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Gaines Adams' draft day status continues to rise despite his admission of smoking but not inhaling
DRAFT BUZZ
LIONS MOVING DOWN? Most of
what happens at the April 28-29 draft will obviously hinge on what Oakland does
with the No. 1 overall pick. That said, much of the focus lately has been on the
team behind them: Detroit, at No. 2. Michigan Live reports the Lions are rumored
to be shopping the rights to the second overall selection to several teams, in
hopes of moving down a little and getting additional picks. Several teams are
interested in moving up to nab Georgia Tech wideout Calvin Johnson , widely seen as the most
talented receiver to come along in years. Of course, No. 2 doesn't guarantee
Johnson will still be available, so there should be plenty of jostling around
Motown in the coming days.
With the NFL's new crackdown on player
misbehavior, the perceived character of draft prospects is a significant factor
for teams at the draft. With that in mind, the perception of three top prospects
may have just changed. A report in Pro Football Weekly claims Georgia Tech
receiver Johnson, top-ranked defensive end Gaines
Adams of Clemson, and top defensive tackle prospect Amobi Okoye of Louisville have all admitted to
previously using marijuana. While the admissions aren't likely to seriously
affect the draft status of the three, it's impossible to say it won't come into
play in teams' decisions come draft time. This could be a new variable in how
the draft's early first round shakes out.
More news that suggests Michael Turner will remain in San Diego: Buffalo GM
Marv Levy told reporters recently he would be surprised if Turner ended up a
Bill. Buffalo is one of a few teams still hot on the trail of the promising
Charger backup tailback, who is currently a restricted free agent. This most
recent news comes on the heels of comments by Turner's agent, who recently made
similar comments that he doubts Turner will be leaving San Diego anytime soon.
The Chargers currently sit at No. 30 in the first round, and while dealing
Turner might help them move up, they are a cost-conscious team known for picking
diamonds-in-the-rough later in the draft and paying less for them than they
would for higher selections. Meanwhile the Bills, still trying to fill the hole
left by Willis McGahee, pick at No. 12, and can
only hope Oklahoma RB Adrian Petersonmight still be available.
April 19, 2007 UNDERRATED BUSH
Oklahoma's Adrian
Peterson seems to be the consensus top running back heading into the
draft, but keep an eye out for Michael
Bush. If Bush hadn't broken his leg in Louisville's opening game last
season, he might have been ahead of Peterson heading into the April 28-29
pick-fest. Bush was a leading Heisman Trophy fave but the broken leg really hurt
his momentum. Good news for him lately though: Dr. James Andrews, one of the
most respected sports injury specialists in the world, on Wednesday issued a
statement saying Bush is "99 percent healed" and "should be a top-ranked running
back taken in the 2007 NFL Draft." The words from Andrews should do a lot to
help Bush's stock.
RICH GET RICHER?
What does the team that has everything do at the draft? Ask the Ravens. Of
course, no team is every without its holes to fill, but the Associated Press
reports Baltimore is having a tough time knowing what to do with the No. 29
overall selection of the first round. That said, the team is reportedly going
with the "best player available" approach, rather than looking to add depth to a
particular position. The defense is already one of the NFL's deepest, the
offense is mostly stacked with quality veterans, and even their special teams
are solid. The tail end of Round One is expected to be particularly deep with
linebackers and defensive backs, so don't be surprised if the rich get richer on
D at No. 29.
MAJOR FALL? Could JaMarcus Russell or Brady Quinn drop out of the draft's top 10?
Their stock has wavered somewhat the past month, so what does recent history
say? Well, in both of the past two drafts, there have been two quarterbacks
considered worthy of the first-overall pick. In 2005, the two were Aaron Rodgers and Alex Smith. In that year,
early frontrunner Rodgers saw his stock drop like a stone to No. 24 overall,
while Smith surpassed him to be taken No. 1 by the 49ers. Last year, the two
were Vince Young and Matt Leinart. While Young held firm and was
taken at No. 3 by the Titans, Leinart slipped to No. 10 and Arizona. This trend
doesn't mean one will necessarily fall, but it does suggest how hesitant teams
have been in recent years about elite arms.
