NFL Draft Wrap Up – NFC South

1 – Atlanta Falcons (B+)

The Falcons had a few needs and they pretty much nailed them.  LB Sean Weatherspoon was the first pick and will play right away.  He should fit perfectly in that defense in what was Atlanta’s number one need going into the draft.  DT Corey Peters could have been picked a bit later but should find a spot on the roster as a run stuffer.  Depth on the interior offensive line was also an area of need going into the draft and they came away with G Mike Johnson and Joe Hawley.  Mike has the skills to become the #1 interior line backup.  Joe should make the team but his size could prevent him from seeing any significant time.  The big steal was CB Dominique Franks in the 5^th Round.  Most had him as a 2^nd to 3^rd Round grade.  He should get significant playing time on defense and special teams.

2 – New Orleans Saints (C)

Saints fans must have been a bit disappointed with this draft.  I thought they did pretty well with the first two picks in CB Patrick Robinson and OT Charles Brown.  I didn’t really understand the pick until I figured they might have to move Jenkins to S.  Charles should provide added depth on the line.  TE Jimmy Graham could develop into a solid backup tight end but I thought they had more pressing needs here like RB and LB.  DT Al Woods should also make the team but probably not crack the starting lineup.  The last round selection of QB Sean Canfield was interesting.  With not much behind QB Drew Brees I thought they could have done more a little earlier in the draft.

3 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (B)

Tampa Bay did very well on Draft day.  DT Gerald McCoy should become a multiple Pro-Bowl caliber player.  There is a lot of former Buc Warren Sapp in his game.  They also blew me away when they got another DT in Brian Price.  Tampa was terrible against the run and by selecting McCoy and Price they just got a lot better.  Tampa also needed to add talent to the receiving corps and did so by selecting WR Arrelious Benn and Mike Williams.  Arrilious should become a big play option while Mike should develop into a very versatile receiver.  They also got Brent Bowden to punt the ball and that was huge because they were amongst the worst in that last year.

4 – Carolina Panthers (B+)

By trading down and adding picks the Panthers addressed virtually all their needs.  QB Jimmy Clausen should start from day one and develop into a very good player.  WR Brandon LaFell slipped into Round 3 and the Panthers were smart enough to grab him.  He should start opposite Steve Smith right away.  QB Armanti Edwards will become Carolina’s Antwan Randle El.  They’ll use him in the Wildcat.  LB Eric Norwood was another very good mid-round pick.  He is very smart and talented.  Two other picks worth noting are DE Greg Hardy who if healthy could be quite the steal and QB Tony Pike.  Tony has great skills and could develop into a starter.  What does this mean for current QB Matt Moore?

NFL Cheerleaders 2009 – Pt 1

I too often forget our more mature women in the world of football.  No, I’m not talking MILFs or cougars.  I’m referring to the NFL Cheerleader.  Now I do prefer the female college football fan when it comes to partying and overall hotness, but when it comes to cheerleaders the NFL has a slight edge.  Enjoy!

NFL DRAFT REVIEW – NFC

NORTH
Chicago – This draft was about Jay Cutler. For that alone they can’t earn a low grade. DT Gilbert will probably rotate in on passing downs and WR Iglesias will be the Bears primary slot receiver. CB D.J. Moore means Vasher will probably get traded before the season starts. Little known WR Johnny Knox has a shot to make the team based on his 4.3 speed alone. What could turn out to be the best pick of all was Ohio State OLB Marcus Freeman in Round 5. Weak-side backer Hillenmeyer has lost a step and Freeman will probably replace him as starter in 2010. S Al Afalava will compete for playing time but will be significant addition as a special teamer. Melton, Louis and Kinder will have a hard time making the team. FINAL GRADE B-

Green Bay – The Packers had a great draft. D-Coach Dom Capers is switching the Pack over to a 3-4 defensive scheme so they needed guys to fill significant roles with this change. NT B.J. Raji was the only true nose tackle in the whole draft. He is also and awesome player. They followed that with the selection of LB Clay Matthews. Both will help the defense improve against the run. They also added O-Line depth with the selection of Lang and Meredith. The sleeper was Cincy CB Brandon Underwood who will be the primary nickel/dime back in the defensive backfield. He will eventually become a starter in the NFL. FINAL GRADE B+

