Wednesday, May 2, 2007

NFL Draft

I didn't watch much of the NFL draft this year. The experts thought that only two Bruins had a chance at going during the two day event. So there wasn't a whole lot of motivation for me to sit through the hours and hours of TV coverage.

In the end, only Justin Medlock got drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 5th round. That sounds late but specialists tend to go late in the draft. Justin was actually the first kicker selected this year. I watched him at this all-star challenge a few months back. Medlock was definitely the best field-goal kicker there. He was the most accurate and also boomed in a 50-yarder.

There was talk that Justin Hickman might have been drafted in the 6th or 7th round, but he slipped through undrafted. Even though he lead the Bruins (and the PAC-10) in sacks last year, Justin is a bit undersized for the NFL. He'll probably end up playing outside linebacker in the pros.

When the draft is over, all the free agents sign. Willis signed with the Baltimore Ravens and Hickman has a contract with the Redskins. Brian Dohn reported on his blog that Junior Taylor was close to a deal with the Carolina Panthers on Sunday night.

Taylor has been trying to overcome another knee injury he suffered at an all-star game this January. The worst part is that he actually got hurt during the practice and never even played in the game. Dohn has a great article about Taylor's desire to make the NFL and how he has been fighting depression from being stuck in a bed for months. I sure hope Junior gets another chance to play football; he deserves it.

1 comment:

Jason said...

I don't fully get Hickman's signing. He would have been much better suited to a 3-4 style defense, but instead signed with the 'Skins, a team that primarily plays a 1-gap Cover 2 with a 4-3 base.

Hickman's never going to make it as a down lineman in that sort of formation - I don't care that the Cover 2 relies on speed, unless he's thinking of putting on 30+ pounds, he can't function as an end and get off an effective pass rush.

He would have been much better served by going to a team like the Ravens that runs a 3-4, and he could he moved to outside linebacker.