It's never too early to start planning for April.
by Lysol on Dec 22, 2009 1:18 AM EST
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PrintWord Count: 605. Sorry for the long post.
So, over at Mocking the Draft (SB Nation's official draft headquarters), mock drafts are being posted almost daily in fanposts. Today, lifelongvike posted what quite possibly may be the best mock made so far, using updated week 14 standing and the current player evaluations. Keep in mind, we don't know much about these players other than what we've seen in the college season, so everything will change regarding to these prospects by the time the combine rolls around.
I know The Teal Deal and Best Jag fan have already seen this and weighed in, but i want to hear everyone's thoughts.
This mock has the Jags picking 17th (yup, no playoffs) and has us selecting C.J. Spiller, RB Clemson. When you look at the needs of our team, RB seems like the most glaring area in which we're set. Jones-Drew and Jennings are a pretty good team of backs, as long as MoJo gets 25+ touches a game and RJ is used to spell him or pass protect. However, if we are more willing to sculpt our offense into a total ball control, 55/45 run/pass offense, Spiller is the best pick imaginable. He's got gamebreaking running abilities, 4.4 speed, and catches the ball effectively.
Watch this video of Spiller. (wouldnt let me embed, sorry.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxkNT9IxEu8:
51- easily breaks arm tackles and maintains balace.
1:06- look at his downfield catching ability.
1:56- another catch, a destructive juke move, and burns to the endzone.
2:47- Breaks out of a busted play, displays great vision and burst, and goes 83 yards to the endzone.
And, so on and so forth. We can laude CJ Spiller all day long, but he doesn't fit for what this team is becoming, what the league's offenses are moving to, and how the game is played.
Remember, we drafted Eugene Monroe for his exceptional pass-blocking, although his run-blocking was average. Mike Sims-Walker, Mike Thomas, and Marcedes Lewis have become go-to guys for David Garrard, and our pass game has become the focal point of this team. While we may not have the dominant passing offense that other teams have, we are a young team that is finally finding an identity. Our identity is the pass from 20 to 20, and running in the redzone. Another RB would clog up the offensive system Koetter has implemented and would reduce MoJo's ability to wear down a defense and we would not be able to showcase CJ Spiller's abilities.
Also, if i recall correctly, Jordan Black played TE for a majority of the snaps on Thursday, assisting in the blocking that allowed our run game to dominate the Colts. If that was what our gameplan is every sunday, i say CJ Spliller is a must have for this team. But for every other game, we have been a pass first team. We must improve on that and our defense.
Combine that with the continued maturation of the young standout players on this team, Thomas, MSW, Lewis, Drew, Miller, and Dillard on offense; and the diamond in the rough defensive players, like: Knighton, Cox, J. Williams, R. Allen, Brackenr...okay not Brackenridge, we can finally become a dominant team in the NFL. Yes, our QB has been under fire, and I expect that to be addressed at some point.
So basically, In Gene we Trust. He won't let us down come draft day, and won't make the mistakes that other teams with incompetent front offices would make.
Expect more draft talk from me in the coming weeks and months, in the meantime: support the movement and keep the faith.
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I cringe when I read "When you look at the needs of our team"
First off, this is a really first rate post and I encourage you to keep posting. Now my thoughts…
Shack Harris was a needs drafter and so most of the top guys were not selected in the first round as we went for position (QB, Receiver, Receiver). Round two was more best available and more productive. Was Derrick Harvey a must have for the team? To Shack he was. Could he have waited for Calais Campbell? Yep. Would we be ok? Probably yes.
Last year the draft was filled with top quality linebackers deep into the second round. People would have screamed if we had chosen a linebacker because we didn’t need one. Gene was good and Gene was lucky. The draft fell nicely for him in terms of immediate need and top quality athletes. He may have wanted a QB, but never reached for one.
Are there any positions we don’t need? Nope. Every position can use a young high quality player. Would CJ Spiller be a good pick? Yep. Is he a must have for the team? Nope. The only position I can think of as “must have” is QB and that is 50/50 at best.
No matter who the best guy at #17 is, no matter the position they play, that is the “must have” for the team. No single college player is a must have going into the draft. Draft choices are the only “must have” going into the draft. JMO.
Big Cat Country!:: The Official Home of the Unofficial Blog of the Jacksonville Jaguars!
