According To Kurz...12 Quick Fire Thoughts About the 2009 NFL Draft

With my two favorite days of the year rapidly approaching (16 days, but who’s counting?), I thought I would give a little preview to this years NFL Draft with some of my “quick-fire thoughts” about this year’s class.

1) I really feel like this is one of the worst top 5 or top 10 classes we have seen in a long time.

2) The best spot to be picking this year is about from pick number 20 and beyond because you are getting the same value in a player that you would in the first 10, but you are paying much less.

3) Secretly, the tight end class is very deep, my favorite being Brandon Pettigrew from Oklahoma State. I believe he is one of the best blocking tight ends to come out of college in quite some time. Also, I got to see him first hand in the 2007 Insight Bowl (still trying to erase that game from my memory).

4) Brian Orakpo, the defensive end from Texas really bothers me. Whenever I watch his film I don’t see a lot of consistency from him, and if your going to be considered as the best defensive end in the draft that is something you need to have.

5) I think it is very possible we will see six offensive linemen taken in the first round, with the top two being Jason Smith from Baylor and Eugene Monroe from Virginia. Which one will come off the board first is up to some lucky GM.

6) I see the Lions taking former Georgia quarterback Matt Stafford with the first pick and at 20 taking an offensive lineman - following the Falcons 2008 draft formula.

7) I keep flip-flopping on Stafford. Sometimes I think he has it all and other times I just don’t see the accuracy and decision making that’s needed to be a franchise quarterback. I have a USC quarterback bias, but I believe Mark Sanchez is the most “pro-ready”, coming from that west coast offense.

8) Chris “Beanie” Wells reminds me a lot of Cedric Benson in college and I am not so sure he won’t be like him in the pros.

9) Being a defensive back myself, I am pretty disappointed in this year’s crop. Malcolm Jenkins and Vontae Davis are this years top corners and neither are well above average. In the words of Mike Mayock, “If you need a cornerback in this draft, just sit out”. And it’s very possible we won’t see a safety taken the entire first round!

10) Forget what you’ve read and heard about players such as Knowshon Moreno and James Laurinaitis’s 40 yard dash times. Turn on the game film and you will have all you need to know about these 2 players.

11) If you’re an Eagles, Steelers, Colts, or Patriots fan you really shouldn’t be worried. Your team always drafts well and finds gems on the second day.

12) Unfortunately, this is the first year in a long time we will go without seeing a player from “The U” (Miami Hurricanes) taken in the first round.

I will have my own mock draft sometime before April 25th, but next week I will give you my take on the Jay Cutler trade, and the two winners of that transaction…neither being the Broncos.