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Published on 02/17/2009 at Tue Feb 17 23:11.
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Mr. East’s It’s a Wonderful Horrible Mock Draft

Posted Tue Feb 17th by

It is painful to think that it is only February and the draft is in April. Therefore all of the draft junkies like to imagine what might take place come draft day. I decided I would take part in this time honored tradition. This mock draft is wonderful because what mock draft isn’t? It is also horrible due to the fact that we are so far away from knowing the final decisions. I was debating whether I would wait for the combine to edit this draft, but luckily for you readers I decided to release this version and update after the combine. UPDATED: 02/19/09

 

Round 1 

 

  1. Detroit Lions
    Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia

    2. Jim Schwartz must have a lot of guts to take this job and to take an unpolished rookie QB with the first overall pick. However, rookie QBs sell tickets and jerseys, which is something Detroit hasn’t experienced in awhile. The Lions have so many concerns to address that whatever they choose will provide an instant improvement. Even if the Lions address the QB need through free agency it would benefit Stafford to sit out his first year and watch a veteran.

     

  2. St. Louis Rams
    Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech

    3. Marc Bulger has been sacked 126 times over the past three seasons. This doesn’t help the fact that he’s 31 years old. Michael Crabtree is the best player available on the draft board at this position. Kudos to Walt from WalterFootball for shaking up the mock draft world with this choice. This pick will be very similar to Detroit taking Calvin Johnson or Minnesota taking Adrian Peterson. I do agree with taking the best player available on the board (much like the Steelers do), however, I believe that St. Louis should take Tackle Eugene Monroe, or possibly even Jason Smith.

     

  3. Kansas City Chiefs
    Mark Sanchez, QB, USC

    4. Once again, this pick is due to the theory of taking the best player available. Tyler Thigpen played above and beyond his expectations, which would lead one to think Kansas would address their ailing defensive line. However, Thigpen hasn’t proved himself completely and the new offensive minded coach Todd Haley will look to create QB competition (given he liked fellow USC QB Matt Leinart while in Arizona). I do not think Sanchez is the best player available. Sanchez will struggle if made starter come week one Kansas City would be better off taking Aaron Curry or even Brian Orakpo seeing how they only got the QB 10 times.

     

  4.  Seattle Seahawks
    Eugene Monroe, T, Virgnia

    5. If St. Louis took Crabtree, and the Chiefs claimed Sanchez, Eugene Monroe will fall into Seattle’s lap. I’m sure Matt Hasselbeck would love to have a dynamic receiver like Crabtree (or even a receiver at all), but at 33 he’d also like having a great tackle to keep him on his feet. Hasselbeck only started 7 games in 2008 and was sacked 19 times, averaging 2.7 sacks allowed a game. Receivers can be gained in FA and in later rounds.

     

  5. Cleveland Browns
    Aaron Curry, ILB, Wake Forest

    6. Mike Mayock is very high on Aaron Curry, and Mayock is a great evaluator of talent. Cleveland needs help nearly everywhere on the defense and with Andra Davis going into free agency, Curry could step in immediately. This is a crucial draft for the Browns, they are only a few defensive fills away from a potential winning season. However, this is the Browns… anything could happen. 

     

  6. Cincinnati Bengals
    Andre Smith, T, Alabama

    7. This pick makes sense for many reasons. Carson Palmer needs a lot of help in so many ways and Cincinnati loves players with character issues. I think that the Bengals would be better off taking a player like B.J. Raji but depending on the combine and offseason moves this pick is very likely to change.

     

  7. Oakland Raiders
    Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri

    8. Al Davis loves 40 times like Denver fanboys love Wesley Woodyard. Maclin is explosive, impressive, and down right fun to watch. Al Davis will have a hard time passing this receiver up. JaMarcus Russell needs a lot of help and receiver is one of those spots. Al Davis would be better off taking the blind side Michael Oher or Baylor’s finest Jason Smith, but they don’t run 4.3 40’s.

     

  8. Jacksonville Jaguars
    Michael Oher, T, Mississippi

    9. Jacksonville needs an offensive tackle if they want to keep David Garrard alive. Depending on how Jason Smith compares to Oher this pick could change. There is no doubt Jacksonville needs a to grab an offensive tackle in this draft and Michael Oher is a great prospect.

     

  9. Green Bay Packers
    B.J. Raji, NT, Boston College

    10. With the hiring of Dom Capers Green bay will switch the 3-4. There isn’t a set NT yet on the defensive line. Even if Green Bay thinks they can fill it in with another player passing up on Raji would be ridiculous with a switch to a new system. Raji will be an offensive line’s kryptonite. Another player that could fall into this spot is Malcolm Jenkins with the aging of Charles Woodson.

