2008 IDP Draft Journal

 

I used to love draft day. My friends and I would get together every year before it became annoyingly hip to do so. There was even a Mark Carrier draft day dance celebration in 1990, followed by the less effective Stan Thomas follow-up dance in ’91.

(Unfortunately, I grew up near quite a few Bears fans). Today, the NFL Draft is the most over analyzed day of the year, but as a service to you, the reader, and to me, I’ve ignored all mock drafts this year (seriously) and I’m embarking on this Draft Journal with an open mind, a 6-pack of an on-sale Belgian Wheat Ale called “Shock-Top,” a bag of Tostitos, Mrs. Renfro’s Habernero Mango Salsa (Hot), and CJ Burgers and Reduced Fat Ruffles on tap for tonight. Also some sweet corn on the cob from Florida, which is odd, because I live in Indiana. Anyway, here we go…

 

Pre-Draft Prep
Basement, two TVs with the draft on the HD big screen and a show TBD on the other TV that I’m told will become obsolete in 2009 because of something called “Digital Television.” There’s also a giant bag of lemonheads within my reach.

 

2:30 – Love these polls: How will Chris Long’s career compare to his father Howie’s? Other than Firestorm, I think Howie has the obvious edge.

 

Suzie Kolber’s interviewing Chris, Howie, and Howie’s wife. I’d pay at least $70 just to see Joe Namath walk by right now.

 

I actually enjoy most of the personalities on today’s Draft Panel: Steve Young, Chris Mortensen, Mel Kiper, Jr., Keyshawn Johnson, Cris Carter, Ron Jaworski, and Kirk Herbstreit…Chris Berman is also back to run the show and Todd McShay might get some air time.

 

2:35 – Berman: “We won’t have to wait very ‘Long’” Oh wait, I get it.  I wonder if he’ll make a Hotel California reference over the next five hours? Anyone give me 2-1?

Bad news: I just noticed an orange on the carton of this new beer.

 
2:37 – Huh…always thought Boise State OT Ryan Clady was white. There’s goes that scouting report.

 

2:45 – Herbstreit just offered that maybe the Secret Service should look into Darren McFadden’s past. Or you could draft someone else, whatever works. In other news, Joe Flacco resembles the dude that played Jesus in High Crimes.

2:50 – Before we begin, here’s my first look at 49ers Draft Day Moments:

1994 – SF trades up to get Notre Dame DT Bryant Young at #7 overall and use the 28^th pick on FSU FB William Floyd.
Personal Happiness Level: A.
Final Result: A+
1995 – The defending Super Bowl champion 49ers steal J.J. Stokes with the 10^th overall pick.
Personal Happiness Level: Can’t be accurately explained on any scale known to man.
Final Result: D-

2:56 – Matt Ryan explains he was raised by his parents, so that should help him if he ends up in Atlanta. Makes sense to me, I was raised by my parents, and I enjoyed my nine years in Atlanta, too. I wonder if the Falcons can use a 35-year old slow white WR?

 

2:58 – They’re showing Jake Long highlights in anticipation of the official No. 1 announcement. For some reason they never showed him blocking OSU DE Vernon Gholston. Steve Young calls Long a metaphor for the Dolphins future. What about Ted Ginn?

 

Quickly, my favorite players at each position.
QB: Chad Henne
RB: Felix Jones
WR: Devin Thomas
TE: Fred Davis
OL: Mandarich
DL: Glenn Dorsey
LB: Dan Connor
DB: Not Tom Zbikowski
Special Teamer: Tom Zbikowski

3:00 – Berman makes his first official Long and Long reference. Probably the last, too…

3:02 – I preferred Pete Rozelle

3:03 – Jake Long goes #1 overall to the Dolphins. He’ll be protecting the 2009 1^st Overall Pick’s blind side for years to come. On an unrelated note, I wonder where Robert Gallery’s watching the draft?

3:07 – The Rams are on the clock and Young refers to them as “the same old Rams” in a fantastic veiled reference to former Niners S Tim McDonald’s “Same old sorry a—Rams” comment after another mid 90s beating. I miss those days. 
Young also used the word “esoteric.”

