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1. Miami Dolphins
OT Jake Long, Michigan
It doesn’t matter who the quarterback is if he doesn’t have time to throw. With Long protecting the blind side, QB Josh McCown may not have to run for his life for the first time in his career. The time-tested, proven way to build a football team is in the trenches, and Bill Parcells knows that as well as anyone. 2. St. Louis Rams
DT Glenn Dorsey, LSU
The Rams’ track record of drafting defensive tackles in the first round has been very suspect. However, the team’s brain trust is wise enough not to let past mistakes cloud its judgment of a legitimate talent with great passion. 3. Atlanta Falcons
QB Matt Ryan, Boston College
If the Falcons are to put the past behind them, nothing could do it better than a new face of the franchise at the most important position. Ryan has all the tools to become great. 4. Oakland Raiders
DE Vernon Gholston*, Ohio State
The Raiders’ ground game was not the problem last year, when they ranked sixth in the league in rushing. With Tyler Brayton (free agency) and Warren Sapp (retirement) gone, Tommy Kelly returning from a serious injury and a disgruntled Derrick Burgess having outplayed his contract, Gholston will provide the most help. 5. Kansas City Chiefs
RB Darren McFadden*, Arkansas
The Chiefs desperately want to trade down, but Carl Peterson has never shied away from the strategy of taking the best player overall. With the looming pressure to win immediately and Larry Johnson coming off injury, he may have to restrain himself from filling bigger needs at tackle and cornerback if forced to stay at the No. 5 slot. 6. New York Jets
RB Jonathan Stewart*, Oregon
Signing Calvin Pace filled a void at the OLB position. The Jets signed Alan Faneca and Damien Woody to establish a power-running game. All the offense lacks is a smashmouth back. After having surgery on his toe, Stewart is expected to be fully ready for training camp and could bring the blend of power and speed that’s missing from the Jets’ offense. 7. New England Patriots (from San Francisco)
OLB-DE Chris Long, Virginia
The Patriots have not drafted a linebacker in the first round since Bill Belichick came to New England, but Long’s versatility will be too attractive to pass up. A strategist like Belichick could utilize him in many ways. 8. Baltimore Ravens
CB-RS Leodis McKelvin, Troy
Age and injuries have wounded the Ravens’ secondary. McKelvin could step in from Day One and start.
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1. Miami Dolphins
OT Jake Long, Michigan
It doesn’t matter who the quarterback is if he doesn’t have time to throw. With Long protecting the blind side, QB Josh McCown may not have to run for his life for the first time in his career. The time-tested, proven way to build a football team is in the trenches, and Bill Parcells knows that as well as anyone. 2. St. Louis Rams
DT Glenn Dorsey, LSU
The Rams’ track record of drafting defensive tackles in the first round has been very suspect. However, the team’s brain trust is wise enough not to let past mistakes cloud its judgment of a legitimate talent with great passion. 3. Atlanta Falcons
QB Matt Ryan, Boston College
If the Falcons are to put the past behind them, nothing could do it better than a new face of the franchise at the most important position. Ryan has all the tools to become great. 4. Oakland Raiders
DE Vernon Gholston*, Ohio State
The Raiders’ ground game was not the problem last year, when they ranked sixth in the league in rushing. With Tyler Brayton (free agency) and Warren Sapp (retirement) gone, Tommy Kelly returning from a serious injury and a disgruntled Derrick Burgess having outplayed his contract, Gholston will provide the most help. 5. Kansas City Chiefs
RB Darren McFadden*, Arkansas
The Chiefs desperately want to trade down, but Carl Peterson has never shied away from the strategy of taking the best player overall. With the looming pressure to win immediately and Larry Johnson coming off injury, he may have to restrain himself from filling bigger needs at tackle and cornerback if forced to stay at the No. 5 slot. 6. New York Jets
RB Jonathan Stewart*, Oregon
Signing Calvin Pace filled a void at the OLB position. The Jets signed Alan Faneca and Damien Woody to establish a power-running game. All the offense lacks is a smashmouth back. After having surgery on his toe, Stewart is expected to be fully ready for training camp and could bring the blend of power and speed that’s missing from the Jets’ offense. 7. New England Patriots (from San Francisco)
OLB-DE Chris Long, Virginia
The Patriots have not drafted a linebacker in the first round since Bill Belichick came to New England, but Long’s versatility will be too attractive to pass up. A strategist like Belichick could utilize him in many ways. 8. Baltimore Ravens
CB-RS Leodis McKelvin, Troy
Age and injuries have wounded the Ravens’ secondary. McKelvin could step in from Day One and start.
I find it hard to believe the chiefs take McFadden, or that the Jets pass on Long for Stewart, but if it does happen, I'll do a happy dance naked in the streets to a full Dropkick Murphys album.
