The Packers have finished the day by selecting Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State. Sherrod was a perfect pick according to grades given by Pro Football Weekly. Sherrod gives the Packers quality depth on the line, and if his grade holds, it would have fit perfectly in the scheme of things.
Thanks to everyone for reading today. I appreciate all of your support, and I hope that we did a good job for all of you. Thanks to you all!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Steelers #31 Pick
The Steelers have selected Ohio State DE Cameron Heyward, son of the late, great Craig "Ironhead" Heyward. Heyward led the Buckeyes with 13 TFLs in 2010, a huge feat. Heyward, however, only recorded 2.5 sacks in 2010, meaning that he is not exactly what you would consider as a primary rush guy. NOt sure if there was good value here, but I have learned never to question the Steelers in the draft.
Jets #30 Pick
The Jets have selected Temple DT Mohammad Wilkerson. Wilkerson collected 9 sacks in 2010, with 13 TFLs. He also collected 70 tackles, which is a huge number of tackles for a DT in any system. He can also shift to DE in the nickle D, giving him huge value for Rex Ryan and the Jets. Another solid late 1st round pick.
Bears #29 Pick
The Bears have selected Gabe Carimi from Wisconsin. He is a very nice choice for a Bears team that needed depth on the line. Jay Cutler should be happy crying like a little girl to have this dude protecting his ass. He will give Cutler all day long to make the big pass, and will block his brains out on the run. Ask John Clay, Scott Tolzien, and Montee Ball what they thought of having this grade A road paver plowing up real estate in front of them last season. He is a beast. Great pick for the Bears.
The J-E-T-S Jets, Jets, Jets are on the clock...
The J-E-T-S Jets, Jets, Jets are on the clock...
Chiefs #26 Pick...Ravens missed it
The Chiefs have selected Jonathon Baldwin of Pittsburgh, after the Ravens fsailed to make a selection or trade their pick in time. That goes to show a chaotic front office in action, or lacking action.
In Bladwin, the Chiefs selected Baldwin, another big play receiver to pair with Dwayne Bowe. Matt Cassel should be very excited to have another big play guy to get thr ball to. Bladwin's numbers took a dip in 2010, but that was due to inexperienced QB play as Tino Sunseri was still learning how to play the position.
The Ravens have now selected CB Jimmy Smith of Colorado. Smith is yet another CB who never picked off a pass in 2010, which is a huge red flag for me. He also only defended 4 passes last fall.
The Patriots then traded the 28th selection to the Saints, and the Saints turned that pick into Mark Ingram of Alabama. Ingram is the first RB selected in this draft, and at #28, that is an incredibly low selection. Ingram will likely be the guy who eventually pushes underproductive Reggie Bush out of the Big Easy.
In Bladwin, the Chiefs selected Baldwin, another big play receiver to pair with Dwayne Bowe. Matt Cassel should be very excited to have another big play guy to get thr ball to. Bladwin's numbers took a dip in 2010, but that was due to inexperienced QB play as Tino Sunseri was still learning how to play the position.
The Ravens have now selected CB Jimmy Smith of Colorado. Smith is yet another CB who never picked off a pass in 2010, which is a huge red flag for me. He also only defended 4 passes last fall.
The Patriots then traded the 28th selection to the Saints, and the Saints turned that pick into Mark Ingram of Alabama. Ingram is the first RB selected in this draft, and at #28, that is an incredibly low selection. Ingram will likely be the guy who eventually pushes underproductive Reggie Bush out of the Big Easy.
Seahawks #25 Pick
The Sickhacks made another "interesting" move by slecting James Carpenter, OT, from Alabama. I am sure that he's a good player, being from Bama and all, but what a reach. Could have probably had this guy in the next round.
Huge reach...and Seattle fans should be highly pissed off right now.
Huge reach...and Seattle fans should be highly pissed off right now.
Saints #24 Pick
The Saints have selected DE Cameron Jordan from California. Jordan recorded 12.5 TFLs in 2010, and had only 5.5 sacks on the season. Not great numbers for a 1st rounder. There were more than 20 players in this draft that were more productive when it came to getting to the QB that are still sitting undrafted. He did provide 61 tackles, which is a good thing, but a DE should have pass rush skills, and Jordan is limited.
The Seahawks are on the clock...
The Seahawks are on the clock...
Eagles #23 Pick
The Eagles select Danny Taylor, OG, from Baylor. Not a really high profile pick, as the linemen were not a very deep group. There was more value at other positions, and players higher on the board available that could have helped. The second Baylor player selected in the 1st. Makes me wonder how good the crack must be in New York today...
Saints are on the clock...
Saints are on the clock...
Buccaneers #20 Pick, Browns #21 Via Trade with Chiefs, Colts #22 Pick
The Bucs have selected Adrian Clayborn of Iowa. Clayborn blocked 3 kicks in his Hawkeye career, and forced 7 fumbles. He had a stunted season in 2010, as he only collected 7 TFLs on the season, with only 3.5 sacks on the season, and that was in 13 games. Not a great season. He also only registered 52 tackles. He had 20 TFLs in 11 sacks in 2009, showing a major regression from 2009 to 2010. Questionable pick here. Overrated.
The Browns have pulled off a trade with KC for the #21 pick. With that pick, they have selected DT Phil Taylor of Baylor. Taylor, another reach, only collected 7 TFLs for the season in 2010 for the Bears, who made their first bowl in 18 years. He only collected 2 sacks. Another reach for a guy who'll do nothing but occupy a couple of blockers for others to make plays.
At #22, the Colts have grabbed OT Anthony Costanzo from Boston College, who, in my opinion, is the best tackle available in this draft. He slid way to far for no good reason. Boston College has produced some very good tackles, and he may be the very best of them all. Payton Manning is going to love this guy...a lot.
The Browns have pulled off a trade with KC for the #21 pick. With that pick, they have selected DT Phil Taylor of Baylor. Taylor, another reach, only collected 7 TFLs for the season in 2010 for the Bears, who made their first bowl in 18 years. He only collected 2 sacks. Another reach for a guy who'll do nothing but occupy a couple of blockers for others to make plays.
At #22, the Colts have grabbed OT Anthony Costanzo from Boston College, who, in my opinion, is the best tackle available in this draft. He slid way to far for no good reason. Boston College has produced some very good tackles, and he may be the very best of them all. Payton Manning is going to love this guy...a lot.
Giants #19 Pick
The Giants selected Nebraska CB Prince Amukamara. The Husker CB did not pick off a single pass in 2010, which is why he fell all the way to 19. He did break up 13 passes on the season, but a corner who cannot pick off a pass is a liability. He also collected only 59 tackles on the season, making one wonder what he did in the secondary all season other than kind of hang out. Will need to be placed in a position where he can be in the action, as he struggles to get near the ball nearly enough. Of course, there were teams that threw away from him often enough. Had 5 picks in 2009.
Lots of great value available now.
Buccaneers are on the clock...
Lots of great value available now.
Buccaneers are on the clock...
Chargers #18 Pick
With the 18th pick, the Chargers select DE Corey Liuget from Illinois. Not the popular choice with Charger fans, who have so many needs. Liuget had 12.5 TFLs in 2010 for the Illini, and recorded only 4.5 sacks. If I were a Charger fan, I'd be kind of pissed right now.
The New York Football Giants are on the clock right now...
The New York Football Giants are on the clock right now...
Patriots #17 Pick
The Patriots make fans scratch their skulls a bit, as they bypass the hometown kid in Anthony Costanzo, and they select Nate Solder, OT, from Colorado. Solder has technical issues, and he tends to get beat. The Patriots, with this selection, basically will be bidding a solid goodbye to Matt Light, who is an unrestricted FA in 2011. Light was the most overrated tackle in the NFL as far as I was concerned, so I'm not worried about it.
Solder was a rising commodity, but the Pats will have to do a ton of work with him. He probably landed in the right spot to get the coaching that he needs.
Chargers are on the clock...
Solder was a rising commodity, but the Pats will have to do a ton of work with him. He probably landed in the right spot to get the coaching that he needs.
Chargers are on the clock...
Redskins #16 Pick
The Redskins select DE Ryan Kerrigan at the #16 pick. Kerrigan is a very good player, and the Redskins made a nice move to get him at a value pick. Will be a bookend with Orakpo next fall. Kerrigan collected 26 TFLs last season and had 12.5 sacks on the season. Purdue sucked, but Kerrigan certainly did not.
Kerrigan is super high value at #16, and Skins fans are going to love this guy. I see a ton of jersey sales coming in the beltway.
Patriots are on the clock...
Kerrigan is super high value at #16, and Skins fans are going to love this guy. I see a ton of jersey sales coming in the beltway.
