SB Nation - Duke Robinson

The State of Oklahoma: A Preliminary Look at the Oxen that Make the Wagon Move, Part I

TheElusiveShadow — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 21:41:29 -0000

Update: In what probably isn't good news for OU, the injuries to centers Habern and Lepak have forced OU to turn to a tight end, Brody Eldridge. Good, therefore, is probably sticking to center regardless, although he is still a possibility. Trent Williams reportedly has taken center snaps, but he is most certainly not sticking there.

With the 2009 season so agonizingly close and expectations up in the stratosphere, Texas fans are dreaming of another undefeated, national championship run. When assessing our schedule, it is no secret that two games loom the largest as we look in our preseason crystal ball: October 17^th in Dallas and October 31st in Stillwater. The two schools from our... favorite neighboring state up north present the most significant, and some would boldly say only, roadblocks of the season. It is only appropriate that we keep an eye on them throughout the season and note the strengths, weaknesses, and progress of each respective team. Thus, I here present to you the State of Oklahoma.

Note: Certainly, some could point out that "The State of Oklahoma" could be answered for the whole season with, "Oklahoma sucks," both as a description of the school bearing the name as well as a summary of the state's education level and overall culture. I wouldn't argue with that and it definitely has a poetic simplicity to it, but humor me as I occupy myself with writing long-winded posts.

This series will be split into two posts a week, one focusing on OU and the other looking at OSU. Today, I'll take an introductory look at the much discussed Oklahoma offensive line and what their performance means for Sam Bradford and the team's overall national title aspirations.

More after the jump...

Oklahoma's National Championship Run Failure: Shock and Awe

In 2008, Oklahoma was favored to win the Big 12 and was one of the favorites to appear in the national championship game. While Oklahoma completed both of those quests, the journey was quite unlike anything anyone expected: Instead of complete dominance, Oklahoma was derailed by Texas, and only an oft-debated tiebreaking system gave them the breaks to continue to the Big 12 title game and subsequently, the MNC game. As angry as Texas fans were over the tiebreaker, there's no question Oklahoma fielded a very capable team. With an experienced offensive line, deep talent at the skill positions, and Sam Bradford, OU blitzed multiple opponents with their hurry-up offense in a sort of "shock and awe" type of strategy. Oklahoma scored a whopping 51.1 points per game and had a stretch where they scored 60 points or more in five straight games. While we can quibble a bit about Bob Stoops running the up score, the Sooners obviously had the capability to put up a lot of points and do so in a hurry. Because this team depended so much on a high powered offense to knock out their opponents early in the fashion of Mike Tyson, as described here by The Boy (now Bill C) at Rock M Nation, it was obviously a big deal when the likes of Bradford, Gresham, and Murray decided to turn down the NFL and give the Sooners a chance to recreate their 2008 offensive success. Although the losses against Texas and Florida showed that Oklahoma strategy was ultimately flawed, it worked well enough that they will obviously seek to have a similar offensive philosophy going into 2009.

However, not all key players returned; the majority of their much hyped offensive line departed for good after 2008, leaving a giant question mark where the Sooners were allegedly so strong for the last two years.

Sam Bradford's Protectors: Will They Make or Break the Season?

Like it or not, Sam Bradford is an excellent college quarterback. However, if there is one significant criticism of him, it's that he gets rattled easily by pressure, at least in comparison to his peers Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow. For his first two seasons, this was normally not an issue for Bradford, as his offensive line allowed him to build campfires while scanning the field. The few times it was an issue, Bradford, and Oklahoma as a whole, had moments of struggle. Consider these games:

-at Texas Tech, 2007: Bradford gets injured on a hit and OU falls in Lubbock
-vs. West Virginia, 2007: Bradford is sacked three times and hounded all day by the Mountaineers, leading to another embarrassing BCS loss for Bob Stoops.
-vs. Texas, 2008: Bradford has a good game but the Sooner offense stagnates in the second half as Texas wins the battle at the line of scrimmage, leading to constant doses of Brian Orakpo and Sergio Kindle. The interception Bradford throws before halftime is also a direct result of pressure and the Longhorns cash in a field goal.
-vs. Florida, 2008(9): While Bradford doesn't have as bad a game as some people say, he has some bad moments due to pressure and is sacked twice. The Sooners score only 14 points while Florida escapes with only 24, also well below their average.

