2011 Draft

2012 Br.com Mock Draft Free Agency: Runningbacks

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:01:19 +0000

Tonight it's the Running backs & Fullbacks. Place your bids here and if you want a player who has already been bidded on, please post only if your bid is better than someone else. Thanks!

Bidding Period: Wednesday Feb 22nd, 7PM through Thursday Feb 23rd, 7PM
Please place your bid in this format, and also can only bid half stars 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 etc

Team Name
Free Agent
Bid (# of stars)

Rules:
Read thread and find highest bid so far.
Quote said bid and outbid the other team. ALWAYS QUOTE PREVIOUS HIGHEST BID
Do bids in the format above
Can start the bidding at whatever you want, lowest value 0.5 stars.
Bid based on what you want to pay for his 2012 salary only.
No signing bonuses or anything like that

Running Backs:
Michael Bush
Peyton Hillis
Mike Tolbert
Kevin Smith
Ryan Grant
Tim Hightower
Cedric Benson
BenJarvus Green-Ellis
Steve Slaton
Justin Forsett
LaRod Stephens-Howling(RFA)
Tashard Choice
Jason Snelling
LaDainian Tomlinson
Cadillac Williams
Mewelde Moore
Kregg Lumpkin
Jackie Battle
Ronnie Brown
Maurice Morris
Jerious Norwood
Thomas Jones
Sammy Morris
Rock Cartwright
Lorenzo Booker
Derrick Ward
Chester Taylor
Jerome Harrison
Kevin Faulk
Brandon Jacobs
Brandon Jackson
Joseph Addai
Knowshon Moreno
Montell Owens
Marion Barber
Matt Lawrence
Korey Hall

Fullbacks:
Marcel Reece
Tony Fiammetta
Le'Ron McClain
David Johnson(RFA)
Earnest Graham
Jacob Hester
Michael Robinson
Lex Hilliard (RFA)
Brit Miller (RFA)
Owen Schmitt
Ahmard Hall
Spencer Larsen
Moran Norris
Chris Pressley (RFA)
Brock Bolen (RFA)
Greg Jones

Rolando Mcclain May Be Cut!

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 23:49:47 +0000

Former Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain may be cut because the new coaching staff doesn't like his attitude and after his arrest. He is signed to a pretty big salary, so the Raiders may take his money elsewhere because he hasn't exactly been the force anyone thought he would. If under Ray Lewis, I believe his attitude could be turned around. He was the former #6 overall pick to the Raiders in 2010. He is 6-3 255 and is extremely intelligent on the football field (Coach Saban said he was the smartest guy he had ever been around when it came to understanding the game of football). Played under Saban for 3 years and has familiarity with the 3-4 defense. I think the Ravens should go after him hard if he is cut by the Raiders. He only issues are off the field issues which the Ravens are good at addressing between the leadership of Lewis, Suggs, and Reed on defense. He could be the eventual replacement for Ray Lewis. What do you think?

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82704bb5/article/ward-newman-and-cooley-highlight-cap-casualty-season?module=HP11_hot_topics

Dream 2012 Offseason, Not A Mock

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:51:23 +0000

by no means is this a "mock" offseason because this may not even come close to happening but i didn't try to go overboard with it. Also, some free agents i didn't mention because i'm really up in the air with them and can't make a decision at this point.

Joe Flacco - MY TAKE - Ravens shouldn't be fooled by Joe Tinta and give him money at the qb ranking he should be, 10-12 not DREW BREES!

Ray Rice - MY TAKE - the Ravens shouldn't be fooled by what Rice wants (aka Peterson money) and make the right decision of somewhere around a 4/5 year contract with no where close to "that" money although he has been durable, consistent and a playmaker, no RB in this league deserves what Peterson gets (even Peterson himself shouldn't). You could go either way with tag or deal, tag seems more likely but if they do sign him, thats what i would want to happen

Matt Birk - MY TAKE - I heard this in a Ravens blog that even if Birk were to come back, he wouldn't play anyway to oz drafting/adding a new center. i loved matt birk a lot during his tenure but i don't want him to put his age and level of play on our roster when we can always go elsewhere like Peter Konz

Jarrett Johnson - MY TAKE - History says ex-Ravens players don't do good when they leave B-more but i think teams will still get a lot out of Johnson if he finds the right team. the league has become a passing league just only in the past 2-3 years and pass rush associates with passing. JJ is not a pass rusher. That being said, i wouldn't make him a priority although i loved him too. (will be mixed opinions on this one).

