SB Nation - Darrius Heyward-Bey

We're Only Mostly Dead

Akula Wolf — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:54:32 -0000

More photos » by Gerry Broome - AP

"Why can't I move? Why am I up against this wall?" (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

Russell Wilson insists that there is no friction between the offense and defense, and Jarvis Williams is reminding everybody that the team isn't dead yet because bowl eligibility is still technically possible. But if the Pack cannot find a way to slow Maryland's anemic offense, which is the second-worst unit they're going to see in conference play this year, all of this maybe-there's-a-chance business ends. Maryland represents the last should-win opportunity on the Pack's schedule; that failure here effectively ends the season is nothing if not appropriate.

In terms of completion percentage, yards per attempt, TD-INT ratio, and quarterback rating, Chris Turner is the same as he ever was, and thus so too is the Maryland passing game. Capable if not consistent, Turner generally completes a good percentage of his throws for modest yardage per attempt. In the place of departed receivers Darrius Heyward-Bey and Danny Oquendo are Torrey Smith and Adrian Cannon, both of whom have been good for about 4 grabs per game. Smith ranks 5th in the ACC in receiving yards, 9th in receptions, 8th in yards per catch, and he leads the Terps with 4 TD receptions. He's the guy to watch.

The offense's production has dropped from 5.5 yards per play in 2008 to 4.8 in '09, and with production through the air remaining similar in both years, that leaves the running game. Running back Da'Rel Scott, who piled up 1133 yards on just 209 carries in 2008, went down with an injury at the start of conference play and hasn't seen any action since October 3rd (he won't play against NC State). The Terps weren't as effective running the ball as they were last season even with Scott, and their problems have only worsened in his absence. They've also been without freshman RB Gary Douglas, who could be back to provide some help this week. Davin Meggett was left to pick up most of the slack, though Maryland hasn't been giving him feature back-level touches. Meggett should bet most of the work, but keep an eye out for Caleb Porzel, a 5-8, 170 pound freshman that has big time speed.

Maryland	Yds/Play	OppYds/Play	Net Yds/Play	Yds/Rush	Yds/PassAtt	OppYds/Rush	OppYds/PassAtt
2008 Overall	5.5	5.2	+0.3	4.3	6.7	3.9	6.6
2009 Overall	4.8	5.6	-0.8	2.8	6.8	3.8	7.7
2008 vs. ACC	4.9	5.1	-0.2	3.4	6.3	4.2	6.3
2009 vs. ACC	4.4	5.0	-0.6	2.3	6.6	2.4	7.5

Examining Maryland's In-State Football Recruiting History

Ben Broman — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:02:55 -0000

More photos » by Nick Wass - AP

Kenny Tate has been one of Maryland's few highly ranked in-state recruiting successes.

Browse more photos »

It's a bye week, which means it's lots of random and kind of pointless research. Today's topic: in-state football recruiting. Sadly, this didn't prove a lot, so it's more my worthless thoughts than real information, but read on if you wish.

If you follow Maryland recruiting at all, you probably know that in-state recruiting has been less than stellar, both this year and in the past four or so years (the last real good year was in 2005, five years ago, when Maryland landed 7 of the top 10 in state; sadly, they included guys like Morgan Green, Jeff Allen, Anthony Wiseman, and the dreaded Melvin Alaeze; if Maryland turned out that performance a year later, we'd have Penn State's defense right now).

But I digress. Back to the relevant in-state recruiting stuff: the majority of good (not great) teams, which is what Maryland should try to be, land around 25% of their top 15 in-state players. For instance, Pitt has landed 28% of the top 15 Pennsylvanians over the past five years. Illinois, while they haven't reaped the benefits of it this year, have hit that 28% mark as well. Virginia Tech does, too. South Carolina gets 24% of theirs. Most elite schools can afford, both literally and figuratively, to recruit outside their states: Maryland can't. For Maryland, the key to winning should be in-state recruiting.

As part of diagnosing the problems with the program, it would make sense to analyze this, which Heather Dinich already blew apart. And while I already blew apart the offensive and defensive line recruiting, it's worth noting that in state recruiting can't be called disastrous, at least not historically. Maryland does have trouble pulling in top targets - they haven't landed a #1 in-stater since Wesley Jefferson in 2003 - but they aren't miles away from the Pitts and South Carolinas of the world, both of whom are currently in the top 25 and could be considered programs similar to Maryland (except for the AD, some would argue [I wouldn't, but that's irrelevant]).

In fact, the Terps have pulled away 20% of the top 15 the past five years - not an outstanding number, but not terrible and better than some top 25 programs, like Ole Miss. The problem has been landing the best of the best in-state, which very few non-elite programs can do, and developing the players they get.

For the first part, Maryland's last number one was, as was said earlier, Wes Jeff. He left early for a job in police enforcement. The only other top 2 player they landed were Melvin Alaeze, and we know how that turned out, and DeOnte Arnett, who is yet to prove himself (or have a chance to prove himself). They've also landed Tre Covington, who was a disappointment, and Kevin Dorsey, who hasn't made much of an impact in his first season, who were #3s. Other than that: nothing.

Like I mentioned earlier, Maryland's best in-state class was in 2005. Making up 70% of the top 10, it included guys like Anthony Wiseman, Morgan Green, Jeff Allen, Jamari McCollough, Jeremy Navarre, and Darrius Heyward-Bey. Of them all, Hey-Bey is the only one that really blossomed into a star. The others probably underachived based on their ranking (which we know isn't guaranteed, but more often than not is a good indicator).

The exact opposite happened for Penn State the following year. They grabbed almost the exact same class out of Maryland, only theirs included Navorro Bowman, who had over 100 tackles last year and is one of the best linebackers in the country, instead of McCollough; Aaron Maybin, who was dominant and a first round pick last year, instead of Allen; and Phillip Taylor, a starting DT, instead of Morgan Green.

I'm not trying to blame anyone here, especially not the players, but the results are pretty damning for someone. Is it that Maryland got bad luck? Did Friedgen and his staff fail at developing the players? I don't really know, but it wasn't really the recruiting at fault.

The lack of player development is pretty well seen in the starting lineup itself this year: only two starters on offense are actually from Maryland, and one of them is Paul Pinegar, a former walk-on. At least seven starters on defense are native Marylanders, but 9/22 isn't a great ratio.

Just to clarify, I'm not trying to say rankings are everything: Maryland's found plenty of in-state diamonds in the rough (like Davin Meggett), and that's necessary too. But I still hold that rankings are mostly important and a highly ranked player will turn out better than a lower ranked player 7 times out of 10, given the same coaching. Nor am I saying that the Terps should only recruit in-state; as long as they get the players, it doesn't matter where they're from. But if they really want to take the next step as a program, which will allow them to successfully recruit out of state on a regular basis, they'll need to start being stronger in-state.

But I digress again.

One of things that showed up in the offensive line recruiting breakdown was that this year was most dependent on 2006's recruiting (and because 2006 was so bad, 2007's to an extent as well), last year on 2005's recruiting, and so forth. Looking at 2006 and 2007's in-state years, it should come as no surprise that those were the worst of the past five years, and that 2005 (in 2008 we won eight games, remember) was the best. In 2006, the Terps only landed three top 15 players - Adrian Moten was one, but so were Drew Gloster (who missed a year and switched positions) and Pha'Terrell Washington (academic casualty). In 2007, it was just two, and Devonte Campbell, who's seen slow development, was among them.

But outside of that year, the in-state recruiting has been pretty solid. 2008 and 2009 were both solid bounce back yeas, grabbing five and four, respectively. Sadly, this year likely won't qualify with the likes of those.

While it's not over, unless Maryland makes a very strong push with some of the remaining uncommitteds, it's looking like Iowa and Wisconsin will have more top 20 Marylanders than Maryland will. Iowa and Wisconsin: these aren't really big draws, either football-wise or location-wise (although Iowa is undefeated, they don't have all that much tradition and it's in Iowa).

