Pigskin Paul’s Place

2012 DRAFT TALK

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 14:08:36 -0500

IT’s early and the list will change multiple times. perhaps dramatically in a few instances, but here is my first TOP 100 Prospect list.

1. Andrew Luck - QB – Stanford*
2. Robert Griffin - QB – Baylor*
3. Quinton Coples - DE - North Carolina
4. Matt Kalil - OT - Southern Cal*
5. Justin Blackmon - WR - Oklahoma State*
6. Morris Claiborne - CB - LSU*
7. Trent Richardson - RB – Alabama*
8. Alshon Jeffery - WR - South Carolina*
9. Courtney Upshaw - LB - Alabama
10. David DeCastro - OG – Stanford*
11. Michael Floyd - WR - Notre Dame
12. Riley Reiff - OT – Iowa*
13. Michael Brockers - DT – LSU*
14. Dre Kirkpatrick - CB – Alabama*
15. Cordy Glenn – G/T - Georgia
16. Devon Still - DT - Penn State
17. Jonathan Martin - OT – Stanford*
18. Alfonzo Dennard - CB - Nebraska
19. Zach Brown - OLB - North Carolina
20. Kendall Wright - WR - Baylor
21. Mike Adams - OT - Ohio State
22. Luke Kuechly LB – BC*
23. Dontari Poe - NT – Memphis*
24. Janoris Jenkins - CB - North Alabama
25. Mark Barron - S - Alabama
26. Joe Adams - WR/RS - Arkansas
27. Peter Konz - OC – Wisconsin*
28. Fletcher Cox - DT - Miss State*
29. Audie Cole - OLB - N C State
30. Stephon Gilmore - CB – South Carolina*
31. Alameda Ta’Amu – DT – Washington
32. Chase Minnifield – CB – Virginia
33. Lamar Miller – RB – Miami (F)*
34. Dont’a Hightower – ILB – Alabama*
35. Ryan Tannehill – QB – Texas A&M
36. Melvin Ingram – DE – South Carolina
37. Keleche Osemele – OG – Iowa State
38. Dwayne Allen – TE- Clemson*
39. Mohammed Sanu – WR – Rutgers*
40. Brandon Thompson – DT – Clemson
41. Brandon Washington – OG – Miami (F)*
42. Brandon Boykin – CB/RS – Georgia
43. Coby Fleener – TE – Stanford
44. Micanor Regis – DT – Miami (F)
45. David Wilson – RB – Virginia Tech*
46. Kendall Reyes – DT – Uconn
47. Reuben Randle – WR – LSU*
48. Jerel Worthy - DT – Michigan State*
49. Jarius Wright – WR – Arkansas
50. Doug Martin – RB/RS – Boise State
51. Donte Paige-Moss – OLB – North Carolina*
52. Orson Charles – TE – Georgia*
53. Juron Criner – WR - Arizona
54. Jamell Fleming – CB – Oklahoma
55. Kevin Zeitler – OG – Wisconsin
56. Vontaze Burfict – ILB – Arizona State*
57. LaMichael James – RB/RS – Oregon*
58. Casey Hayward – CB – Vanderbilt
59. Cam Johnson – DE – Virginia
60. Nick Perry – OLB – Southern Cal*
61. Vinny Curry – DE – Marshall
62. Brock Osweiler – QB – Arizona State*
63. James-Michael Johnson – ILB – Nevada
64. Whitney Marcilus – DE- Illinois*
65. T. J. GRAHAM – WR/RS – N C State
66. Travis Lewis – OLB – Oklahoma
67. Billy Winn – DL – Boise State
68. Matt McCants – OT – UAB
69. Dwight Jones – WR – North Carolina
70. Brandon Weeden – QB – Oklahoma State
71. Devier Posey – WR – Ohio State
72. Antonio Allen – S – South Carolina
73. Jayron Hosley – CB/RS – VA Tech*
74. Zebrie Sanders – OT – Florida State
75. Andre Branch – DE – Clemson
76. George Iloka – S – Boise State
77. Ronnell Lewis – OLB – Oklahoma*
78. Bobby Wagner – OLB – Utah State
79. Ryan Broyles – WR/RS - Oklahoma
80. Michael Egnew – TE –Missouri
81. Jeff Allen – OG – Illinois
82. Lavonte David – OLB – Nebraska
83. Keenan Robinson – OLB – Texas
84. Nick Foles – QB – Arizona
85. Brandon Brooks –OG – Miami (O)
86. Josh Norman – CB – Coastal Carolina
87. Brandon Taylor – S – LSU
88. Marvin McNutt – WR – Iowa
89. Jared Crick – DT – Nebraska
90. Trevor Guyton – DE – California
91. Ben Jones – C/G – Georgia
92. Nick Toon – WR – Wisconsin
93. Isaiah Pead – RB/RS - Cincinnati
94. Cliff Harris – CB/RS – Oregon*
95. Nigel Bradham – OLB – Florida State
96. Josh Chapman – DT – Alabama
97. Mike Martin – DT – Michigan
98. Vick Ballard – RB – Mississippi State
99. Matt Reynolds – OT – BYU
100. Kirk Cousins – QB – Michigan State

Players with a * after their listing are declared underclassmen who had college playing eligibility left but chose to turn pro. Their applications to do so were filed with and approved by the NFL.

There are at least a dozen players on this list that are coming off fairly serious injuries from the 2011 season. Whether they stay in the TOP 100, move up or fall out, will depend greatly on how they fare in Indianapolis at the COMBINE physicals.

12/29/2012 Alright, before I end up posting a couple of days from now and apologizing for missing my self imposed deadline here is my list of top SAFETY prospects for the 2012 NFL DRAFT. Read it and weep if your team needs a stud S.

1) MARK BARRON/ALABAMA/6’2/220
2) GEORGE ILOKA/BOISE STATE/6’2/215
3) MARKELLE MARTIN/OKLAHOMA STATE/6’1/200
4) ANTONIO ALLEN/SOUTH CAROLINA/6’1/205
5) WINSTON GUY/KENTUCKY/6’0/210
6) EDDIE WHITLEY/VA TECH/6’1/190
7) TONY DYE/UCLA/6’1/195
8) DELANO HOWELL/STANFORD/5’11/190
9) BLAKE GIDEON/TEXAS/6’1/205
10) LANCE MITCHELL/OREGON STATE/6’2/205

UNDERCLASSMEN
1) ROBERT LESTER/ALABAMA/6’1/210
2) RASHAD HALL/CLEMSON/6’1/200
3) BACARRI RAMBO/GEORGIA/6’0/210
4) ORHIAN JOHNSON/OHIO STATE/6’2/205

12/28/2012 Moving right along to the key CB position. It could be a very strong group if the top Juniors come out to join some very good seniors.

1) ALFONZO DENNARD/NEBRASKA/5’10/205
2) JANRIS JENKINS/N. ALABAMA/5’10/185
3) CHASE MINNIFIELD/VIRGINIA/6’0/185
4) CORYELL JUDIE/TEXAS A&M/5’11/190
5) BRANDON BOYKIN/GEORGIA/5’10/185
6) SHAUN PRATER/IOWA/5’10/185
7) DONNIE FLETCHER/B.C./6’1/195
8) LEONARD JOHNSON/IOWA STATE/5’10/200
9) CASEY HAYWARD/VANDERBILT/5’11/190
10) OMAR BOLDEN/ARIZONA STATE/5’10/195

UNDERCLASSMEN
1) MORRIS CLAIBORNE/LSU/6’0/185
2) DRE’ KIRKPATRICK/ALABAMA/6’2/200
3) STEPHON GILMORE/SOUTH CAROLINA/6’1/195
4) CLIFF HARRIS/WASHINGTON/5’11/175

12/23/2011 Time to get a move on since I want to have all my rankings on the site by the end of December. So here are the ILB prospects which covers both 3-4/4-3 schemes. This is another group where those in need better be counting on a serious boost from Underclassmen coming out.

1) JERRY FRANKLIN/ARKANSAS/6’0/245
2) AUDIE COLE/N.C. STATE/6’4/240
3) EMMANUEL ACHO/TEXAS/6’2/240
4) CHRIS GALIPPO/USC/6’2/250
5) JAMES-MICHAEL JOHNSON/NEVADA/6’2/240
6) MYCHAL KENDRICKS/CAL/6’0/240
7) CHRIS MARVE/VANDERBILT/6’0/240
8) NOAH KELLER/OHIO/6’1/245
9) DEXTER HEYMAN/LOUISVILLE/6’2/240
10) KOREY WILLIAMS/S. MISSISSIPPI/6’2/245

UNDERCLASSMEN
1) DONT’A HIGHTOWER/ALABAMA/6’3/260
2) LUKE KUECHLY/BOSTON COLLEGE/6’3/235
3) VONTAZE BURFICT/ARIZONA STATE/6’2/250

12/13/2011 Here’s my current rankings at the OLB position for the 2012 DRAFT.

1) ZACH BROWN/UNC/6’2/230
2) COURTNEY UPSHAW/ALABAMA/6’2/260
3) TRAVIS LEWIS/OKLAHOMA/6’2/235
4) NIGEL BRADHAM/FLORIDA STATE/6’2/245
5) LAVONTE‘ DAVID/NEBRASKA/6’0/220
6) BRANDON LINDSEY/PITT/6’2/250
7) KEENAN ROBINSON/TEXAS/6’2/235
8) ADRIAN ROBINSON/TEMPLE/6’2/250
9) BRUCE IRVIN/WEST VIRGINIA/6’2/235
10) SEAN SPENCE/MIAMI (F)/5’11/225

UNDERCLASSMEN
1) BRANDON JENKINS/FLORIDA STATE/6’3/260
2) JON MASSAQUOI/TROY/6’2/250
3) NICO JOHNSON/ALABAMA/6’2/240

12/07/2011 Now let’s peek at their more glamorous friends from the DE corps.

1) QUINTON COPLES/UNC/6’6/280
2) VINNIE CURRY/MARSHALL/6’4/255
3) BILLY WYNN/BOISE STATE/6’3/295
4) ANDRE BRANCH/CLEMSON/6’5/260
5) VINCE BROWNE/NORTHWESTERN/6’5/265
6) TREVOR GUYTON/CAL/6’3/290
7) CAM JOHNSON/VIRGINIA/6’4/265
8) MALIK JACKSON/TENNESSEE/6’5/270
9) CHANDLER JONES/SYRACUSE/6’6/260
10) JAKE BEQUETTE/ARKANSAS/6’5/275

UNDERCLASSMEN
1) WHITNEY MERCILUS/ILLINOIS/6’3/265
2) DEVIN TAYLOR/SOUTH CAROLINA/6’5/250
3) DONTE PAIGE-MOSS/UNC/6’4/260

12/06/2011 Let’s switch out of an offensive mode and start the quick lists for the defensive side of the ball, with the big inside guys DT/NT.

1) DEVON STILL/PENN STATE/6’4/305
2) BRANDON THOMPSON/CLEMSON/6’2/310
3) ALAMEDA TA’AMU/WASHINGTON/6’3/330/NT
4) JARED CRICK/NEBRASKA/6’6/285
5) TYDREKE POWELL/UNC/6’3/295
6) DaJOHN HARRIS/SOUTHERN CAL/6’3/305
7) KENDELL REYES/UCONN/6’4/295
8) JOSH CHAPMAN/ALABAMA/6’1/310/NT
9) KHEESTON RANDALL/TEXAS/6’5/295
10) DEREK WOLFE/CINCINNATI/6’5/300

UNDERCLASSMEN
1) JEREL WORTHY/MICHIGAN STATE/6’3/305
2) SYLVESTER WILLIAMS/UNC/6’2/315/NT
3) MARCUS FORSTON/MIAMI (F)/6’3/300

11/02/2100 It’s a very good thing that the NFL has gone pass-happy. Because if the League Personnel Departments were gearing up to Draft some franchise RBs they would be in tears by now. If TRENT RICHARDSON comes out early some team has a chance at a special RB. Other than him this group is below mediocre.

1) CYRUS GRAY/TEXAS A&M/5-10/195
2) DOUG MARTIN/BOISE STATE/5-10/215
3) ISAIAH PEAD/CINCINNATI/5-10/200
4) VICK BALLARD/MISSISSIPPI STATE/5-10/215
5) DAVIN MEGGETT/MARYLAND/5-9/215
6) MARC TYLER/SOUTHERN CAL/5-11/230
7) DAN HERRON/OHIO STATE/5-9/205
8) DEREK LAWSON/ARKANSAS STATE/5-10/210
9) ADONIS THOMAS/TOLEDO/5-9/185
10) BRANDON BOLDEN/OLE MISS/5-11/220

UNDERCLASSMEN
1) TRENT RICHARDSON/ALABAMA/5-11/225
2) LaMICHAEL JAMES/OREGON/5-9/185
3) CHRISTINE MICHAEL/TEXAS A&M/5-11/215
4) CHRIS POLK/WASHINGTON/5-11/215

11/02/2011 Moving along to the “more important” OT slots, teams in need here better pray for the underclassmen to all come out. Not the quality group we’ve seen the past couple of years at this position. None of the seniors will even get a sniff in the first half of Round 1.

1) LEVY ADCOCK/OKLAHOMA STATE/6-5/320
2) MIKE ADAMS/OHIO STATE/6-6/305
3) JEFF ALLEN/ILLINOIS/6-5/305
4) NATE POTTER/BOISE STATE/6-6/300
5) ANDREW DATKO/FLORIDA STATE/6-6/315*
6) AL NETTER/NORTHWESTERN/6-6/310
7) MATT REYNOLDS/BYU/6-5/320
8) ZEBRIE SANDERS/FLORIDA STATE/6-5/310
9) BLAKE DeCHRISTOPHER/VA TECH/6-5/315
10) MIKE RYAN/UCONN/6-5/3308

*DATKO out for the year with shoulder injury.

UNDERCLASSMEN
1) MATT KALIL/SOUTHERN CAL/6-7/295
2) RILEY REIFF/IOWA/6-7/300
3) JON MARTIN/STANFORD/6-6/305

Let’s start getting into the big uglies, with a look inside at the guys who are as unglamorous as it can get... the OG/OC group.

1) KELECHI OSEMELE/G/IOWA STATE/6-5/350
2) RYAN MILLER/G/COLORADO/6-7/315
3) KEVIN ZEITLER/OG/WISCONSIN/6-4/315
4) LUCAS NIX/G/PITT/6-5/305
5) KELVIN BEACHUM/G/SMU/6-3/300
6) MICHAEL BREWSTER/OC/OHIO STATE/6-5/300
7) JOEL FREEMAN/G/MICHIGAN STATE/6-3/310
8) ANDREW TILLER/G/SYRACUSE/6-4/330
9) JAMES BROWN/G/TROY/6-3/320
10) QUENTIN SAULSBERRY/C/G/MISSISSIPPI ST/6-2/300

UNDERCLASSMEN
1) DAVID DeCASTRO/G/STANFORD/6-5/310
2) PETER KONZ/C/WISCONSIN/6-4/315
3) BARRETT JONES/G/T/ALABAMA/6-5/315

10/26/2011 Time to peek at the TE Prospect list. This is another position that has become subdivided somewhat because the proliferation of TEs who are really just jumbo sized WRs and block marginally at best.. But at this point let’s just throw out the list as a general listing.

1) MICHAEL EGNEW MISSOURI 6-5/240
2) COBY FLEENER STANFORD 6-5/245
3) GEORGE BRYAN N.C. STATE 6-5/265
4) LADARIUS GREEN LOUISIANA 6-5/235
5) NICK PROVO SYRACUSE 6-4/250
6) RHETT ELLISON U.S.C. 6-4/245
7) DAVID PAULSEN OREGON 6-4/245
8) DeANGELO PETERSON L.SU. 6-4/245
9) GARRETT CELEK MICHIGAN 6-5/250
10) COREY HARKEY UCLA 6-4/275

UNDERCLASSMEN
1) DWAYNE ALLEN CLEMSON 6-4/255
2) ORSON CHARLES GEORGIA 6-3/240
3) MICHAEL WILLIAMS ALABAMA 6-6/270

I don’t see any First Rounders in this crew unless ALLEN comes out. Similar to last year, it will likely be Round 2 before a TE comes off the Draft Board.

10/19/2011 Moving right along here, how about another glamour group, the WR class. Interestingly, this year the Senior class is well stocked with talent that stayed in school for their final season. But the top guys are still on the Underclassmen short list.

1) MICHAEL FLOYD NOTRE DAME 6-3/220
2) RYAN BROYLES OKLAHOMA 5-10/180
3) JURON CRINER ARIZONA 6-2/210
4) JEFF FULLER TEXAS A&M 6-3/215
5) NICK TOON WISCONSIN 6-2/215
6) MARVIN McNUTT IOWA 6-3/215
7) DWIGHT JONES UNC 6-4/225
8) JARIUS WRIGHT ARKANSAS 5-10/180
9) A.J. JENKINS ILLINOIS 6-0/190
10) DeVIER POSEY OHIO STATE 6-2/210

TOP UNDERCLASSMEN
1) ALSHON JEFFREY SOUTH CAROLINA 6-4/235
2) JUSTIN BLACKMON OKLAHOMA STATE 6-1/205
3) MOHAMED SANU RUTGERS 6-2/220
4) KENDALL WRIGHT BAYLOR 5-10/180
5) RUEBEN RANDLE LSU 6-4/210

One of the aspects that I find most interesting about the receiving prospects list is the variety available depending upon whether you want the quick/speedsters or the large possession/Red Zone guys. In most cases it is clear where each player falls in that spectrum.

10/12/2011 It’s early, but never too early to begin some DRAFT TALK for 2012. With 10 years of labor peace supposedly in place we can think ahead and know that the end zone will be there when we get to April. So let’s get going with the glamor boys the QB corps. Here are my TOP 10 Seniors and the obvious Underclassmen to spice things up.

1) NICK FOLES ARIZONA 6-5/245
2) RYAN LINDLEY SAN DIEGO STATE 6-4/240
3) RYAN TANNEHILL TEXAS A&M 6-4/220
4) KELLEN MOORE BOISE STATE 6-0/190
5) BRANDON WEEDEN OKLAHOMA STATE 6-4/215
6) KIRK COUSINS MICHIGAN STATE 6-3/205
7) RUSSELL WILSON WISCONSIN 5-11/210
8) CASE KEENUM HOUSTON 6-2/210
9) DOMINIQUE DAVIS EAST CAROLINA 6-3/225
10) C.J. KINNIE TULSA 6-2/215

TOP UNDERCLASSMEN
1) ANDREW LUCK STANFORD 6-4/235
2) MATT BARKLEY USC 6-2/225
3) ROBERT GRIFFIN III BAYLOR 6-2/220
4) LANDRY JONES OKLAHOMA 6-4/230

Based on their overall numbers I think only LUCK and FOLES, in that order of course, are 1st Rounders.

ALL-STAR ACTION 2012

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:08:46 -0500

It’s game day and the internet connections are going dead every 5 minutes here in the press Box. For some reason City of Mobile changed their internet connection system in the past year. Not a move by the SENIOR BOWL, but very inconvenient in this era of communication.

Just about ready for kick-off and still wondering if these QBs can find a way to put some points on the board. Hopefully, there has been some chemistry developed between them and their receivers as the week has progressed. I’m looking for JURON CRINER, DEANGELO PETERSON & T.J. GRAHAM to open things up if they can get their hands on the ball. But both secondaries are loaded with solid CB prospects and will force some very accurate passing to come up with completions this afternoon. IF the CB can press coverage short both of these OL could be hard pressed to provide the pass protection needed.

Let’s stop talking and speculating and play some football.

It sure looks like both of these teams are going to be able to move the ball better than I thought. There is actually a semblance of a running game out there, considering we are at an All-STar Game. Some of that is due to the assumption by some DE that they should be looking to sack the QB on every play and therefore are running right past the ball carriers.

It is also clear that we should expect some turnovers despite the almost ideal weather conditions. Lack of QB accuracy and some hard hitting and stripping of runners and receivers look to have a major impact here today. Not to be trite but the team that wins the turnover battle may win the game.

The LB corps is vary active for both sides today. We had an inkling they might have a significant impact on the game by their play during the practice week, There is a great deal of athleticism in the LB group down here. AUDIE COLE has not disappointed and BOBBY WAGNER is off to a great start both on D and in Special Teams work.

QUENTIN COPLES does not have huge numbers yet, but his impact is significant. He has been significantly effective when lined up opposite SENIO KELEMETE/WASHINGTON. It seems clear today, as it did all week that SENIO is going to have to move inside to have an NFL career. Hs size (or lack thereof) and technique will be much more effective inside in a zone blocking scheme.

The NORTH continues to have problems with the snapping of OHIO STATE/OC/MIKE BREWSTER. Whether the QB is under Center or in the gun snaps are not what they need to be. We could blame the QB, but when 3 different QB all have the same issue (and they did during practices as well) one has to conclude that BREWSTER is having an inexplicably tough week.

After an early fumble, JOE ADAMS has recovered nicely and shown the speed and yards-after-catch running ability we expected. he’s headed for a big day.

VICK BALLARD has only 24-yards on 6 carries, but he looks quick and strong and has broken some tackles just to get that many yards. Once again I think the solid LB play is cutting into the offensive production significantly.

ISAIAH PEAD has been a star in this half with a couple of great Punt Returns. He totaled 98 yards n 2 returns, one of them for 60-yards.There were several nice blocks on both returns, which can be a challenge in an All-Star game. Anther factor could be that DREW BUTLER/P/GEORGIA has averaged 50-yards per punt with good hang-time. He may be out punting his coverage.

We’re 13-6 NORTH at the half, but there has been a lot more action than that score might indicate. This is a hard-hitting, active, fun to watch football game.

The only score in the 3rd Quarter came on a crossing pattern from COUSINS to GERELL ROBINSON who basically threaded his way through the entire South defense on his way to a 41 yard score. Great work after the catch by GERELL, and I’ve seen that before from him. He had a solid week down here with good hands and YAC. Maybe he’s another guy we need to stop focussing on as having a lack of speed and take for his high value overall. He has moved up my prospect list this week.

Lots of fits and starts up and down the field, but a few penalties (not many) and a few more turnovers are holding the scoring down. I like the aggressive play in both secondaries, especially for an All-Star game. Perhaps the most quietly effective db may be CB/JAMELL FLEMING/OKLAHOMA.

Despite the score of 20-6 it has been an entertaining game. If the South could just punch in a TD then we have some excitement.

So there we have it. The ARIZONA connection of FOLES to CRINER gets the SOUTH within a TD and we still have over 12 minutes to play. FOLES has had his moments, both good and bad. The pattern clearly seems to be that he’s good in a clean pocket and erratic under pressure with his decisions and his throws. CRINER has been a beast. Like ROBINSON he lives with the knock of average speed, but is very productive. I think the keys to his success are rooted in good route running. recognition of secondary coverages and great ability to locate and catch a thrown ball.

The SOUTH cannot close the deal. The NORTH goes on a solid 13 play, 63 yard drive that eats up over 8 minutes on the clock and caps it off with CARSON WIGGS 3rd FG of the day to pretty much cement a NORTH W.

FINAL SCORE: NORTH 23 SOUTH 13

GAME MVP ISAIAH PEAD/R/BR/S/CINCINNATI
OFFENSIVE OUTSTANDING PLAYER JOE ADAMS/WR/ARKANSAS
DEFENSIVE OUTSTANDING PLAYER BOBBY WAGNER/LB/UTAH STATE

Not that it matters but I have no argument with the player awards given out.

Sorry for lack of actual in-game coverage, but we lost internet connection service in the Press Box. And the telecommunications people could not resolve the issues. NO MVP on that front.

1/26/2012 Mobile Bay weather turned into Bad Mobile mode today. Rain off and on all day with some very gusty winds, thunder & lightning at times and I heard the tornado sirens go off twice. If we came down here some year and didn't have some weather excitement it might be a strong signal that the world was coming to an abrupt end. The rain & thunder moved the practices inside of the Convention Center which means two straight days of basically walk-throughs. If the sun comes out Friday I just might go to a walk through to get my football juices flowing again.

Since the pads are now off until the game on Saturday I'd like to run my list past you of the Top 25 players who got my attention down here this week. The order is very subjective, just approximate:

1)    QUINTON COPLES/DE    (just dominated all week whether vs. pass or run)
2)    CORDY GLENN/OT        (does things a guy his size shouldn't be able to)
3)    COURTNEY UPSHAW/DE     (says he will be w/LB group @ COMBINE but held his own @DE)
4)    BRANDON BOYKIN/CB/RS     (a bit small but is fast, feisty & a play maker to boot)
5)    ZACH BROWN/OLB        (the best clear 3-down LB I've seen all year)
6)    DOUG MARTIN/RB        (strong, quick & truly fast, with a great attitude)
7)    MIKE ADAMS/OT            (You can't coach size & he has that & athleticism to boot)
8)    ANTONIO ALLEN/S        (learning the discipline of a true S, but hits a ton & finds the ball)
9)    AUDIE COLE/LB            (working on the MATTHEWS look & makes plays all over the field)
10)    JANORIS JENKINS/CB    (not a great cover-Corner, but battles and has a nose for the ball & hits a ton for his size)
11) KELECHI OSEMELE/OT    (moved his feet well enough to stay @ RT with his long arms)
12)    JURON CRINER/WR        (question his speed, but he gets open and catches everything)
13)    MELVIN INGRAM/DE        (great athlete in a slightly undersized body. may be just a pass-rush specialist)
14)    T.J. GRAHAM/WR//RS    (soft hands, great speed and still learning after a track career)
15)    KENDALL REYES/DT        (very versatile player who chased the ball and gave blockers fits)
16)    VICK BALLARD/RB        (can do a little of everything and is explosive through creases)
17)    JEFF ALLEN/OT            (lots of talk he'd look even better inside but was good outside)
18)    KEENAN ROBINSON/OLB    (always finds the ball and does not make many mistakes)
19)    GEORGE ILOKA/S        (tall athlete who needs work on coverage, but has a nose for the ball & will hit)
20)    JAMES-MICHAEL JOHNSON/ILB (Singletary looked like he was coaching a young clone)
21)    MATT McCANTS/OT        (raw football talent who already holds his own & has great upside)
22)    BRANDON WEEDEN/QB    (surprised? if he were younger he'd be flirting with R1)
23)    DAVID POSEY/WR/RS    (there was high praise from coaches for a guy who may have been held back by TRESSEL offense)
24)    JOE ADAMS/WR/R/S        (he still runs sloppy patterns & drops balls at times, but oh the speed. you just know he'll break one in the game)
25)    DEANGELO PETERSON/TE ( I still don't know where you play him in NFL, but he caught balls he shouldn't have all week & was open a lot)

This is not the most impressive group of players I have seen down here by a long shot. But by the same token most of these guys will play in the NFL and do well in time. Perhaps my biggest cautionary statement would be that NFL teams may not find as many immediate impact guys from this roster as they have the last couple of years. Patience may be a byword of the SENIOR BOWL Class of 2012.

Now let’s look a little deeper down into the talent pool here this week.
1) ALAMEDA TA’AMU/DT (has the size to be dominant, but often isn’t)
2) NIGEL BRADHAM/OLB (good athlete, who always finds the ball, and hits a ton)
3) JAMELL FLEMING/CB (a speedy athlete with good coverage skills and an aggressive nature)
4) BOBBY WAGNER/OLB (a tackling machine who will also make a great Special Teamer as well)
5) GERELL ROBINSON/WR (they say he’s not fast, but he gets open and gets yards after the catch; red zone threat)
6) BEN JONES/OC/G ( a veteran, tough guy, who is big & tough enough to start some day)
7) ZEBRIE SANDERS/OT (he’s still raw, but has all the tools to be a solid pro RT, with good coaching)
8) ISAIAH PEAD/RB (many question his speed, but he gets to the corner & is dangerous in return game)
9) CAM JOHNSON/DE (very good athlete, who might be able to stand up @ OLB in 3-4, has had health issues)
10) DWIGHT BENTLEY/CB (slightly small CB with nice cover skills & good attitude, may be sub-package guy)
11) BRANDON TAYLOR/S (very good athlete, who covers lots of ground and will hit a ton)
12) BRANDON THOMPSON/DT (big guy who plays like hell at times, but needs to be more intense all the time)
13) KEVIN ZEITLER/OG (nothing fancy about this guy, just steady smart play from start to finish of a game)
14) VINNY CURRY/DE (a good, not great player, who plays with lots of energy and intensity)
15) CASEY HAYWARD/CB (a tough lid with decent athleticism and sound mechanics. also very physical on receivers)

HEY FOLKS don’t forget that my notes and observations from SENIOR BOWL WEEK are being posted by COLIN over at the Great Blue North Draft Report. So just hit this link and you’ll find my ramblings and more: www.gbnreport.com .

1/14/2012 As I write this players are arriving in St. Petersburg, FL for the 2012 SHRINE FOOTBALL GAME. This will be the third venue for the game since it left the STANFORD campus in Palo Alto last decade. After a two year trial in Orlando (which drew about 10, 000 fans per game) the game is now across the Bay from the SHRINERS’ CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL. Here’s hoping this will turn into a permanent home for a deserving charity and great cause. Despite a seemingly annual plethora of “new” college all-star games the SHRINE event is the longest running such game and ranks second in player quality to the SENIOR BOWL.
The initial team rosters look promising again for this game, but as always happens some of the early announced players end up defecting to the Senior Bowl at the last minute. For instance when the SHRINE GAME rosters were posted on their website on Monday (see current roster here: http://www.shrinegame.com/en/Teams/2012Roster.aspx ) Arkansas’ 3 senior WR were all listed. By Thursday JOE ADAMS was being announced in Senior Bowl press releases and deleted from the SHRINE roster posting. Likewise QB/RYAN LINDLEY has switched his allegiance.
So if you are a casual DRAFT fan who believes Round 1 is the only key to NFL success then skip this game. I don’t expect there to be any player in St. Pete who gets Drafted in Round 1 this April. But if you think your favorite team can build their roster with a sound overall effort, including Rookie Free Agents, then this game should be of great interest to you. There will be over 100 players involved and most of them will be in an NFL Training Camp come next summer. About half of these players may actually be Drafted in April.
How about we start the week with a list of players who I think have intriguing NFL potential.

OT/JOE LONG/WAYNE STATE D2 player who happens to be the younger brother of JAKE LONG. We’ll see what he’s made of, but my regular readers know how strongly I believe in gene pools.

WR/T.J. GRAHAM/N.C. STATE Track man with blazing speed, who has really developed as a receiver over the past two seasons. This year’s MIKE WALLACE/STEELERS?

QB/B.J. COLEMAN/TN-CHATTANOOGA A VOLS transfer with plenty of arm and potential. Coming of an injury influenced 2011 season. Is he 100% healthy yet?

OLB/JOE LINDSEY/PITT Sack artist who made his living as an undersized DE in college. This is the start to answering the question as to whether he can transition to a stand-up OLB in a 3-4 scheme.

OL/RYAN MILLER/COLORADO Very tall (6’7) OG who reminds many of NATE SOLDER athletically. Will he stay inside as a tall, thin OG or be moved out to OT and “beefed-up” a bit?

QB/CHANDLER HARNISH/N. ILLINOIS If his ankle is healthy after a late Bowl injury then he could be a real standout in this kind of venue and raise his DRAFT stock.

OG/DERRICK DENNIS/TEMPLE A huge man (6’4/330) who helped power a dominant TEMPLE running game, who now must show he can move his feet in a back peddle for pass protection.

TE/GEORGE BRYAN/N.C. STATE The guy I felt was the best all-around TE in college heading into 2010 had a tough time adjusting to the loss of RUSSELL WILSON. He needs to reprove himself to NFL Scouts.

WR/JARIUS WRIGHT/ARKANSAS When it come to the best, most reliable receiver in the Arkansas stable this is the man. he’s fast, elusive and displays dependable hands. He should shine in practices at the very least.

CB/KEITH TANDY/WEST VIRGINIA He’s not the best cover-guy you’ll see in this game, but he’s a heck of a tackler and does not hesitate to come up in run support.

DT/TRAVIAN ROBERTSON/SOUTH CAROLINA A late addition to the roster was the inside glue for the Gamecocks strong DL play. He’s athletic and assignment sure. He should quietly and efficiently get the job done this week.

CB/TREVIN WADE/ARIZONA Two seasons ago this guy looked like a stud CB. Then injuries took him down. He looked the part again at times last season but the Arizona D stunk. This game begins his redemption tour.

12/11/2011 So let’s move right along and post my SOUTH player roster for the 2012 SENIOR BOWL.

QB RYAN LINDLEY/SAN DIEGO STATE
QB RYAN TANNEHILL/TEXAS A&M
QB BRANDON WEEDEN/OKLAHOMA STATE
RB VICK BALLARD/MISS STATE
RB TERRANCE GANAWAY/BAYLOR
RB CYRUS GRAY/TEXAS A&M
RB TAUREN POOLE/TENNESSEE
FB CODY JOHNSON/TEXAS
WR JOE ADAMS/ARKANSAS
WR JEFF FULLER/TEXAS A&M
WR T.Y. HILTON/FIU
WR DWIGHT JONES/UNC
WR CHRIS RAINEY/FLORIDA
WR JARIUS WRIGHT/ARKANSAS
WR KENDALL WRIGHT/BAYLOR
TE GEROGE BRYAN/N.C. STATE
TE LADARIUS GREEN/LOUISIANA
TE DEANGELO PETERSON/LSU
OT LEVY ADCOCK/OKLAHOMA STATE
G/T KELVIN BEACHUM/SMU
T/G CORDY GLENN/GROGIA
OC BEN JONES/GEORGIA
OT MATT McCANTS/UAB
OG ANTOINE McCLAIN/CLEMSON
OT BRANDON MOSLEY/AUBURN
OT ZEBRIE SANDERS/FLORIDA STATE
C/G QUENTIN SAULSBERRY/MISS STATE
OC WILLIAM VLACHOS/ALABAMA

DL ANDRE BRANCH/CLEMSON
DL JOSH CHAPMAN/ALABAMA
DL QUINTON COPLES/UNC
DL JAYE HOWARD/FLORIDA
DL MELVIN INGRAM/SOUTH CAROLINA
DL MALIK JACKSON/TENNESSEE
DL CAM JOHNSON/VIRGINIA
DL TYDREKE POWELL/UNC
DL BRANDON THOMPSON/CLEMSON
LB NIGEL BRADHAM/FLORIDA STATE
LB ZACH BROWN/UNC
LB AUDIE COLE/N.C. STATE
LB TRAVIS LEWIS/OKLAHOMA
LB KEENAN ROBINSON/TEXAS
LB SEAN SPENCE/MIAMI
LB COURTNEY UPSHAW/ALABAMA
DB ANTONIO ALLEN/SOUTH CAROLINA
DB MARK BARRON/ALABAMA
CB BRANDON BOYKIN/GEORGIA
CB CASEY HAYWARD/VANDERBILT
CB JANORIS JENKINS/NORTH ALABAMA
CB CORYELL JUDIE/TEXAS A&M
DB MARKELLE MARTIN/OKLAHOMA STATE
CB CHASE MINNIFIELD/VIRGINIA
DB BRANDON TAYLOR/LSU

12/10/2011 It might be a sign that I have way too much time on my hands, though many days it doesn’t feel that way. It might also be an indication that I’m already feeling a little college football withdrawal. More than likely it’s really an indicator of how much I look forward to, and enjoy the major College All-Star games in January. But whatever it truly is, I drew up my “dream” roster for the 2012 SENIOR BOWL the other night from the comfort of my recliner. In my perfect world of Senior players who all accept their invites, and are healthy, here is my NORTH team roster for the week in Mobile come January.

QB NICK FOLES/ARIZONA
QB KIRK COUSINS/MICHIGAN STATE
QB KELLEN MOORE/BOISE STATE
RB JASON FORD/ILLINOIS
RB DAN HERRON/OHIO STATE
RB DOUG MARTIN/BOISE STATE
RB ISAIAH PEAD/CINCINNATI
FB EVAN RODRIQUEZ/TEMPLE
WR MICHAEL FLOYD/NOTRE DAME
WR A.J. JENKINS/ILLINOIS
WR MARVIN McNUTT/IOWA
WR DeVIER POSEY/OHIO STATE
WR NICK TOON/WISCONSIN
TE MICHAEL EGNEW/MISSOURI
TE COBY FLEENER/STANFORD
TE KEVIN KOGER/MICHIGAN
OT MIKE ADAMS/ILLINOIS
OT TONY BERGSTROM/UTAH
OT NATE POTTER/BOISE STATE
T/G KELECHI OSEMELE/IOWA STATE
OG LUCAS NIX/PITT
OG RYAN MILLER/COLORADO
OG KEVIN ZEITLER/WISCONSIN
OC MICHAEL BREWSTER/OHIO STATE
OC DAVID MOLK/MICHIGAN

DL JARED CRICK/NEBRASKA
DL VINNY CURRY/MARSHALL
DL MIKE DANIELS/IOWA
DL TREVOR GUYTON/CAL
DL MIKE MARTIN/MICHIGAN
DL KENDELL REYES/UCONN
DL DEVIN STILL/PENN STATE
DL ALAMEDA TA’AMU/WASHINGTON
DL BILLY WINN/BOISE STATE
LB LaVONTE DAVID/NEBRASKA
LB BRUCE IRVIN/WEST VIRGINIA
LB JAMES-MICHAEL JOHNSON/NEVADA
LB BRANDON LINDSEY/PITT
LB SHEA McCLELLIN/BOISE STATE
LB TYLER NIELSEN/IOWA
LB ADRIAN ROBINSON/TEMPLE
CB ALFONZO DENNARD/NEBRASKA
CB DONNIE FLETCHER/BOSTON COLLEGE
DB DELANO HOWELL/STANFORD
DB GEORGE ILOKA/BOISE STATE
CB LEONARD JOHNSON/IOWA STATE
DB TRUMAINE JOHNSON/MONTANA
DB BRIAN PETERS/NORTHWESTERN
CB SHAUN PRATER/IOWA
DB HARRISON SMITH/NOTRE DAME

That’s my NORTH squad. I’ll float the SOUTH past you in the next couple of days.

Thinking Out Loud!

Sun, 8 Jan 2012 20:45:33 -0500

Between the end of the NFL regular season, College Bowl Games, coaching carousels, DRAFT talk and the NFL Play-offs it is about as busy as it can get for football fans. So how about a hodgepodge of thoughts from PIGSKIN PAUL’s meandering mind.

1) As I expected it has not turned into a Head Coach blood bath at the NFL level this year. Since I truly don’t expect any of the current Play-Off team Head Coaches to get canned we really only have 4 job openings currently available around the League: JACKSONVILLE, MIAMI, ST. LOUIS & TAMPA BAY. And perhaps maybe one more in Indy but more on that later. The hottest overall candidate is JEFF FISHER which makes sense. He’s a vet with a high class rep and a winning % as a head man. But I would point out his winning percentage in the regular season is inferior to a guy named WADE PHILLIPS. Expect FISHER to decide well before the Super Bowl, and the other teams to scramble around for their alternate choices.
2) Now how about that Indy scenario. With the firing of the POLIAN family by JIM IRSAY it looks for all the world that this franchise will now be run by IRSAY & MR. PEYTON, with of course some sage wisdom from patriarch ARCHIE. Maybe COOPER MANNING will be the next GM/VP in Indy. It’s being rumored that PEYTON & JIM will decide the fate of HC JIM CALDWELL in the coming week. Just to set things straight TONY DUNGY is not riding into Indy on a black charger to run the show any time soon.
3) Most bizarre coaching move has come on the collegiate level for my money, as TODD GRAHAM moves along to his third program in 3 years. Just call him gypsy for short, but doesn’t it also make you wonder about that in the wide, wide world of sports is going on in PITTSBURGH. Favored alum/son WANNSTEDT bales out and the program is now under his third replacement in less than two years. Also good luck with that recruiting out in Arizona for GRAHAM. I’m sure his recent travels mark him as a guy that a recruit can truly count on to coach him for 3-4 years... NOT!
4) I am a big DREW BREES fan. He can QB my team any day. But how yardage records, produced primarily in a dome, and a 13-3 record suddenly trump the work of AARON RODGERS in Green Bay in an MVP race is beyond me. A-RODGE happens to be 14-1 as a starter this season and has no discernible running game, or Pro Bowl OL to stand up behind, except for a great overachiever named SCOTT WELLS. And before we heap too much praise on MIKE McCARTHY and his “system” let’s not be too quick to call what SEAN PEYTON does chopped liver. My vote would still be decidedly cast for AARON RODGERS and his work this year.
5) Get ready for it now... I am more impressed with the work and attitude of ANDREW LUCK now than I was at the beginning of the 2011 football season. I’m OK with the selection of RGIII for the HEISMAN, he was almost as good this year as CAN NEWTON was last. But after watching he easy grace and nobility (yes nobility) that LUCK exhibited in congratulating GRIFFIN on his trophy triumph and the way he handled a very limited group of weapons to command at STANFORD this year I see nothing but greatness for him in the NFL. I also think he suffered from some pretty mediocre and conservative Head Coaching from DAVID SHAW. But instead of displaying anger, frustration and bitterness towards those around him who didn’t measure up to his dominance he was the ultimate team guy and displayed nothing but class in every situation i saw him put into. MR. & MRS. OLIVER LUCK you did a great job raising that young man.
6) As people continue to ask me about some of the seemingly illogical decisions by some players to stay in college for another season of football, as well as others who say they are headed for the NFL but aren’t highly coveted by theLeague I would remind people that there are multiple reasons to stay or go, and every player has their own personal reasons to consider. Family financial need an be a big factor for some even if it’s likely they won’t be selected until the later Rounds. Remember , besides a signing bonus the NFL minimum salary is now not very far below a half-million dollars per year. Conversely, you have young men like MATT BARKLEY who are having a great time in college and their family has no immediate need for them to earn pro bucks. And in a case like BROCK OSWEILER/QB at ARIZONA STATE, a total coaching regime change late in your college career may have very limited appeal. Very different strokes for different folks my friends.
7) The most embarrassing moment of the College Bowl Season had to be the tent fold by CLEMSON in their total 70-33 destruction by a good, but not great WEST VIRGINIA team in the ORANGE BOWL. After a solid 10 Win season this butt whipping has to bring some serious heat on the current coaching regime at CLEMSON. The DABO era just hit a huge speed bump no matter how you slice it.
8) Getting ready for a slice of NFL Play-Off action this afternoon. I’m thinking some upset pie in the BIG APPLE and a tight STEELERS win in Denver if MIKE TOMLIN isn’t too conservative and gives The BRONCOS a close game that plays right into TEBOW TIME at the end. Blew both of those picks didn’t I?!
9) Flashing back to ANDREW LUCK for a moment... I have been asked multiple times already if this is a gold rush year for QBs when the DRAFT rolls around. I think not quite frankly. If ROBERT GRIFFIN comes out then I think he and LUCK headline the TOP 10, but after that it will likely not be until Round 2 when the next QB is taken. Had MATT BARKLEY come out he would have also been a likely TOP 10 selection.
10) Best new look this NFL season at post game pressers is BIG BEN ROETHLISBERGER with his felt fedora hat look, ala Old Blue Eyes. He’s got a huge cranium and this stylish look somewhat hides that. He has also shown some very nice taste in different colors, designs and hat bands. It’s retro and classy looking, even on BIG BEN. I’d like to think that the look is at least partly the idea of his relatively new bride.

