1st round story lines

[Ozzy]

Been toying with the first three rounds of the draft and here are some story lines, or topics that have come up for me recently.


*Stafford and Sanchez gone in the top three selections. I just cannot see many ways that does not happen, the Lions, Chiefs and arguably the Rams all need new young signal callers. Lions might trade the pick but if not there is really no other player to take outside of a offensive tackle, that is always a possibility. The need is just too strong for all of these teams.


*The #1 WR taken could be Jeremy Maclin, small receivers are really starting to become popular, and the performance in the Super Bowl only helps that belief.


*How high will William Moore go, if you go off of his junior season he should easily be a top 20 selection, but injury concerns might scare some teams away. Nonetheless though, this years safety class is not that deep, and because of that I would be surprised if either the Redskins, Chargers or even Patriots do not get him in the 1st round.


*Arguably there could be six corners taken in the first round with M. Jenkins, V. Davis, DJ Moore, S. Smith, C. Munnerlyn, D. Butler and V. Harris. If they are not all gone by the first, someone missed out.


*Is Brandon LaFell a 1st round talent? I think he is, tall kid, really runs well for his size and is a great target to throw too. Sure Nicks or Brandon Tate could be picked ahead of him but depending on his combine workout LaFell could be a riser.


*Does Shonn Greene become a 1st round pick? He is that good of a player but not that many teams need a running back that badly in the later picks, they need other positions so he could slip into the second easily. Like all of them though also depends on his workouts. Works out great could go ahead of Moreno but that would be a hard.


*Does Nate Davis or Josh Freeman become 1st round picks? I doubt it, it is possibly but most of the teams in the later half of the 1st round have quarterbacks. Sure the Vikings but I would rather see them either stick with Jackson or get a veteran, they do not want to wait and develop another young quarterback.


*Oddly enough it is becoming clear that Laurinaitis and Maualuga are probably going to drop out of the 1st round. This could always change and maybe the Ravens would grab one of them or the Eagles. It would not be a surprise if they dropped however.


*Is Patrick Chung a 1st round pick? I say so, just not that many good safeties when a lot of teams need good young safeties.


*Can Tyson Jackson be a converted DE and move to DT? I think he can, might have to get a little stronger at the point of attack but I can see that happening. Either the Buccaneers or the Colts could look at him for that potential switch. Then again who knows if he drops the Patriots could tag him and have him as a DE, them or the Ravens.


*How high will Harvin go? The kid is not a smooth receiver, but he simply makes plays with the ball in his hands and teams will like that in him. Everything else can come later, sure would be nice if he was a more solid route runner however and did not play so much tailback in college.


*Will Britton and Loadholt fall out of the first round? Britton has the best chance to stick but who would pick him up? And Loadholt havnig such trouble with speed rushers in the title game will most likely drop a little.


*Will McCoy drop out of the 1st? I think he might based on team needs. What a steal he would be in the 2nd round however.

[Crickett]

*Stafford and Sanchez gone in the top three selections. I just cannot see many ways that does not happen, the Lions, Chiefs and arguably the Rams all need new young signal callers. Lions might trade the pick but if not there is really no other player to take outside of a offensive tackle, that is always a possibility. The need is just too strong for all of these teams.

Too strong? I don't think so. Not when Kansas City has the worst pass rush ever and St. Louis needing a replacement for Orlando Pace.


*The #1 WR taken could be Jeremy Maclin, small receivers are really starting to become popular, and the performance in the Super Bowl only helps that belief.

6'1 200 = small? :confused:

[JohnCandy]

*WR Kenny Britt will crack the top 20 picks his blend of size [6'4" 220lbs] and speed [If he runs sub 4.6] and physical play will make him the most likely to win the Larry Fitzgerald look a like contest.

[Ozzy]

Random questions here, why did Jermaine Gresham and Brandon Spikes not come out for the draft? They would have both been potentially high 1st round picks.


*WR Kenny Britt will crack the top 20 picks his blend of size [6'4" 220lbs] and speed [If he runs sub 4.6] and physical play will make him the most likely to win the Larry Fitzgerald look a like contest.That is possible that he breaks into the 1st round, but I am not sure I would take him over Darrius Heyward-Bey if he is still around. Bey is going to kill at the combine with his speed. Also I would say Britt does not have the jump ball skills Fitzgerald has.


Too strong? I don't think so. Not when Kansas City has the worst pass rush ever and St. Louis needing a replacement for Orlando Pace.Who is KC going to take then, Orakpo? I seriously doubt that, they can address that need later, and Sanchez if he is there is way to hard to pass up in my opinion. Also KC has Dorsey and Tank in the middle, on the outside have Babin, Hali and McBride. Sure they need a speed rusher or two but there are plenty of guys to take later like...