There is some good news, though: 2005, Maryland's stellar recruiting season, occurred with James Franklin as recruiting coordinator. That was his last year as RC; he would leave shortly after to become the Packers' WR coach. He was replaced by Dave Sollazzo, who has been average at best. Franklin is now back, but has a lot of stuff on his plate as OC, leaving less time for recruiting. Perhaps, if he is instituted as coach, he hands the playcalling over to an OC and acts as a program CEO, giving him more time to get out on the trail and pull the recruiting back in. Hopefully.

Profiles in Strange Coaching Decisions, Pt. II: QB Draws, Torrey Smith, and the Wildcat

Ben Broman — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 19:30:39 -0000

I think almost everyone will agree on these topics, but you never know.

QB Draws

I understand that it was rainy and the ball security was iffy. But I still can't wrap my head around the absurd QB draw playcalls. I counted four of them yesterday, and three were on third downs; one of them was on a third and 14 in the second quarter with Maryland losing.

We have an nonathletic QB. He's a decent runner, but I'm pretty sure half the fanbase could at least tie him in a race. That's okay, but when that's the case, don't call plays that require a running QB. There's no chance Maryland converts a 3rd and 14 with Turner running (I don't care that he got 11 yards, that was fluky in its own right and doesn't excuse the playcall). The thing is, 3rd and 14 is a convertible down. 15 yard pass plays aren't that hard to convert - they aren't easy, but they aren't impossible. I'm sure Maryland's completed them before. So why call a give up play when you're losing and the down and distance isn't impossible? If you're wondering, this was before the huge downpour of rain in the mid second quarter.

This has been a recurring problem. I'm fine with one or two QB draws a game, provided they come on first or second down and are smartly done. Four of them, most on third down, though, isn't good. At least run a normal draw, or an option; something with a higher success rate than a QB draw with an unathletic QB.

Torrey Smith

Have you met Torrey Smith? If you've only seen the past two weeks of football, you might not know who I'm talking about. The past two games he's touched the ball a total of ten times - four against Virginia, six against Duke. The former NCAA leader in all-purpose yardage (he's now #3) had received at least ten touches in all but one of the previous six games. Why'd they turn away away from him so dramatically?

The offense has been terrible the past two weeks. They put up just 13 against perhaps the worst defense in the ACC. Yet one of the most dangerous players in college football is on the field, and Maryland can figure out how to get him the ball.

Okay, so he's been double-teamed sometimes. Throw a bubble screen, then. Run a reverse. Let him run the wildcat (more on that later). Most of the time, actually, he's not even doubled - there's plenty of times, especially near the red zone, when the just go one on one, because they realize Maryland doesn't throw it to him anyway (well, I'm assuming that).

Perhaps we shouldn't expect Maryland to be able to use a legit WR correctly. After all, look at Darrius Heyward-Bey's time here. Other teams figure it out.

Here's something I found intriguing. If Torrey Smith got as many touches as Antonio Brown, who is two spots behind him on the APY list, he'd be leading the race by 50 yards a game. If he got as many touches as C.J. Spiller - not entirely a fair comparison, as Spiller's a RB - he'd be leading by over 100 yards a game. In fact, out of the top five all-purpose rushers, Smith gets the least touches per game.

Makes no sense.

The Wildcat

Sort of related to the above topic, can someone explain to me why Maryland does not stick with the Wildcat at all? The last two weeks they've run one play in the wildcat, in the first quarter, and it was a Torrey Smith run. Both plays accounted for 0 yards. After those unsuccessful plays, Fridge or Franklin abandoned it.

The Wildcat doesn't have a 100% success rate - there will be failures. And the more times this happens, the more failures there will be. The offense has been simply absymal; why not give it a real try? What's Maryland going to lose: a three and out? Just give it five plays a game, including one pass and one handoff to another person. If after that it doesn't work, so be it.

Bucknotes is lookin' lean and mean

Sam @ WWAHT — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 12:00:16 -0000

Contrast that with this and you get an idea of how much more athletic this line could be

Not a whole lot of news out of the first day of camp, what with it being closed and all. That being said, the offseason fluff machine may be winding down, but my willingness to cover it shall never wane.

Freshman Matt Barkley vying for USC Trojans' top QB job - ESPN
I know I've been dogging the Bucks for months over this game, but if Pete Carroll is serious about starting a true freshman in the 'Shoe against what should be a ferocious pass rush, I'm liking our chances a whole lot more.

NCAA College Football Power Rankings - NCAA Football - ESPN
Ohio State places sixth, proving that the lovefest ain't just the coaches.

EDSBS " Archive " THE JIM TRESSEL MOOD CHART

The chart should yield multiple dividends. First, skirts take flight for the winter and and never return under the steely gaze of Jim Tressel: it’s foreplay and distraction in one efficient move. In addition to this, your wife/girlfriend/prison psych will assume you’re actually trying, and will likely call this "progress." Finally, you can engage in this activity while spending mere seconds away from watching sweet, precious football.

If, for some reason only known to you and God, you aren't reading EDSBS consistently, this will convince you to do so.

SEC plans to enact new media policy | TideSports.com | The Tuscaloosa News | Tuscaloosa, AL
That gigantic new contract with the WWL has its drawbacks for the media and fans. About time something bad happened to something associated with the SEC.

A 2011 Recruiting Primer | mgoblog
Michigan thinks they have a chance at Braxton Miller, but HA:

his dad has said that Braxton won't play in an offense where the quarterback has to run around all the time

Nevertheless, Miller did attend a UM camp, but I don't think it's too much of a stretch to assume he did it to put up some good camp numbers.

Wake me when Terrelle Pryor's fake 40 time eclipses speed of sound - Dr. Sa... - NCAA Football - Rivals.com
Dr. Saturday dampens the enthusiasm over Pryor's ridic 40 time, which I still believe is on the very low side. Not that Pryor isn't fast, he just isn't "a few tenths of a second slower than Chris Johnson" fast:

If that time is correct, it would make Pryor not only the fastest Buckeye, but surely one of the fastest humans on earth. Consider that a 4.33 40 is significantly faster than any quarterback has run for the electronic clocks at the NFL Combine in the last four years, including Pat White (who turned in an official 4.55 in February at 197 pounds), and in fact more than a full tenth of a second faster than any running back or cornerback ran at this year's combine. Only one player at that entire event, Darrius Heyward-Bey, came in with a faster time (4.30) than Pryor's alleged 4.33. Of Pryor's six non-lineman teammates in Indianapolis -- a group that included Beanie Wells, Malcolm Jenkins and Brian Robiskie -- only one, cornerback Donald Washington, came in under 4.5 (4.49). In 2007, Ted Ginn Jr's "official" workout times ranged from 4.37 to 4.45, which knocked the scouts out. Ginn then weighed 178 pounds. Pryor's usual analog, Vince Young, reportedly ran the 40 in 4.58 seconds in 2006 at 228 pounds, on what was apparently considered a "fast track" in Austin [...]

Sweater Vest Digest – The Best Damn Blog in the Land! BuckeyeBanter.com " Preview No. 10: Penn State
BB ably breaks down the Penn State game, though I think they're underestimating the Lions on the year.

Ray Small waiting on grade change, dad says (Blogging the Buckeyes)
Whole thing still seems fishy. I mean, I've never heard of a grade being delayed this long. For anyone, let alone a star athlete. Plus, we know his dad is batnuts insane.

The story behind Michigan's dismissal of Feagin - Big Ten - ESPN
Cocaine's a hell of a drug.

Big Ten preseason power rankings - Big Ten - ESPN
Rittenberg places Ohio State first, says the offense will be "fine".

Ohio State linebacker Tyler Moeller likely to miss season with head injury suffered in fight - ESPN
The story constantly evolves; now the brawl apparently took place in Cincy (UPDATE: Nevermind...) and Moeller has since had a seizure. Thoughts and prayers to the family; football is entirely a secondary concern now.

