I hear someone not named Long will go third.
And while I am at it- GO PENS! Amazing game last night.
*** Update ***
I gotta say, I like the pace of the new draft, but am I the only one out there who thinks you should pick offensive linemen in the first round? Defense is such a team concept these days with the blitzes and coverage packages, and you pick d players later on. O linement and franchise players in the early rounds.
mikesdak
pick #3 is the one that will determine the flow of the round. Atlanta could use just about any of the top prospects.
mikesdak
OK,Matt Ryan to Atlanta……time to see who Al Davis has the hots for.
cd6
now you’re talking
Ditch Digger
Malkin, Crosby, Malone, Fleury…
Get used to the ‘Go Pens’ postings.
Flux
Draft = irrelevant. Lack the time and interest to make myself care this many months before they start playing actual games. The Lakers and Jazz/Houston games today, on the other hand…
mikesdak
I agree picking O-linemen is probably the way to go,but there is something to be said for a defensive player that the other team has to account for at all times. Those don’t come around often,though, and I’m not sure there’s anyone like that in this draft.
mikesdak
checking for Jazz game….on later…good
mikesdak
first nominee for best name in draft….. Gosder Cherilus.
A Different Matt
If defensive schemes make more of an impact than individual performance, how do the same principles not apply to blocking schemes? Why is an ol prospect worthy of round one moreso than, say, a lightning fast de? or a ballhawk corner?
S
Just to be clear, this thread contains the word long and pens, not long and… nevermind.
mikesdak
for me the interesting contrast between offensive and defensive linemen is that DL are rotated regularly during games while OL almost never change. DL are always referred to as pass rushers or run stoppers, while OL are expected to both run- and pass-block.
A Different Matt
mikesdak –
I’ve wondered about that too. But I think defense requires more mental energy as the defense constantly plays off the offense, no matter how resolute the defensive scheme. it’s more draining to react than act, especially when the objectives are different between offense/defense: defensive players have to meet their objective quick enough to break up a play, whereas an offensive line just has to stall. An offensive lineman can chop block or allow the defender to go outside but not cut quickly into the pocket and be a good blocker. But a dl must penetrate to be considered merely adequate. A dl who gets blocked all the time sucks. An ol who gets beat occasionally can draw help from a guard, back, or te.
A Different Matt
umm… “must” should be the only word emboldened above:
“must penetrate to be considered merely adequate. A dl who gets blocked all the time sucks. An ol who gets beat occasionally can draw help from a guard, back, or te.”
JGabriel
John Cole:
Sports? Meh.
Did you catch up on the BSG stroyline yet?
.
JGabriel
Ditch Digger:
Are those draft picks, or right wing blogggers?
.
J. Michael Neal
My take is that you shouldn’t use really early picks on quarterbacks or running backs, though for different reasons.
It really seems as if no one has any way to recognize who the truly elite quarterbacks will be. Once in a while, you get Peyton Manning, but there are a lot of Akili Smiths and Ryan Leafs. Which ones work, and which ones don’t, has all the appearance of random chance. Early first round picks are too valuable for a crapshoot. Given that plenty of elite QBs come in later rounds, draft them there.
Don’t use early picks on running backs, because the gap between an elite one, and a replacement level one, is narrower than at any other position. Yeah, Adrian Peterson ran for a lot of yards last year, but did you notice that Chester Taylor and Mewelde Moore ran for about the same number of yards per carry as Peterson did? That’s the offensive line at work. Throw in how short running back careers tend to be, and you might as well pick them up off the scrap heap, and save early draft picks for a position where it really matters.
Jon Gallagher
The foundation of any good football team is a cohesive O line. No matter how much you spend on that pretty QB, he’s not much more than a grease spot in today’s game without protection. And any middling D can put bodies in the way of your fancy RB unless they are getting blown back by the line. Give me Ron Mix @ LT then let me choose O linemen in the first round and I’ll build you a dynasty.
D-Chance.
Ah, the NFL draft.
Reggie Bush is “one of a kind, once in a generation, game-changing superstar who will dominate the league, will make anyone an instant contender, etc, yaddayaddayadda…”
Come talk to me in 2-3 years. Berman and his cast of idiots (including that Kiper moron) are clueless.
D-Chance.
BTW, as a Cowboys fan, my only interest is finding out what Institute of Higher Incarceration Jerry Jones is planning on drafting from with his two first-round picks. Another addition or two, and the ghost of Eddie Albert will be recruiting a team to oppose them…
Doug H. (Fausto no more)
Any thoughts on the Steelers’ pick, John?
Nerf
Cindy Crosby is a cheap-a$$ diver!
