NFL Draft 2012 discussion

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Round 1

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Round 2

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Round 3

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Round 4

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Round 5

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Round 6

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Round 7

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Love the Pats pick of Dennard. Has fallen sharply, but he is all reward now with no risk. Could be a solid corner me thinks

On paper and going off my own evaluations I would say the Bengals just crushed the draft.

Yep, just seemed like every time the Bengals picked you thought "Great pick, great value". Possibly the best draft I've seen any team have for a long, long time.

As for my own Redskins - who knows?? Literally, who knows??? After RG3 I've only heard of one other player that we took.... and that was Kirk Cousins!!! Still not sure I can fathom that pick out. I'm all for taking the best player available but didn't we just take that to the extreme there???

The linemen we picked up could be good or could be bad. Shanahan does tend to draft linemen that no-one else would value as much as he does cos of our zone blocking scheme so these guys are hard to project. As for the rest, well we'll just wait to see if they make the team.

Right now, beyond RG3, I'm underwhelmed by our draft but time will tell I guess.

Kirk Cousins

I have to admit I was a very happy man after the Pats first round.
However the second round left a lot to be desired in my eyes. I can only see Wilson being a special teams contributor and a depth safety. Especially with Iloka still being on the board who would have been a reach but I can see him becoming a starting safety. (Bengals, damn Bengals).

Rest of the draft was solid, I like the Dennard pick in the seventh round.

Overall I would say we have had a decent draft: B overall

The Bengals have also picked up Burflict as an undrafted free agent. Again another move that is all reward and no risk. He could be a good player if he gets his act together, there was a reason why he started off so high on many draft boards, before he hit the self destruct button

the niners just got owusu as a udfa, he could have potential after recovering on the ps for a year, oh and their 6th round olineman Jason Slowey has the most physical offensive line highlights i've seen in a while

Just spotted that Chase Minnifield went undrafted. What happened there? He was quite highly touted for a while was he not? Would like to see the Skins take a shot on him but think it's highly doubtful we would given that we overlooked him to take a couple of other DBs in the 7th round.

Unlike Dennard and his beyond stupid arrest earlier in the week, I hadn't seen any adverse character type reports about Minnifield. Have I just missed something??

I think the Redskins have in fact signed him. He had some minor surgery so that's why his 'stock plummetted'.

Still unsure on how I feel on the Browns draft, seems like we added some good players (like the pick of Alabama's FB/TE to go with Richardson) and I'll trust them that Travis Benjamin is going to be good and Weeden can utilise his speed but still not sure they addressed the position properly so they should be adding a few UDFA's just to try out. Quite a few would have liked Minnifield to come to Cleveland due to his dad's history with the team, I would have liked them to give Burfict a shot clearly they think LB needs depth as they added two.

i like the browns draft apart from the weeden pick, I feel they need a qb but that they could have waited another year. If they were after rg3 a few months ago, then they should have grabbed him but to stay put and take a 29 year old qb is strange

Am I the only one who thinks Weeden could be good. Sure he didn't play in a complicated offence and is relatively old but lest we forget he beat both Luck and RG3 this past season. He has a good arm, good accuracy and he is mature. Could be a starter for the next 7-8 years in my opinion

Na I think he could be good too, the only problem is his age I would say. If he is as good as some reckon, and can play up to the age of 36 then it is a decent pick.

Then again I can see the argument for drafting a top receiver at 22, having that receiver and Richardson around Colt McCoy, if he doesn't do well then thats that move on next year when there may be a better talent available. By the sounds of it, they wanted Kendall Wright at 22, but as the Titans took him they went for Weeden

ollyrules wrote:Am I the only one who thinks Weeden could be good. Sure he didn't play in a complicated offence and is relatively old but lest we forget he beat both Luck and RG3 this past season. He has a good arm, good accuracy and he is mature. Could be a starter for the next 7-8 years in my opinion

No you're not the only one I would just have preferred him at 37 but better to have him then to miss out. Also that is the a pretty poor argument, McCoy has beaten Brees and Brady doesn't mean he's better than them.

Derbyblue wrote:

ollyrules wrote:Am I the only one who thinks Weeden could be good. Sure he didn't play in a complicated offence and is relatively old but lest we forget he beat both Luck and RG3 this past season. He has a good arm, good accuracy and he is mature. Could be a starter for the next 7-8 years in my opinion

No you're not the only one I would just have preferred him at 37 but better to have him then to miss out. Also that is the a pretty poor argument, McCoy has beaten Brees and Brady doesn't mean he's better than them.

Ok you have done me there

But I am going on record and saying that Weeden will be a success in the NFL

i agree that weeden could be a success, i just find clevelands strategy strange, colt mcCoy could have had another year with Trent Richardson and they could have made a move for a receiver, I just don't see Weeden as the guy who is so good that he should replace McCoy, rg3 sure but not weeden

Number-25 wrote:Just spotted that Chase Minnifield went undrafted. What happened there? He was quite highly touted for a while was he not? Would like to see the Skins take a shot on him but think it's highly doubtful we would given that we overlooked him to take a couple of other DBs in the 7th round.

