Day 16

My boss got back today.  Hopefully she'll be cool for the last 2 weeks here.

-

Astros win.  Pence records first major league hit, Sampson gets win #3.  I think Berkman is out of the slump.  We should be on our way now.

-

Can you say "shitfaced"?  I loved this.  "I wanna kisssh you." LOL!

-

I spent almost 4 hours watching the draft on the internet (an excrutiating endeavor, I wouldn't recommend it), so most of today's post is about the draft.  The thing that sucks about watching it online is that you don't get to see the agony on the players' faces as they drop and drop and drop (see Brady Quinn).

Four Longhorns got drafted yesterday.  Mike Griffin and Aaron Ross went back to back in the first round (how was our secondary so horrible?).  Atlanta got a steal getting Blalock in the 2nd.  Tim Crowder went to Denver in the 2nd as well.  Today should see Tarell Brown and Brian Robison come off the board in the 4th, with Kasey Studdard, Selvin Young, Lyle Sendlein, and Tully Janszen all possibly going in the final couple of rounds.  That means anywhere from 7-10 players drafted.  Anytime a school puts double digit players in the draft in a single year, it's big time.  Fyi, so far there have been EIGHTEEN FIRST DAY picks from the 2005 Rose Bowl game.  There was an unreal amount of talent on the field for that game.

-

Looking at next year, the Longhorns have 15 graduating Seniors.  Here are my current draft predictions for them:

1. DT Frank Okam- 2nd Round
2. WR Limas Sweed - 2nd Round
3. OT Tony Hills- 3rd Round
4. DT Derek Lokey- 5th Round
5. SS/LB Drew Kelson- 6th Round
6. FS Marcus Griffin- 6th Round
7. WR Billy Pittman - 6th Round
8. CB Erick Jackson- 7th Round
9. LB Scott Derry- Undrafted
10. WR Nate Jones - Undrafted
11. LB Robert Killebrew- Undrafted
12. C Dallas Griffin- Undrafted
13. DT Thomas Marshall- Undrafted
14. SS Tyrell Gatewood- Undrafted
15. CB Brandon Foster- Undrafted

That's 8 players drafted, but none in the first round, although with stellar seasons Sweed, Okam, and/or Hills could all move up.  These days, if you get a scholarship to Texas, and play all 4 years, you have a 50% chance of signing an NFL contract.  Pretty good success rate.

-

Dallas traded back.  In the end, they basically got a top 5 pick next year for a 3rd and a 5th rounder this year.  Excellent trade.  The only thing that sucks is that they passed up players like Dwayne Jarrett, Sidney Rice, Robert Meachem, Alan Branch, and Brandon Meriweather to pick Anthony Spencer instead.  So, long term they helped themselves tremendously, but they didn't make this year's team much better at all.

A lot of good players are still left for today.  Plenty of Cornerbacks and Offensive Guards that I think will be good.  Whoever drafts Brian Robison and/or Tarell Brown is getting a steal.

-

Yes, I know I have too much time on my hands.

p.s.: LJW is still alive, but he's been avoiding me.  I think he's pissed that I chalked him up as dead so prematurely.

Comments

[llogg]

ESPN's showing Dallas only picked a first and a third rounder yesterday. Who'd they trade their 2nd round for?

I question that Spencer pick as well. That makes three out their last four first round picks essentially the same guy:
Ware 6'4" 260 DE/OLB
Carpenter 6'2" 260 OLB
Spencer 6'3" 265 DE/OLB

That's not quite as puzzling as Detroit's compulsion for WRs, but it doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

The Texans also have a weird draft history. Of their seven first round picks, four of them have been defensive linemen. They suck, so practically every position is a need position, but I wish they had grabbed Marshawn Lynch. If they manage to pick up Michael Bush today I'll be mollified. Their reach on that DII WR in the third round is puzzling, since WR may be the least needy position they have.

On Texas this year, I think it's crazy that Studdard and Sendlein aren't considered better prospects. Studdard in particular is an animal. They should both get drafted. I'd expect Selvin and Tully to sign FA deals.

Next year, it would be crazy for Eric Jackson to get drafted when he hasn't been able to crack the depth chart at Texas, though physically he's probably a very solid prospect. Okam and Hills could move into first round territory with great seasons. I think Sweed is stuck at round 2 or 3 because he doesn't have elite speed. Then again Keyshawn Johnson didn't either and he's had a nice career after being the top overall choice.

[Snake Diggity]

Their 2nd rounder went to Cleveland to move back up to get Spencer.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft07/news/story?id=2850327

Basically, they traded away:

#22 (1st rounder to CLE)
#53 (2nd rounder to CLE)
#87 (3rd rounder to PHI)
#159 (5th rounder to PHI)
#195 (6th rounder to CLE)

and they received:

#1 in 2008 (1st round from CLE)
#26 (1st rounder from PHI)
#67 (3rd rounder from CLE)
#103 (4th rounder from CLE)
#178 (6th rounder from CLE)

By those #'s they came out WAY ahead, especially if CLE sucks balls this season and that #1 is a top 5 pick.

Studdard and Sendlein will be quality backups, but their athleticism would make them mid rounders (4th rounders at earliest). Still, in the 6th or 7th round I think they'd be steals.

Agree that SY and Janszen will be FAs.

Erick Jackson has a shot--see Melvin Bullitt from A&M this year. Career backup gets some PT his Sr year and runs a mad 40 during the Pro Day. His size/speed combine could get him a look, not to mention he's been a mad Special Teams player all 4 years.

If I were Limas Sweed, ALL I would do the ENTIRE summer is practice the 40 yard dash. If he gets sub 4.4, he's a 1st rounder.

[Snake Diggity]

sub 4.5 not 4.4; sub 4.4 would make him a top 10 pick.

[llogg]

I knew about trading the 2nd rounder from Cleveland, but they should have still had their original 2nd round pick. The Statesman explains it:
The Cowboys' trades

• Sent first-round pick (No. 22) to Cleveland for second-round pick (No. 36) and first-round pick in 2008 draft

• Sent second-round pick (No. 36), third-round pick (No. 87) and fifth-round pick (No. 159) to Philadelphia for first-round pick (No. 26)

• Sent second-round pick (No. 53) and sixth-round pick (No. 195) to Cleveland for third-round pick (No. 67), fourth-round pick (No. 103) and sixth-round pick (No. 178)

[llogg]

Also, totally agree on Limas.

[Snake Diggity]

They sent their original 2nd to CLE for the 3rd and 4th.

The Draft is one place where my burntorange glasses really show. I always predict a better showing than what actually happens. Oh well, at least I'm not aggy. (They didn't have a single player selected.)