2007 nfl draft – Syndication Server

NFL Draft: Two Longhorns go in first round of recent mock draft

In the latest mock from the Draft Network, two Longhorns were taking in the first round. So who was selected and how do they fit?

Even though the college football season is less than three weeks away from kicking off, we are in the thick of mock draft season. One of the better outlets, the Draft Network recently released their latest 2021 NFL mock draft. Drae Harris is projecting two Longhorns to be selected in the first 32 draft picks. That would mark the first time since 2007 when Aaron Ross and Michael Griffin were taken in the opening round.

With the 14th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft the Denver Broncos select

What Drae Harris says about Samuel Cosmi

The Broncos needed to improve at both tackle positions. Garett Bolles has been largely inconsistent and was plagued with penalties last year—they refused to exercise the fifth-year option on his contract. Ironically, they didn’t address either of the tackle positions in the 2020 NFL Draft. Denver bets on the upside here with Cosmi. He has the athleticism and ideal length for the perimeter. Denver believes it has its franchise quarterback in Drew Lock. Protecting him will be critical so that he can distribute the football to all of their explosive weapons on offense.

With the 24th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft the Philadelphia Eagles select

What Drae Harris says about Caden Sterns

Philadelphia lost a leader both in the locker room and on the field in Malcolm Jenkins. Adding Sterns to the mix to replace him would give that defense and that secondary a boost. Sterns is a good athlete who is the latest in the long line of NFL Longhorns to play in the secondary. He has the versatility to play low or high and it will be interesting to see how Philadelphia uses him in sub-packages.

What Longhorns Wire says about the selections

The two selections of Samuel Cosmi and Caden Sterns are the most logical. Both Denver and Philadelphia have needs at those particular positions. The Broncos need to protect their young quarterback, who now has a plethora of weapons at his disposal. Cosmi would likely play left tackle at the next level and protecting your quarterback’s blind side is one of the most important jobs of any player.

For the Eagles, much like Harris stated the loss of Malcolm Jenkins will be felt in the secondary. Not only a leader on the field but an emotional leader. For the Longhorns, Caden Sterns is in that role. He would work his way into the role with the Eagles. Philadelphia needs to sure up the secondary, especially considering the Dallas Cowboys just added Sterns’ old foe in CeeDee Lamb.

Giants select DT Paul Soliai in 2007 NFL re-draft

In a 2007 NFL re-draft courtesy of Bleacher Report, the New York Giants pass on CB Aaron Ross and instead select DT Paul Soliai.

In the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft, the New York Giants selected cornerback Aaron Ross out of Texas.

Although Ross never developed into an elite shutdown corner, he played well enough to make an impact and held tough in a Super Bowl XLII upset of the New England Patriots.

Ross would go on to win a second title with the Giants just four years later.

However, in a 2007 NFL re-draft courtesy of Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport, Ross goes undrafted and the Giants instead select defensive tackle Paul Soliai out of Utah.

Paul Soliai was never much of a pass-rusher. He had 5.5 career sacks over 10 years in the NFL. In fact, he wasn’t a statistically impactful player at all. He never had even 40 stops in a season.

But the impact a 344-pound defensive tackle can make shows up more on film than in the box score.

That Soliai’s lone Pro Bowl season came in 2011 feels fitting. I hear that was a good year for the Giants, too.

The choice of Soliai is an interesting one because it not only prevents the Giants from addressing a need at cornerback, it also leaves Soliai far down on the depth chart behind the likes of Fred Robbins, Barry Cofield and Jay Alford, who you might recall came up big in Super Bowl XLII.

Additionally, the Giants frequently ran what was called a “NASCAR” defense under coordinator Steve Spagnuolo at the time, which featured Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and either Cofield or Mathias Kiwanuka along the line. Needless to say, Soliai would not have factored in.

In this case, the Giants would be best suited sticking with Ross or taking another available cornerback.

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Raiders pick WR over former LSU QB JaMarcus Russell in 2007 NFL re-draft

Russell is still well-remembered as one of the worst busts in NFL history.

Former LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell had no shortage of hype coming out of Baton Rouge, but he fell far short of the expectations after he was selected first overall in the 2007 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders.

Actually, falling “far short” is probably an understatement, considering that Russell has gone down as one of the biggest busts in LSU history.

In his 2007 NFL re-draft, Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport rectified the situation for the Raiders by having them select wide receiver Calvin Johnson out of Georgia Tech instead.

Here’s what he had to say about the pick:

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“By his second professional season, Megatron had established himself as one of the best wideouts in the game. When he came closer than anyone ever has to a 2,000-yard season with his 122 catches for 1,964 yards in 2012, he staked his claim as one of the greatest wide receivers ever.”

Johnson went to six straight Pro Bowls from 2010 to 2015, was named a first-team All-Pro three times and is a mortal lock for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the first ballot.”

Russell finished out his three-year NFL career with a completion percentage of 52.1%, 4,083 passing yards,18 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.

It’s interesting to think about what could have been if the Raiders had gone with Johnson instead, though there’s a host of options that would have produced a better overall outcome for the team over Russell.

Calvin Johnson was hoping Falcons would draft him in 2007

Speaking with former Lions teammate Glover Quin on his YouTube show “The DB Room,” Johnson, an Atlanta native, said he actually was hoping the Falcons drafted him that year.

Entering the 2007 NFL Draft, it was understood that Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson was far and away the top college prospect. Johnson was passed over by the Raiders at pick No. 1 for quarterback JaMarcus Russell (yikes), but wouldn’t have to wait long for his name to be called.

The Detroit Lions selected Johnson with pick No. 2. After nine seasons in the league, the former All-Pro WR abruptly retired after the Lions’ 2015 season with zero playoff victories.

While the man known as “Megatron” due to his freakish size and robotic personality was quiet about his retirement at the time, Johnson has since opened up about his playing career.

Speaking with former Lions teammate Glover Quin on his YouTube show “The DB Room,” Johnson, an Atlanta native, said he actually was hoping the Falcons drafted him that year.

“Leading up to the draft, I am like shoot — boy, I hope I go to Atlanta,” Johnson said. “Played my high school ball, played my college ball right here and then, playing in the NFL right here. That would be the best little thing ever.”

The Falcons chose DE Jamaal Anderson at pick No. 8, but the team would have been required to trade up to acquire Johnson. A few seasons later, though, Atlanta would make a trade for another receiver, adding All-Pro Julio Jones.

It’s safe to say it’s worked out okay. Still, it’s interesting to think what Johnson would have looked like in Falcons uniform. Watch Johnson’s full appearance on Quin’s show below:

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