After a long wait, LB Zack Follett and TE Cameron Morrah were taken the seventh round of the 2009 NFL draft, over two hundred picks after Cal teammate and twenty-first-overall pick C Alex Mack.
Follett was taken with the twenty-sixth pick in round seven (235th overall) by Detroit, and was described as being a great competitor, a hard worker, and a potential contributor on special teams.
Morrah was praised by Mel Kuiper as deserving better than a seventh-round selection when Seattle took him in the compensatory portion of the round (248th overall). However, Kuiper also stated what Jeff Tedford and Cal Bears fans already know, that Morrah left one season too early. However, Morrah was also praised for being a goal-line threat.
Mr. Irrelavent 2009 (256th overall) was K Ryan Succop from South Carolina.
Unfortunately, Cal fan favorites such as Rulon Davis, Anthony Felder, and Worrell Williams weren't able to hear their name called in New York. But there is always a chance of being signed as an undrafted free-agent.
As for other Pac-10 teams, Arizona and Arizona State each had two players drafted, all in the seventh round. Six Oregon players heard their names called, including three in round two. Max Unger was taken twenty-eight picks after Alex Mack.
Oregon State one-upped its Civil War rival with seven players picked, but only OL Andy Levitre was a second-rounder. Washington State's only draftee was WR Brandon Gibson (sixth round), but this was still one more than Washington. Stanford and UCLA were shut out.
Not surpisingly, USC had the most first-round and overall picks in the Pac-10, led by Mark Sanchez at fifth overall. Brian Cushing and Clay Matthews were also taken in round one, but Rey Maualuga fell to the early second-round. By the time CB Cary Harris was taken in the sixth round, eleven Trojans had been selected. Only three selections were offensive players: Sanchez, Patrick Turner (third round), and K David Buehler (fifth round).
Among the Pac-10 players not drafted were QB's Willie Tuitama and Rudy Carpenter and RB's Jeremiah Johnson, Anthony Kimble, and Kahlil Bell.
Good luck to Mack, Morrah, and Follett in NFL, and to Davis and the other Cal players trying to break in at the next level the hard way. As Cal continues to try a cement themselves as a perennial Pac-10 power, the 2009 draft class should be joined in the NFL by many more Bears in the future. Cal fans just hope that Jahvid Best will join the list of first-round picks later rather than sooner.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
49ers Luck Into Crabtree, Err By Trading Brown?
After a roller-coaster first round of the 2009 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers emerged as one of the major benefactors of the many trades (and one huge reach) on day one, selecting possible top-four pick Michael Crabtree without trading up from the tenth-overall position.
The first two picks of the draft were not surprising at all, considering that the Lions had already agreed to an astronomical contract with QB Matthew Stafford, and the Rams needed OT Jason Smith to replace Orlando Pace.
Kansas City continued its recent trend of drafting LSU products, selecting DE Tyson Jackson to go along with last years picks of DT Glenn Dorsey and WR Dwyane Bowe. But by passing on LB Aaron Curry, the Chiefs helped create a domino effect that resulted in the 49ers nabbing Crabtree.
Seattle was very happy to find a compliment to Lofa Tatupu in Curry in the fourth slot.
Then came the Browns trade with the Jets. Sanchez started sixteen more games at USC than Matt Cassel, and seems to have the poise and accuracy to be successful in the NFL. And although had fewer weapons than Leinart had at his disposal (although at USC, talent is always relative), Sanchez's last year at USC is statistically similar to Leinart's.
Jets fans at the draft were extremely excited at first, but were not pleased when they heard the full details of the trade. If Sanchez really is as advertised, a franchise quarterback is almost invaluable. However, the pressure is definitely on Sanchez on the rest of the Jets to succeed, especially with Chad Pennington's success as a Dolphin.
At number six, the Bengals decided to put improving their running game over finding a replacement for T.J. Houshmandzadeh. OT Andre Smith had his issues before the draft, but in the NFL, 6'4", 332 pounds is worth quite a bit by itself.
But surely Crabtree wouldn't slip past the Raiders. who needed a talented target for JaMarcus Russell to throw to? Rightly or wrongly, by far the loudest boos of the night rained down after the announcement of the pick of WR Darrius Heyward-Bey. And the draft gurus quickly slapped an "F" on Oakland's report card.
Even if Heyward-Bey becomes a star, the question remains: why use the number seven pick on him, when trading down (even into the lower first round) would have netted picks as well as the covetted 4.30 forty-time? In fact, the Niners could've traded up to get Crabtree (a worthwhile three-pick jump), netting second or third-round picks for the Raiders and benefiting both teams. Ten would still have been a huge reach for the Maryland wide-out, but it would have saved a bit of money and resulted in more picks.
But even when the Raiders passed, the 49ers weren't free to grab Crabtree yet, as Jacksonville and Green Bay were yet to draft. But the Jaguars went with OT Eugene Monroe, despite having lost Matt Jones and Reggie Williams in the off-season.
The Packers selected a player that was rumored to be on the 49ers radar at one point: DT B.J. Raji. Aaron Rodgers no doubt would've enjoyed throwing to Crabtree, but the Packers needed the huge Raji much more than a wideout.
Therefore, a player once considered to be a concensus top-five pick fell to the 49ers at number ten. Crabtree should make the Niners starter look better than he actually is, and will help ease some of the problems in the passing game while a franchise QB is found (could Sam Bradford fall to them next year?).
