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Apr-20-2009

2009 NFL Draft Preview

The end of April is almost here and that means Draft Day baby. This is the day that ushers in the NFL season for me even though we are several months away. I’ll crowd around a TV and watch 4 hours of what some may call boring television in order to discover the newest players and where my Birds will go from here.

Thanks to the amazing season last year, the Falcons pick 24th in this year’s draft. The following bullets are a compilation of several mock drafts I found online about 2 months ago.

Mock Draft, Round 1

  • Brandon Pettigrew, TE OSU
  • B. J. Raji, NT BC
  • Mike Mickens, CB Cinci
  • William Moore, S Missouri
  • Brian Orakpo, DE Texas
  • Louis Delmas, S Western Michigan

Mock Draft, Round 2-End

  • Peria Jerry, DT Ole Miss
  • Jared Cook, TE, South Carolina
  • Michael Hamlin, SS Clemson
  • Emanuel Cook, S
  • Dorel Scott, DT Clemson
  • Chase Coffman, TE Mizzou
  • Mark Parson, CB Ohio
  • Max Unger, OC Oregon
  • Willie VanDeSteeg, DE Minn
  • James Casey, TE Rice
  • Alex Magee, DE Purdue
  • Ramon Foster, OT UT
  • Lawrence Sidbury Jr., DE Richmond

I’m also throwing in the mock drafts for UGA players.

Mock Draft, Round 1 UGA

  • M Stafford, QB Lions (1) or Seahawks (4)
  • K Moreno, RB Browns (5) or Bucs (19) or Jets (17) or San Diego (16)

Mock Draft, Round 2-End UGA

  • Mo Mass -> Jets or Dallas
  • A Allen -> Cardinals or Lions or KC
  • Jeremy Lomax -> Baltimore
  • Brannan Southerland -> Steelers
  • Corey Irvin -> Compensatory Pick

Now with the mocks out of the way, here are my thoughts.

  1. First, I know everyone is saying TE for Atlanta, but I don’t know why. Our offensive system does not throw to a TE enough to pay 1st round money to a TE, maybe late rounders but not 1st.
  2. The Falcons have several needs on defense but the top of the list is defensive tackle so that is my pick when Mr. Goodell calls for the Falcons.  Of course, if a better athlete is available here, then you draft best available.
  3. People talk about the CB situation with the Falcons.  Please understand that is not as big of a hole as people not familiar with the team might think.  Yes, they lost Foxworth, but Houston played well.  Rookie Jackson held his own.  Grimes is small but speedy.  Hutchins returns from a season ending injury.
  4. If Peria Jerry is available at 24, then the pick better take less than 1 minute to make.
  5. I honestly believe this will be a failed draft for the Falcons.  I’m stating this on nothing more than the fact of how well last year’s draft went and the numerous wins.  I just don’t see lightning striking twice.  This is the Falcons and the back-to-back curse must continue.

Now to end with the pre-Draft awards.

  • Best Player in the DraftAaron Curry (OLB), Wake Forest => This guy is a freak of nature.  He’s fully ready to start on day 1 and can be a leader in the locker room.  If you have a a defensive hole on your LB line, take him yesterday.
  • Most Overrated PlayerMatthew Stafford (QB), UGA => I’m a UGA fan, but I’ve never truly been a Stafford fan.  Hearlded as the next big thing for UGA, he never accomplished all he was hyped to win.  Arm strength is nice, but it isn’t everything.  For a QB to be taken within the top 15, he must be prepared to start on day 1 and lead.  I just don’t believe that Stafford is that guy.  If he goes to the Lions, he will fall harder than Carr.  If he goes to a team where he can sit for a year or two, then he will have a better chance in the long run.
  • Most Underrated PlayerPat White (QB), West Virginia => The biggest issue here is  where to place him on the field.  Scouts want to convert him to a WR, but he wants to play QB.  He doesn’t have the size but he has the skills.  The question is what team can convince him to sign up for WR but work him into the new hot wildcat offense.
  • Most Likely to Cry on Draft DayPercy Harvin (WR), Florida => I’m not making this pick because of his school of choice, but because of the dumb things since leaving UF.  He amazed the scouts and had many offensive minds thinking of a new, better Reggie Bush explosive player.  Now his outside the lines issues are coming to light and could drop  him farther than he originally was predicted in going.  Percy, you will follow the same footsteps as Matt Lienart. I hope to enjoy the quality television.  If it gets bad enough Percy, you can contact Andre Smith and discover you weren’t the biggest loser on Draft day.

I’ll post again after the draft to list all of the new Falcons as well as where my UGA Alumni are headed.   Draft coverage begins at noon and the 1st round starts at 4PM (not sure why this late other than to  keep the west coast people quiet).

Posted under Sports

Comments

Will (Mr. WordPress) Says:
April 22nd, 2009 at 8:30 am

Most OverHYPED – Stafford. Since coming out of Highland Park, there were colossal expectations. It’s a heavy burden to bear when Mel Kiper Jr. projects you as the #1 before your first snap in college ( http://www.oxfordpress.com/sports/content/shared/sports/stories/2006/09/FBC_GEORGIA_0912_COX.html ).

Can you think of a more heralded recruit that has come to UGA since we have been fans (or, in existence)? I can think of a few (Reggie Brown, Jasper Sanks, Quincy even) but no one has been under the microscope as much as Stafford.

He obviously has the tools so calling him “overrated” to me is too much of a stretch.

Best Underrated – I really don’t think Pat White is underrated. I think you would have to dig deeper than him. Scouts love the gamut of skills he brings to the field. Apparently his powers are infinite (or so we’re being told). I won’t be surprised if he took a snap as QB and threw a pass to himself.

Most Likely to Cry – Don’t think it’s going to be Harvin. He has the injury bug in the worst way. If you want to compare him to Bush, you might want to compare his tendency to get nicked up as well. Bush proved to be more durable in college so what does that say for Harvin (not fair to compare, I know, but … everyone else is doing it).

My darkhorse for this award is Stafford. Isn’t it always a QB anyways (Quinn, Rodgers, Leinart)?

He could go from potentially #1 to who knows (#8, #10, #12).

Also, I doubt Moreno won’t go until the Eagles or Colts. Not to mention , I think Mo Mass will go in the 3rd or 4th with Allen in the 4th.

These are all off the cuff without your research.

Are you going to be posting that song that’s blazing up the charts, btw?

Ben Says:
April 22nd, 2009 at 10:15 pm

are you saying that Pat White is Mr. Perfect?

Will (Mr. WordPress) Says:
April 23rd, 2009 at 8:35 am

I guess I am.

Will (Mr. WordPress) Says:
April 23rd, 2009 at 8:36 am

Well, if Stafford signs early, there goes my “Most Likely to Cry” … unless you count tears of joy from a $30+ million pay day …

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