SB Nation - Clint Sintim

NFL Draft: Reactions to Day 1

Ed Valentine — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 10:00:14 -0000

Here are some reactions to the selections made by our New York Giants Saturday in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft.

Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina (Round 1, 29th)

The shocker to me wasn't that the Giants took Nicks. It was that they sat tight at 29 and never used any of their 10 selections to move up in the first round. From the Daily News.

Despite all the talk about possible trades, the Giants stayed patient and ended up Saturday with the receiver they've been eyeing for months - North Carolina's Hakeem Nicks. The Giants have been in love with the 6-1, 210-pounder since his extremely productive collegiate career ended. But they had to sweat out the 10 picks before their selection, keeping their fingers crossed he wouldn't end up someplace else instead.

"That was a distinct possibility," Tom Coughlin said. "Probably from 20 on down that could've been something that happened. Fortunately it didn't. We were very much aware of that. There was a lot of phone call-type things going on in the room."

The Giants, who obviously were desperate for a receiver after releasing Plaxico Burress and not re-signing Amani Toomer, were in a precarious spot as their pick approached. Their original plan was to trade up in the first round for Maryland's speedy receiver, Darrius Heyward-Bey. But he shockingly was taken by the Raiders at No. 7. Missouri's Jeremy Maclin dropped farther than expected, but the Philadelphia Eagles traded up to take him at 19.

The Giants considered trading up, knowing that the Vikings were going to take a receiver at 22 (they took Percy Harvin from Florida), that the Ravens might take one (they took tackle Michael Oher at 23 instead) and that the Tennessee Titans, right behind them at No. 30, wanted a receiver too (they took Rutgers' Kenny Britt).

"We didn't come close (to trading up) at all," Giants GM Jerry Reese said. "We talked about it a couple of times. But again, to reach in the first round is not the right thing for us to do. We don't want to compromise the strength of our team by reaching for need too early. I think you make mistakes when you do that."

If you saw my comments yesterday you know I love this pick. Braylon Edwards would have been nice. By the way, did the Browns think they were playing some sort of crazy game of chess Saturday, moving all over the board like mad scientists? Heyward-Bey was ntriguing because of his speed.

Nicks should be a good player, and I think the Giants will wind up happy with him. Now, let's just hope he doesn't fall victim to the curse of the rookie receiver quad injury.

Clint Sintim, OLB, Virginia (Round 2, 45th)

The Giants feel like they got a first-round talent in the middle of the second round with this pick. Again, here is Ralph Vacchiano.

The Giants loved the 6-3, 256-pound outside linebacker from Virginia, who had more sacks last season (13) than any other college linebacker in the country. From what I was told, they liked him better than USC’s Clay Matthews (who went in the first round, to Green Bay, 26th overall) and Ohio State’s James Laurinaitis (who went to the Rams in the third pick of the second round).

A pass-rusher was not a priority, but a play-making outside linebacker is something the Giants have not drafted and developed in a long time. And, yes, CJ, I know the last one was Jesse Armstead.

Here is Marc Ross, Giants' director of college scouting, talking about Sintim.

I don't know what (highlights) they showed (on TV), but he is a heck of a pass rusher. That is what we liked about him. He is a physical at the point of attack guy. He can really rush the passer - 11 sacks this year. He has played out of space for Virginia - played at the line as a D end and played linebacker. So he is a smart guy that can play multiple positions. The way we use our guys in various ways, he will fit in there perfectly. But he is a big guy who is physical. And he is a presence at the line.

Sounds good to me. I love the versatility of the Giants' defense, and the fact that they can move guys around to multiple places and make the offense figure out who is coming and where they are coming from. Sounds like Sintim fits into that mold.

William Beatty, OT, Connecticut (Round 2, 60th)

As the second round dragged on, I had my fingers crossed this guy would still be there for the Giants at 60. I would like to thank all the other general managers for leaving him there for Reese to snap up. Hopefully, this guy will be the Giants' left tackle within a couple of years.

Here is Ross talking about the selection of Beatty.

William, athletically, just raw athletic ability. He could have been up at the top with some of those other guys that got taken up there - really top feet for a tackle - left tackle feet. He has long arms. The kid benched 29 for having 35 inch arms; smart kid and still growing and developing as a player. A lot of upside. With our situation he doesn't have to come in right away. He can learn from those guys that we have. We are excited about his growth.

From a Giants' perspective, I like each of the picks. The only thing I don't understand is why Reese still has all 10 of the picks he started the draft with. It's simply not possible that 10 rookies would make the Giants' 2009 roster. I wonder what he has up his sleeve today.

