2012 CKL Post-Draft Q&A

CKL draft weekend has easily become one of the highlights of my year.  The buildup to the event is at once fascinating and frustrating.  This year, nine of the fourteen guys made it to NC for all of the fanfare.  Some bowling, baseball, and beer (okay, LOTS of beer) made for a recipe that all those present enjoyed.  But even with five coaches relegated to chat rooms for drafting purposes, the 2012 draft was once again an unmitigated success.

This year, I wanted to do something more in-depth than just a rating of each team’s draft.  I wanted to get inside the mind of each of the fourteen guys so we could enjoy a more well-rounded view of what went down on those 4+ hours on August 18^th.  I sent each coach a list of three individualized questions plus two additional questions that were the same for everyone.  I want to personally thank each and every coach in the CKL, as I received feedback from every single one of you, which still blows me away.  Thanks also to Kendall for sending me questions to answer about my team.  I also choose to provide an answer to the last question I sent to everyone, and you’ll see that here. 

Aside from some minor editing for grammar (not exhaustive), formatting, spelling, and corrections for when draft picks were made, these are the words straight from each coach.  No pictures in this one, but I trust the content will be sufficiently entertaining.  I hope you all enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed piecing it together.

Without further ado, I give you the CKL’s first annual post-draft Q&A.

Norris
Q: After you took Tom Brady first overall in the draft, you came back in round 2 with two running backs – Roy Helu and Reggie Bush.  Both backs present upside but also risk.  Do you feel confident that Helu will be given the bulk of the work in Washington?  And do you expect Bush to back up his career year from 2011 with a better performance in 2012?

A: I don't feel so good about Helu...never did.  All the backs on the board had upside but also risk.  Just rolling the dice on Helu and Bush and hoping for the best.  Bush could repeat.  We'll see.

Q: You took Malcolm Floyd right after Robert Meachem was selected in the 4^th round.  Did you like Floyd more going in, or were you planning to take either if only one fell to you?

A: I wanted Meachem but it wasn't meant to be.  Floyd was there and it got a laugh.  Anything can happen. 

Q: In round 5, you took Jared Cook as your tight end, ahead of other guys like Brandon Pettigrew, Tony Gonzalez, Jacob Tamme, and Brent Celek.  You must be expecting a big leap in production from Cook in his fourth year in the NFL.  What made you buy in at this point in the draft?

A: I like him because Locker is going to be throwing to him. 

Ben

Q: You made it public knowledge that you were trying to deal away the #2 overall pick.  And though you got a few promising leads, you ultimately kept the pick and selected Jamaal Charles.  Why Charles and do you think you would have made the same pick again today?

A: Because I perpetually live in the CKL basement, I have had or traded for a high pick in nearly every draft, but this one was particularly difficult, because there was no clear-cut choice at #2.  Andre Johnson is aging and has injuries, Roddy has Julio Jones on his heels, Jammy C is coming off a torn ACL, and the two rookies are unproven (and my McFadden wounds are not yet healed).  That being said, I would be happy to take any one of these guys, so a trade down seemed logical.  Unfortunately, I think everyone felt the same as I did, so I kept the pick.

I am confident I made the right pick for my team, so yes, I would take Charles again.  The other players didn't really move the needle for me.  I understand the risk and history behind ACL injuries for RBs, but given my current situation, I thought taking a chance on Jamaal gave me the best upside and chance to win.  The two wide receivers were tempting, but I think it proved to be the right decision, when I got DeSean Jackson, another high upside guy (if he can get his head out of his ass this year) in the second round.  As for the rookie debate on Richardson and Doug Martin, one need only look back at my failed #1 draft choice of Run DMC to understand why I passed.  I know I need to get over that, but it still affects who I like in the first round.

Q: In round 4, you selected Robert Meachem, the first Chargers WR off the board.  The very next pick was Malcolm Floyd of the very same San Diego football team.  Knowing very little differentiated the two players in preseason action prior to the draft, do you see Meachem as significantly better than Floyd or was this more a toss-up?

A: You know, Norris and I were in sync all day (http://www.nsync.com/ - I get to be Timberlake), with him constantly picking guys I was looking at.  Although I'd prefer if it were Kendall taking my picks, at least someone has the same train of thought.  Anyway, the short answer is no, I don't see a lot of separation between Meachem and Floyd.  Looking back, Floyd may have been the safer pick, but Meachem has potential as Philip Rivers' new toy.  The trade to the Chargers seemed like an opportunity for Meachem to get out of the murky waters in New Orleans and shine a bit.  Through preseason, I am not sure that is going to happen.

Q: For your last pick, you selected Kevin Kolb as your redshirt immediately after Norris selected John Skelton.  Any regrets about that pick looking back?  Was there someone else you were looking at there?

A: This was probably my worst pick, next to Desmond Bishop.  It feels like accepting the champion's invite and the double bloody mary morning finally intersected with the extra booze from losing at beer-pong.  The result was a complete failure to come up with a suitable red-shirt.  Apparently, I undervalue young player (see #1 above), because my redshirt target list was completely void.  All those excuses are lame and don't make up for the fact that I am jealous of you and Mark for taking Tannehill and Russell Wilson.

Patrick

Q: A few of the guys, me included, expected you to take Andre Johnson with the #3 overall pick after the draft started Brady then Charles.  Were you locked into Roddy White or was Johnson a serious consideration?

