Denver: Why The Broncos Draft Picks Will Change The Franchise

From what I’ve read, most Denver fans were disappointed with the decisions the Broncos made in this years draft. And to those of you who feel this way, I say cheer up! I’ve recently done research on our new additions to the team. So all of of you people that can’t seem to smile after the draft, I’ll give you reason to.

Robert Ayers- DE (18th overall)

Ayers started all four years of his college career. In these four years, he had 112 tackles, and nine sacks. Ayers has even had an interception his senior year. I’m not sure about you, but I’m satisfied with those stats.

Alphonso Smith- CB (37th overall)

Alphonso Smith also started all four years in college. In his four years, Smith had 174 tackles, four forced fumbles, and 21 interceptions. he also had four touchdowns in his four years at Wake Forest. I’m almost surprised he didn’t go in the first round.

Darcel McBath- CB/S (48th overall)

Darcel was another pick to start all four years, so he has the experience. In his career, he’s had 214 tackles, 12 interceptions, and two interceptions. Also in the 2008 season, his college team won all but one game, where he had six interceptions, and a touchdown in one season alone.

So far all of these picks have been towards helping the defense, which people said our new head coach barely did in this years draft.

Richard Quinn- TE (64th overall)

You have to hear me out on this one, even though his stats don’t make him look like should have even been drafted.

Like most Broncos fans, I was not satisfied with the stats that Quinn had to offer. I couldn’t figure out why we even considered him, and I needed an answer.

So I looked him up on YouTube. His highlights weren’t of him scoring or making amazing catches. What I saw was Richard Quinn laying out guys all over the field (In other words, he’s an amazing blocker).

This addition could be key considering that we had drafted Knowshon Moreno. It’s clear that what McDaniels was doing was helping our running backs (maybe to help prevent losing 7 running backs to injured reserve again or something).

This convinced me that McDaniels probably knew what he was doing.

David Bruton- FS (114th overall)

Again, McDaniels helps the defense with another great pick. Bruton has accomplished 210 tackles, two forced fumbles, and seven interceptions in all four seasons. David has even had a sack, which isn’t saying much, but decent considering that he’s a safety.

Since the Broncos acquired Brian Dawkins in the offseason, Bruton makes a great secondary for the Broncos.

Seth Olsen- OG (132nd overall)

Call me a homer, but I was excited when the Broncos drafted Seth, knowing that he was from Iowa.

Though Olsen was a Iowa Hawkeye, I was excited for more than just that reason that we took him. Seth Olsen allowed very little tackles, and was key to why the Hawkeyes won so many games. Olsen should be a good addition to the offense.

Kenny McKinley- WR (141st overall)

Granted, the Broncos already have amazing receivers (A- in most polls), It’s not like Players don’t get injured (or tired), and Kenny McKinley would be a reliable sub for when (if) this happens.

McKinley has had 207 receptions, 2,781 yards, and 19 touchdowns in his four years at South Carolina. His ability to make quick decisions, and tough catches makes him a good fit with the other Bronco Wide outs.

Tom Brandstater- QB (174th overall)

Tom Brandstater is a big, strong QB from Fresno state. A lot of people thought this was a dumb decision by McDaniels considering that we just got Kyle Orton and Chris Simms in the offseason. But after releasing Patrick Ramsey and Darrell Hackney, the Broncos were in need of a third QB.

Brandstater has thrown 6,857 yards, and 47 touchdowns. Pretty legit considering he only started three seasons.

Tom also rushed for four touchdowns last season alone. Pretty good pick for the sixth round (not to mention that he’s a QB).

Blake Schlueter- C (225th overall)

After the retiring of Tom Nalen, the Broncos were in need of a center. Denver got just that in the seventh round of the Draft.

Blake Schlueter is very mature, and is crazy fast for an offensive linemen. His strength and agility make him a reliable center to help guard our new quarterback.

In addition to these draft picks, McDaniels picked up 12 extra players in free agency. So again, I say cheer up! McDaniels knows what he’s doing.

Chester Taylor Possibly On His Way Out Of Minnesota?