No matter what happened after the first round, the first day of the 49ers' 2009 draft would still have been considered a success. But did they make a mistake by trading their second-round pick (Everette Brown) to the Panthers for a 2010 first-rounder?
Unless the Panthers regress dramatically next year, the future pick should be around the twenty-fifth overall. But Brown, who was once considered a candidate for the Niners to select - in the first round, could have been a significant upgrade to the Niners' existing pass rush.
The Panthers' motives for trading up to get Brown are unknown. Is Everette meant to be a compliment to Julius Peppers - or a replacement?
A major trade of a veteran like Peppers could dramatically alter the results of the draft, but as it stands now, a few teams seem to have had more day one success than others.
"Winners" in the long run could include teams such as San Francisco, Philadelphia, New York (Jets and Giants), and Cardinals.
The Eagles might have scored a huge coup with the acquisition of Jeremy Macklin. Paired with DeSean Jackson, Macklin could be a factor in the passing game almost immediately (as Jackson was last year).
The Giants replaced talented but problematic (and expensive) WR Plaxico Burriss with 6'4" Hakeem Nicks at twenty-eighth overall.
The Dolphins shored up their pass defense with athletic CB Vontae Davis, then used their second-round pick on Pat White, who could be lethal in the Wildcat offense. It could have been a wasteful reach on a player whose speed advantage over college defenses might be nullified by the speed of NFL defenses, but the possibility is there for White playing multiple postions, based on the formation Miami comes out in on a given down.
The Vikings still have questions at Quarterback, but picked up WR Percy Harvin to help stretch the field in the passing game. What football fan wouldn't want to see Harvin and Adrian Peterson in the same Wildcat backfield, though? In the second round, Minnesota acquired huge OT Phil Loadholt, a powerful run blocker.
The Cardinals, who did not trade Anquan Boldin, picked up power RB Chris Wells to help balance their offense attack for another playoff run.
The Patriots acquired the fortieth and forty-first overall picks, and with them took huge DT Ron Brace and solid CB Darius Butler.
In one of the stranger moves of the day, the Buccaneers traded up to number seventeen to take QB Josh Freeman. Freeman defines the word "project," and the rumor is that already QB-heavy Tampa Bay only took Freeman to keep him from the Vikings.
Cal center Alex Mack went slightly higher than expected, going to the Browns at number twenty-one overall.
With the first two rounds completed, the 49ers look to be among the best drafters so far. But with other NFC teams improving as well, it might take a franchise Quarterback to get over the top in the division.
The first two picks of the draft were not surprising at all, considering that the Lions had already agreed to an astronomical contract with QB Matthew Stafford, and the Rams needed OT Jason Smith to replace Orlando Pace.
Kansas City continued its recent trend of drafting LSU products, selecting DE Tyson Jackson to go along with last years picks of DT Glenn Dorsey and WR Dwyane Bowe. But by passing on LB Aaron Curry, the Chiefs helped create a domino effect that resulted in the 49ers nabbing Crabtree.
Seattle was very happy to find a compliment to Lofa Tatupu in Curry in the fourth slot.
Then came the Browns trade with the Jets. Sanchez started sixteen more games at USC than Matt Cassel, and seems to have the poise and accuracy to be successful in the NFL. And although had fewer weapons than Leinart had at his disposal (although at USC, talent is always relative), Sanchez's last year at USC is statistically similar to Leinart's.
Jets fans at the draft were extremely excited at first, but were not pleased when they heard the full details of the trade. If Sanchez really is as advertised, a franchise quarterback is almost invaluable. However, the pressure is definitely on Sanchez on the rest of the Jets to succeed, especially with Chad Pennington's success as a Dolphin.
At number six, the Bengals decided to put improving their running game over finding a replacement for T.J. Houshmandzadeh. OT Andre Smith had his issues before the draft, but in the NFL, 6'4", 332 pounds is worth quite a bit by itself.
But surely Crabtree wouldn't slip past the Raiders. who needed a talented target for JaMarcus Russell to throw to? Rightly or wrongly, by far the loudest boos of the night rained down after the announcement of the pick of WR Darrius Heyward-Bey. And the draft gurus quickly slapped an "F" on Oakland's report card.
Even if Heyward-Bey becomes a star, the question remains: why use the number seven pick on him, when trading down (even into the lower first round) would have netted picks as well as the covetted 4.30 forty-time? In fact, the Niners could've traded up to get Crabtree (a worthwhile three-pick jump), netting second or third-round picks for the Raiders and benefiting both teams. Ten would still have been a huge reach for the Maryland wide-out, but it would have saved a bit of money and resulted in more picks.
But even when the Raiders passed, the 49ers weren't free to grab Crabtree yet, as Jacksonville and Green Bay were yet to draft. But the Jaguars went with OT Eugene Monroe, despite having lost Matt Jones and Reggie Williams in the off-season.
The Packers selected a player that was rumored to be on the 49ers radar at one point: DT B.J. Raji. Aaron Rodgers no doubt would've enjoyed throwing to Crabtree, but the Packers needed the huge Raji much more than a wideout.
Therefore, a player once considered to be a concensus top-five pick fell to the 49ers at number ten. Crabtree should make the Niners starter look better than he actually is, and will help ease some of the problems in the passing game while a franchise QB is found (could Sam Bradford fall to them next year?).
No matter what happened after the first round, the first day of the 49ers' 2009 draft would still have been considered a success. But did they make a mistake by trading their second-round pick (Everette Brown) to the Panthers for a 2010 first-rounder?
