SB Nation - Evander Hood

Comparing the Online Recruiting Ranking Services

Buck Bravo — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:00:11 -0000

Rivals, Scout, and ESPN all provide ranking systems for recruits headed to Division 1 football programs. Often, ratings of individual players will vary greatly from one service to another. In an attempt to determine which service most accurately projects the future performance of players, let's take a look at the ratings that were given to the 2009 NFL first round draft picks back when they were being recruited for college football:

PICK

NAME

COLLEGE

TEAM

RIVALS

STARS

SCOUT

STARS

ESPN

RATING

Matthew Stafford

Georgia

Jason Smith

Baylor

Tyson Jackson

LSU

Aaron Curry

OLB

Wake Forest

Mark Sanchez

USC

Andre Smith

Alabama

Darrius Heyward-Bey

Maryland

Virginia

Boston College

Texas Tech

Penn State

Georgia

Texas

Ohio State

OLB

USC

Northern Illinois

Kansas State

Tennessee

Missouri

Oklahoma State

California

Florida

Ole Miss

Ole Miss

Illinois

OLB

USC

Donald Brown

Connecticut

Louisville

North Carolina

Rutgers

Ohio State

Missouri

ESPN did not start ranking recruits until 2006, so players from before that time have no ranking. Despite this limitation, let's look at the trend lines for the different services:

While Scout may have had the most 5 star rankings for recruits who ultimately became first round NFL draft choices, Rivals had the best trendline for accurately ranking future NFL talent. A more comprehensive analysis looking at later rounds and previous years would best determine which service best analyzes talent. If I were retired or writing for TDG full time, I'd be eager to put such a report together for later this week. For now, the first round of the 2009 NFL draft will have to suffice.

SB Nation 2009 Big 12 Preview: Missouri

RPT — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:00:14 -0000

In conjunction with CBS Sports, the folks at The Ralphie Report are organizing the official SB Nation 2009 Big 12 Conference Preview. What follows is Rock M Nation's "outsider's" look at the 2009 Missouri Tigers, much like you'd find in many preseason magazines across the country.

Offense (returning starters: 5)

In 2009, for only the second time in school history, the Missouri Tigers will have replace their quarterback and top three pass catchers. The familiar cast of characters that pushed Missouri to the summit in the Big 12 North -- field general Chase Daniel, the electric Jeremy Maclin, the reliable Chase Coffman, and the ever steady Tommy Saunders -- are all gone. So too is offensive coordinator Dave Christensen, now the head coach at Wyoming.

But if there's reason for optimism, it's that Missouri appears ready for a new cast of playmakers. Missouri isn't quite at "reload" instead of "rebuild" stage, but the Tigers shouldn't be short of firepower. Sophomore Blaine Gabbert takes the reins of the Tiger offense. Gabbert, a 5-star recruit out of high school, is loaded with the physical skills to make NFL scouts drool, but the onus is on him to prove his rocket arm can be complemented with accuracy and good decision making. By all accounts, he's had a fantastic offseason, but true judgment won't start until the season starts, as everything changes after the first hit and the first interception.

He'll be joined in the backfield by what coach Gary Pinkel has called the best 1-2 punch he's had at tailback in his tenure at Missouri. Junior Derrick Washington returns after a 1,000-yard, 17-touchdown season rushing in 2008 despite playing on a torn meniscus for 13 of Missouri's 14 games. In addition to shouldering some of the early season burden on the ground to help Gabbert along, Washington is one of the best receiving backs in the Big 12. He'll be spelled by sophomore De'Vion Moore, a shifty back who showed his potential on a 55-yard touchdown run against Colorado in 2008. Washington and Moore help form one of the conference's better tailback tandems, and it appears they will be joined by true freshman Kendial Lawrence, who has made a big push for playing time this summer.

Missouri's anchored by an offensive line that appears to be one of the conference's best, as it is showing the fruit of Gary Pinkel's labor on the recruiting trail. Senior Kurtis Gregory will be a third-year starter at guard, a season removed from being named second team All-Big 12. Redshirt sophomore Elvis Fisher and true sophomore Dan Hoch -- who average 6'6", 310 -- should be Missouri's two tackles. Fisher outperformed expectations as a starter in 2008, and Hoch, a former 4-star recruit, became one of the first true freshmen to see playing time on the offensive line for Gary Pinkel. Tim Barnes returns to start at center. In 2008, Barnes had the unenviable task of walking into a position where Missouri had seen only three starters over the previous 12 seasons, but performed extremely well. The main question for most observers on the offensive line is guard Austin Wuebbels, who has been impressive in camp thus far.

The biggest questions are at wide receiver, where Missouri looks extremely deep but less explosive than in previous years. The receiving corps could legitimately run about nine deep. Seniors Jared Perry and Danario Alexander, despite bouts with injury and inconsistency throughout their careers, are expected to be the top two targets. In addition, Gabbert appears to have developed chemistry with sophomore Wes Kemp. Odds are that Missouri has no way of replacing the dual threat of Jeremy Maclin, but should Missouri try, sophomore Jerrell Jackson seems to have worked his way into that role. At tight end, Andrew Jones has proven to be a valuable target capable of moving the chains, and Michael Egnew's athleticism has many in the program excited.

All in all, Missouri hopes to plug and play with the names that are most likely new to the national scene. The offense falls under the direction of Dave Yost, previously the quarterbacks coach, who had as much a hand in Missouri's recent offenses as the recently departed Christensen.

(Rest of the preview after the jump)

Defense (returning starters: 4)

Gone is former defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, who presided over a much maligned defensive in 2008. In steps linebackers coach Dave Steckel, who will bring some fire and brimstone and a "keep it simple" philosophy to the position.

On the defensive line, Missouri replaces three starters, two of whom (Evander Hood and Stryker Sulak) were NFL draft picks. The defensive end unit appears to be one of the strongest on the team, as reporters have gushed over the three-pronged end attack of Brian Coulter, Jacquies Smith, and Aldon Smith, with the first two having seen significant time in 2008. Although they'll need to prove their worth against the run, all three are explosive edge rushers who have gotten upfield with consistency and should provide Missouri its best pass rush of the Pinkel era. Missouri's biggest question may be inside, where returning starter Jaron Baston is accompanied by a large question mark at the other defensive tackle spot. The position seems to be an offseason-long battle between Terrell Resonno and Dominique Hamilton to fill the spot vacated by Ziggy Hood.

