Detroit Not Likely to take LT at #2

[DraftBoy]

“Quarterback; (we have a) pretty good free safety, I like where we are at free safety; I like where we are at center. We have some good players. A lot of it is perception and reputation and things like that. When I got here in January of last year or whatever it was, one of the things that kept coming up is that (Jeff) Backus couldn’t play left tackle and that we needed to get a left tackle. I thought Jeff Backus had an outstanding season. He was consistent from start to finish; he’s available for every single game; he was our best run-blocker this year; we had issues on this team and left tackle wasn’t one of them.
“At this time (last year) coming in, the common perception was, ‘Hey, if we don’t have a different left tackle we don’t have a chance and that Backus needs to get moved…’ and all those different things. We went in, we evaluated him, we went through the offseason program, we went through training camp and that concern honestly never came up – as far as coaching staff and when we were going through our grades every week. And every week, you could count on the way Jeff Backus would play.

“When we did pro bowl balloting this year, you’re not allowed to vote for guys that are on your own team, but when I was looking at the offensive tackles – the head coach has a vote – so I’m going through and looking and just looking at all of the available tackles. I said, ‘Jeff Backus should get votes here; I can’t vote for him, but Jeff Backus should get votes.’ Walter Jones wasn’t there anymore; Chris Samuel wasn’t there anymore; Orlando Pace wasn’t starting at Chicago at that point, those perennial type guys weren’t there. When you get past those name players, Jeff was every bit as consistent as those guys.

The above is from Jim Schwartz's end of year PC. He apparently really like Backus at LT and has no intentions of making a change. So we likely won't see an LT go till pick 3 or later.

[Forward_Lateral]

If they don't draft Suh, I'll eat my hat.

That is, of course, if St. Louis decides to go QB with their pick, which seems to be very likely at this point.

[DraftBoy]

If they don't draft Suh, I'll eat my hat.

That is, of course, if St. Louis decides to go QB with their pick, which seems to be very likely at this point.

Im not sold on that, personally I believe the top three picks should be;

Suh, McCoy, Berry

STL may not take a QB because honestly none of them are that good.

McCoy is a very good second option after Suh. If Suh fell to them and they passed on him they'd get an automatic F- for life.

[Forward_Lateral]

I agree on passing on SUh.

Draftboy, do you see Suh as a DE in the NFL, or will he remain a DT? Isn't he a bit small to play DT in the NFL?

[DraftBoy]

I agree on passing on SUh.

Draftboy, do you see Suh as a DE in the NFL, or will he remain a DT? Isn't he a bit small to play DT in the NFL?

I do not think he should nor do I forsee him moving to DE. He is a pure 4-3 DT the like of which we haven't seen since Tommie Harris in his prime. And yes Im making that comparison even though I hate comparisons. He is that good, imo.

[tampabay25690]

SUH will be a DT..

This is how I see the 1st 3 picks right today.

1. St Louis SUH
2. Det Eric Berry
3. Tampa McCoy DT Oklahoma

[Ingtar33]

Im not sold on that, personally I believe the top three picks should be;

Suh, McCoy, Berry

STL may not take a QB because honestly none of them are that good.

McCoy is a very good second option after Suh. If Suh fell to them and they passed on him they'd get an automatic F- for life.


I agree with your evaluation, that none of the QBs this year are that good. None of them are really top 10 players. I'd say Bradford is a 10-15 talent and Clausen is a 25-32 talent.

That said... the NFL draft doesn't work on best player available. if it did, David Carr, and Joey Harrington don't go in the first round of the 2002 draft (neither were first round talents on our board.. were... Carr might have been a 25-32 talent... i don't remember clearly). Stafford and Sanchez wouldn't have gone in the top half of round one either (Stafford was a mid to late 1st round talent and Sanchez was a top half of the second round talent) yet both were drafted before pick 5.

I agree that Berry and Suh are the best players in the draft... but that doesn't mean they'll go in the top 3. you notice in my mock i didn't even have Berry going in the top 9.

Teams at in the Draft will take the best player at their position of most need. StL needs help everywhere, and QB will be where they'll go. Det will go with Suh, as DL is close to their biggest need. Tampa will go O-line or DE before DT or Safety... i figure that's where the best OT goes. Washington will probably grab the 2nd QB off the board; making this yet another year where two QBs who are not top 10 talent going in the top 5.

[we are]

He apparently really like Backus at LT

I haven't looked at the numbers but i cant imagine Backus is that great. He gave up a sack to Maybin in just his 2nd preseason game.

[tampabay25690]

I agree with your evaluation, that none of the QBs this year are that good. None of them are really top 10 players. I'd say Bradford is a 10-15 talent and Clausen is a 25-32 talent.

That said... the NFL draft doesn't work on best player available. if it did, David Carr, and Joey Harrington don't go in the first round of the 2002 draft (neither were first round talents on our board.. were... Carr might have been a 25-32 talent... i don't remember clearly). Stafford and Sanchez wouldn't have gone in the top half of round one either (Stafford was a mid to late 1st round talent and Sanchez was a top half of the second round talent) yet both were drafted before pick 5.