12/13/2011
1) Almost two weeks after his release I am a bit surprised at the lack of any interest, by anyone around the NFL in signing DONOVAN McNABB as QB help for the last month of the season. Might be a strong hint to DONOVAN not to turn down any serious broadcasting job offers this winter. I get the feeling that the NFL powers that be aren’t going to come calling for his services this off-season.
2) Quite a kick watching the HEISMAN presentation show on ESPN last Saturday night. Believe it or not I thought it was pretty well done. I was pleased to see ROBERT GRIFFIN capture the award. I had proclaimed him the late season favorite, so of course it makes me look better. But more importantly it was a victory for really outstanding football players who don’t go to football factory schools. And since when did the “best player” title come with a stipulation that the player’s team has to win 10+ games and play in a BCS Bowl Game. Football is a team game and one man, no matter how good he is, can’t guarantee that his team will excel.
3) One more quick note on the awards show. Great tidbit to find out that GRIFFIN has a thing for socks. And then for him to flash his Super Man socks, capes and all, was fantastic TV.
4) So as the coaching carousel gets off to a flying early start in the NFL it begs the question: Who are the hot candidates out there this off-season? BILL COWHER will be a hot name for another half decade, but he may be a bit too expensive in both $ and control for almost every owner in the League when it gets down to nuts and bolts. My guess is that the real hot name will be that of JEFF FISHER, if he has re-charged his batteries after a season off.
5) I also think we are getting very close to the NFL making another hard push at KIRK FERENTZ, of IOWA. He’s professed his love of family, Iowa and college football for over a decade now, but there have been some bumps in the road in Hawkeye-land the past couple of years. With his sons just about finished working through their college football days it may not be long before KIRK listens to offers if he can get that one big payday job.
6) I’m beginning to get the feeling that someone is going to have to win the NFC East by default this season. The GIANTS looked to be on a roll at mid-season but needed a huge come from behind win over the COWBOYS on Monday night to recapture the top spot. And the COWBOYS who looked hot just three weeks ago have lost consecutive last minute decisions to slip back into second place by virtue of a tiebreaker with the GMEN. The EAGLES and REDSKINS are nothing more than spoilers with 3 games left to play.
7) As DA BEARS slip into Play-Off oblivion on the heels of the JAY CUTLER injury, now followed by the FORTE injury, I have to plug some rather large goat horns on the helmet of MARION BARBER/RB after their meltdown in Denver last Sunday. Don’t talk to me about TEBOW-time when BARBER runs out of bounds to stop the clock just when DA BEARS are trying to hold onto a lead in the 4th Quarter. Then a short time later BARBER fumbles the ball back to Denver giving them a shot at the game winning FG. Way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory MR. BARBER.
8) I hope it works out, but someone please explain to me the selection by UCLA of JIM MORA as their new Head Coach. How can a program be so hungry for immediate winning that they cashier RICK NEUHEISEL and hire a guy who has no experience at all in the college game? MORA has a less than stellar NFL coaching record and has never recruited a football player in his life. It just doesn’t sound like an immediate formula for success to me.
9) We’re still almost a month from the NFL deadline for college underclassmen to file for inclusion in the April 2012 DRAFT, but we’re getting some pretty clear messages about the intentions of some players. Big names who have dropped some pretty strong hints about their intentions to head for the pro game include ANDREW LUCK, TRENT RICHARDSON, JUSTIN BLACKMON, & LAMAR MILLER.
10) For an accurate, ongoing tracking of who is staying in school and who’s headed to the NFL, just follow my friend COLIN over at the GBN Report @ http://www.gbnreport.com/juniorscoreboard.html . COLIN updates the link list as comments are made by players, schools and/or agents.

12/02/2012 Not that the whole world is waiting for me to voice my opinion about anything I still felt like I had to share a few thoughts today before my brain bursts.

To even the vast majority of football fans the annual College FB post-season of ALL-STAR Games is of little or no significance. Only the die hards (raise your hands with me now) wait with baited breath for the annual events. But it does drive me insane when some of the the people who organize these events act as though their little corner of the universe sits in a perfect vacuum, and there is no need to make their event fit in with the rest of the football landscape.
Case in point this season, next January, the powers that be, in their infinite wisdom have scheduled 3 College All-Star events on the same day, January 21st.
The EAST-WEST SHRINE game which has moved again, this time to ST. PETERSBURG (FLA not Russia), will play in their usual slot the week before the SENIOR BOWL. Meanwhile some local geniuses in Boca Raton have decided they should have a Battle of Florida game that same day. And the NFLPA, which is left with no TX V Nation venue, at least for this year, will hold an event that same day, or night, in L.A. They have no kick-off time yet, nor do they have a TV Network to display their product on, which seems fundamentally weak to me.
So let’s say the three games will require about 90 players each. That means they have to come up with about 270 players, which is a dozen plus more than will be Drafted in April. Now take into account that the SENIOR BOWL, in Mobile, will draw about 100 of the best players a week later. And consider that nowadays most agents do not want their client/players to participate in more than one game. SO now you probably have need for at least 350 players to stock the 4 games in 8 days. Most NFL teams don’t have that many prospects on their Bog Bards come April.
Now you tell me about the overall talent/quality you can expect to see on January 21st, not that more than a handful of you will even think about watching any of them.
What the hell are these people thinking?! And to make the cheese more binding (that’s an old Wisconsin Dairy State saying) the NFLPA has already announced that they will allow Declared Underclassmen to participate in their game. It’s a move I have been calling for, for the past 5 years. Too bad they are planning to do it in a virtual vacuum of interest and viewership. Unless this an intentional covert operation by the NFLPA that a less than stirring start to the grand experiment. Like throwing a party and nobody shows up.
Based on recent All-Star Game activity it is highly possible that only the SHRINE Game will be played on that day, but if that occurs it will not be because great minds came together in a moment of clarity. It will be because the hired gun accountants advised against the red ink baths that are likely to take place.

I am of the mind right now that the 2012 BCS Championship Game will be the least exciting, least watched and most meaningless contest in years. Unless you are an ALABAMA fan thinking of some kind of measure of payback I’m not hearing much interest in an LSU/ALABAMA rematch. We’ve been there and done that all too recently.
But by the same token what match-up would excite a lot of us? If LSU is undefeated do you really think a match-up with probably undefeated HOUSTON is going be anything more than a blowout, exposure of the COUGARS’ Conference and light weight schedule? Even ANDREW LUCK seems to have lost a lot of luster by losing 1 game at home to OREGON, who turned around and lost it’s game the following week. The same goes for OKLAHOMA STATE even if they beat OKLAHOMA in their final game.
If LSU beats GEORGIA I say crown them and let’s just call the Holiday events Bowl Games that have value only to the teams and fans involved.

And finally, no PACKERS fans I do not think the team will go 16-0 in the regular season. Quite frankly, I feel strongly it would be better for them if they didn’t. The pressure gets to be too much, when indeed the last couple of weeks of the regular season need to be for planning ahead to the Play-Off run. Winning enough games to secure home field through the NFC Championship Game is the only meaningful goal right now for them. That and getting as many injured players as possible healed and ready for 3 Play-Off games.
Go ask the PATRIOTS and their fans how much 16-0, then 18-0 meant when they lost that 19th and final game to the GIANTS a few seasons ago.

10/19/2011 As I reflect back on it I’m thinking that it was a pretty weird weekend in the world of football. Here’s what I mean...

1) One of he best games on the NFL schedule, between the LIONS/49‘ers, goes down to the final possession and our most vivid image of the entire game is two hyper-active Head Coaches almost getting into a physical fight over the post game hand shake protocol. The the League says no punches, no foul and warns HARBAUGH & SCHWARTZ to behave in the future. How about just a wave across the field after the game as being the SOP from now on.
2) It seems to me that it was a very bad day for officiating at the college level on Saturday. If what I saw in a half-dozen games was indicative of what went on elsewhere chock up a tough one for the zebras. TEXAS seemed to get quite a home field advantage in their game with OKLAHOMA STATE. There were several plays where replay officials somehow saw no need to even look at a play review much to the surprise of COWBOYS fans and the TV announcers. Maybe they were too busy chowing down of complimentary food and counting their money to bother. Most egregious of all was the lack of control the officials exercised over an out of control, punch throwing SPARTANS team in their win over MICHIGAN. Since when does a punch constitute only an unsportsmanlike penalty and not a player ejection.
3) Along those lines, I hope MARK DANTONIO the MICHIGAN STATE Head Coach was paying attention to his teams mis-behavior last Saturday. That’s the kind of hooliganism that STATE used to be known for, when their roster was populated primarily by kids who weren’t smart enough to qualify academically at MICHIGAN and had juvenile records inches thick in their personal files. I thought you had raised the program above that MARK. If you have any pride and ethical standards left in East Lansing you will suspend MR. GHOLSTON for at least 1 game.
4) Looks to be the end of another stop for DONOVAN McNABB with the VIKINGS. He was replaced in the second half of DA BEARS game by CHRISTIAN PONDER. Then yesterday LESLIE FRAZIER announced PONDER as his new starter for the PACKERS game this weekend. I think it is still possible DONOVAN will get that job back for a while when PONDER gets injured, or proves to be not ready for prime time. But I would be shocked if he’s not cut loose at the end of the season. I think the clock has chimed midnight on a fine career, and it is time for McNABB to move on with his life’s work.
5) Amazing trade yesterday between the BENGALS & the RAIDERS on two counts. First of all, it is encouraging if I am a BENGALS fan that MIKE BROWN saw the wisdom to pull the trigger on a trade instead of being vindictive toward PALMER, because he feels like a jilted lover. But then again how do you not listen when the RAIDERS start throwing around 1st Round DRAFT Picks like wooden nickels? I’d not be so critical of the RAIDERS if I thought PALMER was an elite NFL QB. But since a series of injuries n recent years he looks like a frightened kid in that pocket much of the time. I think we can also assume that JASON CAMPBELL will be available after the season.
6) The PACKERS are the last undefeated team, and should be able to hold onto that distinction with a trip to Minnesota and a date with the new QB there. I would only surmise that DOM CAPERS will dial up some chaos to ruin the Rookie’s debut. Then the PACK has its BYE Week. So it seems likely that Green Bay will head into November with that unblemished record. But a tough road stretch should put an end to their run by Thanksgiving. I do not see them going undefeated this season.
7) Conversely, the so-called “Suck For Luck” sweepstakes has way more contestants than I would have expected. The leading candidates right now appear to be INDIANAPOLIS, MIAMI & ST. LOUIS who are all winless. I don’t expect anyone to go 0-16, but the COLTS/PAINTER & DOLPHINS/MATT MOORE have an outside chance. You’d think the RAMS could win a few games with BRADFORD at QB, but he’s now walking around with a walking boot on. But you also have to throw 5 other teams with only 1 Win into the mix. And a couple of them, JACKSONVILLE & DENVER come to mind, may be hard pressed to win many more. There is going to be an absolute feeding frenzy for the rights to select LUCK, who looks like the best all-around QB to come out since a fellow STANFORD QB named ELWAY, and no that is not an exaggeration.
8) As the juggling continues on the College Football landscape are you as confused as I am about which teams are playing, or going to be playing, in which conferences come 2012. Is T.C.U. in the Big East or have they taken their marbles to the Big 12? If the MOUNTAIN WEST & CONFERENCE USA are really merging is BOISE STATE in on the deal or looking for a bigger pond to swim in? I still get a headache trying to keep the BCS and FCS Divisions straight, now this happens.
9) Get ready for the ground to rumble in the SEC over the next month. Some very big showdowns are on the way, not to mention the SEC Championship Game at the end of the season. LSU travels to ALABAMA on November 5th, and that contest should just about make the earth stand still. SOUTH CAROLINA, without it’s QB and RB, must travel to ARKANSAS that same Saturday. I see no way the GAMECOCKS can keep up with the high scoring RAZORBACKS.
Then right around Thanksgiving time ARKANSAS & LSU tangle, while ALABAMA has to overcome cross state rival AUBURN in he Iron Bowl.
1) Leave it to the Fighting-ZOOKERS to trip over themselves again. ILLINOIS goes a surprising 6-0 to start the year, including a win over a good ARIZONA STATE team, and then implodes, at Home, to OHIO STATE. Why do I say implode? Because OHIO STATE managed to win despite 1 pass completion in 4 total attempts for the game. Did WOODY HAYES come out of his grave to help with the Offensive game plan? How could ILLINOIS not come up with some halftime adjustments defensively to force OHIO STATE to pass more? ZOOK and his staff need to do more than regroup

10/06/2011 Yep... it was one of those weeks that just plain overstimulated old Pigskin Paul’s brain. Which means you are going to get a dose of TOL whether you think you need it or not.

1) There’s an old saying... ‘the more things change the more they stay the same’. I was reminded of that watching TEXAS A&M lose it’s second straight game by folding in the second half. And it reminded me of the days when MIKE SHERMAN, their current Head Coach, was in charge of the PACKERS franchise. He had always had this nasty habit of playing way to conservatively in the 3rd Quarter when he had a lead of two scores or more. He also seems to come out of the locker room with any new contingency plans in place should the game flow change. That’s what I saw again last Saturday and the AGGIES are out of the TOP 10 and falling like a rock. Sound familiar PACKERS fans?!
2) On another college note how he mighty have fallen in the state of TEXAS elsewhere as well. TC, those darlings who beat the BADGERS in the ROSE BOWL are almost in free fall mode. HC GARY PATTERSON may find himself battling just to stay above .500 for the rest of the year. His Defense is awful and his O is inconsistent. We expected the latter, with the loss of ANDY DALTON, but not the former. And on the other side of the coin how about miracle worker JUNE JONES at SMU. This is their most competitive team at SMU since the death penalty was handed down by the NCAA after the Pony Express era. Seems to me that JONES did the same thing at his last stop in HAWAII.
3) After 4 games the CAROLINA PANTHERS are 1-3, but you cannot deny that they are a very competitive 1-3. And you also have to admit that CAM NEWTON is everything positive we thought/hoped he might be. It’s just that he’s about 2 years ahead of schedule in his own performance as an NFL QB. Wouldn’t it be something if the team won the LUCK sweepstakes and offered that Pick out to the highest bidder next April?! Only catch is CAM is playing so well, and progressing so fast that I think they’ll win too many games from this point forward to close to the top pick.
4) Yes, I watched JOE FLACCO & MARK SANCHEZ get pummeled by the JETS & RAVENS D’s respectively last Sunday, but my bravery award for the weekend goes to TYLER WILSON/QB/ARKANSAS for leading his team to an upset win over the aforementioned TEXAS A&M despite being beaten to a pulp in the game because of a porous OL when it cam to pass protection. He took multiple hits above the waist on every ARKANSAS possession. he was being looked at by team trainers after every possession. But like that old Timex, he took a licking and kept on ticking leading his team to 42 points and a win. His final stats 30/51- 510 yds- 2 TD- 0 INT- 23 bruises.
5) What a shame there is no WISCONSIN/MICHIGAN game on the Big 10 board this year. That’s another bi-product as conferences expand and teams have to skip playing a few of their own conference opponents each year. Can you imagine a match up in mid-October, on a sunny day in Madison or Ann Arbor with DENARD ROBINSON and RUSSELL WILSON guiding their offenses up and down the field with their legs, their arms and their brains. Sounds like about a 56-53 shoot out... and that’s without overtime.
6) It’s almost half way through the regular College Football season and I have already watched all, or significant parts of over a hundred games. I’m going to drop two names on you. They are of the two most impactful, impressive true Freshmen in the land as seen through my eyes. And they both play in the state of SOUTH CAROLINA. SAMMY WATKINS/WR/CLEMSON who is already the team’s explosive go-to receiver on a TOP 10 team. He’s caught 31 ball thru 5 games for 471 yards and 6 TD. Here’s the stat you really need to know he has already piled up 7 plays of 20-yards or more. Defensively, I’m going with JADEVEON CLOWNEY/DE/SOUTH CAROLINA, who is just a man/child force especially in his pass-rush pressure. He’s about 6’6/245 right now, but by the time he finishes his junior season and is Draft eligible I’ll bet he’s weighing in at about 270 and the is the most talked about DE since a guy named BUBBA SMITH came out of Michigan State. These two kids have been unbelievable so far.
7) No I’m not forgetting what happened on Sunday and MOnday, but i thought the college weekend was more exciting frankly. I was very disappointed in two young QBs last weekend: JOE FLACCO/RAVENS & MARK SANCHEZ/JETS. They both looked like deer in the headlights by the second quarter Sunday night. It almost became a case of which one would give the ball to the opponents last, thus deciding the game. I saw very little poise or leadership from either guy, and even though they were facing two very good Defenses their efforts were meager if not feeble.
8) A quick tip to JIM IRSAY, BILL POLIAN & JIM CALDWELL; IR PEYTON MANNING now. You have a gutsy, but undermanned team at multiple places besides QB right now. You need someone in that roster spot who can trot out onto the field of play and compete right now. It would also be insane to expose PEYTON to the punishment he’s likely to be handed playing behind the current OL. No matter what PEYTON says place him on IR, right off the season and gear everything for 2012. Nothing you can possible do will get you team into a Super Bowl home field situation this season. Get PEYTON well and rested and perhaps he’s got another 3-4 good years left to his career starting next season.
9) Speaking of the COLTS my hat is off to JIM CALDWELL and his staff for getting maximum mileage, and then some from this battered understaffed roster. They battled to the end against the BUCS Monday night in what could have been an easy TAMPA win. They did the same on Sunday night two weeks ago against PITTSBURGH. The coaching staff is game planning well and the players are performing at a high level given all the injuries and roster issues. IN today’s NFL the loss of franchise players, especially at QB is tough to overcome. I’ll say it this way. If TOM BRADY goes down the PATS are not winning 10 games with BRIAN HOYER, and don’t even bring up MATT CASSELL. That kind of divine intervention is not happening again any time soon.
10) So can you sing? Seems like MNF needs a new person to sing their Monday Night theme song. Don’t bother to apply if you are a burned out, red neck, white supremacist. They realized that’s what they already had and what they are trying to replace.

9/01/2011 Time for some random ramblings as we get set to play games for real in pro and college football, starting tonite in Madison, Wisconsin.

1) Is there any doubt that if JERRY JONES were the G.M for another owner he would have been fired a half decade ago for his ineptness as an NFL GM. He who has the gold makes the rules, but there is no guarantee that the rules are worth a damn.
2) The NFL is a tough nut to crack as a Rookie. Even with teams desperate for new blood and new talent, it’s looking like somewhere around 35-40 Rookies will hold starting jobs heading into Week 1 of the 2011 season. That’s out of slightly over 700 starting positions overall. The lack of off-season contacts because of the lockout is a factor, but as the NFL “smartens up” it’s harder & harder for the new guys to learn everything they must know to be assignment sure in today’s NFL.
3) Along the lines of that topic you must get yourself a copy of the SI NFL preview special that just hit the stands this week. It’s chock full of good insight, but none better than the PETER KING article on how the defenses are becoming more sophisticated at “confusing” today’s Offenses. A must read if your more than just a Fantasy Fan.
4) Speaking of PETER KING I admit that he can get annoying because of his “insider” takes, almost like a social name dropper, but the guy does know the NFL inside and out, and when he sits down to pen a piece he almost always hits a HR of quality. My first read of an NFL weekend every Monday morning is his MMQB article at www.si.com.
5) I can’t help but be baffled at the DOLPHINS apparent intent to make REGGIE BUSH a full time, bell cow RB. Didn’t we already go through this scenario with him in New Orleans. It seems to me it took the SAINTS 2 seasons to figure out he is an explosive playmaker who must 12-20 touches per game max because of his relatively slight size. If the DOLPHINS intend to make him a 20 carry/5 catches a game guy he’s going to be on the injured list by early October.
6) This has t e a make or break year for GARY KUBIAK in Houston. Mr. McNAIR, team owner, needs to have his team in the Play-Offs now. He’s in the countries 5th largest metropolitan market and he’s going to run out of good will with his fan base at 8-8 every year (more or less). If WADE can’t coach up the Defense it could be ‘off with their heads’ for the entire staff.
7) There will be 2 Rookie QBs starting in Week 1: CAM NEWTON/PANTHERS & ANDY DALTON/BENGALS. There should be a third, but the JAGS are likely to go to the dance one more time with DAVID GARRARD instead of LAINE GABBERT. I’ll give that run until October when the team is floundering and DEL RIO realizes/admits that GARRARD cannot possibly save his job as head Coach for him. GABBERT will be sadly overmatched but better to pay the price now in hopes of an accelerated learning curve this year not next.
8) To the fans in Charlotte, Cincinnati & Jacksonville; please be patient with your Rookie QBs. They are going to struggle with limited talent around them and awful lot to learn on the fly. But they are your best hope going forward to improve your teams‘ collective fates. The guys they are replacing didn’t fit the bill and it is time to move on.
9) JORDAN JEFFERSON, LSU’s erstwhile starting QB has really screwed his program on the eve of the season. After kudos from teammates and coaches on what a leader he had become he get;s in a bar fight and lands in jail. If I were the Mad Hatter I would kick him off the team. How can he have any credibility in the locker room or huddle as the team leader?!
10) Now that TEXAS A&M has officially requested paper work to notify the BIG 12 of its exit from the Conference, here’s hoping the Conference won’t find ways to sabotage their season. You’ll not convince me that some of NEBRASKA’s bountiful number of penalties last year weren’t marginal and retribution form conference officials to punish the Huskers for heading to the BIG 10.
11) I wonder how many more teams will pull up stakes and leave the Big 12 in the next few years primarily because everyone is expected to kiss the football ass of TEXAS whenever issues come up in that conference. I have an idea. How about if the rest of the conference teams vote to dump TEXAS from the group. Let the Longhorns become a major independent like NOTRE DAME & BYU.
12) Speaking about that, I am very skeptical that BYU will be able to pull off he independent power play that NOTRE DAME has sustained forever. The ND football tradition far outweighs that at BYU, and there are a heck of lot more Catholics than Mormons out there to back the program. And let’s not forget the infamous NOTRE DAME ‘subway alumni’. I;m thinking BYU will be looking to join a Conference like the PAC 12 or BIG 12 after a few years of disappointing cash flow, which is what this is all about folks.

Gotta run. There’s some football to watch tonight.

8/17/2011 This episode is going to be a bit different than what I usually present as TOL. But in essence I think it fits under that heading. I’ve already heard way too much talk and speculation about where current NFL QBs rank in relation to each other. ELI’s in a class with BRADY. ROMO is back but he’s a lower echelon guy, who can’t win in the Play-Offs. DAVID GARRARD is a Top 15 NFL QB. You get the drift and probably have read/heard a few things that I haven’t in the past week or two.
So here is my list as of mid-August. I am basing it totally on where these guys are at heading into this season, not evaluating their life’s work. Ad certainly not what I think they will do three years from now. THis is a “today” list and nothing more, harsh as that may be.

1) TOM BRADY/PATS His numbers only tell half of the story.Many don’t realize how much is on his shoulders.
2) PEYTON MANNING/COLTS I am taking him at his word that he’ll be ready to roll as usual in September.
3) AARON RODGERS/PACK He has come so far so fast it is amazing. His talent & demeanor are impressive.
4) DREW BREES/SAINTS He’s he classic overachiever who leads by example & will to win, despite average tools.
5) PHILLIP RIVERS/CHARGERS He is big, smart and competitive as hell. He needs better supporting players.
6) JOSH FREEMAN/BUCS Yes I am serious this guy is this good, this soon. His mind may be most impressive.
7) MATT RYAN/FALCONS He also has come on strong quickly, and has great weapons. BRADY-like demeanor.
8) BEN ROETHLISBERGER/STEELERS Big guy is a leader and tough as nails. Makes plays all the time. Winner.
9) TONY ROMO/COWBOYS Healthy ROMO is under-appreciated because his support cast is overrated most years.
10) ELI MANNING/GIANTS Conservative head coach and lack of elite receivers holds back his productivity.
11) MATT SCHAUB/TEXANS He can’t carry a team but can throw & gets the most out of what he has to work with.
12) MICHAEL VICK/EAGLES I’m not a VICK hater, but ANDY’s system makes him look better than he is.
13) SAM BRADFORD/RAMS Tough to rank a young guy too high based on 1 season, but he’s smart & talented.
14) JAY CUTLER/BEARS I’m not ranking attitude just talent & productivity. He needs OL help and now!
15) MARK SANCHEZ/JETS He is productive and a leader of men. Can’t be easy to be REX’s QB; like PARCELLS.

I go no further here today. Beyond these guys we have too many has-beens, and wanna-be’s fighting for jobs and/or looking for one last day in the sun. A couple will rise as the year goes on, but I’d rather not fight with trying to say nice things about guy’s I don’t believe in today.

8/10/2011 Without a doubt a full month is too long to go without some musings now that the league is back in business and games (albeit pre-season) are a day away. So here are some various thoughts about things I have heard and seen in recent weeks.

1) Isn’t it nice to not be tracking the progress of signing Rookies and getting them into training Camps. Did I miss it or have all the Drafted Rookies signed their deals before we even play a Pre-Season Game?! I hate the hold-out watch each year, and this compacted NFL off-season has really squelched that concept, but good. Hooray for us NFL fans.
2) After looking at the entire league’s rosters it is clear to me that the 90-man rosters (up from 80) are purely to put more bodies into uniform so practices and games can go on, while a lot of out-of-condition athletes jump on and off the daily injury report. With the return of the Salary Cap the last 20 roster spots on most teams are pure Training Camp fodder.
3) I’m not sure I have ever seen a roster purge of a Super Bowl Champion’s roster like the one TED THOMPSON has conducted in Green Bay since the new CBA was ratified. More than a dozen veteran players have been cut, or allowed to leave in Free Agency to make room for the next wave of hungry youngsters to make the Fall roster. If it backfires during the regular season I can guarantee that a lot of good will towards WHITEY will disappear quickly. But this approach is true to his philosophy, and that philosophy has the LOMBARDI TROPHY on display in the PACKERS Hall of Fame inside Lambeau Field right now.
4) As I was going to NFL team websites to look at rosters it struck me that 11 of the 32 teams diverted to a ticket sales page, not their actual website. That’s quite a few for a League that was pretty much ‘sold out’ before the recession took hold. It’s not a disaster, but this is the most successful entertainment package on the planet that faces a significant number of empty seats again this season. Any wonder that both sides found a way to end the Lockout just in the nick of time to pretty much save the 2011 season. The NBA should be so smart... not going to happen.
5) Los Angeles is only a couple of votes away from building a new football stadium, with the main goal being to bring an NFL franchise back to the City of Angels... and demons. It will take a few years for everything to come together so the NFL has some time to consider how to provide the venue with a team. I am betting that their first choice would still be to move the RAIDERS back south from the Bay Area. I’m sure the 49‘ers would quietly kick in some $ to get that area back to being a 1 team market. And I know from personal experience that the SoCal area has a faithful cadre of RAIDERS fans just waiting for their return. The key to it all will be our old friend AL ‘DATH’ DAVIS. The team is not going back to L.A. as long as he manages the franchise in his dotage.
6) After seeing a lot of dollar numbers being bounced around when talking about the CBA, player contracts and Salary Cap figures I want to present a per peeve of mine. When you put an “m” behind a $ sign and a number, it does not mean a million. In accounting terms an “m” is a thousand. So if you want to talk about the 2011 Salary Cap being about $120-million, and you don’t want to waste characters on the word, please put down 2 “m”’s like so: $120MM. That translates to a thousand, thousand which is a million. Thank you very much.
7) I’m thinking that BILL BELICHICK is just thrilled (NOT!) with today’s comments from CHAD JOHNSON that he wants to live in the home of a Patriots fan for a while when Camp breaks. I’m thinking there will be some official discussion of that between BILL and CHAD. Mark it down as the first really dumb idea from CHAD this month, and not a positive mark in the score book BILL is keeping on his behavior as a new PATRIOT. The leash is short in New England CHAD, get a grip, if you can!
8) I’ve tweeted this a few times, but I’m going to say it one more time in this venue: Talk is cheap, and so is the GALZER family in running their football team. The team is about $50MM below the Salary Cap by most calculations, and yet the team made next to no effort to re-sign their defensive Captain and home grown Pro Bowler, BARRETT RUUD/MLB. They keep talking about building through the DRAFT, and re-signing their own, ala Green Bay, but when the first chance to demonstrate that commitment rolls around they get alligator arms reaching for the check book. you’re not going to fill that stadium with effort like this fellows.
9) Is there any way the SHANAHAN boys can be serious about going into the season with JOHN BECK (not Jeff or Glenn) & REX GROSSMAN as their QBs and seriously talk about their chances to make a Play-Off run? Neither KYLE nor MIKE seems to be suffering from dementia overall, but on this issue it’s either that or insanity. If KYLE is that poor of a QB talent evaluator, then his NFL future is doomed once he has to emerge from his dad’s shadow.
10) I think all this talk about certain teams being willing to tank their 2011 season in order to pick first in the 2012 NFL DRAFT, so as to take ANDREW LUCK, is crazy speak. Actually there isn’t much need to do so. With the new CBA having set some Rookie contract restrictions into effect we should be back to the good old days, when teams could consider trading up into the top of the DRAFT because they could afford to sign the top players. How exciting will that possibility be Draftniks?!

7/12/2011 I’ll go along for the ride here, and buy into the premise that a Labor Deal, aka CBA, is on the horizon for the NFL and the season will be saved. Based on that assumption here are some quick thoughts born of stories, and rumors I have heard and seen over the past week or so.

1) The retirement of KERRY COLLINS has really backed the TITANS into a corner. Unless they step back from their earlier pronouncements that they have ended the V.Y. era in Nashville, they would now probably be looking at the force feeding of JAKE LOCKER as their starting QB. Realistically this may precipitate them signing a VFA knowing it’s a very short term situation. I keep hearing the name MATT HASSELBECK, but I can guarantee you that MATT wants a starting job for another 2-3 seasons, not 1, maybe. Good luck with this one MR. REINFELDT.
2) Nice gain for a troubled OHIO STATE football program, and an expected loss for the NFL, with the signing of MIKE VRABEL to be an assistant coach at his alma mater. He was a roommate/teammate of LUKE FICKELL’s back in the day in Columbus. VRABEL had a stellar NFL career and has some Super Bowl rings from his days in New England to top it all off. He has an excellent reputation as a high character guy, with a very high football IQ. He’s a breath of fresh air for a beaten down BUCKEYES’ football program.
3) What’s the deal with NFL related people associated with DANCING WITH THE STARS turning into celebrity divas after their time on the show? I don’t even recognize ERIN ANDREWS anymore when she occasionally has time for sports related work, and now HINES WARD has turned into T.O. with several off-field missteps since his big dancing win. Give them both a Snickers and a slap upside the head for me.
4) Yes, I know they won their division, and a Play-Off game, but after reviewing their overall 2010 season effort, their 2011 DRAFT and their current roster I am tempted to say that PETE CARROLL did not discover any magic formula for leading an NFL Play-Off contending franchise during his hiatus in the college ranks. It’s only going to take a wake-up call to the Niners from new HC JIM HARBAUGH to put an end to the SEA HAWKS rule at the top of the NFC West. I’m not predicting gloom and doom for CARROLL, just mediocrity.
5) Every other article that I read right now is speculating over this and that VFA being on the shopping list of 3-5 NFL teams. I’m not sure which personnel match-ups I think are real and/or not real, but I am pretty sure that there may indeed be a slew of signings, time permitting, around the League. I’m speculating that between 20-33% of all current NFL veterans may find themselves eligible for Free Agency once the ink dries on a new CBA.
6) Throw the name of KYLE ORTON into the QB trade rumor mill if the BRONCOS make the big commitment to TIM TEBOW as their starting QB this season. With the type of Offensive style they would need to put in place to accommodate TEBOW’s athleticism and lack of experience within a complex pro passing offense I’m guessing there is no easy switching back and forth between TEBOW & ORTON within a weekly game plan. Once JOHN FOX & MIKE McCOY are comfortable that TEBOW can handle the Offense adequately, then they should let BRIAN XANDERS peddle ORTON to the highest bidder and capture some extra PIcks for the 2012 DRAFT.
7) Despite some degree of conventional logic I am not convinced the BENGALS are going to cut loose CHAD JOHNSON once Camp opens. They picked up his one year option, and they may want a vet to still be around in their receiving corps. At the very least I could see MIKE BROWN hanging on to him into the exhibition season and trying to parlay him into a mid-Round DRAFT Pick. Wait... that might be a bit too complicated to expect out of BROWN and BENGALS Front Office.
8) I realize that NFL players have a busier year-round schedule to keep than many people realize, so their free time and private life is greatly constricted by their job. I also realize that we are deep into the on-line social networking phenomenon as a society. But the recent revelation that ROY WILLIAMS/WR/COWBOYS proposed marriage and sent an expensive engagement ring through the mail and e-mail is too sad and pathetic for me to contemplate.
9) If we are all buying into the fact that BRETT FAVRE really is retired this time around, why are some so obsessed with validating the concept through repeated questioning? I saw two quotes this week from his mom & brother about him really being retired this time. Obviously, the waffle act over the past three-five years has left many wary of writing a FAVRE retirement down in anything but erasable pencil, not permanent ink.
10) I’m not prepared at this time to pronounce a Super Bowl winner for the upcoming season. Nor am I ready to project the team that will hold the No. 1 PICK in the 2012 NFL DRAFT. But I will leave you with the following thought. Unless they add a respectable, veteran QB to their roster sometime in Training Camp the following teams could all be fighting for that dreaded No. 1 Pick, or one very close to it: CARDINALS, VIKINGS, SEA HAWKS, TITANS, REDSKINS.

6/11/2011 It’s most unlike PIGSKIN PAUL to not be musing about multiple issues in the sports world, so here are some observations on a random rage of items.

1) Not that I am at all surprised, but I find it disappointing that so much of Buckeye Nation is so quick to turn their venom towards TERRELLE PRYOR as the root of all evil with their football program. That despite mounting evidence of NCAA violations before he ever set foot on the Columbus campus. Get real folks and face the reality that JIM TRESSEL is, and has been for some time, a hypocrite.
2) Yes, I realize that age is a big factor in the situation, but it’s still amazing to see the names of RANDY MOSS, TERRELL OWENS & PLAXICO BURRESS atop the WR Free Agent list while we await the resumption of NFL activity. If a new CBA is signed before Training Camps are scheduled to open I think all three will be on rosters, assuming they are willing to accept non-signing bonus, performance incentive heavy contracts for their services.
3) If it wasn’t already, it will surely be time for BENGALS Owner MIKE BROWN to entertain serious trade offers for CARSON PALMER once the League is back in business. It has become apparent in recent player interviews that many of PALMER’s teammates are ready to move on without a guy who doesn’t want to be in the fox hole with them. It’s also pretty clear that CARSON can no longer be considered a premier NFL QB. Injuries have taken their toll on his body, and perhaps more importantly his psyche. PALMER is now a nervous QB who is looking to avoid the next big hit at almost any cost.
4) Things are getting downright ugly in Morgantown, W.V. where evidently HC BILL STEWART has not taken kindly to AD OLIVER LUCK hiring and anointing DANA HOLGORSEN as the ‘HC in Waiting’. That concept only really works out well if it’s the idea of the current Head Coach to hire his replacement as was the case with BARRY AVAREZ at UW. If you haven’t been following the story this past week, STEWART allegedly contact some sportswriters to dig up some dirt on DANA if they could. Watch for Old Bill to be out of a job by the end of the coming week.
5) And to make things worse, there is apparently an early groundswell amongst some WVU football supporters to kiss and make up with former HC RICH ROD, and bring him back as their leader if HOLGORSEN ends up going down with STEWART in this fiasco. Oh how quickly they forget.
6) There is just something a bit strange about the current shopping tour being conducted by former N.C. State QB RUSSELL WILSON. With one year of eligibility left the WOLF PACK released WILSON from his scholarship obligation to their program. Seems HC TOM O’BRIEN was not thrilled at the idea of not seeing his starting QB until school started in the Fall. WILSON is already playing pro baseball in the ROCKIES organization you see. So now WILSON is free to find another school to play QB for this fall. And he is a solid college QB in case you have been sleeping under a rock the past few years. This past week the word is he and the BADERS were checking each other out.
7) Could it possibly be a case of ‘deja vu, all over again’? I’m looking for the parallels between current OKLAHOMA STATE QB BRANDON WEEDEN and former SEMINOLE CHRIS WEINKE. Like WEINKE before him, WEEDEN flamed out on a pro baseball career and is leading the COWBOYS offense as a 27-year old collegian.
8) Nice to see GENE CHIZIK get a hefty pay raise and contract extension at AUBURN. He has done a great job (22-5) in his two years on the Alabama Plains. And please remember that he was received as something less than a sensation by many AUBURN faithful when he took over a slipping football program only two seasons ago. It’s not easy to be a success when your No. 1 rival up the highway is under the command of ST. NICK.
9) STEVE SPURRIER has really done a great job at putting the SOUTH CAROLINA football program back into a perennial contending position in the ‘ball-busting’ SEC. But the biggest surprise to me is his inability to recruit a 5-star QB for his program. He has just given senior QB STEVEN GARCIA his umpteenth reinstatement to the roster from a suspension. If he had something good in the hopper he’d have dispatched that knucklehead from the program two years ago.
10) Just a word of caution to all the Golden Domer die-hards out there. Please don’t be too quick in proclaiming your team as a Top 10 entity with serious BCS Championship aspirations in 2011. I think BRIAN KELLY is the best man for this job, and is already ahead of the curve on rebuilding the program. But title aspirations aren’t realistic quite yet. To quote our good friend LEE CORSO, ‘Not so fast my friends’. Things look more positive for the Fighting irish than they have in over a decade, but let’s show some patience. A 9-3 record and a New Year’s Bowl would be nice progress in KELLY’s second season in South Bend.

4/25/2011 Since everything else that is said about the NFL until Thursday is absolute conjecture, what better time than to reach into the jumbled up mind of PIGSKIN PAUL and pluck out some varied thoughts and opinions.

1) Seems to me that the craziest Draft Talk currently going on is the growing speculation that there will be a run on QBs during the First Round on Thursday night. This year’s QB group has some nice options in it, with varying skill sets, but hardly any sure thing/can’t miss/ready now pro candidates. NEWTON may go No. 1 to CAROLINA, and he’s the least likely of all to be ready to start next season.
2) Don’t want to over react, but CAM NEWTON admitting to JON GRUDEN last week that AUBURN’s offensive play calling system was ultra simplistic, is another red flag reminding us that the learning curve for CAM to successfully lead an NFL team will most likely be lengthy. The road to reach his upside will likely be long and winding. Does any team have that ind of patience for the first overall pick of the DRAFT.
3) Hope all you DRAFTNIKS are remembering what a month this is for mis-information to flow. Be very careful who, and how much, you believe the next three days. If the NFL DRAFT process was a DISNEY Production there would be hundreds of NFL execs running around with very long Pinocchio noses.
4) As you listen to teams with TOP 10 Picks moan and groan about wanting to trade back, but not being able to, remember that a Rookie Salary Scale is a key financial issue for Owners in the next CBA. As a Draftnik I’m rooting for one to be created so we can speculate on top picks being traded like we used to a couple of decades ago.
5) The current emphasis swing within the League to pass-happy Offenses is most clearly demonstrated by current speculation that MARK INGRAM may be the only Round 1 RB this year. Combine that with the QB love-fest mentioned above and you get the picture.
6) Something that is puzzling me a bit. If the NFLPA has decertified as a bargaining unit, then why are they so anxious to get the lock-out lifted so talks will resume again? Will they re-certify at that point, which would allow the League to lock them out again. I’m not a legalist, but this seems like a treadmill to nowhere experience.
7) If you are interested in 2011 roster speculation keep in mind that there are an awful lot of potential VFA out there waiting to sign on to work somewhere in the League. Many of them may get a strong clue about their future after the DRAFT is over, and we see who/what teams got in the DRAFT. Returning to their current teams won’t be an option at all for some vets based on who was Drafted to take their place.
8) It’s been said many times before, but I will bring it up one more time given that the DRAFT is this week. The importance of this process cannot be more clearly illustrated than to remind everyone to look at the philosophy and roster composition of the two franchises represented in the most recent Super Bowl. DRAFT, develop and keep your own players is the message.
9) It certainly makes biological and cultural sense, but I am amazed every year at how strong the gene pool is in sports. In my current MOCK DRAFT I have 3 of 32 players in Round 1 having fathers who played in the NFL: CAM JORDAN/DE, MARK INGRAM/RB, CAM HEYWARD/DE. In addition I also have PATRICK PETERSON/CB & MIKE POUNCEY/OC/G who have cousins and brothers in the League in my mock.
10) Got into a discussion last week with a friend who once again was amazed, and could not understand, my fascination with this fantasy world we live in as Draftniks. He wondered how I could justify the time I spent researching, thinking and writing about the 3-day event. I was unable to satisfactorily explain my “hobby”, but then again he got very defensive when I questioned his obsession with Fantasy Baseball & Football. To each his own, I hope.

Enjoy DRAFT week, and think good thoughts for a new CBA. Stay thirsty, my friends.... for football.

3/16/2011 Time surely does fly when you’re having fun. It has been a full month since I last postulated on the world of football. So let’s have at it from the convoluted mind of PIGSKIN PAUL.

1) The posturing is already driving me crazy between the NFLPA and the League. Now the Union wants the prospects to skip appearing at the official NFL DRAFT on Day 1. Sure... they aren’t even in the de-certified Union yet, but MR. SMITH wants them to spite their future employers party with him. And the Agents are scurrying around to see who can get his nose closest to D-SMITH’s butt in order to kiss it.
2) And if that wasn’t petty and tacky enough, now the NFLPA is talking about holding their own “Draft Party” for the prospects so they can hug D-SMITH instead of ROGER GOODELL. UN-be-liev-able! If that happens I will boycott watching the network that televises the Union Hall rally. No, I am not anti-union in principle.
3) If MARTY HURNEY and the PANTHERS even think about Drafting CAM NEWTON, then what does that say about their player evaluation skills that they grabbed JIMMY CLAUSEN in Round 2 just last year? This is another classic case of the need for a Rookie Salary Cap so that the top DRAFT PICKS are tradable... which they are not any more.
4) The COWBOYS may have their pick of the litter when it comes to OL Prospects with their 1st PIck at No. 9 this year. But as much as they need to rebuild their OL I would have to defend their unlikeliness to fill that need at such a lofty position. I can’t give you one name this year along the OL who merits a TP 10 Pick. Bt they’d better be thinking OL in Rounds 2 & 3.
5) I’m as high on MARLK INGRAM as anyone. I have him rated as the top RB prospect. He reminds me a lot of EMMITT SMITH. But I feel I must clarify my feelings by saying that in the currently pass-oriented NFL his value to his pro team will not approach what SMITH brought to the COWBOYS two decades ago. Therefore, I can’t see him being taken any earlier than the mid-First Round, if not a bit later.
6) I can’t remember the last time a player staying in school affected the anticipation of the Number One Pick of the DRAFT the way ANDREW LUCK’s decision to go back to STANFORD has affected this year’s event. It still seems like an awful lot of air went out of the balloon the day everyone realized he wasn’t “in-play” for the 2011 DRAFT.
7) I’m just loving the annual phenomenon that’s now starting to take affect in the Prospect evaluation process. The main one I’m referring to is the rise-fall-rise of players as the NFL Personnel People take their final looks at the game tapes and cross reference that against COMBINE & Pro Day numbers. Some of the “hot” Underclassmen and Sleepers don’t quite look as hot as they did a month, or less, ago. And vice versa, some seniors don’t look as bad as the newcomers fall back. Any good Drafting team will rely on game film in the final analysis. The biggest value in Indy was medical info and personal interviews. Just ask a guy like TED THOMPSON.
8) Most of the major movement on my DRAFT Board right now is relative to the Day 3 guys, Rounds 4-7. That’s where the added numbers from workouts can help sort the wheat from the chaff a bit.
9) Let’s also get something out on the table right now as we approach the last chapter in the current CBA book. The current NFL DRAFT is an 8 Round event, not 7. The current agreement calls for a max DRAFT of 256 players, which includes a full Round’s worth of Compensatory Picks. So even though those extra Picks are scattered around on a complex compensation value chart, if you take 256 PIcks and divide it amongst 32 teams it equals 8 Rounds. The extra Picks just aren’t allocated evenly to all teams.
10) And finally, I’m thinking out loud and silently about the death of my Dad, Roland Guillemette this past Monday night. He had just turned 88-years old and most of those were quality years. He fought in the Big War as an 18-year old in the Pacific Theatre. I’ll miss him, and I sure wish we could have had some quality years under the same roof in Florida at the end. Now my wife and I become the elders of our clan. I’ll think more about all that portends a bit later.