In short, of the mere 13 sacks Bradford suffered in 2008, eight of them came in three games against TCU, Texas, and Florida. Incidentally, those were the three lowest scoring games for the Sooners.

Bradford isn't a statue, but he is most definitely not as mobile as McCoy and Tebow and gets flustered easier when defenders go at him. While it is certainly true that all quarterbacks will struggle when faced with constant pressure (duh), Bradford's apparent inability to adapt to the rush makes this a more glaring weakness for him than his fellow Heisman finalists. This makes the losses at offensive line even more of a concern for the Sooners, for their All-American QB could possibly have a draft stock-damaging season if they can't keep defenders away from him.

These are the stakes: Keep Bradford upright and a national championship is within reach. Fail in this regard and the Sooners' best result is probably a BCS at-large berth or possibly even worse if the defense does not improve as expected. Maintaining their overall rushing success will obviously be important as well, but that too helps keep the heat off of Bradford. Bob Stoops knows this well, but he is not without answers. Let's meet their projected starting line.

The New Workhorses

LT - Trent Williams, SR. Replaces: Phil Loadholt, 2^nd round pick

If there's one recognizable name in Oklahoma's line, it's returning starter Trent Williams, who will switch from right tackle to left tackle for the 2009 season. He was first team All-Big 12 last year and is a preseason pick for All-Big 12 this year. He is considered one of the top tackle prospects for the draft and has been starting since his freshman year. Kevin Wilson, OU's offensive coordinator, called Williams the best lineman he's ever had. This can be chalked up to typical coach hyperbole, but the guy is obviously talented. Needless to say, his return is arguably more important than Murray's and Gresham's combined. He did not come out of high school with the highest of expectations, listed as a three star recruit by Rivals.com and not making ESPN's top 150, but he performed well as a freshman and earned a spot on the All-American Freshman team. Having somebody with as much talent and experience as him protecting Bradford's blindside is huge for Oklahoma.

The mere fact that Loadholt was the left tackle and Williams was not last season may be cause for some slight concern, for while Loadholt dominated smaller ends, he struggled against elite ends. Brian Orakpo embarrassed Loadholt last October, which contributed to him falling into the second round. Williams will not have the misfortune of facing Orakpo, but he will undoubtedly get his chance against Sergio Kindle. Thus, for Williams to be truly successful enough for OU's national title aspirations, he must do more than dominate opposing lineman significantly less talented than him; he will have to hold his own against elite college pass rushers in the Sooners' big games, something Loadholt did not do. However, while he is not as big and strong as Loadholt, he is quicker and reportedly has superior footwork. Being roughly 20 pounds lighter than his predecessor, Williams may have the lateral movement necessary to block pass rushers who turn the corner in a hurry, pass rushers who left Loadholt in the dust. His presence automatically bolsters the Sooners' national championship aspirations, and a standout season from him at his new position would spell big trouble for opposing teams trying mightily to slow down the Sooner offense.

LG - Brian Simmons, SR. Replaces: Duke Robinson, 5^th round pick

While not a starter last year, Simmons saw action in every game last season as a backup, making him the only other Sooner lineman with a large amount of game experience. According to Rivals.com, Simmons was a four star recruit and the #2 player at his position... which was defensive tackle. His switch has been a successful one, and he was the Sooners' most valuable backup last season along with Branndon Braxton. If anything, his history as a defensive tackle suggests that he has decent mobility to go along with size.

Simmons played at both guard positions last season but will stick to left guard here to help defend Bradford's blind side. With Simmons and Williams, the left side of the Sooner line is expected to be pretty solid, if not very strong. After these two, however, the experience drops off considerably.

