They had at least 5 guys with a similar grade and figured one might be available when they picked - we dont know how many people the Jets had ranked that high. Maybe SH was the only 1st rounder that was left on their board? The Jets moved forward a couple of spots and it cost very little - to move up from the end of the 2nd to the middle of the second would have cost a lot more, so maybe they didnt think it was worth it and/or when it came to within a few spots of the Giants pick a few of those players might have stil been there so they were confident one would be. who knows?
The way I read it the 5 guys with similiar grades were all guys they thought could go late in round 1 or early round 2. They didn't budge and they took the guy who fell to them with the similiar grade. Only 1 guy did. What's interesting is they have a stack of players and resist the urge to fall in love with anyone in particular. It's a very disiplined approach. Not fool proof at all but a totally different approach than the Jets who have moved up constantly for players they love. The great thing about this is we are going to see both of these WR developed under two decidely different approaches 3hours apart every Sunday.
When judging the Dolphins draft, the entire thing almost comes down to your opinion of Ryan Tannehill, because when teams take a quarterback in the first round they generally give them two or three years to develop, during which they will probably not compete for a championship or even make the playoffs. The problem is, if you find out in the fourth year when the rest of your team has been rebuilt that the quarterback isn't any good, then it was all wasted. From watching Tannehill in college, he did not jump off the screen as an elite NFL quarterback the way Andrew Luck or even Mark Sanchez did. As Jets fans, we're going to find out what Sanchez is made of this year - Eli Manning and Drew Brees, to name two, made big jumps in their fourth year. But if your quarterback merely turns out to be serviceable, then there are plenty of those in the middle rounds, and you would have been better off shoring up any of a number of needs if you were the Dolphins. For the Jets, I like picking a defensive lineman in the first round, and the wide receiver in the second. I am not smart enough to evaluate the particular players, but you need to take defensive ends and receivers high to get good ones. Sure, I would have loved for them to get a great right tackle, but I'm also glad they didn't reach for one they didn't grade too high. On the Patriots, a half-decade of bad drafts probably cost them a number of Super Bowls. What were they doing taking two running backs high last year, neither of whom contributed? Still, it's hard to criticize the overall results. I wonder if Belichik hates drafting because those mistakes are so high profile when they don't work, and that's why he always trades out of the higher rounds. No one criticizes you for missing on a third round pick, but when a first round pick doesn't pan out, because of the required investment, it can cost a gm his job. As for the Bills, I like the cornerback, and I love their defensive line now. They get an A for the overall offseason.
I like the Reasonings u gave out with grades. RT didn't impress me much. I watched a couple of games and saw some highlights of Aggies being from Texas. He was good but, like u mentioned, didn't do well against better competition. Sure, it's not all on his shoulders, but losing several close games after double digit leads tells you a lot. But I don't blame the Dolphins for taking him due to their need (I think it's best for other AFCE teams anyways). The rest of their draft was mostly BPA. Would've preferred a WR early if it was my team though. I give them a B. The Bills had a good draft too. They filled a few needs, and picked up good talent. I really like the Gilmore and Cordy picks. I think first three picks got them good players. Dont know much about the rest. I'd give them a B+ for now. I'm not a fan of Pats draft. They miss more often than not. For a change, they didn't stockpile picks. Maybe cuz 'letting the draft come to you' or dropping back for it didn't work out and they missed out on the guy they wanted. I guess BB finally figured it out, but when u draft a safety in the 2nd that had a 7th round grade, I can't give u a good grade. If a players busts, that's one thing, but if a player busts that was drafted 4-5 rounds ahead of his grade, it's a sad move. Jones and Hightower are good picks IMO, but being first rounders, they ought to be. They get a C+ from me. I really liked the Jets draft. You might be content with questioning Coples work ethic, but his value was there. At 16, Coples was a great value. Prior to his position switch (after 2010-11 season), we was ranked #2 in the draft behind Luck. I like the Hill pick also. Covered a need and was another great value pick. Raw, but talented. You knock on him for his offense being the way it was. He had more than half his teams passing yards, so it wasn't a matter of lack of trust. Davis in the third, I've read at several places, can be the steel of the draft. Great speed, and a quick first step. I think he won't do much in 2012 besides a handful of plays here n there. He seems very raw too, but what do you expect out if a third rounder? I liked the safety in the 7th. He had a 3rd-5th round grade to him. I like the OL And the WR in the 7th too, but they'll probably end up on PS. Yeah, we didn't address the FS spot or the RT spot, but I guess we have confidence in VD to finally take over. A cover safety is a concern, but if Coples can move the pocket and Maybin/Pace/BT can find some holes in OL, cover safety won't be much of a need on a D that has been top 5 the last three years with Eric Smith. Leonhard might still end up in NY, while Landry is a more talented version of Eric. I gives Jets a B+ but debated an A- (thought I'd sound too biased).
Yea, I wondered that too. Actually, Dennard was projected as a 2nd or 3rd round pick before he beat the $hit out of a cop 4 days before the draft. What a dumbass.
Regarding Miami, I don't think it was unreasonable for SOME team to have picked Tannehill as high as he went, or thereabouts. If you want/need a starting Qb from the draft, you either pick who's available or wait another year. Yeah, there's the alternative of FA, but your limited in terms of availability there, too. By the time the draft rolls around, if you don't see/were not able to find a suitable Qb in FA, the draft, or waiting another year, is what you are left with. So I get that Tannehill moved up. But why Miami? I didn't see much more of Miami last year than the Jet games, but imo Moore had a pretty good year, considering. Decent stats with who playing wideout? And for the most part this led to improved play for the team as a whole. Not enough to save our new OC his job, but still... So they go and get someone who's pretty much an unknown going forward, at best a developmental project, when Moore was not doing badly. Hm. I suppose you could say the good news for the fish is that Moore can continue to start in the short run. This might well work out, to be fair. But what if, as one would think MIami would otherwise want to have happened, Moore starts playing even better? Then what do you do with Tannehill? Meanwhile the fish still have big holes elsewhere, particularly at wideout. In short, I will not predict the Tannehill pick will not work out for the fish, but it is not a move I would have made.
I guess this is the difference a top quality QB makes - you are a bit less desperate, a bit less needy and so are more able to take a wait and see approach. What is also interesting is that the Pats this year moved away from that approach - which is what I expected to happen as they know that they have a finite time of Brady left and so are trying (rightly) to make the most of the opportunities he brings to the organization.
FWIW - i would give the jets a B-, pats a B+, bills a B, and fish a C+...... pats - absolutely love their 2 LB picks. i am a sucker for LB and this approach was what i had wanted fot the jets. the pats LB corps went from a bit of a weakness to possibly a stud unit in one draft. package that with wilfork and decent cornerback play and they wont be ranked 31 next year. no way. jets - well this draft wasn't time to change ur philosophy and sit back and take the BPA at 16. i guess they tried to trade down but no success. what can u do. its still a defensive player with good potential who reminds me of a richard seymour type player. hopefully with a motor. no problem with the second round pick as the jets have "gotten by" for years without investing high draft picks at that position. really wanted us to get back into the second round but if this 3rd rounder davis turns out to be a sleeper than so what. interesting to see the differnet approaches by teams such as the pats, steelers, ravens, and even jets. the steelers re-tooled 2/5th of their OL in this draft - that itself gives them an A grade.
Tannehill was a reach based on his college coach being on the Fins and the owner being embarrassed that he couldn't talk Peyton Manning into playing in one of his home cities. It may work out for the Fins but taking Tannehill where they did is a highly aggravating factor in whether that occurs or not. He could be good and never live up to the 8 pick.
I think the the 2012 Jets draft could be a boom or bust or somewhere in between. Right now I would grade it somewhere in between an A+ - F.
Let me add some weight for you: Bills: B+ Miami: B- Patriots: A++++++ Jets: F Happy? You can go fuck off now.