2/16/2011 I’m not going to get carried away today, but based on feedback and questions I have gotten from followers of PPP in recent weeks, I feel obligated to make a few post Super Bowl comments, including a few general observations on the NFL’s Labor Issues, which have now crawled into the 11th hour, at the least.

1) Pretty amazing stretch run, and Play-Off string for the PACKERS. With 15 players on the IR (and most of them contributors to the team) I had them pegged as dead in the water by late October. Fooled me again. This team has talent, but more so give them a tip of the hat for intelligence, guile & togetherness not often seen in pro sports today.
2) Has anyone failed to notice that even though the NFL has become a passing League offensively, it still takes lots of solid Defense to make it through the Play-Offs? Quite often the high scores you see on Sunday night have a lot more to do with turnovers and field position than sustained long offensive drives. It’s a passing League, but still heavily influenced by D.
3) I am not going to get into the CBA stalemate in great detail, but there are a few aspects that I do have strong opinions on and this is my forum to let loose a bit, so here goes...
4) Players listen up... the Owners have a valid point when talking about their “capital costs” to build and maintain state-of-the-art playing facilities (& Practice facilities for that matter). If you haven’t been paying attention, over the past decade the days of cities/counties/states building free stadiums for teams are long gone. In most instances new stadiums are being paid for primarily by the owners (and the League) with some local funding, which often must be paid back by the team involved. Monies are often allocated from government units to help with access and infrastructure costs, but not much more.
5) Conversely, when owners like JERRY JONES let their egos get ahead of their economic common sense, and build palaces to meet their every whim and desire, that should not come out of the collective NFL football dollar pool. Let’s not forget that JONES, and others, are generating lots of extra non-football revenue from their stadiums by hosting other events, including College Football. NFL Players never get a sniff of that revenue.
6) An item that should be a no brainer is the institution of a Rookie Salary Scale. As long as players are getting a guaranteed % of the overall League revenue such a system should guarantee more dollars for veteran players. If I’m a vet then I have to be rankled by huge dollars going to unproven Rookies. For every franchise player like a SAM BRADFORD, who may almost be worth his huge contract $, there are busts like JaMARCUS RUSSELL who steal millions from owners and other NFL players.
7) I’m totally on the players side with the ridiculous concept of an 18-game regular season. By the time you add two games, and probably another BYE week you’re stretching out the NFL season by another month (give or take a week). I love football, but Sundays will lose some impact when we have 20 weeks of regular season action. Add in the Play-Offs and the NFL will be plugging away for almost 8 months of the year. Too damn long even for me.
8) I also want to point out what a personnel disaster the end of the regular season and the Play-Offs could become from a lineup standpoint. As injuries mount many NFL starting line-ups look pretty sad in December already. Two more games doesn’t sound like much, but given the ferocity of the game it could be huge relative to the lineups on the field for a significant number of teams.
9) There are many other issues to be hammered out between the League and the NFLPA, but now is not the time for D-SMITH to perfect his pout/scowl and try to establish himself as the DONALD FEHR of football. Nor does it behoove the owners (no not GOODELL, who is a puppet in these matters) to pretend their game is immune to the new economics of the USA. Negotiate in good faith, both of you, before you do indeed kill the goose that has laid golden eggs over the last three decades for professional football.
10) One more final comment for all you DRAFTNIKS. This is a talented, solid DRAFT, but one that is light on impact skill position players. Even at positions of perceived talent strength, like OT, many of the top players don’t appear to be immediately NFL ready. This should make for an interesting and active DRAFT come April. Just remember though, that without a new CBA current players will not be able to be traded for Picks.

10/05/2010 Here’s another KEROUAC-like report from the road...

1) The big 10 Conference schedule begins and JIM TRESSEL REVERTS back to his old conservative ways. The BUCKEYES keep the Illini in the game by disposing of half of their Offensive Playbook. TERRELLE PRYOR only gets to throw the ball 16 times. What a waste JIM!
2) How good might AUBURN be by the time we get into the last month of the season? Very, very good if CAM NEWTON continues to get better and better each week, like he has done so far this season. What a QB talent his guy is!
3) I am beginning to think that I have been a bit too harsh in my criticism of CLEMSON’S KYLE PARKER as a college QB. He is a better baseball player than a football player I am sure of that. But the lack of help he is getting this year from his receivers is pretty pathetic. They drop balls like kids in Pop Warner.
4) If I am a college Head Coach currently out of work I’m sending in my resume’ right now to the folks at MINNESOTA. TIM BREWSTER has to be on his last legs right now. A brand new stadium and his team just gets worse each season.
5) More-is-LES MILES survived his own poor clock management again Saturday only because TENNESSEE has no Math majors on their team or coaching staff and can’t count to 11. LSU blundered big time down in the Red Zone during their final drive letting the clock run out while they bumbled around. But with 13 defenders on the field the VOLS gave them the one extra play they needed to win. Haven’t we seen this Coaching Staff do this before?
6) After watching a handful of games Saturday it is clear that God is not a big football fan. There was very little fair and just in some of the endings to multiple games on Saturday. Justice was not served.
7) Who-da thunk that one of the big showdown games this coming weekend would be a match-up of unbeatens in Ann Arbor. But here it comes with the 5-0 Spartans traveling to take on in-state rival 5-0 MICHIGAN. And by the way, is there any candidate even close to the Wolverines‘ DENARD ROBINSON/QB for HEISMAN TROPHY consideration right now? THat is a rhetorical question my friends.
8) After winning another shoot out over STANFORD, did you realize that OREGON’s Defense has allowed only one TD in the second half so far this season. NICK ALIOTTI must be a genius at half-time adjustments, and/or a poor game planner.
9) On the pro side, what an absolute Offensive disaster the first half was between DA BEARS and GIANTS Sunday night. At least the G-MEN figured something out in the second half. NBC execs and advertisers had to be pulling their hair out by halftime.
10) History made in the MNF game between the PATS/DOLPHINS. For the first time in NFL history a team found 5 different ways to score in one game. The PATS scored a passing TD and a running TD offensively. They returned an interception for a TD. They returned a Kick-Off for a TD. And they scored after blocking a Punt. I have never seen Special Teams dominate a game the way the PATS did all in the second half Monday night.

9/27/2010 Since I am still on the road for family business reasons, I thought this format might be a suitable way to get out some of my weekend observations. My viewing time is limited in scope and in volume so I can’t regale you with my usual plethora of info and opinions. But you know I always have a thoughts to express.

1) I certainly hope PHILLIP RIVERS is still looking in the mirror and yelling at himself after the close loss to the SEA HAWKS Sunday. I counted two times in the last 5 minutes of that game, when he lost track of the play clock and cost his team penalty yards and a time-out. He who shouts at others has to be able to shout at himself.
1) Winning and losing are the name of the game, but don’t think I won’t be curious to compare the stats tomorrow morning of KYLE ORTON and JAY CUTLER. The CUTLER trade may still be the one trade (and only one) that COACH JOSH has made since landing in Denver that has helped his franchise for now, and in the long haul. But sometime soon I am going to outline some of the bone headed house cleaning McDANIELS has done.
2) I’m not seeing any dominant College Football teams after 4 weeks of the 2010 season. Most of the top teams who have played anybody decent have struggled in half of their wins to date. Stay tuned for more of the chaos and parity to continue. Even BOISE may face a stiff challenge or two in their Conference schedule. Check out the play of NEVADA this year.
3) Word is that the JETS brass is also very upset with two players (GHOLSTON & FERGUSON) who were along for the ride in BRAYLON EDWARDS vehicle last week. So that makes three drunks who didn’t have the common sense to put away the keys and call for a free ride home form the team.
4) Loved the DOLPHINS/JETS game from start to finish last night. BEARS/PACKERS are going to have to go some to top that one tonight. But they just might.
5) NFL teams looking for vet players to bring in as injuries mount need look no further than the UFL. JEFF GARCIA led Omaha to an opening game victory over the weekend, with AHMAN GREEN serving as his main RB. There are lots of vets on UFL rosters who could likely make a larger immediate contribution to an NFL team than many of the youngsters currently occupying space on Practice Squads.
6) Talk about the pressure and stress of big time athletics...How about the surprise (aren’t they all) heart attack to Spartans Head Coach MARK D’ANTONI. And after the big win over ND in overtime the Saturday before. Get well quickly Coach.
7) For my money, right now the biggest disappointment during the month of September in the NFL is the 0-3 start by the 49‘ers. Coach MIKE SINGLETARY is going to be coming under heavy fire real soon, especially after dumping OC/JIMMY RAYE following the loss to Arizona. Hey folks, I’m in this soup too. I had them projected to be NFC West champs, not chumps.
8) Biggest surprise to me this past weekend was the RAMS handing the ‘SKINS a solid defeat. RAMS fans need to (and will) be cautious in their optimism. But this is a severe blow to the savior sentiment being placed on the head of MIKE SHANAHAN. Washington is a rebuilding, on-the-fly- job. But MIKE had better clear up major distractions like the ongoing FAT ALBERT saga.
9) How vindicated do you think PIGSKIN PAUL felt (if only for a day) to see BLAIR WHITE become one of MR.PEYTON’s key weapons Sunday in Denver. The newbie to the roster had three catches for 27 yds and 1 TD, earning high praise from Pluperfect PEYTON for his attention to detail and concentration. WHITE was a Rookie Free Agent after not getting drafted in April. I had him ranked as my 161st best Prospect (Round 5). I was impressed with his quickness, good hands and precise route running during Shrine Game week in Orlando last January. THat was my evaluation and I’m sticking to it.

Thats enough for now. Everyone has excess opinions for you on football Mondays, so I’ll let you go read some others.

8/11/2010 Training Camps are in full swing, and its time for PIGSKIN PAUL to opine on happenings around the League, with a few extra collegiate observations just for good measure.

1) Let’s start with something outside the world of football. Is there anyone in the media who has lost more cache’ over the Summer than JIM GRAY? First he hosts the classless LaBRON JAMES signing infomercial, which by-the-by was germinated by a call from him to LBJ’s people in the first place. Now he is embroiled in a he-said, she-said misquote accusation from COREY PAVIN about the invite, or non-invite, intentions of TIGER WOODS on the part of the RYDER CUP Captain.
2) NICH SABAN & URBAN MEYER are the first, but perhaps not the last of college coaches to ban NFL Personnel from team practices. The real target of their ire appears to be Player Agents, and their minions who have become profuse in their contact violations with college players. Now the pressure is on the NFL to put pressure on D SMITH and the NFLPA, who license Agents. Perhaps the rules and regs need to be a bit tighter on the part of the NFLPA when dealing with their licensed Player Agents.
3) One of the biggest chuckles of the recent week was the Friar Tuck hairdo given to TIM TEBOW in Denver by his new teammates. The good news is that TEBOW handled it with a smile and lots of humility. Word is that the cut was applied with a touch of love by veteran players who are quite impressed with TEBOW’s persona so far as their teammate.
4) On a sad note, sorry to see Special Teamer deluxe SEAN MOREY hang up his cleats ostensibly due to post-concussion health issues, which have plagued him for years now. Le’s hope MOREY didn’t ignore some of his symptoms too long before making his decision. He might rank just behind STEVE TASKER in the Special Teamer al-time rankings.
5) I was looking over the list of 11 (at last count) player suspensions scheduled to begin at the start of the 2010 season as handed out by Lord of Discipline, ROGER GOODELL and it still mystifies me a bit that his discipline march continues, and rightfully so, but the WILLIAMS WALL has still not served any of their suspensions from 2 seasons ago, because of politics in the Minnesota court system. What’s up with that, ROGER?If I am one of these other guys I am pissed off at the NFL.
6) It’s obviously a ways off, but watch for the excitement to begin, relative to the 2011 DRAFT, if the top college QB prospects have the kind of 2010 seasons that they are expected to. JAKE LOCKER/Washington, ANDREW LUCK/Stanford and RYAN MALLETT/Arkansas all look primed to have outstanding seasons, which could project all 3 into TOP 10 DRAFT selection spots.
7) The DETROIT LIONS continue to distance themselves as a team from the ill-fated MATT MILLEN era as their GM. With the waiving of S/DANIEL BULLOCKS just before Training Camp opened there are no longer any MILLEN Draftees on the LIONS roster. Wow... what a disaster MILLEN was in the DRAFT ROOM.
8) Conversely, welcome back to broadcasting MATT. He did some nice on-air work last season, and I expect him to continue to do so, and even improve over the coarse of the 2010 season. He’s a smart guy, who is more articulate than most former players, with a dry sense of humor. He does have some valid observations about the NFL game, and as it turned out his major failing as a GM was simply his inability to project college talent relative to its translation to the pro playing fields. That is a fatal flaw for a GM, but does not diminish his ability as a broadcaster.
9) With BOBBY BOWDEN now retired, it appears the next target of exit speculation will swirl around JOE PATERNO. JoePa had a stomach issue this past off-season and looked thin and relatively frail at the BIG TEN Media events held recently in Chicago. Many present also felt he was far from the quirky, quick quip artist he has been previously. I am hoping for the best as an unabashed PATERNO supporter over the years, but must admit the time is getting short for him in Happy Valley. I hope it doesn’t take an unraveling of the football program on, or of, the field for the Coach to walk away from his life’s work.
10) I continue to hear that with his contract situation being resolved the TITANS/RB/CHRIS JOHNSON may be a near unanimous No. 1 overall Pick in every FANTASY DRAFT in the country. I can see that happening. He ran for over 2,000 yards last season and says he wants 2,500 this year. And with what the TITANS are paying him, I’d expect them to give him a huge workload to get their money’s worth out of him. Injury would be the only major concern to his value.

6/24/2010 Time to take a look around the wide, wide world of football and opine on some things that have been catching my attention.

1) I have been just short of amazed by some of the roster moves made by the RAVENS so far in the month of June. You can catch my opinion of their DRAFT efforts in the NFL Draft section of my sight, but they have also been very aggressive this month in bringing in seasoned vets at certain positions in an attempt to provide depth and fight for jobs once Training Camp opens. The signing of guys like KEN HAMLIN/S, WALT HARRIS/CB, SHAYNE GRAHAM/K, and now MARC BULGER/QB is out of character for this franchise. As I have stated several times this off-season, it certainly appears that the organization is “all-in” now, for a Super Bowl run before RAY LEWIS & ED REED hang up their spikes.
2) The BRONCOS continue to display supreme confidence in the potential of TIM TEBOW. The waiving of TOM BRANDSTATER/QB, the other young QB on their roster, clearly indicates that JOSH McDANIELS, and kid brother/QB Coach BEN, consider more of their time is best spent working with TEBOW to accelerate his development. After making him a Round 1 Pick, I cannot argue with their logic (barring a QB injury). Their future with the franchise is clearly tied to TEBOW becoming their starting QB sooner rather than later.
3) Interesting to see the REDSKINS use their credit card again with the acquisition of JAMMAL BROWN/OT from the SAINTS for future DRAFT Choices. Assuming BROWN passes his physical and is totally recovered from his 2009 injuries this should be an astute acquisition. BROWN is still only 29-years old and has started at LT for the SAINTS since his Rookie season. Given the limited talent along the OL in Old D.C. his acquisition could go a long way toward keeping DONOVAN on the field for 12-16 games this year.
4) Speaking of solid acquisitions... nice job by the VIKES to snap up RB/RYAN MOATS after he was waived by the TEXANS. He did not fit in Houston’s new RB rotation, given that his size and skill set pretty much mirror that of STEVE SLATON. But he is still young (27) and has averaged just over 4-ypc in his limited 4 year career. He helps provide competition as the VIKES attempt to make up for the loss of CHESTER TAYLOR as A.P.’s back-up.
5) The NFL has officially lost two of its most prolific career pass-catchers this month with the announced retirements of both ISAAC BRUCE & MUSHIN MUHAMMAD. I know most of you are well aware of the carer stats of BRUCE, but did you realize that MUSHIN amassed some big numbers during his 14-year playing career. He piled up 860 catches, for 11,438 yds and 62 TD. I doubt he’s a future HOF inductee, but I would guess his name will come up for consideration once eligible.
6) It’s just PIGSKIN PAUL thinking too much perhaps, but looking at the REDSKINS crowded veteran RB situation it occurs to me that perhaps the odd man out could be CLINTON PORTIS. Sounds strange at first blush, but he’s an old 29, is their highest paid player at the position and it wouldn’t be the first time that MIKE SHANAHAN sent him packing. It was, after all, SHANAHAN who traded PORTIS to the SKINS‘ in return for CB/CHAMP BAILEY back in his Denver days. Not saying I have inside info, but just floating it out there.
7) It looks like NCAA D1 Football has avoided total chaos for the time being, at least. The TEXAS schools have saved the BIG 12, by opting to stay put... for now. Losing COLORADO & NEBRASKA, hurts the Conference, but does not mortally injure it. Now here is the most pressing dilemma for College Football in my mind. How are these institutions of higher learning going to reconcile their names with simple math. Unless they cop out based on “New Math” principles how does the 12 team BIG TEN, keep its name while the 10 team BIG TWELVE seems undersized for their current moniker. And then you have the self-proclaimed academic elite of the PAC 10 actually having 2 too many teams for their name with the addition of COLORADO & UTAH. I will give those West Coast guys credit... back when they added ARIZONA & ARIZONA STATE they changed their name from PAC EIGHT to PAC TEN. Watch for the mathematically correct Conference to soon be renamed the PAC TWELVE.
8) Nice to see URBAN MEYER back with his football program. He has had a medical diagnosis of his health issues and looks fit. The key will now be for him to not lose track of his personal health care needs as the 2010 football season draws closer. He’s too good of a Coach to be too sick to not be able to run the Florida program. Here’s hoping he finds a healthy life balance between personal health needs and professional carer demands. That is a challenge an awful lot of Coaches never seem to be able to find the answer for in their high pressure job situations.
9) Nice catch by the BIG TEN to add NEBRASKA to the Conference. The school is a good fit overall for the Upper Midwest based organization. Their presence will also upgrade the overall quality of the football programs throughout the conference. Having an even number of teams will aid scheduling and of course the twelfth team should result in a bifurcated Conference with an annual Championship Play-Off game soon to come. I’m hearing the move made economic sense for the Cornhuskers, and also soothed their sensitive nerves from feeling like second class citizens within the TEXAS dominated BIG 12.
10) I’m going to give you a program and coach to pay attention to this coming college football season; BUTCH DAVIS/NORTH CAROLINA. I am not implying that DAVIS is in any way, shape or form on the Hot Seat right now. But given the talent he has been able to accumulate, including a dozen players likely to be TOP 150, 2011 DRAFT Prospects, it is time for him to get his team into contention for an ACC Conference title, and a BCS Bowl Bid. We know he can recruit. Now we need to see that he can produce major success on the field with all that talent. He runs the risk of being compared to RON ZOOK/Illinois otherwise.

5/27/2010 I guess this month and next are as close as we can get to an Off-Season for the NFL in this day and age. But that does not mean that nothing is going on around the league, and I’d like to throw some thoughts your way as the NFL world turns.

1) Bravo to the league for awarding a Super Bowl to the New York/New Jersey area, and the new GIANTS/JETS Stadium. When you plunk down $1.6-billion for a new stadium it seems only fair that the venue receive a shot at the the Big One. Logistics could become a nightmare if a blizzard blows through the week of the game, but such a resilient area will find a way to pull it off.
2) No it’s not Miami Beach, but there is more to do in NYC than anywhere else in the world. Just tell the celebs and execs to bring, or buy, a winter coat for the little time they spend out of their hotel rooms or limos. And the game itself will be just fine if it has to be played in the snow and cold. Happens all the time up in my area of the country.
3) Have you noticed the veritable plethora (to borrow a phrase from Howard Cossell) of veterans who are choosing to boycott the voluntary team OTAs which have begun since the DRAFT ended? Get used to it. The phenomenon could reach epidemic proportions as Training Camps open in late July. With a potential 2011 lock-out by the owners every player wants to get a new contract, or contract extension, with some up front bonus money to tide them over for a no paycheck year in 2011.
4) In a related situation, it may be a while before some previously high priced vets who are Free Agents get a new team for the 2010 season. I am speaking of players like T.O., JaMARCUS RUSSELL, BRIAN WESTBROOK, MARC BULGER, et al. It seems to me that a combination of team needs and more reasonable salary demands by most of these guys will result in training Camp signings for most of them.
5) There seem to be conflicting reports already coming out of BEARS OTAs up in Lake Forest relative to the installation f the new MIKE MARTZ Offense. DA BEARS are professing that things are fine and progressing nicely. Some reporters have garnered intelligence that indicates whistles are blowing dead a lot of offensive plays in practice. My memory tells me that MARTZ is such a perfectionist that he blew the whistle constantly during all of his previous coaching stops. Sounds like business as usual to me.
6) I hate to even go down this road, but it is news that has major impact on the Play-Off chances of that team that plays in Minnesota, so I will mention that it certainly would seem that for Mr. BRETT FAVRE to undergo ankle surgery last Friday clearly indicates that he is most likely going to be the QB for the VIKINGS come September, 2010. What a shock... not!
7) I am strongly in favor of the overtime rules changes that the league pushed through for the Play-Offs. When the format becomes one-and-done I have a real problem with a team winning a coin toss and it dictates the destiny of both teams. But in a 16 game schedule I’m not so sure there needs to be a rush to judgement on instituting the new rules where the impact is usually much less significant.
8) I don’t think it means that TOM BRADY is going to fall out of the elite QB rankings, but I though some of his quotes about changing priorities (especially family/children) a couple of weeks ago to PETER KING, were quite illuminating and insightful. Other great QBs have had a semblance of balance in their lives and still been great. Coming to mind are KURT WARNER, STEVE YOUNG, PHIL SIMMS, DREW BREES, to name a few. But let’s face it the majority of the great ones live and breathe the game like PEYTON MANNING.
9) I hate to even go down this road, but we’re not far away from the frenzy starting amongst Fantasy Fans as they try to figure out which skill position players in the most recent NFL DRAFT will make a positive impact in Fantasy Leagues around the country next fall. Bet they’ll all be in love with the COWBOYS DEZ BRYANT for one.
10) Just as a preview for you, I see the RAMS as still being the weakest overall team in the League when it comes to talent. They will debut as No. 32 in my Power Rankings in mid-June, barring the miraculous addition of a half-dozen heaven sent veteran starters. I’m having a lot more trouble discerning my Top 10 teams than those at the bottom.

4/26/2010 Over the course of a long 3-day DRAFT Weekend lots of random thoughts and observations popped into my mind. After filtering out some the more trivial (I hope) here are some thoughts for your perusal.

1) JOSH McDANIELS is already too big for his britches, as folks used to say when I was growing up. He tried desperately to work his DRAFT like his mentor LITTLE BILL, but failed to stock his current roster or his cupboard for next year. He runs players off so fast that he can’t possible keep up in trying to replace them on his roster.
2) I find it very hard to understand why the JETS will cut loose ALAN FANECA today. Especially since it is my understanding that they are on the hook for his $5-million plus 2010 salary anyway. It seems similar to the Panthers getting rid of OPIE, except that FANECA can still play.
3) This week will be full of veteran cuts. Teams will cut lose players they feel are making too much money, with declining skills, based on what potential replacements they were able to draft or trade for last weekend.
4) Most NFL watchers are praising the SEA HAWKS and PETE CARROLL for their trades and Draft selections over the weekend. I want to make sure people don’t forget the NFL veteran who really guided Pistol Pete through the Process; JOHN SCHNEIDER, new GM, and former valued aide to TED THOMPSON in Green Bay. While you watched CARROLL dancing around the Sea Hawks Draft Room, it was SCHNEIDER who you saw on the phone closing the deals.
5) Everyone seems to be enamored with the glitz and glamour of REX RYAN and the veteran additions to the JETS roster, but history says a team cannot thrive over the long haul by conducting DRAFT after DRAFT with a final count of 3 or 4 Picks each year. It seems cooler to bring SANTONIO, ANTONIO, LT & JT to the Big Apple than an unknown kid from Fresno State, but the team had only 3 Picks in 2009, and only 4 this year. Be careful MIKE TANNENBAUM, you can go from a hero to a bum real quickly without enough good, young talent being infused onto your roster each year.
6) I saw several blogging jokes about AL DAVIS being dead, and the RAIDERS running their DRAFT as a ‘Weekend At Bernie’s’ operation. That is certainly not true, but something was indeed very different about this RAIDERS effort. It was not littered with strange, ridiculed Picks of athletes who can’t play once in pads. I wonder who the savant was that AL DAVIS chose to listen to this year.
7) Sticking with the RAIDERS for a moment... Can there be any question that JaMARCUS RUSSELL is a couple of conversations from being cut loose by the Silver-and-Black?! The expectation is that he will be asked as early as this week to take a major pay-cut. And once, as expected, he and his agent say no, he will be released by the team. It’s my opinion this team will be much better off to just cut ties with him and move on without him, sooner rather than later.
8) Did you notice that the GIANTS Drafted a Punter, MATT DODGE, in Round 7 on Saturday? Word is that the selection was based on a communication to the team from current Punter JEFF FEAGLES, that he was strongly considering retiring after 22 years in the League. FEAGLES was already fighting for a job in the NFL before DODGE was born.
9) The glitz machine is rolling in BIG D after the glamor Pick in Round One of DEZ BRYANT. I think BRYANT was indeed the best WR in this year’s DRAFT (sorry JOSH), and I do not think he carries as much ‘off-field baggage’ as some people want to try to pin on him. However, I think the JONES BOYS will find him difficulty and expensive to sign, and I am not impressed with the inference that NEON DEION and THE PLAY MAKER will be mentoring him with the COWBOYS.
10) This year’s seemingly Free Falling QB was JIMMY CLAUSEN who lasted until Pick 48. Hs good fortune was to land with the PANTHERS who have decent Offensive players, but a big opening at the QB position. He could be starting soon without having to take the pounding that BRADFORD will in St. Louis. But what about DAN LaFEVOUR who had TEBOW-like numbers in college yet fell to DA BEARS in Round 6, Pick 181? That’s insane, and MIKE MARTZ will develop him nicely behind JAY CUTLER.
11) I know he wasn’t TOP 100 material, but I cannot believe that MYRON ROLLE lasted until the final selection of Round 6 at Pick 207 to the TITANS. Kind of makes you wonder how much emphasis the League really puts on good character and IQ. I’m hoping he earns a starting job in a couple of years and has a nice solid NFL career for 6-7 years before he heads to medical school.
12) I think the NFL pretty much got what it wanted out of it’s new partial-Prime Time DRAFT format. Ratings were up dramatically overall, and based on the number of commercials I sat through they ought to be able to get more money from ESPN and their own network, as well as a cut of the ad revenue in the future. And lest I forget to mention it, I felt the league put on a classy, interesting product to surround the actual player selection.
13) One more direct note... a get well wish to MIKE MAYOCK with his laryngitis issues. He is a smart, had working guy who brings a lot to the NFL Network when the DRAFT rolls around. It was a shame to see him go down, and have to leave the game (so to speak) on Sunday; relegated to blogging about the Picks.
14) Conversely, how about Iron Man MEL KIPER! He is the King of the Draft, having ascended to the crown with the 2002 passing of JOEL BUCHSBAUM. His knowledge and passion are still up there with the best, and I find it hard to envision an ESPN DRAFT broadcast without him... even more so than Day One without BOOMER.

FEAGLES MEL & MIKE

4/18/2010 Activity around the NFL is at a fever pitch as we head down the home stretch toward the finish line known as the 2010 NFL DRAFT. All the news, and non-news, that is flying around makes me think it’s time for PIGSKIN PAUL to do some Thinking Out Loud...

1) A mocking grin crept across my face early last week when I saw a soundbite of DREW ROSENHAUS babbling on about how he is still trying to find the right place for his client T.O. for the 2010 season. Let me give you a rough translation of that example of Agent-Speak: I’m hoping sometime shortly after the DRAFT that someone will decide they need a veteran, 36-year old No. 2, WR, who is a good teammate his first year on a team’s roster.
2) One rumor I have heard a couple of times that makes some sense to me is a trade of JARED GAITHER/LT to the COWBOYS from the RAVENS, for the ‘BOYS’ 1st Round Pick (or some other combo of choices) this coming Thursday. Nothing wrong with GAITHER, but the RAVENS aren’t going to pay both he and OHER LT money. He’d be a nice replacement piece for FLOZELL.
3) The BIG BEN in Georgia scandal is brutal and ugly. And one senses that this type of behavior may be an off-field hobby for ROETHLISBERGER. I think the STEELERS are very close to trying to trade him, but as each day passes and more info comes out I sense that BIG BEN is untouchable around most of the League: As in undesirable to bring into most other NFL cities.
4) Watching and reading about the annual April parade of Pre-Draft Press Conferences being conducted by GMs around the NFL, two impressions come to mind. Does anyone really think we can believe the gibberish being spewed as much more than mis-information? Watching the almost babbling, incoherent presentation of some of these guys, does it make you wonder how lucid your favorite team’s top decision maker really is? Most of these guys would be voted off American Idol in a heartbeat, before even singing a note.
5) Looks like the legal tender standard of the realm in the NFL right now is the Fifth Round Draft Pick. It is almost amazing to see what that item will bring to your team in trade this DRAFT season. Eight of 32 NFL teams no longer have a Pick in that Round next Saturday.
6) I’d like to know how the TV ratings folks are going to base their numbers for the Prime Time DRAFT broadcasts this week. I have a hard time believing that more than a few million folks will actually watch more than an hour or so of the coverage, with lots of channel surfing being involved in the process. So now much time watching counts as a rating point, so to speak?
7) Along those lines, don’t you think ESPN would be just as happy to broadcast NBA Play-Off games as this event on Thursday night in particular. I see this new format as another ploy for the NFL to rid itself of ESPN DRAFT coverage. If that’s the case then the League better patch up their differences with the nation’s Cable Networks soon. When was the last time you were traveling and could find NFL Network on your motel’s cable station list? My answer is... NEVER!
8) When Saturday rolls around, and the majority of the NFL DRAFT (almost 5 Rounds in reality) takes place, watch how many “small school” players are Drafted this year. The phenomenon is on the rise as non-qualifiers and transfers take their talents to these schools rather than be buried on big school depth charts. Improved quality of coaching is boosting the pro-caliber pipeline from these schools as well.
9) Two comments to COWBOYS Owner JERRY JONES in light of his supposedly private, drunken performance that hit the internet early this week. With your money JERRY, who the hell are you drinking/hanging with to put yourself in that position? Secondly, I know you think of yourself as a silver tongued devil, but please don’t try to introduce a sobriety induced spin that the comments on PARCELLS were actually complimentary, and said in a humorous vein.
10) I don’t side with whiny-butt NFL players very often, nor do I tend to pander to Ownership. So relative to the apparent dissension in Washington between millionaire ALBERT HAYNESWORTH and the REDSKINS new management team of SHANAHAN/ALLEN let me make the following observation. This is another example of how disruptive a change in regimes can be to an NFL Franchise. Changes of philosophies and schemes always reap havoc with team rosters and chemistry, which leads to more changes than many folks anticipate. Call PAT BOWLEN and ask him about his franchise since SHANAHAN was allowed to leave town.

Time to get back to the DRAFT detail elsewhere on this site.

4/03/2010 Time for some thoughts from PIGSKIN PAUL, DRAFT related and otherwise...

1) I continue to be dismayed, if not shocked, at some of the shoddy work that makes it onto the air at NFL NETWORK. I’m watching Total Access on Friday night and at the close of the show they do a piece on their selections as the top MICHIGAN STATE football players in NFL history. Their No.1 player is former PACKERS/COWBOYS HOF CB/HERB ADDERLEY. They cut to some highlight footage and the film is of GEORGE SAIMES a Spartan alum who had a nice AFL career at S for the BILLS. How in the world does that get onto the air? A total disgrace for the in-house League network.
2) It has also annoyed me at how many DRAFT publications are taking undersized TE Prospects like GARRETT GRAHAM of Wisconsin and labeling them as FB prospects for NFL teams. THat’s way out of line for the few teams (like the PACK) who still use legit FBs in their base formations. Guys like GRAHAM will be TE/H-BACK players in the NFL. Don’t be so lazy if you don’t want to list them as TEs to just throw them in erroneously as FBs.
3) Major League Baseball is getting underway and I could care less. It just seems too early, and there are too many overpaid, underperforming vets scattered around the League to grab my attention. Some of these younger, ballyhooed prospects better deliver some headlines right away.
4) I have one more retort to all those experts hating on my boy DAN LeFEVOUR/QB. If BRUCE GRADKOWSKI, another former MAC QB, can be the probable starting QB in Oakland, then don’t try to tell me LeFEVOUR is a late Round Pick later this month with little or no chance of amounting to much in the NFL. He is a lesser known TEBOW, with more productive stats. If everyone is suddenly so confident that TEBOW’s mechanics can be rebuilt that there is serious late Round1 talk, then why is DAN hopeless as a project.
5) ANDY REID is making some major noise in shuffling around his roster in PHILY. If they really do trade DONOVAN before Training Camps open then I have to read this as a total rebuilding effort, and assume there is no confidence within the organization that they can continue their current run of Play-Off appearances with the most recent cast of characters.
6) I recently gave a bad review to a USA Today Sports DRAFT mag. I stick by that review, but conversely would like to give them credit for one of the best buys you can get right now. They also have out a newspaper type edition they call their NFL DRAFT PREVIEW for a $4.95 price. Buy it if you can. This one is worth the cover price.
7) I have some serious concerns about some of the initial personnel decisions handed down in Cleveland by MIKE HOLMGREN. I still can’t believe that he thinks JAKE DELHOMME can be a winning QB in the NFL. But I will grant you that OPIE and SCOTT FUJITA will bring some quality veteran leadership to the Cleveland locker room.
8) I have one more reason why I like ERIC NORWOOD/LB/SOUTH CAROLINA in this year’s DRAFT. I am impressed by his perseverance and effort off the field and in the classroom. NORWOOD was twice rejected as a student by South Carolina, before finally gaining admittance to the school as a Special Admit. NORWOOD earned his degree from USC last December. I really respect players who take their academics seriously while playing college ball.
9) It was an off year for the Southern Cal TROJANS Football Program culminating with the departure of PETE CARROLL to the NFL. But the talent basket was far from empty last season. There is an outside chance this year’s DRAFT could feature double digit Trojans being selected... again.
10) I am still thinking that the NFL DRAFT process, as reconfigured over 3 days, will not yield the money and broadcast ratings that the NFL has envisioned. But I also think the trade activity and rumor mill machine will be in overdrive during Thursday and Friday overnights and mornings. The time for over-thinking allotted to NFL franchises with this extended format could easily lead to a record number of player/pick transactions. It may also lend itself for an unprecedented number of personnel evaluation mistakes.

3/05/2101 So the NFL COMBINE is over and we are now in the devil-may-care part of the NFL calendar that is know as the Free Agency Signing Period. I haven’t heard the word “tender” used as much as I have this week since the last time a was at a fine steak house. So, let’s ramble around the NFL ranch, as seen through the eyes of Pigskin Paul...

1) In the weeks leading up to the COMBINE all we hear is that the get-together can’t hurt a player’s Draft stock and then this week all we get is articles, and reports from inside sources, about the winners and the losers at the COMBINE. Seems like another case of media ‘double-talk’ to me.
2) JACOBY FORD’s COMBINE leading 40-time of 4.28 seconds was very impressive. But let’s remember one thing about MR. FORD and his run... JACOBY is a track man. He’s been running straight-line dashes since grammar school. I just have to believe that some of that number reflects his comfort and skill level with that type of running in shorts.
3) The boys at SCOUTS, Inc. (that’s primarily you Mr. McSHAY) seem to have been drinking some of MIKE MAYOCK’s SOONER Cool-Aid recently. I saw this morning that GERALD McCOY is their top rated DRAFT Prospect now... ahead of MR. SUH. I didn’t see anything at the COMBINE that would cause me to move McCOY to the head of the list.
4) My thanks again to Mr. MAYOCK, seriously, for expressing his disgust with the never ending TEBOW flashbacks by NFL Network, right to the finish of their coverage on Tuesday. How many times did they need to debate and discuss the same numbers and issues? There were over 300 other Prospects in Indy, and at least 50 of them are going to get Drafted before TEBOW in April. I thought the NFL Network was trying to offer a bit more to the serious NFL fans. At times they acted more like paparazzi than a football network.
5) Nice job by RICH EISEN running his 40-yard dash on Monday afternoon. I’m convinced that even though he is now 40+ years old, if he’d shed the suit he could break that 6-second mark. But then again, if he did the whole schtick might lose its appeal.
6) If you want your first taste of what the new expiring-CBA, uncapped year is going to be like watch the trading, releasing and signing of players during the month of March. Among other things you will get a good feel for which owners can actually practice the self-imposed Cap restraint that most have talked about. You will also get a pretty quick feel for which Owners are going to lowball their teams payrolls ala the PIRATES in baseball.
7) Watching JOHN FOX and MARTY HURNEY choke up during the presser to announce the release of QB/JAKE DELHOMME, I am wondering how much of their angst was for DELHOMME (always the classy good soldier) and how much was about trying to break it to Owner JERRY RICHARDSON that they still owe JAKE about $12.5-million in guaranteed money on his contract.
8) I wonder if the RAMS organization feels compelled to grab QB/SAM BRADFORD at the top of the 2010 DRAFT? There will no doubt be some fan pressure to do so. Did you realize that the last time this franchise selected a QB in the First Round was back in 1964 when they took BILL MUNSON out of Utah State. MUNSON never started an NFL game in a 16 year career. That was so long ago that MUNSON is deceased, the RAMS were in L.A. at the time and it was before the inception of the AFL/NFL Common Draft.
9) Speaking of which, I think taking SAM BRADFORD at the top might be a big mistake. I am not convinced that his body of work cries out that he is a Franchise QB. Unless they can trade down a few spots I strongly advise them to take a SUH, McCOY or BERRY with their Pick. They might be better served to grab COLT McCOY at the start of Round 2 if they feel they have to select a name QB to appease the fan base.
10) It may not happen, but if you were to ask me which NFL teams are going to open up the pocket books and sign lots of VFA my top two nominees would be the REDSKINS & SEA HAWKS. Impatient owners, with mediocre teams, deep pockets, and high profile new Coaches (SHANAHAN/CARROLL) make them my primary bingeing candidates. Conversely, I think DA BEARS will growl a lot, but when it comes time to write the big checks they may go back to hibernation in their den after a week or so.

2/08/2010 Effectively speaking, the 2009 NFL season has ended with a mild upset in SUPER BOWL 44. Here are some things I’m thinking about today, before I move on to almost total absorption in the 2010 NFL DRAFT for the next three months.

1) The SUPER BOWLs over the past decade have been for the most part exciting and compelling compared to any previous time span in the history of the game. Let’s hope that the next decade will be just as exciting for NFL fans. Let’s also hope we don’t lose a game or two to labor lock-out situations. But more on that gloomy note later on.
2) If you don’t think the NFL is the darling of the North American viewing public, then please take note that last night’s game was the most widely viewed event in TV history. It finally broke the stranglehold on that distinction previously held by the last episode of M*A*S*H set more than two decades ago. Yes, there are more viewers and TVs today than then, but there are also infinitely more viewing options than back then.
3) Glad to see the glorious thrill of victory for the Hurricane KATRINA ravaged New Orleans area and SAINTS Nation. This is much more than just a football win for that entire area and group of people.
4) However, don’t hold your breath for the SAINTS to be defending their title next season. About half of the current roster is in their final contract year, which ends on February 28th. There will be a lot of new faces playing down on the bayou next fall. Probably too many to repeat this year’s magic.
5) On the other side of the coin, I am still not convinced that there wasn’t some Black Magic/Voodoo involved in this SAINTS’ season. If there is a way to extend the spell for another year who knows what might happen way down yonder in New Orleans.
6) The COLTS may be more likely to make it back to Super Bowl 45, but it will take some serious improvement, especially on the Defensive side of the ball. MUIR/JOHNSON may have been a size upgrade this year at DT, but they were not a talent upgrade. They were man-handled by the SAINTS’ OL yesterday. And they somehow need to get a healthy BOB SANDERS back at his S position, at least for next year’s Play-Offs.
7) I forgot who said it first today, but the COLTS who have won their division and had 12 wins or more just about every year this past decade, have only one Super Bowl victory to their credit and may have now become the ATLANTA BRAVES of professional football.
8) It may not be fair, or true, but in my mind TONY DUNGY breathes a small sigh of relief this morning, because he avoids a big asterisk beside his NFL coaching record. If CALDWELL had led the COLTS to a Super Bowl victory it would have been the second time another Coach took DUNGY’s ex-team to a Super Victory the year after he left town. Remember JON GRUDEN doing it in Tampa?! I am sure Tony doesn’t really care, but he doesn’t need to deal with that factoid now.
9) It’s really only a tag line, but I have no doubt that there will a lot more press about where MICHAEL VICK plays next season, than there deserves to be. I don’t care where he lands... I think he will have minimum impact for his new team on the field of play in 2010.
10) Now we can get on with the annual FAVRE watch from Mississippi. Will he, or won’t he, return/retire? His decision makes a huge difference in the potential fortunes of the MINNESOTA VIKINGS for 2010. And my educated guess says we won’t really know for sure until July... at the earliest.
11) It will be ‘very interesting’ to watch the off-season machinations of some franchises who now have some pretty high profile people in charge of their football fortunes: PETE CARROLL, Seattle; MIKE HOLMGREN, Cleveland; MIKE MARTZ, Cutlerville; MIKE SHANAHAN, Washington.
12) Do all you NFL fans see that ominous looking, formation of black clouds on the horizon? Pay attention, because it is scheduled to arrive in NFL-land on March 1st. It is the storm know as ‘No CBA’, and it may hang around raining on your pro football parade for quite some time. And the storm it brings may get worse before it gets better.

And that’s how PIGSKIN PAUL sees the lay of the land for pro football on the morning after the Super Bowl.

01/13/2010 The College Bowl Season is over, the NFL Play-Offs are underway (with a bang) and I’m packing my bags for the SHRINE GAME in Orlando. The world of football is in a tumult right now, so what better time for PIGSKIN PAUL to do some Thinking Out Loud...

1. The departure of PETE CARROLL from SoCal does not come as a shock to me after a little consideration. 2009 was his most disappointing season with the Trojans and JOE McKNIGHT is raising Reggie-Bush like questions from the NCAA. Oh, and let’s not forget the million$ of reason PAUL ALLEN gave him to try the NFL again.
2. I am much more surprised by the KIFFIN exodus from Tennessee to L.A. MONTE, I know he’s your beloved son, but how the heck did you raise this guy. Not in the LANE KIFFIN vocabulary: credibility or loyalty.
3. Something tells me the SEA HAWKS had an inkling that CARROLL was available. Why else would they have fired MORA & RUSKELL so quickly.
4. I agree with the HOLMGREN decision to continue the MANGINI-regime in Cleveland, at least for now. But something inside tells me those two are not a personality match made in heaven.
5. Still can’t get it out of my head that the TEXAS/ALABAMA Championship Game just had no magic to it unless you were associated with the schools involved. Not going to go down as a classic in my mind.
6. A very nice hire in Lubbock, bringing TOMMY TUBERVILLE in to replace the eccentric (to say the least) MIKE LEACH. TUBERVILLE is well respected in the college coaching ranks and has a calm, understated style. And overall he has a track record of winning, with style and grace.
7. The most exciting game of the first Play-Off weekend (no make that the only one) was the CARDS/PACKERS shootout. But how in the world did DOM CAPERS not decide he needed to change his game plan at half-time. What’s that definition of insanity.
8. Most intriguing match-up this weekend may be the COWBOYS going up to Minnesota. Seeing as its played inside I don’t see much home field advantage for VIKES. If WADE dials up the pressure on FAVRE, I think the COWBOYS are my favorite to win.
9. Now that I have watched the JETS play five times since Thanksgiving I cannot believe how much holding, bumping and grabbing the Officials allow DARRELLE REVIS to get away with. No wonder he has shut down so many opposing receivers. They finally flagged him a few times against Cincy.
10. I thought the PATRIOTS/RAVENS game was an enhanced film of a 1950’s Play-Off Game. JOE FLACCO threw the ball 10 times... are you kidding me?! That won’t work against the COLTS.
11. Most of the big name College Underclassmen have declared for the 2010 DRAFT. JAKE LOCKER may be the only elite potential First Rounder to not come out. Watch for half of the 2010 First Round to be Underclassman.
12. Headed for Orlando and Mobile to scout Prospects at the SHRINE and SENIOR BOWLS respectively. I am truly anxious to watch TIM TEBOW during practices under the watchful eyes of DAN HENNING and DAVID LEE of the DOLPHINS Coaching Staff down in Mobile. The practice week will tell more about his Pro Potential than anything he does in the game itself.

