Covitz: The Star’s projected draft

[Tribal Warfare]

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/football/story/583449.html


The Star’s projected draft

Here’s another peek at how we see the first round of the NFL draft unfolding. We’ll take one more shot at it next Saturday.

1MIAMI DOLPHINS

OT Jake Long, Michigan

If he doesn’t sign soon, Dolphins will take Vernon Gholston.

2 ST. LOUIS RAMS

DE Chris Long, Virginia

If the Dolphins take Gholston, the Rams grab Jake Long.

3 ATLANTA FALCONS

DT Glenn Dorsey, LSU

New coach Mike Smith wants to start with a defense.

4 OAKLAND RAIDERS

DE Vernon Gholston, Ohio State

If Gholston is gone, Raiders take DT Sedrick Ellis.

5 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

OT Branden Albert, Virginia

How did Virginia lose four games last season?

6 NEW YORK JETS

RB Darren McFadden, Arkansas

Jets find a playmaker in speedy Razorback

7 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (from S.F.)

CB Leodis McKelvin, Troy

McKelvin steps in for the departed Asante Samuel

8 BALTIMORE RAVENS

QB Matt Ryan, Boston College

Goodbye Steve McNair, hello Matt Ryan

9 CINCINNATI BENGALS

DT Sedrick Ellis, Southern Cal

He’s a steal at this spot.

10 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

LB Keith Rivers, Southern Cal

Rivers invigorates a slow, veteran linebacker corps.

11 BUFFALO BILLS

CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Tenn. St.

He is a better value than any wide receiver on board

12 DENVER BRONCOS

OT Ryan Clady, Boise State

It’s a coin flip between Clady and …

13 CAROLINA PANTHERS

OT Jeff Otah, Pittsburgh

… Otah, who can help NFL’s 29th-ranked offense

14 CHICAGO BEARS

RB Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois

Bears ranked 30th in rushing, last in yards per carry

15 DETROIT LIONS

OT Chris Williams, Vanderbilt

Detroit surrendered 54 sacks in 2007

16 ARIZONA CARDINALS

RB Jonathan Stewart, Oregon

He takes some of the heat off Edgerrin James

17 MINNESOTA VIKINGS

DE Derrick Harvey, Florida

Unless the Vikings acquire Jared Allen

18 HOUSTON TEXANS

CB Aqib Talib, Kansas

Injury to Dunta Robinson makes this a huge need

19 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

CB Mike Jenkins, South Florida

Eagles are shopping veteran Lito Sheppard

20 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

WR Devin Thomas, Michigan State

Best of a shallow pool of top-flight receivers

21 WASHINGTON

WR Limas Sweed, Texas

Big receiver fits club’s new West Coast offense

22 DALLAS COWBOYS (from Cleveland)

RB Felix Jones, Arkansas

Cowboys don’t want to wait until pick No. 28

23 PITTSBURGH STEELERS

OT Gosder Cherilus, Boston College

Steelers offensive line broke down in ’07

24 TENNESSEE TITANS

WR DeSean Jackson, California

Can make big plays in return game, too

25 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

WR Malcolm Kelly, Oklahoma

Questions about attitude dropped him here

26 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

DE Phillip Merling, Clemson

Concern about a sports hernia dropped him here

27 SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

CB Brandon Flowers, Virginia Tech

Physical corner fits the Chargers’ profile

28 DALLAS COWBOYS

CB Antoine Cason, Arizona

Cowboys could trade pick to team looking to take QB

29 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (from Indy)

DE Calais Campbell, Miami

Provides a bookend to newly signed Justin Smith

30 GREEN BAY PACKERS

TE Dustin Keller, Purdue

It’s between him and Southern Cal TE Fred Davis

31 NEW YORK GIANTS

S Kenny Phillips, Miami

Brings needed youth to Giants secondary

[007]

PRINTEM!!!

[MadMax]

5 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

OT Branden Albert, Virginia



I have no idea but I think i'll go ahead and puke right now...:(

[DeezNutz]

What team would take a ****ing guard with the #5 pick? If he wasn't good enough to play tackle in college, what's going to change now? This is a serious question.

