2011 NFL Draft; Arizona Cardinals

I feel sorry for Cardinals fans.

Ok I'm lying, I don't. But if I wasn't a 49ers fan then I would feel sorry for Cardinals fans. From the big game in 2009 to the big slump in 2011. Last year the Cardinals sucked and to this day the only person who has the slightest idea how the Cardinals managed to win any games - let alone five of them - is God. And he ain't telling anyone.

The biggest issue was of course, Quarterback. After the giddy heights of Kurt Warner the Cardinals sank to the low ebb of Derek Anderson, a quarterback so bad even the Browns didn't want him. What they needed then was a half decent draft. It didn't even have to be the greatest in the world, just a pretty good draft to put them back on the road to success.

Picking up a new young QB was a desirable option. Arizona already had Max Hall, John Skelton and Richard Bartel, but none of those names really blows you away as an amazing young prospect. I saw more than a few comments around the interwebs from Cardinals fans hoping that their team would draft Ryan Mallett or Christian Ponder or etc. One nutjob even wanted them to get Cam Newton if he was still available.

As it turned out they were all to be sorely disappointed but at the same time elated, as their team used its number one pick (fifth overall) to select Patrick Peterson, cornerback, LSU.

I say they were elated because Peterson was hailed as the number one corner overall in the draft, so naturally that's a good thing. Except that personally I don't think Peterson is anything to write home about. He's ok, might even find a use as a nickel corner. Maybe make that a dime corner.

But as a first rounder? And the first corner taken off the board at that? No freaking way. I spent about five minutes watching the LSU Defense and thinking to myself "kid is ok, not bad", before I realised I was watching the wrong corner. Then I went back & watched through it again, and by the same point I was thinking "what the hell is so special about this kid?"

I just can't see anything that to me makes him a standout. He really isn't all that great. As a punt/kick returner, then yeah, I can definitely see the appeal. But as a pure corner I thought he was barely average. He often played too far off the man, close to what I would call "Sherman Loose". Sometimes that worked in his favour, as he was so far over the top of his man that an overthrown ball would provide the opportunity for an interception.

But really, is that how we're rating corners now? Because they occasionally have a pick thrown into their lap? I certainly saw nothing approaching what I would call NFL starting level play from a corner. I don't know where the Peterson hype came from, maybe the combine (where he did well), but surely not off the game tape? Or if it is then, shit, I got really unlucky multiple times with the games I saw.

But who knows? Everyone else seems to be creaming their pants over Peterson and hailing him as this pro bowl ready prospect who's going to excel at the next level, so I accept that I'm absolutely in the minority over this one. I just don't see it myself. I think he's going to be a flag drawing bust.

Onto round two and with the 38th pick overall the Cardinals took Ryan Williams, running back, Virginia Tech.

I like Williams. His vision is a bit so-so, but his power is really good and he plays with his pads down, running behind them not under them. In that sense he's quite like his fellow Arizona RB Chris "Beanie" Wells. Maybe Ken Whisenhunt is looking to build a power running game for the season ahead? Williams would fit that mold certainly. But don't be all consumed by the power side. When he hits the open field and has the room to get his legs going, Williams can really fire up the jets and move.

As indeed we will move - to round three - and with the 69th pick overall the Cardinals selected tight end Rob Housler, from Florida Atlantic.

Now the Cardinals could be in a tight spot regarding tight ends this year, as most of theirs are heading out the door into the occasionally lucrative world of free agency. So they needed someone like Housler. I just think they could have done better than Housler.

But it is what it is, and what it is, is (confused yet) an overall ok tight end. Hands are not bad. Route running is ok, if lacking a little in polish, especially at the "top" of the route. Housler's run blocking is a strong point and when taken in the light of the Williams pick, the lack of a decent QB and Coach Whisenhunts background with the Steelers, this might be part of a run-first grand master plan that is brewing in Arizona.

I know, I'm not convinced either.

In round four the Cardinals went with defensive end Sam Acho from Texas (Longhorns). In the NFL he'll likely play as a pass rushing outside linebacker and honestly I'm of two minds about Acho. What I've seen of him suggests to me that he will be nothing special. In fact, I suspect he'll be nothing more than a blip. But... one thing that has crossed my mind is that Acho seemed to be building himself up over time, getting better and better statistically as the seasons went by. Maybe Acho is just getting ready to break onto the big scene?

