A final pre-combine mock (Cards only)

[Mitch]

I think we mostly agree that Boldin will be traded. I'm going with him going to the Dolphins for Ginn and a 3rd.

1- Jermain Gresham, TE: Whiz saw first hand what Jermichael Finley can do to a defense. Gresham is that type of TE.

2- Devin McCourty, CB: On the smaller side but he's competitive and can cover. Him, Toler, and DRC give the Cards a good young nucleus at the CB position.

3a- Sean Lee, ILB: He's a first round talent but had a knee issue at PSU. He recovered nicely last year and could start from day 1.

3b- Jermaine Cunningham, DE/OLB: He has the perfect size for a 3-4 OLB in the Steelers/ Cards mode. In my mind he's a bit underrated but he was very productive at Florida.

4-Torell Troupe, NT: I'm hoping he's still there. There's a good chance he's gone but the farther Cody falls the farther Troupe falls. Plus all the teams keeping their NT means less of a need.

5- Jonathon Crompton, QB: He's an ideal future QB prospect. He has good size, good arm strength and played at a good college. I think he's a guy who could really develop with good coaching.

6- O'brien Schoefield,LB: Was a terror all year and would have been drafted much higher had he not hurt his knee. Draft him, put him on IR for the year, and he'll be like having another 2nd rounder next year. Much like Cody Brown this year.

7- Doug Worthington, DT: I think he's an ideal 3-4 DE. He has some nice potential and showed flashes at OSU. Could turn out to be another late round steal.

Thanks for this excellent thread, Cbus.

1) I like your proposed trade, Boldin for Ginn and a 3rd.

2) While I think you hit a home run with Gresham, I'd be surprised if the Cardinals take him at #26 (which may be moot if he's gone by then), because he's not typical of what Whiz looks for and wants in a TE...Gronkowski, if healthy, is, but not Gresham and not Hernandez, either.

3) I know this is the pre-combine draft, but Devin McCourty is going to climb the boards rapidly in the next few days and weeks. If the Cardinals want him, they are going to have to take him at #26, because he won't last beyond #35, IMO. But, that said, he's an excellent pick.

4) Love both of your 3rd round picks...Lee and Cunningham would be great additions...the only thing I wonder is whether Lee is fast and agile enough to play WILB. But I am totally cool with him at SILB. This kid can tackle. And Cunningham is just starting to realize his potential. he could be a real good one.

5) Crompton really came on strong toward the end of the year for Tennessee after a somewhat shaky start. Pretty solid prospect for the 5th round. Kudos, there.

6) Schofield is so good that despite his injury he'll be taken earlier, probably in the 4th round. If we were to get him here that would be a unbelievable steal.

7) I always defer to your wisdom on OSU players and the times I saw Worthington I was impressed.

 

[cardsfanmd]

Joey Porter is not looking like a good option.

Dolphins G.M. Jeff Ireland confirmed at the NFL Scouting Combine Thursday that Porter's mouth had nothing to do with the release. It was all because of Porter's play on the field. (The league invalidated the move, but he'll be released after March 5.)

The admission by Ireland illustrates how tough it will be for Porter to get a good contract. Teams won't want to deal with the headaches he brings when his performance is clearly in decline.

Porter had 9 sacks even though he got pulled for the kid from the CFL on obvious passing downs. I'll take that weak on-field performance here with a smile on my face.

 

[kerouac9]

Porter had 9 sacks even though he got pulled for the kid from the CFL on obvious passing downs. I'll take that weak on-field performance here with a smile on my face.

I don't know. We have too much invested in Cody Brown to have 45-year-old Joey Porter waiving him off the field because Joey needs to "get his."

 

[cardsfanmd]

I don't know. We have too much invested in Cody Brown to have 45-year-old Joey Porter waiving him off the field because Joey needs to "get his."

I agree, I was just trying to say that Porter can still play.

Personally I am content with our OLBs. For all the raving the team has done over Washington, what I've seen from Davis both in college and last year, what I expect from Brown, and what we have been getting from Haggans, I think we are fine at the position. People complain about our OLBs not getting sacks, but many of them fail to realize that our DEs dont take on multiple blockers (at least they try not to ) like most 3-4 schemes ask their ends to. The fact remains that we were a couple of whiffs by Campbell from notching 50 sacks last year.

I say lets solidify the interior D (NT,ILBs) and secondary and further protect Matty this offseason.

 

[kerouac9]

I agree, I was just trying to say that Porter can still play.

Personally I am content with our OLBs. For all the raving the team has done over Washington, what I've seen from Davis both in college and last year, what I expect from Brown, and what we have been getting from Haggans, I think we are fine at the position. People complain about our OLBs not getting sacks, but many of them fail to realize that our DEs dont take on multiple blockers (at least they try not to ) like most 3-4 schemes ask their ends to. The fact remains that we were a couple of whiffs by Campbell from notching 50 sacks last year.

I say lets solidify the interior D (NT,ILBs) and secondary and further protect Matty this offseason.