3:12 – St. Louis selects Virginia DE Chris Long.

IDP Analysis: Probably can’t go wrong with this pick, and you have to like him teaming with last year’s first-round pick DT Adam Carriker. Long will be my No. 2 ranked rookie DL when the column debuts this week.

3:16 – The first time I’ve ever seen new Falcons HC Mike Smith’s face.

3:17 – Wait a second, Mike Vick’s in prison?

3:19 – The Falcons make BC QB Matt Ryan the No. 3 overall pick. Now they’re just 1 WR, 1 TE, 3-4 O-Linemen, 1 DE, 1 DT, 2 S and 1 CB away from contention.

ESPN SportsNation tells us the fans give this pick an F, which is worse than Kiper’s A.

3:26 – The Raiders are on the clock. There’s really no chance they pass on McFadden, right? 

3:27 – Oakland selects Arkansas RB Darren McFadden. There’s a good chance they just got the best player in the draft, plus he can play QB and the Raiders can finally move Jamarcus Russell to Guard.

3:30 – JAWS informs us that Jamarcus Russell is in an “embryonic development stage” so I guess the move to Guard isn’t official after all.

 

3:32 – Beer still isn’t cold enough. Man that’s bad planning on my part. In other news, TV #2 will feature the Angels/Tigers game. KC is on the clock…

3:34 – Looks like it’s going to be Glenn Dorsey though we’re told the Saints might have a deal on the table.

3:35 – Dorsey is wearing a watch the size of a small scale on his left wrist. Must have had a Summer job at LSU. The Chiefs, obviously awed by his taste in jewelry, nab Dorsey with the 5^th overall pick.

 

3:36 – Herbstreit believes Dorsey is the best DT to come out of college in his 13 years covering the sport, which I take as a direct shot at former 49ers 1^st round DT Reggie McGrew.

3:37 – I don’t think Dorsey knows the name of his new GM or head coach, but he does seem like a good guy, even using the phrase, “I’m happy as all outdoors.”
I’m officially a Glenn Dorsey fan after that gem.

IDP Analysis: Dorsey won’t be higher than No. 3 on the initial IDP rookie DL rankings, but he’s certainly a DT to look at if your league specifies along the DL.

3:41 – The Jets are on the clock (always the best moment of the draft) and it should probably be OSU DE Vernon Gholston, who had five tackles, four for loss, and one sack vs. Jake Long, who, coincidentally, will face the Jets two times a year.

3:44 – The Jets select Gholston at #6 overall, much to the delight of the partisan Jets crowd. Here come some more Jake Long highlights…

3:45 – Gholston shows his speed on film when he runs down PSU QB Anthony Morelli who surprisingly isn’t in the Green Room with the rest of the top picks.

IDP Analysis: Gholston will debut as my No. 2 rookie DL though a move to OLB in the Jets 3-4 seems likely.

TV #2 Update – It appears to be an 80s throwback theme on the Fox set as Jeannie Zelasko is sporting an impressive mane this afternoon. Google Melanie Griffith – Working Girl if you need a visual…

3:49 – The Patriots are on the clock with the 49ers pick. I’m so mad right now I can barely see.

3:51 – We have a TRADE!!! It’d be great if it’s the 49ers trading back up for this selection. Alas, it appears to be the Saints.

3:52 – The Saints select USC DT Sedrick Ellis with the 7^th pick.

IDP Analysis: Ellis joins FA acquisition DE Bobby McCray, DTs Brian Young and Hollis Thomas, perennial disappointment Charles Grant, and the enigmatic Will Smith along the Saints DL. Ellis will probably debut as my No. 4 rookie DL.

3:54 – Another trade as Jacksonville has moved up from #26 to the Ravens #8 selection and is now on the clock. Also, the Patriots acquired an extra 3^rd round pick from the Saints in the trade mentioned above (the Saints received the Patriots 5^th). Great deal for New England - moving down just three spots to nab a 3^rd for a 5^th. Same old sorry a– Saints…

4:02 – Jacksonville (from Baltimore) selects Florida DE Derrick Harvey at No. 8. Kiper thinks it’s a reach. Harvey is the 5^th DL selected in the first eight picks.