Ohio State confirms free public practice on Aug. 24 - cleveland.com
No autograph session, except for JT, who'll be signing copies of the Winner's Manual.

Scouting the 2009 Football Opponents

FSUncensored — Sat, 23 May 2009 17:50:11 -0000

This page is dedicated to scouting the opponents the Noles will face in 2009. Whenever you see news on an opposing team, post it in this comment section (which will remain open for eternity or until 2010). This page can be found in the left column under "special pages."

07.27.09 Massive Update

Miami (FL)

@ Brigham Young University (BYU)

BYU had 3 starting/ Contributing defensive linemen leave for Mormon missions or fail out. Tialavea had started for two years ('07 and 08). Russell Tialavea (6-3 305) is a defensive tackle, and Ian Dulan (6-1 275) is the defensive end. Afutti is the 3rd. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705311402/BYU-football-Lineman-Afutiti-ruled-ineligible-for-09-season.html BYU loses another defensive lineman. BYU announced Thursday that junior defensive lineman Bernard Afutiti has been ruled academically ineligible and will not compete for the Cougars in 2009. Afutiti is the latest in a string of D-linemen who will not play for BYU this season. Starters Ian Dulan and Russell Tialavea, both juniors, have opted to serve missions. According to the depth chart released after spring practices, Afutiti was listed as Jan Jorgensen’s backup at left end. Afutiti, who was projected to be a major contributor this season, was sidelined for almost all of spring ball for academic reasons.
There are no slogans for the Cougars this season, after last year’s "Quest for Perfection" ended with a 10-3 record. The Cougars will be lucky to leave their 2009 opener with a victory. They open the season against Oklahoma at the Dallas Cowboys’ new stadium in Arlington, Texas. BYU also plays home games against Florida State on Sept. 19, TCU on Oct. 24 and Utah on Nov. 28. Quarterback Max Hall returns, but four starters on the offensive line must be replaced. The Cougars also lost top receivers Austin Collie and Michael Reed. The offense might be OK if tailback Harvey Unga stays healthy. Eight starters return on defense, but BYU still had questions at cornerback at the end of spring practice.
http://philsteele.com/online/2009Top40/15BYU.pdf
http://cfn.scout.com/2/878353.html
http://cfn.scout.com/2/878352.html
http://cfn.scout.com/2/878351.html
http://cfn.scout.com/2/878350.html

South Florida (USF)

http://nationalchamps.net/2009/sub/previews/southflorida.htm
http://cfn.scout.com/2/867735.html
http://philsteele.com/online/2009Top40/26USF.pdf
USF had an unsustainable high success rate on passing downs (2nd and 8+, 3rd/4th and 5+) http://footballoutsiders.com/varsity-numbers/2009/varsity-numbers-2008-offensive-buffet
Rivals.com College Football - Rivals.com 120 Countdown: No. 25 South Florida
The Quad Countdown: No. 40 South Florida - The Quad Blog - NYTimes.com

@ Boston College

BC Linebacker Mark Herzlich has Ewings Sarcoma (Bone Cancer), and will undergo Chemo. BC is now without their top 4 linebackers from last year (studs), and without their two monster defensive tackles.
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college/2009/05/acc-spring-prospectus-no-8-boston-college.html (before the bone cancer for Herzlich)
College Football News preview http://cfn.scout.com/2/859843.html
CFN Offense Preview http://cfn.scout.com/2/859860.html
CFN Defense Preview http://cfn.scout.com/2/859860.html
CFN Depth Chart http://cfn.scout.com/2/872120.html
BC's coach: "we won’t be spreading it out or throwing it a bunch. we will be pro style 2 back rushing"
http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=957386#68
http://www.athlonsports.com/college-football/16992/2009-boston-college-eagles-preview
Know your enemies (UNC blog) http://tarheeltds.wordpress.com/2009/07/24/know-your-enemies-9-atlantic-boston-college/
http://clempsonfootball.blogspot.com/2009/07/bc-spazianis-3-5-3-defense.html

Georgia Tech

@ UNC

NC State

Phil Steele NC State Preview Page (a very good download)
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college/2009/05/acc-spring-prospectus-no-4-nc-state.html
http://www.garnetandblackattack.com/2009/5/21/878683/post-spring-preview-nc-state
Note: probably unsustainable level of long distance downs success
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpIPZ5C9J3o&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baAszlaKsjc&feature=channel_page
http://cfn.scout.com/2/859855.html
http://cfn.scout.com/2/875182.html
http://cfn.scout.com/2/875181.html
http://cfn.scout.com/2/875180.html
Know Your Enemies- 6 (Atlantic)- NC State " UNC Football Blog

@ Clemson

http://nationalchamps.net/2009/sub/previews/clemson.htm
http://cfn.scout.com/2/859844.html
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college/2009/05/acc-spring-prospectus-no-7-clemson.html Not very well done
http://www.philsteele.com/online/2009Top40/25Clemson.pdf
Know your enemies (UNC blog) http://tarheeltds.wordpress.com/2009/07/23/know-your-enemies-8-atlantic-clemson/
Rivals.com College Football - Rivals.com 120 Countdown: No. 32 Clemson
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/In-search-of-the-Dabo-difference-at-Clemson?urn=ncaaf,178438
http://clempsonfootball.blogspot.com/2009/04/defensive-line-and-depth-chart.html
http://clempsonfootball.blogspot.com/2009/04/inside-steele-curtain-cover-3-zone.html
http://clempsonfootball.blogspot.com/2009/04/inside-steele-curtain-robber.html
http://clempsonfootball.blogspot.com/2009/03/inside-steele-curtain-4-3-overunder.html
http://clempsonfootball.blogspot.com/2009/03/inside-steele-curtain-cover-3-zone.html

@ Wake

CollegeFootballNews http://cfn.scout.com/2/859849.html
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college/2009/05/acc-spring-prospectus-no-9-wake-forest.html
CFN Offense http://cfn.scout.com/2/865524.html
CFN Defense http://cfn.scout.com/2/865523.html
CFN Depth Chart http://cfn.scout.com/2/865523.html
http://thequad.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/24/the-quad-countdown-no-69-wake-forest/
http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=961033
Know your Enemies http://tarheeltds.wordpress.com/2009/07/26/know-your-enemies-10-atlantic-wake-forest/

Maryland

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college/2009/05/acc-spring-prospectus-no-10-maryland-.html
CollegeFootballNews Preview http://cfn.scout.com/2/859850.html
CFN Offense http://cfn.scout.com/2/870207.html
CFN Defense http://cfn.scout.com/2/870206.html
CFN Depth Chart http://cfn.scout.com/2/870205.html
http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=957779#59
Very Biased DL – Much of the defensive line’s success will come from whether or not junior DT Dion Armstrong stays academically eligible. Right now, Friedgen said that Armstrong is probably 50/50. The Terps are already without DE Mack Frost, DT Jeremy Navarre (Jaguars) and DE Trey Covington (Jets, I think) but both were guys who never lived up to their potential. Senior lineman Travis Ivey will start but missed part of the spring with an injury. Redshirt freshmen AJ Francis and Masengo Kabongo may start but will definitely get playing time either way. True freshmen DeOnte Arnett and Zach Kerr could see the field and have the talent, but may not be needed.
LB – Dave Philistin and Moise Fokou both got picked up by NFL teams after going undrafted, and the Terps have some big shoes to fill. However, junior Adrian Moten could be an all-conference player if he stays healthy. Junior Alex Wujciak led the team in tackles last year (133 total) and is a monster in the middle. Sophomore Ben Pooler should contribute and could start by the fall, but has to heal a lingering injury first. Redshirt freshman Demetrius Hartsfield may start and nearly saw the field last year. He has earned high praise from Friedgen and is an attacking backer with serious athleticism. Junior Drew Gloster, a former tight end with academic/attitude issues, switched to linebacker and has turned some heads.