C - Ben Habern, RS Fr./Stephen Good, So. Replaces: Jon Cooper, UFA

Habern redshirted his first year after suffering an injury after playing in three games. Going into the 2008 season, he was the #3 rated center in his class and received four stars from Rivals. He seemed to have won the starting job after the spring, but a recent injury has apparently slipped him out of that spot, with guard Stephen Good getting reps at center. While not a center by trade, Good is bigger and stronger than Habern currently is. Of course, being a good center doesn't just mean you're big; centers are charged with the responsibility of making pre-snap reads and adjustments at the line. This was something departing center Jon Cooper was known to be good at, earning himself All-Big 12 honors. Good has little experience with center in the first place and Habern has no significant game experience to speak of, making either choice a risk for the Sooners. Still, if they can manage that, they both have the physical talent to hold their own against opposing tackles.

RG - Stephen Good, So./Jarvis Jones, So. Replaces: Brandon Walker, UFA (released by Houston shortly after a DUI arrest, to go along with others)

Obviously, if Good does not stick with center, he will slide right back to guard and resume his duties there. Good looks like a prototypical guard and reportedly has great strength to go with that size, perhaps the strongest on the team. If, however, he remains the starting center, it seems former LSU tackle Jarvis Jones might get a look at guard as well. Both players were highly regarded tackles out of high school, with Good receiving five stars from Rivals and Jarvis Jones receiving four. Jones saw early success at LSU, playing as a true freshman for their 2007 national championship team. The ambiguous violation of "team rules" got Jones booted from the Tigers, and he promptly signed with Oklahoma, where he fit the culture much better :). As a transfer, Jones could not play last season, but Good played in seven games as a reserve. Neither has starting experience, but it would be false to say they are completely inexperienced and they certainly have talent.

Because Habern is actually a center, it may seem prudent for Oklahoma to quickly get him back and keep Good at guard, where he is most natural. However, if Good can manage the duties of a center, it may pay dividends for the Sooners to have Jarvis Jones on the field as much as possible. Provided, of course, he doesn't violate any "team rules," like working at the local car dealership.

RT - Cory Brandon, Jr. Replaces: Trent Williams (above)

Brandon played in nine games last season and seven in 2007 as a reserve, and he was a four star recruit according to Rivals in 2006. He does not seem particularly hyped up compared to others on the line, but he does represent some decent experience (relatively speaking) and he seems firmly entrenched as the starting right tackle. It is noteworthy that he beat out the talented Jarvis Jones for the starting tackle spot, but he does have 16 games of Oklahoma experience over Jones. He hasn't made that big of a splash in his four years in the program after redshirting due to injury, and his supporters claim that his time is now. While not nearly as important as the LT position for Bradford's safety, Brandon has some big shoes to fill as Williams switches sides, and he will see his fair share of talented ends from the likes of Texas as well.

Other notes

Jason Hannan, who was competing for the starting center job, transferred in the spring. Alex Williams, who was the reserve guard behind Simmons and Good, also transferred recently. Brian Lepak, a walk-on transfer from Colorado State, may serve as a backup guard or center. Sophomore Donald Stephenson is another scholarship player and played in seven games last year. He will serve as a backup tackle for Trent Williams.

Potential to Production

The cupboard isn't exactly bare for the Sooners; while they lack starting experience across the line, they have several players who have playing experience and have talented options to choose from. Still, of the mere 29 combined starts the line has, 26 of them belong to Williams. Also, with some of their transfers, depth is a concern, especially at tackle should something happen to Williams.

While not as intimidating on paper as last year's line, this unit may prove to be the more nimble of the two, which actually might help Bradford in the long run. Although last year's unit only gave up 13 sacks last season, Texas, Florida, and West Virginia in 2007 showed that quick pass rushers really bothered that line. I have little doubt that this year's Sooner line can gobble up a lot of mediocre defensive lines. The question, as it was last season, is whether or not they can live up to their potential by stonewalling elite pass rushes. Thus, it's not so much the number of sacks given up, which almost certainly will be higher than last year's number, but when those sacks happen and who is responsible for them. Giving up garbage sacks against patsy opponents is better than having your QB hounded in the biggest games of the year, although granted, if they're having consistent trouble protecting Sam against cupcakes, he better be wearing full armor when he goes to Dallas.

