jaguars.com Senior Editor Vic Ketchman kept fans updated through day one of the 2007 NFL Draft. Here's what he wrote.
(9:42 am)--Good morning and welcome to my draft-day blog. I'll be with you all day, right through the end of the third round. When the Jaguars make their picks, of course, I'll have to step away to do my stories, but I'll try to hurry back. I'll let everyone come online and then I'll be back for some opening thoughts.
(11:04 am)--The draft will begin in an hour and we're still wondering who will be the first pick, Jamarcus Russell or Brady Quinn? Or might it be someone else? I'm not crazy about either quarterback but I'd favor Quinn. Think on that for a minute and then I'll come back and tell you why I favor Quinn.
(11:07 am)--Quinn, in my opinion, represents less risk than Russell. I think Quinn's range of performance is smaller: good to average. Russell, in my opinion, has bust potential. I've seen Quinn have big games, but even with all of that talent around him at LSU, Russell always appeared to me to struggle.
(11:20 am)--Let's talk a little about what the Jaguars might do. In my opinion, Darrelle Revis and Jamaal Anderson are top targets. Will one of them be available at 17? Probably not. What if one of them was available when the Steelers go on the clock at pick 15? Chew on that and I'll be back at you.
(11:24 am)--My buddy Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote: "With the 15th pick in this draft, the Steelers reside in an ideal spot to trade. There will be a handful of teams willing to offer a prized draft choice to swap places with them in the first round, and Jacksonville is at the top of that list. The Jaguars want Pitt cornerback Darrelle Revis more than anything." If Revis or Anderson was available when the Steelers went on the clock, would you trade up to pick one of them?
(11:26 am)--I'd do it, as long as I could move up for a second-day pick. I'd do it for a fourth-round pick. I wouldn't give the Steelers a third-rounder. That's too much to move up two spots.
(11:38 am)--Draft guru Tony Pauline just gave me a call from the draft headquarters in New York. Tony said Revis will be off the board no later than pick 12, but Tony also said he has Anderson going to Pittsburgh at 15, which would likely mean trade talk between the Steelers and Jaguars.
(11:41 am)--Why do the Steelers want to trade back? Because they have major long-term needs and they'd like to increase their number of picks. They'll lose most of their offensive line after this season and the move to a 4-3 requires rebuilding their defensive line and linebackers. Steelers director of personnell, Kevin Colbert, announced early this week that he wants to trade back.
(12:01 pm)--As we begin this draft, let me remind you that a quarterback has been the first overall pick in five of the last six drafts: Michael Vick in 2001, David Carr in '02, Carson Palmer in '03, Eli Manning in '04 and Alex Smith in '05.
(12:13 pm)--Jack Del Rio just stopped in my office. We talked for awhile. It was easy to sense his anticipation and anxiety. This is a big draft for this team. The right player could put this team over the top.
(12:22 pm)--Mel Kiper just compared Jamarcus Russell to John Elway. Whoa, Mel.
(12:31 pm)--The Lions pick Calvin Johnson, which means the Lions have picked a wide receiver in the first round in four of the last five drafts. That's what I call wide receiver fever. As Dr. Phil would say: How's it workin' for you?
(12:34 pm)--Cleveland almost has to pick Brady Quinn. He's an Ohio guy and it would be very unpopular in Cleveland if the Browns pass on another Ohio quarterback after having passed on Ben Roethlisberger. Detroit could regret not taking Quinn. I don't care how good Calvin Johnson is, no one is as important as the quarterback. You have to have "The Man."
(12:43 pm)--The Browns go for Joe Thomas. All of a sudden they are a BAP team. I respect that but they better find a QB fast or their fans are going to skewer them.
(12:46 pm)--How far does Quinn fall? Three spots to Minnesota? Or does someone trade up for Quinn now. If you need a QB, you how have an opportunity to get one.
(12:53 pm)--Jon Gruden is an Ohio guy whose father coached at Notre Dame. Hmmm.
