We didn't get the #6 pick after all.
Nope, the boys from Cleveland were evidently just the 7th worst team in the league. The Colts and Titans draft ahead of us, surprisingly.
The draft itself proves to be surprisingly top heavy in safeties. And after I threw all that money at Mincy, too. Live and learn.
There's an excellent looking WR out of Tarleton State by the name of Jay Green. He may just be the best all around player in the draft, despite the fact that UCLA wideout Marc Barber has a higher current/future rating. I'd love to grab Green, but I doubt he'll drop out of the top 5.
As fate would have it, Barber and Green went 1-2, to the Chiefs and Titans. I now set my sights on RB Dixon Schrempf out of Ohio State. Again, he's not likely to last, despite the glut of talented safties available to tempt the CPU GMs.
Pittsburgh trades up to the #3 to select the 3rd of the three talented WRs that were available, and Buffalo selects DE Mitchell Glover out of Mizzou with the #4. The RB may fall after all.
As it turns out, he does. The top 6 selections have all been either WRs or DEs, meaning there's still quite a bit of talent on the offensive line and in the secondary. Certainly a much deeper draft this year.
I go ahead and select Schrempf with the #6 after much deliberation. With a scout rated poor in RB assessment, I hope it wasn't a mistake to use such a high pick on a back.
With my second pick, I select FB Lincoln Nixon. The chance to upgrade both of my backs in the same draft is just too good to pass up, though I have my eye on a couple of linemen for the next 2-3 rounds.
With my 3rd pick, I select the last remaining lineman on my 'want' list, Illinois DT Perry Petitgout. He should be a big upgrade for our run defense.
My 4th round pick is used to upgrade the LB corps, bringing in R.J. Warren from East Carolina. The knock on him is that he's a touch soft, but he'll give us some stability versus both the run and the pass.
I select Howard CB Terrell Walsh in the 5th round, giving me a Desmond Howard-type return threat. I have my eye on another safety in the 6th round who looks to be very similar to Howie Underwood. I wouldn't mind getting Underwood-type production from him.
He does in fact drop to the 6th round, allowing me to welcome Boston College safety John Stewart to the fold. I'm a little incredulous at my luck in getting two diamond-in-the-rough type safeties in consecutive years, but I suspect the absolute DEPTH in that position this year contributed.
My final pick is used to select Michigan TE Grant Parrish. For the first time since I can remember, all 7 picks have represented an upgrade to the players currently on the roster (not counting initial amateur drafts).
Post-draft signings to follow.
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