Early '08 draft notes

[PonyExpress]

-C. Long struggling in St Louis. there was a draft room brawl, the coaching staff wanted Dorsey and got Long. the coaching staff seemed to be giving him an over the top hard time early IMO. He stank in minicamps. He's doing a bit better in training Camp.
-Dorsey injured as usual. Knee strain
-B. Albert injured in his first scrimmage at LT. Out at least a month with foot injury
-Chris Williams out for the year with back injury.
-Gholston looking lazy, doing his usual jog and stop when the play's to the other side of the field. Occasionally flashes his awesome physical gifts, but generally not impressive
-M. Ryan looking very poised and professional, able to read the D, some accuracy issues, but still very positive overall.
-McFadden showing the leg drive and pad level to move the pile
-C. johnson a playmaking blur
-Ray Rice IMO looking small and ordinary. A 3rd down Kevin Faulk back IMO.
-Flacco: looks like he'll need several years to develop.
-S. ellis: showed up fat after holdout
-Mendenhall: running high and taking an unecessary pounding.
-Harvey: hasn't even signed
-Rivers: just signed
-J. stewart: yet to play, impressing Delhomme
-otah: impressing delhomme

mayo: kicking @$$ and taking names

 

[PonyExpress]

Sam Baker looked better than Jake Long at LT. Baker has better balance and footwork. Long is top heavy and can lose his balance against shorter explosive speed rushers. Just a first impression, it's early and Long will likely improve and has a higher ceiling.

 

[stinkypete]

I hear too that Gholston is a step late making plays because he is taking too much time to think, a sign that he lacks the instincts to be a successful 3-4 OLB?

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Sam Baker looked better than Jake Long at LT. Baker has better balance and footwork. Long is top heavy and can lose his balance against shorter explosive speed rushers. Just a first impression, it's early and Long will likely improve and has a higher ceiling.

Excellent observation! Baker was rated very high going into last season, but got injured and slid a bit because of it.

I think Long's problems are technique driven and with proper caoching will learn not to over extend and how to play with proper base.

I think the UDFA DT from Rutgers is an absolute jewel of a find for the type of defense the Colts run. Great scouting or dumb luck?

 

[PonyExpress]

Thanks for the kind words, Ochmed. From the little I saw, Clady looked very good in pass pro. Long arms, very natural. His style is a bit like Marcus McNeil, although obviously he's not that big.

The Rams fans are in despair over Chris Long, claiming he should be a 3-4 OLB and not a DE. He didn't make a single play vs the Titians. They ran at him the whole time and gained 300+ yards on the ground. Sad. I loved this guy's game and if he flops I'll take it personally.

 

[N.Eman]

awesome! Thanks for the updates!

 

[dryheat44]

Thanks for the kind words, Ochmed. From the little I saw, Clady looked very good in pass pro. Long arms, very natural. His style is a bit like Marcus McNeil, although obviously he's not that big.

The Rams fans are in despair over Chris Long, claiming he should be a 3-4 OLB and not a DE. He didn't make a single play vs the Titians. They ran at him the whole time and gained 300+ yards on the ground. Sad. I loved this guy's game and if he flops I'll take it personally.

I'll go to my grave thinking that the Rams were incredibly short-sighted by not drafting Dorsey and moving Carriker to the outside. That would be a much stronger lineup. I guess that's what happens when ownership thinks it knows better than the football people.

McFadden looks good so far, but my God.....Tim Hightower looks great also. He certainly looks faster than his timed speed.

 

[PonyExpress]

Here are preseason draft thoughts from Mike Lombardi:

…The First Look at the 2008 First-rounders Who Caught My Eye…Good and Bad…

Raiders running back Darren McFadden – He was very powerful, very strong, and seemed to understand how to pass-protect. Then came Michael Bush, and he was quite impressive. He needs more reps against the first-teamers.

Jets linebacker, Vernon Gholston – He looked lost, non-instinctive, and unsure. Gholston was playing with caution, like a player who did not want to make a mistake. He needs to show more in week two.

Miami offensive lineman Jake Long – I thought it was former NY Giant Jumbo Elliott over there when I watched him. Long looked very comfortable and very confident.

Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo – He was all over the field, showing his speed and athletic skill. He will really upgrade the Patriots linebacking unit.

Buffalo Bill defensive back Leodis McKelvin – He displayed his awesome return ability, and the Bills already have two excellent returners in Parrish and McGee. He will make a few special team coaches very nervous.

Denver offensive tackle Ryan Clady – He was very athletic and long, but he will need some time to develop more power and base. Right now, everyone will bull rush him and try to squeeze the pocket. But he is very athletic.

Dallas running back Felix Jones – He showed the speed and the ability to get the ball moving north and south. He also showed a lot of power. He can be a very dangerous weapon on that offense.

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/2008/08/the-national-football-post-tavern-talk/

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I'll go to my grave thinking that the Rams were incredibly short-sighted by not drafting Dorsey and moving Carriker to the outside. That would be a much stronger lineup. I guess that's what happens when ownership thinks it knows better than the football people.

McFadden looks good so far, but my God.....Tim Hightower looks great also. He certainly looks faster than his timed speed.

