As previously reported, the Ravens brought in 4 WR’s to tryout at mini-camp. Those 4, now 3 recievers are Jerry Porter, Kelly washington andTab Perry. and the 4th which would have been the top of the group, DJ Hackett, decided at the last minute to tryout for the Texans instead of the Ravens. The Ravens were questioned for not sigining a WR in free agency or drafting a WR in this years deep class, and this news actually pleased Raven fans. And suprisignly, some of the Ravens players said it is not neccessary.

Despite just finishing 28th in pass offense when the run offense, run defense and pass defense ranked in the top 5, franchise QB Joe Flacco and the group of current Raven WR’s say that is not needed. Joe Flacco said this ”We had a pretty darn good team last year, obviously, with the guys that we have” and then said this ”So, we don’t need anybody else. We feel like we have the guys to get it done. We feel like we have the guys to be a super bowl team”.  He does have a good point. Despite the losses of Bart Scott, Chris McCallister, etc, we still have a strong, super bowl contending team. And are veiwed as one of the top teams in the AFC, if not the whole league. Then #1 WR Derrick Mason said this ”We got to the AFC championship game with the guys that we have” and then said this ”You can’t satisfy everybody around here. We’ve had a lot of injuries that kind of derailed some of the things that we wanted to do. Once we’re fully healthy, we’re just as good as any group”. That is also a true statement. We are as good as anybody when we are at least around 100% healthy.

But, im not totally saying that Flacco and Mason are wrong, because they arent. Its not the quality of the players we are lacking, its the quanity. We ARE very thin at WR and we DO need a guy that can catch 2, 3, 4 passes a game, not a starter, just a guy that helps depth. We had a good duo of Mason and Clayton as the 1 and 2 last year, and Demetrius Williams is a good #3 when he is healthy, but we showed how thin we were when Williams was hurt for the season after 7 games.

Right now it goes Mason, Clayton, Williams, Marcus Smith, and then is a question mark beyond that. Marcus Smith was our 4th round pick in the 2008 draft, and even though he didnt have a catch in the 5 games he was active, showed improvement over the course of the season. Ravens officials say that Smith is one of the most improved players from this season to last. And that is true. He has been impressing in mini-camp, hauling in a 40 yard TD catch in traffic yesterday. He has good height and weight at 6-2 and 220, and has the speed and stregnth to be a good WR in the league, i am very high on Smith, and so is everybody else in the Ravens camp. He is poised for a breakout season, which should be 2009. Maybe become an Anquan Boldin type reciever? He has that mold. And he is only 24 yeard old.

But even then, i still would like at least another decent WR, just for depth. Yoiu never know when injuries can happen, and you have to be prepared if they do. My personal favorite out of the 3 trying out would be Jerry Porter, but nobody knows where his head is at after being rumored to be one of the main reasons that Jacksonville team fell apart in 2008. So it is Kelly Washington. For what its worth, it was DJ Hackett, dammit!

Thanks to the Balimore Sun for the Flacco and Mason quotes.

Thats it for now, check back soon for a new article.

                                                                    Logan Quick

As noted, the Ravens will work out four vetern WR’s this weekend. The four consist of Jerry Porter, Kelly Washington, DJ Hackett, and Tab Perry. Team officials said that depending on the workouts, all four could be signed, or none of them. The team failed to draft a WR, despite the very deep class, and now they are trying to bring one in that can also bring a vetern presence. Also, the Ravens are looking for big bodies to pair up at reciever, as all of them are at least 6-2 and 200 pounds.

Ill start with Porter. Jerry Porter was drafted by the Raiders in 2000, and played there until 2007. His best season came in 2004, when he started all 16 games and he caught 64 passes for 998 yards, which is a 15.6 average, and 9 touchdowns. The 6-2, 220 pound WR will be 31 in 2009. He signed a 5 yr/30 million dollar offer from Jacksonville in the 07 offseason, but was released after last year, just having 11 catches for 181 yards a just 1 touchdown. He could be a good pick-up for the Ravens to go with Mason, Clayton and Demetrius Williams, if he can straighten out his attitude problems, which caused him to be labeled a ‘clubhouse cancer’ in Jacksonville.

The next one is Washington. Kelly Washington was drafted by the Bengals in 2003, and had his best seasons there. His best season was in 2004, when he had 31 catches for 378 yards and 3 touchdowns. The 6-3, 215 pound WR from Tennessee then became a special teams star for New England in 2007 and 2008, as he had 16 tackles in 2007. The going on 30 year old caught just 1 pass for 3 yards in 2008. He can also help out the WR core, as he can be a decent reciever, if he can stay healthy, which has been a problem for him in the past.

