|
National Football League
Draft King Analysis
October 23, 2007
Lou Pickney, DraftKing.com
Reader feedback is always welcomed here at DraftKing.com. Send your thoughts to me at LouPickney@gmail.com.
From: Canter Family
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Oct 21, 2007 7:31 PM
Subject: Dolphins need a Ball hawk
Jason Allen is pretty much a bust! Miami still has talent with Jason Taylor and Vonnie Holdiday at the D-line. And the Linebackers they have are pretty good (Zach Thomas and Joey Porter) but they havent been playing great.
The Dolphins secondary though...... is absolutely horrible, Would Kenny Philips (from Miami) be a reach? at #1 or #2?
Lou: In my opinion, it's too early to label anyone from the 2006 Draft a bust. But, to this point, it's true that Jason Allen has been a disappointment. Allen was the second-to-last first round pick signed in 2006, which prevented him from going through a full training camp in his rookie campaign.
This article in the Miami Herald shares your outlook on Allen. In the article, coach Cam Cameron is quoted as saying, "We're going to take him, we're going to put him at free safety, and he's going to make or break at free safety as of today."
With FS Renaldo Hill out for the year with an injured right knee, Allen is starting this weekend at free safety in the Dolphins' game in London against the New York Giants. He's under contract through 2010, which ironically was the major stumbling block in his negotiations with Miami (Allen wanted a five year deal), though he has already received the bulk of his money this year via an option bonus. Miami can recover a large portion of his guaranteed money if Allen's hip injury that prematurely ended his 2005 season at the University of Tennessee comes back, but that hasn't been an issue with his on-field performance, at least not to my knowledge.
My belief is that the Dolphins will give Allen the remainder of this season to prove himself at free safety. Don't count him out; Allen lead the SEC in tackles in 2004, and he is now finally going to be used at the position which is most natural for him.
Drafting any secondary player in the top five of this draft, let alone the top two, would be a terrible idea. That's not just for the Dolphins, but for any team, relative to the talent that's going to be in the 2008 Draft.
When you look at the Dolphins, the most glaring thing to me (save the 0-7 record) is the 156.4 rushing yards per game given up to this point. Only Denver has given up more per game. That's why, in my estimation, defensive tackle is the greatest need for the team, with Glenn Dorsey looking to be a great fit for the team.
From: Jeremy Hite
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Oct 23, 2007 7:56 AM
Subject: Jonathan Stewart
I can't believe that in your latest mock draft you don't have Oregon RB Jonathan Stewart in the first round, if he were to come out he would be the second most talented back, behind of course Darren McFadden, if he were to come out where exactly do you think he would be going?
Lou: It's fair to say that Darren McFadden will be the first RB taken if he comes out for the 2008 NFL Draft. Beyond that may depend on the preference of the teams involved, though at this point I'd say that Steve Slaton and Mike Hart would be 2 and 2A as far as running backs go. My personal preference would be toward Hart, but Slaton is so unique that he might end up being a better fit for a given team.
But, to be sure, Stewart is right there in the top tier. His 5'11" 235 frame should be great for the NFL, and he has drawn comparisons to Jamal Lewis (before his stint in federal prison.) Stewart's performance this year has been impressive, and his 251 rushing yards and 2 TDs vs. Washington this past weekend certainly drawing national attention.
As a means of comparison, Stewart at 235 pounds outweighs "fullback" Brian Leonard (from Rutgers, now with the Rams) by 10 pounds. Stewart's speed estimates vary depending on who you believe, but I suspect he wouldn't be returning kicks for Oregon if he didn't have sub 4.5 speed.
Stewart's chances of being a first round pick depend not only on team needs and his performances in workouts (should he leave school early), but also the decisions of people like Felix Jones, Ray Rice, etc. who may or may not come out early. There are other factors, like the health of Tashard Choice, that could come into play.
My anticipation at this point is that he'll be a second round pick, but if he wound up in the bottom half of the first round, it wouldn't be terribly surprising. A team looking for bulk at RB would have to like Stewart, and he is unique with that mix of size and speed. Particularly with 230 lb. NC State RB Andre Brown out for the year with a broken foot (and likely to return to school for his senior season), there aren't any other players who have the speed/size mix that Stewart does.
NFL Draft Prospect Profiles
Draft King is owned and operated by Lou Pickney. Copyright © 2003-2025, all rights reserved. Information on this website should not be used for any gambling purposes, nor does it constitute any sort of advice, financial or otherwise.
|