IFR Mock Draft: The Readers’ Version, Selections Nos. 11-15

On April 12, 2009, In General, By John Oehser

Thanks to the readers participating in Indy Football Report’s Readers’ Mock Draft. And remember if you haven’t participated yet, comments/suggestions are welcome. Just comment below. I’ll take everyone’s thoughts into consideration and post the selection the following morning.

 

We’ve gotten through Nos. 1-10 Friday . . .

No. 1 / Detroit Lions . . . Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia.

No. 2 / St. Louis Rams . . . Jason Smith, OT, Baylor. 

No. 3 / Kansas City Chiefs . . . Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas.

No. 4 / Seattle Seahawks  . . . Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech.

No. 5 / Cleveland Browns . . . Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest.

No. 6 / Cincinnati  . . . Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia.

No. 7 / Oakland  . . . Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri.

No. 8 / Jacksonville . . . Mark Sanchez, QB, Southern California.

No. 9 / Green Bay . . . B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College.

No. 10 / San Francisco . . . Everette Brown, DE, Florida State.

 

Now, on to . . .

Nos. 11-15 . . .

 

No. 11 / Buffalo  . . . Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn State.

I’ll admit I sort agree with Shake, who said he didn’t really like Maybin here. From what I can tell, this may be a bit high, but the Bills reportedly are looking for a defensive end and with Everette Brown gone, it’s difficult to figure a more logical selection for Buffalo. You could start forcing a trade here, but I steer clear of trades in mock drafts — feels like cheating — and it’s always harder to trade on draft day than it sounds.

No. 12 / Denver  . . . Ray Maualuga, LB, Southern California.

This is one of those rare selections that seems to get a lot of agreement not only from IFR readers and nationwide mockers. That doesn’t happen very often after the Top 10 and that, of course, means the Broncos will go in entirely different directions.

No. 13 / Washington . . . Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss.

Shake and rpcmd generally liked Nos. 11-15, but the spit on this selection, with rpcmd arguing a bit for Alabama offensive tackle Andre Smith over Oher. It seems like a coin flip and in this case, the coin comes up for Ohere.

No. 14. New Orleans . . . Malcolm Jenkins, CB, New Orleans.

Rpcmdliked this selection for the Saints. There’s a lot of consenus among the mock drafters and analysts on this one/

No. 15. Houston  . . . Brian Cushing, LB, Southern California.

We got some dissession with IFR Editor’s pick on this one. Rpcmd wasn’t crazy about picking a linebacker, which I found funny, because I’ve seen more than a few mocks with Cushing here and I actualyl felt good about the pick. So, with apologies to rpcmd, we’re sticking with Cushing. Rpcmd also likes defensive end here, but he likes Jenkins if he can move to safety.

 

So, on to . . .

No. 16 . . .

San Diego: Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss.

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2009 Indianapolis Colts NFL Draft: The Top 25 picks of the Polian Era, No. 15

On April 11, 2009, In General, By John Oehser

The draft series covering the Indianapolis Colts’  Top 25 selections of the Bill Polian era continues today with the No. 15 selection . . .

No. 15 . . .

Cato June, LB, Michigan / Sixth Round, 2003 / No. 198 overall 

In the coming days — read: when I get some time to breathe — I’m thinking about putting together a list of the Top 5-10 NFL Draft steals of the last 10 years or so for the Colts.

If I get to it, this selection is going to figure prominently.

Good locker room guy.Very good player. Three-year starter. Super Bowl Champion. Pro Bowl linebacker.

June, the Colts’ sixth-round selection in 2003, was all of those things in four seasons with the team, and he also was an early example of Polian and the Colts’ scouts thinking a bit outside the box to find a player who could work in Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy’s Tampa 2 defensive scheme.

This was the second year Polian’s team of scouts worked to find players for Dungy’s system. They drafted defensive end Robert Mathis in the fifth round, so apparently they were figuring it out.