Unless the Panthers regress dramatically next year, the future pick should be around the twenty-fifth overall. But Brown, who was once considered a candidate for the Niners to select - in the first round, could have been a significant upgrade to the Niners' existing pass rush.
The Panthers' motives for trading up to get Brown are unknown. Is Everette meant to be a compliment to Julius Peppers - or a replacement?
A major trade of a veteran like Peppers could dramatically alter the results of the draft, but as it stands now, a few teams seem to have had more day one success than others.
"Winners" in the long run could include teams such as San Francisco, Philadelphia, New York (Jets and Giants), and Cardinals.
The Eagles might have scored a huge coup with the acquisition of Jeremy Macklin. Paired with DeSean Jackson, Macklin could be a factor in the passing game almost immediately (as Jackson was last year).
The Giants replaced talented but problematic (and expensive) WR Plaxico Burriss with 6'4" Hakeem Nicks at twenty-eighth overall.
The Dolphins shored up their pass defense with athletic CB Vontae Davis, then used their second-round pick on Pat White, who could be lethal in the Wildcat offense. It could have been a wasteful reach on a player whose speed advantage over college defenses might be nullified by the speed of NFL defenses, but the possibility is there for White playing multiple postions, based on the formation Miami comes out in on a given down.
The Vikings still have questions at Quarterback, but picked up WR Percy Harvin to help stretch the field in the passing game. What football fan wouldn't want to see Harvin and Adrian Peterson in the same Wildcat backfield, though? In the second round, Minnesota acquired huge OT Phil Loadholt, a powerful run blocker.
The Cardinals, who did not trade Anquan Boldin, picked up power RB Chris Wells to help balance their offense attack for another playoff run.
The Patriots acquired the fortieth and forty-first overall picks, and with them took huge DT Ron Brace and solid CB Darius Butler.
In one of the stranger moves of the day, the Buccaneers traded up to number seventeen to take QB Josh Freeman. Freeman defines the word "project," and the rumor is that already QB-heavy Tampa Bay only took Freeman to keep him from the Vikings.
Cal center Alex Mack went slightly higher than expected, going to the Browns at number twenty-one overall.
With the first two rounds completed, the 49ers look to be among the best drafters so far. But with other NFC teams improving as well, it might take a franchise Quarterback to get over the top in the division.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Tony Gonzalez To the Falcons: How Valuable is a Second-Round Draft Pick?
Perennial Pro-Bowler and presumptive Hall-of-Fame Tight End Tony Gonzalez was traded to the Atlanta Falcons earlier today for a 2010 second-round draft pick. The move comes about a month after the Chiefs spent their own 2009 second-rounder on Patriots Quarterback Matt Cassel and Linebacker Mike Vrabel.
In the NBA, second-round picks (with a few exceptions, such as the Marcus Camby salary dump) are often treated as if they aren't valuable at all, and are sometimes sold outright on draft day. Some teams, like the Portland Trailblazers, seem to collect them. But despite the emergence of several second-round picks as good players (such as Gilbert Arenas and Manu Ginobili), a second-round pick won't usually bring a decent veteran in an NBA trade.
Assuming one pick per round, an ideal NBA draft will fill forty percent of a future starting lineup, comparable to thirty-two percent for an NFL team's draft (twenty-nine percent if kickers and punters are included).
According to the NFL draft pick value chart, the first pick of the second round is worth 580 points, making it roughly half as valuable as the ninth overall pick (1350), and one fifth as valuable as the first overall pick (3000 points). The sixty-fourth overall pick (the last of the second round) is worth 270 points, making a pick in the fifty range worth about 400.
The Falcons draft twenty-third in the second round this year (fifty-fifth overall). Assuming the Falcons draft at a similar position next year (for example, twenty-seventh in each of the first two rounds - adding a playoff win for the addition of Gonzalez and improvements in Matt Ryan's game), here are some of the recent picks in this range:
2008: RB Ray Rice (Ravens: fifty-fifth overall): One 150+ yard game in 2008.
QB Brian Brohm (Packers: fifty-sixth overall)
QB Chad Henne (Dolphins: fifty-seventh overall)
WR Dexter Jackson (Bucs: fifty-eighth overall)
G Mike Pollak (Colts: fifty-ninth overall): Started thirteen games in 2008.
CB Patrick Lee (Packers: sixtieth overall)
Best Second-Rounder (so far): WR DeSean Jackson (Eagles: forty-ninth overall)
2007: DB Josh Wilson (Seahawks: fifty-fifth overall): Four Int's (one for TD) in 2008.
DE Tim Crowder (Broncos: fifty-sixth overall)
DE Victor Abiamiri (Eagles: fifty-seventh overall)
DE Ikaika Alama-Francis (Lions: fifty-eighth overall)
C Ryan Kalil (Panthers: fifty-ninth overall): Started twelve games in 2008.
CB Samson Satele (Dolphins: sixtieth overall): Started sixteen games in both 2007 and 2008.
Best Second-Rounder (so far): LB LaMarr Woodley (Steelers: forty-sixth overall)
2006: T Andrew Whitworth (Bengals: fifty-fifth overall): Thirty-eight starts in three years.
C Chris Chester (Ravens: fifty-sixth overall)
ATH Devin Hester (Bears: fifty-seventh overall): Eleven career special teams touchdowns. Returned opening kick for TD in Super Bowl XLI.
