[Chief Rum]

Arizona's Draft

Here's my draft, pick by pick. The first two numbers are the round and the pick within the round. The bolded number in parentheses is the overall place of the pick in the draft. The unbloded parentheses following the name is my scout's current/future potential ratings for the player.

1/3 (3) RB Shane Muncy, North Carolina (64/66) As I have said before, I had my eye on Muncy from the very beginning. He looks to be exactly the sort of running back I am looking for. He's a big workhorse back who puts a bruising ont he defense trying to stop him. Furthermore, he will be one of the league's best the second he steps on the field, because he is just about fully developed. It's not too often that you can pick a guy and watch him automatically become one of the top ten best at his position right after he is drafted. Of course, this is just based on what my scout tells me. I won't know what I actually get until I signt he guy.

2/3 (35) WR Hugh Wagner, Boston College (32/58) I don't feel wide receiver is really a position of need at the moment, but I really felt that Wagner was the best player available to me at this point. In the mock draft, I had him as a late first rounder. He's tall (6'4"), fast (4.43 40) and his best quality is avoiding drops, another way of saying the guy has good hands. He's also low risk, with just 22% volatility. While he won't ever rate among the best at most receiver skills, he looks to be solid at just about everything and, I believe, has starting talent in the not too distant future. He should be an excellent #3 WR and likely eventually supplant Jason McAddley in that role, behind starters Anquan Boldin and Bryant Johnson.

3/3 (67) FB Byron Alston, Oregon (42/65) I had no idea the best fullback in this draft would still be available to me in the third round. I decided to jump on a guy that, if my scout is right, looks like he could be a Pro Bowl candidate in the future. For now, he will make an excellent backup to James Hodgins. I shouldn't have to worry too much if Hodgins goes down now. Alston has some problems holding onto passes thrown his way, but he looks like an excellent blocker, a fine inside runner and also a very good receiver outside of his drops problem.

3/26 (90) C Edwin Bensen, Oregon State (24/58) This was the pick I received from the Cowboys last year for DE Dennis Johnson. I think I was able to put it to good use, as Bensen looks like he has starter talent. He will never be as good as the guy he is playign behind in Pete Kendall, but maybe one day if Kendall's salary demands become ridiculous (and you know they will someday), Bensen will be a nice insurance policy. Until then, he should be a solid backup. He is effective in both phases of the game, has good blocking strength and holds up well. He is even a good long snapper. He will probably be a better run blocker than pass blocker.

4/3 (99) OLB Mo Hutchins, Indiana (20/47) I picked up Hutchins as one of the best of the remaining outside linebackers to serve as a possible heir apparent on the weak side. The problem is that he is probably more of a strong side type of linebacker who happens to play the weak side. I did the best I could--there weren't any realy good natural weak siders left. Hutchins is very strong in run defense and looks like to be a solid pass rusher. He seems to lose a lot in pass defense, though, and I shouldn't ask him to play any man defense. His lack of solid pass coverage skills is the primary reason I am not sure if he will be well suited to the job I have him slated for. I guess we'll just have to see.

5/3 (131) CB Winston Burton, Miami (Fl) (16/40) Burton is a little guy (5'8") and he has his flaws, as you might expect from a fifth rounder. He isn't particularly agile, and he is never going to be a world-beater in any of his defensive skills. He seems to have no nose for picking off the ball whatsoever. But the guy is a smart player who diagnoses plays very well and he hits hard when he reaches the ballcarrier. He has very even pass defense skills, and while none of them are all-pro levels, they are all at competent levels. He may or may not one day be capable of starting, but he definitely looks capable of being a solid nickel or dime corner some time in the next few years.

6/3 (163) FS Ellis Klingler, Towson State (13/37) I liked Klingler's look and the consistency of his ratings. He is a guy rated as a potential sleeper pick. He's a bit on the small side (5'10", 187 lb), is pretty lost in run support, and isn't good at intercepting the ball. But he is as good as most corners at defending the pass, he's a heady player who diagnoses plays well, and despite his small stature, he hits very hard. I'm not sure Klingler is ready to be part of the four-man rotation, so I will probably look for a free agent to handle those duties this year. Klingler looks like he can contribute in the future, though.

7/3 (195) TE Warren Burroughs, Penn State (25/48) This may go down as a rather bitter pick, although for all I know, Burroughs could end up very good. I didn't expect to find much quality down this way, so I was just looking for anything quality at a position I could use. I still needed a third tight end, and Burroughs had some nice skills for a seventh rounder. He is a terrific blocker (if not particularly strong), and he also had good receiving skills, including good ability avoiding drops and getting downfield. He isn't all that courageous and doesn't adjust to the bal well at all, and he might have fumbling problems. Like most seventh rounders, he is clearly a potential hit or miss. What makes it bitter is that it came down to him and this tackle out of Texas A&M named Rod Kiddoo. Kiddoo looked very good for a seventh rounder, with potential high marks in both blocking phases and in blocking strength. His big issue was a potentially nonexistent endurance rating. Lookign back now, I don't know why I picked Burroughs over Kiddoo. Maybe it was because Burroughs played a position at which I still had a potential hole open. As I noted, tackle was a logjam. All I know is when I came out of the draft, Kiddoo--a seventh round pick by the Falcons some 17 selections after me--actually made the Green Page, and looked really good. Damn.

Overall, I would grade this draft as very solid, even being modest. And that is including choosing Burroughs over Kiddoo. Imagine what it could have been. Burroughs may not have been the best pick, and Muncy, as a need pick, may or may not have been the guy I should have picked (although I certainly don't regret the move). But every other move int he first 4-5 rounds was unquestioanbly a solid move in my mind. Including Muncy, there are, IMO, five solid potential starters in my class, with Muncy, Wagner and Bensen having All-Pro potential some day.

CR