams and threw for 4,756 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Here are Matthews career stats. Note that he threw 31 career touchdowns not 24. Back to remedial sportswriting school with you Palm Beach Post reporter Edgar Thompson.

Shane Matthews won’t be missed by Dolphin fans, I wish the same could be said for the rest of the team’s transactions.

 
 


Visitors Since Feb. 4, 2003

All original content copyright 2003-2008 by OTB Media. All rights reserved.