Draft Weekend Reactions

Now that the NFL has shut the doors at Radio City Music Hall until next April, it’s time to take a look back and talk about what the weekend meant -- what moves made sense to me, what moves shocked me and the lack of overall drama from all the offseason stories. Sanchez, the Packers, draft day sliders, steals and reaches.

Draft Weekend Reactions

Jets make some moves

GM Mike Tannenbaum and the New York Jets made the move (or moves) of the weekend to add some drama to this fairly mundane draft.

I liked that they had the guts to make a play to get USC QB Mark Sanchez into a Jets uniform when they moved from No. 17 to No. 5 on Saturday. Is Sanchez that good? Is he a player who was worthy of this monster day-one move? We won’t know that for a while, but I still give the Jets franchise credit for targeting a player they felt they had to have to make their team better this year and for the foreseeable future — and doing something about it. Yes, it was a bold move, but they showed me they’re serious about new head coach Rex Ryan and are serious about winning.

Sunday, the Jets made another trade to move up and select Iowa RB Shonn Greene — the Doak Walker Award winner. I’m biased because I am a fellow alumnus, but when you turn on the tape, there isn’t much you can argue with. Greene will compete for playing time, and someone might want to tell Thomas Jones to start showing up at Jets workouts because rookies are drafted for one reason — to replace veterans, especially ones who hold out.

The Sliders on Day One

WR Michael Crabtree -- Crabtree fell to the Niners at No.10, and whether we want to believe the comments that came out of Cleveland last week, the rest of the league listened — and Crabtree began to slide (probably costing him $15 million). I’m still not a fan of San Fran taking him — because they have too many other holes to address immediately — but they probably saved him from falling to No. 13 and the Redskins.

OT Michael Oher -- Oher was a top 15 lock on most draft boards but began to slide when a rush on defensive players began with Buffalo at No.11. I’m still shocked that Detroit didn’t take him at No.20 (the Lions could have had both a franchise QB and a franchise tackle in the first round), but give the Ravens credit for trading up to get Oher at No.23. He loses some money in the free fall, but he goes to a winning franchise.

LB Rey Maualuga -- Another check mark for Michael Lombardi, who never had Maualuga listed in the first round of any of his mock drafts. The word around the league leading up to the draft pegged Maualuga as a two-down player — and someone who didn’t show up on film on third downs. He falls into the second round to Cincy.

WR Jeremy Maclin -- Maclin was as high as No.7 on some experts boards, but he fell because he isn’t a polished route runner worthy of a top-10 pick and is more of an athlete learning the position out of the spread system in college. I think Philly took him because it had him rated high, but to me he’s the same player as DeSean Jackson.

RB Beanie Wells -- Who would have thought Wells would be the third running back taken in the first round after Knowshon Moreno of Georgia and Donald Brown of Connecticut? I have to believe that teams began to worry about Wells’ injury history and his overall lack of toughness for his size. 

Packers get defensive in Round One

Give head coach Mike McCarthy and GM Ted Thompson credit for their Saturday picks. They hired new defensive coordinator Dom Capers this offseason, preached that defense would be an area of focus, and gave Capers some weapons to work with.

I’ve talked all offseason about the importance of the nose in any 3-4 defensive front, and B.J. Raji is the best there was to offer in this draft — and should start from day one in Green Bay.

Later in the first, Thompson traded up to get USC linebacker Clay Matthews when he worked out a deal with the Patriots to move up to No.26. Was the cost too high for Matthews? It doesn’t matter because Capers gets to fill another major need and bring in a good player he can use as an edge rusher.

Whenever you can fill a desperate need, you do it — no matter the cost — because Green Bay couldn’t stop anyone in ’08. Good move.

Raiders Reach

Give big-time credit again to Lombardi for calling this weeks ago when he pegged Maryland WR Darrius Heyward-Bey at No.7 to the Raiders. Owner Al Davis loves speed — pure straight-line speed — and that’s what Heyward-Bey provides. As for overall talent? Can’t really agree on that one. He struggled in the ACC, so what makes us believe he’ll be effective in the AFC West? Not a fan of drafting track guys who play football.

But this begs the question, what did the Raiders pass up? Raji, Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree, FS/C Malcolm Jenkins and so on. This team refuses to make good, quality decisions through the draft, and when you blow an opportunity in the top 10, it can haunt you for years.

Do we really think Davis passed over Crabtree because he didn’t have a 40 time on him? I do, I definitely do. Welcome to Oakland.

Cleveland’s Weekend

Did anyone else think the Browns just couldn’t find the right player? They traded down three times in the first round and finally selected Cal center Alex Mack at No. 21. In the second round, they picked up WRs Mohamed Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie — two possession guys who aren’t going to light up the scoreboard. Average picks in my mind.

But what impressed me most were the moves that coach Eric Mangini and the Browns didn’t make. They held on to WR Braylon Edwards, who looks to play one more season in Cleveland before becoming a free agent, and QB Brady Quinn, who might actually get to prove himself in a competition with Derek Anderson. I’ve been tough on Mangini for months because of the possibility of moving these two guys, and by not biting on the rumored trade offers, he gets a passing grade from me — for now.

