WCG Mock Draft- Cleveland (#3)

by Adam T on Mar 20, 2007 8:10 AM CDT in News Comment 27 comments

3.Cleveland - Calvin Johnson, WR, Georgia Tech

Our Cleveland drafter has picked Johnson, but did not include a write up, so I am going to do a quick opinion on it. If you want to write up one of this pick send it my way and I will add it on.

Cleveland picking Johnson in my opinion is insane. They just drafted their star receiver in Braylon Edwards. I think there would be conflict issues if Johnson quickly proved to be better.

Your quarterbacks are Derek Anderson and Charlie Frye, think about it. No offense, but read those names again. You have the chance to draft a potential star in this league.

All that said Calvin Johnson is labeled by most as the best athlete in the draft. He has the highest Randy Moss rookie year potential. He has size, strength, speed and good hops. I don't think you can wrong choosing Johnson unless you don't need him and do need a QB in a bad way.

Drafter- elagoalie11

On the clock- Tampa Bay (NoisewaterMD)

WCG Mock Draft

1)Oakland-JaMarcus Russell,QB,LSU

2)Detroit Joe Thomas,OT,Wisconsin

3) Cleveland- Calvin Johnson,WR,Georgia Tech

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RB

My guess is, after trading Reuben Droughns, Cleveland is a lock to take Adrian Peterson, who supposedly had very impressive workouts.

by SouthernSlam on Mar 20, 2007 9:46 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I wouldn't have a problem

with that pick. I still think QB is the way, but a good RB can make an average QB look good.

by Adam T on Mar 20, 2007 10:00 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Calvin Johnson...

The thing about Johnson is that he's the safest pick in the draft. Hands down. Quinn might be an All-Pro QB in five years and might contribute sometime this year. Peterson SHOULD be solid to very, very good over the next 5-8 years. Johnson will be a Top 15-20 WR this season and a Top 10 WR over the next 5 years or so.

As I said in a reply on another thread, I agree that taking a player who only touches the ball 7-10 times a game on a good day is a stretch. However, Johnson's floor is "one of the best". His ceiling is "the best".

I don't like this pick, but there's not enough "evidence" to show it's not a possible pick. I bet they trade down a few spots.

by tyger1147 on Mar 20, 2007 10:09 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I don't question

the Calvin Johnson is the best overall option, but if the guy you have behind center isn't that good, what does it matter who you have as a receiver.

by Adam T on Mar 20, 2007 10:51 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

100% agree

by tyger1147 on Mar 20, 2007 11:31 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Atlanta

is the only team in the top 10 who should consider Johnson, all the other teams have far greater issues at the moment.

Arizona might consider him if they think they can pawn off Fitzgerald or Boldin to someone else for extra picks.

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by thecubreporter on Mar 20, 2007 11:56 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Sone logic says.....

...don't draft need. Get the best players on your team and figure it out later.

So...while CJ might seem insane for Cleveland, keep in mind that Frye did show some promise last year at times. Giving him another weapon after the addition of Steinbach can have a positive result on the QB position in Cleveland. Also, I think with the Soulja's constant, nagging injuries you do yourself well by grabbing the best wideout in the draft to open up the passing game with Edwards - who looks like me might be legit as well.

As for the second Adrian Peterson, he has nagging injuries as well (and while he might have that RB upside everyone is looking for) and CJ2 does not seem to have that, and is a freak of a specimen.

In short, NO team picking Johnson is making a bad pick. Even, yes even, Detroit.

by PopeFlick on Mar 20, 2007 12:34 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I have a hard time buying into the

draft best athlete approach a lot of times, especially this early. If you are drafting 3rd, you have a lot of needs. Why are you going to pick the guy that doesn't fill one? They drafted Edwards for the very reason of being their big time receiver. He showed promise. Besides Edwards strikes me as a bit of a prima donna. I would have to wonder how that would work if Johnson were to overtake him.

by Adam T on Mar 20, 2007 1:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Michigan wide recievers blow...

They haven't produced a good wide receiver since Anthony Carter.

by Chad on Mar 20, 2007 1:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

If you think Edwards...

...is a prima donna, then why wouldn't you want to cover your bases?