Minnesota – I think WR Percy Harvin is going to be fabulous opposite Bernard Berrian. He should have a long, solid career. OT Phil Loadholt from Oklahoma was the 2nd pick. I think you could have got him 10 to 15 picks down the line and acquired a few extra picks by moving down. He will anchor that right side of the offensive line for a long time. The rest of the picks were just OK. They only had 5 picks in total and did not address their need for defensive line or center help. FINAL GRADE C+

Detroit – The Lions had a great draft. Yep, I admit it. Stafford will be a very good QB in the NFL and TE Brandon Pettigrew will be one of the top TEs in football. Picking up Delmas in the late 2nd Round was a steal. He is one of the best safeties in the draft. Wisconsin OLB is a serviceable player who will probably start on this talent deprived team. WR Derrick Williams is one of the better slot receivers in the draft. DT Sammie Lee Hill could be a great pick too. He’s from a small school but he is huge and can dominate the interior line. 7th Round pick LB Zach Follett could be the Zach Thomas of this draft. He was under-appreciated. He isn’t a “combine” guy but you can’t deny his heart and production. He will be a special team in year one and could develop into a solid weak side linebacker. FINAL GRADE B+

SOUTH
Atlanta – DT Peria Jerry is a work horse. He won’t be a pro-bowl caliber DT but he is solid and should start immediately. S Will Moore is also someone who fits that bill. He struggles at times but he is a big hitter and an aggressive ball hawk. Richmond product
DE Lawrence Sidbury is a good pick in Round 4 but they needed an every down DE. Lawrence is a pass rushing DE and that’s about it. The Falcons draft two CBs, Owens and Middleton, but I am not super excited about either one. They will probably both stick but as reserves. The 7th Round pick of Vance Walker could turn out to be a pleasant surprise. Injuries slowed him down at all-star games and combine. When healthy he is a very solid interior lineman. They get 5th Round value in the 7th Round. FINAL GRADE C

Tampa Bay – Tampa had 4 QBs on the roster and now they have 5 with the drafting of Kansas State’s Josh Freeman. They moved up in the 1st Round to get him. I am not sure why? He is big with a strong arm but I’ve seen him play live and I wasn’t too impressed. He makes lots of mistakes and misses wide open receivers. To me Josh is a career back up. The second pick of DT Roy Miller wasn’t bad. I think he was picked a bit high but he is a physical run stuffer. He will enter the DT rotation immediately. The rest of the draft I wasn’t too impressed with. Kyle Moore is so-so and 5th Rounder Xavier Fulton projected a 7th Rounder / Free Agent. The bottom line is they needed a RB and OLBs and failed to get them. FINAL GRADE D

Carolina – Picking up 1st Round talent DE Everett Brown in Round 2 was a steal. He will eventually replace Peppers when they can find a taker for him. CB/S Sherrod Martin was also a good value in Round 2. DT Corey Irvin was also a good pick. He is a talented run plug in the middle. My favorite pick has to be RB Mike Goodson in Round 4. He is a very strong receiver and should compliment D. Williams in a two-headed ground attack. They also get FB Tony Fiametta with the following pick. Simply put, the best fullback in the draft. He should help big time in the short yardage game. In the 5th Round they get OT Duke Robinson. I had him as a 3rd Round talent. He should anchor the right side as the OT or G in Carolina for a long time. Finally, they get CB Captain Munnerlyn in the last round. He is a great value here. Munnerlyn should compete for the nickel backer slot on this team. He is also a special teams contributor. The Panthers did fail to land an impact WR and back up QB in the draft. FINAL GRADE B+

New Orleans – The Saints were terrible against the pass last year and they landed CB Malcolm Jenkins and S Chip Vaughn. I think very highly of both players. They should start immediately. However, a poor front 7 is also to blame for a bad passing defense. The only player they took in the front 7 was LB Stan Arnoux who is nothing more than a back up and special teamer. They needed a punter and got a pretty good punter. They also needed offensive line help and a compliment to Pierre and Bush. They failed in that respect. FINAL GRADE C+

