New Orleans Saints Full Draft Results

Here is a more in-depth look of all of the New Orleans Saints' 2012 draft picks.

Rd 3: DE Akiem Hicks (Regina, Canada)

The post on this shines light on his road to the NFL. Check it out!:

http://thaboothreview.blogspot.com/A.Hicks

Rd 4: WR Nick Toon (Wisconsin)

The son of former NFL All-Pro receiver Al Toon, is a versatile sure handed receiver from a run-happy program. He showed a lot promise at Wisconsin while on the field. A major foot surgery slowed down his development his Junior year but he bounced back for a decent Senior campaign.

Strengths: Great hands; Well polished route runner. Can also block  out on the edge.

Weaknesses: Doesn't have burner type speed (4.54 at combine) but has a knack for getting open. He runs

pretty high after the catch and his durability will be questioned at the next level. 

Rd 5: SS Corey White (Samford)

The 6'2" 205 pounder is a versatile DB that can play either S or CB. Very consistent tackler at Samford and a ball-hawk snatching 7 ints.

Strengths: Plays like a S in run support and  takes great angles to the ball. Good athleticism when the is in the air. 

Weaknesses: Foot control and indecisiveness. He tends to shuffle his feet more than usually when a receiver changes direction which would make him more of a lock for safety and not corner.

Rd 6: OG Andrew Tiller (Syracuse)

Big dude (6'4" 324) that is expected to give D-lineman fits just with his sheer size. Blocked for a 1,000 yard rusher at Syracuse and made All Big-East First Team.

Strengths: Great Size and can run block. Good slide pass protector.

Weaknesses: Tends to lunge at blockers and lose his center of gravity. Technique needs to be worked on. Plays upright.

Rd 7: OT Marcel Jones (Nebraska)

Tiller is big; Jones is even bigger. Standing at 6'6" 325, he is very unpolished but has the tools and athletic ability to become a dominate force in the league.

Strengths: Good all around blocker and extremely athletic for his size. Has to work on his flexibility in order to start as a left tackle

Weaknesses: Poor balance. Injury prone.

An average Joe may doubt or second guess the direction the Saints went in this year's draft but we have some very promising players here.I don't expect all of the above to come in and start but they will compete with the current roster. Next on the agenda, signing Drew!

Kansas City Chiefs Full Draft Results

Here is a more in-depth look of all of the Kansas City Chiefs' 2012 draft picks.

Rd 1: DT Dontari Poe (Memphis)
In case you missed the write up; here's the scoop on Poe.
http://thaboothreview.blogspot.com/Dontari Poe

Rd 2: OT Jeff Allen (Illinois)

A very versatile lineman that can play on the left or right side of the line. Served as a team captain his senior year and was rated the #12 rated prospect at his position. 

Strengths: He has a lot of experience playing the right and left side of the line.  Good hands and feet.

Weaknesses: Lack the physicality most good lineman possesses.

Rd 3: OT Donald Stephenson (Oklahoma)

One of the steals of the draft. He has the ability to be molded into one of the best but it may take some years.

Strengths: Great vision with his 6'5" frame. Naturally quick and an athlete. He ran a 4.94 in the 40 and jumped 35.5 inches in the vertical leap at the combine.

Weaknesses: Inconsistency. He is a very raw prospect but he must commit himself to the game in order to get the most out of it.

Rd 4: WR Devon Wylie (Fresno State)

An undersized receiver that may be used solely as a kick returner and slot receiver. Wylie ran a 4.37 the 40 yd dash and impressed scouts with his strength; benching 225 17 times at the combine. ( He weighed in at 186 pounds).

Strengths: Quickness, speed, and strength. He has the ability to be a very effective as a kick returner and a deep threat from the slot position. Look for quick screens going his way as well.

Weakness: Injury prone. His durability will definitely come into question throughout the season.

Rd 5: CB DeQuan Menzie (Alabama)

Somewhat the forgotten DB for the Crimson Tide but remembered by opposing teams. Menzie was around the ball a lot and is a great tackler.

Strengths: Good cover corner and great at blitzing.  Has enough speed to stick with his man. Very good foot quickness.

Weaknesses: Extremely risky player. Would rather go for the pick 6 than the pass deflection and punt.

