NFL Draft: The Hottest Riser? The Coldest Dropper?

[ritehook]

Happens every year. The "drop like a rock" agony of ND QB Brady Quinn last year was painful to watch. It got so bad they eventually put him in a little room, off camera.

Who do you think will be a surprise earlier-than-expected pick
on Saturday? And who a suprise dropper, from an expected high perch?

[ritehook]

Teams looking for a safety might want grab Miami's Kenny Phillips in the top half of Round One, rather than in bottom 3rd
as he is likely projected to go.

Because safety is a weak position in this year's draft, and a team needing one may feel the need to grab the best one in the draft.

Another possible riser, into Round One, is Chad Henne, QB Mich. No real shortage this year of good qbs, but next year looks like a desert for the QB position. With an NFL arm and leadership skills Henne may be tempting to some team down near the bottom of Rd One, and use '08 as a schooling year.

[mofome]

I like Henne and Phillips a lot. I remember watching Phillips press conference when he committed to Miami.

I want to see where the RBs go. Mend/Jones/Stewart are all close.

[ritehook]

Possible droppers?

I'll nominate Darren McFadden, RB Ark.

Projected to go in top five players picked, I think he may drop down to 10 or so.

Because everyone remembers Ricky Wiliams, the all-everything RB from Texas that Ditka traded away all his draft picks to get.

McFadden also has what are euphemistically called "charaxter issues." He is not an experienced receiver out of the backfield, and some teams demand that. Plus, he runs so straight up he could risk injury from the hard pounding such rushers take in the NFL.

Raiders may take him, you never know what Al Davis is going to do. Or Dallas may move up to take him. But I can foresee a bit of slippage.

[mofome]

Possible droppers?

I'll nominate Darren McFadden, RB Ark.

Projected to go in top five players picked, I think he may drop down to 10 or so.

Because everyone remembers Ricky Wiliams, the all-everything RB from Texas that Ditka traded away all his draft picks to get.

McFadden also has what are euphemistically called "charaxter issues." He is not an experienced receiver out of the backfield, and some teams demand that. Plus, he runs so straight up he could risk injury from the hard pounding such rushers take in the NFL.

Raiders may take him, you never know what Al Davis is going to do. Or Dallas may move up to take him. But I can foresee a bit of slippage.

hard to say everyone remembers williams when no one would associate those names nearly as closely as they would peterson and mcfadden.

[ritehook]

Another guy expected to go in top half of the draft (Round One, first 16 picks) is Jeff Otah, OT Pitt.

Otah may drop into the second half. There are a lot of excellent linemen -both O and D - this year, and a lot for teams needy of same to pick from.

Otah may well be a "road grader," but being from Nigeria he didn't play football until a senior in HS, and will likely need some seasoning. I also understand some scouts are wary about his dedication and motivation.

[ritehook]

hard to say everyone remembers williams when no one would associate those names nearly as closely as they would peterson and mcfadden.

No mo, NFL general managers have long memories, and Peterson was a model citizen as a collegiate. Had an injury question,but a minor one. Doctors can analyze that scientifically. But a lot harder to know if a player is going to be a fuk-up.

[ritehook]

I like Henne and Phillips a lot. I remember watching Phillips press conference when he committed to Miami.

I want to see where the RBs go. Mend/Jones/Stewart are all close.

Some very good RBs there. Also like the guy from Texas. And expected Second Rounder, the guy from Rutgers, is going to be very useful to some team.

Sure would be a hoot if one of these guys went before Darren. Without the toe, Stewart may have.

[mofome]

No mo, NFL general managers have long memories, and Peterson was a model citizen as a collegiate. Had an injury question,but a minor one. Doctors can analyze that scientifically. But a lot harder to know if a player is going to be a fuk-up.

Ricky Williams was a model citizen in college.

[Sportsgirl]

Ricky Williams was a model citizen in college.

Things went down hill when he married Ditka straight out of college. I hear it was shotgun.

[mofome]

Some very good RBs there. Also like the guy from Texas. And expected Second Rounder, the guy from Rutgers, is going to be very useful to some team.

Sure would be a hoot if one of these guys went before Darren. Without the toe, Stewart may have.

Stewart was the #10 overall player coming out of HS while McFadden was the 23rd. Intersting to look back at those things, imo.

Mendenhall was 90th



the top 6 that season were:
Derrick Williams: PSU (not much of an NFL prospect)
Patrick Turner: USC (struggling as a Trojan)
Eugene Monroe: UVA (great OT for the Hoos)
Melvin Alaeze: MD/Illinois (Legal troubles, likely to spend time in prison)
Rey Maualuga: USC (best LB in the nation)
Fred Rouse: FSU (legal issues, kicked off the team)

[purecarnagge]

QB are always a shortage of QBs... Don't worry, next year ESPN will have another 6 guys to hype up...

[Quebb Diesel]

w/ AP last year...mcfadden will not get anywhere close to the 10th pick...

manningham is the coldest dropper that i can think of right now...half way through the season he was arguably the top receiver out there...

hottest riser would be that tackle from virginia...nobody thought he wouldve been a top 15 pick let alone a 1st rounder at the beginning of the year!

[freeVICK]

coldest drop... colt brennan. in 2007 mel kiper had him ranked as the top rated junior QB in the nation. had he declared for the draft he woulda been a 2nd round pick.

after going undefeated in the regular season and leading hawaii to the sugar bowl he might not even get drafted. sure he did horrible in the sugar bowl, but so would any QB under that kind of pressure. says a lot about him when he was named caption of his team for the senior bowl and mike martz choose him to start the game.

brennan will prob be taken in the 5-6 round, and that would be a steal

[ritehook]

coldest drop... colt brennan. in 2007 mel kiper had him ranked as the top rated junior QB in the nation. had he declared for the draft he woulda been a 2nd round pick.

after going undefeated in the regular season and leading hawaii to the sugar bowl he might not even get drafted. sure he did horrible in the sugar bowl, but so would any QB under that kind of pressure. says a lot about him when he was named caption of his team for the senior bowl and mike martz choose him to start the game.

brennan will prob be taken in the 5-6 round, and that would be a steal

But can you name even one QB from a Run N Shoot, or Run 'n
Gun (spurrier at Fla) who ever did anything in the NFL? Remember Klinger?

[Iwinyourmoney]

I went from late 5th round to mid 4th. Off the field issues holding me from early 3rd round.

[freeVICK]

But can you name even one QB from a Run N Shoot, or Run 'n
Gun (spurrier at Fla) who ever did anything in the NFL? Remember Klinger?

i aint saying brennan is gonna be the next tom brady, but i am saying he has tremendous value as a fifth rounder. he will prob be a decent backup after a few years.

[SBR Lou]

Happens every year. The "drop like a rock" agony of ND QB Brady Quinn last year was painful to watch. It got so bad they eventually put him in a little room, off camera.

Did the same with Aaron Rodgers few years back.