The famous ‘We Are All Witnesses’ Nike campaign that kicked off a few years ago, featuring LeBron James, rabidly ran through James’ hometown of Cleveland, highlighted by a giant billboard adorning his image outside of the Landmark Office Building, across the street from LeBron’s former place of employment, ‘The Q’. Cribbs was crafty enough to photoshop a picture of himself in action with the phrase ‘True To My Word’ appearing next to it.

It is what it is, Cleveland. You should have felt blessed to watch LeBron for the time you did and now it’s time for a return to mediocrity, a place where 80% of NBA franchises live. It was a good run but the fact remains that the best players in the NBA refused to join LeBron because the city of Cleveland was such an unattractive place to play.

At least he didn’t take the franchise with him like Art Modell. Speaking of which, there is always football season to look forward to. Right?

Henderson was the #1 player in his class for much of his extremely successful high school career at Cretin- Derham HS in Minnesota and was considered the best offensive tackle in the country by many publications. Henderson’s recruitment was riddled with controversy ad it was unclear if he would have been eligible to play immediately at USC due to possible NCAA infractions. Now it looks as though Henderson will never line up for the Trojans.

Kiffin has been adamant about only wanting football players in the Trojans locker room that truly want to be on the USC campus and have no reservations about playing for his coaching staff. Henderson was apparently not “all-in” therefore he will be out looking for a new place to call home immediately.

Kiffin and USC had the ability to limit Henderson’s choice of universities but took the high road and will allow him to sign with any football program in the country, including PAC-10 schools. It is believed that Henderson’s next stop will most likely be the University of Miami where he was reportedly seen over the weekend taking an unofficial visit.

Henderson was the gem of Kiffin’s first recruiting class at USC and would have had the opportunity to contend for a starting spot along the offensive line immediately had he decided to stay with the Trojans, who face a two year Bowl ban after an exhausting NCAA investigation that centered around Reggie Bush.

The coach is Mack Brown and the program is the University of Texas.

Texas topped the list of money makers for the 2008-09 school year and did it in spectacular fashion. Their $65 million profit was $20 million more than the second best cash cow in the country, the Ohio State Buckeyes. Brown, whose wife is a highly respected real estate agent in the Austin area, received a $2 million bonus after leading the Longhorns to their second BCS Championship game in five years during the 2009 season. He will reportedly make $5 million a year through the life of his contract, which runs through 2016.

While most pundits will question how a coach can’t win in football-rich Texas, Brown’s supporters will point to the 20-year lull in success the Longhorns faced before Brown stepped on campus. With success on the field comes success in every financial area. More fans equal more parking, concession sales and season ticket holders. More wins equal more jersey sales and booster contributions.

But the most important cliché Brown has avoided during his tenure in Texas: More money equals more problems. A few of Brown’s players - Vince Young, Cedric Benson - may have had a few run-ins with the law after leaving Austin but Brown has avoided the big scandal that paralyzes many big time programs. Because of that, along with his success on the field, you would have to consider Brown’s contract as one of the best deals in college football today.

The only BCS programs to lose money during the 08-09 school year were UConn, Wake Forest, Syracuse and Duke. Rutgers broke even.

The rest of the Top 10 Money Makers (in Millions):
2. Georgia: $45.38
3. Florida: $43.29
4. Penn State: $42.63
5. LSU: $39.12
6. Notre Dame: $38.18
7. Alabama: $38.16
8. Nebraska: $37.29
9. South Carolina: $37.23
10. Ohio State: $35.89

We first talked about Galea after he was charged with unlawful distribution and smuggling of HGH. He was also charged with illegally treating athletes. While Galea is facing ramifications for his role in treating athletes, it is unclear whether the athletes he treated with face any discipline from their employers.

Moss caught 70 balls for 902 yards last season to go along with 3 touchdowns. This is the last thing the Redskins need going into a summer in which the entire city is fired up about their resurgence. With new quarterback Donovan McNabb in the mix, the Redskins are primed for a playoff run but also have to make their way through the hardest division in football.

Every week leading up to the football season we’ll do a coast-to-coast look at what’s happening on college campuses while we get ready for a huge 2010 season. We’ll usually focus on one or two teams from every major conference in the nation as well as a few non-BCS programs that have a shot to crash the party next January. We’ll also provide you with blogs for each team. Let’s go!

ACC

Florida State prepares for its first season in the post-Bowden era (1976-2009). While it’s easy to assume the Seminoles will keep rolling along and improve on their 7-6 record with the return of QB Christian Ponder, it’s also easy to forget Bowden turned what used to be a women’s college into a perennial national title contender over the course of his career. Ponder will get an opportunity to prove himself immediately in a September 11th showdown at Oklahoma followed by a rematch with BYU in Tallahassee.

Florida State fans are dying for an electrifying playmaker on the defensive side of the ball and are turning to sophomore cornerback Greg Reid to fulfill their need for speed. After leading the nation in punt returns last season Jimbo Fisher’s staff is considering moving Reid to the offensive side of the ball in certain packages. The ‘Noles need to find a game-breaker or someone who simply strikes fear into the opposing defensive coordinator’s heart in order to start piling up the big plays that defined the championship-level FSU teams of the late-90’s. Reid might be the right man for the job.

Big East

Randy Edsall’s recruiting classes have never been number one in the conference. Matter of fact, they hardly break out of the Big East basement on National Signing Day. Somehow, year in and year out, the Huskies find a way to defeat the so-called four star recruits on the opposite sidelines. Wins against Notre Dame, South Florida and South Carolina proved the young Huskies could play with anybody, regardless of how many stars were next to their name in high school. That’s why Edsall doesn’t take Rivals, ESPNU or any other recruiting service too seriously when that important day rolls around every year.

UConn lost five games by a total of 15 points last season. Combine those heartbreakers with the loss of team leader Jasper Howard in the middle of the season and you have a 2009 season that transformed the Huskies from a young team that was vulnerable to miscues into a team that can handle any situation, adversity or controversy put in their way. Think Edsall’s program be out to prove something when they travel to Ann Arbor to face a Michigan team led by Rich Rodriguez, a coach that annually ran the score up on the Huskies while he was at West Virginia?

Big Ten

Penn State will have a new look head coach this season. No, you didn’t miss the retirement of Joe Paterno during the offseason. But you may have missed the doctor’s appointment that made the eyes of Penn State Football even better. Paterno got laser surgery and will not be sporting the trademark Coke bottle frames that America has fallen in love with over the last few decades. Not only does Joe-Pa have a full head of thick hair, now he’s going back to relying on his own two eyes. You get the feeling that the legend might live -and coach- forever.

Senior RB Evan Royster only needs 481 yards to pass Curt Warner and become Penn State’s all-time leading rusher. Royster decided to return for his senior season, a surprising move for a running back that has a ton of mileage on his legs. The Nittany Lions weren’t as lucky on the defensive side of the ball with the loss of linebacker Navarro Bowman to the NFL, who was drafted by the 49ers in the third round of an extremely deep Draft in April.

Big 12

Contrary to what the media has been telling us all spring, the Oklahoma Sooners are not breaking in a fresh face at the quarterback position. The bumps and bruises fans expect out of a new quarterback came unexpectedly last season as Landry Jones was forced into action early after Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford went down with a bum shoulder. Jones looked like a dear in headlights during that first game against BYU but put together a decent season. He had four games in which he threw for 3 or more touchdowns as well as a season high 392 yards against Texas A&M. His five interceptions against Nebraska was his lowest point of the season and coach Bob Stoops is surely doing everything in his power over the summer to stop another rollercoaster season from taking place.

16 out of the 29 recruits Stoops will bring on to campus this fall have a listed forty time in the 4.5 or 4.4 range. Even though some of these athletes have a ways to go before they become solid contributors in the Big 12, there is no doubt Oklahoma will have enough depth to make practices a constant competition. One of the biggest reasons other conferences have trouble competing against the SEC and BIG 12 is the lack of speed they compete against during the week. If you can’t get a good look in practice, game speed becomes a shock and teams can find themselves down 21-0 in a hurry.

PAC-10

Jeremiah Masoli was supposed to be preparing himself for a run at the Heisman Trophy. He was supposed to be putting on a show for the Oregon fans that cheered his name from the first time he juked an opposing defender out of his jock. He was supposed to be the tenor of one of the finest offensive orchestras college football has ever seen. Instead, he was sitting there with his mitts inside a warm pouch, trying not to yawn as he watched as the Oregon Ducks held their annual spring game. As this New York Times article describes, Masoli is the face of the Ducks program for all the wrong reasons.

With LaMichael James suspended for the first game of the season due to -guess what? - off-field transgressions, true freshman Lache Seastrunk will get an immediate opportunity to prove himself. He won’t have the best opponent in New Mexico but Seastrunk might be able to show that he is every bit as worthy as James was last year, when he took over the ball carrying duties after LaGarrette Blount landed his infamous straight right to the jaw of a Boise State lineman. Seastrunk was the highest rated player in the Ducks recruiting class and reminds some scouts of a young Jahvid Best. He and James can form a deadly 1-2 punch for Oregon, who will need production out of their running backs with Masoli on the sidelines for the year.

SEC

Arkansas received a huge scare in February, one that they would have gladly gone without, when star quarterback Ryan Mallett broke his foot. He wasn’t able to take part in the Razorbacks’ spring practice sessions but told John Saunders that he was about to be 100% on College Football Live. As strange as it sounds, an injury that doesn’t require major surgery can be the best thing that happens to a player, especially a quarterback. Mallett said he spent the majority of his down time in the film room and was probably able to see things he might have missed had he been focused on performing in the upcoming practices. With a healthy Mallett running their offense, everybody in the country expects Arkansas to be one of the most dangerous offenses in the nation.

