2013 NFL Draft Mailbag
I received many e-mails and tweets about my 2013 NFL Mock Draft and the upcoming NFL Draft in general. To share the answers to the questions publicly, I decided to start up a mailbag column. Pass along your NFL draft questions and comments. I'll put together a mailbag periodically that answers questions/comments sent via email draftcampbell@gmail.com or on Twitter @draftcampbell.
6/16/12
From twitter Stefanos Yowhannes (@StefanosY)
"Is Rob Gronkowski a product of the system in New England, or could he be plugged in anywhere else?"
Gronkowski definitely is not a product of the system. He would be one of the league's best tight ends regardless of the team he played for. As long as Gronkowski had just an average quarterback, he would be a productive receiver. The reason is Gronkowski's fantastic skill set combined with his size, speed, hands and route-running. He also is no slouch as a blocker.
After signing a mega-extension with New England, we won't know absolutely if Gronkowski is truly a product of the system, however the Patriots have had a number of quality tight ends during Tom Brady's tenure and none of them have been the weapon that Gronkowski is. In my opinion, he is the real deal.
From Amar Iyengar, Indianapolis, Indiana
"I just recently discovered the site but I find it to be a breathe of fresh air, keep up the good work. Anyways, what do you think of Casey Pachall? We saw the kind of impact Andy Dalton had as a rookie and Pachall exceeded any season that Dalton ever put up statistically and is bigger with more physical tools. Any chance he could be a first rounder next year with another big season?"
First of all, thanks for the compliments. I agree with you that Pachall could end up being a first-round pick. Right now I would say the 6-foot-5, 226-pounder looks like a second-rounder, but if he improves as a junior and senior, he could move into the top 32 in his draft class.
Pachall set single-season TCU records for completions, completion percentage and passing yards in 2011, his first year as a starter. He completed 66.5 percent of his passes for 2,921 yards with 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Pachall stepped up with a massive game in TCU's one-point road win over Boise State. He threw for 473 yards with five touchdowns and one interception. Aside from that game, Pachall beat up on some weak competition. He will see better defenses with TCU's move to the Big XII this season.
If Pachall continues to improve while playing better talent, his draft stock will really rise.
From Jason McCann, Springfield, Illinois
"Do you think that Michael Buchanan's broken jaw will impact his draft status?"
Right now, there is not a lot known about the altercation that led to Buchanan breaking his jaw. On the field, he should be fine. Buchanan isn't expected to miss any time, and in August, he'll be able to add back any weight/muscle he loses while on a liquid diet with his jaw wired shut.
Illinois is expecting Buchanan to pick up the slack for the Illini with Whitney Mercilus moving on to the NFL. Buchanan looks like a second-day pick right now, but if he has a big season, he could crack the top 32.
The off-the-field incident that led to Buchanan's jaw being broken is a wild card that could be harmful to his draft stock.
From Andre Morris, Durham, North Carolina
"You were a big fan of Josh Norman and said he was a steal for Carolina. With him surprising everyone and pushing for a starting job already, does that take away Carolina's need to draft a corner early in the 2013 draft?"
That is definitely possible. If Norman is solid on the other side from Chris Gamble, the Panthers could wait until the second day or mid-rounds to find some depth and nickel competition.
I do think that Norman was one of the steals of the 2012 draft. For months I had him going in the third round, and I thought he would end up becoming a quality starter in the NFL.
It was clear at the East-West Shrine practices that Norman was more talented than any other player there with the possible exception of Miami of Ohio guard Brandon Brooks. All week, Norman had dominant practices that showcased him producing some splash plays.
In his collegiate career, the 6-foot, 197-pounder totaled 13 interceptions with 35 passes broken up, four forced fumbles, four blocked kicks and 196 tackles. He broke out with eight interceptions as a sophomore in 2009.
In my Day Three Winners and Losers story, I had Carolina as a winner for taking Norman and Tampa Bay as a loser for passing on him in the fifth round for a backup linebacker in Najee Goode. Taking Norman could bolster the Panthers' secondary for years to come.
From Rob Brozny, Reno, Nevada
"Who are two dark horse candidates for offensive and defensive rookie of the year?"
There a lot of guys to pick from, but I'm going to go with Baltimore outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw and Tampa Bay running back Doug Martin.
The Ravens have a great coaching staff and a lot of talent around Upshaw. I think they will use his pass-rushing skills well and get him in position to make a real impact in sack production. The easiest way to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year is to put up a big total of sacks or interceptions.
With Terrell Suggs injured, I think Upshaw stands a good chance of having a significant impact as a rookie. He plays for a prominent team and won't go unnoticed.
I love Martin's versatility and I think as the season progresses, his playing time will increase on a weekly basis. He provides some sudden explosiveness that the Bucs have needed in their backfield along with outstanding receiving ability.
