Board 8 > Board 8 National Football League League (B8NFLL) Season 9: The Offseason

(+) Yeah! (+)

Neato, I got Neato!
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The issue I was having was that my google acct is run through the college I went to. The other day it let me share my mock with Stan just fine, but today it suddenly would not give me "Share with anyone with a link" as an option. It was limiting me to "only people in your school"

Luckily I have a work gmail acct too so using that seems to have bypassed the error, I simply copied the info from my person acct to a new sheet under my work acct and used that instead. Hooray!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/14TPoneea2Ns7p-vjqZXwQ0UNSxZjBp4fcPrFrIT7mQU/edit

This one is a breakdown of both of our picks combined, along with what was actually picked and who correctly predicted the pick. The gap between stan and I's correct number of picks was a lot closer than last year (8-3 in stan's favor last year)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14ZrA17IDZIliWMpOVwhzkqiHBCB8xpy8_DfgS3Xn-oE/edit#gid=0

Like last year, there were also a few that stan and I both agreed on that ended up not being right.
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MysteriousStan posted...

And here we go! Stan Kiper's final mock draft! Did pretty well all things considered. Bolded picks are picks where the player matched the team that selected them. Picks in italics are picks were it wasn't that specific player selected but the position was correct.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1itTA0_SF1_VbBe5jrmCuybfvsVn60VeWTLxlij1H5YQ/edit

Emerald is having trouble getting his to work so once he does I'm sure we'll get McShay's as well.

OT was a consideration but this was a good CB class and that is a position where I could use some real improvement there.

After reading those I probably should have made that a higher priority and taken one in the 1st round, but I couldn't have predicted there being no good picks for my positions in the 2nd round and ending up with another CB.
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Emeraldegg posted...

Trade alert:

Panthers get:
CB Trent Gunn (75, 27 y/o)
OLB Sean Spence (73, 25 y/o)

Wildcats get:
CB Michael Waddell (82, 32 y/o)

confirm
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KCF0107 posted...

Future spreadsheet changes I will have to make

Lions now have DT Karl Klugg, LOLB Akin Ayodele
Panthers now have DT Claude Wroten
Rams now have HB Ronnie Brown
Vikings now have HB Rudi Johnson and LE Kyle Turley
Broncos now have HB Antonio Pittman and HB Selvin Young
Jets now have HB Danny Ware, C Alex Stepanovich
Pioneers now have HB Kehstahn Moore
Seahawks now have LT Ryan Diem

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I think I can contend for the playoffs this year, but I now have one of the worst WR corps in the league, so I don't know how much that will affect Ryan. Luckily that and SS are really my only weaknesses now, compared to the rest of the league.
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Signing Draft Picks

Quite a few teams have done it already, but now's the time to get those draftees' signatures and have them suit up for your squad. It is essentially just like signing your own free agents, but you don't have to worry about holdouts/franchise tags, and you typically have far fewer players to sign.

There are a few things you need to keep in mind. One, you will not know the overall ratings until they are signed. That is an in-game mechanic and not something by my design. Two, the desired deals for each player, in terms of length, is based on where they were taken. It is as follows:

Top 5 - Six years
6-10 - Five years
11-32 - Four years
2nd-4th rounds - Three years (will be eligible for RFA)
5th-7th rounds - One year

Once again, you do not have to offer them their exact deals and can change their length, but I advise you to sign them to the length that they ask for because if you change the length, they might ask for considerably more money.
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All PMs have been sent. The deadline to sign your rookies will be 11:59 PM ET on Sunday, October 15th.

If you idle, I will sign your players to the deals that they requested. If you have roster space issues, I will prioritize players that fill any holes, then the order they were drafted.
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Both got my pick right but I actually run 3-4 so wasn't worried about grabbing a DT high. I had told KCF to just take best available DT, OLB, DE or G.

Feels like last few years there hasn't been a position where I could draft someone and start them immediately. Always drafting someone as a future replacement or if injuries occur

Emeraldegg posted...

The issue I was having was that my google acct is run through the college I went to. The other day it let me share my mock with Stan just fine, but today it suddenly would not give me "Share with anyone with a link" as an option. It was limiting me to "only people in your school"

Luckily I have a work gmail acct too so using that seems to have bypassed the error, I simply copied the info from my person acct to a new sheet under my work acct and used that instead. Hooray!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/14TPoneea2Ns7p-vjqZXwQ0UNSxZjBp4fcPrFrIT7mQU/edit

This one is a breakdown of both of our picks combined, along with what was actually picked and who correctly predicted the pick. The gap between stan and I's correct number of picks was a lot closer than last year (8-3 in stan's favor last year)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14ZrA17IDZIliWMpOVwhzkqiHBCB8xpy8_DfgS3Xn-oE/edit#gid=0

Like last year, there were also a few that stan and I both agreed on that ended up not being right.

Similarly, Iupati was an option for me.

Mingo actually may have been a reach but if I wasnt gonna get a top flight G or HB that i needed to sure up OLB where i have had liabilities forever
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This is totally stupid, but I'm going to mention the three draft picks in each round that I liked the most. It's a mix between perfect landing spot, great opportunity, fantastic value, and other minute factors. As a warning, these are almost all entirely made up of AI picks and picks I selected for other teams (it wasn't like I excluded the Dolphins, but I just liked other picks in each round more). I'm sorry, but I guess I just didn't love the draft classes from the users who were active in their own draft for the most part.

