The question is...what's the better first day of the draft:
WR Johnson
DE Pace
WR Bouldin
LB Hayes
OR
DE Suggs
WR Johnson
LB Hayes
We will not know the answer for a few years...which may be even harder to determine due to the fact that Terrell Suggs will be employed by the Ravens as a 3-4 Sam LB, not a 4-3 DE...so we will only be able to speculate how well Suggs would have assimilated into his role as a 4-3 DE.
Successful drafts so often depend on how well a team develops and grooms its draft picks. Virtually all players drafted early in the draft have talent...the question is, can the teams develop that talent. Some players adapt more quickly than others. Some players need to be brought along slowly. In either the case, the Cardinals have to find a way (in the process of getting the players fundamentally sound) to instill confidence in these players. Patience is often required...and, at this point, should be expected.
Here's the timeline I would project for this year's draft picks:
WR Bryant Johnson. He's a player that may need a year or two learning the system to begin to thrive. He had a bad case of the drops at Penn State early in his college career, and then developed into a premier player. Johnson has the tools. You's wish that the #17 pick in the draft could be an immediate starter. And Johnson may be, but with him it may take him a while to get comfortable. Rushing him along may be a mistake.
DE Calvin Pace. Pace will essentially be learning a new position. At Wake Forest he played over the tackle as a 3-4 DE. With the Cardinals he'll be playing more on the edge as a 4-3 DE. The question is, can Pace learn quickly and well? I believe the Cardinals, as shocking as this pick was to some, did their homework on Pace. He's bright and extremely coachable. While Pace may not be a blazer on the edge, he has the physical tools to be an every down DE in this league. I believe Pace will make an immediate impact and will start. He may struggle initially in providing consistent heat on the quarterback, but he will hold up very well against the run.
WR Anquan Boldin. Will most likely make the biggest splash in his inaugural season because of his physical and mental toughness. Sullivan will become so enamored with Boldin that it wouldn't be surprising to see Boldin become the starting flanker. The Cardinals may have reached a little for Johnson and Pace, but they got a flat-out steal in Boldin at #54. Boldin is the antithesis of David Boston. He may not possess Boston's stellar size and speed, but in terms of grit and sheer competitiveness, Boldin wins by a landslide.
LB Gerald Hayes. Hayes has the luxury of being able to work his way into the lineup at his own pace. However, just as the offensive coaches will become instantly enamored with Anquan Boldin, the defensive coaches will feel the same excitement for Hayes. This guy is a playmaker who shows up in big games. His path to success will be similar to Ronald McKinnon's. Look for Hayes to make his splash on the outside first. In a couple of years he might switch back to the middle. By mid-season don't be surprised to see Hayes getting a fair share of snaps at strong side LB.
DE Kenny King. The Cardinals are going to have to make a tough decision on King. Fred Wakefield most likely is a better player right now, but King, in a couple of years, could be a much better player than Wakefield. King is the athlete that Wakefield isn't. The Cardinals like King's versatility and project him as a rush DT in nickle situations, while he learns the DE position. As much as the Cardinals like Wakefield's professional approach to the game, look for the Cardinals to hold on to King instead, by virtue of King's upside.
T Reggie Wells. This pick showed the thoroughness of the scouting department. Wells will have to make a quantam leap from little Clarion University to the NFL, but this guy has the complete package to do so. He has the luxury of learning his craft from the veterans. In the meantime, he will be able to contribute on special teams. Wells also provides some insurance if L.J. Shelton explores the free agent market next year. Wells' acquisition was an outstanding move by the Cardinals...who are suddenly becoming an offensive line factory.
LB Tony Gilbert. A 6th round steal. Gilbert has a nose for the ball and is a first rate competitor. Should be an immediate contributor on special teams and a stalwart on the goal-line defense. The more Gilbert develops, the easier it will be to keep Gerald Hayes on the outside.
WR Larry Foster. Valuable in many ways. Provides good veteran depth at WR and excellent special teams contributions as a gunner and punt blocker. Every team needs Larry Foster types to win in the NFL.
Emerging players:
DT Wendall Bryant. Is doing everything right to prepare himself for a breakout season.
DT Marcus Bell. If he develops his stamina, this guy will turn heads this year.
DE Alton Moore. Keep a close on him. The Cardinals want to throw five DE types at the QB in certain situations and Moore has the burst and wingspan to make a splash.
