The 2007 NFL Draft Blog

Last weekend the 2007 NFL Draft was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York. I did not attend. However, I did sit on my couch and watch the coverage on ESPN. I find the draft one of the most entertaining events in all of sports. So I decided to keep a blog of the first ten picks. And it went a little bit like this…

Welcome to Bleeding Sports live coverage of the 2007 NFL Draft. And here’s the commissioner Roger Goodell! This is a historic day since I am too young to remember watching an NFL draft without Paul Tagliabue. You got to give the new commish credit for his enthusiasm. The Raiders are now on the clock and already things don’t look good. Before the last commercial break ESPN cut to a shot of the Raiders table on the draft floor. Sitting there were a lost elderly man and two high school kids who couldn’t figure out how to put on a headset. Did Al Davis hold a raffle to see who got to sit at the Raiders’ draft table?

Another interesting development this year is we are graced by the presence of Keyshawn Johnson who just compared the best player in the draft, Calvin Johnson, as a cross between Randy Moss and himself. For the sake of all mankind let’s hope not. Can somebody please call Mike Ditka and get him over to Radio City, STAT!

The big question is will the Raiders trade the top pick or use it to select the most overrated draft prospect in recent memory, JaMarcus Russell. I don’t know about you, but I would have a hard time passing on a lazy, slow, overweight quarterback who ballooned to 300 pounds just in time for the combine. Oh and we just saw a highlight of Russell throwing the ball 64 yards on one knee!! Because THAT is a necessary skill in order to be successful in the NFL. Just ask Kyle Boller. Before the Sugar Bowl Russell was regarded as a second round pick at best and now he is about to be the first player chosen. Does playing well against the Notre Dame defense constitute that big of jump? Teams get way too excited over these individual workouts instead of focusing on the entire body of work. Throughout the entire season, Brady Quinn was the considered the top quarterback prospect because of his performance on the field and isn’t that what really matters?

And with the first pick the Raiders select…JaMarcus Russell. Ugh, Chris Berman just had to mention how he can throw the ball 64 yards from his knees. I may have to smash my laptop 20 minutes into the draft. This is going to be the shortest draft blog in history. The Raiders didn’t call Russell until after they make pick meaning they were desperately trying to trade down. Instead, they pulled the trigger on Russell and behind that offensive line he can attempt to break David Carr’s times sacked in a season record.

The Lions are now on the clock. I don’t care how many draft picks Matt Millen has blown on receivers, unless Tampa Bay agrees to swap picks and give him both of their second round choices you need to take Calvin Johnson. Actually, scratch that, you take Calvin Johnson no matter what. And the Lions select…Calvin Johnson. You just can’t pass on the best player in the draft.

Now the question becomes do the Browns take hometown boy Brady Quinn. If, I’m Phil Savage I take the Quinn because I don’t see the Charlie Frye/Derek Anderson era lasting much longer. And with the third pick the Browns select…Joe Thomas. Solid pick, you really can’t argue with taking an all-world left tackle to anchor the line. Now the question become where does Brady fall. My money is on Miami, but Chris Mortensen just brought up that Jon Gruden may take Quinn with the fourth pick. The Bucs already have thirteen quarterbacks. Naturally, Gruden’s favorite former player, Keyshawn, agrees with Mortensen’s theory.

I just saw on the ESPN bottom line that the Packers key addition this off-season was Frank Walker. Maybe Brett Favre should rethink returning next season.

After some speculation that the Gruden would take Quinn, the Bucs draft Gaines Adams. He a pass rushing defensive end who weighs 250 pounds, which makes him smaller than some running backs these days. A situational pass rusher taken with the fourth pick of the draft?

The Cardinals make the safe pick and take Levi Brown. They really had no choice, but to draft an offensive tackle. That team is an offensive line away from becoming a threat in the NFC. Though I think people have been saying that about the Cardinals for the past four years.

Is it weird that when the commissioner announces the picks he uses the word "Take" instead of "Select". It just doesn’t sound as proper, but I still like how he addresses the fans before some of the picks. The NFL needed a commissioner with more enthusiasm and passion, someone who is a true a fan. Looks like the No Fun League found the right guy.

