Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
Yesterday, in my Mock V. 2.0, I felt assured that the Cardinals' first two picks would be an OLB/DE and a T. The way this draft plays out, there should be a collection of top prospects in that order OLB/DE (Round 1) and T (Round 2).
Then last night after I wrote the post, I started to realize that the Cardinals---especially with no real changes in store for the offensive coaching staff---will not consider T to be a priority. I think they are fine with Levi Brown and Brandon Keith, with Jeremy Bridges backing them up and challenging them. The coaches are expecting improvement...but I also hope that they realize that when one of them is paired up with a Demarcus Ware or a Chris Long, that they will need some form of help.
And because drafting a T in the first three rounds may be moot, I am starting to believe that the Cardinals---if they don't trade down (which I think is an excellent possibility in this draft)---will feel free to draft BPA with the #5 pick.
Thus, the more I think about it...I think that the following players could very well be very much in the picture (if as predicted Fairley, Bowers, Gabbert and Green are picks 1-4):
1) Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU
2) Marcell Dareus, DE, Alabama
3) Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska
4) Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas
5) Cam Newton, QB, Auburn
6) Robert Quinn, LB, North Carolina
7) Ryan Kerrigan, LB, Purdue
8) Von Miller, LB, Texas A&M
9) Aldon Smith, LB/DE, Missouri
10) Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
Of these players I think the Cardinals will be focussed on Peterson, Dareus, Newton and Ingram.
Peterson would make the Cardinals' secondary and return games special.
Dareus would give the new DC some flexibility in how he plays Dockett and Campbell...and would improve the pass rush (perhpas the top priority).
The question is: Is Newton more similar to Big Ben, rather than JaMarcus Russell?
And Ingram...Ingram...while he's not a lightning in the bottle RB, he is the kind of consistently tough feature RB that teams win abd build around. The coaches may be fed up with THT and Beanie's fumbling woes more than we think. Was that the reason why Whiz passed the ball in the red zone when Whiz would have normally run the ball? Was that the reason why Whiz was so loathe to go for it on 4th and ones?
Cam Newton has all the physcial ability you could want. One thing that is great about him as a runner is how he dives forward, not only to get the extra yard, but to avoid the big hit. For a player of his size to be that flexible, and to have that kind of body control is uncanny.
The thing you question is his command of the preparation and the mental aspects of the position. He's still so inexperienced...so raw...And he has a very curious demeanor...at times it looks like he is just walking around in his own fog, kind of like a prize fighter in his corner between the late rounds. He seems introverted. Not that all QBs have to be rah-rah types, and quiet calm leadership at QB may be right for teams that have other, more outgoing leaders...but...for some reason it occurred to me in the NCAA Championship game that Newton looked so pensive and aloof at times that I wondered if he was a little stage fright. Now he played a good game...not a great one...and he led his team to victory, thanks in part to a very flukey run...but he did his part.
Tim Tebow is cut from an entire different cloth. He's the epitome of a leader...he has an exemplary work ethic...and as his new HC John Fox said about him a couple of days ago, "he aspires to be great."
Infuse those attributes in Cam Newton, and he would be the clear-cut #1 player in the draft.
This said, as others have stated, Newton does not seem like a fit with Ken Whisenhunt. Both the QBs (Roethlisberger and Warner) that Whiz has had very good success with are Type A personalities...both are tough as nails...even dog-headed at times.
John Skelton has the tough part covered...yet he does not appear to be a Type A...just yet, anyway. It was, however, a great sign that he told the media following the last game that he deserves to challenge for the starting job. The week before he got his first start, Skelton sounded at times as if he agreed with the coaches that he wasn't quite ready. This has changed. The experience made him tougher and more resolute.
This is the problem I had with Matt Leinart after Warner was re-signed to a two year deal following the 2008 season. Leinart---who then was heading into his 4th year---should have made the statement, as Kevin Kolb recently did, that he no longer was willing to accept being 2nd string. The great competitors cannot and will not accept being a second fiddle, especially as they are starting to enter their primes as pros.
In terms of the toughness and Type A criteria mentioned above, Matt Leinart fell short on both acconts. In retrospect, he had no chance with Whiz.
This is why Marc Bulger is not a fit either. He satisfies neither of the criteria.
One can make the argument that Donovan McNabb does---hey he had to be tough and a Type A just to survive playing in Philly all those years.
Applying the criteria to the QBs in the draft...none of the top ones fit the bill. Gabbert and Mallett seems to buckle far too often under pressure.
The three QBs to keep an eye on---with regard to the criteria---Pat Devlin (6-4, 220, Delaware)---the player Early has been so aptly touting, Christian Ponder (6-3, 218, Florida St.)---and Greg McElroy (6-2, 220, Alabama)...and most likely in that order. These guys are all Type A leaders and they are all tough kids who will do whatever it takes to win. Of the three, Devlin has the strongest arm, Ponder has the best mechanics and McElroy has the best game management skills.
