First off, let me just say there are a lot of varying opinions on our 2009 draft picks and that is to be understandable with some of the picks in the rounds chosen and the fact that many including myself felt we needed another edge rushing OLB to groom along with an ILB. What we also have to take into account is how the front office feels about the following. 1. The players we currently have on our team. 2. Players and positions contracts set to expire at the end of next season. 3. How they viewed this years crop of talent in the draft as compared to next years at certain positions. *Hint - Next years crop overall is much stronger. 4. Measurables and intangibles at certain positions in this years draft as compared to next years crop. First I will start off with the Cornerback position as it certainly was a need position for us this year and keep in mind what we now know hands down the head office was looking for at the position in regards to size and physical play. Our picks - Vontae Davis - 5'11" 203 lbs. Physical CB with ideal size to speed ratio. Sean Smith - 6"4" 215 lbs. Big CB who runs well with long arms. As far as the rest of this years of Cornerbacks it was filled with prospects either too short, too slow, too light or a combination of those factors. That I believe was a main factor in so many small school Corners going before some of the prospects from much bigger schools. 2009 Top 5 Cornerbacks Malcolm Jenkins Michigan 6'0" 204 lbs. Vontae Davis Illinois 5'11" 203 lbs. Darius Butler UCONN 5'10" 183 lbs. Sean Smith Utah 6'4" 214 lbs. Alphonso Smith Wake Forest 5'9" 183 lbs. 2010 Top 5 Cornerbacks Joe Haden Florida Jr. 5'11" 185 lbs Trevard Lindley Kentucky Sr. 6"0" 178 lbs Javier Arenas Alabama Sr. 5'9" 198 lbs. Ras-I Dowling, Virginia Jr. 6'2" 200 lbs. Donovan Warren, Michigan 6'0" Jr. 182 lbs. Next years class of Corners providing some of the top Juniors declare has decent size and looks to have better overall speed in the 40 yard dash which again has to be timed and confirmed at next years combine, but we had to have Cornerbacks this year due to expiring contracts next season and we got 2 of the top 5 with the best size and speed ratios. That's a bonus to me in and of itself... Now, as far as WRs go, we obviously went into this draft with the intent on finding Receivers with size in the middle part of the draft. The only other Receiver in this years class bigger than Michael Turner was Ramses Barden and that was not by much. The Hartline pick struck me as odd as it did everyone else, more so for me, bacause I knew almost nothing about him. While I do think he was overdrafted, I can say he has good size, is a good Special Teams player and is more quick that fast. Lets just wait until camp to see what we have. 2009 Top 5 Wide Receivers Michael Crabtree Texas Tech 6"1" 215 lbs. Jeremy Maclin Missouri 6'0" 198 lbs. Darrius Heyward-Bey Maryland 6'2" 210 lbs. Percy Harvin Florida 5'11" 192 lbs. Hakkem Nicks North Carolina 6'1" 220 lbs. 2010 Top 5 Wide Receivers Dez Bryant Oklahoma State Jr. 6'2" 210 lbs. Arrelious Benn Illinois Jr. 6'2" 215 lbs. Damien Williams USC Jr. 6'1" 190 lbs. Brandon LaFell LSU Sr. 6'3" 210 lbs. Marshawn Gilyard, Cincinnati Cincinnati Sr. 6'1" 180 lbs. At this point it is difficult to tell if next's year class is better or about the same as this years crop of WRs, have to see how next year plays itself out. Now, I am not going to compare every position as it would make this thread way too long, but now I want to compare the positions we did not draft this year as a comparison as possible insight as to another reason we ignored these positions this year. 2009 Top 5 Outside Linebackers Aaron Curry Wake Forest 6'2" 252 lbs. Brian Cushing USC 6'3" 245 lbs. Clay Matthews USC 6'3" 240 lbs Larry English N Illionois 6'2" 255 lbs. Connor Barwin Cincinatti 6'4" 256 lbs. 2010 Top 5 Outside Linebackers Mark Herzlich, Boston College Sr. 6'4" 240 lbs. Sergio Kindle, Texas 6'4" 254 lbs. Greg Hardy, Ole Miss 6'4" 260 lbs Jerry Hughes TCU Sr. 6'2" 248 lbs. Brandon