Bobby Petrino brought this one upon himself. After putting his house in East Fayetteville, AR on the market for a little over $2 million, Petrino and Razorback officials had to answer questions about whether it was a sign that the coach had one foot out the door already. Arkansas released a statement saying Petrino would like to sell one of his properties because of the market but you can’t blame Razorbacks fans for being a little suspicious considering Petrino’s history of making quick escapes.

Non-BCS

Boise State will steal all the headlines going into the 2010 season, and rightfully so, but Texas Christian will also be in the mix once January rolls around. The Horned Frogs only lose two starters on an offense led by senior QB Andy Dalton who knows this could be his best chance at winning a BCS bowl game. They have to replace defensive end Jerry Hughes but that’s the beauty about recruiting in Texas. There are enough athletes to go around and you can turn a big athlete into a pass rushing specialist quicker than you can turn him into a quarterback.

TCU will get a chance to prove itself early in the 2010 season. They open the season at Cowboy Stadium against Oregon State, one of the most underrated programs in the nation over the past five years. The Horned Frogs will be hard pressed to keep Jacquizz Rodgers in check but they do get a break as the Beavers break in a new quarterback. Sean Canfield was a silent assassin last year and may have opened more holes for Rodgers than their offensive line. Now, Quiz and Co. will have to make things happen without him. You better believe TCU will do everything in their power to open the season by giving Rodgers a rude awakening instead of becoming his first victim on the way to a Heisman Trophy run.

Cushing did not fail any tests at the Scouting Combine and has never been a part of the league’s substance abuse program but he will now have to carry that stigma for the rest of his career. Unlike baseball, we excuse our warriors for their use of steroids, only asking them to accept their penalty and play their hearts out when they return.

Most of the time in sports your eyes don’t fool you. If a guy doesn’t look ‘natural’ in today’s day and age, the chances are about 98% that he isn’t. There are always going to be physical freaks but those guys don’t develop muscle mass overnight.

THE TEST

We know that this failed test happened while Brain Cushing was in the NFL but when was the last time the NCAA caught a prominent football player for the use of steroids? We would be ignorant to think that a player only begins to use steroids when they reach the NFL, when most of the time it is the exact opposite. They use steroids in order to chase the dream and put themselves ahead of the competition at the college level, hoping to find that pot of gold on Draft day.

If you live close enough to a college campus and are a football fan, you can do your own little test. You don’t have to live in Ann Arbor or Palo Alto in order for this test to work either. Colin and I live next to -and work out with a lot of the players from- Central Connecticut State University, a small 1-AA school. The test is as fool proof at these programs as they are anywhere else. A friend of mine, who played on a 1-AA National Championship team in this decade, estimated about 20% of all scholarship players were on steroids.

Go to the first game of the season and take pictures of all the freshmen on the roster. Make sure you get a few shots of their mug so you can compare neck size and swelling down the road. Take a few of the guys that you think have already been anointed by the coaching staff as the next big thing. Then, visit campus with those pictures for the ‘Spring Game’ during their sophomore season. You won’t be able to recognize half of the pictures you hold in your hand.

Most of the time, a college weight program is the first professional program a football player will get on. Unfortunately, this isn’t the only thing he’ll be on. Steroids are talked about in a college football locker room as much as the women from the night before. Maybe not as loudly, but just as frequently. They have become as common as the pigskin itself throughout the college game -at all levels- but we still live by the ‘ignorance is bliss’ attitude as we scan through 25 different games throughout the week.

Steroids, when used properly, can be as helpful of a drug as there is on the market. Like anything else though, when it’s abused the consequences can be deadly. There should be mandatory classes on the safest possible way to take steroids for every football player at the NCAA level. The class should also go in-depth about the long term risks and health problems associated with the abuse of PEDs.

There will become a point when the NCAA concedes the fact that steroid use is a problem that isn’t going to be stopped -or deterred- with the threat of random testing. As long as there’s a multi-million dollar carrot to be dangled by NFL franchises, players will do anything they have to in order to grab it. Once the NCAA realizes more can be done by education than scare tactics, we’ll start seeing a cleaner game.

We won’t hold our breath.

Although he spent a short time with the Oakland franchise, he was a polarizing personality from the start. After signing a rookie contract that paid him a guaranteed $39 million dollars, questions about the former LSU Tigers’ work ethic and football IQ started to swirl. As his inconsistency on the field became the only consistent characteristic about Russell, his inability to understand what it took to be a leader in the NFL was evident.

It is extremely hard to imagine another NFL franchise taking a flier on the 6′6″, 270lb quarterback, especially since the prime candidate to take a chance on a strong-armed quarterback that can throw the football 60 yards from his knees, but also has a poor work ethic and attitude problems, is the Oakland Raiders. Generally, the backup quarterback has a firm grasp on the offense and can at least help the starter break down film.

Starting quarterbacks in the NFL have enough on their plate from week to week. They don’t need the responsibility of teaching a bonus baby - one that threw away his chance with a nonchalant attitude toward the game - about the nuances of the game and what to watch for in the film room. Any team that has a young starter will also be hesitant because they would hate to see his habits rub off on their own projects.

Russell finds himself in an extremely difficult situation but he has no one to blame but himself. The same can be said -and it’s been said a million times before - for the Raiders.

From the press release:

“Approximately 3:54am on today’s date, May 6th, this department (Ramapo, NY) received a call from the NYPD in reference to a possible rape that may have occurred in the Holidome (Holiday Inn), which is located in the village of Montebello within the confines of the town of Ramapo. The officers responded, they interviewed and investigated the individual that answered the door, who identified himself as Mr. Lawrence Taylor. Subsequent investigation LT was charged with rape in the third degree. It’s an ‘E’ felony. Rape in the third degree states, ‘a being 24 in years or more engages in sexual intercourse with another person under the age of 17. A being 21 years old or more engages in sexual intercourse with a person that is less than 17 years of age.’ Rape-3, as I mentioned before, is a Class-E felony, punishable with confinement to a state prison with a term not to exceed four years. Mr. Taylor is also charged with patronizing a prostitute in the third degree. The law states, ‘a person is guilty of patronizing a prostitute when being over 21 years of age patronizes a prostitute and that prostitute is under 17 years of age.’ The investigation indicates that Mr. Taylor engaged in sexual intercourse with a child less than 17, for which he paid the victim $300. As the (police) supervisor mentioned, the victim is alleged to be 16 years of age. She was reported missing to the NYPD in March of this year. Mr. Taylor gave the arresting officers an address 532 Onclave Circle, Pembroke Pines FL. This is an ongoing investigation and we are working in conjunction with the NYPD.”

Peter Brower, Ramapo’s chief of police, when asked about the victim’s age in accordance with the crime, said that “ignorance is not an excuse” when it comes to sexual crimes. He also said there was no trace of drugs, but there was alcohol in the room and L.T. did not appear intoxicated. Brower also explained that LT was “very cooperative and he was very concerned about any allegations of injury to the victim and we have no evidence to indicate that he caused any injury to the victim.”

Wow. Where do you go with this? Anybody who is surprised that Lawrence Taylor has put himself in this situation obviously hasn’t followed his career, post-career or life in general that closely. LT has been in and out of trouble since his retirement, with many of his run-ins stemming from the use of drugs and alcohol. None of his prior arrests have been a result of a violent crime and this doesn’t seem to be one either. The allegation of ‘rape’ in this case stems from the age of the prostitute and it doesn’t seem as though the victim was forced to do anything against her will. None of that makes this an excusable offense, by any means, just facts.

We’ll follow this sad, mess of a story as more information comes out.

Picks: (1) #24 Dez Bryant WR, (2) #55 Sean Lee LB, (4) #126 Akwasi Owusu-Ansah CB, (6) #179 Sam Young OT, (6) #196 Jamar Wall CB, (7) #234 Sean Lissemore DT

Overview: Jerry Jones wasn’t scared away by Bryant’s sketchy past, and there really doesn’t seem to be a reason anyone should have been. That said, he slipped and the ‘Boys took advantage. He makes their wide receiving corps better immediately. Lee is a very sure-handed tackler and Owusu-Ansah was one of the best small-school prospects available. He will help a Dallas secondary that looked old and slow at time last season. Owusu-Ansah and Mike Jenkins will change that. Young never lived up to the hype at Notre Dame but as a sixth rounder he’s not much of a risk.

Grade: B

New York

Picks: (1) #15 Jason Pierre-Paul DE, (2) #46 Linval Josepj DT, (3) #76 Chad Jones S, (4) #115 Phillip Dillard ILB, (5) #147 Mitch Petrus OG, (6) #184 Adrian Tracy OLB, (7) #221 Matt Dodge P

Overview: The defensive line was their main strength when they won the Super Bowl and the Giants are looking to build it back up to its menacing old form. Pierre-Paul is a freak athlete but needs to fine his game while Joseph may be ready to contribute into the New York’s scheme immediately. Jones may be the most important pick though. If he can lay the lumber and bring some jazz to the return game, the Giants will be in business. He allows Aaron Ross to move to corner full-time as well. Petrus has always been considered one of the better guard prospects in the country. Dodge was one of three punters drafted.