Hackett is probably the most intruiging. DJ Hackett was drafted by the Seahawks in 2004, and he was one of Matt Hasselbacks favorite targets. His best year came in 2006 when he had 45 catches for 610 yards and 4 touchdowns in 14 games. Hackett, the 6-2, 210 pound reciever from Colorado university just had 13 catches for 181 yards and zero touchdowns after being signed to a multi- year deal by the Carolina Panthers before last season. The 28 year old can be a good, solid WR if, like Washington, he can stay healthy, as he just played in 9 games in 2008.

The last one is Perry. Tab perry was drafted by the Bengals in 2005, and has his best seasons there in Cincy. His best recieving year came in 2006 when he had 5 catches for 81 yards and no touchdowns. However, like Washington, is a sppecial teams standout at 6-3 215, as he had 1,562 kick return yards in 2005, and he had 11 special teams tackles that same season. Perry, 27, signed on with Miami for the 2008 season, but it was lost after he tore his achilles tendon in May of last year. He does have great speed for his size, and fits the mold the Ravens are looking for right now at WR, as all of them do. He could be a diamond in the rough if he gets his shot at a WR 3 or 4 position.

Right now, it all depends on how well they ALL do in their workouts. And at least one of them should have a decent season in Baltimore in 2009, as they will get some targets. And it never hurts to give Joe Flacco more targets to throw to ( see Tom Brady, Patriots, 2007).

Thats it for now, check back soon for a new article.

                                                                                       Logan Quick

Buffalo-        Grade- B+              Pre-draft needs- OG/C, DE, TE, LB

The Bills had a heck of a draft, probably one of the best in the NFL. In the 1st round they got DE Aaron Maybin to help out their pass rush and overall defense, then got C Eric Wood to help out the between the tackles run game for Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson. Then they got probable Jabari Greer replacement in CB Jarius Byrd in the 2nd round as well. They continued to help out their interior O-line in OG Adny Levitre in the 2nd round, as well. Then they got one of the top steals in the draft in TE Shawn Neslon in the 4th round, another pick that can contrbiute right away. The next 3 picks were for depth.They did a good job of realizing their needs, and adressing them through the draft.

Jets-    Grade- B-          Pre-draft needs- QB, WR, DE, TE

The Jets traded away most of their draft, but it was for good reasons. They got their franchise QB in Mark Sanchez with the 5th overall pick after trading up with Cleveland. Then they got RB Shonn Greene to help out their already good running game in the 3rd round, who they also traded up to get. Their 6th round pick was for depth on the O-line.

New England        Grade- B-           Pre-draft- OLB, MLB, OT, DB

The Patriots had a great draft. They had 12 picks in the 2009 draft, and made good decisions with most of them. They didnt have a 1st round pick, but they got S Patrick Chung with their first pick in the 2nd round, a guy who can start right away. Then they got a good young DT in Ron Brace, a great CB in Darius Butler, who was a first round talent that fell, OT Sebastian Vollner is still a good pick but is at least 2 years away from being ready to start. They had a good 3rd round in drafting WR Brandon Tate and LB Tyrone Mckenzie, two picks who can contribute. The next 6 picks were strictly for depth purposes.

Miami         Grade- B         Pre-draft needs- WR, CB, DT, LB

The Dolphins had an espically strong first 5 picks. In the first round, they got the CB they have always needed in Vontae Davis, who will start AND star right away, mark my words. Then they got QB turned WR in Pat White, who should be very good in that complex Miami offense. Then they continued to heal their secondary wounds with another CB in Sean Smith, a guy who should be the nickelback this season. Then they got two solid WR’s in Usc’s Patrick Turner in the 3rd round and then Osu’s Ben Hartline in the 4th, both add good depth and could contrbiute with time. The next four picks were for depth, but S Chris Clemons and OT Andrew Gardner and developmental picks, but could be great steals in the NFL.

Thats it for my draft grades series, check back for something new tommorow

San deigo- Draft grade- C+      pre draft needs- OT, S, DE, LB

The chargers had a decent draft, actually, their C+ was the best draft in their division. They got a great pass rushing DE in larry English, but he might have been a bit of a reacj at 16th overall. Then in the 3rd round, they helped out their interior O-line with Loius Vasquez, who was part of that dominating O-line in Texas Tech in 2008. They took an unknown, Canadian college DT in the 4th by the name of Vaughn Martin. Who has ever heard of a Canadian college player going pro? then they continued to help their O-line with Tyronne Green. They took a power back that they needed desperately in Gatrell Johnson in the 4th round as well. The next 3 picks were for depth, but their 7th round pick of WR Demetrius Byrd could be a huge steal. As you can see, they filled in their needs very well.

