Grade the Redskins 1st 2 rounds

[redman]

Include, of course, the trades in your analysis.

[W&M]

Can you add incomplete to the grading? Given that half the value of our first two picks now likes in the 3rd, 5th and 7th round?

[Romo]

This Ladell pick sounds like Lloyd Harrison-like pick.

One site didnt have him ranked in top 12 RBs, one site has him 7th though

[OrangeSkin]

I was excited when we moved down to pickup Ramsey in the first round, but LaDell Betts? The first round gets an A, and the second round a D- or an F...I'd say about a C so far.

[fansince62]

great sewlections - for 2003 or 2004 season. the skins management either screwed up the cap or view the upcoming season as a "get acquainted" with the system throw away. either way, i don't see any immediacy to what has unfolded thus far. 3 3rd rounders will make for fine kick-off and punt return teams! let us hope they have FA guards and dts in the wings.

[Wacky Ralph]

I'm in a state of shock. I figured we'd leave the first two rounds with an OG with Pro Bowl potential and a DT that might be a little green, but capable of starting, conisdering that we don't have much on the shelf after Wilkinson.

It would be wrong to write off anyone before they even go to mini-camp, but I'm baffled by this draft gameplan.

[jkam]

Gil Brandt thinks Ramsey has a chance to start.

"Played on a terrible Tulane team and his distinction was that until the last game of the season, he threw a touchdown pass in every game he played in. He has really good mechanics and accuracy. I think he has a chance to start in Washington, he really understands the game of football. " from CNNSI.com

[Dr. D]

The Ramsey pick was ok by me

but all the maneuvering in the second to come up with:

Ladell Betts?

whodathunkit?

[riggins44]

I think Ramsey was a smart move. I keep telling myself that A-Train was a second round pick. I hope Redskins scouts know

something about Betts that we don't. Spurrier told ESPN that

they wanted OL and DL...when I don't know.

[jonjeff]

What a joke. We haven't picked anyone that covers a need. No offensive lineman, no defensive lineman, no wide receiver. This has to be the worst draft by a Redskin team yet. All the guys that were there for the picking and we take Ramsey and Betts? Yea I voted "F" for failure!

[Nighthawk]

Well, I give them a C right now. An A for Ramsey and an F for Betts. That averages out to a C.

I'm not saying Betts isn't a nice RB, but definetly not a 2nd rounder.

This reminds me of the draft from 2 years ago when we took the DB from NC State even though he wasn't rated as the best one left to the board. The DB coach Meeks wanted the guy so he got him. Then we took Mookie Moore because Grim wanted him and again he wasn't the highest rated Guard left on the board.

Besides the first two picks that year, the rest of our draft was a bust because we took guys position coaches wanted and not who was considered the best player available at those postions.

You can add Quincy "What the **** was his last name?" from UNLV to that list.

Not good, not good at all. All I know is that the third round better improve or it's going to be a big fact "F" for our 'skins!

[Coopskin]

Mel Kiper says that Betts is a key weapon in the receiving game,as he's an excellent route runner coming out of the backfield.He lacks breakaway speed of the elite backs but his hard nose style,durability and willingness to play through pain make him a good late-first day,early second day selection.Let's not pass judgement just yet.Give this new Skin a chance.

[indyskinsfan]

Ladell isn't as bad in the offense that Spurrier will run. He also had 71 catches, is durable, good vision and instinctive runner. He doesn't run over people, but does make moves in the open field and will break tackles instead of laying down with the first hit.

Unlike Minnesota, who relied on Robert Smith for every play from the backfield and used him too often, up the gut, the Skins can use him like Smith, without the nonsense. That's my "positive" take on this pick that shocked me, but feel it was going to come sooner than later, given Carter's impetus move on us and no one really out there to satidfy the need for speed, and catching ability out of the backfield that he could provide.

Levens wasn't what he used to be, but still a savvy vet. Spurrier want's HIS staff and players, they way he sees it, not what we think or the gurus in the booth. Funny they'll suggest, but they'll also critisize the same players come season's opening.

I see a lot of playable defensive players being snatched up, but I really haven't seen a lot of guards gone, so the 3rd round or bust looms on the O-line. At least grab a DT and an OG, that have the greater than average chance to make the roster. Otherwise, I will have to question, why taking Ladell so soon. Is it because, the leverage will be that if the Skins hadn't taken him that soon, the word was out that he was on a NFC East opponent's list?

[Craig]

I too am baffled by this draft. Drafting the Tulane QB was an OK pick, but a RB in the 2nd??? We need a DT, and OG, and a WR - we could have nabbed Bryant from Pitt with our 2nd round pick. This is a perfect reason we need a GM - NOT SYnder.

[NavyDave]

You know I'm going to say D is the grade. Look at what the rest of the division did.

Dallas has have a grad of R Williams,Gurode and Antonio Bryant.

another road grater to freight train one side of our D line heck Emmit might break payton's record in the two games he plays against us.

Philly is determined to have D Backs to defend against us and the Rams.

KC gets Simms and Freeman cause we had to draft a QB instead of DT and OG.

The running back at best is our 3rd down back

We have two picks in the late 3rd and we better select linemen

[One Dollar]

Not too impressive for Spurriers first go at it. But there is the Third and believe it or not alot of gems are found in the third and if they are busts they don't break the bank

I think the Bucs did better than you in the first two rounds

Oakland used 4 picks in the 1st two rounds and came out with ONE really good pick, CB Philip Buchanan (Miami) , and he was the shortest of all 1st rounders at 5-10. :eek:

They even screwed up the 2nd rounder we gave them with Langston, he would have been there in the 3rd.

