• Wow, I can't believe yet another NFL Draft has actually come and gone. I am ready for a little break now to be honest so I am going to take a couple of days to digest all of the results, get some rest and play some golf so there probably won't be a new blog entry for a little while. Just because the draft is over that doesn't mean there won't be new content on the site though and I want to give everyone an idea of what to look out for in the coming weeks and even months.
First up will be the in-depth, team-by-team reviews of the '08 Draft with analysis of each and every one of this year's selections, along with my letter grade for each team's effort. Look for a new one of those each weekday until they're complete and I plan to start those later this week.
Believe it or not I have already begun working on 2009 (it's less than a year away you know!) and I hope to re-launch the site this summer with all new information for next year's NFL Draft.
On a personal note I'd like to thank all of you for your continued support. Just this Saturday alone NFL Draft Countdown.com received 129,048 unique hits, which is a new record (and by a lot I might add). Without all of you none of this would be possible so thanks for allowing me to live my dream and do what I love. As I said there is still plenty more to come though so don't think that just because the draft is over you don't need to drop by anymore! In all seriousness thanks again, it is sincerely appreciated. And with that I'm going to sign off for a little bit of R&R!
April 26-27, 2008
It's Draft Day ! ! !
Can you believe the big day is finally here?
I have posted my final mock draft so make sure to check that out and stop by throughout the day because I'll be having live, pick-by-pick analysis and be giving my initial thoughts on each and every Day One selection. Now all that's left to do is sit back and enjoy the 2008 NFL Draft!
April 25th, 2008
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There is no time for a big update today as my schedule is jam-packed with radio interviews all over the country. Oh yea, I have to knock out my final mock too! The big day is almost upon us!
I don't want to leave you empty-handed though so as a special treat here is a pictorial look at my Top 12 senior prospects for the 2009 NFL Draft. That's right, it's only a year away you know!
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According to Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com the New Orleans Saints might be willing to trade Jammal Brown in order to get a Top 3 pick, where they would reportedly target Glenn Dorsey.
If you are the Saints, a team with Super Bowl aspirations, why would you trade your 27-year-old Pro Bowl left tackle at this point? Sure they could get a Branden Albert or a Ryan Clady at #10 to replace him but I'm not sure how wise it would be to have a rookie protecting Drew Brees' blind side, especially since he has some durability concerns.
If I am St. Louis I would jump all over that deal if it was in fact offered. The Rams desperately want to address their offensive line and would have taken Jake Long had he not gone #1 overall. Jamaal Brown is better than Jake Long. The Rams are supposedly fighting internally over whether to take Glenn Dorsey or Chris Long with the #2 pick so this is their way out. Instead of drafting an unproven rookie who everyone in the organization isn't on board with and giving him a massive contract they get a proven stud at one of football's three or four premium positions. Can you say no-brainer? For the time being Brown would play right tackle, where he has plenty of experience, and eventually he could replace Orlando Pace on the left side. That is an absolutely perfect scenario for St. Louis.
It will be very interesting to see how this plays out on Friday but there have been rumblings about the Saints being infatuated with Dorsey and trying to trade up for weeks now so I guess I am inclined to believe Prisco's report. Personally, if I was the Saints I would much rather keep Brown and deal #10 along with my 2nd rounder in '09 to move up to #7 and take Sedrick Ellis...
April 23rd, 2008
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I have been holding off on talking about the Jared Allen situation until something was official but now that the Chiefs really have traded away their star defensive end I'm ready to chime in.
First of all the details: In exchange for the NFL's reigning sack leader the Chiefs will receive Minnesota's 1st round pick (#17) and both of their 3rd round picks (#73 and #82), one of which came via Denver. The two teams will also swap sixth-rounders.
Let's take a look at it from both angles:
From Minnesota's perspective this is just what the doctor ordered. The Vikings were in desperate need of a defensive end, especially since Kenechi Udeze will likely miss the 2008 while he battles leukemia, and the options at #17 overall simply weren't looking all that appealing. Instead they are able to land a guy who has averaged more than ten sacks per season, including 15.5 in 2007, and is entering the prime of his career at just 26-years-old. Allen didn't come cheap though and in addition to those three valuable draft choices the Vikings also had to make him the highest-paid defensive player in the league with a new six-year, $74 million contract that calls for $31 million in guarantees. I am actually surprised that Kansas City was able to get as much as they did for Allen considering the team trading for him would not only have to give him that monster new contract but also because he is one off-the-field mistake away from a year long suspension. That's a lot of risk for a team to assume on top of giving up some value draft choices and Kansas City obviously had their reservations about Allen or else he never would have been available to begin with. Even though it was a risk and very expensive it should prove to be a wise move as long as Allen can manage to stay out of trouble.
