Here are some thoughts that popped into my mind as Picks were made in Round One, Thursday night.

    Was there any doubt that the jones boys had their eyes on DEZ BRYANT once he fell out of the top half of Round One. When they are done high-fiving and celebrating their genius of maneuvering to select DEZ, they’d better kick themselves in the ass for paying so much for ROY WILLIAMS less than two years ago and still needing to Draft a WR so soon for a position upgrade.

    GIANTS don’t seem to learn since ACORSI left. There defensive need is for more talent at the LB position like back in the days of LT and harry carson. They Draft JASON PIERRE-PAUL who is the same guy they Drafted a few years back; MATHIAS KIWANUKA. And they still can’t figure out where to play KIWANUKA so they take JPP.  How many DL are they going to sign as VFA and Draft before they take care of the OLB position.

    The JAGS  absolutely panicked when the BILLS took SPILLER right in front of them. TYSON ALUALU is a nice player, but he is not even close to being the 10th best player in the entire Draft. Did someone invite SHACK HARRIS back to town to help out with their selections.

    With jimmy clausen not being selected in Round One do you think CHARLIE WEISS will be petitioning SCOT PIOLI to use the CHIEFS Round 2 Pick @ 36 to select his prize pupil from Notre Dame? It could happen folks. Word is PIOLI is no longer sure MATT CASSEL is a Franchise NFL QB.

    I think JOSH McDANIELS is beginning to look like a young man who is in way over his head in Denver. The TEBOW pursuit appears to do nothing for the immediate future of the franchise. He also looks to be the new JON GRUDEN who could never have enough QBs on his roster to tinker with.

    One general theme seemed quite clear to me tonight with quite a few of the selections. The “Best Available Athlete” Draft philosophy has given way to the “Need Pick” concept in more instances than not.

    I know ANDY REID wanted to get some pass-rush help, but I’m not sure how he gets GRAHAM onto the field enough to justify that big move up. I don’t think he’s talented enough to convert to OLB in a 4-3 scheme, and he’s too small to play with his hand down on First DOwn with undersized TREBT COLE on the other side of the line. We’ll see, but it looks like a reach and a costly move-up for the EAGLES.

    I can’t laugh at AL DAVIS tonight. He didn’t reach for BRUCE CAMPBELL or TAYLOR MAYS. ROLANDO McCLAIN is a special athlete with brains and size. This beats the heck out of previous picks like RUSSELL and heywrad-bey. But without reaching he has got to get some OL help Friday night.

    Kinda costly, but i thought it was a nice move by Detroit to jump up to grab JAHVID BEST. He may actually remind a few folks of BRRY SANDERS when he makes a few of his big play runs next season. You hate to give up Picks to jump around when you have so many holes to fill, but quality and need are a tough combination to ignore.

    I understand that the TEXANS felt they had to replace DUNTA ROBINSON  at CB, but I think KAREEM JACKSON was a bit of a reach at Pick 20, especially with other needs.

    Knowing how badly MIKE SINGLETARY wants to play ball control and run the clock, I was still surprised to see the NINERS use both Round 1 Picks to bolster the OL. It is not as if they have n other needs on this team right now. They are really close to catching up with the cardinals right now, but that will require help in multiple areas not just one.

    Not that I disagree with their thinking but i believe the CARDINALS selection of DAN WILLIAMS in Round One clearly indicates they have basically given up on their two recent Wolverine Draftees at DT in ALAN BRANCH and gabe watsoN. That has to be a tough pill to swallow with all of their other needs.

    In case you missed it, here are the teams still to make a pick in this DRAFT:

BALTIMORE

CAROLINA

CHICAGO

MINNESOTA

4/21/2010    Since I live in NFC North country, and just posted my PACKERS Draft needs segment yesterday, I though it might be wise today to post a needs segment on the rest of the division. Here’s a peek at what I think each team should be looking to accomplish with their Drafts this week.

DA BEARS    biggest problem here is that the team doesn’t Draft until Round 3. That greatly reduces the likelihood that the team will get instant starter help, but they have to try because they have some big holes to fill.

OT        the MARTZ Offense requires production for the QB. They don’t have the guys to do that right now.

CB       they need a shutdown CB with deep speed to start opposite Peanut.

WR       looking for a smart, possession receiver who can be their RICKEY PROEHL.

OC        KRUETZ is undersized & getting old, and is beginning to pay for both conditions.

LIONS    there are still way too many roster holes to fix in one DRAFT, but they are making progress. If they plug in enough useful Rookies this year one more solid off-season could make them a threat by 2011.

LB        the departures of FOOTE & SIMS leaves them very light on talent and size at this position.

DE        they need some young talent with size to beef things up. McCOY might be the answer.

OT        BACKUS is getting old and might have to slide inside soon. Got to protect STAFFORD better. 

RB        the injury to SMITH is worrisome, and his back-ups don’t scare anyone.

VIKINGS        there are more pressing needs than you might at first imagine for this team. The good news is they have a full compliment of Picks to work with to build depth and infuse young talent.

CB        WINFIELD is a tough 33, GRIFFIN coming off a knee injury.  Depth is questionable; KYLE WILSON!

G/C        none of the current back-ups here is worthy of an NFL starting job and HUTCH is aging.

RB        with CHESTER in Chicago, that leaves YOUNG & IAN as back-ups to spell A.P. Not good enough.

S           they need a really good coverage S to go with their current crew of hitters.

4/19/2010        We are marching dow the home stretch DRAFTNIKS. In 3 more days the 2010 Player Selection process will begin in NYC. That’s on NFL NETWORK and ESPN starting at about 7:30 PM on the East Coast, and 6:30 in the Midwest. For those of you out on the Left Coast (all fifty of you who might care) don’t even worry about about it, because most of you who still have jobs will be at them when the process starts. Each selection will be allotted a max of ten minutes. So if each team were to use its full time slot we could have a prime time TV event that stretches out for 320 minutes, or 5 1/2 hours. That means on the East Coast this thing might wrap up sometime after midnight, just like MNF but not quite as exciting.

    For folks willing to give up their Friday Night Fish Fry (as we say here in the Great Lakes), or other such start of the weekend festivities make sure you get home and parked in front of your TV by 6:00 PM on the East Coast, or 5 PM Central Time. On the Left Coast I would suggest a very late business lunch, with no plans to go back to your place of work. With two, hurried-up Rounds to conclude on Friday you could be looking at a sign off time of around midnight in the East.

    And remember you sleepy-heads that the fun begins again Saturday morning at 10:00 AM in NYC, or 7 AM in Seattle. STARBUCKS could do a booming Saturday morning business in hometown Seattle, if Sea Hawks fans buy into this process. I don’t think it will be quite this long, but on paper this portion of the affair could take up to twelve hours if stretched to its max by the Pickers.

    Even though the current edition of the NFL DRAFT is referred to as a 7 Round event, that number is misleading. Under the expiring CBA the League was allowed to award up to 32 additional Compensatory Draft Picks to needy teams, under a formula almost as confusing as the US Tax Codes, and more secretive than the formula for Coca Cola. And when the dust has settled the league always hands out those extra 32 selections, which if you are a Math major equates to an extra Round spread throughout the course of the event. But this year there are 255 Picks, not 256. You see, the REDSKINS used this year’s Round 3 Pick last summer during the annual Supplemental DRAFT.

    Just as another aside, the REDSKINS, under their previous management regime used that selection to secure the rights to Kentucky DE/JEREMY JARMON a promising young player who is now a man without a position; being too small to play DE in the new 3-4 scheme, but not mobile enough to convert to OLB. Such is the cost to NFL teams when they play roulette with Head Coaches and GMs every couple of years like DANIEL SNYDER has in old D.C. It could have been their slot at Pick 68 this year. And that slot has value folks. After all, just look at what a Round 5 Pick will bring you these days!

    Thanks to Scott Wright for his reminder to check out one of the finest articles ever written about the original media DRAFT ANALYST, JOEL BUCHSBAUM, who passed away back in 2002. He was one of a kind, and a football genius despite his own self-doubts. Those of us who love this annual event, for our own strange reasons, will always remember and owe a debt of gratitude to Joel. A belated tip of the cap to JULIET MACUR who wrote the article for the DALLAS MORNING NEWS just before the 2003 DRAFT. If you have an appreciation for the written word, beyond the world of Tweets, please check out this fine article. It is well worth your ten minutes of reading time @ http://apse.dallasnews.com/contest/2003/writing/over250/over250.features.second.html .

        Another annual draft tradition is in full bloom this week. I refer to it as the Pro Personnel Departments’ (especially Scouting Departments) CYA period. It’s that time when the DRAFT class doesn’t look as good as it did twelve months ago, when no Picks were imminent. Remember how great the 2010 DRAFT was going to be compared with the 2009 DRAFT. Now I am hearing how weak the QB class of 2010 is and that SAM BRADFORD is the only “probable” Franchise QB.

    Another major component of all the disclaimer action is to introduce the concept that an awful lot of prospects have “off field” issues that concern NFL teams. Last season’s monster players like MT. CODY are now worrisome, fat, human mud-slides. TAYLOR MAYS is a work-out warrior, but may not have ball skills to be a star as an NFL Safety. And don’t forget that ERIC BERRY is perhaps a little small at 5’11/205 to play S in the League. And it goes on and on.