     

  10.  San Francisco 49ers
    Jason Smith, T, Baylor

    11. It doesn’t matter who the 49ers start at quarterback because he’ll spend a lot of time eating the turf behind their current line. Mike Mayock has Jason Smith at the top of his list for offensive linemen, so look out for Smith at the combine. If Jason Smith falls this far San Fran would be foolish to pass him up.

     

  11.  Buffalo Bills
    Brian Orakpo, DE/OLB, Texas

    12. The Bills have many holes to fill in defensively. The top defensive players on the board at this point are Brian Orakpo, Everette Brown, and Malcolm Jenkins. Last year Buffalo drafted Leodis McKelvin so it makes sense for them to draft a solid pass rusher. The Bills only managed to tally 24 sacks on the year, so they basically had a DeMarcus Ware. This pick will be more clear when the combine is over.

     

  12.  Denver Broncos
    Everette Brown, DE/OLB, Florida State

    13. Where to begin? Denver’s defense is absolutely atrocious. Everette Brown has the potential to be an instant starter in Denver at a much needed position. Some think Jarvis Moss could be a good fit at OLB, but he is just as unproven in that position in the NFL as Brown is. Even with the release of Dre’ Bly don’t look for Denver to draft a corner because it’s not as essential to have shutdown corners in the 3-4.

    One theory is that any defensive position Denver drafts is an improvement, which is true to a point. The question is what should Denver do to optimize the improvement with their 1st round pick? Right now I believe Brown is the ideal choice for Denver, but come April there will be a different story. Between the combine, all the players that will continue to be released, and the free agents that will be acquired Denver will be in a completely different place. Brown is a talented player, but this selection may only be possible with the Raiders not selecting one of the premier offensive tackles of this first round. The only other player on the board at pick 12 that would fulfill that spot’s potential is Knowshon Moreno. If Denver doesn’t want to address the running back position, Brown, or Rey Maualuga then trading down would be a wise decision. 

    Brian Xanders said himself that there would be a chance that Denver would be acquiring more draft picks which could mean two picks in the second round. If I had it my way Denver would select Clay Matthews and Ron Brace in the second round. However, I believe that Matthews will rise into the first round after the combine. I would expect some big name player on the Denver defense to be traded if Denver doesn’t want to trade down.

     

  13.  Washington Redskins
    Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech

    14. The Redskins looked really solid at the start of the season, at one point they were in first in the NFC East only to finish last. At the end of the season Redskins ranked 4th in the NFL for yards allowed a game (288.8 yards), but only 28th in the NFL in sacks (24 total). Demetric Evans (a free agent this offseason) is great against the run but only mediocre at getting to the passer. If Washington wants to compete in the QB heavy NFC East they’ll need a guy who can cause havoc in the backfield. Johnson’s stock may fall at the combine, so this pick might change to Peria Jerry, who I expect to have a great performance.

     

  14. New Orleans Saints
    Chris Wells, RB, Ohio State

    15. Can Reggie Bush ever stay healthy? Can he run between the tackles, or are we destined to watch him catch the screen pass? There might be a reason why Drew Brees threw for over 5,000 yards this season, the only capable backs were Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell. Another possibility would be Tyson Jackson so New Orleans could finally register a decent amount of sacks.

     

  15.  Houston Texans
    Malcom Jenkins, CB, Ohio State

    16. Houston would love to stop the pass for once. Now with the potential departure of Dunta Robinson the secondary needs to be addressed more than ever. If Malcolm Jenkins falls this far down Houston will rejoice.

     

  16.  San Diego Chargers
    Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU

    17. Does anyone else find it ridiculous that the Chargers went to the divisional round of the playoffs and get to pick before non-playoff teams? Apparently that San Diego defense wasn’t all that it was cracked up to be and adding Tyson Jackson should be a smart decision if Igor Olshansky leaves in free agency. Don’t be surprised if San Diego takes Knowshon Moreno if he’s still on the board.

     

  17.  New York Jets
    Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois

    18. Vernon Gholston did not work out very well last year, so I don’t see the Jets spending first round money on an OLB. Expect the Jets to patch up their 29th ranked passing defense. Vontae Davis may have character issues but his talent is hard to pass up when your corners aren’t doing their job.

     

  18.  Chicago Bears
    Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest

    19. The Chicago Bears are famous for their defense, but they fell violently short this season. Opposing quarterbacks torched the Bears averaging 234.5 yards a game. Therefore the Bears definitely need improve the secondary. Some may think this is too high for Smith but he will impress at the combine.

     

  19.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers
    Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia

    20. Tampa Bay can’t afford to trust the health of Cadillac Williams, and the Earnest Graham, Warrick Dunn tadem was very ineffective. It’s a shame to let Moreno fall this low but it will mean great things for the Buccaneer backfield.