[NOTE: There will be a second-day Open Thread launching at 10 a.m., when the second-day selections are to begin.]

NFL Draft Day One Wishlist

Matty I — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 04:30:10 -0000

Be sure to cast your vote in our "pick #25 poll."

We're now just hours away from the Detroit Lions being put on the clock - officially, that is - to begin the 2009 NFL Draft. So as we count down the final hours and minutes until the Miami Dolphins are on the clock, I wanted to talk quickly about my official wishlist for day one off the draft. Then, once you finish reading my ramblings, tell us your wish list for day one.

I also quickly want to remind you all that we will have complete coverage of the draft all weekend long. We'll have live threads and we'll have wrap ups at the end of each day. We'll also have a separate post for each pick made by the Dolphins. So be sure to check in early and often. And it'll all begin with our pre-draft fanpost early this afternoon.

Now to my wishlist. Note that these are in no particular order and I've left out the players who will obviously be gone - players like Michal Crabtree and Aaron Curry.

Wide Receivers
Kenny Britt, Hakeem Nicks, Brian Robiskie

I know I've been pretty vocal of late about how strongly I feel on not drafting a wide receiver with the 25th pick. But if they must, I'll be hoping and praying it's either Britt or Nicks. But what would be even better would be to land any of the three listed above with either the 44th pick or the 56th pick.

One name noticeable absent from my list is Darrius Heyward-Bey. He has "bust" written all over him. I also removed Percy Harvin from my wishlist. Too many red flags (marijuana, attitude, injuries) for my taste.

Outside Linebackers
Everette Brown, Aaron Maybin, Clay Matthews, Larry English, Robert Ayers, Clint Sintim, Connor Barwin, Cody Brown, Lawrence Sidbury

Lots of names up there because there are a lot of options. Unfortunately, with the increase in the number of teams running a 3-4 defense - coupled with the obvious general need for pass-rushers in this league - there is going to be a run on this position at some point in round one. That means many of the names above will be long gone by the 25th pick. And the ones that remain probably won't deserve to be picked that high. But I'll tell you this - if the Dolphins come out of the first day of the draft with one of the players listed above, I'd be very content.

One notable player I left off my wishlist is Brian Cushing. I just don't trust him and really don't want him in a Dolphins' uniform.

Cornerbacks
Vontae Davis, Darius Butler, Sean Smith, Alphonso Smith, Sherrod Martin, D.J. Moore

You all know by now that I'm really pushing for a corner with the 25th pick. I'd be thrilled with Davis or Butler at 25. I'd also be happy with Sean Smith at 25 - though some think he could still be on the board at 44. The other three, Alphonso Smith, Sherrod Martin, and D.J. Moore, I wouldn't consider drafting until 44 at the earliest. Of those three, I'd prefer Smith or Martin over Moore. I just don't think Moore has enough upside to warrant a high pick. He could be a terrific nickelback, but he doesn't have the speed to cover an outside receiver.

Players from various positions
ILB - Rey Maualuga, James Laurinaitis
NT - Ron Brace
DE - Tyson Jackson
OL - Andy Levitre (OG), Max Unger (G/C), Tyronne Green (OG), Herman Johnson (OG), Jamon Meredith (OT)
TE - Brandon Pettigrew, Jared Cook
S - Louis Delmas, Rashad Johnson

If the Dolphins can come away with any two of the players I've mentioned above with their three day one picks, I'll be simply ecstatic entering day two.

So now let's hear all of your wishlists...

Meet the Chiefs Draft Interests (Trade Down Edition)

Joel Thorman — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 12:30:10 -0000

More photos » by Rogelio V. Solis - AP

8 months ago: FILE - In this Nov. 28, 2008 file photo, Mississippi State defensive end Tim Bailey (39) is shoved back by Mississippi offensive lineman Michael Oher (74) during the first half of an NCAA college football game. Oher is a top prospect in the 2009 NFL Draft. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

Browse more photos »

Yesterday, we broke down by position all the draft prospects the Kansas City Chiefs have been reportedly interested in. No surprise that offensive line and linebacker led the way.

Then we looked at the players the Chiefs have worked out that could be the third overall pick.

Today, we're perusing our Chiefs Draft Interests page and highlighting all the players the scouting staff has looked at that are projected to go in the second or third round. If you're watching the Draft on Saturday, and at 3:20 PM you hear the Chiefs have traded down, there's a likelihood they'll know who to pick considering they've focused heavily on players in this draft range.

The list of players below is one of the biggest reasons so many folks across the league expect Scott Pioli and the Chiefs to move out of the third overall pick and collect more picks in the late first to early third round range.

