Aww yeah. Here we go again for another week of hype. I've tried to spice things up a little bit in this one. upamtn did an awesome job drafting DeCastro in every round last week, so I can't out do that. Let's see what I can do. Same as last time: I'm not mocking any trades and projected rounds come from NFLdraftscout.com

1. David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

I mean, come on. Did you think I would go somewhere else with the first pick? There is no where else to go! He's a top 5 talent playing a position that pushes him out of the top 10. We will be lucky if he is around at 11. DeCastro will be ready to start early and will be our best offensive lineman by his 2nd year. He is going to have an awesome career. We will not regret this.

Other possibilities:

Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College: I'll settle this right now. Kuechly can play SILB. He would be an upgrade from Belcher (who I actually like and actively root for). But the key here is Siler. We (as fans) aren't sure what we have there and Siler may be good enough to make us forget about Kuechly.

Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina: Ingram can play about anywhere and Pioli loves versatility. I just don't think he is suited enough at any one position for to get the value out of him that we would need to.

Fletcher Cox, DT, Miss St: Cox is a good player and would fit well into a 3-4 line. For me, it is down to him or Jerel Worthy as the best defensive linemen in this draft who fit our system. However, I think 11 is too high for Cox here. If we trade back he becomes more of a possibility.

Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama: Kirkpatrick is a stud. We run nickel a lot. It wouldn't hurt to have another solid corner in there. But where would we use him? Would he replace Arenas? Play him as a 3rd safety? Have him push Lewis for the starting FS spot? I don't think there is a clear position for him to fill and thus I doubt he'll be our pick.

PLAYERS WHO WOULD BE A TERRIBLE PICK AT 11

Tannehill: No, just no. Not enough starts in college to prove to me that he's a solid qb. I actually think Weeden is better but goes late due to his age. Tannehill is very raw, more raw than most quarterbacks. It takes even the most polished quarterbacks about 3 years to really hit their stride with a team. It would take someone like Tannehill longer. We just don't have that kind of time. We are ready to be good right now.

Poe: I can't believe some of you fell for the old "workout warrior" routine. This happens every year. Luckily everyone is seeing through Poe's smokescreen before the draft.

Brockers: He just isn't all that impressive. He is in the same mold as Tyson Jackson, but not as good. There are much better directions we can go if we are looking at defensive line such as Worthy, Cox, or...

2. Devon Still, DE, Penn St

Yeah, I think Still will fall to us here. While I am still a supporter of both Dorsey and Jackson, they both have huge contracts. We need some insurance in case we have to cut one of them loose. Hint: it won't be Jackson. Still is an absolute beast that I think will be much better than Brockers and is more suited to our style of defense than Reyes (who is more finesse).

Other Possibilities:

Brandon Weeden, QB, Oklahoma St:

Ok, so I'm coming around. There was an article posted about him recently claiming that he's a top 10 talent. I actually tend to agree. My problem is that someone with his skill level would be a top 10, maybe even top 5 talent if they weren't 28. Here's why his age is a problem to me: he's reached his ceiling. This is as good as he is going to be. Sure he can step in from day 1, but he's never going to get much better than this. Guy's who are around him in skill level have the room to improve quite a bit, he's peaked. Also, someone will take him before this pick, probably late first.

Dont'a Hightower, ILB, Alabama:

Last time I drew up a mock I had Hightower falling to us in the 2nd. I still think that this is a genuine possibility for two reasons. The first is that run stuffing ILB's typically fall to the mid-2nd, no matter how much of a stud they are. The 2nd is that I can only envision one team ahead of us taking him, and that would be the Steelers. The Ravens won't take him because they need a guard to replace Ben Grubbs.

Kendall Reyes, DE, UConn:

I liked Reyes at first, but after looking deeper, I don't think he's fit for our 5 tech. We would ask him to play 2 gap and I just don't think he will be able to do that very well.

