Trade Down! - NFL Draft Blog

Mock Draft 5.1

2008-03-11T12:13:00.000-07:00

#	team	name	pos	school
1	TEXANS	Reggie Bush	RB	USC
2	SAINTS	Mario Williams	DE	NC State
3	TITANS	Matt Leinart	QB	USC
4	JETS	D'brickashaw Ferguson	OT	Virginia
5	PACKERS	AJ Hawk	LB	Ohio State
6	49ers	Vernon Davis	TE	Maryland
7	RAIDERS	Michael Huff	DB	Texas
8	BILLS	Brodrick Bunkley	DT	Florida State
9	*VIKINGS	Vince Young	QB	Texas
10	CARDINALS	Jay Cutler	QB	Vanderbilt
11	RAMS	Antonio Cromartie	CB	Florida State
12	BROWNS	Manny Lawson	OLB	NC State
13	RAVENS	Haloti Ngata	DT	Oregon
14	EAGLES	Chad Jackson	WR	Florida
15	BRONCOS	DeAngelo Williams	RB	Memphis
16	DOLPHINS	Johnathan Joseph	CB	South Carolina
17	*LIONS	Winston Justice	OT	USC
18	COWBOYS	Jason Allen	FS	Tennessee
19	CHARGERS	Marcus McNeill	OT	Auburn
20	CHIEFS	Kamerion Wimbley	DE	Florida State
21	PATRIOTS	Richard Marshall	CB	Fresno State
22	BRONCOS	Donte Whitner	S	Ohio State
23	BUCCANEERS	Santonio Holmes	WR	Ohio State
24	BENGALS	Darnell Bing	SS	USC
25	GIANTS	Ernie Sims	OLB	Florida State
26	BEARS	Jimmy Williams	DB	Virginia Tech
27	PANTHERS	Chad Greenway	OLB	Iowa
28	JAGUARS	Tye Hill	CB	Clemson
29	JETS	Nick Mangold	C	Ohio State
30	COLTS	Laurence Maroney	RB	Minnesota
31	SEAHAWKS	Ashton Youboty	CB	Ohio State
32	STEELERS	Daniel Bullocks	FS	Nebraska

		Round 2
33	TEXANS	Kelly Jennings	CB	Miami
34	SAINTS	Demeco Ryans	OLB	Alabama
35	JETS	LenDale White	RB	USC
36	PACKERS	Mathias Kiwanuka	DE	Boston College
37	49ers	Bobby Carpenter	OLB	Ohio State
38	RAIDERS	Thomas Howard	OLB	UTEP
39	TITANS	Eric Winston	OT	Miami
40	LIONS	Ko Simpson	FS	South Carolina
41	CARDINALS	Leonard Pope	TE	Georgia
42	BILLS	Daryn Colledge	OT	Boise State
43	BROWNS	Gabe Watson	NT	Michigan
44	RAVENS	Pat Watkins	FS	Florida State
45	EAGLES	D'Qwell Jackson	LB	Maryland
46	RAMS	Joe Klopfstein	TE	Colorado
47	FALCONS	Sinorice Moss	WR	Miami
48	*LIONS	Abdul Hodge	MLB	Iowa
49	COWBOYS	Max Jean-Gilles	OG	Georgia
50	CHARGERS	Devin Aromashodu	WR	Auburn
51	VIKINGS	Roger McIntosh	OLB	Miami
52	PATRIOTS	Mark Anderson	OLB	Alabama
53	REDSKINS	Jon Alston	LB/S	Stanford
54	CHIEFS	Cedric Griffin	CB	Texas
55	BENGALS	Demario Minter	CB	Georgia
56	GIANTS	Andrew Whitworth	OT	LSU
57	BEARS	Marcedes Lewis	TE	UCLA
58	PANTHERS	Charles Spencer	OG	Pittsburgh
59	BUCCANEERS	Danieal Manning	CB	Abilene Christian
60	JAGUARS	Joseph Addai	RB	LSU
61	BRONCOS	Dominique Byrd	TE	USC
62	COLTS	Davin Joseph	OG	Oklahoma
63	SEAHAWKS	Tamba Hali	DE	Penn State
64	STEELERS	Greg Jennings	WR	W. Michigan

Surprise Undrafted Prospects

2008-03-11T12:12:00.000-07:00

Just as there are guys that sneak into round one with a great postseason, some big name prospects will slide. Some of these players even fail to hear their name called during draft weekend. This year will be no different. Here is a list of potential undrafted , but familiar names. There is a not-so-secret formula for these guys too:

Poor Character
+
Poor Workouts
=
Undrafted

Alan Zamaitis, CB, Penn State
Claude Wroten, DT, LSU
Charles Gordon, CB, Kansas
Ray Edwards, DE, Purdue
Bernard Pollard, SS, Purdue
Stanley McClover, DE, Auburn
Orien Harris, DT, Miami
Daryl Tapp, DE, Virginia Tech

Not all the prospects listed had both character concerns and poor measurables, but they all have one or the other. And they all could be waiting seemingly forever for that phone call.

Post-Combine Mock Draft

2008-03-11T12:09:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick and dirty mock draft to reflect the combine and the first weekend of free agency. Two rounds, no trades. Things are starting to shake out in a way that I don't think will result in a lot of trades at the top. Right now there is a group of about 6 elite non-quarterbacks and the 3 QBs. Nobody is going to want to move out of a chance at one of the elite guys. And I don't think anybody is really standing out of that pack enough to go get, if you're already there. And nobody can be certain their guy will be there, even a couple picks later. If there was a stand-out, it would be Mario Williams. Vince Young, Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush still have a chance to wow scouts at their workouts to become THE guy in this draft.

	team	name	pos	school
1	TEXANS	Mario Williams	DE	NC State
2	SAINTS	D'brickashaw Ferguson	OT	Virginia
3	TITANS	Matt Leinart	QB	USC
4	JETS	Reggie Bush	RB	USC
5	PACKERS	AJ Hawk	LB	Ohio State
6	49ers	Vernon Davis	TE	Maryland
7	RAIDERS	Vince Young	QB	Texas
8	BILLS	Brodrick Bunkley	DT	Florida State
9	LIONS	Michael Huff	DB	Texas
10	CARDINALS	Jay Cutler	QB	Vanderbilt
11	RAMS	Tye Hill	CB	Clemson
12	BROWNS	Manny Lawson	OLB	NC State
13	RAVENS	Haloti Ngata	DT	Oregon
14	EAGLES	Chad Jackson	WR	Florida
15	FALCONS	Chad Greenway	OLB	Iowa
16	DOLPHINS	Jonathan Joseph	CB	South Carolina
17	VIKINGS	DeAngelo Williams	RB	Memphis
18	COWBOYS	Santonio Holmes	WR	Ohio State
19	CHARGERS	Marcus McNeill	OT	Auburn
20	CHIEFS	Antonio Cromartie	CB	Florida State
21	PATRIOTS	LeDale White	RB	USC
22	BRONCOS	Tamba Hali	DE	Penn State
23	BUCCANEERS	Winston Justice	OT	USC
24	BENGALS	Darnell Bing	SS	USC
25	GIANTS	Jimmy Williams	DB	Virginia Tech
26	BEARS	Leonard Pope	TE	Georgia
27	PANTHERS	Max Jean-Gilles	G	Georgia
28	JAGUARS	Thomas Howard	OLB	UTEP
29	BRONCOS	Dominique Byrd	TE	USC
30	COLTS	Laurence Maroney	RB	Minnesota
31	SEAHAWKS	Jason Allen	DB	Tennessee
32	STEELERS	Ko Simpson	FS	South Carolina
		ROUND 2
33	TEXANS	Jonathan Scott	OT	Texas
34	SAINTS	Ernie Sims	OLB	Florida State
35	JETS	Kameron Wimbley	OLB	Florida State
36	PACKERS	Mathias Kiwanuka	DE	Boston College
37	49ers	Ashton Youboty	CB	Ohio State
38	RAIDERS	Roderique Wright	DT	Texas
39	TITANS	Bobby Carpenter	OLB	Ohio State
40	LIONS	DeMeco Ryans	LB	Alabama
41	CARDINALS	Donte Whitner	FS	Ohio State
42	BILLS	Devin Aromashodu	WR	Auburn
43	BROWNS	Gabe Watson	NT	Michigan
44	RAVENS	Nick Mangold	C	Ohio State
45	EAGLES	Jesse Mahelona	DT	Tennessee
46	RAMS	Pat Watkins	FS	Florida State
47	FALCONS	Daniel Bullocks	S	Nebraska
48	VIKINGS	Richard Marshall	CB	Fresno State
49	COWBOYS	Eric Winston	OT	Miami
50	CHARGERS	Sinorice Moss	WR	Miami
51	DOLPHINS	Ryan O'Callaghan	OT	California
52	PATRIOTS	Mark Anderson	OLB	Alabama
53	REDSKINS	D'Qwell Jackson	LB	Maryland
54	CHIEFS	Abdul Hodge	MLB	Iowa
55	BENGALS	Oshinowo Babtunde	DT	Stanford
56	GIANTS	Davin Joseph	G	Oklahoma
57	BEARS	Kelly Jennings	CB	Miami
58	PANTHERS	Joseph Addai	RB	LSU
59	BUCCANEERS	Cedric Griffin	DB	Texas
60	JAGUARS	Marcedes Lewis	TE	UCLA
61	BRONCOS	Bernard Pollard	SS	Purdue
62	COLTS	Alan Zamaitis	CB	Penn State
63	SEAHAWKS	Ray Edwards	DE	Purdue
64	STEELERS	Todd Watkins	WR	BYU

The Bust Factor

2008-03-11T12:05:00.000-07:00

Part of the reason the draft is so fun is the fact that so many prospects don't pan out. Those teams that can avoid the "busts" often end up well ahead of the game. NFL scouts try, sometimes in futility, to decide which players have that perfect match of skills and tools. And there is a HUGE difference between skills and tools. Even prospects that seemingly have all the talent in the world, can never develop the proper skills. Of course there's always the what-you-see-is-what-you-get prospect that has impeccable form, but lacks the athleticism or size to compete at the pro level. In most cases the guy with the tools gets picked first. After all you can't teach speed, right?

