Official 2007 Live Draft Thread

[RashanGary]

I'm always kind of optimistic on draft day but damn, these guys sound like solid guys. Shit, I wish I had some of their maturity and humility at 22.

I was worried that Thompson would forget his vow to take solid football players first but listening to these guys, it sounds like they are just hard wroking guys who love to play football.

I'm feeling pretty good about this draft although I doubt it's as good as last years. We had what? 4 starters out of the gate and none of them disappointed. That is incredibly rare. If we even get 2 out of the gate and 2 later from this somewhat weak draft I'll be happy.

[Rastak]

Saints

David Jones
CB | (5'11", 190, 4.49) | WINGATE

Scouts Grade: 52 Selected by: New Orleans Saints
Round: 5
Pick (Overall): 8(145)


Strengths: Gets good knee-bend in his backpedal and shows good closing speed going forward. Changes directions quickly, explodes out of cuts and shows above-average short-area man-to-man cover skills. Opens hips fairly well and is fast enough to run with most receivers downfield. Shows good awareness and rarely gets caught out of position. Aggressive and jumps routes. Catches the ball well and is a dangerous open field runner who can produce after an interception. Has experience lining up at receiver, can return kicks, can cover kicks and is versatile.

Weaknesses: Doesn't use hands particularly well and lacks the second gear to recover when playing close to the line of scrimmage and failing to jam the receiver well. Lacks a mean streak, doesn't take sound pursuit angles and doesn't offer much in terms of run support. Frequently fails to square up to ball carrier, doesn't always wrap up upon contact and is an inconsistent open-field tackler. Played at a small school, and there are concerns about his ability to make the jump to the NFL.

Overall: Jones appeared in eight games as a true freshman in 2003, recording 15 tackles and four pass breakups. He started seven of the 11 games he played in during the 2004 season, recording 34 tackles, 12 pass breakups and six interceptions, including two he returned for touchdowns. He started 10 games in 2005. recording 37 total tackles, one forced fumble, 15 pass breakups and five interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown. Jones also returned 16 kickoffs for 373 yards. As a senior in 2006, he started 11 games and recorded 24 tackles, 12 pass breakups and four interceptions. Jones also lined up at receiver and made an impact on special teams last year. He caught two passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns, returned one punt for 12 yards, returned 18 kickoffs for 303 yards and blocked a punt.
Jones is a small-school prospect who has to get tougher against the run and improve his ability to slow receivers down at the line of scrimmage. While he's a long-term project, Jones does have the tools to work with as a late-round pick. He has the athletic ability to develop into an excellent sub-package corner, he can contribute in all facets of the game and he is a playmaker with the ball in his hands.



* Player biographies are provided by Scouts Inc.

[Lurker64]

I hope we pick Ben Patrick. Why is he still on the board?!?

I think an important trend to notice from the draft is that NFL GMs know more about players than NFL fans do. If there was one NFL GM who thought of him as highly as some of us do (having seen very little tape on the guy, almost certainly) he'd be gone now.

[BallHawk]

And the Vikings draft Troy Williamson II.

[mngolf19]

Great. Another WR.

[Rastak]

Not a bad pick at in the 5th....


Aundrae Allison
WR | (6'0", 198, 4.39) | EAST CAROLINA

Scouts Grade: 77

Flags: (M: MENTAL) Does not retain and learn the system


Strengths: Possesses adequate height and good speed. He shows suddenness and quick-twitch athleticism. Reaches top gear in a hurry and does a good job of getting into his routes quickly. He shows good vision, is quick and can be productive after the catch. Has good balance and natural body control. Shows good awareness and works back to the quarterback when the protection starts to break down. Shows good focus while the ball is in the air and flashes the ability to make the tough catch in traffic. Catches the ball with hands away from frame and doesn't drop many passes that should catch. Runs with good balance, flashes an adequate stiff arm and flashes the ability to pick up yards after contact. Locks onto defender's frame and flashes the ability to sustain blocks. Has experience throwing downfield and can run gadget plays effectively.

Weaknesses: Possesses adequate height and only decent bulk. He is still a bit raw. Shows the suddenness to become a good route runner but must learn how to set up defenders more consistently. Doesn't shown the consistent ability to read coverages or to find soft spots in zones. There's concern regarding his mental capacity; he may take longer than normal to adjust to the NFL from a learning standpoint. Occasionally tries to make too much happen after the catch and needs to be a more efficient open field runner. Appears to take some plays off and clearly doesn't give great effort when offense runs to the opposite side of the field. Doesn't play with a mean streak, lacks ideal upper body strength and isn't a physical blocker.

