2008 DRAFT 

900 FOOTBALL LINKS
Main page

MOCK DRAFTS
Summary Table
Jay Goldberg
Larry Loschiavo

RANKINGS
Offense
Defense
Workout numbers

AFC TEAM NEEDS
East
South
North
West

NFC TEAM NEEDS
East
South
North
West

ARTICLES
All Star Game Observations
Draft Values

REPORT CARDS
(includes free agents and Jay's player scouting reports)
AFC
NFC

PRIOR YEARS
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002

DRAFT LINKS
Hail Redskins (mock drafts)
Huddle Geeks (mock drafts)
Mock Draft Scorecard
Walter's Football
NFL Answers
Mel Kiper of ESPN
Scouts Inc.
Great Blue North Report
Draft Dog
The Football Expert



AFC SOUTH TEAM NEEDS
by Jay Goldberg

HOU          Major Need          Need          Upgrade         Depth Need         Not a Need

QB  I'm not a big fan of Schaub.  Personally, I would draft a young QB in round three as an insurance policy.  Rosenfels is a very good backup.
RB  This draft has some very talented running backs.  The Texans should grab one.  Green is past his prime. Dayne is okay, but is one of those replaceable backs as a starter (but fine to use when your main back gets hurt).  Walker, may, and I repeat, may become a good third down back.  Draft a starter.  Draft a backup.
WR  Johnson is a star.  Davis and Walter had great years, but I don't know if you can count on them again.  I would bring in a receiver to compete with them to be sure.  I actually like Anderson more than the higher drafted Jones.
TE Daniels is an underrated talent at tight end.  He is very good now, and is still improving.  Bruener can block.  Dressen and Putzier have potential as pass catching tight ends.  A good unit.
OL  This unit has talent and depth.  If Spencer can come back it will be even better next year.  This unit has quickly gone from a "Carr-wreck" to one of the better lines in the league.  With the injuries, another body or two to compete wouldn't hurt
DL Williams, Okoye and Johnson are a very good young starting nucleolus.  Weaver isn't a bad fourth starter, but an upgrade, making him a quality reserve would move this line up another notch.  Bulman and Kalu are quality reserves.
LB Clark, and especially Greenwood had good years, but if a better option is available, the Texans should take it.  Ryans is already a Pro Bowl regular in only his second year.  Depth is okay (especially if a starter is brought in for Clark or Greenwood).
DB Injuries hurt this unit.  If Robinson comes back healthy he can be paired with rookie Bennett to give the Texans a quality pair of corners.  Hutchins proved to be a valuable player and will be a super sub at corner ands safety.  Brown, Demps, Earl and Simmons are okay, but a stud safety would improve this unit.
ST Brown is fine, but an upgrade at punter is possible.  Davis filled in well for the injured Mathis as a kick returner.  Both Matis and Jones have had good moments as return men, but have to stay healthy.  Competition for them could be brought in.

 

IND          Major Need          Need          Upgrade         Depth Need         Not a Need

QB  Manning and Sorgi are a good one-two.  I like Betts coming out of college and he could challenge Sorgi for the top back-up spot in a couple of years.
RB Addai is becoming a top tier back.  Keith showed he can be an effective starter in the league and is an excellent backup.  Lawton can play too.  A player to battle Hairston as the #3 back is all the need I see.
WR  Wayne, Harrison, and Gonzalez are a solid top three.  Roy Hall is an intriguing prospect with a good combination of size and speed.  Aromashodu and Moorehead can play in the league as well.  A very talented and deep group.  However, Harrison-insurance could be added.
TE Clark is an UFA, but is probably not going anywhere.  If he does a tight end will be needed. Utecht and Fletcher are solid backups.  Robinson spent the year on the practice squad and could push for a roster spot next year.
OL This unit had a lot of injuries in 2008.  There is a lot of talent, but their top two guards are free agents and I could see the Colts bringing in some additional bodies to compete for backup spots, particularly at tackle.
DL Freeney and McFarland will be returning from major injuries.  Mathis played hurt and wasn't as effective as in the past.  He remains a very small for a starting defensive end. Johnson was a find a tackle.  Brock is steady, but unspectacular.  The Colts could use a tackle to push to start and an end with a good combination of size and speed.
LB The Colts linebackers are solid, but a playmaker would upgrade the entire unit.  Brackens, Keiaho, Hagler, Morris are all solid players, but lack the big-play ability Cato June showed in prior years.  There is quality depth on hand also.
DB It's rare that a defensive unit would get a rating of "no need", but the Colts secondary is talented and deep.  At corner Jackson and Hayden were better than Super Bowl starters Harper and David.  Jennings and Rushing offer good depth.  Safety is an embarrassment of riches with defensive player of the Sanders (a player on my draft value list the year he came out) and Bethea starting, the super-sub Giordano, and free agent Bullitt (on my value list last year) also on hand.  Youngsters Hughes, Coe and Condren are also waiting in the wings.
ST Good kickers, good return man in Rushing, and great athletes to choose from for cover teams.  