As far as the run game is concerned, of which I admittedly discussed little here, guys like Simmons and Good seem well-suited for the task. They aren't blocking for chumps either, with Brown, Murray, and Madu in the Sooner backfield. However, here too the question remains on how they will respond against a top D-line squad. The Sooners churned out almost 200 yards a game last year on the ground but got snuffed out against better defenses. Bradford's arm is still the most dangerous part of the Sooner offense, but without balance, he can and will become a sitting duck. In the three games mentioned above, OU averaged 0.7 yards per carry against TCU, 1.8 against Texas, and 3.7 against Florida. Bradford is a great QB and still put up good stats, but clearly, the lack of rushing success allowed these teams to gun for Bradford more regularly and exacerbate the protection problems.

Obviously, it is too early to definitively say if this year's Sooner O-line will be as strong as Oklahoma hopes or as bad as their opponents hope. What we can say, however, is that they are not going to put chumps out there that any D-line with a pulse can get through. The potential and talent is undoubtedly there, and Sooner fans can place their hope on that. But potential and production are never the same thing, and if it takes too long for the new guys to gel together, the Sooners will probably be sporting at least one loss by the time they face Oklahoma State in their last game (against you know who :) ).

April 28th Sooner Sports Notebook

dishingoutdimes — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:33:46 -0000

It's a pretty quiet time in OU sports, so we'll take a look at lots of different sports headlines first. Track 'Em Tigers, the Auburn blog, has come up with an interesting list of things that should make a comeback in college football. What do you think?

The big play that everyone's been talking about lately is Jacoby Ellsbury's (Red Sox) straight steal of home. Here's the video, pretty amazing stuff.

Everyone's also been talking about the NFL Draft. Here's a recap that I put together yesterday regarding where various Sooners were drafted, and which ones have signed free agent contracts.

The Tulsa World blog makes a point about the 2007 Fiesta Bowl Reunion that is going on in Minnesota right now:

The Minnesota Vikings already had two would-be heroes from that epic night in Glendale, Ariz.: Adrian Peterson, who scored the overtime touchdown to temporarily put the Sooners ahead, and Marcus Walker, whose pick 6 also temporarily put OU ahead with a minute left in regulation.

Then came Sunday night, when the Vikes added undrafted rookie free agents Ian Johnson and Vinny Perretta from Boise State. Johnson, remember, scored the Statue of Liberty game-winner in OT, one play after Perretta's halfback touchdown pass on fourth-and-goal pulled the Broncos within 42-41.

Asked if he would talk any smack, Johnson replied:

"I don’t think I’m going to do that," Johnson told the Statesman. "(Peterson) is a little well-respected and he’s a little bit bigger than me now."

Smart guy. And now, on to all the notes...

In The News

Sports Illustrated offers some reasons why Duke Robinson fell to the 5th round in the draft, but still comes away as a steal.
Jay Cutler is already texting buddies with his new target, Juaquin Iglesias.
Speaking of Iglesias, he's pretty excited to be a Chicago Bear.
Lendy Holmes signed a free agent contract with the Redskins and feels like he got slighted by not being drafted. He'll be playing with a chip on his shoulder while he competes for a roster spot.
Oklahoma has added quite a few names recently to Tim Griffin's top 40 players in the Big 12 list. Gerald McCoy checks in at number 7. Travis Lewis is at number 9. DeMarco Murray is at number 11. Trent Williams is at number 14.
The Big 12 was the conference with the second most number of draft picks (7) in the first round. This broke the record of Big 12 conference first round selections. The previous record was 6 in 2003.
Meanwhile, the 2010 draft class from Oklahoma has the potential to be even better than this year's.
Spring football review from the Tulsa World.
Blake Griffin starts looking forward to his future in the NBA.

