Sidney Rice At Pick 30 Is Not A Reach

[underoath]

Sidney Rice At Pick 30 Is Not A Reach (http://bolthype.blogspot.com/2007/04/sidney-rice-at-pick-30-is-not-reach.html)

Assuming the Chargers stay put at pick number 30 in 2007 NFL Draft, what position would have the best available players?

Defensive End is a deep position, with about five players that could be taken in round one. Safeties are also pretty deep, with four first round prospects. Up to five Linebackers have a chance to sneak into the first round as well. The Cornerback position could be a wildcard however; there are about five corners who carry first round grades, and the Chargers will need to eventually get another good corner on the roster. But clearly the position that would have the most talented players available in the first round would be Wide Receiver, with as many as six prospects with first round grades.

Ranking those five positions in terms of need, Wide Receiver and Safety would clearly be atop the Chargers 'needs list'. While depth at Defensive End and both Linebacker spots is certainly desirable, the need isn't great enough to justify passing on an available Wideout or Safety. As said, the Cornerback position has a chance to be addressed in the first round, and it wouldn't shock me to see AJ Smith pull the trigger on a talented corner who slipped to pick 30.

Now, with so much talent available, and each team's needs varying from one club to the next, there will undoubtedly a talented player who slips.

On the Wide Receiver front, there is such a disparity between Calvin Johnson and all the other first round Wideouts in terms of overall package. Somebody will fall and the Chargers will pounce.

Same can be said for Safeties; Landry and Nelson are clear cut first rounders, but Micheal Griffin or Brandon Meriwether could be available at 30. The Chargers could address the need at Safety with this pick.

Making a case for Sidney Rice
http://www.draftinsiders.com/system/files/images/Sidney_Rice.jpg (http://www.draftinsiders.com/system/files/images/Sidney_Rice.jpg)

In recent weeks, Sidney Rice's stock has slipped. He canceled his 40 yard sprint during his Pro Day when it seemed he wasn't going to be at his best. While his agent told the scouts that the field conditions were bad, the NFL scouts were pretty pissed off nonetheless. Using his times from the Combine 40 yard dash he was clocked in the 4.5 range. This isn't slow by any means, but it clearly didn't help elevate his stock.

Mock Drafts are now slotting Rice as a high second round choice - a player who won't get past the Vikings or the 49ers.

Would taking a player at pick 30 who others feel will fall to the top of the second round be considered a reach? Of course not.

See, Sidney Rice is a very young player who wont turn 21 until a few days before Week 1 of the 2007 NFL Regular Season.

Rice is admittedly still raw, having only played for two seasons at South Carolina. But in those two seasons he lit it up in Steve Spurrier's offense:

70+ catches, 1000+ yards, and 10+ touchdowns in back to back seasons.

Another season like those and we are talking about a top 10 pick in the 2008 draft. Keep in mind he played in the SEC, widely considered the top conference in the nation. Sidney Rice faced some serious competition and some extremely good defenses the past two years and still managed some monster numbers.

At 6'4" and 200lbs, he has a 39.5" vertical jump and a 9'11" broad jump. Those are extremely good leaping and explosion indicators. His 1.47 10 yard dash is extremely fast and show he can get out of the blocks quickly.

Some may question Rice's lack of bulk. This is a minor issue in my mind. There is no question he will add mass in the NFL, and his frame is no where near maxed out. Looking at Dwayne Bowe, he clearly doesn't have room to get much bigger. Rice, on the other hand, has heaps of talent and has the room to get bigger, stronger, and faster.

There are scouts who consider Rice the most sure-handed pass catcher in the entire draft, even ahead of the highly touted Calvin Johnson. As said before, Rice could have been a top 10 pick if he waited one more season before declaring.

The Chargers should take Rice if he was available at pick 30. The love players from the SEC, and that is a conference in which Rice was as dominant as any offensive player.

Rice can make the acrobatic catch like few in this draft can. He can snatch the ball out of the air away from about any cornerback in the NFL. He is both a deep threat as well as a red zone terror. Yes he will take a year or two before he really breaks out, but with Gates and Jackson likely catching most of the available balls, he will have time to develop into the star he is capable of being.

Philip Rivers needs reliable, young targets in which he can grow with. Sidney Rice and Philip Rivers have the potential to play in many Pro Bowls together and would make for an excellent addition to a starved receiving corp.

Don't believe me? Go watch these highlight videos and get back to me (http://www.youtube.com/results.php?search_query=sidney+rice).

[LTfan4life]

Product of the same system Reche came out of. I'll pass.

[underoath]

Product of the same system Reche came out of. I'll pass.

thats gotta be the weakest argument ever.

thanks for the insight.

[LTfan4life]

thats gotta be the weakest argument ever.

thanks for the insight.

Heh...I'm not saying he'll for sure be a bust like past Florida WRs that played under Spurrier, but its just that history that I would consider if I was drafting a WR. He's been impressive but its just that fact. If we had a mid round pick in the second, or even if he somehow lasted to our second rounder, I'd risk it, but I'm iffy on Spurrier offensive products (namely QBs and WRs).

[underoath]

Heh...I'm not saying he'll for sure be a bust like past Florida WRs that played under Spurrier, but its just that history that I would consider if I was drafting a WR. He's been impressive but its just that fact. If we had a mid round pick in the second, or even if he somehow lasted to our second rounder, I'd risk it, but I'm iffy on Spurrier offensive products (namely QBs and WRs).

in that case, if you were GM im pretty sure you wouldn't have hired Norv Turner as head coach :eek:

[bolts4ever21]

Being at pick 30, we are going to have to wait. If someone was projected higher falls to us. I assume that is someone we will probably take.

I still hold out for the ultimate day dream and think we pull off a major trade to get Calvin Johnson. But once again, it is only a dream!!!

And I don't think AJ does, can even be considered a reach. Considering his track record!!!

[Boltman19]

I haven't seen enough of him to judge. I certainly won't base a player just off a 40 time.

Watching South Carolina games are boring in general.

[Chargers_Saints]

Um, no, he's slow...

[ChargerCohen]

I love Sidney Rice, but I have a sneaking suspicion he'll be available for our second pick. Too many guys are gaining ground and passing him (Smith, Gonzalez, Davis, Allison) that he's going to slide.

Maybe. Hell I don't know but it wouldn't surprise me. A draft that went (safety--Griffin or Rouse) and then Rice would make me very happy.

I don't think Rouse is a reach up there, the guy is a menace. He's also an athletic freak just like AJ likes at 6'4 223, 4.39.

"Aaron Rouse’s physical presence is almost unnatural. Based on his size and speed alone many projected Rouse as a late first rounder before the beginning of the 2006 season. Some NFL scouts dubbed him as “the best player that you’ve never heard of.”

http://football.about.com/od/playerprofiles/p/aaronrouse.htm

[LTfan4life]

in that case, if you were GM im pretty sure you wouldn't have hired Norv Turner as head coach :eek:

Correct. Rex Ryan.

[Colsrob]

Fair or not, im another in line of thought that I dont like the idea of a Spurrier reciever. Spurrier runs that "fun and gun" and it doesnt seem to translate well into the pros. Granted its not fair to the recievers to carry that label, but until the proof turns for the better, they will be stuck with it.

His game production numbers are terrific and thats a plus. Another plus I will give him is the fact that he is only a Sophmore and put up those great stats as a freshman too. That says a lot about him being able to adjust to a new game speed...HS vs College..College vs Pro? If he can do the same in the big leagues, I wouldnt mind.

Its ironic that you listed him as a possible 1st rd pick and him possibly being a reach to some. The Scott Wright mock draft has us selecting Gonzo(seen him interview that he had a lengthy meeting with SD scouts/AJ) from Ohio St. He says that he is getting interest as a possible low 1st selection. He has Rice going to SF at the 42nd pick. Wright also has us taking Gonzo, which would be ahead of Bowe and Jarrett.

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/sub/mockdraft.html

Just some different insight.

[Rip]

Product of the same system Reche came out of. I'll pass.

Thats also the same system Darrell Jackson came from, i dont know about you, but i wouldnt mind having jackson here.

Also, it obvious you have never watched Rice play if you think he is the same as a reche caldwell or Travis Taylor.
Rice has the best HANDS in this draft, the guy catches everything even remotely close to him, and that is something we need on this team, even more than we need speed. Rice is going to be a GREAT, not good, GREAT player in the NFL and would be perfect for our #2 spot opposite VJ.

Just think of the mismatches our offense would have against all these teams with small DBs, i mean how many teams could line up successfully against a line up that included

6'5 241lbs Vincent Jackson (4.45)
6'4 205lbs Sidney Rice (4.51)
6'5 225lbs Malcolm Floyd (4.5)
6'5 265lbs Antonio gates (4.6?)