Grade: B

Philadelphia

Picks: (1) #13 Brandon Graham OLB, (2) #37 Nate Allen S, (3) #86 Daniel Te’o-Nesheim DE, (4) #105 Trevard Lindley CB, (4) #121 Keenan Clayton OLB, (4) #122 Michael Kafka QB, (4) #125 Clay Harbor TE, (5) #134 Ricky Sapp DE, (5) #159 Riley Cooper WR, (6) #200 Charles Scott RB, (7) #220 Jamar Chaney ILB, (7) #243 Jeff Owens DT, (7) #244 Kurt Coleman S

Overview: Regardless of how you feel about some of their other offseason moves, the Eagles seemed to get value with everyone of their picks. Graham might have gone off the board a little early but every other player selected has made a big impact in the college game in one way or another. Philly fans applauded the Kafka choice, but the quarterback out of Northwestern is far from ready to play at the NFL level. The Eagles have gone with a youth movement so look for players like Cooper, Scott, Sapp, Allen, Graham and Harbor to get a look early and often.

Grade: B-

Washington

Picks: (1) #4 Trent Williams OT, (4) #103 Perry Riley OLB, (6) #174 Dennis Morris TE, (7) #219 Terrence Austin WR, (7) #229 Eric Cook OG, (7) #231 Selvish Capers OT

Overview: Although they didn’t have a ton of picks, the Redskins got their job done. In Williams, they got a guy who can step in and help a depleted offensive line. Capers might be able to do the same thing on the right side. Dan Snyder and the Skins don’t live and die by the draft. They do that in free agency. They got Donovan McNabb via that route and if you look at this thing the way Colin does, they did a pretty good job.

Grade: B-

Picks: (3) #75 Major Wright S, (4) #109 Corey Wootton DE, (5) #141 Joshua Moore CB, (6) #181 Dan LeFevour QB, (7) #218 J’marcus Webb OT

Overview: Chicago didn’t have a plethora of picks but they got value with many of them. Wright is athletic enough to have been considered as a second round selection by some at points in his career and the same can be said for Wootton. LeFevour can learn under Jay Cutler and Mike Matrz’s offense might fit his athleticism perfectly.

Grade: B-

Detroit

Picks: (1) #2 Ndamukong Suh DT, (1) #30 Jahvid Best RB, (3) #66 Amari Spievey CB, (4) #128 Jason Fox OT, (7) #213 Willie Young DE, (7) #255 Tim Toone WR

Overview: The Lions had one of the best Drafts in the NFL. Suh will be a staple in their defense for the next decade and trading up to get Best was a brilliant move. Best brings athleticism and excitement that nobody on their current roster gives them. Spievey gives them athleticism at corner and possibly in the return game. Fox never lived up to the hype at Miami but has great size and length. The Lions addressed many of their issues through the Draft which is what they will have to do in order to become a factor in the league from now on.

Grade: A-

Green Bay

Picks: (1) #23 Bryan Bulaga OT, (2) #56 Michael Neal DT, (3) #71 Morgan Burnett S, (5) #154 Andrew Quarless TE, (5) #169 Marshall Newhouse OG, (6) #193 James Starks RB, (7) #230 C.J. Wilson DE

Overview: Aaron Rodgers was the happiest man in the room when the Packers were able to get Bulaga at such a premium price. Bulaga doesn’t have as much experience as the other big name tackles that went before him in the Draft but he does have a ton of athleticism and great footwork that can be coached into a Pro Bowl-type player. Burnett will help with defensive depth immediately while Starks could be one of the biggest steals in this year’s class. 2010 will be his first full season off a torn ACL but if the Packers are patient they could have another game-changing back on their hands.

Grade: B

Minnesota

Picks: (2) #34 Chris Cook CB, (2) #51 Toby Gerhart RB, (4) #100 Everson Griffen DE, (5) #161 Chris DeGeare OG, (5) #167 Nathan Triplett ILB, (6) #199 Joe Webb WR, (7) #214 Mickey Shuler TE, (7) #237 Ryan D’Imperio

Overview: The Vikings may have reached a little bit on Cook but they got great value with Gerhart and Griffen. Gerhart will be an immediate impact in the backfield with Adrian Peterson next season and should give the Vikings insurance in case anything was to happen with Peterson. Griffen is an athletic freak that can cause problems for opposition in certain packages, opposite Jared Allen. The top three picks aren’t fantastic by themselves but when you put them with Minnesota’s cast of stars they become impact personnel.

Grade: B-

New Orleans’ former security director, Geoffrey Santini, turned over files to the feds before resigning from his position with the Saints last August. Santini, a former FBI agent, demanded a $2 million settlement from the Saints before doing so. In return, Santini offered to keep his findings quiet. The Saints have repeatedly said the lawsuit has no merit and they are not afraid to let federal authorities do their job.

The use of prescription drugs by former and current professional football players is not something that comes as a surprise to most people,but the abuse and theft of such controlled substances from the team’s personal drug locker would be a new one. General Manager Mickey Loomis reportedly put a hidden camera in the trainer’s office to order to catch the culprit that had stolen close to 100 pills earlier in the week. The next day, the camera supposedly caught Vitt, who was prescribed the medication, going into the drug locker and taking 8 pills. The camera caught him taking 12 pills the next day.

Anyone involved with the NFL has access to pain management doctors that prescribe painkillers like vicodin, oxycodone and oxycontin. We would be foolish to think that some of these players and coaches don’t abuse the privilege of having such highly trained personnel at their service, but you would also think each team, individually, has a program in place to keep problems in house and deal with abusers on a case to case basis. Every NFL team is responsible for reporting every pill that is dispensed, in accordance with state and federal law.

Peter King’s article on the subject is excellent. While he keeps his distance from making accusations, he also reports the story in detail. The accusation can go a number of different ways. Nobody would be surprised if the DEA does a full investigation that takes months to finish or simply takes the evidence and makes sure the Saints keep better records.

The worst thing that could happen for all parties is for the Saints to counter Santini’s lawsuit with one of their own in order to prove their innocence. It would keep this story in the public eye for a longer period of time than is necessary and would also give Santini a podium to make his accusations public. Santini has already named his price which makes one doubt his moral stance on the situation. Now it becomes a matter of how headstrong he becomes in the prosecution of the men accused.

Picks: (1) #22 Demaryius Thomas WR, (1) #25 Tim Tebow QB, (2) #45 Zane Beadles OG, (3) #80 Zane Beadles OG, (3) #87 Eric Decker WR, (5) #137 Perrish Cox CB, (6) #183 Eric Olsen C, (7) #225 Syd’Quan Thompson CB, (7) #232 Jammie Kirlew DE
Overview: They traded Brandon Marshall before the draft so they got Thomas, who is a stud. They needed a franchise leading quarterback with character so they drafted Tebow and plan on fixing his mechanical issues. They need to protect the passer more so they bulked up the interior of their line with Walton and Beadles. Then they found value with Decker, Cox, Olsen and Thompson. Beside the Tebow pick, which was a big reach, the Broncos made themselves a lot better on Draft weekend.

Grade: B+

Kansas City

Picks: (1) #5 Eric Berry S, (2) #36 Dexter McCluster RB, (2) #50 Javier Arenas CB, (4) #68 Jon Asamoah, (3) Tony Moeaki TE, (5) #136 Kendrick Lewis S, (5) #142 Cameron Sheffield OLB
Overview: The Chiefs grabbed four starters with their first four picks and made their team a lot faster over the weekend. Berry brings intensity to a defensive backfield that lacked explosiveness, McCluster is a threat to score any time he touches the ball, Arenas can play with most receivers on an island and Asamoah will be a 10-year starter in the NFL at guard. The last three picks will also fill needs in KC, a team that looks like they are on the right track.

Grade: A-

Oakland

Picks: (1) #8 Rolando McClain LB (2) #44 Lamarr Houston DT, (3) #69 Edwin Veldheer OT, (4) #106 Bruce Campbell OT, (4) #108 Jacoby Ford WR, (5) #138 Walter McFadden CB, (6) #190 Travis Goethel ILB, (7) #215 Jeremy Ware CB, (7) #251 Steven Brown S
Overview: The Raiders pulled a typical Draft day reach and got McClain a little earlier than he should have gone. The term ‘trading down’ is not in Al Davis’ vocabulary and it burns Oakland every year. Besides that small blunder, Oakland did pretty well. Houston has played in a ton of big games and can fill holes with regularity. Veldheer is a big man with a lot of upside who they can plug in at left tackle immediately, if he commits to the system early. Campbell is the best big-man athlete in the draft and the Raiders did well by holding off until the fourth round to grab him. He’s a project but he can turn into a great pick. Ford will help their return game immediately but has a lot of work to do in order to be a capable NFL receiver.

Grade: B-

San Diego

Picks: (1) #12 Ryan Mathews RB, (3) #79 Donald Butler LB, (4) #110 Darrell Stuckey S, (5) #146 Cam Thomas DT, (5) #168 Jonathan Crompton QB, (7) #235 Dedrick Epps TE
Overview: San Diego’s main concern in this draft was at running back. They got their man in Mathews, even though they may have taken him a little high. Even without a second round pick they probably came out of the 2010 Draft with four starter, a quarterback that has the ability to make all the throws, spins the ball really well but remains a project and a tight end that provides team depth. The Chargers addressed the issued necessary to keep them on top of the AFC West for the foreseeable future but didn’t do anything outstanding over the weekend.