NOTE:

There is no way that Zeitler will be available here. He'll be off the board to the Ravens at #29 if he isn't off before then. Also, this is far too high a pick for Ta'amu. I'm less enamored with him the more I learn. I would take him 3-4 round but I just don't think he'll be available then.

3.Shea McClellin, OLB, Boise State

I really, really like McClellin here. He's versatile enough to play DE or be a rush OLB. I don't think he's someone who would step in and be a starter anytime soon (or maybe ever), but he can be used in so many different situations. He would help provide a great pass rush and is just an all around swell guy. My only concern is that he'll be gone by this pick.

Other Possibilities:

Brandon Boykin, CB, Georgia

I like Boykin. I think corner isn't a huge need for us. If we think that Arenas isn't cutting it or that Brown will never cut it, then maybe we should look at a corner here, but I think that both Arenas and Brown are solid.

Brock Osweiler, QB, Arizona State

I don't like the idea of taking a quarterback before round 5 if they aren't ready to step in very soon to lead this team. I do like Osweiler as a prospect. I don't think he'll be ready soon enough for us to consider him this early.

Robert Turbin, RB, Utah State

Everyone here likes Turbin, myself included. He's big and has very good all around skills. He would really complete our backfield.

Mitchell Schwartz, OT, Cal

I'm not really sold on Mims. Schwartz could come in and be a very good swing tackle for us.

4. A.J. Jenkins, WR, Illinois

Jenkins is someone that the Chiefs have shown individual interest in. He is a productive guy (90+ catches and 1200+ yards) and showed some very good speed running a 4.4 at the combine.

Other Possibilities:

Bruce Irvin, OLB, West Virginia

I like Irvin. I didn't mock him here because I had McClellin in the 3rd. Other than that, Irvin could be a solid player for us.

Ladarius Green, TE, Louisiana Lafayette

Green is a matchup nightmare. He can flex out and just cause havoc for whomever he lines up against. The dude is 6-6 and runs a 4.5. Need I say more?

5. Janzen Jackson, FS, McNeese State

My gut tells me that Jackson will be gone by now. In fact, my gut tells me that he is going to shoot up the draft boards and go in the 3rd round. My gut is also telling me that I'm hungry. What the hell does my gut know. He is currently projected as a 5th-6th rounder and he just fits our situation so perfectly. I would absolutely love Jackson here.

Other Possibilities

Hebron Fangupo, NT, BYU

Fangupo is a big NT who could fit in the rotation with Powe and Gordon.

Marvin McNutt, WR, Iowa

I mocked McNutt here last time, but because I had Jenkins a round before this, I am leaving McNutt off.... nutt off... hehe.

6. Matt Reynolds, OT, BYU

Matt Reynolds started all 52 games while at BYU. Matt Reynolds has high character. Matt Reynolds is a stud who has enough potential to be a starter on our line somewhere down the line. Matt Reynolds, Matt Reynolds, Matt Reynolds.

Other Possibilities:

Brandon Bolden, RB, Ole Miss

I mocked him here last time but I just feel like RB isn't that high of a priority. We can pick up someone serviceable as an UDFA or in FA.

Chris Greenwood, CB, Albion

Greenwood is 6-1, 193 and runs a 4.42 40. His vertical is 43 inches and his broad jump is 11-2. He produced on the field too, earning MIAA (DIII) honors as defensive player of the year. He is big, fast, and can play. I love him here.

7(a). Adrien Cole, ILB, Louisiana Tech

Adrien Cole is a tackling machine from the WAC who can come in and provide quality depth while helping right away on special teams. He is undersized for an ILB (5-11, 245). But he has shown the ability to produce in game when given the chance (120+ tackles his senior season).

Other Possibilities:

James Hanna, TE, Oklahoma

Hanna ran a 4.49 40. He wasn't super productive at Oklahoma, but his size-speed combo alone would be worth a look here.

