NFL Draft Notes

One more example of potential over production:

Oklahoma QB and 2003 Heisman Trophy winner Jason White went undrafted. Among the 14 quarterbacks drafted instead of him was USC QB Matt Cassel, whose claim to fame is that he backed up two other Heisman Trophy winners, Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart.

While NCAA career receptions leader Taylor Stubblefield had to settle for a free agent deal with the Carolina Panthers, Indiana WR Courtney Roby was a third round choice of the Tennessee Titans.

When he was picked, one of the experts on ESPN (Mel Kiper, I’m pretty sure) talked about how mediocre he was at IU. He didn’t do anything particularly well, “but he showed up at the combine and ran a 4.36” in the 40. That brought two thoughts to mind. First, how did someone so mediocre get invited to the combine? Second, if he was so mediocre at IU, how does Tennessee figure he’ll suddenly be great in the NFL?

Far be it from me to pick on someone else’s hair, but hasn’t Merrill Hoge been out of the league long enough that he shouldn’t have helmet hair anymore?

Kyle Orton was drafted by the Bears, which makes me pretty happy. I’m not all that sold on Rex Grossman anyway, so I think Orton can eventually win that job. Maybe not this year, but eventually.

When Drew Brees was at Purdue, his center was Gene Mruczkowski. Last year, the Chargers drafted Mruczkowski’s successor at Purdue, Nick Hardwick, who stepped right into the starting lineup. This year, the Chargers drafted Mruczkowski’s brother Scott in the seventh round, presumably to be Hardwick’s backup.

I think I’m one of the few people who didn’t feel too bad about Aaron Rodgers’ fall on draft day. He’s still going to make a ton of money, and he’ll get to play behind his idol, Brett Favre.

I guess it’s no secret why Auburn was so good. They had three top ten picks, and four total in the first round.

Alex Smith of Utah became only the second #1 overall pick from a school not currently in a BCS conference since Dallas took Ed “Too Tall” Jones in 1974. The other was David Carr from Fresno St, who was the top pick three years ago.