I watched the Rams Titan game and I thought the Titans ran over Carriker all game, he was getting turned on every single running play. I'm not saying that Long looked good because he didn't do anything all game, but the middle of the Rams DL looked very soft and McGargle missed more tackles in one half than Bruschi has in the last 5 years.

 

[patchick]

I watched the Rams Titan game and I thought the Titans ran over Carriker all game, he was getting turned on every single running play. I'm not saying that Long looked good because he didn't do anything all game, but the middle of the Rams DL looked very soft and McGargle missed more tackles in one half than Bruschi has in the last 5 years.

Hmm, so that would be C. Long, A. Carriker and T. McGarigle, three huge PatsFans binkies of drafts past?
That leaves us to conclude that...

A. We don't know bubkes
B. St. Louis is a black hole where talent goes to wither and die
or
C. All of the above

 

[IcyPatriot]

Gholston ... Ted Ginn ... there are reasons these 2 teams still suck.
They can't draft top talent to save their life.

 

[jeffbiologist]

I'll go to my grave thinking that the Rams were incredibly short-sighted by not drafting Dorsey and moving Carriker to the outside. That would be a much stronger lineup. I guess that's what happens when ownership thinks it knows better than the football people.

McFadden looks good so far, but my God.....Tim Hightower looks great also. He certainly looks faster than his timed speed.

Hey Dryheat, couldnt agree more. But I also think C.Long will be a bust, and my Binky Wesley Woodyard is turning some heads there in Denver....how is Demps doing??

 

[dryheat44]

Hey Dryheat, couldnt agree more. But I also think C.Long will be a bust, and my Binky Wesley Woodyard is turning some heads there in Denver....how is Demps doing??

Well I think Carriker is out of position inside, he needs to get out of that phone booth into some space. He'll be fine.

As for Demps, I have no idea how he's doing with Philly. It's a crowded defensive backfield over there to say the least. I'd kind of fallen off him a little bit in the weeks immediately leading up to the draft and had a prime seat on the Quentin Groves bandwagon. He's dominated at times. Another one of my guys, Andre Caldwell, isn't doing so well.

Other favorites: Felix Jones (+), Jalen Parmele (?), Eddie Royal (+), Brad Cottam (?), Jeremy Zuttah (?), Eric Young (?), Erin Henderson (?), Jack Williams (?)

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Gholston ... Ted Ginn ... there are reasons these 2 teams still suck.
They can't draft top talent to save their life.

Can Ginn redeem himself? Can he develop into the talent he was projected to be?

 

[PonyExpress]

Saw the 1st half of Raiders Titans last night.

McFadden looked like a big time NFL rb. He is an elite physical specimen. he has an intense on field demeanor. he is a willing and effective pass blocker.

He has eye popping speed, the kind that makes other NFL skill players look slow. He can catch the ball. He breaks tackles despite skinny legs.

it's still early. But he looked like dynamite to me.

If I were to make a comparison at this early stage, it would be to a very young Dillon. Maybe not that leg power, balance and shiftiness, but that's the closest comparison I can think of. He almost looks like the offense's version of A. Cromartie.

as for Jamarcus Russel, it's a pleasure to watch the big lug throw the ball. It is awe inspiring. The best arm since Bradshaw. Laser beams with an easy, quick release. Shockingly agile for a big man... not Culpepper, but effective evading the rush and rolling out. A load to bring down, he shakes off tacklers.

The big question is processing NFL coverages. It's important, but not as vital for a Qb with his arm strength. It's almost as if the ball is an extension of his brain; he thinks the ball to the target and instantly it is there.

Considering the wealth of talent on the Raider roster, nothing would surprise me. They could shock the world and make the playoffs, or self-destruct through poor organizational leadership and plummet once again. But the talent is there, in droves.

 

[PonyExpress]

Has anyone seen a complete Bronco game yet? i really like what I've seen from Clady. Cutler hasn't been sacked, and Clady is making it look easy. J. Long IMO looks a bit clumsy still, and I'm not sure it will go away. He is a solid player, but speed rushers cause problems.

Gholston continues to be a ghost. Did C. Long even play this week?

M. Ryan has a T. Brady circa 2001 type game. Smart, gets rid of the ball, the other players like him. His arm seems merely adequate outside the numbers.

 

[rookBoston]

Hmm, so that would be C. Long, A. Carriker and T. McGarigle, three huge PatsFans binkies of drafts past?
That leaves us to conclude that...

A. We don't know bubkes
B. St. Louis is a black hole where talent goes to wither and die
or
C. All of the above

It's unfair to judge how a player would have been for us based on how he was for another team. C. Long playing OLB in a Belichick 3-4 might have been a rookie sensation, for all we know. I'm pretty sure he'd be an upgrade over Pierre Woods... and question is whether he'd be an upgrade over Adalius Thomas!

The reverse works, too. We have a bunch of players that we've made into household names, who've gone on to disappear into the netherworld after leaving Foxboro. I actually dont think its as much about talent as it is about putting that talent to productive use.

So I stand my C Long as my OLB binkie, and promise that in BB's hands he would have been rookie all-D team.