     

  20.  Detroit Lions
    Eben Britton, T, Arizona

    21. Congratulations Detroit, you drafted a QB with your number one pick… now protect him! Eben Britton is considered to be one of the best offensive tackles on the board at this spot. If Detroit knows anything about football they should protect the sanctity of their QB whether young or old.

     

  21.  Philadelphia Eagles
    Duke Robinson, G, Oklahoma

    22. The bigger guys always crowd up on the Philadelphia’s offensive line… I mean just take a look at Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas (free agent). It is no secret that their offensive line is aging and needs whatever they can get, and Duke Robinson is the top offensive lineman on the board.

     

  22. Minnesota Vikings
    Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss

    23. Much like the Eagles offensive line the Minnesota defensive line could use some youth. Both Kevin Williams and Pat Williams aren’t getting any younger and Peria Jerry at pick 23 is a steal. Look out for Jerry at the combine, his stock will rise.

     

  23.  New England Patriots
    Larry English, DE/OLB, NIU

    24. With Mike Vrabel getting up there in age, Larry English could be a great addition to New England’s 3-4 defense. English is the ideal OLB in the 3-4 scheme. If English is all he’s cracked up to be then the Patriots’ linebacking core will be one to reckon with come the 2009 season.

     

  24.  Atlanta Falcons
    Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State

    25. Brandon Pettigrew is obviously the top tight end of this draft, but tight ends should not be taken so high in the first round. At pick 24 Pettigrew is a great choice to compliment Matt Ryan’s passing game.

     

  25. Miami Dolphins
    Brian Cushing, ILB, USC

    26. Brian Cushing has the versatility to play any linebacking spot in any scheme, though his best spot is considered ILB in a   3-4. The Dolphins don’t really have playmaker at inside linebacker and Cushing is their best opportunity at this position to fill this spot by week one.

     

  26. Baltimore Ravens
    Alex Mack, C, California

    27. With the release of Chris McCallister Baltimore stated their desire to resign Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs. With Jason Brown headed into free agency it will be hard for them to retain him with the other big names. I had D.J. Moore in this spot earlier, but Mack is a hard player to pass up on. One can also argue that a receiver will be taken such as Percy Harvin or Hakeem Nicks.

     

  27. Indianapolis Colts
    Hakeem Nicks, WR, UNC

    28. I spent a lot of time panning out the options at this pick. It was between Alex Mack or Nicks. Yes, the Colts drafted Mike Pollack last year but he mainly played time as a right guard. Jamey Richard didn’t fill the shoes of Jeff Saturday, who’s going into free agency. Expect the Colts to address the center position, whether it is in the draft or not. With the aging/expected departure of Reggie Wayne a receiver has a good chance of landing here.

     

  28. Philadelphia Eagles
    Rey Maualuga ILB, USC

    29. Critics believe that Rey Maualuga won’t fall this far. They may be right, but I believe that Maualuga isn’t as versatile as Cushing and will not have a great combine. Maualuga will have a good combine, and he will put up numbers that were expected of him leading people to say that he’s a beast. Matt McGuire at WalterFootball wrote a great article about this in his blog. Anyways, Maualuga is a great prospect at ILB and the Eagles aren’t exactly stacked at that position.

     

  29. New York Giants
    James Laurinaitis, ILB, Ohio State

    30. Staying at Ohio State for another year obviously hurt Laurinaitis’ draft stock. There is no doubt that Laurinaitis is a natural football player and athlete. The real question is his playmaker ability, his capacity to be an elite ILB in the NFL. The Giants need help at ILB badly and Laurinaitis at pick 29 is a good time address it. Antonio Pierce has seen his best of days and I don’t think Giants fans are comfortable with seeing Chase Blackburn becoming a starter.

     

  30. Tennessee Titans
    D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt

    31. Either Tennessee is really lucky or a lot better at drafting than everyone thought last season. Rookie players like Chris Johnson and Cortland Finnegan highly contributed to the Titans 13-3 record and playoff appearance. Some mock drafts will have Percy Harvin here, but I don’t see Harvin as 1st round material (even though I saw him win 5 races at my high school track state championship) and everyone says the Titans don’t draft receivers this high. Moore’s draft stock is rising and after the combine he will squeeze his way into a low first round choice. If Alex Mack is on the board here Tennessee may opt to take him seeing how Kevin Mawae is 38.

     

  31. Arizona Cardinals
    LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh

    32. Edgerin James wants out of town and tippy toe Tim Hightower won’t exactly get it done down after down. McCoy has proven to the world in the last two years that he can get it done. McCoy has averaged 4.8 yards carry in the past two seasons and he has gained 549 yards receiving in his career as well. The Cardinals can’t afford solely rely on their passing game next year, just ask Mike Shanahan.