Round 1
DE J.J. Watt (Redskins)
HB DeMarco Murray (Hawks)
OLB Nick Perry (Pumpkins)

As was mentioned in Stan or Emerald's write-ups, the Redskins are in cap hell and will continue to be in cap hell for some time. They still field an elite defense, so Watt will be landing in the perfect place in terms of chances of developing into something special. Independent of what happens in free agency and preseason, I'd say he is the favorite for Defensive Rookie of the Year at this moment.

Murray was like the 6th-ranked prospect in the draft, and for him to fall to the Hawks who will look for him to replace Tomlinson in the next 2-3 seasons must have made the non-Redskins fans in D.C. pleased as punch. Tomlinson is also a big injury risk having two full seasons wiped out and losing half seasons several other seasons. Murray could become a big factor in his rookie season even.

The Pumpkins, one of the best-drafting teams in the past several seasons, continues to have players drop into their laps and reap the benefits. After their LB corps' future looked grim with the looming retirements of OLB Joey Porter, OLB Takeo Spikes, and MLB/OLB Jeff Ullrich, they have spent early round draft picks on their starting LB corps the past three seasons.

Round 2
HB Lamar Miller (Rams)
FS Tyrann Mathieu (Jets)
TE Jordan Reed (Pumpkins)

The Rams getting a Top 15 pick at 34 is excellent. Then trading for HB Ronnie Brown to not have to rely on Miller is even better. In what might be an offensive resurgence in St. Louis, Miller could get the playing time needed for development, have a reduced chance for development-halting injury, and he could get a development boost if the Rams win some playoff games.

The Jets' incumbent FS is in his early 30s, but more importantly, his overall rating has gone down the past two seasons. While I doubt Mathieu's overall rating will allow him to compete for a starting job in the preseason, he could next season as the Jets continue their youth movement on defense that has been among the most underrated since Fenny left.

The Pumpkins' Chris Baker is about to retire in the next season or two, so what do the Pumpkins do? They grab the highest-ranked TE in the draft late in the 2nd round. It's looking more and more like the NFC is about to turn into a competition between the Cowboys and Pumpkins with the other 14 teams just kind of there for the ride.
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Round 3
WR Demaryius Thomas (Lightning)
TE Ladarius Green (Redskins)
SS Shawn Williams (Colts)

In previous seasons, it was the defense that has carried the Saints/Lightning (to losing records). Last season, their offense shot up to being a top-half offense. If that growth is expected to continue, getting young, impact players will help. With WR Coles having retired and their WR corps being nowhere near the league's most imposing, Thomas could be counted on a lot this season.

Basically a combination of Watt and Reed's writeups. Redskins get their replacement for Daniel Graham's incoming retirement while paying him on the cheap as their cap space gets sorted out and hopefully manageable.

All of the Colts' safeties are 31 and older. Historically, the Colts have been a good defensive team, so Williams is in an ideal landing spot for both his development and chances to start.

Round 4
DT Earl Mitchell (Wildcats)
G Reggie Buckles (Packers)
OLB Demetrius Adams (Buccaneers)

By the fourth round, I think it's safe to say you shouldn't be looking for Day 1 starters. The exceptions are usually kickers and punters. Without factoring in any trades, free agency, and preseason injuries, we might have three players start Day 1. Buckles is the least likely because the Packers have a backup OL who would probably be the favorite to start at RG at this moment, but the Wildcats and Buccaneers are looking a little sorry at DT and OLB respectively right now. Anything is possible.
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Round 5
DT Nick Taylor (Vikings)
WR Michael Floyd (49ers)
MLB Brandon Thompson (Titans)

Finding three draft picks that I really liked in this round was tougher than the other six. I went with Taylor because he might have the best opportunity to become a future starter outside of the next player on this list. He will presumably be the Vikings' 4th-highest rated DT, and with two in front of him being in their mid-30s, why not him?

The 49ers' receiving corps is among those that do not strike fear into the hearts of their opponents. That being said, Big Ben is among the highest-rated QBs, and someone has to catch the ball! McCareins is basically done at this stage of his career, Walker is good but always injured. The only other WR is Bess who looked very promising as a rookie last season. Perhaps Floyd follows suit and turns into a long-term asset.

With the pick I gave the Titans in an earlier draft-day trade, the Titans select the player that I was going to select if available just five picks after. Jerk. The Titans have like 10 LBs, and even if that number drops, it doesn't appear that he will get much playing time. However, I have the feeling that as long as the soul-sucking experience that is playing on the Titans' defense doesn't destroy him at his core, he could be on the team for a lot longer than most fifth round picks.

Round 6
G Greg Davis (Seahawks)
C Jason Kelce (Jets)
SS Antonio Moore (Hawks)

With this being the sixth round, it's all but a guarantee that nobody's overall rating will excite anyone. Greg Davis is listed as 6'6", 393 lbs. I don't care that he's likely going to amount to nothing, that is one terrifying guard.

Kelce landed in a great place. The Jets' O-line is very close to retirement. While more OL will certainly join up (and leave) during that span, Kelce at least gets a leg up on developing into something worth holding onto. Who knows, he might become a starter. If second-last-pick in the draft C Nick Mangold eventually became a full-time start (albeit via trade), Kelce certainly can too.