Patriots are on the clock...
Dolphins #15 Pick
Dolphins select Mike Pouncey of Florida, who will likely play guard for Miami. This is not the pick that Dolphin fan wanted. They wanted another QB, or a RB being that the Phins were planning on dropping Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, and they basically hate Chad Henne. Oh well. Pouncey is the brother of the Steelers starting center.
Redskins are back on the clock...
Redskins are back on the clock...
Rams #14 Pick
The Rams selected DE Robert Quinn of NOrth Carolina, but he has not been playing for awhile, due to his greed in dealing with agents before his time. Huge upside, but he will be rusty. Has a huuge motor, but has maturity issues.
Quinn had 19 TFLs in 2009 and registered 11 sacks. Did not play in 2010 because of the agent crap. Idiot.
Dolphins are on the clock...
Quinn had 19 TFLs in 2009 and registered 11 sacks. Did not play in 2010 because of the agent crap. Idiot.
Dolphins are on the clock...
Lions #13 Pick
The Lions pick the best DT in the draft when they select NIck Fairley. Fairley, while being borderlined retarded intelligence wise, is one hell of a player. Fairley registered 24 TFLs last season, with 11.5 sacks. He is a monster that calls for double team blocking on every down, and can line up in the hole, or can slide in at NT. Solid pick for the Lions, and they'll be happy that they have him.
Vikings #12 Pick
And the bizarre draft continues. The Vikings should have Pondered this selection a little bit more. The Vikings select QB Christian Ponder of Florida State. The Vikes fans are left to Ponder about what the fuck just happened.
Ponder has always had health issues, and had some last season. He was a whopping 22-11 as a starter at FSU, not indicitive of a 1st round QB. And let's be real...it's not like FSU has a deep history of creating NFL QBs. Sloppy pick. Only passed for 170.3 yards per game in 2010. Mike Mayock is an idiot by the way by saying that he will lead the Vikes to the Super Bowl one day. Smoke that crack.
Lions are on the clock, and are trying to trade out...
Ponder has always had health issues, and had some last season. He was a whopping 22-11 as a starter at FSU, not indicitive of a 1st round QB. And let's be real...it's not like FSU has a deep history of creating NFL QBs. Sloppy pick. Only passed for 170.3 yards per game in 2010. Mike Mayock is an idiot by the way by saying that he will lead the Vikes to the Super Bowl one day. Smoke that crack.
Lions are on the clock, and are trying to trade out...
JJ Watt Selected by Houston
And I just posted, JJ Watt of Wisconsin. Watt is a potential monster up front, giving the Texans a potential superstar in the making. HE has a solid motor, and gives top effort on every play. Watt recorded 7 sacks, but recorded a total of 20.5 TFLs on the season, good for 8th in the nation in a very talented group.
Watt is a grade A selection for the Texans, but they need help on offense as well.
The Vikings are on the clock...
Watt is a grade A selection for the Texans, but they need help on offense as well.
The Vikings are on the clock...
Redskins trade #10 to Jacksonville
The Jaguars finally take Blaine Gabbert off of the board. Gabbert, again, is a reach. Let's call him the new Matt Leinert. Gabbert only passed for 16 TDs in 13 games in 2010. That's not 1st round caliber.
Passed for 3186 yards, which makes the lack of TD productivity that much more perplexing. Never played under the center in high school or college, which is a very bad thing. Developmental at best for right now, and may be a few seasons before he would be ready to play regularly. The Jags could regret this.
The Texans are on the clock...
Passed for 3186 yards, which makes the lack of TD productivity that much more perplexing. Never played under the center in high school or college, which is a very bad thing. Developmental at best for right now, and may be a few seasons before he would be ready to play regularly. The Jags could regret this.
The Texans are on the clock...
Cowboys #9 Pick
And the Cowboys make another stupid pick. They select OT Tyron Smith of USC. Why would you ever select a tackle who plays on the right side this early? Should have selected Costanzo of Boston College.
Smith is huge and has a huge wingspan, but again, he is a right tackle, who you can normally get in the second round or even later. Cowboys had deeper needs, and this was a massive reach.
Redskins are on the clock...
Smith is huge and has a huge wingspan, but again, he is a right tackle, who you can normally get in the second round or even later. Cowboys had deeper needs, and this was a massive reach.
Redskins are on the clock...
49ers #7 Pick, Titans #8 Pick
What the fuck??? The 49ers selected DE Aldon Smith of MIssouri, and Blaine Gabbert slips past a team in need of a QB. With Harbaugh as coach? He must know something about Alex Smith that we don't know.
The Niners will use Smith as an OLB and rush LB. He will not play DE. Huge reach for a player being asked to play out of position, especially when he is not used to be in that spot.
Gabbert would have fit here, but Harbaugh has other plans. Would have been better off sliding down to select Smith. Smith had 10 TFLs, and 48 tackles on the season for Mizzou. He only registered 4.5 sacks on the season, and the Niners want him to be an edge guy. Uh oh.
Gabbert is starting to have a deer caught in the headlight look to him.
And Gabbert slides yet again, as Jake Locker has been selected 8th by the Titans. Again...What the fuck???
Locker has all sorts of raw ability, but has never been able to put it all together. He is an erratic at best QB, and has not played huge in big games. This is a serious reach here. Locker passed for 2265 yards and 17 TDs with 9 picks. He only averaged 188 yards passing in 2010. Serious reach.
Cowboys are on the clock at #9...
The Niners will use Smith as an OLB and rush LB. He will not play DE. Huge reach for a player being asked to play out of position, especially when he is not used to be in that spot.
Gabbert would have fit here, but Harbaugh has other plans. Would have been better off sliding down to select Smith. Smith had 10 TFLs, and 48 tackles on the season for Mizzou. He only registered 4.5 sacks on the season, and the Niners want him to be an edge guy. Uh oh.
Gabbert is starting to have a deer caught in the headlight look to him.
And Gabbert slides yet again, as Jake Locker has been selected 8th by the Titans. Again...What the fuck???
Locker has all sorts of raw ability, but has never been able to put it all together. He is an erratic at best QB, and has not played huge in big games. This is a serious reach here. Locker passed for 2265 yards and 17 TDs with 9 picks. He only averaged 188 yards passing in 2010. Serious reach.
Cowboys are on the clock at #9...
Falcons #6 Pick
The Falcons have grabbed the second receiver in the draft, selecting Julio Jones of Alabama. Jones has his moments, but again, would never have been selected ahead of Justin Blackmon if he had entered the draft.
Jones posted a line of 78-1133-7 in 2010, and is a solid talent who can take advantage of a tremendous situation with Matt Ryan at QB, Expect him to be an impact guy from day one, and if he is smart, he'll hook up with Ryan to work out ASAP. He should already be running routes for Ryan in the Radio Music City Hall lobby. This could be one of the better young combo units in the NFL in 2011, if there is truly a season.
49ers are on the clock...
Jones posted a line of 78-1133-7 in 2010, and is a solid talent who can take advantage of a tremendous situation with Matt Ryan at QB, Expect him to be an impact guy from day one, and if he is smart, he'll hook up with Ryan to work out ASAP. He should already be running routes for Ryan in the Radio Music City Hall lobby. This could be one of the better young combo units in the NFL in 2011, if there is truly a season.
49ers are on the clock...
Arizona #5 Pick
The Cardinals go away from Blaine Gabbert and they select Patrick Peterson of LSU, a CB.
Peterson is an amazing talent at CB. Peterson was second on the team with 4 picks. He broke up 6 passes, blocked a kick, and returned 2 punts for TDs. Will be incredible on returns, and should be sdepended on to start at CB from day one for the Cardinals. he is a solid coverage guy. Some folks compare him to Deion Sanders, but I'm not there yet.
Browns trade the 6 pick to Atlanta, and the Falcons are on the clock.
Peterson is an amazing talent at CB. Peterson was second on the team with 4 picks. He broke up 6 passes, blocked a kick, and returned 2 punts for TDs. Will be incredible on returns, and should be sdepended on to start at CB from day one for the Cardinals. he is a solid coverage guy. Some folks compare him to Deion Sanders, but I'm not there yet.
Browns trade the 6 pick to Atlanta, and the Falcons are on the clock.
Bills #3 Pick, Bengals #4 pick
The Bills select DT Marcell Darius of Alabama. Very good DT who also can play nose tackle or the 5 Tech. He also can line up at DE. Looks smallish for a DT, may be better served outside.
Our take on this, is why would the Bills go interior line, when they have no QB, no receivers, or no real skill guys of any kind?
Darius recorded 11.0 TFLs, but only had 4.5 sacks. Very athletic, however.
