Ramsey Dardar's shirt in 1984 - his uniform is a bit different now !
And no I’m not talking Micheal Vick. It was another appalling night of nonsense television here in England last night, with Big Brother limping along like a wounded deer.
We both love watching shows about prisons, and as part of her studies my wife has in fact been to a UK prison and spoken to murderers serving life sentences.
We settled down to watch this show and to my surprise a brief trailer of what was to come in the next hour included a group of prisoners in rag-tag American football uniforms (looking more like the Jamaican bobsled team at the pushcart championships in the movie Cool Runnings).
I have to confess I have never heard of Ramsey Dardar, but I listened with interest to the interview with Ramsey who said he played on the same Houston Oilers team as Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon.
I paused the show to look up Ramsey Dardar on the web and found out the following
1) Ramsey played for the LSU (Louisiana State University) Tigers as a starting defensive tackle in the late 70s and early 1980s
2) He was voted the 1982 SEC Defensive Lineman of the Year by the Atlanta Touchdown Club
3) He played in the 83 Orange Bowl - a 21-20 loss to the Nebraska Cornhuskers (led by running back Mike Rozier)
4) He was drafted #71 overall (3rd round) of the 1983 NFL Draft by the St Louis Cardinals – but as a rookie went on injured reserve before the season started
5) He was ALSO drafted #27 (3rd round) in the 1983 USFL Draft by the New Jersey Generals but never played for them. The Generals 1983 roster included future NFL stars Herschel Walker who ran for 1,812 yards on a mind blowing 412 carries that year.
5) He played one season in the NFL – 1984 for the St Louis Cardinals
6) He hung around the NFL throughout the mid 80’s and that included being released in August 1986 from the New York Giants, and being released from the Houston Oilers on September 1 1987
7) Dardar played on the same LSU team as Leonard Marshall. Marshall was drafted also in 1983 (#37 overall) by the New York Giants. Marshall went on to play 177 games in the NFL including winning two Superbowl rings for the Giants, in 1986 and 1990)
Dardar was drafted ahead of the following former NFL stars in 1983 – Charles Mann DE Redskins, Greg Townsed DE Raiders, Superbowl XX MVP Richard Dent DE Bears, and Karl Mecklenberg DE Broncos
It has been difficult to find the exact story that has led Ramsey Dardar from trying to find a job on an NFL roster in the 80s to becoming a prisoner at the Elayn Hunt Correctional Centre in Louisiana, but it seems he is serving numerous sentences for robbery (including armed robbery) to feed a drug addiction.
One of his former LSU Tiger team mates John Ed Bradley wrote a book that descibes his time at Tiger Stadium in the 70s, called ‘It never rains in Tiger Stadium’. Even though Bradley was a senior in 1979 he devotes a chapter to meeting and talking to Ramsey Dardar in prison in more recent times, describing his meeting with his former team mate. I must get hold of that book the next time I visit the stars and stripes.
We may think that NFL players going to prison (e.g Vick) is a recent phenomenon, or something that is a job requirement of the Bengals in the 21st Century, but it seems NFL players have been breaking the law for many many years.
Ramsey Dardar is living proof that it can all go wrong in the blink of an eyelid. He seems very approachable now as a prison inmate and coaches the ‘inmate football team’ in a ‘Longest Yard’ style.
Only problem for Ramsey Dardar is that when the film crew pack up and go home he does not get to go for a few cold brews in the local diner with Burt Reynolds or Adam Sandler, he instead gets prison food served in a plastic tray.
A few months ago I was introduced to the rather bizarre world of Twitter. Twittering it seems is the new My Space, Bebo and Facebook all stripped down and made simple.
Everyone is now twittering, from Elizabeth Taylor snubbing Michael Jackson’s funeral on Twitter to Chad ‘mad as a box of frogs’ OchoCinco announcing that he wants to Twitter during an NFL game. Thinking about it what are the odds on OchoCinco twittering in the end-zone in the 2009 season. I wouldn’t give more than about 3-1 odds.
To tweet or not to tweet that is the question? The answer I gave is that I have started twittering, and I now have great fun wading through people’s followers that are real NFL players or people associated with the NFL.
