More Analysis That Bucs Draft Mo Claiborne
April 20th, 2012
Since the great, cranky, well-informed Dr. Z, Paul Zimmerman, had a series of strokes, knocking him off the pages of Sports Illustrated and SI.com, popcorn-munching, coffee-slurping, fried chicken-eating, oatmeal-loving, beer-chugging Peter King, the NBC Sports guru and Sports Illustrated scribe has picked up the mantle for the publication’s annual mock draft.
King has done a pretty good job too. Last year, King even beat Mike Mayock for accuracy. That’s pretty solid in Joe’s eyes.
So SI.com just posted King’s mock draft. He claims the Bucs secondary is in such a dire need of an upgrade, that drafting LSU Morris Claiborne is a must for Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik.
(Should pick: Morris Claiborne). Ronde Barber is 37, and free agent corner Eric Wright is plenty leaky, so this is Tampa Bay’s position of greatest long-term need. The Tigers trusted Claiborne on an island; as a pro he’ll have to hold his own against NFC South gunslingers Drew Brees, Cam Newton and Matt Ryan if the Bucs are going to have a chance to be competitive.
This is what Joe has been writing for months now: Never mind that Wright next year (if not this year) may be the Bucs’ best corner. It looks like Barber will be playing plenty of safety and who knows about Talib this year, much less if the Bucs re-sign him after his contract ends after the 2012 season.
Drafting a running back instead of Claiborne with the fifth pick is simply irresponsible, unless fans pine for the Bucs being down three touchdowns in the first half facing the likes this season of the Mannings, Phillip Rivers, Brees (twice), Matty Ice (twice) and Newton (twice).
April 20th, 2012 at 1:03 pm
Claiborne or bust!
April 20th, 2012 at 1:05 pm
I get that he is the highest rated CB by most experts, and I would definitely be comfortable with him as a Buc, but honestly he doesn’t “wow” me in any way. Anyone expecting him to step in and immediately be the best player in the secondary is really pushing it, I feel.
April 20th, 2012 at 1:09 pm
And come on Joe, it’s not like drafting a CB at #5 isn’t any more irresponsible than drafting a RB there. There should be no difference between any position for that pick. You have to pick the player you feel is worth the most value to the team there. Doesn’t matter what position it is, as long as it’s not K, P, or LS haha
April 20th, 2012 at 1:14 pm
rhymenoceros, that would be true if all positions are of equal value, but they aren’t.
April 20th, 2012 at 1:15 pm
This drum beating is tiresome, bordering on nauseating.
April 20th, 2012 at 1:15 pm
“Drafting a running back instead of Claiborne with the fifth pick is simply irresponsible, unless fans pine for the Bucs being down three touchdowns in the first half.”
Because clearly that wouldn’t happen with Claiborne but would happen with a CB drafted in the 2nd or 3rd round.
April 20th, 2012 at 1:20 pm
Obviously if we picked a RB at 5 our offense would still be terrible.
Obviously if we picked a CB at 5 our defense will be much better.
Obviously 😉
April 20th, 2012 at 1:24 pm
“Drafting a running back instead of Claiborne with the fifth pick is simply irresponsible..”
Yes, because we all know the rule that you can’t draft one in the other rounds.
April 20th, 2012 at 1:25 pm
Re-phrased:
“Drafting a running back instead of Claiborne with the fifth pick is simply irresponsible..”
Yes, because we all know the rule that you can’t draft a CB in the other rounds.
April 20th, 2012 at 1:27 pm
the 2nd round running backs are much better than 2nd round cornerbacks…
April 20th, 2012 at 1:36 pm
wait “Wright is plenty leaky”?!?! WTF Pete..whatya sayin? Is this true anybody?
April 20th, 2012 at 1:42 pm
Instead of worrying about all the people that Ryan, Brees and Newton are throwing too. Why don’t we just get a D-line that can Sac and tackle them.
April 20th, 2012 at 1:48 pm
I think MC will be the draft pick if he’s there at #5 and Dominick is unable to trade down for more picks in the later rounds. Looking back at 2010, the defense was not great, but played decently. With respect to 2011, it’s not worthy of discussion and needs to be erased from memory (new start).
Just my opinion, but with the new coaching staff, culture change and having the off season I think this Defense can be very good. If they have a good back 7 draft and the Defensive line remains healthy they may be great.
