Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
It is getting harder and harder to sit through the NFL's coverage of the draft. ESPN and NFL Network do a good job highlighting the picks, but the wait between picks and podium pageantry evokes restlessness and ennui.
Clearly, Roger Goodell thinks the NFL Draft still spread tediously over 2 nights and 1 day is all about pompous and ostentatious entertainment. The parade of present and former NFL players to the podium comes at a snail's pace and takes the focus off of where it deserves to be: ON THE PLAYER PICKED (whose lifelong dream is coming true). Add to that the forced and thoroughly awkward presentations regarding the military and victims of disease or injury --- which do nothing but put avid football fans in a highly compromising predicament of simply wanting to get on with things---it's like asking your 7 year old kids on Christmas morning to call grandma and grandpa for a 10 minute conference call BEFORE they can open up their presents. I mean we love grandma and grandpa -- but please lets get to the presents.
Rich Eisen got to the point where he kept saying that 4 picks have been made --- so he kept asking when is the next presenter going to come to the podium? The TV crews no longer get info on picks in a timely fashion, so everyone is left groping in the dark.
One of the real lowlights of the night was when NFL Network shifted over to the Team B panel to ask Brian Bullock what the Panthers were going to do with their next pick. Billick took about 5 minutes to say "well, clearly the Panthers have wanted to upgrade their offense in this draft, so this could be another pick on offense, or, on the other hand, it could be a pick on defense." Doh. Back to Rich and Mike.
Anyway...enough of that.
As for what the Cardinals did on Night 2:
* Keim gets an A+ in my book for trading up to get Budda Baker. There is no way Baker was going to make it to #45 and by trading up to acquire Baker, now we know why Keim elected not to re-sign D.J. Swearinger. Budda Baker >>> D.J. Swearinger. We pretty much knew all along that Tony Jefferson was going to hit pay dirt somewhere else.
* What is amazing to me is how Keim was able to get the Bears to trade out of the #36 spot -- for 2 major reasons: (1) the Bears' top need on defense is at safety. I and many others were convinced they were going to take either Adams or Hooker at #3 -- but now at #36 with a first round talent FS/SS/NCB like Budda Baker on the board they were willing to drop back and the take TE Adam Shaheen. It makes zero sense. No wonder why Bears' fans were booing Mitchell Trubisky last night during the Celtics/Bulls Game 6. It's not that they hate Trubisky, it's that their GM traded away 3-4 potential starters just to move up one spot, when it seems 95% sure they could have stayed at #3 and still drafted Trubisky. Maybe this was a little karma due to the Cardinals for the Bears claiming FS Harold Jones-Quartey two years ago.
* The 2nd major reason why Keim's move was amazing is that he didn't have to part with the #77 pick. Usually when you move up to the top 4 spots of the 2nd round it is going to cost you your 2nd and your 3rd.
* Oh and btw -- I cannot believe the Seahawks passed on Baker -- for an underachiever like Malik McDowell. Unreal. Perhaps the most gratifying thing of the night beside the Cardinals pulling Budda Baker out of the hat, was watching the Seahawks make a series (6) of meh picks.
* Budda Baker is an alpha safety. This year as a junior, he was a unanimous 1st Team All-American. As a sophomore he dominated as a FS. As a junior he played up and dominated as a SS and nickel CB. He was the ringleader of that much heralded Husky secondary.
* Then, to Keim's credit again, he managed to trade back in Round 3 to get back the 4th rounder he had to give up in the Bears' trade. I can tell you right now --- I am feeling more than a little foolish that i have been feeling such profound doubts about Keim this off-season. Mea culpa. Night 2 was indeed Keim Time and he worked it with real skill and shrewd acumen. In fact, the Cardinals in picking at #115 were able to improve their 4th round draft slot by 5 picks.
* I think the plan at #77 was to draft WR Carlos Henderson. but Keim knew that in trading back 21 spots that Henderson would be taken (by the Broncos at #82). However, Keim had another WR of equal or greater value in mind in Chad Williams of Grambling. The hope is that Chad Williams instead of Carlos Henderson will be the David Johnson to Ameer Abdullah -- and there is reason to believe he might in that he is bigger, stronger, tougher, edgier than Henderson, and may actually be a little faster. Henderson is super quick and elusive -- but will he have the strength to get off press coverage?
* The one thing i am curious about WR-wise is why Keim had a higher grade on Chad Williams than WR Josh Reynolds of Texas A&M. I am guessing that Reynolds has some red flags that fans are unaware of, because Reynolds is a legit deep threat with good size, strong hands and was productive in the SEC.
* Chad Williams has been receiving a great deal of buzz in recent weeks. i have heard his name come up numerous times. Running a 4.37 at his pro day was icing on the cake for what was a highly successful All-Star game ascent from the NFLPA Bowl to the Senior Bowl. When I watched hi at NFLPA Bowl I was impressed, so I went and watched more tape and what i saw was an edgy pass catcher who, no matter where he is, commands the football. He fights like a madman to get off press and he uses his body and gliding speed to win the leverage battle. Give him a small window and he will make a bunch of contested catches. The irony with him is that his concentration is best when he's open the least.