Similar to the Colts, the Hawks have an old S corps. FS is younger, but Moore's position at SS is full of people in their final years. If someone's going to have a future start to his name, I'd say Moore's odds are as good as anyone's.
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Round 7
C Ben Jones (Bengals)
DT Chauncey Pain (Colts)
DT Greg Neato (Lions)

Incumbent Shaun O'Hare is about to retire. Whether the future starter at center is currently on the roster or not (for the sake of the argument, let's say Jones is on the roster), Jones could be in the mix, and with this being a 7th rounder, that's far more than most people expect out of their 7th rounders.

If there's one player in this round that I can see playing out their entire career with the team that drafted them, it's Pain. The Colts DTs are all in their 30s, and I think Dockett and Patterson have a bit of an injury history. Pain could see enough playing time to develop into something that the Colts would want him to stick around for a decade.

I could go with one of the four TEs taken here or Titans WR Blake Cronin, but I'm going with Neato. With the Lions trade of Claude Wroten, their only reliable DT is gone. LeKevin Smith was once a stud and arguably a better DT than Wroten but injuries and less effectiveness have made him a lesser player. C.J. Mosely, a lifelong Lion in B8NFLL, is probably best suited to a backup role, and Karl Klugg is a complete unknown. Perhaps Neato can carve out something among this unpredictable lot at DT.
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My three favorite draft classes are:
1. Jets
2. Ravens
3. Rams

The Jets' draft class have I think the most upside out of any team's. All of their picks look like they could still be on rosters in 10 seasons.

While there wasn't a single Raven pick that I included on my earlier list, the sheer volume of early-mid draft picks and the opportunities they should all have give this draft class the best chance to produce starters in the short and long-term.

Both the Rams and Pumpkins hit their first two picks out of the park. While it is more impressive that the Pumpkins did so at 20 and 52 than the Rams did at 2 and 34, the Rams I think did a better job in rounds 3-7 with picks like Manti T'eo in the 4th and OT Austin Howard in the 5th.
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I don't think that's stupid, KCF! Interesting analysis!
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MysteriousStan posted...

I don't think that's stupid, KCF! Interesting analysis!

I agree
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DoubleTangicide posted...

MysteriousStan posted...

I don't think that's stupid, KCF! Interesting analysis!

I agree

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WalkingWiki posted...

DoubleTangicide posted...

MysteriousStan posted...

I don't think that's stupid, KCF! Interesting analysis!

I agree

KCF0107 posted...

KCF0107 posted...

Future spreadsheet changes I will have to make

Lions now have DT Karl Klugg, LOLB Akin Ayodele
Panthers now have DT Claude Wroten
Rams now have HB Ronnie Brown
Vikings now have HB Rudi Johnson and LE Kyle Turley
Broncos now have HB Antonio Pittman and HB Selvin Young
Jets now have HB Danny Ware, C Alex Stepanovich
Pioneers now have HB Kehstahn Moore
Seahawks now have LT Ryan Diem

I am totally going to do this and also start adding in rookie contracts in a bit.
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No 80+s in my rookie class, but a decent crop. Fills some needs and such.
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Also, that Panthers/Wildcats trade is official, so I will do that too
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Well i got a startable linebacker so i suppose not all hope is lost
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That's solid at least! No one is gonna start instantly here, but there are a couple on the cusp!
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Ravens have released RG Tony Wragge
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Holy cow Doug Martins 88

lets gooo
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Random Thing #2

Our 8th draft has just been completed, and I record all draft results. I have decided to look through all first rounders, group them by which pick they were selected, and then rank them on their career/projections from there (as in I will rank all #1 overall picks together, all #2 overall picks together, etc...) with a small explanation/recap of a person's career.
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Aye, I like it
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#1 Overall Picks

MLB Abdul Hodge (Season 2 by Bears)
RT Winston Justice (S3 by Falcons)
LT Sam Baker (S4 by Pumpkins)
QB Kirby Freeman (S5 by Titans)
DT DeMarcus Granger (S6 by Lightning)
FS Earl Thomas (S7 by Texans)
MLB Bobby Wagner (S8 by Wildcats)

Baker > Thomas > Freeman > Wagner > Granger > Justice > Hodge

Wow, the careers for these players are underwhelming. While I am not going to rank each draft slot at the end of this, the #1 overall pick seems to be a curse. Sure, many have very high ratings, but the stat sheets and impact say they aren't deserve them and were from entering the league has highly-rated players.

Baker is easily the best having started the most games and a career block-to-sack ratio of 225:22.

Thomas has led all FSs in tackles since he has entered the league. While tackles aren't exactly a meaningful stat, it does show a consistent level of production, which is more than most players on this list. He's also recorded multiple sacks, INTs, and FFs+FRs in every season.

Last season was most kind to Freeman in these rankings despite missing two games to injury. Prior to a breakout year, he had seen his production and efficiency drop every season since he's been in the league. He does have a sub-60 career completion %, and that is not good for a non-scrambling QB.

Wagner did have a productive season for an awful Wildcats defense. Whether that means his stats reflect his ability or the lack of playmakers around him is something time will tell, but it was an encouraging rookie season at any rate.

