NFL Draft
It’s a pretty incredible business when the product you put out doesn’t even happen and you still get ratings through the roof. There wasn’t one down of football played this weekend yet millions of people just sat around, stared at their TV to watch a bunch of guys in suits choose up teams for the upcoming season.
Obviously the number one story as to be the number one pick. JaMarcus Russell was the man to get the prestigious honor this year when the Oakland Raiders took him. Now we all get to see if he can be a star number one like Peyton Manning and Carson Palmer or a total bust like Tim Couch and David Carr. Although in fairness to all those guys and Russell, the quarterback’s success doesn’t always depend on him. The man can have great ability but if he plays for a bad team, he’s going to be bad. It’s the most criticized position in sports. It makes the paparazzi chasing Brangelina look elementary. Russell has a good chance to succeed because he has a cannon arm, good skill players around him and a pretty good defense. But if he’s doesn’t get improvement from the offensive line he’s going to spend a lot of time looking up in to the heavens while laying on his back. It’s still kind of crazy how he got here in the first place. The word from Baton Rouge was that he had to put in a great performance this time last year during spring practice just to be the starter in the fall. Then he lights up Norte Dame in front of the nation and “bam” he’s the number one pick. The crazy NFL; what have you done for me lately?
Brady Quinn also drew the biggest headlines for reasons undesired. It was an Aaron Rodgers-esque drop for the Norte Dame quarterback as he fell all the way to number 22. He has his critics but he has the complete skill set to be a Pro Bowler. He was a four year starter in college while running a pro-style offense the last two. He has the height, the weight, the mechanics and the arm. And the Cleveland Browns really pulled a heckavu coup to get him. Taking offensive tackle Joe Thomas with the number three pick (nice job) and then trading up to snatch Quinn has he fell down the board. Not a bad first round.
Detroit is looking to bring their batting average to .500 on first round receiver picks after they drafted Calvin Johnson. Hopefully he’ll fall in to the Roy Williams category and not the “I’m never healthy” (Charles Rogers) and the “I’m too fat” (Mike Williams). Sometimes you have to wonder whether Matt Millen really knows what’s going on. He keeps trying to stock up with these freak-of-nature wide receivers. The best teams don’t do that, they get the right wide receivers. They had a chance at Quinn, quarterback which is what they really need, they missed and they’ll still be bad this season.
The two other teams that did really well in this year’s draft and are definitely up and coming teams are the Vikings and the 49ers.
Minnesota got Adrian Peterson. He pretty much becomes the best player on that offense by default. If he can stay healthy, which is always a question; he’ll be a Pro Bowler. He’s got that special combination: unbelievable ability and an undeniable will to get into the endzone. The man runs like a train. It’s running the football like the football gods intended.
San Francisco is starting to get better. They have done well with Alex Smith, Vernon Davis and Frank Gore and now they instantly upgraded their defense with Patrick Willis at linebacker. If they keep building up this way, they are legit contenders in three to four years.
In non-draft news, Randy Moss signs with the Patriots. Continue to pinch yourself until you realize it’s not a dream. Bill Belichick has done just about everything right. This is the decision that will define a new era for New England. It’s either the decision that brings the whole castle down or brings them to a whole new level.
Obviously the number one story as to be the number one pick. JaMarcus Russell was the man to get the prestigious honor this year when the Oakland Raiders took him. Now we all get to see if he can be a star number one like Peyton Manning and Carson Palmer or a total bust like Tim Couch and David Carr. Although in fairness to all those guys and Russell, the quarterback’s success doesn’t always depend on him. The man can have great ability but if he plays for a bad team, he’s going to be bad. It’s the most criticized position in sports. It makes the paparazzi chasing Brangelina look elementary. Russell has a good chance to succeed because he has a cannon arm, good skill players around him and a pretty good defense. But if he’s doesn’t get improvement from the offensive line he’s going to spend a lot of time looking up in to the heavens while laying on his back. It’s still kind of crazy how he got here in the first place. The word from Baton Rouge was that he had to put in a great performance this time last year during spring practice just to be the starter in the fall. Then he lights up Norte Dame in front of the nation and “bam” he’s the number one pick. The crazy NFL; what have you done for me lately?
Brady Quinn also drew the biggest headlines for reasons undesired. It was an Aaron Rodgers-esque drop for the Norte Dame quarterback as he fell all the way to number 22. He has his critics but he has the complete skill set to be a Pro Bowler. He was a four year starter in college while running a pro-style offense the last two. He has the height, the weight, the mechanics and the arm. And the Cleveland Browns really pulled a heckavu coup to get him. Taking offensive tackle Joe Thomas with the number three pick (nice job) and then trading up to snatch Quinn has he fell down the board. Not a bad first round.
Detroit is looking to bring their batting average to .500 on first round receiver picks after they drafted Calvin Johnson. Hopefully he’ll fall in to the Roy Williams category and not the “I’m never healthy” (Charles Rogers) and the “I’m too fat” (Mike Williams). Sometimes you have to wonder whether Matt Millen really knows what’s going on. He keeps trying to stock up with these freak-of-nature wide receivers. The best teams don’t do that, they get the right wide receivers. They had a chance at Quinn, quarterback which is what they really need, they missed and they’ll still be bad this season.
The two other teams that did really well in this year’s draft and are definitely up and coming teams are the Vikings and the 49ers.
Minnesota got Adrian Peterson. He pretty much becomes the best player on that offense by default. If he can stay healthy, which is always a question; he’ll be a Pro Bowler. He’s got that special combination: unbelievable ability and an undeniable will to get into the endzone. The man runs like a train. It’s running the football like the football gods intended.
San Francisco is starting to get better. They have done well with Alex Smith, Vernon Davis and Frank Gore and now they instantly upgraded their defense with Patrick Willis at linebacker. If they keep building up this way, they are legit contenders in three to four years.
In non-draft news, Randy Moss signs with the Patriots. Continue to pinch yourself until you realize it’s not a dream. Bill Belichick has done just about everything right. This is the decision that will define a new era for New England. It’s either the decision that brings the whole castle down or brings them to a whole new level.
posted by William Allison @ 9:05 PM
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