Thoughts on #13 Pick

[Mitch]

For my money---the two guys that intrigue me most are ILB Luke Keuchly (Boston College) and WR Kendall Wright (Baylor).

Having watched every snap he ever took at BC---I can tell you, I have never ever seen anything like Keuchly. He has an uncanny nose for the ball, and is the best finisher as a tackler as I have seen. Plus, he's instinctive and rangy in pass coverage. In a division where you have to defend 3 marquis RBs in Frank Gore, Marshawn Lynch and Stephen Jackson behind much improve offensive lines---getting a tackling machine to go beside D-Wash would be a major boon for the Cardinals.

Then there's K-Wright---wow---sign Reggie Wayne to play the #2 WR and line Wright up in the slot and this offense would be electric. Add in a much improved Housler as the pass catching TE up the seams---man! Wright HAS to be tempting.

I've been spending some time watching tapes of T's Jonathan Martin and Mike Adams---and I like them both---but I get reservations about them at times---although Adams' Senior Bowl week and game were totally impressive---and Martin's play in big games at Stanford was impressive. I just wish we had the free agent answer at LT because I do strongly believe that Keuchly and Wright are more dynamic football players.

Courtney Upshaw? He looks way too stiff to me---can't get that excited about him, for some reason and oh how i want to because i think we are a great OLB away from possibly becoming a GREAT defense. Mike Adams dominated Upshaw and Quinton Coples---plus Coples doesn't look like a 34 OLB.

My wild card is this LB from Utah State, Bobby Wagner. 3 straight 100+ tackle seasons---and he can cover too. If we were to take Wright I would hope the plan is to tab Wagner in the 3rd round.

Just some early thoughts---not ready to throw a real mock at you yet---but thinking about it.

 

[Dr. Jones]

Nice stuff Mitch.... Although we disagree on Upshaw, I am in lock step about Kuechly.

My only reservation about him is athleticism. Hence him being #3 on my early board. He rarely makes a bad read, and rarely is out of position but doesn't strike me as a physically gifted guy. He gets by with instincts, hustle, and desire. Once I see his shuttle and cone drill times, I will be able to make a better determination on if he is worthy of a top 13 pick.

 

[Snakester]

I am looking forward to seeing Kuechly at the combine. If your this excited about him he must be really good. You were right on the money with Ryan Kerrigan last year.

 

[SissyBoyFloyd]

1. Kuechly - would have the greatest impact immediately and be so productive for so many years. Just think of all the dominant middle LBs the better teams have had over the years. We could have one in Kuechly.

2. Michael Brockers - a beast in the middle against the run and a pass rusher to boot. Would increase the individual number of sacks for all of our rushers. QBs would not be stepping up into a wide open pocket very often. I think this guy is on par with the top DTs that some teams were able to get the last couple years. Again we could finally have one of these guys.

3. Courtney Upshaw - If he is as good as the experts' Big Boards assume, he is just what our defense needs the most. I would have him number 1 based on combo of need + bpa, however for some reason I have a little doubt on the guy being what everyone seems to think. Not sure why, and hope I am wrong if we take him. Maybe I will feel different after the combine.

4. David DeCastro - The most sure thing of a pick that might be available to us. Not a glamorous pick, but would sure instantly improve us in our area of greatest weakness and need (both pass blocking and running game). I would just hate to see us take him over 1, 2, or 3, if we are NOT going to improve the rest of our line by upgrading both our tackles. If he is going to be our only upgrade on our line, I would rather just see us complete the awesomeness of our D especially with 1 or 2 above. Getting just a great guard isn't going to solve our lack of pass blocking. But if we are and do, then I am all in favor of letting DeCastro be the foundation of that total re-build.

Now I feel we all will have to rethink this if the Cards should be successful at making a play for Manning. If we should be that fortunate, then I think we have to look at:

1. Jonathan Martin - I suppose it will be one of the demands of Manning. I can't see him risking himself with the perception of what our pass blocking has been and means to our QBs.

2. David DeCastro

3. Blackman, Wright, or Floyd would be a temptation for a Manning success here, yet I think FA is the way to answer our WRs' needs, with 1 or 2 being a start to protect him properly.

 

[Jasper]

I think Kuechly and DeCastro are the safest picks.
However a guard is not our top priority.
Upshaw is intriguing.
Blackman could be a Fitz, or could be a Crabtree.

 

[Stout]

My preference would be to trade back but, if I had to make a pick from who I think will be available, I'd probably have to go with DeCastro. I REALLY want us to land a top OT, but one won't be available there. We also need an impact edge rusher, but we need OL help inside too, and DeCastro just sounds better to me than the edge rushers that will be available there.

