Well the #7 would have been traded down to a mid/late 1st and a 2nd.
AS far as Jackson, I wonder if he can't mentally handle the job.
He's on for 2 more years, as a #2 rounder I believe he signed a 4 year deal.
A fourth might be good for him...disappointing but when a stock is down sometimes it's better to sell it rather than ride it to zero.
they may not go DE, but I remember him saying that these guys (6'4+ 300 pounds and agile) are the hardest to find. Merling would be more a DE/OLB type if he's quick enough.
If you go strictly by need....they need a few DBs, maybe 2CBs and a safety. They need ILBs but don't draft them, at least not high. They could use a DE/OLB but don't usually draft them high.
I don't think Gholston is a fit as much of the job is mental and there may not be a good indication he can do it. Too much to pay for a 'maybe'.
That leaves DE / DT, OL, TE, WR, RB....
Cousins,
I would like to take a stab at this. Tell me what you think. I tried to get all Pats type guys.
LB is a pressing need. CB could be bad if we lose both Samuel and Gay. I feel still that Assante might stay. I think the return of Chad Scott (also plays safety) and 2006 IR rookie Mike Richardson from Notre Dame, who would have made the 53 (kinda Red Shirted him with a hand(?) injury)....But the safety play has been awful this year. Never been a Sanders fan and he let me prove my theory correct. He is terrible.
I think Harrison comes back another year. He still has a few plays left. He needs to be in a rotation though. Wilson is gone (is this his FA year?). Merriweather looks like he might just start to get it. He need to put on about 15lbs of muscle and stay with the jugs gun the rest of the winter.Ventrone and Mitchell are both JAGS. Now what do we do?....
This might be dreaming but when BB gets a hankering for a certain player, he goes after them (see Welker!). His love affair with Ed Reed has been documented. The 29 year old Reed will be on a rebuilding Ravens team with no shot for a ring. They will have Gerome Sapp returning from IR at only 26 years old.
BB wants a quarterback for the defensive backfield who has range and is smart and experienced like they had with Harrison. This story with Reed might be similar. They also need to get someone who can make plays, cover and tackle, unlike they have now.
The Ravens desperately need a LT replacement for Ogden who will retire yet again. The also need quality top picks. My suggestion would be to trade our number one pick (#7) plus a very good OT prospect, Ryan O'Callaghan and the for mentioned S James Sanders (both young) for Ed Reed and the Ravens second round pick (#38). Hopefully our next choice would be #63 and last in Round 2. In Round 3, we have #69 from Oakland and hopefully the last in the third at #95.
Will we get a comp pick for Graham? Maybe a 4th?
Now back to the LB issue. Let's assume Seau retires. I hope Colvin comes back at a restructure. Fast ILB Al Wilson is available. He is supposely healthy and cleared to play in 2008. I think Al Wilson has some years left (30). He certainly is better in coverage than Seau and Teddy at the point. He was a tackling machine and still fast. He is 6' and 240lbs. Would make a great pairing with Teddy in 2008. As a rotation, AD can play some ILB or a youngster which we know is not the Pats way. BB wants an experience smart LB. Wilson and Reed would be perfect for this team. It solves some problems.
We need some better picks than we got last year, although 2006 was a light draft year, we were shut out other than Merriweather.
My early Draft:
2nd Round #38 from Ravens: Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas- Finally a big tall athletic CB at 6' 1" and a 4.47 40.
2nd Round #63:Frank Okam, NT, Texas-A large body solid back-up for Vince. A real playmaking NT.
3rd Round #69 from Oakland:Chris Ellis, DE/OLB, Virginia Tech-A 6' 5" , 260lb Willie M. type hybrid who can disrupt and make plays.
3rd Round #95: Jacob Tamme TE, Kentucky-Big tall fast TE with great hands (take that Ben Watson) Needs a few pounds. Will break other teams' hearts with clutch catches. A steal if around. Could have been a second rounder. Yes another TE. David Thomas? Another disappointing IR year. K. Brady a year older.
4th Round: Cory Boyd, RB, South Carolina-6' 1",214 pounds, runs a 4.48 and catches the ball of the backfield extremely well which is a Pats requirement. 35 passes for 406 receiving yards in 2006.All he did was produce and make big plays when needed. Perhaps a younger, quicker Sammy Morris.
4a-Comp from Graham:Jeremy Leman, ILB Illinois, Rated a little lower in 2007 than he should because of ankle surgery. Supposedly the best ILB at Illinois in a decade. 152 tackles in 2006. A smart BB player. 6'2" 240. Decent 4.7 speed. Could be a steal!
5th Round:Ben Moffitt, ILB, South Florida. 235 and 4.6 Speed. Always around the ball. Decent in coverage. Desires to play this game. Smart. Big weight room numbers. Either he or Leman will be groomed for ILB. Need two. We get two
6th Round:Jamie Silva, SS, Boston College-Wild man. Why this low? Haven't seen many better SS play this year. What am I missing? Was nicked a few games. 208lbs and a not slow 4.5 speed. Also returns punts. ST guy.
7th Round: Brian Bonner, SS, TCU Height: 5-11. Weight: 199. 40 Time: 4.50. Very active. Good tackler. Returns kicks. Needs to add 10lbs. Saw him play. Tough kid. Hard hitter. 4.5 sacks from SS.
Now we have some new talent in the middle with Wilson and Reed with the experience BB seeks and we have a great 2007 draft class for our real needs, what luck!
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