     

  32.  Pittsburgh Steelers
    Max Unger, C, Oregon

    33. Do the Pittsburgh Steelers hate Big Ben? Yes. They stick good old Ben behind a line of amateurs and hope he stays alive. Max Unger is the logical choice seeing how the Steelers need all the help they can get at offensive line, but they always take the best player available. This pick is completely useless to predict as of now. Who would have guessed that Pittsburgh chose Rashard Mendenhall and Limas Sweed last year?

     

Thats all of round one. After the combine check back to see the updated version. I’m not sure if I’m ballsy enough to explore a complete round two but I’ll let be known that Ron Brace would be my choice for Denver. Air out out readers! Let me know what you love and I know you’ll let me hear what you hate.

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Newer Comments  →
  • jcampb72

    Browns not good enough to take at 12…..and you don’t have rey even in the first round…huh? If we take brown at 12 who do we take at 44?

  • http://BroncoTalk.net Mr.East

    I don’t know where you’re coming from with Everette Brown not being good enough at 12, but I see Rey Maualuga falling due to the combine.

  • http://broncomadness.com Garrett Barnes

    wow. Brown??? risky pick. I could see it happening but still very risky. I agree with jcampb though maualuga won’t drop that low. other than that good mock.

  • http://birty.blogspot.com mikebirty

    I’m always torn on mock drafts – i can never decide if I love them or hate them. All this speculation and chatter and then one trade throws everything out the window.

    One thing I do know is that if Shanny was drafting I’m convinced he would pick Knowshon. He talked about Jonathan Stewart last year, nearly took Maroney a couple of years back. Plus last year after every poor defensive performance, the Broncos would sign a receiver. So this pick would make sense.

    But with two people drafting who have never been in this position before – who knows what they will do. There’s no past history to go by (is there?). But I do subscribe to the theory that Mr East mentions that it really doesn’t matter which defensive position Denver drafts its going to be an upgrade. Personally I think I would explore jumping in front of Green Bay for Raji but thats based purely on reputation.

  • flbronc

    i dont view brown as risky at all. he is a very quick defensive end with solid tackling skills. he is a beast and will translate very well to the pros. there are whispers that he will go as high as 5. i dont know why he would be risky at 12. in fact, personally i dont see him on the board when we pick.

  • Riverscanbl&wme

    I like your pick EAST and agree that Brown is a solid value at 12. Kiper doesn’t think Brown is as explosive as Orakpo or Maybin but I think both Brown and English will be better pros. Only time will tell though and you are right that things will change in terms of teams needs due to free agency pick-ups and players will move up down boards based on the combine, individual workouts, and pro days. I am interested to see your revision post combine.

  • http://BroncoTalk.net Mr.East

    flbronc – I agree that there’s a real solid chance he wont be on the board at 12, however if the Raiders take Maclin or none of the premier offensive tackles then Brown has the chance of slipping because Orakpo is considered to be better suited for either schemes. Other teams will jump at grabbing Michael Oher and Jason Smith instead of Brown which will lead to his drop to 12. I think though that it’s a 50/50 that Al Davis messes up and doesn’t draft an offensive linemen.

    mikebirty – I know how you feel about mock drafts it seems so useless sometimes. The way I see it is that it keeps your mind fresh for all the options out there for not just Denver but for what other teams need as well. When that one trade implodes all the mock drafts, all is not lost because it’s really just rebuilding the structure and not starting from scratch. A good mock drafter understands its fickle nature.

    Garrett – I think it’s more a bias against Rey, I think he will drop to the lower first round, I’m now thinking I should have given him to Tennessee with the potential departure of Keith Bullock.

  • kerry

    pretty good mock draft. except i think Buffalo will take TE Brandon Pettigrew and Orakpo will fall to us. and Orakpo would be better then Brown. but Brown would be good value at 12. and i totally agree that Maualuga wont go high in the first at all. his 40 and cone drills at the combine will be make or break. im surprised more of the Maualuga lovers arent screaming at you. lol

  • NathanH

    Brown’s off the board already by 12 when we pick so I don’t see the real risk . I really, really like brown. He led the nation in sacks, has a beastly physique(no homo, check this guy out on youtube), and seems to have the athletic ability to really do some damage in a 3-4.

    Unlike his teammate from last year, Vernon Gholston, Brown has been projected high early from the get go, so won’t have a freak combine and go 6 based off that. He has a lot less bust potential then him imo.

    And Mr. East, no Aaron Maybin? He’s gonna be a serious riser at the combine, kid has a ton of athletic ability, and probably the most upside out of Brown, Orakpo, and himself at 3-4 OLB. He’s a little raw right now, but I’ve heard Penn State’s coaching staff nob this guy too much not be a little bit infatuated with him. He’s been compared to Merriman.

  • NathanH

    Brown’s off the board already by 12 when we pick so I don’t see the real risk . I really, really like brown. He led the nation in sacks, has a beastly physique(no homo, check this guy out on youtube), and seems to have the athletic ability to really do some damage in a 3-4.

