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Z-Report Final Mock Draft and 1st and 2nd Round Targets

LZ said:
I just couldn't do it. Matthews didn't add up to 15th pick value and Cushing has more pass rushing experience which helps on blitzes. He's also more physical. I could be wrong. We'll see. I still expect a trade back.

Here is my final mock draft
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I'm thinking that they'll trade back as well. I'm not sure who I'd rather have as far as Mathews or Cushing. Neither of them really unless Mathews is there with the trade back and is also depends on what kind of draft pick we get for trading back as well. I wish the Texans would jump on Rey Mealeuga though.
 
Texecutioner said:
I'm thinking that they'll trade back as well. I'm not sure who I'd rather have as far as Mathews or Cushing. Neither of them really unless Mathews is there with the trade back and is also depends on what kind of draft pick we get for trading back as well. I wish the Texans would jump on Rey Mealeuga though.
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Why do you want a MLB when we have one of the better MLBs in the NFL?
 
Revolution said:
Why do you want a MLB when we have one of the better MLBs in the NFL?
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I think that he is to good of a player to pass on. I think it could be worked out where Demeco could move to the outside. He played on the outside in college, and he is a good enough instinctive player to do it again if you ask me. I;m just not sold on Cushing and Mathews with the 15th pick. If Rey is there I think we should take him and not try and trade down.
 
Brando said:
I like Rey Mealeuga also. Could we move Ryans to the outside? Ryans did play OLB in college right? Maybe we could move Rey to the outside?
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That's the question. If they think he can play outside, Maualuge would be an awesome fit, but I've spoken with someone behind the scenes (not R. Smith) who doesn't believe he can run well enough in coverage to play outside.
 
LZ said:
I just couldn't do it. Matthews didn't add up to 15th pick value and Cushing has more pass rushing experience which helps on blitzes. He's also more physical. I could be wrong. We'll see. I still expect a trade back.

Here is my final mock draft
Click to expand...

I like it. I really hope we do trade back for a guy like Darius Butler.

LZ said:
That's the question. If they think he can play outside, Maualuge would be an awesome fit, but I've spoken with someone behind the scenes (not R. Smith) who doesn't believe he can run well enough in coverage to play outside.
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Not to mention, Demeco has become the leader of that Texans D. He is essentially removed from this role if he is not posted up in the middle.
 
That's what I've seen with my own two eyes. He doesn't seem to do as well in coverage. He is much, MUCH more effective at the line of scrimmage.
 
LZ said:
That's the question. If they think he can play outside, Maualuge would be an awesome fit, but I've spoken with someone behind the scenes (not R. Smith) who doesn't believe he can run well enough in coverage to play outside.
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I see. It sounds like Cushing or Mathews would be a better fit. I sure like how Rey plays though. I wouldn't be disappointed if we draft Wells or Moreno either.
 
My fear with Cushing is growth potential. I'm wondering if there is a scenario similar to Z's "aggressive" mock that has most of the movement and trading happening before we even get a chance to deal with somebody. In that scenario where we simply can't trade down, then I could see your point with taking Cushing @ 15 instead of trading down a few and taking any of the several guys you have listed that could still be available at say 20 or lower. I question if Cushing is even a good value at 15. I really do. It's not that he's "falling". I don't think he's that good. He's stiff and the video I saw of him he seemed like a mediocre tackler. Watching Matthews at the pro day was UNREAL. He's incredibly fluid.
 
Brando said:
I see. It sounds like Cushing or Mathews would be a better fit. I sure like how Rey plays though. I wouldn't be disappointed if we draft Wells or Moreno either.
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That's the only scenario where I would be actually upset. I think it makes ZERO sense to pay that much for a backup running back in our system.
 
I could totally see Cushing being the pick at #15. It's not really my favorite at this point but I wouldn't be against the selection. I expect Rick Smith to somehow pull off a trade down as well.
 
What would it take to get Patrick Willis out of San Fran. I would think the 15th and next years 2nd. That would cancel out getting a LB with the 15th and it just cost a 2nd round pick more to get the other best linebacker in the NFL
 
3dgaroo said:
What would it take to get Patrick Willis out of San Fran. I would think the 15th and next years 2nd. That would cancel out getting a LB with the 15th and it just cost a 2nd round pick more to get the other best linebacker in the NFL
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Would you trade Patrick Willis if you were San Fran? I sure as hell wouldn't. Why would they do that? Just so they could take our pick and take Cushing or Mathews with it and then just have an extra 2nd? That wouldn't happen.
 
Really, really accurate write up here LZ. I am very impressed. :goodpost: I know who I am reading in preparation for next year's draft.
 
