Well, Christmas is here football fans. In less than half an hour, we can start opening our presents.
This will be the official 1st round blog of The Perfect Pass.
1st Round:
1. Colts - QB Andrew Luck, Stanford
2. Redskins (trade)- QB Robert Griffin III, Baylor
3. Browns (trade)- RB Trent Richardson, Alabama
4. Vikings (trade)- LT Matt Kalil, USC
5. Jaguars (trade) - WR Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State
6. Cowboys (trade) - CB Morris Claiborne, LSU
7. Buccaneers - S Mark Barron, Alabama
8. Dolphins - QB Ryan Tannehill, Texans A&M
9. Panthers - LB Mike Kuechly, Boston College
10. Bills - CB Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina
11. Chiefs - NT Dontari Poe, Memphis
12. Eagles (trade) - DT Fletcher Cox, Mississippi State
13. Cardinals - WR Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
14. Rams (trade) - DT Michael Brockers, LSU
15. Seahawks (trade) - LB/DE Bruce Irvin, West Virginia
16. Jets - DE/LB Quinton Coples, North Carolina
17. Bengals - CB Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama
18. Chargers - LB Melvin Ingram, South Carolina
19. Bears - DE Shea McClellin, Boise State
20. Titans - WR Kendall Wright, Baylor
21. Patriots (trade) - DE Chandler Jones, Syracuse
22. Browns - QB Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State
23. Lions - LT Riley Reiff, Iowa
24. Steelers - OG David DeCastro, Stanford
25. Patriots (trade) - LB Dont'a Hightower, Alabama
26. Texans - LB Whitney Mercilus, Illinois
27. Bengals - G Kevin Zeitler, Wisconsin
28. Packers - LB Nick Perry, USC
29. Vikings (trade) - S Harrison Smith, Notre Dame
30. 49ers - WR AJ Jenkins, Illinois
31. Buccaneers (trade) - RB Doug Martin, Boise State
32. Giants - RB David Wilson, Virginia Tech
7: 45 pm: Like I said before, with the rookie wage scale in the new collective bargaining agreement, I expect more teams to trade-up than in the past and the Browns have already moved up one spot to #3 to seemingly block anyone else (most likely Tampa Bay) from taking the #1 player on their board - RB Trent Richardson. We heard all month that the Vikings were desperately trying to trade out of the #3 spot and also that they were NOT going to take OT Matt Kalil if they stayed at that spot but instead would take CB Morris Claiborne. In that case, Tampa Bay would have lost out on two of its top players and left with Kalil and Blackmon to pick from (pretty good consolation prize if you ask me). And in anticipation of a possible trade up by Tampa Bay, the Browns moved up one spot and gave up 4 picks to do it (their #4, and picks in the 4th, 5th, and 7th round).
7:54 pm: I'm hearing the Jaguars are looking to trade up to pick Blackmon. But I'm not sure the Vikings will be amenable to moving down to 7 and risk losing Claiborne. They extracted 3 late round picks from the Browns to move down one spot and still have the sole power to select Claiborne - moving down to #7 would be being greedy and might come back to bite them. Let's see if the Vikings bite.
7:58 pm: The Lions remain very interested in safety Mark Barron from Alabama. If the Bills' love for Barron is true, then the Lions will have to move into the top 10 to get him. Moving up to the top 10 from #23 will cost the Lions at least their 1st, 2nd and mid-round picks. The move makes sense from the Lions' perspective as they already have a loaded roster and few holes. They would add the best safety in this year's draft and some say the best safety to come out since the late Sean Taylor.
8:04 pm: Re the Bills' love for Mark Barron - He's certainly the top safety, by far, in this year's draft. And he's an elite talent. But one other thing to keep in mind is that the Bills face Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez twice a year. Additionally with more teams utilizing tight ends in the passing game, safeties who can cover tight ends and do everything else they are asked to do (play in the box against the run, play in zone coverage against wide receivers, cover slot receivers etc.) are becoming more valuable. I'm still not completely sold that Barron is worth the 10th pick, but I'll tell you this - at worst he'll be a decent safety.
