Don't think he's an overrated hack. Yes, he ****ed up in taking Dex in the 2nd. However, Moeaki has the potential to be better than Hernandez. Not as elusive or versatile, but can block and is great when he doesn't have a torn ACL. Arenas is a top 5 PR and could use some blocking. Additionally, he is solid in the nickel. Whether you care to acknowledge it or not, this is a passing league and most defenses are in their nickle or dime. So if you look at Pioli's drafts with his scouts + Emery, you have

Berry-Excellent
Dex-Probably a bust, but can be effective occasionally
Arenas- Solid nickel/great PR
Asamoah-Starter RG
Moeaki-Starter TE, high ceiling
Lewis-Starter FS, good centerfielder
Sheffield- sit. pass rusher, probably a bust due to injury
Baldwin- Solid pick drafted at position of need, flashed last year
Hudson- AA, solid pick, starter this year at C
Houston- Starter, great end to rookie season
Bailey- Situational pass rusher(2-3 downs), could be a starter
Brown- Hasn't flashed, mediocre on special teams
Stanzi- Nobody knows
Miller- Depth, meh
Powe- high ceiling, flashed in the NE game, drafted at PON
Bannon- Meh, 7th rd pick

We signed Belcher mere days after we got Emery in 09, too.

Kuechly is going to be attached to us because his attitude etc etc speak Patriot way, Pioli and all that. Oddly his athletic numbers are right there with Mayo's his draft year...

Yup. I'll admit, the lack of Emery has me worried as well. The guy has already looked good in CHI in getting Marshall e Bush. He does have to adapt to his defensive draft philosophy, but I think he is a solid enough evaluator that it will be fine.

Who took Emery's spot?

Mayo played in a 3-4 and plays DJ's position. Normally I would agree and think that Pioli was drafting Kuechly as a form of insurance for DJ, but with Brockers likely available, I doubt it. Kuechly would be great if DJ goes down with an injury or we decide to "groom him". Yes, he won't be an immediate starter/upgrade over Belcher but if DJ goes down, there is nobody to replace him. If we end up drafting Kuechly, that is Pioli's thinking IMO.

I haven't seen anything yet on it, I'll look though.

On our website, there is no college of scouting diretor. It is probablyFarmer, Nagy e Green running the show with Pioli.

Kind of hard to say it was hindsight when the whole board was screaming on draft day to take Cody or Jimmy Clausen in that draft.

If we had a NT Kuechly could play with DJ...I think they're gonna take Brockers but the fact that taking a 5 tech in the first round again is ok speaks to what this front office has done to the fan base.

To be fair, Pioli has only drafted 3 5-techs, and Magee is gone. There are plenty of teams that take 5-techs in the first round each year, I don't have a problem with that. However, the fact that we've drafted a #3, a 3rd, another 3rd, and now a 1st either seems like our scouting staff is a bunch of ****ing idiots, or its an extreme position of need. I think it falls in-between. If we draft 2 DEs for a 3-4 this year, or another next year, then there is reason for concern. I agree with the NT idea, as an above avg NT makes your entire 3-4 better, especially if you somehow get lucky enough to draft one that can push the pocket ala Wilfork.

I suspect Pioli had the inside scoop on Cody from Saban. At least, I would think so.

Well his inside scoop sucked. Cody's a hell of a ballplayer.

Yep no spinning that. That was a mistake. Period point blank.

The knock on Moeaki coming out of Iowa was his durability. That continues to be the question. He could be the most talented TE in the league, but if he can't stay on the field, it doesn't matter much. Some guys just seem to get injured much more than others...who knows why?

The Pioli draft record is still very much open.