Grade: C+

Picks: (1),#20 Kareem Jackson CB, (1) #58 Ben Tate RB, (3) #81 Earl Mitchell DT, (4) #102 Daryl Sharpton ILB, (4) #118 Garrett Graham TE, (5) Sherrick McManis CB, (6) #187 Shelley Smith OG, (6) Trindon Holliday KR, (7) #227 Dorin Dickerson TE
Overview: The Texans did a good job by getting a corner that could step in immediately but it looks like they over-thought the room with many of their other choices. Maybe they know something we don’t but with the number of big names all over this draft, the Texans decided to take a running back that split time in college, a smallish defensive tackle, a linebacker that never lived up to his hype, a return specialist and probably got a better tight end with their last pick than they did with their fourth rounder. Maybe the Texans front office doesn’t think they need much to complete a Super Bowl roster but that sure is news to the rest of the league.

Grade: C-

Indianapolis

Picks: (1) #31 Jerry Hughes DE/LB, (2) #63 Patrick Angerer LB, (3) #94 Kevin Thomas CB, (4) Jacques McClendon OG, (5) #162 Brody Eldridge TE, (7) #238 Ricardo Mathews DT, (7) #240 Kavell Conner OLB, (7) #246 Ray Fisher CB
Overview: The Colts, as usual, did a terrific job with their first three picks, players that should contribute immediately to a defense that is getting older. They reached a little bit in the later rounds but the Colts are always drafting players that fit their scheme perfectly and until their scheme fails to win 12 games in a season you can’t doubt their drafting or planning. At one point a few years ago their entire roster was filled with players they had drafted. It’s unheard of.

Grade: B

Jacksonville

Picks: (1) #10 Tyson Alualu DT, (3) #74 D’Anthony Smith DT, (5) #143 Larry Hart OLB, (6) Austen Lane DE, (6) #180 Deji Karim RB, (6) #203 Scotty McGee CB

Overview: While every other team was grabbing future stars all day, the Jaguars were finding careerbackups and player who might not make their roster. They reached severely for first rounder Alualu and didn’t stop there. They already have two good starting defensive tackles in John Henderson and Terrence Knighton but decided to draft more in one of the deepest drafts ever. They went the small school route for the rest of the draft and looked like they simply got out-scouted.

Grade: D

Tennessee

Picks: (1) #16 Derrick Morgan DE, (3) #77 Damian Williams WR, (4) #104 Alterraun Verner CB, (5) #148 Robert Johnson S, (6) #176 Rusty Smith QB, (6) #207 Myron Rolle S, (7) #222 Marc Mariani WR, (7) #241 David Howard DT
Overview: The Titans knocked it out of the park with their first four picks, got some depth with their mid-round guys and took a flyer on their last two. You can see the theme in Tennessee’s choices too. They picked intelligent layers that won’t just help them win on the field but represent their organization well off the field as well. Morgan has the potential to be an elite pass-rusher. Williams is an NFL-ready receiver because of his route running and ball skills. Curran does nothing but produce and Verner helps a team that ranked 31st against the pass last year. Rolle, the Rhode’s Scholar, will help your team beyond the field.

Grade: A-

Baltimore

Picks: (2) #43 Sergio Kindle, LB, (2) #57 Terrence Cody DT, (3) #70 Ed Dickson TE, (4) #114 Dennis Pitta TE, (5) #156 David Reed WR, (5) #157 Arthur Jones DT, (6) #194 Ramon Harewood OT
Overview: Baltimore’s defense doesn’t want to hear about what is going on with the Jets. They draft a linebacker who can step in for Ray Lewis when he decides to retire but also help him tremendously right now. Ray Ray will also make sure Mt. Cody’s weight never becomes a concern again. Arthur Jones is an underrated defensive tackle who will also stop runners at the first level. They still need to address their cornerback concerns but they don’t have to worry about a tight end any more. Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta are two sure-handed receivers with NFL-ready bodies. The will help Joe Flacco and Ray Ric tremendously. Reed is a possession receiver, built in the mode of Wes Welker or another former Ute, Steve Smith. Harewood is a project that they have the ability to work on.

Grade: A-

Cincinnati

Picks: (1) #20 Jermaine Gresham TE, (2) #54 Carlos Dunlap DE, (3) #84 Jordan Shipley WR, (3) #96 Brandon Ghee CB, (4) #120 Geno Atkins DT, (4) #131 Roddrick Muckelroy ILB, (5) #152 Otis Hudson OT, (6) #191 Dezmon Briscoe WR, (7) #228 Reginald Stephens OG
Overview: Carson Palmer must have been smiling for the past three days. First he got the good news that he’ll have a reliable offensive tight end to stretch the field with Gresham. Then Bengal brass blessed him with Shipley and Briscoe to go opposite of OchoCinco and make some plays. The Bengals still didn’t address the backfield but did well on defensive grabbing under-achieving end Dunlap and tough guy Gee in rounds two and three.

Grade: C+

Cleveland

Picks: (1) #7 Joe Haden, (2) #38 T.J. Ward S, (2) #59 Montario Hardesty RB, (3) #85 Colt McCoy QB, (3) #92 Shawn Lauvao OG, (5) #160 Larry Asante S, (6) #177 Carlton Mitchell WR, (6) #186 Clifton Geathers DE
Overview: The Haden pick was a highlight. He’s an athlete you can plug in to your defense, treat him right and watch him operate for the next 8-10 years. Hardesty has young legs and finally seemed to figure it out last year at Tennessee. Then there’s McCoy. The Browns may have gotten their franchise quarterback -a player they’ve been desperately searching for over the last 20 years- in the third round because this draft was so deep with interior line players who are the foundation of football teams. They also got defensive backfield help and some line depth. They seemed to get a little lazy toward the end because there was a lot more talent on the board than what they selected.

Grade: B+

Pittsburgh

Picks: (1) #18 Maurkice Pouncey OG, (2) #52 Jason Wolrdis DE, (3) #82 Emmanuel Sanders WR, (4) Thaddeus Gibson OLB, (5) #151 Chris Scott OG, (5) #164 Crezdon Butler CB, (5) #166 Stevenson Sylvester OLB, (6) #188 Jonathon Dwyer RB, (6) #195 Antonio Brown WR, (7) #242 Doug Worthington
Overview: The Steelers addressed the line immediately by grabbing Pouncey, a total road grater. Worldis fills a void on the defensive end and he can get to the quarterback as good as anyone out there. He’ll be a nice surprise. They hope Dwyer isn’t just a ‘system’ runner and that Sanders can replace some of Santonio Holmes departed production. Gibson, Sylvester and Worldis may be the future anchors of the Steel Curtain, they have that much talent. I think people are going to be shocked at the number of impact and Pro Bowl players this Draft will eventually yield. The values good teams like Pittsburgh got in the late round were tremendous.

Grade: B+

Buffalo Bills

Picks: (1st) #9 CJ Spiller RB, (2) #41 Torell TroupDT, (3) #72 Alex Carrington DE, (4) #107 Marcus Easley, (5) #140 Ed Wang OT, (6) Artur Moats OLB, (6) #192 Dan Batten DE, (7) Levi Brown QB, (7) #216 Kyle Calloway OT
Overview: The Bills finally got a player that brings flair to their offense in CJ Spiller, but this was a Draft in which they needed to fix their offensive line. The 2010 Class of offensive linemen was one of the deepest in recent history and the Bills didn’t take advantage of it. They got a receiver in the fourth round from UConn that really only emerged as a senior and a quarterback from Troy but neither of those players will make an impact next season. The two defensive linemen will make them deeper but not much more explosive. The two linemen might make a bid to start but they could have gotten better value in the early rounds. Buffalo didn’t take advantage of one of the deepest Drafts in history as well as their counterparts did.

Grade: C

Miami Dolphins

Picks: (1) #28 Jared Ordick DT, (2) #80 Kao Misi LB, (3) #73 John Jerry OG, (4) #119 A.J. Edds OLB, (5) 145 Nolan Carroll CB, (5) #163 Reshad Jones S, (7) #212 Chris McCoy OLB, (7) #252 Austin Spitler OLB
Overview: Bill Parcells pulled of a couple trades and got a great defensive tackle in Odrick, which set the tone of what he was trying to get in this draft, defensive players. He grabbed a group of linebackers to compete with those already in camp as well as Reshad Jones, a hard-hitting safety that made SEC wide receivers keep their head on a swivel. It seemed like the Fins could have gotten better value in the early rounds but overall they put a ton of depth on a lineup that was in desperate need of it.

Grade: B-

New England Patriots

Picks: (1) 27 Devin McCourty CB, (2) #42 Rob Gronkowski TE, (2)#53 Jermaine Cunningham OLB, (2) #62 Brandon Spikes ILB, (3) 90 Taylor Price WR, (4) #113 Aaron Hernandez TE, (5) #150 Zoltan Mesko P, (6) #205 Ted Larsen C, (7) #208 Thomas Welch DE, (7) #247 Brandon Deaderick DE, (7) #248 Kade Weston DT, (7) #250 Zac Robinson
Overview: Once again,the Pats had a bunch of picks and filled in a ton of voids on their roster. They needed tight ends, so they got two of them. In our opinion, the two they got were the two best tight ends in the entire draft and -of course- they got them at a huge value. Price is an underrated receiver who played big at small school Ohio. Robinson will learn under Brady and give the Pats an athletic player to run their scout team. The other no name players you see on the Draft list? Think of how much you knew of Logan Mankins before he went to New England. We’ll trust Belichick and Co. until the system fails. By the way, there are always comments being made about Belichick’s relationship with Urban Meyer down at Florida. Some of it is probably rumor but a lot of it is true. Three -Cunningham, Spikes, Hernandez- of the Pats’ first five choices were Gators.

