Cardinal Mock Draft 4/21 w/ 2 trades

[Walter Mitchell]

First of all, despite all the perfunctory curve balls being thrown by teams before the draft, my prediction of the first five picks are as follows:

1. Bengals: QB Carson Palmer, USC. Too good to pass up. The logical choice.

2. Lions: WR Charles Rogers, Michigan St. Despite the recent red herrings, Rogers is and always has been their pick.

3. Texans: WR Andre Johnson, Miami. Heads the list of Jeff Golin's All-Johnson team. Big play WR for David Carr. Made to order.

4. Bears: DT Dewayne Robertson, Kentucky. Da Bears need to keep da players off Urlacher and dis guy will do so and provide an interior pass rush.

5. Cowboys: CB Terence Newman, Kansas St. Jerry tries desperately to talk the Tuna into drafting Leftwich. The Tuna has a two to three year window in Dallas and knows he must defend Spurrier and McNabb to win the division. Hence, he selects the best cover corner in the draft in high need area.

__________________________________________________

Here come the Cardinals. The new Cardinals. The old Cardinals drafted strictly for need and get burned. These new Cardinals draft for VALUE...with an eye on the future, not the immediate.

First two trades to report: (1) The Cardinals stay put at #6, but they trade the #37 pick early in the second round to the New England Patriots for the #50 (2nd) and #75 (3rd) picks; (2) The Cardinals trade Thomas Jones to the Kansas City Chiefs for the #150 (5th) pick in the draft.

#1-6 QB Byron Leftwich, Marshall. A unique player and a unique opportunity. Ultimate value. Has Pro-Bowl talent and leadership skills. Questions as to whether Suggs can be an every down 4-3 DE, whether Kennedy could significantly improve the pass rush or what position tweener Kevin Williams should play in the NFL, make this selection all the easier to make.

#2-50 DE/OLB Antwan Peek, Cincinnati. A Roosevelt Colvin clone. Same size, speed and rushing ability. Has same size (6-3, 250) as Suggs, only clocks in the 4.57 range.

#3-70 DE/DT Antonio Garay, Boston College. A first round talent with Vonnie Holliday-type ability. Injuries have hurt his stock. But, his injuries have not been major or career threatening and he's 100% ready for mini-camps.

#3-75 WR Sam Aiken, North Carolina. Big, possession receiver who is faster than scouts give him credit for. Looks in his strides a lot like Michael Irvin. Emmitt will take notice.

#4-102 CB Ivan Taylor, Louisiana-Lafeyette. Tall corner with blazing 4.3 speed who will factor in as a gunner on punt returns and possible punt returner while learning the CB trade.

#5-141 DE Jimmy Wilkerson, Oklahoma. Came out a year too early. Is still raw, but has Corey Redding type ability. Long, strong and aggressive.

#5-150 DT Colin Cole, Iowa. Tough, durable and dependable inside player. A tad short, but vastly under-rated.

#6-177 WR Nate Burleson, Nevada. Super productive player. Has knack for getting open and making defenders miss in the open field.

#6-210 S Donnie Nickey, Ohio St. Aggressive safety. Hard hitter who will contribute immediately on special teams.

#7-220 MLB/FB Vinnie Ciurciu, Boston College. Rugged and fast. Ideal special teamer. Former Clemson FB who became BC's MLB and was very productive in the middle.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Interesting

I like Taylor as well. Not many over 6 foot corners out there with that kind of speed.

Peek would be a great selection there.

 

[Ed B]

I've been raving about Peek to anyone who would listen for 9 months.

If we do not select Suggs in round 1, Peek must be the selection in the Second round.

Hey, I was right about Kalimba Edwards last year. I have an eye for severely undersized pass rushers

 

[earthsci]

No C for center in front of anyone's name.

You must be registered for see images

 

[Chris_Sanders]

We don't need a center

I don't understand why everyone wants a center so bad.

I thought Starkey played decent last year and we have Frank Garcia...center and Dishman who can play center.

I figure out of 3 guys, one should be able to hold down the job.

 

[Ed B]

I think we'll take a center towards the middle or bottom of the draft. Starkey was useless last year. Watch the tapes closely. He has no power at all.

 

[spanky]

Walter.....I've read your posts for some time and must say that I find your football savvy to be very helpful in sorting out the "intrigue of it all". This was a particularily well thought out synopsis assuming the trades can be pulled off. I especially like Peek in your thinking......some have him as a fourth rounder but I see him going earlier than that....... but isn't 50th a bit of a reach for him?

 

[SECTION 11]

Originally posted by Walter Mitchell
The new Cardinals. The old Cardinals drafted strictly for need and get burned. These new Cardinals draft for VALUE...with an eye on the future, not the immediate.

I nominate Mr. Mitchell for every award pertinent to message board posting.

 

[earthsci]

Re: We don't need a center

Originally posted by Chris_Sanders
I don't understand why everyone wants a center so bad.

I thought Starkey played decent last year and we have Frank Garcia...center and Dishman who can play center.

I figure out of 3 guys, one should be able to hold down the job.

I was hoping that we would move forward with our thinking and not have guys that can "hold down the job" as opposed to making the ProBowl. There are no guarantees in the draft but since it is a gamble I would bet that Jeff Faine and Al Johnson will both be very, very good centers. The chance to pick up a very, very good player in the second or third round doesn't happen too often. I'll tell you what Chris, and I said this on another thread, if Jeff Faine played any other position other than guard as well as he does center he would be a top 5 pick, if not #1.

 

[Walter Mitchell]

You may be forgetting Steven Grace as well. He's better than any center in this draft that will be avaialble on day two.

