Football Peter King: You have to go back to 1997 to find a draft like this one

Deberg_1990 · 02-19-2013, 07:53 AM

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl.../?sct=uk_wr_a1

You'd probably have to go back to 1997 to find a draft like this one. That's the year Peyton Manning eschewed the prospect of going to the Jets first overall to play for Bill Parcells and returned for his senior year at Tennessee. One quarterback (shaky Jim Druckenmiller, 26th) picked in round one. Two backs (Warrick Dunn 12th and Antowain Smith 23rd) in round one, and four receivers in the first: Ike Hilliard seventh, Yatil Green 15th, Reidel Anthony 16th and Rae Carruth 27th. Yikes! What a horrible draft for point-producers. One star, Dunn, out of seven first-rounders.

That could repeat this year. It's likely Alabama's Eddie Lacy will be the only running back taken in round one. Tennessee's Cordarrelle Patterson leads the muddled pack at wide receiver, but how sure can you really be of junior-college transfers who play one year of major-college football, which is Patterson's profile?

The quarterbacks are a total mish-mosh at this point. One GM interested in acquiring a quarterback this offseason told me over the weekend, "I expect more attention on the quarterbacks throwing this year than on any other single thing at the Combine.'' Some think Geno Smith of West Virginia will go first overall to quarterback-needy Kansas City; one personnel man who studied all the top quarterbacks for a team in need of one last fall told me, "There's not one quarterback, including Smith, I would take in the first round."

Two points about that. If you need a quarterback, you can talk brave in February, but when reality sets in around draft day, and you haven't picked up a quarterback in free agency, all of a sudden the zits on Smith, Matt Barkley and other others don't seem as bad. And we're nine and a half weeks from round one. There's no way that Andy Reid and John Dorsey, the coach and GM for Kansas City, know what they're doing now. They need time to investigate and to watch tape on the eight or 10 quarterbacks.

But in some ways, 2013 should be a catchup year for the other positions. Opening day 2013 could feature 12 starting quarterbacks drafted in 2011 and '12; that's far, far above the norm in a game that values veteran arms at the position.

Now for a couple of notes about players at the Combine.

Alec Ogletree. The underclass inside linebacker from Georgia would be a clear top-10 pick with a clean resume. But he was suspended the first four games of last season for failing an offseason drug test, and then came the news Saturday night, via ProFootballTalk.com, that Ogletree recently was pinched for driving while intoxicated.

Ogletree and agent Pat Dye were smart to come out and beat the police blotter to the punch. As for the damage done by the arrest, Ogletree, who is a speed demon for an inside player, the kind of player who, if right, would be a perfect fit as a rare three-down inside linebacker for any team, has to convince teams they shouldn't be worried about a player who has tested positive, been suspended, and gotten a DWI in the span of about nine months.

Some GM is going to stake his reputation on Ogletree in the first round, most likely. Which GM? It would have to be a secure one. Green Bay's Ted Thompson or de facto GM Bill Belichick of the Patriots or Baltimore's Ozzie Newsome, all down near the bottom of the round.

Manti Te'o. The Notre Dame linebacker has spent a lot of time practicing football and practicing what he's going to say to teams. His last game, against Alabama, was a nightmare (he was awful, and overpowered), and then the whole fake girlfriend story came up, making him a national story and, in some quarters, a national joke. It won't matter much how he works out in Indianapolis. What will matter are the 15-minute interviews he'll have in formal evening sessions with teams, and in less formal settings, seeing coaches and personnel people at the stadium and around his hotel.

No men have more on the line, off the field, at the Scouting Combine than Ogletree and Te'o.

Finally, three players I'll be watching at the Combine, three with question marks and debatable upsides:

1. Quarterback Sean Renfree, Duke. No one's talking about him, but he completed 70 percent of his throws in six of 12 games for David Cutcliffe last fall, was a comeback specialist, and has the pedigree in a good pro-style offense to play early. Could he be more than a late-round flyer, this year's Ryan Lindley? We'll see.

2. Cornerback Xavier Rhodes, Florida State. A 6-2 cornerback in a league demanding cover guys who can play on islands more and more? Scouts want to see if Rhodes, who is a heady player with good bump skills at the line of scrimmage, has the speed to stay with fast wideouts. If so, he'll be a top-half-of-the-first-round player.

3. Running back Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina. After his devastating dislocated knee and torn knee ligaments in October, Lattimore, considered a certain first-rounder before the injury, is still in recovery mode. His surgeon, James Andrews, told Lattimore recently that he's going to shock the world. "I hear he's working out great,'' said Mayock. Lattimore believes he'll be healthy enough to start the 2013 NFL season. Is he's a fourth-round minefield pick? Or might some team desperate for a back go for him a round earlier -- or even late in the second round?