[eazyb81]

What team would take a ****ing guard with the #5 pick? If he wasn't good enough to play tackle in college, what's going to change now? This is a serious question.

That is a serious question and I haven't heard a legit answer yet.

If we draft a guard at #5 I will throw my tv out the window. Then I will have two broken televisions.

[DeezNutz]

That is a serious question and I haven't heard a legit answer yet.

If we draft a guard at #5 I will throw my tv out the window. Then I will have two broken televisions.

That's what I'm saying. Drafting a guard at #5, to me, says we've given up. In this case, I'm advocating drafting a punter in the first round. Show the league that we truly don't give a ****. Do this and I'm buying a jersey, same day, no bs.

[the Talking Can]

guard is arguably the least important position on the field...and the easiest to fill in the draft...

so we're going to pass on Ellis and Ryan and draft a ****ING GUARD WITH THE #5 PICK IN THE ****ING DRAFT



and you KNOW it is going to happen....

every night I dream of killing Carl...every ****ing night....

[milkman]

I like Brandon Albert.

I think he has huge potential, and I was projecting him at tackle before any of the so called experts were, and I stil would not take him at 5.

[alanm]

guard is arguably the least important position on the field...and the easiest to fill in the draft...

so we're going to pass on Ellis and Ryan and draft a ****ING GUARD WITH THE #5 PICK IN THE ****ING DRAFT



and you KNOW it is going to happen....

every night I dream of killing Carl...every ****ing night....
And not only a guard. But a guard drafted as a project to turn into a LT.
The logic at 1 Arrowhead is impecable. :spock:

[DeezNutz]

If we pick up Minny's pick, Albert would make a lot of sense at 17. This would be ok.

[Chiefmanwillcatch]

Herm and Kuh have been spot on for the 1st round.

NONE OF YOU CAN QUESTION IT.

[Archie Bunker]

Words can't expess how pissed I would be with this pick with Ryan and Ellis on the board. Either would be a no brainer.

I will say this though if they stupidly feel like they have to reach for an o-lineman I'd rather it be Albert than Clady. The Chiefs aren't the only team that see him as potentially dominant tackle and even if the move to tackle flops he is still maybe the best guard prospect in a decade.

IMO its the best case in a worst case scenerio. :grr:

['Hamas' Jenkins]

This is a bigger clusterf*ck than the gunfight at the end of True Romance.

[blueballs]

Carl can still trade the #5 for a head coach

[J Diddy]

Carl can still trade the #5 for a head coach


oh jesus don't say that





we'll wind up with al saunders

[Smed1065]

A guard?

FT!

[ChiefsCountry]

Glad these boys suck at projected the draft, remember last year they were all over Aaron Ross and Joe Staley.

[Smed1065]

Sorry but Albut @ 5 sucks for value. IMO.

Nothing changes after 20 years?

:cuss::cuss:

[Mecca]

If the Chiefs take Branden Albert over Matt Ryan that is why the Chiefs are the Chiefs.

[Archie Bunker]

Glad these boys suck at projected the draft, remember last year they were all over Aaron Ross and Joe Staley.

Good point. They only mock I'm going to put any stock in is Gosselin's final one. If has the Chiefs taking Albert, Clady, or Otah then I'll panic a little bit.

[ChiefsCountry]

I like Albert alot, just not at #5. Now at 17 I would be all over him.

[CupidStunt]

If the Chiefs take Branden Albert over Matt Ryan that is why the Chiefs are the Chiefs.

Yeah, and if Albert goes on to be a 10-time Pro Bowl LT and Matt Ryan is a 10-year mediocre starter, that is why "the Chiefs are the Chiefs." STFU

[Infidel Goat]

FWIW, Virginia was a last second missed field goal by Wake Forest away from being a 5 loss team...

That being said, I wouldn't mind the Albert pick as long as we trade back a few spots and get another pick in the process...

