It's been ten days since our last ATQ Fantasy Draft post (which can be found HERE). Here's a quick recap of the action so far:
- jtlight took Haloti Ngata, getting an immediate impact player on his defensive line and probably the biggest standout at any position.
- David Piper made the first bold move of the draft by making Akili Smith the first QB off the board at #3.
- Takimoto makes it clear his path to victory is through the air, drafting Joey Harrington with his first pick, and three pass-catchers in his next four picks.
- Much to benzduck's dismay, Norm van Brocklin is still available.
- Much to everyone's dismay, Kenny Wheaton is still available.
After the jump, a pick-by-pick recap of rounds 6-10, and a look at how the teams are shaping up so far.
Round 6
PaulSF: With the first pick of the 6th round, it's time for a cornerback. And who better than the player who's responsible for the single greatest highlight in Oregon Ducks history, "The Pick." With the 31st overall pick, I select cornerback Kenny Wheaton.
Matt Daddy:Well, since Tako's picking after me, I better hurry up and get someone for Dixon to throw to. For that I'm taking one of the best deep threats to ever wear green and yellow. With the 32nd pick in the draft I select Pat Johnson.
Takimoto: Haha, I've completely disrupted Matt Daddy's draft strategy. My job is complete. Every team needs a reliable center, especially one that throws as much as my team would. With Unger off the board, I will turn instead to a two-time first team Pac-10 performer, in 2005 and 2006. With my sixth pick, I select Enoka Lucas.
Dave: One good offensive lineman deserves another, especially when having to counter Jared's defensive line. I'll take a guy who was a first team All-American in 1971 while anchoring the line that paved the way for Dan Fouts and Bobby Moore. At 6'4" and 260, he was a big man for his day, and could put on more weight to compete with the players of today. A first round pick of the Balimore Colts, but my sixth round pick here, I select tackle Tom Drougas.
ntrebon: After missing out on a lot of lineman since my last pick, I decided to grab another linebacker. My second LB was a four-year starter for the Ducks and was a two-time first team All-Pac 10 selection. With the 35th overall pick, I select Peter Sirmon.
jtlight: Unfortunately for the Ducks, they haven't been a linebacking mecca over the past few decades (the Ducks have had only 4 first-team All-Pac 10/8 LB selections), and with two off the board, it's time to grab the leader of my defense. Jeremy Asher led two of the best Oregon defense in the modern era of Oregon football. While the 1994 team gets all the credit, the 1995 team allowed fewer yards per game and per play. Asher led the team in tackles that year, and was named to First Team All Pac-10.
Round 7
jtlight: It's also time to delve into the secondary. Oregon's had some great ones over the years, but I'm going back to Jim "Yazoo" Smith. He struggled on some not so great Oregon teams in the late 60s, but gave the Ducks a fighting chance against the pass. He was all conference in '67 and '68, and All-American as a senior in 68. He was picked 12th in the draft, but saw his career cut short by a neck injury prematurely ended his career.
ntrebon: With the second pick of the 8th round, I chose to fill in the second safety spot in my defensive backfield. This recent Oregon product finished his collegiate career in 2008 after foregoing his senior year to enter the NFL draft. Before he left, he started 37 of a possible 39 games (after redshirting) and amassed 17 career interceptions, which is one behind the school record. He was a member of the All Pac-10 team in all three years, twice as an honorable mention and once on the first-team. He was also the conference's co-freshman of the year and a second-team freshman All American (Sporting News). I am talking, of course, about Jairus Byrd.
Dave: At this point, I need a leader to quarterback my defense. This player is one of the best linebackers in Oregon history. A three-year starter, all Pac-10 first team performer, and second team All-American. Filling my spot at MIKE linebacker with my seventh round pick I select Casey Matthews.
Takimoto: So here's the deal. I'm drunk, poolside, on the Vegas strip. And all this linebacker business has me a bit jealous. So I'm taking another beast of a linebacker. I draft Kevin Mitchell.
