Lets get real for the 2008 Draft
 

Lets look back for a minute at the 2007 draft and get a grip on this group of players in the 2009 draft. I highlighted the LB and CB to make it easier to see where they got picked.

1 1 Oakland Russell, JaMarcus QB 6-6 263 Louisiana State
2 2 Detroit Johnson, Calvin WR 6-4 237 Georgia Tech
3 3 Cleveland Thomas, Joe OT 6-6 313 Wisconsin
4 4 Tampa Bay Adams, Gaines DE 6-5 260 Clemson
5 5 Arizona Brown, Levi OT 6-4 328 Penn State
6 6 Washington Landry, LaRon FS 6-2 205 Louisiana State
7 7 Minnesota Peterson, Adrian RB 6-2 218 Oklahoma
8 8 Atlanta (from Houston) Anderson, Jamaal DE 6-6 279 Arkansas
9 9 Miami Ginn Jr., Ted WR 6-0 180 Ohio State
10 10 Houston (from Atlanta) Okoye, Amobi DT 6-2 287 Louisville
11 11 San Francisco Willis, Patrick ILB 6-1 240 Mississippi
12 12 Buffalo Lynch, Marshawn RB 5-11 217 California
13 13 St. Louis Carriker, Adam DE 6-6 292 Nebraska
14 14 N.Y. Jets (from Carolina) Revis, Darrelle CB 6-0 197 Pittsburgh
15 15 Pittsburgh Timmons, Lawrence OLB 6-3 232 Florida State
16 16 Green Bay Harrell, Justin DT 6-4 305 Tennessee
17 17 Denver (from Jacksonville) Moss, Jarvis DE 6-6 251 Florida
18 18 Cincinnati Hall, Leon CB 5-11 193 Michigan
19 19 Tennessee Griffin, Michael FS 6-0 195 Texas
20 20 N.Y. Giants Ross, Aaron CB 6-1 192 Texas
21 21 Jacksonville (from Denver) Nelson, Reggie FS 6-0 193 Florida
22 22 Cleveland (from Dallas) Quinn, Brady QB 6-3 226 Notre Dame
23 23 Kansas City Bowe, Dwayne WR 6-2 217 Louisiana State
24 24 New England (from Seattle) Meriweather, Brandon FS 5-11 192 Miami (Fla.)
25 25 Carolina (from N.Y. Jets) Beason, Jon OLB 6-0 236 Miami (Fla.)
26 26 Dallas (from Philadelphia) Spencer, Anthony DE 6-3 266 Purdue
27 27 New Orleans Meachem, Robert WR 6-3 211 Tennessee
28 28 San Francisco (from New England) Staley, Joe OT 6-5 302 Central Michigan
29 29 Baltimore Grubbs, Ben G 6-3 314 Auburn
30 30 San Diego Davis, Craig WR 6-1 207 Louisiana State
31 31 Chicago Olsen, Greg TE 6-4 252 Miami (Fla.)
32 32 Indianapolis Gonzalez, Anthony WR 6-0 195 Ohio State

Besides the top 5 there is no way any of the players we are talking about is worth a top 10 pick much less the pay they will get.

I do not think I need to post the 2006 draft because it is even worse.
In 2009 we are going to see a draft close to the talent in 2006.

So do not get so excited about this group of players in round one please. the gamble is not worth it. It is only going to lead to heart ache. they will not live up to the contracts they are signing. It is a gamble that may pay off but the odds are against it. I still say fold in round one if you can and get picks for next year in round 1

Re: Lets get real for the 2008 Draft
 

well, if you can't get picks for next yr, i'm all for getting as many as we can in the 2nd, 3rd rounds this yr.........

Re: Lets get real for the 2008 Draft
 

Outside of Timmons, I see five players that would have immediately started on our defense. Willis led the league in tackles and went to the pro bowl in his rookie year. Revis ranked near tops in the league for passes defended, Beason ranked near tops in the league for tackles, and Hall and Ross made contributions on defense to their respecitive teams.

Re: Lets get real for the 2008 Draft
 

Said it before and will say it again... trading this year's picks to load up for next year is silly. Why not address the problem now when we have the chance? It's not going to help our cause to win a championship this year by waiting for next year's draft picks to make an impact the year after... or maybe even longer than that.

No one knows if next year's first round draft class will be any deeper than this years. That list that you posted a couple of weeks ago Hagan about some prospects in next year's class was not enticing to me.

Oh and it doesn't make sense to judge a draft class after just one year. A majority of rookies don't make an impact until after they get acclimated to the speed and learning curve of the pro game.

I like a lot of players in the first round of this year's draft that could help us in the near future... don't see the point in waiting. I'm fine with where we're at number 10 in the draft. I'm fine with us moving up to get one of the DT's. I'm fine with us moving back in the first round acquiring more picks in the process. What I'm not fine with is moving completely out of the first round to acquire a magic bean in next year's draft.

Re: Lets get real for the 2008 Draft
 

Good points. Hagan, I respect your views, and your football knowledge, but I disagree with holding off to accumulate future picks. We are already SO close to getting into the playoffs. THAT CLOSE. Let's get there now, this year, while we've still got a healthy and active probowl quarterback. He won't be healthy and in his prime forever.

Re: Lets get real for the 2008 Draft
 

I especially like the running backs taken early.

Re: Lets get real for the 2008 Draft
 

The big problem that I see with waiting is on at least LB and CB are this:

First year LBs have shown the ability to come in and make an immediate impact on their teams. Think Willis, Beason from 07; Hawk, Sims, Wimbley, Ryans from 06; Ware, Merriman, Johnson, Tatupu from 05. All have been early round LBs that have made significant impacts for their teams in their rookie seasons.

As far as CBs go, the days of drafting a rookie with the capability of immediately coming in and locking down NFL wideouts is a thing of the past. Nowadays, you get 2 types of CBs as rookies: Guys with tremendous measurables and upside, but who still need a few years of refining and technique and safe picks who will never be top notch cover men but who are servicable have little bust potential.

So if we decide to go either way, I dont see a great benefit in waiting until next year. Also, a look at the potential LBs and CBs next year does not look any better than the crop this year. Top LBs available next year will be Sean Lee of Penn St, Darry Beckwith of LSU, Brian Cushing of USC, James Laurenitis of Ohio St, Rey Maualuga of USC, and Jasper Brinkley of South Carolina with maybe Brandon Spikes of Florida or Prince Hall of Bama leaving school early. Outside of Laurenitis, that crop looks weaker than this years.

For CBs, Malcolm Jenkins (OSU), Macho Harris (VTech), and Mickens of Cincinnati are good senior prospects with a guy like Vontae Davis of Illinois possibly leaving early. I would prefer one of this year's CBs with a year of refining under their belt than waiting till next year and hoping one of these guys can come right in and make a huge impact.

Re: Lets get real for the 2008 Draft
 

2 points to make here. None of the players in this years draft match up to these two at 10. They would get more money to play than these guys are making. To me thats a bad investment against the cap.

11 San Francisco Willis, Patrick ILB 6-1 240 Mississippi
18 Cincinnati Hall, Leon CB 5-11 193 Michigan

If
Malcolm Jenkins (OSU), Macho Harris (VTech), and Mickens of Cincinnati
and
Sean Lee of Penn St, Darry Beckwith of LSU, Brian Cushing of USC, James Laurenitis of Ohio St, Rey Maualuga of USC, and Jasper Brinkley of South Carolina
all came out this year, we would not be talking about any of the CB in the draft. Sorry just would not be happening at 10. As for LBs there is an outside shoot with Rivers but not at 10.
This year group is by far better than any other group of players we have seen in the 2nd and 3rd rounds for the past few years. That is were the wise money is going to be spent.

Re: Lets get real for the 2008 Draft
 

so with this you're saying what i am......
go down and load up in the 2nd, 3rd round...........
at least that's what i'm reading............
of course after six beers, it all looks a little fuzzy........
but, i'm all for getting out the first round with more picks
in this yrs draft........call atlanta right now and demand a trade.........