We are currently in round 2 of the 2008 SFL draft and it has been a really fun draft so far. In fact, it might be the most engaging draft we have had. There is such a diverse opinion on players and the draft class itself allows that diversity to be highlighted. Diversity makes the league strong because it allows GM's to approach roster building in several different ways. So with this in mind, I'm going to do a little running reaction blog of the 2008 draft. I may not cover ever pick and I may put picks together particular by round and team, but hopefully this can spur some conversation and further highlight various ways of constructing a roster.
Steelers round 1
The Steelers hit a home run in round one with Jordy Nelson. His pre-workout numbers are phenomenal at the premium position of WR. It's hard to screw up 1.1 but if you do you are in real trouble, particularly when you trade up for it. The Steelers did really well with the first overall selection. With 1.31, the Steelers took Darren McFadden. Would he have been my pick there? No. But if you look at McFadden closely there are some really good qualities to like. He's got the speed, agility, and acceleration most GM's want. Plus he's only 20 years old. He's still going to regress after the normal years played but this allows him to regress gradually which makes him viable longer.
Dolphins round 1
Trading up to 1.2 the Dolphins selected my favorite player in the draft in James Hardy. The Dolphins have now put the AFC East on notice. Have an elite secondary or go to the back of the line. Hardy and Johnson are going to be nightmares for the AFC East. What I love here is that Daren went several seasons with good but not great receivers. Now he has switched his strategy and I think it's going to work really well.
Seahawks round 1
The Seahawks offered the first surprise of the draft by selecting Jonathan Stewart at 1.3. He was generally considered the best RB in the draft so him being the first RB off the board wasn't a surprise. What was a surprise to me was how high he went and the fact that the Seahawks traded up to get him with Shaun Alexander still on the roster. Rock has been charting his own path in leagues for a long time and it's been a very successful path so it's difficult to say this is going to negatively influence his roster moving forward.
Chiefs round 1
The Chiefs worked the first round of the draft brilliantly. Taking 1.2 and 1.9 and turning them into 1.4 and 1.5. They were able to address two needs with the selection of the best DE and CB in the draft. Chris Long is one of the three best players in this draft and to get him at 1.4 is the prototypical steal. Talib was the best player at a key position. I'm not in love with 91 SPD but everything else checks the necessary boxes.
Eagles round 1
It's not a surprise that the Eagles traded up from 1.8. It's never a surprise to see the words trade and Breck in the same sentence. What's great about this pick is that even though Breck just traded for Leonard Weaver who is a great TE in his own right. He still went right back to the well with the player believed to be the best one on the board in TE-Gary Barnidge. The challenge will be to play both. I'd say the likelier outcome is for him to trade Weaver, but I think it can be a win either way. The Eagles then come right back at 1.13 with Chilio Rachal. He's a solid OG who should be a starter right away. The Eagles showed that you can trade up and stand pat and be successful in the draft. We see both strategies being very successful throughout this draft.
Bears round 1
The Bears go bold in round 1 taking the first QB in the draft. Erik Ainge, like all rookie QB's, is going to need some development but he has a high ceiling. I'm going to assume the Bears did workouts on the QB and Ainge was the best of the bunch. As the Vikings GM, I may not like this pick down the road, but in the near term I am glad this wasn't Carl Nicks.
Cardinals round 1
The Cardinals are stockpiling talent, no other way to slice it. Barber was the best SS in the draft and it looks like he is moving to FS. The Cardinals strategy of possessing the best secondary in the draft has certainly been accomplished. Plus they added the best offensive linemen, one of the few areas of weakness they have. Apolo has been an innovative GM and I think it's going to pay off in the very near future.
Patriots round 1
The Patriots shocked everyone with their pick because Okam wasn't on many teams' radars. But it turns out he should have been. Okam is one of those unique players with both size and skill and the pick has been clearly vindicated by the workout. The Patriots are still legit title contenders and this pick will only further that reality.
Raiders round 1
The Raiders find themselves in an unusual spot picking high in a draft. They are a run first team and so Matt Forte makes sense here as the next lead horse in Oakland. The speculation around this pick wasn't Forte or even really a RB but Garth knows what he is doing.
