fredtoast mock

[fredtoast]

First let me say that I think we will either have to trade up to get Sedrick Ellis or trade down if we are sitting at #9 and Ellis is gone. Right now I would put the chances of him being available at about 50/50. However since I have NO CONTROL over who we could trade with I don't think it is realistic to make a mock draft that assumes trades. So I am going to do two mock drafts, one with Ellis avaliable and one without. Here is the first one that assumes that Ellis will be available. I am also making the assumption that we get an extra pick in the 3rd, 6th, and 7th rounds.

1. [b][u]Sedrick Ellis[/u][/b]....you all know the details

2. [b][u]Tracy Porter[/u][/b], CB/PR, Indiana, 5'11", 188, First Team All Big Ten, big playmaker has returned 19 ints for 413 yds (25.8 avg), 35 punts for 477 yds (13.6 avg), and 2 fumbles for 147 yds (73.5 avg), had the fastest short shuttle time among CBs at the combine and the 5th fastest forty (4.37), had 83 tkls as a senior.

3. [b][u]Earl Bennett[/u][/b], WR, Vanderbilt, 6'0", 205, First Team All SEC, All SEC selection for 3 straight years, holds SEC all time reception record (236), decent speed (4.48), big enough to play in slot and survive going across the middle in NFL, intelligent, high character, groomed to replace TJ in '09.

3. [u][b]Kendall Langford[/b][/u], DE, Hampton, 6'6", 287, put up tremendous career stats against lower level competition (236 tkls, 56 TFL, 24.5 sacks), very good speed for a man his size (4.95 forty), finished in the top ten among DEs at the combine in the short shuttle (5th), broad jump (7th), and bench press (9th), most importantly he got glowing reviews from the scouts at both the East-West Shrine game and the Senior Bowl.

4. [b][u]Bryan Kehl[/u][/b], LB, BYU, 6'2", 242, solid all around LB (91 tkl, 3 int, 11.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 4 PD in '07), very intelligent and instinctual, draft stock is rising fast after running a 4.56 at his Pro Day workout, can play any of the LB positions in a 4-3.

5. [b][u]Arman Shields[/u][/b], WR/KR, Richmond, 6'1", 194, stock is soaring after mind blowing combine workout where among 54 WR he finished 1st in the short shuttle and long shuttle; 2nd in the 3-cone drill, broad jump and vertical jump; 4th in the bench press; and 6th in the forty, however his 160 career receptions show that he is not just a flash-in-the-pan "workout warrior", had 107 yds receiving in the opening game of '07 against Vanderbilt but suffered season ending injury afterward,

6. [b][u]Michael Grant[/u][/b], CB/FS, Arkansas, 5'10", 186, very physical player used to playing the notorious Arkansas press coverage, great speed (4.37), great special teams coverage player, has started at both FS and CB.

6. [b][u]Keilen Dykes[/u][/b], DT/NT/DE, West Virginia, 6'4", 306, Two time First Team All Big East peformer who mysteriously was not even invited to the combine, one of the few players scouts claim can play both NT and DE in 3-4 as well as DT in 4-3, high character (team captain), great work ethic (won award as top performer in the WVU off-season conditioning program)

7. [b][u]Jalen Parmele[/u][/b], RB, Toledo, 6'0", 224, great cobination of size and athletic ability, finished among the top 10 RBs at the combine in the forty, broad jump, vertical jump, and 3-cone drill; had over 1,500 yds rushing last year with a 5.5 avg and 14 tds, over 3,000 tyds for his career, also returned kicks

[Zins30]

Two Questions

1) Why a CB so high?
If we are looking for a nickel corner to replace Deltha I'm not sold on using a second rounder on a CB. David Jones is said to be okay playing nickel and I just don't see a CB until the 4th or so.

2) Where's the mock w/o Ellis being available?
I'm in the camp that thinks he won't be there at 9. I think its much more interesting to see the mocks without him since the whole thing changes drastically - i.e. do we go DE in 1st, DT in 2nd or 3rd, LB in 2nd or 3rd, etc. Just curious.

[fredtoast]

[quote name='Zins30' post='646490' date='Mar 26 2008, 10:45 PM']Two Questions

1) Why a CB so high?
If we are looking for a nickel corner to replace Deltha I'm not sold on using a second rounder on a CB. David Jones is said to be okay playing nickel and I just don't see a CB until the 4th or so.

