Lessons Learned

[Roy P]

After all is said and done, there is nothing left to say or do.

Well, I wanted to "grade" the draft process and keep some things in mind for next year's draft. First of all, when Rick Smith speaks, we should listen. Just like Dunta Robinson, we heard what we wanted to hear, and not what he was saying. When he mentioned that he wanted a complement to Slaton, we assumed that he'd be drafting one. When he mentioned that he'd look for help on the back-end, we heard a play-making SS in the mold of Bob Sanders. He told us that you can't have too many CBs and proved it by getting a couple.

Most of us fans were aware that we could stand to use a OC/RG prospect out of this draft. While many were focused on Mack/Unger/Wood, he went with "value" and Antoine Caldwell. When I saw him play, I was impressed by his strength in the trenches and his ability to be the leader of the OL at Alabama. The announcers were focused on Andre Smith who, without argument, had the most talent on the OL. However, Caldwell was the one who made that unit a cohesive group. Did anybody get to see what his Wonderlic was? Anyway, after the Combine I slid Caldwell to the 4th round, because I was concerned about his athleticism in a ZBS. Comparing him to Eric Wood I saw some quickness isssues...

Name--------10----Shuttle----Cone----Quickness
Wood-------1.68----4.51------7.56-----13.75
Caldwell-----1.78----5.04------7.96-----14.78
Watkins-----1.81----5.03------7.89-----14.73

Therefore, I will not be giving as much weight to Combine measurables for the OL in the future. I'm just going to have to go by what I see on the field and give more value to the intangibles. Perhaps that is why we signed Jason Watkins as an UDFA after his poor measurables.

Rick Smith also said that he wouldn't pass on an offensive player if they had that player rated much higher than a defensive player. So, Jeremy Maclin must not have been given a "much higher" grade than Cushing. Speaking of Cushing, I think he was selected over Matthews simply because he had more starting experience. Mayock showed film of these guys on the line fighting with TEs and Cushing kept getting his hands up into the chest of the TE while Matthews had his hands drop. So, perhaps Cushing will require less coaching to step in and become the SAM. Athletically, they are about the same, according to measurables, but Cushing is stronger (30 reps vs. 23 reps) and Cushing rated higher on my Athlete Index (5.96 vs. 5.46). Therefore, when Peyton Manning gets up to the line of scrimmage quickly and doesn't allow us to substitute on 3rd down, Cushing might not be the liability that many believe he will be in coverage.

Another lesson I learned, was no matter what, don't trade up for a player. It doesn't matter what kind of hype he received during the season or what kind of production he had on the field. I wanted a situational pass-rusher who could develop into a starter in a year or two. If he could come in and get 5 sacks his rookie year, then I'd see that as a successful pick. Everette Brown was the guy I targeted, but Rick Smith was able to wait on Connor Barwin. After his Combine and Pro Day, I thought Barwin might climb into the 1st round. However, after watching more tape, I realized that he was a 2nd round pick because he was raw in his techniques. Casserly thought he was a 3rd round talent, but this is the guy who drafted Jason Babin in the 1st. I think Barwin has the tools to learn and if he's not rushed, could be a good pick.

Also, my pipe dream of Moore and Vaughn may never come to fruition. I'm of the belief that they value a cerebral veteran making play calls at the S position.

Lastly, we have had conversations about Owen Daniels. How easy it would be to get his replacement in the draft so that we wouldn't have to pay him crazy top 5 money. Well, James Casey is our insurance. We also got some insurance for Dunta Robinson and Jacoby Jones. Lastly, Mark Bruener retired, so we needed a blocking TE to go along with Dreesen and Casey/Daniels.

I see taking Caldwell in the 3rd, to keep the Bengals from taking him in the 4th. I would have liked Asher Allen in the 3rd and hoped Caldwell would have been available in the 4th and we maybe could have drafted John Phillips in the 6th for a blocking TE. But now I'm just getting into shoulda/coulda/woulda.

Overall, I give the draft a A- and you know that's not what usually happens on the day after the draft.

[Roy P]

Originally Posted by Roy P

Did anybody get to see what his Wonderlic was?

24 for those who tried to look it up.

http://www.draftboardinsider.com/~db...ect.cgi?id=127

http://warroom.sportingnews.com/nfl/...yers/8245.html