A Dennis Green Draft coup: Derek Johnson in Rd. #1 and Ciatrick Fason in Rd. #2.

[Lomax to Green 84]

I have seen Johnson a number of times and he is lightning fast, sudden fast just like Dansby. He is not Wendell Bryant (run a 4.7 in shorts) and then look like a big, fat slow blob on the field or Bryan Gilmore (4.3 in shorts) but gets caught trying to turn the corner fast, he is football fast like Carlos Dansby. That is a good thing by the way. Johnson is a playmaker in the mold of a smaller Carlos Dansby. He can blitz, he can drop into coverage, and he can make some of the most eyepopping defensive plays you will ever see. The knock on him is kind of like the knock on Dansby in college: lacks upper body strength and can be kind of soft against the run. Personally I don't worry about that stuff with this guy. He is a bigtimer just like Dansby and would give the Cards a really, really scary set of outside backers and pair those guys with a very underrated Gerald Hayes and the Cards will be nasty at linebacker.

As for Fason, I really think he is going to be a guy who will move up the draft boards just like Fred Taylor did back in 1998. Taylor was a 2nd round type back in January 1998 and then kept moving up until he was taken by Jacksonville in the first round. Fason sure looks alot like a bigger version of Robert Smith. He is an upright runner with long speed just like Smith and really looks like a perfect fit for a 3 wide reciever set. Fason is a seam runner and Dennis Green loves seam runners. A seam runner is a guy who picks a hole and goes. Not a cutback guy, but a downhill burner and Fason has the entire package. I saw Fason in 3 games this past season and he is one of those guys who just sticks out. He looks bigger than the listed 215 pounds and he is also football fast. I would guess that Green would need to move up into the later part of the first round to get Fason. A team like Indy or even New England will snatch up this guy if he is there at the end of round #1.

 

[Russ Smith]

So do you think he's like Dansby?



He's my top choice for us right now unless Rodgers inexplicably falls.

 

[DevonCardsFan]

I would be stoked if the draft went that way

 

[cdex99]

I think Johnson would be a great pick. To have the most talented, young receiving corp. and linebacking corp. would be a great start to a playoff team. Clancy would have a field day scheming with Dansby, Johnson, and Hayes on defense. Through Adrian in the mix and you've got 4 serious blitzers. Offenses would have a nightmare trying to figure out whose coming from where.
Faison I'm not totally sold on yet. Maybe I haven't seen enough of him. I like either Sproles or Moats. They are both undersized but have tremendous talent and work extremely hard. Not to mention the blazing speed they both possess. Combine here we come.

 

[Rocco]

Would be a flat out coup to get both those guys. BUt I don't think either Johnson in the first or Fason in the second will still be there when we pick,

 

[MadCardDisease]

Would be a flat out coup to get both those guys. BUt I don't think either Johnson in the first or Fason in the second will still be there when we pick,

I agree. Ain't going to happen!

 

[JPlay]

Kiper doesn't have Johnson rated that high. Apparently he only had a mediocre year. So I don't think this guy is going to be the next Ray Lewis.

 

[HookemCards]

Kiper doesn't have Johnson rated that high. Apparently he only had a mediocre year. So I don't think this guy is going to be the next Ray Lewis.

Led the Longhorns in tackles, forced fumbles, fumble recoveries. Last year led the team in Ints @ LB!!!! He can do it all, stuff the run, play the pass, man or zone, rush the passer (though he wasn't asked to do that much). Also, he's an OLB, so the next LT would be more accurate.

 

[Stronso]

Led the Longhorns in tackles, forced fumbles, fumble recoveries. Last year led the team in Ints @ LB!!!! He can do it all, stuff the run, play the pass, man or zone, rush the passer (though he wasn't asked to do that much). Also, he's an OLB, so the next LT would be more accurate.

NICE!!!

 

[spanky1]

While it is unlikely, it is not out of the question about being able to land Johnson and Faison with our first two picks. The key to Johnson is getting him past Oakland and that will be tough as they need OLB's in the worst way.

The run on RB's will come in two phases: Benson, Williams and Brown go within the 1st 15. Phase two will come in the 2nd in and around when we pick at #44. Marion Barber, Ciatric Fason and Verand Morency......one of them will be available at #44. Right now, I have them all about equal in desireability with a leaning towards Fason.

 

[BACH]

From The War Room:
Derrick Johnson
OLB, Texas
War Room analysis
Strengths: Has great speed and always takes the right angles into making tackles. Is a consistent open-field tackler. Shows outstanding closing speed as a pass rusher. Works adeptly in zone coverage and would match up well man-to-man against all but the very quickest NFL running backs. Shows great instincts and hustle with big-play flair.

Weaknesses: Gets out of his element when he isn't working in open field. Tends to get manhandled by bigger offensive linemen who can lock into him. Lacks ideal NFL bulk.

