2009 College Football All American Team

I always enjoy these All American Teams and I like to do one in the pre-season, mid-season and then a final post-season All American Team. It's interesting to compare the three teams to see which players either improved or tailed off as the season went along. They will also give you a glimpse of some of the fine young talent that will be playing college football in the future.

Let me explain a few of my picks. The quarterbacks seem to always be the most difficult choice. Unlike the Heisman Trophy, which is just a popularity contest, I tried to look at not only statistics, but how well they played and what they meant to their team. At quarterback I gave the nod to Boise State's Kellen Moore. Not only was he undefeated this year at 13-0, but he led the nation in pass efficiency with a rating of 167.35 and threw for 39 touchdowns. The other quarterback selection that might surprise you is Notre Dames's Jimmy Clausen. Yes Notre Dame had an abysmal season, but Clausen did not. He finished as the #2 rated passer in the nation with a QB rating of 161.42 with 28 touchdowns (TDs) and only 4 interceptions.

At running back, Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram got a complete snub, he is a very good player, but there were more accomplished running backs this year. Stanford's Toby Gerhard rushed for an NCAA leading 26 TDs and Fresno State's Ryan Mathews led the NCAA in rushing with 1,808 yards.

On the defensive line, unless you have been living in a cave you have already heard of Nebraska's DT Ndamukong Suh, but did you know that UCLA's Brian Price finished the season with an amazing 22.5 tackles for loss (TFL). Price's 22.5 TFLs rank him #2 in the nation in that statistic and the only other player weighing over 300 pounds within the top 14 is? You guessed it, Ndamukong Suh. I am not going to tell you that the 6' 2" 300 pound Price is in the same league as Suh, but then again, no one is. Suh is the highest rated player that I have ever seen enter the NFL Draft.

Maryland Junior linebacker Alex Wujciak made a surprise entry to our Post-Season All American Team. At 6' 3" 255 pounds he is a large, powerful, tackling machine recording 131 total tackles this year.

Small, but speedy offensive weapon Dexter McCluster from Mississippi made the team. He is just too good to ignore. I have him listed as a receiver, but he has developed more into a running back this season. In his last three games combined, he accumulated 524 yards and for the season he finished with 1,016 rushing yards and 6 TDs and another 475 receiving yards and another 3 TDs.

There was a serious youth movement on this post season All American Team. There were some freshmen and sophomores that were fantastic this year and I wanted to give them some credit.

North Carolina Sophomore defensive end Robert Quinn evolved into one of the most feared pass rushers in the nation finishing with 19 tackles for loss (TFL) and 11 sacks.

Sticking to the sophomore theme, there were a few defensive backs that were fantastic this year. UCLA cornerback Rahim Moore led the NCAA with 9 interceptions and Texas Safety Earl Thomas wasn't far behind with 8. Another young player that you will be hearing more about in the future is Alabama Safety Mark Barron. At 6' 2" 214 pounds he (Barron) can come up and lay the lumber and his 7 interceptions prove is also pretty solid in pass coverage.

Three freshmen managed to end up as NFL Draft Dog All Americans. Pittsburgh RB Dion Lewis, Oregon RB LaMichael James and Rutgers do everything playmaker Mohamed Sanu. Lewis was one of the best looking running backs in the entire nation, great balance, speed and power. RB Dion Lewis finished as the Big East Player of the Year and ranked #3 in the entire NCAA with a 136.67 yards per game average and 16 TDs.

Freshman RB LaMichael James saved Oregon's season when LaGarrette Blount got suspended. James finished the season ranked #8 in the NCAA with 123 yards per game average and 14 touchdowns.

Rutgers' true freshman Mohamed Sanu is half receiver and half running back and once you get a look at him you will quickly realize he is special. A rock solid 6' 2" 195 pounds he already has an NFL type body. For the season, Sanu accumulated 639 receiving and 361 rushing yards with 8 combined TDs. Rutgers already played their bowl game (St Petersberg Bowl) and Sanu was the star. Rutgers beat Central Florida 45-24 and Sanu finished with 3 total touchdowns, 2 rushing and 1 receiving.

Daryl's 2010 Mock Draft

1. St. Louis Rams: *Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame- Looks like the Rams will finally be the bride instead of the perpetual bridesmaid at the draft table. After drafting for singles the last couple years, spending picks on both lines, the Rams need to finally try and hit a home run. There’s no better way to breathe life back into a stale franchise than drafting a QB. Bradford could be the choice, but Clausen is the hotter prospect at the moment.

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska- Despite finally getting their first win, things should still work out pretty good for the Bucs. They are in the perfect position to reap a substantial windfall from this pick, either by picking the best player in football (just ask the AP who that is) or trading the pick to a team that wants Bradford.

3. Detroit Lions: *Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma- Detroit needs impact players nearly across the board and selecting this standout DT is a great way to continuing stocking the cupboard. An OT like Okung or Bulaga is a possibility as well, but this team finally realizes that it needs to invest in its’ front lines.

4. Kansas City Chiefs: Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State- I’ve been saying for 2 years now that Brandon Albert is no NFL LT and it seems people are finally beginning to agree with me after Albert has pretty much struggled through an awful 2009 season. Drafting Okung allows the Chiefs to slide Albert over to RT or back inside where he belongs. I had them taking Terrance Cody and that’s still a possibility. They need a NT to do what they want to do and they don’t have that on their roster right now.

5. Cleveland Browns: *Eric Berry, SS, Tennessee- I still don’t fully believe the Browns will draft a QB. They need talent almost all over the board and may choose address QB in round 2 with a guy like Tony Pike or the rising Sean Canfield. Berry would be too good to pass up here.

6. Washington Redskins: *Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma- The Redskins would crap themselves if it worked out this way. Things just haven’t worked out for Jason Campbell in DC and it’s in the best interest of both to part ways.

7. Oakland Raiders: Terrance Cody, NT, Alabama- Cody will never, ever, ever be mistaken for a workout warrior but he will put up strength numbers that will make people drool. That could be enough to get him a ticket to Oakland. Putting someone like Jason-Pierre Paul, Carlos Dunlap, Bruce Campbell or whatever other workout warrior specimen you can think of is a cop out.

8. Seattle Seahawks: *Jonathon Dwyer, RB, Georgia Tech- Seattle will likely be looking to put future pieces in place in their backfield come draft time. With Hasselbeck on his last legs and the RB chart looking rather uninspiring, the Hawks would get an instant boost from this tough runner.

9. San Francisco 49ers (from Carolina Panthers): Jerry Hughes, DE/OLB, TCU- The Niners need more than the 10 sacks top rushers Parys Haralson and Manny Lawson have provided this year. I see pass rushing OLB being a top priority for this Mike Singletary-led team.

10. Buffalo Bills: *Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa- The Bills need a new QB, again, but if there isn’t one available the Bills could do a lot worse than taking a top o-lineman. This team has 18 players on IR this year and it sure seems like 17 of them are lineman. Bulaga is no lock to enter the draft.

11. Denver Broncos (from Chicago Bears): Ricky Sapp, DE/OLB, Clemson- This is a gift pick for the Broncos, who through trades managed to swap their 1st round pick, in essence, for the Bears 1st round pick. With the Broncos inching to the play-offs and the Bears floundering, it seems to have worked out very well. Sapp is dangerous, a guy who will make hay in the pros and end up being a better pro than college player.

12. Pittsburgh Steelers: Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee- The Steelers have done a good job of preparing for the future at LB and with 2009 1st round pick Ziggy Hood in the mix at DE, taking Casey Hampton’s replacement and depth at CB are next on the list.

13. San Francisco 49ers: *Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers- On the other side of the ball, the Niners need to plug some holes on the o-line. Davis is a Boston College product with great size, very good athleticism and through the roof potential.

14. Tennessee Titans: Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan- Tennessee’s d-line just hasn’t been the same this year and could use some more oomph. Graham’s breakout season has come during on the darkest periods in Wolverine history but he could be another LaMarr Woodley. He’s thought to have potential at LB as well.

15. Houston Texans: *Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech- Houston hasn’t gotten the return expected from their defensive line despite the presence of Mario Williams, whose chugging along with 8 sacks. Morgan will be very appealing as a do-it-all type of end with the potential to be great.

16. Atlanta Falcons: *Greg Romeus, DE, Pitt- It’s been a generally disappointing season for the Falcons. DE John Abraham is wearing down, 2009 1st round pick DT Peria Jerry has been hurt all year and 2007 1st round pick DE Jamaal Anderson has been a colossal disappointment. Enter the steady Greg Romeus. He has the size, speed and athleticism to make people drool and has very quietly been just as good Morgan and Griffin and better than Dunlap.

17. Jacksonville Jaguars: Brandon Ghee, CB, Wake Forest- CB Rashean Mathis has played well when healthy but the Jags secondary is not exactly to be feared, especially at CB. Ghee is another prospect that has quietly been very good this year. Expect him to make noise come draft time.

