Three weeks out, give it a shot

Forte was playing against the same scrubs DeAngelo Williams was when he was impressing everybody so much. Really, though, I think it's tough to argue with the productivity and durability the guy's had over his career.

I watched YouTube of this guy. Yes, he's brilliant. A 300 yard game or two. Here's the "But" look at last year's games. His big games really came against some stinkers. Some 2-8 teams, that kind of thing. I'm NOT saying he's bad. Not at all, just racked up yards against midgets, that's all. He should be looked at carefully (duh).

Choice, by comparison, competed against a few ranked teams. Tougher teams. So I am saying does Forte's 2100 yards against stinkers equate to Choice's 1400 yards against mostly contenders?

Not judging, just analyzing. Either one of these two guys would be a great late 3rd or mid 4th selection. Forte' "seems" faster. Against stinkers. Mostly. I'd still take him though.

But Choice seems to have had his productivity effected by his competition this year, too. His only 2-TD games came against Duke (#84 rushing D), Samford (I-AA), and Notre Dame (#96.) Further, I'd say Choice's best game (37-204-0 against Miami), while a sick game and an example that the guy can be an absolute workhorse, is not as good as Forte's best (38-342-4 against SMU.) And their games against the best rush D they played all year are interesting, too: against BC (#2), Choice only went 15-31. Forte went 16-73 against LSU; not a great game, but solid enough given the talent gap between the teams. Also (and this may not matter much based on our offense last year), while Choice may not have been used as much in the passing game, Forte just looks like a more natural pass-catcher, and has consistently gotten himself involved there over the course of his career.

Forte' is a little bigger. More a "prototype" (meaning he's above 6'0", above 220) big back. He definitely looks faster. He seems to be the poor man's Jonathan Stewart.

Saw the Cats looked at Otah yesterday. If we have Otah or Branden Albert available, those are excellent choices for spot 13. I struggle to imagine Long, Clady, Otah, and Albert will ALL be off by 13. Three of the four, probably, but all 4, unlikely. With all the beef we're adding to the line, it should be a fun team to watch.

I understand the guy might have good size and athleticism, but should we REALLY spend the 13th pick on a guy who's played a grand total of ONE game at OT since high school? People thought Travelle Wharton would shift from guard to tackle well, too.

We've got two good young players at the position unless they're going to change Rosario to FB.

Famous "what if" King or Rosario get injured?

Do you really see any draftee beating out either of them outright? We saw what the #2 TE does for us in Carolina: Rosario and Fauria combined for 11-137-4. Unless it's a REALLY great value guy (at least a round lower than his projection), somebody's gonna get wasted. With so many more needs that aren't about "what if"s, I think TE is one of the few places (along with WR, LB, and the interior O-line) that we should need to think REALLY hard about spending a pick on.

Not looking for a draftee to beat out King or Rosario, just be a #3. Draft one in round five(King/Ros) or later. Spend the first five picks on DT(2),DE,OT and RB(like I posted in "Now they've got 10 picks"). You know football is full of injuries, why risk having JUST 2 TEs. King is IR'd during TC, now Rosario is the ONLY one leftd to play 16+ games.

Panthers carried 4 TEs for a good portion of 07. I view King as 1 and Rosario as 1A. Delhomme to King was a great connection. Being a Charlie Weis guy, I bet OC silent bob is dying for some 2 TE sets/plays.

After perusing the FA market at the position, there ain't much 'there' there: Jerramy Stevens (headcase with a boatload of character issues), Bryan Fletcher (RFA who'd cost us a 6th...maybe better than we could get there in the draft at the position?), Bennie Joppru, and our old boy Mike Seidman are about it in the way of anybody with youth. In the draft, though, I'd still be looking for a big-time value over forcing it. There will be somebody who can play as well as Fauria did last year as a UFA (Adam Bishop, Joe Jon Finley) or a street FA.

I say sign Jeremy Stevans and put his locker next to Tyler Braytons, never mind not worth seeing round two (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2aEO8oTal4&feature=related) Stevens is a turd and sucks at life.
The beauty of drafting players in later rounds, a few years at low nfl money. Rook TE paycheck >>> FA TE paycheck. I'm not against signing a TE(slim pickins), just rather draft one. Fauria was signed more for his leadership/teaching skills rather than his football ones. Panthers should have made a cereal run at either Alge Crumpler or Ben Troupe. Instead never stiff at Troupe and made up rumors about Crumpler being too expensive.

although the difference in salaries between a late-round pick and a bottom-of-the barrel FA is pretty minimal. So...if you admit Fauria (our #3 TE) was here and did a fine job without actually being good at FOOTBALL, then you're kind of proving my point that we don't need more than a space-filler in that role. As for Crumpler, he WAS too expensive given that he's fat, out-of-shape, injured, and would have buried two good players with youth on the depth chart.

FA TE = $600,000(+/-)
late rd rook = $300,000(+/-)
Fauria did a good job of holding King and Rosario hands, but there was NO upside to his game. There lies the problem. Pay a #3 space-filler(with NO upside) twice what your 1/1A TE gets or draft a younger cheaper one in later rounds? Say what you will about Crumpler, he had some BIG games against Carolina. Crump could block and made a few probowls with MICHAEL VICK throwing him the ball. I wasnt as high on Crump as others(cough..gantt) but what Marty Hurney said was wrong. Alge Crumpler got $1.2 million (2008); $2 million (2009). If healthy thats a steal even for a fat out-of-shape probowler.

When's the last time he actually WAS a Pro Bowler? He's been getting worse for a while, and old, injured players just don't start playing better all of a sudden.

Before that 2006, 2005, 2004, and 2003................. Probowl is a joke, I'll give you that, BUT five in a row.............with VICK throwin the ball.......give the guy some love.

but he's only been in 4 Pro Bowls. If you're talking about the year the Pro Bowl is played (rather than the year most of the season takes place in), he didn't play in '03. Further, the fact that Vick was his QB only helped him...if he had had the capacity to throw the ball more than 12 yards downfield with any degree of accuracy, he might have actually looked at his wideouts. Vick and Atlanta's offense are the only reason he ever was any good, and it showed when he didn't have Ronnie Mex under center.

"Alge has earned 5 consecutive Pro Bowl honors (2003-2007)"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alge_Crumpler
I HATE VICK, but guy has a CANNON for a arm. I've heard a few stories(80 yards, baseball scouts drolled). here is proof..........http://www.metacafe.com/watch/45490/michael_vick_strong_arm/

Jokes aside, he is very very inaccurate and dumb. His comp % is god awful and doesn't make good decisions. If not for Alge's extremely long wingspan and high vertical, Vicks passes would flew over his head, just like everyone else.

Your three posts have been taking shots at everyone else's picks. I think to qualify to do that, it is reasonable that to provide your own list of draft choices, to allow others the same priviledge.

but I'm personally not a big fan of making mock drafts, particularly team-only ones. I could make a list up of the guys I like best who fall inside of a 10-pick range of our pick, but that'll all go to the wayside with the moves leading up to and on draft day. In short, I wanted to get inside peoples' thought processes rather than criticize specific picks.

I'm in a similar boat. Honestly, I feel a little ignorant after round 3. I mean last year I was all about Brandon Merriweather or Reggie Nelson, both good picks. LaRon Landry, we were too late for him. And then we picked CJ Wilson in round-7 and Minter retired. Then we picked Beason in 1, a great pick.

I hope to add a mock soon.

We just signed Rhys Lloyd to be our KOS/potential long-range kicker, no need to draft one.

13 DE Harvey, Florida
43 OT Baker, USC
67 RB Forte, Tulane
74 FB Schmitt, West Virginia
109 DT Okam, Texas
141 S Adams, Michigan
181 TE Wagner, S. Dakota St.
221 OT Coffman, ECU
241 DT Powell, Va. Tech
250 DE Smith, McNeese St.

He may sneak into day 1.