CB – Kevin Barnes got drafted by the Redskins but was out for the majority of the year with a shoulder injury, which meant several reserves got meaningful playing time. Senior Anthony Wiseman leads the crew and starts alongside senior Nolan Carroll. Fifth-year senior Richard Taylor should get granted an extra year of eligibility after getting hurt last season. Other reserves include sophomore Trenton Hughes, who didn’t play last season, and sophomore Cam Chism, who may break through the depth chart and see the field a lot, if not start at some point. The depth is a bit of a concern but with a new scheme it may be a good time to have the young kids learning the new formations and plays.

S – The Terps lose Jeff Allen but return senior Terrell Skinner, a senior known for making some big hits last season. Senior Jamari McCollough started just two games at strong safety last year but picked off four passes and should be a solid starter in a senior-laden secondary. Sophomore Kenny Tate is a monster at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds and has great instincts for a young player, and should see the field a lot.

Defensive injuries/academics/questionables – The Terps stole first-year defensive coordinator Don Brown from his head coaching gig at UMASS and he has already made waves. Brown is an old-school dude with a mustache and a gruff voice, who loves to blitz and put pressure on the quarterback. This is a welcomed change from former DC Chris Cosh (Kansas State), who played a very soft zone predicated on reacting to a play rather than altering it. The defensive line will be much, much stronger if Armstrong can stay eligible.

SPECIAL TEAMS

K – Obi Egekeze is gone and Maryland must figure out a way to replace him, despite a fairly weak leg and some consistency issues. Fighting for the starting gig are Mike Barbour and Nick Wallace (IUP transfer). Nick Ferrara, a heralded high school kicker in Long Island, NY, may swoop in and take the job when he begins class this fall.

P – Junior Travis Baltz returns as one of the top punters in the nation, first-team All-ACC and led the ACC in punting as a sophomore.

QB – For the first time in several years, there is no quarterback controversy. Chris Turner has the gig for once and for all. QBs Jordan Steffy (graduated) and Josh Portis (transferred) are no longer with the program. Turner has been effective, though not a stud by any means. He started nine games as a sophomore and 12 games as a junior, so he has good experience for an ACC quarterback. Turner doesn’t have a cannon but does have the ability to make good throws and should be one of the better returning ACC quarterbacks. His biggest asset is probably his ability to keep an even keel, something that the coaching staff jokes about as he is a California kid.

RB – Top rusher Da’Rel Scott (209 car, 1,113 yards, 8 TDs) returns, as do Nos. 2 and 3 in sophomore Davin Meggett (89 car, 457 yds, 4 TDs) and Morgan Green (24 car, 112 yds, 3 TDs). While those are the top three running backs on the roster, the Terps do lose a mobile QB in Portis, who carried for 186 yards last season, and WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (15 car, 202 yds, TD), who ran reverses and trick plays last year. Scott missed part of the spring with a sprained knee but should be 100% back to health by June.

FB – Senior fullback Cory Jackson is one of the best players on the Terps’ offense. Though he rarely gets carries, he paved the way for NFL RBs Keon Lattimore and Lance Ball, and has a high motor. As a sophomore, he broke his hand against UNC before the half, got his hand taped up and started the second half.

OL – Easily the biggest concern for this team, having graduated three off the line, including center Edwin Williams. Junior Bruce Campbell has NFL talent if he can stay academically eligible (it looks likely he will), but other than Campbell and senior Phil Costa, the o-line has very little experience. Costa is taking over at center despite never having played at center in college. A pair of redshirt freshmen in RJ Dill and Justin Lewis are slated as starters and earned praise from head coach Ralph Friedgen, but it is certainly still an area of concern.

WR – Junior receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey bolted to the NFL (#7 overall to the Raiders), yet the star wideout was under-utilized and only ended up with 23 percent of the team’s receiving yards. Still, he was the top receiving option and a terrific deep threat. Danny Oquendo, the team’s top possession receiver, graduated, leaving a crop of several young-but-unproven receivers to shoulder the load. Sophomores Ronnie Tyler (20 recs, 225 yds, TD) and Torrey Smith (24 recs, 336 yds, 2 TDs) dazzled at time last year and will be two of the top targets. Juniors Adrian Cannon (3 recs, 75 yds, TD) and Emani Lee-Odai (12 recs, 115 yds) should contribute as well, while redshirt freshmen Kevin Dorsey and Kerry Boykins have the talent to see the field this year. The wide receiving unit, while unproven, is expected to be one of the strong points on the team.

TE – Gone is Dan Gronkowski (brother of Arizona’s Rob Gronkowski), a heady blocking tight end who got selected in the 7th round of the NFL Draft. Everyone else in the TE corps comes back, though. Senior Tommy Galt will be the primary blocking tight end and the Terps have a trio of tight ends who are known for their hands: sophomore Lansford Watson (10 recs, 115 yds), Matt Furstenburg (RS-Fr) and Devonte Campbell (RS-Fr), who should all be good options for Turner to find.

Offensive injuries/academics/questionables – Offensive coordinator James Franklin is in his second year after coming to Maryland from Kansas State. He was named the head coach in waiting in the offseason and is a very good recruiter. However, last year the Terps lacked some offensive sizzle that Franklin was expected to bring, running a fairly vanilla scheme. Potential future pro Bruce Campbell has to fight to stay academically eligible but missed part of spring practice to hit the books.

@ UF

I plan to update this page throughout the offseason and during the season. Anything you find, put it in this comment section. Help the cause, and in turn, we'll write better previews for our games.

The Valley Ranch Review: Running Back to the Postseason; No U.S. Open for Romo

Aaron Novinger — Tue, 12 May 2009 22:00:12 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sakuma - AP

Darrius Heyward-Bey is a speed-merchant who played at Maryland and went 7th overall in the draft to the Raiders. Which new Dallas Cowboy ran him down in college? Make the jump to watch the video.

Browse more photos »

Peter King puts Dallas at number nine in his top ten teams for this year, citing the running game as the key to success.

Maybe this is the year the Cowboys start putting the round peg in round hole. They have 25-, 24- and 22-year-old running backs -- Marion Barber, Tashard Choice and Felix Jones, respectively -- who last year rushed the ball 360 times for 1,623 yards (4.5-yard average) and 12 touchdowns. Meanwhile, their quarterbacks dropped back to pass 578 times. When your backs are that good, they shouldn't be handed the ball on 37 percent of the offense snaps. I'm counting on Jason Garrett to make the run game much more of a presence this year. If he does, it's not a very distant limb to walk out on and say the Cowboys should win their first playoff game since 1996. But I've got to see it to believe it.

NFL analyst Tom Marino gives the Cowboys a "C" for their draft, and sees the special teams value in the later picks. He seems to think highly of Dallas' top two selections.

The Cowboys didn't pick till round number three and caused a few eyebrows to raise with the selection of Western Illinois linebacker Jason Williams. I personally like the selection and believe he'll become a household name in the not to distant future. By the same token, many people really like second selection tackle Robert Brewster. He's a big dancing bear, but he is going to need to get a good deal stronger and re-shape his body. In my opinion, he is strictly a right tackle or guard prospect.

Marino also predicts that Brewster will be the "quickest to start" and "fastest to the Pro Bowl", while Williams is his pick to be the "best (player) in three years". Unfortunately, his love didn't spread to the two former Bearcat corners, DeAngelo Smith and Mike Mickens.

Both corners (Smith and Mickens) from the U of Cincinnati have flashed during their careers, but both have speed limitations. I thought Smith was a little tight, but has versatility and was an adequate returner. Mickens has good hands, ball skills and awareness, but does not have a lot of juice and struggled to become 180 pounds.

DC.com will be profiling both Smith and Mickens later this week.

More after the jump.

Last month, Troy Aikman applauded the Cowboys' release of Terrell Owens. Now, it's Emmitt's turn. The NFL's leading rusher has a different take than his fellow Triplet member, criticizing the team for cutting T.O. Neither Aikman nor Smith sound sold on Roy Williams.