12/11/09 With my MacBook acting like PC these days, I’ve had plenty of time to watch and think football, but not enough outlets to express those thoughts. So let me limp along with my laptop and try to share what I consider to be my more salient observations this week.

1) God, I hate Winter in Wisconsin. We got all the way through November still acting like Fall, then got blasted this week. There’s 10” of snow in my yard, other than the places where the wind drifted it to 3-feet deep. No I am not exaggerating. They got up to 18” in Madison. Now we are sub-zero, even without calculating the wind-chill. That plan to move to Florida seems like genius right now.
2) So that first one had nothing to do with football, but hey... this is my rant and I control the keyboard right now.
3) In my opinion NOTRE DAME has hired the best guy to try to right the Irish ship. But just wait ‘til BRIAN KELLY gets up to South Bend and realizes how little Charlie has left behind for him to work with. With CLAUSEN & TATE both taking Charlie’s advice and bailing for the NFL the cupboard is pretty thin, if not empty.
4) If KELLY can’t return the Irish to their storied place in College Football, than I would suggest that the game has morphed past the school, unless they change their attitude on things like non-qualifiers and Junior College Recruits. There’s nothing wrong with high academic standards (especially at a University), but there is also nothing wrong with the success stories, which are out there, of kids using their athletic skills to gain access to college, and then developing into solid students and actually gaining their degrees. I get worried about college athletic programs when half the roster comes from JC ranks, but to deny any opportunity for higher education to underachieving/disadvantaged high school students smacks of elitism.
5) I knew FLORIDA had some serious holes in their team this season, compared to 2008, but I did not see the decisive loss to ALABAMA coming. If you watched carefully, that game was a start-to-finish spanking of the Gators, by a better all-around Crimson Tide team.
6) I doubt that it will happen this Saturday, but do you realize that if ARMY beats NAVY to go to 6-6, then all three of the Service Academies will be in a Bowl Game? ARMY has a spot waiting to play TEMPLE in the EAGLE BANK BOWL with a surprise win. AIR FORCE is scheduled to play HOUSTON in the ARMED FORCES BOWL. NAVY has a date to appear in the TEXAS BOWL to play MISSOURI. In my gut having these 3 teams all in Bowls would feel good in these times of global conflict.
7) I am still upset that TCU and BOISE STATE are matched up in the FIESTA BOWL. I’m glad they both got into a BCS Championship Bowl. I also think this will be one heck-of-a game. But when it is over and the winner emerges, my immediate thought will still be to question how I think these teams would have fared against a traditional powerhouse like TEXAS, OHIO STATE, FLORIDA, etc...
8) Switching to the Pro Game... it is quite clear that the STEELERS are not the team we thought they were and will have no shot at defending their Super Bowl crown. If you watched them fall to the hapless BROWNS Thursday night then you realize how far the mighty have fallen.
9) Besides the fact that it’s a nationally televised game, there should be major interest in the CHARGERS/COWBOYS game in JERRY’S Palace this Sunday. One of the key questions will be whether the COWBOYS are going to bounce back from their loss to the GIANTS last week or embark upon their annual December swoon. There is incredible pressure on JERRY’s team, whether they admit or not.
10) And if the COWBOYS bite the bullet, let’s not be to quick to jump on the ‘ROMO is a choker’ bandwagon. There are plenty of potential reasons for a COWBOYS downfall if it happens, starting with personnel decisions by JERRY & STEPHEN, and an out-of-shape, cheap-shot OL headed by FLOZELL ADAMS & ANDRE GURODE.
11) I still think the odds are highly sacked against both of them, but at 12-0 the COLTS & SAINTS are both getting within serious sniffing distance of perfect 16-0 regular season records. I’ll give you two reasons for their success this season. They both have two great leaders and players at the QB position in MR. PEYTON and DREW BREES. The COLTS are one of the most well-crafted, selfless rosters in the NFL. The SAINTS just have to have some kind of effective VOODOO working for them down in the Bayou.
12) Given the fade-job currently being turned in by the HOUSTON TEXANS, I fully expect Owner BOB McNAIR to pull the plug on Head Coach GARY KUBIAK. The talent on the overall roster has improved greatly in the past couple of years, but after a November swoon the team will be fighting to finish at the .500 mark for the season, again. They also need to start looking for a new QB. MATT SCHAUB is a classic non-clutch NFL QB. Bad games, mental lapses and multiple injuries make up the greater part of his NFL resume’.

Gotta go out in the frozen Wisconsin air to walk the dogs. If my laptop doesn’t freeze up on me I’ll be posting some Pro Picks this afternoon for you.

11/23/09 As an NFL wrap-up for Week 11, I thought I’d put down some random observations in this format. That’s just the way I feel this morning. It’s also a entry area that my “sick” computer functions better in right now.

1) Oh how the first month mighty have fallen. The JETS do indeed match-up well with their arch rival the PATRIOTS. But New England has a huge edge at the all-important QB position, and are used to playing in BELICHICK multiple schemes. The JETS are a team adapting to a new Head Coach and breaking in a Rookie QB. After their noisy 3-0 start the big target is now realistically on 2010 for the JETS.
2) JAY CUTLER is a total QB head-case right now. He can’t trust his OL for protection, which now has him throwing as he falls away, instead of stepping into, his throws. Thus the overthrows on long routes. He also can’t count on an inexperienced receiver corps to be where he expects them to be at all times. He has little, or no, running game to fall back on. Thus he is a mess, with no quick cure on the horizon.
3) But for some big defensive plays against an injured, and inept REDSKINS Offense, with just enough O to finally put one TD on the scoreboard, the COWBOYS were a heartbeat away from a second consecutive loss, and more cries for the head of WADE PHILLIPS. I cannot picture this team as a serious Super Bowl contender.
4) I have heartburn already in anticipation of the televised Thanksgiving Day NFL match-ups. There is some reason to believe that the PACKERS in Detroit could be mildly entertaining, considering Green Bay injury losses on D, and unless STAFFORD is too banged up to play. But the only hope for surviving the vaunted RAIDERS/COWBOYS contest may be for the overdose of turkey to result in a deep-sleep nap by mid-afternoon.
5) If mike holmgren does indeed have any interest in running the BROWNS organization RANDY LERNER had best find out exactly what HOLMGREN wants and write up the contract, with a big down payment check, yesterday if possible. The BROWNS organization is a disaster right now and even though I do not consider the emperor to be a football genius he has as much cache’ as anyone LERNER can possibly hope to lure to his pathetic franchise right now.
6) I love the pluck and athleticism of guys like BOB SANDERS and TROY POLAMALU as much as the next guy, but what good are they in the long term when their reckless abandon style of play (at their size) puts them at risk for the injured list on any given week. Do you realize that assuming SANDERS shows up at COLTS Training Camp next summer, healthy and ready to play, he will have played in 47 of a possible 96 games during his 6 year NFL career? ‘Hair-Troy’ hasn’t been out that much overall, but the past two years seem to indicate a breakdown pattern for him.
7) If you would like the definition of a “Big Play” weapon look no further than DeSEAN JACKSON of the EAGLES. He seriously wounded DA BEARS last night with a 38-yard TD catch. That TD was JACKSON’s shortest scoring play as a receiver of the 7 he has in the first 26 games of his NFL career . Conversely, I suppose that makes the little guy a non-factor in the Red Zone... at least for now.
8) Just when we thought the BENGALS had turned the corner and were a serious Play-Off contender they go into the dark-hole in Oakland and give away the game in the last five minutes of the contest. I’m still amazed that the RAIDERS have managed to win 3 games this season. And this one they captured with BRUCE GRADKOWSKI at QB, while amassing 275 yards of total offense. The BENGALS were in an early Christmas giving mood, coughing up 3 fumbles to the RAIDERS and losing the Turnover battle 2-4.
9) BRAD CHILDRESS may want to consider being brett favre’s personal chauffeur on a full time basis, after getting his lucrative contract extension. There can be little doubt that the addition, and current level of play by FAVRE, has made BRAD look like a genius... for now. We’ll see how excited Owner ZYGI WILF is when FAVRE finally does retire and he is left with CHILDRESS still at the helm of his franchise.
1) Pretty amazing that the NFL has two teams without a number in the Loss Column after 10 games. I don’t expect either the COLTS or SAINTS to make it to 16-0, but then again I’m not sure I would pick either of them to lose any weekend soon. Wanna place any bets on how much MR. PEYTON plays late in the season with the Conference home-field locked up, but an undefeated season on the line? It will be his call, not JIM CALDWELL’s, I can assure you.

*You can see my Players of the Week selections in the NFL NOTES sections as usual.*

Week 7 of the 2009 College Football season is in the books. How about a little general discussion of thoughts and observations through the TV-bleary eyes of Pigskin Paul this Sunday morning...

1) Not trying yo pick on anyone here, but despite a valiant comeback effort on their home field the NOTRE DAME loss to SOUTHERN CAL really only re-affirms that the Fighting Irish may be gaining ground, but they are still cannot beat the perennial elite teams. They need some significant upgrade work on the Defensive side of the ball in particular.
2) The most pathetic performance by a major program continues to be the bumbling ILLINI under ron zook and his staff. Seldom has a Coaching Staff done so little with so much. ZOOK has to go after this season. He is a nice guy, who will find himself a job at a major program with recruiting as his forte’. He falls in the same category as ED ORGERON as a poor Head Coach, but a great recruiter. For the record the ILLINI are now 1-5 on the season.
3) My choice as the surprisingly ‘really good’ team of the season so far is CINCINNATI. Remember they lost 5 defensive players who were Drafted last April and yet sport a perfect 6-0 record after a tough road win in Tampa against a previously undefeated USF squad last Thursday night. Now they have lost pro prospect QB TONY PIKE for a while. We’ll have to see if the magic continues.
4) Speaking of PIKE’s injury... I have two thoughts about major QB Prospects this fall.
I feel like a jinx. It seems every time I target a QB for scouting they either get hurt (PIKE,
BRADFORD) or they have a mediocre game (SNEAD, McCOY). Any NFL team looking for next
Draft’s STAFFORD/SANCHEZ, RYAN/FLACCO impact Rookie QB is in for a rude awakening.
1) ALABAMA looks like the best undefeated team to me right now, but they are going to have to get more out of their passing game on a game-to-game basis to run the table and become BCS Champs. If JULIO JONES is healthy that may just fall into place. Their D is absolutely dominant.
2) Part of me wants to jump on BOBBY STOOPS as one of the most overrated Coaches in College Football, but then I look at what injuries have done to his team I am prepared to give him a pass for this season. But, he sure has become MACK BROWN’s bitch this decade.
3) How much of a mess is the 2009 HEISMAN Race? It’s a big time scramble in my opinion. None of the front runners have been dominant. BRADFORD can chock this year up as a lost season. TEBOW is showing wear and tear, and really misses HARVIN & MURPHY in the passing game. COLT looks OK, but he has put his best numbers up against questionable competition (LA-MONROE, UTEP, WYOMING), and has thrown way too many INT already, 7 in 6 games. TEBOW and McCOY need to pick up the pace, and soon.
4) I’ll give you my legitimate dark-horse for this year’s HEISMAN TROPHY: DAN LeFEVOUR/QB/Central Michigan. You’ve read about him in these pages in the past. But let me tell you what he has done this year. His passing stats through 7 games are 140/200- 70%- 1549 yards- 14 TD- 4 INT. But wait, just like TEBOW his legs are a major weapon as well. He has also run for 395 yards and another 9 TD. And the net result of his efforts is leading his team to a 6-1 record, which includes an upset of MICHIGAN STATE at East Lansing.
5) One more note on LeFEVOUR, lest you think he is a Johnny-come-lately to success. With his 2 TD passes yesterday against arch-rival Western MIchigan he has now thrown 88 for his career and is one behind BYRON LEFTWICH & PEYTON MANNING on the college career TD list.
6) On a sobering note my sympathies go out to the UCONN Football Program and the family of Junior CB JASPER HOWARD who was murdered on campus after the UCONN win over Louisville. Details are sketchy at this time, but he was stabbed to death just hours after the game.

9/27/2009 Let’s take a spin around the world of COLLEGE FOOTBALL after the first full month of the 2009 season. Here are some random thoughts that crossed my mind as Saturday unfolded.

1) The 2009 season looks to be just as wild and chaotic as its recent predecessors with 5 of the TOP 10 teams taking a tumble as the clock struck midnight this week. I don’t like the odds for any unbeatens this season.
2) A very tough week for SUPERMAN TEBOW. A bout with a respiratory infections is followed up by a concussion from the knee of one of his blockers.
3) The hot seat has to heating up quite quickly for some big name coaches... BOBBY BOWDEN & RON ZOOK being the first two to come to my mind.
4) Big win by TCU @ CLEMSON. Death Valley is a big stage for them to win on. They play to 44, 000 fans at home and won this game in front of 80, 000 enemies in this win.
5) What is he irony of SPURRIER pulling off the first Top 210 scalping of the weekend with a GAMECOCK team that is powered by a stifling Defense, while his Offense continues to struggle?
6) MT. CODY continues to see time as a FB in the TIDE’s goal line Offense. Methinks he might get his first actual carry when ST. NICK faces his new buddy LANE KIFFIN October 24th at home.
7) TONY PIKE is having he kind of Senior season that MATT RYAN had two seasons ago at B.C. If this continues watch him vault into the upper reaches of R! in the 2010 NFL DRAFT.
8) The SOONERS catch as big of a schedule break as possible while waiting for SAM BRADFORD to return. If they can tough it out for a trip to Miami next week, he could be ready for the big showdown with TEXAS, Oct. 17th.
9) Speaking of schedule breaks... the GATORS have a BYE next weekend while TEBOW tries to recover from his illness and injury. Their next game... Oct. 10 @ L.S.U.
10) The BCS picture is going to get dicey if BOISE STATE ends the year as the only unbeaten D1 team. Their schedule is not deserving of the top spot even if they are the only perfect record team. Stay tuned for that NCAA dilemma.

9/12/09 It’s a football weekend in September. In fact the first one to include both Pro and College games. So here are some thoughts that I have heading into the weekend’s action.

1) Just when I thought DAN HAWKINS was getting the COLORADO football program back on track they lose their first two games to COLORADO STATE and TOLEDO. Perhaps the school deserves another dose of humility after trying to sweep the ills of the BARNETT regime under the carpet, but HAWKINS deserves better.
2) So we now know another thing that TOM BRADY is good at. He announced this week that wife GISELLE is indeed pregnant. This will be his second child; the couples’ first.
3) I can’t imagine how upside-down the world of RICHARD SEYMOUR is. There’s no way he could have seen this trade, particularly to the Dark Hole that is the RAIDERS, coming as NFL roster cut-down day arrived. Talk about going from the penthouse to the outhouse!
4) I was channel flipping Thursday nite between two really competitive games: CLEMSON/GA TECH & TITANS/STEELERS. One major conclusion I came to on the college side is that CLEMSON (even though they lost) would never have mounted their comeback effort under the TOMMY BOWDEN regime. DABO looks to have a chance to be a really good one.
5) Loved the T-Shirt spotted on some CLEMSON fans Thursday night: Yabba-Dabo-Do.
6) I felt vindicated with a couple of comments from URBAN MEYER this week saying that 4 ( or more) NFL Coaches have consulted with him regarding his Spread Offense and its potential in the NFL. No one has quite figured out how to use it as more than a change-of-pace yet, but I am still convinced it is just a matter of time.
7) How far have some top college football programs slipped in recent years? Here is another example: STEWART MANDEL, College Football Guru for SI, has projected FRESNO STATE to beat WISCONSIN by 2, in Madison today! It hasn’t happened yet, but the BIELEMA Era in Mad-Town is indeed struggling.
8) The insanity that has become FLORIDA STATE football continues. BOBBY BOWDEN is crying that he and his staff felt there was one second left on the clock after the final end zone drop sealed the home loss to rival MIAMI. And FSU President T.K. WETHERELL went public with comments that the NCAA had backed out of a “deal” that was in place regarding the latest athlete cheating scandal. The SEMINOLES have been downright embarrassing most of this decade in their football program dealings.
9) The “black-out” watch in not sold -out NFL cities is a hot topic this week. Do you think the League has gotten the message that the economic climate had changed in this country (as well as many others)? The delayed broadcast concept for games that do not sell out is a pretty good response from the League Office... for now.
10) Very strange and disappointing injury news in OKLAHOMA. They do not know when they will get a functionally-healthy SAM BRADFORD back on the field, and TE/JERMAINE GRESHAM is gone for the entire season after knee surgery. For a solid TOP 10 pre-season ranked team, and a serious BCS Championship candidate that is a lot of Offense to win without.
11) BRETT FAVRE will tie JIM MARSHALL as the NFL iron-man with his start this Sunday at 170 consecutive games.

8/31/2009 As usually happens when the football season gets really close I have more questions than I do answers about things I see and hear. So under this very convenient cover title here are some random thoughts.

1) The League will miss TEDY BRUSCHI just as much as the PATRIOTS will as the season unfolds. He had slipped some last season and it was obvious in the Pre-Season games I watched that his legs just couldn’t get him where his head told him he should be. Despite having to rehab from a stroke, he played for PARCELLS, CARROLL & BELICHICK over the course of his 14 year NFL career.
2) What’s the deal in Oakland with TOM CABLE punching out Assistant Coach RANDY HANSON and breaking his jaw? They must not bother with having a Human Resources Dept. in the RAIDERS empire. Last I heard HANSON had retained an attorney and was exploring his options. This will bear watching and could be more embarrassing to the League than the RAIDERS. They seem to be beyond embarrassment these days.
3) I wonder if BRETT FAVRE was watching Sunday night to see the “welcome” JAY CUTLER got upon his return to Denver with DA BEARS. That atmosphere was like a PLay-Off Game not a Pre-Season contest. Let’s see... that big date in GREEN BAY is November 1st, and if I were FAVRE I would not expect to be treated like the returning hero by the vast majority of the fans in attendance.
4) The G-MEN may be slipping down the Power Rankings ladder significantly in September. They have more injuries to their Defense than even their massive VFA signings can compensate for. And if they need to score buckets of points to compensate then the lack of any WR really stepping up this Pre-Season to be “the man” , and replace PLEX could mean double jeopardy.
5) What’s with the sartorial statements on the sidelines this past weekend? JOSH McDANIELS looked just like his mentor BILL with an early fall hoody on. Conversely BELICHICK himself was walking the sidelines in D.C. with a logo polo shirt on, albeit not tucked in.
6) Quite often new Head Coaches try to stock up on players they have coached with previous teams. BRONCOS head man McDANIELS is no exception. As of this morning I counted a dozen ex-PATRIOTS on the team’s 80-man roster. A little continuity goes a long way, but it would mean a whole lot more if some of the names on the list were BRADY, MOSS, WELKER, SEYMOUR, MAYO et al.
7) One of the big questions of the NCAA Football season is whether OLE MISS can carry the pressure of being touted as a pre-season Top 10 team in most publications, with a QB who could be better than either ex-MANNING to play there. This is heady stuff, the likes of which has not even been whispered about in Oxford since the days of Coach JOHNNIE VAUGHT.
8) This is the year that the find out how good a gameday Coach and developer of players PETE CARROLL truly is. He’s scheduled to play a Freshman QB (MATT BARKLEY) and returns only 2 starters on the Defensive side of the ball. Oh yeah, he also lost his OC, SARKISIAN, to WASHINGTON. If he and his staff whip this crew into a BCS Bowl Series participant he will confirm his own legend.
9) A very enlightening interview in the current (August 31) edition of SPORTING NEWS MAGAZINE between writer STEVE GREENBERG and the OL' BALL COACH, STEVE SPURRIER. Quite honest and introspective on SPURRIER’s part. Make it a point to read the article if you’re a college football fan.
10) There are some great opening weekend match-ups in College ball this Labor Day weekend like OREGON/BOISE ST, GEORGIA/OKLAHOMA ST, ILLINOIS/MISSOURI, etc. Conversely, it should be a ‘double-shame’ weekend for some major schools that feel they have to get a win so badly that they buy it, by enticing some lower level program to send their team to the slaughter for a quick $1-million pay-out. How about these games to excite you: LBERTY/WEST VIRGINIA, MONTANA ST/MICHIGAN ST, CHARLESTON SOUTHERN/FLORIDA. The NCAA needs to step in and reverse this trend of buying a victory. Shame on some of you big schools, who buy a couple of wins each year and pulverize a smaller program’s team.

THE RACY ELWAY

8/20/2009 How about if I just pose some questions to you (some might be rhetorical) about some recent scenarios in the world of Football.

1) First FAVRE thought... does it strike you, like it does me, that he gets pretty testy these days when queried a bit about his waffling, and yet he can’t live without being in front of the camera?
2) Is it just me or does BRAD CHILDRESS seem to lack a certain degree of credibility in his presentation of self, in this and other matters?
3) Second FAVRE thought... am I the only one who sees some similarities between FAVRE these days, and a guy named PALADIN from back in the TV Westerns hey-day?

ARM 4-HIRE Wire Hattiesburg? PALADIN 4-HIRE

1) Can things get much uglier in the locker room in Denver before the players just burn JOSH in his own office?
2) How many new tickets did the COWBOYS sell after they got rolled by the RAIDERS, 31-10?
3) Do you BENGALS fans sleep a little bit better knowing you are not the only team that isn’t likely to sign their Round 1 Draft PIck anytime soon?
4) Don’t you just love the signs in Phily after the VICK signing? How about; ‘Lock up your Beagles, VICK is an EAGLE!”
5) I know it’s early, but does anybody out there really think the BRONCOS won’t miss CUTLER a whole lot this season with ORTON at the controls?
6) Can I see a show of hands... How many people really think JIM TRESSEL will take off the handcuffs and let TERRELLE PRYOR be the next VINCE YOUNG of College Football?
7) Do you think LANE KIFFIN has finally quieted down because he saw his SEC schedule, and then looked at his current roster again?

Think about this stuff for a while, but don’t hurt yourself.

8/03/2009 TRAINING CAMPS are under way and I can smell the pigskin in the air. Time for some miscellaneous thoughts from around the world of football... through the eyes of PIGSKIN PAUL.

1) Good to hear that DERRICK MASON has un-retired both for the NFL and the RAVENS. Word is that his initial decision to retire was spurred on by despondency after the death of his friend and ex-teammate STEVE McNAIR.
2) Very sad news for the entire NFL world last week with the death of EAGLES Defensive Coordinator JIM JOHNSON. JOHNSON was one of the true genius-minds in the NFL coaching ranks... and a good man in general. God rest his soul. He will be missed, especially in EAGLES-land.
3) Expect a serious drop-off around the NFL this season when it comes to explosive Kick-Off returns. Perhaps the biggest change in NFL rules going into the 2009 season is the elimination of the blocking wedge on returns. No more than two blockers may bunch together in front of the returner when setting up a return. This could result in a serious shift in the starting field position for NFL offenses this year.
4) REX RYAN announced last week that vet KELLEN CLEMENS goes into Camp listed at No. 1 on the QB depth chart. Makes sense I guess, but do any of us really think SANCHEZ isn’t the man come September? That’s a rhetorical question, folks.
5) On the other hand one of the more intense, real QB battles should be taking place in BROWNS Camp right now. BRADY QUINN and DEREK ANDERSEN are in a true old-fashioned competition for the starting job. And don’t rule out BRETT RATLIFF if those two both stumble badly. RATLIFF is the most familiar with MANGINI’s system, and he was more than just a throw-in on the SANCHEZ/Draft Day trade.
6) It’ll be good to see ADAM SCHEFTER back on the airwaves this month as an NFL reporter with ESPN. He demonstrated that he is one of the best “insiders” in the industry during his time with NFL Network. I really missed his presence during the April DRAFT.
7) And speaking of media, I love the “MORT Goes to Camp” concept on ESPN. Just wondering though, if his bus is a retrofit of the one used by TONY KORNHEISER the past two seasons. Enjoy your travels Chris.
8) Based on what I have heard and read so far I expect the last Round One Draftee to sign will be MICHAEL CRABTREE with the ‘NINERS. Seems his agent, EUGENE PARKER, wants top five money even though his client was drafted at No.11. PARKER must have been schooled in some form of “new math”. So much for an impact Rookie season for Michael.
9) Would someone please get to BRANDON MARSHALL and stuff a sock in his mouth. He is too young (25), and too early in his pro career (3 years) to be sounding off like T.O. already. Even OWENS waited until he was almost 30 to start mouthing off all the time.
10) Hey JERRY JONES, love your new stadium, but buddy you have to sign your Draft Choices. I was getting worried that JERRY was too busy with other things, until they inked just about everyone Training Camp eve. The way JONES structures his roster, his dozen Draftees need to play a significant role as back-ups and Special Teamers.

One too many blockers for 2009! JIM JOHNSON CHRIS MORTENSEN Not MORT’s bus!

2011 Who Caught My Eye

Fri, 6 Jan 2012 10:17:13 -0500

Here are some of the prospects that I eyeballed during the Bowl Games. I’ll add to it and fill in details over the next week. Come back and check it out.

LAVON BRAZILL/WR/OHIO/5’11/190 #7
BRAZILL saved the best for last with a very solid senior campaign at OHIO. And if you watched the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl you saw exactly why he is a Saturday NFL DRAFT prospect. He’s quicker than fast but has no problem getting separation from defenders. He runs good routes and has very dependable hands. In OHIO’s first ever Bowl win he caught 8 balls for 108 yards and a TD. He’s probably not a star in waiting. but he should have enough to offer an NFL team to crack a roster as a No. 4 WR with potential as a return man. He reminds me of former MAC standout ANTONIO BROWN, now with the STEELERS. His play has gotten his name onto the COMBINE invite list this past month.

VINNY CURRY/DE/MARSHALL/6’4/255 #99
After watching CURRY this season on 3 occasions I must fess up that he does not look like the guy I thought I saw during the 2010 season. He was absolutely over powered on multiple occasions (especially on a goal line situation) when FIU ran directly at him. He did provide some pass rush pressure, but not as often as I had expected. He also did not look athletic enough to stand up and convert to a 3-4 OLB slot to me. He appears a bit heavy legged. All that being said I still think he’s a 2nd Day DRAFT Pick, but not the first rounder I projected at the start of the season.

AUSTIN DAVIS/QB/SOUTHERN MISS/6’2/200 #12
He led his team to a school record 11 Wins this season. He broke most of the passing records of a guy named FAVRE along the way. And yes I’ve seen him play multiple games and he should be in an NFL Camp next Summer. But please let’s stop right there and leave it at a slightly smallish QB with an average arm who will most likely be badly overmatched by most NFL defenses.

TASHAUN GIBSON/CB/WYOMING/6’0/205 #4
I was very interested in watching GIBSON in the New Mexico Bowl last week. I have seen his name on prospect lists, but not watched a WYOMING game this season. He’s an impressive physical specimen for a CB, which always entices NFL Scouts, but he was less than aggressive most of the game in sticking his nose into run support. He was around the ball, but not initiating contact. He also took poor angles to the ballon a couple of occasions. He showed some nice cover skills but since TEMPLE grinds the ball with their running game I’d have to give him an incomplete grade as a cover man. In essence I came away unimpressed with his actual performance and have to say he’s a Day 3 guy with physical potential. But if he plays like this most of the time then he won’t last long with NFL coaches n a training camp.

JEFF FULLER/WR/TEXAS A&M/6’3/215 #8
Yeah, OK I have heard it for 3 seasons now. FULLER is a nice college WR who hasn’t got the speed to gain enough separation to be successful in the NFL. And I always end up saying B.S. to that, whenever I watch the AGGIES play. He is not a snail and somehow gets separation even though I see him running the same simplistic patterns in the AGGIES passing Offense. He took a guy named Patrick Peterson to school last year during Bowl Season. After being ignored in his own offense for the first quarter this year against NORTHWESTERN, RYAN TANNEHILL finally starting looking to get the ball to FULLER, who ended up with 7 catches, for 119 yds and a TD. There is no way this guy should last past DRAFT FRIDAY and could improve the WR corps of at least half the teams in the NFL by the middle of his Rookie season.

STEPHEN GILMORE/CB/SOUTH CAROLINA/6’1/195/JR #5
Very nice exit interview by GILMORE in the Gamecocks Bowl victory over . He showed very good cover and ball skills, including a very athletic INT. He also showed more of the tackling tenacity I have seen from him on most occasions. It gives me comfort to know that if for some reason he cannot handle CB coverage skills at the pro level then he may be physical enough to get a solid shot at a S slot, where his athleticism will set him apart from the crowd. When I watch GILMORE I get the sense that he is an elite talent who also happens to like to play football. He has declared his intentions to enter the DRAFT.

T.J. GRAHAM/WR/RS/N.C. STATE/6’0/180 #6
GRAHAM is an explosive track guy who has really developed into a dangerous WR in the past two seasons. He has good hands and great balance. He is also as fast as they come. He might be this years MIKE WALLACE, who really came on late in his collegiate career. His 40-time at the COMBINE may move him up tremendously in the DRAFT process. In the BELK BOWL he 7 balls for 116 yds and 2 TD. That’s the kind of post season work that gets you noticed by NFL Personnel People. I almost forgot to mention that he is a very dangerous return man. He has a chance to really move up DRAFT BOARDS with his work at All-Star Games and the COMBINE. I see some MIKE WALLACE in this guy as he has improved his game as a senior tremendously.

CASEY HAYWARD/CB/VANDERBILT/6’0/185 #19
For those of you who think he lacks the speed to play the Corner in the NFL I’ll take him on my team in the 2nd Round... thank you. This feisty guy is fearless in pass coverage and not bad at supporting the run either. He looks the part of a classic press-cover CB and pretty much jumped all over an under-thrown ball for a Pick in the 4th Quarter when VANDY was trying to catch up to Cincy. Given his apparent enthusiasm for the game I would also expect him to find ways to be a key Special Teams player right away at the next level. Count me in as a big fan of his overall play.

MYCHAL KENDRICKS/ILB/CAL/6’0/240 #30
Though not an elite prospect KENDRICKS has several redeeming characteristics as NFL Personnel People look at him. He’s got a nice combo of strength/athleticism even if he is a tad short for the NFL norm. He is also incredibly active with a good nose for the ball. The longer the play goes the more likely it is you will see him enter the picture and hone in on the football. He’ s a tough guy who gets some tremendous hits on people. I would expect t that he will earn some stripes early on with Special Teams play. I would expect his best slot to be inside in a 3-4 scheme, but I did notice him get used on the outside several times during her Holiday Bowl. I would expect him to hear hi name called early on Saturday in Round 4.

CORDARRO LAW/DE/LB/SOUTHERN MISS/6’2/255 #49
Another of my “energizer bunny” players who had been questioned in previous seasons about his dedication and effort level. He really turned the jets on this past season and was almost unblockable. He was almost unblockable in the Aloha Bowl victory. In fact his play reminded me of that of DONTAY MOCH of Nevada last year. He has natural pass-rush moves and at worst should make a nice 3rd down DE in a 4-3 scheme. But the real question is whether he has the athleticism to stand up in a 3-4 scheme and drop into pass coverage on occasion. Depending upon the answer to the latter question he could go anywhere from Round 3 to Round 7.

MARVIN McNUTT/WR/IOWA/6’4/215 #7
The former HS QB developed into a top notch WR at IOWA. But there seemed to be some serious disconnect between he and the coaching staff by the end of the 2011 season. That seems to be a recurring theme lately in the FERENTZ regime. Feature RB COKER was suspended from Bowl action for discipline reasons, and last season there were drug issues involving JOHNSON-KOULIANOS, among others. He should be a Round 2 Pick based on talent and is a serious sideline and red zone threat with his height and vertical, but there will be some serious questions asked at the COMBINE about his relationship with the IOWA coaches. Some of his attitude may have to do with lack of coverage recognition on the part of IOWA’s QB corp, such as McNUTT being uncovered on a failed scoring op in the 3rd quarter. The QB never saw the defensive gaff and ran the play to the opposite side of the field to McNUTT’s obvious displeasure.

ADRIAN ROBINSON/OLB/TEMPLE/6’2/250 #43
An outstanding athlete who has some natural pass-rsh skills with his hand on the ground.But he is going to have to make that transition to playing with his hand up in a 3-4 scheme. He looks the part and with the right team and some patience he could get the job done at the next level. But he’s a Saturday Pick who will have to excel on Special Teams to earn himself enough time to develop as that OLB. But if you watch him play you can see the athleticism and energy that will serve him well.

KAWANN SHORT/DT/PURDUE/6’3/310/JR #93
I have read speculation recently than SHORT might be giving serious consideration to leaving school early. Given that this is a less than stellar year for prospects at the DT position that might not be a bad idea. He’s nothing special, but has decent athleticism and holds the line of scrimmage quite well. Against the run game game he may actually play heavier than his listed weight. He also showed some ability to collapse the pocket in the Little Caesars Bowl. He has decent lateral movement within a short area of 3 holes on the interior. In a 4-3 scheme, in a 6-8 man rotation he could contribute at the pro level. If he comes out early he’ll have to show some athleticism at the COMBINE to avoid being a Saturday Pick.

LAVASIER TUINEI/WR/OEGON/6’4/215 #8
I’ve been waiting several seasons to see this guy step it up and have a big game to validate the potential his physical prowess would indicate. He picked a great time to do it, in his final game as a DUCK against a high level of competition. He was a tremendous deep threat and red zone threat against the BADGERS. He also became the clutch receiver on 3rd down in this contest. He finished the Rose Bowl with 8 catches, for 158 yards & 2 TD. He will not be a star in the NFL, but could provide the right offensive scheme with a dependable No.4 WR who also gets the job done on Special Teams.

JORDAN WHITE/WR/W MICHIGAN/6’0/210 #83
I realize he’s not fast enough to make an NFL impact and he’s had knee woes, but he catches the hell out of the ball and gets himself open on a regular basis. He’s also strong, and tough to bring down once he possesses the ball. He seems to have soft hands and very good body control. Though not a blazer in the 40, he plays faster than he looks. Ask PURDUE about the 49-yarder he turned in against their secondary in the Little Caesars Bowl. Typical of his overall career play he caught 13 balls, for 265 yards and 1 TD in that Bowl game. He may be a Day 3 steal for some NFL team looking to bolster their WR depth/quality.

KYLE WILBER/DE/LB/WAKE FOREST/6’5/240 #97
This long drink of water played a hybrid role for WAKE, because their defense was generally undersized. What I saw was a lanky, mad stork kind of athlete who could make a living based on his versatility for a creative Defensive Coordinator like DOM CAPERS or ROB RYAN. His biggest issue may be keeping blockers from cutting him on his long, thin legs. He looks even thinner than his measurables wold indicate and I have to say I see him standing up almost exclusively in the pro game. Draftable late in the process.

DEREK WOLFE/DT/CINCINNATI/6’5/300 #95
WOLFE looked outstanding early in his career in Cincy and then had a tough time making the adjustment to a new coaching staff in 2010. He found himself in 2011 (like much of the team) and came back to form. He’s a big, active player who can run and has good, but not great, functional strength. If he can work on his overall strength he might have the potential to play DE in either a 3-4, or 4-3 scheme. He also seemed to rediscover his high-rev motor this past season. He does a good job getting into the backfield and even though I would not label him a sack-master he makes more than his share of TFL. He does not dominate play very often, but he was successful in 2011 at not disappearing for stretches.

MARK ASPER/OT/OREGON/6’6/325 #79 12/06/2011
I’m a lot more impressed with ASPER than I was a year ago. He has improved every year for the DUCKS. He’s fairly athletic and mobile for his size, doing pulling work on a regular basis this year. He’s also solid at dropping into pass pro and setting up quickly. He can still get stronger, but already has a pretty good punch. From watching him in action i will be very surprised if his arms don’t measure out to be quite long in Mobile and/or at the COMBINE. He is a slightly less athletic MAX UNGER, currently starting in Seattle. In a West Coast Scheme, and perhaps a zone blocking scheme he should make a solid middle Round selection with long term starting potential.

MORRIS CLAIBORNE/CB/LSU/6’0/180 #17
Don’t freak out when I say this but when it comes to actual pass coverage CLAIBORNE looks to me to be better than PATRICK PETERSON at this stage of his career. PETERSON had trouble locating the ball in the air, which is why he had a modest collegiate INT total. CLAIBORNE has no such issue and could be a real ballhawk in the NFL. But he is also a willing player in run support, who may not blow ball carriers up, but he will stick his nose into the action.Other than loving the college life I’m not sure why CLAIBORNE would not come out early. He plays CB the way you want it done at any level, and should be the first CB taken if he’s out.

A. J. CUNNINGHAM/WR/MICHIGAN STATE/6’2/222 #3
I am thinking that a lot of us have underestimated the play of CUNNINGHAM over the past couple of seasons, and have not accurately projected his potential pro value. His lack of superior speed does indeed limit his potential as a pro, but he finds holes in the zone coverage and is sure handed when the ball comes his way. His strength allows him to battle well for the ball with defenders and he wins most of those possession battles. There is no doubt that he has been KIRK COUSINS’ security blanket for the past two years. He may never be a starting wideout in the league, but he could catch a lot of balls for a team like the PACKERS who involve heir entire receiving corps, with multiple formations. I think he’s moving into position to get his named called early on DRAFT Saturday.

BLAKE GIDEON/S/TEXAS/6’1/205 #21
BLAKE has been starting in the TEXAS secondary since his true Freshman year. That’s a pretty rare occurrence at a program like TEXAS. But to be truthful i don’t see a whole lot of progress over the years. His best year was probably as a sophomore, but his numbers are down the past two seasons. This year he was in on 73 tackles, which was 3rd best on the team, But he could only get his hands on 1 INT. His ball instincts and questionable speed may keep him on Draft Boards into Round 4. He’s a really smart, accountable football player, but will either fade into obscurity in the NFL or progress based on more effective coaching. We shall see.

DONTA HIGHTOWER/ILB/ALABAMA/6’3/260/JR #30
AFter hobbling around on bad pins for the last year or so, I hereby declare HIGHTOWER back at full strength and a serious force for some NFL team looking for an URLACHER type inside player for their Defense. He currently toils in NICK SABAN’s 3-4 scheme, but I don’t see any reason why he can’t get the job done in a standard 4-3 scheme, MLB slot. HIGHTOWER was in on 81 tackles this season, which led the team. You have to remember there are only so many tackles to go around then a D forces a lot of 3 and outs, and has talented players after the ball at every position. He also recorded 9.5 TFL, 3 sacks, 1 INT, 4 passes defensed, 8 QB hurries and blocked a Kick on Special Teams. My point is that he can do it all, and usually does. He is the LB version of a guy named DAREUS who went to the NFL last year. I felt strongly that teams schemed away from him on a weekly basis because of his athletic prowess and hitting ability. He plays like a TOP 12 prospect in my eyes.

JAYE HOWARD/DT/FLORIDA/6’3/305 #6
It was a mediocre year all the way around in Gainesville this season. And guys like HOWARD got lost in the mix a bit. But even though he is not a premier Draft Prospect HOWARD is a good solid player who should have a spot in a 4-3 NFL Defense. When I watched him play I was always impressed by his energy to pursue the ball and stay on his feet. If he can play beside a big body who will eat up two blockers his quickness will allow him to penetrate into the opponents backfield. He doesn’t look to me like he can carry any more weight and still pursue, but he might be able to get a bit stronger in an NFL weight room. He’s an above average athlete with some want to. I thought he was one of the GATORS’ more consistent performers this season.

ISAIAH PEAD/RB/CINCINNATI/5’10/200 #23
Every time I watch Cincinnati play I wonder why this guy never gets the kudos he deserves as a RB. And I also plead guilty to liking him when I watch him play, and then forgetting him a week later. He’s not a burner, but I see him get to the perimeter every game. He’s not big, but he stays on his feet and has good balance and lean. He always gets more yards inside than his size would indicate. He does a nice job catching out in space. He rushed for a little over 1100 yards this season and caught 36 passes (4th on the team). he found the end zone 14 times overall. If PEAD can post a really good 40-time in Indy, then I think he should easily be Drafted on Friday next April. He’s is truly a very good, just not great, RB prospect.

DEVIER POSEY/WR/OHIO STATE/6’2/210 #8
I’ll be the first to admit that POSEY is immature and has a lot to work on in his game. But his size/speed ratio is what NFL Personnel People dream of. Coming back from 10 games worth of suspension he really opened up the passing attack for BRAXTON MILLER providing a serious downfield threat for BUCKEYE opponents to worry about. He’s an absolute joy to watch gliding downfield while defenders bust their butt to try and keep up with his long striding legs. He shows First Round talent, but will still be a gamble for someone in the 3rd Round. He may be this year’s poster child as a risk/reward prospect.

MONTEE BALL/RB/WISCONSIN/5’11/210/JR #28 11/27/2011
Over the weekend against PENN STATE, BALL pushed his season rushing total to over 1600 yards, while sustaining a 6.5 ypc average. Perhaps most amazing is his 12 game total of 29 rushing TDs. He’s not a blazing fast runner, nor is he a battering ram, but rather a nice combination of the two with enough speed, power and moves to break a lot of 10-20 yard runs. He is also a better than average pass catcher out of the backfield, with another 5 TD on receptions. Question one is whether he comes out, or stays in school. Then the big key will be what he posts for a 40-time in Indy. He should make someone a solid No. 1 RB, who will be a valuable Red Zone weapon. He could be the second RB taken in the 2012 DRAFT. He reminds of FRED JACKSON/BILLS in his style and potential.

JOHN BRANTLEY, JOHN/QB/6’3/220 #12
I think it is pretty safe to say that BRANTLEY has very little pro potential after his performance this season, including a bad day against FSU, when he was declared healthy. I felt bad for him during the TEBOW/MEYER era because he was a round peg in a square hole. Even 2010 was a reach as MEYER tried to adapt his crazy Offense a bit. But this season, with CHARLIE WEISS in town to tutor him, he still didn’t look like a guy who sees the whole field or understands how to read a defense. He has had a few statistically impressive games, but mostly against overmatched teams. And his injury issues also raise a red flag considering the tough life of a pro QB. He may get Drafted on Day 3, but he’s a reach and failed to impress me yet again last Saturday.

QUINTON COPLES/DE/UNC/6’6/285 #90
In almost every report I read COPLES is ranked as the top DE prospect in the nation. I have no reason to quarrel with that estimation. I have watched him in the final two TAR HEELS games and come away impressed, if not awed. He played just about as well against the highly ranked HOKIES as he did against the lowly Blue Devils. He recorded 2 Sacks against DUKE and 1 against VA TECH. He also had 3 TFL & 2.5 TFL respectively in the two games. He holds up against the running game, but could use a bit more bulk on his frame and more upper body strength to keep blockers off his body, particularly his legs. He’s major trouble in the pass rush with long arms and overall length that remind me a bit of TOO TALL JONES, He appears to me to have the same kind of pro potential that JULIUS PEPPERS had coming out of UNC. I think he holds up well as a TOP 10 prospect for NFL teams running a standard 4-3 scheme.