8:10 pm: As expected Luck went #1 to the Colts. His readiness for the NFL, in my opinion, is second to none. He gets it. And he's still got a lot of learning to do. I can't wait to see how much better he gets.
8:13 pm: And again, as expected, RGIII goes #2 to the Redskins. He's the most dynamic player in this draft and he may be the most dynamic player to play the position. He's just as fast and elusive as Michael Vick but a much better passer. His ceiling is higher than even Luck, in my opinion, but he's not as safe as Luck. He needs to be disciplined to stay in the pocket and learn to go through his progressions - that will be his surest way to stay on the field for the whole season.
8: 20 pm: Trent Richardson goes 3rd to the Browns. He's the best non-QB in this draft. And forget about all the talk about the running back position being devalued. Backs that can run inside, outside, with speed and strength, can catch and block, simply are too valuable. He's the best running back prospect to come out since Adrian Peterson.
8:23 pm: I fully expect the Vikes to pick Morris Claiborne. Let's see what happens.....
8:27 pm: The Jags have moved up 2 spots to #5 - most likely to select Justin Blackmon.
8:28 pm: Vikings took Kalil! Wow I guess all that Claiborne talk was really a smokescreen. I now think that the Jags will pick Claiborne, leaving the Rams with Blackmon.
8:32 pm: And Jacksonville sticks with Blackmon. They've tried almost everything at WR and I think they had to make a move like this. The Cowboys have now moved up to #6 - this has to be Claiborne!
8:38 pm: And Claiborne to Cowboys. Tampa Bay on the clock - Barron is the only "elite" player left, in my opinion.
8:45 pm: Barron it is. I think he's the safest player in this draft not named Luck. Good pick for the Bucs - he's like a 4th linebacker in the run game and a pretty good cover safety.
8:47 pm: I'm guessing Tannehill to Miami. If not him, then they'll be calling me to play QB.
8:49 pm: A little interesting tidbit here - St. Louis Rams officially own the 2nd round of this draft. They have the 32, 33, 39, and 45 overall picks (courtesy of Peter King from Sports Illustrated).
8:53 pm: I think Tannehill definitely has the skills to play QB in the NFL, but he's incredibly green and needs to hold the clipboard for at least one year. I don't know if he'll get that in Miami. In the top 10, I think the perfect team for him to go to would've been the Bills.
8:57 pm: Wow, I love the Kuechly pick but I didn't see that one coming at all. I thought that was Fletcher Cox all the way. And the Bills pick is already in - please don't be another RB!
8:59 pm: I like this pick by the Bills. I thought Gilmore would be gone by this point, he's been rising fast the past 2 weeks. He might end up being the best corner in this draft (great size, speed, and quickness/agility) - and I'm not just saying that as a Bills fan.
9:19 pm: Poe and Cox are the two best defensive tackles in this draft, but man pairing Floyd with Larry Fitzgerald, that Arizona offense has some serious potential. But who will be throwing the ball? And almost just as importantly, who will protect the blindside?
9:27 pm: The Rams, after trading out of their original spot in the 1st round twice already, finally make their first selection - Michael Brockers.
9:31 pm: The Seahawks made a huge reach for Irvin, in my opinion. I think he's a 2nd round pick who's really just a part-time player in the NFL. He's an excellent pass rusher, but he'll get pushed around against the run and he's got lots of off-the-field question marks. I didn't like this pick at all. I'm guessing in the 4-man front, Irvin will play defensive end which pretty much means he'll be relegated to obvious passing situations at least his first year.
9:39 pm: Even the Jets couldn't screw this up. They had the choice between all the top pass rushers in this draft (Sorry but Irvin was not in my top 5) and they take the one with the most upside - Quinton Coples. With that size though, I just don't know if he'll line up at DE or OLB in that 3-4. Most likely the Jets will include some hybrid fronts in their defense to incorporate the talented but inconsistent pass-rusher.
9:45 pm: I think the Chargers take Ingram or DeCastro and laugh all the way to the bank. And the Bears will be right behind them with Riley Reiff. All three were projected top 12 picks.
9:59 pm: At this rate, I think a team like the Rams (four 2nd round picks) should move up to take Riley Reiff.