April 20th, 2012 at 1:51 pm
Unless we trade up, Clayborn and Richardson will be gone. Write it down.. So all your drum beating will be for not Joe.. Better start tinkling who you want with those guys gone.
April 20th, 2012 at 1:52 pm
Drafting for need…
The wrong way to draft.
The Bucs will (or at least should) take the best player available.
April 20th, 2012 at 1:55 pm
How/why we would automatically assume we would be down by 3 touchdowns? Are we so sure that our offense can’t put up points?? At the worst, it could just be that we’re in a shootout. “BucsFans” tend to forget that. Our offense is closer to being a dominant unit that our defense. Just a thought.
April 20th, 2012 at 1:55 pm
DRAFT RICHARDSON and trade for Samuel with the iggles! LEHHH GO!!
April 20th, 2012 at 2:26 pm
@ Tom
I like the thought,but what would be better would be to switch picks with the Eagles and get A.Samuel and a 3rd or 4th round pick. Allowing us to take the MLB L.Kuechly(Which is a big need) and allow us to take a Safety in the 2nd and a RB in the 3rd.
April 20th, 2012 at 2:40 pm
“Drafting a running back instead of Claiborne with the fifth pick is simply irresponsible..”
——-
You continue to say this, yet most experts disagree with you. Aside from everyone on NFL Network saying we should draft Richardson if available, guys like Bill Polian say the same. Are they all irresponsible? I don’t get this “Claiborne or we are stupid” mentality. Why can’t we draft a CB in the second round? Whoever said you can’t get a great corner in the second needs to take a look at the numbers, which proves that theory completely wrong. You will not find one GM or expert that will say it is irresponsible to draft the best player available. Some may believe in drafting for need, but they won’t say “irresponsible”. Either way, we are going to get a great player. But this “irresponsible” talk is borderline insane, with absolutely no proof to back it up (other than your belief). The Browns are going to dictate who we pick anyway, so we’ll never really know who we really wanted.
April 20th, 2012 at 2:43 pm
trade up Dom, give Minn a little something, they’ll bit and they still get who they would have picked with #3 anyway Kalii I assume…
April 20th, 2012 at 2:51 pm
Joe,
Supercorners don’t get beat like a drum by Andre Debose and Jacoby Brisett of UF. Sorry to say this but Janoris Jenkins had much more success against Julio Jones, Alshon Jeffery and A.J. Green than Mo Claiborne. The 2nd to 3rd best CB in the draft.
The bucs should draft best player available and T Rich is graded out as being in the Top 3 prospects in this entire draft and Mo Claiborne Top 10 $$$$ is not even #1 at his position.
Remember Schiano said he wants a CB that helps in the running game. Mo Claiborne is not that guy. Stephon Gilmore has almost 3 times the tackles and just as many passes defensed as Claiborne.
April 20th, 2012 at 3:00 pm
Pinnacl3, that’s ridiculous– we KNOW Schiano is setting up a power-run O and we KNOW we suck at shootouts– look at last season and what happens with Free when you ask him to do too much in the air with these receivers.
We need defensive help and we need a corner.
Stop with your fantasy football drafting! Richardson may be the next AP but the LAST AP didn’t get anyone to a super bowl.
April 20th, 2012 at 3:21 pm
@ D
D, how do the BUCS suck at shootouts? EVERYTHING in the offense in completely different. NEW Coach…NEW OC…NEW OFFENSIVE WEAPON(S)..NEW OFFENSE. We, BUCS FANS, have got to stop being so finicky. We swear we want a “New Day” but still talk as if the BUCS still have the same defense from the Sapp/Brooks/Lynch era. We simply don’t have that. And I’m not saying we should try to make every game a shootout, but I am telling you to look at the pieces on the offensive side of the ball then compare it to what we have on the defensive side of the ball. We’re closer to having a dominant offense than we do a defense. And we’re not just one CB away from being a good defense either.
***By the way, I DETEST “Fantasy Football”.
April 20th, 2012 at 3:27 pm
How/why we would automatically assume we would be down by 3 touchdowns?
@ Pinnacl3:
EXACTLY!!!
Our defense last year was one coached by an idiot DB coach who lost the players early into the losing streak. Personally, I don’t think our defense is as bad as the 2011 tape shows. I also don’t think our current DBs are as bad as everyone makes them out to be. No one’s been properly coached for 3 years.