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl...#ixzz2LLwcLLId

Pasta Little Brioni · 02-19-2013, 07:56 AM

Not a **** is given about Pioli's personal fluffer's draft takes

**the Talking Can** · 02-19-2013, 07:59 AM

Peter King 1997 Was The Last Time I Saw My Penis

Pasta Little Brioni · 02-19-2013, 08:01 AM

They don't get it. We'd rather take a QB and whiff than take a tackle at one, let Albert walk, and watch him lead us to no extra wins.

In58men · 02-19-2013, 08:11 AM

He's got a point. This draft class isn't great by any means. Some of you are just blind.

**notorious** · 02-19-2013, 08:12 AM

After Luck, RGIII, and Wilson, every draft is going to look like shit.

**** all of them. If last year's draft never happened, this QB class looks similar to most classes.

O.city · 02-19-2013, 08:13 AM

Wonder where this came from.

In58men · 02-19-2013, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notorious

After Luck, RGIII, and Wilson, every draft is going to look like shit.

**** all of them. If last year's draft never happened, this QB class looks similar to most classes.

Geno Smiths down fall is he played in a weak division.

**notorious** · 02-19-2013, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by O.city

Wonder where this came from.

Exactly.

What "former" GM does Peter King gargle daily?

mr. tegu · 02-19-2013, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inmem58

Geno Smiths down fall is he played in a weak division.

You mean the same one that rocketed RG3 up to the number 2 spot in the draft.

In58men · 02-19-2013, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

You mean the same one that rocketed RG3 up to the number 2 spot in the draft.

Good point lol.

RyFo18 · 02-19-2013, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inmem58

He's got a point. This draft class isn't great by any means. Some of you are just blind.

Not great in terms of can't miss guys, but there is a lot of depth at positions like WR, O-line, D-line, CB, and LB.

htismaqe · 02-19-2013, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inmem58

He's got a point. This draft class isn't great by any means. Some of you are just blind.

Ironic that you didn't say QUARTERBACK draft class.

Because of course, your statement, as-is, is 100% correct.

Leaving us back at TAKING A QB.

**RealSNR** · 02-19-2013, 08:52 AM

I try to tell myself it could be much worse. We could have kept Pioli, let Albert walk, and drafted Joeckel.

**jAZ** · 02-19-2013, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PGM

They don't get it. We'd rather take a QB and whiff than take a tackle at one, let Albert walk, and watch him lead us to no extra wins.

Drafting to please fans is a really terrible strategy.