Back up RB - MY TAKE - The perfect situation in my eyes is to stick with what we have. i really love both guys and i can't decide on whos better. they both have they strengths and could turn out very well. If you didn't hear Steve's press conference, go watch it. I think he is right to give the young players a chance and it starts with the RB position this year. If Ricky decides to come back, so be it. I'm not against that

Foxworth and Carr - MY TAKE - No brainer here. obvious cuts. Salary cap casualties and cb depth beyond belief. Gorrer, Williams, Smith are great CB's. its a shame gorrer wasn't involved more.

Lardarius Webb - MY TAKE - Now this is an interesting one. i was on the bandwagon for signing him up until i watched Eisenbergs video with Mike Florio today. Now i'm 50/50. I think getting a 1st round pick would mean a lot to the Ravens. I will mention this again below in the draft portion.

Anquan Boldin - MY TAKE - i think he should take a pay cut at this point and i think he would be willing to do that. I don't think the ravens ask him though.

Lee Evans - MY TAKE - should be cut in my opinion. i'd rather see Tandon Doss at this point than Lee as a 4th WR. When Lee was healthy, he couldn't seperate. (can someone tell me if we can opt out of the 4th round pick trade. is there a clause on that deal?)

Draft
1st Rd - Michael Floyd WR Notre Dame (from L.Webb trade with whoever needs a CB, trade 3rd/5th and compensatory 4th) - this would give us even more reason to trade up for Michael Floyd already having another high pick. Granted, i have been on his butt for the past 2 months but we would be making a mistake not drafting him. He has been totally disrespected by experts just because of his DUI's but he will be a top 5 nfl receiver. I have my doubts about Blackmon and i'm glad Blackmon is ranked higher than Floyd right now. Major steal in the 15-20 picks range
2nd Rd - Peter Konz C Wisconsin (trade our original 29th pick with browns/bengals for a high 2nd rd pick and late 4th/5th rd pick) - i don't know about you but i still see Konz being here 6/7 picks later than our original pick and we could get value from it.
2nd Rd - Vontaze Burfict LB Arizona State (original 2nd rd pick) - i think putting him in the 3rd round category is ridiculous but i do see him falling out of the 1st. I think taking him in the 1st round would be a bust to the ravens organization but if we could get him with our 3rd team selection, why not?
4th Rd - (originally RAVENS did not and do not have a 4th rd selection. but in my draft, i see us getting a compensatory selection from the NFL and we trade it for the 1st rounder.)
5th,6th,7th rds - Slipping OG in the Draft, KR, S

Sorry for it Being long but i hope it was worth reading. I know i did not mention Ben Grubbs/Cory Redding. Don't say it in the comments!

Mark Barron

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:18:43 +0000

Any chance he may fall to us? And then, think we'd scoop him up? i could see it happening

Nfp Twitter Ravens Mock Draft

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 20:21:48 +0000

I participated in National Football Post's Twitter Mock Draft as the Ravens GM.

Here's how the draft turned out:

Round 1:
Vontaze Burfict - ILB - ASU

Before you go after my [profanity deleted], hear me out.

I watched this kid play during his Sophomore and Junior years. I find it hilarious that exactly one year ago all but a select few (namely ArmyRaven52) were raving about his talent and some people were hoping he would do something to hurt his stock as he was projected to go in the top 10. Just the picture of him in purple and black (which was almost out of question) had everyone drooling over. Did he disappoint as a Jr? Absolutely. But then again, I know what I saw in him as a So and to have people call him a 3rd round pick at best is laughable. This madness reminds of last year with Torrey. Virtually everyone called him a bust before even playing a down in the NFL because of his small set of hands and his separation problems. He didn't turn out too bad...

