An Early Look at the Draft

[Harry]

On first glance this year looks a great deal like last year. The Cards have painted themselves into a corner (pun very much intended), as they did with a tackle last year. They ended up elevating a player. I fully expect them to take the best CB available when their turn comes. Hood played decently as a number two last year, but Green, though improved, showed no signs of being a number one corner. A number one without experience must have speed, so the Cards must select one in round one. I have an upcoming article that says the odds are against this strategy. I wouldn’t go for a running back here either as you likely know my predilection to select Kevin Smith. Owing to the options likely available at that point, I’d take an OLB/DE in round one. Smith in round 2 and O-line depth in round 3 despite the pundits telling you this isn’t a deep draft for the O-line.

 

[Garthshort]

Draft

Harry, I don't understand. Are you saying that the team SHOULD draft:
1. OLB/DE
2. RB
3. OL
But will draft a CB in the first round? If I'm correct then you're saying that the team SHOULDN'T draft a CB in the first three rounds. Please explain.

 

[az jam]

Harry, I don't understand. Are you saying that the team SHOULD draft:
1. OLB/DE
2. RB
3. OL
But will draft a CB in the first round? If I'm correct then you're saying that the team SHOULDN'T draft a CB in the first three rounds. Please explain.

I was also confused with his draft recommendation. CB is a big need and if we don't take one in the first round then we should in the 2nd for sure.

 

[Chopper0080]

We shouldn't bank on taking any specific position in any specific round as this is where you pass on talent to fill a need. I think as an organization that we should target the cornerback position in the first 4 rounds but I wouldn't say that it needs to be in any specific round. In my opinion Tracy Porter or Justin King in round 3 is just as good as Talib or Jenkins in round 1.

 

[lobo]

I would like to get the pun...but I don't...please splain to me. Thanks

 

[DaisyCutter]

I would like to get the pun...but I don't...please splain to me. Thanks

Because the Cards might feel like they need to take a corner, as in "cornerback."

 

[PoolBoy]

I would like to get the pun...but I don't...please splain to me. Thanks

 

[Doc Cardinal]

That's fine....those are two of the deepest positions (CB and RB) this year....so matter which way you put it we'll be OK....unless they trick me and don't draft a RB.

 

[CardinalChris]

I think he is saying Arizona will pick corner because of need, not because he is the best player. Then Harry thinks OLB/DE, RB, O-Line should be the picks the team should make, but won't

 

[WildBB]

Harry, I don't understand. Are you saying that the team SHOULD draft:
1. OLB/DE
2. RB
3. OL
But will draft a CB in the first round? If I'm correct then you're saying that the team SHOULDN'T draft a CB in the first three rounds. Please explain.

I think he's saying that they ARE going to draft a CB first , but that 1,2,3 is what he'd prefer. I guess.

IMO, what he says, that they need to draft a CB with speed to be a potential #1 cover corner, that they are going to do that in round #1. I think however guys like Porter and King are viable candidates in round #2 and are better value picks.

We need to take a RB in round 1 or 3 along with the CB and then an OL or OLB. Those four areas will be addressed in the first four rounds. I'll take bets on that. We could also use a stout DE, but between Bailey and Cooper, I guess we can hold out another year.

Here's hoping Antonio Smith is extended soon.

 

[JeffGollin]

The better they get, the more the Cards will appear be "painted into a corner."

As they descend down the draft list from Top 5 to Top 10 and now to Top 16, the Cards will always be at the mercy of the teams who draft ahead of them.

Which means they will be like the Catcher in the Rye" (waiting to see which remaining players fall over the cliff and then catching one they feel will most improve their football team).

What you hope is that - as they drop later and later into the first round - the number of positions they "absolutely gotta fill" will become fewer and fewer (until hopefully they disappear altogether).

Last year you could argue that the Cardinals drafted Levi Brown purely out of "need." I'm not so sure about that. Even the one guy some would rate a better player (Peterson) carried some issues regarding his durability. And I guess looking backward, a similar case could be made about Willis, but there were some (including me) who rated Levi higher as a pure player (If everyone was in agreement over which player was better than another, why have blogs?)

This year, the CW says we absolutely gotta draft a corner. (Unless we feel there's a big home-run hitting back we like better. Or there's an OLB who wows us. Or - if you're talking about pure need, how about a safety?).

I happen to like a couple of corners (Rodgers-Cromartie and Jenkins) a lot. Does this mean that, should the Cardinals draft one of them, they'd do it for "need?" Or maybe they'd do it because they felt either player was the best available guy out there? It could happen, you know.

 

[40yearfan]

The better they get, the more the Cards will appear be "painted into a corner."

As they descend down the draft list from Top 5 to Top 10 and now to Top 16, the Cards will always be at the mercy of the teams who draft ahead of them.

Which means they will be like the Catcher in the Rye" (waiting to see which remaining players fall over the cliff and then catching one they feel will most improve their football team).

What you hope is that - as they drop later and later into the first round - the number of positions they "absolutely gotta fill" will become fewer and fewer (until hopefully they disappear altogether).