Up until yesterday I had sent around 20 or so direct messages to NFL players, and apart from Chris Cooley’s twitter manager saying ’go to Chris’s shop’ to BUY an autograph, I had not had any replies.
Then last night my white knight of the realm came thundering through the forest and from across the pond I had an NFL associated response. The transcript is below, with a screen grab showing the response….
@Adam_Schefter Adam what was it like when you were drafted #1 overall in the smug faced reporter draft of 2000? Did you expect an early call (sent about 14 hours ago)
My new best mate - the perfectly groomed Adam Schefter
My first famous person direct message on Twitter has come from none other than NFL Network reporter and NFL.com blog writer Adam Schefter.
For some reason I thought of Schefter as a cheshire cat like grin machine, but now as he responded to me directly he has become my new best friend.
I am now attempting to conduct an email interview with Mr Schefter for my blog.
McNair in the Superbowl – how he should be remembered
I spent the last week on holiday in Cyprus, floating in a swimming pool listening to a whole raft of NFL pod-casts, some good, some poor and some that ITunes should have simply blocked from being uploaded.
In that time I did not access the Internet, and the only English speaking tv channels in the hotel were Sky News and BBC News.
Neither found the death of Steve McNair to be worthy of any sort of coverage, so when I switched my laptop on last night to discover McNair had been shot in the head and body I was taken aback.
McNair was the dictionary definition of a warhorse, a player who had guts, guile, great feet and above all the ability to lead a team.
One co-NFL MVP award, three Pro Bowl appearances, one All-Pro nod, an AFC Championship ring and a start in Superbowl XXXIV does not really go anywhere near justifying Steve McNair the NFL quarterback.
He earned every one of his 31, 304 regular season passing yards and deserved credit for every blade of grass and yard of AstroTurf he ran over to gain 3,590 regular season rushing yards (an incredible 5.4 yards a carry career average).
McNair was a warrior who finished 20th All Time in the NFL for pass completions and 12th All Time for career low interception percentage.
Having been drafted 3rd overall by the Houston Oilers in 1995, only Kerry Collins has surpassed him in passing yards for the Class of ‘95, he did however out rush TWO 1995 first round running backs in his career (Ki-Jana Carter selected number 1 overall and Rashaan Salaam selected 21 overall) – this from a QUARTERBACK.
The gruesome nature of McNair’s death is something that I nor any Oilers, Titans or Ravens fan will want to dwell on for long I am sure.
Instead it is best to remember Steve as #9 a warrior, a gladiator who stood toe to toe with foes for 11 NFL seasons, never backing down a challenge, always ready to scramble that extra yard for a first down and always willing to inspire his team mates to move down the field for a score.
Time famously ran out for McNair in Superbowl XXXIV when his pass to Kevin Dyson failed to reach the endzone, now time has permanently run out for Steve McNair.
I’m sure the big man upstairs has room for a quarterback like Steve McNair on his roster.
It’s that quiet time of the year, where aside from the death of Michael Jackson, it’s a bad time for news on the NFL. Reading whether Brett Favre is going to suit up as a Minnesota Viking is hardy as exciting as the thriller in Manila.
If I was to make an off the wall comment such as showing huge concerns about the mental health of Chad Ocho Cinco then it could be argued that I was a little bit dangerous. I guess I do have Wimbledon to watch as Andy Murray looks to become the male tennis equivalent of Billie Jean King by winning a Grand Slam tournament in England.
So to stop the boredom and to prevent me having to sit in my living room and scream I have decided not to be beat, it is therefore time to list 5 things I am looking forward to in the 2009 NFL season;
1) Which if any rookie running backs can get 1,000 yards on the ground? I’m sure the likes of Beanie Wells and Knowshown Moreno wanna be starting something good right off the blocks. Will there be a late round superstar such as Shonn Green able to go against human nature or is the rookie 1,000 yard back strictly for 1st round selections only?
2) Can Tom Brady make a comeback and show his skills at Wembley Stadium in October? Brady and Randy Moss certainly aren’t pretty young things but they do have the ability to light up what will undoubtedly be a cold and rainy day.