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great job Lance:goodpost:

still cannot get over KC pick Tyson Jackson 3rd overall. I understand thought process -build around DL using Richard Seymour (6th overall pick) clone who fits 3-4 DE. Also drafted Alex Magee, DE Purdue who also projects @ 3-4 DE in the 3rd. round so its all about need not bpa.
 
WOW!

Final Mock Draft

1. Detroit - Matt Stafford, QB, Georgia
2. St. Louis - Jason Smith, LT, Baylor
3. Kansas City - Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU
4. Seattle - Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest
5. Cleveland - B.J. Raji, NT, Boston College
6. Cincinnati - Andre Smith, RT, Alabama
7. Oakland - Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland
8. Jacksonville - Eugene Monroe, LT, Virginia
9. Green Bay - Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech
10. San Francisco - Michael Oher, LT, Ole Miss
11. Buffallo - Aaron Mabyine, DE, Penn State
12. Denver - Brian Orakpo, OLB/DE, Texas
13. Washington - Mark Sanchez, QB, USC
14. New Orleans - Malcolm Jenkins, CB/FS, Ohio State
15. Houston - Brian Cushing, LB, USC
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You got 9/15 right. Thats impressive!
 
gtexan02 said:
WOW!



You got 9/15 right. Thats impressive!
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Isn't that 10/15, right?


Final Mock Draft

1. Detroit - Matt Stafford, QB, Georgia
2. St. Louis - Jason Smith, LT, Baylor
3. Kansas City - Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU
4. Seattle - Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest
5. Cleveland - B.J. Raji, NT, Boston College
6. Cincinnati - Andre Smith, RT, Alabama
7. Oakland - Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland
8. Jacksonville - Eugene Monroe, LT, Virginia
9. Green Bay - Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech
10. San Francisco - Michael Oher, LT, Ole Miss
11. Buffallo - Aaron Mabyine, DE, Penn State
12. Denver - Brian Orakpo, OLB/DE, Texas
13. Washington - Mark Sanchez, QB, USC
14. New Orleans - Malcolm Jenkins, CB/FS, Ohio State
15. Houston - Brian Cushing, LB, USC
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That's a really, really impressive mock up to our pick. The only picks he missed were due to two discrete occurrences:

1. The Jets managing to trade up all the way from 17. How could anyone know that the Browns were willing to accept 30 cents on the dollar to trade down 12 spots? That pushed Raji out of the fifth pick to the ninth with Crabtree falling from the ninth to the tenth.

2. Lance, along with everyone else, underestimated the rank stupidity of the Broncos. Let's see, they have the league's worst defense and are converting from a 4-3 to a 3-4, so they basically need a whole new group of defensive players. They have a huge glut of RBs because of the injury epidemic last year and their weird buying binge in free agency--so what do they do? Draft another RB with the 12th pick.
 
All good 3-4 teams MUST have an outstanding nose tackle. They should've traded up for Raji. They had to have known he'd go early.
 
Hooston Texan said:
That's a really, really impressive mock up to our pick. The only picks he missed were due to two discrete occurrences:

1. The Jets managing to trade up all the way from 17. How could anyone know that the Browns were willing to accept 30 cents on the dollar to trade down 12 spots? That pushed Raji out of the fifth pick to the ninth with Crabtree falling from the ninth to the tenth.

2. Lance, along with everyone else, underestimated the rank stupidity of the Broncos. Let's see, they have the league's worst defense and are converting from a 4-3 to a 3-4, so they basically need a whole new group of defensive players. They have a huge glut of RBs because of the injury epidemic last year and their weird buying binge in free agency--so what do they do? Draft another RB with the 12th pick.
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This is the way I think about it:

McDaniels was hired because of his ability to run an offense, so that is what he put a high priority on. If next season the Broncos are playing terrible offensively, than he is probably going to be looked at as a bit of a failure, even if the defense improves. He will most likely be judged by the play of his offense more than the defense.

If they are playing good offense next year, Denver will give McDaniels a bit more time than if they weren't. I can understand why McDaniels and his crew approached the draft as they did. They understand that you are judged very quickly in the NFL nowadays, and if you were brought in as an "offensive guru" than your offense better show some promise, or your out of there.

McDaniels obviously didn't like what they had at RB. A dangerous RB that can do it all is what his offensive scheme entails. That is what you get with Moreno. They lose nothing by cutting those other RBs. The only guy that really is worth keeping in his offensive scheme is Selvin Young.

Trading their 1st next year for Alphonso Smith may not be that bad of a decision. It isn't like McDaniels has Bill Bellichek job security. He may not even be able to use that draft pick next year, and Alphonso Smith is one hell of a football player.

