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2008 NFL Draft Open Thread

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The 2008 NFL Draft gets under way in 30 minutes. We'll provide updates as Longhorns are drafted. Limas Sweed, Jamaal Charles, Tony Hills, Marcus Griffin, Frank Okam, and Jermichael Finley all have a chance to be selected on Saturday. Derek Lokey, Billy Pittman, and Nate Jones are also draft eligible, but aren't widely projected to be first day selections.

Good luck to all the Longhorns today; here's to hoping they all land in situations where they can shine.

[Note by PB @ BON, 04/26/08 6:51 PM EDT ] Round 1 ends with no Longhorns selected. Interestingly, zero wide receivers were taken in this year's first round of picks.

[Note by PB @ BON, 04/26/08 8:12 PM EDT ] Sweed to the Steelers!!! For this fan, anyway, couldn't ask for anything better. YES!

[Note by PB @ BON, 04/27/08 2:02 PM EDT ] As we move into the fifth round, three 'Horns have been selected on day two: Jamaal Charles (3rd Round, Chiefs), Jermichael Finley (3rd Round, Packers), and Tony Hills (4th Round, Steelers).

[Note by PB @ BON, 04/27/08 2:31 PM EDT ] Frank Okam is selected by the Houston Texans in Round 5.

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Texans trade down

On the Texans forum, some think we’ll take Charles at #26.

by goingforthecorner on Apr 26, 2008 4:09 PM CDT   0 recs

Titans pick a Pirate...???!!!!

Worst pick ever?

After getting over the initial shock, my guess is that they are thinking Sweed or Kelly or Jackson will fall in to the mid-second round.
The WRs aren’t coming off the board as quickly as most thought they would.

Cats and dogs sleeping together.

by EYESofBEVO on Apr 26, 2008 4:54 PM CDT   0 recs

To follow that up

..don’t be surprise if Chicago tries to nab either Kelly or Sweed. They need someone to fill Berrian’s spot.

Cats and dogs sleeping together.

by EYESofBEVO on Apr 26, 2008 4:54 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Titans select a scat back

Lovely. The hell?

--PB--

by PB @ BON on Apr 26, 2008 4:58 PM CDT   0 recs

Poor VY

Looks like another year of trying to complete passes to rec league washouts and handing off to inexplicably overrated RB’s.

by learned hand on Apr 26, 2008 7:32 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

didnt they

draft a scat back last year? Such a let down. I guess he can return punts….sigh

by owenh on Apr 26, 2008 7:55 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Chris Henry

Think he was the fastest back in the combine last year, after being a disappointing PAC-10 guy. Plus, has a substance problem, kinda like the other Chris Henry.

Its ugly in Tennessee. No wonder Haynesworth has been screaming about the crappy drafting to the media.

by learned hand on Apr 26, 2008 8:00 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

titans

are dumb

by Hook'em13 on Apr 26, 2008 5:09 PM CDT   0 recs

no wrs taken in the first round?

Must mean Detroit doesnt have any first round picks.

by the other Andrew on Apr 26, 2008 6:02 PM CDT   0 recs

cowboys

better trade up and take Limas Sweed

by acho81 on Apr 26, 2008 6:41 PM CDT   0 recs

so....

2 of the top WR, sweed and kelly, are still undrafted. interesting…

TEXAS LONGHORNS #16 Jermichael Finley 36 rec 500 yards 2 td

by clra2 on Apr 26, 2008 6:43 PM CDT   0 recs

not looking good for sweed or charles

When teams are taking WRs out of KState, and coastal carolina before you, its not a good sign. As for Charles, teams seem to be too tentative to take a risk on charles. He’s probably a 3rd rounder now, maybe 4th. He’s got to be disappointed.

by owenh on Apr 26, 2008 6:49 PM CDT   0 recs

Has Abrams been selected yet?

I hope the Texans or Cowboys get him. He can really add some firepower to their offenses. He can get the ball off before any defenders get to him for sure.

by UT2001 on Apr 26, 2008 6:52 PM CDT   0 recs

Sweed to Dallas?

