2008 Draft Quick View

[Merk]

2008 draft May Pre view


***All players are listed in no specific order***

QB

- Brian Brohm (http://www.buffalorange.com/showthread.php?t=94787), Louisville (S)
- Colt Brennan, Hawaii (S)
- John David Booty, USC (S)
- Matt Ryan, BC (S)
- Eric Ainge, Tenn (S)
- Sam Keller, Nebraska (S)
- Nate Longshore, Cal (J)
- Chad Henne, Michigan (S)
- Daniel Chase, Missouri (J)
- Ben Olsen, UCLA (J)
- Bobby Reid Oklahoma State(J)

Quick View: Not a bad group, Brohm and Brennan are the top 2 and should battle it out all year to see who will be the first QB off the board and JDB might give them a run for there money. Like every year a Junior QB will separate himself from the pack and throw his hat into the ring if he declares to be the first QB off the board. I think most have Longshore slotted as the fav for that but I like Chase from Missouri. Keep an eye out for B.Reid he could be the next slash type QB to enter in the draft


RB

- Darren McFadden, Arkansas (J)
- Steve Slaton, West Virginia (J)
- Mike Hart (http://www.buffalorange.com/showthread.php?t=94893), Michigan (S)
- Ray Rice, Rutgers (J)
- James Davis, Clemson (J)
- Brandon Ore, Virginia Tech (S)
- Tashard Choice, Georgia Tech (S)
- Dantrell Savage, Oklahoma State (S)
- Amir Pinnix, Minnesota (S)
- Chauncy Washington, USC (S)
- Justin Forsett, Cal (S)
- Jamaal Charles, Texas (J)
- Ian Johnson, Boise State (J)
- Johnthan Stewart, Oregon (J)
- Andre Brown, NC State (J)
- Tyrell Sutton, Northwestern (J)
- Marlon Lucky, Nebraska (J)
- Brad Lester, Auburn (J)
-Yvenson Bernard, Oregon State (S)
- Felix Jones, Arkansas (J)
- Thomas Brown, Georgia (J)

Quick View: Loaded in a word, the group has a chance to be the best RB class ever if most of the juniors declare. McFadden will headline the group of juniors if he declares. He is the early favorite to be the first one off the board in 08 and I along w/ many others view him as the best player regardless of position in next year’s draft. The top seniors in the group are Mike Hart from Michigan and Brandon Ore from Virginia Tech


WR

- Early Doucet, LSU (S)
- Mario Manningham, Mich, (J)
- DJ Hall, Alabama (S)
- Adarius Bowman, Oklahoma State (S)
- Andre Caldwell, Florida (S)
- Mario Urrutia (http://www.buffalorange.com/showthread.php?t=102800), Louisville (J)
- Marcus Monk, Arkansas (S)
- DeSean Jackson, Cal (J)
- Patrick Turner, USC (J)
- Jaison Williams, Oregon (J)
- Derrick Williams, Penn State (J)
- Limas Sweed, Texas (S)

Quick View: Pretty good class. Not as junior dependant as 07 but doesn’t have a CJ amongst the group either. My favorite seniors among the group are DJ Hall and Early Doucet. For Juniors I like D.Jackson from Cal and Manningham from Mich. Should be a pretty good race for the whole year to see who is the top WR off the board in 08

TE

- Martin Rucker, Missouri (S)
- Travis Beckum, Wisconsin (J)
- John Carlson, Notre Dame (S)
- Martellus Bennett, Texas A&M (J)
- Chase Coffman, Missouri (J)
- Fred Davis, USC (S)
- Shawn Nelson, Southern Miss (J)
- DajLeon Farr, Miami (J)

Quick View: Kind of a weak class right now but I’m sure a couple will separate themselves as the year goes along. Fred Davis and Beckman are the two that I like

T

- Jake Long (http://www.buffalorange.com/showthread.php?t=94982), Michigan (S)
- Alex Boone, Ohio State (J)
- Sam Baker (http://www.buffalorange.com/showthread.php?t=94979), USC (S)
- Jared Gaither, Maryland (J)
- Kirk Barton Ohio State (S)
- Michael Oher Mississippi (J)
- George Robinson, Oklahoma (J)
- Barry Richardson, Clemson (S
- Gosder Cherilus, Boston College (S)
- Tony Hills, Texas (S)
- Ryan Clady, Boise State (J)
- Lyndon Murtha, Nebraska (J)
- Max Unger, Oregon (J)

Quick View: Outside of RB is probably the deepest position in the 2008 draft. The top LT prospect in the group is Sam Baker from USC and the top RT prospect along with being my personal top ranked prospect of the group is Jake Long from Michigan


IOL

G
- Will Arnold, LSU
- Jordan Grimes, Purdue
- Roy Schuening, Oregon State
- Shannon Tevaga, UCLA

C
- John Sullivan, Notre Dame
- Doug Legursky, Marshall
- Trevor Rees, Northwestern
- Tony Brinkhaus, Minnesota

