Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
1. I liked Sissyboy's thread about his draft philosophy and found myself agreeing with a number of his points.
The aspects of my own philosophy about the draft are:
* don't pay too much attention to what the pundits say, as they are more often wrong than they are right.
* trust my own eyes and instincts about a player.
* don't care about what round you take a player you like---often you have one chance to pick a player, so if he's a fit, take him even though the rest of the world may think it's too soon.
* there are certain players who can help you win 2-3 more games a year and even if you have good players at that position already, keep loading the wagon with playmakers.
2. Case in Point---S/CB T.J. Green, Clemson.
The recent buzz is that the Cardinals are targeting Green with #29 pick and that they plan to convert him to CB.
Green is physically gifted----he's got length, 4.38 speed, long arms and superb athleticism.
However, when you watch the tape, he is raw, he doesn't play as fast as his timed speed would suggest and there is a good deal of hesitation in his reads---which is understandable seeing as he's only played safety full-time for one year.
See---to me---especially when considering what the Cardinals need, which, imo, first and foremost, are sure tacklers---there is no way I would ever take Green at #29. I don't want another half arsed tackler on the Cardinals---ever again.
If you play defense in the NFL and you don't like to tackle---you belong in another profession.
This is why Rashad Johnson was not offered a contract. He was always a plus in coverage (despite only average range), but he became a liability as a tackler.
Then to try to convert Green to CB would mean he would most likely be another first-round redshirt.
I would take his teammate Mackensie Alexander a million times over Green---Alexander can play the position, he's tough and super quick to react.
3. I think that when you analyze the Panthers and Seahawks, what jumps out at you is that you had better tackle and cover as well as they do, and you had better have chasers who can take down Newton and Wilson. The Cardinals still need to add 3 more chasers if they are going to challenge Carolina and Seattle and Green Bay for the NFC Championship.
There are number of chasers in this draft I really like for the Cardinals:
* LB Jaylon Smith, Notre Dame
* LB Myles Jack, UCLA
* LB Darron Lee, Ohio St.
* LB Leonard Floyd, Georgia
* LB Kamalei Correa, Boise St.
* DE Shaq Lawson, Clemson
* DE Kevin Dodd, Clemson
* DE/DT Sheldon Rankins, Louisville
* DE/DT Robert Nkemdiche, Mississippi
* DE/DT Vernon Butler, Louisiana Tech
* DE/DT Javon Hargrave, South Carolina St.
* CB Mackensie Alexander
* CB William Jackson III, Houston
* CB Will Redmon, Mississippi St.
* CB Xavien Howard, Baylor
* S Keanu Neal, Florida
* S/LB Miles Killebrew, Souther Utah
* S/LB Su'a Cravens, USC
* S/LB Jeremy Cash, Duke
* S/CB Justin Simmons, Boston College
It would be great of Steve Keim could find a way to draft 2 of these players---because most likely all of them, save perhaps the ones coming off injuries, will be long gone by the end of round 3, pick #92.
4. Been thinking a lot about whether Steve Keim should try to trade for the Jets' DT/DE Muhammed Wilkerson. The Jets are open to trade offers and appear very willing to trade him. Mike Disner could get creative on a long-term deal so as to be able to fit him under this year's cap, assuming that he and Keim can do something (finally) about Calais Campbell's $15.2M cap number and the $4M cap figure for under-productive DT/DE Cory Redding.
5. Wondering what newly acquired DE/OLB Chandler Jones thinks of the two defensive linemen the Patriots just released: DE Dominique Easley (whose QB pressure % was best in NFL, albeit in limited snaps) and DT Chris Jones.
6. Adding a versatile offensive lineman in this draft would seem made to order and there are a few who would seem to fit the bill:
Tackle/Guard Options
* Jerald Hawkins, LSU, 6-6, 305
* Kyle Murphy, Stanford, 6-6, 300
* Spencer Drango, Baylor, 6-6, 320
* Fahn Cooper, Mississippi, 6-5, 304
* Willie Beavers, Western Michigan, 6-5, 325
* Alex Lewis, Nebraska, 6-6, 302
* Avery Young, Auburn, 6-6, 305
* Tyler Johnstone, Oregon, 6-6, 295
* Davate Harris, Appalachian St., 6-5, 306
My favorites here: Kyle Murphy and Spencer Drango.