JAC          Major Need          Need          Upgrade         Depth Need         Not a Need

QB  Garrad showed that he is a very good quarterback, one a team can go deep into the playoffs with.  Gray is a free agent so a backup could be needed.  In fact, even if Gray comes back, a backup is needed.
RB  Taylor and Jones-Drew are an excellent one-two punch.  Greg Jones has shown good run skills in the past.  In a deep running back draft it may be time for the Jags to draft a younger big back to share the load with Jones-Drew in a couple of years.
WR  I wonder if the Jags are as tired of the word potential as I am.  The Jags have used a lot of high draft picks on receivers and have not uncovered a bonafide star.  Williams and Jones remain works in progress.  Wilford is a free agent.  Northcutt should be a third or fourth wideout, not a starter.  Walker and Broussard are the latest Jag receivers with "potential".  The Jags desperately need to add a legit #1.
TE Lewis started coming on.  He'll be a good one.  Wrighster has to come back from a tough injury.  Depth is needed.
OL  Solid unit with good players, but upgrades are possible all along the line.   Also, Williams will probably leave in free agency so a player to compete for a backup tackle position is needed.  
DL What was once a strength, now is a need area.  Henderson is still a stud inside, but Stroud and Hayward haven't been the same since surgery.  Meier is best suited as a sub. McCary is a free agent and has only had one good year.  Landri has potential and Spicer is a solid, but replaceable starter.  A starting end and a player to push to start at tackle are needed. 
LB Some like this unit better than me.  I love the rookie Durant.  He'll be a good one.  But Smith and Ingram are solid, but replaceable players.  Mike Peterson is a top linebacker but injuries and age are catching up to him.
DB No problems here.  Mathis and Williams are a top pair of corners and Nelson and Sensabaugh are excellent young safeties.  Knight played well when Sensabaugh got hurt.  A corner to compete for the nickel and another young safety could be added.
ST The kicking and return games are fine.  Competition for long snapper Zelenka will probably be brought in.

TEN          Major Need          Need          Upgrade         Depth Need         Not a Need

QB  Young is going to fine.  He's a star in the making.  Collins is a good backup, but is getting up there in years and a young QB could be brought in to challenge Martin to be Young's future backup.
RB  White player very well, but next year is a "prove it" year for me.  Brown is a free agent.  Henry has the tools, but is a question mark.  Hall is a good fullback.  Another running back who can challenge Henry to be White's top backup and could be on hand if White doesn't "prove it" needs to be added.
WR  Gage came on late in the year.  Williams continues to show promise, but hasn't put a solid full year together yet.  It may be time to move on from the promising, but always hurt Jones.  Ealy and P Williams are bottom of the roster types.  Who knows about Givens?  This team needs two receivers.
TE Scaife is a good pass catching tight end.  Troupe is a free agent who has not develop-ed as the Titan's hoped.  Hartsock and Cramer are okay, but replaceable.  The Titans need a solid backup tight end who can block.
OL  The Titans' are set at tackle.  At guard, Bell is a free agent and could be highly coveted.  Olsen is a good player, but struggles with his back.  The Titans have some depth at guard, but if a good one is available in the draft, they could pull the trigger.  Also a center of the future is needed for the aging Mawae.
DL This offseason will tell how much the Titans' like there at times underachieving youg defensive lineman.  Odom, LaBoy and Starks are free agents.  If they walk, the Titans will need to bring an at least one end.  They have a replacement ready for Starks in Johnson who could even push Brown for a starting role. 
LB The Titans' have a very good starting unit and go two deep at middle linebacker with Fowler and Tulloch.  They do need depth behind starting outside linebackers, Bulluck and Thornton, who can step in and play if needed and not just help out on special teams.
DB The Titans' have a good starting unit, and good depth at corner.  An fourth safety to replace Nickey may be the only spot available in camp if everyone returns.
ST Their kicking game is fine, but a kick returner is a must and a punt returner is a possibility.  Ball security was a problem for Chris Davis.