I'm going to break down a few top prospects that are either can't-miss or set off my bust alarm.

Vernon Davis, TE, Maryland CAN'T MISS
As hard as I try, I cannot find a flaw in Davis as a prospect for the next level. His raw tools are mind-blowing. We've never seen a tight end with his speed, let alone the strength that he brings with it. Davis also has shown these skills on the field, producing with very poor talent around him. That said, the factor that assures me that Davis will be great is his work ethic. No team should worry that he won't live up to his draft position. Davis will walk into the league as a human mismatch, but seeing him put to use in a precision passing game is downright scary. As he develops his already impressive talent, he could be a transcendent player.

AJ Hawk, LB, Ohio State--CAN'T MISS
The only thing I can do to discount what Hawk has done at Ohio State is say he had a lot of help. Hawk has that deadly combo of tools and skills. He isn't an athletic freak, but he certainly doesn't lack size, quickness or strength. He gets tackles. He fights through the trash. He cover backs and tight ends. He pressures the QB. Hawk is a fit in any scheme.

DeAngelo Williams, RB, Memphis--CAN'T MISS
Williams ran for 2,000 yards...twice. Unlike the next guy, he's shown he can carry the load. And also unlike the next guy, there was nobody else around for defenses to key on. Like my other can't-miss prospects, Williams has that deadly combo of all the tools, skills and work ethic to get even better.

Reggie Bush, RB, USC--BUST ALERT
It's hard to say a player with this much talent will fail, and that is not what I am saying. I just don't think Bush will live up to the #1 overall hype. The player Bush compares to most favorably is Gale Sayers, but the NFL is too fast these days for anybody to be running by defenses like they're standing still. Another factor is durability. Bush can't go out and do his thing on a banged up leg like a Jerome Bettis (or even DeAngelo Williams) can. There's a reason why Sayers only lasted five years. I don't know that Bush will miss, but he can.

D'brickashaw Ferguson, OT, Virginia-- BUST ALERT
Will never be a dominant run blocker, so at best he'll be one dimentional. For all his athleticism, Ferguson still didn't dominate as a pass blocker at Virginia. Might not have a killer instinct. Ferguson seems like a good guy, but you've got to have a mean streak play after play in the NFL. Reminds me a lot of Kwame Harris (49ers).

Jay Cutler, QB, Vanderbilt--BUST ALERT
Call me a skeptic, but when was the last time a quarterback who performed so underwhelmingly in college became an All-Pro in the NFL? A few things that scare me: 59% passer, career 59/36 TD/INT ratio, and of course he's this year's "next Brett Favre" ask Pat Ramsey, Kyle Boller, JP Losman and Rex Grossman how being the next Brett Favre is working out.

Draft Shakeup?

2008-03-11T12:03:00.000-07:00

Reports out of Virginia are saying that star linebacker Ahmad Brooks has been kicked off the Cavaliers football team. Everything is vauge, so there aren't many details to discuss. The next move for Brooks is hope for late enry status into the 2006 draft pool. Otherwise he'll have to wait until the supplimental draft, held toward the end of summer.

Brooks has been a top NFL prospect for a while now due to his absurd mix of size and athleticism. He measures in at 6'4" and somewhwere between 250 and 270 lbs. His draft staus will depend a lot on the facts about his dismissal and what kind of shape he's in after an injury plagued season.

There are other reports that state Ahmad Brooks is still officially on the team. So stay tuned, this Brooks situation is far from over.

UPDATE: It appears that Brooks failed a drug test last week. No indication on what substance was found. Coach Al Groh has stated only that Brooks is unavailable for spring practice. The fall is still up in the air.

Combine Chatter

2008-03-11T11:58:00.000-07:00

Chad Jackson, WR, Florida
6'0" 213--4.32/40
Jackson is the player that has gained the most so far by his combine performance. Not only did he run a scorching 40 time, he looked great in drills. In this so-so WR class, Jackson made himself a lot of money this week and probably earned his way into the 1st round.

Devin Aromashodu, WR, Auburn
6'2" 195--4.35/40
This guy was a virtual unknown last month. Now after a great Senior Bowl and throwing down a 4.3 at the combine with good size, he may be one of the top 5 receivers selected in April.

D'brickashaw Furguson, OT, Virginia
6'6" 313
Furguson is doing everything right this offseason. He performed well in drills at the Senior Bowl and now shows up in Indy at 313 pounds. His knock is size/strength. The weight helps, but we'll have to see how he lifts.

Reggie Bush, RB, USC
5' 10 7/8" 201
You know Reggie has been bulking up since the Rose Bowl. If thats as much weight he can put on, he might be in trouble. I expected him to waltz in near 215. Measuring below 5'11" probably doesn't help either. Kind of weird that the day after Reggie weighs in, the Texans are rumored to want to trade down. Although, I didn't buy the Reggie at #1 hype in the first place.

Brad Smith, QB/WR, Missouri
6'2" 215--4.46
I'm pretty dissapointed with Smith--a member of my All-Underrated Team back in November. Not because of his measurables, but his unwillingness to workout as a WR. He could have been setting himself up to be a major player among this WR class. Smith has ALL the measurables for it. He has size, speed, absurd RAC ability and big strong hands. But, he wants to be a QB and its going to hurt him. Reports are his QB workout was poor.

Vernon Davis, TE, Maryland
6'3" 254--4.38
Just to show he's not all about speed, Vernon put up 33 reps on the bench press, had a 42 inch vertical jump to go along with his rediculous 40 yard dash. All were tops for tight ends. San Francisco at #6?

Mario Williams, DE, NC State
6'7" 295--4.66
This guy is putting himself in position to potentially be the top prospect in the draft. He's been getting comparisons to Julius Pepper, but his numbers at the combine are even better. Also had a 40 inch vertical. Scary at almost 300 pounds.

Manny Lawson, OLB/DE, NC State
6'5" 240--4.41
I don't know what they were serving for breakfast Monday, but there were some insane numbers put up by some large men. Lawson is having a great postseason. Easily the best OLB prospect for the 34 defense.

Mike Kudla, DE, Ohio State
Brodrick Bunkley, DT, Florida State
These two went off in the bench press drill. Bunkley lifted the 225 pound bar 44 times. Kudla tied the combine record, held by Isaac Sopoaga, with 45 reps.

Well, the defensive backs didn't dissapoint Tuesday. They were all blazing.
Tye Hill, Clemson--4.30
Johnathan Joseph, S. Carolina--4.31
Tim Jennings, Georgia--4.32
Michael Huff, Texas--4.34
Daniel Bullocks, Nebraska--4.38
Willie Andrews, Baylor--4.38
Antonio Cromartie, Florida State--4.39
Antoine Bethea, Howard--4.39
Jason Allen, Tennessee--4.39
Kelly Jennings, Miami--4.39
Donte Whitner, Ohio State--4.40
Pat Watkins, Florida State--4.42

Senior Bowl 2006: Winners and Losers

2008-03-11T11:57:00.000-07:00

-Winners-

DeAngelo Williams, RB, Memphis
Weighed in at 5-81/2, 208--smaller than expected. But was simply the best player in Mobile. Has an exceptional burst. Decisive, explosive and instinctive. Deadly combo for a running back. Great attitude to boot.

D'brickashaw Ferguson, LT, Virginia
Seemed to increase stock on everyone's board, so I have him on the winners list. Myself? He pretty much solidified his status, which is top 25, but not as high as most(top 5). He isn't powerful and for all his athleticism at 297 pounds, he gets beat in pass protection.

Jay Cutler, QB, Vanderbilt
Proved he has the arm scouts love. But like Ferguson he looks better in shorts than in pads on gameday. Really think this is a player who is getting overrated right now. But it looks as if his stock is through the roof, so he's a winner this week.

Manny Lawson, DE/OLB, NC State
6 feet 5 inches 240 pounds with a 45 inch vertical. With that kind of athleticism its hard not to stand out and Lawson did. Only question, is he instinctive enough to play outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme? He sure is athletic enough and he knows how to get to the QB. Secured a spot in the first round.

Max Jean-Gilles, OG, Georgia
Gilles is a beast and showed the strength to move the pile as advertised. At 358 pounds he is the premier run blocker in the draft and should be the first guard off the board. Maybe sneaking into round one.

Brodie Croyle, QB, Alabama
Not big at 6-2, 200 but this guy has some magic. Showed a good arm, some mobility. One of those a little bit of everything types. Probably still a third round pick, but helped keep himself on day one of the draft.

Sinorice Moss, WR/KR, Miami
Nobody ever doubted his speed and Moss didn't dissapoint. By most accounts he was uncoverable in practice. Beat Tye Hill, the best cover man in Mobile, for a TD Saturday. Only issue is size at just under 5-8. Solidified first day status and is certainly the #1 kick returner/slot WR available. Only WR that had a great week, really.

Dominique Byrd, TE, USC
After Vernon Davis its a close race at the tight end position. Byrd might have sealed the #2 slot this week. This forgotten weapon in the USC offense looked good as blocker and was always open downfield. Showed great hands and can gain some yards after the catch. Big week for Byrd.

Nick Mangold, C, Ohio State
Mangold was a rock all week. He stuffed all comers in one-on-one drills. He showed strength, smarts and the ability to get out and block on the next level. Could conceivably sneak into the end of the first round--won't get out of the second.

-Losers-

Derek Hagan, WR, Arizona State
Had a touchdown in the game, but also a couple drops. Was dropping everything all week. Didn't show the kind of speed to make scouts forget about those drops. Nobody hurt there stock more in Mobile. Fell from first round to maybe out of the first day.

Elvis Dumervil, DE/OLB, Louisville
Things were bad from the start for Elvis when he measured in at just over 5-11 and 258 pounds. In drills he didn't show enough quickness for an undersized end. Seemed like a different player. Still quick off the ball, though. Looked as if Dumervil was playing robotic, trying new techniques. Certainly killed his shot at round one, but passsrushers are still in demand. Still a day one prospect. Probably best fit is 3-4 scheme linebacker.