Patrick Witt, QB, Yale

Witt transferred from Nebraska to Yale and now holds a bunch of Yale passing records. He has the number of starts (31), probably has the wonderlic score (Rhodes scholar finalist), and has the completion percentage (60.4) to be of interest here. Could be an UDFA sleeper.

7(b). Chad Diehl, FB, Clemson

Did you see that highlight reel put up of him? DID YOU SEE IT?! The dude is a hammer. If we are going to run the ball, I would love a smash mouth baller like this guy leading the way for our backs.

Other Possibilities

Cody Johnson, FB, Texas

Johnson is another possibility here. He is more of a well rounded back who could get some carries at RB as well.

Jewel Hampton, RB, Southern Illinois University

Jewel was a stud prospect from Iowa until he got in trouble off the field for public intoxication. He was very productive at SIU, totaling 17 TD's and 1100+ yards in his last year there. I think he could be worth a late round flyer here, depending on what Ferentz has to say on the matter. If Ferentz doesn't like him, then maybe we could look at Daryl Richardson from Abilene Christian (runs a 4.35 and had 2000 career yards rushing).

Now I know what you are going to say. Why isn't Burfict in there. BECAUSE HE IS A BAD PLAYER AND A BAD PERSON!!! No, but seriously I don't want him anywhere near my team. Even though Haley is gone, I still like the "right 53" idea and I think that came more from Pioli than Haley. Rec this up if you like it.

upamtn better take over next week as I have final tests coming up.

ForeverRanger91 made a post about the success of NFL running backs and where they were taken in the draft. He analyzed based off of the league leaders over the past 10 years. He then noted that most league leaders were taken in the first round, and used this to conclude that running backs are not "a dime a dozen" and attempted to make an argument that we should draft Trent Richardson.

This response started as a simply reply, because I felt that his analysis was lacking (to say the least). There are so many more ways you can measure the success of running backs vs. where they were taken. Analyzing the league leaders over the past 10 years is only a sample size of 10 guys. I wanted something bigger...

I analyzed NFL running backs using three different methods. First I looked at the running backs over the past 3 years who have gained more than 1000 yards in a season and what round they were taken in. Second I looked at the top 50 all time running backs and what round they were taken in. Last, I looked at the past 10 years and analyzed how many career yards running backs achieve (on average) based on what round they are chosen in. That may not make any sense now, but let me talk about each method and what it showed.

Method 1: 1000+ yards in past 3 years

My first thought in analyzing running backs is, "how do you measure success?" Historically, a successful year for a running back has generally been 1000 or more yards. This point can clearly be debated and it could be argued that the bar should be pushed up to 1250, or down to 900. It could also be argued that we should base success off of touchdowns or YPC. Those are valid arguments, but I don't have unlimited time/energy to make all those analyses. I think for the most part, however, we can all agree that 1000 yards is a pretty solid year. Here are the results for running backs from the past 3 seasons:

2011: 15 running backs finished with over 1000 yards, with Maurice Jones-Drew leading the way. Of the top 10 that year, the average place they were selected in the draft was pick number 71.5. That means the average top 10 back in 2011 was selected between the 8th and 9th pick of the 3rd round! Of all the backs over 1000 yards, the average place selected was 56.1 (Round 2, pick 24). So by the 2011 numbers, good backs seem to come late 2nd round, early 3rd round.

2010: 17 running backs finished with over 1000 yards, with Arian Foster leading the way. Of the top 10 that year, the average selection spot was 92.7 (Round 3, pick 30-31). Of all the backs over 1000 yards, the average place selected was 104 (Round 4, pick 9). By the 2010 numbers, good backs seem to come late 3rd, early 4th!

2009: 15 running backs finished with over 1000 yards, with Chris Johnson leading the way. Of the top 10 that year, the average selection spot was 45.5 (Round 2, pick 13-14). Of all the backs over 1000 yards, the average place selected was 60.4 (Round 2, pick 29-30). By the 2009 numbers, good backs seem to come mid-late 2nd.

