Old heads: Who did you want in the 01’ draft?

[GatorAZ]

The 2000-01 Cards went 3-13 losing 10 of their last 11 games. They were dog breathe bad but not bad enough to get Michael Vick because San Diego got the #1 before trading back for LaDainian Tomlinson and a bunch of picks. As a kid I remember loving David Terrell from Michigan. I don’t remember much outrage over Big Leonard but he wasn’t close to a #2 overall pick even had he been a guard from day 1.

Ended up being a good draft…

Five players ended up having over 10k yards from scrimmage:
Tomlinson
Steve Smith
Reggie Wayne
Chad Johnson
Santana Moss

HOF QB:
Drew Brees

4 or more Pro Bowls (other than players above)
Steve Hutchinson
Richard Seymour
Justin Smith
Adrian Wilson (nice pick Ferg)
Mike Vick
Kris Jenkins

3 Pro bowls:
Kyle Vanden Bosch (post AZ)

Ferguson was fired the next year.

 

[Solar7]

I was just starting high school during this draft, and had really cemented my love of the Cards in '98 (I was always a fan, but Plummer's Cardiac Cards made me really care), so it's not like I had any really hot takes. If I remember right, I was on AZProSports with a lot of people, who I think came from Cards Corner on AOL. It wasn't long until we migrated to ASFN in 2002.

Drafting Leonard Davis seemed like a no-brainer though. He was a can't-miss left tackle that had blocked for Ricky Williams. If I remember right, he only played at guard for what was supposed to be a temporary thing, because we'd drafted LJ Shelton in the first round, and were building "The Big Red Line." One of them would switch to a different tackle side, in a perfect world. I think we also had Anthony Clement, that overpaid guard from the Seahawks and... Joel Makovicka? He either played C or FB, and I don't want to check Google to see if I'm right.

LD had no motivation here, and always wanted to be a Cowboy. I think if he gave a damn, he would have played well. In all honesty, like you mentioned, with him, KVB, and ADub as part of the same draft, it wasn't that bad in retrospect.

Wild to believe it was Ferguson's last draft, and as I repeat a lot... he was the last GM from outside of the org we've ever had.

Long story short, I did want to draft Leonard Davis.

 

[LA Redbird]

I sold Leonard Davis a few trucks at Earnhardt's Dodge. White dually manual 3500s. Dude is a real cowboy.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Loved David Terrell. Thought he was best player in the draft. oops.

 

[TheCardFan]

At that time, I was actually attending the Senior Bowl and had credentials as a "Cardinals online reporter". I got to be on the field during practices, at the social events, etc.
Made friends with Tony Pauline we met up at the Senior Bowl for a few years in a row. Tony and Adam Caplan always made fun of me for being a Cardinals fan. Good times.

I don't remember who I wanted to pick that year - would love to find some of those old senior bowl reports. I can tell you that standing on the field and watching practices - Steve Hutchinson was a guy that you could tell was going to be great.

 

[outcent13]

I really liked Terrell as well and I thought we had a need there but I can’t remember. Than Seymour followed by Hutchinson.

 

[kerouac9]

I sold Leonard Davis a few trucks at Earnhardt's Dodge. White dually manual 3500s. Dude is a real cowboy.

Remember when he saved that lady’s horse? Only good memories of Big Davis.

Anthony Gruttaduria was supposed to be the center for the Big Red Line. Joel Mackovicka was a fullback and later involved in a drug trafficking scandal IIRC. Nebraskas pride.

 

[PACardsFan]

At that time, I was actually attending the Senior Bowl and had credentials as a "Cardinals online reporter". I got to be on the field during practices, at the social events, etc.
Made friends with Tony Pauline we met up at the Senior Bowl for a few years in a row. Tony and Adam Caplan always made fun of me for being a Cardinals fan. Good times.

I don't remember who I wanted to pick that year - would love to find some of those old senior bowl reports. I can tell you that standing on the field and watching practices - Steve Hutchinson was a guy that you could tell was going to be great.

The guy I wanted was Steve Hutchinson. Leonard Davis was an absolute behemoth of a man, but I never thought he was nasty enough for my liking.

 

[football karma]

LD had no motivation here,

not sure if thats true

the team moved him around a lot -- RT, guard, etc -- but his contract was high as a result of his draft status in the pre- slotting days.

Guard was by far his best position, but he was paid like a premier LT

I think it was Denny who basically declared that for the money had had to be a LT -- where he just wasnt very good-

IIRC, he had a injury that year as well

so Denny basically ran him off-- and he left in FA and became a great guard

 

[Chopper0080]

I wanted Leonard Davis and was happy when we took him. Another guy we mismanaged IMO.

 

[Dback Jon]

In all honesty, like you mentioned, with him, KVB, and ADub as part of the same draft, it wasn't that bad in retrospect.

Wild to believe it was Ferguson's last draft, and as I repeat a lot... he was the last GM from outside of the org we've ever had.

Long story short, I did want to draft Leonard Davis.

He also drafted a damn Kicker at the top of the 4th round...

 

[Stout]

He also drafted a damn Kicker at the top of the 4th round...

Who blew out his knee in a celebration.

 

[Dback Jon]

Who blew out his knee in a celebration.

That encapsulates the Cardinals to a T

 

[overseascardfan]

I really wanted Justin Smith and Fred Smoot. Vanden Bosch didn’t turn into a PB until he left ARZ same with Davis but it also took a position change to OG but DAL reaped the rewards.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I wanted Leonard Davis and was happy when we took him. Another guy we mismanaged IMO.

Same. He wasn’t a sexy pick but I thought we needed to strengthen the line and I wasn’t sure about LT.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Who blew out his knee in a celebration.

In the 1ST QUARTER.

ON A 38 YARDER!!!