05-01-2015, 06:42 AM
After day one, here are some of my observations:
1. Regarding the "meh" response people seem to have over our Fowler pick, I think Fowler is a pretty good player that fits a position of need. But I think there is the abiding sense among fans that he wasn't the best player on the board (Williams) and wasn't the biggest need (#1 WR). My hope for Fowler is that he quickly learns and masters Chris Clemons' spin move....and ditches that entire draft outfit.
2. One surprise was Scherff going to the skins. I know Washington had a need at RT, but they also had needs in the defensive front 7. I guess they will do everything to see that RGIII has another chance to succeed.
3. Related to the first two, I was surprised to see Leonard Williams fall as far as he did. I will say this: if Leonard Williams is as good as most observers seem to think he is, when they are in a four man front (even with Coples at DE), the Jets will have the biggest, most dominant front four-somewhere between the early 1990s Eagles, 1996 Packers, and 2000 Ravens.
4. I was surprised to see the Bears take Kevin White. Not knocking White as a player at all, or his selection to fit a need. But the Bears are transitioning to a 3-4, and there were plenty of guys there, including Danny Shelton, who could have stocked it well.
5. I think Jaguars fans all over groaned a little when the Rams took Gurley. It was a surprising pick for them, but it was a brilliant pick, too. The Rams already had good depth at RB with Tre Mason and Zak Stacy. While Gurley recuperates from his knee injury, there is no need to rush him back. Once he's healthy, he could be a great fit in Fisher's offensive approach.
6. It was unsurprising-and almost as disappointing-when SD took Gordon. Once he and Gurley were gone, much of the incentive for the Jaguars to trade back up into the first round was gone.
7. I like what Cleveland did in taking Shelton and Erving. Those were two sensible picks to bolster their trenches. Shelton gives them the true NT they have lacked since they thought they were getting with Phil Taylor. Erving gives Cleveland an insane amount of depth and versatility, plus insurance for when Alex Mack leaves. But Cleveland neglected WR last year, and paid the price when Josh Gordon got suspended. All they did was bring in 31 year old Dwayne Bowe. You have to wonder if they will once again ignore a deep and talented receiver crop as they did last year. Most teams, when they draft a QB high, they bring in weapons around him. Considering they were supposedly in talks to get Bradford and possibly trade up for Mariota, I wonder if they are making a statement on Manziel.
8. Detroit's selection of Tomlinson was surprising and disappointing. I was hoping to snatch him up in the late 2nd or 3rd round. But Detroit got him, once again leaving Detroit with a need at CB and the Jaguars without a stud at G to take later.
9. Carolina may have gotten Dexter Coakley v.2.0 in Shaq Thompson. I think he could do well in that front seven, though I wonder what they will do for their OL.
10. Green Bay's pick of Russell from Arizona State really hurt and befuddled me. His cover ability would have fit in perfectly in the Jaguars' scheme. When Gordon and Gurley were gone, I was kinda hoping he would fall to us in the second. But why would Green Bay take him? They just drafted a fine FS in the first round last year in Clinton-Dix.
11. Denver's pick of Shane Ray was shrewd and disappointing. He was a guy I was hoping to see drop to our pick. For him, I wouldn't mind the Jaguars doubling up on edge rushers. They have brought back Wade Phillips to run a 3-4. They already had the OLBs in Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware. Perhaps they keep Ware another year then dump him, or maybe they cut him sooner
12. How in the world does the Patriots keep getting these stud DTs late in the first round? First Wilfork, now Brown. I think that was a great pick for the champs. Brown will fit in seamlessly for them.
13. I was hurt to see Indy take Phillip Dorsett. To me it represents a double whammy to the Jaguars. First, adding him to a group of receivers like T.Y. Hilton, Andre Johnson, and Donte Moncrief, to say nothing of TEs like Allen and Fleener, will make them deep, versatile, and a nightmare to defend. They will be able to beat teams with speed and physicality. At this point, the only secondary I can see that has the personnel to match up with them is the Jets, Secondly, the Jaguars were looking for a slot WR for Bortles when they pursued Cobb and Jennings and got neither. Dorsett would have been a great slot WR for Bortles.
