Defensive Linemen at the 2007 NFL Combine

The Defensive linemen and Ends finished their workouts on Monday at the 2007 NFL Combine and the results are just now coming in. Here is an early look at which players hepled or hurt their draft stock.

Helped:

Talk about a workout warrior, Brian Robinson from Texas came to the combine in great shape. Only 6' 3" 259 pounds, but he has huge thighs and is very explosive. He will probably be converted to outside linebacker in the NFL, but he put up some great numbers at the 2007 NFL Scouting Combine. He ran a 4.67 forty yard dash, 6.89 second 3-cone drill, 4.26 second 20 yard shuttle time and an amazing 40.50 inch vertical jump.

Adam Carriker from Nebraska also put on quite a show, at 6' 6" 296 pounds, he had an excellent 4.87 second 40 yard dash, 7.06 second 3-cone drill, 33.5 vertical jump, but what was really amazing was his 4.18 second 20 yard shuttle run time. 300 pounders just don't move that fast.

Gaines Adams from Clemson was the other top star, he blazed a 4.69 second 40 yard dash and a 7.17 second 3-cone drill. He also had a 35 inch vertical jump and a 9' 11" broad jump.

Quinn Pitcock from Ohio State looked a little stiff in the drills, but he is an explosive, well conditioned big man. At 6' 2" 299 pounds, he ran a decent 4.88 second forty yard dash, he also had a 34 inch vertical jump.

Claude (Turk) McBride from Tennessee was another standout. He measured in at 6' 2" 277 pounds, and had an outstanding 7.10 second 3-cone drill time. His 4.81 second forty wasn't great, but his 4.12 second 20 yard shuttle run displayed his excellent short area quickness.

The junior Charles Johnson from Georgia looked good. He measured in at 6' 2" 270 pounds and looked agile in the drills. His forty time of 4.85 wasn't anything to write home about, but his 7.50 3-cone drill time of 7.50 was decent, and he looked explosive and strong benching 225 pounds 33 times and broad jumping 9' 10".

C.J. Ah You from Oklahoma put up some good numbers and elevated his draft stock. At 6' 3" and 274 pounds he ran a very good 4.69 second forty yard dash. He also had an excellent 3-cone time of 7.06 seconds, a 36.5" vertical jump and a 9' broad jump.

The last prospect that I want to highlight in a postive way today is Tim Crowder from Texas. Crowder weighed in at 6' 3.5" 272 lbs. and ran a nice 4.69 second forty. He also had a 7.28 second 3-cone drill time, and a 4.32 second 20 yard shutle time. Several scouts said they liked the way he moved.

Hurt:
A few players hurt their draft stock, by either not running or not running well.

Amobi Okoye from Louisville might have tried to bulk up a little to much, he weighed in at 6' 2" 302 pounds, ran one forty at 5.00 seconds, but he injured himself slightly and didn't run a second forty. The following players hurt their 2007 NFL Draft stock by not working out:

Name/height/weight/school

Jamaal Anderson 6053 288 Arkansas
Kareem Brown 6040 290 Miami-Fl
LaMarr Woodley 6014 266 Michigan
Mataifale Toeaina 6020 307 Oregon
Derek Landri 6024 288 Notre Dame
Ray McDonald 6033 276 Florida
Chase Pittman 6045 270 LSU

Here is a complete list of the workout numbers:

Name/height/weight/1st 40/2nd 40/school

Victor Abiamiri 6042 267 4.84 4.90 Notre Dame
Gaines Adams 6046 258 4.69 4.71 Clemson
C.J. Ah You 6036 274 4.69 4.72 Oklahoma
Jay Alford 6033 304 5.15 5.25 Penn State
Antwan Applewhite 6027 250 4.70 4.73 San Diego State
Baraka Atkins 6044 271 4.78 4.75 Miami-Fl
Dan Bazuin 6027 266 4.75 4.90 Central Michigan
Larry Birdine 6035 261 5.10 5.03 Oklahoma
Alan Branch 6056 324 5.08 5.10 Michigan
Larry Brown 6025 297 5.25 5.25 Oklahoma State
Mkristo Bruce 6056 268 5.09 5.10 Washington State
Noland Burchette 6017 259 5.10 (inj) Virginia Tech
Adam Carriker 6060 296 4.87 4.94 Nebraska
Jeremy Clark 6024 309 4.97 5.00 Alabama
Joe Cohen 6024 315 5.10 5.13 Florida
Tim Crowder 6035 272 4.81 4.69 Texas
Victor DeGrate 6025 249 4.91 4.78 Oklahoma State
Quinton Echols 6007 328 5.44 5.38 Kansas State
Jacob Ford 6035 249 4.75 INJ Central Arkansas
Justin Harrell 6043 300 5.13 5.08 Tennessee
Justin Hickman 6013 254 4.85 4.81 UCLA
Keith Jackson 6002 305 5.01 5.03 Arkansas
Xzavie Jackson 6026 278 4.87 5.03 Missouri
Antonio Johnson 6030 310 5.22 5.21 Mississippi State
Charles Johnson 6022 270 4.85 4.89 Georgia
Ryan McBean 6043 286 5.03 4.94 Oklahoma State
Turk McBride 6023 277 4.81 4.84 Tennessee
Brandon Mebane 6011 309 5.15 5.18 California
Jay Moore 6046 274 4.97 5.03 Nebraska
Quentin Moses 6052 261 4.89 4.87 Georgia
Jarvis Moss 6064 250 4.69 4.75 Florida
Amobi Okoye 6020 302 5.00 DNR Louisville
David Patterson 6021 285 5.10 5.19 Ohio State
Quinn Pitcock 6024 299 4.93 4.88 Ohio State
Jay Richardson 6055 279 5.09 5.03 Ohio State
Brian Robison 6031 259 4.65 4.66 Texas
Clifton Ryan 6026 310 5.03 5.03 Michigan State
Paul Soliai 6040 344 5.09 5.19 Utah
Anthony Spencer 6027 261 4.78 4.73 Purdue
Marcus Thomas 6026 314 DNR DNR Florida
DeMarcus Tyler 6022 306 5.35 INJ North Carolina State
Abraham Wright 6020 242 4.94 4.81 Colorado

