Archive for the ‘Feeling the Draft’ Category

Robert Woods and Matt Barkley , friends forever.

That’s a wrap folks. After all the draft profiles, hearsay and speculation, and draft reviews, we’re finally beginning to close the books on the 2012 NFL Draft.

I know, we’re scared too. For draftniks, this process is quite depressing. Thankfully, GLS is here to help fuel your dependency and slowly ween you off your addiction, as contributor Alen Dumonjic will continue his analysis of individual picks. And for the mock draft obsessed, we’ve got one more round of baseless speculation that will almost certainly be irrelevant in a matter of weeks. It’s your 2013 mock draft round up!

A few thoughts:

• A Quarterback will almost certainly go first overall, as that’s happened eight out of the last ten years. This makes McShay’s choice of DT Star Lotulelei as his first overall pick pretty interesting. The Utah product is gargantuan, measuring out at 6’4 and 325 pounds. The Tongan shared the 2012 Morris Trophy for best lineman with Matt Kalil.
• Unless his legs and/or arms implode, Matt Barkley will go very high. Taking the dangerous ‘return to school’ route is a risk, but I ask you this: would you want to leave Southern California for Minnesota?
• Many have rated Robert Woods as the best wide receiver prospect since Calvin Johnson. A load of expectations will accompany that, but I think this guy will be alright…

Seattle's Russell Wilson pick was, well, interesting.

The NFL Draft has come and gone. No more mock drafts, no more profiles, and no more hearsay and speculation. Naturally, that means it’s time to milk the draft until training camp, because the next three months of the offseason make us feel scared and cold. This week we’re going through the divisions and taking a look at how each team did after the first round. Our final stop, the NFC West. 

Arizona Cardinals

3 – Jamell Fleming, CB, Oklahoma

4 – Bobby Massie, OT, Mississippi

5 – Senio Kelemete, OG, Washington

6 – Justin Bethel, DB, Presbyterian

6 – Ryan Lindley, QB, San Diego State

7 – Nate Potter, OT, Boise State

Favorite Pick(s): While I’m a fan of the Michael Floyd pick, the rest of the Cardinals’ draft is unimpressive. Bobbie Massie was a good pick in the fourth round. He’s huge (6’6, 314 pounds) and possesses the quick feet that could one day seen him transition to left tackle.

The Cardinals added to their offensive line in the seventh with Nate Potter. Another high-value pick, Potter started for three years at Boise State, and the Cards likely will develop him slowly.

Jamell Fleming has trouble with physical receivers at the line of scrimmage, something almost every wideout will pick on at the next level. Justin Bethel has the size scouts love as a corner, but he faced pretty weak competition at Presbyterian, and it’ll take him a considerable time to adjust to the pros.

San Francisco 49ers

2 – LaMichael James, RB, Oregon

4 – Joe Looney, OG, Wake Forest

5 – Darius Fleming, OLB, Notre Dame

6 – Trenton Robinson, S, Michigan State

6- Jason Slowey, C, Western Oregon

7 – Cam Johnson, OLB, Virginia

Favorite Pick(s): I have to question the LaMichael James pick in the second round, because after picking up Brandon Jacobs during free agency the 49ers are pretty stocked at running back. But he could be used in the return game since Kyle Williams has probably lost that job after the debacle in the playoffs.

Cam Johnson inexplicably fell to the seventh round after putting up great numbers in Virginia’s 4-3 defense. There are questions regarding how well his size will translate in terms of position at the next level. Johnson has also been criticized for taking plays off.

Seattle Seahawks

2 – Bobby Wagner, LB, Utah State

3 – Russell Wilson, QB, Wisconsin

4 – Robert Turbin, RB, Utah State

4 – Jaye Howard, DT, Florida

5 – Korey Toomer, OLB, Idaho

6 – Jeremy Lane, CB, Northwestern State

6 – Winston Guy, S, Kentucky

7 – J.R. Sweezy, DE, North Carolina State

7 – Greg Scruggs, DL, Louisville

Favorite Pick(s): The Seahawks may have the most interesting draft class this year. After signing Matt Flynn to a three-year deal during free agency, the Hawks selected Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson in the third round. The pick sets up an uncomfortable three way “competition” (I have my doubts) between Flynn, Wilson, and Tarvaris Jackson.

Jon Gruden and Mel Kiper had a memorable spat over the pick that featured Wilson watching the whole thing go down on camera. Wilson was one of the participants in Gruden’s excellent Quarterback Camp. The former coach loves him some Russell Wilson…

St. Louis Rams

2 – Brian Quick, WR, Appalachian State

2 – Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

2 – Isaiah Pead, RB, Cincinnati

3 – Trumaine Johnson, DB, Montana

4 – Chris Givens, WR, Wake Forest

5 – Rokevious Watkins, OG, South Carolina

6 – Greg Zuerlein, K, Missouri Western

7 – Aaron Brown, OLB, Hawaii

7 – Daryl Richardson, RB, Abilene Christian

Favorite Pick(s): We end with my favorite draft class of 2012. Jeff Fisher took a group of talented but troubled players throughout the draft. By trading down repeatedly he built an arsenal of picks that will greatly contribute to the rebuilding of the Rams. Janoris Jenkins has the ability to be the best cornerback from this draft, while Brian Quick  and Chris Givens  provide Sam Bradford with the kind of targets he dearly missed last year.

Trumaine Johnson should challenge Jenkins for the highly-coveted title of most talented player with red flags to emerge from the 2012 draft. At 6’2″, Johnson has the size and cover skills to be a play maker in his rookie season.

Brock Osweiler will be Peyton Manning's successor in Denver.

The NFL Draft has come and gone. No more mock drafts, no more profiles, and no more hearsay and speculation. Naturally, that means it’s time to milk the draft until training camp, because the next three months of the offseason make us feel scared and cold. This week we’re going through the divisions and taking a look at how each team did after the first round. Up next, the AFC West.

Denver Broncos

2 – Derek Wolfe, DT, Cincinnati

2 – Brock Osweiler, QB, Arizona State

3 – Ronnie Hillman, RB, San Diego State

4 – Omar Bolden, CB, Arizona State

4 – Philip Blake, C, Baylor

5 – Malik Jackson, DE, Tennessee

6 – Danny Trevathan, OLB, Kentucky

Favorite Pick(s): Expectations in Denver are high after the Broncos sacrificed God’s direct relative for Peyton Manning. John Elway and company had to address the defensive tackle position early, and they did with the selection of Derek Wolfe in the second round. The Broncos also selected Manning’s successor, Brock Osweiler, in the second round. The Arizona State product’s lack of a consistent delivery could be troublesome, but he won’t be rushed in his position as the quarterback of the future behind Manning.

The Broncos got excellent value late in the draft. Oweiler’s teammate,  Omar Bolden is a fast cornerback who possesses above average return skills. He missed the entire 2011 season with a torn ACL.

Canadian Philip Blake hopes to follow Danny Watkins’ path, and he”ll provide depth behind third-year starter J.D Walton.

Kansas City Chiefs

2 – Jeff Allen, OG, Illinois

3 – Donald Stephenson, OT, Oklahoma

4 – Devon Wylie, WR, Fresno State

5 – DeQuan Menzie, DB, Alabama

6 – Cyrus Gray, RB, Texas A&M

7 – Jerome Long, DE, San Diego State

7 – Junior Hemingway, WR, Michigan

Favorite Pick(s): GLS contributor Alen Dumonjic profiled Chiefs first-round pick Dontari Poe a few days ago. The Chiefs did well to stockpile talent after round one. Jeff Allen and Donald Stephenson continue the youthful trend for an offensive line that could be the youngest in the league if Allen unseats incumbent Ryan Lilja as a starter.

Devon Wylie has all the tools to be an impact slot receiver for the Chiefs in the mould of Wes Welker.  I’ve watched a lot of Wolverines football in my time, which is why I was surprised to see Junior Hemingway fall to the seventh round. Less of a wide receiver and more of an H-Back, Hemingway has dependable hands and a knack for making big plays.