A: Really considered the two. People are expecting a lot out of Johnson, who barely played last season. White seems like a workhorse to me, and that's what I wanted out of my first round pick.

Q: Your selection of Jason Witten in the 3^rd round raised a few eyebrows.  Some of those present weren’t sure if you knew about the possibility of surgery on his spleen.  Comments since the draft have suggested you might have been aware.  Were you just not worried, opting for the upside Witten brings from the Dallas offense?  Do you have any concerns about coupling Witten with Miles Austin, who you drafted in the 2^nd round?

A: You gotta take a few risks to compete in a league where the top talent is locked in before draft day. I'm at the table, I'm rolling dice, let's see what happens.

Q: Doug Baldwin, WR Seattle was your pick in the 8^th round, but you have since dropped him in favor of Nate Burleson, who went undrafted.  Did you see something in Baldwin you didn’t like or more so something in Burleson that caught your eye?  Looking back, do you wish you could have selected someone else in the 8th instead?

A: You cannot fall in love with your picks. I liked what I was reading about Baldwin, but shaping up my team, I wanted some backups who are gonna get more playing time. I don't second-guess my draft picks.

Russ

Got some general thoughts, and specific answers to your questions will follow.  

A. In spite of my timekeeping and whining, that was a crisp draft; arguably the best I can remember, especially with so many picks, people, and folks online.  

B. I hated being online more than the other two I drafts I attended online.  

C. Moreso than any other draft, I had fewer quibbles with other players' picks, both in terms of timing and "perceived" reasoning.  This probably makes me the goat of the draft.

Q: Trent Richardson seemed like a no-brainer for you at the #4 overall pick.  Though he may be limited early in the season due to injury, what do you expect from Richardson this year and beyond?

A: Had to go Trent and Nathan wanted him.  I'm not excited to be tied to the Browns' bellcow per se, but I made this pick with 2013 and beyond in mind.  I don't expect this to be his best year.  I just don't want to see this knee nag into the fall.  2K12 production wise, I expect 750-900 yards and 5-6 TDs, but if I get closer to 11-1200 yards and 8-10 TDs, that will help keep me in the playoff race.  

Q: You were the last team to draft a QB, nabbing Jay Cutler in the third.  Cutler has been the source of much hype this pre-season, mostly due to the reunion with Brandon Marshall.  But there are still lots of offensive line questions in Chicago.  Do you expect a top 10-type season from Cutler, or does your selection of Joe Flacco in the 6^th round suggest there’s significant risk of that happening?  Overall, how comfortable to you feel with your QBs going into the season?

A: Once Kendall drafted Eli, I knew I was out of the QB race, in terms of the second tier elite guys.  I obviously had to pick at some point, and didn't have to go with one before round 3 since the other six picks after my second were set.  If Cutler is healthy, I expect a legitimate starter season out of him.  Getting the 12-14th rated starter meant I was going to have to come back around sooner rather than later for the backup.  I am satisfied, but not elated, with the total picture.  If Cutler's O-line shits the bed again, I will be in a better place with Joey Flacks than a lot of the other teams with higher rated starters, and that's how I'm gonna roll in the '12...

Q: In round 9, you started to draft Rueben Randle, but took that back and selected Martellus Bennett instead.  Why the change?

A: There's my worst pick, I think.  However, I was looking at both, obviously, and had a want/need issue there.  I like Bennett's upside, because I think Eli looks TE in the redzone more than young WR.  Randle will be better long term, but he wouldn't project to many reps on my team; needed Gronksurance more than Reubs.  I may regret this, but don't think I will lose sleep over it.  

Nathan

Q: You made one of the boldest moves of the draft, trading away two 2^nd round picks to me for the #12 overall pick and my 14^th round pick.  With that #12 pick, you drafted Robert Griffin III.  Tell us what you expect from RG3 in his rookie year that made this trade worthwhile.

A: After a decade of not winning CKL Championships, I'm ready to change my approach to QBs. It all starts with Robert. While he might only provide low end QB1 production this year, I'm looking at keeping him and his top-six production for the long haul. I'm excited about his potential to be a high floor, high ceiling type of QB. I know he'll disappoint at times during his rookie season, but I'm fine weathering those storms. Ultimately, I see his long term upside as something similar to 1998 and 2004 Jake Plummer.

Q: After not having a 2^nd round pick, you landed what were, in my opinion, two of the best picks of the draft, with Steve Smith (Carolina) in the third and Vernon Davis in the fourth.  Were you as surprised to see these guys there as I was?  Were you targeting either guy?

A: Pre-trade, I was hoping to grab some combo of Antonio Brown, Eric Decker, and Steve Smith at 2.08 and 2.10, but I was planning to wait on TEs and take a couple after everyone else had grabbed their starters. I legitimately thought I had made a mistake when Smiff was still there at 3.05. My head was spinning from the in-draft trade with you, keeping up with the failing draft chat, and working my individual lists. I couldn't be happier to get him in the third as my second wide receiver. Smiff and Marshall made a great combo. As for VD, I saw him as value in the fourth and didn't see much else I particularly wanted at that spot. I traded Finley for a second round pick and got someone arguably better two rounds later. That's a win.