OFFENSIVE LINE

OT Michael Oher (Ole Miss, Rd. 1) - Spoke with at Senior Bow/Attended Pro Day (March 31)/Scouted in person in 2008

*Oher settles in at the tail end of the top ten range to the high teens. If the Chiefs are looking at him as a tackle opposite of Albert (right or left), then they'll need to likely target the Buffalo Bills 11th overall pick.

OT Eben Britton (Arizona, Rd. 1-2) - Private workout (Reported March 25)

*Could be a right or left tackle (6'6", 310 pounds) and could be taken as high as the late teens in the first round.

DEFENSIVE LINE/LINEBACKER

OLB Brian Cushing (USC, Rd. 1) - Spoke with at Senior Bowl/Attended Pro Day (April 1)/Scouted in person in 2008

*Brian Cushing is projected to be a first round pick and would be of interest to the Chiefs if they were able to trade down. He, along with his USC counterparts, could be a tremendous help to the Chiefs and a great value if they were able to drop into to the bottom half of the first round.

DE Connor Barwin (Cincinnati, Rd. 1-2) - Visited with the Chiefs (April 2)

*The Patriots are reported to have a lot of interest in Barwin as well. He's had arguably the best post-season workout run as any player in this draft class. Capable of playing as an OLB (1 year at Cincinnati) or a TE (3 years at Cincinnati), Barwin has been drawn comparisons to Chiefs' Mike Vrabel. He won't make it past the Patriots or Browns, early in the second round.

LB James Laurinaitis (Ohio St., Rd. 1-2) - Visited with the Chiefs (April 2)

*Came in on the same day as Brian Orakpo and Connor Barwin. It's strange...if Lauriniaitis have come out last year, he was projected to be as high as a top ten pick. Now, he's fallen to the tail end of the first round, possibly as low as the second round. He seems to have the Pioli mentality when it comes to football.

LB Larry English (Northern Illinois, Rd. 1-2) - Private workout (Reported April 8)

*English has been shooting up draft boards, possibly into the first round. He's been reported to have drawn the interest of the Patriots in addition to the Chiefs. He's projected as an OLB in the Chiefs' 3-4 scheme.

LB Clint Sintim

*Another interesting prospect as he's projected to go as high as 25th to the Dolphins and as low as the middle of the second round.

DE Jarron Gilbert (San Jose St., Rd. 2-3) - Private workout (April)

*Another guy gaining a lot of steam, maybe even into the end of the first round. Click the link above to see a cool video of him jumping out of a pool (Okay, that sounds weird. Just watch it if you haven't already).

NT Sen'Derrick Marks (Auburn, Rd. 2-3) - Private workout (March 30)

*Nose tackles are hard to come by but one of Marks' biggest knocks is that he's not big enough to handle larger defensive linemen. Not a characteristic a defensive lineman wants. He's likely to be available when the Chiefs pick in the third round.

DT Fili Moala (USC, Rd. 2-3) - Spoke with at Combine

*The Chiefs could be looking for another defensive tackle - though I would imagine they would prefer it to be a more traditional nose tackle.

DE Paul Kruger (Utah, Rd. 3) - Private workout (1st week of April)

*From Utah and is projected as an OLB. He's quick and has the frame to get bigger. The Broncos and Chiefs both worked him out.

SECONDARY

CB Malcolm Jenkins (Ohio St. Rd. 1) - Scouted in person in 2008

*I wouldn't read much into this. The Chiefs scouted him way back when we weren't sure if rookie Brandon Carr could handle the corner job opposite of Flowers (he can).

CB Mike Mickens (Cincinnati, Rd. 2-3) - Scouted in person in 2008

*Director of college scouting says he has the "temperament" to be an NFL corner.

CB Keenan Lewis (Oregon St., Rd. 3) - Spoke with at the Senior Bowl

*From Oregon State and had an interview with the Chiefs at the Senior Bowl. Haven't heard any news on him since that.

QUARTERBACKS

QB Chase Patton (MU, Rd. 7) - Rumored interest

*We just learned tonight the Chiefs have requested a contact number for Patton on Draft day so that's a good sign that he's on the Chiefs radar.

QB Josh Freeman (K-State, Rd. 1-2) - Attended local Pro Day

*Didn't even work out at the Chiefs complex. Nothing to see here. Move along...

QB Pat White (WVU, Rd. 2-3) - Spoke with at Senior Bowl

*Since the Senior Bowl meeting, we haven't been able to get a confirmation of Pat White working out with the Chiefs. He's been linked to the Patriots and Vikings, among other teams.