IDP Analysis: Not sure Harvey will debut as my No. 5 DL in the rookie rankings as I have two other guys in mind depending on their final destinations.

4:05 – The Bengals are on the clock with the 9^th pick. Also, it appears the Ravens received two 3^rd round and one fourth round pick from Jacksonville to move down from #8 to #26. Advantage – Ravens.

When’s the last time someone typed that sentence?

4:07 – The Bengals nab USC LB Keith Rivers at No. 9 overall. Rivers probably should have considered wearing some shorts over his tights during his USC Pro Day.

IDP Analysis: Rivers will likely debut as my No. 2 rated rookie LB.

4:13 – The Patriots, with the 10^th overall pick, select Tennessee’s LB Jerod Mayo. Hopefully he can block Justin Tuck.

IDP Analysis: I love this pick and though Mayo will debut at No. 4 or No. 5 overall in my rookie rankings he’ll surely move up as the season progresses.

4:16 – Berman used a pun.

 

4:18 – The Bills select CB Leodis McKelvin from Troy with the 12^th overall pick.

IDP Analysis: McKelvin could debut anywhere from No. 1 to No. 5 on my IDP rookie list but he definitely has a chance to play early with pedestrian CB Jabari Greer his main competition.

4:23 – The Broncos use the 12^th pick on Boise State OT Ryan Clady. Kiper says he needs to get tougher…hopefully Jay Cutler isn’t listening.

The Panthers are on the clock…

4:28 – Carolina selects Oregon RB Jonathan Stewart. He’ll reportedly be healthy enough for training camp which is always a great thing to hear about your new RB.

The Bears are on the clock. If they had the next six picks there’s a chance they’d return to the Super Bowl this decade

4:36 – The Bears select Vanderbilt OT Chris Williams with the 14^th pick. Probably a good time to go upstairs for another Belgian White (beer – didn’t want anyone to get the wrong idea).

 

 The Lions are on the clock and WRs Malcolm Kelly, Devin Thomas, and, I think Yatil Green just woke up…

4:43 – The Chiefs, as a result of a trade with Detroit, are now on the clock…

4:44 – The Chiefs select Virginia OG Brandon Albert with the 15^th pick. KC is now at 5,000,000-1 to win the AFC in 2008.

4:48 – I’m not positive, but I think Under Armour is somehow associated with the NFL.

4:53 – The Cardinals select Tennessee State CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie with the 16^th pick. If he’s related to Antonio Cromartie, I’m sold. There’s a question about his quality of competition in college, but Rodgers-Cromartie looks very fast in his highlights, though it does concern me that everyone’s wearing flags around their waists…

IDP Analysis: Since I’ve never seen him play, I have no idea where Rodgers-Cromartie will debut in my rookie rankings, though he did seem more physical than the rest of those guys playing intramurals in his highlight reel.

The Lions are back on the clock. Someone call Reidel Anthony.

4:58 – Detroit makes BC OT Gosder Cherilus the 17^th overall pick. He and massive OT Aaron Gibson should anchor this Lions line for years to come.

The Ravens are on the clock

5:03 – As a result of the trade with the Texans, the Ravens use the 18^th pick on Delaware QB Jim Caviezel. At over 6’6” Joe Flacco can throw the ball 74 yards in the air. He also died for our sins, so we should probably root for him.

 

The Eagles are on the clock

5:11 – The Panthers trade up to Philly’s spot to select Pittsburgh OT Jeff Otah. Gotta love these extended runs on O-Linemen.

The Buccaneers are on the clock. I’ve eaten ¾ of a bag of Tostitos and ½ a bottle of Mango Habernero salsa.