**It should be noted that when dealing with UDFA, I put their draft selection number at the final selection in the draft +1. So for Arian Foster, there were 256 players drafted before him, so I used 257 as his draft position, even though he was not drafted.

At this point, I felt that my analysis was unfair. Sure there were some great running backs popping up that were late round selections, but how do we know that they aren't 1 year wonders or the exception rather than the rule? I wanted to see if running backs taken all over the draft can still go on to have great careers. At this point, I went to the career leaders list.

Method 2: Career NFL rushing leaders

This analysis will be short. The top NFL career rushing leader is Emmitt Smith. I looked at the top 50 players. The overall average position selected was 48.7 (Round 2, pick 16-17). So by that number, the best running backs are taken mid 2nd round.

BUT WAIT!! That's not really the whole story. If you just look at the top 26 players, the average position selected is 14.7 (Round 1, pick 14-15) with only 5 players being selected later than the first round!! However, something really interesting happens between the 27th best (Clinton Portis) and the 39th best (Priest Holmes). The average of the players selected between them is 109.3 (Round 4, pick 14-15)! There is this weird pocket of players who were selected later in the draft and still went on to have excellent careers. There is still hope!

As an interesting aside, Curtis Martin was a downright steal. He is 4th all-time and he was selected 73rd overall. He is the only player in the top 26 that was selected outside of the 1st and 2nd rounds. In addition, Joe Perry, Terry Allen, Earnest Byner, and Priest Holmes were also amazing steals, being taken in positions that would put them as late 7th rounders to UDFA today. Earl Campbell and O.J. Simpson were the only two running backs in the top 50 that were taken #1 overall.

So then I got to thinking more... this still doesn't tell me what I really want to know. What production can I expect from a back based on what round I take him in. Yes it is true that if you want the best running back of all time, you probably are not going to find him anywhere but the first round (as evidenced by the top 25 of all time). But what if you just want a productive back? Based on the last 3 years, it would seem that you really can find productive backs in later rounds. Alright, time to do a little hard work.

Method 3: Looking at every running back drafted in the past 10 years, and comparing their career yards with their round taken.

Ok, so this method has some holes. First of all, there have been some very successful UDFA that were not included in this method that I included in others (Arian Foster comes to mind). Second of all, NFL.com, who I got all this info from, does not differentiate between running backs and fullbacks. You just don't expect the career yardage from FB's that you do from RB's. Last, many of the players analyzed are still playing, and thus their career yardage can't be accurately determined (though Adrian Peterson might call it quits tomorrow).

I am fully aware of these shortcomings and to be honest, I'm just too lazy to tweak my information to compensate for them. That may be a project for another day.

Here are the stats:

Players taken in the 1st round: gain on average 4388.9 yards in their career. The best has been LaDainian Tomlinson and the worst has been Chris Perry (Mark Ingram has less career yards, but I gave him a pass as he is still playing). Next I calculated what I refer to as a "bust rate". That is, what percentage of players taken in the first round do not achieve the average of 4388.9 yards in their career. Note that this bust rate isn't accurate due to the fact that some players are still playing, but because I did the same thing for all rounds, it can still be used to compare round vs round bust rates. The bust rate for 1st rounders is 58.33%. That means that of the 36 running backs taken in the first round over the past 10 years, 58.33% of them have had less production than what you would expect from a running back taken in their position.

Players taken in the 2nd round: gain on average 2388.9 yards in their career. The bust rate for 2nd rounders was actually lower than first rounders at 55.17%. The best 2nd rounder taken was Clinton Portis. The worst was Kenny Irons (gaining zero career yards). This seems to show that 2nd rounders are more consistent than 1st, in spite of the fact that they don't gain quite as many yards.

Players taken in the 3rd round: gain on average 1591.2 yards. Bust rate: 64.52%. Best: Frank Gore. Worst: Brian Calhoun (54 career yards).