Q: In round 6, you drafted Rashad Jennings.  With the holdout of Maurice Jones-Drew looking increasingly likely that it would last a while at the time of draft, were you surprised that he was still available?  Do you expect Jennings to start for you early in the season, or will you be looking to deal him?

A: Kendall and I were talking about Jennings at the Waffle House and we determined that Jennings was going to go WAY before his ADP and we counted on Alan waiting too long to get his much-needed MJD handcuff. Right before the draft I wrote a note to myself: Jennings in the 6th. I didn't think anyone else would grab him that early, and when Alan left him on the board after his 5/6 turn, I knew he was mine. I doubt Jennings will start for me unless SJax or Doug Martin get hurt, but I love having him for depth and as possible trade fodder (RED ALERT ALAN).

Paul

Q: Shockingly, Andre Johnson fell to you at #6, which few, if any, of us expected.  But you still seemed unsettled about selecting him there.  Injuries are definitely a concern with AJ, but his talent is unquestionable.  Do you expect that Johnson will be on your team at season’s end?

A: Last year with my first pick I drafted an aging, injury-prone stud in Peyton Manning and that blew up in my face.  I definitely worry about the same thing happening with Andre, due to his injury history.  I've warmed up to the pick, but I wanted Doug Martin.  Who knows if Andre will be on my team at the end of the season.  If my team is in last place, I'll trade him.  If I'm cruising for the playoffs, probably not.

Q: You drafted Andrew Luck as your starting QB in the 2^nd round.  How confident are you that he can help you win now and not just in future years?

A: I expect Luck to be a QB2 this season.  I expect the QB position to once again be my Achilles Heel.

Q: To backup up Luck, you selected Jake Locker in the ninth round.  Locker has since been named the starter for the Titans.  Do you expect you’ll be playing matchups with your two QBs throughout the year?  Or is one likely to be trade bait?

A: I will play matchups, but I'm willing to trade both Luck and Locker.  I wanted a steady veteran to back-up Luck, but there was a huge run on those guys in the 6th round.  I figured I'd wait a few rounds and take Locker.  See what happens.

Chad

Q: Your first selection of the draft caused quite a stir from at least one other coach, as you took Percy Harvin at #7 overall.  What made you select him over the likes of Dez Bryant, Demaryius Thomas, or any other player?  Were you amused by the frustration this pick caused?

A: I really felt like the Cowboy receiving corps was a question mark. Demaryius Thomas really doesn't fit the mold of a receiver that Manning gels with and I knew I was going to target Decker at some point. If I wouldn't have taken Harvin here I would have nabbed Colston who ended up sliding way down. In the end for me I care about touches and Harvin should get more touches than Colston. Nothing made me happier the entire draft than getting Joe's panties in a wad.

Q: In round 3, you drafted Eric Decker as your third WR.  Were none of the available RBs interesting to you at this point, or was Decker the target all along?

A: I was chomping at the bit to get my hands on Hillis, but had Decker in my back pocket. When Paul took Hillis right in front of me he kind of forced my hand and made me take Decker. Even though I didn't get Hillis I was still very happy with this pick. I love the potential of the Manning-Decker connection.

Q: Beanie Wells fell a long way, dropping to you in the 6^th round.  It’s obvious that most coaches have concerns about Wells, and Ryan Williams was selected a round prior.  What made Beanie a value to you at this point?

A: I needed another RB whoever was left on the board just didn't make near as much sense. I'm not a fan of Beanie and in fact have followed Ryan Williams since he was a junior in high school so I was really pissed to have to take Beanie.

Joe

Q: It seems you fully expected Percy Harvin to fall to you at #8 overall.  When Chad selected him at #7, was Dez Bryant a sufficient consolation prize?  Are you going to make a hard push to get Harvin via trade or is it unlikely that the cost will be worth it?

A: I didn't fully expect to get Harvin; I put my chances at around 80% - knowing that Chad was the wildcard. Dez is ok, but I wanted Harvin more than anyone that was available in the draft - period.  With that in mind though, now that Chad has him I will move on and reroute.

Q: You made Patrick Willis the first IDP selected when you drafted him in the 3^rd round.  Looking back, are you pleased with this pick, knowing you have the best LB available, or would you have waited?  Who might you have picked instead?

A: I'm cool with taking Willis where I did.  With our expanded point system this year making IDPs worth that much more, I'd do it again in a heartbeat.  I thought about taking JPP there, but I like Willis and figured Chad would be after him if I didn't grab him when I did.  If I were to take someone else there, it would have been Titus Young or perhaps one of the Oakland WRs.

Q: You decided to take a stab at Tim Tebow in the 11^th round.  Do you expect him to become the starter for the Jets at some point this season, or do you think he’ll have enough value without starter’s minutes?

A: With Tebow, I'm not sure.  I just figured it would be wise to stash him on my bench and see what happens.  Wait-and-see, I suppose.  I won't be surprised to see him starting for the Jets at some point.  Really I drafted him b/c he brings good mojo, and that's something the RTC could definitely use.

Mark

Q: You drafted BenJarvus Green-Ellis with the #9 pick overall, ahead of other RBs like Ahmad Bradshaw and Frank Gore.  With BJGE’s move to Cincinnati, do you find him to be safer or have more upside (or both) than any of the other RBs available?