Also, it's amazing what an impact a guy like Mayock can have on people's opinions. It's like any game we've ever watched doesn't even matter just because a guy who is a so called "NFL Draft Expert" said this or that for a prospect. Don't get me wrong, I agree with most of Mayock's views but let's not forget he's the same guy who said Sanchez was the best QB of his class and he'll be the franchise QB for the Jets.

All the previous was a mini rant towards those who do nothing but parrot what these "experts" have to say instead of watching some film on their own. As for my opinion on Burfict, I'd take him anywhere in the 2nd round and I'd be pretty darn happy about it. I do believe he'll be there at 61 and the Ravens should take a flyer on him.

I had loads of guys that are thought to fall to the Ravens ahead of Burfict but none of them were there at 29. Adams went 11th, Perry went 13th and Konz went 19th overall to name a few. The only guys who I was considering and went later were Sanu (went 1 pick later but I don't feel we need to spend a 1st rounder on a WR) and Barron (not 1st round material imo). Then, I tried trading down actively but I got no interesting offers.

Round 2:
Ronnell Lewis - OLB - Oklahoma

Love this kid. Really versatile and the kind of hybrid LB every team is looking for.

Round 3:
Senio Kelemete - OG - Washington

This guy is a freak athletically and with a bit of work in his technique, there's nothing holding him back from being a future starter. I admit I was actually targeting Brewster and McCants who went 24 and 27 respectively but it's one heck of a consolation prize in my opinion.

Round 5:
Philip Blake - C - Baylor

Steal - enough said.

Round 6:
Dwight Jones - WR - North Carolina

That's a steal if I've ever seen one! A lot of WRs slid to the 5th/6th rounds and I may have got my favorite mid-to-late WR prospect alongside Streeter. Extremely physical, great combination of size and speed.

Round 7:
Olivier Vernon - DE - Miami

I had Trevor Guyton (BPA) who was the guy I was spotting go just one pick early so I had to make an emergency pick change. I wanted a RB with the last pick in the draft but all the ones I liked were gone. Vernon is a project but I like his upside.

The NFL Combine

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 01:38:53 +0000

With the NFL Combine a few short days away, who are YOU going to be watching?

While the combine is a glorified dog and pony show, I'm so starved for football already that I'm going to watch it like its my job.

2012 Br.com Mock Draft Free Agency: Quarterbacks

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:02:25 +0000

Ok guys, Free Agency is now open! Tonight it's the Quarterbacks. Place your bids here and if you want a player who has already been bidded on, please post only if your bid is better than someone else. Thanks!

Bidding Period: Monday Feb 20th, 7PM through Tuesday Feb 21st, 7PM
Please place your bid in this format, and also can only bid half stars 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 etc

Team Name
Free Agent
Bid (# of stars)

Rules:

Read thread and find highest bid so far.
Quote said bid and outbid the other team. ALWAYS QUOTE PREVIOUS HIGHEST BID
Do bids in the format above
Can start the bidding at whatever you want, lowest value 0.5 stars.
Bid based on what you want to pay for his 2012 salary only.
No signing bonuses or anything like that

- Peyton Manning- Chiefs
- Kevin Kolb- Dolphins
- Tyler Thigpen
- Matt Leinart
- Seneca Wallace- Broncos
- Matt Flynn- Browns
- Alex Smith- 49ers
- Jason Campbell- Jaguars
- Brian Hoyer(RFA)- Titans
- Josh Johnson- Buccaneers
- Kyle Orton- Cardinals
- Tarvaris Jackson
- Shaun Hill- Rams
- Dennis Dixon- Broncos
- Rex Grossman
- Chad Henne- Eagles
- Josh McCown
- Donovan McNabb- Dolphins
- Drew Stanton
- Charlie Batch
- Vince Young- Jets
- Bryon Leftwich
- Brady Quinn
- Chase Daniel- Browns
- Kellen Clemens
- Sage Rosenfels
- AJ Feely
- Derek Anderson
- David Carr- Giants
- Charlie Whitehurst
- J.P. Losman
- Kyle Boller
- Luke McCown
- Jake Delhomme- Lions
- Chris Redman
- Mark Brunell- Texans
- Kerry Collins
- Kevin O'Connell
- Caleb Hanie

Draft Day Disasters: 2012 Edition

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 21:43:15 +0000

Every year, I contribute articles to a now defunct website, regarding the draft. I guess I'll just do it here now since the site has went under.

