Sports Agenda For Friday (4/26/13)
Top Stories:
The Heat won again last night, surprise, surprise, surprise. But today's agenda is about one thing and one thing only, the first round of the NFL Draft.
Quote of the Day:
"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." – Maya Angelou
Miami Dolphins:
So the Dolphins went big last night and traded up to select defensive end Dion Jordan out of Oregon.
He's 6'6", 250 pounds, runs a 4.6 second 40-yard dash, and was at one time a tight end before converting to defensive end.
He was the top defensive end available in the draft and only cost an extra second round pick to acquire.
So what do I think of the pick?
I loved it.
Be bold, go get the guy you like and have him make an impact.
Think about the guy for a second, he's almost Jason Taylor, Jr. Now, I can't guarantee he'll be as good as Taylor, few are, but that's who he reminds people of in the NFL.
He's almost very reminiscent to me of Aldon Smith, how'd he work out for the 49ers?
So he's almost 6'7" and has an extremely quick first step on the edge.
Now you're going to put him across from arguably the best pass rushing defensive end in the National Football League in Cameron Wake.
Look, if you want to survive in this division, you've got to pressure Tom Brady.
Miami went and got themselves a top notch pass rusher to match with Wake.
Combine them with around 700 pounds of man in the middle in Soliai and Starks and the Fins have one heckuva defensive line.
Now, that pick was fairly easy, but what to do now is a little more complicated.
The Fins want Branden Albert from the Chiefs and the Chiefs want to get rid of him.
They just can't agree on compensation.
But let's just say Miami gives up its second round pick and keeps both third round picks and walks away with Dion Jordan, the top defensive end in the draft and Branden Albert, one of the top 10 rated left tackles in the NFL last year.
I'd call that a pretty big freaking win, not even counting what the team hauls in during the third round and later rounds.
So Jeff Ireland's job today is make KC blink and go get Albert.
No pressure there man, no pressure.
NFL Draft:
Some other thoughts that struck me about the first round.
Man, it was a fat boy draft, just like Mike Mayock predicted.
Most of the guys won't be famous, but they will all be crucial building blocks toward championship runs.
Okay, here's who I liked:
KC – Eric Fisher
Jacksonville – Luke Joeckel
Miami – Dion Jordan
Philly – Lane Johnson
Arizona – Jonathan Cooper
Rams – Tavon Austin
Jets – Dee Milliner
Tenn – Chance Warmack
Pittsburgh – Jarvis Jones
Bengals – Tyler Eifert
Atlanta – Desmond Trufant
Minnesota – Sharrif Floyd
Rams – Alec Ogletree
Ravens – Matt Elam
Panthers – Star Lotulelei
Here's who I didn't like:
Detroit – Ziggy Ansah, just too raw for a top five pick for my taste
San Diego – D.J. Fluker, they reached for a need, which rarely turns out well
Jets – Sheldon Richardson, I've been touting him for weeks and he's a great player, but NY wasn't the place and they needed massive help elsewhere.
Giants – Justin Pugh, think it's a reach in the first round
Bears – Kyle Long, see the Giants
And my award for the dumbest pick of the first round?
Dallas – Travis Frederick
He's a third-rounder at best and he was a horrible reach at this point. Much better players available here. It was just a bonehead pick and more reason why the Cowboys don't need Jerry Jones making final decisions. He hasn't had a good draft pick since Parcells left, at least none that come to mind.
What made me laugh?
Mant'I Teo not going in the first round. I heard so many experts saying he wouldn't get out of the first round. The whole time I said, look, a first round middle linebacker running a 4.7-4.8 second 40-yard-dash isn't going in the first round. I wouldn't take him near the top of the second round either.
He's just not that good of a player to me. He faced one really good team last year and Alabama's NFL-ready offensive line humiliated him all night long and exposed the weakness in his game. Look, it's easy to look good against Navy and Air Force, but a different monster in the NFL and that's what has pushed him down.
What to watch for tonight?
Where will Geno Smith land? I honestly don't know.
When will Teo get drafted?
Will Miami keep its second round pick?'
Will the Cowboys ever get a pick right?
What the heck is going on in Buffalo?
And will Mel Kiper's hair move tonight?
Should be a fun night and Saturday to end the draft.
