Addios Mr. Vick

The Falcons signed Boston College QB Matt Ryan, the third overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, to a six year, $72 million dollar contract. This almost certainly means that Mike Vick, despite the $130 million dollar contract extension he signed in 2005, will not be a Falcon when he’s released from prison. I’m sure the Falcons and their fans are breathing a collective sigh of relief that they will no longer have Vick in town. But, there ceratinly will be suitors for Vick once he hands back his prison overalls, just as there was for Packman Jones, for T.O. and for Randy Moss. Some teams just can’t stay away from these super athlete/problem children, and are sure they can turn them around, in “their system.”  The Falcons now have a new face on their franchise, and his name is Ryan.  The Falcons also had a very nice 2008 draft overall aside from Ryan, adding USC Offensive Tackle Sam Baker, Oklahoma Linebacker Curtis Lofton, and LSU Corner Chevis Jackson, among others.  Things indeed may be looking up in the capitol city of the great state of Georgia.

MN

A look back the HOTN Mock Draft

Well, we had Kentwan Balmer going 13th to Carolina, Philip Merling, the DE from Clemson going 17th to the Vikings, and the Niners taking Miami (Fl.) DE Calais Campbell, with the 29th pick. It didn’t turn out that way of course. Balmer dropped to 29th, and is now a Niner. Merling went 32nd to the Doiphins, and Campbell plummeted all the way to 50th, and is on his way to the Arizona desert. I guess this firmly substantiates why NFL franchises draft players, and mock drafters don’t.  Balmer has surfaced as a bit of a controversial selection, not so much athletically, but more in the area of having the mental focus and commitment to really be an impact player in the NFL.  It will be quite interesting to follow the careers of Balmer, Merling, and Campbell to see who really turns out to be the best NFL player.

MN

Good Draft? Bad Draft?

I think the niners did what they needed to do. In the end if Balmer and Rachal become starters this was a good draft. I think the Niners Defense is close. Sure they need a stronger rush but Balmer can anchor the front in a way that Franklin and Sopoaga cannot. If you look at Justin Smith’s career numbers he has 43.5 sacks. Granted last year he did not set the world on fire but he was playing on a very bad defense. It is no secret if the Martz offense is going to work, you need a strong athletic offensive line. Step one is keeping Smith, Hill and O’Sullivan in one piece, allow them  to learn and gain some confidence next year and hopefully add the Number one wide out down the road. As for the rest of the choices they add some depth to the pool of people drafted last year. We may see something from Jason Hill, Dashon Goldson, Jay Moore, Tarell Brown in the upcoming season.

RM

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Niners Draft Was Not Sexy….but…

At first glance the Niners draft was not sexy from the standpoint of flashy skill position players, but let’s not forget that NFL games are won, more times than not, by guys who wear numbers in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s and sometimes in the 80’s, in other words: linemen.  In Kentwan Balmer and Chilo Rachal, the Niners got a couple of those big number guys who should move in right away.  One of them is there to keep our quarterback standing, and the other to make sure the opposing quarterback is not.  To that end, I love the draft!  

Toodles,

MJ

Mel Kiper’s Draft Grade for the Niners

San Francisco 49ers: GRADE: C+

They didn’t address their need at wide receiver until the sixth round and didn’t take an OLB until the seventh round. Kentwan Balmer is a solid DT prospect for their scheme, and I like Chilo Rachal’s aggressiveness at guard (he can also play right tackle). Reggie Smith is kind of a tweener at safety or corner. He has ability, but needs to settle on a position. Cody Wallace was the No. 1 center on my board. Josh Morgan is a decent receiver. OLB Larry Grant can make this team as backup.

It seems to me the Niners had a pretty pedestrian draft on paper, but it will take a couple of years to really see how this draft contributes to the club, (or did not). It was a shame that the Niners only had 6 picks in this draft given this was a very deep draft, with a lot of player parity.

MN

 

Good call by the Dolphins!

As “recommended” by the Hooked on the Niners Dream Team in our “who we would take” Mock Draft, the Dolphins have apparently made Michigan super offensive tackle, Jake Long, the number one selection in the 2008 NFL Draft.  Good choice! Long should be a dozen year fixture at left tackle for the ‘Fins, and help them begin re-building what has become a terrible ball club. Bill Parcells knows exactly what he’s doing, and that is totally displayed by the Jake Long signing.  Long becomes only the third number one overall first pick at the Offensive Tackle position. The other two? Orlando Pace from Ohio State to the Rams in 1997, and Ron Yary of USC, by the Vikings in 1968.  Yary is a Hall of Famer, and Pace almost certainly will be.  Here’s another piece of Offensive Tackle “useful information” for you.  Perhaps the greatest NFL Offensive Tackle ever was Anthony Munoz of USC. Munoz was drafted number three overall by the Bengals in 1980. The first two picks in 1980? The Detroit Lions picked Billy Sims of Oklahoma number one overall, and the New York Jets picked Johnny “Lam” Jones of Texas number two, overall. The “Lam” was recently named as one of the top ten draft busts of all time!

MN

Mel Kiper’s round one mock draft selection for the 49ers

I think all that perfectly coiffed hair has really weighed down Kiper’s thinking process. He has the Niners selecting Tennessee linebacker Jerod Mayo with their first selection in the upcoming NFL Draft.  So, let me get this straight your Melness. The Niners have Patrick Willis, Manny Lawson, Tully Banta-Cain, Dontarrious Thomas, Brandon Moore, Jeff Ulbrich, Jay Moore, and Roderick Green on their roster @ LB, and they’re gonna spring for Jerod Mayo with their first pick? Do ya think maybe a Pass Rusher, an Offensive Lineman, a Wide Receiver, or even a Safety, might be a bit more pressing need? Check out our Hooked on the Niners mock draft, and you’ll see what the “real experts” on the Niners think will happen.  Seriously, the draft should be real interesting this year with all the player parity, thus introducing (hint, hint, Niners), the opportunity to do some wheeling and dealing by trading up, or in the Niners case, potentially down. Remember, they only have 6 picks in this draft now, while most teams have 9.

MN

 

What the heck?

To lose a 5th round draft choice and to have to trade places in the 3rd round with Chicago isn’t going to kill the Niners’ 2008 draft . . . but “what the heck?”

Who did the Niners wrong?  Was it Drew Rosenhaus . . . Lance Briggs . . . or both?  Who else could possibly know what went on between San Francisco & the Rosenhaus/Briggs faction?

I mean . . . What the heck? 

– JayDub

NFL Network . . .

To steal a phrase from Dickie V - “It’s awesome baby, just awesome . . . “  I’m sure any football fan anywhere already knows about (and/or has personally experienced) the NFL Network . . . but, WOW, what a destination . . . can you ever get your fill of the NFL . . . and recently, the draft . . . heck, they have more information available on the upcoming draft in one sitting than used to be available in weeks leading up to the big April day back when I was in Public Relations with the club . . . it’s just amazing . . . if you’ve been off the planet or otherwise out of touch and haven’t checked it out, you really owe it to the ‘draft-nik’ in you to tune it sometime!

– JayDub

And with the 29th selection in the draft, the San Francisco 49ers pick . . .

Wide Receiver Early Doucet of LSU . . . wouldn’t that be sweet . . . or Mario Manningham of Michigan . . . or Lavelle Hawkins of Cal . . . I’d take any one of them . . . just PICK a receiver . . . someone that fits AND helps Mike Martz Madness-style attack . . . someone for Alex or Shaun to throw to!

– JayDub