1. Regarding the "meh" response people seem to have over our Fowler pick, I think Fowler is a pretty good player that fits a position of need. But I think there is the abiding sense among fans that he wasn't the best player on the board (Williams) and wasn't the biggest need (#1 WR). My hope for Fowler is that he quickly learns and masters Chris Clemons' spin move....and ditches that entire draft outfit.
2. One surprise was Scherff going to the skins. I know Washington had a need at RT, but they also had needs in the defensive front 7. I guess they will do everything to see that RGIII has another chance to succeed.
3. Related to the first two, I was surprised to see Leonard Williams fall as far as he did. I will say this: if Leonard Williams is as good as most observers seem to think he is, when they are in a four man front (even with Coples at DE), the Jets will have the biggest, most dominant front four-somewhere between the early 1990s Eagles, 1996 Packers, and 2000 Ravens.
4. I was surprised to see the Bears take Kevin White. Not knocking White as a player at all, or his selection to fit a need. But the Bears are transitioning to a 3-4, and there were plenty of guys there, including Danny Shelton, who could have stocked it well.
5. I think Jaguars fans all over groaned a little when the Rams took Gurley. It was a surprising pick for them, but it was a brilliant pick, too. The Rams already had good depth at RB with Tre Mason and Zak Stacy. While Gurley recuperates from his knee injury, there is no need to rush him back. Once he's healthy, he could be a great fit in Fisher's offensive approach.
6. It was unsurprising-and almost as disappointing-when SD took Gordon. Once he and Gurley were gone, much of the incentive for the Jaguars to trade back up into the first round was gone.
7. I like what Cleveland did in taking Shelton and Erving. Those were two sensible picks to bolster their trenches. Shelton gives them the true NT they have lacked since they thought they were getting with Phil Taylor. Erving gives Cleveland an insane amount of depth and versatility, plus insurance for when Alex Mack leaves. But Cleveland neglected WR last year, and paid the price when Josh Gordon got suspended. All they did was bring in 31 year old Dwayne Bowe. You have to wonder if they will once again ignore a deep and talented receiver crop as they did last year. Most teams, when they draft a QB high, they bring in weapons around him. Considering they were supposedly in talks to get Bradford and possibly trade up for Mariota, I wonder if they are making a statement on Manziel.
8. Detroit's selection of Tomlinson was surprising and disappointing. I was hoping to snatch him up in the late 2nd or 3rd round. But Detroit got him, once again leaving Detroit with a need at CB and the Jaguars without a stud at G to take later.
9. Carolina may have gotten Dexter Coakley v.2.0 in Shaq Thompson. I think he could do well in that front seven, though I wonder what they will do for their OL.
10. Green Bay's pick of Russell from Arizona State really hurt and befuddled me. His cover ability would have fit in perfectly in the Jaguars' scheme. When Gordon and Gurley were gone, I was kinda hoping he would fall to us in the second. But why would Green Bay take him? They just drafted a fine FS in the first round last year in Clinton-Dix.
11. Denver's pick of Shane Ray was shrewd and disappointing. He was a guy I was hoping to see drop to our pick. For him, I wouldn't mind the Jaguars doubling up on edge rushers. They have brought back Wade Phillips to run a 3-4. They already had the OLBs in Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware. Perhaps they keep Ware another year then dump him, or maybe they cut him sooner
12. How in the world does the Patriots keep getting these stud DTs late in the first round? First Wilfork, now Brown. I think that was a great pick for the champs. Brown will fit in seamlessly for them.
13. I was hurt to see Indy take Phillip Dorsett. To me it represents a double whammy to the Jaguars. First, adding him to a group of receivers like T.Y. Hilton, Andre Johnson, and Donte Moncrief, to say nothing of TEs like Allen and Fleener, will make them deep, versatile, and a nightmare to defend. They will be able to beat teams with speed and physicality. At this point, the only secondary I can see that has the personnel to match up with them is the Jets, Secondly, the Jaguars were looking for a slot WR for Bortles when they pursued Cobb and Jennings and got neither. Dorsett would have been a great slot WR for Bortles.
