The Buffalo Bills went into the 2010 NFL Draft with a question mark at quarterback, and even bigger questions concerning the offensive line. Both positions were addressed in the draft, but not the way anyone would have speculated.
The Bills selected C.J. Spiller with the 9th overall pick. Spiller was widely regarded as the best playmaker in the draft, and if they can get the ball in his hands he should be worthy of the selection. In the 2nd Round, Buffalo passed on taking Jimmy Clausen and picked Torrell Troup, a nose tackle from Central Florida. Troup was seen as a bit of a stretch for the 2nd Round, and Buffalo's two biggest needs were not addressed at the top of the draft.
Quarterback Levi Brown was taken in the 7th Round, and while he has the physical tools he is seen as a developmental project. Offensive tackle Ed Wang was taken in the 5th round.
The offensive line was also addressed with the player I see as a sleeper pick in Kyle Calloway, an offensive tackle taken in the 7th round. Calloway played opposite Bryan Bulaga at Iowa, and his tutelage under Kirk Ferentz should help him acclimate to the NFL.
Draft Grade: C
Showing posts with label C.J. Spiller. Show all posts
Showing posts with label C.J. Spiller. Show all posts
Monday, April 26, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
A short run on running backs
The 2010 NFL Draft is big on big men, with a lot of depth on both the offensive and defensive lines, but short on quarterbacks and running backs. Sam Bradford and Jimmy Clausen are the only sure bets for first rounders at the quarterback position, and the running backs have even less representation.
For now, it looks like the only sure bet for a first round pick at the running back position is C.J. Spiller. Spiller is seen as a Reggie Bush type player, one who is excellent in the open field, a good receiver, but one who is not seen as an every down back. It will be intriguing to see if Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks, if they don't select him 6th overall, will be able to take him with the 14th overall selection. If there is a coach who knows how to handle a Reggie Bush type player, it should be Bush's college coach. But the market for a playmaker of Spiller's caliber will be tough to pass up for a number of teams.
Marshawn Lynch has been as productive with off the field issues as he has been on the field with the ball for the Buffalo Bills. But they also need a quarterback, and if Jimmy Clausen is still available it will be tough for them to pass up on a quarterback who could be the face of the franchise for years to come.
Another option could be Jacksonville. Yes, they have a need for a pass rusher, but can you picture the Jags with their own version of Thunder and Lightning with a pairing of Spiller and Maurice Jones-Drew. The biggest need Jacksonville has is to sell tickets. Winning cures a lot of ills at the box office, but doing so while putting points on the scoreboard helps even more.
After Spiller the next back on many draft boards is Ryan Mathews. Some mock drafts have Mathews going to Houston at the #20 slot, and I have even seen him placed as high as #15 to the New York Giants. I have the Chargers taking the Fresno State back with the #28 pick. They have a glaring hole to fill in the middle of the defense that Terrence Cody could move into, but the loss of LaDanian Tomlinson leaves San Diego with Darren Sproles as the best running back on the team, but hardly the featured back that they are looking for. Mathews could fill the bill very well for San Diego.
In most years the quarterbacks and running backs are the featured players in an NFL Draft. While it looks certain that Sam Bradford will go 1st Overall to St. Louis, this is not the year teams are going to find the horses they need to carry the loads.
For now, it looks like the only sure bet for a first round pick at the running back position is C.J. Spiller. Spiller is seen as a Reggie Bush type player, one who is excellent in the open field, a good receiver, but one who is not seen as an every down back. It will be intriguing to see if Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks, if they don't select him 6th overall, will be able to take him with the 14th overall selection. If there is a coach who knows how to handle a Reggie Bush type player, it should be Bush's college coach. But the market for a playmaker of Spiller's caliber will be tough to pass up for a number of teams.
Marshawn Lynch has been as productive with off the field issues as he has been on the field with the ball for the Buffalo Bills. But they also need a quarterback, and if Jimmy Clausen is still available it will be tough for them to pass up on a quarterback who could be the face of the franchise for years to come.
Another option could be Jacksonville. Yes, they have a need for a pass rusher, but can you picture the Jags with their own version of Thunder and Lightning with a pairing of Spiller and Maurice Jones-Drew. The biggest need Jacksonville has is to sell tickets. Winning cures a lot of ills at the box office, but doing so while putting points on the scoreboard helps even more.