"I don't know if he was a scapegoat or whatever it was, but I tell you what, he was a talent. He was a talent, and he didn't get in any trouble, didn't create any issues. Whenever he had the opportunity to make plays, he pretty much made them. He may have said some things at times that was kind of stupid, but we all do that.

"Bottom line is, I'm not sure (whether cutting T.O. makes the Cowboys better). Who do they have who is going to be that explosive? That's the question. Who do you have that's going to be that explosive? I don't see it."

Undrafted rookie free agent G/C Greg Isdaner gets some love for his helping hand during the Cowboys' facility collapse. The former 38-game starter at West Virginia is...wait for it....an Eagles fan.

"It's been kind of humorous in a way to hear from all my friends that they'd still boo me just because I was with the Cowboys," he said.

So, of the 7 or 8 teams that called after the draft, why Dallas?

The reason he opted for the Cowboys was because of the teaching, their ability to work with big guards and centers and develop them first into contributors, then starters and finally Pro Bowl-caliber superstars.

No U.S. Open for Romo. A triple-bogey on the 16^th sure didn't help. QB#9 can avenge some of that loss by qualifying for the HP Byron Nelson Championship today.

Watch SS Michael Hamlin run down superfast WR Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Hat tip to the DMN blog.

Where We Talk About Draft Grades and Their Uselessness

Gonzo — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 12:39:25 -0000

"The Vikings targeted speed on their board and they definitely got it with wide receiver Troy Williamson, who wowed Minnesota enough that the Vikings passed on Mike Williams. Defensive end Erasmus James gives them much-needed help up front, guard-tackle Marcus Johnson will solidify the offensive line and running back Ciatrick Fason has the potential to be a terrific steal in the fourth round. Dustin Fox is a good cornerback and defensive tackle C.J. Mosley is a motivated overachiever.”

That was Mel Kiper's assessment of the Minnesota Vikings' 2005 Draft the day after said draft had taken place. Kiper and his hair gave the Vikings a B+ "grade" for their draft.

As any Viking fan knows, Minnesota's 2005 draft class is on the short list of worst drafts in NFL history. To review. . .

Troy Williamson - Everything that can be said about Williamson has already been said. Although it could probably be said with fewer expletives. Or more expletives, depending on what makes you happier.

Erasmus James - When he was on the field, he wasn't awful or anything. It's just that he could never get on the field. He was eventually traded for a seventh-round pick. . .the Vikings sent that pick back to the Redskins in the trade to move up in the fifth round this year and select South Carolina LB Jasper Brinkley.

Marcus Johnson - Played a couple of positions on the offensive line, and was relatively horrible at all of them, save one surprising performance at left tackle in the 2008 season opener against Green Bay. Actually lasted longer on the roster than any other member of this class. . .which, considering that this draft saw two first-round picks for the Vikings, is embarrassing and sad.

Dustin Fox - Who? Yeah, that sums it up.

Ciatrick Fason - Was briefly used as a goal-line back. . .which was, apparently, the ideal role for him, as his 3.2 ypc average in two years indicates that was really all the further he could get.

C.J. Mosley - Probably the best performer from the Vikings' 2005 draft class. Showed some promise as a backup DT as a rookie, and was eventually traded to the New York Jets as part of the trade that brought Brooks Bollinger to Minnesota.

Adrian Ward - Didn't even make the roster.

Grading a draft less than 24 hours after it occurs is a ludicrous practice, and one that I haven't engaged in as long as I've been running this site. After I get home from work this afternoon, I'll have my impressions on the Vikings' 2009 draft and how I feel the Vikings fared, but we don't know anything about how successful this draft is for the Vikings at this point in time.

The same thing goes for pretty much everyone other team, too. Sure, the Raiders were roundly ripped for selecting Darrius Heyward-Bey at #7. . .but what if he turns out to be a better WR than Michael Crabtree, the "consensus" best wide receiver in this year's draft? What if Matthew Stafford turns out to be more like Tim Couch than Peyton Manning in terms of QBs drafted #1 overall? Heck, what if. . .God forbid. . .Percy Harvin decides his love for pot is greater than his love for football and gets repeatedly nailed by the league's substance abuse policy?

We all have our impressions of how each team did this weekend at Radio City Music Hall. But the fact of the matter is that nobody. . .not you, not me, not Mike Mayock, not Mel Kiper. . .has any idea how any team in this year's draft did at this moment in time. I'm not saying that the draft "grades" aren't fun to read and provide a nice little distraction, but it's pretty much impossible to put any real stock into them at this point in time.

With that said, you can feel free to discuss the draft grades from the "experts," as well as your own personal thoughts and impressions of this year's draft here. I'll have my impressions of Minnesota's draft and the draft in general later this afternoon. Thanks to everyone that visited the site this weekend to make it a success, and if you're here for the first time, go on and sign up for an account so you can join the party!

Where Gonzo Talks About the First Day of the NFL Draft

Gonzo — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 04:32:50 -0000

"I'm no football expert, but I know what I hate. . .and I don't hate this."
-C. Montgomery Burns, American entrepreneur (sort of)

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the first day of the NFL draft has come and gone in pretty much record time. The first round only lasted three hours and forty-two minutes, the fastest since the league went to 32 teams by a long shot. Our Beloved Purple did quite well for themselves, if you ask me. The Cleveland Browns were thwarted in their quest to acquire every pick in the sixth round of the draft, the Broncos had five selections in the first two rounds and somehow found a way to not take Rey Maualuga with any of them, and Al Davis. . .well, he's still Al Davis, and we wouldn't have it any other way.

In the interest of equal time, since we already had a story with a picture of Minnesota's first round pick in it, you'll see to your right a picture of Minnesota's second round draft pick, Oklahoma offensive tackle Philip Loadholt. As you can see, Loadholt is rather large, standing in at 6'8" and tipping the scales at 335 pounds. Most importantly, he has a very good chance of pushing Ryan Cook out of the starting lineup, which is something that I think we're all looking forward to. I know I am.

Drafting a tackle to play tackle. Crazy, isn't it?

So, yes, I love the Loadholt pick. I'm also coming around on the Percy Harvin pick, and will have something more extensive on it here shortly. What I have to say about it right now is that if Brad Childress went down to Gainesville this past week, had a heart-to-heart with Harvin, and decided he was worth the risk. . .well, then, he's be worth the risk. What I'm interested in is to see how the Vikings will utilize him in the context of their offense. You don't take a guy like a Percy Harvin without having some idea of how you'd like to use him. Yes, yes, I know he got busted for pot before the Combine. But, after the pick was made, a couple of things occurred to me. . .

1) The last wide receiver we drafted in the first round with "character issues" was that Moss fellow back in 1998. That seemed to work relatively well. I'd rather my receivers have "character issues" than "watching the ball bounce off your face mask rather than catching it" issues. (See also: Williamson, Troy)

2) Last season, we sent a first round selection and two third round selections to the Kansas City Chiefs to acquire a guy that, before that, was basically an alcoholic that had picked up two DUI convictions in the span of five months. That seems to be working okay thus far.

3) Harvin isn't the first guy in the history of NFL. . .or even *gasp* in college. . .that has smoked marijuana. He won't be the last. I don't like it, and I don't endorse it, but I'm not going to crucify him for it, either.

So, yes, all in all I think the Vikings have done well for themselves on Day One of the draft, and I'm very much looking forward to seeing what transpires tomorrow. I'm also happy that Day Two has the more "traditional" draft start time of 9 AM Central rather than having to wait until 3 PM.

Some of my other observations from Day One of the 2009 Draft from around the league.

--If, at any point in my tenure as the head guy at this site, the words "Good job, Al Davis" or any variant thereof come across my keyboard, please have somebody track me down and just pummel me with a heavy, blunt object until I lose consciousness. I mean, seriously. . .it's not even the Heyward-Bey pick that kills me, although I personally think it was awful. They took a guy in Round Two. . .and, frankly, I can't even remember the guy's name. . .that Mel Kiper had rated as the seventy-third best safety in this year's draft. Really, it might have been the biggest reach in the history of the draft, and I can say that without exaggeration.

