Trading Down - NFL Draft Blog

Final Mock Draft

2006-04-28T03:01:00.000-07:00

#	team	name	pos	school
1	TEXANS	Mario Williams	DE	NC State
2	*JETS	Reggie Bush	RB	USC
3	TITANS	Matt Leinart	QB	USC
4	*SAINTS	D'brickashaw Ferguson	OT	Virginia
5	PACKERS	AJ Hawk	LB	Ohio State
6	49ers	Vernon Davis	TE	Maryland
7	RAIDERS	Brodrick Bunkley	DT	Florida State
8	**VIKINGS	Vince Young	QB	Texas
9	LIONS	Michael Huff	CB	Texas
10	CARDINALS	Jay Cutler	QB	Vanderbilt
11	***EAGLES	Haloti Ngata	DT	Oregon
12	BROWNS	Kamerion Wimbley	OLB	Florida State
13	RAVENS	Winston Justice	OT	USC
14	***RAMS	Antonio Cromartie	CB	Florida State
15	BRONCOS	DeAngelo Williams	RB	Memphis
16	DOLPHINS	Johnathan Joseph	CB	South Carolina
17	**BILLS	Chad Jackson	WR	Florida
18	COWBOYS	Donte Whitner	S	Ohio State
19	CHARGERS	Tye Hill	CB	Clemson
20	CHIEFS	Santonio Holmes	WR	Ohio State
21	PATRIOTS	Bobby Carpenter	OLB	Ohio State
22	49ers	Manny Lawson	OLB	NC State
23	BUCCANEERS	Eric Winston	OT	Miami
24	BENGALS	Jimmy Williams	CB	Virginia Tech
25	GIANTS	Gabe Watson	DT	Michigan
26	BEARS	Leonard Pope	TE	Georgia
27	PANTHERS	Ernie Sims	OLB	Florida State
28	JAGUARS	Chad Greenway	OLB	Iowa
29	*SAINTS	Nick Mangold	C	Ohio State
30	COLTS	Laurence Maroney	RB	Minnesota
31	SEAHAWKS	Richard Marshall	CB	Fresno State
32	STEELERS	Daniel Bullocks	FS	Nebraska
		Round 2
33	TEXANS	Ashton Youboty	CB	Ohio State
34	SAINTS	Demeco Ryans	OLB	Alabama
35	JETS	Darnell Bing	SS	USC
36	PACKERS	Jason Allen	FS	Tennessee
37	BRONCOS	Pat Watkins	FS	Florida State
38	RAIDERS	Thomas Howard	OLB	UTEP
39	TITANS	Ko Simpson	FS	South Carolina
40	LIONS	Marcus McNeill	OT	Auburn
41	CARDINALS	LenDale White	RB	USC
42	BILLS	John McCargo	DT	NC State
43	BROWNS	Kelly Jennings	CB	Miami
44	RAVENS	D'Qwell Jackson	LB	Maryland
45	EAGLES	Sinorice Moss	WR	Miami
46	RAMS	Tamba Hali	DE	Penn State
47	FALCONS	Cedric Griffin	FS	Texas
48	**BILLS	Daryn Colledge	OT	Boise State
49	COWBOYS	Max Jean-Gilles	OG	Georgia
50	CHARGERS	Andrew Whitworth	OT	LSU
51	VIKINGS	Roger McIntosh	OLB	Miami
52	PATRIOTS	Maurice Drew	RB	UCLA
53	REDSKINS	Abdul Hodge	MLB	Iowa
54	CHIEFS	Mathias Kiwanuka	DE	Boston College
55	BENGALS	Marcedes Lewis	TE	UCLA
56	GIANTS	Demetrius Williams	WR	Oregon
57	BEARS	Davin Joseph	OG	Oklahoma
58	PANTHERS	Charles Spencer	OG	Pittsburgh
59	BUCCANEERS	Danieal Manning	CB	Abilene Christian
60	JAGUARS	Joseph Addai	RB	LSU
61	BRONCOS	Mark Anderson	DE	Alabama
62	COLTS	Jon Alston	LB/S	Stanford
63	SEAHAWKS	Taitusi Lutui	OG	USC
64	STEELERS	Greg Jennings	WR	W. Michigan
		Round 3
65	TEXANS	Jonathan Scott	OT	Texas
66	TEXANS	Gerris Wilkinson	MLB	Georgia Tech
67	PACKERS	Chris Chester	C	Oklahoma
68	BRONCOS	Joe Klopfstein	TE	Colorado
69	RAIDERS	Bernard Pollard	SS	Purdue
70	BILLS	Brodie Croyle	QB	Alabama
71	JETS	Chris Gocong	DE	Cal Poly
72	CARDINALS	Dominique Byrd	TE	USC
73	BILLS	Anthony Fasano	TE	Notre Dame
74	LIONS	Roderique Wright	DT	Texas
75	PATRIOTS	Maurice Stovall	WR	Notre Dame
76	***RAMS	Demario Minter	CB	Georgia
77	RAMS	Spencer Havner	LB	UCLA
78	BROWNS	Oshinowo Babatunde	DT	Stanford
79	BRONCOS	Devin Aromashodu	WR	Auburn
80	COWBOYS	Stanley McClover	OLB	Auburn
81	CHARGERS	Todd Watkins	WR	BYU
82	DOLPHINS	Tim Dobbins	LB	Iowa State
83	VIKINGS	David Pittman	CB	Northwestern St
84	49ers	Roman Harper	FS	Alabama
85	CHIEFS	Tim Jennings	CB	Georgia
86	PATRIOTS	Dee Webb	CB	Florida
87	GIANTS	Antoine Bethea	FS	Howard
88	BEARS	Ryan O'Callaghan	OT	Cal
89	PANTHERS	Mike Haas	WR	Oregon State
90	BUCCANEERS	Terna Nande	OLB	Miami(OH)
91	BENGALS	Victor Adeyanju	DE	Indiana
92	JAGUARS	Ray Edwards	DE	Purdue
93	BRONCOS	Kellen Clemens	QB	Oregon
94	COLTS	Johnathan Lewis	DT	Virginia Tech
95	SEAHAWKS	Daryl Tapp	DE	Virginia Tech
96	STEELERS	Barry Cofield	DE	Northwestern
97	JETS	Greg Eslinger	C	Minnesota

Top 100

2006-04-27T01:33:00.000-07:00

As always, this is not a prediction of the order players will ultimately get drafted, just my ranking the odds of who will become a great NFL player. For projection of how the draft might go, look here.

rank	name	pos	school	ht	wt	40
1	Reggie Bush	RB	USC	5'11	201	4.40e
2	Mario Williams	DE	NC State	6'7	295	4.66
3	Vernon Davis	TE	Maryland	6'3	254	4.38
4	AJ Hawk	LB	Ohio State	6'1	248	4.59
5	Brodrick Bunkley	DT	Florida State	6'3	306	4.94
6	Michael Huff	FS/CB	Texas	6'0	204	4.34
7	Vince Young	QB	Texas	6'5	229	4.45e
8	Matt Leinart	QB	USC	6'5	225	5.00e
9	DeAngelo Williams	RB	Memphis	5'9	214	4.45e
10	Antonio Cromartie	CB	Florida State	6'2	208	4.39
11	Haloti Ngata	DT	Oregon	6'4	338	5.12
12	D'brickashaw Ferguson	OT	Virginia	6'6	312	5.10e
13	Jonathan Jospeh	CB	South Carolina	5'11	193	4.31
14	Tye Hill	CB	Clemson	5'10	190	4.3
15	Kamerion Wimbley	DE/OLB	Florida State	6'4	248	4.61
16	Manny Lawson	OLB/DE	NC State	6'5	241	4.43
17	Chad Greenway	OLB	Iowa	6'2	242	4.75
18	Bobby Carpenter	OLB	Ohio State	6'2	256	4.65e
19	Nick Mangold	C	Ohio State	6'4	300	5.05
20	Santonio Holmes	WR	Ohio State	5'11	188	4.40e
21	Laurence Maroney	RB	Minnesota	6'0	217	4.40e
22	Chad Jackson	WR	Florida	6'1	213	4.32
23	Marcus McNeill	OT	Auburn	6'8	336	5.07
24	Jason Allen	FS/CB	Tennessee	6'1	209	4.39
25	DeMeco Ryans	OLB	Alabama	6'1	236	4.62
26	Ernie Sims	OLB	Florida State	5'11	231	4.5
27	Ko Simpson	FS	South Carolina	6'1	209	4.45
28	Ashton Youboty	CB	Ohio State	6'0	189	4.40e
29	Darnell Bing	SS	USC	6'2	227	4.50e
30	LenDale White	RB	USC	6'0	238	4.50e
31	Jimmy Williams	CB/FS	Virginia Tech	6'2	213	4.45e
32	Thomas Howard	OLB	UTEP	6'3	239	4.42
33	Donte Whitner	S	Ohio State	5'10	204	4.4
34	Richard Marshall	CB	Fresno State	5'11	189	4.42
35	Sinorice Moss	WR	Miamai	5'8	185	4.38
36	Winston Justice	OT	USC	6'6	319	5.10e
37	Kelly Jennings	CB	Miami	5'11	178	4.39
38	Gabe Watson	DT	Michigan	6'3	339	5.25
39	Eric Winston	OT	Miami	6'7	310	4.94
40	Max Jean-Gilles	OG	Georgia	6'4	355	5.47
41	Tamba Hali	DE	Penn State	6'3	275	4.75e
42	Mark Anderson	DE/OLB	Alabama	6'4	254	4.61
43	Leonard Pope	TE	Georgia	6'8	258	4.62
44	Daryn Colledge	OT	Boise State	6'4	299	5.04
45	Ryan O'Calaghan	OT	California	6'7	344	5.35
46	Jay Cutler	QB	Vanderbilt	6'3	226	4.77
47	Joseph Addai	RB	LSU	5'11	214	4.4
48	Davin Joseph	OG	Oklahoma	6'3	311	5.09
49	Chris Gocong	DE/OLB	Cal Poly	6'2	263	4.7
50	Andrew Whitworth	T/G	LSU	6'7	334	5.15
51	Roman Harper	FS	Alabama	6'0	198	4.55e
52	Maurice Drew	RB	UCLA	5'7	207	4.39
53	Daniel Bullocks	FS	Nebraska	6'0	212	4.38
54	Mathias Kiwanuka	DE	Boston College	6'6	256	4.75
55	Mike Hass	WR	Oregon State	6'1	208	4.63
56	Pat Watkins	FS	Florida State	6'4	211	4.42
57	Jonathan Scott	OT	Texas	6'6	316	5.31
58	Dominique Byrd	TE	USC	6'3	255	4.65e
59	Devin Aromashodu	WR	Auburn	6'2	201	4.35
60	Demario Minter	CB	Georgia	5'11	190	4.4
61	Abdul Hodge	ILB	Iowa	6'0	236	4.76
62	Stanley McGlover	DE/OLB	Auburn	6'2	252	4.61
63	Joe Klopfstein	TE	Colorado	6'6	255	4.62
64	Greg Eslinger	C	Minnesota	6'3	292	5.13
65	Dee Webb	CB	Florida State	5'11	183	4.41
66	Marcedes Lewis	TE	UCLA	6'6	261	4.84
67	Jeremy Trueblood	OT	Boston College	6'8	316	5.25
68	Todd Watkins	WR	BYU	6'2	202	4.4
69	Mike Degory	C	Florida	6'5	305	5.39
70	Will Blackmon	CB/WR	Boston College	6'0	198	4.46
71	D'Qwell Jackson	ILB	Maryland	6'0	230	4.7
72	Brodie Croyle	QB	Alabama	6'2	205	4.87
73	Cedric Griffin	CB	Texas	6'0	199	4.55
74	Anthony Fasano	TE	Notre Dame	6'4	259	4.85e
75	Garrett Mills	FB/TE	Tulsa	6'1	241	4.64
76	Elvis Dumervil	DE/OLB	Louisville	5'11	257	4.75
77	Daryl Tapp	DE	Virginia Tech	6'1	262	4.84
78	Kyle Williams	DT	LSU	6'1	299	5.16
79	John McCargo	DT	NC State	6'1	302	5.11
80	Taitusi Lutui	OG	USC	6'4	334	5.37
81	Tim Jennings	CB	Georgia	5'8	185	4.32
82	Eric Henderson	DE	Georgia Tech	6'2	270	4.78e
83	Barry Cofield	DE	Northwestern	6'4	304	4.94
84	Johnathan Lewis	DT	Virginia Tech	6'1	309	5.05
85	Babatunde Oshinowo	DT	Stanford	6'2	304	5.33
86	Gerris Wilkinson	LB	Georgia Tech	6'3	233	4.72
87	Tim McGarigle	ILB	Northwestern	6'1	242	4.73
88	Jesse Mahelona	DT	Tennessee	6'0	311	5.10e
89	Brad Smith	WR	Missouri	6'2"	212	4.45
90	Rodrique Wright	DT	Texas	6'5	300	5.06
91	Leon Washington	RB	Florida State	5'8	201	4.42
92	Jerome Harrison	RB	Washington State	5'9	201	4.47
93	Ray Edwards	DE	Purdue	6'5	273	4.79
94	Derek Hagan	WR	Arizona State	6'2	208	4.42
95	Bernard Pollard	SS	Purdue	6'2	224	4.60e
96	Victor Adeyanju	DE	Indiana	6'4"	270	4.8
97	Hank Baskett	WR	New Mexico	6'3	224	4.49
98	Martin Nance	WR	Miami-Ohio	6'4	215	4.61
99	Parys Haralson	DE/OLB	Tennessee	6'1	253	4.8
100	Dion Byrum	CB	Ohio	5'11"	185	4.38