To be fair, if you look at this mock, Spiller would be, IMO, the BAP at 17
Christian Ponder in 2011! Bring him home Wayne, he can actually play QB in the NFL
Big Cat Country Radio, Every Wednesday Night at 10 PM EST
by Jonathan Loesche on Dec 22, 2009 9:49 AM EST up reply actions
dont hate on T-Brack
the guy has come in here and worked his ASS off and played very well for what he was given, making great plays. i know the one msicue to T.O., but its TO. tbrack has impressed me.
by harveyismyboy on Dec 24, 2009 10:37 AM EST up reply actions
I agree T, you don’t draft needs. You draft BAP.
Spiller is a MONSTER. I played against him in HS (was not fun)
Can you imagine that three-headed monster?
MJD, SPILLER, JENNINGS???
EEEEWWWEEE…. Nasty fellas.
by floridafalcons#63 on Dec 22, 2009 11:03 AM EST reply actions
Playmakers define the team
Whatever role they fill, playmakers dictate strategy.
For example, the Jaguars are now running to the left because the strength is there.
Just get playmakers and let the average guys rise to the occasion.
Big Cat Country!:: The Official Home of the Unofficial Blog of the Jacksonville Jaguars!
hawk
are you case keenum? you keep writing about him, but he’s not going to be anything in the NFL. hes at the nation’s next tex.tech
by harveyismyboy on Dec 24, 2009 10:40 AM EST up reply actions
In his mock
Derrick Morgan is available, I know that is going a little on needs but man it would sting a little passing up on one of the best pass rushers in the draft class. What do you guys think of Morgan?
Haven't seen enough of Morgan to go one way or the other
I’ll say this, if we got CJ Spiller, we would have 2 1,000 yard rushers in 2010
Christian Ponder in 2011! Bring him home Wayne, he can actually play QB in the NFL
Big Cat Country Radio, Every Wednesday Night at 10 PM EST
by Jonathan Loesche on Dec 22, 2009 12:10 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah, then we could draft Tebow, and he could just be a figure head! He wouldn’t have to throw the ball!!! lol
by floridafalcons#63 on Dec 22, 2009 12:33 PM EST up reply actions
That's the master plan
"HULU: An evil plot to destroy the world. Enjoy"
Driver of the "Cut Reggie Nelson" Bandwagon.
If he has to throw, we are in trouble… ;)
by floridafalcons#63 on Dec 22, 2009 4:37 PM EST up reply actions
We have a surgical procedure for that
We implant a spring and a laser pointer into his arm. Guareenteed Success.
"HULU: An evil plot to destroy the world. Enjoy"
Driver of the "Cut Reggie Nelson" Bandwagon.
Spiller
Is another play maker, something the Jags need more of. I’d love to grab him, especially if the secondary is figured out between now and then. At 17, Spiller is without a doubt the BAP. He catches the ball great as well, is a special teams ace, returning both kicks and punts, and could easily be the rookie of the year. I’m usually not this high on a college player, but I get to watch a bunch of Clemson games living in Jacksonville, and the kid is a monster.
If hip hop is dead, then it happened the day that Dilla died.
-Akrobatik
completely agree with everything. big plays are where its at in the NFL
and thats all CJ is about. first thing that comes to mind was his last KO ret. TD. First play of the game, in SCAR, crowd pumped up, and the kid shoots it right to the house. I would take CJ before you can say MJD
by harveyismyboy on Dec 24, 2009 10:42 AM EST up reply actions
First rd is all about getting an explosive offensive threat
u need to take the best available player and if its offense which spiller is then draft him it will only improve ur team dont pass up a high probablity success
"The only yardstick for success our society has is being a champion. No one remembers anything else." John Madden
I Wouldn't
Be opposed to Golden Tate either.
If hip hop is dead, then it happened the day that Dilla died.
-Akrobatik
Either one
of the 2 could play outside. Mike Thomas has had comparisons to Carolina’s Steve Smith, something I agreed with before I ever heard anyone else say that. I’m sticking by that comparison, and like Steve, I think Mike can play outside too.
I Agree
Next year, Torry Holt needs to be demoted to third down. I think Mike is ready for a bigger role.
If hip hop is dead, then it happened the day that Dilla died.
-Akrobatik
I usually don't like
commenting until I do all my homework first. But I know I wouldn’t be sad to see CJ Spiller as our 1st round pick. I just hope to get a Bierman in one of the later rounds. Could be a long season otherwise.
