There's no doubt in my mind that the Eagles will take a running back at some point in this year's draft. 

Where that may be, I'm not sure.

A lot of people liked what they saw out of Jerome Harrison last year, as did I. However, he wants to start in this league and he's going to want the kind of money that comes along with that role. 

He won't receive either of those from the Eagles. 

The Eagles have a stud in running back in LeSean McCoy and also have a backup in Eldra Buckley who they like as a special teams player. If they do indeed get ride of Harrison, they will need a true running back who can produce when called upon.

The answer can be found in the draft and that answer could be Oklahoma State running back Kendall Hunter.

Hunter is built low to the ground at 5’7” and 200 pounds, but was a workhorse in college. He emerged in 2008 where he racked up 241 carries for 1,555 yards and 16 touchdowns. 

However, he was hampered by an ankle injury in 2009 and only managed to play in eight games, rushing 89 times for 382 yards.

Hunter came back healthy as a senior and put together another impressive year.  He ran the ball 271 times for 1,548 yards and 16 touchdowns. With numbers almost identical to his sophomore year, it's hard to believe that Hunter wouldn't have had three consecutive 1,500+ yard seasons if it wasn't for the ankle injury.

Clearly, Hunter doesn't have tremendous size, and this may cause some teams to pass on him. Also, he doesn't have absolutely killer speed either. At the NFL Combine, he posted a 40-yard dash time of 4.53 seconds.

He's not the fastest running back in this year's draft, but what he lacks in speed, he makes up for in quickness. If you watch film on Hunter, you notice that he has a very quick sidestep that he uses strongly to his advantage. When surrounded by traffic on the field, he is able to sidestep and get north and south very easily.

He's able to use his blocks well with his smaller stature and has very good vision on the field. As mentioned, he's built low to the ground and has great balance to go along with it.

Some questions marks the Eagles may have with Hunter are his ability to catch the ball and pass block. In four seasons at Oklahoma State, Hunter never recorded more than 22 receptions in one game.

I'm not sure if that's related to the offensive scheme that Oklahoma State ran or an inability on Hunter's part. The Eagles love to utilize their running backs in the passing game and since the Eagles gave Hunter a workout already, I'm sure they threw a lot of passes his way to see what he could do.

Pass blocking will be another big question mark. There have been reports that Hunter hasn't been a great pass blocker and that it really showed at the Senior Bowl. However, that is something that can definitely be worked on.

McCoy was awful as a pass blocker his rookie season but has improved dramatically. He had a great mentor in Brian Westbrook, but I think McCoy could definitely help get Hunter pointed in the right direction.

I don't know how much value the Eagles are going to place on the backup running back position, but Hunter is definitely a guy I can see being an immediate contributor.

Check out some of Hunter's college highlights by clicking here.

Second of a nine-part series

Today we highlight the top 24 10-yard times, regardless of position, at the Combine workouts held recently in Indianapolis. The 10-yard time is measured at the beginning of a player's 40-yard dash, and it's more reflective of a player's initial explosion. Initial explosion is evaluated by teams as a greater measure of functional football-playing speed, given the relatively few times that players are asked to sprint 40 yards in a straight line on the field.

The following list of leaders is sorted according to lowest 10-yard time, then by highest weight, giving more credit to bigger players who ran fast.

* denotes underclassman

Preview

5. Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State

4. Jordan Todman, UConn

3. Ryan Williams, VT

2. Mikel Leshoure, Illinois

1. Mark Ingram, Alabama

After looking at these top five talents, it's clear that Ingram is the best prospect out of the bunch and he would be a great fit with the Patriots' offense. However, I believe he comes at much too steep of a price tag at the first half of the first round. The Patriots would be better off beefing up their linemen on both sides instead of taking Ingram, and just take a running back in the middle rounds. There are plenty of players who are draftable in the 3rd and 4th rounds (Todman, Hunter, DeMarco Murray, Shane Vereen, Delone Carter, etc) and I have to imagine that if the Patriots draft a running back, it would be one of these middle round prospects. My favorite is Todman, but arguments for Murray and Vereen are valid. I'm not a fan of Hunter, but there are plenty of prospects to take in the middle of the draft.

Let's look at some additional prospects after the jump!

Shane Vereen, California - Vereen is a fumble machine despite his strength, which blows the "bench press = ball security" theory out of the water. That said, he could be the "dash" portion of the Patriots' running backs. He's got a nose for extra yards and has the speed to turn the corner and get into the open field. He's a solid pass blocker and can catch the ball out of the backfield. If he could figure out his fumble problems, he'd be a solid pick in the 3rd or 4th round.

DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma - The best pass catching back in the draft, Murray can also run the ball extremely well. He's blazing fast and he knows how to get yards. He has to work on gaining yards in traffic, but he can't be caught in the open field. He can also pass block. Oh yeah, he's also extremely careful with the football. He's a viable option in the 3rd or 4th round.

Delone Carter, Syracuse - Carter's a big back who can move the pile. He's basically BenJarvus Green-Ellis, with more speed, better pass blocking ability, and lower decision making abilities. He's another 4th or 5th round pick, but I'm not positive if he'd be what the Patriots' are looking for.

Daniel Thomas, Kansas State - Thomas was an extremely productive runner, but his fundamentals are terrible. He's a former quarterback and runs like it- he's very upright and he's very loose with the football. I don't like him just based on his ball protection skills, but I seriously question his ability to run in the NFL. That said, he's got production at the college level, which counts for something. He's a 3rd or 4th round prospect.

Taiwan Jones, Eastern Washington - The epitome of "dash" back, Jones would be a great change of pace back. However, he's under 200 pounds which limits him from doing anything else on the offense (ie: not a strong inside runner, won't push the pocket, won't be able to pass block). He's consistently injured, but he's a playmaker on the field. Jones is another 4th or 5th round pick.

Alex Green, Hawaii - While Green clocked a 4.45 in the 40 yard dash, I have a hard time believing that's his game speed because he was caught from behind a lot. He can get through the line of scrimmage very quickly, but his numbers are inflated a bit because of how many draw plays he ran out of the Hawaii shotgun. As a result of the Hawaii pass offense, he's a very capable receiver and pass blocker. I can see Green becoming an ideal form of BJGE; a player who won't be tackled for a loss (like BJGE), but also an able pass blocker and receiver. That makes him a three down back in the Patriots' offense. He won't be a superstar since he won't be able to outrun players in the NFL, but I could easily see him being a 1,000 yard rusher and 400 yard receiver in the Patriots' offense. Green is a 4th-to-6th round pick.

Roy Helu Jr., Nebraska - Helu is a running back. He runs the ball. He catches the ball out of the backfield. He doesn't really pass block. He's a solid rotational running back, but he's not excellent at anything. He could be a product of Nebraska's offense, but he excelled in both a passing offense (2009) and an option offense (2010), which means that can succeed in many offenses in the NFL. Helu has speed, but I question his ability to be a workhorse in the NFL. Look for him to be taken in the 4th-5th round by a team looking for a change of pace running back.

---

This is a very deep draft when it comes to middle-round running backs, which is exactly what the Patriots could/should be looking for. I doubt the Patriots shell out the early pick to grab Ingram, Leshoure or Wiliams, and I'd be surprised if they took a back before the 3rd round. I think Green from Hawaii would be a good pick (solid call by Jack'sAxe), but don't expect him to be a revelation at the position. Green would be just another guy in the stable, an upgrade over Sammy Morris. I think Murray would be able to succeed with the Patriots and is a solid mid-round choice.

If Ras-I Dowling Stays Healthy He Could Be the Steal of the 2011 NFL Draft

Everything you need to know about Ras-I Dowling can be learned by his 40 yard dash at the NFL scouting combine. Dowling ran a 4.4 despite pulling a hammy at the 35-yard mark.

That is really just mind-boggling. A 4.4 is fast for people healthy all the way through. Of course that also highlights the biggest problem of Dowling: injuries.

Dowling missed the majority of hisx 2010 season while nursing injuries. He started off with a right knee injury, then was slowed by a hamstring issue upon his return and then had his season ended when he fractured his ankle.

If he can stay healthy he has shutdown corner potential. At 6'2" and 200 pounds he brings good size to his speed. Dowling uses that size to be an excellent tackler, and everything else a corner needs to do. 

As Joel Welser of fftoolbox.com says:

"Dowling's size is what makes him such an attractive cornerback. At 6-2 and 200 pounds, Dowling has more size than most corners, but he does not lack the coverage skills or the speed to keep up with most NFL receivers. His size could also mean Dowling could play some safety and that versatility, not to mention his great cover skills, make him a very attractive prospect."

The fact that his size will allow him to also play safety helps ease some of the injury concerns. Even if he is stripped of some of his speed, as long as he is healthy enough to make it on the field, he can contribute at safety.

Dowling also brings the attitude and work ethic that teams love. He would certainly not be opposed to make a position switch or do anything else to help a team win.

"I don't know, they might try to move me to safety," Dowling was quoted as saying by Tom Robinson in the The Virginian-Pilot. "If it's going to help the team out, I'm willing to do it."

Dowling may sneak into the second round, but more likely will go off the board in the third.

For more on the draft, check out our NFL Draft Center for all news, analysis and discussion.

After having the worst season in Bronco history, it is clear that this team will need a lot of help if they want to return to their winning ways. This Bronco season featured more drama then most teams have in 3 seasons.The drama culminated when Josh McDaniels was fired with 4 games left to play. He left behind a team in pieces with no confidence and no hope for the future. Dove Valley is as dark as it has ever been. Josh McDaniels' firing was rock bottom. Thankfully, we can only go up from here. The next move the Broncos will make will be to figure out who they want to run the Denver Broncos. Brian Xanders will get some serious consideration to keep his job as GM while the hunt for a head coach continues.

Personally, I don't want Brian Xanders continuing as a GM. The media has bashed Josh McDaniels for several of his moves, but Brian Xanders certainly had a say in all those transactions. The final word may have been McDaniels', but the fact that Xanders was involved in these decisions at all is enough for me to want a new GM. In a perfect world, the Broncos would hire a person like Eric DeCosta. He is a man who could turn around our bad drafting and help shape this team into a contender. DeCosta served as Director of College Scouting for the Ravens for six years, at one time being the youngest College Scouting Director in the NFL. He currently works for GM Ozzie Newsome of the Ravens.

As for head coach, there are a ton of candidates that will get looks. If Gary Kubiak is fired from Houston, expect him to get a call. A couple of my candidates include: Jon Gruden, Jim Harbaugh, Perry Fewell, and Ron Rivera. Gruden is a fiery coach who could help ignite the fire back in Dove Valley. Harbaugh helped reshape Stanford's football program. Perry Fewell is a defensive minded guy who could finally bring back the Orange Crush defense that we have missed for so long. He would likely bring back the 4-3 defense which is very intriguing. Finally, Ron Rivera is another defensive minded guy who helped make San Diego's defense one of the best in 2010.

No matter who is the GM and head coach, the Broncos cannot afford more bad drafting. The years of drafting Jarvis Moss, Tim Crowder, Alphonso Smith, and Richard Quinn need to be done. This May, the Broncos will have quite a bit of ammo to work with. We are currently in rebuild mode and the 2011 NFL Draft needs to be a hit. With a top 5 pick, 2 2nd round picks, a 3rd, 6th, and 7th rounder, there are a lot of good prospects that the Broncos could get. Let's take a look at some of those prospects.

1st round, 2nd overall

Patrick Peterson, CB

Da'Quan Bowers, DE/OLB

Nick Fairley, DT/DE

Marcell Dareus, DT/DE

These 4 players are the "elite" 2011 draft prospects. Each of them could greatly help the Broncos in their rebuilding process.

Patrick Peterson is the best cornerback prospect in years. The 6 ft 2, 210 lb corner from LSU has the makings of a shut down corner in the NFL. Despite most teams throwing away from Peterson this year, he still managed a season high 4 interceptions. He also is a pretty good punt returner averaging over 10 yards a punt to go along with 2 touchdowns. Peterson could be in the Broncos' sights as Champ Bailey will likely go elsewhere next year.

Da'Quan Bowers was the best defensive player in 2010. The Clemson Tiger put together a phenomenal junior year. He really dominated the ACC all year long. The Ted Hendricks award winner finished with a jaw dropping 16 sacks and 25 tackles for loss. Bowers is 6 ft 4, 275 lbs. He manhandles opponents with great strength and quickness. He could be an impact player in the NFL if he puts the time and effort in. He is a one year wonder, but his upside is tremendous. He could play in either a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme. He is arguably the best defensive player in the upcoming draft.

Nick Fairley had himself a Da'Quan Bowersesque year. He has been hyped for much of the year due to his dominant performances in the SEC. The Auburn Tiger accumulated 11 sacks and 21 tackles for loss. He is an athletic freak. The 6 ft 5, 298 pound defensive tackle can reportedly run as fast as a 4.8 40 yard dash. He has a great motor and will make scouts drool when he goes to the combine. However, he is a one year wonder and has been labeled a "dirty player". Nevertheless, Fairley has the potential to be elite in the NFL.

Marcell Dareus comes from the excellent Alabama Crimson Tide program. The 6 ft 4, 304 pound defensive tackle put together a nice season despite losing several of his teammates to the NFL. Dareus finished the year with 4 sacks, 9 tackles for loss and 30 tackles. Dareus has great strength and speed to go along with his excellent bulk. He was suspended for 2 games for NCAA violations so he doesn't come without baggage. Nevertheless, he is a scheme versatile player who could make a big impact at the next level.

2nd round, 35th overall

Jimmy Smith, CB

Deunta Williams, S

Christian Ballard, DT/DE

Stephen Paea, DT/DE

Jimmy Smith has quietly become one of the best cornerbacks in college football. First off, he has excellent bulk at 6 ft 2, 205 lbs. He also is capable of running a 4.4 40 yard dash which will help him draft stock. Smith has consistently been a shut down corner for the Big 12. He doesn't have big time stats due to his competition usually staying away from him. However, he is a player who will make some team very happy if he falls into the 2nd round.

Deunta Williams is probably the best safety in the draft. Williams is a ball hawk in every sense of the term. He has 12 interceptions in his career. He has excellent build at 6 ft 2, 215 lbs. He has great instincts to go along with great speed. He reportedly is a film junkie as he spends a ton of time analyzing film. He was suspended for 2 games to to NCAA violations, but he has been very up front about everything that occurred. He will be a starting safety for someone and is a steal in the 2nd round.

Christian Ballard is another talented Iowa Hawkeye defensive lineman. The 6 ft 5, 297 pound defensive tackle is an impressive player. He has great quickness and explodes at the snap. He has a great motor and never gives up on a play. His stats aren't nearly as good as teammate Adrian Clayborne's, but Ballard is a nice player to pick up in the 2nd.

Stephen Paea spent the year terrorizing the Pac 10. Paea was unblockable this year for the Oregon State Beavers. The 6 ft 1, 311 pound defensive tackle is as strong as an ox. His bull rush is nearly unblockable. His strength and initial quickness make it very hard to contain him. He collected 45 tackles and 6 sacks in 2010 despite facing constant double teams. Paea is a hard worker and will be a stout defensive tackle in the NFL.

2nd round, 49th overall

Ras-I-Dowling, CB

Quinton Carter, S

DJ Williams, TE

Marcus Cannon, OT

Dowling returned for his senior year with hopes of vaulting himself into 1st round status. Instead, he got hurt and is now on the fall. Dowling has great size at 6 ft 2, 200 pounds. He shows great instincts and does a nice job in press coverage. He has some technique issues, but those can be fixed with good coaching. Dowling has the potential to be a starting cornerback. He could be the steal of the draft if he falls to this spot. His talent alone should net him a late 1st round slot.

Quinton Carter is a bruiser of a safety. He is one of the hardest hitters in college football. He has totaled 200 tackles in his career at Oklahoma. Although he is known as a big hitter, he isn't limited to just hitting. Carter had 4 interceptions in both his junior and senior years. On top of all that, Carter is a great person. He has his own charity and spends his time giving to people in need.

DJ Williams is underrated in my opinion. He isn't that far off from Kyle Rudolph. DJ caught 49 passes for 589 yards and 4 touchdowns this year for the Razorbacks. Not only can he catch the football, he is a very good blocker. He has reliable hands. If he runs a fast 40, he could vault up draft boards.

Marcus Cannon has been the staple of the Horn frogs offensive line. He is a mammoth at 6 ft 5, 350 pounds. He is a terrific run blocker. His best spot might be as a right tackle. He could struggle against quick defensive ends which may be why he might be a guard. He has some technique issues but he could be a great run blocking offensive lineman at the next level.

3rd round #67th overall

Kelvin Sheppard, LB

Lance Kendricks, TE

Stanley Havili, FB

Sione Fua, DT

Kelvin Sheppard has been the emotional leader for the LSU Tigers for 3 years He is a tackling machine. He has accumulated over 300 tackles in his career. He also had a season high 4 sacks in 2010. The 6 ft 3, 240 pound linebacker always seems to find the ball. He has trouble shedding blocks and will need to change his weight depending on the scheme he is drafted into.

Lance Kendricks is one of the best tight ends in this draft class. He is 6 ft 4, 240 pounds. He has all the tools necessary to be a solid tight end in the next level. He has caught a lot of balls despite playing in the run based Wisconsin offense. He is a pretty good blocker. He reminds me a little bit of Jason Witten who is a mismatch with linebackers and is a big target for quarterbacks.

Stanley Havili has been a big part of USC for 4 years. He has quietly been one of USC's best players for his entire collegiate career. The versatile fullback is a match up problem waiting to happen. He is 6 ft 1, 225 pounds. He runs hard, blocks well, and is quite a good receiver out of the backfield. He's a hard worker and will be a nice mismatch for someone.

Sione Fua is a big, powerful DT out of Stanford. The 6 ft 2, 306 pound nose tackle compiled 22 tackles, 4.5 for loss, and 5 sacks playing in Stanford's new 3-4. Fua is a superb run stuffer and has able to get an impressive number of sacks for a nose tackle. He might be the best nose tackle in the draft. If the Broncos keep the 3-4, Fua is a must get prospect. He's big, powerful, and exactly the young talent that we need on our d-line.

6th round

Cory Grant, DT

Allen Bradford, RB

Allen Reisner, TE

Charlie Gantt, TE

Cory Grant is a big defensive lineman who played his collegiate ball at TCU. He was named 2nd all Mountain West this year after collecting 18 tackles and 4 sacks for the Horned Frogs. The 6 ft 2, 305 pound Grant is a big boy who has could make a nice backup defensive lineman at least.

Allen Bradford is a bruising running back from USC. His stats aren't that good due to being in USC's multi-back system. The 6 ft, 235 pound back totaled 225 carries for 1462 yards in the last 2 years. He is a powerful runner who displayed decent break away speed this year. He isn't a feature back, but could give you a solid #2.

Allen Reisner was stuck behind the great Tony Moeaki, but really got his chance his senior year. Reisner finished the year with 39 receptions for 410 yards and 2 touchdowns. He is a little undersized at 6 ft 3, 235 pounds, but he displays a nice pair of hands and is a pretty good blocker. He is one of my favorite prospects in the late rounds.

Charlie Gantt has all the makings of an NFL tight end. He has a great frame standing at 6 ft 5, 260 pounds. He is a very good blocker. His skills have been honed at Michigan St. However, he is also an underrated receiver. He caught 22 passes for 261 yards and 3 touchdowns this year. He doesn't have great athleticism, but he can get to the soft spots and get you good yardage. He is also one of my favorite prospects. Gantt or Reisner would be fantastic picks in the late rounds to improve our TE corps.

7th Round

Mitch Mustain, QB

Anthony Sherman, FB

Chris Conte, S

Michael Morgan, LB

Mustain came to USC with hopes of leading the Trojans to a national championship. He had to settle for being the back up to the sensational Matt Barkley. Mustain got to play in a limited capacity this year and even started one game due to a Barkley injury. Mitch is a great late round prospect. He has good tools. He is a stand up guy, decent arm strength and is very coachable. If the Broncos trade Orton this off season, they will need to add another QB. A late round QB like Mustain could develop into a nice back up.

Anthony Sherman is one of the nasty blocking fullbacks coming into the 2011 draft. He is 5 ft 11, 240 pounds. Like I said before, he is a very good blocker. He is powerful and looks to be a lead  blocking fullback in this league. He could take the place of oft-injured Spencer Larsen.

Chris Conte did not have the collegiate career many expected him to. He played CB for Cal for 3 years before they put him at his natural spot as SS. He excelled and had his best year in 2010. He totaled 72 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 interception. He is definitely worth a late round flier and could be quite the sleeper. He has really good size at 6 ft 3, 212 pounds. He was misused in his time at Cal.

Michael Morgan has all the athleticism needed to succeed, but he doesn't have the production. He had just 57 tackles in 2010. Sadly, that is his season high. The 6 ft 4, 220 pound backer also needs to hit the weight room. However, he has good speed and could make a nice STer and possibly a backup linebacker. That's all you can ask for in the 7th round.

This is just a taste of the potential players the Broncos could pick up. With pro days, the Combine, and the Senor Bowl still to come, a lot of these players' rankings will change. But here is a preliminary look at some players who could really help the Broncos in 2011. Notice that most of the players on here are defensive. That is because the next 2 off seasons should be devoted to fixing the atrocious defense that we currently have. With some solid drafting, we could be back in the AFC West race sooner then people may think. Let me hear your thoughts in the comments below.

Follow me on Twitter: ballinnickcast

More photos » Bill Kostroun - AP

Revenge of the Hoodie? The Patriots have signed former Jets running back/receiver Danny Woodhead, according to multiple reports.

Browse more photos »

In late August 2009, the Patriots released quarterback Kevin O'Connell.  O'Connell was claimed off waivers by the Detroit Lions, who traded him to the New York Jets just a week later.  Oddly enough, the second team on the Jets' schedule that year was New England.

Even stranger, Kevin O'Connell was named a captain for the week two game against the Patriots.  There's little question that O'Connell was an instrumental part in the Jets gameplan against the Patriots, a game that saw the Jets come out on top 16-9 and O'Connell named a captain.

Well, the Patriots may have finally gotten their revenge.  Flash forward to this week; running back Danny Woodhead is released by the New York Jets to make room for receiver David Clowney.  With the Patriots having recently traded running back Laurence Maroney, a spot on the roster became available.

In comes Danny Woodhead.  According to a Boston Herald report, the Patriots have signed the third year running back/wide receiver to a contract.  While I sincerely doubt that Bill Belichick will make Woodhead a captain on Sunday, there's no question that having him around will help the Patriots gameplan for the Jets.  These things don't happen by coincidence.

While snagging Woodhead is certainly an intriguing move, he does have some value on the field as well.  Although he is undersized at 5'9" and 200 lbs, he is blazing fast and quick (4.33 40 yard dash, 4.08 shuttle), and brings a strong work ethic.  He is also versatile, with the ability to play in the backfield, at receiver, and on special teams.  In short, he's a Patriots-type of player, so I wouldn't be surprised if he sticks around for a little while. 

Dexter McCluster and Javier Arenas both stand under six feet tall and weigh less than 200 pounds. In some people's eyes, that's a very convenient way of saying, "Oh, well I guess they can't be very good at the professional level."

The two rookies proved those people wrong in their first game for the Kansas City Chiefs. The dynamic punt return duo combined for an astounding 160 punt return yards in the Monday night game against the San Diego Chargers. 

McCluster and Arenas have already vaulted to the top of the all-time Kansas City return game charts. That magic 160 is the highest such number in franchise history, but with the two of them returning game after game, it will probably soon be broken yet again. 

McCluster stands a tiny 5'8" and weighs just 165 pounds. Against the 300-pounders that play in the NFL, that makes him seem like just a baby. But then you see him run. 

The blazing speed of the first year player out of Ole Miss is incredible. He ran a 4.46 at the NFL combine for the 40 yard dash, but he seemed like he would blow that out of the water Monday night.

Just prior to halftime, he fielded a punt and blazed down the field en route to a 94-yard touchdown to extend the Chiefs' lead to 21-7 over the Chargers. He was never even touched as he broke free down the left sideline and simply outran everyone on the field. 

That 94-yard return also broke the Chiefs' franchise record for longest punt return, previously held by Dante Hall at 93 yards. 

As Mike Maycock, a current analyst for the NFL Network, said, McCluster is "quicker than fast," and when a player fits that description, size simply doesn't matter anymore. 

The other half of the rookie team is Javier Arenas, a 5'9" 195-pounder out of Alabama. 

Arenas produced the other half of the yards earned in the return game. He would have helped to shatter the Chiefs' record by even more had San Diego punter Mike Scifres not made two tackles. One was in the open field and barely prevented what was sure to be a touchdown. The other saw Scifres force Arenas out of bounds on the left sideline. 

Neither of these rookies has seemed to small for the NFL, nor has the stage seemed to big for them. It's too early to tell if the Chiefs are for real, but it isn't too soon to realize that they have two dynamic and undersized rookies who will bolster their return game for quite some time. 

As the Trojans prepare to meet the Virginia Cavaliers this Saturday evening in the Colosseum, Ed Orgeron and the recruiting department continue to make small moves to shore up future needs in a variety areas.  Four scholarship offers, one to a recruit for this years class and three for the next, have been extended to premier prep players from across the land.

Interestingly, these offers don't all fill positions of need, but they do recognize talent that the Trojans covet, regardless of necessity.  In addition, there is recruiting news on previously offered recruits, including a surprise player who was thought to be Trojan long shot, but who now has USC high on his list.

First, lets look at an offer to a Bay area running back for this years class:

Amir Carlisle, a 5'11", 190 lb. back from Sunnyvale, CA, has received an offer to come south and play for the Trojans.

Carlisle, who has already given a verbal commitment to Stanford, is a Scout.com four-star running back who combines elusiveness with a good pair of hands to form an explosive package coming out of the backfield.

Despite his verbal pledge to the Cardinal, Carlisle has said, according to Scout.com, that he will make an official visit to USC sometime later this year.

Meanwhile, the Trojans continue to look to 2012 to get an early jump on prospective players.

From Ramsey, NJ., comes an intriguing safety prospect who combines excellent size with good speed and instincts.

Elijah Shumate has received a Trojan offer to go along with several others, including Miami (FL), Michigan and Virginia Tech.  Unfortunately for USC, Shumate has the Trojans as listed "low" in terms of his interest.

Central California is home for Freddie Tagaloa, a massive (6'8", 300 lb.) offensive lineman, who, despite his size, is nimble enough to play basketball for his prep team.

Tagaloa has visited Stanford twice already and the Cardinal will be tough to beat for Tagaloa's services.

Finally, in terms of USC scholarships offers, how can a week go by without the Trojans offering yet another wide receiver?

Despite a plethora of a great, young wide outs already in the fold and a couple more (Victor Blackwell and likely George Farmer) on the way, the Trojans have set their sights on a big receiver in the Dwayne Jarret mold.

Going 6'5" 210 lbs., Dorial Green-Beckham, who hails form Missouri, combines all that size with excellent speed (22.1 time in the 200 yard dash).

Holding a half a dozen offers, Green-Beckham lists them all as medium interest-wise.

There is other news from prior players that the Trojans have offered, some good, some not so much.

Anthony Chickillo, a four-star offensive lineman, has given his verbal pledge to Miami (Fl.)

Although Chickillo would have served an area of definite need for the Trojans, he was considered a long shot at best to come west.

However, there is good news to report regarding a five-star, as rated by Scout.com, corner back from Ohio.

Doran Grant, long thought to be an Ohio State lock, has recently said that he has no favorites and that the Trojans have made his finalist list for his services.

Although he wouldn't commit to an official visit date, USC is thought to be one of those who he will visit.

With this, we close out a marginally busy week for USC.

An impressive win at home this week against Virginia will be the focus for the Trojan brain trust from this point forward with the game only a couple of days away.

Of course, twelve or so more of those will do wonders for the Trojans recruiting efforts.

Talk about killing two birds with one stone...

Brad Childress is still missing a simple clue about wide receivers that a head coach should know: split ends should be big, as well as fast.  Bernard Berrian is too skinny.  They have needed someone like the Texans Andre Johnson, restricted free agent Vincent Jackson or possibly even recently cut Viking Marko Mitchell. 

After losing their star receiver Sidney Rice this year, the Vikings have juggled their lineup with four small wide receivers who all seem out of position. Childress' coaching  decisions are providing support for a recent Yahoo article, calling him "a clueless tyrant (who won’t listen to coaches)".  

The Vikings, who were expected to carry five wide receivers for their opener against the Saints, kept four: Bernard Berrian, Percy Harvin, Greg Lewis and Greg Camarillo, a recent trade acquisition from the Dolphins. Each player is under 6 feet, 1 inch and 200 pounds and poses little threat to the Saints' secondary. 

Childress said they may add Javon Walker after this week, albeit with no faith that he can complete the 2010 season.  Had he been on the opening day roster, his salary of $755,000 would have been guaranteed for the season.  By re-signing Walker next week, they can pay him on a week-to-week basis until he breaks down or Rice returns.  