 As a result, he gets burned.

Rd 6: RB Cyrus Gray (Texas A&M)

Work horse. Gray carried the ball 632 times racking up 3,298 yards and 30 touchdowns.

Strengths: All around back. Can run, catch, and block.

Weaknesses: Tends to dance in the hole a lot and lacks that "burner" speed.

Rd 7: DT Jerome Long (San Diego State)

Was All Mountain West two consecutive years. Smaller name prospect big the 285 pounder begs to differ.

Strengths: Has a nose for the ball. Long was second on the team in tackles, sacks, and tackles for loss.

Weaknesses:Will need a lot of coaching to make the team. Has more potential than most will give him.

Rd 8: WR Junior Hemingway (Michigan)

The draft ended for the Chiefs' with a sleeper pick. Hemingway led Michigan in receptions last year and was named the Sugar Bowl's MVP (y'all saw the catches!).

Strengths: He's an all around good possession receiver. Pretty decent blocker and reliable hands.

Weaknesses: Doesn't have blazing speed or great route running ability.

All in all I think we did pretty good in draft. We filled some troubled areas from last year and added some other potential play-makers into the fold. As long as we stay healthy; we should destroy the AFC West.

Go Chiefs!

And with the 11th pick; the Kansas City Chiefs select...

...Dontari Poe? The kid from Memphis who couldn't dominate Conference USA???( for those who don't know C-USA; Tulane is a member).

I think I speak for about 91% of Chiefs fans that damn near threw their phone,remote control, or pet last night. Looking at the board I was certain that we would have taken Cox or DeCastro at that pick; that seemed like the right pick at that time. It took me awhile but I'm feeling a little bit better about the pick especially after listening to Coach Crennel's post-draft comments but I don't 100% agree with the pick. Coach said the following:

"Because he played every down at 350 pounds and he played position on the line in every game. He's playing a nine technique; he's playing a seven technique, a five technique, a three technique, a one technique, a two technique and head up on the nose sometimes. He's the jack-of-all trades. It's hard to be good at any one thing when you're doing all of those things."

The fact that he feels strongly about it and he has a way of really getting the best out of DT's makes this pick  more tolerable. I still do not believe he was the best player available at pick 11 but he could turn into first round talent. So instead of 100%; I'll give him 90.2% until I start seeing what Poe is really capable of.

TAC's Mock Draft 17-32

The continuation of TAC's mock draft. Let me preface this again by saying this is what I think will happen; not what I want to happen. The second half of the first round is tough as you start basing your predictions off the best available versus what needs to be filled. Second half; *Ding!

17. Cincinnati - Dre Kirkpatrick DB, 'Bama

The Bengals secondary has diminished in value due to age and injuries and as much as I hate to admit it;  Saban is a damn good DB coach. Kirkpatrick could play man-to-man, press, deep 1/3 etc. He should   make an immediate impact.

18. San Diego - Whitney Mercilus DE, Illinois

Edge rusher + 3-4 defense = Mercilus. Pretty simple equation.

19. Chicago - Chandler Jones DE, 'Cuse

Him going to the Bears to complement Peppers is scary. You want to beat the Packers? Put pressure on 

Rodgers.

20. Tennessee - Michael Floyd WR, Notre Dame

We all saw what these receivers in Tennessee can do without K. Britt...nothing. Second best receiver in the draft snatch him up!

    

21. Cincinnati - Andre Branch DE, Clemson

Cincy's pass rush was anemic last year. Having the ability to pick up two studs within 5 picks of each other should produce some good result for ole Marv.

22. Cleveland - Kendall Wright WR, Baylor

There is no way you pass up Wright, Cleveland. Adding the top RB and 3rd best WR in the draft sounds  

like a fantasy football roster. If they do the norm and go off the grid; my sympathy for them becomes   comical...don't mess this up!

23. Detroit - Courtney Upshaw DE, 'Bama

The Lions found out last year that they could score with anybody but the real challenge is stopping the other team from scoring. Upshaw brings that mentality that the Lions need to go along with Suh and 

Fairley...just nasty.

24. Pittsburgh - Cordy Glenn OT, Georgia

Big Ben will always be one of the top QBs to get hit; it's his style of play, but eliminating the unnecessary  sacks is the basis of this pick.