    Unlike his teammate from last year, Vernon Gholston, Brown has been projected high early from the get go, so won’t have a freak combine and go 6 based off that. He has a lot less bust potential then him imo.

    And Mr. East, no Aaron Maybin? He’s gonna be a serious riser at the combine, kid has a ton of athletic ability, and probably the most upside out of Brown, Orakpo, and himself at 3-4 OLB. He’s a little raw right now, but I’ve heard Penn State’s coaching staff nob this guy too much not be a little bit infatuated with him. He’s been compared to Merriman.

  • kerry

    uh Nathan. Vernon Gholston went to OHIO state. Brown went to Florida state.

  • http://BroncoTalk.net Mr.East

    NathanH,

    The reason why I don’t have Maybin on there is because he weighs 236 pounds. This is a pre-combine mock draft but in my preliminary drafts I had him at a few teams, but I don’t think his stock is high enough. I think Michael Johnson will fall and Peira Jerry will rise, but I’m not going to state it until they prove it.

    Brown, yes from Florida Sate, has the chance of falling due to the number of premiere offensive tackles that will be taken in the top 10. If kerry is right and Pettigrew is taken at 11 then Brown/Orakpo may fall even farther.

  • kerry

    the Deal between the Panthers and Jordan Gross has been done. Julius Peppers is gonna receive the franchise tag. could have swore i said that weeks ago. lol

  • Richard

    East if we have the choice between brown or orakpo who do you take?

  • kerry

    the deal between Asomugha and the Raiders is done and is awaiting league approval

  • jdkchem

    “I would expect some big name player on the Denver defense to be traded if Denver doesn’t want to trade down.”

    Why not just say “Champ Bailey”? Or do you mean that other big name player?

  • kerry

    Peppers got tagged. Asomugha is signed by the Raiders. the conjecture is dead!!

  • Dakota fan

    I’m curious to see what the youngster GM and the youngster HC will do now. I just can’t foresee them giving up anyone for a big name like Peppers or signing a high dollar guy like Haynesworth. That sounds more like a Daniel Snyder or a Jerry Jones move. Now that Peppers has the tag and is going to require $300 million and a luxury yacht in trade for his services, I think they’ll acquire several solid starters that will fill several needs instead of just one or two. I guess it just depends on your defensive philosophy, but I just can’t see how one player is worth that much.

    Of course, I never thought I’d see major league baseball salaries rise to the amount they are, either, so (here’s the clever statement of the day) ANYTHING’S POSSIBLE. Isn’t that a “cover your arse” statement if you ever saw one?

    Last thing- I love how Peppers left everyone guessing when he said he’d be fine with a trade to three different NFC teams or one AFC team. That guy knows how to command the high dollars and keep us all speculating. I love the Broncos, but do you really think this was the one AFC team he was referring to? Guess we’ll find out next week.

  • jcampb72

    shit….thats bad news but I knew it was going to happen eventually, I just don’t see the broncos using that pick on a DE/OLB. We lost games because we couldn’t stop the run. If we want success thats where it starts, that and running the ball.

  • Dakota fan

    Man, I wonder when Adam Schefter sleeps.

    I see that the Dolphins aren’t going to use their franchise tag- I know some of you already posted about him as a possibility, but can any of you enlighten me on Channing Crowder of Miami? Is he a 3-4 LB worth having? Who are some of the lesser known FAs that we might see on the team by the draft? ESPN and the NFL Network tell who the free agents are, but not a whole lot of speculation on where they’ll end up. Then again, maybe I missed a good post on this blog. Point me in the right direction please, fellow citizens of Broncos Nation.

  • jcampb72

    no offense Mr. East but the last thing we need is another tweener, we have two already in moss and doom. I just think MLB, DT, or RB is a smarter pick here. Who knows what we are going to do, but if we pick him I think we need to dump Boss or trade doom or something.

  • http://BroncoTalk.net Mr.East

    Richard – Thats a pretty tough question but I would go with Everette Brown. Brown has shown that he has little to no injury issues where as Orakpo has durability concerns.

    Dakota – He could be referring the Chargers, Jets, or Patriots. I would think he means the Patriots myself.

    jcampb – Denver couldn’t stop anything, not just the run. The draft is just about addressing your concerns, it’s about picking the best possible player on the board at every pick. The Steelers do this consistently and always have depth.

  • http://BroncoTalk.net Mr.East

    Everette Brown isn’t a tweener as an OLB, he’s a manbeast. Shawne Merriman is bigger than Brown, and he’s an OLB, DeMarcus Ware is also a little bit bigger.

    Unless you want him as a DE then he’s undersized, and thats just stupid. I don’t think we’re going to have a first round pick unless Raji falls or they really like Moreno.