The Vikings really want a wide receiver that can replace Sidney Rice.  They are looking for a tall receiver with reliable hands, runs good routes and catch over defenders.  While Vincent Jackson was available, his price tag appeared to be too much for Minnesota.

The trade for Camarillo allows Harvin to shift to the starting flanker position, while keeping the Vikings' best remaining receivers on the field.  In 3-wide receiver sets, they could alternate between Camarillo or Harvin in the slot or at flanker. 

However, Minnesota should replace Bernard Berrian.  For years now, they were in need of a big, fast, strong and durable option at split end.  If they had one now, they could use Berrian at flanker until Sidney Rice returns, while leaving Harvin in the slot.  

Just consider the basic rules of football:  The split end (X) wide receiver on the left side of the line must begin play and be big and strong enough to beat jams at the line of scrimmage. 

The flanker (Z) wide receiver on the right side doesn’t face as much jamming because, under the rules, he lines up at least a yard behind the line of scrimmage to allow the tight end to also become an eligible receiver.  

In 3-wide receiver sets, a slot (Y) receiver is usually behind the line of scrimmage if on the side of the spilt end and on the line if on the side of the flanker.  Teams usually feature receivers behind the line to avoid jamming by cornerbacks.     

Wide-outs, both split ends and flankers, are tall, rangy athletes with ability to race fast down the sideline, leap and change a game with a single grab.  Their job on the outside is fairly simple: beat the cornerback and catch the ball.  The flanker must be a slightly better short route runner.

Slot receivers must read opposing defenses at the line of scrimmage and find a way to get open.  They are mainly finding holes on the inside compared to the outside which is more of a 1-on-1 battle with a defender. 

Table 1 shows the Vikings had good fits last year with Rice at flanker, and Harvin in the slot.  Yet Berrian proved to be too skinny at split end.  

After showing promise in his rookie season in 2007 and battling injuries during the 2008 season, Rice blossomed into a Pro Bowl wide out in 2009. 

Before the 2008 season, the Vikings signed wide receiver Bernard Berrian as a free agent to a six-year, $42 million contract with $16 million guaranteed.  They got him to play split end, even though he played flanker for the Chicago Bears. 

In 2009, Berrian had fewer catches and yards than the third receiver.  Even in 2008, when Berrian accumulated over 900 yards receiving, almost half were on about 8 big plays.  A few big plays are bound to occur when receivers are jammed at the line.  But the jamming took him out of most plays.  He caught only 41 balls.  

In 2009, the Vikings drafted Percy Harvin to replace Bobby Wade in the slot.  They also carried Jaymar Johnson to back up Berrian at split end and Greg Lewis to backup both Rice at flanker and Harvin in the slot.

Both Rice and Berrian, and their backups are too skinny to beat jams at split end and provide little help blocking for Adrian Peterson on the outside. They also appear to get injured easily. 

Table 2 shows, not only are the Vikings left with Berrian at split end this year, but Rice is now out after surgery for at least half of the upcoming season and Harvin will replace him.  Harvin is too unreliable to be a starter, due to health issues with migraine headaches.

Harvin's talent is from his versatility as a slot receiver, running back and returning kicks. He does not have the talent to be a number one receiver and will likely be challenged against the best left cornerbacks in the NFL. Camarillo is a better option at the slot, although he is too slow to challenge defenses deep as a number one flanker or get the separation to beat the NFL's top defenders.  

The Vikings should have just let Logan Payne backup Harvin in the slot and kept Benny Sapp, who provided important depth at the cornerback position.  The Vikings may now have to face the 4 wide receivers of the Saints with only 3 cornerbacks. 

They now have two guys to make those tough over-the-middle catches with Harvin and Camarillo, while relying on Berrian to stretch the field deep from the split end position that he is not well suited.

Lewis is a backup fifth receiver, utility guy and special-teams player and is not big enough to fight jams or win physical battles. Walker could play at flanker but he can’t fight off jams with bad knees.  Instead, he would have to be their main red zone threat and possession receiver. 

Childress has created even more problems by going into the Vikings' 50^th season with a quartet of small receivers and possibly an over-the-hill fifth wheel, none of which should be playing split end.  Moreover, the only wide receiver playing the position he did last year is split end Berrian, who has been playing the wrong position. 

One answer would have been to acquire Jackson as a restricted freee-agent and move him to split end, while moving Berrian to flanker.  After the 2010 season they could have released Berrian, which many believe will happen anyway. 

Table 3 demonstrates that Jackson was one of the NFL’s top flankers last year.  He also has the size and speed to move to split end. 

Table 4 demonstrates that the top split ends run the 40 yard dash in an average 4.40 seconds, and are about 6-1 and 210 pounds.  Berrian runs the 40 in 4.40 and is 6-1 but weighs only 185 pounds, 25 pounds under average. 

Jackson has below-average speed, but he is an impressive 6-5 and 230 pounds compared to the average of 6-1 and 210 pounds for split ends.  A little less speed can be acceptable with the bigger size. 

Unfortunately, the Vikings balked at the $50 million required to sign Vincent Jackson, even though it is not much more than they paid Berrian.  Regardless, it is too late because Jackson must now serve an additional 3-game suspension along with the initial 3 games imposed by the NFL. 

The Vikings also made no moves to acquire free agents Miles Austin, Terrell Owens or Kelley Washington. Plaxico Burress, another potention option, won’t be out until early next year. 

Looking at the Vikings preseason roster in Table 5, the only wide receiver big and fast enough to play split end was young flanker Marko Mitchell.  

Apparently, Childress cut Mitchell after the third preseason game this year because he lacked the patience to train him at flanker and he wouldn’t play special teams.  But split end is a position that requires more raw size and speed and less precise route running.

Childress didn’t offer Mitchell a fair chance to compete.  When Childress favors a player he appears to close his mind and have the quarterbacks lock onto them.  They threw mostly to Payne, and then Walker, in camps and games (see Table 6 for throws through first 3 preseason games). 

In my last article, I documented the simple mistakes of Brad Childress that cost the Vikings a Super Bowl in 2009.  (Please see:  http://bleacherreport.com/articles/426944-a-dozen-mistakes-brad-childress-likely-wont-repeat-and-one-he-will ). 

I predicted he likely would not repeat 12 of those mistakes.  But he has already repeated two before the season has even begun: failing to get enough blockers and cornerbacks.  Moreover, he is also repeating a mistake he made in 2009 that I neglected to mention by getting all skinny wide receivers. 

Fortunately, it appears he will not repeat the mistake of not protect his players by contacting the NFL league office about the Saints to stop trying to hurt Favre.  Vikings fans can also protest the illegal hits by the dirty Saints by calling NFL PR at 212-450-2000.

Even more importantly, Vikings fans should tell owner Zigi Wilf that he should not allow Brad Childress to make player personnel decisions for the Minnesota Vikings.  The Vikings can be contacted at: http://www.vikings.com/footer/contact-us.html

The Miami vs. Ohio State game is merely a few days away, and the months of anticipation have grown to a peak in the days leading up to the game.  Miami and Ohio State fans have been going at each other for nearly a year over this game, and there have been very good discussions along with heated ones on both sides.  One of the biggest discussions has been which team has the better quarterback between Ohio State’s Terrelle Pryor and Miami’s Jacory Harris. This matchup could be the deciding factor in the game.

Let’s break down both quarterbacks and let the fans of each debate state the reasons why their guy is superior, or why they are even.  This game is going to come down to which guy can control the other team's defense, so it is probably the single biggest factor in determining the outcome of the game.

Terrelle Pryor, 6’6” 240 lbs.

2009 Statistics:

Cmp/ATT   Cmp%   Yards   TD   INT   Rating

167/295       56.6     2,094   18    11    128.9

Terrelle Pryor is the fastest player on the Ohio State football team, and he is not a bad weapon to have running your offense.  Pryor runs a 4.33 40-yard dash and is 6’ 6” 240 lbs. He is a formidable opponent to deal with.  Looking through all of Pryor’s game stats over the last two seasons, what stands out the most is his completion percentage in 2009. It ranged from a low of 38.5 percent to a high of 82.4 percent, with many games hovering in the 40 to 50 percent area.  That is a large range that shows why people knock Pryor, but at the same time why they see potential for him to do big things. 

 Pryor is safe with the ball, does not turn it over much, and was very efficient managing the offense last season.  Pryor’s biggest asset is his ability to run with the football, where he totaled over 700 yards on the ground last season.  Some would bring in the Michael Vick argument: Is he a running back moonlighting as a quarterback?  Doug Flutie said on ESPN Radio that Pryor is good, but he is not convinced that Pryor can make tough throws when the receiver is not wide open.

OSU fans point to the definitive game against Oregon as proof of Pryor’s newfound passing abilities. He did have a decent game against the No. 44 passing defense in the nation, but is that enough combined with his performance against Marshall to prove that he has taken the next step? 

Jacory Harris, 6'4” 200 lbs.

2009 Statistics:

Cmp/ATT   Cmp%   Yards.        TD           INT         Rating

242/406       59.6        3,352     24           17           140.1

Jacory Harris is listed at 200 lbs., but he is probably closer to 190 pounds when he steps on a scale.  He is not physically imposing like his counterpart on Saturday and the leads some to question his durability as a player.  Looking at Harris’ statistics from 2009 his completion percentage ranged from 36.0 to 80% with an average sitting in the 50 to 60% range.  The eye popping stat with Harris is the 17 interceptions where he led the nation in that category, but Harris had four 300 yard passing games while Pryor had none.  This can be explained by the fact that Harris does not run with the ball, nor does he have any inclination to run with it while it is a major part of Pryor’s game.  To illustrate that fact even more Harris posted negative rushing yards in every game except one last season, and in that game he had zero yards rushing.

Harris is a passer, and will string out a play to the last minute in an attempt to make that last minute throw down field.  While that may be a redeeming quality in many situations, it has worked to his detriment at times as well.  Harris’ refusal to scramble when it is there in front of him has caused defenses to adjust and stay back on receivers knowing Harris will try to force it in there at times.  This is an area where Harris will need to improve if he is to limit the number of interceptions to an amount lower than he had last year.

Based on the statistics you could say Harris is a better quarterback, but if you take everything into account then you can make the argument that Pryor has won more games and his running ability makes him more dynamic.  Miami fans believe Pryor has made no progress, and the Oregon game was an aberration against a weak defense.  Ohio State fans believe that Jacory Harris will throw the ball to the other team, and that Miami’s offensive line lacks the ability to protect him.  Let’s break down the quarterbacks, we will start with Pryor. 

We have two good quarterbacks here, and reasons why both could be considered better than the other one.  Rather than laying everything out on the table here, the fans can debate the finer points between the two.  Everything should be revealed on Saturday after the head to head match up and the argument can be settled then, but spirited debate is what makes sports great.

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UFC 116 is a mere two days away and you need to know where to put your money. Today, I highlight the main event between Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin. Check back tomorrow morning for a rundown of the other four pay-per-view fights.

I'd also like to announce that Bloody Elbow now has an affiliate deal with BetUS. By signing up to BetUS through the link, you're providing us with much needed support for the site.

Odds courtesy of Best Fight Odds:

It should be disclosed for those not in the know, that I am not a Shane Carwin fan (quite the understatement). The following analysis has been done with the the utmost attempt at objectivity, but it should be clear that I do not care for certain boring, self-righteous heavyweights.

There's a handful of unknowns about each guy coming into this fight, so let's get the known variables out of the way.

Both guys are very big and strong. There's no reliable data with regards to their height, but I expect Lesnar has at least an inch on him. The UFC listed Lesnar at an 81" reach at UFC 100 and Shane at 80" at UFC 111. Both men have to make the cut to 265, though Lesnar's camp reports that he'll be right around 265 for weigh-ins.

Lesnar and Carwin both have tremendous power in their strikes, though Carwin has demonstrated more devastating power in his career.

The rest after the jump. Be forewarned: long and rambly!

Lesnar, on the other hand, has demonstrated his wrestling prowess in every fight. He took down Frank Mir at will in both of their bouts and dominated Heath Herring at UFC 87. Conservatively, he held his own with Randy Couture at UFC 91, but we'll come back to that in a bit.

In each of their last two fights, Lesnar and Carwin have exhibited very little hesitation to finish the fight if the opportunity presents itself.

Even though he has fewer fights in his career, Lesnar's time in the cage allows us to define him a little better in a couple areas. He's proven he can go past the first round effectively in all three of his UFC wins. The Herring fight especially showed that he can maintain dominance well past the first five minutes.

The Herring and second Mir fights also showcased Lesnar's ability to follow a gameplan. At UFC 87, Lesnar's camp did not want to risk another loss at the hands of being overzealous, and Brock patiently and methodical worked Herring for fifteen minutes. Last July, Lesnar displayed that patience again, as he beat the fight out of Frank Mir through a round and a half of action.

I believe Brock is also a much better athlete than Shane Carwin. I present the following as evidence, though I wouldn't seriously use this as part of your handicapping. According to this Sports Illustrated report on Shane's draft status in 1998, Carwin ran the 40 yard dash in 4.93 seconds, benched 225 pounds 29 times, has a vertical leap of 30.5", and broad jumped 8'10". According to this link (and unfortunately the PW Torch source link is dead), Lesnar ran the 40 in 4.65 seconds, benched 225 pounds 30 times, has a 35" vertical, and a broad jump of 10 feet. Again, this isn't the most reliable of data, but that's a pretty clear edge for Brock, especially when we consider that Shane is thirteen or so years from those numbers.

I think that pretty well covers what we can say definitively about either man. So where are the question marks?

Let's start with the big one. Brock Lesnar hasn't fought in a year. He made it through some portion of his training camp for his original fight with Carwin last year, but he spent the last months of 2009 recovering from diverticulitis. Lesnar allegedly loss close to fifty pounds before putting the weight back on and resuming training. He has come out and said that he's revamped his diet, which explains why his camp has stated he won't be cutting much, if any weight for this fight.

Much has been made of the effects of injuries and ring rust on a fighter the past couple of months, but it's still safe to be cautious about using the term as a blanket statement. For instance, unlike a serious knee injury, Brock's illness hasn't affected how he trains. Instead, he's just had to wait until the illness faded enough to resume his traditional workouts. The issue for Brock becomes how much the two months out of training and the year span without a fight will play a part in his development as a fighter. There's very little we can do to quantify this. While the year layoff may affect how sharp he is, you can also argue that he's still young enough in his development that he's still able to pick stuff up in the gym while someone with as much experience as a Mirko Cro Cop may not benefit from.

There's also the recent revelation from Lesnar's camp leaking that he'll be fighting southpaw for this fight. This could be a ploy to get into Shane's head. If it is legitimate, whatever he loses in his striking by switching from orthodox, he'll gain in his wrestling by having his power foot forward. I'm willing to call this a wash.

As for Carwin, he's never been past the four minute mark at any point in his career. While there are certainly "questions" about his gas tank, I think those questions often come with a hint of criticism. We have no idea how Shane will perform past round one (if necessary), nor do we know how he'll respond to what shapes up to be a grueling wrestling battle with Lesnar. Even if inside information dictated that Shane's demonstrated fantastic cardio in camp, that still doesn't convince me how he'll handle X minutes in the biggest fight of his life. For handicapping purposes, however, it's safe to assume Carwin has average cardio for the elite fighters in the division. By that, I assume that if the first round is the grueling affair it might be, he will slow down in later rounds, but will not be completely fatigued.

And what about his wrestling? We saw him take down Neil Wain. But that's Neil Wain. He's British. Carwin did handle Frank Mir well in the clinch at UFC 111, but that's the extent of Shane Carwin Wrestling for MMA that we've seen. How does he handle a shot? Will he shoot at all on Lesnar? Questions, questions.

There's an interesting tale about the betting lines for this fight. When Zuffa announced the first bout, Lesnar opened around -180 and shot up near -300 before having to pull out. This time, Lesnar opened around -200 and has been bet down to as low as -130 as of the time of writing. I think there's two things at work here. The first being Lesnar's illness and the conjecture surrounding his new diet and weight. The other is the "what have you done for me lately" factor. Carwin entered the UFC 106 bout coming off an impressive knockout of Gabe Gonzaga, but his performance still left a lot to be desired in his first step up in competition. Gonzaga rocked Carwin with right hands and was able to take him down with a single leg. An impressive recovery for Carwin led to the knockout, but it was not a one-side performance by any means.

His fight with Mir at UFC 111, however, sent the hype train into full effect. Mir mounted very little offense in what was a very slow bout up until the finish. After reeling Mir with an hook and a series of uppercuts, Carwin finished the fight with dominating ground and pound, while looking every bit the beast that he has been made out to be.

And that's where I feel like people are falling into a trap betting Carwin, especially as the line on him has fallen in the past month. Objectively (again, to the best of my ability), I don't see Carwin holding a single advantage over Lesnar outside of power. And there, the level of power that each man possesses makes the point nearly moot. If either guy lands solid on the chin, there's a good chance the lights are going out.

With the observable data, however, what other advantages can we give Carwin? The wrestling pedigree suggests that Brock will fare better there. By all accounts (observed and quantified), Lesnar is a better athlete by a significant though not large degree. Lesnar seems to me that he has at least as much skill on the feet as Carwin as well. Carwin comes from a great camp, but Brock has bought himself a fantastic unit and has shown repeatedly that he can handle following a very specific gameplan, so I don't see an advantage for Carwin there either.

There is one area, in retrospect, that Shane might be able to exploit. A lot has been made about Randy Couture's "takedown" on Brock at UFC 91. I think that's a lot of noise. Randy did do something, however, that I think is worth looking at by controlling Lesnar in stretches along the fence. As noted, Carwin used the clinch against the fence to much success against Frank Mir, and that's an area of the fight I will not be comfortable with if it arises on Saturday night.

So, how does the fight play out? I think a lot will determine on the first round. If Brock controls the first round, I imagine we'll see Carwin on his back for most of it. I think Lesnar drains a lot of energy out of him. And in that case, it becomes very hard for Shane to KO Brock in later rounds and, hence, very hard for Shane to win the fight. If Shane can negate Lesnar's wrestling or win that battle himself, he opens himself up for a very big night. Now, if both camps play a cautious first round, the above transfers over to the second round. In essence, whoever grabs a hold of the advantage first sets themselves up very nicely.

I think given what we know, though, that Lesnar will be able to control this fight. Much has been made about Carwin being Brock's (literally) biggest test. But that same statement can be made for Shane Carwin as well. We really don't know much about Shane's overall game outside of his insane punching power. Therefore, I like a unit play on Lesnar at the current line, though I personally have just under three units at -145.

There's a case to be made until waiting until fight night if you want to hop on Lesnar with me. Most casual bettors make their plays the day before or the day of the fight. As arguably the most hated man in MMA and with Shane's spectacular performance at UFC 111, there's a chance that more money comes in on Carwin as we approach the fight. The optimal play might be to take whatever you're thinking of betting on Lesnar, put a percentage of it down now, and throw the rest down if the line moves favorably.

After writing this opus, I've psyched myself up beyond belief for Saturday. Even as a Lesnar-backer and Shane-hater, the idea of Carwin landing a powerful right hand to put down Lesnar titillates my mind. Hopefully, we don't have to witness that. Good luck.

Great news! I've got a sun-filled house tour for you today. I know you'll love it. Mary Swenson of Pretty Good and t.ruffle girls moved into a quaint house in Newburyport, Massachusetts, in 2006. Newburyport is a historic coastal town and their house is over 200 years old! It's located downtown, where the houses are squeezed in tight and have teeny-tiny yards, making for a great little community. I think the whole place sounds so charming.

Mary, my first question is what's your favorite room in the house?

I'd have to say our kitchen. It's a long galley-style kitchen, which makes it a little challenging for entertaining, but we knocked down the wall between the kitchen and dining room, so that makes it a bit more open than it was before. I'm just such a foodie and love to cook and entertain, so I really love being surrounded by everything that reminds me of those things. It makes me happy.

You can see the whole light and bright tour when you click through.

I love these shots of the front hallway. What a neat display to great guests when they visit. Please tell us all about it.

Our front hallway has gone through about a zillion different incarnations before I found something that worked. I love this mirror made from driftwood (bought from Red Bird Trading), and it's really brought much-needed light to the area. The table, which I painted white, was a gift from my mom. 

The old bottle crate was found on eBay; the Swedish horses are from Simply Scandanavian in Portland, Maine. The rug is Dash & Albert and the blue jars and bottles are a combination of ones that used to belong to my Grandmother and ones that I've found at yard sales or antiques markets. The mirrored plate was bought locally.

The living room is so clean and cozy. Looks like a great place for relaxing and having a good chat. Tell me about that amazing flag.

Our living room is more like a small sitting room when you first walk in. The old, battered Swedish flag has been in my husband's family for years now (it flew over a police station in Sweden) and rather than keep it hidden away, we decided to frame it. It's definitely a conversation piece! The couch is from IKEA, the table is from Hammertown Farm, the lamp is from West Elm, and the rug is from Pottery Barn.

The white tray holds little seaside bits and bobs, and the vase is Jonathan Adler.

This chair is one of two that used to belong to my grandmother. They both have pumpkin orange upholstery, so we opted to have slipcovers made. Everyone who sits in them comments on how comfortable they are; they've got great bones.

The painting above it is by my friend and neighbor, Margaret Bernier. Side table is from Red Bird Trading. The box on top was made by my neighbor out of driftwood, and I filled it with succulents. The "hello" pillow is from Olive.

How neat to have the dining table near the fireplace. What do you like best about the dining room?

The period details in our house can be most seen in our dining room. It's great to have a fire going during dinner with friends in the winter!  :) 

Our dining room table is hands-down my favorite piece of furniture in our home. We bought it from an antique store in Ipswich, Massachusetts, and it was handmade by a father for his family of 8. I absolutely love the fact that it seated his family for a generation -- imagine the conversations and the meals that took place at that table? I so look forward to carrying on that history with my own family someday.

The chairs are from IKEA, the light is from CB2, the rug is Dash & Albert, and the big letter "S" is from Hindsvik.

Oh goody. Kitchen pics! I love getting a glimpse of a pretty kitchen. Tell me about that table -- it must have a great story.

We found the butcher block table in our kitchen in Portland, Maine, and it was love. at. first. sight. I went gaga over it. Aesthetically, it's everything I love: chipped, white paint and weathered wood. And it clearly was used by someone who stood in front of it and propped up his/her foot on the metal bar that joins the front legs together, because it's got a bend to it. I love that! It worked perfectly in our kitchen because we have so little counter space to prep food on. We use this table to chop veggies, roll out dough, let baked goods cool ... you name it. We slid a bread board onto the metal rungs on the legs and it holds much of my white serveware.

The calendar is by Claudia Pearson. And, yep, that's a Keep Calm and Carry On poster ... I know everyone's sick of it, but I love it. It's a great little daily reminder for me, and the red and white pop in my kitchen.

Because the houses in our neighborhood are so close together, my kitchen window view looks right into my next-door neighbor's kitchen. I put up a pretty fabric shade (Pottery Barn from years ago) and propped up a big white serving tray on a plate stand.

We painted a wall that covers an old chimney in our kitchen with chalkboard paint. To the right is a little counter that we use as a coffee station and to house all of my cookbooks.

I love cookbooks and actually sit with them and read them cover-to-cover as if it were a novel, planning dinner parties in my head and flagging recipes I want to try, but I am super-picky about which ones I buy, due to the limited space we've got. My criteria? They have to be filled with recipes that I'll actually make more than once and have great photography.

Just seeing this table makes me want to get my craft on. Tell me about this great space.

I have so many spools of ribbon and scraps of fabric, and I always use them for wrapping or projects. I like to be able to see what I've got and wire baskets were the perfect (and vintage-y) choice. They are all vintage and were scored on Etsy or in antiques markets. (I also use wire baskets in my closets to store cleaning supplies.) The table was found for free on a sidewalk and painted white, the chair is from Target (from years ago), and the print is by Linzie Hunter.

This family room is so inviting. It feels so seaside and sunny. And that quote is amazing. Would you mind sharing your sources?

This room is on the second floor, and because both our back and front staircases are so narrow, we had a really hard time finding a sofa that fit up the stairs. This Ektorp sectional from IKEA worked perfectly.

The seagull print is by Wayne Pate, and I made the sign myself after being inspired by this post. The quote is from Danish writer Isak Dinesen, and it sits above an old red stepstool found at an antiques store and an antique chest (inside is where my husband and I keep all of the love notes we've written to each other) bought in Marblehead, Massachusetts.

The two oars were bought at an antiques store. The table was an unfinished table from Target, which I painted white; and I cannot for the life of me remember the brand of the rug, but I ordered it through Red Bird Trading here in Newburyport. 

I am obsessed with trays, and when I stumbled on this one made of distressed wood, I snatched it up immediately. It's perfect for corralling bits and books and magazines on our coffee table.

This IKEA chair sits on the opposite side of our family room in front of an Expedit bookcase, also from IKEA. The fish and chips print is from Mr. PS, and the Valentine print is by Ettore Sottsass. The quilt is an oldie from Garnet Hill, and the wood bowl was a gift from my mom.

I'm so impressed with all the light in your home. And I can see it extends to your sunshine-y bedroom as well. I'd love to hear all about the details.

Our bedroom used to be the attic, and we turned it into our master bedroom in 2007. The bedside tables are from an antiques market, and the lamps and bed are IKEA. The rug and striped pillow covers are from Pottery Barn, and the green pillows and green and white chevron throw were found at HomeGoods.

This dresser is one of a matching set that we found at an antiques store; they both bow out slightly in the front, which reminded us of a boat. The green lamp was found at HomeGoods and triggered choosing the green accent color I went with in our bedroom.

The primitive wood box was found at an estate sale on Cape Cod, and it holds my jewelry. The tiny painting is me as a little girl, which my grandmother had done. I stash my hair dryer and other hair gadgets inside a pair of baskets from Pottery Barn.  

I am flower-obsessed. I deconstruct store-bought arrangements and place them in little containers throughout the house. This one, on my bedside table, is inside a Samantha Robinson cup -- one of three sent to me by my aunt in Australia who went to visit her studio.  (Swoon.)

Mary, I can't thank you enough for letting us have a tour of your beautiful home. I'm especially impressed with the art collection you've so carefully curated. So inspiring!

Dear Readers, if you're craving more inspiration, don't miss Mary's gorgeous photography blog Pretty Good and her print shop, t.ruffle girls. They're both on my daily "must-read" list.

The FICO credit bureau is like the grade-based ability score in that it only considers what is in your credit file. How in the world can it advertise to represent a sufficient measure of your creditworthiness to predict the probability that you will default on a loan?? It does not cover the 5 C's of Credit - no information is considered relative to borrower income, savings, timeliness of cash payments on utilities and phone and rent, and so on.

Are we to actually believe that the FICO score is a fair, or reasonable, way to price risk? I assert that reliance on the incomplete and inaccurate FICO score, and other factors that were each incomplete within themselves, had a lot to do with the granting of riskier loan products to riskier borrowers, and also the inflated ratings on MBS and their derivatives - make no mistake!

Considering the state of the Cleveland Browns offense last year, Mohamed Massqauoi had a very successful rookie season. Mohamed had 34 catches for 624 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Browns' receivers.

Massaquoi averaged 18.4 yards per catch and was often the only Browns vertical threat. Pittsburgh's Mike Wallace, also a rookie, led the league with 19.6, but had a much better quarterback playing catch with him.

Massaquoi compiled that average despite the fact that he is not a true burner, with a 4.57 40 yard dash to his credit. Not to mention, Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn were throwing to him.

Massaquoi does need to do a better job actually catching the ball at times, as he was among the league leaders in drops with seven in 2009.

He also was inconsistent at times, having a big game and then tending to disappear, but that was indicative of the Browns passing game as a whole.

For all of us who have suffered through Braylon's many miscues, the drops makes us a little uneasy. But enough about the negatives, on to the good stuff.

To put his rookie success into perspective, the Browns' team totals for the season were 219 catches for 2,255 yards. Massaquoi had over a fourth of the yards on less than a sixth of the catches.

He was the only receiver to top 200 yards and the only one with over one touchdown.

Simply put, regardless of the the Browns situation at quarterback or his status as a rookie, Mohamed found a way to get open and make plays.

Massaquoi, whose major was psychology at Georgia, either has a lot of faith in his fellow receivers, or was practicing what he learned, telling the Cleveland Plain Dealer, "Robiskie's primed for a good year. I'm primed for a breakout year. Stuckey's been working hard. Josh is still going to be the dynamic player that he is."

Massaquoi, who is a native of North Carolina, believes strongly that Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace will be definite upgrades over last year's gruesome twosome, Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn.

He recently told the Plain Dealer that the Browns needed a "veteran" in there (quarterback) "so you knew what your responsibilities were, you're not just playing, you know how to prepare."

Massaquoi had 32 receptions for 491 yards and four touchdowns in his junior year of college and then broke out in his senior year.

He followed that up with 58 catches for 920 yards and eight touchdowns his senior year at Georgia.

