Gil Brandt's Hot 100

[Blitzwood]

Originally Posted by Roy P

That's the beautiful thing about the draft, some folks like Vanilla and others like Rocky Road. You have a problem with Everette because he's from FSU? When I take a look at Raji I see a guy who isn't serious about football, maybe he's lazy. Jenkins is a poor fit because we don't run a Cover-2 scheme and he's too slow to play man coverage. Cushing is too slow for the WILL and not enough of an impact player at the SAM. Wells is entirely too soft to be counted on to play injured and doesn't run like a back his size. Jerry is a good player, and if I could trade Travis Johnson, I'd draft him to rotate with Okoye and Cody. The fact that we could bring in Brown at #15 to play RDE without having to trade up in the draft makes me giddy.

I have to disagree with you again on this one.

1. I wouldn't select E. Brown at 15 because we already have Mario at RDE, who had 12 sacks last year, and we just signed Antonio Smith, who just happened to have helped his team get to the game we call the superbowl, to a long and lucrative contract opposite him. So while the thought of Everett at 15 makes you "giddy", I feel it would be as useful as a third testicle.
Him being from FSU is incidental.



2. Unless you know first hand what Bush is going to run next year, I remember watching games last year where Smith ran a cover 2....Not to take anything away from Jenkins, who would automatically upgrade ANY position in the secondary on the Texans.
If you're sick of D.R. falling anytime there is a ball thrown in his direction or Reeves never turning his head to possibly make a play on the ball, you won't mind this pick.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/563623

Lockdown corner. … Very physical at the line, has a strong punch to knock receivers off their route. … Attacks ballcarriers behind the line, making secure tackles. … Also willing to assist in tackles downfield or inside. … Effective playing off receivers as he can flip open his hips and accelerate, close quickly on the ball in front of him or change direction to mirror receivers. … Stays with even the fastest receivers down the sideline. … Plays free safety on occasion and has all of the tools to succeed there in the NFL. … Excellent hands for the interception, and he has the vertical to high-point the ball and strength to fight for it. … Can make plays with the ball in his hands.


3. To call Raji lazy after witnessing last year what our DT's did is beyond logic. Okoye amassed a whopping:
24 TKL 1 SK 1 FF

and T.Johnson amass another whopping:
28 TKL 1 SK 1 FF

And those were stats for 16 games, not 13.



4. To say Cush is not enough of an impact player at SAM is comical. He was the SAM for the most dominant defense in the nation last year,

from http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/559359

Physical prototype with a combination of excellent size and overall athleticism for the position. Versatile. Signed with USC as a potential strong safety candidate, but has played defensive end, strong-side linebacker and even middle linebacker. Physical and intense. Big hitter who looks to intimidate opponents with his physicality in every phase of the game. Attacks blocks aggressively and flashes not only explosiveness but ferocity as a tackler. Good straight-line speed. Good flexibility to turn and run with tight ends and backs in coverage. Reads the quarterback well and can break on the ball. Productive pass rusher who is equally effective as an end and blitzing linebacker. Immediate standout performer who started for USC as a freshman.

If anything is a concern about drafting him at 15, it's his durability, which makes me think you might have got him initially confused with Beanie Wells, which also brings me to my last point.



5. Beanie Wells was one of the most durable and powerful runners in college the last three years. He generated 3382 yards in three seasons at OSU, He had more than 1200 all purpose yards last season, and more than 1600 in 2007.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1117597

Regarded by many as the most powerful tailback in college football, that title came with a hefty price for Wells during his three years at Ohio State. Even though he suffered from a rash of injuries - a left ankle sprain, a right wrist sprain and a thumb fracture in 2007; a right foot sprain, turf toe, a hamstring strain and a concussion in 2008 - he only missed three games while compiling enough rushing yardage to rank fourth on the school career record list.

http://www.draftcountdown.com/scouti...hris-Wells.php

from Scott Wright:

For all the talk about his durability concerns he has never suffered a major injury and actually only missed a grand total of three games in college, all in 2008...Has shown the ability to play through pain but will always be susceptible to getting nicked up due to his physical, aggressive running style. Has the talent to be one of the best running backs in the entire league as long as he can stay healthy.

If you want to nit pick about his duability, go ahead, but don't call him "entirely too soft to be counted on to play injured and doesn't run like a back his size" unless you have some unreasonable expectations.