A: Going in to the draft, I knew I needed to take 2 RBs with my first two picks.  Obviously I didn't keep any, and it seemed like all of the good RBs (and then some) were kept by other teams.  Of the available backs, i had the Law Firm at third (Charles and Richardson 1 and 2).  I’m not delusional.  BJGE is not an elite player.  He is, however, one of the few backs in the league that has the job all to himself and he's playing on a team that likes to run.  As a member of the Patriots backfield, you could never count on him week-to-week.  That didn't stop him from notching 800+ total yards and 11 touchdowns.  I think he's a lock for 1100-1200 total yards and probably about the same number of touchdowns.  in terms of the other backs you mentioned, I have no faith in Bradshaw after watching the Giants run game last year, and also I like David Wilson to get that job or to at least cut in to his work.  As for Gore, I like him ok, but he's getting older and the Niners have like 7 running backs.  Hence, Green-Ellis.  It's tough to be super excited about it, but to be perfectly honest, he was who I was targeting in all my prep and I think he'll be fine.

Q: I was particularly intrigued by your selection of Donald Brown in the 4^th round.  He is slated to be the starter in Indianapolis this year.  But after seeing three of the previous four picks be RBs, I’m curious if you were more interested in any of Jonathan Stewart, Mark Ingram, or Shonn Greene more, or was Brown the guy you wanted there all along?

A: This answer is actually pretty similar to the last.  He’s the guy in Indy, I think he'll work primarily as a bye week fill-in, possibly a flex in a pinch.  Don’t like the other guys listed.  I’m not getting involved with the Panthers or Saints backfields, and Shonn Greene is terrible.  I’m sorry but it's true.

Q: You had one of the few teams with a complete starting lineup after the draft.  Was this your strategy all along, or had you considered not filling out your roster if the right players fell to you?

A: Yeah I was planning on filling the roster.  I understand why other teams didn’t, especially with our draft relatively early in the preseason.  As I see it, three of my roster spots are going to be IDP and one is going to be a kicker.  I’d rather get those guys in the top 5 or so instead of waiting for the dregs once the season begins.  Maybe I’m just old-school.

Derrick

Q: For the first time in several years, Philip Rivers was not one of your keepers.  But, you were able to draft him in the 2^nd round to bring him back to the Kick Azz Giants.  Were you expecting to see him there?  Were you considering other QBs in the first round?

A: I figured Rivers would be there. I was targeting Eli Manning, Romo, and RG3 but none got back around to me and I didn't think any of them would be that much better than Rivers to warrant drafting in the 1st.

Q: You picked Cedric Benson in the 8^th round, just a few days after he was picked up by the Packers and expected to jump right into the starter’s role.  Though the Packers are not a running team by any stretch of the imagination, do you expect Benson to be among the top 25 RBs at the end of the season, making this pick a real value?

A: I'm thinking he should make the top 25 without a doubt.  The Packers air attack should make it that much easier for him and I suspect all goal line carries will be coming his way.

Q: In the redshirt round, you selected Dan Herron, RB Cincinnati.  What do you expect from him in his rookie year?  Do you think he needs an injury to the backs ahead of him on the depth chart to be keeper-worthy, or do you expect his talent to win out?

A: I don't know that I expect anything from him.  It was sort of a panic pick as everyone else I had targeted was picked.  But he ran pretty good in the preseason game I saw the week prior so it was worth a shot.

Kirk

Q: In round 2, you drafted Aaron Hernandez with the 18^th overall selection, right after Antonio Gates went off the board.  Was Hernandez the guy you wanted at TE or had you considered Gates?  If Hernandez was gone, would do you think you would have done with this pick?

A: I was looking for value with the 18th pick.  I did not have any plan of picking Hernandez, I just wanted a good value. What I wanted was a RB because I feel overly weak at that position.  But this year every stud RB worth taking was gone by the 18th pick so I went with what player was going to get me the most points.  If Gates was gone I would have taken the next biggest star RB, WR, or TE.  

Q: Do you think you reached and drafted Toby Gerhart too early, taking him in the 3^rd round?  Were you concerned someone else was going to take him, considering the Adrian Peterson injury concerns?

A: I took Toby Gerhart in the 3rd round because I need the insurance and because I did not want to pick anybody sitting at the later part of the 3rd round.  There were a ton of RBs and all of them sucked for one reason or another and so the Gerhart pick was part insurance and part punting on picking a bunch of guys I didn't want on my team. 

Q: You only have three WRs on your roster, with Hakeem Nicks, Demaryius Thomas and 9^th round selection Danny Amendola.  Are you worried about the lack of depth, or do you expect to address it via trades and FAAB acquisitions?

A: I am always worried about my team.  I see Hernandez as a WR for my team and Tamme as the TE, so Nicks, Hernandez, Thomas, and Amendola as a flex.  My plan was to pick a bunch of WRs and run heavy on them this year, but it just didn't play out that way.  

Kendall

Q: With the #13 overall pick, you opted to take Eli Manning.  Tell us what made you select him over any of the other QBs available.  Do you expect an even better season than Eli had in 2011?

