[Brain Dead Squirrel Chasers]

Bay Area Bloodsucking Insects
1.05 Kellen Winslow II TE 1 Cleveland
1.06 Chris Perry RB 5 Cincinnati
3.04 Ernest Wilford WR 16 Jacksonville

With 2 of the top 6 picks in the draft the Insects were well positioned to get impact players. I'm high on K2 and think he'll be a top 4 TE for years to come. He is destined to succeed. Hopefully his attitude wont get the best of him but he seems like he's a born winner. I felt Perry was a reach, especially given the fact that a WR had not been taken yet. I know RBs are a valuable commodity but unless the Insects thought Perry was an elite RB prospect, I cant sees how they could pass on Fitz or Roy. The 5th RB taken versus the 1st WR taken. It would have been an easy decision for me, especially given the drop-off after the first 4 RBs were taken.
Overall grade: B-.

Brain Dead Squirrel Chasers
1.10 Cedric Cobbs RB 6 New England
1.13 Rashaun Woods WR 5 San Francisco
2.13 Derrick Hamilton WR 12 San Francisco
3.10 4 Jeff Smoker QB 7 St Louis
3.16 Brandon Miree RB 16 Denver
4.10 5 Ben Hartsock TE 9 Indianapolis

I'm fairly happy with my draft. Jake tossed a curveball when he passed on Eli and took Reggie Williams. I had a deal worked out with the Freedom to swap my 1.10 pick for his 1.11, allowing me to move up a few slots in the 2nd and 3rd. When Jake took Reggie, that deal went out the window as Matt was targeting Reggie all along. Also, taking Reggie made my decision at 1.10 much easier. It was a toss up between Cobbs and Reggie for me at that point. Cobbs has always shown the tools but injuries and off field issues have held him back. He claims he's now much more mature. New England is a great place for him to learn the team concept and watch Dillon for a year or 2.

Eli was intriguing but a couple of reasons why I passed on him. I think Eli is a great QB talent but I dont like his situation in New York. I feel they traded too much to get him and the minute he starts to struggle the fans and media will jump on him like sharks in bloody waters. Also, I dont like Coughlin as a coach. He did well with Brunell in Jax but Brunell never put up good fantasy numbers. Coughlin has been known more as a ball control, defensive coach. But maybe that's because he never had a QB like Eli. Add in the fact that I have Hasselback signed for an additional 4 years QB was not a pressing concern for me.

I love Woods and his potential in SF. SF is looking for a new offense and with both veteran WR gone from last year, this leaves a great opportunity for Woods to come in a produce right away. Luckily the guy I wanted to move up in the 2nd to draft fell to me anyway. Derrick Hamilton is a young raw talent but give him a couple years and he can form a dynamic duo alongside Woods. Smoker, Miree, and Harstock are all projects with huge question marks.
Overall grade: B.

Indiana Undead
2.08 Ben Watson TE 4 New England
3.08 Cody Pickett QB 6 San Francisco
3.17 Bruce Perry RB 17 Philadelphia
4.08 Matt Kranchick TE 8 Pittsburgh

The Undead didnt have a pick until 25th pick in the draft. It's tough to get impact players at that point. Watson is a 1st rounder but will be competing with a stable of TEs. He may emerge though but it seems unlikely this year. Pickett is a nice player who fell in the NFL draft. The Niners QB situation is still up in the air with Rattay hurt and Dorsey, a 7th round pick from 2003, still unproven. Who knows, Pickett could be the man come 2006.
Overall grade: C-.

Jersey Toxic Waste
1.04 Stephen Jackson RB 4 St Louis
1.14 Michael Jenkins WR 6 Atlanta
2.04 Michael Turner RB 8 San Diego
2.14 Darius Watts WR 13 Denver
3.14 Derrick Knight RB 15 Carolina
4.04 Tim Euhus TE 7 Buffalo

Jersey had a solid draft. Steven Jackson will have to wait a year or 2 but when he gets the keys to the St. Louis offense he's golden. I had Jenkins a bit lower than WR 6 but if Vick can stay healthy the Atl offense will be spectacular. "Burner" Turner is a speedster who can flat out fly. This seems like a home run swing hoping LT will leave after his contract is up. LT isn't going anywhere as long as the Chargers have their franchise tag. Darius Watts is intriguing. Shanny's been looking for replacements at WR. Rod Smith is one year older, Easy Ed has retired and Leile has disappointed. The opportunity is there.
Overall grade: B+

Liquid Swords
1.01 Kevin Jones RB 1 Detroit
2.11 Keary Colbert WR 10 Carolina
3.13 Matt Schaub QB 8 Atlanta
4.09 PK Sam WR 20 New England

I cant argue with the #1 overall pick. He has the best chance to make an impact this year. Detroit is young and things are looking up. KJ has the chance to be elite. Colbert was overshadowed by Mike Williams but has quietly produced great numbers for the Trojans. Good value at 2.11. He could team with Steve Smith and become a formidable duo. Schaub and Sam are decent sleepers.
Overall grade: B+.