RUNNING BACKS/WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS

TE Brandon Pettigrew (Oklahoma St., Rd. 1) - Scouted in person in 2008

*The Chiefs could have been doing their due diligence last season when they scouted Pettigrew. Remember, last October, in the height of college football season, Gonzalez was publicly asking to be traded.

TE Chase Coffman (MU, Rd. 2-3) - Attended local Pro Day

*Coffman is an intriguing pick due in large part to the fact that he's local. Though Pioli has picked three tight ends in the first round while in New England, I expect him to hang onto Gonzalez in 2009 with Brad Cottam as his eventual heir.

WR Mike Thomas (Arizona, Rd. 2-3) - Private workout (March 24)

*Both the Chiefs (Pioli) and Broncos (McDaniels) set up a private workout with Thomas so maybe there's a bit of the 'Patriot Way' in him. His skill set is in a Wes Welker type mold, meaning he's a small and quick possession/slot receiver.

RB Andre Brown (NC State, Rd. 2-3) - Private workout (Reported April 16th)

*And here's my "Chiefs work out a RB...replacement for LJ?" post...

It can't be used as a legitimate clue into the Chiefs' front office because our Chiefs' draft interests page is ultimately incomplete, but only two offensive linemen that have been reportedly worked out by the Chiefs are expected to be in trade down territory.

Of these 20 prospects, nine of them were defensive linemen and linebackers. A sign that the Chiefs will be going defense in the even to of a trade down?

Taking the table from Chris' post yesterday where he broke down all the Chiefs draft interests by position, we can see the Chiefs are focusing their reported scouting efforts of defensive linemen and linebackers projected to be selected later in the first round to the third round.

Offense	Defense
OT (10)	LB (11)
WR (4)	DE (6)
QB (3)	DL (5)
OG (3)	CB (4)
RB (2)
PK (2)
FB (1)

Out of the sixteen reported DL/LBs on this list, nine of them would require the Chiefs trading down. That's quite the due diligence.

CSC Community Mock Draft: The Atlanta Falcons Select...

Saintsational — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 18:00:13 -0000

This pick and analysis was written by CSC member and SB Nation blogger Dave the Falconer, from The Falcoholic. Thank you, once again, for your participation!

Wannabe Vilma?. (Photo Source)

With the twenty-fourth pick in the Canal Street Chronicles community mock draft, the Atlanta Falcons select...

Clint Sintim, LB, Virginia

Nothing that has happened over the last couple of months has changed my belief that Sintim is the best fit for the Falcons at 24. Having lost two starting outside linebackers in free agency and in desperate need of an upgraded pass rush, the team could do a lot worse at this spot than a guy who can start at outside linebacker in his first year and gets to the quarterback with the best of them.

Most importantly, though, is that Sintim has the potential to be a complete player. Average combine numbers aside, he clearly possesses the football intelligence and athleticism to be an asset in coverage and against the run. He already tackles well--a must for the ranting lunatic who runs SBN's Falcons blog--and he'd be a fantastic complement to second-year middle linebacker Curtis Lofton, who already looks like a budding star. The Dirty Birds have made their living off of strong linebacker play for years now, and I see no reason that should stop now. Sintim is the pick, and if we're lucky he and Drew Brees will get to know eachother very well next year.

The Miami Dolphins are now on the clock...

Current Mock Draft

Pick	Team	Player	Position	College	CSC Member
#1	Detroit Lions	Jason Smith	OT	Baylor	MT_Always
#2	St. Louis Rams	Michael Crabtree	WR	Texas Tech	DeuceisLoose926
#3	Kansas City Chiefs	Aaron Curry	LB	Wake Forest	Satchmo26
#4	Seattle Seahawks	Eugene Monroe	OT	Virginia	MobileSaint
#5	Cleveland Browns	Brian Orakpo	DE	Texas	YESSaints
#6	Cincinnati Bengals	B.J. Raji	DT	Boston College	FriarBob
#7	Oakland Raiders	Michael Oher	OT	Ole Miss	Big and Easy
#8	Jacksonville Jaguars	Percy Harvin	WR	University of Florida	Drunk Monkey
#9	Green Bay Packers	Everette Brown	DE	Florida State	Sean McG
#10	San Francisco 49ers	Jeremy Maclin	WR	Missouri	Steve the fan
#11	Buffalo Bills	Aaron Maybin	DE	Penn State	BlackandGold4ever
#12	Denver Broncos	Matthew Stafford	QB	Georgia	Hustl504
#13	Washington Redskins	Andre Smith	OT	Alabama	natde1016
#14	New Orleans Saints	Brian Cushing	LB	USC	Saintsational
#15	Houston Texans	Chris Wells	RB	Ohio State	diesel0722
#16	San Diego Chargers	Rey Maualuga	LB	USC	Walter FTW
#17	NY Jets	Mark Sanchez	QB	USC	MobileSaint
#18	Denver Broncos	Tyson Jackson	DE	LSU	SaintsDynasty
#19	Tampa Bay Bucaneers	Peria Jerry	DT	Ole Miss	Steve the fan
#20	Detroit Lions	Josh Freeman	QB	Kansas State	SaintsDynasty
#21	Philadelphia Eagles	Knowshon Moreno	RB	Georgia	MtnExile
#22	Minnesota Vikings	Eben Britton	OT	Arizona	SaintsDynasty
#23	New England Patriots	Malcolm Jenkins	CB	Ohio State	Hustl504
#24	Atlanta Falcons	Clint Sintim	LB	Virginia	Dave the Falconer
#25	Miami Dolphins	--	--	--	jful

