By JIMMY D / NFL draft fantasy implications, Kentucky Derby picks | Jimmy's archive

Terry Bradshaw, John Elway, Troy Aikman and Peyton Manning were all taken No. 1 overall.

Steve Bartkowski, Jeff George, Tim Couch and Alex Smith were all taken No. 1 overall.

Matthew Stafford joined the ranks of quarterbacks selected first in the NFL Saturday and he’ll work to have his name linked with the first four players, not the latter four.

But is the Georgia pivot up to the task in Detroit, coming off an 0-16 season and with Daunte Culpepper – an unlikely mentor - ensconced as the starter?

Fantasy football nuts track the NFL draft even more closely than hockey nuts follow June’s NHL entry draft. But it’s much harder to decipher the immediate implications for your draft list (or even your pro football keeper league).

An offensive tackle taken third overall who you never heard of from a university you never heard could mean your favorite QB now has the protection he needs to have a great season. It could be that running back you gave up on last year will blossom with some proper blocking in front of him.

Jason Smith of Baylor went to St. Louis and that’s good news for Stephen Jackson owners. Andre Smith from Alabama went to Cincy and that’s good news for Carson Palmer and the Bengal running backs.

One name you might call in September is Mark Sanchez. The USC senior was plucked by the Jets, who needed to make a splash to replace retiring Brett Favre and they succeeded. He has a chance to play right away and some scouts like him better at No. 5 than Stafford at No. 1.

The only other fantasy impact players in the Top 10 are WRs and Oakland – with a history of management and draft problems – may have screwed up again. At No. 7, the Raiders took Darrius Heyward-Bey, the fastest kid in the draft.
But didn’t they try this tactic 15 years ago with the fastest kid available?

emember James Jett, the Olympic sprinter who won gold in the 1992 Summer Games? He sure was fast, but he didn’t have great hands and had a luke-warm NFL career.

And the 49ers may have gotten into a spot of trouble with the talented but immature Michael Crabtree out of Texas Tech at No. 10.

Denver got an exciting player in Georgia RB Knowshon Moreno at No. 12, but this was a dumb pick because they so desperately need defensive help. Isn’t this the team that swaps up backs like Jimmy D swaps up old cars?

This season’s breakout WR who should be good for some long TDs is in Philly, just like last year’s breakout wideout (DeSean Jackson). The Eagles were looking for defense, but speedster Jeremy Maclin fell to 19 and the Birds moved up to get him.

If not Maclin, it could be Percy Harvin, who went three picks later to the Vikings. Minnesota’s defense is already Super Bowl-ready and the infusion of some explosive offense like the Florida grad will make them serious contenders.
And honourable mention to the Steelers to close out the first round, who took Ziggy Hood (Jimmy just really likes that name).

Less Quality in Derby field

Big Brown was the big winner in last year’s Kentucky Derby, and Quality Road was primed to do the same this year.

Advertisement: Get bets down on the Kentucky Derby in minutes using your credit card! Click Here Now You can also get the horse handicapping and analysis and Derby picks from the Internet's top handicapper (he's an American, but he's a hockey fan, so he's OK). Click here to see Mike D's picks.

But the Florida Derby winner (who hit the winner’s circle in three of four career starts) won’t run for the roses this Saturday after a hoof injury scratched him.

The early favourite is I Want Revenge, but Dunkirk – who lost a close battle with Quality Road in the Florida Derby – is one of Jimmy D’s picks.

Jimmy D
jpoole@herald.ca