DB Richard Marshall (Panthers: fifty-eighth overall)
T Jeremy Trueblood (Bucs: fifty-ninth overall)
RB Maurice Jones-Drew (Jags: sixtieth overall): Averages 4.7 yards per rush. Thirty-four career rush TD's.
Best Second-Rounders (so far): Jones-Drew, Hester, LB DeMeco Ryans (Texans: thirty-third overall)
2005: WR Roscoe Parrish (Bills: fifty-fifth overall)
DB Darrent Williams (Broncos: fifty-sixth overall): R.I.P.
DB Justin Miller (Jets: fifty-seventh overall)
WR Terrence Murphy (Packers: fifty-eighth overall)
DT Jonathan Babineaux (Falcons: fifty-ninth overall)
CB Kelvin Hayden (Colts: sixtieth overall): Critical fifty-six yard INT return for a touchdown in Super Bowl XLI.
Best Second-Rounders (so far): LB Lofa Tatupu (Seahawks: forty-fifth overall), DB Nick Collins (Packers: fifty-first overall)
In 2009, the late second round pick could've brought bring Kansas City a decent but not top-flight tackle like Phil Loadholt, a safety like Victor Harris, or a player who hurt his stock prior to draft day.
However, the high-second-round pick (thirty-fourth overall) that the Patriots received for Matt Cassell has a higher probablity of picking up a good player (such as Alex Mack) that somehow slid out of the first round due to team needs or other factors.
Atlanta drafted Bert Emmanuel and Brett Favre in the second round. The Chiefs acquired several of their Super Bowl IV winning team, including Willie Lanier, and in 1987, drafted The Nigerian Nightmare Christian Okoye.
Both the Raiders and 49ers have historically drafted well, especially in the 1970's and 1980's, and the second round is no exception.
Oakland acquired legends Ken Stabler (1968 - fifty-second overall), Dave Casper (1974 - forty-fifth overall), and Howie Long (1981 - forty-eighth overall).
The Niners stocked their five championship teams with Randy Cross (1976 - forty-second overall), Keena Turner (1980 - thirty-ninth overall), Eric Wright (1981 - fortieth overall), Bubba Paris (1982 - twenty-ninth overall), and Roger Craig (1983 - forty-ninth overall). Other picks included Eric Davis (1990 - fifty-third overall) and Ricky Waters (1990 - forty-fifth overall), both of whom played key roles in the last championship the franchise won.
Important second-round picks for other franchises include (* indicates won Super Bowl or starred for team other than drafting team):
Arizona: Dan Dierdorf, Tim McDonald*, Jake Plummer, Anquan Boldin
Baltimore: Jamie Sharper
Buffalo: Thurman Thomas
Carolina: Muhsin Muhammad, Kris Jenkins
Chicago: Mike Singletary, Devin Hester
Cincinnati: Bill Bergey, Chris Collinsworth, Ickey Woods, Chad Ocho Cinco (Ne Johnson)
Cleveland: Greg Pruitt, Webster Slaughter
Dallas: Todd Christensen*, Ken Norton Jr, Daryl Johnston, Darren Woodson
Denver: Curley Culp*, Clinton Portis
Detroit: Lem Barney, Doug English, Chris Spielman, Jason Hanson
Green Bay: LeRoy Butler, Darren Sharper, Greg Jennings
Houston: DeMeco Ryans
Indianapolis: Ted Hendricks, Bob Sanders
Jacksonville: Tony Brackens, Maurice Jones-Drew
Miami: Dwight Stephenson, John Offerdahl, Sam Madison
Minnesota: Ed White, Sammy White
New England: Andre Tippett, Ted Johnson, Lawyer Milloy
New Orleans: Rickey Jackson, Dalton Hilliard
Giants: Michael Strahan, Amani Toomer, Tiki Barber, Osi Umenyiora
Jets: Mark Gastineau
Philadelphia: Wes Hopkins, Randall Cunningham, Eric Allen, Brian Dawkins, DeSean Jackson
Pittsburgh: Jack Ham, Jack Lambert
San Diego: Fred Dean, Natrone Means, Drew Brees
Seattle: Kevin Mawae*, Michael Boulware, Lofa Tatupu
St. Louis: Nolan Cromwell, Isaac Bruce
Tampa Bay: Mike Alstott
Tennessee: Steve Largent* (Houston Oilers), Samari Rolle (Tennessee Oilers)
Washington: Chip Lohmiller, Fred Smoot
In general, the most successful franchises seem to have extracted the most talent from their second-round picks. Of course, this is true for the first round as well. It's very unlikely that a Hall-Of-Fame talent will fall past the first round. But second-round picks are often important pieces of a contending team, and another option at guard or second wide receiver could help build a young offense like the Gonzalez-less Chiefs.
Is a second-round pick enough for Tony Gonzalez? Considering that Gonzalez is thirty-three years old, and that the Chiefs apparently negotiated the price up from a third-rounder, probably.
Yes, the Falcons won the trade in the short-term, but that's the nature of veterans-for-picks trades. If the Chiefs draft the next Tony Gonzalez in 2010, great. But if not, they still shed payroll (and an unhappy player) from an obviously rebuilding team, and allowed Gonzalez to go to an up-and-coming contender.
In the NBA, second-round picks (with a few exceptions, such as the Marcus Camby salary dump) are often treated as if they aren't valuable at all, and are sometimes sold outright on draft day. Some teams, like the Portland Trailblazers, seem to collect them. But despite the emergence of several second-round picks as good players (such as Gilbert Arenas and Manu Ginobili), a second-round pick won't usually bring a decent veteran in an NBA trade.
