DatTexBoy
Waterboy
(March 22, 2007) -- Back when the Falcons first thought about trading Matt Schaub, they determined his value to be the middle of the first round. Atlanta believed the young quarterback was worth a mid-first-round pick, which happens to be a little over 1,000 points on the trade value chart.
Any combination of those points was going to be enough to pull the trigger on a trade. Anything less than that would probably mean Schaub staying in Atlanta as an insurance policy for Michael Vick.
A team slotted at 15 or 16 in the first round had the right compensation. A team in the top 10 could trade down with someone and then make a deal with Atlanta. But in the end, another creative way of arriving at the proper compensation was worked out between the two clubs.
Here's a look at the deal:
Atlanta's No. 10 pick is worth 1,300 points.
Houston's No. 8 pick is worth: 1,400 points.
The teams swap picks and it nets the Falcons 100 points.
The Falcons receive the Texans' 2007 second-round pick (No. 39) worth 510 points. Now the Falcons have 610 points.
The Falcons pick up the Texans' 2008 second-round pick. No one knows where that pick will wind up, so for now the only way to look at is the middle of the round. No. 48 is worth 420 points.
The Falcons acquire a total of 1,030 points on the trade value chart, splitting the difference between the value of Nos. 15 and 16 in the first round. The Falcons got what they were looking for and the Texans still have a top-10 pick in this draft and a first-round pick in the 2008 draft.
A GREAT WEEK OF INTERVIEWS
Every week on my Sirius Radio show with Tim Ryan called Moving the Chains, we get a chance to interview many of the 2007 draft candidates. We talk with the prospects every week leading up to the draft and, in many cases, we develop a rapport with them. This has been a great week to sit down and meet with some outstanding young men.
Here are the top-six draftable players I interviewed this week and one very special veteran. These guys show a depth of knowledge about the game, a passion and respect for the game, the talent to play it at the highest level and a humility that puts to rest the risk that money and fame will change them in the next few years. Any one of these men could be on my team.
1. Tim Crowder, defensive lineman from Texas: His teammates call him "old school." He lists one of his hobbies as lifting weights. He is a technician on the field who can easily describe his pass-rush plan and the multiple ways he would rush a passer. Crowder will play for a long time in the NFL.
Growing up on the farm taught Robert Meachem the value of hard work.
2. Robert Meachem, wide receiver from Tennessee: Here's a kid who grew up on a farm and when I asked him about his chores, he said, "I always wanted the farm to look great, not good. I wanted people to drive by and say, 'I wish I had a farm like this.' " Because his numbers from the Combine were so good, Meachem didn't have to run again at his Pro Day. But he felt if NFL people came to see him, he would run again. Both of his feet are squarely on the ground.
3. Joe Staley, offensive tackle from Central Michigan: Staley was a few minutes late for his appointment with us today and couldn't stop apologizing. After his workout last week when he ran 4.78 in the 40-yard dash at 6-foot-6 and 300 pounds, he said the best part was how proud he was for his school that he and his teammates put on a good showing. Every week when we talk to Staley he brings up his family.
4. Alan Branch, nose tackle from Michigan: Branch is a top-10 pick in this draft yet, he doesn't have one ounce of "big-timing" us on the show. He can answer any question about technique and has remarkable recall of his opponents throughout college. The guy knows how to prepare and will never let his weight balloon up. He weighs 324 pounds but was once closer to 400 pounds in high school. He taught himself about nutrition and lives the game.
5. Michael Griffin, safety from Texas: A first-class man with a sense of humor and a strong family background was the impression I got after spending 20 minutes talking with Griffin. He knows he's good, but he knows his opponent can beat him if he's not on his "A" game. Here's a guy who had 370 tackles in college and he remembers how well Matt Leinart was able to look him off with his eyes. When I asked him where I could find a few plays on videotape in which he passed some of his teammates on his way to one of those many tackles, he said, "That didn't happen very often because we all swarmed to the ball."
6. Leon Hall, cornerback from Michigan: Hall is a weekly guest and after a few sessions with him, I will tell you he might not be the flashy modern athlete trying to always draw attention to himself, but he will be solid player like a Ronde Barber. Hall has no trouble pointing right at himself when a mistake was his fault and on the sideline in a big game -- that kind of maturity in invaluable.
Matt Schaub, new Houston Texans quarterback: Schaub was so impressive after signing with the Texans that all Houston fans should get excited. He is so levelheaded and calm, talking with him reminded me so much of talking with Tom Brady. Humble, polite, yet very confident was what I came away with hours after he landed in Houston. He referred to his new teammates as his new brothers and it came out so naturally you just knew he meant it. I asked him what his college coach Al Groh meant by his statement "that the game came easy to Matt." Schaub's response was, "I know how to manage a game, give leadership in the huddle and on the field."