Players taken in the 4th round: gain on average 893.1 yards. Bust rate: 66.67%. Best: Rudi Johnson. Worst: Andre Brown (-1 career yards!).

Players taken in the 5th round: gain on average 666.8 yards. Bust rate: 74.19%. Best: Michael Turner. Worst: A number of them with zero.

Players taken in the 6th round: gain on average 359.7 yards. Bust rate: 81.82%. Best: Chester Taylor. Worst: LOTS with zero.

Players taken in the 7th round: gain on average 288.7 yards. Bust rate: 77.78%. Best: Ahmad Bradshaw. Worst: Lots.

So what does all this tell us? Pretty much what any leyman would expect and what I would've told you before this analysis: on average, the best backs in the NFL come in the first round, there is still talent late, but it becomes farther and further between.

ForeverRanger91 tried to use his analysis to tell us that we should be taking Trent Richardson with our first pick (assuming he is there). Here's what the stats say: there is a good chance that we will get about 5000 yards out of Trent. That is also assuming a lot of things, including that we use him as our primary back. But what is really important here? What is important is winning Super Bowls.

So what about Super Bowl winning teams. Do they all select their running backs in the first round? I looked at one more list (last one) and over the past 10 years, only two Super Bowl winners have selected their Super Bowl starting back in the first round. Strangely enough, these two players are Corey Dillon and Antowain Smith. Both were for the Patriots, who don't often win with their running backs. It should be noted that Corey Dillon was not selected by the Pats, but that's not really what matters. Here is the most important stat. The career yards for Super Bowl winning running backs in the past 10 years? 4848.9!

That means that in spite of what people say, you had better have a first round quality back starting for your team if you hope to (statistically) win the Super Bowl. You don't have to get him in the first, but he better have first round talent.

I still don't think we should draft TR.

I'm not going to mock any trade downs or further FA signings. I think those are too difficult to predict. What I'll do is mock what I think would happen if the draft went down tomorrow. I took all of my projected rounds off nfldraftscout.com

1. David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

I have recently read some fairly good arguments against drafting DeCastro. Namely, that Lilja isn't that bad and the drop off between DeCastro and someone like Zeitler is minimal. In the end, I don't think it matters. When you have the opportunity to pick up the next Will Shields, you do it. DeCastro will be a long time starter and he, along with the Winston signing, will completely turn our OL around.

Other possibilities:

Luke Kuechly: A great ILB that could possibly come in and replace Belcher in his first year. However, he projects more as a WILB (where DJ plays) and thus isn't a perfect fit.

Dontari Poe: A big body who impressed everyone at the combine. He is projected as a NT, but is athletic enough to play DE as well. The biggest knock on him is that he played sub par competition and still didn't have huge production. I agree with that and would be a little disappointed if we took Poe this high.

Michael Brockers: Would immediately fit into the rotation at DE and could open up the possibility of Dorsey playing the nose. This is way too high for Brockers and Dorsey won't be all that great of a nose. I hate this pick here and would rather have Fletcher Cox if we are going DL this high.

Dre Kirkpatrick: A corner here would be an interesting pick, but I just don't see it happening. Kirkpatrick could push for starting time at both FS and RCB. In a pass first league, this is not the worst idea I've ever seen.

Trade down: This is probably what will happen.

2. Dont'a Hightower, ILB, Alabama

Do I really think Hightower will fall this far? He is projected to go in the 2nd round according to NFL draft scout. If you look back through drafts, run stopping ILB's typically fall to about mid 2nd round. I really do think that Hightower could be here when we are picking in round 2.

Other possibilities:

Brandon Boykin: Any corner chosen here would be a wise choice. For the same reasons Dre Kirkpatrick in the first wouldn't be a terrible idea, adding more defensive back help here could really take our defense to the top.