Assuming one pick per round, an ideal NBA draft will fill forty percent of a future starting lineup, comparable to thirty-two percent for an NFL team's draft (twenty-nine percent if kickers and punters are included).
According to the NFL draft pick value chart, the first pick of the second round is worth 580 points, making it roughly half as valuable as the ninth overall pick (1350), and one fifth as valuable as the first overall pick (3000 points). The sixty-fourth overall pick (the last of the second round) is worth 270 points, making a pick in the fifty range worth about 400.
The Falcons draft twenty-third in the second round this year (fifty-fifth overall). Assuming the Falcons draft at a similar position next year (for example, twenty-seventh in each of the first two rounds - adding a playoff win for the addition of Gonzalez and improvements in Matt Ryan's game), here are some of the recent picks in this range:
2008: RB Ray Rice (Ravens: fifty-fifth overall): One 150+ yard game in 2008.
QB Brian Brohm (Packers: fifty-sixth overall)
QB Chad Henne (Dolphins: fifty-seventh overall)
WR Dexter Jackson (Bucs: fifty-eighth overall)
G Mike Pollak (Colts: fifty-ninth overall): Started thirteen games in 2008.
CB Patrick Lee (Packers: sixtieth overall)
Best Second-Rounder (so far): WR DeSean Jackson (Eagles: forty-ninth overall)
2007: DB Josh Wilson (Seahawks: fifty-fifth overall): Four Int's (one for TD) in 2008.
DE Tim Crowder (Broncos: fifty-sixth overall)
DE Victor Abiamiri (Eagles: fifty-seventh overall)
DE Ikaika Alama-Francis (Lions: fifty-eighth overall)
C Ryan Kalil (Panthers: fifty-ninth overall): Started twelve games in 2008.
CB Samson Satele (Dolphins: sixtieth overall): Started sixteen games in both 2007 and 2008.
Best Second-Rounder (so far): LB LaMarr Woodley (Steelers: forty-sixth overall)
2006: T Andrew Whitworth (Bengals: fifty-fifth overall): Thirty-eight starts in three years.
C Chris Chester (Ravens: fifty-sixth overall)
ATH Devin Hester (Bears: fifty-seventh overall): Eleven career special teams touchdowns. Returned opening kick for TD in Super Bowl XLI.
DB Richard Marshall (Panthers: fifty-eighth overall)
T Jeremy Trueblood (Bucs: fifty-ninth overall)
RB Maurice Jones-Drew (Jags: sixtieth overall): Averages 4.7 yards per rush. Thirty-four career rush TD's.
Best Second-Rounders (so far): Jones-Drew, Hester, LB DeMeco Ryans (Texans: thirty-third overall)
2005: WR Roscoe Parrish (Bills: fifty-fifth overall)
DB Darrent Williams (Broncos: fifty-sixth overall): R.I.P.
DB Justin Miller (Jets: fifty-seventh overall)
WR Terrence Murphy (Packers: fifty-eighth overall)
DT Jonathan Babineaux (Falcons: fifty-ninth overall)
CB Kelvin Hayden (Colts: sixtieth overall): Critical fifty-six yard INT return for a touchdown in Super Bowl XLI.
Best Second-Rounders (so far): LB Lofa Tatupu (Seahawks: forty-fifth overall), DB Nick Collins (Packers: fifty-first overall)
In 2009, the late second round pick could've brought bring Kansas City a decent but not top-flight tackle like Phil Loadholt, a safety like Victor Harris, or a player who hurt his stock prior to draft day.
However, the high-second-round pick (thirty-fourth overall) that the Patriots received for Matt Cassell has a higher probablity of picking up a good player (such as Alex Mack) that somehow slid out of the first round due to team needs or other factors.
Atlanta drafted Bert Emmanuel and Brett Favre in the second round. The Chiefs acquired several of their Super Bowl IV winning team, including Willie Lanier, and in 1987, drafted The Nigerian Nightmare Christian Okoye.
Both the Raiders and 49ers have historically drafted well, especially in the 1970's and 1980's, and the second round is no exception.
Oakland acquired legends Ken Stabler (1968 - fifty-second overall), Dave Casper (1974 - forty-fifth overall), and Howie Long (1981 - forty-eighth overall).
The Niners stocked their five championship teams with Randy Cross (1976 - forty-second overall), Keena Turner (1980 - thirty-ninth overall), Eric Wright (1981 - fortieth overall), Bubba Paris (1982 - twenty-ninth overall), and Roger Craig (1983 - forty-ninth overall). Other picks included Eric Davis (1990 - fifty-third overall) and Ricky Waters (1990 - forty-fifth overall), both of whom played key roles in the last championship the franchise won.