No team would be able to stop it, especially in the redzone :LightsOut:

[Gobolts1]

Sidney Rice will be one of the best WR's taken in nthis draft whether he's taken at #30 by us or in the top of the second round.
He would be our best WR as soon as he was comfortable with our system.

He put up numbers in two years that Bowe needed 4 years to break.

A,J, likes guys that were productive in College. Sidney Rice was better than all the guys above him as far as being productive,
He was a star as a freshman and he was awesome last year.

4.5 slow? hardly. Jerry Rice ran 4.6 and he turned out OK.
Some people here put too much into forty times. Straight line speed and game speed are two different things.

Gonzalez, Allison ,Smith? Give me a break. These guys shouldn't even be considered any where near as talented as Rice.

So what if he didn't run at his pro day. The guy gets open and catches everything thrown to him.

If we pass him up for a guy like Gonzalez that will be similar to making a Sammy Davis pick all over again.

['61 SCARGO]

A draft that went (safety--Griffin or Rouse) and then Rice would make me very happy.

I don't think Rouse is a reach up there, the guy is a menace. He's also an athletic freak just like AJ likes at 6'4 223, 4.39.

"Aaron Rouse’s physical presence is almost unnatural. Based on his size and speed alone many projected Rouse as a late first rounder before the beginning of the 2006 season. Some NFL scouts dubbed him as “the best player that you’ve never heard of.”

A draft that went...
#12 - Nelson (Marv's gonna bend over for AJ :rolleyes:)
#30 - Ginn, Meacham, Bowe or Rice
#62 - Rouse
...would make me very happy!


Check out Rouse's video:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=hPhQ1LfRsdU

[jcferrari]

Pos:
Athletic strong-safety prospect with terrific size/speed numbers. Fierce defending the run, has a burst of closing speed and aggressively takes on ball carriers. Shows range in centerfield, plays with good explosion and a large degree of suddenness. Quickly locates the ball in the air, has a nice move to the ball and adjusts or gets vertical to defend the pass.
Neg:
Played poorly as a senior. Did not show a decisive move to the throw, was late arriving on the scene in coverage and generally got caught out of position. Inefficient, and does not take the best angles to the action.

[underoath]

It wouldn't surprise me to see AJ draft more than one receiver this year.

Maybe one guy for kick return/depth and one guy who is more of a starter

[LVSupercharged]

I like Rouse, but I think I want a ball hawking FS, and then move McCree back to SS. As for Rice, we don't need ANOTHER big tall redzone threat. We have VJ, Floyd, Gates, Osgood... how many big tall redzone threats do you want? IMO, We need a speedster to open up the middle of the field. To keep the safety's honest.

[Chargeroo]

Sidney Rice At Pick 30 Is Not A Reach (http://bolthype.blogspot.com/2007/04/sidney-rice-at-pick-30-is-not-reach.html)

Assuming the Chargers stay put at pick number 30 in 2007 NFL Draft, what position would have the best available players?

Defensive End is a deep position, with about five players that could be taken in round one. Safeties are also pretty deep, with four first round prospects. Up to five Linebackers have a chance to sneak into the first round as well. The Cornerback position could be a wildcard however; there are about five corners who carry first round grades, and the Chargers will need to eventually get another good corner on the roster. But clearly the position that would have the most talented players available in the first round would be Wide Receiver, with as many as six prospects with first round grades.

Ranking those five positions in terms of need, Wide Receiver and Safety would clearly be atop the Chargers 'needs list'. While depth at Defensive End and both Linebacker spots is certainly desirable, the need isn't great enough to justify passing on an available Wideout or Safety. As said, the Cornerback position has a chance to be addressed in the first round, and it wouldn't shock me to see AJ Smith pull the trigger on a talented corner who slipped to pick 30.

Now, with so much talent available, and each team's needs varying from one club to the next, there will undoubtedly a talented player who slips.

On the Wide Receiver front, there is such a disparity between Calvin Johnson and all the other first round Wideouts in terms of overall package. Somebody will fall and the Chargers will pounce.

Same can be said for Safeties; Landry and Nelson are clear cut first rounders, but Micheal Griffin or Brandon Meriwether could be available at 30. The Chargers could address the need at Safety with this pick.

Making a case for Sidney Rice In recent weeks, Sidney Rice's stock has slipped. He canceled his 40 yard sprint during his Pro Day when it seemed he wasn't going to be at his best. While his agent told the scouts that the field conditions were bad, the NFL scouts were pretty pissed off nonetheless. Using his times from the Combine 40 yard dash he was clocked in the 4.5 range. This isn't slow by any means, but it clearly didn't help elevate his stock.

Mock Drafts are now slotting Rice as a high second round choice - a player who won't get past the Vikings or the 49ers.

Would taking a player at pick 30 who others feel will fall to the top of the second round be considered a reach? Of course not.

See, Sidney Rice is a very young player who wont turn 21 until a few days before Week 1 of the 2007 NFL Regular Season.

Rice is admittedly still raw, having only played for two seasons at South Carolina. But in those two seasons he lit it up in Steve Spurrier's offense:

70+ catches, 1000+ yards, and 10+ touchdowns in back to back seasons.

Another season like those and we are talking about a top 10 pick in the 2008 draft. Keep in mind he played in the SEC, widely considered the top conference in the nation. Sidney Rice faced some serious competition and some extremely good defenses the past two years and still managed some monster numbers.

At 6'4" and 200lbs, he has a 39.5" vertical jump and a 9'11" broad jump. Those are extremely good leaping and explosion indicators. His 1.47 10 yard dash is extremely fast and show he can get out of the blocks quickly.

Some may question Rice's lack of bulk. This is a minor issue in my mind. There is no question he will add mass in the NFL, and his frame is no where near maxed out. Looking at Dwayne Bowe, he clearly doesn't have room to get much bigger. Rice, on the other hand, has heaps of talent and has the room to get bigger, stronger, and faster.

There are scouts who consider Rice the most sure-handed pass catcher in the entire draft, even ahead of the highly touted Calvin Johnson. As said before, Rice could have been a top 10 pick if he waited one more season before declaring.

The Chargers should take Rice if he was available at pick 30. The love players from the SEC, and that is a conference in which Rice was as dominant as any offensive player.

Rice can make the acrobatic catch like few in this draft can. He can snatch the ball out of the air away from about any cornerback in the NFL. He is both a deep threat as well as a red zone terror. Yes he will take a year or two before he really breaks out, but with Gates and Jackson likely catching most of the available balls, he will have time to develop into the star he is capable of being.

Philip Rivers needs reliable, young targets in which he can grow with. Sidney Rice and Philip Rivers have the potential to play in many Pro Bowls together and would make for an excellent addition to a starved receiving corp.

Don't believe me? Go watch these highlight videos and get back to me (http://www.youtube.com/results.php?search_query=sidney+rice). Sound the trumpets, for once I agree with you.

I like Gattis too.

[underoath]

I like Rouse, but I think I want a ball hawking FS, and then move McCree back to SS. As for Rice, we don't need ANOTHER big tall redzone threat. We have VJ, Floyd, Gates, Osgood... how many big tall redzone threats do you want? IMO, We need a speedster to open up the middle of the field. To keep the safety's honest.

the middle of the field is where Gates has roamed the past few years. he is constantly facing double teams because the safety has no reason to help on the sidelines because our WRs have been lack luster.

you draw the safety to the outside and gates beats the linebacker every time.

[charger1_sj]

the middle of the field is where Gates has roamed the past few years. he is constantly facing double teams because the safety has no reason to help on the sidelines because our WRs have been lack luster.

you draw the safety to the outside and gates beats the linebacker every time.

But Rice is not the speedster that would draw the safety out of his position. Ginn and Meachum are better fitted for that role. The argument against Rice is similar to that of Bowe, namely we already have Floyd and VJ who are big strong recievers. We need a guy that can get seperation, a speedster or shifty guy.

[underoath]

But Rice is not the speedster that would draw the safety out of his position. Ginn and Meachum are better fitted for that role. The argument against Rice is similar to that of Bowe, namely we already have Floyd and VJ who are big strong recievers. We need a guy that can get seperation, a speedster or shifty guy.

no but with McCardell and Parker, they weren't over powering anyone and they certainly didn't tower over DBs. one push and they were essentially done; tackled or pushed out of bounds. you never saw much YAC from these guys after breaking tackles.

a guy like rice is tall just standing, then add in his extremely long arms, and excellent vertical jump and he can catch the ball over anyone. the safety will need to help clean up the play because the corner will stand no chance to a perfectly thrown pass.

[LVSupercharged]

the middle of the field is where Gates has roamed the past few years. he is constantly facing double teams because the safety has no reason to help on the sidelines because our WRs have been lack luster.

you draw the safety to the outside and gates beats the linebacker every time.

I disagree. I feel the safetys cheat on Gates because we have no deep threat for them to worry about. You think the safety is going to go over and double team Rice?