I agree that Berry and Suh are the best players in the draft... but that doesn't mean they'll go in the top 3. you notice in my mock i didn't even have Berry going in the top 9.

Teams at in the Draft will take the best player at their position of most need. StL needs help everywhere, and QB will be where they'll go. Det will go with Suh, as DL is close to their biggest need. Tampa will go O-line or DE before DT or Safety... i figure that's where the best OT goes. Washington will probably grab the 2nd QB off the board; making this yet another year where two QBs who are not top 10 talent going in the top 5.

Tampa will go DT and why wouldnt they McCoy is the perfect Tampa 2 DT...
OL is 1 of the strong parts of this team there Defense needs help again...

[Ingtar33]

Tampa will go DT and why wouldnt they McCoy is the perfect Tampa 2 DT...
OL is 1 of the strong parts of this team there Defense needs help again...


Tampa needs a lot from what i remember of their games that i caught... their line is not good... their defensive ends are nightmarishly bad... their LBs are bad... their CBs are mediocre... they need another WR, yet despite it all, i think they're the one team (in the top 5) that will want to fall back and get more picks.

If Seattle (2 first round picks) is serious about getting one of the top 2 QBs Tampa will be the most receptive team for a trade up; mostly because it's DE, LB the inside of the O-line or WR that they're weakest not DT. Yet at number 3 there is no real value to be had at any of those positions. The most value at that place for their needs will probably be the top tackle or wr if they aren't off the board. so if they don't trade back that's probably where they go. All bets are off if Dunlap or another top JR end declares, then you'll probably see an DE here.

I'm not saying they won't go DT, if Suh is there they'd probably go there. But I'm not sold that McCoy is a top 5 pick. top 15 maybe... but having him go 3rd? I can't see that. Not when the Bucs need so much, much more then DT.

[DraftBoy]

I agree with your evaluation, that none of the QBs this year are that good. None of them are really top 10 players. I'd say Bradford is a 10-15 talent and Clausen is a 25-32 talent.

That said... the NFL draft doesn't work on best player available. if it did, David Carr, and Joey Harrington don't go in the first round of the 2002 draft (neither were first round talents on our board.. were... Carr might have been a 25-32 talent... i don't remember clearly). Stafford and Sanchez wouldn't have gone in the top half of round one either (Stafford was a mid to late 1st round talent and Sanchez was a top half of the second round talent) yet both were drafted before pick 5.

I agree that Berry and Suh are the best players in the draft... but that doesn't mean they'll go in the top 3. you notice in my mock i didn't even have Berry going in the top 9.

Teams at in the Draft will take the best player at their position of most need. StL needs help everywhere, and QB will be where they'll go. Det will go with Suh, as DL is close to their biggest need. Tampa will go O-line or DE before DT or Safety... i figure that's where the best OT goes. Washington will probably grab the 2nd QB off the board; making this yet another year where two QBs who are not top 10 talent going in the top 5.

With Bradford's injury still up in the air and now Clausen also being hurt and requiring surgery there are more questions than answers about both of these kids. Do in the end I think both QB's go top 5, or to 10? Sadly, yes, and it all does it show how bad some of the GMs in the NFL are. Neither of these guys is worth trading up for and burning top 10 pick on, but they will. All I can say is that I wish those teams the best of luck.

[clumping platelets]

Detroit will take Dez Bryant

[Ingtar33]

Detroit will take Dez Bryant


Matt Millen's not there anymore... or i'd agree with you.

[HopefulBillsFan]

Detroit will draft Ndamukong Suh, or Eric Berry. They need a corner stone in that defense dramatically.

[tampabay25690]

Tampa needs a lot from what i remember of their games that i caught... their line is not good... their defensive ends are nightmarishly bad... their LBs are bad... their CBs are mediocre... they need another WR, yet despite it all, i think they're the one team (in the top 5) that will want to fall back and get more picks.

If Seattle (2 first round picks) is serious about getting one of the top 2 QBs Tampa will be the most receptive team for a trade up; mostly because it's DE, LB the inside of the O-line or WR that they're weakest not DT. Yet at number 3 there is no real value to be had at any of those positions. The most value at that place for their needs will probably be the top tackle or wr if they aren't off the board. so if they don't trade back that's probably where they go. All bets are off if Dunlap or another top JR end declares, then you'll probably see an DE here.

I'm not saying they won't go DT, if Suh is there they'd probably go there. But I'm not sold that McCoy is a top 5 pick. top 15 maybe... but having him go 3rd? I can't see that. Not when the Bucs need so much, much more then DT.

Well I live in Tampa and know quite a bit about the team.
They need alot but to RUN the Tampa 2 you need to have good CB's strong safteies and a great DT like SAPP thats where McCoy comes in. I can also see them going and getting ERIC BERRY as well. They have 5 picks in the 1st 99 picks so they will get a few needs they are looking for. But they could go LT in OKUNG as well.....WHO KNOWS how the peices will fall...