The rumors are circulating through several different Web sites. Currently, I haven’t seen that many about Vikings running back, Chester Taylor.

Chester is in the final year of his contract that he was given in the 2006 off-season.

In 2005 with the Ravens, Chester had only 117 yards on the ground. He managed to start in only one game.

Despite the poor season, the Minnesota Vikings loved Chester, and decided to sign him for a four-year deal.

I can’t believe it’s already been four years since Chester was expected to be the future running back for the Vikings.

When Adrian Peterson was drafted with the seventh overall pick in the 2007 draft, the chances of Chester Taylor being a starter for much longer, had diminished.

Don’t get me wrong, Adrian is a much better running back than Chester Taylor, but I still like what Taylor supplies to the offense.

Chester has only fumbled twelve times in his three seasons with the Vikings. He is very good at holding onto the ball. He’s also a great change-of-pace back.

The Vikings have one of the better one-two punches in the entire league, but could that be coming to an end in the very near future?

Chester Taylor could be on his way out of Minnesota, though. The Vikings would like to get good value out of him before he gets too old.

Chester is still fairly young at 29-years-old, but running backs typically take a down-slope when they hit age 30. This has happened to LaDainian Tomlinson and Fred Taylor.

I, personally, don’t believe that Taylor should be traded. He is a vital key to the success of Minnesota’s offense.

There is a good chance that Chester will re-sign for cheap even after his contract expires after the 2009-2010 season.

Minnesota signed Ian Johnson today. Ian is a former Boise State Bronco, that led the WAC in rushing touchdowns.

Ian has very similar size to Chester Taylor. They are both 5″11″, and weigh around 210 pounds each.

I have faith that Ian will be a great factor in the future for the Vikings. He’s a smart football player and can run excellent through the tackles.

If Chester is traded, I will be disappointed. If we can get a first-round-pick for him, I will be content with it, but anything less than that is not worth it at this point in time.

Feel free to disagree, but I think that Chester must stay in Minnesota. The Vikings will need him to fill-in for A.P. if he’s ever hurt or needs a rest.

Jags Restock in Draft to Re-Open Window of Opportunity

The Jacksonville Jaguars, coming off a disastrous season, have given fans a new ray of hope with their draft. Coming into the weekend, the Jaguars needed to address a multitude of positions on both sides of the football, and they certainly did their best.

The area that stood out as the team’s most glaring weakness had to be the offensive line. All positions affiliated not only needed a clean bill of health but also an infusion of youthful talent.

Good thing Jax got lucky; the way the top tackles fell into place in the top 10, they were able to come away with arguably the best LT prospect in the entire draft in Eugene Monroe from Virginia.

The Jaguars were again fortunate in the second round when first-round prospect Eben Britton from Arizona somehow slipped to them with the 39th overall pick. That meant that, on the first day of the draft, the Jaguars managed to secure their bookend tackles for at least the next seven years.

 

With the drafting of Monroe and Britton, the Jaguars have to be ecstatic about the potential dominance of their new O-line. That’s something the Jaguars haven’t enjoyed since Tony Boseli and Leon Searcy protected Mark Brunell.

And if these two kids can have half the careers those two men had, then the Jaguars will be looking at this draft as one of their better ones during their existence.

 

Another problem position for the club was wide receiver, and even with the free-agent addition of Torry Holt, the team was in desperate need of some bodies.

While they weren’t able to snag one of the top prospects, the Jags were able to provide competition to existing players with the addition of Arizona’s Mike Thomas, Rice’s Jarett Dillard, and Rutger’s Tiquan Underwood.

Thomas will compete for time in the slot with Dennis Northcutt and assume a Wes Welker-type role, while Dillard, the NCAA’s all-time touchdown leader, will compete for time opposite Holt and in addition for burn in the slot.

Underwood is the wild card, blessed with prototypical size and speed. He dropped in the draft after a lackluster senior season in which he was overshadowed by Titans first-round pick Kenny Britt, but if you look back at his junior season, you see that he has potential to be a good boundary receiver.

I personally think that Dillard will provide the most value of the three; I mean, to have broken any of Jerry Rice’s records, you have to be a player. That he is, and he has intangibles and great work ethic.