It looks like he could drop to Dallas, that would be amazing….he probably would start in the slot. Anyone like that selection, Romo to Sweed, learning from T.O., well hopefully just how to play not how to act.

by Houstonhorn on Apr 26, 2008 6:54 PM CDT   0 recs

probably not

I don’t think Sweed gets past Tennessee at pick 54. While doing their due diligence, I bet the Titans solicited some input from VY about Limas.

by sportsnight on Apr 26, 2008 7:11 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

and there he went

to Pittsburgh at 53. Dang.

by sportsnight on Apr 26, 2008 7:11 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Tennessee up in four picks

So there’s a chance there for Sweed. By the earlier pick, Tennessee wants speed and more lethal threats – thus Packman, a returner, and Chris Johnson, another multi threat with 4.24 speed who can be a hybrid back/slot to free up the coverage on big receivers like Sweed.

And, incidentally, VY won’t run the option much, but Johnson on the pitch changes the whole run defense set up against VY developed the last two years.

What VY had in 2005 was lots of speedy options, both inside 15 yards and deep. I wonder if Tennessee is reprising some of that attack at greater than NFL scale speed – 4.4 is the minimum – so Sweed squeaks in, Charles definitely does.

Tennessee needs defensive help; Packman helps (if, if, if, of course), but they need more.

by whills on Apr 26, 2008 7:14 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

ha, boooooo, i didnt want to buy a steeler’s sweed jersey, dammit!

by Houstonhorn on Apr 26, 2008 7:12 PM CDT   0 recs

Be happy Sweeds a steeler

because, for one, there is no better jersey to sport in the NFL…
who do you think snoop wears? STEELERS
I’ll bet you he already has a Pittsburgh ‘weed’ jersey in his warddrobe… now all he has to do is add the capital S.

seriously though, the only way to upgrade from burnt orange is to black and gold.

think about it… cant beat gold on ebony.
the P is for pristine.

Sweed got drafted by, historically, one of the best franchises in pro sports
The steelers are a team that needs a tall wideout to step up right away and fill the void plax burress left behind

Sweeds been out of the game a while, he needs to get back in it and he has a great opportunity with Pitt and their new head coach.
hes lucky he got drafted by a team who’s coach understands his position and is going to make sure he becomes a success at the next level.

Jeez… the way y’all react it’s like he got drafted by the Lions or something awful like that.

by Horns of Steel on Apr 30, 2008 2:27 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

He went to PITT?!

by Hook'em13 on Apr 26, 2008 7:22 PM CDT   0 recs

Tomlin said Sweed's injury

pushed him down to second round. He also noted Pittsburgh is drafting weapons. With a strong-armed QB, Limas should have the opportunity to catch some deep balls if his fingers don’t freeze off.

by whills on Apr 26, 2008 7:23 PM CDT   0 recs

Looks like a good situation for him

Other than being cold as hell. He can grow into a #1 with Hines Ward on the other side, has a good young QB throwing and a strong running game.

Hopefully he can do what Roy is trying to, learn the ropes up there and high tail it back to sunny Texas.

by learned hand on Apr 26, 2008 7:28 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

True. He could have fallen into much worse situations.

So, despite the fact I really dislike Pittsburgh, this is a pretty damn good fit for Limas.

by whills on Apr 26, 2008 7:34 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

where does Charles go, or what team do we want him to go to? I honestly do not have an idea, it would be nice to root for him as a every down back but so many rb’s flame out in that type of situation, suggestions?

by Houstonhorn on Apr 26, 2008 7:38 PM CDT   0 recs

Denver/Houston

Somewhere with a creative OC and a stable of backs so they can let him gain 10-15 pounds before throwing him in every down.

I’d add new orleans, but they won’t. He’d be out Reggie Bush within the first hour of camp, and that would just make them look sillier.

by learned hand on Apr 26, 2008 7:48 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

If JC gains 10-15, that speed will drop off.

Of course, if he’s being pushed to be an every down back, he’ll still have plenty. But it begs the question of demeaning his greatest asset.

I suspect Indy and St. Louis would be a good fit, someone with an attack that will utilize the speed first.

by whills on Apr 26, 2008 7:54 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Point

Though I think he’d still be one of the fastest backs out there at 210ish.

