Mel Kiper On Growing Peterson Buzz

[JAXwithanX]

In my latest first-round projection, I have underclassmen making up half of the top 32 picks, including 12 of the first 20 spots on the board.

I still have LSU junior QB JaMarcus Russell going with the first overall pick to Oakland. However, the biggest buzz could center around Oklahoma junior RB Adrian Peterson (6-1½, 223 pounds). His workout numbers at the NFL combine should look something like this: 4.37 in the 40-yard dash; 38-inch vertical leap; and eight percent body fat. I have Peterson going to Cleveland, which will have either the third or fourth pick, depending on a coin flip tiebreaker with Tampa Bay; but there also could be several teams interested in trading up to get Peterson.

If Peterson does go to Cleveland, Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn could slide to the Dolphins with the ninth pick. The reason Quinn would fall to Miami? Teams picking after Cleveland (possibly Tampa Bay, Arizona, Washington, Minnesota and Houston) don't need a quarterback. You could make a case for the Texans or Vikings to draft Quinn, but I don't expect that to happen.

The Seattle Seahawks are the only team that does not have a first-round pick because of the trade they made with the Patriots to acquire WR Deion Branch. Seattle could use another wide receiver and, ironically, this draft has a lot of great pass catchers. (I'm projecting seven wide receivers will go in the first round.)

My next first-round projection will be the first week of March following the NFL combine.

I called this a week ago, but what is ridiculous is how things have changed in the past few days on Peterson's buzz.....yet nothing such as a game or combine has even happened to warrant the increased attention. This should just show how absolutely sketchy these mocks are....players can do nothing but sit at home for a week and gain or lose ground just because someone finally starts to take notice. Anyone that watched AP play the past 3 years should have been able to realize he was never going to be there at 8.

[Ole Miss Texan]

Congratulations. I think the majority of people on here felt pretty highly that Peterson would be gone by the time we picked too.

Just having the idea that Peterson could slip to us is very exciting...I don't think anyone thinks there is 100% chance he does or even close to it...but probably like 50/50ish. I am also surprised how many mocks as AP going to us.

I would be thrilled if he fell to us but I'm not holding my breath... I don't think anyone is.

[infantrycak]

Originally Posted by JAXwithanX

I called this a week ago, but what is ridiculous is how things have changed in the past few days on Peterson's buzz.....yet nothing such as a game or combine has even happened to warrant the increased attention. This should just show how absolutely sketchy these mocks are....players can do nothing but sit at home for a week and gain or lose ground just because someone finally starts to take notice. Anyone that watched AP play the past 3 years should have been able to realize he was never going to be there at 8.

What changes is that the NFL GM's and coaches start looking at tape on all the college prospects and start making comments to Kiper and others. Kiper doesn't evaluate talent himself very much, he reports the word he hears from his NFL contacts.

[kastofsna]

don't be surprised to hear TONS of rumors about the raiders drafting peterson. it makes so much sense.

A) peterson gets the "once in a lifetime player" label by a lot of people.
B) he's not a quarterback
C) al davis
D) 4 teams in the championship games all utilized 2-back systems

right now the pick is down to two people, as far as i'm concerned: calvin johnson and adrian peterson. simple.

[infantrycak]

Not a snowballs chance in Hades. Lamont Jordan was signed to a $27.5 mil contract 2 years ago and their problems lie with their OL not the RB. That plus taking a RB at #1 renders him tremendously overpaid.

[kastofsna]

sounds kinda like the saints last year with deuce mcallister. mcallister is actually making more money than jordan, though.

[gtexan02]

This scenario would actually be very good for us. There are currently a lot of teams that need an upgrade at QB, and there is a very legitimate debate between Quinn and Russel -- both of whom will be very good QBs.

If Kiper is projecting Quinn to Miami at 9, our #8 pick suddenly because a hot commodity for someone looking to trade up and snatch Quinn at a relatively low spot

[Zac]

Well, Let's not forget that certain quarterback have "MOJO", "MOXY", "IT", etc.

