We are live at Redskin Park for the 2008 draft, but before we begin draft talk, a few words need to be said about a missing colleague.

Jim Ducibella, from the Virginian Pilot in Norfolk, and I covered some 20 drafts together. He retired from The Pilot in Norfolk at the end of the Redskins season last year. He’s not here today, and he is missed. I miss his wit, insight, experience and ability to remain calm amid the storms that sometimes sweep through Redskin Park and the media work room. He is an outstanding writer and an even better person.

I don’t just miss him here. With the advent of cell phones, we would keep up with each other on our drives to and from Redskin Park and to and from FedEx Field, weighing in with traffic reports. Over the years, we compared notes on the fastest and/or best routes to Redskin Park.

People ask me what I have enjoyed most about covering the Redskins, and my answer is having a friend like Jim Ducibella.

As for the draft, color me surprised that the Falcons took Matt Ryan with the third pick.  The Falcons obviously think Ryan is a franchise quarterback. I don’t see it. I’ve been wrong before, but so have the Falcons. We’ll see.

Jerod Mayo went to New England at No. 10. What I find interesting about Mayo is that when the draft was listed as a second or third round pick. From there to No.10 is quite a climb. Mayo’s workouts must have been impressive, or the draft guides missed something on him at Tennessee.

Let me get this straight. Jacksonville gave up the 26th pick in the first round, two third-round picks and a fourth round pick for Derrick Harvey? Trading first-round picks is a wash. But the Jaguars, in effect, gave up three other players for Harvey. That’s quite a price for one defensive end. If he’s a Pro Bowl player and the Jaguars get to the Super Bowl, it will be seen as a stroke of genius. If Harvey is just a solid player, the Jaguars will have given up too much to get him.

But the interesting thing is that in a year, it will be forgotten everywhere except in Jacksonville that the Jaguars gave up so much to get Harvey.

Let me say this for the Jaguars. They knew who they wanted and did what was necessary to get him.