Jets Could End Up Regretting Draft Picks, Roster Maneuvers

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Apr 26, 2010

Jets Could End Up Regretting Draft Picks, Roster Maneuvers FOXBORO, Mass. — We've explored the best and the worst of the NFL draft, so it's now time to run through the rest.

Biggest Steals
1. Iowa offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga: Because the Chiefs, Raiders and Bills all passed on offensive linemen, someone had to fall, and it was Bulaga. The Packers were more than grateful to get him at No. 23.

2. Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen: It's absolutely astounding to see a guy with so much talent plummet to No. 48, but the Panthers snatched him up. Clausen might even have a chance to beat out Matt Moore for the starting job in 2010. Cutting ties with Jake Delhomme looks better each day.

3. Clemson defensive end/outside linebacker Ricky Sapp: His slide to the fifth round is some pretty damning evidence that Sapp's knee isn't as good as he promoted. But if Sapp and the Eagles' medical staff are honest with each other, the draft's 134th selection will be a menace for that blitz-happy defense.

4. Georgia Tech running back Jonathan Dwyer: His fall was curious, but the Steelers added another powerful running back who will be a perfect fit in their offense. That's a scary thought.

Biggest Reaches
1. Appalachian State quarterback Armanti Edwards: This is the reason why the Panthers aren't on the "best drafts" list. Carolina sent a 2011 second-rounder to the Patriots for the third-round selection to draft Edwards, who will convert to wide receiver. He's a local kid, and that will excite the home crowd, but Edwards shouldn't have gone that early.

2. Fresno State running back Ryan Mathews: He'll turn out to be a really solid back, and the Chargers certainly needed one. After the Bills surprisingly drafted C.J. Spiller with the ninth pick, there were probably a bunch of running back-hungry teams that were afraid of missing out on Mathews. So, San Diego got a little liberal with its picks and sent its first- and second-round selections to the Dolphins in order to could grab Mathews at No. 12.

3. Florida quarterback Tim Tebow: Let's just go ahead and call this a bad pick.

Lasting Questions
1. Baltimore Ravens: There seems to be a lot of praise getting thrown in Baltimore's direction, but is it deserved? The Ravens took Texas outside linebacker Sergio Kindle in the second round, but reports indicate he'll soon need microfracture surgery on his knee. Baltimore took Alabama defensive tackle Terrence Cody 14 picks later. While Cody has potential, he's had severe problems with weight and motivation. If Kindle and Cody pan out, they'll be excellent fits for Baltimore's defense. If not, the Ravens will have wasted their first two picks.

2. New York Jets: They took UMass guard Vladimir Ducasse in the second round and USC running back Joe McKnight in the fourth round. Afterward, the Jets released starting guard Alan Faneca and traded halfback Leon Washington. The Jets have been really tinkering with their roster this offseason, and these are the latest in a string of moves that have altered the core of the team. With that, will the Jets have the same chemistry in 2010 that helped them run through the playoffs last season?

3. San Francisco 49ers: The Niners needed to improve their offensive line, and they dedicated two first-round picks to that effort. They curiously traded up to No. 11 to take Rutgers tackle Anthony Davis and then used the 17th selection on Idaho guard Mike Iupati. The big question surrounds Davis, who might be as talented as any lineman in the draft but seems to have real issues with his work ethic. It's hard to imagine anyone slacking off under head coach Mike Singletary, so things could work out. If not, the Niners might be kicking themselves for passing over players like Texas safety Earl Thomas.

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