 

The other two Jacksonville picks that were intriguing to me are defensive tackle Terrence Knighton from Temple and tailback Rashad Jennings of Liberty.

Knighton provides girth and leverage for the middle of the front four, and that’s been lacking since the departure of Marcus Stroud.

While Jennings will at first only be in competition to be the power back to compliment Jones-Drew, I think (after seeing his performance at the Senior Bowl) he will easily take the assignment from Chauncy Washington and Greg Jones.

 

All in all, I think this year’s draft was successful for the Jaguars. It was more than successful for new GM Gene Smith, who believes in character as much as talent.

All their picks are expected to make the team and contribute this year. This influx of talent and character should provide some stability and allow the Jags to make a run back to prominence.

Miami Dolphins Sign Undrafted Offensive Tackle SirVincent Rogers

The Dolphins have signed their sixth undrafted free agent, inking Houston offensive tackle SirVincent Rogers to a contract.

A Conference USA All-Freshman selection in 2004, Rogers started at tackle for the Cougars until midway through the 2006 season, when a knee injury forced him out of action for the rest of the year. The same injury would keep him out of the 2007 season as well.

I’m assuming he resumed starting as a fifth-year senior in 2008, but who really knows because that information was essentially impossible to find.

At Houston’s Pro Day in 2009, Rogers measured in at 6’5″ and 306 pounds. He ran the 40-yard dash in 5.34 seconds, the short shuttle in 4.75 second, and the three-cone drill in 7.39 seconds. He posted a29″ vertical and an 8’7″ broad jump.

Rogers has his work cut out for him to make the team, as he’ll have to beat out second-year man Nate Garner and 2009 seventh-rounder Andrew Gardner, among others, for a backup tackle gig. Offensive tackle is one of the thinnest spots on the team depth-wise, however, so it’s not inconceivable.

Remember Dolphins fans, you can now get up-to-the-minute on Dolphins news and new site postings on twitter!

 

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Chris Nelson is a journalism major at Georgia State University. He operates his own Miami Dolphins blog, which can be found here.

Are the Jets’ Acquisitions an Attempt to Echo the Ravens’ Success?

The New York Jets made their mark this weekend by trading up to the fifth pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, exchanging Brett Ratliff, Kenyon Coleman, Abram Elam, and their first and second round picks for the Cleveland Browns’ pick. They snatched Mark Sanchez, and with the pick, Gang Green showed that they were committed to building a foundation for a solid franchise for years to come.

This makes for lots of excitement for Jets fans, with a new head coach, a new philosophy, and new, young, and, above all, exciting personnel.

At this point, you are probably wondering why you are feeling a severe case of déjà vu. Don’t worry. It’s not you—it’s the fact that the Jets are getting more and more similar to the 2008 Baltimore Ravens.

Let’s take a look at this from the top to the bottom. The Jets, agitated by Eric Mangini’s stubbornness and lack of success, decided to part ways with the so-called “Mangenius,”  acquiring revered Baltimore defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, son of the famous football coach, Buddy Ryan.

This alone created a sense of optimism among Jets fans. I mean seriously, who doesn’t like a coach who is all about winning and instilling fear in the other team?

Now, remember Baltimore at the beginning of last season.

Parting ways with a more-than-respectable head coach in Brian Billick, they decided to head in a new direction, getting John Harbaugh to head to the Charm City. Harbaugh, like Ryan, is a guy with a football pedigree—both his father and brother have experience in coaching football. Harbaugh took his team deep into the playoffs—now will Ryan have what it takes?

Now, let’s take a look at the most important position on the field—QB.

The Ravens, in the 2008 Draft, picked a quarterback, Joe Flacco, whose stock had risen as the draft neared. His style of play—not sexy by any means, but good enough to get the job done—apparently worked quite well for Baltimore.

The Jets, who took Sanchez—another QB who’s stock had risen—are looking for a similar season from Sanchez if they choose to start him. Although he has only had 14 starts in college at USC, they feel good about the way in which he carries himself. Like Flacco, he doesn’t have the appeal of a Matthew Stafford, but what he lacks in arm strength, he makes up for in accuracy.