Poll

Do you agree with this pick?

Sure, what the heck!?

28 votes

No...really...what the heck!?

37 votes

65 votes | Poll has closed

2009 Stampede Blue Community Mock Draft Round Two: Picks 33, 34, and 35

BigBlueShoe — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:30:38 -0000

33. Detroit Lions

Ron Brace, DT, Boston College

Drafter: Coltsfanawalt

34. New England Patriots (From Kansas City)

Clint Sintim, LB, Virginia

Drafter: MaPatsFan

35. St. Louis Rams

Phil Loadholt, OT, Oklahoma

Drafter: saintnixon

ROTB Community Mock Draft: With the 44th Overall Pick, the Miami Dolphins Select...

Andrew602 — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:23:04 -0000

Clint Sintim (OLB), University of Virginia
6'3, 256

Almost half the Dolphins sacks last season belonged to Joey Porter so needless to say Joey's aging limbs could use some help. Having played in a 3-4 at Virginia Clint Sintim will be a good fit with the Dolphins and his 11 sacks last year led all linebackers in College FB.

Before last season he had been in the shadow of Chris Long at the Cavaliers but he certainly stepped out of that shadow big time last season. His draft stock has dipped a little because of a not so stellar combine but I'm sure Parcells will look at his on field production and his football skills. He should provide competition at OLB from day one and will definitely see playing time in passing situations during the season.

Positives: Sintim's a versatile player with very good size and length to go along with a relentless motor. He's got a knack for getting to the QB (20 sacks between the past two years) and has the strength to shed blocks and be a factor in the running game. His strength plays to his advantage as he's a punishing tackler who doesn't shy away from contact. He reads plays well, takes good angles and has the athleticism to makes plays in pursuit. As a four year starter (after a redshirt season) and emotional leader for the Cavaliers, Sintim played through pain throughout his career and finished with 49 straight starts.

Negatives: Sintim doesn't have great straight line speed and may not be a true 'side line to side line' player. At times he'll get too high and be engulfed by bigger blockers, and needs to improve his hand work to free himself. Scouts biggest concern is his ability to drop into coverage. He wasn't asked to do that very much at Virginia and he struggled with it during Senior Bowl week looking stiff in the hips and had trouble diagnosing routes. He might not have the ability to play mancoverage against backs or tight ends.

First Round Pick: Darius Butler

Many thanks to CardsIrish for submitting this pick. The Giants and ianbbc02 are now on the clock with the Texans and RedReign on deck. If anyone needs to refresh their memory on the second round draft order, check here

With The Twenty-Fourth Overall Pick In The 2009 BRB Interactive Mock Draft, Atlanta Selects...

Tim — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 03:00:00 -0000

The people have spoken yet again, and they're saying Connor Barwin to the Pats. What will the resurgent Falcons do at 24?

Poll

With the 24th pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons:

Select James Laurinaitis (LB--Ohio State)

9 votes

Select Clint Sintim (LB--Virginia)

2 votes

Select Vontae Davis (CB--Illinois)

11 votes

Select Larry English (DE/LB--Northern Illinois)

5 votes

Select Darius Butler (CB--UConn)

3 votes

Trade the pick (if selected, let us know the REALISTIC offer ATL would accept and who their trading partner would take at No. 24)

1 votes

31 votes | Poll has closed

PFW News And Notes On Houston Texans Draft Prospects

Jake — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 02:48:41 -0000

Pro Football Weekly is one of the premier NFL sites on the web, especially when it comes to the Draft. Earlier in the draft speculation season, I made a habit of regularly checking their site because they go beyond the usual simple ratings and mocks that most draft sites publish and write thought-provoking draft articles. Also, PFW writers seem to have close relationships with NFL personnel, which give realistic insight into what franchises think about particular players, rather than the usual Draft analysts that get constant coverage this time of year.

