REALLY?...NO, REALLY???

I think I'm happy with these picks. Typically, I question the motives behind Bill Polian and Tony Dungy's decisions on draft day, but I've come to understand that they obviously know more about these players (at this point) than I do. By the end of the season, I'll know everything there is to know about the players that we keep from this list.

Indianapolis
Rd	Sel#	Player	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	School
1	32	Gonzalez, Anthony	WR	6-0	195	Ohio State
2	42	Ugoh, Tony	G	6-5	305	Arkansas
3	95	Hughes, Daymeion	CB	5-10	192	California
3	98	Pitcock, Quinn	DT	6-3	301	Ohio State
4	131	Condren, Brannon	FS	6-1	208	Troy
4	136	Session, Clint	OLB	5-11	236	Pittsburgh
5	169	Hall, Roy	WR	6-2	229	Ohio State
5	173	Coe, Michael	CB	6-1	190	Alabama State
7	242	Dawson, Keyunta	DE	6-0	268	Texas Tech

I went back and looked at the draft picks from last year, and I was simply amazed at how many of them played and how many of them made an impact on us winning the Super Bowl. Joseph Addai, definitely, but Antoine Bethea and Charlie Johnson were on that list from last year. Both played throughout the season and in the Super Bowl. Charlie Johnson made such a seemless transition on the O-line that I never knew when he was in the game and Ryan Diem wasn't. I can't say enough about Antoine. He really came up big for us when we needed him so much so that I clean forgot he was a rookie.

Commissioner Goodell did a FANTASTIC job at his first draft...especially with the decision to move Brady Quinn to another room away from the cameras that wouldn't leave him alone. That poor guy. I've never been a fan of Notre Dame, but I like Brady. I think he's a good guy and a good QB, so I felt bad for him being the only one left in the green room and the cameras hounding him. I taped the 1st round (apparently the longest in NFL history) so I wouldn't miss Commissioner Goodell saying "with the 32nd pick in the 2007 draft, the Indianapolis Colts select...". I was a little squeamish when I heard him say Wide Receiver for the first pick as I knew that Aaron Moorehead had just signed his tender Friday. In my mind, all I could see was Nick Harper, Jason David, and Cato June packing up their lockers. All defensive players and we pick an offensive player. Of course then I'm reminded that Brandon Stokley chose (after we cut him because he couldn't pass his physical) to play for the Broncos this year in what may very well be his final year in the league (but he may surprise me).

So, every analyst I hear says this Anthony Gonzalez is a stronger/faster/younger version of Brandon (who I loved during his time with the Colts). I guess I'll take that. I love his vertical leap (38") and the fact that he was an Academic All-American and Rhodes Scholar Candidate. Not to mention the fact that he said being chosen by the Colts was a dream come true. I think I can get behind this kid.

Now for the scary part. As I mentioned, we lost Cato June, Nick Harper, and Jason David to other teams during the Free Agency period. And, then on the second day of the draft, the Raiders did something crazy, smart, stupid...I'm not really sure at this point what to call it. They traded (as had been speculated for some time now) Randy Moss to the Patriots...get this...for a 4TH ROUND PICK. Randy Moss, who I considered a great receiver when he came out of college who has/had problems with his off the field situations and the running of his mouth, has been relegated to being equal to a 4th round draft pick. So does that mean he's washed up or just a plague on the franchise? Don't know...what I do know is that we lost the three of the best players on the team to cover a player like that, and we have to play the Patriots this year. I NEVER look forward to that game on the schedule, but sheesh...I'm REALLY not looking forward to it now.

In other news, Alabama for the first time since the 1936 draft, has a Mr. Irrelevant (or last player chosen in the draft). Ramzee Robinson is a better player than that, but he did get drafted, and I hope the Lions know how good of a player they got. The plague that is Mike Shula continues as the players from his final season as the Alabama coach were pushed to the second day of the draft. All the prospects from Alabama this year are good players, and as I watched the names go by, I couldn't help but wonder how much of the free fall that was Shula's final season with us, made their draft stock fall.

Ahhh...I love the NFL, and the draft just makes me feel like the season isn't as far away as it actually is.