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Draft Day 2: Best Players Still on the Board
DaJuan Morgan, S NC State I cant believe the Cowboys took a tight end when Morgan was still on the board. I have Morgan ranked just behind Kenny Phillips at safety, who was the final pick of Round 1. Morgan covers a lot of ground in the secondary and really lays the lumber coming up against the run. In my opinion, Morgan is the top player on the board heading into Day 2. Some team is going to get itself one heck of a safety in the third round.
Ali Highsmith, ILB LSU - A little short but other than that, Highsmith has few holes in his game. Much like Jerod Mayo, Highsmith made a ton of plays in college. He has great range and the speed to run sideline-to-sideline. I also think Highsmith is the best coverage linebacker in this draft. Hell be one of the most under-drafted players in this class. Highsmith doesn't get the publicity that some of the other linebackers receive but it won't surprise me if he's one of the best players at that position to come out of this draft.
Reggie Smith, S Oklahoma Smith is a versatile guy who can play either safety or corner in the NFL. I think he fits best as a free safety but Smith has the ability to line up at corner in nickel and dime situations. Smith has excellent range and made a lot of big plays in college. Getting a player with Smiths versatility on Day 2 of the draft is good value. Dont expect to see him last long once the third round kicks off.
Dan Connor, LB Penn State I didnt like Connor as a first round pick but now he would be a steal. I think Connor is a better pro prospect than his former college teammate, Paul Posluszny, who went early in Round 2 last year. Connor does a good job of taking on blockers and is aggressive against the run. Dont be surprised if the Patriots grab Connor with one of their three third round selections Sunday.
Jamaal Charles, RB Texas I think Charles compares favorably to Felix Jones, who was taken by the Cowboys with the 22nd pick in Round 1. Charles probably cant carry the ball 30 times a game but according to Jerry Jones, neither can Jones. Charles is a lightning bolt once he gets past the line of scrimmage. He produced as many big runs last year as any running back in college football. Because Charles is such a playmaker, Im surprised hes still available but he wont last long. I expect Charles to go in the early portion of Round 3 and I think hell be an excellent pick in that area. Lets put it this way, I would have taken Charles over Chris Johnson and Johnson went to the Titans with pick 24.
Kevin Smith, RB Central Florida - One of the most underrated players available this year in my opinion. Smith doesn't have that breakaway speed but he has good vision, quickness and runs with balance. Smith also has a powerful lower body that allows him to break a lot of tackles. And as far as his lack of breakaway speed goes, how many backs in the NFL can legitimately go 80 yards every time they touch the ball? Not many. I know two who couldn't: Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton. They turned out OK. Long speed when talking about a RB is the most overrated thing in the world.
Earl Bennett, WR Vanderbilt - This guy is one of the top receivers available in this draft and I cant believe some of the names that went before him. Bennett put up huge numbers at Vandy, despite playing with an erratic quarterback the last two seasons. He is a tremendous route runner with soft hands. And while he isn't a blazer, Bennett takes a lot of short passes and turns them into long gainers. He also knows how to use his body to shield smaller defenders. Bennett can flat-out play and will be a steal for some team on Day 2 of the draft.
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