18. NY Giants: Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida- The Giants season has nearly collapsed with the team looking anything but on the same page at all times, save for the thrashing of the Redskins on MNF. They don’t have any major needs except better health and focus. Spikes is one of the best players available at this point and would give the G-Men a future replacement for Antonio Pierce.

19. Baltimore Ravens: Mardy Gilyard, WR, Cincinnati- Joe Flacco needs targets to throw too and Demetrius Williams’ performance against the Bears in Week 14 aside, their current collection of receivers is lacking. Gilyard is a special player. He may not measure quite as well as Dez Bryant and he’s a little thin but he has that “it” factor about him. That pulse, that feel that he could be a special player. Either way his abilities as a receiver and return man will have him in high demand come April.

20. NY Jets: Corey Wootton, DE, Northwestern- Give the Jets their due already. They’re starting a rookie QB (a guy who had only 16 starts in college), they have the league’s #1 defense in yards and points allowed and they’re at an even .500. This is a team on the right path for next year. If they keep the defence stocked and add a piece or two along the o-line. Wootton is a perfect fit in a Rex Ryan defence as he can line up inside or out, rush the passer and stop the run.

21. Miami Dolphins: *Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State- The Dolphins need a gamebreaking receiver for Chad Henne and Bryant has all the skills he needs to become just that. Could go anywhere from top 5 to 2nd round.

22. Dallas Cowboys: Charles Brown, OT, USC- Lots of OT talent will be available and the Boys will certainly be targeting some of that talent in the draft. If they go for it in round 1 Brown could be a target as the best of the second tier of OTs’.

23. Seattle Seahawks (from Denver Broncos): *Joe Haden, CB, Arizona- Despite some big names and high picks at CB, the Seahawks aren’t that great at the position. Their secondary in general needs an infusion of talented youngsters and getting Haden at this point would be a boon.

24. Green Bay Packers: Jason Fox, OT, Miami- Pass protection has been a liability and Aaron Rogers has proven dangerous with a little time to throw the ball. Adding more pieces to the defence will be in order but the o-line should be the priority. Fox is a veteran of 35 games for the Hurricanes and could even go higher than this.

25. Arizona Cardinals: *Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland- The Cards depth will be tested with Mike Gandy out. Their key to success is keeping Kurt Warner upright and flinging the ball around and that means investing in lineman. Campbell has the makings of a franchise LT but is considered a workout warrior with raw skills. He might be the best of the bunch left, unless Nate Solder from Colorado declares.

26. New England Patriots: CJ Spiller, RB, Clemson- Getting Spiller at this point for a team whose leading rusher, Laurence Maroney, has all of 735 yards and a 3.9 avg is a complete steal. Concerns that Spiller may not be big enough to handle the lion’s share of carries will keep from being a top 10 pick.

27. Philadelphia Eagles: Navorro Bowman, LB, Penn State- Some of the Eagles young talent at LB has either struggled to stay healthy, hasn’t performed to expectations or both. Picking up Will Witherspoon was shrewd and getting Stewart Bradley back healthy next year will help, but just in case the Eagles may look to add another LB as insurance.

28. Cincinnati Bengals: Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State- Despite their surprise season, the Bengals have needs before reaching elite status and making multiple play-off runs. Finding a Pro Bowl-calibre DT is high on the list. Odrick finally started to put things together this year and could sneak into the first round. He has the athletic ability to wow in workouts.

29. Minnesota Vikings: *Earl Thomas, S, Texas-The Vikings have gotten exactly 1 INT out of safeties Madieu Williams and Tyrell Johnson. Getting this playmaker would make a staunch defence even better.

30. San Diego Chargers: Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho- One of the Chargers biggest needs is RT. Iupati is nimble enough to kick out to the right or stay inside and develop into one of the league’s best interior lineman.

31. New Orleans Saints: Dennis Pitta, TE, BYU- Pitta’s production, while inflated, is tough to ignore. He stepped up as BYU’s top pass catcher after losing WR Austin Collie to the draft to lead the team across the board in all receiving categories. He has never missed a game and is a very mature, intelligent person. He’s too good to ignore for the Saints.

32. Indianapolis Colts: Syd’Quan Thompson, CB, Cal- While Cal’s disappointing season has put a damper on his draft prospects, Thompson turned in a fine season as one of Cal’s best players. The Colts could look at the o-line talent but Thompson is a Colt type of player.

Daryl's 2010 Mock Draft

1. Cleveland Browns: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska- By far the best player in college football right now. Would they spend another high draft pick on a QB? It’s a possibility but not a certainty.

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: *Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame-The Bucs don’t need a QB but probably won’t be making this pick, flipping it to someone interested in taking Clausen, Locker or Bradford.

3. St. Louis Rams: *Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma- For the Rams to continue starting over they need a QB. 2009 1st round pick Jason Smith will have a year of experience under his belt and hopefully will be able to hold down Bradford’s blind side next year. Bradford is a risky pick but the Rams have played it safe with little return from their top picks.

4. Oakland Raiders: *Eric Berry, S, Tennessee- Arguably the top junior defensive prospect, Berry finished #2 in tackling on the Vols D, and led the team in PBU and tied for lead in INT. Maybe one year the Raiders will surprise people and go away from their workout warrior routine.

5. Kansas City Chiefs: Terrance Cody, DT, Alabama- Could the Chiefs take another lineman? They need a NT and that’s not Glenn Dorsey. The lines will be a priority so don’t be surprised.

6. Detroit Lions: *Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma- Like Kansas City, the Lions should be focusing up front since they have other pieces in place at important positions. McCoy helped spearhead the Big 12 top pass defence along with DE Jeremy Beal, a potential 1st round pick in 2011.

7. Buffalo Bills: Russell Okung, OT Oklahoma State- The Bills continue spinning their wheels, handing the team to QB Ryan Fitzpatrick and giving up on Trent Edwards. It’s not going to matter who is behind center unless they fix things up front.

8. Seattle Seahawks: *Jake Locker, QB, Washington– This is a great landing spot for Locker. Not only would he be staying in Washington where he’s beloved, he could sit behind Matt Hasselbeck until he was truly ready to take over. As Stafford and Sanchez are proving this year, it’s not all roses starting rookie throwers.

9. Washington Redskins: Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan- The bright spot of a dismal season for Michigan is Graham’s 25 TFL and 9.5 sacks. Who the heck knows what will happen with the Redskins. They probably won’t even keep the pick. If they do keep it, they could do a lot worse than adding Graham. They gave up a perfectly good DE in Brian Orakpo to turn him into a perfectly good SLB. Which means they still need an end.

10. San Francisco 49ers (from Carolina Panthers): Jerry Hughes, DE/OLB, TCU- The back-to-back MWC Def. Player of the Year finished with 11.5 sacks in his final collage season. 49ers are still looking for a dominant pass rusher as Manny Lawson leads the team with 4.5 sacks.

11. Denver Broncos (from Chicago Bears): Ricky Sapp, DE/OLB, Clemson- A hybrid player with tremendous athletic ability, Sapp racked up 12 TFL and 5 sacks this year. His ultimate position will likely be LB and he could turn out to be a better pro than college player.

12. New York Jets: Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida- Numbers have fallen off year to year but the Gators D has gotten better. Interesting coincidence but the Gator D is very talented. Still made big plays at the right moments and the eye gouging incident likely won’t hurt too much.

13. Tennessee Titans: Brandon Ghee, CB, Wake Forest- Not a pick-off artist but gets his hands on balls, is very solid all around and is battle tested. Teams are going away from him this year.

14. Houston Texans: *Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech- Morgan has really emerged this year with 17 TFL and 12.5 sacks. Houston has struggled rushing the passer despite investing money and picks on the unit.

15. New York Giants: Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee- Really liked him before the season started and even had him on my very, very early mock. Has been overshadowed by a multitude of guys at the position but is still a fantastic, consistent player.

16. Atlanta Falcons: *Greg Romeus, DE, Pittsburgh- This three year starter has racked up 37.5 career TFL with 19 sacks. Plays the run and the pass equally well but does little flashy. Just a playmaker with excellent potential and a large frame that will only get bigger.

17. Miami Dolphins: Mardy Gilyard, WR, Cincinnati- Gilyard really missed Tony Pike when the senior QB was hurt. Things re-clicked when Pike returned and Gilyard put up back to back 100-yard games to give him his 2nd career 1,000-yard season. Could eventually be the top receiver for the Dolphins.

18. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State- His play tailed off at the end but he had a great year none the less. Odrick is very athletic and would look great playing next to the very large John Henderson.

19. San Francisco 49ers: Corey Wootton, DE, Northwestern- Was in the same mock draft as Williams was and got dropped for others but has proven he’s healthy with 4 sacks and 6 TFL in Northwestern’s last 5 games. Big frame with room to grow into a dangerous pass rusher and run stopper.