[LVSupercharged]

no but with McCardell and Parker, they weren't over powering anyone and they certainly didn't tower over DBs. one push and they were essentially done; tackled or pushed out of bounds. you never saw much YAC from these guys after breaking tackles.

a guy like rice is tall just standing, then add in his extremely long arms, and excellent vertical jump and he can catch the ball over anyone. the safety will need to help clean up the play because the corner will stand no chance to a perfectly thrown pass.

McCardell and Parker are not VJ and Floyd.

[underoath]

I disagree. I feel the safetys cheat on Gates because we have no deep threat for them to worry about. You think the safety is going to go over and double team Rice?

not Rice specifically per se, im saying we need quality WRs and all we have right now really is Jackson. We need to get at LEAST one more and AJ knows this.

[SanDiegoRon]

... a guy like rice is tall just standing, then add in his extremely long arms, and excellent vertical jump and he can catch the ball over anyone. ...

I know one guy he can't out-jump-ball.... ask Will Herring about that... roll the tape on the Auburn game...

[LVSupercharged]

not Rice specifically per se, im saying we need quality WRs and all we have right now really is Jackson. We need to get at LEAST one more and AJ knows this.

I agree... I just don't think we need to use our first pick there. Nor our second. The DB's have been our achilles heel for some time now. I know it is a reach for Meriweather because of his character, but boy would I love to land this guy at 30. I wouldn't be upset if all of our first day picks were on D.

[charger1_sj]

no but with McCardell and Parker, they weren't over powering anyone and they certainly didn't tower over DBs. one push and they were essentially done; tackled or pushed out of bounds. you never saw much YAC from these guys after breaking tackles.

a guy like rice is tall just standing, then add in his extremely long arms, and excellent vertical jump and he can catch the ball over anyone. the safety will need to help clean up the play because the corner will stand no chance to a perfectly thrown pass.

The problem is your describing VJ and Floyd. Nothing wrong with it but we need the speedster to grab the safeties attention. Take a look at the last Raiders game for example. We really struggled with our passing game because our wide outs don't get seperation fast enough. Sure you can throw it up for VJ and sometimes it works great. But if the other team has great corners and they blitz with the LB's we struggle. We had similar problems against the Pats. We did drop passes but its not like we were running by guys wide open either. Give Rivers some different ammo not more of the same. That's the argument here.

[Chargeroo]

But Rice is not the speedster that would draw the safety out of his position. Ginn and Meachum are better fitted for that role. The argument against Rice is similar to that of Bowe, namely we already have Floyd and VJ who are big strong recievers. We need a guy that can get seperation, a speedster or shifty guy. I agree and in fact I've used that same argument in regards to other tall WR's, but Rice seems to play faster than his forty time. If you saw him play, you no doubt saw him get deep on people. Something tells me he's going to be very good in a couple of years.

[underoath]

I know one guy he can't out-jump-ball.... ask Will Herring about that... roll the tape on the Auburn game...

LOL ...true. but Rice wont have to worry about him in the NFL because herring will polly be a LB :LightsOut:

[LVSupercharged]

The problem is your describing VJ and Floyd. Nothing wrong with it but we need the speedster to grab the safeties attention. Take a look at the last Raiders game for example. We really struggled with our passing game because our wide outs don't get seperation fast enough. Sure you can throw it up for VJ and sometimes it works great. But if the other team has great corners and they blitz with the LB's we struggle. We had similar problems against the Pats. We did drop passes but its not like we were running by guys wide open either. Give Rivers some different ammo not more of the same. That's the argument here.

well said... I agree.

[charger1_sj]

I agree and in fact I've used that same argument in regards to other tall WR's, but Rice seems to play faster than his forty time. If you saw him play, you no doubt saw him get deep on people. Something tells me he's going to be very good in a couple of years.

Let say I buy your argument that Rice could be the guy. But if given the choice would you take Rice or Meachum?

[Pot Roast]

Product of the same system Reche came out of. I'll pass.

Sidney Rice At Pick 30 Is Not A Reach (http://bolthype.blogspot.com/2007/04/sidney-rice-at-pick-30-is-not-reach.html), Its A Waste.

[underoath]

The problem is your describing VJ and Floyd. Nothing wrong with it but we need the speedster to grab the safeties attention. Take a look at the last Raiders game for example. We really struggled with our passing game because our wide outs don't get seperation fast enough. Sure you can throw it up for VJ and sometimes it works great. But if the other team has great corners and they blitz with the LB's we struggle. We had similar problems against the Pats. We did drop passes but its not like we were running by guys wide open either. Give Rivers some different ammo not more of the same. That's the argument here.

but we all saw the succes that Floyd was having before he got hurt. He was ready to break out. And Jackson was a beast down the stretch. Gates isnt the fastest TE by any means, but its all about body control and positioning and being about to get the yards after catch.

there is a reason we were one of the best redzone offenses and there is a reason that McCardell and Parker had zero TD catches last year. LT had a monster year and Gates and Jackson are far better options in that area than Parker and McCardell were.

[underoath]

Sidney Rice At Pick 30 Is Not A Reach (http://bolthype.blogspot.com/2007/04/sidney-rice-at-pick-30-is-not-reach.html), Its A Waste.

another strong argument. I respect your opinion greatly pot roast. you clearly know the game.

/sarcasm

[Charger Dave]

I agree and in fact I've used that same argument in regards to other tall WR's, but Rice seems to play faster than his forty time. If you saw him play, you no doubt saw him get deep on people. Something tells me he's going to be very good in a couple of years.Which supports the idea that to draft him with the 30th pick would be a reach - but part of the reason a GM is willing to make a "reach" and appear take a player early to keep someone else from snagging him is finding a player that has the physical skills to become even better than a ______ (fill in the blank) pick given time and proper coaching at the next level...

AJ was accused of "reaching" for Vincent Jackson with the 61st pick a couple of years ago (2005 NFL draft, including yours truly) - where he was projected to be a late 3rd rounder by most of the 'spurts. Here was the rap on him:

Negatives: Bit of a long strider who has to build up speed in order to accelerate … Despite his size, he does not show aggression as a blocker and did not see him spend much time mirroring, shading and controlling defenders on contact … Has good plant-and-drive agility, but needs to do a better job of coming back for the ball … Must improve his route running, as he usually reverts to taking soft angle cuts … Gathers himself and gears down a bit when attempting to get in and out of his breaks … Decent returner at the level he played in, but must develop a quicker burst in order to be effective returning kicks in the pros.

Amazing what a couple of years with coach James Lofton did for him - now he is known among the best blocking WRs in the league and his speed/routes DEMAND respect.

I sure don't hear much criticism of AJ for "reaching" to take Jackson now.

[charger1_sj]

but we all saw the succes that Floyd was having before he got hurt. He was ready to break out. And Jackson was a beast down the stretch. Gates isnt the fastest TE by any means, but its all about body control and positioning and being about to get the yards after catch.

there is a reason we were one of the best redzone offenses and there is a reason that McCardell and Parker had zero TD catches last year. LT had a monster year and Gates and Jackson are far better options in that area than Parker and McCardell were.

I'm not arguing about the success of VJ or the merrits of Floyd in the red zone. In fact in the red zone we are killers, agreed. But we do have problems at wide receiver. If given time our receiver, Qb combo can kill you. But we really struggle against top notch CB's or when pressure is put on Rivers. The biggest problem as already stated is that Gates sees double coverage and our wide wide outs don't get open fast enough. VJ and Floyd are not the answer to that issue. We have been countering with short quick stuff to the outside or quick come back routes (Parker), but it doesn't move the safety away from Gates. We all agree that a receiver is needed. The issue is a fast shifty guy that can leave a CB flat footed or a huge big guy that can make the catch. We already have Floyd, VJ and Gates that fit the latter catagory. But Parker and McCardell didn't quite fit the second catagory. That's the gap we need to fill.

[SanDiegoRon]

LOL ...true. but Rice wont have to worry about him in the NFL because herring will polly be a LB :LightsOut:
he was/is an OLB... a damn fine SS "convertible" candidate tho... :D

[charger1_sj]

Which supports the idea that to draft him with the 30th pick would be a reach - but part of the reason a GM is willing to make a "reach" and appear take a player early to keep someone else from snagging him is finding a player that has the physical skills to become even better than a ______ (fill in the blank) pick given time and proper coaching at the next level...

AJ was accused of "reaching" for Vincent Jackson with the 61st pick a couple of years ago (2005 NFL draft, including yours truly) - where he was projected to be a late 3rd rounder by most of the 'spurts. Here was the rap on him:

Negatives: Bit of a long strider who has to build up speed in order to accelerate … Despite his size, he does not show aggression as a blocker and did not see him spend much time mirroring, shading and controlling defenders on contact … Has good plant-and-drive agility, but needs to do a better job of coming back for the ball … Must improve his route running, as he usually reverts to taking soft angle cuts … Gathers himself and gears down a bit when attempting to get in and out of his breaks … Decent returner at the level he played in, but must develop a quicker burst in order to be effective returning kicks in the pros.

Amazing what a couple of years with coach James Lofton did for him - now he is known among the best blocking WRs in the league and his speed/routes DEMAND respect.

I sure don't hear much criticism of AJ for "reaching" to take Jackson now.

Jackson was not a first round pick. Normally you don't reach with that pick. When AJ picked him the jury was split among the so called experts. Some saw it as genuis while others called it a reach. I'm sure you would hear similar comments if we did take Rice at #30.

[Charger Dave]

Jackson was not a first round pick. Normally you don't reach with that pick. When AJ picked him the jury was split among the so called experts. Some saw it as genuis while others called it a reach. I'm sure you would hear similar comments if we did take Rice at #30.Gee - I thought I pointed that out?:good: My only point was there are times when GMs will take a "reach" and later on the reasons become very clear.

Personally, in my book Rice will probably go in the last half of the 2nd round - but I've been wrong on every draft for the past couple of years. NO WAY did I have AJ taking a QB nor a Kicker last year and taking McNiell shows how little I really know when compared to our scouts/management.

For ME Bowe is the best fit with this "run first/block downfield" offense. All of our receivers, regardless of size, are very, very willing blockers first - its the way this offense has been built. Think about how long it took the staff to get rid of that former 1st rounder we got from SF in trade for Davis - was he even here 2 weeks? The kid couldn't block.

[Rip]

I agree... I just don't think we need to use our first pick there. Nor our second. The DB's have been our achilles heel for some time now. I know it is a reach for Meriweather because of his character, but boy would I love to land this guy at 30. I wouldn't be upset if all of our first day picks were on D.

DBs?
How many more 1st round DBs do we needs?

Jammer, Davis, Cromartie....
Not to mention 2 2nd used on Florence and Kiel

5 1st/2nd rounders used on DBs the past 4 years, THATS ENOUGH!
There are more areas to improve.

BTW, **** brandon meriweather, Why the hell would we replace one undersized, trouble making SS with another? Meriweather will be a waste of a pick and be another Pac(rain)man jones

[Rip]

But Rice is not the speedster that would draw the safety out of his position. Ginn and Meachum are better fitted for that role. The argument against Rice is similar to that of Bowe, namely we already have Floyd and VJ who are big strong recievers. We need a guy that can get seperation, a speedster or shifty guy.

You dont need a speedster to draw double teams. You just need a guy who is going to routenly beat his man for a big gain, and that is something Rice can do. There is more to playing WR then good straightline speed. Ill take quickness, route running and hands ANYDAY over speed, and at this point, rice is better at all of those than any WR on our team besides VJ

[Chargeroo]

We saw Jackson get deep on people several times last year. Sometimes it resulted in a TD, sometimes the pass wasn't quite where it should have been. Either way though, VJ has the combination of size and speed that commands respect. Everyone keeps saying "we need someone with speed" but I think VJ has that speed that we've been missing. He'll be a full time player this season so that speed of his will start making a change in how people defend us. Would Meachem or Bowe be better for us? Probably, but Rice is a lot more likely to still be on the board at #30. Actually, I'm still hoping Griffin will be there at #30 but if he's not, a WR like Rice would be a decent pick.

[charger1_sj]

Gee - I thought I pointed that out?:good: My only point was there are times when GMs will take a "reach" and later on the reasons become very clear.

Personally, in my book Rice will probably go in the last half of the 2nd round - but I've been wrong on every draft for the past couple of years. NO WAY did I have AJ taking a QB nor a Kicker last year and taking McNiell shows how little I really know when compared to our scouts/management.

For ME Bowe is the best fit with this "run first/block downfield" offense. All of our receivers, regardless of size, are very, very willing blockers first - its the way this offense has been built. Think about how long it took the staff to get rid of that former 1st rounder we got from SF in trade for Davis - was he even here 2 weeks? The kid couldn't block.

For the Chargers a blocking receiver is not what I would look for first. But then again I'm not Norv or AJ. The receiver from the 49ers you refer to was horrible. The press up here in the Bay Area was estatic to get S. Davis and they knew his history. Blocking may have been a problem for him but so was getting open and catching the football.

[underoath]

The reason I was bring up the 'reach' issue is that its likely only one or two WRs with first round grades are available at pick 30.

I have a feeling Rice will be there and guys like Ginn and Bowe are projected to go higher than 30.

So if it becomes a question of Jarrett or Rice at 30, or go with another position, I would have no problems snaggin Rice and I think no matter who is there, picking Rice would be a solid choice.

he is teeming with talent and potential, and I can see a very similar situation to 2001:

8 Chicago Bears - David Terrell
15 Washington Redskins - Rod Gardner
25 Philadelphia Eagles - Freddie Mitchell
30 Indianapolis Colts - Reggie Wayne
33 Cleveland - Quincy Morgan
36 Cincinnati - Chad Johnson
41 Green Bay - Robert Ferguson
52 Miami - Chris Chambers
As we can see, there 8 wideouts taken in the first two rounds, and clearly Reggie Wayne and Chad Johnson are the cream of the crop. Either one of those guys at pick 30 is hitting the jackpot. I like Chris Chambers as well, and he can be considered a steal at pick 52.

For whatever reasons, Wayne and Johnson both fell but there clearly are better than the whole class of WRs that year.

[LVSupercharged]

DBs?
How many more 1st round DBs do we needs?

Jammer, Davis, Cromartie....
Not to mention 2 2nd used on Florence and Kiel

5 1st/2nd rounders used on DBs the past 4 years, THATS ENOUGH!
There are more areas to improve.

BTW, **** brandon meriweather, Why the hell would we replace one undersized, trouble making SS with another? Meriweather will be a waste of a pick and be another Pac(rain)man jones

Why does it matter where we drafted in the past? Davis and Kiel are gone. Florence's contract ends at the end of the year. And like I said, our defensive backfield has been the achilles heel of our team. A tema can never can have too many DB's. What are the area's you see that we need to improve? The reason I like Meriweather is because he is a ball hawk who can cover. I agree there are character issues with Meriweather, but didn't Castillo have character issues as well? If he checks out with AJ, we could have the next Ed Reed!

[charger1_sj]

You dont need a speedster to draw double teams. You just need a guy who is going to routenly beat his man for a big gain, and that is something Rice can do. There is more to playing WR then good straightline speed. Ill take quickness, route running and hands ANYDAY over speed, and at this point, rice is better at all of those than any WR on our team besides VJ

I agree with your assessment of a receiver. It's getting open fast and making the catch that counts. But Rice has done this at the college level. His size, speed and route running seems to suggest a style not unlike Floyd. Projections indicate that Rice would go in the second round not first. Yet guys like Ginn and Meachum are projected in the first. My point, if Meachum is avaliable I take him before Rice. Not because Rice is any worse but because for the Chargers Meachum is a better fit. Both VJ and Floyd can beat you deep, but we need a guy that can get open fast and command the attention of the safety. I beg to differ with you but Rice doesn't appear to be that guy. He could turn out to be the next J. Rice you never know. But he looks more like VJ or Floyd. Not a bad thing but we already have two such receivers.

[cromart31]

I am sick of people saying a 4.5 is slow. It isn't slow!!! Yes, Meachem, Ginn and CJ are all faster, and you know what? They'll be off the board by 30th pick anyway. Even then, I'd rather have a receiver with great hands, such as Rice, than a guy who may run 40 yards 0.15 seconds faster but has worse hands.

And, while I can't defend Spurrier WRs and QBs too much, Darrell Jackson was a Spurrier product, and I sure wouldn't mind having him right now.

[Gobolts1]

Rice has the ability to be better than than any WR we have now by a long shot and I bet he will be too.
Jackson played against horrible competition and he was a man among boys in school. He's turned out decent so far.
Floyd was nothing in College and he played against weak competition too.

Parker.................. well, he's Parker no better than a #3 on most teams.

We need a WR who can stay healthy. I'm tired of the crappy players we keep parading out as WR's on this team over the years.

Sidney Rice played in the SEC against top notch competition and his two year numbers are awesome.
He's got the ability to be a Pro Bowl #1 WR in this league. He's not a reach if he's there at #30.

[ltomlinson16]

yeah sures hes talented enough to be a first rounder.. but then so are alot of other people. Based on need, only a few WRs will be taken. Its not a matter of first round talent as it is positional talent. Teams draft the best player at the position they need, and since there are without doubt 3 Wrs better than rice (4 in my opinion) and since maybe 3 or 4 wrs will be taken in the first round- rice is a reach.

[Pot Roast]

another strong argument. I respect your opinion greatly pot roast. you clearly know the game.

/sarcasm
Clearly.

