Rookie minicamp is here, the undrafted rookie class has been announced and now it is time to evaluate a little on the draft.
1 – I have never understood why many argue that you can’t judge a draft until three years down the road. Why? It is not like I am talking about how the players have done on the field in the NFL. It is just about evaluating how a team did according to your thoughts about the players before the draft.
2 – The best Cards-defense I have seen since I jumped on the fan-wagon in 2008 was the one with Karlos Dansby and Daryl Washington together. Can Simmons and Collins mimic that?
3 – I don’t mind that they did not take a runningback. Yes, I did expect that they would, but I like Chase Edmonds and I think Jonathan Ward had a really good training camp last year.
4 – I think the theme continued from what I wrote about Collins after day one, in that they all the way through selected smart players, probably with the hope that they can learn the playbook fast and thus contribute fast (case in point: Victor Dimukeje majored at Duke in evolutionary anthropology. Anyone even know what that is?)
5 – Rondale Moore is not your typical undersized speedster. He is like a tank with a turbo engine. If he pans out, defenders will have a really hard time stopping him. I am much, much, much higher on this pick than I ever was on Andy Isabella.
6 – I know almost nothing about Michal Manet, but I want them to draft at least one offensive lineman every year, so I am fine with the pick.
7 – Not really an inspiring undrafted free agency class, but I did study Cary Angeline, the tight end out of NC State, before the draft. The tight end-position is not important in the Cards’ offense, but as a big receiver, Angeline might have a shot.
P.S. By the way, look out for the runningback tryout-player Michael Warren. I studied him before the draft last year, and thus he is in his second year after spending time with the Eagles, Panthers and Washington last year. I am telling you. Maybe he will be gone after his tryout, but he is on a level where he at least has a chance.
8 – What a wonderful trade with the Ravens. It was basically giving them a fifth-round pick for their sixth-round pick, and then a simple swap of fourth-round picks.
9 – Anyone else also think that Collins were trolling Kyle Shanahan in his draft call after Shanahan´s “I can’t promise we are alive on Monday”-comment? #WeAreGoingToKillThemAll
10 – Maybe Bernhard Seikovits will never become a contributor, but to me he at least gives training camp another interesting aspect – more than most undrafted rookies does. Also, think about that his name is pronounced Psychovits. I would want a guy like that on the field.
11 – I am very excited about day three. This is where you take fliers on high upside guys and both Marco Wilson, Tay Gowan and James Wiggins are extreme athletes who, with the right mindset and coaching, could develop into legit contributors. And athletes like that can often be good special teamers.
12 – It seems risky to me to go into next season with only the current cornerbacks in the squad. I would prefer another veteran.
13 – I don’t know a lot about Dimukeje, so this is only a hunch, but I just think he will beat out Kyle Fitts and have a role in the rotation.
14 – I find it a little funny how both Keim and Kingsbury, in the press conference, made it absolutely clear that Collins would play middle linebacker. No experimental position-switching Reddick-style and Hicks is out.
15 – On to Derek Stingley.
1 – I have never understood why many argue that you can’t judge a draft until three years down the road. Why? It is not like I am talking about how the players have done on the field in the NFL. It is just about evaluating how a team did according to your thoughts about the players before the draft.
2 – The best Cards-defense I have seen since I jumped on the fan-wagon in 2008 was the one with Karlos Dansby and Daryl Washington together. Can Simmons and Collins mimic that?
3 – I don’t mind that they did not take a runningback. Yes, I did expect that they would, but I like Chase Edmonds and I think Jonathan Ward had a really good training camp last year.
4 – I think the theme continued from what I wrote about Collins after day one, in that they all the way through selected smart players, probably with the hope that they can learn the playbook fast and thus contribute fast (case in point: Victor Dimukeje majored at Duke in evolutionary anthropology. Anyone even know what that is?)
5 – Rondale Moore is not your typical undersized speedster. He is like a tank with a turbo engine. If he pans out, defenders will have a really hard time stopping him. I am much, much, much higher on this pick than I ever was on Andy Isabella.
6 – I know almost nothing about Michal Manet, but I want them to draft at least one offensive lineman every year, so I am fine with the pick.
7 – Not really an inspiring undrafted free agency class, but I did study Cary Angeline, the tight end out of NC State, before the draft. The tight end-position is not important in the Cards’ offense, but as a big receiver, Angeline might have a shot.
P.S. By the way, look out for the runningback tryout-player Michael Warren. I studied him before the draft last year, and thus he is in his second year after spending time with the Eagles, Panthers and Washington last year. I am telling you. Maybe he will be gone after his tryout, but he is on a level where he at least has a chance.
8 – What a wonderful trade with the Ravens. It was basically giving them a fifth-round pick for their sixth-round pick, and then a simple swap of fourth-round picks.
9 – Anyone else also think that Collins were trolling Kyle Shanahan in his draft call after Shanahan´s “I can’t promise we are alive on Monday”-comment? #WeAreGoingToKillThemAll
10 – Maybe Bernhard Seikovits will never become a contributor, but to me he at least gives training camp another interesting aspect – more than most undrafted rookies does. Also, think about that his name is pronounced Psychovits. I would want a guy like that on the field.
11 – I am very excited about day three. This is where you take fliers on high upside guys and both Marco Wilson, Tay Gowan and James Wiggins are extreme athletes who, with the right mindset and coaching, could develop into legit contributors. And athletes like that can often be good special teamers.
12 – It seems risky to me to go into next season with only the current cornerbacks in the squad. I would prefer another veteran.
13 – I don’t know a lot about Dimukeje, so this is only a hunch, but I just think he will beat out Kyle Fitts and have a role in the rotation.
14 – I find it a little funny how both Keim and Kingsbury, in the press conference, made it absolutely clear that Collins would play middle linebacker. No experimental position-switching Reddick-style and Hicks is out.
15 – On to Derek Stingley.