Official "Ask Jeff Risdon a question" thread

[Ong_dynasty]

All I want for the draft is one of Thomas, Berry or Wilson going to the eagles..if we can get 2..great!

[Icness]

I don't mind the Bills trading Lynch away to Houston (I live there, and it would help the Texans out a lot), but I doubt they get much in return, since he is 1 strike away from a full year suspension.

Do you think that D. Bell is their LT, or are they confident in getting one in later rounds?

No fresh info on Lynch other than they are very much shopping him. I would guess a 5th just because of what you mentioned and the fact every coach he's ever had has badmouthed him.

I know Chan Gailey likes Bell, but I doubt they would pass on taking a G/T type sometime Sat. They are big Zane Beadles fans, though I most certainly am not. I have not heard anything recent on the progress of the OL they took in the 1st last year who tore up his knee, that could factor into it.

How sure are you Eric Berry falls to the Browns?

Very dependant upon Washington at #4. If they take Trent Williams, and it sure looks like they are, Berry will be there at 7. If they take Okung then KC is in play for Berry...or Philly trading up. I think the connections between Philly and Cleveland in the front offices make a deal between them likely.

Hey Jeff. If the Packers were to try to flip AJ Hawk for a pick, what type of value would he bring back?... if anything.

Just a guess, but something in the 80-100 range. I see it being more of a "we'll give you this pick and Hawk" to move up in the 2nd. Haven't heard him being shopped but I certainly don't claim to know all...

[Icness]

Some rumors and talks I've heard today:

--NYG will trade Umenyiora & 15 to the Jaguars to move up and get McClain. I have heard that from way too many sources for there not to be fire to the smoke. Jags would take JPP if they can't move down further, which I'm assured they want to.

--I know people in WAS who believe they have a taker for Haynesworth and that they will also move out of #4. Denver is my best guess (and it's a guess!) at trading up to #4, but IMO they have no use for Haynesworth. I do not buy the Haynesworth to DET talk. As an aside on that, the Lions are very aware that if they don't take Suh the fans are going to revolt.

I've seen the reports y'all have about WAS trying to move up. I wouldn't be shocked but I don't see it happening.

--Dez Bryant and really all of the WRs are impossible to forecast. Bryant could go as high as #8, could fall all the way to the mid-20s if a few things play out. D. Thomas could go in the early teens, could fall to 40. One pick to lock in assuming they don't move: Denver taking Benn with one of their 2nds, if he's still even there...which I kinda doubt.

--Darren McFadden can be had for a high 3rd...but I'm not sure anyone will give that for him. He still has yet to break a tackle in the NFL.

--Glenn Dorsey can be had for a 2nd. I expect him to be dealt before Friday night.

--Minny signing Lito Sheppard ensures to me they are trading out of #30 and that Tebow or Colt McCoy will be the #30 pick.

--If you are one of the scores of people sending me emails, please identify yourself as to who you are on the boards. I'll be more prompt in getting back and respect your desire for privacy on here.

--I won't be in the chat tonight but I hope to be on here after the draft. I'll try to be in the chat Friday.

[MadCityBucky]

Guesses on where Sergio kindle, Jerry Hughes goes? A lot of mocks have Packers taking Hughes, Anthony Davis or Charles Brown.

Could you see the Packers taking Dez if he's there at 23?

[Ong_dynasty]

I know all the talks of Bradford to the Rams. But if it is so certain why have they not started negotiating salaries?
Well we shall know in a few hours!

[Icness]

Guesses on where Sergio kindle, Jerry Hughes goes? A lot of mocks have Packers taking Hughes, Anthony Davis or Charles Brown.

Could you see the Packers taking Dez if he's there at 23?

I put Hughes in the teens and I'll stick with that. He's getting a lot of "Brian Orakpo 2.0" type love.
I put Taylor Mays to GB, bypassing Brown, but that was more me speculating on a trade down. I know TT likes both Brown and Mays, but there a lot more people than I thought who are real down on Brown. That generally means the Pack could trade back a few spots and still get him. IDK if Mays would still be around if they dropped, which is why I put him to GB at #23.

Kindle should (should!) be long gone, but IMO if he's there he's the pick over Brown or Mays. Not Hughes though.

[Icness]

I know all the talks of Bradford to the Rams. But if it is so certain why have they not started negotiating salaries?
Well we shall know in a few hours!

I think that is a function of the CBA uncertainty.

I'll have a post-draft piece on how there are likely to be a whole lot of holdouts up next week, already outlined. The agents know this is their last piece-of-cake rookie millions commissions and they'll scrap for every last crumb harder than usual.

[Icness]

Draft contingencies:
Consider this an addendum to my mock and the 25 fearless prediction pieces...