With all the bad press that surrounds the troublemakers in the NFL, it was so refreshing to spend a week with the really good people who put on a uniform and play this great game with respect. I say get rid of the bad guys because there a whole lot more good men who don't need their reputations tarnished by the few bad apples.
Any combination of those points was going to be enough to pull the trigger on a trade. Anything less than that would probably mean Schaub staying in Atlanta as an insurance policy for Michael Vick.
A team slotted at 15 or 16 in the first round had the right compensation. A team in the top 10 could trade down with someone and then make a deal with Atlanta. But in the end, another creative way of arriving at the proper compensation was worked out between the two clubs.
Here's a look at the deal:
Atlanta's No. 10 pick is worth 1,300 points.
Houston's No. 8 pick is worth: 1,400 points.
The teams swap picks and it nets the Falcons 100 points.
The Falcons receive the Texans' 2007 second-round pick (No. 39) worth 510 points. Now the Falcons have 610 points.
The Falcons pick up the Texans' 2008 second-round pick. No one knows where that pick will wind up, so for now the only way to look at is the middle of the round. No. 48 is worth 420 points.
The Falcons acquire a total of 1,030 points on the trade value chart, splitting the difference between the value of Nos. 15 and 16 in the first round. The Falcons got what they were looking for and the Texans still have a top-10 pick in this draft and a first-round pick in the 2008 draft.
A GREAT WEEK OF INTERVIEWS
Every week on my Sirius Radio show with Tim Ryan called Moving the Chains, we get a chance to interview many of the 2007 draft candidates. We talk with the prospects every week leading up to the draft and, in many cases, we develop a rapport with them. This has been a great week to sit down and meet with some outstanding young men.
Here are the top-six draftable players I interviewed this week and one very special veteran. These guys show a depth of knowledge about the game, a passion and respect for the game, the talent to play it at the highest level and a humility that puts to rest the risk that money and fame will change them in the next few years. Any one of these men could be on my team.
1. Tim Crowder, defensive lineman from Texas: His teammates call him "old school." He lists one of his hobbies as lifting weights. He is a technician on the field who can easily describe his pass-rush plan and the multiple ways he would rush a passer. Crowder will play for a long time in the NFL.
Growing up on the farm taught Robert Meachem the value of hard work.
2. Robert Meachem, wide receiver from Tennessee: Here's a kid who grew up on a farm and when I asked him about his chores, he said, "I always wanted the farm to look great, not good. I wanted people to drive by and say, 'I wish I had a farm like this.' " Because his numbers from the Combine were so good, Meachem didn't have to run again at his Pro Day. But he felt if NFL people came to see him, he would run again. Both of his feet are squarely on the ground.
3. Joe Staley, offensive tackle from Central Michigan: Staley was a few minutes late for his appointment with us today and couldn't stop apologizing. After his workout last week when he ran 4.78 in the 40-yard dash at 6-foot-6 and 300 pounds, he said the best part was how proud he was for his school that he and his teammates put on a good showing. Every week when we talk to Staley he brings up his family.
4. Alan Branch, nose tackle from Michigan: Branch is a top-10 pick in this draft yet, he doesn't have one ounce of "big-timing" us on the show. He can answer any question about technique and has remarkable recall of his opponents throughout college. The guy knows how to prepare and will never let his weight balloon up. He weighs 324 pounds but was once closer to 400 pounds in high school. He taught himself about nutrition and lives the game.
5. Michael Griffin, safety from Texas: A first-class man with a sense of humor and a strong family background was the impression I got after spending 20 minutes talking with Griffin. He knows he's good, but he knows his opponent can beat him if he's not on his "A" game. Here's a guy who had 370 tackles in college and he remembers how well Matt Leinart was able to look him off with his eyes. When I asked him where I could find a few plays on videotape in which he passed some of his teammates on his way to one of those many tackles, he said, "That didn't happen very often because we all swarmed to the ball."
6. Leon Hall, cornerback from Michigan: Hall is a weekly guest and after a few sessions with him, I will tell you he might not be the flashy modern athlete trying to always draw attention to himself, but he will be solid player like a Ronde Barber. Hall has no trouble pointing right at himself when a mistake was his fault and on the sideline in a big game -- that kind of maturity in invaluable.
Matt Schaub, new Houston Texans quarterback: Schaub was so impressive after signing with the Texans that all Houston fans should get excited. He is so levelheaded and calm, talking with him reminded me so much of talking with Tom Brady. Humble, polite, yet very confident was what I came away with hours after he landed in Houston. He referred to his new teammates as his new brothers and it came out so naturally you just knew he meant it. I asked him what his college coach Al Groh meant by his statement "that the game came easy to Matt." Schaub's response was, "I know how to manage a game, give leadership in the huddle and on the field."
With all the bad press that surrounds the troublemakers in the NFL, it was so refreshing to spend a week with the really good people who put on a uniform and play this great game with respect. I say get rid of the bad guys because there a whole lot more good men who don't need their reputations tarnished by the few bad apples.