Three seasons – 3-13, 10-6, and 4-12
The anomaly here is the 10-6 season. Without Freeman’s comebacks against losing teams, the Bucs could’ve easily been 4-12.
All that aside, its time to start taking the BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE. That’s how successful franchises draft.
If MC and TR are there at #5, draft the BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE.
And that’s Trent Richardson.
April 20th, 2012 at 3:28 pm
Is it possible Jenkins falls to the Bucs in the 2nd round?
April 20th, 2012 at 3:30 pm
“Stop with your fantasy football drafting! Richardson may be the next AP but the LAST AP didn’t get anyone to a super bowl.”
—————–
Really?
Did a Top 5 Cornerback ever get anyone to a Super Bowl?
Go look up where New England and New York’s defenses ranked last year.
Then go look up where their offenses ranked.
Offense wins in the NFL now. Wake up.
And the answer isn’t “WE NEED DEFENSE”… its “WE NEED OFFENSE”.
Trent Richardson and Blount in the backfield potentially makes this offense ELITE. Adding Morris Claiborne to the defense doesn’t make a significant impact. What makes a significant impact on defense is getting all those 1st and 2nd rounders we have on the defensive line to actually RUSH THE PASSER. Who cares who your CBs are when the other team’s quarterback is hurried and sacked.
April 20th, 2012 at 3:31 pm
I heard the NGL.com draft Guru today with the commish claim that Claiborne is not even the best cornerback in the draft–maybe not the second best. Don’t waste this pick. Richardson will have a Hall of Fame career.
April 20th, 2012 at 3:32 pm
“Richardson may be the next AP but the LAST AP didn’t get anyone to a super bowl.”
So Claiborne is going to take us to the Superbowl but if we drafted Richardson he wouldn’t? I’ve seen player comparisons for Claiborne, Haden and Patrick Peterson. Guess what? Neither has been to the Superbowl and guess what? Patrick Peterson got beat like a drum last year. If he wasn’t a great returner people would be calling him a bust already.
The Superbowl talk is silly and needs to stop. Football is a team game that no one player can win on his own.
@Gackrider From what people are saying there is a good chance. He is just as much the cornerback Claiborne is so if the Bucs feel his off field problems are behind him he would be a great pick there if we don’t take Claiborne at 5.
April 20th, 2012 at 3:42 pm
“Richardson will have a Hall of Fame career.”
——————————-
I’m Pro-Richardson but this is the garbage that the Pro-Claiborne crowd eats up.
I have no idea what type of career Richardson will have. No one does.
But I do know… between MC and TR, TR is the BPA.
April 20th, 2012 at 3:43 pm
It’s Matt Ryan, not Matty Ice. Please.
April 20th, 2012 at 3:44 pm
The NFL had record POINTS and YARDAGE last year.
As the old saying goes, “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em”.
At this stage, our defense isn’t an elite crew. Neither is our offense.
But our offense is a lot closer than our defense to being elite.
TR and Blount in the backfield with Jackson, Winslow, Williams and our O-Line is potentially ELITE.
April 20th, 2012 at 3:50 pm
Of the last, say, 10 years or so, how many first round RB’s were on Super Bowl teams? and Super Bowl winners?
The NFL honchos are dictating a QB/passing driven league. The NFC South is stacked with quality QBs and receivers. Ergo, you better be able to defend against them.
At some point in the 3rd quarter of a game, when TB is down 14+ points, Freeman will be passing the for the rest of the game. Running won’t even be an option.
That said, I think TB will get a great player in the first round regardless (although drafting Blackmon really makes no sense to me)
April 20th, 2012 at 4:03 pm
rhymenoceros Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 1:05 pm
I get that he is the highest rated CB by most experts, and I would definitely be comfortable with him as a Buc, but honestly he doesn’t “wow” me in any way. Anyone expecting him to step in and immediately be the best player in the secondary is really pushing it, I feel.
.
Very rarely do players step in and be the best player in their rookie year. It does happen, but it’s not common.
Luckily, the positions that do are RB, CB, and defensive line. Sometimes offensive line.
That doesn’t mean it will happen this time around, but the Bucs are in a good position at the moment to get a really good player either way.
If I were to rate NEEDS by position, I would say
CB & LB = “A”
RB & OT = “B”
S & DT = “C”
WR = “D”
April 20th, 2012 at 4:05 pm
Safety might be more of a C+
April 20th, 2012 at 4:09 pm
I would swap safety and RB in those grades (Barber is a band-aid in the scheme of things)
April 20th, 2012 at 4:46 pm
What you fantasy types aren’t paying attention to is Defenses, like the secondary, are a UNIT. We NEED a shut down corner, or any good, starting corner— what we DONT need is an elite RB.
