NFL Draft News and Notes
Another day another edition of draft news and notes.
Wes Bunting takes a look at the five most underrated draft prospects: Bunting’s list Kelvin Sheppard, Parnell McPheee, Steven Friday, Jamie Harper and Deunta Williams.
Not a bad list at all. I like Jamie Harper a lot, but I like a lot of the running backs: Shane Vereen is one I also like a lot.
Minnesota Vikings are Definitely interested in Jake Locker. “Take this to the bank: They like Jake Locker”.
However, after watching Locker’s “lights-out” campus workout last month, one NFC decision-maker speculated he could go as high as No. 8 to Tennessee. The Washington Redskins, who want to replace Donovan McNabb, are another possibility at No. 10.
The unusually high number of teams with holes at the most important position is a complicating factor when it comes to trading back in Round 1 or trading up from Round 2 as well. Buyers figure to outnumber sellers, and the volume of potential threats raises the risk associated with praying for a targeted player to fall — potentially compelling desperate teams to overpay.
“Coming back at the top of the second round, there’s still a gauntlet of quarterback-needy teams ahead of Minnesota (at No. 43),” the AFC executive said. “If they don’t get one in the first round, you’ve got to watch what they do, because Arizona, Cincinnati, Tennessee, Buffalo and the list goes on with teams that need them. Maybe they have to make a move.”
Spielman acknowledged on Sunday that the odds of hitting on a rookie quarterback plummet significantly after the first round. But he reiterated that reaching for a quarterback “could set your organization back” and said the team has identified “12 or 13 blue chip-type players, which is more than normally out of any other draft.”
I Know a lot of people think that Jake Locker won’t go in the first round, but I think it’s almost a lock. Teams will overdraft quarterbacks every year, and this year there seems to be more QB needy teams than ever. Jake Locker has first round physical talent and first round makeup and I think he’ll be gone in the top 20 picks. Titans, Redskins, Vikings, Dolphins, or a team trading back into the top 20 (Seahawks) will all consider Locker, in my opinion.
Peter King’s Monday Morning Quarterback
This is not surprising but Cam Newton still seems to be the favorite to go #1 overall:
Four game tapes of 2009 Blinn (Texas) College football games, with Cam Newton quarterbacking, were packed off to the Carolina Panthers.
“They wanted to see a little more tape,” the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach of that junior college team, Ronny Feldman, told me Friday night. “Of all the teams looking at him here, Carolina’s been the big one. They called me twice this week.”
Serious questions: What worse for a General Manager: Grabbing Newton and he turns out to be a bust, or passing on Newton and watching him become one of the best Quarterbacks in the league? While we may have our opinions on Newton, the one thing we don’t have is a job on the line.
More from Peter King’s Column
1. Detroit really likes Da’Quan Bowers, bad knee and all, and could take him at 13.
–I think a sneaky pick for Bowers is the Titans. They have publicly stated that they want to get bigger on the defensive line. Fairley is good, but he’s not big for a Defensive tackle. Quinn is talented, but he’s not big for a DL either, but Bowers is pretty big 280 pounds at 6’3 inches (compared to Quinn’s 6’4 265 pounds).
And according to draftinsider.net we understand earlier this week Clemson defensive endDa’Quan Bowers had a great meeting with the Buffalo Billsand the team doctor cleared his surgically repaired knee.. The Titans are torn between overpicking a quarterback at eight and being scared one of the quarterbacks they like won’t be there when they pick again, at 39.
The important part there is that a team doctor cleared his knee. I think Bowers still goes in the top 10, like I mentioned Tennessee is an option, Browns, even Dallas. I”m not sure where, but he’s too talented to leave the top 10 and microfracture surgery is not nearly as complicated or career damaging as it once was.
Patrick Peterson may be the best cornerback in the draft, but he’s not without a weakness. One team with a cornerback need (actually, what team doesn’t have a cornerback need?) tells me Peterson’s just an above-average “off” corner because he has average turn-and-run ability. He’d be a better press corner because of his physicality.
The Patriots should come out of the draft with an extra 2012 first-round pick, unless I’m getting lied to a lot
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The Pats coming away with an extra 2012 pick is not a novel idea. The Patriots could easily flip the top pick of the 2nd round for a 1st round pick next year for a team that wants to grab that pick. The Patriots are in a great position this year’ draft.
Here’s National Football Post’s Take on Terrell Pryor and the Supplemental Draft
But could Pryor actually be done in Columbus? The dual-threat signal caller has not dismissed the idea of going the NFL Supplemental Draft route. According to a source, the odds of Pryor staying for his senior season are about 60-40, but Notre Dame receiver Michael Floyd coming out and declaring for the supplemental draft would have a direct effect on his decision
Oddly, what the report doesn’t say which way it will effect his decision. Is he more likely to enter if Floyd goes into the supplemental draft? Or Not. For me personally, as someone who covers the draft, I hope they both enter the draft at least that’ll give me some draft thing to talk about and break down after this draft! We’ll keep you posted on this.
Terrell Pryor has disputed the notion of him entering the supplemental draft
If you don’t check out this page everyday, you should. We’ve been talking (especially Sayre) about Hawaii Running back Alex Green since we got here in February. According to Rob Rang of CBS Sports he’s rising up boards as the draft approaches.
From draftinsider.net Two players that are rising up draft boards to keep an eye on include tight end Lance Kendricks of Wisconsin and safety Jeron Johnson from Boise State. We hear this as much a result of the poor crop of players at each position as it is the talent of Kendricks and Johnson.
NFLPA* announced 20 players who will attend NFL Draft Dinners.
I don’t care about this anymore, but maybe you guys do and it is “draft news”, so it makes the cut. But speaking of parties, NCAA lets players know:t players not eligible for this year’s draft can’t receive benefits or services such as travel, lodging, meals or entertainment if they attend such parties” and An Iowa Offesnive lineman (Dan Heiar) was injured in a car-wreck .
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