This is my penultimate mock draft of the season. My final projection will be a week today, the night before the draft.
I’ve mixed things up a bit in the top ten. Buffalo remain a wildcard at #3 and could go in a number of directions. I think it comes down to this – do they view Blaine Gabbert as a franchise quarterback? If they do, then he probably has to be the pick. Ryan Fitzgerald can start the 2011 season and pass on the baton. Let’s not kid ourselves here though, Buffalo do have a long term need at quarterback and addressing the position has to be an option.
Von Miller isn’t a top-five pick for me. A year ago nobody talked him up as even a first round pick after a 17-sack season. He chose not to declare after receiving a third round grade from the draft committee. Now he’s a top-five lock? Like Aaron Curry (who also received a third round grade and shot up the board later on) he probably will go early, but I wouldn’t make that move. Miller is a better prospect than Curry because he can actually rush the passer and did so in college with success. Even so, I’m not convinced he’s worthy of a high pick.
I love Cameron Jordan, he’s a top-ten talent. Yet I consistently struggle to find him a home in that range. He could go as high as #3 to Buffalo (believe it) and as low as #18 to San Diego. I want to put him at #3, maybe in next week’s final mock?
I’ve also added an ‘alternative’ pick. This is very loose – guys who are still on the board that would be a viable option.
As for the Seahawks, I’ve gone back to Jabaal Sheard. If he lasts until #25 I can see that being a possibility. He’s got the size of the LEO and the speed that will make the most of the position. Despite not being the biggest, he plays above his size and is a real physical threat who works well against the run. Probably one of the most under rated players in the draft who’s best football will come at the next level.
Having said that, I’m still really torn on what the Seahawks will do. I keep going back to the quarterbacks and how much of a void that is right now. Nobody expects a big trade up the board to target the top four, yet I wouldn’t rule it out.
Talking of quarterbacks…
More Ryan Mallett controversy today. The National Football Post is reporting he missed a meeting with the Carolina Panthers due to illness and then cites an unnamed source suggesting Mallett was ‘out on the town’ the night before.
I want to avoid being labelled the guy’s personal excuse maker – but really? This is what we’ve come to? An unnamed source who doesn’t say the guy was drunk (or even drinking) but was ‘out late’?
Really I don’t know what to make of this anymore. It really looks like another sign of awful reporting on a guy who has been hit with a sledgehammer during this off season. Maybe somebody really wants Ryan Mallett to fall down the board, or maybe he really can’t handle himself? I still don’t think this is a fair report and it’s completely lacking in detail.
EDIT – here’s the response. Carolina have also issued a statement:
“Ryan Mallett came for a visit to Charlotte two weeks ago. He had dinner with our coaches the evening he arrived and came down from his hotel room for a scheduled breakfast meeting the following morning upon which time he informed a staff member that he had been sick all night with nausea. We told Ryan that if he was ill to remain in his room as long as the nausea existed. We took him to the airport later that afternoon for his scheduled flight.”
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Regarding the Mallett report…apparently the Carolina FO and Mallett’s agents are all denying anything like this ever happened.
I’ve linked to the agent’s respone and Carolina have also made a statement:
“Ryan Mallett came for a visit to Charlotte two weeks ago. He had dinner with our coaches the evening he arrived and came down from his hotel room for a scheduled breakfast meeting the following morning upon which time he informed a staff member that he had been sick all night with nausea. We told Ryan that if he was ill to remain in his room as long as the nausea existed. We took him to the airport later that afternoon for his scheduled flight.”
Maybe an over reaction on my part, but it’s borderline criminal what this kid has put up with. I wish the media would be a little more responsible when dealing with 22 year old kids.
It’s been too negative, too personal. All the while much more limited prospects such as Dalton and Ponder have received a superb press. I’ve not enjoyed the media coverage of this draft.
And don’t get me started on ‘twitter mocks’…
Completely agree about the Mallett situation. You think if he was such an eff up, he wouldn’t be nailing all of his tv spots that are fairly candid. Not to mention, the scrutiny he’s been under has been immense leading to 2 possible outcomes:
1) The media doesn’t take well to Mallett and runs with every story about him that has an gray area. In essence, they are trying to capitalize on Mallett’s issue (or issues) that happened in the past.
or
2) Mallett is insanely stupid and doesn’t care about a) his future success, b) the money he loses by a massive fall in the draft, and c) his public perception that has been under the microscope.
I tend to believe that Mallett made some mistakes when he was younger but has since “figured it out.” You don’t break down offense and defense like he has done by being a druggy who doesn’t put in the time. Just doesn’t work that way.
I agree with your assessment about teh X’s an O’s. He was very impressive when Gruden had him break down the play on the board. He knew exactly who was where and what would happen if blitzed. Not to mention he communicated it a way that was easily understandable to a football neophite which to me shows he knows it cold. Dalton was nowhere near as insightful when he did it. His lack of mobility scares me some but I need to watch some more to see how he shifts in the pocket and his read progression is outstanding. Personally, I wouldn’t be upset if PC & Co drafted him.
I can’t really argue your assessment of Sheard’s draft stock and that you think he has a reasonable shot to make his way into the back of the first round. I’ll buy that.
My issue with that pick is that this team has a double digit sack guy at that position, while they will be depending on some combination of Red Bryant coming off major surgery, Kentawn Balmer, and Craig Terrill to fill the 3 and 5 techniques on the line and Colin Cole, who’s slightly better than adequate at best at the 1 tech. I won’t throw QB or CB in this discussion because I think they could pull off those positions in house and in free agency if they had to. So to me, Sheard would be a luxury pick for a team that can’t afford one.
…but who the hell knows what could happen in free agency.
Clemons had double digit sacks but most of them came from blitzing situations. The pressure also wasn’t consistent. The thinking here is that if Clemons and Brock can have this much production can have this much production from the position imagine what someone with elite talent could do
Yeah I see that logic just fine, and yet I still have trouble understanding how the potential gain from Clemons to Sheard is larger than Balmer/Terrill to say Muhammad Wilkerson or a franchise signal caller.
Unless I’m missing something with Sheard. I’m seeing a somewhat explosive, well-rounded end. I doubt he comes off the ball faster than Clemons, but I believe his strength and skill would be an upgrade none the less. Is there more to him than that in your eyes Rob? Do you see the Leo spot higher on the scale of importance than the other spots on the line?
Wow, this is slated to be a solid draft for the world champs. Derek Sherrod and Aaron Williams. Those look like two immediate starters to me. If it weren’t for the depth at corner anyway…
The best get better…