The Official 2007 NFL Draft Thread

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Celeval

Looks like. Cowboys send 7th (#234) and 6th (#200) to Cleveland for 6th (#195).

Someone probably had to catch a plane.

[Celeval]

FWIW, that 6th rounder (#195) was the one Cleveland got FROM Dallas in the trade up to get Eric Wright. So that Eric Wright deal was actually:

Cleveland gets:
2nd round (#53) CB Eric Wright
6th round (#200) DE Melila Purcell
7th round (#234)

Dallas gets:
3rd round (#67) OT James Marten
4th round (#103) QB Isaiah Stanback
6th round(#178) K Nick Folk

[SFL Cat]

Dolphins' hilarity continues. They drafted a 350 lb. FB. from Hawaii in the 6th.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Logan

Interesting because Nolan hasn't even hesitated with sending "problem" players off the team. Let's hope that the new conduct policy caused the staff to do their research and decide that they want to stick with these guys. And I also work with a Thomas Clayton...he's a pretty nice guy.

Some more info on the "character problem" guys from Matt Maiocco's draft blog:

12:35 p.m.: By the way, Thomas Clayton is another player who took part in the Senior Bowl, where he carried eight times for 18 yards and caught two passes for 10 yards. He played on the Tampa Bay-coached North squad. Again, according to Pro Football Weekly, Clayton "started 4-of-5 games as a senior in '06 before a costly fumble, a knee injury and a poor relationship with the head coach left him inactive the remainder of the season." Clayton did not travel with the team to the Texas Bowl.

12:24 p.m.: The 49ers' first-round draft picks, Patrick Willis and Joe Staley, are scheduled to appear at a press conference today at 3 p.m. here at the 49ers' headquarters in Santa Clara.

12:13 p.m.: The 49ers selected Kansas State running back THOMAS CLAYTON with their final selection, No. 186. Clayton is a second cousin to former 49ers linebacker Julian Peterson. According to Pro Football Weekly's draft report, Clayton was suspended for the season opener in '06 after a conviction for misdemeanor aggravated battery. In Sept. '05, he struck a university parking official with his car while driving away from the employee, who was getting ready to put a wheel lock on his car, which had no license plate or VIN.

12:05 p.m.: A misdemeanor drug possession charge was dropped last week against 49ers draft pick Tarell Brown, the Dallas Morning News reported Friday. Brown was arrested March 22, one day after working out for NFL scouts. He was a passenger in a vehicle driven by his cousin, Christopher Hawkins. Authorities pulled over the vehicle for not having a front license plate, smelled marijuana and searched the vehicle, recovering .3 grams of marijuana, the paper reported. The marijuana was found on the driver side of the vehicle, but there was none on the passenger side of the car where Brown had been sitting. Brown missed the Ohio State game early in the season after being suspended after an incident in which he was charged with a misdemeanor for carrying drugs and weapons, as he was found with a loaded 9mm handgun and less than two ounces of marijuana. The marijuana charges were dropped. It's difficult to say how much these issues affected Brown's draft status. Coach Mike Nolan said the 49ers had him rated as a fourth-round pick. They chose him in the fifth round.

11:51 a.m.: Coach Mike Nolan said he is convinced that Tarell Brown is not a character risk, despite a couple recent brushes with the law. (And it turns out the 49ers did visit with Brown about three weeks ago at the 49ers' facility. The 49ers also sent someone to Texas last week to speak with Brown). Said Nolan, "We won't put character problem guys on our board. I don't believe he's a character problem. I think he made a couple poor choices but I do not see him as a poor character person. I think he has very good character."

[JeeberD]

Jordan Palmer's a Foreskin. Fucking great...

[Izulde]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

Jordan Palmer's a Foreskin. Fucking great...

Not been a good draft for you in that regard, huh?

[TazFTW]

w00t! Mel Purcell got drafted! Interesting that the three Hawaii players (Nate Ilaoa, Tala Esera, Dane Uperesa) that I heard had a chance of being Day 2 picks haven't been selected yet. Wonder if that bodes well for Leonard Peters getting picked.

