What if Aaron Curry Falls?

[mayoclinic]

Isn't that amazing, it just goes to show how rough the draft can be on kids.

I secretly can't hope but root for the underdog, so I hope Stafford prices himself out of the #1 spot and Curry goes #1. That could shake up the entire top ten and maybe spring Jackson for us to trade up and secure.

If Stafford is stupid enough not to come to terms with Detroit at #1, I hope he falls all the way to Detroit at #20, and they can draft him and negotiate with him again at a fraction of the price.

If he does come to terms it will be a bit rough on Curry, who may fall a bit and whose willingness to take a "cut" rate may hurt his negotiating leverage. I think in his case everyone has been so in love with the prospect that it's taken until now for the economic realities to hit home.

 

[jays52]

Isn't that amazing, it just goes to show how rough the draft can be on kids.

I secretly can't hope but root for the underdog, so I hope Stafford prices himself out of the #1 spot and Curry goes #1. That could shake up the entire top ten and maybe spring Jackson for us to trade up and secure.

I like that situation a lot. If we've learned anything about the LB's over the past four years, keeping pipeline continuity is key in the FA era and to guard against late career decline. If BB moves up for Jackson, I'd be stoked.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I like that situation a lot. If we've learned anything about the LB's over the past four years, keeping pipeline continuity is key in the FA era and to guard against late career decline. If BB moves up for Jackson, I'd be stoked.

I agree, Pittsburgh does a great job of keeping talent in the funnel and I hope we get there. I think BB signed Smith today because he sees little chance of landing Jackson.

 

[mgteich]

If Detriot drafts Curry, the question is how much effect this would have. I would still expect Sanchez and Stafford to go in the top 10, along with the 3 OT's, and the 2 WR's. that's SEVEN offensive players and Curry. Jackson and other defensive players could get caught up in all the shuffling and be available for trade ups.

In the end, this could happen if KC and Seattle traded out of the top 10 and the teams trading in took QB's. That doesn't even count on the possibility that someone will trade up for Josh Freeman.
======================================
ONE TOP EIGHT WITH GB ON THE CLOCK
Curry, J. Smith, Stafford, Sanchez, Crabtree, Monroe, Maclin, A. Smith/Oher
======================================
AVAILABLE WITH GB, SF, Buffalo, Denver, Washington and New Orleans up at 9-14
Orapko, Freeman, Maualuga, Jackson, Raji, Maybin, Jenkins, Moreno, Oher/A. Smith
=======================================
This is one scenario where Jackson (and Jenkins) might be available.

Isn't that amazing, it just goes to show how rough the draft can be on kids.

I secretly can't hope but root for the underdog, so I hope Stafford prices himself out of the #1 spot and Curry goes #1. That could shake up the entire top ten and maybe spring Jackson for us to trade up and secure.

 

[mayoclinic]

Here's Peter King on Curry's status:

Matthew Stafford, Aaron Curry and more NFL draft rumors - Peter King - SI.com

So with Curry there after the first pick, the big variable with him is whether he can rush the passer. He lacks the classic rush-linebacker height at 6-1¾, but he has pass-rush speed and power. He ran a 4.53-second 40-yard dash at the combine, which is mediocre receiver speed, while weighing in at 253. He he had 9.5 sacks in 50 games at Wake Forest. There's no way he's getting picked third, fourth or fifth if his employer thinks he'll have one sack a month in the NFL.

I know the Rams, Chiefs, Seahawks and Browns have investigated Curry as a rusher. They'd be silly not to. The Rams say they're serious about considering Curry, but with a disastrous situation at offensive tackle -- franchise left tackle Orlando Pace was released and signed with Chicago, while perennial disappointment Alex Barron will be a free-agent after this season -- I can't take Curry to the Rams seriously.

It would be downright ridiculous for Kansas City GM Scott Pioli, say, at three, to take Curry if he didn't think he could provide some strong-side pass-rush, something like the third pick in the draft 25 years ago, Carl Banks, provided the New York Giants. Because if you're paying Curry third-pick-in-the-draft money (Last year's No. 3 pick, Matt Ryan, signed a six-year, $72 million deal, with $34.75 million guaranteed), he'd better be more than a strong run-support guy who can play three downs and drop into coverage.

One of the reasons teams are looking so hard at Curry is because of the caliber of person he is. I spent 45 minutes with him on the phone the other day, and either he's the biggest actor I've ever chatted up, or he's a terrific kid I'd want one of my daughters to marry. And every NFL guy I've mentioned Curry to raves about him. Even though it probably hurt his draft status, Curry told me he has no regrets about the Wake Forest defensive game plan rarely calling for him to pass-rush.

"I don't regret anything about my college career,'' Curry told me. "The coaches used me in a way that was best for the team, and on our team, it wasn't for me to rush the passer. They wanted me to play all over the field and drop. But there's no question in my mind I can rush the passer. If that's what the team I end up with wants me to do, I know I'll be able to fill that role.''

One personnel man for a team not drafting high told me Curry's value will be in his versatility. "For us,'' said the scout, who works for a team playing a 4-3, "he'd be the mike [middle] linebacker, but I know teams who'd play him strongside in either the 3-4 or 4-3. If you're playing him strongside in the 4-3, that means you think he's a LaMarr Woodley type, a guy you could use, like the Steelers, rushing or playing the run or dropping. The only thing I'm not sure he can do is rush the passer.''

Curry's less of a gamble than Stafford because quarterbacks fail at a higher percentage high in the draft than do linebackers. It's hard to imagine him being a bust. But for Curry to earn the money he'd make being a top five pick, he'd have to be some pass-rush threat. And that's why I can promise you the teams at the top aren't finished studying him and talking abut him internally now, two days before the draft.

I don't think you can compare Curry to Brown, Orapko or Maybin as a pass rusher. He's a different kind of animal. And it remains to be seen whether anyone will spend top 5 money on that kind of animal, no matter how good he is. It may yet happen, but it's by no means a sure thing.