June, who played safety at Michigan, played special teams his first season, then moved into the starting lineup in his second season. This was one of the Colts’ early draft-and-develop moves at linebacker this decade. That’s become a tradition and June developed quickly into a big-play player. He made the Pro Bowl in his second season, when he intercepted five passes and returned two for touchdowns.

I remember talking with June at the Pro Bowl that season and thinking it was great to see him there. I also remember June paying for Gary Brackett and David Thornton to be there with him. He was a joy to cover, and a good teammates, from everything I heard. I doubted he would ever make the Pro Bowl again, and he hasn’t, but it was good to see him have that moment.

He left the Colts after the Super Bowl victory, spent two seasons with Tampa Bay and signed with Houston recently after the Bucs moved away from the Tampa 2 defense. I don’t know how great a fit the Texans are for June, and I don’t know how much longer he’ll play in the NFL, or what role, but I do know that if you can get guys as productive as June in the sixth round of drafts, you’ll put together some darned good teams.

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IFR Mock Draft: The Readers’ Version, Selections 6-10

On April 11, 2009, In General, By John Oehser

Thanks to the readers participating in the second day of Indy Football Report’s Readers’ Mock Draft.

 

We got through Nos. 1-5 Friday . . .

No. 1 / Detroit Lions . . . Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia.

No. 2 / St. Louis Rams . . . Jason Smith, OT, Baylor. 

No. 3 / Kansas City Chiefs . . . Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas.

No. 4 / Seattle Seahawks  . . . Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech.

No. 5 / Cleveland Browns . . . Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest.

 

And now on to Nos. 6-10 . . .

No. 6 / Cincinnati  . . . Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia.

We’ll stick with Eugene Monroe here because I put it out there and rcmbd agreed and as of late Friday, he was the only reader to comment (we’re still in the fledging days of IFR, remember). But I like this because of exactly what rcmbd said that was that Monroe “is just a good meeting of need and value at this point in the draft. I think with what we have so far, this is almost a lock.” Great minds think alike.

No. 7 / Oakland  . . . Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri.

I agree with rcmbd that Maclin might be a strong consideration for Cincinnati, but I certainly don’t think Oakland can pass him at No. 7. He’s a burner and was productive in college. I’m skeptical about taking returner/receivers so high — I grew up a Washington Redskins fan and Desmond Howard resonates, as does Peter Warrick, who I actually put on the Florida All-State team his senior year of high school. I think defensive tackle B.J. Raji is a real good possibility here, but we’ll stick with Maclin.

No. 8 / Jacksonville . . . Mark Sanchez, QB, Southern California.

Rcmbd defered to me because I covered the Jaguars long ago, but he probably overestimates my knowledge of things in what used to known as the Bold New City of the South. What I do know is the Jaguars never have had a true franchise quarterback. The closest they came was Mark Brunell when I covered them and although he was a three-time Pro Bowl selection, he wasn’t that come-along-once-in-a-generation guy. The Jaguars really could use that — what team couldn’t? — and with David Garrard 31-years-old and not a franchise guy, I just think a potential franchise QB is too much to pass up. I agree with Rcmbd that this is a crucial point in the draft, but one thought I do have is I’d be surprised if they go receiver in the first round. They’ve been burned at that position before. Rcmbd also talked a lot about Del Rio’s job security being a factor in the choice. I think that will matter less than one might think. Gene Smith is in charge of the draft and he’s a solid guy whose job I don’t think is intertwined with Del Rio’s.

No. 9 / Green Bay / B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College.

This where Rcmbd and I differ — I threw out defensive end Everette Brown of Florida State — but I like his choice of B.J. Raji. As he wrote, “I cant see him falling pass this point if hes still on the board. He could pair very well with justin Harrell to form a scary young line.” A big-time defensive tackle can’t fall out of the Top 10.

No. 10 / San Francisco / Everette Brown, DE, Florida State.