In football you can never have too much of a good thing
One amazing running back is good, two amazing running backs is better! If CJ is the BAP when the Jags are on the clock we would be crazy not to take him.
Jennings is perfect for his current role, but I don’t think he will ever be part of a true rb tandem for us. Spiller would be an incredible asset on special teams and probably be good enought to take about 1/3rd of the carries.
Join the club...
…I was cringing when the Pats traded out of the first round and avoided the OLB position.
Hire OC.
by Richard Hill on Dec 23, 2009 8:44 PM EST up reply actions
I wanted to draft
a DE last year, and everyone kept pointing out that we had just given up most of our draft to get Groves and Harvey. I didn’t want to hear it. But here we are 14 games into the season, and we only have 14 sacks.
If you’re afraid your pass blocking is weak, don’t worry. We wont sack Brady, barring a near miracle.
Thanks for the input guys!
BestJagFan-
The thing about Golden Tate is that we already have a logjam at slot receiver/bubble screen WR. Mike Thomas is very similar to him and it would a waste of one of their’s talent. (i know that’s bad grammar, but i didnt know another way to convey that.)
What we need to do is improve on our defense and offensive line. We have the playmakers now to run an effective offense and put points up in different ways. But the protection has not been there this season to allow those guys to get open and Garrard to have a clear lane to throw it to. Compound that with our inability to pull our LG when going off RT, much less running to Vinny’s side anyway (It has been done well at some points, but for the most part its been nonexistent.)
Once we can get 3 great cover corners and safeties that have good athleticism AND good football IQ, our defense will begin to dominate. We’re lacking at safety considerably at the moment. Every safety on our roster seems to have one but not the other. Mathis and Cox are great, but we lack a good nickel corner or a man to man cover safety to match up with good slot receivers or fast TE’s. Add in the lack of pass rush and our defense is almost playing with one hand behind their backs. They work hand in hand. We lack both, and QB’s have no trouble decimating us.
Keep it coming!
I Hear You
Both players are similar in style and build. Golden makes plays with the ball in his hands though. Guy makes plays, and looks like he could work the slot and be a threat to take it to the house everytime he touches the ball. I think Mike T. could play on the outside and run routes down field.
If hip hop is dead, then it happened the day that Dilla died.
-Akrobatik
Different styles of WR. Downfield speed and over the middle toughness are complementary. Two guys with the same skill set compete for touches if they are used in the same role. Tate and Thomas are very similar, Thomas is already on the team.
Larry Fitzgerald
Isn’t fast. He runs great routes, can jump like a mother, and has great hands. Not too far off from Anquan’s skill set.
If hip hop is dead, then it happened the day that Dilla died.
-Akrobatik
better character too
"HULU: An evil plot to destroy the world. Enjoy"
Driver of the "Cut Reggie Nelson" Bandwagon.
Lets put it this way
suppose they were both tall. Wouldn’t you want a whole receiving group full of players like tall versions of Thomas and Tate? I sure would. I think that’s how we are supposed to approach the situation, because Thomas can play tall and Tate is fast enough to still be a deep threat outside.
Another way we can look at it is, we already have a MSW, Troy Williamson, Underwood, and Dillard why do we need another outside receiver?
I wouldn’t mind having Desean Jackson, even though I already have a Thomas. If you had a Larry Fitz and Moss Desean would be a slot guy, but obviously he doesn’t have to be the typical big receiver to play outside as long as he’s a playmaker which either one of these guys can be.
what about Anthoy smith or Gerald alexander
they both showed, especially a smith, they could cover dallas clark last game .
by harveyismyboy on Dec 24, 2009 10:47 AM EST up reply actions
Anthony Smith
was the same guy that got clobbered in that undefeated season when he was playing with the Steelers.
If you guys are serious about getting a solid QB behind Garrard...
…I’d suggest Max Hall from BYU. He’ll be available in rounds 3-5, in my opinion. He has 3 years of starting experience (a GREAT plus), he has sound skills and he has good stats while throwing to pretty much no talent. If he sits behind Garrard for a few years (a la Aaron Rodgers), you’ll have a nice QB for the future from the mid rounds, allowing you to utilize the earlier picks on more pressing needs (DE, CB).
Hire OC.