10:00 pm: The run on pass-rushers is officially underway. Titans might take another one here, unless they reach for a corner. Janoris Jenkins would be a great pick from a talent standpoint, but you gotta keep him out of trouble off the field.
10:08 pm: Jake Locker has some nice weapons in Britt and now Wright. In other news, the hoodie strikes again. The Pats moved up to #21 and will select Chandler Jones - the most natural and consistent pass-rusher in this year's draft.
10:13 pm: Re Browns taking Weeden: So much for all that "confidence" in McCoy. I like this pick but I question his ability to play in the face of a pass-rush. Good thing the Browns have his blindside covered with one of the best LTs in the league - Joe Thomas.
10:18 pm: The second best LT and the best OG last till the 23rd and 24th pick. Both the Lions and the Steelers got great steals.
10:28 pm: Pats add another front-7 defender, another very solid pick.
10:40 pm: Nick Perry is an intriguing pick by the Packers. He's extremely athletic and lit up the combine but his tape was filled with mostly mediocre play sprinkled with eye-popping plays. Very hot and cold.
10:49 pm: Denver keeps trading down, now won't pick until the 2nd round (Tampa Bay will pick at 31 now). I think they're targeting QB Brock Osweiler to hold the clipboard behind Peyton Manning.
10:58 pm: Doug Martin is an excellent pick for Tampa Bay and kudos to them for moving in front of the Giants to take him. He's a complete running back, and he's really not a bad consolation price for missing out on Trent Richardson for the Bucs.
11:04 pm: Giants take RB David Wilson closing out the first round. More of a speed back, but he's a well-rounded player. I think the Giants really wanted Doug Martin. 12 of the 32 picks tonight were acquired via trade - pretty awesome. That's all for tonight. I'll see you all back here tomorrow for rounds 2-3.
This will be the official 1st round blog of The Perfect Pass.
1st Round:
1. Colts - QB Andrew Luck, Stanford
2. Redskins (trade)- QB Robert Griffin III, Baylor
3. Browns (trade)- RB Trent Richardson, Alabama
4. Vikings (trade)- LT Matt Kalil, USC
5. Jaguars (trade) - WR Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State
6. Cowboys (trade) - CB Morris Claiborne, LSU
7. Buccaneers - S Mark Barron, Alabama
8. Dolphins - QB Ryan Tannehill, Texans A&M
9. Panthers - LB Mike Kuechly, Boston College
10. Bills - CB Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina
11. Chiefs - NT Dontari Poe, Memphis
12. Eagles (trade) - DT Fletcher Cox, Mississippi State
13. Cardinals - WR Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
14. Rams (trade) - DT Michael Brockers, LSU
15. Seahawks (trade) - LB/DE Bruce Irvin, West Virginia
16. Jets - DE/LB Quinton Coples, North Carolina
17. Bengals - CB Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama
18. Chargers - LB Melvin Ingram, South Carolina
19. Bears - DE Shea McClellin, Boise State
20. Titans - WR Kendall Wright, Baylor
21. Patriots (trade) - DE Chandler Jones, Syracuse
22. Browns - QB Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State
23. Lions - LT Riley Reiff, Iowa
24. Steelers - OG David DeCastro, Stanford
25. Patriots (trade) - LB Dont'a Hightower, Alabama
26. Texans - LB Whitney Mercilus, Illinois
27. Bengals - G Kevin Zeitler, Wisconsin
28. Packers - LB Nick Perry, USC
29. Vikings (trade) - S Harrison Smith, Notre Dame
30. 49ers - WR AJ Jenkins, Illinois
31. Buccaneers (trade) - RB Doug Martin, Boise State
32. Giants - RB David Wilson, Virginia Tech
7: 45 pm: Like I said before, with the rookie wage scale in the new collective bargaining agreement, I expect more teams to trade-up than in the past and the Browns have already moved up one spot to #3 to seemingly block anyone else (most likely Tampa Bay) from taking the #1 player on their board - RB Trent Richardson. We heard all month that the Vikings were desperately trying to trade out of the #3 spot and also that they were NOT going to take OT Matt Kalil if they stayed at that spot but instead would take CB Morris Claiborne. In that case, Tampa Bay would have lost out on two of its top players and left with Kalil and Blackmon to pick from (pretty good consolation prize if you ask me). And in anticipation of a possible trade up by Tampa Bay, the Browns moved up one spot and gave up 4 picks to do it (their #4, and picks in the 4th, 5th, and 7th round).