Picking up a WR ,that only has been heard of because the NFL season is over and the media is pumping him ( see Bowe, Meecham , Rice, etc), in the first round is simply crazy.

Plus , we dont need one. We need a safety. 3rd Round is for WRs:
Like the guy Mike Walker from that off-florida school. why?
"Showing no ill effects from his 2005 knee injury, Walker caught 90 passes for 1,178 yards and seven touchdowns in his final season."

90 catches. thats a bunch. I dont care if he isnt playing against the same competition as other fools who had 40 catches. .. what that shows is the kid can catch unlike Osgood and our "clutch".

[Rip]

Why does it matter where we drafted in the past? Davis and Kiel are gone. Florence's contract ends at the end of the year. And like I said, our defensive backfield has been the achilles heel of our team. A tema can never can have too many DB's. What are the area's you see that we need to improve? The reason I like Meriweather is because he is a ball hawk who can cover. I agree there are character issues with Meriweather, but didn't Castillo have character issues as well? If he checks out with AJ, we could have the next Ed Reed!

It does matter, that is too many first rounders on one position, its time to fix the other areas and let these guys develop. Jammer and Florence really stepped it up last year and play great for the most part all season. With McCree behind them, and teaching them in the film room all week, they played with alot more aggression and broke on the ball perfected for most of the season. If Florence had better hands, he would of hand 10 INTs last year, and a couple for TDs. They were almost always in perfect postition. All that and i didnt even mention our #1 from last year who is waiting in the wings.

Corner is not a need!
SS yes, but unless we get one of the top 3 S (Landry/Nelson/Griffin) to fall to us in the 1st, i dont think we should reach for one

As for Meriweather, there is NOTHING, and i do mean nothing, that anyone can say to change my mind about him. We dont need another undersized, gun-toting, gangster wannabe in our secondary. If we even WASTE a 3rd rounder on him ill be upset

[charger1_sj]

In truth this draft is very deep for both safeties and receivers and we are going to get both. The fun part of it during the middle ages of the NFL is to try and figure things out. What else are we supposed to do during the dark age?

[dekkerbasser]

In truth this draft is very deep for both safeties and receivers and we are going to get both. The fun part of it during the middle ages of the NFL is to try and figure things out. What else are we supposed to do during the dark age?

Look for stupid stuff on youtube.

But in actuality, the draft is just around the corner. When thats over what are we going to talk about?!

[LVSupercharged]

It does matter, that is too many first rounders on one position, its time to fix the other areas and let these guys develop. Jammer and Florence really stepped it up last year and play great for the most part all season. With McCree behind them, and teaching them in the film room all week, they played with alot more aggression and broke on the ball perfected for most of the season. If Florence had better hands, he would of hand 10 INTs last year, and a couple for TDs. They were almost always in perfect postition. All that and i didnt even mention our #1 from last year who is waiting in the wings.

Corner is not a need!
SS yes, but unless we get one of the top 3 S (Landry/Nelson/Griffin) to fall to us in the 1st, i dont think we should reach for one

As for Meriweather, there is NOTHING, and i do mean nothing, that anyone can say to change my mind about him. We dont need another undersized, gun-toting, gangster wannabe in our secondary. If we even WASTE a 3rd rounder on him ill be upset

Fair enough. I don't want any thugs on the chargers either. I am sure AJ can change your mind tho!

[eightdogs]

I agree that Rice has a great ability to catch the pass, but from the vid I saw, he also can be caught from behind, My son, a pop warner player, saw the same video, and asked me if I thought the guy was slow. I thought so.

[charger1_sj]

It does matter, that is too many first rounders on one position, its time to fix the other areas and let these guys develop. Jammer and Florence really stepped it up last year and play great for the most part all season. With McCree behind them, and teaching them in the film room all week, they played with alot more aggression and broke on the ball perfected for most of the season. If Florence had better hands, he would of hand 10 INTs last year, and a couple for TDs. They were almost always in perfect postition. All that and i didnt even mention our #1 from last year who is waiting in the wings.

Corner is not a need!
SS yes, but unless we get one of the top 3 S (Landry/Nelson/Griffin) to fall to us in the 1st, i dont think we should reach for one

As for Meriweather, there is NOTHING, and i do mean nothing, that anyone can say to change my mind about him. We dont need another undersized, gun-toting, gangster wannabe in our secondary. If we even WASTE a 3rd rounder on him ill be upset

I don't know about the gun-toting gangster part but on talent alone Meriweather could turn out to be the best safety in this draft. With the likes of Nelson and Landry that's saying a lot. If his character issues are behind him I wouldn't mind him being a Charger, after all the NFL is not the girl scouts.

[charger1_sj]

Look for stupid stuff on youtube.

But in actuality, the draft is just around the corner. When thats over what are we going to talk about?!

The Michael Turner upcoming trade. :LightsOut:

[Rip]

I don't know about the gun-toting gangster part but on talent alone Meriweather could turn out to be the best safety in this draft. With the likes of Nelson and Landry that's saying a lot. If his character issues are behind him I wouldn't mind him being a Charger, after all the NFL is not the girl scouts.

To me, any guy that feels he HAS to carry a gun around everywhere he goes is a nutcase and not a guy i want on this team.

The guy will flush his career away like Rainman Jones before he ever gets a chance to "becoming the best safety in this class"

[dekkerbasser]

The Michael Turner upcoming trade. :LightsOut:

And the circle is complete. :Beer:

[TCUFAN5]

ok lets say LT was a head case in college.. would you have wanted him on your team?... then when he was drafted you were like NOOO.. then being in a correct enviroment he shaped up and wowed you like he does now.. what would you say then..

[charger1_sj]

To me, any guy that feels he HAS to carry a gun around everywhere he goes is a nutcase and not a guy i want on this team.

The guy will flush his career away like Rainman Jones before he ever gets a chance to "becoming the best safety in this class"

I'm not going to defend gun carrying it's also against my principles. But we don't all come from the same background and there are plenty of very bad areas around the country. I don't know this guy's background but I can pretty much guess. You do know that he was shot at when he pulled out his six shooter? Doesn't sound like the best of neighborhoods to me.
Anyway I don't know the guy and I'm not quick to judge him. His on field stomping exercise is worrysome, but then again looking at the video it was a pure riot going on. I trust AJ's first hand judgement over mine, so well have to wait and see.

[Da_Cha-gers]

I agree and in fact I've used that same argument in regards to other tall WR's, but Rice seems to play faster than his forty time. If you saw him play, you no doubt saw him get deep on people. Something tells me he's going to be very good in a couple of years.

First of all, thanks for that list of all the guys who have made visits to Chargers park - pre-draft :good: :) and Sidney Rice IS one of the names who has visited with the Chargers - so we know there's some interest.

I saw a few of his games and probably 2 yrs ago he was incredible in one, where he just dominated etc., he's got some skills which is pretty obvious, however, at his pro-day - he chose not to run, and try and improve on his 40 times from the combine, which were in the 4.5 range, and it's not unusual for guys to stand on their combine times when they do their pro-day workouts, provided they had respectible times, however, Sidney gave what I would consider a pretty questionable reason:

"I wasn't feeling the strength in my legs," Rice said. "They told me they didn't come here to watch me run the 40. So I just went ahead and did the 60-yard shuttle and the ball drills. I had to do the shuttle because I didn't do it at Indy. I had planned on doing the 40 but I wasn't feeling the power in my legs so I shut it down.

Link:
http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news?slug=rivals-112601&prov=rivals&type=lgns

On the same subject from NFLdraftscout:
Rice, whose times at the Combine ranged from 4.51 to 4.59, warmed up in preparation to run for scouts. However, a few alarmingly slow warm-up 40 later, the decision was made to not run in front of scouts. The dozens of scouts who attended the workout specifically to watch Rice run left angry and balked at the excuse used by his agent that the field conditions weren't up to par

Link:
http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/profile.php?pyid=56988

And this from Pat Kirwan @ NFL.com:
He has made some questionable decisions about performing for scouts and coaches in the past few weeks and now sits outside the first round looking in.

Link:
http://www.nfl.com/draft/story/10119448

As good of a talent as this guy may appear to be, the 2 differing "excuses" used by him (I wasn't feeling the power in my legs so I shut it down) and his agent (the field conditions weren't up to par) seem a little questionable, when all they had to say was: "i'll stand on the numbers I posted at the combine". This situation seems a little strange, and makes me wonder about his desire, heart and so forth, which isn't to take away from his "talent" but, in the NFL it usually takes more than talent to make it.

Besides Rice, Robert Meachem, Dwayne Bowe, Steve Smith, Jason Hill, Aundrae Allison, Johnie Lee Higgins, Mike Walker, Paul Williams, Jacoby Jones, Rhema McNight, Brandon Myles, Dallas Baker - as you know, have also made visits to SD.

