Necessity is the Mother of Invention
by Luke Paul Chandler
Clark Rucker analyzes the needs of two NFC West teams, the Cardinals and 49ers.
By Clark Rucker
In this weekly feature, the top three team needs of two NFL franchises will be highlighted, as will the potential draft solutions to those needs. Many of these needs may also be addressed in free agency, so the draft solutions are subject to change. With NFL Combine dominating the headlines, it is time to analyze the draft needs of two NFC West foes, the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals.
San Francisco 49ers: the 49ers entered the 2007 season poised to turn the corner and become the class of the NFC West, especially after a promising 2006 season. The season never really got started for the team and a variety of injuries and inconsistent play by some of its high profile players left the team squandering to a 5-11 finish. Alex Smith regressed from his 2006 performance, and after a shoulder injury and coach Mike Nolan questioning his toughness, 2008 is going to be his make-or-break season. Frank Gore was injured in training camp, and those injuries seemed to linger throughout the season. The one promising aspect of the season had to be the play of the defense. Even though the team lost its impact performers on the edge early on, Patrick Willis, Nate Clements, and company played very well. If the team can find a couple more impact players and avoid the injury bug, the 2008 season could play out like many hoped the 2007 season would.
• Wide Receiver: since the departures of Antonio Bryant and Brandon Lloyd, the 49ers have lacked any semblance of a downfield receiving threat. Consequentially, Alex Smith and the other 49ers quarterbacks have struggled to move the ball down the field. Arnaz Battle, Ashley Lelie, Darrell Jackson, and Jason Hill comprise the current two-deep and at first glance, it is easy to see all of these players are nothing more than complimentary number two and three receivers. As such, it is essential that the team find a difference maker on the outside in this deep wide receiver draft. With the 29th overall pick, players like Early Doucet (LSU), Devin Thomas (Michigan State), and James Hardy (Indiana) may be available. Thomas is quickly rising up draft boards after a stellar junior season and an eye-opening combine performance. Hardy is the biggest receiver in this draft, and he showed surprising athleticism at the combine, which has boosted his stock. In the middle rounds, players like the ultra-quick Andre Caldwell (Florida) and Adarius Bowman (Oklahoma State) look to be good value picks. Bowman’s stock is dropping because of his lack of top-end speed, but the 49ers will hope that he becomes the next Anquan Boldin, whose poor forty-time has not translated into a lack of NFL ability. To build depth and bolster their special teams, players like Will Franklin (Missouri), Jordy Nelson (Kansas State), and Marcus Monk (Arkansas) merit a late-round flier. Monk is especially enticing because of this size/speed/athleticism combination; however the team does need to do its research on Monk’s injury history.
• Defensive End: the 49ers are hoping to install a permanent version of the 3-4 defense in 2008, and to do so, it is imperative that the team draft a defensive end or two that can tie up blockers and bolster the run defense. Bryant Young performed like it was 1997 in the 2007 season, but at age 36, he cannot be counted on for a repeat performance. After Young, the team lacks talent at the position, so this draft could produce a day one starter at this position. Calais Campbell (Miami-Fl) and Dre Moore (Maryland) could be good selections at pick 29. Neither Campbell nor Moore has ever played in the 3-4, but both posses superb size and athleticism to thrive in the scheme, a la Richard Seymour. In the middle rounds of the draft, Trevor Laws (Notre Dame) and Andre Fluellen (Florida State) merit consideration. Laws is drawing rave reviews, as he has changed his body composition since season’s end and he displayed a rare blend of athleticism for a man of 305 pounds. Laws also has experience playing defensive end in the 3-4, as he was the leading tackler for the Irish defense from that position in 2007. Derek Lokey (Texas) and Kendall Langford (Hampton) are potential late round steals. Lokey played defensive tackle at Texas, but at 280 pounds with incredible strength, moving to the outside in the 3-4 may be his best option in the NFL.
• Outside Linebacker: the success of the 3-4 defense depends almost entirely on the ability of the outside linebackers to get pressure on the quarterback. This is very evident with teams like the Chargers (Shawn Merriman) and the Patriots (Adalius Thomas/Mike Vrable). Manny Lawson proved during his rookie season in 2006 that he can potentially be a vital cog at one of the outside spots. Tully Banta-Cain, a former Patriot, did not show much ability on the outside, and with the recent departure of Derek Smith, he may be best suited for a move to inside linebacker. With the 29th pick, Keith Rivers (USC), Shawn Crable (Michigan), and Quentin Groves (Auburn) could all be available and hopefully be the pass-rushing terror that this team desperately needs. In the middle rounds, college defensive ends Bruce Davis (UCLA) and Marcus Howard (Georgia) could be great value picks. Howard posted a 4.40 forty-yard dash at the combine, and he showed the impact he can make in a game in the Bulldogs Sugar Bowl game versus Hawaii. In the later rounds, former teammates Tommy Blake (TCU) and Chase Ortiz (TCU) could be available as could Hilee Taylor (UNC). All three were college defensive ends, but have the ideal size and athleticism to make a move to linebacker.