DE Dennis Johnson. The second time around is a charm and Johnson will make a concerted run at the starting LDE position.
LB James Darling. He's a lot better than any of us think and he's hungry. He got lost in the shuffle behind Marvin Jones and company with the Jets. He will make a serious push to start at strong side LB.
LB Raynoch Thompson. Will fly off the edge from the weak side and will get his fair share of pressures and sacks in addition to making stunning open field stops. Is on the verge of stardom.
CB Coby Rhinehart. Don't underestimate this guy. He continues to get stronger and more focused. He may be one of the biggest surprises this year. The guy covers like glue more often than not on the perimeter and he's a good open field tackler.
S Dexter Jackson. Will become the leader of the defense and is the most rangy ballhawk the Cardinals have had in a long, long time.
S Adrian Wilson. Jackson's presence and leadership will help Wilson emerge as a big play strong safety. Will also get to the quarterback with regularity on safety blitzes.
* Cameron Spikes. Came in quietly without much fanfare, but his impact as a mauling smashmouth guard may facilitate switching Pete Kendall from LG to center.
TE Steve Bush. One of the most dedicated players on the team. Versatile as an H-back and quite under-rated as a receiver.
RB Josh Scobey. Will grab a hold of Emmitt's shirt tail and won't let go. Will run like a demon in the pre-season and be a solid contributor on special teams.
June 1st aquisitions:
Priority: A starting lead receiver, another pass rusher and a cover corner to challenge Rhinehart, Hill and Stone. And possibly another DT to challenge Tanner, Davis, Bell and Dwyer. The smart thing would be to add another veteran QB, but the Cardinals say they will go with McCown and Parsons as the backups for now.
Excitement: Man, I haven't been this excited about the Cardinals' chances in a long. long time. If the Cardinals can add a starting WR like Muhsin Muhammed, another pass rusher, a cover corner for depth and a veteran backup QB this June, there's no telling how far this team can go. Coach Mac needs to polish up his game management skills, Jerry Sullivan needs to get comfortable calling plays and Larry Marmie needs to upgrade the defensive philosophy to get these players off their heels...because with the talent base that's emerging here, this team could be something. special to watch.
WR Johnson
DE Pace
WR Bouldin
LB Hayes
OR
DE Suggs
WR Johnson
LB Hayes
We will not know the answer for a few years...which may be even harder to determine due to the fact that Terrell Suggs will be employed by the Ravens as a 3-4 Sam LB, not a 4-3 DE...so we will only be able to speculate how well Suggs would have assimilated into his role as a 4-3 DE.
Successful drafts so often depend on how well a team develops and grooms its draft picks. Virtually all players drafted early in the draft have talent...the question is, can the teams develop that talent. Some players adapt more quickly than others. Some players need to be brought along slowly. In either the case, the Cardinals have to find a way (in the process of getting the players fundamentally sound) to instill confidence in these players. Patience is often required...and, at this point, should be expected.
Here's the timeline I would project for this year's draft picks:
WR Bryant Johnson. He's a player that may need a year or two learning the system to begin to thrive. He had a bad case of the drops at Penn State early in his college career, and then developed into a premier player. Johnson has the tools. You's wish that the #17 pick in the draft could be an immediate starter. And Johnson may be, but with him it may take him a while to get comfortable. Rushing him along may be a mistake.
DE Calvin Pace. Pace will essentially be learning a new position. At Wake Forest he played over the tackle as a 3-4 DE. With the Cardinals he'll be playing more on the edge as a 4-3 DE. The question is, can Pace learn quickly and well? I believe the Cardinals, as shocking as this pick was to some, did their homework on Pace. He's bright and extremely coachable. While Pace may not be a blazer on the edge, he has the physical tools to be an every down DE in this league. I believe Pace will make an immediate impact and will start. He may struggle initially in providing consistent heat on the quarterback, but he will hold up very well against the run.
WR Anquan Boldin. Will most likely make the biggest splash in his inaugural season because of his physical and mental toughness. Sullivan will become so enamored with Boldin that it wouldn't be surprising to see Boldin become the starting flanker. The Cardinals may have reached a little for Johnson and Pace, but they got a flat-out steal in Boldin at #54. Boldin is the antithesis of David Boston. He may not possess Boston's stellar size and speed, but in terms of grit and sheer competitiveness, Boldin wins by a landslide.