For Kansas City I'm sure it wasn't easy to trade away the guy who was arguably their best player but the bottom line is they simply didn't trust him and weren't willing to pay what he was asking. For a team that is rebuilding like the Chiefs are you just can't underestimate the value of those early round draft choices and they now have 13 picks overall, with 6 of them in the top three rounds. Kansas City now has a boatload of picks, however they have at least as many holes to fill as well. Kansas City should be able to land the offensive tackle they so desperately need with the 17th pick and the two guys to watch out for are Jeff Otah (who they reportedly love) or worst-case Gosder Cherilus. What this deal really does though is free the Chiefs up so now they don't have to reach for an offensive lineman with the #5 overall pick and can instead take a Matt Ryan or perhaps a Chris Long or Vernon Gholston to serve as Allen's replacement.
Even though I do think the Vikings gave up a little too much this is the type of deal that has the potential to work out for both sides and in terms of their immediate agendas it absolutely looks like a win-win. Minnesota gets the stud pass rusher they need and Kansas City receives a handful of valuable draft picks for their rebuilding effort. Now if Allen runs afoul of the law again and is suspended or if the Chiefs aren't able to turn those selections into quality players things could certainly look much different 2-3 years from now but for the time being I have to say that for all intents and purposes both sides appear to have come out smelling like roses on this one.
April 22nd, 2008
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The Miami Dolphins signed Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long to a five-year, $57.75 million contract ($30 million guaranteed) today which officially means he'll be the #1 overall pick in the '08 NFL Draft, just as I've been predicting for a month and a half.
This move makes sense for Miami on three fronts:
1) Talent: Jake Long is a very talented player and is absolutely worthy of being the #1 overall pick in this relatively weak draft.
2) Need: Offensive tackle was without question Miami's most pressing need. Outside of Vernon Carey the Dolphins only had one other tackle on their roster, which was Julius Wilson and he was an undrafted free agent who has yet to play a down in the NFL. The only way to get a top offensive tackle these days is to draft one. If teams have a good one they simply do not let him get away. Period. Heck, the Pittsburgh Steelers slapped the transition tag on their backup right tackle for $6.9 million!
3) Economics: If you have to invest $30 million in a player you might as well give it to a guy who plays a premium position, such as offensive tackle. As good as Vernon Gholston is those 3-4 outside linebackers are a dime a dozen and if you take him #1 it will be overpaying by 33%. It just does not make "cents".
The Dolphins have already said that they plan to play Long at left tackle and while I am not completely convinced that will be his best position in the NFL long-term it sure doesn't hurt to try. That decision also allows them to move Vernon Carey back to right tackle, where he is a better fit. Put those two together with Samson Satele at center and Justin Smiley at one of the guard spots and the Dolphins have 80% of their offensive line locked down, with an average age of just over 24-years old! Anyone who knows football will tell you that games are won and lost in the trenches and Miami has secured their future, at least on the offensive side of the ball.
Jake Long was the safest pick in this draft and really the only logical direction for the Dolphins to go with that choice. Congrats Miami, you landed a franchise cornerstone for the next decade.
April 21st, 2008
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While everyone is scratching their heads wondering why Brian Brohm's stock has dropped so much and drooling over the physical tools and potential of Joe Flacco the legitimate possibility has emerged that Michigan's Chad Henne could wind up being the second quarterback chosen.
For some reason Henne's been somewhat of a forgotten man in recent months but let's take a look at his resume:
* Four-year starter in the Big Ten (47 games).
* University of Michigan's All-Time leader in passing yards (9,715), completions (828) and passing touchdowns (87).
* In his final game as a Wolverine he lit up a very good Florida Gator defense for 373 yards and 2 touchdowns.
