How much can you trust guys like Mike Mayock to get it right? And what might you have done differently, in hindsight, if you were running the Dallas war room in 2008? Going back through my notes, I came across Mayock's top prospects, along with the draft order of the players taken in round 1, below and thought you guys might want to check them out. This one's from four years ago, so the players have already had plenty of time to show their skills (or lack thereof).
Dallas managed to nab three players (in italics below) on Mayock's list, so judge for yourself how well JJ and co. did on draft day. At the very bottom, you'll find the actual draft pick order, and each teams' choice, in round 1.
So, in retrospect, how well do you think the draft "expert", and Dallas' front office, did? Which teams really nailed it in 2008, and how good are those teams today, due to their drafting prowess, compared to the Cowboys?
BTW, if anyone wants to see the pundit's picks for 2009, 2010, etc., I might be able to find time to look everything up and make another post, if there's enough interest.
http://www.nfl.com/draft/story?id=09000d5d80406b71&template=with-video&confirm=true
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2008
Mike Mayock's draft prospect rankings
Mayock's top 5 QBs:
1. Matt Ryan Boston College
2. Joe Flacco Delaware
3. Chad Henne Michigan
4. Brian Brohm Louisville
5. John David Booty USC
Mayock's top 5 DEs:
1. Chris Long Virginia
2. Vernon Gholston Ohio State
3. Derrick Harvey Florida
4. Phillip Merling Clemson
5. Calais Campbell Miami (Fla.)
Mayock's top 5 WRs:
1. Devin Thomas Michigan State
2. DeSean Jackson California
3. Limas Sweed Texas
4. Mario Manningham Michigan
5. Jordy Nelson Kansas State
Mayock's top 5 DTs:
1. Glenn Dorsey LSU
2. Sedrick Ellis USC
3. Kentwan Balmer North Carolina
4. Trevor Laws Notre Dame
5. Dre Moore Maryland
Mayock's top 5 TEs:
1. Dustin Keller Purdue
2. John Carlson Notre Dame
3. Martellus Bennett Texas A&M
4. Fred Davis USC
5. Jermichael Finley Tennessee
Mayock's top 5 ILBs:
1. Jerod Mayo Tennessee
2. Dan Connor Penn State
3. Curtis Lofton Oklahoma
4. Jordan Dizon Colorado
5. Beau Bell UNLV
Mayock's top 5 RBs:
1. Rashard Mendenhall Illinois
2. Darren McFadden Arkansas
3. Jonathan Stewart Oregon
4. Felix Jones Arkansas
5. Jamaal Charles Texas
Mayock's top 5 OLBs:
1. Keith Rivers USC
2. Xavier Adibi Virginia Tech
3. Tavares Gooden Miami (Fla.)
4. Stanford Keglar Purdue
5. Wesley Woodyard Kentucky
Mayock's top 5 OTs:
1. Jake Long Michigan
2. Jeff Otah Pittsburgh
3. Ryan Clady Boise State
4. Chris Williams Vanderbilt
5. Gosder Cherilus Boston College
Mayock's top 5 CBs:
1. Leodis McKelvin Troy
2. Aqib Talib Kansas
3. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie Tennessee State
4. Mike Jenkins South Florida
5. Brandon Flowers Virginia Tech
Mayock's top 5 interior OL:
1. Branden Albert Virginia
2. Chilo Rachal USC
3. Jeremy Zuttah Rutgers
4. Mike Pollak Arizona State
5. Roy Schuening Oregon State
Mayock's top 5 Safeties:
1. Tyrell Johnson Arkansas State
2. Kenny Phillips Miami (Fla.)
3. DaJuan Morgan N.C. State
4. Thomas DeCoud California
5. Josh Barrett Arizona State
Another user-created commentary provided by a BTB reader.
1 recs | 12 comments
First of all...good writeup.
I think Dallas did ok (other than passing on CJ2K) compared to most teams. That must have been a weak class cause I gotta ask, Who are the guys Mayock had ranked?
mho - February 21, 2012 via iPhone app
Dallas had 2 first rounds picks that year...
So they should have…
Dallas scouts suck.. All the players selected that was studs but dallas drafted scrubs like bennett and felix..
Could of had jamal charles and calias campbell
lostar2009 - February 21, 2012 via mobile
YUP !!
LMAO @ Brohm. Shoulda been Matt Flynn. Both drafted by the Packers and now look.
Drafting Felix was a huge dud. You don’t draft backups in the first round. Matt Forte , Ray Rice or Jammal Charles all better than Felix.
Campbell has 21 career sacks. Yikes. Could we ever use a de like that. He is the best de from that draft.
The 08 ot’s were pretty strong in the first 3. Clady and Long are studs.
Jets and Jags bombed with those two high first rounders.
No Jerry isn’t very good at ranking talent. Two decent drafts doesn’t absolve him of 8 bad drafts.
football mensa - February 22, 2012
The Dallas front office tend to over value talent
but hopefully with Garrett things will go in a new direction. Looking back at the 2008 draft, it was just a weak draft class overall.
Antonio S - February 22, 2012
08 was the best running back draft ever imo. We got the worst of the lot.
football mensa - February 22, 2012
Totally agree...
There were at least two or three HOF-caliber RBs that came out of the ‘08 draft class. I can’t remember anything close, at ANY position, outside of the 1983 QB class. Unfortunately, we got the “change-of-pace” guy.
revellyre - February 22, 2012
Felix, Jenkins, and Marty B
all went about where everyone expected. None were a “reach” pick. I’m ok with that. I just don’t want to see us reaching for guys like Quincy Carter a round or more higher than where they should go. That bothers me more than anything. All teams miss on picks, just don’t miss by taking a guy 30 spots higher than he should go.
Tennessee_Jed - February 22, 2012
that was a bad draft class
all the DEs are terrible except Calias and he’s a 5tech not an OLB/DE type
Only top 2 qbs have done anything
3 of the top 5 wrs panned out but #1 and #3 didn’t
Mendenhall has been good, he doesn’t have C Johnson listed,
I don’t recognize any of those OLBs; top 3 OTs was pretty accurate. That CB class, Aqib is involved in crime court drama, what ever happened to McKelvin?
It was a bad class for top of the draft defenders. Gholston is quite well known at this point. Is Jerry ok at evaluating talent, vs Mayock? Seems like it, at least Jerry’s picks are still in the NFL lol; who knows where Aqib or Gholston are
AustonianAggie - February 22, 2012
Aqib is still a Buc . Still go look at the rb's.
CJ , Forte, Ray Rice. Stewart has had to do the time share thing.
football mensa - February 22, 2012
Interesting stuff. Rec'd.
Gholston sure fooled a lot of people, didn’t he?
FreedomRide - February 24, 2012
Also, forgive me for homering it up a bit, but I think the Texans really nailed it in that 2008 1st round.
They traded back and took Duane Brown. For that they got extra picks and an OT who gave up either one or zero sacks in 2011, depending on who is counting.
Next year is his contract year, and he will be a monster FA problem for the Texans’ front office.
FreedomRide - February 24, 2012
The Texans were bashed and bashed and bashed for the Brown pick.
Now look. The Texans are run like a pro team should be ran. McNair has been a great owner and has no aspirations of being a gm.
football mensa - February 24, 2012
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