Mels Big Board
 

1. *Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas (6-foot-1, 208)

2. Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU (6-2, 292)

3. Jake Long, OT, Michigan (6-6, 320)

4. Chris Long, DE, Virginia (6-4, 282)

5. Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC (6-1, 297)

6. Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College (6-4, 223)

7. *Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas (6-1, 193)

8. *Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio St. (6-3, 262)

9. *Ryan Clady, OT, Boise State (6-5, 320)

10. *Jonathan Stewart, RB, Oregon (5-10, 233)

11. *Phillip Merling, DE, Clemson (6-4½, 272)

12. Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt (6-5½, 318)

13. Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy (5-10½, 185)

14. Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina (6-4, 298)

15. *Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas (5-11, 202)

16. Sam Baker, OT, USC (6-4½, 310) |

17. *Calais Campbell, DE, Miami (6-7, 280)

18. Jeff Otah, OT, Pittsburgh (6-5, 339) |

19. Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida (5-11½, 202)

20. *Chilo Rachal, OG, USC (6-6¼, 339)

21. *Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois (5-10, 224)

22. Fred Davis, USC (6-4, 253)

23. *Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma (6-3½, 219)

24. *DeSean Jackson, WR, California (5-11, 168)

25. *Kenny Phillips, S, Miami (6-1½, 200)

DROPPED
Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville (6-3, 223)

Dan Connor, LB, Penn State (6-2½, 231)

*Reggie Smith, CB, Oklahoma (6-1, 200)

Keith Rivers, LB, USC (6-3, 233)

*Pat Sims, DT, Auburn (6-3½, 305)

As usual Mel and I disagree but he seems to be get a little better at it. Maybe he changed hair sprays and does not get as high of the vapors. Both LB are not in the top 20? Give me a break. At least one should be. I will leave the rest alone. But I thought it was interesting that he put the two small school CB ahead of them. The two top WR are at the Bottom? I just think the dude can not make up his mind on which players at WR and LB are the better ones. He is playing it safe.

Re: Mels Big Board
 

Hagan, what is your assessment of the top corners in the draft? It seems to be a relatively deep class. But whom should be our top target for corner - Talib, Jenkins, or McKelvin? Or do you think it might be better to wait on a guy like Patrick Lee, Cromartie, or Cason?

Re: Mels Big Board
 

I want Aqib Kalib 6-1.... im liking this kid....

Re: Mels Big Board
 

His board will change after the combine and then again and again for no apparent reason.

Re: Mels Big Board
 

I want Cromartie. If he doesn't slide in the late first.

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I think this is going to be one of the deepest drafts for CB and OT in resent history. We should get one or two easy. The funny thing is there are more than CB that I think can become great FS in the NFL.

Talib is at the top of my list for the switch. I think he is the best CB/FS in the draft. He might become the best FS in the draft when all is said and done. We are talking a lot of pro bowls for the kid. I think he has that much talent.

Jenkins is definitely going to be over drafted. He has a ton of talent, but? I have not put my finger on what it is that makes me so doubtful of him as a top 20 pick. Do not get me wrong he should have a good NFL career. But there is something that I can not buy into him on. He definitely needs to play the run better and he will not get by on his talent alone. I guess am worried about the learning curve.

McKelvin has everything you look for in a DB. I think he could be special.

Patrick Lee Like the other two, his learning curve might be to steep. So here is my CB to SS candidate. He just will not give you INT's like you would want. But he is worth the risk after the third if he falls.

Cromartie has driven his stock up. I had him as a third round steal earlier. But now we may not get a shot at him in the second. He has proven that alot of the stuff written about him were wrong.

Cason I can not comment on really, just yet. I have not dug into his history as of yet.

The one I am keeping an eye on is
Justin King, 6-0, 186, 4.38 (4.32/4.47), CB/KR Penn State
Why he came out I do not know. Another year in school would have made a big difference for him. He to me is the project to take on. There is no doubt in my mind that next year he would have been a top 20 pick in the draft. Yes I really like this kid despite the step backwards he took in 2007. He can upgrade the KR position right away and be our pet project for a year. His interview will be key not his skills.