[DaWolf]

I think this is Carl's new strategy heading into the next decade. Since converting safeties to cornerbacks hasn't gotten us to the superbowl, he's going to try converting guards to tackles...

[Mr. Laz]

worse case scenario

[Rausch]

If the Chiefs take Branden Albert over Matt Ryan that is why the Chiefs are the Chiefs.

Finally something I agree with you on...

[Pasta Little Brioni]

taken at 5 he'd be a left tackle not a guard...the chiefs are not the only team that think he can play tackle. that said number 5 overall is way too high for him.

[007]

Finally something I agree with you on...

The end of the world is near.

[phisherman]

this whole "shooting up the draft boards" thing with albert has me feeling a ryan sims level of deja vu.

[Rausch]

taken at 5 he'd be a left tackle not a guard...the chiefs are not the only team that think he can play tackle. that said number 5 overall is way too high for him.

Exactly. This move only makes sense if we trade down. I'm not against the idea. In fact I think it's what we should do if we can't pull the Allen trade before the draft...

[beach tribe]

Looks like the Star knows the Chiefs pretty well.

[melbar]

The reason he didnt play LT in college is they have a LT who is projected for the 1st round next year. They were still going to switch them but he was injured before the beginning of last season and they didnt want to make the change last minute. Albert has great lateral movement, punch, attitude, gets to the second level, and understands blocking schemes. Some are saying he's the best OG prospect coming out of college they've seen. Could be the next Shields if he stayed at OG. Could be very solid LT if not great...
Again, that being said, not at 5.

[FloridaMan88]

Maybe if the Chiefs hadn't been in a coma during the free agency period they wouldn't be in such a desperate situation in the draft.

Desperate teams in the draft are forced to do dumb things... it is pretty simple

[ChiefsCountry]

Maybe if the Chiefs hadn't been in a coma during the free agency period they wouldn't be in such a desperate situation in the draft.

Desperate teams in the draft are forced to do dumb things... it is pretty simple

Your an idiot. You want to over pay for the crap on the free agent market. Brillant.

[alanm]

taken at 5 he'd be a left tackle not a guard...the chiefs are not the only team that think he can play tackle. that said number 5 overall is way too high for him.
It's a HUGE reach and a bad one at that. ESPECIALLY with the 5 pick. It would tell me Bobo the chimp or Carl dressed up as Bobo is throwing darts at a board.
The #5 should be a starter at opening day. Alberts won't be starting at LT on opening day. :shake:
And why in the f*ck would we want to take on a project with the 1st pick. :banghead:

[kcxiv]

IT wouldnt bother me if he ends up being a good to great LT. If he flops though, oh boy.

[alanm]

I'm not saying that Alberts is a huge reach but I mean that using the # 5 pick on a project is a huge reach.

[el borracho]

This pick would delay the draft for probably 3 hours while all of NY City rolled around laughing and commenting on how mismanaged the Chiefs are.

[Reerun_KC]

Your an idiot. You want to over pay for the crap on the free agent market. Brillant.
Regardless CC, right now we have so many holes. There is no way that Carl or Herm can fix this team...

Neither are qualified.

[Reerun_KC]

This pick would delay the draft for probably 3 hours while all of NY City rolled around laughing and commenting on how mismanaged the Chiefs are.
Would be worth seeing....

Clark is laughing all the way to the bank at the expense of the True fans....

[kcxiv]

This pick would delay the draft for probably 3 hours while all of NY City rolled around laughing and commenting on how mismanaged the Chiefs are.

Eh, what does it matter if they pick someone whos a bit of a reach if they end up hitting on the pick? I dont think it matters at all.

[el borracho]

Eh, what does it matter if they pick someone whos a bit of a reach if they end up hitting on the pick? I dont think it matters at all.

Go ahead and spend $20 on a Big Mac. I mean, as long as you like Big Macs and you were going to spend $20 on dinner, anyway, then it must be worth it. Right?

[Mecca]

Taking Albert at 5 is typical of the Chiefs, taking a guy switching positions.....