Mathias Kiwanuka, DE, Boston College
Very sluggish in one-on-one drills. Was handled too easily. Then was held out of the game for injury concern. Just precationary, though. Was surely passed by Hali as the #2 pure DE. Kiwi should still go in round one, just later than expected. Also a little smaller than advertised at 6-5, 262.

Marcedes Lewis, TE, UCLA
Lewis was a non-factor. He should have stayed home this week, as his weaknesses were exposed. Lewis just isn't explosive enough and is the weakest blocker of the top TEs. Was probably leapfrogged by Byrd and Klopfstein at TE from the Senior Bowl alone. When you factor in Vern Davis, Leonard Pope and Anthony Fasano--Lewis may have fallen to about #6 on my list.

DeMeco Ryans, LB, Alabama
Measured in small(6-0, 229) and looked slow. Was roasted by Byrd for a long gain in the game. Never really made his presence known. Didn't look particularly sharp in drills either. Lost ground on Hawk and Greenway. Doubt he goes any higher than round two. Could be one of the shocker guys that falls for a while on draft day due to LB depth.

DJ Shockley/Michael Robinson, QB
Same story for both of these guys. They have little to no future as NFL QBs. Robinson could catch on at another position. Runningback would be best fit, in my opinion. Shockley may not get drafted at all.

Senior Bowl Rosters

2008-03-11T11:56:00.000-07:00

Official rosters from www.seniorbowl.com. Some serious talent to watch next Saturday.

2006 Senior Bowl – South Team Numerical Roster
Coaching Staff: San Francisco 49ers

1 Devin Aromashodu WR 6-2 198 Auburn
2 DeMario Minter CB 5-11 198 Georgia
2 Ben Obomanu WR 6-1 205 Auburn
3 D.J. Shockley QB 6-1 214 Georgia
4 Darrell Hackney QB 6-1 245 UAB
5 Skyler Green WR 5-9 197 LSU
6 Cedric Griffin CB 6-1 190 Texas
7 Marcus Hudson DB 6-2 200 N.C. State
8 Freddie Roach LB 6-2 250 Alabama
9 Anthony Mix WR 6-5 248 Auburn
10 Joseph Addai RB 5-11 210 LSU
12 Brodie Croyle QB 6-3 205 Alabama
17 Greg Blue SA 6-2 211 Georgia
18 Hank Baskett WR 6-3 219 New Mexico
19 Marcedes Lewis TE 6-6 255 UCLA
20 DeAngelo Williams RB 5-10 217 Memphis
21 Jerious Norwood RB 6-0 204 Mississippi St
22 Kelly Jennings CB 5-11 180 Miami
23 Tim Jennings CB 5-9 182 Georgia
24 Pat Watkins SA 6-4 202 Florida State
32 Stephen Gostkowski K 6-2 200 Memphis
35 Garrett Mills FB 6-2 226 Tulsa
35 DeMeco Ryans LB 6-2 236 Alabama
38 Andre Hall RB 5-9 204 South Florida
40 Thomas Howard LB 6-3 231 UTEP
41 Roman Harper SA 6-0 196 Alabama
42 Spencer Havner LB 6-3 235 UCLA
44 Gerris Wilkinson LB 6-3 238 Georgia Tech
47 Mark Anderson DE 6-4 256 Alabama
51 Travis Williams LB 6-0 216 Auburn
52 Brodrick Bunkley DL 6-2 286 Florida State
55 Jesse Mahelona DL 6-2 304 Tennessee
63 Ryan Cook OL 6-7 322 New Mexico
68 Mike Degory OL 6-5 301 Florida
70 Cody Douglas OL 6-4 330 Tennessee
71 Jonathan Scott OL 6-7 307 Texas
72 Albert Toeaina OL 6-5 352 Tennessee
73 Marcus McNeill OL 6-8 332 Auburn
74 Eric Winston OL 6-6 310 Miami
75 Will Allen OL 6-5 309 Texas
77 Max Jean-Gilles OL 6-4 358 Georgia
81 Thomas Olmsted P 6-4 217 Troy
82 T.J. Williams TE 6-2 253 N.C. State
83 Sinorice Moss WR 5-8 185 Miami
91 Manny Lawson DE 6-4 230 N.C. State
92 Orien Harris DE 6-3 301 Miami
94 Kamerion Wimbley DE 6-3 240 Florida State
95 Kyle Williams DL 6-2 295 LSU
98 Elvis Dumervil DE 6-0 254 Louisville
99 Parys Haralson DE 6-2 250 Tennessee

2006 Senior Bowl -- North Team Numerical Roster
Coaching Staff: Tennessee Titans

1 Will Blackmon CB 6-0 191 Boston College
1 Anwar Phillips CB 6-0 190 Penn State
2 Demetrius Williams WR 6-2 184 Oregon
4 Jahmile Addae SA 5-11 205 West Virginia
4 Travis Wilson WR 6-2 215 Oklahoma
6 Jay Cutler QB 6-3 219 Vanderbilt
6 Charlie Whitehurst QB 6-5 223 Clemson
8 Jason Avant WR 6-2 210 Michigan
8 Tye Hill CB 5-9 179 Clemson
9 Jerome Harrison RB 5-9 202 Washington St
11 Mike Bell RB 6-1 212 Arizona
12 Michael Robinson QB 6-2 215 Penn State
14 Daniel Bullocks SA 6-0 205 Nebraska
15 Martin Nance WR 6-4 212 Miami, OH
17 Lawrence Vickers FB 6-0 233 Colorado
18 Chad Greenway LB 6-3 243 Iowa
20 Anthony Smith SA 6-0 194 Syracuse
21 Maurice Stovall WR 6-4 236 Notre Dame
26 David Pittman DB 5-11 171 Northwestern St
27 Brian Iwuh LB 6-0 226 Colorado
28 Darrell Hunter CB 5-11 211 Miami, OH
29 John Torp P 6-1 222 Colorado
32 Cedric Humes RB 6-1 233 Virginia Tech
38 Terrence Whitehead RB 5-10 225 Oregon
40 Deric Yaussi K 5-11 199 Wyoming
42 Jon Alston LB 6-1 215 Stanford
44 Clint Ingram LB 6-1 236 Oklahoma
51 Abdul Hodge LB 6-1 231 Iowa
52 D’Qwell Jackson LB 6-1 227 Maryland
54 Marvin Philip OL 6-2 298 California
55 Nick Mangold OL 6-4 296 Ohio State
55 Darryl Tapp DE 6-2 266 Virginia Tech
56 Jonathan Lewis DL 6-1 308 Virginia Tech
56 Charles Spencer OL 6-5 330 Pittsburgh
61 Ryan O’Callaghan OL 6-7 363 California
66 D’Brickashaw Ferguson OL 6-5 295 Virginia
68 Mark Setterstrom OL 6-4 307 Minnesota
72 Jeremy Trueblood OL 6-8 319 Boston College
73 Daryn Colledge OL 6-4 295 Boise State
76 Deuce Lutui OL 6-5 375 USC
77 Davin Joseph OL 6-4 315 Oklahoma
78 Gabe Watson DL 6-3 335 Michigan
80 Derek Hagan WR 6-2 202 Arizona State
86 Dominique Byrd TE 6-3 260 USC
89 Joe Klopfenstein TE 6-5 245 Colorado
91 Tamba Hali DE 6-2 265 Penn State
94 Mathias Kiwanuka DE 6-6 258 Boston College
95 Victor Adeyanju DE 6-4 265 Indiana
96 Babatunde Oshinowo DL 6-2 320 Stanford
99 Dusty Dvoracek DL 6-3 302 Oklahoma

Top 100 NFL Prospects

2008-03-11T11:54:00.001-07:00

Okay, all juniors (and a couple sophomores) are in. Here is a look at the top 100 prospects available for the 2006 NFL Draft. Next chance for players to improve their stock is the All-Star bowls, then comes the combine. As always, this is not a prediction of the order players will ultimately get drafted, just my ranking. For a projection of how things could shake out, check out the latest mock draft.