  • Jordan C

    Nice mock. Although, you heard it hear first: the Lions will not take a QB in the first round this year. They’ll do it with the first pick next year. Sam Bradford to the Lions in 2010!

    With Pierre Thomas playing so well to compliment R Bush, I don’t think that the Saints will be looking RB at all. They’ll be looking Defense all the way.

    I also don’t see the broncos not giving dumervil and Moss a shot on the outside. Tyson Jackson is rising up draft boards. Although he may or may not make an immediate impact, a player like that doesn’t come along often. Plus, it would be nice to take him away from the Chargers. My other big concern is the Broncos potential ILBs currently on the roster. Woody thinks that DJ will play on the outside. Not sure I agree. Anyway, my concern with them is their (I’m mean Boss, DJ, Woodyard, and Larson) ability to shed run blockers. Can anybody attest to their skill level in that area? I thought that DJ plays weakside linebacker so that he doesn’t have to deal with run blockers as much.

    Good call on Larry English to the Pats. I haven’t seen that much, but it makes sense.

    Dakota Fan –

    Channing Crowder could be a good ILB fit, but he’s had knee problems for a long time. I’m hesitant to sign another densive player that will sit on the bench for half of the season. I think that he managed to stay healthy all of last year, though.

    With Dansby, Peppers, Suggs, and Asomhuga all franchised, and assuming that the professor won’t trade picks for them, are there any other big name players that Denver can sign? I’m not counting Haynesworth.

    What do you guys think about the possibility of Denver actually signing LT, say, on a cheap two year deal? Although he’s been injured some over the last two seasons, I wouldn’t characterize it as injury prone – it’s more like he’s just prone to wear down by the end of the season. If he splits carries, maybe that won’t happen. The guy is still awesome.

    If you were to pick an veteran back to sign would it be LT (if available), Fred Taylor, or Deuce McCallister?

  • http://BroncoTalk.net Mr.East

    Oh and Dakota… Channing Crowder is not that good he’s only worth a cheap sign or a 6-7th rounder. I would be pissed if Denver used a 5th to get him.

  • Jordan C

    Peppers to the Pats would be pretty scary, indeed. I can see it happening.

  • soxbigdog

    If Raji is taken by Green Bay, I see the Broncos moving out of this pick and trying to pick up a few extra first day picks…

    Raji would be a rock on line if he was there… and would be great to build the new D-Line around.

  • Dakota fan

    Look at how much the draft scenarios and mock drafts have changed after either a bowl game or just further research on a player’s overall season. I’ve seen a player’s stock rise and fall right after the combine before, but this year, I predict it’s going to be even crazier than usual. That’s the ONLY prediction I make on the draft- a relatively safe one.

    One last question: when was the last time the Broncos used a franchise tag? Hasn’t it been awhile?

    That’s it for my questions. I should actually try to get some work done.

  • jcampb72

    Wow sounds like you have a man crush on him, but unfortunetly it doesn’t make sense for us to pick him. sorry. Maybe if we sign a good MLB or DT that would make sense but as of right now it doesn’t.

  • jcampb72

    As for the Steeler philosophy its easy to pick the best available player when you have a sick defense and good offense. They chose to help out their weakness, as should we. As for our defense the number 1 priority is to stop the run. Whats the point of having a good pass rush if the other team doesn’t pass the ball?

  • http://BroncoTalk.net Mr.East

    Yeah it makes sense for Denver to REACH/WASTE their first round pick on a MLB or DT seeing how there are no good ones within the #12 area.

    Mancrush? What are you 8? I said I’d rather have them trade down the first round pick unless it is Moreno, who I do have a mancrush on… so get it right!

  • jcampb72

    the “manbeast” douche….how is Rey a reach….where are you from because it sounds like you don’t live n e where near denver, Mr. East….another poser from the elway era thats never even lived in denver. JJ. Anyway I agree with trading down, we need as many picks as we can get.

  • DC

    I agree with jcampb, there is a MLB that is worthy of a number 12 pick. His name is rey. Our need is to set a tone on defense and stop the run. I believe he would do just that. But I like how you put Wells before moreno….he is going to be something special.

  • Richard

    East Brown is the right call, glad you’re paying attention to injury histories.

    I’m glad Peppers was taken care of by Carolina. Now we won’t have to listen to posters (mostly on other sites) gush about how he’s THE MAN.

    By the way, I have taken what Joe Collier said about building a 3-4 defense to heart, and have tried to incorporate that thinking into my draft wishlist. His method starts with a NT, 2 inside linebackers, then 2 D ends. Basically build it from the inside.