Unlike Dennard and his beyond stupid arrest earlier in the week, I hadn't seen any adverse character type reports about Minnifield. Have I just missed something??

Chase Minnifield must have received medical red flags, the fact he went undrafted suggests he was probably a medical scratch on most teams boards. He had a knee scope and supposedly also had microfracture surgery at the same time. He didn't participate in the Combine pre-draft and didn't perform well at his pro day because of the injury. It's unfortunate, I believe he was at least a 2nd round pick without the injury concerns.

Anyway here are some brief thoughts on the Bengals draft which, on paper, looks to be the best of the bunch IMO.

R1 – Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama, CB
One of my top rated corners in the draft, really excels in zone coverage, great anticipation and reads the play well. One of, if not, the most physical corners in the draft, good tackler, wraps up well. Potentially has the versatility to play Safety as well.

R1 – Kevin Zeitler, Wisconsin, OG
Very good run blocker, can pull and get out to the second level. No obvious deficiencies in pass protection either, can anchor and mirrors well. Comes from a program known for producing quality offensive linemen.

R2 – Devon Still, PSU, DL
Good value in the 2nd round. Anchors well and can shed blocks and make tackles vs. the run, good strength and can push the pocket and get penetration but didn’t ever display consistent pass rush ability. I suspect that’s probably part of the reason he didn’t go earlier in the draft.

R3 – Mo Sanu, Rutgers, WR
Sanu looks like a number 2 WR to me. Has the potential to be a solid possession receiver in the NFL and could be a good compliment opposite AJ Green. Not the fastest of receivers, 4.67 at the combine followed up by a better 4.55 at his pro day. Good size.

R3 – Brandon Thompson, Clemson, DL
I really liked what I saw of Brandon Thompson in the Clemson games I watched and it was a real surprise to me seeing him still available in the 3rd round. Good size and can probably play both DT positions in the Bengals 4 man front. Very good run defender. My main concern with Thompson is that he was often rotated in and out of the game so conditioning might be in question. Might be limited to early downs in the NFL although he does display some ability to attack gaps in the passing game.

R4 – Orson Charles, Georgia, TE
Comes out of an offense in Georgia with pro style concepts, has good experience as an in-line blocker but also displayed the ability to run routes. Didn’t test great at the Combine from what I remember but looked better on the field. Might be able to contribute as a blocker in the NFL but will probably be used more as a move TE.

R5 – Shaun Prater, Iowa, DB
Primarily a zone corner at Iowa, should be able to contribute on special teams.

R5 – Marvin Jones, Cal, WR
Had a pretty good Combine, 4.45 40 yard dash and solid cone and shuttle times. Good size makes catches outside and over the middle and can gain yards after the catch. Could have gone a round earlier but I think the 5th round is about right for him.

R5 – George Iloka, Boise State, S/LB
I’m not Iloka’s biggest fan TBH, his size as a bigger safety is intriguing and he might have some potential as a hybrid S/LB. Might be a good matchup for tight ends however doesn’t display great speed, ran close to a 4.7 at the Combine.

R6 – Dan Herron, OSU, RB
RB with cut and go ability but not a player likely to break off huge runs, also demonstrated the ability to catch out of the backfield which gives him some extra value. Could find a place as part of a rotation in the Benglas backfield.

FA – Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State, LB
I think most people are aware of what happened to Burfict's stock in the per-draft process but he was a 1st team All-American and conference defensive MVP just two years ago so the guy has talent to work with.


Another draft I quite like, particularly the early rounds, is Tampa Bay's. Three good players in Barron, Martin and David who should fit what Tampa do and be able to contribute early on.

I really like the Brandon Thompson pick maybe the best pass rushing defensive tackle in the draft. Also like the prater pick, he was rated as a 3rd rounder by some so good value, not near as good a cover corner as his iowa teamate micah hyde, who i think will be a top 60 pick next year unless he regresses but really physical corner

here are my views on the niners, titans and vikings draft. The standout thing when thinking about their selections is that the niners had zero needs, the titans had a few and the vikings had many.

Niners

The A.J Jenkins pick in the first is growing on me, he may have the best hands in the draft and can be a true speedster. Any 49er fan will know that they like their receivers to run slants and this guy is really good at this, so he can basically make the catches that crabtree didn't at times last year. It appears the niners weren't the only team interested and this, combined with great college stats despite poor qb play gives me hope that he can do well

The pick of Lamichael James in the 2nd surprised people but I love it. It's important to remember that the niners have no big needs and so they can use luxury players. Anyone who remotely folllows college football will have heard of this guy and anyone who has saw him play will probably remember his elite burst and the way he produced against even the very best teams college football had to offer. He has great hands (Gore seems to have lost them) and will provide us with our own Darren Sproles.