* Arguably the most consistently impressive quarterback throughout the entire 2008 Senior Bowl week in Mobile.
Not too shabby!
Henne may be flying under the radar when it comes to the media but he is garnering some momentum amongst NFL teams and it looks like he will come off the board early in round two. At the latest. The team that has been mentioned most prominently is the Miami Dolphins and if their new regime isn't sold on John Beck don't be surprised if they make Chad Henne the 32nd overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. Other teams know this as well though so if Atlanta, Baltimore or someone else covets Henne they will likely try to maneuver ahead of the Dolphins and that could lead to him becoming a late first round pick, possibly in San Diego's slot at #27. Henne, Brohm and Flacco represent the second tier of signal callers behind Matt Ryan and they are all still jockeying for position but even though Henne gets the least amount of pub amongst that group don't be surprised if he ultimately emerges as the big winner on Draft Day.
April 18th, 2008
What would you say if I told you that one of the three wide receivers in the photo above could go ahead of guys like Malcolm Kelly, Mario Manningham, and Early Doucet? You'd call me crazy, right? Now what if I told you that it is quite possible that Jordy Nelson, Eddie Royal and Dexter Jackson could all be chosen ahead of those other three guys! Don't laugh, it just might happen.
There are certainly other wideouts in this draft who get more attention but Nelson, Royal and Jackson have all emerged as legitimate 2nd or 3rd round picks and odds are at least a couple of them are going to be selected before some of their much-hyped counterparts. Jordy Nelson in particular has enjoyed quite a meteoric rise as of late and not only is he firmly in the 2nd round at this point he could be the fifth receiver off the board on Draft Day. Nelson isn't flashy but he is coming off a big senior year and just does everything well. Personally, I feel he is more of a mid to late 3rd round value and there are probably 10-12 other wideouts that I would rather have but he should be a very good possession type at the next level. Eddie Royal's stock really began to climb at the Senior Bowl, where he made a number of nice plays and was just very solid throughout the week before getting injured. He isn't the biggest guy around but he is very fast and can also contribute as a return guy. Dexter Jackson is actually a poor-man's DeSean Jackson and in addition to similar physical builds they also share a lot of traits in terms of their skill set. Make no mistake about it though, Dexter Jackson is going to be selected as high as he is based on his return abilities, not necessarily his receiving skills. Royal and Jackson are both 3rd round possibilities and it would not be a shock if one of them found his way into round two.
Jordy Nelson, Eddie Royal and Dexter Jackson aren't household names, at least not yet, but it appears as though they are going to be selected before a bunch of guys who are on Draft Day.
April 17th, 2008
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Everyone's talking about Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland's "slip" at a press conference and I received a lot of e-mails asking me for my thoughts. First here is his quote from that press conference:
"Of course I want guys that have great upside," Ireland said. "This is the first pick in the draft. This guy is going to be -- you hope that he's a pillar of your defense for a long time."
Where to begin...
First of all as a general rule of thumb it's never a good idea to believe anything that comes out of the mouths of NFL personnel this time of the year. I think the general consensus among fans is that Ireland legitimately screwed up and his comments mean the Dolphins are going to select Vernon Gholston with the #1 pick. Now I sure can't say with 100% certainty if that either is or is not the case but please allow me to offer some alternative explanations. First of all, maybe it was intentional. Maybe negotiations with Jake Long aren't going well and they wanted to send him a subtle message that they are willing to look in another direction. Personally I don't think that will work though because Long and his representatives know that if he doesn't go #1 the Rams are sitting at #2 and would love to make him their pick. Another reason for intentionally putting it out there is to try and drum up trade interest and perhaps they are trying to sucker teams that covet Vernon Gholston into giving them a call. And last but not least maybe it was simply an honest to goodness mistake and he really did mean to say team rather than defense.
I will say this: If they are in fact zeroing in on Gholston and Ireland let their plans slip it was a real boneheaded move on his part, bordering on incompetence. I guess we'll just have to wait until next weekend to find out and in all reality we may never truly know what happened... If nothing else Mr. Ireland has certainly provided a little extra intrigue to the '08 Draft discussion.
April 16th, 2008
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There seems to be a lot of talk about the St. Louis Rams selecting Glenn Dorsey with the #2 overall pick but I'm here to say that it's either an elaborate smokescreen or they're real stupid.
