Day 2 Utterings

- Detroit goes RB finally
After spending the night examining their board and roster, Detroit traded up to the top of the third to grab RB Kevin Smith of UCF. Smith will have the chance to start straight away.

- Panthers get top value
By nabbing Penn St LB Dan Connor in the middle of the third, the Panther get a steal. Some draft gurus had the panthers taking Connor in the first, so a huge win for Carolina.

- Manningham finally off the board
It took the 32nd pick of the 3rd round, but WR Mario Manningham is heading to the Giants. I would say this could be one of potentially best value picks for first round talent, obviously something concerned teams to have him slide.

- Ravens get a fighter
Notre Dame Safety Tom Zbikowski heads to Baltimore. with the Ravens getting one of the toughest rookies around. It will be on special teams early that TZ gets a chance.

- Slaton to play a role in Houston
The Texans chose former Heisman candidate Steve Slaton to add depth and variety to their backfield. Expect them to use him as a third down back early.

- Patriots go QB
Many thought the Patriots would consider a QB in this draft and Kevin O'Connell in the 3rd was an interesting pick. The Pats have a good eye for QB talent mid to late, just see Brady, so O'Connell showed his sleeper value here. Some believe O'Connell has the game and smarts to develop into Brady's eventual replacement.

- More WR in Stripes
With the WR group in flux, the Bengals added Florida's Andre Caldwell. Caldwell is not only a strong player, but of sound character, avoiding issues the Bengals don't need.

- Great CB Value in 4th
Justin King to the Rams in the 4th is a steal for St Louis. The Penn State defender was highly rated on many boards, I had him with a 2nd round grade. The Eagles made one of the most interesting picks, one with amazing upside, going for Jack Ikegwuonu of Louisville. Ikegwuonu was rated the #1 CB in NCAA until a broken leg at the start of his senior year, so first round talent the reward at the risk of a 4th. I would take that risk.

- 2 RB for Dallas
The Cowboys, after adding Felix Jones on Day 1, picked up another of the best in the draft with Georgia Tech's Tashard CHoice. Choice is potentially an every downs back as a backup option. Still no WR drafting for Big D.

- QB's emerge in Round 5
JD Booty finally got the nod, a bit later than expected, heading to Minnesota at the top of Round 5. This is a good fit for the Vikings, getting a Pro ready QB for their West Coast offense. Booty should be competing for the #2 spot by the start of the year and giving Tarvaris Jackson some young competition. Pittsburgh took the punt on Dennis Dixon who was in the middle of a standout senior year in Oregon before a blown out knee cost him a Heisman. It will be interesting to see how they project him. Tampa got another QB, choosing Josh Johnson of SD State to add to their stable. Erik Ainge gave the Jets some value in late 5th, although I am surprised of all QB's the Jets went for Ainge, who reminds me of Pennington. Hawaii's Colt Brennan found his way to Washington, where he should fit Jim Zorn's offense.

- LB's still on the board
Wesley Woodyard, Erin Henderson, Nick Watkins, J Leman, Ali Highsmith, Ben Moffitt all remain on the board late in the 6th. Very interesting. I had Woodyard and Henderson gone 2/3rd round. Most amazingly is the plight of Ali Highsmith, the All American National Championship winner, who since the end of the season has plummeted due to poor workouts and measurables. But he is a player and someone will get some value in the 7th.

- UFA Scramble Likely
With some good players still out there late in the 6th, expect the UFA phones to run hot. Safeties like Jamar Adams and Josh Barrett (who i can't believe is still there) would be prime targets.

- I picked it
Mike Hart to Indianapolis. I thought he would be a perfect fit as backup to Addai with Zone running skills and pass catching ability. I also picked another of the Colts players - OL Steve Justice (I did have him going 3 rounds earlier though).

- Woodson = Slider
Andre' Woodson, once considered a 1st round pick, has finally been taken late in the sixth, by the Giants. He will have a chance to win the 3rd QB job.

- Matt Flynn to Packers...
Another QB to the Pack? Can they really have 3 guys who have never started a game on their roster? Flynn would have made sense on his own in the 7th for depth behind Rodgers and a veteran, but Flynn probably wishes he was elsewhere with at least a chance to compete for the 3rd QB job.