Rcmbd likes Sanchez here if he’s on the board and I do, too — if he’s on the board. In this mock, we went with Sanchez to Jacksonville, so we’ll give the 49ers Brown.

 

Nos. 11-15 . . .

No. 11. Buffalo / Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn State

No. 12. Denver / Ray Maualuga, LB, Southern California

No. 13. Washington / Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss

No. 14. New Orleans / Malcolm Jenkins, CB, New Orleans

No. 15. Houston / Brian Cushing, LB, Southern California

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Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning’s underrated moment, No. 2

On April 11, 2009, In General, By John Oehser

Here’s a link to the latest entry Indy Football Report Editor John Oehser’s series on Examiner counting down Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning’s Top 10 most underrated moments.

No. 10 was a 23-20 victory over Denver in 2002.

No. 9 was a 45-31 victory over Green Bay in 2004.

No. 8 was an 18-15 victory over Minnesota in 2008.

No. 7 was a 27-24 loss to Miami in 2001.

No. 6 was a 26-18 victory over Jacksonville in 2005.

No. 5 was a 31-28 victory over Minnesota in 2004.

No. 4 was a 24-7 victory over Baltimore in 2005.

No. 3 was a 34-31 victory over Denver in 2006.

No. 2 is . . ?

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Hey, Oehser: On Marvin Harrison

On April 11, 2009, In General, By John Oehser

Indy Football Report Editor John Oehser answers the questions of Indianapolis Colts fans (and anyone else who happens to be reading).  . . .

Hey, Oehser . . .

What are you feelings on why (Colts wide receiver) Marvin (Harrison) has not found a home yet?  I know BP (Bill Polian) went out of his way to say that he did not see a significant drop off in Marvin’s ability and that he was still getting open deep.  While this was probably a class move by the Colts to show loyalty to one of the greatest players in franchise history, still no other teams have shown any real interest. Do you think he wants too much money?  Is he not willing to be the second or third option for a team?  Or do you think his skills have really diminished to the point he can’t be effective at all anymore?

Doug England

Doug,

What I think is that when teams think of Harrison, they don’t think of a big-time, elite receiver anymore. This must be true, because when Harrison was in his prime, does anyone think he would have sat on the free agent market for two months? He wouldn’t have — no matter his asking price. Now, as far as what Harrison wants, I won’t pretend to know that, or what role he’s willing to play. I didn’t know Harrison well when he was with the Colts, and he was one of the tougher-to-read players I’ve ever covered. Part of me thinks he wouldn’t want to be a second or third option, but another part says he may want to prove people wrong and show he can still play. I think it’s going to be fascinating to see if Harrison’s willing to do what it takes to play again, because it seems obvious it’s not going to be for anywhere near the money he was making before and it almost certainly will be as a third option — maybe a second. I don’t think his skills have diminished to the point he can’t be effective at all, but it may be that they have diminished to the point where the game isn’t as enjoyable as it once was, and that’s a pretty important distinction. It’s a question only Harrison can answer. Does he love the game enough to play it when he’s not the main man? One last thing I’ll say is that what we need to remember is that if Harrison never plays again, there’s no shame in it. He’s 37, and if he indeed has lost a step or two, that’s exactly what’s supposed to happen. If he steps away, that’s what’s supposed to happen, too.

Have a question for IFR Editor John Oehser? Email him at IFROehser@aol.com

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Waking up: Welcome to the Weekend

On April 11, 2009, In General, By John Oehser

Good morning . . .

We’ll be updating through today, with another update on Colts quarterback Peyton Manning’s Top 10 underrated moments and another post on the IFR Readers’ Mock Draft.

There will be more, too. I’ll check soon.

 
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Breaking down Indianapolis Colts 2009 NFL Draft: Knowshon Moreno

On April 10, 2009, In General, By John Oehser

Indy Football Report today continues its prospect-by-prospect look at the Indianapolis Colts’ 2009 NFL Draft with a look at Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno . . . 