I'll be the first to admit that the Rams need help along the defensive line, but they need an end, not a tackle. Last year St. Louis used the #13 overall pick on Adam Carriker and also found a 5th round gem in Clifton Ryan. That's two good young defensive tackles and when you factor La'Roi Glover and former 3rd round pick Claude Wroten into the equation they would appear to be set inside. On the outside however they have a 34-year-old Leonard Little on one side and opposite him a guy they value so much in James Hall that they actually cut him earlier this year.
In 2007 the Rams finished in the bottom third of the league in sacks with just 31 for the entire season and they simply have to find a way to put some more pressure on the quarterback. As good as Glenn Dorsey is he will never be the type who racks up double-digit sacks on a yearly basis, that's just not the type of player he is. How about moving Adam Carriker outside to end you ask? On the face that might make some sense since that's the position he played in college but you have to keep in mind that he was never en explosive pass rusher for the Huskers and many had him pegged for either a base end in a 4-3 or perhaps even a 3-4. Also, they obviously felt he was best suited to play inside so why go against your initial instincts, ask him to lose 25 pounds and waste a year of his development? What St. Louis really needs is an impact guy off the edge with the speed and athleticism to take advantage of playing in a domed stadium on turf. Vernon Gholston can definitely do that. Chris Long might be able to do that. Glenn Dorsey can not. Dorsey might very well wind up being their pick but he won't solve their problems and if the Rams do go that route with the 2nd overall pick the line to criticize them starts behind me.
April 15th, 2008
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Jake Long, Branden Albert, Ryan Clady, Chris Williams, Jeff Otah and Gosder Cherilus are going to be the first six offensive lineman selected on April 26. It may not necessarily be in that exact order but that group is without question the top six.
However, #7 just might surprise you...
Most assume Sam Baker will be the next blocker off the board and while that may ultimately be the case Virginia Tech's Duane Brown is giving him a real serious run for his money. Brown has always been firmly on the prospect radar and considered to be a legitimate mid-round type but as of late his stock has really begun to soar and he is one of the hottest prospects in this draft. Not only is Brown now a solid 2nd rounder he could even push his way up into the late first or early second round area. After beginning his college career as a tight end (he actually caught 3 passes for 64 yards in 2004) Brown moved to the offensive line in '05 where he went on to become a three-year starter at both right and left tackle for the Hokies. Brown is obviously a great athlete with good size and long arms and that makes most teams feel he'll be able to protect the blind side at the next level. Brown isn't real strong or physical and is more of a finesse blocker so he may not be an ideal fit for every scheme but even though he is still somewhat raw that hasn't stopped some teams from taking a real shine to him. Personally I am not as high on Brown as some and I would be reluctant to take him before round three but, as they say, to each his own.
So when your friends are talking about Sam Baker, Carl Nicks, and Anthony Collins just drop the name "Duane Brown" into the conversation, it'll make you look awfully smart on Draft Day.
April 14th, 2008
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The team that might be in the most awkward position on Draft Day this year is the Kansas City Chiefs. The guy they really want and need, Jake Long, will be long gone by the time they are on the clock and with no other offensive lineman worthy of the #5 overall pick they will be forced to either reach for another blocker or perhaps select Matt Ryan, even though they like Brodie Croyle. The obvious solution is to trade down and while that is easier said than done it appears as though that's the course of action the Chiefs are zeroing in on. The following is a quick peak at some teams who might be interested in moving up, what it would cost them in terms of compensation to make such a deal and the prospect(s) they might be targeting at #5:
Listed in Order of Whether They Are Currently Selecting
The Contender: New York Jets The Cost: 1st Rounder (#6), 4th Rounder (#102) and 7th Rounder (#211) The Target(s): Chris Long, Vernon Gholston, Matt Ryan Analysis: The Jets probably aren't in the market to move up but if they did happen to fall in love with a guy they could opt to make a preemptive strike against either New England or Baltimore.
The Contender: New England Patriots The Cost: 1st Rounder (#7), 3rd Rounder (#94), 4th Rounder (#129), 5th Rounder (#164) The Target(s): Chris Long, Vernon Gholston Analysis: If anything the Pats will probably be looking to move down, not up, but if they want to stick it to the Jets they can always move ahead of them and steal the guy they're targeting.
