A Weekend in New York: Thoughts of a Jags Fan

   A couple months ago, My dad, my oldest cousin, and me decided to go to the 2010 NFL Draft, partly because we wanted to see Tebow get drafted and partly because we are diehards for the draft. After a very difficult process of questioning, re-evaluating, and learning, I'm come to a new understanding of the BAP philosophy and come to terms with our picks. However, like the majority of us out there, I still hold to doubts, that must be proved to be incorrect before being revised. Here's some thoughts.

Draft Picks

Lets get down to it, a discussion and look at our draft picks. Some prior knowledge and thoughts before I looked further and read more about them. Along with reaction to the pick. Then later, i'll give you the positive.

1st round pick: Tyson Alualu, DT, California

Reactionary Grade: D

 My reaction to this pick was very negative. With Jimmy Clausen, Brandon Graham, Derrick Morgan, Earl Thomas and others still available, this looked to be a big reach. My knowledge of this player came from a couple articles from the Seahawks blog by their head blogger. Alualu was a up  and coming DT, ranked as 4th-6th best DT. Wasn't very exposed till very very recently. The links:

http://www.fieldgulls.com/2009/11/17/1162315/meet-tyson-alualu

http://www.fieldgulls.com/2010/2/8/1301353/powerhouse-seeking-position-tyson

3rd round pick: D'Anthony Smith, DT, Louisana Tech

Reactionary Grade: D

 I was crushed after we picked our consecutive DT. I had really wanted Everson Griffen, Colt McCoy, or Jimmy Clausen. I had no prior knowledge of D'Anthony except that of his school. He attended the same college as Kicker Josh Scobee and QB Terry Bradshaw. LA Tech has produced a couple good players even though its relatively small.

5th(a) round pick: Larry Hart, DE/OLB, Central Arkansas

Reactionary Grade: C

Totally unknown to me but compounded the feeling of despair over selecting our 3rd D-Lineman. Also made me think that we really must do our homework on these small school players. It seemed from what i soon heard afterwards was that Hart was a Pass rush specialist off the edge.

5th(b) round pick: Austen Lane, DE, Murray State

Reactionary Grade: B

 This was the only guy I heard about. Austen Lane was a good pass rusher with good physical attributes and was above average against the pass, better at stopping the rushing attack. This guy was discussed in mock drafts that i saw and so I was familar with him. I was glad to have him; in his projected round.

6th(a) round pick: Deji Karim, RB, So. Illinois

Reactionary Grade: C

 More of a lower priority was the need for RB depth. Karim was noticed at pre-draft workouts and games. If i remember correctly he did well in the senior Bowl. A small school guy, but why draft someone from a big school. Deji Karim was a good bargain in the 6th. Correct me if I was wrong, but I thought Montario Hardesty was still available. I wanted a developmental QB.

6th(b) round pick: Scotty Mcgee, KR, James Madison

Reactionary Grade: C-

 I was still hoping for a developmental QB (Tony Pike, Jevon Snead). While I was in the autograph line to get Jerricho Cotchery's autograph, I was texted that we had picked a PR specialist with our last pick. I immediantly asked what position he was, the response was, "Punt Returner". His role would be limited to just KR, PR duties and he wouldn't give us any depth at CB, RB, WR, or any position that has people who can do the job. So i saw at this point in didn't really matter to the future of the team but man, Scotty's role is limited.

The Positives

   Later, I went back and thought about all our picks, (I had just read Vic's opinion on it all), and tried to see the positives. We had totally "fixed" the defensive line, I say fixed because it'll take 1-3 years to see our investment returns. We got an awesome, under-rated LB in Kirk Morrison who should provide more production and less big run plays allowed. We should have increased pass rush abilities, now that we don't have to rely on the likes of Derrick Harvey, Quentin Groves, and friends for blitzing and line penetration. We got a nice new RB to play with, who adds depth at a very important position that had only 2 true RBs and 2 FB/RB hybrids in it. The philosophy, "Build from the inside out" rang true.

My Assessment of the BAP Revised

Previous/Pre-Draft BAP Meaning:

  Drafting the best player without reaching, regardless of need. If there was C.J. Spiller, Earl Thomas, Derrick Morgan, or Tyson Alualu, It would mean picking one of the top 3 because Tyson Alualu was a reach and wasn't worth the 10th pick. BAP meant picking the best players and getting hte most value out of a draft pick. It also meant reduced FA spending. This meant Gene Smith had totally forgotten the Mantra he preached. Because according to this definition, he was reaching and there was no way in heck, our draft picks were the BAP when at times Jimmy Clausen, Everson Griffen, and others were available.

