(1:15 PM est) - Welcome to the 2008 NFL Draft Open Thread! After weeks and weeks of talking about it, writing about it, commenting about it, losing sleep over it, the day is finally here. Can the Broncos continue a decent trend of solid draft picks? Will Kansas City use the bounty they received in the Jared Allen trade to immediately improve? Can the Raiders finad a way to screw up another draft?? We'll find out in a little over 90 minutes.
MileHighReport has you covered today, from Jake Long to Mr. Irrelevent. Be here all day to talk about everyt pick and enjoy the Auto-Refreshing Comments! Get involved by posting your thought in the FanPosts or FanShots. New to the site? Sign up, Sign In, and GET INVOLVED!!!
(1:30 PM est) - Some team may have forgotten the start time is 3 hours later this year. It already appears the Top 4 picks are set, though some of it may be a smoke screen. As of now, here is what we are hearing -
#1 - Miami Dolphins - OT Jake Long, Michigan
#2 - St. Louis Rams - DE Chris Long, Virginia
#3 - Atlanta Falcons - QB Matt Ryan, Boston College
#4 - Oakland Raiders - RB Darren McFadden, Arkansas
That would mean the Chiefs have a tough decision. They want to trade down, but if Glenn Dorsey is there how do they not take him?? Let the conversation begin!
(2:10 PM est) - Just to review, the Broncos have 9 draft picks in the 2008 NFL Draft --
Round 1: No. 12 overall
Round 2: No. 42 overall
Round 4: No. 108 overall
Round 4: No. 119 overall
Round 5: No. 139 overall
Round 5: No. 148 overall
Round 6: No. 183 overall
Round 7: No. 220 overall
Round 7: No. 227 overall
TRADE RUMOR -- Adam Schefter reports the Raiders and Saints might be talking trade, with the Saints moving to #4 and the Raiders dropping to #10.
(2:25 PM est) - Update on the jerseys seen here at the ESPNZone at Times Square -- Cowboys, Steelers, Bengals, NY Jets, NY Giants, Patriots, Chiefs, Colts, Raiders, Titans, Redskins, Panthers, Dolphins, Buccaneers, Falcons.
Ironically, I haven't seen any Broncos garb, other than my own, but 4 different people have come up to me expressing their love for everything Orange and Blue.
(2:55 PM est) - New York Jets fans, classy as always, boo Jake Long when he is introduced. Divisional Rivalries usurp class at all times. Only 5 MINUTES TO GO.
#1 Miami Dolphins -- OT Jake Long, Michigan -- This pick has been known since Tuesday, taking a bit of the drama away from the top pick. A smart choice for the Dolphins who need to re-build from ground up. Long can be plugged in Day1 and start at Left Tackle for the next 10-15 years. It was also a solid value for the 'Phins, who paid substantially less for Long than the Raiders last year for Fatty Russell.
#2 St. Louis Rams -- DE Chris Long, Virginia -- The Rams go with need over substance, taking Long. Dorsey might be the better pro down the road, but the Rams need a pass rush, they need a DE and Long was the best available. Add in the bloodlines, and the assumption is Long should be a solid Pro.
#3 Atlanta Falcons -- QB Matt Ryan, Boston College -- The Falcons needed to put a new face on the franchise after the Michael Vick fiasco. Matt Ryan isn't overly spectacular to me, to be honest, but for the Falcons this was the safest pick. They need to exterminate the stench of Vick and the best way to do that is to draft a quarteback.
#4 Oakland Raiders -- RB Darren McFadden, Arkansas -- The Raiders just can't help themselves. With three solid defensive players sitting there for them, the Raiders and Al Davis can't help but go for the flash. There is no doubting McFadden's talent, but someone tell me what he's done in a bowl game. What has he done in a big game. How many conference titles did Arkansas win? As a Bronco fan, I feel better about McFadden as a Raider than Dorsey or Gholston.
#5 Kansas City Chiefs -- DT Glenn Dorsey, LSU -- The Chiefs have Dorsey fall right in their lap, immediately helping to ease the loss of Jared Allen. I said when the trade went down, when everyone was celebrating the fact that Allen would no longer be in the AFC West that I would wait until after the draft to decide. Dorsey is not a guy I want to see twice a year.
#6 New York Jets -- DE Vernon Gholston, Ohio State -- A pick Jets fans actually didn't boo. Gholston is a stud, plain and simple. With Vilma and Robertston gone, Gholston fills a big need along the defensive line. As a LB in the 3-4, it will remain to be seen if Gholston can be a consistent force. There is no doubting the athleticism, however, and with Ryan and McFadden off the board Gholston is the best available.
New England Patriots -- Not a surprise. The Saints have made a trade, moving up to #7. Pats get 1st and 3rd, Saints get 1st and 5th.
#7 New Orleans Saints -- DT Sedrick Ellis -- The Saints really wanted Dorsey. To them, Ellis is the next best thing. The Saints needed to add talent to the D-Line and were able to do it.
#8 Jacksonville Jaguars -- Another trade, with the Jags moving up to #8. And the pick....DE Derrick Harvey, Florida -- Chris, from BigCatCountry , loves the pick. The Jags, if they are going to take that next step needed to shake things up a bit. A colossal move up into the Top 10 nets the Jags the pass-rusher they are going to need to get after Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. When asked for a comment, Chris could only muster "F***"
#9 Cincinnati Bengals -- LB Keith Rivers -- The Bengals really wanted Ellis or Dorsey, but with both of them gone, and the Jags moving up to get Harvey, the Bengals were happy to take Rivers off teh board at #9.