Having had a month to digest what we did in the draft, and who went where, I wonder whether we didn't maximise the opportunities to really step up.
It is, of course, early to reflect upon this class before even have had a training camp but we all know that during the draft process, talented players will often fall due to no fault of their own but to the needs of teams drafting by need rather than what might be the best player available.
The likes of Jerry Resse (Giants), Ted Thompson (Packers) and Ossie Newsome (Ravens) always seem to find steals, taking players throughout the draft who end up starting irrespective of round taken whilst Nix/Gailey seem to have had tunnel vision - with us taking players who could easily have been UDFA or who will be no better than depth.
This is what I might have done, showing who we drafted and what we might have done instead.
R1. Marcell Dareus DL - a great choice for DE/NT/DT
R2. Aaron Williams CB - but with guys like House, Burton etc falling and CB not being an acute need why did we not go for Kyle Rudolph TE at a position we had nothing?
R3. Kelvin Sheppard ILB - I knew we had a huge like for him, but why not benefit from the fall of Justin Houston OLB/DE who has direct experience of a hybrid 3-4/4-3 defence we are going to run and who had 1st round talent?
R4. Da'Norris Searcy SS - yes we may not resign Whitner but Wilson deserves a starting opportunity anyway, and many SS are drafted lower, whilst surely the athletic James Brewer RT/LT would have been a better option?
R4. Chris Hairston RT - not a bad choice but if we'd taken Brewer we could have drafted Davon House CB or Brandon Burton CB both considered 3rd rounders?
R5. Johnny White RB - a small between the tackles runner when Ricky Stanzi QB was still onboard...are we really convinced Brown can be a backup?
R6. Chris White ILB - a second ILB who will only be depth and who we might have found a UDFA to fill this role. Having taken Sheppard what was wrong with Quan Sturdivant ILB a second round prospect who fell?
R7. Justin Rogers CB - another DB competing with McKelvin, McGee, Williams and Corner and maybe Florence if resigned ... surely our lack of pass rush might have made us look at Greg Romeus 4-3 DE especially if we will run a 4-3 defense on occasion or Bruce Miller OLB or Lawrence Guy DE/DT?
R7. Michael Jasper G - a slow fat two guy when Eric Hagg S or Jeremy Beal OLB/DE were still to be drafted?
I have taken a QB instead of a RB, and two DE/OLB instead of a CB and G in the last round and a TE rather than a second ILB because there are guys who weren't drafted like Alex Wujciak ILB we could sign for depth.
Personally I prefer my draft more
It is, of course, early to reflect upon this class before even have had a training camp but we all know that during the draft process, talented players will often fall due to no fault of their own but to the needs of teams drafting by need rather than what might be the best player available.
The likes of Jerry Resse (Giants), Ted Thompson (Packers) and Ossie Newsome (Ravens) always seem to find steals, taking players throughout the draft who end up starting irrespective of round taken whilst Nix/Gailey seem to have had tunnel vision - with us taking players who could easily have been UDFA or who will be no better than depth.
This is what I might have done, showing who we drafted and what we might have done instead.
R1. Marcell Dareus DL - a great choice for DE/NT/DT
R2. Aaron Williams CB - but with guys like House, Burton etc falling and CB not being an acute need why did we not go for Kyle Rudolph TE at a position we had nothing?
R3. Kelvin Sheppard ILB - I knew we had a huge like for him, but why not benefit from the fall of Justin Houston OLB/DE who has direct experience of a hybrid 3-4/4-3 defence we are going to run and who had 1st round talent?
R4. Da'Norris Searcy SS - yes we may not resign Whitner but Wilson deserves a starting opportunity anyway, and many SS are drafted lower, whilst surely the athletic James Brewer RT/LT would have been a better option?
R4. Chris Hairston RT - not a bad choice but if we'd taken Brewer we could have drafted Davon House CB or Brandon Burton CB both considered 3rd rounders?
R5. Johnny White RB - a small between the tackles runner when Ricky Stanzi QB was still onboard...are we really convinced Brown can be a backup?
R6. Chris White ILB - a second ILB who will only be depth and who we might have found a UDFA to fill this role. Having taken Sheppard what was wrong with Quan Sturdivant ILB a second round prospect who fell?
R7. Justin Rogers CB - another DB competing with McKelvin, McGee, Williams and Corner and maybe Florence if resigned ... surely our lack of pass rush might have made us look at Greg Romeus 4-3 DE especially if we will run a 4-3 defense on occasion or Bruce Miller OLB or Lawrence Guy DE/DT?
R7. Michael Jasper G - a slow fat two guy when Eric Hagg S or Jeremy Beal OLB/DE were still to be drafted?
I have taken a QB instead of a RB, and two DE/OLB instead of a CB and G in the last round and a TE rather than a second ILB because there are guys who weren't drafted like Alex Wujciak ILB we could sign for depth.
Personally I prefer my draft more
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