The Big 12's Nightmare Draft

Lokey strikes me as a backup with a long career.

KC pwn3d this draft.

Mo Purify (Nebraska) should catch on somewhere; he’s got a heck of a lot of ability.

I agree on Purify, Parlin, assuming he passes multiple background checks.

Vikings also signed OU’s Marcus Walker.

Missouri’s Tony Temple and Darnell Terrell were signed by the Browns.

Joe Jon Finley was signed by the 49ers.

The Broncos signed Garrett Hartley. No indication as to whether he could just clock in and go home.

Carolina signed Nebraska CB Courney Grixby. Chiefs signed Nebraska LB Steve Octavien. Jamaal Charles chuckled.

Oakland signed Missouri C Adam Speiker. Chargers signed Missouri’s OL Tyler Luellen. Ravens signed Missouri DE Lorenzo Williams.

Rams signed Kansas RB Brandon McAnderson – I don’t see the fit there.

The Steelers signed Okie State’s Donovan Woods.

Oh yeah, and Danny Amendola of The Woodlands and Texas Tech signed with the Cowboys.

Purify flicked me off when Nebraska was in town last season. I didn’t think he would hear the “Your mother wanted an abortion” taunt. Or see me giving him the bird.

I really don’t like that guy.

“Carolina signed Nebraska CB Courney Grixby.”

As a Nebraska fan, let’s just say I wouldn’t recommend taking Carolina’s D/ST in any fantasy football league next year …

You can survive at 285 in Edwards’ defense, but Lokey is going to have to play the 3 technique and show he can disrupt in the backfield.

The only people who thought Sam Keller would be drafted were Sam Keller and whomever is drunk with him right now.

As for Courtney Grixby, Grange, get a brain. The guy was a decent punt returner and kick returner on a team that never focused on special teams, and he was a pretty fair corner considering the other guys that were back there with him.

Thanks for stopping by, CB. Hope things are going well at Corn Nation.

CB—easy on Grange. Grixby wasn’t even close to being the best returner on his own team. Terrence Nunn outclassed him like Hyperion to a satyr.

Grixby is a hard worker and did yeoman service for his team. That counts for a lot. Grange is absolutely right, however, to suggest that Grixby’s career as an NFL corner will be a short one.

CB—Grixby was a four-year player and three-year starter, yet had only four career INTs. At 5’9", opponents would work their tall receivers against him in the red zone, typically resulting in a TD or a pass interference call.

Obviously the guy has some talent, and some of his shortcomings were more the result of covering for an overall anemic front eight the past two years, but his size makes him a serious liability in any NFL defensive backfield.

As for kick returns, again, he was good but not great. Per huskers.com:

“In 2007, Grixby distinguished himself as an explosive kickoff return man. He finished the year with 45 returns for a Big 12 record 1,094 yards. Grixby averaged 24.3 yards per return to finish the year ranked eighth in the conference. He had nine returns of 30 yards or more, including a 94-yard touchdown against Kansas State. The score marked the first kickoff return for a touchdown at NU in nine seasons.”

The total yards stat is deceptive: with the Huskers giving up TDs seemingly every other possession, there were a LOT of kickoffs to return. The key stats are the average return (solidly in the bottom half of the conference) and the percentage of returns > 30 yds. (9/45 or 20%). Let’s face it, Grixby just isn’t a Devin Hester or Dante Hall where you worry about giving up a TD by just kicking it to him. Given the limited NFL rosters, there’s no reason to keep Grixby around to return kicks when any random RB or WR can probably get roughly the same results.

In short, Grixby was a good but not great college CB who simply lacks the size needed for the pro game. As a Husker fan, it’s great to see Husker players succeed in the NFL, but I just have my doubts Grixby will be the next former Husker D-back to make it big in the pros.

Billy Pittman signed with San Diego.

Brandon McAnderson was getting some looks from teams too; I’d be surprised if he doesn’t get picked up as a free agent somewhere… actually I think he may have already signed with St. Louis… crap I can’t remember. Maybe I should get more sleep…

Drew Kelson also signed with San Diego.

Pittman should have walked on at Titans camp

Richmond McGee signed with the Eagles.

Nate Jones should have gone to the Titans.

If Kelson signed with the Chargers, they are keeping it a secret. They have all the free agents on the roster on the web site and he is not listed.

Where did Ramonce Taylor go?

He did not pass go.

Ramonce didn’t pass. He just puffed.