--Cleveland will take, in order: Eric Berry, Derrick Morgan, Earl Thomas, Kyle Wilson.
--Miami will take, in order: Eric Berry, C.J. Spiller, Rolando McClain, Dan Williams.
--If ATL stays at 19 (and I doubt they do), Pouncey is their preference. If he’s gone, Iupati is in play, but people I trust tell me to look WR or one of the DE/LB hybrids to bring more versatility to the defense, i.e. JPP or Kindle or Hughes. They LOVE Derrick Morgan but I don’t see them trading up to get him.
--Seattle really wants to get rid of #14 and fall back. Don’t rule out Toby Gerhart with their 2nd round pick, and they are apparently not scared of Mike Williams (the ill-tempered quitter from Syracuse, not the fat lazy bastard from USC) in the 2nd either.
--Washington is allegedly considering Berry at #4 but IMO they’re fishing for a deal. Last week someone in their front office told me they rate Thomas higher than Berry...but it wasn’t Shanahan and this person has “used” me before.
--Golden Tate will not fall beyond KC’s 2nd round pick.
--Linval Joseph could crash the top 40.
--Sean Weatherspoon really needs to STFU. If he wasn’t such a mouthy, annoying human he probably would be a top 12 pick. This is a late thought on my part but he strikes me as a Bill Parcells kind of guy. Parcells loves the cocky alpha male talkers going back to LT and Keyshawn, and Spoon can take the verbal sparring. I’m not saying he’ll go at #12, but if they trade back a few...
--Dallas has been too quiet for too long. Methinks they just might make a splash tonight. Your guess is as good as mine as to what it might be though. Maybe moving Marion Barber and going up to New England’s pick and taking Iupati? Heard that one running mocks at team HQ but those are just guys throwing spaghetti at walls.

[PhilipNelsonFan]

Ic, thanks again for your thorough and informative insights into the draft process, as always.

Nothing more to add except if Cincy takes Jermaine Gresham at 21 I will give them an F.

[vincecarter4pres]

I would love the Eagles to take a shot on McFadden.
I'm honestly not sure why, I mean he has been an injured, underperforming, unmotivated bust, but I guess it's just the allure of his potential and the fact he was such a high pick so recently.

[Icness]

Ic, thanks again for your thorough and informative insights into the draft process, as always.

Nothing more to add except if Cincy takes Jermaine Gresham at 21 I will give them an F.

Gresham has hit the point with me where I've ripped the poor guy so much for being slow and a crappy blocker that he's bound to become a Pro Bowler just out of cosmic karmic spite to me.

I really don't see Cincy taking Gresham. They'll consider him but he's not the lock he is apparently being made out to be. They could make a very surprising pick tonight, a guy most mocks have in the middle of the 2nd if they even go that deep.

[Icness]

Late last-second thoughts:

I believe the talk of Bulaga falling, but not below SF at #13.

I'll still believe it when I see it, but Ryan Mathews and perhaps even Best could pass Spiller if a run on RBs comes early. Just another of about 180 scenarios.

Charles Brown is getting a lot of love from a team in the late teens. Not saying, just sayin'...

Still not buying the (deservedly) well-respected mocks that have Clausen falling to #30. I know too many talent evaluators that prefer him to Bradford, let alone Tebow.

Chicago is poised to make a big jump to get Linval Joseph tomorrow night

Taylor Mays will probably not want to watch the draft tonight...or the first hour tomorrow either. He's going to be sitting a long time and pundits everywhere are going to be ripping him, and I will guarantee you he would have been a top 7 pick last year if he had declared.

[Devilzsidewalk]

lots of good material in there, thanks for that. I don't even care if none of it comes true, you burned some serious calories today, big props 2 u

[el loco]

Since Pouncey fell to the Steelers at 18. I wonder if they still have Rodger Saffold targeted as one of their second round picks? Another question, would the Steelers have taken Iupati instead of Pouncey if he was still on the board? He was taken 17th.

Just a comment: I like what the Jets did, they took another potential lockdown CB to put on the opposite side of Revis. That could/should be a tough team to throw against once KWil adjusts to the NFL game.

[Icness]

Since Pouncey fell to the Steelers at 18. I wonder if they still have Rodger Saffold targeted as one of their second round picks? Another question, would the Steelers have taken Iupati instead of Pouncey if he was still on the board? He was taken 17th.

Just a comment: I like what the Jets did, they took another potential lockdown CB to put on the opposite side of Revis. That could/should be a tough team to throw against once KWil adjusts to the NFL game.

They would have taken Kyle Wilson if Pouncey was gone. You can put that in the bank. Note I nailed PIT's 2nd rounder as well...

[magicfan4life05]

Hey Icness, thoughts on Taylor Price from Ohio ?

also who do project to be the better WR: Price or Easley from UCONN ?

thanks !

[FakeScreenName123]

Here's a real question for you, Mr. Risdon,


Whats the scouting report on Zoltan Mesko the punter the pats drafted at 150? Reach!???

His name is Zoltan and he's a lefty i beleive. That's may be good enough for me. he cant be worse then the punters in NE the past 5 years.

[sunshinekids99]

Everything I've read about him says he's great at punting the ball inside the 20.

[NoSkyy]

Everything I've read about him says he's great at punting the ball inside the 20.

[insert joke about how the Pats need that after failing to go for it on fourth down against the Colts.]

[blueNorange]

iceness, it appears the giants are most likely gonna convert wilkinson to the MLB to compete with goff and lillard. do you think he can win the job and be successful in it??

me personally am a sucker for wilkinson because he has good speed and as the MLB he can be good in coverage but don't think he's strong enough to handle it.