Martin makes a defenses' job more difficult because of the different ways he can contribute on any given play. LeGarratte Blount is good runner, but more one-dimensional. As a result, I think that by the end of the season, Martin will be seeing a lot more snaps than Blount. Martin could rack up some good numbers, and I think he stands a good chance of being in the discussion for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Once again send questions/comments via email draftcampbell@gmail.com or on Twitter @draftcampbell.
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag Archive:
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - Feb. 4
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - Jan. 18
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - Jan. 14
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - Dec. 17
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - Dec. 10
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - Nov. 23
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - Oct. 26
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - Sept. 6
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - Aug. 24
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - Aug. 16
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - Aug. 7
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - July 26
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - July 8
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - June 15
2013 Fantasy Football Rankings - May 17
Charlie's 2014 NFL Mock Draft - May 16
2014 NFL Mock Draft - May 15
2013 NBA Mock Draft - May 3
NFL Picks - Feb. 3
6/16/12
From twitter Stefanos Yowhannes (@StefanosY)
"Is Rob Gronkowski a product of the system in New England, or could he be plugged in anywhere else?"
Gronkowski definitely is not a product of the system. He would be one of the league's best tight ends regardless of the team he played for. As long as Gronkowski had just an average quarterback, he would be a productive receiver. The reason is Gronkowski's fantastic skill set combined with his size, speed, hands and route-running. He also is no slouch as a blocker.
After signing a mega-extension with New England, we won't know absolutely if Gronkowski is truly a product of the system, however the Patriots have had a number of quality tight ends during Tom Brady's tenure and none of them have been the weapon that Gronkowski is. In my opinion, he is the real deal.
From Amar Iyengar, Indianapolis, Indiana
"I just recently discovered the site but I find it to be a breathe of fresh air, keep up the good work. Anyways, what do you think of Casey Pachall? We saw the kind of impact Andy Dalton had as a rookie and Pachall exceeded any season that Dalton ever put up statistically and is bigger with more physical tools. Any chance he could be a first rounder next year with another big season?"
First of all, thanks for the compliments. I agree with you that Pachall could end up being a first-round pick. Right now I would say the 6-foot-5, 226-pounder looks like a second-rounder, but if he improves as a junior and senior, he could move into the top 32 in his draft class.
Pachall set single-season TCU records for completions, completion percentage and passing yards in 2011, his first year as a starter. He completed 66.5 percent of his passes for 2,921 yards with 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Pachall stepped up with a massive game in TCU's one-point road win over Boise State. He threw for 473 yards with five touchdowns and one interception. Aside from that game, Pachall beat up on some weak competition. He will see better defenses with TCU's move to the Big XII this season.
If Pachall continues to improve while playing better talent, his draft stock will really rise.
From Jason McCann, Springfield, Illinois
"Do you think that Michael Buchanan's broken jaw will impact his draft status?"
Right now, there is not a lot known about the altercation that led to Buchanan breaking his jaw. On the field, he should be fine. Buchanan isn't expected to miss any time, and in August, he'll be able to add back any weight/muscle he loses while on a liquid diet with his jaw wired shut.
Illinois is expecting Buchanan to pick up the slack for the Illini with Whitney Mercilus moving on to the NFL. Buchanan looks like a second-day pick right now, but if he has a big season, he could crack the top 32.
The off-the-field incident that led to Buchanan's jaw being broken is a wild card that could be harmful to his draft stock.
From Andre Morris, Durham, North Carolina
"You were a big fan of Josh Norman and said he was a steal for Carolina. With him surprising everyone and pushing for a starting job already, does that take away Carolina's need to draft a corner early in the 2013 draft?"
That is definitely possible. If Norman is solid on the other side from Chris Gamble, the Panthers could wait until the second day or mid-rounds to find some depth and nickel competition.
I do think that Norman was one of the steals of the 2012 draft. For months I had him going in the third round, and I thought he would end up becoming a quality starter in the NFL.
It was clear at the East-West Shrine practices that Norman was more talented than any other player there with the possible exception of Miami of Ohio guard Brandon Brooks. All week, Norman had dominant practices that showcased him producing some splash plays.
In his collegiate career, the 6-foot, 197-pounder totaled 13 interceptions with 35 passes broken up, four forced fumbles, four blocked kicks and 196 tackles. He broke out with eight interceptions as a sophomore in 2009.
In my Day Three Winners and Losers story, I had Carolina as a winner for taking Norman and Tampa Bay as a loser for passing on him in the fifth round for a backup linebacker in Najee Goode. Taking Norman could bolster the Panthers' secondary for years to come.
From Rob Brozny, Reno, Nevada
"Who are two dark horse candidates for offensive and defensive rookie of the year?"
There a lot of guys to pick from, but I'm going to go with Baltimore outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw and Tampa Bay running back Doug Martin.
The Ravens have a great coaching staff and a lot of talent around Upshaw. I think they will use his pass-rushing skills well and get him in position to make a real impact in sack production. The easiest way to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year is to put up a big total of sacks or interceptions.
With Terrell Suggs injured, I think Upshaw stands a good chance of having a significant impact as a rookie. He plays for a prominent team and won't go unnoticed.
I love Martin's versatility and I think as the season progresses, his playing time will increase on a weekly basis. He provides some sudden explosiveness that the Bucs have needed in their backfield along with outstanding receiving ability.
Martin makes a defenses' job more difficult because of the different ways he can contribute on any given play. LeGarratte Blount is good runner, but more one-dimensional. As a result, I think that by the end of the season, Martin will be seeing a lot more snaps than Blount. Martin could rack up some good numbers, and I think he stands a good chance of being in the discussion for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Once again send questions/comments via email draftcampbell@gmail.com or on Twitter @draftcampbell.
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag Archive:
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - Feb. 4
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - Jan. 18
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - Jan. 14
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - Dec. 17
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - Dec. 10
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - Nov. 23
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - Oct. 26
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - Sept. 6
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - Aug. 24
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - Aug. 16
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - Aug. 7
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - July 26
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - July 8
2013 NFL Draft Mailbag - June 15
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TS
07-08-2012
05:49 am
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@RD
There's a whole lot of wrong in that wall of text. #1. Cooley is not a good TE, he was 2 years ago but injuries have made him little more than an over hyped decoy. Fred Davis is a top 10 talent when not suspended though. #2. Helu had 5 starts last year, and in those 5 starts he had 428 rushing yards and 223 extra receiving yards. 4 good games in 5 starts as a rookie? That sounds like a lot more than "nothing" to me. Also Shanny excels at getting production out of any RB. The running game won't be a problem for the Redskins this season. #3. Your lack of knowledge regarding the Redskins D is goddamn laughable. In addition to Fletcher, Kerrigan, and Orakpo there's also Barry Coefield who had a Pro Bowl caliber year at NT, Perry Riley who at times outplayed Fletcher at ILB, and CB Josh Wilson who had an excellent season despite awful Safety play and being forced to compensate for Deangelo Hall's ineptitude. The secondary sans Wilson is pretty bad, but the rest of the D is good to great. #4. Everyone claimed that the Panthers receivers were terrible too before Cam Newton came to town. While Steve Smith is better than Santana Moss, Garcon is certainly better than Brandon LaFell, and barring a suspension Fred Davis is probably better than Greg Olsen. Helu is a talented back, your ignorance notwithstanding, and like I said Shanhan excels at making no name RBs into fantasy football gods. While the Redskins backs might not be as talented as Deangelo Williams or Jonathan Stewart they're still solid, Helu being a good starter while Tim Hightower is a very good 3rd down back. Another Shanny staple which you've ignored is that he takes offensive lineman people have never heard of and makes them look passable. They might not have the name recognition that a Ryan Kalil or Jordon Gross has, but I doubt they'll be significantly worse. Prior to Williams being suspended and a slew of injuries the Redskins line looked very solid last season. That's with incompetent QBs John Beck and Rex Grossman holding the ball all day, I doubt RG3 will have such a fondness for getting sacked as those two clowns did. #5 The enter key, use it. I'm not even going to address that random gibberish you descended into at the end because it hurts my eyes to look at the abomination that is your post.
RD
06-16-2012
06:35 pm
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Well, Tony has a point (tho they have more weapons then he mentioned)... WAS has a crap cast... they have a washed up vet (moss), a decent, but unproven youngster (hankerson), 2 crap signings (morgan and garcon... and I'm a 9er fan, I know all about Morgan) at WR, good safety valves in TE's cooley and davis, and nothing at rb (come on guys, I know you like him an all, but helu has had like 4 good games in his career, he can't be counted on), and a line with more holes than swiss cheese (williams and brown are the only decent o-line men, and brown is almost done)... as for defense, whoever said that carriker is a weapon is stupid, that idiot got released by the RAMS when they drafted #1... he is garbage, along with the rest of the d, except orakpo, fletcher, and now kerrigan. RG3 is going to struggle big time in his 1st season. at least newton had smith (he's an old speedster, but can still catch unlike moss) with lafell, a solid TE in olsen, a great committee of RB's in williams and stewart, and a solid line anchored by 2 multiple pro-bowlers and all-pros (gross and kalil). can WAS boast ANY of those things? Maybe better at the TE position w/ 2 good TE's, but they are solid, not spectacular (see: Gronk, Graham, Gonzo, Davis, etc.) and honestly, how many times will they use both TE's? even if they do it 1/2 the time (very generous, the 9ers didn't even do that 1/2 the time, and they have a HC who specializes in this), thats 1/2 the time 1 of their 2 best receivers are on the bench. As great as RG3 maybe, w/o a cast, he'll turn into another david carr or alex smith (in his early years).
