Sports fans being sports fans, as soon as something happens, we want to assign a score and figure out who won and who lost.Unfortunately, with a draft, it's more like buying unlabeled seed packets from the nursery, that require care and feeding over a longer period of time, before you find out if you're cultivating vegetables or weeds!
So, instead of arguing about THIS draft, let's look a back a few years and judge how we did in previous drafts, and hopefully see if we're trending upward or downward.
In 2002 we took:
1. TE Jerramy Stevens
2a. RB Maurice Morris
3. CB Kris Richard
4. S Terreal Bierria
5a. DT Rocky Bernard
5b. TE Ryan Hannam
In 2003 we took:
1. CB Marcus Trufant
2. S Ken Hamlin
3. T Wayne Hunter
4a. QB Seneca Wallace
4b. LB Solomon Bates
5. FB Chris Davis
6. DT Rashad Moore
7a. K Josh Brown
WR Taco Wallace
In 2004 we took:
1. DT Marcus Tubbs
2. S Michael Boulware
3. T Sean Locklear
4. LB Niko Koutouvides
5. WR D.J. Hackett
6. DT Craig Terrill
7. P Donnie Jones
From these lists, 2002 would have to be considered a bust, but how many of us would have felt that way on draft day? Stevens hasn't really done much, especially as a #1 pick, and Hannam holds as much promise to be the future TE of the organization as a #6 pick. Morris is stuck behind Alexander, and Bierria got burned more last year than an Albino in Hawaii in July!
The following year, we did a little better. Tru and Hamlin have definitely warrented their status as top two selections, however the rest of the guys on the list are either stuck behind a perrenial starter, or have yet to mature to the point of being able to contribute in some form.
In 2004, things got even better. While Tubbs has been pretty much of a bust at #1, the development of Boulware and Niko into potential starters last season make them worth the #2 and #4 picks respectively.
With this brief stroll down memory lane, it kind of shows that you really only get a couple of guys out of an entire draft class to actually contribute to your team, and it's hit or miss whether it's the high draft picks or the later round guys who step up.
So, if we're looking back at the 2005 draft class in a year or two, and Spencer, or Lofa, or Huckaba are on the field making a difference, then we can't be too disappointed in this year's selections.
Actually alba, not to disagree with your premise, which I think is very sound, but I for one was thouroughly pi$$ed with the 02 draft. I knew they had reached for Stevens and I was screaming at the tube when they made that pick, I hated it then and I hate it even more now. I was also STOKED when they selected Trufant and Hamlin long before they proved anything at the NFL level, I had seen enough of them to know they would both become studs, and they have IMHO. To be honest, (and not to toot my own horn) I have been exactly right about what I felt on draft day for the last five or more years, no on e has surprised me. I for one loved the Boulware pick as soon as I found out they were moving him to safety I knew we had a stud on our hands.
ReplyDeleteI'm not nearly as dissapointed as I was initially after the surprising picks went down, after reading about the plans for these guys. Like I said elsewhere, Tatupu has a chance to become the gy who we all can identifiy this team with. I honestly believe that about him. Spencer, (after the initial shock of nto getting a pass rusher) was a very smart pick. How often have I bitched about the right side of the line? Nearly constantly. With Tobeck on his last legs, this was a pick that I thinkwe'll all be very excited about very soon, he has a very good chance to be a perrenial pro bowler at center.
Apparently Willis, though a fourth rounder, is already being looked at as the front runner to start at RT next season. The FO is saying that only injuries moved him down that far, and that he was a steal where they got him, a sentiment being echoed by a lot of so called experts. Jackson was drafted with one thing in mind, fullback. Imagine a guy his size and speed, with his ability to maul LBers lead blocking for Alexander. it's sounds almost scary. In fact, after day two of the draft I settled down quite a bit because I felt the the reaches of the first day turned into steals (for the most part) on the second day. Greene was a guy the Zorn desperately wanted, and talked the staff into taking. All he did at Georgaia was win. Even Huckeba has a chance to be decent, especially in the nickle defense where he is quite the edge pass rusher. Hill was a standout at Clemson, though I'm not convinced he will be much more than a ST player for us. All in all I no longer have a big problem with this draft. I was never upset about the players we got, just where we got them and what we gave up to get them, too much in my opinion. But the players themselves I am quite happy about. Most importantly, this whole draft infuses this team with much needed heart and character. This entire draft was about guys who want to compete, who want to work hard and play here. Tatupu almost crapped himself he was so excited to be picked where he was. These guys are PLAYERS, not just talent. We've had enough of guys like K Rob and Stevens who are extremely talented but don't care. Like I've always said, I would rather go to war with 30 guys who want to fight than 100 guys who are good at fighting but don't really care. It's about heart, desire and passion for the game of football, and that's exactly the type of players we got.
Ummm... sorry that was so long, I probably should have made all that a post instead of a comment.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I don't follow college football so I've never followed the draft that closely, except for this year of course.
ReplyDeleteWho knew Monkey was such an astute judge of talent. It kind of scares me cuz I don't want him to be right about this year's draft too.
The bottom line is that for every Cortez and Curt Warner, there's a Bosworth or a Mirer, so the draft really is a major league crap shoot.
Oh yes you do alba, if I'm right about this years draft we'll have added some damn good players especailly Spencer and Tatupu who I think will be studs on this team for years to come. Spencer just might turn out to be the best lineman taken in the draft.
ReplyDeleteUmmm, let me rephrase that.
ReplyDeleteI don't want Monkey's INITIAL reaction to this draft to be right.
After reading his manefesto, I'm all for him being right now!