The Bengals just selected WR AJ Green of Georgia. When you don't have a QB to throw the ball, why would you select another WR? Green was a bit of an overrated WR, and has been overhyped by every media outlet.
Green locked down a line of 57-848-9 in 2010, which is solid, but not sure if he would have been here if Justin Blackmon had come out.
Two very questionable selections.
The Cardinals are on the clock...and Blaine Gabbert may be next.
Our take on this, is why would the Bills go interior line, when they have no QB, no receivers, or no real skill guys of any kind?
Darius recorded 11.0 TFLs, but only had 4.5 sacks. Very athletic, however.
The Bengals just selected WR AJ Green of Georgia. When you don't have a QB to throw the ball, why would you select another WR? Green was a bit of an overrated WR, and has been overhyped by every media outlet.
Green locked down a line of 57-848-9 in 2010, which is solid, but not sure if he would have been here if Justin Blackmon had come out.
Two very questionable selections.
The Cardinals are on the clock...and Blaine Gabbert may be next.
Broncos #2 Pick
The Broncos have selected Von Miller, LB, Texas A&M. He is a major monster at the edge rush. He is a lighter LB at 240, but I'd take him to play LB as well. Thoughts were earlier that the Broncos would select Darius of Alabama, but DT is deep this season, and they took the best edge rusher that they could get, and that was Miller.
Recorded 17.5 TFLs in 2010 for the Aggies, and had 10.5 sacks on the season, and joins Elvis Dumerville at the DE position, giving the Broncos two very good pass rushers. AFC West QBs are in trouble.
Bills are on the clock...
Recorded 17.5 TFLs in 2010 for the Aggies, and had 10.5 sacks on the season, and joins Elvis Dumerville at the DE position, giving the Broncos two very good pass rushers. AFC West QBs are in trouble.
Bills are on the clock...
#1 Pick to Carolina
Carolina selects Cam Newton. Jerry Richardson cements status as Bone Headed idiot. They Ignore the red flags and the crowd boos like crazy.
Newton passed for 2854 yards and 30 TDs to 7 picks last season, his only as a starter at a major program. He does not make the pro throws, and during his pro day workouts, he struggled to make the NFL throws. He has a ton of learning to do, and needs some serious humility in his life.
He believes that his talent is God Given, and he is more mentally ready than BRady or Manning were. His head is huge. Very arrogant. I predict some adversity next fall. Concerned with keeping his father in his lifestyle, and now he wants to go on a vacation...
The Broncos are on the clock...
Newton passed for 2854 yards and 30 TDs to 7 picks last season, his only as a starter at a major program. He does not make the pro throws, and during his pro day workouts, he struggled to make the NFL throws. He has a ton of learning to do, and needs some serious humility in his life.
He believes that his talent is God Given, and he is more mentally ready than BRady or Manning were. His head is huge. Very arrogant. I predict some adversity next fall. Concerned with keeping his father in his lifestyle, and now he wants to go on a vacation...
The Broncos are on the clock...
NFL Draft 5PM Update
It's off to the NFL!!!!
Cam Newton is #1 pick for the Panthers. Did not milk the clock like we thought they would. Offers are probably thin.
Playing "Right Now" by Van Halen. Sammy Hagar VH, not DLR. Much better.
Newton is ready to be announced, and Goodell is set to announce.
Updates now as draft picks and deals are made...
Cam Newton is #1 pick for the Panthers. Did not milk the clock like we thought they would. Offers are probably thin.
Playing "Right Now" by Van Halen. Sammy Hagar VH, not DLR. Much better.
Newton is ready to be announced, and Goodell is set to announce.
Updates now as draft picks and deals are made...
Late NFL Draft Update
Our Top DE...JJ Watt. Top DT...Nick Fairley. Top OLB...Von Miller. Top ILB...Martez Wilson. Top CB...Patrick Peterson. Top Safety...Rahim Moore.
NFL Draft 4:50 Update
Caqm Newton has "God Given" talent, and won't have to prepare like BRady and Manning do. He thinks he is more fundamentally sound than them as well. Thinks that he will be the greatest, but won't be able to lead right out of the gate, beacause he is new to this.
If only Deion Sanders loved Troy Aikman this much back in the day...
By the way, nobody has called Newton from the Panthers yet. Panthers are still listening to offers, and after seeing the NFL Network interview, they may be rethinking picking him.
Just 10 minutes to go until we're drafting players for 2011.
We kick it off 5pm PST!!!!
Back in 10...
If only Deion Sanders loved Troy Aikman this much back in the day...
By the way, nobody has called Newton from the Panthers yet. Panthers are still listening to offers, and after seeing the NFL Network interview, they may be rethinking picking him.
Just 10 minutes to go until we're drafting players for 2011.
We kick it off 5pm PST!!!!
Back in 10...
NFL Draft 4:40 Update
Cam Newton and Roger Goodell both got booed tremendously loud. Fans start chanting "we want football". They had football all along...College Football.
Mark Ingram does not exactly look to be in shape. Looked heavy and a bit bloated today.
The building is packed at Radio City Music Hall. Probably strongest crowd that I have seen in years.
Our pick for top RB...Mark Ingram. Top QB...Blaine Gabbert. Top WR...Julio Jones. Top TE...Kyle Rudolph. Top OT...Anthony Costanzo. Top OG...Mike Pouncy...Top C...John Moffitt.
More at 4:50...
Mark Ingram does not exactly look to be in shape. Looked heavy and a bit bloated today.
The building is packed at Radio City Music Hall. Probably strongest crowd that I have seen in years.
Our pick for top RB...Mark Ingram. Top QB...Blaine Gabbert. Top WR...Julio Jones. Top TE...Kyle Rudolph. Top OT...Anthony Costanzo. Top OG...Mike Pouncy...Top C...John Moffitt.
More at 4:50...
NFL Draft 4:30 Draft Update
If Newton goes to Carolina, Jimmy Clausen is available for a trade.
Broncos now 90% certain that they will go with LB Von Miller. He'd better be the next Lawrence Taylor or Ray Lewis. He is known to be a phenominal edge rusher.
Ryan Mallett possibly falling out of the first round.
More at 4:40...
Broncos now 90% certain that they will go with LB Von Miller. He'd better be the next Lawrence Taylor or Ray Lewis. He is known to be a phenominal edge rusher.
Ryan Mallett possibly falling out of the first round.
More at 4:40...
NFL Draft 4:20 Update
Who's dropping? Justin Houston. Failed drug tests. Not good. His play is off and on as well. Da'Quan Bowers is slipping as well, because of injury. Blaine Gabbert is also slipping according to multiple sources.
In our assessment at Bilo Football, if the Panthers select Newton, they will be no better than the Chargers long term. A team that always falls short. Jerry Richardson will cement himself as an owner who's boneheadedness will continue to cost his franchise. Prepare to see yet another self centered draftee steal a ton of cash and give his franchise a slight return. BY the way, according to Steve Young, Newton has only thrown 50 passes for his career from the pocket. 50!!!
More at 4:30...
In our assessment at Bilo Football, if the Panthers select Newton, they will be no better than the Chargers long term. A team that always falls short. Jerry Richardson will cement himself as an owner who's boneheadedness will continue to cost his franchise. Prepare to see yet another self centered draftee steal a ton of cash and give his franchise a slight return. BY the way, according to Steve Young, Newton has only thrown 50 passes for his career from the pocket. 50!!!
More at 4:30...
NFL Draft 4:10PM Update
In Keith Harding's analysis, he says that the Panthers should keep the #1 pick, and use it to draft Patrick Peterson. My assessment is that the Panthers should keep the #1, use it on Peterson, and make a play for a free agent QB, or make a deal with Philly to obtain Kevin Kolb to man the QB spot until they can draft one of the top 3 QBs in next season's draft.
Still no final word on the 6 pick, but likely all will be quiet until the Browns are on the clock. Expect the Panthers to milk the clok at #1 to see if a good trade comes across. NFL Network is calling for the Cowboys to select Tyron Smith at the 9 spot. Anthony Costanzo at that spot has much better value. Cowboys should pick Costanzo if available, and move Free to the right side.
More at 4:20...
Still no final word on the 6 pick, but likely all will be quiet until the Browns are on the clock. Expect the Panthers to milk the clok at #1 to see if a good trade comes across. NFL Network is calling for the Cowboys to select Tyron Smith at the 9 spot. Anthony Costanzo at that spot has much better value. Cowboys should pick Costanzo if available, and move Free to the right side.
More at 4:20...
NFL Draft 4pm
One hour to go until the NFL draft. The top 5 looks to be set, with Cam Newton going #1 to the Panthers. The Panthers appear to be open to losing him however, as they are still listening to other offers for the pick. Newton, in our estimation, would be a bad choice at #1 overall, as he appears to break down as the Vince Young of this draft, but with more character issues.
