Please? PLEASE?!?
Feb 28, 2008 2008 Draft, Demarcus Faggins sucks, Mutants, Roster, Secondary issues are primary
I know I am on record various places as saying I absolutely do not want to draft a CB with our first pick, primarily because I hate the idea of “Fred and Rookie CB” as our starting tandem. (Then again, I’d take a number of 7th graders over Petey and he was one half of our duo at this point last season, so it could be much worse.)
Anyway…I have to amend that position a bit. I absolutely do not want to draft a CB with our first pick unless Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie falls to 18.
40-yard dash? 4.33 (3d among CBs).
Vertical jump? 38.5 (1st among CBs).
Broad jump? 10′11″ (1st among CBs).
Three-cone drill? 6.74 sec (T-1st among CBs).
60-yard shuttle? 11.06 sec (1st among CBs).
Wow.
Holy fucking jeez, even.
And before any of you mentions that “combine numbers are overblown–what matters is on-field performance,” take a gander at this:
In 39 starts for the Tigers, opposing quarterbacks completed just 55 of 161 passes (34.16%) thrown in Rodgers-Cromartie’s immediate area. He intercepted 11 of those throws, deflected 25 and held the opposition to a miniscule 3.54 yards per pass attempt, the best of any collegiate defensive back over the last three seasons.
I think I am in love. I put him just below Felix Jones and above Kenny Phillips (who, luckily might actually slip due to a mediocre combine) on my wish list.
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February 28th, 2008 at 11:17 pm
I too have expressed concern about a 2nd year/rookie starting tandem. That said - if DRC or Leodis McKelvin are still around, I’d be cool with that pick.
Now - please go and teach your daughter about the salary cap so she can succeed Rick Smith as the GM someday. Wait - what’s her 40 time? It’s never too early to tamper.
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February 29th, 2008 at 12:09 am
@ Chris: Word. If Leodis or DRC is there at No. 18, he’s the guy.
And Kenny Phillips will most definitely be available. His stock is plummeting after the combine.
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February 29th, 2008 at 12:57 am
Re: Leodis. My problem is that he is a sub-6 footer, he had very few INTs in college (at Troy, no less) and he is consistently 4.4+. Lots of people are saying his best bet in the pros is as a returner.
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Phillips is a steal at 18. I don’t give one motherfuck about his combine. All things being equal, give me a play making Miami S over just about any other SS or FS in the country.
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Here’s my conundrum–if R-C and Felix Jones are both there at 18, which one do I hope they take? Which one are they likely to take?
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February 29th, 2008 at 7:51 am
I watched the NFL Network’s coverage of the combine on Monday when the DB’s ran. Deion creamed his jeans when DRC ran the 40. The general consensus was that DRC could be the next Deion with the exception that DRC actually liked to hit people. Like Matt, I would prefer to pick up or trade for a veteran CB instead of having to rely on a rookie. However, if DRC was still on the board at 18, we’d have to take him.
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February 29th, 2008 at 8:47 am
Looks like Mr. Banks at SI agrees with you.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/don_banks/02/28/mock.draft3.part1/index.html
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Isn’t this the same guy reporting a possible 3rd rounder for Sage? Is a mainstream media guy giving us credit for shrewd moves? I need a seat and a shot of tequila stat.
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February 29th, 2008 at 9:18 am
@ Matt: Condundrum solved: You hope for DRC in that scenario, and Smithiak would be more likely to take him than Felix. Remember the mantra…no RBs in the first round.
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February 29th, 2008 at 9:19 am
Dominique… workout warrior.
No way he slides to #18. BUT that might allow Jenkins or another of the highly-rated CBs to slide.
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February 29th, 2008 at 9:31 am
So….when David Carr announces that he’s the latest addition to Dancing with the Stars, are they going to let him wear his mittens? I think they’ll have to pair him up with Carson from Queer Eye. David makes Carson look butch.
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February 29th, 2008 at 10:39 am
@Matt: We agree to disagree. I watched Kenny Phillips combine work out and had the misfortune of watching a few Miami games because the east coast hates broadcasting good college football. He’s overrated. He’s got passable skills across the board, but he doesn’t have the motor to bring the sort of impact we need in the secondary.
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As for DRC - yes please! Aside from those combine stats, I’ve read his skills are extremely polished and that he’s probably the most NFL-ready CB in the draft right now.
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I’m still not clear how Arkansas had a backfield of Humanity Advanced and Felix Jones and managed to suck so royally. Just run the wishbone ffs.
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February 29th, 2008 at 11:11 am
If Dunta comes back, and has to be moved to FS because he no longer has CB movement, would we still be looking at Kenny Phillips? Would one of them need to move to the other safety, currently occupied by Roy Williams Redux? Would drafting Phillips add to the logjam? I’d be willing to wager that we also pass on RB in the 1st, regardless of who’s there.
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February 29th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Check out Hoke talking about the object of your affections:
http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/02/29/texans-looking-at-db-jacques-reeves-ol-rex-hadnot/