C'mon Cardinals fans, I'm trying to find the positives, I really am! Acho's gonna suck though. I'm sorry. I don't see it.

Round five saw the Cardinals dip into the running back pool again (more on this later) as they took Anthony Sherman, fullback from Connecticut. Sherman did well at the combine and certainly impressed me in the on field drills. On tape though? Ehhhh.... ok I'm just gonna come out and say it. A Fullbacks main job is, you know, lead blocking. Sherman's blocking sucks. He commonly comes charging in with his pads too high and just gets stood by the defender and driven back out of the hole. That's not good.

What the Sherman pick does help us with is to pretty much nod sagely and predict that the Cardinals are going to run the ball a lot more in 2011. Like, A LOT more. Still though, I'm not finished on this point which we'll pick up at the end.

Onto round six where the Cardinals had two picks. The first was Quan Sturdivant, inside linebacker from North Carolina.

Sturdivant is pretty strong which is obviously a useful trait for a linebacker. He sees stuff happening early and reacts quickly, showing good instincts against both the run and the pass. His coverage skills are good which is handy for a linebacker who will probably find himself dropping off to cover tight ends etc if he gets onto the field. His run defense needs a bit of work still, as he occasionally seems to come down quickly into a blob of players and then disappears beneath the ensuing pile. For where he was taken, not a bad pick.

The second of Arizona's sixth rounders was defensive end David Carter. I didn't get to see Carter prior to the draft but have since had a sit down with a nice big mug of coffee to watch him play, mainly as a defensive tackle. There are three things that I learnt during this moving picture adventure;

1) That Carter is incapable of tucking his shirt(s) in,
2) That he gets blocked very easily and lacks anything that might be discernable as technique or strength,
3) That Tesco value coffee is fucking horrible,

Though to be fair, I should have realised number 3 when I bought the stuff. They don't call it "value" coffee just for laughs. I was surprised about Carter though. My normal assumption about a player who I haven't yet seen is that if that some team picked him then he must have something of value to bring to the party, and must at least have something that made him appear better than the hundred or so legitimate prospects who were drafted after him or went undrafted.

I really, really - not in a million years - cant understand what in the hell anybody in the Cardinals organisation saw in Carter. All I saw was a guy who got stood up and turned sideways every time the ball was snapped. I mean he looked truly awful and how a team with legitimate needs, at quarterback and offensive line among other things, could blow a valuable pick on such a player is just beyond comprehension. It makes no sense.

Finally the Cardinals used their seventh round compensatory selection to take wide receiver DeMarco Sampson, from San Diego State. And perhaps mercifully after seeing their other picks, I cannot get a damn scrap on this kid, so maybe he's another Larry Fitzgerald in the making and he'll team up with the actual Larry Fitzgerald and thus save the Cardinals season.

Of course, that's being optimistic. Just slightly.

So what did I think of the Cardinals draft overall? I thought it sucked. I thought it sucked hard. And I'm left asking myself one simple question; how in the hell did people not rate that as a worse draft than the Seahawks?

Even if, unlike me, you didn't like the Seahawks draft, you still have to admit that this Cardinals draft was a pile of ass. It just.... sucks!

My main complaint is two fold. Number one, they didn't draft a quarterback. They had the opportunity to have the pick of the litter (excluding Newton) in the first round. Now even if they say they don't like any of those guys, what about Ryan Mallett who slid all the way to the Patriots in the third? Surely the Cardinals didn't hate him that much that they looked at him in the second and said "nope, not for us". Man alive.

My second complaint centers around the O-line. Or specifically the fact that the Cardinals wont have one in 2011 at this rate. They only have five O-linemen signed, none of whom is a legit center. Either the Cardinals are banking on bringing back a lot of guys, or they just feel really good about the free agent market. That's a hell of a risky hand to be playing.

I also don't get it in light of the investment in another running back and a fullback. Why, why in the name of God would you invest two picks in yet another running back when you already have three legitimate backs on your roster and have no O-line? Hell, you can go out and pick up a cheap back or two in free agency who can give you some service in a way that cheap O-line free agents generally can't. You even have one running back and two fullbacks as restricted free agents who aren't unlikely to go anywhere.

