2005 NFL Draft : The Build Up

[Brock Lesnar]

Thanks man. Makes alot of sense now.

[jonnycomelately]

Matt Leinart is to make his decision today by 5:30 PM ET (I think ET but I'm not sure) on whether or not he'll enter the draft. He was originally supposed to give his decision yesterday but had to check some more information with one day left...

If he doesn't leave I think that the #1 pick will then be Aaron Rodgers of Cal because San Fran seems hell bent on getting a QB #1 overall. If Leinart stayed it would also screw up many a mock draft.

Who thinks that even with this extra delay that Leinart will still leave for the NFL?

[IAceI]

I expect Leinart to leave for the NFL - especially if he is projected number one pick overall.

Also any news on who the Redskins will be looking for, it looks likely to be Erasmus James, DE, but I'm not sure. I really think the 'Skins need to fix that O-Line, I know Patrick can improve but the O-Line is weak. I realise Jon is coming back this season after a season long injury and we have Chris Samuels but the 'Skins O-Line just isn't up to scratch. Come on, 30th overall?

EDIT: Oh come on guys - your mocks have Derrick Johnson going at like 16th, providing Tennessee don't trade up with Chicago you can expect DJ going to Tennessee, he's one of the hottest things around for sure and you can expect him going at 6th pick - if that.

Edited January 14, 2005 by IAceI

[Scarface]

Being a Tennessee fan, I personally don't see Steve McNair hanging it up on that bad a season, one more before he hits the road. Either way, I would be crazy to say they would draft a QB with Volek at the helm. He's a very good QB as has been seen, and I've known that not only this season, but last year when he rallied a comeback of about 21 points to be Atlanta. What they need is some defense, some boys to fill in for the ones that go down, and maybe a running back as Chris Brown is 50/50 on getting it done.

[Damian WayLNKe]

Leinart is staying at USC. First Heisman/National Champion to return for another season.

[Guest BacknBlackHoez]

damnit, i was out. planned on coming back and PTI was about to show what he said....and you ruin it! oh well.

[naiwf]

I'm glad Leinart stayed, as now next season has some historical context from day 1. I just hope for his sake that he manages to stay healthy.

[livid]

He better stay healthy this year and they better win a National Championship, otherwise he made the wrong choice. Why? Failure to get a 3-peat when that was the sole reason, I believe, to return for his Senoir season would mean that the whole team is a failure and watch his draft status dip down. If I were him, I would have gone to the pro's, because there is no way your draft status could get any higher, regardless of whoever the team is. And to say that the 49ers are an awful team, they are, but with a little work (which they are going through with the GM and coach changes) they can be lead back to at least respectablity.

IMO, Leinart chose wrong, but this is also coming from both a huge Leinart fan and a 49ers fan, so lol, I'm not the most unbiased opinion on the board right now.

I do hope, though, that since he's staying in college, that he wins the championship for the 3rd straight time so he can cement himself into the record books.

[Guest BacknBlackHoez]

seems like that Mike Williams at #1 is seeming more likely.

[IAceI]

San Fran will trade down not that Leinart is staying at school, Miami's pick is unpredictable considering they could be on the verge of getting Shaun Alexander or Edge so yeah, we'll see. If they get neither I think they'll take Cedric Benson but Alexander or Edge is likely if you ask me.

[Guest BacknBlackHoez]

Yea, i expect San Fran to trade down, and Chicago getting Mike Williams.

[IAceI]

Mike Johnson will go #4 - Chicago

Derrick Johnson will go #6 - Tennessee

Those are the only two i'm pretty sure on to be honest.

[Blaze N Amaze]

San Fran would have traded down regardless, so they could get more picks down the line and get more players to hopefully improve a god-awful team. Being a Niners fan I would want them to trade this pick away, and get more future picks and consideration, but the decision will rely heavily on the coach that is brought in.