The Contender: Baltimore Ravens The Cost: 1st Rounder (#8), 2nd Rounder (#38), 5th Rounder (#140) * Also Get Back a 3rd * The Target(s): Matt Ryan Analysis: Keep an eye on this one. The Ravens desperately need a top young quarterback and they could potentially get one for the relatively low cost of dropping from #38 to #60 and a 5th round pick. For the Chiefs it would be a little more palatable taking Braden Albert at #8 overall.
The Contender: Cincinnati Bengals The Cost: 1st Rounder (#9), 2nd Rounder (#46) * Also Get Back a 4th * The Target(s): Sedrick Ellis Analysis: There are scenarios where Ellis could just drop to them at #9 but since he is by far the best fit for them the Bengals might want to be a little aggressive and make sure they get their guy. If the Bengals don't land Sedrick Ellis in round one they will likely be in a bit of trouble and would be forced to either reach for Keith Rivers or do something completely off the board.
The Contender: New Orleans Saints The Cost: 1st Rounder (#10), 2nd Rounder (#40) * Also Get Back a 4th * The Target(s): Sedrick Ellis Analysis: If they want Sedrick Ellis, which they should and probably do, they will have to move up because there's no way he gets past Cincy one spot ahead of them. If they are targeting a cornerback they may want to move up to ensure they get their choice of the top guys, whether it be Leodis McKelvin or Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. If I were them I would want Ellis though.
The Contender: Denver Broncos The Cost: 1st Rounder (#12), 2nd Rounder (#42), 6th Rounder (#183) The Target(s): Sedrick Ellis, Branden Albert, Ryan Clady Analysis: Mike Shanahan has never been afraid to make bold moves on Draft Day and I don't think there is any question that Sedrick Ellis is exactly what the doctor ordered in Denver. It would not be cheap to go all the way from #12 to #5 but it could work out well for both sides. The Broncos get the stud defensive tackle they have been searching for while the Chiefs would basically have their pick of all the offensive lineman not named "Jake Long" at #12. Perfect!!!
The Contender: Philadelphia Eagles The Cost: Lito Sheppard, 1st Rounder, 3rd Rounder, 4th Rounder, 6th Rounder The Target(s): Vernon Gholston, Branden Albert, Ryan Clady Analysis: This is obviously the least likely of all these scenarios but the Eagles do have Lito Sheppard to trade and the Chiefs need a top cornerback. This puts the Eagles in position to grab a number of different prospects that they likely covet while the Chiefs pick up a starting cover guy, some extra picks and maybe still land Jeff Otah or Gosder Cherilus later in round one.
Oh, the possibilities... This is what makes the NFL Draft so much fun!!!
April 11th, 2008
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According to Adam Schefter of the NFL Network Quentin Groves recently had heart surgery!
Okay, enough with the shock value because it's no where near as serious as that opening line makes it sound. According to the report Groves underwent a procedure on March 27 to "treat his Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome, an abnormality in the heart's electrical system that can cause rapid heart beats". The condition has now apparently been taken care of and while it's definitely an issue that teams will want to investigate it should not have much of an affect on his draft stock when all is said and done.
With that now out of the way Groves is actually one of the more intriguing prospects in 2008 NFL Draft. When it comes to getting after the quarterback Groves has few peers but the question is where do you play him. For the most part Groves played defensive end in college and he was very productive there (26.0 career sacks), but at 6-3 and 259 pounds he doesn't have the size or bulk you look for and might have to move to outside linebacker at the next level. However, when Groves played linebacker late in his senior season the results were really somewhat mixed. It's pretty hard to ignore his sheer athleticism and speed (4.57) but Groves is basically a classic 'tweener. I know most think he will be a 3-4 outside linebacker and that is probably where he will end up but I'm honestly not convinced that is his best position. He might simply be a situational pass rusher at end in a 4-3 scheme and there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, I think he can excel in that role. Regardless of where Groves plays someone is going to get a great pass rusher and he'll probably be a late 1st or 2nd rounder.
April 10th, 2008
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I often get e-mails from people asking where they can get videos of prospects to see them in action for themselves but to this point there was not much I could tell them. That has changed!
