Mel Kiper on Skins Pick

[SkinzFan007]

Frost, Va: with the 9th overall pick will Joe Gibbs and the redskins take a cornerback to fill the void left by Fred Smoot or will they get a big play reciver they so deperatly need

Mel Kiper: (2:27 PM ET ) They need both, Carlos Rogers from Auburn would make a lot of sense for them or Antrelle Rolle from Miami. ... Pac-Man's situation, we have to see what transpires there, but he is the best corner based ONLY on ability.

[Zen-like Todd]

Originally posted by SkinzFan007
Frost, Va: with the 9th overall pick will Joe Gibbs and the redskins take a cornerback to fill the void left by Fred Smoot or will they get a big play reciver they so deperatly need

Mel Kiper: (2:27 PM ET ) They need both, Carlos Rogers from Auburn would make a lot of sense for them or Antrelle Rolle from Miami. ... Pac-Man's situation, we have to see what transpires there, but he is the best corner based ONLY on ability.

Was the Pac-man thing a reference to the drug rumor?

[Truant]

with the quality of corners in this draft, it would suck to select the first one when similar talent can be had much lower and cheaper.

Personally, I think Rolle was the pick at nine, but if Pac-man really does have 'issues', Rolle might go earlier than nine.

[SkinzFan007]

In an earlier question Mel discussed the drug issues as well as character issues.

[Oldskool]

Way to sit on the fence Mel. :laugh:

[fdarugar]

If Pac-Man falls to us, would we take him if he failed the drug test? For some reason I don't think so.

[Zen-like Todd]

Originally posted by Oldskool
Way to sit on the fence Mel. :laugh:

Q: Mel, should Team X do Y or Z?

A: Yes.

Thanks for the insight, Mel!

[dfitzo53]

I don't follow college football the way I follow professional football. Would it be feasible to trade down a few picks, pick up a 2nd rounder, and grab Pac-Man or Rolle a little later in the first round, especially if Mike Williams doesn't fall to us?

[bubba9497]

Chat with Mel Kiper!
http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=7681

The ShowGirl: Welcome to The Show! Mel Kiper Jr. will be here to take your NFL Draft questions in about 15 minutes. Send 'em in now, join Mel and I a little later!

Mel Kiper: Most of the individual workouts have taken place, I'm almost done with final grades ... let's chat!

Jack Richmond Va: Mel, Mort has jumped on the Matt Jones band wagon have you? also with all the hype surronding him do you still see him going in the third round. Lastly do you see Dallas taking a chance on him at 42 considering the Arkansas connection with JJ?

Mel Kiper: The fact of the matter is, Matt will be one of the most discussed players in this draft b/c he changed position. He's got rare skills, but no experience. All of a sudden, you're goingto make him a WR, and you just don't know if he is a natural pass catcher or a route runner. Mort knows that Arkansas program better than anybody, but I wouldn't consider Matt Jones before the third or fourth round, but I bet he'll be a late first/early second round pick.

Jim, Wichita, KS: The top 3 backs in the draft are pretty much laid out for us already. Which RB do you expect to be the 4th one to go?

Mel Kiper: I'd say Ryan Moats from La Tech or JJ Arington from Cal. I lean towards Moats.

Sam (Northfield, Minnesota): If Derrick Johnson, Mike Williams, and Braylon Edwards are all gone at the 7th. Who do you think the Vikings should take?

Mel Kiper: I'd think about TRoy Williamson WR from South Carolina ... or maybe an RB at that point. OR, I would think seriously about trading down if all those guys are already off the board. OR Minnesota could trade up to make sure they get one of those guys before they're gone.

Joe Ann Arbor: Ernest Shazor is being projected by a lot of people as a linebacker, does that help or hurt him.

Mel Kiper: I don't see Shazor as a linebacker. He has LB size, but I view him as a safety. The speed factor is something you have to consider. Ernest was a very effective player at Michigan, I look at him to go somewhere in the fourth or fifth round.

Tim (Buffalo, NY): Mel, how serious do you think the Bucs are willing to get with Mike Williams at 5? Do you think this opens the door for a Henry for thier 2nd rounder swap?

Mel Kiper: You have to be serious b/c you have to get a RB if you're Tampa Bay. I think CAdillac Williams would be a great spot for the Bucs to draft, but if they do go for an RB via a trade, yes, I think Mike Williams would be good move.