EAST
Dallas – The Cowboys hit the jackpot. They leveraged picks and players into 12 picks in this year’s draft. I won’t mention all the picks but here are the most influential. LB Jason Williams from Western Illinois should start immediately and contribute on special teams. OT Robert Brewster is huge and should compete for a starting Guard position on the line. DEs Victor Butler and Brandon Williams should both make the team and contribute on special teams. 5th Rounders CB DeAngelo Smith and S Mike Hamlin were absolute steals. Smith should play SS and Hamlin FS in the revamped Cowboy defensive backfield. Finally, finding CB Mike Mickens in Round 7 is a steal too. Not sure why he slid so far. He led the nation in interceptions. He should be the teams 3rd or 4th corner and play some nickel too. The only thing the Cowboys failed to do was draft a WR with the capability of starting. FINAL GRADE B+

New York – Excellent draft by the Giants. The big need was WR and they land Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden. Nicks should start immediately and Barden, at 6’6”, will be a nice red zone target. LB Clint Sintim should be an immediate contributor on and already good defense. Finding OT William Beatty at the end of Round 2 was a steal. He provides immediate depth and insurance in case one of the starting tackles goes down. TE Travis Beckum is a solid player. He should contribute right away as the second option off of the line and a special teamer. RB Andre Brown replaces Derrick Ward. I consider this an upgrade. Andre is a very good player. QB Rhett Bomar could become a starter in this league but for now projects as Eli’s understudy. The Giants addressed all of their need areas. FINAL GRADE A

Philadelphia – I project that Donovan McNabb will finally be happy. Who thinks Jeremy Maclin falls to #19? Philly was smart enough to grab him and now have a tough Jackson-Maclin combo for McNabb to throw to. But that wasn’t all. They also got RB LeSean McCoy and TE Cornelius Ingram. McCoy projects to share time with Westbrook and Ingram looks to be the pass catching option at TE. Donovan’s offense is now vastly better. CB Macho Harris in Round 5 was a great value pick. He is very versatile and should contribute immediately. WR Brandon Gibson was also a good pick. He should be able to land a spot as the teams 4th or 5th receiver. The also took an OLB and some interior linemen. FINAL GRADE B+

Washington – A top 5 talent at pick #13. Outstanding! Brian Orakpo now teamed with Haynesworth, should be fun to watch. Unfortunately for the Skins the rest of the picks weren’t much to write home about. CB Barnes is serviceable but not an immediate contributor, Glenn is a special teamer and Henson also projects to be nothing more than a special teamer. TE Eddie Williams and WR Marko Mitchell are the only offensive players to be drafted and they don’t project to make the team. FINAL GRADE C-

WEST
Arizona – The Cards needed to address the running game and did with the selection of Beanie Wells. Wells will be a good back for that team but I think their were better backs still on the board at the time. They could have even traded down 4 to 6 spots and acquired more picks. DE Cody Brown will play linebacker for the Cards. He should start right away. He is quick and hits hard. S Rashad Johnson should also be an immediate contributor. He is a smart guy and knows how to play the position. CB Toler from St. Paul’s was a reach as was OL Herman “Big Baby” Johnson from LSU. If Herman can get his weight down to about 330 and stay there he could be a starter in this league. DE Will Davis from Illinois is serviceable and RB Howling from Pitt should be a special teams returner. FINAL GRADE C+

San Fransisco – Crabtree at #10 is awesome. He will struggle initially as the 49ers develop their young players but he will develop into one of the top WRs in the game. RB Coffee was a little stretch in Round 2 but he is a big bruiser who should be able to take some carries away from Gore and Robinson. LB Scott McKillop in Round 5 is a steal and if there is anyone who knows something about interior linebackers, that would be Mike Singletary. McKillop isn’t a combine kind of guy but he was very productive and got things done. He may back up initially but I think he eventually starts in this league. QB Nate Davis in Round 5 is another steal. His size knocked him down the board but he has 2nd/3rd Round talent. Hill and Huard are your 1 and 2 but I think Davis battles Smith for the last roster spot. They also get a ton of value with picks TE Bear Pascoe, FS Curtis Taylor and DT Ricky Jean-Francois. I look for all of these guys to make the team and contribute. FINAL GRADE B+

