EOY 2006 Draft Comparison
A couple of posts lower I prognosticated about the picks I would have made vs. Team Childress and the Vikings. I think I mentioned I'd like 5 years to evaluate, but after one season there is some decent basis for Analysis. So pick by pick, here we go...
Round 1: Childress - LB Chad Greenway, DPW - OT Winston Justice
Sadly, Greenway went down in the pre-season and was lost for the year. The silver lining, Napleon Harris and EJ Henderson emerged as decent LB for the Vikes excellent Defense. Greenway should be around next year and will improve the LB corp by displacing Harris or allowing 3-4 schemes (not likely).
My guy Justice ended up as a back up in Philadelphia who had a resurgence at the Offensive line. The line stunk the previous year and the Eagles took two OLs in the draft. However, the vets rebounded and both guys ended up being redshirted. When the Eagles took Justice in the 2nd round, it was as a future replacement for aging vet Thomas, and he is expected to start next year. Some have theroized that the Eagle O-line play improved because Childress left and took his zone blocking scheme with him and allowed the big Eagle line to just hit guys. The vikings have a big line too, and did very poorly in the zone blocking scheme. What if the Vikes had Justice? He would have been at RT all year instead of the mish-mash of Johnson, Rosenthiel, and Cook. If he could protect Lienart backside at USC, he we in a good position to protect Brad Johnson's frontside.
Overall - slight nod to me.
1st Pick, Round 2: Childress - CB Cedrick Griffen, DPW ILB Abdul Hodge
This was easily Chili's best and most productive use of a draft pick. Griffen started the year as a nickel back and eventually replaced the ineffective Fred Smoot. He wasn't much better than Smoot, but at least he has upside and was good enough take over when the time came.
Hodge had an up and down year. He recieved rave reviews out of the Packer's training camp, got injured, returned a TD against the Vikings, then let Shaun Alexander run for over 200 in his only start and ended the year on the inactive list. If he had been a Viking, he would have competed with EJ for the ILB position, and would have lost.
Chili with a clear win.
2nd Pick, Round 2: Childress - C Ryan Cook, DPW CB Ashton Youboty
Cook was an awful pick. He played a few games at RT late in the season and stunk. Cook just doesn't have NFL ability, just NFL size.
Youboty was shaky for Buffalo. He started slow and ended the season playing special teams and on the scout team, but his coaches were high on him as the season progressed. I must admit I would have take Youboty over Griffen, and would have been wrong. If the Vikes had Youboty, Fred Smoot might still be starting, but maybe not.
DPW with a clear win
3rd Round Picks: Childress - QB Tarvarious Jackson (traded both 3rd rounders for him), DPW - WR Maurice Stovall, QB Omar Jacobs
When Chili drafted Jackson, he stated he was a 3 year project. After watching Jackson play a couple of games, Chili was right. Jackson was bad, but I think it too early to judge this pick.
Maurice Stovall ended the season as a starter for the Bucs after injuries claimed Clayton. He made some big catches and even bigger blocks in the run game. Omar Jacobs is summed up best by Pittsburgh blogger www.sportocracy.com, "They gave up on Omar Jacobs after blowing a 5th round choice on him last year." Had my scenario played out, the Vikings would have at least one decent starting WR and not QB of the future to muddle the 2007 free agent/draft picture.
Advantage DPW, big time.
4th Round Picks: Childress - DE Ray Edwards, DPW - S Greg Blue
Edwards showed some flash at DE, but not enough to stop the search for a pass rushing end the Vikes desperately need. Ended the season as a backup, will be a back up next year as well.
Blue started the first game for the delinquent Dwight Smith who was being punished and did a good job, but not good enough to displace Smith. Blue will continue to be a solid backup and may start in the future. Since I took Blue in the 4th and Chili gets him in the 5th...
Chili wins.
5th Round Picks: Childress - S Greg Blue, DPW DE Mark Anderson
Good value pick for Blue, but...
Anderson was awesome for the Bears. He lead all rookies with 12 sacks as a backup and starter when Tommie Harris went down. Had the vikes taken him, there would be no talk of needing a pass rushing DE in the off season and considering the Vikes lead the league in Pass Attempts Against, Anderson could have had 20 sacks! Clearly...
A BIG win for DPW.
6th Round picks: Childress - (trade for G Artiss Hicks), DPW - C Greg Eslinger
I loved this move when Chili made it, but Hicks ended up being awful at RG.
Eslinger was taken by the Broncos, and everybody knew he would. He was a backup and never played behind Tom Nalen, and probably wouldn't have played behind Matt Birk. But Birk was coming off an injury and the Vikes moved to zone blocking, exactly why Eslinger was coveted by the Broncos.
Essentially a wash, but I'd rather have Eslinger than Hicks today.