Take off the blinders, people. We’re in the NFC south and will be eaten alive if we have no secondary.
Talib is a jailbird, grandpa is retiring and wright is a bandage.
Wake up to reality, TR may be amazing but we don’t particularly need him– especially at the 5th.
April 20th, 2012 at 4:48 pm
“Of the last, say, 10 years or so, how many first round RB’s were on Super Bowl teams? and Super Bowl winners?”
“At some point in the 3rd quarter of a game, when TB is down 14+ points, Freeman will be passing the for the rest of the game. Running won’t even be an option.”
——–
To answer your first question, there have been 3 first round RB’s in the last 10 years of Super Bowl winners: Rashard Mendenhall, Joseph Addai, and Jerome Bettis. That pretty much defeats your entire point, plus I’m not even looking into the losing teams.
I find it amazing how so many people forget that a RB is extremely important to the passing game. As you said, when we are down 14 points and we have to pass, who is going to protect Freeman when the defense pins their ears back to rush because they know we are going to pass? Legarette Blount? Are you serious? Who’s going to catch the ball out of the backfield when that is all the defense is giving us? Mr. 16 catches in his entire college and pro career? Really? You sure do put a lot of faith on “potential”. Not only is TR the best RB at actually running the ball, he is also BY FAR the best blocking RB, and BY FAR the best pass catching RB in the draft (in many drafts as a matter of fact). You should never underestimate the importance of a RB in the passing game. Yes you can pick up other backs that can pass protect, but it is highly unlikely that they will be able to run the ball, catch the ball, and convert short yardage situations as well. You would have to burn another roster spot or two for that, and they still won’t be able to do it as well as TR. God forbid us go out and get a guy who can do it all!
April 20th, 2012 at 4:56 pm
If Kalil is available, he should be the pick at #5. He will help the running and the passing game. He will help us chew up the clock, keeping the defense off the field. He will not only protect our young QB but will give him time to select an open receiver. Our revamped OL will be the greatest in Buc (NFL) history and will strike terror into the hearts of the NFC South defenses. Select Kalil and Freeman and Blount start in the Pro Bowl.
If MC is the greatest CB in NFL history, it will hardly help because opposing teams will avoid him. See Darrel Revis. A running back is a crap shoot because they can go down early in their career or at best, they last 3 or 4 years. See Adrian Peterson.
If Schiano is such a great leader, he should be able to coach and control Janoris Jenkins as well as Aquib Talib. Jenkins is the best CB in the draft, he will be there in the early 2nd round.
LaMichael James will be available in the early 3rd round as a complement to LGB.
April 20th, 2012 at 5:01 pm
“What you fantasy types aren’t paying attention to is Defenses, like the secondary, are a UNIT. We NEED a shut down corner, or any good, starting corner— what we DONT need is an elite RB. ”
—-
I have never played fantasy football, and I don’t play Madden (I was, however, really good at Tecmo Bowl back in the day). You just said it yourself, defense is a unit. Having a shut down corner doesn’t mean jack if you don’t have good LB, safety, and D-Line play. See the 2011 Philadelphia Eagles. They have 3 shut down corners. How did that work out for them? How many shut down corners do the Giants have? Patriots? Saints? Packers (ok, maybe one, but Woodsen isn’t really a shut down corner)? 49ers? Ravens? Should I go on? I am not at all saying you don’t want shut down corners, but having a shut down corner doesn’t make a defense great. Having Claiborne is not going to keep Brees from putting up points on us. I don’t care if Chase Daniel is playing QB for the Saints, if we don’t put pressure on him, he’s going to tear us apart (ok, that is exaggerated a little to prove a point). Besides, Clairborne’s one flaw that everyone acknowledges is his tackling, particularly against the run. Remind me again, how was our run defense last year? So you think adding a shut down corner (hopefully) that struggles against the run is going to make a big impact for us? Especially when CB’s almost always struggle their first year or so. So you are okay with a couple more miserable years until we wait for this shut down CB to develop into a shut down corner? You are much more patient than me.
April 20th, 2012 at 5:03 pm
“A running back is a crap shoot because they can go down early in their career or at best, they last 3 or 4 years. See Adrian Peterson.”