3-Cone Champions at the 2007 NFL Combine

WR Anthony Gonzalez

2007-nfl-draft

I try to take in the total player concept, on the field performance (production), level of competition, speed, size, quickness, toughness, smarts and athletic ability, but one measurable that I look closely at every year at the NFL Combine is the 3-cone drill. The 3-cone drill measuers an athletes quickness and change of direction better than the 40 yard dash in my opinion, and over the years the college prospects that had the top 3-cone times tend to be better NFL players. Here is a brief look at some of the top performances in the 3-cone drill at the 2007 NFL Combine.




1. WR Anthony Gonzalez, Ohio State, 6' 0" 193 lbs: 6.54 seconds in the 3-cone.
2. WR Steve Smith, USC, 5' 11" 197 lbs: 6.68 seconds in the 3-cone.
3. RB Garrett Wolfe, Northern Illinois, 5' 7" 175 lbs: 6.69 seconds in the 3-cone.
4. TE Kevin Boss, Western Oregon, 6' 6" 260 lbs: 6.96 seconds in the 3-cone.
5. OT Adam Koets, Oregon State, 6' 6" 294 lbs: 7.44 seconds in the 3-cone.

The Greg Olson Show

Day two at the combine was pretty much the Greg Olson show, it wasn’t quite the performance that Vernon Davis displayed last year, but it was close. The Miami junior tight end ran his forty yard dash in 4.45 seconds, while measuring in at 6’ 5” 254 pounds. Olson has cemented himself in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft and might even land in the top 15 slots. Many scouts felt Zach Miller from Arizona State was the number two tight end, but he ran a slow 4.89 second forty yard dash and refused to lift (bench press) due to a wrist injury. The next best tight end behind Olsen might be Iowa’s Scott Chandler, who while measuring in at a massive 6’ 7” and 270 pounds, ran a 4.87 second 40 yard dash. The other impressive tight end was Michael Allan from Whitworth, nice size at 6’ 6” 255 lbs. He ran an excellent 4.69 (40 yard dash) and did 19 bench press reps using 225 lbs. Also a good pass catcher, but played against a lower competition at Division III Whitworth. One tight end that I was hoping to see was Matt Spaeth from Minnesota; he measured in at 6’ 7” 270 lbs, but did not participate in workouts.

The offensive lineman also worked out on Saturday and below is a list of players that either helped or hurt their draft stock:

Helped:

Ryan Kalil, USC 6-2/299
Wow, continued his spectacular rise up the draft boards. Ran an excellent 4.97 and did 34 reps. Somebody had better check him for steroids.

James Marten, Boston College 6-7/309
A very good workout, this sleeper raised his value by running a 5.00, but refused to lift.

Joe Thomas, Wisconsin 6-6/311
He is everything as billed, no hype here and a sure top 5 pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. He ran an impressive 5.00 and did 28 reps.

Tony Ugoh, Arkansas 6-5/301
Big, fast and strong, but he suffered a quad strain during his workout. Still ran a 5.05 and did a respectable 32 reps.

Andy Alleman, Akron 6-4/305
Another one of my favorite prospects, his draft stock is rising with a solid early workout. Very fast and strong, he ran a 5.07 and did 27 reps.

Allen Barbre, Missouri Southern 6-4/300
Another one of the stars so far in this combine, he might be the next Jahri Evans, also from a division II school. Barbre ran very well with a 4.89. he also did 28 reps.

Gabe Hall, Texas 6-3/317
Very impressive athlete indeed, stock is rising after running a 4.88. Did 22 reps.


Brandon Frye Virginia Tech 6-4/301
An impressive athlete all around, really raised his draft stock. He ran a 5.11 and pumped out an impressive 34 reps.

Hurt:

Leroy Harris, North Carolina State 6-2/302
Poor workout running a 5.37. Average strength, did 29 reps.

Chase Johnson, Wyoming 6-8/330
Hurt himself, refused to bench and ran a slow 5.49.


Mike Jones, Iowa 6-5/309
Very disappointing for a once promising prospect, ran a 5.43 and did 28 reps.


Palauni Ma Sun, Oregon 6-5/319
Poor feet and very slow runner, ran a 5.85 and did 22 reps


Dan Mozes, West Virginia 6-2.5/293
Does not run well for a 293 pounder, ran a 5.36 and did 28 reps.

Joe Staley, Central Michigan 6-5/307
Draft stock is falling after a horrible Senior Bowl, he refused to work out due to a “hamstring injury” Did 27 reps.

Dane Uperasa, Hawaii 6-4/309
He killed his chances of getting drafted in my opinion; he tried to run one forty, but pulled up with a hamstring injury. He also refused tot bench claiming a pectoral strain.