Overall, I win the draft largely on the strength of Mark Anderson and having a stable RT in Justice. I like Greenway and Griffen, but they just don't stack up.
Round 1: Childress - LB Chad Greenway, DPW - OT Winston Justice
Sadly, Greenway went down in the pre-season and was lost for the year. The silver lining, Napleon Harris and EJ Henderson emerged as decent LB for the Vikes excellent Defense. Greenway should be around next year and will improve the LB corp by displacing Harris or allowing 3-4 schemes (not likely).
My guy Justice ended up as a back up in Philadelphia who had a resurgence at the Offensive line. The line stunk the previous year and the Eagles took two OLs in the draft. However, the vets rebounded and both guys ended up being redshirted. When the Eagles took Justice in the 2nd round, it was as a future replacement for aging vet Thomas, and he is expected to start next year. Some have theroized that the Eagle O-line play improved because Childress left and took his zone blocking scheme with him and allowed the big Eagle line to just hit guys. The vikings have a big line too, and did very poorly in the zone blocking scheme. What if the Vikes had Justice? He would have been at RT all year instead of the mish-mash of Johnson, Rosenthiel, and Cook. If he could protect Lienart backside at USC, he we in a good position to protect Brad Johnson's frontside.
Overall - slight nod to me.
1st Pick, Round 2: Childress - CB Cedrick Griffen, DPW ILB Abdul Hodge
This was easily Chili's best and most productive use of a draft pick. Griffen started the year as a nickel back and eventually replaced the ineffective Fred Smoot. He wasn't much better than Smoot, but at least he has upside and was good enough take over when the time came.
Hodge had an up and down year. He recieved rave reviews out of the Packer's training camp, got injured, returned a TD against the Vikings, then let Shaun Alexander run for over 200 in his only start and ended the year on the inactive list. If he had been a Viking, he would have competed with EJ for the ILB position, and would have lost.
Chili with a clear win.
2nd Pick, Round 2: Childress - C Ryan Cook, DPW CB Ashton Youboty
Cook was an awful pick. He played a few games at RT late in the season and stunk. Cook just doesn't have NFL ability, just NFL size.
Youboty was shaky for Buffalo. He started slow and ended the season playing special teams and on the scout team, but his coaches were high on him as the season progressed. I must admit I would have take Youboty over Griffen, and would have been wrong. If the Vikes had Youboty, Fred Smoot might still be starting, but maybe not.
DPW with a clear win
3rd Round Picks: Childress - QB Tarvarious Jackson (traded both 3rd rounders for him), DPW - WR Maurice Stovall, QB Omar Jacobs
When Chili drafted Jackson, he stated he was a 3 year project. After watching Jackson play a couple of games, Chili was right. Jackson was bad, but I think it too early to judge this pick.
Maurice Stovall ended the season as a starter for the Bucs after injuries claimed Clayton. He made some big catches and even bigger blocks in the run game. Omar Jacobs is summed up best by Pittsburgh blogger www.sportocracy.com, "They gave up on Omar Jacobs after blowing a 5th round choice on him last year." Had my scenario played out, the Vikings would have at least one decent starting WR and not QB of the future to muddle the 2007 free agent/draft picture.
Advantage DPW, big time.
4th Round Picks: Childress - DE Ray Edwards, DPW - S Greg Blue
Edwards showed some flash at DE, but not enough to stop the search for a pass rushing end the Vikes desperately need. Ended the season as a backup, will be a back up next year as well.
Blue started the first game for the delinquent Dwight Smith who was being punished and did a good job, but not good enough to displace Smith. Blue will continue to be a solid backup and may start in the future. Since I took Blue in the 4th and Chili gets him in the 5th...
Chili wins.
5th Round Picks: Childress - S Greg Blue, DPW DE Mark Anderson
Good value pick for Blue, but...
Anderson was awesome for the Bears. He lead all rookies with 12 sacks as a backup and starter when Tommie Harris went down. Had the vikes taken him, there would be no talk of needing a pass rushing DE in the off season and considering the Vikes lead the league in Pass Attempts Against, Anderson could have had 20 sacks! Clearly...
A BIG win for DPW.
6th Round picks: Childress - (trade for G Artiss Hicks), DPW - C Greg Eslinger
I loved this move when Chili made it, but Hicks ended up being awful at RG.
Eslinger was taken by the Broncos, and everybody knew he would. He was a backup and never played behind Tom Nalen, and probably wouldn't have played behind Matt Birk. But Birk was coming off an injury and the Vikes moved to zone blocking, exactly why Eslinger was coveted by the Broncos.
Essentially a wash, but I'd rather have Eslinger than Hicks today.
Overall, I win the draft largely on the strength of Mark Anderson and having a stable RT in Justice. I like Greenway and Griffen, but they just don't stack up.
posted by Bill Gilles | 11:34 AM
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