Important second-round picks for other franchises include (* indicates won Super Bowl or starred for team other than drafting team):
Arizona: Dan Dierdorf, Tim McDonald*, Jake Plummer, Anquan Boldin
Baltimore: Jamie Sharper
Buffalo: Thurman Thomas
Carolina: Muhsin Muhammad, Kris Jenkins
Chicago: Mike Singletary, Devin Hester
Cincinnati: Bill Bergey, Chris Collinsworth, Ickey Woods, Chad Ocho Cinco (Ne Johnson)
Cleveland: Greg Pruitt, Webster Slaughter
Dallas: Todd Christensen*, Ken Norton Jr, Daryl Johnston, Darren Woodson
Denver: Curley Culp*, Clinton Portis
Detroit: Lem Barney, Doug English, Chris Spielman, Jason Hanson
Green Bay: LeRoy Butler, Darren Sharper, Greg Jennings
Houston: DeMeco Ryans
Indianapolis: Ted Hendricks, Bob Sanders
Jacksonville: Tony Brackens, Maurice Jones-Drew
Miami: Dwight Stephenson, John Offerdahl, Sam Madison
Minnesota: Ed White, Sammy White
New England: Andre Tippett, Ted Johnson, Lawyer Milloy
New Orleans: Rickey Jackson, Dalton Hilliard
Giants: Michael Strahan, Amani Toomer, Tiki Barber, Osi Umenyiora
Jets: Mark Gastineau
Philadelphia: Wes Hopkins, Randall Cunningham, Eric Allen, Brian Dawkins, DeSean Jackson
Pittsburgh: Jack Ham, Jack Lambert
San Diego: Fred Dean, Natrone Means, Drew Brees
Seattle: Kevin Mawae*, Michael Boulware, Lofa Tatupu
St. Louis: Nolan Cromwell, Isaac Bruce
Tampa Bay: Mike Alstott
Tennessee: Steve Largent* (Houston Oilers), Samari Rolle (Tennessee Oilers)
Washington: Chip Lohmiller, Fred Smoot
In general, the most successful franchises seem to have extracted the most talent from their second-round picks. Of course, this is true for the first round as well. It's very unlikely that a Hall-Of-Fame talent will fall past the first round. But second-round picks are often important pieces of a contending team, and another option at guard or second wide receiver could help build a young offense like the Gonzalez-less Chiefs.
Is a second-round pick enough for Tony Gonzalez? Considering that Gonzalez is thirty-three years old, and that the Chiefs apparently negotiated the price up from a third-rounder, probably.
Yes, the Falcons won the trade in the short-term, but that's the nature of veterans-for-picks trades. If the Chiefs draft the next Tony Gonzalez in 2010, great. But if not, they still shed payroll (and an unhappy player) from an obviously rebuilding team, and allowed Gonzalez to go to an up-and-coming contender.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Leon Powe Out For Remainder Of Playoffs
Celtics Forward Leon Powe, who left Game Two of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals with an undisclosed knee injury, will not be able to return for the rest of the playoffs. After further tests, it was determined the Powe had suffered a torn ACL in his left knee.
Powe missed a season in college when he underwent reconstructive surgery on the same knee in 2004. He also suffered a minor injury to his right knee earlier this season.
The injury comes at a bad time for both Powe and the Celtics. Powe is a free agent this coming off-season, and would have seen increased playing time with the Kevin Garnett injury. It also probably confirms the fears of the teams that didn't draft him in the first round (all of them), that Powe's knees are not durable enough to invest starter-type money in the former Pac-10 force.
Meanwhile, the Celtics, who barely avoided a 2-0 hole on Ray Allen's clutch shot, must now turn to either Brian Scalabrine (who might play in Game 3), or Mikki Moore (whose -15 rating was among the worst of any Celtic who playied in Game 2) to back up Big Baby Davis, himself a spot starter for Garnett.
Boston must now go on the road to try and salvage a series that some thought would be a cakewalk. However, there is some good news for Celtics fans. Rajon Rondo, who will not practice tomorrow due to an ankle injury, is expected to play in Game 3. If his play in Game 2 is any indication (Rondo completed a dominant triple-double after returning from the injury), Rajon should be ok.
Powe was not as critical a piece of the Celitics as Garnett was. Ray Allen seems to have found his touch, and the C's superior talent finally broke through for a win in Game 2. And with the series tied, a victory in Chicago would restore home court advange. But with out Garnett, who provided solid interior defense as well as leadership and scoring, the Celtics' Pyrrhic victory in Game 2 was not what Boston fans were looking for.
Powe missed a season in college when he underwent reconstructive surgery on the same knee in 2004. He also suffered a minor injury to his right knee earlier this season.
The injury comes at a bad time for both Powe and the Celtics. Powe is a free agent this coming off-season, and would have seen increased playing time with the Kevin Garnett injury. It also probably confirms the fears of the teams that didn't draft him in the first round (all of them), that Powe's knees are not durable enough to invest starter-type money in the former Pac-10 force.
Meanwhile, the Celtics, who barely avoided a 2-0 hole on Ray Allen's clutch shot, must now turn to either Brian Scalabrine (who might play in Game 3), or Mikki Moore (whose -15 rating was among the worst of any Celtic who playied in Game 2) to back up Big Baby Davis, himself a spot starter for Garnett.
Boston must now go on the road to try and salvage a series that some thought would be a cakewalk. However, there is some good news for Celtics fans. Rajon Rondo, who will not practice tomorrow due to an ankle injury, is expected to play in Game 3. If his play in Game 2 is any indication (Rondo completed a dominant triple-double after returning from the injury), Rajon should be ok.
Powe was not as critical a piece of the Celitics as Garnett was. Ray Allen seems to have found his touch, and the C's superior talent finally broke through for a win in Game 2. And with the series tied, a victory in Chicago would restore home court advange. But with out Garnett, who provided solid interior defense as well as leadership and scoring, the Celtics' Pyrrhic victory in Game 2 was not what Boston fans were looking for.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Cal Football Recruiting Off To A Fast Start
Jeff Tedford has a reputation of finishing each recruiting season on a strong note. However, he also has historically started slowly. It was not uncommon for the Bears to not receive their first commitment until June or even July. Therefore, for the 2010 class, an emphasis was put on targeting, offering, and closing on important recruits as soon as possible.
