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Mock THIS!
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SB Nation's Mock Draft is speeding right along. Bleeding Green Nation made their pick at #26 for the Philadelphia Eagles, taking CB Chris Houston. Good pick by BrianG. John Morgan at Field Gulls has an excellent analysis of the best and worst picks so far in the Mock Draft. Like John, I'm really scratching my head at New England's pick: Eric Weddle, a safety out of Utah that literally NO ONE expects to go in the first three rounds, let alone the first one. John Morgan goes further:
You know how I wasn't going to bash Pitt for reaching, well, New England, you get no such courtesy. Weddle is not considered a first round talent by, basically, anyone.
Plus, Utah played a very easy schedule and still sported the 78th ranked passing defense in D1 football. Very few safeties are considered first round talents, and serviceable options can be found throughout the draft. Tommasse preemptively responds to the idea that Weddle is a reach by pointing out that the Pats have no second round pick and that Weddle wouldn't reach them in the third. The problems with that argument, is A: So what? Picking a player super early because he's your guy is always bad draft strategy, and B: You have a second first round pick. That second point is the biggest factor in making this such a baffling pick. With an aging LB corps and a star CB who may refuse to play, New England is not without needs. If you feel you absolutely must have Weddle, your first pick should have been used on best available talent, while you attempted to trade down the second pick. No one was going to draft Weddle in the next three picks; New York, New Orleans and Philadelphia have no pressing needs at safety. If you couldn't find anyone to trade your pick at 28, then you can select Weddle. It's still a reach, but it's at least justifiable.
We're on pick #27 now, which is New Orleans' pick. Since we have no Saints blog (yet), GeauxTigers from our LSU blog, And The Valley Shook, will pick for the Saints. Very soon, I'll have to pick for the Colts. I still have no idea who to take.
In other related news, The Colts are looking at possibly signing RB Kevin Kevan Barlow. Barlow made a name for himself in SF, where he once compared current-Niners coach Mike Nolan to Adolph Hitler. Last year, Barlow was traded to the Jets, who cut him this off-season. The Colts are looking to team Barlow with Addai. Not sure how I feel about this seeing as Barlow really was nothing more than a one-hit-wonder. In 2004 he had a great season. Since, he's been nothing. So, I'm sort of "meh" on him.