I'm going to hang out by my phone tomorrow, in case the Raiders would like to draft me at some point. I've been working out.

--As far as the NFC North, the two teams that did have Day One selections had some good and some bad. B.J. Raji was a good pick for the Packers at #9, and he should help ease their transition to the 3-4 defense. LB Clay Matthews, on the other hand? Doesn't worry or impress me in the least. I am glad, however, that the Packers had to give up as much as they did to get a guy that, frankly, isn't that good.

The Lions did a good job. . .as well they should have, what with three of the first 33 picks at their disposal. I can't believe that Matthew Stafford is going to get almost $42 million in guaranteed cash, but that's where we are in the NFL these days. (Rookie wage scale, anyone?) They also got the best tight end in the draft in Brandon Pettigrew. Their pick of Louis Delmas at the top of Round Two is a bit of a head-scratcher, particularly when they could have used an offensive lineman, but he was one of the top-rated safeties in the draft, so I suppose it could have been worse.

The Bears? No Day One picks. Makes the analysis very easy.

--I really don't know how Rey Maualuga not only went behind both his USC linebacker teammates, but fell out of the first round entirely. Maybe he was night putting with the daughter of the dean or something, I don't know. The Bengals got themselves a very nice steal at the top of the second round.

We'll have more observations from the draft tomorrow as the draft moves along. Until then, I hope you enjoyed the double-barrelled coverage that we had of Day One, and we'll be back for more fun and excitement tomorrow. Have a good one, ladies and gentlemen!

AFTER FURTHER REVIEW: The 1st Round Live Blog (Tape Delayed)

Josh from Hollywood — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 02:15:01 -0000

More photos » by Jason DeCrow - AP

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FOOCH'S NOTE: Josh put this together and offered it up and I thought we could hold off with more in-depth analysis until tomorrow. Let's end the night with a little levity.

For those who don't know (a.k.a. "n00bs"), I posted a columns a couple of times a week during last season (you can check those out here). Due to time constraints, I've gone postless since the Super Bowl, but I'm back with a vengeance for the greatest offseason event in sports -- Draft Day.

I’ve watched the NFL Draft for over 20 years now. And I’ve never experienced it in any other way than on ESPN. I can still vividly remember being super pissed when the Jets took Roger Vick, a RB out of Texas A&M, with the 21st pick in 1987, because Mel Kiper made it clear the Niners wanted to take him at #22. Boy, that really came back to bite the Niners, huh?

When the NFL Network began airing the draft, I always meant to give their coverage a try. But I’m a creature of habit, so I never managed more than a cursory click-over during a commercial or particularly annoying part of ESPN coverage. The coverage was decent enough, with Mooch, and Deion, and Marshall Faulk. It also had Rich Eisen leading the charge, a huge improvement over Berman. The Net’s version of Mel Kiper is Mike Mayock. He actually played in the NFL, so he’s got that going for him. And he’s every bit as abrasively East Coast as Mel -- his Phillyese is quite similar to Mel’s Baltimorese.

Because I’m so into my comfortable routines, I’ve never actually gave them a shot, going with them right from the get-go. But after 20+ years of Chris Berman’s bad jokes, Mel Kiper’s hair, and the ever expanding Scott Stuartization of their coverage, I’ve finally had enough. I need to go one year without it. So today’s the day -- except for that rare click-over during commercials, I plan to stay ESPN-free today. I'm flying with The NFL Network -- The Net, for short -- all day today. Won’t you join me on this journey of discovery?

8:59am -- I’m all ready for this draft. All settled in on the couch, got my notebook, food, drink, computer, TV’s on. I’M READY ROCK N’ ROLL!!!

9:01 -- Wait, the draft’s not on. Checking my programming guide, I see it doesn’t start until 1pm. Totally forgot about that. So I got up at 8:30am for no absolutely no reason. Oh well, more time to ~~download porn~~ do research.

11:47 -- After a long nap, I’m back and ready to roll again. Turn on the NFL network pre-~~game~~ draft just in time to see Rich Eisen toss it to Santa Clara, where Brian "Creepy Pinky" Baldinger is at Niner HQ. He breaks big news on the Niners plan of action for the draft: "That’s what this draft is all about -- improving the roster, improving their chances of winning next season." Mind blown. Excuse me while I pick my jaw up off the floor.

11:49 -- After that truly enlightening report from Baldinger*, the feed switches back to the ballroom, where a camera mounted up high gazes down at reporter’s doing stories on the main floor. This shot includes a sweet look at Erin Andrew’s ass. Excuse me while I pick my jaw up off the floor again (this time for real). We’re going to see a lot of talent on display here today, but surely none will be as awe-inspiring as that. * No actual enlightening included

11:50 -- More shots from the ballroom floor, including one of Michael Crabtree. Rich Eisen and Marshall Faulk take this opportunity to praise him for his lavender shirt. There’s a joke in there somewhere, but I’m too lazy to look for it.

11:53 -- Back from commercial, we’re presented with a 3-man satellite desk where Brian Billick, Charles Davis, and Brian Billick discuss the Jets. Dukes’ microphone appears to be turned off -- nice work by the crew there, and I’m not being sarcastic.

11:57 -- Dukes’ mic is now working -- the Lord giveth, and He taketh away.

12:00pm -- High noon. Now I can start drinking alcohol without feeling guilty. Don’t get me wrong -- I’ve been drinking since dawn, it’s just that until now I’ve been feeling guilty about it.

12:01 -- Nice ponytail, Cushing. Now that was sarcasm.

12:01 -- Two good bits of info from the main desk: 1) Mike Mayock calls this the worst draft in recent memory. 2) Steve Mariucci has been nominated for an Emmy. I’m not sure which is more disappointing.

12:02 -- What the hell is that?! It looks like Bill Belichick, now there appears to be something on his face I’ve never seen there before. I know this sounds crazy, but it has all the earmarks of... a smile.

12:06 -- Belichick drops the nice guy act when Eisen asks about the Matt Cassel, giving a typically lifeless answer. This is a good thing, because Smiling Belichick was giving me cold chills down my spine.

12:25 -- The NFL network airs a retrospective on the QB class of 1983. They call Todd Blackledge "the biggest bust in Kansas City Chief history", then proceed to show him a) taking a shotgun snap to the face, and b) the worst mullet in NFL history. Somewhere, Blackledge sits in the dark listening to The Smith’s and cutting himself.

12:35 -- The Niners unveil their new jerseys. A nation says, "Meh". I like them, myself. Reminiscent of the 80’s version, which is all I ever wanted.

12:45 -- Deion introduces the top prospects in the draft. Jets fans boo him. Jets fans are in full-throat, as usual. This is really their day, more than any other. When I think "NFL Draft", I think "Jets fans booing".

12:46 -- Watching the top prospects all take the stage, I can’t help but wonder which of them will look back on this day as the highlight of not just their career, but their life. It sounds a little morbid when put like that, but it’s really morbid when you realize none of us will ever achieve such greatness. I’m making another drink.

12:59 -- John Gruden: "I’m fired up!" Gruden, fired up? I’m shocked, shocked.

1:01 -- The Net opens their coverage with a terrible, repetitive, annoying song. ESPN opens theirs with Chris Berman. This is like ‘Sophie’s Choice’, only in reverse.

1:03 -- The Commish steps to the podium to announce the first pick. I’m going on record to say I think it will be Matthew Stafford.

1:04 -- Oh my, I was right! Matthew Stafford is the #1 pick in the Draft, and the New York crowd shows it’s class by booing him and then chanting "Overrated".

1:10 -- The lambs are on the clock. Mayock says Spanolouloloulououo wants to improve the ground game, as shown by his off-season moves -- including personal favorite Mike Karney.

