Pollack and the Falcons O-Line
National Football League
Draft King Mailbag
January 28, 2005
Lou Pickney, DraftKing.com
Reader feedback is always welcomed here at DraftKing.com. Send your thoughts to me at LouPickney@gmail.com.
From: Randall Purvis
Sent: Friday, January 28, 2005 8:52 AM
To: Lou Pickney
Subject : David Pollack
I have watched David Pollack smack many qb's the last 3 yrs. I have had an opportunity on Saturday's to sit and watch this guy do his thing. He is the Ever Ready Battery Bunny. He does not run on a battery, more like a nuclear reactor. I saw the miraculous interception against Jenkins and South Carolina and the fumble at the Outback Bowl against the cheese heads qb. Come on give the guy love. 25th in the draft, you have got to be joking. The dude will go in the top ten, especially after they see him at the combine. Yes he is small at his position but he makes up for it with determination and strength. So give the guy some love.
Lou: I can't fathom Pollack going before Erasmus James or Dan Cody. James is, in my opinion, the top DE in the draft, whereas Cody is the best hybrid player (DT/DE/LB). Matt Roth has looked great at Senior Bowl practices this week, and from there the next DE I have going in the draft is Pollack.
There are some people who see Pollack going in the top 10, but I think it would come down to the scouts for the Redskins (#9) and the Cowboys (#11) liking Pollack enough to go with him that high (yes, #11 isn't top 10, but it's certainly higher than #25).
Believe me, I'm well aware of Pollack's career and what he's done. His sophomore season was tremendous, and I thought he'd for sure come out as a junior. But he struggled in 2003, and he made the very wise decision to return in 2004 (he and Braylon Edwards were both in the same boat on that account, and both made the right call by returning for their respective senior seasons).
I've watched a great deal of SEC football the past few years (one of the many perks of living in Tampa), and I consequently saw Pollack play quite a bit. I like the guy and hope he'll do great in the NFL. But from a realistic standpoint, unless he can convince teams that he is a better choice than Erasmus James, Dan Cody and Matt Roth, he'll have to wait until the latter half of the first round to hear his name called.
From: Shawn Rummel
Sent: Friday, January 28, 2005 10:33 AM
To: Lou Pickney
Subject: Re:mock Draft
I could be wrong about this but I don't think the Broncos ever used a high draft pick on an O-lineman while Alex Gibbs was their line coach. Thus I highly doubt the Falcons will use a first round pick on the o-line. I know this isn't necessarily common knowledge if you don't follow the Falcons but two of their starters coming out of training camp wen on IR and another was used at TE (Beverly). If the Falcons do use a draft pick on the line it won't come till the later rounds. With the apparent depth of d-line players I would think that would be a target. But in all likelihood it will be the highest rated defensive player, or receiver. They have a need for speed as McKay has said and any position will provide either an upgrade, depth or eventual starter (as early as next year). Look at they way they brought in Demorrio Williams when Stewart had a year left on his contract. I think they will follow a similar strategy with this years number one.
Lou: Let's assume that we overlook the time when Gibbs was in "semi-retirement" from 2001-2003 while still helping to coach the Broncos, as Denver took OT George Foster (Georgia) in the first round of the 2003 Draft. For what it's worth, Denver did take OG Lennine Friedman (Duke) in the second round of the 1999 Draft and OG Dan Neil (Texas) in the third round of the 1997 Draft. But you're right in that from 95-00, Denver didn't draft any offensive linemen in the first round.
Gibbs managed to take a group of o-linemen in Atlanta who weren't high draft picks themselves and managed to maximize their output in 2004. That is to be commended. And while Atlanta did this despite fighting the injury bug, it's hard to argue with the skills of Elton Brown, who is by far the strongest OG prospect in the 2005 draft. Adding him to the mix would add a high talent capacity to one of the best offensive line coaches in the game. Atlanta used first rounders on a CB (D'Angelo Hall) and a WR (Michael Jenkins) last year; if they don't go offensive line, then they'll likely go either safety or linebacker. Perhaps that is where safety Ernest Shazor of Michigan might go? For now I'm sticking with my prediction of Brown, but you do raise a valid point with your e-mail.
