1.11 WR Mark Clayton (Bal)

[Preds]

I wanted Mo, but am just as happy with Clayton. Heck, I think he should have been off the board by pick 9. I was close to moving up to 8 to take Mo, but decided the better value was to sit back and let Clayton fall to me.

As Jake has pointed out numerous times, WR's play a bigger role in the Frenzy than we credit them for. Clayton has the abilities to be a star in this league. Torry Holt rated him the best receiver in the draft... I hope he's right! (BTW, Holts draft day analysis was very cool).

Clayton may be on the small side, but he's a play maker. The Ravens :Luv him and are ecstatic they got him. Plus he comes from great lineage. I love the Ravens ability to scout players as well. Clayton is an EASY call here! Welcome to the Predators Mark!

http://www.baltimoreravens.com/templ...ontent_id=6121

April 23, 2005
CATCHING CLAYTON
By Adam H. Beasley

Mark Clayton might not have been the fastest receiver in the draft.

And he sure was not the biggest.

But Clayton was Eric DeCosta’s favorite, a significant reason why the Ravens took the former Oklahoma wideout with the 22nd overall pick in the 2005 Draft Saturday.

After watching four of their top targets go in the preceding nine picks, the Ravens had to sweat out Clayton, but in the end, their draft-day magic did not leave with Phil Savage, who is now the Browns’ general manager.

“I’m very excited,” said DeCosta, whose opinion now carries more weight. “I saw a lot of players this fall, and Mark was one of the few guys I saw that I thought was a true, Ravens-type player.”

By taking Clayton, who led the Sooners with 66 receptions for 876 yards and eight touchdowns in 2004, the Ravens completed their overhaul of the receiving corps.

A year after finishing 31st in the NFL in passing, the Ravens have the potential for great balance and explosiveness. Clayton and free agent acquisition Derrick Mason are both under six feet, but they have the suddenness and the knack to pick up yards after the catch that the Ravens lacked in 2004.

But Baltimore also has a couple of tall leapers in Clarence Moore and Randy Hymes, and also have high hopes for Devard Darling, who might be the fastest of the group.

“I like productive receivers,” said head coach Brian Billick. “At every turn, when I looked at this guy and our discussions about him, it just got better and better and better. He plays like a big receiver in the sense that this guy blocks. It’s amazing. He’s about 195 pounds, and he is not afraid to come in there. This guy likes to block. He plays like a big man in that regard.”

Clayton is considered one of the most complete receivers in the draft, and would have been a top-five pick if he was taller. At 5 feet, 10 inches, Clayton is the shortest of the six first-round picks.

But according to St. Louis receiver Torry Holt, he is the best. Holt praised Clayton on ESPN’s telecast of the draft, writing out more than a page worth of reasons why Clayton could be the steal of the draft.

“It couldn’t have worked out better,” Clayton said from his home in Texas, where he watched the draft with friends and family. “I’m going to a team with a great running back, which is a great compliment for a passing game. We have a great defense. I’m thinking we’re getting to a Super Bowl.”

For the last two seasons, lack of production from the passing game may have kept the Ravens from reaching that level.

Now, general manager Ozzie Newsome thinks the Ravens’ receiving corps ranks among the top half in the league. And that does not even take into account Todd Heap, who is one of the NFL’s best tight ends when healthy.

“We sit before you guys, and the process worked again,” said Newsome, who has picked eight Pro Bowlers in the first round in the team’s nine-year history. “We had talked with some teams ahead of us earlier, but the draft started to flow in a direction that we decided to sit.”

The strategy paid off.

DeCosta first grew fond of Clayton during two-a-day practices last summer, and watched him produce throughout his senior season.

However, Clayton did not really solidify himself as a first-round pick until strong performances at the Senior Bowl and Scouting Combine, where he not only outplayed the competition, he scored off the charts in terms of intangibles.

“Character, consistency, integrity; he’s tough, makes hard plays,” said receivers coach David Shaw. I talked to [Darrell Wyett], his position coach at Oklahoma, who said he’s his favorite guy he ever coached. They gushed about the kid. They said he’s a leader, he’s been a leader since he was young. It just comes natural to him. He shows up, he doesn’t talk, he just works.”

[Preds]

BTW, I'm heading out for about 3 hours. Should be back around 5pm to make my 1.13 pick.

[Ypsilanti Undead]

Like the player, hate the QB. Boller's the only reason I ranked this guy below Troy Williamson. And not by much.

[Nittany Dodgers]

Originally Posted by Preds

I wanted Mo, but am just as happy with Clayton. Heck, I think he should have been off the board by pick 9.

I think I know what you are saying with this comment.

Regardless, I didn't have Clayton too high on my board. For his offensive genious reputation he received in MN, Billick hasn't been able to produce a consistent offensive star outside of the RB/TE positions since he's been in Balt. This leads me to believe that until their defense slides considerably, he's going to continue to be relatively conservative. I'm also not sold on Boller. Add all this to the fact that 1st round receivers only hit at a 50-50 rate, I didn't think his upside was comesurate with his risk.

[Preds]

Boller is a concern, no doubt, but in fairness to him, they've never had legit WR's for him to throw to. It was all Todd Heap. Now he has 2 very good outside targets in Mason and Clayton, so lets see what he can do with them.

Also this isn't a pick for this year. If Boller doesn't show progress with the improved players around him I can see the Ravens going another direction. I have 5 years for Clayton to develop, I realistically expect to start seeing dividends by years 2 and 3.

FYI - 2.1 will be posted in a couple hours. I'm in negotiations. Sorry guys.