I still think we pull off a trade,

[DanTheFootballFan]

I think we will continue to shop DFALL, but I think TD will be unable to recieve value commiserate with a talent like DFall, given the mix of 21's attitude and our now seeming desperation to get rid of him (given Hall's public comments about refusing to stay in ATL).

However, I still see us trading down in the first round, most likely with Cincy to #9, I think, and pick up thier second this year and a third next year for the trouble. Cincy finds itself in need of a DT again, with the failed physical by Dwayne Robertson whom the Bengals acquired earlier this week from the Jets. Moving up to 3 would ensure them a shot at either Dorsey or Ellis, the top 2 DT's in the draft. Madieu Williams' defection to the Vikes might encourage Cincy to consider Kenny Phillips with the 9th pick, but I think their coaching staff feels a 'win-now' attitude that would be better served with a top notch DT.

If we could pull this trade off, and Sign Maurice Williams (OT), then I would hope that our draft would look something like this:

1. Chris Williams, OT

2. Dre Moore, DT

2. Jonathan Goff, ILB

2. Andre Woodson, QB

3. Red Bryant, DT

4. Brad Cottom, TE,

4. Kevin O'Connell, QB

5. Mike Fladell, OG

6. Brian Johnston, DE

7. Brandon Cotou, PK

7. Fernando Velasco, C/OG

Rookie Free Agents:

-Kelim Johnson, FS; James Blair, OG; Brandon Miller, DE; Marcus Howard, DE; Amarri Jackson, WR; Jayson Foster, KR/WR; Thomas Brown, RB,

WRx:White, Horn, Jennings

TE: Hartsock, Milner, Cottam

RT: Williams, Weiner

RG: Clabo, Quarterman

C: Datish, Velasco

LG: Blalock, Fladell

LT: Williams, Weiner, Foster (Practice squad, recovering torn ACL)

WRz: Robinson, Jenkins,

QB: Redman, Woodson, Shockley, O'Connoll (practice squad).

FB: Mugheli, McCintire

RB: Turner, Norwood, Snelling

LE: Anderson, Davis

DT: Babineaux, Moore, Lewis(IR)

DT: Jackson, Bryant, Lewis(IR)

RE: Abraham, Johnston

BLB: Boley, ?

MLB: Goff, Taylor

WLB: Brooking, Nicholas

LCB: Houston, Irons, Grimes

SS: Milloy, Stone

FS: Coleman, Hutchins, Williams (gotta try and find a way to allow him to contriute, if he can, he is a recent 2nd round pick)

RCB: Hall, Williams(see above), Hutchins

P: Koenen

K: Cotou

KR/PR: D. Hall, Jennings, Norwood

What do you think?:w00t:

[etherdome]

devans, that was very well thought out. It could happen. I would like to add Micah Andrews to the rookie free agent list. I think he fits better than Brown.

[mr pickle]

I like the idea of the trade, I just don't care for the value there at 9....The elite players are gone, unless Clady slips. I like Chris Williams alot. I just don't see him as a top 10 kind of guy. I can't get excited about taking him at 9. For us to drop that much talent(and it is a significant gap between Dorsey, Ellis, Longs, Gholston and Chris Willaims), I'd want more than a 2nd and 3rd next year. Give us their 3rd this year too. I really don't like giving up Ellis or Dorsey, IMO. That's a very steep price to pay.

[DanTheFootballFan]

I agree mr. pickle, and maybe Clady is the better option. I think he will still be there at 9, but the questions about his technique and experience present a little bit of a 'bust' label, something I have not heard said about Williams. CW has been said to be the best LT in the draft, marginally better technique wise than Sam Baker (prolly the best pass blocking OT in the draft), and solid on experience as a multi-year starter in the SEC. I hate to sound like I'm bashing the other conferences, but the pass rush week in and week out in the SEC is tremendous, and Williams allowance of only 2 sacks the past two seasons is unbelievable. Vandy is a pretty balanced offensive ball club, so its not like he was only pass-blocking 10 or 15 times a game. I'm pretty sure they averaged 20-25 pass attempts a game, and Williams just down right shut down the pass rushing RE's he played against every week. I see him as a serious riser over the course of the next 7-8 weeks, gaining momentum as more teams interview and hold private workouts with him.