A: I thought it was a solid pick, I like Eli, I think he's a middle-tier QB1 in the CKL, and I like watching the Giants.  Also, I like the weapons Eli currently has at his disposal, and I think he's kind of "come into his own" as an NFL passer.  All of that being said, I'm not super excited about the pick.  For one, I thought he'd be gone by pick #13, perhaps to Paul or Derrick picking ahead of me.  Second, I kind of had my heart set on RG3 at that spot before Nathan made that trade with you to move in front of me.  (I still would probably have taken Eli over RG3, but thinking he'd be gone, I hadn't gotten my mind right about taking Eli at that spot.)  I was okay with Romo, Rivers, or even Andrew Luck at #13 depending on what happened with the first 12 picks.  The Eli Manning pick just felt really safe to me... and safe is decidedly NOT my style.  But I'm okay with Eli as my starting quarterback.  He can gun me to Cup #5... or function as a trade piece that nets me a different QB.

Q: You claimed to be “on tilt” after I drafted Kendall Wright right before you picked in the 5^th round.  You proceeded to draft Jon Baldwin.  Looking back, would you do that pick differently?  Who would you take instead?

A: Yeah, you took my guy, the guy I had my heart set on at that spot.  But Baldwin was a fine consolation prize.  I like him a lot, especially with Double Dwayne Bowe sitting out training camp and missing the installation of the new offense, and as a pending free agent, the Chiefs won't build the passing game around him now.  Baldwin should be the focal point of that passing attack, as he's a great talent who cost them a first round pick last year.  Looking back, I'd do exactly what I did -- draft Jon Baldwin.  Other guys I might have considered at that spot: Isaiah Pead, maybe?  That 5th rounder was earmarked for a young/upside lottery ticket play.  Got a good one in Baldwin.

Q: I assume you felt compelled to take Ben Tate in the early 3^rd round, to handcuff him to Arian Foster.  But do you think he might have been the best available RB anyway?  Do you lie awake wishing the Texans would trade Tate to another team where he could start, and you could scoot your way into cup #5?

A: Here's the thing about that --- I had to get Tate, and I couldn't risk waiting another 10+ picks for no good reason.  If I didn't land him, I would have been stuck trying to trade for him right now.  Ben Tate is a good running back in his own right and the Texans have a great o-line and a great scheme for running backs.  If (God forbid) Arian Foster goes down, I think I have a legit top-5 fantasy RB in Tate.  This is not a simple handcuff; it's an insurance policy and a hedge against my bets.  Besides, I could see starting both Foster and Tate together some weeks.  The Houston running game is that good.  Also - and this might be the coup d'état - Tate is a free agent after the 2013 season.  He's potentially keeper-worthy for me, if my other options crap out.  I'd compare Tate to Michael Turner back in his San Diego days.

Alan

Q: You drafted Frank Gore with the last pick of the first round.  Were you excited to see him there or did you simply find him the best option among some not very exciting RBs left?  Did having Kendall Hunter as a keeper influence your selection at all?

A: I did draft Frank Gore because he was the best back (in my estimation) on the board at the time. I actually had my eye on another player or two but they went right before my pick. I liked the symmetry that I had Hunter, and thought about picking up Jacobs to complete the trifecta, but having the backup to a starting back wouldn't be the driving motivation for me to pick up that starting back. I've always had reservations about Gore's durability and do think that it will be helpful to have Hunter. Just saying.

Q: You drafted London Fletcher in the 10^th round and Curtis Lofton in the 11^th.  Did you realize at the time that both play LB, or were you thinking one was an eligible defensive lineman? 

A: I knew I was drafting two linebackers. I decided to do that instead of filling out my roster, figuring that with no great DLs on the board, I'd be able to fill the slot from the waiver wire once I'd had a chance to think about the players that were valuable that I was drafting. Essentially, I decided that there was no reason to force the slot in the draft when I didn't see any great value in front of me, while at the same time, I think that LBs are much more valuable so I'd take two good ones and think about them or have them to swap in and out when tasty QBs and O lines were on the menu. For what it's worth, I thought about holding off on drafting a kicker and taking skill players for that pick, too, but I liked the value that fell to me when I drafted Bironas. I think he's going to be a great kicker to have for the season.

Q: Titus Young went to you at the beginning of round 4, just after you selected Michael Crabtree to end the 3^rd round.  Many have Young set for a breakthrough season, but Crabtree supporters are rather silent.  What do you expect from these two players in 2012?  Do you expect at least one to earn a regular starting gig for Juris United?

A: Crabtree supporters are silent because Alex Smith sucks donkey dick. I don't know what's going to happen with that, but I think Crabtree is a terrific talent if somehow the stars align to deliver balls to him. We'll see whether he catches balls with his hands or on the chin. At the point I drafted him and then Young, I had four RBs and a decent QB on my roster, so I was harvesting wideouts. My expectation is that I'll go with a rotation of two of three weekly: Bowe, Crabtree and Young. I'm not thrilled about the receiving corps, but it's what I've got.

Rookie

Q: You essentially traded RG3 and Matt Cassel for Stevie Johnson and Pierre Garçon with that crazy trade you made with Nathan in the 1st round.  Aside from the obvious satisfaction you got from directly fucking my facial by allowing Nathan to move one spot ahead of me to take the player I had targeted, why else did you make the deal when you made it?  Tell us about the psychology of that heat-of-the-moment move.