Matt Daddy: Well if you guys aren't going to take any defensive ends, I might as well have the best two on my team. You know what goes well 29.5 career sacks on one end? 23.5 sacks on the other end. This honorable mention all Pac 10 junior and first-team all Pac 10 senior was 8th all time in tackles for a loss and helped transition Oregon's defense from a bend don't break nickel defense to a zone blitz crazy hybrid 3-4. With my 7th pick I select Kenny Rowe.
PaulSF: Just because he's still fresh in our minds doesn't mean he won't go down in history as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, Ducks receiver of all-time. He tied Samie Parker's single-season and career receptions records in 2010, finishing with 77 catches on the season and 178 for his career. He also finished 7th in career receiving yards with 2,311. But even with the stats to back it up, he also played out of his mind in Oregon's only BCS National Championship appearance earlier this year, including one of the greatest catches in school history. Needless to say, I feel pretty damn good about this pick. Without further ado, I'm taking wide receiver Jeff Maehl with the 42nd overall pick (but he should have gone much higher).
Round 8
PaulSF: Of course, Fouts needs more than just Russ Francis and Jeff Maehl to throw to. So, how about another team record-holder? This guy led the Rose Bowl-bound Ducks in receiving in 1994, then went off in his senior season in '95 with 64 receptions for 1,064 yards. He's also tied with Keenan Howry for the most career TD receptions at 24. I'm, of course, talking about wide receiver Cristin McLemore, whom I'll take with the 43rd overall pick.
Matt Daddy: I'm taking Geoff Schwartz at tackle.
Takimoto: Along with 26.5 sacks, he is the all-time leader in tackles for loss with 53. For my eighth pick, I select Saul Patu.
Dave: At this point, Akili needs somebody to throw to. I see all these wideouts off the board. Not one of them was a first team All-American like this guy. His senior season of 1970 is arguably the finest in school history: 67 receptions. A whopping 1123 yards. 102 yards per game. Decent size at 6'2", 195 and went onto a solid NFL career with the Saints. In the eight round, I select All-American Bob Newland.
ntrebon: Time for me to take my first lineman. This player came to Oregon from Redmond High School as a 235-lb three-sport athlete. By the time he finished his career, he had twice been awarded the Ed Moshofsky award as Oregon's top lineman as well as earning All-Pac 10 first and second team honors. With my 8th selection, I take center Dan Weaver.
jtlight: It looks like center has become a hot commodity, and rightly so. It's a position that sets the tone for the entire offensive line, and thus, the offense. While it seems like some of the more recent centers have been popular, I'm going to continue my theme and go way back, picking "the best center in Oregon history," Brad Ecklund. He started 91 straight games, every game at Oregon, was a two-time all conference selection. He played pro football for a five years, making two pro bowls, but quit to coach high school football. In 1999, he was named Oregon's lineman of the century. I have no idea how he fell this far, but I'm thrilled to take him.
Round 9
jtlight: For the first pick of the 9th round, I'll take one of the best cornerbacks and returners in Oregon history, Chris Oldham. In 1989, as the MVP of Oregon's first bowl team in 26 years, he had 8 interceptions and was named an All-American. He has the 4th most interceptions in Oregon history, and was two-time first team all-conference.
ntrebon: Talk about outstanding value --- Jared just drafted an All-American in the ninth round and I am going to do the same. With the second pick of the ninth round, I select Oregon's last available All-American DB, Herman O'Berry. In addition to his AA and first-team All-Pac 10 honors in 1994, O'Berry was also awarded the team's Bob Officer Award for "major contributions to the success of the football program despite physical adversity."
Dave: So everyone's picking All-Americans? Lets continue that trend and give Akili somebody else to throw to. There are two All-American wide receivers in Oregon history. I've got one. I'll now take the other. This guy was three times All Pac-10 first team, a first team All-American as a senior. He also garnered All-League honors as a kick returner. In the ninth round, I select WR Lew Barnes.
Takimoto: With my ninth pick, I need a corner, and one of the best cover corners in Oregon history is still on the board. I select Rashad Bauman.
Matt Daddy: This is sort of sentimental pick considering I played high school basketball against him. Then again putting a 6'5" 200+ pount middle linebacker as your point man on defense didn't seem very fair. To lead my front at the MLB position I select Matt Smith.
PaulSF: I think it's about time I focus a bit on my defense. With "The Intimidator" (Dave Wilcox) already at linebacker, I'm taking a hard-hitting safety with size who could break up passes deep and stop the run. I thought long and hard about taking T.J. Ward with this pick, but I couldn't bring myself to leave one of my all-time favorite Ducks on the board. Despite being known more for big hits than pass defense, he still ranks 7th on Oregon's career list of passes broken up with 26, and he's arguably the greatest smack-talker in Ducks history (not always in a good way...but what can I say? I like the smack talk). I can't imagine a better centerfielder for my intimidating defense, which is why I'm taking free safety Keith Lewis with the 54th overall pick.
Round 10
PaulSF: This Duck was a 2-time all-conference selection in 2000 and 2001, including leading the team with over 100 tackles during the historic 11-1 No. 2 finish in 2001. It doesn't hurt to have the greatest name in school history either. With the 55th overall pick, I select linebacker Wesly Mallard.
Matt Daddy: Wow, I'm really pissed Paul took 3 days to take Keith Lewis. He was one of my favorite Ducks because of defense as well as special team play. In that case I'll take the next hardest hitter (and according to some the hardest hitter ever to wear green and yellow) JD Nelson.
Takimoto: I'm gonna shore up the defensive line with one of the strongest Ducks of all-time, evidenced by his finding a home in the NFL with the Chicago Bears. I draft Matt Toeaina.
Dave: This linebacker is second on Oregon's all-time sacks list with a whopping 29, and had totals of 11 and 13 in the 1992 and 1993 seasons, causing the most havoc of any linebacker in Oregon history. With my next pick, I draft Ernest Jones.
ntrebon: Well, I put it off as long as I could---it's finally time for me to address the defensive line. With the top DTs already off the board, I decided to take one of Oregon's most productive ends. He finished his career fourth all-time in sacks and third in tackles for loss. Additionally, he was a two-time recipient of the Joe Schaffeld award as the team's top defensive lineman. I draft Devan Long.
jtlight: The Ducks have been loaded at CB over the years, but haven't been quite so strong at SS. But one of Oregon's best is sitting on the board. It's easy to overlook him when he's paired with Joe Giansante every week, but I'm taking Anthony Newman. He was great against the pass, and great against the run. He shared Oregon's MVP honors in 1987, when he was also a first team all conference selection, and honorable mention All-American. He went on to play in the NFL for 11 years.
So there you have it, ten rounds in the books. We'll be back Friday for Rounds 11-16, with the exciting conclusion next week. For now, here's a look at the teams so far:
Team jtlight: Haloti Ngata, Bobby Moore, Gary Zimmerman, Steve Barnett, Vince Goldsmith, Jeremy Asher, Jim Smith, Brad Ecklund, Chris Oldham, Anthony Newman
Team ntrebon: Jonathan Stewart, Keenan Howry, Chad Cota, Bill Musgrave, Tom Graham, Peter Sirmon, Jairus Byrd, Dan Weaver, Herman O' Berry, Devan Long
Team David Piper: Akili Smith, Onterrio Smith, Igor Olshansky, Cliff Harris, Adam Snyder, Tom Drougas, Casey Matthews, Bob Newland, Lew Barnes, Ernest Jones
Team Takimoto: Joey Harrington, Samie Parker, Demetrius Williams, Patrick Chung, Ed Dickson, Enoka Lucas, Kevin Mitchell, Saul Patu, Rashad Bauman, Matt Toeaina
Team Matt Daddy: Dennis Dixon, Reuben Droughns, Nick Reed, Max Unger, Alex Molden, Pat Johnson, Kenny Rowe, Geoff Schwartz, Matt Smith, J.D. Nelson
Team PaulSF: Mel Renfro, LaMichael James, Dan Fouts, Dave Wilcox, Russ Francis, Kenny Wheaton, Jeff Maehl, Cristin McLemore, Keith Lewis, Wesley Mallard