The #6 pick, currently owned by the Browns, has been tossed around as trade bate. The Patriots were discussing it, but now they are out, and the Falcons appear ready to make a deal, that according to Jay Glazer, is basically a done deal.
More in 10 minutes...
The #6 pick, currently owned by the Browns, has been tossed around as trade bate. The Patriots were discussing it, but now they are out, and the Falcons appear ready to make a deal, that according to Jay Glazer, is basically a done deal.
More in 10 minutes...
Coming up in 5 Minutes!!!
NFL Draft live blogging and tweeting commences at 7PM EST. Stay with us through the draft for instant analysis of the draft.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Why a BCS Collpase Doesn't Mean Playoff
In recent weeks, there has been a long and heavily heated conversation in regards to the BCS, its viability as an organization, and what a potential collapse could mean to the college football landscape. Everything at this point is purely speculative, as is the this potential collapse of the BCS, but the major issues surrounding the Fiesta Bowl disaster in regards to the behavior of executives have created a muddying of the collective waters, and people are believing what they will about what the future holds. One of the most popular theories is that the NCAA weill simply shun the current system altogether and give America what it truly wants, which is a playoff system inherent on every other level of college football. This is where I burst the balloon with my cynical pin. Don't count on it.
BCS Dilemma
The firing of sacrificial lamb John Junker by the Fiesta Bowl through everything into a whirlpool last month, after it was discovered that Junker was basically buying favor with college football administrators with lavish parties, gifts, and well, strippers and cruises, sometimes all of it at the same time. Junker, if your into that sort of thing, seems to know how to drop some cash on some crazy shit. What it all boils down to, however, is that none of it should shock you. As a matter of fact, you shuold have come to expect it from your renegade BCS administrators and executives. They operate outside of NCAA parameters, but that doesn't mean that there are not standards, and it seems as if that was forgotten in the process.
What these behaviors have done, other than create feined shock by the talking heads at the empire of idiocy, ESPN, is that the very status of the Fiesta Bowl (I mean common, it calls for partying with that title) is now in danger of falling from the "lofty" ranks of the BCS itself. As a matter of fact, it's almost a foregone conclusion that the Fiesta Bowl will likely be dropped from the menu when final decisions are handed out by a committee of morons who were beneficieries of all of the fun and frolic as it turns out.
The question now becomes, if the BCS does truly dump the Fiesta when the chips fall, who replaces them? Will it be the Cotton Bowl, a bowl that is as old as they come? Well, there lies the problem, as the Cotton Bowl has basically been guilty of the same old shit, different day defferential attitude that has been pervasive of bowl execs from day one. As a matter of fact, you probably won't find a bowl game in America that has not sliced and diced up some new flavor of favor where it did not belong. Even the Rose Bowl sold out and took a corporate sponsor in the TV greed game, which isn't illegal, but it takes away a certain measure of holier than thou.
Other candidates are numerous, but it's truly anyone's guess at this point as to who would have the clout, and spending power, to join the elite ranks. Spending power is all relative, because the truth of the matter is that the BCS has not been exactly profitable for everyone involved, as UConn took a two million dollar loss just by playing in the Fiesta Bowl in 2011. If schools are losing money by participating in the system, is it worth having? Is it worth saving? Reactions are probably to the negative on that one.
Playoffs?
Understandably, most of you want this scenario. It likely will not pan out the way that you want it to. There is still too much power in the bowl system, and far too mnay schools are still held in place by their sway. Why is this? Because, as they say in Boston, it's the way we've always done things. People, as it turns out, don't have a very fond view of change, especially stodgy assholes who have always found a way to benefit from the old ways, even if others don't. Unfortunately, as is the way across all industry and the political realm, the stodgy assholes hold most of the cards, and they always win.
The current system is worth well over a billion dollars annually in revenue and sponsorship money. A playoff, by comparison, would be worth at least as much, and probably more, but when you look at the power base that would have to be dismantled, it would take years to make the bowls pack up and leave. Every season, more and more of them are added, creating an industry that is actually growing in power, despite issues like poor attendance.
According to helmetstickers.blogspot.com, of the 35 bowls played in 2010-11, including the BCS title game, only 8 were sellouts. The New Orleans Bowl, Beef O'Brady's Bowl, Little Caesars Bowl, and Ticket City Bowl all played to less than half full crowds. The Poinettia, Champs Sports, Meineke, and Compass Bowls all played to crowds at less than 60%. But think about this...if bowls are being played to barely half, or less than half full crowds, why is there an impetus to keep adding games to the slate? With 35 bowls on the slate, the NCAA is officially worse than the NHL and NBA, where half of the teams in those leagues participate in a playoff scenario, sometimes with losing records. There has to be an obvious benefit to keeping this system in place, even if it is a bloating corpse. Follow the money trail, and you have your answers. In several cases, many NCAA member school administrators received payoffs of some sort or another, whether in the case of lavish gifts, country club access, or family paid vacations to destinations that you and I cannot even pronounce much less have access to. That kind of pull has serious power, and that's not likely to go away, much like the stink of a bloating corpse that nobody wants to bury. In the case of the Fiesta (or party, if you will) Bowl, most of the investigating committee members for the NCAA and BCS, were direct recipients of the gifts and favor that John Junker was accused of giving. Double standards? You bet your ass.
How do you kill that kind of favor giving cronyism, and eliminate a system that has become bad for the overall health of the game? How do you keep a cardiac patient who is a fast food addict away from a burger joint? How do you keep Charlie Sheen away from carrying around suitcases full of cocaine? Kind of difficult, don't you think?
The other issue is that with all of the corruption that has permiated the system with the bowls, is likely to take hold ten fold in a playoff system. The power conferences will continue to do what they have to to shut out the current non-AQ schools and conferences. The money will continue to find a way to flow, and the "World-Wide Leader (of Idiocy)" will continue to push the crap down our throats as if nothing is amyss. You think that the pay for play scandals are bad now? It'll be an open field flea market for talent, and the $180,000 dollars that Cam Newton got from Auburn (allegedly) will seem like a bargain basement grab.
My Proposal
Never fear, my freinds. I have a proposal to fix the problem. It involves every level of college football, and creates a clear and even playing field for all involved. It's intensive, and it would rattle the cages of the pwers that be, but that's what I do. It's a ton of fucking fun, and keeps life interesting.
My first move to restructure the landscape, would be to just get it over with and re-allign D1 football. Let's start by eliminating the stupid FBS and FCS monikers. For starters, we shrink division 1-A. The division would consist of the current BCS six "power conferences, and would add the Mountain West as a 7th and final member, and would include Notre Dame. With this group, you can do one of two things. YOu can keep current conference names and allignments, or you can eliminate the conferences altogether and make everyone independents by region. Take away the role of schedule maker from the ADs, and have the NCAA hire a centralized schedule maker and adopt the NFL standard of scheduling according to strengths. If you won last season, you play other conference winners in non-conference play, etc. (I have done this myself with a pen and paper, and it can be done inside of a day. Pay me about $75,000 per year to do this, and I'll even schedule for college hoops). With this move, I then eliminate the bowls, and go to a 24 team playoff. Done.
Move number two takes the remainder of the now former FBS members and combines them with the upper alf of the current FCS structure. This group becomes the new 1-AA. This group includes Conference USA, MAC, Sun Belt, WAC, Army and Navy, and would merge this group with the following conferences from the current FCS structure: Big Sky, Colonial, Missouri Valley, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, and Southland conferences. The current playoff structure remains in place.
The remaining conferences from the current FCS group would then form up a 1-AAA group of leagues that currently are limited by non-scholarship or size limitations. Also included would be leagues that normally operate outside the playoff structure, or don't participate in it. This group would merge the remnants of the FCS with the upper half of the current D2 structure. This group would include the following: Big South, Ivy League, MEAC, Northeast, Pioneer Football, SWAC, and remaining FCS Independents, Great American, Gulf South, Lone Star, MIAA, PSAC, and SIAC. What this essentially does, is it takes the haves and have nots of both FCS and D2 football, and restructures them into a more even field of competition, strengthening the overall product.
The remnants of D2 would reform with the upper half of D3, and the remnants of D3 would reform with and fold into the NAIA to create a new Division 4. And if you wanted to throw a real monkey wrench into the system, you would adopt the relegation rule of soccer, with a percentage of the bottom of your conference falling to the lower level to be replaced by an equal number of upper crust finishers from the lower divisions moving up to take their place.
