Last week, reports came out that the Redskins offered two draft picks to the Bengals for Chad Johnson. Cincinnati shot it down.
After Day 1 of the NFL Draft, it doesn't seem that the Redskins will revisit those talks.
The Skins draft out of the first round, netting three second round picks and used all three on receiving threats: WRs Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly and TE Fred Davis.
Thomas and Kelly are those big possession type receivers that Washington was looking to vault their new West Coast Offense. Both are strong, great hands, can break tackles and make big plays. Ya know, things we were looking for in Chad Johnson.
As Hogs Haven points out, this should help QB Jason Campbell out tremedously. He now has three big targets to look at the ability to spread this team out to four or five wideouts (Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle-El are no slouches). Davis projects to be like a Chris Cooley type player which gives Washington the ability to use two tight ends in the running game.
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Methinks the Redskins are Out of the Chad Johnson Sweepstakes
Posted Apr 27th 2008 10:34AM by Sportz Assassin
Filed under: Bengals, Redskins, AFC North, NFC East, NFL Draft, Washington, DC, Cincinnati
Final Vikings Mock Draft Roundup: Will Minnesota Add Another Receiver?
Posted Apr 26th 2008 2:14PM by JJ Cooper
Filed under: Vikings, NFC North, NFL Draft, Minnesota
Vikings fans aren't going to have a whole lot of to worry about today. After trading away their first-round and both third-round picks to the Chiefs for defensive end Jared Allen, Minnesota only has one pick in the first three rounds, although they do have six picks overall.But just because they don't have a first-round pick doesn't mean we can't speculate over who the Vikings will take with their second-round pick. Defensive end is obviously no longer a need, but Minnesota could still use help at cornerback and safety. Minnesota will likely be at the back end of a run on cornerbacks, and this isn't a great draft for safeties, which makes things tougher.
I was able to find three mock drafts done in the last couple of days that do go deeper than just the first round. There seems to be a lot of thoughts that Minnesota will take a wide receiver, with two of the three drafts picking a wide receiver. But with Bernard Berrian, Sidney Rice and Bobby Wade, Minnesota actually should be OK at wide receiver, especially since this is a run-based team. Adding a corner, a safety or offensive tackle (as Bryant McKinnie insurance) would seem to be a better way to go.
| FINAL MOCK DRAFTS | |
| NFL Draft Scout's Rob Rang | Reggie Smith, CB, Oklahoma |
| NFL Draft Scout's Chad Reuter |
Early Doucet, WR, Louisiana State |
| CBS Sportsline's Pete Prisco |
Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma |
'Skins Could Draft Slow-Footed Malcolm Kelly to Replace No-Catching Brandon Lloyd
Posted Apr 21st 2008 8:38PM by Ryan Wilson
Filed under: Redskins, NFL Draft, NFL Fans, NFL Gossip
I was pretty sure wide receiver Malcolm Kelly didn't run (even if slowly) himself out of the first round of the NFL draft after a poor workout for NFL scouts. But his explanation for why he wasn't very fast convinced me he wouldn't be among the first 31 picks.
Of course, it's pretty well established that I don't know what I'm talking about, so it makes perfect sense that the former Oklahoma star could very well be taken in Round 1.
Kelly bears particular attention. The Skins already brought him in for a visit recently and went out to Oklahoma for his workout. Now, they're going back again. It's looking more and more obvious that their dream scenario, where a tackle like Williams or Albert slips to 21, is out the window. And the ability to trade down out of the pick is largely out of their control, and there might not be a team willing to give up enough to trade up. So they might be stuck making a pick.Welcome to the 2008 Washington Redskins: not only do they have a first-round pick, but they're trying to trade down in the draft.
Malcolm Kelly's 'Slow Surface' at Oklahoma Pro Day Why Adrian Peterson Didn't Run?
Posted Apr 21st 2008 10:01AM by Michael David Smith
Filed under: Vikings, NFL Draft, Minnesota
Oklahoma wide receiver Malcolm Kelly has received a lot of criticism for both the slow 40-yard dash times he turned in at Oklahoma's pro day workouts, and for the way he has conducted himself, blaming the Oklahoma coaching staff and the slow surface at Oklahoma's practice facility. Most of that criticism has been justified, but this criticism is not:
Gil Brandt called in on Thursday and made a tremendous point on this Malcolm Kelly controversy, about Kelly claiming the university had him run on a slow surface at Oklahoma. Kelly ran 40-yard-dash times of 4.63 and 4.69, and if the surface was so slow, then why did Adrian Peterson run a 4.39 on the same surface last year?Actually, Peterson didn't run the 40 at last year's Oklahoma pro day; the only drill he did was the 60-yard shuttle. I don't know why Peterson didn't run the 40, but the slow surface could have contributed to that decision.
And anyway, even if Peterson has run a 4.39 on that surface in some other workout, that doesn't necessarily mean Kelly is too slow to be an NFL receiver. You can certainly be much slower than Peterson and still contribute in the NFL.
The bottom line is that I think Kelly's draft stock has fallen in the last month, and I think he has no one to blame but himself for that, but I also think we may have reached the point where people are going out of their way to find reasons to criticize him, sometimes unfairly.
FanHouse Mock Draft: Washington Redskins Select Malcolm Kelly No. 21
Posted Apr 14th 2008 8:00AM by Sportz Assassin
Filed under: Redskins, NFC East, NFL Draft, Washington, DC
With each pick of the FanHouse mock draft, we get into the head of an NFL general manager and let you know who he'll pick and why. With the first pick in the Jim "Z-man" Zorn era, the Redskins will look for a receiver. Currently, the Skins have two fast receivers who are excellent in the open field ... but lack the kind of move-the-chains guy you need in the West Coast Offense.
Enter Malcolm Kelly. Kelly is big (6'4, 220 lbs), has great hands and has the ability to break tackles and turn a 7-yard slant into a 50-yard TD.
Remember that Washington's QB is Jason Campbell, who has just about one season worth of starts under his belt. Having a big target like Kelly who can catch bad passes is quite a find. Imagine adding a guy like Kelly to a receiving unit that has Santana Moss, Antwaan Randle El and Chris Cooley ... with Clinton Portis coming out of the backfield.
Did I mention Portis? Kelly is an outstanding blocker in the Hines Ward mold who is sure to help the Redskins running game.
Malcolm Kelly Apologizes for Rant, Schedules New Workout ... but Scouts Can't Attend
Posted Apr 11th 2008 10:21AM by Ryan Wilson
Filed under: NFL Draft, NFL Fans
Word on the street is that former Oklahoma wide receiver Malcolm Kelly is a swell guy, and that there may be some truth to the accusations that the Sooners staff didn't go out of their way to help him during his workout for NFL scouts. But, well, he still comes off looking like a baby.
Which probably has something to do with Kelly going on the radio and apologizing rant. He's also scheduled another workout, this time in Atlanta, and under the direction of former Green Bay Packers wideout Boyd Dowler. Great, right? Not exactly. From Hashmarks' Matt Mosley:
But here's the catch: No NFL scouts will be allowed in the building. Dowler, who's in the Packers Hall of Fame, will send video and information from the workout to all 32 NFL teams and various media outlets.Come again? Look, I get the public apology, and rescheduling the workout seems like a smart move ... but no NFL scouts? Um, why even go through the trouble? It's like going to a job interview but requesting that nobody from the company you're interested in working for can be in the room. I think that only makes sense for peep-show employees.
Mosley thinks a lot of scouts will be highly suspicious of the move, and suggests that Kelly should set up as many private workouts as possible. Or -- and this is out there, I know -- he could just make his next workout accessible to the guys trying to hire him.
Previously on FanHouse
Malcolm Kelly Wants You to Know It's OU's Fault He's So Slow; Bob Stoops Disagrees
Malcolm Kelly Bombs Workout, Might Need to Consult Career Fallback Plan
Malcolm Kelly Wants You to Know It's OU's Fault He's So Slow; Bob Stoops Disagrees
Posted Apr 10th 2008 9:10AM by Ryan Wilson
Filed under: NFL Draft, NFL Fans
Just know this, Malcolm Kelly: The Truth Is Out There. Or something. After yesterday's career-ending-before-it-starts workout* for NFL scouts, the former Oklahoma wideout did what any of us would do as we watched our hopes and dreams take one last lap around the Thomas Crapper before disappearing forever: blamed it on a conspiracy to sully his good name:
"Certain people have tried to hold me down, and they know who they are," Kelly said after the workout. "I wouldn't say the whole OU coaching staff, but certain people, I would say that."Head coach Bob Stoops should be sure to include that in the recruiting video. Apparently, Kelly's slow 40 times aren't his fault, but lie with OU's strength coach, who forgot to inform Kelly that he'd be running "on the Everest Indoor Training Center's field turf instead of the Mosier Center's AstroTurf, a surface on which Kelly had been training the last month."
Somebody should point out to Kelly that in the NFL you don't get to choose the surface you run on. And I'm guessing if he runs in the high 4.6s on any artificial surface built for, you know, running, he'll be noticeably slower on grass (or worse, this). Kelly also blamed OU doctors for misdiagnosing a leg injury that kept him out of the Fiesta Bowl and the NFL Combine.
In the scheme of things, I don't think a slow 40 time is an indictment on a guy's ability to play in the NFL. Calling out team coaches and doctors? Yeah, that's a little different.
* not really
Malcolm Kelly Bombs Workout, Might Need to Consult Career Fallback Plan
Posted Apr 9th 2008 9:38PM by Ryan Wilson
Filed under: NFL Draft, NFL Fans, NFL Rumors
We're just over two weeks from the NFL Draft, which means that prospects' last best chance to make an impression will come via their pro day. Unfortunately, if that goes poorly, it'll end up costing them money come draft day.
And I'm sure that's what former Oklahamo wide receiver Malcolm Kelly and his agent are talking about right now. According to NFL.com, Kelly slogged his way to a 4.68 and 4.75 40-yard time during a workout today (he missed the Combine and Oklahoma's pro day due to a leg injury). NFLDraftScout.com reports that Kelly had run between 4.47-4.59 at some point prior to the Combine, so at this rate, he'll be running in the high 6s by the time training camp rolls around.
For some perspective, former Cal wideout and likely first-rounder DeSean Jackson ran a 4.35, 0.4 seconds faster than Kelly. That's what, a step over 40 yards? Huh..
Still, despite the less-than-stellar showing, it doesn't automatically relegate Kelly to practice-squad status. It's not a good thing, for sure, but it's not a career killer, either. The Cowboys Blog's Albert Breer makes an important point:
I do think it's important to interject the case of guys like Anquan Boldin, who ran in the 4.7s at the combine, then caught 101 passes as a rookie. And that Kelly's been hurt. And that there are probably a lot of NFL types ignoring all that right now, even if he looks pretty good on tape.And it's not like Boldin's the only player to run a slow time and still be a productive wide receiver (via NFLDS):
FanHouse Mock Draft: Chicago Bears Select OT Jeff Otah No. 14
Posted Apr 8th 2008 2:00PM by Josh Alper
Filed under: Bears, NFC North, NFL Draft, Chicago
With each pick of the FanHouse mock draft, we get into the head of an NFL general manager and let you know who he'll pick and why.
There's really not much choice for the Bears when their pick rolls around on April 26. They need to take someone to help their moribund offense and, given their shortages at the position, they need to take someone who can start on the offensive line on day one. It's the only way they can help their running game develop and upgrade their quarterback protection to acceptable levels in one fell swoop. The question is which player will best help them do it.
Jeff Otah of Pittsburgh is ready to go on day one. He's got a massive body that's built for running behind, long arms that can keep pass rushers at bay and the strength to succeed on both fronts. He's not speedy, though, and will be a right tackle as opposed to playing on the more valuable left side but the Bears still have John Tait for that spot. The only other downside to Otah is his ceiling. He's probably going to be just what he is now, which is fine, but perhaps not what Branden Albert of
FanHouse Mock Draft: Denver Broncos Select OT Chris Williams No. 12
Posted Apr 7th 2008 2:00PM by Josh Alper
Filed under: Broncos, AFC West, NFL Draft, Denver
With each pick of the FanHouse mock draft, we get into the head of an NFL general manager and let you know who he'll pick and why. The Denver Broncos find themselves in an odd spot come the 12th pick of the first round. Their biggest need is for a defensive tackle but players like Glenn Dorsey and Sedrick Ellis will be gone by the time they pick and the next tier, headed by Kentwan Balmer of North Carolina, is a bit of a reach at such a lofty spot.
A player like Malcolm Kelly of Oklahoma would match up well opposite Brandon Marshall. Kelly's got talent to spare and might fit the criteria of best player available but the Broncos took a big hit on the offensive line when Matt Lepsis retired following the season. The line in general was a need but when Lepsis hung up his cleats, left tackle became a glaring one.
With Jake Long and Ryan Clady off the board, the Broncos can choose between Chris Williams and Jeff Otah, both strong prospects but Williams is the obvious choice. Williams's biggest strengthes are his quickness and technique, which makes him a nice fit for the zone blocking Broncos. Plus he's already got experience protecting Jay Cutler's blind side and it never hurts to have a happy quarterback.
Mock Draft Roundup: Titans Could Take a Wide Receiver, But Which One?
Posted Mar 30th 2008 8:53PM by JJ Cooper
Filed under: Titans, NFL Draft, Nashville
Everyone knows the Titans need some wide receivers, which would seem to make picking for the Titans in a mock draft relatively easy. And it would be if there was any consensus on the top wide receivers for this year's draft.But a survey of 14 reputable mock drafts finds that there's not much of a consensus at all. Nine of the mocks have the Titans picking a wide receiver, but it could be any of four different receivers. Texas' Limas Sweed is the favorite pick as four of the mock drafts see the Titans reuniting Young with his Longhorns teammate. But DeSean Jackson and Malcolm Kelly are also mentioned in multiple mock drafts.
Here's the full list of mocks:
NFL.com's Pat Kirwin: Limas Sweed, WR, Texas
NFL.com's Vic Carucci: Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina
SI.com: DeSean Jackson, WR, California
Sports XChange: Jonathan Stewart, RB, Oregon
CBS Sportsline's Pete Prisco: Devin Thomas, WR, Michigan State
CBS Sportsline's Clark Judge: Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas
ESPN's Hashmarks Blog: Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma
Rivals.com: Calais Campbell, DE, Miami
Scout.com: Quentin Groves, DE, Auburn
NFL Draft Countdown: Limas Sweed, WR, Texas
Football's Future: Limas Sweed, WR, Texas
Scout's Notebook: DeSean Jackson, WR, California
New Era Scouting: Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma
Pro Football Weekly: Limas Sweed, WR, Texas
2008 NFL Draft Good Decision: Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma Turns Pro
Posted Jan 10th 2008 8:57PM by Michael David Smith
Filed under: NFL Draft
A look at the 2007 junior class as players decide whether to enter the 2008 NFL draft.Oklahoma wide receiver Malcolm Kelly said he decided to declare for the 2008 NFL draft after the draft advisory board told him he'd be a second-round pick. Kelly said:
That's the right call. The second-round grade strikes me as a bit pessimistic, and the only receiver in the 2008 draft who I think is clearly ahead of Kelly is Cal's DeSean Jackson, who hasn't yet said whether he's turning pro but is expected to. In a fairly weak 2008 receiver class, with top seniors Limas Sweed and Early Doucet coming off injury-plagued seasons, Kelly has a good chance to be a high pick for a team that needs a receiver."I felt like the time was right to make this decision," Kelly said in a statement from OU. "My family and I have talked it over for the last few days and decided this was the way to go. I've talked to a lot of guys who I trust who are playing in the NFL and I value their input.
See the full list of 2008 NFL draft early entries.
Malcolm Kelly Really Wants to Sit Sideways
Posted Jun 19th 2007 5:10PM by Jeff Adams
Filed under: Oklahoma Football, Big 12, NCAA FB Video
We've known for sometime that all athletes want to rap and all rappers want to be athletes. For more evidence of this truth we have Oklahoma wide receiver Malcolm Kelly bringing the freestyle in the OU locker room following a 21-7 Big 12 Championship Game victory over Nebraska.
I'm actually quite impressed with Kelly's flow. He stumbles a bit at one point and appeared to call Nebraska, the "Hornhuskers." But even as a partisan Nebraska fan, I ain't mad at cha, Malcolm. With his efforts Kelly takes an early lead in the Big 12 South battle-rap, as he clearly out-duels Martellus "Money-B" Bennett. This is despite Bennett's use of actual studio production.
There's no better way to celebrate 10 catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns.
Holla at tha Stoops!
I'm actually quite impressed with Kelly's flow. He stumbles a bit at one point and appeared to call Nebraska, the "Hornhuskers." But even as a partisan Nebraska fan, I ain't mad at cha, Malcolm. With his efforts Kelly takes an early lead in the Big 12 South battle-rap, as he clearly out-duels Martellus "Money-B" Bennett. This is despite Bennett's use of actual studio production.
There's no better way to celebrate 10 catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns.
Holla at tha Stoops!
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