WCG Mock Draft

by WCG on Apr 17, 2006 3:48 PM CDT in News Comment 23 comments

This is the new leader for most interesting pick. While I am sure BigBlueShoe's reasoning makes sense, I just don't see this happening. For the sake of my mock draft I think it is a great selection, as I do not want to just have mock draft that resembles all the others. Of course, if Tampa does select him, then I can lay claim to having it called.

#23 Tampa Bay: LenDale White, RD, USC

Many think Tampa Bay will draft a defensive player in the late first round, but that has never been how Tampa Bay works on draft day. Jon Gruden had Zach Crockett and Tyronne Wheatly in Oakland. In Tampa, he has Alstott, but he has had a rash of injuries recently, and he's getting up there in age. LenDale White would fit in with Gruden's offense in an Alstott-type role. He's strong, physical, and can punch it in around the goalline. Last year, thne-rokkie Carnell "Cadillac" Williams broke down a bit. A backfield featuring Williams and White would take the pressure off QB Chris Simms.

Cincinnati is on the clock...

2006 WCG Mock Draft
Team	Player
Houston	Reggie Bush
New Orleans	D'Brickashaw Ferguson
Tennessee	Matt Leinart
New York Jets	Mario Williams
Green Bay	A.J. Hawk
San Francisco	Vernon Davis
Oakland	Jay Cutler
Buffalo	Winston Justice
Detroit	Tye Hill
Arizona	Haloti Ngata
St. Louis	Vince Young
Cleveland	Broderick Bunley
Baltimore	Ernie Sims
Philadelphia	Chad Jackson
Denver	DeAngelo Williams
Miami	Marcus McNeil
Minnesota	Chad Greenway
Dallas	Michael Huff
San Diego	Santionio Holmes
Kansas City	Mathias Kiwanuk
New England	Jonathan Joseph
Denver	Kamerion Wimbley
Tampa Bay	LenDale White

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No. Freaking. Way.

That is simply not happening. Not only is LenDale White not going that early, a RB is the last thing the Bucs need to spend money on.

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by Squib on Apr 17, 2006 5:31 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

ditto

whaaaa???? i'm calling shenanigans.

somebody better hit the reset button, and replace the white pick with jimmy williams or lawson

by ski on Apr 17, 2006 6:40 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I doubt this will happen

but this is what group mocks are for: crazy picks. That said, Tampa Bay hasn't taken a defensive player in the first round since Sam Wyche was coach. They've built that defense using 2nd round or later picks and free agents. And the Bucs have NEVER taken a LB in the first round while they've played Cover-2. So, I don't expect Lawson to get picked.

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by BigBlueShoe on Apr 17, 2006 8:47 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

For the record

the Bengals had quite the record for making odd picks. The Lions have taken Wr in the 1st for three straight years. The vikings have trouble getting their pick in on time after having the same problem the year before. Green Bay and Favre our playing us into thinging he is going to retire just to throw people off the scent of Hawk. Crazier things have happened.

Not saying I agree, but you never know.

Besides, nobody else sent me a better pick:)

by WCG on Apr 17, 2006 10:17 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I quit...

This was fun while were were taking this seriously. But the guy has a torn hamstring and hasn't run for a pro scout. has a weight and attitude problem and is not sure when he'll be ready to play again. He is not getting picked in the first round by a team that ALREADY HAS A VERY GOOD RUNNING BACK.

May they will take the best available wide receiver or offensive lineman but NO WAY IN HELL is White getting picked here. Get real.

by Chad on Apr 18, 2006 12:55 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Woah, woah, woah

I did take this pick seriously. Yes, Tampa does have a good young RB... that got hurt a lot last year. LenDale White is injured, yes. He does have attitude problems.

So?

Since when did Gruden turn away problem players? Heck, he seems to TARGET THEM: Wheatley, Janakowski, Woodson, Johnson, etc.

I also think this pick makes sense because TB will NOT take a defensive player in the first round. It's just not how they work. They run a Cover-2 defense that does not put a big stress on drafting LBers in the first round. They often will draft college safeties in rounds 3-5 and convert them to LBers... like the did Derrick Brooks... like Dungy did with Cato June in Indy.

They aren't going to take someone like Lawson 9because they don't draft LBers in the first round) or Allen (who can't tackle, a vital trait to have as a CB in the Cover-2). They could take someone like Maroney, but they already have a back like him in Williams.

They do not have a back like White though, a power back with upside despite some character issues. Sounds a lot like Wheatley to me. Gruden loves to coach these kind of meatheads, for some reason.