20. Seattle Seahawks (from Denver Broncos): *Jonathon Dwyer, RB, Georgia Tech- Hard to argue with Tech’s winning ways but you give Dwyer 150 of Josh Nesbitt’s carries and he might just lead the nation in rushing. A spectacular player who gives the Hawks a one-two punch for the future with Locker.

21. Baltimore Ravens: *Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State- Ravens get a steal in Bryant, a receiver who was just coming into his own with 17 catches and 4 TD in only 3 games this year before his suspension.

22. Philadelphia Eagles: *Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa- Bulaga may very well stay at Iowa as the Hawkeyes will return quite a bit of their team next year, including QB Ricky Stanzi, their leading receiver and both leading rushers. The season turned sour with 2 late losses so the core might return for one more try.

23. Pittsburgh Steelers: Charles Brown, OT, USC- Another fantastic blocker with loads of potential, Brown could quickly become a centerpiece of the Steelers line.

24. Green Bay Packers: Jason Fox, OT, Miami- An o-line in shambles needs an infusion of good prospects. Fox has really come on this year and looks simply fantastic in pass protection. A sleeper but should be well known come draft day. For the record, I turned Rob onto this guy.

25. Dallas Cowboys: Darrell Stuckey, S, Kansas- A solid senior leader that is the backbone of the Jayhawk defense. Not racking up the stats this year but plays hard, attacks the run and doesn't give up many big plays. Leads the Jayhawks in tackles with 93.

26. Cincinnati Bengals: CJ Spiller, RB, Clemson- Spiller has set all sorts of records this year and would make a great compliment to Cedric Benson. A threat running, catching and returning kicks and has star potential.

27. Arizona Cardinals: *Joe Haden, CB, Florida- Played fantastic football this year, climbing draft boards and proving that he warrants first round consideration. Picked off 4 INT and 7 PBU this year.

28. San Diego Chargers: Micah Johnson, LB, Kentucky- Cracked 100 tackles for first time in his career and posted 6 games with 10+ tackles. Way better than many are giving credit and will fit in perfectly on a 3-4 team.

29. New England Patriots: Dennis Pitta, TE, BYU- Produces at a high level game in and game out and has been very durable throughout his career with only 1 missed game. Leads Cougars in receiving despite being the focal point for opponents.

30. Minnesota Vikings: Colt McCoy, QB, Texas- McCoy may lack the arm of an elite prospect but he has a knack for winning football games and making the right decisions. The Longhorns career passing leader in almost everything. Getting a year under Brett Favre would be great for his career.

31. New Orleans Saints: *Navorro Bowman, LB, Penn State- Flies around the field making plays. Bowman has great speed and athleticism and will fit best in an attacking defence like the one the Saints are employing.

32. Indianapolis Colts: *Earl Thomas, S, Texas- The future of Bob Sanders has become very murky as the safety struggles to stay healthy after receiving big money. Thomas is tied for second in the nation with 8 INT.

NFL Coaches on the Hot Seat

White hot

Dallas/Phillips Last week owner Jerry Jones told his coach in public what people had been saying for a year—Win in the playoffs or you're gone. There are just 3 problems with Phillips' chances for being back next year. First, the team has under the control of Phillips done very badly in December. An example of that was their 31-24 loss to the stumbling Giants last week. Second, the team has not won a playoff game since Moses was a small child, or at least to the fans it seems that long.

But the most significant reason is there are several “brand” name coaches that have won Super Bowls available. Names like Gruden, Cowher, and Shanahan make Jones drool. Jones wants to make a splash similar to the Jones Palace stadium. OC Jason Garrett is supposedly the coach in waiting. He will be waiting a long time because when the change is made Jer will go for the name not CIW. The Boys is a very attractive job because the team has under achieved for the entire tenure of Phillips.

Washington/Zorn Under Zorn the team's record has gotten worse each year. 2007- 9-7 2008 8-8 2009 3-9 to this point. Owner Daniel Snyder said he hurt for the fans at 2-5. He will not hurt for Zorn. The Z man is gone and Snyder will try to outbid the Boys for a name coach. The problem that he can not overcome is that he has much less talent on this team than Dallas has. The coaches with credentials will prefer the Boys to the Skins.

Oakland/Cable If Cable could only get the team to fight like the coaches do—oh well. Cable is on the hot seat because he benched QB disaster Russell and because his owner is Al Davis. Enough said.

Cleveland/Mangini Mangini thinks that the fan cry for his firing is just noise. Owner Lerner has talked about bringing in a football Czar with great cred to change the direction of the team. The problem is that reportedly he has invited several such potential Czars to interview. They have seen that job and wouldn't touch it with a 40 foot pole with a 30 foot extension. The only thing that might save Mangenous' job is that he has screwed the team and roster up so badly that no one with half a brain would want to even try to fix it.

Extremely warm seat

Tampa Bay/Morris and GM Dominik. Both are first time holders of their current jobs and are clearly in over their heads as head coach and GM respectively. In January 09 Morris was named Defensive Coordinator then went to get a haircut. When he came back, Gruden had been fired and he had been named Head Coach. When long time DC Monte Kiffin the new administration named Jim Bates to replace him and Jeff Jagodzinski to be Offensive coordinator. Ten days before the season started Jag was history because of a less than stunning preseason by the O. After the team dropped to 1-10 with a 38-7 loss to the Saints, Morris assumed DC responsibilities from Bates. The two took over a roster that started out 9-3 in 08 before injuries resulted in a 4 game losing streak and a 9-7 record.

The Owner Malcolm Glazer has to realize that both these bozos are way too inexperienced to handle their current jobs. He may choose to bring in an experienced people to help both try to learn on the job or fire them and try again depending on who is available.

Houston/Kubiac Kubiac took over the team in 06 and can't get this team over the .500 mark. In 07 and 08 the team was 8-8. The biggest problem they have is they can't seem to win division games against Indy and Tennessee. There was some hope as the Titans struggled earlier in the season but now they have climbed over the Texans due to tie breakers. That got the seat warming started. The seat has gotten hotter because Jacksonville is now a competitor for the wild card seat. The team is average and won't get above 500 without a super coach.

Starting to heat up

Chicago/Smith Smith has suffered as many critical injuries as any coach in the league. Those plus the resurgence of the Vikes have driven the Bears to a 5-7 record. He was under a lot of pressure after a 7-9 season in 07 but recovered a little last year with a reversal of that mark. Now even though he has coached the team to a Super Bowl, the heat is back. The Bears have gotten old. The trades and draft choices that GM Angelo has made have not worked out. Smith is going to have to win at least 3 of his final 4 games to survive. Angelo may go as well.

NY Giants/Coughlin Not many people are talking about Coughlin being on the hot seat but I think he is. After getting an extension with the Super Bowl win against the Pats in the 07 season, his team had a disappointing 08 and is stuck in 3rd place in the division in 09 with a 7-5 record. If the Giants don't make the playoffs and get to the NFC Championship game, Coughlin will be in trouble. He may survive one more year or may be gone in January.

Carolina/Fox This is another little talked about situation. This team was 12-4 last year but then folded in the playoffs due to interceptions thrown by QB Delhomme. This year Fox started him again only to be forced to replace him mid season. The team is 5-7 and will probably lose all 4 of their remaining games against NE, MIN, NYGiants and NO. If he goes 5-11 he is gone.

Cooling a bit

Jacksonville/Del Rio Last year Del Rio barely survived but he has the team playing much better this season and right now is line for a playoff spot. He has a tough schedule the rest of the way with games against NE and Indy. To make the playoffs he needs to win one of those games plus the two against the Browns and the Dolphins. If he makes the playoffs he is safe for a couple of more years. If not, he may not survive this off season.

That's what I think. Tell me what you think.

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has officiated both football and basketball, done color on radio for college football and basketball and has scouted talent. He is a senior writer for http://NFLDraftDog.com and edits http://fryingpansports.com. He has also published several novels on http://www.eBooks-Library/Contemporary/Author.cfm?AuthorID=1003 and edits http://fryingpanpolitics.blog.com.

QB Jimmy Clausen enters the 2010 NFL Draft

With the departure of Coach Charlie Weis last week, it was all but inevitable that Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen would enter the 2010 NFL Draft. I can't blame him, Clausen is widely considered an early 1st round draft pick and should be the first quarterback taken.

Even though he is only a junior, Clausen is well suited for the NFL. He has been a starter since he was a freshman and has started 35 games in which he has thrown 60 touchdowns. He is a big kid with not only NFL size (6' 3" 223 lbs), but a powerful NFL caliber arm.

Unlike a lot of college quarterbacks, Clausen has played in a pro style offense his entire career and is used to taking snaps from center. He was well coached by offensive guru Charlie Weis, who was the architect of the New England Patriots high powered offense. He (Clausen) processes informations and goes through his reads very quickly. Clausen has a cannon for an arm and can easily make all the throws in the NFL.