Around The Big 12

Enter Mike Leach, who is never afraid to speak his mind, has said all sorts of things related to the NFL Draft that make you wonder if he's just in a grumpy mood. Exhibit A: Saying that the A&M coaches didn't like Stephen McGee very much. Coach Leach better watch out or A&M will pass Tech in the standings this year. Exhibit B: Saying that Michael Crabtree has been more successful than Eric Mangini because the Browns soured on taking Crabtree with the 5th pick. He then floated the idea that the Browns will still finish with a bad record. Ironically enough, the Browns then wound up picking up Graham Harrell in free agency.
Speaking on non-drafted Big 12 quarterbacks, Chase Daniel signed a free agent contract with the Washington Redskins.
Baylor left tackle Jason Smith was drafted 2nd overall, the highest such mark for a Baylor player. He'll be playing for the Rams.
Iowa State didn't have a draft choice for the first time since 2004.
Quan Cosby hasn't caught on with a team yet. Pretty surprising given how much trouble he gave the Sooners. I would expect him to get invited to a camp.
Clone Chronicles discusses the impact of Craig Brackins' return.
Bring on the Cats discusses divisional realignment in the Big 12. It's an interesting article, and right now they seem opposed to the idea. This was one of the things I was planning on looking at in a football preview piece.
I am The 12th Man discusses Stephen McGee and other draft day thoughts.
Double T Nation gives a good recap of the ongoing Mike Leach saga.

The Sooners NFL Draft Recap

dishingoutdimes — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:38:53 -0000

More photos » by Jerry S. Mendoza - AP

Detroit Lions' tight end Brandon Pettigrew, left, safety Louis Delmas, center, of Western Michigan, and quarterback Matthew Stafford, of Georgia, sport looks of concern about being drafted by the Lions during a news conference at the Lions' headquarters on Sunday, April 26, 2009, in Allen Park, Mich. [I made that up]. (AP Photo/Jerry S. Mendoza)

Browse more photos »

No Sooners are going to the 0-16 Detroit Lions, but it seems like the Minnesota Vikings have a thing for the Oklahoma Sooners. They drafted Adrian Peterson in 2007. They drafted Rufus Alexander last year. And now it appears they have two Sooners on their summer roster - Phil Loadholt and Jon Cooper. It should be noted that Brad Childress, Vikings head coach, visited Norman a couple of times personally. I had that in one of my notebooks, but I'm not going to dig it up now.

In any event here's how it breaks down:

Phil Loadholt: drafted by the Minnesota Vikings with the 22nd pick in the 2nd round, 54th pick overall.

Juaquin Iglesias: drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 3rd round with the 99th overall pick.

Nic Harris: drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the 5th round with the 147th overall pick.

Duke Robinson: drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the 5th round with the 163rd overall pick.

Manuel Johnson: drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the 7th round with the 229th overall pick.

Jon Cooper: signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Vikings.

Brandon Walker: signed as a free agent with the Houston Texans.

Lendy Holmes: signed as a free agent with the Washington Redskins (h/t to Woodrow Wilson).

Quentin Chaney: signed as a free agent with the St. Louis Rams (h/t to Woodrow Wilson).

So in total, 5 Sooners were drafted and 2 more were signed as free agents. Here's a good summary quote from soonersports.com:

Oklahoma continued several notable streaks in the 2009 NFL Draft. At least one Sooner was selected for the 47th consecutive Draft (1963-2009) and for the 41st time in the first seven rounds (1969-2009). For the 12th-straight year (1998-2009), a Sooner was selected in the first three rounds.

OU has supplied 339 players all-time in the NFL Draft (fourth-highest total of all schools). Despite its relative youth when compared with other coach staffs, the Sooner staff has done remarkably well at preparing players for the next level. This group of coaches can boast more than 66 players (41 drafted) who entered the NFL.

Personally, I'm shocked that Duke Robinson fell to the 5th round with his work ethic and talent level. He was often widely considered to be one of, if not our best, linemen.

I'm not really too surprised by anything else. Players still out there that might catch on with free agent contracts include Branndon Braxton and Mike Knall.

Finishing Up the ROTB Community Mock Draft

Andrew602 — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 20:02:08 -0000

First off, we just want to give a big thanks for everybody participating and making this community mock draft so successful. It's currently crunch time and I think I can speak for everybody when I say, thank god the draft his tomorrow because all these mock picks are starting to become deflating. So with that said, I haven't received a response for the Giants, Colts and Titans picks and will therefore, make the selections so we can vote for the Cardinals 2nd round pick.

New York Giants - RB Donald Brown

He's somehow managed to last this long and the Giants would love to add a young multipurpose back to their team. He's current the BPA and would be a great value pick and #59. The Giants had that three headed monster attack last year that was one of the best rushing units in the NFL and was key to their success. Adding Brown would fill the loss of Derrick Ward.