While many draft analysts are convinced Moreno will be gone by the time the Colts draft at No. 27, several recent mocks — including IFR v 2.0 — have had him slipping to late in the first round. Colts fans commenting on IFR understandably are intrigued by the idea of Moreno — a dynamic, entertaining, big-play back — and many believe although the Colts may have greater “needs,” that because of his talent he may be too good to pass.

So, today we’ll take a closer look.

Quickly, a reminder on the format for IFR’s looks at potential Colts draftees. We’re taking a look first at the basics for each player, then giving a synopsis of college stats, all-star games, combine performance and Pro Day results. Then, we’re breaking down where each prospect is being selected in a variety of mock drafts. For now, IFR’s Breaking Down the Indianapolis Colts 2009 NFL Draft segment will be using the following mock drafts: The Football Expert (3/29), Pete Prisco of CBS Sports (3/11), John McLain of the Houston Chronicle (3/15), Pat Kirwan of NFL.com (4/1), www.walterfootball.com and a USA Today eight-person panel (3/30).

That gives a decent variety of mocks from six sources — 13 if you consider each of USA Today’s eight-person panel. I’ll also make use of a good tool on Scout.com — the Draft Muncher.

So, here’s a look at . . .

 

Knowshon Moreno, Georgia, RB . . .

1) The Basics . . .

College: Georgia.

Year: Sophomore.

Ht: 5-11. Wt: 207.

Born: July 16, 1987.

Hometown: Belford, N.J.

High School: Middletown (N.J.) High School South.

* Georgia media guide entry.

* Wikipedia entry.

* A fan site dedicated to Moreno.

 

2) The Statistics . . .

2008:  250 rushes, 1,400 yards, 16 TDs / 33 receptions, 392 yards, 2 TDs

Career (four seasons): 498 rushes, 2,736 yards, 30 TDs / 53 receptions, 645 yards, 2 TDs 

* Moreno’s statistics/ESPN

 

3) The Highlights . . .

* Google’s Knowshon Moreno Video Page.

* A Fox Draft Preview

 

4) The All-Star Games . . .

Did not participate. He declared for the NFL Draft after his sophomore season, which he was able to do under NFL rules because he red-shirted as a freshman.

 

 5) The Combine . . .

Moreno spoke confidently of improving running in the 4.4-second-range at the NFL Scouting Combine in February. He ran a 4.6, which wasn’t what he wanted but was one of many times considered slower than expected by running backs at the combine. “Top end” speed is a buzzword you hear around Moreno a lot, but he performed in college without it, and many great running backs haven’t been burners. See: Emmitt Smith.

Before . . .

* USA Today blogs on Moreno before combine.

* A story from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution just before his combine workout.

After . . .

* Fan site weighs in on Moreno’s combine.

* Another site weighs in.

 

6) The Pro Day Reports . . .

A theme has developed about Moreno in the offseason leading to the draft. It’s one that confirms what many seemed to be saying in the fall, and that that’s while Moreno’s not a blazer, that shouldn’t keep him from being a first-round selection. He ran 40-yard dash times of 4.6 and 4.63 seconds at his Pro Day in Athens, Ga., on March 19, but ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay doesn’t think that was too slow for him to remain in the first round.

* AJC covers UGA’s Pro Day.

* More on the Pro Day from NFL Draft Scout.

* The fan site weighs in.

 

7) Recent news . . .

 *A recent ProFootball Weekly item quoting UGA RB coach.

* Google news page on Knowshon Moreno.

 

8 ) What the Best Draft Links are Saying . . .

* NFL Draft Scout.

* Fftoolbox.

 

9) Breaking Down the Mocks . . .

Selected by the Colts: None.

Available at No. 27:Five of 13 mocks (walterfootball.com, Football Expert, Prisco, Larry Weisman/USA Today, Derek H arper/NFLDraftScout.com).

Selected in first round: 12 of 13.