Center/Guard Options
* Cody Whitehair, Kansas St., 6-4, 300
* Ryan Kelly, 6-4, 297, Alabama
* Nick Martin, 6-4, 297, Notre Dame
* Christian Westerman, Arizona St., 6-3, 296
* Jack Allen, Michigan St. 6-2, 297
* Austin Blythe, Iowa, 6-2, 291
* Max Tuerk, USC, 6-5, 285
* Jordan Walsh, Iowa, 6-3, 290
* Sebastian Tretola, Arkansas, 6-4, 317
* Rees Odhiambo, Boise St., 6-4, 305
* Graham Glasgow, Michigan, 6-6, 306
* Evan Boehm, Missouri, 6-2, 309
* Marcus Henry, Boise St., 6-2, 300
* Joe Dahl, Washington St., 6-4, 299
* Joe Tunney, NC State, 6-4, 299
* Matt Skura, Duke, 6-3, 305
My favorites here: Cody Whitehair, Christian Westerman, Jack Allen and Sebastian Tretola.
7. It should be very interesting to see how motivated so many of this year's Cardinals are, not only to try to build on last year's success, but to play well in their contract years. Those of note are:
QB Matt Barkley
RB Chris Johnson*
RB Andre Ellington
RB Stepfan Taylor
WR Larry Fitzgerald*
WR Michael Floyd
WR Jaron Brown
TE Jermiane Gresham
TE Darren Fells
C A.Q. Shipley
G Evan Mathis*
G/T Earl Watford
DE Calais Campbell
DE Frostee Rucker
DE Josh Mauro
DE Cory Redding*
LB Kevin Minter
OLB Alex Okafor
S Tyrann Mathieu
S Tony Jefferson
S D.J. Swearinger
* assuming they want to play beyond 2016 or whether they want to retire
The aspects of my own philosophy about the draft are:
* don't pay too much attention to what the pundits say, as they are more often wrong than they are right.
* trust my own eyes and instincts about a player.
* don't care about what round you take a player you like---often you have one chance to pick a player, so if he's a fit, take him even though the rest of the world may think it's too soon.
* there are certain players who can help you win 2-3 more games a year and even if you have good players at that position already, keep loading the wagon with playmakers.
2. Case in Point---S/CB T.J. Green, Clemson.
The recent buzz is that the Cardinals are targeting Green with #29 pick and that they plan to convert him to CB.
Green is physically gifted----he's got length, 4.38 speed, long arms and superb athleticism.
However, when you watch the tape, he is raw, he doesn't play as fast as his timed speed would suggest and there is a good deal of hesitation in his reads---which is understandable seeing as he's only played safety full-time for one year.
See---to me---especially when considering what the Cardinals need, which, imo, first and foremost, are sure tacklers---there is no way I would ever take Green at #29. I don't want another half arsed tackler on the Cardinals---ever again.
If you play defense in the NFL and you don't like to tackle---you belong in another profession.
This is why Rashad Johnson was not offered a contract. He was always a plus in coverage (despite only average range), but he became a liability as a tackler.
Then to try to convert Green to CB would mean he would most likely be another first-round redshirt.
I would take his teammate Mackensie Alexander a million times over Green---Alexander can play the position, he's tough and super quick to react.
3. I think that when you analyze the Panthers and Seahawks, what jumps out at you is that you had better tackle and cover as well as they do, and you had better have chasers who can take down Newton and Wilson. The Cardinals still need to add 3 more chasers if they are going to challenge Carolina and Seattle and Green Bay for the NFC Championship.
There are number of chasers in this draft I really like for the Cardinals:
* LB Jaylon Smith, Notre Dame
* LB Myles Jack, UCLA
* LB Darron Lee, Ohio St.
* LB Leonard Floyd, Georgia
* LB Kamalei Correa, Boise St.