Elliott Vallejo, Cal-Davis 6-7/327
He looked slow and soft, running a 5.34 and doing 24 reps. He should have came to the combine at about 315 pounds.

Julius Wilson, UAB 6-4/327
Another prospect that hurt his chances of getting drafted running a slow 5.44. he also refused to bench due to “shoulder injury”

Marshal Yanda, Iowa 6-3/307
Mel Kiper used to love this kid, he has talent, but his draft stock has plummeted due to his injury. He strained his MCL and refused to work out.

Tala Esera, Hawaii 6-3/312
Recovering from a sprained MCL suffered at the Senior Bowl and reportedly has came down with a bad case of the flu.

For complete 2007 NFL Scouting Combine coverage go to NFL Draft Dog.

New Web Site Launched: NFL Draft Dog

NFL Draft Dog

Hey Draftnicks, NFL and College Football fans, I have launched a new web site just in time for the 2007 NFL Draft, called NFL Draft Dog. I will still be running this blog, but will convert the player rankings and mock drafts over to the new web site. I am also bringing Chris Otwell on board to assist.

A Speed Burner for the 2007 NFL Draft

2007-nfl-draft

There has been a lot of Pre-Combine debate about who is the fastest prospect in this 2007 NFL Draft. Will it be Ohio State’s WR Tedd Ginn Jr, UTEP’s WR Johnnie Lee Higgins, Oklahoma’s RB Adrian Peterson, Hampton’s CB Travarous Bain, Maryland’s CB Josh Wilson, or someone else? We will have to wait a few days to find out for sure, but Josh Wilson should definitely be in the running, (excuse the pun) to be labeled as the fastest prospect to run at the 2007 NFL Scouting Combine. Wilson is a smaller corner at only 5’ 9” tall and 186 pounds, but he is a blazer, he has been clocked on the Maryland campus in the 4.30 range.

Wilson is not only fast, but an excellent, under-rated cornerback and return man. Wilson was a two-year starter at cornerback and four-year letterwinner and played in 46 of 48 career games with 28 starts. He ended his career as one of the top cornerbacks in the conference, earning All-ACC honors and honorable mention All-America accolades in 2006. Wilson is a smart kid as evidenced by his two-time Academic All-ACC selection. As a kick returner, he set the single-season school record for kick return yards. As a corner, of course with his speed he could cover, but he was also strong in run support recording 157 career tackles, including 100 solo stops. He had two career interceptions and 25 passes defended, forced two fumbles, recovered two fumbles and blocked three kicks. Wilson is rising up the draft boards; he played in the 2007 Senior Bowl and recovered a fumble, broke up one pass in the game and returned one kickoff for 22 yards.

Here Comes the 2007 NFL Scouting Combine

2007-nfl-draft

Are you ready for the 2007 NFL Scouting Combine? I hope you have the NFL Network, because if you do you will be able to watch the action for five consecutive nights, from February 22nd until February 26th, starting at at 7 p.m. ET. Here at the NFL Draft Site, I plan on featuring extensive coverage and analysis of the entire NFL Combine process, so check back often for the "insider perspective".

The NFL Scouting Combine is the premier event leading up to April's 28th through 29th 2007 NFL Draft. The 327 draft-eligible NFL prospects convening at the RCA Dome will be poked, prodded, stretched, measured, timed, tested, interviewed and quizzed by NFL scouts, and put on display for every team in the league. At the combine, many questions will be answered, but even more will be raised, depending on which NFL Prospects choose to do a workout. Many of the top stars, especially those already assured of a high draft pick and those recovering from injuries, will instead choose to work out on their schools' "Pro Day", which is held in the friendly confines of their own campus.

Speed is the name of the Combine game. When Vernon Davis left tread marks while running a 4.37 forty-yard dash last year, it immediately elevated his status. He ended up being selected sixth overall by the San Francisco 49ers. That kind of output from any player can send their draft stock soaring. “One of my goals is to run a 4.29 or a low 4.3,” Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson explained. “Everything else will take care of itself.”

The following is the NFL Network's day-by-day telecast plans:

Thursday, Feb. 22:
2 p.m. ET: 2007 Scouting Combine Press Conferences (LIVE)
6:30 PM ET: Path to the Draft from the Scouting Combine
7 p.m. ET: NFL Total Access at the Scouting Combine (LIVE)

Friday, Feb. 23:
2 p.m. ET: 2007 Scouting Combine Press Conferences (LIVE)
6:30 PM ET: Path to the Draft from the Scouting Combine
7 p.m. ET: NFL Total Access at the Scouting Combine (LIVE)

Saturday, Feb. 24:
11 a.m. ET: Workouts: Tight Ends, Kickers and Offensive Linemen (LIVE) (repeats at 4 & 8 p.m.)
2 p.m. ET: 2007 Scouting Combine Press Conferences (LIVE)
7 p.m. ET/PT: NFL Total Access at the Scouting Combine (LIVE)

Sunday, Feb. 25:
11 a.m. ET: Workouts: Quarterbacks, Running Backs and Wide Receivers (LIVE) (repeats at 4 & 8 p.m.)
2 p.m. ET: 2007 Scouting Combine Press Conferences (LIVE)
7 p.m. ET/PT: NFL Total Access at the Scouting Combine (LIVE)

Monday, Feb. 26:
11 a.m. ET: Workouts: Linebackers and Defensive Linemen (LIVE) (repeats at 4 & 8 p.m.)
7 p.m. ET/PT: NFL Total Access at the Scouting Combine (LIVE)

Tuesday, Feb. 27:
11 a.m. ET: Workouts: Defensive Backs (LIVE) (repeats at 4 & 8 p.m.)

