Players being invited to the draft...

[Mecca]

NFL Increasing Draft Invite List
Posted by Aaron Wilson on April 10, 2009, 7:47 p.m. EDT

The NFL is going to need a bigger green room for the draft.

According to Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com, the league has increased the list of players invited to the draft in New York from six to 10 top prospects.

Although the NFL is reportedly not just inviting sure-fire top 10 draft picks and will include players with “compelling stories,” they have also increased the chances of more players having to pensively sweat out a long wait with cameras watching their every mannerism a la Cleveland Browns quarterback Brady Quinn from a few years ago.

USC quarterback Mark Sanchez was invited to the draft, but, for now, is planning to remain in California with family and friends.

Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford, USC linebacker Brian Cushing and Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman have accepted invitations, according to Mortensen, who indicated that an official announcement is expected to happen on Monday.

Plus, the following players are also likely to be in New York for the draft: Baylor offensive tackle Jason Smith, Ole Miss offensive tackle Michael Oher, Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo, Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry, Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree and Virginia offensive tackle Eugene Monroe.

So lets get this right a few guys are intentionally being invited knowing that they'll go later so we can "watch them sweat" because it's good for TV?

[Crush]

Originally Posted by SNR

Saccogoo thinks you're a moron. He has him in his Top 5, and would rather draft Oher than Stafford OR Sanchez

I am pretty sure Sackofgoo is a troll account.

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by SNR

Saccogoo thinks you're a moron. He has him in his Top 5, and would rather draft Oher than Stafford OR Sanchez

There's no "think" about it. Oher is a dominant OT with a skill set that is superior to any other guy they are pimping for LT in this draft. I have no idea why he's being downgraded by some of these people. Someone is going to steal him if he drops out of the top ten.

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by Saccogoo

There's no "think" about it. Oher is a dominant OT with a skill set that is superior to any other guy they are pimping for LT in this draft. I have no idea why he's being downgraded by some of these people. Someone is going to steal him if he drops out of the top ten.

He has more potential than any tackle in the draft, but he needs lots of work to get it. That's not top 5 material, and it's definitely not top 3 material.

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by SNR

He has more potential than any tackle in the draft, but he needs lots of work to get it. That's not top 5 material, and it's definitely not top 3 material.

Bullshit. Oher is, as of right now, better than any LT in this draft on the field. And he has more potential as well. That's top 1 material if you ask me. At least when you compare him to a guy like Jake Long in last years draft.

The only reason that Monroe is being pimped over him is because people think that he must be all-world to have kept Brandon Albert inside at guard....yeah. And are you seriously going to tell me that a guy from Baylor is THE guy? I don't think he ever got his hand dirty once playing LT for Baylor, and there is a huge question mark about his ability to support the running game.

Oher will absolutely bury people in the run and if he locks on a guy in the pass, it's over. And he seems to relish burying people. The dude can be flat out nasty.

If Jake Long, Joe Thomas and D'Brickashaw Ferguson can be considered top five talent, let alone Jason Smith and Eugene Monroe, than you sure as hell can bet that Michael Oher is as well.

[Mr. Arrowhead]

Jesus got invited

[Mecca]

Michael Oher probably would be considered better if he had put his issues to bed during the senior bowl and the offseason but he didn't...

He appeared to have mental lapses and he wasn't a physically dominant as some would have expected in his workouts.

[B_Ambuehl]

Ballerinas at the LT position get hyped up during the evaluation process. People fall in love with those feet. Monroe and Smith have those pretty feet but as far as run blocking and straight ahead nastiness goes Oher's gonna make somebody really happy.

[SBK]

Originally Posted by Mr. Arrowhead

Jesus got invited

Will they still open the draft with a prayer since he'll be in the greenroom. or will someone just walk in and ask him to bless the ceremony?

[SBK]

Oher is a great story and will give the networks something good to talk about for 15 minutes when he's drafted.

[KCrockaholic]

eh. I dont like it. 6 sounds good. 10 is over doing it.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by B_Ambuehl

Ballerinas at the LT position get hyped up during the evaluation process. People fall in love with those feet. Monroe and Smith have those pretty feet but as far as run blocking and straight ahead nastiness goes Oher's gonna make somebody really happy.

It will be interesting to see if Clady takes a step back this year, since Shanahan's offense basically suited him perfectly and masked his weaknesses.