7:54 pm: I'm hearing the Jaguars are looking to trade up to pick Blackmon. But I'm not sure the Vikings will be amenable to moving down to 7 and risk losing Claiborne. They extracted 3 late round picks from the Browns to move down one spot and still have the sole power to select Claiborne - moving down to #7 would be being greedy and might come back to bite them. Let's see if the Vikings bite.
7:58 pm: The Lions remain very interested in safety Mark Barron from Alabama. If the Bills' love for Barron is true, then the Lions will have to move into the top 10 to get him. Moving up to the top 10 from #23 will cost the Lions at least their 1st, 2nd and mid-round picks. The move makes sense from the Lions' perspective as they already have a loaded roster and few holes. They would add the best safety in this year's draft and some say the best safety to come out since the late Sean Taylor.
8:04 pm: Re the Bills' love for Mark Barron - He's certainly the top safety, by far, in this year's draft. And he's an elite talent. But one other thing to keep in mind is that the Bills face Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez twice a year. Additionally with more teams utilizing tight ends in the passing game, safeties who can cover tight ends and do everything else they are asked to do (play in the box against the run, play in zone coverage against wide receivers, cover slot receivers etc.) are becoming more valuable. I'm still not completely sold that Barron is worth the 10th pick, but I'll tell you this - at worst he'll be a decent safety.
8:10 pm: As expected Luck went #1 to the Colts. His readiness for the NFL, in my opinion, is second to none. He gets it. And he's still got a lot of learning to do. I can't wait to see how much better he gets.
8:13 pm: And again, as expected, RGIII goes #2 to the Redskins. He's the most dynamic player in this draft and he may be the most dynamic player to play the position. He's just as fast and elusive as Michael Vick but a much better passer. His ceiling is higher than even Luck, in my opinion, but he's not as safe as Luck. He needs to be disciplined to stay in the pocket and learn to go through his progressions - that will be his surest way to stay on the field for the whole season.
8: 20 pm: Trent Richardson goes 3rd to the Browns. He's the best non-QB in this draft. And forget about all the talk about the running back position being devalued. Backs that can run inside, outside, with speed and strength, can catch and block, simply are too valuable. He's the best running back prospect to come out since Adrian Peterson.
8:23 pm: I fully expect the Vikes to pick Morris Claiborne. Let's see what happens.....
8:27 pm: The Jags have moved up 2 spots to #5 - most likely to select Justin Blackmon.
8:28 pm: Vikings took Kalil! Wow I guess all that Claiborne talk was really a smokescreen. I now think that the Jags will pick Claiborne, leaving the Rams with Blackmon.
8:32 pm: And Jacksonville sticks with Blackmon. They've tried almost everything at WR and I think they had to make a move like this. The Cowboys have now moved up to #6 - this has to be Claiborne!
8:38 pm: And Claiborne to Cowboys. Tampa Bay on the clock - Barron is the only "elite" player left, in my opinion.
8:45 pm: Barron it is. I think he's the safest player in this draft not named Luck. Good pick for the Bucs - he's like a 4th linebacker in the run game and a pretty good cover safety.
8:47 pm: I'm guessing Tannehill to Miami. If not him, then they'll be calling me to play QB.
8:49 pm: A little interesting tidbit here - St. Louis Rams officially own the 2nd round of this draft. They have the 32, 33, 39, and 45 overall picks (courtesy of Peter King from Sports Illustrated).
8:53 pm: I think Tannehill definitely has the skills to play QB in the NFL, but he's incredibly green and needs to hold the clipboard for at least one year. I don't know if he'll get that in Miami. In the top 10, I think the perfect team for him to go to would've been the Bills.
8:57 pm: Wow, I love the Kuechly pick but I didn't see that one coming at all. I thought that was Fletcher Cox all the way. And the Bills pick is already in - please don't be another RB!