Highest: No. 14, New Orleans . . . two writers/analysts (Jim Corbett/USA Today and Nate Davis/USA Today).

Lowest: Out of first round (Prisco).

From the muncher: As of March 16, one in the Scout.com’s draft muncher was naming Moreno as the Colts’ selection at No. 27.

 

10) IFR Analysis . . .

A little more than two weeks before the 2009 NFL Draft, Moreno has begun to pique the interest of Colts fans. Actually, it’s probably more accurate to say he’s a distant dream of many Colts fans, because while Moreno is a dazzling prospect with memorable YouTube moments, most analysts seem convinced that he won’t be available when the Colts select at No. 27. The discussion of Moreno typically turns to speed, and all indications are that Moreno indeed lacks that pure, burning speed of, say, a Fred Taylor in his prime. Then again, most backs do, and the truth is, most great backs don’t have that breakaway gear. Edgerrin James was an effective back without 4.3 speed and Joseph Addai rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons without long, breakaway runs. A burner can add an element to an offense, but the NFL is about an ability to make the first tackler miss far more than it is the ability to “take it to the house” once that first guy is missed. From what I can tell from Moreno’s clips, he absolutely has that ability and as such, he would be intriguing choice should he fall to No. 27. It could be a Reggie Wayne-type selection in that I’m not sure Colts President Boll Polian is heading into the draft thinking he must have a running back — as was the case in 2006 with Addai — but he also knows the value of having impact offensive players, and there is a thought you can’t have enough of them. There’s probably a pretty small chance Moreno comes to the Colts, but it sure would be entertaining if he did.

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2009 Indianapolis Colts NFL Draft: The Top 25 picks of the Polian Era, No. 16

On April 10, 2009, In General, By John Oehser

The draft series covering the Indianapolis Colts’  Top 25 selections of the Bill Polian era continues today with the No. 16 selection . . .

No. 16 . . .

Marlin Jackson, CB, Michigan / First Round, 2005 / No. 29 overall

It struck me as interesting when an IFR reader asked me the other day if I thought there was a chance Marlin Jackson could be considered a bust. Not even close.

Jackson, the Colts’ first-round selection in the 2005 NFL Draft, may not have the huge upside of Kelvin Hayden — a corner drafted in the second round in 2005 – but he has has played extensively since being drafted, played a key role in ‘06 and from all accounts, played near a Pro Bowl level in ‘07.

Because the unit were injured throughout 2008, it’s easy to forget that the Colts’ secondary was one of the NFL’s best in 2007, and because he missed the last half of the season, it’s easy to forget that Jackson was a big part of that.

But he was.

What I’ve been impressed with the most with Jackson over the years is his ability to be a solid, productive player regardless of circumstance. The Colts typically don’t draft players to start immediately. Mike Pollak did at guard last season, but before that, the team’s last first selection to start consistently was tight end Dallas Clark in 2003. Jackson didn’t start as a rookie, but he played as a nickelback, and while he didn’t start at corner in his second season, he started at safety half the season in place of Bob Sanders.

He moved into the starting lineup in 2007, and through that season, looked as if he was easing into a long-term impact role in the defense. He had numerous big hits, and developed into what the Colts’ Cover 2 defense needs: a sure tackling cornerback who also is a solid cover guy.

The Colts from 2001-2004 had a remarkable run of first selections. Wide receiver Reggie Wayne. Defensive end Dwight Freeney. Tight end Dallas Clark. Safety Bob Sanders. Three have made the Pro Bowl, and Clark is on the cusp. Jackson may not be quite at a Pro Bowl level, but he wasn’t far off in 2007, and as was the case with linebacker Rob Morris at No. 17, if a franchise drafts this well in the first round every season, it will compete at a high level for a long time.

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National Football Post: Colts ranked ninth in “Best Organizations in NFL”

On April 10, 2009, In General, By John Oehser

You wonder what a team must do. Or an owner, for that matter.