I'm not arguing Cleveland doesn't have other needs. But is a reach for those needs better than a beast at WR? I just don't think it's a disaster pick for them or a wasted pick by any means. CJ2 would be a big help to them.

by PopeFlick on Mar 20, 2007 1:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

If you bring in Johnson and Edwards blows up

and you have to release/cut/trade him then you just wasted a draft pick. You drafted him warts and all to be your #1, why go and get somebody already to replace him? Get somebody who can get him the ball.

by Adam T on Mar 20, 2007 2:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ridiculous...

This isn't a situation where Johnson would be replacing Edwards. It's not a running back or TE or QB. There are two starters. What's he going to say? "I think it's ridiculous they are bringing someone in to replace me." "Um, no they aren't Braylon. There's two starting spots."

Just about every young athlete at this level thinks they are the best. Edwards won't lose playing time to Johnson. He won't have anything to complain about until the season starts if he's not catching as many passes. Until then, it's going to be, "What are you complaining about? You're both getting the same reps."

Not only that, if Johnson is better than Edwards, he'll be the one getting the other team's #1 CB and Edwards will look that much better.

Having 2 top-notch wide receivers hasn't hurt: Indianapolis, Arizona, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Seattle...

In fact, Arizona is a perfect example: In 2003, Anquan Boldin was drafted in the 2nd round and finished with 101 catches and 1300+ yards. In 2004, with the third overall pick, Larry Fitzgerald was drafted. It seems to be working out for them.

Jesus, why haven't I thought of this before... what about this: Draft Johnson, trade for Trent Green and you immediately have one of the best offenses in the NFL.

by tyger1147 on Mar 20, 2007 3:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I have no problem with

having two receivers, but it can be an issue. If Johnson is better than Edwards and takes over their #1 role, he is replacing Edwards. I'm not saying he gets cut, but the distinction between a #1 and #2 is there.

If Edwards can't handle and starts making demands or asking to be traded or just creates discontent in the locker room, is all that worth it?

I'm just saying if you can't protect your QB or your QB isn't good enough to find his guys, why have all those receivers? I don't think Frye or Anderson are anything above slightly average.

by Adam T on Mar 20, 2007 3:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Name me a team in the past ten years that's...

had two great WR's and one of them bitched about the other being better than him. It's a possibility in theory, but with the WR position, it's just not something that happens because of the uniqueness of the position.

And like I said, what about getting Trent Green and drafting a QB later in the day or next year?

by tyger1147 on Mar 20, 2007 4:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

No disrespect....

....but if you're making team decisions based on whether or not you're worried someone might act like a prima-donna you're letting that guy run the show. That's not smart.

If Edwards becomes a biatch because CJ2 were to become a Brown, then IMO he was only looking for an excuse to biatch and would have found something to hold against you eventually. Better to flush that out now.

But passing on CJ2 to mollify a player would be the worst reason to pass on him. If BE is a team guy, he welcomes Johnson, because it would make him better.

by PopeFlick on Mar 20, 2007 8:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

You keep cornering me based on one possibility

From the beginning I have said if you can't get the ball to the receivers than you can have 6 Jerry Rices back there and it won't matter. I also talked about my opinion on Edwards, but that wasn't the main point.

I am not high on Anderson or Frye and think the Browns would be making a mistake passing on their potential franchise QB.

by Adam T on Mar 20, 2007 10:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

But you're also missing the point...

There are many other ways to get quarterbacks. Brady Quinn is nothing more special than any other QB any other year. Is he a better prospect than David Carr was? Or Joey Harrington? Or Jay Cutler or Matt Leinert? Or Alex Smith?

NO, he ABSOLUTELY does NOT project to be any better than those guys when they were in their drafts. Drafting Quinn means they probably have to wait AT LEAST three years to start seeing dividends. Could he be okay before that? Sure. But there's less than a 5% chance he'll be "great" before 2009.