3) Will TO finally heal the world of pain he has caused to previous NFL franchises by being a poster boy for the Buffalo Bills? My early prediction is 60 catches for 850 yards and 6 touchdowns – not the projections the Bills want, but TO cannot go on for ever.
4) Will the Lions perform some magic and go from 0-16 to a playoff spot? I am confident every Lions player is staring back at the man in the mirror and wanting to erase the memory of 2008. The Miami Dolphins went 1-15 to 11-5 so why not the Lions going 10-6 and gaining a wildcard behind the skills of Calvin Johnson? The Cardinals put pressure on Larry Fitzgerald and the Cards ended up one drive short of a Vince Lombardi trophy.
5) John Madden was a rock, with you wishing he was coming back for 2009, but he is gone now. Chucky has replaced him, and as a Superbowl winning coach I for one will appreciate his words of wisdom.
The 20 team fantasy league that I run, the AMFL (Art Monk Football League), has recently held its annual NFL Rookie Draft. The players drafted in June 2009 do not play until 2010 so everyone in the AMFL gets a real life sneak preview of the people they drafted, providing they stay injury free in 2009.
The format for my league is that everyone gets 5 picks, so a total of 100 picks will be made. Owners are allowed to trade picks in advance, but not during the draft.
My team in the AMFL was headed for a bad season so I decided to trade some of my better players for draft picks before the season began. This meant I ended up with 10 picks (10% of the entire draft!)
Here are the picks I ended up making, and alongside the pick is a bit of the though process that went behind the selection. The number on the left is where I picked in AMFL draft and the number in brackets (..) is the actual position the player was drafted in the 2009 NFL draft.
2 (5) – Mark Sanchez QB USC Trojans / New York Jets
I hoped that Sanchez was not selected number one and I lucked out. The #1 replicated the NFL as Matthew Stafford went top overall. I think Sanchez has arrived in the perfect place. He is all Hollywood in his looks and style and has that Joe Namath kind of appeal that the likes of Ken O’Brien or Chad Pennington could never have. Sanchez may not start week 1 but he will start by week 17. Jets WR and TE are ok, so I reckon Sanchez can get 1,500 yards and 6-10 tds as a rookie.
7 (8) – Eugene Monroe OT Virginia / Jacksonville Jaguars
Monroe has a lot of positive comments written about him and to me he had an edge over Andre ‘bouncy breasts’ Smith. Monroe should start from day 1 2009 and The Jags do love to run the ball. I am high on Rashard Jennings who the Jags drafted late, and I think Monroe can use his size and strength to anchor the OL until 2020.
20 (19) – Jeremy Maclin WR Mizou Philadelphia Eagles
Can the Eagles do it twice in a row, and make a rookie WR a real star? I think they can. After years of absolute dross on the flanks (such as Todd Pinkston) Maclin can have immediate impact. Maclin at the very least should take one or two balls back to the house on kick or punt returns. I don’t even like the Eagles but I have confidence that Maclin can get about 45 catches and 600 yards with 5 total touchdowns.
26 (38) – Rey Maualuga ILB USC / Cincinnati Bengals
My first so called ‘reach’ compared to the NFL place he was picked. Malu… u know the rest was predicted to be a first round pick by most ‘experts’. He is a hitting machine. Before you call me a USC fan I actually support Penn State in NCAA ranks. I have seen some crazy hits made by Mal on YouTube and he rocks da house. Being reunited with Keith Rivers will help, but ultimately Mal will make the Bengals D a bit harder and a bit stronger.
38 (18) – Robert Ayers OLB/DE Tenn / Denver Broncos
Many people did the proverbial head scratch when the Broncos selected Ayers at #18, so the fact I grabbed him at #38 to me was my biggest bargain in the draft. Moving on from the whole ‘one year wonder’ cliche, Ayers is a high-motor guy who likes to penetrate the line of scrimmage and disrupt offenses. He may not get monster stats as a rookie, but he should earn around 50-60 tackles and a sack and an int.
55 (45) – Clint Sintim OLB/DE Virginia / New York Giants
Yep a third linebacker in a row, but Sintim is in the perfect location to learn and develop. Look at the likes of Justin Tuck, and Osi, they have become huge stars. Sintim had 11 sacks as a senior and is gonna come in to spell the Giants established studs. The Giants will likely experiment with Sintim as DE and OLB, as is the trend for a lot of NFL teams. Again I got good value at #55.
