Sideline Scouting Seven Round Mock

[Falcon137]

Kirkpatrick at 17 was a good pickup for Cincy. You can plug him in right away as a starter.

Zeitler was an interesting pick after trading down with New England when they could have gotten DeCastro. Sounds like they had them rated about the same and wound up an extra pick out of it.

Bengals, Browns, and Steelers all got better. Baltimore did not.

[footballguy51]

Were other teams talking to the Vikings about trading up to #3 for Richardson? I'm trying to figure out why picking before Minnesota was important when they didn't want Richardson.

Minnesota convinced them Tampa was trying to trade up for Richardson.

How depressing. I wonder if there was any merit to the Tampa thing. Minnesota made out in the deal because they got their guy they wanted, plus 3 more picks.

Cleveland really screwed up with the #22 pick, IMO. They wanted a receiver and paniced when he was taken. At that point, go to offensive line or trade down. I still think there were other viable receivers in this draft that they could have taken at that point, but oh well.

[Warthog]

Cleveland really screwed up with the #22 pick, IMO. They wanted a receiver and paniced when he was taken.

I'm not buying that story. There is no way you panick and pick a QB when the guy you wanted goes off the board right before you. This wasn't Holmgren's and Heckert's first draft. They knew what they wanted and they picked him. With reports this morning that Heckert has already stated that Weeden wil be the starter this season and McCoy is on the trading block, there is no doubt in my mind that they wanted Weeden all the way.

[fredthefalcon]

Never thought Riley Reiff would be there at 23 for the Lions....love it, love it, love it. If Josh Robinson is there in round 2...I'll be giddy!!

Guess you were giddy last night Flipper but apparently Martin Mayhew liked having a slot WR instead. Hard to figure with all the other needs. They did get a decent CB in round 3.

[Flipper]

That was a head scratcher...then again, I don't think the gap between Bentley and Robinson is that great and Nate Burleson is getting a bit older... Like to see them pick up a RB and another OL or two today

[MarkL]

I bet Eric Page is regretting leaving UT right now. It is a big risk to skip a senior year and he didn't even get drafted. He'll probably get a UDFA contract but few of those guys make it.

[Falcon137]

I bet Eric Page is regretting leaving UT right now. It is a big risk to skip a senior year and he didn't even get drafted. He'll probably get a UDFA contract but few of those guys make it.

Destined for practice squad at best, right now.

[Flipper]

That was a head scratcher...then again, I don't think the gap between Bentley and Robinson is that great and Nate Burleson is getting a bit older... Like to see them pick up a RB and another OL or two today

....so of course they went out and drafted LB's and DB's all day......

They also signed Kellen Moore as a UDFA....

[hammb]

It's absolutely insane to spend a first round draft pick on a 29 year old PROJECT QB.

I still don't get why you call him a project. He is obviously more mature than any of the other QBs. I'd say he is probably more ready to start next year than any QB not named Luck. I like getting Weeden, but I thought 37 was the spot to get him. I was hoping for a RT there at 22 when Kalil had been the only OL picked to that point.

Looking like there should be a quality OT still there at 37 now. Or maybe Hill or Randle.

Is he more mature? Sure, of course he is. He's 7 years older than most of them. That doesn't make him less of a project.

He's a project for a couple of reasons:

1) Played in a spread one read offensive system. Pretty similar to the system BG ran with Omar. He didn't really call plays, he never had to read the entire field, and he sure as hell never called his own audibles.
2) He is clueless when he gets pressure. OSU's protection of him was insanely good, and when he did get pressured he panicked and was terrible


Contrary to popular belief I do NOT think he's anymore mentally ready to play in the NFL than some of the other guys. I suppose his experience playing baseball has shown him how to be professional and what the rigors are like, but the actual on the field stuff I really don't think he's any more ready than Tannehill is.