 

[Dr. Jones]

I have been thinking about a unique possibility. We pick right in front of Dalls and Philly and they both have needs at LB and in the secondary. I wonder if we could get our 2nd rounder back if Philly is worried that Dallas might take the player they covet the most. Kirkpatrick or Kuechly might just make the Eagles trade in front of the Cowboys.

If we could get Decastro at 15 and pick up a pick I would be all for it. With the Eagles and Cowboys picking back to back, combined with their hatred for each other, and the thought they are just one player away from being next year's version of the Giants, it might be possible.

 

[Dr. Jones]

Why would PM want a rookie LT over us getting a good FA??? Tony Ugoh worked out sooooo well for them. lol

Decastro is by far the safest bet. He has the lowest floor and one of the highest ceilings.
Upshaw is the probably going to be best (when we pick) at a position of extreme need.
Kuechly has athleticism question marks but all the intangibles are there.
Martin would be very risky based on our system & scheme.
Adams & Glenn would be major reaches at this point ala Levi Brown.

 

[SissyBoyFloyd]

A lot of mocks have Dallas taking DeCastro, so if moved back of them and anyone took their Defensive guy then they might just have to take ours (DeCastro).

 

[Unsterblich856]

If we use our 13th pick on a slot WR I will go ****ing mental.

 

[GatorAZ]

A lot of mocks have Dallas taking DeCastro, so if moved back of them and anyone took their Defensive guy then they might just have to take ours (DeCastro).

Why do i think Dallas signs Levi and moves him to guard?

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

The lastest mock from Walterfootball has us taking DeCastro at 13 and Bobby Massie, the RT from Ole Miss in round 3. I would definitely befine with this two picks. Sign Bell for LT and the OL is pretty much fixed . At least on paper it is fixed.

http://walterfootball.com/draft2012.php

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Just some early thoughts---not ready to throw a real mock at you yet---but thinking about it.

Dooo iiit!!

You can always make another one or fifty later on. Throw it out there.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Why do i think Dallas overpays and signs Levi and moves him to guard?

Cause they are stupid ?

 

[Garthshort]

Mitch, I'd be very excited with either Wright or Keuchley, but don't know how we can continue to bypass the OL. One of these years we have to go OL, and judging by the player rankings, I think this is the year.

 

[Totally_Red]

Why would PM want a rookie LT over us getting a good FA??? Tony Ugoh worked out sooooo well for them. lol

Decastro is by far the safest bet. He has the lowest floor and one of the highest ceilings.
Upshaw is the probably going to be best (when we pick) at a position of extreme need.
Kuechly has athleticism question marks but all the intangibles are there.
Martin would be very risky based on our system & scheme.
Adams & Glenn would be major reaches at this point ala Levi Brown.

+1

 

[Chopper0080]

For my money---the two guys that intrigue me most are ILB Luke Keuchly (Boston College) and WR Kendall Wright (Baylor).

Having watched every snap he ever took at BC---I can tell you, I have never ever seen anything like Keuchly. He has an uncanny nose for the ball, and is the best finisher as a tackler as I have seen. Plus, he's instinctive and rangy in pass coverage. In a division where you have to defend 3 marquis RBs in Frank Gore, Marshawn Lynch and Stephen Jackson behind much improve offensive lines---getting a tackling machine to go beside D-Wash would be a major boon for the Cardinals.

Then there's K-Wright---wow---sign Reggie Wayne to play the #2 WR and line Wright up in the slot and this offense would be electric. Add in a much improved Housler as the pass catching TE up the seams---man! Wright HAS to be tempting.

I've been spending some time watching tapes of T's Jonathan Martin and Mike Adams---and I like them both---but I get reservations about them at times---although Adams' Senior Bowl week and game were totally impressive---and Martin's play in big games at Stanford was impressive. I just wish we had the free agent answer at LT because I do strongly believe that Keuchly and Wright are more dynamic football players.

Courtney Upshaw? He looks way too stiff to me---can't get that excited about him, for some reason and oh how i want to because i think we are a great OLB away from possibly becoming a GREAT defense. Mike Adams dominated Upshaw and Quinton Coples---plus Coples doesn't look like a 34 OLB.

My wild card is this LB from Utah State, Bobby Wagner. 3 straight 100+ tackle seasons---and he can cover too. If we were to take Wright I would hope the plan is to tab Wagner in the 3rd round.Just some early thoughts---not ready to throw a real mock at you yet---but thinking about it.

The fact that we could draft Wagner in the 3rd round makes me like him more than Keuchly in the 1st at this point. Wagner is very good and brings enough size/strength to hold up inside. I would totally be fine with DeCastro, then Wagner, Datko (if he drops) or McClellin, and then Levy Adock. I think that this draft will end up providing a bunch of solid RT option in the 3rd thru 5th round.