    Thanks to PETER KING for putting a little water on the fire that says BRYAN BULAGA/IOWA has arms too short to be effective in the NFL at OT, thereby dooming him to the OG fate of ROBERT GALLERY.  In the past decade JOE THOMAS/BROWNS (32”) and JAKE LONG/DOLPHINS (32 7/8”) have both had shorter arms than BULAGA and done alright for themselves at LT in the League.

    The DRAFT DAY trade I am looking for this Thursday is JARED GAITHER/LT to the COWBOYS for their No. 1 Pick. Makes sense to me and won’t cost Uncle Jerry any more $ than a high profile skill position Draftee. JONES has been way too quiet lately, other than his drunken ‘candid camera’ blabbing. If he trades back out of Round 1 to save money then COWBOYS fans should be concerned. He kept trading  back last year and ended up with 12 Picks. Now you tell me which of them made an impact on the 2009 team. The most productive Draft Pick was george bUEhler from Round 5 who did a nice job kicking off for them. If you really want to go to the Super Bowl again Jerry you have to do better than that in April.

    Here are my predictions as to who the Team Media Darlings are going to be on each DRAFT DAY.

THURSDAY/ROUND 1        SEA HAWKS    with Picks  6 & 14  they’ll be on camera most of the first two hours.

FRIDAY/ROUNDS 2&3        PATRIOTS      they have Picks 44, 47 & 53 in Round 2, then they can pack up and get a good        

           nights sleep, since they do not pick in Round 3.

SATURDAY/ROUNDS 4-7    CHIEFS     they PIck early @ 102, then explode in Round 5 @ 136, 142, 144. Then they can    

            catch an early evening flight back to Kansas City because they have no Picks in Rounds 6 or 7.

    While SCOTT PIOLI and his staff are winging westward former boss belichick must stick around and search an expanded Draft Board to come up with possible roster worthy Picks late, and plenty of them. Thanks to Supplemental generosity by the League the PATS pick 5 times in the Seventh and final Round. And you can’t trade Supplemental Picks.

   

      4/15/2010        Traditionally in the world of sports, and elsewhere, the American public has been ready and eager to embrace the underdog. I sense that tradition has lessened in this millennium as social emphasis seems to have swung to self indulgence and pettiness, but nonetheless I would like to present to you a handful of athletes who will hear their names called at some point of the NFL DRAFT next week. Some of the stories behind these players you may already know, others perhaps not. I will be hoping for good things to happen to these players as they begin their professional lives.

DEZ BRYANT/WR/OKLAHOMA STATE            I’ve actually gotten a bit irritated the past few weeks as I continue to read references to DEZ’s “off-field issues’. Other than an ill-conceived contact with SVENGALI SANDERS and his NCAA suspension because of lying to investigators about said contact, I cannot identify what his ‘issues’ are. I do know he has had a hard-knocks life after being the child of a 14-year old mother, who dealt drugs to make her way through life early on. I am aware that he bounced around multiple “homes” during his formative years. I am aware of a few knuckle-head issues during his years at OKLA STATE. But I have heard nothing but positives from his ex-teammates with the Cowboys. I believe he will handle the NFL well if he ends up with a team that has a solid locker room and a nurturing coaching staff. He’s still the most talented WR in this year’s DRAFT, and the risk seems to be greatly exaggerated to me.

NATE BYHAM/TE/PITT            Nate was born to an unmarried teenage mom who had enough struggles of her own to deal with, that he was shuttled between family members with his grandfather eventually being the most impactful adult figure in raising NATE. It was touching to see the Senior Day ceremonies at PITT, when his mom and grandfather walked with him to midfield before his final home game. He is an old-fashioned blocking TE, who can catch a bit in a short field. He’ll probably be a late round selection and hopefully can carve a niche for himself on a power running team. For teams thinking of Drafting him, I feel confident saying they would be selecting a try-hard player in BYHAM.

TERRENCE CODY/DT/ALABAMA    TO borrow a phrase from BILL PARCELLS, ‘Pro Football is a big man’s game’. And there aren’t any prospects bigger than MT. CODY, even with his weight now down below 350 lbs. The big, good natured young man has not had an easy go of it in working his way to football success. His father died in a car accident when Terrence was 12-years old. As the oldest of 8 children he became a big child care provider for his siblings, while his mother worked two jobs to make ends meet. He struggled in school and had to go the JC route to work his way to a D1 football program. He has unique size and ability and will have very high value for some NFL 3-4 Defense. Hopefully, he will show the self-discipline to keep himself at a functional playing weight and make his mark, and fortune in the NFL.

BRIAN PRICE/DT/UCLA                I am not as in love with PRICE’s Pro potential as some. I tend to see him as a Second Round talent who can be solid in a 4-3 scheme. But I will be wishing him the best on Draft Weekend and when he signs with his NFL team. PRICE grew up in the Crenshaw  ‘hood’ of L.A., which is a crime infested, poverty center of the city. Over a 4 year span, before PRICE  escaped to UCLA, two of his brothers were murdered in that neighborhood. An NFL career is his chance to escape forever the desperation of that past. I wish him well finding a solid NFL home and improving his life, and those of other family members.

    These guys are just some examples of young men who play in a high profile sport, and have a chance to make it big in the glamor world of the NFL. If successful that career is worlds away from their roots growing up. This is their chance, through sports, to move beyond humble/troubled beginnings and live the good life/American Dream. Call me old-fashioned and a softy; I still root for ROCKY BALBOA. Good luck next week and in the years to come fellas.

                           

4/03/2010    We are within three weeks of the 2010 NFL DRAFT. And for those of us who consider the event to be some kind of combination of Christmas and Easter rolled into one, there is more to talk/write about than we have time for. A topic that has been been bantered about since the opening week of the 2009 College Football season is the value of, and the ranking of, small school Prospects. So let’s get to it. Here are my TOP 6 small college Prospects as of the beginning of April.

1. 1.   RANK 44    VLADIMIR DUCASSE/OL/UMASS/6’4/330    DUCASSE is so highly thought of that I’m still not sure if he’s an OT or OG, yet he’s my top guy, who I think will go in the first half of Round 2. He is raw but so athletic and big that he cannot be ignored as a potential NFL player. I think he may start fairly quickly as an OG, possibly sliding out to OT in a few years.
   

2. 2.    RANK 81    ANDRE ROBERTS/WR/CITADEL/5’11/180    ROBERTS showed he could play with the big boys during his week in Mobile back in January. He displayed excellent hands and the ability to run tight patterns and get separation from top level DBs. He ran a fast 4.46 at the COMBINE in Indy. He’ll help some team as a 3rd or 4th receiver right away, and could become a No. 2 for someone in a couple of seasons. His added value is in the return game. I think he is a solid 3rd Rounder.
   

3. 3.    RANK 94    JARED VELDHEER/OT/HILLSDALE/6’8/315    The big guy from the D3 school looks to have all the talent needed to succeed in the NFL. His arms are a little short at 33”, but like BULAGA of Iowa, he should be able to compensate with his other skills. He may take a couple of years to adjust to the pro talent level, but he looks to be a solid future starter.  
   

4. 4.    RANK 107    AKWASI OKWUSU-ANSAH/CB/INDIANA (PA)/6’0/205        AKWASI got lots of good press the last two years as a man-among-boys type prospect playing at a lower level of competition. He had the misfortune to require shoulder surgery at the conclusion of the 2009 college season and was unable to show his wares in Mobile. But he showed up for the COMBINE in Indy ready to run, and after turning in a 4.47/40 at his size, is back on the radar. He could even sneak into Round 3 for some team looking for a big CB.
   

5. 5.    RANK 110    AUSTEN LANE/DE/MURRAY STATE/6’6/275        The stock for this guy just continues to climb as we close in on the DRAFT. His rise has been slow, but steady during his senior season. He is a natural penetrator who could develop into a sack master in the right scheme, and with patient, teaching coaches. He has a high energy level and looks to have the frame to add another 10 lbs. of muscle. He too, could sneak into Round 3 for a 4-3 scheme organization.
   

6. 6.    RANK 158    CLAYTON HARBOR/TE/MISSOURI STATE/6’3/250       I have seen this guy shown as a sleeper prospect as a FB/H-B hybrid in multiple publications. But from what I saw of him at the SHRINE and TEXAS v. NATION games he is big enough to be an in-line TE in a West Coast scheme. He is a willing, effective blocker, and is a natural hands pass catcher, who finds holes in the defense.
   

Sans commentary, here are my next 6 top small school guys:

7. 7)    RANK 165    ADRIAN TRACY/OLB/WILLIAM & MARY/6’3/245
   

8. 8)    RANK  168    NATHAN OVERBAY/TE/E. WASHINGTON/65/260
   

9. 9)    RANK 171   JOIQUE BELL/RB/WAYNE STATE/5’11/220
   

10. 10)   RANK 173    TONY WASHINGTON/OT/ABILENE CHRISTIAN/6’6/310
    

4/01/2010    Let’s switch gears a bit and talk about a common phenomenon that takes place during any NFL DRAFT; over-Drafting. This is basically the occurrence of players showing enough between the end of the college football season and the DRAFT to convince Personnel People that they are better, and have more Pro potential than game film on them would indicate. There is no specific formula to the phenomenon and it can happen anywhere from Round 1 until the final Pick of the process. Here are five players who I think may be only weeks away from earning some serious cash, but never living up to their presently perceived value once in the League.