Granger's stats will likely never reflect his ability since he is primarily a run-stuff DT. Still, to put up 14 sacks across three seasons is more than one would expect from such a DT. However, the Lightning have been inconsistent in stopping the run since his arrival. You can't pinpoint it on him exactly, but it's fair to say that he hasn't quite lived up to expectations.

Like many players taken #1 overall, there have been far better players taken at the position later in the same draft. Maybe it's not fair to Justice, but it's hard to ignore for someone who has started 48 of 78 games in his career. 19 of those starts have come from being an injury replacement for someone who beat them out for a starting job. 198:25 career blocks-to-sacks ratio might look great, but it is pretty average for an OT. Even though he his already 29, OL age better than any other position, so there's still plenty of time to improve his standing.

Abdul Hodge has to be the biggest "What If?" in B8NFLL draft history, if not B8NFLL history as a whole. The Bears' original GM idled in the offseason, and that was during a time when you lost everyone with an expired contract if you idled. I was also forced to choose his first round picks. Since he had no MLB on the roster and Hodge was the #1 ranked prospect, I had no choice but to select him. Then, the GM became active again and signed in free agency the MLB that he had idled away (Dan Morgan). Morgan started every game for the Bears, and after three seasons, the GM was gone and the AI decided it wasn't worth paying mega bucks to a backup MLB.

After his release and trying to increase the talent pool for free agency, I discovered that Hodge could become a high-80s DE. Two users bid hard for his services, only for Hodge to decline signing with the team (Titans) that offered him more money and a clear starting gig to go with the Redskins. Hodges then proceeded to...sit on the bench for two seasons. Yet again, he was a high-priced backup. He finally started his first game in Season 7, his sixth in the league. He has done okay. 56 tackles, 15 sacks, 2 FFs is his production in 32 starts for an elite defense.
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As someone who wasn't here from the first few seasons, I am quite interested in this history I'm seeing.
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Emeraldegg posted...

As someone who wasn't here from the first few seasons, I am quite interested in this history I'm seeing.

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#2 Overall Picks

QB Matt Leinart (S2 by Jaguars)
QB Vince Young (S3 by Cowboys)
HB Darius Walker (S4 by Cowboys)
LE Brick Massey (S5 by Saints/Lightning)
QB Mark Sanchez (S6 by Texans/Pioneers)
SS Patrick Chung (S7 by Bengals)
WR Antonio Brown (S8 by Lightning)

Young > Walker > Brown > Massey > Leinart > Chung > Sanchez

Young began his career completing less than 55% of his passes and a 25:43 TD:INT ratio his first two seasons. That was good for a passer rating of less than 60 for his career. He was always the best rushing QB after Michael Vick, but for him to turn things around, become a dependable passer, and be highest-rated QB in the league is both remarkable and a cautionary tale about impatience.

Walker is a great HB, but I wouldn't call him elite despite the 92 rating. His career YPC sits at 4.0 (that's simply good in my opinion), and outside of a S5 aberration, he is limited as a receiver out of the backfield. That being said, his production can't be ignored. 1000+ rushing yards in four out of five seasons, two or fewer fumbles in three out of five, eight or more rushing TDs in three out of five, and he is the fifth-best blocking HB in the league. A quality level of consistency is what I think most of us want out of our players.

Brown caught a TD on 23.6% of his receptions last season. That is totally unsustainable, but an argument can be made that he was the #1 factor for a surging Lightning offense last season. The future looks bright for him, and I wouldn't be surprised if he overtakes Walker in the next season or two if I were to re-do this.

Massey is basically a sack specialist. In each season, he is good for 23-26 tackles, 7+ sacks, and a pair of FFs+FRs. Perhaps one would want more out of the #2 overall pick, but I think the vast majority of users would want him on their team.

I sort of feel bad for Leinart. It is very clear that he can't ignite an offense. He's had seasons where he's started 10 or more games and had these TD totals: 6, 5, and 9. That being said, he doesn't make too many mistakes and has lost his starting job three times, including twice to Drew Brees for both the Jags and Jets. At 31, the chances of being a starter again will likely have to be via an injury replacement.

Backup SSs get a lot of action as they are the primary playmakers on special teams in Madden 06. I never agreed with the selection of Chung when the Bengals already had a young, well-rated SS in James Ihedigbo, but Chung will at least please on the stat sheet even if he may never become a starter.

The Pioneers have never found a consistent starting QB. Sanchez was one of many attempts to find someone worthy to hold down the job for more than two seasons. He had an encouraging but not particularly good rookie season. Then he faded in his sophomore season. Then the Pioneers replaced him. He is still young and good enough (rating-wise) to land as a starter somewhere else though. Without knowing rookie ratings for most teams, the Bills, Broncos, Colts, Lions, Raiders, Rams (just took a QB at #2 though), Ravens, Redskins, and Steelers could use him as a starter.
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#3 Overall Picks

CB Will Blackmon (S2 by Panthers)
QB Chris Leak (S3 by Eagles/Pumpkins)
LE Lawrence Jackson (S4 by Bears)
WR Gonzie Massey (S5 by Wildcats)
SS Kenny Phillips (S6 by Packers)
LE Cliff Avril (S7 by Patriots)
CB Joe Haden (S8 by Dolphins)

Leak > Jackson > Haden > Avril > Blackmon > Massey > Phillips

Vince Young and Leak went in back-to-back picks. Both Wiz and MMX/AI have to be pleased with their selections, but Leak might be the best QB to enter the league after the inaugural season. Young is a true scrambling QB while Leak is a true pocket passer. Therefore, he will always be more efficient and have better looking passing lines. His most impressive stats are 60% completion % in all six seasons and single-digit INT totals in three of them. In this game, it is uncommon for a qualified passer to have single-digit INTs. To do so on a semi-regular basis is extremely rare.