Joe Looney in the 3rd provided depth at the guard position, don't know much about him but from looking at some of my draft preview magazines, he has a very powerful upper half, great intangibles and great speed for someone who is 320 lbs (5.02 40 time)

Darius Fleming was a shock for me in the 5th, doesnt really look like he could be a 3-4 olb but he does have great intangibles, is very athletic, was a top recruit too

I like the Trenton Robinson pick in the 6th, he has been described as a poor mans Bob Sanders and he has conerback speed to go along with good ball skills, as a michigan fan, he impressed me in flashes in rivalry games

Jason Slowey in the 6th I loves. He played tackle but projects to guard or even center, he had pre-draft visits with the niners a few times and so I had saw some of his play, he is one of the most relentless offensive lineman I have seen. Strength was a worry for me at the next level but he had 38 reps on the bench press which is really good

Also like the Cam Johnson pick in round 7, I was actually hoping the niners would take him in the 5th, he is explosive off the edge and due to his basketball past and being drafted as a wr/safety he has more than enough athletic skills

Overall I like the niners draft, some picks were reaches but I know better than to question one of the best drafting teams in the league, speed has been added to the offense and some d-line help and nasty o-lineman, im happy. Also like the pickups of Chris Owusu and Jewel Hampton. Love the stockpiling of picks for next year too, extra 3rd, 5th and 6th rounders will allow opportunities to trade up.


Vikings

Matt Kalil in the 1st was a lock, really athletic with nfl ready pass protection skills, usually rookie lineman are good run blockers who need pass work but kalil excels in that area

Harrison Smith in the first was good, nice trade up which didn't really cost anything, good size and he can be a starter straight away, great strength and smarts, he can help get guys organised

Josh Robinson in the 3rd was a great pick, one of my favourite players this year. Fastest player in the draft and will help a corner-needy team, he held his own against A.J Green and fits the zone scheme perfectly

I think the Jarius Wright pick was nice, good speed and hands

Also like the Greg Childs pick, would have been 2nd rounder if not for injury, teamate of Wright in high schoole, college and pro's now

Don't know enough about Rhett Ellison to comment, but seems like a versatile player

I really like the Robert Blanton pick, really long and athletic, a top recruit and a move inside looks likely, his cornerback experience will help the vikings safety play, will be nice to have 3 young safeties in smith, Blanton and Raymond

Blair Walsh seems an ok pick, I don't really follow kickers but his senior season wasn't good

I love Audie Cole in the 7th, a big LB who lacks speed but can hit hard, I though he could have went as low as the 3rd round

Trevor Guyton was also a nice pickup in the 7th, will be a nice under tackle

Overall, really nice draft, secondary and wr improved so a win, manahed to pick up 4th and 6th round pick next year too

Titans

Kendall Wright is one of my favourite players this year so really happy he was taken, best deep threat in the draft and can make any qb look good due to his ability to catch impossible passes and turn upfield. Pound for pound, he is as strong as any receiver in this class and I really like the fact he heads straight upfield without dancing around

Zach Brown in the 2nd is a pick which makes sense. I'm not overjoyed by this pick but he does have potential, he completes the young lb trio and will bring speed and good coverage potential. Once ran a sub 4.3 40 yard dash and will use that freakish speed to improve pass rush skills, you can' teach is elite speed but i'm sure his technique can improve

Mike Martin in the 3rd is a great move, people say he is too small to play defensive tackle but he has amazing brute strength, can play on the nose and as a 3 technique, he has a non stop motor and will contribute

Coty Sensabaugh was a surprise corner taken inthe 5th, I have seen him on tv before and he never stod out, has great speed though and the online reports suggest he is as hard working as they come

Absolutely love the Taylor Thompson pick in the 5th, a TE convert who has experience at the position, A 6"7 frame at 290 lbs and ran in the 4.5's, he offers amazing upside, some big college programmes recruited him and I look forward to seeing him develop

Markelle Martin in the 6th was a steal, great speed and playmaking ability and perform on the big stage, very poor tackling form though that needs work

Traded up in the 7th for Scott Solomon of Rice, haven't heard much of him for obvious reasons but seems to have great motor and potential to move inside to defensive tackle

Nice draft that has improved every area of the team APART FROM CENTER!!, but maybe Kevin Matthews can step up or someone else will come to the team

niner wrote:Don't know enough about Rhett Ellison to comment, but seems like a versatile player

I’ve just come on here to see if I could pick up any info on this kid as he made a couple of headlines back home (NZ). His old man Riki Ellison was the first kiwi to play in the NFL and was part of the famous 49ers team of the 80’s. Apparently Rhett was a fairly handy rugby player when he was at school in ChCh but the NFL is in his blood.....I’ll certainly try and keep an interest in him.

From looking at my draft preview magazine, he seems to be able to play fullback and tight end and is vauable on special teams. He will probably have to make an impact on special teams if he wants on the field. The quote to describe him: 'jack of all trades, master of none'

I'm pretty sure the idea is for him to fill the gap left by Kleinsasser.

yeah, they will play some 2 tight end sets with rudolph and carlson but kleinsasser was such a good blocker so he will be impossible to replace