Draft Prospects

[The Excellector]

Let's see if we can actually begin to break this draft down. It seems that the first three picks are locked in. Indianapolis will take Luck. Washington will take Griffin III. Minnesota will take Matt Khalil. Cleveland is at 4. They could take Richardson, Blackmon or Tannehill. If they don't, St. Louis will likely take Blackmon.

[Iscull]

Let's see if we can actually begin to break this draft down. It seems that the first three picks are locked in. Indianapolis will take Luck. Washington will take Griffin III. Minnesota will take Matt Khalil. Cleveland is at 4. They could take Richardson, Blackmon or Tannehill. If they don't, St. Louis will likely take Blackmon.

If they reach for Tannehill, I would laugh. Trent Richardson is by far and wide the best player available. He would take so much pressure of McCoy's shoulders in both the running and passing game.

[bmorecareful]

I've heard Casserly, in the past, say that he doesn't know where to play Upshaw.

The fact that Casserly has no idea where to play Upshaw has nothing to do with Upshaw and everything to do with Casserly.

Casserly drafted a few good guys, but even a blind squirrel will find a nut from time to time. The guy is a moron who is consistently off with his player evaluation and has no idea what's going on at all in the football world. Trust me, this guy is the laughing stock of the football world. (I could link you to 10 or 12 whoppers Casserly has told in the past, but you can google "Charley Casserly wrong" and find them yourselves.)

This guy claimed Matt Birk was retiring this past year, Cam Newton would bust, and that the Pats traded Randy Moss because Brady and Moss got into a fistfight. He also claimed Tom Brady played the latter half of the 2009 season with broken ribs despite no evidence and no connection to the Patriots at all.

Bill Belichick's opinion of Casserly is the same as mine:

"Who's been wrong more than Charley Casserly since he left the Redskins? His percentage is like a meteorologist," Belichick said on his weekly appearance with WEEI’s The Big Show.

Casserly is a moron who is still living off of the fact that he took Mario Williams over Reggie Bush. He's wrong on Upshaw just like he always is. Upshaw is among the top 10 most pro-ready players in this draft. He's Lamarr Woodley in the NFL, bottom line. I guess Woodley's not good enough because he only gets 10 sacks a year while shutting down the run instead of 15 sacks while getting moved around the field at will in the run game.

I keep telling you guys this and you're not getting it. More Vernon Gholstons have busted in the NFL than Lamarr Woodleys.

[GOTA]

If they reach for Tannehill, I would laugh. Trent Richardson is by far and wide the best player available. He would take so much pressure of McCoy's shoulders in both the running and passing game.

The Browns are going to screw this up. They will reach for the QB.

[wickedsolo]

The Browns are going to screw this up. They will reach for the QB.

I don't think so.

I think they'll take Richardson. When Peyton Hillis was running well for the Browns, Colt McCoy didn't look too bad.

[leachisabeast]

Let's see if we can actually begin to break this draft down. It seems that the first three picks are locked in. Indianapolis will take Luck. Washington will take Griffin III. Minnesota will take Matt Khalil. Cleveland is at 4. They could take Richardson, Blackmon or Tannehill. If they don't, St. Louis will likely take Blackmon.

Minnesota said that they're open to trade their third pick. if I'm the Rams, I'm trading up to get my future franchise left tackle to protect Ponder.

As for the Browns, I really do hope they take Tannehill. It would be so dumb and stupid to take an overrated 3rd round QB, but I hope they do it. If I was the Browns, I'd take Trent Richardson with my 4th, Stephen Hill/Kendall Wright with my 22nd pick, and Brandon Weeden/Brock Osweiler in the second.

[JAB1985]

The Browns can really only screw up if they take Tannehill. Blackmon or Richardson would help them out greatly and quite frankly Tannehill is not a top 10 talent even if he going to get drafted then. Richardson seems to be the pick to me.

[Lime in the Coconut]

I know Richardson's a great RB, but that pick could be a big bust. You never know how long a RB is going to last these days and I feel you could find a solid back in the 2nd while still getting Justin Blackmon (after all this is a passing league). I'd have a hard time taking a RB that early but that's just me.