67 (47) – Michael Mitchell SS Ohio / Oakland Raiders
This guy hits like a Mack truck but again was the victim of ‘what the hell did the Raiders draft him here for’ disease. He was dubbed the biggest reach of the draft (apart from guess who Raiders pick Heyward-Bey!) but when a team grabs him in the second round of the NFL draft he HAS to have some talent. Ok he is the highest Ohio player to be drafted since 1948 but I think a guy with a chip on his shoulder will play that bit harder. Go Mike!
80 (82) – Derrick Williams WR Penn State / Detroit Lions
OK this is a 100% homer pick, where I wanted to select a Nittany Lion, and I hope that Williams becomes the Lions #1 return man and an immediate #3 WR. He was projected 4 years ago to be a monster talent, but teams have dampened their enthusiasm. Lets call Williams an experiment. I got him almost the same time the Lions grabbed him. I hope he is a pleasant surprise on an NFL team that needs a hell of a lot more than just one pleasant surprise.
87 (81) – Roy Miller DT Texas / Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Maybe I was having dreams that Miller would become the new Warren Sapp. He is only 6 1′ but he has a big ol’ tree trunk of a body. 5.5 sacks as a senior and one against Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl shows that he knows how to sniff out quarterbacks. The guy was team mates with Brian Orakpo, and no doubt they both made each other better. The guy does have a 500lb bench press – best all time amongst Longhorns.
At #98 there was still a huge choice of talent, but I needed a CB and went for Webb, a small school guy with a huge amount of talent. The guy has taken three kicks to da house in college. Despite his misdemeanours in his younger days, Webb has the ability to be a nickel or dime back as a rookie and will earn playing time even if the Ravens do not quite know where yet.
So how do YOU rate my draft ? I am Washington.
Note I did not pick a single Redskin – its a trap many fantasy drafters fall into, picking players from your favourite team.
Here were all 100 picks (NFL real pick in brackets) Draft done June 2009
TIMES ARE ALL PM USA EST (NFL)
1 Carolina Matthew Stafford QB (1)
2 Washington Mark Sanchez QB (5)
3 Dallas Michael Crabtree WR (10)
4 Atlanta Aaron Curry OLB (4)
5 Indianapolis Knowshon Moreno RB (12)
6 Cleveland Jason Smith OT (2)
7 Washington Eugene Monroe OT (8)
8 Cincinnati Percy Harvin WR (22)
9 Chicago Malcolm Jenkins CB (14)
10 Houston Brian Orakpo DE (13)
11 Tampa Andre Smith OT (7)
12 Denver BJ Raji DT (9)
13 Pittsburgh Darius Heyward Bey WR (7)
14 San Diego Aaron Maybin DE (11)
15 New England Michael Oher OT (23)
16 San Francisco Chris ‘Beanie’ Wells RB (31)
17 Oakland Tyson Jackson (3)
18 Miami Hakeem Nicks WR (29)
19 Cleveland James Laurinitas ILB (35)
20 Washington Jeremy Maclin WR (19)
1 Carolina Brian Cushing OLB (15)
2 Detroit Vontae Davis CB (25)
3 Dallas Brandon Pettigrew (20)
4 Atlanta Peria Jerry DT (24)
5 Indianapolis Clay Matthews OLB (26)
6 Washington Rey Maualuga ILB (38)
7 New England Larry English OLB (16)
8 Cincinnati Patrick Chung S (34)
9 Chicago Alphonso Smith CB (37)
10 Houston Louis Delmas S (33)
11 Tampa Donald Brown RB (27)
12 Denver Darius Butler CB (41)
13 Pittsburgh Josh Freeman (17)
14 San Diego Le Sean McCoy RB (53)
15 New England Evander Hood DT (32)
16 San Francisco Everette Brown (43)
17 Oakland Brian Robiskie WR (36)
