NFL Draft First-round Review
It was another eventful weekend at the NFL Draft, held April 26-27 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. After the Miami Dolphins drafted Michigan tackle Jake Long, who they had already signed to a long-term deal, there were some obvious picks, as well as a few surprises. Notably, the 34 trades that took place during the draft was the most in the history of this highly anticipated event.
Winners
Miami
In Long, the Dolphins have a four-year university player who should be a lock at the left tackle spot for years to come. Now, all they need a decent quarterback to protect behind Long.
Kansas City
The Chiefs need a quarterback terribly, but it was a thin draft at that position. So they took LSU's Glenn Dorsey with the fifth pick, and despite some pre-draft questions about his health, Dorsey has all the tools to blossom into one of the NFL's best defensive linemen.
Tampa Bay
The Buccaneers took Kansas' Aqib Talib with the 20th pick, and the talented cornerback fell down the draft because of questions about his character. However, coach Jon Gruden will not put up with any foolishness from Talib, who fits into Tampa's “Cover-2” defense just perfectly.
Losers
Atlanta
The Falcons took Boston College's Matt Ryan with the third pick, and while the quarterback has heart, he also has a sub-par arm. Combine this with a receiving corps that is one of the worst in the league, and it is going to be a long season in Atlanta.
Cincinnati
This is no knock on USC's Keith Rivers, who the Bengals took with the ninth pick. Rivers, a linebacker, is going to be a very good player someday, but Cincinnati needs help in the secondary.
New York Jets
Time will tell if Ohio State's Vernon Gholston will pan out to be an All-Pro defensive end, but it is always fun to watch the reaction of New York fans during the draft. However, they probably got the best available player in the sixth spot, now it is a question of whether Ghoston can take the heat of the New York fans and media.
Blake walked onto his college football team and had a brief stint as an assistant coach after he graduated. He brings a sharp mind to the world of sports handicapping. Blake understands the nuances of the game that only someone who has played would understand, and he was one of the few who gave the Giants a chance against the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. Thoughts or questions?