    Therefore, after signing Canty DE from Dallas, Sean Jones SS from Cleveland, Wright DE from New England, and Bartell CB from St. Louis in Free Agency, we trade down from 12 to 22nd to 26th or so and receive say 26th in first and take someone like Larry English DE/OLB Northern Illinois, Clint Sintim OLB Virginia, or Paul Kruger DE Utah. With our 2 second round picks take Shon Greene RB Iowa, and either Ron Brace if we like him and his bad back checks out, or one of a number of Free Safeties. In the 3rd round we take Ellerbee or another ILB( or wait for Jasper Brinkley from So Carolina). We would now have 2 4th rounders, 2 fifth rounders, 1 or 2 6th rounders (depending on whether Atlanta resigns Foxworth) and 1 or 2 7th rounders.

  • http://BroncoTalk.net Mr.East

    First off, Rey Maualuga is not worth the #12 pick at all. Stopping the run starts up front at the defensive line, not with ILBs. There are more DT prospects in the later rounds, gaining more 2nd and 3rd round picks is more a vital action than wasting your pick on an overrated USC player.

    Second off, “douche” is uncalled for. I was clearly joking with you and stated that you had my “mancrush” wrong. Just because I don’t live in Denver doesn’t mean I’ve never been to a Denver game, in or outside Denver. I’m sorry my father from Colorado Springs decided to join the armed forces and I grew up in about 10 different places. This site is not for personal attacks, and as far the Elway era, that is in the past and now is the time to rebuild.

  • stav

    i firmly believe in selecting Samoan/Hawaiian USC Defensive Stars – give me Rey at 12 and he’ll clog the middle for 10 yrs. Just a note on jcamp’s implication that you need to actually live in Denver to be a Bronco fan? Give it a rest, football is unique beyond all other sports as geographics mean nothing. How many Steelers fans were at the Superbowl, it seemed 75/25, do you think they all flew in from PA? Look how infected the country is with Dallas fans. Born in bred in Jersey and I’ve despised all regional teams from birth except for the NYY’s. Bronco fan for 23+ yrs and counting, I have a pair of Mile High seats in my house and if there was ever any real way to prove someones’s a Bronco fan its as my wife will tell anyone, I stopped enjoying the games years ago. When we win I’m not happy, its as if I’m being sued for millions and my lawyer comes up to me and says they dropped the lawsuit. It just relief that I can sleep that night without thinking about how heartless the defense was or how stupid some of the playing calling was. Pure stress relief – no joy – that’s my curse, being a Denver Broncos fan, I can’t complain since there are those born and bred deushebags that are referred to as San Diego Charger fans – pure trash in every sense of the word. Let’s just keep in mind that you don’t need to live in Denver to be a Bronco fan, I have no problem saying that I’ve followed and suffered with the Broncos more than some of the fans who go to the actual games, but it is what it is.

  • jcampb72

    is said I was joking, chill. If we do go with brown great. If not fine too, but we have glaring needs at CB, MLB, NT, and Safety. Who do you think we are going to get in FA Mr. West? Is a big signing out of the question? I hope not, I’m sick of all these mediocre signing that have kept us from being a top tier team.

  • stav

    We should target Buchanon for the Champ’s other side. I don’t think he’d be that big of a signing, just a solid one.

  • jcampb72

    I know stav, just giving him a hard time, but I was and will be the one who creates the mile high thunder, not like it did anything for us last year. But I left many a game with little to no voice on sunday and sometimes monday.

  • jcampb72

    What about the guy from the rams….cant remember his name….anyone know who I’m talking about.

  • stav

    I hear ya’ and wish I was with you. I catch them everytime they’re around here, even at the risk of taking a beating at the hands of trashy drunken a-holes like the Jets fans (they run amok at Jets games). I can guarantee you that I’ve walked out of Giants/Jets games vs. Denver with my jersey beer (not mine) and I’m sure spit-stained. Not that I didn’t deserve it, but regardless of where you are or where you go, I’m going there to do my thing and the cheer the Broncos……….as vulgar as I may get.

  • Jordan C

    jcampb72 –

    You need to take a few breaths and chill out yourself. You’re writing like you’re a little light-headed. Even if you’re joking, you should show a little more respect to a guy who’s done a lot more research than you have. You might check a few posts back for FAs that Mr. East is interested in. Some may not have picked up on your “jj” internet slang, imo.

    There are two Rams that the Broncos would have been interested in: Otogwe (S) or Bartell (CB). Otogwe is franchised, so forget him. Richard thinks we should go after Bartell, but I don’t know much about him.

    I’m fine taking Brown also, as long as he can stop the run. I am with Richard, though, in how much I respected the Joe Collier interview in RMN.

    Can anybody speak to the Bronco potential ILBs’ ability to shed run blockers? If not, then ILB is as much a concern as anything else. Rey may not be a good value at #12, and he may be a USC player, but I still think that he’s an impact player that can contribute right away, whether he does well at the combine or not. The combine is relatively worthless, imo. I don’t love him, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Broncos take him. He certainly won’t be available past the Jets or the Chargers.