Quick View: I’m only doing seniors for this position because they guys tend to stay the full four years. The top guy of the group in my opinion is Will Arnold from LSU. He’s the only guy I can see going in the first right now. Grimes is borderline first. The Centers are pretty weak and I expect that to be an open competition all year for first off the board. Someone usually separates themselves


DE’s

- Lawrence Jackson (http://www.buffalorange.com/showthread.php?t=95071), USC (S)
- Chris Long, Virginia (S)
- Derrick Harvey Florida (J)
- Bruce Davis, UCLA (S)
- Tyson Jackson, LSU (J)
- Chris Ellis, Virginia Tech (S)
- Vernon Gholston, Ohio State (J)
- Quentin Groves, Auburn (S)
- Tommy Blake, TCU (S)
- Calais Campbell, Miami (J)
- Brian Orakpo, Texas (J)
- Matt Shaughnessy, Wisconsin (J)


Quick View: Pretty Deep senior class. Most have Jackson as the top Senior DE on the board. I like Tommy Blake myself. Overall this has the potential to be a good class w/ some good prospect top to bottom



DT’s

- Glenn Dorsey (http://www.buffalorange.com/showthread.php?t=95124), LSU (S)
- Frank Okam, Texas (S)
- Fili Moala, USC (J)
- Marcus Harrison, Arkansas (S)
- Roy Miller, Texas (J)
- Marlon Favorite, LSU (J)
- Sedrick Ellis, USC (S)
- DeMario Pressley, North Carolina State (S)
- Jeff Owens, Georgia (J)

Quick View: Decent class, a little top heavy. Dorsey is the clear top 3 tech DT going into the 07 season while Okam is about as close to Casey Hampton as you are going to find. He is the 08 class top run stuffer

LB

- Vince Hall (http://www.buffalorange.com/showthread.php?t=95132), Virginia Tech (S)
- Jasper Brinkley, South Carolina (S)
- John Goff, Vandy (S)
- Rashad Bobino, Texas (J)
- Curtis Lofton, Oklahoma (J)
- Dan Connor, Penn State (S)
- Keith Rivers, USC
- Ali Highsmith, LSU (S)
- Brian Cushing, USC (J)
- Geno Hayes, Florida State (J)
- Erin Henderson, Maryland (J)
- Sean Lee, Penn State (J)
- Xavier Adibi (http://www.buffalorange.com/showthread.php?t=95131), Virginia Tech (S)
- Brian Toal, Boston College (S)
- Philip Wheeler, Georgia Tech (S)
- Robert Killebrew, Texas (S)
- James Laurinaitis, Ohio State (J)
- Ray Maualuga, USC (J)
- Antonio Clay, Clemson (J)


Quick View: Pretty good overall class. Could be pretty deep if some juniors declare. Even if they don’t the seniors make up a pretty good class. LB usually are the class that has a lot of movement as the year goes along. Wheeler, Adibi, Rivers, Hall, Connor and Laurinaitis are my favorites of the group




CB

- Paul Oliver, Georgia (S)
- DeJuan Tribble, Boston College (S)
- Aquib Talib, Kansas (J)
- Dwight Lowery, San Jose State (S)
- Kevin Thomas, USC (J)
- Randy Phillips, Miami (J)
- Antoine Cason (http://www.buffalorange.com/showthread.php?t=95256), Arizona (S)
- Jake Ikegwuonu, Wisconsin (J)
- Terrell Thomas, USC (S)
- Joe Burnett, Central Florida (J)
- Chevis Jackson, LSU (S)
- Justin King, Penn State (J)
- Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State (J)


Quick View: Pretty good group again for the 08 class. Cason leads the senior group and is most often compared to A.Winfield. The Junior Group is also good and is headline by Justin King from PSU and Malcolm Jenkins from OSU. I tend to lean towards Jenkins because of OSU track record of DB’s in the NFL but some like King better because he may it has been reported he runs in the 4.2’s


S

- Kenny Phillips, Miami (J)
- Jonathan Hefney, Tennessee (S)
- Carlton Williams, South Florida (J)
- Darien Williams, Oklahoma (S)
- Quintin Demps, UTEP (S)
- Courtney Greene, Rutgers (J)
- Nic Harris, Oklahoma (J)
- Tom Zbikowski, Notre Dame (S)
- Josh Barrett, Arizona State (S)
- Josh Pinkard, USC (J)
- Jamar Adams, Michigan (S)
- Michael Hamlin, Clemson (J)
- Jamarca Sanford, Mississippi (J)


Quick View: Kind of a weak Senior Group right now especially at SS. Demps and Darien Williams are the only 2 seniors I have low 1st round grades on. K.Phillips the junior from Miami is the best S on the board if he declares. He stood out in every game I saw him play in. Zbikowski is the most overrated of the S and I only have a 4th round grade on him but I’m sure you will here his name elsewhere

[Merk]

-Overall its shaping up to be a pretty deep draft class. Much deeper than 07

-Tackle and RB are the early favorites to be the deepest w/ the S and C posistion likely the thinnest but a lot can happen between now and next April

-I'll have my full preview in Aug

[admarc]

and it begins :D

[Callaway]

Damn that was fast. I'll kick off the debate, Rivers is the best LB in this draft Period

[jaymitch84]

My prediction: the RB class is NOT going to be as highly touted by next February as it is right now.