1	Reggie Bush	RB	USC	6'0	200
2	Vince Young	QB	Texas	6'5	233
3	Matt Leinart	QB	USC	6'5	225
4	Mario Williams	DE	NC State	6'7	290
5	Haloti Ngata	DT	Oregon	6'4	345
6	Vernon Davis	TE	Maryland	6'3	253
7	DeAngelo Williams	RB	Memphis	5'10	217
8	AJ Hawk	LB	Ohio State	6'2	240
9	Jonathan Scott	OT	Texas	6'7	315
10	Mathias Kiwanuka	DE	Boston College	6'7	265
11	Michael Huff	FS/CB	Texas	6'1	200
12	Tamba Hali	DE	Penn State	6'3	265
13	Santonio Holmes	WR	Ohio State	5'11	190
14	Marcus McNeill	OT	Auburn	6'9	340
15	LenDale White	RB	USC	6'2	235
16	Elvis Dumervil	LB/DE	Louisville	6'0	256
17	Tye Hill	CB	Clemson	5'10	190
18	Demario Minter	CB	Georgia	6'0	195
19	DeMeco Ryans	OLB	Alabama	6'2	235
20	Jimmy Williams	CB/FS	Virginia Tech	6'2	210
21	Chad Greenway	OLB	Iowa	6'3	240
22	D'brickashaw Ferguson	OT	Virginia	6'5	289
23	Marcedes Lewis	TE	UCLA	6'6	256
24	Ashton Youboty	CB	Ohio State	6'1	185
25	Laurence Maroney	RB	Minnesota	5'11	205
26	Eric Winston	OT	Miami	6'7	312
27	Brodrick Bunkley	DT	Florida State	6'2	295
28	Darnell Bing	SS	USC	6'2	225
29	Derek Hagan	WR	Arizona State	6'2	200
30	Gabe Watson	DT	Michigan	6'4	335
31	Ko Simpson	FS	South Carolina	6'1	200
32	Jesse Mahelona	DT	Tennessee	6'2	300
33	Bobby Carpenter	OLB	Ohio State	6'3	255
34	Jeremy Trueblood	OT	Boston College	6'9	330
35	Manny Lawson	OLB/DE	NC State	6'5	245
36	Jay Cutler	QB	Vanderbilt	6'3	220
37	Pat Watkins	FS	Florida State	6'4	205
38	Rodrique Wright	DT	Texas	6'5	320
39	Jonathan Orr	WR	Wisconsin	6'2	195
40	Jonathan Jospeh	CB	South Carolina	5'11	185
41	Leonard Pope	TE	Georgia	6'7	250
42	Dee Webb	CB	Florida State	5'11	190
43	Abdul Hodge	ILB	Iowa	6'2	240
44	Daryn Colledge	OT	Boise State	6'5	295
45	Antonio Cromartie	CB	Florida State	6'3	205
46	Stanley McGlover	DE/OLB	Auburn	6'3	255
47	Winston Justice	OT	USC	6'5	310
48	Greg Eslinger	C	Minnesota	6'3	285
49	Brad Smith	WR	Missouri	6'2	215
50	Joseph Addai	RB	LSU	6'0	210
51	Hank Baskett	WR	New Mexico	6'4	220
52	Thomas Howard	OLB	UTEP	6'3	240
53	Alan Zamaitis	CB/FS	Penn State	6'2	200
54	Claude Wroten	DT	LSU	6'3	290
55	Max Jean-Gilles	OG	Georgia	6'4	340
56	Nick Mangold	C	Ohio State	6'4	290
57	Charles Gordon	CB	Kansas	5'11	180
58	Roman Harper	FS	Alabama	6'1	200
59	Maurice Drew	RB	UCLA	5'8	205
60	Jason Allen	FS/CB	Tennessee	6'2	200
61	Martin Nance	WR	Miami-Ohio	6'4	215
62	Jason Avant	WR	Michigan	6'1	210
63	Richard Marshall	CB	Fresno State	5'11	190
64	Davin Joseph	OG	Oklahoma	6'3	315
65	Devin Hester	CB	Miami	5'11	185
66	Mike Degory	C	Florida	6'5	300
67	Kai Parham	ILB	Virginia	6'3	245
68	Ryan O'Calaghan	OT	California	6'7	340
69	Will Blackmon	CB	Boston College	6'0	195
70	Daryl Tapp	DE	Virginia Tech	6'1	265
71	Nate Salley	S	Ohio State	6'2	215
72	Mike Hass	WR	Oregon State	6'1	205
73	D'Qwell Jackson	ILB	Maryland	6'1	230
74	Donte Whitner	S	Ohio State	5'11	205
75	Ray Edwards	DE	Purdue	6'6	270
76	Anthony Fasano	TE	Notre Dame	6'4	257
77	Andrew Whitworth	T/G	LSU	6'7	325
78	Garrett Mills	FB/TE	Tulsa	6'2	235
79	Bernard Pollard	SS	Purdue	6'2	222
80	Greg blue	FS	Georgia	6'2	215
81	Dominique Byrd	TE	USC	6'3	260
82	Kamerion Wimbley	DE/OLB	Florida State	6'4	255
83	Kelly Jennings	CB	Miami	5'11	180
84	AJ Nicholson	OLB	Florida State	6'2	235
85	Chad Jackson	WR	Florida	6'1	205
86	Parys Haralson	OLB/DE	Tennessee	6'2	250
87	John McCargo	DT	NC State	6'2	295
88	Joe Klopfstein	TE	Colorado	6'6	245
89	Omar Jacobs	QB	Bowling Green	6'4	224
90	Frostee Rucker	DE	USC	6'3	260
91	Greg Lee	WR	Pittsburgh	6'2	200
92	Taitusi Lutui	OG	USC	6'5	370
93	Freddie Roach	ILB	Alabama	6'2	245
94	Tim Jennings	CB	Georgia	5'8	180
95	Eric Henderson	DE	Georgia Tech	6'2	265
96	Todd Watkins	WR	BYU	6'3	185
97	Sinorice Moss	WR	Miamai	5'8	185
98	Demetrius Williams	WR	Oregon	6'2	185
99	Dion Byrum	CB	Ohio	5'11	180
100	Jerome Harrison	RB	Washington State	5'9	200

Declared Underclassmen

2008-03-11T11:53:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: This looks to be the final list. Waiting to hear about any last minute players when the NFL releases the official list. Prospects that don't sign with an agent have until the 18th to withdraw and go back to school.

Omar Jacobs, QB , Bowling Green
Brandon Kirsch, QB, Purdue
Marcus Vick, QB, Virginia Tech
Vince Young, QB, Texas

Cornell Brockington, RB, Connecticut
Reggie Bush, RB, USC
Brian Calhoun, RB, Wisconsin
Maurice Drew, RB, UCLA
Laurence Maroney , RB, Minnesota
Demetris Summers, RB, South Carolina
LenDale White, RB, USC

Santonio Holmes, WR , Ohio State
Chad Jackson , WR , Florida
Greg Lee, WR , Pittsburgh
Drouzon Quillen, WR, Louisianna-Monroe
Cory Rogers, WR, TCU
DJ Smith, WR, Idaho

Willie Hall, OT, Middle Tenn State
Winston Justice, OT, USC
Derek Morris, OT, NC State

Fred Matua, G, USC
Rob Smith, G, Tennessee

Vernon Davis, TE , Maryland
Leonard Pope, TE, Georgia
Anthony Fasano, TE , Notre Dame

Ray Edwards, DE , Purdue
Stanley McClover, DE, Auburn
Michael Williams, DE, Texas College
Mario Williams, DE, NC State

John McCargo, DT, NC State
Tony McDaniel, DT, Tennessee
Haloti Ngata, DT, Oregon

Kai Parham, ILB, Virginia

Paul Szczesny, OLB, Arizona State
Ernie Sims, OLB , Florida State
Stephen Tulloch, OLB, NC State

Antonio Cromartie, CB, Florida State
Charles Gordon, CB , Kansas
Devin Hester, CB, Miami
Jonathan Joseph, CB, South Carolina
Richard Marshall, CB, Fresno State
Derrick Martin, CB, Wyoming
Dee Webb, CB, Florida
Ashton Youboty, CB, Ohio State

Ko Simpson, FS , South Carolina

Darnell Bing, SS, USC
Danieal Manning, SS, Abilene Christian
Bernard Pollard, SS, Purdue
Donte Whitner, SS, Ohio State

49ers Staff to Coach Senior Bowl

2008-03-11T11:51:00.000-07:00

Good news to 49ers fans. Mike Nolan and the San Francisco 49ers coaching staff will coach the South team at the 2006 Senior Bowl. As Nolan indicates, coaching the Senior Bowl gives a team an advantage in the scouting department. Something like 95% of players who participate, get drafted.

“For us to have an opportunity to coach those guys and evaluate them first-hand in meetings, getting to know them, eating with them and doing all those things for an entire week puts us one up in the evaluation process.”

Phillip Rivers in the '04 draft and Carnell "Cadilac" Williams in '05 were selected by the teams that coached them in Mobile. It was widely reported at the time that both Marty Schottenheimer and Jon Gruden fell in love with their respective picks. There are probably a lot more instances of this happening, but I'm too lazy to look it up. I'll be keeping a close eye on players Nolan and company are raving about during the week.

The Tennessee Titans staff will coach the North squad.

Flurry of Underclassmen Declare for NFL

2008-03-11T11:50:00.000-07:00

Some notable names have made public their intentions of heading to the NFL. Here is the list of big name prospects so far, in order my rank. January 15th is the deadline to declare. After the Rose Bowl there should be some more names, such as; Reggie Bush, LenDale White, Darnell Bing and you can count Vince Young in for sure if Texas wins the National Championship (50/50 if they lose).

Mario Williams, DE, NC State
Vernon Davis, TE, Maryland
Laurence Maroney , RB, Minnesota
Santonio Holmes, WR Ohio State
Leonard Pope, TE, Georgia
Antonio Cromartie, CB, Florida State
Winston Justice, OT, USC
Maurice Drew, RB, UCLA
Greg Lee, WR Pittsburgh
Bernard Pollard, SS, Purdue
Ray Edwards, DE, Purdue
Devin Hester, CB, Miami

Williams, Davis, Maroney and Holmes were all expected and good decisions. Maurice Drew is a little surprising, but like Ryan Moats last year, staying in school won't help his stock. If you're looking for a 3rd or 4th round kick returner and change of pace back--Drew is your guy.

As always, too many players declare, hurting themselves in the long run. The earlier they declare, the more you have to wonder, like with Pollard and Edwards from Purdue. Other players I'd say made a bad call are Devin Hester and Greg Lee. Lee just hasn't progressed enough and could have improved his stock with a more consistent year. Hester has so much natural talent, it would really have benefited him to go back and dedicate himself to either CB or WR. As a corner his 4.3 speed could have put him in the PacMan Jones class. Now he may not get consideration inside the first two rounds or fall out of the first day altogether.

Antonio Cromartie is an interesting case. He has the talent to be the first CB selected. But after being injured all year, he has a lot to prove to scouts before the draft. If he checks out, he could sneak into the 1st round. If not he could fall out of the first day.

End of Season Mock Draft

2008-03-11T11:49:00.000-07:00

Okay, the draft order is pretty much set. Oakland won the coin toss today for the 6th pick, so SF will pick 7th. There is still a lot to be determined with underlassmen, but I included everyone who is leaning toward going pro. Remember, this is just a scenario that could play out in April. There are a lot of guys that will rise and fall based on various factors. My prospect lists are how good I think they are. The mock drafts are more of where I think players will go. And since there will be trades, I always include them, if the scenario is right.

I'll post my top 100 list, including underclassmen, after the declaration deadline has passed next week. For now, here's the first round at season's end. Plus a few bonus picks in round two for the sake of fans like me, with bad teams and to show the result from projected first round trades.

1 **RAIDERS** QB Vince Young* Texas
So much for the "Bush Bowl". If Young declares, he could go high...this high. He's oozing with talent, enough to overtake both Bush and Leinart. Houston has too many needs, least of which are RB or QB. Oakland moves up to get Young ahead of New York, Tennessee and New Orleans. Some fans might believe Andrew Walter is QB of the future, but Young is a slam dunk. Al Davis will make this happen if he wants it, and Young fits his pattern of physically dominant players. Oakland gives up their 2nd and 4th in'06 and 1st rounder in '07.

2 SAINTS QB Matt Leinart USC
Leinart isn't the specimen that Vince Young is, but he's a bigtime QB prospect. It could turn out better for him as he'll probably end up back in LA playing for the Saints.

3 **JETS** RB Reggie Bush* USC
Yep, he fell all the way to #3. The Jets don't hesitate to move up a spot to fend off other suitors and land Bush. They give up their 2nd rounder to Tennessee.

4 TITANS (from NYJ) OT D'Brickashaw Furguson Virginia
Same pick as in the November mock. Nothing has changed. I think Furguson is a little overrated, but seem to be alone in that. After a salary cap purge, they basically are starting over.

5 PACKERS DE Mario Williams* NC State
Tough call between DeAngelo and Mario. Mario has the measurables and plays the postion that’s harder to fill, so he gets the nod.

6 TEXANS (from OAK) NT Haloti Ngata* Oregon
Offensive tackle would be a popular pick here, but I think they have bigger issues on defense. Houston moved the ball pretty well and were a clutch kicker away from being a 6 or 7 win team. If the new coaching staff wants to run a 4-3, they will need more talent along the line. If not, Ngata is an upgrade at nose and well worth this slot.

7 49ers LB AJ Hawk Ohio State
SF has three starting free agents at linebacker. Need meets value as Hawk is the top linebacker in the draft.

8 BILLS DE Mathias Kiwanuka Boston College
You can pretty much pick the best player available for the Bills as they are in the middle of a salary cap purge and could use talent pretty much anywhere. Kiwi is the BPA here. CB Jimmy Williams or OT Jonathan Scott might be options as well.

9 **Chargers (from DET) OT Jonathan Scott Texas
QB is the first postion Detroit needs to figure out. They are too far out to trade into the top 3. The only other option is Rivers. San Diego could use another weapon on offense, but the value isn't there at WR. The line is paper thin.

10 CARDINALS FS/CB Jimmy Williams Virginia Tech
Williams would team with Wilson and Rolle to make one of the better young secondaries in the league. Don't be surprised if Denny swings a deal for Cullpepper, either.

11 RAMS CB Tye Hill Clemson
Speedburner. Looks to be the #1 prospect at CB if Jimmy Williams plays safety.

12 BROWNS NT Gabe Watson Michigan
Watson is the plug in the middle that Crennell needs to run his kind of defense.

13 RAVENS RB DeAngelo Williams Memphis
Jamal Lewis is a fee agent. Its rumored that either he or Ed Reed will get a new deal. That’s an easy decision.

14 EAGLES DT Rodrique Wright Texas
Wright may be the force Philly hoped Corey Simon would be for them right now.

15 FALCONS OLB Chad Greenway Iowa
Look for the Jim Mora to make a run at Julian Peterson who he coached in SF. If not Chad Greenway is a perfect fit and has it all at the linebacker position.

16 DOLPHINS CB Demario Minter Georgia
Minter's stock should be rising steadily. He's got size, speed and his play has been great. With Sam Madison on his way out, a CB will be a must for Miami.

17 VIKINGS RB Laurence Maroney* Minnesota
The Vikes could really look to clean some house. As it stands, Minny needs to get an identity. The local boy has already declared and could be a big part in that.

18 COWBOYS FS/CB Michael Huff Texas
As an avid Cowboy hater, it hurts me to give them such a fine prospect to complete Parcells' defense. Huff could be a riser if he shows the ability to play CB at the Senior Bowl.

19 CHARGERS WR Santonio Holmes Ohio State
Brees needs more weapons in the passing game. Holmes runs great routes and can make things happen after the catch. I think they'll be good pals.

20 CHIEFS WR Derek Hagan Arizona State
This pick hasn't changed since the last mock. KC still needs another legit threat in the passing game. Hagan doesn't have many weaknesses, if any.

21 PATRIOTS RB Michael Bush* Louisville
Michael Bush is a beast. He can run with power and moves extrememly well for a 240-pounder. Also a threat in the passing game. Belichick always finds a way to maximize his talent vs. the market. He's probably got quite a stock portfolio too. Thought about Demeco Ryans here, but he doesn't fit the scheme.

22 BRONCOS (via Wash) TE Vernon Davis* Maryland
If Davis declares, and he will, he'll be the first TE taken. Fast and strong, his only knock is height but he isn't short either (6' 3"). Could go much higher.

23 PANTHERS TE Leonard Pope* Georgia
Pope is a beast. Bigger and stronger than Marcedes Lewis, and should go before him if he declares.

24 BUCCANEERS OT Marcus McNeil Auburn
Cadilac is the future in Tampa. McNeil is the perfect component to build on that and a better pass blocker than his size would indicate.

25 BEARS TE Marcedes Lewis UCLA
Bears fans made it clear that TE fits in the spot, and I agree. Lewis should score a lot of touchdowns in Chicago.

26 BENGALS SS Darnell Bing* USC
This pick hasn't changed since November. Value meets neeed here. Bing is a substatial upgrade over Ohalete at SS.

27 STEELERS FS Ko Simpson* South Carolina
Word is Ko will make the jump if he gets a good grade from the draft committee. Chris Hope is a free agent not in Simpson's class. Simpson and Polamalu would make quite a tandem.

28 GIANTS CB Antonio Cromartie* Florida State
You'll probably see underclassmen corners declare due to the lack of seniors at the position. Cromartie is tall and fast, two things you can't teach corners. Will Allen is a free agent.

29 JAGUARS DE Tamba Hali Penn State
Del Rio puts a premium on the defensive line, and that formula has worked so far. He now looks for a stud on the edge.

30 BRONCOS OT Eric Winston Miami
Denver has the ability to go BPA here with two 1st-rounders. A potential franchise LT falls into their lap. If not for injuries, Winston probably goes top 10.

31 SEAHAWKS DT Claude Wroten LSU
One-gap tackle who makes tons of plays behind the line.

32 COLTS LB DeMeco Ryans Alabama
The rich get richer. Ryans should be an absulute stud in Dungy's cover two defense. He falls a little due to depth at linebacker and lack of measurables.

ROUND TWO
1 TEXANS OLB Elvis Dumervil Louisville
2 SAINTS C Greg Eslinger Minnesota
3 TITANS OLB Bobby Carpenter Ohio State
4 PACKERS RB LenDale White* USC
5 TEXANS (from Oak) OT Jeremy Trueblood Boston College
6 49ers CB/S Alan Zamaitis Penn State
7 TITANS (from NYJ) WR Hank Baskett New Mexico

2006 NFL Draft Order

2008-03-11T11:47:00.000-07:00

The 2005 regular season is in the books. Houston found a way to blow another game and land the #1 overall selection in the 2006 NFL Draft. Texans GM Charley Casserly managed to keep his job as the man who will make that selection. But not surprisingly, head coach Dom Capers will be fired tomorrow. San Francisco drops all the way to #7 with the win vs. Houston. What does this all mean? Well, there were a lot of bad teams in 2005. I can't remember seeing that many bad teams. The downside of parity, I guess.

The 31st and 32nd picks will be determined by who plays in Super Bowl XL. Teams with the same record and strength of schedule (SOS) are subject to a coin flip. So, it looks like SF/Oakland and Carolina/Tampa Bay will have a coin toss for the 6th and 23rd picks, unless Panthers or Bucs make the Super Bowl.

Team (W-L) SOS
1. Texans (2-14) .546
2. Saints (3-13) .523
3. Titans (4-12) .512
4. Jets (4-12) .527
5. Packers (4-12) .531
T6. 49ers (4-12) .539
T6. Raiders (4-12) .539
8. Bills (5-11) .500
9. Lions (5-11) .504
10. Cardinals (5-11) .508
11. Rams (6-10) .484
12. Browns (6-10) .508
13. Ravens (6-10) .523
14. Eagles (6-10) .531
15. Falcons (8-8) .492
16. Dolphins (9-7) .457
17. Vikings (9-7) .484
18. Cowboys (9-7) .523
19. Chargers (9-7) .559
20. Chiefs (10-6) .504
21. Patriots (10-6) .508
22. Broncos [from Wash] (10-6) .539
T23. Panthers (11-5) .449
T23. Buccaneers (11-5) .449
25. Bears (11-5) .457
26. Bengals (11-5) .477
27. Steelers (11-5) .492
28. Giants (11-5) .492
29. Jaguars (12-4) .465
30. Broncos (13-3) .500
31. *Seahawks (13-3) .430
32. *Colts (14-2) .457

Top 10: Safeties

2008-03-11T11:32:00.000-07:00

Mike Huff and Darnell Bing are the bluechippers of this class. Bing is pretty much a lock to declare. Jason Allen is potentially the #3 prospect after Huff and Bing, but has been out most of the season with a serious hip injury, so there's no telling how his stock will be affected. Dwayne Slay, my sleeper, is a huge hitter, but his speed is questionable. If he runs well, he could skyrocket.

1. Michael Huff (CB), Texas
2. Darnell Bing*, USC
3. Greg Blue, Georgia
4. Bernard Pollard*, Purdue
5. Pat Watkins, Florida State
6. Anthony Smith, Syracuse
7. Roman Harper, Alabama
8. Marcus Hudson, NC State
9. Nate Salley, Ohio State
10. Daniel Bullocks, Nebraska

Sleeper: Dwayne Slay, Texas Tech

Top 10: Defensive Tackles

2008-03-11T11:31:00.002-07:00

There is some serious size available at the defensive tackle position in 2006. It's pretty much a given that Haloti Ngata will declare this year after almost coming out in '05. He's a beast, but he isn't alone. Five of the following prospects tip the scales at over 320 lbs. Ngata and Gabe Watson are closer to 350.