Wednesday, Feb. 28:
8 p.m. ET/PT: 2007 NFL Scouting Combine Wrap-Up Show

2007 NFL Draft Positional Rankings: Defense

Here is a look at my top ten 2007-nfl-draft prospects for each position on defense:

Image: Gaines Adams, Clemson







Defensive Ends:
1. Gaines Adams, Clemson
2. Jamaal Anderson, Arkansas
3. Adam Carriker, Nebraska
4. Jarvis Moss, Florida
5. Anthony Spencer, Purdue
6. Charles Johnson, Georgia
7. Jay Moore, Nebraska
8. Ikaika Alama-Francis, Hawaii
9. Tim Crowder, Texas
10. Ray McDonald, Florida

Defensive Tackles:
1. Alan Branch, Michigan
2. Amobi Okoye, Louisville
3. DeMarcus Tyler, North Carolina State
4. Justin Harrell, Tennessee
5. Kareem Brown, Miami
6. Quinn Pitcock, Ohio State
7. Turk McBride, Tennessee
8. Brandon Mebane, California
9. Walter Thomas, Northwest Mississippi Community College
10. David Patterson, Ohio State

Inside Linebackers:
1. Patrick Willis, Mississippi
2. David Harris, Michigan
3. Buster Davis, Florida State
4. Zak DeOssie, Brown
5. Zach Diles, Kansas State
6. Justin Warren, Texa A&M
7. Quinton Culberson, Mississippi State
8. Anthony Waters, Clemson
9. Justin Durant, Hampton
10. Kelvin Smith, Syracuse

Outside Linebackers:
1. Lawrence Timmons, Florida State
2. Paul Posluszny, Penn State
3. Quincy Black, New Mexico
4. Rufus Alexander, Oklahoma
5. Earl Everett, Florida
6. Michael Okwo, Stanford
7. Stewart Bradley, Nebraska
8. Brandon Siler, Florida
9. Kyle Shotwell, Cal Poly-SLO
10. Ameer Ismail, Western Michigan

Cornerbacks:
1. Leon hall, Michigan
2. Darrelle Revis, Pitt
3. Tanard Jackson, Syracuse
4. Daymeion Hughes, California
5. Chris Houston, Arkansas
7. Marcus McCauley, Fresno State
8. Josh Wilson, Maryland
9. Aaron Ross, Texas
10. Chaz Williams, Louisiana-Monroe

Safeties:
1. LaRon Landry, Louisiana State
2. Michael Griffin, Texas
3. Reggie Nelson, Florida
4. Brandon Merriweather, Miami (Fl)
5. Eric Weddle, Utah
6. Josh Gattis, Wake Forest
7. Michael Johnson, Arizona
8. Aaron Rouse, Virginia Tech
9. Kevin Payne, Louisiana-Monroe
10. Tom Zbikowski, Notre Dame

Punters:
1. Daniel Sepulveda, Baylor
2. Adam Podlesh, Maryland
3. Kody Bliss, Auburn
4. Adam Graessle, Pitt
5. David SimonhoffSE Missouri State
6. Joe Radigan, Rutgers
7. John Deraney, NC State
8. Christian Koegel, Massachusetts
9. Brendan Carney, Syracuse
10. Brandon Fields, Michigan State

2007 NFL Draft Positional Rankings: Offense

Jamarcus Russell, LSU

Here is a look at my top ten 2007-nfl-draft prospects for each position on offense:






Quarterbacks:
1. Jamarcus Russell, LSU
2. Brady Quinn, Noter Dame
3. Drew Stanton, Michigan State
4. Trent Edwards, Stanford
5. Matt Moore, Oregon State
6. Kevin Kolb, Houston
7. John Beck, BYU
8. Jeff Rowe, Nevada
9. Jared Zabransky, Boise State
9. Luke Getsy, Akron

Running Backs:
1. Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma
2. Marshawn Lynch, California
3. Michael Bush, Louisville
4. Kenny Irons, Auburn
5. Tony Hunt, Penn State
6. Kolby Smith, Louisville
7. Thomas Clayton, Kansas State
8. Selvin Young, Texas
9. Raymonce Taylor, Texas
10. Nate Ilaoa, Hawaii

Fullbacks:
1. Brian Leonard, Rutgers
2. LeRon McClain, Alabama
3. Brandon Hancock, USC
4. Gijon Robinson, Missouri Western State
5. Deon Anderson, Connecticut
6. Ryan Powdrell, USC
7. Steven Bright, Vanderbuilt
8. Corey Anderson, Tennessee
9. Marcus Meyers, Texas
10. Roshon Vercher, Fresno State

Wide Recievers:
1. Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech
2. Dwayne Jarrett, USC
3. Sidney Rice, South Carolina
4. Robert Meachum, Tennessee
5. Craig Davis, LSU
6. Anthony Gonzalez, Ohio State
7. Paul Williams, Fresno State
8. Johnny Lee Higgins, UTEP
9. Aundrae Allison, East Carolina
10. David Ball, New Hampshire

Tight Ends:
1. Ben Olson, Miami (Fl)
2. Zach Miller, Arizona
3. Ben Patrick, Delaware
4. Scott Chandler, Iowa
5. Joe Newton, Oregon State
6. Matt Spaeth, Minnesota
7. Clark Harris, Rutgers
8. Cody Boyd, Washington State
9. Martrez Milner, Georgia
10. Kevin Boss, Western Oregon