I've gotten to the point where I'm tired of being pissed off about the Weeden pick...it's over and nothing I can do about it. On the plus side we'll hopefully never see McCoy take another snap as a Brown. I just hope to god that if Weeden struggles next year (which he probably will, as a rookie) and they are in position to take Barkley or Wilson, they do so. Those guys are more talented than Weeden and MUCH younger...I'll be truly pissed off if we pass up top tier QB talent to try and develop a 30 year old QB.

[fredthefalcon]

That was a head scratcher...then again, I don't think the gap between Bentley and Robinson is that great and Nate Burleson is getting a bit older... Like to see them pick up a RB and another OL or two today

....so of course they went out and drafted LB's and DB's all day......

They also signed Kellen Moore as a UDFA....

The odder thing is the Lions didn't even sign any UDFA RBs the last report that I saw.

[Flipper]

Yeah...kinda hard to figure. You have Best with a history of concussions, LeShoure with two dope arrests and he tore an achilles last year and Kevin Smith who's never been healthy for a full year. Seems like they really needed to address that spot sometime...

[Warthog]

He's a project for a couple of reasons:

1) Played in a spread one read offensive system. Pretty similar to the system BG ran with Omar. He didn't really call plays, he never had to read the entire field, and he sure as hell never called his own audibles.

I give you Cam Newton and Andy Dalton.

[hammb]

He's a project for a couple of reasons:

1) Played in a spread one read offensive system. Pretty similar to the system BG ran with Omar. He didn't really call plays, he never had to read the entire field, and he sure as hell never called his own audibles.

I give you Cam Newton and Andy Dalton.

I never said he COULDN'T Succeed. And I will gladly grant that both of them exceeded expectations as rookies. Certainly Weeden could do the same. But for every Dalton & Cam Newton there is a Christian Ponder, Blaine Gabbert, or Jake Locker who aren't ready to excel as rookies.

The bottom line is Brandon Weeden paints the Browns into a corner. Due to his age he simply MUST be the starter this year. If he plays well right off the bat, awesome. But what do you do if he is more like Ponder? Showing some flashes but not quite ready for prime time. Do you stick with a 30 year old for 3 years hoping he develops, or do you pounce on the opportunity to grab a younger top prospect?

Personally if I were charge I'd throw Weeden out there immediately as a rookie and see what he's got. If he plays well they'll win enough games that a top QB isn't an option anyhow. At that point I'd roll with him until he either proves he can't play, or starts getting too old to continue playing. But if he struggles and they're picking in the top 5 again next year I'd have no hesitation at all in attempting to move up to get a Barkley/Wilson/Smith type talent that should be available in next year's draft. My biggest fear with taking Weeden is that a first round pick commitment will prevent them from actively addressing the position next year in the event that he doesn't play well. There is no way in hell I could get behind the notion of sitting around for a 29 year old QB to develop.

[Warthog]

Personally if I were charge I'd throw Weeden out there immediately as a rookie and see what he's got. If he plays well they'll win enough games that a top QB isn't an option anyhow. At that point I'd roll with him until he either proves he can't play, or starts getting too old to continue playing. But if he struggles and they're picking in the top 5 again next year I'd have no hesitation at all in attempting to move up to get a Barkley/Wilson/Smith type talent that should be available in next year's draft.

I agree with you there. Name him the starter from day 1. It's his team for now. Forget about him being a rookie and from now on you evaluate him as a 29 year old QB. If he sucks this year, it will be reflected in thier record and they will be in position to draft Barkley. If they win 4-6 games, well, did he do good enough to keep the job?

It's easy to specualte now about who the next great QB of the draft will be. So you are using the expectation that one of those guys is going to be a great NFL QB. It's hard to say that now when they haven't been run through the grinder of being a potential top 10 pick. Maybe none of those guys end up looking that good next year at this time and we will be thrilled that the Browns took the chance on drafting the 28 year old QB.

[Globetrotter]

Bengals Great Draft....Who dey!