Okay, so I typically touch on a bit of everything in
this blog, from sports to music, movies, food, and of course… writing. That said, tonight is FINALLY the NFL Draft
(should’ve been two weekends ago at noon on a Saturday, but I digress) and
given that this is one of my favorite days on the sports calendar, I’m devoting
this edition of the Manifesto exclusively to that.
What follows are my own thoughts on a few teams I
follow, as well as a few of the notable storylines going into eight o’clock.
TAMPA
BAY BUCCANEERS
As a longtime Bucs’ fan, I enter tonight’s draft
with my first real sense of optimism in years.
Lovie Smith is a fabulous coach, and moreover, our knuckleheaded owners
seem to be giving him the necessary latitude to implement his plan for the
team. The question now is: where will he
go when the clock strikes zero on Pick 7?
Were it up to me, I’d take Darqueze Denard, CB from
Michigan State. I know, I know, I
know. The Bucs need a receiver opposite
VJ, and that’s real. However, this is an
extremely deep draft at that position, and Jeff Tedford will still have his
pick of the litter in round two.
Denard, meanwhile, is clearly the top corner on the
board, and given the Revis debacle plus Tampa’s membership of the NFC South (home
to Brees, Newton, and Ryan) you can never go wrong with bolstering your
secondary.
And just to be clear… Don’t even think about a QB at
7. None of these guys warrant a Top 10
selection, period. Not Bortles, not
Carr, and especially not Manziel (a late second-round talent, tops).
CAROLINA
PANTERS
Since trading in my Florida residency for that of a
North Carolinian, I’ve kept fairly close tabs on the Panthers as they naturally
occupy most of the local football coverage around Raleigh.
So, where should the Panthers go at Pick 28, assuming
they don’t trade out? Simple. Wide receiver. For one, it’s far and away their greatest
need, and for two, this franchise took a beating from the fan-base for botching
the Steve Smith situation. Should
Carolina have kept Smith? Perhaps, though
I think you could make the case that Smith was old, and the time had come to
upgrade that position.
The only problem is, that’s exactly what Carolina didn’t do. The Panthers signed no one in free agency,
and that rankled a lot of feathers around Charlotte. Now comes the chance for Rivera and co. to
rectify that problem by drafting a shiny new toy for Cam Newton… a guy who is
all but forbidden from stretching the field in Mike Shula’s POS offense, but
that’s a topic for another blog in August.
JACKSONVILLE
JAGUARS
The Jags pick at three, and I’m anxious to see how
this one shakes out. The obvious choice
here is Clemson wideout Sammy Watkins, IMHO.
I love this guy, and I truly believe he’s a star in the making.
Still, this team has a ton of needs, not the least
of which is quarterback. Add to that the
never-ending whispers surrounding a Jags’ move to Los Angeles, and if there was
ever a franchise in need of a face, it’s this one.
Johnny Football?
Maybe?
Again, I hate Manziel as a prospect. It’s nothing personal. I just don’t see his game translating to the
pro level. Conversely, though, the hard truth
is that Jacksonville, as a club and an NFL city, hasn’t been relevant since the
Clinton Administration. Now factor in
Manziel’s upside if he does succeed (jersey sales, prime-time television slots,
ad revenue… all through the roof), and the Caldwell/Bradley camp would be stupid
not to at least look at him.
Talk about a roll of the dice, though… too rich for
my blood.
WASHINGTON
REDSKINS
Not spending much time here, but on account of my
wife who grew up a die-hard Skins’ fan, I’ll touch on it.
Washington is
still paying the price for RG III, and thus won’t select in tonight’s first
round. When they do pick, however, they
need offensive line and a tall receiver.
Regardless of who’s under center (I’m not entirely
sure it shouldn’t be Cousins, by the way), they need better protection than the
garbage they got in 2013. I mean,
whatever happened to the Hogs, anyway?
That used to be the hallmark of Washington football.
As for WR, the Skins have a fair amount of talent at
that position with the addition of Desean Jackson to Garcon and Moss. The only problem with those guys is that Peter
Frickin’ Dinklage could out-jump every one of them! (A little nerd humor there,
sorry).
Get a guy with some ups, Gruden, and your offense
will definitely be the better for it.
OTHER
STORIES TO WATCH…
Quarterback
Roulette
As always, there’s gonna be a run on QBs. It’s just how the NFL is built now, and
regardless of the fact that none of these guys are fit to carry Andrew Luck’s
jockstrap, several teams will draft them as if they were. (Lookin’ at you, Minisota!)
Among this year’s class, however, I do like Teddy Bridgewater. I watched his entire career at Louisville,
and I love the kid. Say what you want to
about his pro day (it was one day in shorts, people), TB is sharp and he makes
all the throws. Granted, he’s a bit
undersized and his arm is far from a bazooka, but for my money he’s far and
away the most NFL-ready prospect of the bunch.
Bortles is solid but raw, Carr came from the same
peon program that sold me Trent Dilfer, and I’ve covered Manziel.
Aaron Murray of Georgia, on the other hand, could be
a nice find in round three.
Texas
to play ‘Let’s Make a Deal?’
They should, if possible. St. Louis got a king’s ransom for RG III, and
given the chance at a similar haul, the Texans should most definitely take
it.
Clowney is a gamble to me. I know physical he’s a beast, and there’s no
denying what he did at SC. But equally
as undeniable is the fact that he also took his fair share of plays off.
In short, this guy could be the next Warren Sapp, or
Booger McFarland. Only time will tell,
and considering all the other needs Houston has right now, it makes sense to
let someone else take the risk and fall back for Buffalo’s Khalil Mack who fits
their system better anyway.
Soap
Opera Watch
If by some miracle Manziel falls to pick sixteen, I’d
pay good money to be a fly on the wall in the Dallas war room. For all the trumpeting Jerry Jones has done
on Romo’s behalf, the Cowboys’ owner LOVES making a splash, and taking the
singlemost polaring figure in this year’s draft—from Texas A&M, no
less—would definitely do that.
Plus, let’s be honest, Jerry is just hypocritical
enough to do it, too.
Alright guys, that’s gonna do it for this one. To my readers who care nothing of sports, I
promise to get back to the literary stuff next month. But again, I’ve been a Draft nut for years,
and I really wanted to sound off before the commissioner hits the podum
tonight.
Everyone take care, have a great weekend, and best
of luck to you and your favorite team as we eyeball another year of “America’s
Passion.”
Cheers, and Go Bucs!
IJM
