Playing Draft-tek Combos for Cardinals' Draft

[Mitch]

Here are three combinations of the Cardinals' draft, using Draft-tek's board...the first is their picks for the Cardinals:

1. Prince Amukamara, CB, 6-1, 205, Nebraska
2. Blaine Gabbert, QB, 6-5, 240, Missouri
3. Mike Pouncey, G, 6-4, 310, Florida
4. Kendrick Ellis, NT, 6-5, 340, Hampton
5. Curt Porter, T, 6-7, 315, Jacksonville St.
6. Brooks Reed, OLB, 6-3, 255, Arizona
6. Delone Carter, RB, Syracuse, 5-10, 215

Analysis: If all the Cardinals did to upgrade the OLB position in this draft is wait until the 6th round to pick Brooks Reed (whom I like at that point, but realistically can't see playing much early on in his career)...it would be same old same old. We've seen QBs like Jimmy Clausen fall into the second round...so it's possible Gabbert could, but highly unlikely. Amukamara, Pouncey, Ellis and Porter are all very good picks where they are taken...no reaches.

This second group is what I call the +1 Draft...do you ever get the feeling that the player taken right after the Cardinals' pick is the better choice? Well, here are the players Draft-tek picked immediately after each of the Cardinals' picks:

1. A.J. Green, WR, 6-4, 205, Georgia
2. Corey Liuget, DT, 6-3, 300, Illinois
3. Mark Herzlich, OLB, 6-3, 238, Boston College
4. Chris White, SILB, 6-3, 245, Mississippi St.
5. Josh Bynes, SILB, 6-2, 240, Auburn
6. Cecil Shorts III, WR, 6-0, 192, Mt. Union
6. Kenrick Burney, CB, 5-9, 190, North Carolina

Analysis: This draft actually does a better job of improving the talent at need areas on defense, while making the Cardinals even more dynamic at WR...and with Fitz and Breaston's statuses up in the air...not a bad idea at all. But...no speed rusher. Herzlich would be a very good player at SOLB, and if Schofield were to shine at WOLB, the combo would be good. And...no o-linemen...which is not ideal, although the Cardinals, if they re-sign Lutui have 9 solid returnees there already.

And this one is using Draft-tek's "alternate picks"---they list them to the right of each pick, and there are two choices, so I took what I thought was the best fit:

1. Robert Quinn, OLB, 6-5, 268, North Carolina
2. Tyron Smith, T, 6-6, 285, USC
3. James Carpenter, T, 6-5, 305, Alabama
4. Sione Fua, DT, 6-2, 307, Stanford
5. Brooks Reed, OLB, 6-3, 255, Arizona
6. Matt Conrath, 34DE, 6-7, 270, Virginia
6. Damian Berry, RB, 5-11, 217, Miami

Is this a better draft than the other two?

Which one of the three would you pick?

Or, let's try this:

Make your own combination, using the choices at each pick.

Mine would be:

1. Robert Quinn, OLB, North Carolina
2. Tyron Smith, T, USC
3. Mike Pouncey, G, Florida
4. Sione Fua, DT, Stanford
5. Josh Bynes, ILB, Auburn
6. Cecil Shorts III, WR, Mt. Union
6. Damian Berry, RB, Miami

Rationale: In Quinn we get the speed rusher we need. With T Smith, he's the athletic backside pass protector we need, which allows us to kick Levi Brown down to LG, where he would could dominate. Pouncey, like his brother, can play center. Fua takes branch's place and is a backup option at NT. Bynes we need at SILB. Shorts is a sleeper deluxe and Berry, if he regains his strength would be an out and out steal.

What would your combination be?

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

I like all those combos for the Cards. I really like Corey Liguet, i just don't know if he'd be effective in a 3-4. Every game I saw Illinois play he was the about the best player on the field and always had an impact on the game. He reminds of the guy from Notre Dame a couple years ago. I think he plays for Philly now, but every game I saw ND play that year he was making plays all game.

Out of those mine would be
Quinn
Gabbert
Carpenter
Ellis-he's a guy i also really like.

 

[Cardiac]

They have Houston going at the 50th pick and Gabbert falls to the 2nd. Not sure there is much info to gather from these mocks.