Denver-   Draft grades- C            Pre-draft needs- DE, LB, DT, LB

For a team that needed defense, defense, and more defense, they barely drafted any defensive playmakers! And they had 2 great picks in the 1st round. Given, their 1st selection of RB Knowshon Moreno was a good pick, and will be their frachise RB,  but they had bigger needs than a RB and could have reached here just a tiny bit. Their 18th overall selection of Robert Ayers will contrbiute immeadiately on the D-line.  Their 2nd round pick of CB Alphonso Smith will be playing nickelback almost instantly, and fellow 2nd round pick of S Darcel Mcbath will be a good player. The 2nd round pick of TE Richard Quinn was a WHO??????? pick, and in the 4th took S Davis Bruton. They added good depth at OT with Seth Olsen. They also got a good steal in the 5th round with WR Kenny Mckinley. The next 2 picks, nobody knew what they really were about, or how good they are.

Oakland     Draft grade- C-              Pre-draft needs- WR, OT, DT, S

The Raiders had an up and down draft. They took WR Darrius Heyward-Bey in the 1st round over Michael Crabtree, but there really was no miss here, i think both are going to be standout WR’s in the NFL. Their 2nd round pick of S Michael Mitchell was a huge shock, as there was so much better Safety talent on the board at that point. Their 3rd round selection of DE Matt Shaughnessy should help the pass rush. The 4th round selection of WR Loius Murphy was of good value, and he can contribute to a weak WR core in Oakland right away. The next 3 picks were for depth purposes.

Kansas City   Draft grade- C-          Pre-draft needs- DT, DE, OT, LB

The Cheifs probably had the weakest draft of the division, after the 1st pick. With that 1st pick, they took great all-around DE Tyson Jackson out of LSU with the 3rd overall pick to help Glenn Dorsey and co. Then they took DT Alex Magee for insurance of Dorsey. He does have potential, but is kind of boxed up in Kansas City. They got good value in their 4th round pick of CB Donald Washinton, who could be the nickelback in KC in 2009. 5th round pick OT Colin Brown adds good depth to the O-line. They got on of the big steals in the 6th round in WR Queinten Lawrence. The next 3 picks were for depth, and they might have made the stupidest Mr.Irrelevent pick, ever.

Thats it for now, check back soon for my AFC East grades. And if you have been wondering, my NFC draft grades are on Indepthscoutinginc.sportsblognet.com. And dont forget to check out my O’s articles at Oriolecentral.wordpress.com

Baltimore-   Draft Grade-B      pre-draft needs- WR, CB, LB, OT

The Ravens had a good draft. They did enough through free agency and the draft to be contenders again in 2009. The first round pick of OT Michael Oher was a bit of a suprise, but gives us a great young OT combo of Jared Gaither and Oher, as Ozzie Newsome always does, draft the best player availiable, and thats what he did here. The 2nd round pick of Paul Kruger was a bigger suprise, but should help the Ravens with their pass rushing schemes immeadiately. Their 3rd round pick of Ladarrius Webb was a great pick for depth, and as were the two 5th round picks of LB Jason Phillips, who could be one of the canidates to replace Bart Scott, and TE Davon Drew, who is a good recieving tight end. And 6th round pick of RB Cedric Peerman did it all at Virginia, but probably will see kost of his time on swing passes or returns.

Pittsburgh-    Draft Grade- C+          Pre-draft needs- OT, DE, WR, CB

The Steelers had a great first 3 picks, then they kind of fizzled out. The 1st round pick of DT Ziggy Hood out of Mizzou was a great pick, as he was the #2 DT on the board. Then 2nd rounder OG Kraig Urbik gives them in interior lineman they needed. Then 3rd round pick WR Mike Wallace, the blazing fast reciever out of Ole Miss gives them a good deep threat and a replacement for Nate Washington. Then the other 3rd rounder CB Keenan Lewis was a depth pick. And after that, there was a bunch of who’s? and huh’s?, such as RB Frank Summers and TE David Johnson.