Lions round 1
Brand new GM Stephan Cook enters the SFL fray with his first ever selection, DT-Red Bryant. Bryant was the top DT on my board pre-workout. Obviously, he didn't fair as well in the workout but he is still going to be a valuable piece for these new look Lions. There was some thought that the Lions might have ventured into the QB market here. There are rumblings in the SFL that some GM's don't trust the long-term viability of Michael Vick. However, Minnesota's experience has been very different.
Jaguars round 1
I probably need to state up front I am not a proponent of taking a rookie QB in the first round of the draft. It's basically this. He will not be an effective starter year one. I recognize that Brady Quinn performed well last season, but that is the clear exception rather than the rule. And the Chargers upgraded this offseason so that shows you even with the best case scenario there is still a desire to get better. Worst case scenario the rookie QB drags down the entire team. OK you can apply the above comments to each QB taken in the round. Having said that, there were five QB's worth taking in this draft who should develop into good starters in the league and Brian Brohm is one of them. Pre-draft I had him as the #1 QB on my board but the workouts could have influenced these rankings. Long-term this should be a good fit for Jacksonville.
Ravens round 1
The Ravens had an endless supply of mid-round picks and I mean endless. But here we are just evaluating their first round picks and I'd consider Cherilus and Schuening solid picks. The Ravens are very clearly trying to address the offensive side of the ball in this draft and specifically the offensive line. I suspect both could start though I'm curious who would be sitting for Schuening. The third of their first round picks was SS-Craig Steltz. He was my target at SS had I chosen to go that route. He's going to be a really good all-around player. I love his strength and overall athleticism. The Ravens three first round picks will be a significant addition to their team.
Colts round 1
The Colts have been sneaky good at getting quality out of their first round picks. Justin Miller in 2005 and Tony Hunt in 2007 are great examples of Ian's ability to get the right guy in the right place. Neither of those picks, by the way, were in the top 15. So when the Colts went Derrick Harvey here with Calais Campbell still on the board, I was scratching my head a bit. However, Ian has earned the benefit of the doubt on his picks and as it turned out Campbell did not fair well in the skew so that is some vindication there.
Jets round 1
I feel like Phillip Wheeler has been on one of Kevin's other teams in the past. Regardless he just feels like a Jets type of player. Good size, good overall athleticism, and great awareness. The Jets currently have 6 MLB's and 62 players on their roster while being 10.9 million over the cap before they sign their rookies. Kevin will figure it out, he always does. I have to think both Farrior and Edwards aren't long-term fits in New York.
Packers round 1
The Packers go QB in round 1 with Matt Ryan. In my original evaluation of the QB class in this draft I had Ryan fifth at the position. I can see why Gary would choose him though with his elite THA. He's going to need some playing time though in order to develop and the 62 AWR (post-training camp) is not going to serve him very well in that process. As long as the Packers are going for it and not in a rebuild it will be an uphill battle to get Ryan the necessary progression. Gary pointed out that if an injury occurs to Delhomme Ryan will be a good backup and I do think that idea has merit. It would be the best worst case scenario for Green Bay because it would capitalize on an injury. In summary, I get while Gary would do this and having a guy by his second season at 96 THA is a huge plus. He'll just have to navigate that dangerously low AWR.
Bengals round 1
The Bengals had picks 23 and 25 in this year's first round. They went defense with both picks in SS-Caleb Campbell and LOLB-Shawn Crable. Both guys were on my board with the skew making Crable even better than what the initial look showed. I had Campbell a bit behind Steltz but he's still a good SS who should be close to the 90 SPD and 90 ACC when he is done progressing. Both of these guys will make the Bengals defense stronger in time. This is a bit of a transition year for the Bengals as they have moved on from Jon Kitna who was an absolute stud in Cincy.
Browns round 1
The Browns played the late first round of this draft very well. They snagged Calais Campbell who dropped like a rock. We later would find out this was because of his workout (particularly his speed). But he is still a legit DE in this league. Then they grabbed Ryan Torrain who didn't seem to be on some people's radars but definitely should have been. Then Tom went to the MLB position selecting Dan Connor out of Penn St. Connor had a good skew and is going to be a good player in this league. All three of these players provide good depth for Cleveland.