—-
I must have missed the retirement press conference from Adrian Peterson. I guess out here in Hawaii, we get everything on a delayed basis.
I get your point though, but Kalil isn’t making it to 5, and it is highly doubtful TR will either.
April 20th, 2012 at 5:09 pm
Wait, so, 7 of 10 were NOT 1st rounders? (plus Addai is garbage) And, from that, you take that my point was DEFEATED?
okie dokie. lol.
As to your second point, I would rather improve the defense, so Freeman is NOT forced to solely pass and allow the opponents D-line to key on him. If they were not down 14+ the team could focus on a normal gameplan, mixing running and passing.
There are plenty of backs in round 2 and later that can pass protect and catch the ball. TR does not corner the market on those qualities.
I like TR. I just think the need is far greater for defense this year.
April 20th, 2012 at 5:18 pm
Uh, yes. You are talking about 1 position, so by numbers alone you are not going to have many first round picks. So at 30%, that is very high. Other than QB (60%), I would love for you to find me another position higher than 30%. Remember, in a typical year, you only get one first round pick. Calling someone “garbage” is pretty silly, as he was very effective early in his career, particularly in his rookie year (rushed for over 1000 yards). I wasn’t aware that garbage backs could rush for over 1000 yards.
Got news for you, Claiborne alone isn’t going to keep teams from scoring against us. You are very naive if you believe so. Case in point, look at the Eagles last year. They gave up a ton of points with 3 shut down corners. Corners are not involved in every play, and they can easily be avoided.
April 20th, 2012 at 5:23 pm
I like how it’s best case scenerio with Hawaiian Buc– best case with Richardson? An amazing, eat up the clock run game and a D that Brees, Cam and Ryan will toss over all day– taking up no time at all, since they don’t have to worry about our secondary.
Best case with Mo? Talib comes back, one shut-down corner and a potential star, along with grandpa and Wright in the slot. No more biggers madness.
Oh. And that O line and Blount still eat up the clock, with a lesser RB to back him.
April 20th, 2012 at 5:26 pm
“I wasn’t aware that garbage backs could rush for over 1000 yards. ”
You mean like LaGarrette Blount?
The Eagles are one team. And they have an offensive line coach in charge of their defense.
Look, there is no correct answer to this draft dilemma. So, you’re the naive one if you think there is. Get off your high horse. Your NFL knowledge is no greater then most on this one NFL team fan board.
April 20th, 2012 at 5:26 pm
And just remember that Free pass attempts were high because were constantly behind in the first half– they were up and we weren’t scoring.
Free was NOT his best playing catch up.
Remember that.
April 20th, 2012 at 5:29 pm
If we draft Claiborne I will be as upset as when we drafted Gaines Adams and Gerald McCoy.
April 20th, 2012 at 5:45 pm
“I like how it’s best case scenerio with Hawaiian Buc– best case with Richardson? An amazing, eat up the clock run game and a D that Brees, Cam and Ryan will toss over all day– taking up no time at all, since they don’t have to worry about our secondary.
Best case with Mo? Talib comes back, one shut-down corner and a potential star, along with grandpa and Wright in the slot. No more biggers madness. ”
Best case with Richardson is we have a RB that runs for 1500+ yards consistently, scores a bunch of TDs because he knows how to run in short yardage, keeps Freeman off his back in pass protection and catches a bunch of balls.
Best case with Claiborne, he shuts down the other teams best WR and we still get gashed by their RB, 2nd/3rd WRs and TEs. This acting like drafting Claiborne is going to make our defense some great unit that won’t ever put us down “14 or 21 points” needs to stop.
April 20th, 2012 at 5:47 pm
Also, did you say Talib was a shut down corner? Did you watch any Bucs games last year? He was getting beat just as bad as any of our other CBs.
April 20th, 2012 at 5:52 pm
Alstott,
Our biggest need is to score points and eat clock.
You keep saying that what are we going to do when we’re down 14+ points. That is why we need an elite RB, our QB is not elite. We are always down 14+ points because our offense couldn’t score points until opposing defenses went prevent later in the games.
What was Rahrah’s favorite saying each week after losing?
We need to start faster and score points in the first quarter. Mo Claiborne isn’t going to get a pick six or 2 every week.
It’s going to take a couple of years to rebuild this defense into a solid unit. Why not finish the offense by picking arguably the best RB in the last several years.