His favorite receiver Golden Tate has also declared for the 2010 NFL Draft. I am sure they made their decision together as it was announced on the same day (7 December 2009).

Clausen really came into his own this year and even though Notre Dame had a bad year, it wasn't at the fault of Clausen, he almost single handily kept them in the game during many of their close losses. Clausen finished the season ranked #2 in the NCAA in pass efficiency with a 161.42 quarterback rating. He also threw for 3,722 yards and 28 touchdowns with only four interceptions.

NFL Draft Dog currently has Clausen being drafted #2 overall to the Rams in our most recent 2010 NFL Mock Draft, but he could easily go 1st overall to the Browns or slide down a little to the Raiders, Redskins or Seahawks.

Decision Day for the Heisman Voters

This is a big day in college football, we all pretty much know that the winner of Alabama and Florida will most likely play Texas for the College Football National Championship. But another prize will be won or lost today, the Heisman Trophy.

Most voters will be casting their ballots based off what they see today (Saturday December 5th 2009), because at this point there isn't any clear front runner. My personal favorite is Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. He (Suh) is hands down the best player in college football and his stats, for a defensive lineman are impressive. He has recorded one interception, 10 passes defended, 6.5 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, 12 quarterback hurries and 3 blocked kicks. Nebraska plays Texas for the Big 12 Championship on December 5th (7 PM) on national TV and if Nebraska wins and Suh dominates, he could emerge as the Heisman winner.

The deck is stacked against Suh however, no defensive lineman has ever won the award, although defensive end Hugh Green of the University of Pittsburgh finished second in 1980.

The front runner has to be Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, Texas will be heavily favored, but Nebraska has a tough defense and even though Texas should win, it might not be the flamboyant win that the Heisman voters are looking for.

The other big game is Alabama against Florida in the SEC Championship. Alabama RB Mark Ingram will be playing and if he has a huge game he could emerge as the Heisman front runner. Ingram is averaging 119 yards a game and Florida will be without one of their top defensive players in Carlose Dunlap who was recently suspended for DUI. Florida QB Tim Tebow will have his hands full with a tough Alabama defense, but if he has a huge game he could win the Heisman again. Ingram is coming off of a hip pointer though, so his performance will be in question.

We can't forget about Stanford RB Toby Gerhart, even though Stanford doesn't play today, Gerhart is ranked #2 in the nation with 1,736 yards an an amazing 26 touchdowns. If the above mentioned players stumble, Gerhart could sneak right in there and win the coveted Heisman. Stanford has a 8-4 record and I don't think anyone wants to try and tackle Gerhart at this point in the season.

With all the talk about Texas, Alabama and Florida, we forget there is another undefeated team out there with a Heisman caliber quarterback. Boise State's Kellen Moore has had a fantastic season throwing for 38 touchdowns. Boise State plays New Mexico today and that has been their achilles heal, they just don't play a tough schedule.

The ACC Championship game between Clemson and Georgia Tech also has a legitimate Heisman contender, Clemson RB C.J. Spiller is the most explosive offensive player in college football and with his blazing speed can take it to the house every time he touches the ball and he will touch the ball, besides running, he catches passes and returns punts and kicks. Spiller is a touchdown machine, he is the only player in college football that has scored a touchdown in every single game this year and he has nine scores of 50 yards or more.

Can an offensive guard (OG) win the Heisman? No, not going to happen, but if I was going to vote for one it would be Idaho Vandal Mike Iupati, this 6' 5" 333 pound powerhouse is an incredible talent. The Vandals ranked 12 in the nation averaging 451 yards per game. Iupati was recently selected as a first team American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All American.

NCAA Football All Freshman Team

(thru 11/13/09)

By: Mike Dixon

Seahawk Columnist

Quarterback:

Andrew Luck 6' 4" 225 lbs- Stanford

2076 yds 11 TDs, 3INT

Running Back:

Dion Lewis 5' 8" 190 lbs- Pitt

1139 yds 12 TDs

Bernard Pierce 6' 212 lbs- Temple

1211 yds 14 TDs

Wide Receiver:

Mohamed Sanu 6' 3" 210 lbs- Rutgers

Receiving: 41 receptions 437 yds 1TD

Rushing 36-263 yds 3 TDs

Eric Page 5' 10" 165 lbs- Toledo

65 receptions 909 yds 7 TDs

Alshon Jeffery 6' 3" 217 lbs- South Carolina

33 receptions 613 yds 6TDs

Uzoma Nwachukwu 6' 186- Texas A&M

29 receptions 597 yds 6 TDs

Tight End:

Orson Charles 6 '3" 230 lbs- Georgia

15 receptions 250 yds 2 TDs

Defensive Line:

Aldon Smith 6' 5" 245 lbs- Missouri

59 tackles 18 Tackle for loss (TFL) 11 sacks

Nick Perry 6' 3" 240 lbs- USC

21 tackles 9 TFL 8 sacks

Jerel Worthy 6' 3" 297- Michigan State

26 tackles 8.5 TFL 4.5 sacks

Steven Means 6' 3" 220 lbs- Buffalo

18 tackles 6 TFL 5 sacks

Linebackers:

Brian Wagner 6' 2" 220 lbs- Akron

97 tackles 6.5 TFL 1 sack 2 Interceptions (INT)

Luke Kuechly 6' 3" 220 lbs- Boston College

94 tackles 7 TFL 1 INT

Steve Greer 6' 2" 218 lbs- Virginia

69 tackles 4 TFL

Cornerbacks:

Josh Robinson 5' 10" 181 lbs- UCF

51 tackles 4 INT (1TD) 6 passes defended

Jonathan Banks 6' 2" 170 lbs- Mississippi State

21 tackles 4 INT (2TD) 2 passes defended

Safeties:

Rashard Hall 6' 1" 190 lbs- Clemson

39 tackles 5 INTs

Gerald Moore 6' 1" 191 lbs- Ohio

35 tackles 4 INT

Kicker:

Ryan Lichtenstein 5' 10" 150 lbs- Syracuse

10/12 FG, 19/20 PAT

Punter:

Jeff Locke 6' 1" 198 lbs- UCLA

44 punts 44.57 avg.

CJ's 2010 NFL Mock Draft

Welcome to CJ’s 2010 NFL Mock Draft 1.0, I am sure a lot of Gator and Sooner fans are not going to like what I say in this mock but as usual this is based on logic and what I hear from friend in high places (not too high though). With the college football season winding down the mocks are heating up. I am assuming all players I talk about are going to enter the NFL draft although the deadline is in January. Tim Tebow will not be a good NFL QB so I am not putting him in my mock and Sam Bradford, while he will make a good NFL QB I don’t think a pick is going to be spent on a guy who gets knocked out by a hang nail. Without further hesitation:

1) Detroit Lions - Ndamukong Suh, DT/Nebraska: This defensive line beast is heading from one rebuilding program to another, while I do think LT is a big need for the Lions but I believe with defensive minded head coach the Lions are going to continue the rebuilding process with Mr Suh. This is a hard pick because in this years draft there is no definite #1 pick. With the Lions playing the Browns this weekend look for the loser to hold the #1 selection in April (Browns).

2) Cleveland Browns – Jimmy Clausen, QB/Notre Dame: If Clausen enters the draft he will be the first quarterback taken, it is not his fault the ND defense cannot stop anyone again this season. The Browns are going to need WR depth and I am not sure yet if the season long suspension will impact Dez Bryant, while I think he will go top 5 I am not sure he will go this high. With trade rumors a flyin around the league about Brady Quinn heading to Denver (or anywhere that will take him) the Browns will be forced to spend another high pick on a QB. Don’t worry Browns fans if Randy Lerner can talk Holmgren out of retirement there is a chance you will not be picking top 10 in 2011 as well, Mangini just does not have the skills to be a team leader.

3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Russell Okung, OT/Oklahoma St: This pick was also tough because Okung is still raw and may not be a number one pick like some scouts think. I personally think with his size and athleticism he will end up going this high (or at least around the top 5 – 7), Offensive Tackles especially LT are always in high demand and if one can be found, even if he is a little raw, most GM’s will select the player to protect the million dollar investments at QB.

4) St. Louis Rams - Dez Bryant, WR/Oklahoma St: Dez is by far the best offensive playmaker coming out of the draft this year, he has exceptional ball skills and what is most impressive about Dez is his ability to take a hit and come back. He has little to no injury history and a highlight tape that can rival anyone entering the NFL now and through the past 10 years. While I think St Louis is going to be looking for a QB in this draft I think giving a young QB a large contract after throwing large amounts of money away on Bulger I think it will cause a lot of hesitation.

5) Oakland Raiders - Trent Williams, OT/Oklahoma: It's time for the Raiders to get some offensive line help, they picked the fastest player in the last 2 drafts (DHB and Run DMC). Oakland Cannot be scared off by the Robert Gallery pick they need to get an offensive tackle here. (2) players who have an excellent chance of going here (because of Al Davis’ want for the best athlete instead of best prospect) are Carlos Dunlap and Taylor Mays. Mays would help in a secondary that struggles when teams pick on everyone except Namdi. With the new 3-4 defense we could be seeing a Dunlap to play the 5 technique along with Seymour.