    JARRETT BROWN/QB/WEST VIRGINIA/6’3/225        BROWN didn’t see the field very often until his Senior season because of PAT WHITE’s presence in Morgantown for the previous 4 years.  So the first thing you hear people say when he does something poorly is that he just lacks reps and experience. And then there is that cannon arm that he has, he can throw it as far, and effortlessly as anyone else coming out this year at the QB position, and more so than most. He is also athletic and can roll and run his way to yardage, or just buying time for receivers to come open. And yes I know that he completed just over 63% of his throws this year. But for me think the telling stat is his 11 TD passes, to 9 INT. I don’t think he sees more than half the field on any given play. Some of that can be improved with coaching and experience, but if this guy is Drafted any earlier than Round 4 someone is desperate, and/or fooling themselves.

    RILEY COOPER/WR/FLORIDA/6’3/222           TIM TEBOW’s favorite receiver, and roommate is getting a lot more love by some than I can rationalize from what I have seen of the guy. He’s not a bad receiver, and has a chance to be a No.3 or more likely, No.4 wideout in the NFL, if he doesn’t change his mind and head back to baseball after all. he was far from the highest energy guy during practices in Mobile and is certainly not possessing of the speed or quickness to gain lots of separation against NFL Corners. He snared 51 balls from his Roomie, but over 14 games thats a whopping average of 3 catches per game. And before you start blaming TEBOW’s throwing, let me tell in the 8 Gator games I watched he easily dropped two throws per game. I’m not sure he does a good job of locating the ball in the air and catching it over his shoulder. He’s a Day Three Pick for me, but I have sen him slotted well into the TOP 100 Prospects on way too many lists, by guys whose opinion I respect.

    DORIN DICKERSON/TE/PITT/6’2/225           The first thing that should get your attention is a guy listed at 6’2/226 being a serious NFL TE prospect. And he pretty much proved in Mobile that he is not quick or fast enough to be a WR in the Pro game. he hit the radar by finally seeing the field as a starter for the Panthers as a senior, but folks he only caught 49 balls. He is going to be no more than an H-B/slot receiver in the NFL. And by the way he is not even quite a full 6’2”. He doesn’t fit anywhere as a  full time performer. In the right NFL Offensive scheme he can be a nice art time receiving piece, and might be a decent Special Teams performer.  But I do not see the hot prospect that multiple Draft Analysts are putting as high as a Round 2 selection. DICKERSON could end up being one of the biggest reaches in this DRAFT by some team.

    JACOBY FORD/WR/RS/CLEMSON/5’9/185        The love affair began back in Mobile, when LIONS HC JIM SCHWARTZ referred to FORD as short but not small. He said FORD was a tough guy with football smarts. Then the love affair really blossomed when he ran a blazing 4.28/40 in Indy. But folks he is a track athlete. He’s fast, but also has almost perfect technique for the straight line sprinting that is required in the 40. He just doesn’t play that fast in pads. He led CLEMSON with catches, but his total was only 56 in 13 games. And he only found his way to End Zone 6 times as a receiver, all season. In other words put him in pads, with 21 other guys running around and his effectiveness diminishes. And the NFL is still almost bereft of 5’9” WRs, in great part because it is hard for QBs to find them in all the traffic. FORD is another player I see on lots of TOP 100 lists, and if he goes before the 4th or 5th Rounds some team will be disappointed in the value they got the Pick at the end of the 2010 season.

   

    TORELL TROUP/DT/CENTRAL FLORIDA/6’3/315            I got a chance to see a lot of TROUP during my week in Orlando for the shrine game. I came away from the practices with the feeling that he might more than just a guy, with a decent mix of mobility, strength and size. But then on game day I saw more of what I had seen in two games during the 2009 season. He moves around pretty well for his size, but he doesn’t get into the action much, other than being the last man on the pile. He is also not particularly stout at the point of attack and can be moved off the line. He can hold his own in a rotation system, as a Tackle in a 4-3 scheme, and not much more. He’s a Round 5 guy with a good chance to make an NFL team, but I am seeing his name on some lists as a Friday Pick. That’s just too soon for what this player brings to the field folks.

    Every one of these players will likely make an NFL roster next fall. But my point is that if they go in the first Three Rounds where some are projecting them, they will not present good value for the slot at which they are selected, and much more productive pro players will be chosen well after them. Value for the Pick is a big deal at DRAFT time.

3/08/2010    The COMBINE is now in the rear view mirror, and Pro Days are well underway. So for the time being this segment will become a daily (or so) section that covers whatever topics of note I think are worth sharing my thoughts with you on. So here we go...

        Just listening to a few folks talk about the current 7-Round DRAFT over the weekend I wanted to make a simple observation that in reality right now the NFL DRAFT is really an 8 Round affair, with a twist. Under the expiring CBA the NFL is empowered to award as many as 32 Compensatory Draft Choices. Last year the DRAFT concluded with RYAN SUCCOP/K at Pick number 256. Divide that number by the total of 32 teams that comprise the NFL and it comes out to be the equivalent of 8 RoundsThe catch is that not all teams get that extra PIck, and others get multiple extra selections. And even though we know that the awarding of these Compensatory Picks is to help teams that lose more than their “share” of VFA players, good luck if you are trying to determine an exact formula used to award the Picks. So for what it’s worth there’s today’s little DRAFT tidbit for you.

    As I hope you are all aware, I recently posted my updated REGARDLESS of POSITION Prospect List in PDF form at this website; http://www.pigskinpaul.com/Pigskin_Pauls_Place/Home/Home_files/REGARDLESS%202010%20DRAFT%20FEB-10.pdf . Even though Drafting sequence never follows this specific pattern (for multiple reasons) it serves as a basis for guesstimating team player selections based on relative estimated value. As I have stated on multiple occasions having such a list to work from is essential for draftniks as the end of April approaches.

    Using my current list I’d like to rearrange the information and give you some idea of how strong particular position groups are for the 2010 DRAFT. Here are the number of Players by Position, that I expect to go in Round 1 this year.

QB/2/BRADFORD & CLAUSEN

RB/3/SPILLER, MATHEWS & BEST

WR/3/BRYANT, TATE & BENN

TE/1/GRESHAM

OT/5/OKUNG, BULAGA, A. DAVIS, T. WILLIAMS & CAMPBELL

G/C/2/IUPATI & POUNCEY

DE/4/PIERRE-PAUL, MORGAN, DUNLAP & ODRICK

DT/4/SUH, McCOY, D. WILLIAMS & CODY

LB/3/McCLAIN, KINDLE & WEATHERSPOON

CB/2/HADEN & K. WILSON

S/3/BERRY, T. MAYS &  E. THOMAS

    Now, just as an added summary how about  illustrating just the straight numbers by Position for the TOP 100 PLayers, which basically represents the first three rounds of the DRAFT this year.

QB    7

RB    9

WR    14

TE    6

OL    13

DE    8

DT    7

LB    15

CB    12

S        9

    If we assume that my player value projections are fairly accurate (I certainly do), I think we can make a couple of DRAFT advisory observations for teams that use need as a serious component of their overall Drafting process (which has become more significant in recent years).

    Be careful not to over-Draft those QBs based on value and need. I do not see an absolute Franchise QB in this year’s prospects because of a combination of injury questions, college spread offenses and of course individual talent. I am being generous with my QB projection just because of the value of the position in the Offense first, current NFL.

    RB value has changed greatly in the past few years. Franchise, workhorse RBs are not readily available, nor an absolute necessity for most teams in today’s NFL. Most teams go with a RB-by-committee approach placing different value on different skills. Thus, we have some smaller RBs, like DEXTER McCLUSTER who have high value as the change-of-pace speedster, as well as the dangerous return man. Thus not as many RBs go early a like a decade ago.

    If a team does not get an OL prospect early, like Round One, the pickings get slim. These positional “runs” have become more commonplace in today’s NFL. As you can see above, I am expecting more than half of the TOP 100 OL to go in he first 30 Picks of this DRAFT.

    The positional “run” concept  also comes into play with the DL group. Of my TOP 100 DL selections, more than half of them come in Round 1 as well. Part of the rationale here is pretty basic, and intertwines within both ‘big ugly’ groups. If you have a top QB you have got to get talented OL prospects to protect him. If your opponents have a top tier QB you’d better have a DL that can pressure him into mistakes and turnovers.

    Even though I only see 3 LBs in Round 1, I have 15 of them projected to go in the TOP 100. That is the most of any position group. Almost half of these players will have spent most of their college careers as DEs with their hand on the ground. But because of their smaller size, and the proliferation of NFL defenses switching to 3-4 schemes, their athleticism is in high demand. Most teams are logically reluctant to draft a player in Round 1 who has to make a positional change, but they have to roll the dice on these conversion ‘projects’ sooner rather than later, before the supply runs out.

    It is a real rarity that more players at the S position are likely to be First Rounders than CBs. This year will be the exception to the rule because of the elite talent levels of BERRY/MAYS/THOMAS. But after Round 1 the CB position will dominate the Second & Third Rounds.

    The WR position lacks the normal number of premier players, thus the relatively low number of 3 First Rounders. But because of the League-wide demands of pass oriented Offenses, receivers must be secured in large numbers. And so a position high 11 WRs may go in Rounds 2 & 3.

       We can look at some of these patterns and projections again, and in more detail as April rolls around. For now this gives you Draftniks another angle to look at.

       

     COMBINE PLUS TWO        I’ve had a little more time to reflect on what transpired over the past week in Indy and would like to throw some more info and thoughts at you as a sort of post COMBINE report. Let’s take a look at one player, at each position group who I think helped themselves the most. I’m not saying any of these guys is the best at their position, just that they possibly gained the most from their 3 days in Indy.

    Those are my guys. The list is endless of players helping themselves at the COMBINE, and no doubt other players will have to recover some credibility on their Pro Days, but these guys are among the prime reasons why the COMBINE is so useful to the NFL in their prospect evaluation process each year.

   DAY FOUR    The final day of on-field drills has come and gone and everyone has left the house in Indy. Before we get to some impressions of the DB groups work, I want to add my voice to the chorus of observers who feel there appears to have been some glitches in the timing mechanisms used in 40-yard dash. There were some serious discrepancies in hand-times and electronic times on more than a few Prospects, and I do not mean TAYLOR MAYS. Let’s just say I am not as secure as usual about the exactness of all the posted Official Times that the NFL put out there for public consumption.

        If the timing machines were not a bit messed up, then this year’s class of Prospects is considerably slower than those of the past 3 years (which I doubt in principle).  BRANDON GHEE/WAKE FOREST recorded the fastest 40-time at the COMBINE,  and a S was faster than him. Speaking of GHEE for a moment let’s give some love here, even if I am really not sure I think he’s the fastest CB Prospect out there. GHEE has really elevated his Draft stock for those paying close attention. He looked very solid in Mobile, and carried that momentum over to Indy. The biggest problem that I have with GHEE is that for his size and speed, I have a hard time understanding why a guy with 10 1/2” hands has only one college career INT. So he is not a game-changer, but he sure looks like he could be a solid second CB who will come up to support the run. He is getting close to being a lock in the late 2nd Round and is a guy that I feel fits the PACKERS profile for their Corners.

        Let me give you the name of an up and coming S Prospect, who could be a real steal in the last 2 Rounds of the DRAFT: LUCIENNE ANTOINE/S/OKLAHOMA STATE. He’s a big physical athlete whom MAYOCK began referring to as KIMBO SLICE during running Tuesday. ANTOINE is pretty unrefined as a S, but has all the physical tools to develop with solid NFL coaching. He should be a star on Special Teams as a Rookie. He ran a very respectable 4.63/40 for a 215-pounder. He also showed his upper body strength with a position group leading 28 reps in the Bench Press; more than the majority of LBs were able to produce. He came out of the Juco ranks and only started as a Senior for Okie State.

        Probably one of he more disappointing performers during drill work was MYRON ROLLE/S/FLORIDA STATE. AFter looking at some of his numbers, especially the 40-time of 4.67, perhaps we can better understand only 1 INT during his three years as a starter for the Seminoles. Truth be told he just doesn’t appear to be quite the athlete that almost everyone assumed he would be. My guess is that he is now an early Day Three Draftee (Round 4/5) and no lock to start in the NFL. If that is the case I have to really wonder how long before he ends his football career to head back to Med School, which is he stated long-term career path.

        If you read my stuff consistently you certainly realize that i am a very strong proponent of some Drill changes and adaptations for the COMBINE. Watching the DBs work out I came to the conclusion that this is a group for whom I would like to propose a new drill be added: the 20-yard back pedal. In most defensive schemes the most important initial skill for a CB is to be able to backpedal with his receiver as long as possible, because it keeps both the receiver and the QB in his line of sight. When the route is deemed to be determined, or separation is gained the CB uses his hip rotation and straight line speed to avoid being beaten deep. So let’s see how fast these guys, both CB & S, can run backwards for 20-yards. What think ye, DEION?

        With apologies to MIKE MAYOCK, and a few others trying to hype the Pro potential of /TEXAS as the best S Prospect for the 2010 DRAFT, let me please compare the numbers differential between he and my guy, ERIC BERRY/TENNESSEE.

BERRY        6’0/211         4.47/40    43” VERTICAL   10’10” Broad Jump (1st)

THOMAS    5’10/208        4.49/40    not TOP 10        not Top 10

        They are arguably the best all-around S Prospects this year, but I just don’t see where THOMAS ranks ahead of BERRY in any conceivable category. MIKE MAYOCK, I will grant you that THOMAS is a better S Prospect than TAYLOR MAYS, but not BERRY. And I think the COMBINE confirms that differentiation.

        Talk about a guy who is really putting the full-court press on the personnel folks with his continued display of raw  athleticism, how about CHRIS COOK/CB/VIRGINIA. You just don’t see guys who are 6’2/212, turn in 40-times like his 4.46 which was the third fastest for a DB at the proceedings today. Throw in an explosive, Group leading Broad Jump of 11” and you have the attention of almost everyone. This comes on top of a solid week in Mobile, where JIM SCHWARTZ admitted that he was impressed with the footwork and flexibility of COOK at his size. the biggest ed flag on COOK is the fact that he was academically ineligible for his Junior season as a CAVALIER. Conversations between Personnel People and AL GROH will go a long way in determining how high up the Draft Boards COOK can rise by the end of April.

        A big boo and a hiss to RICH EISEN for derailing a potentially interesting discussion started by MAYOCK & DEION Relative to the issue of Declared Underclassmen being allowed to participate in College All-Star Games sometime soon. Before they could even get into details of their rationale and proposed inclusion method, RICH jumps in on his perception of the need for a D1 PLay-Off system, rather than the current BCS system. I am not a big fan of the BCS concept, but it has nothing to do with the COMBINE, All-Star Games and getting more prospects on the field each year in January. RICH don’t be so A.D.D. with your thought patterns. During COMBINE workouts I was more interested in the Underclassmen conversation than another Play-Off rambling. Stay on topic and task Mr. EISEN.

        Now a big cheer for RICH with his continued attempt to run a sub-6 seconds 40-yard Dash. AS a guy now in his fifties, and running with a suit on he is doing quite well in his attempt to better his times each year. Maybe more importantly, he is providing us all with some highly entertaining viewing when the ‘simalcam’ process shows his rub vis-a-vis some of the COMBINE participants. That is very entertaining television my friends. RICH before you get too old though, please shed the suit next year and give it a real go to break that 6-second mark in some sweats or shorts. The clock of age is ticking my friend, and you window of opportunity is closing.

         

    DAY THREE    The Defense took over the field of LUCAS OIL STADIUM today. A huge group of DL took the field this morning. A record size group with over 60 players in it, even with some participation sit-outs. Besides the huge, record number it got even more confusing comparing player performances because I estimate that at least 15 of the DL listed will earn their NFL pay as LBs. But will save that philosophical issue for another day. Here re some observations that occurred to me during the seemingly endless hours of drill work.

        Some truly amazing size measurements from CLIFTON GEATHERS/DE/SOUTH CAROLINA, who is no doubt a project for some NFL team. His size and length, along with NFL bloodlines (remember another GEATHERS nicknamed JUMPY) would seem to make him a worthwhile project for some team, looking for a disruptive, pass rusher for their 4-3 scheme. He looks like a Tree-Ent when he stretches out those 37 3/4” arms atop his 6’7”, 299 lb. frame. Uncle JUMPY piled up 62 career sacks as a part-time starter over 14 NFL seasons. NFL personnel People and Coaches who remember JUMPY will be mighty tempted to give this young man a try.

        I’ll bet a lot of NFL Personnel People are also scratching their heads trying to sort through information gathered from psychological profile tests, Wonderlic scores and interview results of one GREG HARDY/DE/OLE MISS. HARDY has a long dossier filled with discipline and injury issues during his years in Oxford, MS. But watching the physical specimen work out and on game film makes him hard to ignore. He is physically gifted and has a knack for getting to the QB. Now that he weighs 279 lbs., he looks like the prototype of what a 4-3 DE in the NFL should look like. We’ll know in April how those off the field evaluations came out by how early, or late, he is selected.

        Here is the perfect example of why the NFL tries to make sure almost all Declared UnderCLassmen get invited to the COMBINE every year: LINVAL JOSEPH/DT/EAST CAROLINA. JOSEPH didn’t exactly cause a Scouting uproar when his name appeared on the NFL’s official list for DRAFT inclusion in January. But I can guarantee you that about half the teams in the League will be scurrying to find more game tape of him when they get back home this Wednesday. JOSEPH has looked the part of a future NFL player from the time he was measured through his performance today on the field. LINVAL ,\measured in at 6’4”/328 lbs., with 10” hands and 34 1/2” long arms. He really got peoples’ attention when he put up 39-reps in the Bench Press with those long arms. He didn’t blow anyone away today in drills, but he certainly did not embarrass himself either. Take out the numbers of the DE/OLB types and he held his own. Watch for his stock to rise as teams give his college career closer scrutiny over the next month-plus.

        His numbers were good, though not great, and i continue to be amazed what a fluid player in space A. J. EDDS/OLB/IOWA is. His feet and hips look just as flexible and fluid as many of the S position players in Indy. I finally picked up on his athleticism in the passing game watching IOWA in their Bowl Game. He looked very good in his work in Mobile a month ago.

In today’s NFL with the transition from running to passing as the center point of Offenses, his skill should be in high demand. He also has displayed good hands and the ability to break on the ball. For a team in need of his skill set EDDS might go as high as Round 3.

        I want to touch for a moment on the TROY TWINS: BRANDON LANG & CAMERON SHEFFIELD. Everyone playing Front-7 Defense for TROY has to stand in the shadow of DeMARCUS WARE and neither of these guys is even close to that level. But they both have the potential to have nice NFL careers, but i won’t have either one ranked in my TOP 100 Regardless of Position. But it is now clear that their careers will be at different positions.

        I noticed at the Senior Bowl that LANG had added weight to his frame and looked to be projecting his future as a DE, with pass-rush capabilities, but from a hand on the ground position. His  numbers in Indy have confirmed the wisdom. m of this move on his part. He is not enough of an athlete to play with his hand up, but fits in well with his hand down. If he can add another few pounds to his current 266, he should be able to gain the strength needed to hold up in the running game.

        Conversely, SHEFFIELD showed enough athleticism and body flexibility to make the conversion to OLB in a 3-4 scheme. But he did not show any particular physicals skills that stood out during his time in Indy. My translation is that he should be a Round 4 Draftee, who will make his money on Special Teams for a year or two while he learns the nuances of the stand-up Lb position.

        A young man who has come a long way, after missing almost all of the 2008 season with a serious injury, is JEFF OWENS/DT/GEORGIA. He is a very strong 6’1/305 lb. inside force, who shows better athleticism than you might think when you look at his body. He actually successfully fielded a Punt during warm-ups during a Senior Bowl practice. He clearly demonstrated his functional strength with 44-reps in the Bench Press, falling just one short of the COMBINE leading total of MITCH PETRUS. He looks to be an ideal fit for a 4-3 Defense lining up over the Center. And his footwork is better than you might expect. His work here makes me think he is very close to sliding into the TOP 100 Picks for the team in need of his specific skills. For me, he is a guy moving up at the right time... just before the DRAFT.

        He’s going to need some time and hard work to make the conversion, but from what I have seen the past few days DEXTER DAVIS/E/LB/ARIZONA STATE  has the athleticism to convert to an OLB for a 3-4 scheme. Given his energy, and pass-rush production as a Sun Devil that change is encouraging for Pro Personnel People. DAVIS ran the fastest 40-time (4.64) for the DL Group. But more importantly that time would have still placed him in the Top 5 in the LB Group. He also posted Top 10 numbers with a 7.08-second 3-Cone, and a 4.30-second 20-yard Shuttle. Those are important numbers when trying to project the physical flexibility to turn and run in coverage as a LB. DAVIS will have a lot of work to do to make the full-time conversion, and will need to fit a 3-4 scheme, most likely, but at least he should now have his name listed as a solid mid-Round prospect.

        For a guy who played the 2009 College season 10-lbs. overweight, and who looked heavy legged SEAN WEATHERSPOON/LB/MISSOURI has made a lot of progress getting himself back into the First Round of the 2010 DRAFT. He looks right in his current 6’1/239 body, and his numbers in Indy confirm that. His large hands (10 1/4”) and over 30” arms  explain his ability to rack up INTs at the college level. He also displayed strength with his 34 Bench Press reps. His 4.68/40 tied him for 8th place amongst LBs, and his 40” Vertical was second best. So what we see is a strong but explosive athlete. I am also convinced he hit a HR with most teams during his interviews. He was exuberant and verbal, and is a natural locker room leader.

        As Day Three of workouts conclude I cannot think of a player who has helped himself as a prospect over the past month than JAMAR CHANEY/ILB/MISSISSIPPI STATE. He started the positive momentum with a solid week of work in MObile, which culminated in his performance as the leading tackler for the game. THen he rolled into Indy and Bench Pressed 26 reps to rank in the Top 10 for the group. Monday he went out and flashed surprising speed running a 4.54/40 to lead all LB Prospects, including the normally faster OLB candidates.  He had the 5th fastest 3-cone time in his group, and posted a Top 7 39” Vertical. Once we get past ROLANDO McCLAIN, I can’t name you a more impressive performer listed as an ILB in this upcoming DRAFT. Great work JAMAR CHANEY!

        I would be very curious to see what the Medical Reports say about SEAN LEE/LB/PENN STATE when teams get them next week. We’ll get an idea in late April because based in his work in Indy he should be off the Board before the 3rd Round is completed. Other than his 37.5” Vertical (7th best LB) he didn’t blow up his numbers, but conversely he didn’t hurt himself with his testing. I would also be willing to bet a few pennies that he aced his interviews and Wonderlic Test. Bt what impressed me for a guy coming back from a knee injury, and a few other nicks, was how fluid he looked in drills and his ability to pivot and turn his hips. He could be following in the recent pattern of Nittany Lions who will be better pros in a couple of season than many think, once they are a bit further removed from their college surgeries, ala PUZ & CONNER the past two DRAFTS. The medical staffs around the League will have some tough evaluations to hand in on this guy.

        JUst a side note on PENN STATE LBs... PSU used to known around the NFL as LB U, and they have been trending back toward that status in recent years. Although they won’t come close to the Trojans’ mark of placing LBs in the TOP 38 Picks last year, it is possible that three Nittany Lion LBs could get Drafted this April. NAVORRO BOWMAN looks like a solid R2 Pick, with LEE a R3/4 guy if his medical reports come back OK. The real surprise is that former walk-on JOSH HULL has looked more athletic than most of us thought in El Paso ad in Indy. HULL now looks like he could sneak into R6/7 to complete the PENN STATE trifecta.

       

   DAY TWO        The Offensive skill players did their thing today and in many ways it was quite a show. Near the end of the day their was some lightly veiled inference from some of the NFL Network experts on whether or not the timing machines (which had malfunctioned several times on the day) were inflating the numbers on the 40-yard dash, by as much as a tenth of a second. That would be a big discrepancy on numbers that run to hundredths of seconds.

        Some of the decision makers for NFL Network tried to make this another TEBOW gabfest, love-fest day much to the dismay of some members of the broadcast crew. After about the umpteenth different debate, this one with latecomer Coach Mooch, MIKE MAYOCK finally piped in that he was done with debating TEBOW for the day. Way to go Mike, and here’s hoping you don’t get into trouble with your bosses for finally calling for an end to the boring, repetitive dribble.

        After checking in a little bit shorter than anticipated at 5’10, GOLDEN TATE/WR/NOTRE DAME hit the jackpot with a much faster than expected 40-time. He ran two consecutive ‘unofficial’ times of 4.40, before being credited with an official number of  4.42, which tied him for the third fastest WR speed of the day.  He also looked good catching the ball in drills. It was a day to cement his place in Round One come April.

        For me the biggest surprise of the day was probably the athleticism displayed by BRANDON LONG/WR/LOUISVILLE. I was very disappointed with LONG’s performance in Texas v. Nation, when he failed to catch anything that wasn’t in his hands, and uncontested by a defender. His performance was dismal in my opinion. In the tradition of NFL Personnel Departments, I am going to watch the game video again shortly after the COMBINE.

        LONG was an absolute monster in shorts today. He was a molded 6’2/216 workout warrior. He ran a solid 4.46-40, after pumping the iron a group leading 20 times the day before. He finished first in the Vertical with a jump of 41.5”, as well as capturing the top spot in he 3-Cone drill @ 6.45 seconds. Now it’s up to Personnel folks to decide how high to take this player, who showed more in shorts than he ever did in pads. Such is often the dilemma after the COMBINE.

       JACOBY FORD/WR/RS/CLEMSON continued to raise his stock this year. He posted the fastest time of the COMBINE so far, with only the CB group left, at 4.28 seconds. He was the only WR to break the magic 4.40 mark to show you how much he outraced his competition. This  speed display comes on the heels of the high praise he received for his efforts during Senior Bowl Week. At one Press Conference Coach JIM SCHWARTZ (who was reserved in his praise of individual players) was effusive in his praise of FORD’s work. He was emphatic that FORD was short, but did not play small. He specifically referred to FORD ‘s toughness and strength as a receiver.

        I suppose I could be accused of being narrow minded if I did not mention the solid body of work posted by TIM TEBOW the athlete, though he insisted he would save his throwing until his Pro Day. He ran the fastest QB 40 @ 4.72 seconds. e had the best Vertical @ 38.5” and had the second best Broad Jump for QBs at 9’7”. What really blew a lot of watchers away was his 6.66 seconds 3-Cone drill, which not only led all QB, but was faster than any RB was able to post.

        He reconfirmed what a special athlete he is, but as MAYOCK pointed out, before he got tired of arguing a suddenly unpopular cause, it will be years and lots of adjustments to his footwork and throwing motion before he is ready to be an NFL starting QB.

        I had hoped to get a read on whether or not ARMANTI EDWARDS/QB/ATH/APPALACHIAN STATE, might have a chance to be this year’s PAT WHITE. Obviously, having worked at a lower level of competition than WHITE, I have no delusions that he could sneak up into Round 2 or even 3, but I thought perhaps he could be a very early Day 3 selection. I’ll have to use other methods to gauge that however. NFL Network was too enamored with TEBOW and FORD and some other higher profile guys to give us very much of a rundown on EDWARDS’ work. Oh well... so it goes.

        I thought that JEVAN SNEAD/QB/OLE MISS acquitted himself well today. Gotta love those full size 10” hands. he laos got specific praise from MAYOCK while throwing some deep-outs to WR Group. It didn’t hurt him that he did check in at 6’3/219 lbs. Hs 33” Vertical gave an indication that he has leg strength to step into throw and get some power on the ball. He can roll the pocket, but don’t expect him to be much of a runner, based on some pretty pedestrian 40 and Cone drill times. Conversely, he had a 20-yd Shuttle time equal to that of RB/RYAN MATHEWS.

        When I redo my Regardless List at the end of the week I will be taking JAMES STARKS/RB/BUFFALO off my injury question-mark list and giving him a TOP 100  slot. He had an outstanding body of work in his first action since last Spring (not counting Performance Camp). He ran a solid 4.50/40 at 218 lbs. He didn’t blow any drills away but he got his name in the Top 10 of almost every drill list for the RB Group. His big hands (9 1/2”) and arm length (33 3/4”) are very impressive assuming he will have to catch the ball coming out of the backfield some in the NFL. If he gets past Day Two in April, he will be a great bargain for some NFL team.

        I think TOBY GERHART/RB/STANFORD answered more than a few questions with his workouts in Indy. His 2 reps in the Bench press ranked 4th amongst RB. Hid 40-time was below 4.60, which is very good for a guy weighing 231 lbs. His 38” Vertical ranked 7th among his peers, and he nailed 9’ 10” in the Broad Jump. He showed good hands in some of the receiving drills, which is not a surprise for an OF o the STANFORD baseball team. I think he should be a late R1 Draftee, which will probably not happen. But i think when all is said and done he can bring LARRY JOHNSON style and ability to some NFL team. And, most importantly, with a very positive attitude and personality.

        If you weren’t paying attention today reality hit the Smurf Corps of RB/Rs/WR who have been hyped beyond belief over the past few months: DEXTER McCLUSTER, BRANDON BANKS, BRANDON JAMES. None of these guys turned in the blazing 40-times that some expected. They also showed their limitations as receivers as well with their small hands trying to wrap around that big NFL ball. Their numbers in general were not bad, but they were by-and-large not elite ether. My take is that none of these guys demonstrated that they can contribute enough to an NFL team ti justify being Drafted until Day Three. But i do think DEXTER ay get over-picked by someone in Round 3.

            Interesting little tidbit picked up on ERIC DECKER/WR/MINNESOTA in an interview with the Media at the COMBINE, was his statement that he is aiming for a football career, not one in baseball. That issue has been an ongoing concern of mine in evaluating DECKER. Now the big issue is that he needs one more procedure on his injured foot to remove a pin that was placed in there during his initial operation. That means teams will have to make Draft Day decisions him based on film, not workouts. As a result he could slip into Day 3, and be quite a value for some NFL team, assuming he recovers fully from his injury.

  DAY ONE          Ok, I’ve been away for a couple of days, primarily doing some COMBINE blogging with the folks from Railbird Central and Cheesehead Nation. How about if I share with you some some observations and opinions from the first couple of days of interviews, measurements & early workouts in INDY.

        I just heard that MT. CODY  weighed in at 354 lbs. If that is true he has done himself a big favor since Mobile and is back into the late First Round. For a 3-4 team (and now that’s almost half the NFL) a big dominant NT is essential to defensive success. Congrats to his handlers for keeping him in bed at night and away from late night trips to fast food spots since Senior Bowl week.

           I have no problem with COLT McCOY not throwing at this COMBINE, but I can’t help but notice that he came in at under 6’2” tall. It’s not the end of the world, just ask BREES, but the 6’3 number from last fall was more impressive from the NFL blueprint.

          The star of Saturday morning at the COMBINE has been BRUCE CAMPBELL/OT/MARYLAND. That is not a surprise. The line on him was great physical tools, and NFL star potential, but inconsistent play on the field during his brief playing career in college. You can see his numbers at nfl.com, but he was athletic enough that the early line has to be that DARTH DAVIS could grab him in the Top 10. Then he could join his ex-teammate HEYWARD-BEY who was a shock Top 10 Pick last year to everyone except DARTH.

        Also as expected, TRENT WILLIAMS/OT/OKLAHOMA has looked  really good on the field doing drills and running his 40. But did you notice that he was near the bottom of the OL Group when it came to the Bench Press. His arms are long, but not that long. I still have questions about his dedication and intensity with pads on.But he shows enough to still be a likely First Rounder.

        For a guy rehabbing a bad shoulder, nice work on the part of SAM BRADFORD/QB/OKLAHOMA coming in at 236 lbs. on his 6’4” frame.  When there are questions about a player’s durability like there are with him after last season it’s a good thing to come in bigger than expected. He looks very impressive walking around in his new frame.

        I was very concerned, if not shocked, when I saw TONY PIKE/QB/CINCINNATI at theWeigh-In in Mobile and he flashed the scales at 212 lbs. For a guy almost a full 6’6” tall that was a scary number, and he looked frail. The Nutritionists at his Performance Camp have obviously done a nice job dealing with that issue. He’s up to 223 in Indy. In another dozen pounds he’ll look like he can hold up in an NFL pocket.

        Back injuries are a nuisance, at the least, and that is going to be a major issue regarding the prospect standing of RON GRONKOWSKI/TE/ARIZONA, but his physical measurements really have the attention of Pro Personnel people again after his check-in numbers. At a full 6’6”/264, with 10 3/4” hands & 34 1/4” long arms, he has monster tools to work with. He is almost an indisputable First Rounder based on size and skills, but that back issue is the wild card.

        Lots of people are showering the love on SELVISH CAPERS/OT/WEST VIRGINIA after watching him in shorts and seeing his measurables. I agree he has lots of potential, but it is going to be a while before he is ready to start in the NFL. He was overmatched more often than not in Mobile, and looked like a swinging gate at times in pass-pro drills. For me his spot in the first 3 Rounds is not guaranteed at this point, unless a good team that can afford to wait on his size and skills to develop tales him on potential.

        I am most anxious to watch TOBY GERHART/RB/STANFORD work out tomorrow. I am higher on him than many people, and his initial numbers have been really exceptional. He checked in at 6’0/231, with 32” long arms & 9 5/8” wide hands. I am anxious to see him run and jump to see if he can impress others as much as he has me. Will he be a victim of profiling on the part of NFL Personnel Departments?!

        A little bit disappointed in some of the initial weigh-in numbers on GOLDEN TATE/WR/RS/NOTRE DAME. The biggest flag is the height measurement of only 510” tall. He’ll need to run well and look explosive in shorts to protect his current status as a sure fire First Rounder. See you on Sunday GOLDEN.

        DORIN DICKERSON/TE/HB/PITT is going to be a mystery man on DRAFT DAY 2010. He can’t play a standard TE role at 6’2/226, but his athleticism and speed is exceptional. For a team that uses an HB on a regular basis in their standard Offensive design he could go as early as Round 3. He catches very well and has 9 3/4” hands. His 34” arms are also impressive for his overall size. His 40-time is the best in the TE Group (at 4.40) for the TE group, and in fact would place second amongst the WR Group. But based on his work in Mobile he loses some effectiveness when split out side. He’s a really good athlete, pure and simple.

        Going on the premise that an OL who is athletic enough to excel as an OT in college should have no problem moving inside for his Pro career, I think MARSHALL NEWHOUSE/OL/TCU made the first step toward being Drafted in the first half of the 2010 NFL DRAFT. Two days ago I din’t even have him on my Top 300 Regardless list. I thought he looked to stiff and mechanical based on what I saw of him during practices at the Shrine Game in Orlando. And then he started putting up some nice numbers at the COMBINE. He still has to master the skills needed at OG, but his numbers in Indy certainly indicate that he is a nice athlete for a man who stands 6’4 and weighs 319 lbs. He has large hands (10 1/4”) and long arms (34”). He had the fastest 3-Cone Drill of any OL in town, was 3rd in the 20-yd Shuttle and ran the 3rd best 40-time at 5.00 seconds. I never saw those numbers coming from this guy. It all tells me that he may need some Pro Coaching to improve his blocking skills, but he is an exceptional athlete for an inside-OL. I will be slotting him solidly into the DRAFTABLE range on my Regardless List after the COMBINE concludes.

        TONY WASHINGTON/OT/ABILENE CHRISTIAN touted early as a small school player with pro potential put up the kind of numbers he needed to during his stay here. He has nice body size (6’6/311) with long arms (35 1/2”) that Pro personnel People look for when looking to fill the OT position. He showed his athleticism by placing near the top of several drill lists. His 33 reps in the Bench Press were impressive for a guy with such long arms. He led all OL with his broad Jump of 9’6” and was 6th in the 3-Cone Drill. He could very well be on his way into Day Two of the DRAFT.

       With all the measurements in and the work-outs over for the OL Group it seems pretty clear that a First Round run on theOT position will indeed start early in April. OKUNG, BULAGA, CAMPBELL, TRENT WILLIAMS, ANTHONY DAVIS now look like they could be gone before the DRAFT gets out of the teens. But then the drop-off starts with probably only two guys, in CHARLES BROWN & JARED VELDHEER, with a chance to be taken in Round 2 as pure OT candidates.

        If you will recall PIGSKIN PAUL was very impressed with the Senior Bowl Week work of JOHN JERRY/OLE MISS with his switch from OT to OG. While JERY had marginal footwork and strength at the OT slot, he was an athletic mauler on the inside, in both passing and running situations. He did nothing to hurt his progress in Indy. MAYOCK mentioned his footwork and athleticism several times on Saturday.  It is also worth noting that his 40-time ranked 7th best amongst the 47 OL at the COMBINE. He could have a couple of NFL teams who employ a power running scheme looking for him in Round Two come April.

        There may not be a players who has improved his Draft Stock more than CLAY HARBOR/TE/MISSOURI STATE  who absolutely dominated the TE numbers from start to finish. The small school star showed well in a late appearance at the SHRINE GAME and then in El Paso. But he blew his position group away in Indy. At 6’3/252 his size is not in question. He shows nice hands and is a willing blocker, who should be able to improve that skill set. His 9 1/2” hands wrap around thrown balls quite nicely. His 4.69 40-time was 4th best amongst TEs. He showed his strength by leading all TEs with 30 BP reps. He was second in his group with a 40” Vertical jump. For teams in need of an all-around TE HARBOR is inching close to Day Two of the DRAFT.

            BRUCE CAMPBELL                                                        OL DRILL

02/24/2010        Alrighty then, warm up the stethoscopes and break out the plastic gloves Personnel People, press and a few players are checking into Indy  today in prep for the COMBO. How about some random observations, pinions & rumors about what we are about to see over the next week.

    I’m watching the blogs and media outlets for updates on what additional QBs will be showing up, ostensibly for throwing purposes. There re going to be some extra arms needed given the number of top prospects who can’t or won’t throw during combine workouts. Here is a list of my top ranked QB s and their status as we know it today.

SAM BRADFORD/OKLAHOMA        Still rehabbing shoulder, aiming for Pro Day throwing.

JIMMY CLAUSEN/NOTRE DAME    Toe issues, will not throw, if he shows at all.

COLT McCOY/TEXAS                        Might throw, but still showing affects from Bowl Game dead-arm.

DAN LeFEVOUR/C. MICHIGAN        Has said he will wait until Pro Day to throw.

TONY PIKE/CINCINNATI                   No indication he won’t throw. Chance to be BMOC.

JEVAN SNEAD/OLE MISS                Intends to throw, and this could be big opportunity to regain some luster.

TIM TEBOW/FLORIDA                     Says he’s not showing off his new delivery until Pro Day.

JARRETT BROWN/WEST VIRGINIA    Will display his cannon arm, but can he be accurate all day.

ZAC ROBINSON/OKLAHOMA ST        Scheduled to do his throwing.

SEAN CANFIELD/OREGON STATE    Too much to prove to not throw.

    Those are my current Draftable QB prospects. And in case you weren’t keeping track, if my intel is correct, that means as many as half the Top 10 guys (McCOY is ?) aren’t going to throw a ball in anger over the next week. I am hopeful that three players who I think have some pro potential will be brought into town to bolster the depleted ranks. Those three are:

MATT NICHOLS/E. WASHINGTON

JONATHAN CROMPTON/TENNESSEE

RYAN PERRILOUX/JACKSONVILLE STATE

    RICH EISEN, of NFL Network, tweeted out early this week that a record number of DE prospects are listed as attendees for this year’s COMBINE at 43. In, and of itself, that’s an interesting observation. But before anyone starts prancing around talking about what a dominant DE group the 2010 corps is, please keep in mind that almost half of the group are DEs in a college sense only. I am counting 20 of the 43, as doing the vast majority of their NFL work as LBs. Such is the current state of College-to-NFL player transitions. The thing that RICH failed to mention as part 2 of the discussion is that there are only 20 OLB prospects listed on the invite list.

    To be fair, I want to mention that if you throw the DT group into the mix with those listed DE who will really play with their hand down in the Pros, it is a very strong Draft Class along the DL. In my initial Regardless of Position list (posted 02/23 @

http://www.pigskinpaul.com/Pigskin_Pauls_Place/Home/Home_files/REGARDLESS%202010%20DRAFT%202-17-10.pdf ) I list 7 probable DL Picks in Round 1, and another 5 with Round 2 talent. There is plenty to choose from whether a team needs DL help for a 4-3, or 3-4 scheme.

    Many of you will think I am exaggerating here, but the broken foot of DEMARYIUS THOMAS/WR/GE TECH  creates almost as big of a dilemma for NFL teams as the similar injury to MICHAEL CRABTREE last year. No thomas is/was not going to be a Top 10 Draft Pick, but many folks think a healthy THOMAS would have blown-up the COMBINE with his athleticism and catapulted himself solidly into the mid-late First Round this April.

`    He is an athletic freak, not unlike former-Yellow Jacket CALVIN JOHNSON. The main reason most football fans are not aware of his prowess is that he has been trapped in an option running attack in college under HC PAUL JOHNSON. His main job was to block and be a decoy in the secondary. Many feel, including yours truly, and former college teammate and fellow COMBINE invitee COLIN PEEK/TE/ ALABAMA, he has all the tools to be a premier receiver in the NFL, and will be one hell of a blocker as a bonus.

    Based on those perceptions and the fact that he won’t be able to work out and show his wares before the DRAFT rolls around NFL teams will be bluffing their way through the Draft trying to figure how soon/late they can pull the trigger on this guy and not risk losing him to another team Drafting just behind them if they pass in Round 1 or 2. This is the kind of Catch-22 that drives Pro Personnel People to insomnia during the month of April.

        Did you realize that if either SUH or McCOY goes at the top of the 2010 DRAFT, it will the first time a DT has been taken No. 1 overall since 1994 when the BENGALS selected ‘BIG DADDY’ WILKINSON out of Ohio State?!

       A quick shout-out to SCOTT WRIGHT @ Draft Countdown: What’s the unofficial over/under on a weight number for TERRENCE CODY, Scott?

    Scott set the line just before the weigh-in in Mobile at 360. I took the over by default, but none of us really though he’d weigh more than 360.

                DEMARYIUS THOMAS                            MT. CODY                               BIG DADDY

       

02/22/2010       We’re getting closer and closer to COMBINE time. And the air is filled with rumors, speculation and questions regarding who and what we will, or won’t see over the next week. Here are some thoughts and questions that are rolling around inside my head as we count down to COMBINE time.

    Not to be picking on anyone, but why are the following players listed as COMBINE invitees:

RILEY SKINNER/QB/WAKE FOREST

SCOTT LONG/WR/LOUISVILLE

BOBBY ELDRIDGE/TE/OKLAHOMA

KURTIS GREGORY/OG/MISSOURI

LINVAL JOSEPH/DT/EAST CAROLINA

KYLE BOSWORTH/OLB/UCLA

CODY GRIMM/OLB/S/VA TECH

SAM MAXWELL/OLB/KENTUCKY

MARSHAY GREEN/CB/OLE MISS

DAVID PENDER/CB/PURDUE

LUCIENNE ANTOINE/S/OKLAHOMA STATE

DENNIS ROGAN/S/TENNESSEE

    Conversely, if the above players have been invited to work out, then how could the following dozen have been left off the list of invitees:

THOMAS AUSTIN/C/G/CLEMSON

FREDDIE BARNES/WR/RS/BOWLING GREEN (155 catches as a Senior)

NATE COLLINS/DL/VIRGINIA

KEVIN HASLAM/OT/RUTGERS

CORD HOWARD/OG/GA TECH

DEJI KAREEM/RB/SIU

MICHAEL PALMER/TE/CLEMSON

SERGIO RENDER/OG/VA TECH

NAAMAN ROOSEVELT/WR/BUFFALO

TERRELL SKINNER/S/MARYLAND

PATRICK STOUDAMIRE/CB/W. ILLINOIS

EKOM UDOFIA/DT/STANFORD

   I don’t want to get anal here, because we obviously talking about any players being absent who are expected to be Drafted in the first three rounds, but I don’t think anyone can pretend that they really think the Top 300 players are all scheduled to be present in Indy.

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

    There has been heavy speculation about which players have a chance, and/or need to, improve their DRAFT stock by having solid team interviews. There are indeed some players with serious personal questions to answer but let me remind you all, that each NFL team gets a whopping 15 minutes with up to 60 players during the COMBINE. You’re only going to find out so much about a player in that short of a time period. Especially, when you consider the Agent coaching that goes into rehearsing for that interview process.

    Two names I see on multiple lists are that of RB/LaGARRETTE BLOUNT/OREGON & CHRIS COOK/CB/VIRGINIA. Those two players were both in Mobile a month ago, and the rules are a lot less stringent on who can talk to who and for how long. I would assume that teams with serious interest in those two guys should have done their interview due-diligence while in town for the Senior Bowl.

       Here is my short list of players who will face some serious, albeit brief, questioning regarding some off-the-field questions while they are in Indy.

DEZ BRYANT/WR/OKLAHOMA STATE    BRYANT  missed the second half of the 2009 season after being suspended by the NCAA for lying to them about off-season contact with DEION SANDERS.

CARLOS DUNLAP/DE/FLORIDA    Teams interested in this prototype DE want to hear about what contributed to his arrest for DUI back in December, leading to his suspension from FLORIDA’s Bowl Game.

GREG HARDY/DE/OLE MISS    Once he gets past theX-Ray room questions, teams want to know what makes this great athlete tick, or not tick, some of the time.

MIKE WILLIAMS/WR/SYRACUSE    WILLIAMS missed the entire 2008 season under academic suspension, then left his team a month into the 2009 season. Not everyone is a scholar, but it gets harder every year for “dumb” players to survive in the NFL. WILLIAMS had better convince some people he has a learning disability or conflicts with the ‘CUSE administration.