Lang Troy Sr. 6'4" 250 lbs. Now with the Outside linebacker list I am listing guys play OLB in college or are DE that will convert to a 3-4 OLB in the NFL but currently play DE in college. IN 2009 once you got past Connor Barwin the OLB class was not really deep. In 2010 however all the guys listed above are Seniors and I haven't even listed George Selvie, Antonio Coleman, Everson Griffen, Auston English or Corey Wootton. Nexts years class of 3-4 OLB converts is much deeper with better top end talent IMO and we should be able to pick up some guys that will help us... 2009 Top 5 DT/NT B.J. Raji Boston College 6'1" 337 lbs. Peria Jerry Ole Miss 6'1" 300 lbs. Evander Hood, Missouri 6'3" 300 lbs. Ron Brace, Boston College 6'3" 330 lbs. SenDerrick Marks Auburn 6'2" 310 lbs. 2010 Top 5 DT/NT Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska Sr. 6'4" 305 lbs. Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma Jr. 6'4" 300 lbs. Terrence Cody, Alabama Sr. 6'5" 365 lbs. * Cody has lost lbs so far after last season from Alabama spring reports. DeMarcus Granger Oklahoma Sr. 6'3" 306 lbs. Marvin Austin, North Carolina Jr. 6'3" 305 lbs. In the 2009 class the only guy that really was suited well to play a true NT position was Ron Brace and he was nothing to write home about. The rest were really either penetrating 4-3 DTs. 2010 offers a deeper group of possible NT quality players who are more in line with the size and strength we look for in the position... I would go absolutely nuts if we were able to land Suh, ever since Boomer pointed him out over 6 months ago and I have watched as much video as I can find and the guy is strong as an Ox and moves very well for his size. 2009 Top 5 Middle Linebackers Rey Maualuga USC 6'2" 250 lbs. James Laurinaitis Ohio State 6'2" 245 lbs. Darry Beckwith LSU 6'0" 240 lbs. Scott McKillop, Pittsburgh 6'1" 244 lbs. Jasper Brinkley South Carolina 6'2" 255 lbs 2010 Top 5 Middle Linebackers Brandon Spikes, Florida Sr. 6'3" 245 lbs. Rolando McClain, Alabama Jr. 6'4" 250 lbs. Sean Lee Penn State Sr. 6'2" 235 lbs. Joe Pawelek, Baylor Sr. 6'3" 240 lbs. Micah Johnson, Kentucky Sr. 6'2" 255 lbs. Lets be honest with ourselves here, the 2009 ILB class was pretty poor and even the top talent had several question marks surrounding them. The 2010 MILB class while not overwhelmingly spectacular is still deeper and more talented than the 2009 class. Spikes is a mighty fine player, if I had to choose though it would be McClain from Alabama for me. We also need to keep in mind next year is a much deeper QB class with at least 3 1st rounders in Bradford, McCoy and Tebow with LeFevour as a possible 1st rounder. You have at least 3 guys at LT that could go in the 1st round in Russell Okung, Ciron Black and Trent Williams, possibly 4 of Bryan Bulaga comes out... The Safety class can get much better at the top of Eric Berry, Morgan Burnett and Major Wright declare early in a class with Taylor Mays and Kam Chancellor. My point is, next years class is deeper in the areas we will need between OLB, MLB and NT. Add in the depth with other positions and you should have some quality talent at those positions fall into the 2nd and 3rd round to help us fill those needs. Hope this was not too long of a read, just my thoughts on why we went heavily on the positions we did this year and possible insight into why the front office made those decisions.. In the end, who really know.... But I am really loooking forward to this season with the new talent we have and since I am such a draft junkie I am really, really looking forward to the draft in 2010 which has better top end talent and is deeper.....
McCoy is very good indeed, Suh is just so damn strong though... I was quite please to see Mt. Cody dropping 30 pounds to increase his stamina and speed...
Update Sports Illustrated way too early 2010 Mock http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/andrew_perloff/04/28/2010/index.html?bcnn=yes Notice he has almost every single player I mentioned above going in the 1st round....