Amar
05-28-2012
03:37 pm
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I just recently discovered the site but I find it to be a breathe of fresh air, keep up the good work. Anyways, what do you think of Casey Pachall? We saw the kind of impact Andy Dalton had as a rookie and Pachall exceeded any season that Dalton ever put up statistically and is bigger with more physical tools. Any chance he could be a first rounder next year with another big season?
i think
05-20-2012
05:46 pm
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somebody loves the word i think...this dude who writes this crap hasent a clue,rg 3 has played qb how long?and be is the next cam newton..lol
@Tony
05-20-2012
05:36 pm
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Charlie answers the mailbag questions so yea....you're dumb. And why can't Griffin come in and play just as well as Cam Newton?
He's a better passer than Cam was coming out of college. The Redskins have just as good a supporting cast on offense, if not better than the Panthers had last season They have Pierre Garcon, Leonard Hankerson, Josh Morgan, and Santana Moss at WR; Fred Davis and Chris Cooley at TE; Roy Helu (over 100 yards in 3 out of 4 of his starts) and Tim Hightower at RB, and a decent offensive line with solid depth. How is that nothing on offense? They have more depth at WR and better TEs than the Panthers and their offensive lines are basically equal when healthy? And only 2 players on defense? They have Barry Cofield at NT, who was a beast last year. They have a solid rotation of Jarvis Jenkins, Stephen Bowen, Adam Carriker, and Kedric Gholston at DE. Orakpo and Kerrigan are one of the best pass rushing duos in the NFL at the OLB spots. London Fletcher is still one of the best ILB in the league and Perry Riley is a good young player as the other ILB. And they have good depth there with Jonathan Goff and Keenan Robinson. The only big issue on the entire team is the Defensive Backs. But they are more talented than people might think, they just have various behavior, consistency, and health issues. But they can be good enough if they put it all together. So next time you criticize someone, make sure you are actually criticizing the right person, idiot. And also make sure you know about the team you want to criticize them for liking because you obviously forgot to do both
@buttkisser
05-20-2012
04:37 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx58.4
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somebody is mad b/c their team sucks this year haha
@tony
05-20-2012
04:36 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx58.4
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Think for yourself and stop reading what retards post on comment boards. I could go on about how you're horrifically wrong but i'm just going to save my time. have a good one.
NlGGA WIT THA BIG NUTZ
05-20-2012
01:46 pm
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@Tony
A Washington fan? There's pages of Snyder trashing on this site.
BUTT KISSER
05-20-2012
01:02 pm
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GUY YOU KNOW ZILCH ABOUT FOOTBALL,WHAT ARE YOUR CREDENTIALS?YOU WRITE LIKE A 5TH GRADER,SHOW NO IN DEPTH ANALAYSIS OR FACTS TO BACK ANYTHING YOU SAY AND DRAW CONCLUSIONS ON WHAT?????????YOUR GUT FEELINGS?YOU SUCK
Ryan
05-20-2012
10:35 am
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A GM taking players that he likes the most is a GM picking off of his big board. You act like your big board or the big board of other "experts" are the end all of who these guys are ranked. Each GM has a different big board and each board is much different that that of a sports sites or channels big board. A GM taking someone he likes is more than likely taking someone at the top of his big board that is still available or at least the highest rated person at their position that is still available. There is not a GM out there who is going, "Well I really like John Doe even though it's the 4th round and I have him rated in the 7th, might as well just take him."
Tony
05-20-2012
09:17 am
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Is Walt a Redskins fan or what? Dude goobers over Griffin like he's going to come in the league slinging like an elite QB. Washington's supporting cast is absolute trash save two players on defense. People seem to push aside the fact that Shan is a stubborn old goat whose philosphies are outdated and he's not all that great of a coach to begin with. They'll win 5 games tops and Walt looks dumb again.
Pats fan
05-15-2012
05:30 am
xxx.xxx.xxx7.54
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It's hilarious that the Jets took Gholston in 2008 just so the Patriots wouldn't get him. How'd that work out for you guys?
Donald
05-15-2012
04:04 am
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Can you bring back the old format of your scouting reports?
aaaa
05-11-2012
12:00 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx48.8
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woody paige sucks
Salsa
04-24-2012
10:33 pm
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Woody Paige of the denver post put Walter on blast in his article today. The king of denver sports journalism.
Congrats Walter. You've arrived. |
2013 Fantasy Football Rankings - May 17
Charlie's 2014 NFL Mock Draft - May 16
2014 NFL Mock Draft - May 15
2013 NBA Mock Draft - May 3
NFL Picks - Feb. 3
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