It makes no sense. None. Of all the players they could have picked, another running back and another fullback were just about their two least pressing needs. What about defensive tackle? I mean seriously, is David Carter the answer? You've got to be kidding me. What about the secondary? What about finding a decent young pass rusher?

This draft class sucks. It is absolutely hideous. From what I can recall just about the only draft that I hated worse than this was the Titans 2011 class. I remember the Raiders being pretty bad too. All I know is this, if I was handing out lettered grades this 2011 Cardinals class would get an "F" for "Fuck you Arizona for making our division look bad again, just as we were recovering a bit of Kudos".

I hate the Cardinals.

2011 NFL Draft: Linebackers

Finally, finally got through them all. I'm also going to briefly throw in some of the players I covered the other day in the D-line section who I think might have a shot as linebackers.

It should be noted these players are presented in no particular order, except that I've put the D-line/OLB prospects first. As for the rest, I just collected the names and went through them:

- Aldon Smith. Covered him the other day with D-linemen. Some think he might have a future as a 3-4 OLB. I can see that. Excellent player.

- Ryan Kerrigan. Ditto above. Has that burst in his first step that could prove very useful as a pass rushing OLB.

- J.J Watt. Literally the same as above, right down to the burst.

- Allen Bailey. Speed to burn might find a use as a rushing linebacker.

- Justin Houston. Very well suited to OLB role. Speed is plentiful. Needs to work on run technique.

- Jabaal Sheard. With his speed and technique, could pull off being an OLB.

- Chris Carter. I compared him a little to DeMarcus Ware, which says it all.

- Dontay Moch. Probably more suited to being a 3-4 OLB than he is a D-end.

Now the proper linebackers:

- Jeremy Beal. Definitely suited as an outside rushing linebacker. Fast and strong, he just keeps on fighting to get to the quarterback. He tracks very well down the line. Causes a ton of mayhem. An excellent prospect.

- Von Miller. Strong and quick, but gets blocked too easily. On pass rushing downs he takes far too wide a line. It's almost like he's trying to run right around the tackle without ever making contact and against good tackles and good quarterbacks that simply wont work. He needs to be coached out of it, and if that's possible then in all likely hood he will make a terrific pass rusher, but that's still an "if".

- Akeem Ayers. Has more fans than Justin Bieber, but I don't understand why. He's not especially strong or quick, technically not all that proficient and just generally seems to spend a lot of time watching the game go by. Occasionally he gets a pure stroke of luck and ends up with a sack, but very much more by chance than effort. Really can't understand it. He'll probably notch 20 sacks in his rookie year now just to prove me wrong.

- Bruce Miller. Probably should have been in the linemen section to be honest. Average at best. Painfully slow off the snap.

- Kenny Rowe. Quite lively, keeps running all the time. Uses his hands well. Nothing sensational, but with time and coaching has potential to grow. Might be a product for the future.

- Bruce Carter. Tackling is normally very good, especially in the open field. Pass coverage leaves quite a bit to be desired though.

- Mason Foster. Again, tackling is pretty good but pass coverage is very average.

- Ross Homan. Not the greatest linebacker. Pass coverage is ok. Reacts quite quickly to what he sees though. Lot of work physically to make him into a high level prospect.

- Lawrence Wilson. Solid open field tackler. Good lateral movement and pursuit across the field. Pass coverage is not bad. Little too keen though to come downhill in the run game, where he often takes a bad angle and gets shut out of the play. Overall reasonably solid, if not spectacular.

- Doug Hogue. Not the strongest, but pretty nifty on his feet. Not sold at this moment in time. His career will depend heavily on the level of coaching he receives.

- J.T. Thomas. Not the worlds greatest tackler due to being a little under sized, but very fast and incredibly smart. The way he sniffs out screen plays you'd think he was in the offensive huddle. Great pass defense. A leader. Flows to the ball brilliantly. Holds the point of attack when required. Fights hard to get to the ball carrier. Pursues from behind really well. Can play inside or out, and special teams. I think it's safe to say there will be a place on my 2011 watch list for Thomas. Excellent prospect.

- Brian Rolle. Pretty quick physically, but mentally seems to be a step behind everyone else. Not a bad linebacker. The question will be what his coaches can do with those physical skills. Can they teach him how to read the plays better?

- Jonas Mouton. Has a bit of speed, but spends most of the game watching. Might as well charge him for a front row seat, it can be that bad at times.