If the Browns receive a similar leap in statistics they will be looking at around 68 receptions and 980 yards and eight touchdowns in Massaquoi's sophomore NFL year.

The Browns and every fan would love those numbers.

There was a lot of speculation that the Browns might bring in a veteran receiver this offseason, but so far the only additions to the receiving corps have been talented tight end Ben Watson and rookie burner Carlton Mitchell.

Watson should help take pressure off Massaquoi and the others with his work underneath, and Mitchell could be a threat vertically, which would open up the intermediate routes.

As a high school receiver in Charlotte, North Carolina, Massaquoi's teams won four straight championships and went undefeated.

As a senior in college, Massquoi was named the team’s permanent overall captain and earned the team’s Leon Farmer Award for dedication to the strength and conditioning program.

Based upon his education, his experience, and his skill set, Massaquoi appears to have what it takes to lead Cleveland's receiving corp into the Holmgren generation.

It appears that Massaquoi will head into the season as the Cleveland Browns number one receiver, and he appears poised to break out after a successful offseason in the team's conditioning and workout programs.

2008: 2 Foot Yard - Borrowed Arms

by Jessica Monk on 03-30-2010

Any band with a name that looks like somebody's email password instantly arouses my suspicions — probably because clunky alphanumerical strings seemingly composed of someones 'porn' name and the year they were born were irritatingly prevalent among pop and dance bands of the early 90s. The number 2 was a repeat offender. In 1993 a euro trash rave band called 2 Unlimited held up the airwaves with the hit "No Limits." Then there were Boys II Men. There was 2Pac.

Look! No crutches!

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Kerry J. Byrne (Cold Hard Football Facts) CHFF-style health care reform: AFC East. (Patriots excerpt below:)

Strength: Bill Belichick’s defensive mind. Yeah, we’ve hammered him over the past two years – and not for the popular and meaningless methods of personal attack preferred by the "pundits." No, we’ve attacked him because of the defensive collapses that have come to define his teams in recent years. However, the problem seems to be a lack of talent, not his system. New England’s 2009 defense was held together with pixie dust and Scotch tape. It had zero playmakers. Yet it still managed to field a fairly productive unit: they actually ranked better on defense (fifth in scoring) than they did on offense (sixth). They continued to field a classic bend-but-don’t-break defense, fourth in the NFL in Bendability in 2009. The Belichick system, then, still works. What it needs are stronger cogs and sprockets to make it work better.

Weakness: Drafting. OK, here’s where you can legitimately rip Belichick. New England’s drafts since 2004 have been nothing short of a disaster, especially on defense. Bill Belichick and company have whiffed on one pick after another, especially in the secondary, since finding Asante Samuel in 2003. One or two rock-solid drafts, much like those that produced their championship teams early last decade, can make the Patriots contenders again. Otherwise, they’re just meandering without a defensive leader.

Mike Reiss reports the Patriots have traditionally done a good job at not overlooking their own backyard.

There are solid, under-the-radar football players right here in New England, such as University of New Hampshire tight end Scott Sicko.

The Patriots ran Sicko's Pro Day on campus March 10, and he performed well enough in the 40-yard dash that it caught the attention of some other clubs who weren't in attendance. The Colts came in to work him out last Monday, and Sicko is scheduled to visit the Jacksonville Jaguars on April 12.

Sicko was 6-foot-4, 251 pounds at his Pro Day. He was up to 254 pounds for the Colts private workout last week, and still ran well.

TEAM TALK

• Patriots Today - Sights and sounds from Mayo Bowl. (2.20 min. video)
• Patriots Today - Meriweather, Bodden and the Globetrotters. (3.53 min. video)

LOCAL LINKS

• Ian Rapoport notes Wes Welker has been 'rehabbing' at the Playboy Mansion. I'm sure that's a workout robe he's wearing.
• Christopher Price offers a few assorted notes about workouts, prospects and which players may or may not be on New England's radar screen.
• Tom E. Curran provides an updated Patriots Draft workout list.
• Adam Kilgore details Matt Patricia's journey from rocket scientist to being perhaps Belichick's most trusted assistant coach.
• Albert Breer puts Pro Days in perspective.  What fans think they see isn't always what they get.
• Albert Breer reports the Patriots are scheduled to host DT Cam Thomas (North Carolina) at Gillette Stadium.  It's one of the 30 in-house pre-draft visits allowed by the league, with RB Montario Hardesty (Tennessee), DE Jerry Hughes (TCU), and DT Dan Williams( Tennessee) coming to town as well.
• Mike Reiss reports the Patriots put DL Aleric Mullins (North Carolina) through a private workout in Chapel Hill last week.
• Albert Breer notes Brandon Meriweather wanted to play with the Harlem Globetrotters when he was a kid, and got a chance to appear with them in Providence on Saturday.
• Albert Breer notes the Cowboys and Patriots have operated with similar strategies so far this offseason.
• Greg Doyle of Patriots Daily offers a Q & A with Scott Sicko, a pass-catching tight end from UNH who caught 160 passes for the Wildcats during his career, including 22 touchdowns.
• Albert Breer talks about the potential similarities between Josh McDaniels' year without the Offensive Coordinator title in 2005 and Bill O'Brien, who will begin his second year in the same position.
• Ian Rapoport notes fans of Leigh Bodden will soon be able to buy his jersey at the Patriots Pro Shop.
• Christopher Price spoke with two players from the 2005 Patriots and neither said they knew about the 3-week rift between Josh McDaniels and Tom Brady that year.
• Jeff Howe has a nice piece on Stephen Neal's determination, resilience and humility that forged his pathway into the NFL.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Tim Graham (ESPN) Scouts Inc.: Pats pass-rush problems.
• Doug Farrar (Yahoo! Sports) McDaniels' mercurial nature goes back to Brady days.
• Wes Bunting (Nat'l Football Post) Tight end fight night: Sizing up Oklahoma's Jermaine Gresham and Arizoona's Rob Gronkowski.
• Jack Bechta (Nat'l Football Post) Landing an internship in sports: Seven steps that can help you get your foot in the door.
• Brian Heyman (NY Times) The next Belichick takes up coaching, determined to make her own name.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) League green lights return of video noise messages.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Steelers' Santonio Holmes sued for assault, battery.
• Gary Mihoces (USA Today) Big doubts about Ben: Support for Roethlisberger is wavering.
• Andy Hutchins (Sporting News) Joey Porter introduces himself to Arizona fans by having run-in with California Cop.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) NFL players would be wise not to clam up for TV.

Will Bradford be the #1 overall pick next month? It's starting to look more and more likely.

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Now that we've seen who's wowed us at the combine and which teams have filled some needs in free agency, it's time to take another crack at how the first round of the draft could shake out.  Again, not going to try to guestimate trades.  Without further ado......

1. St. Louis Rams - QB Sam Bradford, Oklahoma.  Although some teams might toss up a draft day smokescreen, it appears the Rams have come to their senses and realized they're not going to win until they start grooming a franchise QB.  Bradford fits that void and should be a good one.........as long as that shoulder is good to go.

2. Detroit Lions - DT Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska.  Will the Lions' acquisition of DEs Kyle Vanden Bosch and DE/DT Corey Williams be enough to pass on one of the two marquee DTs in the draft?  It is possible the Lions could go with Russell Okung to be a bodyguard for their oft-abused franchise investment QB, but defensive-minded Jim Schwartz should continue to bolster that defensive front.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - DT Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma.  The Bucs get their guy in McCoy, who should thrive in the Tampa 2 system.  As close to a no-brainer as can be.

4. Washington Redskins - OT Russell Okung, Oklahoma State.  Pressure was a significant part of the reason behind Jason Campbell's struggles, so he might get some help.  Skins undoubtedly looking for their next Chris Samuels.  Jimmy Clausen could get consideration as well.

5. Kansas City Chiefs - S Eric Berry, Bennessee.  Cemented his status of play-any-position-in-the-secondary stud with an impressive 40-yard dash time at the combine.  Arguably the most complete, NFL-ready player in the draft, which is something the Chiefs desperately need on their defense.

6. Seattle Seahawks - QB Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame.  The Seahawks have to take one of the remaining two stud QBs if one is still there, so Clausen would be a steal for them here.  The battered and bruised Matt Hasselbeck is on his last leg and Seneca Wallace has shown next to nothing.  Clausen could be the future in Seattle.

7. Cleveland Browns - CB Joe Haden.  Browns need to continue to fix that defense, more specifically the secondary, and Haden fits the Browns' needs a bit better than ILB Rolando McClain.   

8. Oakland Raiders - DE Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech.  Greg Ellis isn't getting any younger and a long-term deal with Richard Seymour isn't in place.  Morgan could be the top-rated pass rusher by draft day and, if so, would be a good value pick here.

9. Buffalo Bills - OT Bryan Bulaga, Iowa.  They need offensive line help in the worst way, especially after the sudden retirement of RT Brad Butler, and a physical, run-blocking OT like Bulaga would upgrade one side of the line for the Buffalo offense and give the running game a big boost.  OTs Trent Williams and Anthony Davis are also possibilities. 

10. Jacksonville Jaguars - DE Jason Pierre-Paul. Kampman signing makes DE less of a panicky need, but Jags know Kampman is on the backside of his career.  Jags can afford to take a player with huge upside and give him the time to be groomed and develop.

11. Denver Broncos - DT Dan Williams, Tennessee. May be a bit of a reach here, but Williams has the size (around 330 lbs) to clog interior running lanes and slow down opposing rushing attacks.  He should help anchor the middle of a Bronco defensive front that got trucked over the last part of the 2009 season.  With the Broncos apparently willing to consider deals for WR Brandon Marshall, Dez Bryant could be in play.

12. Miami Dolphins - WR Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State.  The Ted Ginn, Jr. experiment has failed and the Fins lack a playmaking, go-to WR in an otherwise decent offense.  Bryant would step right in and be that lifeline for Chad Henne.

13. San Francisco 49ers -  RB CJ Spiller, Clemson.  With plenty of options at OT on the board, the Niners should use the first of their 1st-rounders to add a playmaker to an offense/special teams that needs one. 

14. Seattle Seahawks - OT Anthony Davis, Rutgers. They need offensive line help, and a mountain of a man like OT Anthony Davis (who's dropped to around 325 pounds from 368 at one time) would do well here.

15. New York Giants - ILB Rolando McClain, Alabama. With safety and linebacker as such pressing needs, the Giants could go a number of directions here.  OLB Sergio Kindle is a distinct possibility, and DBs Earl Thomas and Taylor Mays could be in play.  However, the departure of Antonio Pierce creates a gaping void in the middle of that defense that will have to be replaced by an inspiring, physical, playmaking presence.  Rolando McClain appears to be the perfect guy to fill that position.  His Crohn's disease didn't affect him at Alabama, so it shouldn't scare teams off.

16. Tennessee Titans - DE Brandon Graham, Michigan.  Titans need to upgrade their pass rush.  Carlos Dunlap is in play, but after getting burned by Pacman Jones, they might be more inclined to take the uber-talented combo rush/run-stopping end out of Michigan who kept his nose clean in school.

17. San Francisco 49ers  - OT Trent Williams, Oklahoma.  Niners keep filling needs with quality players and snare Williams to bolster their line.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers - G Mike Iupati, Idaho.  Safety could be in play, but the re-signing of Ryan Clark and the acquisition of Will Allen give the Steelers some much-needed depth.  Pittsburgh's offensive line nearly left Big Ben flattened last season.  At 6-5, 325 pounds, Iupati would give the Steelers the flexibility of plugging him almost anywhere in the line.

19. Atlanta Falcons - DE Carlos Dunlap, Florida.  Despite his off-the-field issues, Dunlap should be a force getting to the passer, something Jamaal Anderson has not been. 

20. Houston Texans - DB Earl Thomas, Texas.  The loss of Dunta Robinson in Free Agency exacerbates the Texans' needs to bolster their secondary.  The multi-positional Earl Thomas is the perfect elixir.

21. Cincinnati Bengals - TE Jermaine Gresham, Oklahoma.  The top-ranked tight end would fit with the Bengal offense like franks and beans.  He'd be a great weapon for Carson Palmer in the middle of the field, especially with 85 and Antonio Bryant on the outside. 

22. New England Patriots - OLB Sergio Kindle, Texas.  An explosive player with a nose for the ballcarrier, Kindle should become the heir apparent to Adalius Thomas on the edge of that 3-4 defense.

23. Green Bay Packers - OT Bruce Campbell, Maryland.  OT keeps flying off the board, and after the Packer offensive line's porous play nearly put Aaron Rodgers in the hospital multiple times last year, getting better on the line is a must for Green Bay.  Campbell carries a few less lb's than the previously-mentioned tackles and he has less experience than other tackles (17 career starts at Maryland), but he's got the quickness to become a good pass-blocker, which is a premium in the Packer offense.

24. Philadelphia Eagles - S Taylor Mays, USC.  Mays is a physical, lightning-fast player who can blitz and fly around the field, which is a premium in the aggressive Eagle defense.

25. Baltimore Ravens - WR Arrelious Benn, Illinois.  The Ravens, despite signing Boldin, need the infusion of both a young talent and a home run hitter.  Benn is that guy.  He has the makings of a big, physical, true #1 WR.  He should develop into a reliable target for Flacco. 

26. Arizona Cardinals - OLB Ricky Sapp, Clemson.  Departure of Karlos Dansby to Miami makes LB that much more important for 'Zona. Sapp could step in and take over in at the OLB spot flanking Calais Campbell, giving the Cardinals an explosive left side of their defense.

27. Dallas Cowboys - ILB Daryl Washington, TCU.  Logical long-term solution in the middle with Keith Brooking on the backside of his career and Bobby Carpenter only being used in passing down situations.  Washington is an impressive specimen that can cover well and hold his own against the run. 

28. San Diego Chargers - RB Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech.  With LT gone, Dwyer is, at worst, an excellent insurance policy for Darren Sproles and could certainly win the starting job.  The departure of one FSU CB (Cromartie) could lead to the arrival of another.... as CB Patrick Robinson could be in play.

29. New York Jets - WR Demaryius Thomas, Georgia Tech.  Thomas would move Cotchery into the slot, giving the Jets a formidable receiving trio.  Moreover, Thomas is a physical, hard-nosed run-blocker who's used to spending the majority of the game blocking, which is what he would be expected to do in Rex Ryan's offense.

30. Minnesota Vikings - CB Patrick Robinson, FSU.  Could be a hair-trigger decision between him and Kyle Wilson, but Robinson's freakish athleticism and play against tougher competition gives PR the nod. 

31. Indianapolis Colts - OLB Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri.  Could replace Philip Wheeler and give the Colts a volatile LB trio of Weatherspoon, Gary Brackett, and Clint Session.

32. New Orleans Saints - DT Brian Price, UCLA.  Gregg Williams employed 4-3 fronts last year, were vulnerable up the middle against the run, and didn't get much of a push on passing downs from their tackles.  The pocket-collapsing Price could be a force next to the double-team-commanding Sedrick Ellis.

So what do you all have to say?  Mock it up.....

With the Draft fast approaching, it's time to start looking at some potential players for the Patriots. I'm going to put profiles of 2 players a day- one offense, one defensive- and gain a better understanding of the players in the draft.

Jared Veldheer is a DII athlete, but one that shows a lot of promise. He is a raw talent in the size of OT Sebastian Vollmer. While I don't think he'll be as NFL ready as Vollmer was, a year of sitting behind Light and watching the NFL speed would do well for this project down the road. If we select Veldheer, it'd be an understanding that he'd be a project and not an immediate contributor- but he does have the size and strength to hold down the LT position down the road and could allow Vollmer to stay at RT.

His measurements and some quotes after the jump

Walterfootball.com Scouting

Jared Veldheer, Hillsdale
Height: 6-8. Weight: 312.
Projected 40 Time: 5.25.
Combine 40 Time: 5.09.
Benchx225: 32. Arm: 33.

NFLDraftScouts.com Scouting

40 Yrd Dash: 5.06
20 Yrd Dash: 2.93
10 Yrd Dash: 1.72

225 Lb. Bench Reps: 32
Vertical Jump: 33 1/2
Broad Jump: 09'01"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.51
3-Cone Drill: 7.40

Some Quotes about Veldheer:

02/03/2010 - Texas vs. the Nation, Tuesday: Hillsdale left tackle Jared Veldheer [was] hard for scouts to take their eyes off of in Tuesday's practice... Veldheer is this year's version of Sebastian Vollmer, the Houston offensive tackle who wowed scouts enough at the 2009 East-West practices to earn a late second-round pick by the Patriots (and a starting spot on the right side). His athleticism -- at 6-8, 315 pounds -- is astounding and he plays with real toughness and consistent arm extension in pass protection. After he runs a sub-5.0 40-yard dash at the Combine, he's almost assured of being a top-75 selection. - Chad Reuter, The Sports Xchange, NFLDraftScout.com

03/03/2010 - Jared Veldheer of Forest Hills Northern returned from the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis convinced he belongs with the other elite members of the 2010 NFL draft class. The 6-foot-8, 315-pound offensive tackle from Hillsdale College told The Press he got nothing but positive feedback from NFL scouts during interviews, medical evaluations and physical testing drills at the combine. "Yeah, everything went well. It was a very successful four days," he said. Veldheer, a consensus NCAA Division II All-American, said he feels that despite coming from a small college he feels like he opened some eyes performing in front of the scouts. He has been rising on numerous NFL mock draft boards - as high as a second-round pick. "I don't pay a lot of attention to that. I don't have any control over that. Wherever I go, I go," he said of his draft status. "I got a lot of positive feedback from the scouts. They said I helped myself and my stock is rising." Veldheer, a lifelong Michigan resident, does have a preference for what team he'd like to play for next season. "I'd love that," he said if the Detroit Lions drafted him. "They were always my team growing up. I'd like to stay in the Midwest. It'd be sweet playing for the Lions." - Brian VanOchten, The Grand Rapids Press

So while Veldheer may not be NFL ready, nor may he be as elite as some of the other tackles are currently, he has just as much potential. If he's placed in a system that will set him up to succeed, New England is as good as any- Scarneccia will have him prepared. Veldheer won't be an immediate starter, but he'd be a great depth player at our rather emaciated tackle position and would be a quality starter down the road. Selecting Veldheer would allow us more freedom when dealing with Light and Kaczur as neither appear to be top quality tackles anymore- both are expendable.

Verdict: Great prospect that I wouldn't mind a look with our last pick in the 2nd round.

Welcome to the fourth edition of looking back at Ted Thompson's draft selections, round by round since his appointment as Green Bay’s General Manger in 2005.

With 29 days until the 2010 NFL Draft, it’s time to look back at Green Bay’s fourth round selections.

Each round is graded A-F and in a nut shell will be looking back at Thompson's hits, misses, busts and gems of his five year tenure at Green Bay.

Round four           (number selected)

2005—S Marviel Underwood, San Diego State (115) & LB Brady Poppinga, Brigham Young (125)

2006—WR/KR Cory Rodgers, Texas Christian (104) & CB Will Blackmon, Boston College (115)

2007—T/G Allen Barbre, Missouri Southern State (119)

2008—DE Jeremy Thompson, Wake Forest (102) & G Josh Sitton, Central Florida (135)

2009—G/T T.J. Lang, Eastern Michigan (109)

Grade B 

Selections—8

Starters in 2009—3 (Josh Sitton, T.J Lang and Allen Barbre)

Roster made in 2009—6 (Josh Sitton, T.J Lang, Allen Barbre, Brady Poppinga, Will Blackmon, Jeremy Thompson)

Round four has been somewhat of a mixed bag for Green Bay since Ted Thompson’s arrival in 2005. Six players found themselves on the opening 53-man roster back in August last year and all promised shed loads of potential.

Many of Thompson’s young selections were expected to have a successful 2009 campaign. Converting to the new three-four scheme, Jeremy Thompson was being touted by many to be Green Bay’s dark horse of 2010, fitting well as a flashy pass rusher. Allen Barbre on the other hand was seen to be the successor to veteran right tackle Mark Tauscher. And kick/punt return specialist Will Blackmon, who emerged in 2008 as a dominant threat, was expected to repeat his heroics come 2009.

Serious injuries to Thompson and Blackmon restricted their playing time last season and the return of these young Packers in 2010 is questionable. Thompson suffered a frightening neck stinger late in the season, which many feared early on may have paralyzed the former Wake Forest defensive end.

Blackmon’s inability to remain healthy for Green Bay is a major disappointment as he gives the Packers that much needed return specialist. The return game was a major disappointment when Blackmon went down and Green Bay’s starting field position suffered severally.

Jordy Nelson filled in well for Blackmon on kick-off returns and actually outperformed the cornerback, averaging 25.4 yards per attempt. Blackmon’s presence was missed more on punt returns, as Nelson showed his vulnerability under the high ball with oncoming tacklers.

Tramon Williams has showed numerous flashes since joining Green Bay with a memorable return against the Panthers at home in 2008; however with the injury of Al Harris, Williams became the starting corner and wasn’t risked on special teams.  

Last year Nelson and Williams had 30 punt returns between themselves for only 225 yards, averaging a dismal 7.5 yards per attempt. In comparison Blackmon in 2008 had 36 punt returns for 396 yards, averaging 11.1 yards per attempt, recording two touchdowns in back to back divisional games against the Minnesota Vikings.

Thompson has undeniably got his best production from offensive linemen T.J Lang and Josh Sitton in the fourth rounds. Sitton was Green Bay’s best offensive lineman this past year, showing great consistency in pass protection and in the run game. When the Packers offensive line was coming under national scrutiny for their shoddy protection of franchise quarterback Aaron Rodgers, it was Sitton who provided a silver lining.

T.J Lang was an extremely interesting prospect coming out in the 2009 draft. A tackle throughout college, Lang played both right and left tackle, and was projected by scouts and pundits to be Green Bay’s future right tackle.

Lang was thrown in at the deep end many times this season and stepped up admirably. Lang’s most notable performance came when he was forced to play left tackle at Minnesota for the injured Chad Clifton and underperforming Daryn Colledge. Going up against Jared Allen in the hostile Vikings environment, Lang gave up only one sack and will be a better player for the experience.

Brady Poppinga has been a solid linebacker for Green Bay and a player favorite inside the locker room. Green Bay’s starting outside linebacker for three seasons in the four-three scheme, Poppinga was set to compete for the role in the new three-four scheme in 2009. The former Brigham Young defensive end won the starter's job at the beginning of the season, however he eventually lost his starting role to Clay Matthews III.

In five seasons with Green Bay Poppinga has played in 75 games (63 starts), recorded 230 tackles with four sacks and two interceptions. His role for the Packers will for now be as a backup and on special teams.

Right tackle Allen Barbre was Green Bay’s most disappointing player in the 2009, being embarrassed nationally on Sunday Night Football. Chicago Bears defensive end Adewale Ogunleye recorded two sacks and gave Barbre a night to forget at Lambeau Field.

It was obvious that Barbre wasn’t ready to step up into a starter’s role and his weak competition against Breno Giacomini clearly wasn’t testing him enough. Maybe Ted Thompson was to blame for exposing Barbre too. It looks as if Barbre will be back next year, but many Packer fans will be hoping it is in the capacity of a backup role.

Other notable selections come in the form of wide out Cory Rodgers and safety Marviel Underwood, who didn’t feature much for Green Bay. Rodgers failed to make the 53-man roster in 2005 and was claimed on waivers by the 49ers that same year. Rodgers failed to impress in San Fran and was later released. He hasn’t played a down in the NFL since.

Underwood spent three years in Green Bay, playing backup to Nick Collins and later joined the Denver Broncos in 2008. Underwood recorded 35 tackles and forced a fumble in his rookie season, however he was rarely featured by the Pack.

The fourth round has proved a solid hunting ground for Ted Thompson and his Green Bay scouts. His inclination for selecting versatile lineman in the fourth round may prove to be evidence for which direction the savvy GM may go this year.

Playing at a Division 1-AA school makes it hard enough for a player to get noticed by NFL scouts. Being snubbed by the NFL Combine makes it even harder.

However, position versatility, solid production, and elite measurables are all very helpful in catching the eye of NFL scouts and general managers.

University of New Hampshire linebacker Sean Ware has all of these.

Ware redshirted his freshman year for the Wildcats in 2005, and played mostly on special teams in 2006, racking up 24 tackles.

In line to be a starter for 2007, Ware suffered a knee injury which forced him to miss the entire season.

In 2008, Ware showed he was fully recovered from his injury by starting all 13 games for New Hampshire. His 88 tackles that year ranked third on the team while his eight tackles for loss ranked second on the team and he also recorded half a sack, an interception, two pass breakups, and a forced fumble.

In 2009, Ware again started all 13 games for the Wildcats. He notched 97 tackles, good for second on the team, and recorded 6.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two pass breakups, and a forced fumble.

Ware's consistency and improvement in his two seasons as a starter show his dedication to improvement each year, as well as his potential for growth at the professional level. He also proved that his 2007 injury was nothing to be concerned about, as he did not miss another game in his collegiate career following the injury and his play was not hampered by it.

Ware was snubbed by the 2010 NFL Combine, but took full advantage of New Hampshire's Pro Day, posting numbers that are sure to catch the eye of NFL personnel.

Ware's 225-pound listing on New Hampshire's roster no doubt raised some concern about his ability to stay at linebacker at the next level. However, Ware weighed in at 237 pounds at his Pro Day, a prototypical weight for a 4-3 weakside linebacker.

Ware also squashed any concern about the extra weight affecting his speed, posting a 4.46 40-yard dash time, not only giving him exceptional speed for an outside linebacker, but also suggesting that he has the versatility to transition to strong safety in the NFL if need be. The transition would seemingly be an easy one for Ware, whose strengths are his speed and coverage ability.

While his 1-AA experience and Combine snub may hamper his draft stock slightly, his exceptional measurables, consistent production, and versatility should undoubtedly be enough to get Ware looks from several teams when the 2010 NFL Draft rolls around.

Good Morning Broncos Country!  The NFL Owners approved a change to Overtime rules in the Playoffs, moving from a true sudden death model to one that could give each team an opportunity at the ball.  I guess I'll call it the Brett Favre Rule since in reality that is what it is.  In this year's NFC Championship Game, the Saints and Vikings went to Overtime.  The Saints won the toss, got the ball, moved it a bit, took advantage of a defensive penalty and kicked a 47-yard FG to win.  That created an outcry that both teams not getting the ball was in some way unfair.  While we've heard this in the past, nothing like happened this year, with Favre's Vikings smack-dab in the middle.  I won't sit here and say the NFL's OT rules weren't without fault - they were.  What I am saying is that I am not a fan of knee-jerk reactions, especially those that are made for the sake of public relations.  Consider this - since 1958, a postseason game has gone to Overtime 28 times.  ONLY SIX TIMES has the game ended on the first possession.  SIX TIMES!  That's 21%.  Sure, the NFL Owners should look for every opportunity to improve the game, and the NFL has looked at this subject in the past, but the urgency to get it done, after PR machine Favre is the one affected by it, seems needless, at least to me.  If you want to change Overtime, play football - for 15 minutes.  Add a quarter.  You've played football for 60 minutes, why not play another 15?  Football is the ultimate team sport.  Keep the entire team in the process of winning - or losing - the game.

VIDEO - Offseason Workouts: Brandon Stokley
Wide receiver Brandon Stokley talks about beginning the offseason workout program and preparing for next season.

VIDEO - Offseason Workouts: Renaldo Hill
Safety Renaldo Hill talks about meeting his new defensive teammates and the impact he thinks they'll have on the defense.

VIDEO - NFL Network: McDaniels Interview
Head Coach Josh McDaniels talks the the NFL Network during the AFC Breakfast at this year's owners meetings.

NFL draft loaded with dirt-under-the-fingernails guys - The Denver Post
After spending a few days working the rooms at the NFL meetings, it's clear the April 22-24 draft is shaping up as a festival of bigness.

Why wait? Kuper signs for $2.5 million - The Denver Post
It's no wonder, then, that Kuper signed his one-year, $2.512 million tender Tuesday, a move that ended the three-year starting guard's restricted free-agent eligibility 23 days before the market closed.

Marshall, McDaniels in Orlando but are far apart - The Denver Post
Despite the geographical proximity, Marshall and McDaniels remain as far apart today as they were on the final day of the 2009 season. They last exchanged messages in late January, when Marshall played in the Pro Bowl. They have yet to meet face to face during the offseason, nor do they plan to.

Krieger: Seeing through McD's bluff - The Denver Post
It is not exactly breaking news that you can't believe everything a football coach says publicly. This was true before Josh McDaniels was born, and it's still true now that he's coach of the Broncos.

QB controversy? McD can learn from Shanny's mistake - The Denver Post
And a bit of advice for Broncos coach Josh McDaniels: Don't play cloak-and-dagger with your starting QB. You've said all along that Kyle Orton is No. 1 and Brady Quinn is No. 2. If you change your mind, you'd better be up front about it.

