Former Texan Green Starts in NO

[Mistril48]

It's not easy drafting defensive linemen to make an impact on your team. Ask New Orleans. Former Texan 2002 sixth round draft pick, Howard Green is starting ahead of Johnathan Sullivan. The Saints traded two first round picks to move up to take Sullivan sixth overall in the draft.

Pete Prisco article - http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/7687696/1

What other highly drafted defensive line prospects have underwhelmed in your opinion?

[nunusguy]

Real good article Mistril. I get some kind of satisfaction when the experts make a mistake(s) on predicting successful careers in the NFL(as long as it's not the Texans). But for NO to have a sixth round pick cut by the Texans (an X team at that), beat out the 6 "overall" pick in last years draft - that's what I call a major fiasco in the teams talent judging ability of college players. And
they gave up 2 first round picks to move up to take him ! Wow !
Sounds a lot like the Raiders situation with Robert Gallery. He's having trouble cracking their their starting offensive line unit, and he's the 2nd overall in this years draft. Another sure thing all the experts said.
So far Cass hasn't had any major busts. The biggest disappointment amoung our high picks is certainly TE Joppru, but his problems are injury related and therefor can't be classified in the "bust" category.

[texasguy346]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

Sounds a lot like the Raiders situation with Robert Gallery. He's having trouble cracking their their starting offensive line unit, and he's the 2nd overall in this years draft. Another sure thing all the experts said.

Actually, he's going to start at RT on Sunday for them. He played LG last Sunday, along with RT, and a few other positions. He performed pretty well, and if he does so again this Sunday then he might hold on to the starting spot.

[edo783]

Gallery is actually playing pretty well, just can't crack the line up at LT because the veteran that plays there got a fire lit under his butt when Gallery was drafted and is playing extremily well. They are using Gallery at other positions to get him game experience and eventually Gallery will probably be the LT.

[wags]

Yea, Gallery is starting this week and will eventually be their LT. I wouldn't worry about Gallery because lineman like Jonathan Ogden, who is the games best LT right now, didn't start immediately either.

Sullivan not being able to start has gotta be a dissapointment, but Dewayne Robertson who was taken 4th overall by the Jets, ahead of Sullivan, has probably been more dissapointing.

[Mistril48]

Originally Posted by wags

... Sullivan not being able to start has gotta be a dissapointment, but Dewayne Robertson who was taken 4th overall by the Jets, ahead of Sullivan, has probably been more dissapointing.

Did anyone see the Jet game? Is Robertson starting/playing this year? Is he coming around, or still a mess?

[texasguy346]

I'd imagine he's still a starter because Evans went down with a back injury, and they don't have much depth at DT. He did start last Sunday I think.

[ArlingtonTexan]

The info on Green is interesting, very interesting.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by texasguy346

Actually, he's going to start at RT on Sunday for them. He played LG last Sunday, along with RT, and a few other positions. He performed pretty well, and if he does so again this Sunday then he might hold on to the starting spot.

Yea, you're right I saw that. But the point is that nobody, but nobody, would
invest the #2 overall in any OL who was not to be the team's LT. And Gallery
is not good enought to be the LT in the Raider's line at this time. Maybe later ? How much later ? This guy, plain and simple, is a bust because the
price you pay to get a guard, or center, or RT (which is virtually a guard),
is no where near what they paid for Gallery. A lot of people (not just the Raiders), blew it on rating Gallerys ability.

[ArlingtonTexan]

You correct about Gallery being drafted to be a LT, but calling him a bust after 1 game is a tad premature.

If he is still doing the tour of OL positions in 2 years (not two games), I will be right there with you.

[texasguy346]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

Yea, you're right I saw that. But the point is that nobody, but nobody, would
invest the #2 overall in any OL who was not to be the team's LT. And Gallery
is not good enought to be the LT in the Raider's line at this time. Maybe later ? How much later ? This guy, plain and simple, is a bust because the
price you pay to get a guard, or center, or RT (which is virtually a guard),
is no where near what they paid for Gallery. A lot of people (not just the Raiders), blew it on rating Gallerys ability.

It's way too soon to call him a bust. Look at Jordan Gross of the Panthers from the draft the year before. He was a talented LT, but the Panthers started a veteran at LT and put Gross at RT. Seemed to work well for them that year since they made it to the SB. This season Gross is the LT. Would you call Jordan Gross a bust because he was drafted 8th overall (BTW he was slated to go as high as #3 to Houston), and wasn't a LT from day one for the Panthers? It's difficult to discern the value of a player 2 to 3 years after he was drafted. Much less trying to discern his value after one game.

As for your point about centers and guards I can't say I agree. General draft rules are fine, but there are occasionally exceptional talents and/or poor draft classes that make for exceptions to the rule. Take C Jeff Faine of the Cleveland Browns. He was a first round pick in 2003, and has played very well even though the 'general draft rule' is not to take a center that high. The same thing was said about drafting a safety with a high 1st round pick, and Roy Williams is living proof that the rule doesn't always apply.