The Draft Was
... All about Jared Allen. The Vikings did a good job with
the rest of the draft, but getting the pass rushing superstar
from Kansas City was like getting a top five overall pick. They
paid for him, and it was worth it. They only had five picks, but
they might have nailed the first four. Best Value Pick: John David Booty, QB USC. 5th round.
While not a special players, he's an immediate upgrade over
anything the team has in place. Biggest Reach: Jaymar Johnson, WR Jackson State. 6th
round. The team needed a receiver. Johnson is a receiver.
Nothing more. It'll be a shock if he makes the team. They Should've ... Taken Oregon QB Dennis Dixon in the
fifth round along with Booty. Minnesota needs a quarterback, and
while Booty is safe, Dixon could be spectacular. It would be a
law of numbers theory; one of the two would pan out.
#
Pick
12
43
2nd Round
(from Philadelphia)
Tyrell Johnson, SS Arkansas State
Kind of like a critically acclaimed underground movie that's
finally getting a wide release, Johnson goes from being a star
that most college football junkies knew about for the last four
years to a possible big-value selection. A tremendous starter
from day one, Johnson can do it all with 363 career tackles and
13 interceptions to go along with good leadership skills. Forget
about the stigma of playing in the Sun Belt; he showed up
against the big boys, too. A huge hitter with fantastic speed,
timing a 4.44 at the Combine, he just needs a little bit of
coaching to put it all together and be a possible star. He'll be
an instant impact player CFN Projection: Second Round
CFN Position Rank: 2
2
137
5th Round
(from trade)John
David Booty, QB USC
When he first came to USC as a 17-year-old he was expected to be
the next big thing following in the footsteps of Carson Palmer.
He got hurt and was never able to overtake some guy named
Leinart, who went on to become one of the greatest college
quarterbacks of all-time. He turned into a nice passer, but not
a special one, and he struggled way too much when the line
wasn't giving him 12 days to throw. He's not mobile, doesn't
have the most accurate deep arm, and has a rock-hard ceiling on
his talent level. Even so, he'll be a 12-year pro as a solid No.
2 quarterback who can come in from time to time and keep the
ship from sinking. CFN Projection: Late Third Round
CFN
Position Rank: 10
17
152
5th Round
(from trade)
Letroy Guion, DT Florida State
For a player who's supposed to get by on his athleticism, he
didn't do a whole bunch at FSU to show it off. He looks more
like a big end than a tackle and will likely be more useful in a
3-4 scheme. Because of his lateral quickness and because of his
ability to clean things up when they come to him, he'll be a
decent backup. He was one of the players suspended from the bowl
game for academic issues. CFN Projection: Third Round
CFN
Position Rank: 14
21
187
6th Round
John Sullivan, C/OG Notre Dame
A mauler who'll be great for the running game, he's a tough
blocker who was steady for four years and does a great job when
he doesn't have to get on the move. At 6-3 and 301 pounds, he's
a perfect-sized center and can even be moved to guard if needed.
A great quarterback for the line, he's a smart player who
doesn't make mistakes. His problem is his athleticism; he's not
going to do much on the move. CFN Projection: Fourth Round CFN
Position Rank: 5 (as a C)
27
193
6th Round Jaymar Johnson, WR Jackson State He has good height, mediocre speed, and will only make it if
he can be a decent returner. He's a strong, tough player who
will go across the middle and fight for the ball. He's not a
good enough athlete to overcome the mediocre competition he
faced. He has upside, but he's not nearly talented enough to
deserve a draft pick. CFN Projection: Free Agent CFN
Position Rank: NR