Relaxed McDaniels welcomes calm at NFL meetings - The Denver Post
Only one television camera greeted Josh McDaniels this morning as he made his way to the annual AFC coaches' media breakfast.

NFL owners OK change to overtime - The Denver Post
The NFL voted today to change its overtime rules for playoff games.

SLAM! Sports - CFL - Edmonton: Walls act a tribute to Darrent Williams
When Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive back Lenny Walls lifted his jersey after getting an interception against Edmonton Eskimos quarterback Ricky Ray last season, it was out of nothing but respect.

Looking at what’s next for Brandon Marshall - NFL.com
Another team declared itself out of the Brandon Marshall mix Tuesday when Dolphins coach Tony Sparano nixed the idea to NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora at the NFL Annual Meeting.

A solid front by owners | National Football Post
The owners meetings in Orlando have and will continue to display a front of complete solidarity in their position to change the economics of the NFL. Monday featured an impassioned plea from highly respected Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson for the group to stay united in the battle for a new economic system with the players.

Is Russell in a battle for Raiders QB job? | National Football Post
The best decision the Oakland Raiders made as a franchise this offseason was to bring back head coach Tom Cable — because this team isn’t as a far off as we might think when it comes to competing in the AFC West.

The time and money factor | National Football Post
One question that needs to be asked about every draftee is, "What will they do when they have two things they never had before, time and money?" NFL team executives and scouts project this scenario with every player on their board. As an agent, I encourage my clients to take up healthy interests in their spare time. Time and money, if not managed correctly, can and have been the downfall of many players.

Bell joins Eagles as Saints decline to match offer | National Football Post
Running back Mike Bell is officially a Philadelphia Eagle.

Steve Bisciotti Q&A; | National Football Post
As the NFL approaches a critical time in league history with labor strife capturing offseason headlines following the owners opting out of the collective bargaining agreement, Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti is maintaining a moderate approach.

Samari Rolle not expected to play again | National Football Post
The Baltimore Ravens don't expect veteran cornerback Samari Rolle to play football again.

South Dakota State Pro Day results | National Football Post
A pair of South Dakota State offensive linemen drew the attention of 13 NFL teams to their Pro Day workout, according to a league source.

Patriots make it official with Crumpler | National Football Post
The New England Patriots offically signed veteran free agent tight end Alge Crumpler,according to Scout.com.

Chiefs' Derrick Johnson signs one-year tender | National Football Post
Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson has signed his one-year tender, according to Scout.com.

Philip Buchanon to visit the Redskins | National Football Post
Veteran cornerback Philip Buchanon is set to visit the Washington Redskins on Monday, according to a statement he made on his verified Twitter account.

Raiders re-sign William Joseph, Brown, Lawton | National Football Post
The Oakland Raiders re-signed unrestricted free agent defensive tackle William Joseph, the team announced.

Georgia police say they don't need DNA sample from Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger will not be required to give a DNA sample to Georgia authorities who are investigating a sexual-assault allegation leveled at the Steelers quarterback, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported Tuesday.

Agent: Tebow still considering attending NFL draft next month
Florida quarterback Tim Tebow remains undecided about whether or not he will attend the NFL draft next month in New York, according to his agent, Jimmy Sexton, who said Tuesday that he was in contact with league officials.

Brady shows up for Patriots' voluntary offseason workout program
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady made an appearance in Foxborough, Mass., on Tuesday, showing up to participate in the team's voluntary offseason workout program.

Smith admits current Panthers roster lacking in 'a lot of areas'
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith has seen many longtime teammates cut this offseason, and he acknowledges the team has some holes on its roster.

Sparano 'not happy' with three Dolphins arrests in two months
Coach Tony Sparano had barely finished breakfast Tuesday at the NFL Annual Meeting when he found himself discussing a subject he'd like to avoid -- off-the-field problems for his Miami Dolphins.

League won't announce any part of 2010 schedule until mid-April
In a change from the norm, the league will not announce any games scheduled for the 2010 season at the NFL Annual Meeting this week, a league source said Tuesday.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says team considering starting Felix Jones at running back instead of Marion Barber - ESPN Dallas
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said the team has thought about sitting starting running back Marion Barber in favor of backup Felix Jones.

St. Louis Rams GM Billy Devaney, Sam Bradford's agent Tom Condon share small talk - ESPN
St. Louis Rams general manager Billy Devaney had a casual meeting with the agent for Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford in the lobby of the hotel Tuesday where the NFL was conducting its annual meetings.

Pittsburgh Steelers coach in daily contact with Ben Roethlisberger - ESPN
Mike Tomlin knew where to go even before seeing his nameplate on the table. The Pittsburgh Steelers coach headed directly toward the crowd of reporters waiting to ask him about Ben Roethlisberger.

Cable talks QBs and RBs - AFC West Blog - ESPN
Oakland coach Tom Cable talked at the NFL owners meetings on Tuesday.

Eagles' QB situation creating a stir | Philadelphia Inquirer
A rumor spread among the NFL's top executives yesterday: Donovan McNabb to Buffalo for draft picks.

In my opininon, with the likes of Peyton Manning and Chris Johnson in the NFL, it's just outside Aaron Rodgers' grasp to win the MVP title next season.

But, there's little question that Rodgers plays at an MVP level.

I've waited forever to see the 26—year—old Rodgers throw four touchdowns in a single game and it finally happened in a playoff game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Though the game came to great disappointment to Packer fans, we must see the extremely bright future to come with Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers had the most successful two—year run as a starter in recent memory, better than Philip Rivers' or Steve Young's.

I mention these two, because they also had the chance to sit on the bench for a few years, studying and practicing for their chance to be the starting quarterback.

So how will the Green Bay Packers new—found star do next year? Let's first take a closer look at his receiver core.

WR Greg Jennings is 26—years old, which is the prime age for players in the NFL. While Jennings had 1,292 yards in 2008, in my opinion, we have yet to see the best of Greg Jennings.

TE Jermichael Finley is not only a rising Packer star, but he is among the best tight ends in the league. Finley is 6'—5" tall, giving him the edge over just about any cornerback.

Despite the fact that Finley only played 12 games last season (I'm not including the Clevenland game, since he was knocked out in the first quarter), he still was able to catch 55 passes for 676 yards.

Finley even said himself that he could only trust his knee 85 percent, since he didn't want to risk injuring it again. So in theory, if Jermichael is healthy all season long and now has two years of experience under his belt, he could be a 1,000—yard target next season.

I think the NFL experts have said it best, as he is a matchup nightmare that causes some serious headaches for most defenses in the league. They simply don't have an answer for Jermichael Finley.

Then you have James Jones, Jordy Nelson and Spencer Havner, who have all shown their flashes of brilliance. With each passing year, the trio is each getting more experienced and becoming more reliable targets.

Havner is unfortunately sidelined this offseason with an injury, but I'm sure we'll see him  healthy by the start of next season.

The only possible problem in the reciever core is Donald Driver. The veteran receiver is now 35—years old and may have shown the very first signs of his age catching up to hiim last season.

With that said, I still believe that Driver has at least one more 1,000—yard season left in him. And even if he ages very quickly, by next year's draft we can very easily replace him.

All in all, the bottom line is that a fan base probably couldn't ask for a more complete passing attack.

In my opinion, the Packers offensive line is the only poor part of the team's offense. The Packers re—signed starting offensive tackles, Mark Tauscher and Chad Clifton, but they are both a little injury—prone and getting old.

But fear not, Packer faithful. In my opinion it appears that offensive lineman, T.J. Lang, looks like he has a promising future at right tackle.

Not to mention, the Packers will surely draft a future left tackle in the upcoming draft. So with all the new, young players coupled with older, but very experienced, players, I am confident that this year's offensive line unit can create the protection that Rodgers surely craves.

With that said, let me make my predictions for the upcoming season.

As for Aaron Rodgers' pass touchdown total, I think it could range anywhere from 35 to 45 TDs. I think Rodgers has the receiving core and the arm to make it happen this year.

However, last season I strongly felt that Rodgers would throw for as many as 36 touchdowns, but he came up a little short. So this year, I am a little hesitant to say that he'll definitely throw for 45 touchdowns.

As for passing yards, I expect to see Rodgers pass for roughly 4,800 yards. Last season, the Packers were one of the league leaders in the yards—after— catch category and with practically all of Rodger's receiving targets returning, I expect Rodgers to benefit from this once again.

This year, I really think that Aaron Rodgers needs to let go of the ball sooner and trust his receivers more. If he's protected when he needs it most, he'll go deep all day long and his passing yard totals will surely get a boost.

As for interceptions, I'll predict a figure as low as just five. I don't think anyone in the league hates throwing picks, more than Rodgers does. Everytime he makes one, win or lose, it seems like it is the first thing he talks about at the post—game conferences.

He only had seven last season and in fact, had the the lowest interception ratio of anyone quarterback in the league.

As for Rodgers' rushing touchdowns, I'll go with six and in regards to his passer rating, I am predicting it will be 110.0. 

While I cannot base that prediction off of anything, I can confidently say that at least in my opinion, Aaron Rodgers is a very consistent performer, year—in and year—out.

As for his sack total, I'll go with 30. Rodgers hasn't shown that he will keep his promise of always letting go of the ball sooner than needed. His offensive line will be a lot better, but will still be a work in progress.

Still, that sack figure will be a heck of a whole lot better than last season's embarrassing 50 sack performance.

Aaron Rodgers is a promising quarterback who, in my opinion, is no doubt going to lead the Packers to multiple Super Bowls. He is argueably the best young quarterback in the league and he will have three 1,000—yard receivers next season and an improved offensive line.

He needs a second running back, but that'll have to wait untill 2011. Right now we have bigger needs than a running back.

I can't wait to see him lead this very potent passing attack next season, as I'm sure my fellow Packer fans are, too.

Running back Mike Bell is officially a Philadelphia Eagle.

The New Orleans Saints declined to match the $1.7 million dollar offer sheet Bell signed early last week and therefore the Eagles can check one more spot of the list of immediate needs in the draft.

Finally knowing that Mike Bell is an Eagle arises another question: who's the No. 3 running back on the depth chart?

Bell is looking to take some of the load off second—year man, LeSean McCoy, but as of right now he is the backup here in Philadelphia. Behind Bell, there are some potential suitors already on the Eagles roster.

The most logical player would be Eldra Buckley.

Buckley was signed off of San Diego's waivers in 2009 and was pretty much asked to be a special teams player where he played nicely, notching a forced fumble against the Atlanta Falcons and recorded 15 tackles.

In 2009, Buckley appeared in all 16 games, managing to gain 44 rushing yards in 15 attempts (2.9 avg) and one touchdown in a game against the Washington Redskins on Nov. 29th.

Does Buckley have what it takes to be the No. 3 man on the depth chart or is his just a solid contributor on special teams? I think special teams is the correct repsonse there, so let's move on! ,

Next there is Martell Mallet, the free—agent acquisition the Eagles acquired from the Canadian Football League.

The 5'11'' 200—pound product out of Arkansas Pine—Bluff, Mallet was a standout in the CFL as a street—signed free—agent and quite frankly, he reminds me of a young Brian Westbrook.

The young halfback is known as a gridiron type back with excellent receiving abilities out of the backfield, but he is also very elusive. His most notable achievements as a BC Lion came on Sept. 4th, 2009 as he set a franchise record by rushing for 213 yards against the Montreal Alouettes.

Also on Nov. 26th, 2009 Mallet was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie of the Year. These are clearly some nice accomplishments for someone signed off the street, don't you think?

Does Mallet have a chance to remain on the Eagles roster after training camp or is he just a long—shot or simply a "body" for camp if you will?  In my opinion, only time will tell.

With all that in mind, that is a total of four backs in all that the Eagles have on their roster as of right now. While it is just my opinion, but if it came down to either Buckley or Mallet I'd put my money on Mallet. Yes, you read correctly, I said I would go with Mallet and if you go back to my summary of him, it is pretty easy to see why.

The Eagles no longer need a thumping back, as they have McCoy, who weighs in at 210 pounds, Bell at 225 pounds and Weaver at 250 pounds. In my opinion, Mallet fits the Eagles bill better than Buckley.

The Eagles could decide to draft a running back in this years draft, but I can't see them taking one any sooner than the third round and even that is pushing it. If they decide to go that route, what names are out there in the later rounds?

Is it for possible players like Toby Gerhart out of Stanford, Montario Hardesty from Tennessee or even someone like USC—product, Joe McNight, to slip into the depths of the draft and be around in the third round? Or are the Eagles willing to spend one of the second round picks on a halfback?

I think we have a better shot of seeing the former happening, as oppossed to the latter.

The Eagles still have needs at linebacker, defensive tackle, safety, cornerback, center and huard, but at this point I will say that the linebacker position should get the first round pick from the Eagles this year.

The acquisitions made in free agency lead me to believe that this is the route they are taking. Let's not also forget that the Eagles were looking at a punter in this year's draft, but I can't see them wasting a draft pick on one, especially since they just brought in second—year man out of Georgia Tech, Durant Brooks.

All in all, it is certainly nice knowing that Mike Bell is officially a Philadelphia Eagle after a week of anticipation, but with that need having a checkmark next to it, it's time to move on.

Welcome to Philadelphia, Mike Bell. Keep the faith, Philadelphia faithful, GM Howie Roseman says there's more on the way!

This from the WWL on Memphis’ appeal.

“The Infractions Appeals Committee found no basis to conclude that the penalty was excessive such that the Committee on Infractions had abused its discretion in imposing the penalty,” the NCAA said in a release posted on its Web site.

The decision was based on a letter from the testing agency to the athlete that “not only made the student-athlete aware that his eligibility was in serious jeopardy, but that he would be declared ineligible if he did not respond to the letter,” according to the committee’s report to the NCAA.

The letters ETS sent Rose asking for more information were dated March 17, 2008 — while he was playing in the NCAA tournament — and April 10, 2008, days after the championship game loss. The only address the ETS had for Rose came when he took the test in high school while living in Illinois.

The decision will result in an asterisk beside Memphis’ 38-2 season that had set the NCAA record for wins in a season and approximately $615,000 in lost tournament revenue. The infractions committee originally said it struck hard because the ineligible player was used the entire season. Rose played in all 40 games, starting 39.

Is Wildcat Nation whistling past the graveyard? The circumstances are basically the same. John Wall, Demarcus Cousins, John Calipari. Derrick Rose, John Calipari. Hmmm.

Let’s be real, in no way is this a shocker to the folks that were paying attention. John Calipari and entrance test shenanigans go together like peanut butter and jelly. Throw in the cesspool that has always been Memphis basketball, and an NCAA investigation was a matter of when and not if for the Tigers. Ditto for losing the appeal.

As for vacating wins, that is merely a flesh wound to outlaw programs like Memphis, Oklahoma, UNLV, etc. If you want to hit them where it hurts, take away scholarships, TV appearances, and money in general. Memphis vacates some wins, big deal.

What is truly intriguing is the compliance future of Kentucky Basketball as John Calipari oversees the program. You’d be naive to think his issues end at the Tennessee state line. Just like you would have been naive to think Calipari’s indiscretions were left in Massachusetts with Marcus Camby and Lou Roe.

That said, I’m not holding my breath until something drastic happens to Kentucky other than vacating wins down the road. But here’s the thing, there is precedent of an NCAA investigative cloud following a coach from one program to another. Someone get Kelvin Sampson on the horn. Collect, if possible. And call him on his land line.

I’ll be interested to see if the same happens here, because the Kentucky and Indiana situations with respect to Calipari and Sampson are eerily similar.

A rather successful, yet slimy coach leaves a mess at a stepping stone school to go coach the crème de la crème of traditional basketball powerhouses. Both Sampson and Calipari were/are charged with bringing said powerhouse back from the dead. Both coaches have ridiculous recruiting classes in the first year at their new school.

Need I say more to take this to its logical conclusion?

A Second Time Would Be Unforgiveable.

The one difference is that Indiana had zero history of cheating in its basketball program. Kentucky’s ethical resume on this front is, well, checkered to say the least.

Remember the Eddie Sutton and assistant Dwayne Casey recruiting scandal centered on cash payments to Chris Mills?

The investigation and resulting probation gutted Kentucky’s talent base forcing players such as Mills, Sean Sutton, Rex Chapman, LeRon Ellis, Eric Manuel and Shawn Kemp to leave the program over a two-year period.

Additionally, the team was banned from television appearances and postseason play, and the program had its scholarships reduced.

Enter Rick Pitino and the four holdovers, or the Unforgettables, that helped resurrect the program with the star power of Jamal Mashburn. One Christian Laetner dagger and a fractured Aminu Timberlake sternum later, and these kids are forever burned into our March Madness memories.

Could it happen again? Sure, but who’s going to sport Richie Farmer’s glorious pornstache?

Either way, I have a hard time seeing John Wall, Demarcus Cousins, and Eric Bledsoe sticking around for more than a year even if Calipari is Pete Carril clean.

So with these players onto piles of money, what happens to the UK program if the Scantrons hit the fan? If rumors of Calipari recruiting/grade-fixing transgressions are validated by NCAA gumshoes showing up at Rupp Arena, who knows how fast the 2011 recruiting class starts looking for an exit strategy. A strategy rolling on $20,000 rims in all probability.

Will something happen to the Wildcats this year?

I doubt it. But the bluegrass version of the Fab Five better have been recruited squeaky clean. Their grades and entrance scores better not be fixed. And if I’m Coach Cal, I get rid of the pinky ring for appearance sake.

So my question to Kentucky fan is, are you okay with wins today, even if they mean embarrassment down the road?

How old is Pelphrey’s kid anyway?

Mills landed at Arizona where Josh Pastner got his start. How’s that for full circle?

-------------

Kevin writes the leading college hoops blog   March To March

Follow him on Twitter:    @MarchToMarch

The transformation of the Philadelphia fan is in full swing. Two illustrations: Second game of 2008 playoffs against the Brewers, Brett Myers works a walk against their ace, Sabathia. During the at bat, Myers fouls off three pitches and the fans are cheering the foul balls! (They’re foul balls, for Chrissake.) I thought I was in St. Louis or Cincinnati. So Myers walks, Rollins walks and Victorino hits a grand slam that catapults the Phils all the way to a World Series win. Next, Eagles fans have gotten a bad rap over the years, but from my vantage as an usher at the Linc, they no longer deserve it. They are loyal fans who cheer their favorites and express their disapproval in the normal manner, but they are not the 700 level rowdies from the Vet.

And that might be the key to the new Phan. In the new parks, they are treated to a better product and the staff at the games treat them with more respect, more like a guest than a nuisance. I don’t know how long will it last, but let’s enjoy it while it does.

Charlie Jones, Fairmount

Philly fans need to get over themselves. This is a problem with people in the city as a whole; we complain for the sake of complaining, seeking pitty. We act as if we are the only home of bad sports. Ever been to Cleveland or Atlanta? Even New York has it's issues, outside of the Yankees and Giants, the picture is not that rosy up the Turnpike. Mets, Knicks, Islanders anyone?

The Phillies are the envy of the Major's: Three consecutive division titles, back-to-back National League pennants, and a World Series title. And they are favored to win at least the NL East again. Yet we aren't showing enough appreciation for this team.

DEEP via philadelphiaweekly.com

Paws and Reflect

Regarding last week’s article opposing bans on pit bulls:

Alright! After struggling to make a modicum of sense out of Jacob Lambert’s boneheaded assertion that the pit bull should arbitrarily undergo a form of racial profiling and be outlawed, it was heartening to read Kim Wolf’s counterpoint a week later—a piece driven by facts and reason, not opinions and ignorance. With any hope, local opinion makers and deciders came away as enlightened as your readers. We’ll see.

JOE BALTAKE, Haddonfield, N.J.

Great article! The parallel you’ve drawn here between breedism or canine racism and racism (sexism, etc.) needs to be digested. Breedism is illogical in that “all dogs of a certain breed are tarred with the same brush,” as Bernard E. Rollin writes. Similarly, racists see all members of a certain race as instantiating the same stereotypical, negative traits. But this fails to consider each dog, and each human, as an individual. This is social stupidity.

Jacob Lambert is wrong. I want to rephrase Lambert’s final paragraph, but I’ll shift the object of his irrational prejudice. “Why couldn’t my landlord just rent to someone who isn’t black? He is a perfectly nice man, my neighbor; indeed, I like him very much. He smiles when I see him, and even brings me left-over’s. But when I see him walking by my apartment, that primal fear of the-other-person-who-is-“different” just creeps into my mind.

ALEX MELONAS via philadelphiaweekly.com

This is exactly the reasoned, thoughtful response our Philadelphians need. Pit bulls (and all dogs!) everywhere—whether they are chained in a backyard or basement or lounging on their owner’s couch right now—need advocates like you who continue to remind people that a dog is a dog is a dog and that people should be held accountable for their failure to care for their animals.

Thank you for speaking out!

EMILY via philadelphiaweekly.com

Actual facts in journalism; wonderful! Thank you for writing a fact filled article that educates. This is about racism, based on myths that are perpetuated in the media and in society. Many genders, creeds, and cultures have suffered, and continue to suffer, because of this type of myth perpetuation. This victim can not speak. pit bulls, and all dogs, need our voice, love, and support.

SARAH via philadelphiaweekly.com

Bravo! As a responsible pit bull owner, articles like this make me smile. It's humans who destroy pit bulls, not the other way around. If you raise them properly, pit bulls are the greatest breed you could own.

PETE via philadelphiaweekly.com

Well said! I applaud you. Four years ago I knew virtually nothing about these (wonderful) dogs except what I heard and saw in the media. Now, after spending so much time with them volunteering, I adore them. They are loving and playful and, quite simply, just a "dog," like any other—meant to be respected and loved as are all pets. Responsible pet ownership for any dog is key.

TERI via philadelphiaweekly.com

“Sauntering, in the best sense, is when you’re walking the ground like it’s holy, and that’s how I wanted to view Philadelphia, and I do,” says local poet CA Conrad. “It’s not perfect. I’ve seen so many people kill themselves … die of murders.”

Twenty-four years ago, Conrad fled what he calls the “white-trash asphyxiation” of rural central Pennsylvania into the gritty bosom of Philadelphia to live out his calling. The gay poet says that after years of enduring homophobic taunting in his hometown he came to the city because, “I loved poetry and I didn’t know where else to go.”

Conrad’s an intense guy. For the last quarter century, he’s been relentlessly mining corners of every experience to find the words he wrestles into elegantly bizarre knots of award-winning poetry.

Now, along with friend and frequent collaborator poet Frank Sherlock, Conrad has delivered a dark and sometimes bizarre love letter to Philadelphia. The City Real & Imagined , released last month by Factory School, is in some ways a fractured epistolary ode to Philadelphia, a city that Conrad loves deeply and, all these years later, still sees as his salvation.

Relying on an artistic relationship that’s been strong since they decided to exchange poems through the mail in 1995, Conrad and Sherlock were inspired to discover Philadelphia new again. For each day, 12 in all, that they worked on the manuscript, they’d meet at LOVE Park, touch Robert Indiana’s Love statue, then amble in a new direction, reading graffiti, listening to street sounds and the people who live there, exploring corners and bodegas and bars. “It’s not some Pollyanna thing,” says Conrad.

In the book, he quotes a drag queen on the corner of 13th & Spruce (“$100!? Do you know how many dicks I’ve got to suck to make $100!?), talks to a homeless man sleeping on the Ben Franklin Parkway and chronicles the “painfully ordinary” people drinking pints at the Black Sheep bar.

But there's also:

I'm trying to locate

LOVE with no

conditions where

even an instant

winter has a

great fire

ready for us

An unapologetically queer poet activist with trademark dark nail polish, long witch-y hair and gentle blue eyes, 44-year-old Conrad radiates Buddha-like reverence and lust for life. He remembers getting mad at friends who committed suicide. “Our time is so short already,” he says.

Conrad says he only sleeps four hours a night, because he feels like it’s a waste of time; he might miss something new. He was recently asked who his audience is in an interview about The City Real & Imagined, he answered: “Everyone who desires to stay as awake as possible for as long as possible.”

Conrad, who has been surrounded by death his whole life, has made a living out of staying wide awake.

When Conrad first arrived in Philly, his boyfriend introduced him to a long-shuttered place called The Bacchanal, near Juniper and South streets.

“I spent all my time at the Bacchanal,” he says. “It was a magical place … It changed my life.”

The hole-in-the-wall gay bar was a hive for artists like poets Gil Ott and Lamont Steptoe. Conrad says he met philosophers, sculptors, novelists and musicians there; it was an alcohol-soaked baptism into Philly’s underground arts.

He threw himself into the local poetry scene. Philadelphia fixture Ketan Ben Caeser handed Conrad the reins to the North Star Bar Poetry Series, which he ran through the late ’80s into the early ’90s.

Getting published was a totally different animal back then. Before the Internet, you had to be in a scene to know about the “right” publications, and you had to know the publications to get into the scene. Being restless and out and about all the time, “I started to meet poets from all over the world. It was before the Internet so you had to rely on friends showing you zines like Zipperfucked, or Blank Gun Silencer, or South 666 Bitch. But you would send work and correspond. It was great.”

Throughout the ’90s, Conrad was co-publisher and co-editor of Insight To Riot Press along with Jim Cory and Janet Mason. “We had a lot of fun, and covers were stupendous because we were fortunate enough to have John Ignarri doing the art and design work for them,” says Conrad.

“There was a lot of drama back in the ’80s that just seemed so incredibly stupid. There was a lot of wonderful poets, but it’s a much better scene now. I think this is the best time that I’ve ever seen for poetry in Philadelphia,” he says, acknowledging the New Philadelphia Poets, the Chapter & Verse series run by Ryan Eckes at Chapterhouse Cafe in South Philly and, of course, sometimes collaborator Frank Sherlock.

“There is no other poet I can begin to imagine writing The City Real & Imagined with other than Frank Sherlock, who is one of the best living poets,” says Conrad.

Last month’s party to celebrate the publication of The City Real & Imagined at the Institute of Contemporary Art in West Philly had a huge turnout for a poetry event, which typically draws smaller crowds of familiar faces. But it seems more people are paying attention to poetry coming out of Philadelphia in general lately, and Conrad’s steady dedication is also finally paying off.

To wit, Seattle-based publisher Wave Books—which published Philly poet Dorothea Lasky’s Awe in 2007—is about to print an expanded edition Conrad’s dark opus The Book of Frank (Chax Press, 2009) that will include new poems and an introduction by acclaimed “rock star of modern poetry” Eileen Myles. Myles has written: “I’ve grown to love CA Conrad—the man, the work, and all he attempts and represents—because he always argues (from the inside of his poems) for a poetry of radical inclusivity while keeping a very queer shoulder to the wheel.”

“Meeting Eileen Myles in the early ’90s was the big thrill, and continues to be,” says Conrad. “She’s without a doubt the most generous elder poet I’ve ever met, hands down, and she changed my life, and continues to change my life.”

With four books published in the last four years, the radical’s work is bleeding into in the mainstream poetry world. He recently traveled to the West Coast to give readings and even has a poem getting published in The Nation soon.

“It’s taken a long time,” he says. “I’m 44 years old. Most people just give up before then.”

The whole reason he began writing in the first place was because, like so many writers, Conrad was ostracized, made to feel like a freak. As a kid, he spent most of his spare time sitting alone in a car at the mouth of the turnpike selling cut flowers for his mother, who couldn’t get a job because of her shoplifting record.

“It’s a terrible thing to do to a kid,” he says. “You’re all alone on the highway, nothing’s around, and you’re forced to be isolated.”

He’s talked about sleeping in front of his sister’s closet door with a rifle while she huddled inside as his drunk stepfather slurred, “C’mere, show me your pretty little pussy.”

To beat back the loneliness and steer his fate out of those country woods that he calls “fascist,” 8-year-old Conrad began keeping a journal. By the time he was a teenager, he was doing drugs with the Amish boys while they were on rumspringa.

Had he not run away to become a poet, Conrad muses that he would have likely wound up building coffins in the local casket factory like the rest of his family, assuming he survived being queer. But while acknowledging that the city saved him, Conrad shakes his head when recalling an earlier time when it wasn’t much friendlier to gays than his rural hometown was—especially in the 1980s.

“When I was a teenager, I had this drag-queen friend. He hung himself and we found him,” says Conrad. “The police were so horrible back then. They saw Eddie hanging in his wedding dress and they shouted, ‘We’ve got a fruit on a loop up here!’”

He’s seen a lot of sadness and death up close: suicides, murders, gay-bashing and the first wave of AIDS. “It was really hard when I moved here because everybody was dying in the neighborhoods,” says Conrad. Still, his poetry relies on him choosing to see the world fresh, to celebrate the good while calling bullshit on the rest.

Conrad’s first big break came with Deviant Propulsion (Soft Skull Press, 2006), an in-your-face collection of blunt prose. Soft Skull describes the book as: “CA Conrad’s poems vibrate with the flamboyant desire that manifests itself in queer culture, where the right to act on basic desires can become a battleground, and everyday acts of love and devotion must be enacted as a political form of defiance.”