Oakland Raiders

3 – Tony Bergstrom, OG, Utah

4 – Miles Burris, OLB, San Diego State

5 – Jack Crawford, DE, Penn State

5 – Juron Criner, WR, Arizona

6 – Christo Bilukidi, DT, Georgia State

7 – Nathan Stupar, OLB, Penn State

Favorite Pick(s): The Raiders didn’t have many picks to work with this year (or any year for that matter) thanks to their deal with the devil – trading for Carson Palmer. Jack Crawford had a run in with Penn State campus police after authorities found some illegal things in his apartment. Crawford has the length and reach to pat down passes, which could make him a valuable third down contributor.

The Raiders may have bagged themselves a steal with  Juron Criner in the fifth round. He doesn’t possess the speed of his fellow Raider wide receivers, but he can work the middle of the field as a possession target.

The Raiders selected Canadian Christo Bilukidi in the sixth round. The Ottawa native has carved an interesting road to the NFL.

San Diego Chargers

2 – Kendall Reyes, DE, Connecticut

3 – Brandon Taylor, S, Louisiana State

4 – Ladarius Green, TE, Louisiana-Lafayette

5 – Johnnie Troutman, OG, Penn State

7 – David Molk, C, Michigan

7 – Edwin Baker, RB, Michigan State

Favorite Pick(s): The Chargers stole Melvin Ingram with the eighteenth pick in the first round. Much of the pre draft speculation had San Diego targeting a trade in to secure the services of either Mark Barron or Stephon Gilmore. They addressed their need at defensive back with LSU Safety Brandon Taylor. While Taylor is a capable in-the-box tackler, his cover skills are less than average. Luckily for the Chargers, teammate Eric Weddle is one of the better all around safeties in the league.

I was shocked to see David Molk  fall to the second round. It continues to amaze me how undervalued centers are in the draft. Molk won the Rimington Trophy, awarded to the top Center in the country. An injury during Michigan’s Sugar Bowl appearance may explain how a player of his caliber slid so far.

Lavonte David could contribute right away for the Bucs.

The NFL Draft has come and gone. No more mock drafts, no more profiles, and no more hearsay and speculation. Naturally, that means it’s time to milk the draft until training camp, because the next three months of the offseason make us feel scared and cold. This week we’re going through the divisions and taking a look at how each team did after the first round. Up next, the NFC South.

Before we get started I want to briefly talk about Junior Seau. For me, the NFL in the 1990s were defined by two things – My favorite team, the Buffalo Bills and my favorite player to watch, Junior Seau.

After those four consecutive trips to the Super Bowl, I was relieved to see San Diego represent the AFC in the 1995 championship. Unfortunately the Chargers were no match for Steve Young and the 49ers. Seau, for me, represented everything that was great about this game. He was a player who could chase a running back down with a smile on his face, and he was at home on the field, which helps explain his reluctance to retire.

Today, Seau’s kids lost their father and his mother lost her son. Obviously, there are more important things than football. Off the field Seau spent much of his time working with charities in Miami and San Diego. Saints lineman Eric Olsen recalls a personal anecdote that shows us what kind of person Seau was.

RIP, Junior.

Atlanta Falcons

2 – Peter Konz, OG, Wisconsin

3 – Lamar Holmes, OT, Southern Mississippi

5 – Bradie Ewing, FB, Wisconsin

5 – Jonathan Massaquoi, DE, Troy

6 – Charles Mitchell, S, Mississippi State

7 – Travian Robertson, DT, South Carolina

Favorite Pick(s): The Falcons traded away their first round pick in the Julio Jones trade last year, but still managed to address some needs. Peter Konz should help an offensive line that struggled mightily last year. The Falcons were one of ten teams that failed to rush for more than four yards per carry between the tackles in 2011.

If Jonathan Massaquoi turns out anything like fellow Troy Alumni DeMarcus Ware, the Falcons will be elated. Massaquoi possesses the speed needed to get to quarterbacks off the edge.

