Draft Review

Usually this time of year I read fairly average to poor reviews of our draft.

I am still enjoying Mayock having to put his words on a plate, add a little humble pie and then eating them on CJ.

I am overall pleased with the draft and excited about the future, which is why I am chuffed with Rob Rang's Titans review:-

Tennessee Titans: A

Selecting Washington quarterback Jake Locker with the No. 8 overall pick -- and before Blaine Gabbert -- is being panned by virtually everyone. Not by me. Not only am I higher on Locker than most, I also love his fit in Tennessee's offense. Locker's mobility on the bootleg is an obvious complement to star Chris Johnson's deadly speed on the stretch play. Also, the Titans have the targets at tight end and a big-play wideout in Kenny Britt to take advantage of Locker's strong arm while on the move. Give Locker a year on the sideline to learn and he'll prove to be the star quarterback from this class. The Titans hardly stopped with Locker. They received excellent value throughout the rest of their draft. Linebackers Akeem Ayers and Colin McCarthy in the second and fourth rounds are future starters. So is defensive tackle Jurrell Casey, selected in the third round. The Titans added the power back they've been missing since LenDale White's dramatic fall from grace with Clemson's Jamie Harper, who is just as effective as a receiver as he is a runner. Add to this list a try-hard Iowa defensive lineman in Karl Klug, who could surprise, and one of the more intriguing developmental tackles in Byron Stingily (Louisville) and the Titans' class is easily among my favorites.

 

Id give this years class a C+. In my opinion it was a pretty average draft as usual. Not a lot of big names. Rather guys that the FO liked. Ayers was easily my favorite pick. Im not sure why many posters are so down on him. I especially liked how he said he would make the teams that passed on him wish they didn't. Nothing like playing with a chip on your shoulder.

I wont trash talk the Locker pick but I wont say " Franchise QB " yet either. His success really hinges on what kind of QB Munch wants him to be. If he wants him to play to his strengths and be a mobile passer then he should do just fine. If he wants him to be a pocket passer and its forced on him, well that's where I get worried. Locker is not a pocket passer by any means of the word and should not be forced to be. What I like about him is his work ethic. I just hope its enough to eventually bring this team back into contention.

 

Jake Locker will lead this team in a year and a half. His abilities to inspire those around him is a skill set that most of you naysayers are overlooking. He has the closest skill set to 9 that we have seen since Mac came into the league. Just watch the film NOT the stats!

 

I give it a B. The draft helped with our needs, other than OG. There was also other players that we could of at times. Obviously the coaching staff likes our current line, or plan on targets some FAs. If I was drafting I would of done this:

1st Round - Jake Locker
2nd Round - Akeem Ayers
3rd Round - Jurrel Casey
4th Round - Colin McCarthy
4th Round - Davon House (instead of Jamie Harper)
5th Round - Jamie Harper (instead of Karl Klug)
6th Round - Karl Klug (Byron Stingily)
7th Round - Mark Herzlich (Zach Clayton)
7th Round - Tommie Campbell

Basically, I think we could of waited on our 4th comp and our 5th round. Harper and Klug were protected to go way later. I think we should of went and gotten Davon House in Round 4. House was a 2nd round talent, has good size and speed. He could be our ATV of the '11 draft. I also thought we should of drafted Herzlich, he could of been good depth for the hybrid OLB position we're wanting to use.

 

Good post and that is the point with some of us. The value wasn't there and we took some players a round or two too early. Greg Jones to me would have been a LB we could have used a 2 time all american Mich state, that went in the 7 th round to the Giants. BTW the giants crushed it in this draft!

 

I'm going to have to give a B- for our draft...