Cowboys round 1
The Cowboys went all in on one of the most polarizing players in the draft class when they chose HB-Clifton Smith. Smith is a small RB with elite physical skills including strength. Will that translate into a productive player in the SFL? I did some fairly significant testing in sims pre-draft and the results were encouraging for Smith. He was feast or famine in his performances but when he was really good when he was good. I think it's a risk worth taking in Dallas.
49ers round 1
The 49ers went back to the WR well in the draft when they selected Malcolm Kelly. Kelly is a tall possession receiver not the speed receiver that Nelson and Caldwell are. The Peter Warrick experiment did not work out as perhaps they hoped, but they were able to move on from him and get something in return. I don't know if the 49ers were looking at another WR and Kelly was the best available after their guys were taken but either way I think they got a WR who can make an immediate impact.
Bills round 1
The worst kept secret of the draft was the Bills interest in drafting a QB in round 1. They were able to accomplish this when they selected John David Booty at 1.29. Booty is one of the four that I thought were very draftable and I certainly prefer this draft slot to a top 10. The challenge for the Bills will be much like the Bengals challenge. Both teams have to move on from great QB's who were the focal point of their offenses.
Chargers round 1
The pre-draft attributes of Josh Morgan made me take a look at him at 1.18. However, the workout for him was not as enticing. The skew down in acceleration won't hurt him that much long-term but for now it definitely dropped his value for me. If the Chargers put some activity points in him, he may be able to be a starter quicker.
Saints round 1
The Saints finished up round 1 taking the polished but somewhat average physically skilled Jake Long. He's the classic high awareness, pass block, and run block offensive lineman that many GM's want. It is rumored he faired well in his workout which would only enhance his value. The Saints have made their offensive line a priority in past years with the drafting of Marcus Johnson, Dan Buenning, and D'Brickashaw Ferguson. Maybe they have found the successful plan to winning the Super Bowl by investing in the offensive line.
Ravens round 2
The Ravens have to be a winner in round 2 simply on volume. No less than five picks in round 2 after 3 in round 1. Round 2 draft picks include OLB-Keith Rivers, C-Cody Wallace, FB-Mike Tolbert, WR-DeSean Jackson, and WR-Limas Sweed. I feel pretty similar to the first round here. Solid picks that will be significant additions to the roster. Wallace could be another starter on the offensive line and Jackson is more than likely to be additional WR and primary kick returner. Rivers will be a really solid OLB and could approach Pro-Bowl status with some attribute boosts.
Falcons round 2
I saw Nic earlier on the forums defending his second round pick of Brandon Albert. The original attributes and workout numbers are substantially different which could be a great thing for Atlanta if the workout numbers are indeed the actual post-skew numbers. He lacks awareness but he has all the physical tools. I'd be pretty pleased to get him early in round 2 where the Falcons did.
Broncos round 2
The Broncos go for strength on both sides of the line with their two second round picks. First, they take Chris Williams who has elite strength and then a few picks later they take Dre Moore who has similar elite strength. Both players have above average but not elite athleticism. It will be interesting to see where they land on Denver's depth chart.
Jets round 2
The Jets crushed the second round with their three selections. First, WR-Justin Harper is a great get with his 6'3" frame and 94 SPD. It's worth noting that his accelerations skews up a couple of points to help out his long-term viability. Then OLB-Robert James comes right after him. James is a unique player. Good physical attributes, great tackle, and horrible awareness. The Jets will need to employ a similar strategy to the Packers with Matt Ryan dumping all progression right into awareness. Kevin, will make it work. The final pick of the round for the Jets is the super athletic OG-Daniel Dye. I wasn't really sure where he would land but the Jets have a quality player in terms of attributes. The only catch is that he is only 280 lbs. Will that effect his play? Time will tell.
Bears round 2
Whatever you might think of Ainge in round 1, the Bears come out strong in round two with OT-Anthony Collins followed up by WR-Devin Thomas. Collins is a starter quality tackle, though he isn't Carl Nicks. Thomas is a guy who appears to have had a great skew and goes from a fringe WR to very much in play as an offensive threat. The Bears made out well in round 2.