1. Haloti Ngata*, Oregon
2. Jesse Mahelona, Tennessee
3. Rodrique Wright, Texas
4. Gabe Watson, Michigan
5. Claude Wroten, LSU
6. Broderick Bunkley (DE), Florida State
7. Johnathan Lewis, Virginia Tech
8. Babatunde Oshinowo, Stanford
9. Dusty Dvoracek (DE), Oklahoma
10. Manase Hapoi (DE), Washington

Sleeper: Steve Fifita, Utah

Top 10: Guards/Centers

2008-03-11T11:30:00.001-07:00

Guards:
1. Davin Joseph, Oklahoma
2. Max Jean-Gilles, Georgia
3. Rob Sims, Ohio State
4. Taitusi Lutui, USC
5. Mark Setterstrom, Minnesota
6. Matt Lentz, Michigan
7. Aaron Lips, Louisianna Tech
8. Will Allen, Texas
9. Adam Stenavich, Michigan
10. Aldo De La Garza, Texas A&M

Sleeper: Dartagnon Shack, Fresno State

Centers:
1. Greg Eslinger, Minnesota
2. Kyle Young*, Fresno State
3. Nick Mangold, Ohio State
4. Mike Degory, Florida
5. Ryan Cook, New Mexico
6. Donovan Raiola, Wisconsin
7. Pat Ross, Boston College

Top 10: Inside Linebackers

2008-03-11T11:29:00.000-07:00

A.J. Hawk is the only legit 1st rounder that could play inside right now. So I have him listed at MLB, because his value is higher in that regard. Now, if Posluszny and Brooks declare, there will be triple the 1st round talent available. Though, I don't see it likely that both declare. Brooks is a possibility despite his injury plagued year and reported 270 lbs. He could throw down some great workouts in the Shawne Merriman ('05 Chargers) mold.

1. A.J. Hawk, Ohio State
2. Paul Posluszny*, Penn State
3. Ahmad Brooks*, Virginia
4. Abdul Hodge, Iowa
5. Freddie Roach, Alabama
6. D'Qwell Jackson, Maryland
7. Tim McCarigle, Northwestern
8. Spencer Havner, UCLA
9. Trent Bray, Oregon State
10. Tim Dobbins, Iowa State

Sleeper: William Freeman, Furman

Reggie a lock?

2008-03-11T11:27:00.000-07:00

Is Reggie Bush a lock for the #1 pick in the NFL Draft? In the words of college football analyst Lee Corso, "Not so fast, my friend." Yes, Reggie is exciting, sensational, breathtaking and any other adjective you can think of. He's minutes away from winning the Heisman Trophy. His hype is through the roof, similar to USC quarterback Matt Leinart this time last year. But for running backs in this era, especially those who lack prototype NFL size and power, the #1 pick remains as elusive as Reggie himself. Despite what talking heads around the football nation are saying, Reggie is not a lock.

Forget the little fact that he heasn't declared yet. It would be shocking to see him back at USC next year. The biggest hurdle for Reggie right now, is teammate Matt Leinart. Quarterbacks have owned the #1 slot. Seven of the last eight #1's have been QBs. When teams are built, QB is the first spot teams look at. It's the money position.

One player the media likes to compare Reggie to is former Heisman winner, Barry Sanders. Afterall, they play a similar brand of football, and dominated the college game with ease. The 2006 draft is shaping up much like the year Sanders came out--1989. In '89 Sanders went 3rd overall to the Lions. Who went first? Troy Aikman--a quarterback in the Leinart mold. As amazing as Sanders was, you can't argue with the choice of Aikman. He was the leader of a Dallas Cowboys team that went on to win three Super Bowls, being named MVP of the 1993 game.

Who went second in 1989? Tony Madarich--okay that was a really bad call, and a topic for another discussion. The importance of the combine, though, should not be underestimated. It's what helped guys like Madarich catapult to the top of draft boards. Reggie probably won't do much at the combine, except one thing-- weigh in. If he shows up at 5'11" and 195, he can kiss the #1 spot goodbye. No GM will drop that kind of cash on, potentially, the next Eric Metcalf. Now, if he weighs in at 6'0" and 215, while still running a 40 yard dash in the 4.3 range at his Pro-Day, there will be tough choices to make. Even at that size, former Auburn runner Cadillac Williams (#5 pick in '05) saw his back-up, Ronnie Brown, go three spots ahead of him. Brown ran extremely well at the combine while weighing in at over 230 lbs. Adding Vince Young to the mix, who is said to be re-thinking his situation, would only complicate things further. At 6'5" with tons of speed, Young could cause quite a stir during pre-draft workouts.

There is still quite a bit to be determined. The college football season may be coming to a close, but the draft season is barely beginning. Stay tuned.

Top 10: Tight Ends

2008-03-11T11:26:00.000-07:00

Tight end is potentially a very deep position in 2006. If Vernon Davis declares, he'll be the first off the board. His athleticism is unrivaled at the position. Leonard Pope is another talented junior, who is neck and neck with Marcedes Lewis for the next spot. All three are first round talents, but one could end up a steal at the top of round 2. Garrett Mills is an interesting prospect who leads all NCAA TEs in catches (by 25), but is built more like a fullback, and will probably play there in the NFL.

1. Vernon Davis*, Maryland
2. Marcedes Lewis, UCLA
3. Leonard Pope*, Georgia
4. Joe Klopfenstein, Colorado
5. Dominique Byrd, USC
6. Garrett Mills (FB), Tulsa
7. Greg Estandia, UNLV
8. Tim Day, Oregon
9. Jeff King, Virginia Tech
10. David Thomas, Texas

Top 10: Defensive Ends

2008-03-11T11:24:00.000-07:00

When motivated, Mario Williams is the most talented end in college football. His counterpart, Mathias Kiwanuka, is the more consistent player who scouts will fall in love with at the Senior Bowl.. It will be interesting to see how they perform in postseason workouts. There should be a good run of situational ends in the second and third rounds, a couple of which could end up being steals. Even with tweeners like Dumervil, Lawson and Wimbley probably playing linebacker in the NFL, this is a fairly strong class.

1. Mario Williams*, NC State
2. Mathias Kiwanuka, Boston College
3. Tamba Hali, Penn State
4. Darryl Tapp, Virginia Tech
5. Eric Henderson, Georgia Tech
6. Ray Edwards*, Purdue
7. Frostee Rucker, USC
8. Parys Haralson (LB), Tennessee
9. Victor Adeyanju, Indiana
10. Mike Kudla, Ohio State

Sleepers: Chris Gocong, Cal Poly

Top 10: Wide Receivers

2008-03-11T11:23:00.000-07:00

There are no marquee senior wideouts available in '06. There are some good players, but depending on underclassmen, we might see the fewest go in the first round in years. A couple college quarterbacks (Brad Smith, Reggie Mcneal) could also make an impact at wide receiver in the NFL, helping this class look a little stronger. Teams looking for an impact WR might look to free agency.

1. Santonio Holmes*, Ohio State
2. Derek Hagan, Arizona State
3. Jarrett Hicks*, Texas Tech
4. Greg Lee*, Pittsburgh
5. Steve Smith*, USC
6. Hank Baskett, New Mexico
7. Brad Smith, Missouri
8. Jonathan Orr, Wisconsin
9. Mike Hass, Oregon State
10. Todd Watkins, BYU

Sleepers: Clinton Soloman, Iowa -- Greg Jennings, Western Michigan

Top 10: Offensive Tackles

2008-03-11T11:22:00.000-07:00

2006 is the best OT class in recent memory. There is literally tons of talent from the top five down. Furguson gets all the hype, but there are a couple guys I like even more--mostly due to their superior size and strength. There are some potential 2nd/3rd round steals along with some very solid mid-round luchpail types. If you're looking for an OT--and who isn't--this is your year.

1. Marcus McNeil, Auburn
2. Jonathan Scott, Texas
3. D'brickashaw Furguson, Virginia
4. Jeremy Trueblood, Boston College
5. Eric Winston, Miami
6. Winston Justice*, USC
7. Daryn Colledge, Boise State
8. Andrew Whitworth, LSU
9. Ryan O'Callaghan, California
10. Joe Toledo, Washington

Sleepers: Brad Butler, Virginia

Top 10: Cornerbacks

2008-03-11T11:20:00.000-07:00

Jimmy Williams of Virginia Tech headlines this extremely weak class, but might project better at safety in the NFL. After that, there are a whole lot of prospects missing one or more elements of a top CB. This position could get turned on its ear by April. This is what I think of them now.

1. Jimmy Williams (FS), Virginia Tech
2. Tye Hill, Clemson
3. Demario Minter, Georgia
4. Alan Zamaitas, Penn State
5. Kelly Jennings, Miami
6. Ashton Youboty*, Ohio State
7. Darrell Hunter, Miami Ohio
8. Devin Hester*, Miami
9. Tim Jennings, Georgia
10. Will Blackmon (WR), Boston College

Sleeper: Dion Byrum, Ohio -- Richard Marshall*, Fresno State

Top 10: Quarterbacks

2008-03-11T11:19:00.000-07:00

This is an intriguing QB class, but a one man show at the top without Vince Young, who is said to be staying at Texas--though a National Championship and/or Heisman Trophy could still influence his decision. Depth is solid in '06 with a wide variety of mid-to-late round gems. Clemson QB, Charlie Whitehurst, has fallen completey off the list. Erik Meyer is a prospect that scouts love and could be ranked higher, but I haven't seen enough Eastern Washington to say where he belongs. So, right now, he's my sleeper.

1. Matt Leinart, USC
2. Vince Young*, Texas
4. Jay Cutler, Vanderbilt
5. Drew Olson, UCLA
6. Brodie Croyle, Alabama
7. Darrell Hackney, UAB
8. Brett Basanez, Northwestern
9. Paul Pinegar, Fresno State
10. Bruce Gradkowski, Toledo

Sleeper: Erik Meyer, Eastern Washington

Top 10: Outside Linebackers

2008-03-11T11:17:00.000-07:00

It looks to be a very solid year for outside linebackers. AJ Hawk could be considered, though I have him as the #1 MLB prospect. Add a few underclassmen and this position is stacked. Also a great year for rush 'backers in the 3-4 defense (Dumervil, Lawson, Wimbley). Look out for Brandon Johnson of Louisville, though slim, could open some eyes with his speed at 6'5".

