A Disappointing Draft

Another NFL Draft marathon come and gone, and another disappointing result (on many fronts). My original plans had called for morning golf followed by drinking and draft watching. However, due to the fact that the state of Minnesota is stuck in some kind of winter purgatory that has no end in sight (it felt like 25 degrees with snow throughout the day Saturday), we were relegated to sitting inside and drinking, along with several games of NCAA 2008, a tournament that yours truly dominated easily.

In addition to weather that is causing many Minnesotans to contemplate suicide, the draft sucked even worse due to lack of draftable Husker prospects. Many expected Carl Nicks to go in the 3rd round (some people speculated he was a 2nd rounder), yet he fell all the way to the Saints late in the 5th round. He is expected to come in and challenge for playing time after some development time. We could see him helping Reggie Bush get 3 yards a carry sometime in a couple years if he comes in and impresses. This continues to make the Saints a popular place for ex-Huskers in the league, as they have both Scott Shanle and Josh Bullocks on their roster in addition to Nicks.

The real surprise was oft-injured CB Zach Bowman being drafted by the Bears early in the 5th round, making him the first Husker selected this year. At one time, before suffering his two knee injuries, Bowman was considered a first-round talent. Obviously, teams were wary of his injury history, but the Bears' medical staff obviously thought that the worst was behind him, and that at 100% he could be a good project to work into their secondary. They already have good corners in Nathan Vasher and Ricky Manning, but this gives them someone who could develop into a contributor once he is completely done rehabbing and gets worked into the rotation. Also, if everything were to pan out perfectly (a longshot), we could see two Huskers in the same secondary: Husker legend Mike Brown, and Bowman.

The last Husker drafted may have landed himself in the best situation, depending on whether or not he can make the team. Bo Ruud was drafted in the 7th round by the Patriots, whose linebacking corps is the NFL equivalent of an old folk's home. Aging vets Tedy Bruschi, Junior Seau, Mike Vrabel, Larry Izzo, and Adalius Thomas are all on the wrong side of 30, some of them well past it in NFL years. While that bodes well for Ruud's prospects of making the team, the bad news is that in addition to Bo, the Pats also drafted Jared Mayo out of Tennessee and Shawn Crable out of Michigan, both linebackers. Bo's best shot is to impress in camp with his smarts and maybe make the squad as a special teamer and work his way into the rotation over time. Many will write him off immediately due to his lack of agility, but I think a lot of his struggles at NU were due to the fact his defensive coach was Kevin Cosgrove. Last time I checked, Bill Belichick is a somewhat more highly regarded defensive mind.......

5 Picks I liked......

1) Glenn Dorsey, DT, Kansas City
A great pick for the Chiefs, whose interior defensive line has been terrible for years. After some misfires (Ryan Sims, anyone?), KC finally has a guy who can anchor the inside for the foreseeable future and quickly make an impact on this fast-improving defense.

2) Jordon Dizon, LB, Detroit
While some say the former CU Buffalo lacks the size to play outside backer in the NFL, they were saying the same thing about Ernie Sims a couple of years ago, and he's turned out to be pretty good in the League. While Dizon isn't the physical specimen that Sims is in terms of speed, he is a consistent player who does what is necessary to make the plays. He has a high motor, and is always around the ball. He's going to be a great fit with Marinelli in Detroit, and should get time on special teams right away in addition to getting a look at OLB.

3) Limas Sweed, WR, Pittsburgh
Taken in the 2nd round, the big-bodied Longhorn is the perfect fit for the Steeler's offense, and he'll work in with a talented group that includes an aging Hines Ward and former 1st-rounder Santonio Holmes. Factor in stud TE Heath Miller, and Big Ben is going to have plenty of options to throw to. Look for Sweed to be a big factor in the red zone this coming season.

4) Martin Rucker, TE, Cleveland
Yes, I realize that my "Picks I liked" section is a bit Big12-heavy, but these are the guys I've spent a lot of the past few years watching, so of course I'm going to feel a bit more comfortable evaluating their talent. Some of you might be saying "Wait, the Browns already have Kellen Winslow", but he is used more out of the slot in a H-back role than a traditional tight end, which is what Rucker is. While he's a bit slower than the elite pass-catching tight ends, I think he's going to be a very serviceable pro, particularly for a 4th rounder.

5) John David Booty, QB, Minnesota
While I absolutely hate to give the Vikings credit for anything they do, I thought this was a great pick so late in the draft (5th round). The QB situation in Minnesota is one that needed bolstering, with still-doubted Tavaris Jackson starting and Gus Frerotte and Brooks Bollinger backing him up. Booty was once considered a Heisman candidate, has an adequate arm for the Vikings west coast offense, and has experience in the pressure cooker of a big-time program in college. Reminds me a lot of Tom Brady way back in the day, when people slept on him coming out of Michigan.

5 Picks I didn't like...

1) Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta
Arthur Blank on the BC product's first day in Atlanta: "Mr. Ryan, welcome to the Falcons! I'd like you to meet the guys that you'll be competing with for our QB position: Joey Harrington, Chris Redman, and DJ Shockley. Please, don't make us look any dumber than we already do. As long as you don't sanction any dog fights, we're already headed in the right direction!"
I still think Ryan is going to be a bust in the NFL. I've thought so for a couple of years now, and I'm sticking to my guns on this one.

2) Vernon Gholston, LB, NY Jets
A huge upside, but an inconsistent college performer. For the amount of guaranteed money he's going to get, you would expect more from him than he gave in college. An absolute freak physically, he has the potential to be a game-changer or a huge underachiever. I like the player, but not in the top 10.

3) DeSean Jackson, WR, Philadelphia
An explosive but incomplete player, Jackson will immediately boost the Eagles' return game, but he's an spotty route-runner and is waaaay undersized (5'9", 175). He didn't produce that much in college either, despite his freakish speed. If he turns into a Devin Hester-type player though, you can't argue with the pick.

4) Brian Brohm/Matt Flynn, QB, Green Bay
Two QBs to back-up your new starter, Aaron Rogers? Seems like kind of overkill to me. Some see this as a message to Brett Favre that he needs to just stay retired. I see it as a waste of at least one draft pick. Flynn is one thing, but to grab Brohm as well is a bit much, though I guess the Packers figure they have a young and deep team and that they can afford to take a few gambles.

5) Joe Flacco, QB, Baltimore
I think he has the tools to be an NFL QB, but he's a couple of years away to me, and this is a Ravens team that is aging quickly, particularly on defense. The window is closing, and they don't have time to sit around and wait. It's a good thing they have Kyle Boller there to.......oh wait, nevermind.....


Closing thoughts
A high of 40 degrees here in Minneapolis........I was waiting for spring, but apparently we're going to skip that and just go from winter to summer, probably in early June. It will be 42 and windy, and then the next day will be 96 with 94% humidity and baseball-size mosquitoes........damn this place sucks...

-Wish Danny Woodhead had gotten drafted, thought he had a really good shot.....

-Octo signed a free agent deal with the Chiefs, giving them two former Huskers at LB (the other being Demorrio Williams, who came over from Atlanta). Should be interesting to see what Octavien can do and if he can stay healthy.

-Reports from the LJS have Mo Purify going to camp with the Bengals

-Courtney Grixby signed a FA deal with Carolina