(12:56 pm)--Quinn is in free-fall. This is a surprise. If he falls much more, some teams down the road are going to start making calls.
(1:00 pm)--If I'm Miami, I gotta make a move up the board right now. I gotta make sure I don't miss on my chance to draft a franchise quarterback. If they wait too long, someone will jump up ahead of them. Washington would love to add some picks.
(1:05 pm)--The Cardinals take Levi Brown. If ever there was an example of "you gotta get the big guys early," this is it. Two tackles in the top five and a franchise QB is still available.
(1:09 pm)--This draft won't begin for teams such as the Jaguars until Brady Quinn is selected. Until then, we can't know which team might trade up and change the order.
(1:17 pm)--This is why the Redskins stink. Their roster and salary cap are decimated and they pick a safety in the top six for the second time in four years.
(1:21 pm)--Miami is two picks away from having a QB fall to them as Pittsburgh did with Ben Roethlisberger in 2004. Should the Dolphins panic and trade up or just sit and wait?
(1:24 pm)--The Vikings have a chance right here to become the big early winners in this draft. Adrian Peterson and Quinn would be great picks here; fantastic value.
(1:29 pm)--The Vikes pick Peterson. In my opinion, the Vikes got the best value of the first seven picks. Miami is now one pick away from a franchise QB.
(1:39 pm)--There goes a Jaguars prospect, Jamaal Anderson. The expectation is that Quinn goes to Miami, and then this thing starts to get real serious for the Jaguars.
(1:46 pm)--Miami made it to Quinn. What are they waiting for?
(1:52 pm)--Miami takes Ted Ginn. Are you kidding me? Say goodbye to the Dolphins for a long, long time.
(1:54 pm)--I can't tell you happy I am Miami took Ginn. I was so afraid he'd be the Jaguars' pick. Now there's a very good chance one of the Jaguars' top prospects will be there for them. That's the goof the Jaguars needed.
(1:56 pm)--Houston is expected to go for a cornerback here, but who knows now? Does Leon Hall go here, or Darrelle Revis? Both are guys the Jaguars like.
(1:58 pm)--I gotta ask the question: How far does Quinn have to fall before the Jaguars become interested? This is something we never considered so I don't know what the answer is.
(2:02 pm)--I'm thinking Hall, then Adam Carriker, then Patrick Willis and then Revis. But what about trading up for Quinn? Who's going to do it and when will they do it?
(2:06 pm)--Houston goes for Amobi Okoye. He wasn't supposed to be there for them. That's what's happening. Quinn is screwing up the order. Anything is possible now.
(2:09 pm)--Unless someone trades up for Quinn, and I can't imagine that won't happen, he could still be there when the Jags pick.
(2:19 pm)--The 49ers take LB Patrick Willis. That's another Jaguars prospect gone. Now they're starting to fall. Buffalo is next. They wanted Willis but they need a CB. Hall and Revis fit here.
(2:20 pm)--Buffalo could also go for RB Marshawn Lynch here. That's what you want to happen, for the Jaguars' sake.
(2:23 pm)--The Jaguars are now five picks away from Quinn. Who'll come up? The Chiefs? The Jets? The Ravens?
(2:24 pm)--I just thought of something: a Notre Dame quarterback in Chicago? The Bears are crazy if they don't start trying to come up for Quinn.
(2:28 pm)--That's big. The Bills go for Lynch. The Jaguars just got lucky. One of their guys could fall to them. It's on the line here for Revis. St. Louis could take him.
(2:41 pm)--The Rams take Carriker. Either Revis or Hall will be available when the Steelers go on the clock. Then the trade talk begins, especially if it's Revis.
(2:44 pm)--The Panthers need a safety. Reggie Nelson?
(2:44 pm)--The Jets just traded up. For Quinn?
(2:47 pm)--The Panthers skinned the Jets in that trade. You wouldn't possibly spend all that to come up for a corner, would you? We'll see.