1. Chad Greenway, Iowa
2. Elvis Dumervil (DE), Louisville
3. DeMeco Ryans, Alabama
4. Bobby Carpenter, Ohio State
5. Manny Lawson (DE), NC State
6. AJ Nicholson, Florida State
7. Kamerion Wimbley (DE), Florida State
8. Thomas Howard, UTEP
9. D'Qwell Jackson, Maryland
10. Keith Ellison, Oregon State

Sleeper: Brandon Johnson, Louisville

Top 10: Running Backs

2008-03-11T10:54:00.000-07:00

This is the first in a series of top ten players by position. In 2006, the running back crop is very strong at the top. Maybe even more talented than '05 when three backs went in the first five selections. I'd probably take any of Bush/Williams/Maroney over the the '05 group. Michael Bush still might stay in school, but insiders say the USC tandem are already interviewing agents.

1. Reggie Bush*, USC
2. DeAngelo Williams, Memphis
3. Laurence Maroney, Minnesota
4. Michael Bush*, Louisville
5. Lendale White*, USC
6. Joseph Addai, LSU
7. Leon Washington, Florida State
8. Jerome Harrison, Washington State
9. Andre Hall, South Florida
10. Terrence Whitehead, Oregon

Sleeper: Wendell Mathis, Fresno State

*- underclassmen

Pollard Follows Suit

2008-03-11T10:51:00.000-07:00

Word is Purdue safety Bernard Pollard will follow his teammate into the NFL Draft. Pollard (6'2" 226) is a hard hitting safety that figures to go between rounds 2 and 3 in April. This comes just days after teammate Ray Edwards declared.

First Underclassman Declares

2008-03-11T10:50:00.000-07:00

Almost two months prior to the deadline for underclassmen to declare for the NFL Draft, Purdue defensive end Ray Edwards is the first to toss his hat in the ring.

http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/9052493

"It's time for me to go. Me and my family talked about it, and it's the best decision for me and my family," he said.

Edwards said he made the decision because he believes he will be taken in the first three rounds of the draft. He also was driven by the allure of making big money in the NFL, which he said would help his family in Cincinnati.

At 6-6, 270 pounds, Edwards could rise with great workouts. But there has to be a flag raised when a prospect declares so early. However, Edwards did wait until after the Boilermakers' finale vs. Indiana to announce his decision.

Other underclassmen who are as good as gone:
Reggie Bush, RB, USC
LenDale White, RB, USC
Darnell Bing, SS, USC
Haloti Ngata, DT, Oregon
Laurence Maroney, RB, Minnesota
Jason Hill, WR, Washington State (said to be gone if he rates as 1st/2nd rounder by draft commitee)

Key underclassmen leaning toward staying in school:
Vince Young, QB, Texas
Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame

Three Round Mock w/ Trades

2008-03-11T10:46:00.000-07:00

1	Arizona	QB	Matt Leinart	USC
Needing a franchise QB (and an identity) the Cards leapfrog Titans and Jets to get the only one available. Give up #4, 3rd in '06 and 1st in '07.
2	Tennessee	OT	D'Brickashaw Furguson	Virginia
Titans have a lot of needs after a salary cap purge in '05. They go with BPA, a franchise LT to replace an aging Brad Hopkins.
3	NY Jets	RB	Reggie Bush*	USC
Reggie is too tempting to pass up. A star in the making in the big NY market--gets shown the ropes by a future HOF'er.
4	**Houston (from Arizona)	OT	Johnathan Scott	Texas
Texans miss out on Furguson by moving down, but have no problem with landing another stud LT instead.
5	*Denver*	DE	Mathias Kiwanuka	Boston College
Broncos take advantage of 49ers many needs, get the premier DE in this draft. SF gets marginal value with #19,31 and an '07 pick.
6	Baltimore	OT	Marcus McNeil	Auburn
No matter who ends up quarterbacking this team will be glad to see big Marcus upfront. Won't hurt the power run game either..
7	New Orleans	LB	A.J. Hawk	Ohio State
AJ can cover, tackle, and rush off the edge. An upgrade either inside or outside linebacker. But what city will he be playing in?
8	Green Bay	RB	DeAngelo Williams	Memphis
Green and Davenport are free-agents and often hurt. DeAngelo has hands and blocks well, and a slightly better fit in the WCO than Maroney.
9	Miami	OLB	Chad Greenway	Iowa
Dolphins have the luxury of going BPA on defense as well as need here. Chad's internship behind Junior Seau should be short.
10	Cleveland	DE	Mario Williams*	NC State
Mario is a beast, and a perfect fit at end in Romeo Crennell's scheme.
11	Oakland	DT	Haloti Ngata*	Oregon
Scouts' jaws will drop when they see this guy run and jump at his size (6-4, 345). Raiders are very old along the line.
12	St. Louis	CB/S	Jimmy Williams	Virginia Tech
Williams is an upgrade at both positions for the Rams. He'll probably get a look at CB before settling at FS for a long time.
13	Buffalo	DT	Rodrique Wright	Texas
Bills are in a tough spot with some salary cap decisions looming. Sam Adams isn't young, and depth is questionable at DT.
14	****San Diego (from Detroit)	WR	Santonio Holmes*	Ohio State
Detroit moves this pick to San Diego for QB Phillip Rivers. Santonio can take some pressure off Brees and LT with his playmaking ability.
15	Minnesota	RB	Laurence Maroney*	Minnesota
Vikings get a steal here. Laurence should give whoever is coaching him a boost in the running game.
16	Philadelphia	DE	Tamba Hali	Penn State
Hali and Kearse could really put the hurt on NFC East QBs. ND Kalu can go back to situational work.
17	Kansas City	WR	Derek Hagan	Arizona State
KC needs a legit target in the passing game. Hagan doesn't have many weaknesses, if any.
18	New England	CB	Tye Hill	Clemson
This might seem high for hill, but he should time extremely well, and plays tougher than his size indicates.
19	***S.F. (from Denver via Wash)	TE	Vernon Davis*	Maryland
Any offensive weapon will be welcomed at this point. Oft-injured Eric Johnson is a free-agent after '06 and isn't the athlete Vernon is.
20	San Diego	OT	Eric Winston	Miami
The defense is holding up their end of the bargain. Winston should help solidfy an offensive line that needs consistency.
21	Jacksonville	LB	Ahmad Brooks*	Virginia
Brooks is a bigtime boom or bust prospect. The Jags have shown that they have no problem rolling the dice on a beast.
22	Chicago	LB	Demeco Ryans	Alabama
Ryans is a perfect fit as a Derrick Brooks OLB in Lovie Smith's cover 2.
23	Tampa Bay	OT	Jeremy Trueblood	Boston College
The Bucs have been looking for solidarity along the line since drafting Kenyatta Walker. Trueblood should be an upgrade.
24	NY Giants	CB	Devin Hester*	Miami
Will Allen is a free agent. Hester is one of the few CBs that could match Allen's speed. He'll also add to the return game.
25	Atlanta	DT	Gabe Watson	Michigan
Watson is an anchor in the middle. He will take up blocks so Kerney and co. can make plays.
26	Dallas	S	Michael Huff	Texas
Huff will rise after the combine with CB speed and good instincts at safety. Dallas can use that athleticism in centerfield.
27	Seattle	WR	Jason Hill*	Washinton State
Hill has solid size for a WR and that natural type athleticism and RAC ability to provide a consistent threat for Hasselbeck.
28	Carolina	OG	Max Jean-Gilles	Georgia
Carolina has shown they're ready and willing to pay the price for great linemen both in the draft and free agency. Smashmouth football.
29	Cincinnati	S	Darnell Bing*	USC
Darnell will bring another element to this up-and-coming team. A substantial upgrade in talent over Ohalete at SS.
30	Pittsburgh	C	Greg Eslinger	Minnesota
Its been plug and play with the stellers for the past decade. It all starts up front and Eslinger would provide another cog in the machine.
31	***S.F. (from Denver)	DL	Jesse Mahelona	Tennessee
Mahelona would play end in Mike Nolan's 3-4 defense. Bryant Young's eventual replacement.
32	Indianapolis	OG	Davin Joseph	Oklahoma
Its not the "sexy" pick, but Peyton Manning will think Joseph looks just fine lined up in front of him in a Colt uniform.
			ROUND TWO
1	Houston	RB	LenDale White*	USC
2	Tennessee	QB	Jay Cutler	Vanderbilt
3	NY Jets	OT	Daryn College	Boise State
4	Arizona	TE	Marcedes Lewis	UCLA
5	San Francisco	OLB	Elvis Dumervil	Louisville
6	Baltimore	DT	Claude Wroten	LSU
7	New Orleans	CB	Alan Zamaitis	Penn State
8	Green Bay	CB	Ashton Youboty*	Ohio State
9	Miami	CB	Demario Minter	Georgia
10	Cleveland	OLB	Bobby Carpenter	Ohio State
11	Oakland	ILB	Abdul Hodge	Iowa
12	St. Louis	OLB	Thomas Howard	UTEP
13	Buffalo	OT	Winston Justice*	USC
14	Detroit	TE	Leonard Pope*	Georgia
15	Minnesota	CB	Darrell Hunter	Miami-Ohio
16	Philadelphia	C	Mike Degory	Florida
17	Kansas City	QB	Drew Olson	UCLA
18	New England	RB	Joseph Addai	LSU
19	Washington	DE	Daryl Tapp	Virginia Tech
20	San Diego	DB	Jason Allen	Tennessee
21	Jacksonville	RB	Leon Washington	Florida State
22	Chicago	FS	Roman Harper	Alabama
23	Tampa Bay	CB	Kelly Jennings	Miami
24	NY Giants	S	Greg Blue	Georgia
25	Atlanta	DE	Kamerion Wimbley	Florida State
26	Dallas	T/G	Andrew Whitworth	LSU
27	Seattle	FS	Pat Watkins	Florida State
28	Carolina	WR	Hank Baskett	New Mexico
29	Cincinnati	CB	Will Blackmon	Boston College
30	Pittsburgh	OLB	Manny Lawson	NC State
31	Denver	WR	Todd Watkins	BYU
32	Indianapolis	LB	AJ Nicholson	Florida State
			ROUND THREE
1	Houston	OLB	Parys Haralson	Tennessee
2	Buffalo (from Tenn)	CB	Cedrick Griffin	Texas
3	NY Jets	DE	Eric Henderson	Georgia Tech
4	**Houston (from Arizona)	DE	Manase Hapoi	Washington
5	San Francisco	WR	Brad Smith	Missouri
6	N.E. (from Baltimore)	S	Nate salley	Ohio State
7	Houston (from N.O.)	OG	Rob Sims	Ohio State
8	Green Bay	OT	Ryan O'Callaghan	California
9	Miami	WR	Jonathan Orr	Wisconsin
10	Cleveland	OT	Joe Toledo	Washington
11	Oakland	DE	Frostee Rucker	USC
12	St. Louis	TE	Joe Klopfstein	Colorado
13	Buffalo	TE	Dominique Byrd	USC
14	Detroit	LB	D'Qwell Jackson	Maryland
15	Minnesota	QB	Brodie Croyle	Alabama
16	Philadelphia	WR	Mike Hass	Oregon State
17	Kansas City	DT	Broderick Bunkley	Florida State
18	New England	WR	Jason Avant	Michigan
19	Washington	TE	Tim Day	Oregon
20	San Diego	C	Nick Mangold	Ohio State
21	Jacksonville	CB	Tim Jennings	Georgia
22	Chicago	WR/TE	Matt Trannon	Michigan State
23	Tampa Bay	DT	Johnathan Lewis	Virginia Tech
24	NY Giants	WR	Skyler Green	LSU
25	Atlanta	FS	Anthony Smith	Syracuse
26	Dallas	QB	Reggie McNeil	Texas A&M
27	Seattle	DT	Orien Harris	Miami
28	Carolina	DE	Barry Cofield	Northwestern
29	Cincinnati	TE	David Thomas	Texas
30	Pittsburgh	CB	Anwar Phillips	Penn State
31	Denver	OG	Mark Setterstrom	Minnesota
32	Indianapolis	CB	Gerrick McPherson	Maryland