Kyle Moore
Michael Johnson
Paul Kruger
Matthew Shaughnessy
Robert Ayers
Brandon Williams
Diyral Briggs
Stryler Sulak
Rulon Davis
Tim Jamison
Maurice Evans

[KCStud]

Random questions here, why did Jermaine Gresham and Brandon Spikes not come out for the draft? They would have both been potentially high 1st round picks.


That is possible that he breaks into the 1st round, but I am not sure I would take him over Darrius Heyward-Bey if he is still around. Bey is going to kill at the combine with his speed. Also I would say Britt does not have the jump ball skills Fitzgerald has.


Who is KC going to take then, Orakpo? I seriously doubt that, they can address that need later, and Sanchez if he is there is way to hard to pass up in my opinion. Also KC has Dorsey and Tank in the middle, on the outside have Babin, Hali and McBride. Sure they need a speed rusher or two but there are plenty of guys to take later like...

Kyle Moore
Michael Johnson
Paul Kruger
Matthew Shaughnessy
Robert Ayers
Brandon Williams
Diyral Briggs
Stryler Sulak
Rulon Davis
Tim Jamison
Maurice Evans

Two words...AARON CURRY. Sanchez has bust written all over him

[Paranoidmoonduck]

Isn't LaFell officially going back to Louisiana for another year?

[Geo]

Indeed he is, PMD.

[BroadwayJoe10]

Isn't LaFell officially going back to Louisiana for another year?

Yes he is. LSU is gonna have quite the receiving staff with Rueben Randle coming in as well.

[Ozzy]

Isn't LaFell officially going back to Louisiana for another year?Seriously? Well I apologize, my mistake, or maybe it is his.

[Menardo75]

Been toying with the first three rounds of the draft and here are some story lines, or topics that have come up for me recently.


*Stafford and Sanchez gone in the top three selections. I just cannot see many ways that does not happen, the Lions, Chiefs and arguably the Rams all need new young signal callers. Lions might trade the pick but if not there is really no other player to take outside of a offensive tackle, that is always a possibility. The need is just too strong for all of these teams.

It could happen I still don't know if KC is sold on Thigpen yet.

*The #1 WR taken could be Jeremy Maclin, small receivers are really starting to become popular, and the performance in the Super Bowl only helps that belief.

I don't think Maclin is a small receiever nor do I think any of the guys in the superbowl that had a big impact were small either.

*How high will William Moore go, if you go off of his junior season he should easily be a top 20 selection, but injury concerns might scare some teams away. Nonetheless though, this years safety class is not that deep, and because of that I would be surprised if either the Redskins, Chargers or even Patriots do not get him in the 1st round.

If he shows up at the combine healthy he could bring his stock back up in a heartbeat.

*Arguably there could be six corners taken in the first round with M. Jenkins, V. Davis, DJ Moore, S. Smith, C. Munnerlyn, D. Butler and V. Harris. If they are not all gone by the first, someone missed out.

I don't think Munnerlyn is a first round pick. Butler could slip in. I thinkk Harris is too much of a system corner to be a first round pick but it depends on the team.

*Is Brandon LaFell a 1st round talent? I think he is, tall kid, really runs well for his size and is a great target to throw too. Sure Nicks or Brandon Tate could be picked ahead of him but depending on his combine workout LaFell could be a riser.

Went back to school.

*Does Shonn Greene become a 1st round pick? He is that good of a player but not that many teams need a running back that badly in the later picks, they need other positions so he could slip into the second easily. Like all of them though also depends on his workouts. Works out great could go ahead of Moreno but that would be a hard.

I could see him McCoy, and Wells being the three first runningbacks taken.

*Does Nate Davis or Josh Freeman become 1st round picks? I doubt it, it is possibly but most of the teams in the later half of the 1st round have quarterbacks. Sure the Vikings but I would rather see them either stick with Jackson or get a veteran, they do not want to wait and develop another young quarterback.

I don't think Davis will be, but Josh Freeman could be a late first rounder.

*Oddly enough it is becoming clear that Laurinaitis and Maualuga are probably going to drop out of the 1st round. This could always change and maybe the Ravens would grab one of them or the Eagles. It would not be a surprise if they dropped however.

How exactly is this becoming clear? They are both first rounders.

*Is Patrick Chung a 1st round pick? I say so, just not that many good safeties when a lot of teams need good young safeties.

Chung is the top SS imo.

*Can Tyson Jackson be a converted DE and move to DT? I think he can, might have to get a little stronger at the point of attack but I can see that happening. Either the Buccaneers or the Colts could look at him for that potential switch. Then again who knows if he drops the Patriots could tag him and have him as a DE, them or the Ravens.