Grade: A-

New York Jets

Picks: (1) #29 Kyle Wilson CB, (2) #61 Vladimir Ducasse, (4) #112 Joe McKnight, (5) #139 John Conner FB
Overview: The Jets were movin’ and shakin’ all offseason and didn’t have too many picks to work with this weekend as a result. But they made the most out of what they had. With Darrell Revis, Antonio Cromartie and rookie Wilson roaming the defensive backfield, there isn’t a safe place to throw the ball against the Jets. They cut Alan Faneca but grabbed Ducasse to replace him. Rex Ryan will get the most out of the big man and he may line up next to Nick Mangold immediately. Joe McKnight takes Leon Washington’s place at a cheaper price and John Conner will run through a brick wall for a yard. Anyone the Jets lost this week, they replaced with someone younger and more athletic through the draft.

Grade: A-

3RD ROUND

65. St. Louis Joe McKnight, RB USC
66. Detroit Zane Beadles, OG Utah
67. Tampa Bay Corey Wootton, DE Northwestern
68. Kansas City Dennis Pitta, TE BYU - Pitta will be another good one in a great tight end class
69. Oakland Dan LeFevour, QB Central Michigan
70. Baltimore Alex Carrington, DE Arkansas State
71. Cleveland Jason Worldis, OLB Virginia Tech - Worldis can do anything the Browns ask of him, something the Browns haven’t had in camp in a long time.
72. Buffalo Ed Dickson, TE Oregon
73. Miami Jimmy Graham, TE Miami - Didn’t play football until after a great basketball career for the Hurricanes. You bet The Tuna has his eyes on him!
74. Jacksonville Brandon Ghee, CB Wake Forest
75. Chicago Edwin Veldheer, OT Hillsdale - He’s a mammoth on the line, someone who won’t let the rest of the league pound on their new franchise quarterback, Jay Cutler.
76. New York Giants Kao Misi, LB Utah
77. Tennessee Taylor Price, WR Ohio - Price is one of those rare college receivers that can step up right away.
78. Carolina Jevan Snead, QB Mississippi - Snead is the forgotten man in this entire Draft. Carolina remember his name and might end up turning him into their starting quarterback within two years.
79. San Francisco Dezmon Briscoe, WR Kansas - Now they have someone to go to downfield.
80. Denver Major Wright, S Florida
81. Houston Morgan Burnett, S Georgia Tech
82. Pittsburgh Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, Indaina (Pa) - Little school, huge talent. He could help the Steelers secondary immediately.
83. Atlanta Greg Hardy, DE Mississippi
84. Cincinnati Jordan Shipley, WR Texas
85. Cleveland Mike Williams, WR Syracuse - He has as much talent as any of the receivers in this draft but he had issues with the ‘Cuse coaching staff and the way the program was run, constantly losing.
86. Green Bay Montario Hardesty, RB Tennessee
87. Denver Anthony McCoy, TE USC
88. Arizona Arthur Jones, DT Syracuse - Another guy out of The ‘Cuse who was at the top of his class at the beginning of the season.
89. Arizona Mardy Gilyard, WR Cincinnati - Perfect fit in Bengals’ offense.
90. New England Ricky Sapp, DE Clemson - New England gets a menace that can play multiple defensive positions. What else is new?
91. San Diego Perrish Cox, CB Oklahoma State
92. Cleveland Al Woods, DT LSU
93. Minnesota Clay Harbor, Missouri State
94. Indianapolis Selvish Capers, OL Virginia Tech
95. New Orleans Chad Jones, FS LSU - Throws 94mph off the mound in baseball and receivers think he’s coming that fast at them on the gridiron. He’s a bruising back that can help immediately in the return game. Value
96. Cincinnati Brandon LaFell, WR LSU
97. Tennessee Mike Johnson, G Alabama
98. Atlanta Riley Cooper, WR Florida - Will do anything to help Matt Ryan and the Falcons offense get back to the level it was a few years back.

2nd Round

33. St. Louis Rams Rodger Scaffold, OT Indiana - They got the fast new car with Bradford, now they better get the garage to protect it!
34. Minnesota Vikings Jimmy Clausen, QB Notre Dame - Clausen gets extremely lucky. Instead of going to a dumpster fire, he can learn from Favre and take the reign when Brett’s ready to go in 2025.
35. Tampa Bay Bucs Damian Williams, WR USC - The Bucs need someone for their big quarterback to find down the field. Williams is the best available.
36. Kansas City Chiefs Sergio Kindle, LB Texas - With Berry and Kindle the Chiefs can walk proud on the defensive side o fthe ball next year.
37. Philadelphia Eagles Charles Brown, OT USC - This is ‘The McNabb Pick’ they received from Washington so regardless of how low it may be, it will be the most important to Eagles fans.
38. Cleveland Browns Colt McCoy, QB Texas - The Browns get their man and they don’t have to trade up in order to make it happen.
39. Oakland Raiders Lamarr Houston, DT Texas - The Raiders make defense a priority by getting two players that can start for them on day one.
40. Miami Dolphins Taylor Mays, FS USC - If The Tuna can see a player do something one time he believes he can teach that player to do it every time. He’ll love working with Mays.
41. Buffalo Bills Arrelious Benn, WR Illinois - With the loss of Terrell Owens, and now the loss of hope that any of the 4 quarterbacks in the 2010 class would head their way, they make Benn their man.
42. Tampa Bay Bucs Daryl Washington, LB TCU - Got their receiver earlier, now they get another guy to make the defense as sturdy as they can.
43. Baltimore Ravens Chris Cook, CB Virginia - Baltimore traded their 1st rounder but will get nice value with Cook who turned in good times and workouts at his pro days.
44. New England Patriots Eric Norwood, LB South Carolina - The Pats love the way he makes plays and he’s constantly putting good looking stuff on film.
45. Denver Broncos, Jon Asamoah, G Illinois - They get their QB, their WR and now somebody to make sure they have enough time to make things happen. Will drastically help the ground game too.
46. New York Giants Vladimir Ducasse, OG UMass - Small-school gy with a ton of potential. Born in CT, played up in Mass and now takes the short trip to New York for his pro career.
47. New England Patriots Brandon Spikes, LB Florida - Mean as a rattlesnake, Spikes plays a lot faster on tape than he does in workouts which means his reactions help him. Reactions never die, ask Ted Bruschi.
48. Carolina Panthers Everson Griffen, DE USC - The Panthers didn’t have a 1st Round pick but they get first round value with Griffen who can wreak havoc regardless of where you put him on the d-line.
49. San Fran 49ers Brian Price, DT UCLA - San Francisco got a lot better on the o-line on the first day, now they turn around and get an anchor for the defensive to scheme around.
50. Kansas City Chiefs Terrence Cody, DT Alabama - Mt Cody has that nickname for a reason. He can clog holes but his shirtless demonstration during workouts was very Andre-Smith-ish, but there is a ton of weight and value in this selection.
51. Houston Texans Toby Gerhart, RB Stanford - The Texans get a change of pace back from Steve Slaton who they hope can get healthy and combine with Gerhart to form a menacing, powerful, explosive backfield.
52. Pittsburgh Steelers Carlos Dunlap, DE Florida - The Texans would love a running back here but they can’t pass up the potential of Carlos Dunlap, who at time when he was playing his hardest was the best player on a great Florida defense.
53. New England Patriots Golden Tate, WR Notre Dame - Tate will help the Patriot’s offense immediately in the return game and can step in for Wes Welker until he if fully healthy. He can also develop into a steve Smith-type if Randy Moss decides to jump ship.
54. Cincinnati Bengals Linval Joseph, DT East Carolina - The little-known Joseph is active up and down the line and gives the Bengals a dimension that Tank Johnson struggled to give them at times. They are ecstatic to get this pick at this point, but it’s just a totally stacked Draft Class.
55. Philadelphia Eagles Navarro Bowman, LB Penn State - Bowman was rated as highly as the first linebacker in this class but his play was stale at times this year after the Nittany Lions were out of the Big Ten race. That said, he’ll take the short trip to Philly and be totally rejuvenated.
56. Green Bay Packers Nate Allen, S South Florida - The Packers need help and depth in their defensive secondary and Allen gives them exactly that.
57. Baltimore Ravens Aaron Hernandez, TE Florida - This is a perfect fit for the playmaker from Florida. The CT-born Hernandez broke all receiving record in high school and put on a show for three years in Gainseville. He’s our top tight end in this draft and will give Joe Flacco a whole new dimension offensively.
58. Arizona Cardinals Rob Gronkowski, TE Arizona - The big man from the desert will be one of the best tight ends in a class that will be looked back on as a great one. Hopefully Matt Leinart understandsthe player he has in Gronkowski, the local kid.
59. Dallas Cowboys Bruce Campbell, OT Maryland - The physical freak will be able to help an offensive line that was anchored by an aging Flozell ‘The Hotel’ Adams. Campbell is the opposite in body composition but the Boys hope he has the same output on the field, minus the jimmy legs!
60. Seattle Seahawks Jerome Murphy, CB South Florida - The Seahwaks are rebuilding their defense and giving Aaron Curry a supporting cast of killers.
61. New York Jets Eric Decker, WR Minnesota - Jets fans will be dreaming of Wayne Chrebet when they make this choice tonight but Decker is an even more athletic version of their old leading receiver.
62. Minnesota Vikings Amari Speivey, CB Iowa - Speivey has been a shutdown corner since he stepped onto the field for Kirk Ferentz. He isn’t flashy but he has smooth hips and makes all the right plays.
63. Indianapolis Colts Sean Lee, LB, Penn State - Lee isn’t flashy but he’s a great tackler and moves laterally in a smooth manner.
64. New Orleans Saints Jon Jerry, OG Mississippi - They need a center or guard and with Jerry they get a player who can possibly pay both, and at a high level. As usual, the Colts get good value.