St. Louis – The Rams hit back-to-back shots with OT Jason Smith and MLB James Laurintais. I look for both of them to start right away. Smith should anchor that line for a long, long time and Laurintais is the real deal in the middle. CB Fletcher was a little bit of a stretch with the next pick but he could play nickel/dime corner. WR Brooks Foster is big and physical. I look for him to get a lot of playing time with the departure of Torry Holt. DT Dorrell Scott and QB Keith Null were kind of a surprise. Not because they were drafted but because their were better players at those positions still on the board. 7th Round RB Chris Ogbonnaya could be a pleasant surprise for Coach Spagnuolo. At 6’0, 220lb he is a punishing back. FINAL GRADE B

Seattle – Linebacker wasn’t the top need but when Aaron Curry is there for the taking you have to do it. He is a once in a decade kind of linebacker. They also hit a home run with the pick they got from the Bears. They got C Max Unger from Oregon. He is far and away the best center in the class. QB Mike Teel was a very interesting pick. Rutgers had a bit of a down year so he wasn’t considered amongst the top QBs. He is very good though and has a lot of potential. The 4 other picks were so-so. They could make the team as backup players. They could have also used a CB and failed to draft one. FINAL GRADE B

Great Football Weekend Upon Us

For the first time in several weeks I have the opportunity to make myself a sandwich, grab a beer and sit down and enjoy some college and pro games this weekend.  I so enjoy football season but it also tends to be the busiest time of year with birthdays, holidays and other stuff.  I love this weekend as it is so free and there are great games on both days.

Saturday

Michigan State v. Penn State

This game is going to be really good.  Penn State has come down to Earth after starting the season so hot.  However the big game in Pasadena is theirs for the taking.  And, what a great way for Joe Pa to go out!

Michigan State looks tough but Penn State’s D is really good.  They are 10th in the nation against the run and Ringer may not have much success.  To keep the Nittany Lion D off balance MSU QB Brian Hoyer will have to have the game of his life.

The biggest key might be that is most likely the last game at Happy Valley for Joe Pa.  This team is going to be pumped.  It is Rose Bowl or Bust.

PENN STATE 23 Michigan State 7   

BYU v. Utah

It is rare when you get a big game out of the Mountain West but this is indeed a big game.  BYU needs the win to increase its chances for a New Years Day Bowl bid.  Utah needs this win to clinch a BCS bowl bid.  As if this Beehive State rivalry needed to get any bigger.

Utah has had some scares in recent weeks but pulled out some wins and then destroyed SDSU last week.  They have a very well balanced team but I’m not sure they have played a very tough schedule. 

BYU on the other hand has one of the top air attacks in the country and QB Max Hall will find a job in the NFL someday.  If Hall can hook up with Austin Collie I think the BYU offense will have a big day.

BYU 35 Utah 26

Texas Tech v. Oklahoma

This is going to be a fantastic game.  Oklahoma is on fire since the Texas game and Texas Tech is just plain awesome.   Harrell and Crabtree are the Brady and Moss of college football. 

Oklahoma is just as stacked and perhaps more well balanced.  Sam Bradford is an NFL ready stud that averages over 300 yards per game.  I think this game is won or lost with the running of DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown.  They are a tremendous 1-2 punch.  Texas contained these two and won the game.  Texas Tech can do the same they will win.  However I am not so sure the Red Raider D is capable of stopping these two.

Oklahoma 45 Texas Tech 42 OT

PRO FOOTBALL

Chicago v. St. Louis

Yes, I know this isn’t a big matchup but Chicago is my hometown team so I’ll start there.  These two teams are bad but for sake of argument one is a lot worse. 

St. Louis lacks Pace at LT and Steven Jackson at RB.  Bulger is on the downside of his career.  They have Holt (also on the downside) but an upstart WR in Donnie Avery.  If Bulger gets time to pass he will hook up a few times with each. 

Chicago is not good but most teams in the NFL aren’t that good.  All you need these days is health, a couple of breaks and limited errors.  The Bears have been making dumb mistakes on and off the field and it is costing them.  This game is so very important to this team.  Win and they still control their own destiny in a weak division.  Lose and they may slide to 3rd place, ridicule and a new head coach in 2009.

Chicago Bears 24 St. Louis Rams 17

Carolina v. Atlanta

This could be the best game of the day.  Only two teams in the NFC South will make the playoffs which means ATL, Carolina or Tampa will be on the outside looking in. 

Carolina is a top this tough division currently and they should stay there.  However, they are going to have to win down in ATL against Ryan and Co. to cement that lead.