1:12 -- Copious shots of Mark Sanchez on his cell at his home in Orange County before the Rams pick at #2. Sanchez is doing the right thing -- chill at home, and celebrate with your friends and family instead of doing it before hundreds of strangers in person and the prying eye of the national TV camera.

1:14 -- As their time expires, the Lambs pick is in. Mayock says a team might purposely pass up their pick, insinuating the Rams might do it. Eisen corrects him that there is a pick -- Jason Smith.

1:19 -- ESPN comes back from commercial for 8 seconds before Berman says anything. I turn back to The Net.

1:22 -- The Chiefs are on the clock, and Gruden says they will go offense here, as Haley wants to give Cassel another weapon. Crabtree? Really? The Chiefs had a terrible pass rush last year and also got pushed around. And they already have Bowe.

1:23 -- The Chiefs pick is in. Eisen explains that the pick was be checked for spelling and pronunciation before it is "processed" and handed to the Commish. It’s Tyson Jackson. Note to self: Don’t listen to Jon Gruden.

1:32 -- The hosts talk about the widespread rumor that Seattle is picking Mark Sanchez, but the Seahawks select Aaron Curry. And this is why you watch from home like Sanchez is doing. If he was at Radio City, the cameras would be so far up in his grill we’d know if he trimmed his nose hairs recently or not.

1:36 -- Rich Eisen sees people on the phone and starts a rumor there might be a trade. Mayock says it could be someone moving up to snag Sanchez, or it could involve Braylon Edwards to the Eagles (but wouldn’t that involve the Browns getting another pick, not losing this one?).

1:38 -- Eisen was right -- there is a trade, and it’s the Jets! Jets fans are beside themselves, and I am too. Everybody said they liked Freeman, but could this be for Sanchez?

1:39 -- It is! It’s Mark Sanchez! The Net has him on TV at his home putting on a Jets cap before he’s even picked. Maybe he should’ve come to New York after all.

1:41 -- Most Jets fans are thrilled and cheering, but the camera is staying trained on two guys who hate the move. They’re scowling, and one clearly says, "This horrible! I’m so pissed!" I love Jets fans.

1:50 -- The Bengals take Andre Smith, and his ample breasts.

1:54 -- The Raiders are on the clock and everybody is thinking a speedy WR. Why? Because they are the Raiders. Is it Crabtree?

1:56 -- Oakland does pick a WR, but not the ones most people were talking about -- Darrius Hayward-Bey. Mayock: "A classic Al Davis pick". Meanwhile, Crabtree's still on the board. I wonder if he wishes he was watching at home.

1:59 -- The Jags are on the clock. Gruden is saying it might be Crabtree.

2:05 -- It’s Eugene Monroe. Second reminder to self: don't listen to Gruden. That makes 3 OT’s in the first 8 picks. Mayock: "He can bend!" Okaaaay.

2:06 -- Crabtree continues to slip. If he slips past Green Bay (which he should -- no way they need another WR), he'll be there for the Niners. That both excites and terrifies me. He could be a poor man’s Jerry Rice, or he could be a rich man’s Rashaun Woods.

2:08 -- And there’s Raji on the phone -- the telltale sign of an upcoming pick (or a Drew Rosenhaus production). This is happening, it’s really happening.

2:10 -- I feel like Jessie in that very special ‘Saved By the Bell’: I’m so excited... I’m so scared! I don’t know whether to root for Crabtree, or against him.

2:13 -- The Pack takes BJ Raji, and the Niners are on the clock. What will they do? I hope they don’t screw this up. They really have no choice but to take Crabtree. You just don’t see talents like that slip to you that often. They have to do it, or potentially watch while he blows up elsewhere.

2:18 -- Crabtree on the phone! And grinning! This is good. Being on the phone is always a good sign you’re about to get picked, but the fact his expression went from "My dog just got run over" to "I’m the next Jerry Rice" in two minutes means he’s about to be a Niner.

2:21 -- It’s official -- Michael Crabtree is a Niner, and I’m thrilled. It took me like 10 seconds to go from "Should we?" To "What the [SITE DECORUM] are you talking about?! Of course, we should!". In fact, I don’t know that I’ve been this excited about a pick in a long time. I knew Patrick Willis would be great, and I hoped Alex Smith and Vernon Davis would be. I honestly don’t know what Crabtree will be, but I’m damn excited to find out.

2:23 -- I click over to ESPN on the other tuner, and rewind to watch their coverage of the pick. It’s quickly followed by a interview between Crabtree and Erin Andrews -- this works on so many levels of entertainment. Great TV.

2:25 -- So Crabtree is headed to San Francisco -- at least there he won’t be the only man in a lavender shirt. See, I told you there was a joke in there somewhere.

2:26 -- The Bills select Aaron Maybin at #11, but I’m still too busy thinking about Crabtree to comment.

/goes back to picturing Crabtree beating Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie for a long TD on Monday Night Football, and Ron Jaworski getting so excited while talking about his talent, he has an orgasm on national TV.

2:31 -- The Broncos take Knowshon Moreno. They could use the help at RB, but what about that porous defense?

2:33 -- The picks are coming fast and furious now as the Skins take Brian Orakpo. I like how much quicker the Draft moves now -- I used to get so bored between picks, but now the pace is much more crisp and efficient.

2:40 -- The saints pick is in, and Jamie Dukes says what many others have -- they’ll take Beanie Wells. But it’s Wells’ teammate, Malcolm Jenkins.

2:43 -- The camera catches Brian Cushing putting his hand in his nose, then his mouth. Seconds later, his gets a call clearly telling him he’s about to be picked. Apparently, the Texans just can’t resist I guy with a ponytail who eats his boogers on national TV. Who can blame them?

2:45 -- It’s official -- the Texans take Brian Cushing. One more douchebag in Texas.

2:51 -- The Chargers take Larry English at #16. I’d like to give you some informed analysis on this pick, but to be perfectly honest, I’ve never heard of Larry English.

3:01 -- Cleveland trades down again -- sending the #17 pick they got from the Jets to Tampa, who picks Josh Freeman. Cleveland must be picking up quite a few picks today. If they end up trading Braylon Edwards for picks today, they could end up setting some kind of record.

3:02 -- The guys at the mian table are all giving Gruden crap about Tampa finally drafting a big-time QB now that he’s gone. Gruden is smiling, but he clearly wants to kill them all.

3:06 -- The Broncos use their second pick in the last half-hour to select Robert Ayers, finally adding some help to their D. The Net shows video of him absolutely owning Michael Oher in a Senior Bowl practice. Mayock: "He might be a big reason Oher hasn’t been drafted yet."

3:11 -- Eisen announces that the Browns have traded down yet again. They’ve dealt the #19 pick they got from Tampa to Philly, moving down to the Eagles’ spot at #21. The Eisen: "They’re stockpiling late-round picks, and also have three 2nd’s from their trade with the Jets."

3:13 -- Who did the Eagles trade up 2 spots to nab? Jeremy Maclin. between him and DeSean Jackson, the Eagles can't say they don’t have speed at WR.

3:19 -- Detroit uses their second pick to take Brandon Pettigrew. I’m surprised -- with all the problems they have, I’d think there would be a better use of their resources than that.

3:21 -- The Browns are on the clock. Again. They can’t possibly make another trade, can they?

3:24 -- Nope, no trade -- the Browns have made a pick: Alex Mack.

3:26 -- The Vikes are on the clock, and Mayock is pushing Percy Harvin as a way to help them stretch the field. Gruden concurs.

3:28 -- The Vikes do take Percy Harvin. Remember, the last time they took a WR who tested positive for pot in college it was Randy Moss. Dope-smoking WR’s FTW!

3:30 -- As the guys from The Net all celebrate the Harvin pick, Mayock gets off the line of the day: "We’re all patting ourselves on the back here, but if ends up on the Love Boat smoking a bone, we’ve all got a problem." I think I like this guy. No way Kiper comes up with a line like that.

3:36 -- The Pats trade down, sending the #23 pick to Baltimore, who takes Michael Oher. He may have slipped further than many people thought, but this has still got to be a great day for Oher -- his journey has now officially taken him from the outhouse to the penthouse. If you haven’t already read about his story in The Blind Side, I don’t know what you’re waiting for.

3:42 -- The Falcons take Peria Jerry. Or is it Jerry Peria?

3:45 -- The Dolphins are on the clock, and the guys on The Net are making the point that Parcells likes bloodlines -- both Brian Robiskie (son of Terry) and Clay Matthews (son of Clay) are available. The Phins make their pick -- Vontae Davis, VD’s brother. I don’t think those were the type of bloodlines they were talking about.

3:50 -- Fatigue is starting to become a factor. I’m not used to working this hard on a weekend. All this drinking and eating and watching and typing has me feeling more dead than that guy Donte Stallworth ran over. Too soon?

3:52 -- Bill Belicheck is making a run at the Browns -- the pats have traded down for the second time today, and trail Cleveland by only one trade-town. The Pats entered with 11 picks in the draft, and 6 in the top 100 -- more than anybody else. They now have 13 picks overall, and 8 in the top 100.

3:53 -- The Packers get the Pats pick, trading up from #26 to take Clay Matthews.

4:00 -- The Colts select Donald Brown. That’s all i have to say about that.

4:04 -- The Bills select Eric Wood. Mayock informs us that he is "not sexy". Seeing as he is an offensive lineman, I don’t find that especially surprising.

4:09 -- The Giants (and their loud mouth fans) take Hakeem Nicks to fill their void at WR, though I still wouldn’t be surprised if they trade for a big name WR between now and training camp.

4:18 -- With the #30 pick, the Titans choose Kenny Britt to fill the gaping hole left by Brandon Jones. Gaping, I tell you. Gaping.

4:20 -- Know what time it is? Time for Percy Harvin to get high. That’s what time it is.

4:22 -- The Cards are on the clock. Eisen suggests they might take Beanie Wells, but Mayock says he’s too similar to Tim Hightower, and Faulk agrees. Seriously? I think Wells in a whole other class than Hightower.

4:28 -- Yup, the Cards take Beanie Wells. And Mayock does a quick flip-flop, saying Wells is an "upgrade". He does question his ability to stay healthy. Faulk sticks to his "same as Hightower" argument

4:30 -- The world champion Steelers cap off the 1st round by drafting Evander "Ziggy" Hood. I’m not watching ESPN, but I’d be willing to bet $1,000 Chris Berman just made a "Ziggy Stardust" reference.

4:32 -- Alright, that’s it for me. I’m TiVoing the rest of this, while I go see if my wife is still speaking to me.

VIDEO: The Chiefs' Brass Talks about Selecting DE Tyson Jackson in the 2009 NFL Draft

Chris Thorman — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 23:22:58 -0000

Kansas City Chiefs GM Scott Pioli and head coach Todd Haley addressed the media this afternoon about their selection of LSU DE Tyson Jackson with the #3 overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.

Here are some highlights:

Scott Pioli on if it was a difficult selection...

“I don’t know if it was difficult. Here’s where it was difficult: there were a number of players there that we liked. We spent quite a bit of time the last several days and weeks watching all the players. I don’t think it was a difficult decision in the end because of all the work we put in here the last few days. We felt this was a player we wanted.”

Piloli on if Jackson was head and shoulders above the Chiefs other prospects...

"I don’t know about head and shoulders, but there were a couple of players we liked at this spot. This is the player we liked the most. The question was asked the other day and it was asked before: do we do things based on need or best player available. I think this is a very good case and a situation that explains what I was trying to say the other day. We have a number of positions of need and there were a couple of players we felt were very good at this point in time that were available at number three. We valued a couple of players very similarly and for different reasons they had different strengths and ways to help our football team. In the end in this particular case when we factored in need and we see where we’re at from a front seven standpoint, so we felt that the need also came into the equation.”

Did any team contact the Chiefs about trading up?

“We didn’t receive any calls on trades once we got down near the end.”

On making a splash in his first Chiefs draft...

“Any time you want to make a trade you have to have a partner to make a trade. If there is no partner to make a trade you can want all you want. There were no partners in this case who wanted to talk about trades. That’s why you have to approach it and be prepared. It’s why you spend the extra time if you’re going to stick and pick; you have to be prepared if there is opportunity for trades, and then calculate into the whole thought process if you’re going to trade back to a certain point. We still better know the rest of the first round and the players we might project. We may have ended up there but we didn’t.

Turns out, that earlier report about Matt Cassel's contract was false.

“No, someone had told me that that report is out there, but that’s news to me.”

On what they liked about Tyson Jackson...

PIOLI: “That he was very strong, very good core strength and a very good long arm move. He has very good body control and very good balance and strength for a guy who’s sub-300 pounds.

HALEY: “Rarely on the ground, very good instincts, has very good football feel.”

PIOLI: “He had very good brute strength in being able to create separation with one hand.”

Read it all at the mothership. I really like this Tyson Jackson pick, especially after watching this highlight video:

Click over to see a complete list of the first round picks.

(3:04PM) Detroit Lions #1 - QB Matthew Stafford, Georgia

(3:14PM) St. Louis Rams #2 - LT, Jason Smith, Baylor

(3:24PM) Kansas City Chiefs #3 - DE Tyson Jackson, LSU

(3:32PM) Seattle Seahawks #4 - LB, Aaron Curry, Wake Forest

(3:41PM) *New York Jets #5 QB, Mark Sanchez, USC

(3:50PM) Cincinnati Bengals #6 LT, Andre Smith, Alabama

(3:56PM) Oakland Raiders #7 WR, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Maryland

(4:05PM) Jacksonville Jaguars #8 LT, Eugene Monroe, Virginia

(4:14 PM) Green Bay Packers #9 NT, B.J. Raji, Boston College

(4:18PM) San Francisco 49ers #10 WR, Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech

(4:26PM) Buffalo Bills #11 DE, Aaron Maybin, Penn State

(4:32PM) Denver Broncos #12 RB Knowshon Moreno, Georgia

(4:33PM) Washington Redskins #13 LB, Brian Orakpo, Texas

(4:40PM) New Orleans Saints #14 CB, Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State

(4:46PM) Houston Texans #15 LB, Brian Cushing, USC

(4:55 PM) San Diego Chargers #16 LB, Larry English, UConn

(5:00 PM) **Tampa Bay Buccaneers #17 QB, Josh Freeman, K-State

(5:06 PM) Denver Broncos #18 DE, Robert Ayers, Tennessee

(5:13 PM) ***Philadelphia Eagles #19 WR, Jeremy Maclin, Missouri

(5:20 PM) Detroit Lions #20 TE, Brandon Pettigrew, Oklahoma St.

(5:25 PM) Cleveland Browns #21 C, Alex Mack, California

(5:28 PM) Minnesota Vikings #22 WR, Percy Harvin, Florida

(5:35 PM) ***Baltimore Ravens #23 OT, Michael Oher, 'Ole Miss

(5:41 PM) Atlanta Falcons #24 DT, Peria Jerry, 'Ole Miss

(5:47 PM) Miami Dolphins #25 CB, Vontae Davis, Illinois

(5:50 PM) ***Green Bay Packers #26 LB, Clay Matthews III, USC

(6:00 PM) Indianapolis Colts, #27 RB, Donald Brown, UConn

(6:04 PM) Buffalo Bills #28 C, Eric Wood, Louisville

(6:10PM) New York Giants #29 WR, Hakeem Nicks, North Carolina

(6:18) Tennessee Titans #30 WR, Kenny Britt, Rutgers

(6:26) Arizona Cardinals #31 RB, Chris 'Beanie' Wells, Ohio State

(6:31) Pittsburgh Steelers #32 DT, Ziggy Hood, Missouri

I'm not gonna lie this is a huge hassle to update this manually. Head to NFL.com's live draft tracker for the most up to date picks.