well that didn't take long....


I was too hard on the Miami Dolphins. I've already said how much I like Jared Odrick, but aside from the recent addition of Brandon Marshall, I think Koa Misi from Utah could be better than I had judged. I think he'll convert to outside linebacker much more easily than I expected, giving the Dolphins a chance to have essentially three pretty impactful players (including Marshall) from one draft class early next season. I really like Misi's chance to start the more I look into that situation. But enough about where I screwed up....

I find it amazing each year, just how wrong the pundits are, and we somehow, continue to annoint them to the source of rating players the following year.

let's put it this way:

1. Most of these pundits are data collectors - period, end of story.

2. That would be okay if they collected data from real football people, but rather they collect it from media and each other mostly.

3. They do however organize a lot of facts, and stats from the combine and history.

We should be happy to get the info but realize they know sooooo much less than good football scouts.

Kiper's a wash up. He had good drafts back in the 90's, some of them almost godly in their accuracy. I think he's lost touch with college ball and as a result, doesn't know squat anymore when it comes to the draft. My suggestion is always judge for yourself, do your own research, and realize that every draft pick regardless of stature going into the draft, is a risk.

Mayock also has a huge advantage in that he gets more game footage than any other "draft guru" because he works for the NFL's in-house network.

I still like Kiper. It's all entertainment anyway, and he has stong opinions (even if you don't agree with them) and knows something about every single player. He's right more often then not, but I agree, if a team does something different than what he would have done, he trashes them for that reason alone.

The thing most people fail to realize is the "gurus" are DRAFT analysts, not football player scouts.

Their success is measured, not on how well the players turn out compared to their assessments of them, but on how accurately they assess the needs of teams and the order that players end up being picked in the draft.

Those are two COMPLETELY different things, and I think if people kept that in mind, they would save themselves a lot of stress worrying about what these "experts" have to say.

I'm shocked he even backed off at all, most of what he's says post-draft (good or bad) is long forgotten in 2/3 years, so why even admit your mistake now?

Just add it to the growing list of reasons why these so-called "draft experts" know nothing.

Yea, I'm pretty happy w/ the top 3 guys now that I know the teams positional strategy.

Moving Starks inside is not that big of a risk and freed us up to draft the best available defensive lineman... Even if the Starks move is only short term until they find the next Fergason type of long term solution.

The two undrafted NT's do show some promise and the Phins are also letting Ryan Baker compete for a backup NT spot and he is known for his strength by our interior offensive lineman.

Our top 3 picks should become pillars on this team for a long time.

The LB's on the back half of the draft should help improve our special teams play.

We just need to nail down the starting FS w/ one of the youngsters in Clemons, Culver, or Jones.

Hopefully, the additon of Brandon Marshall allows us to simplify the offense and get the ball to Fasano a little more this year.

We need to continue to develop our young RB's...Hilliard made a huge step forward last year. Now, Kory Sheets and Tristan Davis need to fight for a productive roster spot.

It's reasonable to expect that Brian Hartline will continue to develop this year and the fight for that final WR roster spot should be highly competitive.

Topic merge inc......

Phinsfan2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There's a reason that Mike Mayock gets front
> office job offers from NFL teams and ESPN has been
> grooming Todd McShay to retire Kiper.


Kiper was offered a job with the Baltimore Colts back in the day. He turned it down and went with ESPN. Smart pick on his part ; )