Colby Fleener: I know, I know. We just signed Kevin Boss. Why would we draft Fleener in the 2nd? Because he is incredible, that's why. Because we are the Patriots of the West. If we had Fleener and Moeaki on the field at the same time, that might just be enough weapons for Cassel.

Devon Still: There is a small chance that a player like Still could fall this far. The defensive tackle depth this year is very good. Still would be a versatile player who could rotate in with either of our DE's.

3. Alameda Ta'amu, NT, Washington

I think your first reaction here would be that Ta'amu would be a steal in the 3rd. Remember how far Powe fell last year? I not only think it is possible that Ta'amu will be available in the 3rd, but he might last until the 4th or 5th. Between Ta'amu and Powe, our NT position would be locked up for years.

Other possibilities:

George Iloka: We need depth at safety badly. We got exposed last year when we lost Berry. Iloka may last this long, but I doubt it.

Robert Turbin: If we are going to focus on running the ball then we could really use one more back. If Charles goes down again, we are down to Dex and Hillis. A big, versatile back like Turbin here would be a great pickup.

Ladarius Green: He would be more of a receiving TE if we brought him in. But he is big enough (6'6", 253) and fast enough (4.58) to be a match-up nightmare.

4. Marvin McNutt, WR, Iowa

I really like McNutt here in the 4th. He's got the size (6'3", 216) and the speed (4.54) to be a productive WR. If you saw him play, then what you saw was a receiver with very good hands and a great route runner. He won't pile up YAC, but he is in the mold of a possession receiver that could provide insurance if we can't get Bowe signed long term.

Other possibilities:

Janzen Jackson: Even though he is projected as a 4th rounder, I have a feeling Jackson is just too interesting to last this long. My gut tells me someone will take a shot on him in the mid-late 3rd. If he falls to us though, he could push Lewis early for a starting spot... or be a complete flop.

Nate Potter: A guy who could come in and be our swing tackle right away. I think we could be looking to these mid rounds to pick up some OL depth and Potter really fits the mold.

Travis Lewis: Lewis can play ILB or OLB depending on our need. For someone who will most likely be a backup for at least his first few years, that versatility is useful. He won't get much pass rush at the OLB position, but along with TJax, they could shut all runs to that side down.

5. Eddie Whitley, FS, Virginia Tech

So at this point in the draft there are really two possibilities: continue drafting for need, or just start picking BPA. It really seems like Pioli and co. like to continue to draft for need late and if they are going to take a flyer on BPA, they will do it early. Whitley is a solid prospect at FS. I don't think he will push Lewis early but he is good enough to fill in for either Lewis or Berry if one of them goes down. We desperately need depth at safety and Whiteley would be a good one to fill this hole.

Other possibilities:

BJ Coleman: If we are going to take a QB, I don't see it happening before the 5th. In fact, I have a feeling that in spite of what Pioli has said about taking a late round QB every year, we will not take one this year. I think between Cassel, Stanzi, and Quinn, we are pretty set and any more would just be a crowd.

David Molk: Molk would provide some good depth at center and could fill in at guard in a pinch. He is someone the Chiefs have showed interest in so he is definitely a possibility here.

Andrew Datko: More OL depth is always needed, unless we really think Mims is the answer. I'm not as high on Datko as some, but if he is available this late, I could see it as a possibility.

6. Brandon Bolden, RB, Ole Miss

Bolden is a good sized back (222) who can produce in game and also contribute on special teams. If Charles goes down again we are going to need something more than just Hillis and Dex. Bolden fits this role and could also contribute to special teams play.

Other possibilities:

Austin Davis: I had Coleman as a possibility in round 5 and I said there I wasn't sold on the possibility of it happening. I'm still not sold here but I think Davis is more likely in the 6th than Coleman in the 5th. It would be a relatively low risk investment. I still think there are better directions we could go.

DeVier Posey: Many of you are high on Marquis Maze here, but I'm just not sold on the idea that he will be any more useful than Dex. Posey has the size and ability but slides to the 6th due to his off the field issues. I think he would be a steal here.