If we bring in Maurice Williams, we definately need to bring in someone else to play LT (Williams will play either RT or RG). Long seems like a solid option, but not remarkably better than the selection of Chris Williams or Clady when coupled with the additional value of moving down in the 1st to acquire more picks. TD has nearly maxed out his FA budget, so the rest of our holes will have to be filled thru the draft, making extra picks all the more valuable.

I agree there is a 'percieved' drop off of talent between 3 and 9, but the talent at 9 still fits our needs very well. Dorsey and Ellis would be the most appealing to us in that range.

I personally do not believe that either is the best choice for ATL's defense. As i have stated in a previous post, much of the scheme of Smith's zone-oriented pass defense while in Jacksonville relied upon big, tall D-Linemen using their long arms to keep linemen off them in the running game and to interrupt passing lanes by swatting at QB's pass attempts (see the new DL Coach's article on the homepage). The big 3 DT's in this draft (Dorsey, Ellis and D. Balmer [sp?]) do not fit this prototypical 6'2"-6'6" size with good wingspans, and Ellis, my personal fave, showed an unbelievable lack of explosiveness at the combine.

We definately need to add a defensive tackle to the mix, maybe two, this offseason. Babs and Lewis, if and when healthy, are the only locks at the DT position, with both most likely to stay at the UT position in some sort of rotation. My vote, as my mock suggests, is for Dre Moore (6'4" explosive DT from Maryland) and Red Bryant (6'3" 320 NT from Texas A&M) along with a FA signing of Grady Jackson, whose family still lives in ATL, and who played for this same coaching staff for much of last season. His inability to play extensive minutes (though he still seems very effective when he is in there) would probably lower his $-requirement, aided by the fact that contract negotiations would prolly not include McKay or any of the other officials from last season that Jackson had issues with. :hehe:

[brooking/beast]

Man thats the worst mock ever. Cootom is a 7th round or a UFA. 2 Qbs what are you insane. Cotou will be gone by the 7th

[scott24falcs]

grendel (3/6/2008)

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brooking/beast (3/6/2008)

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Man thats the worst mock ever. Cootom is a 7th round or a UFA. 2 Qbs what are you insane. Cotou will be gone by the 7th

Cottam is a 3rd or 4th rounder and rising. Coutu is as likely to be there in the 7th as not.

Do some research before you criticize others.

Cottam is working his way into the 2nd/3rd range now, but you're right.

[goosedaddy70]

I like the move down but I agree with some of the others that Chris Williams is not much of a value pick there.

I also don't like the Woodson pick. I really think he will be a bust.

The rest is pretty good. And I agree that Coutu won't be drafted. He can be picked up as an UDFA.

[papikaika]

IMO, Marcus Howard isn`t going to be an undrafted rookie free agent.

[DanTheFootballFan]

In support of Cottom, here's what Walterfootball.com has to say about him:

Brad Cottam, Tennessee

Height: 6-7. Weight: 270.

Projected 40 Time: 4.68.

Combine 40 Time: 4.68.

Benchx225: 24. Vertical: 33.

Projected Round: 2-3.

Brad Cottam ran a really impressive 40 at his size and looked fluid in the drills.

A monstrous tight end with decent size, Brad Cottam could be the best blocker at his position in this class.

Depth can be a good thing, Hartsock being effective but no game changer, and Millner, the only questionable draft choice from a year ago, being unproven at BEST, and sucking like he did at UGA at worst, why not take a mid round flyer on a guy with great measurables and a style of game that fits what our team is going to need out of that position. (Its not gonna matter how many balls Cottom can catch right away, so long as he proves to be the dominant blocker alot are making him out to be).

As a UGA fan, I direct you to any of the last two Dawg games against UT and you'll see Cottom blocking the likes of Charles Johnson, Queintin Moses, Jeff Owens, Marcus Howard and Daniel Ellerbee (a frosh who will be a future star in the NFL).