Adam: Boynton Beach, FL: If both are on the board, do the Cowboys take Derrick Johnson, or Shawne Merriman, and why?

Mel Kiper: Merriman is a Willie McGinnis type, Johnson is the prototype OLB ... for Dallas, I'd probably take Johnson. He missed some tackles this year and I'd like to see more of a mean-streak out of him, but I think he would fit well with the Cowboys. There is some very mixed opinion as to how high D.Johnson should go in this draft. We'll see.

Bruce (Cleveland): Mel if the Browns wind up trading down in the first round, who could be some takers?

Mel Kiper: If they trade off a three, I'm think Minnesota would really want to move up. Philly wants to move up, but definitely not this high. I say Minnesota from 7 to 3.

Jack Richmond Va: Mel, It was reported last night on scout.com that Pac-Man Jones urine test raised "Red" flags at the combine. Do you have any info on this and does this change where he may get drafted at? Thanks jk

Mel Kiper: Well, there has been some speculation and concerns but I haven't had anything substantiated on this. Somebody in the NFL told me today that his stock has 'dropped a bit' -- he was projected as 6 or 9. Based on ability, he is a top 10 player overall. That's a guarentee. If he drops out of the top 10, there are certainly other issues surrounding Pac-Man that teams are concered about.

Karl (Detroit): Mel any word on Arizona's Andrew Walter? Are his injuries scaring people away?

Mel Kiper: He was a good player -- not a great player. He wasn't the QB that you may have expected him to be, then of course, he separated his shoulder. I'd say he will come off the board some where on day two.

Marc: St Paul, MN: Mel, good afternoon - I consider Travis Johnson, FSU, a less talented propsect than former teammate Darnell Dockett who surprisingly dropped to the third round. Do you agree, and can you offer any suggestion as to why both Dockett and Starks fell so low in 2004's draft? Thanks!

Mel Kiper: No, I don't agree. Darnell went early third round after having a nice career but there are reasons why players drop. I say Travis goes somewhere in the top 20 and I think he deserves to go in that range. He had a heck of a year -- was one of the most improved players in the country.

Dustin Crider: Houston, Tx: What are the Titans looking at with the sixth pick? Also, seeing as how Joe Nedney was released is there any chance that the Titans go after Mike Nugent from Ohio State in the second, third, or fourth round?

Mel Kiper: Mike Nugent is a second round pick and Dave Rayner from Mich State is the second rated kicker and he'll probably go somewhere in the 5th or 6th round. Alex Baron from FSU or Mike Williams from USC or a corner OR trade down ... that's what I do if I'm Tennessee.

Raymond, NC: Mel, I am a big fan of you and the 49ers. What do you think will happen with their 1st round pick? i hear it may go to the Chargers for P Rivers. PLEASE let me know!!!

Mel Kiper: I keep hearing that too, my point is, WHO do the Chargers want? ARe you going up to get a WR? A Mike Williams or a Braylon Edwards. If you're the Chargers, you want one of those receivers in the fold. Now, if I'm San Fran I'd LOVE Phillip Rivers. I'd rather go the Rivers route then draft one of those two QBs. I'd lean to Alex Smith but I hear Aaron Rodgers will be their first pick if they don't trade it.

Wes, AC: If and when will Clarett be drafted?

Mel Kiper: Clarett is working out again today, actually. Right now, he is AT BEST a sixth or seventh round draft choice.

Josh (Grand Rapids): Mel, I'm a geek for draft speculation and I have to know...will Detroit consider an offensive player at 10th if the right one falls?

Mel Kiper: I've heard through the grapevine they've been looking closely at a lot of offensive players. It would surprise me if they didn't take a defender -- a D-End like a Marcus Spears. I've heard the speculation, but I still think they go defense.

Jason (Alexandria): Mel, Who do yu see the steelers taking at 30? Is there any chance that they sign Ty Law?

Mel Kiper: Ty Law has a bunch of teams interested in him, but when you look at PIttsburgh, I'd look at TE Heath Miller -- had it not been for the hernia, he'd have gone in the middle of the first -- that's a great value for Pittsburgh the way he catches the football. He'll be ready to go in May. That's a great value pick in the late first round.

