NY POST By Bart Hubbuch Where's the beef? Here at this year's NFL scouting combine, that's where. Scouts and personnel executives can't remember a deeper crop of offensive and defensive linemen than the collection on display starting today at the league's annual whirlwind of player physicals, interviews, measurements and workouts. On-field workouts, which will be lacking in notable quarterbacks with Sam Bradford, Jimmy Clausen, Tim Tebow and Dan LeFevour all sitting out, run Friday through Tuesday and will be broadcast by NFL Network. Rare is the draft that features an interior defensive lineman expected to go No. 1 overall, much less two of them possibly among the top three or four picks. But this is one of those years, thanks to Nebraska's 300-pound Ndamukong Suh and 290-pound Gerald McCoy of Oklahoma, who are rated the top two players on some draft boards. "Both of those spots [offensive and defensive line] are exceptionally strong," an AFC GM told The Post. "A lot of teams are going to be able to fill big needs, including mine." NFL draft analyst Mike Maycock went so far as to give an astounding 13 defensive linemen first-round grades, and several league personnel people did not disagree with that assessment when asked by The Post. Offensive lineman, especially left tackles capable of starting immediately, also will be in big supply in the early rounds. Rutgers' tantalizing 20-year-old Anthony Davis (6-foot-6, 325 pounds) and 6-foot-5, 300-pound Russell Okung of Oklahoma State lead the pack. Former Redskins GM Charley Casserly, now a TV analyst, said the impressive depth of this year's draft -- to be held April 22-24 at Radio City Music Hall -- is not just limited to linemen and pass-rushing ends. "Going into the draft, this is the strongest first round that I've seen since 1983," Casserly told The Post. "Just listening to people around the league, they've never seen this many players rated in the first round." Many in the industry see the depth resulting from the looming labor battle between the league and the NFLPA. One of the few things both sides appear to agree on is the need for a rookie wage scale similar to that of the NBA, and the talk of capping rookie salaries appears to have prompted a rush of underclassmen to declare for the draft. That's good news for teams like the Jets and Giants, both of whom need help along the defensive line and likely won't find it on a list of free agents that has been gutted by changes in the expected uncapped 2010-11 season. As a result, all teams will use this week's sessions in Indianapolis to get a better read on the talent available. Once a sleepy event held behind closed doors, the combine has exploded in popularity in the past five years thanks largely to the league letting its network cameras in to watch 40-yard dashes, cone drills and throwing sessions. It's not exactly the most enthralling video, but draft fanatics -- and there seem to be millions of them, based on recent TV ratings -- can't seem to get enough. Ironically, as fan interest in the combine grows, the importance placed on it by teams appears to be lessening. In part because of a run of combine wonders who bombed in the league, several executives say their teams are all but setting their draft boards before they even get to Indianapolis. Casserly said the most important aspect of the combine for many teams now is the physical exam, because that is the first time teams are getting medical information, followed by 40-yard-dash times. "You don't see as many teams caught up in the workout and adjusting their draft boards because of it," Casserly said. Players who refuse to work out at the combine because they think it might hurt their draft status also play a role in reducing the importance of the event, though personnel people were heartened to hear that Suh will take part. "It still serves an important purpose," Casserly said.
This is Good News for the Jets who are picking late in RD 1 and definitely have a need on the D-line and 43DE/34OLB If they choose to the Jets can probably draft a 34DL or 43DE/34OLB who carries a legit 1st RD Grade with that pick
1983's QB class was the best ever, and we'll probably never see it again!! Good article!!! Two very important points: 1) Not giving up a 2010 1st Rd draft pick to the Browns to move up for Sanchez. 2) Depth of this draft could help the Jets in a possible "trade back" scenario to pick up additional picks. Picking up an Early/Mid/Rd 2 and pick up an additional 3rd Rd pick is an ideal situation, due to the depth of this draft.
oh man...i really hope the jets trade TJ and Rhodes for picks in this draft, we can really stock the cupboards well this year at the draft... fuck, it's only February....i'm feeling your pain, Electric. On a sidenote: I think if you kicked Casserly in the face a few times...i think he'd look like Jim Ross from the WWE....Bells Palsy and all.
Great point. And a willing trade partner is a strong possibility due to the overall depth as somebody at a position that isn't a need for us could fall to our spot and then the bidding war begins.
That probably will be somewhat dependant on what the status of the CBA is... if the NFLPA and owners are still dickering about details and there is uncertainty about a rookie pay scale, I wouldn't expect too many agents advising players to come out early.
Even with these problems, the offensive talent in the first round should be amazing. The top tier WRs will leave early - Mike Floyd, Julio Jones, and AJ Green should all go in the top ten. QBs Jake Locker, Ryan Mallett, and Jerrod Johnson...possibly Terrelle Pryor could all be first rounders.
2004 is close, though. 1983- 1. John Elway 7. Todd Blackledge 14. Jim Kelly 15. Tony Eason 24. Ken O'Brien 27. Dan Marino Those QBs combined to start 11 Super Bowls. Their teams went 2-9, however. 2004 only saw three QBs drafted in the first round. One of them is 2-0 in Super Bowl play, another is 1-0, and the other is a top flight QB. What was special about the '83 draft is that six QBs were drafted in the 1st round and that five of them looked good early in their careers. I remember the talk from back in the late winter and early spring of 1987. Elway, Eason, and Marino had already helped take their teams to Super Bowls, Kelly was coming off an impressive rookie season (remember, he did not join the NFL until 1986), O'Brien led the league in passer rating in 1985, and Blackledge was coming off a playoff appearance for what that was worth. Truly, Blackledge was the one who never showed anything good. The '86 Chiefs were a smoke-and-mirrors team. A subpar offense, just good enough defense, and great special teams play took them to a 10-6 record and a playoff berth vs New York. A few years later a clear divide took place. Eason fell apart and was with the Jets by '89. O'Brien had a scintillating campaign in '85, was pretty good in '86, and then was pedestrian for the rest of his career. By 1992 he was a backup and the 1993 season saw him in Philadelphia. Blackledge was backing up Bubby Brister in Pittsburgh by 1988. The other three continued to be great.