* DE Shaq Lawson, Clemson
* DE Kevin Dodd, Clemson
* DE/DT Sheldon Rankins, Louisville
* DE/DT Robert Nkemdiche, Mississippi
* DE/DT Vernon Butler, Louisiana Tech
* DE/DT Javon Hargrave, South Carolina St.
* CB Mackensie Alexander
* CB William Jackson III, Houston
* CB Will Redmon, Mississippi St.
* CB Xavien Howard, Baylor
* S Keanu Neal, Florida
* S/LB Miles Killebrew, Souther Utah
* S/LB Su'a Cravens, USC
* S/LB Jeremy Cash, Duke
* S/CB Justin Simmons, Boston College
It would be great of Steve Keim could find a way to draft 2 of these players---because most likely all of them, save perhaps the ones coming off injuries, will be long gone by the end of round 3, pick #92.
4. Been thinking a lot about whether Steve Keim should try to trade for the Jets' DT/DE Muhammed Wilkerson. The Jets are open to trade offers and appear very willing to trade him. Mike Disner could get creative on a long-term deal so as to be able to fit him under this year's cap, assuming that he and Keim can do something (finally) about Calais Campbell's $15.2M cap number and the $4M cap figure for under-productive DT/DE Cory Redding.
5. Wondering what newly acquired DE/OLB Chandler Jones thinks of the two defensive linemen the Patriots just released: DE Dominique Easley (whose QB pressure % was best in NFL, albeit in limited snaps) and DT Chris Jones.
6. Adding a versatile offensive lineman in this draft would seem made to order and there are a few who would seem to fit the bill:
Tackle/Guard Options
* Jerald Hawkins, LSU, 6-6, 305
* Kyle Murphy, Stanford, 6-6, 300
* Spencer Drango, Baylor, 6-6, 320
* Fahn Cooper, Mississippi, 6-5, 304
* Willie Beavers, Western Michigan, 6-5, 325
* Alex Lewis, Nebraska, 6-6, 302
* Avery Young, Auburn, 6-6, 305
* Tyler Johnstone, Oregon, 6-6, 295
* Davate Harris, Appalachian St., 6-5, 306
My favorites here: Kyle Murphy and Spencer Drango.
Center/Guard Options
* Cody Whitehair, Kansas St., 6-4, 300
* Ryan Kelly, 6-4, 297, Alabama
* Nick Martin, 6-4, 297, Notre Dame
* Christian Westerman, Arizona St., 6-3, 296
* Jack Allen, Michigan St. 6-2, 297
* Austin Blythe, Iowa, 6-2, 291
* Max Tuerk, USC, 6-5, 285
* Jordan Walsh, Iowa, 6-3, 290
* Sebastian Tretola, Arkansas, 6-4, 317
* Rees Odhiambo, Boise St., 6-4, 305
* Graham Glasgow, Michigan, 6-6, 306
* Evan Boehm, Missouri, 6-2, 309
* Marcus Henry, Boise St., 6-2, 300
* Joe Dahl, Washington St., 6-4, 299
* Joe Tunney, NC State, 6-4, 299
* Matt Skura, Duke, 6-3, 305
My favorites here: Cody Whitehair, Christian Westerman, Jack Allen and Sebastian Tretola.
7. It should be very interesting to see how motivated so many of this year's Cardinals are, not only to try to build on last year's success, but to play well in their contract years. Those of note are:
QB Matt Barkley
RB Chris Johnson*
RB Andre Ellington
RB Stepfan Taylor
WR Larry Fitzgerald*
WR Michael Floyd
WR Jaron Brown
TE Jermiane Gresham
TE Darren Fells
C A.Q. Shipley
G Evan Mathis*
G/T Earl Watford
DE Calais Campbell
DE Frostee Rucker
DE Josh Mauro
DE Cory Redding*
LB Kevin Minter
OLB Alex Okafor
S Tyrann Mathieu
S Tony Jefferson
S D.J. Swearinger
* assuming they want to play beyond 2016 or whether they want to retire