I think Jason Starkey has made decent strides year to year and I think he will battle tooth and nail with Frank Garcia for the starting job. But, Steven Grace is the wild card. He looks physically a lot like Damien Woody.

It would be a surprise to see the Cardinals draft any offensive linemen. In fact, they already have training camp depth at all positions.

 

[Walter Mitchell]

Thanks Section 11 and Spanky. I enjoy your posts as well. Thanks for adding humor to the posts S11, you make the reading fun. Thanks for your insights, Spanky.

Peek would be a reach at #37, but not at #50. This is why the Cardinals would be a good position to add an extra draft pick for the #37 and still be able to select a pass rusher like Peek. The #37 will draw some interest in this draft because there are always marquis players who slip to #37 and teams like the Patriots with multiple draft picks can easily trade up for a player they like.

The good news too is that there's another player in the Suggs/Peek speed rusher mold in this draft: Shurron Pierson of South Florida. He's virtually the same size (6-2, 244), and posted a 4.56 40 at the combine. Thus, if the Cardinals trade down from #37 to #50 and Peek is taken in the interim, Pierson would be the logical choice instead. In fact, Pro Football Weekly rates Pierson ahead of Peek (#62 and #64 respectively).

About reach picks in general: Teams generally have one round to decide on a player they like, unless they orchestrate a trade to trade up to get the player. The Cardinals know that the likelihood of Antwan Peek still being on the board at #70 (their third round pick) is very slim. Most of the draft experts have him going in the mid to late second round. Therefore, the Cardinals have to project Peek as a 2nd round pick wherever they select in the second round or concede losing him to another team...unless, of course, they get extremely lucky.

 

[Ed B]

Originally posted by Walter Mitchell

Peek would be a reach at #37, but not at #50. This is why the Cardinals would be a good position to add an extra draft pick for the #37 and still be able to select a pass rusher like Peek. The #37 will draw some interest in this draft because there are always marquis players who slip to #37 and teams like the Patriots with multiple draft picks can easily trade up for a player they like.

Walter, not to get into a pissing contest (I love your posts, all very well thought out) but how many times have you seen Peek? If you have seen him play many times, I suspect you would agree that he is not a huge reach at #37 (Pittsburgh is supposedly considering him at #24......and remember how Bryan Thomas snuck into the first last year) and that he is immeasurably better than a "combine superstar" like Pierson.

Peek can really bring it and he has done it on the field, not just in shorts. He was the entire game when Cincy played Maryland last year. He, not EJ Henderson, was the best player in the stadium.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Faine will be very good

You know,

I saw a mock draft the other day having the Cards go:

Leftwich
Faine

I think it was Krangs. Basically he thinks that the Cards don't have a chance next year (I agree) and when two potential rocks for your team fall to you...you take them and run with it.

I can definitely see his point. Faine is probably as much of a lock to be a great player as anyone in this draft.

 

[Walter Mitchell]

Good point, Ed. The times I saw Peek on ESPN he looked quick on the edge to me...which is just what we need. It's fine with me if they take him at #37. The earliest I've seen him projected in a mock draft is at #58 (Pro Football Weekly). The Sporting News has him going in the 4th round, which we all know is absurd.

Chris: While I agree that Jeff Faine is a first round talent...and a potential future All-Pro at center, he's very likely to be off the board at #37. In my mock draft I have him going to the Bengals with the #33 pick. I still, however, think that Steven Grace could be a very good center in a year or two. And I think that Starkey and Garcia and Dishman, if need be, are solid options in the short term.

 

[Ed B]

Originally posted by Walter Mitchell
Good point, Ed. The times I saw Peek on ESPN he looked quick on the edge to me...which is just what we need. It's fine with me if they take him at #37. The earliest I've seen him projected in a mock draft is at #58 (Pro Football Weekly). The Sporting News has him going in the 4th round, which we all know is absurd.

A mel kiper mock 2 weeks ago on ESPN had Peek at #24. I don't think that's correct or valid, but the guy can really play so I don't think #37 would be a huge reach.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Peek actually started out as a safety in college.On the mock draft,i would be very happy with it except for one pick.In no way, no how,no form do i want Donnie Nickey on this team.He is flat out terrible.He can run that's it.He's not a hitter and has no hands.One of the great mysteries at OSU is how this guy started for 4 years.Back to an earlier post by Ed on who would piss you off if the cards took them;my vote is Donnie Nickey.Back to the mock and Peek.I think he'll be there in round 3.

 

[Ed B]

Originally posted by Cbus cardsfan
Peek actually started out as a safety in college.On the mock draft,i would be very happy with it except for one pick.In no way, no how,no form do i want Donnie Nickey on this team.He is flat out terrible.He can run that's it.He's not a hitter and has no hands.One of the great mysteries at OSU is how this guy started for 4 years.Back to an earlier post by Ed on who would piss you off if the cards took them;my vote is Donnie Nickey.Back to the mock and Peek.I think he'll be there in round 3.

If defensive linemen start flying off the board after pick #15 like everyone seems to be predicting, a guy with Peek's amount of edge-rushing skill will not last till round 3.

 

[MadCardDisease]

Originally posted by Walter Mitchell
Good point, Ed. The times I saw Peek on ESPN he looked quick on the edge to me...which is just what we need. It's fine with me if they take him at #37. The earliest I've seen him projected in a mock draft is at #58 (Pro Football Weekly). The Sporting News has him going in the 4th round, which we all know is absurd.

I don't think it's absurb. Peek would be such a tiny DE. Also he doesn't have the lower body strength that you see in the sucessful speed rushers like Freeney. He will probably never be an every down player.

I think he goes in the third round. Even then I think that is a reach.