Atlanta should hold their own at home and back to back losses at home are usually rare.  Even with Matt Ryan’s emergence the thing that keeps the offense moving is Michael Turner.  He will have a difficult time breaking free against a stingy Carolina D.

Carolina Panthers 21 Atlanta Falcons 13

Have a fun football weekend everyone!

NFC and AFC South PREVIEW

NFC SOUTH – This could possibly be the worst division in football.  Atlanta is in a full rebuilding mode, Carolina is in neutral, New Orleans is overrated and Tampa Bay is incredibly mediocre.  It would not surprise me at all to see the division winner with only 8 or 9 wins.

1. New Orleans Saints 10-6

New Orleans is 2 years removed from an NFC Championship game and it makes many wonder just how they got there.  QB Drew Brees will have a nice array of targets to throw to in WRs Devery Henderson, Marques Colston, Robert Meachem and TE Jeremy Shockey.  The biggest question mark is at RB where Reggie Bush can’t seem to do the job.  RB Pierre Thomas may start over both Bush and the oft injured Deuce McAllister.  The defense is going to be better this season but it still has holes.  The strength should be on the defensive line where newly acquired Sedrick Ellis joins Thomas Hollis, Will Smith and Charles Grant to make up one of the better lines in football.  They will certainly be better against the run this season.  The linebacking corp and defensive backs are a bit light though and they will give up some points.  Here is the biggest key though.  If Bush steps up and becomes that 1,200 yards on the ground, 500 yards receiving guy they thought they drafted, the Saints go 12-4.  If they can’t run then they are .500 or slightly better.

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9-7

The Bucs have a ton of potential but seem to be very unorganized.  The bright side on offense are the receivers.  Hilliard, Clayton, Galloway, Stovall, Bryant and rookie Dexter Jackson make up the deepest receiving corp in the NFL.  Unfortunately they have no idea who is going to throw the ball to them.  Currently Garcia is #1 on the depth chart but he is in Gruden’s dog house.  The next in line would be unproven Luke McCown with Brian Griese behind him.  The also have rookie Josh Johnson and rehabbing Chris Simms on the roster.  In my opinion they put on their eggs in the Favre basket and it didn’t happen.  Not to mention they are not a great running team.  Graham and Dunn are OK but the Bucs need a healthy Cadillac back in the lineup.   Defensively the Bucs are solid all-around.  They have a very solid linebacking corp, tough guys on the line and good defensive backs.  If they can mount any consistent offense they will pass New Orleans.  If not they will struggle their way to a wildcard birth.

3. Carolina Panthers 7-9

  

Carolina is another team that is another team that is a really good QB away from making playoff push.  They have a very solid running game in DeAngelo Williams, Nick Goings and rookie Jonathan Stewart.  They also have a solid receiving corp with All-Pro Steve Smith, Mushin Muhammed, D.J. Hackett and Travis Taylor.  The line and tight ends are also pretty good.  Unfortunately Delhomme regressed tremendously last year and had injuries.  The 3 other QBs in camp have 5 years of experience between them.  The defense is in a little bit of a rebuilding phase. They needed defensive line help and didn’t address it until the mid rounds.  Julius Peppers also took a bit of a step back last year because their aren’t any other playmakers on the line.  The strength on defense is probably the linebackers.  Diggs, Beason and rookie Dan Conner make up a very strong group.  However they may struggle at times due to the issues on the d-line.  The defensive backs are OK but will also struggle if the line can’t apply pressure to the opposing QBs.

4. Atlanta Falcons 5-11

Well, they certainly don’t have to worry about Vick anymore.  They have moved on with rookie QB Matt Ryan.  Early indications are that he will start and should do pretty well.  They do need to continue to acquire more weapons for him but they have started by getting RB Michael Turner via free agency.  WRs Finneran, Jenkins and Roddy White make up an OK group.  They are hoping 2nd year receiver Laurent Robinson becomes a feared deep threat this season.  The defense is under construction this season.  Veteran LB Keith Brookings is still on board but all areas of the defense are weak.  They will give up a lot of points this season.  A special teams bright spot is the acquisition of K Jason Elam.  He will win a couple of close games on his leg alone. 