The folks over at SI.com recently dropped me a line and said that they have launched a new feature on their site called the FilmRoom, where you can stream highlights and action of about 250 of the top prospects available for the 2008 NFL Draft. Needless to say this really is a great feature and I highly recommend everyone checks it out so you can see the elite prospects for yourself and come to your own conclusions about their potential. Simply click on the link below:
The day we've all been waiting for is finally here. Oklahoma's Malcolm Kelly and Reggie Smith finally worked out today but unfortunately the results were not nearly as exciting as the hype.
According to Gil Brandt of NFL.com Malcolm Kelly only managed to run a 4.75 and a 4.68 while Reggie Smith checked in with 4.65 and 4.61 clockings. For Smith the times were not great but they probably won't hurt him too much and their greatest impact is that he will now be viewed as a safety prospect, not a cornerback. Kelly on the other hand will really be hurt by those slow times and that, coupled with questions about his knees, will likely push him into round two (at least). Kelly also had a 32-inch vertical jump, a 9-foot, 9-inch long jump, a 4.24 short shuttle, a 7.00 cone drill and on the bright side he apparently looked good running routes and catching the ball in positional drills. Apparently Kelly was not happy that the location of the workout was changed at the last minute and he later blamed his slow times on the field turf surface but the bottom line is even if he ran a 4.5 on a Astroturf surface teams would have adjusted it anyway.
From the beginning Malcolm Kelly being talked about as a potential Top 10 pick was largely a product of internet hype, and I spoke about that phenomenon in this very blog all the way back on February 20. The fact is Kelly received a 2nd round projection from the NFL's Underclassmen Advisory Panel and his coaches at Oklahoma told him they thought he'd be a 3rd or 4th round pick this year. In the end those forecasts are going to wind up being relatively accurate. What really hurt's Kelly here is all of the buildup and because he is essentially the last high-profile prospect to work out we have all eagerly been awaiting this day and the spotlight is all on him, for better (or in this case) worse. Kelly is still a very good player and this certainly doesn't mean he can't enjoy a great NFL career but those slow forty times are going to hurt him on Draft Day. Instead of competing for round one positioning with Limas Sweed, Devin Thomas and DeSean Jackson he's now battling guys like James Hardy and Mario Manningham for a spot amongst the second tier of wideout prospects. With that said I think Kelly will still ultimately be a 2nd round pick when all is said and done, assuming his knees aren't worse than we've been led to believe.
We now have all of the measurables on this year's class, time to get ready for Draft Day!!!
April 8th, 2008
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A year ago around this time Pro Football Weekly reported that Calvin Johnson, Gaines Adams and Amobi Okoye admitted to having used marijuana during their Scouting Combine interviews, which was a big story. Well, my buddy Nolan Nawrocki over at PFW has another exclusive scoop this year and it looks like two high-profile prospects may see their draft stock affected by drugs.
According to the report Kansas CB Aqib Talib tested positive for marijuana three times during his days with the Jayhawks. Meanwhile Michigan WR Mario Manningham also tested positive for pot twice during his Wolverine career and then compounded the problem by lying to interviewers about it at the Combine in Indy. In Manningham's case we already knew some of the details and his stock has already fallen because of it so I want to focus on Talib's situation.
First of all this does not come as a big shock to insiders. Talib's off-the-field issues, dating all the way back to his high school days, were common knowledge in scouting circles. This was merely confirmation. In fact, in my scouting report on Talib I noted in the weaknesses section that he had some character concerns and that was one of the reasons I have had him rated as a late first rounder all along while others were putting him as high as #7 overall in their mocks. This certainly isn't a good thing for Talib and Nawrocki noted in his story that he has already been "removed from the draft boards of multiple NFL teams". However, ultimately I can't envision Talib falling any further than the second round and he still has a legitimate shot at going in round one, albeit now the latter part rather than then middle.
Dallas still needs a cornerback and Jerry Jones has certainly never been afraid to take a risk...
With the 28th pick in the 2008 NFL Draft the Dallas Cowboys select: Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas?
April 7th, 2008
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It's pretty uncommon for a potential early round pick to be flying under the radar this late in the process but that seems to be exactly what is happening with Tyvon Branch of Connecticut.
Despite the emergence of the Husky football program in recent years Connecticut has still only had a grand total of five prospects selected in the NFL Draft since 1992, a 3rd rounder, a 5th rounder, two 6th rounders and a couple of 12th rounders. However, later this month Tyvon Branch could become the highest drafted Husky in the program's history which would be quite an accomplishment.
When it comes to triangle numbers Branch is the prototype with 4.31 speed at 5-11 and 204 pounds. Branch isn't quite as fluid as those measurables might indicate however which is why his best fit may come in a zone scheme. In fact, a lot of teams are looking at him as a potential safety. His poor hands and ball skills (just 3 career interceptions) are troubling but it's hard to ignore a guy with his combination of size and speed. Regardless of where he plays at the next level it's becoming increasingly clear that Branch is going to come off the board in the 2nd or 3rd round, probably ahead of some defensive backs with much higher national profiles.
Is he a bit of a "Workout Warrior"?
Absolutely.
But that doesn't change the fact that he's going to go very early.
April 4th, 2008
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One prospect who seems to have a strong following is Oklahoma State wide receiver Adarius Bowman and while he was once being talked about as a potential first round pick there is now a very good chance he won't be drafted at all. So what happened?
As always for a prospect to fall so far from grace so fast it was more than one thing. First of all he has off-the-field issues. Bowman began his college career at North Carolina but was dismissed from the team after he was cited for marijuana possession. That's how he ended up at Oklahoma St. Now you might be able to chalk that up to the youthful indiscretion of a 19-year-old kid but the problem is Bowman was just recently arrested again and charged with the possession of marijuana. Assuming the charges hold up I think it's fair to say he hasn't been able to put his drug "issues" behind him.
Bowman has also had troubles on the field. At the Senior Bowl he struggled mightily with drops, especially early in the week. In fact, at one point he was basically dropping more balls than he was catching and that's not an exaggeration. It was almost painful to watch. The final factor that has contributed to his freefall is speed. Nobody expected Bowman to run a 4.4 but he has been even slower than expected, running a high-4.6 at the Scouting Combine and mid-4.7's at his Pro Day. There has been some speculation that he might have to move to H-Back or tight end at the next level but nobody seems to feel that he has either the blocking ability or the demeanor to handle such a role, which leaves him in positional limbo.
Basically what we are looking at with Adarius Bowman right now is a guy who is slow, may not have a true position and has serious character concerns. That is not a good mix for a prospect. In fact, it's about the worst combination imaginable! The best comparison for Bowman that I can think of right now is Mike Williams. The bad pro version, not the good college version. Very few players have seen their draft stock plummet as much as Bowman has in the last five or six months but it is hard to feel too sorry for the young man because a lot of his problems were self-inflicted. Without the off-the-field stuff Bowman would still get chosen, probably in the 5th or 6th round, but at this point there are more questions than answers with him which is why I would not be at all surprised if Adarius Bowman gets passed over all together on Draft Day '08.
April 3rd, 2008
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St. Louis won't even be considering Matt Ryan at #2 overall but what the Rams do with that pick could affect the Boston College quarterback to the tune of $9 million in his rookie contract.
In recent weeks it has become increasingly clear that Atlanta is targeting Glenn Dorsey at #3 overall, however the Rams are also very high on Dorsey and could take him one pick ahead of the Falcons. If Dorsey is gone gone Atlanta will most likely turn their attention to Ryan but if the LSU defensive tackle is available the Falcons will probably take him and that could lead to Ryan falling all the way to Baltimore at #8 overall. The difference in guaranteed money from #3 to #8 will be somewhere in the neighborhood of $9 million. As I have maintained for quite some time now the Rams really hold the key to the top of this draft. In fact, the Top 10 could go in three or four completely different directions depending on what St. Louis does with that #2 overall pick.
Perhaps nobody will be paying closer attention to that situation than Matt Ryan.
After all, he might very well have nine million reasons to care about what the Rams do.
April 2nd, 2008
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You may have noticed that the updates have been a little sparse for the last month but that's because I have been working feverishly on adding all of my scouting reports. Well, after about 200 man hours of work (not including the actual film review of course) I am extremely proud to announce that they are now all done! That's right, every player in the rankings (all 415 of them) now has a scouting report detailing their strengths and weaknesses along with some notable background information. Malcolm Kelly and Reggie Smith are the two notable exceptions but we don't have all of the information on those guys just yet so I will knock them out after they work out on April 9. I will probably add another 10-15 prospects to the database between now and Draft Day but for all intents and purposes the scouting reports are finished. As always I have done my reports in a short, concise format which should allow you to learn all about a prospect and what he has to offer in just a minute or two. With my scouting reports you get the hard, cold info. without having to comb through paragraphs of fluff. I know I like that format and I hope you do too. You can check them out by clicking the Rankings link at the top of every page.
So now that those are essentially finished we can get to the fun stuff! Here is a quick look at just some of the things you can expect to see from "NFLDC" in the next week and a half or so:
Updated Prospect Hot List
Updated Team Needs
Feature on my All-Underrated Team
Players Interviews with two 1st Rounders
Updated Mock Draft
And much, much more!!!
So be sure to stay tuned because it's now the stretch run and nobody will bring you better coverage of the 2008 NFL Draft than NFL Draft Countdown and, as always, it's all 100% FREE!
April 1st, 2008
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Quick! Who will be the third offensive lineman selected?
Most of you probably said either Jeff Otah or Chris Williams but don't be surprised if Branden Albert is the next offensive lineman off the board after Jake Long and Ryan Clady on Draft Day. Albert is already a consensus first rounder and widely regarded to be the top offensive guard available but as the draft gets closer it sounds like more and more teams are viewing him as a legitimate option outside at tackle as well. Quite possibly even left tackle.
Jake Long is obviously going to come off the board very early and Ryan Clady is unlikely to make it past both Denver (#12) and Carolina (#13) so after those two are gone Albert could very well start to come into play. In fact, with so many teams looking for help along the offensive line Albert probably won't make it out of the Top 20 overall. Carolina (#13), Chicago (#14) and Houston (#18) would seem like the three most likely possibilities for Albert but you can't rule out Detroit (#15) or Philadelphia (#19) either.
There is no question that Branden Albert is one of the hottest prospects in the '08 Draft and his stock is definitely on the rise.
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If you are the Saints, a team with Super Bowl aspirations, why would you trade your 27-year-old Pro Bowl left tackle at this point? Sure they could get a Branden Albert or a Ryan Clady at #10 to replace him but I'm not sure how wise it would be to have a rookie protecting Drew Brees' blind side, especially since he has some durability concerns.
First of all the details: In exchange for the NFL's reigning sack leader the Chiefs 
This move makes sense for Miami on three fronts:
For some reason Henne's been somewhat of a forgotten man in recent months but let's take a look at his resume:
However, #7 just might surprise you...
Okay, enough with the shock value because it's no where near as serious as that opening line makes it sound. According to 
According to the report Kansas CB Aqib Talib tested positive for marijuana three times during his days with the Jayhawks. Meanwhile Michigan WR Mario Manningham also tested positive for pot twice during his Wolverine career and then compounded the problem by lying to interviewers about it at the Combine in Indy. In Manningham's case we already knew some of the details and his stock has already fallen because of it so I want to focus on Talib's situation.
Despite the emergence of the Husky football program in recent years Connecticut has still only had a grand total of five prospects selected in the NFL Draft since 1992, a 3rd rounder, a 5th rounder, two 6th rounders and a couple of 12th rounders. However, later this month Tyvon Branch could become the highest drafted Husky in the program's history which would be quite an accomplishment.
As always for a prospect to fall so far from grace so fast it was more than one thing. First of all he has off-the-field issues. Bowman began his college career at North Carolina but was dismissed from the team after he was cited for marijuana possession. That's how he ended up at Oklahoma St. Now you might be able to chalk that up to the youthful indiscretion of a 19-year-old kid but the problem is Bowman was just recently 
Most of you probably said either Jeff Otah or Chris Williams but don't be surprised if Branden Albert is the next offensive lineman off the board after Jake Long and Ryan Clady on Draft Day. Albert is already a consensus first rounder and widely regarded to be the top offensive guard available but as the draft gets closer it sounds like more and more teams are viewing him as a legitimate option outside at tackle as well. Quite possibly even left tackle.