NFL Draft 2009 Early First Round Musings
Welcome to the 2009 NFL Draft. I’ve decided to spend this day with Jack of All Sports, who will also be adding his thoughts throughout the afternoon.
Detroit Lions Select Matthew Stafford 1st Overall
- Roger Goodell makes his first appearance at the podium before much time ran out. Matthew Stafford just was booed by the crowd. Memo to Donovan McNabb. SHUT UP ABOUT 1999.
- Jack’s Thoughts: “Thank you Detriot for not wasting 15 minutes of our life and allowing St. Louis to be on the clock and speed this up.”
New York Jets Trade Up to Select Mark Sanchez
- Jack’s Thoughts: “Yours truly, in my mock draft, just scored one on the national field by correctly calling for the Jets to take Sanchez via moving up in the draft. Take that Mel Kiper!”
Oakland Raiders Select Darius Heyward-Bay
- Well that’s defintiely a surprise! Over Crabtree? Must be the Raiders. Why not trade back for him if he’s your man, Al Davis? He would’ve still been there at least in the mid-first round if not late first round. The G-Men can’t be thrilled at this one considering they were heavily rumored to want to trade up a few picks for him. Will they move up for Crabtree now?? Stay tuned.
Chargers Select Larry English
- Jack’s Thoughts: “The AFC West race is heating up and it’s only late April. The bigger moron on draft day, the Raiders’ Al Davis or the Bolts’ GM A.J. Smith. Why on earth would Smith take an average outside linebacker (Larry English) from a mid-major conference over Clay Matthews from USC if that’s the route Smith wanted to go??? The Bolts have a ton of depth at LB, even with Merriman a potential question mark coming off knee surgery. This move by Smith rivals the stupidity of Al Davis not seeking value for his pick and taking Heyward-Bey at #7 over Crabtree.”
Post Draft Thoughts on the Eagles Selections
So we didn’t get Anquan Boldin — big deal! I think I can now begin to move on from that idea. Maybe he and Sheldon Brown can both get together and, well, do nothing about their current situation. (Let’s face it, they are f***ed.)
But the draft day coup of Missouri wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and Pittsburgh running back LeSean McCoy is perhaps the most exciting first day of an NFL Draft in a long time for Eagles fans. Getting one of the two best receivers in the draft and one of the best running backs in the draft satisfied my wish for the addition of playmakers and weapons for the offense.
Offensive and defensive linemen are important draft picks in their own right. But when a pair of star skill-position players are selected back-to-back, I get pumped up. Really pumped up.
While McCoy will obviously slip into the number two RB spot — spelling Brian Westbrook, Maclin hops right into a crowded Birds receving corps. So let’s figure things out from a depth chart perspective:
- DeSean Jackson (Starter)
- Kevin Curtis (Starter)
- Jeremy Maclin
- Jason Avant
- Reggie Brown
- Hank Baskett
While it looks like Hank appears to be the odd man out, don’t feel sorry for him. Baskett’s going to marry Kendra Wilkinson, so he’ll just need help finding a day job.
But back on the gridiron, the Birds paid way too much in free agency to not continue to throw Curtis out — when healthy — as one of the starters out wide. Jackson obviously earned his spot last year, and Avant remains a quality and reliable third down target for McNabb.
So where does Maclin’s immense talent fit into this picture?
My guess is Reggie Brown had better instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano back up that depth chart or me — not Mr. Wilkinson — will be on that unemployment line. So Maclin should soar above the former Bird starter.
Avant’s best contributions have come from the slot on third and long, so I guess he’ll be relegated to the fourth wideout and situation slot-man in the three wide receiver set. Maclin should again play more snaps in more situations than the former Michigan Wolverine.
So Maclin’s first casualty on the depth chart should in fact be Curtis. By about week eight, I’m guessing Andy Reid will be forced to let Maclin start ahead of White Lightning. That is our best case scenario because you know Reid won’t make the move — even if it’s obvious — until he probably has no other choice.
My only concern — now that I bring that up — is that I’m worried that McCoy might be forgotten like Correll Buckhalter was down the stretch (despite easily out-playing Westbrook). Oh boy.
Either way, at least Greg Lewis is gone!
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