Offensive Tackles:
1. Joe Thomas, Wisconsin
2. Levi Brown, Penn State
3. Tony Ugoh, Arkansas
4. Joe Staley, Central Michigan
5. Marshal Yanda, Iowa
6. Ryan Harris, Notre Dame
7. Chase Johnson, Wyoming
8. James Martin, Boston College
9. Doug Free, Northern Illinois
10. Renardo Foster, Louisville

Offensive Guards:
1. Ben Grubbs, Auburn
2. Josh Beekman, Boston College
3. Justin Blalock, Texas
4. Aaron Sears, Tennessee
5. Andy Alleman, Akron
6. Mansfield Wrotto, Georgia Tech
7. Kurt Quarterman, Louisville
8. Mike Jones, Iowa
9. George Batiste, Southern Mississippi
10. Allen Barbre, Missouri Southern State

Centers:
1. Ryan Kalil, USC
2. Kyle Young, Fresno State
3. Samson Satele, Hawaii
4. Uche Nwaneri, Purdue
5. Enoka Lucas, Oregon
6. Leroy Harris, NC State
7. Dustin Fry, Clemson
8. Lyle Sendlein, Texas
9. Steve Rissler, Florida
10. Darnell Stapleton, Rutgers

Kickers:
1. Justin Medlock, UCLA
2. Mason Crosby, Colorado
3. John Vaughn, Auburn
4. Nick Folk, Arizona
5. Andrew Wellock, Eastern Michigan
6. Brian Wingert, Northern Iowa
7. Brandon Pace, Virginia Tech
8. Mike Barrow, Idaho
9. Jeff Snodgrass, Kansas State
10. Kyle Schlicher, Iowa

2007 NFL Mock Draft Updated

2007 NFL Mock Draft

Breaking news: I have updated my 2007 NFL Mock Draft and expanded it out to two rounds: LINK HERE

A Really Big Man from a Small School

2007-nfl-draft

Walter Thomas

What does the 2005 NFL Draft have similar with the 2007 NFL Draft? There were/are two players from a community college that were/are major NFL Prospects. In the 2005 NFL Draft, Larry Brackins was from Pearl River Community College and was drafted in the 5th round (19th pick) by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brackins tested positive for steroids and is not on the Bucs roster currently. This year in the 2007 NFL Draft there is a monster defensive tackle named Walter Thomas from Northwest Mississippi Community College. Thomas weighed 6' 5" 370 pounds at the Texas vs. Nation All-Star game, and can reportedly run in 4.8-4.9 range. He was heavily recruited, but left Oklahoma State early in his college career. Thomas Played in only two games this year for his tiny Community College, but completely and utterly dominated those games with 16 tackles, 9 tackles for loss and 4 sacks. Thomas is only a junior, so this young man has a lot of upside. He has been all the talk recently among NFL Scouts, and I have even heard some say he could be drafted as early as the 5th round in the 2007 NFL Draft.

Top 100 Prospects for the 2007 NFL Draft

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I have taken my top 50 list all the way out to 100. This should be most of the prospects that will be drafted on the first day of the 2007 NFL Draft. However, after the NFL Scouting Combine and the individual Pro Days, there will be some major changes, so stay tuned and feel free to contribute with your opinions. View the Top 100 Prospects for the 2007 NFL Draft here: LINK

Top 50 NFL Draft Prospects List Updated

NFL Draft

The number one ranked prospect in America: WR Calvin Johnson, 6' 4" 230 lbs. Georgia Tech.

View the complete Top 50 prospect list here:

Top 50 Prospects For the 2007 NFL Draft

2008 NFL Mock Draft

Updated 24 January 2008

The NFL Draft order is almost set. Atlanta, Oakland and Kansas City are all tied up at 4-12, so the NFL will conduct a coin toss at the NFL Scouting Combine to determine actual placement for these teams.

1. Dolphins: Jake Long, OT, Michigan
Bill Parcells is trying to bring Trent Green back and he has a history of bringing in veteran quarterbacks. Whether it's Green or John Beck they need some protection. Glen Dorsey is not a prototype nose guard, but Jeff Ireland (GM) is shopping this pick around. His words, "We are open for business".

2. Rams: Chris Long, DE, Virginia
Howie Long's son is a special talent (6' 4" 278 lbs) capable of playing defensive end or outside linebacker. His motor never stops and he is destined to be a hall of famer.

3. Falcons: Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
The Falcons need a franchise QB to come in and rejuvenate the pride of the team. The new coach probably needs to clean house and start with a new slate of players.

4. Raiders: Darren McFadden, (JR), RB, Arkansas
The Raiders should be set at quarterback with JaMarcus Russell at the helm. McFadden is too good to pass up, but watch the Cowboys make a move up here and try to get McFadden, however the price might be too high.

5. Chiefs: Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
Missing out on Jake Long the Chiefs grab the top defensive tackle in the draft. He will help an improving defense. The Chiefs will focus on offensive lineman in the later rounds.

6. NY Jets: Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC
Undersized at 6' 1" 300 pounds, but he plays much bigger than that, and has an uncanny knack for knifing in and creating chaos in the opposing teams backfield. Ellis was spectacular at the Senior Bowl.

7. Patriots: Vernon Ghoslton, DE, (JR), Ohio State
From San Francisco: The Patriots linebackers are getting very old and Gholston is highly prized for teams that run a 34 defense. At a chiseled 6' 3" 265 he has the size and athletic ability to play standing up for the Pats.

8. Ravens: Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville
Louisville had a terrible year, but Brohm was still electric. Brohm threw for 4024 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2007. Coach Brian Billick was fired and the Raven need a fresh face at quarterback. Missing the Senior Bowl will not help his stock however.

9. Bengals: Dan Connor, LB, Penn State
Conner outplayed teammate and Butkis award winner Paul Posluszny in 2006. The Bengals really need to shore up their run defense and that is Connors strength.

10. Saints: Keith Rivers, LB, USC
The Saints really need a cornerback, but Rivers is just to good to pass up. He was dominant at the Senior Bowl.

11. Bills: Mario Manningham, (JR), WR, Michigan
Speaking of Manningham, he really finished his junior year strong, before Jenkins shut him down, he had five straight games with 100 yards or more of receiving and 9 TDs.

12. Broncos: Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina
The Broncos just can't stop the run and Balmer is an excellent run stopper. Look for the Broncos to focus on defense in this draft.

13. Panthers: Ryan Clady, (JR), OT, Boise State
The Panthers had trouble running the ball consistently in 2007, Clady is a very experienced for a junior, and is a super athletic offensive lineman.

14. Bears: Joe Flacco, QB, Delaware
The Bears try to trade down but can't, they don't think Flacco will be there in the second round. Flacco is 6' 6" 235 pounds and has a cannon for an arm, maybe the next Ben Roethlisberger.

15. Lions: Lawrence Jackson, DE, USC
The Lions get an excellent, much needed pass rusher in Jackson. They also need offensive lineman, but Jackson is a playmaker that is to good to pass up.

16. Cardinals: Sam Baker, OT, USC
Drafting Levi Jones to play right tackle last year was a step in the right direction, now Baker can man the left side for years to come.

17. Vikings: Derrick Harvey, (JR), OLB, Florida
Harvey is a pass rushing terror and will give the Vikings some speed coming off the edge. At 6' 3" 250 pounds he can also play linebacker. He recorded 17 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks in 2007.

18. Texans: Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt
Very impressive physically, good feet, athletic and good size at 6' 6" 320 pounds. The Texans have neglected their offensive line for years. A fast riser after a stellar Senior Bowl.

19. Eagles: Limas Sweed, WR, Texas
Injured his wrist in 2007 and missed most of the season. Attempted to come back and play in the senior Bowl but reinjured his wrist. Sweed is big (6' 4" 217 lbs)and talented, but will have to run good and prove he is healthy to susatin this lofty draft grade.

20. Buccaneers: Jonathan Stewart, RB,(JR) Oregon
Carnell (Cadillac) Williams hasn't been able to stay healthy and Stewart had an impressive closeout to the 2007 season rushing for 163 yards against Oregon State. For the year he rushed for 1,469 yards and 10 TDs.

21. Redskins: Phillip Merling, (JR), DE, Clemson
Merling is vastly underrated and had an outstanding junior year finishing with 17 tackles for loss and 7 sacks. At 6' 4" 272 pounds he is a strong against the run or the pass. Merling was much better in 2007 that Miami's over rated prospect Calais Campbell.

22. Cowboys: Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy
From Cleveland: The Cowboys get lucky to see McKelvin drop so low. He is the top rated cornerback on most teams draft board. McKelvin gets his hands on a lot of balls.

23. Steelers: Jeff Otah, OT, Pittsburgh
Capable of playing both guard or tackle, Otah is a talented monster at 6' 6" 339 pounds and will give the Steelers some quality youth and depth on their offensive lineline.

24. Titans: Adarius Bowman, WR, Oklahoma State
The Titans really need a receiver, Bowman (6' 4" 225 lbs) bounced back nicely from a serious knee injury to perform admirably at the Senior Bowl practices and in the game.

25. Seahawks: Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida
Jenkins is a super quick ball hawk that intercepts a lot of balls. Marcus Trufant is likely gone via free agency.

26. Jaguars: Malcolm Kelly, (JR), WR, Oklahoma
Kelly is a special talent, nice size at 6' 4" 215 pounds and good ball skills. He will have to run real fast at the combine to retain this lofty draft grade.

27. Chargers: Dominique Rogers-Cromartie
Two "Cromartie" DBs on the same team? Dominique is a super fast and talented Division 1AA prospect that can play corner or safety. Should run under 4.40 at the NFL Scouting Combine.

28. Cowboys: Felix Jones, RB, (JR) Arkansas
This pick seems like a natural. Julius Jones will not be resigned and Jones can spell Marion Barber on 3rd downs and return kicks and punts. As a backup to Darren Mcfadden, Jones rushed for 1,162 yards and 11 TDs in 2007. He also had a nice 8.7 yards per carry average.

29. 49ers: Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College
From Indianapolis: Cherilus is an excellent prospect due to his size (6' 6" 315 lbs) and versatility. He played right tackle as a junior and left tackle as a senior. Joe Staley will be moved to the left side and Cherilus can play the right side where he has played 37 out of last 50 starts.

30. Packers: Aqib Talib, (JR), CB, Kansas
Talib is a niced sized corner that some are saying could be moved to free safety. CB Al Harris was abused in the NFC title game with the Giants.