The Tigers return one of the top linebackers in the country in Sean Weatherspoon. In three seasons, Spoon has accounted for 302 tackles, eight sacks, 18.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions and two touchdowns. Luke Lambert will slide inside to fill the MLB spot vacated by Brock Christopher. The junior has very quietly gone about his business over the last two seasons. Andrew Gachkar is expected to win the final linebacking job. Gachkar, who had a rib removed to break up a blood clot before 2008, could very well determine Missouri's defensive strategy in 2009. In 2008, Missouri often used nickel packages to counter the high flying offenses of the Big 12. This season, Gachkar appears to be fast enough and strong enough in coverage to allow Missouri to remain in its base 4-3 more frequently.

Missouri runs six-deep at cornerback, but after third-year junior starter Carl Gettis at one corner, the other five are locked in a battle for the second spot. Gary Pinkel has praised the group as the most athletic he's had, but after a season where the unit was constantly crucified by national media and many fans, that athleticism needs to result in improved game performance. Missouri faces similar questions at safety, where the Tigers replace NFL draft pick William Moore, a 2007 all-American who was constantly fighting injuries in 2008. Sophomore Kenji Jackson showed great promise at the end of 2008 and appears to have locked down one safety spot. At the other safety spot, many Missouri fans expected senior Hardy Ricks to cede the spot to Jarrell Harrison, but Ricks -- highly regarded as a hitter but somewhat of an unknown quantity in coverage -- has supposedly held up his end of the bargain this spring. More than anything, the defensive backfield needs to shore up the communication issues that plagued them in 2008, resulting in several high profile breakdowns for big plays.

Special Teams

It will be no easy task for Missouri to replace Jeff Wolfert, the diver turned walk-on turned scholarship kicker who exited Mizzou as the most accurate field goal kicker in NCAA history. The job has turned into a battle between Tanner Mills and Grant Ressel for placekicking duties, although Mills appears to have secured the job for kickoffs, a spot where he should be a definite improvement over Wolfert.

Jake Harry returns to punt for Missouri. The punting position was an area of concern for Tiger fans entering 2008, but Harry was solid all season long and perhaps the unsung hero of the Alamo Bowl against Northwestern. Missouri's punting was aided in 2008 when Missouri instituted the rugby punt against Oklahoma State to avoid Dez Bryant and carried it throughout the rest of the season.

Jeremy Maclin single handedly swung momentum in Missouri's favor in games against Illinois and Northwestern with returns for touchdowns, and it's not a stretch to say replacing his ability to change a game on special teams may be impossible. Right now, guesses about who gets the returning jobs are six for a dollar. Names that have floated around include Munir Prince, Jerrell Jackson, Kendial Lawrence, Jared Perry, Rolandis Woodland, De'Vion Moore and Jasper Simmons.

Key losses

-- Offense: QB Chase Daniel, WR Jeremy Maclin, TE Chase Coffman, OL Ryan Madison

-- Defense: DE Stryker Sulak, DT Ziggy Hood, LB Brock Christopher, S William Moore

-- Special Teams: K Jeff Wolfert, KR/PR Jeremy Maclin

Season Forecast

As it has for the last two seasons, Missouri begins its campaign in St. Louis, where they'll meet the Illinois Fighting Illini. Missouri has won all four meetings between the teams this decade, although Illinois will be a far more proven commodity in a game that should be a matchup of UI's proven talent versus MU's unproven potential. After home dates with Bowling Green and Furman, Missouri goes on the road to play what is perhaps the most sneakily dangerous game on the schedule, a nationally-televised Friday night game in Reno against the Nevada Wolf Pack. Missouri destroyed a solid Nevada team, 69-17, in Columbia last season, and the combination of the pressure of Missouri's first true road test and Nevada's potent offense could be very troublesome for a young Tiger team. Anywhere from 4-0 to 2-2 is a possibility for the Tigers to open 2009, with house money probably being played on 3-1.

Missouri opens conference play with probably its most pivotal game of the season when the Nebraska Cornhuskers come to Columbia for a nationally televised Thursday night game. Much like it was supposed to be two years ago, the game could be a statement about the balance of power in the Big 12 North. Win that game, and the Tigers are in play for a third straight North title.

After that, the Tigers figure to be underdogs against the Oklahoma State Cowboys and Texas Longhorns, but should be either favorites or close to a pick 'em in almost every game the rest of the season. Missouri has to travel to face the Kansas State Wildcats and Colorado Buffaloes and faces everyone's upset special -- the Baylor Bears -- in Columbia. Once again, the Tigers end the season in Kansas City against the Kansas Jayhawks, where all bets are off and any predictions don't matter.

Question marks abound for Missouri, which is why prognosticators have the Tigers anywhere from 5-7 and fifth in the North to 10-2 and champions of the North. The truth, which may very well lie in the middle around 8-4, remains to be seen.

Predicted order of finish

Big 12 North
Kansas**
Missouri
Nebraska
Kansas State
Colorado
Iowa State

** Wins three-way tiebreaker on strength of 5-0 North record

Big 12 South
Texas
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Texas Tech
Baylor
Texas A&M

For more in-depth coverage, refer to our Mizzou Football Preview series:

Mizzou 2009, Part Three: My Guys

RPT — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:00:12 -0000

More photos " Photo: STL Today

Kenji Jackson: One of my guys in 2009

Browse more photos "

Part One: Blaine Gabbert and the Four-Year Precedent - Why establishing expectations is so difficult

Part Two: Putting 2008 to bed

-------

For the past two years, our colleagues at Burnt Orange Nation have run what's become one of my favorite features, a post titled "My Guys."

In essence, PB, proprietor of the site and SBN College head honcho, picks out the five guys he thinks might be flying just a little too far below the radar for his tastes. Here's how PB explains it in this year's version of My Guys:

One of my favorite pieces to read prior to each MLB season is Joe Sheehan's "My Guys" column, penned before each year to highlight those players Joe is eyeballing for a breakout season, yet who aren't receiving big time hype. Translating that to Texas football, I'm looking for those guys (limit of five) who might surprise a lot of folks with how well they play this year -- those with the highest production-to-hype ratio.

