By Chris "Raiden" Grewe
Published: April 26, 2008 PrintEmail
My Draft Day Gut Feelings
By Chris "Raiden" Grewe, PSH Columnist
Volume 4, Issue 6
My final thoughts on the draft...
Darren McFadden's going to
end up being the biggest wild card of the first six picks. I think the
Jets jump on him at 6 if he's there, and I think Jerry Jones and the
Cowboys work the phones with every pick between Atlanta and New York to
try to find a deal. Al Davis may trade down if Jones ups his offer to
both firsts this year and a first day pick next season.
Honest to God I have no idea where Matt Ryan ends up. He could go
to Atlanta, they're interested, ditto Kansas City, or maybe Baltimore.
A wild card to watch here...Carolina. They may call New England at 7 if
Ryan makes it that far.
One more thought on Vernon Gholston. He's not number one, Chris
Long's probably number two, where's that leave him?
Ultimately...Oakland? New York? New England? Certainly not...Cincinnati?
Today will be a glorious day if you play offensive tackle. I'm
projecting no less than five will be gone by the end of the first
stanza (Jake Long, Chris Williams, Ryan Clady, Gosder Cherilus, and
Jeff Otah), and that's not even counting media darling tackle/I think
he's still a guard Branden Albert. Watch for Clady or Williams to be
the pick for Kansas City at 5, they won't get either at 17.
Keep an eye on those sneaky Texans...the Houston ones specifically.
If Chris Williams starts to slide into the low teens, they may just go
grab their franchise left tackle.
My gut tells me this will be the first draft since 2003 to involve
a trade in the first seven picks. That streak just has to stop at four
drafts.
New Orleans doesn't know what it's going to do yet. If they can
swing a deal for the second pick, they'll do it, but I'm still trying
to figure out what they're offering there since they're supposedly
trading the 40th pick and some others to the Giants for Jeremy
Shockey...or is that why the trade hasn't been announced yet? Now as
for what they'd do at 10 if they stayed put, they'll take
a...defensivetacklelinebackerrunningback? Really don't know what's
going down in The Big Easy.
Right before we figure out what the Saints are doing, we'll see how
the situation in Cincinnati unfolds. They'll take Sedrick Ellis if he's
there, otherwise...could be anything. This could be a traded pick if
the defensive tackle isn't there. Also, shocking possibility...I
wouldn't put it out of the question for them to take a wide receiver,
turn around, and trade Chad Johnson to the Redskins for their first
round pick and a future conditional pick.
Devin Thomas should be off the board before the first half of the first round's over. Mark it down.
This is my shocking prediction...no less than three quarterbacks
will be selected in Round 1. I'm going out on a limb here, but I think
two's a guarantee, three's a very distinct possibility with Miami and
Atlanta lurking at the top of Round 2. Add in the number of picks in
the last 10 of Round 1 that could be up for grabs...you've got the
makings of someone trading either down or back into the first round.
I'm now officially sick of thinking about it. Let's get this thing started!