31. Giants: Trevor Laws, DT, Notre Dame
This is a tough pick here. The Giants need a linebacker, but Ali Highsmith might be a tad small at 6' 0 223 pounds. The emergence of rookie WR Steve Smith, CB Aaron Ross and RB Ahmad Bradshaw means the Giants biggest need is at defensive tackle. laws is a monster (6' 1" 305 lbs) tackling machine. He recorded an amazing 112 tackles from his DT position this year and dominated the action at the Senior Bowl practices.

32. New England: Forfeited Pick
The Patriots will will lose their 2008 first round NFL Draft pick. The Pats were penalized by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after they were caught videotaping signals from the New York Jets' sideline during New England's 38-14 win Sunday September 9th at Giants Stadium.

College Football All-Star Challenge

Did anyone watch the 9th annual State Farm College Football All-Star Challenge? It was supposedly taped at Orange Bowl Stadium on Tuesday, Jan. 30 at 1:00 p.m. ET, and originally aired on ESPN Super Bowl weekend, Saturday, Feb. 3rd.

There were some very talented college football players on hand: Tennessee wide receiver Robert Meachem, quarterbacks Chris Leak of Florida, Troy Smith of Ohio State, Drew Stanton of Michigan State and Jared Zabransky of undefeated Boise State. Auburn running back Kenny Irons, Miami tight end Greg Olsen, Notre Dame running back Darius Walker and kickers Mason Crosby of Colorado, Justin Medlock of UCLA, John Vaughn of Auburn and Andrew Wellock of Eastern Michigan.

In the eight-year history of the event, 29 competitors have gone on to become first round selections in the NFL Draft. A few former participants that performed well in past College Football All-Star Challenges and went on to have glorious NFL careers were: Drew Brees, Daunte Culpepper, Edgerrin James, Deuce McAllister, Donovan McNabb, Santana Moss, Javon Walker, Cadillac Williams, and Vince Young.

Most people don't take the competition seriously, but anytime you can watch some of the best prospects for the 2007-nfl-draft compete against their peers in football related skills, you should take notice, trust me, the NFL Scouts were taking notice.

I remember watching Drew Brees a few years ago in this competition, he was throwing the ball with pin point accuracy through tires and hoops and he easily won this competition. Well this year Drew Stanton from Michigan State won the competition for the quarterbacks. Stanton looked fantastic throwing and running and he was clearly the most talented passer on the field. At 6' 3" 230 pounds he was much bigger, faster, stronger and more accurate than the other quarterbacks, and this should put to rest who the second best quarterback for the 2007 NFL Draft is. Brady Quinn was a no show again, Quinn has been invisible since his crushing 41-14 loss to LSU in the Sugar Bowl. Reportedly Quinn is rehabbing from minor surgery and will need to have an excellent combine to stop his slide in this draft.

Lets talk about QB Drew Stanton for just a moment. He earned team MVP honors this season for the second time in his career after accounting for 2,252 total yards and 17 TDs in 2006. He was a Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award finalist completing 61 percent of his throws (164 of 269) for 1,807 yards, 12 TDs and 10 interceptions. Stanton also rushed 110 times for 445 yards and five scores. The Farmington Hills, Mich., native started 24 consecutive games at quarterback before sitting out the season finale at Penn State (concussion).

The best receiver at the competition was not even a receiver. Tight End Greg Olsen from Miami(Fl) looked very smooth out there catching and running. At a very healthy 6 foot 5 inches tall, he looked a lot taller than anyone else. A very good athlete with butter soft hands, he was very quick in and out of all of his cuts and he never dropped a single ball. I think Olsen will be a better pro than he was a collegian. He was an under achiever in College, but the Canes were poorly coached and without a quarterback. The only thing that concerns me with Olsen is his strength. He has narrow shoulders a thin chest and small soft arms for a big man. If he stood next to Jeremy Shockey he would look like a 7th grader. Olsen looks to be about 250 pounds, he will need to put on about 15 pounds of muscle to be a complete tight end at the next level.

Everybody has been raving about kicker Mason Crosby from Colorado, I have even heard his name mentioned as a possible second round draft pick in the 2007-nfl-draft, I just don't see it, maybe Crosby just had a bad day, or maybe kicking in Miami at sea level is harder than kicking at Mile High Stadium? His 55 yard attempt wasn't even close. Crosby was merely the third best kicker at this competition. The kicker that got my attention and won was Justin Medlock. He was outstanding, effortlessly kicking everything through the middle of the uprights. He kicked his 55 yarder with 5 yards to spare as he was yawning. Medlock is going to be a great NFL kicker. The second best kicker was John Vaughn of Auburn, he looked real smooth, he bounced one of his first kicks off the left upright and then drilled every other kick right through the middle.

A Receiver for the 2007 NFL Draft

Miami (Fl) University has been a feeder team for the NFL in the past, especially for receivers. Miami has produced (recently introduced into the Hall of Fame) Michael Irvin, the Superbowl Champion Colt's Reggie Wayne, and Pro Bowl, Houston Texan receiver Andre Johnson, just to name a few.

Enter another talented receiver, Ryan Moore, 6' 3" 220 lbs, Miami (Fl).

But the Miami Hurricanes have come on hard times of late, they were involved in one of the ugliest on-the-field fights in College Football history and have been labeled "thug u" by numerous media outlets. So what does that have to do with Ryan Moore, well he has been no stranger to off the field incidents himself. Moore was suspended for the last regular-season game of 2005, for the 2006 Peach Bowl and for the first two games of this season for violating team policy. The Coral Gables police reported an incident where Moore kicked in a car door, grabbed a woman by the neck and pushed her onto the ground, the report continued, Moore threatened the victim's friend to step back ``or I'll do to you what I did to her.''