Now, finally, the defense.

Let’s start with the obvious similarity. They share the same coach, although he has gotten promoted at his new job. Still, you have to think that Ryan will be coaching them as if he were a D-coordinator, due to his absolute passion for the defensive side of football.

The Jets have solidified their defense significantly. They inked Bart Scott, the former Ravens linebacker, who was long overshadowed by fellow linebacker Ray Lewis, who will now have the chance to shine alongside David Harris in the New York City spotlight.

Another Ravens guy, Jim Leonhard, signed with the Jets, providing an excellent talent at the safety position. Also, they traded for Eagles cornerback, Lito Shepphard, who will create an excellent tandem consisting of Darelle Revis and him. Throw in Dwight Lowery, and you are looking at an excellent secondary.

The only part of the defense where you could have concern is the D-line.

Kris Jenkins is great in the middle as a tackle, but you only have two proven pass-rushers in Shaun Ellis and Calvin Pace. It would have been three if not for the trading away of Kenyon Coleman.

So as you can see, there is a thread running between B-More and the Big Apple. Jets fans just have to hope that their team can echo the Ravens’ success.

Jon Gruden Still a Raider at Heart

As I watched the NFL Network Crew on Sunday re-hash the Raiders pick of Michael Mitchell, the safety the Raiders picked at the 47th pick of the second round I had to laugh. I was thrilled with the pick and had just wrote an article on Mitchell a day before the draft.

Mayock and the rest of the ESPN Crew did not know much about Mitchell so, no team would consider picking this kid that high in the draft would they?. It would be a crazy mans call without the so called experts that walk on waters ok.

Never mind Mayock admitted not ever watching any film on the kid. Mayock walks on water and does not need to see the kid play in order to put a grade on the kid.

Never mind that the Chicago Bears had Mitchell targeted with their 49th pick per the story in the Chicago Tribune. Once the Raiders selected Mitchell the Bears traded out of the 49th pick. Wow, the Bears did not rank any of Mayock’s players still available as a value at that spot?

Never mind the Dallas Cowboys wanted Mitchell in round two and traded out after the Raiders took Mitchell. The Cowboys stated that the player they wanted was taken at the Raiders spot and also traded out.

Never mind that the Green Bay Packers, Colts, Texans and others had Mitchell in for a visit. The “experts” that did not have a clue on this kid were thrown for a loop and they did not like it.

The Raiders got the Safety that they had wanted from the get go. By trading down in round two, two spots before he would have come off the board. Looks like value to me if that is your player.

This whole time you have Jon Gruden just sitting there listening to the debate. But if you looked close you can see that Gruden has something on his mind.

Then Gruden speaks and using his hands and arms for effect he outlines the shape of the globe as he says, “Let me tell you this, the Oakland Raiders are global and have fans all over the World. I have been to Europe and you see Oakland’s Raiders gear all over the world. And I can tell you this, I was a Raider. Al Davis could care less about what any of us think or say up here and that I can promise you”.

You could have heard a pin drop, these men that have alway’s shown the Raider bias did not know what to say. Was this the man that they have all portrayed as someone that hates Al Davis and the Raiders?

If you take the time to read Grudens book you will see just what he thought of his time with the Raiders and working for Al Davis and it is nothing like the media portrays it.

At Gruden’s press conference when hired by the Bucs every one was expecting him to go off on the Raiders and Al Davis. What they received instead was a thank you to Al Davis and the Oakland Raiders for seeing the talent in this young Head Coach and giving him his chance at the top.

What I witnessed on the NFL Network that day was, “Once a Raider always a Raider” and you could see he was proud of his days in Oakland. Gruden also was not about to sit there and listen to these clowns spread their hate for anything Raider.

Gruden never got to answer the question asked of him which was, “Do you think that deep down Al Davis really cares about what we say but just acts like he does not?.

I can give you that answer, Al Davis worries about what you say and think about as much as I do getting jumped by a two-year-old.