The new strategy has already paid off, as a potential third commit gave his verbal to Cal over the weekend. Defensive Tackle Cassius Marsh, a standout at Oaks Christian High (a Southern California powerhouse), is ranked by Scout.com as the third best DT in the country.
Marsh seems to be very solid in his commitment to Cal. According to Scout, "he had known for months Cal was the place for him." He is listed at 6-3, 270 pounds, and could eventually move to Defensive End, with 6-1/310 (and much slower) fellow DT recruit Jay Guy occupying the Nose Tackle spot. Guy, however, is apparently still considering other offers, and is listed by Rivals as a soft commit.
Cal also received a verbal from top-10 linebacker Cecil Whiteside last week, and another linebacker, #8 MLB (Scout) Dan Wilkerson has Cal listed as his top choice. If Wilkerson commits soon, over 50% of a future Cal 3-4 defense could be filled with high-four-star recruits before the beginning of May.
Tosh Lupoi, who was responsible for recruiting Whiteside and now Marsh, is still targeting huge (and highly-regarded) DE/DT Gabe King. King has fluctuated in his opinions of various schools, but at one point had Cal as his favorite.
If nothing else, Cal is drawing serious interest from top athletes, as evidenced by Junior Day and the first three commits of the season. The Bears will no doubt look to strengthen the Wide Reciever and other positions in this class, but so far, it looks like the 2010 commits could address more needs than those of 2009.
The new strategy has already paid off, as a potential third commit gave his verbal to Cal over the weekend. Defensive Tackle Cassius Marsh, a standout at Oaks Christian High (a Southern California powerhouse), is ranked by Scout.com as the third best DT in the country.
Marsh seems to be very solid in his commitment to Cal. According to Scout, "he had known for months Cal was the place for him." He is listed at 6-3, 270 pounds, and could eventually move to Defensive End, with 6-1/310 (and much slower) fellow DT recruit Jay Guy occupying the Nose Tackle spot. Guy, however, is apparently still considering other offers, and is listed by Rivals as a soft commit.
Cal also received a verbal from top-10 linebacker Cecil Whiteside last week, and another linebacker, #8 MLB (Scout) Dan Wilkerson has Cal listed as his top choice. If Wilkerson commits soon, over 50% of a future Cal 3-4 defense could be filled with high-four-star recruits before the beginning of May.
Tosh Lupoi, who was responsible for recruiting Whiteside and now Marsh, is still targeting huge (and highly-regarded) DE/DT Gabe King. King has fluctuated in his opinions of various schools, but at one point had Cal as his favorite.
If nothing else, Cal is drawing serious interest from top athletes, as evidenced by Junior Day and the first three commits of the season. The Bears will no doubt look to strengthen the Wide Reciever and other positions in this class, but so far, it looks like the 2010 commits could address more needs than those of 2009.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Beast Mode and The Show
He grew up in Oakland in a household that lacked a father-figure. Nevertheless, he managed to stay out of trouble and develop his athletic skills, mainly due to his drive and strength of character. His drive to succeed led him to high school stardom, and a chance to play in the Pac-10 at Berkeley.
He seized the opportunity, and professional scouts noticed. A fan-favorite at the college level, he decided to forgo his senior year and realize his dream at the next level.
Marshawn Lynch took this route to the NFL, and achieved his childhood dream. Yet Lynch has been in trouble with the law twice in the past 12 months, and has now been suspended from going "Beast Mode" for three games.
Lynch is in some ways the anti-Terrell Owens.
Owens exudes arrogance and immaturity. He doesn't support teammates when things go south on the field. His need for attention and tantrums are rivaled by only a few players in the NFL.
Lynch, on the other hand, always seems to wear a goofy smile that shows off his grill. He doesn't blame teammates for a loss, especially when he heavily contributed to it. He tries to loosen up his teammates before games with jokes.
Yet for all T.O.'s issues, he has never been arrested or investigated by the police as Lynch has.
As many others have said, Lynch is not Pacman Jones. But Lynch would be wise to follow the path of former Oakland Tech basketball teammate and fellow Cal star, Leon Powe.
Powe grew up under circumstances similar to (but worse than) those of Lynch. He, like Lynch, never joined a gang or sold drugs. He took care of his brothers and sisters when his mother was unable to, and neglected his basketball talent to be helpful to the family. Lynch's "family first" motto was also practiced by Powe.
However, when he was in his teens, Powe had begun to hang out with a friend who was making trouble. Luckily for Leon, he met his friend's older step-brother, who helped channel Powe's goals to making good grades and excelling on the court.
Powe's friend ended up with multiple prison sentences. It was a wake-up call that Powe took to heart, and Leon has never been anything but a role model for the Oakland community and the Bay Area since that time.
Like Powe, Lynch is active in charity events. Marshawn also recently bought his mother the house she promised. Most importantly, he has expressed remorse for his actions over the past year, and has stepped up to take a more proactive role in ensuring that he won't be involved in anything similar in the future.
Lynch is still popular in the Bay Area and at Cal. But he has a chance to become a legend by following the example of Leon Powe, and responding when confronted with an issue that reflects poorly on his character.
Fair or not, the only way Marshawn can silence most of his critics, especially those in Buffalo that haven't followed Marshawn's career since high school or college, is probably to be what Powe is—a model citizen. Powe still remembers where he came from, and has positively impacted both the Bay Area and his reputation.
