Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
1. The Browns' trade up to #3 made no sense at all---no one was going to trade up to #3 to take Richardson and the Vikings sure as heck weren't going to take Richardson. I do like their pick of Brandon Weeden at #22, however. He's more likely to have the most success early in his career than Luck or Griffin---and, imo, is head and shoulders better than Tannehill. Plus, with Richardson at RB---the Browns now have a much better running game than Indy or Wash.
2. The two key moves for the Cardinals in acquiring Floyd were the Rams and the Jaguars trading out of picks #6 and #7...what were the odds of that with both of those teams desperately needing a WR? They essentially paved the way for Floyd to the Cardinals.
3. Credit the Cardinals' scouts---four of the players that pundits everywhere were picking for the Cardinals---Reiff, Ingram, DeCastro and Upshaw---slid considerably down the draft---not that they aren't very good players, but many scouts do think Reiff, because of his short arms, will be better off at guard, that Ingram is tough to evaluate because teams didn't know exactly where to play him, that DeCastro did not look as big or as physically gifted as scouts were expecting at the combine and that the same could be said about Upshaw (who wasn't even taken in the 1st round).
The only regret I felt was seeing Ingram, who is such an intriguing and dynamic player, dressed up in a white/red pinstriped shirt with a red tie and a red handkerchief, similar to the flash of red Patrick Peterson donned last year. It made me wonder if the Cardinals had told Ingram that if Floyd was off the board, he would be their pick.
4. The Cardinals may have foiled the Rams' ideal trade back plan by taking Floyd right in front of them. However, their pick of Brockers was a classic Jeff Fisher pick---Fisher is not all that keen on taking WRs anyway in the 1st round...and I think it is quite possible that Fisher had Brockers in mind all along. We will have to see what WRs they draft this weekend.
5. Seattle's taking Irvin was a boom or bust move---I watched a lot of tape on him and while he looked outrageously good a couple of times a game, he took a lot of plays off, and he almost never gets off the ball on the snap, he stutter steps, which he could get away with in college, but will make it harder for him to get to the QB as quickly in the pros.
6. The 49ers passing over Coby Fleener? For A.J. Jenkins? Makes you wonder what the scoop is there. I was extremely relieved to see that DeCastro didn't fall into their laps because for a while there it was looking entirely possible...and with their glaring need at RG, man that would have been a coup.
7. If Ryan Williams returns at 100%, it looks like the Cardinals' 2nd round surprise selection may have been a stroke of genius because Williams would have been by far the 2nd best RB in this year's class, and possibly right up there with Richardson, because Williams hits the hole quicker and is faster in the open field.
Stay thirsty my friends...and dream of the Minnesota F Brothers: Fitz and Floyd, coming to an NFL stadium near you!
2. The two key moves for the Cardinals in acquiring Floyd were the Rams and the Jaguars trading out of picks #6 and #7...what were the odds of that with both of those teams desperately needing a WR? They essentially paved the way for Floyd to the Cardinals.
3. Credit the Cardinals' scouts---four of the players that pundits everywhere were picking for the Cardinals---Reiff, Ingram, DeCastro and Upshaw---slid considerably down the draft---not that they aren't very good players, but many scouts do think Reiff, because of his short arms, will be better off at guard, that Ingram is tough to evaluate because teams didn't know exactly where to play him, that DeCastro did not look as big or as physically gifted as scouts were expecting at the combine and that the same could be said about Upshaw (who wasn't even taken in the 1st round).
The only regret I felt was seeing Ingram, who is such an intriguing and dynamic player, dressed up in a white/red pinstriped shirt with a red tie and a red handkerchief, similar to the flash of red Patrick Peterson donned last year. It made me wonder if the Cardinals had told Ingram that if Floyd was off the board, he would be their pick.
4. The Cardinals may have foiled the Rams' ideal trade back plan by taking Floyd right in front of them. However, their pick of Brockers was a classic Jeff Fisher pick---Fisher is not all that keen on taking WRs anyway in the 1st round...and I think it is quite possible that Fisher had Brockers in mind all along. We will have to see what WRs they draft this weekend.
5. Seattle's taking Irvin was a boom or bust move---I watched a lot of tape on him and while he looked outrageously good a couple of times a game, he took a lot of plays off, and he almost never gets off the ball on the snap, he stutter steps, which he could get away with in college, but will make it harder for him to get to the QB as quickly in the pros.
6. The 49ers passing over Coby Fleener? For A.J. Jenkins? Makes you wonder what the scoop is there. I was extremely relieved to see that DeCastro didn't fall into their laps because for a while there it was looking entirely possible...and with their glaring need at RG, man that would have been a coup.
7. If Ryan Williams returns at 100%, it looks like the Cardinals' 2nd round surprise selection may have been a stroke of genius because Williams would have been by far the 2nd best RB in this year's class, and possibly right up there with Richardson, because Williams hits the hole quicker and is faster in the open field.
Stay thirsty my friends...and dream of the Minnesota F Brothers: Fitz and Floyd, coming to an NFL stadium near you!
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