It's interesting that a couple (2 or 3) of these guys are likely projected as 1st rounders, 2-4 likely 2nd rounders?, and a number of them (the rest/most) - who are likely projected somewhere below the 2nd round. I think this leaves the Chargers "options" wide open at WR.

Yesterday I saw/read something that said Jacoby Jones has been mentioned as high as the 2nd round, which surprised/shocked me, as I had seen previously later rounds mentioned. This could be the case also with Mike Walker who was thought to be around a 4th or lower rd selection.

It just may be that the 2nd tier guys aren't too far behind the 1st tier guys, and there may be quite a few WR's taken in the first 2 rounds. When the Chargers went to Cent Florida to see Mike Walker, I remember reading where someone said he compared favorably to 1st rd guys.

Bringing in 13 WR's for visits, and the number that they've been reported to have talked to, going all the way back to the Senior Bowl etc., it's pretty clear/obvious that their doing some extensive homework/due dilligence on WR's, and at least one will be selected in this draft (I hope 2 will be selected).

Thanks again Chargeroo for the great list (of players) you provided, who have visited the Chargers facility, which can be found in the "Semi Official Charger Super secret draft bunker 2007" thread.

Is it 9 days till draft day? ....... :Cheers:

Go Chargers!
:Helmet:

[charger1_sj]

First of all, thanks for that list of all the guys who have made visits to Chargers park - pre-draft :good: :) and Sidney Rice IS one of the names who has visited with the Chargers - so we know there's some interest.

I saw a few of his games and probably 2 yrs ago he was incredible in one, where he just dominated etc., he's got some skills which is pretty obvious, however, at his pro-day - he chose not to run, and try and improve on his 40 times from the combine, which were in the 4.5 range, and it's not unusual for guys to stand on their combine times when they do their pro-day workouts, provided they had respectible times, however, Sidney gave what I would consider a pretty questionable reason:

"I wasn't feeling the strength in my legs," Rice said. "They told me they didn't come here to watch me run the 40. So I just went ahead and did the 60-yard shuttle and the ball drills. I had to do the shuttle because I didn't do it at Indy. I had planned on doing the 40 but I wasn't feeling the power in my legs so I shut it down.

Link:
http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news?slug=rivals-112601&prov=rivals&type=lgns

On the same subject from NFLdraftscout:
Rice, whose times at the Combine ranged from 4.51 to 4.59, warmed up in preparation to run for scouts. However, a few alarmingly slow warm-up 40 later, the decision was made to not run in front of scouts. The dozens of scouts who attended the workout specifically to watch Rice run left angry and balked at the excuse used by his agent that the field conditions weren't up to par

Link:
http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/profile.php?pyid=56988

And this from Pat Kirwan @ NFL.com:
He has made some questionable decisions about performing for scouts and coaches in the past few weeks and now sits outside the first round looking in.

Link:
http://www.nfl.com/draft/story/10119448

As good of a talent as this guy may appear to be, the 2 differing "excuses" used by him (I wasn't feeling the power in my legs so I shut it down) and his agent (the field conditions weren't up to par) seem a little questionable, when all they had to say was: "i'll stand on the numbers I posted at the combine". This situation seems a little strange, and makes me wonder about his desire, heart and so forth, which isn't to take away from his "talent" but, in the NFL it usually takes more than talent to make it.

Besides Rice, Robert Meachem, Dwayne Bowe, Steve Smith, Jason Hill, Aundrae Allison, Johnie Lee Higgins, Mike Walker, Paul Williams, Jacoby Jones, Rhema McNight, Brandon Myles, Dallas Baker - as you know, have also made visits to SD.

It's interesting that a couple (2 or 3) of these guys are likely projected as 1st rounders, 2-4 likely 2nd rounders?, and a number of them (the rest/most) - who are likely projected somewhere below the 2nd round. I think this leaves the Chargers "options" wide open at WR.

Yesterday I saw/read something that said Jacoby Jones has been mentioned as high as the 2nd round, which surprised/shocked me, as I had seen previously later rounds mentioned. This could be the case also with Mike Walker who was thought to be around a 4th or lower rd selection.

It just may be that the 2nd tier guys aren't too far behind the 1st tier guys, and there may be quite a few WR's taken in the first 2 rounds. When the Chargers went to Cent Florida to see Mike Walker, I remember reading where someone said he compared favorably to 1st rd guys.

Bringing in 13 WR's for visits, and the number that they've been reported to have talked to, going all the way back to the Senior Bowl etc., it's pretty clear/obvious that their doing some extensive homework/due dilligence on WR's, and at least one will be selected in this draft (I hope 2 will be selected).

Thanks again Chargeroo for the great list (of players) you provided, who have visited the Chargers facility, which can be found in the "Semi Official Charger Super secret draft bunker 2007" thread.

Is it 9 days till draft day? ....... :Cheers:

Go Chargers!
:Helmet:

The super secret draft bunker is 109 pages long. Do you have a page number for Chargeroo's listing of players that visited with the Chargers?

[So-Cal-Charger]

Sidney Rice reminds be a lot of another reciever with that same last name aka Jerry Rice! They both have similar speed and great hands! Everyone thought Jerry Rice was too slow and he turned out to be the best reciever ever. Because he had great hands. If we take Rice I would not be dissapointed at all!!!

[charger1_sj]

Sidney Rice reminds be a lot of another reciever with that same last name aka Jerry Rice! They both have similar speed and great hands! Everyone thought Jerry Rice was too slow and he turned out to be the best reciever ever. Because he had great hands. If we take Rice I would not be dissapointed at all!!!

Jerry Rice had horrible hands coming out of college. He regularly dropped 2 passes a game with the 49ers. Jerry Rice was the best wide out ever because he could not be covered and what he did after the catch will probably never be duplicated. But his hands were not his best attribute. This Rice has hands but does he have the moves that Jerry had?

[Da_Cha-gers]

The super secret draft bunker is 109 pages long. Do you have a page number for Chargeroo's listing of players that visited with the Chargers?

Why yes I do - thanks for asking - Page 108, post #1076 ......

For your convienience I'll repost it here

This list brought to you by Chargeroo ;)

Players who have visited the Chargers facility - pre draft:

Levi Brown, OT 6
Robert Meachem, WR 16
Dwayne Bowe, WR 19
Reggie Nelson, FS 20
Paul Posluszny, OLB 22
Lawrence Timmons, OLB 23
Jon Beason, OLB 29
Steve Smith, WR 34
Ray McDonald, DE/OLB 35
Tony Ugoh, OT 36
Michael Griffin, SS 37
Justin Blalock, OT/OG 38
Brian Leanard, RB 44
LaMarr Woodley, DE /OLB 45
Sidney Rice, WR 53
Eric Wright, CB 55
Eric Weddle, SS 56
Jason Hill, WR 57
Victor Abiamiri, DE 59
Tony Hunt, RB 64
Josh Wilson, CB 67
Johnie Lee Higgins, WR 69
Aaron Rouse, SS 70
Kenny Irons, RB 71
Josh Gattis, FS 73
Quentin Moses, DE 74
James Marten, OT 77
A.J. Davis, CB 85
Aundrae Allison, WR 86

Stewart Bradley, OLB 103
Mike Walker, WR 110
Sabby Piscitelli, SS 114
Ryan Harris, OT 117
Paul Williams, WR 118
Quinn Pitcock, DT 119
Jacoby Jones, WR 120
H.B. Blades, ILB 122
Jay Moore, DE/OLB 128
Doug Datish OC/OG 129

Rhema McNight, WR134
Ryan McBean, DE 146
Kareem Brown, DT 151
John Wendling, FS 161
Brandon Myles, WR 165

David Patterson, DT 227
Anthony Waters, ILB 237
Dallas Baker, WR 255

[charger1_sj]

Why yes I do - thanks for asking - Page 108, post #1076 ......

For your convienience I'll repost it here

This list brought to you by Chargeroo ;)

Players who have visited the Chargers facility - pre draft:

Levi Brown, OT 6
Robert Meachem, WR 16
Dwayne Bowe, WR 19
Reggie Nelson, FS 20
Paul Posluszny, OLB 22
Lawrence Timmons, OLB 23
Jon Beason, OLB 29
Steve Smith, WR 34
Ray McDonald, DE/OLB 35
Tony Ugoh, OT 36
Michael Griffin, SS 37
Justin Blalock, OT/OG 38
Brian Leanard, RB 44
LaMarr Woodley, DE /OLB 45
Sidney Rice, WR 53
Eric Wright, CB 55
Eric Weddle, SS 56
Jason Hill, WR 57
Victor Abiamiri, DE 59
Tony Hunt, RB 64
Josh Wilson, CB 67
Johnie Lee Higgins, WR 69
Aaron Rouse, SS 70
Kenny Irons, RB 71
Josh Gattis, FS 73
Quentin Moses, DE 74
James Marten, OT 77
A.J. Davis, CB 85
Aundrae Allison, WR 86

Stewart Bradley, OLB 103
Mike Walker, WR 110
Sabby Piscitelli, SS 114
Ryan Harris, OT 117
Paul Williams, WR 118
Quinn Pitcock, DT 119
Jacoby Jones, WR 120
H.B. Blades, ILB 122
Jay Moore, DE/OLB 128
Doug Datish OC/OG 129

Rhema McNight, WR134
Ryan McBean, DE 146
Kareem Brown, DT 151
John Wendling, FS 161
Brandon Myles, WR 165

David Patterson, DT 227
Anthony Waters, ILB 237
Dallas Baker, WR 255j

Thanks a million.
:)

[Pot Roast]

my eyes might be playing tricks on me but Merriweather isnt on that list. Odd

[LVSupercharged]

my eyes might be playing tricks on me but Merriweather isnt on that list. Odd

Was cromartie on the list last year? You never know with AJ.