Panthers round 2
The Panthers make a splash in round 2 but selecting LOLB-Chris Chamberlain, HB-Ray Rice, and WR-Arman Shields. Chamberlain was a highly touted player by many GM's going into the draft. He adds strength, agility, and acceleration at the OLB position. Ray Rice is an interesting prospect who possesses great strength and break tackle but lacks the ideal athleticism. Arman Shields makes it a perfect three for three in strength this time at WR. The 6'2" wide receiver also has decent speed at 91.
Raiders round 2
The Raiders rolled into round 2 selecting the last of the five draftable QB's in Chad Henne. I actually had Henne ahead of Matt Ryan pre-draft so he's a legit player here at 2.11. The Raiders used the least amount of draft capital to draft one of the top QB's in this draft so perhaps there will be the least amount of pressure on him to produce immediately.
Lions round 2
The Lions add their second defensive linemen in this year's draft when they drafted LE-Cliff Avril at 2.12. Avril, like Bryant, didn't get the best of skews but he still a quality player despite losing 2 in speed and 1 in acceleration. I like the pick for its value, particularly when Avril gets through his second year progression.
Cardinals round 2
The Cardinals add another potentially good offensive linemen when they selected Corey Gibas with 2.13. Gibas is a raw prospect who will need some time to develop, but he has good size and his physical attributes are very impressive as well. The Cardinals are addressing one of the few weaknesses on the team with multiple picks at different levels of development and this is shrewd approach.
Dolphins round 2
The Dolphins already have two twin towers at WR but they add a different type of receiver at 2.15 when they added Donnie Avery. Avery is the speed receiver who is a good route-runner. He's a taller version of Roscoe Parrish who is already on their roster.
Colts round 2
The Colts are officially beginning life without Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne, two of the most productive receivers the SFL has seen. The Colts are bringing in Marcus Smith to join Demetrius Williams with the goal of replacing those two SFL legends. Smith has some big shoes to fill but he has 94 SPD going for him so that's at least a start.
Cowboys round 2
The Cowboys dipped into a good FB pool when they selection Jerome Felton and 2.17. Felton is a big back with good speed, strength, agility, and acceleration. I'm guessing the Cowboys intend to start him immediately and he should be able to do so without a problem. The Cowboys come right back two picks later and select the 2nd CB off the board in Brandon Flowers. We know that pre-draft the Cowboys were much higher on the CB's in this draft than many other GM's so it's not a surprise they select a CB. Flowers has a lot of great attributes for a CB including higher awareness and catch. He also has good agility, acceleration, and jump. He lacks two things: 1) height and 2) speed. These two qualities are really important and so I probably would not have gone for Flowers here but the Cowboys might be able to make it work with some attribute boosts.
Chargers round 2
The Chargers select a popular MLB in Curtis Lofton with the 18th selection in the 2nd round. Lofton was a popular pre-draft target by many GM?s. He skewed up in speed and strength which brought his up into the 80?s in both categories. He adds good awareness and tackle making him a player with no obvious weakness. This is a great value pick for the Chargers and I think substantially better value than Josh Morgan late in round 1.
Packers round 2
After drafting their future QB in round 1, the Packers come back in round 2 with one of the guys they hope will be protecting him for many years to come and selected RT-Oniel Cousins. Cousins is a solid offensive linemen from another great offensive linemen class. Probably his greatest asset is his 96 STR. He?s not super athletic, but outside of his speed I think the rest won?t hurt him too much.
Seahawks round 2
The Seahawks made a very Seahawk-like pick late in round two with the selection of DT-Trevor Laws. He?s a typical pick for Rock in that he is a unique player who is athletically gifted. He has great speed and agility plus good acceleration and strength. He was off of some GM?s board because of his height. However, with his physical giftedness I think it?s likely that Rock has himself a starter at DT/DE.
Buccaneers round 2
The Buccaneers left no doubt as to what they were looking for round 2 selecting two offensive guards only a few spots apart. Its clear the Bucs wanted to be better at OG and I think they did so particularly with the first selection Josh Sitton. Sitton is a raw prospect but he has great physical attributes to go with his size. Both he and Bravo both have 99 strength which is valued greatly by Tampa.