     

25.  Denver - Dontari Poe DT, Memphis

Mr. Developmental. His results at the combine blew everyone away but will that translate on the field?  Analyst have said that the tape is not all that praise worthy which is why he falls to Denver.

     

26. Houston - Coby Fleener TE, Stanford

Houston is on the verge of having all the pieces in place. Throw in a TE; They will dominate the AFC South (until Luck gets some toys).

27.  New England - Harrison Smith SS, Notre Dame

Pats and Lions fell into the same "Anything you can do, I can do better...but I can't stop you from doing what you're doing" syndrome. Difference? That got the Pats to the Super Bowl. They are in desperate need of a SS. Harrison, come on down.

     

28. Green Bay - Shea McClellin DE/LB, Boise State

The difference between the Packers and the aforementioned  is they produced turnovers. You can   never  have too many pieces when you play a 3-4 so their versatility just got better.

29. Baltimore - Dont'a Hightower LB, 'Bama

Whenever you can get a young freakish LB to learn under Suga Ray; it's a win.

30. San Francisco - Doug Martin RB, Boise StateI think the 9ers feel that they'll take the best available RB before they let him go somewhere else...gotta watch ole Jim.

31. New England - Nick Perry DE, USC

Adds a game changer at DE. They will get the most out of him.

32. New York Giants - Jonathan Martin OT, Stanford

Even though Eli survived... he kissed the canvas too much last year. If they want to repeat; Eli has to  make it through the season...healthy

Potential Winners: Browns, Pats, and Texans.

Potential Loser: Jags and Broncos.

Good luck to all die-hards out there. May your draft be a good one.

TAC's Mock Draft 1-16

While reading this keep in mind that this is what I think will happen; not what I want to happen. So hopefully some of my predictions are wrong but we shall see! Enjoy.

1. Indianapolis - Andrew Luck QB, Stanford

This has been a lock since Week 14 of last year. No big surprises here.

2. Washington - Robert Griffin III QB, Baylor

The 'skins has been in desperate need of a QB since...Brad Johnson (2000)? O_o.

3. Minnesota - Matt Kalil OT, USC

There are a couple of areas that Minnesota could fill here but in-order to compete with anybody your young QB have to stay off the ground.

4. Cleveland - Trent Richardson RB, 'Bama
C'mon Cleveland! This is your shot to take the best RB in the draft this year and with P. Hillis leaving; it make sense...don't mess it up.

5. Tampa Bay - Moe Claiborne DB, LSU

How do you compete in a division with Brees, Ryan, and Cam??? Make sure your secondary is on the up and up. Aquib Talib is the most talented but has an issue with staying out of trouble and Ronde Barber is turning 52 this year.

6. St. Louis - Justin Blackmon WR, Oklahoma State

You made a splash with taking a franchise QB in 2010 plus Stephen Jackson is still a work horse. Gotta go with the best wide-out.

7. Jacksonville - Fletcher Cox DT, Mississippi St.

The Jags are in a tough position...it seems like the pick inbetween 7- 10 each year! This is a gut pick; Cox.

8. Miami - Ryan Tannehill QB, Texas A&M

Peer pressure will definitely make this a "too soon" pick. He might have an awesome career but I don't believe he is a plug and play QB right now.

9. Carolina - Luke Kuechly LB, Boston College

Those backers used to be the focal point of Carolina's defense and with your current core being injury prone; there is no other choice.
10. Buffalo - Stephon Gilmore DB, South Carolina

The Bills' secondary are looking to move toward more man-to-man and away from the cover 2. Gilmore size and ability will make the transition a smooth one.

11. Kansas City - David DeCastro OG, Stanford

Building a Pro Bowl O'Line is the recipe for success. The Chiefs can start here.

12. Seattle - Quinton Coples DE, North Carolina

Could be a Pete Carrol experiment. He has the ability but does he have the will? Pete will surely "Rah,Rah,Rah" him to death if he doesn't.
13. Arizona - Riley Reiff OT, Iowa

Think about it...most of Arizona highlights were either PP running one back or Kevin Kolb on the ground...I rest my case.
14. Dallas - Mark Barron S, 'Bama

Cowboys secondary was the weak point of last year's unit. They need a play-maker now and Barron fits the bill. (SN: I see Jerry pulling the trigger on s draft day trade...just keep your eyes open).