6) Kansas City Chiefs – C.J. Spiller, RB/Clemson: Spiller is electric with the ball in his hands and after releasing LJ the Chiefs are going to need a top flight RB to help Cassel grow. I think Bryant would have made an excellent choice here but the more you look at how KC has tried to attack teams this year Spiller just makes way more sense. Even though Jammal Charles will not be the change of pace big bruiser, he will need a compliment at least until Spiller takes the starting role from him.

7) Buffalo Bills - Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma: Since there are few top 10 selectable LT prospects in this draft look for the Bills to continue building the defense by adding this monster defensive tackle to the lineup. If the Bills can get big Marcus Stroud and McCoy going at the same time and have Maybin start applying pressure from the defensive end spot the rest of the defense will be better off. There are a few offensive holes that need to be filled but this year looks to have a defensive heavy first round.

8) Seattle Seahawks – Eric Berry, S/Tennessee: Berry is a very talented young man who coach Monte Kiffin raves about, this young man will help a struggling defense which has had real problems in pass defense this year. A lot of people would assume a QB here but Hasselbeck has a few more years in him as long as he can stay healthy. Don’t worry Seattle has the Denver Bronco pick later in the draft, look for an offensive player there.

9) Tennessee Titans – Arthur Jones, DT/Syracuse: I have heard some scouts call this young man a poor man’s Suh, well the Titans now see that more help is needed along the defensive line. Even though the offense is struggling we all know they are not going to pick up a WR here and CJ is enough to keep them from picking another RB so what is the next big need DT of course. Add Jones to an under achieving team and you could have one of the best picks in this draft.

10) Washington Redskins – Ciron Black, OT/LSU: One of the biggest problems for the Washington Redskins is the LT position. I know a lot of people attack Jason Campbell and want a new QB here but a rookie is not going to do any better. While I think a QB like Bradford would excel in the Redskins offensive system his injury history would lead right back to Jason Campbell and no offensive line help.

11) San Francisco 49ers (from Carolina Panthers) – Brandon Spikes, ILB/Florida: Spikes and Willis will make one of the best young inside linebacking duos in the NFL if not the best. The 49er offense has come alive as of late so I think all the focus goes towards the defense. Look for Spikes and a CB to be the 409er targets in the 2010 first round.

12) New York Jets – Carlos Dunlap, DE/Florida: Dunlap is a monster DE and in my opinion a little too big to be a 4-3 defensive end, but since 3-4 (5) techniques need to be around defensive tackle size Dunlap fits the bill. He has some good explosiveness which will be a nice asset during passing downs. At 290 lbs and a very little depth Dunlap fits very well at this spot.

13) Denver Broncos (from Chicago Bears) – Terrance Cody, NT/Alabama: To make it simple the Denver defense has been the most surprising unit in the league so far, a unit that is very aggressive, look for Denver to ad mount Cody so the unit can become even more stout, if Kyle Orton gets hurt or starts making mistakes Denver is going to need the big bodies up front to give the offense the bal as many times as possible. Ask SD or NE, a quality big body at NT makes all the difference in the world.

14) San Francisco 49ers - Joe Haden, CB/Florida: The Niners are in a situation where the defense is becoming alive and the offense is moving the ball, however the one weakness I can see as an obvious need is cornerback. Haden is exceptional in man coverage and has the potential to be a lock down CB in the league sooner rather than later, with Singletary coaching him up I’d place my bet on sooner.

15) Miami Dolphins – Rolondo McClain, ILB/Alabama: McClain is a very talented ILB prospect and if I know the Tuna he is going to add depth and talent to a defense that could use help in the front 7. This pick could also go to Jerry Hughes since Joey Porter has been non-existent this year.

16) Houston Texans – Taylor Mays, S/USC: I think Mays athleticism is going to lead to a first round selection however as a USC fan myself I think he is way too inconsistent to go any higher. I have been looking at the Texans safety corp for years saying they need help, well picking up Pollard is a solid move but now they need a strong safety and one who looks like a LB and runs like a CB is definitely the S prospect they need to invest in, I mean they play Indy twice a year and I think it is about time they actually close a game out for once.

17) New York Giants - Jermaine Gresham, TE Oklahoma: While the G-men have a talented TE in Kevin Boss I think adding Gresham to an already powerful offense only adds to the number of matchup problem they can create. Look for the G-men to go RB sometime in this draft and maybe some offensive linemen depth but this matchup nightmare is off to the big apple.

18) Baltimore Ravens - Arrelious Benn, WR/Illinois: Benn is a talented young man who is not going higher because of production and his production only suffered because his quarterback throws like Edward Scissorhands. Benn was a highly ranked recruit and he did not disappoint as he showed time and time again he can make plays against anyone. Baltimore is going to need a player to fill in should Mason not pull a Bret Favre in the future.

19) Green Bay Packers – Charles Brown, OT/USC: Brown is a player who can help the Packers pass happy offense and he fits into the Packers offensive style more than most others. Brown is not the biggest tackle but the way GB passes and runs the zone rushing attack he fits in as a potential 10 year starter on an offensive line that needs some talent to keep Aaron Rodgers upright and passing the ball.

20) Jacksonville Jaguars – Damien Williams, WR/USC: Williams is one of the most polished WR in this years draft. He has good height and a great combination of speed and route running, this will help whoever the Jags QB is next year and take some of the pressure off of (as Shannon Sharpe calls him) pocket Hercules. The Jags have some other holes to fill but none as glaring as the WR corp.

21) Atlanta Falcons - Donovan Warren, CB/Michigan: I am an individual who believes that Warren is a great CB and he will work his way into the 1st round of the 2010 NFL draft. He doesn’t really have the needed production but that is because the front 7 of the Michigan defense does not help him out too much. Warren matches up well with many WR because of his size/speed combination. Mr Warren you off to a contender.

22) Philadelphia Eagles – Navorro Bowman, OLB/Penn St: Bowman is yet another LB who will be a force coming out of LB U. He has an uncanny ability to be in almost every play with 12 yards of the LOS. He has great range and his instincts have allow multiple scouts to notice, even though he is a little light I would look for Bowman to be selected here if not earlier.

23) New England Patriots – Sergio Kindle, OLD|DE/Texas: Kindle is a talented pass rusher, you add him to the Patriots exotic blitzing scheme and you could have a force in the NFL for quite a while. Kindle may fall out of the first round however if his character comes into question any more from now til the draft.

24) San Diego Chargers – Earl Thomas, Soph (eligible) Texas: Thomas is a ball hawk at FS which is exactly what SD needs. They cut Clinton Hart and Ellison, Weddle et al are not exact the playmaker of the year back there. Thomas will add better coverage skills to the S corp which only help the vaunted pass rush.

25) Arizona Cardinals – Jason Pierre-Paul, DE/USF: Even though Ari runs a 3-4 hybrid JPP will fit. He is a pure pass rusher who can help the Cardinals defense put a lot more pressure on opposing QB’s. If the Cardinals can et the ball one or two more times a game from potential turnovers I don’t see them losing too often (who would have ever though someone would say that?)

26) Seattle Seahawks (from Denver Broncos) – Sam Bradford, QB/Oklahoma: Injuries. His injury history and questionable ability to stay healthy is what caused his drop this far, Bradford is by far one of the best players in this draft but if he is going to get knocked out of the game for every hit in which he gets taken to the ground the Seahawks are lucky to get him here where the price for a potential franchise QB is a lot lower.

27) Pittsburgh Steelers – Jahvid Best, RB/California: Best is a true playmaker and if fine form the Steelers are going to get another great player who can compliment Mendenhall in the backfield. Lets not forget Best is one of the fastest and most explosive players in the NCAA. Coupled with Mike Wallace, Santonio Holmes, Limas Sweed, Heath Miller, Mendenhall, Hines Ward and of course Big Ben the Steelers are going to have a perennial Suber Bowl team not just a perennial Playoff team.

28) Dallas Cowboys – Greg Hardy, DE|OLB/Mississippi: Hardy is heading into a good situation, he is across from DeMarcus Ware. Although the Cowboys do have Spencer he is not exactly the pass rusher they though he would be. Lets not forget Hardy was considered a top 10 pick last year, due to injuries his production fell which allowed him to fall right into the open arms of the Cowboys.

29) Cincinnati Bengals – Nate Allen, S/USF: Lets be honest the Bengals are a surprise and they are playing extremely well. With risky picks paying off the only holes I see on this team are in the defensive secondary, the S corp to be more specific. Allen is a bigger safety who should fit in well with the way coach Lewis calls and runs his defense.