Final Thoughts
I know that this all sounds like a fanciful pipe dream, but then again at this point, so does an FBS level playoff. As long as the current system exists, and administrators are getting their fat share, nothing will change. At the end of the day, the likelihood of a BCS collapse may or may not happen, but the sway, both politically and financially, on or off of the books, is to strong to kill the monster that exists today in the bowl system. Best case scenario has a return to the old system, which was never really broken to begin with. It was unique and was busted up with our inherent need to name a winner, which is really a sickness to begin with. There was nothing wrong with a system that kept up conversation about the controversies of split champions, and there really was never anything wrong with a tie. Hell, I'd rather tie anyday than lose a game in OT. And if going back to the old bowl system calms things down for awhile, I'm ok with that as well. Anything is better than what we have now, which is a convoluted mess that actually promotes cheating and corruption. The mafia wasn't even that brazen.
BCS Dilemma
The firing of sacrificial lamb John Junker by the Fiesta Bowl through everything into a whirlpool last month, after it was discovered that Junker was basically buying favor with college football administrators with lavish parties, gifts, and well, strippers and cruises, sometimes all of it at the same time. Junker, if your into that sort of thing, seems to know how to drop some cash on some crazy shit. What it all boils down to, however, is that none of it should shock you. As a matter of fact, you shuold have come to expect it from your renegade BCS administrators and executives. They operate outside of NCAA parameters, but that doesn't mean that there are not standards, and it seems as if that was forgotten in the process.
What these behaviors have done, other than create feined shock by the talking heads at the empire of idiocy, ESPN, is that the very status of the Fiesta Bowl (I mean common, it calls for partying with that title) is now in danger of falling from the "lofty" ranks of the BCS itself. As a matter of fact, it's almost a foregone conclusion that the Fiesta Bowl will likely be dropped from the menu when final decisions are handed out by a committee of morons who were beneficieries of all of the fun and frolic as it turns out.
The question now becomes, if the BCS does truly dump the Fiesta when the chips fall, who replaces them? Will it be the Cotton Bowl, a bowl that is as old as they come? Well, there lies the problem, as the Cotton Bowl has basically been guilty of the same old shit, different day defferential attitude that has been pervasive of bowl execs from day one. As a matter of fact, you probably won't find a bowl game in America that has not sliced and diced up some new flavor of favor where it did not belong. Even the Rose Bowl sold out and took a corporate sponsor in the TV greed game, which isn't illegal, but it takes away a certain measure of holier than thou.
Other candidates are numerous, but it's truly anyone's guess at this point as to who would have the clout, and spending power, to join the elite ranks. Spending power is all relative, because the truth of the matter is that the BCS has not been exactly profitable for everyone involved, as UConn took a two million dollar loss just by playing in the Fiesta Bowl in 2011. If schools are losing money by participating in the system, is it worth having? Is it worth saving? Reactions are probably to the negative on that one.
Playoffs?
Understandably, most of you want this scenario. It likely will not pan out the way that you want it to. There is still too much power in the bowl system, and far too mnay schools are still held in place by their sway. Why is this? Because, as they say in Boston, it's the way we've always done things. People, as it turns out, don't have a very fond view of change, especially stodgy assholes who have always found a way to benefit from the old ways, even if others don't. Unfortunately, as is the way across all industry and the political realm, the stodgy assholes hold most of the cards, and they always win.
The current system is worth well over a billion dollars annually in revenue and sponsorship money. A playoff, by comparison, would be worth at least as much, and probably more, but when you look at the power base that would have to be dismantled, it would take years to make the bowls pack up and leave. Every season, more and more of them are added, creating an industry that is actually growing in power, despite issues like poor attendance.
According to helmetstickers.blogspot.com, of the 35 bowls played in 2010-11, including the BCS title game, only 8 were sellouts. The New Orleans Bowl, Beef O'Brady's Bowl, Little Caesars Bowl, and Ticket City Bowl all played to less than half full crowds. The Poinettia, Champs Sports, Meineke, and Compass Bowls all played to crowds at less than 60%. But think about this...if bowls are being played to barely half, or less than half full crowds, why is there an impetus to keep adding games to the slate? With 35 bowls on the slate, the NCAA is officially worse than the NHL and NBA, where half of the teams in those leagues participate in a playoff scenario, sometimes with losing records. There has to be an obvious benefit to keeping this system in place, even if it is a bloating corpse. Follow the money trail, and you have your answers. In several cases, many NCAA member school administrators received payoffs of some sort or another, whether in the case of lavish gifts, country club access, or family paid vacations to destinations that you and I cannot even pronounce much less have access to. That kind of pull has serious power, and that's not likely to go away, much like the stink of a bloating corpse that nobody wants to bury. In the case of the Fiesta (or party, if you will) Bowl, most of the investigating committee members for the NCAA and BCS, were direct recipients of the gifts and favor that John Junker was accused of giving. Double standards? You bet your ass.
How do you kill that kind of favor giving cronyism, and eliminate a system that has become bad for the overall health of the game? How do you keep a cardiac patient who is a fast food addict away from a burger joint? How do you keep Charlie Sheen away from carrying around suitcases full of cocaine? Kind of difficult, don't you think?
The other issue is that with all of the corruption that has permiated the system with the bowls, is likely to take hold ten fold in a playoff system. The power conferences will continue to do what they have to to shut out the current non-AQ schools and conferences. The money will continue to find a way to flow, and the "World-Wide Leader (of Idiocy)" will continue to push the crap down our throats as if nothing is amyss. You think that the pay for play scandals are bad now? It'll be an open field flea market for talent, and the $180,000 dollars that Cam Newton got from Auburn (allegedly) will seem like a bargain basement grab.
My Proposal
Never fear, my freinds. I have a proposal to fix the problem. It involves every level of college football, and creates a clear and even playing field for all involved. It's intensive, and it would rattle the cages of the pwers that be, but that's what I do. It's a ton of fucking fun, and keeps life interesting.
My first move to restructure the landscape, would be to just get it over with and re-allign D1 football. Let's start by eliminating the stupid FBS and FCS monikers. For starters, we shrink division 1-A. The division would consist of the current BCS six "power conferences, and would add the Mountain West as a 7th and final member, and would include Notre Dame. With this group, you can do one of two things. YOu can keep current conference names and allignments, or you can eliminate the conferences altogether and make everyone independents by region. Take away the role of schedule maker from the ADs, and have the NCAA hire a centralized schedule maker and adopt the NFL standard of scheduling according to strengths. If you won last season, you play other conference winners in non-conference play, etc. (I have done this myself with a pen and paper, and it can be done inside of a day. Pay me about $75,000 per year to do this, and I'll even schedule for college hoops). With this move, I then eliminate the bowls, and go to a 24 team playoff. Done.
Move number two takes the remainder of the now former FBS members and combines them with the upper alf of the current FCS structure. This group becomes the new 1-AA. This group includes Conference USA, MAC, Sun Belt, WAC, Army and Navy, and would merge this group with the following conferences from the current FCS structure: Big Sky, Colonial, Missouri Valley, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, and Southland conferences. The current playoff structure remains in place.
The remaining conferences from the current FCS group would then form up a 1-AAA group of leagues that currently are limited by non-scholarship or size limitations. Also included would be leagues that normally operate outside the playoff structure, or don't participate in it. This group would merge the remnants of the FCS with the upper half of the current D2 structure. This group would include the following: Big South, Ivy League, MEAC, Northeast, Pioneer Football, SWAC, and remaining FCS Independents, Great American, Gulf South, Lone Star, MIAA, PSAC, and SIAC. What this essentially does, is it takes the haves and have nots of both FCS and D2 football, and restructures them into a more even field of competition, strengthening the overall product.
The remnants of D2 would reform with the upper half of D3, and the remnants of D3 would reform with and fold into the NAIA to create a new Division 4. And if you wanted to throw a real monkey wrench into the system, you would adopt the relegation rule of soccer, with a percentage of the bottom of your conference falling to the lower level to be replaced by an equal number of upper crust finishers from the lower divisions moving up to take their place.
Final Thoughts
I know that this all sounds like a fanciful pipe dream, but then again at this point, so does an FBS level playoff. As long as the current system exists, and administrators are getting their fat share, nothing will change. At the end of the day, the likelihood of a BCS collapse may or may not happen, but the sway, both politically and financially, on or off of the books, is to strong to kill the monster that exists today in the bowl system. Best case scenario has a return to the old system, which was never really broken to begin with. It was unique and was busted up with our inherent need to name a winner, which is really a sickness to begin with. There was nothing wrong with a system that kept up conversation about the controversies of split champions, and there really was never anything wrong with a tie. Hell, I'd rather tie anyday than lose a game in OT. And if going back to the old bowl system calms things down for awhile, I'm ok with that as well. Anything is better than what we have now, which is a convoluted mess that actually promotes cheating and corruption. The mafia wasn't even that brazen.
2011 NFL Draft Preview-QBs
Over the next couple of days we will be breaking down position by position coverage of the 2011 NFL Draft. Today, we start with the QB position. We will give our takes on the top 5 players at each position, and will outline who will shine, who will flop, and who our sleepers will be. Without further delay, here is our take on the QB position.
QBs
There are no surefire number one selections in this season's QB class. There are many risks, and much potential for broken hearts on much promise with very little return. One of the weakest overall classes at the QB position in a long time, as the only certain number one pick, Andrew Luck, stayed in school for another season. If your looking for a QB, find a veteran free agent, and ride it out until 2012, when the class will be richer and deeper. Let's take a look at the top five available.
Blaine Gabbert, Missouri
Gabbert has the prototypical size that you look for in an NFL QB, at 6-4. Has the ability to see over the line, and has solid run skills when in trouble. Passed for solid yardage for the Tigers in 2010, as he averaged 245.1 yards per game through the air, with a rating of 127.3. Big hands. Totalled 3186 yards on the season. Smart, and is a solid leader. Well liked by his teammates and coaches.
Would have been better off staying for his senior season. Only passed for 16 TDs, and tossed 9 picks last season. Seemed to regress. Did not have big games with big wins against big opponents. Side armed release. Played in a shotgun high school offense, not used to taking snaps under center. Will have problems adjusting to normal pro based offense. Will be better to go through the Aaron Rodgers route, where he can go somewhere to learn and grow without pressure. Perfect for later first round selection, and would be a solid fit for a team like New England. Makes more sense as a second rounder. Needs a solid teacher in a QB Coach.
FINAL GRADE: B
Jake Locker, Washington
Extremely athletic, and runs a 4.52 40, which was a better time than Cam Newton. Rocket armed. High character player. Has the necessary passion to compete and succeed. The right attitude to survive on the next level. Played 4 seasons as a starting QB for the Huskies. Ran a west coast offense, which is the predominant offense in the NFL.
Lacked wins at UW. Lost his head as a sophomore and cost his team a win against BYU by celebrating enough to get flagged. Not ideal height at only 6-2. Had some quality wins, but lost some head scratchers, and was absolutely abysmal in the first game against Nebraska in 2010. Health issues in 2010. Missed some time due to injury. Not ready to be an impact NFL QB. Will likely be drafted somewhere in the 1st round, but we would not project him at better value than a late second or third round pick. Best hope is that he would be a solid backup. Projects to be a Jeff Hostetler type QB.
FINAL GRADE: C+
Cam Newton, Auburn
Ideal size for a QB, and is 6-5 and 248 lbs. Passed for 30 TDs and rushed for another 20. Passed for 203 yards per game last season, his only season as a starting QB. Played in 14 games. Rating of 182.5. Completed 66% of his passes last season. Has the potential to make the big throws. Can break the pocket and run like hell, and won't be easy to take down in the open field without help.
Played for 3 different programs in 4 seasons. Did not have a great game against the best team that he faced all season. Got down and shaken when Oregon attacked and hit him in the championship game. Was easily rattled when challenged. Played in a simplified shotgun offense, and is not used to playing under center. Would have been better off staying for two more seasons at Florida. VERY questionable character. Huge self promoter...it's all about him. Cares more about being an entertainer than being a football player and leader. Will take some time learning how to adjust to an NFL offense. Will find it hard to win over and lead a locker room. Better off going to a better team, because he never has played on a losing team. No telling how he would take to the adversity of being on a losing team. Not a good selection if you want an instant impact player. Needs to learn to think pass first. Compares to Vince Young, and may be just as eratic. Will not be coddled and babied on the next level. Probable top 10 pick, but would not take him before mid 3rd round. Too many variables and certain red flags. Money would get to his already overly inflated ego, and it may effect his output. May pout if he doesn't get his way, and is extremely disengenuous.
FINAL GRADE: C
Colin Kaepernick, Nevada
Can't argue his productivity. Huge production guy. Offense sailed smoothly under his leadership. Had a junior season in which he passed for 3000 yards and rushed for 1000, and extremely rare feat. Tremendous athlete and has also played basketball. Built like a hoopster. Ability to pick up and run, and runs well.
Played some weak competition, with the exception of Hawaii and Boise State. Folded as a junior in the bowl loss to upstart SMU. Played in a funky college offense in the pistol, and has never played in a pro set offense. Not used to playing under center. Will be forced to be a pocket passer on the next level, something that he has never been. Needs time to develop, and will not be an impact guy for a few seasons. Needs to develop and learn entirely new aspects of the game. Projects as a solid backup who could get a shot if he works his ass off and puts in the time. Better fit for the CFL, where he would most definately flourish.
FINAL GRADE: C
Ryan Mallett, Arkansas
Huge size and can see the field. Can easily see over his linemen. Cannon arm with the ability to seemingly toss the ball 80 yards if he wanted to. Completed 64.7% of his passes for 3869 yards and 32 TDs. Can make all of the throws that you would need. Played in both the SEC and Big 10. Huge comeback wins against Georgia and LSU in 2010. Played in a pro style offense at Arkansas.
Early out. Was a transfer after falling out of favor at Michigan due to an offense change. Has a dumb guy look to him at times, a look of arrogance at others. Lacks overall football intelligence. May get a receiver or two killed by mistiming throws. For being so tall, tends to lose field vision at times. May be too tall for the position, and at times looks like the adult throwing the ball to children. Has to sometimes look down to find a receiver due to his height. May have issues delivering the ball to a 5-9 slot receiver type. Easy target to hit. Lacks pocket presence and is easily rattled, like in the Alabama game. Slow as can be. May be a quitter. Has been alleged to have a drug habit. Likes the party.Like Cam Newton, money could go to his head. Lacks solid understanding of football terminology. Needs to be coached up. Compares to Dan McGwire, another super tall QB who never panned out. He will be drafted in the second round, possibly late first,, and some teams will be easily fooled by his size. Should go in the 5th or 6th round. Tom Brady had a better career than Mallett, and was more of a sure thing.
FINAL GRADE: D+
SLEEPER
Andy Dalton, TCU
All Dalton did was win at TCU. He is not the flashiest, and is not the most exciting QB on the market, but he understands how to win, and comes from the best organized program that I have had the pleasure of spending time around. He's a settled down young man who is already engaed to be married, and has his priorities straight. HIgh character, from a high character program. May not be ready right away but will be a solid backup, and certainly is not the kind of guy who loses games for you. 4 year starter for the Frogs. Big winner. May be the perfect fit for the Patriots as a developmental pick to be the heir to Brady.
May have trouble making all the throws. Lacks ideal size. Very few real negatives other than lack of flash. Could wind up as a career backup, like a Billy Volek type, but like Volek, as always on the cusp of stepping in. Weaker competition. Projects to 4th or 5th round pick for us. Would have value going higher, say in 3rd. Could go higher than that if the right team takes a chance.
FINAL GRADE: B-
Greg McElroy, Alabama
Very intelligent. Rhodes Scholar candidate. Winner on the highest level. Has a national championship ring. Is highly consistent. Never too high or too low. Makes solid choices and has a very high completion percentage. Low mistake totals, and won't hurt your team. HUGE character guy. Great locker room presence, and easily takes to leadership. Hard worker who knows how to break a game down.
Lacks arm strength, not a deep ball guy. Small size. Undersized for the position at only 6-1. Overly cautious at times, and is not a chance taker. Tends to analize too deeply at times and shies away from the big play. Doesn't have the skill set to go out and be the primary winner of games, but won't lose you one either. Would fit best with an outdoor stadium, cold weather team that runs first and centrifies the defense. Would be a perfect fit for an NFC North team, other than Minnesota. Projects to be a Jason Garrett type career backup, but one who has high value. Almost like having an additional coach on the field, and has a future as a front office guy or maybe even a head coach. Probable 7th round or priority FA type. We would draft him as early as the 5th round, especially if we had extra picks kicking about.
FINAL GRADE: B-
NON-FBS GEM
Pat Devlin, Delaware
Passed for 3032 yards last season, with a 22/3 TD to pick ratio. Completed just a shade under 68% of his passes for the Hens in 2010. Started his career at Penn State, but lost out on the starting job to Darryl Clark, and transferred to Delaware so that he would not have to sit out. High energy, solid motor. A winner. Missed one game due to injury, but still managed to drive Delaware to the title game. Seems healthy now and worked out at the combine.
Could not win a job at the highest level, so instead of waiting or competing, opted to transfer. Played lower level competition, albeit in one of the toughest FCS leages. Played in a shotgun, zone read offense. Short pass dumpoff passer, and may lack the arm strength to make the big throw. Did not play well at the East West Shrine Game. Has a thin frame. Not for everyone. Compares to another former Delaware QB in Rich Gannon, who also did not play in an NFL offense at Delaware but managed to be a productive pro. Late round pick or priority FA, but we would draft him in the 6th round.
FINAL GRADE: C
QBs
There are no surefire number one selections in this season's QB class. There are many risks, and much potential for broken hearts on much promise with very little return. One of the weakest overall classes at the QB position in a long time, as the only certain number one pick, Andrew Luck, stayed in school for another season. If your looking for a QB, find a veteran free agent, and ride it out until 2012, when the class will be richer and deeper. Let's take a look at the top five available.
Blaine Gabbert, Missouri
Gabbert has the prototypical size that you look for in an NFL QB, at 6-4. Has the ability to see over the line, and has solid run skills when in trouble. Passed for solid yardage for the Tigers in 2010, as he averaged 245.1 yards per game through the air, with a rating of 127.3. Big hands. Totalled 3186 yards on the season. Smart, and is a solid leader. Well liked by his teammates and coaches.
Would have been better off staying for his senior season. Only passed for 16 TDs, and tossed 9 picks last season. Seemed to regress. Did not have big games with big wins against big opponents. Side armed release. Played in a shotgun high school offense, not used to taking snaps under center. Will have problems adjusting to normal pro based offense. Will be better to go through the Aaron Rodgers route, where he can go somewhere to learn and grow without pressure. Perfect for later first round selection, and would be a solid fit for a team like New England. Makes more sense as a second rounder. Needs a solid teacher in a QB Coach.
FINAL GRADE: B
Jake Locker, Washington
Extremely athletic, and runs a 4.52 40, which was a better time than Cam Newton. Rocket armed. High character player. Has the necessary passion to compete and succeed. The right attitude to survive on the next level. Played 4 seasons as a starting QB for the Huskies. Ran a west coast offense, which is the predominant offense in the NFL.
Lacked wins at UW. Lost his head as a sophomore and cost his team a win against BYU by celebrating enough to get flagged. Not ideal height at only 6-2. Had some quality wins, but lost some head scratchers, and was absolutely abysmal in the first game against Nebraska in 2010. Health issues in 2010. Missed some time due to injury. Not ready to be an impact NFL QB. Will likely be drafted somewhere in the 1st round, but we would not project him at better value than a late second or third round pick. Best hope is that he would be a solid backup. Projects to be a Jeff Hostetler type QB.
FINAL GRADE: C+
Cam Newton, Auburn
Ideal size for a QB, and is 6-5 and 248 lbs. Passed for 30 TDs and rushed for another 20. Passed for 203 yards per game last season, his only season as a starting QB. Played in 14 games. Rating of 182.5. Completed 66% of his passes last season. Has the potential to make the big throws. Can break the pocket and run like hell, and won't be easy to take down in the open field without help.
Played for 3 different programs in 4 seasons. Did not have a great game against the best team that he faced all season. Got down and shaken when Oregon attacked and hit him in the championship game. Was easily rattled when challenged. Played in a simplified shotgun offense, and is not used to playing under center. Would have been better off staying for two more seasons at Florida. VERY questionable character. Huge self promoter...it's all about him. Cares more about being an entertainer than being a football player and leader. Will take some time learning how to adjust to an NFL offense. Will find it hard to win over and lead a locker room. Better off going to a better team, because he never has played on a losing team. No telling how he would take to the adversity of being on a losing team. Not a good selection if you want an instant impact player. Needs to learn to think pass first. Compares to Vince Young, and may be just as eratic. Will not be coddled and babied on the next level. Probable top 10 pick, but would not take him before mid 3rd round. Too many variables and certain red flags. Money would get to his already overly inflated ego, and it may effect his output. May pout if he doesn't get his way, and is extremely disengenuous.
FINAL GRADE: C
Colin Kaepernick, Nevada
Can't argue his productivity. Huge production guy. Offense sailed smoothly under his leadership. Had a junior season in which he passed for 3000 yards and rushed for 1000, and extremely rare feat. Tremendous athlete and has also played basketball. Built like a hoopster. Ability to pick up and run, and runs well.
Played some weak competition, with the exception of Hawaii and Boise State. Folded as a junior in the bowl loss to upstart SMU. Played in a funky college offense in the pistol, and has never played in a pro set offense. Not used to playing under center. Will be forced to be a pocket passer on the next level, something that he has never been. Needs time to develop, and will not be an impact guy for a few seasons. Needs to develop and learn entirely new aspects of the game. Projects as a solid backup who could get a shot if he works his ass off and puts in the time. Better fit for the CFL, where he would most definately flourish.
FINAL GRADE: C
Ryan Mallett, Arkansas
Huge size and can see the field. Can easily see over his linemen. Cannon arm with the ability to seemingly toss the ball 80 yards if he wanted to. Completed 64.7% of his passes for 3869 yards and 32 TDs. Can make all of the throws that you would need. Played in both the SEC and Big 10. Huge comeback wins against Georgia and LSU in 2010. Played in a pro style offense at Arkansas.
Early out. Was a transfer after falling out of favor at Michigan due to an offense change. Has a dumb guy look to him at times, a look of arrogance at others. Lacks overall football intelligence. May get a receiver or two killed by mistiming throws. For being so tall, tends to lose field vision at times. May be too tall for the position, and at times looks like the adult throwing the ball to children. Has to sometimes look down to find a receiver due to his height. May have issues delivering the ball to a 5-9 slot receiver type. Easy target to hit. Lacks pocket presence and is easily rattled, like in the Alabama game. Slow as can be. May be a quitter. Has been alleged to have a drug habit. Likes the party.Like Cam Newton, money could go to his head. Lacks solid understanding of football terminology. Needs to be coached up. Compares to Dan McGwire, another super tall QB who never panned out. He will be drafted in the second round, possibly late first,, and some teams will be easily fooled by his size. Should go in the 5th or 6th round. Tom Brady had a better career than Mallett, and was more of a sure thing.
FINAL GRADE: D+
SLEEPER
Andy Dalton, TCU
All Dalton did was win at TCU. He is not the flashiest, and is not the most exciting QB on the market, but he understands how to win, and comes from the best organized program that I have had the pleasure of spending time around. He's a settled down young man who is already engaed to be married, and has his priorities straight. HIgh character, from a high character program. May not be ready right away but will be a solid backup, and certainly is not the kind of guy who loses games for you. 4 year starter for the Frogs. Big winner. May be the perfect fit for the Patriots as a developmental pick to be the heir to Brady.
May have trouble making all the throws. Lacks ideal size. Very few real negatives other than lack of flash. Could wind up as a career backup, like a Billy Volek type, but like Volek, as always on the cusp of stepping in. Weaker competition. Projects to 4th or 5th round pick for us. Would have value going higher, say in 3rd. Could go higher than that if the right team takes a chance.
FINAL GRADE: B-
Greg McElroy, Alabama
Very intelligent. Rhodes Scholar candidate. Winner on the highest level. Has a national championship ring. Is highly consistent. Never too high or too low. Makes solid choices and has a very high completion percentage. Low mistake totals, and won't hurt your team. HUGE character guy. Great locker room presence, and easily takes to leadership. Hard worker who knows how to break a game down.
Lacks arm strength, not a deep ball guy. Small size. Undersized for the position at only 6-1. Overly cautious at times, and is not a chance taker. Tends to analize too deeply at times and shies away from the big play. Doesn't have the skill set to go out and be the primary winner of games, but won't lose you one either. Would fit best with an outdoor stadium, cold weather team that runs first and centrifies the defense. Would be a perfect fit for an NFC North team, other than Minnesota. Projects to be a Jason Garrett type career backup, but one who has high value. Almost like having an additional coach on the field, and has a future as a front office guy or maybe even a head coach. Probable 7th round or priority FA type. We would draft him as early as the 5th round, especially if we had extra picks kicking about.
FINAL GRADE: B-
NON-FBS GEM
Pat Devlin, Delaware
Passed for 3032 yards last season, with a 22/3 TD to pick ratio. Completed just a shade under 68% of his passes for the Hens in 2010. Started his career at Penn State, but lost out on the starting job to Darryl Clark, and transferred to Delaware so that he would not have to sit out. High energy, solid motor. A winner. Missed one game due to injury, but still managed to drive Delaware to the title game. Seems healthy now and worked out at the combine.