Are you trying to tell me that DB #55 doesn’t know what he is talking about?
He said he has been watching TR since he was a kid.
I really doubt you’ll hear or read anything from TR about where he will be drafted and that he’s going to make $$$$.
Claiborne scares me because of his me first attitude. You might have seen his tweets after his awesome wonderlic score. Or maybe you haven’t because Joe is so infatuated with Claiborne top 10 $$$ that he may not have written about his selfish tweets.
I’m sure TR is playing football because he would like to get paid, but I’ve never heard read or heard anything about TR and money or draft status. I’ve never heard a story about Mo Money where he took a cancer patient to her prom or any other unselfish deed as I’ve heard about TR.
April 20th, 2012 at 6:02 pm
“Look, there is no correct answer to this draft dilemma. So, you’re the naive one if you think there is. Get off your high horse. Your NFL knowledge is no greater then most on this one NFL team fan board.”
——
Perhaps you should go back and read my posts for the last couple months. I have said time and time and time and time again that Claiborne is a good player and I am fine with us picking him. I have never said we should trade with Minny to get him, nor do I think we should. I have said on numerous times I respect the opinion of those who believe we should draft Claiborne. I do, however, take exception to those who #1 lie about TR (saying he is slow, etc.) #2make as if it is ludicrous to draft Richardson. If someone brings up a false stat, or one that could be spun another way, I am going to call them on it, just as if I would expect them to do the same to me. My opinion is no better than yours, and if we get TR he could end up being a bust. But believe it or not, the same could happen with Claiborne, Luck , RG3 , or anyone else in this draft. You just never know. However, in my opinion, he will be spectacular, and he will help us out tremendously. If I’m wrong, I’ll be the first to admit it.
April 20th, 2012 at 6:04 pm
Good point rdbucfan. It’s funny how so many are critical of Talib, Geno Hayes, Tanard Jackson, and any other player they don’t like off the field, yet they don’t even bring up a high character guy like Richardson. Do a little research on the guy off the field, he is EXACTLY what most fans would want. He will be very involved in the community, and fans will love him. I know that’s not as important as what he does on the field, but I have a feeling he’ll be pretty good there as well.
April 20th, 2012 at 6:13 pm
Neither player is taking us to the Super Bowl. To do that, Freeman needs to step up, and we need to draft better in the later rounds. We have a ways to go, and one pick is not going to make us the Patriots.
April 20th, 2012 at 6:14 pm
In the best case, Mo would be the shut down and Talib the potential star.
Either way, you’d rather a big name in a position that deteriates quickly and whom we have a decent filler, so we can have gapping holes.
Nice winning scenerio, guys.
April 20th, 2012 at 6:19 pm
The article says it plan and simple!!!!!!!! God I can’t wait til next thursday!!!!!
April 20th, 2012 at 6:25 pm
They don’t all deteriorate quickly, especially if they are sharing carries with a back like Blount. He won’t, nor should he, get 300 carries a season. Besides, the way free agency is nowadays, you aren’t guaranteed to keep anyone beyond 4 years anymore. If he starts to slow down in 5 or 6 years, I’ll take it. But what if he lasts longer, like some of the greats? He is as freakish of a hard worker as anyone, which definitely helps the odds that he will have a long career.
Again, if it was that terrible of an idea, there wouldn’t be experts all over the place saying we should take him. Why is that so difficult for people to understand? No offense to anyone, but does anyone here have the credentials of Bill Polian? Charley Casserly? Do you even have the credentials of Michael Irvin? Derrick Brooks? How many NFL teams have you built? How many years have you played in the NFL? How about high school? I find it a little questionable that you are smarter than those guys. If you are, I highly suggest you send in a resume to OBP.
April 20th, 2012 at 6:27 pm
My wish list is Claiborne, the running back from Boise in the 2nd , and Lavonte David in the 3rd…think you get three quality starters and the rest of the draft is for possibilities and backups.
Hawaiian :…fellow Tecmo Bowl professional…LT and Howie Long were unstoppable!!…that game was awesome at the time
April 20th, 2012 at 6:29 pm
There are experts saying Tannehill is a first round pick.
Experts, in this season, say ANYTHING.
April 20th, 2012 at 6:36 pm
Not only do the experts say it, it will happen. So in that regard, they are right, no?
@Squadoosh,
Nobody could stop Walter Payton going off tackle.
April 20th, 2012 at 6:56 pm
“Either way, you’d rather a big name in a position that deteriates quickly and whom we have a decent filler, so we can have gapping holes.”
Would you rather be great in a couple areas or average in nearly every area? This to me sounds like the people that were mad we signed Carl Nicks instead of signing a Safety and/or LBer. Were they bigger area of needs? Of course. But now we have a great offensive line. If we signed a LBer or Safety instead we would still be extremely average at best in all 3 areas.
The same reasoning for why we signed Nicks can be applied to Richardson. Richardson will most likely be the best player available if he is there at 5(just like Nicks was probably the best in FA available), and with Richardson and Blount we would have probably the best 1-2 combo at RB in the league along with that great offensive line.
Even with all that said, if you look at the CBs that will most likely be available in the 2nd and 3rd round they are much better than the RBs that will most likely be available. Richardson and a guy like Brandon Boykin or even Janoris Jenkins(if he’s there. He’s just as good as Claiborne on the field) is better than Claiborne and Lamar Miller, David Wilson or LaMichael James.
April 20th, 2012 at 7:05 pm
“I would love for you to find me another position higher than 30%.”
DE
Jason Pierre Paul
Will Smith
Dwight Freeney
Richard Seymour (2 rings)
That’s the first position I checked.
April 20th, 2012 at 7:38 pm
I hate when people say we should draft Richardson because our Offense is closer to being great then r D, so what we shouldn’t address D because it’s further away, makes no sense. It takes a couple years for players to develop and we can’t wait another year(2013) to select a CB and still not have a S or LB.
I like Richardson I really do, but our D is so bad(Top 5 bad) that we have to address it for that next year we can get a S or LB.
April 20th, 2012 at 8:44 pm
Ok, should we draft more DE’s?
April 20th, 2012 at 8:51 pm
We have gone defense for our first 2 picks in the last 2 years. At some point, offense needs some priority. If not, we are going to be looking for another franchise QB.
April 20th, 2012 at 10:17 pm
Im over this whoever we get is going to be good!
April 20th, 2012 at 10:37 pm
Claiborne is not the only good player at CB in this draft. Like another poster said, Cleveland will dictate who we draft anyway, and it looks like they are going to draft Trent Richardson.
If Kalil is still there, I think Tampa should take him, or trade down if we can get a good enough deal.
Claiborne scares me, the same way that Barron the Alabama safety scares me.
I think the great teams they were on make them look a little better then they will actually turn out to be in the NFL.
April 20th, 2012 at 11:12 pm
“I hate when people say we should draft Richardson because our Offense is closer to being great then r D, so what we shouldn’t address D because it’s further away, makes no sense.”
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No one is saying we shouldn’t address our defense. No one! Just because you pick offense for your first pick doesn’t mean defense means nothing. However, I believe that when you have the #5 pick, you take the best player available. Our offense needs just as much help as our defense. Watch a few games from last year as proof. We were lucky to pick up 3 first downs in the first half. I know Jackson and Nicks will help, but not enough. You have to address both sides of the ball when you go 4-12 and suck at both offense and defense (good news is I don’t think we need to draft for special teams – no punters this year!!!). Why not go with the player that is going to help the most? Like I’ve said, if they have Claiborne rated higher, then take him. However, most have TR rated higher. People can argue that fact all they want, but it is true and they know it (doesn’t mean the experts are right, but no one knows for sure at this point).
April 21st, 2012 at 3:47 pm
I think J2.0 is actually Thomas. Anyway, Claiborne is the pick. It’s going to happen if he’s there at #5, It’s not a lock but it’s certainly more than likely. People who say you draft BPA are just overlooking the fact that that rarely happens in the first rounds. There are BPA’s on each side of the ball. If your need is defense then you may look at BPA on defense but if you have a specific need and you have an elite prospect available to fill that need then you pick him. We have needs on offense but not like we do on defense.
No one can logically argue that we didn’t improve our offense immensely in FA by adding Nicks and Jackson. We have a RB who has never had the benefit of an off season and still managed to come in and rush for over 1,000 yds as a rookie after sitting out the first 6 games and averaged over 4 yds a carry last year racking up over 700 yds in a limited role. Do we have a CB that we can talk about in such glowing terms?? We ‘need’ a backup RB but Trent Richardson is anything but a backup. He may be BPA on the offensive side of the ball when we pick at #5 but we will be looking at BPA on the defensive side of the ball and rightfully so.