This year, I've decided to shamelessly steal emulate and honor the My Guys concept. For the first time, allow me to introduce "My Guys" for the 2009 season after the jump.

MY GUYS, 2009

Kenji Jackson -- Call me a sucker for fiery Mizzou safeties who wear No. 13. As Bill C. and I have discussed before, "Don't call me Ken-jee" Ken-jah Jackson would have been an all-American team if they composed a team of players who almost made plays in 2008. As a true freshman, he worked his way into starts against K-State, Kansas, Oklahoma and Northwestern. Despite limited time, Jackson finished seventh on the team in tackles in 2008 (despite the stat killing "DNP" against Illinois), ahead of Ziggy Hood, Luke Lambert, and Stryker Sulak, among others. In the last two seasons, the MU pass D has had no shortage of DBs willing to hit. Jackson certainly showed the ability to hit on defense and special teams in 2008, and if he can make up those couple of inches he always seemed shy of in coverage in 2008, he could be one of the most pleasant revelations for the MU defense in 2009.

Jerrell Jackson -- Not counting TE Andrew Jones, Wes Kemp was "the big get" for the receiving corps in the recruiting class of 2008. Little (if any) hype went the way of Jerrell Jackson, the 2-star athlete from Houston, until fall camp started last August (although, we have to give kudos to Ridiculous Matt/Mizzourobot, who called him as his sleeper in the class). Even though every single receiver Missouri has recruited in the last two years has made some kind of reference to being "the next Jeremy Maclin," Jackson may actually get the chance. Jackson was quiet outside of the SEMO game in 2008, but his dual threat potential has had "those in the know" salivating for the last 12 months. Missouri's success on offense over the last few years has been predicated upon depth of weapons; if teams load up on Derrick Washington and shade their coverages on Jared Perry and Danario Alexander, Jackson and Jones become prime candidates for big years.

Andrew Gachkar -- All the love for the linebacking corps is usually directed toward Sean Weatherspoon, and rightfully so. Luke Lambert may not be a star, but he's certainly a known commodity. In the spring game, new DC Dave Steckel looked committed to keeping Missouri's base 4-3 on the field rather than changing to the nickel set Missouri favored for the majority of 2008. There's always the distinct possibility that Missouri goes back to the base nickel with Carl Gettis in the slot in 2009, but that will largely depend on the play of Gachkar. Much like linebacking counterpart Will Ebner, I've raved about Gachkar's motor and pursuit. In Steckel's defense, which appears to favor pursuit above all else, Gachkar is the kind of linebacker that can make or break the system. Here's to hoping "My Guy" makes it rather than breaks it.

Aldon Smith -- I wrestled with including Smith, considering he's been seeing a lot of love from Dave Matter and Gabe DeArmond this offseason. Considering he's a "non-starter" (although he'll reportedly see significant snaps), I feel comfortable enough calling him under the radar. Practice reports have indicated that he, alongside Brian Coulter and Jacquies Smith, have created a major source of depth at defensive end. Some have gone as far to say the Coulter/Smith/Smith trio (law firm?) may be the best D-end group in recent history -- history that includes Sulak and Mizzou sackmaster Brian Smith. Good enough for Gabe and Dave means good enough for me.

Kip Edwards -- Four defensive players on My Guys, including two defensive backs? Blasphemy, right? Admittedly, this pick may be a bit of a stretch. Edwards may have a battle ahead of him to fight off Kevin Rutland, Munir Prince and Trey Hobson for the cornerback spot opposite Carl Gettis, as well as a battle to beat DeVion Moore and others for the right to return. What comes to mind for Edwards in what little I've seen of him is "fluidity." His motion in the defensive backfield seemed extremely smooth in the spring game, as he glided to pick off a telegraphed out route from Blaine Gabbert.

My Guys Second Team/Honorable Mention: Will Ebner, Gahn McGaffie, Kendial Lawrence, Josh Tatum, Zaviar Gooden

With that, I turn it to all of you in the RMN community: Who are "your guys" in 2009 and why?

Surfin' SBN: Draft Edition

RPT — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 20:00:14 -0000

More photos » by Michael Norris - AP

Missouri defensive tackle Evander Hood reacts as he talks on a cellphone with the Pittsburgh Steelers after they selected him 32nd overall in the first round of the NFL Draft. (AP Photo/The Amarillo Globe News, Michael Norris)

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There's not much need to tell you that it was a banner weekend for Missouri football, as six Tigers found themselves en route to new homes after officially entering the record books as picks in the 2009 NFL Draft. However, just in case you weren't paying attention, it was a banner day for SB Nation's NFL blogs, as well. Each blog had a ridiculous amount of team-specific information, and hopefully you've managed to find your way to the SBN site of your favorite franchise.

With the craziness of the weekend now wrapped up, let's take a look at what our SBN brethren are saying about the former Tigers.

Jeremy Maclin: Philadelphia Eagles (Bleeding Green Nation)

BGN: A Look at Jeremy Maclin, Fox29 Feature

BGN: With two guy blazing fast playmakers in Jeremy Maclin & Desean Jackson the Eagles WR corps looks to be set for the next few years. Maclin and Jackson could combine to make the Eagles offense into one of the most dangerous vertical threats in the NFL.

(snip)

The Eagles saw the guy they wanted and moved up to ensure they got him. We'll see what happens from here on out this weekend, but Donovan McNabb can rest easy knowing he's got at least one dynamic offensive threat this offseason.

Total Response? Site leaders seem in favor, some of the community seems to question the pick a bit more.

