The official 2008 draft discussion thread

Im hoping for DT or DE.

ali highsmith might be a steal at this point as well.

per JLC

Justin Tryin - Barely In The NFL, But Already All-Pro With The Media Schlubs

This kid is a keeper, folks, trust me. Just did our five minute conference call with the Skins most recent draft pick, and this corner is fired up and has the gift of gab. He's got All-NFL Quote Team written all over here. All the schlubs in here - well, all 8 of us who are here - were of one mind when he got off the phone - he's gotta be around here for a long time.

Tryon, who goes by JT, has no lack of confidence in his abilities as a corner, or returning kicks. "I am going to get you to the 50; anytime I catch the ball at least I'm going to get you to the 50."

Asked what the rookie will bring to the Skins, he said "I bring wisdom to the game. I bring heart to the game. I was made for this. I was made to play football. I was made for this ... This is all I can do." Despite being 5-foot-9, the brash kid said he's looking forward to playing the 6-foot-4 guys who catch balls for a living. "I love to compete, so I'm looking forward to guarding T.O. and Chad Johnson and stuff like that."

Asked if he was aware of the other corners already on the roster, Tryon said: "It really don't matter ... That's my spot to take."

This kid makes Fred Smoot look tongue-tied, and he sounds about 10-times cockier than Carlos Rogers did when he drafted three years ago (that's saying something). Will be interesting to see how he meshes with the vets, but from this brief interchange with him the kid seems like a playful dude, someone who loves life and is clearly enjoying this, one of the biggest days of his life.

From the information SmootSmack dug up, it sounds like we would have taken him at 21, had we not got the trade.

I do think we took Thomas because of the hype. Most of our draft week focus centered around Malcolm Kelly. I know we had met with Thomas, but we clearly weren't expecting him to be there, and took him because he was the most hyped player there.

That's not always a bad strategy. The Raiders would have been wise to snag Glenn Dorsey before he fell to the Chiefs, but they were locked into McFadden.

However, the statistical probability on Devin Thomas based on what he did in college (potential fluke year, left early), the chances he's just totally overmatched in the NFL is probably close to 50%. Of course that gives him a 50% chance of being average or better, so it is a glass half empty, half full kind of thing. I just feel that the 34th overall pick should be 80% or better to succeed.

I don't see Thomas as a boom or bust. I see him as a mediocre-or-bust type guy. His upside looks something like Eddie Kennison's career. His downside, something like Bobby Wade.

For us, a league average receiver who is 6'3" and fast isn't all that bad of a selection, but we certainly could have done better, and that's going to eat at me for awhile.

Sorry if I let my frustration with the pick influence my assessment of the player. He is a terrible selection though. Hopefully, he can beat the odds and become a starter for us in Washington. We really need it.

Well I was getting a lot of info at once, so it's not entirely accurate to say they were going to take Thomas at #21. Thomas was their top guy on the board once the Bills and Eagles passed but taking him at 21 was really a last resort. Who was to know he'd even be an option though.

I don't know where you're getting your statistical probabilities from.

2 FB's taken before schmitt! Blaspheme!!

LOL sounds like JT is going to give Smoot a run for his money for the biggest mouth on the team.

Saints just took DeMario Pressley.

I would have liked him

how did washington get picks from the titans? the 4th rounder and 5th rounder?

I think you're going a little too overboard saying the guy isn't interested in improving himself and he's just in it for the money. You don't even know the guy so to make those statements is simply foolish. Perhaps he has family issues. Or perhaps he just doesn't want to risk injury. I don't have a problem with him coming out. I have a problem taking a guy that high just off one year of production.

Hey I thought you were happily intrigued (that sounds weird) when I mentioned Thomas back in February?

Anyway, solid post. I think you're absolutely right that it's foolish to make such assumptions about Thomas' desire and intentions.

how did washington get picks from the titans? the 4th rounder and 5th rounder?

They swapped picks in the 3rd.