A: Man, that trade happened faster than any trade I’ve ever been a part of.  Still, for me this was a no-brainer.  Give away one pick now for two of the next thirteen picks?  Yes, please.  I honestly didn’t consider the impact to anyone else’s team except mine and Nathan’s.  But when he picked RG3, I knew that screwed with Kendall’s potential plans.  I had planned to take Antonio Brown at #12, and I knew he’d like be gone when I picked again in round 2, but that was a price I was willing to live with.  I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

Q: I'm officially giving you a mulligan on one of your picks.  Take a look at who was still available and tell us which pick you would change to what.

A: Aside from the Ingram pick I mentioned earlier, I think I would swap out taking Rashard Mendenhall in the 8^th for Cedric Benson, who went two picks later to Derrick.  That’s terrific value that late for a guy who seems destined to get goal line touches for one of the best offenses in the league.

Q: I feel like you had a really nice draft that maybe ran a little hot and cold at times.  One great moment of hotness was the Russell Wilson pick in the redshirt round.  Was he who you had targeted all along?  What other players were on your list for the 15th round?  Who else did you consider when you made that #12 pick in the 15th round?

A: Wilson was definitely on my list for potential redshirt candidates.  Living in the Raleigh area, there’s still a lot of coverage of him even though he played for Wisconsin last year.  I felt good about the situation in Seattle and that Pete Carroll would give him a fair opportunity to win the starting job.  I couldn’t have been happier when that opportunity was realized.  I certainly had targeted other players going into the redshirt round, including Ryan Broyles, who is probably the guy I would have drafted had he been there at the 12^th pick of the round.  I also considered Joe Adams, but even during the draft I was telling Paul to remind me not to draft a WR in the redshirt round.  Aside from Torrey Smith last year, the WRs just don’t seem to work out the following year.

Q: Kevin Smith as your RB2.  That can't be what you had planned.  Walk us through the story of the draft that led you to this situation.  And heck, talk to us about your running back position in general!

A: Yeah, okay, not really the plan at all, but that’s how the draft unveiled.  I was targeting Willis McGahee in the second round, thinking he’d be there at 2.8, but when Mark selected him at 2.6, I wasn’t prepared to jump on Reggie Bush or Peyton Hillis.  So after three second round picks and no RBs drafted, I knew I had to draft 2 RBs with my next two picks.  At the time, Smith was healthy and looking to take the lead role for at least the first two weeks of the season.  As we saw last year, he can still be a dynamic player in that offense, so I firmly believed he could take the reins after two weeks and force Detroit to give him a Lions’ share of the touches.  Couple that with a first week matchup against the Rams, and I felt really good about having Smith start the season as my RB2. 

But really, my RB unit is lackluster, but I’m not really worried about it.  Mendenhall will be coming back in October if not sooner, and Ingram has a great opportunity to at least see the goal line touches in New Orleans.  Still, expect the Nth Degree to run 3-wide several weeks this season.

And here are the two questions posed to each coach, with each coach’s respective responses.

Q: Looking at your entire draft, which pick do you like the most?  Which do you like the least?

Norris: I like Brady.  Can't take much credit for that.  I like Skelton as a redshirt.  I wish I had taken Locker instead of Gostkowski.

Ben: Isn't it funny that after all this "I-don't-like-rookies" talk, that I really like my round 9 and 11 picks, LaMichael James and Alshon Jeffery the most?  On the least front, it would be easy to say Desmond Bishop because of his injury, but for me, it has to be the DeSean Jackson pick, only because of the embarrassing botch of trying to pick Maclin, a keeper, at first.

On a side note, I am really interested to see the impact of the new IDP scoring on the draft.  Joe picked one in the 3rd, but even I felt a little early picking one in the 7th and some didn't pick IDPs at all.  Hopefully, the impact is significant enough to at least have everyone pick for these positions.  I'd hate to have the equivalent of 3 more kicker picks in the draft. 

Patrick: I thought a lot about IDP this year, and while I think I've drafted a strong team, I'm most excited about seeing how the IDP rule changes affect the game. 

Russ: My top picks were chalk and predictable, in my opinion, so not much to be "impressed" with.  I like for 2 of Darrius Heyward Bey, Daniel Thomas, and Davone Bess to be useful, if not linchpins for '12 TMS.  Someone's gotta produce in MIA, right?  RIGHT??!?!?  See my above answer on worst.  Also, probably coulda waited another round on popping my D cherry.  Bowman is sick, but not too excited about him.  

Nathan: It has to be Steve Smith (CAR). It was seriously fortuitous for him to fall to me in the third. I didn't really care for the Heath Miller pick in the 11th. I'm not so sure I need a second TE. I should've used that spot to acquire more WR/RB depth or pick up a studly IDP.

Paul: I like the Andrew Luck pick the best.  It was a huge reach, but I really don't care if he works out this year or not.  I just hope that he progresses as a QB and shows enough promise that I can keep him at the end of the season.  My least favorite pick was my redshirt pick, Chris Rainey.  Expect him to get dropped soon.

Chad: I like Decker the best, but after watching Stewart just go down with an injury I am feeling pretty good about DeAngelo. If Harvin stays injury free he is going to rock the mic like a vandal.  Beanie Wells I liked the least, but Bradford is making me hate the Ram WR selections more and more.

Joe: Pick I liked the most for the RTC? Blackmon, b/c at this point he's starting and I got him in the fifth round.  He looks like he might be a force to be reckoned with out of the WR2 position - hoo knows?