He could easily be a DT in a 4-3 I think his best is a 3-4 DE however.

*How high will Harvin go? The kid is not a smooth receiver, but he simply makes plays with the ball in his hands and teams will like that in him. Everything else can come later, sure would be nice if he was a more solid route runner however and did not play so much tailback in college.

I am thinking late first round.

*Will Britton and Loadholt fall out of the first round? Britton has the best chance to stick but who would pick him up? And Loadholt havnig such trouble with speed rushers in the title game will most likely drop a little.

Loadholt will Britton could, but I don't think he gets passed the Eagles or the Vikings.

*Will McCoy drop out of the 1st? I think he might based on team needs. What a steal he would be in the 2nd round however. McCoy could drop out it all depends on how he times.

Responses in bold.

[Solomon]

Random questions here, why did Jermaine Gresham and Brandon Spikes not come out for the draft? They would have both been potentially high 1st round picks.


You know what? It's been a really long time since I've seen so many guys at or near the top of their position decide to return to school after considering their options; Jermaine Gresham, Brandon Spikes, Taylor Mays, Sam Bradford, Gerald McCoy and Greg Hardy were all top 20 picks in my opinion. And five of those guys play positions which either lack depth or talent at the top in this class (S, ILB, TE, 4-3 DE and DT).

[Ozzy]

To clear things up, Maclin to me looks smallish on the field, small when compared to a 6-4 or 6-6 receiver that weighs in at 225 or 230. And Santiono Holmes to me is a small receiver. Maclin is bigger than him but not by that much.


So who tags Laurinaitis and Maualuga outside of the Ravens and maybe Eagles? Colts I guess but neither of them are fast enough, however I must say both played so much better as juniors than they did as seniors. Especially Maualuga, and Maualuga is going to have to really prove at the combine that he is not a stiff, physically. If both run good at the combine who knows, but right now I would say their stock is kind of down for both players. Thus, a guy like Spikes should have went out, not only because he would be a 1st round pick but because really only things can get worse by going back to school when you played on such a high level as a junior.

[AntoinCD]

Been toying with the first three rounds of the draft and here are some story lines, or topics that have come up for me recently.


*Stafford and Sanchez gone in the top three selections. I just cannot see many ways that does not happen, the Lions, Chiefs and arguably the Rams all need new young signal callers. Lions might trade the pick but if not there is really no other player to take outside of a offensive tackle, that is always a possibility. The need is just too strong for all of these teams.

Possibility but I see Sanchez maybe falling out of the top 10 but someone like Tampa Bay or Minnesota trading up


*The #1 WR taken could be Jeremy Maclin, small receivers are really starting to become popular, and the performance in the Super Bowl only helps that belief.

Very possible. If Crabtree isn't gone by 7 I predict Al Davis takes Maclin

*How high will William Moore go, if you go off of his junior season he should easily be a top 20 selection, but injury concerns might scare some teams away. Nonetheless though, this years safety class is not that deep, and because of that I would be surprised if either the Redskins, Chargers or even Patriots do not get him in the 1st round.

Unless he really has a good combine I see him an early to mid 2nd type guy


*Arguably there could be six corners taken in the first round with M. Jenkins, V. Davis, DJ Moore, S. Smith, C. Munnerlyn, D. Butler and V. Harris. If they are not all gone by the first, someone missed out.

Alphonso Smith should be mentioned there and i'd be really really surprised if Munnerlyn, Butler and Harris were taken in the first. In fact i'd be surprised if Munnerlyn's taken in the 2nd

*Is Brandon LaFell a 1st round talent? I think he is, tall kid, really runs well for his size and is a great target to throw too. Sure Nicks or Brandon Tate could be picked ahead of him but depending on his combine workout LaFell could be a riser.

I'd be surprised if this happens. I would currently rate Crabtree, Maclin, DHB, Harvin, Nicks and Britt ahead of him. That would mean 7 WRs taken in round 1. But I suppose if he really has a good combine he could go above a few of them. EDIT; he went back to college

*Does Shonn Greene become a 1st round pick? He is that good of a player but not that many teams need a running back that badly in the later picks, they need other positions so he could slip into the second easily. Like all of them though also depends on his workouts. Works out great could go ahead of Moreno but that would be a hard.

Once again i'd be surprised. Personally I only have Moreno as a first round RB, but obviously it depends on scouts view on Beanie. I'd also put LeSean McCoy over him

*Does Nate Davis or Josh Freeman become 1st round picks? I doubt it, it is possibly but most of the teams in the later half of the 1st round have quarterbacks. Sure the Vikings but I would rather see them either stick with Jackson or get a veteran, they do not want to wait and develop another young quarterback.