Look, I understand your point: QB's are much more important to a team than a WR. That's definite. But this team can draft Johnson and get a "ready-now" QB via free agency or trade. Matt Schaub is one. Trent Green is another. EITHER of those guys is better for Cleveland than Brady Quinn for 2007/2008. Hell, even Joey Harrington would probably be better for them

Like I said, if they draft Calvin Johnson and trade for Trent Green, they will be a Top 10 offense for the next two-three years. This would be the Arizona Cardinals approach. I've given you only one so-far successful example that would be a very similar situation. I think it's time for you to pony up and give us one example of what you're talking about.

I don't see why you can't say... "Well, I guess there are 'other' ways to get QB's than through a draft."

(BTW, if you had three "Jerry Rices" on your team, any QB who started in the NFL last year would immediately be a Top 5 in the league. That dude is incredible. Three of him would be unreal. You can't convince me otherwise.

by tyger1147 on Mar 21, 2007 9:23 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

If Cleveland trades for Green or Schaub

then sure, but they haven't done that, so they still don't have a QB yet.

by Adam T on Mar 21, 2007 9:42 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Obviously.

by tyger1147 on Mar 21, 2007 10:45 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

But...

these are all hypotheticals, right?

by tyger1147 on Mar 21, 2007 10:46 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Fair enough....

....and I do see your point. On another board I post on there was a great response from a Colts fan about how he'd been a fan of that team forever but they were never the same after selecting Manning as their QB. They went from being a joke to being a perpetual playoff squad.

From that angle, the question is: will either Russell or Quinn become as solid a 'fanchise QB' as Peyton Manning? Tough to say, but I'll say Johnson is still the pick.

Why? He's ready to go. They can take him and in all likelihood acquire a vet QB that can take advantage of his abilities within one year. At the very least, he should match Chris Chambers' rookie year of 800/7. His celing would be Moss' 1300/17. It's likely in between, which would be as good as any Bears receiver last year. As pointed out, Green is apparently available. Schaub seem to be a perpetual flavor of the month. Billy Volek has definite talent, but acted like a primadonna in Tennessee which got him the boot. And I'm still of the opinion that Frye deserves a second look, especially if he learned from watching ANderson that he needs to keep working hard. Frye is a gamer from what I saw and cannot be written off after last season. He was NOT a disaster, the team was.

by PopeFlick on Mar 21, 2007 12:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Alright I have to ask

what the hell makes Calvin Johnson special?

I'll admit stupidity on this and not knowing his combine scores. But I never even heard about him in college (not that I follow that closely), but shouldn't he have dominated at that level if he's going to do so in the pros?

I just don't get why he's the lock to be a great WR, when so many before have failed miserably?

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by thecubreporter on Mar 21, 2007 1:39 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

A few things.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/2007/johnson_calvin

http://play.rbn.com/?url=nfl/nfl/open/nflfilms/demand/s2007/nfln/off/first_draft_johnson_300k.rm& ;rpcontexturl=http://www.nfl.com/fieldpass/includes/promo&rpcontextwidth=417&rpcontextheight =250

He's 6'4", 240, 45 inch vertical, 4.35 40. Has great hands. Very good awareness. And he's very modest/good personality crap. And he's been hyped at every level/every year he's been around. And he's always performed. His team (Georgia Tech) has sucked and his QB (Reggie Ball) was barely average for a big college QB.

He's not can't miss. But he's probably as much so for his position as anyone since Peyton Manning. If not for his position and its relatively small impact on a game, he'd easily be the #1 pick. At least, that's the sense I get.

by tyger1147 on Mar 21, 2007 2:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

This says it all...

"He's 6'4", 240, 45 inch vertical, 4.35 40"

That's like Randy Moss-esque.

by Chad on Mar 21, 2007 4:48 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Um....

plus like 30 pounds. He's physical. Or can be.

by tyger1147 on Mar 21, 2007 4:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh...

And like all "stars", he wasn't planning on doing the combine . That's why there aren't any other scores than the 40. He had to borrow someone else's one-size-too-small shoes to run in... after deciding he would at the last second. Supposedly that's a big deal.

by tyger1147 on Mar 21, 2007 4:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

And...

(sorry, I just keep thinking of stuff)

On that video, he actually says he thinks he plays like Randy Moss, but would say his personality most resembles Marvin Harrison. What's not to love? haha

by tyger1147 on Mar 21, 2007 5:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs