Re-grading the 2007 NFL Draft: Redskins get a D

[Mursilis]

This draft always reminded me of how fans are often right over so-called personnel people.

Drafting is an inexact science, and so-called professional personnel people frequently get it wrong, but fans are no better - they can be just as wrong. For example, plenty of people were happy about the Jason Taylor move, and look how that worked out. You only have to spend an hour or two on this board to see how dumb fans can be.

[Ellis Dee]

Drafting is an inexact science, and so-called professional personnel people frequently get it wrong, but fans are no better - they can be just as wrong. For example, plenty of people were happy about the Jason Taylor move, and look how that worked out. You only have to spend an hour or two on this board to see how dumb fans can be.

Or a better example may just be our very own Donovan McNabb who got booed (literally) when he got drafted and I think he turned out pretty good. :helmet:

[Mursilis]

more importantly:

shanahan's draft received a D as well that year.

bruce allen's received a C-.

Yup. The Shanahan/Allen hirings were definitely an upgrade over Zorn/Ceratto, but I'm still not holding my breath on a return to respectability. I'm thinking more and more we're just in for another disappointing roller-coaster ride similar to Gibbs II.

[Hitman21ST]

This draft always reminded me of how fans are often right over so-called personnel people. Remember Dolphin fans booing the Ginn Jr. pick? And the GM getting up and saying how they got their guy etc. etc? Fans just knew he was going to suck.

Lets not discuss that they wanted Quinn!

Wasn't JaMarcus the #1 in 2007? That would make it one of the worst draft classes in history, IMO. And look at how the fans reacted and what Al Davis said to Lane Kiffin about JaMarcus

[[[ghost]]]

I remember watching the draft and it was clear, no one thought LL was worthy of that pick. But, LL has been through one of the worst coaching experiences outside of Oakland, so I think he will prove much more valuable.

I seem to remember Landry being very worthy of that 6th pick. Obviously now we'd take Peterson over him, but at the time, we had a stud RB and Peterson had injury concerns. We could have justified taking him, but Landry seemed like a safe SS.

I'll say this: Landry can still be a Top 3 SS. He simply is piss poor in coverage against the best WRs. But when it comes to the LOS, or jamming players at the line, his freakish strength, stunning speed, and aggressiveness make him a premiere SS. He's a posterboy of a player being played out of position.

In Madden, Landry's amazing speed makes him a solid FS, but in reality, he's an average FS and a great SS. Unfortunately for him, Horton is also a very good SS and Landry has more trade potential, not to mention his contract is far larger.

[LD0506]

This draft always reminded me of how fans are often right over so-called personnel people. Remember Dolphin fans booing the Ginn Jr. pick? And the GM getting up and saying how they got their guy etc. etc? Fans just knew he was going to suck.

Lets not discuss that they wanted Quinn!

Score!

[The Tris]

I remember watching the draft and it was clear, no one thought LL was worthy of that pick.

I'm not sure anything could be farther from the truth.

Landry was considered the 2nd "safest" pick in the draft behind Calvin Johnson. IIRC, we got very high grades at that time for taking the safe player who was considered the consensus BDefensivePA, if not the whole draft.

I think the only other player that got serious love was Amobi Okoye (SP?), and he has turned out to be as spectacularly average as Landry.

[Conn]

I'm not sure anything could be farther from the truth.

Landry was considered the 2nd "safest" pick in the draft behind Calvin Johnson. IIRC, we got very high grades at that time for taking the safe player who was considered the consensus BDefensivePA, if not the whole draft.

I think the only other player that got serious love was Amobi Okoye (SP?), and he has turned out to be as spectacularly average as Landry.

Totally agreed. Reading articles from before and after that draft, like the one on the last page of this thread, you'd have thought LL was the next coming of Ronnie Lott. It was a very widely excepted and loved move, especially with ST back there.

[Skinsfanatic_1]

Can't really argue with anything there. Hopefully Landry turns things around this year.

I hear you. But it really doesn't matter at this point. He hasn't turned out to be what we thought he would.

[Skins199021]

To be honest thats a pretty ****ty draft so far.

Really outside of Landry, only other players I would want that were taken after him in the 1st are AP, Revis, Beason, Willis, and Griffin.

I mean Landry was fine until this past year, and he was doing great until you know what happened.

He had a bad year it happens, and hey now we got carriker too haha

[wildbill1952]

"Belichick traded a second-round pick to Miami for Wes Welker and a fourth-round pick to Oakland for Randy Moss. Talk about stealing." And Vinny and Dan got what? I know some blame Gibbs, but it looked like all of the other Snyderrato drafts to me.

I am so glad Shanahan and Allen are in charge. Not even knowing how their picks are going to turn out, at least there seems to be a plan. With Vinny and Dan in charge of the draft, it was like watching a drunk play roulette: throwing money left and right and losing consistently.

[kiingspadee]

We couldve had AP

[Oldskool]

Not a big surprise. Between the years of 2000 and 2009, we didn't have a single draft that was better than a C-.

[Hiro]

Really? Many felt he was the best defensive player in the draft at the time.