After Spiller the next back on many draft boards is Ryan Mathews. Some mock drafts have Mathews going to Houston at the #20 slot, and I have even seen him placed as high as #15 to the New York Giants. I have the Chargers taking the Fresno State back with the #28 pick. They have a glaring hole to fill in the middle of the defense that Terrence Cody could move into, but the loss of LaDanian Tomlinson leaves San Diego with Darren Sproles as the best running back on the team, but hardly the featured back that they are looking for. Mathews could fill the bill very well for San Diego.
In most years the quarterbacks and running backs are the featured players in an NFL Draft. While it looks certain that Sam Bradford will go 1st Overall to St. Louis, this is not the year teams are going to find the horses they need to carry the loads.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
The Right Player for The Right Team
What the teams in the NFL are looking to do with their draft picks is match the right player for their team. Sometimes it is the best player available and find a the right place on the team for that player. Other times the team is looking for a player to fill a need, and they try to find the right player to fill that need. When prognosticators fill out a mock draft, they are doing a little of both. Best player at that stage of the draft, and team needs with the players available.
Looking through the mock drafts I have researched so far, there is one player who is seen to be the player that matches up with a team in a specific slot. Ndamukong Suh? Gerald McCoy? Sam Bradford? They are the consensus Top 3 Picks, and easily the top 3 on my DSA Player Rankings. But the player who is forecasted to go in one specific slot on the highest percentage of mock drafts? Joe Haden to Cleveland with the 7th overall pick. 71% of the mock drafts have Haden at that specific slot. Who is second? Bruce Campbell, with 59% of the drafts having him going to Oakland with the 8th overall selection. The two players tied at 3rd? C.J. Spiller at #14 to Seattle and Kyle Wilson at #20 to Houston, both at 53% of the drafts having them going at those specific position.
Cleveland needs help in many positions, but Haden is the premier cornerback in the draft. Even with his slow 40 time at the Combine, teams have seen enough game film of him playing at an elite level at Florida, and even though they need to shore up the defensive line Cleveland is looking like they will select Haden to solidify the pass defense.
Oakland has a priority to rebuild it's offensive line, and it appears that the Workout Wonder that Bruce Campbell became at the draft may be too tempting for Al Davis to pass up. Spiller looks to be the versatile, multi-threat back that Pete Carrol had at USC with Reggie Bush, and Seattle has issues in the offensive backfield. Houston was hit hard in free agency with the loss of Dunta Robinson, and Kyle Wilson is the 2nd rated corner and looks to fill the void.
Some teams draft for need, some take the best player available. That's what makes this draft so interesting. It is deep and filled with quality players. Teams can choose one or the other and the picks are most likely to work out in the end.
Looking through the mock drafts I have researched so far, there is one player who is seen to be the player that matches up with a team in a specific slot. Ndamukong Suh? Gerald McCoy? Sam Bradford? They are the consensus Top 3 Picks, and easily the top 3 on my DSA Player Rankings. But the player who is forecasted to go in one specific slot on the highest percentage of mock drafts? Joe Haden to Cleveland with the 7th overall pick. 71% of the mock drafts have Haden at that specific slot. Who is second? Bruce Campbell, with 59% of the drafts having him going to Oakland with the 8th overall selection. The two players tied at 3rd? C.J. Spiller at #14 to Seattle and Kyle Wilson at #20 to Houston, both at 53% of the drafts having them going at those specific position.
Cleveland needs help in many positions, but Haden is the premier cornerback in the draft. Even with his slow 40 time at the Combine, teams have seen enough game film of him playing at an elite level at Florida, and even though they need to shore up the defensive line Cleveland is looking like they will select Haden to solidify the pass defense.
Oakland has a priority to rebuild it's offensive line, and it appears that the Workout Wonder that Bruce Campbell became at the draft may be too tempting for Al Davis to pass up. Spiller looks to be the versatile, multi-threat back that Pete Carrol had at USC with Reggie Bush, and Seattle has issues in the offensive backfield. Houston was hit hard in free agency with the loss of Dunta Robinson, and Kyle Wilson is the 2nd rated corner and looks to fill the void.
Some teams draft for need, some take the best player available. That's what makes this draft so interesting. It is deep and filled with quality players. Teams can choose one or the other and the picks are most likely to work out in the end.
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