Jake Locker - I love this pick, proabably my favorite draft choice ever and I've followed the Titans/Oilers since the early 80's. The anti-VY, I smile more and more the more I think about it. A+

Akeem Ayers - I didn't get the pick then and I still don't today. I feel he was a highly overrated prospect and he's terribly slow (4.86 combine) and doesn't seem to make open field tackles very well so I just don't see im fitting a 4-3 scheme. Now if we switch to a base 3-4, mixing in the 4-3 occasionlay then I'm on board with the pick because Ayers can really get to the quarterback. Until then, I'm not sold and feel we reached. C

Jurrell Casey - At frist I didn't know much about him but having watched some videos I like this pick more and more. B+

Colin McCarthy - I really like this pick as well, seems like he could fit into any defensive scheme so he give us some much need flexibiltiy and depth. The only thing that worries me a bit is hearing the staff keep referring to him as a good special teams player. I'd hope that a 4th round guy could be more than just a special teamer, I expect him to be starting on Sundays but I don't know if the staff sees him that way. B-

Jamie Harper - This is where our draft jumped the shark to me. This guy was a backup his whole career and a situational player. Considering all the other needs on this team I feel we could have waited on a RB, we proabably could have had Harper in the 6th round or as an undrafted free agent. He looks OK, but he was a reach plain and simple. D

Karl Klug - Never heard of him before our pick, so I was surprised. I've read some good stuff about him, but I can't seem to find any video. He can provide depth and may turn into something special. C+

Byron Stingily - Developmental O-lineman, seems to be drafted almost purely on measureables, no film on him either. C-

Zach Clayton - No film on him either, but I've read some encouraging things, this guy seem like he could be groomed to anchor a 3-4. C+/B-

Tommie Campbell - No clue on this guy, zero film. Strictly drafted on height/weight/speed. Has had some life issues, even the scouts say they took a flyer on this guy w/o knowing much about him. Cary Washburn anyone? D

Overall it seems like "versitility" was targeted over "best player avaiable". All the guys we took rounds 6-7 would have been undrafted free agents, so I'm not really jazzed with that. We get lower marks overall for not taking any offers to trade down, many of our picks would have been there later so there is no reason why we couldn't have traded down a couple times to pick up more picks. Once again, look at all the teams that traded down to pick up additonal picks... they cleaned house. As much as I'd love to give our draft a C+, I can't because of Locker, he made this entire draft for me.

 

Jurrell Casey, Colin McCarthy, and Tommie Campbell are guys that I really like.

As much as I watched Clemson, I didn't really think too much of Jamie Harper. But, we didn't draft him to be a 1,000 yard rusher, so I can see this being a decent pick. Hopefully this will show Ringer the door

Akeem Ayers - To me he is like a Politician, some like him and some don't. I guess if you talk to Pac 10 guys, I'm sure they will give us positive reviews about him. In my opinion, he is really nothing special from what I can see. I know there were a few teams that wanted him in the 1st, so apparently he has convinced alot of coaches.

Locker- The jury remains to be seen on this guy. I won't knock him, nor will I label him the next great. All I know is that I'll be rooting for him to succeed and I believe he has way more of a chance to succeed than fail.

Out of all these players, Colin McCarthy is the player I have watched play the most. I'm going out on the limb and saying he will be a starter in this league for many years to come. This guy was the best player on UM's defense last year in my opinion. He was all over the place, and has a motor like KVB. Extremely excited about this pick.

We needed to draft more SEC players though :0

 

I give us a B.

1. Locker: Maybe the next Brett Farve except with a zipped up fly...a really good guy...the anti-VY.
2. Ayers: Keith Bulluck clone?
3. Casey: Sumo wrestler who can tackle.
4. McCarthy: A. J. Hawk after a date with Delilah.
4. Harper: Bringing back a little Smash to go with Dash.
5. Klug: KVB lite "tweener" with an identical twin replacement.
6. Stingily: My Sting-i-ly, my Sting-i-ly, won't you play with my Sting-i-ly. Almost big enough to block without moving.
7. Clayton: Rocker's illegitmate son.
7. Campbell: Big ex-janitor with blazing speed, but will he show up for positional classes? I'm rooting for this guy.

 

Are you serious?

 

Maybe a little, but ability and size wise he is more like Dallas' Anthony Spencer.