Pick I liked the least?  Fred Davis - in hindsight I believe I might have been able to get him in the 3rd round (or Vernon Davis), and should have taken Decker with my 2nd round pick.  I misjudged the TE run there.  All I know now is he BETTER produce.

Mark: As much as I came into the draft with a mission to get at least 3 RBs I could play, I think my favorite pick was Reggie Wayne in the 3^rd round.  I think he’s going to have a pretty nice year.  My least favorite pick has to be Vincent Brown.  I didn’t really want him and then he broke his ankle that night.

Derrick: Probably the Cedric Benson pick, being that I seem to have gotten the unquestioned starter in Green Bay with no real competition to split carries.  DJ Ware was a panic pick, b/c I thought Lamar Miller was still on the board. Think he got cut today.

Kirk: If I had to do it over again I would have not picked defensive player during the draft, and picked up a bunch of WRs and RBs I passed on and hated myself for later.  I liked that I went early on TEs overall, and I hope that it pays off in the end.  

Kendall: Pick I liked the most: Antonio Brown in the 2nd round.  He's about to be a bonafide stud, and people are going to marvel at the fact that he didn't go in our first round, ahead of guys like Roddy White, Trent Richardson, Dez Bryant, and Demaryius Thomas.

Other picks I liked:

·         Jonathan Stewart in the 4th -- think he's poised to take some of Cam's touchdowns this season and turn in a top-15 RB season.

·         Jon Baldwin in the 5th -- as stated above.

·         Brandon LaFell in the 8th -- poised for a mini-explosion.

·         Nick Toon in the redshirt round -- love the guy, love the player, love his situation.

Pick I liked the least: Denarius Moore in the 3rd round.  I have no idea why I made that pick.  It's like some evil alien motherlord put me in mind control.

Other picks I didn't like:

·         Eli Manning in the 1st -- too ho-hum for my tastes.

·         Josh Freeman in the 6th -- I like him as a high-upside QB2, but I liked Jake Locker more, and he went three rounds later.

·         Mark Barron in the 12th -- I love this rookie's talent level, but it would have been smarter to not draft a DB at all.

Alan: I think the picks I'm most fond of are Titus Young in the 4th and London Fletcher in the 10th. I expect value from those slots. Least favorite is probably Hankerson in the 6th -- I know that the great coaches really own those middle rounds and I'm not feeling like that pick did anything for me at all.

Rookie: I think my three best picks were:  Greg Olsen (round 10), Sidney Rice (round 11), and Russell Wilson (redshirt round – 15).  Olsen is going to gobble up most of the targets Shockey saw last year while not ceding any of his.  He could very well put up 80 catches, 900-1000 yards and 6+ TDs.  Rice, when healthy, has WR2 upside, which I’ll gladly take with a low-risk 11^th round pick.  More on Wilson later.

Worst picks:  I kind of regret taking Mark Ingram with Donald Brown still on the board.  I really needed a RB with a clear situation, and that’s not Ingram.  I’m also thinking twice about Mario Williams in the 7^th – probably could have plucked him later.  I was generally satisfied otherwise, but I really had hoped the Stevie Johnson pick was Willis McGahee.

Q: Looking at the draft as a whole, which pick by another team did you think was really good?  Which did you think was not so good?

Norris: Locker good.  Terrell Owens bad.  Did Joe really draft him?

Ben: On the good side, you can't ignore the value Norris and Paul got in the first round.  However, based solely on what we have seen so far, I'll stick with my previously stated lust for Russell Wilson.  He is the dreamboat, sexy sleeper of the preseason.  Good for you, Rook.

For the bad, Norris (aka Joey Fatone) going kicker in round 9 seems most flawed.  If I am looking at early rounds, it would go to Kirk in the first or Joe for the third.  You could lump my redshirt round right in here as well.

Patrick: The other teams have selected a load of garbage. The absolute top of the heap pick goes to Ben, with Desmond Bishop, who like severed his hammy weeks ago. I really want to emphasize how ridiculous that pick was.

Russ: My first thoughts, again, were that there were very few "clown" picks, outside of myself trying to draft taken players.  I missed three of Chad's players in draft, which didn't help.  I am sorting right now...back to you in a few...love Antonio Brown for K, impressed Ben went with Charles with who was available (I assumed Nate was gonna trade up to take Richardson above me and was resigned to Charles otherwise). Also really like DeSean Jackson if Vick stays healthy (oops).  Hates: Patrick probably should've gone heavier on WR, considering who he drafted as his backup RBs.  

Bonus 5: Nathan panicked on RG3, but of course this can work out.  If he is 90% of Cam '11 , he's a stud keeper.  Unrelated, Nate's WRs are neither headstrong nor particularly healthy right now.  A healthy and productive RG3 makes CKL Draft '12 a success, of course.  

Nathan: Chad is going to be really happy with Eric Decker at 3.07. Did anyone else catch those two Manning-to-Decker touchdowns yesterday? A preview of things to come for Double-O. I though Norris' Roy Helu pick (2.14) and Joe's Patrick Willis (3.08) were atrocious. You don't play Shanahanigans in the second round, and you certainly don't take an IDP a full 27 picks before anyone else does.

Paul: Fav pick:  Russell Wilson as a redshirt.  Nice work, Rook.  That's looking better and better every day.

