LivnaLieTimay

So many of you are picking apart Leinart and VY because in the past there have been qb’s selected high in the draft that have wound up being busts. I also couldn’t stand reading these posts about how great Hawk is and how half the people on this website think he’s the second coming of Lawrence Taylor. Since 1982, 17 linebackers been taken in the top 5 of the draft. Of those 17, 3 of them were worth more than the dirt I walk on. Carl Banks in ‘84, Junior Seau in ‘90, and Willie McGinest in ‘94 were the three guys that were worthy of a top 5 pick. Lavar Arrington was chosen #2 in 2000 but he doesn’t even start on his own team. Anyway my point is that choosing a linebacker in the top 5 isn’t a guarantee like you guys seem to think it is. Some of you seem more excited about drafting Hawk/Jacobs and signing Kerry Collins than a teenager in the playboy mansion. Truthfully, I’m not fully sold on the guy, the only reason I could see anyone wanting to trade down (P.S., the two worst words for any team on draft day, how many times does trading down work for a team? I know it’s worked but it’s not often) for Hawk would be to hold out on that 1 in 70,000 chance that your season tickets will be right next to his extremely hot girlfriend (Brady Quinn’s sister, allriiiiight). Anyways I am sure that when you look at the success of linebackers chosen in the top 5 you made the same assumption as I did…

There are 32 teams in the NFL. For arguments sake lets just say each starts 3 linebackers (I know there are some teams that play the 3-4 but I don’t know where I’d find that information) So that means that there are 96+ starting linebackers in the NFL. Now looking at the above paragraph that would mean that ONE!!! of the 96 starting linebackers in the NFL was chosen in the top 5. Now I’m not a math major but I believe that would mean that 95 of 96 starting linebackers in the NFL were chosen mid-first round and later (there have been some guys, good and bad chosen in the 7-10 range but Hawk’s going to be top 5 so I’m only using top 5 for this argument). Anyways, what makes anyone think that Hawk is worth a top 5 pick? Clearly every team in the NFL is having plenty of success finding good linebackers outside the lottery picks. Also, not one linebacker has been chosen in the top 5 since Lavar in 2000, that’s 5 years! NFL scouts realize you can find a good linebacker later in the draft; there are better ways to use a top 5 pick than on a linebacker. Why go against the trends of the NFL draft and waste a top 5 pick on linebacker that didn’t even win the Butkus award (given to the best lb in the nation) I have yet to hear one person say they would rather have Hawk and Jacobs over Leinart and Carpenter (or any of the other stud linebackers that will still be available in the 2nd round) and by drafting Leinart I believe that would be a huge statement by the Saints. Leinart is going to be good and he can start right away. He’s a smart quarterback (the Anti-AB) and he’s a great guy to build a franchise around.

Anyways, this is just what I think is the best path to take. I know some of you guys think trading down (ugh I hate saying those two words, sorry I just do, haha) is the way to go. And while I believe A.J. Hawk is going to be a good linebacker, I don’t think he’s going to be the kind of guy who completely turns around a defense. If you guys think that we are going to win a championship by bringing in a washed up veteran for a year or two before we hand the ball to Jacobs you are delusional, that guy won’t start a playoff game in his career, never the less win a championship. I do think Leinart (or even Young) can be special players who can bring home a championship for this franchise. The QB is the most important position in all of sports, why do you guys want to pass up on a stud? Draft Leinart (or even Young), and build the defense with our other picks.