Carolina Panthers

2 – Amini Silatolu, OG, Midwestern State

4 – Frank Alexander, DE, Oklahoma

4 – Joe Adams, WR, Arkansas

5 – Josh Norman, CB, Coastal Carolina

6 – Brad Nortman, P, Wisconsin

7 – D.J. Campbell, DB, California

Favorite Pick(s): The NFL Network had an impressive amount of footage featuring players from small schools. When analyzing Amini Silatolu, the Panthers second-round pick, Mike Mayock stressed the importance of seeing players from smaller schools absolutely dominate their competition on film. Silatolu’s tape showed the dominance you like to see.

Frank Alexander has the long arms and motor you want in a defensive end, but it can be argued the Panthers had a glaring need at defensive tackle, a position that wasn’t addressed in the draft. Joe Adams is a burner who had his best season with the Razorbacks in his senior season. With the departure of Legedu Naanee, Adams could see time in the slot immediately.

New Orleans Saints

3 – Akiem Hicks, DT, Regina

4 – Nick Toon, WR, Wisconsin

5 – Corey White, S, Samford

6 – Andrew Tiller, OG, Syracuse

7 – Marcel Jones, OT, Nebraska

Favorite Pick(s): If the Saints had known Jon Vilma was going to be suspended for the entire season, their draft probably would have gone differently. Akiem Hicks’ football odyssey saw him wind up in Regina after he was mired in a recruiting controversy that once again shows us how ass backwards the NCAA is. If Hicks had stayed at LSU, the school he was originally enrolled at, it’s possible he could’ve been a first-round pick. The Saints will be glad he ended up in Canada.

Nick Toon gives Drew Brees another option in the Saints vaunted passing attack and will help fill the void created by the departure of Robert Meachem. Toon has the NFL bloodlines. His father Al was an All Pro wide receiver for the New York Jets before retiring at age 29 due to multiple concussions.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2 – Lavonte David, OLB, Nebraska

5 – Najee Goode, ILB, West Virginia

6 – Keith Tandy, CB, West Virginia

7 – Michael Smith, RB, Utah State

7 – Drake Dunsmore, FB, Northwestern

Favorite Pick(s): The Bucs got their safety of the future in Mark Barron, and then they added to their defense with second-round pick Lavonte David. Though undersized, David has the instincts and speed required to be a force in the NFL.

The Bucs continued to add to their Linebacker corps in the fifth round with Najee Goode. His feel for the game is raw, but Goode has the size and speed necessary to stick in the pros. He’s also versatile, as he can line up at both the SAM and MIKE positions.

Dwayne Allen will be one half of Andrew Luck's shiny new tight end tandem.

The NFL Draft has come and gone. No more mock drafts, no more profiles, and no more hearsay and speculation. Naturally, that means it’s time to milk the draft until training camp, because the next three months of the offseason make us feel scared and cold. This week we’re going through the divisions and taking a look at how each team did after the first round. Up next, the AFC South.

Houston Texans

3 – DeVier Posey, WR, Ohio State

3 – Brandon Brooks, OG, Miami-Ohio

4 – Ben Jones, C, Georgia

4 – Keshawn Martin, WR, Michigan State

4 – Jared Crick, DE, Nebraska

5 – Randy Bullock, K, Texas A&M

6 – Nick Mondek, OT, Purdue

Favorite Pick(s): If it wasn’t for terrible luck, the Houston Texans could’ve found themselves in last year’s AFC championship game. The injury to quarterback Matt Schaub derailed a promising season that saw the Texans win the AFC South for the first time in their young history.

Star wideout Andre Johnson needed some help, and the Texans obliged in the middle of the draft. DeVier Posey was involved in the the Ohio State memorabilia scandal, but the talent is there. Former Ohio State Head Coach Jim Tressel (who was fired because of said scandal) likened Posey’s explosiveness to former Buckeye Santonio Holmes.

The Texans then got great value in the fourth round with Nebraska DE Jared Crick, who has second-round talent and fits Wade Phillips’ defensive scheme perfectly.

