2010 NFL Draft: Breaking Down the NFC West
With this year’s draft in the books it is time to start looking at how each of the teams did. We already looked at the NFC East, NFC North, NFC South, AFC East, AFC North and the AFC South so now it is time to do the NFC West.
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals got a great value pick in Tennessee DT Dan Williams who was considered by most to be a top 15 prospect in this draft. Arizona has taken to playing more 3-4 fronts with Darnell Dockett lining up at end. Williams is considered by many to be the best all-around NT prospect in this draft. The Cards were merely adequate at NT and with Williams they get a dynamic player they were lacking at the position. While DT was not the Cards biggest need to fill, Williams was simply too good to pass up at 26.
The Cards got another good value pick with TCU linebacker Daryl Washington. Washington was considered by many to be a late first rounder so getting him at 47 was another coup for the Cards. He should line up opposite Joey Porter on the outside and gives the Cards a young LB who can drop back into coverage. The Cards needed a 3-down OLB and are getting one of the best in this draft.
Third round pick Andre Roberts (WR, Citadel) gives the Cardinals another option in the return game, and is expected to challenge Early Doucet for the #3 receiver role with Steve Breaston ascending to the #2 spot with the off season departure of Anquan Boldin.
Fourth round pick O’Brien Schofield saw his stock drop due to a knee injury suffered during practices for the Senior Bowl. He has good speed and specializes in getting after the quarterback. Schofield will likely serve as Joey Porter’s understudy and see the field as a pass rushing specialist until he is ready to start.
Fifth round pick, Fordham QB, John Skelton has arguably the strongest arm in this year’s class but is going to need a couple of years of seasoning before he is ready to play. Skelton is a developmental insurance policy in the event Matt Leinart does not pan out over the next couple of years.
Grade: B. They got two potential starters in Williams and Washington and two players who should be regular contributors in Roberts and Schofield. I would have liked to see them add some secondary depth and they still need to find someone to replace Karlos Dansby.
St. Louis Rams
Even though Sam Bradford (QB, Oklahoma) was only considered to be the third or fourth best player in this draft, depending on who you talked to, he was still the right pick to make for the Rams. Marc Bulger was not getting any younger and nobody is going to buy tickets to go see A. J. Feeley take snaps from under center. The Rams passed on the likes of Matt Ryan and Mark Sanchez the last two drafts and did not want to make the same mistake thrice. They needed someone to re-energize the fan base and Bradford should, at least, do that initially.
The Rams expect second round pick Rodger Saffold (OT, Indiana) to compete with Alex Barron for the starting right tackle job. Saffold is a strong prospect but one wonders, with so many needs, if the Rams should have looked at filling more pressing needs than tackle with the 33rd pick.
Third rounder Jerome Murphy (CB, South Florida) gives the Rams a corner with nice size, but does he have the speed to be able to turn and run with the league’s faster receivers? Given that Rams corners recorded zero interceptions last season Murphy should get a chance to win a starting job this summer.
Fourth round pick Mardy Gilyard (WR, Cincinnati) gives the Rams a guy who has a knack for making plays when he has the ball in his hands. The big question is whether his lack of elite speed will hamstring his play-making abilities in the NFL.
Fifth round pick Hall Davis (DE, Louisiana Lafayette) looks the part of a NFL DE and has the measurables teams look for at the position. He is a very raw prospect, but with some coaching he could turn into a steal.
Grade: B. Bradford and Saffold are expected to win starting jobs while Murphy will get the chance to win one. Gilyard should play and be a nice addition in the return game, however the Rams needed to try and land a potential #1 guy and not another complimentary guy. I also would have liked to see the Rams address the safety position as well.
San Francisco 49ers
The Niners opted to shore up their offensive line with their two first round picks. Top pick Anthony Davis (OT, Rutgers) is a potential boom or bust prospect. He has the talent to be a Pro Bowl caliber tackle for the next ten years. He also has a poor enough work ethic that he might be out of the league in two or three years. Davis will, at the very least, start at RT for San Francisco next season.
Mike Iupati (OG, Idaho) is likely to be the better player out of the gates between their two first round picks. He is a mauler that Head Coach Mike Singletary is going to love having on his team.
Second round pick Taylor Mays (S, USC) has first round ability but it never seemed to quite translate to the field last season. He has the physical tools to be a dominant player the question is whether he has the instincts and smarts to develop into a dominant player.
From a talent standpoint Navorro Bowman (OLB, Penn State) was great value pick for the Niners. Many had him rated as a fringe first round prospect who saw his stock drop a bit due to character concerns and questions about whether or not he will be able to hold up to the punishment of the NFL game. He is not expected to start right away for the Niners unless Takeo Spikes is no longer able to hold down the starting job.
Grade: B+. The Niners did well by getting four players who a lot of folks had rated as first round talents. Davis, Iupati, and Mays should all compete for starting jobs this year. Bowman could as well and should be a starter within a year or two. Would have liked to have seen them grab a potential starter at corner though as that was their most pressing need heading into the draft.
Seattle Seahawks
Pete Carroll and company made out fairly well in their first draft with the Seahawks. Seattle was thrilled to see the Redskins pass on Russell Okung and have him fall in their laps at #6. Okung was considered by most to be the most polished tackle prospect in this year’s draft. He gives the Seahawks a worthy successor to Walter Jones who recently announced his retirement from football.
With the 14th pick Seattle grabbed Texas safety Earl Thomas who is expected to give them a leader in the secondary that they have been missing for several years now. Thomas may not be the best at run support but he will give Seattle a play-making ball hawk in pass coverage.
Second round pick Golden Tate (WR, Notre Dame) is a potential play-maker for the Seattle at the receiver position. He is expected to challenge for the starting receiver job opposite T. J. Houshmandzadeh.
Cornerback Walter Thurmond (Oregon) could be a potential steal in the fourth round. He slipped due to never fully recovering from an early injury last season and potentially would have gone much higher. If he is fully recovered and healthy he could challenge for a starting job in the secondary this summer.
Fourth rounder E. J. Wilson (DE, UNC) should see time as an anchor at end on run downs. Wilson is a strong run defender but needs to develop more than a bull rush if he wants to be an every down lineman in the NFL.
Fifth round pick Kam Chancellor (S, Virginia Tech) has great size for a safety but lacks the top end speed to keep up with receivers in pass coverage. There is a strong possibility that the ‘Hawks will move him to OLB.
Tight end Anthony McCoy (USC) is a great pick up in the sixth round from a talent standpoint, but it seems unlikely he will see a lot of playing time with rising star John Carlson entrenched at the position for the foreseeable future. McCoy was considered by many to be a 2nd or 3rd round pick but saw his stock drop due to a positive drug test at the combine.
Grade: A. An overall strong draft for the Seahawks. They addressed some of their biggest needs and got three players who should start right away for them. They also got three players who could contribute as role players next season.