[Mouldsie]

back on my cal bandwagon with Desean

[emo]

My prediction: the RB class is NOT going to be as highly touted by next February as it is right now.

there is not as much incentive to staying, for two reasons one if a say 5 or six stay then you're competeing agianst those 5 or 6 next draft,a dn there is the threat to get injured, and goodson and spiller will be juniors adding serious depth to the 09 class as well

[jaymitch84]

there is not as much incentive to staying, for two reasons one if a say 5 or six stay then you're competeing agianst those 5 or 6 next draft,a dn there is the threat to get injured, and goodson and spiller will be juniors adding serious depth to the 09 class as well

Even if every junior intends to declare...

- Injuries
- Mediocre campaigns
- People paying attention to weaknesses now that they are heading towards the NFL, as opposed to looking at just strengths when they were simply college football players and nothing more

And what happens if, for example, Mike Hart shows up to the combine and runs a 4.6? Boom, not as good any more, ignoring everything he has done up to that point.

Scouts are vicious.

[rockvegas55]

Damn that was fast. I'll kick off the debate, Rivers is the best LB in this draft Period

I think Dan Connor and Jasper Brinkley are both better than him!Hell I think Brian Cushing is beter than him.

[Bflojohn]

I'd be interested Merk in your opinion on the DT from Florida State, Fluellen? I watched him a little bit last year and he impressed me. Just a heads up because IMHO he can play at the next level. It also seems that FSU grads never pan out ala Broderick Bunkley (too early though!) and Jamal Reynolds, as examples! Another that comes to mind is Alphonso Carriker back in the day with Green Bay.....

[Merk]

I'd be interested Merk in your opinion on the DT from Florida State, Fluellen? I watched him a little bit last year and he impressed me. Just a heads up because IMHO he can play at the next level. It also seems that FSU grads never pan out ala Broderick Bunkley (too early though!) and Jamal Reynolds, as examples! Another that comes to mind is Alphonso Carriker back in the day with Green Bay.....


I think hes a borderline first dayer right now



I really didnt watch him all that much during FSU games because I was watching Davis and Timmons but I did write down a few things on him so I must have noticed him


I had that he looked quick off the ball and he seems to make a most of his tackles at the LOS


Not much but we'll keep an eye out for him this year

[Callaway]

I think Dan Connor and Jasper Brinkley are both better than him!Hell I think Brian Cushing is beter than him.



:rofl: wait :rofl: Rivers is the best player and the leader of the defense that will be in and win the BCS championship game this year and put on a clinic against Michigan about how to play LB. Sorry the only one close, outside of Cushing who is great but not as good as Rivers, you mentioned was Conner and even he aint close

[emo]

:rofl: wait :rofl: Rivers is the best player and the leader of the defense that will be in and win the BCS championship game this year and put on a clinic against Michigan about how to play LB. Sorry the only one close, outside of Cushing who is great but not as good as Rivers, you mentioned was Conner and even he aint close

I think this could be the bcs game, though a long lay off and lloyd carr can make a good defense look great.

though rivers is excellent. I like maleleuga(sp?) whoever drafts him will need a scrawny kid for him to wail on

[Merk]

I tell ya, keep an eye on those VT LB's


Vince Hall has great instincts and Xavier Adibi is a playmaker on the outside. Both are smart aggressive players and Adibi is a good athlete

[Merk]

back on my cal bandwagon with Desean


lol

[GoSabres3]

I reealy like D.J Hall from Alabama, I watched some games last year and the guy is great he is so athletic and makes some great catches.

[rockvegas55]

I tell ya, keep an eye on those VT LB's


Vince Hall has great instincts and Xavier Adibi is a playmaker on the outside. Both are smart aggressive players and Adibi is a good athlete

I agree . I like Adibi more than Hall but they are both very good. Adibi is about as fast as any lineback that I have seen in awhile. And call me crazy but I like Connor over POZ,AND I LOVE POZ!!!!

[unklechucky]

Nice job Merk

I may be biased, ok not may be...I am.

Can't wait to see how Henne, Hart, Long and Manningham pan out.

[Callaway]

My intrest has been peaked by the talk of Xavier Adibi. I dont watch many Tech games but I'll check a couple out now

[Losman791]

the michigan thrww henne manningham and hart are going to be great in the nfl my fav is hart but manningham will be the best

[1968_bills_fan]

We will have all of our picks and an extra 6th and 7th round pick?