For months I have derided the quality of player at DL, confused as always about the supposed "depth" that was to be had. I'd look at my scouting reports, scratch my head and move on. I would look at one mock draft, shrug my shoulders and move on.
This last week, I must have put together twenty different mock drafts in prep for this weekend. We have our board set up, and maybe I was distracted by personal problems or maybe I couldn’t believe what I saw, but a disturbing fact slipped right past me (and maybe my front office).
This draft is one of the poorest I've ever seen, or ever heard about.
The talent is thin, the studs are mid range talents. And guys who should go in the 2nd round are getting top billing. This was something I knew, heck I wasn’t totally daft, I just figured that maybe my rating of prospects had gotten tougher… after all I was coming up with close to the same “depth charts” for the prospects that everyone else in the office was… I just didn’t realize that my scouting wasn’t too tough, the quality was quite low.
Cases in point.
Newman, a guy who received grades comparable to Nate Clements in my book. Clements went at 21 two years ago, Newman promises to go in the top ten this year.
Robertson, a guy who was my 3rd best DT at the end of the senior bowl is now being considered as a top 5 pick? He simply isn't that good. In fact, last year, neither Kennedy nor Robertson would have rated out as even one of the top three DTs (although the depth at DE is much better than last year).
The best RB is Willis McGahee, an above average prospect most years (because of the knee), he is physically handicapped to the point it is debatable he'll ever play a down in the NFL. Yet he is so much better than the other guys he might just go in the 1st round. The first round is not a round for gambles... and there is supposed to be enough talent to kept you away from taking a guy like McGahee.
Tyron Calico, a WR I gave low 3rd round grades has shown up in the first round on some of the mock drafts in our clubhouse, taking a quick stroll across the internet tonight I saw we weren't the only ones to place a guy who can't even catch a cold in the first round.
The best OT wouldn't have gone in the first round last year. The best DE couldn't outrun Mike Williams. The LBs represent a crop of too small too slow guys who can actually play (unlike every other position in this draft), while the single LB who can't play (Boss Bailey) is the only lock to go in the first.
The best Safeties are SS, which is strange since I can't really remember the last time that happened (ignoring Woodson who doesn't count because the 'boys have him playing FS anyway). The best FS never played D1-A ball.
About the only position which isn't poor is QB, with 5 guys grading out as 1st round talent in my books, yet no-one is interested in drafting them? That makes little to no sense to me.
This is a draft of 2nd -5th rounders masquerading as 1st rounders, which means there will be more misses than hits, making any drafting by any team extremely risky.
This last week, I must have put together twenty different mock drafts in prep for this weekend. We have our board set up, and maybe I was distracted by personal problems or maybe I couldn’t believe what I saw, but a disturbing fact slipped right past me (and maybe my front office).
This draft is one of the poorest I've ever seen, or ever heard about.
The talent is thin, the studs are mid range talents. And guys who should go in the 2nd round are getting top billing. This was something I knew, heck I wasn’t totally daft, I just figured that maybe my rating of prospects had gotten tougher… after all I was coming up with close to the same “depth charts” for the prospects that everyone else in the office was… I just didn’t realize that my scouting wasn’t too tough, the quality was quite low.
Cases in point.
Newman, a guy who received grades comparable to Nate Clements in my book. Clements went at 21 two years ago, Newman promises to go in the top ten this year.
Robertson, a guy who was my 3rd best DT at the end of the senior bowl is now being considered as a top 5 pick? He simply isn't that good. In fact, last year, neither Kennedy nor Robertson would have rated out as even one of the top three DTs (although the depth at DE is much better than last year).
The best RB is Willis McGahee, an above average prospect most years (because of the knee), he is physically handicapped to the point it is debatable he'll ever play a down in the NFL. Yet he is so much better than the other guys he might just go in the 1st round. The first round is not a round for gambles... and there is supposed to be enough talent to kept you away from taking a guy like McGahee.
Tyron Calico, a WR I gave low 3rd round grades has shown up in the first round on some of the mock drafts in our clubhouse, taking a quick stroll across the internet tonight I saw we weren't the only ones to place a guy who can't even catch a cold in the first round.
The best OT wouldn't have gone in the first round last year. The best DE couldn't outrun Mike Williams. The LBs represent a crop of too small too slow guys who can actually play (unlike every other position in this draft), while the single LB who can't play (Boss Bailey) is the only lock to go in the first.
The best Safeties are SS, which is strange since I can't really remember the last time that happened (ignoring Woodson who doesn't count because the 'boys have him playing FS anyway). The best FS never played D1-A ball.
About the only position which isn't poor is QB, with 5 guys grading out as 1st round talent in my books, yet no-one is interested in drafting them? That makes little to no sense to me.
This is a draft of 2nd -5th rounders masquerading as 1st rounders, which means there will be more misses than hits, making any drafting by any team extremely risky.
Comment