Al Davis knows he made a mistake when he let Gruden go and admitted so at a press conference. Al Davis also know’s had he kept Gruden at least another year Al would have more then likely added another Super Bowl Trophy to the three he has.

It is a new day in Raiderland but at least as far as Gruden goes, “Once a Raider Always a Raider.

Mizzou in the NFL: Six Players Drafted, More Get Workouts from Class of 2009

The University of Missouri has never been a professional football powerhouse. Although some Tigers have had success in the pros, Mizzou hasn’t ever sent out talent to compare to the likes of Oklahoma, Texas, and Florida. But that changed with the 2009 NFL Draft. Six Missouri Tigers were drafted this last weekend, and even more got workouts or unsigned free agents. We’ll review where these Tigers are now calling home.

Redskins Reaction: DE Brian Orakpo

I admit it.

When the NY Jets moved up to grab franchise QB to be, Mark Sanchez, with the fifth overall selection of the 2009 NFL Draft on Saturday, and the realization set in that there would be no tumultuous quarterback transition in Washington this offseason, I experienced a moment of vague disappointment.

It was probably due as much to the sense of losing out to another team, the competitive juices flow hard on draft day. There are legitimate concerns over who will be the Skins long term solution at QB. Nonetheless, in that instant I felt a little deflated.

That feeling didn’t last long.

As the subsequent picks unfolded and the Redskins selection drew closer, with big men like OT Michael Oher and DE’s Brian Orakpo, Robert Ayers and Aaron Maybin still on the board, I got jazzed up all over again. When Denver surprisingly chose RB Knowshon Moreno at number twelve, leaving the Redskins a virtual smorgasbord of highly-rated big men from which to choose, I quietly pumped a fist.

I certainly didn’t expect the Redskins to send someone sprinting to the podium before the echo of the Moreno announcement even faded to turn in their card, seriously, what was that? If you aren’t going to use your allotted time to field possible trade offers, at least give your fans the full allotment in which to revel—we waited months for those ten minutes. When they did make the selection and the Commissioner read off the name Brian Orakpo, my gut reaction was fierce.

“Oh hell yes.”

It only took a moment for the mental image of Orakpo putting his hand in the dirt alongside Cornelius Griffin, Albert Haynesworth, and Andre Carter to dance into my head. It took only a few seconds more to envision him standing over Phillip Daniels, Renaldo Wynn, or Chris Wilson’s shoulder on that first 2nd-and-long of the new season, or sliding up and down the line on 3rd-and-long behind Haynesworth, as NY Giants QB Eli Manning tracks him warily.

It sank in fast, the Redskins may have built themselves a pass rush Saturday.

I have been been talking a lot lately about how the Redskins haven’t had a pure pass-rusher since Charles Mann, no disrespect to Andre Carter, left town in 1993. They have had good defenses in that time, particularly since defensive coordinator Gregg Williams brought his act to town in 2004 and Greg Blache continued it in 2008. But one thing they have not been known for since the end of the first Gibbs era has been pass rush.

The additions of Haynesworth and Orakpo remakes the Redskins defensive profile almost overnight.

 

 

 

 

There are no guarantees of course, that any of this will happen. Orakpo could become 2009’s version of Mike Mamula as easily as he could become Dwight Freeney. But as of today, with seemingly unlimited potential stretching for the next ten years in front of him, and what his development could mean for his team, it is difficult to look at his selection with anything other than excitement and anticipation.

We will see the Redskins new prize bull take the field in a Redskins uniform for the first time in the Redskins preseason opener against the Baltimore Ravens on August 13. For those scoring at home, that’s 108 days.

Bring it.

Brian Orakpo becomes the first defensive lineman the Redskins have drafted in the first round since they made DE Kennard Lang the 17th overall choice in 1997.

A quick look at their draft history shows that defensive lineman has never really been targeted a position of first choice for Redskins brain trusts:

In the 72 college drafts since the franchise moved to Washington in 1937, Brian Orakpo becomes the Redskins’ eighth defensive lineman chosen with their first available pick.

He becomes only the fourth defensive lineman selected in the first round.

He becomes the second-highest overall defensive line selection in team history, behind only DT Joe Rutgens, chosen third overall in 1961.

