Does bad news for Raji help Jacksonville?

Discussion in 'NFL Draft' started by NewsGrabber, Apr 3, 2009.

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  1. NewsGrabber

    NewsGrabber Guest

    <em>Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky</em> <p>Could news of <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft09/news/story?id=4037535" target="_blank">a positive drug test</a> for former Boston College defensive tackle <a href="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft/tracker/player?id=24657&draftyear=2009" target="_blank">B.J. Raji</a> at the scouting combine help the <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=jac" target="_new">Jacksonville Jaguars</a>?</p> <p>ESPN's John Clayton said on the air since the report that it could drop Raji out of the top five, but not out of the top 10.</p> <table border="0" cellspacing="4" cellpadding="0" width="203" align="right"> <tr> <td>&nbsp;</td> <td><img src="http://assets.espn.go.com/photo/2008/1113/ncf_ap_bjraji1_300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td>&nbsp;</td> <td align="left"><font size="1" style="line-height: 1em">AP Photo/Winslow Townson</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td>&nbsp;</td> <td align="left"><font size="1" style="line-height: 1em"><strong>If B.J. Raji (90) is available at the No. 8 pick in the draft, the Jagaurs may be willing to overlook some off-field issues to take him.</strong></font></td> </tr> </table> <p>The Jaguars are at No. 8.</p> <p>Raji seems universally regarded as the draft's top player at his position.</p> <p>New Jaguars general manager Gene Smith has talked about building from the inside out and told me last month that he'd <a href="/blogs/afcsouth/0-8-19/Smith-knows-importance-of-DT-tandem.html" target="_blank">like to reacquire</a> the identity the team had when <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=2561" target="_new">Marcus Stroud</a> and <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=3537" target="_new">John Henderson</a> were paired in the middle of the defensive line and were regarded as the league's toughest interior tandem.</p> <p>Raji was reportedly very good during Senior Bowl week. Jack Del Rio saw him up close, though he and his staff coached the other team. (Marvin Lewis and the Bengals, who pick sixth, got to work with Raji as they coached the North team.)</p> <p>If the Jaguars check out Raji and are OK with him missing the 2007 season because of academics and are OK with the drug test and the direction he's heading now, they could find him a great value when their turn comes.</p> <p>If that's the case, they are sure to be hoping that teams ahead of them like Seattle (No. 4), Cleveland (No. 5), Cincy (No. 6) and Oakland (No. 7) are turned off by recent developments. History, of course, suggests it wouldn't turn off the Bengals or Raiders if Raji's their guy.</p> <p>I asked Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. what bearing he thought a positive drug test could have on Raji's status. Here's what he said:</p> <blockquote> <p><strong>Williamson</strong>: Hard to comment on that one due to not knowing the specifics. What drug was found in his system? Is the entire thing confirmed? Assuming that it has been, it surely doesn't help Raji's cause, but there are several teams (Oakland, Cincinnati, Kansas City) who really could use him and Oakland and Cincinnati are prone to overlooking an off-the-field indiscretion or two. Still, it isn't like those teams do not have other needs, so a tie would probably go to a prospect other than Raji. However, the position he plays, his versatility at that position and the lack of anyone really close to him as defensive tackles go in this draft ensures that he will be off the board quickly. No way he gets out of the top 10 and I say 33 percent that he is there for Jacksonville. But ... Jacksonville all of a sudden could really benefit from the problems of two huge prospects in Raji and Michael Crabtree (injury). Both are among the best players in this draft, but Jacksonville might snare one at No. 8, which would be a home run.</p> </blockquote>

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  2. cld12pk2go

    cld12pk2go Starter

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    If only he could fall to 30....

    Will never happen though...
     
  3. RollTide

    RollTide All-Pro

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    He's almost too slow for our defense.
     
  4. Gut

    Gut Pro Bowler

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    Roflmao!!!

    Raji ran a 5.23 40 at about 65lbs heavier than Ayers who ran it in 4.90...whom you want in rnd 1?

    Hilarious. We don't need two track stars at DT, we need a penetrator (have 3 of them) and one guy who can handle double teams well (don't have any).

    Gut
     
  5. RollTide

    RollTide All-Pro

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    I said almost can you read?

    And who wants a weed smoker who could get shelved for 4 games in a year.

    It's a tough call for me.

    You are aware that we signed a starting defensive tackle right?
     
  6. Gut

    Gut Pro Bowler

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    Lol...

    Yes, I can read. Which is WHY I responded BECAUSE you said he's almost too slow. He's not almost too slow. He's fine for what he does at the size he does it. I also made the point that if he's almost too slow...then Ayers must be too slow since Ayers is only marginally slower but weighs over 50lbs more.

    Do you have any proof he's a weed smoker?

    Are you aware this team is built on 2 principles? Run the ball on offense and STOPPING the run on D? Are you aware we have no good run stopping DT on the roster?

    Gut
     
  7. Childress79

    Childress79 Loungefly ®

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    My main concern about Raji is his weight.

    It was reported that he was in great shape at the combine compared to how heavy he's been in the in the past but he looks to be carrying a lot of fat to me.
     
  8. Gut

    Gut Pro Bowler

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    Agreed!

    Yes...he needs to cut some fat off and replace it with muscle. He should cut to about 325-320 and start dropping the bodyfat %. Having had experience with getting AH in shape...the Titans know what they need to do.

    Course, no chance Raji drops to us...even if he showed up at the draft with a joint in his mouth!

    Gut
     
    • High Five High Five x 1
  9. GLinks

    GLinks Second Gear

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    Who was that DT that the Cards got at the top of round two a while back? Just to say a can't miss top 10 DT can fall out of the first round altogether and still not be worth jack. I'm not sure I'd want Raji. There's a bunch of guys in the top 20 who, if they fell, I wouldn't want to draft them at all. Maybe more than any other year. Some of these guys are NOT trying to be professional football players, they're trying to get paid first and foremost, and they have no idea what it takes to make it in the NFL.

    With Raji, I wouldn't want to spend five to seven years trying to get a light bulb to come on, like with Al, where it literally took a brain explosion to start the whole thing off, and not in a good way, when he stomped Gurode.

    No to BJ Raji, no to Vontae Davis, no to Andre Smith, no to Aaron Maybin....
     
  10. Gut

    Gut Pro Bowler

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    Um...

    What do you have against Maybin? We're not taking a franchise LT no matter who is available. And I TOTALLY agree...PLEASE don't take DAVIS!!! Been there...done that!

    You thinking of Darnell Dockett? If yes, he actually slid to the top of round 3. But that'd be like Jerry dropping...not Raji. Vince Wilfork and Tommie Harris were the elite DT prospects in that draft. Dockett has a great burst, but he dropped more for character issues and a couple of red flags I believe. Plus, he got caught in a numbers game. There were about 6-8 DT's all projected to go in the first 2 rounds which almost never happens. Someone just about had to fall.

    Gut
     
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