[Rip]

I'm not going to defend gun carrying it's also against my principles. But we don't all come from the same background and there are plenty of very bad areas around the country. I don't know this guy's background but I can pretty much guess. You do know that he was shot at when he pulled out his six shooter? Doesn't sound like the best of neighborhoods to me.
Anyway I don't know the guy and I'm not quick to judge him. His on field stomping exercise is worrysome, but then again looking at the video it was a pure riot going on. I trust AJ's first hand judgement over mine, so well have to wait and see.

The fact that he was shot at first is also a big red flag for me. Why was he in that situation? I mean i dont remember the last time i was jsut walking and someone tried to shoot me for no reason, and before you start saying i live in a different area, thats true, but i also work 7 days a week in a pretty bad area, and in the 9 years ive worked there, ive learned that most of the time, people arent just going to shoot for no reason. Sure the reason might be stupid, but they usually have a reason

Also, the fact that his first instinct when his friend got shot was to shoot back is pretty telling in itself. I dont know, but if i was walking and my friend got shot, im pretty sure the first thought going through my mind isnt going to be "Let me shoot at a car speeding away", im pretty sure im going to make sure my friend is ok and then try to get him some help and not just shoot crazily at a speeding car where the chance of hitting an inocent bystander far outweight the chances of hitting a speeding car

Pretty stupid if you ask me

[underoath]

Was cromartie on the list last year? You never know with AJ.

They were all at the Florida State pro day though

[charger1_sj]

The fact that he was shot at first is also a big red flag for me. Why was he in that situation? I mean i dont remember the last time i was jsut walking and someone tried to shoot me for no reason, and before you start saying i live in a different area, thats true, but i also work 7 days a week in a pretty bad area, and in the 9 years ive worked there, ive learned that most of the time, people arent just going to shoot for no reason. Sure the reason might be stupid, but they usually have a reason

Also, the fact that his first instinct when his friend got shot was to shoot back is pretty telling in itself. I dont know, but if i was walking and my friend got shot, im pretty sure the first thought going through my mind isnt going to be "Let me shoot at a car speeding away", im pretty sure im going to make sure my friend is ok and then try to get him some help and not just shoot crazily at a speeding car where the chance of hitting an inocent bystander far outweight the chances of hitting a speeding car

Pretty stupid if you ask me

He has not visited with the Chargers. Although you never know it doesn't seem like he is on the Charger radar so I think you can relax.

We don't know the circumstances and I'm not going to speculate or defend the man. There have been some pretty stupid moves on the part of other NFL players that have turned out to be OK. Some of those are currently Chargers. I wouldn't be so quick to condemn the guy. He has repented for his actions and we just have to see if it works out for him. I respect your opinion why you don't want him. I'm just not ready to condemn him without knowing him or all the facts.

[Chargeroo]

I agree that Rice has a great ability to catch the pass, but from the vid I saw, he also can be caught from behind, My son, a pop warner player, saw the same video, and asked me if I thought the guy was slow. I thought so. I've also seen LT get caught from behind - should we cut him? :)

In reality, there's probably only one guy in the league that can't get caught from behind. I don't know who that is but he's the fastest guy in the league.

[Rip]

Originally Posted by LVSupercharged
Was cromartie on the list last year? You never know with AJ.Yes, Cromartie was one of the first guys the chargers brought in for interviews and personal visits

[Rip]

:DI've also seen LT get caught from behind - should we cut him? :)

In reality, there's probably only one guy in the league that can't get caught from behind. I don't know who that is but he's the fastest guy in the league.
I think his name is devin hester :D

[Charger Dave]

:D
I think his name is devin hester :DI've heard some guy named Madden thinks that too! <runs> :D

[Da_Cha-gers]

Was cromartie on the list last year? You never know with AJ.

As I recall from last yr, BOTH Cromartie and McNeill were in for visits - along with a bunch of other guys. So far, it looks like there's been 47 guys, only some of them are considered the 1st or 2nd rounders, so you can kind of narrow down that list a little and exclude guys who are considered lower round guys to get an idea of who they might be interested in at the top of the draft. If I had a guess from looking at the list, it would be don't be surprised if it's not a WR or S, but could also be a LB/tweener, OLman.

The RB's I don't view as 1st rd guys, the CB's either, theres no QBs, TE's, K's (hehe), P's, on the list ..... just do a little process of elimination and seperate out the higher round guys from the lower round guys. You or me probably can't figure out who (maybe a lucky guess) they'll end up choosing - but there's a pretty good/strong probability it'll be from the guys that have been in for a visit.

Go Chargers!
:Helmet:

[Da_Cha-gers]

I've also seen LT get caught from behind - should we cut him? :)

In reality, there's probably only one guy in the league that can't get caught from behind. I don't know who that is but he's the fastest guy in the league.


That's funny!!! ..... thanks for the laugh! :D :D :D

[Chargeroo]

Going off of what I know I'm thinking AJ has no interest in Merriweather but we never know, AJ may have had him investigate and may have interviewed him and so on. I'll just put it this way, I'll be surprised if AJ picks him but I won't be upset because I'd feel certain that AJ had done the homework.

By the way, Cromartie was on last years list.

As for Rice and his decision not to run the forty, I guess it could be that he's slow as a turtle and knows it or it could be that he read all the negative stuff about the 40 that Ginn ran while still recovering and thought better of it. I wonder if AJ has these people with questionable times run a forty at Chargers Park? I bet I would if it was me. I'll say this, if Rice is really a 4.59, I sure wouldn't use a first round pick on him. However, guys that are a bit slow have been known to do very well in the league because good moves and great hands can overcome the lack of speed.

[gzubeck]

Clearly.

Picking up a WR ,that only has been heard of because the NFL season is over and the media is pumping him ( see Bowe, Meecham , Rice, etc), in the first round is simply crazy.

Plus , we dont need one. We need a safety. 3rd Round is for WRs:
Like the guy Mike Walker from that off-florida school. why?
"Showing no ill effects from his 2005 knee injury, Walker caught 90 passes for 1,178 yards and seven touchdowns in his final season."

90 catches. thats a bunch. I dont care if he isnt playing against the same competition as other fools who had 40 catches. .. what that shows is the kid can catch unlike Osgood and our "clutch".

I was looking at the receivers 40 times and they have walker at 4.35...

[LVSupercharged]

I stand corrected. For some reason I thought he didn't come in, but I just found this

On his visit to San Diego before being drafted:
“That was very exciting. I got to talk to Coach (Brian) Stewart a lot. We sat around and talked about football and just life in general. That was one of the best visits I probably took because we got to know each other a little more while I was out there in San Diego.”

[Tomlinson21]

Sidney Rice At Pick 30 Is Not A Reach (http://bolthype.blogspot.com/2007/04/sidney-rice-at-pick-30-is-not-reach.html)

Assuming the Chargers stay put at pick number 30 in 2007 NFL Draft, what position would have the best available players?

Defensive End is a deep position, with about five players that could be taken in round one. Safeties are also pretty deep, with four first round prospects. Up to five Linebackers have a chance to sneak into the first round as well. The Cornerback position could be a wildcard however; there are about five corners who carry first round grades, and the Chargers will need to eventually get another good corner on the roster. But clearly the position that would have the most talented players available in the first round would be Wide Receiver, with as many as six prospects with first round grades.

Ranking those five positions in terms of need, Wide Receiver and Safety would clearly be atop the Chargers 'needs list'. While depth at Defensive End and both Linebacker spots is certainly desirable, the need isn't great enough to justify passing on an available Wideout or Safety. As said, the Cornerback position has a chance to be addressed in the first round, and it wouldn't shock me to see AJ Smith pull the trigger on a talented corner who slipped to pick 30.

Now, with so much talent available, and each team's needs varying from one club to the next, there will undoubtedly a talented player who slips.

On the Wide Receiver front, there is such a disparity between Calvin Johnson and all the other first round Wideouts in terms of overall package. Somebody will fall and the Chargers will pounce.