2009 – DE Brian Orakpo, 1st round (13)
1997 – DE Kenard Lang, 1st round (17)
1991 – DT Bobby Wilson, 1st round (17)
1989 – DT Tracy Rocker, 3rd round (66)
1986 – DE Marcus Koch, 2nd round (30)
1984 – DT Bob Slater, 2nd round (31)
1970 – DT Bill Brundige, 2nd round (43)
1961 – DT Joe Rutgens, 1st round (3)

I will give my take on the rest of the Redskins draft in the days ahead … but for today, it’s all about the big man.

Regardless of his selection slot, regardless of how close the team did or did not come to opting for Sanchez and a titanic quarterback controversy instead, the fact remains that Brian Orakpo, is a Washington Redskin.

 

 

 

 

As someone old to remember what that looks like on game days, count me as pretty damn juiced.

By the way, one quick request to young Mr. Orakpo. About that “big bed” you plan to buy, so you can relax and take it all in? Invest in an alarm as well. Maybe give new teammate Fred Davis a buzz—I hear he’s done some research.

Bengals’ Draft Breakdown: Where They Can Fit In

This year’s draft for the Bengals has overall been a great draft. There were only a few questionable picks of their 11 selected.

 

Round One: Andre Smith

 

For the Bengals’ first pick, they selected offensive tackle Andre Smith out of Alabama . This was not an “unexpected” pick by the Bengals, but they have taken a small chance on Smith.

 

Smith has had some character issues, but Coach Lewis doesn’t seem to worry about these small issues as long as he doesn’t repeat them in Cincinnati.

 

I originally didn’t agree with this choice, but if he keeps Carson Palmer upright and helps open holes for the backs, it will prove to be a great pick.  This seemed to be a big issue for the Bengals last season, and if they address the issue, it can ultimately help the team.

 

I expect the running game to be better and the receivers may have some good games with Palmer staying on his feet long enough to throw to them.

 

I’d give this pick an A- only because of the character issues.  Otherwise, Smith is a great pick for the Bengals.

 

Round Two: Rey Maualuga

 

The biggest selection the Bengals made was Rey Maualuga, the inside linebacker from Sothern California .

 

The Bengals have been pretty solid with linebackers, but the problem has been injuries. They used their first round pick last year on Keith Rivers, another inside linebacker from USC, and he was doing great until the blind-sided block from Steelers receiver Heinz Ward that broke Rivers’ jaw.

 

I originally was hoping for James Laurinitis from Ohio State, but St. Lois selected him just a few picks before the Bengals could. Laurinitis is a more complete linebacker, like the Bengals are used to.

 

But there are no complaints about Maualuga; he’s a great talent that can boost this young defense’s intensity and I can see him being similar to a Bengals’ Ray Lewis down the road.

 

In his career at USC he had 272 tackles, two forced fumbles, and five interceptions.

 

This is a phenomenal pick and the Bengals are so lucky no one picked this kid before them, so I give the pick an A+. The best pick the Bengals had this year.

 

Round Three: Michael Johnson

 

The Bengals had two picks in the third round. They first selected Michael Johnson, a defensive end out of Georgia Tech.

 

The Bengals needed to help their defensive line and hopefully get a pass rush to put more pressure on the opposing offenses.

 

The next Johnson out of the many Johnson’s in the Bengals locker room was projected to be a first round pick, but was inconsistent in his senior season.

 

The Bengals said they could teach him to work hard, and I hope they can. I give this pick a B. They fulfilled a need and that was important.

 

Chase Coffman

 

Chase Coffman, the tight end from Missouri, was the Bengals’ second pick in the third round.

 

The Bengals have been playing around with the idea of establishing a tight end after acquiring Ben Utecht last season.

 

However, he was battling injuries and Palmer was too, so they couldn’t really see where that would take them.

 

Coffman has proven to be a great target for Chase Daniels and I think that he can be better with the former Heisman Trophy winner in Cincinnati .

 

Coffman had 90 receptions, gaining 987 yards, and scoring 10 touchdowns. For his career, he’s had 247 yards, 2,659 yards, and 30 touchdowns overall. He was the sixth-ranked tight end coming into the draft.