Unfortunately, I work in an organization that feels that PFW will lead to a lack of productivity on my part. Weird huh? Due to this restriction, I had an involuntary hiatus from PFW and therefore hadn’t seen several articles published in the last few weeks. There have been several pieces published since my last perusal of the site that are not only informative, but are telling about some of the prospects that the Houston Texans might be considering adding to their roster.

In an article published on April 9th, Nolan Nawrocki detailed five prospects that might too risky for a team to draft. Among the five listed, Vontae Davis:

4) CB Vontae Davis, Illinois (Jr.)
Outside of being demoted several times throughout his career, in the spring and in the fall, Davis may not seem like he has a lot of issues on the surface — with no noted arrests or incidents that scream “problem.” However, his team interviews have been received very poorly, raising questions about his mental instability, lack of maturity and intelligence issues that clearly show up on tape consistently. He was regularly in the coaches’ doghouse, is very difficult to manage, does not respond well to coaching and may never easily blend into a locker room, as he beats to his own drum.

I’d like to think that Davis isn’t on the Texans’ radar for this particular reason, but we don’t know for sure because supposedly the Texans are good at keeping scouting trips and prospect visits quiet. Hopefully Gary Kubiak ignores Davis’ amazing physical talent and keeps his drafting-with-character trend going.

On April 13th, Nawrocki again writes an interesting article detailing the merits of character and those prospects that NFL scouts have earmarked as having it in spades. Who’s number one on that list?

1) CB-FS Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State
At a position known for producing many prima donnas craving attention, Jenkins stands out for his maturity and humble attitude. Evaluators call him one of the cleanest elite cornerbacks to come out of the draft in the last decade and praise his smarts, intangibles and emotional leadership ability. They point to Jenkins having rallied the Buckeyes when they would fall behind and having provided the spark needed in the huddle, which his why some teams believe his makeup is most ideally suited for the safety position. He straddles the line of appearing arrogant on the field, but evaluators say he is far from it and have been impressed with his confidence, overall character and the way he has carried himself in team interviews. He was described as the type of person who will contend for the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year award and PFW’s Arthur Arkush Humanitarian Award in due time.

I’ll save you the long-winded diatribe; I love Malcolm Jenkins.

Two days later, Nawrocki stayed busy by writing an article about various draft prospects that were either rising or falling in on NFL draft boards. None of the risers were significant for the Texans, but a couple of the fallers were. First off, Everette Brown.

DE Everette Brown, Florida State (Jr.)
With nearly half of the league moving to at least some variation of a 3-4 front, Brown’s value has begun to diminish, as he was not asked to drop much in college and showed too much stiffness in reverse at his pro-day workout to project as a rush linebacker. With limited strength to stop the run, he fits best as an up-the-field, fly-at-the-snap, open-side edge rusher for a one-gap, attacking 4-3 defense. The “one-dimensional” label some evaluators have affixed to him has pushed him down as far as the fourth round for some teams. He could still easily be drafted in the first, considering the premium placed on being able to the passer, but he may fall to the second.

I haven’t even thought of Brown as possibility at 15 because I assumed that there was virtually no chance he would be there. Even though according to this he might be, I’m still not excited about the notion of seeing Brown in Steel Blue next year. We have other needs that we need to attend to, and if Smithiak did decide to take a DE, I would hope they would take Ayers over Brown. One under-performing D-lineman is enough for me.

Brown wasn’t the only faller of significance though:

CB Sean Smith, Utah
Quickly, name a cornerback in the NFL who has been successful and who stood taller than 6-foot-3? Some may have been able to get away with it in a different era, but in the modern age where cornerbacks are often forced to match up with the elite quickness of a Steve Smith, Wes Welker or Greg Jennings, leggy cornerbacks do not possess enough transitional quickness to be effective. Questions about Smith’s maturity have also concerned teams. A number of teams have already eliminated Smith from consideration because he does not fit their schemes, with limited ability in man-off coverage. Many others have him positioned in the fourth round, with an expectation of him potentially competing for a backup job.

Ouch...that is not flattering. I think that the analysis lacks the possibility that Smith might be drafted specifically to play FS, but this is supposedly derived from the word of NFL scouts. I recently watched the 2008 Sugar Bowl specifically to see how Smith performed, and I wasn’t impressed. He covered well, but his physicality is lacking in my opinion. I may be being too hard on him because of my love for Jenkins and mine and Matt's well-publicized debate over which prospect is better, but I just can’t get around my lack of confidence in Smith’s ferocity as a defender. On the flip side though, if he was there in the second round and we didn’t get Jenkins in the first, I wouldn’t be too averse to taking him because he is dangerous when he gets the ball in his hands.

