Official 2007 Live Draft Thread

[retailguy]

I just got the call from Mr. Thompson. I am being selected in the second round by the Packers.

West end janitor, right?

[Rastak]

Scouts inc 28-31





28. San Francisco 49ers
Pick acquired from New England
The pick: Joe Staley, OT, Central Michigan
Scouts take: Most people felt Staley wouldn't be available at this pick and the 49ers were wise to trade up to get him because Baltimore likely would have taken him with the next pick. Staley is a former tight end who has the quick feet to redirect in pass protection and the quickness to prevent edge rushers from turning the corner. He's also big and tenacious enough to develop into an effective drive blocker once he gets a little stronger, learns to keep his hips under him and use his hands. With him in the fold, the 49ers can start him on the left side and move Jonas Jennings to the right side, where he is a slightly better pick. The odd man out is Kwame Harris, who hasn't panned out since San Francisco took him in the first round of the 2003 draft.


29. Baltimore Ravens
The pick: Ben Grubbs, G, Auburn
Scouts take: The Ravens may have taken Staley if he stayed on the board, but don't feel too bad for them. Grubbs is the best available guard and he is a great fit for the offense. Though Grubbs needs to work on his hand placement and footwork, it should come as little surprise considering his history. He lined up at defensive tackle during his true freshman season and moved to tight end the next year before moving to guard. His progress thus far should make the Ravens optimistic about progression and he's already capable of moving into the starting lineup. Grubbs is a powerful drive blocker who can open up holes in short-yardage situations and is always looking to put defenders on their backs. Baltimore should also be confident about his ability to hold up in pass protection because he has excellent quickness.


30. San Diego Chargers
The pick: Craig Davis, WR, LSU
Scouts take: Davis projected as an early second-round pick, so this is a bit of a reach but all-and-all a good pick. Though he is a raw route runner, Davis made great strides at the collegiate level and there's no questioning his natural ability. He reaches his top speed quickly and he has the second gear to run past defensive backs. A playmaker with the ball in his hands, he can create after the catch and return punts as well. And oh yeah, he fills the Chargers' greatest need. While Davis really isn't a ready-made No. 2 receiver, he could be San Diego's best receiver by the opening game of the season.


31. Chicago Bears
The pick: Greg Olsen, TE, Miami
Scouts take: The best available tight end is if off the board and the Bears filled one of their more important needs, but be weary of calling this is a great pick. Chicago should be excited about Olsen's ability to stretch the field and give their young quarterback a legitimate threat over the middle. Though he should also take advantage of the Bears' commitment to the run setting up the play-action, Olsen is a mediocre blocker at best. If he is to play an every-down role, he'll have to get a lot stronger at the point of attack and a lot tougher. Until he does, he should strictly be a situational receiving tight end.

[BooHoo]

You mean George Thompson your next door neighbor?

[Joemailman]

My brother is going to a dinner-dance with his wife but wants me call him on his cell when the Packers pick. This could be interesting...

[Rastak]

Tampa grabs Sears....



Arron Sears
OG | (6'3", 319, 5.42) | TENNESSEE

Scouts Grade: 85



Strengths: An experienced and versatile offensive lineman prospect. From 2003-'05, he logged 13 starts at left tackle, six at right tackle, four at right guard, and one at left guard -- that was prior to starting all 13 games at left tackle in 2006. He displays good short-area quickness for such a wide-body lineman. Shows good quickness out of his stance and does a good job of reaching the second level as a run blocker. He has the size to engulf smaller defenders at the point of attack. He typically gets in good position and walls defenders off in the ground game. Show above average quickness in his pass pro set for a player his size. Is a natural knee bender with the lateral mobility to mirror-and-slide effectively.

Weaknesses: Lacks ideal height as an offensive tackle. He has had some trouble keeping his weight in check in the past. Gets sluggish late in games, at which time his mobility suffers significantly. He is big, thick and strong but lacks explosive power to jar defenders with his initial punch. Does not seem physical enough at times and fails to consistently finish defenders off as a run blocker. While he is quick for his size, he occasionally will overextend and struggle to recover. He must learn to play with better balance. Has had some minor durability issues in the past -- toe injury and two ankle injuries. He also has a "red flag" for character after admitting to receiving illegal gifts from a furniture store and being forced to return them.