Cincinatti-     Draft Grades- C    Pre-draft needs- C, OT, DE, WE

The Bengals filled their needs well. Their 1st round pick of OT Andre Smith was one of the top OT’s in the draft and will start immeadiately. Their 2nd round pick of Rey Maualuga was also a good pick, but Maualuga has some issues, and thats why he fell to the 2nd round. The 3rd round pick of GT DE Michael Johnson is a good pass rushing specialist that should help out Robert Geathers. Then they took a good TE that they needed in Mizzous Chase Coffman. The 4th round pick of C Jonathan Luigs was questionable but should be solid in the NFL. Then the next 6 picks they had in day 2 were spent on depth picks and were used horribly, as there was so much better talent on the board then what they selected.

Cleveland-  Draft Grade- B-                 Pre-draft needs- LB, S,CB, WR

The Browns had a good draft also. Their 1st round pick of C Alex Mack was a good pick, but not a huge need of that team. Then the next 2 picks were great, as they took Ohio State WR Brian Robinskie in the 2nd round and them Georgia’s WR Mohammed Massaquoi with their other 2nd rounder. That should help take the pressure of Braylon Edwards. Then their selection of DE David Veikune was a good pick that should stop the run and rush the QB. Their 4th round pick of USC LB Kaluka Maiava was questionable. Then their 6th round pick of CB Don Carey was for depth, and the other 6th round pick of CB Coye Francis was a good steal, i had him graded as a 4th or 5th round pick. Then their 7th round pick of Clemson RB James Davis was one of the best steals of the draft and could help them out in the running, passing and return game.

Thats it for for, check back tommorow for my AFC West grades.

                                        Logan Quick

Indianapolis- Draft grade- B   Pre-draft needs- DT, WR, LB, RB

The Colts had a good draft. They drafted Uconn’s running back Donald Brown to compliment Joseph Addai, and to provide some insurance for Addai. They both run very similar and they can both catch out of the backfield, actually Brown is almost a Joseph Addai clone. They also got one of the best DT’s in the second round in USC’s Fili Moala, a guy who can run stop and pass rusher. They got good depth in 3rd round corner out of Auburn in Jerraud Powers, a position they also needed. Their 4th round pick was a great sleeper pick and could be one of the best steals of the draft in BYU’s Austin Collie. The next 4 picks were just for depth, but the 7th round selection of a kicker was questionable.

Tennessee- Draft grade- B-   Pre-draft needs- WR, QB, CB, DT

The Titans started out the draft with a bang, drafting Rutgers WR Kenny Britt. It gives them the big target on the outside that they showed they needed in the 2008 post-season. Then they got Albert Haynesworth’s replacement in Auburn’s Senderick Marks, who should fill in nicely with the system the Titans run. They also got good depth in South Carolina’s recieving TE Jared Cook. Hawaii’s CB Ryan Mouton was a bit of a suprise, but 4th round pick in LB Gerald Mcrath was a good value pick. Like the Colts, the last 5 picks were for depth, but got one of the best fallers in the draft, RB Javon Ringer, to add to a now crowded backfield.

Houston- Draft Grade- C+             Pre-draft needs- S, DT, RB, LB

Houston had the worst draft of their division. The 1st round pick of USC’s Brian Cushing was very questionable, as all of the big 3 USC LB’s were. 2nd round pick of Cincy DE Connor Barwin wasn’t bad though. They got a great OL in the 3rd round in Bama’s center Antoine Caldwell. Their 4th round pick of New Mexico’s Glover Quinn might have been their best pick of the day. Their other 4th rounder, TE Anthony Hill didnt make a lot of sense, espically after they took a even better TE in James Casey out of Rice, even though they have a pro bowler in Owen Daniels.

Jacksonville- Draft grade- B+               Pre-draft needs- WR, CB, DT, OL

The Jaguars first two picks were great. They got top OT prospect Eugene Monroe out of Virginia in the 1st, then Arizona’s good OT Eben Britton, who fell to them in the 2nd. Then 3rd round pick of DT Terrrence Knighton was a great value pick. They traded up in the 3rd to get small school CB Derek Cox in the 3rd as well. They got one of the top sleepers in WR Mike Thomas out of Arizona. Then they got another great sleeper in the 5th round, drafting another WR in Jarrett Dillard out of Rice. This gives them 2 good WR’s that have great upside. Then 6th round pick of TE Zaxh Miller of Omaha-Nebraska was a nobody knows who this guy is pick, And then got 2 great late round fliers in Liberty powerback Rashad Jennings, who i had as a 4th or 5th rounder, and then Rutgers WR Tiquan Underwood, who also has some upside at the reciever position. The Jag’s definally got David Garrard some good young recievers to work with, and could be a breakout year for Garrard as far as throwing for a bunch of yards goes.