The one area that I think you are ignoring at this point Mitch is that we have to addess the offensive line in the first OR third round. So, I can't see a draft of Wright then Wagner at this point in time. But who knows what free agency will bring.

 

[JeffGollin]

Just wondering, but -

If you were Peyton, Archie or any other influential member of Clan Manning, would you want him operating behind the Cardinal offensive line as currently configured?

I wouldn't.

 

[RonF]

I'm struggling with the idea of drafting a receiver with out first round pick when we have one of the best receivers in the NFL and our QBs have a problem hitting him when he is open. I say build up our area of strength which is defense.

 

[Dr. Jones]

Just wondering, but -

If you were Peyton, Archie or any other influential member of Clan Manning, would you want him operating behind the Cardinal offensive line as currently configured?

I wouldn't.

I agree.... Here is the rub though. Of the teams rumored to be in the running, only the Jets stand out. Everyone else on the list sucked as bad as we did. lol

Sacks Allowed:
Miami - 40
Arizona - 40
NYJ - 26
49ers - 36
Indy - 44
Tenn - 49
Wash - 36

NFL Avg - 37

 

[az jam]

Just wondering, but -

If you were Peyton, Archie or any other influential member of Clan Manning, would you want him operating behind the Cardinal offensive line as currently configured?

I wouldn't.

Agree. Rebuilding our offensive line especially the tackles is the number one priority by far whether or not we go after Peyton.

 

[Chopper0080]

If you buy into the idea that there is tampering in the NFL and that Peyton is really going to determine where he wants to go, you have to believe that there will be things that he asks potential teams to address. QB's of his stature generally have influence over moves that teams will make in order to make the QB feel like he is being given the tools that he needs to succeed. I'm not saying that Peyton Manning will tell the team he is interested in playing for to draft a linemen or sign a top WR, but he will ask the team how they plan to address any areas that he is concerned with and the trust the team to make those changes.

For example, let's say that Peyton liked the situation in AZ on paper, however he had concerns about the offensive line and the WR depth. You have to assume that he will ask the team what they plan to do to address those issues, and then determine if he likes their plan of action and believes that they will follow through. IMO this is why the Frank Reich signing is interesting. I can't believe that Peyton would have passed a message through Fitzgerald saying that he wanted the Cards to sign Reich as a coach to get him to sign there. What I do believe is that a concern Peyton would have would be a lack of familiarity with the offensive scheme, and the time it would take to acclimate to the situation.

So Larry would ask, "what would it take to get you to AZ?"

Manning would probably come back with, "Well I like a lot of things about the team, but I don't have any connections with anyone so I am a bit worried about the time it would take to adjust to the coaches and the coaches to adjust to me."

The Cardinals hearing this might be inclined to do more digging on a coach (Reich) Peyton was familiar with (ala checking w/ Bill Polian), and if they thought was a good fit either way, they would sign him.

I am sure that the same can be said in regards to our offensive line. I can't see Peyton signing in AZ without being convinced that the Cardinals would be making significant strides to improve the unit as a whole.

 

[WildBB]

The lastest mock from Walterfootball has us taking DeCastro at 13 and Bobby Massie, the RT from Ole Miss in round 3. I would definitely befine with this two picks. Sign Bell for LT and the OL is pretty much fixed . At least on paper it is fixed.

http://walterfootball.com/draft2012.php

This is the whole thing. We all have our favorites like Keuchly and Wright.

Mine is Upshaw.

BUT.......This FO HAS TO FIX THE OL.....PEOPLE. IT HAS TO BE DONE. And we'll miss out on some upper tier talent at other PON to get r done. Unfortunately!

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...s-of-winning-the-super-bowl-next-year/page/10

 

[kerouac9]

Why would PM want a rookie LT over us getting a good FA??? Tony Ugoh worked out sooooo well for them. lol

Decastro is by far the safest bet. He has the lowest floor and one of the highest ceilings.
Upshaw is the probably going to be best (when we pick) at a position of extreme need.
Kuechly has athleticism question marks but all the intangibles are there.
Martin would be very risky based on our system & scheme.
Adams & Glenn would be major reaches at this point ala Levi Brown.

To be fair, Ugoh was not drafted to be an immediate starter at left tackle. He was drafted to play guard, but Manning's longtime blind side protector Tarik Glenn retired on the eve of training camp and forced an unprepared Ugoh into the lineup.

 

[Chopper0080]

To be fair, Ugoh was not drafted to be an immediate starter at left tackle. He was drafted to play guard, but Manning's longtime blind side protector Tarik Glenn retired on the eve of training camp and forced an unprepared Ugoh into the lineup.

Also, keep in mind that Peyton has worked with inexperienced players before, and his quick release and pre snap reads allow him to make up for their inconsistent play.