Indianapolis Colts - WR Mohamed Massaquoi

Massaquoi will never fill the void of Marvin Harrison leaving this off-season but the Colts would benefit from acquiring him. He's got a nice frame and would be ideally suited in the slot due to his yards after the catch. He does need some work on holding on to the ball, but aside from that, the Colts do have two good receivers in Wayne and Gonzales that can allow Massaquoi to develop.(Thanks to IrishCardinal for making this pick)

Tennessee Titans - WR Juaquin Iglesias

The best defensive tackles are already off the board and the Titans need to establish a need they've had since Derrick Mason left, wide receiver. Iglesias provides a legitimate threat on offense and an all-around talented receiver. His only drawback is his speed but his natural ability excels in every other category.

And now on to the Cardinals potential second round pick------------------------------->

In the 1st round, the ROTB community voted and decided the Cardinals would take running back Beanie Wells to shore up their inept running game. With that being said, the Cardinals can now establish needs in other areas. At this point the Cardinals can very well go BPA(Best Player Available). Here are the nominees:

Duke Robinson G Oklahoma

Robinson has good straight-line quickness for a player his size, but is a bit stiff and shows just marginal foot speed working into the second level. He has great strength and leg drive to run through defenders and open rush lanes. His frame is also a great asset when he is asked to create movement off the snap. While he might struggle to mirror quicker edge rushers, he uses his arms well to engulf the smaller opponent. When he plays on his feet, he can do a good job mirroring vs. edge rushers.

Jason Williams OLB Western Illinois

Williams has great agility and athletic ability, playing with ideal quickness and speed. He shows fine balance closing on the ball and the ability to stay on his feet working through trash. With his flexibility, he is quick to redirect and work his way to the flow of the ball. He has the quickness of a safety dropping back in zone coverage and is an above-average player in the open field with suddenness to close. He shows good strength at initial contact and breaks down well on the move. His ability to quickly turn and run makes him an asset in pass coverage, as he has the foot speed to stay with most receivers through their routes.

Chase Coffman TE Missouri

He is explosive with his initial step off the line of scrimmage and shows the body control to easily adjust on the move. He demonstrates the wingspan and reach to adjust easily to the poorly thrown pass and looks agile and alert running his routes. Coffman has natural hands, above average lateral agility and does a fine job of getting open, displaying the power to break tackles and the leaping ability to hurdle over smaller opponents.

Cody Brown OLB/DE University of Connecticut

Despite the concerns about his size or strength, it's impossible to ignore 33 tackles for loss and 18.5 sacks over the past two seasons, including five forced fumbles in 2008. Brown consistently made impact plays and was arguably the most explosive defender in the Big East Conference over the two seasons. He was a three year starter at U-Conn was the first true freshman to start a game on the defensive or offensive line in U-Conn's D1 era. He's got a ton of experience but he still must continue developing his game if he wants to be an every down player.

Eric Wood C Louisville

Wood would be a solid addition in the second round if he somehow slipped to the Cardinals pick. He's a dependable player who will keep his legs driving and plays with a mean streak. He's a straight line center that does a good job matching what the defender brings. If he can improve on his quickness and lower body strength, he can be an anchor for any teams offensive line.

Sherrod Martin FS Troy

Martin's a versatile player who should be able to help any team that drafts him in a variety of ways. He was a very effective gunner on punt coverage and could be a solid contributor on special teams early in his career. If he's left at his natural position, safety, his transition to the NFL could be a relatively easy one. Overall though he is an underrated prospect with a very intriguing skill set.

Sen'Derrick Marks DT Auburn

Marks has adequate timed speed, good balance and short-area quickness, showing the loose hips needed when changing direction. He can accelerate into the backfield to disrupt the plays and plays at a low center of gravity that he combines with his squat frame to slip under reach blocks, but fails to play with a consistent motor. He uses his hands effectively and gains leverage to jolt and stack blockers. His motor runs hot and cold and he needs to play with more consistent intensity. He is basically a short-area type of player with limited long speed.