Williams’ Presence in New Orleans

If we still think Sean Payton makes all the calls in the draft, just check out Gregg Williams’ track record with first-round picks as a defensive coordinator the past the six seasons.

2004: No. 5, FS Sean Taylor                             2008: No. 8, DE Derrick Harvey

2005: No. 9, CB Carlos Rodgers                        2009: No. 14, CB/S Malcolm Jenkins

2007: No. 6, FS LaRon Landry

This will be Williams’ sixth year as a defensive coordinator since he was the head coach of the Buffalo Bills. In five of those seven seasons, his team used its first-round pick on a defensive player, and four of them were defensive backs — something absolutely essential to his attacking defense. I like the Jenkins pick, and although Williams will run him into the ground come August, he sees him as his next playmaker in the secondary.

The impact of Gonzalez in Atlanta

If you didn’t think the impact of the Atlanta Falcons trading for Pro Bowl TE Tony Gonzalez was a big deal, just look at their first two picks in the draft.

Instead of using a possible first- or second-round choice on a rookie TE who would have to start because of a lack of overall production at the position, they were able to add to their defensive line depth with Peria Jerry of Ole Miss and find a possible replacement for Lawyer Milloy at safety when they drafted William Moore from Mizzou — a big safety at 220 pounds.

Gonzalez made them a better overall threat on offense and allowed them to fill holes on their defense. That was a smart move last week.

Day Two teams

It was kind of strange watching the Bears and Cowboys sit out the first day of the draft, but they had their opportunities Sunday. Chicago took advantage; Dallas flopped.

I like that the Bears addressed some needs with DT Jarron Gilbert out of San Jose State and WRs Juaquin Iglesias of Oklahoma and Johnny Knox of Abilene Christian. Although they were second day receivers for a reason, Iglesias and Knox still give the Bears and QB Jay Cutler some sense of hope because the depth chart at WR before the draft was lacking.

The Cowboys selected Western Illinois LB Jason Williams with their first pick, but he’s more of an athlete than a football player who wowed people with impressive workout numbers. Their other picks? Nothing that’s going to help them win in ’09.

‘Skins Stay Put

All that talk about moving up to get Mark Sanchez -- and owner Daniel Snyder doesn’t make the move. Good news for Jason Campbell, and in reality, good news for the Redskins. The last thing they needed was to see Snyder mortgage draft picks for another QB when they can’t rush the passer. Not a huge fan of Texas’ Brain Orakpo, but he’s a fit in Washington and gives them something to work with.

Where were the deals for the vets?

What happened to WRs Braylon Edwards and Anquan Boldin? Edwards stays put because Cleveland needs his playmaking ability, and Boldin stays put because no one wants to pay over $9 million a season for a 28-year-old receiver with previous injuries.

All those stories (all of my stories) and no one pulls the trigger. That was a dud. I wanted to see some action, folks.

What was Denver thinking?

I wrote last week that Georgia’s Knowshon Moreno was the best running back in the draft, but that doesn’t mean you use your first pick on him if you’re the Denver Broncos. They signed J.J. Arrington and Correll Buckhalter this offseason and have a stable of leftovers from Mike Shanahan.

The Broncos saved some face by taking Tennessee DE Robert Ayers at No. 18 but could have added another defensive player up front at No. 12 — because that’s what they need. Josh McDaniels’ offense better outscore teams in ’09.

The picks I love…

No. 2, St. Louis -- OT Jason Smith: Lots of talk about trading down last week, but Smith was the best talent in the draft at tackle, and you can’t pass that up.

No. 14, New Orleans -- DB Malcolm Jenkins: Gregg Williams needs playmakers in his defense, and he gets one in Jenkins.

No. 22, Minnesota -- WR Percy Harvin: Lots of good players in this league have character issues, but they still produce on Sundays. Minnesota needed to add a playmaker in the passing game, and Harvin will be fun to watch in the Dome this fall.

No. 23, Baltimore -- OT Michael Oher: He’s a talent who shouldn’t have fallen this far, but Baltimore gets the steal of the draft, in my opinion.

No. 27, Indianapolis -- RB Donald Brown: Brown was a hot name this past month, but he should be hotter now. One of the keys to the development of players is the scheme they play in, and Brown will produce in Indy’s offense.

The picks I question…

No. 7, Oakland -- WR Darius Heyward-Bey: I think we’ve all heard enough over the past two days about this pick — so let’s leave it at that. A major reach.

No. 10, San Francisco -- WR Michael Crabtree: The Niners took him off the board because he began to slide, but what use is having a WR when you can’t protect the quarterback and can’t rush the quarterback?

No. 11, Buffalo -- DE Aaron Maybin: The Bills needed to address their pass rush, but Maybin is listed at 249 pounds and is exactly that — a specialized player who can rush the QB and nothing else. He’ll get pushed around on first and second down in the NFL.

No. 43, Carolina -- OLB Everette Brown: This isn’t a bad value pick in the second round, but why would you trade a future first-round pick to move up in the second round? Brown better play some big-time football next season.

Join me this afternoon when I discuss the ramifications of the draft to the veteran players in the NFL — and who might now be out of a job.

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