The debate rages and won?t end for a few days ? not until Matt Ryan is drafted and not until the Ravens quarterback situation becomes a little more clear.
But it?s not even clear if the Ravens should draft Ryan, the Boston College quarterback. A handful of draft experts and former scouts say they should pass on Ryan and select someone such as Delaware?s Joe Flacco or Michigan?s Chad Henne.
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However, ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski says they should take Ryan.
“If Matt Ryan is on the board at number 8 I can?t see the Ravens passing on him,” Jaworski said in a conference call. “In my mind Ryan is the only early-round QB that is a legit top-10 pick. So if you are Baltimore and he falls to you, you just can?t let him go.”
But others who focus on the draft year-round say the Ravens are better off taking a tackle with the eighth pick and trading into the end of the first round and taking another quarterback.
Russ Lande, a former scout and currently a draft analyst for the Sporting News War Room, said he?s heard that the Ravens like Vanderbilt offensive tackle Chris Williams and Boise State?s Ryan Clady.
“Clady is a little bit of a better athlete,” Lande said, “and maybe more competitive of a kid. But the feeling is that Williams has a Jonathan Ogden temperament and maybe that?s what they like. He?s not an aggressive guy; he?s a laid-back astute, smart guy. He?s extremely intelligent and knows what he has to do to be successful.”
Regardless of who the experts say they should take in the first round, there?s little debate about the urgency to upgrade this spot.
“After watching [Kyle] Boller since he came to Baltimore, I just do not see him as the future of the franchise,” Jaworski said.
Green continues to weigh options
Syracuse freshman forward Donte Green joined the list of one-and-done two weeks ago. But don?t assume he only went to college because of the NBA eligibility rule.
He had the name, courtesy of his honors ? McDonald?s All-American; Parade All-American ? and the size (6-foot-11).
But, he told The Examiner?s Sean Welsh, “I don?t think I would have gone.”
There?s still a chance he might return to college. Green said he has not yet signed with an agent. His primary focus is preparing for the Orlando pre-draft camp in late May. Then he?ll decide if he wants to stay in the draft or return to Syracuse. Initial projections put him in the middle of the first round after averaging 17.7 points and 7.2 rebounds this past season. But one NBA executive said his talent puts him there, but that “I wouldn?t go to war with him. … I don?t see it for us”
“We?ll see after workouts and at the pre-draft camp,” Green said. “I?m in no rush to get an agent.”
But the 6-foot-11 forward knows what he must do to impress the scouts: get stronger. He said he?s gained approximately 20 pounds in the past year. And Green said he?s working out three to four times a day, while still taking classes.
“I just need to keep working on it and get ready to play with the big guys,” he said.
Good idea, bad idea
Good idea » Getting a player signed before the draft, as Miami did with Jake Long. Now the Dolphins have to hope he doesn?t face Vernon Gholston regularly. Gholston tore him up in November.
Bad idea » Quitting your day job to become a Florida Marlins ticket scalper. The 12-7 Marlins are averaging 12,852 fans since the season opener. And that?s the announced attendance.
Good idea » Putting LeBron James on Gilbert Arenas. Agent Zero Explosiveness can?t get past the physical James right now. Mike Brown is outcoaching Eddie Jordan.
Bad idea » Starting off your contract year with these stats: 0-3, 13.50 ERA. Um, sure you don?t want to re-sign now C.C. Sabathia?
Good idea » Putting Brian Billick on TV to analyze quarterbacks on draft day. Just as long as no one asks him, you know, how to then develop those quarterbacks.
Bad idea » Leaving your car on the streets of Montreal after a big hockey victory. Good to see another American tradition has crossed the border. No word whether any of the fans torching the cars attended the University of Maryland.
Good idea » Having MLB?s worst record while no one is paying attention. The Washington Nationals should thank the Capitals and Wizards for deflecting attention on their putrid play.
Bad idea » Thinking Philadelphia?s win over Detroit in Game 1 was a fluke. One scout told us before the series it would be better than people think. He loves how point guard Andre Miller is playing. And don?t forget: The Sixers are now 23-12 in their last 35 games.
Campbell going smaller this year
The mantra is repeated to many quarterbacks: stand tall in the pocket. That?s the last thing Jim Zorn will say to his quarterback, Jason Campbell.
One of the areas Zorn has worked on with Campbell, entering his fourth season, is staying low ? or at least lower ? in the pocket.
All he wants is for Campbell to bend his knees a little more.
“Instead of standing tall the whole time, he?ll be compressed,” Zorn said. “So instead of being [6-foot-6], he?ll be 6-5. This will give him the opportunity to move quicker than he?s done in the past. … That?s just a philosophy change.”
Zorn works with Campbell daily, tweaking his mechanics. The previous coaching staff spent all last offseason doing the same, focusing on Campbell?s footwork.
What Zorn hasn?t done is given Campbell, or anyone, the playbook yet. They?ve worked a lot on terminology, but not the plays. But Zorn is confident that Campbell and the others will be able to digest the playbook in time before camp opens in late July.
By then, Campbell will also know not to stand tall.
“I won?t say, ?Don?t stand up so tall,?” Zorn said, “because I?ll notice and I?ll say, ?Stay compressed.?”
Knucklehead of the week
DeShawn Stevenson » Wizards
Wizards guard DeShawn Stevenson has drawn national ridicule for calling LeBron James overrated. Stevenson has made himself look even worse with his postseason performance. In six playoff games vs. Cleveland, Stevenson has made a combined 14 of 62 field goals ? 22.6 percent! ? and scored 39 points. Worse, after a rare sight the other night ? his made three-pointer ? Stevenson ran downcourt and did his little hand in front of his face thing. This after his team had just cut the deficit to 16. Don?t talk trash when you?re getting your butt kicked. Then in practice yesterday he wore a Jay-Z T-shirt. James had compared himself to rap icon Jay-Z and Stevenson to one-hit wonder Soulja Boy. “I swear, I just wore it,” Stevenson said, playing down any hidden message. He?s just making things harder on himself.
On the record
“He?s stated without an opportunity to go to a different team and a new contract, he wasn?t going to play. I think he?s a man of his word and says he?s not going to play, so don?t play.”
? Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis on disgruntled receiver Chad Johnson.
“It takes pressure sometimes to make a diamond. In hindsight, yeah, that was my strategy. I?m going to get my Phil Jackson on and say I planned it all along.”
? Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant on whether or not his demands pushed GM Mitch Kupchak into action.
Three up
Won on two different surfaces in past three weeks
Homered in five straight games entering last night
Batting .453 with 6 HRs, 19 RBI
Three down
Down 0-2 ? and headed to Utah
Knick haters »
With Isiah gone, team might improve
Um, any time you want to start hitting
