It usually takes about 3 years to tell if a draft was truly successful. On the surface this one looks like we passed on a lot of talent and took some real reaches. We may have gotten a starting CB in Davis, a true wildcard in White, and a bunch of ?'s

We didn't seem to:

Address the inaequate WR issue(This would open up the running game)
Replace the aging nose tackle
Adress the questionable LB corp(Will JT be back?)
Improve the OL
Improve the RB depth

Hopefully with Wilson & Davis & possibly Smith we have addressed the secondary.

I think the key thing in assessing the draft is to understand what our system dictates as 'key positions'

In a 4-3 D, MLB is crucial. IN a 3-4 system you have 2 ILB's, so you can give up a little bit in terms of LB talent IF your NT is getting it done. ( kinda like the TAMPA 2 system makes lock down corners less important).

IMO, they would have taken Brace if he was there but they weren't trading up to get him.

So ( rambling on here)...

- I think Soliai has the ability, and enough of the coaches confidence, but they would love a sure thing rather than a guy that needs to be coached up.

-I don't think they are thrilled with Crowder at the Mike spot, nor with Akin Oyodele at the Moe spot...but they weren't sold on the guy on the board either. Maluaga is a run stuffing beast...but can't cover; Laurianitis isn't very fast...and might even project outside...so that isn't an 'answer' anymore than the guys we have are.

The Trifecta revealed pattern to their drafting. Grab a few guys at the positions of need ( a starter and a project). Last year we saw them address OL and DE this way. This year it was Secondary and WR.

-At WR/TE they were committed to size & possession
-IN the secondary they were looking at size and cover ability

Folsom is a Special Teams guy who can push Akin Oyodele, or sub Akin out.


Good job on your original prognostications.

I'm not going to be very happy if teams continue to run inside on us consistently, like they did last year. Our middle was soft last year. I was hoping we'd do SOMETHING (either in FA or the Draft) to address it this offseason. Looks like we may have a solid secondary and some good edge players, but we didn't really address the middle.

I think NE screwed us when they took Brace. Listening to Ireland talk, he sure sounded disappointed to me. I think he lost out on a couple of players he was hoping for.

Yup, I agree.

I think with Wilfork no-one saw that pick happening.

But that may mean Wilfork is a FA next year, so maybe he wouldn't mind playing Florida?

I disagree NEFF, I dont think the FO necessarily believes in Solai.

I think what they realize is that there a *7* NT's that projected to be picked in the first round next year....and its already being called the greatest draft ever for NT's.

Why draft one this year when there isnt a truly great NT other than Raji. And next year there is 7 who are projected as great.....

seems obvious to me.

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"When you suck long enough, you get a Hickey"

realist Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yup, I agree.
>
> I think with Wilfork no-one saw that pick
> happening.
>
> But that may mean Wilfork is a FA next year, so
> maybe he wouldn't mind playing Florida?

I wouldn't say no one saw it coming but NE did try to throw teams off the scent because they let the word out that they were in negotiations to resign Wilfork to a long term deal. I don't think that was an accident...and yes VW is a FA next year but will be 29 this year.

.....................................................................................
“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

Aqua&Orange Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I disagree NEFF, I dont think the FO necessarily
> believes in Solai.
>
> I think what they realize is that there a *7* NT's
> that projected to be picked in the first round
> next year....and its already being called the
> greatest draft ever for NT's.
>
> Why draft one this year when there isnt a truly
> great NT other than Raji. And next year there is 7
> who are projected as great.....
>
> seems obvious to me.


That's a good point aqua. I don't follow college ball closely enough to know who will be out there next year. Maybe that is the explanation.

But to some degree, this seems like a vote of confidence for Soliai - even if the vote is to simply say "we will give you another year to prove what you can do".

If Soliai is not expected to be a factor, we left ourselves awful thin at NT for 2009.

What about the guy we traded for from Jacksonville?

---------------------

"When you suck long enough, you get a Hickey"

Tony McDaniel? Maybe he'll help. He's 6'7" and 310. He didn't do much for Jacksonville.

montequi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm not going to be very happy if teams continue
> to run inside on us consistently, like they did
> last year. Our middle was soft last year. I was
> hoping we'd do SOMETHING (either in FA or the
> Draft) to address it this offseason. Looks like
> we may have a solid secondary and some good edge
> players, but we didn't really address the middle.

RESPONSE: You express my sentiments in their totality. I know the Pat White thing was to help us better run the wildcat but the wildcat was getting old, which by the way Ricky is also and Ronnie won't stay young forever. But even more importantly than that, by the end of the season, defenses were getting the trick of the wildcat and we made most of our gains in the traditional offense.

In the draft, we got some prototypes I like such as the big tight end. But fooling around with risks, we passed on better big tight ends before we drafted the one we got.

It was a quirky draft and that type of draft means either one thing or the other....a big success or a big bust.