I'll strip out the article formatting and jargon, and just present my list and a brief analysis instead, since I doubt anyone here wants to listen to me talk endlessly like I would in an article.

So without further ado, here are the five guys in the 2012 draft who are most likely to become busts in the NFL.

1. Riley Reiff, OT

How's that for a ballsy prediction?

Generally considered one of the top 3 OT in the class, along with Kalil and Martin, Reiff will likely be drafted in the top 10 - 12. As such, the expectations will be enormous.

But I don't believe he will be able to live up to the hype. Among the problems I see with him is his footwork, as well as having very little burst. And although those negative attributes can be overcome, the real killer is his slight frame (6'6" and 300lbs), which in combination with everything else, will conspire to hold him back. He does not have the mass or strength needed to overcome poor footwork and poor lateral speed that a lot of other good NFL tackles have.

I project him becoming a solid NFL starter eventually, but will never come close to living up to his his top 12 status.

2. Devon Still, DT

The top ranked prospect of a weak defensive tackle class, I see a tough life ahead for Still.

He has good size (6'5" and 310lb) with room on his frame to add another 20 pounds, but Still has plenty of issues. He reminds me of our own slimmed down version of Terrance Cody, only without the ability to ocassionally move the line like Cody does.
Still is good with interior run support, but invisible when the run goes off tackle or any other time he is in pursuit. He won't command double teams, because he does not physically dominate nor is he disruptive as a pass rusher. In fact, his pass rush is practically non-existent (like I said, he is a slimmed down Terrance Cody).

For a guy who will likely be taken in the top 20, he does not bring much to the table.

3. Whitney Mercilus, DE

Here is a guy who will probably sneak into the 1st round, after having a huge year. Many people will probably compare him to Osi Umenyiora due to his size/speed and his knack at forcing fumbles.

However, drafting him comes with some caveats:

He is strictly a 4-3 DE, which is a concern because he lacks the athleticism that a 4-3 DE requires.
But more importantly, don't let his impressive stats fool you (16 sacks, 7 forced fumbles). He is very undisciplined, and a real gambler, taking risks that won't go unpunished in the NFL. He is very poor in run support, despite what those 7 forced fumbles may suggest...and let's not forget that he is a one year wonder who put up these stats against dubious competition.

If he goes to the right system, he may eventually develop into a quality player, but even then, I think it will be a few years before he pays dividends.

4. Janoris Jenkins, CB

Another gambler who will give up big plays. His lack of size and strength will mean he will get eaten alive in press coverage or short routes in the NFL, and a conversion to safety is out of the question as well.

And then there are his well documented character concerns. This guy is a mess, and will not play well enough at the next level to make up for all his baggage.

And last, but certainly not least ....

5. Vontaze Burfict

After reading my comments all off season, this should come as no surprise to fellow br.com members.
There's not much to say that I haven't already, so I'll just recap:

out of shape, no work ethic, lack of intelligence (football and otherwise), character issues and a locker room cancer.

I don't want him period, but if we were to draft him, it better not be before the 3rd round.

Jaguar's Front Office

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:30:53 +0000

For all you participating in the forum draft, this is the central hub for my team. All of the necessary information will be posted, and updated here. You can look at my roster, and eventual FA signings and draft picks. PM with any offers.