Ziggy Hood: Pittsburgh Steelers (Behind The Steel Curtain)

BTSC: Selection, Draft Grades, Which pick are you most excited about? (See Poll), Colbert and Tomlin on Ziggy, Day 1 Thoughts, Ziggy talks to the Media, Stay tuned for my Q&A with BTSC

BTSC: It really didn't take me long at all to warm up to this pick quite a bit. GRADE: A

BTSC: I've been full of Ziggy-love since I started looking into the DL prospects, and we got him while staying put. There's a lot to like about him: he's got good size for a 3-4 DE (it'd be nice to have another inch or two, but he still has long arms), he was productive in college, he stood out among top competition at the Senior Bowl, he had absolutely fantastic tests at the combine (which tells me he has a ton of upside), he could grow into both a good pass rusher and a good run stuffer, and he should be able to drop into coverage on occasion, too. Nothing has stood out more to me, though, than how coachable and how good of a teammate everyone says he is. I think he's an absolutely perfect fit as a Steeler and as a one gap 5 technique 3-4 zone blitz DE. He was a very solid value at one of our biggest needs.

Coach MIke Tomlin: Ziggy Hood is a Steeler type of player – there are no holes in this guy. We felt good about the information that we acquired on this man after the Combine that he really wasn’t under consideration to come in here for a visit. He is a high character guy; he plays; he has a hot motor. He loves the game of football. He was described by many members of his team who went high today as their guy.

GM Kevin Colbert: It was exciting to see him available when we were picking at (number) 32. He was just somebody that we felt good about from the first time that we scouted him until when we saw him at the Senior Bowl. When we met up with him at the Combine, everything kept adding up that this is a high-quality player and person.

Ziggy on the first thing Tomlin said to him on the phone: "The first thing he said, he wanted an extra long cheese coney from Sonic because that's where I used to work at."

Total Response? Site administration is fully on board with the pick, and outside of a few Maualuga apologists, most of the members seem to like the pick.

William Moore: Atlanta Falcons (The Falcoholic)

TF: 2009 Draft Grades, Second Round Report

TF: S William Moore (A-): The Falcons filled a need and went best player available here, so it's hard to quibble with what they accomplished by picking up Moore. Dimitroff has said he envisions Moore as the kind of safety that blows people up, which means we need a catchy explosives-related nickname for him. The Human Grenade, anyone?

TF: There are many who will say that Moore should have slipped even further, but you won't find me among them. He's an ideal strong safety in many ways, with the ability to the play the run, hit hard and close the distance quickly when covering tight ends and wideouts alike. The team clearly isn't completely sold on Thomas DeCoud at SS (which is a shame), but it should be a pretty fierce competition between the two in training camp.

Total Response? Site administration loves the value of the pick. Questions remain about Moore's coverage ability after his senior season. 87 percent of voters on the site say Moore is either an "instant starter," or "He's okay, I guess."

Chase Coffman: Cincinnati Bengals (Cincy Jungle)

CJ: Draft Pick (see poll), Five Questions

CJ: For a position that turned out several all-stars in the past, the Cincinnati Bengals haven't had a legitimate pass receiving tight end for a long time. This is a good value pick, but we didn't identify tight end so much as a need this year (more along the lines of next season). However, there's only positives that can be drawn from this and the Bengals offense should benefit as a result.

CJ: I thought that the Bengals made their first surprise pick with tight end Chase Coffman with their fourth overall pick (98th). Let me be clear, we're not saying it's a bad pick or that Coffman wouldn't be great benefit. In fact, Coffman could be a tremendous weapon for Carson Palmer. However, with Reggie Kelly, Ben Utecht and Matt Sherry, where would Coffman fit in? We don't suspect the team will release Kelly simply because of the respect level players and coaches have for him. Utecht is argued to be one half of the team's 2008 free agency busts (Antwan Odom the other). Matt Sherry was injured early in 2008 and never got a shot to showcase whatever talents he has.

Total Response? They question his ability to block and transition to a pro offense, but they know the receiver they're getting at a fantastic value. The poll is evidence that this community is on board with the Coffman pick.

Colin Brown: Kansas City Chiefs (Arrowhead Pride)

AP: Presenting the class, Draft pick

AP: Missouri OT Colin Brown was probably the Chiefs' biggest reach of the draft. Many draft boards had him as a 7th round, UDFA prospect. Clearly, Pioli and Haley saw something they liked in Brown so they took him in the fifth round.Perhaps Haley is contemplating a some version of the spread offense, which Brown played in at Missouri.

AP: What's interesting is that Brown played exclusively in the Mizzou spread offense. I wonder if that's an indication that Pioli and Haley think they have it figured out when it comes to scouting spread offensive linemen or if the Chiefs will be running something similar.

According to our Draft Interests Page, the Chiefs had no contact with Brown.

Total Response? No one seems sure what to make of the pick. Is Pioli taking this sucker airborne in KC?

Stryker Sulak: Oakland Raiders (Silver and Black Pride)

SaBP: Live Breakdown, Did the Empire "Stryker" Back?

SaBP: Another non-stop motor pick by the Raiders. Sulak played all 3 LB positions and as a pass rushing DE for Iowa’s [sic] defense, racking up 22.5 sacks and 38 TFL in 53 games. Cable said he was going to try him out at LB first, but he may end up being Trevor Scott v. 2.0 for the Raiders, providing a nickel specialist to tandem with the larger base DEs.

SaBP: As I begin to recap this draft I am looking up and the Colts just drafted Zack Follett out of Cal with the 236th pick of the draft.

I am a bit disappointed that he didn't make the cut, but, the more that I learn about Styker Sulan [sic], out of Mizzou, I can cut ties with Zack.

Total Response? They may not know where he's from or how to spell his name, but they seem excited about the value in the pick, outside of some who were pushing for LSU's Ricky Jean-Francois.

NFL Draft: No Huskers Drafted So Far - Clearly NFL Doesn't Understand "Value"

Cobby — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 14:02:26 -0000

More photos » by Ed Andrieski - AP

Some beady-eyed dude with the Broncos wondered the same thing we are - where are the Huskers? Where are they? Dammit!!! (Either that or he just showed up and they're out of ham and cheese sandwiches already

Browse more photos »

There were no Huskers taken on the first day of the 2009 NFL Draft. Clearly the NFL doesn't understand the work ethic and value of what it means to draft a Nebraska player.

The NFL does understand what it means to make no sense of anything.

Around the Big 12:

- Baylor had a lineman, Jason Smith, drafted at the #2 spot overall. You're wondering the same thing I am - what the hell was this guy doing at Baylor?

- Michael Crabtree went 10th overall to the 49ers. Al Davis proved once again that he's still living in the '70s and picked some guy no one's ever heard of ahead of Crabtree.

Who doesn't love Al Davis? He's still the same act, same show, year after year. He's dependable. Hell, he tells old men to get off his lawn.

- Texas' Brian Orakpo went to the Washington Redskins. I liked watching Orakpo play in college, at least as much as a Nebraska guy can enjoy watching a Texas guy (I know, I'll say three "Hail Mary's" for that one), and it's always a little sad when these guys come out of college and get sentenced to hell.

- Josh Freeman went at 17th to the Buccaneers. Nice pick, Tampa Bay. Josh can throw a ball real far. He's big. Suddenly he's worth millions. What's that you said about society and misplaced priorities? You may be right.

- Jeremy Maclin went after Freeman at 19th, to the Eagles. AFTER Freeman. And you thought utter stupidity was limited to Al Davis? Shame on you.

- Brandon Pettigrew from Oklahoma State went to the Detroit Lions with the 20th pick. Brandon, I don't know you or your family, but my prayers are with you and yours.

- Evander Hood from Missouri went to the PIttsburgh Steelers. I don't have a joke here.

- Darcel McBath, Texas Tech, went to the Denver Broncos. I have nothing against Tech, nor Darren. At least I didn't before yesterday, but I can't stand the Denver Broncos. Maybe it's just Colorado in general. Yeah, that's it. Good luck, Darcel, I hope you suck.

- Phil Loadholt from Oklahom went to the Minnesota Vikings at #54. Blocking for his old teammate, Adrian Peterson. Good for Phil. Good for the Vikings. Now learn what it means to be a perennial disappointment.

Oh. Yeah, that's right, you probably already know what that is.

- William Moore went to the Atlanta Falcons at #55. Missouri had a good player in the defensive secondary? How could they tell that?

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.

2009 DN NFL Draft Live (Sort Of) Blog

ericj69 — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 19:54:59 -0000

Welcome ladies and gentlemen! Eric here, live from my buddy's palacial Fargo apartment. Although the flood scare has come and gone, he lives close enough to the river where it's still only about 50 yards from his place. Pretty surreal. I'm sitting here with my group of friends eagerly awaiting the draft. (Note: One of them is a Packers fan, so I'll only call him an "acquaintance".) I'll be here throughout the first round posting my thoughts and observations about everything I see in the next few hours. Be sure to check back and refresh this post every 15-30 minutes to keep up with my latest ramblings.

2:48: We're almost ready to rock! Of course the #1 pick is already decided thanks to the Detroit Lions grossly overpaying Matt Stafford last night. Over forty-one million dollars guaranteed for someone who's never played a down...only in the NFL. If this isn't a case for an NBA-style rookie salary cap, I don't know what is.

Great end-of-game here between Denver and New Orleans as a preview on ESPN...I'm still amazed that NBA coaches get paid so much to draw up plays that are only slightly more organized than 3rd grade gym class. Carmelo's desperate heave of a shot probably wasn't what George Karl drew up.

2:52: Wow that half-court shot was close! New Orleans is still alive. Now bring on what we came here for! Time for upsides, overhypes, Berman, Kiper, McShay, and of course, boos from Jets fans!

2:55: Wow, great start by ESPN--bringing out Erin Andrews and Rachel Nichols in the first 2 minutes! And Jim Schwartz, can you be any creepier in that interview? He looks ridiculously nervous...I guess I would be too if I just gave someone $41.7 million.

Side note: We stopped at the liquor store before the game, and let's just say we aren't going to run out any time soon. An excellent grab-bag of Mojo Risin', Rush River Bubblejack, Bell's Two Hearted Ale, Michelob Golden Light, Coors Light, AC&ME IPA beer, Jagermeister, and some mint-chocolate liquor we had last time we were in Fargo. Good times. The first drinking game rule: take a drink every time you hear "upside". So if I can't spell by 4:00, you know what happened.

2:59: Berman said it best--ARE YOU READY FOR SOME NFL DRAFT?!?!

3:03: Our first Roger "I AM THE LAW!" Goodell sighting. After an awkward attempt at hyping up the crowd, he announces the inevitable Matt Stafford pick. Of course, the Jets fans greet him with boos. Great start. We just decided to add "arm strength" as one of our drinking phrases.

3:07: One of my buddies' neighbors just stopped over. He's a Bucs fan that went to the University of Florida, and he claims Erin Andrews is even hotter in person. He is my new hero.

3:10: Debated drinking every time we hear "Mark Sanchez", but we all decided against the inevitable alcohol poisoning.

3:15: The Rams go with Jason Smith--smart, predictable pick there in my opinion. Bulger still has something left if he can stay upright for more than a second or two.

3:17: Our first Coors Light coach commercial of the day...I think we're going to get beaten over the head with those today.

3:20: I remember how much I used to love Berman when I was about 13...and I think that's why most sophisticated football fans don't like him.

Herm Edwards is here! "Hey coach, how would you destroy your old team with the #3 pick?" Herm Edwards was a piss-poor coach, but I think he'll actually be a pretty decent analyst. WE CAN BUILD ON THIS!

3:24: Done with beer #1...so does that mean I'll have 16 beers down by the end of the first round? Meanwhile, the Chiefs just selected Tyson Jackson. It's a stretch to pick him that high, but he's a good fit for the 3-4 scheme in KC.

3:30: That ESPN touch screen thing has to be one of the dumbest wastes of money in the history of broadcasting. Just because you have the technology doesn't mean you have to use it.

This Seattle pick is going to change how the rest of the first round goes. And they pick...Aaron Curry! I really like that pick for them, especially over Sanchez or Crabtree. Plus, Curry gave us our first crier of the draft! Congrats, you big, rich sissy. On the plus side, the big momma's boy got to talk to Erin Andrews. Awww.

Note: That Seahawks neon green is easily the worst color on any uniform in major sports. Yeesh.

3:39: Ooooh, a trade!! The Jets just traded up from 17 to 5, obvoiusly setting them up to pick Mark Sanchez. If you can make the (most of the) Jets fans at the draft cheer, you obviously made a pretty bold move. I'm not completely sold on Sanchez. He walks the NFL franchise QB walk, but it remains to be seen whether he'll back it up on the field. One solid college year doesn't make you a stud.

I love ESPN's shots of the two pouting Jet fans. It just goes to show you can't please everyone. By the way, did ESPN give out a mandate NOT to say "upside"? I don't think I've heard it once! Maybe it's only a 2nd-round word.

3:46: Not a bad haul for the Browns in return. They still get the 17th pick, which will cost about $10 million less than Sanchez, a 2nd-rounder later today, and a few bodies. If Curry was still there at #5 the Browns probably take him, but I have no problem with that move if I'm a Cleveland fan.

3:51: The Bengals pick Andre Smith instead of Eugene Monroe at tackle...this makes total sense for all the wrong reasons. A big talent with work ethic and attitude problems? Welcome to Cincinnati!

3:58: Another perfectly bad fit at #7...Darrius Heyward-Bey, aka "The Next Troy Williamson". He's perfect for the vertical passing game Al Davis has been in love with since 1979; I'm sure he'll enjoy watching passes from Russell sail over his head next year. I just bet a shot against my buddy that the Jags are going with Crabtree at 8. He took "the field". Please, Jack Del Rio, I do NOT want Jag this early in the day!

4:05: Shit. Eugene Monroe to the Jags. Kids, don't drink and blog.

4:10: Hey ESPN, quit giving the pick away before it actually happens! Obviously, the Packers take B.J. Raji at 9. My Packers buddy approves, and I must say I do too. Solid pick for that weak D in Wisconsin.

4:13: And your 2009 Brady Quinn Award for the saddest face at the NFL Draft goes to...Michael Crabtree! Can the Vikes trade up for him?? Hmm...

4:17: I thought McShay would be more heavily involved with the ESPN broadcast. I had a theory that Mel Kiper was the Paula Abdul of ESPN's draft coverage, and he was slowly getting phased out by the newer, younger, flashier replacement. But it appears that Mel still rules the roost.

4:21: And Crabtree can put on that happy face! Great pickup for the Niners. He'll have fun watching Shaun Hill's passes land at his feet next year.

4:25: Forgot to mention that we're now drinking every time Erin Andrews is on camera. Double the fun!

4:27: Aaron Maybin to the Bills. He'll have fun answering questions about T.O. next year.

4:31: The Broncos pick Knowshon Moreno. The lady from his family in the pink shirt just accidentally showed her butt crack. Whoops. I'd usually make the "and he just gained 1,000 yards" joke, but Mike "unhealthy tan" Shanahan is no longer there.

And wow, the Redskins go super-quick with Orakpo! Another good pick. Saints on the clock--they have to go defense, right?

4:36: Hey Donald Brown! Entourages...you're doing it wrong.

4:43: And the Saints do go with defense, Malcolm Jenkins. Bold prediction: the Saints secondary won't suck as bad next year.

4:45: Brian Cushing to the Texans. And if that brunette is his girlfriend, he hit the jackpot well before Houston picked him.

4:52: The Chargers go with Larry English. Believe it or not, I didn't catch too many Northern Illinois games this year so I won't pretend to know if this was a good pick or not. Meanwhile, I just bet my Packer buddy a shot that the Browns are going defense. This is the best draft ever, and the Vikes haven't even picked yet!

4:57: The Bucs strangely moved up a whopping two spots to 17...Josh Freeman here? They gave up a 6th rounder to do it; pretty bizarre.

5:01: Yep, they went with Freeman, aka "The Next Tarvaris Jackson". I thought QB-happy Jon Gruden got fired? The Bucs fan here isn't exactly thrilled with this pick, and I can see why.

5:06: The Broncos go defense with Robert Ayers. It's now a certainty that Harvin will be available at 22, but I really think Philly will go with Maclin.

Meanwhile, GREAT SportsCenter commercial with Drew Rosenhaus and Scott Van Pelt. Rosenhaus represents all that's wrong with the NFL these days, but he can poke fun at himself pretty well.

And Cleveland trades down YET AGAIN! Looks like Philly will take Maclin two picks earlier. I really like what the Browns are doing today. They have to be threatening to pick the guy that the other team wants...brilliant strategy.

5:13: Yep, Maclin to the Eagles. Let the great Harvin debate begin again...

5:15: If you haven't done the Streak for the Cash on ESPN yet, you need to start doing it. We've all been doing it here throughout the draft, and it's the most addicting game I've ever played.

5:21: The Lions continue to amaze me, going offense with Pettigrew. I guess they have another pick at 33, but they really need help on D...

5:27: Alex Mack to the Browns, who finally picked. VIKES ARE ON THE CLOCK!

THE PICK IS IN!

MICHAEL OHER LOOKS PISSED!

....

PERCY HARVIN!!!!

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOUR NEWEST MINNESOTA VIKING, PERCY HARVIN!

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, START YOUR BONG JOKES!!!

As I've said here many times before, I'd rather have Hakeem Nicks here. But I can't complain with the Harvin pick. He makes our offense potentially a lot more interesting...now only if Brad Childress can utilize him like he should.

I hope our site doesn't crash.

5:35: After taking a quick peek through the comments, it appears that your attitude is cautious optimism for the most part. I completely agree with you there. Meanwhile, the Pats traded their pick to the Ravens, a curious choice since they already have 11 picks stockpiled for this draft. And the Ravens pick Oher...a pick I would have also been happy with. He's a great story.

5:41: The Falcons go with Peria Jerry. I'm happy only because I had "defense" on my ESPN Streak for the Cash with that pick. Seriously guys, this game is like free sports betting crack. Go sign up now.

5:46: The Dolphins go with Vontae Davis, who was originally Gonzo's selection for the Vikings at 22. He's a stud, and a great addition to Miami. Meanwhile, I'm 4 beers and 4 Jag shots deep...now THAT'S multitasking kids! Thank goodness I decided to only blog during the first round, because typing is becoming more and more meticulous by the minute. Dude, I just used the word "meticulous". Hehe.

5:53: The Patriots are obviously copying the Browns' blueprint for success, trading their pick for the second time today to the Packers. My ~~d-bag friend~~ Packers fan buddy applauded the Clay Matthews pick by exclaiming "YES!! ANOTHER WHITE LINEBACKER!" Meanwhile, Rey Maualuga eagerly awaits his chance to hump Erin Andrews again.

6:03: The Colts go with Donald Brown...I really liked watching him in college. It gives them depth at RB with the oft-injured Addai, but I think they could have addressed a more pressing need there.

6:05: Eric Wood to the Bills. Three or four more solid OL guys and the Bills will have a good offensive line next year.

And my personal best 7-win streak on Streak for the Cash came to a crashing halt thanks to that pick. I will now bathe in hydrochloric acid.

6:09: The GEEEEEEEEE-MEN select my man-crush, Hakeem Nicks. Now I have to cheer against him Week 17...and I'll be OK with that eventually. My buddies are getting pretty drunk, especially the lightweight Packers fan here; thank goodness I'm "taking it easy" and blogging. Fargo bartenders, I apologize in advance for tonight.

6:18: The Titans go with Kenny Britt, a great "need" pick for them. Oh crap, I've been watching the draft too long; I'm talking like Mel Kiper!

6:31: The Cardinals went with Beanie Wells, and to finish off the first round, the champs went with Ziggy Hood. Wow, I'm really approving of most of these first round moves. Maybe I'm just being nice because the beer is kicking in?

Well, that concludes my live blogging for the day. Three and a half hours of fun. Check out Gonzo's second round thread for more. Enjoy the rest of the draft, and make sure to stay tuned to see what the Vikings do with their pick. I'm going to have a couple more beers (who am I kidding, way more than that) and enjoy the Fargo night life. Cheers, and don't get dunked on by Patrick Chewing!

Gonzo's Final 2009 NFL Mock Draft

Gonzo — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 02:59:02 -0000

Again with the late start, I am, fair readers. And, again, I apologize for that. It was a long day to conclude a long week here at the Gonzo house, aided primarily by the fact that truck drivers seem to have had a lot of difficulty staying on Interstate 10 over the course of the past week. Unfortunately for me, I-10 is my main road from Keesler to home, so my commute hasn't been quite what it usually is. Throw in a few dozen other things happening all at once, and it's been quite an adventure.

Speaking of adventure, tomorrow marks the date we've been waiting for ever since the final gun sounded at Super Bowl XLIII, and that's the NFL's Annual Selection Meeting. . .otherwise known as the draft. I know I haven't done a mock draft since my pre-Combine version back in February, but now I'm finally getting my final version up there after having taken everything in over the past couple of months. There have been many significant changes since the Combine, obviously, and those will be greatly reflected in this mock draft. Here, then, is the finished product. Enjoy, everybody, and we'll see you here bright and early tomorrow to prep for the draft!

Player Power Rankings
Pick	Team	Selection	Commentary
1	Detroit Lions	Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia	I'm not sold on the guy as a franchise QB. But, the Lions apparently are. . .and that's all that matters.
2	St. Louis Rams	Jason Smith, OT, Baylor	They lost Orlando Pace, the only guy on their offensive line last year that played at a level above "awful." They're rebuilding, and Smith is their cornerstone.
3	Kansas City Chiefs	Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia	Without Tony Gonzalez, I think Crabtree is a real possibility here, but in the end the Chiefs need more of a sure thing.
4	Seattle Seahawks	Mark Sanchez, QB, Southern Cal	Matt Hasselbeck is getting up in age, and the Seahawks are getting perilously close to having to blow things up and start over. If they have to do that, Sanchez gives them a nice start.
5	Cleveland Browns	Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest	Cleveland's defense was terrible, and they haven't done much to change that. Enter Curry. . .who, in time, could be the best defender in this draft.
6	Cincinnati Bengals	Andre Smith, OT, Alabama	A guy with huge potential, but with discipline and work ethic issues as well? If that doesn't have Cincinnati written all over it, I don't know what does.
7	Oakland Raiders	Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland	Surprised by Heyward-Bey over Crabtree AND Maclin? Let me introduce you to Raiders' owner Al Davis.
8	Jacksonville Jaguars	Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech	The Jags have drafted some real flops at WR in the first round in their brief history. I don't foresee Crabtree joining the likes of Matt Jones and Reggie Williams.
9	Green Bay Packers	B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College	The Packers are shifting to the 3-4, and don't have the personnel right now to do it. Raji would be a nice start for them as the nose in the middle of the defensive line.
10	San Francisco 49ers	Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas	San Francisco could go a couple different directions here, but they need to generate more pressure on the QB, and Orakpo can give them that.
11	Buffalo Bills	Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee	One of the biggest risers in the draft in recent weeks, he fills a spot at DE for the Bills, which is one of their big needs. What about tackle? Wait until #28.
12	Denver Broncos	Tyson Jackson, DE, Louisiana State	The Denver defense needs some serious re-tooling, and Jackson was born to play end in a 3-4 scheme. He'll be a great fit in Denver.
13	Washington Redskins	Michael Oher, OT, Mississippi	Don't be surprised to see the 'Skins try to trade up for one of the big two quarterbacks. If they stay at this spot, they could use some help on the O-line, and Oher is a grea talent.
14	New Orleans Saints	Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State	The Saints' secondary has been awful since. . .well, for a long time. Some folks aren't sure whether Jenkins is a corner or a safety, but whichever he is, he'll be an instant upgrade in the Big Easy.
15	Houston Texans	Aaron Maybin, DE/OLB, Penn State	One of the draft's more interesting players, he could be a big asset to a Houston team that needs to build a defense that's on par with their explosive offense.
16	San Diego Chargers	Rey Maualuga, LB, Southern Cal	The draft's best pure MLB won't have to move far to reach his NFL home, and he'll give Charger fans visions of Junior Seau sooner rather than later.
17	New York Jets	Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State	Josh Freeman would be a bit too big a reach here, in my opinion, so the J-E-T-S grab the best TE in the draft. He'll provide a nice target for whatever warm body the Jets start at QB.
18	Denver Broncos (from Chicago)	Everette Brown, DE/OLB, Florida State	Did I mention earlier that Denver needs defense? Because they do. Brown could be a terror off of the edge if he can stay healthy
19	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri	The Bucs are allegedly in love with Josh Freeman, but Maclin falling to this spot would just be too big a gift for Tampa to pass up.
20	Detroit Lions (from Dallas)	Clay Matthews, LB, Southern Cal	Having passed on Aaron Curry at #1, the Lions fill one of their linebacker spots with the son of the former Cleveland Browns great. His teammate, Brian Cushing, could get a look here, too.
21	Philadelphia Eagles	Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia	The Eagles filled their OT hole by acquiring Jason Peters (for too high a price, IMO). Now, they get themselves some Brian Westbrook insurance.
22	Minnesota Vikings	Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois	We detailed this pick yesterday, and I still maintain that Davis is the best CB in the 2009 NFL Draft. Great value for Minnesota here.
23	New England Patriots	Darius Butler, CB, Connecticut	The Patriots' secondary was exposed as pretty awful when their offense wasn't scoring 50 every time out and they actually had to cover somebody. Butler is a great athlete who should start right away for the Pats.
24	Atlanta Falcons	Peria Jerry, DT, Mississippi	Having acquired the TE they were looking for, the Falcons can look for some space eaters in the middle, and Jerry is a damn good one. Should start immediately.
25	Miami Dolphins	Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest	The multi-faceted Smith will upgrade a suspect Miami secondary, and can also assist Ted Ginn's family in the return game, should the need arise.
26	Baltimore Ravens	Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina	So much for receivers getting pushed to Round 2, huh? Nicks will give Joe Flacco a nice target as he continues his development from 2008.
27	Indianapolis Colts	Chris Wells, RB, Ohio State	The Colts need a better RB than Joseph Addai, and though a WR might be tempting for them here, Wells is a better fit, in my opinion.
28	Buffalo Bills (from Carolina via Philadelphia)	Eben Britton, OT, Arizona	Now the Bills can get a good value in Britton, who can slide in at RT and immediately contribute to what could be an explosive Buffalo offense.
29	New York Giants	Percy Harvin, WR, Florida	Guy that likes to smoke pot before job interviews and seems to enjoy the spotlight? Welcome to New York, Percy!
30	Tennessee Titans	Evander Hood, DT, Missouri	The Titals don't like to draft receivers in Round 1, and so they set about trying to find someone to replace Albert Haynesworth. Good luck with that.
31	Arizona Cardinals	Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut	Edgerrin James is angry, and none of Arizona's other running backs are really anything special, so the defending NFC Champs grab the best running back left in Brown.
32	Pittsburgh Steelers	Alex Mack, C, California	Mack just has "Steeler" written all over him. Tough, smart, hard-working. . .it's not every day a guy could walk in and just immediately start for the World Champs, but Mack has a distinct chance at doing so if he's the pick.