I don't think that Jackson has gone up or down in overall rating by more than a point or two in his career. He played for some truly awful Bears teams during his early years, so that stunted his development, but there's no mistaking his production. He has put up 48 sacks through his five seasons, never lower than 7 in a season.

Haden had some pretty big shoes to fill his rookie season, and he responded by helping the Dolphins field a Top-3 passing defense and possibly the first CB to be named to the Pro Bowl in his rookie season with 3 INTs and 3 FFs. I think that he will be alright.

Avril's development has far outpaced his production, but he made strides in his sophomore season going from 5 to 8 sacks and doubling his FF total from 1 to 2. On a much better defense than the Bears ever had, he could turn out to have a career that Jackson has with the overall rating he should have had.

Blackmon was a true shutdown corner. In his time with the Panthers, I don't think his overall rating ever budged due to being on lackluster Panthers squads, but I remember their passing defense being pretty good. He survived the Socko and AI administrations, but then everything went to hell for him. Emerald came along and traded him to play defense for the Titans. A couple of seasons later, he is no longer starter-worthy.

Massey has a chance to vault up these rankings. It will have to be on a different team or with a different QB throwing him the ball. Michael Vick is not a passer. He can pass okay as evidenced by being an MVP finalist three or so times, but he looks to run as much as he looks to pass. Thus his offenses will be low-volume passing attacks. In an offense with a lot of receiving weapons, it's going to be hard to carve out a career that will make him a star. Vick is always an injury risk and backup Colin Kaepernick improved dramatically as a passer. Massey had a career year thanks to the three games that Kaepernick started (over 300 of his 796 receiving yards came from those games). He might be wishing for another Vick injury.

Phillips is not a bad player by any stretch. His stats are just very underwhelming for a SS. On an annual basis, starting SSs tend to have high tackle counts, good sack (by DB standards) and INT totals, and can have their fair share of FF+FR figures. Phillips hasn't put together a season anywhere close to that. His career high in tackles is 48 in S7. His high in sacks is 2 in S6. His high in INTs is 3 (that is actually respectable) in S7. He didn't record a FF or FR until last season (one of each). SSs are supposed to be the playmakers for any secondary, and Phillips is no playmaker.
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On that note.

Michael Vick is on the trading block. HMU if you have interest in him.
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How about we all agree to just skip the #4 Overall Picks yeah? Sounds good.

No way Jose!

Also, OT was the correct answer to the poll with six.
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#4 Overall Picks

WR Mike Hass (S2 by Titans)
DT Haloti Ngata (S3 by Seahawks)
SS Japhus Brown (S4 by Titans)
CB Justin King (S5 by Redskins)
LT Thomas Herring (S6 by Bears)
WR Brandon Marshall (S7 by Raiders)
LE Chris Long (S8 by Titans)

King > Ngata > Long > Marshall > Brown > Herring > Hass

I immediately stand corrected on what I said about Haden. King's lone Pro Bowl appearance was in his rookie season. He was the slot corner then. Since he became a starter after that season, he stats have gone down, so I have to assume he went into full shutdown mode. Can't really complain about that.

Nagata is good for either 11 or 5 sacks a season (all six of his seasons end with either figure). That's kind of weird since he is a run-stuffer in real life. That being said, he still makes an impact without his sacks because he gets high tackle totals for an interior DL (averages around 50 a season), and more importantly, he has 2+ FF in all but one season. The Seahawks are one of the greatest enigmas. They draft well, and they produce, but they can't get into the playoffs and end up with a high pick more often than not.

The reigning B8NFLL and Madden DRotY Long had about as atypical of a rookie season for a DE as you find. It is not uncommon for one to have high sack totals, but the 49 tackles and 3 FFs+FRs are extremely rare in Madden 06. Rookie DEs just don't make a complete impact like that. Of course, the Titans defense still was garbage, but Long is probably the last player on it to point the finger at.

With a garbage QB throwing him the ball, Marshall managed to average 21.5 ypc in his rookie season. That was obviously expected to go down. With the reliable but not sexy A.J. Feeley (I'm sure that Shattered would disagree about calling him reliable) throwing to him, he more than doubled his receiving total (301 to 633) and almost tripled his TD total (2 to 5). Now that Feeley retired and it's looking like Andy Dalton or Tavaris Jackson will be the starter, I will be curious to see if he continues to progress or if he hits a wall.

Brown started all 16 games in each of his first four seasons and hasn't missed a game in all five. In those first four seasons, he was good for multiple sacks and at least 1 FF+FR. He also recorded an INT in three, but in the lone season that he didn't, he had a career high 3 sacks and 4 FF+FR. I say that he more than made up for it. It's unfortunate that he played for the Titans defense though because he just never developed. At 29 years old, it's unlikely that he ever will, but he's actually been productive. This pick could have turned out much worse (and better).

