assuming leinart and bush are gone what do YOU do in the draft?

[Russ Smith]

Seriouly the sad part was when the announcers were hyping him... being that the game was played in houston.. the very next play I see his big butt just jogging to a running play to the outside. I was like.. whoa.... no!!!

I hate to say it but that's the situation with a bunch of Texas players over the years, Big and Mike Williams included.

Wright had a terrific freshman year, looked like the next Shaun Rogers, soph year not as good as you expected, junior year up and down, senior year up and down. Texas is good at finding these freakishly large athletic guys but for some reason they seem to lack killer instinct. Part of it is you watch a kid for 4 years you start poking holes in him, but part of it is they just dont' develop like they should under Mack Brown.

Okam is legit he's not a pass rusher he's a run stuffer and Wright's stats are more impressive but he plays more, Okam has to split time more with Dibbles who he's far better than IMHO. Wright's good but he could be so much better if he had a motor.

 

[clif]

I hate to say it but that's the situation with a bunch of Texas players over the years, Big and Mike Williams included.

Wright had a terrific freshman year, looked like the next Shaun Rogers, soph year not as good as you expected, junior year up and down, senior year up and down. Texas is good at finding these freakishly large athletic guys but for some reason they seem to lack killer instinct. Part of it is you watch a kid for 4 years you start poking holes in him, but part of it is they just dont' develop like they should under Mack Brown.

Okam is legit he's not a pass rusher he's a run stuffer and Wright's stats are more impressive but he plays more, Okam has to split time more with Dibbles who he's far better than IMHO. Wright's good but he could be so much better if he had a motor.

I would rather have the white fox!!! ..

 

[Russ Smith]

I would rather have the white fox!!! ..

If he played as hard as Kolodziej he'd be a hell of a player.

 

[az jam]

I like Ngata.

 

[joeshmo]

The question is, how much salary cap space do the Seahawks have? With Alexander also a restricted free agent, the Hawks can only tag one, and I can't see them letting Alexander walk.. Not after the season he's had.

So, again it all comes down to the Salary Cap. As of now, I believe they've got about $2 million in salary cap space. Obviously, things will change in the post-season but if they tie Alexander down long term, that will cuff them either way.

Alexander has a clause in his contract that the seahawks can not tag him this year. That was the only way they could get him to play this year. Hutch gets the tag and its a cheap tag at that. Hutch isnt going anywhere for a long time.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

His identical twin M(A)rcedes is much better.

That said Marcedes has had a bit of a disappointing year to me, too many games the defense took him totally away from UCLA. USC tripled him at times but even when they were just zoning him it seemed to me he was a bit too passive. Great talent, but I do have a slight concern if he really has that drive to be a star?

Weird too if you saw him play basketball his freshman year he was the most aggressive player on the team.

Still very high on my list of players but the USC game he really disappointed me.

Damn it, you beat me to this one... There should be some sort of information assistance fee that we should bill to Marcedes. By the time the draft rolls around, we'll have this entire board saying his name right.

 

[joeshmo]

Just some notes on Ngata.

4th leading tackler on his team. Pretty good for a run stuffer DT to be that high up there.

59 Tackles
9 TFL
3 Sacks
5 PD's
1 FF
1 FR
2 Blocked kicks
1 Safety
1 30 yard punt block return for a TD, watcht tht play big dude is pretty fast.

Doesnt have nearly the takes plays off rap as Wright but he does have that rap on a smaller scale.

I havent really watched Texas football this year so i cant base my opinion on Wright vs. Okam by what i saw with my own 2 eyes. But what I see in the Stats, Wright has had a really good year and is the much better player that Okam is.

http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/000_stats/05/teamcume.htm#TEAM.DEF

 

[ASUCHRIS]

You know as well as I that the O-Line in 2006 will look like :

LT: Davis
LG: Either Wells or Step
C: Leckey
RG: Brown
RT: Ross

You and I know what? That your projected o-line will include the same personnel as last year, which has been proven a failure by any measure. This is a failure that the team, coaches, media and fans have all acknowledged exists. Moving into the new stadium, methinks the Cards might find it prudent to patch this most obvious and glaring hole. I believe that we will acquire at least two new starters for the offensive line, one being a high quality starter. We should move some players around. I like Leckey where he is. Davis should be at one guard, and Ross and Brown fight it out for the other spot. Regardless, let's think a little here before we make such grandiose statements. Thank you.

