Comments from Post-NFL Draft Media Call with Mel Kiper Jr.

On Monday, Mel Kiper Jr. reviewed the 2008 NFL Draft during a media conference call where he graded team selections. 

To hear a full replay of the call, visit: http://www.espnmediazone.com/ccc

Note: Access to the online replay requires a login/password.  To register, visit: http://www.espnmediazone.com

Select comments from the call with Mel Kiper Jr.:

On the best teams in the Draft:

“In terms of the best in the Draft, you have Kansas City, you have to put in Cleveland, Dallas, and Washington. On the not so good side, you have Jacksonville, Tennessee and Houston.  They had the lower grades in terms of the way I graded it out.”

On Baltimore Ravens selecting quarterback Joe Flacco:

“They wanted Matt Ryan or they wanted Joe Flacco and that’s how they went about it.  I don’t think they were satisfied to just sit there and wait it out.  They knew they had the ability, with the draft choice they had, to move up or down and with Matt Ryan gone…Joe Flacco was going to be their quarterback. They were going to make sure that they got a guy that they wanted…They have maneuvered the draft very well and with Joe Flacco they believe he can be a heck of a quarterback and I tend to agree with them.”

On Carolina Panthers selecting running back Jonathan Stewart:

“In terms of Jonathan Stewart, his only issue is durability.  He is a powerhouse runner.  He attacks defenders.  He’s not a guy who’s going to go out of bounds or go down, he’s going to battle for everything, but he has had some injury problems…It’s a steep price to pay, but they want to win now…They (Panthers) had a great Day 2. They had the best Day 2 of anybody…They would have had an A draft, and arguably the best draft out there had it not been for the steep price to pay.”

Who had best Draft day in the NFC East:

“No. 1 is Washington.  No. 2 is Dallas, with the Giants and Philly, pretty much a push.”

What surprised you most with the Redskins and the Ravens in their picks:

“With Baltimore, nothing really surprised me.  They attacked the positions they needed to.  I thought the Ravens did a solid job.  With the Redskins, it didn’t surprise me that they traded out of there.  They wanted out of 21 – I said that all last week.  They wanted out, they got out…Their whole focus is to get Jason Campbell players around him.  They feel Jason Campbell can be a great quarterback in this league and they went out and tried to help him.”

On the Denver Broncos:

“They needed to help (quarterback Jay) Cutler.  That’s what you find in this league.  If you’ve got a young quarterback, help him.  Jay Cutler needed a (offensive tackle) Ryan Clady…People were down on the Denver draft.  I thought it was pretty solid.  I gave them a C+, I could have given them a B there easily.  I have no issue with what they did.”  

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