Man
I’m just not a fan of Max Hall. He won’t be able to make every NFL throw, and he can’t buy time or scramble. He also throws a lot of picks. For a project, I like Jarrett Brown from West Virginia. Great all around athlete with nice arm strength. Looks like Brown could be another David G.
If hip hop is dead, then it happened the day that Dilla died.
-Akrobatik
His decision making and INT totals are similar to Stanzi of Iowa
I much rather get Tony Pike (Cincy), Dan Lefevour (Central Mich.), or someone like that.
"HULU: An evil plot to destroy the world. Enjoy"
Driver of the "Cut Reggie Nelson" Bandwagon.
by TheTealDeal on Dec 24, 2009 12:41 PM EST up reply actions
I don't like how old BYU quarterbacks are before they ever hit the NFL.
Look at John Beck. He hasn’t done anything.
In Gene We Trust.
by MoveThoseChains on Dec 24, 2009 2:24 PM EST up reply actions
Exceptions, not the rule
Christian Ponder in 2011! Bring him home Wayne, he can actually play QB in the NFL
Big Cat Country Radio, Every Wednesday Night at 10 PM EST
by Jonathan Loesche on Dec 24, 2009 4:03 PM EST up reply actions
Alex Smith has been passable after been given time riding the bench for a while...
…give him a year or two and he’ll be a slightly above average QB.
Beck hasn’t done anything because he was brought into a terrible system. The system then got replaced when Parcells arrived and Beck wasn’t part of that plan.
I think Hall will be worth a good mid round pick.
Hire OC.
by Richard Hill on Dec 25, 2009 1:18 AM EST up reply actions
It's all about the system.
Smith works well in Jimmy Raye’s system. He has to manage the game and move the chains on third down.
Do your homework on Max Hall guys. How does he handle pressure? How far can he throw? Can he throw the deep out? Is he mobile? Does he take snaps from under center? Make a QB similarity to his ability. Can that work in Koetter’s system?
I don't like him
Can’t throw more than 50 yards, can’t throw the deep out , and is one of the least mobile quarterbacks in this draft. Sounds like practice squad material.
If hip hop is dead, then it happened the day that Dilla died.
-Akrobatik
Good work.
I didn’t want everyone drinking the kool-aid on Hall when he’s not a great prospect.
In all honesty, I don’t think we need to start the official draft thread until the season’s over. Our focus is on beating New England and Cleveland.
It's easy.
Every team has fans like us, never content with the team. Even Steelers fans I know were having the same talk we’re having at the end of last season. Its how sports are. No matter how well the team is doing, we find the weaknesses and demand that the front office addresses them.
Pats fans HATE Lawrence Maroney. He’s not a bad back at all (my fantasy team will tell you that), but they view him as the reason the run game in NE is suffering. So no matter what we think, unless it’s on of the marquee players on the team, in his prime (Drew, in our case), no guy on the team is untouchable and they all can be improved upon.
So it a measure of how we view certain players. Some teams would kill to have a Back like Maroney. But he’s expendable in New England. Other teams would love to have Brad Meester. He’s a veteran, and could find his way into the rotation elsewhere. But not for this team. Trust me, he’ll either be gone by the time September rolls around, or his designated successor will be on this roster. We feel he is the main reason our offense sputters. Hopefully Gene feels the same way.
Alex Smith went to Utah, different Mormon school ;)
Christian Ponder in 2011! Bring him home Wayne, he can actually play QB in the NFL
Big Cat Country Radio, Every Wednesday Night at 10 PM EST
by Jonathan Loesche on Dec 25, 2009 8:51 AM EST up reply actions
I know Utah is a state school, but isn't the majority of students who go there also Mormon?
Christian Ponder in 2011! Bring him home Wayne, he can actually play QB in the NFL
Big Cat Country Radio, Every Wednesday Night at 10 PM EST
by Jonathan Loesche on Dec 25, 2009 6:38 PM EST up reply actions
I don't believe so
I have a ton of mormon friends and about half go to BYU-Utah and the other half go to BYU-Idaho. There’s a BYU-Hawaii too, but none of my friends go there.
Utah's just generic state college
Brigham Young was a leader of some Mormons, thus a Mormon school
"HULU: An evil plot to destroy the world. Enjoy"
Driver of the "Cut Reggie Nelson" Bandwagon.
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