Mocking Matt Ryan
March 31, 2008 at 5:06 pm | Article by Paul Hickey |
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T-Minus 27 days until one of my top five favorite days of the year - the first day of the NFL Draft. It’s like Christmas in April. Running down to see what gifts are under the tree, except it’s in the form of Roger Goodell calling out names and Mel Kiper and Todd McShay analyzing picks. The draft is not only chalked full of compelling stories, but the addition of certain players to various teams always creates a fantasy impact that all owners need to begin anticipating immediately.
So, needless to say, No-Offseason.com will continue to be a key tool for preparing for 2008 fantasy drafts, as we’ll begin breaking down the brand new value of players upon the completion of the NFL draft.
In the meantime though, it’s only right that we have just as much fun as everyone else, and try to predict what will happen. From now until April 26, the majority of this blog space will essentially become one large mock draft. Our mock draft isn’t necessarily meant to see how many picks we can get right, it’s meant to give fantasy owners an understanding of where certain NFL teams need to improve. So, without further ado, here comes the commissioner to announce the first overall pick…
1. “The Miami Dolphins Select…” Chris Long, OLB/DE, Virginia - IDP fantasy owners, I wish I could tell you that this move will add another stellar defensive linemen into the mix, but it won’t. Bill Parcells will pull the trigger on this kid for three main reasons - 1. He ALWAYS drafts defense in the first round. 2. Long is extremely versatile and will fit as a hybrid pass rusher from two positions, mainly outside linebacker in his 3-4 scheme. 3. He has a phenomenal work ethic, an immense love for the game, and he’s a great teammate. Parcells will do his due diligence, and look at Jake Long, Matt Ryan and a couple others, but Howie’s son is his guy.
2. “The St. Louis Rams Select…” Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU - A tough call here between U-M’s Jake Long - a freakishly athletic tackle similar to Cleveland’s Joe Thomas, who went third overall in last year’s draft, and Dorsey - but ultimately Dorsey makes the most sense. The Rams defense needs an anchor on the line, and Dorsey has expelled all health concerns by rocking his pro day. Kiper and McShay both see Dorsey as a sure-fire top four pick once again, and we agree. The fantasy impact here is that the presence of Dorsey will likely allow last year’s first rounder Adam Carriker to move outside and play defensive end. If this happens, look for Carriker to be a fantasy sleeper in the mold of Aaron Schobel in leagues that require starters at D-line.
3. “The Atlanta Falcons Select…” Jake Long, OT, U-M - It’s either Long or Matt Ryan here folks, but I’m going with Long. This guy can help rebuild a disgustingly bad offense quicker than any project QB. Atlanta has a horrible offensive line, so drafting a QB before addressing this need would be a moot point. This pick will help Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood immensely, and set the stage for them taking a QB in round two.
4. “The Oakland Raiders Select…” Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas - Come on folks, the Raiders can’t help it. They just can’t. While it’s probably not the best pick for their organization, this is the way it will fall. In some ways, it actually does make a lot of sense. Justin Fargas is Justin Fargas, and Michael Bush - while talented - hasn’t really proved a darn thing yet. McFadden is a calculated risk in that he could pay off huge, and if he doesn’t, then the team is still deep at RB. Look, in terms of fantasy value, I’d be stupid to tell owners not to take him with the top overall pick in dynasty rookie drafts. Regardless of where he ends up, this guy definitely could be the next Adrian Peterson. Sorry Mike Mayock, you make some good points about Rashard Mendenhall being better, but not enough to deter me from making that call.
5. “The Kansas City Chiefs Select…” Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College - Brodie Croyle is not the answer, and if Ryan falls to KC at fifth overall, Carl Peterson will happily pull the trigger. Peterson’s comment about being interested in McFadden will be enough to scare Al Davis into drafting him a pick prior, so Peterson can grab the guy he really wanted - Ryan. Although, if Atlanta takes Ryan third, Jake Long will certainly go in this spot. If KC gets Ryan, expect him to get a chance to start early in his career. With a solid running game already in place, and the emergence of Dwayne Bowe, it’s not far fetched to think he could be a legit fantasy option by 2009 or 2010.
Check back in tomorrow for picks 6-10. At this rate, we’ll be done with the first round by the end of the week. And, ah yes, we will take a stab at mocking rounds two and three, unlike most other sites.
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