Current Depth Chart

Offense

QB: Jason Campbell, Blaine Gabbert, Dan LeFevour
HB: Maurice Jones-Drew, Rashad Jennings, Deji Karim
FB: Brock Bolen
WR: Mike Thomas, Davone Bess, Tandon Doss, Cecil Shorts III
TE: Marcedes Lewis, Zach Miller
LT: Eugene Monroe, Kevin Haslam
LG: Uche Nwaneri
C: John Estes, Jason Spitz
RG: Will Rackley
RT: Eben Britton

Defense (3-4)

RE: Tyson Alualu, Corvey Irvin
NT: Terrence Knighton
LE:D'Anthony Smith, Leger Douzable
ROLB: Frank Zombo, Aaron Morgan
ILB: Paul Posluszney
LOLB: George Selvie
CB: Derek Cox, Davon House, Akwasi Owusu-Ansah
FS:Chris Prosinksi, Darcel McBath
SS: Dawan Landry, Courtney Greene

K: -
P: Spencer Lanning

Current Cap Space: 43.5 stars

FA Signings:
Jason Campbell 2.5 stars

Current Draft Picks:
1 (7)
2 (38)
3 (71)
3 (93) (from Baltimore)
5 (135)
7 (199)

Trade Block:
QB Blaine Gabbert -2nd/3rd
HB Maurice Jones Drew - 1st and 3rd
HB Rashad Jennings - 4th
WR Mike Thomas - 3rd/4th
TE: Zach Miller - 4th
CB Derek Cox - 2nd/3rd
all prices are negotiable

I am also looking to trade down in the 1st round.

Looking For:
Draft Picks
CB
OLB (3-4)
FS
OG
C

A Big Article On Vontaze Burfict

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 17:22:36 +0000

A couple months ago people of the NFL fanbase where loving Vontaze Burfict, they thought he was gona go quick in the 1st round, he is going to be the Next Ray Lewis, he is going to be on Patrick Willis' level in the next 2 years. BUT those were the people who knew not much about Burfict. Even people on these forums, and draft gurus projected Burfict to be a beast and go in the first round to The Ravens to be Ray Lewis' succesor.

Me, not so much on the Ravens draft forum everywhere burfict was talked about or projected to go 1st round I always said he is overrated will probably go in the second round has big time charater issues and so on. I honestly think Vontaze is going to end up like Albert Haynesworth in a few years just playing monkey in the middle on the waiver wire going from team to team and not doing much. He just has A LOT to work on with both his game, and his character issues from what people say are pretty extreme both off the field, on the field, in the locker room, in the weight room etc.
Here are some things I have heard from ASU fans, forums and alumnis-people who were actually at the games watching him play.

"haha!! ignorant fans want burfict? take him! PLEASE!! i saw every game ‘Tez ever played at ASU and as a proud alum and booster i can give you a quick evaluation of the dude: fat, lazy, doesn’t make plays, locker room cancer. as a stillers fan, i respect the heck out of ray lewis. dude is a warrior. and asu alum suggs is a beast. but vontaze burfict? nobody should draft that dude. he has no heart, no discipline, he’s a penalty machine and, quite simply, the dude just doesn’t make plays".

"It;s become old news about Burficts fall from the 1st Round .. He gets susupended by his Coach, get into fights with your Coaches and Teammates, doesn’t follow instructions, issues with the Police in non-football issues, issues with the School Administrators in non-football issues all spell trouble for this yuong,immature player.. Could he turn it around as a Pro under the right siuation and tutleedge (like a Ray lewis or Patrick WIllis) Sure he can.. Will he get a chance with the Eagles for many of the other NFL Teams, no he won’ tfor they will stay way clear of him.. Insubordination and Hitting your Coaches is not accecptable, Problems with the Law and School (Grades) only reinformce that this kid has some serious issues ..

"Burfict’s one and only Bowl appearance.
0 tackles
1 assist
172 yrds rushing against.
Looks all pro to me..NOT"

"His highlight tape on youtube may be scary but the game film doesn’t lie. He misses too many tackles and is a loose cannon".