His next two books were published last year. Advanced Elvis Course (Soft Skull Press, 2009) is a series of vignettes, dialogue blurbs, quotes and homemade magic squares that explore Conrad’s fascination with Elvis Presley as America’s thorny-crowned cultural king. Then came The Book of Frank , a collection of skinny, jagged semi-autobiographical stanzas that chronicle the surreal and tragic life of a kid named Frank.

(People sometimes assume The Book of Frank is about Frank Sherlock because they are so close, but it is not at all. “I always say I wouldn’t wish that on him,” says Conrad. “It’s kind of an evil book, such terrible things happen to him.”)

For example, Frank is the only child in his house that’s not a fetus in a jar. (“You are too big for a jar my child/ you will betray me the rest of your life,” clucks his mother.)

Clearly, Conrad’s work isn’t for the faint of heart. His words run unapologetically dark, examining broken desires of people reduced to husks by abuse; the ongoing tragedies of poverty and war; of being queer out loud in a world where there are still plenty of people who will hate you for it. Conrad says he certainly receives his fair share of hate mail. “It’s always funny because I get hate mail especially from straight people who are cruel and think they’ll hurt me … they just have no idea how much ridicule I’ve already survived,” he says with a shrug, graying hair loose and wild, pale blue eyes shining. “I’m like, you’re going to have to come up with something better than that.”

The most recent wave was after the publication of Advanced Elvis Course . “Soft Skull didn’t mention any of the queer content [in the press release], and it’s a pretty queer book,” explains Conrad. He spent months fending off an Internet mob of angry homophobic Elvis superfans. “People saw [the poems] and went insane,” remembers Conrad. “I’m a disgusting pig, I should kill myself … how dare you talk about Elvis this way.”

Tired of responding to each angry email, Conrad eventually thought of a response that would infuriate the mob even more: he wrote out his interpretation of the lyrics to “Jailhouse Rock” (“I mean there’s no female pronouns, it’s all male prisoners”) and posted them on a Web page. He started just sending the link in response. “It’s just my way of saying I don’t really care what you think,” he says, with a wave of his hand.

When he’d get into a weird spot promoting the book on Southern radio stations, where the audience probably had no idea about the queer content either, Conrad would diffuse the situation by reading poems in a thundering Southern Baptist preacher voice. “They love that,” he says.

“I like to talk about how Elvis is for everybody,” says Conrad. He dedicated the book to the “White Trash Coven of New Brunswick” and the “Magic Elvis Club of Kenya,” who he says blasts the songs of the dead king during tribal healing ceremonies.

Conrad remains a student at heart, always seeking to learn something new.

When exploring the city or recording his dreams each morning aren’t enough to boil his creative juices, Conrad develops exercises he calls (soma)tics, elaborate writing prompts designed to throw what we think we know of the world off-kilter. Conrad says they’re conceptual art projects.

“My impetus is to create. The thing is everybody’s so busy. Whenever I do workshops I always have someone who says, ‘Gosh my life is so busy,’ raising kids or whatever, and they’re like, ‘I needed this kind of thing’ because they’re in a routine … The worst thing that routine does is drive the creative magic out of us to some degree. And [(soma)tics] is sort of reclaiming it,” he says.

“It’s not like it’s gone forever, so the idea is to do something completely bizarre and different in the world that you know, and to really look at the world in a way that’s completely different.”

At one point, Conrad focused on one color for an entire week, strictly eating foods and wearing clothes of that color. Some exercises are wackier than others, but they’re all steeped in symbolism and are thoughtfully planned out.

As he develops the exercises—he’s been creating them for years—he posts them on his blog so friends and readers can try them out.

Of course, people think he’s crazy. Like the time he was stopped while checking out the trees planted in the Cherry Hill Mall parking lot. He was just plain intrigued, so he grabbed a magnifying glass and his ever-present notebook, took the bus and started examining the tree bark.

“I saw all these little bugs climbing around,” he says. “The maintenance guy comes roaring up in a truck and he’s like, ‘What are you doing out here? I was told to come see what you’re doing.’ So I told him. ‘That’s nuts,’ he said. ‘Get out of here!’

“I wasn’t bothering anybody. Twenty minutes later a security guard came up and said, ‘He thinks you’re smoking crack out here.’ I explained what I was doing. She said, ‘Well that’s weird,’ then she said: ‘We’re watching you.’”

Conrad says he doesn’t really care who’s watching, he just wants to keep looking for lessons. “Everything is an opportunity to create,” he says.

“I take notes on the experience and constantly edit to find the poem in it. You learn things you’re not expecting to learn,” he says. What can you possibly learn in the mall parking lot?

“Some people prefer trees dead, as baseball bats or violins. How an orchestra is an orchestra of the singing dead because it’s made of trees,” he says, thoughtfully before adding: “But it’s also a beautiful thing that there’s music coming out this dead tree.”

Utah has been a destination for quality fantasy running backs over the years. They have utilized a workhorse back and provided enough carries for those running backs to thrive for their fantasy owners.

But now there is trouble in the air. Utah doesn’t have one, but two dominate backs at their disposal. What will the coaches do with these two studs in the fall?

Cast of Characters

RB—Eddie Wide (Sr)
RB—Matt Asiata (R-Sr)

What’s the Scoop?

Matt Asiata emerged in 2008 registering 818 total yards and 13 total TDs. Asiata entered the 2009 season as one of the more sought after fantasy RBs, with RB Darrell Mack moving on. Then in the fourth game of the season against Louisville, the unthinkable happened. Asiata was lost for the season with a torn ACL in his knee.

Enter Eddie Wide. He stepped in for the injured Asiata and registered 129 yards on 19 carries against Louisville. Wide went on to rack up 1,223 total yards and 13 total TDs.

Over the offseason Matt Asiata was granted an extra year of eligibility, allowing him to play in 2010. Asiata will miss spring practice as he continues to recover from his torn ACL. The coaches now have a decision to make: continue to utilize one feature back or rotate both talented ball-carriers?

Who’s Gone?

All-American left tackle Zane Beadles is the only lineman lost to graduation. Utah did lose three of their four starting WRs from 2009 in David Reed, Aiona Key, and John Peel.

Who’s Back?

There are four starters returning on the offensive line. Left guard Caleb Schlauderaff will move outside to left tackle, leaving the left guard position as the only spot to fill. Quarterback Jordan Wynn comes back, but he only has one starting WR coming back in Jereme Brooks.

The lack of experienced talent at WR, and a loaded offensive line and backfield means that Utah could emphasize the run more in 2010.

Offensive Production
Let’s take a look at how the carries have broken down over the past five seasons between the top two running backs in order to get a feel for what we could expect for 2010:

2009
Eddie Wide—203 carries
Matt Asiata—74 carries

2008
Matt Asiata—146 carries
Darrell Mack—123 carries

2007
Darrell Mack—253 carries
Roy Stowers—47 carries

2006
Darryl Poston—145 carries
Mike Liti—37 carries

2005
Quinton Ganther—205 carries
Darrell Mack—39 carries

Its easy to see that when there is a stud in the backfield, the coaches provide a healthy share of carries. But 2008 was a year where there were two talented guys in the backfield. The coaches did split carries between Asiata and Mack. Darrell Mack was expected to be a fantasy stud after his 2007 performance, but Asiata stormed onto the scene in fall camp. Many fantasy owners had pinned their hopes on Mack being a fantasy monster in 2008, but they were left disappointed as the carries were split over the course of the season.

If Your Fantasy Draft Was Today (03/21/10)

It is very difficult to gauge exactly how the coaches will handle the situation. The first thing that will need to be assessed is, how well does Matt Asiata’s recovery go? If Asiata can show his old form during fall camp, then a split carry situation seems inevitable. But if he is not able show the same spark while running the ball, then his role may be limited. But due to his size, Asiata could serve as a TD vulture no matter what role he takes in 2010.

What is most likely to happen is that Eddie Wide retains his starting role due to his strong performance last season, and the questions surrounding Asiata’s ability to run the ball after blowing out his ACL. Both backs will command a split workload, but unless Wide is able to break several long runs for TDs, Asiata should command the bulk of the rushing TD opportunities. Although it is very difficult to project these two players until fall camp gets under way, here is a preliminary projection for the rushing duo:

Eddie Wide—160 car / 878 yards / 6 TDs
Matt Asiata—115 car / 495 yards / 9 TDs

Our preliminary projection is based on the assumption that Asiata returns to form in fall camp. This is a very important aspect of the projection. If he is healthy and in the fold we do see a split carry scenario. He should command more rushing TD opportunities, but projecting how the TDs will be divided is extremely difficult right now due to the uncertainty surrounding Asiata. If Asiata is not able to come back healthy enough to demand a healthy share of carries, you can expect to see Wide used as the workhorse back once again. The news that comes out of fall camp will be vital in diagnosing how the situation will unfold.

If there is a split carry scenario in 2010, it would be best to avoid the urge to land Wide earlier in the draft. The middle rounds would be the best place to take a stab at Wide. Asiata would be a good late round sleeper candidate.

If Wide is the workhorse, then he would be worthy of a first- to third-round pick. There will need to be solid news from fall camp before you could use such a high pick on Wide. If the news is rock solid news that Wide is the workhorse once again, he should be a candidate for the first RB you draft.

Drafting either player is risky this year. There’s too much uncertainty surrounding the situation, and the draft value of both players will rely on player news that breaks around the same time as your fantasy draft. Tread lightly with these two come draft day, but don’t be afraid to pull the trigger on either candidate based on the news emerging from fall camp.

Interview with Utah running backs coach Aaron Alford

We had the opportunity to speak directly with Coach Alford to get his take on things.

College Football Geek: How is Matt Asiata’s recovery coming along? Any timetable for when he would participate in organized drills?

Coach Alford: Matt’s knee rehab is going really well. He is already running at a great pace and he will not participate in football until two-a-days in August. He is not ready for spring ball.

College Football Geek: What roles will Eddie Wide and Matt Asiata take in this year’s offense?

Coach Alford: Obviously with two great backs we will utilize them in a variety of ways—very similar to the 2008 season when we had Matt Asiata and Darell Mack. Obviously carries will be split much like you see with other teams with two good backs. Actually we have three good backs when you add in Sausan Shakerin.

College Football Geek: What type of specific offensive situations do you think Eddie Wide and Matt Asiata are most suited for?

Coach Alford: Can’t get to specific obviously, but they both can block, run the ball, and run pass routes. When you have backs that have a variety of skills it enables us to use them in different capacities on the field.

College Football Geek: What names should we tuck away for 2011?

Coach Alford: New names will be CB Conroe Black and TE Kendick Moeai. I believe those two will have good seasons.

Joe Arpasi is the co-owner of CollegeFootballGeek.com , your premier resource for college fantasy football information. Check us out.

Eighth in a nine-part series.

The following is PFW draft analyst Nolan Nawrocki’s exclusive ranking of the top 10 defensive backs (cornerbacks and safeties) in the 2010 NFL draft, with an in-depth scouting report detailing each prospect’s positives, negatives, summary and projected draft spot. These reports have been excerpted from PFW's 2010 Draft Preview, scheduled for a March 30 release.

1. FS-CB Eric Berry
Tennessee junior
Ht: 5-11 5/8 | Wt: 211 | Sp: 4.46 | Arm: 33 1/4 | Hand: 9 5/8

Notes: Father, James, was a running back and captain for the Vols (1978-81). Eric was a Parade All-American, Georgia's Gatorade Player of the Year and the consensus No. 1 cornerback prospect in the nation. Four-year high school safety-quarterback who also starred in track, winning the state 200-meter championship as a sophomore. In '07, became the first freshman defensive player to open the season atop the depth chart during the Phillip Fulmer era (1992-2008). Made an immediate impact, starting all 14 games at strong safety and amassing 86 tackles, four pass breakups and five interceptions (including a 96-yard touchdown against Florida) with two tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Was SEC Defensive Player of the Year and a Jim Thorpe Award finalist in '08 after tying for the national interceptions lead. Started all 12 games at SS, logging 72-6-7 (two returned for scores) with 8 1/2 tackles for loss and three sacks. Also rushed seven times for 37 yards (5.3-yard average), caught a pass for three yards and returned two kickoffs for 32 yards (16.0). Played most of the season with a torn left labrum that limited his versatility and required offseason arthroscopic surgery. Won the Thorpe Award in '09 — playing in defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin's system in '09, was deployed closer to the line of scrimmage and tallied 87-7-2 with a forced fumble in 13 starts. Three-year team captain. Finished his career just nine yards short of the NCAA record for INT return yards. Opted to forgo his senior season in part because both parents lost jobs and his father recently had heart surgery.

Positives: Looks the part with very long arms and an athletic build. Leaves his fingerprints on games — active playmaker. Very instinctive, athletic and physical. Forceful, striking tackler — hits like a ton of bricks and will propel his body like a projectile to deliver a blow. Has natural twitch and burst — has feet like a cornerback to shadow receivers in man coverage. Is rangy and has exceptional ball skills, hands and production — has a knack for being in the right place at the right time. Outstanding awareness — processes quickly and jumps routes. Intense and extremely competitive. Tough and will play hurt. Carries a swagger and played big in big games. Versatile — could line up as a nickel corner. Performed well at the Combine — clocked the second-fastest 40-yard dash among safeties, bench-pressed 225 pounds 19 times, vertical-jumped 43 inches and broad-jumped 10 feet, 10 inches.

Negatives: Is a bit high-cut. Leads with his shoulders, seeking blow-up shots instead of wrapping up, and can do a better job of breaking down, coming to balance in space and securing tackles. Long-term durability could be an issue given his aggressive playing style. Double-caught the ball and slipped in drills at the Combine.

Summary: One of the more gifted safeties to emerge from the college ranks in the last decade, Berry is an impact, ballhawking secondary leader with a special combination of athletic ability and instincts. Plays with a physical, old-school mentality but has superb coverage capabilities desired in the new generation of safeties. Can roam center field, bang in the box or line up in the slot and handle man and zone coverage. Bulked up prior to the Combine without detracting from his speed or agility, and outstanding workout solidified his standing as the top defensive back in the draft. 

NFL projection: Top-10 pick.

2. FS-CB Earl Thomas
Texas Sophomore
Ht: 5-10 1/4 | Wt: 208 | Sp: 4.46 | Arm: 31 1/4 | Hand: 9 3/8

Notes: Also lettered in basketball, baseball and track and field as a prep, in addition to playing DB, RB, WR and returning kicks on the football field. Redshirted in 2007. Started all 13 games at free safety in 2008, logging 72 tackles, 17 pass breakups (school freshman record) and two interceptions, with three tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and a blocked kick. A Thorpe Award finalist in '09, started all 13 games and tallied 77-16-8 (two touchdowns) with five tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Also returned three punts for 54 yards (18.0-yard average). Chose not to perform shuttles or three-cone drill at Combine.

Positives: Makes plays — has outstanding instincts and an advanced understanding of the game. Moves like a cornerback — very athletic, fluid and agile. Is quick-footed and loose-hipped to transition smoothly out of breaks with very little wasted movement. Plants, drives and accelerates to the ball. Great range and ball skills — outstanding production on the ball. Surprising strength — bench-pressed 225 pounds 21 times at the Combine. Exceptional route recognition — will peel off his man and jump underneath routes (see Oklahoma State). Good balance and body control to break down and secure tackles in space. Is anticipatory and shows a sense of timing — syncs up hits and can separate receivers from the ball. Runs the alley and takes good pursuit angles. Confident and competitive. Versatile — can fit at corner. Huge upside.

Negatives: Thin-framed and slightly built — lacks girth and needs to bulk up. Can stand to improve functional playing strength — catches some contact and bounces off tackles (see BCS championship vs. Alabama). Gambles at times trying to undercut routes (see '08 Texas Tech game — game-winning Michael Crabtree catch). Long-term durability could be an issue.

Summary: A young cover safety with the type of range and ball skills coveted in a pass-first league, Thomas showed up at the Combine approximately 10 pounds heavier than his playing weight without detracting from his speed and agility. Has a rare blend of instincts, savvy, athletic ability and playmaking ability. Is still growing into his body but has an advanced understanding of the game, offers versatility to play corner and has a world of upside.

NFL projection: Top-20 pick.

3. FS Taylor Mays
USC senior
Ht: 6-3 1/8 | Wt: 230 | Sp: 4.36 | Arm: 34 | Hand: 10 1/4

Notes: Father, Stafford, was a defensive lineman for the St. Louis Cardinals (1980-86) and Minnesota Vikings (1987-88). Taylor was a Parade All-American and Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Washington in 2005. Also ran track as a prep, winning back-to-back state championships in the 100 and 200 meters. As a true freshman in '06, started 12-of-13 games at free safety, recording 62 tackles, three pass breakups and three interceptions. Started all 13 games in '07 and logged 65-6-1 with a forced fumble. Had arthroscopic ankle surgery prior to '08 spring practice. In the fall, started all 13 games and tallied 53-9-0 with two tackles for loss. Sustained a bruised chest and was coughing up blood following a hit during the Oregon State contest. Was the Trojans' leading tackler in '09 after posting 96-3-1 in 12 starts at FS. Sprained his right knee against Ohio State and sat out a loss to Washington. Team captain wore No. 29 in 2006 before switching to No. 2 in '07. Chose not to perform shuttles at the Combine.

Positives: Looks like he was chiseled out of granite to break the mold. Has the frame of a linebacker with a rocked-up physique and very little body fat — treats his body like a temple. Has a large wingspan. Rare height-weight-speed ratio, freakish athletic ability and off-the-charts measurables — eclipsed every cornerback at the Combine in the 40-yard dash, bench-pressed 225 pounds 24 times and posted a 41-inch vertical leap. Imposing physical presence with an intimidation factor — knocked multiple players out of games with devastating hits. Has a knack for timing up hits — can separate receivers from the ball. Carries a swagger.

Negatives: Average instincts and anticipation. Does not play to timed speed and is too often a step late getting over the top. Takes poor angles. Is tight in the hips and does not transition smoothly or change direction easily. Struggles to come to balance in space. Is not a face-up tackler, misses too many tackles and allows more yards after contact than he should. Suspect downfield ball skills with his back to the ball — runs to the man and does not show awareness or play the ball in the air, and looked rigid and awkward trying to adjust to it in the air at the Combine. Marginal career production on the ball — only had five career interceptions despite starting all four years.

Summary: Throw out the stopwatch and eye-popping 40-time at the Combine — the tape of Mays playing to his speed does not exist. Can start readily in NFL like he did in college and get away with his lack of instincts in the pros because of his rare recovery speed, but lack of instincts, intelligence and toughness will always leave teams wanting more. Enamors with his measurables but disappoints with his play, and will need more than straight-line speed and a flash hit to become more than a serviceable starter in the pros. Will be overdrafted and underperform.

NFL projection: First-round pick.

4. CB Joe Haden
Florida junior
Ht: 5-10 3/4 | Wt: 193 | Sp: 4.58 | Arm: 32 3/4 | Hand: 9 1/2

Notes: Father, Joe, is a personal trainer and former body builder and track star; younger brother, Josh, is the starting running back at Boston College; brother, Jordan, will be a freshman for the Gators this fall. Joe was nicknamed "Rock Star" by teammates. Played primarily quarterback in high school and set the Maryland public school record with 7,371 career passing yards. Recruited as an athlete, Haden spent his first spring at receiver but was moved because the Gators were thin at cornerback. In '07, became the first true freshman in UF history to start the season opener at CB, starting all 12 games played at the boundary corner and recording 63 tackles, 12 pass breakups and an interception with 31⁄2 tackles for loss. Sprained his right ankle against Florida Atlantic and did not play against Florida State. Endured the October death of his girlfriend, who died in a motorcycle accident with scout team QB Michael Guilford. Changed his jersey number from 12 to 5 in '08 before starting all 14 games and logging 87-12-3 with half a sack, a forced fumble and a blocked field-goal attempt. Sprained his left ankle in the second quarter vs. Alabama. Was a Thorpe Award finalist in '09 when he started all 14 games and racked up 68-10-4 with five tackles for loss, three sacks and two forced fumbles. According to coaches, Haden was the team's best-conditioned athlete, maintaining less than three percent body fat. Bench-pressed 225 pounds 18 times at the Combine.

Positives: Has a chiseled, tight-skinned physique. Plays faster than he times and has natural man-cover skills — can mirror receivers downfield. Quick-footed and agile with natural twitch — very good short-area burst and acceleration. Pops out of breaks and drives on the ball. Outstanding ball skills and body control — competes in the air and plays the ball like a receiver. Aggressive and physical supporting the run. Exceptional stamina — best-conditioned athlete in a program full of athletes. Supremely confident and competitive — plays with a swagger. Shows consistent effort and intensity.

Negatives: Average timed speed. Still relatively raw — route recognition and coverage technique are works in progress. Shows hesitation deciphering combination routes and too easily can be sucked up by underneath action — jumps routes prematurely and leaves voids in coverage behind him. Needs to become a more consistent tackler — struggles to break down and secure ballcarriers in space.

Summary: Good-sized, physical, confident corner who stepped into an elite program and made an impact from Day One, going toe-to-toe with talented receivers and matching up very favorably. Should be able to compete for a job readily in the pros. Needs refinement and raised eyebrows with pedestrian 40-times at the Combine. Must still prove he is not the oversold product of a talented secondary, and spring workouts will go a long way toward determining his draft value.

NFL projection: First-round pick.

5. CB-RS Patrick Robinson
Florida State senior
Ht: 5-11 1/4 | Wt: 190 | Sp: 4.51 | Arm: 30 1/2 | Hand: 8 1/4

Notes: Cornerback-receiver who also starred in track as a prep, placing in the Florida state track-and-field championships in the 100- and 200-meter sprints. Backed up at field corner in '06, playing 12 games and recording 11 tackles without a pass breakup or interception. Returned a blocked PAT for two points against Duke. Started 5-of-12 games played in '07 at the boundary corner position, managing 28-6-6 with a tackle for loss and a forced fumble. Was suspended for the Music City Bowl and the first three games of the '08 season for his involvement in an academic cheating scandal. On the season, started 8-of-9 games played at the boundary corner and logged 26-4-1 with two tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Hurt his lower back against Colorado and did not play against Miami. Started all 12 games played at right corner in '09, tallying 52-11-0 with three tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. Also returned 11 kickoffs for 218 yards (19.8-yard average). Sprained his left ankle against Boston College and sat out against Georgia Tech.

Positives: Very good size with well-defined musculature. Very good long speed to keep pace deep. Exceptional athletic ability with fluid movement skills and natural twitch. Has pure man-coverage ability with loose hips to mirror receivers. Quick-footed to plant and drive on the ball and shows burst to recover. Has a 39-inch vertical jump. Strong-handed to jam receivers and disrupt routes. Able to break down and tackle in space.

Negatives: Questionable mental and physical toughness. Suspect man-off cover skills. Zone instincts and awareness are lacking. Undisciplined — gets lax with his technique, and mental lapses are too prevalent. Is too often on his own agenda in coverage. Could have a difficult time earning the trust of coaches. Is a selective tackler and is not quick to support the run. Suspect ball skills and very marginal production — one interception the last two seasons.

Summary: A supremely athletic, gifted corner with the speed and agility to function on an island, Robinson ran slower than expected at the Combine but is considered the most explosive athlete to come out of FSU since Antonio Cromartie. Skill set could interest teams such as the Raiders, Jets and Packers, but lack of discipline and minimal on-the-ball production are reasons for pause. 

NFL projection: Top-40 pick. 

6. CB-KR Devin McCourty
Rutgers senior
Ht: 5-10 3/4 | Wt: 196 | Sp: 4.42 | Arm: 32 | Hand: 9

Notes: Twin brother, Jason, was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the sixth round in 2009 and immediately made an impact on special teams. Devin also played basketball as a prep. Redshirted in 2005. Appeared in all 13 games in '06, recording 38 tackles (including a team-high 14 on special teams), three pass breakups and two interceptions with 1 1/2 tackles for loss and a sack. Started all 13 games in '07, tallying 63-7-2 with 1 1/2 tackles for loss, one-half sack, a forced fumble and three blocked kicks. Started all 13 contests in '08 and logged 57-7-1 with 1 1/2 tackles for loss and a blocked kick. Was the team's defensive MVP in '09 when he started all 13 games and produced 80-10-1 with 7 1/2 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and three blocked kicks. Also returned 14 kickoffs for 356 yards (25.4-yard average), including a 98-yard score against Connecticut, and two punts for 21 yards (10.5). Left the bowl game against South Florida with an eye injury. Team captain.

Positives: Looks the part with nice length and sinewy musculature. Excellent speed and fluidity of movement. Loose-hipped with good burst, acceleration and long speed to stride with receivers down the field. Performed well in the short shuttle (4.07) and three-cone drill (6.70). Smart and aware — good route recognition. Outstanding special-teams production and determination — has seven career blocked kicks and stood out as a gunner and "jammer." Will stick his nose in run support. Has NFL bloodlines. Vocal on-field leader. Durable and consistent. Good character.

Negatives: Has a thin frame and small ankles. Is not overly physical and can learn to use his hands better to re-route receivers at the line. Loses sight of the ball at times. Drag-down tackler. Average ball skills and marginal hands — picked off just five passes in four years. Did not make an abundance of defensive splash plays.

Summary: Lean, athletic, quick-footed cornerback with legit speed, movement skills and explosion to match up at the next level. Ordinary ball skills limit his ceiling, but should be able to contribute readily as a core special-teams player and nickel defender. Low-risk selection with starter potential.

NFL projection: Top-40 pick.

7. FS Nate Allen
South Florida senior
Ht: 6-0 1/2 | Wt: 207 | Sp: 4.5e | Arm: 31 | Hand: 9 3/8

Notes: High school quarterback who also lettered in basketball and track. As a true freshman in 2006, saw limited action in nine games and was credited with two tackles, zero pass breakups and zero interceptions. Missed four games due to a quadriceps injury. Started all 12 games at free safety in '07, recording 84-8-4 with two tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Recovered a fumble on a kickoff against Louisville, returning it three yards for a touchdown and returned an interception 37 yards for a score against Pittsburgh. In '08, started all 13 games at FS and logged 53-0-1 with two tackles for loss and a sack. Started all 13 games at FS in '09 and recorded 85-4-4 with a tackle for loss and a forced fumble. Also returned a blocked field-goal attempt 75 yards for a score against Charleston Southern. Team captain. Did not work out at the Combine while nursing a pulled left quad.

Positives: Looks the part with a ripped physique. Outstanding athlete. Good top-end speed. Has quick feet and moves fluidly. Good body control. Reads and reacts quickly and anticipates plays unfolding. Outstanding range. Good ball skills — has burst and acceleration to get over the top and competes with receivers for the ball in the air. Very good man-coverage skills — pedals smoothly, flips his hips and runs with receivers. Smart — good zone awareness and route recognition. Can tackle in space. Works hard and has been durable.

Negatives: Needs to get stronger and does not intimidate physically. Not a physical or blow-up tackler. Inconsistent supporting the run — arrives late too often. Does not play with a sense of urgency. Average production on the ball.

Summary: Chiseled, rangy, finesse center fielder with fluid movement skills, desirable explosion and cover skills. May fit better as a cornerback than safety in the pros given his lack of physicality.

NFL projection: Top-50 pick.

8. CB-PR Kyle Wilson
Boise State senior
Ht: 5-10 | Wt: 194 | Sp: 4.43 | Arm: 30 1/2 | Hand: 9 1/8

Notes: Also competed in track as a prep. On the football field, starred as a receiver, safety and return man, winning three consecutive New Jersey state championships (MVP in two title games). Redshirted in 2005, then was suspended for the first three games in '06 (violation of team rules). Played in 10 games, starting the final four, and recorded 37 tackles, five pass breakups and an interception with one-half tackle for loss and a forced fumble. Started all 13 games in '07 and notched 41-8-2 with two tackles for loss, a sack and a blocked PAT. Also returned five punts for 70 yards (14.0-yard average). In '08, started all 13 games and tallied 35-10-5 with three tackles for loss. Returned punts 33-470 (14.2), including three touchdowns (most in the nation). Started all 13 games played in '09 when he totaled 43-4-3 (27-yard TD against San Jose State, 71-yard TD against Idaho) with 4 1/2 tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble. Was held out of the UC Davis contest to rest a strained shoulder injury. Team captain who led summer practices in the absence of coaches. Wore jersey No. 22 as a freshman. Did not work out at the Combine (right hamstring).

Positives: Very strong for his size — bench-pressed 225 pounds 25 times at the Combine. Very good top-end speed. Instinctive. Has natural cover skills to shadow and mirror receivers. Quick-twitch mover with great feet. Pops out of breaks and shows recovery quickness. Aggressive in run support. Good hands. Times up blitzes. Tough and competitive — plays with a chip on his shoulder. Has experience as a gunner and shows short-area burst and agility to make tacklers miss as a punt returner. Durable three-year starter. Good work ethic.

Negatives: Not overly physical — needs to increase functional football strength. Shows some tightness in his hips. Clutches and grabs too much. Needs to do a better job getting off blocks. Does not attack throws in the air — ball skills are not great. Does not have extensive experience matching up with NFL-caliber receivers.

Summary: Quick, fast, competitive, playmaking corner who will have to prove himself on a more consistent basis against bigger, faster receivers but could develop into a No. 2 corner with versatility to play the slot in nickel packages and also return punts.

NFL projection: Top-50 pick.

9. CB-FS Jerome Murphy
South Florida senior
Ht: 6-0 1/4 | Wt: 196 | Sp: 4.54 | Arm: 32 1/4 | Hand: 9

Notes: Also played basketball and ran track, in addition to playing defensive back and receiver, as a prep in New Jersey. Redshirted in 2005 with a broken leg. Despite breaking his left hand in mid-September '06, appeared in all 13 games and recorded 20 tackles, zero pass breakups and zero interceptions with a tackle for loss. Played in all 13 games in '07 (started as the nickel back against West Virginia) and tallied 38-5-2 with two tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and a blocked kick while waiting his turn behind Cowboys '08 first-rounder Mike Jenkins. Also returned 23 kickoffs for 560 yards (24.3-yard average). Manned the field cornerback position in '08, started 11-of-13 games and logged 67-5-2 with 3 1⁄2 tackles for loss and half a sack. Did not start against Louisville, or in the St. Petersburg Bowl vs. Memphis when he was suspended for the first half (violation of team rules). In '09, started all 13 games — 10 at right corner, two (Western Kentucky, Charleston Southern) at strong safety and one (season opener vs. Wofford) at nickel — and totaled 77-8-4 with half a tackle for loss and two forced fumbles. Returned two kickoffs for 30 yards (15.0). Was benched in the second half against Pittsburgh and Louisville (committed three penalties and dropped a pair of potential interceptions). Maintains less than four percent body fat.

Positives: Excellent body length, quick feet and loose hips. Pedals smoothly, accelerates and has long speed to run vertically with speedy receivers. Good quick-twitch reactions — broad-jumped 10 feet, 7 inches and registered one of the fastest short shuttles at the Combine (4.05 seconds). Can play press or off-man. Very, very tough and more than willing to initiate contact. Outstanding in run support — fills quickly, sets the edge and chops down ballcarriers. Physical tackler. Competes and plays hard. Has special-teams experience.

Negatives: Has not been a model of consistency — benched during senior season. Too undisciplined — gambles too much and loses. Inconsistent downfield ball skills. Struggled matching up with Pittsburgh sophomore WR Jonathan Baldwin. Immature. Character needs to be evaluated. Has a quick temper and could require a patient positional coach.

Summary: A big, physical, competitive, multidimensional press corner, Murphy has natural cover skills and does not hesitate to assert himself in the run game. Is rough around the edges but competes, hits like a safety and has what it takes to compete with NFL receivers. Skill set allows for scheme versatility.

NFL projection: Second- to third-round pick.

10. CB-FS Chris Cook
Virginia senior
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 212 | Sp: 4.49 | Arm: 32 1/2 | Hand: 9 1/4

Notes: Cousin, Vic Hall, played cornerback for the Cavaliers (2006-09). Played five games as a true freshman in '05, recording six tackles, two pass breakups and an interception (30-yard touchdown against Maryland) before suffering a season-ending broken right leg in his first start (at CB) against Boston College. Played in all 12 games in '06, starting the last 11 at CB, and tallied 58-5-1 with four tackles for loss and a forced fumble. In '07, started 7-of-9 games played and notched 39-6-1 with a tackle for loss (also returned a fumble 44 yards for a score against Miami). Sprained his left knee against Middle Tennessee and missed two games, then was ineligible for the Gator Bowl and suspended for '08 due to academics. Returned to start all 12 games in '09, logging 40-6-4 (including a 58-yard TD against BC) with a tackle for loss. Added five kickoff returns for 101 yards (20.2-yard average). Team captain.

Positives: Has excellent size and length with long arms. Surprising athletic ability and ease of movement — good timed speed and nice hip swivel for his size. Good short-area burst — broad-jumped 11 feet at the Combine. Confident.

Negatives: Average instincts. Lacks elite top-end speed to run vertically with burners. Lacks ideal foot quickness to mirror receivers in man coverage. Tends to rise in his pedal and does not pop out of breaks — allows too much separation. Playing temperament is too passive and is not physical — has been steamrolled by bigger backs. Does not have great hands or ball skills. Bench-pressed 225 pounds only seven times at the Combine.

Summary: Lanky, long-levered corner who fared well at the Senior Bowl and showed some explosion in drills at the Combine. Has safety size but is not aggressive or physical, so best chance in the pros will come at cornerback. His rare size in a league where receivers keep getting bigger will drive up his value.

NFL projection: Second- to third-round pick.

Tuesday: Top five special-teams prospects

To read all of Nolan Nawrocki's scouting reports on 395 players, as well as player rankings, team needs and much more, you can now pre-order your copy of the 2010 Draft Preview online at PFWstore.com, or you can purchase your copy of the book at newsstands and bookstores across the country when it goes on sale March 30.

For the most authoritative NFL draft news and free-agency analysis, visit ProFootballWeekly.com.

For those of us who write for Pro Football Weekly, March madness is never-ending. To a man, we all love many other sports besides pro football. And we all get off on the NCAA College Basketball Tournament, sometimes perhaps to an extreme.

Every year like clockwork about 20 minutes into the first cluster of Thursday games, we get an e-mail from PFW publisher/editor Hub Arkush, who also happens to be my brother, requesting that we please keep the hoots and hollers to a minimum during office hours — a difficult task indeed with everybody, including Hub, trying to do their jobs with the games on television in the background.

While writing this column on Friday afternoon for a Monday posting, my beloved alma mater, Missouri, was engaged in a duel to the death with Clemson (pick your Tigers!!!). And while I would have liked nothing more than to have dashed on over to the Cubby Bear Lounge down the street to catch the climax of the Missouri-Clemson game on a wide-screen TV while sipping on a Dos Equis or two (no martinis allowed until 5 p.m. CT), my allegiance to the world of pro football in the form of another deadline prevailed.

But every now and then when sports collide, you get a perfect storm, or in this case the perfect column idea — a breakdown of the NFL's "Neat 16."

With a bow to the college tourney, which has now been pared down to the "Sweet 16" finalists, let's take a look at 16 pro football figures deserving of special attention in their own right as the month marches on.

For extra fun, I have bracketed my "Neat 16" into the four NCAA tournament regions.

EAST

(No. 4 seed) Browns team president Mike Holmgren — At this year's NFL Scouting Combine, one of the biggest surprises was the accessibility of Holmgren, who, if memory serves, seemed to go out of his way to keep a low profile at the Combine as the head coach of the Seahawks. Holmgren willingly talked to everybody who approached him in Indy, and since early in March, he just might be considered the league's busiest beaver, beginning with the new deal he gave to all-purpose stud Josh Cribbs and continuing with the departures of QBs Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson and the additions of QBs Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace and TE Ben Watson, among others. It's easy to forget that the Browns won their final four games last season under beleaguered head coach Eric Mangini. With Holmgren stirring the pot, as well as looking like he's really enjoying himself, Cleveland has become relevant again. With lots of extra picks, the Browns could be a big-time power broker come Draft Day.   

(No. 3 seed) NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith — With the latest league owners meeting just getting under way in Orlando, the specter of Mr. Smith, who spends most of his time in Washington, D.C., looms larger than ever. While nobody really wants to get down and dirty on the subject, there's absolutely no denying the grave prospect of a lockout in 2011. Will Smith begin attacking the union's current stalemate with the owners with a sense of urgency any time soon? Sure would be sweet if he would, don't you think?          

(No. 2 seed) Jets head coach Rex Ryan — I'm just a tiny bit disappointed that Ryan has yet to crack wise over the acquisition of LaDainian Tomlinson, who he hopes can adequately replace Thomas Jones, who ended up signing for less money to play for the Chiefs than the Jets paid L.T. While Holmgren might have been the most approachable heavy hitter at the Combine, Ryan was by far the funniest, eliciting clever one-liners with an ease and naturalness that has totally won me over. Did I mention that I think the acquisition of CB Antonio Cromartie puts Ryan's Jets on a par with the perennially high-and-mighty Patriots, in this commentator's humble opinion? Don't worry. I have a feeling Ryan will be mentioning the same thing more than a few times in the coming days and weeks.         

(No. 1 seed) Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco — With the Bengals' resident scene-stealer preparing to show off his skills as a hoofer for the first time tonight as one of this year's "Dancing with the Stars" contestants, can there be any doubt about who deserves this bracket's top seed? Do I really give a rat's ass if Ochocinco is voted a better dancer than Jake the Bachelor? No, but it's the one show my wife and I faithfully watch together. So there!

SOUTH

(No. 4 seed) Saints QB Drew Brees — He's no Kurt Warner, but the vision of Brees jubilantly hugging his little toddler after the Saints' stirring Super Bowl victory continues to make me feel warm and fuzzy, which is pretty easy to do if you've ever seen my whisker-infested mug. I would consider Brees as the league's ranking poster boy over Tom Brady at the moment as they both quietly wait to see what the new pay standard for top-flight QBs is after Colts owner Jim Irsay takes care of Peyton Manning in the not-too-distant future.    

(No. 3 seed) Titans RB Chris Johnson — After rushing for a league-leading 2,006 yards, scoring 16 touchdowns, averaging a whopping 5.6 yards per carry and shattering Marshall Faulk's record for combined yardage in a season, Johnson is on everybody's radar as next season's no-brainer first-round fantasy pick. Just watching him make moves and routinely fake out defenders in offseason drills is worth the price of admission.         

(No. 2 seed) Vikings QB Brett Favre — Here we go again. Will he or won't he? Favre, who landed in this region by virtue of his Hattiesburg, Miss., homestead, didn't give any indication one way or the other to Tomlinson while recently courting the running back as a possible replacement for Chester Taylor. But the fact that he at least talked to L.T. might lead one to believe that he could be back for at least one more go-around in Minnesota, right? Another spring and summer of ever-changing signals is upon us.           

(No. 1 seed) Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger — Yeah, I know Pittsburgh is not in the South. But Milledgeville, Ga., certainly is, and that's where Mr. Roethlisberger could find himself in quite a pickle, as the latest sexual-assault allegation against him will soon be taking center stage. It's hardly a surprise Roethlisberger pulled out of the Kraft Nabisco Championship Celebrity Pro-Am scheduled for March 29-April 4 in Rancho Mirage, Calif. Will more dirty laundry continue to soil the image of "Big Ben"? You can bet your bottom dollar that TMZ and "Entertainment Tonight" will be all over his evolving legal proceedings like a cheap suit.

MIDWEST

(No. 4 seed) Colts QB Peyton Manning — With everybody who's anybody about to converge on Indianapolis for the fast-approaching Final Four, it would hardly be a shock to see Manning holding court at some point in the city that he pretty much owns. There could be a lot more truth in that last sentence if Irsay indeed makes Manning, who was last year's highest-paid player ($21,205,718), even richer, which he has promised to do.

(No. 3 seed) Bears DE Julius Peppers — With apologies to my beloved Cubs and the always-interesting White Sox under the direction of the delightfully irascible Ozzie Guillen, the buzz for the Bears still seems like the hottest sports story going in the Windy City. Credit for that must go to Peppers, who is by far this offseason's heavyweight free-agent attraction. For a franchise with a reputation for treating every dime like precious china, the Bears' financial largesse on the first full day of free agency continues to rule the Chi-town sports-talk radio airways. And Peppers is the talk of the town, just like Jay Cutler was in early April last year.        

(No. 2 seed) Bears QB Jay Cutler — Will the Bears' quarterback, who might have been last year's most disappointing player, and new Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz, who is known for demanding perfection from his signalcallers, prove to be a match made in heaven? Or will it be a match that ignites pure hell in Halas Hall? With the team's offseason workouts just beginning, we'll find out soon enough.        

(No. 1 seed) Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford — Never has a pro-day workout seemed as significant as the one that Bradford will be involved in next Monday, March 29. With Rams general manager Billy Devaney and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur having just finished a trip to the Florida facility where Bradford has been rehabbing his surgically repaired throwing shoulder, it's looking more and more like the Oklahoma Kid will be the No. 1 overall pick at the end of April. Unless, of course, a red flag goes up in Norman next Monday.

WEST

(No. 4 seed) Cardinals QB Matt Leinart — At the press conference announcing the signing of Derek Anderson, Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt made a point of saying that the team's starting QB job was Leinart's to lose. But considering that Leinart had already lost the job once before, the strong-armed 6-6 Anderson suddenly casts a rather imposing shadow in the desert that will be hard to ignore. It remains to be seen whether he will be man enough to handle it.

(No. 3 seed) Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll — All of a sudden, there's a whole lot of shaking up going on in Seattle. Starting SS Deon Grant was given his walking papers, a move that might not bode well at all for DE Patrick Kerney or WR Deion Branch, who, like Grant, are high-priced performers on the decline. Outside pass rusher Darryl Tapp was traded to Philadelphia for DE Chris Clemons one day after signing his tender. But the biggest attention-getter was the high price Seattle paid both in draft picks and salary to obtain QB Charlie Whitehurst from the Chargers to presumably become the heir apparent to Matt Hasselbeck. After making all these moves, the Seahawks somehow seem to have more major needs than ever. With the sixth and 14th picks in the first round of the draft, the D-day focus on Carroll and new GM John Schneider is definitely on the upswing.   

(No. 2 seed) Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell — What's his weight down to now? I am still hearing he looks like a tub of lard. Will Raiders owner Al Davis' handpicked QB ever win over head coach Tom Cable, whose job security remains as fragile as the Cubs' middle relief pitching? Get ready for the latest weirdness out of Oakland.        

(No. 1 seed) Broncos WR Brandon Marshall — At this stage in the offseason, Marshall appears to be one player available in free agency or via trade who could really be a difference maker on another team. With it continuing to seem very unlikely that he will remain in Denver, Marshall's new destination couldn't be more worth tracking.

For the most authoritative NFL draft news and free-agency analysis, visit ProFootballWeekly.com.

Ok, so maybe that headline is a bit too much. I'm finally getting back to San Francisco from a fairly long trip to Las Vegas. I finished down for the weekend, but fortunately I had a nice strong finish last night. I hit four 6s at a poker table and the bonus it paid took some of the sting off of the weekend. But now, I'm back and it's time to get into high gear for the draft. Tonight I'll be updating out mock draft database and we'll continue to have plenty of info heading into the draft.

It's amazing crazy things managed to get while I was gone. I was in a poker room at 11pm on Wednesday when I saw the ESPN bottom line mention Maiocco's report that Scot McCloughan was taking some kind of leave of absence. Since then, it's been a mix of all kinds of random information on the topic.  We've heard bits and pieces from all parties, but nothing specific as to why. McCloughan and his agent have made some mention of family. Mike Sando mentioned a pending divorce, so hopefully McCloughan is using this break to save his marriage.

On Friday I posted some info on the guy who appears to be the 49ers new #1 man, Trent Baalke. He's been in the role of Director of Player Personnel up to this point, which was McCloughan's role before he became GM. Maiocco did a rundown of the front office personnel, and it would seem that Baalke has unofficially slid into the GM role. Beyond Baalke, Tom Gamble, the director of pro personnel, would seem to step in as a sort of #2. Maiocco mentioned the idea that Paraag Marathe would take on a lot of roles, similar to 34-year old Howie Roseman in Philly. Who really knows though until we hear otherwise.

After the jump we've got some quick rundowns on Gamble and Marathe, and then look at some other 49ers news in a busy week for the 49ers.

Up until recently, Tom Gamble has filled the role of Director of Pro Personnel. 

In his role, Gamble monitors every NFL roster with an emphasis on scouting talent of upcoming pro free agents. He is also responsible for maintaining continuous depth of personnel on the 49ers roster. Gamble’s extensive NFL resume includes work in both college and pro scouting, contract negotiations, and a stint in the coaching ranks with the New York Jets.

During his time in the NFL, Gamble has helped build nine playoff teams – five with Indianapolis and four with Philadelphia. Prior to his arrival in San Francisco, Gamble served as a college scout for the Colts from 1998 to 2004 under veteran NFL executive Bill Polian.

Gamble originally entered the NFL as an assistant in the player personnel department of the Philadelphia Eagles in 1988. He stayed with the Eagles through 1994, serving as a college scouting administrator, area scout, contract negotiator, and later served as the director of pro scouting.

He's also spent some time as a defensive assistant/quality control coach for the Jets, and a part-time college scout for the Panthers.

Paraag Marathe has received plenty of ink, and comments here at Niners Nation. He currently operates as Executive Vice President of Football and Business Operations.

In his current role, Marathe plays a key role in the success of the 49ers both on and off the field. He is the club’s chief contract negotiator and manages its compliance with the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, while working hand-in-hand with General Manager Scot McCloughan on all football operations and player personnel matters. Marathe is also responsible for the management of the club’s salary cap, multi-year forecasting at both the individual club and league level, and the club’s research and development efforts.

On the business side, Marathe is at the forefront of the team’s various business efforts, having a significant leadership role within corporate partnerships, ticket sales and marketing. He works with various departments to evaluate and improve processes and business strategy. Marathe also is a key member of the team’s efforts to build a new state-of-the-art stadium in the Bay Area for its fans.

Prior to joining the 49ers, Marathe worked at management consulting firm Bain & Company from 1999-2001 as a Senior Associate Consultant, where he advised clients in a variety of industries including private equity, venture capital, computer software, retail, sports footwear, consumer products, and health clubs. Before that, Marathe worked in the sports consulting group at the International Management Group (IMG) from 1997-1999, where he concentrated primarily on stadium naming rights deals, corporate sponsorships, and athlete endorsements.

So you've got a guy who has experience in all sorts of areas. Depending on the success of the franchise in the coming years, if Jed York assumed a general manager owner type of role, Marathe could very well end up as team president.

And the most interesting name included among the 49ers front office is their director of college scouting, David McCloughan.  For those wondering, yes, that's Scot's brother.  Will he be sticking around?  He would seem to fill the college version of Tom Gamble's role, so if he sticks around, he's clearly a player in all this.

David McCloughan enters his sixth season with the 49ers overseeing the club’s college scouting department. In 2004, 49ers General Manager Scot McCloughan recruited David, his older brother, from across the Bay where he spent the previous nine years in the player personnel department of the Oakland Raiders.

It seems like David McCloughan and Tom Gamble would fill dual deputy roles to Baalke.  Both are fairly specialized roles and both are necessary, so one would not seem to jump ahead of another.  Of course, given David's relationship to our dearly-departed GM, I'd imagine that could play into things...

Barry Sims/Offensive Line

Given all that's gone down with the front office, it's nice to be able to look at actual football information. According to Maiocco's Twitter page, Barry Sims is expected to make some kind of decision where to sign later this week.  The 49ers and Redskins are in the running, and Sims may mix in a visit to Seattle as well.  I'd imagine he's expecting a backup role, but hoping to be in a place with a weakness on the offensive line.

The 49ers would certainly seem to fit that option.  Guard Chester Pitts has narrowed down his list of potential locations, one of which is the 49ers.  He is looking to go somewhere to compete for a starting position, and it sounds like the 49ers told him he would have such an opportunity in San Francisco.  David Baas, please answer the white courtesy phone!  I don't know if Pitts will win the job, but if the team is committed to Chilo Rachal at one of the guard positions, Baas and Pitts would be doing battle at the other guard position.  And if that was the case, it would seem logical for Barry Sims to think he has a chance against Adam Snyder.  The 49ers would seem inclined to grab a tackle in the draft, but we'll see.

Pac Man Jones

I still don't expect anything to come of this, but it's worth noting that Adam "Pac-Man" Jones reportedly ran a 4.4 40-yard dash during a 25-30 minute workout down south of New Orleans.  Additionally, the 49ers reportedly met in private with Pac-Man before the workout.  Now, maybe this will amount to nothing in the long run, but it's obviously worth considering.  I don't see the 49ers signing Pac-Man, but if he's in shape, just maybe he's worth bringing into camp.  Or maybe not.  I'm sure we'll get plenty of divergent opinions on the topic.

The 40 times? A good number, but a number that we see from plenty of rookie prospects who don't have the baggage and did play competitive football in 2009.

 Instead, to see the true value of Jones, a club has to sign him and get him into their off-season program to see if he has any dedication to the game and see him on the field--mini camps, OTAs and training camps. He needs work, and he needs to get that work against NFL receivers and NFL quarterbacks in a competitive setting. One-on-ones, team drills and the individual drills done in a practice environment to get his footwork and his technique back up to game speed. Not to mention the preseason come August to see if he can tackle, and play within the defensive system.

Got a little time this morning, and I’m rearing to talk some Texas Tech football.  Here’s what the depth chart looks like headed into spring and a few thoughts:

Offense

QB  Sr. Taylor Potts/Sr. Steven Sheffield – We’ve all annointed Sheffield as the starter, and I think that’s the case if we continue to run 99 percent of our snaps out of the shotgun.  If we mix in snaps from center and playaction with 5-7 step drops, Potts will be your guy.  His mechanics and footwork improve tremendously when not receiving the ball from the shotgun, and Potts has the next level arm strength to stretch the field when he does things right.  This will be closer than what people believe.

RB Sr. Baron Batch/So. Eric Stephens/So. Harrison Jeffers – Given he stays healthy, Batch will crack 1200 yards rushing and earn First Team All-Conference honors.  You can’t ask for more than that.

WR So. Alex Torres/Jr. Jacoby Franks/Fr. Derrick Mays — These other two guys aren’t going to beat out Torres, but Derrick Mays is probably the fastest guy on our roster.  

WR   Sr. Detron Lewis/So. Austin Zouzalik – Interesting battle.  Both have speed when healthy.  Lewis is better with the ball in his hands, but Zouzalik might have the edge before the it gets there.  Lewis can be a dominating blocker against nickel personnel in our screen and running game.  I expect him to bounce back nicely this year with more big plays on deep routes.

WR Jr. Tramain Swindall/So. Corndog Douglas – Swindall is a solid athlete with average speed, who understands coverages and how to get open against the zone.  He made some big plays for us at times last year and is typically reliable catching the ball.  I consider him somewhat of a possession receiver as he can get mauled in press coverage with his slight frame.  Corndog is explosive, but he dropped as many passes in the spring game last year as he caught.  It’s not worth putting a fast guy on the field if he can’t catch.  I’m interested to see improvement in this arena.

WR Sr. Lyle Leong/Fr. Eric Ward – Leong will have the toughest time hanging onto his spot.  Ward is one of the top two or three athletes on our roster and brings top end speed to the outside.  However, Leong runs great routes, can leap through the ceiling, and catches everything despite weighing around 160. 

LT Sr. Chris Olson/So. Terry McDaniel – Best case scenario, McDaniel is ready to roll and wins his job back.  It might be worth holding him out of the spring just to assure his services in the fall.  Olson did a nice job last year, but we will most likely need him on the other side this season.  Plus, McDaniel has shown flashes of being a dominating run blocker, which will team well with our bell cow on the left.

LG Jr. Lonnie Edwards/Fr. Kyle Clark – Edwards is one of the top guards in the country and our short yardage answer. 

C Jr. Justin Keown/Fr. Joel Gray – Keown is quality, and we’ll have one of the top two or three players in the conference at this position.

RG Jr. Mickey Okafor/So. Deveric Gallington – For me, this is the most interesting battle of the spring on offense.  Okafor has shown some limitations in run blocking, but he’s solid as a pass protector.  Gallington has the most potential, and if he can develop consistency this spring, he could be the final piece of the puzzle for fielding a road grader unit across the board.

RT So. LaAdrian Waddle/Fr. Beau Carpenter – Olson is the contingency plan at this position as well as right guard.  Waddle has shown a little potential, but he may not have quick enough feet to cut off the two elite pass rusher he will face in UT’s Sam Echo or Eddie Jones and OU’s Jeremy Beal.  Olson can stay in front of any of them, but we’ll be sacrificing some strength and bulk in the run game. 

Summary

This team will win anywhere from nine to 12 games next fall because of the offensive line. 

I felt we had a pretty salty unit in 2008.   The OU unit was better that year, while OSU and Nebraska also fielded quality outfits.  We struggled early last year with our re-tooled front against blitz pickups and stunts, especially in Austin.  For 2010, we’re in the best shape of any team in the league.  

I wouldn’t trade our left side with any team in the country.  The right side has some big question marks, but we’ve got four guys that could walk in and start for any other team in the Big 12.  The Longhorns will field talent in the middle, but they definitely have some question marks to repeat last year’s production. 

Kheeston Randall is 6′5″ and plays high at times.  We can run the ball on them, if they play us honest.  At a minimum, we can force them to take more risk in defending us.  We face a tough three-game stretch against top pass rushers Von Miller, Aldon Smith and Jeremy Beal, but we should be able to run on those teams as well.  We’ve seen what this offensive line is capable of doing to opponents, if we commit to the running game. 

I suspect Team Tuberville won’t have any hesitation in leaning on it.  I’m not sure the QB will matter much, so long as we’re calling the right plays.  Look for Batch to have a huge year, which will pay dividends in our QB play, pass protection, turnovers, and spacing for WRs.

_________

This article appeared on The Tortilla Retort

Follow on Twitter: @TortillaRetort

Adam Jones is more commonly known as "Pacman" and has been recognised as such for much of his life, dubbed early on by his mother who noticed his propensity for gobbling up his milk as a toddler.

This was a name that would aptly transfer to his football career where; as a high school, collegiate, and professional athlete, he showed a more remarkable propensity for gobbling up every pass that came his way on defense.

In short, his early career was a remarkable success, but was blemished by a bizarre night club disturbance in Las Vegas and other incidents. He is now seeking redemption in a league that is more and more concerned with personal accountability.

And since every Pacman has at least four visages that endlessly follow him around the maze of life, it's probably wise to take a look at these a little more closely before we make any assessments about the professional future of Pacman Jones.

Every Pacman is blessed/cursed by four ghosts.

The Orange Ghost: Pokey or Stupid?

There is little doubt that the early life of Adam Jones was not as stable as that of many of the readers of this particular article.

Born in Atlanta, his father was murdered when he was just a boy and he was subsequently raised by his mother and grandmother.  In his early days on the tough "Hotlanta" streets it is certain that Jones picked up some habits that might not be deemed acceptable in the professional world.

Jones felt the sting of loss again in his college years when his Grandmother died of cancer, prompting him to wear a T-shirt with her image on it at the NFL draft.

The purpose of this particular background is not to free Pacman from responsibility, as many people have overcome the type of obstacles mentioned, but to frame how this circumstance could have played into some poor decision making later.

This is his "orange ghost" and the one that any team interested in picking up Jones will have to wrestle with.

The orange ghost in the original Japanese version of the video game had the "stupid" tag placed upon it, whereas in the American version that ghost became known as "pokey."

And therein lies the question.  Is Adam Pacman Jones stupid or just plain pokey?

If he's stupid then there's not much hope for him.  If he's stupid then he's bound to keep making the same mistakes he's made in the past and—if he's stupid—then the Detroit Lions have no business messing around with him.

If he's pokey; however, just a guy that grew up in tough circumstances with little guidance who was handed millions of dollars and no supervision, then he may just be a guy that made some ludicrous mistakes and has been slow to mature. 

At this point however, it's important to note that his lessons absolutely need to have been learned.

And if any NFL guy is in a position to read into Pacman's heart, it might just be Lions coach Jim Schwartz, who was there when the Titans selected him with the sixth overall pick in the 2005 draft.

It has been reported that the two have a good relationship, so of the teams interested in obtaining Jones' services, it might be that the Lions are in the best position to evaluate his character.

The Pink Ghost: Speedy.

Though the original Japanese translation of this is more akin to "ambusher," a name that also apply's to some of the strengths in Jones' game, I find the American version of "speedy," more appropriate given the revelations of his most recent pro workout.

According to his agent (so we'll take this with a grain of salt) Jones ran a 4.42 and a 4.48 in his 40 yard dash during his workout, which would be faster than any of combine workouts of this years much hyped DB rookie class.

That type of speed is elite and it's the type of thing that leads one to believe that Jones hasn't lost a step.

So even though the Lions would covet Jones proven abilities in the secondary, he would also be a huge upgrade in the punt/kick return areas.

Many forget that during his fabulous 2006 season (last full season before suspension) not only did he prove himself as a legit NFL DB, he also returned 3 punts for touchdowns and led the league in punt return average, besting the incandescent Chicago return man Devin Hester by a tenth of a yard.

The guy has jets.

The Lions haven't had that type of impact return man in quite awhile, which could do wonders in the field position battle, and give their young quarterback a little more breathing room at the start of drives.

So while it's important to consider Pacman as an upgrade to the depth of Detroit's current defensive backfield situation, it's his dual role as a return man that makes him especially valuable.

The NFL game is all about speed, and it's plain to see the haunting talent embodied in Pacman's pink ghost.

The Red Ghost: Shadow

So there's no denying Pacman's skills and there's no denying that the man has made some mistakes, but maybe it's worth it to look at the exact nature of those mistakes a little more closely, the most notable of which extends from a fateful night at a Las Vegas nightclub.

The red ghost is known as "shadow," and while our earlier examination of Pacman's orange ghost questioned the circumstances that may have led to some of the man's troubles, it's the red ghost that speaks to the actions themselves.

So let's look at one incident specifically, a night so bizarre that it led NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to suspend Jones for an unprecedented entire season.

Like most NFL fiasco's, this one starts in a strip club.

He and pop star Nelly were "making it rain," a phrase coined for the act of throwing dozens of bills into the air and onto the stage, presumably to show the patrons and strippers in the establishment that one has money to burn.

When the girls started to pick up this bounty however, a violent altercation ensued including reports that Jones grabbed one of the women and slammed her head into the stage.  Later, one of Jones' entourage returned and fired "payback" shots into the club, injuring three people and leading to the permanent paralysis of professional wrestler Tommy Urbanski.

Though Jones couldn't be directly tied to the shooting incident, the fact remains that his associates were, and when he was subsequently found to have paid $15,000 to various people associated with encounter (presumably to garner favorable testimony) his image was tarnished further.

Beyond this there have been a number of other charges brought against Pacman that may indicate an irrefutable dark side including: assault charges, more disturbing relations with women (including spitting in their faces), public intoxication, and another strip club shooting incident involving his notorious entourage.

There's no denying the shadow and the question remains whether it can be exposed to the light.

In this context, Jones would have to prove that he's put in some serious time looking into the roots of these character flaws if he ever hopes to put them behind him and move on with his NFL career.  Has he done that?

Any interview the Detroit Lions conducted with him would have to heavily weight the answer to that question.

The Cyan Ghost: Fickle

And perhaps this is what it all comes down to.  Though the cyan ghost has an American name of "bashful" the Japanese word is more akin to "fickle," and to me there is probably not a more apt approximation of the Pacman enigma.

Pacman Jones, the fickle talent.

On one hand we have the speedster with ball hawking skills and elusive runback ability; on the other we have a scarred persona carrying the burden of a past not easily exorcised.

There is little doubt that Adam "Pacman" Jones the talent would be a worthy addition to a Lions team looking to upgrade their secondary and return game.

There is little doubt that the acquisition of Jones would be yet another intriguing free agent decision that would give the Lions even more leeway come draft time.

The is little doubt that Jones is a proven NFL caliber talent.

And yet there's doubt all the same.

Personally, I would be all for bringing the troubled DB aboard pending the outcome of his interviews as I think he could help the team.

Any contract he signed would have to be incentive laden and full of behavioral clauses that could allow him to be cut at the slightest malfeasance.

When framed that way it seems that it would be a no risk situation, but let's not fool ourselves: Particularly on a young team like the Lions, a cancer can spread quickly if not quelled.

And at this point is it worth endangering all the strides the Lions have made?

Fickle indeed.

The cyan ghost keeps us guessing, but if you consider that this ghost most resembles the Detroit Lion Honolulu Blue, then maybe, just maybe, Pacman Jones does belong in the motor city after all.

Most speculation in the weeks leading up to April's 2010 NFL Draft will revolve around value boards and teams' needs, with analysts ranking prospects in search of the "best player available" and probing holes in depth charts for clues.

For the Jacksonville Jaguars, though, one of their best options with the draft's 10th overall pick—Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain—might not fit either of those methods, despite having a consensus first-round grade.

Firstly, McClain doesn't have much positional value. Just ask James Laurinaitis or Rey Maualuga, accomplished collegians and two of last year's top-ranked middle linebackers who slid into the second round, passed over for a slew of down linemen and offensive weapons.

Even Aaron Curry, perhaps 2009's most promising prospect, fell a few spots to the Seattle Seahawks' fourth overall pick. By and large, teams aren't fighting over players who don't impact the passing game on every down anymore.

At 6'3" and 254 pounds, McClain doesn't face concerns about his size as Laurinaitis did. Despite running the 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds at Alabama's March 10 pro day though, questions linger about his ability to have a sideline-to-sideline presence—the same knock that helped push Maualuga out of the first round.

With pass rushers Jason Pierre-Paul (USF) and Derrick Morgan (Georgia Tech) likely available for Jacksonville, as well as the possibility of Florida cornerback Joe Haden, McClain doesn't figure to be pundits' top-rated choice when the Jaguars go on the clock.

Looking over their depth chart, a linebacking corps of veteran Daryl Smith and young guns Justin Durant and Clint Ingram doesn't seem weak enough to justify a reach.

Why, then, should Jacksonville even consider McClain, much less use a top-10 pick to get him? Simply put—and sweeping aside the two clichéd approaches to drafting—he's everything the Jaguars want their football team to become.

Last year, in his first draft having final say, three of new general manager Gene Smith's first four picks were team-elected captains in college.

"To me that's very important, what their peers think of them," Smith told ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky.

"I think that tells a lot about how they conduct [their] business."

As the play-caller and leader for college football's second-ranked defense in 2009, McClain certainly meets that requirement. Far from suggesting that a rookie should step up to lead a group of NFL veterans, Smith's esteem for college captains reflects the Jaguars' goal of having smart, vocal starters on defense.

In 2010, Jacksonville must also become a better-tackling team. The Jaguars were heavily criticized internally for poor defensive fundamentals, particularly after lackluster performances in early-season losses to the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans.

Enter McClain, perhaps this year's most hard-hitting prospect with picture-perfect technique. Even the most determined antagonist would be hard-pressed to find film or a scouting report to criticize McClain's pursuit angles, power, or wrap-up form.

Should Jacksonville choose to bring McClain on board, of course, Smith and head coach Jack Del Rio will be tasked with sorting out his place on a crowded depth chart. After sifting through an offensive tackle situation involving five potential starters at two spots in 2009, though, picking three linebackers from four shouldn't be too tough.

Rather than letting depth chart difficulties cloud their judgment, Jacksonville's brain trust should once again pick the rookie who fits the Jaguars' brand of football.

Hello again everyone! Last time I previewed Coach Greg Hudson, and how I believe that he will have our linebackers playing to their potential. Today I am talking about Coach Eddie Gran, our new Associate Head Coach of Running Backs and Special Teams.

He is replacing Dexter Carter, who was not retained by Coach Fisher—which probably surprised a lot of fans, including this one. I guess many people believe that our rb's were improving under Coach Carter.  

According to Bud Elliott of TomahawkNation.com, Coach Carter was relieved of his duties at mid-season when reportedly the rb's missed 70 percent of the proper holes made by the o-line. That and FSU needing a special-teams coach signaled the end of Coach Carter's tenure at Florida State. 

A little history on Coach Gran. Gran was a wide receiver for Cal Lutheran from 1984-1987, and graduated with a Business Administration degree.

He began his coaching career at his alma mater, followed by a year stint at SE Missouri State. He then did graduate assistantships at Miami and ECU from 1989-1991 before returning to a full time capacity at Cincinnati and Idaho State from 1992-1994.

Coach then got his big break from an old Miami counterpart named Tommy Tuberville, former defensive coordinator of the U and Texas A&M. Tuberville had just been hired as the head coach of Ole Miss in 1995, and hired Gran to coach his running backs.

Gran proved to be adept at coaching running backs, as he coached John Avery to a first-round draft selection, along with Deuce McAllister—while helping Ole Miss recover from severe NCAA sanctions, and making them relevant again in football. When Tuberville left Ole Miss to coach the Auburn Tigers in 1999, Gran followed suit.

Coach Gran's success only increased during his lengthy tenure with the Tigers. Like Avery and McAllister before him, Gran coached Rudi Johnson, Brandon Jacobs, Cadillac Williams, and Ronnie Brown to NFL draft selection with Brown and Williams going in the first round.

Coach Gran's backfields have also proven to be productive, as they have led the SEC in rushing five times, and have had several 1,000 yard rushers. He added the special teams to his duties and was successful there as well.

In 2006, Auburn's kicker John Vaughn was named the SEC Special Teams player of the year, and Auburn led the SEC in kickoff coverage, field goal and PAT percentage, and punting.

When Tuberville resigned from Auburn in 2008, Gran was then hired on by the up and coming Lane Kiffin to serve in the same role as he was in at Auburn.

During his brief stay with the Vols, his recruiting prowess was highlighted, as he was the primary factor in stealing the nation's top RB away from Miami in Bryce Brown, and helped bring in other blue chips for Tennessee in their fantastic 2009 class.

Oh, and under Gran's guidance Montario Hardesty ran for 1,345 on the season, and was second in the SEC in rushing only behind Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram. 

Gran's resume is arguably as or more impressive than both Stoops' and Hudson's resumes, and both defensive coaches had pretty impressive resumes to begin with. 

Coach Fisher's hiring of Gran fulfilled a lot of needs for the coaching staff, as well as gave Fisher another impressive notch in his head coaching belt. Gran is a veteran in the business and his advice will benefit Coach Fisher.

When the news broke that we had hired Eddie Gran, I read his impressive resume and realized Florida State was so lucky to steal him away from Tennessee. I believe the running backs will realize their full potential under Coach Gran, and we will have our first 1,000 yard rusher in a long time to go with our already impressive passing offense.

I also believe our special teams units will benefit greatly from Gran's guidance. Dustin Hopkins showed us last season he had a big leg, but a lot of times he missed the simplest of kicks. That will change under Coach Gran, as I believe he can develop Hopkins into the next Sebastian Janikowski or Graham Gano.

I also believe he will help take Shawn Powell to the next level as a punter, and I won't be surprised if Powell is a finalist for the Ray Guy award next year. Expect our return units to be dangerous next year with Greg Reid returning and Lamarcus Joyner coming on.

Finally, he will help FSU greatly in the area of recruiting. Our classes have been good and even great over the years, but I believe Coach Gran will help us win recruiting battles over the SEC schools, as well as stealing the South Florida talent away from Miami and UF.

Jimbo Fisher hit the grandslam with Eddie Gran now on our staff, and I can't wait to see Eddie play a huge role in FSU returning to national prominence.

The next coach to be previewed is Dameyune Craig, the former standout QB from Auburn.

Until next time, and Fear the Spear!!!

—Matt Champion

In my opinion, NFL fans should have absolutely NO say in who gets enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Think about that for a minute. If you are like most NFL fans, you will take offense. Something deep and guttural within your being will rise up and shout, “NO! THAT’S NOT RIGHT! WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE!”

Why should this notion illicit such opposition? Because it is “Un—American.” Well, sort of.

Many Americans are confused enough to believe that this great nation of ours is in fact a democracy.

Those of us who paid attention in social studies class in grade school will recall that it is in fact a representative republic. The public vote does not decide the presidency (as we very publicly found out in 2000), the Electoral College does that. The Congress determines laws and legislation and not all of them are put to a public vote.

Still, most Americans believe they have the right to vote on and decide EVERYTHING, now including Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement, apparently.

Last year saw the first time a fan vote had been held on which eligible players should be selected for Hall of Fame enshrinement in Canton. While this initiative was supported and advertised by San Francisco 49er Hall of Fame QB, Steve Young, I still hated the idea.

Those of you who have read all my articles (and thank you to those who have) might find this odd coming from me. After all, I wrote a piece about the Top five 49er Hall of Fame snubs of all—time. You would think I would jump at the chance to make my opinion heard and do my part to get these players cast in bronze.

But I have too much respect for the game of football and the sanctity of the Hall of Fame and what it stands for, to support a gimmick that reduces something so sacred to the level of an election for eighth grade class president (I can say that, as I was an eighth grade class president).

There are certainly a good number of NFL fans who could make intelligent contributions to the conversation about who should be in the Hall of Fame, I will not deny that. Most of the people who frequent this site are probably knowledgeable enough to have reasonable opinions on the matter. However, the problem with a public vote is that you have to open it up to EVERYONE.

There is no way to filter out the riff—raff in an open vote and keep it from turning into a popularity contest. Players should not be in Canton because they have won the hearts of commentators and fans. They should be in the Hall of Fame because of their merits on the field.

I will not deny that there is a correlation between the two, but it is not one to one. In a public vote, popularity will beat qualifications hands down.

Case in point: Whose body of work is more deserving of Hall of Fame induction? Ricky Waters or Eddie George?

Most fans would automatically assume Eddie George, because his name is more contemporary and recognizable. But Waters has him beat in total yards (handily), touchdowns and the very important fact that Ricky has won a Super Bowl, something George never accomplished.

Put to a public vote, I am certain Eddie George would be in the Hall of Fame over Ricky Waters and that would be a shame.

The current selection committee is not infallible. As I have written before, Roger Craig is not in the Hall of Fame and definitely deserves to be, along with a sizable group of other players. Still, the selection committee does a better job than a public vote would, with every drunken frat boy imploring his pink—jersey-clad girlfriend to vote for his guy. (I know there are numerous very savvy female NFL fans, but there are still plenty more who have no clue.)

And I won’t even bring up the possibility of fraud with an online ballot. I don’t care if the vote counts for only one one—thousandth of one percent of the overall vote. If it has any chance of affecting the final outcome, that is too much.

That is not to say fan voting has no place in football. I have no problem with fans selecting Pro Bowl players. That is an exhibition for the fans that has no other significance. This year’s 75 Most Valuable Draft Picks competition is another good outlet for voting.

Let the fans vote, name a winner and hold an awards show for the guy and give him a nice little trophy so he can feel good about himself. Leave awarding of bronze busts to a more formal process.

Other than a Super Bowl title, Hall of Fame enshrinement is the highest honor an NFL player can ever hope to achieve. It is tantamount to immortality. Such an honor should not be left up to a public vote, “Un—American” though that notion may be. 

While rumors of Tim Tebow coming to San Diego aren't exactly brewing, in my opinion, I think its a very likely possibility actually.

Most draft boards currently have him slipping into the third and fourth round.

If the Chargers see him on the board in the third round, after nose tackle and running back needs are met, I would hope that they would draft him.

I know what people will say,we have other bigger needs, but Tebow might be our third biggest need right now. With the recent departure of Charlie Whitehurst to the Seahawks, we definately need to fill the spot. Also, unbeknownst to most, Billy Volek has quietly reached the ripe old age of "33".

We don't want to find ourself in a position where we need to draft two quarterbacks.  I actually believe Antoine Cason will play the corner position more effectively than Cromartie did for us, since the former first rounder has showed a lot of promise. In my opinion, the job is his and drafting for the position should be done only if he fails.

As for Tebow, the stats speak for themselves. He's been a dominant player in the SEC (college football's toughest confernce by popular opinion) for three years now. His 52 rushing touchdowns has not been reached by a running back, much less a quarterback. That could be a bad thing for him, considering that his running has received criticism for overshadowing his throwing.

I was a skeptic myself, until I read his stat sheet. I was shocked to see the guy has a 66.7 percent pass completion rating over his four years at Florida. Throw in his 9,285 passing yards and 88 touchdowns and I was really left scratching my head wondering why Tebow's draft projection is currently so low?

Well, there are a few reasons for the low projection for a couple of reasons, primarilly his throwing mechanics. Any college football follower must have seen it at this point. It really does look akward and unnatural and he will need to clean it up and make his delivery much quicker at the pro level, or multiple sacks will be eminent.

Secondly, any team that drafts a quarterback high will need that quarterback to be productive and start immediately. So, Sam Bradford, Colt Mccoy and Jimmy Claussen will be looked at first and they will be expected to make a sudden impact like Matt Stafford and Mark Sanchez did last year.

Most teams wont take a shot on a quarterback who needs to be groomed for a couple of years and Tebow will need that.

However, I have noticed quite a few Philip Rivers and Tebow similarities:

Philip Rivers would be the perfect mentor, teacher and role model to Tebow. The similarities are striking, really, not just in shape, size and body comparison, but in personality as well.

Both are strong leaders, ultra competitive and will do whatever it takes to win. Both are very religious, dont drink, smoke, gamble or end up on the wrong side of a police report. The two both put in countless hours perfecting their game and their clean cut, All—American image is exactly what San Diego is trying to project.

I think Rivers grooming Tebow for the NFL would be a great transition. Let's face it, when Rivers contract expires, Volek will be long gone.  If we have Tebow there to pass the torch to, I dont think anyone would have a problem with it.

Before rushing to thinking why this would be a bad idea, consider this.

We have a few years to get Tebow ready, so instant success wouldn't be even a consideration. Also, we have a outstanding receiver corps with Gates, Jackson, Floyd and Naanee, so Tebow really wouldn't have to force good plays, as our guys just flat—out get open!

I honestly believe we have the easiest schedule we've had in over a decade. I also think we will blow at least a few games wide open this season, meaning multiple score leads. The result of this means that we could give Tebow some reps when the game isn't on the line. This would allow him to get a feel for the speed and pressure without being thrown in the pressure cooker.

In 2006, we found ourselves in a common situation. We were a good team with a good quarterback (Drew Brees). It was shocking to people that we acquired the North Carolina State product, Philip Rivers, in the infamous Eli Manning—Philip Rivers trade with the New York Giants at the top of the first round.

Also, Rivers was heavilly criticized for poor throwing mechanics, lack of mobility and questionable insticts. 44 wins later, we all see how that theory turned out.

The further Tebow slips in the draft, the happier I am. I can really see him in a Charger uniform if he slips to the third round and currently most draft boards show that. Rememeber, we also have three third round picks next year. So, I wouldn't mind even trading up in the third after we get a nose tackle and running back.

Even if Tebow just does what Whitehurst did the last few years (relay plays to the field), we would still come out ahead. We would have our third string QB by using Whitehurst's Seattle pick to get him and we will bump up from 60th to 40th pick in the second round to go after a running back. Honestly, I believe nose tackle will be our first round pick at the 28 spot.

So, all things considered, we come out ahead. If nothing else, Tebow will sell some tickets and jerseys. Have you ever seen a Volek or Whitehurst jersey walking around Qualcomm? I haven't!

First off, I would like to say that this is not an article intended to bash the SEC or its officials.

It is an article intended to bring a problem out in the open so that it might be properly addressed. While some might disagree, they would be wrong as the evidence is irrefutable. 

While watching some SEC games from the 2009 season, to get a leg up on offensive lines for 2010, I noticed some terrible calls. The were not just bad, they were obviously, blindly wrong and the official was often out of place to properly make the call.

That encouraged me to look harder as I was going through teams. I then noticed another trend. SEC officials are flag—happy and often wrong when officiating spread offenses. There is evidence to prove my statement without having to look at hours of video.

If you choose to do so, you can follow this link to the SEC statistics page for the 2009 season. Scroll down to penalties and take a look. The five least penalized teams run some form of conventional offense. Most of the rest run some form of the spread offense. Penalized teams

I will say the statistics do not show how bad the disparity is. In one game where a conventional offense was not called for a single holding penalty, there were seven obvious missed calls. We expect them to miss some, but not quite that many.

There were repeated illegal formation calls against spread offenses that I spent hours trying to find fault with looking at the rules. The line judge called illegal motion on spread offenses at a much higher rate than they did conventional offenses.

It looked to me as if it was a borderline call and a spread offense, the call was made. If it was a conventional offense, the call was only sometimes made.

In several of the circumstances the official was out of position to see what they were calling. In two games I saw what appeared to be illegal pick plays run by one team. There was no call in either circumstance. This was a conventional offense.

SEC teams were penalized for 7275 yards in 2009. This is an average of 606 yds per team for the season. This compares to 577 yards per team in the Big 10. This is what you would expect. Spread offenses are called for penalties about equally in the Big 10. 

This would lead me to a conclusion that either SEC teams that run the spread offense are more prone to mistakes than Big 10 teams or the SEC officials are simply not doing right by spread offenses.

Let us hope that Mike Slive and the SEC are on top of this. Let us hope the officials are trained properly to call football games properly in 2010. There needs to be officials to match the quality of the teams they are officiating. SEC officials should unquestionably be the best in college football. Nothing less is acceptable.

I'll be honest, when I saw Favre's reaction to the Saints winning the championship game, I wanted to feel sorry for him.

Badly.

But after thinking about it, I've come to my final conclusion. Brett Favre got what he deserved. And here's why.

It's just football right? I mean it's the most entertaining sport in the U.S., but all it'll ever be in the end is just forty grown men fighting over a pigskin.

So why did us Packer fans take it so hard when we saw the our beloved No. 4 play in the purple and gold?

You might say, "Well he brought us to two Super Bowls after twenty years of not even attending the Super Bowl". But again, that's just football and nothing more.

You might say, "He made us a powerhouse and gave us some of the greatest games in Packers history". But again, that's just football and nothing more.

You might even say, "He's the best quarterback ever, has the most passing yards, most touchdowns etc.". But again, that's just football and nothing more.

While there's little disputing that Favre is one of the all—time greats and that Favre gave us some years that quite possibly no other quarterback will give another team, you can't dispute that in the end this is all just a game for the fun of it. And that's where the justification for the feeling of betrayal comes in.

My point in this article really is to point out why Packer fans like myself are so furious that Favre joined the Vikings. You're probably know already what I'm going to say next, but I'll say it anyway.

On Dec. 21, 2003, Brett Favre's dad had passed away. No one would question his decision to not play the game the following day. But Brett, being Brett, decided to play with his teammates. That's right, his father had just died and Favre chose to honor him by playing with his teammates.

Folks, after an emotional game like that, after such a tragedy like that, is it even possible to deny an emotional attachment to the guy? I know I'm taking this a bit far, but you have to understand. Most fans say they "love" their quarterback, but we all know that what they really mean is that "really like them" instead.

Football fans, we "loved" Brett Favre. I mean we really loved him more than just a great athlete.

Can any of you non—Packer fans honestly say that you are as emotionally attached to your quarterback as that? Can you honestly say that your quarterback would actually go to a football game instead of grieving with their family? I believe the answer is a BIG "no".

Favre knew that the Packer nation hated the Vikings. The Vikings had taken the Packers out of the playoffs back in 2004 playoffs. Favre obviously takes emotional set backs when he loses in the postseason. So no logical Packer would think that Favre would EVER join such a hated, fiercely disgusted—with team.

The bottom line is, we hate the Vikings and everyone knows it. So, of course, we assumed that Favre was too loyal to his fellow Packer nation to join any Super Bowl title—less team. Right?

Well sure enough, to our shock and amazement, Favre actually joined the much hated purple and gold. Now, that's a slap in the face all by itself. You'd think that just joining a team that you hate couldn't possibly have a worse scenario. In fact, you could argue that there is no bigger slap in the face than that.

But again, we have to think about this logically. How many rings does Tom Brady Have? Three. How many rings does Burger King (Roethlesberger) have? Two. How many does Montana, Elway, Starr, all those fellers have? They all have at least TWO.

Favre has only one. One of the greatest ever only has, one. Heck, the guy, in my opinion, deserves like five of them! How does Brady and Burger king, both of which are not as high in the ranks as Favre is, have more rings than he does? The bottom line is that Favre deserves more than one flipping ring.

So an honest Packer fan says to himself, "Well I hate the Vikings, but if I love Favre enough, I'll let this one pass because one ring is simply not enough". And of course, we all know that Favre needed a team to bring him there and the only ticket that really fit him was the Vikings. So we can understand that Favre just wanted a Super Bowl team, right?

Well let's see here. Didn't Favre say that he wanted to "stick it to e'm"? Oh. Of course then. This changes everything. Favre wants "revenge". And against who? You guessed it, Ted Thompson. So let's get the record straight. Favre wants revenge, but how is he going to do that? Of course... what better way than to beat the Packers? It's brilliant!

Now this is where Packer fans have every reason to be upset. What's going through Brett's Mind? Is this really going to upset Ted? Or is it going to upset Packer Nation? Even if this did anger Thompson, does Favre even understand what he's doing? He's taking his anger on the Packers!

He gave the Viking fans everything they needed to be gloaters of the highest scale. Favre is so deluded by the thought of getting back at Thompson, that he doesn't even realize that he's hurting the same community that watched him play when his father had died.

Everyone, this was a betrayal. There's no fan base in the entire league that would've given him that much loyalty and fandom. You might say, "it's only a game though". Sure, it's game.

But when you fight against the team with vengeful thoughts that loved you so much, that you even fought with when a loved one had passed away, this a little bit more than just a game.

When Favre threw that interception to end the Viking's chances of going to the Super Bowl, Favre had to be hit hard, real hard, to understand what kind of emotional tear he had brought on his once so—be—loving fans.

It took one more championship game, one more dumb—headed interception, to finally get this madness of his to stop.

Favre, you got what you deserved.

Recently Edelman Digital launched a brand new web site, which features rich insights from across the organization as well as interviews with different people inside and outside the firm. Definitely check it out. One of the cool things we're running are interviews. 

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More photos » Phil Sandlin - AP

Tebow 3:16 says, "Where the heck am I going to get drafted this April?" (AP Photo/Phil Sandlin, File)

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In most years leading up to the NFL Draft, there are a few players that are the subject of a little bit of controversy about their draft status.  Usually it's concerning a guy that didn't have a whole lot of production in his college career, but put together an amazing off-season or Combine or Pro Day and is now rocketing up the draft boards because they "look like a football player."  (See also:  Darrius Heyward-Bey, Troy Williamson, and a host of others).  But this year, we have quite the opposite problem, and it's a controversy that the Minnesota Vikings could potentially find themselves right in the middle of.

Honestly, you'd have to be a fool of a pretty significant order to deny Tim Tebow's college production.  He was a part of two national championship teams, won a Heisman Trophy, the only sophomore ever to do so (and was a finalist two other times), two Maxwell Awards (one of only two people to win it twice), and was the first player in NCAA history to produce at least 20 passing touchdowns AND 20 rushing touchdowns in the same season when he did it in 2007.  I'd list his SEC and University of Florida records, but hey. . .I have to think of SBNation's bandwidth here.

But, as we all know, none of that means a darn thing at the next level.  The road to NFL stardom is littered with guys that were great in college and terrible in the pros.  And after the practices in Mobile for the Senior Bowl, as well as the actual Senior Bowl itself, many folks were wondering out loud if Tebow was worth drafting in the first three rounds of this year's selection meeting, or if he'd have to switch positions at the next level to being an H-back or a tight end or something along those lines.  Even after his Pro Day in Gainesville, there is still a lot of fluctuation as to where the man that was, arguably, the greatest quarterback in college football history will be drafted.

To be honest, I wouldn't be sad at all to see the Vikings draft Tim Tebow. . .and here's why.

The Vikings are in sort of a strange position in this year's draft as far as what they need, how the draft boards are stacking up at those positions of need, and how many roster spots they actually have available to them.  As I detailed the other day, there probably aren't a lot of spots that are actually open on the Vikings' roster, dependent upon how people recover from injuries and things of that nature.  But one of the spots that should be open is one for a long-term solution at quarterback.  With Brett Favre coming back in 2010. . .and he IS totally coming back, if you haven't heard us mention it already. . .there needs to be something better than Sage Rosenfels or Tarvaris Jackson in the wings for 2011 and beyond.

Now, we've heard the myriad of problems with Tebow ad nauseum over the course of the past couple of months.  His release is too slow, he's not accurate enough, he can't read defenses, he didn't play in a pro-style offense. . .on and on and on.  And I'll admit that as of this very moment on 20 March 2010, all of those things are true.  And if we were expecting Tebow to step into the Vikings' offense and be the starter and take us to the promised land right away, then those things would be serious issues.

But we wouldn't be.

Even IF we don't have Brett Favre in 2010. . .and did I mention that he's totally coming back?  Because he is, but anyway. . .Tebow still wouldn't be more than the third-string quarterback in 2010.  Heck, he might not be active for a single game all season.  And I might come off sounding like an ESPN-bot here or something. . .but all of Tebow's current problems are coachable.  Throwing mechanics are coachable, and Tebow has already started correcting his throwing motion, to positive reviews.  Footwoork is coachable, reading defenses is coachable, and many of the other negatives we've heard about him to this point fall under that heading as well.

But there are lots of things to like about Tebow that don't need to be coached.  First of all, the guy has every intangible that you'd ever want.  Yeah, people might want to knock him because he's not afraid to express his religious beliefs.  To me, that seems to be the reason why it appears to be "cool" to dislike Tim Tebow.  Personally, while I believe in the existence of a higher power, I'm not really what you'd call a "practicing" Christian.  But if Tim Tebow believes that firmly in his religion and his faith, who the heck am I to judge that?  Seriously?  And think about this. . .what are the odds we're going to hear about him being on a boat in the middle of Lake Minnetonka with a bunch of hookers, or snorting lines of blow off of a cheerleader's rear end?  I'd have to say that they're relatively low.

Also, the guy is big and fast, having been measured at 6'3", 240 and running a 4.7 40-yard dash.  He also put together a 3.5 GPA at Florida, which tells me that he's pretty smart, too.  I don't buy into his "low" Wonderlic score of 22 (allegedly, since those things aren't supposed to be released). . .after all, some guy named Dan Marino scored a 13 on his Wonderlic test, and he turned out okay.  Heck, 22 is exactly what Brett Favre scored on his Wonderlic, and he seems to have done alright for himself, too. . .he was smart enough to get the heck out of Green Bay, in any event.  On top of that, the guy has already shown a willingness to work his butt off and make himself better despite the career he had in college.  He's not a diva that's expecting the world of the NFL to be handed to him on a platter or anything.  He's also been an outstanding leader throughout his college career, and really has a good head on his shoulders for someone that's accomplished as much as he has to this point in his life.

Now, would I take the Vikings' first round pick, #30 overall, and use it on Tim Tebow?  On that front, I can give you a firm. . .I don't know.  The Vikings have some other needs, particularly in the secondary and possibly the offensive line, but you'd have to wonder if a guy like Tebow would be around by the time the draft got to #62 overall, which is where the Vikings would select next, barring a trade up for somebody.  In my opinion, the only quarterbacks that have shown themselves to be first round picks so far are Sam Bradford and Jimmy Clausen, and the Vikings won't have any shot at either of those two guys.  I think Tebow is in the same grouping as guys like Colt McCoy (who I'm not enamored with at all), Tony Pike (who I do like quite a bit), and possibly Jarrett Brown.

But I think that Tim Tebow is definitely worth the Vikings' second-round pick in this year's draft.  What do you all think?

The four most discussed topics among 49ers fans all tie directly to head coach Mike Singletary:

1. Without a collective bargaining agreement in place for 2011, there's no way to be certain there will be games in 2011. The 49ers aren't likely to bring in a general manager to replace Scot McCloughan, and then pay the new guy for doing nothing in 2011.

The bulk of the preparation for the upcoming draft is complete. Singletary can handle the bulk of the player personnel duties from this point forward. There's no real reason for the 49ers to pay a separate GM salary to replace McCloughan...at least until they know whether or not there will be a 2001 draft and a 2011 season.

Singletary will handle the player personnel duties McCloughan handled.

2. It's unclear how a visit between 49ers representatives and troubled defensive back Adam "Pacman" Jones became the subject of so much public discourse. Jones is a lightning rod for trouble. Still, he has shown skills the 49ers could use. His abilities as a kick and punt returner alone give him potential value to the 49ers.

In order for a team to be willing to take a chance on Jones' talent and the inability to stay out of trouble, they'd need a thoughtful, strong, understanding head coach.

So, maybe, the 49ers are seriously considering Jones.

Singletary might be the only coach in the NFL willing and able to help Jones salvage his career.

Singletary's loyal to and protective of his players. There'd be no ongoing tale of his dealings with Pacman, because Singletary would never let such things go public.

The coach's loyalty hasn't hurt the team either, though. He was unquestionably supporting Shaun Hill as the No. 1 quarterback until it was clear Hill wasn't getting the job done. Singletary called on Smith and never looked back.

The Jones rumors make sense only because Singletary's in the picture.

3. The quarterback who's best in practices and in games will start.

We saw how Singletary handled the Hill-Smith situation in 2009. Fans and the media can analyze the quarterback situation a million different ways, but Singletary's given us a road map to show us how he'll handle the position and deal with Smith and David Carr.

4. Singletary's going to run the draft. He'll be the guy who makes the call on the first-round picks. So, forget the talk about the need for the right tackle with a certain size from a college with a pro-style offense. Singletary's going to pick the guy he thinks is the best football player available in the first round.

Singletary's not going to be quite as enamored of 40-yard dash times and vertical leaps as he will be with whether or not what he's seen and heard tells him that a guy is a football player. The head coach has been visiting with draft candidates. He was apparently the most active and visible head coach at the scouting combine—not to count reps in the bench press, but to take a more personal measure of the players.

Again, analysis of the draft takes on less meaning for the 49ers now, because Singletary's the type man who will be looking for football players. And he'll be using his experiences as a coach, linebacker, and a successful human being to make decisions on draft day.

So, indeed, the 49ers are in Singletary's hands now and for a good while to come.

Sixth in a nine-part series.

The following is PFW draft analyst Nolan Nawrocki’s exclusive ranking of the top 10 defensive linemen in the 2010 NFL draft, with an in-depth scouting report detailing each prospect’s positives, negatives, summary and projected draft spot. These reports have been excerpted from PFW's 2010 Draft Preview, scheduled for a March 30 release.

1. 3T-5T Gerald McCoy
Oklahoma junior
Ht: 6-4 1/8 | Wt: 295 | Sp: 5.06 | Arm: 33 3/4 | Hand: 10 1/4

Notes: Has a daughter. Parade All-American and Oklahoma Gatorade Player of the Year in 2005. Registered 165 tackles and 40 sacks his last two high school seasons. Redshirted in 2006 and endured the sudden passing of his mother in July of 2007. Missed a week of practice in August '07 because of a mild sprain of the AC joint in his right shoulder. Started all 13 games in which he played at the three-technique, posting 19 tackles, 6 1/2 tackles for loss and two sacks with one forced fumble. Did not play against Utah State after breaking the fourth metacarpal bone in his right hand against Miami (Fla.). Was forced out of the Iowa State contest with a right ankle injury. In '08, notched 30-11-6 1/2 with two batted passes and one interception in 14 games (all starts) for the national runners-up. Sustained a toe injury against Baylor, but did not miss a start. Started all 13 games in '09, tallying 34-15 1/2-6 with two batted passes and a forced fumble. Was the first sophomore elected team captain in school history.

Positives: Excellent size, body length and power. Has outstanding instincts - diagnoses quickly and locates the ball. Shocks blockers with his punch and torques blockers off the ground. Uses his hands violently to lock out and rip off blocks. Plays with leverage and is quick to disengage. Outstanding balance. Motor is always revving - plays with a sense of urgency, pursues hard and ranges hard to make plays. Wears down offensive lines with his tenacity. Features a strong club and arm-over. Versatile and has lined up inside and outside. Is battle-tested on the biggest of stages (see 2008 BCS title game against Florida) and has risen to the challenge against better competition. Very highly respected team leader with a special makeup - outstanding character, intangibles and work ethic. When he speaks, everyone listens.

Negatives: Not overly stout to hold up against double-teams. At times gets washed down the line (although he played in a defense that featured a lot of slanting and stunting and, at times, put him in position to be pushed and run out). Could play with more consistent leverage. Bench-pressed 225 pounds only 23 times at the Combine.

Summary: An extremely disruptive, powerful inside penetrator who will make a mark living behind the line of scrimmage in NFL backfields, McCoy is a relentless pass rusher and will keep opposing quarterbacks on edge because of how hard he plays every snap and the consistent pressure he produces. Very mature and grounded with a strong on-field leadership presence to rally a defense. Has very little downside and will only continue to get better. Has a Pro Bowl-caliber makeup and is the type of player that is worth considering with the top pick in any given year. A special talent.

NFL projection: Top-five pick.

2. NT-DLE Ndamukong Suh
Nebraska senior
Ht: 6-3 7/8 | Wt: 307 | Sp: 5.09 | Arm: 33 1/2 | Hand: 10 1/4

Notes: Full name is pronounced "En-DOM-ah-ken Soo." Mother is Jamaican and father is from Cameroon. Parade All-American who also lettered in basketball and track as a prep in Oregon, winning a shot put championship as a senior. Tore the meniscus in his left knee playing basketball as a senior, but did not have surgery and did not tell the Nebraska staff about the injury. Appeared in the first two games as a true freshman in '05, but lacked strength in the knee and underwent arthroscopic surgery in September (received a medical hardship). Returned to play all 14 games at nose tackle in '06, recording 19 tackles, eight for loss and 3 1/2 sacks with one interception and one forced fumble. Started 11-of-12 contests on the nose in '07, registering 34-6-1 with two batted passes and one blocked PAT. Was suspended one quarter against Oklahoma State for an altercation during practice. Did not participate in '08 spring practice after having knee surgery. Started all 13 games in '08, registering 76-19-7 1/2 with three batted passes, two interceptions (both returned for touchdowns), a forced fumble and two blocked kicks. Became the first NU lineman to lead the team in tackles since 1973. Also was utilized as a short-yardage fullback, reeling in a two-yard TD catch against Kansas. Started all 14 games in '09, leading the nation in tackles, tackles for loss and sacks by a defensive lineman after racking up 85-20 1/2-12 with 10 passes batted down, one interception, one forced fumble and three blocked kicks. A Heisman Trophy finalist, Suh became the first defender to win the Associated Press Player of the Year award. Also captured the Outland, Lombardi, Bednarik and Nagurski awards. Team captain. Was cited in November for negligent driving - while driving his mother's SUV, he swerved to avoid an animal in the street and hit three parked cars. Admitted to drinking before the incident but his blood-alcohol content was .035, well below the legal limit.

Positives: Has excellent functional strength and powerful hands to ragdoll blockers. Can dig in and man two gaps and neutralize the double-team. Instinctively sniffs out screens and is quick to read hats, feel blocking pressure and react. Exceptional balance - sifts through clutter and maintains his feet. Can rip down ballcarriers one-handed while still occupying blockers and is a very strong, drive-through tackler. Shows agility to zone-drop and has good hand-eye coordination to bat balls and consistently disrupt a quarterback's vision. Outstanding production for an interior defensive lineman. Is versatile and plays all three downs. Came very prepared to the Combine and worked out very well, registering a 35 1/2-inch vertical jump and very good shuttle times.

Negatives: Is not a creative pass rusher - relies on his upper-body strength and effort to generate pressure and does not have a plan. Lacks elite flexibility and agility to work the edges. Too often vacates his gap and can play with more consistent leverage. Needs to learn how to unlock his hips more consistently. Weight has fluctuated and dipped close to 290 late in the season.

Summary: Played square to the line of scrimmage and did not attack his reads in Bo Pelini's defense, limiting his ability to get off the ball. Will never be a dominant inside rusher given his inability to unlock and use the power in his hips. Is extremely strong, athletic and versatile and showed the ability to dominate college football. Versatile and well-suited to thrive in any type of front. Has perennial Pro Bowl potential.

NFL projection: Top-five pick.

3. DLE-OLB Derrick Morgan
Georgia Tech junior
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 266 | Sp: 4.78 | Arm: 34 1/2 | Hand: 9 3/4

Notes: High school defensive lineman-fullback. As a true freshman in 2007, saw limited action in 12 games, recording nine tackles, 1 1/2 tackles for loss and zero sacks with one pass batted down. Did not play against Duke (coach's decision). In '08, started all 13 games, producing 51-9 1/2-7 with three batted passes and a blocked field-goal attempt that preserved a victory over Gardner-Webb. Started all 14 games in '09, registering 55-18 1/2-12 1/2 with one pass batted down and two forced fumbles. Was used on offense for a handful of plays as a freshman and carried for two yards on a fake punt as a junior. Team captain. Did not bench-press at the Combine because of a right shoulder injury.

Positives: Has outstanding size and growth potential with very long arms. Good instincts - feels blocking pressure. Good base strength. Physical - stacks the point and constricts running lanes. Has a strong bull-rush move to overpower blockers. Motor runs non-stop with consistent energy and effort. Good hand technician. Works to come free and makes a lot of hustle plays - spins, counters, hustles and chases and does not give up in backside pursuit. Flushes a lot of production to his teammates. Strong, physical tackler. Outstanding football temperament - leaves everything on the field. Very versatile - has the size and bone structure to carry more weight and has the potential to play anywhere along the line in a "30" or "40" front. Outstanding production. Clocked among the fastest 10-yard times (1.60 seconds) of any defensive end at the Combine and performed very well in agility drills.

Negatives: Piled up sacks against average tackles and can be challenged by top competition. Not a creative pass rusher and lacks elite burst and acceleration off the edge. Does not have great lateral agility to shadow quicker backs in space. Is often a half-step late to arrive at the quarterback and lacks elite closing burst.

Summary: Is not flashy. More of an effort producer than a skill producer, but offers very intriguing versatility and is easily the safest defensive end in the draft because teams will be comforted knowing exactly what they are getting. Played above 280 pounds but weighed in at 266 at the Combine. Has unique potential to fit as an outside 'backer in a "30" front or bulk up and man the five-technique in a slanting, aggressive "30" front such as that of the Steelers, Ravens or Bills. Also could be a very effective left end in a "40" front; he even kicked inside in college and rushed from the inside at times. Has a motor that does not stop, and his best football is still ahead of him.

NFL projection: Top-15 pick. 

4. DRE-OLB Brandon Graham
Michigan senior
Ht: 6-1 3/8 | Wt: 268 | Sp: 4.74 | Arm: 32 1/4 | Hand: 9 7/8

Notes: Parade All-American who played offensive guard, linebacker and punter, in addition to competing in basketball and track and field. Missed three games his senior year (knee), but still managed to be named Michigan's Gatorade Player of the Year. As a true freshman in 2006, saw action as a backup lineman in 11 games and recorded three tackles, half a tackle for loss and half a sack. Started 5-of-13 games in '07, posting 25-9 1/2-8 1/2 with one batted pass and three forced fumbles. In '08, started all 11 games played, registering 46-20-10 with two forced fumbles. Did not play against Toledo (leg infection). Playing for his third defensive coordinator (Greg Robinson) in as many seasons in '09, was voted team MVP for the second year in a row (first defensive player in UM history to be voted team MVP twice). Started all 12 games at end in a 3-4 alignment and led the nation in tackles for loss (nearly 41 percent of his tackles were behind the line of scrimmage) by registering 64-26-10 1/2 with two passes batted down, two forced fumbles and two blocked kicks. Also returned a blocked punt two yards for a TD vs. Delaware State. Team captain punctuated his collegiate career with an MVP performance in the Senior Bowl. Arrived at UM weighing nearly 300 pounds, but shed approximately 30 pounds to get down to his playing weight. Pulled his left hamstring running the 40-yard dash at the Combine and did not perform shuttles.

Positives: Good upper-body strength. Natural bender with pure pass-rush ability. Rushes with power (strong bull rush), gets underneath blockers' pads and uses his hands very well to rip off blocks. Has a very quick first two steps. Consistently powers through contact and slip-sheds. Strong physical tackler. Good instincts - feels blocking pressure and has a knack for making plays in the backfield. Very good football temperament - intense, competitive and tenacious. Plays hard and gives consistent effort - motor always runs. Strong tackler. Very productive and opportunistic and stood out at the Senior Bowl. Matched up favorably against better competition. Bench-pressed 225 pounds 31 times at the Combine.

Negatives: Lacks ideal height and arm length - lets blockers into his frame and can be washed by larger offensive linemen. Lacks elite athletic ability, fluidity of movement and closing burst. Can be late off the ball. Is best when assignments are simplified and he can be turned loose to rush the passer. Can do a better job protecting his legs.

Summary: A short, square-cut, disruptive leverage-power rusher who played with his hand on the ground at Michigan but could project to a rush linebacker role in an aggressive, one-gapping "30" front such as that of the Ravens, Steelers or Chargers. Could fit equally well in a "40" front such as that of the Colts or Buccaneers. Will come off the board before more physically gifted players at his position due to his consistent motor, production and dependability.

NFL projection: Top-40 pick.

5. NT Dan Williams
Tennessee senior
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 327 | Sp: 5.24 | Arm: 33 1/2 | Hand: 10 1/8

Notes: Redshirted in 2005, when he weighed nearly 360 pounds (reportedly has since sworn off fast food). Saw limited action in six games in '06 and was credited with two tackles, one for loss and one sack. In '07, started 10-of-14 games at right defensive tackle, totaling 40-6 1/2-2 with a blocked field goal. Started 9-of-12 contests in '08, tallying 48-8 1⁄2-1 1/2 with one pass batted down. Yielded a start to Walter Fisher against UAB. Sprained his right ankle against Alabama and did not start against South Carolina or Vanderbilt. Playing under then-defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin in '09, started all 13 games at right DT spot and produced 70-9-2 1/2, becoming just the fourth Vols interior D-lineman to record 60 or more tackles in a season.

Positives: Stoutly built with a thick trunk. Very strong to stack the point and anchor against the run. Good balance and body control. Is light on his feet and has good movement skills for a big man. Crosses the face of defenders - darts through reach blocks. Locates quickly - reads screen and chases the ball. Takes short, powerful strides and can push the pocket.

Negatives: Does not play with a load in his hands or play off blocks as quickly as he should - stays tied up. Is not quick off the snap and lacks closing burst to finish plays. Brings little value as an inside pass rusher. Questionable stamina - fatigues late in games. Conditioning needs to be monitored - weight has fluctuated throughout his career.

Summary: A thick-trunked, stout interior defender equipped to handle the dirty work, Williams is a movement nose tackle in the mold of Casey Hampton, although not quite as strong, powerful or agile. Can become a very effective two-down run stuffer in a four-man front if he learns to play with consistent leverage and becomes a better hands fighter.

NFL projection: First-round pick. 

6. 3T-DLE Jared Odrick
Penn State senior
Ht: 6-5 | Wt: 304 | Sp: 5.06 | Arm: 34 | Hand: 9 3/4

Notes: Parade All-American in high school. As a true freshman in 2006, played 10 games as a reserve defensive end and recorded four tackles and one for loss (a sack). In '07, started 7-of-8 games played, totaling 16-4-2 with one pass batted down and a blocked kick before his season ended prematurely because of two injuries. Broke two bones in his left hand against Wisconsin then dislocated his right ankle against Indiana. In '08, started 11-of-13 games, totaling 41-9 1/2-4 1/2 with three batted passes and one forced fumble. Did not start the season opener against Coastal Carolina (insufficient practice time after recovering from injury) or against Iowa. Was charged with disorderly conduct in March '09 after getting into a fight with three Penn State students and another man and allegedly punching one of them. Police believed alcohol was a factor in the incident. Was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in '09 after registering 43-11-7 with one pass batted down and one blocked kick in 13 starts.

Positives: Looks the part with a projectable frame and excellent body length to disrupt passing lanes. Outstanding athlete for a big man - good initial quickness and agility. Can torque his body, get skinny and knife through gaps. Loose-hipped with nice bend to twist and stunt. Creates extension and has a strong club-swim move. Drew constant double-teams and flushed a lot of production to teammates. Pursues hard - flattens down the line and ranges to the perimeter to make plays. Secure, wrap tackler. Outstanding work ethic. Tough and will play through injuries.

Negatives: Does not consistently play to his size. Not stout for a 300-pounder - lacks base strength to anchor and does not generate power from his lower half. Too often plays narrow-based. Is tall and gets washed when he lets his pads rise. Lunges and loses balance. Can do a better job working his hands and feet in unison. Lacks elite closing burst at the top of his rush. Could play more disciplined.

Summary: Big, versatile, athletic defensive tackle with flexibility and quickness to play the three-technique in a four-man front where he can slant, stunt and penetrate. Lack of base strength and inconsistent pad level could lessen interest from odd-front defenses seeking fenceposts, but will also warrant interest as a five-technique and overall versatility adds to his value.

NFL projection: Late first-round pick.

7. DRE-OLB Everson Griffen
USC junior
Ht: 6-3 3/8 | Wt: 273 | Sp: 4.66 | Arm: 32 5/8 | Hand: 10

Notes: Cousin, Keegan Herring, was a running back at Arizona State (2005-08). Griffen was a Parade All-American and the Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year as a defensive end-running back. In 2007, became the first USC true freshman to start a season opener on the defensive line since 1986. Played in all 13 games, starting two, and tallied 21 tackles and 5 1/2 for loss (all sacks) with two batted passes and two forced fumbles serving as a pass-rush specialist. In '08, played 13 games and managed 18-6-4 1/2. Started the first three games before losing his spot atop the depth chart at the "Elephant" position to Green Bay Packers '09 first-rounder Clay Matthews. Did not play against Washington State (illness) and dealt with a torn toenail in late October. Was suspended for the first practice in spring '09 (academics). Took a liking to new position coach Jethro Franklin, starting all 12 games played and posting 45-9 1/2-8 with one batted pass and one forced fumble despite dealing with nagging injuries. Sprained his left ankle against Oregon, did not play against Arizona State (turf toe) and sustained another ankle sprain against Boston College in the Emerald Bowl. 

Positives: Looks the part with a strong upper body and a frame to support added bulk. Runs like a linebacker. Has quick, strong hands and flashes some hand violence. Good upfield takeoff - has a long, explosive first step and takes choppy, powerful strides in tight quarters. Accelerates through the gap on loops and stunts. Ranges to make plays. Flashes a spin move. Forceful tackler.

Negatives: Inconsistent instincts and intensity - motor runs hot and cold. Too much of his production is against air or tight ends. Lacks elite bend off the corner. Needs to develop a more diverse pass-rush arsenal. Undisciplined - freelances too often and loses gap integrity. Lacks focus. Plays with an every-other-play mentality and disappears for stretches. Is not grounded and could get caught up in the trappings of success. Inconsistent practice habits. Has a sense of entitlement. Questionable mental and physical toughness. Interviewed poorly at the Combine.

Summary: Has first-round talent and has long been viewed as a star-in-waiting, but did not live up to the hype at USC. Teased evaluators with his quickness, power and explosion early in the season but was sidetracked by injuries and fell off in the second half of the season. Has an intriguing skill set with disruptive quickness and edge burst, but comes with a "buyer beware" label due to intermittent intensity, lack of discipline and questions about his mental makeup. Overall lack of toughness could push him to the second round and keep him from ever realizing his potential. 

NFL projection: Top-50 pick.

8. 3T-DLE Tyson Alualu
California senior
Ht: 6-2 3/8 | Wt: 295 | Sp: 4.92 | Arm: 33 | Hand: 10

Notes: Father is a pastor. Last name is pronounced "AH-loo AH-loo." Married with two children. Signed with Cal in 2005, but delayed enrollment until January '06 for the birth of his first child and marriage. In the fall, saw action in all 13 games (started at defensive tackle against Oregon State) and recorded 12 tackles without a tackle for loss or sack. Reportedly dropped from his freshman weight of 315 pounds to the 260s as a 4-3 defensive end in '07, a season in which he started all 13 games on the right side and produced 52-3 1/2-2 1/2 with one pass batted down, one interception and a blocked kick. Also returned a fumble four yards for a touchdown against Arizona. The Bears converted to a 3-4 scheme in '08 and Alualu played end, posting the most tackles by a Cal defensive lineman in 13 years. Started all 13 games, notching 62-11-6 with two batted passes and two forced fumbles despite a mid-October leg infection. Started all 13 games in '09 and registered 65-11 1/2-7 1/2 plus three passes batted and two forced fumbles. Team captain. Wore jersey No. 90 as a freshman.

Positives: Has quick, strong hands and plays strong. Fine two-gap ability - is naturally strong to stack the line and hold his ground at the point of attack. Strong tackler. Plays with a load in his hands. Can gain extension, lock out and control blockers. Comes off the ball low and plays with leverage. Good agility and balance - is light on his feet, moves well for a big man and is seldom on the ground. Quick and very active. Has a very good motor and pursues the ball. Has a feel for the game. Very versatile and has played every position on the line. Can zone drop and fall back into coverage. Very instinctive with outstanding football intelligence - quick to feel pressure, read hats and locate the ball. Solid character. Highly respected team leader. Stood out at the Senior Bowl. Registered a 35-inch vertical jump and better shuttle times than any defensive tackle at the Combine. Extremely tough and durable.

Negatives: Does not have ideal body length for a five-technique. Does not show elite lower-body explosion and quick-twitch movement. Needs to develop a wider array of counter moves to free himself up and can be hung up on the line of scrimmage too much. Bench-pressed 225 pounds only 21 times (although he plays stronger). Average outside pass rusher.

Summary: Strong, stoutly built, high-energy, athletic defender with the versatility to play anywhere in a "30" or "40" front and could be a terrific mismatch piece for a creative defensive mind. Was not used to penetrate inside much in college, but could be an explosive three-technique in the pros. Could become an outstanding pro if paired with the right coach and should be very attractive to the Jets, Ravens and Patriots.

NFL projection: Top-50 pick.

9. DLE-OLB Corey Wootton
Northwestern senior
Ht: 6-6 | Wt: 270 | Sp: 4.8e | Arm: 34 3/4 | Hand: 10 1/4

Notes: Played high school ball at New Jersey's famed Don Bosco Prep, where he won two state titles. Had a broken wrist his junior year. Saw limited action in three games at Northwestern before a neck injury shelved him for the 2005 season. Was granted a medical hardship. Started all 12 games at left end in '06, recording 51 tackles, nine for loss and 4 1/2 sacks with one pass batted down, two interceptions, one forced fumble and a blocked kick. Moved to right end in '07 and started 11-of-12 games, notching 39-7-1 with five passes batted down, one interception and a blocked kick. Sustained a hip flexor against Ohio State and did not start against Eastern Michigan (coach's decision). Started all 13 games at right end in '08, registering 42-16-10 with one batted pass, one interception and a forced fumble. Suffered a torn ACL in his right knee in the Alamo Bowl and underwent surgery in mid-January '09. Sat out spring practice and was not 100 percent at the beginning of the season. Played in all 13 games (11 starts) in '09, producing 21-6-4 with one forced fumble and a blocked kick. Sprained his right ankle against Purdue and was limited for most of October, missing starts against Miami (Ohio) and Michigan State. Did not run at the Combine, as he was nursing a left quad injury.

Positives: Looks every bit the part - has an athletic build with the wingspan of a condor. Has a frame to support added bulk. Good anchor strength to defend the run - can stack and shed. Good movement skills and athletic ability. Good balance. Moved very well laterally with agility to flatten down the line and close on the ball prior to his knee injury. Smart, tough and hardworking. Solid character. Showed glimpses of his junior form (see momentum-changing strip-sack against Iowa).

Negatives: Ordinary first-step quickness and quick-twitch. Not a natural pass rusher - spins in place, lacks creativity and does not collapse the pocket. Not a great hand technician - does not free himself and gain ground at the top of his rush. Short-step, heel runner. Is too often caught flat-footed and does not play with a lot of foot energy or change direction fluidly. Bench-pressed 225 pounds only 20 times at the Combine. Durability needs to be evaluated.

Summary: Did not return to full strength as a senior when he clearly looked less explosive and his production dropped significantly but did show the toughness to battle through the injury. Planted tentatively and clearly could not cut. Evaluators will have to revisit Wootton's 2008 tape, but he compares to Giants DL Chris Canty when healthy and has the size, strength and arm length to fit as a 3-4 end or 4-3 base end with versatility to rush from the inside. Is light enough on his feet to even warrant a try as an outside linebacker in a traditional "30" front such as that of the Dolphins, Chiefs or Browns. Spring workouts will determine his draft value. Could turn out to be a tremendous value pick if he returns to junior form. Has starter potential.

NFL projection: Second- to third-round pick.

10. 3T Brian Price
UCLA junior
Ht: 6-1 1/8 | Wt: 303 | Sp: 5.14 | Arm: 32 1/4 | Hand: 9 1/2

Notes: Godfather, Brian Shaw, is a 15-year NBA veteran and current Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach. Price, who grew up in the crime-infested Crenshaw district of Los Angeles where two of his brothers were murdered in a four-year span, was a highly recruited Parade All-American. As a true freshman in 2007, he missed fall camp and the first three games of the season while waiting for clearance from the NCAA. Upon returning to the field, started 5-of-10 games played and managed 14 tackles, seven for loss and one sack with one pass batted down and two forced fumbles. In '08, started all 12 games, registering 35-14-4 1/2 with one batted pass, one interception, a forced fumble and a blocked kick. Also was occasionally used as a blocking fullback. Started all 13 games in '09, totaling 48-23 1/2-7 with one pass batted down and two forced fumbles. Did not run shuttles at the Combine because of calf cramps.

Positives: Squarely built with a strong upper body (bench-pressed 225 pounds 34 times at the Combine). Quick-footed and very agile for his size. Explodes off the snap and re-establishes the line of scrimmage. Rips under blocks and powers through double-teams. Flashes great power in his hands to press, shed and control blockers. Strong bull rush with short powerful steps to cave the pocket. Heavy hitter - swallows ballcarriers. Also kicked outside in odd fronts. Has a chip on his shoulder, having overcome a lot of adversity in his life.

Negatives: Short, smooth-muscled body that limits his stamina - tires easily and taps out of too many plays. Selfish. Immature. Needs to improve core strength - is too top-heavy and lacks anchor strength to hold the point vs. double-teams. Has gut power and will never be a good pass rusher - sack production came in clumps against marginal offensive lines. Tends to play too tall and gets washed. Lacks pass-rush variety and does not use his hands well. Lets his feet stall and is not relentless in pursuit. Does not flatten, break down and change direction well and is best limited to a short area.

Summary: Compactly built penetrator who was very productive despite not playing at an optimum conditioning level and sitting out a significant number of snaps when winded. Shows big-time flashes when his battery is charged and has potential as a penetrating three-technique with enough power to slide over the nose in a slanting, one-gap scheme. A pit bull who will be best playing in gaps.  

NFL projection: Top-50 pick.

Sunday: Top 10 LB prospects

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