(2:54 pm)--Ouch! That hurts. The Jets took Revis. The Jaguars got so close. They were one pick away from a possible trade with Pitt to select Revis.
(2:56 pm)--All right, the Steelers are on the clock. Hall is still available. So is Quinn. Trade up and pick Hall? Wait to see who falls to you? Reggie Nelson is likely to be there for the Jags. Patience would seem to be the smart play now.
(2:57 pm)--I have to go to the radio studio. I'll be back after the Jaguars' pick.
(5:15 pm)--All right, I'm back. I just finished my "take" on Reggie Nelson. It'll be posted soon. So, what do I think of the pick? Nelson's a top player; fantastic athlete. He can be a major player for the Jaguars. That's part one of the story. I'll give you part two in a few minutes.
(5:18 pm)--Nobody expected the Jags would have to face the decision they faced on Brady Quinn. Clearly, they had not planned to go in that direction. They had a plan and they stuck to it. In the process, they got a couple of extra picks. What I'd like to know is what the plan is for the QB position after this season. That's where my concern is. That's why I thought they might pull the trigger on Quinn.
(6:51 pm)--I'm impressed with what the Cardinals have done today. After years of drafting wide receivers, they've taken offensive and defensive tackles with their first two picks. That's how you build a team; from the inside out.
(7:00 pm)--The Jaguars just lost a first-day prospect. They liked QB Kevin Kolb of Houston. Kolb, however, was just selected by Philadelphia in the second round.
(7:08 pm)--I'm expecting the Jaguars to package their extra picks and try to move up. They did that for Greg Jones in 2004. The Jaguars have two third-rounders and two sixth-rounders, of course, following the trade with Denver. They also have three seventh-rounders.
(7:14 pm)--Trent Edwards of Stanford is still available. He was thought to be the number three QB prospect. Let's keep an eye on him. Let's keep an eye on Drew Stanton of Michigan State, too. The QBs are starting to fall fast. If you want one, you better get him now.
(7:17 pm)--One guy I particularly like who is still available is DE Lamar Woodley of Michigan.
(7:25 pm)--There goes Stanton, to Detroit.
(7:33 pm)--I like Minnesota's draft so far. Sidney Rice is an outstanding second-round pick.
(7:37 pm)--The Steelers have just picked Woodley. That's a good pick for them. With Woodley and first-round pick Lawrence Timmons, the Steelers have turned the corner in their expected switch from a 3-4 to a 4-3.
(7:38 pm)--Do the Packers go for Edwards? If the Packers don't pick Edwards, do the Jaguars pick him?
(7:46 pm)--The Jets have picked LB David Harris. Great pick. The Jets have made major gains on defense by picking Harris and Darrelle Revis.
(7:56 pm)--The Jags have picked Justin Durant, a LB from Hampton. Sorry, folks, I don't know this guy.
(8:41 pm)--Seattle is about to make its first pick of the draft. That's the cost of trading for Deion Branch. Everybody else is getting better and you're not.
(9:01 pm)--Here's the skinny on Durant: He's a run and hit guy who doesn't have ideal size and isn't a pass-rush type, but his aggressiveness and instincts are undeniable. He is said to read and react in the blink of an eye and is a solid hitter who plays with leverage. One service I like has him ranked as the number two inside linebacker behind Patrick Willis.
(9:07 pm)--Carolina just made a fantastic value pick in USC center Ryan Kalil. Carolina is quietly have a nice draft with Jon Beason, Dwayne Jarrett and Kalil.
(9:28 pm)--Different teams have different trademarks and one of the Jaguars' trademarks under Jack Del Rio is short, versatile, smart and mobile linebackers. Durant is right in that mold.
(9:54 pm)--Trent Edwards is still available. He's a good QB who hasn't been able to stay on the field. That's the only real knock on him.
(10:05 pm)--As we near the Jaguars' first pick in the third round, I'm going to shut down the blog and get ready to do my "takes" and call it a night. Thanks for spending the day with me.