If nothing else, staying out of trouble will allow Lynch to do what he enjoys the most, going "Stupid Fast" on the gridiron.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Blake Griffin will decide on the draft today
Warriors-Related:
Blake Griffin will "decide" whether or not he will enter the NBA draft today. Having played the ESPN draft simulator 572 times, he will apparently decide that the 4.3% chance of the Warriors receiving the #1 pick is sufficiently low, and will declare for the draft.
Either that, or Griffin will realize that he is by far the best player in the country, and has just added the Naismith Award to his trophy collection.
Upside Alert!
Ed Davis, a 6-10 Freshman, scored 11 points on 5 of 7 shooting and pulled down 8 rebounds for UNC in just 14 minutes for UNC in last night's NCAA Championship Game. He was 4th(!) in ESPN's lottery, putting two "project" big men (Hasheem Thabeet) in the top four overall.
Add Georgetown Freshman Center Greg Monroe in at #5 on the list and you can see how, depending on how raw talent is viewed, there is either a plethora of Andris Beidrins' or Anthony Randolphs' or a bunch of Rob Kurz's or Patrick O'Bryant's in upcoming drafts.
ESPN is now reporting that Davis will in fact not test his draft stock, agent or no agent.
Whether Davis ultimately declares or not, look for Golden State to luck into the 3rd pick, and watch the fireworks start in the Warriors organization.
More realistically, Ty Lawson, who is expected to declare for the draft and could well be available in the #7 range, scored 21 points and dished 6 assists to go with a Championship Game record 8 steals to lead the rout of MSU. He would be a great compliment to Monta Ellis if the Warriors don't somehow obtain Ricky Rubio.
Sharks-Related:
The Sharks play Colorado at 7:30 tonight at the Tank. The Avs only have 66 points so far this season, so this game doesn't quite have the significance of some of the other games between the two teams.
The race for the President's Trophy:
Sharks: 115 pts; 3 games remaining: vs. Colorado, vs. Phoenix, at L.A. Kings
Boston: 112 pts; 4 games remaining: at Ottawa, vs. Montreal, at Buffalo
Red Wings: 111 pts; 2 games remaining: vs. Nashville, vs. Chicago; Defeated Buffalo 4-1
Monday, April 6, 2009
Jeff Garcia in Silver and Black
Raiders-Related:
Jeff Garcia has agreed to a one-year contract and will join the Raiders next season, according to the Contra Costa Times and ESPN.
Although Garcia's worst season in the pros saw him post a better completion percentage than JaMarcus Russell's career-high percentage, the 39-year-old will fill the backup quarterback role.
A South Bay local who played high school football in Gilroy and college ball at San Jose State, Garcia did not take an NFL snap until the age of 29, yet has enjoyed some of his best seasons in the last 3 years.
49ers-Related:
The 49ers did not show much interest in Garcia, which is surprising since Damon Huard and Alex Smith are the only competition for Shaun Hill's starting spot.
A's-Related:
Oakland opens the 2009 season tonight at 6:00 in Anaheim. Dallas Braden will be on the hill for the visitors, facing Joe Saunders.
Are the Angels ready to replace K-Rod and Teixeira and remain at the top of the AL West? Will Matt Holliday make a huge impact on the A's offense? Either way, opening on the road – for 4 games, no less – against last year's division champs, no less – will make the home-opening series against the Mariners seem that much easier. Of course after that, there's Boston . . .
Giants-Related:
The Giants will have Tim The Franchise on the hill tomorrow as they take on the Brewers and Jeff Suppan.
Lincecum will look to fare much better than American League Cy Young Winner Cliff Lee, who was shelled by Texas for 7 ER on 10 hits in 5.0 Innings.
Somewhat Giants-Related:
Sabathia update #1:
CC lasted only 4 1/3 innings at Camden Yards, surrendering 6 ER on 8 hits. The Yankees cut the Oriole lead to 6-5 after Sabathia left trailing 6-1, but a 4-run bottom of the 8th by Baltimore put N.Y. in a big hole once more. C.C. took the loss.
Money Saved By Not Signing Sabathia (assuming C.C. makes 35 starts this season as he did in 2008): $657,142.86
Lincecum-meter: 1 Tim 
Teixeira update #1:
Mark finished 0-4 with a walk.
Money Saved By Not Signing Teixeira: $123,456.79
Manny Watch:
1-3, 1 BB, 1 SO, 1 Run, 2 LOB
Outfield Blunders on the Season: 0
Warriors-Related:
Golden State is off until Wednesday, when they face Minnesota.
Today, the Basketball Hall of Fame inducted the 2009 class, which included all-time legends David Robinson and John Stockton, and of course the greatest legend of them all, Michael Jordan.
Chris Mullen and Don Nelson were not among the inductees.
The college basketball season concludes tonight with UNC taking on Michigan State. No potential candidates for the Warriors' first round pick are participating.
Most mock drafts have the Warriors taking Brandon Jennings with the 7th overall pick.
Sharks-Related:
The Sharks beat the Ducks in Anaheim 3-2 on a Jonathan Cheechoo deflection to set a franchise record with their 52nd win of the season.
The race for the President's Trophy:
Sharks: 115 pts; 3 games remaining: vs. Colorado, vs. Phoenix, at L.A. Kings
Boston: 112 pts; 4 games remaining: at Ottawa, vs. Montreal, at Buffalo
Red Wings: 109 pts; 3 games remaining: at Buffalo, vs. Nashville, vs. Chicago
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