7:29pm - Bradford claims he still has no idea if the Rams are going to pull the trigger and make him the first overall pick and trade rumors -aka misinformation- is swirling around the floor like the New York Stock Exchange. Nobody’s stock is higher than Bradford right now while we people might be looking at Ben Roethlisberger like they look at Bernie Madoff!

7:31 - It took one minute for the ESPN crew to mention Tim Tebow with Steve Young proclaiming, “I want a lefty quarterback to go tonight! That’s what I want.” Gruden has the grin of a 3-year old and you can almost see his mind churning, wondering how he went from Super Bowl coach to making irrelevant statements with Young and Co.

7:37 - The next move the NFL has to make is starting the Draft with the franchise making the first pick, immediately making their choice. The Rams have know since January 1st that they’ve been in this position and you’re telling me this next five minutes is going to change something. Come on!!! I have confidence that the NFL will make this change within 2 years, they’re good like that.

7:38 - And they take Bradford, who’s got a sheepish smile on his face and seems to be surrounded by your regular dirtbag agents and a few very proud family members. With the type of offensive line the Rams have, this may be the last time we see Sam Bradford standing up in a long time!

7:42 - Mort brings some good news to the city of St. Louis, mentioning that every big time quarterback that agent Tom Condon represents does end up signing before training camp. There’s not going to be a rookie hard cap, which some teams were hoping for, so that’s out of the question. Condon has represented Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, Alex Smith and Matt Ryan, and all of those guys have been signed before camp started. Well, there’s some more good news in St Louie!

7:46 - With the next two picks pretty much locked up, it’s just a matter of who Detroit takes, Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy. With their track record, they’ll probably mistakenly take Colt McCoy instead of Gerald! To avoid any confusion between the McCoys, the Lions take Suh, an absolute beast who cleans up pretty well. Usually an interior defensive lineman is either a fat slob or an absolute wild man, but Suh is the type of guy who Detroit shouldn’t be afraid to put in front of incorporations and big money fans.

7:55 - The Bus take Gerald McCoy and now the real party starts. It’s a crapshoot from here and who better to roll the dice first but the ‘Skins. Isn’t football great? You could have the most money, pay the best coaches and make a few stupid Draft moves and a couple bad free agent signings and you become….well, you become the Washington Redskins of the 2000’s!

7:59 - Trent “Silverback” Williiams? YES!!!! What a great nickname. For those of you who don’t watch Discovery or Animal Planet -when games don’t live up to their hype- the Silverback Gorilla is the meanest in the gorilla family. Donnie McNabb better hope he turns into a true silverback and does a ton of damage over the next six years protecting McNabb in his older days. Let’s just hope Commissioner Goodell keeps including nicknames in his selections, as long as they aren’t ‘King Pookie’ or ‘De De’. Wiliams won’t have to use any Guerilla tactics getting money out of Dan Snyder though, he’ll be taken care of.

8:05 - We should start getting a string of offensive linemen coming up but Eric Berry has a big grin on his face, insinuating he might be coming off the board soon. He should too. There’s not a better athlete in the draft but it’s all about need and what you already have too.

8:07 - Berry goes off the board. Now we can start playing the game, “Drink Whenever Someone Mentions How Far Jimmy Clausen Will Fall” until he gets selected. Warning this game can give you a little buzz or you might have to call out of work tomorrow.

8:12 - The talk about what Pete Carroll and the Seahawks need to do in order to get back in the chase of the NFC West. Well, Kurt Waner helped them out a ton but they -like every other rebuilding franchise- have to start from the inside out and nobody knows that better than Carroll. He had a plethora of studs that he simply put in space while at USC but that game doesn’t work as well in the League. Gruden is pushing hard for CJ Spiller, that’s because he’s not making the pick though.

8:15 - Seattle takes Russell Okung from OSU and Carroll gets a monster on the offensive line to build around. You can’t ask for a better start to the Carroll regime. Unless of course one of those defensive tackles miraculously fell down to him.

8:20 - The Browns are reportedly having difficulty choosing between Boise’s Kyle Wilson and Florida’s Joe Haden. Anybody with their head in the game over the last few months knew neither of these players was going to be off the board at this point, so why the hell couldn’t Brown’s management have a definitive answer by now. I know Holmgren is the new sheriff in town but is it possible that there’s something in the water in the Brown’s facility that makes you managerially retarded? Pick a linebacker, a quarterback or a complimentary lineman on either side of the ball. When you’re that bad of a team you do not start from the outside and work in. Ask the Raiders. It doesn’t work!!!

8:22 - Steve Young wants to the Browns to trade back until Gruden breaks it to him, “Nobody wants to trade back! Especially with Mike Holmgren.” Take that Steve!!

8:25 - We love Joe Haden but we don’t like the pick. We have no doubt Haden is going to be a stud but you are looking for someone to clog the middle of that defense. Then again, the Browns have been getting beat up through the air over the past few years, which won’t happen with Haden in town. He might help the front seven by shutting down the opponent’s top receiver and he definitely could against anyone in the AFC Central.

8:26 - And the Raiders are on the clock. All you can do is sit back and enjoy the show. Keep in mind, everything that anyone on the ESPN set mentions is totally irrelevant to Al Davis and his Draft history is absolutely pristine in his old, fragile mind. It’s a beautiful world that Al Davis lives in!

8:28 - Drink!!! Steve Young has a need for Clausen!

8:30 - Al Davis steps to the plate, swings and………………..hits a slow roller to the pitcher’s mound. He doesn’t whiff with Rolando McClain, a linebacker teams would have loved to get in the middle to late first round but he definitely reaches, only the way a slow, old, borderline insane man can. Add Rolando McClain to the list of guys Al Davis has paid way too much for. And drink because Kiper mentioned Clausen at some point after McClain’s name was mentioned!

8:31 - The Bills jump at the opportunity to pick using less than two minutes of their 10 to make their selection. Somebody’s going to get what they want!

8:32 - And CJ Spiller was what they wanted. We saw spiller climb the board and end up anywhere as high as 6 and low as the late first. We had him going toward the end of the first round but our Mock has already been Busted! Spiller will add a different dimension to a Buffalo team that had been downright boring to watch over the past couple years but with this pick, and a couple in the second round, the Bills are -at the least- going to be a little more exciting to watch this season. Tough division though, we wouldn’t be surprised to see them have a better year but be picking even higher in 2011. That’s the breaks bro.

8:37 - The Jaguars select who? Tyson Alualu is a nice player but this is ridiculous. He’s the type of guy you can grab in the second round and still have a couple questions about. Alualu will be one of those guys, down the road when the Jags still don’t have a franchise quarterback, that whose name is mentioned during a game, it will be followed by, “he was drafted ahead of guys like Jimmy Clausen, Derrick Morgan, Dez Bryant, Colt MCoy etc”. Oh, well. Sucks to be a Jags fan right now.

8:40 - After a trade, the 49ers moved up past the Broncos……..

8:43 - In order to get Anthony Davis, a player we loved all season because of his monstrous size and ability. He’s a Rutgers guy who can be an absolute monster if he starts to play hard on every possession. Man, after that trade my mind was going all over the place. Anything could have happened but this kind of brought some levity back to the room. Kiper claims Davis could have been a top-3 pick if he stayed in college. And Steve Young thinks this means the San Francisco brass is making a statement that Alex Smith is their quarterback.

8:46 - Miami and San Diego have made a trade………

8:49 - So the Chargers can select Ryan Mathews, a running back they might have been able to get in their original position. At this point, if you can’t find a starting offensive lineman in this draft you should be working at Burger King! Mathews now has a back that can run between the tackles that will help Rivers out. They might have reached with the trade but they got what they wanted and Mathews is a perfect fit. Good pick.

8:52 - This is why ‘The Tuna’ is so great. He took advantage of San Diego’s need to get exactly what they want and added a high second rounder for tomorrow (40th overall) and a fourth round pick just to move back a few slots, where they will probably get the man they wanted anyway. Philly just moved up to #13 by trading with Denver who is accumulating a ton of picks. The word is the Eagles want Earl Thomas from Texas. He’s a stud.

8:57 - The Eagles moved up to get Brandon Graham out of Michigan. It’s another move that might not have been necessary. This is a typical story of one team falling in love with a guy and everyone around them telling them how great the kid is. The Eagles kept this move very quiet and got their man but you would think they could have got him a little later. Especially for someone Tom Jackson just called a “whirling durbish” type of player. Hopefully he’ll whirl himself into the quarterback a few times this year. And it didn’t cost them the pick they got from Washington for Donnie McNabb.

9:06 - Everybody on the set is drooling over Earl Thomas’ athleticism, with Gruden calling him a guaranteed Pro Bowler. Everybody loves him and everybody loves the dreads, which leads to him going to Seattle. Now Pete Carroll has some defense on his side and it looks like he’ll be setting his offensive mind on the second round. Remember, all those USC Title Teams had great defenses. Last year’s didn’t and look what happened. Pete aint no fool and he sure knows how to build a team.

9:09 - Clausen Time! Drink up.