MIKE DANIELS/DT/IOWA/6’1/280 #93
For the third time in 3 years IOWA presents the NFL with a high motor, over achieving, undersized DL to consider. He follows in the footsteps of KING & KLUG, who are plying their wares in current NFL DL rotations. DANIELS made some impressive plays with his hustle and quickness last Saturday in a losing cause at NEBRASKA. He is really quick off the ball and penetrates across the line-of-scrimmage on a regular basis. He just missed his normal double digit tackle standard with 9 against NEBRASKA. I am guessing he’ll be on some NFL teams roster next fall, after getting drafted late, or more likely being signed as a Rookie Free Agent. If he were 2” talent, and 20 lbs. heavier he’d be a TOP 100 prospect.

GEORGE ILOKA/S/BOISE STATE/6’2/210 #8
After watching the BRONCOS five times this year I have come to the conclusion that ILOKA is the guy who holds the secondary together whether in run support or pass coverage. He’s a much better, more productive, player than I had given him credit for. His size allows him to play in-the-box, while his long legs and athleticism allow him to roam deep in the secondary. His biggest shortcoming as a prospect may be the fact that he is not a ball hawk, and has not had an INT yet this campaign. But I doubt that will prevent him from being a mid-Round Pick, maybe even as early as the 3rd Round. It would help him greatly to have an impressive statistical Bowl Game and a solid All-Star Game performance. It is my strong feeling that he is a better player than his stats indicate. I sure see him all over the field when watching them play.

LEONARD JOHNSON/CB/IOWA STATE/5’10/200 #23
Then there is that age old saying; ‘Timing is everything!’. How true that is when you look at JOHNSON’s performance in the big Cyclones upset of Oklahoma State. JOHNSON has toiled in relative anonymity in Ames on a perennially losing team. Then came the big upset tow weeks ago, on national TV, over an undefeated team in which he flashed his skills against the dynamic duo of WEEDEN/BLACKMON. And JOHNSON’s performance finger prints were all over that upset win. The statistical highlight of the game was critical INT to help IOWA STATE hold on to the win, but the real story was his feisty play all day long holding his own against BLACKMON, and others, with tight coverage and solid tackling. I would not call him a ballhawk, but he sticks close to his man and locates the ball well in the air. He uses his solid build to battle hard and frustrate receivers. If he can show well in Mobile and at the COMBINE he might find himself as a Friday Draftee.

DWIGHT JONES/WR/UNC/6’4/225 #83
The past two seasons have ben frustrating for JONES. With the team suspension issues and breaking in a new QB this season he has not gotten the number of balls thrown his way that he probably deserves to have seen. he’s a long, well built athlete who has sure hands and a knack for finding the ball in the air. Most of the time he is a hands-catcher which is what NFL Personnel People are looking for.He also covers a lot of ground after the catch with long legs. He also breaks more than his share of tackles with his solid build and determination. He does not go down easily. He finished up his regular season career with a solid effort in a win over DUKE. He grabbed 10 catches for 101 yards & 3 TD. Those numbers boosted him into first place in UNC Football history with 79 catches on the season. There is no doubt in my mind that he is a better pro prospect than GREG LITTLE was last year. He’s solidly in my TOP 100 Prospect list.

DAVID MOLK/OC/MICHIGAN/6’2/290 #50
With the resurgence of the WOLVERINES program under BRADY HOKE this year I have been watching them play on a regular basis. Early in the season I read somewhere that MOLK was one of the most overrated OC prospects in college FB. As the year ends, I respectfully disagree. I think he is a very effective OC who could find a niche in the League in a zone blocking scheme, where he can utilize his quickness and mobility in the mix. I also am of the impression that he is a tough son of a gun, with an aggressive attitude. But most of all he is smart and efficient in his blocking technique. He could very well turn into this DRAFT’s JASON KELCE, who now starts in Philadelphia. MOLK has little margin for error, but his savvy, experience and mental toughness could get him drafted in the later rounds. In the big showdown game with OHIO STATE I saw MOLK defeat his opponent the majority of the time with seal blocks, cut blocks second level blocks.

EDDIE WHITLEY/S/VA TECH/6’1/190 #15
WHITLEY is not an elite player. But he does a lot of extra things that the HOKIES coaching staff asks him to do. He is an integral part of the all-important Special Teams units at VA TECH. He has played multiple spots on the Defense because of injuries to others, even playing some at LB in the UNC game when injuries decimated that position group. He is far from a head hunter, but he is willing to tackle and does not shy away from contact. He also seems to react quickly to ball movement by the Offense. He has decent speed and can catch up with the ball on a regular basis. He will have some adjustments to make at the pro level because he will be learning a new position, having been the ROVER most of the time at VA TECH. Can he buy himself time b shining on Special teams initially? I’d say he is a very late Round selection, who could fall out of the DRAFT completely depending upon how many underclassmen declare, but don’t sleep on him.

LEVY ADCOCK/OT/OKLAHOMA STATE/6’5/320 #73 11/21/2011
I have good news and bad news after watching ADCOCK 3 times in the past month. As always let’s get to the good news first. He is a fundamentally sound player, with mobile footwork who will fit nicely into a West Coast type scheme, where pass pro is at a premium. Although he reaches a bit at times, he bends pretty well and uses his arms to keep defenders at bay. He is probably the best, most pro ready Senior OT in college football. That’s all good. But he is not very strong and is limited athletically. He is not close to being the prospect RUSSELL OKUNG was, who played LT for the COWBOYS. He is not as strong and aggressive as OKUNG, nor is he as athletic. I would probably not look to take him until Round 2. He has a solid body and decent strength, but I think it will take a couple of years of pro coaching and serious weight room work for him to be ready to step in and start as an NFL RT. He’s more of a project than you’d like in the early Rounds. Three or four Underclassmen could be taken ahead of him f they declare.

SEAN BAKER/S/BALL STATE/6’1/205 #28
A nice, steady player who plays as much with his head as he does with his body. He is a willing tackler, though not a monster hitter. He recorded 11 Tackles against NIU last Tuesday night. He also recorded a fumble recovery and had an INT, for a pick-six, until it was negated by a penalty flag thrown on another CARDINALS player. He is the career INT leader at BALL STATE, which at the very least indicates he roams well in pass coverage. He has just enough speed and athleticism to get by at the pro level, but he may never be a full time starter. He could carve out a solid career as a sub-package player, and a Special Teamer. He’s either a late rounder or a Rookie FA, but he is a nice college player who deserves a shot at a pro career.

BRODERICK BINNS/DE/LB/IOWA/6’2/260 #91
Finding the exact NFL niche for this player will be the challenge, but he has some talent and plays smart. He’s not a DWIGHT FREENEY pass-rusher, but he has excellent awareness of the action around him. he seems to specialize in getting his hands up and deflecting thrown balls. I know it’s not that frequent, but it feels like every time I watch IOWA play he deflects a ball or two at the line-of-scrimmage. His best hope as a pro is to try standing up as an OLB in a 3-4 scheme. He looks to have good balance and quick feet so there may be hope, long term, that he can adapt his game to that position and role. But obviously that makes him a projection and will require time and effort to evolve. His overall athleticism may be best illustrated in his 11.5 TFL & 5.5 Sacks in 11 games this season, while still being credited with 7 pass break-ups from a DE position. Stats like these are why I see the potential for conversion to an up position in a 3-4 scheme. He sure looks to me to be worth a mid-Round selection.

FLETCHER COX/DT/MISSISSIPPI STATE/6’4/295/JR #94
Each and every time I watch MISS STate play I end up being mesmerized by the play of COX. He gets my attention just standing out on the field. He has a sculpted, long, lean, athletic body type and just glides around on the grass after the ball is snapped. Which is not to imply he lacks strength. He even stood out in the BULLDOGS blow-out loss to ARKANSAS last Saturday. He blocked a kick and returned a fumble 52-yards. He just seems to make plays every time I see him. On the season he now has 10.5 TFL & 5.5 Sacks in 10 games. Those stats are most impressive when you remember that he plays on the inside, not at DE. He looks rangy but strong right now, but appears to have room to add some weight and strength if needed for the pro game. I believe he could play multiple positions in an NFL Defense. In a 3-4 I think he would make a solid DE. In a 4-3 scheme he could play anywhere but on the Nose. I don’t know that he is leaning towards coming out early, but I suspect that if he does NFL Personnel People are going to like what they see on game tape... a lot!

RYAN LINDLEY/QB/SAN DIEGO STATE/6’4/220 #14
LINDLEY is a good athlete with an above average arm, who will need to be developed by a QB guru to ever have a legit shot to compete for an NFL starting position. His senior year has been a slight setback for him as he plays without his two top receivers from last season (both in the NFL now) and under a new head Coach, who prefers the running game to an all out passing attack. Against a very solid BOISE STATE Defense last weekend he competed 30/51- 350 yds- 3 TD- 1 INT, while trying to bring his team from behind all game long. He can move the pocket a bit to extend plays. He has shown his frustration too often out on the grass at young receivers who break off patterns or don’t read the D, which he will have to get under control to gain the respect of his teammates at the next level. He might sneak into Round 3 if there is a run on QBs, and/or not a lot of QB underclassmen declare.

KEVIN KOGER/TE/MICHIGAN/6’4/255 #86
After watching KOGER for the fourth time in the big win over NEBRASKA, I am liking this young man as a solid all-around TE for the NFL. He can and will block for the running game. But he also has better hands than I think many give him credit for. He will get a few yards after the catch by running over/through smaller defenders. At first blush his 17 catches this year seems pretty anemic, but it is the highest total on the team for a non-WR. And he has averaged over 11 yds/catch and scored 3 TD. From what i have seen of him, I truly believe he could catch more balls if thrown to more often. But in this day and age of overgrown WRs masquerading as TEs at the college level I think he deserves some late Round consideration next April for a team needing that solid blocker at TE in the Red Zone.

LUKE KUECHLY/LB/BOSTON COLLEGE/6’3/235 #40
They refer to him as a tackling machine and deservedly so. After the NOTRE DAME game, in which he participated in 14 tackles, he now has 523 career stops in his 3 year BC career. Most impressively the ND game marked his 32nd straight double-digit tackle performance. What I like best about KUECHLY is his ability to read the Offense unfolding in front of him and get to the ball. He’s not just piling on, he’s initiating most of his tackles. He is also athletic enough to look very smooth and comfortable dropping into pass coverage. He penetrates into the backfield on run-reads, but i would not consider him to be a pass-rush OLB. His lack of bulk will limit his playing potential. Right now I would project him into a WLB slot in a 4-3 scheme, who can play all three downs because of his pass coverage ability. I would expect, and encourage him to come out early. BC continues to struggle under HC SPAZIANI and accumulating stats in a weekly losing effort has to grind on a player. 3 years excelling for the EAGLES should be enough.

KELECHI OSEMELE/OG/IOWA STATE/6’5/355 #72
No surprise here when I tell you he is the most massive, good football player I have seen since MT. CODY. I also find it impressive that he can hold his own, at his size and body type, out at the LT position. But I feel strongly he needs to move back inside to OG for max results at the NFL level. He moves his feet well for his size, but he gets lost out in space at times, and ends up reaching and lunging to make his blocks especially in run blocking. He will also struggle with speed rushers at OT in the pro game. Physically he reminds me some of LEONARD DAVIS recently with the COWBOYS. DAVIS was wasted early in his NFL career trying to play OT, but had a nice second half of his career once moved inside. He also will need to play on a team that still likes to run the ball a lot between the tackles. His value looks to be somewhat limited because hell only fit with certain teams and schemes, but he could be a dominant force in the right situation. He could be a late First Rounder, but once Underclassmen declare I am guessing he’ll slide down to Round 2.

JORDAN PENDLETON/OLB/BYU/6’3/240 #1
I was not particularly excited about PENDLETON’s pro potential at the start of the season. But I have watched almost half of BYU’s games this year, and this guy has more athleticism and toughness than I thought. He is a very physical player, who takes grief from no one out on the field. He does bring some pass-rush/blitz skill to the BYU Defense. He is certainly not polished in his pass D, but he’s more fluid than guys like BRADY POPPINGA who manned the OLB position in previous years in Provo. He appears strong enough to hold his own against blocking TE’s and shows a propensity for shedding blockers with strong arms, while keeping them from getting into his body. He might surprise and get enough interest from the right team to go fairly early on Draft Saturday in Round 4-5.

EDDIE PLEASANT/S/OREGON/5’11/213 #11
I can’t see PLEASANT getting a Draft call until very late, if at all. But every time I watch OREGON play this ex-LB looks better and more comfortable at his S position. He still hits a ton, which will have definite appeal to most teams. He will bring great value in-the-box and as a zone blitzer. But he is also starting to catch on to the coverage game downfield. He should also prove his worth as a Special Teams ace. I can’t see how he fails to shine as an all-important “gunner” on coverage units. He is now playing the correct position for his future as a pro. He could make a very nice value Pick for some team that ends up with multiple Supplemental PIcks in Round 7.

MIKE ADAMS/OT/OHIO STATE/6’7/305 #75 11/14/2011
If there were a picture in NFL Personnel Offices with the caption ’the Ideal OT’ underneath it might be a shot of ADAMS. He is long and lean and well proportioned athlete with nice long arms. If anything is a bit lacking my guess is most teams would like another 10-20 lbs. on his frame. Physically he reminds me of former BC, COLTS ROOKIE, ANTHONY CASTONZO. He is light on his feet and very quick for his size. He is good as a run blocker (though not overpowering) and agile n pass-pro. Having missed half of the 2011 season because of his tattoo suspension doesn’t help his 1st Round Draft campaign, but he’s making up for lost time with his solid play. In any kind of combo of West Coast/Zone Blocking scheme he will fit in right away in the NFL. Besides gaining a few pounds, I’d like to see just a bit more nasty in his game play. But he still looks like a late First Rounder to me.

MARK BARRON/S/ALABAMA/6’2/220 #4
Two years ago he was being touted as the next coming of STEVE ATWATER. Last season everyone was poking holes in his play. I think based on what I’ve seen this season I have a good image of him and what he will bring to the NFL. He is a nice combo of size and speed. He can cover most TEs and some RBs downfield for about 20 yards. He is not much of a blitzer, at least not in NICK SABAN’s D, partly because SABAN doesn’t do much of that from his secondary. He is a tough, hard nosed tackler who excels in-the-box. He can drop into short coverage and has 2 INT & 7 Passes Defensed on his report card through 10 games this season. Maybe not the ideal fit for a team like Green Bay, but they’d love him for DA BEARS style of play. He’s a solid Round 2 player, who could still sneak into the latter part of Round 1 for the right team.

JUSTIN BLACKMON/WR/OKLAHOMA STATE/6’1/210/JR #81
Everyone knows his numbers and ability to break the big play. What always catches my eye is his ability to play bigger than his size. He climbs the ladder very well to high point a pass. He breaks tackles and runs over people once he gets the ball in his hands. He also has strong hands which allow him to win most contests when he is battling a DB for the ball. He also gets separation, and finds holes in the Defense on a regular basis. He drops a few balls, but not very many. He’s more sudden than fast, but he very seldom gets caught from behind. His style of play and skill set remind me a lot of a guy named JERRY RICE. Not saying he’ll be that great, but the tools are there. The COWBOYS have a passing attack that concentrates attempts to their best receiver, but his 93 catches for 1142 yards & 14 TD thru 10 games is more than impressive no matter what the offensive game plan.

JONAS GRAY/RB/NOTRE DAME/5’10/230 #25
After a few games of mental errors and poor QB play, HC MIKE KELLY made some changes on his Offense. First, he decided to re-emphasize the running game behind, a big, veteran OL. In doing so he started to spell CIERRE WOODS on a regular basis with GRAY. And GRAY has responded with some big numbers, and emerged as a late blooming NFL Prospect. GRAY has rushed for over 750 yards at 7.1ypc and has scored 11 TD. He is a nice combination of size and burst. He’s not a speedster, but he can break some tackles and pop some 10-20 yard gains. In a year when the RB Prospect list is short and lacking franchise type players GRAY is putting scouts on notice with his play. He could really climb if he plays well in an All-Star Game and works out well at the COMBINE. Keep your eye on this guy. He really got my attention with his hard running against Maryland. I believe I see a back-up NFL RB in the making here.

CHANDLER HARNISH/QB/N ILLINOIS/6’2/220 #12
Given the MAC’s affiliation with ESPN that puts their games on in he evening, during the work week, I have watched an awful lot of their games over the past 4-5 years. Up until this season I considered HARNISH to be more of a mid-major curiosity than a potential NFL QB. I have changed my mind this Fall. The biggest reason is that I think CHANDLER has really improved his throwing mechanics and productivity during his career. Yes, he’s a small time TIM TEBOW in a way, but in addition to his running ability he now demonstrates a reasonably strong arm and better throwing accuracy than ever before. Through 10 games he is completing 62.9% of his throws. He also has a 20 TD/4 INT ratio this year. He appears to be a solid leader and his run/throw decision making seems to be getting better and better. It won’t be until later on Saturday, but I think some NFL team looking for a QB project, who can run some Wildcat type packages for them while he learns should grab him.

DeJOHN HARRIS/DT/SOUTHERN CAL/6’4/305 #98
I have watched the TROJANS play 3 times in the last month. And HARRIS has satisfied me that he is more than a space eater and rotation guy. He is a decently conditioned athlete who can cover some ground for his size. He also seems to be able to summon up a little extra when his team needs a big stop on 3rd and short. He may not be a sack master like a WAREN SAPP, but he clearly gets penetration on a regular basis and makes plays in the backfield. He may never have a high sack total, but I think he can collapse the pocket with some regularity. I like him best as a DT in a standard 4-3 scheme. He’ll hold up against the run and bring a little extra on passing downs.

NOAH KELLER/ILB/OHIO/6’1/245 #47
Last year I really like another MAC LB named NICK BELLORE. BELLORE wasn’t drafted, but he made the JETS as a back-up ILB and Special Teamer. I would suggest to you that KELLER is the same kind of smart, veteran player who may not be a super athlete, but can play the game and surprise you with his ability to find and get to the runner. He may also eventually be able to play all three downs for someone in the NFL. He has no INT this year, but has been credited with 3 Passes Defensed, and 3 Break-Ups. He can cover in the short middle of the field. He has good strength for his size and I believe can hold up in a 3-4 scheme if the guy beside him inside is a bit bigger. He should also be ready to contribute right away on Special Teams. This active, intelligent LB I have seen play twice this year should be draftable late.

SHEA McCLELLIN/OLB/E/BOISE STATE/6’3/258 #92
He’s listed as a DE, but he plays multiple slots and roles for the BRONCOS. He has excellent size for a move to an OLB position in a 3-4 scheme. He’s not a sack master, but he has good feet and a nose for the ball. Against TCU he almost got an INT on a wide pitch that he deflected for a fumble, as he shot the gap between the QB and RB. On the season he has 1 INT, 7 TFL & 5 Sacks. Those numbers are more impressive than you might think because this BOISE STATE D is loaded with good athletes, and Coach PETERSON plays lots of guys to build experienced depth. SHEA is playing at a level that could put him into the 3rd Round next April.

RYAN MILLER/OG/COLORADO/6’7/310 #73
It is always challenging to peg a player when he’s on a bad team. COLORADO is a bad team that is also undergoing another coaching change. But MILLER is holding his own and getting some attention. He’s a long, lean kid who has decent strength for his size. He’s actually much like NATE SOLDER (R1 to New England this past APril), but playing on the inside. For his height he does get his pad level low enough to take on the inside traffic. He also has enough foot speed to pull on wide plays. His height and weight would normally be considered problematic for an OG in the NFL. But if he could put on 10 lbs or so and he seems to me to be a good enough athlete to start at OG in a zone-blocking scheme, where his technique and athleticism will be more important that brute strength. I think he looks good enough to interest someone late on DRAFT Friday.

JEFF ALLEN/OT/ILLINOIS/6-5/305 #71 10/28/2011
If you’re looking for an athletic LT for a zone-blocking, and/or West Coast style offense ALLEN could be quite a bargain when he lasts into the Third Round. He’s a solid player with good energy and nice long arms. He’s best in pass-pro but can get to second level blocks even if he’s not likely to pancake many DL. Has been a starter since a couple of games into his true freshman season. Publicity wise he gets lost in the shuffle a bit because of the steady parade of pro prospect OL coming out of IOWA and WISCONSIN, but he has as much pro potential as most of those bigger rep guys. If he shows up in Mobile and stands out someone might show interest in Round 2 because of his athleticism, experience and dependability during his four years at ILLINOIS.

BRANDON BOYKIN/CB/RS/GEORGIA/5-10/185 #2
You’ll have to look long and hard to find a quicker more explosive athlete in this year’s senior class. Just grab some highlight film and watch him as a Return Specialist. He’s also fearless as a CB. So much so that his NFL team may have to introduce a bit to self-discipline 101 to his Rookie training camp schedule. But his natural speed will override concerns about the other. He reminds me of a PACKMAN JONES without the personality baggage. He had 80 yards rushing in the opening loss to BOISE. Yes, that was in addition to playing defense full-time and returning Kicks. He’s already the BULLDOGS all-time return yardage leader. He’s been pretty dependable despite his lack of size, and he delivers a blow on receivers and runners alike. Do not sleep on BOYKIN as a solid Top 100 prospect.

JARED CRICK/DL/NEBRASKA/6’5/280 #94
OK quick, if someone is watching a replay of the NEBRASKA game please tweet me as soon as you clearly see CRICK make a tackle. Since the departure of MR. SUH, CRICK has all but disappeared from sight on most Saturdays. He’s a big gangly kid, with a huge wingspan who can no longer seem to find the ball, or get to it before he whistle blows the play dead. He’s barely holding his own as a space eater. And I do not see how he gets any more productive as a pro. He’ll get drafted before Draft Saturday next April, but he will have a harder time making his mark in the NFL than ADAM CARRIKER has had. CARRIKER fooled me in Mobile, but I’ll not be fooled again by CRICK. I hope he finds his way to Mobile, because I want to see him working in practice with the best senior DL prospects. I hope I see more because I have nothing against a hard working kid, but I’m not impressed by his work at this time.

ALFONZO DENNARD/CB/NEBRASKA/5-10/205 #15
Now to provide a bit of reporting balance for NEBRASKA fans, let me quickly tell you that I think DENNARD is the real deal and should be one of the first CBs taken in the 2012 DRAFT. He’s fast and plays with fire. He can cover and readily supports in run defense. I think he even has a chance to shine in the NFL as a zone blitzer. He has exceptional vertical and fights receivers for the ball. He also uses the sideline well as another defender once receivers head upfield. He wasn’t the only guy involved but he led the HUSKERS D in shutting down the SPARTANS passing game, including no catches for their top WR B.J. CUNNINGHAM. His height and weight are in almost perfect proportion to make him an all around player. He’s basically the kind of versatile CB that NFL teams covet. He’s the real deal and should be a First Rounder come April.

CORDY GLENN/OT/GEORGIA/6-5/330 #71
I, for one, was quite skeptical when I heard UGA was moving him outside to the LT position to protect AARON MURRAY’s blind side this season. I saw him as a road grader, with little or no athleticism, similar to MAX JEAN-GILLES. From watching his in 3 games this season I have to stand corrected. He’s a lot better athlete, with better than average foot quickness for his massive size. He also has a nice first step in pass-pro, and can really deliver a shock blow with his hands to the defender upon first contact. He may not do particularly well against a DWIGHT FREENEY, but if he works hard and keeps his weight below 350 lbs. I don’t see why he can’t play effectively in the NFL ala CHAD CLIFTON. He will also bring he added value of being able to play 4 of 5 OL positions. That is highly valued in today’s NFL. He’s a solid first rounder who can stay at OT for more than half the teams in the NFL in my opinion.

ANDREW LUCK/QB/STANFORD/6-4/235/JR #12
If you watched most or all of this game then you know LUCK is not perfect. I checked back into the game just as he threw his pick six INT to give USC the lead. Now that we have reconfirmed there is no perfect, when humans are involved, you have to be blind not to see his greatness as a big time QB. How can any NFL team not want this guy? He is the perfect size and I’m not sure a better athlete ever came in that package. I’ve seen STANFORD four times this year. He can pass, he can run, he can catch, and he can inspire the players around him. He willed his team to victory in the OT against a really good USC team. And he does all of this in a humble, leadership style that makes his teammates want to follow him anywhere. I asked SIONE FUA (now with PANTHERS) what he thought of his ex-QB at the Senior Bowl media dinner last January. He called him a great athlete and the ultimate leader. This guy is everything he’s been hyped up to be. Whoever gets his services next April will have the next ELWAY, MANNING, BRADY , or whoever you want to name. Let the positioning to Draft him begin in January.

TRAVIAN ROBERTSON/DT/SOUTH CAROLINA/6-4/305 #42
ROBERTSON is my bargain special for Friday night of next April’s DRAFT. He’s not a glamor boy out on the field, but he sure gets a lot done and does so play after play. While the DEs fly around looking for Sacks ROBERTSON is he guy USC counts on to hold the fort at the line-of-scrimmage. In the VIKINGS glory days of MARSHALL-ELLER-PAGE the 4th Purple People Eater was a stay at home DT named GARY LARSEN. Every 4-3 scheme needs that guy and ROBERTSON fills the bill. He’s big enough to hold his own, but also relies on some athleticism to move around and make plays. He’s a good enough football player to be in my TOP 100 at this stage of the game, and it will take a lot of Underclassmen to knock him out.

FOZZY WHITTAKER/RB/RS/TEXAS/5-10/200 #2
Over the first 7 games of the 2011 season FOZZY has demonstrated exactly why he is such a puzzlement for NFL personnel people. He has averaged 5.5 ypc as a runner. He is averaging 46.5 y/Kick Return including 2 TDs. He leads his team in all-purpose yards at over 100/game. He’s very straight line fast and has better power than you might expect from a 200-pounder. He also has tough time staying on the football field. That’s the catch to this story. He’s a great character guy who is a very good RB. On paper he should be gone in Round 3 to join some team looking for a RB rotation and KR guy. But the poor fellow seems snake-bitten when it comes to staying on the field. And in the immortal words of MIKE McCARTHY, if you aren’t available every week it creates problems for your team. I hope he gets a shot and his luck turns around, but if he’s a guy who just can’t play effectively when hurt then his NFL chances go down considerably.

10/30/2011 So little time, so many prospects. Since I’ve already watched 5 games this week let’s try to play some catch-up and introduce a Bonus Weekend Edition of WHO CAUGHT ME EYE.

CHAS ALECXIH/DE/PITT/6-5/280 #98
I really tuned into this game ‘cause I can’t stand to watch the CARDS win the World Series and I thought I’d give RAY GRAHAM another look see. But even before GRAHAM got hurt I was taken by the steady, if unspectacular play, of ALECXIH, whose name makes me think he belongs in a Russian hockey league. But he’s really a football player, and a good one. He’ a long. strong kid who somehow pops into the backfield more than you might expect. He looks like a decent pro prospect for a 4-3 scheme DE for a couple of downs until sub-packages get into the mix. He provides a decent pass rush and is strong enough to hold the corner. If you think I’m over-touting him keep in mind that through 8 games this year he has 9 TFL, 4.5 Sacks & 1 INT. He has the tools to be what IGOR OLSHANSKY has turned out to be, which is a solid DL rotation pro with decent value as a mid-late Draft Pick.

JAMES BROWN/OT/TROY/6-4/330 #70
This is a reach, and certainly a project, but the NFL is full of guys who have played better as pros than collegians, under better coaching and in better condition physically. BROWN is athletic enough, and can move his feet sufficiently to be considered an NFL prospect with lots of work to do. He moves his feet nicely in his initial steps into pass pro, and most impressively kept them moving through the play in the loss to FIU. If this is his natural playing size then I would guess he may have to move inside to an OG slot, which would also better accommodate his height and lack of long arms. He is not playing on a very good Offense this season and that does not help him look good at times. He gets to second level blocks, but sometimes at the expense of a poor effort on his first assignment. But that is typical in many college offenses. Yes, he’s a long shot and a project, but ala WILLIE COLON, he might pan out for a team that drafts him in Round 7 and works with him a couple of years.

TANK CARDER/LB/TCU/6-3/245 #43
I keep watching this guy in action and I keep thinking he does not get enough love for all the things he can do on the football field. He’s a good athlete who moves very well with good balance. For as much flying around as he does he keeps his feet well, thus not taking himself out of plays very often. He reads the QB and ball flow very well. He seems to always be headed for the ball. He’s a good tackler although he’s not as strong and stout as you might like with his current body. He drops into short pass coverage well and can cover most TEs for 10-15 yards. I’m still not sure where I play him (in/out) because he plays most of the time in a 4-2-5 scheme at TCU. He’s probably best suited at OLB in a 4-3 scheme. He’s a solid football player, though not elite. He should be a TOP 100 DRAFTEE and eventually have a chance to start in the NFL. I hope he does to the SR BOWL, because i am anxious to see how pro coaches would use him.

T.Y. HILTON/WR/RS/FLA INTERNATIONAL/5-10/185 #4
HLTON worries defenses as a jack-of-all-trades offensive weapon, who can break a big play at any moment. He’s worrisome from a talent evaluators standpoint because his size indicates that staying on the field will be a chore for him in the NFL. Sure enough when I got this game tuned in early in the second half he was on the bench, and/or headed to the locker room for hydration. But then when his team needed him most he busted out with a 30+yard Punt Return and a couple of important 4th Quarter catches. The two keys to his potential NFL career will be to pick the spots to get him 12 touches a game, no more, and not too draft him any sooner than the 6th Round. HILTN can catch the ball and has quick moves and explosiveness once its in his hands. He’s a nice player with big play potential who should make an NFL roster.

JERMAINE KEARSE/WR/WASHINGTON/6-2/205 #15
The frustration continues in trying to evaluate a player who is a gifted athlete, and a productive receiving threat. But he also breaks your heart (and that of his QB) with way too many dropped balls for a guy who appears to be a natural hands catcher. I appears to me that he spends too much time worrying about where the defenders are who are going to hit him after the catch. Any receiver whose head is on he swivel trying to avoid contact is not going to make it in the NFL. He’s not a blazer, but has decent speed and does get separation. Through 8 games this season he had 31 receptions, but also at least 10 dropped balls. He’s a good red zone weapon (6 TD) because of his size and leaping ability, but the dropsies are going to make it very hard for him to play in the pro game for very long. I would be very wary of drafting this guy too early and having to listen to my coaching staff moan and groan about his deficiencies for a couple of years before cutting him.

CASE KEENUM/QB/HOUSTON/6-2/210 #7
H’s back for his 6th and final season for the COUGARS. And he is lighting things up for an undefeated team after Win no. 8 over RICE. CASE is now the NCAA D-1 all-time leader in passing TD s after posting 9 in the come from behind victory on Thursday night. Here’s his line from that 73-34 Win: 24/37-534 yards- 9TD- 1 INT. KEENUM really understands what is going on in his O and finds receivers easily. He has a live arm, that though not completely correct from a technique standpoint, is strong and accurate enough to play the pro game. But the question becomes what keeps him from being the next KLINGLER or COLT BRENNAN once he leaves college? I’m not sure i can answer that ?. I guess the answer is to draft him in the 4th/5th Round if you run a West Coast style Offense and see what develops.

CHASE MINNIFIELD/CB/6-0/185 #13
Loving those genes and veteran savvy at the CB slot for the CAVS. He’s bigger than his dad and may be more athletically gifted. He’s had a productive college career and I think he’s a better pro prospect than DOWLING who came out last season. He likes to play with the receiver in front of him and despite an initial large cushion he closes that gap quickly. He also is aggressive as a tackler in run support. He seems to be near the receiver whenever the ball arrives, but could use some better ball skills in fighting for the thrown ball. He knocked several away against MIAMI, but also got high-pointed a couple of times by the receiver. He looks to be well schooled and if he responds to pro coaching he should be bale to clean up some of his coverage issues in short order. He’s in the battle to be the first CB taken (depending upon Underclassmen declaring at the position) probably in the late First Round.

KENDALL REYES/DT/UCONN/6-4/300 #99
If REPES weighed 20 lbs. more and played for a higher profile program he’d be getting talked up as a potential First Round PIck next April.Bt neither is the case so to the average fan he toils in anonymity, while pro personnel people take voluminous notes on his play and pro potential. I watched him carefully against PITT last Wednesday night and came away impressed. He’s a very fluid athlete, and looks stronger than his size might indicate. He;s not going to play the nose or handle a two-gap system, but for a read-and-react type scheme he is almost ideal. He can penetrate the backfield and disrupt wide running plays and/or collapse the QB pocket. He pursues outside and actually has the speed to catch someone once in a while. His ability to read and react, and then get to the ball reminds me somewhat of DRAKE NEVIS last year, who has had an impact for the COLTS D this season. Through 8 games he has 11 TFL & 4 Sacks from his inside DL position. he could be valuable enough to go in Round 2 next April.

ALAMEDA TA-AMU/DT/WASHINGTON/6-3/330 #74
I’ve been waiting all season for a chance to evaluate the big guy’s play. So I dialed him up in the big game with STANFORD. Sad to say folks he looked like just another big guy trying to take up space out there. Granted the CARDINAL OL may be the best in college football, but that’s what he will face every week in the NFL. Two things disappointed me greatly. He did not seem able to keep blockers off of him and was dancing most of the night with one-on-one blacking. STANFORD didn’t seem to have to even worry about double teaming him. He also seemed to let the action come to him and was pushed out of the way most of the time. Even though I will give him a B+ for attitude in pursuit, from what I saw he isn’t catching anyone near the sideline any time soon. Get out the sun dials for his 40-time. Sorry to say, I did not see the elite player I had read about. He looked like another big guy who doesn’t do much more than take up space. I’d be likely to peg him as a NT where he can take up space and plug the middle. UNless i see more from him in another game I don’t see him being worth a First Round Pick at all.

JOE ADAMS/WR/ARKANSAS/5-11/190 #3 10/24/2011
Meet a TD waiting to happen, who just may be getting his act as a football player together in this his senior season. He is still far from the finished product he needs to be to get the ob done in the NFL, but because of his speed and explosiveness he will get the chance to continue to develop on a Sunday roster in 2012. ON a team built for Offensive explosiveness and speed this is the premier weapon. It’s just that he still drops too many balls, runs the wrong pattern and turns the ball over trying to make every catch a TD. ON a sluggish day for the ARKANSAS Offense, and a comeback win over OLE MISS adams was the prime weapon in the passing game with 4 catches for 124 yards. His long play was for 67 yards. That explosiveness will help him in the 2012 DRAFT as Long as he shows some maturity in his pre-DRAFT interviews.

DWAYNE ALLEN/TE/CLEMSON/6-4/255/JR #83
SURELY allen is the beneficiary of a new efficient QB and some dangerous, speedster Freshmen WRs. But all of that aside he is the best all-around TE candidate for the 2012 DRAFT. THat and a very successful season in the making for the TGERS may influence ALLEN to go Pro while the going is good. He’s a solidly built player who can and will block. He’s no TONY GONZALEZ, but he certainly has the skill set and physical attributes of a JASON WITTEN when he came out of TENNESSEE. He’s a great underneath target, but can also stretch the field. With good hands, imposing size and a desire to excel he is a great Re Zone weapon. If he comes out he could easily find his way into the late First Round.

MATT BARKLEY/QB/USC/6-2/225/JR #7
Don’t misconstrue what I am about to say, but the more I watch BARKLEY this season the better i like his pro prospects. He’s athletic and can move the pocket to keep plays alive. He has a strong arm and good accuracy. He also has a nice quick release. His fundamentals are sound if not perfect. He’s very savvy and confident from starting since his first game at USC. Even if he comes out after this year he will have more college starts than either LEINART or SANCHEZ. Some have questioned his size/height, but he is almost exactly the same body as SANCHEZ. He has played all 3 years in a Pro Style Offense and can take the snap under Center. He’s throwing at a 67% completion rate this season, and does not have the depth of weapons to work with as in recent seasons because of the CARROLL-sanctions against the program. If he comes out next January then he’s in a battle with FOLES to be the second QB taken, later in Round 1.

ZACH BROWN/OLB/UNC/6-2/230 #47
Don’t you just wish the beautiful blonde at the end of the bar had a higher IQ and mothering instincts to go with the sex appeal? Nothing in life is perfect. BROWN is a really active, athletic, smart LB. He can play the pass or the run equally well. He sees the plays unfolding around him and gets into the action most of the time. BROWN also shows the ability to read gaps in the OL and rush the passer effectively.He’s a gunner on Special Teams coverage units. He’s the stuff team captains are made of. But if only he were and inch taller and 10 lbs. heavier. Because of his lack of bulk I saw him get hung up by blockers on several occasions and he just disappeared in a pile of humanity. If he can get through this season without any major injuries I think he can still have a chance to get taken in Round 1, by a 4-3 D team that uses it’s DL to keep blockers off the LBs and needs a WIL-LB. He as a chance to be like MICHAEL BOLEY of the GIANTS.

BRUCE IRVIN/E/LB/WEST VIRGINIA/6-3/235 #11
OK I’m not trying to be a jerk about this, but what’s the buzz all about this kid who isn’t even a full time player in college? I realize he had 14 Sacks last season, but did you realize he had 21 total tackles. Through half a season this year (6 games) he had 2.5 Sacks and 21 tackles. I don’t see a kid who is going to offer enough to an NFL team to spur great interest. He showed me nothing in the SYRACUSE game. He was seldom around the ball and most often on the bench. Call him a project if you want, but I think he’s a waste of a DRAFT Pick anywhere before the 5th Round. His legend as a player is a myth in my opinion. He may have a potential pro career, but it will be slow in developing and will take lots of coaching work to determine how he fits in. He is not an elite prospect.

NICK PROVO/TE/SYRACUSE/6-4/245 #80
As RYAN NASSIB has grown as a QB one of the big benefactors has been PROVO. He’s nice, smooth running underneath receiver who displays dependable hands and the ability to gain a few extra yards after the catch. He’s a decent blocker who should get better and stronger once in the NFL. He is not a star, but he’s moved himself into the TOP 12 on my TE Prospect list, because he can be more than just a receiver. He was the go-to guy in the ‘CUSE upset of WEST VIRGINIA, with 6 catches, for 61 yards & 3 TD. No one has contributed to, or benefitted more from the SYRACUSE football program’s resurgence than PROVO. He is moving his way from being a Free Agent Rookie, solidly into the late rounds on DRAFT Saturday next April in NYC.

TRENT RICHARDSON/RB/ALABAMA/5-11/225/JR #3
Now remember, this is no longer the era of workhorse RBs in the NFL. The passing game is king and running chores are handled by 2-3 guys splitting time. But RICHARDSON should be the next RB to provide a ball control running game presence for his team ala MICHAEL TURNER, ADRIAN PETERSON & ARIAN FOSTER. He is a far superior athlete to former teammate MARK INGRAM , and that is a compliment to TRENT not a knock on MARK. He has a very impressive combination of power, speed, elusiveness & hands as a receiver. He should be a guy that teams want to touch the ball 25 times a game. He also has that nose for the end zone and can both make tacklers miss a well as run them over. Through 8 games this year he has 1016 yards, at 6.6 ypc for 17 TD. He is also tied for second on the team with 18 receptions and 1 TD. Next up is LSU and if he can put up numbers against their tough, fast D then he puts himself in serious HEISMAN consideration. He’s a potential TOP 10 Pick, and with the TIDE’s success I’m nit sue why he would go back for a senior season.

ANDREW TILLER/OG/SYRACUSE/6-5/330 #66
This former JC player has developed quite nicely in his 3rd season with the program. He’s a very large man, with a large frame, but blessed with nice athleticism for his size. He’s not a weight room adonis, but he is far from being a jelly-belly either. He moves his feet well and is decent in pass-pro and excels at getting to his second level blocks. He should have a chance in the NFL for teams like the CHARGERS & REDSKINS who still use power blocking run schemes. He could use some refinement in his technique and completing more of his second level blocks, but playing for former NFL vet OL DOUG MARRONE works to his benefit in pro preparation. As the ‘CUSE program progresses there is a chance it may pump out pro NFL OL candidates, just like the IOWA program under KIRK FERENTZ. I think he’s a serious Day 3 DRAFT candidate, who looked really effective in their upset win over WEST VIRGINIA.

Here’s another group of Prospects that I’ve watched play multiple times this season and my current take on their potential next year as pros.

MIKE BREWSTER/OC/OHIO STATE/6-5/295 #50
A solid task master who combines smarts and athleticism to offset his lack of bulk and brawn. That should immediately tell you we are looking at a player who is best suited for a zone blocking scheme. He reminds me a lot f a guy who had a nice career in Green Bay and Houston named MIKE FLANAGAN. I also think he looks like adding another 15 lbs. is possible in an NFL weight room and at their Training Table. I’ve watched him play in a pretty pathetic BUCKEYES offense that cannot pass the ball, and he gives it all out effort and leads the way for between the tackles running, which is the heart of what little Offense OHIO STATE has this year. Just a middle rounder, but a solid long term pro prospect nonetheless.

MIKE MARTIN/DT/MICHIGAN/6-2/300 #68
Any NFL team that runs a 4-3 Defensive Scheme and has a really big NT to line up next to him would have to be thrilled to grab a player like MARTIN to bring his non-stop motor and never say die attitude to their DL rotation. He’s that blue collar plugger who is strong enough to hold his own against single man blocking, and he will run sideline to sideline until he has nothing left to give. He is also alert and seems to be able to locate the ball and move to it on a routine basis. Seldom fooled he will have strong appeal despite his size limitations. He has good functional strength for his size and just makes plays. He uses his arms and hands very well to keep blockers off of him, and to lock onto runners. His wrestling background from HS serves him well in that aspect of his game. He is around the ball a lot more than his tackle totals indicate, which will appeal to NFL coaches.

KHEESTON RANDALL/DT/TEXAS/6-5/295 #91
Here is another good athlete who makes 3 or 4 plays a game that take your breath away. Then he disappears for stretches. I think he needs to pack a few more pounds on his frame to compete at the next level. He might as well try, because he’s not going to record a fast 40-time even at his current weight. He’s a dependable player with a good attitude and work ethic. I think he would respond if pushed a bit harder than the TEXAS staff seems to work their troops. He brings an above average pass-rush from his inside position and has a very large wing span. His ability to beat his blocker is evidence by his ability to rack up some petty nice TFL numbers. He recorded 12 TFL in 2010 to lead the LONGHORNS Defense. He’s not an elite player because of his limited athleticism, but can play in the NFL if he really works at it. His 2011 season is off to an OK start, but he needs to show more in the second half of the season.

MARC TYLER/RB/USC/5-11/225 #26
If he weren’t plagued by immaturity, and perhaps a drinking problem, this young man would get a lot more attention as a prospect. He’s a strong runner with a good burst to and through the hole. He is also an accomplished “hands catcher” who looks very comfortable catching out in space. I’ve seen him run through and around defenders. I also saw him suffer a shoulder separation last week which may keep him out of action until the post season. If an NFL team will take a chance on his knucklehead behavior and whip him into shape mentally this guy could be a very productive RB in the NFL. Mark him down for the middle rounds, but he could be a real steal if the light ever comes on and he decides to knuckle down and work at football for a living. I’d really like to see him healthy and competing in Mobile at the Senior Bowl in January.

TREVIN WADE/CB/ARIZONA/5-11/190 #24
It’s been a tough year for the WILDCATS football program, especially on the defensive side of the ball. HC MKE STOOPS has already been fired and their high powered Offense can’t keep up with the points allowed by a thin and porous Defense. But don’t blame MR. WADE. He suffered an injury plagued 2010 season, but has bounced back nicely this Fall. Through 6 games this Fall he has 35 Total Tackles, I INT, and 7 Passes Broken-Up. I love his willingness to come up to support the run. He is a solid tackler who also shows well on occasional blitzes. In fact I believe he will be coveted by several NFL teams that will see him as having serious potential as a zone-blitzing NFL CB, with better than average cover skills. Keep your eyes and ears open for WADE. He was highly thought of coming out of the 2009 season, and I think he is regaining form this season.

BRANDON WEEDEN/QB/OKLAHOMA STATE/6-4/215 #3
I am beginning to believe that a few NFL teams are going to look past his age (28) if he continues to lead the COBOYS to another major Bowl come January. They will see him as a savvy player who can quickly be brought up to snuff as a solid young back-up QB, or an emergency fix attempt for a floundering Offense with no QB hopefuls on their roster. Right now I consider him to be a bit more polished than CHRIS WEINKE coming out of FSU in a similar scenario over a decade ago. He has an adequate arm to make all the NFL throws and enough size to take a few hits without breaking. He is a very smart athlete, who actually taught his new Offensive Coordinator the nuances of the COWBOYS passing attack this past of-season. He is not elite, but he will offer some attractive traits to NFL teams around Rounds 3 or 4 next April regardless of his age.

MIKE WILLIE/WR/ARIZONA STATE/6-4/215 #1
The JC transfer broke in with the Sun Devils last season and now is breaking out in his senior season. More and more BROCK OSWEILER is looking for his big, fast target in the passing attack. And WILLIE is responding. He has an uncommon combination of size, speed and athleticism. He reminds me some of a young TERRELL OWENS. He is a major threat in the Re Zone because of his size and ability to high point the ball. He has reliable hands and will drag smaller DBs for extra yards. He is also developing as a decent blocker downfield. He’s climbing the prospect charts and has a chance to move into a Friday Draft slot next April. He will bear watching in the post season All-Star games and the COMBINE.

JEREL WORTHY/DT/MICHIGAN STATE/6-3/305/JR #98
WORTHY has as much talent, or more, as any other DT prospect in the country right now. But his on field performance does not always reflect that. He seems to get lethargic at times and only plays what comes right at him. He has the size and speed to chase all over the field which he does at times. he is also able to penetrate into the backfield to at least collapse he pocket, if not sack the QB. He seems to disappear at times, but some of hat is tied into the DL rotation that the SPARTANS prefer to run keeping bodies fresh. Now my question becomes, if that is the case why can;t WORTHY go all out when he is on the field. Some personnel People see him as a potential underachieving, pain in the ass. Others see unlimited potential to be an impact pro DL. I think eh’s both and will be a high risk, high reward player if taken before the 3rd Round. I’m thinking he is coming out early.

10/11/2011 As so often happens at this time of year I am falling behind on reporting on prospects that I have watched. I try to mix some star names with perhaps some under the radar guys who have emerged later rather than sooner. So please bear with me while I preview another 8 players in games over the past two weeks viewing for you.

FRANK ALEXANDER/DE/OKLAHOMA/6-3/260 #84
As a prospect it’s always a good thing to save your best season for last. And that seems to be exactly what ALEXANDER is doing in 2011. DL is always a position of strength and talent at OKLAHOMA. So this is his first shot at being a full season starter, even though he has started over half the possible games in his career. He has really stepped up and performed well. No. 84 was all over the field against TEXAS last Saturday. He seemed to always be around the ball, whether in the backfield or 10-15 yards downfield. And that’s what he’s been doing all season. His size will obviously come into the equation relative to his Pro prospects, but he may even be fast enough to stand up in a 3-4 scheme. The biggest factor playing in his favor may be that he seems to have natural pass-rush ability. Guys like that get a serious shot in the NFL these days. Through five games his 2011 resume’ reads as follows: 7.5 TFL, 5.5 Sacks & 1 INT. I think he’s a Day 3 Draftee, but I also feel he has more pro potential than JEREMY BEAL from last year’s SOONERS squad.

JAMMEL FLEMING/CB/OKLAHOMA/5-11/190 #32
This young man is having a big senior season for the SOONERS. He has decent size to play on the corner in the NFL. And he is not afraid to stick his nose into the pile in run support. He also made several very nice tackles against the longhorns. He looks to be developing some techniques for stripping receivers of the ball once they do gain possession ala CHARLES TILLMAN for example. His cover skills are adequate for a mid-Round selection and he may be able to work his way into a starting CB slot with time and solid pro coaching. I sense he should be a very effective Special Teams player because of his athleticism and toughness.

NICK FOLES/QB/ARIZONA/6-5/240 #8
He’s certainly no ANDREW LUCK, but I do think FOLES is the best senior QB Pro Prospect right now. He has great size, but is not too tall, and has a flexible frame. His arm may not be elite, but it is well above average and he has a good delivery for someone of his height. The ball comes out of his hand quickly. He throws a very catchable ball, with touch depending upon the type of throw he’s attempting. He moves the pocket well and keeps plays alive. He also can throw on the roll, and does not have to stop and reset his feet to throw accurately. He is a good field general, who reads progressions and sees the whole field. He has very good receivers this year, but a questionable running game and a poor OL. He also finds himself in the position of having to pile on the points because injuries have decimated the WILDCATS D and opponents are scoring at will. In the loss to USC he was picked off twice, but in both instances I felt the receivers quit on their routes, while he was anticipating the spot to throw to. His ability to read defenses and make good decisions is vastly superior to KIRK COUSINS, who I wrote about last week. If he goes to Mobile and looks good there, then throws well at the COMBINE he might sneak into the late First Round.

TREVOR GUYTON/DE/CALIFORNIA/6-3/290 #92
He has the unenviable task of replacing CAM JORDAN for the BEARS. He is not CAM, but he is a good athlete whose size and skills fit very nicely into a 3-4 scheme. He also is highly praised by his coaches as being coachable and a team guy, who has changed positions for the good of the team during his career. He’s not a world beater, but he has enough athleticism to make some plays and hold up his side of the field. He could also provide value to a scheme like the PACKERS because he could play inside or outside, and even hold his own in a 2-man front. To give you an idea of what an all-around, functional player he is, his stats through 5 games this season as a starter are; 15 Total Tackles (8th on team), 3 TFL, 1.5 Sacks & 1 fumble recovery. Nothing to label him a star, but certainly enough to call him an overall contributor to the cause. He’s a solid Day 3 Draftee.

LaMICHAEL JAMES/RB/RS/OREGON/5-9/185/JR #21
First, let’s try to forget about the grotesque elbow dislocation he suffered against CAL and talk about the game breaking potential of this “little” dynamo. He’s short, but not small. I am amazed at his ability to run between the tackles and move the pile if he has a blocker or two in front of him. Needless to say he can be very hard for defenders to see hiding behind his big OL friends. He also displays excellent balance out in the open field. His style of play reminds me greatly of BARRY SANDERS. He may lead the NFL in yards lost when he can’t get to the corner and turn upfield, but one or two plays later he’s gone on a 25+yard sprint down field, or into the end zone. He is similar to JACQUIZZ RODGERS last season, but has more pure speed. He has good hands and is comfortable catching out in space. Not a First Round selection, but he should be off the board early in Round 2.

MATT KALIL/OT/USC/6-7/295 #75
His dad was an NFL OL. His brother is the starting OC in Carolina. In my mind that gives him a leg up as a prospect right from the get go. He also happens to be the best football player in his family. He was a good enough LT to keep COWBOYS 1st Rounder TYRON SMITH over at RT for the Trojans. This is his third season starting in 3 years at USC. He’s a long-armed finesse player right now, who may be able to bulk up if needed. But he moves his feet almost effortlessly and is skilled at keeping defenders out away from his body. He keeps his feet moving through his blocks unlike some OL who stand flat footed after a few seconds of contact. He has no problem getting to the second level blocks. For good measure, he blocked an XP attempt against ARIZONA in the game I watched him. He is better overall than SAM BAKER who preceded him at USC. If he comes out after this season he is a lock to be a TOP 10 DRAFTEE.

NATE POTTER/OT/BOISE STATE/6-6/300 #73
I see an exceptional athlete, gifted with nice size, but no NFL bulk. He moves his feet very well and could be best suited for a zone-blocking scheme and/or a West Coast style Offense. He might surprise and be able to put on some weight, but I don’t see a frame that can handle much more effectively. His first step into pass pro is excellent, which is important for BOISE’s passing oriented Offense. He has functional strength but isn’t going to overpower NFL size DL. I think he will succeed nicely in the NFL ala JORDAN GROSS, but is not in GROSS’ class as a player yet. He’s TOP 100, but not a 1st Rounder.

KEENAN ROBINSON/TEXAS/6-2/235 #1
IN total honesty ROBINSON strikes me as a very good college football player whose game may not project to the NFL. He’s a high energy, pursuit LB who has put up huge numbers for the Longhorns. He reacts to the ball well most of the time, but I saw him overrun ball carriers on several occasions in his haste to make a play in the backfield. He’s decent at dropping into short coverage, but is a bit slow to diagnose where the ball is going at times. He keeps his head up and is a sure tackler in the open field. He’s draftable but not in the first half of the DRAFT for my money. If he can develop some Special Teams skills he could force his way onto an NFL roster. Because of his size, or lack thereof, he’ll need to be surrounded by some meatier players to get to the ball.

10/09/2011 ANDRE BRANCH/DE/CLEMSON/6-5/260 #40
With CLEMSON off to a 4-0 start I’ve watched all of their games and been impressed with the potential of a dozen or so of their players as pro prospects. In their big road win over VA TECH I was particularly impressed with BRANCH. He has been their leading pass-rusher game in and game out this season. He is not a healthy version of DA’QUAN BOWERS, but he certainly looks to have pro potential. He may have to find a way to add 10-15 lbs. so he can play all 2 downs in the NFL, but he certainly stands out as a pass rusher, and is adequate as a run stopper in college. He works hard and uses his arms, hands and foot speed to beat pass blockers. He also is good in pursuit of the ball in the running game. Against TECH he totaled 11 tackles, including 5 TFL, and had 3 QB Sacks. Work like that has him solidly in my TOP 50 Senior prospects.

KIRK COUSINS/QB/MICHIGAN STATE/6-3/205 #8
KIRK reminds me quite a bit of DREW STANTON, which is both positive and negative. He has a slightly above average arm, although his best success would likely be in a West Coast O with it’s generally shorter passing tree. He has decent mobility and can roll the pocket some, but similar to a guy named FLACCO he seems to need to set his feet to be accurate and strong with his throws. But there are times, when a quality Defense that he tries to do to much and makes some bad decisions with the ball. I remember seeing that in the Bowl loss to ‘BAMA, and saw it again as the SPARTANS squeezed out a win over an offenseless OHIO STATE team. While trying to milk the clock and preserve a lead he threw 2 very bad INT that could have spelled doom for his team. He is barely a TOP 100 prospect right now, and needs to show me more to move up or even hold on to that classification right come April.

JURON CRINER/WR/ARIZONA/6-4/210 #82
CRINER has the size/speed combination that scouts drool over. He caught 82 balls in 2010 including 11 for TDs. He won’t put up those numbers this year because the team is struggling and the WR picture is pretty crowded, but I like his hands and his ability to hand fight and take balls away from defenders. He is also a home run threat once he gets those long legs stretched out. he still drops a few balls he should catch but then makes up for it with a big play later in a possession. I was also impressed that he missed only 1 game after an emergency appendectomy. That’s guts and toughness. He’s NICK FOLES best target in a very talented WR group for he WILDCATS. He doesn’t strike me as quite productive enough to warrant a First Round Pick based on what I saw, but he could be in high demand once Friday gets underway in next April’s DRAFT.

TONY JERROD-EDDIE/DE/TEXAS A&M/6-5/300 #83
There’s nothing sexy about TONY or his numbers. But there’s nothing sexy about paying a 3-4 DE spot in general. He’s a good sized body, who appears to be in good shape. He holds the point of attack well and is consistent in sealing the edge. I also like the way he pursues once he is sure where the play is going. He also seems to be pretty savvy and sees what is really going on around him. In the ARKANSAS game he single handedly broke up a screen pass by recognizing it and staying right in the flat rather than being sucked into pursuing QB/TYLER WILSON. WILSON had to ground the throw or risk and INT. Solid players who are assignment sure are increasing in value these days, and JERROD-EDDIE seems to fit the bill. I think he’s worthy of a mid-Round Pick and could earn a starting job in the NFL in time.

BRIAN PETERS/S/NORTHWESTERN/6-4/215 #10
Technically speaking i guess you could label PETERS as somewhat of a tweener. He’s got good size, but not is not big enough to play LB. He’s decent in coverage and hits hard, but he’s not as fast as NFL teams would like. What he is, is very aware of his surroundings, hard hitting and opportunistic. He was the WILDCATS leading tackler last season, while gathering 3 INT. He’s still at it with an end zone INT in the loss at Illinois. He looks to have the temperament and size to become a stud on Special Teams and at the very least find his way onto the grass for some sub-packages. The more complex and creative the defensive scheme the more likely PETERS is to fit in and earn playing time.

MATT REYNOLDS/OT/BYU/6-6/320 #70
Yes, I am one of those skeptics when it comes to the pro prospects of most BYU OL candidates. I find most of them to be top-heavy guys with thin legs and not much mobility. I don’t consider REYNOLDS to be an elite prospect, but I do see a bit more in him than most COUGAR players. He can move his feet a little and is quick to use his arms to keep pass rushers off of him. Despite his nice size he does not play strong in the running game. He doesn’t play as mean as I’d like to see. He showed me nothing new in the BYU win over UTAH STATE. Let’s say I see him as a 3rd Rounder, who would be best going to a West Coast style Offense and will play RT only. He may have starting potential. Let’s just say if i wasn’t targeting him he would probably not have caught my eye of his own accord.

BOBBY WAGNER/LB/UTAH STATE/6-1/232 #9
I don’t want to too critical here so let’s just say that unless WAGNER can develop quickly in to an ace Special Teamer his pro prospects look quite slim to me. He’s a nice looking athlete who does have a non-stop motor and pursues all over the field. But what I noticed in the BYU game was that he reacts to things a half step slowly, and gets almost all of his tackles downfield, not at the line of scrimmage. He is not an impact, proactive guy but more of a reaction, chase player. He’s also a bit small to play inside where I think he is best suited. In the WAC he’s got nice size, but in the NFL he will be overpowered in run support. In fact he had difficulty getting off blockers on multiple occasions against BYU. He might get drafted very late, but i saw a player more likely to be a Rookie Free Agent next year with an uphill battle to get noticed amongst bigger, faster players.

JARIUS WRIGHT/WR/ARKANSAS/5-10/180 #4
I love potential and COMBINE stars, but I’m more impressed with players who produce on the grass on a regular basis. I was intending to watch JOE ADAMS in the A&M game to see if he was any more consistent catching the ball than last year. By the end of he 1st Quarter I had started to make notes about WRIGHT and his performance. On several occasions I muttered a ‘WOW’ after he made a catch. He was TYLER WILSON’s best friend in that game with 13 catches, for 281 yds. He caught short throws and spun people around as he gained YAC yards. He beat people deep. He caught throws that were low, high and on target. I do not have a note of any dropped balls. He got separation most of the game, but was able to catch in a crowd as needed. He was second on the team with 42 catches last season, but is headed for monster numbers this year and deserves serious pro prospect scrutiny.

9/30/2011 NIGEL BRADHAM/OLB/FLORIDA STATE/6-2/240 #13
Let me introduce you to the next outstanding LB from FSU coming to an NFL city near you next season. BRADHAM has been a tackling machine for the Seminoles since he first set foot on the playing field for them. He’s never been below 90 total tackles in his 2 plus full seasons as a starter. He has developed his game to the point where he is assignment sure rather than a total run and chase player. He is also adept at dropping into shallow coverage and can keep up with most TEs in that capacity. After 4 games this season BRADHAM has 1 INT, 1 Pass break-up & 2 passes defensed. Though not a blitzing specialist he does indeed have the size and talent to sack the QB and take down runners in the backfield on a consistent basis. With all these attributes in his favor it should be noted that he has nice size and plays with functional strength. He may not be a 1st Rounder, but if not he should be highly sought after as the next DRAFT opens Round 2 on Friday.

RYAN BROYLES/WR/RS/OKLAHOMA/5-11/187 #85
I’m not saying that people ignore BROYLES, but I will say he seems to not get the love he has earned with his play at OKLAHOMA. The reason I hear most often when he isn’t mentioned with BLACKMON, JEFFREY, FLOYD, etc. is the lack of blinding speed or his relatively slight physical status. I’ll buy that to some extent, but between excellent hands, great quickness, and elusiveness once the ball is in his hands I don’t see how he can miss as a productive No. 2 receiver in the NFL. He has 34 catches in 3 games this season, including a fine day in the big game with FSU; 7 catches for 55 yards. I see him functioning effectively in the slot or split wide. He can also do some damage as a Return Man in the League, while he earns his way onto the field as a WR. His quickness is such that I don’t see why he can’t get separation at the pro level, and will be dangerous in the open field with the ball in his hands. I think he’s the kind of quick, explosive player that DERRICK MASON has been for well over a decade in the NFL.

GEORGE BRYAN/TE/NC STATE/6-5/265 #84
There’s a little problem with the development and presentation of BRYAN as perhaps the best all-around Senior TE prospect right now... playing time. I watched for BRYAN in the Wolfpack’s game at CINCINNATI two weeks ago. What I saw was a guy with superior talent being shuttled in and out of the game. This may be the strangest strategy by HC TOM O’BIREN since he told RUSSELL WILSON he could transfer. For a team that appears to be offensively challenged this season it makes no sense to not play BRYAN until he calls for a breather. He’s athletic with nice hands. He lacks speed, but gets separation and is not afraid to go across the middle of the field. He is also a persistent, effective blocker who helps the running game when on the field. This is a player who was 1st Team All-ACC last year while hauling in 35 catches from WILSON. He’s still in my TOP 100, but I’ll try to watch him again in the coming weeks to see if this game was an aberration or not. I hate it when I try to highlight a player and something like this happens.

RAY GRAHAM/RB/RS/PITT/5-9/195/JR #1
As of a couple of weeks ago I saw no need to highlight this guy as an underclassman. That was until he literally caught my eye in the NOTRE DAME loss, and then this past Thursday night against USF. After what I saw I cannot help but gush about this guy’s ability as a playmaker and multi-purpose threat. The quickness of his cuts, the multiple moves on one play and his explosiveness through any creases he finds in the Defense was awesome to watch. This may be sacrilege but I thought of a guy names BARRY SANDERS on multiple occasions in the USF game. Ask SKIP HOLTZ what he thought of GRAHAM. The icing on the cake is that GRAHAM looks incredibly stronger this year than last. He doesn’t just flop down when tackled. He can actually run through DB that are about his size or bigger. The tale of the tape is after the fact of what my eyes saw, but overall GRAHAM accounted for 307 yards of Total Offense. On the ground he totaled 226 yards, 2 TD, at 8.7 ypc. But to me how he did all this was the most impressive aspect. He’s better than DION LEWIS or LeSEAN McCOY. Some team looking for an all purpose offensive weapon is going to get a potential NFL star in Round 2 if he comes out after this season.

HARRISON SMITH/S/NOTRE DAME/6-2/215 #22
As I have said before it’s not my job to create a positive profile of a player just to fill up the prospect list. I’m going to be brutally honest and say after watching all, or parts, of 3 NOTRE DAME games this season I do not see much to recommend SMITH as a pro S prospect. His only redeeming quality is a feel for the ball in the air and the ability to pick off a few passes when he can get to them. But his coverage skills are mediocre at best and he is at least a step too slow to cover anyone but an occasional TE downfield. He is also a sloppy tackler who looks a little hesitant to stick his helmet into the pile with much ferocity. With his mediocre athleticism and mediocre execution on the grass I can’t say I see a player who deserves to be Drafted next Spring. He caught my eye in several ways during the three games, but mostly in a negatively. I was looking for SMITH to step up and make some plays this season, but he goes missing a lot on passing downs. Sorry NOTRE DAME fans but he’s not even your best player in a pretty shaky secondary this year.

BRANDON TAYLOR/S/LSU/6-0/195 #18
A superior athlete who left me seriously disappointed with his play in the first half of the MISS ST game. He played extra deep looking like his only job was to prevent the deep ball in the middle of the field. He also seemed to have no desire to help in run support. The second half was a completely different story as he became much more aggressive and active. He displayed his superior cover, and ball anticipation skills in the 3rd & 4th quarters. He is incredibly quick, and I really think he could play CB at the NFL level. He literally flies to the ball when motivated. He may have to reconcile his actual productivity with his seemingly large ego/attitude at some point this year. But overall, after watching him three weeks in a row he looks to have more than enough tools to at least play in sub-packages in the NFL, and possibly start with time. His athleticism will get NFL teams to take notice of him, even if his actual productivity is a bit inconsistent. He’s on the cusp of being in my TOP 100 Prospects overall.

BRANDON THOMPSON/DT/CLEMSON/6-2/310 #98
Heading into this year I felt THOMPSON could be a special player with an impressive combination of size and athleticism. He still shows flashes, but he also displays periods of seeming absolute indifference. He can hold the line-of-scrimmage, but is not stout enough to man the Nose in a 3-4 scheme. I also doubt he has the toughness mindset to take the pounding required at the Nose. His former sidekick, JARVIS JENKINS, was a 2nd Round Pick by the REDSKINS this year and had a starting DL job locked up until an injury put him out for the year in pre-season play. On his better days THOMPSON is a more impactful player than JENKINS. But he needs to work on his intensity, effort & consistency. When at his best he does a very nice job of penetrating into the backfield, as well as collapsing the center of the pocket. He’s a solid TOP 100 prospect, but not an elite 1st Round prospect, because of his uneven play and effort.

9/12/2011 ANTONIO ALLEN/S/SOUTH CAROLINA/6-2/210 #26
I am assuming he’s a S prospect. He’s playing a hybrid spot that the Gamecocks label the SPUR. The bottom line is he’s an active do it all football player who can tackle, blitz and drop into coverage at any given time. ALLEN fits the position well because he has good hands, speed and strength. Throw those three together and he’s a big play waiting to happen. He covers he field for the GAMECOCKS. He’s had a big part in making plays in both the USC victories this season. It may take a while for him to adjust to a more defined position in the pros so right now I would label him an early Day 4 guy. But he has at least another 10 games to show so much that he has to be a Top 100 prospect.

VICK BALLARD/RB/MISSISSIPPI STATE/5-11/215 #28
He was a major contributor to the BULLDOGS fine 2010 season coming to them from the JC ranks. he came into the 2011 season being labeled a SEC sleeper prospect. If he’s a sleeper then it is only because Mississippi State isn’t making regular appearances on ESPN or CBS. He was there best, most effective player on the field last week against AUBURN. A heavier dose of BALLARD might have meant a win instead of a loss. He has a darting running style, with above average speed and lots of quickness. He has very good burst when he sees an opening in the D. He also uses his 215 lbs. to deliver some strong blows to DBs who come up to take him on in the hole. He looks to have soft hands and finds the thrown ball well out in space. He also did a nice job helping out in pass pro on several occasions. He’s not an elite player, but I do see the same kind of skill package that L.T. brought to the NFL from TCU a decade ago.

MICHAEL FLOYD/WR/NOTRE DAME/6-4/225 #3
This guy is a special athlete, with all the physical attributes of a LARRY FITZGERALD. But because of some off-field issues and a history of injuries he’s not likely to held in that kind of elite regard by NFL Personnel People. By the same token I can just about guarantee that a team or six will be willing to roll the dice that he can work through his personal and injury issues to be an NFL impact receiver. That means he is very likely to be gone well before the First Round concludes next April. He’s off to a great start even though the IRISH are stuck at 0-2 right now. He has 25 catches for well over 300 yards and 2 TD. At this pace he’d have 150 catches for the season. He is a large body with exceptional leaping ability, and the skill to high point the ball over smaller defenders. He’s also a solid blocker and can break tackles. Like most guys his height the 40-times aren’t elite. but he also tends to pick up speed as his long legs get stretched out. He is a Home Run threat. He drops a few fairly easy balls, but then turns around and makes two circus catches in a row. He is not perceived as a problem personality by his coaches, just immature. Assuming NOTRE DAME gets on he victory wagon soon his exposure and Draft stock will rise again soon.

MELVIN INGRAM/DE/SOUTH CAROLINA/6-3/271 #6
Every season a couple of non-starting players make their way into the latter stages of the NFL DRAFT. INGRAM could be one of those players this season. What do you say about a guy with decent size and a varied set of attributes. He is quick enough to provide an occasional pass rush and excels on Special Teams. How many players with his size are members of the “hands team” for onside kicks. He high pointed the ball on that final UGA onside kick attempt last Saturday. He’s very alert and has a solid sense of what to do around loose balls and scrum situations. I don’t see it as impossible that he could actually get a shot on an NFL Practice Squad, or the end of the active roster for his ST skills, with a chance to try to convert to an OLB position in a 3-4 scheme. It may seem like a long shot, but there is something special about his overall game.

BRAD NORTMAN/P/WISCONSIN/6-3/215 #98
NORTMAN is a serious weapon because he has the combination of a strong leg, as well as punting technique to place the ball inside the 20. He has shown on several occasions that he can also take off and run the ball on fake punts with solid success. he has also been known to enjoy getting upfield to put a hit or two on the return team players. I timed his punts twice in the Oregon State and the hang times were both between 4.5 and 5.5 seconds. NFL Special Teams Coaches covet his combination of distance, height, & directional punting. He might be draftable late on DRAFT Saturday.

JOSH OGLESBY/OT/WISCONSIN/6-7/330 #67
This guy was ranked as the top prospect in Wisconsin 5 years ago on either side of the line of scrimmage. But several injuries later he wasn’t even listed as a starter in off-season evaluations of the BADGERS potential depth charts. I’m happy to say he worked his way back into the starting RT job in Mad Town. He is of course an absolute mountain of a man, in a big man’s game. He has some AARON GIBSON in him, but when healthy has been more productive and athletic than GIBSON ever was. He has a huge frame and is not a blob at all. The only down side is that he really has very little quickness left in his battered body. His feet are decent, but it takes him quite a while to get everything moving. But i have seen him get to the second level for a few blocks this season. he can back-pedal some, but will be eaten alive by DEs like DWIGHT FREENEY/ROBERT MATHIS. If he can play healthy all season he might get a sniff late in the DRAFT if he can show ant amount of athleticism in workouts. He just looks too slow to me to play in today’s NFL. But FLOZELL was still hanging around last year in Pittsburgh because of injuries. Could he also fill a role in a goal line defense to enhance his overall back-up value?

DEREK WOLFE/DT/CINCINNATI/6’5/300 #95
WOLFE has been a solid player since seeing starting time as a Freshman under BRIAN KELLY at CINCINNATI. But he has never put together a dominant season. I think part of his problem is that he needs to have a bulky PAT WILLIAMS-type NT beside him. He is fairly long and lean and cannot maul it out with 300 lb.+ OG’s play after play. I also think he is a bit long and lean for a DE on a 3-4 scheme. But he has a long frame and is fairly athletic. I also doubt he is quick enough to get much done as a 4-3 DE, where everyone is looking for a pass rusher deluxe. Put him a scheme like that in JACKSONVILLE, beside a TERENCE KNIGHTON wide body and I believe he will hold his own and make some plays for you. I’d rank him as an early Day 3 DRAFT prospect right now.

JERRELL YOUNG/FS/SOUTH FLORIDA/6-1/210 #1
SKIP HOLTZ has developed into a solid, underrated Head Coach, but he’s not winning all these games at USF without talent. And YOUNG may one his most talented seniors this season in Tampa. YOUNG has a very nice combination of size and athleticism. He can cover the field and delivers a solid blow with his 210 lb. frame. He also has a nose for the football and contributes soundly on pass defense. The NFL is always on the lookout for S who will support the run, but also have a modicum of pass coverage skills. My guess is that he would do a more than adequate job on Special Teams coverage units as a pro performer. He’s off to a solid all around start to his senior season and should have a chance to get noticed on a team that has a chance at a 10-Win season.

9/6/2011 The first full weekend of College Football is in the books. Despite constant weather issues in some venues it was a typically exciting weekend. And that, in spite of some of the annual tune-up, mis-matches that crowd the schedule. Now how about some profiles of pro prospects who caught my eye over the weekend.

BRAYLON BROUGHTON/DE/TCU/6’5/275 #99
With a lot of rebuilding to do on their Defense the Horned Frog Coaching staff is looking for this guy to finally break through as a productive player in 2011. From what I saw at times last Friday he has a chance to do that. He reminds me some of an unrefined CALAIS CAMPBELL back in his Miami days. His length and athleticism have always intrigued the TCU coaches. And not that he’s a bad kid, but his productivity and motor have seemed to be a bit lacking up until now. This is his last chance to translate potential into productivity and he may finally be ready to do so. He used his length to knock down or tip a couple of passes in the first game, and did provide some outside pass-rush pressure against a very athletic, and elusive QB in GRIFFIN. He has much work to do, but this was a good start for a player who has to show enough productivity to lead NFL Personnel people to believe he has the upside to warrant being drafted next Spring.

TERRANCE GANAWAY/RB/BAYLOR/6’0/240 #24
This career backup was scheduled for that role again in 2011, but he flat out won the starting job this Summer. GRIFFIN was the star of the BAYLOR O but I can guarantee you that the running of GANAWAY was the foundation that kept the TCU Defense from concentrating only on RG III Friday night. GANAWAY showed an impressive combination of power and foot quickness for his size. He’s not a scat-back, but he looked like much more than a straight-line bulldozer on this evening. He tallied 120 yards, on 24 carries and scored 1 TD. He will bear watching the rest of this season to see if he can sustain this kind of performance. If he can, then we have just added another name to the RB watch list for the 2012 DRAFT. Big, athletic short yardage guys always have a chance to stick in the NFL and GANAWAY may fit that bill.

NICHOLAS JEAN-BAPTISTE/DT/BAYLOR/6’2/325 #90
The former walk-on continues to grow as a football player and display an uncommon combination of bulk and athleticism. He caught a lot of folks attention last Fall even with PHIL TAYLOR having the kind of year that got him drafted in Round 1. JEAN-BAPTISTE can probably handle the job as a NT in either a 3-4, or 4-3 scheme. I am not saying he is a game changer, but he’s assignment sure and occasionally flashes with a big play or three in every game. He can hold ground at the point of attack, as well as get some push into the backfield. He has a little more quickness off the ball than you might expect for his bulk. He reminds me some of B.J. RAJI in his style of play, but is not as athletic or quite as strong. He anchored the BAYLOR DL and controlled the Horned Frog running attack enough to force them into throwing the ball more than they really wanted to with a new QB under Center. He is working his way into position to be a solid Day 3 DRAFT Pick.

GREG McCOY/CB/RS/TCU/5’10/180 #7
It didn’t take very long for McCOY to catch my eye in the TCU loss. After a couple of explosive Kick Returns he has captured the imagination of the Special Teams coach in me. He looked very quick, as well as fast, and displayed the ability to see the blocking lanes and move through them without having to stop to change direction. This is critical in returning Kicks as opposed to Punts. He wasn’t nearly as impressive with his cover skills, having trouble locating the ball at the last instant. But he stayed with his man most of the evening and certainly showed enough to make me think he has the potential to get better with pro coaching. For now let’s ring him up as a good athlete, with some saving graces, who could work himself into the final day of the DRAFT if he improves his coverage work as the season progresses.

DAVIN MEGGETT/RB/MARYLAND/5’9/215 #8
Yes I really do think DAVIN has some very strong similarities to his father DAVID, which should play out well in the NFL. He is short, but not small. At 215, he can run through people. He may not be a speedster, but he has very good quickness, and some initial burst. He does not go down on immediate contact. He is a good pass receiver, not a great one yet. What was as impressive as anything else he showed Monday night was the ability to provide solid pass-pro for his QB. He laid a few big licks on blitzers over the corse of the game. He is a multi-tool player who will make a nice, dependable role player in a RB rotation for some NFL team. Not a Top 100 prospect, but he should be taken early on Saturday next April.

KEITH TANDY/CB/WEST VIRGINIA/5’10/200 #8
Once I got his number correctly identified I was impressed with TANDY on several levels as a prospect. He has a very solid build, yet still moves very well in the open field. His cover skills appear to be adequate, if nothing special, and his tackling skills are exceptional. He seems fearless in run support reminding me some of ANTOINE WINFIELD in that aspect of his game. He got left behind in coverage on a couple of occasions, but I was unable to discern if he just got beaten, or there were issues with the overall coverage schemes. He’s a nice, experienced, athletic college CB who I think is going to hold up well to NFL scouting scrutiny as the Fall progresses. I’m anxious to watch him again against a higher level of competition and in a complete game.

RYAN TANNEHILL/QB/TEXAS A&M/6’4/220 #17
I know it’s early and we have only 1 game in the books, but I am going to project that this young man is going to be climbing Prospect lists all season long. If he can start every game this year he’ll have more career starts in college at QB than MARK SANCHEZ. I think it is also valid to mention that 2 years as a WR gives him added perspective to his overall game situation knowledge. He is almost the prototype size for an NFL QB. His arm is slightly above average, and more than adequate enough for the pro game in a West Coast style offense. He is mobile, and throws well on the run. A&M pulled away from SMU after a spirited start to the contest, and TANNEHILL quietly put up some impressive numbers. He went 21/26, 246 yds, 2 TD, 0 INT. That’s an 81% completion rate my friends. What will thrill NFL Personnel people to no end is his quiet leadership and the fact that even though he is an extremely confident and competitive player he is virtually egoless. At this pace I think he will be knocking on the door of the First Round when January rolls around.

KEVIN ZEITLER/OG/WISCONSIN/6’4/315 #70
The trend of BADGERS Offensive Linemen heading to the NFL should continue as ZEITLER wraps up his collegiate career in 2011. There is a very strong possibility that 3 2010 BADGERS OL will start this weekend as Rookies in the NFL. CIRIMI/BEARS & MOFFITT/SEA HAWKS are a given, but now it looks like RFA BILL NAGY may start in Dallas. In my opinion ZEITLER is better than the latter two, and only a tick behind CARIMI. He is a surprisingly athletic player for his size and inside position. He’s certainly more athletic than MOFFITT, and may be even functionally stronger. Because of the current BADGERS Offensive design he is well schooled in both run blocking and pass protection. If you watched carefully last Thursday night you saw him pull from the off side to lead some wide plays on the opposite side of the formation. He stays on his feet very well and has a strong hand punch. I’ll keep watching his play against better opponents, but after this effort I see him as a lock to be a Top 100 selection next April.

Pigskin Paul Responds

Sun, 1 Jan 2012 20:47:59 -0500

Somehow it seemed most appropriate that my first posting of the New Year be answering some questions from you my readers. So let’s latch on to a few items and run with them.

Nick, obviously a PACKERS fan, wants to know if I think they will repeat as Super Bowl Champs.
No surprise answer here, but I certainly believe that they can, but it’s not a slam dunk. They have suffered some worrisome injuries at the end of the season, which makes it hard to come up with able bodies to fill the holes. If guys like CLIFTON, BULAGA, JENNINGS, PICKETT, STARKS have been nursed along so that they can play once the Play-Offs start for the PACK in two weeks then the answer is yes. But it gets tougher and tougher each week as the competition just builds. Match-ups are also a key in all of this. The SAINTS worry me the most because they can hang in there in an offensive shoot out, as evidenced by their early season nail biter in Green Bay. If they get to the Super Bowl healthy I think they can handle any of the AFC contenders.

Sarah has a DRAFT related question. She wonders if either the COLTS or RAMS will really draft ANDREW LUCK given their existing QB situations?
It makes a lot more sense in the case of INDY to select LUCK. But the team would have to sort out the PEYTON contract scenario. I also question whether PAYTON will be a good mentor to his heir in waiting. I think it might be much like FAVRE/RODGERS in Green Bay back when. Plus it ties up an awful lot of money for a team which needs to bring in more talent in general no matter who the QB is. If the RAMS were to jump on LUCK GM DEVANNEY needs to have his head examined right after he is fired. SAM BRADFORD is their man, and they would need to package together the best deal they could to get extra Picks to bolster the talent around BRADFORD before he’s beaten to a pulp both physically and psychologically.

MIKE is also on the DRAFT band wagon, wondering how many QBs I see being Drafted in Round One?
The obvious cop-out answer has to do with how many Underclassmen actually throw their hat into the Draft ring. I do not see any Seniors in Round One. If the big names (besides BARKLEY) do come out early I see 3 Underclassmen in this order: ANDREW LUCK, ROBERT GRIFFIN & LANDRY JONES. Round 2 could get interesting for senior signal callers like RYAN TANNEHILL, NICK FOLES & BRANDON WEEDEN.

JOSE wants to know who I like in the ALABAMA/LSU rematch.
Unless NICK SABAN has found a premier Kicker working at a KFC in Tuscaloosa I would pretty much expect the same kind of game and same outcome as the first time around. Too much defense on both squads to allow this thing to get wild and crazy on the scoreboard. That’s why I am not particularly excited about the rematch. But who knows. There is a ton of talent on both sides and almost anything can happen when that oblong shaped football starts to bounce around. It just seems to me that LSU has that magic mojo working for them and it’s their season to be king.

9/30/2011 September has drawn to an end and we’ve had plenty of college and NFL action to digest. My first conclusion is that we are going to get more than our share of surprises again this season on both fronts. Thought I should get to some of the questions that readers of my website have sent in since Labor Day weekend.

MATT is fussing a bit in Wisconsin worrying about the PACKERS Defense which he feels has slipped tremendously from last years Play-Off run to the Super Bowl.
I don’t see much different going on this season that wasn’t true of most of the 2010 campaign Matt. At this time last year the PACKERS D was far from overwhelming. You have to accept the reality that they got hot and really came through big time last December & January. DOM CAPERS scheme is basically a sophisticated version of the old bend-don’t-break philosophy, but with a heavy penchant for creating turnovers and big plays. His plan is to zone blitz and use multiple formations and personnel to confuse opposing Offense and force them into mistakes, often born out of frustration. In a sense it’s a defensive version of what MIKE McCARTHY does offensively with his multiple formations and personnel packages. At some point soon they;ll hit a streak of a few games where they manhandle a couple of opponents and you’ll feel much better.

Just a quick sentence or two to reply to MARY in Massachusetts who noticed I gave little to no attention to Fantasy Football this summer.
You are correct Mary, and it was purely a function of time and energy. If you missed my input greatly then I would suggest you have relied way too much on my opinions in an area I do not put a lot of time and interest into. There are a lot of other sources of info that will serve you much better than I with their opinions and insight. I hope you’ll still come here for info and opinions, especially DRAFT related, but you’ll get better help elsewhere for Fantasy League info.

JOSE in Florida wants to know what would happen if ANDREW LUCK/QB/STANFORD declares for the 2012 DRAFT, and a team like CAROLINA, JACKSONVILLE or ST. LOUIS, all of whom feel they have their future Franchise QB in place, ends up with that Pick?
Let me first say that ANDREW LUCK is as special as a QB can be. He’s not the same guy, but his potential and impact on the NFL is very comparable to that former STANFORD alum named JOHN ELWAY coming out of STANFORD decades ago. I also think he will come out, because he should be getting his degree this school year.
There is aways a slight chance some team hat already has a solid to good NFL level QB would still take LUCK if they had that first Pick, but it is more likely that such a team would start shopping the No. 1 PICK for trade value. And therein lies one of the beauty points of the new CBA. Because there is a semblance of control on the $ magnitude of Rookie contracts, especially this high in the DRAFT, there should be multiple teams willing to get into the bidding to have a shot at LUCK. That has not been the case in the past decade because of the escalating guaranteed money required to sign highly drafted players. Now we get back to the ‘good old days’ of the DRAFT, where a guy like DANIEL SNYDER can tell ALLEN/SHANAHAN to go get LUCK to become the franchise QB in old D.C. AS a Draftnik i am already salivating at the possibilities for Round 1 Draft trades in 2012.

LARRY in the Twin Cities wants to know if DONOVAN McNABB is washed up as an NFL QB, or if the VIKINGS have slipped that much as a team overall to still be trolling for their first W as October rolls in.
A combination of the two and a couple of other factors in my opinion Larry. McNABB is near the end and cannot carry a team like he once might have been able to in Phily. But he also has limited receiving weapons to work with right now. HARVIN is a situational weapon, not an 80+ catch guy. SHIANCOE is a good TE target. BERRIAN is a slightly lazy, overrated WR. KYLE RUDOLP has potential, but he’s young. GREG CAMARILLO was a wasted trade acquisition for this system. I think the jury is still out on the LESLIE FRAZIER coaching regime. NFL history is replete with great Coordinators, who made lousy Head Coaches. Their OL is marginally talented with the best players getting old. The VIKINGS are looking like a dam with little cracks leaking out water continually. It is not inconceivable that the VIKES are this mediocre/bad and will bring up the rear in NFC North. Which then begs the question as to when CHRISTIAN PONDER/QB/R begins his on-field apprenticeship as their starting QB?

Thanks for the questions from my site followers. I’ll do this again in the next couple of weeks addressing some College Football issues.

7/09/2011 I cannot believe that it has already been over a month since I answered some questions from my readers, but it is true. So let’s move on with another batch from your inquiring minds, that want to know...

It should not come as a surprise at al that I am getting a lot of comments & questions regarding Fantasy Leagues right now. Most have to do with Fantasy Drafts on the horizon.
In general my advice is to delay your Drafts until you understand what is going on with Free Agency under a new CBA. For example, if 4 years qualifies everyone for UFA than as much as 25% of the current NFL layers may become Free Agents once the deal is in place. That kind of potential player movement could totally undermine you fantasy stat projections. Remember most players will move on for $ not a Super Bowl ring. So in some cases they almost guarantee that their stats for 2011 will slump.
If Training Camps are going to open late because of the Lockout, then you’d better go light on drafting Rookies early. Lack of a full Training Camp will set back most Rookies significantly. Chances are you’d be looking at most of your drafted Rookies not starting to really put up numbers for you until mid-season or later.
Veteran players, who stay with their old teams are most likely to be your best early season producers. Familiarity breeds contempt under the normal circumstances, but this year familiarity could serve as a very comfortable security blanket for nervous vet QBs and Head Coaches.
Watch early season schedules very carefully. You don’t want your top QB to have to play against veteran, winning Defenses like the RAVENS, PACKERS, STEELERS, et al. These groups will be ready to put the hammer down very quickly, by just doing what they have done for years. These kind of Defenses will be ahead of most Offenses in a post-lockout League. Find a QB and/or RB who will get to play against the BRONCOS, BROWNS, CARDINALS, SEA HAWKS, etc. who are trying to make personnel and scheme changes on the defensive side of things.
Hope that helps some of you.

SANDRA wants to know if there is any chance at all that the QB situation in Minnesota gets ugly enough that BRETT FAVRE & the VIKINGS patch things up and give it one more run for the Super Bowl together.
I can’t bring myself to laugh off the question and call it absurd. The thought is absurd, but so is the way BRETT handled the last 3 years of his career. A also see the VIKINGS as a contender with a closing window of opportunity. They have a significant number of key players who are just about done with their careers: PAT WILLIAMS, HUTCHINSON, KLEINSASSER, WINFIELD, LEBER, LONGWELL. And I can’t believe they truly think they can be a serious Super Bowl contender this season with a QB corps of JOE WEBB, CHRIS PONDER & RHETT BOMAR. BRETT is saying all the right things this time around and has reportedly actually submitted his retirement papers to the League Office. But by September he should be getting pretty bored down on the old Mississippi homestead, and his least favorite guy (BRAD CHILDRESS) is not the Head Coach in Minny any more. Ziggy has got big fish to fry with stadium issues in the Twin Cities and his team needs to continue winning to keep the pressure on the locals for his new stadium, or move to L.A. So in essence I’m saying FAVRE is done, but I wouldn’t bet more than a $20-bill on it. The stars could align strangely again for BRETT & the VIKINGS.

MIKE in PA wants to know if the pressure for JOE PA to retire will mount again if the Nittany Lions go 7-5 again, while JIMBO FISHER leads FSU to a BCS Bowl Game next January?
I think your questions is spot-on Mike. Every time FSU wins a big game under JIMBO most folks wonder why the FSU administration didn’t force the issue with BOBBY BOWDEN sooner than they did. The other factor that fuels the intrigue is the fact that PATERNO is in the final year of his current contract. But there are so many intangibles that have to sorted through that I still think it will take a direct statement from JOE that he is ready to leave for things to move on. I love JOE PA and just about everything he stands for, but I think this should be his final campaign as Head Coach.
I’ll tell you what would make this situation easier: If everyone was in agreement that JAY PATERNO was ready and capable of becoming the next Head Coach. But I don’t even hear that conversation.
It sure would be nice if QB/ROB BOLDEN really develops in the PSU Offense this year and leads the team to a 10-Win season and a major Bowl Victory, which leads JOE PA to announce his retirement with a final mark of 412 career victories, and everyone lives happily ever after in Happy Valley. I always did like to read those happy ending stories to my kids when they were young.

‘When and where will MIKE LEACH land a Head Coaching gig?, asks DEVON.
My guess is he will get back in that saddle after the 2011 College Football season. Some major program, after another disappointing year, will take a flier on the MAD GENIUS. The ugliness of his exit from TECH has left more than a few school administrators around he country wary of hiring LEACH. But his track record on the field is too good to ignore for long. A couple of programs looking for significant improvement this coming season, that might not hesitate to bring in LEACH if things don’t improve in 2010, could include: MARK RICHT/GEORGIA, RON ZOOK/ILLINOIS; HOUSTON NUTT/OLE MISS; RICK NEUHEISEL/UCLA; BUTCH DAVIS/UNC.
I think the GEORGIA & UNC jobs aren’t a good fit for LEACH’s style and attitude. But I am sensing that the fuse is short for ZOOK, NUTT & NEUHEISEL. And there might be enough courage at one of the other schools to pull the trigger. The one that intrigues me the most is the UCLA job. It’s tough to fire an alum like RICK, but he’s not gaining ground on the Trojans despite their sanction woes. Can’t you just picture LEACH airing it out in the PAC 12 against guys like KELLY, KIFFIN, TEDFORD, etc. ?

Back at you soon. Hopefully with a bunch of talk about NFL Free Agency signings under the new CBA.

5/26/2011 The Lock Out is in full effect and the League is beginning to cancel events, like the Rookie symposium, but despite the overall lack of activity NFL fans always have something on their minds. So let’s get after some questions that have come through over the past couple of weeks.

Luis, obviously a 49‘ers fan, wants to know how new HC JIM HARBAUGH can possibly be serious about considering ALEX SMTH for the 2011 starting QB job, if the team is planning to be a serious NFC West title contender?
I’m thinking HARBAUGH is very serious and multiple factors play into his approach. I am sure he has all the confidence in the world that he can get more out of AEX than any of his coaching predecessors. I also don’t think the franchise wants to be trading players or Draft Choices to another team for a vet back-up to bring in as fresh blood. I am also pretty sure that even though everyone in the organization sees COLIN KAEPERNICK as their longterm answer at the position, between his need to refine his skills to an NFL style offense and the lockout preventing any coaching from going on until whenever, he is not a serious consideration to contribute much as a Rookie in 2011. So you see Luis, realistically SMITH is the best option for 2011, and we’ll have to wait to see how much magic HARBAUGH can work with him.

LIONS loyalist Frank wants to know; ‘Are the LIONS recovered from the MILLEN era yet? Can they be an NFC North contender in 2011?
I can’t make you happy quite yet Frank. I think your questions might be one season too soon to elicit a positive response. The team has certainly made strides under the MAYHEW leadership team when it comes to player procurement. This year’s DRAFT is a good example of his work. With his first 3 Picks he has added at least part-time starters in FAIRLEY, YOUNG & LeSHOURE. But the talent hole was so deep that even adding 3 starters per DRAFT won’t bring them up right away. They ned another year (or 2) of drafting 5-6 guys who will get playing time right away. Then their biggest challenge is getting 16 starts per year out of MATTHEW STAFFORD. When healthy, he appears to be a slid NFL starter, and perhaps a difference maker at the position that drives the team bus, so to speak. But he hasn’t been able to stay on the field for close to 16 games per year... yet.

‘Did the CHIEFS reach too far to fill a need, and blow their 1st Round PIck on JONATHAN BALDWIN?’, asks MARIA.
AS long as the team’s coaching staff can help BALDWIN as a player and a teammate this could be just the right pick for the team’s Offense. Other than some immaturity issues almost everyone I know (including yours’ truly) had BALDWIN rated as a late First Rounder based on talent. I still had him ranked as an early Second Rounder (No. 40) going into the DRAFT. And there can be no doubt that the CHIEFS roster lacked anyone to compliment BOWE at WR. When your second ranked receiver catches less than 30 balls, and is 33-years old it seems to me that the position is a major need. Let’s see if the personality gamble works out for the CHIEFS, because BALDWIN has 60-plus catch talent and should be a nice Red Zone target for CASSEL.

‘With some glaring needs to be addressed on the Defensive side of the ball, why did BELICHICK and the PATS burn two early Picks on the RB position, when they already have a half dozen functional RB on their roster?’ Maria wants an explanation.
First let me say I am high on VEREEN, not so much on RIDLEY. But I do understand the Picks. Other than at TE, New England blew their wad on Defensive talent in the 2010 DRAFT. It was time to rebuild (on the fly) their O this time around. Yes the PATS seem set at RB when you look at the names on the 2010 roster, but let’s look a little more closely at that list. KEVIN FAULK: coming off a very serious late season leg injury and 35-years old in a week. FRED TAYLOR: he’s been with the team 2 seasons and has spent more time in the hot tub than on the field. Already 35, do you really think he has anything left in the tank? SAMMY MORRIS, age 34, and though a trusted vet his biggest contributions recently have been on Special Teams. The RB position is not an old man’s slot in the NFL. Look for all 3 of these vets to be gone soon after the lock-out ends. Time to bring in some younger blood and also save some money at the same time. GREEN-ELLIS, WOODHEAD, VEREEN & RIDLEY will give the PATS a young nucleus of talent to re-assert their previously inadequate running game.

JETS fan MATT is all excited about the new MOSS-interest rumors swirling around his favorite team. Anything to them?
Could be Matt, but only if the JETS lose either EDWARDS or HOLMES once Free Agency kicks in. SANTONIO is the guy most likely to leave the Big Apple. He likes the team and Coach Rex, but he has lots of mouths to feed and this could be his “big contract” opportunity. If HOLMES goes, REX may be fascinated with the MOSS big play potential, even though RANDY is not what he was a few years ago. At he right price, the JETS might look for MOSS as a downfield, Red Zone threat to compliment EDWARDS & COTCHERY. I doubt he’d be any kind of distraction to worry about in that locker room. So in summation... it could happen.

I have what I consider to be some very strong, additional questions still in the mail bag. I think you could see another update of this entry over the holiday weekend. Join in and send me a question of your own. There’s a place to click right on the site for you to send to drop Pigskin Paul a line.

5/05/2011 Let’s hop to it and send responses back out to some of you good folk who follow me.

Mary wants to know If I think the FALCONS overpaid to move up and DRAFT JULIO JONES?
I’ll say yes, but not as badly as some folks think. That’s with the proviso that JULIO turns into the next ANDRE JOHNSON. He’s a special athlete, and teamed with RODDY WHITE & TONY GONZALEZ, who do defenses double-team. MATT RYAN is a legit Franchise QB, so you have to take care of him to maximize his impact on the game. Don’t forget that without JONES the second WR job would have been up for grabs amongst FINNERAN/JENKINS/DOUGLAS, hardly an intimidating group to chose from. The two downsides... they will have to outscore a lot of folks because their D is a bit undermanned and FALCONS fans are likely to be moaning & groaning next April when they don’t have any top Picks to exercise in the 2012 DRAFT.

‘Where were the COWBOYS this year during the DRAFT/ Who are these nobodies they Drafted? ‘ asks COWBOY CURTIS.
I was impressed with the COWBOYS Draft because for once the JONES BOYS resisted the urge to go for glitz and glamour and Drafted to fill needs and based on talent. I think they got better value at most of their Picks than they usually do, when JERRY moves around tying to find big name players to sell tickets, more than win football games. Do you really think bad coaching has kept the COWBOYS from the Super BOwl for so long? How about poor roster composition when it comes to complimentary players. Just as a ‘for instance’ moment this year: TYRN SMITH/ DAVID ARKIN/BILL NAGY the 3 OL they picked last weekend could all make this team (if they can hide one on the Practice Squad) and upgrade the unit quite a bit now, and in a couple of years down the road. They got more real players, less names, than in recent years in BIG D.

What was the deal with the REDSKINS jumping around with multiple trades? Did they not know who they wanted? HOG TED asks.
ALLEN & SHANAHAN were keenly aware that they needed an influx of good, young talent. A couple of big names weren’t going to give this team as much of a roster boost as some solid quantity was. So, when the dust settled Saturday night the REDSKINS had the most Picks of any team in the 2011 DRAFT. When was the last time that happened? And even though I have some questions about some of their selections, most of these guys will make the team, and improve the overall talent base from a year ago. That’s what you have to do when your team is more pretender, than legit contender. And really HOG TED, this team isn’t a legit Play-Off contender any more. The rebuilding process is under way in Old D.C. What they did this year is called ‘working the Draft process’.

With the First Round run on QBs what do teams like my CARDINALS do to improve their QB situation? So asks R.J. in Phoenix.
It’s probably a good thing that they did not panic and overdraft someone, like the VIKINGS did in my opinion. Now they pray real hard that the CBA gets worked out ASAP, because they are going to have to go veteran shopping for their 2011 starting QB. They also might be a player in the KEVIN KOLB trade sweepstakes with the EAGLES, but I am sensing not so much on that front. They might be looking at guys like VINCE YOUNG or DONOVAN McNABB for a late 2012 DRAFT PIck. I am thinking that perhaps MATT HASSELBECK might end up in Phoenix if he’s willing to sign a team friendly, short term contract. User friendly primarily means not too much up-front, guaranteed bonus money. There is much speculation that they like MARC BULGER and have had discussions (pre Lockout of course) with his agent.I don’t really think they are going to try to get by with SKELTON/HALL as their primary starting candidates. That would be like waving a white flag on a mostly veteran team.

Gotta run and do some grocery shopping folks. Be back at you soon.

4/16/2011 OK, I will come clean. I’m spending so much time tweeting about the DRAFT that I am neglectful in responding to e-mails to my site. So let’s play a little catch-up with some of what I consider to be the most interesting questions?

ADAM in Ohio is wondering if the BROWNS are going to build around COLT McCOY as their Franchise QB or look elsewhere?
Be shocked if he’s not their man for the next couple of years, come hell or high water. He was a personal choice by MIKE HOLMGREN in the last DRAFT. You can bet that PAT SHURMUR has assured the Emperor that he can work with COLT and develop him as an NFL QB. Now just hope that they can find a No. 1 WR for him to develop with... like say either JULIO or A.J.

ED is wondering what college is likely to have the most players selected in Round 1 of this year’s DRAFT.
The most logical candidate for that honor would seem to be ALABAMA, as I look at it today. I expect ‘BAMA will have two guys in the TOP 10 with MARCELL DAREUS/DL and JULIO JONES/WR. I also expect MARK INGRAM/RB to go in the TOP 15-20. There could be another 5-6 teams with 2 First Rounders, and in my rankings there is another team that might place 3 guys in the TOP 32 Picks... that would be MIAMI (F). Not too many folks agree with me, but I think LEONARD HANKERSON/WR, ALLEN BAILEY/DE & BRANDON HARRIS/CB could form a trifecta from south Florida.

He’s been up and down, in and out, so what’s the scoop with JAKE LOCKER’s current DRAFT status, asks MARGARET.
He’s in the first Round, but not until the second half of it. He is too good of an athlete and a competitor not to be a potential starting NFL QB. Too many evaluators have been too quick to dismiss his nagging thigh and rib injuries that he had to play through for much of the 2010 season. They also have failed to acknowledge how horrible his OL was (especially in pass pro) and soft his receivers were. He needs work and patience, but some NFL team may get themselves a nice starting QB late in Round 1.

It feels like the once “red hot” NICK FAIRLEY has cooled in the eyes of NFL Personnel People. What happened here?, asks AUBURN fan IRV.
I think he’ll still be solid TOP 5-10, but what worries a lot of NFL folks is the short time span of his dominance. He showed a bit as a sophomore, but really is living off his dominant play in 2010. That’s a very short resume’ for Personnel People to scrutinize, much like that of his teammate CAM NEWTON. Remember, front offices go into a strong “CYA” mode when putting their stamp of approval on DRAFT prospects. If a highly drafted player bombs out it’s a lot of wasted $ and bad publicity for the Drafting team. So it’s natural for talent evaluators to always have a lot of ‘ifs and buts’ in their notebooks just in case.

PAT wants to know if this is going to be an active Pick trading DRAFT.
In principle I would say yes, but there are multiple reasons that inertia of rest may be hard to overcome in that regard. First of all, Picks can only be traded for Picks because of the lack of a CBA. Secondly, the top Picks are still unaffordable, and therefore virtually untradable, until a Rookie Salary Scale is negotiated in a new CBA. In general it may be a cautious time in general because of the labor impasse in the League. So my firm answer is maybe, maybe not.

Thanks for all the great queries and remember I’m pretty active out @ twitter.com/pigskinpaul.

2/16/2011 I am often angry with myself for not remembering to respond to questions that my followers send me. So with apologies, how about a long overdo session. Most of these queries go back to January when i was in orlando and Mobile for All-Star action.

Anita wrote; You said NOEL DEVINE looked healthy in Mobile. Is he possibly this year’s DEXTER Mc?
My answer is a definitive N-O! I think the NFL is going to be a very large challenge for DEVINE. His real challenge is not his height, but his weight and lower body. He weighted only 160 lbs. in Mobile and at the weigh-in I was amazed at slight his lower body is. He may be quick and fast, but he has no leg drive. Sure enough, he was stood up and pushed backwards by tacklers multiple times in practice and the game. He should have a spot in situations and the return game, but he is too small in the lower body to excel at the next level in my opinion.

Larry asked me to rank the 6 Senior Bowl QBs based on their practice and game performances.
1) JAKE LOCKER is clearly the most talented and has the strongest arm by far. His mechanics are solid, but he still makes too many mental & physical errors to be a sure fire pro.
2) COLIN KAEPERNICK is neck and neck with LOCKER physically, but he is also inconsistent and needs a ton of patience and developmental work from an NFL QB guru to have a starting future at the highest level.
3) ANDY DALTON has his moments and is a leader on the field/in the huddle. He is willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done for his offense. But he is limited by average arm strength, and I can’t say I ever see him earning a starting job in the NFL.
4) CHRISTIAN PONDER is a good leader with smarts and presence. But his arm is also average on those 25+-yard throws, and he still has an annoying tendency to throw into traffic and give up the big INT at the worst times.
5) GREG McELROY may have the least physical talent of anyone at the game. His arm may also be the weakest. But he is fairly mobile, is a tough guy and wills his offense to excel. He has all the intangibles, but very few of the necessary measurables. He’s n better of a prospect than CROYLE or WILSON of recent ‘BAMA vintage.
6) RICKY STANZI impressed me the least. Every thing about him is too deliberate for the pro game. Hs drop back, his reads and his throws all look to be in slow motion. Thus he throws a ton of Picks. In other words he’s too slow for the NFL game.

Not one of these guys showed enough during their week in Mobile to even get a sniff of the First Round of the April DRAFT.

What was your most vivid impression during the Monday weigh-in?, asked VICTOR from NY.
At the end of the session my most lasting impression was how soft most of the big-bodies were this year, compared to their brethren of 5 years ago. And my conclusion is that the anti-steroid campaign in football has trickled down from the NFL to the NCAA. If a guy weighed over 300 lbs. this year, (and wasn’t over 6’6” tall ) some of that weight was obvious fat/bulk from the waist & butt on up. They were not as soft as MT. CODY last year, but they were not buffed or ripped either. The NFL should not have to worry that these guys won’t pass steroid testing at the COMBINE, nor during their League random tests based on their body types right now.

PACKER PETE, wants to know if I ran across TED THOMPSON, PACKERS VP/GM while scouting the All-Star games.
I saw WHITEY in both Orlando & Mobile, though not every day like most years. He was obviously burning air miles between Green Bay, Orlando, Chicago, & Mobile during that time span, but he was at both SHRINE and SENIOR practices. I had a chance to shake his hand and congratulate him on the Super Bowl berth on the Wednesday of Senior Bowl week. He smiled slightly, thanked me and said “one more to go” as he walked away to watch a pass-rush drill.

DRAFTNIK STAN, wants me to rank the talent levels of the three major All-Star contests.
That’s an easy one for me to answer STAN, and I will quantify my answer by referencing it to my soon to be released TOP 100 Regardless of Position list.
No. 1 SENIOR BOWL with 40 of my TOP 100 prospects.
No. 2 SHRINE GAME with 8 of my TOP 100 prospects.
No. 3 NFLPA GAME with 0 of my TOP 100 prospects.

But don’t think that means I don’t have respect for TEXAS V. NATION endeavor. They have a high number of small school guys for us to look at, and for me it is often the first and only time I will have a chance to do so. That game should have a couple of dozen players selected when the DRAFT rolls around.

One of my favorite questions came rolling in again this year about when Declared Underclassmen will participate in some/any of these games.
My answer is real soon... I hope. The most logical first game to put their toe in the water is likely to be the NFLPA Game. They have the most ground to make up to build their reputation, talent base and fan following, and would benefit greatly from even a dozen of the early entrants showing up on their rosters. With them being the final game of the three they also have the most time to work through the invitee process . The SENIOR BOWL is the least likely to do so, because among other things they’d have to change their name. The SHRINE game is caught by the calendar. They start practices while the NFL is finalizing the official Declared Underclassmen list.
The SHRINE & NFLPA Games actually put their toes in the water some of us believe. Some people think that technically MARVIN AUSTIN & JERRELL POWE were both eligible for another year of collegiate play, thus making them Underclassmen. But right now it’s a moot point and really hasn’t created a precedent.

8/10/2010 Time once again to dip into the virtual mailbag and respond to some queries from friends of Pigskin Paul.

ANTONIO is getting anxious to find out where I am placing his COWBOYS in my Power Rankings.
The first thing I will say is be patient my friend. My TOP 8 should be posted by the end of this week. The best news I can give you is that obviously this means that Dallas has to be in my TOP 8, which means they are a virtual cinch to make the Play-Offs and have a good chance to go all the way. But I will divulge to you that they are not my top ranked team.

SARAH asks; Why so many injuries, so quickly in training Camps? She has been led to believe that football is a year round conditioning job for NFLers, and the players should therefore be primed and ready to go.
It has been a theory of mine for a while now Sarah that this year-round conditioning regimen most players subscribe to is too taxing on the human body. The players’ muscles and joints are so stressed from lack of recovery time that they are stretched to the extreme, and therefore subject to injury once put under the stress of daily drills and work outs. The NFL is a marathon, and many of these guys are wound too tight to last over the long haul. Size, speed and contact ferocity obviously add to the mix and are an essential part of the NFL game. I don’t know how we fix this situation, but relative to injuries: get used to it.

REBEL ED, is wondering how his Ole Miss team is going to look this year with JEREMIAH MASOLI at the QB position?
If the Rebs can keep MASOLI on the straight and narrow off the field, he could turn a questionable QB situation into a major headache for SEC Defensive Coordinators. He is just the kind of multiple skill/threat QB that suits the quirky, but dangerous, HOUSTON NUTT style of offense. If his OL leaks a bit (like it did last season for SNEAD) he will rely on his legs to save the day. If he’s in football shape and has a big chip on his shoulder he could turn a mediocre Ole Miss squad into a real spoiler this coming season. He could be the element that propels the team to an 8-Win season and a Bowl Bid. There is no doubt he is a team leader and catalyst on the playing field. But first let’s see how he fits in down in staid old Oxford.

MIKE, in SoCal, wants to know what the latest is on the chances of the LA area getting an NFL franchise back in town.
It’s still very high on the ‘bucket list’ for the League overall, but isn’t any kind of immediate priority right now, with the CBA situation filling every burner. It would still seem that resolving the stadium issue is essential to any NFL team arriving in town. And right now, by NFL standards, there is no acceptable venue for the NFL to occupy in the LA area. With the current US economy, and the expectation of no complete turn around on the immediate horizon, there will be no expansion plans for new franchises. But there are certainly a handful of current teams who could be willing to contemplate a move to the Left Coast. I still say keep your eyes on the stadium, and empty seat situations in Minnesota & Jacksonville. And of course the RAIDERS franchise, given AL DAVIS’ ongoing physical condition, and a terrible stadium situation could be primed for a return to SoCal under a new Ownership/Stewardship situation. They are the one team that has a serious fan base in the area.

6/06/2010 I have to admit that overall an awful lot of football fans who I usually hear from on a regular basis are taking a break from their most beloved sport. But I do have one last batch of post-DRAFT questions that have come in to me in the past week.

BRANDON, down in Maryland, wants to know what I think of the RAVENS off-season moves heading into 2010 TRAINING CAMP.
I am very impressed with the RAVENS off-season, as you’ll clearly see when my Power Rankings come out in mid-June. By adding BOLDEN, STALLWORTH, DICKSON & PITTA to their receiving corps, I think they have sent a clear message that they are ready to let JOE FLACCO do more than hand-off to RBs most of time.I think it has dawned on them that having RB/RAY RICE be their leading receiver is not ideal in today’s NFL. I am equally impressed with the work they did to shore up a thin, aging DL. CORY REDDING is an adequate replacement for losing EDWARDS. I also think that MT. CODY & ARTHUR JONES will develop into solid NFL DL, sooner rather than later. Even though they didn’t do a lot to bolster their secondary, if everyone comes back healthy (REED/WEBB/WASHINGTON) they can get by if the Front 7 picks up the tempo, like I think they will.

JOHN, astutely observes that even though the PACKERS new 3-4 D was a marked improvement over their 2008 unit, they gave up an awful lot of points at inopportune times. His question quite simple is why?
Far be it from yours truly to over-simplify the situation, but two things stick out in my mind.
Field position was a major problem for the PACK last year. And most of that was due to poor Special Teams play. The PACK was poor at gaining field position because of weak PR and KR work. Their return games ranked 23rd & 19th respectively. Though not quite as bad as their own return work, between poor Punting and poor coverage work they allowed opponents to have good field position way too often. Also, do not discount the fact that the PACK aided their opponents on both sides of the ball with their League leading 118 penalties, for over 1,000 yards.
And finally,let’s acknowledge that their revamped Defense seemed to fold inside the Red Zone. The PACKERS D ranked 28th in the NFL at stopping opponents inside their Red Zone. They allowed the opposition to score 76% of the time once they got inside the 20. Even more damning is that they allowed TDs on 61% of those trips. DOM CAPERS has some serious work to do on tightening up his troops once they have their backs pinned to the goal line, so to speak.

MICHAEL, is a big GIANTS fan, who asks, “Do the GMEN have enough O to get them back to the Super Bowl?”
Michael, I like the GIANTS overall as a team, but I think they will be working hard just to get back to the Play-Offs, never mind all the way to the Big Dance. If I were you I would be more worried about the D than the offense.
ELI has developed into one of the best young (under 30) QBs in the league, especially when you take into account that he plays outside, in a cold weather city. He has a young, emerging WR group. I bet most of you don’t realize that STEVE SMITH was the second leading receiver in the NFL (behind WELKER) with 107 catches, for 1,220 yards & 7 TD. MARIO MANNINGHAM, added another 57 catches, averaging a lofty 14.4-ypc. Their running game is respectable, and could be more than that if second year RB/ANDRE BROWN is fully recovered form his Achilles injury. He could make you forget the departed DERRICK WARD.
PERRY FEWELL, new Defensive Coordinator, will need to ratchet up the intensity and get immediate help from his Rookies along the Front Seven. But just being fairly healthy in their secondary will be a big boost to that unit. It would also go a long way if TOM COUGHLIN gives FEWELL his marching orders and then leaves him alone to improve the Defensive performance.

Though I am still working on team DRAFT Grades, BILL is right after it; “What team had the best Day 4 of the DRAFT, with Rookie Free Agent signings?”
Tough, tough question, especially since almost half of the RFA signings of the past month will be cut before training Camps officially open. Let’s also get it stated up front that for some teams this avenue is not a priority in their personnel plans. This year for instance New England limited the number of RFA they signed in great part because they already have 13 Drafted Rookies. But answer your question I will. I can only base my evaluation on players I am familiar with, which eliminate about half of the RFA pool. Lots of these guys are “sleepers” that the Scouting Staffs discovered while beating the bushes last Fall. So I am basing my projections based on prospects I feel slipped through the cracks in the first 3 days of the DRAFT. So here are my top two RFA classes based on a combination of size, talent & chances of having players making their respective teams:
PACKERS This is as aggressive as I have ever seen THOMPSON/DORSEY be. They got quantity (16) and quality. And even though they spread things around they did concentrate on specific areas of needed depth. They added 3 guys in the secondary, and 4 at LB. Specific names to watch are KNICKY/LB, CAMPBELL/OL, MULLINS/DL, GORE/WR, VAUGHN/DB & SHIELDS/CB/RS. Part of the value of this group could came in improving the team’s overall Special Teams play.
COWBOYS This should not be a surprise to you if you follow the NFL closely. Despite JERRY JONES love of big name, glamor guys like DEZ BRYANT, he fills his roster regularly with low-cost RFA. Current COWBOYS starters who came into the NFL as RFA include JAY RATLIFF, MILES AUSTIN & TONY ROMO. This year I like names like BARRY CHURCH/S, LONYAE MILLER/RB, MIKE TEPPER/OT, VERRAN TUCKER/WR, & LORENZO WASHINGTON/DE to fill out the roster and contribute to the team’s play come September.

Thanks for all the questions and comments, and please keep them coming.

5/29/2010 The DRAFT may be a month in the rear view mirror, but the NFL related questions continue to come in to Pigskin Paul...

Corey is asking what the deal is with LENDALE WHITE and when/where he resurfaces again.
I’m hearing there is more going on here than just a pending League Drug Policy related suspension. Word out of Seattle is that WHITE has been less than a model citizen in SEA HAWKS land since being acquired during the DRAFT. I think PETE CARROLL is also sending another message that the Pacific Northwest is not a nesting place for every ex-Trojan who played for him in SoCal. LENDALE is going to have to have a heart-to-heart with the man in the mirror and get his act together so he can convince some team with a RB need in October/November that he is worth a look and a minimum contract.

MARY asks; ‘Does the recent FAVRE ankle surgery indicate that he is coming back to the VIKINGS in 2010?
Given how much BRETT dislikes the surgeon’s knife that would seem like a logical assumption to make. I’m not convinced even BRETT knows for sure from week to week if he’s returning for another season, but I’d put my money on him showing up in Minnesota late in August.

Mike in NYC asks; ‘Did anyone come even close to the JETS in improving their roster this off-season?’
In a word yes, but rather than focussing on others I want to point to a few questions I have regarding the JETS off-season personnel moves. The talent additions are significant, but I’m not sure if the character risks of guys like HOLMES & CROMARTIE, in a loose locker room, are worth the reward. I am also questioning whether adding L.T./JOE McKNIGHT is an upgrade at RB over losing JONES/WASHINGTON. I also worry about the release of FANECA. And they only added 4 Drafted Rookies. The JETS are a Play-Off contender, but I am not crowning them as most improved roster just yet.

DOLPHINS fan Amanda wants to know why her favorite team dumped starting/serviceable vet OG/ JUSTIN SMILEY.
I think if you look carefully at off-season player additions and remember that the BIG TUNA is the master planner for the franchise, then the move comes into focus. PARCELLS is a huge proponent of the theory that football is a big man’s game. SMILEY is a solid, still under 30-year old OL, but he is a pumped up 310-pounder who is more athletic than powerful. Now take a look at the OGs the team has added this off-season:
VFA RICHIE INCOGNITO 6’3/325
ROOKIE JOHN JERRY 6’5/330
Bigger is better to the BIG TUNA, and I expect these two guys to battle it out for SMILEY’s old starting spot.

DALE is wondering if I think BRIAN WESTBROOK will be playing football this season?
Yes, but right now it’s hard to project when and with whom he will sign. He’s going to have to settle for a relatively small, incentive laden contract, and the likelihood that he is a back-up not a starter. Those factors will take a while for he and his agent to come to grips with.
I might also suggest that BRIAN is going to want to get a doctor or two to declare his concussion situation to be behind him, medically speaking, before putting pads on again. If I were him, I would also lean toward joining a team with a chance to make the Play-Offs as opposed to a cellar dweller (read RAMS).

As always thanks for all your questions.

5/10/2010 Post- DRAFT questions continue to roll in and I love it. I was a bit surprised, though pleased, that I heard from more than a few STEELERS fans with questions about their team. So let’s go to their questions today.

MARCUS is wondering why the team seemed to pick LBs every other Round in April?
It only seemed to be every other Round Marcus. Out of their 10 total Picks they selected 3 players who will be groomed for LB jobs in the Pittsburgh D. But I agree that it seemed like more during DRAFT coverage. I will give you the 3 reasons why I feel they went so heavy at the position, and were justified in doing so.
1) Being a 3-4 scheme they need 7-8 solid LBs on their roster at all times. Current starters FARRIOR (35) & JAMES HARRISON (32) aren’t kids anymore by NFL standards, and youth must be served.
2) A high number of OLB in today’s NFL 3-4 defensive schemes are converted from their DE positions in college. In most cases that takes some time. Both WORILDS (R2) & GIBSON (R4) both fit that mold, and will most likely need a season or two of grooming to be ready to contribute much in the D unit.
3) STEELERS coverage units have gone from mediocre to poor in the past two years. Young, athletic LB types are usually a key component in good Special Teams play because of their size/speed combination. I would go as far as saying that Round 5 Pick STEVENSON was selected primarily for his ST coverage potential.

Natalie in the STEEL CITY, wants to know if LEFTWICH can lead the team to some wins at the start of the season, while BIG BEN is serving his suspension.
There are no guarantees, but I think he was their most affordable, logical option. DENNIS DIXON does not seem ready to me, yet. LEFTWICH has won some games for the STEELERS (see 2008) and is far from over the hill at age 30 (as opposed to BATCH). If the D is healthy (especially HAIR TROY) I think BYRON can get the team into October with a .500 record after playing FALCONS, TITANS, BUCS & RAVENS to start the season. If he does so the team should still have a shot at a 10 win season, and a Play-Off slot. He is a better option than DIXON right now.

CHUCK wants to know if it seems like old-times, with the re-acquisItion of multiple ex-STEELERS during the off-season?
I noticed it early on, and agree with you Chuck. The following players who have played in Pittsburgh in the past have all been brought back onto the STEELERS roster during the current off-season.
LARRY FOOTE/ILB
BYRON LEFTWICH/QB
ANTHONY MADISON/CB
BRYANT McFADDEN/CB
ANTWAAN RANDLE-EL/WR

The team also has signed more VFAs than they usually do, most notably...
WILL ALLEN/S
ARNAZ BATTLE/WR
BRANDON LONDON/WR
DAVID PITTMAN/CB
JONATHAN SCOTT/OT

Remember there are also 10 Drafted Rookies to factor into the mix.

I look for the theme at this year’s STEELERS Training Camp to be, COMPETITION, COMPETITION, COMPETITION!

5/02/2010 Andy asks: ‘I know you are still working on DRAFT grades, but give us a preview of who you think had the worst DRAFT last week.’
I have not completely finished my analysis and rankings, but it looks right now like I am leaning toward the JAGUARS. They reached big time for ALUALU at No.10, and didn’t have a Round 2 Pick. SMITH was also a reach in my opinion in Round 3. They Drafted a RS from D-2 in Round 6; a luxury their roster cannot afford. Then they turned around and cut JOHN HENDERSON, most likely to save money. Other than AUSTEN LANE & KIRK MORRISON, they didn’t get value at their Picks, nor add anyone to their roster to offset their losses. This effort by GM GENE SMITH, looks like something JAMES HARRIS might have put together in previous years. That is not a compliment.

Mike wants to know how surprised I was at the release of ALAN FANECA by the JETS.
Very much surprised, bordering on shock, and for three reasons. First, he was still better than adequate as a player on the field, and a positive presence in the locker room. Second, there was nobody behind him pushing for his job and needing a spot to justify a salary. Thirdly, they still have to pay him his entire 2010 salary, whether he is playing for them or not. It did not make any sense to me at all.

Juan is wondering when the RAIDERS are going to end the JaMARCUS RUSSELL experiment!
They should have done so the day after acquiring JASON CAMPBELL, who by the way is well suited for the RAIDERS style of Offense. Other than the fact that AL DAVIS doesn’t want to admit what a big mistake he made in taking RUSSELL No. 1 overall, and the amount of money they have already paid the guy, this team would be better off to just cut bait and move on. And if RUSSELL gets hurt in a Mini-Camp/OTA they are on the hook for his entire $9-million plus 2010 contract figure.

THOMAS asks; ‘Looking ahead, what team is best positioned right now for the 2011 DRAFT?’
As of today I would have to tip my hat in the direction of LITTLE BILL, and the PATRIOTS. They currently have two Picks in each of the first two Rounds of the 2011 DRAFT. Even if they go on to win the Super Bowl, that would still give them 4 of the Top 64 Picks. They hold their own Picks, and the First Rounder of the RAIDERS, and Second Rounder of the PANTHERS.

BRIAN wants to know ‘Why the BILLS didn’t take CLAUSEN in Round 2 as their future Franchise QB?’
That is a good question, Brian. I believe their thinking is they are more than one player away from having a Rookie QB being able to turn the current squad around. I have also heard that CHAN GAILEY feels that within the group of EDWARDS, BROHM, FITZPATRICK & LEVI BROWN/R, he can develop a serviceable NFL QB. EDWARDS (still just 26) was considered an up-and-coming young player two years ago, and GAILEY does have a rep as a developer of QBs in the League. When you play on Lake Erie in windy, cold weather by the end of October it may be a valid thought that winning may be more likely for a team that plays really tough D, and runs a ball-control offense. Only time will tell, but let’s see whether the BILLS get to the Play-Offs before CLAUSEN and the PANTHERS. Can you guess which way I am leaning here?

4/23/2010 The email messages have been pouring in since about 9 PM last night. So let’s respond to some of my readers who have DRAFT related questions after Round One.

STEVE wants to know if the PACKERS made the right move in selecting BRYAN BULAGA.
TED THOMPSON, JOHN DORSEY, MIKE McCARTHY, AARON RODGERS & PIGSKIN PAUL all think they did. I had no inkling that BULAGA would drop out of the Top 12 Picks in this DRAFT. He is fundamentally sound, big and strong, with decent feet, and smart enough (Wonderlic 20) to figure out the NFL game. He also fits the PACKERS organization as a rural Illinois native. He is not going to freak out when December rolls around and Lambeau gets cold. I think he will be ready to step in by mid-season if either CLIFTON or TAUSCHER should miss time due to injury.

JERRY wants to know if WHITEY could have traded back and still gotten BULAGA, while getting an extra Pick or two.
I am pretty sure the PACKERS took a couple of phone calls when their Pick came up. But I’m thinking they weren’t offered enough to make them risk moving back and not getting BULAGA. I tend to think that no one else left on their DRAFT Board was even close in value to BULAGA when their pick came up. Based on THOMPSON’s Drafting philosophy, they had to jump all over BULAGA. Oh yeah, he also fits a huge need... their LT of the future.

ED wanted to know what happened to JIMMY CLAUSEN.
I’m thinking a confluence of things occurred and doomed CLAUSEN’s chances for being taken in Round 1. Right or wrong some football folks still wonder about his personality and ability to “lead” a team. His toe injury did not allow him to show off all of his skills and athleticism even at his delayed Pro-Day. It’s almost as if there is no end to the failed legacy of the CHARLIE WEISS regime in South Bend. CLAUSEN may be suffering from guilt by association to some degree.
By the way, what are the odds that WEISS is making some noise in Kansas City this morning in trying to convince SCOTT PIOLI and TODD HALEY that CLAUSEN has more potential to be a Franchise QB than current starter MATT CASSEL. He should go fairly soon in Round 2 tonight.

Gary was wondering how TIM TEBOW can go from being the butt of jokes after the Senior Bowl to a First Round QB?
I will paraphrase the wisdom of my Draft Guru friend SCOTT WRIGHT. As we left Mobile back in January, he reminded several of us that it would only take one team to like TEBOW to make him a First Rounder. I think TEBOW’s athleticism and leadership caught the fancy of several teams during the past month or two. I also think that JOSH McDANIELS has the kind of ego that demands he prove himself smarter than most, if not all, of his peers. TIM TEBOW will make or break the NFL Head Coaching career of McDANIELS. Good luck, and God bless in Denver.

LINDA, from Motown, wondered what I though of the LIONS jumping back into Round 1 to grab JAHVID BEST.
Overall I like the move. In general I am always hesitant to see my teams give up Picks to move up. But in this case the player chosen fits a need for the LIONS as a second rushing option. He also brings big play potential and excitement as a runner and a return guy. He could show Detroit fans more exciting plays than they have seen since BARRY SANDERS retired.
The LIONS are a team making progress in rebuilding their roster from the disastrous MILLEN regime.

Keep those questions coming. We have 2 Rounds to dissect coming up tonight.

4/09/2010 I’m still getting plenty of questions from football fans and Draftniks. So let’s pour through some of the more interesting queries I’ve received in the past week.

William, in New York, wants to know who the “elite” Prospects are at the top of this year’s DRAFT?
Pigskin Paul sees 5 guys who are at the top of everyone’s list, and I agree they seem to be the only sure things, no strings attached, heading into the last two weeks of DRAFT mania 2010. In alphabetical order we are looking at... ERIC BERRY, SAM BRADFORD, GERALD McCOY, RUSSELL OKUNG, NDAMUKONG SUH. It would be a surprise to see anyone else going before these 5 guys in my mind.

Steve in Wisconsin wants to know how many BADGERS will be Drafted this year, and where they will go.
I only see two BADGERS being Drafted this year. Their best prospect is O’BRIEN SCHOFIELD/OLB, but after blowing out his knee at the Senior Bowl he is likely to miss all of the 2010 NFL season, which means when he goes is highly speculative at best. I sense that some team will take a shot by picking him early on Saturday in Round 4, if the most recent medical reports are positive on his knee. It may take a team with extra Picks that can wait a year for him to set foot on the field in uniform. The only other BADGER I expect to se drafted is GARRETT GRAHAM/TE/H-B, who will likely be taken in either Round 4 or 5. His stock is down because it is now obvious that his size and body frame will most likely keep him from being a full-time inline TE during his career.

Al ,somewhere in Florida, is wondering if TIM TEBOW has any chance of being a First Rounder on April 2nd.
There is a slight chance, but I sure wouldn’t do it. Given his current skill set and lack of NFL style fundamentals he becomes a “project” of a major kind. It is unusual in today’s NFL for franchises to spend Round One Picks, and the dollars they entail, for a player who may not be able to contribute effectively for several years, at best. For some teams the publicity of selecting him might be tempting, but that would be a team desperate for publicity and attention. The allure of the TEBOW legend would end quickly once August rolls around and it becomes clear to all that he’s not ready to play QB in the NFL in 2010.

I actually got a query from the distaff side from Amanda, who wanted to know if I thought the 2010 DRAFT is really shaping up to feature more talent than the 2009 edition, as was speculated loudly last April.
My answer is yes, but not in Round One. The group of elite prospects is no more inspiring than last year and guys in the late First Round will be interchangeable with most of the players taken in Round 2. Once we get past the first two Rounds the overall quality and depth of talent goes up significantly over last year. So it should indeed be a year for teams with extra Picks in Rounds 3-5 to add some serious quality to their roster.

Along those lines, MATT is wondering if TED THOMPSON reverts back to his historical pattern of trading back, or out of Round One this year.
I think this is indeed a DRAFT where WHITEY may see more talent potential for his roster by picking up an extra Second Round Pick to move back, or out of Round 1, from his current spot at Pick 23. Without writing a thesis paper, let me explain (again) what would induce WHITEY to move back.
The key is which players, that the PACK is interested in, are available when Pick 23 rolls around. Let’s say the team has 6 players on it’s Big Board that are pretty much equally rated as late First Round prospects. If WHITEY thought they could trade back, pick up an extra Pick in Round 2 or 3, and still get one of those 6 players he would likely pull the Trade-Trigger.
But you must remember that there are different criteria in setting up a team’s DRAFT BOARD. For instance, a 3-Technique DT is not even going to be on the PACKERS Board, since they play a 3-4 Scheme. So the PACK could likely move down more than 6 slots and still have a chance to get one of those hypothetical 6 players mentioned in the previous paragraph.
The one given in this analysis is that TED THOMPSON runs his DRAFT true to his philosophy and style. Value at the Pick is a top criteria for WHITEY.

3/25/2010 Back again already with more based , and answers. Activity is heavy this time of year and readers are full of many, good questions. So PIGSKIN PAUL is more than happy to oblige with some (hopefully) good answers...

Bruce in N.H. is questioning my sanity (albeit nicely) in projecting OT/BRUCE CAMPBELL as a potential First Round Pick for the PACKERS!
First of all let’s remember we are talking Pick 23, not TOP 10. Secondly, I will point out that I still do not see a true LT prospect on the Green Bay roster to replace CHAD CLIFTON in a year or two. I would point out that CAMPBELL’s athleticism and style of play (finesse, as opposed to power) is potentially a good fit for their Zone Blocking scheme. He’s worth considering if still available at Pick 23.

I have two questions from Jim in Wisconsin, and I’ll tackle them both.
Should the PACKERS have tried harder to keep AARON KAMPMAN on their roster?
In a word... NO. AARON was a poor fit standing up in the new 3-4 scheme, and was not going to worth the money he was offered by Jacksonville for their 4-3 scheme, to the PACKERS. AARON, though always the good soldier, was not happy with the OLB role. He wants to have his hand on the ground, not dropping into coverage 2 out of 3 plays. The scheme looked to be a good overall change for Green Bay, but it meant KAMPMAN had become a square peg, trying to fit in a round hole. Good luck in Jacksonville AARON.
Could the PACKERS still re-sign AHMAN GREEN for the 2010 season?
I don’t think the odds are high on his return, but conversely I do not think the door is closed. Right now I would expect that WHITEY will see how the DRAFT falls to him and whether he Drafts a RB. Then after the DRAFT the team will assess their RB group, along with their overall roster. If MIKE & TED aren’t comfortable that they have enough options at RB on their roster come May 1st, GREEN could be an option if he’s still available and is affordable in their salary plans.

Mike is wondering why some DRAFT Analysts are moving GERALD McCOY ahead of NDAMUKONG SUH on their Draft Boards?
So am I, Mike. The tale I keep hearing is that McCOY is more explosive, and offers more potential in the pass rush area. And I say bunk, even though I do like McCOY as a TOP 5 Prospect. SUH’s productivity over his college career is vastly superior to that of McCOY. And his ability to throw people around with his arm and hand strength is unprecedented in my opinion. SUH is still my top Prospect and should be a dominant pro. He will stuff the run and wreak havoc in the Offensive backfield in the NFL.

Here’s the award winning question this week. Steve wants to know what’s wrong with this year’s QB group, and why everyone is wondering if any of the current group is a Franchise QB?
Get used to this quandary at the QB position. As the DRAFT gets nearer this issue will probably rear its ugly head every year for the foreseeable future. And the main reason is the Spread Offense being used as the dominant offense in the college game these days. Every year Pro Personnel People are going to be worried about QBs who have not taken snaps under Center in college, and may have difficulty reading the field once they turn their back to drop into a pocket. The Spread also favors QBs who have running skills equal to their throwing skills. Many successful college QBs no longer have rifle arms and their throwing mechanics are not pure because they throw on the run more than standing strong in the pocket. There are going to be only a few MATT RYANS & JOE FLACCOS to DRAFT each year. The NFL is going to have to develop some schemes and packages that will better utilize athlete/QBs like VINCE YOUNG, TIM TEBOW, DAN LeFEVOUR, TERRELLE PRYOR, etc. And I do not mean the gimmick currently know as the WILDCAT.

Keep those questions coming folks. I have no problem answering them multiple times in a week if I get enough good ones.

3/20/2010 As they used to say, somewhere, keep those cards and letters coming folks. I’d rather write something in response to your questions than just throw spaghetti against the wall, hoping something sticks.