I for one am not content with our OLB unit. I don't think you can underrate what it does to opposing OCs when you have a 12-15 sack guy coming after you over and over. It makes those smoke-and-mirrors blitzes that we've been using all the more effective, and you can hold more of them back until the playoffs.

But I don't see us finding a 12-15 sack guy in the draft, and I don't think we'll spend big free agent money to get another veteran in. But if this team goes 7-9 or 8-8 next year (which I'm kind of expecting unless some big things happen), then that kind of player will be available for us in the draft--which is where you find them.

 

[Cards Czar]

The precombine mock draft - Trade Edition

#214 - QB - John Skelton - Huddlereport unranked - All the tools in the world but has never had to show them or use them on a consistent basis against the competition he faced, and that competition was horrible and he still didn’t dominate it.

J. Skelton will go way ahead of the 214th pick . 4-5 rounder i am predicting.

NFP Grade: 6.1
Scouting Report:
John Skelton: Fordham, QB, 6-5, 244

Skelton is a tall, strong-armed quarterback prospect who showcases the ability to spin the ball downfield and make all the throws needed at the next level. He gets the ball out of his hands quickly and showcases good zip when asked to throw outside the numbers. He generates some natural power from his lower half on his throws and can drive the ball downfield when exploding off his back foot. He needs to clean up his footwork a bit. Skelton looks balanced in his drop but has a tendency to rush his footwork into throws in the face of pressure and can get spotty with his accuracy. But he showcases good overall balance for his size and has the ability to move around the pocket, keep his eyes downfield, set his feet and stride into throws. He displays good touch downfield on his deep ball and does a nice job allowing receivers to run under his passes. But he needs to do a better job underneath.

Skelton doesn't throw the most catchable ball in the short passing game and needs to learn to take a little velocity off his short ball. He showcases the mental ability to manipulate defenses but always has his first or second read in mind. He can decipher the defense but hasn't been asked to find his second/third read on a consistent basis. Overall, he's one of the more intriguing quarterback prospects in this year's draft and has a lot of upside to his game. He will need time to develop, but the skill set and intelligence are there.
04John Skelton QB, FordhamNFP Grade: 6.1 Scouting Report:
John Skelton: Fordham, QB, 6-5, 244


Here is another article on him.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=jc-directsnap022210&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

 

[Catfish]

How about:
1- Sean Weatherspoon ILB
2a- Brandon Spikes ILB
2b- Dan Gronkowski TE
3- Cam Thomas NT
4- Myron Lewis. CB/S
5- Red Skelton. QB
6- O'Brien Schoefeld
7- Russ Grimm special

Joe makes a great point here. We likely won't be able to fill the need for ILB in free agency because the good ones have been tagged already. Taking two rookies with our first two picks makes a lot of sense. While we won't have any healthy veteran savvy at this position, we will have some young fresh bodies. I just don't see how Hayes back will let him play much. Good stuff bg7brd.

 

[Hypothesis]

J. Skelton will go way ahead of the 214th pick . 4-5 rounder i am predicting.

NFP Grade: 6.1
Scouting Report:
John Skelton: Fordham, QB, 6-5, 244

Skelton is a tall, strong-armed quarterback prospect who showcases the ability to spin the ball downfield and make all the throws needed at the next level. He gets the ball out of his hands quickly and showcases good zip when asked to throw outside the numbers. He generates some natural power from his lower half on his throws and can drive the ball downfield when exploding off his back foot. He needs to clean up his footwork a bit. Skelton looks balanced in his drop but has a tendency to rush his footwork into throws in the face of pressure and can get spotty with his accuracy. But he showcases good overall balance for his size and has the ability to move around the pocket, keep his eyes downfield, set his feet and stride into throws. He displays good touch downfield on his deep ball and does a nice job allowing receivers to run under his passes. But he needs to do a better job underneath.

Skelton doesn't throw the most catchable ball in the short passing game and needs to learn to take a little velocity off his short ball. He showcases the mental ability to manipulate defenses but always has his first or second read in mind. He can decipher the defense but hasn't been asked to find his second/third read on a consistent basis. Overall, he's one of the more intriguing quarterback prospects in this year's draft and has a lot of upside to his game. He will need time to develop, but the skill set and intelligence are there.
04John Skelton QB, FordhamNFP Grade: 6.1 Scouting Report:
John Skelton: Fordham, QB, 6-5, 244


Here is another article on him.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=jc-directsnap022210&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

I've been big on him for quite some time now. He has all the tools, terrific size, arm strength, brains. He is very coachable. I can easily see him going some time in the 4th but I could just as easily see him go undrafted. He doesn't play in a conventional offense at all and I think this past season he only took 10 snaps total from under center. That is something alot of scouts look for. And he faced some pretty pitiful opposition.

But yes, this kid does have everything a qb should have, at least in my opinion. Where he is going to go...it's a crap shoot right now. Heck, last year, alot of us on our mocks had Kory Sheets being picked in the second round on. Not many if any of us thought he'd go undrafted. Him and a handful of other players. Just too hard to predict where a player is going to be selected nowadays.