Thats it for the AFC South, check back soon for my AFC North grades.

The sleeper- Dallas Safety Michael Hamlin- Hamlin was a great pick at the end of round 5. He is a all-around solid Safety that can stop the run, or play coverage and pick the ball off ( 100 tackles, 6 interceptions as a senior in 2008). He is now on the same team as his older brother Ken Hamlin, who is a pro bowler, so he does have good football genetics.  Hamlin is a very instinctive player who has good size. He is also very active and agressive and has good hands and can read the ball well. Even better, he was the team captain and a natural born leader, i wont say next Darren Woodson yet, but he should be a good Safety in the NFL.

The reach- Atlanta DB William Middleton- Middleton is a decent corner, but he was picked way too high right here. When you have guys like Victor Harris, Coye Francis and Captain Munnerlyn on the board still, you got to wonder why they would take a guy nobody really knows of. He doesnt have good height at 5′9, and isnt going to be very good in the run game either.

The fallers- Philadelphia TE cornellius Ingram- He was one of the top steals in this years draft, i actually had him at 2nd round. He is a great recieving TE with great hands and will be a awesome replacement for LJ Smith in Phili. I actually wanted the Ravens, my team to take him in the 4th round. The only reason i think he fell is because of the ACL injury that caused him to miss all of 2008. An honorable mention goes to Titans RB Javon Ringer.

The expected- The run of LB’s and WR’s, 6 linebackers and 4 recievers went in round 5.

Actually, this will be my last of the round recap edition, and i will start doing team draft grades. And dont forget to check out Oriolecentral.wordpress.com for my Orioles article, sorry to get off topic, but its good writing. And you can vote on the Baltimore O’s april MVP.

                                                     Logan Quick

The sleeper- Saints Safety Chip Vaughn- Vaughn was an overall great safety in his 4 year college career at Wake Forest. And at 6-1 and 220 pounds, he is the physical presence that New Orleans has needed in the secondary for a while now. Vaughn should make a pretty good impact as a rookie, and i think that the Saints fans are goning to be very impressed with Vaughn. Chip Vaughn is a great tackler and is very tough and physical, he is also very active in stopping the run and is very aggressive.  He is a very smart player as well, and is one of the most instinctive defensvie players in the draft. The only downfall to Vaughn is his average speed and he does struggle on coverage, which should improve with time.

The reach- San Diego RB Gatrell Johnson- Dont get me wrong, Johnson is a very strong and powerful runner at 5-10 and 220 pounds, but he is a big reach in the 4th round. Espically with great all-around running backs still on the board like Michigan States Javon Ringer, Virginias Cedric Peerman, Clemsons James Davis, Libertys Rashad Jennings and Purdues Kory Sheets still on the board, this was a bit of a head stratcher. Johnson only ran a 4.75 forty, which is below average speed for a RB, and he isnt quick or agile and is not in the least bit elusive. He also has some durability issues. Maybe the Chargers reached on him because they needed a powerful back, but you could have gotten that in Rashad Jennings, or even Andre Brown in the 3rd round.

The fallers- Chicago CB D.J Moore- coming into the the draft, Moore was actually in the 1st round conversation, or even in the 2nd round. Instead, Moore fell all the way to the middle of the 4th round. The Bears got a great value with this pick. They got great depth behind Nathan Vasher and Charles Tillman. He could be a starter with time in Chicago. Moore is athletic and has good speed. He is also very quick and agile in coverage, and has great ball coverage skills. He is the definition of a cover corner. The only reason i think he fell is because he is 5′9 and his durability, he might have trouble with the tall wideouts he has to cover as well.

The expected- Buffalo TE Shawn Nelson- After releasing Robert Royal in Febuary, is was undeniable that the Bills would take a great young, athletic, recieving TE with great upside. And Nelson fell right to them in the 4th round. One of the best steals of the whole draft.

Thats it for now, Check back for the 5th round edition soon.

                                                                                                                    Logan Quick

The sleepers-  Baltimore CB Lardarius Webb- This guy was a playmaker in college, and should be a pretty solid cornerback with time. The famous draft guru Mel Kiper JR compared Webb to Indy’s safety and 2007 defensive player of the year, Bob Sanders.  Webb has great instincts and ball skills at corner, and is very tough and not afraid to take down ballcariers. He could help out as a return man, but  Chris Carr is Baltimores return man going into 2009. He is a very good pick here. My other Sleeper is Cincinattis DE Michael Johnson. This kid was in the discussion to be a 1st rounder, but he fell all the way down to 70th overall, and into the pass rush needy Bengals. He is very athletic and also very quick and agile, he also has nice prusuit. The only reason i think he fell is because of his lackluster run support.