18 Washington Robert Ayres OLB/DE (18)
19 Cleveland Connor Barwin OLB/DE (46)
20 ST Louis Paul Kruger DE (57)
1 Carolina Kenny Britt WR (30)
2 Detroit Shonn Green RB (65)
3 Dallas Sen’Derrick Marks DE (62)
4 Atlanta Alex Mack C (21)
5 Tennessee Eben Britton OT (39)
6 Tennessee Ron Brace DT (40)
7 Denver Andy Levitre OT (51)
8 Houston 3.45 William Beatty OT (60)
9 Chicago 4.00 Eric Wood OL (28)
10 Houston 4.15 Mohamed Massaquoi WR (50)
11 Tampa Fili Moala DT (56)
12 St Louis David Veikune DE/LB (52)
13 Pittsburgh Jarius Byrd CB (42)
14 San Diego Max Unger C (49)
15 Washington Clint Sintim OLB (45)
16 San Francisco 5.45 Michael Johnson DE (70)
17 Oakland Phil Loadholt OT (54)
18 Miami 6.15 Jarret Dillard WR
19 Cleveland 6.30 Austin Collie WR (127)
20 ST Louis 6.45 Sean Smith CB (61)
1 Carolina Jaron Gilbert DE (68)
2 St Louis Christopher Owens CB (90)
3 St Louis Kevin Barnes CB (80)
4 Atlanta William Moore S (55)
5 Indianapolis Rashad Johnson S (95)
6 Tenn Jared Cook TE (89)
7 Washington Michael Mitchell SS (47)
8 Cincinnati Jason Williams LB (69)
9 Chicago DJ Moore CB (119)
10 Houston 4.15 Glen Coffee RB (74)
11 Tampa Pat White QB (44)
12 Denver Darcel mcBath CB (48)
13 Pittsburgh Sherrod Martin S (59)
14 San Diego Sebastian Vollmer OT (58)
15 St Louis Juaquin Igesias WR (99)
16 St Louis Mike Goodson RB (111)
17 Denver Chase Coffman TE (98)
18 Miami Derek Cox CB (73)
19 Cleveland Kraig Urbik OT (79)
20 Washington Derrick Williams WR (82)
1 Carolina Deon Butler WR (91)
2 Detroit Travis Beckum TE (100)
3 Dallas Andre Brown RB (129)
4 Atlanta Duke Robinson G (163)
5 Indianapolis Donald Washington CB (102)
6 Tennessee Lawrence Sidbury DE (125)
7 Washington Roy Miller DT (81)
8 Cincinnati Ricky Jean-Francois-DT (244)
9 St Louis Henry Melton DE (105)
10 Houston Brandon Tate WR (83)
11 Tampa Louis Vasquez OG (78)
12 Denver Jasper Brinkley ILB (150)
13 Pittsburgh Alex Magee DT (67)
14 San Diego Deandre Levy OLB (76)
15 New England Robert Brewster OL (75)
16 San Francisco Jonathan Luigs C (106)
17 Oakland Antoine Caldwell OL (77)
18 Washington Ladarius Webb CB (88)
19 Cleveland Bernard Scott RB (209)
20 New England Mike Wallace WR (84)
21 Pittsburgh Deangelos Smith CB (143)
The news that a Westlake Village (Calif.) Oaks Christianhigh school quarterback accepting an offer to become a Washington Huskie in 2010 is not something I would normally report on.
Wednesday’s news that this same QB declined an offer from the Fighting Irish Notre Dame would also seem somewhat inconsequential.
That this gun slinger is going into his senior high school season throwing passes to team mate WR Trey Smith, the son of Hollywood actor Will Smith (WR Trey Smith) AND he is keeping backup QB Trevor Gretzky on the bench, the son of NHL ice hockey legend Wayne Gretzky is bizarre enough.
This is where it truly goes ‘radio rentals’ (for all you non UK fans this is Cockney rhyming slang for mental) as the passer in question (seen left wearing the #5 shirt) is none other that the son of four time Superbowl winning quarterback Joe Montana – Mr Nick Montana.
Trust me you could not make this up. Don’t believe me – click here.
This would be the UK equivalent of Hugh Grant’s son (not that I think he even has one), David Beckham’s son Romeo and Ian Botham’s son (English cricket legend) all playing for the same school Sixth-Form football team (soccer).
As Dizzy Rascal would say ‘BONKERS’.