Patriots round 3
The Patriots picked first in round 3 taking MLB-Bo Ruud who apparently is the brother of MLB-Barrett Ruud, whom New England traded for this offseason. We know Barrett Ruud is talented proving that in Chicago, but it appears Bo may also be a productive player in this league as well. At 6'3", 235 lbs., with 82 SPD, he's got the qualities you are looking for at the position. The Patriots also selected FS-Kenny Phillips with the 10th pick in this round. I really liked Philiips because of his 6'2" height and 82 TAK. He skewed well post-draft too so he's more athletic than initially thought.
Ravens round 3
The Ravens selected RE-Jeremy Thompson with the 2nd pick in third round. I love this pick and actually I think Thompson is not that different from Lawrence Jackson taken by the Bengals late in round 2. Pre-skew Jackson was better, but post-skew both look similar. I'm not sure if the Ravens will start Jackson year one, but he will be a good player in this league if the Ravens stay with it in development.
Chargers round 3
The Chargers selected FS-DaJuan Morgan with the 3rd selection in the third round. Morgan was the highest rated FS on my board pre-workout. I thought he might go in round 2 so I totally get why the Chargers drafted him here. His skew is really disappointing, skewing down 2 in speed and one in acceleration. He could have been much better. Still he's not a bad player and the Chargers have chosen to move him to SS which means his awareness has dropped four more to 51. He can be a good player in this league but he'll need some time to develop.
Buccaneers round 3
The Buccaneers make a curious pick in drafting HB-Chris Johnson with the 4th pick in the 3rd round. I definitely looked at Johnson pre-draft because of his speed, agility, and acceleration combination. I'm sure that it was enticed Bill to make him a Buccaneer. The challenge for Johnson will be his 44 awareness, 65 carry, and 59 break tackle.
Browns round 3
The Browns made a great pick with the 5th pick in the 3rd round when they selected HB-Rashard Mendenhall. Pre-draft Mendenhall was a player many GM's were targeting as early as the first round. I know that the workout was also better than expected. Mendenhall skewed up 2 in speed making him even a more prized target but only by those who had done the workout.
Giants round 3
The Giants selected three times in round 3 and they provide a window into the value that was still there. They took HB-Jamaal Charles, RE-Vernon Gholston, and DT-Sedrick Ellis. All three can be contributors on the team, but the skew was kind to both Gholston and Ellis giving them great value for their draft positions. I definitely can envision both of them being starters in the future in New York.
Bears round 3
The Bears are an organization that takes the players that they want with the picks that they have and aren't too concerned about what other GM's think. And it has been a fairly successful strategy for them too. So it's no surprise that they take a kicker with their only 3rd round pick. Stephen Hauschka was the top guy on my board at the position and he is headed to Chicago. The skew wasn't really that kind to him but he will still be a good kicker once he has a couple of years under his belt.
Eagles round 3
With their only pick in the third round, the Eagles selected DT-Landon Cohen. I love this pick, which is generally true of all of Breck's picks. Cohen is a very athletic DT with high upside. His tackle is doable and though his AWR is low, his physical attributes can make up for it. Plus he's 6'5" tall which many GM's value in a DT. Cohen would probably benefit from a year of progression but he's certainly able to start from day one if need be.
Bengals round 3
The Bengals selected two players both on the offensive side of the ball in round 3. First, they took LT-Sam Baker with the 11th pick in the round and then they came back at #23 with WR-Stevie Johnson. It looks to me like Baker may be a starter for the Bengals this season. He is decent enough to be able to do so, though I'd love to see a big more agility and acceleration. He certainly has the strength and pass block to play now. Meanwhile, Johnson is an excellent depth receiver. He has high catch for a rookie which the Bengals definitely value.
Lions round 3
In his first Madden league draft Stephan went with LT-Duane Brown with the 12th pick in round 3. Before I comment on the pick, let me say that I remember distinctly my first ever draft in a Madden league. I was nervous about making the right picks and I was still trying to figure out what attributes actually mattered. It was a rough draft but they got better and I think to some degree that's everyone's experience. Back to Brown. The positives on Brown are his strength and pass block. Both are at good starting ranges. He does lack some athleticism and awareness. Hopefully, he will have a chance to ease into the league and not have to start from day one.