*underclassmen
**trades
Draft order based on team records as of November 15th.

All Underrated Team

2008-03-11T10:44:00.000-07:00

These players should go higher than their press warrants. Some a few spots higher, some a few rounds. These are mostly day one picks. We'll get deeper into the late-round sleepers in the postseason.

QB - Darrell Hackney, UAB - A shorter version of Daunte Cullpepper.
RB - Joseph Addai, LSU - Great all-around back. Catches, blocks, has speed, not getting hype of others.
RB/WR - Brad Smith, Missouri - Former QB with great running skills and naturally big hands. In the Anquan Boldin(Arizona Cardinals) mold.
WR - Johnathan Orr, Wisconsin - Size and speed guy. Doesn't get many opportunities at Wisconsin.
TE - Vernon Davis, Maryland - Guy is a freak. Faster than most WRs. Will be a 1st rounder if he declares.
OT - Daryn Colledge, Boise State - Potential 2nd round steal due to size and OT depth.
OG - Matt Lentz, Michigan - Workmanlike, steady interior lineman from an NFL lineman factory in Michigan.
DE - Elvis Dumervil, Louisville - Undersized as a DE. Projects higher as 3-4 OLB. May break NCAA sack record.
DT - Jesse Mahelona, Tennessee - Unblockable with a motor. Thats a killer combo.
LB - Bobby Carpenter, Ohio State - Prototype size. Has production to match talent.
CB - Dion Byrum, Ohio University - Small school playmaker with good size (5'11") and sub 4.4 speed.
S - Nate Salley, Ohio State - Misses tackles going for big hit, but flashes in on every play.

Top 85/25 Prospects

2008-03-11T10:40:00.000-07:00

Next Update Coming after the deadline for underclassmen to declare.

1	Mathias Kiwanuka	DE	Boston College
2	Matt Leinart	QB	USC
3	DeAngelo Williams	RB	Memphis
4	Chad Greenway	OLB	Iowa
5	AJ Hawk	LB	Ohio State
6	Marcus Mcneil	OT	Auburn
7	Jonathan Scott	OT	Texas
8	Elvis Dumervil	DE/OLB	Louisville
9	Jimmy Williams	CB/FS	Virginia Tech
10	DeMeco Ryans	LB	Alabama
11	D'Brickashaw Furguson	OT	Virginia
12	Tamba Hali	DE	Penn State
13	Mercedes Lewis	TE	UCLA
14	Jesse Mahelona	DT	Tennessee
15	Jeremy Trueblood	OT	Boston College
16	Derek Hagan	WR	Arizona State
17	Tye Hill	CB	Clemson
18	Gabe Watson	DT	Michigan
19	Michael Huff	FS	Texas
20	Daryn Colledge	OT	Boise State
21	Rodrique Wright	DT	Texas
22	Greg Eslinger	C	Minnesota
23	Thomas Howard	OLB	UTEP
24	Eric Winston	OT	Miami
25	Hank Baskett	WR	New Mexico
26	Claude Wroten	DT	LSU
27	Alan Zamaitis	CB	Penn State
28	Demario Minter	CB	Georgia
29	Max Jean-Gilles	OG	Georgia
30	Mike Degory	C	Florida
31	Greg Blue	SS	Georgia
32	Abdul Hodge	ILB	Iowa
33	Joe Klopfstein	TE	Colorado
34	Brad Smith	WR	Missouri
35	Jason Allen	CB/FS	Tennessee
36	Martin Nance	WR	Miami-Ohio
37	Will Blackmon	WR/CB/KR	Boston College
38	Darrell Hunter	CB	Miami-Ohio
39	Manny Lawson	DE/OLB	NC State
40	Joseph Addai	RB	LSU
41	Kamerion Wimbley	DE/OLB	Florida State
42	Bobby Carpenter	OLB	Ohio State
43	Davin Joseph	OG	Oklahoma
44	Jonathan Orr	WR	Wisconsin
45	Kelly Jennings	CB	Miami
46	Mike Haas	WR	Oregon State
47	Leon Washington	RB	Florida State
48	Jay Cutler	QB	Vanderbilt
49	Nate Salley	SS	Ohio State
50	Andrew Whitworth	OT	LSU
51	Darryl Tapp	DE	Virginia Tech
52	Ryan O'Callaghan	OT	California
53	Nick Mangold	C	Ohio State
54	Cedrick Griffin	CB	Texas
55	Rob Sims	OG	Ohio State
56	Reggie McNeal	QB/RB/WR	Texas A&M
57	AJ Nicholson	OLB	Florida State
58	Tim Jennings	CB	Georgia
59	Todd Watkins	WR	BYU
60	D'Qwell Jackson	OLB	Maryland
61	Johnathan Lewis	DT	Virginia Tech
62	Anwar Phillips	CB	Penn State
63	Manase Hapoi	DT	Washington
64	Eric Henderson	DE	Georgia Tech
65	Anthony Smith	FS	Syracuse
66	Jason Avant	WR	Michigan
67	Tim Day	TE	Oregon
68	Matt Bernstein	FB	Wisconsin
69	Drew Olson	QB	UCLA
70	Brodie Croyle	QB	Alabama
71	Mark Setterstrom	OG	Minnesota
72	Spencer Havner	LB	UCLA
73	Dominique Byrd	TE	USC
74	Brodrick Bunkley	DT	Florida State
75	Travis Wilson	WR	Oklahoma
76	Roman Harper	FS	Albama
77	Freddie Roach	ILB	Alabama
78	Frostee Rucker	DE	USC
79	Daniel Bullocks	S	Nebraska
80	Matt Trannon	WR/TE	Michigan State
81	Chijioke Onyenegecha	CB	Oklahoma
82	Skyler Green	WR	LSU
83	Charlie Whitehurst	QB	Clemson
84	Parys Haralson	DE/OLB	Tennessee
85	Dion Byrum	CB	Ohio

	TOP 25 UNDERCLASSMEN	*not eligible to declare in '06
1	Calvin Johnson*	WR	Georgia Tech
2	Reggie Bush	RB	USC
3	Brady Quinn	QB	Notre Dame
4	Laurence Maroney	RB	Minnesota
5	Vince Young	QB	Texas
6	Mario Williams	DE	NC State
7	Haloti Ngata	DT	Oregon
8	Dwayne Jarrett*	WR	USC
9	Brian Brohm*	QB	Louisville
10	Adrian Peterson*	RB	Oklahoma
11	Santonio Holmes	WR	Ohio State
12	Vernon Davis	TE	Maryland
13	Michael Bush	RB	Louisville
14	LenDale White	RB	USC
15	Ted Ginn*	WR	Ohio State
16	Greg Lee	WR	Pittsburgh
17	Leonard Pope	TE	Georgia
18	Ahmad Brooks	ILB	Virginia
19	Darnell Bing	SS	USC
20	Charles Gordon	CB	Kansas
21	Steve Smith	WR	USC
22	Ashton Youboty	CB	Ohio State
23	Omar Jacobs	QB	Bowling Green
24	Devin Hester	CB	Miami
25	Ray Edwards	DE	Purdue

One thing to know about my Top Prospects list is that its more who I think is going to be great in the NFL. Not where players will be going in the draft. Mock drafts will be more of a meter of where a player's stock is and where he may go on draft day. I should have a 3 round mock up next week.

Welcome!

2008-03-11T10:10:00.000-07:00

Each year, fans and professionals alike, try to predict the outcome of the NFL Draft. And each year most everyone fails miserably. Who will be the studs, who will bust and who will be that ever elusive sleeper? I will try to wade through the mess and make sense of this whole thing. But mostly I will fail miserably too.

You may also see some of my work at KFFL.com(premium section) and northwestscouting.com -a no-nonsense site by Rob Olson, who specializes in offensive and defensive linemen.

Looking forward to any comments, feedback, angry rants and general conversation. Thanks for stopping by!