That's why I think this pick COULD happen. You can disagree with it, but I take offense to you suggesting I'm taking this lightly.

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by BigBlueShoe on Apr 18, 2006 9:14 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Derrick Brooks...

NEVER played safety as FSU nor was he ever projected as such.

And Gruden did not draft Wheatly. They signed him as a scrap heap pickup when New York ran him out of town.

by Chad on Apr 18, 2006 12:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

From the NFLPA website

Derrick Brooks "was four-year letterman at Florida State. Played first season at safety before shift to linebacker."

http://www.nflplayers.com/players/player.aspx?id=22548

Re: Wheatley, you are correct. Never said Gruden drafted him. Said he liked those kinds of players. White fits that mold.

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by BigBlueShoe on Apr 18, 2006 12:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Whoops...

Sorry that he played ONE FREAKING YEAR at safety. I was wrong. But he was an ALL AMERICAN LINEBACKER at FSU. That has nothing to do with my argument anyway. As a skinny 18 year old out of high school he was probably to weak and too fast to play LB. Then after a year of high level weight training, he was big enough. I would hardly say that it vindicates your argument.

by Chad on Apr 18, 2006 1:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, you were wrong

And so was I. I remember Dungy making reference to Brooks when discussing drafting LBers for the cover 2. He said sometimes college safeties were better LBers for Cover 2 than normal college LBers. He cited Brooks and June as examples.

BTW: I believe Brooks was the last defensive player the bucs took in the first round. That was 11 years ago.

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by BigBlueShoe on Apr 18, 2006 2:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

nope...

2003
Rd Sel# Player Pos. School
2 64 Dewayne White DE Louisville

by Chad on Apr 18, 2006 3:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Are you even READING what I'm posting?

Dewayne White was picked in round 2 in 2003.

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by BigBlueShoe on Apr 18, 2006 3:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It was...

Their first pick

by Chad on Apr 18, 2006 4:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

And it was

in the second round. I said they hadn't made a first round pick on defense since 1995.

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by BigBlueShoe on Apr 18, 2006 7:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

but...

come on stampede, you more than anyone should understand the importance of a defensive end to the Tampa Two.

I can guarantee Simeon Rice will be around for another season, but after that who knows. Manny Lawson would provide a much cheaper alternative to Rice and would provide the speed rush at the defensive end position.

by ski on Apr 18, 2006 8:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe

I'm not saying they won't take Lawson. They might. It's just not how they've conducted business in the past. That's all.

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by BigBlueShoe on Apr 18, 2006 8:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I have no idea what will happen to White

but teams are still having him come in to visit, so there could still be interest.

McGahee destroyed both knees and was picked in the third. White just has a hamstring pull. He won't need as long as McGahee to recover.

You are quitting because of one pick? Let it ride, see what happens.

by WCG on Apr 18, 2006 7:24 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

McGahee

was picked in the late first round with the 21st pick by Buffalo. Nobody thought Buffalo would take him because they had Travis Henry.

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by BigBlueShoe on Apr 18, 2006 12:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

You are correct sir...

Now I just have to figure out who it was I was thinking of. Ahh...I was thinking of Maurice Clarrett(sp).

by WCG on Apr 18, 2006 1:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

McGahee was a different story...

Travis Henry is not Carnell Williams. The, what. #3 overall draft pick LAST YEAR!

Not happening.

by Chad on Apr 18, 2006 1:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Really?

In 2003, Travis Henry (in his 3rd NFL season) ran for 1,356 yards and 10 TDs for Buffalo. The Bills then promptly drafted McGahee after that season.

In 2005, Carnell Williams ran for 1178 tards and 6 TDs for the Bucs.

Explain to me again Henry is a "different story" than Williams?

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by BigBlueShoe on Apr 18, 2006 2:15 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

They wanted a 3rd round pick...

The Bills saw a bigger upside to Willis than Travis Henry. They then traded Henry for a third round pick. Cadillac was the #5 pick over all (Henry a second rounder). You don't go out and pick the same position the next year unless you want to admit utter failure.

No way

No how

by Chad on Apr 18, 2006 3:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

How is drafting LenDale

admitting failure? Do you honestly think anyone in TB's personnel department gives a rat's butt what draft experts think? You take the best player available that fits your team. White fits what Gruden likes to do offensively.

Will TB pick him? Probably not, but no one expected Buffalo to take McGahee. No one expected Detroit to take Harrington at #3 in 2002.

Anything can happen.

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by BigBlueShoe on Apr 18, 2006 4:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs