Please Draft ??? at #13

I've been hearing alot of Orakpo talk. Can someone tell me what position he's going to play at the NFL level? He's 6'3 and 260lbs. I don't think he can play de in a 4-3. Is he going to play SLB and take Washington's spot if we draft him? He seems like a better fit for a 3-4.

Many folks have said that his frame allows room for more bulking up.

I'm going to say Michael Oher. I love the idea of Orakpo or Maualuga, but we need a tackle so badly. We've done nothing thus far to our O-line except bring back Dockery, and I'm not alone in the opinion that said O-line was the biggest reason for our a 2-6 finish.

We finished '08 with the 4th overall defense, and that was without Albert Haynesworth. I don't mean to dimish our need for another DE and OLB, but I think tackle is more pressing given the current state of things.

Giving Campbell more time and Portis more holes is so important. I could deal with Samuels, Dock, Rabach, a healthy Randy Thomas, and Oher up front.

I'd be fine with Oher, Smith, or Maualuga. I would probably be more excited if we took Rey, but we need to start adding some serious talent and youth to our o-line. So that would be my order. I would've been ecstatic to get Curry but I recently read that he eats babies!

For those of you thinking about going after Sanchez, Matt Bowen brings up some pretty good points.

The National Football Post | Sanchez: Do We Believe The Hype? (http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/2009/04/sanchez-do-we-believe-the-hype/)

Unlike celts32, I think this is a solid, valid article. I'd be willing to bet that if Sanchez had thrown a couple of picks in a losing effort against Penn St in the Rose Bowl, he'd be returning to USC in 2010. But he didn't, so he won't, and he'll be a pro in 2010. And IMO he'll probably be a pretty good NFL QB eventually. However it's hard to ignore how one game spring boarded him so high up the NFL draft charts.

So after that one game he became a sure-fire first rounder, and over the past few months he's now become a possibly top 5 pick? What's happened in that time? Zero actual football games, and a few workouts without pads.
Placing value on hype is, IMO, overvaluing. He's good looking, confident, will sell tickets and jerseys, oooh, ahhh. Again, I think he'll be good, but I don't want him at #13, and I REALLY don't think he's worth moving up for.

Huh, i'm a bit surprised Orakpo leads the poll. I'd have thought Smith would. I mean based on talent and past performance Smith was scouted as a top 5 pick. Orakpo is only considered the 4th or 5th best DE in the draft according to Kiper and some other analysts.

Unlike celts32, I think this is a solid, valid article. I'd be willing to bet that if Sanchez had thrown a couple of picks in a losing effort against Penn St in the Rose Bowl, he'd be returning to USC in 2010. But he didn't, so he won't, and he'll be a pro in 2010. And IMO he'll probably be a pretty good NFL QB eventually. However it's hard to ignore how one game spring boarded him so high up the NFL draft charts.

So after that one game he became a sure-fire first rounder, and over the past few months he's now become a possibly top 5 pick? What's happened in that time? Zero actual football games, and a few workouts without pads.
Placing value on hype is, IMO, overvaluing. He's good looking, confident, will sell tickets and jerseys, oooh, ahhh. Again, I think he'll be good, but I don't want him at #13, and I REALLY don't think he's worth moving up for.

I couldn't agree more. I thought Bowen was spot on with this article.

Huh, i'm a bit surprised Orakpo leads the poll. I'd have thought Smith would. I mean based on talent and past performance Smith was scouted as a top 5 pick. Orakpo is only considered the 4th or 5th best DE in the draft according to Kiper and some other analysts.

Well a lot of people have him at #1 also, but every time I see Orakpo I can't help thinking of Vernon Gholston. My GF is an Ohio State fan and I kept telling her last year that I just didn't see it. It was all about size, speed, etc. but when I watched him play, I wasn't very impressed. I'm concerned about injury issues with Orakpo and honestly he just doesn't blow me away when I watch him play.

Well a lot of people have him at #1 also, but every time I see Orakpo I can't help thinking of Vernon Gholston. My GF is an Ohio State fan and I kept telling her last year that I just didn't see it. It was all about size, speed, etc. but when I watched him play, I wasn't very impressed. I'm concerned about injury issues with Orakpo and honestly he just doesn't blow me away when I watch him play.
I agree 53, I would be more inclined to go with a trade down and try and catch Tyson Jackson DE LSU.

I agree 53, I would be more inclined to go with a trade down and try and catch Tyson Jackson DE LSU.

I'd be surprised if Jackson was there at 13, but yeah if he's there then there probably isn't a better fit for our team than him.

I'd be surprised if Jackson was there at 13, but yeah if he's there then there probably isn't a better fit for our team than him.

Talk about a player rocketing up the draft board...but in Jackson's case I think it's smart scouting. He's maybe the safest pick in this year's draft along w/ Jason Smith and Aaron Curry. Watching his highlights it's very impressive how quickly Jackson collapses the pocket...personally I prefer him over Orakpo.