This is what I’m hoping for while being realistic. Without a 2nd round pick, trading down the right move. Trading down requires someone willing to trade up. But over the last few years, we’ve seen a ton of multiple trade downs / trade ups / trade backs, etc. I’ll just assume after several moves, we end up with equal draft pick compensation to the value we had when we started --- nothing more and nothing less. Currently pick #30 in the 1st round = 620 pts Trade down out of the first round & ultimately getting 2 2nd round picks (#58 = 320pts & #60 = 300 pts) 2nd round --- pick # 58 overall (320 pts) Quinton Carter / S / Oklahoma / 6-1 208 We need a young safety bad – like real bad. Quinton Carter can bring the wood in run support & has enough speed for pass D. 2 solid seasons at Oklahoma - 96 tackles (2010) & 79 tackles (2009). Can come up from deep & make tackles at the LOS – has a good nose for play direction. Doesn’t play the pass as well as the run, but he will certainly improve. Rex will get the best out of him. 2nd round pick --- #60 overall (300 pts) Jabaal Sheard / 3-4 rush OLB / Pittsburgh / 6-3 264 He’s been a favorite here w/the GangGreen crowd. Fits Rex’s scheme – physically big, reasonably fast & athletic OLB w/emphasis on pass-rushing ability. Can also put his hand in the dirt when they switch to a 4 down rushing front. Stock dropped because of an arrest during school year, but it benefits us. Even with Greg Romeus on the team, it was Sheard who led Pitt in QB hurries over the past 3 yrs. 3rd round ---- #94 overall Lawrence Guy / 3-4 DE / Arizona St. / 6-5 300 Guy has the perfect size for the 3-4 DE. Pros – good speed & quickness off the snap. Athletic for his size. Good character, motor & hard worker. Bad news – needs to get stronger & that is a big negative for a position frequently taking on double teams. But the position is a real need for us & this is a good value pick. If Jenkins comes back & we get a NT through FA, we have Pouha, DeVito, Jarron Gilbert, Marcus Dixon & Ropai Pitouta (is that right?) at DE. They’ll probably bring back Ellis for a yr or 2. But we really do need to draft someone & this is good value. 4th round - #126 Terrence Toliver / WR / LSU / 6-4 206 In this case the #s do lie. I think Tolliver is a victim of bad QBs at LSU. Tall & fluid athlete – sufficient speed. Played a lot during his college campaign. Showed up in the big games – Florida vs Janoris Jenkins & great Cotton Bowl. When they threw him the ball, the guy certainly made an impact. 5th rounder ----- #158 Chris Neild / NT / West Virginia / 6-2 319 Have really no idea what will happen to Kris Jenkins. Would love to see him resign. Would love even more to see him play a full season. But the reality is that we need to find a Plan B. Its probably not coming in the 5th round, but I like the pick here. Neild put on almost 20lbs since the end of the season and before the combine & still put up good agility numbers in the 40 and vertical. He’s not a workout warrior – this guy’s had the biggest heart on the WV D for the past 2 years. Very very effective vs the run. 6th round ---- #190 Ryan Winterswyk / 3-4 OLB / Boise State / 6-4 263 No one has him projected as a pass-rushing OLB in the 3-4. We need more young bodies at this position. Currently, our #1 is 30yr old Calvin Pace. AT BEST, Bryan Thomas has 1 more year. We were so thin at this position, it allowed Jason Taylor another season. Gholston not working out really effed us. So you could say zero depth. Granted I have us drafting Sheard already, but I see serious potential here. This guy would fit Rex’s scheme looking for big 3-4 OLBs -- great motor, good speed & adds rush abilities from the outside. A walk-on who became 1st team All-WAC 3yrs in a row. Monstrous junior campaign -- 17 TFL & 9 sacks. Senior yr -- 9 TFL & 2.5 sacks, but the guy was constantly double-teamed. I think Winterswyk is the Jarrett Johnson that Rex developed when he was the D Coordinator in Baltimore. Round 7 (11th pick from the Sherry Rhodes trade with Arizona) --- # 197 overall Wes Byrum / K / Auburn / 6-2 209 Its late. It’s the 7th round. We need a kicker. I’ll never forget this kid from 2007 as a Freshman on the road, kicking the winning FG vs Florida,…then having to kick again because TO was called just before the snap,…..only to do it again & then run up the field doing the Gator Chomp to the fans in The Swamp. I want this kid on my team.
Who are you supposed to be trading picks with? Baltimore and New England own those second rounders. I'm willing to bet those teams won't want to trade with us.
Nice draft, I may switch the Sheard and Carter picks because I would say Sheard has a better chance of going ahead of Carter Terrance Toliver did suffer bad Qb play but he also had his share of drops as well, looses focus some time. I was really impressed at how well he ran the 3-cone, its not easy for such a big guy to make cuts like he did and finish with the 4th best time amongst all the participants
Trade down in the second,....drop further down to the bottom of the round,....then trade out of the round altogether,.......then trade back up when New England & Baltimore have traded out. Not trying to be a wise guy - I'm just saying that based on the last few years, there are so many trades going on during the draft that it wont be a 1 time move. I admit it might be a little unrealistic, but its realistic in draft pick compensation as well as player draft position.
I would be a little upset with this draft to be honest. Especially since Sheard in all likely hood, will not be there at #60 let alone #58. I personally like a couple of other Safties better then, Carter. I would rather go after a guy like Ahmad Black in the third. I don't like a lot of these guys you would want to draft, just not a fan. Taking a Kicker in the 7th would be silly, but I guess it would be alright. There are going to be some good kickers to be had in F/A.
