Big Games for the 2007 College Football Season

College Football season is almost upon us so it's time to mark your calenders and cancel any plans that will take you away from your wide screen TV, unless of course you're going to the game and then your calender should already be marked.

It all starts off with a bang on September 1st with a big time grudge match. Tennessee plays at California. Quarterback Erik Ainge might emerge as a legitimate NFL Prospect if he can look good and win this game. But it won't be easy, Tennessee crushed California last year 35-18 in Knoxville and this year it is at California, plus the Bears have had a full year to plot their revenge. Did I also mention California is a solid football team with a Heisman Trophy Candidate named wide receiver DeSean Jackson that can score from any point on the field. Also that weekend Oklahoma State plays at Georgia. Watch wide receiver Adarius Bowman launch himself on the national stage, but also keep an eye on the young, talented sophomore Georgia quarterback Mathew Stafford. He has serious NFL potential for the future.

September 15th might be USC's toughest game of the season. USC is the top ranked college football team in the nation and their opponents won't have any problem getting up for them. They play at Nebraska and this should be Coach Bill Callahan's best team since arriving in corn country. USC has a phenomenal defense with 9 out of 11 starters eventually very early NFL Draft picks. Nebraska has a secret weapon this year named Sam Keller, but don't call Vegas with an upset pick, the last time Keller faced USC he was the QB of Arizona State and he threw five interceptions.

September 22nd looks like a wild weekend for the Big Ten, a solid Penn State team travels to Ann Arbor and plays a dominate Michigan squad. The Wolverines are loaded on offense, so I don't see an upset in this one, however it should be a good, physical game. I like the Iowa Hawkeyes in a surprise upset over highly ranked Wisconsin. The Hawkeys will go only as far as young untested sophomore Quarterback Jake Christensen will take them. Christensen has patiently been waiting in the wings to take over at quarterback ever since he signed with the Hawkeyes in 2005. He (Christensen) is the son of former NFL quarterback Jeff Christensen. Jake was one of the nation's most highly rated and recruited quarterbacks coming out of Lockport Illinois High School.

September 29th highlights Nick Sabans return to NCAA football after failing with the NFL's Miami Dolphins. Trust me, by all reports Nick Saban is a man possessed, he wants to win again badly. Saban is the Coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide now and the Tide travel to the state of Florida and take on Bobby Bowden and the Florida State Seminoles. In this game I want you to watch mammoth offensive lineman Andre Smith (6' 4" 345 lbs) from the Alabama side. He is rated as a top ten NFL Draft pick for the 2009 or 2010 NFL Draft.

October 6th might be the biggest weekend of the season for college football (so far). Florida travels to LSU, the defending national champion Gators and Sophomore Quarterback Tim Tebow get their first real road test down in Bayou country. NFL Draft prospects will be all over the field in this game and if LSU wins they look like USC's opponent in the national championship game. Also don't miss Texas against Oklahoma played in Dallas. The winner of that game will also have something to say about who the eventual national champion is. The winner of the Texas/Oklahoma game has played for the BCS title three times in four years.

October 13th should remind everybody who the best player in college football is when we get to see Arkansas' Running back Darren McFadden play at home against arch rival Auburn. The Tigers will be stacking eight defenders in the box to stop McFadden, who gouged them for a whopping 145 yards last year (2006).

If you are an NFL Scout you will love October 18th. South Florida plays at Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights are loaded with NFL talent, everybody knows about all world running back Ray Rice, but watch offensive linemen Pedro Sosa and Jeremy Zuttah dominate their opponents. Junior safety Courtney Green is a player that we will be hearing about in the future for Rutgers. But South Florida is where the real story is, under the radar they have emerged as the other Florida powerhouse and they will be sending a few talented prospects to the NFL in the future themselves. CB Mike Jenkins is one of the top rated corners in the nation and wide receiver Amarri Jackson (6' 4" 195 lbs) is a lanky talent. This game might be fun to watch as an offensive shoot out.

October 20th pits an always interesting instate rivalry between Miami and Florida State. Beleaguered Hurricane quarterback Kyle Wright might get to redeem himself, but I doubt Wright can do much against that tough FSU defense. The Hurricaine defense should be Stout in it's own right with supreme NFL Draft prospect defensive end Calais Campbell. If you like defense you will enjoy this game. Keep an eye on FSU sophomore Safety Myron Rolle (6' 2" 218 lbs). He looks like a very high future NFL Draft pick. USC also plays at Notre Dame, which on paper looks like a blow-out for USC, but in that annual rivalry game you never no what will happen.

Well that breaks down the first half of the season, check back in a couple days and I will highlight some of the best college football games for the second half of the 2007 NCAA Football season.

10 Things You Need to Know About Fantasy Football

If all the knowledge of the 2007 Fantasy Football Season could be condensed to 10 statements, it would look something like this:

By Guest Columnist Tom Van Wyhe

1. Carson Palmer has the potential to outperform Peyton Manning. This is certainly not meant to imply Palmer is better than Manning, but the former USC Heisman Trophy winner has more than enough talent around him – and a similar offense – to statistically catch Manning.

2. Peyton Manning is the only quarterback, however, worth drafting in the first round. While Palmer has the potential to pass him, Manning is still the most consistent fantasy star in the business. He's worth being drafted after the top-tier running backs come off the board: around 6-8 overall. Leave Palmer until the early-mid second round (if your scoring permits it).

3. Reggie Bush is a first round draft choice. Of course, your league will need at least 12 teams to justify it, but Bush is very much a first round candidate. He thrived in an offense built to cater his skills last season and this season should be no different; probably better if the team can get him more red zone touches.

4. Steve Smith is not the number one receiver this year. That spot belongs to Marvin Harrison, these days. The most consistent wide receiver in the business is still side-by-side with his partner in crime, Peyton Manning, while Steve Smith's quarterback situation grows shakier each week.

5. If you're picking number two, there should be one name on your list:
Steven Jackson. He's one of the most talented young backs in the league today and he's in an offense where he can break out and do something special this year. It wouldn't surprise me if he broke 2300 yards (from scrimmage) and 24 touchdowns this season, and earning a fantasy player of the year trophy along the way.

6. Matt Leinart and Jay Cutler are better picks than Vince Young. Young has the uncanny ability to win games using whatever skills he has (and they are aplenty). But his inconsistency will certainly annoy fantasy owners throughout the season. Cutler and Leinart, on the other hand, are both surrounded by more talented – and experienced – teammates. They'll consistently put up solid numbers week in and out.

7. If you're looking for a great late-second round running back, look no further than Cedric Benson. No one has more potential in that Bears' offense than Benson. While Grossman struggles, Chicago will undoubtedly look to build a strong foundation with the run game. And Benson has all the potential in the world to break 1300 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.

8. If you can't decide what to do with your last draft pick, spend it on Ron Dayne. Or Devin Hester. These two guys have potential if the right situations can present themselves. While neither will be on your roster for anything more than a 4^th running back or 5^th wide receiver, they have potential to move up much higher if injury strikes (Ron Dayne will be the team's starter if Ahman Green is injured) or the Bears use Hester like Reggie Bush, circa-2006.

9. James Jones (Green Bay) looks better every week, and you should find him very late in your draft. I'm beginning to get the impression no one outside of Green Bay knows about this young wide receiver who is quickly catching the attention (and adoration) of fans. He has exceptional hands and is reminiscent of a young, physical Sterling Sharpe. And with questions surrounding Donald Driver's health, Jones' potential grows by the day.

10. If Antonio Gates is drafted don't waste one of your mid-round picks on another tight end. Perhaps more than any other year, tight end has a lot of depth. And considering you start only one per week, it's safe to say you'll find someone you like in the 10-12^th rounds of your draft.

Notes about the author: Tom Van Wyhe is the lead writer of The NFL Minute, a blog devoted to fantasy football. He has also contributed to other websites, such as SteelersFever.com and TheFootballExpert.com.

Notes from the NFL Preseason

As I reported a few weeks back, you can't take too much away from the NFL's preseason, especially the won-loss record. I haven't watched all the games, but here are a few very early random observations from the 2007 NFL preseason.

The Good:

There has been so much good news coming out of the Cowboys camp it almost makes you worried. Let's hope they get beaten badly in at least one of their preseason games so they don't get too over confident. I think the way last year ended the Cowboys needed to get their mojo back, and by every early indication, they have. The only bad news is star linebacker Greg Ellis's slow recovery from last year's Achilles injury, but 2007 first round NFL Draft pick Anthony Spencer is playing so well I don't think anyone even cares. Hats off to Bill Parcells and Jerry Jones for compiling all that talent, now let's see if Wade Phillips can do something with it. If Wade Phillips does win a super bowl in the next couple of years, there should be an asterisk by his name that says, "With help from Bill Parcells."

Minnesota Linebacker Chad Greenway is looking very good and looks fully healed from last year's season ending injury. With outstanding defensive tackles in front of him, look for Greenway to make the pro bowl this year, if he stays healthy that is.

After almost crying during the 2007 NFL Draft, Cleveland Brown Quarterback Brady Quinn looks like he might have been unfairly evaluated. Early indications are that the NFL is not going to overwhelm this kid. My only concern coming out of college was his accuracy, and that is something that can be improved upon over time.