9:10 - ‘Will it be a long night for Jimmy Clausen” - this drink’s on Berman

9:11 - Drinks on Mort! - “Once Seattle past on him, now we’re looking at the 49ers at 17………. blah blah blah”

9:13 - The crowd rises to their feet as Goodell announces the Giants’ pick of Jason Pierre-Paul. The kid only played one season of major college football but he is built like a Mack truck combined with Stretch Armstrong. He has the frame to build himself up to with a “Pro Weight Plan”, aka a ton of ‘roids, and he might be the next in line of great Giants pass rushers. With that said, if I see him flip one more time I’m going to puke. Somebody please mention Clausen so I can hammer down my Goose and Tonic!

9:21 - The Titans took Derrick Morgan about 8 spots lower than he expected to go but at least they didn’t get Pierre-Paul because we’d be hearing nonstop comparisons to Jevan Kearse. Morgan was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and is a really impressive looking athlete. Mel Kiper gives Morgan the best compliment available for a defensive end coming out of college, calling him, “a complete defensive end who does everything right”.

9:25 - San Fran take Mike Iupati from Idaho. If you haven’t seen this kid he’s a total road grater that will punish anything that gets in front of him. Nothing is more annoying than —–DRINK, Kiper had to be obnoxious and mention Clausen——- the thought that you shouldn’t take a guard in the first round. I loved watching film of Iupati because he was such a violent player who really liked to beat people up. And Steve Young will not leave the Alex-Smith-the- 49ers-QB topic alone. I hope they take Co;t MCoy in the second round. Better yet, Tebow.

9:29 - We thought the Steelers would take Iupati who we thought was the best guard in the draft. Unfortunately for the Steelers, the 49ers thought highly of Iupati too. They are not missing out on much, except for a small amount of nastiness, by taking Maurkice Pouncey from Florida. Pouncey can play both guard positions and the center position, kicking the theory about picking a center in the 1st round directly in the head!

9:33 - The Falcons take a big time tackler in Sean Weatherspoon. He terrorized the Big 12 for four seasons and then ran a nice time during workouts which boosted him up the Draft Board. There is going to be a lot of big names available in the second round which couldn’t make ESPN any happier.

9:35 - Even the announcer lady mentioned that Clausen is still available. DRINK!

9:38 - Houston just got a fantastic corner in Kareem Jackson. He is battle tested having played in the SEC and will be perfect in the Houston defense. He’ll have his hands full now, facing Peyton Manning and trying to climb to the top of that division which will be a long, slow rise.

9:40 - Finally, a beautiful reason to DRINK! Erin Andrews, live from Jimmy Clausen’s house, ponders how long Jimmy will have to wait. Thanks for the drink Erin. And thank you for everything else you provide.

9:42 - The Bengals go out and get Carson Palmer a weapon, if he’s fully healthy. Jermaine Gresham goes to Cincinnati making him the 4th Oklahoma player to go in the first 18 picks. If Sam Bradford didn’t stay banged up this season, the Sooners would have been a problem in the Big 12. Texas is happy they weren’t.

9:45 - The Broncos try to find their replacement for Brandon Marshall by selecting DeMaryius Thomas who came out of Georgia Tech, a team that ran the option offense. How has Georgia Tech groomed Thomas and Calvin Johnson over the past four years by running the option offense? Imagine what the Yellow Jackets could have been if they had a QB that could throw the ball, with that offensive line and the running back system they were lucky to have. Wow! Where’s our man Dez Bryant by the way?!

9:51 - If there was one player in the NFL Draft that looks like he should be playing in Green Bay, it is Bryan Bulaga. Bulaga looks like he could be playing in Green Bay in 1955! He’s a lilly white, short haired farm boy who is super athletic for such a big man. He could have came back for his senior year, along with Amari Speivey, and been one of the first 5 players off the board. One thing nobody has mentioned yet tonight is the inevitability of a rookie salary cap which has made this draft so deep and fun to watch. That and the fact that we have another Notre Dame QB sliding down the board like he got pushed on to a ride a Wally’s Wet ‘n Wild World.

10:00 - New England trades the 24th overall pick to Dallas. Then our man Dez goes to the Dallas Cowboys. It’s a match made in heaven, for everybody. By all account Dez Bryant is a good kid who made a stupid mistake by interacting too much with Deion Sanders in the offseason. He got suspended and now he’s going to add another dimension to the Cowboys offense. A lot of wide receivers aren’t ready to contribute when they get into the league. Dez Bryant is not one of those players. He will be on the field early and often, giving Tony Romo a new best friend. The Patriots now own every pick in the next five rounds for the next three years.

10:04 - Tebow is on the phone and looks PUMPED. It’s either Jesus or the Broncos on the other end.

10:07 - Tim Tebow just got drafted over Jimmy Clausen. Todd McShay is laughing in Mel Kiper’s face. Bill Belichick is trying to John McDaniels that he was just kidding when he mentioned they should pick him. And Denver just got a lot more Christian-y?

10:09 - Baltimore traded the 25th pick to Denver after missing out on Dez Bryant, that’s how they landed Tebow. Tom Jackson makes the best point out of any we’ve heard about Tim Tebow during this whole process. “You can only lead your team if you are playing!” Jackson said. The truth hurts.

10:10 - DRINK! DRINK! DRINK! The crew just mentioned Clausen so many times I have Grey Goose coming out of my nose.

10:17 - Arizona is slowly becoming a really smart franchise. They take DT Dan Williams who was ranked as the third best defensive tackle and Kiper had him as high as #12 at one point during this whole process. Williams had a tremendous amount of production this season and he could be a beast in Arizona’s scheme. Matt Leinart was probably shaking in his boots hoping the brass didn’t take Jimmy Clausen and start him right away. If you can’t read between the lines, I would have taken Clausen.

10:24 - Devin McCourty has been taken by the Patriots. This is a sneaky pick because he has a brother Jason who plays for the Titans and Belichick is secetly hoping Devin knows everything about Tennessee’s playbook. Either that or Belichick has some sick scheme about what he could do if he was able to get both identical twins on his team. He could pay two guys one salary. He could put them both out there at once maybe? With Belichick, the options limitless. I don’t like this pick because I’m scared. Legitimately scared.

10:30 - The Tuna strikes again. He gets exactly what he wanted - a hybrid defensive end/tackle- at number 14 but instead he took advantage of people’s anxiousness and gets a great player along with a couple picks. Jason Odrick is a beast out of Penn State that has the ability to jump along the line and perform at a high level at each position. While every other GM in the league tries to find new stats and ways to measure a player’s worth, Parcells still finds guys that are better than the ones you pick. So consistent, so simple, so annoying.

10:37 - The Jets have made so many moves on the defensive side of the ball this season that they can go offense with their first pick. And with all these changes in the first round and all these bomb shells going off I wouldn’t be surprised at anything Rex Ryan does at this point…….. He goes with Kyle Wilson, from Boise State. Rex Ryan’s defense is going to be able to blitz as many guys as you want. And most people probably think these Boise kids are all from Cali or Out West, NOPE! Wilson is coming home to New Jersey where he was born and bred. Now he gets to play in a pitbull manner for Ryan? MY LORD. Everybody talks about getting their offensive star ‘on an island’. Now the Jets are trying to get their defensive stars on an island with you and simply break you down. The Jets are the new favorites in the AFC East.

10:42 - DRINK. Clausen’s name is all over the place. Now call into work and blame it on Mel Kiper!

10:44 - Well, well, well. The Lions get the Vikings pick and take Jahvid Best, who everyone wonders if he can stay healthy for a full pro season. In the back of your head you have to wonder if the Vikings -who could have easily taken Jimmy Clausen to be their QB-in-wating, learning under Farve- didn’t want to ruffle old Brett’s feathers by making a selection and didn’t want the outcry from the fanbase if they picked someone else. Either way, that trade is kind of strange.

10:52 - Indy can go any way they want with this pick but we see them going with Charles Brown to help out their offensive line. Considering we’ve been terrible with our mock draft (numbers at the end) they’ll probably take a defensive back……… Even better, they take Jerry Hughes from TCU. We thought Hughes was going to be taken a lot higher because he has such a motor and gets to the quarterback in one way or another. He has great athleticism and will learn so much under the guys like Freeney and Mathis. He’s going to be another great defender in the Peyton Manning era.

10:58 - It’s a little disappointing not being able to take this momentum into the second round, but barring any unforeseen circumstances -like an ex-girlfriend looking for a love matinee- Fireman Mike will be back tomorrow to see how far he can get through the second and third rounds. The bet is he gets through25 picks and bails. Both Mock Drafts Are Done Baby!!!!!—FM

11:00 - Considering everything, this Draft didn’t take too ridiculously long. Considering Colt McCoy, Jimmy Clausen and some of the best defenders in college football are still available, the NFL might have some heavy ratings on their hands for tomorrow night.

11:03 - Patrick Robinson is a great pick for the Super Bowl Champs. He was once regarded as an early first round pick but with Florida State’s inconsistencies and his lack of desire at times dropped his stock. He’s started for his four years at FSU and has played in every situation imaginable in college. Our guess is that he’ll be able to step in and help the Saints blitz the hell out of people and make plays in the d-backfield. That is what Patrick Robinson is good at!

11:07 - Well, that does it for Round 1. Hope everyone had fun and I hope there was at least a few of you who didn’t play the “Drink Whenever Someone Mentions How Far Jimmy Clausen Will Fall” game will be designated drivers for the rest of the drunken baboons that decided to play. Hope it was fun, see ya tomorrow night!!!!!!!!

2. Detroit Lions Ndamakung Suh, DT Nebraska - Detroit gets an anchor in the middle of their D-line for the next decade.

3. Tampa Bay Bucs Gerald McCoy, DT Oklahoma - The Tampa area is getting ready to welcome a new, quieter version of Warren Sapp. His demeanor doesn’t make him any less violent on the field though.

4. Washington Redskins Russell Okung, LT Oklahoma State - Donovan McNabb will be able to breath with this big man protecting his backside for his revitalization process in DC. Real Pick: Trent Williams

5. Kansas City  Chiefs Trent Williams, OT Oklahoma State - Chiefs continue to build from the inside-out the way Pioli did so in New England. Some may argue but you can’t challenge the results.Real Pick: Eric Berry

6. Seattle Seahawks Eric Berry, S Tennessee - Seattle is extremely happy to get the best athlete in the draft with the sixth pick. Real Pick: Russell Okung

7. Cleveland Browns Derrick Morgan, DE Georgia Tech - Morgan has enough power, agility and quickness to disrupt opposing offenses next year but his best football is about 3-4 years away. Scary thought! Real Pick: Joe Haden

8. Oakland Raiders Bruce Campbell, OT Maryland - YES!!! The Raiders pull their annual “draft the most freakish athlete with the least amount of production and hope he turns into something” pick for the entire league and world to laugh at. I hope Al Davis never retires. Real Pick: Rolando McClain

9. Buffalo Bills Earl Thomas, S Texas - Bills secondary gets better immediately with this pick. The Bills will make a few more great picks, enough to rationalize a Tebow selection somewhere in between. Real Pick: CJ Spiller

10. Jacksonville Jags Jason Pierre-Paul, DE South Florida - Some think running back but the Jags need help rushing the passer and Peirre-Paul will bring that power-rush presence. Real Pick: Tyson Alualu

11. Denver Broncos Dez Bryant, WR Oklahoma State: The Broncos got rid of Brandon Marshall but draft an equally dynamic athlete with Bryant, who might be able to erase people’s mind of past B-Marsh experiences! 49ers Pick: Anthony Davis

12. Miami Dolphins Jerry Hughes, DE/LB TCU - Hughes was a pre-season All-American but after the season he was a little quiet. Now, over the past three weeks he’s been flying up Draft Boards mainly because scouts realize that film doesn’t lie. Hughes can match his film with anyone in this class. San Diego Picks: Ryan Mathews

13. San Francisco 49ers Joe Haden, CB Florida - 49ers get a bargain and Haden finds a home in a place where Deion once shined. He could be that good immediately if he tightens up his moves and strengthens his hands. Eagles Pick: Brandon Graham

14. Seattle Seahawks Bryan Bulaga, OT Iowa - Bulaga starts to make people realize how deep this Draft truly is. In past years he would have been a top-5 pick. Next year he might have been the #1 man off the board. Let’s not forget though, he could still be a top 5 in 2010 if someone really loves him. Real Pick: Earl Thomas

15. New York Giants Rolando McClain, LB Alabama - The Giants get their man, a cerebral monster that doubles as a second coach on the field and can make plays from sideline to sideline. Real Pick: Jason Pierre-Paul

16. Tennessee Titans Dan Williams DT, Tennessee - A lot separates the top two tackles in this class and Williams but the fact that Tennessee get Williams here at a bargain speaks volumes of how many real players there are in this class. Real Pick: Derrick Morgan

17. San Francisco 49ers Jimmy Clausen, QB Notre Dame - Clausen goes back to Cali and immediately contends for the starting job in a quarterback battle that will be the talk of the summer out west. Real Pick: Mike Iupati

18. Pittsburgh Steelers Mike Iupati, G Idaho - Iupati is an absolute road grinder, a throwback to a Steelers lineman in the 70’s that had long hair and a short temper. Real Pick: Maurkice Pouncey

19. Atlanta Falcons CJ Spiller, RB Clemson - This is the Draft’s first big steal. Spiller deserved to go higher but the number of quality players at ‘non-skill’ positions brings him to this point. Real Pick: Sean Weatherspoon

20. Houston Texans Ryan Mathews, RB Fresno State - Houston would have loved to have gotten Spiler and don’t be surprised if they trade up for him by throwing Atlanta or another team a later round pick to move up. Real Pick: Kareem Jackson

21. Cincinnati Bengals Brandon Graham, LB Michigan - Graham brings a great demeanor into what used to be a shady locker room and the Bengals continue to refine their franchise one pick at a time. Real Pick: Jermaine Gresham

22. New England Patriots Sergio Kindle, LB Texas - Kindle will fit right in with the Jerod Mayo and form a dangerous, young linebacker group. Denver Picks: Demaryius Thomas

23. Green Bay Packers Rodger Scaffold, OT Indiana - Scaffold climbed all the way to the first round with great workouts and consistent play. Now the quiet kid from Indiana goes to small-town Green Bay where he’ll spend the next 8 years keeping Aaron Rodgers off his back. Real Pick: Bryan Bulaga

24. Philadelphia Eagles Kyle Wilson, CB Boise State - Wilson did it all at Boise and the Eagles will put him right in the mix for a spot in a young but athletic defensive backfield. Cowboys Pick: Dez Bryant

25. Baltimore Ravens Kareem Jackson, CB Alabama - Jackson will have plenty of mentors in Baltimore. As long as he likes to hit and loves to block after INTs, Ray Ray will have a fun new toy to play with. Broncos Pick: TIM TEBOW

26. Arizona Cardinals Anthony Davis, OT Rutgers - He didn’t play his hardest at times but he’s got top-10 size and talent so this is a very good get for the Cards. Real Pick: Dan Williams

27. Dallas Cowboys Taylor Mays, FS USC - You think Jerra will be able to pass up on an athlete like Mays, with those measurables and the cocksure way he carries himself? We don’t! Patriots Pick: Devin McCourty

28. San Diego Chargers Jermaine Gresham, TE Oklahoma - The Chargers needed a couple of new pieces in their offense and Gresham will be a welcomed one. Miami Picks: Jared Odrick

29. New York Jets Everson Griffen, DE USC - Griffen can learn from Jason Taylor for a year, then seamlessly take over on a bulldogging defensive line that will give every QB in the AFC East nightmares. Real Pick: Kyle Wilson

30. Minnesota Vikings Colt McCoy, QB Texas - Brett, meet your new protégé. Colt, we’re not sure when the hell he’s going to leave but make sure you learn whatever you can from this gray-bearded wonder. Lions Pick: Jahvid Best

31. Indianapolis Colts Charles Brown, OT USC - More protection for Peyton is always a good thing. Real Pick: Jerry Hughes

32. New Orleans Saints Sean Weatherspoon, LB Mizzou - The Saints make up for the loss of Scott Fujita by signing one of the best tackles in the college game. Real Pick: Patrick Robinson

STAY TUNED FOR SECOND AND THIRD ROUND MOCKS TOMORROW…..

1. CJ Spiller, Clemson (1st Round) - Spiller will be the first running back off the board because of his unique ability to affect the game in so many different ways. Whether it’s in the return game, the short pass attack or running between the tackles, Spiller can do it all and do it all really well. Spiller will make an immediate impact in the league because of his explosive athleticism.

2. Ryan Mathews, Fresno State (2nd Round) - Due to the depth at other positions of need for most NFL teams there will likely only be one running back taken in the first round. Mathews has enough talent to be a first round guy but it’s unclear whether any team drafting toward the bottom of the first round will have a need at the position. Mathews is a typical power back with the ability to get tough yards but can also break off some big gains.

3. Joe McKnight, USC (Late 2nd-Early 3rd Round) - McKnight is a poor man’s Spiller but has less miles on his legs. He is dangerous catching the ball out of the backfield but also showed the ability to run up the gut when necessary this season for the Trojans. McKnight could fall to a very good team in the middle-to-late second round and turn someone from a playoff hopeful to championship contender.

4. Toby Gerhart, Stanford (3rd Round) - Everybody will make the immediate comparison to Jon Riggins or Mike Alstott because Gerhart is a white athlete but he is more comparable to LenDale White or a smaller Brandon Jacobs, backs who can get the tough yards but also compile enough carries throughout the season to break the 1,000-yard mark.

5. Jahvid Best, California (3rd-4th Round) - He was probably the #1 back in this class before the season started but the inability to stay healthy has dropped Best’s stock drastically over the past six months. His game is tailored around getting to the edge and causing mismatches with slower linebackers but it’s all irrelevant if he can’t stay on the field.

6. Dexter McCluster, Ole Miss (4th Round) - He replaced Jevan Snead as the top offensive prospect coming out of Ole Miss this season after he put about 50 electric plays on tape for scouts to break down. He’s on the smaller side but can still be a problem for opposing defenses when it comes time to scheme against his future team.

7. Monterio Hardesty, Tennessee (4th Round) - Hardesty is another guy who helped himself out a ton this season. After Lane Kiffin couldn’t groom Jonathon Crompton into the quarterback everyone hoped he would become, the Vols offense revolved around Hardesty’s bruising style and his ability to carry the load week in and week out.

8. Jonathon Dwyer (4th Round) - It’s tough to judge a back that comes from an option offense but tams could do a lot worse in terms of value with a pick this late in the draft. Dwyer is a big athlete that should be able to fill in during short yardage situations at the very least.

9. Ben Tate, Auburn (5th Round) - Tate was part of a very good running back duo at Auburn but showed enough brilliance of his own to be considered one of the better backs in this year’s draft. He’s stout at 5′11″ 220lbs and will be a good change-of-pace back in the league.

10. LaGarrette Blount (5th Round) - He’s best known for the punch that he threw against Boise State in the season opener but Blount could be the next Brandon Jacobs if he capitalizes on his natural talent.