Most of breakdowns provided are from Cbssports.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Again, thanks for everybody who participated and lets hope for a productive real draft tomorrow. I'll be on here for the draft and we'll post the Cardinals second round pick then as well.

Poll

Who should be the Cardinals mock draft 2nd round pick?

Duke Robinson G

14 votes

Jason Williams OLB

20 votes

Chase Coffman TE

14 votes

Cody Brown OLB

38 votes

Eric Wood C

38 votes

Sherrod Martin FS

3 votes

Sen'Derrick Marks DT

13 votes

Other

10 votes

150 votes | Poll has closed

Phil Loadholt First Sooner Taken According To Todd McShay

dishingoutdimes — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 19:49:40 -0000

According to ESPN's Todd McShay, Phil Loadholt will be the first Sooner taken in tomorrow's NFL draft. Of course, it's a mock draft, which are in general, not all that accurate but still fun to complete and look at.

McShay has Loadholt going in Round 2. He also has Duke Robinson going in Round 3, Nic Harris and Juaquin Iglesias going in Round 5, and Lendy Holmes in Round 7.

Time to just relax and take it all in. I'd say at the very least the Sooners should have 4 players drafted (Loadholt, Robinson, Harris and Iglesias). I'm shocked that McShay has Robinson going in Round 3. That seems way too low, but I have Loadholt pegged about where he does.

Here's my thoughts:

Duke Robinson: anywhere from late first round to early third round, but most likely somewhere in the early 2nd.
Phil Loadholt: could jump up into the late first round but I suspect he'll go somewhere in the 2nd round.
Juaquin Iglesias: I think he could be high as late 3rd round, but most likely will go early in the 2nd day (4th or 5th round).
Nic Harris: his 40 time will hurt him. I think 5th or 6th round, most likely 6th.
Lendy Holmes: maybe late 6th, but most likely in the 7th or free agency.

Pick Your Poison - Offensive Line

Adam T — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 16:35:38 -0000

We have batted around many different scenarios with what the Bears should do with their draft now that we have Jay Cutler and don't have a first round pick. I decided to attempt to put together some sort of official WCG draft chart. I am going to use WCG's draft guru, ChiFan13's, rankings as a basis. Check out them our for a refresher. These were made prior to the Combine and workouts, so I have added any person who may have since risen to a 2nd round consideration.

We will do a similar process for OL, S/CB and DT. Then I'll pull the winners and we'll have a Best of Show vote to determine who our choice for the Bears 2nd Round pick is.

Poll

Which offensive line player would you like to see the Bears select?

Alex Mack

19 votes

Eric Wood

7 votes

Max Unger

29 votes

Phil Loadholt

49 votes

William Beatty

12 votes

Duke Robinson

45 votes

161 votes | Poll has closed

2009 Stampede Blue Community Mock Draft Round Two: Picks 39, 40, and 41

BigBlueShoe — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 12:50:28 -0000

39. Jacksonville Jaguars

Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma

Drafter: Skywalker

40. Oakland Raiders

Louis Delmas, S, Western Michigan

Drafter: JPBarnett

41. Green Bay Packers

William Beatty, OT, UConn

Drafter: dkloster3

And with the #39 Pick in the Arrowhead Pride Community Mock Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars Select...

Chris Thorman — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:00:11 -0000

Oklahoma G Duke Robinson

DThomasReigns with the pick...

The Jaguars' offensive line was depleted last season and was a major factor in their extremely disappointing 2009 campaign. While they lost LT Khalif Barnes in free agency, they added LT Tra Thomas as a short-term gap filler.

The Jags panicked with the early run on WRs in the first round and reached for Percy Harvin. In doing so, they lost the opportunity to take a long-term solution at LT. This time they address the need on the line and take the clear cut #1 OG in the draft: Duke Robinson of Oklahoma.

Many of you are more than familiar with Robinson's ability from watching him in Big 12 play on Saturdays. For those who are not, here is an excerpt from FootballsFuture.com that is representative of most of the scouting reports on him.