2) Where's the mock w/o Ellis being available?
I'm in the camp that thinks he won't be there at 9. I think its much more interesting to see the mocks without him since the whole thing changes drastically - i.e. do we go DE in 1st, DT in 2nd or 3rd, LB in 2nd or 3rd, etc. Just curious.[/quote]

1. Good question. I have two reasons.

First, the #3 CB is not just a backup role. The nickle back is a regular part of the defense that not only plays 20%-30% of the snaps, but plays on the most crucial 3rd down situations. The nickle back is as important as a relief pitcher in baseball. It doesn't matter if we have two complete shut down corners if the #3 receiver is running wide open.

Second, I am looking at Porter as a lethal punt return weapon. He is absolutely electrifying when he gets tha ball in his hands.


2. I am still a little conflicted about what to do if Ellis is not there. You are correct that it changes more than just the first round. It changes the whole draft. Basically I am waiting to see how Rivers runs at his Pro Day workout.

[TheBZ]

I really like what you've done here...And Porter is a guy that keeps showing up on my radar.

I also like that you integrated the interviews/campus visits into the guys they picked. Good stuff.

BZ

[happyrid]

I like it but would prefer a LB in the second if a decent one was available. If your guy Jerod Mayo was there, I would grab him in a heartbeat over a CB like Porter.

I love Earl Bennett but think he will go higher than he is currently projected. He is an underrated guy whose character and intelligence will probably get him picked over some guys like Manningham who get a lot more hype.

[fredtoast]

[quote name='happyrid' post='646638' date='Mar 27 2008, 03:25 PM']I like it but would prefer a LB in the second if a decent one was available. If your guy Jerod Mayo was there, I would grab him in a heartbeat over a CB like Porter.[/quote]

Yeah, we have a lot of guys to play MLB and SOLB, but only one to play WOLB (Jones) and he is 30. I'd love to get Mayo because he would be a natural on the weakside. However I don't think he will be available in the second. That is a shame to because after the first couple of rounds all of the LBs seem to be either blitzing 3-4 OLB types or slow ILB/MLB types. None of them seem to have the decent cover skills needed to play weakside. I have seen Adibi projected as a WOLB, but it is rare for a DE to convert to LB and go straight to WOLB.

[Bengals1181]

[quote name='fredtoast' post='646661' date='Mar 27 2008, 04:21 PM']I have seen Adibi projected as a WOLB, but it is rare for a DE to convert to LB and go straight to WOLB.[/quote]


adibi isn't a DE?

[|Tigers Johnson|]

I have been thinking about the return man problem and I have a feeling DeSean Jackson will be there when we pick in the sescond. So, if we go D in the first round I would love to get Jackson in the 2nd.

[Bengals1181]

[quote name='Tigers Johnson' post='646680' date='Mar 27 2008, 06:11 PM']I have been thinking about the return man problem and I have a feeling DeSean Jackson will be there when we pick in the sescond. So, if we go D in the first round I would love to get Jackson in the 2nd.[/quote]


I'd be down for that, but I think he'll go in the late first.

[texbengal]

[quote name='Bengals1181' post='646676' date='Mar 27 2008, 04:47 PM']adibi isn't a DE?[/quote]

OLB, more the "run and chase" type.

[Bengals1181]

[quote name='texbengal' post='646792' date='Mar 28 2008, 07:50 AM']OLB, more the "run and chase" type.[/quote]


I know, I was confused by the statement:

[quote]I have seen Adibi projected as a WOLB, but it is rare for a DE to convert to LB and go straight to WOLB.[/quote]


what does a DE converting to LB have to do with Adibi?

[sparky151]

[quote name='Bengals1181' post='646691' date='Mar 27 2008, 07:04 PM']I'd be down for that, but I think he'll go in the late first.[/quote]

Agreed, it would be surprising if DeSean Jackson were on the board at pick 47. He's also a Smurf's Smurf, at around 165 lbs. He could have a decent career in the NFL as a returner and 4th receiver but the second round is high for a guy who won't be a starter. Some team will project him as a starter and take him before 47 due to his speed. I'd rather get a PR/KR type later in the draft, and use the 2nd rounder on a starter or at least future starter.

[fredtoast]

[quote name='Bengals1181' post='646676' date='Mar 27 2008, 05:47 PM']adibi isn't a DE?[/quote]


I knew that. I don't know what I was thinking. Adibi is barely big enough to be a LB let alone a DE.

[fredtoast]

bumped for easier comparison to my second mock.