Chad: I thought Felix Jones was a good pick. Russ got a steal on Colston, Rashad Jennings and Greg Little were really good for Nathan.  I felt like Mark had numerous bad picks and Joe shocked me with the Nate Washington blunder. Norris took a kicker too early.

Joe: Chad's first and third round picks I loved and hated b/c he picked those guys right before I was going to take them.  Kudos to him, he had a great draft.

The one odd pick that stands out in my mind was already covered on the ADTKD blog, Russ' Cutler pick.  Everyone else had a QB at that point and he could have waited.

Mark: Worst pick of the draft was Roy Helu in round 2 by Norris.  Don't ever draft Shanahan running backs.  Especially not in the second round!  My list had him as the 48th running back.  I liked Kendall’s Antonio Brown pick in the second.  As a Steelers fan, that's a guy I love.  I had another league's draft last night and I got him in the fifth (redraft league).  Couldn't target him in the CKL with Wallace as a keeper, but he's a guy I absolutely love.

Derrick: I really haven't gone back through the draft but on draft day I really wanted Lamar Miller and Martellus Bennett both of whom got snatched up before I could pull the trigger.

Kirk: Paul picked a lot of the guys I was looking at so I liked Paul's draft.  I'm not trying to puss out by not picking a bad team, but truthfully I saw a lot of reason for most of the picks in the draft so it’s hard for to say that this one person did horribly.  Truthfully I felt I didn't do as well as I had hoped and prepared for. 

Kendall: My favorite and least favorite picks for each team...

·         Norris -- favorite: Golden Tate in the 12th, least favorite: Roy Helu in the 2nd.

·         Ben -- favorite: Alshon Jeffery in the 11th, least favorite: Desmond Bishop in the 6th.

·         Patrick -- favorite: Mohamed Sanu in the redshirt round, least favorite: James Starks in the 4th.

·         Russ -- favorite: Darrius Heyward-Bey in the 4th, least favorite: Trent Richardson in the 1st.

·         Nathan -- favorite: Doug Martin in the 1st, least favorite: Kenny Britt in the 5th.

·         Paul -- favorite: Andrew Luck in the 2nd, least favorite: David Wilson in the 4th.

·         Chad -- favorite: Taiwan Jones in the 10th, least favorite: DeAngelo Williams in the 4th.

·         Joe -- favorite: Justin Blackmon in the 5th, least favorite: Terrell Owens in the 12th.

·         Mark -- favorite: Isaiah Pead in the 8th, least favorite: Willis McGahee in the 2nd.

·         Derrick -- favorite: Philip Rivers in the 2nd, least favorite: Boom Herron in the redshirt round.

·         Kirk -- favorite: Aaron Hernandez in the 2nd, least favorite: Shonn Greene in the 4th.

·         Rookie -- favorite: Greg Olsen in the 10th, least favorite: Kevin Smith in the 3rd.

·         Alan -- favorite: Titus Young in the 4th, least favorite: Frank Gore in the 1st.

My favorite pick of the entire draft: Paul's pick of Andrew Luck in the 2nd round.  He should have gone in the 1st.  He should have gone #13 overall.

Furthermore, I'd say Paul schooled us all this year.  He had a stellar draft.  So did Nathan, and so did Rookie, but Paulie wins my nod for "best draft."

Alan: Picks by other coaches? Don't talk to me. Kendall was picking right before me and he vultured several players that I'd been holding my breath for half a round to get. Round 1: Eli Manning; round 11: Brandon LaFell; round 12: Coby Fleener; round 15: Nick Toon. Every one of those players was the one I was all set to grab with the next pick. So tell the league in general that I'm sorry if picks too me a bit of time on occasion, and tell Kendall that my valuation of players isn't necessarily so different from his ... and to screw himself. I love him but wish he'd have left me at least one of my at-that-time favorites. I thought all of those were great picks and I don't think I followed up as well when the guy in my sights was suddenly off the board. As for not so good, and clearly I could be totally wrong, I thought that Paul and Nathan had two of the best drafts but each of them taking Luck (2^nd round) and Griffin in the first  round was too early for those unproven talents. For guys to hang on to beyond this year, I can see the logic, but I don't see them being legit starters this year.

Rookie: I really liked the following picks:

·         Antonio Brown (Kendall – 2.03)

·         Steve Smith (Nathan – 3.05)

·         Eric Decker (Chad – 3.07)

·         Vernon Davis (Nathan – 4.10)

·         Rashad Jennings (Nathan – 6.10)

·         Randy Moss (Derrick – 9.10)

·         Lamar Miller (Kirk – 12.04)

Picks I thought weren’t so good:

·         Jason Witten (Patrick – 3.03)

·         Patrick Willis (Joe – 3.08)

·         Michael Crabtree (Alan – 3.14)

·         James Starks (Patrick – 4.12)

·         Desmond Bishop (Ben – 6.13)

·         Mike Goodson (Norris – 7.01)

·         Stephen Gostkowski (Norris – 9.01)

·         Kevin Kolb (Ben – 15.02)

For me, the Eric Decker pick may well prove to be the best of the draft.  I really think I should have taken him in the 2^nd round.  I also think James Starks will prove to be the worst, mostly because it cost Patrick a 4^th round pick.

And that’ll do it, folks.  Comments?  Questions?  Do you feel misrepresented?  Type up your thoughts and let the discussions begin!