Sport-Blog.com

The NFL Draft 2005

By Jared Field

This year's NFL draft was not nearly as volatile as it has been in past years. Teams were far less eager to trade up into the top ten, preferring instead to trade down or stand pat. This, however, does not mean that this year's draft was short on talent; much to the contrary, it was loaded with players in the middle and late rounds.

2005's Winners and Losers

Winners

1.) Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals had arguably the best draft in their team's history. With the 8th overall pick Arizona selected Antrel Rolle a big-time player from a big-time program at Miami. He is versatile and will be able to play cornerback and safety for the Cardinals if needed. They were fortunate that Tennessee opted for West Virginia's smallish cornerback, Pacman Jones, instead of Rolle with the sixth pick. With their second pick the Cardinals nabbed the vastly underrated running back J.J. Arrington with the 44th pick overall. Arrington is not a big back, but he has the breakaway speed and quick feet that will make him a good running back in the league for years to come. The Cardinals' two other notable draft picks were both way undervalued at the linebacker position--Virginia's Darryl Blackstock and Oklahoma's Lance Mitchell. The Sooners' Mitchell was injured his junior season and, once healthy, will be a solid NFL linebacker. Most doctors agree that it takes two years to fully recover from a knee injury similar to what Mitchell suffered. I would say his progress is right on time. He was a fifth round steal.

2.) Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore's problems have never been related to defense. For this reason they drafted offense on day one and two of the draft. Out of their 7 total picks, five were reserved for the offensive side of the ball. The Ravens' management felt very fortunate to be able to draft Oklahoma senior wide receiver, Mark Clayton, with their first pick, 22nd overall. This gives the Ravens' young quarterback, Kyle Boller, the deep threat he has lacked all along. Clayton is lightning quick with great hands and an amazing work ethic. (Rumor has it that Clayton bench presses 345 pounds.) With their second pick the Ravens selected another Oklahoma Sooner, Dan Cody. Cody had been slated as one of the top three defensive ends in the draft--Mel Kiper had him at #1 for quite some time, in fact. But, he had, for whatever reason, been dropping precipitiously from the early round--probably because of his status as a "tweener." But, this guy is a player and was a steal at the 53rd pick overall. The Ravens added a behemoth offensive tackle from Syracuse, Adam Terry, to round out the first day.

3.) Like the Ravens with the Oklahoma Sooners, the Detroit Lions must have developed a good relationship with Southern Cal. The Lions' first two picks were both Trojans. With the 10th overall pick, the Lions took the best player available--a player who should not have still been on the board. Mike Williams will be a force to be reckoned with in the NFL at the wide receiver spot and I was shocked that the Minnesota Vikings passed on him with the seventh pick. This did not address a need for the Lions, but I do not blame them for taking him. According to Mel Kiper, Williams was the best overall player in this year's draft. With their second overall pick, the Lions traded up to draft another undervalued player from USC, defensive tackle Shaun Cody. Cody is an impact player and should be able to take the starting position at right defensive tackle away from the much older Dan Wilkinson. To finish out the draft, the Lions played it smart; they took the best athletes left on the board, including a very physically talented cornerback out of Stanford, Stanley Wilson. He will be a project, but he has all the physical tools to be a solid NFL cover corner.

4.) Cleveland Browns

I like what Cleveland did in this year's draft. They addressed four separate needs with players that should be able to start right away. With the 3rd pick overall they selected wide receiver Braylon Edwards from the University of Michigan. This pick was a no-brainer. The Browns needed a big-play receiver who can create space and stretch the field, Braylon will be that kind of a player for them. With their next pick, they drafted arguably the best safety in the draft this year, Oklahoma's Brodney Pool. Safety was a need for the Browns, along with nearly every other position on that side of the ball. With their 3rd and 4th picks the Browns nabbed a young quarterback out of Akron who has shown promise, Charlie Frye, and a speedy return man from Oklahoma, Antonio Perkins. Nice work, Cleveland.