"Robinson is a beast at guard. He has all the tools and the mentality to be a pro bowler for many years in the league. He has very good size and the strength to dominate defenders at the point of attack. He will drive his man off the ball and clear out consistent running lanes. Robinson is not just a mauler though, as he has impressive agility for a guard. He quickly gets into his stance and easily adjusts to his mans moves, and keeps them in front of him. He also has the mobility to get out and pick up blockers on the move. Robinson is mean on the field and is always trying to find someone to hit or block until the whistle blows. He may actually have the physical ability to slide out to tackle in the NFL, making him even more attractive."

Round 1 is here.

Previous pick: C Max Unger

Read more: Scouting Report (Mocking the Draft)

On the clock: Oakland Raiders (mushin)

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		Monday, April 13th
9(41)	Green Bay Packers - JasonM		Tuesday, April 14th
10(42)	Buffalo Bills - ArrowDread		Tuesday, April 14th
11(43)	San Francisco 49ers - Harry Feltersnatch		Weds. April 15th
12(44)	Miami Dolphins (From Washington) - shraggyj		Weds. April 15th
13(45)	New York Giants (From New Orleans) - ChiefsFan90s		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

59 votes

No

10 votes

Indifferent

13 votes

82 votes | Poll has closed

Thursday Notes: Lions Sign Matt Lentz

Sean Yuille — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 13:30:35 -0000

Pro Football Talk is reporting that the Lions are "locking in" on Matthew Stafford. While this news wouldn't surprise me one bit (you would think negotiations would be escalating by now), I'm not completely convinced Stafford will be the pick. It seems likely, but maybe the Lions have finally perfected the game of spreading disinformation. I hope that is the case, anyways.
The Lions signed offensive guard Matt Lentz on Tuesday. Lentz is a former Michigan Wolverine and has been a practice squad player in the NFL. He is likely nothing more than a training camp body that could end up on the practice squad.
Gerald Alexander is happy to be participating in the Lions' conditioning program, another step in his return from a fractured vertebra.
Jason Hanson is working out in the Lions' conditioning program for the first time in "seven or eight years" since he feels that it is important to "be with the guys."
With the 33rd pick of the SB Nation Mock Draft, I selected offensive guard Duke Robinson. I contemplated whether or not I should go defense again and improve the secondary, but I felt like the cornerback position is deep enough to worry about that in the third-round. With offensive tackles running out, I opted to go with the top guard in the draft. Rather than move Jeff Backus, Robinson would probably be able to come in and be a starter from early on in his career, which is exactly the type of player the Lions need to draft with that pick.
Jerry Jones is a fan of Matthew Stafford.

SB Nation Writers Mock Draft: Round 2, Pick #33

Mocking Dan — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 22:00:12 -0000

No. 33

DETROIT
LIONS
Pick by Pride of Detroit

Duke Robinson
Guard
Oklahoma

Up, yet again, is Sean Yuille, Pride of Detroit manager and all-around good guy.

After upgrading the defense with the Lions' first two picks, I decided to start rebuilding the offensive line with their second-round selection. I considered taking a left tackle, which would likely result in Jeff Backus switching positions, but I instead decided to draft a guard. Right now the Lions don't have a starting left guard, and I just couldn't pass on Oklahoma's Duke Robinson. He is the top guard in the draft and probably could start from day one with the Lions. Since Jim Schwartz's attitude is to stop the run and run the ball, the Lions need a solid offensive line. Robinson immediately upgrades it and allows Backus to stay at left tackle.

Aside from the o-line, I also considered selecting a cornerback with this pick. That would have meant that all three of the Lions' first day picks were spent on defense. The secondary could use a fresh new face, but I think the Lions can get by with their offseason acquisitions of Anthony Henry and Phillip Buchanon. I did not, however, think it was feasible to leave a position like left guard without a starter, which is why I picked Robinson.

MTD thoughts: Quick, someone hire Sean Yuille as the general manager of the Lions. Few may be happy with the selection of an interior lineman, but it's a good pick. It fills a sizable hole with clearly the best player at his position in the draft. A cornerback can be found later in the draft.

Mocking the Draft's Top Five Remaining Prospects - DE Michael Johnson, WR Percy Harvin, OT Phil Loadholt, OT Eben Britton, TE Brandon Pettigrew