 

[Snakester]

I am torn between AJ Green and Robert Quinn. Blaine Gabbert in the second round, if the draft only would happen that way for real. Most drafts have Pouncey going late first or ealy second so getting him in the third would be alright by me.

 

[Mainstreet]

If a coveted QB drops to #5 (it's in the eye of the beholder) and the Cardinals have other plans, I can see them sliding down a few notches for picks.

 

[Krangodnzr]

I am torn between AJ Green and Robert Quinn. Blaine Gabbert in the second round, if the draft only would happen that way for real. Most drafts have Pouncey going late first or ealy second so getting him in the third would be alright by me.

I like Quinn a lot too.

AJ Green is going to be good, but if I'm even thinking of drafting a WR, I'll wait till next year and get South Carolina WR Alshon Jeffery who IMO is a much better prospect than Green. But that doesn't mean I'd be upset, Fitz and Green together would give you two top wideouts. Green would be the speedier option, but he still has great size and hands too.

I've heard that Pouncey is not as good as his brother and is not solidly a 1st round prospect. I don't like the idea of getting an interior lineman since IMO, Hadnot, Sendlein, and Lutui will be a solid *********. We need a tackle prospect to replace Levi Brown.

 

[Krangodnzr]

They have Houston going at the 50th pick and Gabbert falls to the 2nd. Not sure there is much info to gather from these mocks.

If Houston is there we HAVE to take him. Even if we got Quinn and signed a solid veteran. It would be too much of a value at a position of high need.

 

[azsportsfan01]

Pouncey will be gone before the 3rd round.

 

[Cards Czar]

They have an input section that you can change. This site is good but remember that it is based on there input on our needs. You can go and change the imputs on any team then look at what the draft would look like. They have our OLB at a 4. We should be at a 2. That would change on how we draft in the 1st. Go try it, its fun.

 

[Cardiac]

If Houston is there we HAVE to take him. Even if we got Quinn and signed a solid veteran. It would be too much of a value at a position of high need.

I agree because I doubt at this point Gabbert will be there and it seems very unlikely Houston will either.

 

[CtCardinals78]

Pouncey will be gone before the 3rd round.

I saw in one mock draft with him going in the late first. It would be cool if the Steelers got him and they have two brothers on the Oline.

 

[splitsecond]

Brooks Reed will make the right team with the right guy developing LB's very happy after a year in the league. Dude is all motor and works his ass off. He basically is the 3rd Matthews brother in more ways than just hair. Plus, you always have to root for a local boy.

If AJ Green is available when the Cards pick, it would be foolish not to take him. He is the closest thing to Fitz since Fitz. I get that a speed rusher is a necessity, but we may be stretching taking one at 5 if Green i there.

 

[DoTheDew]

Gabbert in the second? That would be a miracle.
Pouncey in the third? That would simply mean hell has frozen over. Every mock I have seen has him going between 10 and 32.

Ellis, Porter and Carter would probably all pan out for us. Whiz has had major success with small school guys since he came here.

 

[DoTheDew]

If AJ Green is available when the Cards pick, it would be foolish not to take him. He is the closest thing to Fitz since Fitz. I get that a speed rusher is a necessity, but we may be stretching taking one at 5 if Green i there.

Disagree completely. If we want to be successful we should emulate the teams that keep on winning. Pittsburgh and New England. Investing tons of money and high draft picks in the WR position for a player that is lucky to get 10 touches a game is foolish. Elite QBs can make mediocre WRs into pro bowlers. Elite WRs like Fitz can't make DA or Hall or other bad to mediocre QBs into good QBs.

Let's look at the teams that have drafted WRs in the top 10 from 2001 to 2010.
2009 Oakland, SF
2007 Detroit, Miami
2005 Cleveland, Minnesota, Detroit
2004 Arizona, Detroit, Jacksonville
2003 Detroit, Houston
2001 Chicago, Seattle

Of those teams, only Arizona, Seattle and Miami made the playoffs with the WRs drafted in those years.
Of those WRs, you have complete busts in David Terrell, Koren Robinson, Charles Rodgers, Reggie Williams, Troy Williamson, Ted Ginn Jr. (6)
You have middle of the pack/#2 or #3 guys in Roy Willams, Braylon Edwards, Mike Williams. (3)
You have 2 guys who look to be coming on but could go either way in Heyward-Bay and Crabtree
And you have superstars in Fitz, Andre Johnson, Calvin Johnson (3).