LB Gerald Hayes. Hayes has the luxury of being able to work his way into the lineup at his own pace. However, just as the offensive coaches will become instantly enamored with Anquan Boldin, the defensive coaches will feel the same excitement for Hayes. This guy is a playmaker who shows up in big games. His path to success will be similar to Ronald McKinnon's. Look for Hayes to make his splash on the outside first. In a couple of years he might switch back to the middle. By mid-season don't be surprised to see Hayes getting a fair share of snaps at strong side LB.
DE Kenny King. The Cardinals are going to have to make a tough decision on King. Fred Wakefield most likely is a better player right now, but King, in a couple of years, could be a much better player than Wakefield. King is the athlete that Wakefield isn't. The Cardinals like King's versatility and project him as a rush DT in nickle situations, while he learns the DE position. As much as the Cardinals like Wakefield's professional approach to the game, look for the Cardinals to hold on to King instead, by virtue of King's upside.
T Reggie Wells. This pick showed the thoroughness of the scouting department. Wells will have to make a quantam leap from little Clarion University to the NFL, but this guy has the complete package to do so. He has the luxury of learning his craft from the veterans. In the meantime, he will be able to contribute on special teams. Wells also provides some insurance if L.J. Shelton explores the free agent market next year. Wells' acquisition was an outstanding move by the Cardinals...who are suddenly becoming an offensive line factory.
LB Tony Gilbert. A 6th round steal. Gilbert has a nose for the ball and is a first rate competitor. Should be an immediate contributor on special teams and a stalwart on the goal-line defense. The more Gilbert develops, the easier it will be to keep Gerald Hayes on the outside.
WR Larry Foster. Valuable in many ways. Provides good veteran depth at WR and excellent special teams contributions as a gunner and punt blocker. Every team needs Larry Foster types to win in the NFL.
Emerging players:
DT Wendall Bryant. Is doing everything right to prepare himself for a breakout season.
DT Marcus Bell. If he develops his stamina, this guy will turn heads this year.
DE Alton Moore. Keep a close on him. The Cardinals want to throw five DE types at the QB in certain situations and Moore has the burst and wingspan to make a splash.
DE Dennis Johnson. The second time around is a charm and Johnson will make a concerted run at the starting LDE position.
LB James Darling. He's a lot better than any of us think and he's hungry. He got lost in the shuffle behind Marvin Jones and company with the Jets. He will make a serious push to start at strong side LB.
LB Raynoch Thompson. Will fly off the edge from the weak side and will get his fair share of pressures and sacks in addition to making stunning open field stops. Is on the verge of stardom.
CB Coby Rhinehart. Don't underestimate this guy. He continues to get stronger and more focused. He may be one of the biggest surprises this year. The guy covers like glue more often than not on the perimeter and he's a good open field tackler.
S Dexter Jackson. Will become the leader of the defense and is the most rangy ballhawk the Cardinals have had in a long, long time.
S Adrian Wilson. Jackson's presence and leadership will help Wilson emerge as a big play strong safety. Will also get to the quarterback with regularity on safety blitzes.
* Cameron Spikes. Came in quietly without much fanfare, but his impact as a mauling smashmouth guard may facilitate switching Pete Kendall from LG to center.
TE Steve Bush. One of the most dedicated players on the team. Versatile as an H-back and quite under-rated as a receiver.
RB Josh Scobey. Will grab a hold of Emmitt's shirt tail and won't let go. Will run like a demon in the pre-season and be a solid contributor on special teams.
June 1st aquisitions:
Priority: A starting lead receiver, another pass rusher and a cover corner to challenge Rhinehart, Hill and Stone. And possibly another DT to challenge Tanner, Davis, Bell and Dwyer. The smart thing would be to add another veteran QB, but the Cardinals say they will go with McCown and Parsons as the backups for now.
Excitement: Man, I haven't been this excited about the Cardinals' chances in a long. long time. If the Cardinals can add a starting WR like Muhsin Muhammed, another pass rusher, a cover corner for depth and a veteran backup QB this June, there's no telling how far this team can go. Coach Mac needs to polish up his game management skills, Jerry Sullivan needs to get comfortable calling plays and Larry Marmie needs to upgrade the defensive philosophy to get these players off their heels...because with the talent base that's emerging here, this team could be something. special to watch.