15. Philadelphia -Micheal Brockers DT, LSU

Stout run defender...they need one.

16. New York Jets - Melvin Ingram DE, South Carolina

Something about Rex Ryan says they'll take Ingram. He'll fit the Jets scheme perfectly.

Stayed tuned for Picks 17-32 a little later today!

New Orleans' Draft Preview 2012

Top Needs: DE, OL, DB

The Saints' off-season has been...well...ummm...let's just say it's been one to forget. Amidst the bounty scandal, suspensions, and penalties; the Saints also had to give up their second round pick in this year draft along with next year's first round pick. Their first round pick was traded away last year for Heisman trophy winner Mark Ingram so now they find themselves picking int the third round at slot 89. 

Since Spagnuolo was hired as the Defensive Coordinator the emphasis has been put on transforming a lack- luster defense into a fast and versatile QB destroyer (#NoBounty) so looking at a pass rushing DE seems to be the logical pick here. West Virginia Bruce Irvin could be a possibility but A LOT of teams would have to passon him and that is highly unlikely. Another Defensive End that could fall is Vinny Curry out of Marshall. He has the size and athleticism that would fit perfectly into Spags system.

Besides all of the Bounty scandal stories coming from 'Met-tree"; the next biggest stories would be the lost of All-Pro guard Carl Nicks and Super Bowl hero Tracy Porter. The Saints did a pretty good job of snatching up Ben Grubbs, another Pro Bowl caliber Guard, to fill that void but grabbing a developmental OL would all so make plenty of sense. Colorado's Guard Ryan Miller and Arizona State Garth Gerhart are two studs to look out for. 


Defensive Back is a tricky position this year. There is a sudden drop off in "known" talent after to the top five or six DBs are drafted but film and combine performance will raise some stocks. With the known success of the Saints' finding gems from all around I like Trumaine Johnson from Montana. He doesn't fit the mold Spags usually go for (6'3 204) but he has long arms and enough strength to keep a wide receiver busy off the line. Another DB that has grabbed some attention is Iowa State's Leonard Johnson. He may not have all of the measurables of some DBs but he showed up and competed in big games for the cyclones this year. His 4.5 speed will most likely land him on special teams or at the fourth corner back position.

The Stretch - I think we can all agree that predicting any of the above mentioned prospects is a stretch with the 89th pick :\ .

My Spill  - Pass rusher, need I say more Who Dats? Last year proved that when you have zero pressure on the QB it's gonna be a lonnnnnng game. Will Smith has lost a step and Cam Jordan is great against the run but his pass rushing skills have to get better. Compared to the D-line of the 2007 Giants we look like tree stumps. In order to really see Spags work his magic we must start with the front 4.

Kansas City's Draft Preview

Top Needs: NT, OL, DE

This off-season has been a successful one for the 7-9 Chiefs from a year ago. Three key players were added to help their stagnate offense; Peyton Hillis, Kevin Boss, and Eric Winston. Offense was clearly the priority this off-season and the front office did a terrific job in addressing those issues. So with the 11th pick of the upcoming draft, what direction should they go?

The safe pick here will be to take top guard prospect Stanford's David DeCastro.Winston and Albert will hold down the right and left tackle positions respectively. Some have Rodney Hudson moving to center this year due to some impromptu starts at center last year. Jon Asamoah had a decent season at the right guard position which leaves Ryan Lilja - who struggled last year- the odd man out out. Making a pick like this one could solidify the left side of the line for years to come.

Thinking on the nasty side of the ball; there are a number of picks that would make sense here. Even though the defense was the strongest unit last year, some obvious weaknesses could be addressed this draft. Kelly Gregg performed below average last year so picking up a NT would work in their favor. Brockers, Cox, and the one of this year's draft surprises, Dontari Poe, will more than likely still be on the board at the 11th pick. On the other hand, picking the top LB prospect in Luke Kuechly from Boston College would add an instant improvement to a 3-4 LB core that could use it. Where ever the pick is on the defensive side of the ball it has to be within that front 7.