Herring started off his career with 13 blocks to no sacks allowed until he suffered a season-ending injury. His next two seasons saw him put up a 77:15 ratio. That's barely 5 blocks per sack allowed, which would be great for an interior OL, not a bookend. He still developed into an elite OT from a ratings perspective, but I need to see the production to match it.

Okay, so let me set up the story. The Titans had a 90-ish WR in Keary Colbert, who was in his mid-20s at that point. Prior to the draft, I traded as the temporary GM of the Packers WR Reggie Wayne for a CB. That gave the Titans two 90-ish WRs. Then came our first NFL Draft. The Titans originally picked 3rd. They however made a trade with Socko and the Panthers who originally picked 9th to swap first round picks. I was in charge of five or so teams that season. One was the Seahawks who picked 4th. Stan then traded up with me to pick 4th. He selected...WR Mike Hass. And thus began the career of a WR doomed to play in the slot for the Titans barring injuries. It isn't that Hass was a bad player or had a bad career. He was just drafted to a team that didn't need him and had no chance of being a starter while there.
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I ran into a character limit but:

He was eventually released and signed by the Colts. He had easily the best season of his career in S8 as a full-time starter for the first time and posted career highs in receptions (67), yards (776), and TDs (7). At 32 years old, that might be the best he will ever put up, but I think that if this were real life, Hass would be proud that he worked his way to a starting gig and performed like he belonged there.
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Oh hey, I was expecting Brown and and Hass to be at the end! Brown always seemed like he got the stats but yeah, he never developed more than that. Slowly but surely hoping to turn this freaking defense around!

And to be fair, I was expecting Hass to be at a higher overall than he ended up being. If I had known that highly drafted rookies tend to come in at the low 80's with mid-high 80's being much rarer, I wouldn't have picked him.

Emeraldegg posted...

As someone who wasn't here from the first few seasons, I am quite interested in this history I'm seeing.

Most definitely. There's as much lore and history here as the NFL!
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I concur as someone who is only in his second season
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#5 Overall Picks

HB DeAngelo Williams (S2 by Vikings)
WR Calvin Johnson (S3 by Ravens)
QB John David Booty (S4 by Texans/Pioneers)
LT Justin Schifano (S5 by Bills)
LT Alex Boone (S6 by Raiders)
HB Matt Forte (S7 by Buccaneers)
LOLB K.J. Wright (S8 by Jets)

Williams > Boone > Forte > Schifano > Johnson > Wright > Booty

Williams has played a full season just twice, but he is far and away the best #5 pick. Injuries are truly his only weakness. He has never had a season where his YPC was under 4.0, and it's been at least 4.4 in every season as a Lion. After a ghastly 14 fumbles through his first two seasons, he's had 10 in five seasons since. He's a major factor in the passing game, and he's also known to fill in a MLB in a pinch and garner Defensive Player of the Week awards. He's still just 28, so he has many years left in him to help the Lions as they enter a post-Peyton Manning era. Fun fact: He has never made the Pro Bowl.

Boone's rating is starting to creep up to elite levels, but make no mistake about it, he's an elite OT. He has a career 149:16 block-to-sack line. His performance would have to sustain itself over several more years before he can challenge Williams, but I'd say he is much closer to catching up with Williams than falling back to Forte's level.

The Bucs' HBs have been awful since Julius Jones left town. Until Forte came in, the highest YPC anyone had was 3.8. Forte did marginally better than that at 3.9, but the most encouraging sign was that he was an elite receiver out of the backfield and had 391 yards after the catch. Unfortunately, injuries derailed his sophomore season, but he did become the first non-Julius Jones HB to record 4.0 or better YPC (4.1). I am basing this placement on the idea that he will stay healthy and become the fulcrum of the Bucs' offense as Brady, Burleson, and Givens end their careers.

Before being converted to G, Schifano was a super-utility OL who played everywhere along the OL when injuries occurred and when the starters needed a breather. He had 45 blocks to 5 sacks allowed. After converting to G, he took over a starting job and has performed well with 101 blocks against 22 sacks allowed.

Much like Gonzie Massey, Johnson has been in an offense that won't make him a star. Don't quote me on this, but I'm not sure that the Ravens have ever had a 1000 yard receiver. If so, it had to have been before even greengravy was in charge. Johnson's career seemed to be going downward until a career year last season with a career high in receptions (68), yards (874), and YPC (12.8). Maybe at the age of 29, he's starting to turn things around.

Wright had 53 tackles, 1 sack, 2 INTs, 1 FR in his rookie season. OLBs are a bit tricky for me to pass judgement on, so I want to see more out of him to get a better idea of him as a player.

Booty is the easy choice for last. He spent his rookie season as the starter and put up 2801 yards, 20 TDs, and 20 INTs. Not bad but not good. He lost his job to Marc Bulger after that and hasn't started since. There's really nothing else to say.
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I actually don't remember all this stuff!

Signed,

A Two Time Super Bowl Winner
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#6 Overall Picks

LE Mathias Kiwanuka (S1 by Patriots)
HB Adrian Peterson (S2 by Jaguars)
SS Reggie Nelson (S3 by Cardinals/Wildcats)
HB Jacquizz Rodgers (formerly known as Jamaal Redd, S4 by Pumpkins)
DT Amobi Okoye (S5 by Hawks)
LT Jake Long (S6 by Jets)
QB Russell Wilson (S7 by Pioneers)

Okoye > Kiwanuka > Peterson > Rodgers > Wilson > Nelson > Long

Okoye has been nothing short of phenomenal. He is 24 and already has 33 career sacks. He averages over 10 sacks a season! He could have 100 before he's 30! I rest my case.