Also I don't know why no one has talked about Michael Floyd going to Carolina at number 9? He'd make a great weapon for Cam and IMO they'd be reaching a bit for a DT over a prospect like Floyd. Steve Smith is getting up there in age too.

[wickedsolo]

Right now I think the only way Richardson is a bust at that high of a pick is due to injury because he may be the best RB prospect since AP.

[wickedsolo]

http://blogs.baltimoreravens.com/201...essed-decosta/

Eric DeCosta talks these 4 lineman:

David DeCastro, Peter Konz, Kevin Zeitler, and Cordy Glenn.

I think DeCastro and Glenn will be gone when Baltimore picks.

[Dirt1]

http://blogs.baltimoreravens.com/201...essed-decosta/

Eric DeCosta talks these 4 lineman:

David DeCastro, Peter Konz, Kevin Zeitler, and Cordy Glenn.

I think DeCastro and Glenn will be gone when Baltimore picks.

I think Zeitler is actually a better propect than Konz. He can play OG immediately and can move to C in a year or two. I just don't think that Zeitler is regarded as a first round pick though.

[wickedsolo]

I think Zeitler is actually a better propect than Konz. He can play OG immediately and can move to C in a year or two. I just don't think that Zeitler is regarded as a first round pick though.

He's a borderline guy, but considering his 1st position is guard and there are a couple of swing guys who could be better value than him, he's going to go somewhere between pick 35 and 55, IMO.

[arnie_uk]

why would you move him to center? doesnt solve anything because then we would have a hole at guard again. he will stay guard if we drafter him, and we will get a center to replace birk somewhere down the line if its not this year

I think Zeitler is actually a better propect than Konz. He can play OG immediately and can move to C in a year or two. I just don't think that Zeitler is regarded as a first round pick though.

[The Excellector]

Minnesota said that they're open to trade their third pick. if I'm the Rams, I'm trading up to get my future franchise left tackle to protect Ponder.

As for the Browns, I really do hope they take Tannehill. It would be so dumb and stupid to take an overrated 3rd round QB, but I hope they do it. If I was the Browns, I'd take Trent Richardson with my 4th, Stephen Hill/Kendall Wright with my 22nd pick, and Brandon Weeden/Brock Osweiler in the second.

The problem is that Minnesota wants the tackle. They will only trade out if they feel it doesn't significantly hinder their chances to get Khalil. For example, if Cleveland gets nervous and wants to swap spots with Minnesota, to ensure that they get Tannehill. Minnesota still gets Khalil.

[bmorecareful]

I think Zeitler is actually a better propect than Konz. He can play OG immediately and can move to C in a year or two. I just don't think that Zeitler is regarded as a first round pick though.

I've seen some scouting reports of some of the more infamous guys in the scouting community who are trying to knock Konz down to be contrarian, but you can't really buy into them. There are a lot of guys out there on the internet who like to say that guys who are consensus top 20 picks "grade out as 2nd or 3rd rounders," just to make an impact or based on a very very small sample size of game tape.

Even the best guys like Mike Mayock like to get cute sometimes, like how he initially had Harrison Smith as the #1 safety in this class and Mark Barron as #3 (behind Smith and Winston Guy out of Kentucky.) He later admitted that essentially he didn't know anything about any safeties in the class except Smith, who he had watched a little tape of since he's from Notre Dame.

Konz is a better prospect than Zeitler. Wisconsin did most of their best running behind Konz when you watch the tape. He opened nice holes through the A gaps both solo-blocking and combo-blocking (so give some credit to Zeitler cuz those guys worked great together.) Konz was by far the best lineman Wisconsin had out in space. He lays out 2nd level blocks like few other interior OL prospects out there.

I think Zeitler is a good player, but the bottom line IMO is 1) he's not a good fit for our zone-blocking scheme, 2) his upside is lower than Konz. In a power/man-blocking scheme Zeitler would be a good guard. He will blow open holes against DTs solo blocking. But he'll never be better than he is right now and he'll never be a good zone player because he doesn't block well in space and he doesn't combo block well. Konz excels at those two things, which I think will make him a tremendous fit at LG in 2012 and C in 2013 for us.