 

[joeshmo]

You and I know what? That your projected o-line will include the same personnel as last year, which has been proven a failure by any measure. This is a failure that the team, coaches, media and fans have all acknowledged exists. Moving into the new stadium, methinks the Cards might find it prudent to patch this most obvious and glaring hole. I believe that we will acquire at least two new starters for the offensive line, one being a high quality starter. We should move some players around. I like Leckey where he is. Davis should be at one guard, and Ross and Brown fight it out for the other spot. Regardless, let's think a little here before we make such grandiose statements. Thank you.

I dont think that is that far off what Spanky put forward. First of all that starting unit Spanky had has never played together at any point in time becuase of injury so they are not a proven failure. Plus when are we ever going to let our Oline gain any sort of chemistry which is the most important part of any OL succeeding.

I can easily see his chart coming true and being succesfull if given a chance to gell together and no major injuries, with one adjustment though.

LT: Davis
LG: FA pickup
C: Leckey
RG: Brown
RT: Ross

Depth - FA pickups and draft picks.

 

[overseascardfan]

This O-line will not get any better at run blocking. They keep getting called for large amounts of penalties and have been a major dissapointment this year. A change is needed. There have been a number of O-lineman picked in the first round have lived up to their billing for instance:

Orlando Pace
Walter Jones
Jonathan Ogden
Jordan Gross
Tony Bosselli
Levi Jones
Tra Thomas
Bryant McKinnie

The only problem is there isn't a franchise O-lineman available this year. Ferguson looks alot lke Chris Samuels to me and that isn't a favorable comparison. The free agent market isn't any better with aging vets highlighting the list.

My draft:
Round 1 - Marcus McNeill, OT reminds me of McKinnie
Round 2 - Gabe Watson, NT we need
Round 3 - Jay Cutler, QB of the future
Round 4 - Pat Watkins, FS is a real ballhawk
Rpund 5 - Nick Mangold, C to push or replace Leckey/Step combo
Round 6 - Skylar Green, WR who could be our return specialist
Rpund 7 - Jovan Johnson, Agressive CB provides depth

 

[Russ Smith]

I havent really watched Texas football this year so i cant base my opinion on Wright vs. Okam by what i saw with my own 2 eyes. But what I see in the Stats, Wright has had a really good year and is the much better player that Okam is.

http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/000_stats/05/teamcume.htm#TEAM.DEF

They're different type players and Wright is clearly a better pass rusher, but Okam is a much better run defender. The primary reason Texas' run defense is better this year IMHO is Okam is playing more this year, Dibbles seems to be the #3 guy now last year Okam was. K9 might say because Derrick Johnson is gone too but I'd dispute that.


Wright can play but he's one of those guys who plays hard just enough to put up stats but takes plays off far more than you'd expect. He's just never progressed like expected given his freshman year.

The primary reason I say I think Okam is better is Card related, Okam is a run stuffer, Wright is more of a slasher. To me Okam fits our needs more, but of course he's not draft eligible.

Texas has a DE named Brian Robison who is also a fascinating kid for the draft, 4th year junior 6'3" 267 converted LB who is probably the best athlete on that whole defense. He's a shot putter in track, and is a remarkable leaper for sucha big guy, blocks FG's etc. Just a phenomenal athlete but Texas guys usually don't leave early even if they redshirt. He's a guy that in the 4th round would be a potential steal.

 

[DakotaCardsFan]

LT: Davis
LG: FA pickup
C: Leckey
RG: Brown
RT: Ross

You see us going with Leckey over Step at Center?

 

[Evil Ash]

Considering we are now in the 9th slot with an easy schedule yet to go (technically we are tied with Detroit and Baltimore for the 9th spot, we could draft as late as 11th at this point), I think we can safely say that we have no shot at Leinart, Bush, or Young (if comes out, which I'm starting to doubt). The sooner that people come to this realization the better

The main goals of this offseason are to fix the massive holes in our lines. Namely in the interior of our Oline so we can do something crazy like run on occassion either by moving Davis inside or just getting G/C FAs or rookies. Then also fixing the Dline by getting a run stuffer.

We also have needs at FS, MLB, possibly TE (I'd like someone to go opposite of Bergen), and a young QB to groom under Warner (not a priority but would be nice).

If things stay right about where they are in terms of our draft position, which i think they will, we are really at the mercy of just finding out whats available. If Ngata is there I'd take him but at this point we don't even know if thats a possibility (thats why I have a preference to talk about the draft when the season is OVER)

 

[Stout]

It falls out like this: We have a lot of positions where we could draft a guy in the 10-15 range and have holes filled, have an impact player. We'll be fine. If a QB climbs the charts, good. A TE, OT, NT, good. No worries.