I am putting Kiwanuka over Peterson for all the work that he did on crappy teams before finally being rewarded with a winning squad. Back in the old days, I had no safety net in place for when users idled. After the inaugural season, the Pats' GM did nothing all offseason, which altered the B8 landscape forever and caused the Patriots to eventually become the Birmingham Cougars. Unfortunately for the Patriots, seemingly their entire team's best players had their contracts expire, and they all left town. The only player that I know is still in the league is QB Drew Brees, but among the max exodus of were star DEs Mike Rucker and Greg Ellis.

When their pick was up, it was just like Abdul Hodge in that I had to take Kiwanuka. In a team bereft of talent on both sides of the ball, Kiwanuka seemingly poured everything he had into making this team into something, which included a spectacular season in which he recorded 16 sacks, 3 FFs, and 2 FRs (lost DL of the Year to Jets DT Casey Hampton). With 67 sacks in 7 seasons, he is certainly on pace to reach 100 for his career. Since we are getting to the point to where players who entered the league at or after the inaugural season are going to retire, I might start recording career statistics of said players and determine a B8NFLL Hall of Fame. Kiwanuka is on his way to make it there.

Peterson, like DeAngelo Williams, is always an injury concern, but while he doesn't have the all-around impact of Williams, Peterson is easily the more accomplished runner. A Rookie of the Year winner, three Pro Bowls, multiple MVP finalist, and four seasons of 1300+ rushing yards and double-digit rushing TDs, make him arguably the most formidable active HB after LaDainian Tomlinson.

Rodgers sat behind Cornell Brockington his first two seasons before being traded to the Dolphins. He had an embarrassing rookie season with 2 fumbles against 0 TDs and just 187 yards on 51 carries. After getting his first taste of what it's like to be a starter with the Dolphins, he has turned into Peterson-lite. The TDs aren't there, but he has 3054 rushing yards on 4.3 YPC the past two seasons with just two fumbles. He's found a home in Miami even if he doesn't improve in any way.
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Wilson had 2453 passing yards and 10 TD passes to 15 INTs. That TD-INT total was the same line that Chris Leak had in his rookie season before becoming a superstar QB. Wilson will not become like Leak because he is more like Vince Young as a QB (in B8NFLL world anyway). This does give more reason for optimism because of how much more awful Young was in his early years with superior teams.

Nelson had a phenomenal sophomore season that I want to say landed him as a finalist for DB of the Year with 68 tackles, 2 sacks, 4 INTs, 2 FFs, and 2 FRs. Every season after that is a disappointment. In three seasons since. he has a combined 3 sacks, 4 INTs, 2 FFs, and 1 FR. If Breakout Player of the Year was an award back then, he definitely would have made the list of finalists. Alas, it is appearing that he might be a one-hit wonder. Another interesting note is that I distinctly remember that Nelson had a 3rd round grade in the draft and was taken in the Top 10. That is not the first time that a team took a player in the 1st with a 3rd round or worse grade, but let's just say that other time worked out very well.

I famously took Long over QB Matt Ryan for Fenny because I was more concerned about the age and health of the OL and thought Matt Leinart could be a serviceable starter. I was totally wrong about Leinart, and things haven't started off well for Long through his two seasons. He does have 11 starts to his name as an injury fill-in, but the results aren't good with 31 blocks to 13 sacks allowed. Prior to knowledge of the Jets rookies or what they do in free agency, Long is the presumed starter at LT, so I guess we will soon find out if I just completely whiffed on this pick or not.
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#7 Overall Picks

LT D'Brick Ferguson (S1 by Cardinals/Wildcats)
DT Clifton Dickson (S2 by Patriots)
TE Greg Olsen (S3 by Bills)
FS Lovon Ponder (S4 by Browns)
CB Sean Smith (S5 by 49ers)
CB Vontae Davis (S6 by Cowboys)
HB LeSean McCoy (S7 by Colts)

Ponder > Dickson > Smith > Davis > Ferguson > Olsen > McCoy

I was totally not thinking that Ponder was the best (my guess was Dickson or Smith) when I first looked at the list, but Ponder is a true ballhawk. He's recorded multiple INTs in each season, including a whopping seven in S7!

When Dickson's on, he is one of the best DTs in the game. In his sophomore season, he had 15 sacks, 3 FFs, and 1 FR. He's also had seasons where he's kind of disappeared. He hasn't recorded a FF since S5 and has just 1 FR since then. If this keeps up, he could be passed by both Smith and Davis after next season.

Smith and Davis have had similar careers thus far. They were thrust into the #2 CB spot in their rookie seasons, have more than held their own, and they made the Pro Bowl this past season. I'm giving the nod to Smith because he's been doing it longer and he's also a factor with FFs and FRs (4 for Smith, 1 for Davis).

I remember being so proud when I drafted Ferguson for the then Cardinal's idle GM. Now that I see his career stats, I really shouldn't be. 233 career blocks in 7 seasons. That's less than three a start (95 in his career) and just over 30 in a season. Maybe an argument can be made that he has helped pave the way for Vick's 6090 rushing yards during B8NFLL, but with a better rating for pass than rush-blocking, I don't think that's wise.

