Strategies for the 2008 NFL Draft (Part one)

The 2008 NFL Draft is coming up in a couple days and many die hard NFL fans like to try and figure out which college prospect is going to be selected by which NFL team.

People that don't "get it" have asked me time and time again, "what's the big deal?" or "Why do we do it?" Well, because it's fun, we can play general manager, plan strategy, evaluate college prospects and talk about NFL team needs and probable picks around the water cooler at work. The real hardcore draftniks can even come up with their own Mock Drafts and compare them after the draft with the experts like ESPN. But what's especially cool is that most of the so called "expert mock Drafts" are really no more accurate than the casual fan doing one at home.

The so called experts seem to think they get inside information from NFL personnel directors, scouts, general managers, and yes even coaches and owners, but in reality, if they do get information, it is usually mis-information. Why would an NFL team give a reporter a scoop that could jeopardize his chances of drafting the player he wants? So the real key is to get a good evaluation of the college prospects and NFL team needs and go with your gut instincts. Here are my gut instincts for the 2008 NFL Draft, which I have compiled in Draft Dog's 2008 NFL Mock Draft.

1. The Dolphins signed Jake Long, Michigan, to a huge contract, so the mystery is gone from the first pick. It was a smart move by the Phins, the NFL rules allow negotiations with the first pick, so why not? The Raiders screwed the pooch last year by having QB JaMarcus Russell hold out all of training camp. I think in the future you will see the first pick almost always work out a deal prior to the draft. My advice, if the team that has the top pick can't work out a deal prior to the draft, then draft someone else, because it makes no sense to have the your first pick hold out, time is short, they are restricted free agents in three years and totally free after five, and it usually takes 2-3 years for a rookie to develop.

2. I see the Rams grabbing defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey from LSU here. Adam Carricker was their first pick last year, but he is really a defensive end. I was actually surprised they played him inside last year, I think it was more out of necessity that anything. With Carriker and Dorsey I expect the Rams defense to be much improved in 2008. Oh, and if it was my choice I would pick Sedrick Ellis, everything being equal, Ellis is just as quick and strong and has been more consistent and durable over the years.

3. This one is a no brainer here, the Falcons desperately need a quarterback and the best QB in the draft falls right into their laps. QB, Matt Ryan, Boston College. Ryan has all the intangibles you want in a franchise quarterback. The only thing that could throw this off is the Ravens, Vikings or Bears trading up here to snatch Ryan away. Matt Ryan is probably not falling to the Ravens so get that idea out of your mind.

4. It starts getting tricky about right here because the Raiders could go a number of different ways. They might grad RB Darren McFadden, who many consider the best player in this draft, but they already have Justin Vargas, who had a good year in 2008 and they drafted Michael Bush from Louisville last year, who if he wouldn't have broken his leg his senior year, would have been a first round draft pick. They also have LaMont Jordan and Dominic Rhodes on their roster. No I think they will take the best defensive player still on the board in DE/OLB, Chris Long, Virginia. He will also be a fan favorite as his dad Howie was a hall of fame Raider.

5. The Chiefs just traded Jared Allen to the Vikings. Don't get your panties in a wad Chief fans, Allen was a shot of Jack Daniels away from seeing a year long suspension and demanded a huge contract, the Viking might regret that move. The Chiefs aren't going to the playoffs in 2008 so it's time to rebuild with some youth, they get an extra first round pick and a few others. They wanted Jake Long, but he is gone and no other tackles are worthy of this high of a pick. The only other player that they might select ahead of DT, Sedrick Ellis, USC is DE Vernon Gholston from Ohio State. I think it will be Ellis though, both fill a need, but I have Ellis rated a little higher. Ellis will be a pro bowl tackle in the NFL and could be defensive rookie of the year.

6. The Jets have Thomas Jones and Leon Washington at running back, so they might take Vernon Gholston, who really fills more of a need. But sticking with the best player available theme they will likely select RB, Darren McFadden, Arkansas. This is where they will get some phone calls as the Cowboys would like to get Darren McFadden, but they are not going to give up the house for him and more than likely the Jets demands will be too high. If McFadden falls from this spot, there is a high probability that the Cowboys will try to up and get him because the next team likely to select him seems to be the Broncos at #12.

7. New England gets this pick in a trade with the 49ers from last year. They could go cornerback here, but DE, Vernon Gholston, Ohio State is by far the highest rated player left on the Draft Board. Some people have talked about Keith Rivers at this spot, first of all I think it's to early for Rivers and secondly he doesn't fit the mold as a pass rushing linebacker, Rivers is a better fit in a traditional 43 defense. If Ghoston gets taken by the Jets, the Patriots might reach a little and take Florida's Derrick Harvey.

8. This is the most difficult pick for me, conventional wisdom has the Ravens believing all the so called draft experts and passing on QB, Brian Brohm, Louisville. They might just draft a cornerback here and then try and trade back into the bottom of the first round and getting Brohm or maybe Joe Flacco. That's not a bad idea, but it's no guarantee that you will be able to get back into the first round and get Brohm or Flacco, the Vikings or the Bears could snatch one or both players away and then the Ravens would look pretty stupid for passing up a potential franchise quarterback in Brian Brohm. I guess it all depends if they consider Brohm a franchise type quarterback, I happen to think he can become that player.

9. The Bengals are praying that Sedrick Ellis will fall down to them, but that is highly unlikely. They really need defensive tackle help, but this is a little early for Kentwan Balmer, so I look for the Bengals to select OLB, Keith Rivers, USC. Rivers is a very athletic linebacker, highly rated and a good value here. He would be an upgrade for either Rashad Jeannty or Dhani Jones. They would like to get a wideout to replace disgruntled Chad Johnson, but no receiver presents good value here.

10. The Saints need help at cornerback, outside linebacker, defensive tackle, tight end and yes even running back. With the best defensive back still on the board they snatch him up in a heart beat. CB, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Tennessee State is a small school talent and wasn't even valued as a first rounder until the Senior Bowl and NFL Scouting Combine. He has everything you could want in a corner except experience against top competition, which he will get in a hurry in the NFL. Leodis McElvin from Troy or Mike Jenkins from South Florida are also right there neck and neck with Cromartie.

11. This is one of those picks where the Bills might try to put a square peg in a round hole. WR, Devin Thomas, Michigan State isn't really rated this high, but this receiver class is so weak and the Bills are so desperate for receiver help they might reach for him. Not that Thomas isn't talented, he is a big play waiting to happen and has nice size at 6' 2" 215 pounds. His 4.43 speed teamed up with Lee Evans on the outside would give the Bills a dangerous pass catching duo.

12. Do the Broncos like Chris Williams or Ryan Clady? One of those two tackles will likely be selected by the Broncos, but they also need help at defensive tackle, safety, wide receiver and running back. Coach Shanahan loves to draft running backs and Rashad Mendenhall will draw a long look. I think however, Clady would be the highest rated player at this point and would give young quarterback Jake Cutler some much needed protection.

13. I was real high on DeAngelo Willimas when he came out of college, and I still think the Carolina Panthers made a good choice, but the NFL is a two back league and Williams isn't a big back. RB, Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois however is, and he brings an impressive size speed, package to the table. Mendenhall is 5' 10" 225 pounds and runs a 4.46 forty! I even think the Cowboys will consider trying to trade up here to get Mendenhall if he starts to fall.

14. The Junior OL, Branden Albert, Virginia really rose up the draft boards once he declared for the draft. The Chicago Bears will take a long look at Albert if he is still on the Draft Board. They also need receiver and quarterback help, but Albert would be too good to pass up here if he fell this low. Chris Williams or Jeff Otah might even get the nod if Albert is gone at this spot. If Mendenhall falls down to the 14 spot I think the Bears will strongly consider drafting him, Cedric Benson has been a huge bust. Watch the Bears shock the world by drafting QB Joe Flacco here, I wouldn't be all that shocked, Flacco has a cannon for an arm and the Bears need a quarterback.

15. The Lions have so many holes they could go a number of different directions here, but linebacker Jerod Mayo, from Tennessee makes the most sense if he is still available. If Phillip Merling is still on the board he is the other prospect that fits the bill, but Mayo is the only inside linebacker that looks like a first rounder at this point and that's just what the doctor ordered for the Lions, unless Lion fans, you really think Paris Lenon is the answer on the inside?

16. The Arizona Cardinals never seem to be able to break out of the woulda, shoulda, coulda cycle. They actually haven't drafted that bad over the years, but owner Bill Bidwell just doesn't show the commitment to keep his good players from leaving. DB Antrel Rolle has been a disappointment, but I said it when he came out and now my prognosis is coming true, Rolle was, and is, better suited to play safety and reportedly they are going to move him there this year. That leaves a hole at cornerback and the Cardinals should get lucky as one the top four, first round caliber, cornerbacks should still be available here. I like CB, Leodis McKelvin, Troy, he possesses blazing speed and can return punts. They might select Mike Jenkins or Aqib Talib also, it just depends which corner they like more and if they have devalued Talib due to his addiction to the wacky tobaccy. Bidwell will probably play paper, rock, scissors to decide which corner to select.

Check back tomorrow and I will finish the first round and give you some of my sleeper picks for the later rounds.

By Robert Bryant, owner of NFL Draft Dog and The NFL Draft Site and member of the Football Writers Association of America.

Josh's 2008 NFL Mock Draft

1. Miami Dolphins – OT Jake Long, Michigan. In a moderately weak year to have the number 1 pick in the draft, the Dolphins make the smart move and take sure thing in Long. Long will be a franchise tackle for the Dolphins as Bill Parcells will build this franchise from the offensive and defensive lines. Parcells’ eye for talent will enable the Dolphins to find their skill position players down lower in the draft and it is too early to give up on last years second round QB John Beck.

2. St. Louis Rams – DE Chris Long, Virginia. The Rams take an electric player from the DE position to help to bolster their inept defense. Long may have more upside than any other player in this draft and his size makes him an intriguing pick to attack offenses from multiple looks and positions.

3. Atlanta Falcons – DT Glenn Dorsey, LSU. This might be the biggest toss up pick of the draft. The bushel of money they threw at RB Michael Turner takes McFadden off their board, and I am not sure that Matt Ryan is a #3 pick in the draft or a future franchise QB. This pick would give the hometown area fans a local face for the franchise, not to mention that Dorsey was a unanimous #1 pick after he decided to stay in school last year. Workout issues, weight problems and size questions have crept into the so called draft expert’s minds, but Dorsey is still a great pick at #3.

4. Oakland Raiders – RB Darren McFadden, Arkansas. McFadden is by far the best offensive weapon in the 2008 draft. The Raiders give last year’s #1, JaMarcus Russell, a weapon in the backfield. McFadden would be an absolute steal at #4 and would look great in the silver and black as they rebuild this franchise.

5. Kansas City Chiefs – DT Sedrick Ellis, USC. The Chiefs take the best player available here that also fills a team need. The Chiefs are that team in the top 10 that has to do the most homework, because they have no idea who will fall to them. If the Chiefs get Ellis at #5 after his dominating workouts and senior bowl performances, they will look like geniuses.

6. New York Jets – DE Vernon Gholston, Ohio State. This is one of those consensus picks among mock drafts that seems like a foregone conclusion. The Jets are in need of a pass rushing DE and Gholson fits the bill. After a great 2007 season and impressive 40 yard dash time, Gholston secured his spot in the top 10.

7. New England Patriots – CB Leodis McKelvin, Troy. It seems the Patriots are going CB at #7, it is just a matter of what CB is tops on their board. The Patriots have plenty of options as they will start the run on corners in this draft unless someone above them reaches for one. McKelvin’s ability to play man and start right away in a position of need for the Patriots makes him stand above the other options in this draft.

8. Baltimore Ravens – QB Matt Ryan. The Ravens need a franchise QB and Ryan is a value pick here. I don’t think Ryan is a top 5 talent in this draft, but at #8 he won’t have the pressure of a #1 pick and walks into a great situation in Baltimore where he won’t even have to take a snap in 2008 unless he is ready.

9. Cincinnati Bengals – LB Keith Rivers, USC. Rivers is exactly what the Bengals need, an explosive defensive player that isn’t in jail. Rivers is by far the best linebacker in this draft and could fill the Bengal’s line backing position for many years. Rivers fills the Bengals need here and is a value pick at #10.

10. New Orleans Saints – CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Tennessee State. Rodgers Cromartie has proven to be this year’s diamond in the rough and the Saints need help in their secondary badly. The Saints would prefer help at safety, but Kenny Phillips from Miami here would be a stretch.

11. Buffalo Bills – OT Ryan Clady, Boise State. Clady can start right away for the Bills and the need is there at tackle. The Bills need some help at receiver and other spots, but Clady is the only need that is worth the pick here for Buffalo.

12. Denver Broncos – OT Chris Williams, Vanderbilt. Denver takes the best offensive lineman left on the board and addresses their biggest need. Help on the defensive line would be nice here, but Williams could start in 2008.

13. Carolina Panthers – QB Brian Brohm, Louisville. The Panthers take a stab at the second best QB in the draft. Brohm’s arm strength has been questioned after a mediocre senior season, but Brohm is definitely worth a first round pick for a franchise in need of a face and leader.

14. Chicago Bears – RB Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois. Mendenhall stays at home in Chicago after the Bears miss out on two tackles and a QB that were in their sights. Mendenhall pairs up nicely with Cedric Benson in the backfield, who hasn’t shown himself worthy of carrying the load in Chicago.

15. Detroit Lions – CB Aqib Talib, Kansas. The Lions resist the urge to draft a WR and get some much needed help in the secondary in Talib. There is plenty of value at DE with this pick as well. You may see the Lions go there if the right guy is unavailable here at CB.

16. Arizona Cardinals – CB Mike Jenkins, South Florida. The run on corners continues here with the Cardinals who find themselves in need of another starter after the much rumored move of Antrell Rolle to safety comes to fruition.

17. Minnesota Vikings – DE Derrick Harvey, Florida. The Vikings have built the best defensive line in the NFL and Harvey fits right into their pressure style of defense. If the Vikings ever get a QB, look out.

18. Houston Texans – RB Jonathan Stewart, Oregon. The Texans get a franchise running back in Stewart who is an absolute stud. Stewart could be the #2 running back behind McFadden and the Texans get a steal here if Stewart slips due to an injured toe.

19. Philadelphia Eagles – WR Devin Thomas, Michigan State. The Eagles have been in need of a playmaking WR since T.O. rode his donkey out of town and Thomas is the only true first round talent at WR in this year’s draft.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers –S Kenny Phillips, Miami. Phillips comes in right away and starts for Tampa, he is by far the most talented safety in the draft and the Bucs snag him if he is available here at 20.

21. Washington Redskins – CB Antoine Cason, Arizona. The Redskins get a little younger in the secondary with the addition of Cason, who is just another one of the many talented corners taken in the first round.

22. Dallas Cowboys – RB Felix Jones, Arkansas. Jones is a powerful and speedy runner who the Cowboys will use in tandem with Marion Barber. This will make Cowboy fans forget all about their old RB named Jones from last season.

23. Pittsburgh Steelers – DE Phillip Merling, Clemson. Pittsburgh is in the situation of drafting the best player available here and gets a starting DE with their pick here.

24. Tennessee Titans – WR Malcolm Kelly, Oklahoma. The Titans need to get Vince Young help at WR and Kelly’s upside makes him worth the gamble here at #24.

25. Seattle Seahawks – OT Jeff Otah, Pittsburgh. The Seahawks are also in a position to take the best player available, but see the writing on the wall with Walter Jones in his last couple of seasons. There is no first round pressure on Otah to start right away and he gets to learn from the best tackle in football. Otah also provides depth for the Seahawks on the offensive line.

26. Jacksonville Jaguars – DE Calais Campbell, Miami. The Jags bolster their defensive line with the selection of Campbell, his size and skill make him an intriguing pick here where Jacksonville can afford to gamble on his questionable work ethic.

27. San Diego Chargers – WR Limas Sweed, Texas. The Chargers reach here for a need at WR in Sweed. I’m not sure he is a 1st round talent, but the Chargers are in a position to address holes.

28. Dallas Cowboys – WR Mario Manningham, Michigan. Dallas continues the late run on WRs with Manningham, but pulls off a coup by snagging a RB and WR in the first round of the draft that fill their needs.

29. San Francisco 49ers – WR James Hardy, Indiana. Hardy provides a huge target and talent at WR for the 49ers who just cut ties with Darrell Jackson. While their best WR on their current roster is Isaac Bruce and his clock is running out.

30. Green Bay Packers – OT Sam Baker, USC. Without a TE worthy of a first round pick in this year’s draft, the Packers secure a solid future pro in Baker who can provide depth at several positions on the offensive line.

31. New England Patriots – Forfeited due to cheating.

32. New York Giants – LB Curtis Lofton, Oklahoma. Lofton is an absolute freak from the line backing position and the Giants are in desperate need of help here.

For questions or comments contact Josh Sattler

Speed Demons for The 2008 NFL Draft

Every Year there are several players drafted that may not be the fastest, but can make plays based on heart, determination and instincts. The following players don't fit that mold, I am not saying they don't have heart and instincts, but these guys can get by on speed, blazing speed, the speed that makes coaches and fans say "wow".

They will be deep threat wide receivers, home run threat running backs, lock down corners and one quarterback that will make everyone forget about Michael vick. They may not all be household names, but don’t let that fool you. I expect many of them to make a huge impact in the NFL. If nothing else they will surely be fun to watch on Sundays. I have listed them below based on who is the fastest.

Chris Johnson, RB, East Carolina/ 5'11" 197 / Speed: 4.24
His 40 time says it all he can straight out fly. He has phenomenal quickness and can burst through the slightest gap. He is long touchdown run waiting to happen and he will score many for the team that drafts him. He is also an excellent receiver.

Brian Whitherspoon, CB, Stillman/ 5'10" 180/ Speed: 4.25
He had the second fastest forty time of the NFL prospects this year. Yet I am pretty sure no one has any idea who he is. He will be a very solid NFL player is your answer. He has great speed and good hands for the interception. He will make an excellent return man or nickel corner.

Tyvon Branch, CB, Connecticut/ 5'11" 204/ Speed: 4.31
He has a good blend of size and strength and a nose for the football He will over commit and rely too much on his speed but he should make a good Nickel Corner and a dangerous return man on special teams.

Justin King, CB, Penn State/ 5'10" 192 / Speed: 4.31
He has great speed is an excellent tackler and can catch the football like a wideout. King will sometimes get caught out of position and relies on his speed too much. He will be an excellent special teams player or Nickel Corner.

Orlando Scandrick, CB, Boise State/ 5'10" 192 / Speed: 4.32
He might be the most underrated corner in this years draft. Scandrick has great speed and moves very fluidly on the playing field. The Cleveland Browns are very high on this kid and I don’t blame them. He will make make a great NFL corner. Most likely he will go in the middle rounds and surprise many that had no idea how good he really is. He could selected by the Browns this season and could be a sleeper.

Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas/ 6'1" 211 / Speed: 4.33
This is arguably the best player in this years draft. He is an exceptional athlete and will be one of the best running backs we have seen in a while. McFadden has great vision and speed and can break a long run every time he touches the football. He will be touchdown machine in the NFL and is a franchise running back in the waiting.

Dominique Rodgers Cromartie, CB, Tennessee State/ 6'1" 184 / Speed: 4.33
He is probably the best playmaking corner in this years draft, has tremendous speed and instincts and can catch every mistake a quarterback makes. He might very easily be this years raw version of Ty Law or Charles Woodson.

Josh Barret, FS, Arizona State/ 6'1" 223 / Speed: 4.35
Josh is probably one of the most underrated safeties in this year’s draft. He is a great playmaker with excellent speed and ball skills. If you decide to run or pass his way be warned he will make the tackle and punish whoever has the football. He is also a great character player and a hard worker. Unfortunately because he isn’t always consistent and because of some durability issues he will slip into the middle rounds.

Anthony Aldridge, RB, Houston/ 5'9" 170/ Speed: 4.36
He is extremely athletic and quick with blazing speed. He makes good cuts and has terrific hands catching the football. Unfortunately he also is very undersized and it may cause him to be used mostly a kick returner or as a situational back or slot receiver.

Andre Caldwell, WR, Florida/ 6'0" 204/ Speed: 4.37
Andre has some of the best hands in the draft and is known for making spectacular circus catches. He runs good routes and is a great athlete with excellent speed. He needs to gain strength and shake durability concerns but he easily could be a very good number two on many teams.

Dexter Jackson, WR, Appalachian State/ 5'9" 182/ Speed: 4.37
Dexter is a great deep threat and an excellent return man. He is very quick and elusive in the open field and is a threat to turn a crossing route into a big gain. Jackson might very easily be the most underrated receiver in the draft.

William Franklin, WR, Missouri /6'0" 214/ Speed: 4.37
He has excellent ball skills and good speed. Will is also a terrific leaper and can win a jump ball over most corners. He has good hands and is a tough high character player.

Tracy Porter, CB, Indiana/ 5'10" 188/ Speed: 4.37
He is a tremendous athlete and has excellent ball skills. Porter is a very reliable cover corner with blazing speed. He also has hands like a wideout and is extremely elusive in the open field. He will be a threat to return your mistake for a touchdown every time.

Josh Johnson, QB, San Diego/ 6'3" 213/ Speed: 4.55
The Reason why he makes the bottom of this list is because he is the fastest quarterback in the draft. He has wide receiver speed and the athleticism to make play plays and elude defenders in the open field. He can hurt you throwing as well. He is one of the smartest quarterbacks in the draft as well and was coached by former NFL QB Jim Harbaugh. Josh is the first quarterback since Vince Young to offer such an advantage and he might very easily turn out to be a poor man's Michael Vick (without the baggage).

By Jason Baudendistel

Defensive Tackles at the 2008 NFL Scouting Combine

Image: DT Dre Moore, Maryland

I will be the first to tell you that the 40 time isn’t that important for a 300 pound defensive lineman, how often do they actually run 40 yards? Not often, but they do often run 10 and 20 yards and most of the players that have good 40 times also have very good 10 and 20 yard splits. If you also look at the positional drills, height, weight, vertical jump, long jump and bench press, you can get an idea of how strong and explosive these prospects are.

Unfortunately the big dog Glenn Dorsey didn’t work out, still (supposedly) suffering from a hairline fracture of the tibia that he initialy injured in the summer of 2006. Don’t look for this to lower his draft status much; he still played in every game for LSU in 2007. Dorsey weighed in at a smallish 6’ 1” 297 pounds, I don’t think the Dolphins will draft him #1 over all, he just doesn’t have the size to play nose tackle in a 34 defense and you can bet Bill Parcells will convert the Dolphins to that defense. Defensive tackles are a huge need in the NFL and many of the below mentioned prospects will be drafted very early.

Dre Moore from Maryland probably had the best overall workout at the combine. Moore weighed in at 6’ 4” 305 pounds and ran a combine best 4.88 forty. Not only fast, he is strong, completing 31 repetitions on the bench. What I like about Moore also is his production; he is a very active tackle. In 2007 he ranked second on the team in tackles for loss (8.5) and led the team with six sacks, the most by a Terrapin since 2004 (Shawne Merriman, 8.5) He also led all Maryland defensive linemen with 63 tackles.

Trevor Laws from Notre Dame is another player that has just been flying up the draft boards lately and is considered a borderline first round draft pick at this point. Short and squat at 6’ 0” 304 pounds and strong as an Ox, tying Rubin Ahtyba for 2nd best with 35 reps on the bench. His forty time of 5.08 was excellent, but what really impressed me was his 30.5 vertical which was by far the best of all the defensive tackles. He is not just a workout warrior however, Laws was unstoppable at the Senior Bowl and hugely productive during the 2007 season recording 112 tackles, 8 TFLs and 4 sacks, those stats are unheard of for an interior lineman.

Joseph (Red) Bryant is another defensive tackle that has been rising up the draft boards. Bryant played very good at the senior bowl and then came to the 2008 NFL Scouting Combine in great shape. Bryant weighed in at 6’ 4” 318 pounds and ran a very nice 4.98 forty. However his strength on the bench press wasn’t too impressive as he only completed 20 repetitions. Bryant had a solid season for Texas A&M recording 46 tackles, 6 tackles for loss (TFL) and one sack.

If you are looking for a nose guard take a look at Iowa State’s Rubin Ahtyba. A relative unknown before this season, he transferred to Iowa State in August 2006 from Trinity Valley Community College. Ahtyba has probably improved his draft status more than any player this post season. After a fantastic performance at the 2008 Senior Bowl, Rubin looked impressive at the combine measuring in at 6’ 2” 315 pounds and ran a 5.17 forty. Rubin really shined on the bench press, his 35 reps were tied for 2nd best overall. His stats were only average in 2007, but he drew numerous double teams, he recorded 42 tackles, 4 TFL, and 1.5 sacks.

One of the few possible first round defensive tackle prospects is North Carolina’s Kentwan Balmer, he had a solid workout at the 2008 NFL Scouting Combine, nothing special, but I don’t think he hurt his draft stock too much. Balmer measured in at 6’ 4” 308 pounds and ran a 5.28 forty; however his 33 reps on the bench were impressive. His production in 2007 was also impressive, ranking 2nd on the team in tackles with 59 and an additional 9.5 tackles for loss (TFL), 3.5 sacks and 4 quarterback hurries (QBH).

Marcus Harrison from Arkansas is a player that I really like and if I needed a good defensive tackle I would use a second round pick on this guy. He really has it all, size (6’ 3” 317), speed (5.02 forty), strength (26 reps in the bench), and production, 72 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, and 1.5 sacks in 2007.

Junior Pat Sims from Auburn was also considered a borderline first round prospect before the combine, he didn’t do anything to hurt his draft stock, but he didn’t look real explosive, his forty time of 5.06 was impressive, but his 20 reps on the bench and his 27 inch vertical jump were only average.

A player that has probably fallen on the draft boards more than any other is Texas defensive tackle Frank Okam, prior to the 2007 season he was rated as a possible first round draft pick. After a lackluster senior season, he showed up fat and out of shape at the 2008 NFL Scouting combine. Okam weighed in at a soft 347 pounds and ran a very slow 5.35 forty. Okam will be doing good even to get drafted at this point.

All Under Rated Team for the 2008 NFL Draft

1. S Quintin Demps, (photo left) UTEP:
Demps redshirted in 2003, then was a four year starter playing in 46 out of 47 possible games in which he intercepted 17 passes, defended 20, and and accumulated 135 solo tackles. He also has extensive experience returning punts and kick-offs. Demps (5' 11" 206 pounds) had an excellent post season, intercepting a pass at the Senior Bowl and running an amazing 4.35 forty at the NFL Scouting Combine.

2. DE Philip Merling, Clemson:
He is a force off the edge, has a good blend of speed and strength and is also a high character player and a hard worker. Merling, only a junior, is already rated as a first rounder in most legitimate 2008 NFL Mock Drafts, but if he slips anywhere lower than the 20 spot, could be a steal. Read my complete Scouting Report here.

3.WR Dexter Jackson, Appalachian State:
I watched the Michigan game and after watching him torch their secondary for two touchdowns I was deeply impressed. He has phenomenal speed and hands and is a excellent return man as well. They say he will be a developmental mid-round pick, I say he will be a dangerous slot reciever in the league. Jackson ran a 4.37 forty at the combine, so he can scoot.

4. CB Orlando Scandrick, Boise State:
The Cleveland Browns love this kid, they think he will be a steal in the middle rounds. I agree, he will be at the least a very good number three corner. He has good speed and ball skills and is a hard working, high character player. From all the defensive backs, Scandrick had the second fastest 40 time at the 2008 NFL Scouting combine where he ran a 4.32 forty.

5. WR Jerome Simpson, Coastal Carolina:
After A impressive combine, the scouts finally took notice of how good this kid is. He will still go much later than he should, but at 6' 2" 216 pounds and sub 4.47 speed, he will be a excellent possession receiver for whoever drafts him. Simpon's 11. 4 broad jump is a good barometer of his explosiveness.

6. QB Josh Johnson, San Diego:
He was coached by former NFL quaterback Jim Harbaugh. Johnson threw 43 touchdown passes his last year in college and only one interception. He has a fairly strong arm is very accurate, yet he is only considered a third round pick. He also runs a sub 4.5 forty yard dash and has the athleticism to make plays with his legs as well as his arm. He played for a small school, so his level of competition is the main knock on him.

Bonus: FS Corey Lynch, Appalachain State:
He also can play strong safety which may fit him better in the NFL. His blocked field goal preserved his teams upset win over Michigan. He has an outstanding vertical which he displayed on that play. He is an extremely smart and instinctive player. Lynch attacks the football on every play. His aggressive nature can be his downfall however, and his foot speed is a real question mark, but he runs in the 4.5 range, which is decent for a safety and he could make a good backup and a excellent special teams player at least.

By Guest Blogger Jason Baudendistel

Defensive Ends at the 2008 NFL Scouting Combine

Pass rushers are always in high demand at the NFL Draft evidenced by the fact that 25 were selected in the 2007 NFL Draft with five being selected in the first round. This year should be no different and the top defensive ends were recently on display at the 2008 NFL Scouting Combine. Here are some of my observations.

Vernon Gholston from Ohio State was a man among boys. Not only did he look the part weighing in at 6’ 3” 266 pounds, but he was solid muscle. Gholston is as strong as an ox lifting 225 pounds 37 times, which was the best performance at the combine, actually tying 313 pound offensive tackle Jake Long for first place. Gholston also displayed excellent speed, quickness and leaping ability. He ran his forty at 4.67 with a 35.5” vertical jump and a 10.05 broad jump.

Chris Long from Virginia also put on quite a show. Almost as muscle bound as Gholston, Long weighed in at 6’ 3” 272 pounds and ran a 4.75 forty. Long was very strong with 34 reps on the bench press, he also recorded a 10.4” broad jump and had the fastest (among defensive linemen) 20 yard shuttle run at 4.21 seconds.

Cliff Avril from Purdue made himself some money at the combine. Weighing in at 6’ 2” 253 pounds he displayed linebacker quickness. In fact with his performance he will probably be moved to linebacker in the NFL. Avril ran his forty at lightening quick 4.51 seconds and had one of the best 3-cone times of 6.90.

Quentin Groves from Auburn was a top performer as expected. While he didn’t run a 4.45 as earlier reported, his time of 4.57 was impressive considering he weighs 6’ 3” 251 pounds and benched 225 pounds for 30 repetitions.

There were early reports that Florida’s Derrick Harvey weighed in at 291 pounds, but it was a mistake, he was actually 6’ 4” 271 pounds. Harvey didn’t run a great forty at 4.80, but he looked quick and fluid in the drills and he is a playmaker, in 2007 he recorded 17 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks.

Jason Jones from Eastern Michigan has probably seen his draft stock rise as much as anyone after his Senior Bowl performance. He continued his post season excellence with an outstanding combine performance. At 6’ 5” 273 pounds he ran a 4.71 forty and had the second fastest run of the 20 yard shuttle at 4.23. Eastern Michigan is a division 1 school and Jones finished ranked 7th in tackles for loss with 19.5 in 2007.

Chris Ellis from Virginia Tech should hear his name called very early in the 2008 NFL Draft, probably in the second round. He didn’t dispel that opinion with his performance at the 2008 NFL Combine. He measured in at 6’ 4” 263 pounds and ran a 4.71 forty. Ellis had a great season in 2007 finishing with 8.5 sacks and an amazing 22 quarterback hurries.

I am surprised there isn’t more draft buzz generated about Michigan’s Shawn Crable. He has nice size at 6’ 4.5” 245 pounds and ran a very good 4.64 forty. Crable is not just a workout warrior however; he ranked #2 in the nation with 28.5 tackles for a loss in 2007. He could be a prime candidate to be moved to outside linebacker in the NFL.

Wake Forest’s Jeremy Thompson had an excellent combine performance, measuring in at 6’ 4” 264 pounds he ran a 4.75 forty, which in itself isn’t great, but he recorded the second fastest 3-cone (6.79) and 20 yard shuttle runs (4.23).

UCLA’s Bruce Davis had a decent forty yard dash time at the combine at 4.72. Measuring in at 6’ 3” 252 pounds he is another prospect that will probably be moved to outside linebacker. A consistent performer in college he recorded 15.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks in 2007.

The not so good:

Miami’s jumbo defensive end Calais Campbell didn’t look good at the combine, he looked soft and slow at 6’ 7” 290 pounds and ran a mediocre 5.03 forty.

USC’s Lawrence Jackson didn’t look that impressive at the combine. Measuring in at 6’ 4” 271 pounds he ran a below average 4.81 forty and a very poor 20 yard shuttle run of 4.40.

Wide Receivers at the 2008 NFL Scouting Combine

Image: Andre Caldwell

This is an interesting year for wideouts with no clear cut first round stars. Last year all the buzz was about Calvin Johnson, who tore it up at the combine and was drafted 2nd overall by the Detroit Lions. Some would argue that by the time the Super Bowl rolled around that New York Giant’s Steve Smith was the best rookie receiver, if you evaluated his playoff and Super Bowl performance it would be hard to argue against that opinion. Smith wasn’t drafted until the second round (51st overall). Well there isn’t a Calvin Johnson in this draft, but there might be plenty of Steve Smith’s. What I mean is that the first round talent is not impressive, but the players that get drafted in the 2nd and 3rd round might end up as the best NFL players, and they certainly hold the best value in this 2008 NFL Draft.

As the 2008 NFL Scouting Combine results come rolling in, one thing is clear, there were some blazing fast receivers running at Indianapolis. Seven receivers ran the 40 yard dash at 4.40 or better. Here are a few receivers that really helped themselves.

When DeSean Jackson (California) weighed in at 5’ 9.5” 168 pounds the red flags came out, most scouts didn’t think he was that tiny. But when he lined up and ran a combine best (for receivers) 4.35 forty, the red flags were put away. If he can’t be caught, who cares how big he is. This multi-dangerous receiver has to be watched at all times, not only a great receiver, but he also returns punts and kicks.

Andre Caldwell(Florida) came in with the second best 40 time of 4.37 seconds. Decent size at 6’ 0” 204 pounds, Caldwell can strike from anywhere on the field. Caldwell is quick as a cat and also scored in the top 5 of the 3 cone drill with a time of 6.75.

Small school standout Dexter Jackson (Appalachian State) was a key player in Appalachian State’s stunning upset of Michigan last year. Now we know why the Wolverine defense couldn’t catch him. His 40 time of 4.37 was the 3rd fastest time among receivers. Some NFL team that does their homework on this receiver could be making the others wish they had done more.

Missouri receiver Will Franklin had a great performance at the combine running a 4.37 forty. His speed is outstanding, but you would like to see better performance on the football field, he only recorded 709 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns in 2007.

Virginia Tech’s Eddie Royal was very impressive at the Combine. I give Kudos to Royal for doing a complete workout; his 40 time of 4.39 was outstanding. Royal has decent size at 5’ 10” 184 pounds and is very strong; he bench pressed 225 pounds 24 times and recorded a 36 inch vertical jump.

Everyone knew Houston’s Donnie Avery was going to be fast, he didn’t run quite as fast as he looks on the field, but his 4.40 forty yard dash is nothing to sneeze at.

Michigan State’s junior Devin Thomas is a prospect that continues to climb up the draft boards. Yes he might be a one year wonder, but that one year was spectacular. He finished 2007 ranked 15th in the nation in receiving yards with 1,260 and an additional 8 touchdowns. He has nice size at 6’ 1” 216 pounds and is blazing fast, running a 4.40 forty at the 2008 NFL Scouting Combine.

Kentucky’s Keenan Burton is a vastly underrated receiver; he will be a steal anywhere after the second round. Tough as nails, good character and decent size (6’ 0” 201 lbs). Burton ran a 4.43 forty and recorded a quick 6.77 second 3-cone time. He also recorded the best vertical Jump at 38.5”. Burton became only the third player in school history to total over 2000 receiving yards in his career. On the down side he was out of the lineup with assorted injuries--- knee, foot and ankle.

You have to like the combine performance of small school (Richmond) standout Arman Shields. He measured in at 6’ 0” 194 pounds and ran a nice 4.43 forty. His 6.67 second time in the 3-cone was among the best and he finished in the top 5 in the Vertical Jump at 37.5”. Shields also recorded the best 60 yard shuttle run at 10.87 seconds. Whether Arman gets drafted could depend on his performance at the combine due to the fact that he missed all of the past season except for the first game due to a knee injury.

Wisconsin receiver Paul Hubbard is a size and speed marvel, measuring in at 6’ 3” 221 pounds and running a 4.46 forty.

Indiana’s jumbo receiver James Hardy (6’ 5” 217 lbs) was extremely productive on the football field in 2007, recording 1,125 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns. The scouts were saying he didn’t have break-away speed. Well he proved them all wrong by running an impressive 4.47 forty. That is quite a feat for a man that is almost 6 foot 6 inches tall.

Another small school star that has definitely gotten the attention of the NFL scouts is Coastal Carolina’s Jerome Simpson. He ran an impressive 4.47 forty, which is good for a prospect measuring in at 6’ 2” 190 pounds, but his broad jump was an all-time combine best of 11’ 4” and his vertical jump was 2nd best at 37.5”.

Jordy Nelson is a receiver that continues to climb up the draft boards, after an impressive senior Bowl performance, Nelson came into the combine and ran a 4.49 second forty. This is a big receiver at 6’ 2” 213 pounds and he was a monster on the football field. He finished 2007 ranked #2 in the nation in receiving yards with 1,606 yards and 11 touchdowns.

The small school players did very well this year at the combine, a player that is just flying up the draft boards is Pierre Garcon. This WR out of Mount Union (Div. 3 college in Ohio), ran a decent 4.48 forty and finished tied for third in the Bench Press with 20 reps. He also finished 3rd best in the vertical jump at 36.6” and in the top 10 in the Broad Jump with a jump of 10' 5 ". He also did well with a 6th place time of 4.19 in the 20 yard shuttle. Garcon was not even considered draftable a few months ago, but he could now hear his name called in the later rounds of the 2008 NFL Draft.

One of the top ranked receivers for te 2008 NFL Draft and almost sure to be selected in the first round is Texas receiver Limas Sweed. Sweed missed most of the season with a wrist injury, but came to the combine and ran an impressive 4.46 second forty yard dash. Impressive for a big (6' 3" 215 lbs) receiver.

Last but not least is receiver Harry Douglas from Louisville. Douglas had the best 3-cone time of 6.57 and the 3rd best 20 yard shuttle run of 4.12. Douglas is no stranger to success; he finished 2007 ranked 3rd in the nation in receiving yards with 1,159 and an additional 7 TDs. Douglas, even without the normal weight of a receiver makes defenders miss with his blazing speed which includes a second gear that seems to come out of nowhere. Douglas is yet another receiver that could be 3rd-4th round steal.

Special thanks to Clevaland Brown columnsit Paul Sink for assistance on this post.

Running Backs at the 2008 NFL Scouting Combine

The 2008 NFL Scouting Combine is in full swing and up until today there weren't a lot of fireworks to report. A little disclaimer here, all 40 times are courtesy of the NFL Network and are unofficial, I counted maybe 15 people down on the field with stopwatches and another 40 or so in the stands, so you will see a lot of different quoted times come out. The official electronic times will be released next week.

The receivers ran this morning and California WR DeSean Jackson measured in at only 5' 9" 167 pounds, but he ran a 4.31 forty yard dash. One of my sleepers prospects from Appalachian State, WR Dexter Jackson was actually the fastest receiver running a 4.27 forty. The other prospect that I have to mention without delay is small school quarterback Josh Johnson from San Diego, during the passing drills today I thought his arm was as good as anybody's, I like his quick release and his balls get on the receiver very fast, but what really got my attention was his speed, he ran a 4.40 forty, yes that's not a typo, he is blazing fast. Remember Johnson, he was the star of the East-West Shrine game.

Enough about the receivers and quarterbacks, I will cover them in more detail tomorrow. Today I want to cover the running backs and all I can say is WOW. This class of running backs will probably go down in history as the all time best to ever enter the draft. After RB Darren McFadden ran two sizzling 40 yard dashes of 4.27 and 4.33, all the talk was the report by the NFL Networks' Adam Schefter that the Dallas Cowboys are trying to work out a trade to acquire McFadden, this an old rehashed story that I reported on almost three months ago on my Dallas Cowboys NFL Team Column. This time Schefter is saying the Cowboys will throw in RB Marion Barber in the deal. McFadden's size (6' 1" 211 lbs), speed and production makes him a prime target for someone to trade up and get, but Barber is a Pro Bowl running back. It would probably take Barber, both of the Cowboys first round picks and maybe a 3rd or 4th rounder thrown in to get into that top spot that is currently owned by the Miami Dolphins.

I am not going to cover all the running backs, but here is a snapshot of some of the top dogs. The fastest running back was East Carolina RB Chris Johnson who ran two very fast forties: 4.24 and 4.29. Johnson is not huge at 5' 11" 197 pounds, but he is also an excellent receiver. If Johnson lasts until round two, he will be steal. The other two running backs that absolutely solidified a selection in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft are Illinois RB Rashard Mendenhall (5' 10" 225 lbs) and Oregon RB Jonathan Stewart (5' 10" 235 lbs). Both of these guys are big, muscular prospects with breathtaking speed. Mendenhall ran two 40s of 4.37 and 4.43 and Stewart ran twice at 4.44 and 4.49 seconds.

There are a few other prospects that in most years would easily by first round draft picks, however, in this deep running back class they emerge as late first/early second round prospects. I really like Texas RB Jamaal Charles and Central Florida RB Kevin Smith. Charles finished the season very strong and didn't disappoint at the 2008 NFL Scouting Combine, at 5' 10" 200 pounds, he has decent size and his two 40 times of 4.36 and 4.39 shows that he has home run speed. Smith is a long strider at 6' 1" 217 pounds, but he led the nation in rushing with 2,567 yards and 29 TDs. His speed was in question coming into the combine, but he ran his first 40 at a blistering 4.43 seconds. His second run was only 4.56, but he had a bad start. The other RB from Arkansas Felix Jones (5' 10" 207 lbs) had a very good NFL Combine, his two 40 times were 4.44 and 4.47 seconds. There is nothing wrong with that time, however being talked about as a "speed guy" I thought he would run under 4.40.

Rutgers RB Ray Rice is another interesting prospect, he might slip into the 3rd round due to his size (5' 8" 199 lbs), but his production in college can't be ignored, only a junior, he scored 44 touchdowns in his last two years at Rutgers. At the combine his first 40 yard dash was an impressive 4.44 seconds, but he injured his hamstring and only ran once. West Virginia RB Steve Slaton, this time last year I had him rated as a first round NFL Draft Pick. Slaton only a junior, is a little small at 5' 9" 197 pounds and he didn't have as good of a junior year as he did as a sophomore and subsequently has seen his draft stock plummet. Slaton, however, ran pretty good at the combine, running two 40s of 4.44 and 4.45 seconds. Little known RB Chad Simpson from Morgan State made some money at the combine. His is a tad small at 5' 9" 200 pounds, but his 4.38 second forty got the attention of NFL scouts.

Not all was positive at the combine for running backs, Michigan's RB Mike Hart was a bit of a disappointment running twice at 4.67 and 4.69 seconds. One of my favorite small school prospects from Northwest Missouri State, RB Xavier Omon, didn't run real well, he ran twice at 4.59 seconds. Here are some times for a few other running backs and fullbacks:

RB Anthony Alridge: 4.33
RB Matt Forte: 4.51
FB Jerome Felton: 4.75
RB Chad Simpson: 4.38
FB Jacob Hester: 4.60
RB Jalen Parmele: 4.54
RB Dantrell Savage: 4.50

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The Best NFL Draft Websites of 2007

It’s time for my annual review of the best NFL Draft Web Sites on the internet. Last year was my first year doing this when I rated the Best NFL Draft Web Sites for 2006. I had such tremendous feedback I thought I would make this an annual event. So now with another year under my belt I thought I would rate the top NFL Draft Web Sites for 2007. This year I decided to try to make it a little more scientific. I am letting the two main search engines on the internet, Google and Yahoo, help me with the rankings this year as I am using their search results as part of my evaluation criteria. I am ruling out sites that make you pay to read their content as well as sites that branch heavily into other areas besides the NFL Draft, like fantasy football or sports betting.

I am also using only full featured NFL Draft Sites, so all these mock Draft databases only, are out. I have nothing against them, I have a Mock Draft Database myself and I frequently visit Hailredskins.com, they are hugely popular, I am just not including them in this evaluation. Some of the other criteria I utilize is content, I want to see quality, original content. If the site doesn’t have updated, quality information, no matter how high it ranks in Google, it is worthless.

I also took into account ease of use, I like web sites that open up fast, are easy to navigate and don’t have a lot of fancy java script and flash on them, less flare and more substance, that’s what I like. Last but not least this year I tried to limit my selection to NFL Draft Sites that have been around a while, so if you are brand new and don’t have any page rank yet, keep working and I will take a look at your site next year. So if I missed anybody, don’t take it personnel, my staff and I worked long and hard at this, but decided to narrow it down to only the top ten NFL Draft Web Sites of 2007.

1. NFL Draft Countdown:
The NFL Draft champion for the second consecutive year. Scott Wright does a magnificent job in web design, content and marketing. He actually traveled to the Senior Bowl himself and provided his readers with live reports from Mobile, Alabama. He was also featured on CSTV at halftime of the Texas vs. Nation All Star game. He does put some annoying pop-ups on his site still, but outside of that, NFL Draft Countdown brings a lot of credibility to the table, and when it’s all said and done, that’s what really matters. Scott’s annual Mock Draft is widely considered the industry standard.

2. Walter Football:
Site owner Walter Cherepinsky has done a fantastic job with this site. Walter football has ranked very well in Google all year and is probably not far behind NFL Countdown as far as traffic goes. He and his staff have put together a ton of great content and Walt himself is quick to answer emails if you have any questions or comments about his site. Walt is nipping on the heels of NFL Draft Countdown and it’s amazing how far his site has progressed in such a short time. Walt is always putting together great content, like his recently released NFL Free Agency Rankings.

3. Draft Daddy:
An excellent NFL Draft Web site with a lot of great content. I especially like their NFL Draft Blog, while it isn’t totally originally, it brings you a ton of updated NFL Draft information from around the internet. Draft Daddy started in 2003 and the publisher, Matt Bitonti, has done a great job keeping Draft Daddy a free site with quality, updated draft news and information.

4. Great Blue North report (GBN Report)
Colin Lindsay is the editor and publisher and they are headquartered in Canada. I don’t think he does much as far as marketing because he doesn’t rank very well in the search engines, but GBN still gets a lot of traffic. He gets the nod here because of content; they always seem to get the breaking news, which I enjoy. He doesn’t have a ton of content, but it is quality and his home page is run kind of like a blog with new entries pushing down the older ones. He provided his readers live coverage at the 2008 Senior Bowl this year, which was an impressive feat.

5. The Football Expert:
As long as Michael Abromowitz is running “The Football Expert” they will remain as one of the elite NFL Draft Sites. He and his staff are at the top of their game and they come out with a vast amount of original content almost on a daily basis. Michael has put together an impressive three round 2008 NFL Mock Draft. He has a huge staff with 22 other writers helping him and they are all pretty talented, especially Brian Dietzler, who is one of the hardest working writers in this industry, Brian also writes my Chicago Bears NFL Team Column.

6. NFL Draft Dog:
I tried not to rank my own web site to high, but NFL Draft Dog has come along way in only one year. We have worked tirelessly building content, marketing and promoting, and are subsequently one of the top ranked NFL Draft Web sites on Google and Yahoo. We have the usual Top 100 list, player rankings and Mock Drafts, but we also have one of the most extensive Draft Boards on the internet, profiling the potential prospects’ draft value for all seven rounds, by position. The other area that has really exploded are the NFL Team Columns, we have beat writers for almost all 32 NFL teams now. I don’t mean to leave anybody out, but NFL Draft Dog now has two senior writers, Bryan Dietzler and Daryl Breault.  Draft Dog also ties nicely in with this NFL Draft Site-Blog.

7. Draft King:
Lou Pickney is still running Draft King as before and it hasn’t changed much from last year. It still has quality, updated material. I take my hat off to Lou; he is one of the few that has attempted a 2009 NFL Mock Draft this early. Draft King is a professional looking web site and his key feature has been fan interaction, where fans email him NFL Draft questions and he answers them on his web site.

8. New Era Scouting:
The design of the site has completely changed, with an orange Halloween looking theme, but it works, and it is well laid out and organized. It doesn’t rank very well at all in the search engines, but none the less, it has excellent content. I don’t think site owner Matt Miller puts much effort into marketing and promotion, but he is a football guy and has been a well known “draftnik” for quite a while. Matt has a lot of inside sources in the NFL Draft world and has a keen eye for talent. He also has a nice blog called: Mocking the Draft, which ties in nicely with New Era Scouting.

9. The War Room Report:
Rob Tribbett is the president; I always find that title amusing. How do they get to be president? Are there elections or can you just assign that title to yourself willey nilley? Just joking Rob. Anyway, President Tribbett runs an excellent web site. Like Draft Dog, it is fairly new, but he has been steadily improving all year. He doesn’t have a huge staff, it looks like just four, but they are talented. Impressively, they have ranked the top 300 prospects for the 2008 NFL Draft. The site is kind of run in a blog format, but it looks good and is well executed.

10. Footballs Future:
A commercial type web site, I can’t find an owner’s name on it anywhere, so the content doesn’t seem real authentic, but they don’t charge a fee, they cover primarily the NFL Draft, they have a huge forum with over 31,000 registered posters and they rank very well in both Google and Yahoo. They get a lot of forum members to post their mock drafts and they subsequently have a nice mock draft database.

Small School NFL Scouting Combine Invitees

Image: WR Pierre Garcon, Mount Union

Every year around this time of year thousands of college football players from around the country are waiting anxiously for the NFL Scouting Combine list to be published. For most of the top division 1 players, the list is uneventful, already assured of selection in the early rounds, some won’t even bother to attend the NFL Scouting Combine. The elite players are worried that an mediocre performance might hurt their already lofty draft status and maybe they are worried about an injury. But for the lesser known prospects and especially the small school prospects (non division 1), the Combine is a huge deal that might make or break their chance of being drafted. The NFL Draft Scouting Combine is scheduled for February 20-26 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The players are selected by a committee made up of directors of both the National and BLESTO scouting services, along with members of various NFL Scouting departments. There were approximately 333 college prospects selected to attend the 2008 NFL Scouting Combine this year which include 46 juniors, out of that 333 players, only about 30 were from small school (non division 1). I always find it interesting to identify the small school college football stars every year and I have been tracking most of these small school prospects for a few years like: DE Kendal Langford from Hampton, OT Heath Benedict from Newberry or CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie from Tennessee State. By the way, a player that wasn’t invited that should have been was DE Brian Johnston from Gardner-Webb. You can see my Top 50 Small School Prospects here. But here are nine relatively unknown prospects that were invited to the 2008 NFL Scouting Combine that slipped through the cracks, players that I was previously unfamiliar with:

TE Kolomona Kapanui, 6’ 4” 270 lbs. West Texas A&M
Played very well at the Hula Bowl and Mel Kiper has Kapanui rated very high, just under Louisville’s Gary Barnidge in his tight end rankings. Kapanui was originally recruited to play at USC in 2002, but decided to transfer due to a hip injury. Born in Hawaii, he transferred to West Texas and was very productive. He finished 2007 with 39 receptions for 481 yards and 7 touchdowns which earned him AP and d2football.com All-America honors. Similar to last year’s small school tight end Kevin Boss, who was a late season star for the New York Giants during their super bowl run. He is not as fast as Boss, but has good hands and a with a good combine performance, he could be a late round draft pick.

WR Pierre Garcon, 6’ 0” 205 lbs. Mount Union
The only Division III guy invited to the combine I believe. Garcon really caught my eye at the Texas vs. Nation All Star game, he returned a punt 62 yards for a touchdown in the game. In 2006 Garcon caught 59 passes for 1,096 yards and 15 for touchdowns for Mount Union. Garcon averaged nearly 20 yards and was voted the “receiver of the year” in the Ohio Athletic Conference. He drew constant double teams this year (2007), but still managed 40 catches for 564 yards and 8 touchdowns. Very strong, stocky, shifty and quick, Garcon has great hands and is adept at fielding punts and kicks. He reminds me of Dallas Cowboys WR Patrick Crayton, who was a small school (NAIA) star in his own right. Garcon is Mount Union's all-time leader in receptions with 202 and the Ohio Athletic Conference career leader in touchdown catches with 47.

DE Marcus Dixon, 6’ 4” 296 lbs. Hampton
Dixon is starting to emerge as a better NFL Draft Prospect that team-mate Kendall Langford. Hampton must have had quite a defensive line last year as both of their defensive ends were invited to the combine, which is no small feat for division 1AA Hampton. Arguably Dixon even had better stats than Langford in 2007 and is more versatile because he has played defensive tackle and End. In 2007 Dixon finished ranked 3rd on his team in tackles with 58, he also recorded an impressive 16 tackles for loss, 6 sacks and 8 QB hurries. His size, quickness and versatility will make him an interesting prospect for an NFL team that plays the 3-4 defense.

DE Curtis Johnson, 6’ 3” 242 lbs. Clark Atlanta
2007 D2Football.com All-American Curtis Johnson is a little undersized for a defensive end. He will be converted to outside linebacker in the NFL and if he can successfully make that transition he has a chance. Johnson was voted SIAC Defensive Player of the Year two years in a row (2006-2007). Johnson led the SIAC in two defensive categories this past season. He was first in sacks with a total of 13.5, and he was the conference leader in tackles for loss with a total of 27. The Daktronics All-America Candidate also finished second in the conference in tackles with a total of 112. Johnson has decent speed and is a good special teams player, which will give him a good chance to “stick” on an NFL roster.

OT David Hale, 6’ 5” 313 lbs. Weber State
Hale has nice size and quick feet. He was named First Team All-American Division 1AA (FCS) by the American Football Coaches Association, and was selected as a second Team All-American by The Associated Press. He earned four varsity letters playing in 42 career games and was a starter in 36 straight games dating back to his first season (2004). Hale signed with Weber State in 2001 and sat out the year as a red-shirt. He then left to serve a two-year LDS Church mission to the Dominican Republic returning in the spring of 2004 to resume his career. He earned Honorable Mention All-Big Sky honors both his freshman and sophomore seasons, and was named First Team All-Big Sky his junior and senior seasons.

WR Shaheer McBride, 6’ 2” 200 lbs. Delaware State
McBride has very nice size, speed and production. He is the first Delaware State Hornet (DSU) since 1992 and the fifth in DSU football history to be invited to the Combine. McBride was instrumental in the Hornets school best record 10-2 season, the MEAC championship and their first post season in the FCS national playoffs. He finished the 2007 season with 50 receptions for 586 yards and nine touchdowns. He also had 17 punt returns for 122 yards and one kickoff return for 17 yards, giving him 725 all-purpose yards. The Chester, PA native broke or tied three DSU records finishing with 201 career receptions, for 3,007 yards and 33 touchdowns. In 2006 he was an All-MEAC First Team selection and ranked second in the MEAC, with 852 receiving yards, which ranked him 22nd among all Division I-AA players in receiving yards.

WR Jaymar Johnson, 6’ 0” 185 lbs. Jackson State
Johnson played very well at the Texas vs. Nation All Star game. He looked quick and shifty catching 2 passes for 46 yards during the game. A little small, but Johnson has great speed and balance; you can see some of his game film here. In 2007 Johnson recorded 36 passes for 613 yards and 7 touchdowns. He can also return punts and kicks, in 2006 he accumulated 527 receiving yards, 241 punt return yards and 55 kickoff return yards for 886 total yards.

WR Arman Shields, 6’ 2” 186 lbs. Richmond
The speed daemon Shields becomes the first Richmond Spider to earn a spot in the NFL Combine since current Houston Texans linebacker Shawn Barber in 1998. In the 2007 season opener against Vanderbilt Shields amassed 107 yards, but then went down with a knee injury in the next game, which caused him to miss the rest of the season. Shields finished his career second all-time in catches (160), sixth in yards (1,930) and tied for eighth in touchdowns (13). He surpassed the 100-yard receiving mark seven times in his 37-game career. Shields however, will have to prove he is healthy and showcase some impressive speed at the combine if he wants to get selected in the 2008 NFL Draft.

CB Antwaun Molden, 6’ 1” 192 lbs. Eastern Kentucky
Molden is another prospect that played very well in the Texas vs. Nation All Star game. He finished the game with three solo tackles, including one tackle for a loss of three yards. Molden led Eastern Kentucky with nine pass break-ups in 2007 while finishing fifth on the team with 70 total tackles. Against Eastern Illinois on Oct. 6, Molden held Micah Rucker, a 2006 third team All-American and 2007 first team All-OVC pick, to just two catches for 13 yards. Molden started every game as a senior while recording interceptions in wins over Southeast Missouri (Oct. 13) and Tennessee State (Oct. 20). Molden has very nice size and speed, he is a track star finishing second in the 60-meter dash at the 2007 OVC Indoor Championships. Molden is a very solid developmental NFL prospect.

Get more NFL Draft information on my Squidoo NFL Draft page.

Texas vs. Nation College Football All-Star Game

A little known college All Star Game, Texas verses Nation was played on 2 February 2008. The game was broadcast nationally on CSTV, and I have provided a detailed game report. The best college football players from the other 49 states besides Texas played against the best players from Texas. It doesn't sound like a fair fight but you can tell by the score the selection committee tries to keep the rosters competitive. Texas can also use players that played high school football in Texas. The Texas All Stars destroyed the Nation's 41-14 in front of 26,821 fans at the Sun Bowl in El Paso Texas. The Texas All Stars forced six turnovers and limited the Nation team to a paltry 189 yards in total offense.

Running Back Xavier Omon from Northwest Missouri State (Maryville Missouri) was selected as the game's MVP and he was clearly the best player on the field. By the way, how did a prospect that played college football in Missouri and high school football in Beatrice, Nebraska end up on the Texas' Team? Oh well, it doesn't really matter, this was nothing new for Omon, who has dominated at every level of play. Omon was the leading rusher and second-leading scorer in Division II this past season, rushing for 2,337 yards and scoring 38 touchdowns. A five-time All-American, Omon is the first player in NCAA history to rush for 1,500 yards in four seasons. In the game, the 5' 11" 220 pound Oman rushed 9 times for 95 yards with 1 TD and an impressive 10.1 yards per carry average. Omon reminds me of the Cowboy's RB Marion Barber, he (Omon) runs low to the ground, displays excellent balance and strength and breaks a ton of tackles. Similar to Barber, Omon could be a 4^th round steal in the 2008 NFL Draft.

A few of the other players that impressed at the game for the Texas team were wide receiver Danny Amendola from Texas Tech. He was the game's leading receiver catching 3 passes for 77 yards including a beautiful over the shoulder TD pass. He caught a ton of passes for Texas Tech last season: 103 receptions for 1,177 and 5 touchdowns. He is a small (5' 11" 180 lbs), shifty, quick, underneath slot receiver. Amendola reminds me a little of the Patriots' Wes Welker.

A couple of other talented receivers were Joe West from right there at UTEP and Jaymar Johnson from Jackson State. West has nice size (6' 2" 210 lbs) and consistently got open catching 3 passes for 54 yards and Johnson, a little smaller ( 6" 0" 180 lbs) looked explosive catching 2 passes for 46 yards. He didn't do much in this game, but RB Alley Broussard is an interesting NFL Draft Prospect. Nice size and speed at 6' 0" 230 pounds. Broussard was once a highly prized recruit who signed and played with LSU. He got caught behind Joseph Addai and transferred to Missouri Southern. Offensive tackle Brandon Keith blotted out the sun for team Texas. Keith is a massive tackle with great feet from Northern Iowa. At 6' 5" 337 pounds NFL scouts will be taking a hard look at him for the 2008 NFL Draft.

On defense the best player from team Texas was Oklahoma State's Roderick Johnson. He has very nice size for the NFL at 6' 3" 250 pounds and comes up in a hurry to lay the lumber. He was team Texas's leading tackler with 5 tackles.

Even though Texas pulverized the Nation on the score board it looked like Nation had the most NFL Draft Prospect. If you are looking for a return man in the latter part of the NFL Draft look no further than Darnell Blackman from NC State. Blackman is an electrifying returner, he accumulated 232 total kick-off return yards including a spectacular 97 yarder for a touchdown. Wide receiver/punt returner Pierre Garcon from small school Mount Union opened up some eyes at the game. He totaled 62 yards on punt return including an exciting 47 yard punt return for a touchdown in the game. Garcon was also the leading receiver for the team Nation with 3 catches for 23 yards. Stocky, (6' 1" 205 lbs) quick and good hands, he really improved his chances of being drafted in this game.

Speaking of small school receivers, Bruce Hocker from Duquense University made a nice 13 yard reception. NFL Scouts like his potential due to his size (6' 4" 205 lbs) and athletic ability. On the offensive line, offensive tackle Demetrius Bell (6' 6" 295 lbs) from tiny Northwestern State LA performed very well in pass protection for the most part. Punter Michael Dragosavich from North Dakota State will likely be one of the only punters in the nation to be selected in the 2008 NFL Draft. Yep he is that good; at 6' 4" 215 pounds he has a huge leg and can consistently boom the ball 50 yards. In this game he had 4 punts with a 50 yard average.

The Nation team had a lot of talented defenders on the roster. I liked Tulane's defensive tackle Frank Morton. He disrupted a lot of plays with his penetration. He recorded 4 tackles, 2 sacks and 2 tackles for loss in this game. He is huge at 6' 2" 316 pounds and made some plays for Tulane this past season, recording 16 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Inside linebacker Danny Lansanah from Connecticut was the leading tackler in the game with 6 tackles and 2 tackles for loss. A little short at 6' 0" 240 pounds and not real fast, but he could be one of those undrafted free agents that makes an NFL roster by excelling on special teams. Rutgers Eric Foster hasn't received much interest from NFL Scouts because of his size, too small at 6' 2" 270 pounds to play defensive tackle, but he made some nice plays in this game, he uses his hands very well and recorded 3 tackles and 1 sack. He might have a chance at defensive end in the NFL.

Another interesting NFL Prospect that played for team nation was defensive end Marcus Dixon from Hampton, NFL scouts like his size (6' 4" 288 lbs) and speed around the edge. Dixon had a fantastic season in 2007 recording 58 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 6 sacks and 8 QB hurries.

Three defensive backs for Team Nation really stood out in this game. The Buck Buchanan Award Finalist Corey Lynch from Appalachian State made a fabulous interception where he ran half way across the field to get his hands on the ball. Coach Buddy Ryan singled Lynch out during the practices leading up to this game. Kareem Moore (6' 0" 210 lbs) from Nicholls State and Antwaun Molden (6' 1" 190 lbs) from Eastern Kentucky made some very nice plays on the ball and improved their chances of being drafted.

Spotlight on Phillip Merling for the 2008 NFL Draft

It seems like myself and Mel Kiper are about the only Draftniks that have Clemson defensive end Phillip Merling ranked as a first round NFL Draft Prospect. As of 31 January 2008 Kiper has him ranked 11th on his big board and I have him rated as a first round NFL Draft prospect on my Draft Value Board. Since he is a recently declared junior maybe the scouts haven’t had a chance to go back and look at his game film yet.

Regardless of the reason, I predict by the end of the NFL Scouting Combine Merling will be widely regarded as a first round talent. Merling was forecast as a second-round pick by the NFL underclassmen advisory committee. But he (Merling) believes he could move into the first round with a good showing at the NFL Scouting Combine. I agree, Merling has all the tangibles you look for in an NFL prospect, nice size at 6.4 ½ and 276 pounds and very nice athletic ability. Reportedly, he decided to turn pro partly because he has a child, and also because his mother is struggling financially.

Merling was a two way player and a tight end at Fork Union Military Academy (2004) before joining the Clemson Tigers, he had 38 catches for 647 yards and five touchdowns; he added five sacks, 51 tackles, and eight pass breakups as a defensive end. He was the 18th ranked tight end in the nation according to SuperPrep, the 20th ranked tight end by Scout.com and was rated as the 25th best prep player in the nation by Rivals.com.

Merling has been extremely productive on the football field and has the entire repertoire of pass rushing moves. At close to 280 pounds he also has the girth to hold up against the run. The other thing that makes him attractive to the NFL is his size and strength will allow him to play end in either a 34 or a 43 defense. It’s not even out of the question to convert him to outside linebacker. Greg Ellis made the transition for the Dallas Cowboys and both players have almost identical size and abilities, Merling might even be a little quicker than Ellis.

Once he got to Clemson (2005) he quickly adapted to playing defensive end exclusively; he was awarded the 12th Man Award for the defense as a rookie and received second-team freshman All-America honors as a defensive end by Rivals.com. He played 271 snaps, fifth among Clemson freshmen and second among first-year freshmen.

As a sophomore (2006) he played behind eventual first round pick (#4 Tampa Bay Bucs) Gaines Adams, but played in all 13 games. He totaled 46 tackles, third-most among defensive linemen and was ninth on the team in tackles. Clemson's defense was rated in the top-16 nationally among division 1 defenses. Merling had 10 tackles for loss, second-most on the team behind Gaines Adams and finished the season strong with at least four tackles in each of the last six contests. He had 30 of his 46 tackles during the last six games and finished the season with five tackles along with a tackle for loss against Kentucky in the Music City Bowl.

This season (2007) as a junior he elevated his play even further. He led Clemson in tackles for loss with 17 and quarterback sacks with seven. He was instrumental to the Tigers’ top 10 national ranking in scoring and total defense. Merling recorded 78 tackles to rank fourth on the team, first among defensive linemen. He was named ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week three times, more than any other ACC player. It marked the first time since 2001 that a Clemson player was named ACC Player of the Week three times. On 17 November 2007 in a game against Boston College (BC), Merling registered six tackles, including two sacks for 22 yards. He also was credited with three quarterback pressures on the night, and drew two holding calls against the BC offensive line. In 67 defensive snaps, Merling graded at 88 percent as the Clemson defense held the Eagles to just 60 yards rushing. He dominated a quality BC offensive line and is expected to do the same in the NFL.

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Frank's 2008 Senior Bowl Report

Frank Misaege gives us a 49er twist to the game as he is a San Francisco 49er NFL Team Columnist and senior writer at NFL Draft Dog.com. The 49er Coaching staff coached the South team, who won the game 17-16 in dramatic fashion after a late fourth quarter drive.

Well, it turned out to be a very interesting game in the 2nd half...gotta love Coach Mike Martz' call to end the game. I thought it was pretty cool of Ainge to Praise Martz over and over after the game...which made me think, if he can do that much in five days with these college players, just think what he can do with Shaun Hill and Alex Smith between now and Sept. Anyway, it gave me a good feeling just seeing him on the sidelines calling plays.

As for the guys who got my attention during the game, here they are and my observations:

- QB John David Booty. I still don't understand why he's not ranked higher among the QB's...all the guy's done is win. I thought he was the North squad's best QB...he makes plays, is smart, and to me is simply a winner. I think he improved his overall stock in this game.

- LB Dan Connor. Pretty easy to see why he's so highly regarded...should be the first ILB drafted, hands down. Has a nose for the ball and can hit...sure wouldn't mind seeing him lineup beside Patrick Willis. But, I don't see Nolan drafting a LB with his first pick, and he'll be gone by the time their 2nd round pick comes up.

- DT Sedrick Ellis. Woah...what a load this guy is. I could see him on our DL...he'd instantly upgrade it. But, he'll be long gone before the Niners pick. Whoever gets him, they've got a S-T-U-D. Seems to have the stamina, too...he was still really bringing it at the end of the game, a fact I'm sure not lost on scouts.

- WR Lavelle Hawkins. Just as he did in practice, this guy's a player, and he showed it. Great athleticism and leaping ability...he'd be a nice playmaker in Martz' offense. Being a local guy, I'm sure Niner scouts have tons of film and live game analysis of his abilities.

- DE Lawrence Jackson. Terrific compliment to Ellis on the USC defense...he'd translate to an OLB in a 3-4 defense. Nice burst...I can see him playing a long time in the NFL.

- DT Trevor Laws. Outstanding motor...another guy Nolan had to be impressed with. Niner DL Coach Tomsula would have a ball coaching this guy. Like Ellis, didn't seem to wear down at the end of the game.

- CB DeJuan Tribble. Seemingly a bit "undersized" for an NFL CB, but the guy just makes plays. Has excellent closing speed and a nose for the ball.

- RB Chauncey Washington. Some project him to be an undrafted player, but I don't think so. He could help a lot of teams...nice size, decent speed, fine receiver.

- QB Erik Ainge. I liked what he did in the 2nd half...not that highly rated, but he's got that ability to make plays. Played in the rugged SEC, so I think he just might be more NFL-ready than some think.

- WR Donnie Avery. Made some nice catches...showed excellent speed and ability to go get the ball. Another guy you could see thriving in a Mike Martz offense...could be a heckuva slot player.

- DT Red Bryant. Big, bad dude...with proper coaching, this guy could be a force in the NFL. Moves pretty well for such a big guy. Wouldn't mind seeing him in crimson and gold with the "SF" logo next fall.

- WR Andre Caldwell. Made some nice plays, including the game winner. Kind of similar to Early Doucet, he'd be a good slot player in the NFL.

- RB Tashard Choice. Has nice combination of being a tough runner, very capable of running inside, and a good receiver. I've always liked his game.

- TE Brad Cottam. Huge TE...injury history, but if he could stay healthy. he could really create some nice mismatches in the NFL.

- WR Harry Douglas. Not hard to see why he caught Nolan's eye...very quick, good hands...a playmaker. Nice run to get South deep into red zone at the end of the game.

- RB Matt Forte. Also not hard to understand why Nolan really likes this guy. He's looking for a bigger back to give Gore some relief...catches very well out of the backfield and really finishes off his runs.

- DT Marcus Harrison. Another big, tough guy from the SEC...could be a good DE in a 3-4 defense.

- FB Jacob Hester. This guy is just one tough football player...any coach would love to have him on his team. Can do anytthing you ask him to...great character guy, too.

- Peyton Hillis. Big RB...very good power...decent moves for a big guy and can catch the ball. Could be devastating on screen passes...

- DE Kendall Langford. Made the key 4th down stop to give the South the ball for their game-winning drive. Has room to fill out some more...could become a very good DE in the NFL.

- CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. One fo the stars of the game...terrific ball hawking skills...tremendous closing speed. Kid's a player...and helped his draft stock tremendously.

- DE Jeremy Thompson. More than likely an OLB on 3-4 defense teams...showed good speed and quickness.

- LB Wesley Woodyard. He'll be a S in the NFL...excellent hitter and always seemed to be around the ball.

Frank

Daryl's 2008 NFL Mock Draft

Here is a nice looking mock draft from Daryl Breault. Daryl is a Columnist for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a senior writer for NFL Draft Dog.com

1. Miami Dolphins- Matt Ryan QB

Dolphins need a franchise QB and everything about the team is in a state of flux so why not start over with a fresh QB and put some weapons around him.

2. St. Louis Rams- Glenn Dorsey DT

This will be the Rams only chance to get a game changing DT, they can pick up def. ends and lineman in later rounds. Dorsey is the player who can finally take the pressure off of Leonard Little.

3. Oakland Raiders- Darren McFadden RB

I think this is a case of Al Davis trying to hit the home run. While he would be great in the Silver and Black, the Raiders have so many needs that they might be better served taking Jake Long, Chris Long or a wideout like DeSean Jackson.

4. Atlanta Falcons- Jake Long OT

The Falcons lack talent at multiple positions. They missed out on Ryan, who they desperately need while McFadden would have been another excellent selection for them. New Coach Mike Smith seems like a tough-minded guy, so getting tougher in the trenches may be the way they go.

5. Kansas City Chiefs- Ryan Clady OT

The Chiefs need a major overhaul along the o-line and most likely will target Jake Long hoping he slips to them. If not, they might have to reach for someone like Clady who is currently the second highest rated lineman.

6. New York Jets- Chris Long DE

This scenario couldn’t have gone better for Jets fans. Long is a prototype 3-4 def. end and a playmaker that the Jets lacked last season. Mangini needs to start finding pieces for that defense and Long would be one heck of a way to start.

7. New England Patriots- Dan Connor LB

Connor can play inside and outside and is the versatile, sound linebacker that they prefer. They need an infusion of youth at the position and while it’s said they will go linebacker every year, they could add an impact linebacker this time and I think that pushes them towards taking a LB.

8. Baltimore Ravens- Antoine Cason CB

Due to suspect speed, Cason’s stock is low right now. When he works out and proves everyone wrong, I see him shooting back up draft boards as he is the most experienced corner available this year. QB is the flashy pick for Baltimore, but the Ravens have to look at replacing both Chris McAllister and Samari Rolle.

9. Cincinnati Bengals- Sedrick Ellis DT

Defense is the name of the game for Cincy this spring. They have a long ways to go as a team still and getting a playmaker is of utmost importance for them. Ellis is an immediate starter and a candidate for DROY.

10. New Orleans Saints- Kenny Phillips S

New Orleans nearly jumps for joy at getting a chance to take Phillips. Their pass defense was horrible, but then, so was the rest of their defense. Keith Rivers could be the pick too.

11. Buffalo Bills- Fred Davis TE

Davis is smooth and Buffalo is seriously lacking at this position. This is high for Davis but he fills a need for the Bills. They can pick up a receiver later and use multiple picks on defense where they can unearth gems in later rounds.

12. Denver Broncos- Vernon Gholston DE

After trying for years to solve their d.line issues, they nab a solid Buckeye who could be a real star. Gholston would get every opportunity to dominate and is a real steal at this point.

13. Carolina Panthers- Keith Rivers LB

By passing on him, the Broncos did the Panthers a huge favor in gift-wrapping Rivers for them. Rivers would team with Jon Beason to make a formidable duo at linebacker while the Panthers can fill holes in alter rounds. They don’t really lack at any one position except safety.

14. Chicago Bears- Brian Brohm QB

If the Bears have their choice of QB at this position they should thank the football Gods. They may decide to go with a veteran option but there isn’t much available in that area. Brohm may be able to start rather quickly for them. Don’t be surprise if they get back to their roots and draft defense in an effort to recapture the glory.

15. Detroit Lions- Mike Jenkins CB

The secondary in Detroit is porous at best. Jenkins would have to be the number 1 corner because the Lions don’t have much else. Look for a run on defense now that Mike Martz is gone.

16. Arizona Cardinals- Quentin Groves DE/OLB

The pieces are coming together for the Cardinals but they have a long way to go still. This is a team that always seems so close but just can’t get over the hump. They need a pass rusher and Groves is the best available.

17. Minnesota Vikings- Limas Sweed WR

If Tarvaris Jackson is the man, then he needs more weapons. Sweed could be a number 1 receiver for them right away as he is a chain mover they desperately lack. They can fill out their pass rush needs in later rounds.

18. Houston Texans- Jeff Otah OT

Still trying to fill out their off. Line after all these years is pathetic, its high time they start to add some talent up front. Matt Schaub looks like he might be injury prone so protecting him will be very important going into next season. Adding an explosive playmaker is an option as well.

19. Philadelphia Eagles- DeSean Jackson WR

For a team that missed the play-offs they don’t have many needs. They would be making a huge mistake in going away from McNabb, they need to keep him happy and add some more explosiveness to the offense. Jackson would be perfect in their scheme, he is dangerous after the catch.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Sam Baker OT

Baker would help along an o-line that had its up and downs last year. They need another wideout but that position is deep this class. Adding Baker would move Petitgout over to his more natural right side.

21. Washington Redskins- Derrick Harvey DE/OLB

Washington is really shaking things up what with the retirement of Joe Gibbs. They should have promoted one of their coordinators to keep some stability, but that would make sense and they just wouldn’t be the Redskins if they didn’t try to get it ‘just right’ every spring. Harvey is an overrated pass rusher who could step up next to Andre Carter.

22. Dallas Cowboys- Ray Rice RB

The kid may be small but he is a home run hitter who would be the flash to Marion Barber’s bang. Rice isn’t rated this high but he should be. Dallas can afford to swing for the fences since the have another 1st round pick.

23. Pittsburgh Steelers- Kentwan Balmer DT

It is still unclear if the Steelers will switch to a 4-3 or stay with the 3-4 so picking up Balmer would be a smart pick as he is versatile enough to hold up in both positions. Continuing to draft players like Balmer will give the Steelers the ability to play multiple schemes, a chameleon defense much like New Englands.

24. Tennessee Titans- Malcolm Kelly WR

They need playmakers, steady guys who can catch the ball. Badly.

25. Seattle Seahawks- Jonathon Stewart RB

Stewart isn’t perfect for their scheme, but he would be a nice tandem with Maurice Morris. Shaun Alexander is done and with the way he mailed it in last year, I’d be surprised to see him come back. The Seahawks are few pieces from returning to the big stage.

26. Jacksonville Jaguars- Mario Manningham WR

Stretching the field will be paramount for the Jags to continue their dominance on the ground. Teams have the Jags passing game figured out and David Gerrard can carry them only so far, eventually, he will need someone who can consistently help him out (i.e. catch the damn ball!). Another team that’s very close to playing in a Super Bowl.

27. San Diego Chargers- Aqib Talib CB

San Diego will need playmakers in the secondary to continue to keep pace with the Colts and New England. Cromartie and Jammer are a great pair, but you need three corners and two top safeties to properly attack the Colts and Pats.

28. Dallas Cowboys- Reggie Smith CB/S

A versatile piece for their secondary. Ken Hamlin is not a great fit at free safety and Smith could replace him or move outside and replace Anthony Henry. Hitting on their two picks could put the Boys over the top.

29. San Francisco 49ers- Early Doucet WR

The 49ers shot their wad last year to no avail and they’re paying for it this year with picking at the bottom of the round despite finishing 5-11. They spent a boatload of money and have major holes left to fill. Doucet is only a start.

30. Green Bay Packers- Carl Nicks OT

Green Bay could use some size and power along their o-line. Nicks could be afford time to get comfortable before taking over at either left or right tackle. He is a prospect on the rise and a team picking late, a la Packers, could be greatly rewarded.

31. New York Giants- Leodis McKelvin CB

The NFL has turned into a passing league and the market for corners will be bullish. McKelvin could be a solid nickel corner to start while providing an upgrade at returner.