FalcFans Forums

What We're Hearing

By: Chris Horwedel
Rob Bryant

3/29/06

- Don't be surprised to see the Vikings look at Florida State outside linebacker Ernie Sims with their first round pick. Sims would be a good fit in the team's defensive scheme.

- Ohio State center Nick Mangold continues to impress scouting departments and we're told that he could come off the board as early as #19 overall to the Chargers.

- We're told that there's no chance Minnesota running back Laurence Maroney will not last past the Carolina Panthers pick.

- The Patriots are showing a lot of interest in Clemson cornerback Tye Hill.

- After his pro day, one scout we talked to believes that not only is Memphis running back DeAngelo Williams the best running back in the draft, that he could have an NFL career similar to that of LaDanian Tomlinson.

- Jay Cutler's stock is dropping back to earth after all the hype of his combine and pro day workouts. A scout for a NFC West team we spoke to said "It's not that he's really falling per se, his stock is just going back to where it should have been all along. It was ridicules to think that he would be drafted over the other two (Leinart and Young). He's just not on their level".

PFW didn't see Cutler sliding fast in the draft when all the teams that needed quarterbacks went out at got them? Seriously even Leinart may fall to the middle of the first round now.

I would love to get DeAngelo Williams somehow.

I understand your point, that's a real longshot. Leinart is considered to be on the same plan of quality as Eli Manning was in his draft, and what Big Ben and Tom Brady are considered as young QBs in retrospect. The lowest he will go is #3. Frankly, the Titans, Jets, Raiders, Cardinals, and possibly Ravens and Dolphins all have a high enough need that they will draft the big 3. I doubt Young slips out the Top 10 with the Titans, Raiders, and Cardinals all poised to draft him. Cutler won't go higher than #7 to Oakland, but could feasibly slip to the middle of Round 1.

IMO, DeAngelo Williams would have been our pick had we kept the #15 pick.

I honestly don't think the Cards take a quarterback in this draft. Green has never been the type of coach to take the big name QB. He likes his project quarterbacks. I do still see Leinart/Young going to Tennessee and then whoever doesn't get drafted of the two going to Oakland. After that Cutler likely finds his way to Baltimore.

But the teams making a lot of hype about drafting a quarterback went out and got their quarterback for the forseeable future. My statement should have been along the lines of "I wouldn't be surprised to see Leinart & the big 3 sliding to the middle of the first."

Green definitely prefers veterans definitely, but he did take Culpepper a few years back. And that was in a draft following when Cunningham took the Vikes to the NFC Championship.

I don't think Green sees Kurt Warner as his starter long-term, thus why they only signed him to a 3-year deal. I think he takes a QB to groom to take over in 2 or 3 years just like he did with Culpepper.