8:59 pm: I like this pick by the Bills. I thought Gilmore would be gone by this point, he's been rising fast the past 2 weeks. He might end up being the best corner in this draft (great size, speed, and quickness/agility) - and I'm not just saying that as a Bills fan.
9:19 pm: Poe and Cox are the two best defensive tackles in this draft, but man pairing Floyd with Larry Fitzgerald, that Arizona offense has some serious potential. But who will be throwing the ball? And almost just as importantly, who will protect the blindside?
9:27 pm: The Rams, after trading out of their original spot in the 1st round twice already, finally make their first selection - Michael Brockers.
9:31 pm: The Seahawks made a huge reach for Irvin, in my opinion. I think he's a 2nd round pick who's really just a part-time player in the NFL. He's an excellent pass rusher, but he'll get pushed around against the run and he's got lots of off-the-field question marks. I didn't like this pick at all. I'm guessing in the 4-man front, Irvin will play defensive end which pretty much means he'll be relegated to obvious passing situations at least his first year.
9:39 pm: Even the Jets couldn't screw this up. They had the choice between all the top pass rushers in this draft (Sorry but Irvin was not in my top 5) and they take the one with the most upside - Quinton Coples. With that size though, I just don't know if he'll line up at DE or OLB in that 3-4. Most likely the Jets will include some hybrid fronts in their defense to incorporate the talented but inconsistent pass-rusher.
9:45 pm: I think the Chargers take Ingram or DeCastro and laugh all the way to the bank. And the Bears will be right behind them with Riley Reiff. All three were projected top 12 picks.
9:59 pm: At this rate, I think a team like the Rams (four 2nd round picks) should move up to take Riley Reiff.
10:00 pm: The run on pass-rushers is officially underway. Titans might take another one here, unless they reach for a corner. Janoris Jenkins would be a great pick from a talent standpoint, but you gotta keep him out of trouble off the field.
10:08 pm: Jake Locker has some nice weapons in Britt and now Wright. In other news, the hoodie strikes again. The Pats moved up to #21 and will select Chandler Jones - the most natural and consistent pass-rusher in this year's draft.
10:13 pm: Re Browns taking Weeden: So much for all that "confidence" in McCoy. I like this pick but I question his ability to play in the face of a pass-rush. Good thing the Browns have his blindside covered with one of the best LTs in the league - Joe Thomas.
10:18 pm: The second best LT and the best OG last till the 23rd and 24th pick. Both the Lions and the Steelers got great steals.
10:28 pm: Pats add another front-7 defender, another very solid pick.
10:40 pm: Nick Perry is an intriguing pick by the Packers. He's extremely athletic and lit up the combine but his tape was filled with mostly mediocre play sprinkled with eye-popping plays. Very hot and cold.
10:49 pm: Denver keeps trading down, now won't pick until the 2nd round (Tampa Bay will pick at 31 now). I think they're targeting QB Brock Osweiler to hold the clipboard behind Peyton Manning.
10:58 pm: Doug Martin is an excellent pick for Tampa Bay and kudos to them for moving in front of the Giants to take him. He's a complete running back, and he's really not a bad consolation price for missing out on Trent Richardson for the Bucs.
11:04 pm: Giants take RB David Wilson closing out the first round. More of a speed back, but he's a well-rounded player. I think the Giants really wanted Doug Martin. 12 of the 32 picks tonight were acquired via trade - pretty awesome. That's all for tonight. I'll see you all back here tomorrow for rounds 2-3.
RGIII baby, finally somewhat relevant again
ReplyDeleteRGIII in DC..... Redskins got the QB they wanted
ReplyDeleteI don't like the Titans pick I thought the need was either on the OL, DL or secondary. I thought DeCastro or Reiff would be pick
ReplyDeleteI'm not a huge fan either - but they must've really liked Wright. I think he could be a dynamic player like DeSean Jackson.
DeleteI guess they really liked him I know he is playmaker but i think they had more of a need to upgrade the OL, DL and secondary.
DeleteI agree. But I'm not surprised - the Titans usually stick to their board.
Delete