Overall: Allison originally attended Coffeyville (Kansas) Community College in 2002 but did not play football. He then attended the Georgia Military Academy Junior College where he played the 2003 and 2004 seasons, totaling 70 receptions for 865 yards (12.4 average), and 11 touchdowns. In January of 2005, Allison enrolled at ECU. He finished the 2005 season seeing action in all 11 games, catching 83 passes for 1,024 yards (12.3 average), and seven touchdowns. He also carried the ball (seven attempts for 65 yards), threw passes (one completion, two attempts, for 41 yards), and returned punts (six returns for 33 yards). Despite missing two games in 2006 with an ankle injury, Allison earned second team All-C-USA honors while starting 11 games, and catching 62 passes for 708 yards (11.4 average) and four touchdowns.
Allison doesn't have elite size and he needs to get stronger. He must improve his route running consistency and there are legitimate concerns regarding his ability to quickly digest an NFL playbook. On the flip side, he possesses the quick-twitch athleticism and speed to develop into a productive No. 2 or No. 3 receiver in the NFL. In our opinion, Allison is worth drafting in the third round but only for a team with the patience to work with him as a project.



* Player biographies are provided by Scouts Inc.

[Brando19]

I hope we pick Ben Patrick. Why is he still on the board?!?

I think an important trend to notice from the draft is that NFL GMs know more about players than NFL fans do.

Very true, but wasn't he ranked higher in mock drafts done by NFL experts?

[Scott Campbell]

And the Vikings draft Troy Williamson II.

LOL

[Rastak]

And the Vikings draft Troy Williamson II.

LOL

NFLN loved the pick......

[RashanGary]

Not to be spewing optimism here but Harrell also gives me a very good vibe. It seems like DT's score lower on teh wonderlic than any position. This kid is supposed to be smart and an incredibly hard worker and high effort guy.

He's incredibly gifted physically and he seems to have the work ethic and solid character to go with it. I have a feeling this guy might be a high impact defender for us for a good 7 or 8 years. *DT's fall off fast so 30 is about as long as I expect*

[Rastak]

49ers


Tarell Brown
CB | (5'10", 190, 4.45) | TEXAS

Scouts Grade: 73

Flags: (C: CHARACTER) Problems on and off the field(D: DURABILITY) Player that can't stay healthy


Strengths: Possesses adequate-to-good size and displays fluid hips in man-to-man coverage. Gets good knee bend when back pedaling and shows excellent closing speed. Plays with a mean streak, times hits well and flashes the ability to deliver the big hit. While he frequently plays off the line, he has shown good upper body strength and flashes the ability to slow receivers down at the line. Possesses adequate ball skills and flashes the ability to make the big play in coverage. Though he doesn't always show great footwork, he can change directions quickly and shows good burst getting out of cuts. Possesses adequate top-end speed and flashes the ability to run with faster receivers. Is willing in run support and is a sound open field tackler that flashes the ability to make plays in the backfield. Plays with a good motor and always seems to be around the ball at the end of the play. Has experience returning punts and can cover kicks so should contribute on special teams.

Weaknesses: Can be overaggressive, gets turned around at times and is inconsistent. Lacks ideal instincts, is vulnerable to double moves and lacks the second gear to recover once caught out of position. Doesn't always take good pursuit angles and gets caught out of position at times. Character must be evaluated closely after one-game suspension (Ohio State) in 2006. Durability is a concern, broke his arm in the 2006 Rose Bowl, missed 2006 spring practices and suffered a broken bone in his foot during the 2006 regular season.

Overall: Brown appeared in all 13 games (backup corner, special teams) as a true freshman in 2003 and made nine total tackles and one pass breakup. In 2004, he started all 12 games registering 38 total tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack, two interceptions, and three pass breakups. Brown started 12 of 13 games in 2005 finishing the season with 70 total tackles, two tackles for loss, one interception, eight pass breakups, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. He broke his right arm during the Rose Bowl against USC and did not participate in contact drills in the spring. He came back in 2006 and started 11 of 13 games, recording 53 total tackles, one tackle for loss, eight pass breakups, and one forced fumble. Brown was suspended for the Ohio State game due to his role in an incident involving a hand gun and marijuana and missed the Baylor contest due to injury. Brown has also returned 12 kickoffs for 233 yards (19.4 average) over the past three seasons.
Brown did not live up to expectations as a senior. He was suspended for a game and he was hobbled by a broken bone in his foot. He remains unpolished and he must work on reading his keys. Despite all the negatives that surrounded Brown during his final year at Texas, Brown is still a very good natural cover corner when he's healthy and focused. He possesses enough size, speed, athletic ability and tenacity to develop into a starting man-to-man cover corner in the NFL. Brown will slip due to character concerns and misevaluation as a senior, but he could turn out to be a steal in the third or fourth round.



* Player biographies are provided by Scouts Inc.

[packers11]

rastak... I have a question...

Do you run on energizer batteries?

[Lurker64]

Very true, but wasn't he ranked higher in mock drafts done by NFL experts?

A lot of mocks are based on the following rule:
1) Identify the needs of each team (say three per team)
2) Identify the best player available in each of those positions.
3) Compare the players chosen in step 2 based on the impact they'll have on the team's roster immediately.

Whereas by and large NFL GMs don't think that way. Our GM certainly doesn't.

[Brando19]

TT IS BEING INTERVIEWED ON ESPN NOW

[BallHawk]

TT is on at ESPN.