Dave_Violence
HEY! THERE ARE FOOD RIOTS, DEATH AND DESTRUCTION, ETC. ALL OVER THE USA AND YOU CARE ABOUT FOOTBALL???
Sirkowski
John, this might make you laugh.
bago
Yeah, my mental spam filter was already blocking out this post because of that.
Just Some Fuckhead
Steeler Draft History (First Rounders)
Notorious P.A.T.
am I the only one out there who thinks you should pick offensive linemen in the first round?
No. I agree totally. When you don’t go for linemen with early picks, you suck. Exhibit A: the Lions, who keep drafting shiny new skill players and dreaming of big-time offense, only to give up dozens of sacks and tackles for loss.
Bob In Pacifica
Niners got a big guy for the defensive line and a big guy for the offensive line. Did anyone get DeSean Jackson? I’d like him on the Niners.
Ditch Digger
JGabriel:
They are most likely the takers of all major hardware over the next decade in the NHL, if one cares about such things. If i was Evgeni Malkin i would be pissed at Michelle for taking over the moniker.
PaulW
If you noticed, nearly every other pick were Defensive linesmen or Offensive tackles. In short, most of the teams were drafting guys who are going to be in the hard-hitting trenches so to speak. For every team getting a DE, there was another team trading down/up to snag OTs. Most finesse, offense-oriented guys taken were Running backs and only 3 at my count, with only 2 QBs in the 1st round (and only 2 in the 2nd!). On the defensive side, there were more CBs taken in the 1st than you usually see (about 6).
No WRs in the First Round at all. One TE. Teams were focusing a lot on Defense, and a lot on the front lines.
Tom in Texas
I think the only offensive position you should draft in the first round is OL, unless there is a Peyton Manning type pick available. Offense dictates a football game, and defenses are forced to react to what the offense gives them. Pure physical talent is far more important on the defensive side of the ball since there are virtually no opportunities for misdirection type “trick” plays or the same type of schemes you will see a team run on offense.
Adam
Hey, you got Sweed. I’m down with that pick.
taodon
Okay, you know, I read the post, like, six times. I know it’s written in English, and that is my primary language – but I’ll be damned if I understood a word of it. I mean, yeah, I’ve never got into football – and maybe that’s because the vernacular is so daunting! Thanks for letting me share my ignorance with you.
Svensker
The Jets made one great pick and one interesting pick. Maybe we’ll go from Teh Suck to mediocre this year!
Paul Weimer
The Giants need more and better secondary, so I have no problem with the Boys in Blue drafting a FS and a CB in the first two rounds.
joe
I’m with you, John. O-line makes a lot of sense in the first round. For one thing, you are much less likely to get a bust, including and injury-bust. Also, the money works out better.
Logan Mankins worked out pretty well for the Patriots, as I recall.
I just point and laugh when I see a team take a wideout with their #1 pick.
joe
D-Chance writes:
Reggie Bush is “one of a kind, once in a generation, game-changing superstar who will dominate the league, will make anyone an instant contender, etc, yaddayaddayadda…”
Remember all the guff the Texans took for selecting Mario Williams over him?
How’s that look three years out? The guy’s the new Richard Seymour.
Krista
Glad to see I’m not the only one who had temporary dyslexia when reading that all caps-locked statement.
I mean, if one wants to cheer on their naughty bits in such an enthusiastic manner, I suppose there’s nothing wrong with that. But it would seem a bit odd to be doing it in writing.
Adam
Most of the guff I heard was for not taking Vince Young. Both would have been better options than Bush.
joe
Houston Texans + rookie quartback = 4-12 for the team and a short, undistinguished career for the QB.
Cassidy
Outside Linebacker…that’s defense? /snark
Agree and disagree. The value of a good solid offensive line can never be measured. OTOH, S, LB, and the Ends are learning to play smarter. All of the 1st round defensive picks were top notch athletes, as well as smart players. Secondly, I think a lot of teams are adjusting to the high powered offenses that dominated last season. I wouldn’t be surprised if next season is defense heavy with a lot of emphasis on TE’s and slot receivers.
And while I agree on not taking QB’s in the 1st Round, I think ATL made a good selection. I think the Panthers will be a team to watch also. And check out the Pat’s picks. Are they anticipating some retiring?
As a Jags fan, I’m quite happy with their first 2 picks.
Thursday
Re: Pens and trophies –
Easy on the predictions. That defense doesn’t look too solid (big fan of Orpik, though). Gonchar has a couple more years, but at that point the kids are coming up on free agent status…
Plus Crosby may get stuck being the Mike Bossy to Ovechin’s Gretzky: both men are brilliant players, but…