[Shas]

http://blogs.baltimoreravens.com/201...essed-decosta/

Eric DeCosta talks these 4 lineman:

David DeCastro, Peter Konz, Kevin Zeitler, and Cordy Glenn.

I think DeCastro and Glenn will be gone when Baltimore picks.

I've noted that every time DeCosta talks about Konz, just about all he says is that he had an ankle injury. I know the guy has shown that the injury is behind him, performing well in agility drills. Makes me wonder what DeCosta is saying between the lines. Konz had a series of injuries at Wisconsin and then choose to come out early. A skeptic might conclude he couldn't afford yet another injury as a senior, lest he totally kill his stock in the draft. Is DeCosta mentioning the injury to throw off the scent of other teams? I think not. I suspect they have questions about his durability. And I don't see them using a first round pick on an interior lineman who is not a sure thing. The guess here is that Glenn and Decastro are rated high enough for them to be considerations, but they'll be gone, and it won't be until the 2nd/3rd that a lineman is selected by the Ravens.

[wickedsolo]

I've noted that every time DeCosta talks about Konz, just about all he says is that he had an ankle injury. I know the guy has shown that the injury is behind him, performing well in agility drills. Makes me wonder what DeCosta is saying between the lines. Konz had a series of injuries at Wisconsin and then choose to come out early. A skeptic might conclude he couldn't afford yet another injury as a senior, lest he totally kill his stock in the draft. Is DeCosta mentioning the injury to throw off the scent of other teams? I think not. I suspect they have questions about his durability. And I don't see them using a first round pick on an interior lineman who is not a sure thing. The guess here is that Glenn and Decastro are rated high enough for them to be considerations, but they'll be gone, and it won't be until the 2nd/3rd that a lineman is selected by the Ravens.

I definitely think they like Glenn and DeCastro more than Konz.

I REALLY like Glenn a lot and think he'd be an ideal fit in Baltimore. Big, nasty, athletic, and can play multiple positions.

[leachisabeast]

I've noted that every time DeCosta talks about Konz, just about all he says is that he had an ankle injury. I know the guy has shown that the injury is behind him, performing well in agility drills. Makes me wonder what DeCosta is saying between the lines. Konz had a series of injuries at Wisconsin and then choose to come out early. A skeptic might conclude he couldn't afford yet another injury as a senior, lest he totally kill his stock in the draft. Is DeCosta mentioning the injury to throw off the scent of other teams? I think not. I suspect they have questions about his durability. And I don't see them using a first round pick on an interior lineman who is not a sure thing. The guess here is that Glenn and Decastro are rated high enough for them to be considerations, but they'll be gone, and it won't be until the 2nd/3rd that a lineman is selected by the Ravens.

Don't buy into all that really, he might be saying that so that it puzzles other teams on whether they would pull the trigger on Konz or not. I do think that if somehow Cordy Glenn or DeCastro is there at 29 they will without doubt draft them. Glenn has a much bigger chance of being there at 29, but I doubt Glenn gets past 21. What I DO think could work out is drafting Konz in the first, and Zeitler in the second if he would to fall that far. You got good chemistry in the middle of the line, with Yanda and Birk to mentor them as well. I think an interior line of Konz, Zeitler, and Yanda would be scary for any NT's.

If we don't get Konz or Zeitler, I really hope we manage to get Brandon Brooks in the 2nd or third. This guy is HUGE, like seriously would be a great value pick to get him, he's arguably got the talent of a first round guard IMO, but didn't get an invite to the combine for some reason.

[Ravenswintitle]

In today's NFL, I would not draft a lineman in the top ten unless he is a no brainer stud.

Drafting Richardson also comes with it's risks. Look at recent first round RBs and you see a lot of injury issues. Plus Richardson has got a lot of miles on him.

Ingram - last year missed several games
CJ Spiller
Ryan Matthews
Knownshon Moreno
Donald Brown
Beanie Wells
Darren McFadden
Jonathan Stewart
etc

[The Excellector]

If LeRon McClain could run for 900 yards, for the Ravens, I think that Anthony Allen will be okay. As will Damien Berry.