[JeeberD]

Originally Posted by Izulde

Not been a good draft for you in that regard, huh?

Ah well, at least he'll get some PT at some point since Snyder can never decide who he wants as his starting QB.

[Izulde]

I hope Chris Leak gets picked. Yeah he probably won't do jack shit as an NFL QB, but he was one of my fave college players over the last few years.

[Logan]

If any NE guys want some insight on Justise Hairston, the RB you took in the 6th, I'd be happy to provide it after the Ranger game. I'm happy for the kid that he got drafted.

[TazFTW]

Yay, the Cowboys finally (I have no idea what position Stanbeck will play) draft a CB or WR with Courtney Brown CB, from Cal-Poly.

Compares To: Chris McAlister, Baltimore -- Brown has exceptional quickness and is a big cornerback with natural hands for the interception, but like McAlister he tends to like making open-field tackles or attacking the ball rather than play in run support. He has a developing frame with good strength, showing it well when jamming receivers, but is not an explosive tackler. He will bring good value in the nickel and dime packages, but needs to get more aggressive in run force.

[Logan]

That's a hell of a comparison for a 7th rounder.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Logan

If any NE guys want some insight on Justise Hairston, the RB you took in the 6th, I'd be happy to provide it after the Ranger game. I'm happy for the kid that he got drafted.

that'd be awesome, thanks

[General Mike]

What happened to Clark Harris?

[Logan]

Well the Rangers are heading into OT, so hopefully this can calm my nerves while I wait...

Anyway, Hairston transferred to Central Ct from Rutgers, where he had a ton of success as a true freshman. Had a breakout game against Navy where he went off for something like 160 yards and 4 TDs. Excellent size, runs with a lot power. Split carries with Brian Leonard and a couple other backs that year.

Came back as a sophomore and had a bunch of problems. He was still considered our starter, but Leonard was getting more carries, and other RBs were chewing into Hairston's time. Basically as a freshman, he seemed to be able to recognize holes and had excellent vision. For some reason all that seemed to go away. He started running much more upright and was going down a lot easier. And then there was the fumbling problems. He started putting the ball on the ground frequently, and a terrible fumble on the road against Syracuse while we were trying to ice the game seemed to seal his fate. He was never really trusted again, and his carries after that were minimal. His junior year he only played on kick coverage, so he transferred down for his senior season. Obviously he put up crazy numbers against inferior competition.

Like I said, he's a powerful guy but runs too upright. He's not fast and doesn't really have the moves to make people miss. I don't think there's a ton of potential that he'll be a small-school guy who gets a shot and makes it big. I'd be happy to be wrong about him though, as he's a really nice guy and I'm glad he's going to get a chance.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by General Mike

What happened to Clark Harris?

Ben Patrick is a guy that a lot of people had as the 3rd TE in the draft after Olsen and Miller, and he just went in the 7th. Don't think Harris will get taken, even though someone might take him for his long snapping ability.

[Thomkal]

Holy Crap. A player from Coastal Carolina's first ever recruiting class yields their first ever draft pick. QB Tyler Thigpen to Minnesota in the 7th round. Wow didn't think he'd be picked.

And yeah to the Cards for the TE pickup since Mel Kiper's been harping on him for four rounds now.

[TazFTW]

Nooooooooo, Nate Ilaoa is an Eagle.

[JeeberD]

I feel ya, Taz...

[Bearcat729]

Siler to the Chargers in the 7th round

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Bearcat729

Siler to the Chargers in the 7th round

I'm dying to know what happened to him. If the Niners didn't take Willis, he was a candidate for their 2nd or a lock for one of the 3rds.

[Logan]

Harris to GB. That's probably a great spot for him.

[stevew]

CAMERON STEPHENSON-OG Rutgers?

Player or not a player? I know like a billion of you guys went there. Sounds like a guy that if he can make the initial roster, and stay off of a practice squad, could pay dividends within a year or two. The Steelers really need o-line, so I'm hoping he sticks and works out.