 

The Eagles received a 2^nd and 4^th round pick in this draft and the Panthers 2009 1^st round pick. For Jeff Otah? “Same old sorry a- - Panthers…”

5:20 – The Buc’s select Kansas CB Aqib Talib, who will debut somewhere between No. 2 and No. 4 on my rookie IDP list. There are character issues swirling around Talib, but I had plenty of roommates in college that enjoyed herbal medicines so I’m not sure what the problem is. 

The Redskins are on the clock.

 

5:29 – Yet another trade and the Falcons are on the clock. Does Vick have another brother?

5:30 – With the 21^st pick of the NFL Draft, the Falcons select Sam Baker, OT, USC. That’s three Trojans in the first 21 picks, pretty much par for the course these days. I hope more O-Linemen are selected because these highlights are scintillating TV…

The Cowboys are on the clock and have two of the next seven picks.

5:34 – ESPN’s Ed Werder informs us the Cowboys don’t believe there’s a receiver that can help them more than 57-year old WR Terry Glenn. Thanks to a live look-in we learn that MSU WR Devin Thomas hates Ed Werder.

5:38 – I have to tell you, as a lifelong Cowboys hater, I really hope my No. 1 RB Felix Jones doesn’t land in Dallas’ lap as the perfect compliment to Marion the Barbarian in the backfield.

5:39 – Dallas picks Arkansas RB Felix Jones with the 22^nd pick. Beer me.

5:44 – Pittsburgh selects Illinois RB Rashard Mendenhall, who just took a giant pay-cut to leave Champagne and HC Ron Zook. Two of the five best players in the draft just went off the board.

The Titans are on the clock and TV #2 features the Lakers and Nuggets.

5:50 – The Titans use the 24^th pick to select East Carolina RB Chris Johnson. Meanwhile, Lendale White just passed on his 4^th hamburger at Fat Mo’s in Nashville.  

The Seahawks are on the clock.

5:58 – Dallas trades up (two spots) and Seattle moves down to #28 overall. Dallas is on the clock.

5:59 – Please don’t pick Devin Thomas. Please don’t pick Devin Thomas…

6:00 – Dallas selects South Florida CB Mike Jenkins. Since he’s not Devin Thomas, this pleases me.

6:01 – Mort informs us (me?) that Cowboys CB Anthony Henry is probably moving to Safety. That’s like 9 picks and 27 missed tackles in 2008.

The Houston Texans, from Jacksonville, through Baltimore, are on the clock.

6:06 – Another O-Tackle and more great highlights! Houston selects Virginia Tech OT Duane Brown.

San Diego is on the clock. They might want to look into a RB that won’t sit out the biggest game of his life next January…

 

6:10 – San Diego selects Arizona CB Antoine Cason. The Chargers don’t pick again until Round 5.

IDP Analysis: Cason should step into the nickel CB role and will move all over the rookie rankings in the pre-season. I like Cason more than the two small-college CB selected ahead of him but that’s due largely to my familiarity with his body of work.

The Seahawks are back on the clock.

6:16 – Seattle selects USC DE Lawrence Jackson. That’s four Trojans from the defensive side of the ball. I have one word for you: STANFORD.

IDP Analysis: Jackson will have to beat out DE Darryl Tapp to make a fantasy impact.

6:18 – Keyshawn refers to Lofa Tatupu as Losa Tatuffa.

The 49ers are on the clock. If they don’t take Dan Connor or Devin Thomas this could be my last broadcast…

6:20 – SF selects DT Kentwan Balmer, DT, UNC. Beer wouldn’t even put a dent in this pain. Where’s Pac Man when you need him?

The Packers are on the clock.

6:23 – The Jets have traded up and are now on the clock.

6:30 – The Jets select Purdue TE Dustin Keller. Nothing like using a 1^st round pick on Eric Johnson.

The Super Bowl Champion Patriots, err, New York Giants, are on the clock

6:35 – The GMEN select Miami S Kenny Phillips with the final pick of the 1^st Round

IDP Analysis: Phillips will likely debut as my No. 1 option among rookie DBs.

It’s been a fun first round, checking in at just over 3 ½ hours. I’ll be back tomorrow with additional first round analysis and a quick look at the 2^nd round.

Meanwhile, it’s burger time in IDP land…