30) Minnesota Vikings – Patrick Robinson, CB/Florida St: When you hear FSU coaches comparing Robinson to ‘Prime Time’ Deon Sanders then he must be a phenomenal cover man. Yet he is this far down because the FSU defense is not exactly what it used to be (which is why coach Andrews is retiring). But Robinson is an immediate upgrade of Paymah (trust me he wasn’t that good with the Broncos either).

31) Indianapolis Colts – Marvin Austin, DT/North Carolina: Austin is a big body that Indianapolis could always use, sure they manage to find players to rotate in and get the job done but actually allowing a talent like Austin to team up with Mathis and Freeney is almost unfair.

32) New Orleans Saints – Bruce Carter, OLB/North Carolina: What can I say they have a great team but I am still not sold on the NO LB corp. They are not as good as they have been showing. I would look for Charles Scoot in the second round or as an alternate pick, he is a hard runner could definitely make the RB corp one of the best in the league.

By CJ

Bradford, Locker or Clausen?

I think it all comes down to preference with these guys. Do you want the guy who has produced some wicked stats but could be overrated and is coming off a major shoulder injury that will keep him from working out until after the draft? The guy from the high profile school with all the tools who has yet to put his team over the top and win anything significant? Or the guy who has won nothing but an upset of USC, has some quite average stats but is the blend of size, mobility and arm strength that has everyone drooling?

Each of the three lacks something important.

Bradford: Lacks arm strength and durability is a major question, not to mention questions about his blitz pick up.

Clausen: Is he a winner?

Locker: The talents there, but what has he really done and how long till everything comes together?

So those are the negatives of all three. Naturally they all have positives too.

Bradford: A winner and a play maker. Lightning quick release, accuracy, smarts and character more than make up for lack of arm.

Clausen: The prototype. Great size, great arm, accurate, stands tall in pocket with very good mechanics and release.

Locker: Young but has unlimited potential. He's worked very hard on his mechanics and accuracy has really improved. Physically he is far ahead of either Bradford or Clausen.

For me, I put Clausen in the top spot with Bradford comfortably in second and Locker slightly behind him. Clausen is just what I'm looking for in a QB and has spent his Notre Dame career in a pro style offense. He's carried ND so far this year with little in terms of a run attack helping him and a defence that has been mediocre at best. His durability, leadership and experience put him over the top in my book.

I'm not dinging Bradford for reinjuring his shoulder against Texas as others are because I dont think he was completely healthy when he returned. Arm strength is a question but not an issue as he has a plus arm. But there's little evidence of his ability to handle a rush. During his big 2008 season, Bradford had an all star cast of lineman blocking for him and he rarely got pressured, which makes his injury so early in the season on a sack a bit worrisome. He might struggle in the NFL unless he proves this will not hinder him.

As for Locker, I'm impressed with the physical attributes and the big win over USC, like everyone else, but really hasn't done much. Washington is a pretty bad team but he throws too many INT and takes too many sacks. He needs another year at the college level to put finishing touches on his game and catch the mental aspect up with his physical gifts. He's definitely someone I'm worried will need a lot of time to get ready for NFL action and might get rushed onto the field.

2010 Mock Draft

1. Cleveland Browns: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska- By far the best player in college football right now. Would they spend another high draft pick on a QB? It’s a possibility but not a certainty.

2. Oakland Raiders: *Eric Berry, S, Tennessee- With 11 tackles, 2 TFL and an INT against Florida and 14 tackles and 1 TFL against Auburn, Berry is on his way to another banner year and a high pick. Oakland is just a dysfunctional, bad, bad team once again and you know Ol’ Al just loves his DBs.

3. St. Louis Rams: *Jimmy Clauson, QB, Notre Dame- Clauson has it all and has significantly cut his mistakes down this year. He narrowly edges out Jake Locker as the top QB and could go #1.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Terrance Cody, DT, Alabama- The Bucs want size in the middle and are struggling on defence. Cody can be the elite run-stopper they are seeking. Just a beast and makes that Tide D go.

5. Kansas City Chiefs: Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida- Having a great year once again and is a big part of Florida allowing only one 100+-yard rushing game and under 4 yards/carry. The Chiefs lack a dominating LB right now and Spikes could be the guy.

6. San Francisco 49ers (from Carolina Panthers): Ciron Black, OT, LSU- The 49ers want to be a running team and got burned with the Marvel Smith signing so drafting someone to solidify that RT spot will go a long way towards achieving Singletary’s vision.

7. Detroit Lions: Russell Okung, OT Oklahoma State- Likely the top lineman in the draft, Okung comes along at the right time for the Lions. Stafford has shown flashes of being a great NFL QB but his development will go only as far as the Lions allow it to.

8. Seattle Seahawks: *Jake Locker, QB, Washington- A local boy, Locker has played his way into first round consideration thanks to his big win over USC, his fantastic athletic ability and great arm. Is still a bit inconsistent and forces things at times with a poor surrounding cast.

9. Buffalo Bills: Mardy Gilyard, WR, Cincinnati- Has been simply explosive this year, teaming with QB Tony Pike to easily lead the Bearcats to the top of the Big East in passing yardage (329.8/game).

10. Washington Redskins: *Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma- Unless Vince Young proves the adversity he’s faced has made him a far better QB, the Titans will be looking to reinvest in this position. Getting Bradford here coming off the injury shortened season could prove to be a massive heist.

11. Houston Texans: *Everson Griffin, DE, USC- Averaging a sack a game and putting up career numbers. A freakish athlete with great speed, Griffin has locked himself into the first round.

12. Miami Dolphins: Arthur Jones, DT, Syracuse- Can play in a 3-4 as a DE or could stay inside in a 4-3. Stats don’t reflect his impact as he’s still getting fully recovered from a torn pectoral but Syracuse has chopped their rush defence in half this year: 189 to 91 yards per game.

13. Arizona Cardinals: Jerry Hughes, DE/OLB, TCU- This former RB is once again terrorizing the MWC with 6 sacks. Looks like an instant jolt on defense.

14. San Diego Chargers: *Jonathon Dyer, RB, Georgia Tech- LT is no longer an elite back, something that became obvious last year but no one wanted to admit it. Dwyer is a big, franchise back that deserves better than 15 carries per game.

15. Tennessee Titans: *Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma- This draft is loaded with talent at DT and any other year McCoy would likely be the top guy at the position and a top-5/10 pick.

16. Denver Broncos (from Chicago Bears): Sergio Kindle, OLB, Texas- The surprise darling of the young season, Denver will just be looking to continue stocking young talent at key positions. A tandem of Dumervil and Kindle could solidify the pass rush for many years.

17. Dallas Cowboys: Darrell Stuckey, S, Kansas- A solid senior leader that is the backbone of the Jayhawk defense. Not racking up the stats this year but plays hard, attacks the run and doesn't give up many big plays. Leads the Jayhawks in tackles.

18. Jacksonville Jaguars: Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan- I’m not a huge fan of Graham but his athletic ability and his play this year have him jumping boards. Still needs to prove he can be an every down end and take stopping the run just as seriously as rushing the passer.

19. New York Jets: Ricky Sapp, DE/OLB, Clemson- A luxury pick. Rex Ryan will continually be looking to add talent on the defensive side of the ball. Possessing a great burst and change of direction, Sapp has LB written all over him.

20. Philadelphia Eagles: Syd’Quan Thompson, CB, Cal- There’s so much talent on this team it’s not even funny. Don’t lay Cal’s problems at Thompson’s feet. He is still the best CB in college right now.

21. Baltimore Ravens: Brandon Ghee, CB, Wake Forest- Not a pick-off artist but gets his hands on balls, is very solid all around and is battle tested. Teams are going away from him this year.

22. Cincinnati Bengals: *Jahvid Best, RB, Cal- Would make a great compliment to Cedric Benson. Best is lightning in human form and would give Carson Palmer a reliable pass catcher out of the backfield.

23. Pittsburgh Steelers: *Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa- Despite missing time with a thyroid condition, Bulaga is still a top pick as one of the nation’s most talented linemen. Pittsburgh is still looking to find a suitable group for the future and Bulaga is a centerpiece.

24. Atlanta Falcons: *Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida- The Falcons will need to replace 1st round bust Jamaal Anderson and have someone in place to take over for John Abraham in the future. Hasn’t put up eye opening numbers but he might just be the Gator defender opponents fear the most.

25. Green Bay Packers: Jason Fox, OT, Miami- A o-line in shambles right now needs some infusion of good prospects. Fox has really come on this year and looks simply fantastic in pass protection. A sleeper but should be well known come draft day. For the record, I turned Rob onto this guy.

26. New England Patriots: Eric Norwood, OLB, South Carolina- A tweener but his pass rush ability is undeniable. No body gets more from guys like Norwood than the Pats.

27. San Francisco 49ers: Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee- Really liked him before the season started and even had him on my very, very early mock. Has been overshadowed by a multitude of guys at the position but is still a fantastic, consistent player.

28. Seattle Seahawks (from Denver Broncos): CJ Spiller, RB, Clemson- The Hawks ground game hasn't been the same since Shaun Alexander left. Spiller may not be a bellcow but he can add an explosive dimension that they don't have right now.

29. New York Giants: Micah Johnson, LB, Kentucky- Playing pretty well on a bad team, Johnson is one of the best run stuffers available. Leads the Wildcats in tackles again as one of the few NFL caliber players on the team.

30. Minnesota Vikings: Colt McCoy, QB, Texas- Sorry Gator fans but your God is not my God and Tim Tebow is not a 1st round pick. McCoy is simply a winner and for what the Vikings want to do, he’s the better fit.

31. New Orleans Saints: Dennis Pitta, TE, BYU- 36 straight games with a catch signals Pitta’s ability to produce. The Saints are not afraid to draft and develop skill position talent. Offense will always be the biggest part of what they do.

32. Indianapolis Colts: Charles Brown, OT, USC- Could step right in and protect Manning’s blindside.

Draft Dog's 2009 Mid Season All American Team

We just released our 2009 Mid-Season College Football All American Team. It's interesting to see how the list has changed since we released our pre-season team. The Quarterback position probably had the biggest change. With Sam Bradford's injury and Tim Tebows' mediocre play, it was hard to ignore Houston's Case Keenum, who is NFL Draft Dog's first team All American quarterback.

Keenum leads the NCAA is every statistical passing category. He has his Houston Cougars at 6-1 and has thrown for 2,734 yards with 20 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions. His 70.06 completion percentage is nothing to scoff at either.

There are plenty of other surprises also, so read the entire All American team and tell me what you think.

Week Four Fantasy Football Special: Available Free Agent

Even though it’s only the fourth week in the season, you may find out that one or more of your fantasy players are either injured or not playing up to your expectations. You may be scanning the waiver wire to see who might be out there for you to pick up and use as either stop gap until your top player is back from injury or you may want to drop someone and pick up someone else. Four weeks into the new NFL season, there have been a few players who have stepped up and made a name for themselves and some of these guys may be players that you want to consider grabbing off of the waiver wire before someone else does.

Here are ten players that you might want to consider picking up if you have a player out with injury or need some extra help on your fantasy team.

1. Mario Manningham-WR-New York Giants-Manningham had a break out game against the Cowboys and looks like he could become a very reliable target for Eli Manning. He has probably been picked up in most leagues by now but if you can grab him it would be a good idea.

2. Johnny Knox-WR-Chicago Bears-The signing of Jay Cutler was to be a renaissance of sorts for the Bears passing game and although Knox is a rookie, he has come on strong and is becoming one of Cutler’s favorite receivers. He could make a good second receiver on your fantasy team.

3. Pierre Thomas-RB-New Orleans-While he may have been taken in some leagues during the preseason, Thomas may have been an afterthought to some as many figured that the Saints would spend most of their time passing the ball. Thomas has been ultra productive though so if he is there, get him while you can.

4. Devery Henderson-WR-New Orleans Saints-Henderson may have been picked up in your fantasy draft but there are several leagues out there that still have him available. Knowing how the Saints offense works, it would be wise to pick him up if he is still available.

5. LeRon McClain-FB-Baltimore Ravens-If you are looking for someone to fill in the gaps at the running back position during a bye week McClain may be your guy. While he hasn’t had any big games, he is somewhat consistent and can give you a few points each week.

6. Vernon Davis-TE-San Francisco-A lot of people may have shied away from taking Davis thanks to the 49ers issues at quarterback as well as Davis’ previous problems with head coach Mike Singletary. Davis has been proving himself however and would be a smart free agent pickup.

7. Anthony Fasano-TE-Miami-If your starting tight end is on a bye week, you might want to pick up Fasano who could end up being a good option for Dolphins quarterbacks.

8. Pierre Garcon-WR-Indianapolis-If you are lucky enough to get a chance to get Garcon, you should jump on it as quick as you can. He is on fire right now.

9. New Orleans Saints Defense-I have to admit, the thought of taking the Saints defense this summer was a bit appalling especially after what they did in 2008 but so far this year they have been one of the top defenses in the NFL.

10. Rashard Mendenhall-RB-Pittsburgh-With Willie Parker having some injury problems, the Steelers have turned to Mendenhall who has come up big for them. Look for him to get a lot more work as the season moves on.

By Bryan Dietzler

Draft Dog's 2010 NFL Mock Draft

We have just updated out 2010 Mock NFL Draft. What do you guys think? Comment are welcome. Some recent additions due to their excellent play this season is North Carolina junior defensive tackle Marvin Austin. If Austin (6' 3" 305 lbs) enters the 2010 NFL Draft he will be a prize, his size, strength and athletic ability are on par with Oklahoma's highly regarded Gerald McCoy.

The other junior addition is Penn State junior center Stefan Wisniewski. I have my doubts that he will enter the draft as a junior, but if he does could be a pro bowl center or guard in the NFL within a couple years. You might not know about Wisniewsi now, but you will. A lot of NFL teams will pass on Wisniewski in the first round, centers rarely get selected that high, but the teams that pass on him will regret it later.

South Carolina senior outside linebacker Eric Norwood has also been added. I could see an NFL team selecting Norwood with a late, first round pick. He is the perfect fit in a 34 defense and can rush the passer or fall back into pass coverage. He is a blue collar player that gives 110% on every play.

I have also added Oklahoma senior tight end Jermain Gresham. Yes I know he will miss the 2009 season with a knee injury, but he should be back at close to 100% for the Senior Bowl and NFL Scouting Combine. You see every week in the NFL how important the tight end position is and Gresham is a rate talent. He would be a good fit for the New York Giants.

College Football Matchups Week Four

Image: LB Eric Norwood, South Carolina

Thursday night’s matchup (September 24^th) should be fun. Ole Miss plays South Carolina and all eyes will be on QB Jevan Snead, but the NFL scouts will also be closely watching a few other players. Most notable is Ole Miss defensive end Greg Hardy. The supremely talented Hardy (6’ 4” 265 lbs) has had difficulty staying healthy and it’s time for him to put up or shut up. If he doesn’t start performing soon his stock will drop for this 2010 NFL Draft. Tonight he should dominate as he will going up against mediocre offensive tackle Quintin Richardson (6’ 3” 283 lbs).

DE Greg Hardy has potential, but the defensive player that is playing the best hails from South Carolina in the form of linebacker Eric Norwood (6’ 1” 252 lbs). Norwood stands out on film with big play after big play. So far this year he has recorded 17 tackles, 4 tackles for loss (TFL), 4 sacks, and last week against Georgia he returned an interception for a touchdown. When he rushes, Norwood might be going up against massive Ole Miss offensive tackle John Jerry (6’ 5” 350 lbs). Jerry is a mauler and will likely be playing guard in the NFL next year.

This weekend (26 September 2009) there will be some excellent individual matchups when Georgia Tech plays North Carolina (NC). Keep an eye on the super talented North Carolina linebackers MLB Quan Sturdivant (6’ 3 230 lbs) and OLB Bruce Carter (6’ 3” 228 lbs). They will have their hands full stopping Georgia Tech RB Jonathan Dwyer, but Dwyer isn’t having a great year because he came into the season a little heavy and doesn’t look as quick as he did last year. NC junior defensive tackle Marvin Austin is a beast, with 6’ 3” 305 pounds of size he will be playing on Sunday very soon. Austin should dominate red shirt sophomore offensive guard Joseph Gilbert (6’ 4” 288 lbs).

Georgia Tech also has a supreme defensive player in junior safety Morgan Burnett (6’ 1” 210 lbs), If he (Burnett) covers North Carolina’s junior WR Greg Little it could get interesting. Little has outstanding size at 6’ 3” 220 lbs and has recorded 15 catches for 135 yards and 1 TD so far this year.

Florida should destroy Kentucky, but we will get to see some interesting individual matchups. Florida’s rushing QB Tim Tebow against powerful run stuffing Kentucky linebacker Micah Johnson (6’ 4” 252 lbs). If Florida’s massive, talented OG Mike Pouncey (6’ 5” 320 lbs) gets out on MLB Micah Johnson, Florida could have a big night rushing the ball.

Also two of the best cornerbacks in the nation will be on the field, Kentucky’s CB Trevard Lindley and Florida’s CB Joe Hayden. Lindley will likely be matched up with Florida’s leading receiver Riley Cooper (6’ 3” 215 lbs). He (Cooper) has 13 catches for 212 yards and 1 TD, but he has an impressive 16 yards per catch average. Florida’s impressive CB Joe Hayden will likely be matched up with Kentucky’s leading receiver, young Randall Cobb (5' 11" 191 lbs), who already has 13 catches for 167 yards and 2 TDs.

The other matchup I want to see is how well one of the top fullbacks in the nation, Kentucky’s Fullback Joe Conner (5’ 11” 238 lbs) does against one of the best linebackers in Florida’s Brandon Spikes. Conner is an excellent blocker, but gives up some size to the powerful Spikes (6’ 3” 246 lbs).

