AFC SOUTH

This is the third in our eight-part series on the NFL Draft. As I said before, I tend to concentrate on team needs more than the prospects themselves when preparing for the draft. Therefore, I write a small capsule about each team. We have already done the AFC West and AFC East. Scroll through the March Archives for those. This may be difficult to read, but they are my actual notes for draft day.

AFC South

Indianapolis Colts 12-4 Lost to the Patriots…again in AFC Semifinals

Offense 2nd (1st Scoring)/ Defense 29th
Franchised Edge James 8 million
Peyton Manning 50 TD’s
Lost TE Marcus Pollard (Det), I Bashir CB, R Demulling G, R Morris LB
Added: almost nothing
Defense: allowed 53 plays of 20 yards or more

Needs: CB, LB, DT DEFENSE!!!
Pick #29: DT Luis Castillo, Northwestern?

04 Draft: Bob Sanders S (solid), J David DB (4th)

Jacksonville Jaguars 9-7

Offense 21st (scoring 29th)/ Defense 11th
Signed DE Reggie Hayward from Denver (10.5 sacks in 04, 8.5 in 03)
37 Sacks last season, only 6 from DE in ‘04
John Henderson and Marcus Stroud awesome at DT –
1st in Red Zone Defense
Offense 16 points per game: Horrid.
Leftwich raised his numbers in every stat. Developing nicely.
Fred Taylor still rolling along.
New Off Coordinator Carl Smith (out B Musgrave)
Lost Juran Bolden CB, Dewayne Washington CB
Franchised S Donovan Darius – he wants out

Needs: Offensive Firepower, Pass Rushers, CB’s
21st pick: CB Justin Miller Clemson? Shawne Merriman LB?

04 draft: Reggie Williams (bust?) only WR in league to average less than 10 yards a catch, Darrell Smith LB, Jorge Cordova LB (3rd), J Scobee K, B McCray DE 7th

Houston Texans 7-9

Offense 19th/ Defense 23rd (13th rush)
Re-Signed Seth Payne NG
LB Sharper and Foreman have been allowed to seek a trade
Dead Last in NFL in sacks – only 24.
5th overall in interceptions (Dunta Robinson)
OL still struggled: 49 sacks against David Carr.
Andre Johnson (awesome) and Jabbar Gaffney developing nicely as WR tandem.
Signed M Greenwood LB 15 starts (Mia), L Sanders CB (Clev)

Needs: OL, weapons WR, More Pass rush, defense. Protect QB, Sack QB
13th Pick: Alex Barron LT, Marcus Spears DE

04 Draft: Robinson 16 starts, 6 INTs, LB Babin 16 starts, Glen Earl (4th) DB 9 starts

Tennessee Titans 5-11

Offense 11th/ Defense 27th (scoring 30th)
Lost 5 starters, K Carter, S Rolle, D Mason, F Miller, J Nedney all to the cap
McNair more INT’s than TD’s for 1st time ever, Volek played plenty
Found a RB in Chris Brown, Drew Bennett emerged.
27th in sacks, secondary struggled.
Added Norm Chow from USC to Off. Coordinator
Needs – On 3/1 were worst in NFL (32nd), WR’s, CB’s, New leaders and identity. They have no established TE, OL problems RT, LT

Pick #6 – ?Pac Man Jones, Mike Williams?

04 draft: traded out of 1st round – 12 of 13 still on roster. Plenty of DL help. Laboy, Odom, and Starks all contributed to DL. B Troupe TE 33 catches. J Bell G (5th round) had 14 starts.