Panthers round 3
Leo said during the draft he really liked this WR class so it's no surprise to see him select WR-Kevin Robinson with the 15th pick in the 3rd round. Robinson has good speed, agility, catch, and run block. He's one of 5 WR's the Panthers currently have on the roster that they drafted this year. Robinson is a guy who will likely see more playing time than everyone except for Shields. He's be a decent player in this league once he goes through a couple of years of progression.
Colts round 3
The Colts go offensive line in the 3rd round with what looks like their starting LG in Grant Debenedictis. I definitely see a theme in the offensive linemen taken in this round. GM's want good blocking skills and are willing to sacrifice athleticism to get it. Debenedictis is like Sam Baker in that respect though more athletic and a little less strength. I actually like the value here for the Colts.
48ers round 3
The 49ers go WR with the 18th pick in the 3rd round when they drafted Mario Manningham. Manningham follows up Malcolm Kelly who was the first round pick of the team. Manningham looks a little like Kevin Robinson both in size and physical attributes though Robinson is a little faster. It appears to me that the 49ers have identified WR as a need position in the past few drafts and they have addressed that need quite well.
Jaguars round 3
The Jaguars grab two CB's in this dirth of a class at the position. DRC and Terrell Thomas both come to Jacksonville with the 19th and 27th picks in the 3rd round. These CB's would have potential if it were not for their speed which really limits their long-term viability. Still the picks were probably worth it in case they skewed up substantially in speed.
Packers round 3
I like what the Packers did here in round 3 with their the selections of LOLB-Larry Grant, RG-Ben Wyss, and TE-Martin Rucker. All three are good players with Grant and Rucker being starter worthy, especially Grant. I think Grant is great value at 3.20 with 83 SPD and 83 ACC plus he's 251 lbs. Rucker will be a great #2 TE who could be a starter if need be. Wyss has the physical attributes but at 260 lbs. is not likely to be a starter in the league. Good adds here by Gary.
Seahawks round 3
The Packers and Seahawks selections of Grant and Adibi just prove that GM's should not check out in round 3 because there is great value and starters still available. Adibi had a great skew resulting in the ROLB having 82 SPD, 70 STR, 82 AGI, 86 ACC, and 84 TAK right out of the gate. Obviously with some activity points he can be even better. I understand that he has low awareness and is on the small side, but his athleticism helps him to overcome those shortcomings.
Cowboys round 3
The Cowboys go QB with the 28th pick in the third round selecting Andre Woodson. Woodson was not in the group of QB's with a high ceiling but he still could be decent. The problem is his 77 THA. The Cowboys can certainly invest points there but it will be a couple of seasons before he has any shot of performing well for more than a game. If Donovan McNabb were to get hurt this season, I think the Cowboys would have to look for help via trade.
Falcons round 3
The Falcons took two players in round 3. The first is MLB-David Vobora. He's the type of MLB Nic likes. Good speed, awareness, and tackle, with lower acceleration. To be fair he's had success with guys like Vobora in other leagues but I don't think he's viewed as an answer at the position. With their second pick in the third round the Falcons selected FS-Chris Horton and converted him to SS. The big know on Horton was his agility but he had a good skew there. I think there is potential for Horton to maybe be a starter in this league down the road.
Bills round 3
With the 31st pick in round 3, the Bills selected LT-John Greco. I actually love the value of this pick. Greco is just as good as some other offensive linemen taken in this round and the Bills got him at end of the 3rd. If he had to he could probably play immediately, but fortunately he doesn't have to. Give him another year of progression and maybe a training camp and the Bills will love what they have in him.
Saints round 3
With the last pick in round 3, the Bills take CB-Leodis McKelvin. I admit it's hard to get good value and a usable player at this point in this draft. If the Saints were looking for a CB this was also the wrong draft to find one. All in all McKelvin is decent depth but his 86 SPD is the reason why he will never be a starter in this league despite other good qualities. I'm not sure the Saints really care being that they just won the Super Bowl.
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