Indianapolis Colts

2 – Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford

3 – Dwayne Allen, TE, Clemson

3 – T.Y. Hilton, WR, Florida International

5 – Josh Chapman, NT, Alabama

5 – Vick Ballard, RB, Mississippi State

6 – LaVon Brazill, WR, Ohio

7 – Justin Anderson, OT, Georgia

7- Tim Fugger, OLB, Vanderbilt

7 – Chandler Harnish, QB, Northern Illinois

Favorite Pick(s): The Colts restocked a cupboard that was filled with aging foodstuffs. Coby Fleener’s unexpected fall to the second round conjured images of a league wide fix in my mind, but nevertheless it reunites Andrew Luck with his college safety blanket. Following the trend that is sweeping the nation, the Colts then picked up another tight end with their next pick, Clemson’s Dwayne Allen. Unlike Fleener, Allen can put his hand down and block with consistently.

The Miami Herald ranked T.Y. Hilton as the top return specialist in the draft. Hilton is also a pretty damn good receiver whose stock was slightly hurt by an injury that caused him to miss the Senior Bowl and skip some drills at the Combine. Watch out for this guy on Sundays next year.

Chandler Harnish  was this year’s Mr.Irrelevant and will get to spend a week in California doing strange things. One of my lasting memories of this year’s draft will be the crowd booing the old man who created ‘Mr.Irrelevant.’ It was fantastic.

Jacksonville Jaguars

2 – Andre Branch, DE, Clemson

3 – Bryan Anger, P, California

5 – Brandon Marshall, ILB, Nevada

6 – Mike Harris, CB, Florida State

7 – Jeris Pendleton, DT, Ashland

Favorite Pick(s): The Jaguars’ selection of Justin Blackmon in the first round was impressive, and they followed that up with Andre Branch, who will provide immediate depth for a defensive line that surpassed expectations last year. Once Blaine Gabbert becomes somewhat competent, the Jags have the seeds of a team that can a compete in the AFC South.

Then Jacksonville took a punter in the third round. By all accounts, Bryan Anger can really kick a football. Field position is obviously important, and a good punter can be the difference between giving up the ball at midfield or, or pushing the opposition back to their own 30-yard line. For the Jaguars’ sake let’s hope Anger has that sort of impact, because Gene Smith will never hear the end of it if he doesn’t.

Tennessee Titans

2 – Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina

3 – Mike Martin, DT, Michigan

4 – Coty Sensabaugh, CB, Clemson

5 – Taylor Thompson, TE, Southern Methodist

6 – Markelle Martin, S, Oklahoma State

7 – Scott Solomon, DE, Rice

Favorite Pick(s): The Titans shored up their defense after taking Baylor WR Kendall Wright in the first round. Zach Brown was one of the fastest linebackers available in the draft, but the UNC product struggles in tight spaces. Absorbing blockers is something he’ll have to work on to be an impact starter in the league. Mike Martin was probably taken two rounds too high, but the compete level is there.

Coty Sensabaugh is a great story. Sensabaugh lost his older brother Jamaar to leukemia when he was 11. After another player chose a different school, Clemson offered Sensabaugh their last scholarship available. The cornerback ran the third fastest 40-yard dash time at the Combine.

Read the story I linked to above, and you’ll become a Sensabaugh fan pretty fast.

Rueben Randle will make Giants fans forget about Mario Manningham.

The NFL Draft has come and gone. No more mock drafts, no more profiles, and no more hearsay and speculation. Naturally, that means it’s time to milk the draft until training camp, because the next three months of the offseason make us feel scared and cold. This week we’ll be going through the divisions and taking a look at how each team did after the first round. Up next, the NFC East.

Dallas Cowboys

3 – Tyrone Crawford, DE, Boise State

4 – Kyle Wilber, OLB, Wake Forest

4 – Matt Johnson, S, Eastern Washington

5 – Danny Coale, WR, Virginia Tech

6 – James Hanna, TE

7 – Caleb McSurdy, ILB, Montana

Favorite Pick(s): I watched every hour of the draft this year, and the only people I saw more than Rich Eisen and the NFL Network crew were Jerry Jones and his merry band of Cowboy employees. We watched as they called their fourth-round pick and their seventh-round pick, and we even got to see Rob Ryan scratch his itchy gut. I will never be able to remove that image from my brain.