- Adrian Moten. Tough guy, pretty smart and reasonably quick. Reads the play well which helps. Overall pretty handy.

- Michael Morgan. Quick off the snap, has a really good burst. Tackling is ok. Another rushing linebacker.

- Malcolm Smith. Quite tough and a surprising turn of speed with the ball in his hands. Has patience to not dive straight into the wash and get shut out which is rare among young players. A good prospect at inside linebacker.

- Martez Wilson. Fairly highly touted but seems very reluctant to make contact. Not sure if "scared" is really the right word, more just a little hesitant. Seems to be waiting always for someone else to make the first hit, and even then not overly keen to pile in and help. Makes some tackles, but only just. Always displays body language that to me suggests relief when he's blocked. It might all just be down to confusion, possibly just not sure of what is happening in front of him. Wouldn't touch him.

- Quan Sturdivant. Pretty strong. Sees things happening early and reacts quickly to it. Good pass coverage skills. Run defense needs work. Not an outstanding prospect I think, but pretty solid. Would make a good 3-4 round pick.

- Casey Matthews. Shares many of the traits with his brother. Tough. Great speed coming downhill. Smart and reacts quickly to what he sees. Good pass coverage. Relentless. Watching him reminds me most of Patrick Willis which is obviously a good thing. I can see him as an inside backer in a 3-4. Excellent.

- Kelvin Sheppard. Didn't get to see enough so not really placed to comment.

- Greg Jones. Same as above.

- Nate Irving. Not the fastest or the strongest, but smart, very instinctive, with quick reactions. Normally a sure tackler. Brains make up for what he lacks in physical skills. With a bit more time in the weight room will only get better.

- Colin McCarthy. Bit hold and cold. Sometimes sees something and comes roaring down hill to break it up. Sometimes however he can be very slow to react. Pass coverage is not great. Get's stuck on blocks too easily.

- Mario Harvey. Run of the mill linebacker. Sometimes not very aware of what's happening around him. Some good tackles, but all too often finds himself stuck on a block somewhere. I heard him described somewhere as being great at shedding blocks; either that guy was high or he caught him on a great day.

- Mark Herzlich. Ultimately a mixed bag. If you want a great pass defending linebacker who can play well in space, Herzlich is definitely your man. But if you want a run stopping/pass rushing beast then leave well alone. Quite the Jekyll and Hyde player, more so than I previously had thought.

- Scott Lutrus. Not the greatest pass rusher in the world. Pretty mobile sideline to sideline. Good in pass coverage. Good, physical tackler. He's the kind of player I can see the Texans taking in the later rounds to boost their badly flagging pass defense.

- Mike Mohamed. Pass coverage is ok. Closes well on intended receivers. Sometimes gets good penetration into the backfield. I thought he had a good combine as well. Overall though you're just left with this underwhelming feeling. It's difficult to explain.

- Chris White. Can burn some when he chooses. Often quick play recognition. Not bad pass coverage. Overall not as polished as some of the other prospects, but could make a nice late round/undrafted player.

- Alex Wujciak. At times he looks hilariously slow but oddly enough that often seems to work in his favour, as he's too slow to get caught out fully by misdirection. It's kind of an enforced sense of patience. He's pretty smart and alert to what's happening around him and in front of him. He's a good tackler. I could see Wujciak as the kind of guy that will go undrafted but you'd want to bring along to camp just to get a closer look for yourself. There's potential in there, as strange as that may sound.

- Obi Ezeh. Is pretty quick in sideline to sideline terms. Quick play recognition. Hard tackler. Not really much of a pass rusher.


Phew! Finally made it all the way through them. Next up is the final group, which will probably be the toughest; defensive backs. That will include both Corners and Safeties. I'm probably just gonna bung them into one post, but I might split it for ease and to get the first post out a little quicker for you all.

After that I have one last nefarious plan before the draft. I'm collecting up a list of all the extra players that I'm seeing along the way, as well as looking deeper at some of the areas previously covered like wide receivers. I'm gonna hopefully crank out a final post that will include all of those and it'll be a mixed bag so it's gonna end up being quite huge. But hopefully worth it.

Expect then either;
a) the first post on Corners by Wednesday/Thursday or,
b) the whole defensive backs some time over the weekend.