Well the first day of the NFL draft is over and the 2007 season has officially begun – at least to me. After tomorrow we’ll know the make-up of all teams going into training camp other than the odd release of a player for salary cap reasons or the even rarer trade. That means now the long process can begin of creating rankings and projections for players that are sure to change once teams trade shorts and T-shirts for helmets and pads.
Day one was interesting to be sure. While the only trade involving veterans was likely inconsequential (Mike Williams and Josh McCown were sent to Oakland), there were plenty of players picked up by NFL teams that will have some fantasy bearing – now or in future years. I’ll write up a synopsis of the draft tomorrow night but for now I have to comment on the most interesting picks that I saw today.
Quarterbacks
Brady Quinn (CLE) – And we have Aaron Rodgers III. Poor Quinn sat through 21 picks with 21 camera close-ups when he and most the world thought his number would be called at the 1.09 pick at the latest. Unlike Rodgers, at least Brady had forethought to bring along his hottie girlfriend to talk to unlike Rodgers who just sort of sat there and fidgeted for a few hours. By pick 20, even his girlfriend appeared to be thinking “I got dressed up for this?”.
Kevin Kolb (PHI) – The third QB drafted was the biggest surprise of the position. Kolb posted great numbers in High School at Stephenville, Texas. I actually watched him play once when a friend and I took in a game in Stephenville in 2002. They have a great team each year because they use a very wide open offense with heavy emphasis on passing that is just too complicated for most Div. I 4A schools to deal with. That and the fact that Stephenville runs a small town football factory that would make 300 Spartans proud. At Houston – same deal. Wide open offense that loves to pass. Now he goes to a team that personifies the west coast offense? It isn’t that Kolb doesn’t have plenty of talent, it’s just that he has no experience in an NFL offense (the run and shoot having died in the 90’s) and the Eagles thought he was worthy of the 4th pick in the second round. They could have waited for that matter.
Running Backs
Adrian Peterson (MIN) – This is why all you guys drafting rookie tailbacks before the NFL draft should rethink the league calendar. Now maybe you can acquire Chester Taylor too so that you can have at least one fulltime back even if you have to start both to get that much production.
Chris Henry (TEN) – The Titans needed a tailback but waited until their 2.18 pick since they really, really needed to get a wide receiver first. Henry only actually started the final four games of last year and was a back-up in Arizona prior to that. The Titans made him the 4th drafted RB of the day. While he may pan out, he comes to TEN with about as sparse as resume as any running back has had there. Perhaps the Titans were confused, since last year they started out with Chris Brown and Travis Henry who now are gone. So Chris Henry makes it easier on everyone to remember his name. And yes, the draft was so incredibly long that I had to amuse myself.
Tight Ends
Greg Olson (CHI) – An interesting pick, perhaps less so to Desmond Clark. Olson is a speedster (in a tight end sort of way) but he’s hardly a good blocker. I can only guess that the Bears never expected to see him there at the 1.31 pick and figured “what the heck, we went to the Super Bowl last year anyway” and grabbed him. Bit of a surprise there but he could pan out. If nothing else, he’ll run shorter patterns which should play better to the strengths of Rex Grossman.
Wide Outs
Ted Ginn Jr. (MIA) – Okay. This was the biggest surprise to me. Ginn was a definite first round talent, but at the 1.09? A player that only weighed 178 at the combine, he is a huge speedster to be sure but can he beat jams at the line? Consider this the Hester Effect also known as “what worked well for another team last year”. Ginn will undoubtedly be a return man this year and he could make a big impact that way, but then again the 1.09 pick is taken to make an impact immediately. This surprised me to be sure and it made Quinn’s girlfriend jump up and cheer until she realized they said Ginn, not Quinn.
Calvin Johnson (DET) – The “freak” of the draft this year is a wide receiver. And now he is going to the pass happy Martz-inspired DET scheme. Every fantasy football league should thank the Lions for keeping Johnson out of Cleveland or Tampa Bay. Sure, the Lions needed defensive help and yes, the Lions may not win any more games this year. But they’ll be throwing a lot and Johnson has hands. And speed. And size. And a lot more money than you soon as he signs.
Dwayne Bowe (KC) – Sorry Dwayne. It just works out that way sometimes.
Robert Meacham (NO) – It is simply mind boggling to look at what Drew Brees did with a 7th round pick last year and think what he might do with a first rounder with Meacham’s talent. True – Marques Colston was a sleeper wideout for the ages last year but Meacham has to be happy with where he ended up. Plus he gets to eat cajun food too.
Anthony Gonzalez (IND) – Virtually no chance that Gonzalez will have a big rookie season with Harrison and Wayne around, but with Harrison aging and Peyton Manning as the quarterback, what’s not to like about this pick in a year or two? Rumors are that Dwayne Bowe offered to exchange identities with Gonzalez and was turned down mainly because Gonzalez might have a shot at getting into a Peyton Manning commercial eventually.
That’s it for now. Onward to day two!