It was pretty obvious at the time that Vinny really wanted to trade down from that position. Considering that we were missing a good part of that draft and who was available based on our needs, it made sense. It is also a big reason why that draft was considered a D. It is hard to find good players when you are lacking your 2nd, 3rd and 4th round picks.

I agree, alot of people were actually saying that this was a great pick and that Landry would be a force with Sean Taylor.

Of course in retrospect we should have taken Revis or Willis or Peter, but so should have other teams. While I do think Landry can still turn it around (a pressure defense can make a defensive back great, as was shown by Revis) he needs to show something this year.

[erock353]

I'm one who hasn't given up on LL yet. He was doing well when he came in and I believe ST had a lot to do with that. I blame a lot of disappointment from players on what our organization has been through that past decade. We all know the story and you have to agree that this hasn't been the healthiest place to start or continue a career. We need continuity like no other. I just hope we are heading in that direction now.

:logo:

[Laxpunk2006]

Hm.

I have an issue with the Giants and Eagles getting better grades than the Redskins...The Giants received an "A" although I don't view any of their players as 'homeruns'. Sure, they all made the team...but they're infinitely all back-ups. Same with the Eagles - all back-ups (except Celek). He is praising Kolb for potential.... ?

I can't believe only one poster has commented on this. Ross was hurt last season but started 24 games his first two seasons. He also had three picks each of those two seasons. Infinitely a backup?

Steve Smith started 15 games last season and lead the league in catches. He also had 5 in the SB so he's proved he can play in big games.

Bradshaw had nearly 800 yards and 7 TD's last season. That's more than anyone on our team.

Boss has started 30 games the past two seasons and put up 40+ catches last year. He also allowed them to trade Shockey for a second and fifth.

I wish we had some of these "backups" starting for us.

[Ashburn Dave]

I thought the exact same thing. Looking back on Portis and Petersen, even when you have a very good player at a position, as CP was at the time, you have to draft BPA. This is the poster boy example of that philosophy.

CP only played in 8 games in 2006 so it could have been easily justified to take AP.

[method man]

I wanted Amobi Okoye. He had an awesome first season, but he hasn't done much since. He's still only 21 though and is still growing into his body.

[Vilandil Tasardur]

I wanted Amobi Okoye. He had an awesome first season, but he hasn't done much since. He's still only 21 though and is still growing into his body.

Amen. I wanted Okoye, and in hindsight I still believe he was the right pick. The guy was (I think) 19 when he was drafted. Imagine the opportunity to lock up a player, not for 12-15 years, but for 16-20 years if he became the face of the franchise. We could have had a "good" player for 4 years then, the kid turns 22, finishes filling out his body, and becomes "great" athletically, but having already played 3 years in the league.

[HailToTheRedskins14]

By Mid-Season Laron Landry will be a QB Sackin'; Sideline Short Route Pass Tippin', Run Stuffin', Blowing people up and taking em out of games, Intercepting and Takin' it to da house STRONG SAFETY. You have my word. He's gonna be put in postions to succeed and play to his strengths. NOT his weaknesses.

I think it is very possible. The guy has all the physical gifts, he just has to get the mental game down. We've seen him play at a high level, too, which shows that he is capable of it, however much help he had or not. Safeties seem to take awhile to get it, look at Reed and Sanders. They reached star status middle of their careers or later. Polamalu (sp) also had some years in the league before he reached his peak. I'd say Landry is as athletic as those guys if not moreso. Get this man a good coach and he has the potential. I'd hate to see it go to a waste. I'll give him about two years with the current regime before I really completely give up on him.

[NoVaSkins21]

Actually i think we should have gotten an F....Here's a look at the 2007 draft

1st round-Laron Landry (S)

5th round-Dallas Sartz (LB)

6th round-HB Blades (LB)

6th round-Jordan Palmer (QB)

7th round-Tyler Ecker (TE)

...This has to be one of the worst drafts in the history of the franchise.

That's a draft that makes me want to :doh: and :puke:at the same time, which can said for a lot of the drafts of the Snyderatto era.

[dswerdlw]

I realize he's not become a starter, but I think Blades is a pretty solid player on teams and as a reliable backup in the LB corp (though I do worry about him in a 3-4). That's about what I expect out of a 5th round pick.

[AllAboutTheU]

I really thought we would find someone to trade with us to draft Adrian Peterson. He was drafted after LL and the rest is history....

It's too bad we were so enamored with CP at the time, even though he did have his years where he was a legit franchise RB. If we just had reached for the right player we'd have the best RB in the NFC.

[McD5]

Hm.

I have an issue with the Giants and Eagles getting better grades than the Redskins...

Grade: B-

Seriously, what are you smoking?

Kevin Boss and Steve Smith say hi.

Do you watch any games besides only Redskins games?

[theTruthTeller]

This thread cracks me up. At the time, Sartz would be a starter, and Blades and Palmer would be superstars, because they were related to superstars.

It was a crummy draft because the Skins had no good picks except a #1 and they wasted that to fill a position that wasn't all that necessary at the time.