WitP: Post-Draft News on Veikune, Mouton, Ingram and Colt (w/UPDATE)

Thanks to Chawan Cut for doing an awesome job compiling news, video and photos this weekend. Here are a few more Draft-related news links.

ClevelandBrowns.com has a David Veikune profile page and two articles mentioning him here and here.

Browns General Manager George Kokinis said Veikune "is a guy we did some homework on. He's got a big-time motor. When you look at the tape the thing really jumps out is the way he finished plays and ran to the football. He can get to the quarterback."

"I love the guy's motor," head coach Eric Mangini said. "He has toughness, aggressiveness and I like his ability to change direction. There's a smoothness to the way he changes directions."

Orange and Brown Blogs has a David Veikune press conference transcript.

(On his experience at linebacker) - “At Hawaii we dropped a lot in zone coverages and things of that nature. Also, in high school I played a little bit of linebacker but it is a new position for me and I know I need to come and work extra hard to get a lot more natural in that aspect and stuff like that. It’s definitely a new position for me and I’m really excited.”

Some Browns blogs approve of Veikune being drafted, including Dawgs by Nature...

I personally love this pick. Veikune is aggressive and tough, the kind of LB we need.

...and Browns Mix.

This is a "sleeper pick". We like it. Veikune is not as big as many defensive ends at six feet two inches tall and 260 pounds, but he is very strong. He bench pressed 225 pounds 35 times at the Combine in Indy. He impressed many scouts at the Combine and at workouts since with his superior quickness and tireless motor. Most important, he has amazing pass rush ability which fills a huge hole in the Browns currently.

Titans Online has a Ryan Mouton press conference transcript.

(on where he thought he would be drafted)

I had heard fourth round with a couple of other teams. Tennessee, when they talked to my agent, they told him they were really, really interested. He told me they were the most interested. So looking at the fourth round and the teams that were also interested, we knew it would have to be earlier than them so we figured maybe third round, late third round.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick talked about drafting Jake Ingram during a post-draft press conference.

Q: You don’t normally see a long snapper drafted. What was it about Jake Ingram that you really liked?
BB: We thought that Ingram would be in competition for the position with Nathan [Hodel]. He’s an athletic guy, a little bit smaller than some of the snappers in the league, but a little bit more athletic than most of the snappers in the league. I think his athleticism versus his size is kind of the comparison or where the competition will be. [He’s] an experienced guy. He’s done that. He can block. He can cover pretty well. His snaps are accurate; they had good velocity. So I think that he will be competitive for that position. I felt like he was a top player for his position in the draft.

And Colt Brennan will have some friendly competition after former Missouri QB Chase Daniel signed a free-agent contract with the Washington Redskins.

The Redskins return starter Jason Campbell, veteran backup Todd Collins and second-year third-stringer Colt Brennan, the former record-breaker from Hawaii, who finished third in the 2007 Heisman Trophy voting, a spot ahead of Daniel.

"I’m excited to play with Colt and learn just as much as he’s learned in the past year," Daniel said. "We became pretty good friends during award ceremony circuit, so I’m glad I know somebody."

"I’m happy where I landed because when a team really wants you, it makes a difference," he said. "They’re more willing to give you a shot and they’re more willing to let you learn. They had success with Colt Brennan. So, they’ve had a spread quarterback come in there and throw the ball around."

P.S. Redskins coach Jim Zorn had some good things to say about Colt a few days ago.

On Colt Brennan, Zorn said the rookie was dealing with a torn labium in his hip last season that has since been surgically repaired.

Brennan's developed a stronger arm through training over the year and has been told that the preseason is "his time."

"You are going to be excited by what you see from Colt Brennan this summer."

But Zorn said it was unlikely that Brennan would displace Jason Campbell as the starter. Campbell has also worked to get better.

UPDATE: Jason Kaneshiro has a post-draft wrap-up.

Leila Wai has a video interview with Jake Ingram.

Stephen Tsai interviews Ryan Mouton and Jake Ingram, and has some news about Solomon Elimimian.

Linebacker Solomon Elimimian, meanwhile, was mulling offers from the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills last night.

And Dave Reardon has a Further Review column looking at why Adam Leonard and Solomon Elimimian weren't given much attention.

Leonard and Elimimian are small by NFL linebacker standards, and haven't displayed enough speed to the scouts to make up for it. Even Aaron Curry, a linebacker some called the best pure football player in the draft, was devalued due to his position.

"A lot of scouts hide behind numbers rather than stepping forward and trying to evaluate talent," Silberman said. "They're protecting their jobs, and it's easier to defend yourself if you point at numbers."

Reardon goes on to note how being undrafted worked out for Davone Bess. The column ends with a great line about Jake Ingram:

As for Ingram, it was a snap. He was in demand.

"As soon as the Patriots picked him, I got a text from another team," Silberman said. "It was a four-letter word."

Darn?