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National Football League
Draft King Mailbag
March 15, 2007
Lou Pickney, DraftKing.com
Reader feedback is always welcomed here at DraftKing.com. Send your thoughts to me at LouPickney@gmail.com.
From: Shawn Watters
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Mar 11, 2007 12:41 AM
Subject: Draft Trade Scenario
So Oakland goes with Russell and Detroit is either Joe Thomas or Brady Quinn. What do you think about Cleveland drafting Calvin Johnson, snaking him from Tampa and dangling him to Minny? Peterson will still be available at #7 for the Browns because Washington, Tampa Bay and Arizona aren't taking a RB. Then the Browns could trade Calvin for Minny's 1st, 2nd and 4th rounders and a 2nd or 3rd rounder next year. At that point, if Houston wants Peterson badly enough, the Browns could trade down again, adding at least a 3rd and 4th rounder from Houston and still get Levi Brown! Worst case scenario is that Cleveland is "stuck" with the best player in the entire draft. What do you think?
Lou: The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that Calvin Johnson may not fall to #4. There is plenty of bluster coming out of Cleveland about the team's owner wanting to take a franchise QB, but we're in prime time for swerves, misleading statements, and blatant falsehoods being floated to either entice a trade or to potentially stop a competitor from trading up (e.g. if Cleveland wants Calvin Johnson, talk like you're taking Brady Quinn to lessen Tampa Bay's motivation to make a trade with Detroit.)
That's not to say that Cleveland isn't interested in Quinn, as sometimes those information leaks are accurate, but there are also many red herrings being put out there for a variety of reasons.
From: Krobot53@aol.com
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Mar 12, 2007 9:34 PM
Subject: Cowboys
Always Love the Site... most accurate predictions in my opinion of the upcoming NFL draft... BIG Cowboys fan and I love the idea of Dwayne Bowe falling to us at the #22 pick... with our pick in round 2, do you think that there is any possibility of us snagging Brandon Meriweather from the U or do u think we would have to trade up to do so? Also, do you have any intentions of expanding your mock to a second round? I would love to see ur thoughts on it. Thanks as always and keep up the great work.
Lou: I've given thought to going two rounds with the mock draft, but trying to keep an accurate one round mock current is challenging enough as it is. One change at the top can have a ripple effect all the way through a mock; moreover, the further we go from the top, the more difficult it is to make an accurate guess as to what team will go where.
I don't like it for teams that don't have a first round pick (e.g. what does this do for Seahawks fans?) but, at least for now, I'm sticking to one round.
Meriweather may be there in round two; I think he'll probably go in the middle of the second round, but the whole "character issue" thing has some people in the league completely paranoid, to the point where a talented guy like Meriweather might fall further than he should, potentially all the way to Dallas in round two. If that happens, it'd be a steal for the Cowboys.
From: Michael Littleton
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Mar 13, 2007 9:09 AM
Subject: Dallas
I recently read about the boys shopping Julius Jones. I love this idea,
in the fact that was never a huge fan of his. What are your thoughts on
Michael Bush as a player. I love big backs and this guy can play. In
his one half of a game last year he had 17 att. For 128 yrds and 3 TDs.
If he had not been injured he'd be being mentioned with Peterson about
who is the best back of this draft. If we could finagle a 2nd rounder
from the Bills or the Packers for JJ, I believe we could land him. Also
if you think we just need a young burner at receiver who needs to be
brought along slowly and learn how to run routes then what's the
difference between Ginn and Yamon Figurs besides name recognition and
schools. They both run a 4.3 flat and neither is a very good route
runner.
Lou: The latest I hear is that Dallas is not looking to trade Julius Jones, though it's possible that his name was floated out there to see what interest (if any) there was for him. I personally like the Jones/Barber duo, but that might not be what Wade Phillips is looking for with his offense. Then again, his 2006 team (the Chargers) LaDainian Tomlinson and Michael Turner, which isn't exactly a fair comparison with any other RB duo.
I'm very high on Michael Bush, and he could end up being a major steal in round two (or beyond.)
Yamon Figurs in some ways is Ted Ginn, Jr. without the hype, and his speed cannot be ignored. Figurs was a CC transfer to Kansas State, and he might have slipped past the radars of many fans, but he has game-changing speed. Unless someone stretches, Figurs should be around in round three, and that might be a possibility for Dallas if the Cowboys are looking for a fast WR who can also have an impact on special teams.
The knocks on Figurs are similar to those for Ginn: he drops passes sometimes, he has a small frame, and he's not particularly physical.
I strongly question why Ginn is getting so much first round run, but he remains high on my draft board because with all the buzz around him, it seems inevitable that *someone* will use a first rounder on Ginn. Why do that when Figurs might be the lower-cost version who could be obtained later? You'll have to ask whichever GM pulls the trigger on Ginn in the draft.
From: Jared Gruber
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Mar 13, 2007 3:11 PM
Subject: The Colts Pick
Why do you have us taking Rufus Alexander in the frist round? Alexnader
shouldn't even be in consideration for anything but late 2nd at earliest.
You have Timmons at #13 to the Rams but I've heard his stock is dropping
to the late 1st early 2nd round. He would be a much better pick. Even if
he is long gone there are better picks than Alexnader. Jon Beason would be
a great pick there. Thank you for your time.
Lou: Alexander would be a perfect fit for the Colts' linebacking corps. He's undersized but speedy (though his 40 time left something to be desired), and he is good at pass coverage. A Cover 2 scheme seems to be a good fit for him, and unless Indianapolis can re-sign Cato June, I'd think that the Colts will look to bring in an OLB on day one.
You make a good point about Jon Beason being another option, and the Colts could go with him, since he is so versatile and could play both MLB and OLB.
As for Lawrence Timmons, there were some concerns about him not being in shape at FSU's pro day, but I don't know that the concern will be enough to severely affect his draft status.
There are some who think that the Colts will go DT in round one, and they might, but my anticipation is that Anthony McFarland and Corey Simon will be used for another year and that the Colts might go with a young DT in a mid-round spot to bring depth to the position.
From: Matt Smith
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Mar 15, 2007 1:20 PM
Subject: Matt Smith
How would a trade of Randy Moss for Aaron Rodgers alter the packers and
raiders draft plans? I know this is an unlikely possibilty but it is a possibilty none the less.
I think the packers would look in middle rounds for a another guy unless
farve has indicated he is going to play beyond this year though taking a
quarterback would still be likely
then oakland, if they liked rodgers would they pass on jamarcus russell and
take calvin johnson
Lou: The concept of a Randy Moss for Aaron Rodgers trade intrigues me on many levels. It could be great for Oakland, bringing in a QB who learned under Brett Favre (like other QBs have done in the past, from Mark Brunell to Matt Hasselbeck, before moving on to find starting jobs elsewhere) to lead an offensive attack with wide receivers Jerry Porter and Calvin Johnson.
Some have questioned if Moss would be accepted by Green Bay, but that is nonsense. If Dallas could bring in Terrell Owens after he "disrespected" the big star twice in one game, I think Packers fans can get over a guy pretending to moon the crowd (Joe Buck's histrionics notwithstanding.) If Favre wants to make one more legit shot at a Super Bowl title, it will take the addition of a major playmaker, and that's a title that Moss fits. With the right attitude, Moss still has the physical abilities to be something special.
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