Tuesday, April 21, 2009

2009 NFL Draft Preview

I wanted to share some thoughts and predictions on this year's NFL Draft which is taking place Saturday.

First off, I would like to say that this draft is very deep at a lot of positions. I think that the next generation of potential hall of famers will be found out of this year's talent.

Secondly, I would hope that with all of the hard times that have be felled Detroit recently due to the recession, that the Lions trade their number one pick if they are still unsure as to who they wil select with their overall number one pick. So many people are out of jobs there and the thought of this year's number one pick being guaranteed $34 million over three years is a tough pill to swallow for the citizens of this once proud and strong city.

That being said, here are my best guestimates and list of dark horses in this year's draft. I am only giving you my top ten picks because the Washington Redskin's owner Daniel Snyder plays a pivotal part of what can happen in the first round, it doesn't make sense to pick more than that for now. If Washington moves up to number three and picks Mark Sanchez, all bets are off.

OK, Here we go!!


1) Detroit Lions: Needs; OL,QB, MLB, DL, WR Pick: Matthew Stafford QB, Georgia: Right man for the job, cannon of an arm, better than average accuracy, and high football IQ.

2) St. Rams: Needs: OL, LB, LB, WR, CB, TE Pick: Jason Smith, OL, Baylor: Smith stands at 6'5" tall and weighs 305 lbs. Smith was the first non soecial teams player to make All American sine 1975.

3) Kansas City Chiefs: Needs; LB, DL, OL, S: Pick: Eugene Monroe, OT, Univ. Virginia: Also 6'5" 305lbs. The Rams need help on the offensive line, and this stud of an athlete would be a great fit.

4) Seattle Seahawks: Needs; CB, OL, QB, S: Pick: Mark Sanchez QB, USC: Here is where the first round could get interesting. If the Redskins move up and snatch Sanchez, I believe the Seahawks will pick Michael Crabtree out of Texas Tech with this pick. It is a big if, so let's pretend it doesn't happen.

5) Cleveland Browns: Needs; LB, CB, S, OL, TE, WR: Pick: B.J. Raji DT Boston College: Raji is a fierce pass rusher. At 6'2: and 337 lbs. Raji is a good athlete and is a constant nuisance for opposing offenses.

6) Cincinatti Bengals: Needs; DL, OL, RB, S: Pick: Brian Orakpo, DE, Univ. Texas: Brian is 6'3" 263 lbs. He was a consensus All American his senior year collecting 11.5 sacks.

7) Oakland Raiders: Needs; A New Owner (just kidding...almost); WR, OL, CB, S, DL, LB: Jeremy Maclin, WR Missouri. Jeremy was a first team All American selection. Not only can he catch the ball, he can run all day long. Some scouts say that his top end speed is not all that great, I do not think this will be an issue.

8) Jacksonville Jaguars: Needs; WR, QB, OL, DL, LB: Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech: Again, being such a sought after player is not always a good thing. I believe that even with his ankle injury, Crabtree is an outstanding WR prospect at professional ranks. These last two picks all depend on the Redskins as far as I am concerned.

9) Green Bay Packers: Needs; DL, LB, DL: Pick: Andre Smith, OL, Alabama: Here is where we will see if this man can earn his keep. He is a talented lineman, and he would be a large target to get around for opposing defenses. Andre is 6'4" 332lbs. But his antics at the combine and pro day could cost him dearly. It would be a shame if he didn't get a shot here.

10) San Francisco 49ers: Needs; QB, OL, S, LB, RB: Pick: Aaron Curry, OLB Wake Forest. Mr. Curry won the 2008 Butkis award, he was consensus All American, and he led the Deacon Demons with 105 tackles. Aaron is 6'2" 254lbs. and he enjoys pain.........dealing it out that is.

Dark horses: I have three players that I think will have tremendous NFL careers.

Rashad Jennings: RB, Liberty. This man is a true stud at running back. While Liberty may not be a football powerhouse, Rashad most certainly is. He bench presses 225 lbs. a amazing 29 times at the combine. I would not want to tackle this man.

Knowshon Moreno: RB, Univ. Georgia. I love the way this kid plays the game. Like every day is is last. When his career is said and done, I think he could be a Hall of Famer.

Tony Fiammetta: Full Back, Syracuse. Tony pressed 225 lbs. 30 times. Can you say the next John Rathman?

There you have it. I can't wait for the madness to begin this Saturday. Good luck to you and your teams, may they chose wisely.


Has anyone seen my magic 8 ball?


Ahhhh.......the beauty of the start of something beautiful.

2 comments:

Redline said...

So does the fact that Jacksonville just agreed to a contract deal with Holt change you pick for them in the first round to address other needs.

Jay 16 said...

That's a great question. Quite the contrary. I believe Holt would be a great mentor for Crabtree or any other WR cominginto the league. The problem with the "spread offense" in college these days is that the WR's do not have to run precise routes. The one thing that Holt was known for when he was drafted out of N.C. State was his precise route running ability. Thanks for the question.