NFL Draft Weekend!! What's your team doing?

[Benestro]

I always get excited this time of year. I've watched the draft probably the past 7 or 8 years at least.  Im actually gonna miss Saturday because Im going to a small con in New Orleans.

I wonder what the Lions are gonna do with No.1, I hear Stafford may not be as signable as they thought and they may go with the kid from Baylor. OT Jason Smith I believe is his name.

What teams are you guys watching.

[bryanb]

My Titans are drafting near dead last.

Last year I bitched for days about them drafting a running back when they had way more pressing needs than RB. Of course that pick turned out to be the offensive rookie of the year runner up so this year I'm keeping quiet.

[Benestro]

My Titans are drafting near dead last.

Last year I bitched for days about them drafting a running back when they had way more pressing needs than RB. Of course that pick turned out to be the offensive rookie of the year runner up so this year I'm keeping quiet.

Yeah Im a Colts fan, so you probably have no sympathy for me, but I know about being at the end of the 1st round.  I just hope we get a DT at some point.

[clever_username]

As a Lions fan, I know that they will find a way to come out of this draft the loser. It doesn't matter how many picks they have.

[doughty_gubay]

Based on what I have read, it looks like the Steelers need to resupply the D-line. I am hoping they go the way of the draft instead of free agency.

As for the Lions, I really hope they turn the corner. I root for them just because it seems like the lifelong fans continue to get shafted.

[JimN]

I always get excited this time of year. I've watched the draft probably the past 7 or 8 years at least.  Im actually gonna miss Saturday because Im going to a small con in New Orleans.

I wonder what the Lions are gonna do with No.1, I hear Stafford may not be as signable as they thought and they may go with the kid from Baylor. OT Jason Smith I believe is his name.

What teams are you guys watching.

The Vikings! I suspect they'll go with an offensive tackle in the first round but you never know. I get excited for the draft every year too. I'll be watching and listening to as much of it as possible this weekend.

Jim

[JimN]

As a Lions fan, I know that they will find a way to come out of this draft the loser. It doesn't matter how many picks they have.

LOL! Now, now, Millen's gone so there's a chance things will start looking up.

Jim

[Dave A]

I'm a Redskins fan... 

'Nuff said, true believer!!

[Wood]

I always get excited this time of year. I've watched the draft probably the past 7 or 8 years at least.  Im actually gonna miss Saturday because Im going to a small con in New Orleans.

I wonder what the Lions are gonna do with No.1, I hear Stafford may not be as signable as they thought and they may go with the kid from Baylor. OT Jason Smith I believe is his name.

What teams are you guys watching.

For the third year in a row, my boys will be down on the draft floor with full press credentials. 

As to the Lions, well, it's the Lions  so hard to know what will really transpire. Word is the coaching staff believes in Stafford and wants him to be the pick, but that the GM thinks he's "good" but that there are a few other elite prospects and wants to pick the best player, not the best QB. I always defer to the QB in situations like this, because GMs won't be fired for taking a QB 1st overall even if he busts, but personally I think Jason Smith should be the pick. Aaron Curry and Michael Crabtree are the best players in this draft, but I don't think Smith is very far off and you take the OT in that situation.

[Wood]

My Titans are drafting near dead last.

Last year I bitched for days about them drafting a running back when they had way more pressing needs than RB. Of course that pick turned out to be the offensive rookie of the year runner up so this year I'm keeping quiet.

Titans do a great job taking the best player available, and its served them well over the years. To that end, predicting who they'll take is nigh impossible. But as you said, DT and WR are the obvious needs, and there should be a number of prospects in that range to fill both needs.

WRs that might be available and warrant consideration:

*** Percy Harvin, Florida
*** Hakeem Nicks, UNC
*** Kenny Britt, Rutgers
*** Brian Robiskie, Ohio State

DTs that might be available and warrant consideration:

*** Evander Hood, Missouri
*** Ron Brace, B.C.

[thefreakytiki]

Based on what I have read, it looks like the Steelers need to resupply the D-line. I am hoping they go the way of the draft instead of free agency.