Overall: Sears played in seven games as a true freshman in 2003, earned one start at right tackle against Mississippi State, but left that game with an ankle injury that forced him to miss the next two contests. He started 12 of 13 games in 2004 (held out of the starting lineup vs. Georgia with ankle injury), spending time at both tackle positions, as well as right guard. In 2005 Sears was selected to the All-SEC first team by the coaches and Associated Press after he started all 11 games and logged time at guard and both tackle positions. Sears started all 13 games at left tackle for the Vols as a senior in 2006, when he was named second-team All-American and consensus first-team All-SEC.
While Sears' versatility increases his draft value, his best chance of pushing for a starting job right away in the NFL may be at guard, not tackle. Regardless, Sears ranks among the top-10 offensive linemen in this year's class, which should land him a spot in the second round.



* Player biographies are provided by Scouts Inc.

[BooHoo]

My brother is going to a dinner-dance with his wife but wants me call him on his cell when the Packers pick. This could be interesting...

Makes perfect sense to me.

[packers11]

why wouldn't they grab Dwayne... They need help at WR... weird...

[VermontPackFan]

TT is going to pick some guy I never heard of brfore in round 2.

Just like he did last year with G.Jennings & the year before with N.Collins...lets hope he keeps finding good players.

[GrnBay007]

My brother is going to a dinner-dance with his wife but wants me call him on his cell when the Packers pick. This could be interesting...

Does his wife like you?

....wait, I mean did she used to like you? :P

[Lurker64]

Eagles take a QB in the 2nd, and it's not someone I've heard of. Wow.

I'm sure McNabb loves this.

[TennesseePackerBacker]

Kevin Kolb system qb? I watched their bowl game and a game or two against CUSA competition, didn't really impress me

[Rastak]

Eagles take


Kevin Kolb
QB | (6'3", 218, 4.85) | HOUSTON

Scouts Grade: 71


Strengths: Possesses a very good combination of size, arm strength and mobility. He has adequate height and is well-built. He shows above average arm strength with good zip on the deep out and on vertical throws. Shows good overall touch and knows how to lead his receivers on quick slants and crossing routes. Shows better accuracy in short-to-intermediate passing game than he does in the vertical passing game. He is an effective passer on the run. When on time with his delivery, he can fit the ball into tight spots that many other prospects in this class simply can't hit. He shows good initial quickness and vision as a runner. He lacks explosive speed but is very much a threat to run. He is a tough, competitive and instinctive runner, who will break some tackles and find the first-down marker. He is intelligent and picks things up quickly. Coaches speak highly of his work ethic, leadership and dedication. He also has been extremely durable and has great experience.

Weaknesses: Comes from a passer-friendly spread offensive scheme in college. He's intelligent but his NFL learning curve could be steep -- he has almost no experience in a pro-style scheme and he's coming from the mid-major collegiate level. His decision making can be erratic and he must learn to do a better job of protecting the football. He has a bit of a wind-up delivery and will need some mechanical work in order to speed up his release. He also has a bit of a three-quarter delivery and will have too many passes batted down at the line of scrimmage, as a result. He is a streaky passer that will lose the "strike zone" at times. His deep ball sails too often. He still has room to improve in terms of finding "hot reads" and beating the blitz with his arm.

Overall: Kolb started all 13 games as a true freshman and was named Conference USA Freshman of the Year and selected to the All-Conference USA Third Team. He finished the season completing 61-percent of his attempts for 3,131 yards, 25 touchdowns and just six interceptions. In 2004, Kolb again started every game (11) and tallied 2,766 passing yards with a 56-percent completion percentage, threw 11 touchdown passes, and six interceptions. He returned for his third-consecutive year as Houston's starter in 2005 (12 contests) and was named to the C-USA third team, when he completed 60.5-percent of his passes for 3,258 yards and 19 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. In 2006, Kolb was named the C-USA Player of the Year after he completed 67.6-percent of his attempts for 3,809 yards, 30 touchdowns, and just four interceptions during the 14-game season. Over the course of his career, he also rushed for 751 yards and 21 touchdowns.
Kolb hasn't consistently played against top competition in college (C-USA) and he also comes from a passer-friendly spread-offense, which generates some legitimate concerns regarding his transition to the NFL game. Even with that in mind, we believe Kolb is one of the more underrated prospects in the 2007 NFL draft class. He possesses a fine combination of size, arm strength and mobility, and he has great experience as a four-year starter. Kolb has enough upside to warrant consideration late on Day 1 or early on Day 2.



* Player biographies are provided by Scouts Inc.

[MasonCrosby]

i'm hoping for a receiver this round...

[Rastak]

Chargers trade up for Chicago's current pick.....hmmmmm

[Lurker64]

Weddle goes to the Bolts. Looking more likely that we pick Offense in this round.