The reaches- Tenessee CB Ryan Mouton- This was a reach, not a big reach, but still there was better CB prospects on the board at this point. Mouton is very athletic and is fast and very quick, but he does have some major flaws in his game, and is very raw. And he doesnt have the best footwork playing corner, durability also might be an issue for Mouton. That was actually the only real reach in the 3rd round, i think. You could say Dallas OLB Jason Williams, but i said he is a 3rd round talent after a hell of a college career, and he has a lot of potnetial, Dallas got a good pick there.

The fallers- There was really only one faller in the 3rd round, and that is now Jets RB Shonn Greene, who traded up to get him. Greene  is a great pick here, and could be the steal of the draft if he develops as expected, as the Jets needed a big RB. Greene is a very physical runner, who is hard to bring down and breaks a lot of tackles, he can pound the rock up the middle the best of anybody, and has great vision for a big RB. The only reason i can think he fell this far is because he only started 1 year of college, or because of his decent speed and borderline quickness. Anyway, he is a great value pick in the 1st pick of the 3rd round regardless.

The expected- A lot of WR’s going in round 3 because of the big names left., 7 WR’s went.  And the same thing goes for defensive lineman, as, also, 7 DL went in round 3.

I am done breaking down round 3, check back soon as i recap the 4th round. Also, i will give the teams draft grades after i am done with this series of recaps.

                                                                                                  Logan Quick

The sleepers- Miami WR Pat White- Even though he wasnt first round talent, White can be the next Antwan Randel-el, and i think people slept on that fact alone. I think he will be a very good slot reciever/return man just because of his pure athleticism. He also has great speed and quickness and can make people miss. The only thing that hurt White and made his stock drop was because some teams didnt feel he was worth a 2nd round pick at WR, and didnt even run a route in the pre-draft workouts. We will see what happens, but he was one of my favorite picks in the 2nd round. My other sleeper is the other Miami 2nd rounder DB Sean Smith. He has great height at 6-3 and 215, and was a playermaker at CB in college. He is a great athlete and has great ball skills. He needs to improve his stregnth a little bit at the pro level. Overall, he was one of the best picks in round 2, i think.

The reaches- Denver TE Richard Quinn- He was the pick that had everybody saying, who?. With all of the quality TE’s still availiable, such as Chase Coffman and Travis Beckum, along with Jared Cook, and they take a TE that was projected to be a 5th round pick, WHAT? I just dont understand how you take a blocking TE when you have so many great TE’s that can catch. Quinn had 12 catches in 4 years at North Carolina. I dont see how he wouldnt be there in round three, or even round 4. But Quinn is a great bloakcer, but way too high for him. My other reach was Oakland’s 2nd round pick, Safety Michael Mitchell. Even though there is reports saying other teams saying he could be a great SS, i dont see, again, how you decide on this pick when there was so much talent you passed up on. Micthell is a hard hitter that just lays people out and is very quick on his feet, but his recovery speed is subpar. Hopefully it turns out great for Oakland, but it looks like Mitchell will be a developmental player in 2009.

The fallers- Philadelphia RB Lesean McCoy- McCoy was actually projected to be a early 2nd as a worst case scenario, but he fell all the way to the 21st pick in round 2. McCoy is a great young RB that is a natural athlete and has great vision and insctincts, and he also has good quickness and has an explosive burst. I think people passed on McCoy is his ball security and his character has been questioned as well. I think this was the steal of round 2. My other faller was Carolina DE Everette Brown. He was in the talks of being a mid 1st round pick, even couldve gone to Buffalo or Washington in round one, but he fell all the way to mid 2nd round, where the Panthers jumped all over it, needing pass rushing help, and insurance for this whole Julius Peppers situation. He is a very athletic DE with great speed and quickness, and is a hell of a pass rusher. On the other hand, Brown is very raw and inexperienced.

The expected- after round one passed, and guys like Laurinaitis,Maualuga,Chung, Delmas, Robiskie,Sintim,Smith, and Brown were still availiable at the beginning of round 2, you knew these names would be called early. And thats exactly what happened. The first 10 teams at least in the 2nd round got a first round talent basically.

Thats it for now,check back in soon, as i will break down round 3

                                                                                                                                      Logan Quick