[Izulde]

UW-Whitewater receiver went to the Rams in the 7th. Considering they absolutely dominated the WIAC this year and made it to the NCAA D-3 championship game, that's not a bad flyer pick at all, especially since from what I remember, Stanley was one of the top players on that team.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by stevew

CAMERON STEPHENSON-OG Rutgers?

Player or not a player? I know like a billion of you guys went there. Sounds like a guy that if he can make the initial roster, and stay off of a practice squad, could pay dividends within a year or two. The Steelers really need o-line, so I'm hoping he sticks and works out.

Whoops, sorry I forgot about him. Definite player. Our OL allowed the fewest sacks in the country and paved the way for one of the best ground attacks. He was an anchor on the line and basically came out of nowhere to do it. He was recruited for the line out of a JC, switched to DT a couple years ago when we were thin there, and then went back on the offensive side. He's still pretty raw, with a good OL coach and the time to learn and settle in (I would have loved to see what he could have done had he been kept on the OL the whole time) I think he could be a solid G or T. The Steelers were a great fit for him.

[Logan]

Quick rundown on Clark Harris for any GB fans...

He's a pure receiving TE. Can''t block for shit. Has some trouble with drops. That said, if he's concentrating he can be a weapon. Don't worry about his timed speed -- he plays faster. Plus, he got hurt in practices before the Senior Bowl and his 40 probably suffered. I think he can stick around as a situational TE (Doug Jolley comes to mind, but I'm not sure if that's a great comparison). But he's really a great long snapper and could have a long NFL career because of it.

[TazFTW]

Good decision to leave early, Darius Walker.

[Logan]

Unreal. But he's got to be the #1 UDFA target of a ton of teams.

[General Mike]

Originally Posted by Logan

Quick rundown on Clark Harris for any GB fans...

He's a pure receiving TE. Can''t block for shit. Has some trouble with drops. That said, if he's concentrating he can be a weapon. Don't worry about his timed speed -- he plays faster. Plus, he got hurt in practices before the Senior Bowl and his 40 probably suffered. I think he can stick around as a situational TE (Doug Jolley comes to mind, but I'm not sure if that's a great comparison). But he's really a great long snapper and could have a long NFL career because of it.

I don;t know if I'd say Harris is a great long snapper. I thought Ryan Neill was better as an LS, and I read a report that he was average compared to NFL LSs and could maybe fill in, in a pinch.

[Logan]

I can't recall one poor snap on a punt or FG, but of course I could be wrong.

[Fonzie]

Between whiffing on nearly every free agent available, somehow missing out on Moss, and their questionable draft I'd say the Packers have had one terrible offseason.

Maybe some drafted players will prove to be solid with time, but right now it appears the Packers haven't added anybody who can help Favre out on offense immediately. And that's a shame.

[Jas_lov]

If Harrel pans out they'll have a great front 7 for years. Jenkins, Pickett, Kampman, Harrel, and KGB on passing downs. LBs are strong with Barnett, Hawk, Poppinga, Hodge. Starting corners are decent but their safties are terrible and whenever they played a good passing team last year they got slaughtered like in the Patriots, Jets, Eagles, and the 1st Bears game when Grossman was hot.

I agree they haven't done much on offense and when they played the teams I mentioned above they did little or no scoring. They played a very easy schedule last year and have a brutual one this year- They play the AFC West and NFC East. Ted Thompson is building a good team for the future, but this year they'll probably struggle to get to 8-8 again.

[Bad-example]

Originally Posted by Logan

Some more info on the "character problem" guys from Matt Maiocco's draft blog:

Matt Miaocco is absolutely required reading for 49er fans. A great blog.

I think the 49ers did great on day one. Probably one of the top 2 or 3 drafts through the first three rounds. Sunday was much less clear, although they look like they could have a real steal in CB Tarell Brown. Getting Jackson from Seattle for a low 4th rounder looks like a bargain. I like the pick of Jason Hill in round three but I was really rooting for them to get James Jones from San Jose State, who ended up going to Green Bay a couple picks later. Overall, gotta give them a B+.