The Cowboys sacrificed their second-round pick to move up and select Morris Claiborne. Canadian Tyrone Crawford will play the five technique for the Cowboys 3-4 defense and should be able to enter the rotation immediately. Sooners TE James Hanna ran a 4.46 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, an insane time for a tight end. The pick also gives the Cowboys depth at a position that sorely needs it.

New York Giants

2 – Rueben Randle, WR, Louisiana State

3 – Jayron Hosley, CB, Virginia Tech

4 – Adrien Robinson, TE, Cincinnati

4 – Brandon Mosley, OT, Auburn

6 – Matt McCants, OT, Alabama-Birmingham

7 – Markus Kuhn, DT, North Carolina State

Favorite Pick(s): The rich get richer as Jerry Reese shows us why he’s the best GM in the game once again. Keep in mind that the top three Giants picks in the last year’s draft – Prince Amukamara, Marvin Austin and Jerrel Jernigan – all missed significant time last year.

So basically the Super Bowl champions have two draft classes incoming. As Rueben Randle continued to slip to the depths of round two you just knew the Giants would grab him. Suddenly, Mario Manningham’s departure isn’t all that big of a deal.

Adrien Robinson fits the mold of the new tight end in the NFL, as the Giants have restocked a position that was decimated by injuries in the Super Bowl – who could forget Jake Ballard’s struggles on the sidelines – with the additions of Robinson and Martellus Bennett.

Philadelphia Eagles

2 – Mychal Kendricks, LB, California

2 – Vinny Curry, DE, Marshall

3 – Nick Foles, QB, Arizona

4 – Brandon Boykin, CB, Georgia

5 – Dennis Kelly, OT, Purdue (6-8, 321)

6 – Marvin McNutt, WR, Iowa

6 – Brandon Washington, OG, Miami-Florida

7 – Bryce Brown, RB, Kansas State

Favorite Pick(s): I really liked what the Eagles did this year. Mychal Kendricks and trade acquisition DeMeco Ryans will turn what was a weakness last year into a strength. The chances Mike Vick misses at least one game due to injury are pretty high, thus making Nick Foles a worthwhile pick. The Arizona product will have some work to do as scouts have given his footwork awful reviews, but he’ll have time to learn while carrying Mike Kafka’s clipboards.

Brandon Boykin will help fill the void created by the departure of Asante Samuel and Marvin McNutt adds depth to an already loaded wide receiver corps. Seventh-round pick Bryce Brown is the most intriguing pick in the class. Brown hired a manager when he was 17(!) and reneged on a commitment to Miami, instead choosing Tennessee. After complaining about not getting enough playing time, Brown transferred to Kansas State, where he quit after three games.

The guy has the talent, but there is clearly something off upstairs. It’s a low risk, high upside pick for the Eagles.

Washington Redskins

3 – Josh LeRibeus, OG, Southern Methodist

4 – Kirk Cousins, QB, Michigan State

4 – Keenan Robinson, ILB, Texas

5 – Adam Gettis, OG, Iowa

6 – Alfred Morris, RB, Florida Atlantic

6 – Tom Compton, OT, South Dakota

7 – Richard Crawford, CB, Southern Methodist

7 – Jordan Bernstine, DB, Iowa

Favorite Pick(s): GLS Editor Sean Tomlinson has already hammered the Redskins for the Kirk Cousins pick, and rightfully so. The rest of the Redskins draft wasn’t much better. Adam Gettis, from the linemen factory that is Iowa, will add some depth to a group of individuals tasked with the most important job in the organization. keeping RG3 upright.

Alfred Morris can thank the draft gods for his selection by the Redskins. Mike Shanahan has made a career out of making marginal running backs stat sheet heroes. Shanahan got a close look at Morris during the Senior Bowl and must have liked what he saw. Perhaps most importantly, Morris is an above average blocker, which will give him the opportunity to get more playing time.

Cordy Glenn will address a key need for the Bills.

The NFL Draft has come and gone. No more mock drafts, no more profiles, and no more hearsay and speculation. Naturally, that means it’s time to milk the draft until training camp, because the next three months of the offseason make us feel scared and cold. This week we’ll be going through the divisions and taking a look at how each team did after the first round. Up next, the AFC East.