MYRON ROLLE/FS/FLRIDA STATE    It seems almost ridiculous, but some NFL teams are worried that ROLLE is too smart and has a low commitment level to an NFL career. They will remember ROBERT SMITH retiring early on the VIKINGS to move on with his real life’s work a decade ago. How high do you Draft a guy who may see pro football as a hobby?

        Here’s a short list of smaller-school players who come into the COMBINE riding the wave of positive work during the All-Star Game season. Now its up to them to continue the momentum with solid work in shorts and interviews.

JOIQUE BELL/RB/WAYNE STATE

ANDRE ROBERTS/WR/CITADEL

CLAY HARBOR/TE/HB/MISSOURI STATE

JARED VELDHEER/OT/HILLSDALE

VLAD DUCASSE/OL/UMASS

AUSTEN LANE/DE/MURRAY STATE

ADRIAN TRACY/DE/LB/WM & MARY

DONALD JONES/WR/YOUNGSTOWN STATE

PAT PASCHALL/RB/N DAKOTA STATE

JUNIOR GALETTE/OLB/STILLMAN

            I’ll be back at you tomorrow with some more thoughts and observations just before the COMBINE gets under way.

  2/21/2010     We’re within 60 days (give or take a few hours) of the 2010 COMBINE in Indy. NFL NETWORK will once again have a media stranglehold on the event, but at least we’ll get to see more than we did prior to the NFL’s in-house vehicle coming into existence. Just like many of you, I’ll be watching hours of coverage until the replays blur into my mind and I can’t differentiate the replays from the new. But I’ll keep watching, hoping to get a better feel for the true athleticism of some of these athletes. Even though game tape is still the best gauge of football players, when one is looking for ways to differentiate the 50th Pick from the 70th, some of what we see in the next week or so will add to our knowledge base.

    But in some cases the drills inside the LUCAS/COLTS Dome will not be anywhere near as meaningful as what happens in X-Ray and medical examining rooms when the players first arrive. I currently have 5 players whom I have graded as 100A-E on my Regardless of Position list. They are rated thusly because of some very serious medical questions: some recent, some old. There are many additional players with medical questions going into the COMBINE, but for these 5 I dare not even guess at a general ranking slot until I hear some medical reports from next weeks examinations.

    CARROLL missed the entire 2009 season (see this as a recurring theme) and had just begun to show his skill as a CB during the 2008 season. He broke a leg, which is of course significant for a player who hopes to make his living trying to keep up with elite NFL WRs for a living. But his size, in combination with his pre-injury athleticism, has the attention of Pro Personnel People. If he can pass all his medical exams and show pre-injury athleticism during workouts he could have a chance to be a mid-Round selection with down-the-road NFL starting potential.

    Two seasons ago GRANGER was a more highly thought of prospect than GERALD McCOY. He was the man SOONER opponents had to double team block in the middle of the DL. Then injuries began to accumulate, with the biggest issue being lower back surgery which caused him to miss almost all of the 2009 season. Back surgery is never a good thing, especially when your potential career calling involves battling in the football trenches. His physical in Indy won’t re-establish him as a Top 100 player, no matter how positive the results are. But at this point GRANGER is fighting for a chance to Drafted and to go to Training Camp with an NFL team. His physical and work at the COMBINE is critical to his future o the grass.

    To be honest with you there is no expectation that SCHOFIELD can do anything more than show up for his physical and prove that he has had his knee surgery and is closing in on starting some rehab work sometime soon. SCHOFIELD had a huge Senior season for BUCKY as a pass-rush DE. Then he impressed Scouts with his work in Orlando at the SHRINE GAME, making the transition from DE to OLB. He earned Defensive MVP honors for his performance there. He was also invited to Mobile at the last minute to participate in the Senior Bowl. He tore his knee near the end of his first practice there. The injury appears serious enough to probably wipe out his 2010 season entirely. So in reality the COMBINE really won’t prove anything for SCHOFIELD, other than a chance to impress in the interview process.

    Meet another player who missed his entire senior season after undergoing major shoulder surgery. Shoulder surgery is not a good thing for a RB, especially a between the tackles runner which STARKS primarily is. RBs use their shoulders constantly to delver and absorb blows. Just ask CLINTON PORTIS what part of his body hurts the most after a game on NFL Sunday. Those X-Rays of his upper chest and shoulders are going to be scrutinized under a microscope by teams interested in RBs. The good news is that it appears that STARKS has been cleared to participate fully in drills at the COMBINE. He too has mid-Round potential if he can prove he is healthy and put up some decent work-out numbers.

    THURMOND went down early in the 2009 campaign with a serious knee injury . Going into the 2009 season he was ranked in the Top 5 Senior CB Prospects for the 2010 DRAFT. His size. speed, athleticism and gene pool had put him solidly into the top 2 Rounds of the player selection process. Like STARKS he may actually be able to participate in most, if not all, drills in Indy. But his biggest challenge will be satisfying an army of doctors that his body is NFL ready with minimal surgical after effects from the knee injury.

        02/05/2010                    This is a new feature which I will use to share miscellaneous tidbits of information and rumblings as we lead up to the 2010 NFL DRAFT. You’ll quickly catch the flavor of it as you read through my updates.

    Even though some of us are projecting the REDSKINS to snatch up a QB in Round One, word is filtering out of Washington that MIKE SHANAHAN is spending a lot of time watching film on TONY PIKE/QB/CINCINNATI. If he does indeed like PIKE as April approaches that would free the ‘SKINS up to take a badly needed OT like OKUNG or DAVIS with that No. 4 overall Pick. The catch is that such a move would force the team to use it’s Round 2 Pick on PIKE, which may be a bit too high. The reason.... they don’t have a Third Rounder which is where PIKE belongs.

    The ideal scenario might be if the ‘SKINS can find a trading partner looking to move up to that 4-slot, and pick up a 3rd Round Pick. But even then it might have to be a very early 3rd Rounder, because other teams should be looking for PIKE by that time. This may all be a smoke screen, but it makes some sense and is the kind of speculation that makes the next few months so much fun for DRAFTNIKS.

    I have an interesting number (at least to me) that came out of Mobile last week, but got very little press. For the past two years, at the least, TIM TEBOW has been listed as 6’4/245 by just about everyone. But he came in a little bit smaller than that. His 236 lb. weigh-in number was a pleasant surprise to yours truly. On the other hand, he measured in at only 6’2 3/4” tall. That’s well over an inch below his previously listed height. On the plus size was his left hand which measured a full 10” extended. That’s a big hand, and a big plus in the forthcoming efforts by ZEKE BRATKOWSKI to alter his long, low

delivery/wind-up.

    Speaking of measurements, let’s take another look at a Media Darling... DEXTER McCLUSTER/RB/RS/OLE MISS. Yes the young man is explosive, dynamic in the open field and has a delightful personality/attitude. But there is no way to dispute the fact that dude is small. How any touches do you really think he can handle each week in the NFL at 5’ 8 1/8” tall, while weighing a whopping 165 lbs? He missed considerable playing time with injuries during his career in Oxford. His smaller 8 1/2” hand-spread is a concern to me. And sure enough he fumbled during the Senior Bowl game. He also has had problems at times during his career at fielding punts. I just can’t see him as a TOP 100, first 3 Round prospect. He’s a nice 4th Rounder for a solid NFL team looking for an explosive niche player.

     I have not been as profuse in my praise of BRANDON GRAHAM/DE/MICHIGAN as many have been after watching him in Mobile last week. I see GRAHAM as a very high-energy player with some pass-rush ability. But I think he is limited and and will be facing a move to OLB in the NFL. He does not remind me of DWIGHT FREENEY. He is more like ELVIS DUMERVIL of the BRONCOS. I only saw GRAHAM using an upfield, outside push move in pass rushing during the game last Saturday. He looked a lot like KGB in his last couple of years in Green Bay... a 1-trick pony. Another factor working against GRAHAM as a down pass-rusher are his short arms, which measured only 30 1/2”. DUMERVIL’s arms were almost 34” long when measured during Senior Bowl Week some years ago.

    GRAHAM is a nice player who will be effective in the NFL as an OLB in a 3-4 scheme, ala former teammate LAMARR WOODLEY. In fact he mentioned WOODLEY during a Press Conference in Mobile, saying he taught him everything he knew about the pass-rush before leaving Michigan. But I think rankings I have seen this week with some “experts” placing him in the late First Round are misguided. Mid-to-late Round 2 is more like it for this hard working, athletic guy.

    What is the irony that the two teams who do not have a First Round Pick this year are both in need of some major young talent infusion....DA BEARS & PANTHERS. For BEARS fans the news gets even worse, because they do not have a Second Round Pick either. LOVIEs caching staff are really going to have some coaching up to do, without being able to add any significant new talent to their roster.

    The EAGLES have added a familiar name to their staff as they prepare for the 2010 DRAFT. PHIL SAVGE has been hired as a consultant to work with their Scouting and Personnel Staff through this April’s DRAFT. SAVAGE had a star crossed gig as the BROWNS General Manager, after a successful stint working for OZZIE NEWSOME  in Baltimore. He’s a solid NFL mind, but I am curious as to exactly what his role and authority will be for Philadelphia.