"I’m an ASU fan and I’ve been saying this since the day he played his first game. He doesn’t shed blocks and he doesn’t attack gaps aggressively. He makes those 2-3 plays a game that makes the crowd go, "Ooooohhh!!!" or "Aaaawwww!!!" but he doesn’t play consistently throughout the whole game. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he washed out of the NFL in a couple of years. His personal fouls alone cost us two games this season"

"Saying this guy can fill Ray Lewis' shoes is like saying Ray Rice could fill Joe Flaccos shoes. Its out of the question...Ive seen Burfict play and when he did he got costly personal foul penalties 9 penalties out of ten would be burficts then he would cry to his coaches on the sideline saying closelining a receiver wasnt his fault. Hah I beleive he even lead the ncaa in personal fouls, and he got a lot of other penalties too. He is overrated thats all I can say Im sure the eagle would get him there clueless enough".

So there you have it just some fans of ASU and other people commenting/hating on burfict. Personally I dont hate Burfict I just think he doesnt have the right tools to make it in this league he needs to watch Rocky or something. He has some talent but he just doesnt apply himself the way he needs to. Honestly if he wasnt such a hot head and penalty magnet and had more self discipline and self control and studied the game more and other things he would be a great player. However he just has a lot to correct alongside that long but unfufilling list I mentioned of Burfict, to add to it he is also out of shape, weak to the point of attack as well as when it comes to weight training he maxes 225LB bench press at 13 or 14, so that will definitely effect his combine which is really his only option left to being drafted as high as possible, which I dont see him drafted until the early 3rd round mabey second round but its all going to depend on his combine.

What do you guys think about Burfict? Before the Mayock reports of Burfict people seemed high and mighty on here about him...post mayock reports alot of naysayers so whats the general consensus?

With The 29Th Pick In The 2012 Draft The Ravens Choose...

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 04:35:18 +0000

This comes down to two players for me. Vontaze Burfict and Peter Konz.

If ones not there take the other.

If they are both there, take Burfict.

If neither are there Mark Barron SS Replace Reed back in the secondary, Donta Hightower MLB be the next Ray Lewis , Whitney Mercilus (4-3/3-4) DE/OLB He'd fit perfect with what the Ravens like to do

Other possibilties that I wouldnt be too excited about: Mohamed Sanu WR, Zack Brown OLB, or a very underrated (This is a big stetch) Chandler Jones OLB/DE

Janoris Jenkins

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 04:31:40 +0000

Janoris Jenkins, CB 5'10 191 lbs
Northern Alabama/University of Florida
#2 or #3 rated CB by Mayock, Kiper, McShay
Kiper has him going #23 to Detroit

Transferred to Northern Alabama after being released from Gators for two Marijuana-possession incidents... had three punt returns for TD's last year (out of 18 returns), 2 INT, 4 deflections. (I assume he wasn't thrown at much, considering he was probably the only blue-chipper in Division II)

Started all 13 games at Florida in 2010. 4 INT, 8 deflections, 1 sack, 6 tackles-for-loss. 1st-team All-SEC. Played with torn-labrum in shoulder all season. (No wonder he smoked so much pot...)
******************************************************************************************

"Jenkins turned Alabama's Julio Jones into an afterthought earlier this season and marginalized Georgia's A.J. Green two weeks ago. Those two players, probable first-round picks, combined for four catches for 31 yards and no touchdowns against Jenkins.

All three of Jones' catches against Jenkins came on screen passes behind the line of scrimmage. Green's only catch on him came across the middle with Jenkins essentially climbing on his back, doing all that could be expected."
*******************************************************************************************

The guy is a top-10 talent who will probably fall to the bottom of the first round Jimmy-Smith-style. The fact that he is an accomplished kick returner (with blazing speed) is enough for me to name him a darkhorse pickup at #29. In today's passing NFL, you can never have too many star corners.

And to drive the point home, this would allow us to move Webb to safety if (and when) Reed retires.

Three Round Mock

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 02:34:29 +0000

So I did a three round Interactive Mock on Twitter for the Ravens. I thought I would post the results.

1st Round: Nick Perry, OLB/DE USC

Perry was the best player available, and frankly I would be really happy if we were able to draft this guy in the first. I know OLB may not be the biggest need, but it never hurts to have talented pass-rushers and I think Perry will be a good one. All of the 1st round OL prospects were gone so I think this pick makes more sense than reaching for Burfict and Hightower was already gone.