Last year you could argue that the Cardinals drafted Levi Brown purely out of "need." I'm not so sure about that. Even the one guy some would rate a better player (Peterson) carried some issues regarding his durability. And I guess looking backward, a similar case could be made about Willis, but there were some (including me) who rated Levi higher as a pure player (If everyone was in agreement over which player was better than another, why have blogs?)

This year, the CW says we absolutely gotta draft a corner. (Unless we feel there's a big home-run hitting back we like better. Or there's an OLB who wows us. Or - if you're talking about pure need, how about a safety?).

I happen to like a couple of corners (Rodgers-Cromartie and Jenkins) a lot. Does this mean that, should the Cardinals draft one of them, they'd do it for "need?" Or maybe they'd do it because they felt either player was the best available guy out there? It could happen, you know.

Jeff, it can't happen. As all the really knowledeable fans on this board know, the FO is incapable of making any kind of rational decision and RG is the worst GM in all of professional sports.

Berry, Hood, Johnson, Gandy, James, Okeafor and Terrell Smith were all just lucky stabs in the dark in the FA market. I mean, after all, look at how bad Holt was.

Drafting was even more of a crap shoot. We never pick the best player and always have to draft from a position of need. Boldin, Docket, Hayes, Wilson, Dansby, Fitz, Duece and Lienart were all lucky picks. I mean, after all, look at Bruce Davis. What rotten drafting.

 

[HookemCards]

Jeff, it can't happen. As all the really knowledeable fans on this board know, the FO is incapable of making any kind of rational decision and RG is the worst GM in all of professional sports.

Berry, Hood, Johnson, Gandy, James, Okeafor and Terrell Smith were all just lucky stabs in the dark in the FA market. I mean, after all, look at how bad Holt was.

Drafting was even more of a crap shoot. We never pick the best player and always have to draft from a position of need. Boldin, Docket, Hayes, Wilson, Dansby, Fitz, Duece and Lienart were all lucky picks. I mean, after all, look at Bruce Davis. What rotten drafting.

You finally see the light!!!!!!! Hallelujah!!!!!!

 

[WildBB]

Jeff, it can't happen. As all the really knowledeable fans on this board know, the FO is incapable of making any kind of rational decision and RG is the worst GM in all of professional sports.

Berry, Hood, Johnson, Gandy, James, Okeafor and Terrell Smith were all just lucky stabs in the dark in the FA market. I mean, after all, look at how bad Holt was.

Drafting was even more of a crap shoot. We never pick the best player and always have to draft from a position of need. Boldin, Docket, Hayes, Wilson, Dansby, Fitz, Duece and Lienart were all lucky picks. I mean, after all, look at Bruce Davis. What rotten drafting.

Drafting BPA is very subjective. It's like Jeff said. You wait for a player to fall off the cliff into your lap that suits your team. Wallah - The BPA (for your team).

 

[Stout]

Jeff, it can't happen. As all the really knowledeable fans on this board know, the FO is incapable of making any kind of rational decision and RG is the worst GM in all of professional sports.

Berry, Hood, Johnson, Gandy, James, Okeafor and Terrell Smith were all just lucky stabs in the dark in the FA market. I mean, after all, look at how bad Holt was.

Drafting was even more of a crap shoot. We never pick the best player and always have to draft from a position of need. Boldin, Docket, Hayes, Wilson, Dansby, Fitz, Duece and Lienart were all lucky picks. I mean, after all, look at Bruce Davis. What rotten drafting.

Thanks for the wink. Otherwise, I'd think you were just presenting the rosier facts without mentioning all the other negatives

 

[red desert]

Jeff, it can't happen. As all the really knowledeable fans on this board know, the FO is incapable of making any kind of rational decision and RG is the worst GM in all of professional sports.

Berry, Hood, Johnson, Gandy, James, Okeafor and Terrell Smith were all just lucky stabs in the dark in the FA market. I mean, after all, look at how bad Holt was.

Drafting was even more of a crap shoot. We never pick the best player and always have to draft from a position of need. Boldin, Docket, Hayes, Wilson, Dansby, Fitz, Duece and Lienart were all lucky picks. I mean, after all, look at Bruce Davis. What rotten drafting.

Don't be a hater, dude. Or a poser.

 

[lobo]

Because the Cards might feel like they need to take a corner, as in "cornerback."

Thanks....how did I miss that. I was seeing the forest and not the tree so to speak.

 

[Harry]

Yes, I think they will take a corner. No, I wouldn’t recommend that strategy. Fortunately, this is a good draft for a corner, but even the best looking corners often don’t turn out to be jewels once obtained. I’d prefer standing pat with the starters (getting Law if he’s still on the market). I would take the best pass rusher with the first pick and try to improve the coverage by harassing the passer. Also with Rolle moving to safety, the Cards can look forward to better safety help than last season. I don’t like it, but it’s the kind of move that eventually builds the best teams. There’s no arguing corner isn’t the need. There’s a big issue as to whether or not the draft is the place to solve it.

Sliding down the board had nothing to do with it. There were good corners on the open market and free agency is the surest way to fill that position. Pardon me, but was Fitzgerald’s contract a surprise. The cap problem was predictable and should have been resolved before free agency. The Cards closed the barn door after the horses had gone to other teams.