02-19-2013, 07:53 AM
Deberg_1990 In Search of a Life Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Antonio Tx. Casino cash: $104454	Peter King: You have to go back to 1997 to find a draft like this one http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl.../?sct=uk_wr_a1 You'd probably have to go back to 1997 to find a draft like this one. That's the year Peyton Manning eschewed the prospect of going to the Jets first overall to play for Bill Parcells and returned for his senior year at Tennessee. One quarterback (shaky Jim Druckenmiller, 26th) picked in round one. Two backs (Warrick Dunn 12th and Antowain Smith 23rd) in round one, and four receivers in the first: Ike Hilliard seventh, Yatil Green 15th, Reidel Anthony 16th and Rae Carruth 27th. Yikes! What a horrible draft for point-producers. One star, Dunn, out of seven first-rounders. That could repeat this year. It's likely Alabama's Eddie Lacy will be the only running back taken in round one. Tennessee's Cordarrelle Patterson leads the muddled pack at wide receiver, but how sure can you really be of junior-college transfers who play one year of major-college football, which is Patterson's profile? The quarterbacks are a total mish-mosh at this point. One GM interested in acquiring a quarterback this offseason told me over the weekend, "I expect more attention on the quarterbacks throwing this year than on any other single thing at the Combine.'' Some think Geno Smith of West Virginia will go first overall to quarterback-needy Kansas City; one personnel man who studied all the top quarterbacks for a team in need of one last fall told me, "There's not one quarterback, including Smith, I would take in the first round." Two points about that. If you need a quarterback, you can talk brave in February, but when reality sets in around draft day, and you haven't picked up a quarterback in free agency, all of a sudden the zits on Smith, Matt Barkley and other others don't seem as bad. And we're nine and a half weeks from round one. There's no way that Andy Reid and John Dorsey, the coach and GM for Kansas City, know what they're doing now. They need time to investigate and to watch tape on the eight or 10 quarterbacks. But in some ways, 2013 should be a catchup year for the other positions. Opening day 2013 could feature 12 starting quarterbacks drafted in 2011 and '12; that's far, far above the norm in a game that values veteran arms at the position. Now for a couple of notes about players at the Combine. Alec Ogletree. The underclass inside linebacker from Georgia would be a clear top-10 pick with a clean resume. But he was suspended the first four games of last season for failing an offseason drug test, and then came the news Saturday night, via ProFootballTalk.com, that Ogletree recently was pinched for driving while intoxicated. Ogletree and agent Pat Dye were smart to come out and beat the police blotter to the punch. As for the damage done by the arrest, Ogletree, who is a speed demon for an inside player, the kind of player who, if right, would be a perfect fit as a rare three-down inside linebacker for any team, has to convince teams they shouldn't be worried about a player who has tested positive, been suspended, and gotten a DWI in the span of about nine months. Some GM is going to stake his reputation on Ogletree in the first round, most likely. Which GM? It would have to be a secure one. Green Bay's Ted Thompson or de facto GM Bill Belichick of the Patriots or Baltimore's Ozzie Newsome, all down near the bottom of the round. Manti Te'o. The Notre Dame linebacker has spent a lot of time practicing football and practicing what he's going to say to teams. His last game, against Alabama, was a nightmare (he was awful, and overpowered), and then the whole fake girlfriend story came up, making him a national story and, in some quarters, a national joke. It won't matter much how he works out in Indianapolis. What will matter are the 15-minute interviews he'll have in formal evening sessions with teams, and in less formal settings, seeing coaches and personnel people at the stadium and around his hotel. No men have more on the line, off the field, at the Scouting Combine than Ogletree and Te'o. Finally, three players I'll be watching at the Combine, three with question marks and debatable upsides: 1. Quarterback Sean Renfree, Duke. No one's talking about him, but he completed 70 percent of his throws in six of 12 games for David Cutcliffe last fall, was a comeback specialist, and has the pedigree in a good pro-style offense to play early. Could he be more than a late-round flyer, this year's Ryan Lindley? We'll see. 2. Cornerback Xavier Rhodes, Florida State. A 6-2 cornerback in a league demanding cover guys who can play on islands more and more? Scouts want to see if Rhodes, who is a heady player with good bump skills at the line of scrimmage, has the speed to stay with fast wideouts. If so, he'll be a top-half-of-the-first-round player. 3. Running back Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina. After his devastating dislocated knee and torn knee ligaments in October, Lattimore, considered a certain first-rounder before the injury, is still in recovery mode. His surgeon, James Andrews, told Lattimore recently that he's going to shock the world. "I hear he's working out great,'' said Mayock. Lattimore believes he'll be healthy enough to start the 2013 NFL season. Is he's a fourth-round minefield pick? Or might some team desperate for a back go for him a round earlier -- or even late in the second round? Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl...#ixzz2LLwcLLId
Posts: 68,675

02-19-2013, 07:56 AM	#2
Pasta Little Brioni Consuming CP souls Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: U.S.A. Casino cash: $168880	Not a ** is given about Pioli's personal fluffer's draft takes __________________ Official TFWdemB Trivia Commisioner**
Posts: 73,010

02-19-2013, 07:59 AM	#3
the Talking Can Supporter Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: street Casino cash: $9162208	Peter King 1997 Was The Last Time I Saw My Penis __________________ Clark Hunt: "Thank god for the Dominican pool boy"
Posts: 51,585

02-19-2013, 08:01 AM	#4
Pasta Little Brioni Consuming CP souls Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: U.S.A. Casino cash: $168880	They don't get it. We'd rather take a QB and whiff than take a tackle at one, let Albert walk, and watch him lead us to no extra wins. __________________ **Official TFWdemB Trivia Commisioner**
Posts: 73,010

02-19-2013, 08:11 AM	#5
In58men I didn’t say mud, I said crud. Join Date: Jan 2012 Casino cash: $-1561974	He's got a point. This draft class isn't great by any means. Some of you are just blind.
Posts: 30,926

02-19-2013, 08:12 AM	#6
notorious Supporter Join Date: May 2005 Location: Who knows? Casino cash: $-974116	After Luck, RGIII, and Wilson, every draft is going to look like shit. **** all of them. If last year's draft never happened, this QB class looks similar to most classes.
Posts: 88,588

02-19-2013, 08:13 AM	#7
O.city In Search of a Life Join Date: Jul 2009 Casino cash: $-725936	Wonder where this came from.
Posts: 84,240

02-19-2013, 08:52 AM	#14
RealSNR Special Teams ACE!!! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Where the hell is SNR Casino cash: $-1534792	I try to tell myself it could be much worse. We could have kept Pioli, let Albert walk, and drafted Joeckel.
Posts: 93,431