Pete King: "This Draft is Weak in the 1st Round"

[Lebowski]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/peter_king/04/15/draft/index.html

All the more favors a trade down. From about 15-45 the players are basically equal. Savage would be wise to trade down to the mid-1st and accumulating 2nd and 3rds.

Also: Peterson thinks he will be a Brown.

2. Running back Adrian Peterson (VIDEO) wants to be a Brown. So does Quinn. I met both of them the other day in New York, where they were promoting the Sprint draft phone. (How bizarre. You can get a cellular telephone and watch the draft on it.) Anyway, I asked Peterson: Got a gut feeling where you're going to get picked? Now, when you ask most guys this question, they've been well-schooled in not favoring one team over another. Said Peterson: "My gut feeling? Cleveland at three. Sitting down with them [coach Romeo Crennel, GM Phil Savage], I get the feeling they're very, very interested. I would love it there. The fans in Cleveland are the closest to college fans in the NFL. I love the Dawg Pound. I think I can be a franchise back and really help the Browns turn it around.''

[yogi]

Is Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn (VIDEO) -- the player who scares the teams at the top of this draft the most -- a product of the Charlie Weis system or a bona fide blue chip prospect?

I don't get this.

Isn't Weiss's "system" a bonafied NFL system? It's not a gimmicky O like the "run & shoot" or an archaic college one like the wishbone.

Seems to me if a team was running the NE offense that Tom Brady runs, this is an advantage to Quinn and the team drafting him, not a disadvantage and question mark.

[pup]

I think the concern could be that the system is so good that any QB could should ultra succesful running against college defenses. Not saying I agree, or this is even the real reason, but it kind of makes sense, to me anyway.

[rawdawgexpress]

"Said Peterson: "My gut feeling? Cleveland at three. Sitting down with them [coach Romeo Crennel, GM Phil Savage], I get the feeling they're very, very interested. I would love it there. The fans in Cleveland are the closest to college fans in the NFL. "

Props to AP. But a cynical fan would say that if the Browns don't take him he may fall to #10. But I think that looking back 2-3 years ago when AP was a freshman/sophomore I would never have believed that Peterson would ever be a Brown. He is just an awesome football player. Look at his YouTube highlight reels (I'm too lazy to link). With the third pick you can feel good about taking awesome football players and letting the chips fall where they may.

So mark me in the Peterson camp. Ronnie Brown, Cadillac Williams, and Cedric Benson were drafted high in the Braylon Edwards year. FYI I think Edwards is still the better pick. Now you can debate if those were good value picks for those teams. But Peterson is clearly the best back of those 4 and many people believe he could be a HOFer.

And Phil has had such good luck drafting Sooners so far... so we've got that going for us, which is nice.

But Props to Savage for having people legitimately believe he could take as many as 5 different players. Talk about playing your cards closely, this is what I want from my GM.

[jfiling]

Also from the King article:

9. I think too many teams are underrating Troy Smith, and he will make them pay.

If we get Thomas in the first and Smith is still there at the top of the third I think we seriously have to think about taking him.

[furls]

Smith is a very interesting player in this year's draft.

I sort of agree with King, but at the same time I cannot bring myself to commit to him for the Browns in spite of my love for all things scarlet and grey.

He has the potential to be a good NFL quarterback, but he also has the potential to be a total disaster. I put very little stock in his play in the NC game. It is awful hard for a QB to do anything when both DEs are converging on him everyplay. What does really bother me is that he came to the combine, knowing that he needed a boost, out of shape. He was very frank about it, but that does not really change the fact that it happened. I love the accountability (that is a trait that will win over a lot of teammates), but this is the same thing that I am knocking Russell for.

He has put on good weight (muscle) over the last three years (about 20lbs) but it has cost him some speed, which at 6'0" is essential to his success in the NFL. Now don't get me wrong, Smith's 40 time does not accurately reflect his actual game speed and "shiftyness" and I still think that he can make some plays. Additionally, at 6'0" 225, he should be able to take the NFL beating.

In the end, he is very interesting, but I am not sure that he is interesting for Cleveland. If the Browns are going QB they need a franchise, "can't miss" guy. Smith will be there at the top of third, but the Browns should still be looking for guys to make an immediate impact with that pick. Maybe a top tier guard. Now if they trade down and pick up an extra 2nd and 3rd, then I think it is an interesting idea indeed.

But in that case the Browns would be sitting with DA, Frye, and Smith and no veteran leadership at the QB position. How long would it take for the fans to call for the Heisman Hero? How many losses would it take before Troy was fed to the lions?

[jb]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/peter_king/04/15/draft/index.html

The fans in Cleveland are the closest to college fans in the NFL. [/i]

Maybe Kent State w/ all the empty seats....

I hope AP is right!

[jfiling]

I don't know, Furls. If Cleveland goes OL OL with the first two picks, a good case could be made for Smith in the third. My thinking would be that we'd have at least half a season to see how the new OL gels, and then decide whether or not to put Smith behind it.

I'm not saying run out and draft Smith, but if the OL is improved in the draft it makes more sense then drafting Quinn and hoping to get OL help later on. Thomas in the first, a top guard in the second, and Smith works for me.

[leadpipe]

In my opinion Troy Smith is going to have a hard time at the next level if his release remains as long as it is.