I drink the Black and Gold Kool Aid as well.  D-line yes, but IMHO O-Line is the top of the grocery list.  The Steelers were looking to strengthen the O-line through free agency but the combo high price tags and lack of players available forced them to re-sign the players they had.

From what I understand (what the "experts" are blabbing about) by the time the Steelers pick there may not be any top O-line guys available.  To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if they trade the pick and drop 1-5 slots into the second round to save cash.

Whomever the Steelers pick I have faith in their decisions.


the Tiki

[Wood]

Yeah Im a Colts fan, so you probably have no sympathy for me, but I know about being at the end of the 1st round.  I just hope we get a DT at some point.

If Peria Jerry is available [he shouldn't be], they would probably fall over themselves to grab him. But if he's not [and I don't think he will be], they probably turn their attention to other positions of need. WR/RB/LB are all positions where there will be quality players available at their pick who could contribute immediately.

[Wood]

Based on what I have read, it looks like the Steelers need to resupply the D-line. I am hoping they go the way of the draft instead of free agency.

As for the Lions, I really hope they turn the corner. I root for them just because it seems like the lifelong fans continue to get shafted.

The Steelers are one of the best organizations in football b/c they don't succumb to drafting for need, so I think Pittsburgh will look hard at just about any position where value presents itself. Obviously the place where you would want to see value meet up with need would be on the offensive line. Pittsburgh won the Super Bowl with, in many people's eyes, the worst offensive line to ever win a title. It's a testament to Big Ben and that defense b/c 95% of teams would have struggled to win consistently with such an ill formed OL unit.

I think the only OTs possibly available at the end of round 1 who should also be taken at the point are Eben Britton [Arizona] and William Beatty [UConn]. Just as likely, I could see PIT taking a center. This is one of the best center classes in memory, and PIT could take Max Unger [Oregon], Alex Mack [Cal] or Eric Wood [Louisville] and they would all compete for starting spots on the interior immediately.

[Wood]

The Vikings! I suspect they'll go with an offensive tackle in the first round but you never know. I get excited for the draft every year too. I'll be watching and listening to as much of it as possible this weekend.

Jim

Rick Spielman isn't a very good GM and I suspect he'll take a need position in Round 1 regardless of whether it's the best player available. The most obvious needs are OT, C, WR and CB. I could see Michael Oher [Miss] if he's still on the board, but he likely won't be. Do they like Britton enough? Not sure. At WR they have a number of options, but it's all in the eye of the beholder. They could covet a given WR and grab him without hesitation, but I personally don't think anyone outside of Maclin and Crabtree are worth a pick that high and they'll both be LONG gone. Would they grab a versatile CB/S like Malcolm Jenkins? Vontae Davis is the best CB on the board, but he's got character issues and Spielman is notorious for removing any question marks from his board completely.

[Steve Raker]

As a Giants fan, after losing both our starting wide receivers (Burress & Toomer), and with some aging cornerbacks (Madison, etc.), we need a few receivers and a corner or two!  ....and another running back.

[Wood]

I'm a Redskins fan... 

'Nuff said, true believer!!

OOOOFFA

Redskins fans rarely enjoy draft day, because Snyder loves to  give his picks away like they're FCBD comics. Look, Washington LOVES Mark Sanchez and I suspect they'll end up with him. Whether he falls to them at 13 or they move up for him remains to be seen, but I say the money play is D.C. gets their QB. If Sanchez is gone before they pick, they SHOULD trade down b/c they only have 5 picks and have a ton of needs. But I can't see Snyder trading down, he just loves marquee names too much.

So their needs, outside of QB, are many...but the most pressing are LB, DE and OT depth. Great class of LBs so someone like a Cushing or Maualuga make sense. There are a bunch of DEs that should come off the board in the teens of this draft, so DC could end up with Maybin, Jackson or Ayers possibly.

[Wood]

As a Giants fan, after losing both our starting wide receivers (Burress & Toomer), and with some aging cornerbacks (Madison, etc.), we need a few receivers and a corner or two!  ....and another running back.

Very true. As you've seen Steve, Jerry Reese believes in marquee talent in the draft though, and will take BPA. A few years ago people couldn't fathom why they drafted Kiwanuka after drafting Tuck the prior year, and having Strahan and Osi already. Well, as we know, that move proved immensely important to the teams run to a Super Bowl.

