I dreamt the other night that the Seahawks took Eugene Monroe. In the dream Ruskell said that the opportunity to draft a top tier tackle was too hard to pass up.
I'm sure it will be Crabtree in the mock tomorrow tho
Opinion is really polarised regarding the Seahawks choice. It seems like the majority have settled on a 'Stafford-Smith-Curry' top three, but there are so many contrasting opinions on Seattle at number four.
The only mocks I've seen Seattle taking Crabtree over Monroe (other than mine) are Rob Rang's and Walter Cherepinsky's. It could either way tomorrow.
I know this will have no determination on the pick tomorrow but I was curious how much Raji stock has soared that teams may want to trade up to the 4th pick to get him?
After hearing the Kiper v. McShay podcast yesterday, Kiper seems to believe that Raji will not get past the Browns. That being said, what are the odds that a team like the Packers will who need the big NT for there 3-4 defense will trade up to get Raji?
There always seems to be one prospect who shoots up the board. Before the combine I thought it could be Everette Brown (DE, Florida State). Instead, it looks like it could be Raji. I'm not in total agreement with Mel Kiper that Raji won't get passed the Browns. They have a very good nose tackle in Shaun Rogers and although there's been talk of him being unsettled, if he remains I would be surprised to see them take Raji.
With so few elite defensive line prospects this year, I can't help but feel Raji is being slightly over rated. There's no doubt he's a very talented defensive tackle, who has the size to play NT but the ability to get to the quarter back and collapse the pocket. Is he better than Glenn Dorsey and Sedrick Ellis last year? I'm not so sure.
He has very legitimate character issues which will put off some teams (I'd include Seattle in that). I think he'll be a top ten pick, but unless the Chiefs make him a surprise pick third overall, I think he'll get passed the Browns and become an option for Oakland, Green Bay and possibly San Francisco and Denver.
Would a team trade up? Possibly. Green Bay are shifting to a 3-4 and need a nose tackle. Denver are looking to improve defensively and are also switching to a 3-4. If they feel Raji will go to a Cleveland or an Oakland, they might seek to trade up. But that would be dependant on those teams viewing Raji as worthy not only of a huge contract, but the compensation it would take to move up to 4th overall. I'm sure Seattle would love the option to drop down and get more picks whilst staying in the top ten. They might find it difficult due to the cost (enhanced by the global financial problems) but a prospect like Michael Crabtree is reason enough to be happy with the 4th overall pick.
I expect to see us take crabtree at 4, unless we have the choice to trade down. But it is a tribute to Tim R for a solid FA period to be in the position to choose whatever you want.
I gotta say, I looked at the film of the guys who would be available at 4 this evening, and I came away very impressed with Raji, Monroe and even Orakpo... Crabtree was impressive as well but you can definitely tell that he's more of a 6'1" guy instead of a 6'3+ guy... He also seemed to lack that super burst of speed that you see with the usual top-of-the-draft receivers... Which I know isn't his thing, but it makes it harder to justify a #4 pick in my mind... I mean Fitzgerald and Calvin Johnson are freaks of nature and they were #3 and #2. (And let's not even talk about Randy Moss) Crabtree def caught everthing thrown at him and he displayed some nifty moves. But I kind of felt disappointed looking at his highlights.
BJ Raji on the other hand is an animal. I don't know all the details about his past, but I know that Ruskell also checks that stuff out and respects the all the circumstances. If that stuff checks out I wouldn't think #4 would be a reach for that guy
Eugene Monroe was pretty impressive too. I liked Orakpo more than I liked Brown, at least what highlights I saw.
In case anyone wondered, Dave Softy Mahler picked for Seattle and chose Eugene Monroe. There's a link to the clip in the 'Big links update' article at the top of the page.
8 comments:
I dreamt the other night that the Seahawks took Eugene Monroe. In the dream Ruskell said that the opportunity to draft a top tier tackle was too hard to pass up.
I'm sure it will be Crabtree in the mock tomorrow tho
Opinion is really polarised regarding the Seahawks choice. It seems like the majority have settled on a 'Stafford-Smith-Curry' top three, but there are so many contrasting opinions on Seattle at number four.
The only mocks I've seen Seattle taking Crabtree over Monroe (other than mine) are Rob Rang's and Walter Cherepinsky's. It could either way tomorrow.
Hey Rob,
I know this will have no determination on the pick tomorrow but I was curious how much Raji stock has soared that teams may want to trade up to the 4th pick to get him?
After hearing the Kiper v. McShay podcast yesterday, Kiper seems to believe that Raji will not get past the Browns. That being said, what are the odds that a team like the Packers will who need the big NT for there 3-4 defense will trade up to get Raji?
Thanks Rob! Keep up the good work.
Hi annonymous,
There always seems to be one prospect who shoots up the board. Before the combine I thought it could be Everette Brown (DE, Florida State). Instead, it looks like it could be Raji. I'm not in total agreement with Mel Kiper that Raji won't get passed the Browns. They have a very good nose tackle in Shaun Rogers and although there's been talk of him being unsettled, if he remains I would be surprised to see them take Raji.
With so few elite defensive line prospects this year, I can't help but feel Raji is being slightly over rated. There's no doubt he's a very talented defensive tackle, who has the size to play NT but the ability to get to the quarter back and collapse the pocket. Is he better than Glenn Dorsey and Sedrick Ellis last year? I'm not so sure.
He has very legitimate character issues which will put off some teams (I'd include Seattle in that). I think he'll be a top ten pick, but unless the Chiefs make him a surprise pick third overall, I think he'll get passed the Browns and become an option for Oakland, Green Bay and possibly San Francisco and Denver.
Would a team trade up? Possibly. Green Bay are shifting to a 3-4 and need a nose tackle. Denver are looking to improve defensively and are also switching to a 3-4. If they feel Raji will go to a Cleveland or an Oakland, they might seek to trade up. But that would be dependant on those teams viewing Raji as worthy not only of a huge contract, but the compensation it would take to move up to 4th overall. I'm sure Seattle would love the option to drop down and get more picks whilst staying in the top ten. They might find it difficult due to the cost (enhanced by the global financial problems) but a prospect like Michael Crabtree is reason enough to be happy with the 4th overall pick.
I expect to see us take crabtree at 4, unless we have the choice to trade down. But it is a tribute to Tim R for a solid FA period to be in the position to choose whatever you want.
"And with the 4th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the Seahawks select...Texas Tech Wide Receiver, Michael Crabtree!"
I gotta say, I looked at the film of the guys who would be available at 4 this evening, and I came away very impressed with Raji, Monroe and even Orakpo... Crabtree was impressive as well but you can definitely tell that he's more of a 6'1" guy instead of a 6'3+ guy... He also seemed to lack that super burst of speed that you see with the usual top-of-the-draft receivers... Which I know isn't his thing, but it makes it harder to justify a #4 pick in my mind... I mean Fitzgerald and Calvin Johnson are freaks of nature and they were #3 and #2. (And let's not even talk about Randy Moss) Crabtree def caught everthing thrown at him and he displayed some nifty moves. But I kind of felt disappointed looking at his highlights.
BJ Raji on the other hand is an animal. I don't know all the details about his past, but I know that Ruskell also checks that stuff out and respects the all the circumstances. If that stuff checks out I wouldn't think #4 would be a reach for that guy
Eugene Monroe was pretty impressive too. I liked Orakpo more than I liked Brown, at least what highlights I saw.
In case anyone wondered, Dave Softy Mahler picked for Seattle and chose Eugene Monroe. There's a link to the clip in the 'Big links update' article at the top of the page.
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