Indy would be great for him, especially being on a fast surface with that O-line. Money wise though, hindsight is starting to say he would have been better of waiting a year and showing he’s got the ball handling under control

by learned hand on Apr 26, 2008 8:03 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Oh, I totally agree about him staying.

He could have gained more weight in Austin if he wanted to be the every down back or diversified his receiving abilities. Most guys in his speed class do returns, but JC doesn’t.

So, he’s coming off like a one-trick pony, and that’s not even addressing the ball handling. I’m afraid he’ll slide for a while.

by whills on Apr 26, 2008 8:29 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Houston

I’d love to see him stay in state and I think he’d be perfect for their zone running attack

'Til Gabriel blows his horn...

by mattyj on Apr 26, 2008 7:58 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Why?

Because that Mario Williams pick was “stupid”? Hahahaha

by goingforthecorner on Apr 26, 2008 9:54 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Charles

Someone told me that Charles tested positive for marijuana during a private workout for a team recently. It would explain why Chris Johnson and Matt Forte went before our boy. I have not had any confirmation on this.

by jordansb on Apr 26, 2008 10:43 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Weed

Oh, horrors. A football player smoking marijuana. We certainly can’t have that.

by Caradoc on Apr 27, 2008 3:14 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I agree

a runningback smoking pot?? from texas?? :)

Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard. OU SUCKS!!

by LadyLonghorninOK on Apr 27, 2008 7:35 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Just think if JC had stayed.

He has been buried by 8-9 other RB’s so far. Who’s gonna take him?

by owenh on Apr 26, 2008 8:01 PM CDT   0 recs

PB must be celebrating

His Steelers landed Mendenhall and Sweed.

by goingforthecorner on Apr 26, 2008 10:04 PM CDT   0 recs

...

ALL of Pgh was celebrating on day 1 of the draft. they got a top 10 pick at the number 23 slot. then got a first round talent with Sweed using the 53rd overall pick.

psssh, and some people say the chiefs had the best draft??? i love jamaal charles … but i pity KC running backs. plus dorsey is undersized and overrated. they should have taken ellis and let dorsey fall to new orleans where he belongs

by Horns of Steel on Apr 30, 2008 2:40 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

JC

goes to the chiefs

by buitx on Apr 27, 2008 9:39 AM CDT   0 recs

Charles taken by the Chiefs in the Third Round

Man, he should have come back for another year. He ended up going 73rd overall.

by the1austin on Apr 27, 2008 9:48 AM CDT   0 recs

not a good situation in KC

No QB, a rebuilding line, and a coach that already broke Larry Johnson.

Poor JC

by learned hand on Apr 27, 2008 9:51 AM CDT   0 recs

?

Broke Larry Johnson? How do you figure?

We'll carry the banner high!

by TB on Apr 27, 2008 10:14 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Anecdotally RBs tend to have injury problems after getting 400+ carries in a year. LJ was another example after he got 416 year before last. He started off very slow and then got hurt. Probably took a year or two off his prime by giving him a year and half’s worth of work in one season.

I like what the chiefs are doing in this draft, I just think Herm Edwards is not the sharpest knife in the drawer. In fact, he may be a spoon. Carl Peterson knows what he’s doing though.

by learned hand on Apr 27, 2008 10:40 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I disagree

Carl Peterson does not know what he’s doing. Rampant speculation in the Kansas City area is that Peterson has nothing to do w/ this draft, hence the Chiefs are actually making logical picks.

As for LJ’s slow start, did you forget that he held out of training camp because of a contract dispute with, you guessed it, Carl Peterson? Not going through training camp tends to make players start out slow. Maybe he got injured because of the 400+ carries he had the year before, or maybe it was because he wasn’t in peak physical shape.

We'll carry the banner high!

by TB on Apr 29, 2008 10:42 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I would think playing along with LJ

would be a benefit.

Charles will be the change-of-pace the first couple of years of his career, a back who probably figures to get 10ish touches a game. This will allow him to enter into the league, then either leave for a big-time deal somewhere else, or stay in KC after LJ moves on and be the Chiefs’ future RB.