* Keim's plan is now coming into view. What Reddick, Baker and Williams all have in common: toughness, aggressiveness, speed and alpha mentalities.
Clearly, Roger Goodell thinks the NFL Draft still spread tediously over 2 nights and 1 day is all about pompous and ostentatious entertainment. The parade of present and former NFL players to the podium comes at a snail's pace and takes the focus off of where it deserves to be: ON THE PLAYER PICKED (whose lifelong dream is coming true). Add to that the forced and thoroughly awkward presentations regarding the military and victims of disease or injury --- which do nothing but put avid football fans in a highly compromising predicament of simply wanting to get on with things---it's like asking your 7 year old kids on Christmas morning to call grandma and grandpa for a 10 minute conference call BEFORE they can open up their presents. I mean we love grandma and grandpa -- but please lets get to the presents.
Rich Eisen got to the point where he kept saying that 4 picks have been made --- so he kept asking when is the next presenter going to come to the podium? The TV crews no longer get info on picks in a timely fashion, so everyone is left groping in the dark.
One of the real lowlights of the night was when NFL Network shifted over to the Team B panel to ask Brian Bullock what the Panthers were going to do with their next pick. Billick took about 5 minutes to say "well, clearly the Panthers have wanted to upgrade their offense in this draft, so this could be another pick on offense, or, on the other hand, it could be a pick on defense." Doh. Back to Rich and Mike.
Anyway...enough of that.
As for what the Cardinals did on Night 2:
* Keim gets an A+ in my book for trading up to get Budda Baker. There is no way Baker was going to make it to #45 and by trading up to acquire Baker, now we know why Keim elected not to re-sign D.J. Swearinger. Budda Baker >>> D.J. Swearinger. We pretty much knew all along that Tony Jefferson was going to hit pay dirt somewhere else.
* What is amazing to me is how Keim was able to get the Bears to trade out of the #36 spot -- for 2 major reasons: (1) the Bears' top need on defense is at safety. I and many others were convinced they were going to take either Adams or Hooker at #3 -- but now at #36 with a first round talent FS/SS/NCB like Budda Baker on the board they were willing to drop back and the take TE Adam Shaheen. It makes zero sense. No wonder why Bears' fans were booing Mitchell Trubisky last night during the Celtics/Bulls Game 6. It's not that they hate Trubisky, it's that their GM traded away 3-4 potential starters just to move up one spot, when it seems 95% sure they could have stayed at #3 and still drafted Trubisky. Maybe this was a little karma due to the Cardinals for the Bears claiming FS Harold Jones-Quartey two years ago.
* The 2nd major reason why Keim's move was amazing is that he didn't have to part with the #77 pick. Usually when you move up to the top 4 spots of the 2nd round it is going to cost you your 2nd and your 3rd.
* Oh and btw -- I cannot believe the Seahawks passed on Baker -- for an underachiever like Malik McDowell. Unreal. Perhaps the most gratifying thing of the night beside the Cardinals pulling Budda Baker out of the hat, was watching the Seahawks make a series (6) of meh picks.
* Budda Baker is an alpha safety. This year as a junior, he was a unanimous 1st Team All-American. As a sophomore he dominated as a FS. As a junior he played up and dominated as a SS and nickel CB. He was the ringleader of that much heralded Husky secondary.
* Then, to Keim's credit again, he managed to trade back in Round 3 to get back the 4th rounder he had to give up in the Bears' trade. I can tell you right now --- I am feeling more than a little foolish that i have been feeling such profound doubts about Keim this off-season. Mea culpa. Night 2 was indeed Keim Time and he worked it with real skill and shrewd acumen. In fact, the Cardinals in picking at #115 were able to improve their 4th round draft slot by 5 picks.
* I think the plan at #77 was to draft WR Carlos Henderson. but Keim knew that in trading back 21 spots that Henderson would be taken (by the Broncos at #82). However, Keim had another WR of equal or greater value in mind in Chad Williams of Grambling. The hope is that Chad Williams instead of Carlos Henderson will be the David Johnson to Ameer Abdullah -- and there is reason to believe he might in that he is bigger, stronger, tougher, edgier than Henderson, and may actually be a little faster. Henderson is super quick and elusive -- but will he have the strength to get off press coverage?
* The one thing i am curious about WR-wise is why Keim had a higher grade on Chad Williams than WR Josh Reynolds of Texas A&M. I am guessing that Reynolds has some red flags that fans are unaware of, because Reynolds is a legit deep threat with good size, strong hands and was productive in the SEC.
* Chad Williams has been receiving a great deal of buzz in recent weeks. i have heard his name come up numerous times. Running a 4.37 at his pro day was icing on the cake for what was a highly successful All-Star game ascent from the NFLPA Bowl to the Senior Bowl. When I watched hi at NFLPA Bowl I was impressed, so I went and watched more tape and what i saw was an edgy pass catcher who, no matter where he is, commands the football. He fights like a madman to get off press and he uses his body and gliding speed to win the leverage battle. Give him a small window and he will make a bunch of contested catches. The irony with him is that his concentration is best when he's open the least.
* Keim's plan is now coming into view. What Reddick, Baker and Williams all have in common: toughness, aggressiveness, speed and alpha mentalities.
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