Unless a team trades into the end of the first for Freeman I don't see it. When its all said and done i'd be surprised if the Vikings don't trade for Cassell.


*Oddly enough it is becoming clear that Laurinaitis and Maualuga are probably going to drop out of the 1st round. This could always change and maybe the Ravens would grab one of them or the Eagles. It would not be a surprise if they dropped however.

I think Laurinaitis has a better chance of dropping out purely because he has been over analysed. Maualuga probably won't last past the Jets. The Broncos, Chargers and Jets all have a need for a 3-4 ILB


*Is Patrick Chung a 1st round pick? I say so, just not that many good safeties when a lot of teams need good young safeties.

He definitely could be. As a Patriots fan I would take Louis Delmas first but with William Moore falling it is a possibility for sure.


*Can Tyson Jackson be a converted DE and move to DT? I think he can, might have to get a little stronger at the point of attack but I can see that happening. Either the Buccaneers or the Colts could look at him for that potential switch. Then again who knows if he drops the Patriots could tag him and have him as a DE, them or the Ravens.

I think his best position in the pros will be as a 5 technique. If he was to play in a 4-3 I would have him as my left end.

*How high will Harvin go? The kid is not a smooth receiver, but he simply makes plays with the ball in his hands and teams will like that in him. Everything else can come later, sure would be nice if he was a more solid route runner however and did not play so much tailback in college.

I think ultimately whoever takes him will take him as a luxury pick I see him as a mid to low 20s guy.


*Will Britton and Loadholt fall out of the first round? Britton has the best chance to stick but who would pick him up? And Loadholt havnig such trouble with speed rushers in the title game will most likely drop a little.

I would be shocked if Loadholt goes in the first. Britton definitely has a chance and worse case scenario the Lions take him at 33

*Will McCoy drop out of the 1st? I think he might based on team needs. What a steal he would be in the 2nd round however.

He definitely could depending on how high Wells and Moreno go. I would be willing to bet that either Philadelphia or Arizona take a RB but I don't see McCoy falling past Cleveland in the 2nd

[Ozzy]

AntoinCD, I agree I see the Eagles taking a running back in the first, think the Buccaneers might be in the mode for that but could wait for the second. Chris Wells could be a really high pick but he gets injured so often. However if he runs a good 40 and shows off his power, it would be hard to pass him up, especially for any team in need of a running back. When healthy, with Chris Wells you are talking a Brandon Jacobs type power back, the health is a huge issue though, but it also was for Adrian Peterson when he came out. Not comparing the two but just saying.


I like Munnerlyn a lot more than most, I think he is a very underrated tackler for his size. Sure he is short but his return ability and overall top end speed make him really interesting to me. I would be surprised if he did not run one of the fastest times for any corner in the combine.

[captainjack27]

*The #1 WR taken could be Jeremy Maclin, small receivers are really starting to become popular, and the performance in the Super Bowl only helps that belief.

I don't think 6'1 200 is that small. Speedy and elusive receivers I think would be more appropriate.


*Arguably there could be six corners taken in the first round with M. Jenkins, V. Davis, DJ Moore, S. Smith, C. Munnerlyn, D. Butler and V. Harris. If they are not all gone by the first, someone missed out.

I think 6 is a bit of a stretch, but those 6 are talented.




*Does Shonn Greene become a 1st round pick? He is that good of a player but not that many teams need a running back that badly in the later picks, they need other positions so he could slip into the second easily. Like all of them though also depends on his workouts. Works out great could go ahead of Moreno but that would be a hard.

No way Greene goes in the first. He's a good college RB, but he is a subpar blocker and ineffective out of the backfield in the receiving game. No way he goes ahead of Moreno, McCoy, or Wells.


*Oddly enough it is becoming clear that Laurinaitis and Maualuga are probably going to drop out of the 1st round. This could always change and maybe the Ravens would grab one of them or the Eagles. It would not be a surprise if they dropped however.

I think Laurenitis will fall to the second...not Maualuga though.





*Will Britton and Loadholt fall out of the first round? Britton has the best chance to stick but who would pick him up? And Loadholt havnig such trouble with speed rushers in the title game will most likely drop a little.


I don't think many thought Loadholt would be a first round lock...I thought it would be a stetch for him to go that high...but if he were to go to Pitt I'd have no prob.

[Ozzy]

I don't think 6'1 200 is that small. Speedy and elusive receivers I think would be more appropriate.Agreed.

Odd everyone saying Maualuga is most likely a 1st round pick, the kid has quite a bad senior season and his lack of agility and change of direction, not to mention poor pass coverage skills is an issue. Will see what the combine holds though, still really sad how both of those two played this year.

[Bama9507]

I think Rey will be a top 10 pick after the combines