Top Players of Each Conference: Pacific 12 Conference

The college football season is right around the corner. As the season approaches, I will be breaking down the best players of each conference. Each article a new conference will be unveiled and the order will be alphabetical. The players will be ranked 1-10 (1 being the best). Note: This is before the start of the 2012 season, therefore players may get hurt and some will get better or worse. This is simply analyzing the best players in each conference, not which players will get drafted the highest in the 2013 NFL Draft.

Pacific 12 Conference

1.Matt Barkley-Quarterback-Southern California
The senior quarterback is going into the 2012 season as the most hyped player in the nation. Matt Barkley is just as good off the field as he is on it; he is one of the best students and hardest workers in the college game today. Now that we are finally entering the season, scouts are trying to nitpick Barkley but they are struggling to criticize him. In 2011 Barkley threw for 39 touchdowns and only seven interceptions while totaling 3,528 yards. Barkley has all of the traits that people don’t normally think of that makes him great: he stays poised in the pocket, throws fantastically on the run and has a soft touch on fade routes, dropping it over the cornerbacks. This Heisman hopeful looks to lead the Trojans to a national title.

2.Star Lotulelei-Defensive Tackle-Utah
The Utes’ defensive tackle only has average stats but he plays like a superstar by sucking in double teams, bowling over interior lineman and disrupting the pass game. The 2011 Morris Trophy (best defensive lineman) recipient recorded 44 tackles last season and he also absorbs double teams, freeing up space so his teammates can get into the backfield and make plays. The 318-pounder is arguable the most valuable defensive player in the country, with his dominance up front, Utah could surprise people in the PAC-12.

3.Keith Price-Quarterback-Washington
Stepping into the shadow of Jake Locker last season, Keith Price is a bit of an unknown for most viewers, but this kid is a star. Although he is only 6’1 (which is short for a QB), Price dominates the passing game and has an amazing football IQ. In the Alamo Bowl against Baylor last year, Price scored for 7 touchdowns (3 rushing) and put Washington in a position to win if their defense had held up. Not only does Price just throw the ball, but he can make all of the throws, one of his best passes is the TE seam to phenom Austin-Sefarian Jenkins. Price threw for 33 touchdowns and 11 interceptions; that is more touchdowns than Jake Locker ever threw as a Husky. Keith Price is my dark horse for the Heisman, he will show everyone how great he is week 2 at LSU.

4.Marquess Wilson-Wide Receiver-Washington State
Just as Mike Leach comes to coach Washington State, the buzz around Marquess Wilson escalates. Blessed with freakish measurable (6’4, 185), Wilson exhibits tremendous body control and shows the ability to stretch the field at any given moment. Wilson makes ridiculous catches and can jump over any defensive back that he will face in college. 82 receptions for 1,388 yards and a dozen touchdowns in 2011, Mike Leach is going to abuse Marquess Wilson in 2012.

5.Kenjon Barner-Running Back-Oregon
After backing up LaMichael James for several years, Kenjon Barner is finally ready to step into the spotlight. Barner is a burner (would you expect anything else from Oregon) and it is going to be extremely hard to contain him. Barner has insanely quick feet and can bust a play open whenever he wants; if he turns the corner, good luck catching him. Like James, Barner is a great pass catcher and is not afraid to run between the tackles either; he fits this offense perfectly.

6.Keenan Allen-Wide Receiver-California
Allen made the All PAC-12 team last year and has a very good chance to repeat that feat this year. Allen is a great size at 6’3, 210 but runs like he only ways 170 pounds, easily QB Zac Maynard’s favorite target. Keenan Allen was two receptions shy of 100 and finished the season with 1,343 yards to go along with six touchdowns. With Marvin Jones going to the NFL, Allen becomes the true number one receiver and will showcase his talents against double-teams and number one corners. Whether it is end-arounds or short passes, Allen has the ability to go the distance against any defense.

7.Robert Woods-Wide Receiver-Southern California
Many scouts have Robert Woods ranked very high, but I feel that the 7^th overall player in the conference is a safe bet. Woods typically runs short routes and does a lot of his damage after the catch. Barkley’s favorite target finished 5^th in the nation with 111 receptions and ranked 13^th with 1,292 receiving yards. Woods loses defenders with his footwork and veteran-like route running- at least once a game Woods will go uncovered on a “Sluggo route.” The Barkley-Woods connection is one of the top tandems in the nation.

8.T.J. McDonald-Free Safety-Southern California
T.J. McDonald is the most important defender on the USC team, he is the glue that holds the backfield together. As a coach, it is great to see your free safety step up and make tackles, McDonald tallied 69 in 2011 which included a game with 10 against UCLA. T-Mac has fluid hips and can cover the slot receiver if need-be, allowing the defense to keep more pass rushers on the field. McDonald never gets beat deep and is the top safety in this year’s class.

9.De’Anthony Thomas-Athlete-Oregon
On the depth chart, De’Athony Thomas is listed as a running back but he is what I like to call a hybrid player. Not only does he play out of the backfield but he also lines up at receiver and returns kicks.  Another Oregon speedster, Thomas has big-play potential and will have a lot more to offer in his sophomore season. Even though he is the backup running back, Thomas will play a huge part in the Duck’s offense, Chip Kelly lives for speedy playmakers.

10.Austin Seferian-Jenkins-Tight End-Washington 
When talking about NFL tight ends, most of them have basketball backgrounds and ASJ doesn’t break that mold. As a two-sport varsity athlete, Seferian-Jenkins has been a stud on the campus of Washington. At 6’6, 266 lbs., the Washington native uses his power forward footwork and speed to get open and create plays. Last year, as a freshman, ASJ caught 41 passes for 538 yards and six scores. The tight end position is evolving into a combo position involving blocking and stretching the field, with that being said, no linebacker in the nation can cover the Washington tight end. People normally don’t say this, but the sophomore tight end is going to be who teams center their defensive gameplan around.

Just Missed:
Jordan Poyer-Cornerback-Oregon State
Jeff Tuel-Quarterback-Washington State
Marquis Lee-Wide Receiver-Southern California
Marcus Trufant-Cornerback-Washington
Silas Redd-Running Back-Southern California
Joseph Fauria-Tight End-UCLA

Top Players of Each Conference: Mountain West Conference

The college football season is right around the corner. As the season approaches, I will be breaking down the best players of each conference. Each article a new conference will be unveiled and the order will be alphabetical. The players will be ranked 1-10 (1 being the best). Note: This is before the start of the 2012 season, therefore players may get hurt and some will get better or worse. This is simply analyzing the best players in each conference, not which players will get drafted the highest in the 2013 NFL Draft.

 Mountain West Conference

1.Robbie Rouse-Running Back-Fresno State
Senior running back, Robbie Rouse, may be small in stature, but he is an enormous playmaker. At only 5’7, 190, Rouse can both sneak through the line and blow by linebackers or he can catch the sweep and turn the corner in an instance. A year ago, the pint-sized back carried the ball 329 times accounting for 1,549 yards and 13 touchdowns. Rouse also had 32 receptions and averaged 7.1 yards per catch. There were six games in 2011 where Rouse totaled over 120 rushing yards, two games where against powerhouse teams (Nebraska and Ole Miss). Rouse is simply electric, and he accounts for many of the points that his team puts up.

2.Brett Smith-Quarterback-Wyoming
The freshman quarterback busted on to the scene last year, throwing for 2,622 yards and 20 touchdowns while only being intercepted 11 times. Brett Smith is a 6’3, dual threat quarterback who rushed for 710 yards and 10 touchdowns, raising his total touchdown count to 30. The country boy from Salem, Oregon is a special player; after dominating the MWC in his freshman year, his coach quickly learned that this player could make something out of nothing. He is truly a pleasure to watch and he will get scarier for defenses if he continues to grow.

3.Shaquil Barrett-Middle Linebacker-Colorado State
It’s very easy for a middle linebacker to rack up the tackles, but it is astounding to know that Shaquil Barrett averaged 8.2 tackles a game as a first-year starter for CSU (transferred from Nebraska-Omaha). The Nebraska-Omaha transfer went up against New Mexico in his first Division I matchup; he finished with 3 tackles and half of a sack. From that point on, Barrett only improved to get better. At 6’2, 250, Barrett is an absolute house and coming from a family of wrestlers really helps him on the field; he is a mauler. Barrett finished his sophomore season with 99 tackles and is continuing to grow; his relentlessness is what makes him such a good defensive leader.

4.Matt Miller-Wide Receiver Boise State
Being on the Pre-Season Mountain West All-Conference team in only his sophomore year, Matt Miller has some big shoes to fill. Not only does he have high expectations as a receiver but he also has to help Boise State stay dominant after losing Kellen Moore and awaiting their move to the Big East. As a freshman, the 6’3 receiver caught 62 balls for 679 yards and found the endzone nine times. Miller failed to have a 100+ yard game last season but he racked up the receptions and was a sure-handed target for the Broncos. Miller will need to become more of a deep ball threat this season, but he will be Joe Southwick’s favorite receiver because Miller is a good route runner and he can get open.

5.Leon McFadden-Cornerback-San Diego State
The corner out of Inglewood is the most valuable player on this Aztec team. At only 5’10, McFadden is scrappy and fantastic in man-to-man coverage. McFadden is a two-time Mountain West All-Conference Team member and is looking to make the team for a third time. When the feisty corner presses the WR they have virtually no chance to get by him and he is a savage in the run game.  McFadden also received honors of being the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year in 2011 after ranking 12^th in the nation with passes defended (17) and recording 46 tackles (35 solo).

6.Ryan Katz-Quarterback-San Diego State
It seems as if Ryan Katz has been in the NCAA forever.  After transferring from Oregon State, Katz will try to put the San Diego State Aztecs on the map in his senior season. The best asset that Katz has is in-game experience; not only has he been a starter before, but, he played in the PAC-12 which is a top conference. Katz also shows also displays the ability to make different throws and to move the pocket, which will be helpful behind a depleted Aztec line (lost 3 OL starters). At only 6’1, 210, Katz doesn’t have the strongest arm but he can make plays and could single-handedly win games for San Diego St. this year. One interesting matchup is Ryan Katz @ Boise State on November 3^rd.

7.Derek Carr-Quarterback-Fresno State
Brother of David Carr, Derek is the second family member to take snaps at Fresno State. Although Carr does a lot of handing off to Robbie Rouse, the 6-foot-3 quarterback has a rapid release and is very quick through his progressions.  Carr can throw accurately on the run and he can make plays with his feet. Rouse takes a lot of pressure off of Carr but the man can still make plays.

8.Chris Nwoke-Running Back-Colorado State 
The Colorado native, Chris Nwoke is not only a power back, but also the Colorado State Rams work horse on offense. The 6’1, 215 pounder rushed for 1,130 yards, averaging 5.7 yards per carry and scored nine times. Downhill runner is assumed when you talk about a back of Nwoke’s size but this back runs with a mean; stumbling over Air Force defenders for a total of 262 yards and two touchdowns in 2011. Colorado State needs help in the passing game, but once they get a lead, they won’t give it up with Nwoke running the rock.

9.Blair Burns-DB-Wyoming
Wyoming is a team on the rise with all of their young talent and their defense is going to hold its own, starting with their sophomore cornerback, Blair Burns. Burns is a cover corner who is electric once he gets the ball in his hands. In 2011, Burns picked the ball off four times and deflected a bunch of passes. Burns also stuck his nose in against the Utah State rushing attack and wrangled up 9 tackles.

10.Paipai Falemalu-Defensive End-Hawaii
At 6’3 and only 260, Falemalu is an undersized, nimble rusher coming off of the edge. The senior from Honolulu was tied for second on his team with 4.5 sacks but he also hurried the quarterback seven times. Running with a high motor, Falemalu stays low to the ground, denying the offensive lineman of being able to generate leverage.

Just Missed:
Chris McNeill-Wide Receiver-Wyoming
Tyler Gaston-Defensive Tackle-UNLV
Alex Means-Middle Linebacker-Air Force
Joe Kellog-Offensive Guard-Boise State
Joe Southwick-Quarterback-Boise State

Top Ten Players of Each Conference: Big East

The college football season is right around the corner. As the season approaches, I will be breaking down the best players of each conference. Each Thursday a new conference will be unveiled and the order will be alphabetical. The players will be ranked 1-10 (1 being the best). Note: This is before the start of the 2012 season, therefore players may get hurt and some will get better or worse. This is simply analyzing the best players in each conference, not which players will get drafted the highest in the 2013 NFL Draft.

Big East Conference

(*Note- Former BC all-time leading rusher, Montel Harris, was dsmissed from the team and he is awaiting approval to join the Temple Owls. If he is to be accepted, he will be the number 4 player on this list (sliding everyone else down one spot).

1.Hakeem Smith-Louisville-Strong Safety 
The 2009 Big East Rookie of the year, Hakeem Smith, is one of the most versatile defensive players in college football. Smith has played high safety, strong safety as well as outside linebacker for the Louisville Cardinals. In 2011, Smith corralled 81 tackles (7 less than his rookie season’s total) and also had one interception. Smith is a great defender in coverage, especially for a safety, he is very good in his movements and he can swat the ball out of the wide receivers’ hands when they try to bring the ball in. Each year he has played, the Cardinals DB has improved and he will only continue to get better. Look for Smith to play a lot of safety in 2012 and when the Cardinals face ground and pound teams don’t be shocked if you see Smith at OLB. In 2011, Smith received All-Team Big East honors, look for him to do the same in 2012.

2.Ryan Nassib-Syracuse-Quarterback
The 6’2 quarterback out of Pennsylvania may just be one of the best pocket passers in college football today. Each season, Nassib’s passing yards, touchdowns and QB rating have all increased. With little help around him, the senior quarterback has had little help but has still managed to be efficient. Nassib has adequate arm strength but really flourishes when running play action fakes, he can make throws all over the field and he has great pocket presence. It is cliché, but Nassib makes everyone around him better and look for his numbers to improve even more after finishing his junior campaign with a 22-9 TD-INT ratio.

3.B.J. Daniels-South Florida-Quarterback
It seems like every year I keep saying B.J. Daniels is going to have a breakout year. 2012 is his last chance to really surprise people because it is his senior season. What is really encouraging about this playmaking quarterback is that 2012 was his best season yet; he racked up 2,604 yards while only getting sacked 14 times (career low). The 6-foot four-star recruit also rushed for 601 yards and seven scores. B.J. Daniels has a lot to prove in his final season of eligibility but he has a lot in his favor: he has grown each year as a passer, he is a dual-threat quarterback and he has a solid receiving corps this year. Look for Daniels to make a splash and have USF competing for the Big East Championship.

4.Logan Ryan-Rutgers-Cornerback
The junior cornerback out of Rutgers has emerged as one of the nation’s top cornerbacks. 6’0 Logan Ryan has become a shutdown corner in the Big East Conference and is respected by opposing quarterbacks. Despite having only two interceptions in 2011, the tight-coverage corner is very productive on the field. One of the most remarkable games of Ryan’s career was in the second game of the 2011 season against North Carolina, the former three-star recruit tallied 10 tackles (seven solo) which is just outstanding as a cornerback. Another thing to admire about Ryan is that when the pressure is on, he comes up big, for example, in the Pinstripe Bowl in 2011 against Iowa State Ryan gathered an interception as well three pass deflections. Although the interception numbers aren’t their, he is a known defender when teams go into New Jersey. Quarterbacks like to stay away from Ryan as much as possible and he will continue to shut receivers down, the other numbers will come eventually.

5.Teddy Bridgewater-Louisville-Quarterback
Early into last season, Bridgewater was creating early Heisman buzz but then slowly his play digressed. With one year under his belt, look for the Miami native to explode on the box score. The 6’3 quarterback is dual-threat quick but he also remembers that he is a quarterback and he can make eye-opening throws. A 12-9 TD-Int ratio is not bad for a freshman quarterback but look for his numbers to increase dramatically, now Bridgewater understands how the college game works and he will be able to become a leader in his sophomore season.  The Louisville schedule is not easy but look for Bridgewater to make game-winning plays week-in and week-out. Also having three ESPN broadcasted games will help the Bridgewater buzz grow, this kid is exciting.

6.Justin Pugh-Syracuse-Offensive Tackle 
The 6’6, 262 pound offensive lineman from Holland, PA is the most dominant force in the tranches in this conference. Pugh has fluid footwork and can push defenders back by utilizing his size. The 2011 All Big East honoree has never missed a game in his collegiate career. Being dominant in his first two years at Syracuse is great, but he still has at least one more season to go before he is eligible for the NFL draft. In 2012 look for Justin Pugh to fill out his frame, become stronger and be a part of another 1,000 + rushing season for the Orange starting running backs.

7.Ray Graham-Pittsburgh-Running Back
Going into his senior season, Ray Graham has yet to have a 1,000-yard season rushing. Although 1,000 yards is the milestone every RB shoots for, Graham has done damage in the Big East; averaging 5.8 yards a carry last season. The 5’9, 195 lbs. back is a “one-cut and go” type of player. He has fantastic vision along the line of scrimmage and is a patient runner who uses his blocks wisely. His small stature allows him to sneak through the line and he benefits most when going through the 0, and 1 holes (right behind the center).He doesn’t have blazing speed but he does have toughness and creativity, that is enough to get him into the end zone. Look for Pitt to use him a lot in 2012.

8.Sio Moore-Connecticut-Outside Linebacker
After getting dominated by Oklahoma in the 2009 Fiesta Bowl, UCONN went into a bit of a rebuilding mode after losing various coaches. The biggest constant on the Huskie defense going into the 2012 season is outside backer Sio Moore. In 2011, Moore recorded 88 tackles, 6.5 sacks and 2 interceptions. With most of his tackles being solo, the team is very dependent on Moore and he never lets them down. The versatile backer has a knack for getting to the ball-carrier and there are a small amount of people that can block Moore one-on-one. Look for the senior to be the heart and soul of the improving Huskie defense, it will be tough to put up a lot of points in Storrs, CT in 2012.

9.Brandon Coleman-Rutgers-Wide Receiver 
The top receiver for the Scarlet Knights is a very intriguing player. Brandon Coleman only pulled in 17 receptions last season but still scored 6 touchdowns and had 552 receiving yards (32.1 yards per catch). The 6’6 receiver had little impact as a freshman but look for him to be a lethal receiver in 2012. As most towering receivers, Coleman’s signature route is the back corner fade, but he has long strides and great straightaway speed to create separation and get open. Still learning the route tree, look for Coleman to grow a ton over the course of the 2012 season, he has the size and soft hands to help out the struggling Rutgers quarterbacks.

10.Dede Lattimore-South Florida-Outside Linebacker
This may be the year that Skip Holtz finally gets all of his players to play to their potential and win the Big East Title. But even if it isn’t, look for Dede Lattimore to be one of the biggest defensive impacts in the conference. Last year, in his sophomore campaign, Lattimore had 13 tackles for loss and 7 sacks, most on his team. Lattimore also led the Bulls with 94 tackles and he will be flirting with a triple digit tackle season next year. Chris Cosh is the new defensive coordinator at USF (coming over from Kansas State) and he tends to get a lot of production from his linebackers. Look for Lattimore to post big numbers.

Just Missed:
Levi Brown-Temple-Defensive Tackle
Khaseem Greene-Rutgers-Linebacker
Sterling Griffin-South Florida-Wide Receiver
Munchie Legeaux-Cincinnati-Quarterback

Top Ten Players of Each Conference: Big 12 Conference

The college football season is right around the corner. As the season approaches, I will be breaking down the best players of each conference. Each Thursday a new conference will be unveiled and the order will be alphabetical. The players will be ranked 1-10 (1 being the best). Note: This is before the start of the 2012 season, therefore players may get hurt and some will get better or worse. This is simply analyzing the best players in each conference, not which players will get drafted the highest in the 2013 NFL Draft.

Big 12 Conference

1. Jackson Jeffcoat-Texas-Defensive End 
The pipeline junior is a 6’5 end that lives in the backfield. Jackson Jeffcoat is part of a dangerous pass-rushing tandem in Texas and will takeover the spotlight in the 2012 season. Last year, in his sophomore season, he calculated 63 tackles, 21 of which were for loss and eight sacks. Many people believe Jeffcoat has not even scratched the surface yet, he still has much learning to do but his high motor and athleticism allows him to produce. At 265 lbs., Jeffcoat generates enough strength to blow offensive lineman back and he has the speed and moves to get to the opposing quarterback multiple times a game.

2.Tavon Austin-West Virginia-Wide Receiver
Last season, the Mountaineers thrived off of deep ball conversions. Tavon Austin is not the prototypical deep ball threat, reason being he is only 5’9, however, he has burner speed and can create separation on every play. Austin is a sure-handed receiver who moves like a scat-back. The transition from the non-competitive Big East to the slobber-knocking Big 12 will not be difficult with Tavon Austin lined up at receiver. Last season, Austin caught 101 balls for 1,186 yards (11.7 avg.). Austin is the ultimate playmaker because not only does he play WR, but he can also rush the ball and is a lethal returner (2 KR TD).  Going into his senior season look for Tavon Austin to leave it all on the field, with an inaugural Big 12 Title in reach, expect big things from him.

3.Casey Pachall-Texas Christian-Quarterback
Casey Pachall is the ultimate game-manager in college football. Measured in at an imposing 6’5, 216, Pachall commands the huddle and puts his team in position to win games. Like West Virginia, TCU will also be new to the Big 12 Conference and Pachall will have to adjust to the new defenses that he will encounter for the first time. Last season, the Andy Dalton replacement threw for 25 touchdowns while only being intercepted seven times. The Texas native stands tall in the pocket and has the ability to bring his team back from big deficits. The Big 12 defenses will have a hard time defending the junior because although he only has one top WR on his team, he tends to make everyone on his team great.

4.Geno Smith-West Virginia-Quarterback
Dana Holgorsen’s offense was like a well-oiled machine through the 2011 season, a lot of that should be credited to the biggest constant on that team, Geno Smith. Smith is a great play-action quarterback who can spin it. A gunslinger that will not shy away from the deep ball, Smith always finds a way to get the ball to his playmakers; whether it be Tavon Austin or Stedman Bailey. Smith is incredibly accurate on deep balls, which favors his receivers who have big play potential. In 2011, Smith threw for 4,385 yards with a 31-7 TD/INT ratio and averaged 8.34 yards-per-attempt. The WVU quarterback really started to open eyes at the Orange Bowl against Clemson. The Mountaineer blew out Sammy Watkins and company 70-33, with Geno Smith throwing for 407 yards and 6 touchdowns while also scoring a seventh touchdown rushing. Smith went on to win MVP honors and put his name in the record books multiple times (tied most passing TDs & most points scored in a bowl game). With the trio of Geno Smith, Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey all coming back to school look for them to have an offense that is just as good, if not, even better.