Same can be said for Safeties; Landry and Nelson are clear cut first rounders, but Micheal Griffin or Brandon Meriwether could be available at 30. The Chargers could address the need at Safety with this pick.

Making a case for Sidney Rice
http://www.draftinsiders.com/system/files/images/Sidney_Rice.jpg (http://www.draftinsiders.com/system/files/images/Sidney_Rice.jpg)

In recent weeks, Sidney Rice's stock has slipped. He canceled his 40 yard sprint during his Pro Day when it seemed he wasn't going to be at his best. While his agent told the scouts that the field conditions were bad, the NFL scouts were pretty pissed off nonetheless. Using his times from the Combine 40 yard dash he was clocked in the 4.5 range. This isn't slow by any means, but it clearly didn't help elevate his stock.

Mock Drafts are now slotting Rice as a high second round choice - a player who won't get past the Vikings or the 49ers.

Would taking a player at pick 30 who others feel will fall to the top of the second round be considered a reach? Of course not.

See, Sidney Rice is a very young player who wont turn 21 until a few days before Week 1 of the 2007 NFL Regular Season.

Rice is admittedly still raw, having only played for two seasons at South Carolina. But in those two seasons he lit it up in Steve Spurrier's offense:

70+ catches, 1000+ yards, and 10+ touchdowns in back to back seasons.

Another season like those and we are talking about a top 10 pick in the 2008 draft. Keep in mind he played in the SEC, widely considered the top conference in the nation. Sidney Rice faced some serious competition and some extremely good defenses the past two years and still managed some monster numbers.

At 6'4" and 200lbs, he has a 39.5" vertical jump and a 9'11" broad jump. Those are extremely good leaping and explosion indicators. His 1.47 10 yard dash is extremely fast and show he can get out of the blocks quickly.

Some may question Rice's lack of bulk. This is a minor issue in my mind. There is no question he will add mass in the NFL, and his frame is no where near maxed out. Looking at Dwayne Bowe, he clearly doesn't have room to get much bigger. Rice, on the other hand, has heaps of talent and has the room to get bigger, stronger, and faster.

There are scouts who consider Rice the most sure-handed pass catcher in the entire draft, even ahead of the highly touted Calvin Johnson. As said before, Rice could have been a top 10 pick if he waited one more season before declaring.

The Chargers should take Rice if he was available at pick 30. The love players from the SEC, and that is a conference in which Rice was as dominant as any offensive player.

Rice can make the acrobatic catch like few in this draft can. He can snatch the ball out of the air away from about any cornerback in the NFL. He is both a deep threat as well as a red zone terror. Yes he will take a year or two before he really breaks out, but with Gates and Jackson likely catching most of the available balls, he will have time to develop into the star he is capable of being.

Philip Rivers needs reliable, young targets in which he can grow with. Sidney Rice and Philip Rivers have the potential to play in many Pro Bowls together and would make for an excellent addition to a starved receiving corp.

Don't believe me? Go watch these highlight videos and get back to me (http://www.youtube.com/results.php?search_query=sidney+rice).
I wouldn't mind if we took Sidney Rice at #30...I've seen glimpses of his game last year...missed a few sure handed catches in the redzone...but I like his speed and height he brings to the next level...may not be Meachem type speed...but speedy nonetheless....I think he is a very raw talent that can be coached by james lofton...

Bowe is another guy I got my eyes on at #30....I would go with either of the 2 quite honestly...

[Gobolts1]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/6705916

These guys will make GMs look good

Sidney Rice


There are people in the NFL who question Rice's ability to run routes. There are others who question his experience, since he played just two seasons in college. (Rice missed his freshman season due to injury and his decision to turn pro early was based on economic concerns for his mother).
However, if Rice stayed another season at South Carolina, we'd be talking about a potential top 10-15 pick in the 2008 draft.
Rice's play and his numbers for Steve Spurrier were eye-popping. Rice chalked up back-to-back seasons of over 70 catches and 1,000 receiving yards. The speedster had six 100-yard receiving games in 2005 and five in 2006.
And despite his pedestrian time in the 40 (4.51), I am still calling him a speedster. Rice's game-day ability to burn was impressive.
In talking at length to Rice on Wednesday, he says that his basketball background as a kid is a big part of his game as a receiver, being able to out-grapple corners.
Rice loved playing for Spurrier and says he learned a lot: "Good coaching and paying attention in meeting rooms. That's the only way to get on the field and produce in South Carolina. I feel blessed to have coaches like Coach Spurrier and Coach Spurrier Jr. I learned so much from them that will help me be an NFL player." The receiver has had very good meetings with the Chargers, Saints, Panthers and Patriots. Rice could be a steal for one of those teams, or a squad like the Niners or Chiefs in the second round.

[underoath]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/6705916

These guys will make GMs look good

Sidney Rice


There are people in the NFL who question Rice's ability to run routes. There are others who question his experience, since he played just two seasons in college. (Rice missed his freshman season due to injury and his decision to turn pro early was based on economic concerns for his mother).
However, if Rice stayed another season at South Carolina, we'd be talking about a potential top 10-15 pick in the 2008 draft.
Rice's play and his numbers for Steve Spurrier were eye-popping. Rice chalked up back-to-back seasons of over 70 catches and 1,000 receiving yards. The speedster had six 100-yard receiving games in 2005 and five in 2006.
And despite his pedestrian time in the 40 (4.51), I am still calling him a speedster. Rice's game-day ability to burn was impressive.
In talking at length to Rice on Wednesday, he says that his basketball background as a kid is a big part of his game as a receiver, being able to out-grapple corners.
Rice loved playing for Spurrier and says he learned a lot: "Good coaching and paying attention in meeting rooms. That's the only way to get on the field and produce in South Carolina. I feel blessed to have coaches like Coach Spurrier and Coach Spurrier Jr. I learned so much from them that will help me be an NFL player." The receiver has had very good meetings with the Chargers, Saints, Panthers and Patriots. Rice could be a steal for one of those teams, or a squad like the Niners or Chiefs in the second round.

sounds like my article, except he got to interview Sidney :mad:

Thanks for posting this! :Beer:

[Da_Cha-gers]

Going off of what I know I'm thinking AJ has no interest in Merriweather but we never know, AJ may have had him investigate and may have interviewed him and so on. I'll just put it this way, I'll be surprised if AJ picks him but I won't be upset because I'd feel certain that AJ had done the homework.

By the way, Cromartie was on last years list.

As for Rice and his decision not to run the forty, I guess it could be that he's slow as a turtle and knows it or it could be that he read all the negative stuff about the 40 that Ginn ran while still recovering and thought better of it. I wonder if AJ has these people with questionable times run a forty at Chargers Park? I bet I would if it was me. I'll say this, if Rice is really a 4.59, I sure wouldn't use a first round pick on him. However, guys that are a bit slow have been known to do very well in the league because good moves and great hands can overcome the lack of speed.

I believe he ran 2 - 40's at the combine in the 4.5 range (4.51/4.59), and I don't know exactly why he didn't just say he'll stand on his times from the combine, which is pretty acceptable, usually guys will want to re-run if they feel they can BETTER their time, but again, it's perfectly acceptable to decline to run at a pro-day "IF" they've already done so at the combine.

The part that bugs me about this isn't so much thinking that he's slow, it's more about giving 2 different excuses for not doing so, when it's perfectly acceptable to stand on the combine time.

"I wasn't feeling the strength in my legs," Rice said. I had planned on doing the 40 but I wasn't feeling the power in my legs so I shut it down. And the excuse used by his agent that the field conditions weren't up to par.

This is his audition in front of NFL folks, some of which flew in to see HIM, and it's a chance for him to make some $$$, and he says: "I wasn't feeling the strength in my legs" .... "I wasn't feeling the power in my legs - so I shut it down" ........ I wonder if it were Sunday, week 8, and we're only half way through the season, or maybe a little later - when some guys may hit the "rookie wall" - would he be able to go? or would he use a similar excuse?

I don't know whether it's him, or perhaps he's getting some bad advice from his agent, but again, Pat Kirwan pointed this out: "He has made some questionable decisions about performing for scouts and coaches in the past few weeks and now sits outside the first round looking in"

Now the Chargers have interviewed and I would guess worked him out, they were at the combine as well, and of course watched him play. "IF" they feel "comfortable" with using a 1st rd pick on him - I wouldn't mind, cause I know they've done their homework on him and all that. However, I do think this stuff sends up a little red flag on him, or is it his agent?, anyway, I can't say that I've heard the same type stuff about Meachem, Bowe, Steve Smith or any of the other WR's they brought in.

Any questions on links for the above quotes - please refer to post #62 of this thread.

I like the "group" of WR's that have been brought in, and feel pretty confident the 1 we'll land is among them (or maybe even 2 - which could be twice as nice).

Go Chargers!
:Helmet: