Cardinals' Draft Assessment

[Dayman]

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft10/insider/news/story?id=5118576

Kiper ranks us fifth. He really likes the first four picks.

 

[Brewster10]

I really like our first three picks. I know some folks aren't sold on Washington, but our staff absolutely loves this guy, so they will mold the system to fit his strengths and hide the couple of weaknesses (size, tackling) that he has.

What makes me really sold on this draft though, are the fourth and fifth rounders.

Schofield is equivalent IMO, to adding a late first round or early second round talent for 2011. He's exactly what we need at the OLB position going forward. He's a relentless pass rusher with great leadership skills, and you know he's going to work his tail off to recover from his injury and reward the Cards for taking a chance on him despite the major knee injury. I love this pick.

And then we have Skelton, who I know little about, but I am thrilled to see this kid given how much respect I have for Whisenhunt's QB evaluation.

 

[Doug]

Everyone posting in this thread knows that most people did'nt even know the Cardinals well enough before the draft to know WHAT or WHO we needed or were looking at and now some of them now want to grade what we did....Thats just TOO FUNNY.

Whiz planned ahead did'nt panic and got the top NFL ready NT to fall to us and that in itself is bigger than any grader will ever know.
Then to plan on a player who you SPECIFICALLY want on your team for all of your reasons.We'll see how this works out by trading up or see how Lee works out for the boys and then think what could have been.
Its over my paygrade to question anything Whiz and his team did and for all of his reasons.I know we got a healthy top 3 with nothing more than a past ankle sprain for Williams.Thats awesome.

I see how we drafted for depth in area's this year NT and OLB with a player from Wisconsin that would have been a late first rounder and will rock this team once rehabbed.Like getting a first rounder for next year.Like we'll see in Cody brown this year.

Whiz drafted his first QB and has the intangibles to be a true starter and QB of the Future with some learning of the system that I think he will fit like the gloved one.(great pick)

We have two picks that were both experienced kick returners so Stevie Breaston does'nt have to do it anymore.They can compete in camp to see who is the best for us.

I count Kerry Rhodes as part of our draft as we gave up a pick to fill Antrons spot probably better than Antron played it and for much less money.

Gonna trust Whiz on his pick in the 7th as we add new blood in the tight end area.With Kurt we did'nt use the tight end that much nor had that great a need for the best fullback.We still have time to fill a few spots like upgrading our fullback and finding a veteran to compete with Lenon & Hayes.

I'm expecting a big step up in last years rookie from Bama playing FS.I think he's gonna be the player Saban thought he would be in the Pro's and we expected too much too soon from.antron himself never really picked up the FS position like we need it run.Rashad Johnson will get er' Done.

Every team in the league still has its weak spots and depend on a streak of luck and good health to go all the way.A draft this deep will provide us with CB competition and a possible find in the UDFA's.

I'm looking to June 1st or a well placed Whiz trade to get us a veteran ILB to add to the mix since you can't fill every need with a first round pick when your picking 26th.No One can ruin how we ALL mostly feel about how Whiz and staff did KEEPING the ARIZONA CARDINALS a VIABLE and DEEP team for MANY,MANY YEARS TO COME.

Resigning Whiz and Lott was a giant step for this organization too.We're not afraid of any challenges from frisco or seattle.Bring it on.Boy what Whiz could have done with their picks huh?

 

[binkar]

Everyone else in our division won high praise from the pundits, but part of the reason had to do with moves made by various teams "that made big news" (including drafting highly-rated athletes, manouvering up and down, picking glamor players etc.)

The Cardinals did not have as sexy a draft as Seattle, the Niners or StL but I think we had a football-solid, workmanlike draft.

Completely agree. I have learned that the "sexy" drafts can be very unproductive. Our 2005 draft was rated extremely well at the time, and not a single player is with us anymore. Most of them are out of the league all-together.

In addition to that, Toler and LSH were probably the least sexy picks of last years draft. They may have been the most valuable picks of all.

 

[kerouac9]

Agree with all except I don't think Washington will start this year at all unless Lenon struggles or, God forbid, there is an injury to a starter LB. That is how Whiz works. But he may get enough snaps.

Wow. I hope that's not true. Paris Lenon sucks. We might just not play any linebackers on passing downs. Just two corners (because that's all we have right now) and every safety on the roster.

I've always found his play to be senseless, disoriented, but often menacing in it's complexity.

Hilarious.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

The strengths listed is Mitch's assessment of each player are speed and athleticism. That has been severely missing on the Cards in the past. I've always thought we had one of the slower defenses, maybe the slowest, in the league. That's changing with Washington, Schofield, Toler, DRC, Brown, and Davis replacing guys like Okeafor,Berry, and McFadden. Losing Dansby's athleticism hurts but there's nothing that can be done about that.

I think Colvin makes the roster. He almost has to as it stands right now.Skelton is #3, Dray is PS material and Schofield probably won't play this year but the other drafted players should all have some kind of impact this year.

 

[Garthshort]

Mitch, reference your roster, particularly the WR's. W/O Morey, we might go with four WR's, and use the fifth spot for a ST player at another position. What do you think? Also, if Beisel has anything left, he (or someone else) might be kept, unless the team feels confident in Hayes' health.

 

[JeffGollin]

Influence of Division Rivals on Our Draft...

When deciding who to draft, how much weight is given to what other teams in our division are doing (or are likely to do)?

For example - Expectations that SF wanted to become more smashmouth (as they proved by drafting 2 physical linemen for Gore to run behind) and Pete Carroll's likelihood of bolstering the Seattle running attack like he did at USC: Did this influence our selection of a run stuffing NT in the first round?

Could the selection of DW had anything to do with what kind of offense Seattle, SF and/or StL is likely to throw at us?

Just wondering...

 

[WildBB]

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/...etwork&page=nfl/news/newstest.aspx?id=4306724

That guy gave us an A-

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...lts-final-32-team-grades-for-all-seven-rounds

That guy gave us a C.

Personally I would of given us a solid B, nothing spectacular but for where we were, like you said, very solid effort.

A lot depends on how they ultimately work out, as always.

We hit our targets with quality prospects. The 1st 3 were rock solid, where we were. We NEEDED the D. Washington pick. It was key. The other two will be solid contributors to this team.

B+ AND higher when more of them will contribute. Especially Skelton and Shofield(who has major upside).

 

[Catfish]

Mitch, my friend, you truly are a gem. This was one fine assessment, and like you, I am almost giddy at the idea that our FO and Staff have put us right back into position to contend for the division, despite the turmoil and loss of personnel that we experienced.

Wow, did those guys maneuver or what??? I can't believe that there are so few holes that still need to be filled, considering where we came from. I believe that I have had more fun during this post season, than I have ever had between seasons before. Hell, this has been more fun than a lot of seasons were.

All I can say to you is that I truly enjoy your work here Mitch, and I look forward each day to being surprised by you with something new and interesting. Thanks my friend.