Team Spotlight: San Francisco 49ers

2006-04-25T00:25:00.000-07:00

Update: 4/25

Draft Choices (10 total):
Round 1 (#6)
Round 1 (#22)
Round 3 (#84)
Round 4 (#100)
Round 5 (#140)
Round 6 (#175 and #192)
Round 7 (#213, #236 and #254)

Offensive Needs
San Francisco is in a place where they have obvious needs for starters at certain spots, and the rest of the spots have no depth. The first thing that sticks out is the lack of an impact playmaker on offense. Alex Smith needs a security blanket--a player who he can count on in 3rd down situations. That player could be a WR or TE. WR is now more of an option with the recent trade of Rashaun Woods. The offensive line looks to be in place with the addition of three starters last year. LT Jonas Jennings was brought in from Buffalo while David Baas and Adam Snyder were day one draft picks. Mostly depth issues along the line, so aside from that playmaker, I'd consider the rest of the offensive needs day two or free agent options.

Day One:
WR/TE

Day Two:
OT, OG, OC, TE, KR/PR

Defensive Needs
The defense was way ahead of the offense in 2005, but there are still holes. With Derek Smith re-signed, the run defense is intact and should be stout as it was in '05. NT, MLB and SS need fillers at most. Like the offense, the achilles heel of the 2005 defense was 3rd downs. The 49ers lack a #1 CB and an elite pass-rushing LB. Finding a starter at FS is also a must. With the addition of Sammy Davis at corner, there is less of a need there, but who the #1 guy will be is still a question. Even though Bryant Young is still playing at a high level, a quality DE should be taken if/when value is present.

Day One:
OLB, FS, CB

Day Two:
LB, DE

Nolan vs. McCloughan
Head Coach Mike Nolan and Player Personnel Director Scot McCloughan are eachothers yin and yang during the draft process. Nolan wants football players more than athletes. His guys have to buy into the system, first and foremost. There is a common term Coach Nolan uses to describe his type of player--accountability.

"We need to draft smart, tough, passionate, committed players who want to make plays. We need more of those," he says. "If they are a step slow or an inch short, I am OK with that. But when I look at them, I want to be able to trust them."

McCloughan, a son of a scout, has more of a traditional and sometimes "meat market" view of prospects. To him you have to match up physically with your opponent. If you look at his track record in Seattle and so far in San Francisco, you'll see that McCloughan will take a chance on a prototype athlete. Remember Anton Palepoi? The less charasmatic McCloughan puts it this way;

"I believe it's a big man's game," he says. "You have to be able to hold up over a 16-game schedule in this league."

Expect Nolan to be making the calls at the start, but give way to McCloughan on day two. A few projects are sure to be selected with those extra picks in the late rounds.

Senior Bowl Impact
The 49ers coaching staff was in charge of the South squad at the 2006 Senior Bowl. I really like the potential of the 49ers taking a few of these guys in the 2-5 round range. The Senior Bowl wasn't top heavy with talent, but there were some solid NFL starters there. The South was especially deep with tweener rush 'backers and safeties. History has shown us that teams take a high percentage of players they coached at the Senior Bowl. With Mike Nolan's philosophy of the way guys practice, I'm sure this face time was a huge factor in evaluations.

Day One Projection
Round 1, pick #6
Vernon Davis, TE, Maryland
If you take all factors into consideration, Davis makes the most sense. He passes Nolan's test of work ethic. He passes McCloughan's test of prototype size/speed/strength. The x-factor is surrounding Alex Smith with the talent he needs to succeed. "Duke" Davis makes the 49ers better than any other player that will be available at #6. Mario Williams will be long gone, making AJ Hawk and Michael Huff the only other options. Hawk becomes increasingly more valuable with Julian Peterson signing in Seattle and might be the pick if he falls to #6. Huff's value is considerably lower if he's a FS. If he's a CB, there are still questions about his coverage ability due to playing safety at Texas. The final factor is depth at these positions. This is the only opportunity for San Francisco to add that impact offensive playmaker. There is an abundance of 3-4 OLBs in this draft, and DB is one of the most talented positions as well. A starter can be found in round 2 at either spot.

Davis could be the final piece of the future offense in San francisco. It takes offensive players longer to get to full speed. So adding this piece now would give them a chance to jell, while adding impact players on defense going forward.

Trading down from this pick has lost its luster. It would be a disaster to trade down behind division rivals Arizona and St. Louis. No 49ers fan welcomes the thought of Vernon Davis knifing through their defense for the next 10 years as a member of the Rams. That leaves only three teams as potential partners. Is it worth the distinct drop in talent just to add another body?

Round 1, pick #22
Manny Lawson, OLB, NC State
The 49ers recently aquired this pick from Denver for their 2nd and 3rd round picks. Outside linebacker is the biggest position of need coming in, defensive back also make sense here, but a starter at safety could be available in the 3rd round at that deep position. With the depth and the way talent is shaking out at OLB in this draft, this is a place where need can meet up with value to perfection. Lawson is a player that fits like a glove into the weakside linebacker of a 3-4 scheme as a rusher. He has potential in coverage with more time at linebacker and could play on the strongside as well. Most importantly, he can get after the quarterback. Lawson is a freak athletically and still has a ton of potential with his 4.4 speed at 6'5". Bobby Carpenter, Kamerion Wimbley, Chad Greenway and Antonio Cromartie are other names you could hear called in this slot.

Round 3, pick #84
Roman Harper, S, Alabama
A lot of people compare Michael Huff to legendary 49ers safety Ronnie Lott. To me, Harper fits the comparison even more. Harper has everything you need in a pro safety. He's the quaterback of the defense, has good range, great instincts and hits like a safety should hit. Harper is a "Nolan guy" and was on the South squad at the Senior Bowl. This pick could be Nolan's chance to steal a long-time starter on defense. In a dream scenario, San Francisco would be able to take a guy who slips like Chris Gocong or Mark Anderson here to play outside linebacker and still get a guy like Harper at the top of round 4.

Other 3rd round options I like for SF; Chris Gocong, Maurice Drew, Joe Klopfenstein, Stanley McClover, Danieal Manning, Barry Cofield, Ryan O'Callaghan and Daryn Colledge.

Mock Draft 5.1

2006-04-12T01:51:00.000-07:00

#	team	name	pos	school
1	TEXANS	Reggie Bush	RB	USC
2	SAINTS	Mario Williams	DE	NC State
3	TITANS	Matt Leinart	QB	USC
4	JETS	D'brickashaw Ferguson	OT	Virginia
5	PACKERS	AJ Hawk	LB	Ohio State
6	49ers	Vernon Davis	TE	Maryland
7	RAIDERS	Michael Huff	DB	Texas
8	BILLS	Brodrick Bunkley	DT	Florida State
9	*VIKINGS	Vince Young	QB	Texas
10	CARDINALS	Jay Cutler	QB	Vanderbilt
11	RAMS	Antonio Cromartie	CB	Florida State
12	BROWNS	Manny Lawson	OLB	NC State
13	RAVENS	Haloti Ngata	DT	Oregon
14	EAGLES	Chad Jackson	WR	Florida
15	BRONCOS	DeAngelo Williams	RB	Memphis
16	DOLPHINS	Johnathan Joseph	CB	South Carolina
17	*LIONS	Winston Justice	OT	USC
18	COWBOYS	Jason Allen	FS	Tennessee
19	CHARGERS	Marcus McNeill	OT	Auburn
20	CHIEFS	Kamerion Wimbley	DE	Florida State
21	PATRIOTS	Richard Marshall	CB	Fresno State
22	BRONCOS	Donte Whitner	S	Ohio State
23	BUCCANEERS	Santonio Holmes	WR	Ohio State
24	BENGALS	Darnell Bing	SS	USC
25	GIANTS	Ernie Sims	OLB	Florida State
26	BEARS	Jimmy Williams	DB	Virginia Tech
27	PANTHERS	Chad Greenway	OLB	Iowa
28	JAGUARS	Tye Hill	CB	Clemson
29	JETS	Nick Mangold	C	Ohio State
30	COLTS	Laurence Maroney	RB	Minnesota
31	SEAHAWKS	Ashton Youboty	CB	Ohio State
32	STEELERS	Daniel Bullocks	FS	Nebraska

		Round 2
33	TEXANS	Kelly Jennings	CB	Miami
34	SAINTS	Demeco Ryans	OLB	Alabama
35	JETS	LenDale White	RB	USC
36	PACKERS	Mathias Kiwanuka	DE	Boston College
37	49ers	Bobby Carpenter	OLB	Ohio State
38	RAIDERS	Thomas Howard	OLB	UTEP
39	TITANS	Eric Winston	OT	Miami
40	LIONS	Ko Simpson	FS	South Carolina
41	CARDINALS	Leonard Pope	TE	Georgia
42	BILLS	Daryn Colledge	OT	Boise State
43	BROWNS	Gabe Watson	NT	Michigan
44	RAVENS	Pat Watkins	FS	Florida State
45	EAGLES	D'Qwell Jackson	LB	Maryland
46	RAMS	Joe Klopfstein	TE	Colorado
47	FALCONS	Sinorice Moss	WR	Miami
48	*LIONS	Abdul Hodge	MLB	Iowa
49	COWBOYS	Max Jean-Gilles	OG	Georgia
50	CHARGERS	Devin Aromashodu	WR	Auburn
51	VIKINGS	Roger McIntosh	OLB	Miami
52	PATRIOTS	Mark Anderson	OLB	Alabama
53	REDSKINS	Jon Alston	LB/S	Stanford
54	CHIEFS	Cedric Griffin	CB	Texas
55	BENGALS	Demario Minter	CB	Georgia
56	GIANTS	Andrew Whitworth	OT	LSU
57	BEARS	Marcedes Lewis	TE	UCLA
58	PANTHERS	Charles Spencer	OG	Pittsburgh
59	BUCCANEERS	Danieal Manning	CB	Abilene Christian
60	JAGUARS	Joseph Addai	RB	LSU
61	BRONCOS	Dominique Byrd	TE	USC
62	COLTS	Davin Joseph	OG	Oklahoma
63	SEAHAWKS	Tamba Hali	DE	Penn State
64	STEELERS	Greg Jennings	WR	W. Michigan

Surprise Undrafted Prospects

2006-03-29T02:18:00.000-08:00

Just as there are guys that sneak into round one with a great postseason, some big name prospects will slide. Some of these players even fail to hear their name called during draft weekend. This year will be no different. Here is a list of potential undrafted , but familiar names. There is a not-so-secret formula for these guys too:

Poor Character
+
Poor Workouts
=
Undrafted

Alan Zamaitis, CB, Penn State
Claude Wroten, DT, LSU
Charles Gordon, CB, Kansas
Ray Edwards, DE, Purdue
Bernard Pollard, SS, Purdue
Stanley McClover, DE, Auburn
Orien Harris, DT, Miami
Daryl Tapp, DE, Virginia Tech

Not all the prospects listed had both character concerns and poor measurables, but they all have one or the other. And they all could be waiting seemingly forever for that phone call.

Surprise First Rounders

2006-03-28T23:24:00.000-08:00

Last year it was Logan Mankins to New England. In 2004 it was Ahmad Carroll and Jason Babin. Every year there are those guys drafted high by your team that leaves you thinking, "who?". There are a few names to know that might not be showing up in the first round of mock drafts very often,but these players have the right answer to that ever-important draft equation:

Great Senior Bowl
+
Great Combine
=
First Round

Mark Anderson, DE/OLB, Alabama - 6'4" 254, 4.62, 40-inch vert
Pat Watkins, FS, Florida State - 6'5" 211, 4.42, 41-inch vert
Devin Aromashodu, WR, Auburn - 6'3" 201, 4.35, 39-inch vert

Now all of these guy might not get selected in round one. But, learn these names, because there's a better chance to hear their names in the first than the third.

The Bust Factor

2006-03-27T23:49:00.000-08:00

Part of the reason the draft is so fun is the fact that so many prospects don't pan out. Those teams that can avoid the "busts" often end up well ahead of the game. NFL scouts try, sometimes in futility, to decide which players have that perfect match of skills and tools. And there is a HUGE difference between skills and tools. Even prospects that seemingly have all the talent in the world, can never develop the proper skills. Of course there's always the what-you-see-is-what-you-get prospect that has impeccable form, but lacks the athleticism or size to compete at the pro level. In most cases the guy with the tools gets picked first. After all you can't teach speed, right?

I'm going to break down a few top prospects that are either can't-miss or set off my bust alarm.

Vernon Davis, TE, Maryland--CAN'T MISS
As hard as I try, I cannot find a flaw in Davis as a prospect for the next level. His raw tools are mind-blowing. We've never seen a tight end with his speed, let alone the strength that he brings with it. Davis also has shown these skills on the field, producing with very poor talent around him. That said, the factor that assures me that Davis will be great is his work ethic. No team should worry that he won't live up to his draft position. Davis will walk into the league as a human mismatch, but seeing him put to use in a precision passing game is downright scary. As he develops his already impressive talent, he could be a transcendent player.

AJ Hawk, LB, Ohio State--CAN'T MISS
The only thing I can do to discount what Hawk has done at Ohio State is say he had a lot of help. Hawk has that deadly combo of tools and skills. He isn't an athletic freak, but he certainly doesn't lack size, quickness or strength. He gets tackles. He fights through the trash. He cover backs and tight ends. He pressures the QB. Hawk is a fit in any scheme.

DeAngelo Williams, RB, Memphis--CAN'T MISS
Williams ran for 2,000 yards...twice. Unlike the next guy, he's shown he can carry the load. And also unlike the next guy, there was nobody else around for defenses to key on. Like my other can't-miss prospects, Williams has that deadly combo of all the tools, skills and work ethic to get even better.

Reggie Bush, RB, USC--BUST ALERT
It's hard to say a player with this much talent will fail, and that is not what I am saying. I just don't think Bush will live up to the #1 overall hype. The player Bush compares to most favorably is Gale Sayers, but the NFL is too fast these days for anybody to be running by defenses like they're standing still. Another factor is durability. Bush can't go out and do his thing on a banged up leg like a Jerome Bettis (or even DeAngelo Williams) can. There's a reason why Sayers only lasted five years. I don't know that Bush will miss, but he can.

D'brickashaw Ferguson, OT, Virginia-- BUST ALERT
Will never be a dominant run blocker, so at best he'll be one dimentional. For all his athleticism, Ferguson still didn't dominate as a pass blocker at Virginia. Might not have a killer instinct. Ferguson seems like a good guy, but you've got to have a mean streak play after play in the NFL. Reminds me a lot of Kwame Harris (49ers).

Jay Cutler, QB, Vanderbilt--BUST ALERT
Call me a skeptic, but when was the last time a quarterback who performed so underwhelmingly in college became an All-Pro in the NFL? A few things that scare me: 59% passer, career 59/36 TD/INT ratio, and of course he's this year's "next Brett Favre" ask Pat Ramsey, Kyle Boller, JP Losman and Rex Grossman how being the next Brett Favre is working out.

Abraham to Falcons in Three Team Deal

2006-03-22T04:39:00.000-08:00

The Jets have finally found a taker for John Abraham in a deal that has major draft implications. Abraham is headed to Atlanta while the Denver Broncos send the #29 pick in the first round to New York. The Falcons send Denver pick #15, but also get Denver's 3rd round pick in the draft and a 2007 4th rounder.

Not often do you see an NBA-style trade involving three teams. I'm not sure Denver was looking to move up so much as they just had to jump on this deal as they get great value in moving half way up the first round. It would uusually take at least a 2nd round pick to move up that far in round 1. Mike Shanahan has stated that he'd like totrade one of Denver's 1st round picks for picks next year due to salary cap restraints. So they might not be done dealing.

Poll Results

2006-03-20T03:22:00.000-08:00

Who should go #1?

Vince Young

31%

Reggie Bush

51%

Matt Leinart

10%

other

New poll is up. Who is the most overrated prospect?

Team Spotlight: Houston Texans

2006-03-19T17:56:00.000-08:00

Draft Choices (8 total):
Round 1 (#1)
Round 2 (#33)
Round 3 (#65 and #66)
Round 4 (#97)
Round 5 (#129)
Round 6 (#160)
Round 7 (#192)
*Not counting compenatory picks.

New Staff
The first thing you look at with Houston is the new coaching staff. Gary Kubiak comes in from Denver to be the 2nd Head Coach in Texans history. Along with him comes the West Coast Offense and a 4-3 scheme on defense. GM Charley Casserly is still in town, so I wouldn't expect scouting philosophy to change drastically, other than players fitting the new schemes. If there is one thing Kubiak might take from Denver it would be to wait on running backs and offensive linemen in the draft--pretty much the opposite of what most think Houston will do in April. Casserly had this to say about the switch to a 4-3:

“It’s affected it in reverse. What I mean by that is in the fall a lot of these 250-pound defensive linemen we just wrote them off as linebackers and if we didn’t think athletically they could play linebacker, we just kind of put them to the side.

“Now we have to go back on some of these players and redo them because they don’t have to play linebacker. We’ve had to convert some our scouting grades from the fall into a new system.”

Offensive Needs
For as bad as the Texans were in 2005, they have talent on offense. The front office is standing behind David Carr and thinks he can flourish in the WCO. A lot of that will depend on his ability to take a 3-step drop and get the ball out quickly. That should cut the sacks in half--a weak offensive line isn't the only reason Carr has been getting sacked a record number of times. In fact, the offensive line in Houston is probably underrated and has produced a solid running game. A franchise left tackle wouldn't hurt, but don't expect too many early round picks along the offensive line. Kubiak knows he can get athletic, workman-like players with later picks and develop them, as was the case in Denver and most WCO teams. Gaffney and Bradford have both moved on, so depth is very thin at WR. A #2 guy to go between Andre Johnson and Jerome Mathis would be ideal. There are rumors that Houston may make a run at signing RFA Nate Burleson from Minnesota, giving up a 3rd rounder (not a bad deal) as compensation. A traditional pass-catching tight end is a must too. Like WR, there should be good value at TE through the early 4th round.

Day One:
OT, WR, TE

Day Two:
OG, FB, TE

Defensive Needs
The defense was worse than the offense in '05. Prior to the signing of defensive end Anthony Weaver from Baltimore, I would have listed strong side DE as the #1 need in Houston. Now it looks as if they have a starting unit intact--albeit a lackluster group. Babin and Peek are a fine rotation on the right side. DT is pretty deep with Paine, Smith and 2005 draft pick Travis johnson. Bottom line is somebody has to provide a passrush. Linebacker is another group that has depth, but could really use a stud to build around. The defensive backfield has Dunta Robinson and basically nobody else. Phillip Buchanon is a castaway from oakland and the group of safeties are mediocre at best. Expect at least one DB on day one and probably a free agent starter too.

Day One:
S, CB, MLB/SLB

Day Two:
LDE, CB, LB

Day One Prjection
Round 1, pick #1
Reggie Bush, RB, USC
I don't love this pick for Houston (and haven't for a while). I had them taking Mario Williams in my latest mock, but it seems, with the signing of Anthony Weaver, that they are looking elsewhere on draft day. That leaves Reggie or a trade down for D'brickashaw Ferguson. Super Mario could still be a possibility in that scenario. Runningbacks are a dime-a-dozen and Domanick Davis could be a stud in Kubiak's offense. Thats not to say Bush wouldn't succeed--just that he isn't necessary. One thing is for certain, Bush will be huge in fantasy leagues. His cutback burst should create tons of big plays. If it's between Bush and Ferguson, do yourselves a favor, stay put and take Reggie. Not a big fan of Ferguson and OT has value throughout day one.

Round 2, pick #33
Donte Whitner, S, Ohio State
OT has value here, but it should in the 3rd as well. Defense must be addressed. There will be a DB available here. Which one is uncertain, but my best guess with the most value will be Whitner. This guy has 4.4 speed and can pack a punch as well as cover. Whitner should provide a much need presence in centerfiled.

Other prospect I like in this spot; Ko Simpson, Jason Allen, Demeco Ryans, Ernie Sims, Pat Watkins, Ashton Youboty, Kelly Jennings and Jonathan Scott.

Round 3, pick #65
Daryn Colledge, OT, Boise State
Colledge fits Kubiak's offense like a glove. This guy could be a huge steal here. He's a very good pass blocker that could play OT for years. He is also athletic enough to play guard and do everything asked at that position. Either way, he should stay on the left side. Honestly, I dont think there is much drop off from the overrated D'brickashaw Ferguson to the underrated Colledge.

Round 3, pick #66
Gerris Wilkinson, MLB, Georgia Tech
Linebackers tend to fall on draft day. Wilkinson is the total package at inside linebacker, but doesn't have the hype of others in this draft. He's smart, has good size, can run sideline to sideline, and bring the wood. A great addition to the future front seven in Houston.

Other possibilities in the 3rd round; Devin Aromashodu, Maurice Stovall, Todd Watkins, Freddie Roach, Greg Eslinger , Andrew Whitworth and Joe Klopfenstein.

Quarterbacks Getting Dissed?

2006-03-16T00:09:00.000-08:00

It seems as if every team with a chance to take a QB high in the 2006 NFL Draft are doing everything they can to avoid it. Houston picks first and were the first to settle their QB situation in-house, re-stating their alligiance with David Carr. New Orleans would rather shell out big cash to veteran Drew Brees, a player that can't even throw right now due to a bad shoulder, than take their choice of top draft picks. The Jets decided to wait on Pennington, another guy with a bad shoulder, and find veteran competition for him. Miami, a team that was rumored to potentially trade up from the #16 slot to grab a QB, used the 2nd round pick that move would have taken to go get another veteran healing from injury--Daunte Cullpepper.

What does this all mean? Is the draft media over-stating the value Leinart, Young and Cutler represent to teams? As it stand right now, only the Minnesota Vikings, who just dealt Cullpepper, are a lock to take a QB early in the draft, and they aren't picking until #17. Tennessee and Arizona are the best possibilities to look QB in the top 10 come draft day. Will we have a repeat of 2005, when Aaron Rogers' nightmare was played out on national TV, as he fell to pick #24 on draft day? As my magic 8-ball used to say, "signs point to yes."

Post-Combine Mock Draft

2006-03-14T05:12:00.000-08:00

Here's a quick and dirty mock draft to reflect the combine and the first weekend of free agency. Two rounds, no trades. Things are starting to shake out in a way that I don't think will result in a lot of trades at the top. Right now there is a group of about 6 elite non-quarterbacks and the 3 QBs. Nobody is going to want to move out of a chance at one of the elite guys. And I don't think anybody is really standing out of that pack enough to go get, if you're already there. And nobody can be certain their guy will be there, even a couple picks later. If there was a stand-out, it would be Mario Williams. Vince Young, Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush still have a chance to wow scouts at their workouts to become THE guy in this draft.

	team	name	pos	school
1	TEXANS	Mario Williams	DE	NC State
2	SAINTS	D'brickashaw Ferguson	OT	Virginia
3	TITANS	Matt Leinart	QB	USC
4	JETS	Reggie Bush	RB	USC
5	PACKERS	AJ Hawk	LB	Ohio State
6	49ers	Vernon Davis	TE	Maryland
7	RAIDERS	Vince Young	QB	Texas
8	BILLS	Brodrick Bunkley	DT	Florida State
9	LIONS	Michael Huff	DB	Texas
10	CARDINALS	Jay Cutler	QB	Vanderbilt
11	RAMS	Tye Hill	CB	Clemson
12	BROWNS	Manny Lawson	OLB	NC State
13	RAVENS	Haloti Ngata	DT	Oregon
14	EAGLES	Chad Jackson	WR	Florida
15	FALCONS	Chad Greenway	OLB	Iowa
16	DOLPHINS	Jonathan Joseph	CB	South Carolina
17	VIKINGS	DeAngelo Williams	RB	Memphis
18	COWBOYS	Santonio Holmes	WR	Ohio State
19	CHARGERS	Marcus McNeill	OT	Auburn
20	CHIEFS	Antonio Cromartie	CB	Florida State
21	PATRIOTS	LeDale White	RB	USC
22	BRONCOS	Tamba Hali	DE	Penn State
23	BUCCANEERS	Winston Justice	OT	USC
24	BENGALS	Darnell Bing	SS	USC
25	GIANTS	Jimmy Williams	DB	Virginia Tech
26	BEARS	Leonard Pope	TE	Georgia
27	PANTHERS	Max Jean-Gilles	G	Georgia
28	JAGUARS	Thomas Howard	OLB	UTEP
29	BRONCOS	Dominique Byrd	TE	USC
30	COLTS	Laurence Maroney	RB	Minnesota
31	SEAHAWKS	Jason Allen	DB	Tennessee
32	STEELERS	Ko Simpson	FS	South Carolina
		ROUND 2
33	TEXANS	Jonathan Scott	OT	Texas
34	SAINTS	Ernie Sims	OLB	Florida State
35	JETS	Kameron Wimbley	OLB	Florida State
36	PACKERS	Mathias Kiwanuka	DE	Boston College
37	49ers	Ashton Youboty	CB	Ohio State
38	RAIDERS	Roderique Wright	DT	Texas
39	TITANS	Bobby Carpenter	OLB	Ohio State
40	LIONS	DeMeco Ryans	LB	Alabama
41	CARDINALS	Donte Whitner	FS	Ohio State
42	BILLS	Devin Aromashodu	WR	Auburn
43	BROWNS	Gabe Watson	NT	Michigan
44	RAVENS	Nick Mangold	C	Ohio State
45	EAGLES	Jesse Mahelona	DT	Tennessee
46	RAMS	Pat Watkins	FS	Florida State
47	FALCONS	Daniel Bullocks	S	Nebraska
48	VIKINGS	Richard Marshall	CB	Fresno State
49	COWBOYS	Eric Winston	OT	Miami
50	CHARGERS	Sinorice Moss	WR	Miami
51	DOLPHINS	Ryan O'Callaghan	OT	California
52	PATRIOTS	Mark Anderson	OLB	Alabama
53	REDSKINS	D'Qwell Jackson	LB	Maryland
54	CHIEFS	Abdul Hodge	MLB	Iowa
55	BENGALS	Oshinowo Babtunde	DT	Stanford
56	GIANTS	Davin Joseph	G	Oklahoma
57	BEARS	Kelly Jennings	CB	Miami
58	PANTHERS	Joseph Addai	RB	LSU
59	BUCCANEERS	Cedric Griffin	DB	Texas
60	JAGUARS	Marcedes Lewis	TE	UCLA
61	BRONCOS	Bernard Pollard	SS	Purdue
62	COLTS	Alan Zamaitis	CB	Penn State
63	SEAHAWKS	Ray Edwards	DE	Purdue
64	STEELERS	Todd Watkins	WR	BYU

Combine Chatter

2006-02-27T01:24:00.000-08:00

Chad Jackson, WR, Florida
6'0" 213--4.32/40
Jackson is the player that has gained the most so far by his combine performance. Not only did he run a scorching 40 time, he looked great in drills. In this so-so WR class, Jackson made himself a lot of money this week and probably earned his way into the 1st round.

Devin Aromashodu, WR, Auburn
6'2" 195--4.35/40
This guy was a virtual unknown last month. Now after a great Senior Bowl and throwing down a 4.3 at the combine with good size, he may be one of the top 5 receivers selected in April.

D'brickashaw Furguson, OT, Virginia
6'6" 313
Furguson is doing everything right this offseason. He performed well in drills at the Senior Bowl and now shows up in Indy at 313 pounds. His knock is size/strength. The weight helps, but we'll have to see how he lifts.

Reggie Bush, RB, USC
5' 10 7/8" 201
You know Reggie has been bulking up since the Rose Bowl. If thats as much weight he can put on, he might be in trouble. I expected him to waltz in near 215. Measuring below 5'11" probably doesn't help either. Kind of weird that the day after Reggie weighs in, the Texans are rumored to want to trade down. Although, I didn't buy the Reggie at #1 hype in the first place.

Brad Smith, QB/WR, Missouri
6'2" 215--4.46
I'm pretty dissapointed with Smith--a member of my All-Underrated Team back in November. Not because of his measurables, but his unwillingness to workout as a WR. He could have been setting himself up to be a major player among this WR class. Smith has ALL the measurables for it. He has size, speed, absurd RAC ability and big strong hands. But, he wants to be a QB and its going to hurt him. Reports are his QB workout was poor.

Vernon Davis, TE, Maryland
6'3" 254--4.38
Just to show he's not all about speed, Vernon put up 33 reps on the bench press, had a 42 inch vertical jump to go along with his rediculous 40 yard dash. All were tops for tight ends. San Francisco at #6?

Mario Williams, DE, NC State
6'7" 295--4.66
This guy is putting himself in position to potentially be the top prospect in the draft. He's been getting comparisons to Julius Pepper, but his numbers at the combine are even better. Also had a 40 inch vertical. Scary at almost 300 pounds.

Manny Lawson, OLB/DE, NC State
6'5" 240--4.41
I don't know what they were serving for breakfast Monday, but there were some insane numbers put up by some large men. Lawson is having a great postseason. Easily the best OLB prospect for the 34 defense.

Mike Kudla, DE, Ohio State
Brodrick Bunkley, DT, Florida State
These two went off in the bench press drill. Bunkley lifted the 225 pound bar 44 times. Kudla tied the combine record, held by Isaac Sopoaga, with 45 reps.

Well, the defensive backs didn't dissapoint Tuesday. They were all blazing.
Tye Hill, Clemson--4.30
Johnathan Joseph, S. Carolina--4.31
Tim Jennings, Georgia--4.32
Michael Huff, Texas--4.34
Daniel Bullocks, Nebraska--4.38
Willie Andrews, Baylor--4.38
Antonio Cromartie, Florida State--4.39
Antoine Bethea, Howard--4.39
Jason Allen, Tennessee--4.39
Kelly Jennings, Miami--4.39
Donte Whitner, Ohio State--4.40
Pat Watkins, Florida State--4.42

Draft Shakeup?

2006-02-20T00:01:00.000-08:00

Reports out of Virginia are saying that star linebacker Ahmad Brooks has been kicked off the Cavaliers football team. Everything is vauge, so there aren't many details to discuss. The next move for Brooks is hope for late enry status into the 2006 draft pool. Otherwise he'll have to wait until the supplimental draft, held toward the end of summer.

Brooks has been a top NFL prospect for a while now due to his absurd mix of size and athleticism. He measures in at 6'4" and somewhwere between 250 and 270 lbs. His draft staus will depend a lot on the facts about his dismissal and what kind of shape he's in after an injury plagued season.

There are other reports that state Ahmad Brooks is still officially on the team. So stay tuned, this Brooks situation is far from over.

UPDATE: It appears that Brooks failed a drug test last week. No indication on what substance was found. Coach Al Groh has stated only that Brooks is unavailable for spring practice. The fall is still up in the air.

NFL Mock Draft version 3.1

2006-02-11T03:08:00.000-08:00

This mock got delayed a few days due to some computer problems. When I wasn't dealing with that I was trying to crash classes which was working out equally as bad. Anybody know where to get a good (for cheap) laptop?

Certainly some twists in this one, including three trades. In the end I really think Vince Young has to go #1. Houston signed on Carr for the next three years, so it won't be them. Love it or hate it for your team, feel free to drop me a line.

Now all eyes will be on the combine which starts on the 22nd. That week will shake things up like always--should be fun. A lot will hinge on Young's workout a the combine. He's one of the few top QB prospects to actually throw there in recent history.

1	JETS (trade w/HOU)	Vince Young	QB	Texas
I really think Houston will trade out of this spot if they get the right deal. Domanick Davis can be a stud in Gary Kubiak's offense--a perfect fit. If Reggie Bush put up Davis-esque numbers he'd be considered a success. And if Kubiak is really as high on Carr as he says, then trading out of #1 is a no-brainer. I think Vince Young will shake out as the #1 prospect. He's got too much to pass up; arm, athleticism, size, strength, poise and all the intangibles you could ask for. New York moves up because at pick 4, they are on the outside looking in. They give up a 3rd this year and a 1st in '07. Similar to the Giants in '04, the Jets are in a market where they need a face to lead the franchise. Chad Pennington has two consecutive shoulder injuries on an already weak right arm. The team has already stated they will bring in a QB. Why sit at #4 and take Cutler or a mediocre free agent, when you can move up and get a star in Young?

2	SAINTS	Matt Leinart	QB	USC
No other pick makes sense here. There's not much else to say. Possibly a trade could surface here, but I don't see a fit that’s worth missing out on a franchise QB for a Franchise that needs one dearly.

3	TITANS	Reggie Bush	RB	USC
Tennessee is in a nice spot here. They get to pay #3 money vs. #1 money but get a #1 talent. Norm Chow knows just how to play with his new toy.

4	TEXANS (from NYJ)	Mario Williams	DE	NC State
D'brickashaw Ferguson, right? Not so fast. The Texans have more problems on defense at this point and OT is a deep position. Mario Williams is a prototype DE for the 4-3 defense that Houston is likely moving back to. After all has settled Williams will be a superior prospect to Ferguson.

5	PACKERS	DeAngelo Williams	RB	Memphis
Right now I can't put LenDale White ahead of DeAngelo. Some could argue AJ Hawk here and they'd have a point. But while DeAngelo Williams was proving to scouts he was the real deal, Hawk was at home leaving us to wonder. Mario Williams would have been the pick here if available.

6	RAIDERS	AJ Hawk	LB	Ohio State
Pretty boring pick here as this has to be one of the most common selections around. But there's a reason why. It fits.

7	DOLPHINS (trade w/ SF)	Jay Cutler	QB	Vanderbilt
Miami is in a spot at #16 where there are too many teams in need of a QB for Cutler to last. They give SF their #16 and #51 selections to leap ahead of Detroit, Arizona and Baltimore.

8	BILLS	D'brickashaw Ferguson	OT	Virgina
You might think Ferguson should go higher, but he's too one-dimentional for me. I think he'll slide out of the top 5. He may fall even farther if DBs are out-lifting him at the combine. That said, Buffalo will very happy to see him here at #8.

9	EAGLES (trade w/ DET)	Haloti Ngata	DT	Oregon
The third and final projected trade in the mock draft. I couldn't find any value for Detroit here, but I could for Philly. Ngata is a stud DT. Philly has shown they aren't afraid to move up and grab a player they covet. If they don't covet Ngata, they should. Detroit gets an extra 3rd.

10	CARDINALS	Michael Huff	S	Texas
Huff has drawn favorable comparisons to Ronnie Lott. While I wouldn't go that far, Huff could make a huge imact in Arizona who needs an active playmaker at the position. Huff and '05 pick Antrel Rolle could be real good together for a long time.

11	RAMS	Antonio Cromartie	CB	Florida State
Somebody has to take control of the crowded CB crop. Cromartie could be that guy. He was the consensus #1 CB coming into the season, but got hurt. He's reportedly healthy and running 4.3s. If that’s true, at 6'3", he may not make it out of the top 10. Look for Cromartie to rise.

12	BROWNS	Manny Lawson	OLB	NC State
Lawson is looking like this year's Demarcus Ware--a player that didn't so much rise up boards in the offseason, but was underappreciated during the regular season. He looked good at the Senior Bowl, but will really shine in workouts with track speed and a 45-inch vertical jump. He fits as a 3-4 rush 'backer in Clevleand.

13	RAVENS	LenDale White	RB	USC
All they need in Baltimore is a back that can move the chains. White can do that and more. If Boller can pick it up and the D stays intact, this team should be back on top.

14	LIONS (from PHI)	Brodrick Bunkley	DT	Penn State
A worthy riser. Bunkley would be the perfect tackle to play next to Shaun Rogers. Those two would wreak havoc on o-lines everywhere. Or Matt Millen could just grab Santonio Holmes.

15	FALCONS	Chad Greenway	OLB	Iowa
Greenway is another player that solidified his status with a strong Senior Bowl week. The combine should only confirm his athleticism and his spot in the top 15.

16	49ers (from Miami)	Vernon Davis	TE	Maryland
Davis is probably the best receiving threat in the draft. Lord knows SF needs help on offense. His speed and strength should make him, by far, the #1 TE prospect. His height (6'2") and position could be the only things to keep him out of the top 10.

17	VIKINGS	Laurence Maroney	RB	Minnesota
Hometown prospect that could really solidify a position that has been up and down for years. Luckily there are enough talented backs for Maroney (a guy who's getting lost in the shuffle) to fall here.

18	COWBOYS	Gabe Watson	NT	Michigan
Dallas has rebuilt their defense over that past two years. Watson would be the always important noseguard, freeing up the rest of the guys to make plays. They took a liking to Watson at the Senior Bowl and can still address the secondary later due to depth.

19	CHARGERS	Santonio Holmes	WR	Ohio State
Need meets value here. Holmes has positioned himself to be the first WR off the board. Would be a nice big play option to go with Gates and McCardell.

20	CHIEFS	Jimmy Williams	CB/S	Virginia Tech
Once thought of a s a top 10 lock, Williams could be a slider. His best pro position might be safety. And even as a CB, a few players could pass him up.

21	PATRIOTS	Tye Hill	CB	Clemson
There should be a nice run on CBs in the 20s. Hill will sure be among them. He's a great cover guy and has great speed, but being 5'9" will hurt him. He plays bigger than his size, though.

22	BRONCOS	Tamba Hali	DE	Penn State
Hali could become a victim of the numbers game. He also isn't a wowing player. But he is one that does everything pretty well and plays with a motor.

23	BUCCANEERS	Jonathan Scott	OT	Texas
I put Scott on par with Ferguson. He's a very good pass blocker and also one of the better run blockers available. Maybe a better fit on the left side than Marcus McNeil.

24	BENGALS	Darnell Bing	SS	USC
This pick hasn't changed in three mocks now. I usually like to change it up, but this pick just makes too much sense to me. Exactly why it probably won't happen.

25	GIANTS	Ashton Youboty	CB	Ohio State
This is another repeat pick. NY could certainly use a corner with Will Allen becoming a free agent. Youboty just happens to be the best available again, and the last of the upper tier unless Jonathan Joseph can climb into that group with great workouts (which he can).

26	BEARS	Dominique Byrd	TE	USC
Could be a surprise pick to some, but Byrd established himself without much doubt from guys like Marcedes Lewis. There should be a good run on tight ends between the end of the 1st and 2nd rounds.

27	PANTHERS	Max Jean-Gilles	G	Georgia
Jon Fox has a simple philosophy. Play great D and pound the rock. Max Jean-Gilles will contribute to the latter.

28	JAGUARS	Mathias Kiwanuka	DE	Boston College
Kiwi is falling. He looked a little unexplosive at the Senior Bowl. Was it due to his late season leg injury? He'll get one more chance to prove it was. Either way the Jags have shown one draft theme. They like size. Kiwi fits the mold.

29	BRONCOS	Ko Simpson	S	South Carolina
After adressing the pass rush with their first selection, Denver goes with Simpson here to solidify the back end. They've been trying to develop a safety for years. Enough with the projects--team Ko with John Lynch and forget it (well, until Lynch retires).

30	COLTS	Demeco Ryans	OLB	Alabama
Ryans is taylor made for the cover two defense. His postseason workouts won't match the production he shows on the field. No value at RB here so look for a potential trade up by Indy if they don't sign a free agent starter to rep[lace Edge.

31	SEAHAWKS	Bobby Carpenter	OLB	Ohio State
Carpenter can do everything well. He can cover, rush the passer and attack ball carriers. He's a flat out football player that fits on any team in any scheme. Seattle is a little light at LB. He should win the job on the strong side very early.

32	STEELERS	Nick Mangold	C	Ohio State
What do you buy for that friend who has everything? That’s right--a big nasty talented offensive lineman to keep his running game running. Either that or a nice card.

		Round 2

33	TEXANS	Marcus Mcneill	OT	Auburn
34	SAINTS	Greg Eslinger	C	Minnesota
35	JETS	Winston Justice	OT	USC
36	PACKERS	Abdul Hodge	ILB	Iowa
37	RAIDERS	Rod Wright	DT	Texas
38	49ERS	Kamerion Wimbley	OLB	Florida State
39	TITANS	D'Qwell Jackson	ILB	Maryland
40	LIONS	Stanley McClover	DE	Auburn
41	CARDINALS	Ryan O'Callaghan	OT	California
42	BILLS	Jonathan Joseph	CB	South Carolina
43	BROWNS	Eric Winston	OT	Miami
44	RAVENS	Claude Wroten	DT	LSU
45	EAGLES	Sinorice Moss	WR	Miami
46	RAMS	Leonard Pope	TE	Georgia
47	FALCONS	Pat Watkins	S	Florida State
48	VIKINGS	Dee Webb	CB	Florida
49	COWBOYS	Jason Allen	S	Tennessee
50	CHARGERS	Davin Joseph	G	Oklahoma
51	49ers (from Miami)	Kelly Jennings	CB	Miami
52	PATRIOTS	Joseph Addai	RB	LSU
53	REDSKINS	Donte Whitner	S	Ohio State
54	CHIEFS	Todd Watkins	WR	BYU
55	BENGALS	Marcedes Lewis	TE	UCLA
56	GIANTS	Ernie Sims	OLB	Florida State
57	BEARS	Alan Zamaitis	CB	Penn State
58	PANTHERS	Brian Calhoun	RB	Wisconsin
59	BUCCANEERS	Richard Marshall	CB	Fresno State
60	JAGUARS	Demario Minter	CB	Georgia
61	BRONCOS	Jesse Mahelona	DT	Tennessee
62	COLTS	Kyle Williams	DT	LSU
63	SEAHAWKS	Maurice Stovall	WR	Notre Dame
64	STEELERS	Brad Smith	WR	Missouri

		Round 3

65	TEXANS	Daryn Colledge	T/G	Boise State
66	TEXANS	Anthony Fasano	TE	Notre Dame
67	PACKERS	Taitusi Lutui	G	USC
68	49ERS	Roman Harper	S	Alabama
69	RAIDERS	Maurice Drew	RB	UCLA
70	BILLS	Oshinowo Babtunde	DT	Stanford
71	TEXANS (from NYJ)	Greg Blue	S	Georgia
72	CARDINALS	Joe Klopfenstein	TE	Colorado
73	BILLS	Thomad Howard	OLB	UTEP
74	LIONS	Charles Spencer	G	Pittsburgh
75	PATRIOTS	Elvis Dumervil	OLB	Louisville
76	LIONS (from PHI)	Brodie Croyle	QB	Alabama
77	RAMS	Orien Harris	DT	Miami
78	BROWNS	Devin Hester	CB	Miami
79	FALCONS	Cedric Griffin	CB	Texas
80	COWBOYS	Andrew Whitworth	T/G	LSU
81	CHARGERS	Bernard Pollard	S	Purdue
82	DOLPHINS	Jeremy Trueblood	OT	Boston College
83	VIKINGS	Kai Parham	LB	Virginia
84	REDSKINS	Rob Sims	G	Ohio State
85	CHIEFS	Ray Edwards	DE	Purdue
86	PATRIOTS	Mark Anderson	OLB	Alabama
87	GIANTS	Daniel Bullocks	S	Nebraska
88	BEARS	Derek Morris	OT	NC State
89	PANTHERS	Demetrius Williams	WR	Oregon
90	BUCCANEERS	Derek Hagan	WR	Arizona State
91	BENGALS	Anwar Phillips	CB	Penn State
92	JAGUARS	AJ Nicholson	OLB	Florida State
93	BRONCOS	Leon Washington	RB	Florida State
94	COLTS	Danieal Manning	CB/S	Abilene Christ.
95	SEAHAWKS	Dwayne Slay	S	Texas Tech
96	STEELERS	Parys Haralson	OLB	Tennessee

Senior Bowl 2006: Winners and Losers

2006-01-29T02:16:00.000-08:00

-Winners-

DeAngelo Williams, RB, Memphis
Weighed in at 5-81/2, 208--smaller than expected. But was simply the best player in Mobile. Has an exceptional burst. Decisive, explosive and instinctive. Deadly combo for a running back. Great attitude to boot.

D'brickashaw Ferguson, LT, Virginia
Seemed to increase stock on everyone's board, so I have him on the winners list. Myself? He pretty much solidified his status, which is top 25, but not as high as most(top 5). He isn't powerful and for all his athleticism at 297 pounds, he gets beat in pass protection.

Jay Cutler, QB, Vanderbilt
Proved he has the arm scouts love. But like Ferguson he looks better in shorts than in pads on gameday. Really think this is a player who is getting overrated right now. But it looks as if his stock is through the roof, so he's a winner this week.

Manny Lawson, DE/OLB, NC State
6 feet 5 inches 240 pounds with a 45 inch vertical. With that kind of athleticism its hard not to stand out and Lawson did. Only question, is he instinctive enough to play outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme? He sure is athletic enough and he knows how to get to the QB. Secured a spot in the first round.

Max Jean-Gilles, OG, Georgia
Gilles is a beast and showed the strength to move the pile as advertised. At 358 pounds he is the premier run blocker in the draft and should be the first guard off the board. Maybe sneaking into round one.

Brodie Croyle, QB, Alabama
Not big at 6-2, 200 but this guy has some magic. Showed a good arm, some mobility. One of those a little bit of everything types. Probably still a third round pick, but helped keep himself on day one of the draft.

Sinorice Moss, WR/KR, Miami
Nobody ever doubted his speed and Moss didn't dissapoint. By most accounts he was uncoverable in practice. Beat Tye Hill, the best cover man in Mobile, for a TD Saturday. Only issue is size at just under 5-8. Solidified first day status and is certainly the #1 kick returner/slot WR available. Only WR that had a great week, really.

Dominique Byrd, TE, USC
After Vernon Davis its a close race at the tight end position. Byrd might have sealed the #2 slot this week. This forgotten weapon in the USC offense looked good as blocker and was always open downfield. Showed great hands and can gain some yards after the catch. Big week for Byrd.

Nick Mangold, C, Ohio State
Mangold was a rock all week. He stuffed all comers in one-on-one drills. He showed strength, smarts and the ability to get out and block on the next level. Could conceivably sneak into the end of the first round--won't get out of the second.

-Losers-

Derek Hagan, WR, Arizona State
Had a touchdown in the game, but also a couple drops. Was dropping everything all week. Didn't show the kind of speed to make scouts forget about those drops. Nobody hurt there stock more in Mobile. Fell from first round to maybe out of the first day.

Elvis Dumervil, DE/OLB, Louisville
Things were bad from the start for Elvis when he measured in at just over 5-11 and 258 pounds. In drills he didn't show enough quickness for an undersized end. Seemed like a different player. Still quick off the ball, though. Looked as if Dumervil was playing robotic, trying new techniques. Certainly killed his shot at round one, but passsrushers are still in demand. Still a day one prospect. Probably best fit is 3-4 scheme linebacker.

Mathias Kiwanuka, DE, Boston College
Very sluggish in one-on-one drills. Was handled too easily. Then was held out of the game for injury concern. Just precationary, though. Was surely passed by Hali as the #2 pure DE. Kiwi should still go in round one, just later than expected. Also a little smaller than advertised at 6-5, 262.

Marcedes Lewis, TE, UCLA
Lewis was a non-factor. He should have stayed home this week, as his weaknesses were exposed. Lewis just isn't explosive enough and is the weakest blocker of the top TEs. Was probably leapfrogged by Byrd and Klopfstein at TE from the Senior Bowl alone. When you factor in Vern Davis, Leonard Pope and Anthony Fasano--Lewis may have fallen to about #6 on my list.

DeMeco Ryans, LB, Alabama
Measured in small(6-0, 229) and looked slow. Was roasted by Byrd for a long gain in the game. Never really made his presence known. Didn't look particularly sharp in drills either. Lost ground on Hawk and Greenway. Doubt he goes any higher than round two. Could be one of the shocker guys that falls for a while on draft day due to LB depth.

DJ Shockley/Michael Robinson, QB
Same story for both of these guys. They have little to no future as NFL QBs. Robinson could catch on at another position. Runningback would be best fit, in my opinion. Shockley may not get drafted at all.

Senior Bowl Rosters

2006-01-22T20:01:00.000-08:00

Official rosters from www.seniorbowl.com. Some serious talent to watch next Saturday.

2006 Senior Bowl – South Team Numerical Roster
Coaching Staff: San Francisco 49ers

1 Devin Aromashodu WR 6-2 198 Auburn
2 DeMario Minter CB 5-11 198 Georgia
2 Ben Obomanu WR 6-1 205 Auburn
3 D.J. Shockley QB 6-1 214 Georgia
4 Darrell Hackney QB 6-1 245 UAB
5 Skyler Green WR 5-9 197 LSU
6 Cedric Griffin CB 6-1 190 Texas
7 Marcus Hudson DB 6-2 200 N.C. State
8 Freddie Roach LB 6-2 250 Alabama
9 Anthony Mix WR 6-5 248 Auburn
10 Joseph Addai RB 5-11 210 LSU
12 Brodie Croyle QB 6-3 205 Alabama
17 Greg Blue SA 6-2 211 Georgia
18 Hank Baskett WR 6-3 219 New Mexico
19 Marcedes Lewis TE 6-6 255 UCLA
20 DeAngelo Williams RB 5-10 217 Memphis
21 Jerious Norwood RB 6-0 204 Mississippi St
22 Kelly Jennings CB 5-11 180 Miami
23 Tim Jennings CB 5-9 182 Georgia
24 Pat Watkins SA 6-4 202 Florida State
32 Stephen Gostkowski K 6-2 200 Memphis
35 Garrett Mills FB 6-2 226 Tulsa
35 DeMeco Ryans LB 6-2 236 Alabama
38 Andre Hall RB 5-9 204 South Florida
40 Thomas Howard LB 6-3 231 UTEP
41 Roman Harper SA 6-0 196 Alabama
42 Spencer Havner LB 6-3 235 UCLA
44 Gerris Wilkinson LB 6-3 238 Georgia Tech
47 Mark Anderson DE 6-4 256 Alabama
51 Travis Williams LB 6-0 216 Auburn
52 Brodrick Bunkley DL 6-2 286 Florida State
55 Jesse Mahelona DL 6-2 304 Tennessee
63 Ryan Cook OL 6-7 322 New Mexico
68 Mike Degory OL 6-5 301 Florida
70 Cody Douglas OL 6-4 330 Tennessee
71 Jonathan Scott OL 6-7 307 Texas
72 Albert Toeaina OL 6-5 352 Tennessee
73 Marcus McNeill OL 6-8 332 Auburn
74 Eric Winston OL 6-6 310 Miami
75 Will Allen OL 6-5 309 Texas
77 Max Jean-Gilles OL 6-4 358 Georgia
81 Thomas Olmsted P 6-4 217 Troy
82 T.J. Williams TE 6-2 253 N.C. State
83 Sinorice Moss WR 5-8 185 Miami
91 Manny Lawson DE 6-4 230 N.C. State
92 Orien Harris DE 6-3 301 Miami
94 Kamerion Wimbley DE 6-3 240 Florida State
95 Kyle Williams DL 6-2 295 LSU
98 Elvis Dumervil DE 6-0 254 Louisville
99 Parys Haralson DE 6-2 250 Tennessee

2006 Senior Bowl -- North Team Numerical Roster
Coaching Staff: Tennessee Titans

1 Will Blackmon CB 6-0 191 Boston College
1 Anwar Phillips CB 6-0 190 Penn State
2 Demetrius Williams WR 6-2 184 Oregon
4 Jahmile Addae SA 5-11 205 West Virginia
4 Travis Wilson WR 6-2 215 Oklahoma
6 Jay Cutler QB 6-3 219 Vanderbilt
6 Charlie Whitehurst QB 6-5 223 Clemson
8 Jason Avant WR 6-2 210 Michigan
8 Tye Hill CB 5-9 179 Clemson
9 Jerome Harrison RB 5-9 202 Washington St
11 Mike Bell RB 6-1 212 Arizona
12 Michael Robinson QB 6-2 215 Penn State
14 Daniel Bullocks SA 6-0 205 Nebraska
15 Martin Nance WR 6-4 212 Miami, OH
17 Lawrence Vickers FB 6-0 233 Colorado
18 Chad Greenway LB 6-3 243 Iowa
20 Anthony Smith SA 6-0 194 Syracuse
21 Maurice Stovall WR 6-4 236 Notre Dame
26 David Pittman DB 5-11 171 Northwestern St
27 Brian Iwuh LB 6-0 226 Colorado
28 Darrell Hunter CB 5-11 211 Miami, OH
29 John Torp P 6-1 222 Colorado
32 Cedric Humes RB 6-1 233 Virginia Tech
38 Terrence Whitehead RB 5-10 225 Oregon
40 Deric Yaussi K 5-11 199 Wyoming
42 Jon Alston LB 6-1 215 Stanford
44 Clint Ingram LB 6-1 236 Oklahoma
51 Abdul Hodge LB 6-1 231 Iowa
52 D’Qwell Jackson LB 6-1 227 Maryland
54 Marvin Philip OL 6-2 298 California
55 Nick Mangold OL 6-4 296 Ohio State
55 Darryl Tapp DE 6-2 266 Virginia Tech
56 Jonathan Lewis DL 6-1 308 Virginia Tech
56 Charles Spencer OL 6-5 330 Pittsburgh
61 Ryan O’Callaghan OL 6-7 363 California
66 D’Brickashaw Ferguson OL 6-5 295 Virginia
68 Mark Setterstrom OL 6-4 307 Minnesota
72 Jeremy Trueblood OL 6-8 319 Boston College
73 Daryn Colledge OL 6-4 295 Boise State
76 Deuce Lutui OL 6-5 375 USC
77 Davin Joseph OL 6-4 315 Oklahoma
78 Gabe Watson DL 6-3 335 Michigan
80 Derek Hagan WR 6-2 202 Arizona State
86 Dominique Byrd TE 6-3 260 USC
89 Joe Klopfenstein TE 6-5 245 Colorado
91 Tamba Hali DE 6-2 265 Penn State
94 Mathias Kiwanuka DE 6-6 258 Boston College
95 Victor Adeyanju DE 6-4 265 Indiana
96 Babatunde Oshinowo DL 6-2 320 Stanford
99 Dusty Dvoracek DL 6-3 302 Oklahoma

Top 100 NFL Prospects

2006-01-17T12:28:00.000-08:00

Okay, all juniors (and a couple sophomores) are in. Here is a look at the top 100 prospects available for the 2006 NFL Draft. Next chance for players to improve their stock is the All-Star bowls, then comes the combine. As always, this is not a prediction of the order players will ultimately get drafted, just my ranking. For a projection of how things could shake out, check out the latest mock draft.

1	Reggie Bush	RB	USC	6'0	200
2	Vince Young	QB	Texas	6'5	233
3	Matt Leinart	QB	USC	6'5	225
4	Mario Williams	DE	NC State	6'7	290
5	Haloti Ngata	DT	Oregon	6'4	345
6	Vernon Davis	TE	Maryland	6'3	253
7	DeAngelo Williams	RB	Memphis	5'10	217
8	AJ Hawk	LB	Ohio State	6'2	240
9	Jonathan Scott	OT	Texas	6'7	315
10	Mathias Kiwanuka	DE	Boston College	6'7	265
11	Michael Huff	FS/CB	Texas	6'1	200
12	Tamba Hali	DE	Penn State	6'3	265
13	Santonio Holmes	WR	Ohio State	5'11	190
14	Marcus McNeill	OT	Auburn	6'9	340
15	LenDale White	RB	USC	6'2	235
16	Elvis Dumervil	LB/DE	Louisville	6'0	256
17	Tye Hill	CB	Clemson	5'10	190
18	Demario Minter	CB	Georgia	6'0	195
19	DeMeco Ryans	OLB	Alabama	6'2	235
20	Jimmy Williams	CB/FS	Virginia Tech	6'2	210
21	Chad Greenway	OLB	Iowa	6'3	240
22	D'brickashaw Ferguson	OT	Virginia	6'5	289
23	Marcedes Lewis	TE	UCLA	6'6	256
24	Ashton Youboty	CB	Ohio State	6'1	185
25	Laurence Maroney	RB	Minnesota	5'11	205
26	Eric Winston	OT	Miami	6'7	312
27	Brodrick Bunkley	DT	Florida State	6'2	295
28	Darnell Bing	SS	USC	6'2	225
29	Derek Hagan	WR	Arizona State	6'2	200
30	Gabe Watson	DT	Michigan	6'4	335
31	Ko Simpson	FS	South Carolina	6'1	200
32	Jesse Mahelona	DT	Tennessee	6'2	300
33	Bobby Carpenter	OLB	Ohio State	6'3	255
34	Jeremy Trueblood	OT	Boston College	6'9	330
35	Manny Lawson	OLB/DE	NC State	6'5	245
36	Jay Cutler	QB	Vanderbilt	6'3	220
37	Pat Watkins	FS	Florida State	6'4	205
38	Rodrique Wright	DT	Texas	6'5	320
39	Jonathan Orr	WR	Wisconsin	6'2	195
40	Jonathan Jospeh	CB	South Carolina	5'11	185
41	Leonard Pope	TE	Georgia	6'7	250
42	Dee Webb	CB	Florida State	5'11	190
43	Abdul Hodge	ILB	Iowa	6'2	240
44	Daryn Colledge	OT	Boise State	6'5	295
45	Antonio Cromartie	CB	Florida State	6'3	205
46	Stanley McGlover	DE/OLB	Auburn	6'3	255
47	Winston Justice	OT	USC	6'5	310
48	Greg Eslinger	C	Minnesota	6'3	285
49	Brad Smith	WR	Missouri	6'2	215
50	Joseph Addai	RB	LSU	6'0	210
51	Hank Baskett	WR	New Mexico	6'4	220
52	Thomas Howard	OLB	UTEP	6'3	240
53	Alan Zamaitis	CB/FS	Penn State	6'2	200
54	Claude Wroten	DT	LSU	6'3	290
55	Max Jean-Gilles	OG	Georgia	6'4	340
56	Nick Mangold	C	Ohio State	6'4	290
57	Charles Gordon	CB	Kansas	5'11	180
58	Roman Harper	FS	Alabama	6'1	200
59	Maurice Drew	RB	UCLA	5'8	205
60	Jason Allen	FS/CB	Tennessee	6'2	200
61	Martin Nance	WR	Miami-Ohio	6'4	215
62	Jason Avant	WR	Michigan	6'1	210
63	Richard Marshall	CB	Fresno State	5'11	190
64	Davin Joseph	OG	Oklahoma	6'3	315
65	Devin Hester	CB	Miami	5'11	185
66	Mike Degory	C	Florida	6'5	300
67	Kai Parham	ILB	Virginia	6'3	245
68	Ryan O'Calaghan	OT	California	6'7	340
69	Will Blackmon	CB	Boston College	6'0	195
70	Daryl Tapp	DE	Virginia Tech	6'1	265
71	Nate Salley	S	Ohio State	6'2	215
72	Mike Hass	WR	Oregon State	6'1	205
73	D'Qwell Jackson	ILB	Maryland	6'1	230
74	Donte Whitner	S	Ohio State	5'11	205
75	Ray Edwards	DE	Purdue	6'6	270
76	Anthony Fasano	TE	Notre Dame	6'4	257
77	Andrew Whitworth	T/G	LSU	6'7	325
78	Garrett Mills	FB/TE	Tulsa	6'2	235
79	Bernard Pollard	SS	Purdue	6'2	222
80	Greg blue	FS	Georgia	6'2	215
81	Dominique Byrd	TE	USC	6'3	260
82	Kamerion Wimbley	DE/OLB	Florida State	6'4	255
83	Kelly Jennings	CB	Miami	5'11	180
84	AJ Nicholson	OLB	Florida State	6'2	235
85	Chad Jackson	WR	Florida	6'1	205
86	Parys Haralson	OLB/DE	Tennessee	6'2	250
87	John McCargo	DT	NC State	6'2	295
88	Joe Klopfstein	TE	Colorado	6'6	245
89	Omar Jacobs	QB	Bowling Green	6'4	224
90	Frostee Rucker	DE	USC	6'3	260
91	Greg Lee	WR	Pittsburgh	6'2	200
92	Taitusi Lutui	OG	USC	6'5	370
93	Freddie Roach	ILB	Alabama	6'2	245
94	Tim Jennings	CB	Georgia	5'8	180
95	Eric Henderson	DE	Georgia Tech	6'2	265
96	Todd Watkins	WR	BYU	6'3	185
97	Sinorice Moss	WR	Miamai	5'8	185
98	Demetrius Williams	WR	Oregon	6'2	185
99	Dion Byrum	CB	Ohio	5'11	180
100	Jerome Harrison	RB	Washington State	5'9	200

Declared Underclassmen

2006-01-16T15:15:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: This looks to be the final list. Waiting to hear about any last minute players when the NFL releases the official list. Prospects that don't sign with an agent have until the 18th to withdraw and go back to school.

Omar Jacobs, QB , Bowling Green
Brandon Kirsch, QB, Purdue
Marcus Vick, QB, Virginia Tech
Vince Young, QB, Texas

Cornell Brockington, RB, Connecticut
Reggie Bush, RB, USC
Brian Calhoun, RB, Wisconsin
Maurice Drew, RB, UCLA
Laurence Maroney , RB, Minnesota
Demetris Summers, RB, South Carolina
LenDale White, RB, USC

Santonio Holmes, WR , Ohio State
Chad Jackson , WR , Florida
Greg Lee, WR , Pittsburgh
Drouzon Quillen, WR, Louisianna-Monroe
Cory Rogers, WR, TCU
DJ Smith, WR, Idaho

Willie Hall, OT, Middle Tenn State
Winston Justice, OT, USC
Derek Morris, OT, NC State

Fred Matua, G, USC
Rob Smith, G, Tennessee

Vernon Davis, TE , Maryland
Leonard Pope, TE, Georgia
Anthony Fasano, TE , Notre Dame

Ray Edwards, DE , Purdue
Stanley McClover, DE, Auburn
Michael Williams, DE, Texas College
Mario Williams, DE, NC State

John McCargo, DT, NC State
Tony McDaniel, DT, Tennessee
Haloti Ngata, DT, Oregon

Kai Parham, ILB, Virginia

Paul Szczesny, OLB, Arizona State
Ernie Sims, OLB , Florida State
Stephen Tulloch, OLB, NC State

Antonio Cromartie, CB, Florida State
Charles Gordon, CB , Kansas
Devin Hester, CB, Miami
Jonathan Joseph, CB, South Carolina
Richard Marshall, CB, Fresno State
Derrick Martin, CB, Wyoming
Dee Webb, CB, Florida
Ashton Youboty, CB, Ohio State

Ko Simpson, FS , South Carolina

Darnell Bing, SS, USC
Danieal Manning, SS, Abilene Christian
Bernard Pollard, SS, Purdue
Donte Whitner, SS, Ohio State

49ers Staff to Coach Senior Bowl

2006-01-06T05:31:00.000-08:00

Good news to 49ers fans. Mike Nolan and the San Francisco 49ers coaching staff will coach the South team at the 2006 Senior Bowl. As Nolan indicates, coaching the Senior Bowl gives a team an advantage in the scouting department. Something like 95% of players who participate, get drafted.

“For us to have an opportunity to coach those guys and evaluate them first-hand in meetings, getting to know them, eating with them and doing all those things for an entire week puts us one up in the evaluation process.”

Phillip Rivers in the '04 draft and Carnell "Cadilac" Williams in '05 were selected by the teams that coached them in Mobile. It was widely reported at the time that both Marty Schottenheimer and Jon Gruden fell in love with their respective picks. There are probably a lot more instances of this happening, but I'm too lazy to look it up. I'll be keeping a close eye on players Nolan and company are raving about during the week.

The Tennessee Titans staff will coach the North squad.

Flurry of Underclassmen Declare for NFL

2006-01-03T22:58:00.000-08:00

Some notable names have made public their intentions of heading to the NFL. Here is the list of big name prospects so far, in order my rank. January 15th is the deadline to declare. After the Rose Bowl there should be some more names, such as; Reggie Bush, LenDale White, Darnell Bing and you can count Vince Young in for sure if Texas wins the National Championship (50/50 if they lose).

Mario Williams, DE, NC State
Vernon Davis, TE, Maryland
Laurence Maroney , RB, Minnesota
Santonio Holmes, WR Ohio State
Leonard Pope, TE, Georgia
Antonio Cromartie, CB, Florida State
Winston Justice, OT, USC
Maurice Drew, RB, UCLA
Greg Lee, WR Pittsburgh
Bernard Pollard, SS, Purdue
Ray Edwards, DE, Purdue
Devin Hester, CB, Miami

Williams, Davis, Maroney and Holmes were all expected and good decisions. Maurice Drew is a little surprising, but like Ryan Moats last year, staying in school won't help his stock. If you're looking for a 3rd or 4th round kick returner and change of pace back--Drew is your guy.

As always, too many players declare, hurting themselves in the long run. The earlier they declare, the more you have to wonder, like with Pollard and Edwards from Purdue. Other players I'd say made a bad call are Devin Hester and Greg Lee. Lee just hasn't progressed enough and could have improved his stock with a more consistent year. Hester has so much natural talent, it would really have benefited him to go back and dedicate himself to either CB or WR. As a corner his 4.3 speed could have put him in the PacMan Jones class. Now he may not get consideration inside the first two rounds or fall out of the first day altogether.

Antonio Cromartie is an interesting case. He has the talent to be the first CB selected. But after being injured all year, he has a lot to prove to scouts before the draft. If he checks out, he could sneak into the 1st round. If not he could fall out of the first day.

End of Season Mock Draft

2006-01-02T17:27:00.000-08:00

Okay, the draft order is pretty much set. Oakland won the coin toss today for the 6th pick, so SF will pick 7th. There is still a lot to be determined with underlassmen, but I included everyone who is leaning toward going pro. Remember, this is just a scenario that could play out in April. There are a lot of guys that will rise and fall based on various factors. My prospect lists are how good I think they are. The mock drafts are more of where I think players will go. And since there will be trades, I always include them, if the scenario is right.

I'll post my top 100 list, including underclassmen, after the declaration deadline has passed next week. For now, here's the first round at season's end. Plus a few bonus picks in round two for the sake of fans like me, with bad teams and to show the result from projected first round trades.

1 **RAIDERS** QB Vince Young* Texas
So much for the "Bush Bowl". If Young declares, he could go high...this high. He's oozing with talent, enough to overtake both Bush and Leinart. Houston has too many needs, least of which are RB or QB. Oakland moves up to get Young ahead of New York, Tennessee and New Orleans. Some fans might believe Andrew Walter is QB of the future, but Young is a slam dunk. Al Davis will make this happen if he wants it, and Young fits his pattern of physically dominant players. Oakland gives up their 2nd and 4th in'06 and 1st rounder in '07.

2 SAINTS QB Matt Leinart USC
Leinart isn't the specimen that Vince Young is, but he's a bigtime QB prospect. It could turn out better for him as he'll probably end up back in LA playing for the Saints.

3 **JETS** RB Reggie Bush* USC
Yep, he fell all the way to #3. The Jets don't hesitate to move up a spot to fend off other suitors and land Bush. They give up their 2nd rounder to Tennessee.

4 TITANS (from NYJ) OT D'Brickashaw Furguson Virginia
Same pick as in the November mock. Nothing has changed. I think Furguson is a little overrated, but seem to be alone in that. After a salary cap purge, they basically are starting over.

5 PACKERS DE Mario Williams* NC State
Tough call between DeAngelo and Mario. Mario has the measurables and plays the postion that’s harder to fill, so he gets the nod.

6 TEXANS (from OAK) NT Haloti Ngata* Oregon
Offensive tackle would be a popular pick here, but I think they have bigger issues on defense. Houston moved the ball pretty well and were a clutch kicker away from being a 6 or 7 win team. If the new coaching staff wants to run a 4-3, they will need more talent along the line. If not, Ngata is an upgrade at nose and well worth this slot.

7 49ers LB AJ Hawk Ohio State
SF has three starting free agents at linebacker. Need meets value as Hawk is the top linebacker in the draft.

8 BILLS DE Mathias Kiwanuka Boston College
You can pretty much pick the best player available for the Bills as they are in the middle of a salary cap purge and could use talent pretty much anywhere. Kiwi is the BPA here. CB Jimmy Williams or OT Jonathan Scott might be options as well.

9 **Chargers (from DET) OT Jonathan Scott Texas
QB is the first postion Detroit needs to figure out. They are too far out to trade into the top 3. The only other option is Rivers. San Diego could use another weapon on offense, but the value isn't there at WR. The line is paper thin.

10 CARDINALS FS/CB Jimmy Williams Virginia Tech
Williams would team with Wilson and Rolle to make one of the better young secondaries in the league. Don't be surprised if Denny swings a deal for Cullpepper, either.

11 RAMS CB Tye Hill Clemson
Speedburner. Looks to be the #1 prospect at CB if Jimmy Williams plays safety.

12 BROWNS NT Gabe Watson Michigan
Watson is the plug in the middle that Crennell needs to run his kind of defense.

13 RAVENS RB DeAngelo Williams Memphis
Jamal Lewis is a fee agent. Its rumored that either he or Ed Reed will get a new deal. That’s an easy decision.

14 EAGLES DT Rodrique Wright Texas
Wright may be the force Philly hoped Corey Simon would be for them right now.

15 FALCONS OLB Chad Greenway Iowa
Look for the Jim Mora to make a run at Julian Peterson who he coached in SF. If not Chad Greenway is a perfect fit and has it all at the linebacker position.

16 DOLPHINS CB Demario Minter Georgia
Minter's stock should be rising steadily. He's got size, speed and his play has been great. With Sam Madison on his way out, a CB will be a must for Miami.

17 VIKINGS RB Laurence Maroney* Minnesota
The Vikes could really look to clean some house. As it stands, Minny needs to get an identity. The local boy has already declared and could be a big part in that.

18 COWBOYS FS/CB Michael Huff Texas
As an avid Cowboy hater, it hurts me to give them such a fine prospect to complete Parcells' defense. Huff could be a riser if he shows the ability to play CB at the Senior Bowl.

19 CHARGERS WR Santonio Holmes Ohio State
Brees needs more weapons in the passing game. Holmes runs great routes and can make things happen after the catch. I think they'll be good pals.

20 CHIEFS WR Derek Hagan Arizona State
This pick hasn't changed since the last mock. KC still needs another legit threat in the passing game. Hagan doesn't have many weaknesses, if any.

21 PATRIOTS RB Michael Bush* Louisville
Michael Bush is a beast. He can run with power and moves extrememly well for a 240-pounder. Also a threat in the passing game. Belichick always finds a way to maximize his talent vs. the market. He's probably got quite a stock portfolio too. Thought about Demeco Ryans here, but he doesn't fit the scheme.

22 BRONCOS (via Wash) TE Vernon Davis* Maryland
If Davis declares, and he will, he'll be the first TE taken. Fast and strong, his only knock is height but he isn't short either (6' 3"). Could go much higher.

23 PANTHERS TE Leonard Pope* Georgia
Pope is a beast. Bigger and stronger than Marcedes Lewis, and should go before him if he declares.

24 BUCCANEERS OT Marcus McNeil Auburn
Cadilac is the future in Tampa. McNeil is the perfect component to build on that and a better pass blocker than his size would indicate.

25 BEARS TE Marcedes Lewis UCLA
Bears fans made it clear that TE fits in the spot, and I agree. Lewis should score a lot of touchdowns in Chicago.

26 BENGALS SS Darnell Bing* USC
This pick hasn't changed since November. Value meets neeed here. Bing is a substatial upgrade over Ohalete at SS.

27 STEELERS FS Ko Simpson* South Carolina
Word is Ko will make the jump if he gets a good grade from the draft committee. Chris Hope is a free agent not in Simpson's class. Simpson and Polamalu would make quite a tandem.

28 GIANTS CB Antonio Cromartie* Florida State
You'll probably see underclassmen corners declare due to the lack of seniors at the position. Cromartie is tall and fast, two things you can't teach corners. Will Allen is a free agent.

29 JAGUARS DE Tamba Hali Penn State
Del Rio puts a premium on the defensive line, and that formula has worked so far. He now looks for a stud on the edge.

30 BRONCOS OT Eric Winston Miami
Denver has the ability to go BPA here with two 1st-rounders. A potential franchise LT falls into their lap. If not for injuries, Winston probably goes top 10.

31 SEAHAWKS DT Claude Wroten LSU
One-gap tackle who makes tons of plays behind the line.

32 COLTS LB DeMeco Ryans Alabama
The rich get richer. Ryans should be an absulute stud in Dungy's cover two defense. He falls a little due to depth at linebacker and lack of measurables.

ROUND TWO
1 TEXANS OLB Elvis Dumervil Louisville
2 SAINTS C Greg Eslinger Minnesota
3 TITANS OLB Bobby Carpenter Ohio State
4 PACKERS RB LenDale White* USC
5 TEXANS (from Oak) OT Jeremy Trueblood Boston College
6 49ers CB/S Alan Zamaitis Penn State
7 TITANS (from NYJ) WR Hank Baskett New Mexico

2006 NFL Draft Order

2006-01-01T18:43:00.000-08:00

The 2005 regular season is in the books. Houston found a way to blow another game and land the #1 overall selection in the 2006 NFL Draft. Texans GM Charley Casserly managed to keep his job as the man who will make that selection. But not surprisingly, head coach Dom Capers will be fired tomorrow. San Francisco drops all the way to #7 with the win vs. Houston. What does this all mean? Well, there were a lot of bad teams in 2005. I can't remember seeing that many bad teams. The downside of parity, I guess.

The 31st and 32nd picks will be determined by who plays in Super Bowl XL. Teams with the same record and strength of schedule (SOS) are subject to a coin flip. So, it looks like SF/Oakland and Carolina/Tampa Bay will have a coin toss for the 6th and 23rd picks, unless Panthers or Bucs make the Super Bowl.

Team (W-L) SOS
1. Texans (2-14) .546
2. Saints (3-13) .523
3. Titans (4-12) .512
4. Jets (4-12) .527
5. Packers (4-12) .531
T6. 49ers (4-12) .539
T6. Raiders (4-12) .539
8. Bills (5-11) .500
9. Lions (5-11) .504
10. Cardinals (5-11) .508
11. Rams (6-10) .484
12. Browns (6-10) .508
13. Ravens (6-10) .523
14. Eagles (6-10) .531
15. Falcons (8-8) .492
16. Dolphins (9-7) .457
17. Vikings (9-7) .484
18. Cowboys (9-7) .523
19. Chargers (9-7) .559
20. Chiefs (10-6) .504
21. Patriots (10-6) .508
22. Broncos [from Wash] (10-6) .539
T23. Panthers (11-5) .449
T23. Buccaneers (11-5) .449
25. Bears (11-5) .457
26. Bengals (11-5) .477
27. Steelers (11-5) .492
28. Giants (11-5) .492
29. Jaguars (12-4) .465
30. Broncos (13-3) .500
31. *Seahawks (13-3) .430
32. *Colts (14-2) .457

Top 10: Safeties

2005-12-21T21:09:00.000-08:00

Mike Huff and Darnell Bing are the bluechippers of this class. Bing is pretty much a lock to declare. Jason Allen is potentially the #3 prospect after Huff and Bing, but has been out most of the season with a serious hip injury, so there's no telling how his stock will be affected. Dwayne Slay, my sleeper, is a huge hitter, but his speed is questionable. If he runs well, he could skyrocket.

1. Michael Huff (CB), Texas
2. Darnell Bing*, USC
3. Greg Blue, Georgia
4. Bernard Pollard*, Purdue
5. Pat Watkins, Florida State
6. Anthony Smith, Syracuse
7. Roman Harper, Alabama
8. Marcus Hudson, NC State
9. Nate Salley, Ohio State
10. Daniel Bullocks, Nebraska

Sleeper: Dwayne Slay, Texas Tech

Top 10: Defensive Tackles

2005-12-20T18:53:00.000-08:00

There is some serious size available at the defensive tackle position in 2006. It's pretty much a given that Haloti Ngata will declare this year after almost coming out in '05. He's a beast, but he isn't alone. Five of the following prospects tip the scales at over 320 lbs. Ngata and Gabe Watson are closer to 350.

1. Haloti Ngata*, Oregon
2. Jesse Mahelona, Tennessee
3. Rodrique Wright, Texas
4. Gabe Watson, Michigan
5. Claude Wroten, LSU
6. Broderick Bunkley (DE), Florida State
7. Johnathan Lewis, Virginia Tech
8. Babatunde Oshinowo, Stanford
9. Dusty Dvoracek (DE), Oklahoma
10. Manase Hapoi (DE), Washington

Sleeper: Steve Fifita, Utah

Top 10: Guards/Centers

2005-12-18T14:39:00.000-08:00

Interior Linemen aren't my specialty. If you want a more in-depth look, try northwestscouting.com. Here are the guys that stand out.

Guards:
1. Davin Joseph, Oklahoma
2. Max Jean-Gilles, Georgia
3. Rob Sims, Ohio State
4. Taitusi Lutui, USC
5. Mark Setterstrom, Minnesota
6. Matt Lentz, Michigan
7. Aaron Lips, Louisianna Tech
8. Will Allen, Texas
9. Adam Stenavich, Michigan
10. Aldo De La Garza, Texas A&M

Sleeper: Dartagnon Shack, Fresno State

Centers:
1. Greg Eslinger, Minnesota
2. Kyle Young*, Fresno State
3. Nick Mangold, Ohio State
4. Mike Degory, Florida
5. Ryan Cook, New Mexico
6. Donovan Raiola, Wisconsin
7. Pat Ross, Boston College

Top 10: Inside Linebackers

2005-12-16T13:39:00.000-08:00

A.J. Hawk is the only legit 1st rounder that could play inside right now. So I have him listed at MLB, because his value is higher in that regard. Now, if Posluszny and Brooks declare, there will be triple the 1st round talent available. Though, I don't see it likely that both declare. Brooks is a possibility despite his injury plagued year and reported 270 lbs. He could throw down some great workouts in the Shawne Merriman ('05 Chargers) mold.

1. A.J. Hawk, Ohio State
2. Paul Posluszny*, Penn State
3. Ahmad Brooks*, Virginia
4. Abdul Hodge, Iowa
5. Freddie Roach, Alabama
6. D'Qwell Jackson, Maryland
7. Tim McCarigle, Northwestern
8. Spencer Havner, UCLA
9. Trent Bray, Oregon State
10. Tim Dobbins, Iowa State

Sleeper: William Freeman, Furman

Reggie a lock?

2005-12-10T15:50:00.000-08:00

Is Reggie Bush a lock for the #1 pick in the NFL Draft? In the words of college football analyst Lee Corso, "Not so fast, my friend." Yes, Reggie is exciting, sensational, breathtaking and any other adjective you can think of. He's minutes away from winning the Heisman Trophy. His hype is through the roof, similar to USC quarterback Matt Leinart this time last year. But for running backs in this era, especially those who lack prototype NFL size and power, the #1 pick remains as elusive as Reggie himself. Despite what talking heads around the football nation are saying, Reggie is not a lock.

Forget the little fact that he heasn't declared yet. It would be shocking to see him back at USC next year. The biggest hurdle for Reggie right now, is teammate Matt Leinart. Quarterbacks have owned the #1 slot. Seven of the last eight #1's have been QBs. When teams are built, QB is the first spot teams look at. It's the money position.

One player the media likes to compare Reggie to is former Heisman winner, Barry Sanders. Afterall, they play a similar brand of football, and dominated the college game with ease. The 2006 draft is shaping up much like the year Sanders came out--1989. In '89 Sanders went 3rd overall to the Lions. Who went first? Troy Aikman--a quarterback in the Leinart mold. As amazing as Sanders was, you can't argue with the choice of Aikman. He was the leader of a Dallas Cowboys team that went on to win three Super Bowls, being named MVP of the 1993 game.

Who went second in 1989? Tony Madarich--okay that was a really bad call, and a topic for another discussion. The importance of the combine, though, should not be underestimated. It's what helped guys like Madarich catapult to the top of draft boards. Reggie probably won't do much at the combine, except one thing-- weigh in. If he shows up at 5'11" and 195, he can kiss the #1 spot goodbye. No GM will drop that kind of cash on, potentially, the next Eric Metcalf. Now, if he weighs in at 6'0" and 215, while still running a 40 yard dash in the 4.3 range at his Pro-Day, there will be tough choices to make. Even at that size, former Auburn runner Cadillac Williams (#5 pick in '05) saw his back-up, Ronnie Brown, go three spots ahead of him. Brown ran extremely well at the combine while weighing in at over 230 lbs. Adding Vince Young to the mix, who is said to be re-thinking his situation, would only complicate things further. At 6'5" with tons of speed, Young could cause quite a stir during pre-draft workouts.

There is still quite a bit to be determined. The college football season may be coming to a close, but the draft season is barely beginning. Stay tuned.

Top 10: Tight Ends

2005-12-09T20:02:00.000-08:00

Tight end is potentially a very deep position in 2006. If Vernon Davis declares, he'll be the first off the board. His athleticism is unrivaled at the position. Leonard Pope is another talented junior, who is neck and neck with Marcedes Lewis for the next spot. All three are first round talents, but one could end up a steal at the top of round 2. Garrett Mills is an interesting prospect who leads all NCAA TEs in catches (by 25), but is built more like a fullback, and will probably play there in the NFL.

1. Vernon Davis*, Maryland
2. Marcedes Lewis, UCLA
3. Leonard Pope*, Georgia
4. Joe Klopfenstein, Colorado
5. Dominique Byrd, USC
6. Garrett Mills (FB), Tulsa
7. Greg Estandia, UNLV
8. Tim Day, Oregon
9. Jeff King, Virginia Tech
10. David Thomas, Texas

Top 10: Defensive Ends

2005-12-08T12:34:00.000-08:00

When motivated, Mario Williams is the most talented end in college football. His counterpart, Mathias Kiwanuka, is the more consistent player who scouts will fall in love with at the Senior Bowl.. It will be interesting to see how they perform in postseason workouts. There should be a good run of situational ends in the second and third rounds, a couple of which could end up being steals. Even with tweeners like Dumervil, Lawson and Wimbley probably playing linebacker in the NFL, this is a fairly strong class.

1. Mario Williams*, NC State
2. Mathias Kiwanuka, Boston College
3. Tamba Hali, Penn State
4. Darryl Tapp, Virginia Tech
5. Eric Henderson, Georgia Tech
6. Ray Edwards*, Purdue
7. Frostee Rucker, USC
8. Parys Haralson (LB), Tennessee
9. Victor Adeyanju, Indiana
10. Mike Kudla, Ohio State

Sleepers: Chris Gocong, Cal Poly

Top 10: Wide Receivers

2005-12-08T11:39:00.000-08:00

There are no marquee senior wideouts available in '06. There are some good players, but depending on underclassmen, we might see the fewest go in the first round in years. A couple college quarterbacks (Brad Smith, Reggie Mcneal) could also make an impact at wide receiver in the NFL, helping this class look a little stronger. Teams looking for an impact WR might look to free agency.

1. Santonio Holmes*, Ohio State
2. Derek Hagan, Arizona State
3. Jarrett Hicks*, Texas Tech
4. Greg Lee*, Pittsburgh
5. Steve Smith*, USC
6. Hank Baskett, New Mexico
7. Brad Smith, Missouri
8. Jonathan Orr, Wisconsin
9. Mike Hass, Oregon State
10. Todd Watkins, BYU

Sleepers: Clinton Soloman, Iowa -- Greg Jennings, Western Michigan

Top 10: Offensive Tackles

2005-12-05T23:16:00.000-08:00

2006 is the best OT class in recent memory. There is literally tons of talent from the top five down. Furguson gets all the hype, but there are a couple guys I like even more--mostly due to their superior size and strength. There are some potential 2nd/3rd round steals along with some very solid mid-round luchpail types. If you're looking for an OT--and who isn't--this is your year.

1. Marcus McNeil, Auburn
2. Jonathan Scott, Texas
3. D'brickashaw Furguson, Virginia
4. Jeremy Trueblood, Boston College
5. Eric Winston, Miami
6. Winston Justice*, USC
7. Daryn Colledge, Boise State
8. Andrew Whitworth, LSU
9. Ryan O'Callaghan, California
10. Joe Toledo, Washington

Sleepers: Brad Butler, Virginia