Swampland:Snowman's 2008 Draft Wrap Up

Snowman's 2008 Draft Wrap Up

The annual NFL Draft is now over, and the critics will have a field day with opinions on who did well and who faltered with their choices. I thought I would take a look at the Draft from the collegiate view and see who from our region will have the biggest impact on their new club.

GREAT SITUATIONS

*Glenn Dorsey (LSU) – I believe Dorsey was the best overall player in the Draft and was a steal at #5 to the Chiefs. As both a run-stuffer and a pass rusher, Dorsey will make Kansas City better from the first game he plays. The Chiefs lost a big-time defensive lineman when they traded Jared Allen, and they have to be elated that they could get another difference maker on the D-line with Dorsey falling to them. I can see a lot of regret for the Falcons and Raiders for passing on the dominant Dorsey.

*Jerod Mayo (Tennessee) – Mayo is a perfect fit for the New England Patriots’ system. Linebackers are the key to their defense, and Mayo has played both inside and outside at a very high level. Coach Bill Belichick spoke of the former Vol’s versatility and intelligence after making the choice, and he must mean it because Mayo is the only linebacker selected in the first round by New England since Belichick became coach in 2000.

* Brian Brohm (Louisville) – Brohm would have been a much higher pick if he had entered the Draft after his junior year, but I think he ended up in a great situation with Green Bay. There were many negatives at Louisville last season with the coaching change and lack of defense. With all of the problems, the Cardinals still finished 4th in the NCAA in passing offense as Brohm threw for over 4000 yards. Brohm proved he could handle adversity and stay healthy in 2007, and I believe he will challenge Aaron Rodgers for the starting job in his rookie season.

PRESSURE COOKER

*Darren McFadden (Arkansas) – McFadden is an exceptional talent, but I am concerned he might be set up to fail as heads to the ‘Black Hole’ that is the Raiders’ organization. It’s hard to carry a team as a rookie when there isn’t much around you, and that is the challenge McFadden faces in Oakland. Don’t get me wrong, I think McFadden will be a great pro, but how great will be determined on how much the Raiders can improve their roster around him.

*Derrick Harvey (Florida) – The Jaguars traded way up in the first round to get the in-state pass rusher. A lot of expectations will be placed on Harvey because of the way the Jags gave up much of their draft to get him. Playing in the AFC South with top quarterbacks like Peyton Manning and Vince Young, Harvey will need to make big plays early to justify his high selection.

PROOF OF STRENGTH

No team showed more faith in the players within our Swampland Footprint than the Kansas City Chiefs. Coach Herm Edwards said his team needed to get 5-6 immediate starters in the Draft, and they went straight to our region with their first six picks. The Chiefs got two starting lineman in Dorsey and OG Branden Albert. They also got an exciting playmaker at corner in Virginia Tech’s Brandon Flowers, complementary offensive weapons in Texas’ Jamaal Charles and Tennessee’s Brad Cottam, and a great athlete in N.C. State safety DaJuan Morgan.

Here some other quick observations around the Swampland area:

In a year where traditional powers Tennessee (3), Florida (2), and Alabama (0) only had five players drafted, the conference still fared well. SEC players were taken with 5 of the first 14 picks. Kentucky (4) and Vanderbilt (3) showed the depth of the SEC by having seven players selected.

This was a top year for ACC players with seven players being taken in Round 1. Virginia Tech was the top team in the conference with eight players chosen while Florida State only had one player selected in the first four rounds. Additionally, with Kenny Phillips of Miami going to the Giants at #31 overall, the Hurricanes' streak of first-round picks was extended to 14 years.

This was definitely a down year for the Big 12. Shockingly, not a single player from the conference was taken in the First round. I never would have thought that Jordy Nelson (#36 overall) of Kansas State would be the first Big 12 player chosen, ahead of guys like Malcolm Kelly, Limas Sweed, Jordon Dizon, and Curtis Lofton.

Running back Chris Johnson of East Carolina and cornerback Mike Jenkins of South Florida were first round selections, both should see plenty of early action in Tennessee and Dallas, respectively. Donnie Avery of Houston (who had him in the ‘first receiver to be taken’ pool?) will be a solid fit in the St. Louis system of smaller, quicker receivers. There were two intriguing 3rd round running backs chosen in Kevin Smith of UCF (Lions) and Steve Slaton of West Virginia (Texans). Both should have opportunities to contribute early on teams with weak running games.

SMALLER SCHOOLS

First-round picks Leodis McKelvin of Troy (Bills) and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie of Tennessee State (Cardinals) will both be expected to come in and play early in the secondary. Some other early choices in the second round were Tyrell Johnson of Arkansas State (Vikings), Coastal Carolina’s Jerome Simpson (Bengals), and Dexter Jackson from Appalachian State (Bucs).

- Patrick Snow

Swampland.com

Snowman's 2008 Draft Wrap Up

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