As for the draft, we are five picks in with Brady Quinn and Adrian Peterson still sitting in the green room. That has to be a mild surprise.
The Redskins just drafted Redman for WU Tang Clan…oh wait…I mean LaRon Landry from LSU. You can always rely on the Skins to make a questionable personnel decision.

Steve Young just made a comment on how it will be interesting to see how Landry and Redskins’ safety Shaun Taylor will play together since they both prefer playing at the line of scrimmage. No kidding. That’s the reason Adam Archuleta is now in Chicago. Hellooo.

Minnesota TAKES Adrian Peterson. That’s a steal. A good pick for the Vikings except for the fact that they can’t throw the football on offense, can’t stop the pass on defense and it looks like Tarvaris Jackson is the starting quarterback. Peterson better be healthy because something tells me he and Chester Taylor are both going to be getting a lot of work. Just by playing in the same division as Minnesota, Green Bay, and Detroit the Rex Grossman era in Chicago will go on forever.

With Peterson off the board, we just need to wait for Miami to take Brady Quinn. These NFL execs just never learn. How do quarterbacks like Leinart and Quinn fall like this? Doesn’t a guy’s play in actual game situations trump anything else like throwing the ball 64 yards indoors on your knees? Apparently, amongst NFL decision makers the answer is No. Teams seem to forget about a player’s actually performance against competition and become consumed with individual workouts that do little to show how a guy will perform on Sundays. There is so much time from the end of the college football season to the actual draft that teams actually over-evaluate prospects. Personnel departments have so much time to evaluate that it’s inevitable they will find something wrong with a player. By the time the draft rolls around, teams end have talked themselves out of drafting certain guys and end up making bad decisions. They forget about a player’s actually performance against competition and become consumed with individual workouts that do little to show how a guy will perform on Sundays. Ridiculous.

I digress. Anyway, somebody needs to diversify Rachel Nichols wardrobe. I wonder if when she wakes up in the morning and walks over to her closet if she asks herself, “Should I wear the black suit or the black suit?”

Atlanta selects Jamaal Anderson. Only this one doesn’t play running back, he’s a defensive end from Arkansas. I wonder if he knows the dirty bird.

New commercials for Madden 08 make me happy. Coming August 14th. (Product not yet rated).

When did Michael Smith become an NFL “expert?” It seems like ESPN executives woke up one day and decided to make random sports writers ‘experts’ in a given sport. Now viewers are blessed to have Mike Wilbon NBA “expert” and Michael Smith NFL “expert” grace their television. Shouldn’t Smith have to make at least one relevant point or offer one bit of valuable insight before we deem him an “expert?” Where is my resume.

This has got to be demoralizing for Brady Quinn who has now been interviewed by Suzy Kolber twice while waiting in the green room. Not mention having to take shots from Tong Kornheiser of all people.

And now the moment of truth. With the ninth pick, The Dolphins TAKE…Ted Ginn Jr?!?!?!?! WHAT!!! Even Mel Kiper is outraged! Brady is starting to look worried! What are the dolphins thinking?? Did they give up on trying to replace Marino and come to the decision to play without a quarterback this season? Is 38-year old Trent Green, who isn’t even on the team at this moment, the answer? I can’t believe. The Dolphins pick was so bad the entire ESPN panel is up in arms. I think Mel Kiper just choke slammer Chris Berman through the table! Not only did the Dolphins pass up on a franchise quarterback they reached for an undersized wide receiver who can’t really play wide receiver and has a Lis Franc injury to his foot. And now, Brady Quinn’s slide down the draft board may take on Aaron Rogers’ size proportions.

Houston has the tenth pick. I would be kicking myself right if I were the Houston Texans. You think they would have traded for an unknown commodity in Matt Schaub knowing they could have had Quinn and a full complement of draft picks the next two years?

On that note, let’s end the Draft coverage here. I don’t even care who the Texans pick. I’m still in shock. Stay strong Brady!