What I’m talking about is the Indianapolis Colts this week being named the NFL’s ninth-best organization by the National Football Post.

Now, I hesitate to argue too loudly a ranking position or two. And I grasp that a national writer will often miss the details of the strengths of a local team, although I’m not sure how you objectively leave the Colts out of the Top 4 or 5. I’m a huge fan of how the Steelers do things. I admire the Patriots for their consistency. But beyond that, how many organizations rank with the Colts for organization, success, stability, etc? The Chargers? Perhaps. The Eagles? Another solid organization, but consider the Colts since 1999:

Nine playoff appearances in 10 seasons. Seven consecutive playoff appearances. An NFL-record six consecutive seasons with 12 victories or more. A Super Bowl title. A three-time Most Valuable Player at quarterback. A president — Bill Polian — whose draft selections with the team have made 26 Pro Bowls. Comparatively few off-field incidents.

But whatever. One man’s opinion.

Mostly, I have issue with the logic used placing the Colts No. 9:

The Colts have enjoyed a superb run on the field in the Bill Polian-Tony Dungy-Peyton Manning eras. They have the NFL’s second-best record, the most playoff appearances and a Super Bowl title. They open a new stadium in 2009 that should be state of the art, and they didn’t have to pay for it. So shouldn’t Irsay be ranked higher? Perhaps he should, but he still bears the stigma of his late father’s erratic behavior and midnight run from Baltimore. If Indy can sustain its level of excellence as Manning ages and without the rock-solid presence of Dungy, Irsay may rightfully claim a place in the first tier.

I’ll start by saying I make mistakes. I misspelled Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo’s name in Indy Football Report’s Mock Draft v 1.0 and forgot the Bears-Broncos trade in the second version. So, I won’t criticize for not knowing that Lucas Oil Stadium opened last year, but I will question judging an organization and an owner on being the son of a man who died more than a decade ago.

I’ve said plenty of times it’s long since time to stop blaming Jim Irsay for his father’s actions. I sort of thought most people had.

Irsay never has gotten enough credit for hiring Polian, or for his role in hiring Dungy. He also would have gotten plenty of blame for taking Ryan Leaf over Peyton Manning in 1998 had that happened, so he has to get some credit for the team making the right choice. I won’t sit here and write that Jim Irsay’s perfect, and I don’t think he’d tell you he was, either. I’m sure he has made mistakes as an owner, but to say he bears the stigma of his father’s behavior?

Not only do I not think it wouldn’t be fair if it was true, I’m not even sure it’s true at all anymore. If it is, well, it’s just, plain time to move on.

I don’t want to rip a writer too much. Such lists are meant to promote just these sorts of discussions and anytime you rank teams 1-32, you’re going to hit some details and miss some others.

But sometimes when you see stuff like this, you do wonder what a team must do. Or an owner, for that matter.

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Catching up with Colts: Schedule to be released Tuesday

On April 10, 2009, In General, By John Oehser

Catching up with Indianapolis Colts news . . .

* Linebacker Tyjuan Hagler, who re-signed with the Colts Wednesday, is happy to be back with the team. That’s not surprising, but the DailyJournal.com — a website/newspaper covering Hagler’s hometown of Kankakee, Ill. – reached Hagler and spoke to him for Thursday’s editions:

Yeah, I’m definitely feeling pretty good. I’m going into my fifth year in the NFL, and it’s good to be going back with the Colts.

Hagler told the paper his heart was always in Indianapolis.

It means a lot to me. They’re the team that believed in me coming out of college and drafted me. They still believe in me. . . . We always kept in touch through the whole free-agent process and always knew that I had a home there. I was weighing my options, but I always knew coming back to the Colts was my best option.

* The 2009 NFL schedule will be released Tuesday on NFL.com and the NFL Network.

* Matt Mosley of ESPN.com says New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, the younger brother of Peyton Manning, has put in a good word for Marvin Harrison.

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