2nd Round: Ronnell Lewis, LB Oklahoma

I was very happy to be able to grab Lewis here at the end of the 2nd. I know I already took an OLB, but I see Lewis as more of an ILB in the 3-4 with the ability to rush the passer and contribute in ST.

3rd Round: Philip Blake, C Baylor

Blake was my target at the end of the 3rd and I was very pleased to take him. Interior lineman, specifically center is a huge need and I think Blake is going to be a good one.

Clearly, this draft wasnt done by GMs or even experts, but it may give an idea of what type of players we can get in the draft. The best OL prospect will most likely be gone by the time we draft in the 1st. I also noticed a lot of teams drafting CBs which thankfully is an area we are strong in. WR is also a very deep class this year and a lot of good prospects will be available in the 3rd or later. I could have taken Nick Toon in the 3rd but I felt like Blake was a bigger need. Guys like Ryan Broyles or Marquis Maze should definitely be available later.

ATD's 2012 Mock Draft

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 08:10:20 +0000

I don't quite have the time to do a mock off season this time, but perhaps I'll add that in later. Now, about this mock, barring any huge developments with the team, I don't see my draft changing all that much.

Round One:
Wisconsin Center, Peter Konz
Maybe not the "sexy" pick that some people want to see. However, Birk is inching closer and closer to retirement and there is still no clear cut successor on the roster. Konz is a smart, strong and big-bodied blocker. Not to mention, he's quite versatile, he can move over to guard if need be. He has all the talent you could want at center, and would be able to start as a rookie, if he needed to be. If it all plays out, he'll get a year learning from Birk before stepping into the starting line-up next year. Konz has all the makings of a quality starting center for years to come.

Round Two:
Arizona State Linebacker, Vontaze Burfict
Burfict was once considered a lock for the first round. But questions about his conditioning and off field issues are causing his stock to dip. While I do believe he could make it to the third round, he will not be there when the Ravens are on the clock in the third. The Ravens need someone who can eventually be the next terror inside after 52 hangs it up. Burfict has everything you could want, talent wise, from your inside linebacker. The character concerns can be addressed and hopefully will solve themselves with age and maturity from Vontaze. It's a pick that certainly comes with risk, but the potential payoff is huge, huge enough to warrant the pick.

Round Three:
West Virginia Linebacker, Bruce Irvin
Kindle is a huge question mark, J.J. is not a pass rusher, and Kruger has to prove he can consistently rack up the sacks. There's not much going on outside of Suggs and he can only do so much. The best part of Irvin's game is the pass rush, he's extremely quick, has ample agility, and can explode off the edge. Baltimore knows linebackers, and can develop them like no one's business. In that environment, Irvin can excel.

Round Five:
Colorado Guard, Ryan Miller
Whether Grubbs is retained or not, solid depth is needed at the guard position. Fellow teammate of Jimmy Smith at Colorado, Miller is a big guard (6'7, 326), who is adept at both pass protection and run blocking, especially holding his own against the rush. Despite his size, he's still agile enough to continue pushing up field, and also has experience at tackle.

Round Six:
Southern California Running Back, Marc Tyler
With the retirement of Ricky, there's a void left behind Rice. I like Allen and Berry as potential second stringers, but it can never hurt to spend a low round pick on another prospect, much like Allen last year. Tyler brings what's needed behind Rice, a strong, up-the-middle type of runner, yet can still make catches when needed. He comes with some durability issues, but at this point in the draft, it's worth the chance.

Round Seven:
Southern Florida Safety, Jerrell Young
The future of Zbikowski and Nakamura is in the air, and safety could be a position that a look might be needed. It will be slim pickings for safety at the end of the draft, but Young is someone with promise that is worth the pick at this level

At the end, we'd have gotten quality offensive line help/depth, addressed the pass rush, (hopefully) have Ray's successor, and grabbed another running back to add to the party of "Who's Backing Up Rice This Year?"

ATD's 2012 Mock Draft

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 08:10:06 +0000