While wondering what the Miami Dolphins were thinking Saturday,
here’s one person’s impressions about the NFL Draft.
While wondering what the Miami Dolphins were thinking Saturday, here’s one person’s impressions about the NFL Draft.
Great job, 49ers. Getting Patrick Willis and Joe Staley was a coup for San Francisco, even if it did come at the expense of a No. 1 next year. Willis at linebacker and Staley somewhere on the offensive line should be standouts for years to come.
What you really have to like about both was that they look at themselves as “athletes.” That means Willis won’t mind what linebacking position he plays and Staley, who came to Central Michigan as a tight end, also expressed a willingness to play anywhere.
And getting Darrell Jackson from Seattle means nobody will remember by September that Antonio Bryant was a one-time 49er.
As for the Raiders, Jamarcus Russell was a no-brainer. He and Calvin Johnson were the larger-than-life figures in the draft. Andrew Walter was not going to make it long-term in Oakland. Russell will.
Now Johnson is an interesting case. If there was one team who shouldn’t have taken him, it was the Detroit Lions. Why? Even if he is as good as advertised, and I believe he is, that means one of the other early first-round receivers Detroit took recently gets dumped and becomes a wasted pick. Besides, the Lions need a quarterback. But then they are 24-72 since Matt Millen became team president. Drew Stanton in the second round? You’ve got to be kidding me!
And speaking of quarterbacks, one has to wonder what was going through the minds of the Miami Dolphins’ braintrust. My question is simply this: Would you rather have Brady Quinn and Dwayne Jarrett, or John Beck and Ted Ginn, Jr.? Hard to believe the Dolphins would opt for the latter.
So what about Quinn, who slipped all the way to No. 22 in the draft? Just remember Matt Leinart was picked at No. 10 last year and Aaron Rodgers at No. 24 the year before. In other words, it happens and it doesn’t make Quinn any less of a competent QB because he was selected at No. 22.
Besides, this became a feel-good story when the Cleveland Browns got Quinn. Kudos to Phil Savage for his honesty when he pointed out the reason for the Browns selecting Joe Thomas with the No. 3 pick in the draft. “We didn’t see Brady Quinn as a top-three selection,” he said on ESPN. With a horse like Thomas in front of him, he may eventually play like one. Getting cornerback Eric Wright from UNLV made the Browns one of the winners in the draft.
Surprises? There are always plenty on Draft Day. Obviously, Randy Moss to the Patriots was one of them. New England also selected Brandon Meriweather, who has character issues stemming from the Miami-Florida International brawl. And yet, Patriots’ players rarely seem to be in the news for anything negative.
Several players who dropped further than anyone believed were Louisville running back Michael Bush, Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith and Colorado kicker Mason Crosby. Character issues dogged Wright and defensive tackle Marcus Thomas from Florida, both of whom were considered the best at their positions.
Great fun, the NFL Draft. More fun observing and playing Monday Morning Quarterback.