[SPare]

The draft cannot be judged only on the basis of the first two rounds. We've gotta wait for the 3 third rounders to come through before the final grade can be given.

The third round was made for drafting guards, so Dave may get his wish by that point.

Remember guys, we came into this draft with no third round picks, and now have three of them and basically drafted the guys that we probably would have had we not done the trades.

You guys keep saying how the gems of the draft are found in the middle rounds. Well, we now have 5 picks in the middle rounds instead of 3. That alone rates it better.

In terms of Betts, he's a bit of a Quincy Carter pick. The pick was bad not because the guy sucks, but because he would have likely been there in the third round, or perhaps even in the fourth. Hey, in the Extremeskins draft, I was considering taking him with New England's third rounder, but decided that I needed the DB more than a backup runner.

Assuming that the third rounders go well, the grade is a B. Otherwise, it's sliding into C or D territory.

And the safety was Quincy Sanders. He didn't even make it past first cuts...

[Bonedoc]

Did we need to sacrifice the needs, that could have been met in the 2nd round, by "hoping" for 3rd round gems ?

I had a classmate at Dartmouth,Reggie Williams. He was a mid round "gem" that played years for the Bengals.

He addressed a NEED !!!

I know that we can't do it all in one draft. Are we going to be capped out when June 1 arises ?

I don't want to mortgage the future, but let's not ignore the present completely.

[Montilar]

A grade of "C" ONLY because of the Ramsey pick.

A running back in the second when you have Davis?????? If you planning on keeping Davis as a skin for a while, how much will Betts really contribute? Not a good pick unless Davis isn't around.

(If you look at the pre-draft mock from a day or two ago I said RB but in the 5th.........)

A corner in the 3rd ??????????????????

Ummmm, isn't Darrell, Champ and Smoot going to be the top 3? Yea, Darrell will retire after this year. But that means this guy proably won't see much action till NEXT year. Not a good pick unless he can beat out Darrell (NOT LIKELY).

A WR in the third? Not surprising but after passing up on filling weaknesses at guard, DT and DE, with the first three picks ................ ( I knew there'd be a reciever; I said 2cd)

Obviously we don't know even a part of what management knows. but this seems to be a questionable draft after the Ramsey selection.

[JonBlaze]

1st - Patrick Ramsey

- good pick since they traded down. Kid has got the arm and the brain. Better then trading up for Harrington. I was feeling pretty good at this point because the Skins picked up some extra picks.

2nd - Ladell Betts

- questionable pick, but with a sticky Stephen Davis contract situation coming, understandable. There were some very good OG prospects on the board at this time. Still having faith at this point because of the extra 3rd rounders

3rd - Rashard Bauman

- this pick sucks sh*t . I watched this guy and although he's good in coverage and aggressive, he's a midget and he plays a position where the Skins are strong in. What bothers me is that Bauman could have easily been picked up in the later rounds IMO and a stud OG like Terrance Metcalf is still on the boards.

3rd - Cliff Russell

- another questionable pick. Speed guy with no hands. The next James Jett, great. I watched Russell play and he doesn't play as fast as his 40 time.

Overall grade: D

I liked the fact that the Skins traded down and got more picks. I dont like that they seemed to ignore areas of need that they even identified themselves (OG and DT) The team needed upgrades at DT, OG, and S and there were some good prospects on the board when our nickel back of the future was selected. Very disappointed.

[Romo]

Good analysis Jon. You pretty much nailed my feelings about things.

[Chris 44]

It really is as if we are planning a "get aquainted" type year. Bad thing is I fully expect Marvin Lewis to be gone next year. This does not make sense.

[Dr. D]

The first day of the draft was anticlimactic and downright confusing.

we passed on Weaver, Byant, Metcalf, Doresett Davis,

I mean we could have had Luke Staley instead of our 2nd (ladell Betts) much later.

I think they downright blew this one.

[TennesseeCarl]

If you were grading like it was a test, it's as though our car broke down on the way to school.

I loved the way we traded down to acquire extra picks in a draft rich in second and third round talent. The problem is that we used the picks on 5th and 6th round talent.

There's plenty of talent left on the board. Good offensive linemen...some promising defensive linemen. But of course we traded out of the 4th round for the shrimp CB.

If you want to see a real draft, look at Dallas or San Diego. We failed.

[indyskinsfan]

I've Pros, Proooos, In different area codes, area codes

I've got Pros, Prooos in different area, area code

Ok check it out. What is now the most important key date after the draft.

Now WHO has the money to go after those linemen that won't charge as much as a second round or first round draftee. Experience bumps 3rd, 4th and 5th rounders. So we didn't lose a thing.

There will be more linemen release this year with at least 3 good years left, and will sign for th vet minimum, with some incentives, and maybe at least two DT, with small manageable bonuses compared to the ones we signed our FA's with already.

WE ARE IN BETTER POSITION TO FILL WITH IMPACT THE MISSING SPOTS, WITH FA's. These guys are likely to sign with us, because of what we have, in all phases of the game. They will feel it and knowing he owner manages his money better now, means, over time he may be able to stay longer, like Marco and Bruce did.