As a Chiefs fan, I really love the pick.

by rockchalk on Apr 27, 2008 10:22 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

agreed

not a chiefs fan… but JC will most likely prove to be their best pick out of this draft.

running backs don’t last long at this level so getting one with his talent so late in the draft is awesome value — just look at the greenbay packers and new york giants last year. the packers went through about 7 running backs by the time the season was over, new york almost as many

by Horns of Steel on Apr 30, 2008 2:43 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Jermichael sighting!

Drafted by the Packers. All our players are heading north to cold cities! I hope they bring gloves, or some toughness to handle it.

by junglerules on Apr 27, 2008 10:23 AM CDT   0 recs

Tony Hills..

to the Giants! I hate the Giants but good for Hills!

by vy til i die on Apr 27, 2008 12:27 PM CDT   0 recs

re:

Nevermind..he’s going to the Steelers..I read it off of Fox Sports w/o the update

by vy til i die on Apr 27, 2008 12:32 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

wow

If I were vince, I would f*cking cry….I still don’t understand Chris Johnson pick…why would you want to get a slasher in the first round?? simply doesnt make any sense at all.
VY’s fate will be in the hands of McCareins (19 catches 232 yds as a Jet????), Roydell Williams (drops TD passes), and Brandon Jones (drops shit load of TD passes). Only reliable receiver on this team, in my opinion, is Gage, Bo, and Crumpler….sad sad draft for VY

my first born shall be named vy

by hookemkp on Apr 27, 2008 1:23 PM CDT   0 recs

Another year, another 4th round receiver

NFL.com’s scouting report on VY’s new receiver, Lavelle Hawkins, says he runs poor routes, has poor concentration, and drops catchable passes.

On the upside, he runs well after the catch but isn’t, um, fast.

Tennessee is trying to win in the NFL with a bunch of receivers who couldn’t start at Texas.

by learned hand on Apr 27, 2008 2:57 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

However

They do seem to be well stocked with Tight Ends. Maybe they are looking at a 2TE offense.

by Caradoc on Apr 27, 2008 3:16 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Okam

just got drafted by the Texans in the 5th round

by buitx on Apr 27, 2008 1:34 PM CDT   0 recs

re:

good fit for Okam, I think he might be able to contribute right away. Travis Johnson is aging, and he is one of the most underrated player from Texas.

my first born shall be named vy

by hookemkp on Apr 27, 2008 1:37 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah

As a Houston Texans fans, I am delighted that Okam has been drafted and is joining an awesome defensive squad. Good luck, Frank.

Brown Control to Major Applewhite...

by BFAUT86 on Apr 27, 2008 3:46 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Grades

The Texans just wanted to raise their average GPA.

by Caradoc on Apr 27, 2008 3:17 PM CDT   0 recs

Okam isn't underrated

He simply didn’t play well his senior season.

by Beergut on Apr 27, 2008 3:44 PM CDT   0 recs

Or his Junior Season. If he would have been able to leave a a sophomore

he would have been a first rounder. I don’t think it bodes well that his stock drops every year he is supposed to be developing. He did have a monster game against OU though. Watch this year’s OU game, he was an absolute beast in that game. If he can bring that intensity every game he could have Shaun Rogers like success.

by the1austin on Apr 27, 2008 4:24 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

A weak class

Isn’t this year’s draft class really weak in overall skill position talent? Besides McFadden there wasn’t one beast offensive skill position that jumped out at you.

To think of it, there weren’t that many talented defense players, besides the defensive line. No corners, linebackers or safetys jumped out at me.

Overall, a weak class.

by longhornboy on Apr 27, 2008 6:33 PM CDT   0 recs

If I were Vince...