Arizona Cardinals: the Cardinals are another team that had a world of expectations thrust upon them in 2007, as they possess one of the most explosive combinations of skill players as well as an intriguing mix of defensive talent. The window of opportunity for this team has the potential to close very quickly if the front office does not address some of the glaring weaknesses of the roster. Matt Leinart should return and reclaim the starting quarterback job in 2008, and if the team can restructure the contracts of Edgerrin James and Larry Fitzgerald so as to minimize their salary cap impact, then the team will return all of its key personnel. The Cardinals run an interesting defense that is a 3-4/4-3 hybrid. This defense showed some good potential down the final stretch of the 2007 season, as Roderick Hood and Antrelle Rolle became certified ballhawks and Karlos Dansby continued to develop into one of the better linebackers in the NFC. Here is a breakdown of the Cardinals’ most pressing needs:
• Running Back: yes, Edgerrin James is still a good NFL running back, but at nearly 30 years of age, he is reaching a stage in his career where he should historically start breaking down. The team needs to prepare for this inevitable decline, and Marcel Shipp and J.J. Arrington have not shown anything to instill confidence in their skills. Furthermore, this is the deepest running back class in over a decade. With the 16th pick, Rashard Mendenhall (Illinois) and Jonathan Stewart (Oregon) are both great options. Both have incredible size, strength, and speed, and many consider them to be better overall running backs than Darren McFadden. Expect either of these two to come in and for the team to utilize a running attack similar to the Jacksonville Jaguars. In the middle rounds, Felix Jones (Arkansas), Jamaal Charles (Texas), and Kevin Smith (UCF) are three intriguing prospects who could be groomed to be the eventual starter in a season or two. Charles possesses the best pure game-breaking ability outside of Darren McFadden in this draft, and his presence could add an extra dimension to an already sophisticated offensive attack. Chauncy Washington (USC) and Justin Forsett (California) look to be good later round picks who would be serviceable backups, but neither exudes the necessary starting running back abilities.
• Left Tackle: in the 2007 draft, the Cardinals selected Levi Brown with their first round pick, and he immediately entrenched himself at right tackle. There is still a glaring weakness at left tackle with Mike Gandy, so the team should look to upgrade the position in this draft. In the first round, Ryan Clady (Boise State), Jeff Otah (Pittsburg), and Chris Williams (Vanderbilt) could all prove to be the player that Gandy is not, and thus give the team a pair of bookend tackles for the next decade. If the team looks in a different direction in the first round, Sam Baker (USC), Carl Nicks (Nebraska), and Heath Benedict (Newberry) all look to be mid-round picks that could be day one starters. Nicks put on a great display of athleticism at the combine, and his stock is soaring. To build depth along the line, King Dunlap (Auburn) and Jeremy Zuttah (Rutgers) are good value picks in the later rounds. Zuttah may be the most athletic offensive lineman in the draft, and his upside could be endless.
• Defensive End/Outside Linebacker: in their hybrid defensive scheme, the Cardinals need players who can play both defensive end and outside linebacker so as to keep the same personnel on the field no matter what defense has been called. At pick 16, Vernon Gholston (Ohio State) may be available, but more realistically, the Cardinals will have to choose between Derrick Harvey (Florida) and Shawn Crable (Michigan). Crable has played both positions in college, and with 4.64 forty-speed, he is an elite athlete. In the middle rounds, Quentin Groves (Auburn) and Chris Ellis (Virginia Tech) are enticing selections. Groves played primarily at defensive end in college, but moved to outside linebacker for the Tigers’ final three games. Ellis is a smaller defensive end who possesses the requisite athleticism to play both positions. Finally, the Cardinals may look to Chase Ortiz (TCU), Marcus Howard (Georgia), or Jeremy Geathers (UNLV) in the later rounds. All three could potentially start with a year or two of seasoning, but in the meantime, would immediately upgrade the depth at both positions as well as improve the special teams.
If you have any questions or comments, please send an email to clark@newerascouting.com.