Drafting the Best Player Available at a Position of Need

[Oviedo]

Mikey86: Was James Harrison playing injured?

James stopped coming around the locker room during media time, and even if he did he’s not the kind of guy to talk about injuries or make excuses. We know he gutted out the one game with the biceps bruise, but I don’t know if there was another injury or if that bruise lingered. I thought he played well, but he’s taking criticism around town, particularly on the radio, so he should respond with his most grueling off-season yet.

He might kill somebody next year....

Or at 31 years old hurt himself and be more prone to injury next year.

What happened to the optimist that used to post under your screen name?

He's still here. Just

[Jom112]

Mikey86: Was James Harrison playing injured?

James stopped coming around the locker room during media time, and even if he did he’s not the kind of guy to talk about injuries or make excuses. We know he gutted out the one game with the biceps bruise, but I don’t know if there was another injury or if that bruise lingered. I thought he played well, but he’s taking criticism around town, particularly on the radio, so he should respond with his most grueling off-season yet.

He might kill somebody next year....

Or at 31 years old hurt himself and be more prone to injury next year.

What happened to the optimist that used to post under your screen name?

He's still here. Just

If you need any help, Harrison will be 32 in May...

[HardlinerKC]

Ruthless, excellent topic and views expressed by all. Obviously, I can't join the discussion for the Steel options in the draft as you guys know far better than I in that realm plus you've covered myriad possibilities already.

I will contribute some thoughts though to the draft discussion:

Whether its NEED, BPA or BPA at position of NEED, I think teams sometimes, (Or in the Chief's case, OFTENtimes), outthink themselves. By that I mean, they have a plan going into the draft but as is the case with most drafts, surprises happen and a team finds themselves scrambling about for a Plan B strategy which usually happens when 'their guy' is picked just ahead of their slot.

So then we have the dreaded REACH for, usually, a guy of need which all too often turns into a bust. Because of this condition, I feel a team should take the BPA regardless of position or need. This, of course, pre-supposes that the team has done a credible job in evaluating the available talent pool which is another topic entirely.

Then, thanks to Chief's GM Pioli, there's another category: The GM's vision or profile of a player he wants. A little complicated but last year's #3 overall pick of DL Tyson Jackson is a prime example of this in that, "He allows us to play the way we want", to quote the KC GM. Result? About the same as a REACH with the same outcome in TJack's rookie season, read, UNimpressive.

Summing up, if the evaluation of the talent pool is sound, then the best strategy is to stay true to your board and take the top rated guy when your turn comes and it matters not what position he plays. This, coming from a Chief's fan who has suffered through too many mediocre or bad drafts the past several seasons.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Well, your boys pick #5, Hardliner. Hopefully the Rams and/or Redskins feel the need to draft a QB ahead of you so that one of the top 4 guys falls. I think both of the DT's at the top of the draft, Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy, could play 3-4 DE on the next level. Either would look good opposite Tyson Jackson, but you may not want to spend a top 5 pick on a 3-4 DE two years in a row (I think both of those guys will be gone in the top 3, so I don't think you need to worry about that). Russell Okung is an elite tackle who would be a good complement opposite Brandon Albert (or possibly to push Albert back inside where he played at UVa when Brian Waters hangs 'em up). And Eric Berry is a potentially dominating ball-hawking free safety in the Ed Reed mold. Hopefully the Rams or Redskins fall for Clausen or Bradford and you can draft one of those 4 guys I just mentioned.

[HardlinerKC]

Well, your boys pick #5, Hardliner. Hopefully the Rams and/or Redskins feel the need to draft a QB ahead of you so that one of the top 4 guys falls. I think both of the DT's at the top of the draft, Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy, could play 3-4 DE on the next level. Either would look good opposite Tyson Jackson, but you may not want to spend a top 5 pick on a 3-4 DE two years in a row (I think both of those guys will be gone in the top 3, so I don't think you need to worry about that). Russell Okung is an elite tackle who would be a good complement opposite Brandon Albert (or possibly to push Albert back inside where he played at UVa when Brian Waters hangs 'em up). And Eric Berry is a potentially dominating ball-hawking free safety in the Ed Reed mold. Hopefully the Rams or Redskins fall for Clausen or Bradford and you can draft one of those 4 guys I just mentioned.

Astute Ruthless, as usual. Right now, as in RIGHT now, before the Combine and individual workouts, the guys you mentioned have to be in the mix as to the BPA in the top 5. Actually, I think McCoy may prove to be a better DT than Suh but that's just idle speculation on my part with no empirical evidence to back it. at least for now.

Also, it's interesting to note that if the Chiefs go Dline, it should be a NT as Dorsey started to come on at the end of the 2009 season and was stopping the run with regularity. McCoy could probably fill that role and thus fulfill Pioli's 'Vision/profile' of the player he covets. Another guy would be ILB McClain from 'Bama who they might get with a trade down to about 9 or 10 and pick up some needed additional picks.


I agree that Okung makes sense but probably TOO much sense for Pioli. I also don't think Berry is all that., having seen a few UT games this past season, the guy is too inconsistent for my tastes and doesn't show himself a reliable tackler. I don't think the Rams are smart enough to take a QB and Shanarat will most likely keep Campbell for his latest reclamation project. Here's my prediction on the first 5 picks as of today (subject to change):

1- Rams: Suh
2-Lions- McCoy
3-Tampa- Berry
4- Skins-Okung
5- Chiefs-TRADE DOWN...anyone? Anyone? Buhler??.... No trade? McClain