After this next season, I would demand they go after receivers in free agency or in the draft, or I would ask to be traded. Tennessee = INEPT

by HornigStrega on Apr 27, 2008 8:44 PM CDT   0 recs

Yep

Bud Adams has that affect

Legal Disclaimer: I may be wrong.

by Shake on Apr 27, 2008 9:08 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

complacency

I think Tennessee figures it can just win 8-10 games a year and keep things cheap and simple.

by owenh on Apr 27, 2008 9:24 PM CDT   0 recs

I don't know if I'd go that far

In order to be the Rangers, you’d have to insist every year that a journeyman QB is the guy who will get you to the Super (like the Rangers do with their pitching).

by Beergut on Apr 28, 2008 12:12 AM CDT   0 recs

A little bit about Tennessee

I found myself somewhat perplexed by the Titans not drafting more and better WRs. So I listened to what Fisher had to say on Tennessee’s web site via nfl.com. I really prefer the press conferences over anything written concerning it or the analysis stemming from it. Give me the horse’s mouth.

We all know Bud Adams is the horse’s ass but that’s a given, and I’m sure Fisher has to compensate for that, too. Fisher led the Titans to the SB despite all that , so any talk about treading water or comparison to the Rangers is pretty silly IMHO. They were 10-6 last year and I’m sure Fisher is aiming at 12-4 (say, one more win by offense and one by the defense). Any more would be dreaming.

Fisher said he is happy with the development of the receivers he has, that they needed a smaller receiver and 5-11, 187 lb. Lavelle Hawkins fit that need and had some other skills useful on special teams. He specified he was a role player who suited them.

At another point he mentioned that they had eight WRs and that they were all developing, especially an undrafted free agent (probably Biren Ealy) . So, I wondered who they had right now:

WR Ht, wt NFL School
Chris Davis 5-10,181 2 Florida St.
Biren Ealy 6-3, 207 2 Houston inactive most of last year
Justin Gage 6-4, 212 6 Missouri
Brandon Jones 6-1, 212 4 OU
Justin McCareins 6-2, 215 8 NIU
Mike Williams 6-5, 242 4 USC
Paul Williams 6-1, 205 2 Freshno St. inactive last year
Roydell Williams 6-0, 187 4 Tulane
Lavelle Hawkins 5-11, 187 0 California

So, my conclusion is that Fisher’s assessment that this group is improving, in some cases doing so quickly for second year – and one fourth-year – players. The Titans have three two-year players, two they drafter in the third and fourth rounds, and the free agent Ealy and had said Mike Williams is coming around. He was released by Oakland late in the year after the debacle at Detroit.

Fisher may value the strength of his depth rather than the high price tag on a franchise style receiver and may think he and his staff can develop what VY needs.

To me, Fisher has always a coach who went after serious players with the squinty-eyed assessment of a safety quickly decided to knock your head off or taking your legs out. That is, the question isn’t how fast they can run or how much they make great catches, but can they do it and get back up after having the shit knocked out of them and do it again. That mentality, that football is survival and endurance; that it’s not who starts the season but who is on the field at the end.

Fisher also got Chris Johnson because he has break away potential anywhere he is and can change defenses. Particularly if VY is in the shotgun and Jones is right beside him. The Titans needed the threat but will play Johnson in a two-back backfield much of the time; he won’t be the inside the tackle runners; LinDale and Chris Henry will be.

Last, the Titans keep four tight ends and have suffered from injuries there the last couple of years. They wanted to both beef it up and upgrade it.

He got DEs, a CB, a fast LB and brought in Jevon Kearse to help the D. Fisher runs the D, so you gotta presume if he didn’t get all he wants, he’ll add more. They can sign 10-12 more free agents.

So, Fisher went his own way. I think he could have added more on offense, a little more speed if it was such a concern. If Johnson goes down, they’re back to last year’s offense (plus improvements). He’s got a better than average team, a decent offense, some serious speed, an improved defense over two years ago and now a little more depth. Not elite, not yet, but improving. And a QB that likes going places.

by whills on Apr 28, 2008 12:37 AM CDT   0 recs

Good post...

I agree that Fisher knows what he’s doing. That said, the young receivers are capable of developing and getting more consistent. I just think that when you have a young QB, it can only help to get him at least one elite receiver. Of the 8 guys you mentioned, only two or three of them would be a third receiver on most teams. VY needs to develop as a passer now, before he gets too old, and sending him out there with Justin Gage just doesn’t cut it.

by the1austin on Apr 28, 2008 8:15 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

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