Skinsfan69 presents The Draft Philosophy Poll

I say both - take the best player on the board if you need him, otherwise, trade down.

Anyway, there is something about Johnson I don't like. I don't follow the ACC to the extent that you MD and VaTech guys on here do, but has anyone else noticed that Johnson seems to not show up for the biggest games?
I don't know about the regular season, but:
"In his final college game, the younger Johnson had nine catches for 186 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-35 loss to West Virginia in the Gator Bowl."
He did all that could be asked of him in that one.

I say both - take the best player on the board if you need him, otherwise, trade down.

this says it all. we definitely do not want another wide out

If this team is stupid enough to draft a WR then there really is no hope. They need to draft the best available at a position that needs help.

They are really one in the same. Some positions are always going to be more valuable than others. Depending on whether you have a need at a certain position, or a certain player is versatile, all of that is factored in to total value. You should select the best player on YOUR big board. Going into the draft trying to pick only at one position per round is a bad strategy because it limits you too much.

Wasn't Charles Rogers a can't miss? And Mike Williams? Troy Williamson? David Terrell fell all the way to Chicago in 2001, was that not a good pick?

For my money, it's downright stupid to take a WR in the top 10. BEST case scenario is you pick up a Larry Fitzgerald and actually get the value of where you picked. Most likely, you will get a decent player but you're give up a huge amount of value. So now, you already are giving up value in the hopes you get something, and there is STILL a chance the WR will completely bust.

If if there was no risk of busting at the WR position, its a losing proposition. The fact that top 10 WRs often bust, makes it downright idiotic to select one that high. No reward, only risk.

I went with Best Available. By that I'm assuming the player is an immediate starter who's "NFL ready". If this player, regardless of position, can step in due to unforeseen circumstances (injury, suspension, etc) then we would have made the right decision.

Having said that, I really hope Calvin Johnson does not fall to us, not because I don't think he's the best available but becaus that's the one position where we are really top loaded.

I say both - take the best player on the board if you need him, otherwise, trade down.

I think this is the best idea but let's not act like trading the pick is something we simply choose to do. Just because we want to trade it doesn't mean there is a partner willing to go along. I hear this every year about how we should "trade the pick" like it is something we just do by going to the 'Trade Your Pick 7-11' and pick up a 'Pick Slurpee'. It isn't necessarily that simple. But if we can find a suitable trade than I agree we trade the pick when the best available doesn't satisfy a need for us.

I went with Best Available. By that I'm assuming the player is an immediate starter who's "NFL ready". If this player, regardless of position, can step in due to unforeseen circumstances (injury, suspension, etc) then we would have made the right decision.

Having said that, I really hope Calvin Johnson does not fall to us, not because I don't think he's the best available but becaus that's the one position where we are really top loaded.

Someone mentioned in another thread about if he DOES fall to us, SOMEONE will want that trade. I like that idea a lot myself.

Someone mentioned in another thread about if he DOES fall to us, SOMEONE will want that trade. I like that idea a lot myself.

Here's hoping Ditka gets a coaching job.

Even though WR doesn't seem to be our most pressing need, some people are convinced that we should draft Calvin Johnson if he falls to us at #6 because he's a can't miss.

So, assuming we stay at #6 (and don't trade the pick) do we draft

A. For Need?
B. Best Player Available?

Vote or Matty will take his fan site and go home
Up until the last week or so I was in the "Draft for Need" camp. But looking back, the last time we had a top-10 pick, we went for need (Carlos Rogers) and passed on two better available players (Shawne Merriman and DeMarcus Ware). Merriman looks like the second coming of Lawerence Taylor, and Rogers is still finding his way. It sickens me when I see Merriman with 17 sacks in 12 games while our ENTIRE TEAM can only muster 19 in a full season.

If Calvin Johnson falls to #6, I don't see how you can pass on him. The guy has T.O.'s body, Randy Moss's hands, speed, and leaping ability, and none of the attitude baggage. Quite simply, he may be the best player in this draft (he is #1 on Mel Kiper's board). I don't see anyone saying that about Alan Branch. We've already invested heavily in Jason Campbell - adding a freak like Johnson will only accelerate Campbell's development. He will give opposing safeties another reason to think twice about playing in the box, further openning the running game, not to mention that he's also a physical downfield blocker. Lastly, Johnson will give Campbell a true red-zone threat for corner fade patterns, something the Skins have lacked for years.