The Baltimore Raven rookie defensive end Edgar Jones looked spectacular against the Giants. I was really high on this Small School Super Star coming out of college and it looks like he has a real chance in the NFL.

I bet the Falcons wish they would have kept Matt Schaub, he has looked good so far for the Texans. Schaub was nine of 12 for 108 yards and ran 5 yards for a score against the Cardinals.

As if they didn't have enough weapons, the Chargers have a dynamic little bottle rocket in Darren Sproles. Against the Rams the
Former K-State star returned a punt 81 yards for a touchdown in the final minute of the first half.

The Bad:

Miami Quarterback Trent Green has looked absolutely horrendous. There seem to be no zip on his balls. It is still very early, I wouldn't write him off yet, but I wonder if he hasn't lost his mojo. Maybe the Chiefs saw something that I didn't. The Dolphins certainly hope Green can find his confidence again as they have almost bet their season on him.

Staying on the Quarterback theme, Dallas Cowboy QB Brad Johnson has also looked like crap. Experience is one thing, but the 39 year old quarterback is playing like he is 49. The Cowboys don't have a proven back up after Johnson and that might prove to haunt them if Tony Romo ever gets injured.

I am surprised Tom Coughlin hasn't been fired yet. He just hasn't been able to bring a fairly talented Giant team together. He is supposed to be a disciplinarian, but the Giants have never been a disciplined team. In the August 19^th preseason game against the Raven they were penalized 12 times for 111 yards. Coughlin is coaching on borrowed time, a one year contract extension for the 2007 season that is.

I can't believe I saw Darrell Hackney surface in the preseason playing quarterback for the Broncos. Passed up in the 2006 NFL Draft, the Browns signed him as a free agent, but cut him before the start of the season, The Falcons worked him out but passed on him, and now the Broncos have given him a shot this year (2007). Hopefully we have seen the last of this guy, yea he throws the ball very hard but, he couldn't hit the broad side of the barn with a football. Short (5' 11") and slow (4.82) his accuracy is horrendous. Not a good combination.

The Redskins offensive line, they are one of the worst units in the NFL and almost got their young franchise quarterback Jason Campbell killed against the Steelers. He only suffered a bruised knee, but by the looks of the hit, it could have easily been a season ending injury.

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson looked fantastic running the football. I love his aggressive style of running and his spin move was world class. So why is he in the bad category? I am deeply concerned about his running style. He refuses to run out of bounds and he won't be able to stay healthy with that overly aggressive style.

College Football Touchdown Machines

The number one touchdown machine during the 2006 college football season was Boise State junior running back Ian Johnson. Johnson finished the season (2006) ranked first in the nation in scoring with 25 touchdowns. He also finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy voting and was named a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award. The 5' 11" 185 pound speedster ranked second in the country in rushing averaging142.83 yards per game, and an impressive 6.2 yards per carry average. Ian Johnson and Boise State are very underrated and whenever Johnson enters the NFL Draft, either this year or next, he will be a highly sought after NFL Prospect.

Wide receiver Jarrett Dillard (junior) from unheralded Rice University is the Rodney Dangerfield of college football, he scored 21 touchdowns last year, but you rarely he his named mentioned as an elite NFL Draft Prospect. His TD total ranked him 3^rd in the nation in scoring. He is a little small at 5' 11" 184 pounds, but he is lightening fast and has a knack for getting open. Dillard runs crisp routes and rarely drops a pass, especially in the end zone. Look how impressive his 21 touchdowns were, he was the only receiver to finish ranked in the top 20 in scoring last year (2006). Dillard is on the 2007 NFL Draft Dog College Football Preseason All-American Team.

Running Back Ray Rice (junior)
has been written about a lot this year already. Rice rose along with Rutgers into national prominence last year (2006) and along the way he plunged into the end zone 20 times. At 5' 9" 202 pounds he runs low to the ground (literally) and has great strength and balance. Some running backs seem to get some extra strength and adrenaline when they get close to the end zone. Emmett Smith had a nose for the end zone when he was in his prime, the Dallas Cowboys' Marion Barber seems to have it now, and Ray Rice also seems to be in that same category.

Junior Quarterback Pat White from West Virginia is a serious touchdown machine, last year (2006) he scored 18 touchdowns, mostly with his legs running the ball. White is a supreme athlete; he turned down a major league baseball contract with the California Angels and has been timed with low 4.4 speed. White's yards per carry average was an amazing 7.3. You have to wonder about his future in the NFL though, with a mediocre arm and a 57% completion percentage, we might see a switch to receiver in his future.

Pat White's team mate running back Steve Slaton scored 18 touchdowns as a sophomore last year (2006). His 18 TDs were impressive indeed, but he was also arguable the best pass catching running back in the nation. Slaton was the 2^nd ranked all purpose back in the nation. He finished with 360 receiving yards to go along with his 1,744 rushing. Slaton line up all over the field similar to how USC utilized Reggie Bush when he was in college.

Running Back/Full Back Jorvorskie Lane (junior) is an interesting touchdown machine. With his amazing size (6' 0" 275 pounds) he is almost automatic inside the five yard line. Lane powered the ball in the end zone 19 times last year. Texas A&M has a heck of a thunder and lightning combination at running back with power back Lane and super speed demon sophomore Mike Goodson. Lane finished ranked 8^th in the nation over-all and 4^th among running backs in scoring with 8.77 points per game.

Virginia Tech running back Brandon Ore is yet another ultra talented underclassman. Ore scored 17 touchdowns last year (2006). The 5' 11" 202 pound first team All-ACC running back also recorded an impressive 5.9 yards per carry average. Ore finished 25^th in the nation in rushing with 1,137 rushing yards. Ore blends a delightful combination of speed, strength and balance and has already developed into an elite NFL Draft Prospect.

Junior running back James Davis from Clemson is a legitimate touchdown machine with excellent NFL potential. He has decent size at 5' 11" 205 pounds and his production last year as a sophomore was outstanding. He finished ranked 17^th in the nation in scoring with 17 touchdowns. He accumulated 1,187 rushing yards and his 5.8 yards per carry average was among the best in college football.

Running back P.J. Hill is the only super sophomore on this list, but he is indeed worthy. The 5' 11" 222 pound, Wisconsin super star was the Big Ten Freshman of the year in 2006 and he scored 16 touchdowns with a 5 yards per carry average. Hill ranked 8^th in the nation in rushing with 1,569 yards. Hill is very shifty and powerful and also seems to have a nose for the end zone. The NFL will have to wait one or two years for this guy, but eventually he will be toting the pig skin on Sundays.

Not many football fans have ever heard of Tulsa running back Courtney Tennial, but his opponents are sure to remember his 16 touchdowns that he scored last year (2006). His 16 touchdowns ranked him 25th nationally in scoring, but his 16 TDs ranked him 11^th among running backs. Not real big at 5' 9" 215 pounds, but the transfer from Oklahoma has power in his legs and the speed to get outside. His 4.9 yards per carry average were nothing to sneeze at.

Preseason NFL Football

In case you just woke up from a coma or something, NFL Football is back, thank goodness, after an off season that seems to last longer and longer each year, we can now get our fix of bone crushing hits and scintillating one-handed touchdown catches. But hold your horses it's not real NFL Football, it's preseason football, the games don't count, the stars rarely play and you will see nothing but a generic game plan, in other words, no exciting plays from the play book.

Most casual football fans don't care much for preseason NFL Football, but if your reading this NFL Draft blog, you are not a casual fan. Preseason football is just an extension of training camp, starters rarely play more than a quarter until the last couple preseason games, which they normally play a full half as a final tune up to the regular season.

Preseason NFL Football is where the draft picks and free agents showcase their skills for a chance to become professional football players, and the stakes are high, a chance to get paid millions of dollars to play a game, or if things don't work out, they will have to get a real job like you and me. So many of those young men out there in the second half of those games are playing for their livelihood.

Not only is it a time for us draftnics to watch our favorite 6th round draft pick, but NFL Scouts from all 32 teams will be drooling over the game film of each game trying to see who they can pick up off the waiver wire when some of these kids get released or placed on the practice squad.

Every year during the preseason I get a laugh out of all the die hard NFL fans that get giddy or sad when their team has a good or bad record in the preseason. Let me make my point here, it doesn't matter who wins or loses these games, the NFL coaching staffs are trying to evaluate talent and many of these players won't even be on the roster after the final cuts. So enjoy the preseason, have fun evaluating talent, but take it with a grain of salt. I have provided a schedule so you won't miss any games:

2007 preseason NFL schedule
All times are US/Eastern

HALL OF FAME GAME
Sunday, Aug. 5
Pittsburgh 20, New Orleans 7

WEEK 1
Thursday, Aug. 9
Detroit 27, Cincinnati 26
Dallas 23, Indianapolis 10
Friday, Aug. 10
N.Y. Jets 31, Atlanta 16
Tampa Bay 13, New England 10
Buffalo 13, New Orleans 10
St. Louis 13, Minnesota 10

Saturday, Aug. 11

Green Bay at Pittsburgh 7:30 p.m.
Jacksonville at Miami 7:30 p.m.
Kansas City at Cleveland 7:30 p.m.
Carolina at N.Y. Giants 8:00 p.m.
Chicago at Houston 8:00 p.m.
Washington at Tennessee 8:00 p.m.
Arizona at Oakland 10:00 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 12
Seattle at San Diego 8:00 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 13
Philadelphia at Baltimore 7:00 p.m.
Denver at San Francisco 8:00 p.m.

WEEK 2
Thursday, Aug. 16
Miami at Kansas City 8:00 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 17
Atlanta at Buffalo 7:00 p.m.
Carolina at Philadelphia 7:00 p.m.
Minnesota at N.Y. Jets 8:00 p.m.
Tennessee at New England 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 18
Houston at Arizona 4:00 p.m.
Detroit at Cleveland 7:00 p.m.
New Orleans at Cincinnati 7:30 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Jacksonville 7:30 p.m.
Denver at Dallas 8:00 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Washington 8:00 p.m.
San Diego at St. Louis 8:00 p.m.
Seattle at Green Bay 8:00 p.m.
Oakland at San Francisco 10:00 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 19
N.Y. Giants at Baltimore 8:00 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 20
Chicago at Indianapolis 8:00 p.m.

WEEK 3
Thursday, Aug. 23
Jacksonville at Green Bay 8:00 p.m.
New Orleans at Kansas City 8:30 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 24
Tennessee at Buffalo 7:00 p.m.
New England at Carolina 8:00 p.m.
St. Louis at Oakland 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 25
Detroit at Indianapolis 7:00 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Miami 7:30 p.m.
Baltimore at Washington 8:00 p.m.
Dallas at Houston 8:00 p.m.
N.Y. Jets at N.Y. Giants 8:00 p.m.
San Francisco at Chicago 8:00 p.m.
Cleveland at Denver 9:00 p.m.
Minnesota at Seattle 9:00 p.m.
San Diego at Arizona 10:00 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 26
Philadelphia at Pittsburgh 8:00 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 27
Cincinnati at Atlanta 8:00 p.m.

WEEK 4
Thursday, Aug. 30
Buffalo at Detroit 7:00 p.m.
N.Y. Giants at New England 7:30 p.m.
N.Y. Jets at Philadelphia 7:30 p.m.
Washington at Jacksonville 7:30 p.m.
Cleveland at Chicago 8:00 p.m.
Dallas at Minnesota 8:00 p.m.
Green Bay at Tennessee 8:00 p.m.
Houston at Tampa Bay 8:00 p.m.
Kansas City at St. Louis 8:00 p.m.
Miami at New Orleans 8:00 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Carolina 8:00 p.m.
Arizona at Denver 9:00 p.m.
Oakland at Seattle 10:00 p.m.
San Francisco at San Diego 10:00 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 31
Baltimore at Atlanta 7:30 p.m.
Indianapolis at Cincinnati 7:30 p.m.

Pass Rushers for the 2008 NFL Draft

Any successful defense must have a strong pass rush and the most versatile and arguably the most important member of that defense is the pass rushing outside linebacker. An elite pass rushing outside linebacker has the speed to cover backs and tight ends out of the back field, the size to come up fight through blocks and stuff the run and of course the quickness to flash past huge offensive tackles and sack the quarterback.

But it even goes deeper than that, an elite pass rush can compensate for a mediocre secondary, not only does the quarterback have less time to look for the open receiver, but the offense will often leave extra blockers in to help out with the pass rush, enabling more double and zone coverage in the secondary.

How important is the pass rushing outside linebacker? As an example the Dallas Cowboys, desperate for a pass rush, have used their first round draft pick on one of these guys in each of the last three years: DeMarcus Ware (2005), Bobby Carpenter (2006) and Anthony Spencer (2007). The need arises even further for teams using the 34 defense because all of their four linebackers have to be able to rush the passer on any given play.

So as the 34 defense becomes more utilized, so does the need for the pass rushing linebacker. Those guys rarely become available during free agency, therefore the best place to get them is via the NFL Draft. The 2008 NFL Draft isn't loaded at that position, but there are a few elite players that NFL Scouts are targeting for the 2008 NFL Draft. Most of these prospects played end in college but will almost certainly be converted to outside linebacker in the NFL.

Even though he will only be a junior this year, the top prospect in this category is Florida's Derrick Harvey, he is 6' 3" 250 pounds and when he gets in his zone, he can take over games. During the 2006 National Championship game against Ohio State, Harvey had three sacks and one fumble recovery, his performance was instrumental in Florida's 41-14 dominating win and he was named the defensive MVP. He finished the season with 35 tackles and 11 sacks, but he seemed to really peak towards the end of the year. Harvey is a consensus first team All-SEC defensive end heading into the 2007 football season.

Bruce Davis from UCLA is another prospect that will be converted to outside linebacker. At 6' 3" 247 pounds he is not huge, but he has a knack for getting to the quarterback and has excellent foot speed. The consensus first team All-PAC Ten Star finished last season with an impressive 12.5 sacks. Davis also had three pass break ups in 2006, so he is accustomed to falling back into pass coverage. Davis is much to quick for offensive tackles to block at the college level, this sack master is even going to give NFL tackles fits.

Tommy Blake from TCU is a NFL Draft prospect that just doesn't get enough respect. He is this year's Anthony Spencer. Blake has been very productive on the football field. Blake is 6' 3" 255 pounds, already has 26 starts, 134 tackles and 19 sacks. Blake is a unanimous first team MWC conference selection. Last year (2006) in the 37-7 Poinsettia Bowl win over Northern Illinois, Blake was named the game's Defensive Most Valuable player. He ranked #1 in the Mountain West Conference (MWC) with 16.5 tackles for a loss. He just knows how to get to the quarterback.

Auburns Quentin Groves at 6' 2" 251 is another prospect that might be too small to play defensive end in the NFL, but that shouldn't stop him from hearing his named called early in the 2008 NFL Draft. Groves almost entered the 2007 NFL Draft, but now that he is returning to Auburn, only needs four sacks to become Auburns all time leader with 23 sacks. The first team All-SEC sack master recorded 9.5 sacks last year (2006). Groves is also on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List.

Jameel McCLain plays for Syracuse, who hasn't been very successful as of late, and therefore has kind of fallen under the radar, but he is a talented pass rusher with the size and athletic ability to possible play outside linebacker in a 34 defense. He was moved to defensive end from linebacker in the spring of 2006 and he has been nothing short of sensational at that position ever since. He finished last season with 14.5 tackles for a loss and 9.5 sacks. McClain is a tad short at 6' 1" but at almost 260 pounds he has the beef.

Wallace Gilberry from Alabama is another under rated football player, but he was very successful on the football field in 2006 finishing with 10 tackles for a loss, 3 sacks and 10 quarterback hurries. He recorded 39 total tackles (21 solo) which lead the Alabama defensive line. Nick Saban is the new head coach and Saban is a master of the 34 defense, Alabama will eventually play the 34 defense and I would expect Gilberry to move around a lot this year, rush from different spots and plays on his feet more. At 6' 2" 256 pounds he has the size to play outside linebacker and with Saban's tutelage he should be a name that we keep an eye on in the 2008 NFL Draft.

I really like Cliff Avril from Purdue, he reminds me so much of Dallas Cowboy's Pro Bowl linebacker DeMarcus Ware. He has almost the same body style as Ware at 6' 3" 247 pounds. With Anthony Spencer on all the scouts' radar last year, Avril kind of went unnoticed. But he will be noticed this year if he builds upon his stellar season last year (2006): He started all 14 games, the first four at linebacker and last 10 at defensive end. He ranked only behind Spencer with 15.0 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 6 pass breakups and 84 tackles (51 solo, 33 assists). Avril is very light on his feet and looks fluid in pass coverage.

Juniors for the 2008 NFL Draft: part 2

This is the second part of my series covering under-classmen for the 2008 NFL Draft. Coincidently, Scout.com came out with their pre-season junior All-Americans about a week after I came out with my original article. One prospect that they had listed as a first team Junior All-American was defensive tackle Callahan Bright. A five star recruit coming out of high school, Bright originally signed with Florida State after playing a year at Hargrave Military Academy. The 6' 2" 315 pounder was timed at 4.92 in the 40 yard dash. Bright has also played linebacker, defensive end and right guard. He has bench pressed 400 pounds and squatted 700 pounds, he played Lacrosse, threw the shot put and was an excellent wrestler. Bright had difficulty with his academics and Florida State didn't sign him, he sat out of football in 2006, but Scout.com is reporting that he has signed with Division 2 Shaw University. As of this writing I haven't been able confirm this. If he does play football again this year he might add some talent and beef to the 2008 NFL Draft class. He might be this year's version of Walter Thomas, if he declares early.

The underclassmen running backs have been written about numerous times this pre-season already, and for good reason, this could be the best group of running backs in years. Running backs tend to enter the NFL Draft early more than other positions it seems, the theory is that a running back only has a finite number of carries in his career, so why waste them all in college for beans, when they can make millions of dollars doing in the NFL. That being said, I predict a large number of talented (junior) running backs will enter the 2008 NFL Draft. Besides Darren McFadden, Steve Slaton and Ray Rice, the other juniors that might possible enter the NFL Draft early are Virginia Techs Brandon Ore, Oregon's Jonathan Stewart, NC State's Andre Brown, Boise State's Ian Johnson and Clemson's James Davis. If even half of those prospects declare early, which is a strong possibility; this could be one of the strongest running back classes ever.

The junior receivers, while not nearly as solid as the running backs, offer up some interesting prospects. DeSean Jackson leads the pack with his blinding speed and scoring ability from anywhere on the field. Jackson is a better prospect at this point than Tedd Ginn JR, who was selected in the 2007 NFL Draft ninth overall by the Miami Dolphins. Michigan's Mario Manningham is another touchdown machine. Despite missing three games with a knee injury, Manningham was the leading receiver for the Wolverines last year (2006) with 703 yards. Manningham is not big at 6' 0" 184 pounds, but has been clocked at 4.39 seconds in the 40 yard dash. WR Mario Urrutia from Louisville is huge at 6' 6" 227 pounds and he will have the top quarterback in the nation throwing him the ball in Brian Brohm. Oklahoma's Malcom Kelly is a slightly unheralded prospect, but he is a supreme talent with nice size at 6' 4" 205 pounds, Kelly reached 1000 receiving yards in only 19 games which was faster than any receiver in Oklahoma history. Kelly set a record for receiving yards in a quarter with 134 against Middle Tennessee. Keep an eye on Patrick Turner from USC, he looks like he is next in line to take the mantel of USC receiving greatness. He is fast and big at 6' 4" 225 pounds and will be featured in an explosive USC offense. The last junior receiver that I want to highlight is Jaison Williams from Oregon, he is beyond big, at 6' 5" 242 pounds he might be moved to tight end in the NFL. Williams will be difficult to handle in the NFL, not only is he huge, but he is fast, he has been timed in the 100 meters at 10.5 seconds. Despite fighting injuries last year (2006) he was still the leading receiver on the team finishing with 68 receptions for 984 yards and 6 touchdowns.

Underclassmen for the 2008 NFL Draft

Image: Jeremy Perry, Guard, Oregon State

When I started evaluating the prospects for the 2008 NFL Draft one thing that I realized was that many of the best players seem to be juniors. That makes it tough, on one hand you don't want to focus on players that might not even be in the 2008 NFL Draft, but on the other hand, if they really are so good, why wait until they declare for the Draft before you talk about them, by then it's almost too late. Mel Kiper, for example, won't include underclassmen on his Big Board until after they declare. A lot of other NFL Draft Sites follow suit and seem very shy about focusing on juniors.

I do things different; I will not hesitate to highlight any player that has potential for the NFL Draft, either this year (2008) or a future draft, I even made a list of who I feel are the Sophomore NFL Prospects. So the juniors end up not declaring for the draft, no big deal, just move them to the next year's NFL Draft coverage, update your rankings, your mock drafts and keep on rolling.

So today I want to highlight a few of the very best juniors that would be top NFL Prospects if they would declare. Of course Arkansas running back Darren McFadden should be the first under-classmen to come off the boards, but there are many more that aren't as well publicized. Miami's defensive end Calais Campbell looks like the next Too Tall Jones. Campbell has been a man among boys while playing college football, standing at 6' 7" 280 pounds; he is huge, but well proportioned and highly athletic. Campbell got 12 starts last year as a sophomore and recorded 84 tackles, 10.5 sacks and his amazing 20.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage ranked him 9^th in the entire nation. Also a potential top ten pick and a team mate of Campbell at Miami is prep-star safety Kenny Phillips, who is the top rated safety on almost every rankings list that I have seen this year. Phillips is the complete package, normally at safety you have either a cover guy or a big hitter and you have to make a compromise between the two, not so with Phillips, he can back pedal into coverage at an elite level or turn on the jets and come up and lay on the devastating hit as good as any safety that has entered the draft in recent memory. Phillips has experience at the in-demand free safety spot where he already has 21 starts under his belt; last year as a sophomore he recorded 71 tackles, 4 interception and 6 pass break ups.

Junior offensive tackle Ryan Clady from Boise State, if he declares early, will be one of the best underclassmen offensive tackles to ever enter the NFL Draft. He might not be drafted ahead of Michigan's Jake Long or USC's Sam Baker, but he might end up as the best pro down the road. Clady is 6' 6" 320 pounds and has the perfect NFL frame and feet; once he gets a little stronger he is going to be a dominating force in the NFL. Clady started 11 games at right tackle as a red shirt freshman and last year as a sophomore received All-American honors while starting every game at left tackle. Sticking with the offensive line theme, offensive tackle Michael Oher from Ole Miss and offensive Guard Jermey Perry from Oregon State are a couple more offensive line prospects that carry very high early round NFL Draft potential, in fact Perry is my top rated guard prospect, at 6' 2" 320 pounds he is not huge, but his technique is flawless and his tenacity is unprecedented, he sustains his blocks until his opponent is on the ground, in fact he might even have to tone his aggressiveness down a little in the NFL or he might pick up an unnecessary roughness penalty. Perry was a 2006 PAC-10 Conference First Teamer and the 2005 PAC-10 co-Freshman of the Year. Born in Hau'ula, Hawaii', Perry has been on the Outland Trophy Watch list two years in a row including this year.

Running back Ray Rice from Rutgers is a player, that if he does declare early for the 2008 NFL Draft, might slip a little due to the fact that he is only 5' 9" tall, but don't count Rice out, he might be short in stature but he is not short on talent, he is 200 pounds of solid muscle, very explosive and even in the NFL he is going to break a lot of tackles. Going into his junior season Rice has already played in 25 games and scored 25 touchdowns. Rice is on many Heisman Trophy Watch Lists. Last year he supplanted All-American running back/fullback Brian Leonard who was selected in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft, that in itself should tell you something.

I covered the linebackers a few weeks ago so I am not going to talk about them today, but the position of cornerback looks particularly weak this year unless we get some help from some juniors. Malcom Jenkins from Ohio State might be the first corner off the board if he declares; he has prototype NFL size and speed and is a first team Athlon Sports All-American along with another talented junior, Brandon Flowers from Virginia Tech. Not to be over shadowed in the least at cornerback is Kansas Star Aqib Talib, he has a weird name, but has the talent, that if he should declare early, could easily fit in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft. In Phil Steele's College Football Preview for 2007, Talib was rated as the top cornerback in the entire nation. Talib is a first Team All Big 12 selection with 19 starts under his belt, last year (2006) he finished with 6 interceptions and an amazing 22 pass break ups. The junior class looks impressive indeed at corner when you also factor in Penn State's talented corner Justin King, who himself is even listed in the first round of many of the mock drafts these days. King is a little inexperienced, he played wide receiver as a true freshman, but was moved to corner last year and he recorded 30 tackles, 1 interception and 6 pass break ups. King reportedly has sub 4.3 speed; if that speed holds true he will be a hot commodity in the NFL Draft. There are so many talented juniors that I am going to have to finish this article in another installment, so check back in a few days and I will cover even more of the talented underclassmen that might shake up the 2008 NFL Draft.

Quarterbacks for the 2008 NFL Draft

The top quarterback on everybody's draft board is Louisville's Brian Brohm, with both NFL caliber receivers Harry Douglas and Mario Urrutia returning, there is every reason to believe Brohm will be the first player selected in the 2008 NFL Draft. Brohm has good size at 6' 3" 223 pounds, stands tall in the pocket and delivers the ball with supreme accuracy. He has a strong arm but not a cannon, his accuracy is his forte. He has the blood line; he is the fourth Brohm to play quarterback for the Cardinals. Last season (2006) he was the Big East offensive Player of the Year and over his three year career he has thrown for 6,751 yards and 41 touchdowns with only 12 interceptions. Brohm is a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate. His only weakness has been his ability to stay healthy.

One of the top quarterbacks available for the 2009 NFL Draft is Brohm's back-up Hunter Cantwell. The 6' 4" 230 pound junior has a strong arm and very good mechanics. When Brohm has been injured Cantwell has came in and looked impressive, he started the last two games last year and threw for 640 yards and five touchdowns, Cantwell threw for a career high 340 yards verses Middle Tennessee.

Quarterback Matt Ryan from Boston College is my second ranked quarterback; Ryan has all the tools to succeed at the next level. Prototype size at 6' 4 222 pounds, strong arm, accuracy, production, Ryan last season threw for 2,942 and 15 touchdowns with an impressive 61.6 completion percentage. What really separates Ryan from the pack is his pocket presence and coolness under pressure. With another year of improvement and of course good health (Ryan has been injury prone) Ryan could emerge as a first round NFL Draft prospect in the 2008 NFL Draft. Ryan has been a little bit streaky however and he will have to eliminate the costly interception.

This is where it gets interesting, the next three signal caller are rated almost evenly and depending on how they play in 2007 they could either emerge as first round draft picks or slip into the second day of the 2008 NFL Draft. Colt Brennan from Hawaii, Chad Henne from Michigan and John David Booty from national contender USC, will all be in the mix for the Heisman Trophy and for a chance to be selected in the opening round of the 2008 NFL Draft.

Tennessee's Eric Ainge is another fine NFL prospect; he did suffer a knee injury during spring practice, but should be ready to go for the regular season. Ainge has played off and on since he was a freshman and has been a little inconsistent, as a sophomore he struggled a little throwing for a low 45.5 completion percentage, but as a junior the lights came on and he really excelled. He improved his completion percentage to 67%. If Ainge improves as much in his senior year as he did in his junior year we might even be watching him walk up to the podium in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft. Ainge definitely has the size for it at 6' 5" 224 pounds.

I would be shirking my duties if I didn't highlight the quarterback that was number one in the SEC in total offense last year (2006). Andre' Woodson from Kentucky is huge at 6' 5" 230 pounds and was number one in passing yards (3,315) and number two in passing efficiency (63%) in the SEC last season. His 31 touchdowns to only 7 interceptions are impressive indeed. Athlon Sport's first team All-SEC selection, Woodson, in 2005 set a school record completing 162 consecutive passes without an interception. Now the reality, for all his gaudy statistics Woodson doesn't have the mechanics or accuracy of the above mentioned signal callers. He will still get a chance to play in the NFL, it just won't be right away and he will more than likely be as a mid to late round NFL Draft pick.

The other quarterback that I want to mention is small school wonder Josh Johnson from Division 1AA San Diego. You will be hearing more about this kid as the 2008 NFL Draft nears, but now you can say you heard it here first. This small school prospect can really play quarterback and he should be selected in the 2008 NFL Draft. With a solid senior season he might even be a mid round draft pick. Johnson is a little thin, but he is tall enough at 6' 3" 202 pounds. He has excellent mechanics and outstanding accuracy and arm strength. Johnson put up some fantastic numbers last year and he is also dangerous when he takes off and runs the ball. Last season Johnson threw for over 3,300 yards and 34 touchdowns with a 66.3 completion percentage, he also rushed for 720 yards. The Pioneer Football League isn't the SEC so Johnson will have a tall hill to climb to make it at the next level, but he does have the raw skills to play quarterback as a professional.

Tight Ends for the 2008 NFL Draft

Image: NFL Draft Prospect Martellus Bennett

I think you would have to consider the 2007 NFL Draft a poor year for tight ends with Miami's Greg Olsen the only legitimate first rounder and even he, with his blazing speed, wasn't taken until the 31^st pick by the Chicago Bears, Olsen is just a bulked up receiver and won't be much help in the running game. Heck there were only two tight ends taken on day one with the other being Arizona State's Zach Miller, who was drafted by the Raiders with the sixth pick in the second round. That was about a full round ahead of where I though Miller would go after he ran so poorly at the NFL Scouting Combine.

That's all about to change for the 2008 NFL Draft, especially if three of the top juniors declare early. I will start off with the three talented juniors that I think have tons of NFL potential. Martellus Bennett from Texas A&M is my top ranked tight under-classmen, and if it wasn't for Notre Dames' Senior John Carlson he would probably be my top rated tight end over all. Bennett has proto-type size and speed for an NFL tight end. His size of 6' 6" 254 pounds is ideal and he has hands on par with some of the best receivers in the nation. Depending on who you talk to he is even listed as being 6' 7" tall. So I think it's safe to say he is a legitimate 6' 6". Bennett was rated by most publications as the top ranked prep tight end coming out of high school and he hasn't disappointed the Aggies. He was a key cog in the Aggie offense last year (2006) as only a sophomore finishing with 38 catches and a 13.1 yards per catch average. Bennett is also a supreme basket ball player; he played football and basketball for the Aggies in 2005-06.

Chase Coffman from Missouri is another talented junior and he comes from an NFL pedigree; his father was former NFL Pro Paul Coffman. Coffman is not quite as big as Bennett at 6' 5" 240 pounds, but he has great hands and really has a knack for finding the open spots in the zone. Coffman finished his 2006 season as the leader in receptions in the Big 12 for tight ends with 58 catches. He also hauled in a very impressive nine touchdowns, shattering the Missouri Tiger tight end touchdown record.

Last but not least is a relatively unknown NFL Draft Prospect that plays for the under rated Wisconsin Badgers. Travis Beckum doesn't have near the size as the other tight ends, he will probably be more of a pass catching tight end or H-back, but the 6' 4" 225 pounder is a talent worth watching. Beckum is still learning the position as he converted from defensive end prior to the 2006 season, but boy was he a fast learner. Towards the end of the season he hit his groove and dominated his opponents, finishing strong with 61 catches, five touchdowns and a 14.8 yards per carry average.

The other three tight ends worth mentioning are talented seniors. John Carlson from Notre Dame looks like a first round draft pick for the 2008 NFL Draft, he seems to have it all, well coached, experienced, nice size and speed and excellent production. The 6' 5" 255 pounder finished last year (2006) with 47 receptions for 634 yards and 4 TDs, he also led the team with a 13.5 yards per catch average.

Martin Rucker from Missouri will also be a forced to be reckoned with in the 2008 NFL Draft. I am not rating Rucker on the same level as the previously mentioned prospects, but the senior is talented none the less. His production has dropped off a little from 13.8 yards per catch as a freshman, to 12.1 as a sophomore, to just 9.6 as a junior in 2006. Part of the drop off might be due to the fact that he plays with his team mate Chase Coffman, who I previously mentioned as top NFL Draft Prospect. The Tigers have a pair of super talented tight ends and there are only so many balls to go around. The 6' 6" 255 pound senior still finished with 53 catches for 511 yards and 5 TDs.

The last senior tight end that I want to cover today is NC State's Anthony Hill. I am much higher on Hill than most NFL Draft analysts. I think Hill will be a sleeper this year and will make a fine professional football player. When you watch Hill on film he looks like a receiver with his speed, agility and hands, but he is 6' 5" tall and close to 280 pounds. Hill led his team in receptions last year as a junior with 45 catches and 478 yards. Unlike the other tight ends mentioned, Hill is a powerful and skillful in-line blocker and will be an every down type of tight end. Those types of tight ends are coveted in the NFL. Hill is a consensus first team All-ACC selection.

Member: Starting Point Directory

Linebackers for the 2008 NFL Draft

Image: Rey Maualuga


When you talk about linebackers for the 2008 NFL Draft it all starts with the University of Southern California (USC). I don’t ever remember three linebackers from the same school drafted in the 1st round all in the same year. That is what might happen in the 2008 NFL Draft if juniors Brian Cushing and Rey Maualuga decide to forgo their senior year and enter the NFL Draft early. Two out of their three starting linebackers are on the Lombardi Award watch list.

Keith Rivers is a senior so we know he will be in the 2008 NFL Draft and with his size, speed and athleticism he will likely be a top 20 pick. Rivers is a (pre-season) Playboy All-American and already on the Lombardi Award watch list. Rivers is blazing fast with nice size (6’ 3” 235 lbs), he finished 2006 with an impressive 162 tackles, 13.5 tackles for a loss and one interception. Rivers seems to be in the first round of everybody’s 2008 NFL Mock Drafts.

Brian Cushing is a little different player physically; he has the size and skills to play defensive end or linebacker and will probably be a target of an NFL team that uses the 34 defense. Cushing is 6’ 4” 247 pounds; he played last year at End but will be moved back to his more natural outside linebacker position this year.

Last but not least in Rey Maualuga, he is soft spoken off the field, but plays with a nasty attitude on the field. Rey had a difficult freshman year, he was arrested for punching another student and then he had to deal with the death of his father. But as a sophomore he seemed to put all his troubles behind him, he had an outstanding year on the field recording 115 tackles, 9.5 tackles for a loss and two interceptions. He also was stellar in the class room earning a 3.2 grade point average. Rey is a pure inside linebacker and at a lean and mean 6’ 3” 250 pounds, he won’t have any problem holding his ground in the NFL. Rey was the John Mackey award winner as a freshman. Maualuga might even end up as the best pro out of all of them; the guy is just an animal. Maualuga is also on the Lombardi Award watch list.

Not far behind USC is Virginia Tech, with Vince Hall in the middle and Xavier Adibi on the outside, opposing offenses are going to have difficulty running the ball. Hall isn’t real tall at 6’ 0” 237 pounds but he is solid, strong and is adept at fighting through blockers and getting to the ball carrier. Adibi isn’t rated as high as he should be by NFL scouts because he is a tad small at 6’ 2” 225 pounds, but he is cat quick, good in pass coverage and comes off the corner in a hurry to get to the QB on blitzes. Virginia Tech’s defense last year allowed the least points (11) and total yards per game (219.5) in the nation and the scary thing is their defense might be even better this year as five of their front seven return and they have a shutdown corner in Brandon Flowers.

Penn State was called Linebacker U for years and it looks like that nick name will be back in 2007. Linebacker Dan Conner is the headliner, Conner will move from the weakside to the middle to replace Paul Posluszney who was selected in the 2007 NFL Draft. Everybody knows about Conner, but the linebacker that should emerge as an NFL Prospect this year is Junior Sean Lee. Lee has excellent sideline to sideline speed and is an excellent tackler. Lee came on strong towards the end of last year; he recorded 13 tackles against Wisconsin and 11 against Ohio State.

Ohio State seems to put together an excellent linebacker corps year after year and this year should be no different. The headliner is everybody’s All-American and last year’s Bronco Nagurski Trophy Award winner, middle linebacker James Laurinaitis. The Bronco Nagurski Award is given to the nation’s best defensive player and Laurinaitis won it as a sophomore. The other linebacker is a rising star, only a junior, but like Laurinaitis, started last year as a sophomore, Marcus Freeman (6’ 2” 238 lbs). Freeman received a redshirt in 2005 due to a knee injury, but fully healed he should be a force in 2007. He probably won’t leave for the NFL early but could be a name to watch for the 2009 NFL Draft.

LSU will also have a formidable group of linebackers, Ali Highsmith is the big name of the group, a little small at 6’ 0” 228 pounds, but he has safety speed and hits like, well, a linebacker. He didn’t play great in 2007 but I expect him to have a better year in 2007. Luke Sanders is the other senior, he has impressive size at 6’ 4” 235 pounds, but he is going to have to fight for a starting spot because junior Darry Beckwith is coming on strong. It is going to be hard to keep Beckwith off the field in 2007, he even outplayed Highsmith at times last year.

The sleeper linebacker corps hails from Louisville, everybody knows about super star Malik Jackson, with a solid senior season he could easily be a first round draft pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, Jackson is a sideline to sideline tackling machine with nice size (6’2” 235 lbs), last year (2006) he recorded an impressive 16 tackles for a loss, nine sacks and three fumble recoveries. The intriguing addition to this group is redshirt junior Linebacker Willie Williams. A transfer from West Los Angeles, but he originally signed with Miami (Fl) after being labeled as one of the top players in the nation coming out of high school. He has the size and athleticism (6’ 3” 240 lbs), we just have to see if he can put it together mentally. Williams, the new comer, will have to beat out junior Lamar Miles, who is himself a very talented linebacker, but Miles is only 6’ 1” 220 lbs. so I wouldn’t count Williams out just yet.

Here are a few other senior linebackers that should her there name called early in the 2008 NFL Draft:
1. Jonathan Goff, Vanderbilt
2. Jasper Brinkley, South Carolina
3. Philip Wheeler, Georgia Tech
4. Shawn Crable, Michigan
5. Wesley Jefferson, Maryland
6. Alvin Bowen, Iowa State
7. Rory Johnson, Mississippi
8. Romeo Davis, Miami (FL)
9. Bo Ruud, Nebraska
10. J. Leman, Illinois
*Small School Stud: Bryan Smith, McNeese State

Are You Ready for Some Football?

Are you ready to start scouting for the NFL Draft yet? Or, are any of you like me, just ready to watch some football again? It's early June, and die-hard football fans are going through withdrawals. So what is really going on behind the scenes? The coaches, general managers and players never really get any time off, this is the time that the serious players are improving their strength, conditioning can come later, but the successful football players get stronger during the off season.

The Fans:

This is the time for us to do our research. When the whistle blows we want to know who and what we are looking at. If you like free stuff like me, get on the internet and visit the best free football and NFL Draft sources out there. Don't be shy about checking NCAA football statistics, they don't tell the whole story, but quite often you can identify that Super Sophomore, for example look at Kent State's Kevin Hogan, as a freshman he was ranked 22^nd in the NCAA with 7.5 sacks and ranked 58^th in tackles for a loss with 11. Is Hogan an NFL Draft Prospect? Maybe, but at 6' 3" 233 pounds he will have to make a living at linebacker, also Kent State doesn't exactly play against top notch opponents. Going back to that same statistics page and looking at tackles for a loss (TFL), the name that really jumps out at you is Calais Campbell. His sophomore numbers last year are far more impressive than Hogan's, not only did he (Campbell) finish ranked 9^th in the nation with 20.5 TFLs but he is 6' 7" 255 pounds and played for the Miami Hurricanes. So go ahead and use statistic, but use them with caution.

It is also nice to know who the Best College Football Teams are going to be heading into the season, and get familiar with the upcoming NCAA schedule and NFL schedule, your wife might not like it, but it's time to plan alternate dates to go to your mother in laws.

The other aspect of preparation is often under-rated, but hugely important. Guys, if you haven't already got a wide screen high definition TV is time to quit procrastinating and take the plunge. The prices have reached the point where they are really affordable. For 10 plus years of very enjoyable football watching I think the price is well worth it. The wide screen format is ideal for watching football; you can see so much more of the action. Do some shopping around and get a good value. If you are on a budget, but still want the best, I recommend a Vizio 50 inch plasma. My parents have one hanging on their wall and it is breath taking.

The other option is going to some live games, HDTVs are great, but there is nothing better than watching the action live. The cheapest place to buy football tickets is online and I use Ticket City.com. They have College Football Tickets, NFL Tickets and you will have a hard time beating their prices. If you are even thinking of going to the Super Bowl in Phoenix in 2008, you had better hurry and get your Super Bowl tickets before they are sold out.

The Players:

If they are not getting arrested, renegotiating their contract or doing a United Way commercial, they are probably in the gym. Most work out at their teams training facility, but some go back to their home town and workout, but almost all the successful NFL players try to get stronger in the off season. Strength work comes in all flavors these days, from computerized machines to carrying heavy objects up a hill. The best and fastest way to improve strength is with time honored compound exercises using free weights. Squats, deadlifts, clean and jerks, power cleans, bench press and the shoulder press are the core staples. Strength is important, but agility and flexibility can't be forgotten during the off season. You should also include unilateral lifts in your program like lunges, step ups, hamstring swiss ball work, sleds, and wind sprints. Swimming is also an excellent exercise that can be used to improve performance in all sports. The great thing about swimming is it tends to elongate your muscles and increase your flexibility.

The Saga of Quarterback Mitch Mustain

Quarterback Mitch Mustain, the 2005 Parade magazine prep player of the year, will sit on the sidelines and learn the USC offense this season (2007). The bad news is, in accordance with NCAA rules, after transferring to USC from Arkansas, he is required to sit out a year. The good news is he will still have three years of NCAA College Football eligibility left. If he would have transferred to a non-division I school he could have played immediately.

Mustain has been through a lot in his short college football career. He started for Arkansas as a freshman and went undefeated, winning his first 8 games, but was then benched in favor of Casey Dick, even after a November win against South Carolina. Mustain completed 69 of his 132 passes for 894 yards. He also had 10 touchdowns and nine interceptions during his short tenure at Arkansas.

The benching probably didn’t sit well with Mitch, and then, on top of that, his former high school coach at Springdale, Arkansas, Gus Malzahn, who was hired by the Razorbacks to run the Razorback offense, really didn’t get an opportunity to install his own offense, so (Malzahn) ran off and took a job coaching at Tulsa.

Another factor in Mustain’s departure might have been his embattled coach Houston Nutt, there was evidence that Nutt was having an affair on his wife Diana. Cell phone records surfaced showing Nutt, using a University of Arkansas issued phone, exchanging more than 1,000 text messages with a female television news anchor.

Regardless of the reason, Mitch Mustain has been taking a lot of criticism for his transfer, but he might have the last laugh. He won’t have it easy however, not only will he have to sit out a year, but in 2008, he will have to compete with a talented, firmly emplaced quarterback at USC, named Mark Sanchez. But even if he doesn’t beat out Sanchez, by the time he is a senior, he will almost certainly be the starting quarterback at USC. Playing under Coach Pete Caroll bodes well for Mustain's future. But then again, a lot can happen in three years.

Mustain definitely has the tools to be a successful college football quarterback with a little patience. The 6’ 3” 205 pound future NFL Prospect was the top rated signal caller coming out of high school where he completed 70 % of his passes as he led his team to an undefeated record and a state championship. It will be interesting to see what happens to Mitch Mustain, but if he can overcome all the adversity, he could emerge as an elite future NFL Draft Prospect, and despite everything else, that’s what really counts.

The Curse of the Heisman Trophy

John Heisman

What weighs 25 pounds is made of bronze and is bad luck for quarterbacks in the NFL. Fourteen quarterbacks have won the Heisman Trophy since 1971 and very few have had any success in the NFL. The strange thing is everybody knows this, but they still get selected in the NFL Draft way higher than they should, year after year. Yes people, the 2006 winner Troy Smith was selected in the fifth round and he probably shouldn’t have even been picked in the NFL Draft at all. There were five players selected ahead of Smith in the 2007 NFL Draft from his own team! He was supposed to be the best player in college football last year, but he wasn’t even in the top 5 of his own team.

Here is an example of how distorted the Heisman Trophy has become, did you know that Troy Smith’s 2,540 votes were the 3rd most votes since 1968, only behind OJ Simpson in 1968 (2,853 votes) and Reggie Bush in 2005 (2541 votes). OJ’s 2,853 votes back in 1968 were pretty amazing. I am 43 years old so I remember watching OJ play when I was a kid, and he was the best running back that I have ever seen in college and the NFL. We all know what happened to OJ, so maybe the Heisman curse had befallen him also.

Since 1971 fourteen quarterbacks have won the Heisman Trophy, look at all the NFL busts:

1971: Pat Sullivan, Auburn
1989: Andre Ware, Houston
1992: Gino Torretta, Miami (Fl)
1993: Charlie Ward, Florida State
1996: Danny Wuerffle, Florida
200: Chris Weinke, Florida State
2001: Eric Crouch, Nebraska
2003: Jason White, Oklahoma

Yes I understand the Heisman Trophy is not based on NFL potential, but shouldn’t the best player in College Football have success in the NFL? The trophy was named after Coach John Heisman when he died in 1936 from pneumonia. I am sure he is looking down at us from heaven and shaking his head on what has become of his trophy. The award has become politicized and deflated, nothing more than the winner of a popularity contest. Players now talk about their Heisman campaign as if they are running for office. The Downtown Athletic Club needs to overhaul the voting system to allow the best player in college football to win the trophy. It should be based on merit, not politics and his amount of press coverage.

2007 NFL Draft Report: NFC Losers

Three Biggest Draft Losers in the NFC

2007-nfl-draft

By James Polifroni

3. Seahawks
The Seahawks did not select until the second round, 55th overall. With that, they took speedy cornerback Josh Wilson out of Maryland. Wilson did run a great 40 at the combine, but besides being a potential help to their return game, the former Terp will not give enough help in the defensive backfield to warrant a team’s first overall selection.
For personal reasons, I followed Maryland football for the past two seasons. Besides one impressive kick return this past year against Clemson, Wilson rarely demonstrated the speed that his sub 4.4 40-time would suggest. Seattle is in need of playmakers on the defensive side of the ball, and with only two interceptions his senior year and four in total, I don’t know if Wilson will provide them with the big plays they need. I think Marcus McCauley, who is a local kid from Fresno State, would have been a more logical selection at this point.
Another possible disappointing pick for the Seahawks was Baraka Atkins in the fourth round. He was simply a potential pick. Seems to have the size and athleticism to be a solid defensive tackle but lacked in overall productivity. The lone good pick made by Seattle is Courtney Taylor. The wide receiver from Auburn was a steal that late in the 6th round, and could be a huge help with his size and speed later on in the season.


2. Falcons/Packers
These two are grouped together because I feel they both made the same mistakes. Each team has a franchise quarterback in need of offensive support, and I do not feel that these needs were met. The Falcons want consistency from Michael Vick. Bobby Petrino showed his confidence in his QB by trading away his main competition, but Vick will not be successful or consistent unless his receivers are, in turn, consistent as well. An underlying story last season was the poor play of Falcons wide-outs, so it would only make sense that they draft help for Vick. Their first pick went to D-End Jamaal Anderson, which admittedly was a sensible pick that will help, so there are no complaints here about that. However, they needed to pick up a receiver with one of their second round picks. Those available when Atlanta picked: Sidney Rice, Dwayne Jarrett, and Steve Smith. Instead, they waited until the third round to select Laurent Robinson from Illinois State. Robinson is a good player, and could develop well, but I would have liked to see a proven winner against solid competition to provide immediate help to the Falcons passing game.
Brett Favre decided to come back for yet another year under center in Green Bay. However, after last years departure of Javon Walker, and Ahman Green leaving this off-season, Favre needs all of the help he can get. The packers first round pick surprisingly focused on the defensive line, taking Justin Harrell out of Tennessee. Harrell will be a very solid player in the league, and although their D-Line isn’t the strongest, I think there were bigger needs for Green Bay to fill. LaMarr Woodley was the Packers second round choice, and even though many consider him a reach he could turn out to be a nice player. The problem, their offense was still not addressed. They finally went with a running back late in the second round by taking Brandon Jackson out of Nebraska. Jackson probably was the best back available; however this need could have been filled earlier.
In the third round, wide receiver James Jones out of San Jose State was a very confusing pick. Jones is in no way a speedster, running a 4.54, and lacks deep threat ability. He had a great senior year with 70 receptions, but relatively no production beforehand. With the Patriots trading for Randy Moss, who was rumored to possibly end up in Green Bay, Favre NEEDS a deep threat in order to compete next season. This need was not addressed in the 2007 draft.


1. Eagles
The main point of the NFL draft is to help yourself become the elite team in your division and conference. Giving your first round pick to a DIVISION RIVAL goes completely against that method. After the Cowboys traded their first round pick of the ’07 draft, the Eagles let them right back in. The Cowboys would go on to use this pick to improve their pass rush, which is bad news for starting quarterback, the injury prone Donovan McNabb.
Philadelphia may have had McNabb’s injury woe’s in mind when making their first overall selection. The 36th overall pick was Kevin Kolb, quarterback out of Houston. This was one of the more outrageous picks of the entire draft. What does taking a quarterback this early say to Donovan McNabb. And, if they really are concerned about McNabb’s future in Philly (which I can’t blame them for as I agree McNabb has peaked long ago), is Kolb really the direction they wanted to go in? He did have great numbers throughout his career in Houston, but he was playing in one of the best systems for a college quarterback to compete in. His accuracy is yet to be proven, and had far too many balls knocked down at the line of scrimmage. As a matter of fact, I really think that he has the most question marks of all of the second wave of QB’s in the draft (this group would include Drew Stanton, Trent Edwards, and John Beck). Many think that John Beck would have been the best fit here having the intangibles and toughness to play in Philadelphia. Furthermore, given Andy Reid’s connections with BYU, it just seems to make more sense.
Victor Abaimiri of Notre Dame was their next pick. This seemed to be a reach as well. With better defensive ends on the board, this under achieving talent is not what they need in terms of immediate help. The only hope is that the veterans in Philly’s front seven will help Abaimiri to realize his potential. The Eagles best pick overall came in the third round with Tony Hunt. His power and tough running style is just what they are missing, and is a perfect complement to Brian Westbrook. Hunt’s Pennsylvania connections after playing at Penn State will also go a long way in winning over those tough Philadelphia fans. Overall, the Eagles had the least impressive draft of everyone in the NFC. In my eyes, they sadly went from contender to pretender in one crucial weekend. Then again, isn’t that the beauty of the NFL Draft?

The King of Honolulu

June Jones has to have the best job in the world, coaching football in Hawaii. He has quite the gig going; he hired his former NFL buddies Jerry Glanville (defensive coordinator) and Mouse Davis (Special Teams). Jones’ record at Hawaii is 64-40 and his 64 wins have established him as the winningest coach in Hawaii football history. His success and his NFL pedigree have given him free reign to run the football program as he wants. Yes June Jones seems blessed, his gamble on bringing a convicted criminal in to play quarterback worked, Colt Brennan has been on good behavior and he (Jones) now has a legitimate Heisman candidate behind center. June Jones is The king of Honolulu and his infamous “run and shoot” offense is still alive and well. I still think his offense would have been a perfect fit for Michael Vick down in Atlanta, but that topic is for a different day.

The only complaint I have against Jones is the strength of schedule that he signs up for year after year. For whatever reason, he never seems to play anyone tough. Maybe the big boys don’t want to play them, or maybe traveling to the mainland is too much of a challenge, but their patsy schedule kills any hopes of a lofty ranking and quite frankly all but assures Quarterback Colt Brennan of not winning the Heisman Trophy. They can’t do anything about their WAC schedule, but their non conference schedule is a joke, they play UNLV, Charleston Southern and Washington at home. Where is the Big 10, Big 12, ACC or SEC?

The Rainbows faired very well in the 2007 NFL Draft, they had five players drafted and five signed as free agents. I wonder if the Miami Dolphins have a former rainbow as a scout, because of those ten prospects that have a chance in the NFL; the Dolphins grabbed three of them. The Fins drafted massive fullback Mauia Reagan, and I do mean massive at 6’ 0” 296 pounds, they also drafted center Samson Satele, who actually has a good chance of starting for the Dolphins. They (Dolphins) also picked up/signed guard Tala Esra as a free agent. RB Nate Ilaoa was drafted by the Eagles and OG Dane Uperesa was signed as a free agent by the Bengals. On defense, defensive ends Alama-Francis and Melila Purcell were drafted by the Lions and Browns respectively. Other free agents that made it to an NFL camp were safety Leonard Peters (Jets), CB Kenny Patton (Raiders) and DT Lawrence Wilson (Raiders). In eight seasons at Hawaii June Jones has had 16 players drafted by NFL teams, and in the 2007 NFL Draft, only six NCAA schools had more players selected than Hawaii: Texas, Ohio State, Michigan, Tennessee, Notre Dame and Florida.

Yes they lost a lot of players last year, but the cupboard is not bare. They have record setting quarterback Colt Brennan, and a very talented trio of wide receivers to throw the ball to. Junior Davone Bess (5’ 10 189 lbs) is the headliner, he finished the 2006 season with 96 receptions for 1,220 yards and 15 touchdowns. Senior Jason Rivers is a big target at 6’ 2” 187 pounds and he finished 2006 with 72 catches for 1,178 yards and 10 touchdowns. Last but not least in this talented receiver trio is junior Ryan Grice-Mullen (5’ 10” 174 lbs), he caught 46 balls for 770 yards and 11 touchdowns. That’s 36 touchdowns folks. On a negative note, Colt Brennan will really miss the losses at running back, full back and along the offensive line. The loss of running back Nate Ilaoa will be devastating, he was a do everything, run and catch type of player.
Due to a weak schedule the Rainbows will have a very good over-all record, and with Brennan and those talented receivers should put up some great passing statistics, but they will have trouble running the ball and might not be that great of a team overall. Probably not a top 20 team in the NCAA Rankings at this point.

But June Jones knows what he is doing, he declines NFL offers every year, most teams want him as an offensive coordinator and he says no. Do you blame him? With the way he is recruiting, coaching and scheduling at Hawaii, he is assured of a bowl game every year, a fat salary, complete control of the program, and his toes in the sand six months out of the year. What more could a coach ask for?

Updated 2008 NFL Mock Draft

The 2007 NFL Draft is over and NFL Draft Dog has completed their Post Draft Reports and have given each NFL Team a grade. More post draft information is coming soon, but in the meantime I have updated my 2008 Mock Draft and my list of the top NFL Draft Web Sites.

Steals of the 2007 NFL Draft

Top 10 Countdown

By James Polifroni

10. Michael Johnson- SS/Arizona 7th Rd. 224 Overall- Giants
6’3-211 40 yd. Dash- 4.63

Major knock is that he lacks the physicality to play strong safety in the NFL. Seems faster on the field than the 4.63 40 listed. Good size for the position, with a solid frame and the potential to gain weight. Possesses solid ball skills, something the Giants have been in desperate need for in their defensive backfield. Had 107 tackles and 5 picks in his two years at Arizona (JUCO transfer junior year). Quite possibly holds the most potential of all 7th round selections.

9. H.B Blades- MLB/Pitt 6th Rd. 179 Overall- Redskins
5’11-237 40 yd. Dash- 4.75

Four year contributor, three year full-time starter for the Pittsburgh Panthers. I’ve heard his durability questioned, which is confusing due to the fact that he started all 36 games from his sophomore year on. 40-speed not great, but also much faster on the field, and covers a tremendous amount of territory from his middle linebacker position. His cover skills, however, need improvement. Overall, Blades is a true old school inside backer; hard-hitting and sure tackling. Compiled 147 tackles senior year, with 10 for a loss, one sack and two interceptions. H.B tallied 433 tackles on his 4 year career.


8. Trent Edwards- QB/Stanford 3rd Rd. 92 Overall- Bills
6’4-231 40 yd. Dash- 4.73

The Bills seem to be confident with JP Losman at the helm, but Edwards, at the least, will serve as a great insurance policy. The highly regarded Pac-10 quarterback only competed in 7 games his senior season due to an ankle injury, but had a fantastic junior campaign, throwing for nearly 2,000 yards (1,934), 17 TD’s and only 7 picks. All of that was done with a completion percentage of 62.7, and a sub-par supporting cast. If Losman works out, Edwards will serve as great trade value in the future, and has the potential to be a quality starter.


7. Quinn Pitcock- DT/Ohio State 3rd Rd. 98 Overall- Colts
6’2- 211 40 yd. Dash- 4.9

Pitcock almost slipped out of the first day before being grabbed by the Colts, joining fellow Buckeyes Anthony Gonzalez and Roy Hall (5th round pick, also potential steal) as Indianapolis selections. He possesses pure strength to go along with solid size, athleticism, and a good work ethic. Senior year, Pitcock racked up 39 tackles, with 12 for a loss and eight sacks. For those keeping tabs, that’s 14 more tackles, six more for a loss, and six more sacks than Michigan’s Alan Branch, who was selected 33rd overall. Pitcock will probably never be a standout, but I expect him to be a solid contributor for years to come.


6. Eric Wright- CB/UNLV 2nd Rd. 53 Overall- Browns
5’11-190 40 yd. Dash- 4.36

This is one of the biggest question marks of the 2007 NFL Draft. Wright has outstanding physical talent, potentially a top 15 pick. Major red flags are raised concerning his character, however. He was a top flight red-shirt freshman at USC before transferring to UNLV after serious encounters with the law. I still think it was an incredible pick by Cleveland, and they get great value in Wright here in the 2nd round. He could help fill their desperate need for a shutdown corner. Further, Wright may have turned his own corner. After all, he spent the second half of his college career at UNLV, maintaining a spotless record; and as you probably know, even the best of characters can find trouble in Vegas.


5. Kevin Boss-TE/ Western Oregon 5th Rd. 153 Overall- Giants
6’6-257 40 yd. Dash- 4.78


Great pick with great value here for the Giants. After the departure of Vishante Shianco, the G-Men needed a second tight-end to compliment Jeremy Shockey. They may have very well found their man in Boss. As a converted wide-out, Boss has tremendous receiving ability. His past experience in collegiate basketball also goes a long way in proving his potential to excel at the next level (a la Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates). Boss’ major weakness, blocking, is the easier skill to improve on at the next level. With his great size and solid athleticism, watch for Boss to have a quick impact for the Giants in ’07.


4. Brady Quinn-QB/Notre Dame 1st Rd. 22 Overall- Browns
6’3-226 40 yd. Dash- 4.62


Cleary, Quinn was the story of the draft. You all know the basics about Brady Quinn; prototypical size, strong arm, struggles with accuracy at times, and produces questionable performances in big games. At the 22nd pick, however, to a team in need of a franchise QB, and a city looking to continue their trend of featuring young stars (such as LeBron James of the Cavs and Grady Sizemore of the Indians), it is a no-brainer. The Browns did give up their first rounder in ’08, but if they truly believe Quinn is better than next year’s prospects, they simply get him a year early AND save a boatload of money in doing it. Let’s just hope the Browns learned their lesson with Couch and this time give Quinn to adjust to the NFL game. I love the pick. The only question remaining is; what fan club will be bigger in Cleveland, Grady’s Ladies or Brady’s Ladies?


3. Michael Bush- RB/Louisville 4th Rd. 100 Overall- Raiders
6’1-243 40 yd. Dash- 4.5


Bush is what many people would call THE steal of the draft. Although I’m not going quite that far, clearly this was a tremendous value pick for the Oakland Raiders. Many believe, if healthy, Bush is a top 15 pick. While I’m not quite ready to admit that, his potential is certainly high. His size and build would remind you of a somewhat more athletic version of LenDale White, the type of player who Lane Kiffin is clearly comfortable in coaching. Still recovering from a broken leg, Bush fell to the second day of the weekend. The Raiders taking a risk here is commendable. If Bush’s leg never quite heals and he’s not the player he is expected to be, than they have a 4th round pick who didn’t quite pan out (believe me it’s happened before). If he recovers and realizes his potential, the Raiders just got a pro-bowl quality back in the 4th round. Oakland is also a perfect situation for Bush because they already have two solid backs in Lamont Jordan and Damian Rhodes, so hopefully he is not rushed into playing time.


2. Steve Breaston- WR/Michigan 5th Rd. 144 Overall- Cardinals
6’- 193 40 yd. Dash-4.4


Many teams looked to find this year’s Devin Hester. Breaston may not quite be at that level, but a great pick in round five by the Cardinals. After red-shirting his first year at Michigan, he went on to earn co-Big 10 freshman of the year. His receiving production was never outstanding, due to playing alongside Braylon Edwards and then Mario Manningham, but he managed to make his presence felt elsewhere. Breaston is the all time leader in punt return yards in the Big 10, and holds the Rose Bowl record for total yards vs. Texas in 2005 (racked up 315 yards on the loss), proving he can get it done in big moments. That being said, he still caught 58 balls for 670 yards his senior season. Breaston should play an immediate role in the special teams department for the Cards, and could even find his way into the offense at the slot.


1. Dwayne Jarrett- WR/USC 2nd Rd. 45 Overall- Panthers
6’5- 213 40yd. Dash- 4.62


I know many of you may think the biggest steal can’t be a second rounder. Please just hear me out. I began to get sick to my stomach with the more talk I heard about Jarrett’s stock dropping. I agree that combine times are important, to a point. On the other hand, here we are talking about a guy who simply got it done, year in and year out, on some of the biggest possible stages to boot. He does need to put on some weight, and an extra year may have helped him do that, but 2nd round? Give me a break! His straight speed may not be tremendous, but is very long and agile.

This situation reminds me of another wide out who slipped in the draft. A big, strong receiver out of Florida State was a potential first-rounder, until word of a poor 40-time slipped out (reportedly as slow as a 4.8). He was drafted in the second round, 54th overall to the Cardinals, behind track-star converted wide out Bethel Johnson, Taylor Jacobs, and Bryant Johnson, to name a few. His name is Anquan Boldin. You may have heard of him. On the other side of the spectrum, Troy Williamson was taken 7th overall in the 2005 draft by the Minnesota Vikings, mostly because of his fast 40-time. Admittedly, the receiver class was not too strong in ’05, but Troy Williamson is not a 7th overall draft pick, regardless of the year.

But I digress. In just three years of football, our “steal of the draft” caught 216 balls for 3,138 yards, and a Pac-10 record 41 touchdowns. In his last collegiate game, the Rose Bowl against Michigan and 1st round cornerback Leon Hall, Jarrett won co-MVP (along with teammate and fellow New Jersey native Brian Cushing). The panthers obviously have big plans for Dwayne in the future, having already cut veteran starting receiver Keyshawn Johnson (coincidentally Keyshawn also Fight’s On as a fellow USC Trojan alum). Playing alongside Steve Smith, look for Jarrett to put up MONSTER numbers this fall, potentially even gaining rookie of the year honors.


James Polifroni
Senior Writer

NFL Draft Dog

Member of Link Juice Football Directory