AFC SOUTH – This division is tough from top to bottom.  You could seriously draw up scenarios in which each team in this division has an opportunity to win it.  The Colts are the older, veteran squad still capable of double digit wins.  The Texans are the young guns that can win 9 or 10 games if they avoid injuries and those young team mistakes.  Jacksonville is just a solid team all around and Tennessee should be very competitive despite rebuilding on the fly.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars 12-4

I look for Jacksonville to break out and be one of the better teams in the NFL.  First off they have a dynamite RB duo in Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor.  They have a deep corp of receivers led by Matt Jones, Jerry Porter and Reggie Williams.  They also have a very talented TE in Marcedes Lewis.  Last but not least is QB David Garrard.  He played understudy to Byron Leftwich for years.  He got his opportunity after Leftwich suffered mulitple injuries that effected his career.  He is a very technically sound passer that makes few errors.  The defense is very good and it all starts on their defensive line.  DT John Henderson, DE Paul Spicer and rookie DE Derrick Harvey should make up one of the more aggressive lines in the AFC.  The linebackers are led by 10 year veteran Mike Petersen.  They are a quick, aggressive bunch as well.  Look for passing heavy teams to have a hard time with Jacksonville. 

2. Indianapolis Colts 11-5

Indianapolis still has many of its championship pieces in place from last season but they do have holes in a few spots and that will be enough to knock them down into the wildcard race.  It almost goes without saying but if you have Peyton Manning as your QB you probably won’t finish below .500.  He still has weapons at WR in Reggie Wayne, an aging Marvin Harrison, 2nd year slot receiver Anthony Gonzalez and TE Dallas Clark.  However they do lack depth and need to stay healthy.  RB Joseph Addai had a pretty good season but being the main RB hurt his production.  So the Colts brought Dominic Rhodes back and drafted Michigan RB Mike Hart.  A rotation of the three of them should prove to be formidable.  Finally the offensive line is getting a little old.  They are in the middle of rebuilding the offensive line.  The age of the veterans and inexperiece of the younger linemen will effect the production of the skills players.  The defense is where Indy has most of the worries.  First off they lost Cato, Boiman and Morris in the last 2 seasons and haven’t adequately replaced them.  Rookie Philip Wheeler should eventually be a talented outside linebacker but he’ll need a few years of experience.  The Colts also lost defensive lineman Anthony MacFarland and have DL stud Dwight Freeney coming back from a serious foot injury.  His full recovery is crucial to the success of the defense.  Finally the defensive backs are young and talented.  They may struggle against the better passing teams if the front seven can’t penetrate.

3. Houston Texans 9-7

 

Houston could finally break through and get a playoff spot in 2008.  If the injury bug hits Indy and Tennessee struggles that could mean 10 wins for Houston.  However, Houston also needs to avoid that same injury bug that effected them in 2007.  Houston is led by an awesome defense front led by DE Mario Williams, DE Anthony Weaver, DT Jeff Zgonina and DT Amobi Okoye.  They also took run stuffing DT Frank Okam in the 2008 draft.  The linebackers were good in 2007 and they should be better this year.  Free agent Rosey Colvin will be joining Ryans, Thompson and Greenwood to make up a stellar group of linebackers.  Not to be out done, the young, fast defensive backfield led by Will Demps and 2nd year CB Fred Bennett should have their share of interceptions.  The offense will not out-score other teams.  They do have weapons in QB Matt Schaub and WR Andre Johnson but I look for them to be a conservative, time-eating machine.  Look for rookie RB/WR Steve Slaton to contribute mightly.

4. Tennessee Titans 8-8

I would love to pick Tennessee a little higher here but there is simply too much competition in the division.  However, despite their last place finish in the division, the Titans definitely have a bright future.  QB Vince Young has a new offensive coordinator in the returning Mike Heimerdinger.   His offenses have been receiver-driven, but also have the ability to control games with a rushing attack.  This is good news for WRs Justin McCareins, Roydell Williams, Justin Gage and rookie Lavelle Hawkins.  RBs LenDale White and rookie Chris Johnson should develop into a dynamic duo in the next couple of years.  The defense is still pretty solid led by DE Jevon Kearse, DT Albert Haynesworth and LB Keith Bullock.  The defensive backfield is a little less impressive but should be made a little better by a talented front seven.