So in the top ten you bust half the time. You get a role player almost a quarter of the time. A superstar almost a quarter of the time. You get a guy who is a major reason you are in and winning playoff games just once, with Fitz.

 

[Cardiac]

Disagree completely. If we want to be successful we should emulate the teams that keep on winning. Pittsburgh and New England. Investing tons of money and high draft picks in the WR position for a player that is lucky to get 10 touches a game is foolish. Elite QBs can make mediocre WRs into pro bowlers. Elite WRs like Fitz can't make DA or Hall or other bad to mediocre QBs into good QBs.

Let's look at the teams that have drafted WRs in the top 10 from 2001 to 2010.
2009 Oakland, SF
2007 Detroit, Miami
2005 Cleveland, Minnesota, Detroit
2004 Arizona, Detroit, Jacksonville
2003 Detroit, Houston
2001 Chicago, Seattle

Of those teams, only Arizona, Seattle and Miami made the playoffs with the WRs drafted in those years.
Of those WRs, you have complete busts in David Terrell, Koren Robinson, Charles Rodgers, Reggie Williams, Troy Williamson, Ted Ginn Jr. (6)
You have middle of the pack/#2 or #3 guys in Roy Willams, Braylon Edwards, Mike Williams. (3)
You have 2 guys who look to be coming on but could go either way in Heyward-Bay and Crabtree
And you have superstars in Fitz, Andre Johnson, Calvin Johnson (3).

So in the top ten you bust half the time. You get a role player almost a quarter of the time. A superstar almost a quarter of the time. You get a guy who is a major reason you are in and winning playoff games just once, with Fitz.

Quality post. I'd add that Detriot has done this twice and probably has the worst W/L record over that time. One other note is that Fitz is potentially the best of the bunch cost us a franchise QB in Phillip Rivers.

 

[WildBB]

Pouncey will be gone before the 3rd round.

And Gabbart before the 2nd. They would be obvious choices where they fall.

 

[DoTheDew]

Quality post. I'd add that Detriot has done this twice and probably has the worst W/L record over that time. One other note is that Fitz is potentially the best of the bunch cost us a franchise QB in Phillip Rivers.

I wouldn't go as far as saying I wouldn't still draft Fitz. What hurts worse is that the next year we took Antrel Rolle and passed on Aaron Rodgers.

 

[Early]

1) trade down and get a 2nd and 3rd
2) Cameron Jordan, DE/DT
2) Ryan Kerrigan, DE
3) Brandon Harris, CB
3) Christian Ponder, QB
4) Austin Pettis, WR
5) Jimmy Smith, CB
6) Pat Devlin, QB

Use money in FA to sign a vet QB, tackle and a guard.

get a real DC - we win the division

 

[Cardiac]

I wouldn't go as far as saying I wouldn't still draft Fitz. What hurts worse is that the next year we took Antrel Rolle and passed on Aaron Rodgers.

It's tuff for me to say anything remotely negative about Fitz.

If we draft Rivers then we probably don't lose Q. We don't spend a #10 pick on the the Matt Leenart. Of course then who knows if Warner starts for us and if we would still get to the SB.

I agree that passing Rodgers for Rolle hurt a lot worse. You do realize that means we would have had taken him in the top 10, right.

 

[Early]

1) trade down and get a 2nd and 3rd
2) Cameron Jordan, DE/DT
2) Ryan Kerrigan, DE
3) Brandon Harris, CB
3) Christian Ponder, QB
4) Austin Pettis, WR
5) Jimmy Smith, CB
6) Pat Devlin, QB

Use money in FA to sign a vet QB, tackle and a guard.

get a real DC - we win the division

fotgot mark Herzlich, top 5 player in the draft that can be drafted mid rounds, I want him in there somewhere as well somehow