Andy Richardson
The NFL Network's Mike Mayock hosted a conference call with media members Wednesday afternoon, talking about what else -- the NFL Draft. Some of Mayock's observations:
- Many mock drafts have Arkansas running back Darren McFadden going with the No. 4 pick, to the Oakland Raiders. Mayock didn't rule that possibility out, but he believes that the Raiders will instead select Ohio State defensive end Vernon Gholston (assuming he's still on the board). He also doesn't think that either the Jets or Patriots are particularly enamored of McFadden at the sixth and seventh spots, speculating that McFadden would fall to the Bengals at No. 9 ... or out of the top 10 altogether. Mayock, incidentally, has McFadden second among running backs, behind the most popular choice as the No. 2 runner, Illinois' Rashard Mendenhall.
- Mayock believes that Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan will be a true franchise guy, and compared his emotional toughness to Peyton Manning. Thinks the best spot for him to succeed might be Baltimore, since they've made some good picks along the offensive line the last couple of years (as opposed to other possible landing spots, including Atlanta or Kansas City). Asked to compare this draft class to 2005 (when Alex Smith, Aaron Rodgers, and Jason Campbell were taken in the first round), Mayock said he didn't think any of those were franchise guys coming out. After Ryan, he thinks Delaware's Joe Flacco has the best potential out of this year's quarterback class.
- Mayock doesn't have a first-round grade on any of the wide receivers in this year's draft class. That's not to say he doesn't think any will be drafted in the first round, but that he doesn't think any should be.
- Spoke highly of Notre Dame tight end John Carlson, who he thinks will be undervalued after medical issues kept him out of the Senior Bowl and hurt his performance at the combine.
—Andy Richardson
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