Tend to agree. Many picks seem to be project picks.
Amobi Okoye - project, hasn't turned into much
Jacoby Jones - project, turned out to be decent so far imo.
Duane Brown - Not sure if I'd say project or not but had limited time at the Tackle position in college.
Antwuan Molden - I'd say project just for the simple fact he came from a small school.
Steve Slaton - Not really a project.
Brian Cushing - Not a project
Connor Barwin - many considered this a project pick
Antoine Caldwell - project pick. Seen as guard of the future!
*^^^From 07-09 drafts, rounds 1-3 only. In rounds 1-3, you should be looking for starters imo, not hopeful that MIGHT or might not turn into something later down the road.
I'll go C- or 3 1/2
Perhaps you don't understand the nature of the draft. These are collegiate players that have no NFL experience. They are all projects!
Somewhere in there is a fair argument: perhaps the Okoye pick was a reach given his immature body and age. Other than that, I couldn't disagree more.
Trying comparing any of the great NFL teams' 3rd round picks the past three years to ours and see whose picks had more immediate impact and contribution:
Jacoby Jones
Steve Slaton
Antoine Caldwell... that's darn impressive. go back another year and we had Charles Spencer and Eric Winston. Was Winston a project? He started the final month of his rookie season, just like Antoine Caldwell. Jones was immediately an impact player on ST and was a very good 3rd/4th receiver last year as well.
By the way, see how many 2nd round picks in '09 were more productive than Connor Barwin last season.
Then, compare Duane Brown's first two seasons with some of the OTs taken ahead of him in '08: Chris Williams, Albert, Cherilus, Sam Baker.... or, the two taken after him on day one: John Greco, Chad Reinhart.
Duane Brown started at LT from week one as a rookie. While he certainly has room for improvement, he's the LT for one of the best passing offenses in the NFL. That's one heck of a "project".