I guess my point is that I don't think Denver was as crazy as everyone else thinks in this draft. Getting rid of Cutler is a different story, and honestly after making the mistake of going after Cassell, it didn't really look like they had any other choice.
 
TexansSeminole said:
This is the way I think about it:

McDaniels was hired because of his ability to run an offense, so that is what he put a high priority on. If next season the Broncos are playing terrible offensively, than he is probably going to be looked at as a bit of a failure, even if the defense improves. He will most likely be judged by the play of his offense more than the defense.

If they are playing good offense next year, Denver will give McDaniels a bit more time than if they weren't. I can understand why McDaniels and his crew approached the draft as they did. They understand that you are judged very quickly in the NFL nowadays, and if you were brought in as an "offensive guru" than your offense better show some promise, or your out of there.

McDaniels obviously didn't like what they had at RB. A dangerous RB that can do it all is what his offensive scheme entails. That is what you get with Moreno. They lose nothing by cutting those other RBs. The only guy that really is worth keeping in his offensive scheme is Selvin Young.

Trading their 1st next year for Alphonso Smith may not be that bad of a decision. It isn't like McDaniels has Bill Bellichek job security. He may not even be able to use that draft pick next year, and Alphonso Smith is one hell of a football player.

I guess my point is that I don't think Denver was as crazy as everyone else thinks in this draft. Getting rid of Cutler is a different story, and honestly after making the mistake of going after Cassell, it didn't really look like they had any other choice.
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You know what they say , no guts no glory . He went all in on the first hand .
 
TexansSeminole said:
Yeah, it was a mistake, but after that mistake was made, I don't think there is much the Broncos could have done to retain Cutler. The damage was done.
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They did well to recover by getting a good price for Cutler but maybe got to cute . Having said that , I think Pioli did the same thing with the Chiefs by drafting Tyson Jackson . Maybe it's the Bill B tree that makes them gamble ... like Wiess .

They can't be Bill Belichick where he caught lightning in a bottle and on film . The same recipe doesn't always work and Jackson probably will not be Richard Seymour . I would have gone Raji , Monroe , or Andre Smith . It's funny because I have no problem critiquing their draft .
 
TexansSeminole said:
McDaniels was hired because of his ability to run an offense, so that is what he put a high priority on. If next season the Broncos are playing terrible offensively, than he is probably going to be looked at as a bit of a failure, even if the defense improves. He will most likely be judged by the play of his offense more than the defense.
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A lot of coaches go opposite of what they know because they think they can make any player work with their offense. Look at Kubiak, he knows offense and he keeps drafting D to get that fixed.
 
TexansSeminole said:
McDaniels was hired because of his ability to run an offense, so that is what he put a high priority on. If next season the Broncos are playing terrible offensively, than he is probably going to be looked at as a bit of a failure, even if the defense improves. He will most likely be judged by the play of his offense more than the defense.
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Specnatz said:
A lot of coaches go opposite of what they know because they think they can make any player work with their offense. Look at Kubiak, he knows offense and he keeps drafting D to get that fixed.
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Just like any coach, McDaniel should be judged on the success of the team. Kubiak's definitely improved the Texans (it would have been hard not to), but nobody's overlooking the defensive problems because of his offensive success. If we have the #1 offense in all categories this season, but go no better tha 8-8 because the D still sucks, Kubiak is likely an Offensive Coordinator for somebody in the '10 season.

Dungy and Billick are two good examples of Super Bowl winning coaches who didn't have teams that reflected their strengths. Dungy had a great offense, and a pretty good defense, and Billick had an all-time great defense and hardly any offense at all. As Al Davis would say (when he and his mind still resided in the same state), "Just win baby!"
 
ChampionTexan said:
Dungy and Billick are two good examples of Super Bowl winning coaches who didn't have teams that reflected their strengths. Dungy had a great offense, and a pretty good defense, and Billick had an all-time great defense and hardly any offense at all. As Al Davis would say (when he and his mind still resided in the same state), "Just win baby!"
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Belichick was a defensive backs coach, and also a defensive coordinator before he was head coach of the Patriots. His strength is his defense. There is no doubt about that.

When Dungy got to Indy, Peyton Manning was already their QB with both Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne as receivers already on the team. Edgerrin James was also already on the team. Obviously the face and strength of the team was the offense. Dungy also had alot of job security when he got to Indy. It wasn't his first head coaching job like it was for Kubiak, or McDaniels.

The best argument against what I said about McDaniels is Kubiak.
 
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Whoosie. I read it as Belichick.

I was wondering how someone could mistake Belichick for an offensive coach, turns out its me making the stupid mistake.

Sorry about that.
 
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