Could not win a job at the highest level, so instead of waiting or competing, opted to transfer. Played lower level competition, albeit in one of the toughest FCS leages. Played in a shotgun, zone read offense. Short pass dumpoff passer, and may lack the arm strength to make the big throw. Did not play well at the East West Shrine Game. Has a thin frame. Not for everyone. Compares to another former Delaware QB in Rich Gannon, who also did not play in an NFL offense at Delaware but managed to be a productive pro. Late round pick or priority FA, but we would draft him in the 6th round.
FINAL GRADE: C
Thursday, April 21, 2011
My Personal Favorite Returnees for 2011-OL Edition
OL-FBS
Barrett Jones, Sr.-Alabama
Jones is the leader of the Crimson Tide line coming into 2011. He will be more important than ever, considering that the Tide is breaking in a new starting QB. Break open enough holes for the new star back in Trent Richardson, and the new QB will find the transition much easier.
Nate Potter, Sr.-Boise State
Potter has Kellen Moore's back every time he drops back to pass. What took it up a notch in 2011, was the Broncos ran more, and more effectively in 2010 more than before, and that's saying something. While Moore breaks in a new stable of receivers, it'll be up to Potter and crew to keep the wolves at bay to help Moore find more time to get the ball up field.
Matt Reynolds, Sr.-BYU
Reynolds has NFL written all over him. He is a dominant force for the rebuilding Cougars. BYU will be one of the more improved teams in America in 2011, and Reynolds will be laying a nice flat road in front of him for the RB stable, and he'll be holding up the world as Jake Heaps continues his evolution.
Kelechi Osemeli, Sr.-Iowa State
Osemeli is built like a brick shit house. He is just massive in stature, and is one of the best linemen in the Big 12-2. Osemeli is a player that you probably have not heard of, but believe me, you should get to know him, and soon. He will likely have the attention of NFL scouts around the country.
OL-FCS
DJ Hall, Sr.-Texas State
Hall is probably the best offensive lineman returning in 2011. He was 1st team last season nationally, and is the lone returnee from last season's Phil Steele All America list. The Bobcats had a tough go last season, and with Tyler Arndt returning after a major knee injury, he'll need all of the blocking that he can get, and Hall will be right there for him. Definate NFL mid round draft pick in 2012.
David Pickard, Sr.-Southern Illinois
The Salukis are trying to rebound from a very disappointing 5-6 season in 2010, and the first order of any rebuilding team is making sure that you have a sound line. Pickard is the leader of said line, and returns after a season in which Pickard was picked as a preseason All-American. Welcome back to lofty expectations.
Juavahr Nathan, Sr.-South Carolina State
Last season, the Bulldogs started out with two preseason All-Americans on the line, and Nathan was one of them. He is now the undisputed leader of the Bulldog line. SC State missed the postseason by one game in 2010, and Nathan will be tasked to make sure that the offense does its part to make that a distant regrettable memory.
OL-D2
Amini Silatolu, Sr.-Midwestern State
Silatolu was the lone All-American lineman in D2 football that was not a senior in 2010, making him the leading returning lineman in the division. The Mustangs had a very solid offense in 2010, and made the playoffs only to lose to Washburn in the 1st round. Silatolu will be the anchor of a line that should lead Midwestern to a deeper position in 2011.
Tyler Hendrickson, Sr.-Concordia St. Paul
The Golden Bears were also playoff bound in 2010, but also fell in the 1st round to Pitt State. Hendrickson will lead the charge to win the Northern Sun in 2011, and make that playoff disappointment seem like an afterthought. Hendrickson is a beast, and was one of the very few non-seniors to receive postseason accolades in 2010. The "experts" love this guy.
Garth Heikkinen, Jr.-Minnesota-Duluth
If you can't recognize the leading blocker from a team that went 15-0 and won the national title, then something is wrong. Heikkinen was the kid of the group, as he was a mere sophomore in 2010. That being said, he played a key part in the title run, and the Bulldogs look to run behind him for another two seasons. ANother title run could very well be in the cards in Northern Minnesota.
Joe Long, Sr.-Wayne State (Michigan)
Despite a 9-2 season in 2010, Wayne State was left out of the playoff mix. I am not sure what else the Warriors can accomplish to get there, but running behind Long would be a solid choice of a starting place. Long looks to lead the way to erase a horrible end to the season, and he is one of the best in D2 football. Big things await in 2011 for Long and the Warriors.
Jason Slowey, Sr.-Western Oregon
The Wolves finished 7-4 in 2010, with the sour note coming in a season ending loss to Central Washington. Slowey is a rare find for a program like Western Oregon, and he is the anchor to the offense finding a path to run behind, and he is a wall when pass blocking becomes essential. Slowey will be leading the way in 2011 to try to make the Wolves the best in the west.
Coming next, the Defensive Line...
Barrett Jones, Sr.-Alabama
Jones is the leader of the Crimson Tide line coming into 2011. He will be more important than ever, considering that the Tide is breaking in a new starting QB. Break open enough holes for the new star back in Trent Richardson, and the new QB will find the transition much easier.
Nate Potter, Sr.-Boise State
Potter has Kellen Moore's back every time he drops back to pass. What took it up a notch in 2011, was the Broncos ran more, and more effectively in 2010 more than before, and that's saying something. While Moore breaks in a new stable of receivers, it'll be up to Potter and crew to keep the wolves at bay to help Moore find more time to get the ball up field.
Matt Reynolds, Sr.-BYU
Reynolds has NFL written all over him. He is a dominant force for the rebuilding Cougars. BYU will be one of the more improved teams in America in 2011, and Reynolds will be laying a nice flat road in front of him for the RB stable, and he'll be holding up the world as Jake Heaps continues his evolution.
Kelechi Osemeli, Sr.-Iowa State
Osemeli is built like a brick shit house. He is just massive in stature, and is one of the best linemen in the Big 12-2. Osemeli is a player that you probably have not heard of, but believe me, you should get to know him, and soon. He will likely have the attention of NFL scouts around the country.
OL-FCS
DJ Hall, Sr.-Texas State
Hall is probably the best offensive lineman returning in 2011. He was 1st team last season nationally, and is the lone returnee from last season's Phil Steele All America list. The Bobcats had a tough go last season, and with Tyler Arndt returning after a major knee injury, he'll need all of the blocking that he can get, and Hall will be right there for him. Definate NFL mid round draft pick in 2012.
David Pickard, Sr.-Southern Illinois
The Salukis are trying to rebound from a very disappointing 5-6 season in 2010, and the first order of any rebuilding team is making sure that you have a sound line. Pickard is the leader of said line, and returns after a season in which Pickard was picked as a preseason All-American. Welcome back to lofty expectations.
Juavahr Nathan, Sr.-South Carolina State
Last season, the Bulldogs started out with two preseason All-Americans on the line, and Nathan was one of them. He is now the undisputed leader of the Bulldog line. SC State missed the postseason by one game in 2010, and Nathan will be tasked to make sure that the offense does its part to make that a distant regrettable memory.
OL-D2
Amini Silatolu, Sr.-Midwestern State
Silatolu was the lone All-American lineman in D2 football that was not a senior in 2010, making him the leading returning lineman in the division. The Mustangs had a very solid offense in 2010, and made the playoffs only to lose to Washburn in the 1st round. Silatolu will be the anchor of a line that should lead Midwestern to a deeper position in 2011.
Tyler Hendrickson, Sr.-Concordia St. Paul
The Golden Bears were also playoff bound in 2010, but also fell in the 1st round to Pitt State. Hendrickson will lead the charge to win the Northern Sun in 2011, and make that playoff disappointment seem like an afterthought. Hendrickson is a beast, and was one of the very few non-seniors to receive postseason accolades in 2010. The "experts" love this guy.
Garth Heikkinen, Jr.-Minnesota-Duluth
If you can't recognize the leading blocker from a team that went 15-0 and won the national title, then something is wrong. Heikkinen was the kid of the group, as he was a mere sophomore in 2010. That being said, he played a key part in the title run, and the Bulldogs look to run behind him for another two seasons. ANother title run could very well be in the cards in Northern Minnesota.
Joe Long, Sr.-Wayne State (Michigan)
Despite a 9-2 season in 2010, Wayne State was left out of the playoff mix. I am not sure what else the Warriors can accomplish to get there, but running behind Long would be a solid choice of a starting place. Long looks to lead the way to erase a horrible end to the season, and he is one of the best in D2 football. Big things await in 2011 for Long and the Warriors.
Jason Slowey, Sr.-Western Oregon
The Wolves finished 7-4 in 2010, with the sour note coming in a season ending loss to Central Washington. Slowey is a rare find for a program like Western Oregon, and he is the anchor to the offense finding a path to run behind, and he is a wall when pass blocking becomes essential. Slowey will be leading the way in 2011 to try to make the Wolves the best in the west.
Coming next, the Defensive Line...
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