 

[HookemCards]

They're different type players and Wright is clearly a better pass rusher, but Okam is a much better run defender. The primary reason Texas' run defense is better this year IMHO is Okam is playing more this year, Dibbles seems to be the #3 guy now last year Okam was. K9 might say because Derrick Johnson is gone too but I'd dispute that.


Wright can play but he's one of those guys who plays hard just enough to put up stats but takes plays off far more than you'd expect. He's just never progressed like expected given his freshman year.

The primary reason I say I think Okam is better is Card related, Okam is a run stuffer, Wright is more of a slasher. To me Okam fits our needs more, but of course he's not draft eligible.

Texas has a DE named Brian Robison who is also a fascinating kid for the draft, 4th year junior 6'3" 267 converted LB who is probably the best athlete on that whole defense. He's a shot putter in track, and is a remarkable leaper for sucha big guy, blocks FG's etc. Just a phenomenal athlete but Texas guys usually don't leave early even if they redshirt. He's a guy that in the 4th round would be a potential steal.

I haven't heard a thing about Robison coming out, but as you said its pretty rare for a Texas player to leave early. I wouldn't count on him being the first in the Mack Brown era. Personally I think the best player on the defense maybe Huff and he fills a need. I'm hoping he's there in the second when we pick. He can tackle, cover, and is very smart. He and Wilson at safety would be a dynamic duo.

 

[Pariah]

If a QB climbs the charts, good.

I don't want a guy who rises too far, ala Akili Smith. I want a guy who slips, ala Ben Roethlisberger. If a guy rises, it usually has to do less with ability (the games have all been played, so what happened to make him better?), than it does with hype.

 

[Pariah]

I can easily see his chart coming true and being succesfull if given a chance to gell together and no major injuries, with one adjustment though.

LT: Davis
LG: FA pickup
C: Leckey
RG: Brown
RT: Ross

Depth - FA pickups and draft picks.

I think this is most likely, and wouldn't be all that bad, provided Brown continues to improve.

For all of Big's failings in the false start department, that should be something correctable--and when he's not getting penalties he's pretty good. Ross needs to keep his concentration, too.

Otherwise, I could see this same line with an impact LG being pretty good in the future.

 

[NEZCardsfan]

I dont think that is that far off what Spanky put forward. First of all that starting unit Spanky had has never played together at any point in time becuase of injury so they are not a proven failure. Plus when are we ever going to let our Oline gain any sort of chemistry which is the most important part of any OL succeeding.

I can easily see his chart coming true and being succesfull if given a chance to gell together and no major injuries, with one adjustment though.

LT: Davis
LG: FA pickup
C: Leckey
RG: Brown
RT: Ross

Depth - FA pickups and draft picks.

So you think we should throw max money at Hutchinson and try to pry him away from the 'Hawks?? After what I saw last night........I'm in that boat.

 

[Pariah]

So you think we should throw max money at Hutchinson and try to pry him away from the 'Hawks?? After what I saw last night........I'm in that boat.

That'd be great, but it ain't gonna happen. We need to set our expectations lower, IMO.

 

[spanky1]

So you think we should throw max money at Hutchinson and try to pry him away from the 'Hawks?? After what I saw last night........I'm in that boat.

You can throw all the money at Hutchison that you want......it'll make no never mind as he'll be franchised and there is no way we give up two #1 picks for anyone!

 

[NEZCardsfan]

You can throw all the money at Hutchison that you want......it'll make no never mind as he'll be franchised and there is no way we give up two #1 picks for anyone!

Crazier things have happened up there........like not already locking up Alexander to a long term deal.

 

[clif]

hutchinson is not going anywhere. Why in the world would Seattle let him walk after they spent last offseason locking up everyone priority? Why would he leave a 10-2 team for a 4-8 team? Come on folks... let's be realistic.

 

[NEZCardsfan]

hutchinson is not going anywhere. Why in the world would Seattle let him walk after they spent last offseason locking up everyone priority? Why would he leave a 10-2 team for a 4-8 team? Come on folks... let's be realistic.

Why would he want to drink Lattes in Seattle when he can drink Margaritas here in Paradise??

 

[clif]

Why would he want to drink Lattes in Seattle when he can drink Margaritas here in Paradise??

Well since you put it that way... their might be a chance

 

[clif]

wait a minute... wait a minute... If Joe Johnson can leave a 62 win team to play for a 62 loss team... then there has got to be a chance with Hutchinson.