Nittany Dodgers
1.02 Julius Jones RB 2 Dallas
1.15 Ben Roethlisberger QB 2 Pittsburgh
2.02 Phillip Rivers QB 4 San Diego
3.02 Carlos Francis WR 15 Oakland
4.02 Ben Utecht TE 6 Indianapolis

I love the Dodger's draft. They got an impact player in Julius Jones and grabbed great value with Big Ben and Rivers even though they already have Pennington on board. Give those blue chip prospects a couple years to produce and the Dodgers can have excellent trade bait.
Overall grade: A.

Parkwood Predators
1.03 Tatum Bell RB 3 Denver
1.12 Eli Manning QB 1 NY Giants
3.09 Jarrett Payton RB 13 Tennessee
3.12 Samie Parker WR 17 Kansas City
4.12 Jericho Cotchery WR 22 NY Jets

The Predators got the guy they wanted in Bell and picked up excellent value when Eli slid down to the bottom of the first. Bell is the quintessential Denver back, if he can learn to hold on to the ball and learn the system he can dominate. Eli is in a tough situation but is too good to pass this late in the draft.
Overall grade: A-.

Philadelphia Freedom
1.11 Lee Evans WR 4 Buffalo
1.16 Greg Jones RB 7 Jacksonville
2.01 JP Losman QB 3 Buffalo
2.03 Tony Hollings RB Houston
2.1 2 Devery Henderson WR 9 New Orleans
2.15 Ran Carthon RB 10 Indianapolis
3.06 Nate Kaeding K 1 San Diego
4.06 Adimchinobe Echamandu RB 19 Cleveland

Philly had a plethora of draft picks. I love Lee Evans. He worked his way back from an ACL and made himself a 1st round pick. He's got Moulds opposite him to learn from. Speedy and sure handed he'll produce sooner rather than later. Greg Jones is another guy coming back from a knee injury in college. He was rated very highly before his injury and reports are he'll be used in an "Alstott" role which could mean production this year. And you never know with Fragile Freddie, one sneeze and he might pull something. I've never been high on JP Losman. He has all the tools, mobility and a good arm. It's the attitude that I dislike. Some people love him, others hate it. We'll see how it goes in Buffalo. Devery Henderson was excellent value in the late 2nd. Donte Stallworth has yet to prove he can stay healthy and Joe Horn is not getting any younger. Philly has a good chance of getting 4 starters from this draft. Great job.
Overall grade: A.

Royal Hawaiian Opihi
1.17 Michael Clayton WR 7 Tampa Bay
2.09 Mewelde Moore RB 9 Minnesota
2.12 Johnnie Morant WR 11 Oakland
3.11 Clarence Farmer RB 14 Seattle
4.11 James Newson WR 21 Dallas

I love Clayton at the end of the 1st round. He probably should have gone before some of the other WRs. I had him neck and neck with Rashaun Woods but then homerism took over. The rest of the Opihi draft look like projects to me. Moore is buried behind 3 other RBs but stranger things have happened. Of the remaining 3 picks I think Morant is the only one with a decent chance at becoming productive. Overall grade: C.

Soap Box Derby Car
2.05 Devard Darling WR 8 Baltimore
3.01 Bernard Berrian WR 14 Chicago
3.05 Luke McCown QB 5 Cleveland
3.15 Kris Wilson TE 5 Kansas City
4.05 DJ Hackett WR 19 Seattle
4.13 Ryan Krause WR 23 San Diego

Trading away your 1st pick makes your draft look very weak in comparison to others. Devard Darling could end up being good, Balt's WR situation is still very sketchy but with Ben Troupe or Devery Henderson still on the board, I thought Darling was a reach. Passing on Troupe will come back to haunt SBDC.
Overall grade: D.

Urza's Ragers
1.07 Roy Williams WR 1 Detroit
2.07 Chris Cooley TE 3 Washington
3.07 Troy Fleming RB 12 Tennessee
4.07 Quincy Wilson RB 20 Atlanta

I like Roy Williams. Fitz and Roy are so close, you can easily make an argument for either one. I thought Cooley was a reach, Troupe being taken 1 pick ahead must have flustered the Ragers. I thought Schaub would make more sense at 3.07. Outside Roy, I don't like this draft class much.
Overall grade: C.

Wonder Mutts
1.08 Reggie Williams WR 2 Jacksonville
1.09 Larry Fitzgerald WR 3 Arizona
2.06 Ben Troupe TE 2 Tennessee
3.03 Derrick Ward RB 11 NY Jets
4.01 Jason Geathers WR 18 Cleveland
4.03 Jason Wright RB 18 San Francisco

The Mutts did a excellent job in this draft. They secured 2 top 3 WR prospects and a top TE prospect to boot. In addition to that they have a couple of late round sleepers in Ward and Wright. More likely than not these guys will bust but I feel they have a better chance than most players chosen at this stage. Great draft.
Overall grade: A.