And let's not forget Max Hall. Talk about Type A. This is why he wowed Whiz in TC. And Hall is tough...he does not play chicken at all...it's just that until he gets physically stronger he is going to have a hard time staying on the field.
Then last night after I wrote the post, I started to realize that the Cardinals---especially with no real changes in store for the offensive coaching staff---will not consider T to be a priority. I think they are fine with Levi Brown and Brandon Keith, with Jeremy Bridges backing them up and challenging them. The coaches are expecting improvement...but I also hope that they realize that when one of them is paired up with a Demarcus Ware or a Chris Long, that they will need some form of help.
And because drafting a T in the first three rounds may be moot, I am starting to believe that the Cardinals---if they don't trade down (which I think is an excellent possibility in this draft)---will feel free to draft BPA with the #5 pick.
Thus, the more I think about it...I think that the following players could very well be very much in the picture (if as predicted Fairley, Bowers, Gabbert and Green are picks 1-4):
1) Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU
2) Marcell Dareus, DE, Alabama
3) Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska
4) Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas
5) Cam Newton, QB, Auburn
6) Robert Quinn, LB, North Carolina
7) Ryan Kerrigan, LB, Purdue
8) Von Miller, LB, Texas A&M
9) Aldon Smith, LB/DE, Missouri
10) Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
Of these players I think the Cardinals will be focussed on Peterson, Dareus, Newton and Ingram.
Peterson would make the Cardinals' secondary and return games special.
Dareus would give the new DC some flexibility in how he plays Dockett and Campbell...and would improve the pass rush (perhpas the top priority).
The question is: Is Newton more similar to Big Ben, rather than JaMarcus Russell?
And Ingram...Ingram...while he's not a lightning in the bottle RB, he is the kind of consistently tough feature RB that teams win abd build around. The coaches may be fed up with THT and Beanie's fumbling woes more than we think. Was that the reason why Whiz passed the ball in the red zone when Whiz would have normally run the ball? Was that the reason why Whiz was so loathe to go for it on 4th and ones?
Cam Newton has all the physcial ability you could want. One thing that is great about him as a runner is how he dives forward, not only to get the extra yard, but to avoid the big hit. For a player of his size to be that flexible, and to have that kind of body control is uncanny.
The thing you question is his command of the preparation and the mental aspects of the position. He's still so inexperienced...so raw...And he has a very curious demeanor...at times it looks like he is just walking around in his own fog, kind of like a prize fighter in his corner between the late rounds. He seems introverted. Not that all QBs have to be rah-rah types, and quiet calm leadership at QB may be right for teams that have other, more outgoing leaders...but...for some reason it occurred to me in the NCAA Championship game that Newton looked so pensive and aloof at times that I wondered if he was a little stage fright. Now he played a good game...not a great one...and he led his team to victory, thanks in part to a very flukey run...but he did his part.
Tim Tebow is cut from an entire different cloth. He's the epitome of a leader...he has an exemplary work ethic...and as his new HC John Fox said about him a couple of days ago, "he aspires to be great."
Infuse those attributes in Cam Newton, and he would be the clear-cut #1 player in the draft.
This said, as others have stated, Newton does not seem like a fit with Ken Whisenhunt. Both the QBs (Roethlisberger and Warner) that Whiz has had very good success with are Type A personalities...both are tough as nails...even dog-headed at times.
John Skelton has the tough part covered...yet he does not appear to be a Type A...just yet, anyway. It was, however, a great sign that he told the media following the last game that he deserves to challenge for the starting job. The week before he got his first start, Skelton sounded at times as if he agreed with the coaches that he wasn't quite ready. This has changed. The experience made him tougher and more resolute.
This is the problem I had with Matt Leinart after Warner was re-signed to a two year deal following the 2008 season. Leinart---who then was heading into his 4th year---should have made the statement, as Kevin Kolb recently did, that he no longer was willing to accept being 2nd string. The great competitors cannot and will not accept being a second fiddle, especially as they are starting to enter their primes as pros.
In terms of the toughness and Type A criteria mentioned above, Matt Leinart fell short on both acconts. In retrospect, he had no chance with Whiz.
This is why Marc Bulger is not a fit either. He satisfies neither of the criteria.
One can make the argument that Donovan McNabb does---hey he had to be tough and a Type A just to survive playing in Philly all those years.
Applying the criteria to the QBs in the draft...none of the top ones fit the bill. Gabbert and Mallett seems to buckle far too often under pressure.
The three QBs to keep an eye on---with regard to the criteria---Pat Devlin (6-4, 220, Delaware)---the player Early has been so aptly touting, Christian Ponder (6-3, 218, Florida St.)---and Greg McElroy (6-2, 220, Alabama)...and most likely in that order. These guys are all Type A leaders and they are all tough kids who will do whatever it takes to win. Of the three, Devlin has the strongest arm, Ponder has the best mechanics and McElroy has the best game management skills.
And let's not forget Max Hall. Talk about Type A. This is why he wowed Whiz in TC. And Hall is tough...he does not play chicken at all...it's just that until he gets physically stronger he is going to have a hard time staying on the field.
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