Buffalo Bills

2 – Cordy Glenn, OT, Georgia

3 – T.J. Graham, WR, North Carolina State

4 – Nigel Bradham, OLB, Florida State

4 – Ron Brooks, CB, Louisiana State

5 – Zebrie Sanders, OT, Florida State

5 – Tank Carder, LB, Texas Christian

6 – Mark Asper, OG, Oregon

7 – John Potter, K, Western Michigan

Favorite Pick(s): I have to begin this review with a confession: I’m an unabashed Bills fan.

The last decade of Bills football has been grim. The organization’s ineptitude was consistently on display during the draft. Aaron Maybin, Donte Whitner, John McCargo…J.P Losman. I could go on.

Things are beginning to change, however. The arrival of Buddy Nix and Doug Whaley has seen the Bills adopt a strategy that’s pretty foolproof – draft players from the south, preferably the SEC. Cordy Glenn in the second round is great value while also filling a need. Nix has made it known you can never have enough corners, especially when facing Tom Brady twice a year. Ron Brooks is one of the most versatile defensive backs in the draft, as he played a key role on special teams while seeing plenty of action when the Tigers had their Nickel package on the field.

Miami Dolphins

2 – Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

3 – Olivier Vernon, OLB, Miami-Florida

3 – Michael Egnew, TE, Missouri

4 – Lamar Miller, RB, Miami-Florida

5 – Josh Kaddu, ILB, Oregon

6 – B.J. Cunningham, WR, Michigan State

7 – Kheeston Randall, DE, Texas

7 – Rishard Matthews, WR, Nevada

Favorite Pick(s): The Dolphins 2012 draft will be measured on one pick and one pick alone. Tough luck for Jeff Ireland, who did a pretty good job in round two to seven. Jon Martin should be able to start at right tackle from Day 1. Junior Olivier Vernon, another Miami underclassmen who probably should have stayed in school, had a litany of red flags. His eye-opening performance at the NFL Combine showed scouts he could play at outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense.

Josh Kaddu was a First Team All Pac 10 selection in his final year at Oregon. Kaddu has excellent speed, but his ability to cover in the NFL will be challenged immediately. Nevada’s Rishard Matthews put up excellent numbers in his senior season, and his special teams experience will give him a good chance to make the Dolphins’ opening day roster.

New York Jets

2 – Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech

3 – Demario Davis, ILB, Arkansas State

6 – Josh Bush, S, Wake Forest

6 – Terrance Ganaway, RB, Baylor

6 – Robert T. Griffin, OG, Baylor

7 – Antonio Allen, S, South Carolina

7 – Jordan White, WR, Western Michigan

Favorite Pick(s): Quality, not quantity would be the best description for the Jets’ 2012 draft. Looking for a deep threat who wasn’t a terrible teammate, the Jets selected Stephen Hill in the second round. Hill has been compared to former Yellow Jackets Calvin Johnson and Demaryius Thomas, comparisons that the Jets themselves have made have made, which will undoubtedly become a burden (crosses fingers) for the wide receiver.

In the sixth round the Jets drafted a pair of Baylor Bears. Terrance Ganaway is a bruising runner who excelled against defenses that were primarily concerned with some guy named Robert Griffin III. New York also selected the second best Robert Griffin in the sixth. South Carolina’s Antonio Allen in the seventh round was excellent value for a team in need of help at Safety.

New England Patriots

2 – Tavon Wilson, S, Illinois

3 – Jake Bequette, OLB, Arkansas

6 – Nate Ebner, S, Ohio State

7 – Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

7 – Jeremy Ebert, WR, Northwestern

Favorite Pick(s):For the first time I can remember the Pats traded up in round one to shore up a terrible defense. The rest of the Pats’ draft was puzzling. They went way off the board for Tavin Wilson in the second round. Arkansas OLB Jake Bequette was also considered a reach in the third round.

What happens to Nebraska CB Alfonzo Dennard–or the cop puncher as he’s now known–will be something to keep an eye on. He has the talent, and if anyone can get his head straight it will be the hooded czar. While I’m not in love with most of the Patriots picks after round one, this Bills fan knows not to doubt those bastards from New England.