Post-Draft BAP Meaning:

   BAP is the philosophy of convictions, putting together a value board and drafting the top guy on it. BAP is taking the player who will help your franchise the most. BAP is not picking the percieved elite over the percieved inferior. So would you trust Kiper's Top 5 Lineman or Gene Smith's and company's Top 5? It's tough question at first, a seemingly 1st round talent or the Project Day 2'er.

Relevant Quotes

"To take a guy you could conceivably get 15 to 25 slots later, you're cheating yourself not just out of sixth- and seventh-round guys, but potentially a late second- or third-rounder. You have to know not just the pick, but the relative value." -Mel Kiper

"The NFL Network's Mike Mayock actually CALLED this pick as the commish walked up to the podium. Our pass rush just got better with this kid. Who do you double-team? This kid? Knighton? Big Hen (if he's not traded)? Somebody is going to get a single block & make a play. Or they push the pocket into the arms of Kampmann, Hayward & Harvey. Our secondary will look better too, since the other team's QB won't have all day to throw. I was shocked by the pick, but Gene Smith has been right on about every thing else so far. I gotta roll with it. Got my season tickets - 1st game against Denver (Tebow) and a Monday night game against the Flamin' Tacks!! It's a decent schedule. Go Jags!" -Jaguars Fan on bleacherreport.com

"Do I like the pick? I love the pick. What I love most is the originality of it. This is a scout's pick. This isn't picking a guy off a media value board. This is picking a guy off your value board. This is picking a guy after eight months of exhaustive work. Good for Gene Smith. This is how you do it." -Vic Ketchman on the 1st round pick

'What will we say about those players next season? That’s all that matters. Once the post-draft grades have passed, the hype will have ended and the real grading period will begin." -Vic Ketchman

"What the Jaguars sometimes fail to realize is that, you can get a player as early as you want but you lose value if you reach for him too much. You have to consider the value of trading back or waiting for a later draft pick to pick up a guy. Though, I'm all for it, if the guy becomes a hall of famer later in life." -My Father, promptly after the Alualu pick

Search for my next Jersey

  I hoped that C.J. Spiller would be drafted so I would have a good guy to get a jersey for. I have a certain criteria when getting a jersey. (My last Jersey was Matt Jones, and a very old Fred Taylor jersey).

-Must be under 30 years old

-Must be a starter or play significant time

-Must in a noticeable position, i.g. QB, RB, WR, LB, CB, DE

-(optional) The or one of the Face(s) of the franchise.

- Must not be common, i.g. Maurice Jones Drew

   I wasn't going to get Tyson Alualu's or Larry Hart's jersey but luckily for me a trade occured. Kirk Morrison became a jaguar when we traded a pick to the Raiders, who actually had a nice draft. Kirk has had 100+ tackles in the last couple seasons, is only 28 years old, and should be the starter at MLB. It works out well. On a different and irrelevant note, Tim Tebow will retain his trademark 15. I think i might see some Denver Broncos jersies pop up around Duval county.

Hook-up and Connections

   Drew Hampton and Chris Perkins are the guys who manned the Jaguars desk. Since Jaguars fans are rare in NYC and at the draft, they were truely greatful for us being there, Drew is one of the head equipement guys and he gave us the helmet off the Jags desk. It was said to have been worn by MJD once by I can't verify it. Chris, gave us the Jar of Jaguar colored M&M's and directed Tony Boselli in our direction, we told him to get us some better picks in which he replied that the next guy was a real good player, (The seemingly go-to phrase to justify our recent picks). Also, since we bought our tickets, we got a behind the scenes tour. We got a free lunch, got to have a great talk with Merril Hoge, who had a story about how once he was asked about MJD when MJD was getting drafted. Merril didn't know much about him except his height and replied, "Looks to be too short, a 3rd down back only". One day later, MJD was doing some kind of flag football game for kids and was staring down Merril. MJD went up to Merril and said " Of all the guys at ESPN, I'd thought you'd be the one to respond honestly and now just basing an opinion of my future on my height." That day Merril learned the lesson of never drawing up opinions of people before you truely know them or the facts about them. It was a great story.

 Author's Note: I had to include this fanpost by Socal, it was just too good:

http://www.mockingthedraft.com/2010/4/23/1439042/come-on-people-think-for-yourselves

This is the majority of my thoughts, if I think of any other ones, I'll update this fanpost.

Have a great Tim Tebow day,

C.E.C., TheTealDeal