I would disagree a bit with you that CB is a major need. Doesn't mean Reese won't take a CB b/c he drafts best player available and you don't have ELITE CB talent. But in terms of need, OLB, WR and TE are more pressing IMHO.

[Wood]

So as many of you know, I'm an Eagles season ticket holder. Love the Birds in Green even though they rip my soul out of my dead carcass each and every January.

Anyway, the Eagles had two 1st round picks but traded one away [along with a few other picks] for Jason Peters, the studly young LT who the Bills had come to an impasse with. We now have our LT and RT situations handled for years to come, and our most pressing need is now gone by the wayside.

The Eagles don't draft for need, but Reid does put a premium on certain positions and feels you get more bang for your buck paying big rookie money to defensive lineman, offensive lineman and corners. With Samuel, Brown and Hanson, CB isn't a need...but Brown is publicly griping about his contract so I can't say the Eagles won't use their other 1st rounder on a CB if they love who's still there. At 21, it's way too early to draft one of the stud centers; but I suspect the Eagles will come away with one of Unger, Wood or Mack in the 2nd or 3rd round for sure. My fellow Eagles fans want the Birds to draft RB Knowshon Moreno at 1.21; but I doubt they'll go that route. I would be pleasantly surprised if they did, but nothing in Reid's history suggests it will happen that way. Eagles fans also hope the Birds come away with Anquan Boldin in a trade, but they're not going to give up a 1st and 3rd round pick, so don't count on it.

If the Birds stay at 1.21, I could see the following players making sense:

RB Knowshow Moreno
WR Darrius Howard-Bey [I hope not!]
WR Hakeem Nicks
WR Kenny Britt [I hope so!]
TE Brandon Pettigrew
DE Everette Brown [I hope not]
CB Vontae Davis
DE Larry English

[clever_username]

Jason Kiper...draft expert.

LOL! Now, now, Millen's gone so there's a chance things will start looking up.

Jim

True, but the GM doesn't take the field. Also, the problems with the Lions didn't stop with Millen. It's the owners. William Clay Ford is an old coot who doesn't want to spend any money.

But hey, they changed the logo, so that will help. Cardinals make their bird a little meaner and they're in the Super Bowl.

I have a little hope for the Lions (rebuilding since 1958). But by November I have a feeling that the only joy will come from watching Barry Sanders clips on You Tube.

[JimN]

Rick Spielman isn't a very good GM and I suspect he'll take a need position in Round 1 regardless of whether it's the best player available.

That's probably where things are headed, although he didn't do that the last time he picked in the first round (when the Vikes wisely drafted Adrian Peterson). Spielman seems to be doing a better job in Minnesota than he did in Miami, although the jury is definitely still out. It's hard to evaluate him because he's not really a GM and Brad Childress appears to wield a lot of authority in Minnesota (more than he deserves).

The most obvious needs are OT, C, WR and CB.

I see QB as their biggest need but I don't think they do, which makes it pretty irrelevant in discussion of this draft.

I'd add DT and S to the positions you listed. DT isn't an urgent need but at his size and age, Pat Williams is probably nearing the end of his career, at least as a starter. He's still very effective but I keep waiting for the inevitable drop-off and if the opportunity presents itself, the Vikings would be wise to draft and begin developing his successor at the position.

Their depth at safety is extremely questionable and I think that may be a bigger need than CB. They could use better depth at both positions.

I could see Michael Oher [Miss] if he's still on the board, but he likely won't be. Do they like Britton enough? Not sure.

From what I've been reading, the Minnesota media thinks the Vikes really like Britton so he might be the pick.

At WR they have a number of options, but it's all in the eye of the beholder. They could covet a given WR and grab him without hesitation, but I personally don't think anyone outside of Maclin and Crabtree are worth a pick that high and they'll both be LONG gone. Would they grab a versatile CB/S like Malcolm Jenkins? Vontae Davis is the best CB on the board, but he's got character issues and Spielman is notorious for removing any question marks from his board completely.

It will be interesting to see which direction they go but I'm betting they'll draft an OT first and that could mean Britton.

Jim