7. Tank Carder, OLB, TCU

I'm a fan of Carder. He is intense and could provide some quality locker room leadership. He is versatile enough to play inside our out. His size probably will project him towards the outside in the NFL. He can contribute to special teams right away.

Other possibilities:

James Hanna: Hanna could provide a quality 3rd TE behind Boss. And if Boss doesn't work out, Hanna is good enough to contribute in a year or two.

Coty Sensabaugh: I've been seeing this name all over AP in the mock threads so I can't exclude him. We can always use more corner depth so Sensabaugh would make sense. He also has very good speed (4.42) and good size (5'11") for a late round corner.

7b. Donte Paige-Moss, DE, North Carolina

Paige-Moss looks to be a very solid prospect at DE. He does have some character concerns but in the 7th, we can take that chance. He's not a great fit at 3-4 DE but he's someone that we could develop or could rotate in during passing situations. Projecting for 6th-7th rounds is a crap shoot.

Other possibilities:

Vaughn Meatoga: Another big NT prospect, Meatoga could end up being a late rounder for us. We've shown interest in him.

Jordan White: Another player we've shown interest in is Jordan White. He had a ton of production at W. Michigan, so he might be worth consideration here.

I can already feel the Weeden supporters shaking their heads. This draft isn't perfect, but that's also probably why I am not working for the Chiefs. Hopefully this can provide a starting point for discussions over the next week.

Rec It Up, People! - Upamtn

There is a bit of a lull in between now and the next few rounds of excitement (FA, draft). I thought I'd bring up something other than free agents or incoming draft prospects.

I would love to see the Chiefs get some new, updated jerseys. We've had essentially the same ones for years now with only some minor changes. It would be cool, in my opinion, to see some jerseys that are black with red numbers, or yellow with red numbers. Just to wear occasionally to switch things up. Anyone else think it is about time that the Chiefs got some new jerseys?

There is a lot of discussion going on about McD's merits as a HC. There are some very good points being brought up against him, but some of the things quoted are incorrect or misleading. I'll try and list them here.

Continue reading this post »

via i.imgur.com

There is somewhat of a disparity between fans here and NFL pundits out there. They all say McD is the front runner, and some of them say he deserves it. The consensus (91%) here is that we don't want him. I'm going to try and change your mind on that.

Continue reading this post »

The Ravens are looking to get rid of their old LT, Jared Gaither. He is still very young (24). He's on the trade block, no doubt about it. He could play LT or RT. So either he could take over for O'Call if he's better, or he could bump Albert inside, or he could bump Albert over to the right. Whatever he does, he's a good player and I wouldn't think it was a bad idea if we gave up a 2nd to snag him. What does everyone else think?

In the unlikely scenario that Suh falls to us at #5, many fans feel that we should take him. But then we would have Dorsey, T. Jackson, and Suh as our starting DLinemen. Who plays where? We wouldn't have a true NT. What should we do? I don't understand how these questions are still questions when we have a coordinator like Crennel.

I would hope that we would take Suh, as he is a rare player. We should not, however, play him at NT. He's not fit for a 2 gap NT. We also should not move Dorsey inside and have him play 2 gap NT. Neither of these players are suited for that position.

But why couldn't Crennel come up with something better. Why do we have to play with a 2 gap NT. I know that is how he normally plays, but I firmly believe that when you have a great set of players like this scenario could give us, you work your scheme around them, not the other way around. If the unlikely happens and Suh falls to us at #5, we need to get him, and then rework our scheme to fit around the line we have. Maybe playing Dorsey as a 1 gap NT (like Dallas) would be a better idea. It isn't like our ILB's are making plays. Surely a smart coordinator like Crennel could come up with something, rather than playing someone out of position or *gasp* passing on a rare talent.

What do you guys think? What is to stop us from running a 1 gap NT with Dorsey like Dallas does with Ratliff?