Sorry to all who were eating when they read this post.
Re: Chris Long at # 7?? Pro Football Weekly thinks so.
No way, Long is an over-achiever. I fear he's already peaked at 21. He doesn't dominate games either, just a steady guy. He's a worker for sure, but I'm leary of his senior year was more an aberration then anything. Other than being Howie's kid, I see a much more limited upside on him then someone like Gholston (who may disappear for a game or two, but is EXPLOSIVE and GAME CHANGING when he's on. I don't see that with CLong). Long's a great player and he'll do fine, just #7 on him might be excessive for my liking. He does have passion though. Someone will be dumb enough to do it, I just hope it's not us. Just a gut feeling to. Don't kill me on it.
Last edited by Patriot_in_NY; 04-12-2008 at 07:11 PM..
Re: Chris Long at # 7?? Pro Football Weekly thinks so.
How about this as a recipe for perfection at #7:
Miami - Jake Long
St Louis - Glenn Dorsey
Atlanta - Matt Ryan
Oakland - Sedrick Ellis
Kansas City - Ryan Clady
Jets - Darren McFadden
New England - Chris Long or Vernon Gholston... take your pick!
I'll tell you what, though. It's almost impossible that Long will last past St Louis.
More likely is that Long and Gholston are both gone, and BB pulls the trigger on Harvey. The more I see of Harvey, the more I think it's legitimate and fair value at #7. Don't overlook the connection between the Pats and the Gators.
__________________
"We want to build a big, strong, tough, smart, fast, disciplined football team that will consistently compete for a championship."
-- Scott Pioli, from the Patriots scouting manual
Re: Chris Long at # 7?? Pro Football Weekly thinks so.
The obvious dream in your scenario is Oakland picking Ellis instead of McFadden. I think that if we traded with KC tomorrow, we would likely get Long or Gholston at #5. As the draft approaches, Jake Long, Dorsey and Ryan seem to be the top three, although the order is a mystery.
I suspect that KC will wait and make trades first with the jets and then with us, getting their pound of flesh from both of us if Gholston and Long are there at 5. If only one is available, we and the jets can bid for the spot. The loser would get their choice of Harvey or Rivers.
The very, very good news is that the patriots have fine chance for a top front seven player at #7, and fine chance for a couple of top corners with our next two picks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rookBoston
How about this as a recipe for perfection at #7:
Miami - Jake Long
St Louis - Glenn Dorsey
Atlanta - Matt Ryan
Oakland - Sedrick Ellis
Kansas City - Ryan Clady
Jets - Darren McFadden
New England - Chris Long or Vernon Gholston... take your pick!
I'll tell you what, though. It's almost impossible that Long will last past St Louis.
More likely is that Long and Gholston are both gone, and BB pulls the trigger on Harvey. The more I see of Harvey, the more I think it's legitimate and fair value at #7. Don't overlook the connection between the Pats and the Gators.
Re: Chris Long at # 7?? Pro Football Weekly thinks so.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rookBoston
More likely is that Long and Gholston are both gone, and BB pulls the trigger on Harvey. The more I see of Harvey, the more I think it's legitimate and fair value at #7. Don't overlook the connection between the Pats and the Gators.
That connection has not yielded any success stories yet, so I wouldn't count on it being Harvey just because BB is friends with Urban Meyer.
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Re: Chris Long at # 7?? Pro Football Weekly thinks so.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mgteich
The obvious dream in your scenario is Oakland picking Ellis instead of McFadden. I think that if we traded with KC tomorrow, we would likely get Long or Gholston at #5. As the draft approaches, Jake Long, Dorsey and Ryan seem to be the top three, although the order is a mystery.
Not that far-fetched a dream. Ellis wowed the scouts at the USC pro-day.
Oakland needs to replace Sapp on the DL. Ellis is not that far a reach.
__________________
"We want to build a big, strong, tough, smart, fast, disciplined football team that will consistently compete for a championship."
-- Scott Pioli, from the Patriots scouting manual
Last edited by rookBoston; 04-12-2008 at 07:15 PM..
This would be great news if it pans out this way. We could get immediate help with youth and speed at the aging LB position. Some how I think the Rick Gosselin mock is more realistic, though.
Re: Chris Long at # 7?? Pro Football Weekly thinks so.
Quote:
Originally Posted by VJCPatriot
That connection has not yielded any success stories yet, so I wouldn't count on it being Harvey just because BB is friends with Urban Meyer.
Meyer is just as likely to tell BB NOT to draft one of his guys as he is to draft one of his guys.
Gholston performed than Harvey in every measurable area except Harvey was slightly faster (.04) in the shuttle. I would like to know from people who are better at this than myself what, if anything, Harvey does as well as Gholston.