Illinois vs. Ohio State could be a good game and we might see Illinois talented WR Arrelious Benn finally have a break out game. Benn is tall, fast and silky Smooth, but he will likely be covered by one of the better corners in the nation in Ohio State’s Chimdi Chekwa (6’ 0” 189 lbs), but Benn is 6’ 2” 220 lbs and will be a tough match up for the smaller Chekwa. If you like offensive line play take a look at one of the best guards in the nation in Jon Asamoah (6’ 5” 315 lbs). Asamoah is currently Mel Kiper’s top rated senior offensive guard. He will likely be going against Ohio State defensive tackle Dexter Larimore (6’ 2” 300 lbs).

The Iowa Hawkeys are pretty beat up right now and will have trouble upsetting the Nittany Lions two years in a row. The Hawkeys will likely not have the best offensive tackle in the Big 10 in Bryan Bulaga and will miss him in both the running and passing game. Often injured, starting TE Tony Moeaki will also likely not play. One of the key matchups when Iowa has the ball will be Iowa guard Dace Richardson (6’ 6” 305 lbs) against all world defensive tackle Jared Odrick (6’ 5” 306 lbs). Odrick is a beast and If the Hawkeys can’t get Odrick blocked they will be in for a long day. Dace Richardson is an interesting NFL Draft Prospect; he came to Iowa as a highly prized recruit and started out as a tackle. He suffered from numerous injuries and missed his entire junior season. He is trying to resurrect his career at guard and so far this year he has looked very good.

College Football Match-Ups

Image: WR Andre Roberts

This week (19 September 2009) of college football will provide us with some interesting match ups. Not just the teams, but if you look closer you will see some prime time NFL prospects squaring off against each other. How these prospects perform against other top talent will give NFL scouts a closer look at their future NFL potential.

BYU vs. Florida State:

One of the elite cornerbacks in the nation (Patrick Robinson) will be trying to shut down the awesome passing attack of BYU quarterback Max Hall. Florida State's Robinson (5' 10" 194 lbs) is a ball hawk, but he will have his hands full with Hall, who has a quick release and an impressive 71.4 completion percentage. Hall will take some risks though, he has already thrown 3 interceptions. It's going to interesting to see who matches up with BYU TE Dennis Pitta, because at 6' 5" 248 pounds he is used like a receiver, but is too big and strong for most defensive backs.

Florida vs. Tennessee:

This game should be a blow out in favor of Florida, but an interesting match up to watch is a couple NFL prospects in Florida DE Carlos Dunlap against Tennessee left tackle Chris Scott. Both of these guys will be playing on Sunday very soon and both have elite size. Dunlap weighs in at 6' 6" 290 pounds and Scott at an impressive 6' 5" 345 pounds. I will give the nod to Dunlap who might be too quick for Scott, but if Scott gets his hands on Dunlap he should be able to drive him downfield.

California vs. Minnesota:

Small (5' 9" 191 lbs), but super quick and talented cornerback Syd' Quan Thompson will try to shut down the Gophers primary target in WR Eric Decker. He (Decker) measures in at 6' 2" 215 pounds and will have a serious size and strength advantage, but Thompson is quicker and faster. Decker is 90% of the Gophers passing attack and If Thompson can cover Decker one on one, it will give The Golden Bears a real advantage in this game. This should be a fun match up because Minnesota quarterback Adam Weber has no problem throwing it to Decker even if he looks covered.

Virginia Tech vs. Nebraska:

One of the best guards in the nation against one of the best defensive tackles. In the trenches is where football is won or lost and if Virginia Tech OG Sergio Render (6' 3" 319 lbs) can't stop Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh (6' 4" 300 lbs) it could be a long day for the Virginia Tech offense. Render is playing very well and Suh is off to a great start in 2009 already recording 4 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

The Citadel vs. Princeton:

Formerly Division 1A and now called the FCS (Football Championship Series). The FCS always pumps out quite a bit of little known, but blue chip NFL talent. One of the best receivers in the FCS is The Citadel wide receiver Andre Roberts and this week he will be matched up against one of the better corners in the FCS in Princeton CB Cart Kelly (6' 0" 180 lbs). Kelly is very experienced, starting 21 straight games, but he is no match for Roberts blazing speed. If Princeton gives Kelly some safety help over the top though, Roberts could be managed. Cart Kelly looks like a free agent type to me in the NFL, but Roberts could be drafted as high as the 3rd or 4th round with a strong 2009 season. Princeton is wary of Roberts after last seasons game. Last week in a losing effort against 21st ranked North Carolina, Roberts finished with 10 catches for 30 yards.

Thoughts on College Football’s Opening Week

1. After the first week I didn’t see a college football team on the field that can compete with Florida. USC has a freshman quarterback and hasn’t been tested yet, Oklahoma lost, Ohio State struggled and Texas gave up 101 rushing yards to a mediocre Louisiana-Monroe team. Alabama, maybe, but they don’t have Tim Tebow at quarterback. Did I mention Florida’s 6’ 6” 290 pound defensive end Carlos Dunlap.

2. Oregon’s RB LeGarrette Blount is a bonehead. He went from a sure fire 2010 NFL Draftee to out of football all together. That has to go down in history as the most expensive sucker punch in history.

3. Let’s stop making it a big deal when an FCS (formerly division 1AA) team upsets or almost upsets a BCS (formerly division 1) team. Yes it was shocking last year when Appalachian State upset Michigan, but we had better get used to it. In this first college football weekend, three FCS teams won against BCS schools: The Richmond Spiders defeated Duke, Villanova defeated Temple and Williams and Mary defeated Virginia. UNI almost upset Iowa (17-16), and Massachusetts almost upset Kansas State (21-17). This isn’t a fluke; the FCS has some very good teams. Appalachian State, Richmond, Montana and Northern Iowa could compete against any BCS team in the country.

4. There is a new entry in the Heisman Trophy Race, enter BYU quarterback Max Hall. His (Hall) rise emerged at the same time as Sam Bradfords’ Hiesman Hopes fell. Not only did BYU upset Oklahoma, but Hall outplayed Bradford throwing for 329 yards and 2 TDs. Bradford left the game with a shoulder injury and might miss a few weeks.

5. Was Oklahoma over rated? Their two best offensive players are injured, (QB Sam Bradford and TE Jermaine Gresham). The only returning starter on their offensive line is RT Trent Williams and the only returning receiver is sophomore Ryan Broyles. The defense was supposed to be the strength of this team but BYU QB Max Hall shredded the secondary.

6. Nick Saban is a good coach. His team has heart and they play well in the fourth quarter. Alabama’s 34-24 win over 7^th ranked Virginia Tech on the road was impressive. Most college football teams like playing patsies early as a tune up game and most coaches would never risk a game of that difficulty so early in the season, Saban is not like most coaches and he likes to challenge his players early.

7. Let’s wait a few games before we put USC quarterback Matt Barkley in the college football hall of fame. The 56-3 victory over San Jose State was impressive and his stats were stellar: the 18 year old freshman completed 15 of 19 passes and threw for 233 yards and one touchdown and his QB rating was 199.32. But it’s only one game folks; let’s see how he does next week, in prime time at Ohio State.

8. For more coverage on college football’s opening weekend be sure to check out NFL Draft Dog’s recently launched Risers and Fallers Column, which will highlight, throughout the season, the college football players that are either helping or hurting their future NFL Draft stock.

2009 NFL Predictions

A look into the future by Daryl Breault:

AFC East: New England 10-6, Miami 10-6, New York Jets 5-11, Buffalo 3-13North: Baltimore 13-3, Pittsburgh 9-7, Cincinnati 4-12, Cleveland 2-14South: Jacksonville 11-5, Tennessee 10-6, Indianapolis 8-8, Houston 8-8West: San Diego 12-4, Kansas City 6-10, Denver 4-12, Oakland 3-13

NFC East: Philadelphia 10-6, New York Giants 10-6, Dallas 7-9, Washington 6-10North: Green Bay 13-3, Minnesota 10-6, Chicago 8-8, Detroit 4-12South: New Orleans 10-6, Atlanta 10-6, Tampa Bay 6-10, Carolina 5-11West: Seattle 9-7, San Francisco 7-9, Arizona 6-10, St. Louis 4-12

Wild Cards: Miami and Tennessee; Minnesota and Atlanta;

Play-offs

Wild Card Round: AFC: Jacksonville over Miami; New England over Tennessee; NFC: Minnesota over Seattle; New Orleans over Atlanta;

Division Round: AFC: San Diego over New England; Baltimore over Jacksonville; NFC: Green Bay over Minnesota; New Orleans over Philadelphia;

Championship Round: AFC: Baltimore over San Diego NFC: Green Bay over New Orleans

Super Bowl: Green Bay 24, Baltimore 20