A frustrated Don, in NE, wants to know why the PATRIOTS don’t have a TE on their roster.
Actually they do, but it’s not hard to see why you are not impressed with the names of AGNONE & MYERS being the only ones shown at the position. Letting BAKER & WATSON leave was a case of too much money and too little production for the PATS taste. So they have basically committed to starting over at that position, again. They are expected to sign ALGE CRUMPLER any day now. And I think they may still sign another serviceable vet after ALGE gets on board. I will be shocked if they don’t Draft a TE from this year’s very deep class. I think it is safe to say that LITTLE BILL has specific demands for his TE position and is hard to please in that respect. Expect the TE turnover to continue during the BELICHICK regime.
As a slight aside, I strongly recommend to LITTLE BILL that the team come up with a stout, blocking FB/H-B this off-season. Their running game greatly missed HEATH EVANS’ run blocking last season.

PAUL B. wants to know why the COWBOYS have been so quiet in Free Agency so far.
I believe JERRY JONES has multiple reasons for his conservative approach. First and foremost, money is a big issue in Big D right now. JONES is buried in major debt because of his stadium costs. He is a bottom-line business man and is not going to be the guy to break the bank despite the absence of any Salary Cap this season. He also believes his team is very close to a Super Bowl appearance and actually has concerns about upsetting team balance and chemistry. He has some young, emerging stars like MILES AUSTIN who need to be paid first to stay with the ‘BOYS.
Having said all that, I would not be surprised if the COWBOYS don’t skinny-dip in the Free Agency Pool just before or after the DRAFT, for some bargain buys to fill out their depth chart a bit.

I have been asked on numerous occasions, and seen dozens of comments/questions elsewhere, about how big of a mistake JEVAN SNEAD/QB made by leaving OLE MISS to join this year’s DRAFT.
SNEAD is not going to be a high DRAFT selection, though I still think he could go in Round 3. I don’t share the opinion of some that he might last until the last few rounds in April. All that being said I think his decision was due in large part to the situation at Oxford under HOUSTON NUTT. There were real issues within the Caching Staff last year, and in how they handled SNEAD. You might not have noticed that KENT AUSTIN is no longer the Offensive guru for the Rebels. I will also comment that on multiple occasions while watching OLE MIS games, I was shocked at the number of times that I saw SNEAD sitting alone on the sidelines, without a headset on or any Coaches around him. I think, and rightfully so, that SNEAD saw no reason to believe he could learn and improve much more by returning to OLE MISS for one more season. It was just the right time to move on for him. Over the long haul he could turn out to be a DRAFT value for someone.

I’ve had more than a few inquiries about who is loaded for the DRAFT, and which teams will pretty much be innocent bystanders once the DRAFT begins.
First let me say that between the League awarding Compensatory Picks soon, and more trading of players and Picks than usual this month (with more likely to come) the landscape we’re looking at here could change dramatically over the next month. But as of today...
The BROWNS have the most Picks with 12, and 5 of those are in the TOP 100.
The BUCCANEERS appear to have 10 selections to make, and 4 are in the TOP 67.
Four teams have only 5 Picks right now: CAROLINA, CHICAGO, JACKSONVILLE, WASHINGTON.
The team in the worst shape would appear to be DA BEARS, who don’t even get a shot until the 75th Pick.
For your quickest view of who picks where, and how often, check out this link to our good friend COLIN/GBN Report @ http://www.gbnreport.com/picksbyteam.html .

You ask me and I will respond. See you next week on the radio folks.

03/03/2010 Gee, what a surprise. In the shadow of the COMBINE I am getting lots of inquiries regarding 2010 DRAFT Prospects and their updated status. So let’s go for it, and answer some of those questions...

COL. REBEL ED, wants to know how highly I have the top Ole MIss prospects ranked and how many of them will get Drafted in April?
It should be another stellar year for Rebel players, once we get past Round 1. I do not see any Rebs going until Round 2. But then there could be quite a run on them. Here’s a list of my top Ole MIss prospects, as they will appear on my new Regardless List coming out Friday.
#54 GREG HARDY/DE/6’4/280
#69 JOHN JERRY/OG/6’5/330
#79 JEVAN SNEAD/QB/6’3/220
#94 DEXTER McCLUSTER/RB/RS/5’8/172
#120 SHAY HODGE/WR/6’1/210

TIme for the obligatory TIM TEBOW query. CHRIS in Florida wants to know if TEBOW helped himself in Indy and where I think he goes now on DRAFT weekend.
After struggling overall in Mobile, I think TEBOW did indeed help himself in Indy. His workouts reminded all of us just what a special athlete he is overall. I noticed he took very little flack for not throwing. Just about everyone was giving him the benefit of the doubt as MARK TRESTMAN helps him refine his throwing motion. The word is that he also aced his interviews, to no one’s surprise.
I still think he is a 3rd Round Pick who may eventually be an NFL starter in the right scheme. I now have him ranked as my 63rd best overall player. But I would not be shocked to see a team with an extra Pick or two in Round 2 grab him a bit early. The most logical team in that category might be the PATRIOTS who have three Round 2 PICKS, and do not have a an heir apparent to TOM BRADY on their roster.

‘Do you see any Franchise RB prospects in this year’s DRAFT Class?’ , asks Reggie in Texas.
If you mean a guy like ADRIAN PETERSON then the answer is no. But there are some solid guys for teams that need help in their running game. The best overall RB is C.J. SPILLER, who is a REGGIE BUSH, multiple skill, HR hitter. I think TOBY GERHART can be a LARRY JOHNSON type power back, with the ability to break a few long runs. And I think he helped his stock in Indy with some athletic performance numbers. JAHVID BEST is a very explosive all-around weapon, like C.J., but injuries are a serious concern. The most productive overall RB may end up being RYAN MATHEWS of Fresno State, but he is not the explosive weapon that PATERSON is.

JOE in Alabama, wants to know if MT. CODY is back into the First Round after the COMBINE?
I am going to say yes, based pretty much on his weigh-in numbers. Checking in 16 lbs. lighter than he did in Mobile a month ago gave Personnel People at least a little glimmer of hope that the guy has some small measure of self control. The fact that half the NFL, more or less, now needs to fill a NT position for their scheme helps CODY tremendously. He didn’t do anything special in the drills, but that comes with the territory for huge NT guys. The other side of the coin though, JOE, is that if his weight goes back up by his Pro Day it could cost him dearly.

Keep the questions coming both at the site, and also on twitter.com/pigskinpaul .

2/23/2010 The mail flow has picked up as the COMBINE draws closer. So let’s do some Q&A o COMBINE related questions I have receiver in the past week.

MARK , here in Wisconsin is wondering if there is too much overall emphasis put on the COMBThere just aren’t enough talented, huge bodies to go around.INE performances, where the players do most of their work in their shorts?
My answer to that is it depends on who you pay attention to. I can guarantee you that the good NFL franchises with solid Personnel Departments do not overrate the importance of what happens in Indy. The PACKERS will use the combine as a point of reference, but they always go back to the college game film in making their overall determination on the value of a player. The most important aspects of the COMBINE for NFL teams are the medical workups, interviews and Wonderlic scores, not necessarily the 40-yard dash numbers. NFL teams that have poor front office organization and meddling owners fall in love with guys who run well in their underwear in Indy and at their Pro Days.

Several folks have asked me if TIM TEBOW is making a mistake by not throwing in Indy?
Probably not, because he is in the process of making significant changes to his throwing motion right now, under the watchful eye of ZEKE BRATKOWSKI. There is no way that he has his new mechanics down pat yet. If he shows up and looks good in shorts and talks a good game with NFL folks (which I am sure he will do on all counts) those teams with interest in him will be OK with waiting until March to see him throw at his Pro Day.

A very astute friend asked me why all of the Declared Underclassmen were invited to Indy, perhaps at the expense of some more talented Seniors?
It’s a solid question, because I do think a dozen or so of the Underclassmen currently invited don’t deserve a slot here, and won’t get Drafted in April. But it is a huge advantage for NFL Personnel People to get an in-person look at guys who they did not scout completely last fall. Evaluating Declared Underclassmen is always somewhat of a game of catch-up for NFL teams. Having them take physicals, interview and participate in drills with the seniors helps fill up their file information for teams.

Here’s a goody from Alabama Al, ‘What is the worst thing MT. CODY could do at the COMBINE this year?’
That’s a real easy one to answer Al. He had better weigh-in at less weight than the 370 he tipped the scales at in Mobile last month. If he comes in even heavier almost every NFL franchise is going to assume that this talented behemoth has neither the personal discipline, nor professional dedication to take his pro football career seriously. I have not seen his name in very many
MOCKS this past month. If he could show up in indy at 360 or less he could reverse the slide. Bt he better not come in heavier!

Which drills at the COMBINE are the most overrated ?
That answer can vary greatly depending upon which position group we are talking about. But other than for a handful of skill position players the 40-yard dash is a useful, but not decisive tool. Straight-line speed is highly overrated unless the player also excels in the Cone Drills. It is also not uncommon for players to lose weight when preparing for their 40, then gaining some back for strength testing at a later workout, or vice versa. The Bench Press is also highly subjective. It doesn’t do a great job of testing functional strength, and you have to factor in arm length when talking about reps. Every year a guy with real short arms tops the list of reps, but long-armed OT who go on to have the best NFL careers are in the middle of the rep count list.

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

12/11/2010 Kind of like letters from kids to Santa, I have been getting quite a few queries in the past few weeks. So let’s select those with the most general interest, perhaps, and give out some PPP opinions and info.

PETE, in upstate NY wants to know how NFL rosters can possibly survive a 17 or 18 game schedule. He thinks the Play-Offs already rely to much on how many injuries a team has.
You get no argument from me Pete, that the concept of a longer regular season will become a battle of attrition. Although, that is true in any scenario the situation becomes exacerbated the longer the marathon. I would suggest at least 3 changes that might help the injury dilemma. First increase the active roster from 53 to 55 players. (Then as a trade-off reduce the Practice Squads to 5.) Secondly, dress all 55 players in each game. Then you have fewer players having to serve multiple roles on game-day, and allow for healthy back-ups to come in when players get hurt, instead of having some injured players tough it out and perhaps make their injuries more serious. And finally, go back to a system the League used to have. Allow every team 3 Injured Reserve moves (in season), where the players can be re-activated in 4-5 games, instead of having to miss the entire season. These suggestions don’t solve all the concerns, but would put NFL teams in better personnel positions than they currently face.

My buddy MIKE wants to know how many QBs will be Drafted on Day One of the 2010 NFL DRAFT.
First off Mike, the first day has now become Thursday night with only 1 Round, thanks to the infinite wisdom and greed of the League Offices. So how about if I answer your question in two parts. Oh, and also remember that we need to make some assumptions on which Underclass QBs will declare for inclusion in the proceedings.
I think we have a good chance for 4 QBs to go in Round 1. They are in rough order: SAM BRADFORD, JAKE LOCKER, JIMMY CLAUSEN & COLT McCOY.
Now let’s look at the guys who may go in the TOP 100 Picks or 3 Rounds, which used to be Day One. In this potential group I would include: TIM TEBOW, DAN LeFEVOUR, JEVAN SNEAD, TONY PIKE, ZAC ROBINSON.
BRADFORD,CLAUSEN, LOCKER & SNEAD are technically Underclassmen for those of you who haven’t really dug into your DRAFT info yet.

And from longtime PPP fan Joe, the question is, what teams have multiple First Round Draft Picks for next April’s DRAFT?
I’m going to answer your question but also provide you with a link to the GBN Report where our friend Colin keeps an updated chart on this all year long. http://www.gbnreport.com/trades.htm .
As of today the 49‘ers and the SEA HAWKS are the only teamS with two First Round Picks. They have their own and Carolina’s.
The BRONCOS have the BEARS first pick, but traded their own to SEATTLE, which a lot of fans have forgotten.

I may be off the Internet again for a while. I am taking my MacBook back to Computer World for more repairs and hopefully a replacement from APPLE for this Lemon they saddled me with.

10/21/09 Holy Cow! it has been almost two months since I responded to questions. No wonder I don’t get as many any more. My bad... and my apologies to all of you who bother to ask. It is not my intent to ignore your queries. So on a rainy day in Wisconsin, with plenty of computer time, let’s get to some questions even if they are a bit old.

BIILY RAY asks if it is safe to call the BIG 12 the hotbed of Pro QB Prospects for the 2009 season?
Logic would tell you that with COLT, BRADFORD,& ZAC ROBINSON leading the way this could be the QB hot spot. But to be honest, at the halfway point COLT has slipped back a notch with too many INT; BRADFORD is hurting with a bad shoulder; ZAC is making the best of a bad situation without BRYANT & HUNTER out of the lineup.
Are you ready for this shocker; the place with the best group of 2010 DRAFT QB Prospects right now is the MAC!
I will highlight them all in the near future, but there are two potential late-First Round Prospects in DAN LeFEVOUR/Central MI and TIM HILLER/Western MI. I have also been impressed with the work of TYLER SHEEHAN at Bowling Green.
There are even a couple of long-shots who may get their chance to impress at either the SHRINE CLASSIC or TEXAS V. NATION All-Star games in ANDY SCHMITT/Eastern MI & AARON OPELT/Toledo.
I am very serious here B. R. These guys are under serous scrutiny by Pro personnel people right now.

BADGER BOY TOM wants to know why WISCONSIN comes up short once they get into the meat of their Conference schedule and play the traditional Big 10 Big Boys like MICHIGAN, OHIO STATE, PENN STATE & IOWA?
I have two answers for you Badger Boy; Coaching & Talent.
I don’t see much creativity from the current Badger Coaching Staff. Nor do I see very many players improve significantly as they work their way through the program. There are some exceptions, but by-and-large they leave only a bit better as players than when they first take the field in Madison.
But the biggest factor is talent with a Capitol T... or lack thereof. Who was the last BADGER to be Drafted in Round 1 of the NFL DRAFT? Who will be the next one? I will stick by something I said earlier this season on a radio appearance: BRET BIELEMA and his staff recruit enough talent to win the MAC, but his team plays in the BIG TEN. That is he harsh reality of things. Call me when they finally recruit and dress a 5-Star QB in Mad-Town.

PAUL M. has a double question for me. Did the PACKERS do the right thing letting FAVRE go? How does AARON RODGERS compare to FAVRE?
I believe it was indeed time to let BRETT take his act elsewhere and clear the way for RODGERS. The time was right to part ways, and only FAVREs petulance made it ugly. If FAVRE were still in Green Bay I firmly believe he would be on IR by now with the current OL play.
I think the only place that RODGERS will never be able to measure up to FAVRE is in his arm strength (who can?) and his bravado as a leader. But in his quiet way he has made the PACKER huddle his own, and his ability to read the field and escape the pocket is superior to BRETT’s already. Watch carefully and you will see that his arm is stronger than most people thought a couple of years ago. With a better OL he has Pro-Bowl potential.

Please send more questions. I promise to make time to answer them more promptly in the future.

8/22/09 I’ve fallen behind a little bit in responding to friends of PPP, which is never a good thing. Let’s get to some recent questions that have come my way.

1) DAVE, in PA, wants to know what the impact of MIKE VICK will be on the EAGLES fortunes this season.
First Dave, please remember that it is unlikely that he will be allowed to play until some time in October, when Commissioner GOODELL re-instates him from suspension. After that little detail is out of the way his role will have to be determined. I am wondering if ANDY REID will be forced to carry 4 QBs on his roster. After all, KOLB is the future and FEELEY is an established vet back-up. Most everyone I talk with sees VICK’s primary role as being the master of some kind of “spread package”, but we haven’t seen that package unveiled yet. The big question may be if/when DONOVAN gets hurt and has to miss a few games, who will replace him as the starter? If an injury should happen later in the season then things may get very interesting in Phily. In essence, I am saying I’m still not sure what to expect... stay tuned, please.

1) Several people have asked what I though about all the chaos in Denver under the new JOSH McDANIELS coaching regime?
He has certainly created quite a stir within a previously stable franchise. But I don’t think we should be shocked, given that he is a disciple of BILL BELICHICK. By all accounts he is trying to establish his regime in the exact image of BELICHICK. That’s fine, but a tight-fisted, closed-door regime works a lot better when you have been to the Super Bowl on a regular basis. This roster needs rebuilding, and an attitude adjustment, but when you end up running your two best young players (CUTLER & MARSHALL) out of town, the rebuilding gets tougher. Just keep in mind the results of the first Head Coaching go-round of BILL BELICHICK in Cleveland. Die-hard BROWNS fans would probably be quick to inform you that in 5 seasons by the lake BELICHICK compiled a 36-44 won/loss record, which got him fired, just before ART MODELL moved the team to Baltimore in 1996. Sorry BRONCOS fans, but JOSH may not demonstrate his true coaching genius until he gets his second job, just like his mentor.

1) Here’s one for Tom, Scott & Vendy, even though it was asked by Jim. Is NOTRE DAME a serious BCS Bowl contender in 2009?
For the sake of Coach Charlie, and others associated with the program, they had better at least be in the hunt come November. This team is now entirely a WEISS production. These players are his and not TY’s. JIMMY CLAUSEN has shown enough for us to say good coaching should make him a serious Heisman candidate in 2010, based on a productive 2009 campaign. The schedule is not as “easy” as some folks make it out to be, but it is more favorable than last year, and gives the Irish a chance to succeed. With a little momentum I can see a 9-10 win season. If they hit the 10-win plateau then they will get BCS consideration. The first big game is @ MICHIGAN. They have to get that W, before RODRIQUEZ gets the Wolverines rolling. They also need to make a serious run at ending the USC 7-game winning streak. Being in South Bend might give them a shot if CARROLL is still molding his new QB. If this ND team stumbles things will get hot and ugly for NOTRE DAME football. Seven wins and a trip to the HAWAII BOWL are not going to be good enough in 2009.

1) And lastly a note from my Fantasy Buddy Joe... Does the FAVRE signing in Minnesota change the status of ADRIAN PETERSON as the top Fantasy Draft Pick?
Not at all Joe. In fact, it potentially strengthens AP’s value. If FAVRE can convince opposing defenses that he still has the ability to beat them downfield, then teams won’t be putting 8 men in the box as often to stop PETERSON. I also think BRETT understands that he is not being brought in to be THE MAN. The mutual goal for FAVRE and CHILDRESS is a Super Bowl ring. PETERSON should get just as many touches as 2008, but they could be even more productive touches... if that is possible.

VICK THE EAGLE McDANIELS FIGHTING IRISH VIKING BRETT

7/26/2009 Time to open the mailbag and respond to some specific questions from friends of PPP. Thanks for those of you who sent questions, but I’d be glad to see even more come in.

I have two rather big announcements for you, regarding my site and writing efforts. We will soon be changing the website address to www.pigskinpaul.com. We are hoping the simplified name will make it easier for folks to find and visit my site. I’ll keep you updated both here and in my newsletter as to when the actual change will take place. In an attempt to keep up with technology I have also opened a TWITTER account and will be tweeting daily on football happenings. If you want to follow me go to twitter.com/pigskinpaul.

1) Tom wants to know what I think about the NFL DRAFT going to a 3-day, prime time format?
I think the League has erred on the side of anticipated additional revenue (again). They fell in love with TV numbers that indicated over 35-million viewers watched the event this past April. Somehow they have extrapolated that to mean that weekday evenings would bring even higher ratings. I am highly skeptical. I think some folks who watch on a weekend will not transition to a Thursday night, and especially not to a Friday night. I also think this is a calculated move to force ESPN out of the picture and make the NFL Network the exclusive broadcast avenue for the DRAFT. Rounds 2 & 3 on Friday night are the stickiest programming segment. Given the short attention span of the average viewer, I expect the plan to create a no-audience Saturday morning for the second half of the DRAFT. I will do a complete Editorial article on this topic soon, but I am not excited about the change.

1) An anonymous reader asked me about the continuing ‘will he, or won’t he’, saga about FAVRE joining the VIKINGS.
I can’t believe anyone who knows BRETT, and followed his DIVA act in Green Bay for the past 3 years, is surprised at all with the two month long soap opera currently being carried out in Hattiesburg. This guy has become such a self-centered, attention grabbing prima donna that it is sickening if you are silly enough to follow all the day-to-day non-happenings. This ongoing game is a big reason why WHITEY and McCARTHY forced the issue last year when they were convinced AARON RODGERS was ready to lead the team. The continued VIKINGS interest is a clear indication of how desperate some of the VIKES higher-ups are to win big this year, before changes are made in the organization off the field.

1) Steve asked how my DRAFT predictions came out when the dust settled on DRAFT Weekend in April?
You got me Steve. I actually had calculated my projections, and that of some of my peers, but never put them in print on my site, or in my newsletter. Overall, it seems most of us “Draft Analysts” had some significant differences of opinions from NFL Personnel Departments this year. I will give you all some specifics in the next week with a DRAFT TALK segment. I will say this much for right now; based on the TIM/PAUL MOCK DRAFT conducted April 15th, we correctly projected 28 0f 32 players, and matched 7 players with their actual teams. I will settle for that any year.

July 1, 2009
1) A tough one from Mike (obviously not a BEARS or CUTLER fan) asking what all the excitement is about in Chicago. He wants to know who JAY will have to throw to in the Windy City.
Fair question, but if you were regularly reading PPP you would have already read my answer. First, let’s understand that DA BEARS are still going to run the ball a lot. When JAY does throw he may have one of he best deep-threat weapons in the League in HESTER. His TEs (OLSON & CLARK) should catch 100 balls combined. IGLESIAS should be a very effective possession guy. RASHIED DAVIS is a nice slot weapon. And BENNETT and CUTLER are old pass-catch friends from VANDY hoping to rekindle their pass-catch partnership. The key will be CUTLER and RON TURNER getting on the same page philosophically.

1) How can New England not be the favorite to win the Super Bowl this upcoming season?
In my world they are the definitive favorite. There, I just gave away my final top Power Rankings team. With BRADY back and the veteran weapons added this off-season (TAYLOR, LEWIS, GALLOWAY, SMITH, BAKER) they should threaten some of the numbers from their record setting 2007 Offensive season. They are also transitioning to a younger group of defenders and adding to their depth on that side of the ball. BELICHICK will manipulate an 11-5 2008 season, when they still failed to make the Play-Offs, into a major motivational tool. They have to be the July favorite to go all the way.

CUTLER BRADY ROMO BUSH HARRISON

1) Has anyone in Dallas clearly defined what JERRY JONES meant when he declared the COWBOYS Offense would be more TONY ROMO FRIENDLY”?
There have not been any detailed explanations of that phrase (uttered by JONES shortly after the release of T.O.) but there have been a few hints and teases during interviews with WADE, JERRY & ROMO himself. My logic, and that of many others, seems to point to a run-first, and possibly last, attitude, thus taking some of the heat off of ROMO’s back and right shoulder. That strategy would certainly make sense for an OL that is huge/strong, but certainly not agile. Most of their Linemen would rather run block, than pass-protect. It also plays to another positional strength... RB. With everyone healthy they have a standout RB corps of MARION BARBER, FELIX JONES & TASHARD CHOICE all begging for more carries. A little bigger dose of clock control by an O that pounds the rock, would also keep their vulnerable D off the field. I expect running plays to increase significantly in BIG D, as long as MR. JONES doesn’t decide its too boring after a few games.

1) Joe in Alabama (in light of the latest ‘BAMA brush with the NCAA over student books) wants to know if the NCAA has forgotten about a guy named REGGIE BUSH and his ‘escapades’ with possible rules violations while at Southern Cal?
I think that’s a valid question, Joe. It seems like the NCAA has been forever, looking into the free housing situation for BUSH’s parents, while he was a Trojan. I have never heard the NCAA announce that their investigation is over. Could the TROJAN mystique under PETE CARROLL be too much for the NCAA to crack? The NCAA needs to bring official closure to the BUSH investigation.

1) Is MARVIN HARRISON going to play in the NFL this year or is his career over?
I think the answer to that question is pretty much up to MARVIN. He has to reconcile the fact that he is no longer a premier receiver at age 37. He has lost a half-step (at least) and gets dinged up over the course of a full season. HARRISON will have to give his agent the thumbs-up to signing a short term contract, for a couple of million dollars and accept a role as the number 3 or 4 WR option for his new team. Had he agreed to the above 3 conditions he would still be with the COLTS. Watch for a late Training Camp signing, or a mid-season contract from a contending team that loses a key WR to injury. He can still play if he wants to, but he’s a 50-catch guy now, not a Pro Bowler.

PIGSKIN PAUL PICKS THE PROS 2011

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 10:38:05 -0500

TEXANS @ BENGALS by 3
MARVIN LEWIS calls this game huge... and he is right. His BENGALS are still in the hunt for a Play-Off slot, but barely. A home loss to a team playing their 3rd string, Rookie QB would be a major blow in the standings as well as psychologically. This could be a very low scoring game as both teams play it close to the vest counting on mistakes to decide the outcome. The loss of ANDRE JOHNSON, again, could be the swing factor. Houston is going to have to run the ball effectively all day and hope ARIAN FOSTER stays healthy. I think the BENGALS can, and will win, on their home turf, but it may be so low scoring that it won’t take much to swing the outcome. Turnovers, or lack thereof, should decide this game.

DA BEARS @ DENVER BY 4
By now DA BEARS should be starting a vet QB that they picked up in the past two weeks. But no, between a combination of stubbornness (LOVIE) and cheapness (McCASKEY) they will roll out CALEB HANIE again and watch him throw 2-3 INT to a ball hawking BRONCOS Defense. I’d tell you they will run the ball and keep the score low to minimize turnovers, but FORTE is not going to be out on the grass either. This sets up to be another low scoring, tight game that lends itself to TEBOW heroics late in the day. One word of caution Denver... I think MR. URLACHER will be looking to put some hurt-hits on TEBOW any chance he gets. Even TIM can be hurt eventually at this level. Let’s hope not, this TEBOW phenomenon is just too much fun to lose to a significant injury right now.

FALCONS by 5 @ PANTHERS
There are two keys to this game if the FALCONS are going to cling to some thin Play-Off dreams through the final month of the season and win. They must give the ball to MICHAEL TURNER a lot and punish the PANTHERS defensive front which is now missing it’s 2 Rookie DTs who just went on IR. TURNER, not MATT RYAN, is the key here. Then the FALCONS under-performing Defense has to contain and limit CAM NEWTON. That may be the hardest chore of all. On paper the FALCONS look like just the kind of D that CAM can spread wide open with a combination of passing, running & scrambling to keep plays alive. I’ll take the FALCONS, but won’t be shocked if the PANTHERS pull off an upset.

GIANTS @ COWBOYS by 6
These intra-Division rivalry games are just too much fun to get tired of, even if they seem to be happening all over again, all the time. (Maybe the LSU/ALABAMA rematch isn’t so horrible.) The NFC East is up for grabs and these are the two teams positioned to grab that brass ring. I like the COWBOYS playing at home in JERRY’S WORLD. But the GIANTS are so inconsistent that it’s hard to figure out which team is going to show up. If BRADSHAW/JACOBS is able to create a game long running game, and ELI’s receivers come up big a few times, then the game will come down to the GIANTS vaunted pass-rush forcing ROMO into some turnovers. But that pass rush has not been as good as advertised on a weekly basis. They cannot sleep through this one or the COWBOYS will open it up and cruise.

11/27/2011 DA BEARS @ RAIDERS by 3
Gotta give a slight nod to the RAIDERS for two reasons; they are at home and CARSON PALMER is further along as the replacement QB than CALEB HANIE. But, I think HANIE is going to surprise with some good play at times. I also think he will turn it over a couple of times, which will put the team in a hole they cannot dig out of. Not something that most fans will be totally tuned into, but this may be a showdown for tow of the best Special Teams play organizations in the League. The best shot for DA BEARS to win is to concentrate on stopping the RAIDERS running game, and get the ball into the hands of MATT FORTE mucho times.

PATRIOTS by 4 @ EAGLES
I would not consider this a major upset if EAGLES win. PATS are a good ,but not dominant team. And if he plays with abandon, VINCE YOUNG is the kind of QB that can give the PATRIOTS D a hard time. THe PATRIOTS must establish some kind of running game to keep the pass rush pressure down a bit. Remember that for all his brains and strong arm TOM TERRIFIC does a great impression of a statue when trying to escape a collapsing pocket, which plays perfectly into the pass-rush happy EAGLES defensive scheme. More important than sacks the . New England Defense needs to keep YOUNG in the pocket. The more he scrambles out the more dangerous he is. The more he stands in the pocket, the more likely he gives the PATS a chance for an INT or two. This game should go down to the wire.

BRONCOS @ CHARGERS by 6
This game is of interest nationally because of the TEBOW factor. One more time I am picking the CHARGERS to act like the team we thought they would be this season. And much of that falls on the erratic shoulder of PHILLIP RIVERS, who has been an INT machine this year. As erratic as a TEBOW led Offense can be, the BRONCOS Defense has been solid all season long. They have what it takes to make life miserable for RIVERS today, and can create turnovers in a heartbeat. The CHARGERS actually still have a shot at winning the AFC West, and a home win against a division rival could be just what the doctor ordered to get them kick started. But they had best have a two score lead the last time TEBOW starts a 4th Quarter drive for the BRONCOS.

11/20/2011 The final week of BYES is upon us. The good news is that means we’ll get full schedules of games again starting next week. Hallelujah! Let’s grab the best we can for now and go for it.

COWBOYS by 12 @ REDSKINS
The SHANAHAN SHIP, 2011 version, is about to sink on the far horizon. The cruel hoax on ‘Skins fans this season that either GROSSMAN or BECK was going to be able to lead a competitive team in this League is over. The question will soon become what can MIKE say to DANIEL SNYDER to convince him there is hope on the horizon and more importantly some master plan in place to improve things in Old D.C.? Meanwhile this is the time for the ROMO and the ‘BOYS to put the stamp of legitimacy on their recent surge of good play. With the EAGLES continuing to look like pretenders the rest of the season this game clearly looks like a very good chance for Dallas to at least get themselves into a Wild Card Play-Off spot if the GIANTS hold up. I fully expect the COWBOYS to put a whipping on Washington, but not a low-out. The REDSKINS do at least have a semblance of a defense in play this year.

BENGALS @ RAVENS by 4
This one scares me a bit given how the RAVENS offense has struggled on a regular basis this season. If RAY LEWIS can’t answer the call then the D will suffer a bit. But I fully expect LEWIS to be an asset acting as another Defensive Coach on the sidelines. God help his teammates if they let down with him there to spur them on. But I believe the BENGALS are ready to fade a bit given some of their recent injuries. I would not be surprised if the BENGALS give the RAVENS a tough time today. The RAVENS will have to earn a Win in this contest... they should be up to the task.

CHARGERS @ DA BEARS by 6
It looks for all the world like this is a match-up of teams currently heading in opposite directions. The question is will either team head in another direction or will momentum continue. San Diego is always a threat with RIVERS winging the ball around, but he seems out of sync this year and is not his usual efficient self. DA BEARS are on a roll in all facets of play. Their Defense is smothering right now, and their Offense is clicking with a bit more emphasis on the running attack. Special Teams is always a difference maker in Chicago and HESTER & GOULD are blazing the way to a lot of points on the scoreboard. The CHARGERS have enough talent to pull an upset, but it will take more continuity in their overall play than they have demonstrated most of the season to date. Put your money on DA BEARS.

EAGLES @ GIANTS by 7
If it’s not already too late (which I think it is) this may the EAGLES last chance to establish themselves as late season contenders for a Play-Off spot. With a win tonight they would still have lots of work to do for the remainder of the season, but it would be a big road win over the current division leader. And much to TOM COUGHLIN’s chagrin he is never quite sure which GIANTS team is going to come out of the tunnel on game day. Or whether or not he gets Good ELI or Bad ELI to lead his Offense. I guess what I am trying to say is that the GIANTS can be hugely inconsistent, and if they stumble a bit PHILY needs to jump all over them. By the way, a final reason I am going with the GIANTS is that VINCE “Call us a Dream Team’ YOUNG is scheduled to start the game at QB for the EAGLES as I write this. That does not inspire me to like the EAGLES chances of a road upset.

11/13/2011 After missing a week while on the road it’s time to get back at it with my Pro Picks for Week 10.

LIONS @ DA BEARS by 4
I think we are looking at two teams headed in opposite directions right now. The LIONS are dinged up and treading water to some degree. If STAFFORD gets beaten up by the BEARS tough D then the team could be fading into the rear view mirror in a hurry. On the other hand, DA BEARS seem to gaining momentum recently. They appear to be findIng a balance on Offense between the slightly divergent styles of MIKE MARTZ & JAY CUTLER. Most impressively MIKE TICE seems to making lemonade out of lemons with his work with their OL. They will get a stern test today against SUH, VANDEN BOSCH, AVRIL, et al. But if the LIONS cannot bring max pressure on MR. CUTLER Chicago will be celebrating a big win tonight.

BILLS @ COWBOYS by 5
One of these teams will get exposed today as a Play-Off pretender and will be fighting the next month to regain some positive momentum. The winner today puts themselves in a position to make at least a Wild Card run through the rest of their schedule. My gut tells me the COWBOYS will be too much in JERRY’S WORLD for the BILLS to overcome. Were this in BUFFALO I might pick otherwise. This would truly be the week for GEORGE EDWARDS, the BILLS D Coordinator, to dial up blitzes to pressure TONY ROMO. Keeping ROMO on the run might be their best chance to force a couple of turnovers. I do not expect the BILLS offense to generate a lot of points against the Dallas D. And I do think MR. WARE will say hello several times to RYAN FITZPATRICK in the BILLS backfield. The JONES BOYS should be smiling after this one.

GIANTS by 3 @ 49‘ERS
I don’t see this pick as being any kind of reflection on the excellence of the G-MEN. And by all rights one might expect a letdown after the big win over the PATRIOTS and a cross continent road trip. But I just can’t see the 49‘ers as a 1-Loss team this late in the year. Great job by JIM HARBAUGH taking an underachieving team, that never really responded to MIKE SINGLETARY, and turning it into the NFC WEST leader it currently is, but there are holes here, just like every team. I’m thinking the GIANTS D is beginning to find itself, which could be very bad news for QB/ALEX SMITH. This is my surprise pick, but I’m not putting one thin dime on it. Neither should you.

PATRIOTS @ JETS by 8
I think the bell has tolled for the PATRIOTS and their Play-Off runs of the last decade. Because of bad Drafts and questionable Salary Cap decisions the PATS have no more talent on their roster than most of the .500 teams in the League. Even BELICHICK can’t seem to work magic with his players’ psyches right now. TOM BRADY always gives the team a chance, but REX RYAN seems to have his number with his multiple defensive schemes and coverages. This thing may not even be close by the time midnight rolls around in the BIG APPLE. I expect a dominant performance by the JETS that will leave New England wondering what’s left to play for after tonight! The JETS take over control of the AFC East race with a convincing win. In fact, don’t bet against a blow-out!

10/30/2011 The last NFL games of October are on the slate today and tomorrow. It’s a lackluster lineup of games in general, with all six BYE teams having winning records. But the STEELERS/PATRIOTS match up looks inviting and this evenings fare with DALLAS in PHILY also holds promise. So let’s get to picking a few of these contest, shall we?!

LIONS by 6 @ BRONCOS
I call this my ‘clash of the Darlings’ game this week. The NFL public is fascinated, one way or the other, by the TEBOW factor. The LIONS are also fascinating because as they get good, they also show signs of being a nasty bunch, especially on Defense. Something has to give in this match-up. Detroit has lost 2 in a row and needs to get back on track here before they fade into meaninglessness to most of the League. TEBOW needs to show signs of early game improvement and more of the last minute magic that he has always demonstrated going back to high school. I like the LIONS chances in this one, as long as STAFFORD can hold together and play a full, effective game. If he leaves the field, chances are TEBOW may be a position to produce some magic at the end. MR TEBOW meet MR. SUH. Now that alone will be a match-up to keep your eyes on today.

VIKINGS @ PANTHERS by 8
I think the PANTHERS are primed to win big at home today, which would be a very good thing for the franchise. Based on what I have seen from the VIKES this season I don’t think there is enough quality left on the Defense to really put the clamps on CAM NEWTON. I think he will run and pass his team to victory. But it will also be interesting to watch CHRISTIAN PONDER to see if he can build on a decent first start that he had against the PACKERS. Can the PANTHERS D stop ADRIAN PETERSON? If not this could get interesting. Chock it up as a chance to see two of the Rookie QB starters who hold the future of their teams firmly in their throwing hands. I’m basically liking the PANTHERS because they are at home and I think NEWTON can find multiple ways to frustrate the VIKINGS D.

PATRIOTS @ STEELERS by 6
I have to give the STEELERS the edge at home. But I do think BIG BEN will miss HINES WARD more than many expect. It’s hard to pick against the PATS coming off a BYE Week, when BELICHICK has had extra time to scheme against his opponent. But BILL doesn’t have as much talent to work with as he used to, no matter what game plan he cooks up. I’m just not sure what he can dial up defensively that will slow down the STEELERS Offense. BRUSCHI, SEYMOUR, VRABEL, LAW & HARRISON are just not going to suit up for him any time soon. If he had a pass rush I would be worried by the STEELERS OL issues, but he doesn’t with his current cast of players. If the PATS could run the ball on Offense it would help their D, but I’m not convinced that can happen either. Wrack up a home W for the STEELERS.

COWBOYS @ EAGLES by 4
This is bigger for the EAGLES than they want to admit right now. You have to win your home games against division rivals if your going to be a Play-Off team. That’s especially true when you record is sub .500 already. It’s time for the Dream Team EAGLES ( YOU & YOUR BIG MOUTH VY ) to get the horse saddled and start riding rough shod over their rivals. The real key in my mind will be the EAGLES D keeping the COWBOYS’ Offense under control. If the EAGLES and VICK have to play catch-up all day VICK may be more likely to turn it over late than ROMO has been. Not to pick on them but, this could come down to which QB messes up less under the pressure of a close game in the 4th Quarter. I’ll take the EAGLES at home, but I’m not opening up my wallet on this game.

10/23/2011 AS TIME FLIES BY WE ARE APPROACHING MID-SEASON IN THE NFL. This week marks Game 7 for most teams and the slate looks a bit better than last weekend. So let me venture into the land of imagination and prognostication to give you 4 Picks to consider this week.

CHARGERS @ JETS by 3
REX has stirred up another little controversy between himself and NORV TURNER, in his latest attempt to distract the opposition and motivate his own charges to win one for KING REX. Might work this time, because Dan Diego is still a relatively “soft” team that the JETS may throw off balance if they can bloody their nose in the early going. By the same token if PHILLIP RIVERS can come out bombing away and force the JETS into a scoring contest then the JETS will have to ask MARK SANCHEZ to ramp it up a notch.... bad idea. SANCHEZ is very limited as a WQB especially if he has to throw the ball a lot and take chances. I’ll take the JETS at home, but this could go either way and should be a good watch. Aren’t most JETS game with REX at the helm?

DA BEARS VS. BUCCANEERS by 3
Since the Brits have traditionally been a sea faring nation, I am guessing the fans at this game in London will be able to better identify with the BUCS than DA BEARS. It also seems that because so many Brits own property in Florida any team from that state has a leg up for the affections of UK citizens. Either way this could be quite the barnburner. Both teams like to win with hard hitting defensive efforts. But both teams have QB s who can light it up in a heartbeat. Both teams are coming off nice home wins. So I flipped a dabloon and it came up telling me to pick the BUCS. The game will be close, let’s hope for public relations purposes that doesn’t mean boring as well. The NFL needs these games abroad to be exciting and hard hitting. They should at least get the latter.

FALCONS @ LIONS by 5
The LIONS stumbled last week against the 49‘ers, but just a little. I am concerned that they have next to nothing in the running game because of the latest concussion to JAHVID BEST. If too much pressure is placed on the shoulders of MATTHEW STAFFORD I worry that he will revert to being an INT machine. But I also think the LIONS D will be able to crank it up a notch and cause the FALCONS Offense to sputter. The real key in this game will be whether or not the FALCONS can feed the ball to MICHAEL TURNER so MATT RYAN does not have to win the game all by himself. If TURNER can carry the ball 25 times for over 100 yards it will somewhat neutralize the LIONS pass rush. This is a game you want to watch because the winner is in serious contention, while the loser will have a lot to contemplate in the coming week. And it is never a good thing to give football players too much to think about. It makes their collective heads hurt.

PACKERS by 8 @ VIKINGS
This should be a blow out, but the PACKERS have a way of making many games close. Just like last week against the RAMS, the Coaching Staff has a way of devising benign, conservative game plans against lesser teams. Take away the 2nd Quarter last week and the PACK probably loses to the RAMS. DOM CAPERS and his D should really dial up the pressure on Rookie QB/CHRISTIAN PONDER in his first NFL start, and do so early. There is no way you want the VIKES believing they can win this contest. On offense Green Bay needs to institute a nice balance of run/pass, but not in a predictable run on first down pattern 90% of the time which they did early against the RAMS. The VIKINGS have a very limited arsenal of weapons to throw at the PACKERS in support of PONDER. Beyond HARVIN. PETERSON & SHIANCOE their skill position groups are pretty bland, and their OL is almost a nightmare depending upon who is hurt and can’t play. Look for a closer game than you might expect and watch out for PETERSON in the 4th Quarter if the game is tight.

10/16/2011 Week 6 gets underway in a couple of hours with a throwback uniform weekend and some very tasty match-ups. Let’s see if I can figure out a few of these games for you.

EAGLES by 3 @ REDSKINS
It seems early in the marathon that is the NFL season, but the EAGLES need to figure a few things out and start winning, like now. This team has more excuses than a porcupine has quills. But unless MICHAEL VICK plays with more command f the game and the Defensive Back 7 starts tackling, not playing flag football this team will be buried and considering whether ANDREW LUCK might be their answer at QB. By the same token the REDSKINS still strike me as pretenders for the Play-Offs. REX GROSSMAN still throws too many INTs and their D still scares me against strong passing teams. Look for the EAGLES to expose the ‘SKINS a bit and revive the dream, which has become a weekly nightmare over the past month. But it won’t be easy. Nothing ever is in this League.

BILLS @ GIANTS BY 5
As the 2011 season got underway who would have thunk that this game would have any significance outside of the state of New York? But the GIANTS have been inconsistent (again) and the BILLS have only 1 loss on their resume’ for the year. If ELI mopes around and makes mistakes this Buffalo Defense will jump on them and convert them into turnovers. But if the G-MEN play to their talent level they should win at home in Jersey. I;m picking the GIANTS because they have more talent overall and are playing at home, but I will not be surprised if the BILLS find a way to win a close game... again. In fact I’m kind of rooting for the BILLS as a Cinderella team and oping they at least capture an AFC Wild Card spot. Like the one everybody has ceded to their other, loud mouthed in-state rivals named the JETS.

COWBOYS @ PATRIOTS by 3
TONY ROMO and his mates are also getting close to panic time with the way they have played overall to date. They are competitive in most games, but can’t seem to pull them out in the 4th quarter. People have to take a hard look at the COWBOYS and realize that they do not have the talent base they had 2 years ago. Just take a look at their OL composition and you can get a sense of the personnel hole the JONES BOYS have dug for the team as Personnel Gurus (just ask them). The only chance that the COWBOYS have id if ROB RYAN and work the same magic he did last year in Cleveland when the BROWNS confused BRADY and shut down New England’s Offense for an upset win. Coaching does win games in the NFL folks. Bt part of that equation requires a healthy Dallas secondary, which has not been the case much of this season. This should be a very entertaining game either way.

SAINTS by 6 @ BUCCANEERS
I love everything about JOSH FREEMAN, other than the fact that he plays for a bad ownership franchise. The GLAZER family is trying to win on the cheap, and FREEMAN is not even close to getting the personnel support he needs in Tampa. And against the SAINTS that will be a big problem. The BUCS Defense can be very good, but not good enough to shut down BREW BREES all day. And if BREES starts putting up points on almost every possession FREEMAN does not have the weapons to respond in kind. I would project this to be a good, tight match-up for almost 3 quarters, with the SAINTS pulling away in the 4th. I don’t think this game will be quite as ugly, but the BUCS were exposed a bit last weekend against San Francisco.