DeCosta chat

[AntiMoon]

Interesting nuggets
Had no interest in trading up for Hightower or Adams
No interest in signing another WR.
Still looking to add depth on both the OL and DL.
With this being a weak draft we purposely scouted the smaller schools harder than usual.
Thinks either Doss or Reed will win #3 WR spot.
Had a few WR's rated ahead of Randle
Thinks KO and Gradkowsi will contribute right away while Streeter is a project
Did not draft a Middle LB because it's not a pressing need with McClain,Ellerbe and McClellan here
Last year alot of players fell to us. This year alot of guys we liked got selected right before we picked which is why we had to trade up for the RB
Our favorite pick was Gradkowski, scouts and coaches loved him

[AntiMoon]

Was asked how our 19th rank passing game improves: "Torrey Smith, Pitta and Dickson all improve and our pass blocking gets better" Tall task with Grubbs gone and Birk a year older so Osemele and Gradkowski better be good from Day 1

[baltimoreron]

Interesting nuggets
Had no interest in trading up for Hightower or Adams
No interest in signing another WR.
Still looking to add depth on both the OL and DL.
With this being a weak draft we purposely scouted the smaller schools harder than usual.
Thinks either Doss or Reed will win #3 WR spot.
Had a few WR's rated ahead of Randle
Thinks KO and Gradkowsi will contribute right away while Streeter is a project
Did not draft a Middle LB because it's not a pressing need with McClain,Ellerbe and McClellan here
Last year alot of players fell to us. This year alot of guys we liked got selected right before we picked which is why we had to trade up for the RB
Our favorite pick was Gradkowski, scouts and coaches loved him

Thanks for the update.

I heard an interview with Gradkowski on 105.7, I believe. Bright kid, can't wait to pick Birk's brain. I think he's going to be a good fit and probably the future center.

[cprenegade]

Interesting nuggets
Had no interest in trading up for Hightower or Adams
No interest in signing another WR.
Still looking to add depth on both the OL and DL.
With this being a weak draft we purposely scouted the smaller schools harder than usual.
Thinks either Doss or Reed will win #3 WR spot.
Had a few WR's rated ahead of Randle
Thinks KO and Gradkowsi will contribute right away while Streeter is a project
Did not draft a Middle LB because it's not a pressing need with McClain,Ellerbe and McClellan here
Last year alot of players fell to us. This year alot of guys we liked got selected right before we picked which is why we had to trade up for the RB
Our favorite pick was Gradkowski, scouts and coaches loved him

Interesting. A few thoughts.

Had no interest in trading up for Hightower or Adams

I believe they didn't want to trade up because there were so many decent prospects at various positions, but I also think they did not expect Pitt to grab DeCastro and NE to jump them for Hightower. I think they may have thought one of them might slip to them. When it didn't happen, they figured they could get Upshaw and still trade back a few picks.

With this being a weak draft we purposely scouted the smaller schools harder than usual.

Not sure about that statement. Everything I read was how deep this draft was. I think the fact that there were so many potential prospects out there that it afforded them the chance to sit and wait and not try to trade up for someone.

Last year alot of players fell to us. This year alot of guys we liked got selected right before we picked which is why we had to trade up for the RB

Yes, I believe that. It goes along with what I said about the first statement.

[AntiMoon]

What he meant was no 1st rd caliber players this year from some of the football factories. Fla State, Fla, Miami all failed to produce a 1st rd pick for the first time in forever. Also nobody from Auburn,Michigan,Ohio St or USC if my memory is correct.

[cprenegade]

What he meant was no 1st rd caliber players this year from some of the football factories. Fla State, Fla, Miami all failed to produce a 1st rd pick for the first time in forever. Also nobody from Auburn,Michigan,Ohio St or USC if my memory is correct.

I agree that the normal college big-hitters had down years, but there were plenty of 1st rd caliber players there. With the depth of the draft, and the fact that the Ravens had no absolute immediate glaring need that would necessitate moving up, they did the right thing by moving down and getting an extra pick. They could have used a blue chip O-lineman, but I don't know if the cost of trading up would have been worth it. I think Adams might have been a good pick, but a lot of teams downgraded him after he screwed up. I think Pittsburgh grabbed him because he met with them prior to the draft, explained what happened and expressed his desire to be on their team.

[elj1201]

Upshaw>Hightower. It's a passing league