[Noop]

Dolphins suck. I can not get over the fact they wasted a top-10 pick on a punt returner. If these ass holes had any sense they would have traded down and got him much later in the draft.

[Castlerock]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Thats a bad move IMO for the Pats. I wouldn't want my team to go near Moss

I don't like this at all. I was totally in favor of the Corey Dillon deal but this sucks. I cannot cheer for Randy Moss. I don't care if they didn't have to give up anything and he played for zero salary.

Looks like I am the only one who thinks this though. Everyone thinks it's great. The only player I would be less happy about being a Patriot would be T.O.

[jeff061]

I just don't think that Moss is that bad of a guy. Never have. And he has tremendous upside.

[General Mike]

Originally Posted by Logan

I can't recall one poor snap on a punt or FG, but of course I could be wrong.

Being a LS isn't just about accuracy, it's about how quick you can get it back there too. That's why teams carry a guy who's sole job is long snapping.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by General Mike

Being a LS isn't just about accuracy, it's about how quick you can get it back there too. That's why teams carry a guy who's sole job is long snapping.

Again, I don't recall one blocked punt. Are there any times you can point out?

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by TazFTW

Good decision to leave early, Darius Walker.

I wonder who gave him the bad advice. Or maybe he just got tired of school and was ready to jump into the real world. Either way, bad decision on his part.

[Logan]

The reasons given at the time actually made some sense, and that was with the acknowledgment that he probably wouldn't be a high pick.

[timmynausea]

Originally Posted by Logan

Again, I don't recall one blocked punt. Are there any times you can point out?

Was Harris the long-snapper in '05? I remember WVU blocking a punt at Rutgers that year.

[TazFTW]

Three undrafted Hawaii players have signed deals. OT Tala Esera to the Dolphins, OT Dane Uperesa to the Bengals, and S Leonard Peters to the Jets. Here's to hoping they earn a roster spot.

[molson]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

I wonder who gave him the bad advice. Or maybe he just got tired of school and was ready to jump into the real world. Either way, bad decision on his part.

He'll make more money than he did last year. Maybe he was unhappy. I think that kind of decision is more complicated than how high someone is drafted, and how high they would have been drafted last year.

[miami_fan]

A quick scouting report for a couple of the former Hurricanes that did not get drafted but may end up getting signed tomorrow

Tyrone Moss RB- If his left knee ever recovers completely from a torn ACL, I think he can be a productive back in the league. Not a home run threat at all. Can be your power/short yardage back.

Ryan Moore WR- It is all about the mental side for him. The kid has the body and talent to be a starter in the NFL IMO. If your coaching staff can keep on him and getting him to compete hard on every down, I would put him up against any of the receivers taken after Calvin Johnson. Unfortunately, he is also a guy who could visit the Commissioner's office at some point.

[Young Drachma]

Jon Wendling out of Wyoming that Buffalo got in the 6th round was a fun player to watch, despite being mostly a special teams guy here. If he makes the team, he would be some of those guys that could be a integral contributor in small ways someday.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by General Mike

What happened to Clark Harris?

Good to see he got drafted, but it seems his stock has definitely dropped a lot from a year ago.

[Subby]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

Ah well, at least he'll get some PT at some point since Snyder can never decide who he wants as his starting QB.

Hey nice glass house.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by timmynausea

Was Harris the long-snapper in '05? I remember WVU blocking a punt at Rutgers that year.

Unless there was an injury, that was the aforementioned Ryan Neill.

[RPI-Fan]

Originally Posted by Bearcat729

Siler to the Chargers in the 7th round

I can't believe he fell so far. He was such a horse for UF. Size isn't really a problem, either -- he'd be fine as an OLB in a 4-3.

Also Ryan Smith from UF looked like a shutdown corner whenever I saw him, and he didn't go until the 6th round. But Siler's fall is really unbelievable to me.

[Galaril]

I am surprised that two pretty good running backs weren't drafted Darius Walker, Notre Dame and the Bosie State kid Ian Johnson who led the nation in scoring I believe.