KSU QB Collin Klein is not afraid to lower the shoulder pads.

5.Collin Klein-Kansas State-Quarterback
The KSU quarterback jumped into the spotlight immediately in the 2011 season.  The quarterback from Colorado played a key part in many close games for the Wildcats. Kansas State played in 9 games that were decided by a touchdown or less and many of the ones where they had won had to do with Collin Klein stepping up and making plays.  In a four-overtime game against Texas A&M, Klein had a total of 6 touchdowns (5 rushing) and showed how important he was to his team. This is a player who is a little shaky as a pure-passer but is an amazing football player, he will do whatever it takes to win.

6.Alex Okafor-Texas-Defensive End
Heading into last season, Alex Okafor was looked at as the best pass-rusher on his team. Jackson Jeffcoat has emerged as the best defensive lineman in the conference but Alex Okafor is the second half of the best pass-rushing tandem in the Big 12. It is cliché to say that a guy gives it 100%, but Okafor gives it everything he’s got, and more. Coming off of the edge, Okafor can beat offensive tackles on pure speed. Okafor never takes a play off and when the play is to the opposite side of the field he will run downfield and make tackles. Assuming Jeffcoat will be double-teamed quite a bit in 2012, look for Okafor to consistently beat his blocker and force the pocket to collapse.

6.Landry Jones-Oklahoma-Quarterback
After his sophomore season at Oklahoma (2010), Landry Jones was looking like a top-10 pick; after his junior season he was looking like a mid-round pick. Many scouts say the reason for Jones’ digression was because he had lost both his main target and Ryan Broyles (torn ACL) and starting running back, Dominique Whaley (fractured ankle). Losing teammates is not an excuse for a quarterback underperforming but, after seeing what it was like to fail, look for Jones to have a huge season in 2012. Jones is extremely talented and he has all of the tools to be a great quarterback: tall, cannon arm, fearless and he is a leader. Whaley will be back this season and Kenny Stills has emerged as a great no. 1 receiver, look for Landry Jones to have a fantastic bounce-back year.

8.Terrance Williams-Baylor-Wide Receiver  
Senior Terrance Williams is going to be key in Baylor’s 2012 season. The 6’3 receiver was efficient in 2011 but will need to work even harder in 2012 without the arm of Robert Griffin III. In his junior season, he caught 53 passes, which resulted in 11 touchdowns and he dominated against one-on-one coverage. Williams is very fluent in and out of his cuts and manages to get open when the play breaks down.  Baylor’s offense will be dependent on Williams catching a lot of balls and he is capable to convert on 3^rd and long.

9.Malcolm Brown-Texas-Running Back
Yet another Longhorn is making the list, this time on the offensive side of the ball. Running back Malcolm Brown was electric in his freshman year for Texas until he got hurt. Brown was on pace to rush for over 1,000 yards until he was diagnosed with turf toe.  The freshman sensation ended up finishing the season with 742 rushing yards in nine games for the Longhorns. Brown has great vision and balance when rushing; he knows when to make his cuts, which is a rarity for a freshman.

10.Josh Boyce-Texas Christian-Wide Receiver
The Horned Frog’s quarterback has already been listed as a top player in the Big 12 and here at no. 10 is his main weapon, Josh Boyce. The 5’11 receiver capped off his sophomore season with 5 receptions for 55 yards in a bowl win against Louisiana-Lafayette. For the regular season, Boyce had 66 catches and 998 yards with 9 scores. A thick receiver, Boyce is great at catching over the middle of the field and under tight pressure. Look for both Pachall and Boyce to grow together even more in their junior seasons, creating quite a duo.

Just Missed:
Jake Knott-Iowa State-Linebacker
Carrington Byndom-Texas-Cornerback
Stedman Bailey-West Virginia-Wide Receiver
Kenny Stills-Oklahoma-Wide Receiver

2012 NBA Mock Draft 2.0 (Final)

After Anthony Davis, this draft is a crapshoot. Teams will be scrambling up until their pick to pull of trades in order to get the player that they covet most. Dion Waiters, Austin Rivers and Andre Drummond will be players that teams will trade n enormous package for if they slip out of the top 7. Don’t be surprised to see blockbuster deals either, the Rockets are doing everything in their power to bring in Dwight Howard and the Thunder could be looking to deal James Harden because they might not be able to re-sign him next summer.

1.New Orleans Hornets-Anthony Davis-PF-Kentucky
Davis is the clear-cut number one player in this draft. A 6’11 athletic PF who is a natural shot-blocker and can play great help defense beat. Davis was a shooting guard growing up, hit a growth spurt and is now a forward, playing all positions helped him develop a great I.Q. He is fantastic on defense and can knock down shots from the elbow, only 19 and continuing to improve all he needs to do is add weight.

2.Charlotte Bobcats- Thomas Robinson-PF-Kansas
The Bobcats want to trade this pick badly, but the asking price is astronomical. I feel that Charlotte is stubborn and refuses to trade unless it receives two first round picks (which Cleveland might do). Michael Jordan’s team needs production from his players and he will get that with a double-double machine in Thomas Robinson. Robinson is a high energy player who is great on both ends of the court, Charlotte can’t possibly screw this up.

3.Washington Wizards-Bradley Beal-SG-Florida
After going out and getting Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza, the biggest hole in the Washington depth chart is a shooting guard. Jordan Crawford has shown decency at times but has been inconsistent thus far in his career. The 19 year-old Beal is a pure shooter who loves to run the fast break. John Wall needs someone to pass to; Beal is a perfect fit.

4.Cleveland Cavaliers-Michael Kidd-Gilchrist-SF-Kentucky
Cleveland seems to be reluctant to trade up to the no. 2 pick but they will get a phenomenal player at no. 4.  MKG is defensively an athletically ready for the NBA and the NCAA champ is versatile. If the Cavalier’s cornerstone, Kyrie Irving, has any say in this and Bradley Beal is gone, he wants MKG. Irving and Kidd-Gilchrist played together on the same high-school team and won a state title. The 6;8 forward loves to run the floor and would be great in transition with last year’s Rookie of the Year.

5.Sacramento Kings- Harrison Barnes-SF-North Carolina
Harrison Barnes is a smooth small forward who has a certain swagger to his game. He can play one-on-one and can catch and shoot. It is looking like the no. 5 could be getting traded to Houston and then again to Orlando. No matter which of those teams end up with this pick, expect Barnes to be selected here. The Kings need a player who can slow the game down and they have a hole at SF with Tyreke Evans refusing to player there.

6.Portland Trailblazers-Damian Lillard-PG-Weber State
Watched him a lot in the 2011-2012 season, watched a lot of tape on him and he is one of my favorite players in the draft. Lillard is a fantastic scorer from the point guard position and that is just what the Blazers need. He has the speed to go coast-to-coast, a killer crossover and can get to the rim. Andre Drummond is a sexy pick here but Portland needs scoring, I don’t feel that Felton is the answer.

7.Golden State Warriors-Perry Jones III-PF-Baylor
Brandon Rush had an amazing year last year shooting the ball, delaying the Warriors need of going out and finding a replacement for Monta Ellis. Perry Jones III is a lanky, lock-down defender who can play all 3 positions along the front court if need be. PJ3 has been known to not “show up” for some games which scared some GMs away, otherwise he would have been a top 5 pick. Marc Jackson is easily one of the league’s most motivating coaches and he will find a philosophy to get the most out of Perry Jones III’s game.

8.Toronto Raptors-Austin Rivers-SG-Duke
The Raptors need three things: A player who can score, someone to bring in fans and a guy who can take over a game-Austin Rivers is all of that. Although I am not a huge Rivers fan, I do admit that he is a pretty darn good player given the circumstance that he is the go-to guy on a team. The Duke freshman showed he was cold-blooded late in games and that he could score against double teams and win games by himself. The Raptors roster would not look bad next year if they land Rivers: Calderon/Nash (rumored), Rivers, Derozan, Bargnani, Valanciunas (last year’s top pick).

9.Detroit Pistons-Dion Waiters-SG-Syracuse
After trading away Ben Gordon, Detroit has a gaping hole at shooting guard. Dion Waiters is a player who can come in, play defense, draw fouls and can get to the rim. Waiters is explosive, strong and extremely quick with his cuts; he needs to work on his jumpshot though. He is a bit over-hyped for me but a lot of teams like him. The former Syracuse star has drawn comparisons to Dwayne Wade and if he becomes a fraction of Wade it will make Brandon Knight happy.

10.New Orleans Hornets (from Minn)-Jeremy Lamb-SG-Connecticut
It doesn’t look like Eric Gordon is going to be re-signing with New Orleans leaving a need for a scorer. The Hornets will go to my favorite player in the draft. Jeremy Lamb. The sophomore out  of UCONN is a player who shares the rock, defends and can score in a variety of ways. If he would have stayed another year he would have been a top 3 pick without a doubt. Still developing, Lamb is terrific at shooting off the screen and also pull-up and shoot. Jeremy Lamb is the silent assassin and is the ultimate team player.

11.Portland Trailblazers-Andre Drummond-C-Connecticut
Andre Drummond is the real wild card of this year’s draft. He poses the biggest upside and the biggest bust as many big men from UCONN have in the past (Okafor & Thabeet). Since the collegiate season has ended, Drummond has lost 20 lbs. and now moves quicker than ever. With his premier shot-blocking abilities and amazing athleticism he could get picked as high as number 5. Lacking an offensive game hurts his stock a little bit but players can develop a shot, a center that can run the floor is what every team wants nowadays. Portland fills their top two needs with these picks and have the best draft of any team in the last 10 years if they get Lillard and Drummond.

12.Houston Rockets (from Mil)-Tyler Zeller-C-North Carolina
The Rockets are doing everything in their power to draft Dwight Howard. If that fails, they could be taking the second best center in the draft in Tyler Zeller. Zeller is a mature player (4 years at UNC) and is NBA ready. He is not as athletic as Drummond or Leonard but is certain a better all-around player who will contribute on both offense and defense. The Rockets need a big man, especially after trading away Dalembert.

13.Phoenix Suns-Terrence Ross-SG-Washington
The Suns’ front office should be working on their 2013 draft because they will be picking which will most likely be center Nerlens Noel. There are a ton of holes on this roster, therefore the Suns need to draft a player who can carry a team. Terrence Ross is a great shooter who dominated the Pac-12, averaging 16.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game as a sophomore. The 6’6 guard is a bit under the radar right now, but could do a lot for the Phoenix franchise.

14.Milwaukee Bucks (from Hou)-Meyers Leonard-C-Illinois
After trading away Andrew Bogut, the Bucks are in search of their next center. Coming out as a freshman, Leonard has a lot of question marks, but also a lot of buzz. There is no question that he is a great athlete and will fit with the Bucks nicely, but he is a high maintenance player who is a big project moving forward. At 7’1, Leonard shows great athleticism by being able to run up and down the court on fast breaks but he fails to be consistent on defense. The hype for Leonard is unreal, but he will need to prove himself by playing his heart out. Milwaukee fans will fall in love with Leonard immediately if drafted there.

15.Philadelphia 76ers-John Henson-PF-North Carolina
Henson is the player with the highest reward in the 2012 NBA Draft. The UNC power forward is 6’10 with the quickness of a shooting guard and smarts of a point guard. With a long wingspan, Henson is a great shot blocker and on offense he has a hook shot that is automatic. The Sixers could lose Elton Brand do to the amnesty clause. Henson is an upgrade on defense and is a great fit with the Sixers’ athleticism. I don’t think Henson will fall this far, but who knows with the possible reaches on all of the shooting guards.

16.Houston Rockets-Moe Harkless-SF-St. John’s
If Houston keeps any of their first round picks it will be used on the Big East’s Rookie of the Year. Moe Harkless showed great upside after posting great numbers in the Big East as a freshman. Harkless is a 6’9 small forward who shows power when driving but can also create his own shot. Great dribbling skills, getting to the rim, shooting over defenders and running the floor are all great features of his game. He has a lot of growing to do, especially on the defensive side, but at only 19 the potential is unreal.

17.Dallas Mavericks-Kendall Marshall-PG-North Carolina
Jason Kidd is a free agent and even if he goes back to Dallas it won’t be for long.  This year’s draft is short on point guards and Dallas can’t pass one up. Marshall is the best assist-man in the draft and his court vision is unbelievable. Dallas is a team that likes to shoot a lot and Marshall will keep everyone on the squad happy.

18.Houston Rockets (from Minn)-Arnett Moultrie-PF-Mississippi St.
Moultrie is an athlete who excelled at the combine and drew interest from a ton of teams. A great size at 6’11, 223, he is a great defender but needs to work on his offensive game. It would be nice to see him develop some low post moves but Moultrie is going in the first round for his defensive play.

19.Orlando Magic-Terrence Jones-PF-Kentucky
Orlando doesn’t really know what it wants to do right now between having an unhappy superstar center and a bunch of free agents (Jameer Nelson & Ryan Anderson). Terrence Jones has had a bit of an attitude problem in the past but has shown maturity after playing two years with Coach Calipari. At 6’10 Jones could play either small forward or power forward. Speed, power and grind are all adjectives that come up when talking about this kid. Once Jones gets in the zone there is no stopping him. The Magic need help rebounding if there is no Dwight and Jones is great on the offensive glass. I don’t see him sliding past 19.

20.Denver Nuggets-Tony Wroten Jr.-PG-Washington
An 18-year-old, 6’6 point guard whose athleticism is off the charts?- Sign me up. I saw a lot of Tony Wroten through recruiting and skills competitions and he is going to be something special. Not a great shooter…yet, but his ability to find open teammates is unreal. You instantly fall in love with him when you watch him play, the past couple years Denver has been drafting pure athletes; Wroten foots the bill. Not to mention, Andre Miller’s contract is expiring.

21.Boston Celtics-Royce White-SF/PF-Iowa State
With the Big 3 (or what is left of it) aging and breaking down, the Celtics need playmakers for Rondo to dish to. Royce White is a point forward who loves to have the ball and can muscle his way to the basket. He doesn’t necessarily need to start right away with Jeff Green and Paul Pierce still in the lineup, which will allow White to figure out if he is a power forward or a small forward. He averaged 13.1 points per game 9.2 rebounds per game and 5.1 assists per game at Iowa State. This pick makes too much sense for the Celtics, especially if Lamb, Waiters and Rivers are all gone. 

22.Boston Celtics-Jared Sullinger-PF-Ohio State
Sullinger is by far the scariest player in the draft. I fear that the Celtics fall into this trap and end up selecting the injury prone question mark. Sullinger is 6’9 and plays too small to be a power forward but too slow to be a small forward. His play resembles Glen “Big Baby” Davis who the Celtics selected several years ago. I don’t think Sullinger will be in the league long between his back problems and his lack off skills but I could be wrong. Would have been a lottery pick a year ago, don’t be surprised if he slides to the second round.

23.Atlanta Hawks-Marquis Teague-PG-Kentucky
With all of the top big men off of the board the Hawks look to add depth to their back court. What better way of doing that is there than drafting your point guards little brother. Teague is only going in the first round via lack of PG play in the draft but he will add depth to the backcourt of the Hawks. Teague is speedy and has deceptively active hands on defense, could grow into a solid point guard.

24.Cleveland Cavaliers-Fab Melo-C-Syracuse
The Cleveland frontcourt is very thin and is filled with underperforming forwards. Anderson Varejao is potenatiallya 15 and 10 guy but they need to improve on defense. The controversial seven-footer out of Syracuse will help the Cavs right away. Fab Melo is a skilled shot blocker and would produce coming off of the bench.

25.Memphis Grizzlies-Evan Fournier-SG-France
O.J. Mayo is a free agent and Tony Allen is the offensive equivalent to a vocational high school player’s. Evan Fournier is a crafty shooting guard who can shoot the three ball consistently. Memphis is known for drafting foreign players and there is a risk they run with drafting a player that could possibly stay in France but they can’t pass up on the 6’7 shooting guard in my opinion.

26.Indiana Pacers-Will Barton-SG-Memphis
Will Barton is an athletic shooting guard who can score in a variety of ways. Averaging 18 points and 8 rebounds a game at Memphis, Barton would have a chance to take Paul George’s starting position. A lanky defender who can force turnovers is a great value this late in the first round.

27.Miami Heat-Festus Ezeli-C-Vanderbilt
The Miami heat are very old on the frontlines (Howard & Anthony) and have seen little growth in Dexter Pittman. The senior out of Vanderbilt makes perfect sense. Not only is the former Commodore a get defender but he does not need the ball on offense, allowing the big 3 to do their thing. Although this may not be a sexy pick for South Beach, it could be the right one.

28.Oklahoma City Thunder-Andrew Nicholson-PF-St. Bonaventure
Throughout the whole 2012 season the Thunder failed to get offense from big men. Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka averaged 12 points per game…combined. Andrew Nicholson opened eyes when the Bonnies made it to the NCAA tournament. Nicholson is a versatile power forward who can shoot as well as finish around the hoop. The 6’10 forward has a smooth shot and plays with his heart all game long.

29.Chicago Bulls-John Jenkins-SG-Vanderbilt
What the Bulls really need is a healthy Derrick Rose. Other than that, they could use a guy who can stretch the floor and knock down threes. Rip Hamilton didn’t produce like the Bulls had hoped and Ronnie Brewer is not an offensive player. John Jenkins is the best shooter in this years draft and is lethal if left open. The sharpshooter averaged close to four three-pointers a game while shooting 44%.

30.Golden State Warriors (via San Antonio)-Draymond Green-F-Michigan St.
Green is one of the best players in college basketball history and he will be one of the best pleasant surprises in the NBA. With a similar build to Paul Pierce, Green is a fantastic rebounded and has the basketball I.Q. of most NBA coaches. Green is a stat stuffer and is a the type of player that Golden State needs….mature. He is not fast but his footwork gets him in the perfect position to make plays, the Warriors need to bulk up, and no better player to draft at this spot than the 2012 Big 10 Player of the Year. 

Notable 2^nd Round Picks 

31.Charlotte Bobcats-Kim English-SG-Missouri

34.Cleveland Cavaliers-Doron Lamb–SG Kentucky

37.Toronto Raptors-Tyshawn Taylor-Combo Guard-Kansas

46.New Orleans Hornets-Scott Machado-PG-Iona (biggest steal of draft)

47.Utah Jazz-Robbie Hummel-SF -Purdue

2012 NBA Mock Draft

The NBA draft is incredibly difficult to predict, not only because of the trade but because teams will draft players at positions that they don’t necessarily have a need and also because one player will get drafted very early on potential with no prior production. On June 28, expect there to be many trades, some blockbusters and others trading players just after drafting them. Tyreke Evans, Luol Deng and Dwight Howard have all been players talked about in trade talks, expect at least one of those players to be packing their bags.

1.New Orleans Hornets-Anthony Davis-Power Forward-Kentucky
Davis is the clear-cut number one player in this draft. A 6’11 athletic PF who is a natural shot-blocker and can play great help defense beat. Davis was a shooting guard growing up, hit a growth spurt and is now a forward, playing all positions helped him develop a great I.Q. He is fantastic on defense and can knock down shots from the elbow, only 19 and continuing to improve all he needs to do is add weight.

2.Charlotte Bobcats-Michael Kidd-Gilchrist-Kentucky
I do not think the Bobcats will be picking at this spot by the time the draft starts. They need to get more picks in order to increase the all-around talent. However if they end up with this pick, MKG is the player they need to take. He is a 6’8 small forward who is great on the fast break and is willing to rebound. Great ball-handling skills and can defend multiple positions. Charlotte got a scorer in the Ben Gordon trade who is only 29 years-old, they can find another shooter in free agency.

3.Washington Wizards-Bradley Beal-Shooting Guard-Florida
After going out and getting Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza, the biggest hole in the Washington depth chart is a shooting guard. Jordan Crawford has shown decency at times but has been inconsistent thus far in his career. The 19 year-old Beal is a pure shooter who loves to run the fast break. John Wall needs someone to pass to; Beal is a perfect fit.

4.Cleveland Cavaliers-Harrison Barnes-Small Forward-North Carolina
Harrison Barnes is a smooth small forward who has a certain swagger to his game. He can play one-on-one and can catch and shoot, Cleveland needs to surround Kyrie Irving with talent. Dan Gilbert has talked about trading up to the #2 spot but the asking price is too high right now. If Cleveland gets desperate look for them to trade to #2 for Bradley Beal, but Harrison Barnes is a great pick as well.

5.Sacramento Kings-Thomas Robinson-Power Forward-Kansas
This is clearly a production pick. Thomas Robinson had insane numbers at Kansas and Sacramento needs bigs who are going to produce. Jason Thompson was drafted high several years ago and has shown bright spots but is not what they’d thought. The former Jayhawk has a veteran’s mentality and is a great guy off of the court. Many teams have been inquiring about Tyreke Evans and the #5 pick, if nothing changes, look for Robinson and Cousins to both average double-doubles next season.

6.Portland Trailblazers-Damian Lillard-Point Guard-Weber State
Watched him a lot in the 2011-2012 season, watched a lot of tape on him and he is easily my favorite player in the draft. Lillard is a fantastic scorer from the point guard position and that is just what the Blazers need. He has the speed to go coast-to-coast, a killer crossover and can get to the rim. Andre Drummond is a sexy pick here but Portland needs scoring, I don’t feel that Felton is the answer. 

7.Golden State Warriors-Perry Jones III-Power Forward-Baylor
Brandon Rush had an amazing year last year shooting the ball, delaying the Warriors need to go out and finding a replacement for Monta Ellis. Perry Jones III is a lanky, lock-down defender who can play all 3 positions along the front court if need be. PJ3 has been known to not “show up” for some games which scared some GMs away, otherwise he would have been a top 5 pick. Marc Jackson is easily one of the league’s most motivating coaches and he will find a philosophy to get the most out of Perry Jones III’s game.

8.Toronto Raptors-Andre Drummond-Center-Connecticut
Finally, the Toronto Raptors make an exceptional draft selection. Between Toronto and Portland both Drummond and Lillard will be gone, honestly, you can put either player on either team because whoever Portland doesn’t take Toronto will. Bargnani will be able to go out to the 4 (if he is ever healthy again) and Drummond will be the defensive stud they need. Many scouts are pegging Waiters to the Raptors because of a “promise”, I don’t buy that, this is a business. The Raptors have Derozan at the 2, they can find scorers other ways than a lottery pick.

9.Detroit Pistons-Dion Waiters-Shooting Guard-Syracuse
After trading away Ben Gordon, Detroit has a gaping hole at shooting guard. Dion Waiters is a player who can come in, play defense, draw fouls and can get to the rim. The former Syracuse star has drawn comparisons to Dwayne Wade and if he becomes a fraction of Wade it will make Brandon Knight happy. I personally like Waiters as a sixth-man; someone who I can bring in off the bench and expect high-energy defense and to fire his team up

10.New Orleans Hornets (via Minn)-Jeremy Lamb-Shooting Guard-Connecticut
It doesn’t look like Eric Gordon is going to be re-signing with New Orleans leaving a need for a scorer. After assessing their defensive issues with the first pick the Hornets need to find a player that will share the ball but also take over when it is time to. If Lamb would have stayed another year he would have been a top 3 pick without a doubt. Still developing, Lamb is terrific at shooting off the screen and also pull-up and shoot. He will be a better pro than Austin Rivers.

11.Portland Trailblazers-Tyler Zeller-Center-North Carolina
There are enough big men early on in the draft that allows Portland to take a guard with their first pick and still feel good about filling a hole at center. Zeller is not a pretty player but he gets the job done. A seven-footer that doesn’t foul and is the commander of the defense. The maturity level of Zeller is off the charts and he will pull down offensive rebounds for the Blazers.

12.Milwaukee Bucks-Meyers Leonard-Center-Illinois
A team that is searching for a center after trading away Bogut, the Bucks will be ecstatic if Meyers Leonard falls to them. He does need work, but he is 7’1 and gives it everything he’s got on the court. The fans will instantly fall in love with Leonard’s passion and willingness to learn.

13.Phoenix Suns-Austin Rivers-Shooting Guard-Duke
The Suns’ front office should be working on their 2013 draft because they will be picking which will most likely be center Nerlens Noel. In 2012 they need to select the best player available, which will be Austin Rivers. As a 6’5 freshman he proved he could hit the big shot and takeover a game while at Duke. Only 19 years-old with room to grow, Rivers can make players and score from anywhere on the court. This is a win-win for Phoenix because they are getting a guy who can score and a player that will sell tickets for them.

14.Houston Rockets-Terrence Ross-Shooting Guard-Washington
The Rockets are working on multiple blockbuster trades as we speak so don’t be shocked if they end up with zero first round picks by the time the NBA kicks off. They have been deep in trade talks with Orlando involving Dwight Howard but if somehow the Rockets end up keeping this pick they will take Terrence Ross. Ross is a scorer who can slash and draw double teams. Kevin Martin has said he doesn’t want to play for Houston so Ross would fit in immediately. He is a streaky shooter but he is very confident when he’s on offense, just what Houston needs.

15.Philadelphia 76ers-John Henson-Power Forward-North Carolina
Henson is the player with the highest reward in the 2012 NBA Draft. The UNC power forward is 6’10 with the quickness of a shooting guard and smarts of a point guard. With a long wingspan, Henson is a great shot blocker and on offense he has a hook shot that is automatic. The Sixers could lose Elton Brand do to the amnesty clause. Henson is an upgrade on defense and is a great fit with the Sixers’ athleticism. 

16.Houston Rockets-Arnett Moultrie-Power Forward-Mississippi State
Moultrie is an athlete who excelled at the combine and drew interest from a ton of teams. A great size at 6’11, 223, he is a great defender but needs to work on his offensive game. It would be nice to see him develop some low post moves but Moultrie is going in the first round for his defensive play.

17.Dallas Mavericks-Kendall Marshall-Point Guard-North Carolina
Jason Kidd is a free agent and even if he goes back to Dallas it won’t be for long.  This year’s draft is short on point guards and Dallas can’t pass one up. Marshall is the best assist-man in the draft and his court vision is unbelievable. Dallas is a team that likes to shoot a lot and Marshall will keep everyone on the squad happy.

18.Houston Rockets (from Minn) Moe Harkless-Small Forward-St. John’s
If Houston keeps any of their first round picks it will be used on the Big East’s Rookie of the Year. Moe Harkless showed great upside after posting great numbers in the Big East as a freshman. Harkless is a 6’9 small forward who shows power when driving but can also create his own shot. Great dribbling skills, getting to the rim, shooting over defenders and running the floor are all great features of his game. He has a lot of growing to do, especially on the defensive side, but at only 19 the potential is unreal.

19.Orlando Magic-Terrence Jones-Power Forward-Kentucky
Orlando doesn’t really know what it wants to do right now between having an unhappy superstar center and a bunch of free agents (Jameer Nelson & Ryan Anderson). Terrence Jones has had a bit of an attitude problem in the past but has shown maturity after playing two years with Coach Calipari. At 6’10 Jones could play either small forward or power forward. Speed, power and grind are all adjectives that come up when talking about this kid. Once Jones gets in the zone there is no stopping him. The Magic need help rebounding if there is no Dwight and Jones is great on the offensive glass. I don’t see him sliding past 19.

20.Denver Nuggets-Tony Wroten Jr.-Point Guard-Washington
An 18-year-old, 6’6 point guard whose athleticism is off the charts?- Sign me up. I saw a lot of Tony Wroten through recruiting and skills competitions and he is going to be something special. Not a great shooter…yet, but his ability to find open teammates is unreal. You instantly fall in love with him when you watch him play, the past couple years Denver has been drafting pure athletes; Wroten foots the bill. Not to mention, Andre Miller’s contract is expiring.

21.Boston Celtics-Royce White-Power Forward-Iowa State
With the Big 3 (or what is left of it) aging and breaking down, the Celtics need playmakers for Rondo to dish to. Royce White is a point forward who loves to have the ball and can muscle his way to the basket. He doesn’t necessarily need to start right away with Jeff Green and Paul Pierce still in the lineup, which will allow White to figure out if he is a power forward or a small forward. He averaged 13.1 points per game 9.2 rebounds per game and 5.1 assists per game at Iowa State. This pick makes too much sense for the Celtics, especially if Lamb, Waiters and Rivers are all gone.

22.Boston Celtics-Jared Sullinger-Power Forward-Ohio State
Sullinger is by far the scariest player in the draft. I fear that the Celtics fall into this trap and end up selecting the injury prone question mark. Sullinger is 6’9 and plays too small to be a power forward but too slow to be a small forward. His play resembles Glen “Big Baby” Davis who the Celtics selected several years ago. I don’t think Sullinger will be in the league long between his back problems and his lack off skills but I could be wrong. Would have been a lottery pick a year ago, don’t be surprised if he slides to the second round.

23.Atlanta Hawks-Marquis Teague-Point Guard-Kentucky
With all of the top big men off of the board the Hawks look to add depth to their back court. What better way of doing that is there than drafting your point guards little brother. Teague is only going in the first round via lack of PG play in the draft but he will add depth to the backcourt of the Hawks. Teague is speedy and has deceptively active hands on defense, could grow into a solid point guard.

24.Cleveland Cavaliers-Fab Melo-Center-Syracuse
The Cleveland frontcourt is very thin and is filled with underperforming forwards. Anderson Varejao is potenatiallya 15 and 10 guy but they need to improve on defense. The controversial seven-footer out of Syracuse will help the Cavs right away. Fab Melo is a skilled shot blocker and would produce coming off of the bench.

25.Memphis Grizzlies-Evan Fournier-France
O.J. Mayo is a free agent and Tony Allen is the offensive equivalent to a vocational high school player’s. Evan Fournier is a crafty shooting guard who can shoot the three ball consistently. Memphis is known for drafting foreign players and there is a risk they run with drafting a player that could possibly stay in France but they can’t pass up on the 6’7 shooting guard in my opinion.

26.Indiana Pacers-Will Barton-Shooting Guard-Memphis
Will Barton is an athletic shooting guard who can score in a variety of ways. Averaging 18 points and 8 rebounds a game at Memphis, Barton would have a chance to take Paul George’s starting position. A lanky defender who can force turnovers is a great value this late in the first round.

27.Miami Heat-Draymond Green-Small Forward-Michigan State
The Heat need players who won’t be dissatisfied sitting behind the big 3. Draymond Green is an incredibly intelligent player who knows what his role is. I like to compare him to Paul Pierce, although he does not shoot as well as him, he is a husky small forward who has mastered the up-fake and has great footwork. The 2012 Big Ten Player of the Year does whatever it takes to win and had a decorated career at MSU.

28.Oklahoma City Thunder-Andrew Nicholson-Power Forward-St. Bonaventure
Throughout the whole 2012 season the Thunder failed to get offense from big men. Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka averaged 12 points per game…combined. Andrew Nicholson opened eyes when the Bonnies made it to the NCAA tournament. Nicholson is a versatile power forward who can shoot as well as finish around the hoop. The 6’10 forward has a smooth shot and plays with his heart all game long.

29.Chicago Bulls-John Jenkins-Shooting Guard-Vanderbilt
What the Bulls really need is a healthy Derrick Rose. Other than that, they could use a guy who can stretch the floor and knock down threes. Rip Hamilton didn’t produce like the Bulls had hoped and Ronnie Brewer is not an offensive player. John Jenkins is the best shooter in this years draft and is lethal if left open. The sharpshooter averaged close to four three-pointers a game while shooting 44%.

Golden State Warriors (via San Antonio)-Doron Lamb-Shooting Guard-Kentucky
The Warriors can’t put all their eggs into one basket and expect Brandon Rush to put up the same numbers he did last year. Doron Lamb is a sniper from beyond the arc and will provide athleticism as well as efficiency. The first round of the draft will end the way it started, with a Kentucky player getting selected.

Notable 2^nd Round Picks

31.Charlotte Bobcats-Kim English-Shooting Guard-Missouri

34.Cleveland Cavaliers-Jae Crowder-Small Forward-Marquette

37. Toronto Raptors-Tyshawn Taylor-Combo Guard-Kansas

46.New Orleans Hornets-Scott Machado-Point Guard-Iona (Biggest steal of draft)

47.Utah Jazz-Robbie Hummel-Small Forward-Purdue

Top Ten Players of Each Conference: Atlantic Coast Conference

The college football season is right around the corner. As the season approaches, I will be breaking down the best players of each conference. Each Thursday a new conference will be unveiled and the order will be alphabetical. The players will be ranked 1-10 (1 being the best). Note: This is before the start of the 2012 season, therefore players may get hurt and some will get better or worse. This is simply analyzing the best players in each conference, not which players will get drafted the highest in the 2013 NFL Draft.

Atlantic Coast Conference

1. Logan Thomas-Virginia Tech-Quarterback 
According to Rivals.com, Logan Thomas was the #1 tight end recruit in 2009 but now he has become the number one quarterback in the ACC and very well could end up a top 10 NFL draft pick. Thomas is a towering 6’6  and weighs in at about 254 lbs, yes this is very Cam Newton-esque (who was also thought to have been more of a tight end than a quarterback until he reached the NFL). Thomas has a cannon for an arm and started to come into his own late in the season for the Hokies. Thomas is a dual threat who can keep defenders honest. His ability to avoid sacks makes him that much more dangerous, especially when it’s crunch time. Thomas chucked the ball over 3,000 yards in 2011 included a 300+ yard game against Miami (FL) while having a 19-10 TD-Int ratio. Thomas added 11 rushing touchdowns to his stat line to go along with his 469 rushing yards. As the Virginia native matures his interceptions will decrease and look for him to lead the Hokies to another double-digit win season.

2. Sammy Watkins-Clemson-Wide Receiver
Going into the 2011 season, freshman Sammy Watkins wasted no time in taking over the ACC and putting points on the board for Clemson. Watkins is 6’1 and can flat-out fly, making him lethal against weak secondaries. Over the course of his freshman year he managed to help lead the way to a 7-0 start while breaking 11 freshman records along the way. Although his route-running is sub-par as of right now, his quickness and explosiveness makes up for the raw skillset. He racked up 1,219 receiving yards on 82 catches and had 836 yards on only 33 kick returns. Watkins could be starting the 2012 season on the sidelines if he happens to get suspended due to possession of marijuana. Watkins absence would be pivotal in the season opener against Auburn; at that point fans might realize just how much he means to the team. Watkins is a top three wide receiver in the country and he is only  going to be a sophomore.

Freshman Records Broken By Watkins: 
Receptions (Single-game)
Reception Yards (Single–game)
Reception TDs (Single-game)
Total Tds (Single-game)
Total Points (Single-game)
All-Purpose Yards (Single-game)
Kickoff Return Yards (Single-game)
Reception Yards (Season)
150-Yards Receiving (Season)
100-Yards Receiving (Season)
Reception TDs (Season)

3. David Amerson-North Carolina State-Cornerback
A quiet player who puts up big numbers. The ACC is home to the nation’s top cornerback, David Amerson. The 6’3 corner had 13 interceptions in his sophomore campaign, but takeaways aren’t the only plus side to his game. Amerson tallied 59 tackles last season for the Wolfpack and he also showed up when the lights were the brightest: 2 picks and a touchdown against Louisville in the Belk Bowl. This guy is a corner who can be left on an island, cover the best WR in the country and can get you points on defense.

4.Xavier Rhodes-Florida State-Cornerback
Physicality seems to have become a lost art from the cornerback position, but Rhodes brings it. His lack of ball skills (1 interception in 2011) is made up by bumping WR’s and delaying their routes. Rhodes has fought through his share of injuries while at Florida St. but he is still respected by opposing quarterbacks. The tight defense he presents makes other teams shy away from him and he does not get burnt by his opposition. Xavier Rhodes hurt his knee in the Champs Sports Bowl but played through the injury and held Michael Floyd to only 41 yards. Rhodes is a one of a kind and is not afraid to get up in the face of the receivers.

5.Ray Ray Armstrong-Miami (FL)-Strong Safety
Four years ago, Ray Ray Armstrong was one of the top defensive recruits in the country and he has only scratched the surface of what he can do. Armstrong is big enough to make all of the tackles and is fast enough to cover all areas of the field. His versatility really helps the team defense because he can push up to help the run game or drop back into coverage. The Miami safety was suspended for the beginning of the 2011 season (like many of his teammates) but he still managed to get 34 tackles in only seven games played. Armstrong will be the leader of what should be a very good Hurricane defense.

6.Brandon Jenkins-Florida State-Defensive End
Jenkins is just another exciting player on the Seminole defense. There is a lot to like about this kid: his motor, balance, explosiveness and his versatility.  Jenkins lead the Noles in both tackles for loss and sacks in 2011 and plans to do it again in 2012. Jenkins can get to the quarterback quick and in a variety of ways. If his tackling skills are polished he could very well be one of the top pass-rushers in the country.

7.Jonathan Cooper-North Carolina-Guard 
The Tarheel’s Cooper is the first offensive lineman to reach the list.  Cooper is an experienced lineman (35 starts) who was an All-American his freshman year and continued to get better. Although he could improve his run-blocking, Cooper is still dominant in the trenches. Cooper has great technique and is very naturally when moving along the line; clean footwork and great pass protection makes up for lack of strength.

8. Tajh Boyd-Clemson-Quarterback
Built like a fullback but throws effortlessly, the Clemson quarterback threw the ball 499 times last year and accumulated 3,828 passing yards. Boyd and Sammy Watkins were a dynamic duo and were 7-0 right out of the gate. At many times the Clemson defense would let up points and Boyd was forced into shootouts with opposing teams. He always keeps his cool and manages to make the right decisions, between his throwing skills and ability to move around the pocket he was able to assemble some key drives throughout the season. Boyd completed 59% of his passes and look for that to improve with the maturation of his receiving corps. He is a bonafide baller and can get his team wins.

9. Oday Aboushi-Virginia-Offensive Tackle
Yet another big man is getting some love on the top ten list. This time Oday Aboushi will be getting recognized. The senior tackle stands in at a staggering 6’6, 310 and is downright mean. Aboushi is strong and blocks through the whistle but lacks some explosiveness. His long arms allow him to keep separation against pass rushers and he has a lot of range for a guy that is 310 lbs. He is a consistent starter and is a great collegiate LT, penalties are at a minimum when he is blocking.

10.  Kenny Tate-Maryland-Safety/Linebacker
Just what football coaches love…hybrid players. Kenny Tate will be returning to the University of Maryland for his 5^th season. Early in his career, Tate was the starting safety for the Terrapins but is now the starting outside linebacker. Before a season-ending knee injury in 2011, Tate had 35 tackles I only four games played and also recorded two interceptions. His play matches the new Maryland uniforms, eye-popping. Tate makes plays all over the field and is a difficult guy to account for when facing him. The best feature about Tate is that he has the ability to lineup almost anywhere on the field, if he comes back 100% from his injury, he will be one of the best playmakers in the nation.

Just Missed:

Jeremiah Attaochu-Georgia Tech-OLB
Andre Ellington-Clemson-RB
E.J. Manuel-Florida State-QB
Bjoern Werner-Florida State-DE
Seantrei Henderson-Miami (FL)-OT

Who Improved the Most Over NFL Draft Weekend?

 

This passed weekend was the NFL draft. The draft is where teams build dynasties and stock up on draft picks for years to come. You will not know which teams had a successful draft for a few years because the players selected need a big enough sample size to produce. All that we can do until then is predict which teams we think have improved the NFL Draft.

Cincinnati Bengals

Last year the Bengals showed that draft picks can carry your team right away by selecting A.J. Green and Andy Dalton then going on to make the playoffs. Cincinnati went into this draft knowing what they had to do and they drafted great football players and guys that fit their system. The Bengals ended up two first round selections and used one on each side of the ball. With the 17^th overall pick the Bengals chose CB Dre Kirkpatrick out of Alabama. Kirkpatrick is a great zone corner who will step up and make tackles in the run game as well. Cincinnati has Leon Hall coming off injury and they brought in Terrence Newman but they need to get younger at that position and Kirkpatrick is a guy that can immediately step in and have an impact. With their second first round selection (27 overall) Cincy chose G Kevin Zeitler out of Wisconsin. Zeitler is a hard-nosed offensive lineman that is terrific in the run game and he can take on virtually any interior rusher. Zeitler is a great fit for Cincy because they lost G Shaun Livings in free agency and they managed to bring in smash-mouth running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis. After making a splash in the first round, Cincinnati continued to have a successful draft. In the second round the Cardiac Cats selected DT Devon Still, he is an ideal NT in a 3-4 but they feel he can be a great DT in a 4-3 and he was one of the top players available. In the third round Mohamed Sanu was selected, a possession Wr out of Rutgers that will lineup opposite of A.J. Green. Sanu is not a speedster but he won’t have many drops and he is physical. The Bengals continued with this defense/offense draft pattern throughout this whole draft by selecting Brandon Thompson (DT-Clemson), Orson Charles (TE-Georgia), Shaun Prater (CB-Iowa), Marvin Jones (WR-Cal), George Iloka (S-Boise St.) and Dan “Boom” Herron (RB-Ohio St.). The Bengals had a ton of steals throughout this draft; Charles in the 4^th and Iolka in the 5^th are the two most notable. Orson Charles will not compete against Gresham for the starting TE spot but he is a gifted athlete that can come in on certain packages and stretch the defense. After cutting Chris Crocker, the Bengals created a whole at the safety position and managed to wait on George Iolka who many draft experts had him ranked as a top-3 safety. Iolka fits the Cincy defense by being able to go downfield and make plays but he can also step up in the run game and will make plays in the backfield. Even after the draft Mike Brown and the Bengals weren’t done. Right after the draft management went to work and signed ILB Vontaze Burfict (Arizona St.) who is one of the meanest guys in the game and WR Kashif Moore (Uconn). These are both guys that are very well capable of making the 53 man roster, Burfict has all the talent in the world, he just needs to get his head on straight. The Bengals went out and drafted a bunch of guys that are ready to start next year, this team is going to be scary a couple years down the road.

St. Louis Rams

The Rams were one of the worst teams last season but they used their #2 overall draft pick to their advantage and kept trading to create more picks. First the Rams traded out of their #2 spot with the Redskins receiving Washington’s first and second round picks for 2012 and first round picks for 2013 and 2014 as well. During the draft, St. Louis was sitting with the #6 pick and decided to trade back again; they ended up with the 14^th pick and late round picks. When the Rams were finally on the clock, they selected DT Michael Brockers out of LSU; a guy that Jeff Fisher said they had contemplated taking at number six. Fisher is a defensive-minded coach and he wants to solidify that side of the ball just like he did in his tenure with Tennessee. Brockers is a young, raw DT that Fisher could turn into a pro-bowler. Brockers was their top pick but they were not done on defense. In the second round the Rams took UNA cornerback Janoris Jenkins. Jenkins is a top-10 talent in this year’s draft class but brings a ton of baggage to the team. Jeff Fisher has worked through these problems before but is Jenkins going to be a Cortland Finnegan or another Pacman Jones? In the third round the Rams went out and took another CB, Trumaine Johnson, Montana. It was surprising to see Johnson fall to the third round because there are a bunch of teams that were looking for CB’s. Getting Johnson 65^th overall is a steal and Jeff Fisher already know how he plays not just form film but from his son; Fisher’s son played on the Montana team with Johnson. At 6’2 with great tackle skills, Johnson provides versatility to the Rams, they can choose to play him at CB or even move him back to FS. The Rams weren’t just making an impact on the defensive side of the ball though. With their second selection (33^rd overall) they selected Brian Quick, WR, Appalachian St. Sam Bradford has potential to be a fantastic QB but he needs weapons; Quick is 6’4 with huge hands and is electric after the catch. Quick is that big, sure-handed target that Bradford has been looking for. After the Quick pick, the Rams went out and selected slot WR Chris Givens out of Wake Forest in the 4^th round (96^th overall), they also took: OG, Rakevious Watkins (South Carolina) in the 5^th round (150^th overall) and RB Isaiah Pead in the 2^nd round (50^th overall) out of Cincinnati. The Rams went out and drafted a bunch of playmakers on offense, Pead is the type of RB that Fisher likes (great hands & quick burst of speed), he will be great to compliment Steven Jackson. St. Louis finished out their draft by selecting Greg Zuerlein (K-Missouri Western), Aaron Brown (OLB-Hawaii) and Daryl Richardson (RB-Abilene Christian) all in the 7th round.  They still have holes on their roster, but they have selected players that fit their system and athletes that will give them a chance to compete right away.

Honorable Mention-Indianapolis Colts

The Colts were horrendous last year and losing Peyton Manning was insult to injury for the Indy fans. With the first overall pick in the 2012 draft the Colts selected Andrew Luck who should be able to fill the void for Peyton Manning one day. Drafting a young QB can be scary so you need to try to ease him into the role and surround him with weapons. Like they say in the NFL, a tight end is a QB’s best friend. In the second and third rounds the Colts went out and addressed their losses of Dallas Clark and Jacob Tamme by taking Coby Fleener (Stanford) and Dwayne Allen (Clemson). Fleener was heavily used by Mr. Luck at Stanford and he has a great repertoire of tools to offer the Indy offense. Fleener is very similar to Greg Olson, he is tall, fast, can run any route and can make catches in traffic. Dwayne Allen was selected in the third round and he offers a different skill set. Allen will have an immediate impact in the blocking game (Fleener’s weakness) and he can also release and become a security-type receiver for Luck. With the Colts’ fourth selection (3^rd round) they stayed on the offensive side of the ball and selected T.Y. Hilton (Florida International). Hilton is a slot receiver that can flat-out fly and create separation. Look for him to be used on bubble screens and a lot of crossing routes this year, he has big-play potential. The fifth round is where Ryan Grigson selected his first defensive player, Josh Chapman (DT/NT-Alabama). If Chapman had not missed the season due to a knee injury he could have gone in the first round. Chapman will help on the defensive line and take on blockers, allowing Mathis and Freeney to get to the quarterback.  In the fifth round Vick Ballard would become the newest Colt. Ballard is a tough RB out of Miss. St. who will provide diversity to a Colts offense. He can run between the tackles and he can also go out and make some catches; he should be a nice compliment to Donald Brown. The Colts also chose LaVon Brazill (WR-Ohio) in the 6^th and had three 7^th round picks: Jusin Anderson (G-Georgia), Tim Fugger (DE- Vanderbilt) and Chandler Harnish (QB-Northern Illinois). After the draft the Colts also scrambled to get some of the top undrafted free agents. They made two key signings in Griff Whalen (WR-Stanford) and Micah Pellerin (CB-Hampton). Griff Whalen is another guy who will make Luck comfortable because he is familiar with Whalen; this was Luck’s go-to-guy on third down in college. Micah Pellerin fills a need for the Colts and has great potential. Pellerin is 6’0 with fluent hips and plays tight coverage. The Colts will still be picking top 10 next year but they have a bright future.

Other Notable Draft Winners

Pittsburgh Steelers
1 (24)-David DeCastro-G-Stanford
2 (56)-Mike Adams-OT-Ohio State
3 (86)-Sean Spence-ILB-Miami
4 (109)-Alameda Ta’amu-NT-Washington
5 (159)-Chris Rainey-RB-Florida
7 (231) Toney Clemons-WR-Colorado
7 (240) David Paulson-TE-Oregon
7 (246)-Terrence Frederick-CB-Texas A&M
7 (248)-Kelvin Beachum-G-SMU

Philadelphia Eagles
1 (12)-Fletcher Cox-DT-Mississippi St.
2 (46)-Mychal Kendricks-ILB-Calfiornia
2 (59)-Vinny Curry-DE-Marshall
3 (88)-Nick Foles-QB-Arizona
4 (123)-Brandon Boykin-CB-Georgia
5 (153)-Dennis Kelly-OT-Purdue
6 (194)-Marvin McNutt-WR-Iowa
6 (200)-Brandon Washington-G-Miami
7 (229)-Bryce Brown-RB-Kansas St.

Mock Draft Version 4.0 (Final)

1.Indianapolis Colts-QB-Andrew Luck-Stanford
The Colts just lost their franchise quarterback but are lined up to take another one. There are almost no flaws to Luck’s game; he makes all of the right choices, he’s the first one in the gym and last one out, he makes his teammates better and he is a class act. Luck will be the face of the franchise for a long time.

2.Washington Redskins (From STL)-QB-Robert Griffin III-Baylor
Griffin is why the Redskins traded up in the draft, he is deadly accurate when throwing the deep ball and he can make plays with his legs. Not only is a freak on the field, but, he has a high football I.Q., unlimited potential and is a great leader.

3.Minnesota Vikings-OT-Matt Kalil-USC
The Vikings have many needs (OL, DB & WR). Matt Kalil is the top left tackle in this class and he can be a cornerstone for the franchise’s offense. Kalil and RT Phil Loadholt would become great bookends and solidify that line in the pass game a well as run game. This year’s CB and WR classes are deep enough to assess those needs later, they must improve their line in the first round.

4.Cleveland Browns-RB-Trent Richardson-Alabama
The Browns need a play-maker badly. They lost Peyton Hillis and love to run the ball. Richardson is the best running back coming out since Adrian Peterson and is good in all areas of his game. He can run up the middle, run outside, block and catch; he is a can’t miss pick for the Browns.

5.Tampa Bay Buccaneers-CB Morris Claiborne-LSU
After going out and getting Carl Nicks and Vincent Jackson in free agency, the Bucs can focus their first round pick on defense. Morris Claiborne has fantastic ball skills, tremendous speed & can be left on an island. He is electrifying on defense and will be a part of a great corps with Aqib Talib and Eric Wright.

6.St. Louis Rams-WR-Justin Blackmon-Oklahoma St.
Coach Jeff Fisher loves to draft defensive lineman early as he showed in Tenn (6 first round picks on DL). The fact of the matter is that the Rams need to surround QB Sam Bradford with weapons. Blackmon can run any route and continues to make plays even after the catch.

7.Jacksonville Jaguars-CB-Stephon Gilmore-South Carolina
Gilmore has been quietly crawling up the draft boards and rightfully so. Gilmore is a complete corner who is great in both zone and man coverage, he can also tackle and create turnovers. I expect Jacksonville to trade out of this spot but if they are here, expect them to take Gilmore. He has drawn comparisons to Reshean Mathis and the Jags have 4 cornerbacks with expiring contracts this season.

8.Miami Dolphins-QB-Ryan Tannehill-Texas A&M
Although I don’t think it is the right move I think the Dolphins select Ryan Tannehill. Miami’s new OC, Mike Sherman, coached Tannehill at Texas A&M and he is pushing for him. The ideal situation will be for Tannehill to sit a year but the Dolphins might not be that patient. Tannehill is a project to say the least, but he has the tools to become a gem in the NFL.

9.Carolina Panthers-DE-Quinton Coples-North Carolina
Years ago the Panthers had a guy named Julius Peppers and he was the anchor to that defense. Carolina is desperate for a pass-rusher and Coples has all the talent in the world. Expect the Panthers to take a hard look at Kuechly, but I still feel Coples will hear his name called at number nine.

10.Buffalo Bills-OT-Riley Reiff-Iowa
The Bills need to find a guy that could potentially take the place of LT Demetress Bell whom they had lost in free agency. If both corner backs are off the board Reiff looks to be the pick. He is great with his hands and stands up defenders.

11.Kansas City Chiefs-OG-David DeCastro-Stanford
VP Scott Pioli has been high on DeCastro all year long. DeCastro is arguably the second best lineman in the draft. He can pass block and run block extremely well and he started a ton of games at Stanford.

12.Seattle Seahawks-ILB-Luke Kuechly-Boston College
After losing David Hawthorne, Seattle is looking for a new middle linebacker. They could reach on a pass rusher hear but if Kuechly is on the board they will consider it a steal. Kuechly is a tackling machine and has a great understanding of the game. He is one of those players that is always in the right place at the right time and he can become the leader of the Seahawks defense.

13.Arizona Cardinals-WR-Michael Floyd-Notre Dame
Michael Floyd is a gifted WR that will take some of the pressure off of Larry Fitzgerald. Arizona needs another option at WR and Floyd would be a huge upgrade. He is a great route-runner and has soft hands. Larry Fitzgerald has come out and said he wants Floyd draft so consider this one a lock.

14.Dallas Cowboys-SS-Mark Barron-Alabama
Safety is the top priority for the Cowboys going into the draft and Barron can become the top safety in the NFL. Finding a guy that is hard-hitting and cover is very rare. The Cowboys have publicly fallen in love with Barron and expect to make him the next Dallas star.

15. Philadelphia Eagles-DT-Fletcher Cox-Mississippi St.
Scheme is not a concern when talking about drafting Fletcher Cox. He can fit in both 4-3 and 3-4 and play all positions along the defensive line. Cox is explosive off the line and can burst through the protection to make plays in the backfield.

16.New York Jets-DE/OLB-Melvin Ingram-South Carolina
Rex Ryan wants a premier pass-rusher and Ingram would be a great fit at OLB in Jets defense. Ingram is not the most physically gifted but he can shed blockers and will provide immediate pass-rush help.

17.Cincinnati Bengals (From Oakland)-OL-Cordy Glenn-Georgia
Glenn is a guy that can fill a bunch of holes along the offensive line. He was a guard at Georgia but is big and strong enough to become a tackle and can become a force on the interior.

18.San Diego Chargers-OLB-Chandler Jones-Syracuse
Despite being raw, Jones is a long and unique pass-rusher. He can play both defensive end and outside backer which the Chargers could use to their advantage. Jones is tough to block because of his wingspan and could be a terror in the AFC West.

19.Chicago Bears-DE/OLB-Whitney Mercilus-Illinois
Love Smith and the Chicago front office have been adamant that they will be taking defense. Mercilus is the type of players that the Bears like and he could start out as a rotational end, spelling Idonje and Peppers. Mercilus is a bull rusher and has length, DC Rod Marinelli could work wonders with him.

20.Tennessee Titans-CB-Dre Kirkpatrick-Alabama
The Titans lost Cortland Finnegan who was a huge part of that defense. Dre Kirkpatrick has a low bust possibility and plays like a veteran. He is a huge corner at 6’2 and can tackle very well for a cornerback.

21.Cincinnati Bengals-WR-Kendall Wright-Baylor
The Bengals have already gone out and gotten a lineman, now the key is to add more weapons for Andy Dalton. A.J. Green had a tremendous rookie season and Jordan Shipley will be back in the early season but they lost Jerome Simpson. Wright is the ideal slot receiver who can help in the return game and has big play potential.

22.Cleveland Browns (From Atlanta)-OT-Jonathan Martin-Stanford
The Browns desperately need a right tackle and Martin can be the guy that fills a need. He is big, long and powerful; Joe Thomas would be a great mentor for Martin. They already drafted their running back, now they need to bolster up their line for him.

23.Detroit Lions–OLB/DE-Courtney Upshaw-Alabama
The Lions are a team that draft the best player available. With the 23^rd pick they kill two birds with one stone; they get the best player available and they fill a huge need in getting a pass-rusher. Upshaw can get to the QB and can disrupt the run game, he is a great player to have.

24.Pittsburgh Steelers-NT/DT-Dontari Poe-Memphis
Dontari Poe is a wild card in this year’s draft. He was a workout warrior at the combine and his pro-day but when you go back to the film does not show the same ability consistently. Poe is both quick and strong at 345 pounds but needs to show consistency; he will learn under Casey Hampton and eventually take over.

25.Denver Broncos-DT-Michael Brockers-LSU
Denver’s biggest need is a DT. Brockers is young but has an outstanding skill set. He was the anchor to that LSU defense and he busted through double teams a lot of the time. Brockers uses his strength as well as his active hands to shed blockers and he will only keep getting better.

26.Houston Texans-WR-Rueben Randle-LSU
The Texans are very thin at the WR position other than All-Pro wide-out Andre Johnson. Rueben Randle will sneak into the first round because of his skill set and he is a quiet player off the field. Randle is an extraordinary route-runner and at 6’3 212 he is dominant in the blocking game for a WR.

27.New England Patriots-DE/OLB-Shea McClellin-Boise State
Shea McClellin was one of the most efficient pass rushers in the nation last year. He is a versatile player that can get to the quarterback in more ways than one. The Patriots lacked a good consistent pass rush and Mcclellin will bring both intensity and the ability to play different position which Belichick loves.

28.Green Bay Packers-DE/OLB-Nick Perry-USC
The Packers are another team that are in dire need of a guy to generate pass rush. Clay Mathews was double-teamed virtually all of last season and without him Green Bay couldn’t get to the quarterback. Nick Perry is a hybrid (can play DE/OLB) that is still raw but is physically gifted and has a great combination of speed and power. He has potential to be one of the most rewarded players in the draft.

29.Baltimore Ravens-OG-Amini Silatolu-Midwestern State
Silatolu is a player that dominated at Midwestern State. He is a huge guard with freakish strength. The Ravens are trying to get younger and they need a guard. This is a win-win scenario.

30.San Francisco 49ers-TE-Coby Fleener-Stanford
Back at Stanford (where Harbaugh) coached, he loved to use sets that included multiple tight ends. Back in that Stanford offense Coby Fleener was a key cog in the offensive machine. Vernon Davis is still the guy in SF but Fleener is very versatile and has great receiving talent.

31.New England Patriots-ILB-Dont’a Hightower-Alabama
For this pick Bill Belichick will be utilizing his Alabama connections and getting quite the player in Hightower. The Patriot use a bunch of different defensive formations but they love the 4-3. Hightower would pair up with Spikes nicely and they would be able to leave Mayo at OLB. Hightower needs to improve his pass defense but he will blossom into a great pro.

32.New York Giants-OT-Mike Adams-Ohio St.
The Giants would love for Coby Fleener to fall to them but it is unlikely. With the last pick of the first round they will increase the offensive line with Mike Adams. Adams has all of the natural tools and was on a very good line at OSU.

Round 2

33.St. Louis Rams-DT-Jerel Worthy-Michigan St.
-Worthy is a big DT that fits the defense Jeff Fisher wants to run. The Rams need guys that will perform immediately.

34.Indianapolis Colts-C-Peter Konz-Wisconsin
-Luck is the new Manning and Konz is the new Saturday. The Colts have needs at a bunch of positions but they need to protect their QB first.

35.Minnesota Vikings-S-Harrison Smith-Notre Dame
-Harrison Smith will go early because of the lack of safeties. Vikings need a center fielder that can create turnovers and lead a defense.

36.Tampa Bay Buccaneers-RB-Doug Martin-Boise State
-A running back that can do it all. Tampa Bay loves the play action and Martin is excellent at both blocking and receiving. A great compliment for Blount.

37.Cleveland Browns-WR-Alshon Jeffery-South Carolina
-Has potential to be the best WR in the draft with his given skill set. Cleveland needs a big receiver that can go up and get it. This would be a steal.

38.Jacksonville Jaguars-DT-Kendall Reyes-Connecticut
-Terrance Knighton is entering a contract year and will most likely miss the season due to eye surgery. Kendall Reyes has versatility and great upside.

39.St. Louis Rams (From Washington)-RB-Lamar Miller-Miami
-Jeff Fisher loves running backs and Lamar Miller is a speedster with the ability to catch the ball. Opens windows for the Rams offense.

40.Carolina Panthers-CB-Janoris Jenkins-Northern Alabama
-With all baggage aside, Jenkins is a top 10 talent in this draft. The Panthers will take a chance on him because they desperately need a CB.

41.Buffalo Bills-WR-Stephen Hill-Georgia Tech
-The Bills need a guy to lineup opposite of Stevie Johnson. Hill is a developing WR who can flat out fly.

42.Miami Dolphins-DE-Andre Branch-Clemson
-Miami is moving to a 4-3 defense. Branch is a powerful end that can stop the run as well as sack the QB.

43.Seattle Seahawks-DE/OLB-Vinny Curry-Marshall
-Seahawks need pass rushers and Curry provides versatility. Pete Carroll will have fun coaching him up.

44.Kansas City Chiefs-NT/DT-Devon Still-Penn St.
-Kelly Gregg is 35 and Devon Still is a first round talent. There are not many true nose tackles in this draft but Still is a guy that has unique talent.

45.Dallas Cowboys-Kevin Zeitler-Wisconsin
-Zeitler is a steal this late in the draft. Dallas signed two guards in the off-season but Zeitler is still an upgrade.

46.Philadelphia Eagles-OLB-Lavonte David-Nebraska
-As of right now it looks like the Eagles swung and missed on Casey Matthews. They are still thin at the linebacker position. David is undersized but wreaks havoc.

47.New York Jets-OT-Bobby Massie-Mississippi
-The Jets aren’t confident in Vladimir Ducasse and the RT position is a question mark. Bobby Massie is massive and can stop pass-rushers at will.

48.New England (From Oakland)-CB-Trumaine Johnson-Montana
-The Patriots love this guy. They usually have success when they get smaller school players. Trumaine Johnson was lights out at Montana and will develop nicely under the Pats.

49.San Diego Chargers-OG-Brandon Washington-Miami
-The Chargers have had bad luck recently with lineman through injury and failure. Washington is a guy who played a ton of snaps at Miami while committing few penalties.

50.Chicago Bears-DT-Derek Wolfe-Cincinnati
-Can’t say enough that the Bears love defense. Wolfe is a 4-3 DT that fits their style of play and can thrive on that team.

51.Philadelphia Eagles (From Cardinals)-TE-Dwayne Allen-Clemson
-Philly could take a running back at this spot but Allen would be hard for them to pass up. Helps out the pass game and run game, makes sense with no backup TE.

52.Tennessee Titans-DE-Tyrone Crawford-Boise St.
-They brought in Kameron Wimbley but still need to get to the quarterback, Crawford has been quiet in draft talks but he is a very sound player.

53.Cincinnati Bengals-S-Brandon Taylor-LSU
-The release of Chris Crocker leaves a huge hole at safety. Taylor is a men safety who was on an elite defense.

54.Detroit Lions-CB-Josh Robinson-UCF
-Robinson can fly and is ready to start in the NFL right now. Fluent hips and great ball skills.

55.Atlanta Falcons-OT-Jeff Allen-Illinois
-Atlanta needs lineman that won’t step on Matt Ryan’s feet. Allen is a big tackle that stays square and has great extension.

56.Pittsburgh Steelers-OT-Kelechi Osemele-Iowa St.
-Osemele is raw but versatile. Will most likely develop into a starting tackle but can fill in for empty spots right now on the stealers.

57.Denver Broncos-RB-LaMichael James-Oregon
-Many people forget how much Peyton Manning uses their running backs. Knowshon Moreno is a bust and McGahee is old. James improves pass game and special teams.

58.Houston Texans-DT-Mike Martin-Michigan
-Ever since they drafted Mario Williams the Texans have been all about building a defense. They try to finish that this year with drafting a bull-rushing DT in Martin.

Saints Forfeit

59.Green Bay Packers-RB-David Wilson-Virginia Tech
-David Wilson can run between the tackles and catch exceptionally well. Wilson could have been a first rounder if he didn’t fumble at VT. He will be a great replacement for Ryan Grant.

60.Baltimore Ravens-OLB-Bobby Wagner-Utah St.
-Once again, trying to get younger. Wagner has been under-the-radar but is a bright spot in this class. Hard-hitting, smart and he is a playmaker.

61.San Francisco 49ers-C-Ben Jones-Georgia
-Ben Jones is a mashing center that plays to the style of the 49ers. He will improve the run game even more.

62.New England Patriots-OG-Brandon Brooks-Miami (OH)
-The Patriots line has been aging and injury prone for quite some time. Belichick will never say no to drafting a lineman. This is similar to their Sebastian Volmer pick a few years back. Brooks will learn under Waters.

63.New York Giants-RB-Chris Polk-Washington
-Polk is a sleeper in this draft; he has all of the tools and intangibles. He is great in play action and isn’t afraid to run between the tackles. Extremely shifty and quick with cuts.

Round 3

64.Colts-CB-Jamell Fleming-Oklahoma
-As much as Indy needs offense they need to asses the back seven on defense. Fleming is a great tackler and can help in the run game as well as the pass.

65.Rams-OLB-Zach Brown-North Carolina
-Brown can rush the passer and also has the ability to cover in the zone. All around great skill-set.

66.Vikings-WR-Mohamed Sanu-Rutgers
-Now they start getting weapons for Ponder. Sanu is a possession receiver that is hard to bring down.

67.Browns-QB-Brandon Weeden-Oklahoma St.
-Weeden is NFL ready and will bring great QB competition to Cleveland. They need an answer if Colt McCoy isn’t able to perform.

68.Buccaneers-ILB-James Michael-Johnson-Nevada
-Last year the Buc took Mason Foster in this round but James Michael-Johnson increases depth and is more fundamentally sound. Great tackler and he will learn the NFL quickly.

69.Redskins-OG-James Brown-Troy
-Depth is needed on the offensive line. James Brown has not been talked about much but Washington loves big offensive lineman who will need some time to develop.

70.Jaguars-WR-Brian Quick-Appalachian St.
-Brian Quick falling this far may be a dream come true for the Jaguars. Quick is 6’4 with strong hands and is fantastic after the catch. Surround Gabbert with as many weapons as possible.

71.Bills-QB-Brock Osweiler-Arizona St.
-Probably won’t start for 2-3 years but fits the Chan Gailey offense. Osweiler is crazy athletic at 6’7 and throws darts. He has the most upside in this year’s draft.

72.Dolphins-WR-Juron Criner-Arizona
-Losing Brandon Marshall plays a big part in the middle rounds for the Dolphins. They need a receiver that can turn into a #1 guy. Criner is 6’3 and has big-lay potential.

73.Dolphins (From Chi)-TE-Ladarius Green-Lousiana-Lafayette
-Anthony Fasano is an underrated tight end but many teams are beginning to use two TE’s. Green is a “new era” tight end as I like to call them; very fast, soft hands and big.

74.Chiefs-ILB-Mychal Kendricks-California
-Derrick Johnson isn’t getting any younger. Mychal Kendricks could start immediately as the guy on the side of Johnson.

Ron Brooks is a vicious defender and a pure playmaker.

75.Seahawks-RB-Isaiah Pead-Cincinatti
-The Seahawks need another RB that provides versatility, mostly receiving. Pead is small but holds his own and he has a nose for the end zone.

76.Texans-CB-Ron Brooks-LSU
-The best-kept secret in this year’s draft. He was overshadowed by Claiborne but is a big-time player. Hard-hitting corner that will become a number 1 in the future.

77.Jets-WR-Marvin McNutt-Iowa
-The Jets have turned into a passing offense, however, they need more weapons. McNutt is a tall receiver that can make all of the catches and improve the offense.

78.Chargers-TE-Michael Egnew-Missouri
-With Anontio Gates health being questionable week-in and week-out, Egnew is a safe pick here. He has the best hands out of all the tight ends and could be a part of a deadly combo when Gates plays.

79.Bears-S-George Iolka-Boise St.
-Still drafting defense. Iolka is a safety that can ball-hawk as well as step up in the run game. The Bears need a safety.

80.Cardinals-OLB-Bruce Irvin-West Virgnia
-Irvin is solely a blitzer but that does not hurt his draft stock. When he lines up he locks on to the QB and never loses sight. Arizona failed to get to the QB last year.

81.Cowboys-WR-Ryan Broyles-Alabama
-After seeing the production out of their 3^rd WR last year (Laurent Robinson-Jax) they now look to get another WR. Broyles is your prototypical slot guy that can make defenders miss and he can stretch the field.

82.Titans-WR-A.J. Jenkins-Illinois
-Last year the Titans realized how much they relied on Kenny Britt. Jenkins is a guy that could play the #2 spot, leaving Nate Washington in the slot. He has big hands and creates separation.

83.Bengals-CB-Dwight Bentley-Louisiana-Lafayette
-Bentley is a burner. The Bengals went out and got Terrance Newman in the off-season but they still need to get younger and deeper. Bentler can cover the slot right away.

84.Falcons-OLB-Ronell Lewis-Oklahoma
– The Falcons need a pass rusher, especially when you are facing Newton, Brees and Freeman 2 times each season. Lewis is a powerful backer who can dismantle a QB when he gets there.

85.Lions-OT-Donald Stephenson-Oklahoma
-Jeff Backus is going to retire soon and this is their primary need in the third round. Stephenson is a disciplined tackle who will become a starter for a long time.

86.Steelers-ILB-Vontaze Burfict-Arizona St.
-This is my surprise pick of the draft. At the start of the mock draft season, Burfict was being looked at as a first round pick. Then it looked like he wouldn’t even get drafted because of anger issues and personality. I feel this is a great project for Mike Tomlin; he will set Burfict straight.

87.Broncos-QB-Kirk Cousins-Michigan St.
-The Broncos need to find a guy that can learn under Manning. Cousins is a natural winner who has a great work ethic. Great things can come from this.

88.Eagles-S-Antonio Allen-South Carolina
-The Eagles need to get some kind of production from the safety strong safety position. Nate Allen has been terrific at free safety but now they finish off the back seven with this draft pick.

89.Saints-CB-Casey Hayward-Vanderbilt
-Similar play style to Tracy Porter (who they lost). Hayward can press extremely well and is great at jumping routes.

90.Packers-OG-Senio Kelemete-Washington
-Senio Kelemete looks like a Packer player when you first take a gander, much like Bulaga did two years ago. He fills a need and will provide versatility for a banged up line.

91.Ravens-RB-Robert Turbin-Utah St.
-In my opinion he is the biggest sleeper of the draft and can be an elite back. The Ravens lost Ricky Williams (retirement) and need a downhill runner to match-up with Rice. Turbin is all that and a bag of chips.

92.49ers-DL-Jared Crick-Nebraska
-Jared Crick is a brute on the defensive line and can collapse the pocket. He is all strength and no finesse. Not only is he the best player available but he could be the second coming of Justin Smith.

93.Patriots-FS-Markelle Martin-Oklahoma St.
-I don’t think the Patriot will end up moving Devin McCourty to free safety, leaving this position as a need. Markelle Martin is a center fielder and is a very coachable player.

94.Giants-TE-Orson Charles-Georgia
-Perhaps the most gifted TE in this draft. Charles is a fantastic blocker, shows great speed/acceleration and can catch the ball. The Giants need a tight end; as of right now they have Ballard and Beckum who are out for season already and an unproven Martellus Bennett.

95.Raiders (Compensatory)-OT-Zebrie Sanders-Florida St.
-The Raiders have a lot of holes in their depth chart and don’t help their cause with not having a pick till the third round. Zebrie Sanders is a huge tackle who is strong like an ox. He has some minor concerns like motor, but he is a great value at 95.

On the Verge of Sliding into Top Three Rounds

CB-Jayron Hosley-Virginia Tech
NT-Alameda Ta’amu-Washington
OLB-Jonathan Massaquoi-Troy
CB-Micah Pellerin-Hampton
WR-Tommy Streeter-Miami
QB-Nick Foles-Arizona

Decision Day is Finally Here; Nerlens Noel & Shabazz Muhammad

The country’s top two NCAA basketball recruits, (1) Nerlens Noel and (2) Shabazz Muhammad, are set to announce their collegiate destination for the 2013 season. Back in the middle of March, Noel and Muhammad both said they will publicly announce where they will play basketball next season. The day is finally here and the hype has been building up since the start of the recruiting season and you can watch them make their decisions on April 11, airing on ESPNU at 7:30.

Nerlens Noel

Nerlens Noel is ranked the #1 recruit on the ESPNU’s Top 100 High School player’s list.  There is a likely chance Noel will be the most dominant defensive presence at the college level in 2013. At 6’10 he is one of the most athletically gifted big men I have seen in a while. Scouts have said that he is the best big man out of the Boston area since Patrick Ewing, the sky is the limit for Noel. His combination of: strength, awareness, speed and most importantly, raw talent is sensational.

The downside of the top prospect’s play is his offensive capability. He is not very good at playing with his back to the basket and he cannot shoot the ball very well; most notably from the free throw line. Despite his lack of shooting ability, he has what most coaches want in a big man; the ability to run the floor. Not only can Noel run the floor and dunk over the defenders with ease, he is terrific on the offensive glass.

Noel has said this past weekend that he still has no idea on where he wants to go to school but he will still make his decision on Wednesday, April 11. The programs remaining on Noel’s list are Syracuse, Georgetown and Kentucky. Anthony Davis’ decision will have a huge impact on Noel because he wants to start right away and prepare himself for basketball at the professional level; no coach prepares players better than John Calipari in today’s game. Syracuse still has a fighting chance to land Noel because their center, Fab Melo just declared for the NBA draft which would make Noel an immediate starter.

Shabazz Muhammad

Shabazz Muhammad is the #2 recruit according to ESPNU and he as well will announce his commitment on April 11. Muhammad is a 6’6 small forward who can create his own shot and get to the rim at will. Being a lefty creates somewhat of an advantage because most defenders aren’t used to guarding them at the high school level, however, Muhammad doesn’t need an advantage in order to dominate.

Muhammad is as good on the defensive side as he is the offensive; he is a lock down defender and can keep up with the top recruits in the nation. The Las Vegas native played in the Nike Hoop Summit where he scored 35 points (most all-time in Summit Game) despite a loss.

Two things that he needs to work on are:  1, using his right hand and 2, becoming a more consistent three-point shooter. These are all “teachable” skills; Muhammad has all of the intangibles (size, speed and determination). He will make one program very happy, not only because he will become a leader instantaneously, but he will do what it takes to win. The schools remaining on his list are: UCLA, USC, Kentucky, Duke, Kansas and UNLV.

What to Expect

It seems rather odd that both of these highly recruited prospects are waiting to announce their collegiate plans on the same day.  Although multiple sources have been adamant that Muhammad will end up at UCLA, I whole-heartedly feel Noel and Muhammad go to school together, which would mean attending the University of Kentucky. Both of these players want to win and also want to get to the NBA quickly; John Calipari can fill both of those desires. Kentucky just won the National Title (with mostly freshman) and show a strong chance to repeat with Noel and Muhammad in the starting lineup.

What Robbie Hummel Meant to College Basketball

It is hard to say there is any player who was as determined as Purdue’s Robbie Hummel. Through all of the injuries, losses, blood, sweat and tears, Hummel fought through it and was not only the best player he could be, but the best person.
The perseverance Hummel showed throughout his Boilermaker career was inspirational. As a sophomore (2009), Hummel broke his vertebra towards the later part of the season, yet, he still carried Purdue to a Big Ten Title and won MVP Honors. Hummel played in the Big Ten Tournament in a back brace, as well as March Madness.

The broken back was the least of Robbie’s concerns moving forward. In his junior year, he started to have knee problems, tearing his right ACL. After missing the majority of the season, Hummel was ready for his senior year. The first practice of what was supposed to be his last season he tore his right ACL once again.  Down but not out, Hummel was redshirted, rehabbed, and came back for one final run with Purdue, once again bringing them to March Madness.

After a long NCAA 2012 season Purdue beat St. Mary’s in the second round of the big dance. That game was a close one, but not as close as the game they would play 2 days later. The Purdue Boilermakers were matched up against the 2 seed Kansas Jayhawks and this game was intense. Thomas Robinson of Kansas, was matched up on Robbie Hummel for the first hall; Hummel worked Robinson, netting 22 points including 5/6 from three-point land. You could tell this was a special game for Hummel, he would do everything in his power to advance in the tourney.

Thomas Robinson was not asked to cover Mr. Hummel in the second half and he was grateful for that.  In a post-game interview Robinson said “He would have had 50 on me, easily.”

Hummel only scored six points in the second half and Kansas came back in the last two minutes to win 63-60. All of the cameras went to Robbie Hummel as the final buzzer of his collegiate career went off, he walked over to the scorers table, looked down, and began to blubber. Crying is not unusual when a team loses in March Madness, but I feel that he was crying because of many other things, not just one tourney.

At the post-game conference, Purdue coach Matt Painter was asked about this Purdue team. He said “They fought for our program.” Robbie Hummel started to cry once again.

Never mind Purdue, but the whole country will remember Robbie Hummel for his greatness, class, dedication and charisma. Purdue is lucky to say they had a guy like Hummel go through their program and he is an ode to college basketball.

Purdue shooting guard D.J. Byrd went on to say, “He (Robbie Hummel) left a legacy here. A legacy of hard work, caring, doing everything you can to get on the court.”

Without injury, Hummel would have easily been a top 5 pick in the NBA draft. After these career-altering injuries his draft stock has slid dramatically. I do not doubt for one minute that a team drafts this kid, they will instantly fall in love with him and he will be admired throughout the country by NBA fans. He has a bright future, but as for the NCAA, they lost a great player. College basketball will never see another Robbie Hummel.

A Wild Day #2 of March Madness

Greg Anthony said it best in the commercial we’ve all seen a million times, “It’s not March Monotony… it’s March Madness!”

The first two days (technically second round) of March Madness have been quite wild. After Thursday’s games it seemed as if most people’s brackets were going to be in-tact and it lead us to thinking that this wasn’t going to be an upset oriented (only two) second round. Friday, on the other hand, served us a platter of upsets and shockers even some of the experts couldn’t stomach.

The day started off with the (6) Cincinnati Bearcats beating the (11) Texas Longhorns, which ended up being a closer game than what the first half showed, 65-59. Yancy Gates really showed his leadership ability and took control at the end.

The next game on the scorecard was: (11) NC State vs. (6) San Diego State, which was said to be a predictable upset. The reason being, NC has been playing well as of late and CJ Leslie would be very hard to defend. Leslie was locked-down somewhat, but they Aztecs could not stop Richard Howell who had 22 points.  The Wolfpack won 79-65.

We all knew (8) Creighton vs. (9) Alabama would be an intense game. The Bluejays of Creighton had an incredible offense throughout the season, 1^st in the country in field goal %, 2^nd in assists and 7^th in points per game. The Alabama defense was a nightmare matchup because Trevor Releford has proven to be a premiere defender at the PG position and JaMychal Green is a fantastic interior defender. The Crimson Tide lead for most of the game but then Doug McDermott rallied his team and took over late in the game.  Trevor Releford took a 3-pointer at the buzzer but was short; Creighton won 58-57.

Expected teams to win, that did were:

(3) Georgetown over (14) Belmont 74-59
Analysis: Georgetown was too strong inside and the Hoyas could score at will. Kerron Johnson played his heart out for the Bruins but they just didn’t have enough.

(1) UNC over (16) Vermont 77-58
Analysis: Tyler Zeller took over immediately, had a double-double before halftime. Four McGlynn and UVM really had no shot.

(7) Florida over (10) Virginia 71-45
Analysis: Bradley Beal, Kenny Boynton and Patrick Young played outstanding. They out-hustled UVA and unfortunately, the Cavaliers couldn’t throw a rock into the ocean.

(3) Florida State over (14) St. Bonaventure 66-63
Analysis: This game was quite a scare the whole 40 minutes. The Seminoles squeaked out a win, however, they did not have an answer for Andrew Nicholson. I am scared for FSU because they looked terrible and were lucky to come out with the W.

(1) Michigan State over (16) LIU Brooklyn 89-67
Analysis: Draymond Green isn’t joking around this year, he got a triple-double and LIU had no answer for him. I did not expect them to either, that is why they were a 16 seed.

(2) Kansas over (15) Detroit) 65-50
Analysis: The Jayhawks played like a 2 seed should in the tournament. Thomas Robinson was a workhorse in the paint and Elijah Johnson shot lights out. Detroit got in early foul trouble and even though they were coming down with rebounds, they couldn’t finish.

The “Upsets” That Took Place Were:

 (9) St. Louis over (8) Memphis 61-54
Analysis: Both teams played well, the Billikins were more poised than the Tigers of Memphis. It was a hard fought game and Memphis looked like they should’ve won, but, they couldn’t hit their free-throws at the end. St. Louis could.

(12) South Florida over (5) Temple 58-44
Analysis: It was a little ridiculous that USF needed a play in game to get to Temple, but they were a matchup nightmare for the Owls. Temple struggled to hit clutch shots at the end and USF was bigger and stronger on defense.

(10) Xavier over (7) Notre Dame 67-63
Analysis: Tu Holloway got into the guards of ND’s heads. He was clutch late in the game and Notre Dame seemed like they didn’t know what to do with a lead.

(10) Purdue over (7) St. Mary’s College 72-69
Analysis: The Boilermakers played like a team out of a power-six conference. They did not commit “dumb” fouls, plays heads-up defense and played like a team. St. Mary’s had a good run, but many people had Purdue winning, and they did.

The Shockers That Made You Rip Up Your Bracket

(13) Ohio over (4) Michigan 65-60
Analysis: Clark Kellog’s son, Nick, did is father proud. Not on the stat sheet, but in the game, he never let the moment get too big for him. Ohio made all the right plays and made key shots whereas Michigan was playing one-on-one style basketball. Trey Burke took some questionable threes at the end when Michigan did not need a three at the time.

(15) Norfolk State over (2) Missouri 86-84
Analysis: Missouri played solid, Norfolk State played better. Frank Haith’s Tigers shot 52% from the field, made 13 three-pointers and only had 8 turnovers.Norfolk State were strong where Missouri was weak; Norfolk was big and great at rebounding. Give credit to the Spartans, they out-rebounded Missouri and kept their intensity up all game. Kim English and company just didn’t seem to have “it” this game. Kyle O’Quinn certainly had “it”, he scored 26 and snagged 14 boards, not to mention he had a crucial play during crunch time. He caught a teammate’s air ball, tipped it in, and got fouled.  He played like a kid with a dream, and that’s what March Madness is all about.

(15) Lehigh over (2) Duke 75-70
Analysis: In 2010, Lehigh hung around with Kansas for quite a while. They ended up losing 90-74 but the game had everyone on the edge of their seats. This time, against Duke, Lehigh not only stuck around, they had the lead for virtually the whole game.  The Mountain Hawks played with more heart and CJ McCollom dropped 30 points on the Blue Devils. Lehigh got into the bonus early and hit their shots from the charity stripe, leading to a Cinderella story that could be in the making.

This Is Why We Watch March Madness
Although some of the games started out slow, everyone was on the edge of their seats by the ending. I still cannot find a good reason why we still fill-out brackets, all it seems to do is raise the collective blood pressure of America. There will be no perfect bracket this year, but I don’t think anyone will be mad when you see how hard these kids are playing. March Madness has a certain vibe to it, there is a great amount of fun and teams respect each other so much. Just think, this was only the second day, we have a lot more in-store for this post season.

Most Intriguing March Madness Match-ups.

March Madness is known for having mid-majors go deep into the tournament and Cinderella stories. The NCAA Election Committee did a pretty solid job on creating the most interesting scenarios. For example, Florida State and North Carolina could meet in the final four; not only is it a great ACC storyline, but will the Seminoles prove they are better than the Tar Heels once again, or will Jon Henson and Harrison Barnes redeem themselves when it counts most? The majority of the country will be on the edge of their seats from tip-off, till the final buzzer of the last game goes off. The first two rounds are pure pandemonium, anything can happen in this tourney.

Most Interesting First Round Match-ups

Baylor (3) vs. South Dakota State (14)
I am not looking for an upset here, but this game could very well go down to the wire. Not many people know of this South Dakota State Jackrabbits team, but they are one group of resilient guys. Nate Wolters is a fantastic point guard and he makes everyone on this SD State team better. Aside from Wolters, the Jackrabbits are really good from beyond the arc. Sixteenth in the country is where they finished as a team, shooting 39.3% from 3-ball. Baylor is arguably the most athletic team in the country, their size, speed, length and depth could have them going deep in this tournament.  The Bears are an unbeatable team when they get out and run with the ball, but their defensive woes cause me to scratch my head. When Baylor plays a zone there is no way you are getting to the hoop, but their coach, Scott Drew, insists they play a man which results in losing games because they can not get through the ball screens that teams throw at them. I have Baylor winning this match-up, not by much, but Baylor is a team that can either win every round or lose early on and I won’t be surprised either way. Perry Jones III should dominate against South Dakota State.

Wisconsin (4) vs. Montana (13)
I officially put the Wisconsin Badgers on upset alert. The Badgers are not good playing away from home and they are a team that lives and dies by the three. In this case, I feel that they die from the three-pointer, unfortunately eliminating them from the tournament. The one guy that might be able to save them is veteran point guard, Jordan Taylor. Taylor does not turn the ball over, hits his free-throws, and makes smart decisions, but in order to move on in the tournament he will need to score points. The Badgers only average 63 points per game and they shoot an abysmal 42%. The Montana Grizzlies have been an up-and-coming team for a while now. Wayne Tinkle is a great coach and will have this Grizzly team read to give Wisconsin their all. Montana shoots a staggering 47% from the field and averages 7 more points per game than Wisconsin. Look for junior guard Will Cherry to explode in this match-up. Will Cherry vs. Jordan Taylor could determine the outcome of this game. I have Montana upsetting Wisconsin in a last second thriller.

Kansas (2) vs. Detroit (15)
I have realized that I have mentioned the Detroit Titans a lot in my previous March Madness articles, but they deserve the recognition. I have not been impressed by Bill Self’s Jayhawks all season and Detroit is a team that I feel could upset them. The Jayhawks are not a deep team; four starters are averaging over 32 minutes a game. Detroit is very similar to the Baylor team, they are lanky, can run the floor, great defensively and can bail themselves out of a bad possession with an alley-oop. Ray McCallum gives Detroit an edge over Baylor with fantastic point guard play, and I would like to add that Kansas lost to Baylor this season. This game will be determined off the glass, whoever rebounds more will win this game. I feel the Titans are able to stop the fast, efficient offense that the Jayhawks present. Call me crazy, but I have the Horizon League Champs upsetting Kansas in a nail-biter.

Most Intriguing Second Round Possibilities

Kentucky (1) vs. Connecticut (9)
Uconn poses the biggest threat to John Calipari’s squad. If Uconn ends up beating Iowa State then they could very well go on and beat Kentucky. In this Wildcat/Huskie match-up, you have a total of 4 lottery picks (Anthony Davis and Terrence Jones for UK, Jeremy Lamb and Andre Drummond for Conn). The reason why this match-up is very difficult to decipher is because you have the two most athletic centers in the country and Jeremy Lamb will be able to lock-down, and vice versa. This year Connecticut lacked leadership this season, you could tell they really missed Kemba Walker. Shabazz Napier tried to take on the leader role and showed some bright spots, but he needs to know when it is crunch time, you feed the ball to Lamb. The Huskies shot themselves in the foot this season when it was crunch time; there would be instances where they were down by 4 points with 1:00 left and they would be stagnant on offense and run the clock out on themselves. Albeit all of these struggles, they still did pretty well in a tough Big East Conference, they could beat Kentucky. Calipari’s teams have been known to choke and they are very young (have one senior on the team). Anthony Davis is the most versatile player in the country but he will need help from fellow freshman, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist on the glass. Although I love Uconn and I feel that they are way better than what they’ve showed this season, it is really hard for me to pick against the Kentucky Wildcats in the second round. Uconn might not even get out of the first round. Kentucky wins in a low scoring match-ups against Jim Calhoun’s squad.

Syracuse (1) vs. Kansas State (8)
The breaking news today was that Syracuse’s best defender, Fab, Melo, will not be playing in the NCAA Tournament due to ineligibility.  Syracuse is already one of the worst rebounding teams in the field of play and without Fab they will be even worse. The only regular season game ‘Cuse lost was against Notre Dame; Melo did not play. The Orange is not that deep at the center position, but still defend the perimeter with ease and can generate offense in a numerous amount of ways. James Southerland needs to step up and find his rhythm early for Syracuse to succeed. On the other hand, Coach Frank Martin, always has his kids prepared for big games. From an athletic perspective, Kansas State matchups up favorably with ‘Cuse. Jordan Henriquez is a lanky, shot-blocking center who will be able to hold down the paint along with Jamar Samuels. Will Spradling and Rodney McGruder are two quick, defensive guards who will be able to force Scoop Jardine to turn the ball over.  I am being conservative in this selection by taking Syracuse. I just feel like Kansas State will be worrying about the matchup against the Orange and could fall to Southern Miss.

My Bracket:

Why Missouri Wins

I feel that the Tigers got robbed and should have been awarded a 1 seed. They are my favorite to win it all; this was the most efficient team in the country and they have a number of player combinations they can throw at you. The Tigers shoot 50% from the field and they can wear you out by swinging the ball back-and-forth. The dribble-drive penetration by the guards is outstanding, then, they kick it back out and nail the three-ball 39.5% of the time. Kim English is a fantastic leader and first year head coach, Frank Haith has had his team bringing their A-game all year long. Mizzou lost their leading rebounder in Lawrence Bowers due to a torn ACL, but they just keep finding ways to win. I don’t sense anyone beating Missouri mainly because of the versatility of the team as a whole; when Frank Haith puts out his four-guard lineup (Kim English, Marcus Denmon, Matt Pressey, Phil Pressey). There isn’t any  team in the nation can match-up with that speed and efficiency. The Missouri Tigers will have proven once again that they deserved to be a number 1 seed, they will be the National Champions.

What is with this Madness? (March Madness Bracket Evaluation)

First of all, I would like to say that I feel the committee botched the seeding in this year’s tournament.  It seems that as the years pass by, the conference records and conference tournaments mean less and less. I feel that the mid-majors are getting way too much credit and winners of power six conferences (Big East, Big 10, Big 12, Pac 12, ACC and SEC) are getting shafted. One major thing that stuck out to me is that Kentucky is the #1 overall seed in the country and they are put in jeopardy of a second round upset to UCONN; they are in the same region as: Duke, Indiana and Baylor. I thought they were supposed to have the “easiest” road because they were the #1 team in the country. Ayways,  on we go, lets take a look at some of the seeding.

Seeds I Disagree With

South Bracket 
-Wichita State (5) 
Yes, Wichita State won the regular season Missouri Valley Conference, but I strongly disagree with the committee awarding the Shockers with a 5 seed. Out of 5 losses, 3 of them were to tournament teams (Alabama, Temple and conference opponent Creighton) and the other two coming from Drake and Illinois State (MVC Tournament). Wichita has two signature wins against: Colorado and UNLV whereas Creighton has beaten a very good Northwestern team, San Diego State and wont the Missouri Valley Conference Championship. I whole-heartedly feel Creighton deserves a 5 seed as opposed to their 8 and Wichita should be either an 8 or 9 seed.

West Bracket
-Missouri (2)
-Murray State (6)
I do not disagree with the committee’s decision to make Tom Izzo’s Michigan State squad a #1 seed, but Missouri deserves a 1 seed somewhere in this bracket. Kim English and company had a 30-win season, won the Big 12 Tournament and they also beat Kansas and went into Baylor to beat the Bears. I feel that this team got robbed of a 1 seed.

The Murray State Racers also had a 30-win season and somehow ended up as a 6 seed. Yes they are a mid-major, but they were ranked very high throughout the season and all of a sudden they receive a six seed. The Racer’s one loss came to mediocre Tennessee St. team, they lost by four, but then they met again in the Ohio Valley Conference and Murray State came out on top with the OVC title. If I had done the seeding, I would have Murray State as a 4 seed. Although I disagree with the seeding, they still have a favorable matchup against Davidson (13).

East Bracket
I am completely fine with the seeding in the East Bracket. The only thing that caught my attention was the fact the Cincinnati Bearcats made it to the Big East Tournament, and went through Georgetown and Syracuse to get there. But after going back and looking, Cincy has some really questionable losses (Presbyterian, Marshall and they got completely manhandled in the brawl game against Xavier). The only thing I would have changed about this bracket is that I would have swapped Cincinnati (6) with Wisconsin (4). Wisconsin had games where they just didn’t show up, and they only have one quality road win, but it was against Ohio State and they won by three.

Midwest Bracket
-Michigan (4)
-Creighton (8)
-California vs. Souther Florida (12)
-Detroit (15)
I wish that I could cut this region off of my bracket because I feel that it is just terrible. I have not heard a good reason to explain why there are two play-in games in the Midwest Region and there are zero play-in games in the East. The Michigan Wolverines, in my eyes, are a very weak and vulnerable 4 seed. They didn’t have any solid road wins and they were very inconsistent. They only had one bad loss, which was to Arkansas. I feel the committee gave them a four seed was because they had a 13-5 record in a very tough conference. Other than that I feel like they should be an 8 or 9 seed; they didn’t beat anyone surprising, and they ranked 202^nd in the country in scoring, 311^th in rebounding and 83^rd in field goal percentage.

You already know what I think about Creighton, they beat some really good teams and they kept every game close for the most part. They should have been rewarded for going out and beating power six schools like Northwestern and Iowa. Not to mention, they also beat a extremely talented and athletic San Diego State team who has a 6 seed in their region.

It really perplexes me that there is a play-in game for the 12 seed. USF is a pretty darn good team coming out of the Big East, which is arguably the best conference. If you are going to have four play-in games, make the worst teams in the field fight for the 16 seeds. I wouldn’t argue USF being a 12 seed, but Cal should be either 13 or 14. I feel they put Cal and USF in this game because it would look bad if a power 6 school were such a bad seed. I am guessing the committee just wants the Golden Bears and Bulls duke it out.

Detroit could have been the team to take that 12 seed from either California or South Florida. The Titans did not face many good teams, however, they beat Butler twice, beat St. Johns and lost to Notre Dame by only 4. Ray McCallum’s team won an automatic bid by winning the Horizon League Tournament and beating Valparaiso by 20 in the championship game. Detroit certainly passes the eye test for me, they play great and I believe can compete with top schools in the country. I can’t complain about a 15 seed because they went 22-13 in a weak division, but there are worse teams in the field. Detroit was given a nightmare matchup against Kansas, I guess we will see if they play like a 15 seed.

Note to Next Year’s NCAA Tournament Hopefuls

If you choose to lose game, make sure you lose them to conference opponents. Now it seems as if the committee cares far more about out-of-conference games than as opposed to beating a ranked team that is in your conference. Actually, just make it easy one yourselves and try to win every game, then you have nothing to worry about; unless of course you get tossed into a play-in game as a thirty win team. Although the seeding seems bad this year and possibly years to come, nothing can be done to take away the greatness of March Madness, make sure you enjoy it this season.

Download the NCAA Tournament Bracket it out here: //a.espncdn.com/i/ncaa/12mens_bracket.pdf

NFL Free Agency Preview

As of 4:00 pm ET on Tuesday, March 13, there will be an event taking place in the NFL known as the free agent frenzy. As soon as the clock strikes 4:00, NFL teams will be able to negotiate, work-out and sign players. Lets take a look of what faces (other than Peyton Manning) can be seen in new places come the start of the 2012-2013 season.

Mario Williams-DE-Former Houston Texan

Front-runner: New England Patriots
Keep an eye on: Jacksonville Jaguars

Super Mario started out the season doing really well at OLB. He is formerly the number one overall pick and he emerged into one of the game’s top pass-rushers right away. Williams was drafted as a defensive end and was ferocious at that position, last season Wade Phillips moved him to OLB and he adjusted with ease before tearing his pectoral muscle. There is no major concern, Williams is expected to be 100% and he should be the free agent who cashes in the most because he is an elite pass rusher. The Patriots have presumed to be the top team in need of a die-hard pass rusher and I’m sure Williams would love to play for Belicheck. The only thing I can think of that will prevent this signing from happening is the fact that Robert Kraft does not pay people a lot of money; they just franchise tagged Wes Welker and they look like they will be bringing in Brandon Lloyd, so how much money are they willing to dole out? As for the Jaguars, there isn’t much to say because quite frankly, it is the Jaguars. However, they are under a new owner whom wants to make an immediate impact and they desperately need a pass rusher. If they end up signing Mario Williams and still bring in Quinton Coples (DE from UNC), that defense could wreak havoc in the AFC South.

Vincent Jackson-WR- Former San Diego Charger

Front-runner: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Keep an eye on: Washington Redskins
Vincent Jackson is easily one of the best deep ball wide receivers in the game. Jackson is big, soft hands, doesn’t shy away from tackles and he can leap over corners. Jackson will be one of the highest paid wide receivers in the NFL after this offseason and I anticipate that many teams will be in contact with him. The Tampa Bay Bucs need a deep ball threat; they didn’t get any production out of their WR last season. Josh Freeman has a cannon but can’t show it because the current wide receivers cannot create separation, he is constantly being forced to try and throw the needle (which is not one of his strengths). Also, LeGarrette Blount is a great power back that can wear down the defense, but you can’t run the ball when you are down 30 points. If Jackson signs with Tampa, they could live off of the play-action pass and then that opens the playbook even more. There is no reason Tampa shouldn’t sign him, young-franchise QB, passionate coach,  and they have a lot of money to play with (second most behind KC). The Washington Redskins just made a franchise-changing trade that makes it seem as if they will take Robert Griffin III (QB-Baylor) in the draft and build the team around him. Griffin is a crazy athletic play-maker. In recent years the Redskins have won the “off-season” Super Bowls with acquisitions like: Albert Haynesworth, Santana Moss, Deangelo Hall and Oshiomogho “O.J.” Atogwe. Look for the Redskins to get more talent in order to compete in a wild NFC East.

Carl Nicks-G-Former New Orleans Saint

Front-Runner: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Keep an eye on: Chicago Bears
The Buccaneers reportedly made a position change today according to Rotoworld.com; they said they will be moving guard Jeremy Zuttah to the center position.  As I said earlier, they Bucs have a great amount of money to play with so look for them to get at least one big star this offseason. By moving Zuttah from G to C, they will be in dire need of a left guard and Carl Nicks is the best. Before the franchise-tagging period ended, Carl Nicks came out and said he would like a deal similar to the contract of former teammate Jahri Evans. Nicks is arguably the best guard in the NFL, he is great at both pass and run blocking, amazing footwork and just great instinct when he pulls, he always manages to put defenders wherever he wants them. The Chicago Bears also need help in the trenches. Cutler has gotten molliwopped in the past and you can’t afford to lose franchise running back Matt Forte again. With rookie Gabe Carimi coming off injury at the tackle position, Nicks could help that line tremendously, especially in a division where you are facing Jared Allen and Ndamukong Suh a combined 4 times a season.

Cortland Finnegan-CB-Former Tennessee Titan

Front-runner: Detroit Lions
Keep an eye on: Dallas Cowboys
Cortland Finnegan is a small but mean-spirited corner. If there is one person in the National Football League that has Napoleon syndrome, it is Finnegan. One of his most memorable moments happened when the Tennessee Titans were facing the Houston Texans, Finnegan and All-pro WR Andre Johnson were going at it all game and right at the snap of the ball, a hockey-type fight broke out.  Aside from his intensity on the field, this pro-bowler does not have off the field issues and he is great at what he does. Finnegan is fantastic in press coverage, can get to the QB when he is told to blitz and most importantly, he gets under the skin of the best wide receiver in the league, which usually leads to them being shut down. The Detroit Lions are a team that has swagger and as of today (March 12,2012), DT Ndamukong Suh, restructured his deal. Finnegan fits the mold of a Jim Schwartz player; he plays with passion, won’t beat himself and always has a chip on his shoulder. The Detroit Lions’ defensive backfield needs to be re-built, the only guy worth mentioning is safety Louis Delmas. Finnegan would be a great asset and they could pick up another guy in the draft. Detroit needs to focus on this cornerback whole-heartedly because they cannot afford to miss out on him. If he does not end up going to Detroit look for him to go to Dallas. The Cowboys defense suffered many late-game collapses last season and they have been injury-riddled in the back four. Finnegan would solidify the cornerback position with durability as well as productivity. Jerry Jones will most likely make either Finnegan or Brandon Carr a generous offer.

Other Notable Players with Possible Fits

Pos./ Player/ Favored Destination

QB-Matt Flynn-Miami Dolphins
RB-Michael Bush-Cincinnati Bengals
RB-Brandon Jacobs-Tennessee Titans
WR-Marques Colston-San Francisco 49ers
WR-Brandon Lloyd-New England Patriots
WR-Robert Meachem-Chicago Bears
WR-Mario Manningham-Cleveland Browns
DT-Paul Soliai-Houston Texans
DT-Brodrick Bunkley-Seattle Seahawks
CB-Tracy Porter-St. Louis Rams
SS-LaRon Landry-Chicago Bears

Which Players are Teams Trying to Avoid in March Madness?

The NCAA Tourney known as “March Madness,” is arguably the most electrifying series of events in sports. Even people that don’t watch sports tune into the tournament; there are so many great stories of players, mid-majors upsetting top schools and the fan favorite- Cinderella story. There is no science behind predicting which team will win March Madness; it all depends on the matchups, location of the game (neutral site for the most part) and what team gets hot at the right time. As we’ve seen in the past, one player can carry a team deep into the tournament (Stephen Curry out of Davidson in 2008, BYU’s Jimmer Fredette and Connecticut’s Kemba Walker in 2011). Lets take a look at what players teams want to stay away from facing in the tournament.

1.Anthony Davis- Kentucky- C
Davis is another Calipari product who is projected a lottery pick. He stands in at 6’10, 220 and is a freak of nature. His lanky body matched up with his quickness and intelligence is a nightmare for opposing offense. Only a freshman, yet he is still breaking records. Davis recently passed Shaq for #1 all-time on the fresman SEC blocks list  (146 + how many he gets in SEC tourney).  The 19 year-old handles like a guard, yes that phrase is tossed around a lot but I really mean this. Davis played guard throughout his childhood all the way up until high school then he had a 7-inch growth spurt in one year. Teams want to stay away from him because he can score from anywhere on the hardwood, run the floor better than any center, and can single handedly screw up a team’s offensive game plan; oh yeah, I forgot to mention he is a finalist for the National Player of the Year Award. I expect him and freshman Terrence Jones to carry the Wildcats deep into the tournament. 

Season Stats
PPG-14.4
RPG-9.8
SPG-1.4
BPG-4.7
2.Doug McDermott-Creighton-F
I like to call him the “Baby-faced Assassin”. McDermott is a classy kid who has a play style similar to Kevin Love’s and he is the main reason why Creighton was ranked in the top 25 throughout the season. Although he is only listed at 6’7 he is a terrific rebounder and has great anticipation of where the ball will land off the glass. McDermott is very hard on himself and knows what he needs to do in order to win. The Creighton Blue Jay touches the ball on every possession, has a tremendous amount of post-game moves and can step-back and shoot from beyond the arc. Maybe he plays better because his father is the coach (Greg McDermott), but he is always the hardest working player on the court and he has ice in his veins. Teams want to stay away from Doug because: he doesn’t think losing is an option, there is a zero percent chance he lets Creighton beats themselves, he can control the game through rebounds as well as scoring and he can beat you without even needing to touch the ball by clearing lanes and making hustle plays.

Season Stats
PPG-23.2
RPG-8.2
3-Pointers- 49.5%
Free-Throw-80%

3.Ray McCallum- Detroit-PG
Many of you must be saying, “Detroit has a basketball team? I didn’t even know”, but beware, they are a great squad and this kid Ray McCallum can straight up ball.  McCallum, like McDermott also plays for his father who shares the name, Ray McCallum. The younger McCallum was the sole leader of the Detroit Titans and he carried the team to a Horizon League Title, securing an automatic bid for March Madness. Last summer, the Horizon Tournament MVP attended both the Deron Williams Skills Academy and the LeBron James Skill Camp. I’ve had my eye on the Detroit Titans all season, they are a potential sleeper, but McCallum has elevated his game and I bet you that no team wants to face them. He makes all the right decisions, shares the rock, is a great free-throw shooter and is a great on-ball defender. When the lights are on, Ray shows up big-time, he averaged nearly 24 points per game in the Horizon League Tournament, look for him to mimic that in the big dance. McCallum is only a sophomore but plays like a senior, he will keep the Titans composed and he can slow down or speed up the tempo if need be. McCallum puts Detroit on upset alert for the Tourney, God bless whoever has to face them.

Season Stats
PPG-15.6
RPG-4.5
APG-3.9
SPG (Steals)-1.5

4.Nate Wolters-South Dakota State-G
Once again we are going with a small school player for this list. This time, it is junior Nate Wolters out of SDSU, who is one crazy basketball player. He has started every game in his career for the South Dakota State Jackrabbits. Wolters is a 6’4 athlete who has been playing point guard all season for SDSU, he is great at shooting off of the dribble. No speed is too fast for this guy; he can change gears at any given moment, slash, and make layups through the contact. Wolters can create for his teammates-which seems to be a lost art in todays day and age for point guards. This All-Summit Team player won’t let you down when it is crunch time and he will not commit costly turnovers. Also, he does a lot of things that do not show up on the stat sheet: he coaches his teammates, makes them better, hustles for loose balls, does not commit “stupid” fouls and he has a great understanding of the game. South Dakota State be seeded low in the tournament (I anticipate a 10/11 seed), and they may not be a team that will pull of a major upset, but, Nate Wolters will but up a fight and give his opponents a run for their money.

Season Stats
PPG-21.3
RPG-5.2
APG-6.0
MPG (Minutes)- 35.7
FTA (Free-throw Attempts)-7.1

Also Keep an Eye Out For:
Cody Zeller-PF-Indiana
Isaiah Canaan-G-Murray State
John Jenkins-SG-Vanderbilt

What Team Suits Peyton Manning Best?

There are many potential suitors trying to acquire the hottest free agent ever. The Jets, Dolphins, Seahawks, Redskins and Cardinals seem to be at the top of that list.  Although it is sad to see the face of a franchise depart by being released, there is still football to be played. In my opinion, Arizona could be the best option for Peyton Manning.

Top 5 Destinations for Peyton
1. Arizona Cardinals
2. Miami Dolphins
3. Washington Redskins
4. Seattle Seahawks
5. Dallas Cowboys

Why is Arizona a prime destination?

Arizona is a very attractive team because it entails many things a 36 year-old quarterback would love to have. Whisenhunt is a successful coach and provides a controlled environment where the players have bought into his system. Not to mention, Arizona recently hired Peyton Manning’s former QB coach, Frank Reich.

–The Cardinals have an elite WR: The Peyton Manning to Larry Fitzgerald connection would be simply amazing to watch for any football fan. Both are traditional old school guys with great work ethics and they would rub off onto other players on the team.

–The Cardinals have young, improving running backs: Beanie Wells has been very productive in the run game when he is healthy; Ryan Williams was drafted in the second round last season but missed the year due to a torn patella tendon. Manning is the best play action quarterback and he will be able to utilize all of the running backs, especially LaRod Stephens-Howling who is a scat back (mostly receiving/kick return.

-Easiest path to the Super Bowl: I am sure that Peyton would love to be playing in next year’s Super Bowl, which is located in his hometown of New Orleans. If he signs with Arizona, Peyton would be playing in one of the weaker divisions in football. Seattle is on the up and up but is still looking for a QB and consistency at WR, the Rams are a lost cause as of right now and the NFC West Champion 49ers are a bit of a wild card right now. The Niners have many returning players but will they play to the level that they played at last year? Many questions are raised, will Gore stay healthy and will Alex Smith play this well again? The final point for argument’s sake; if Peyton goes to Arizona, he wont need to face Brady in the post season until the big game.

-Veteran History: The Bidwell’s have a history of signing future Hall of Fame players. In recent memory, the Cardinals have signed: star running backs Emmitt Smith and Edgerrin James, former All-Pro and Super Bowl Champ Joey Porter, and 9x  All-Pro guard, Alan Faneca.

What could keep Manning from joining Arizona?

-Peyton is said to be a package deal with Wayne: There is room on the roster for Reggie Wayne to play the number 2 receiver spot, but will he take #2 money? The Cardinals do not have much cap room to play with. Also, do the Cardinals want to get older, or is signing one player over the age of 33 enough?

-The Cards are against the clock: Arizona’s days are numbered, they need to decide if they are going to go all chips in with Peyton or if they are content with Kolb. The Cardinals front office have until March 17^th to cut Kolb without having to pay his $7,000,000 bonus.

It must be tough to see Peyton leave the Indianapolis Colts but he realized it was a football decision. You can see just how much passion he has for what he does in this press conference on the day he is released. Class act. Peyton Manning presser:

Players Who Need To Perform Well at the NFL Combine

The NFL combine takes place in Indianapolis every February. It is an event that was created in order for collegiate players to showcase their talents and skills. Around 300 players are invited to the combine and many improve their draft stock from how well they do in the drills at the combine. The workouts these athletes partake in are the: 40-yard dash, bench press (225 lbs), vertical jump, broad jump, shuttle run, 3-cone drill and position specific drills. Many draftees have benefited from the combine by putting up good numbers in all categories. Matt Jones, former Arkansas QB (converted to WR) was taken by the Jaguars 21^st overall. They drafted him because of his athleticism, they knew they didn’t want him to play QB, he posted a 4.37 dash time, and a 49.5 inch vertical jump. Vernon Davis also stuck out like a sore thumb at his combine, he ran a 4.38 dash, 42 inch vertical and he muscled out 33 reps in the bench press… as a tight end. Davis later became the 6^th overall pick in the 2006 draft by the San Francisco 49ers.  The 2012 draft is flooded with talent, therefore some of the unknowns will have to have a great combine in order to turn scouts into believers.

Brock Osweiler-QB-Arizona State
Osweiler was a former Gonzaga basketball recruit but he decided to rewrite the record books at Arizona State. Even though he was only starter for one season this Montana native managed to be the only QB ever to throw more than 4,000 yards for the Sun Devils. Other records consisted of most completions and highest completion percentage (63.2). Osweiler is of great stature and underrated athleticism. Standing in at 6’8 240 lbs, he is the tallest QB in the draft. Osweiler has shown perseverance and a great work ethic in his stay at Arizona State and he could very well be the most intriguing at the NFL Combine. Going back at watching videos, Osweiler has shown good pocket presence, great quick throw accuracy, extraordinary arm strength and he has shown glimpses that he can run when he needs to (he wasn’t asked to run in the Arizona St. offense). He exhibited awkward mechanics but he gets the ball out quick and uses his height to his advantage. The throwing motion Osweiler uses is not bad but it is unusual, it is almost as if he launches it. If the raw but talented QB can run a good 40-time, show his understanding of the game in his interviews and show skill & potential in the QB specific drills, scouts could be drooling over him by the end of the combine.

Brian Quick-WR-Appalachian State
Applachian State is a small school but it seems to create NFL talent year- in and year-out as well as Abilene-Christian University. A few years back, the Mountaineers upset the Michigan Wolverines, that game put QB Armanti Edwards on the map.  Edwards then excelled in the combine as a great athlete and was selected in the third round by the Panthers. One of his receivers was Brian Quick, who has improved every year he’s played at Appalachian State.  Throughout his tremendous season, Quick has earned a spot on the 2011 AFCA FCS All-America Team.  With 76 receptions for 1,096 yards and 11 scores, Quick found himself among the nations top wide receivers. The chiseled WR will need to show a great balance of size, strength and soft hands in order to rise up the draft board. Quick is 6’4, and 222 pounds of solid muscle and his arms measure at 33½ inch arm length. Quick has plenty of film showing what he can do after the catch but if he can excel in the senior bowl and show great route running skills at the combine, along with running a sub 4.5 forty time, he could get picked as early as the 3^rd round of the 2012 NFL draft. 

Micah Pellerin-CB-Hampton University
This year’s draft is very deep at the cornerback position. There are about four or five guys that could be taken in the first round. More and more NFL teams have been running out of the Shotgun and running 4 WR sets, many teams don’t have 4 corners that they feel comfortable matchup up with players like Lance Moore or Jordy Nelson. Other than pass rushers, corners could be the quickest to go in this draft. With that being said small school corners have a chance to emerge at the combine and can really help themselves for the 2012 Draft.  Hampton University corner, Micah Pellerin showed that he can play with the big boys at the East-West Shrine Game.  Pellerin has a solid frame at 6-feet, 195 lbs and he can keep up with most receivers.  Pellerin showed confidence when he was going up against MSU’s big-time WR BJ Cunningham. His footwork looked to be a little raw, but that is a teachable trait. At the Shrine game he showed confidence, quickness and great instinct; two of those traits can’t be coached. At the combine if Pellerin can do well in the 3-cone drill and CB specific drills I believe he can go as early as the 4^th round, which is great for a small school guy. Pellerin has already proven he has the intangibles, now he needs to show the scouts that he has worked on his game.

Shawn Loiseau-MLB-Merrimack College
Loiseau is another small school prospect, he is a mean, old school middle linebacker. Loiseau also played in the Shrine Game, he showed that he plays with a high motor, can get down the line quick, and has great play recognition. The former Merrimack captain led the country with 13,3 tackles per game and recorded 11.5 tackles for loss.  If the draft were next week he would probably be a 7^th round pick if he ends up getting drafted but he can definitely use the combine to see if he measures up with the big school linebackers. Loiseau is a balanced player, he is not the biggest guy so to speak, only 6’0, 240 but he is a guy who gives it all on every play and shows great leadership skills. He will need to do well in every workout; scouts will be skeptical because of the competition he went up against in college. I feel he can solidify his spot on an NFL roster because he is a classy player, knows the game well, and is dedicated. He has the most to prove at the combine but I feel he does well and there is no way this guy doesn’t go undrafted. Loiseau is comparable to London Fletcher in the way he plays and his size, both stocky guys. Washington would actually be the best place for him because he would be able to learn under London Fletcher for one or two season before he retires. Other teams that could take a chance on him might be the Philadelphia Eagles or the New York Giants.

Bright Spots From the Shrine Game

The East-West Shrine Game is where players and coaches are invited from all over the country and get together with the patients from the Shriners Hospital for Children. The players and coaches that are invited to the event hang out, play games and do so much more with the children. After the rosters are divided between East and West, the players go down to St. Petersburg and have a week of practice and on January 21 they played the game.  Under-the-radar athletes use this game to boost up their draft stock and to really exhibit their talents to people who have not seen a whole lot of film on these guys. While the West beat the East 24-17 due to a late touchdown run by Lennon Creer, many players in this game showed potential to be successful in the NFL. Former Shrine Game participants like: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Tavaris Jackson, Jerome Simpson and Rocky McIntosh really benefitted from this game, all of them are currently starters in the National Football League.

Throughout this week’s practices, CB Josh Norman of Coastal Carolina created the most buzz. The 6-foot-1, 203 pound prospect showed great mechanics, ball skills and maturity. Norman displayed great movement in his hips and stuck to the receivers like glue. Four years at Coastal Carolina is looking like it will pay-off, Norman totaled 196 tackles and 13 interceptions during his career. When asked about his skills, Norman said, “I’ll watch his eyes from the snap of the ball and I can usually tell when a throw is coming by the look on his face. When I see the look, I just jump the route and go to the football.” In the Shrine Game, Norman showed great discipline by not biting on the double moves the West WR were running. When Norman did give up a catch he would bounce back the next play and not let the catch affect him. He also had one punt return for eight yards but showed the ability to make the first guy miss. I suspect Norman gets drafted in the middle rounds, possibly the 4^th round the earliest.

Quarterback BJ Coleman was another player who stood out on Saturday. I have been watching a lot of BJ Coleman video in the past couple of weeks and I have a gut feeling that he will carry the same draft status that Josh Freeman and Joe Flacco did. Up until the combine of the years they were drafted, they were both very quiet quarterbacks, then about a week before the draft their draft stock shot up and were both taken in the top 20 (Flacco 18^th overall in 2008, Freeman drafted 17^th overall in 2009). I am not saying Coleman will be a first round pick but I am a believer that he can be either the third or fourth QB taken in the draft. Coleman is a true NFL QB, he has outstanding pocket awareness, great throwing mechanics and throws a tight spiral. Accuracy is not a question for Coleman but arm strength could be of some concern. It didn’t look too bad in the Shrine game but the combine will answer more questions. On Saturday Coleman was on point, he went 10/15 for 170 and a TD.  There were some remarkable throws made this game, two were to TE Chase Ford, one completed for 64 yards. Both throws were placed perfectly over the trailing defender’s shoulders. The first one was caught by Ford and the second was dropped, but I’m sure Ford would love to have that throw back. Coleman was a transfer from the University of Tennessee and apparently found his own at Chattanooga. I expect him to get drafted before anyone else from this games roster.

Defensive Lineman Akiem Hicks out of Regina University made his presence known on the football field Saturday. Although he seemed a bit raw in the game, he is built for success. 6’6, 300 and long, Hicks showed the ability to overpower offensive lineman at will.  In 2010 at Regina University Hicks recorded 1.5 sacks and forced 2 fumbles in eight games. In 2011 he recorded 6.5 sacks, forced 2 fumbles and had 8 tackles for loss. The stats might not seem like they are there but with a little bit of coaching this kid can be an excellent DE. From the looks of his play, I believe he could fit in both a 3-4 and 4-3 defensive scheme because he is so big and active. His long arms make it easy for him to keep his distance from the blockers and if he doesn’t get to the QB he can throw them up and block many passes. Don’t look for Hicks to have an impact right away, but he could do some damage as a rotational guy. Hicks probably won’t be drafted until the late fourth or early fifth, he put himself on the map and he can make himself known even more at the NFL Combine.

Short, stocky and a burst of energy, running back Bobby Rainey showed upside in the East-West game.  Rainey had 56 total yards in limited touches for the West team.  While only getting several touches, Rainey revealed his plethora of jukes. He performed cutbacks, head fakes and more. There is much to like about Rainey, he plays hard, never gives up, but he also understands the game. Rainey does not dance around the field, he can make defenders miss and he knows that, but he is a one cut and turn it up the field guy.  At Western Kentucky, the 5’7, 208 pounder totaled 2,056 yards and 17 touchdowns.  It is unlikely that Rainey can carry the majority of the load for an NFL team but he can be a good complimentary back taken late in the draft, much like Ahmad Bradhsaw (7^th round, pick 250) or James Starks (6^th round, pick 193).

Biggest Potential Steals for 2012 NFL Draft

The most successful NFL teams get better through the draft. Not trade, not free agency . . . but the draft. Teams like the Patriots, Colts and Packers have become successful by drafting great players late in the draft. It is reasonable to say most teams get better in rounds 1-2 because the talent level is so high but teams separate themselves from the pack when they find that diamond in the rough late in the draft. Tom Brady was drafted in the sixth round, Hall-of-Famer Shannon Sharpe was taken in the seventh round as well as current Saints receiver Marques Colston. The 2012 draft is oozing with talent and there are guy that will be drafted late and can still help their team win.

Case Keenum– QB-Houston
Case Keenum is one of the most decorated quarterbacks ever in college football. In 2009 he was a finalist for both the Davey O’brien (Best QB) and Walter Camp (Player of the Year) Awards. In that year he also won the Conference USA MVP Award and the Sammy Baugh Trophy (Nation’s top passer). In 2011 Keenum was once again a finalist for the Davey O’Brien Award, a finalist for the Sammy Baugh Trophy and he was the Conference USA MVP. While enrolled at the University of Houston, Keenum broke many records, he became the all-time leader in total offense, all-time touchdown leader, all-time passing yards leader and all-time completion leader. As of right now Keenum is thought to be a late round pick mainly because Houston did not run a pro-style offense and he didn’t face great competition. However, Keenum’s career numbers are still remarkable, he posted a 160.6 passer rating, 178 total TD’s, and just over 20,000 total yards. Watching Keenum play, he is a guy who doesn’t get rattled or caught up in the moment. After a play he goes back into the huddle ready to go back to work, it doesn’t matter if it was a 80 yard pass, or a pick six. Keenum helped the Houston Cougars become relevant, he brought a winning culture to the school. They can thank him because he is the sole reason they have been invited to join the Big East Conference.  I believe Keenum can become a starter in the NFL and can succeed; he is very accurate, amazing vision, he has a tremendous amount of football knowledge, great instinct and he can lead a team. I have a funny feeling that the Dallas Cowboys could possibly take him in the fifth round, Romo tends to get hurt a lot, Keenum is from the area and Jon Kitna is retiring.

Robert Turbin-RB-Utah State
Listed at 5’10, 215 this grown man is a tank. Turbin played in the WAC division and ran train on his opponents. He can block, catch, run inside and he can bounce it outside, he can outrun linebackers and steamroll defensive backs. In 2011, Turbin averaged 6.9 yards per carry, which tied Alabama RB Trent Richardson for the FBS lead. Turbin looks up to the Hulk and in my opinion he is very comparable to the Hulk, this kid is built. Turbin is potentially the biggest steal in the draft, he plays similar to Marshawn Lynch and he’s an exceptional pass-catcher. In his career at Utah St. he had a total of 51 touchdowns and only 4 fumbles (1 lost). I suspect the earliest Turbin gets drafted is mid-third round because the RB class is on the weak side. He could very well be the second best running back out of this draft and I see him fitting nicely with the Buffalo Bills if they do not re-sign Fred Jackson.


Tank Carder-LB-TCU
TCU ran a rare 5-2-4 defensive scheme but I don’t see that hurting Carder in the draft.  Tank Carder played all four years for TCU and he had a huge impact on that defense. Carder has great instinct and is a tough guy to run through. Filling the gaps is Carder’s specialty. He has a knack for getting to the quarterback on blitzes and has great play recognition. The former Horned Frog runs like a bat out of hell at the snap of the ball and he seems to be at the right place in the right time. He could potentially be taken in the fourth round.

Janoris Jenkins-CB-North Alabama
This player is strictly high risk/ high reward. You might’ve heard about CB Janoris Jenkins being a potential top 10 pick the year his teammate Joe Haden was taken seventh overall by the Cleveland Browns.  Jenkins was dismissed by the University of Florida due to misconduct.  He went on to play his senior year at the University of North Alabama. Jenkins is as quick as a cat and has great ball instincts. Jenkins has fluid hips and is fantastic at anticipating the pass and jumps routes routinely. He has excellent closing speed and won’t be outmatched. Although he is a bit undersized he puts up a fight every play, can get off blocks and can tackle in the run game.  Top 20 talent, but his attitude and off-field issues will hurt him in the draft. Best possible scenarios will be either Houston, Pittsburgh or Arizona taking him. 

2012 NFL Mock Draft-Version 1.0

1-Indianapolis Colts-Andrew Luck-QB-Stanford
It’s a given. There are many uncertainties in Indy beginning with Peyton’s health/future, C Jeff Saturday pondering retirement, the Polian’s gone and head coach Jim Caldwell getting fired. But Luck being a Colt seems to be a lock. There are some people that question Luck’s future as an NFL quarterback but this kid is a flat out brain surgeon on the field. Mr. Luck takes a look at the defense; adjusts the offensive line, recognizes blitzers, discovers the coverage and then he receives the snap. Luck was deadly accurate with the ball, completing 71.3% of his passes at Stanford and recording 37 touchdowns in his junior season. Andrew Luck is an intelligent, enthusiastic young man who provides leadership. He is the perfect guy to be the next face of the Colts franchise.

2-St. Louis Rams-Matt Kalil-OT-USC
The Rams have struggled in the past protecting the QB. Jason Smith was a top draft pick a few years back who hasn’t panned out for the Rams. Kalil could improve this line immediately. Bradford has had no time to survey the field and Kalil would definitely help him feel more comfortable in the pocket.

3-Minnesota Vikings-[Trades with Dolphins, Dolphins-Robert Griffin-QB-Baylor]
This is where the draft will begin to get interesting. If Minnesota keeps the pick and Blackmon is on the board, I feel the Vikings take WR Justin Blackmon. I firmly believe that Minnesota works out a deal with Miami in order for Miami to jump up to get RG3. Minnesota has a history with Miami players, years ago the Vikings traded for WR Greg Camarillo and they have also obtained former Dolphins Benny Sapp and Sage Rosenfels. It makes perfect sense for The Vikings to trade back and get more picks or maybe even squeeze a WR like Brian Hartline out of the deal.

4-Cleveland Browns-Trent Richardson-RB-Alabama
The Browns have many needs and have many question marks. If they are lucky enough they could land RG3 if no one trades up, but I do not see that happening. Peyton Hillis is a free agent and it doesn’t look like he will be returning, therefore I see the Browns taking the only franchise running back in the draft- Trent Richardson. Richardson has an amazing combination of power, speed, balance and hands. He is the real deal. Richardson could have an impact right away in Cleveland.

5-Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Luke Kuechly-LB-Boston College
Kuechly is the top middle linebacker for this draft class. Great instincts, tackling machine, smart kid and can help any team. Tampa Bay will be the earliest he gets drafted. Kuechly averaged nearly 16 tackles a game. The BC backer recorded 191 tackles (102 solo). He looks like he will translate into a great linebacker in the NFL.

6-Washington Redskins-Morris Claiborne-CB-LSU
The Redskins are in a tough spot, they have the number six pick but that might be too late in order to get a QB they want. Recently drafting Roy Helu, Trent Williams and Leonard Hankserson I expect the Redskins to go defense; especially with the age of their Cb’s and the expiring contract of Phillip Buchannon.

7-Jacksonville Jaguars-Justin Blackmon-WR-Oklahoma State
Jacksonville needs to give Gabbert another option than MJD. Blackmon is an amazing all around WR. He is a great character guy who just wants to win, he can catch, run, jump, break tackles and block. The only player I can think of that Blackmon is comparable to is Terrell Owens minus the attitude issues. Blackmon has a crazy skill set and could be a bright spot for the Jags and help them get some W’s. They have their franchise QB and RB, now they need to get another offensive player to complete it. I believe they are a couple players away from the playoffs and Blackmon would definitely help.

8-Carolina Panthers-Dre Kirkpatrick-CB-Alabama
Panthers stuggled on defense and have their offense set minus a couple small pieces. Kirkpatrick seems like a perfect fit and he can be the main guy on that third level of defense. They have Charles Johnson at DE, Jon Beason and Thomas Davis. Kirkpatrick can help bring that defense together. He’s a terrific cover corner, great tackler and is a big corner at 6’3 200 lbs.

9-Miami Dolphins-[Trade With Vikings, Vikings-Riley Reiff-OT-Iowa]
If the Dolphins don’t end up trading to get RG3 I believe they will take OT Riley Reiff out of Iowa. Griffin could be the final piece to the offensive puzzle down in Miami. Griffin and Bush could run the option, which seems to be making a comeback in the NFL and RG3 has remarkable accuracy deep down the field so he will be able to keep Brandon Marshall happy. If the Vikings end up with this pick I expect them to take Riley Reiff also.

10-Buffalo Bills-Melvin Ingram-DE/OLB-South Carolina
Ingram can be a surprise pick at the number 10 spot but he will fit the 3-4 defense that the Bills run perfectly. Ingram is one of those hybrid players that can play OLB in a 3-4 or DE in a 4-3. Ingram has great pass rushing instincts and the Bills need a guy to get to the QB.

11-Kansas City Chiefs-Devon Still-DT-Penn State
Still is the best 3-4 nose tackle in this game and it makes sense for the Chiefs to take him. Kelly Gregg is 35 and the Chiefs are lacking DT and Still is huge at 6’5, 310. Still is a guy that can fill the gaps and he will help a Chiefs defense that is up and coming.

12-Seattle Seahawks-Quinton Coples-DE-UNC
Besides Luck, Coples might be the best value pick if he’s still sitting there at 12. The Seahawks have begun to build a very solid, young team. They’ve brought in Baldwin, Okung, Lynch, Sherman, Browner, Hawthorne and S Earl Thomas. Coples is a great 4-3 defensive end, can make solo tackles and gets to the QB quick. The Seahawks main question mark is at QB, unfortunately that cannot be assessed at the no. 12 pick. The Seahawks will increase their depth on defense with this pick.

13-Arizona Cardinals-Jonathan Martin-OT-Stanford
It is uncharacteristic for Arizona to draft a offensive lineman early. In fact, they haven’t drafted an offensive lineman before the fifth round since ’07. Martin can help protect whoever is quarterbacking for them: he is of good size, strength and smart. He will slide right into a starting spot and help out immediately.

14-Dallas Cowboys-Whitney Mercilus-DE-Illinois
This end is “Mercilus” when rushing the Qb. He might be a little bit on the small side for a 3-4 DE but I still feel he could fit in the Cowboys defensive scheme. Lineman tend to go early in these drafts and this year should be no difference, with the combine and workouts, Mercilus’ stock should only rise.

15-Philadelphia Eagles-Courtney Upshaw-OLB-Alabama
The Eagles are VERY thin at the linebacker position. Upshaw is a great 3-4 pass rushing OLB and if Kuechly is off the board expect the Eagles to land Upshaw. He played in the SEC so you know he could tackle the best of the best in college and he has big play potential on defense. He can catch, strip, tackle and sack. This player is going to be great.

16-New York Jets-Michael Floyd-WR-Notre Dame
Both Plax and Santonio could be out in New York. Rookie Jeremy Kerley out of TCU had very little production and 2-4 leading receivers for the Jets were Ladanian Tomlinson and Dustin Keller. Floyd is a big WR with speed and soft hands. He could definitely help this team get back on track.

17-Cincinnati Bengals (From Oakland)-Alfonzo Dennard-CB-Nebraska
After losing Jonathan Joseph to free agency and Leon Hall to injury the Bengals defense still managed to be one of the top in the league. Nate Clements is aging and Dennard is a physical corner who is great in coverage and in the run game. He fits in Mike Zimmer’s defense nicely.

18-San Diego Chargers-David DeCastro-G-Stanford
The Chargers were a disappointment this past year and they faced many offensive line injuries. Look for them to increase the talent on the line with David DeCastro. DeCastro is a tremendous run blocker and had a great career at Stanford.

19-Chicago Bears–Cordy Glenn-G-Georgia
Glenn played in the SEC and went up against some of the best pass rushers in the nation. Year-in and year-out the Bears offensive line has struggled, last year they drafted OT Gabe Carimi. This year expect them to take Glenn who is a big guard, but can also play OT if need be.

20-Tennessee Titans-Nick Perry-DE-USC
Perry is a 4-3 pass rusher. He has great instincts and gets to the QB by any means necessary. The Titans were 31^st in the league in sacks with only 28. Perry is a bit scrawny, but that doesn’t stop him from getting to the QB.

21-Cincinnati Bengals-Lamar Miller-RB-Miami
The Bengals having two first round picks allow them to possibly take a chance on a playmaker. Lamar Miller is a quick back with homerun potential. He can catch in the passing game, run between the tackles, and he can turn the corner. He would be a great complimentary back to Cedric Benson.

22-Cleveland Browns (From Atlanta)-Kendall Wright-WR-Baylor
The Browns might miss out on Baylor QB RG3, but his main target should still be sitting there at 22. Kendall Wright Is 5’10 and has a knack for getting open. The Browns lack big play threats and the WR corps has been decimated by injury in the past. Wright is great after the catch, and can blow by almost any corner.

23-Detroit Lions-Stephon Gilmore-CB-South Carolina
In recent drafts, the Lions front office have put together a great group of guys and have lined them up for success. The Lions’ defensive backfield is probably the weakest part of that team. Other then FS Louis Delmas the DB’s could use some help. Gilmore is a great all-around CB who has a high football IQ and he is great at stopping the underneath routes (which could help against divisional opponents GB and Chi).

24-Pittsburgh Steelers-Kelechi Osemele-OT-Iowa State
Pittsburgh has had some line issues lately. Players have played out of position, injuries have occurred and as a result of all this, Big Ben got whacked. Osemele is a great prospect at tackle who stands at 6’5, 335 and has potential to be the best tackle out of this draft.

25-Denver Broncos-Dontari Poe-DT-Memphis
With the 25^th pick in this draft the Broncos will probably try to take one of Tim Tebow‘s disciples. Actually, in all seriousness, the Broncos need to bulk up that defense and could use a big body like Dontari Poe. Poe is a massive DT who fits into the 3-4 scheme that the Broncos run. Poe can occupy the center as well as other blockers, which frees up space so Dumervil and Miller can destroy the QB.

26-Houston Texans-Michael Brockers-DT-LSU
Brockers is huge. Listed as 6’6, 306, Wade Phillips would love to have him on that Texan defense. The Texans are pretty complete so they could very well just take the top player off the board, but Brockers is a great fit and he is great in stopping the run as well as his pass attack. He has quick hands and a nose for the football.

27-New England Patriots (From Saints)-Mark Barron-S-Alabama
New England is usually a team that always trades back, however, they desperately need help on defense. With possibility of McCourty moving to FS, the Patriots could increase their defensive backfield by taking the best safety in the draft. Mark Barron is a hard-hitting safety who has big game experience. Barron is great at reading the QB and is a ball hawk. The Patriots could really use him.

28-Green Bay Packers-Jared Crick-DE-Nebraska
As the 2011 season showed, the Packers’ defense is weak. Crick is big enough where he can play DT if needed but will be great at stopping the run at DE. He missed most of the 2011 season at Nebraska due to a torn pectoral muscle. Crick is one of those guys that opposing Qb’s note where he is before the snap, he stands up pass blockers and can get down the line on a run play. He’s an all around solid defensive lineman.

29-New York Giants-Zebrie Sanders-OT-Florida State
Eli Manning is still taking a beating behind that Giants’ line. Zebrie Sanders is a big tackle who can instantly increase the performance of the line. Sanders is good in both the pass game and the run game.

30-Baltimore Ravens-Vontaze Burfict-LB-Arizona State
We don’t know how many years Lewis has left, one, two, maybe more. This kid Burfict is the next Ray Lewis. The hard-hitting interior LB is fantastic and powerful. He might be a tad bit crazy but he is going to be a force as soon as he steps on an NFL field. Burfict started since his freshman year at Arizona State and he plays with a chip on his shoulder. The Ravens’ locker room will have a good influence on Burfict and they will make sure he succeeds.

31-San Francisco 49ers-Alshon Jeffery-WR-South Carolina
The Niners were a surprise team in 2011. With the release of Braylon Edwards and the inconsistency of Michael Crabtree, Jeffery fit the Niners’ offense. He’s a huge target at 6’4 and a great possession receiver. Jeffery goes up and over corners with ease and could be the red zone threat that San Fran has been looking for.

32-New England Patriots-Mohamed Sanu-WR-Rutgers
Deion Branch is a free agent along with Wes Welker. The Patriots are expected to bring back Welker for obvious reasons but they still lack a big WR who can be a big play threat. Sanu overpowers corners and is a great, route runner and he can catch even when he’s tightly covered.

Preseason Predictions

The NBA season is less than a week away and there is much to talk about. No awards are certain until the season is over but here are some things to keep an eye on.

Rookie of the Year: Bismack Biyombo- C- Charlotte Bobcats
Runner Up: Marshon Brooks- SG– New Jersey Nets
Bold Prediction: Jan Vesely- SF/PF– Washington Wizards

Hmmmm, I’m going to say this nicely, Bismack is a freak of nature. 6’9, 243, can run the floor, 7’6 wingspan and a raw talent. Bismack has a knack for defending and although he cannot shoot, he can still get the ball in the bucket. A center that can defend and run the floor is probably the most lethal guy in sports- behind a dual threat quarterback. The Congolese center has skill where it is hard to teach and it seems as if he is willing to learn. Michael Jordan has his hands full but is sold on this kid. Biyombo seemed to have been working on his offensive game in the offseason. Biyombo was the first player ever to record a triple-double in the Nike Hoops Summit. One thing this young talent does not lack is confidence, in a pre-draft interview Bismack said that one day he WILL lead the NBA in blocks and rebounds. Now that is a tall order to fill but you can’t blame the kid for being excited or wanted to be the best. However, there is a slim chance he won’t be able to play in the NBA his rookie season because he has one year left on his contract with his team in Spain. Biyombo is currently in negotiations with his team attempting to buyout his old contract. It will be a great disappointment if he doesn’t play this year because although he might not be locking down Dwight Howard or Andrew Bogut, he will still be competing every night and  making a name for himself.

If Marshon Brooks can mirror what he did at Providence College offensively then the NBA better watch out.This kid does not know what a slump is, he is not afraid to shoot and he will get to the hoop at will. Brooks is lanky, quick, he can slash and he can score in any way imaginable. Brooks could very well be the Nets’ leading scorer but in order to get the respect from his coach and his teammates, he will need to defend and become more of an all around player. At Providence, Brooks always had the ball in his hands, that will not be the case in NJ and he will need to learn how to play without the ball.

As for Vesely, I believe this kid is the most explosive player out of the draft. I guarantee that we will see him in a dunk contest before his career is over. Vesely will be playing  a little bit of both forward positions and his versatility helps him so much in the Wizards’ system. In recent years we’ve had the Nash and Dirk connection, the Marbury and Amare’ connection, the Kidd and Vinsanity tandem and last year we had the whomever is playing PG to Blake Griffin alley-oop fest. John Wall to Jan Vesely could top all of these. This kid is gifted both athletically and instinctively. Listed at 6’11 it is hard to imagine, but, Jan plays bigger than what he is. This Czechoslovakian moves like a 2 guard, flies like a Dr J., and brings the power of a Shaq. Vesely is not afraid to defend and the alley-oops he will be receiving from John Wall will be a nightly occurrence on Sportcenter’s Top 10.

Surprise Playoff Team: Utah Jazz

After last year’s untimely departure of both Deron Williams and Jerry Sloan, Tyrone Corbin seemed unprepared to coach the Utah Jazz. However, Corbin was the  assistant under Sloan for a number of years and with this being his first full season as the Jazz coach I expect him to surprise a lot people and I think the Jazz make the playoffs. The Jazz do not have a star player so to speak but they have a fantastic makeup for their style of play. Lottery pick Enes Kanter seems to be the starting center. Rebounding experts Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap and Derrick Favors will cycle the big men positions. The young players for the Jazz need to really step it up big time. Last year’s number one draft pick Gordon Hayward had a rough transition from college to the pros. Look for Hayward to make a name for himself in this offense, he and Devin Harris will be a quality back court with a lot of flexibility because of the strength of the men down low. Utah has always been about defense and this year will be no different. Raja Bell is a two-time All-NBA defender and C.J Miles is a great defender at the three position. They are both expected to start for Tyrone Corbin’s squad. Rookie Alec Burks was drafted out of Colorado in the first round, he is a great defensive shooting guard who can score and get to the free-throw line; but he will need to develop a long-range shot in order to be successful. The Jazz aren’t going to outscore people but they will defend strongly and keep every game close. I see the Jazz making the playoffs as a six seed and possibly going up against last year’s NBA champions.

Coach of the Year: Larry Drew- Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks have been somewhat of a disappointment in recent years because they have been expected to go deep into the playoffs. This year with the emergence of the super-teams (Bulls, Knicks, Heat) the Hawks will be under the radar. They should make a run and possibly make it to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Comeback Player of the Year: Ben Gordon- SG- Detroit Pistons
Runner-Up: Tracy McGrady– SG- Atlanta Hawks

Detroit is an ugly place for basketball right now.  Rodney Stuckey has been a problem in that locker room, Ben Wallace is not exactly a leader and Rip Hamilton’s contract was just bought out. Now that Hamilton has gone to Chicago, look for ex-Bull, Ben Gordon, to become the leader of the team and go back to his old form of draining shots. I expect him to be the leading scorer of this team and to help out rookie point guard Brandon Knight.

It seems like every year T-Mac is a candidate for Comeback Player of the Year. In recent years McGrady has been plagued by injury and inconsistency but he should have a solid season this year pending health. Maybe new scenery is all he needs to bring his game back to life. T-Mac has never been a great shooter but he has been a good scorer throughout his career and for he has terrific handles and passing ability for a guard his size. McGrady will get his chances in Atlanta when Joe Johnson is on the bench and maybe finally, just finally he will win a playoff series.

On the Verge of Super-Stardom: Josh Smith- Utility– Atlanta Hawks
Runner Up: Eric Gordon- SG- New Orleans Hornets
Bold Prediction: Luis Scola- PF- Houston Rockets

Josh Smith’s potential has been blocked by Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford controlling the ball 90% of the time. Now that Jamal Crawford has made his exit look for Josh Smith to finally breakout. I feel he is the most underrated player in the league and that he could be a top five player. Smith is gifted in all aspects of the game, he was first recognized as the insanely athletic dunker who took the Slam Dunk contest title from Jason Richardson in 2005. Smith is among the leagues best highflyers and shot blockers, look for him to put up crazy numbers now that he will finally be touching the ball because Joe Johnson is starting to decline and the team will need another scorer.

Eric Gordon is the new face of a struggling franchise. He was the main component of Chris Paul trade and he has tremendous upside. Going into his  ourth year he has improved his PPG, SPG, AST and 3PM each season. Last year he averaged 22 points per game and he played in the second half of the season recovering from a broken wrist but still put up ungodly numbers for the Los Angeles Clippers. Gordon can score from anywhere on the floor (even Jimmer range) and he can get to the basket at will.  Last season Gordon averaged 6.2 free-throw attempts per game and made 5.1, which is among the top 20 in each category. Gordon is ready to take over a team and now he won’t be outshined by a number one overall draft pick. Look for Gordon to dominate this year and he should average around 26 PPG where he will be in elite company.

Most Valuable Player: Kobe Bryant- SG- Los Angeles Lakers
Kobe has the most rings out of active players in the NBA and people are always anti-Kobe. Analysts and fans say he can’t win on his own, he’s too old, or he doesn’t have the hunger anymore. Truth of the matter is- you can never count Kobe Bryant out.  The Black Mamba has battled injuries in the past (thumb, pinky, knee) and no one has given him credit for playing through it or for playing at an all star level. Kobe recently had “miracle” knee surgery, also called PRP treatment. Although there is not much released information to the public about this type of surgery, Kobe has made it known that he will be back with a vengeance. Throughout this early training camp, Kobe has seemed to have gotten his hops back and thank the lord. The Lakers could be in for a long season and Kobe seems to be the only bright spot, I expect him to have multiple 40+ games this season.

NBA Champions: Miami Heat
They have a year under their belts, they’ve brought in a lock-down defender in Shane Battier. Haslem will be healthy and look for a healthy, slimmed down Dexter Pittman to get playing time. Rumor also has it the gun show could be going to South Beach… I mean… Gilbert Arenas. Simply there is too much talent on this team not to win. I will be disappointed if they don’t.

Top Running Backs for 2012 NFL Draft

The running back position in the NFL has become an iffy situation in recent years. A few years back when players like Stephen Jackson and Ladanian Tomlinson were getting drafted you could depend on them to be: durable, catch, block, and carry the ball 20-25 times a game. Nowadays teams roll with 2 running backs and in an ideal situation they would like to have one power back for between the tackles and one elusive back that can receive and bust open big plays (Williams/Stewart, Ingram/Sproles, Green-Ellis/Woodhead). In the 2011 draft running backs seemed to take a back seat to lineman, defensive players and quarterbacks. The first running back (Mark Ingram) wasn’t selected until the 28th overall pick and there were only two running backs take  in the top 50 picks (Ryan Williams #38). This could have been a one year fluke where teams felt there weren’t quality running backs or it could be a recurring pattern for future drafts. The National Football League has become a pass-happy league and maybe now running backs slip in the draft till later rounds unless of course there is an old school running back that can carry the load and catch the pass. This years running back draft class is full of playmakers.

 1-Trent Richardson-Alabama
 Listed at 5”11 and made up of 224 pounds of pure muscle this kid is a freight train. Trent Richardson is just a freak of nature.  Coming from the same high school as the great Emmit Smith, Richardson can do a lot of the things Emmit could do like:  pickup the  blitz, run between the tackles and once he gets to the second level of the defense take it for six. You would think for a  power back  that he would have bricks for hands but you’re wrong. Last year Richardson had 4 receiving touchdowns. In 2009  and 2010  Richardson had 1,451 rushing yards which might not seem like much for a potential top 20 pick; but he was also the  backup to  Heisman winner Mark Ingram. Three games into the season Richardson already has 8 rushing touchdowns, which  matches his  career high. Between last year and the start of this year this one man wrecking crew has been going through the  SEC acquiring 6.3  yards per carry.

2-LaMichael James-Oregon
LaMichael James’ is definitely benefitting from the NFL shifting to a two-back multiple running back offense. Playing in Oregon’s high octane offense, James has learned how to; catch the ball, break off big runs, and has become durable enough to play every down. James had 1,500+ yards in both his freshman and sophomore seasons and is off to a fast start in his junior year with 772 yards (613 rush) and 8 total touchdowns in only four games. He has also recorded a punt return touchdown in this young 2011 season. One main question mark about James is durability, although he has been pretty healthy throughout his collegiate career he is only 5”9 and 185 pounds soaking wet. It makes you wonder if he can withstand the beating running backs take in the NFL. James will be drafted relatively high because he causes matchup nightmares with his blazing speed and his catching abilities from the running back position-he is a straight playmaker.


 3-Chris Polk-Washington
Chris Polk could be either just as good or better than his Pac-12 counterpart LaMichael James by  draft day 2012. Polk seems to   be  a better all around running back than James.  Even though Polk lacks the afterburner speed that James has he makes up for  hit  with a 5”11 222 lbs. frame. Polk is such a versatile back; he can run between the tackles,  run the outside sweep, go out for  screens,  make defenders miss and he isn’t afraid to lower the shoulder either. In his  sophomore season he had rushed for 1,415  yards and 9  scores. Polk also has excellent hands out of the backfield, he had 20+  receptions in each of the past 2 years. Polk  has that X-factor  attribute, when there is a big game he steps up and wont let you  down. In last years Holiday Bowl against  #18 Nebraska he put up  177 yards and a touchdown. Polk was named that game’s  MVP. Earlier in camp this season Polk had  suffered an injury and it  required arthroscopic knee surgery says he will be back to  full strength soon; he has played in all 3  games so far and has racked up  422 yards on 87 carries (4.9 average). Polk could be  one of the best value picks in the draft and  he will fit well into any system.

4-Kniles Davis-Arkansas
The SEC is arguably the toughest conference in college football year-in and year–out. So many defensive pro athletes come out of the SEC and it is where the best defensive units are located. Kniles Davis didn’t care about the previous two sentences; he ran all over the SEC last year. Davis led all SEC running backs in rushing yards with 1,322(Cam Newton led all rushers) and he also had 14 all-purpose touchdowns. Davis is a tall running back, listed at 6”1 but he is tough to get a hold of and once you get a hold of him he is tough to bring down. Davis is a smart runner and knows how to utilize his blocks, but even when the blocks aren’t there he has the moves and the speed to make plays on his own. Davis is in his Junior. year but he suffered a season ending ankle injury. He could still enter the draft if he wishes and he will be one of the highest draft running backs just off of his combine performance and pure talent.

5-Montel Harris– Boston College
 Harris could be the smartest running back in the draft. He lacks size and he is not the fastest so he has adapted and has learned how to become a  patient runner. Although Harris is small (5”10, 207 lbs.) he has been durable in the past. He’s a dependable back who carried the ball 308 times  in 2009 and recorded 14 touchdowns along with 1,457 yards. Harris kept up with those numbers in 2010 with 1,243 yards and 8 scores. Harris is  off to a slow start this year because he is recovering from knee surgery. Week 4 against UMASS Amherst was his first game where he saw action  (27 yards on nine attempts. Look for him to step up when the stage is the biggest. (@ #21Clemson Oct 8, @ #13 Virginia Tech Oct 22, @ #11  Florida State November 3^rd [ESPN])

Notable Mentions for 2012 Draft (2011 Statistics Through Week 4)

6-Cyrus Gray-Texas A&M
– 1,384 All-purpose yards in 2010
-81 Career receptions
-Great hands (81 Receptions)
-Homerun-type speed

7-Montee Ball-Wisconsin
-9 Touchdowns in 2011
-996 Rush yards in 2010 (128 Receiving)
-18 Rushing TD in 2010
-6.1 Yards per attempt in 2010
-Great all around talent, phenomenal balance between speed and power

8-Vick Ballard-Mississippi State
-7.0 Yards Per Carry
-20 All-purpose touchdowns in 2010
-5”11, 220 lbs
-Power back

9-Jeff Demps-Florida
-Excellent hands
-Has not had a 1,000 yards season
-Can make any defender miss when he has the ball
-Olympic sprinter-type
-NFL comparison- Reggie Bush

10-Bernard Pierce-Temple
-12 Touchdowns in 2011
-Averaging 6.3 yards per carry in 2011
-Patient runner, can make guys miss
-Not afraid to lay the lumber

Also Watch
David Wilson (Virginia Tech)
Christine Michael (Texas A&M)
Isaiah Pead (Cincinnati)
Daniel Herron (Ohio State)
Bobby Rainey (Eastern Kentucky)
Ed Wesley (TCU)

Who are the Top Quarterbacks for the 2012 NFL Draft?

The Jaguars, the Bengals, the Vikings, and the 49ers all took quarterbacks early in the 2011 draft, but why? This year college football has what could be top 3 all-time quarterbacks in NCAA history in Andrew Luck, Kellen Moore and and Case Keenum. I feel that this could be a better quarterback draft class than 2003. (Eli Manning, Phillip Rivers, Ben Roethlisberger, Matt Schaub) There are a couple differences between the ’03 draft and the ’12 draft though. One being, there are not many teams looking for a starting quarterback. On the other hand teams could start using two quarterbacks a la Philadelphia(Kolb/Vick years ago, Orton/Tebow and potentially in San Francisco with Smith/Kaepernick). Here are the top quarterback prospects for 2012.

1-Andrew Luck–Stanford
NFL scouts are going gaga over this jaw-dropping quarterback that is only a JUNIOR. There are no words to describe this kid besides unreal. After being a runner-up Heisman to Cam Newton, Andrew Luck was believed to be the number one pick overall in the 2011 draft to the Carolina Panthers. In his sophomore year Luck had set school records for touchdown passes (32), total offense (3,791), quarterback rating (170.2) and completion percentage (70.7). Luck also led #4 ranked Stanford to an Orange Bowl victory by throwing four touchdown passes.. This prodigy has led Stanford to a 3-0 record in the first four weeks in the 2011 season; he has thrown for 786 yards and 8 touchdowns look for those numbers to go up exponentially. Luck is 6’4, 235, strong arm, smart (engineering major), and is a true leader-which is a trait you cannot teach. All signs point to Andrew Luck being the number 1 pick in the 2012 draft and being an unreal pro athlete.

2-Matt Barkley–USC
In past years USC seems like they haven’t been able to produce NFL quarterbacks (John David Booty, Matt Cassel, and Matt Leinart)-excluding Palmer and Sanchez, Barkley is sought to be the real deal. Barkley was the top high school recruit in 2007 (his junior year of high school.) Barkley had a tough freshman year throwing only 15 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. It is remarkable to see the growth he has made and
that adds to his character. He is charismatic, a leader, and a winner; all good qualities for a quarterback. Barkley improved his play in his sophomore year throwing 26 touchdowns and only 12 picks and this year he shows no signs of slowing down. He has jumped out to a quick start for USC leading them to a 3-1 record, throwing 10 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. Barkely has gotten better every year and he shows great potential, which will make NFL teams want to draft him. That’s why he’s ranked #2 for quarterbacks.

3-Landry Jones–Oklahoma
Big guy, strong arm, smart and he is also a key factor of why Oklahoma is ranked #1 in the country as of opening day 2011. Last year Jones threw for 4,718 yards and 38 touchdowns. He also has one of the top wide receivers in the country in Ryan Broyles returning along with one of the most prolific offenses. Needless to say, his numbers should not drop. The Oklahoma quarterback has led his team to a 3-0 start through week four. He may only have 5 touchdowns but its hard to throw touchdowns when you are always winning. However, number 12 steps up when he needs to and he will not lose a game for you. He has a winning attitude and other intangibles that you want in your quarterback. Jones is a physical specimen and I think he could go early in the second round of the NFL draft.

4-Kellen Moore–Boise State
Kellen Moore has had a record shattering college career and he still has one more year to go. As a starter for the Boise State Broncos he has posted a 40-2 record as a starter. There is no arguing the fact that he is one of the best college football players ever. Moore needs only 23 touchdowns to take the all time FBS Division 1 passing touchdown record. Moore’s freshman year was the only year he threw under 27 touchdowns, and that year he threw 25. Moore might be a winner but he lacks some things that NFL quarterbacks need. First of all, he is only 5”11, that is going to give him trouble in the NFL just like it troubles Ohio State’s Troy Smith. Moore also lacks arm strength and he has a long delivery, which hurts him even more. When Moore starts his throwing motion, the ball stays at waist level so when he goes to throw it takes longer to actually get rid of the ball. Moore makes up for these problems with his impeccable accuracy-so far this year; Moore has completed 79.3% of his passes and he has posted a 205.6 passer rating. He is deadly when he is given time, however, he has only been sacked 13 times in his career (four year starter). This kid can pick apart any defense and get the ball to any receiver. He just flat out understands the game and how to win. We will have to wait until the combine and the draft to see if Kellen Moore’s strengths outweigh his weaknesses.

5-Case Keenum–Houston
Keenum is one of the most under the radar college quarterbacks ever. Maybe he lacks publicity because he goes to the University of Houston or plays in the Conference USA…But then again, Houston has produced NFL quarterbacks before. Kevin Kolb, who the Cardinals feel is their franchise quarterback and Andre Ware, the first African American quarterback to win the Heisman were both UH Cougars. Although Keenum has been plagued with injury, he is still on pace to break many Division 1 collegiate records. Keenum needs only 1,952 passing yards to become the all time leader. He is currently ranked 3^rd all-time. He also will be battling Kellen Moore for the all-time passing touchdown record. Keenum only needs 15 touchdowns and Moore will be playing catch-up with Keenum. This Senior captain has already posted 12 touchdowns, 1,534 yards and only 2 picks while leading the Cougars to a 4-0 record so far this year. As long has he can stay away from the injury bug there is no reason why he shouldn’t be in the Heisman talk. Keenum is mobile, accurate, and is accurate when he throws on the run. This quarterback could be one of those guys where they sit for one or two years after being drafted then they take over the league by storm.

Wild Card-Robert Griffin III– Baylor
In recent years when you hear about Baylor University you think about the bottom of the barrel. But since the end of last year and this year things have changed via the emergence of phenomenon Robert Griffin III. There is no way to describe the last two years RG3 has had; he has put up videogame type numbers. Baylor has jumped out to a 3-0 record this season and Robert Griffin is receiving all the Heisman hype in the NCAA- he is well deserving of it. Through four weeks (only three games) he has posted; a 223.9 passer rating, 962 passing yards (no interceptions) and 167 rushing yards. The most impressive stat for RG3 is that he has more touchdown throws (13) than incompletions (12). Griffin is listed at 6”2, 220 lbs. and plays similar to the style of Michael Vick. RG3 seems like a more efficient passer than Vick was when he was at Virginia Tech. RG3 could be the biggest matchup nightmare in the NCAA this year because you must contain him and he is lethal with his arm- so pick your poison defensive coordinators.

Griffin walks off victorious after a shootout vs. TCU

Griffin led the Baylor Bears to a win over ranked TCU on opening night, which is where RG3 first got recognized as a freak–that is a compliment. Baylor still has #14 Texas A&M, #5 Oklahoma State, #2 Oklahoma, and #17 Texas on the remaining schedule where he will be able to showcase his talents. Where Robert Griffin could get drafted is unknown, but being a dual threat definitely helps his causes. An initial thought would have been Oakland because he is fast, but Oakland drafted Terrell Pryor in the 2011 supplemental draft. This kid is a true baller and never gives up, he will definitely have a chance to start and be a force in the NFL one day.

Notable Mentions for 2012 Draft (2011 Statistics through week 4)

7-Ryan Tannehill– Texas A&M
-892 Passing Yards (8 Yards per attempt)
-Played WR for Fresh, Soph, and first half of Jr Year
-Prefers to be a pocket passer but can break open a huge run. (65 yd TD run against #7 Oklahoma State)

8-Brandon Weeden– Oklahoma State
-1,592 Passing Yards
-157.5 Rating
-Will be 28 years old by end of year (Age drops draft stock)
-Having Justin Blackmon at WR and Joseph Randle at RB makes his job easier

9-Nick Foles– Arizona
-6”5, 240 lbs.
-10 Td, 0 Int
-70.5% Pass Completion
-Excellent in play action
-Plays in Pac-12 (Faces Okla St, Ore, Stanford, USC and Washington)

10–Denard Robinson-Michigan
-6”1, 193 lbs (Fragile)
-Rushed for 1,702 yards in 2010
-32 Touchdowns in 2010 (18 Pass)
-26-21 Career TD/Int ratio
-Do not know if he is an NFL QB, could be used for special packages or as a slot WR

Also Watch
Kirk Cousins (Michigan State)
Geno Smith (West Virginia)
Russell Wilson (Wisconsin)
Tyler Bray (Tennessee)