Bottom line: Johnson has been hugely productive playing at the highest level of college competition in the Big 12. He is smart and experienced. He needs to add bulk, but his athleticism and hustle make him a big time NFL prospect. He is a definite first-round pick and could be a top-15 pick if he beefs up his lean frame.

Dan Pompei analysis
Fast, athletic playmaker with instincts. Has a burst to the ball. Is disruptive and can be a difference-maker. Can hit. Misses some tackles and isn't as physical as some linebackers.

The War Room have Johnson rated as #3 overall in the draft. LBs usually don't go that high, so Johnson could slip. BUT, we should probably look at Kiper's Board instead. I really don't think there any difference in terms of accuracy between the War Room and Kiper, but since Green and Kiper had the exact same top 3 last year, I'm guessing the Cards' draft board is more simular to Kiper's than The War Room's.

 

[Russ Smith]

Kiper doesn't have Johnson rated that high. Apparently he only had a mediocre year. So I don't think this guy is going to be the next Ray Lewis.

agreed, he only broke the NCAA single season record for forced fumbles.

He's a bit light in the butt, but he had a pretty good year.

 

[Russ Smith]

The War Room have Johnson rated as #3 overall in the draft. LBs usually don't go that high, so Johnson could slip. BUT, we should probably look at Kiper's Board instead. I really don't think there any difference in terms of accuracy between the War Room and Kiper, but since Green and Kiper had the exact same top 3 last year, I'm guessing the Cards' draft board is more simular to Kiper's than The War Room's.

Actually that's the beauty of changing your draft board right up until the day of the draft. If you look at Kiper's board this time last year it was totally different, he had I think Fitzgerald at the top of his board and Eli and Ben 2 and 3 for months, I don't recall him having Gallery up that high until much closer to the draft when Gallery was blowing up and Ben was "fading".

 

[RobbleRobble]

Would absolutely love the above mentioned scenario. At this point, player's stocks are rapidly rising and falling so its too hard to say whats going to happen three months from now.

My crystal ball says that Fason's stock will rise to the point that he'll be long gone by the time we pick in the 2nd. I actually think the Jets are a likely destination as Jordan is likely to leave and he could be the sucessor to CuMar.

 

[mdsisquo]

I have seen Johnson a number of times and he is lightning fast, sudden fast just like Dansby. He is not Wendell Bryant (run a 4.7 in shorts) and then look like a big, fat slow blob on the field or Bryan Gilmore (4.3 in shorts) but gets caught trying to turn the corner fast, he is football fast like Carlos Dansby. That is a good thing by the way. Johnson is a playmaker in the mold of a smaller Carlos Dansby. He can blitz, he can drop into coverage, and he can make some of the most eyepopping defensive plays you will ever see. The knock on him is kind of like the knock on Dansby in college: lacks upper body strength and can be kind of soft against the run. Personally I don't worry about that stuff with this guy. He is a bigtimer just like Dansby and would give the Cards a really, really scary set of outside backers and pair those guys with a very underrated Gerald Hayes and the Cards will be nasty at linebacker.

As for Fason, I really think he is going to be a guy who will move up the draft boards just like Fred Taylor did back in 1998. Taylor was a 2nd round type back in January 1998 and then kept moving up until he was taken by Jacksonville in the first round. Fason sure looks alot like a bigger version of Robert Smith. He is an upright runner with long speed just like Smith and really looks like a perfect fit for a 3 wide reciever set. Fason is a seam runner and Dennis Green loves seam runners. A seam runner is a guy who picks a hole and goes. Not a cutback guy, but a downhill burner and Fason has the entire package. I saw Fason in 3 games this past season and he is one of those guys who just sticks out. He looks bigger than the listed 215 pounds and he is also football fast. I would guess that Green would need to move up into the later part of the first round to get Fason. A team like Indy or even New England will snatch up this guy if he is there at the end of round #1.

I agree with Johnson. There is nothing wrong with having the best young group of OLB's in the leauge. We'd have to sign a run stuffing DT in FA, or else our Run D will still suffer next season. But overall, Johnson is probably the safest pick with the most potential.

I don't know much about Fason. Haven't really seen him play. We need a talent infusion at RB in the worst way, I don't really care who he is as long as he cranks out multiple 1,000+ yard seasons.

Oh yea, it's Karlos Dansby, Karlos...

 

[CardinalChris]

Oakland has a TON of needs (WR, DE and even Cb with both Woodson and Buchanon wanting out). DE has been a sore spot for year and could see the first DE go here...... and of course last year they really liked Mike Williams, so don't count that out. I really can't se anyone taking Johnson before us unless a whole lotta shaking goes on (and the board will shimmy).

Now, will Green pull the trigger? I have always been a fan of overloading one position with talent when you lack a general talent base. As an example, a great pass rush can make a so-so secondary look much better. A dominant D-Line can control an offense. The Giants in the 80's made it to a couple of Super bowls with great LBs they drafted even when it wasn't a "need". When you overload a position with talent, it becomes harder to gameplan for an opposing coach.