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Draft Day winners and losers
By Cedric Meyer
It’s no surprise that the perennial powerhouses of the NFL always seem to draft well. This year was no different as the Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs put on drafting clinics. Not every team was as fortunate. Several teams fumbled away the opportunity to build a foundation or take their teams to the next level via the NFL draft.
Let’s start with the Atlanta Falcons. How do you begin the draft with four picks in the Top 50 and only end up with quarterback Matt Ryan, offensive tackle Sam Baker and linebacker Curtis Lofton? Epic fail. As well as the Chiefs managed their plethora of picks, the Falcons equally botched theirs.
This was an extremely weak year for quarterbacks and Ryan is a millionaire because of it. He’s far from an elite prospect and would have been a late first rounder in any other year. But I can live with Ryan because the franchise is in desperate need of a fresh face following the Michael Vick debacle.
Nevertheless, a rebuilding franchise ridding itself of a valuable second round pick in order to move up and select a second rate talent in Baker was a panic move. Their second round pick, Lofton, was arguably their best selection. This may have been the most important draft in Falcons franchise history, but they left a lot to be desired.
From start to finish, the Bengals draft was painful to watch. Coach Marvin Lewis began the day by watching the New Orleans Saints trade up to select what was presumably their man in defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis.
Management then fired a shot across the bow at disgruntled receiver Chad Johnson by drafting receiver Jerome Simpson out of Coastal Carolina in the second round. Too bad it was with a potato gun.
Lewis suffered an episode of déjà vu as the Saints moved a spot ahead of him in the fifth round and selected the best defensive tackle available in DeMario Pressley. The Bengals settled for Jason Shirley out of Fresno State who has been flagged with numerous character concerns. As the adage says, fool me once shame on you; fool me twice shame on me. Well, the Bengals have been burned four, five and six times, and they have yet to learn.
The Houston Texans had the opportunity to take Illinois stud running back Rashard Mendenhall at No. 18, but opted to trade back. Adding a playmaker like Mendenhall would have been ideal for a Texans offense that has only one, receiver Andre Johnson. Instead, they ended up taking a third rate offensive tackle at No. 26 similar to what the Falcons did with Baker. Sure, they took West Virginia running back Steve Slaton in the third round, but he’s not nearly the complete package that Mendenhall is. Slaton will amount to noting more than a third down back.
Small-school prospect Antwuan Molden won’t be ready to contribute this season and Texas defensive tackle Frank Okam lacks the desire for football. There are rumors he may opt for Law School instead of the gridiron. The Texans have made great strides under Head Coach Gary Kubiak, but this draft did not reflect a win-now mentality that Texans fans were hoping to see.
What did Vince Young do to piss off Head Coach Jeff Fisher? Of course Young isn’t progressing; Fisher refuses to equip him with weapons. This year was no different.
The Titans reached for a pure speed back in East Carolina’s Chris Johnson in the first round and didn’t draft a receiver until the fourth round where they selected Lavelle Hawkins of Cal. They also brought in Hawkins’ teammate, tight end Craig Stevens who is unanimously labeled as one of the best blocking tight ends in the draft. I’m sure Young is amped.
Originally Published: Issue 606 - April 30, 2008
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