With the #27 pick in the TST mock draft, the Colts select...

VanRam — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 19:57:38 -0000

Here's JohnMatuszakloveschunk with the pick.

With the 27th pick, the Indianapolis Colts take Evander "Ziggy" Hood - DT - Missouri.

The Colts probably would have preferred Perria Jerry with this pick, but they can't pass up on the opportunity to draft a DT with the skill set of Hood's. The Colts are desperate for run stuffing D-Tackles, and Hood fits the bill. His size, technique, and tenacity will all lend themselves to playing D-Line in Indy. He can start right away on that defense, and have an immediate impact. The Colts had to consider Percy Harvin with this pick, with such a serious run on Wideouts going on, but WR is a luxury, not a necessity with this pick, and the Colts make a smart choice in picking the big DT from Missouri.

On the clock: Buffalo (in a pick acquired from the Eagles for OT Jason Peters) with the #28 pick, represented by hambone28.

We're almost finished. Here's the rest of the draft order. At this point, go ahead and make your picks in the comments if you want, and I'll make a post out of them. That might be faster.

28	BUF	hambone38
29	NYG	YankeeDoodleBrit
30	TEN	heinzketchup
31	ARI	JordansDad
32	PIT	Uncfan1

ESPN NFL Mock Draft Has Murtha In Fourth, Slauson In Sixth

Jon Johnston — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 22:18:44 -0000

More photos » by Eric Gay - AP

Wooohooooo! Won't be seeing Michael Crabtree no more no more no more!

Browse more photos »

Todd McShay at ESPN did a full seven-round NFL mock draft, apparently showing that he's willing to outwork just about anybody (ahem... Mel Kiper Jr) else on the subject.

The first 16 choices are available here. The full mock draft requires that you be an ESPN Insider $$$, but at KUSports.com we found a rundown of the Big 12 players projected to be taken.

McShay has only two Huskers projected to be drafted, Lydon Murtha going in the fourth round, and Matt Slauson going in the sixth.

With regards to the Big 12 - Baylor's offensive tackle Jason Smith goes to St Louis with the second overall pick. Then he has Missouri's Jeremy Maclin going at seventh to the Oakland Raiders, right in front of Tech's Michael Crabtree at eighth, going to Jacksonville.

At #17, he has the New York Jets picking Kansas State's Josh Freeman. Say what you will about Freeman, like him or not, but the guy is a physical specimen. I can see why a NFL team would want him because of his size and arm strength.

Other 2009 Nebraska opponents:

- Missouri DT Evander "Ziggy' Hood, S Wiliam Moore, second round

- Missouri TE Chase Coffman, Texas Tech DE Brandon Williams - third round

- Texas Tech S Darcel McBath - fourth round

- Texas Tech OG Louis Vasquez - fifth round

- Colorado DT George Hypolite - sixth round

The best part of seeing all these names listed as NFL draft picks is that they are a reminder that we don't have to face any of these guys next season, particularly Maclin and Crabtree. Both of them are wonderful players who did their share of damage to us, and I wish them the best of luck whether they get drafted by a team I hate or not.

It's nice seeing Missouri lose a bunch of talent, with a double whammy to them being that Chase Daniel is nowhere on the list. Gee, come to think of it, Graham Harrell isn't listed either. That's a darned shame.

Freeman never had much of a surrounding cast, and by the time we played Kansas State last season, they were done as a team.

So long, gentlemen! Good luck with your pursuit of fame and fortune!

SB Nation - Evander Hood

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With the #27 pick in the TST mock draft, the Colts select...

ESPN NFL Mock Draft Has Murtha In Fourth, Slauson In Sixth