Only in America! And this ladies and gentlemen is why I love our friends over the other side of the pond.
Anyone ALREADY getting excited about the 2014 NFL Draft (assuming that Montana Jnr does not apply for NFL draft eligibility as a junior) ?
Anyone who loves NFL fantasy football should play Action PC Football. It is an opportunity to run a complete team, complete with 50 to 55 man rosters.
There are many dedicated Action PC Football commissioners and they all have different wrinkles to the way their leagues are run. I myself run two leagues the BBFL (Britball Football League) and the AMFL (Art Monk Football League).
One League I am in called the KRFL (Knute Rockne Football League) has a TEN round Rookie Draft in May. Yes TEN rounds of rookies, OK it is a 24 team league, but drafting ten rounds of NFL Rookies (who will not play in the league until 2010) is quite taxing even for a devoted NFL fan like me.
The task for me was made even more difficult due to two additional factors. I inherited a team that picked 23rd of 24 in every round, and I also had NO 1st or 3rd round pick.
So with that set of problems, and a disadvantage of not getting to watch NCAA College Football here in England, here are the 8 picks I did make. Feel free to add any useful comments about my selections and thoughts ……..
When the Jacksonville Jaguars let Fred Taylor go this offseason they made a loud and clear announcement that Maurice Jones-Drew was THE number one running back on the team heading into 2009.
MJD is great fun to watch and has a work ethic and a slight chip on his shoulder (due to his size), making him a great franchise back.
MJD has produced good numbers on the ground and pretty spectacular through the air, but he has been supported by Taylor every step of the way.
It was clear the Jags needed to get some form of support act for MJD, either through free agency or in the 2009 NFL Draft.
With their first two selections Jacksonville played it very sensibly by drafting Eugene Monroe and Eben Britten, two extremely solid offensive tackles.
Monroe and Britten will immediately help to clear the path for MJD, but it was the selection of Rashad Jennings, the running back from Liberty at pick #250 in the 7th round of the 2009 NFL draft, that interested me the most.
Jennings could be the MJD support act, along with the rather active and athletic running back/full back Greg Jones.
Jennings was predicted to go anywhere from the 2nd to the 5th round by many experts, so for the Jags to get Jennings in the 7th round must have felt like Santa Claus had started early in Florida this year.
I’m sure the Jaguars did not expect Jennings to fall in their lap so late, but it does leave me thinking why did 31 other teams decide not to call his name before pick #250.
I have a good feeling about Jennings showing those other teams that they made a big mistake. Jacksonville will be a much improved team in 2009, with the likes of Torry Holt and Mike Walker stepping up at WR, Marcedes Lewis doing the do at TE and David Garrard showing he still has plenty left in the tank.
Whilst MJD will be the star of the show I can see Rashad Jennings getting 300-400 yards rushing and 4-6 touchdowns.
Any stats around this mark will be seen as great production for a 7th round pick, but I get the feeling for Jennings he will want a lot lot more.
In this world of wide-mouthed wide-receivers there are some that have better skills talking to the media than they do on the field. Recently acquired Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Torry Holt fortunately is not one of them.
Holt who owns a Superbowl winners ring is one class act who will hopefully get the opportunity to deliver a few good seasons in the Florida sunshine, and maybe even get a few playoff wins.
Holt had a remarkable career in St Louis, with 869 (5th active in NFL, 11th all time in NFL) catches for 12,660 (5th active in NFL, 14th all time NFL).
So what is his secret? Is it his super human fitness? NO. Is it the fact he has missed just two games in 10 seasons of football? NO. Is it the supporting cast he had over that decade, including the likes of Kurt Warner, Isaac Bruce and Marshall Faulk? NO.
The answer is his mutant hand. Yes Torry Holt has a mutant finger that is capable of bending in any direction, and in his own words ‘the ability to scare little children’.
You want to last a decade being hit by crazy psycho safeties – the key is a mutant finger.
Pick 1 – Lions – Matthew Stafford QB - The new face of the Lions – truth is he has a 50% chance of being a bust
Pick 2 – Rams – Jason Smith OT – I predicted this one right – likely I get the next 30 wrong ! lease I was 100% right at one stage today
Pick 3 – Chiefs – Tyson Jackson DE - This guy suddenly sneaked up boards and he looks like the real deal – this will really help Tamba Hali to become a better player.