Rattay is a good QB, given a line and the most important thing: RELIABLE RECEIVERS! Eric Johnson was plagued with injuries this year and the tight end can't carry the entire receiving load. If you look at how Rattay played with TO, you would notice that he was better than what most people think. Give him a chance, and he'll surprise you, if he has the staff. I'm sorry, but Brandon Llyod was not the answer to the Niner's offensive problems.

Trade Down pick up a Defensive player and a Wide REceiver and the Niners will win 4 games this year. (Albeit two over the Cards)

Edited January 15, 2005 by Blaze N Amaze

[Guest BacknBlackHoez]

Rattay is horrible, id rather see Ken Dorsey (Miami biased) or let them sign Drew Brees..... or perhaps Quincy Carter?

[livid]

I'm a Niners fan and I was all for a change at QB during this last offseason, but with what Rattay showed me, the only thing he's good at is getting hurt. And you know damn well, that no matter if they needed more players or not, to pass up a prospect like Leinart would almost be insane.

True, Lloyd wasn't the savior of the offense, but when you have a new QB practically every other week, it's going to affect you. He started to catch on a wee bit near the tale end of the season with Dorsey at the helm. And if you ask me, now that Leinart isn't available, I hope they choose Frye somwehre along the lines. Barlow needs to step it up though, we put the time into him and he gave us shit last year. Johnson was solid, but he's a TE that can get hurt, like you said, who isn't an Antonio Gates or Alge Crumpler type where he can thrive and make his team better by being the main target.

And thank god that the awful coaches and the GM are gone though, that will improve the team alone. What they need to do is what the Falcons did and get a GM or Asst. GM from a team like the Eagles or Patriots, or any other solid team and bring him in to be the GM for them, because look at the Falcons and what they've done under McKay as GM. But they also need to find an identity, which is what I think the whole problem was last year. Tollner is a bad coach for the offense and didn't do a good job at all. Erickson was also bad. But I can't say anything really negative to Willie Robinson, the D-Coordinator because the guy had a D that was plauged with injuries when they're usually a solid bunch. And barring that they stay healthy, the D could carry the Niners to around 6 wins because they are a solid group when healthy and have Peterson in the lineup. Andre Carter seems to have been a near bust because of injury and ineffectiveness most of the time, but he can also still get out of that place and start producing. I really, really think that Winborn will continue improving upon his skills next year, since he got injured late this past year. I also think that Spencer will become the team's main corner they've been searching for since Plummer decided to not be all that effective and I think Rumph might improve.

Yes, I'm optimistic about the Niners as they're my favorite team, but I do believe that it is now apparent that they should trade down and get more picks now that Leinart's out of the draft. Nobody is a clear cut Number One pick anymore and that usually coincides with the top team trading down. I just hope they don't fuck it up and end up getting shit out of it. I mean, look at the TO trade, they got absoloutley shit in Brandon Whiting in exchange for a playmaker.

Perhaps they trade down and are able to pick up a playmaker along the lines of Braylon Edwards, or something with the Chargers to get Brees or something after trading down with the Browns or something, but either way, I do NOT want to see Quincy Carter in a 49ers uniform, as he wouldn't fit well with what the 49ers are going to try to offensively because I think that York will try to get a coach to get the West Coast Offense into play.

And if the Niners die on me, I'll still have the Ravens, who are only going to improve.

[IAceI]

Niners would have not traded down that pick! They were going to take Leinart for sure.

Any news on the 'Skins? We need to get a 2nd and a 5th pick or at least somemore.

[jonnycomelately]

With Matt Leinart and D'Brickashaw Ferguson pulling their name out of the draft hat and countless other players either raising their stock with workouts or play in postseason All-Star games, my initial mock draft is really outdated, so therefore it is time for an update...

