Round one is closing out in the NBA Playoffs, and somehow the Knicks were not yet eliminated! Dont worry, we expect that to change, but have there been any surprises throughout round one? Then over in baseball we had quite a week, and it all started with the great Mariano Rivera seeing his season end while shagging flyballs. We also discuss the plunking and then admission done by Cole Hamels to rookie Bryce Harper, and share our views on the not so favorite Hamels. Then the Mets are 4 over .500 and we cannot leave out the insane two nights that Josh Hamilton just had. All that plus some WWE news to get you covered, another big edition of MDR on the way!
Players lost: FB Ahmard Hall WR Donnie Avery G Jake Scott (not signed) DE Jason Jones DE William Hayes LB Barrett Ruud CB Cortland Finnegan S Chris Hope S Anthony Smith LS Ken Amato
Players added (other than draft): QB Nick Stephens UFA RB Darryl Whiting UFA RB Darius Reynaud FB Colin Mooney FA WR D.J. Woods UFA WR Devin Aguilar UFA WR LaQuinton Evans UFA WR Chase Deadder UFA WR Michael Preston TE Brandon Bardon UFA G Steve Hutchinson FA C William Vlachos UFA OL George Bias UFA T Chandler Burden UFA DE Kamerion Wimbley FA DE Leger Douzable FA DT DaJohn Harris UFA DT Lamar Divins FA DE Kenyata Dawson LB Zac Diles FA LB Alex Watkins UFA CB Gary Wilburn UFA CB Terrence Wheatley LS Jake Ingram LS Beau Brinkley UFA P/K Will Batson UFA
Emails/Voicemails
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Draft Discussion
Round 1
Kendall Wright – WR 5’10” 196 lbs – Baylor The big question here is whether Wright is a true talent that can stand alone or whether he was a product of the RGIII lead Baylor offense. His 40 time at the combine was a little disappointing, but he game speed is much faster. He is able to separate himself on the deep routes and should be a very nice compliment to the oft-injured Britt.He has stated that he loves going over the middle, but that was college. We’ll see if that is still the case after he gets hit by some of the NFL’s elite linebackers. He reminds many of Derrick Mason, and that is always a plus. He has the right attitude (no pun intended), and seems to be a team player. He was a standout in 3 sports (football, basketball, and track). He has the ability to throw the ball if needed (played QB in high school).
Round 2
Zach Brown – OLB 6’ 1” 244 lbs – North Carolina Brown should add speed and athleticism to an already crowded linebacking corp. His presence should free up Ayers to concentrate on the pass rush more, and should also force veteran linebackers like Witherspoon to adjust their expectations of their role. If Brown gets a chance to start or significant playing time, he will challenge for the team lead in tackles. The one knock on Brown is an accusation that he is “soft”. I seem to doubt this is the case for any player that has his numbers and plays at a Division I school. It doesn’t make sense. Using finesse to make a play instead of brute strength is a valid option. It’s like saying CJ is soft because he outruns people instead of running over them. It’s an ignorant response.
Round 3
Mike Martin – DT 6’ 1” 306 lbs – Michigan The Titans added to their already young and talented interior defensive line by landing Martin. It was a surprise to find Martin available at this spot, so the Titans snapped him up. This might be the best pick of the entire draft for the Titans. With this pick the Titans might have the player they needed to stuff the middle and allow the outside guys a greater chance for the sack. He comes with a blue-collar work ethic and the attitude to do the unappreciated dirty work. Every time someone tries to put a negative spin on this guy they end up looking like a fool. He has more sacks than Dontari Poe and is as strong as an ox. He also has a wrestling background that will help him in the trenches.
Round 4
Coty Sensabaugh – CB 5” 11” 189 lbs – Clemson Sensabaugh has the skills and speed to play the CB position, but will need to add strength to play at the NFL level. He may be better suited for special teams in his first year, but has the true potential to play in a starting role in the future. Tennessee native (Kingsport) should bring in a few fans from the East.
Round 5
Taylor Thompson – TE 6’ 6” 259 lbs – SMU Thompson has great strength and speed for the position. He has great moves for a man his size. Played on the defensive side of the ball, but was recruited to SMU to play TE. This will be an interesting transition for Thompson to move back to the offensive side of the ball. If he was drafted at all in this position it speaks well of his potential. This might be a sleeper pickup and could really challenge for playing time. One of the main problems I’ve heard is that his heart may not be in football and he may just be in it for the money. That tends to cause players to fade away quickly.
Round 6
Markelle Martin – FS 6’ 1” 207 lbs – Oklahoma St. Known for being an enforcer type of free safety, and can lay the smack-down whenever necessary. His coverage skills need work, but has the ability to deflect passes in his zone. I worry that his aggressive play might bring unwanted penalties if not brought under control.
Round 7
Scott Solomon – DE 6’ 3” 262 lbs – Rice Solomon is a “tweener” at DE. He might need to add more weight to compete at the position. He is very strong, but not the speed guy you normally see for a guy of his lighter weight. He only posted a 5 second 40. He looks like a special teams player at best unless he can make some significant changes. He has great desire and passion, but may have maxed out as a player.
Stupid Question of the Week
With the addition of Steve Hutchinson and others to help in the running game and a full training camp, will CJ bounce back or will he continue his slide in production?
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