  • http://broncotalk.net Joe

    I have not a clue to what the hell Denver should do now. I’m sick of drafting a bunch of rookies and praying that they solve our problems (Moss, Crowder, etc.) I want a player who has proven himself that he deserves to be in the NFL. Someone who has shown he can do something. With all of the great, younger vets tagged,who the hell do we get now? I do not see this switch to a 3-4 going well at all, as of now. Hopefully McD has a plan cause by the looks of it now, were very, very fu****….

  • Richard

    Jordan C DJ Williams is fair at shedding run blockers, his strength at the WILB position would be to cover, and his speed to the ball carrier. When you watch his game, its speed and excellent spatial awareness. Larson is harder to analyse because he only started 3 games last year, but he held his ground and played his gaps well enough. Of course being better than Webster isn’t that hard. Rey would definitely help, the question is whether hes worth a 12th pick. The fellow that I’m intrigued with is Jasper Brinkley from So Carolina. He’s huge at 6’2″ 275, has pretty good lateral movement, sheds blocker without any effort, and is an absolute MONSTER at pass rush. THe one game I looked at showed good instincts, good discipline and he even had an interception.( didn’t do s### on the return though). His weakness would be in coverage.

  • NathanH

    Guys, there’s tons of good players still out there, we’ll be fine. We could bring in Vilma or Bart Scott to fill the other ILB spot with DJ, sign Canty or Olshansky for DE, as well as Wright to compete with Marcus Thomas for the other DE spot. Break the books and make Gabe Watson our top priority and he’ll probably tender for a 3rd. Go after Jim Leonhard or James Sanders to fill a saftey spot. Then use our first and second on OLB and CB unless Raji or Brace are there at either pick.

    To the people here that want to go ILB so bad, you do realize that no line backing crew or secondary, no matter how good , are crap without a good d-line that can provide a good pass rush and push for the run. In the 3-4, the pass rush comes from the OLB’s, not the DE’s generally. Boss is not a 3-4 OLB, Wesley Woodyard is definatly not a 3-4 OLB, but i have hope for both of them in the middle. We don’t really have any one unless Moss and/or Dumervil work out at OLB that have shown at any level of their career that they have the size or pass rushing ability to play OLB in the 3-4. This is why we fill out the line through FA, and go OLB in the 1st if Raji’s gone.

    We have a ton of cap, and all the tags have been a blessing in disguise imo, because we have so many holes to fill. I’d be much happier filling 4-5 spots with GOOD players, rather than bringing in 1 great player like Peppers and 3-4 average ones.

  • Jordan C

    Thanks, Richard. I respect what you’re saying.

  • Jordan C

    Vilma makes no sense to bring in since he didn’t pan out in the Jets 3-4. Bart Scott is definitely a possibility.

    What I’m seeing in this draft is a deep DE/OLB class and a not so deep ILB class. I like McKillop and maybe Brinkley, but he, along with many of the ILBs later in the draft seem to be one dimensional – good at pass coverage or good at run stuffing, but not both.

    ILB, in my mind, requires a greater skill set and those players are much harder to come by. A 3-4 OLB mostly just has to rush the passer. I would hope that they could do more, but it’s not necessary.

    If they brink it Scott, great, but if his price skyrockets…we’ll see.

    OLBs/DEs that I like that could fall outside the first round: English, Kruger, Shaughnessy, Sintim, Barwin, Hunt, Brown, Veikune. You get the idea.

  • NathanH

    Mauluga is fairly on demensional, he’s not gonna be able to man up with the faster tight ends if we take him and DJ probably would if not a saftey, so we’d be commiting him to the run anyways, so why not get one of the one demensional ILB in the later rounds that does just that anyways?

    I think everyone so high on Rey will be suprised when he goes mid 20’s. Earliest shot for imo is Detriots second pick.

  • Richard

    Nathan H Rey isn’t one dimensional, his real problem is a lack of discipline at times. What the hell he’s what 22 yrs old? My statement about him not being worth a 12th has more to do with our needs on the D side of the ball and the fact that with numbers we will have a better chance of scoring THAT guy. Thats why I’m for trading down to the mid 20s and getting a 2nd and 4th round pick. There’s enough talent in the 2nd to get that RB that some are drooling over, as well as the NT, and there’s some real quality mid round talent we can get for depth and development. What the Shanahan era left us with on D is no talent and barely any depth. I’d rather be able to have 11 picks than 9. It gives us two more chances to find and develop the next Marshall, TD, Sharpe, etc.

  • http://myspace.com/paraleipsis jchase8410

    Can anyone tell me where all the USC bashing is from? Can anyone tell me who the last DEFENSIVE stud drafted from USC who was a bust? Lofa Tutupu? Troy Polamalu? Junior Seau? (just to name a few) Where is all of this Trojan hatred coming from? It seems to have no solid foundation, just bias IMO.

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