Does anyone besides Nawrocki write for PFW? Later on the 15th, he published another piece that was a collection of random player descriptions by NFL player evaluation personnel. There were a couple I felt were applicable to Houston.

“(Georgia Tech DE) Michael Johnson is almost nonexistent against the run. He was never a full-time player until his senior year. He’d be a rotational, third-down, situational pass rusher for us. You can’t consider taking guys like that until the third round; we couldn’t, anyway. Someone will take him sooner.”

There are a lot of rumors swirling around the league that Johnson won’t make it out of the first round. If so, that team can have him because there is no way I’d draft him at 15. If for some reason he made it to 46, his physical talent might be too tempting to pass on.

“(Cowboys OLB) DeMarcus Ware is a fluid athlete who can bend to leverage the corner. Brian Orakpo is tight and not as natural of a pass-rush guy. Neither are great zone-dropping, but you don’t need to be as a 3-4 rush ’backer. The primary job is playing with your hand in the ground, and that’s what Orakpo does best. He’s got that explosive first step. And he is much stronger than Ware, not that Ware cannot play strong — he knows how to use his hands.”

I put this in here only to piss beefy off.

“If you watched (USC LB Brian) Cushing at his pro day, he opened up the wrong way twice in drills. He did the same thing once at the Combine. He’s a meathead. Rey Maualuga is going to need some reps, too. It won’t be instant for him. The safest linebacker of that group is Clay Matthews.”

This seems to be a reoccurring trend. Matthews is scary for the same reason he’s exciting; his huge upside. I personally like him and I know several other Texans fans that do, but we could be proven wrong in a couple years. I definitely want no part of Cushing, that’s for sure.

“You can give a monkey a banana and a beer and throw on some highlights and could get better evaluations than some teams make. I sit in amazement every year on Draft Day at some of the decisions that are made. It floors me. But that’s the beauty of our business. We can watch the same tape together — you can have an opinion, and I can see it completely differently — and in three years, one of us will be right.”

Raiders, Redskins, Jaguars and Lions… they’re talking about you.

On April 16th, Nawrocki continued both his theme of PFW writing monopolization as well as player underrated/overratedness. On the overrated side:

FS William Moore, Missouri
Moore looks every bit the part and possesses the physical tools to start in the NFL a long time, but he could always be hindered by mental mistakes and a lack of discipline and be too easily manipulated by the eyes of experienced NFL quarterbacks. He needs to prove he can stay healthy after an injury-plagued senior season.

I’ve said before that I’m excited about Moore, but this is a common criticism of him. His production from his junior your entices me, but several people have stated that he’s not intelligent enough to be a defensive signal caller, which is something that most NFL teams require of their safeties. That coupled with his extensive injury history is pretty damning.

On that underrated side:

DE-OLB Clint Sintim, Virginia
Sintim will not fit for every team, and some evaluators think he may have to play defensive end in a 4-3 front. Questions have arisen about his football intelligence, and he would be best in a defense where he could be schemed to turn it loose and rush the passer. Doing just that, he led the nation in sacks from the LB position a year ago despite having dropped into coverage frequently. However, he could handle playing strong-side linebacker over the tight end in a 4-3 front, and having played the rush LB position in college, he gives evaluators whose teams play 3-4 fronts more comfort because they know exactly what they are getting.

The OLB prospects receiving the most publicity right now are ones that played DE collegiately but will most likely play OLB in a 3-4 scheme in the NFL. Sintim played OLB in a 3-4 in school, but is now being talked about as a 4-3 DE--ironic. I personally think that line of thinking is a mistake. I’d love to have Sintim at SLB, but only if he was taken with our second round selection, not our first.

My hat goes off to Nolan Nawrocki for his excellent work. I never stopped to look at exactly who was writing the articles for PFW before today, mostly because I never wrote for a blog before this year and therefore didn’t care who wrote that post. He seems to have a very good grasp of what NFL personnel think about different draft prospects, which will definitely give us food for though. In the end, we’ll just have to wait eight more days and find out. Man, it feels good to be single digit days away from the Draft.

And with the #45 Pick in the Arrowhead Pride Community Mock Draft, the New York Giants Select...

Chris Thorman — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 14:00:15 -0000

Virginia LB Clint Sintim

ChiefsFan90s with the pick...

The New York Giants top two needs entering the 2009 NFL Draft are wide receiver, and linebackers. In the first round; they selected Maryland WR Darrius Heyward-Bey. That will do for now, at that position. So that makes outside linebacker as the Giants’ biggest need now. There are no shortages of outside linebackers that could at this point in the draft, but only one of them are ideal for the blitzing, 4-3 defense that the New York Giants employee. So with there second pick in the 2009 NFL Draft; the New York Giants select Virginia LB Clint Sintim.