April 18, 2007 CHANGE OF PLAN
New England's signing on Tuesday
of CB Tory James might change their plans a
little for the upcoming draft. James, a 33-year-old former Pro Bowler (in 2004),
gives the Pats a very solid veteran who can take some of the pressure off star
corner Asante Samuel. The arrival of James
also makes drafting a cornerback a little less pressing for them, even though
New England has two first-round selections (Nos. 24 and 28). It may allow them
instead to use at least one of the picks for needed depth at linebacker, where
the likes of Florida State's Lawrence Timmonsor Ole Miss standout Patrick Willis may
still be available.
QB No. 3: So far
it's pretty clear that the top two QBs in the draft are LSU's JaMarcus Russell and Notre Dame's Brady Quinn. The only real debate is how highly the
two will be picked. But who is this draft's No. 3 signal-caller? Stanford's Trent Edwards and Michigan State's Drew Stanton have each drawn increasing
amounts of praise lately, and both may be gaining a little on Russell and Quinn.
With the rumors increasing that Georgia Tech WR Calvin Johnson will go first overall to the
Raiders, Quinn and Russell may free-fall a little (although one is likely to
land in Cleveland at No.3, since Quinn is an Ohio native and Russell is highly
coveted by Browns' GM Phil Savage).
BUCS'
OPTIONS: With the No. 4 overall pick in the draft, the Buccaneers
have a lot of great options. There has been much speculation that they'll grab
one of the handful of super-prospects available (Johnson, Russell, Quinn,
Wisconsin tackle Joe Thomas, or Clemson DE
Gaines Adams). But how about Oklahoma's
Adrian Peterson? Several sources say Tampa Bay head coach Jon Gruden is very
impressed with Peterson, calling him possibly the best back Gruden has ever seen
coming out of college. That certainly leaves the door open for the Bucs to
potentially replace Cadillac Williams, who
had major struggles running the ball for Gruden in 2006.
April 17,
2007 TO RB OR
NOT?
This year's draft isn't a particularly deep one for running
backs, so it's a little surprising Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson isn't getting more attention.
He seems the clear-cut top tailback available, and brings a rare mix of speed
and power. Two teams who would love to get him are Buffalo (at No. 12 overall)
and Tennessee (at No. 19), but Peterson isn't likely to be around that late. The
Bills and Titans may have more pressure on them now that the agent for Michael Turner says his client is probably
staying in San Diego. Turner is the top name still available in free agency, but
the Tennessean reports a trade to Buffalo or Tennessee is unlikely right
now.
EAGLES LOOKING FOR LB? Could the
Eagles be targeting a linebacker in the first round? It certainly seems like a
strong possibility, all things considered. Philly has a talented defense but had
a terrible time making tackles up the middle, which makes an inside stopper a
top priority. The Delaware County Times reports that standout Penn State thumper
Paul Posluszny believes the Eagles are
interested in him at No. 26 overall, and that he had close talks with the team
at the Indy Combine. With Takeo Spikes now
in the fold the team would have two big upgrades in the middle if they choose
Poz, but there's one hitch: he needs to still be around at No. 26.
TEAM TO WATCH... Right now, it seems the team to
watch draft-wise is Miami. Not only are they widely known to be negotiating for
the acquisition of QB Trent Green from the
Chiefs, but they also suddenly have two high-profile spare parts to dispense
with: Daunte Culpepper and Ricky Williams. Just a few years ago the two
were respectively the NFL's top QB and top running back, so both obviously still
have trade value. Meanwhile the Dolphins are perched just outside the elite part
of the draft (at No.9 overall), and with new offense-minded head coach Cam
Cameron aboard, they have all the pieces and incentive to make some serious
moves before the draft.