Olsen is a fine TE, but unlike his real-life counterpart, he's not a true receiving threat. There's no shame in that, but for being the #7 overall pick, "underwhelming" is a fair label to attach to him.

McCoy was drafted by the Colts after the #1 ranked prospect fell to them despite Joe Staley being available and their OL needing talent. That's not what this is about though. McCoy carried the ball 11 times. It will be many, many seasons before he can be safely evaluated.
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I feel some level of pride that the G Men havent had a pick come up yet.
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Two players from the inaugural season did retire, but they were a HB that hasn't played in five seasons and a FB that was almost strictly a returner (nowhere near enough TDs for a HoFer), so nothing to worry about now.
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#8 Overall Picks

FS Pat Watkins (S2 by Chargers/Hawks)
CB Devin Hester (S3 by Vikings)
QB Chad Henne (S4 by Falcons)
DT Ryan Walker (S5 by Cowboys)
CB Ladarius Webb (S6 by Cougars/Patriots)
LOLB Von Miller (S7 by Vikings)
RE Jason Pierre-Paul (S8 by Bengals)

Hester > Walker > Watkins > Miller > Webb > Paul > Henne

Hester is the top CB in the league, plays like it (4+ INTs in five of his six seasons), and is an excellent returner. This is a no-brainer.

For a DT who has 111 tackles and 30 sacks in his career, Walker having 0 career FFs is simply bizarre, but

Watkins has played and started 107 out of a possible 112 games in his career, but he doesn't make much of an impact if the stat sheet is of any indication. He's never had multiple sacks in a season. He's had multiple INTs twice, and he's had multiple FFs+FRs just once as well.

Miller sat behind Tyler Brayton his rookie season, but he became the full-time starter last season. He responded with 66 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 INT, 2 FFs. That's perfectly acceptable, but it's less than what Brayton put up his previous two seasons. If Miller takes another step forward, he could slot just behind his teammate Hester.

Patriots' pass defense has regressed each season since their final season as the Birmingham Cougars. Webb did record his first multi-INT season and had his first pair of FFs, but I will need to see the unit improve before saying he is making a difference.

Paul has two tackles to his name. He is stuck behind high-rated DEs who are 28 and 30 years old. He probably will have to wait awhile.

Henne, like John David Booty was a starter for just one season (S5), and had 2116 yards, 14 TDs, 14 INTs, and a 56% completion percentage. He was released and has performed worse as a backup with the Panthers.
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#9 Overall Picks

WR Derek Hagan (S2 by Panthers)
RT Justin Blalock (S3 by Chargers/Hawks)
WR Lance Leggett (S4 by Cougars/Patriots)
QB Bobby Reid (S5 by Rams)
QB Jamarcus Russell (S6 by Redskins)
DT Terrance Knighton (S7 by Chiefs)
LT Joe Staley (S8 by Lions)

Blalock > Leggett > Hagan > Russell > Knighton > Reid > Staley

Blalock has allowed five or fewer sacks in all but one of his seasons, and he has four seasons of 60+ blocks. With him blocking for iron-footed QBs like Jon Kitna, Chad Pennington, and Philip Rivers in his career, that's even more impressive.

Leggett had one of the most impressive rookie seasons for a WR with 90 receptions for 1066 yards and 7 TDs. His production dropped every season since despite staying injury-free. In S7, he had 42 receptions for 365 yards and 3 TDs, a far cry from his Pro Bowl rookie campaign. He bounced back in a big way last season with 68 receptions for 924 yards and 10 TDs. The TDs and 13.5 YPC were career highs. While some previously mentioned WRs also had breakout seasons last year, Leggett is the one that I would be most comfortable betting can repeat it this season.

Man, was Hagan in Socko's doghouse. Drops, fumbles, lackluster return play, and just underwhelming production were staples of a Hagan season. He has blossomed into a Pro Bowl returner and is a viable deep ball threat given his better-than-average YPC and low YAC, but he has yet to turn into the reliable, star WR that Socko envisioned he was getting after trading up with me.

Russell's selection was unusual. The Redskins traded a Top-35, 26 or 27 year old CB to the Titans to pick in the Top 10. Jukkie planned to use that pick to select...a CB. Then the top CBs in the draft were selected back-to-back at 7 and 8. I have no idea what was going through Jukkie's head when that went down, but he ended up selecting Jamarcus Russell. It's easy to make fun of Russell based on his real-life bust status and the lack of production in B8NFLL, but I am going to defend him.

His only real flaw is an unacceptable career completion % of 53%. That is indisputably awful. His career INT% though is better than the real life careers of Andrew Luck, Philip Rivers, and Ben Roethlisberger. Using B8NFLL standards, he is among the league's best in terms of taking care of the football. He was also asked to pass to a blocking TE, an aging Randy Moss, and a WR corps low on upside and talent. That isn't being placed in a position where you can reasonably expect someone to succeed. Even Drew Brees had multiple seasons of sub-70 passer rating with a Redskins team that had the additional benefits of a LaDainian Tomlinson and Plaxico Burress. The Redskins are still in cap hell, and he might be a top candidate to become a cap casualty. I do not think that is the end of Russell's career as a starter.
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