 

They have needed a tight end for a while in Cincinnati, so I would give this pick an A and I hope the kid can help with blocking as well.

 

Round Four: Jonathan Luigs

 

For the Bengals’ fifth pick of the draft, they selected their second player from Alabama, center Jonathan Luigs.

 

A lot of people thought that the Bengals would choose a center in the second round, but when someone like Maualuga falls in your lap, you can’t pass that up.

 

They got Luigs in the fourth round and he was rated one of the top players throughout the third, so another pretty good pick for the Bengals.

 

This is another position the Bengals needed to freshen up on, so I give it an A. Hopefully he can help the Bengals’ line and recognize the difficult blitz schemes of the AFC North they will have to face.

 

Round Five: Kevin Huber

 

Their sixth pick was the punter from Cincinnati, Kevin Huber. This was, in my opinion, one of the bad decisions and the first one of the draft.

 

I think they should have grabbed a running back, maybe Javon Ringer who was still available, or a wide receiver, but not a punter.

 

The chances of the punter being in the next round was high, not to mention this is for punter “competition,” but they weren’t in great need for a punter.

 

I grade this a D, because I think they could have gotten a better pick.

 

Round Six: Morgan Trent

 

Their seventh pick was the corner out of Michigan. I don’t really like this pick because, again, they still didn’t address other issues.

 

Plus when you look at this kids 40 time, it was over 4.5 and with the receivers now days, you need to be able to run fast.

 

Marvin Lewis seems like he is targeting certain schools, picking a lot of defensive players from Georgia, Michigan, and USC. He needs to be careful or this could come back to haunt this team.

 

I give this a C because it won’t kill the Bengals to have another corner.

 

Bernard Scott

 

Picking the running back out of Abilene Christian was the Bengals’ most controversial pic. The young runner has been arrested five times, which is a big caution flag.

 

He also played Division II ball, where he was one of the top players, but that’s almost like being mediocre in Division I.

 

This was not a smart pick at all because there was a better back on the board. I think they waited too long to address this position and they put to much faith in Cedric Benson to carry this running game.

 

I give this pick an F; you can’t take chances since you grabbed Tank Johnson out of free agency.

 

Seventh Round: Taufui Vakapuna

 

They added a fullback with their ninth pick. I don’t really know much about the kid, but anything to help this running game has to be good for them.

 

I will give it an A for him not making headlines at least.

 

Clinton McDonald

 

Their tenth pick was finally used for a defensive tackle. This should help them stop the run a little better and further the formation of a young, talented defense.

 

They did need to focus a little more on this defensive line, but at least they spent one pick on it so I give it a B.

 

Freddie Brown

 

I thought they would have grabbed a wide out a little earlier in this draft, but they are keeping Chad Ocho Cinco Johnson for another year.

 

This pick should add more depth, unless this kid is a breakout, I don’t see him seeing much playing time except maybe on special teams.

 

The Bengals needed to grab a receiver eventually.  I’m just glad they did so this pick gets a B+.

 

 

I give the whole draft a solid B+.  They got some great steals and fixed some immediate problems, but didn’t really think about the minor ones.

 

Hopefully all these young players can contribute is some way.

NFL: The 10 Seventh Round Picks Who Could Make NFL Teams.

Which 10 seventh round players have a shot to hit it big?

1. Chris Ogbonnaya RB Texas (211) Team: St. Louis Rams

This north-south running back saw a major increase in yards his senior year. He averaged 5 yards per carry on an explosive Texas team. He also had 46 catches. When have you known Mack Brown to not recruit someone with raw talent?

 

2. Taufui Vakapuna RB Brigham Young (215) Team: Cincinnati Bengals

This running back runs well and can pick up yards after contact. He also is a fierce blocker with a lot of strength. Vakapuna is a little under 6′ and 250lbs. He posted an impressive 34” Vertical and completed 29 bench press reps in the combine. Vakapuna could have a long career as an NFL Fullback.

3. Captain Munnerlyn CB South Carolina (216) Team: Carolina Panthers

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