Peyton Manning, Ben Rothenfeld, Montana, Aikman, Young, etc.


If the Texans evalute Quinn and think he's got it. And as we can see, Carr likely doesn't have it and it's getting kind of late for him to show it.



Remember that Big Ben Turned around the Pittsburg Steelers in his rookie season. And I think that Steelers team without him the year before was something like 6-10 or something.


The Texans Defense is really shaping up.



If Quinn is there, well then that might be good

[Carr Bombed]

I think Stephen Jackson fell all the way to the 24 spot. Regardless of what Kiper says, Peterson can go anywhere from 3 to 8.

[Trap_Star]

Originally Posted by infantrycak

Not a snowballs chance in Hades. Lamont Jordan was signed to a $27.5 mil contract 2 years ago and their problems lie with their OL not the RB. That plus taking a RB at #1 renders him tremendously overpaid.

Originally Posted by kastofsna

sounds kinda like the saints last year with deuce mcallister. mcallister is actually making more money than jordan, though.

Who the heck is Lamont Jordan!?!?!?

[Texian]

Originally Posted by Zac

If Quinn is there, well then that might be good

It is probably better than Plummer long term, short term you are starting in square 1.

[CowboysTexansFan]

Originally Posted by Texian

It is probably better than Plummer long term, short term you are starting in square 1.

I'm not a Quinn fan and think he's overrated, but I wouldn't say a team taking him is starting at square 1. He's had two full years of coaching by Charlie Weis and played at the highest level of college ball during that period, so he's probably about as ready as a rookie QB is going to be coming into the NFL. Leinert played pretty well for Arizona behind a garbage line as a rookie, and better than a lot of seasoned NFL quarterbacks. Will Quinn be as good as Leinert his rookie season? I don't know.

[Silver Oak]

Originally Posted by gtexan02

If Kiper is projecting Quinn to Miami at 9, our #8 pick suddenly because a hot commodity for someone looking to trade up and snatch Quinn at a relatively low spot

Perfect scenario for a team like ours, with needs almost everywhere, that can trade down and get an extra pick or two.

[CowboysTexansFan]

Originally Posted by Silver Oak

Perfect scenario for a team like ours, with needs almost everywhere, that can trade down and get an extra pick or two.

Or if Kubiak thinks highly enough of him, we could just take Quinn at #8. Finding guys like Tom Brady in the 6th round or Tony Romo in free agency is extremely difficult. Plummer, Garcia and Huard are not long-term solutions, so if the regime has determined that Carr is not the answer, we need a QB who can take us to the Super Bowl when the rest of the team is ready.

[rollinstone18]

If Peterson isn't available, which I suspect he won't be, we'll still have a pool of talent to choose from. Since this draft is deep in secondary talent, I'd like to see use the first pick on either Jamaal Anderson/Amobi Okoye/Alan Branch/Levi Brown (in that order).

[Houston Sooner]

It will be a"miracle" if AD is there at the #8 pick. He will be his combine numbers.

Weight 223
Bench 25-28 times
Height 6ft 1.5
Vert 45 inches
40 4.41 or 4.39

[bah007]

Originally Posted by Houston Sooner

It will be a"miracle" if AD is there at the #8 pick. He will be his combine numbers.

Weight 223
Bench 25-28 times
Height 6ft 1.5
Vert 45 inches
40 4.41 or 4.39

Did you grab his numbers from the future?

The combine is make it or break it time for almost all the players. But even if Peterson doesn't do his best he probably wont fall to us in the draft.

[ATX]

About the same time 2 years ago, Many said Derrick Johnson wouldn't fall to us at 13.

[ATX]

He did, Casserly blew it by trading down. Could have had DJ or Jamaal Brown with that pick.

[rickyb]

Originally Posted by gtexan02

This scenario would actually be very good for us. {cut}

If Kiper is projecting Quinn to Miami at 9, our #8 pick suddenly because a hot commodity for someone looking to trade up and snatch Quinn at a relatively low spot

Yup. Yup.