Pick 4 – Seahawks – Aaron Curry OLB – If I’m a Seahawks fan I’m popping the chamnpagne corks – even though I thought they might go Sanchez this is a safer and more immediately productive pick.
Pick 5 – Jets (via trade with Jets) Mark Sanchez QB – To hear the raucous Jets crowd cheer over ESPN radio (as the bloody NFL.com streaming is toooooooo busy) made me chuckle. I seem to recall each year they boo their own pick. Sanchez will be the Jets starter sometime in 2009 – the poster boy goes to the media microscope – anyone for the next decade of Sanchez Jets endorsements !!
Pick 6 – Bungles – Andre Smith OT – This is a sensible pick, and despite looking like a scared elephant during the combine Andre Smith will protect Carson Palmer’s back and that is a good thing. I had the Bungles picking OT – just got the wrong one !
Pick 7 – Raiders – Darius Heyward-Bey WR – Again I had the right position here – speedy wideout. Lets hope Jamarcus Russell can finally be the man we all expected. This is a little risky as a pick.
Pick 8 – Jaguars – Eugene Monroe OT – Jaguars needed someone to open holes for the MJD show. Sensible pick – not sexy but this will make the Jags offense better.
Pick 9 – Packers – BJ RAji DT – I GOT THIS ONE RIGHT !!!!!!!!! The Packers will be licking their chops here. This is gonna be a man who will be after the blood of Jay Cutler. Can’t wait !!
Pick 10 – 49ers – Michael Crabtree WR – This is great value as this guy could have been a top 3 pick before his foot injury. Niners will want Crabtree to shoulder the load and he could make an immediate impact that many rookie wrs normally fail to do.
Pick 11 – Seahawks – Aaron Maybin DE – Seahawks looking to get tougher and Maybin will make that happen. Seahawks are saying Hasslebeck is the QB loud and clear in 2009.
Pick 12 – Broncos – Knowshown Moreno RB – I HAD THE BRONCOS drafting Moreno at 18. Wise pick – get running with a stud. Broncos fans will be happy even though there are defensive needs still.
Pick 13 Redskins – Brian Orakpo DE – As a Redskins fan I am very very happy we drafted a stud DE and didnt do something stupid like trade the pick for a 40 year old lineman. Jason Campbell will be able to breathe out now too.
Pick 14 Saints- Malcolm Jenkins CB – He will be a great fit for the Saints. The Saints cbs are pretty awful so there will be big pressure on him to perform early. Jenkins will have a baptism of fire.
Pick 15 Texans – Brian Cushing OLB – This is another solid pick for the Texans who are building a qualit defense. They are no longer seen as soft, they just need to grab some offensive talent to go with the D.
Pick 16 Chargers – Larry English LB – This is the biggest move up for a predicted pick. Its not a reach though. You look up picks of him he is a big beast of a man and will be flying round for the Chargers in no time.
Pick 17 Buccs (via trade) Josh Freeman QB – OK they traded up BUT I GOT THIS RIGHT !!! Buccs need a young pup to get ready to drive the car in Fla. Freeman is the perfect fit.
Pick 18 Broncos – Robert Ayres DE – Broncos have taken a risk here. Im not sure this is the safest pick. They could have taken Oher or Macklin. Im not 100% convinced by the value of this pick.
Pick 19 Eagles (traded) Jeremy Macklin WR – Great plan by the Iggles to get Macklin as he wasnt going to fall much further. Macklin and Desean Jackson – could the Eagles have a decent 1 and 2 ? Macklin will return kicks and likely take one to the house as a rook.
Pick 20 Lions Brandom Pettigrew TE – Hmmmmmmm not sure here but Pettigrew is the best TE available. He could be a mega star. Its an intreguing pick to say the least, but its a great compliment pick for Stafford.
Dardar was drafted ahead of the following former NFL stars in 1983 – Charles Mann DE Redskins, Greg Townsed DE Raiders, Superbowl XX MVP Richard Dent DE Bears, and Karl Mecklenberg DE Broncos
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