Frost, Va: with the 9th overall pick will Joe Gibbs and the redskins take a cornerback to fill the void left by Fred Smoot or will they get a big play reciver they so deperatly need

Mel Kiper: They need both, Carlos Rogers from Auburn would make a lot of sense for them or Antrelle Rolle from Miami. ... Pac-Man's situation, we have to see what transpires there, but he is the best corner based ONLY on ability.

Davis (The S.B.): Mel, there has been a lot of speculation as to whether the Bears will be selecting a WR or a RB at the 4 spot, which do you see being the better option?

Mel Kiper: I think right now WR is the better option. They already have Thomas JOnes -- he's not great, but he's servicable. If you added Mike Williams or Braylon Edwards, now you have two big receivers a veteran in Muhammed and a big rookie. That elevates Grossman's game, no doubt.

Aaron (Charlotte, NC): I have been a follower of Charlie Frye of Akron and i was wondering what your thoughts were on him and if its possible he could break into the first round? Thanks Oh great Draft Wizard!

Mel Kiper: I think it will be very difficult for Charlie to break into the first b/c the late round teams picking will probably not take a QB. You'd have to see somebody trade back in. Frye, Campbell and Orton are in a battle for the third QB drafted. We'll see, and Adrian McPherson is even gaining a little ground. Charlie Frye is a BIG TIME gamer. He is so clutch and steps up with poise and confidence in gameday situations. He showed this throughout his career at Akron and in the Senior Bowl. I have Frye in the second or third round.

Mel Kiper: I've got to run folks, I've got a date with ESPNRadio. Tune in if you want more. We'll chat again next week ... and, in the meantime, I'll be seeing you on The PULSE on ESPNEWS Saturday. Tune in and email me your questions there, too!

[red zone]

Not that Mel Kiper is the Gospel, but yes Pac-Man is the top corner in the draft. Imagine that. A Mountaineer. ;)

[laurent]

Originally posted by Truant
with the quality of corners in this draft, it would suck to select the first one when similar talent can be had much lower and cheaper.

Personally, I think Rolle was the pick at nine, but if Pac-man really does have 'issues', Rolle might go earlier than nine.

I think we can all agree on the fact that this years CB class is pretty deep. That said, I think out of all the corners there are only three that can come in and contribute early.

Rogers, Rolle and Jones.

If we're looking to compensate for our free agent loss through the draft then we absolutely have to draft one of those three guys.

I don't believe for a minute that one of those three will still be available at anything lower than 14 and I think trading our pick is an unecessary risk we shouldn't take.

Unless somebody blows us away with an offer I think we should draft the best player available at no. 9.

[FLSKINSFAN]

He was just on the Dan Patrick show, He said Rogers, Rolle, or Jones to us at 9.

[36SKINS56]

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/sub/mockdraft.html



I hope so...

[jimster]

something tells me Rogers is becoming a better possibility right now. - I think Rolle and the 2 WR's will be gone by 9.

[jrockster21]

Originally posted by jimster
something tells me Rogers is becoming a better possibility right now. - I think Rolle and the 2 WR's will be gone by 9.


The more and more I hear about him I'm getting sold on Matt Jones.

http://www.woopigsooie.net/jones70.wmv
(sorry if this has already been posted)

The Skins would be heavily criticized for taking him at #9, but what happens if he becomes the monster that everyone is saying he could be? It could become one of the smartest draft picks ever...who knows?

[pll]

Wasn't Smoot a projected first rounder when "questions arose" about drugs (marijuana I think) and he dropped to us in the 2nd? Too bad we don't have a second this year....

[Shotgunner]

What would we do without our boy Mel?.:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

[PleaseBlitz]

PacMans "character issues" stem from an incident his sophomore year when he cracked a pool cue over some dudes skull at a bar in Morgantown. Since then he has been a model citizen and a great player, drug rumors notwithstanding. He's been great to the Mountaineer fans and loyal to his teammates and coaches.

Being a Mountaineer myself, I am keeping my fingers crossed that the skins can snag him. I personally guarantee they wont regret it.

[Duke]

Originally posted by dfitzo53
I don't follow college football the way I follow professional football. Would it be feasible to trade down a few picks, pick up a 2nd rounder, and grab Pac-Man or Rolle a little later in the first round, especially if Mike Williams doesn't fall to us?

We've been discussing about it for awhile. The most important factor is the trading partner. If no one wants to move up and surrender another pick, we have to stay and make dicision on someone.

I'd like to us get a second too and use it on WR Reggie Brown. He should be available in the mid-to-late second round.