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National Football League
Draft King Mailbag
April 3, 2007
Lou Pickney, DraftKing.com
Reader feedback is always welcomed here at DraftKing.com. Send your thoughts to me at LouPickney@gmail.com.
First off, before I start this mailbag, let me say that I don't think that respected Sports Illustrated writer Peter King was referencing this website with his (Draft) King statement in this article. It was a play on words off of his last name, nothing more. I mention this only because I've received a few e-mails asking about it.
From: Steve Somppi
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Apr 2, 2007 1:37 PM
Subject: Mock Draft
Hey Draft King,
You might remember me as the guy who once called you draft jester a couple of months ago. I was surprised to see my e-mail appear on your page and glad that you took my, um...jest, with humor.
Anyway, I'd like to comment on your most recent mock draft (no April Fool's mock draft). Why would anyone trade with Detroit to move up to take Calvin Johnson when they could give up a bit less and trade with Cleveland? Virtually no one thinks Detroit would actually take Johnson with the 2nd pick while everyone thinks Tampa will pick Johnson at #4. Why not trade with Cleveland at #3 and give up a bit less than trading up one more spot to #2? Looking at the teams immediately below Cleveland, the Browns could move down to #9, pick up extra draft picks and still probably land Peterson (as you have them slotted to take at #3) before the next potential Peterson suitor in Houston at #10. And in that scenario, should Peterson be off the board, the Browns would be in perfect position to take Levi Brown. At any rate, I hope you (and 95% of the rest of the mock draft world) are wrong about the Peterson pick. The Browns have had so many injuries over the past seven years, they should change their colors to drab green and relocate to the Korean DMZ.
I think a better option would be to take one of the two LTs in the 1st round and then pick up Lynch/Hunt/Bush/Pittman in the 2nd Rd to pair with Lewis in the backfield.
Lou: As always, dealing into (or out of) the Top 5 will be a difficult task. But as for trades before the draft involving Cleveland or Detroit, the problem is that any team that wants Calvin Johnson has no guarantee that Oakland won't snap him up at #1 overall.
Moreover, trading with Cleveland before the draft leaves open not only the Oakland wild card factor, but also the risk that someone else could trade in with Detroit and sneak away with CJ. This makes it doubly risky for any team outside the Top 5 that is willing to give up a boatload of picks, take the major cap hit that comes with drafting in the Top 5, as well as endure the headaches that come with slotting and the rookie cap. If you're going to do all of that, you'll need to be positive that you'll be able to draft the player you want.
The trade within the Top 5 that would make the most sense would be Arizona moving up to either #2 (Detroit) or #3 (Cleveland) to get Joe Thomas, but even that is not a 100% safe bet since Oakland is such an unpredictable factor at the very top. The Cardinals signed Bills free agent OL Mike Gandy, but the team desperately needs a player like Thomas to add to the mix. When you look at the teams in the top five, there's not any other squad with such a singular need.
If Cleveland trades down, I'd think that moving from #3 to #5 once they're on the clock would be a feasible scenario with Arizona *if* Thomas is still on the board. Moving down too low and hoping to get Peterson could be a roll of the dice, since it would take just one other move (say, Buffalo jumping up the board) to have him snatched away.
From: Christopher Cook
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Apr 2, 2007 9:17 PM
Subject: I pray you're right!
This rabid J-E-T-S fan hopes you are predicting correctly. If we have the choice between Carriker and Branch at #25 I'll send you a bottle of single malt of your choice!
Lou: If you're serious (and if that projection holds true), I'll take a bottle of Speyside single malt, 12 years aged or more.
We'll see if Carriker and Branch really do fall -- there is a good chance that both will be gone by #25, but it is possible that both will still be on the board. Both have the potential to go much earlier in the draft, but if teams wants speed over size at DE and are afraid of conditioning/workout problems that might be perceived with Branch, it could happen.
From: Mike Torbert
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Apr 3, 2007 10:00 AM
Subject: Do not agree with fellow Cowboys fans
Contrary to what my fellow Cowboys fan think, I feel Willis would be an excellent pick at #22.
Jerry Jones has said he will pick the best player available, and Willis could be that player.
Bradie James looked scary lost in 2006. Any fan who thinks we are safe at MLB, take a look back at the Seattle Wild Card Game and the whole game James didn’t know who to cover. Willis, with his 4.3 speed, can cover, and tackle better than James. I don’t care how much we paid him. If Willis makes it past Carolina, Jacksonville, and Buffalo, then it is a no-brainer. Especially with Dat Ngyuen coming back to coach LB’s, can you imagine!
You also make solid points about us shoring up the line cause Rivera should be a backup this year if he doesn’t retire. And Glenn and Owens are not getting any younger. But I think you might agree, that Dallas will trade out of round 1 for a higher 2nd round pick (maybe a 4th), and pick up a NT like Tank Tyler. Then go WR like S. Smith with our other 2nd rounder. Then lineman in the 3rd.
We have no immediate holes that we need to plug in a high paid 1st round player, and picking up the BPA might force us to push a cheaper more qualified player out the door, but if Willis is there, James is gone!!!!
Lou: The closer we get to the draft, the more I think that Willis will be gone well before Dallas picks, which would make this issue moot. But if he is on the board, I think he would be quite worthy of consideration, if for nothing else to bring another strong pass-rushing threat to the Dallas front seven. While Ole Miss didn't use Willis on the blitz all that often, he has the speed to threaten with it on any play. Trying to plan for DeMarcus Ware is one thing; trying to plan for Ware *and* Willis (in pass protection) is quite another.
Interally, I'd think that the Cowboys would be weighing the need to add pass rushing versus the need to add a wide receiver to build toward the future with, and the best way for the team to meet those needs (among others, like offensive line depth) in the draft.
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