Sintim was a 3-4 linebacker in Al Groh’s defense, but the linebackers available right now are all 3-4 linebackers. He is the one that would have the best transition into the 4-3. He is a complete linebacker. Clint has the ability to blitz the quarterback; which has given the New York Giants a lot of success the last couple of years. During his college career; he had 26 sacks.

With the addition of Clint Sintim, the New York Giants have taken care of their top two at WR, with Maryland’s Darrius Heyward-Bey, and LB, with Virginia’s Clint Sintim.

Round 1 is here.

Previous pick: WR Kenny Britt

Read more: Scouting Report (Mocking the Draft)

On the clock: Houston Texans (ChiefsDude)

Click over for the schedule and current draft results.

Pick	Round 2	Selection	Date	Approval Rating
1(33)	Detroit Lions - UCrawford	CB Darius Butler	Weds., April 8th
2(34)	New England Patriots (From Kansas City) - connerman	DE Robert Ayers	Weds., April 8th
3(35)	St. Louis Rams - Lanier63	DT Evander Hood	Thursday, April 9th
4(36)	Cleveland Browns - HIV2Elway	DE Connor Barwin	Thursday, April 9th
5(37)	Seattle Seahawks - mikvogel	OT William Beatty	Friday, April 10th
6(38)	Cincinnati Bengals - mistamic	C Max Unger	Friday, April 10th
7(39)	Jacksonville Jaguars - DThomasReigns	G Duke Robinson	Monday, April 13th
8(40)	Oakland Raiders - mushin	T Phil Loadholt	Monday, April 13th
9(41)	Green Bay Packers - JasonM	DT Ron Brace	Tuesday, April 14th
10(42)	Buffalo Bills - ArrowDread	DE Michael Johnson	Tuesday, April 14th
11(43)	San Francisco 49ers - Harry Feltersnatch	DE/LB Larry English	Weds. April 15th
12(44)	Miami Dolphins (From Washington) - shraggyj	WR Kenny Britt	Weds. April 15th
13(45)	New York Giants (From New Orleans) - ChiefsFan90s	LB Clint Sintim	Thursday, April 16th
14(46)	Houston Texans - ChiefsDude		Thursday, April 16th
15(47)	New England Patriots (From San Diego) - connerman		Friday, April 17th
16(48)	Denver Broncos (From Texans) - Keyser Sose		Friday, April 17th
17(49)	Chicago Bears - Holmeslice		Monday, April 20th
18(50)	Cleveland Browns (From Tampa Bay) - HIV2Elway		Monday, April 20th
19(51)	Dallas Cowboys - chiefsfan1384		Monday, April 20th
20(52)	New York Jets - ???		Tuesday, April 21st
21(53)	Philadelphia Eagles - Chiefsfan717		Tuesday, April 21st
22(54)	Minnesota Vikings - kcsno56		Tuesday, April 21st
23(55)	Atlanta Falcons - RedNose		Weds. April 22nd
24(56)	Miami Dolphins - shraggyj		Weds. April 22nd
25(57)	Baltimore Ravens - Ben S		Weds. April 22nd
26(58)	New England Patriots - connerman		Thursday, April 23rd
27(59)	Carolina Panthers - 808NaNz808		Thursday, April 23rd
28(60)	New York Giants - ChiefsFan90s		Thursday, April 23rd
29(61)	Indianapolis Colts - craig in calgary		Friday, April 24th
30(62)	Tennessee Titans - Lvl.99		Friday, April 24th
31(63)	Arizona Cardinals - THE_TRUTH		Friday, April 24th
32(64)	Pittsburgh Steelers - McWhirt33		Friday, April 24th

Poll

Do you agree with the pick?

Yes

29 votes

No

12 votes

Indifferent

5 votes

46 votes | Poll has closed

With The Twenty Third Overall Pick In The 2009 BRB Interactive Mock Draft, New England Selects...

Jake — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 10:58:57 -0000

According to you, Minnesota is going to have to invest in some marijuana screening agents next year after they take Percy Harvin. Now it's time to get out your crystal ball because you have the daunting task of choosing what rabbit Bill Belichick will pull out of his hat.

Poll

With the twenty third overall pick, the New England Patriots...

Select Vontae Davis

9 votes

Select Darius Butler

4 votes

Select James Laurinaitus

25 votes

Select Connor Barwin

44 votes

Select Larry English

6 votes

Select Eben Britton

0 votes

Select Clint Sintim

6 votes

94 votes | Poll has closed