Spring Break
Panthers Leave NFL Draft As Winners
NFL Draft
Mike Mauro
Issue date: 4/30/08 Section: Sports
New Orleans Saints - B-minus
The Saints did a good job trading up to get the guy they wanted in USC defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis. He is a space-eater and gap-penetrator all in one. Rated just a half-notch below Dorsey, expect Ellis to be a perennial Pro Bowler. Then they grabbed Indiana cornerback Tracy Porter in the second round. He is a very good cover-man with ability in the return game as well. With the inept secondary of the Saints don't be surprised if Porter pushes for a starting job, but he will definitely step in and contribute right away. New Orleans also came away with two solid picks in the fifth round in NC State defensive tackle DeMarrio Pressley and Nebraska offensive lineman Carl Nicks. Pressely takes up a lot of space and can clog up the interior, and Nicks is a massive specimen who can provide insurance along the offensive line. Michigan receiver Adrian Arrington was a nice pickup in the seventh round and will probably stick on and surprise some people with his production.
Tampa Bay Bucs - B-minus
Tampa had a solid if unspectacular draft overall. They picked an extremely talented player at No. 20 in Kansas cornerback Aqib Talib. His physical skills are unmatched, he has very good hands and in the Tampa system he will have the chance to create numerous turnovers. Appalachian State wideout Dexter Jackson made a name for himself in the Michigan upset, but he has electric speed and playmaking ability, and even though he measures in at just a shade over 5-foot-9 he give the Bucs a much needed playmaker to go along with Joey Galloway. The Bucs also added Rutgers lineman Jeremy Zuttah and Maryland defensive tackle Dre Moore. Both of these picks were great value and each have the potential to make an impact in their rookie season. Jon Gruden loves quarterbacks and adding San Diego's Josh Johnson in the fifth is intriguing. Johnson is raw and played against lower competition, but he has the tools and athleticism to develop into a starting quarterback. Florida State linebacker Geno Hayes slid to the sixth round but Tampa has a Hall of Fame Seminole in Derrick Brooks who Hayes can learn from and look up to and eventually replace.
The Saints did a good job trading up to get the guy they wanted in USC defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis. He is a space-eater and gap-penetrator all in one. Rated just a half-notch below Dorsey, expect Ellis to be a perennial Pro Bowler. Then they grabbed Indiana cornerback Tracy Porter in the second round. He is a very good cover-man with ability in the return game as well. With the inept secondary of the Saints don't be surprised if Porter pushes for a starting job, but he will definitely step in and contribute right away. New Orleans also came away with two solid picks in the fifth round in NC State defensive tackle DeMarrio Pressley and Nebraska offensive lineman Carl Nicks. Pressely takes up a lot of space and can clog up the interior, and Nicks is a massive specimen who can provide insurance along the offensive line. Michigan receiver Adrian Arrington was a nice pickup in the seventh round and will probably stick on and surprise some people with his production.
Tampa Bay Bucs - B-minus
Tampa had a solid if unspectacular draft overall. They picked an extremely talented player at No. 20 in Kansas cornerback Aqib Talib. His physical skills are unmatched, he has very good hands and in the Tampa system he will have the chance to create numerous turnovers. Appalachian State wideout Dexter Jackson made a name for himself in the Michigan upset, but he has electric speed and playmaking ability, and even though he measures in at just a shade over 5-foot-9 he give the Bucs a much needed playmaker to go along with Joey Galloway. The Bucs also added Rutgers lineman Jeremy Zuttah and Maryland defensive tackle Dre Moore. Both of these picks were great value and each have the potential to make an impact in their rookie season. Jon Gruden loves quarterbacks and adding San Diego's Josh Johnson in the fifth is intriguing. Johnson is raw and played against lower competition, but he has the tools and athleticism to develop into a starting quarterback. Florida State linebacker Geno Hayes slid to the sixth round but Tampa has a Hall of Fame Seminole in Derrick Brooks who Hayes can learn from and look up to and eventually replace.
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