Let’s put a bow on the NFL Draft, please, and take a look at who went where and why it may or may not work.

Pat White: I’m convinced the only way this doesn’t work is because of regime change. It won’t fail because of Pat. I simply won’t doubt his ability to adapt and succeed. I can’t. Now if a new coach or front office arrives and goes in another direction, that could really hurt Pat. He has a lot of appeal, but his greatest appeal is found in philosophy, which the Dolphins clearly have.

The high selection will work against him somewhat, especially if it takes him time to get it going or if he does get hurt or pressed into playing QB right away. He’ll also more or less be blamed or credited for whatever happens in the evolution of the WildPat. Quite a responsibility, but do you doubt he can handle it? Me neither.

Even better, the ‘Phins drafted two WRs who are actual receivers. They have a plan to use Chad Henne at QB no later than 2010. They have a second-round pick in 2007 (BYU’s John Beck) on the roster. They even have a number of kick and punt returners, including Ted Ginn, who they drafted really early in 2007 in part because he returns kicks and punts. It’s about as ideal as it gets, I think.

By the way, I never get into the popular wave of commentator bashing, partly because I don’t watch a lot of the live events we discuss here, but Todd McShay blew my mind the other day. The Dolphins picked White and the reaction on whatever channel I was watching at the time was something along the lines of “That’s going to upset a number of teams below Miami,” basically because he was a coveted prospect and Miami was willing to go high to get him. I got that. A little later, ESPN’s panel was discussing White and how his addition affects the Wildcat. McShay stepped out of bounds to level Pat one more time — he hasn’t run routes, he’s never fielded a punt or a kick, so on and so forth. The cameras panned back out to the rest of the panel, which seemed either stunned or confused and the lead goes, “We’re not talking about that. We’re talking about how he affects the Wildcat.” McShay was red-faced and the segment ended a few panic-stricken moments later.

Ellis Lankster: He’s got a lot working against him as a seventh-round pick and the third cornerback taken by a Buffalo team with a number of cornerbacks and, unfortunately, kick and punt returners. I still think there’s hope and I don’t really agree with the assessment he’s a zone corner. He played all man-to-man in juco and just look at the way he developed in one year with David Lockwood. Put him with some NFL coaches and he can get even better. All-Pro? No, but certainly useful. And you can’t undervalue a kid who can play corner or safety or nickelback and then drop back 40 yards to catch a punt. It’s on Ellis now, but he’ll need some help to get the right eyes on him in the preseason.

Pat McAfee: This, too, is ideal. The Colts let their punter go in free agency, signed a just-in-case guy off waivers last week and traded up to get McAfee. I don’t think he’s coming in for a tryout. Also, Adam Vinatieri is the kicker, no question, but he’s got two-years left on a big contract with a team that’s strapped for cash. True, Vinatieri re-worked his deal to help the team and that’s something the Colts won’t forget, but if they do go the other way, a cash-strapped team has a guy in McAfee who could, in theory, handle punting and kicking. It’s a stretch, but it has to have been part of Indy’s thinking. That team’s too smart.

Free agents

Greg Isdaner: I’m somewhat surprised he wasn’t drafted … but also not surprised at all. Late in the draft teams will roll the dice a little and with their eyes on a player or a position go in another direction while hoping that need or player can be addressed in free agency. And really, the quality in the sixth and seventh rounds isn’t terribly different than what you’ll find in free agency. Fortunately for Isadner, he’s with a Cowboys team that loves big linemen and knows how to coach them up for proper use. Isdaner is big and he’s smart, which is to say he can make this work whether they want him in a reserve role at guard, tackle, center or some combination of the three.

Ryan Stanchek: Here’s what you have to remember about being drafted late and signing via free agency. If you’re drafted, you have no choice where you’re headed. If you go undrafted, you pick your destination. In a way, this worked out well for Isdaner and Stanchek. He was in the same situation as Isdaner late in the draft and picked a pretty good place to land. The Falcons are maybe the best running team in the league with a really respected OL coach, Paul Boudreau, who was briefly considered to coach WVU’s offensive line when Oll Stewart was assembling a staff.

Mortty Ivy: The Carolina Panthers really wanted to draft Ivy, but ran out of picks and hoped he was available in free agency. It worked out for both and Ivy, who gained a little momentum shortly before the draft, is headed to Charlotte. So, too, is good friend Jason Colson, who starts a new job there in May.

Nothing yet from Dorrell Jalloh, which also puzzles me. I didn’t think he’d be drafted, but the kid’s a worker who does things right. I thought he’d have a deal by Sunday night. Another name to keep an eye on is Adam Hughes. Long snappers are rarely drafted, but it’s a skill teams absolutely need. I wouldn’t be surprised if he signed on somewhere in the not-so-near future, perhaps after rookie mini-camps when teams see what they have, adjust the roster and then go back for what they need.