(-> = moved up on the board, <- = moved down on the board, $ = new addition to board)

1. San Francisco- Alex Smith, QB (Utah) -> [He's Mel Kiper's #1 pick and he's been right 6 years running so I'm going with Smith over Rodgers here]

2. Miami- Cedric Benson, RB (Texas)

3. Cleveland- Aaron Rodgers, QB (Cal) ->

4. Chicago- Mike Williams, WR (USC) ->

5. Tampa Bay- Cadillac Williams, RB (Auburn)

6. Tennessee- Alex Barron, OT (Florida State)

7. Oakland- Braylon Edwards, WR (Michigan)

8. Arizona- Ronnie Brown, RB (Auburn)

9. Washington- Erasmus James, DE (Wisconsin)

10. Detroit- Shawne Merriman, DE (Maryland) $

11. Dallas- Antrel Rolle, CB (Miami-FL)

12. San Diego(from NY Giants #)- Derrick Johnson, OLB (Texas) ->

13. Houston- Thomas Davis, S (Georgia) <-

14. Carolina- Heath Miller, TE (Virginia) ->

15. Kansas City- Dan Cody, DE (Oklahoma) ->

16. New Orleans- Rodrique Wright, DT (Texas) <-

17. Cincinatti- Travis Johnson, DT (Florida State)

18. Minnesota^- Shaun Cody, DT (USC) ->

19. St. Louis- Pac Man Jones, CB (West Virginia)

20. Dallas(From Buffalo ##)- Carlos Rogers, CB(Auburn) ->

21. Jacksonville- David Pollack, DE (Georgia) <-

22. Baltimore- Troy Williamson, WR (South Carolina) $

23. Seattle^- Channing Crowder, ILB (Florida) ->

24. Green Bay^- Charlie Frye, QB (Akron) $

25. Denver^- Marcus Spears, DE (LSU) <-

26. San Diego^- Brodney Pool, S (Oklahoma) $

27. NY Jets^- Marlin Jackson, CB (Michigan) ->

28. Indianapolis^- Justin Miller, CB (Clemson) ->

29. Philadelphia^^- Anttaj Hawthorne, DT (Wisconsin) $

30. New England^^- Jammal Brown, OT (Oklahoma) $

31. Atlanta^^- Adam Terry, OT (Syracuse) $

32. Pittsburgh^^- Alex Smith, TE (Stanford) $

#- Eli Manning trade

##- J.P. Losman trade

^- settled in playoffs

^^- speculated playoff results

Biggest Riser- Alex Smith, QB (Utah) Up 23 Spots

Biggest Decliner- Marcus Spears, DE(LSU) Down 7 Spots

Off The Board- Matt Leinart, QB (USC)

D'Brickashaw Ferguson, OT (Virginia

Mathias Kiwanuka, DE (Boston College)

Ahmad Brooks, OLB (Auburn)

Mark Clayton, WR (Oklahoma)

Justin Tuck, DE (Notre Dame)

Marcus McNeill, OT (Auburn)

Craphonso Thorpe, WR (Florida State)

[oldskool]

Why does Carolina take a TE with their middle-round pick instead of a QB, when Delhomme's backups are Weinke and Peete, both near retirement age?

Take Frye, Carolina! Take him!

[jonnycomelately]

The QB position is a big wild card in this draft, as many as 5 or 6 QB's could be taken in the first round but only two are locks. I myself think Charlie Frye is also a first round lock with Leinart staying at USC but there are several others that could creep into the first round/early second round if teams can't keep their shit together in the offseason, the one guy that seems to be shooting up draft boards is Jason Campbell of Auburn, from what I've seen he's in Round 2 right now but as I said in an earlier post, scouts said the same things about Kyle Boller and Cade McNown and they both ended up Top 20 picks.

In Carolina's case, I think that they are confident that they have or could get a compitent backup QB if Delhomme were to go down but I think that Miller would be the perfect compliment to the trio of Keary Colbert, Steve Smith, and Muhsin Muhammad just as Marcus Pollard/Dallas Clark is to the trio of Marvin Harrison, Brandon Stokley, and Reggie Wayne.