The Stretch - Tannehill, Tannehill, Tannehill! Almost like saying Bettlejuice three times and expecting some sort of horror act to follow. The Chiefs are making it known that they are interested in the Aggie by holding a private workout for him for the team. Bringing in Brady Quinn and taking a look at one of this year's top QBs should raise red flags for Cassell. With 8 picks, the Chiefs have plenty of ammo to pull of a trade up scenario come draft day.

My Spill - Even though I would LOVE for my Chiefs to select Kuechly, I believe grabbing big DeCastro at the 11th pick is a franchise builder. Having that solid line will carry the team a long ways.Sitting at pick #44 could also provide a number of other LBs that could fit the bill. A few that could be left on the board are Keenan Robinson - Texas, Bobby Wagner - Utah State, and Dont'a Hightower - 'Bama. Either way we should make more than a splash this year. We have the ammo, let's just make sure he hit a couple of bull-eyes.

Magic 8 ball

The Chiefs 8 picks for the 2012 draft are as followed:

1st rd. -  11

2nd rd. - 44

3rd rd. - 74

4th rd. - 107 

5th rd. - 146

6th rd. - 182

7th rd. - 218

7th rd. - 238

The first round will be taking place Thursday, April 26 @8:00 (ET), followed by the second and third rounds on Friday, April 27 @6:00 (ET). Rounds 4-7 will be on Saturday, April 28 @Noon (ET).

I got 5 on it.

The Saints 5 picks for the 2012 draft are as followed:

 3rd rd. - 89

4th rd. - 122

5th rd. - 162

6th rd. - 179

7th rd. - 234

The first round will be taking place Thursday, April 26 @8:00 (ET), followed by the second and third rounds on Friday, April 27 @6:00 (ET). Rounds 4-7 will be on Saturday, April 28 @Noon (ET).

No first round picks? No problem.

You'd have to be living under a rock this off season to not know that the Saints first pick will come in the third round at pick #89 after trading away their first round pick to the Patriots last year and forfeiting this years pick due to the Bounty scandal. Potential problem??? Depends on how you look at it. Since the Mickey Loomis Era, the Saints have been able to find those diamonds in the rough year after year and I expect the same this draft. Not to mention that the past several first rounders haven't truly lived up to their name. Excluding last year's picks (Cam Jordan and Mark Ingram); the first rounders look like this: 

2006 - Reggie Bush

2007 - Robert Meachem

2008 - Sedrick Ellis

2009 - Malcolm Jenkins

2010 - Patrick Robinson

As you can see, none of the above have had Hall of Fame starts in the NFL. Two aren't even apart of the roster this year! Granted, each had a hand in bringing the Saints their first Lombardi trophy but compared to other players drafted in the same position the same year? Not too much success

On the other hand selecting the 10th best DE in the draft or 8th best LB can be quite disturbing to fans. Picking so deep into the draft narrows your board down...way down. At that point you are picking solely on needs and evaluations. This is where teams continue their dynasties and prove that talent is talent no matter where you pick. I don't foresee the Saints trading up with the lack of picks they have this year and the lost of the first round pick the following year so they'll need to do the best with the picks they have.  At the end of the day having a pick in the first round gives you first dibs at any position you are in need of, but it doesn't guarantee you a Pro Bowler in the future.

Circle that date!..part 2!

The nation gets to see if the Chiefs are a serious contender for the AFC West title. As a fan, I believe that  it not only possible but a damn near guarantee! This year's schedule has a lot of good opponents from both conference on it so we will get the gut check that we need at the right time. Here are a few games that should catch your eyes:

Week 1 vs Falcons - Tony Gonzalez's return to Arrowhead!
Week 3 vs Saints - Bitter sweet match up (for me anyways).
Week 5 vs Ravens - Not only did they knock us out of the Playoffs in 2010; they embarrassed us!
Week 10 vs Steelers - The only way you became the best is to beat the best.
Week 13 vs Panthers - First time seeing Cam...should be a good one.

And of course, ALL AFC WEST GAMES!

Link to the Kansas City Chiefs 2012 schedule is below:
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82861645/article/kansas-city-chiefs-2012-nfl-schedule-analysis

Don't get me wrong, after posting a 7-9 record last year and finishing dead last in the AFC West, we have no room to look over or under anyone. The normal NFL player response will now follow; "We gonna take it one game at a time".