Others of interest: So far!
Dwight Lowery, San Jose State, 6-1, 182, 4.55 (4.47/4.63), FS
Darnell Terrell, Missouri, 6-2, 200, 4.43 (4.39/4.49), FS
Terrell Thomas, 6-1, 200, 4.46 (4.40/4.54) S/KR

So this may turn out the best draft for DB's more than CB or S.

FA will determine the best route to take in the draft.

Re: Mels Big Board
 

I'm with you, if we can get him the second round and only AFTER we sign a FA CB.

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Good assestment!

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yea he's much better than the troy guy...watched our offense (FAU) tear him and the south florida jenkins apart...kalib all the way.

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Kalib does look good but, how often does a 1st round CB come in a play really good right away???

I'd rather we get our starting CB through Free Agency.

We have alot guys to pick from:

Roc Alexander
Nnamdi Asomugha
Gary Baxter
Tony Beckham
Ralph Brown
Chris Carr
Ricardo Colclough
Terry Cousin
Sammy Davis
Travis Fisher
Drayton Florence
Domonique Foxworth
Randall Gay
Aaron Glenn
Eric Green
Joselio Hanson
Reynaldo Hill
Daven Holly
Jason Horton
William James
Nathan Jones
Brian Kelly
Michael Lehan
Omare Lowe
David Macklin
Karl Paymah
Hank Poteat
Jacques Reeves
Chris Roberson
Asante Samuel
Benny Sapp
Chad Scott
Marcus Trufant
B.J. Tucker
Michael Waddell
Frank Walker
Jason Webster
Dante Wesley
Stanley Wilson
Dexter Wynn

Re: Mels Big Board
 

I said at FS Missle. He is among the top 5 at CB as we all know. But if a move to FS was done he might just be the best FS in the draft. He definitly has some of the best ball hawking skills in the draft. Better than phillips? IMO. Yes. Choice Phillips or him and you just got your playmaking FS. Add at least one veteran CB in FA without breaking the bank then go for another CB in rounds 2 or 3.

Here you get some choices.
CB Antoine Cason, Arizona
CB Tracy Porter, Indiana
CB/S Reggie Smith, (JR) Oklahoma
CB Terrell Thomas, USC
CB Justin King, (JR), Penn State
CB Brandon Flowers, (JR), Virginia Tech
CB Patrick Lee, Auburn
CB Chevis Jackson
CB Charles Godfrey, Iowa
CB/FS Dwight Lowrey, San Jose State
CB Terrence Wheatley, Colorado

Just to list a few more that I have not listed earlier. If we go the other way and draft a pure Cb such as Rodgers-Cromartie (who maybe a bit over hyped right now for a top 15 pick) or Jenkins (who also maybe a bit over hyped) or King (who is under hyped). I would the look at look at Lowrey as a an interesting prospect for the FS postion, later in the draft. He too is among the best ball hawkers in the draft. Hitting maybe an issue

I look at rounds 2 and 3 to make this a good draft for DBs. The problem is there are not any stand out shoot down types in the draft. Would I put this years group ahead of the group in 2007? I am not sure they would have made the top 20 in the draft. The most interesting are almost all small school kids or Jrs. Projects.

If Porter or Smith are on the Board in round two take them. They should be among the BPA anyways.

If a CB is the among the BPA in round 3 Take them. Do not let needs drive you. Thats one thing about this draft I like. It looks to me that CB, FS, DT, LB and DE will be in the mix all the way to the 4th. OT and TE looks very nice in these rounds also, not like last year.

Thats one reason I would love to see a move down the board in the first 2 rounds of the draft. Pick up a pick or two in rounds 3 or 4.
Rember the hyping has only yet begun. heck Pro Days and combine have yet to start. LOL

I still have young as the man to hang out on the Island in man coverage in my book.

Re: Mels Big Board
 

Yeah, I think we should just go with the BDPA in the first, hopefully Rivers or Ellis if he falls, maybe Phillips; there's just no corners worth taking at that spot. Rodgers-Cromartie, Dwight Lowery, or Justin King (my personal preference) should be the pick in the 2nd. Grab a starter-caliber FA corner and suddenly our secondary would almost be respectable.

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Can you say Mr. T? Talib is the man and will be picked #10 by the Saints.

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Talib is too slow to play corner in our scheme. If we're going corner in the first I'd rather we take Leodis McKelvin.