So Moore does have some character concerns, but if he can get his personal life in order, and commit to football and living a clean life, he could be the steal of the 2007-nfl-draft.

I remember watching Moore as a freshman (2003), he looked like a future top ten NFL Draft pick, he was one of the nation's top recruits (high school) in the 2002 recruiting class and was the first freshman to lead the team (Miami) in receiving yards since Reggie Wayne did in 1997. Moore was named a first-team Freshman All-American by Rivals.com and a second-team Freshman All-America by The Sporting News. He was second on the team with 44 catches for a team-high 637 yards and averaged a team-best 49.0 yards per game and caught a team-high three touchdown passes. He also averaged 14.5 yards per catch and led the team in third down receptions with 22 catches for 238 yards and one touchdown.

In 2004 (sophomore), he was expected to be the team's top receiver but played in only six games because of a foot injury suffered in the season's third game. For the year he caught only nine passes for 85 yards and two touchdowns.

His junior (2005) season he really had a drop off, he played in 11 games, started only 9 and was ranked third on the team with 28 receptions for 464 yards, (16.6-yard average) and scored four touchdowns.

Now the good news, after serving his suspension that I mentioned, it seems Moore has woken up and started playing good football again. In Miami's Bowl game, the MPC Computer Bowl against Nevada, Moore looked spectacular with 2 catches for 96 yards and 1 TD. He was instrumental in Miami's 21 20 victory. Recently in the Texas vs Nation All-Star game, Moore was the shining star, he caught two touchdown passes to help The Nation, a team of college seniors from beyond Texas, beat college players from the Lone Star State (Texas) 24-20.

Moore has nice size at 6' 3" 220 pounds, and nice speed, reportedly running the 40 yard dash in the 4.45 range. He has been invited to the 2007 NFL Combine, and if he has some good interviews with NFL scouts and coaches, he could be drafted a lot higher than some people think. Regardless, I think anywhere after the 4th round Moore would be one of the steals of the 2007-nfl-draft.

Updated 2007 NFL Mock Draft

2007 NFL Mock Draft

I have finnaly updated my 2007 NFL Mock Draft with detailed explanations. Check it out here: Rob's 2007 NFL Mock Draft, and feel free to provide feedback for me to use for the next update.

A Pass Rusher for the 2007 NFL Draft

Edgar Jones, 6’ 5” 250 Lbs, SE Missouri State

Do you know any NFL teams that need a pass rushing Outside Linebacker/ Defensive End in the mold of the Charger’s Shawn Merriman and Cowboy’s DeMarcus Ware? Well I have one for you. His name is Edgar Jones from tiny Division 1AA Southeast Missouri State. Jones Battled injuries his sophomore and junior years, so he is a definite unknown, but this year he came on like a gangbuster. He put on quite a show for the NFL scouts at the Magnolia Gridiron Classic; which is a college All Star Game that pits prospects from Division I-A programs to compete against small school prospects from Division I-AA and Division II. The Magnolia Gridiron Classic gives many non-bowl game seniors and smaller school players a final game to impress NFL scouts. The Magnolia Grid-Iron Classic was played in Jackson, Mississippi on December 23, 2006. Jones was the star of the game and displayed the talent to compete with the best of the best. He not only held his own, but he dominated the game. Jones finished the game with an amazing 5 solo tackles, 4 assists and 4 sacks. Jones is an incredible athlete, with NFL size, quickness and strength. I think he is good enough to be a late round nfl-draft pick, but due to his small school heritage, might he not even be drafted in the 2007-nfl-draft. Jones could be a steal in this draft, he has the potential to be an excellent NFL player, much like Jared Allen is for the Kansas City Chiefs, who played for tiny Idaho State.

Jones had an excellent senior season this year (2006) to say the least. He was named as a first team All-American by the Associated Press. He led the Division 1AA in quarterback sacks and ranked fourth nationally in tackles for losses. He averaged 1.2 quarterback sacks per game and 1.8 tackles for loss per game. Jones had a total of 53 tackles with 18 tackles for losses of 103 yards and 12 sacks for 88 yards in losses. He also had two quarterback hurries, two pass break ups and forced a fumble.

A Sleeper for the 2007 NFL Draft

Players from Weber State are no strangers to the nfl-draft, last year, two brothers from Weber State, Paul and Pat McQuistan were drafted by the Raiders and Cowboys respectively, and both look like they will be quality NFL players. This year another talented prospect hails from Weber State:
Bo Smith (6' 2" 190 pounds) is a very talented defensive back and has been receiving a lot of attention from NFL Scouts, recently playing in the prestigious East-West Shrine game, and receiving an invitation to the NFL Scouting Combine February on 21-27 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Smith came to Weber State in the Fall of 2006 as a transfer from the University of Kentucky where he spent three seasons with the Wildcats in Lexington. In his one season with the Wildcats, Smith earned First Team All-Big Sky Conference honors. He played and started in all 11 games recording 44 total tackles with 35 of them the unassisted variety. He had two pass interceptions, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and four pass break ups.

Smith is just a great athlete, he also had eight kickoff returns for an average of 19.6 yards per return. He could probably fit at safety in the NFL, like most of these Small School Prospects, he will have have to earn a roster spot playing special teams.

I will report back after the NFL Combine with the results, so stay tuned, but Bo Smith might just be a sleeper in this 2007-nfl-draft.