5.) Dallas Cowboys

Rounding out the top five are the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys addressed their biggest needs on the defensive line by drafting arguably the two of the top four defensive ends in the draft, Demarcus Ware from Troy State and Marcus Spears from LSU. In addition to these two, the 'Boys stole running back Marion Barber from the University of Minnesota in the fourth round--this kid has a lot of potential.

Losers

1.) Denver Broncos

I have never been more fully convinced than I am now that Mike Shanahan is a wretched coach. Over the past five years, his teams have folded in the playoffs and given lucrative contracts to garbage players like Jake Plummer. Oh, and his drafts haven't been stellar, either. This year, however, was probably his worst. As far as I can tell, he did not get a single player who has the ability to start for him this season. And, the icing on cake came when Coach Shanny drafted Maurice Clarett fully two rounds before any other team would have considered him. This pick, coming on the heels of one of the worst workouts by any prospective running back in NFL history--not to mention Clarett's other off-the-field problems--was amazingly ill-timed. Here is the short list of all the running backs he could have taken with that pick who are all better than Maurice Clarett: Marion Barber, Ciatrick Fason, Deandre Cobb, Anthony Davis and Darren Sproles. These are proven players with experience and very little baggage. Nice work, Shanny.

2.) Jacksonville Jaguars

Once again, we have another case of drafting players that will not start this season--or ever, for that matter. The Jaguars surprised everyone by taking Matt Jones, Arkansas' Quarterback turned receiver with the 21st pick. Now, don't get me wrong, I like Jones' talent. But, this was way too high to draft a player who has almost no experience at the wide receiver position. Not only that, but the Jaguars have a couple good young receivers. Taking Jones was not a smart play, they had other pressing needs. The Jaguars better hope that offensive tackle Khalif Barnes lives up to his potential. If he doesn't, this will be a draft not worth remembering for fans in the JAX.

3.) New York Jets

I really hate to do this to the J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets, but I must. Any team who would draft a kicker with their first pick is either really stacked or really stupid. I am going to have to side with the latter in this instance. Taking Mike Nugent, by all accounts a great kicker, was really stupid in my opinion. NFL kickers are finicky, to say the least. The majority of the great kickers in the NFL right now are late round draftees--for a reason. The Jets probably should have drafted a running back with that pick, one that could potentially take over for the aging Curtis Martin--like Eric Shelton or Frank Gore. Cornerback Justin Miller is the only player of value the Jets drafted this year.

4.) Seattle Seahawks

Dreadful, just dreadful. In all honestly, Seattle's draft is actually worse than the Jets--except the Jets took a kicker with their first pick. I don't know what Seattle was trying to do this year, but they really made a mockery of the draft. They drafted the second best center, first, leaving David Baas, the best, for the 49ers in the second round. With their next pick, the 'Hawks selected the undersized and overvalued inside linebacker from USC, Lofa Tatupu. They rounded out the top three by drafting a quarterback who has no business being in the NFL, David Green from Georgia. If they just wanted an arm, and nothing else, they should have taken Jason White.

5.) Minnesota Vikings

In spite of what I would consider to be the popular opinion on this matter, I think the Vikings really blew it this year. They had an opportunity to get an NFL-ready wide receiver, Mike Williams, who has not yet reached his potential, and they passed on him. They preferred an undersized speed reciever who runs frenetic routes and cannot go over the middle. (We thought it was the right pick. Sincerely, the Detroit Lions.) Their next selection, Erasmus James, could be a good player in the future, but he was not the best player available at that position. They did, however, draft a running back with potential, Ciatrick Fason from Florida. I guess they can make him the 5th running back on their depth chart.

Rookie of the Year: Braylon Edwards, WR Michigan
Best value: Dan Cody, DE Oklahoma
Biggest steal: Aaron Rodgers, QB California
Worst pick: Maurice Clarett, RB Ohio State
Biggest Surprise: Mike Williams, WR USC
Enough Already: 15 minutes on the clock in the first round
Don't quit your day job: Tory Holt
Quit your day job: Merrill Hodge
Why don't you just cry about it: Cedric Benson
2004 NFL proving ground: Oklahoma
Most incompetent drafter: Mike Shanahan
Next year's first pick: Matt Leinart to the Cleveland Browns

See you at the Super Bowl in the 'D'.