SB Nation - Eben Britton

Arizona Team Capsule

Smooty — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:05:38 -0000

Appearing in a bowl game last season, for the first time in a decade, whet the appetite of Arizona fans, and players. More is expected. This team has the depth and athletes to compete with anyone in the Pac-10, it just lacks that prototypical star player who changes the game every week. Head Coach Mike Stoops received his long-awaited contract extension this off-season. The hot-seat will remain cool for Coach Stoops as long as the team continues to improve.

When Arizona has the ball:

The offense returns four starters from last year's opening game, but seven players who started a significant portion of the season last year. The team lost QB Willie Tuitama, WR Mike Thomas, OT Eben Britton, OT James Tretheway, and OG Joe Longacre. The team returns its top two rushers from 2008, in Nic Grigsby and Keola Antolin. Although Sonny Dykes' Air Zona offense is known for spreading the field and throwing the ball, Arizona's rushing attack will be one of the biggest keys to a successful 2009 campaign.

Running Game: Arizona's two leading rushers (Grigsby and Antolin) are back, with the addition of bruising Greg Nwoko. The trio has already earned the nickname Earth, Wind and Fire from their Arizona defensive counter-parts. With Grigsby and Antolin, 1,678 yards and 23 touchdowns returns to a stacked backfield. The coaching staff has raved about Nwoko, who should provide the power-punch in short yardage situations that Grigsby and Antolin lack. The offensive line lost NFL draftee Eben Britton, as well as stalwarts James Tretheway and Joe Longacre. Despite the losses, experience does return: Mike Diaz (9 starts) has switched to left tackle; Colin Baxter (24 starts) took over at center when Blake Kerley went down early last year at UCLA; and right tackle Adam Grant (5 starts) is the grizzled veteran of the group, who is ready to breakout after an injury plagued career thus far. Overall, the line may have lost an elite tackle in Eben Britton, but it returns experience and versatility.

Passing Game: Record-breaking quarterback Willie Tuitama is gone from last year's team. Sophomores Matt Scott and Nick Foles have been battling all off-season and training camp to replace Tui. At this point, a starter has not been named, and both are expected to play in the season opener against Central Michigan. The Wildcats also lost record-breaking WR Mike Thomas. Despite the losses, the Cats return some very important pass-catchers. All-World TE Rob Gronkowski is back for his junior season. Gronk caught 47 balls for 672 yards and 10 TDs, all while battling mononucleosis at the beginning of the year. WRs Terrell Turner and Delashaun Dean are both back, and bring with them 96 catches, 1,173 yards and five scores. Sophomore WR William "Bug" Wright will be replacing the departed Mike Thomas. Coaches have raved about Bug all off-season. H-Back Chris Gronkowski returns, with eight starts under his belt, and a 24.8 YPC average from last season.

When opponents have the ball:

Rush Defense: Ricky Elmore and Brooks Reed will be coming at quarterbacks from the edge while Donald Horton and Earl Mitchell attack from the middle. Brooks Reed had 8 sacks last year and Ricky Elmore had 4. These guys can come and come quick. The depth on the defensive line is great with D'Aundre Reed, Dominique Austin, Lolomana Mikaele, and Apaiata Tuihalamaka waiting in wings. The linebacking corp will be Sterling Lewis, Vuna Tuihalamaka, and Xavier Kelly starting. Corey Hall, C.J. Parish, R.J. Young and outstanding freshman Jake Fischer will be rotating in to help keep everyone fresh all year long.

Pass Defense: This is one of the strengths of this year's team. Devin Ross is back. Trevin Wade is stepping up from nickel-back a year ago, where he tied for team lead in interceptions, and will be a full-time starter at corner. Cam Nelson is back at safety and super-talent Robert Golden has made the switch this offseason from corner to safety. All four of these guys fly around the ball, and will punish ball carriers. The Wildcats typically deploy a zone-coverage scheme in the secondary, so look for plenty of opportunities for interceptions and big hits. Super-frosh Adam Hall (who still may redshirt) backs up Golden and Nelson at safety.

Schedule:

The Wildcats drew a tougher schedule in 2009 than 2008. The Cats have an even six home games, six road games in 2009. Five of the six road games are against top-notch opponents, and the sixth is in Seattle at Husky Stadium, which despite last season has historically been hard on road teams. Some of you may not consider Arizona State "top-notch," but everyone knows traveling to Tempe for the Territorial Cup is a challenge. The home slate is more forgiving. On paper, Oregon presents the toughest challenge at Arizona Stadium.

Home games: Central Michigan, Northern Arizona, Stanford, UCLA, Washington State, Oregon

Road games: Iowa, Oregon State, Washington, California, Arizona State, USC

The first four games, and the last four games is where the success of Arizona's season will be determined. Central MIchigan, @ Iowa, and @ Oregon State present three big challenges right out of the gate. To close, @ Cal, home versus Oregon, @ Arizona State, and @ USC present a difficult finish.

Outlook:

Everything is rosy - Arizona's quarterback issues are not a problem and Matt Scott, Nick Foles, or some combination of the two guide the Air Zona offense with ease. The defense plays strong all year, and rivals USC for tops in the conference. The Cats win five of six home games, at least, and at minimum split on the road, looking at an eight win season or better.

The sky is falling - The team flip-flops quarterbacks all season, and the offense never finds the consistency it enjoyed under Willie Tuitama the last two seasons. The defense is strapped at linebacker, and continues to struggle against running quarterbacks. The Cats split their six home games, and pick up one or two tough road games, sputtering to a four or five win season.

If the Underdog Shoe Fits

Smooty — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 19:06:35 -0000

Well, we won't have to deal with any Sports Illustrated jinx this year.

SI released its rankings of all 120 FBS college football teams. Arizona checked in at number 70. Only Washington and Washington State were ranked lower than the Cats.

Normally, these rankings mean nothing to me. Pre-season rankings are essentially a regurgitation of last year's final poll, with a little adjustment. Ranking all 120 teams is also no easy task, and none of it matters once the games start. Also, it was have expected for all the national publications to be down on Arizona this year. Tuitama, Thomas and Britton are all gone.

But, really? Below ASU, UCLA, and Stanford? What about BYU, who Arizona dismantled in the Las Vegas Bowl last season? They came in at 22.

Cue every underdogs favorite cliche: that's why they play the games.

Bear Down.

Wildcats Position by Positions Breakdown: Offensive Line

joenewby4040 — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 02:37:08 -0000

OFFENSIVE LINE

(We're going to miss this hoss.)

The Cats offensive line was a big part of the reason for Tuitama's success last season. He was able to sit in the pocket and pick apart secondaries with time to spare in most cases. Although the Cats gave up 27 sacks in 2008 (third most in the conference), they were able to protect Tuitiama in order to let him have one of the most productive passing seasons in school history and Nic Grigsby rushed for 1,153 yards. The Cats lose two of their workhorses on the offensive line, Eben Britton and Joe Longacre. Both of these guys started all 13 games last season and it will be tough to replace them. Joe Tretheway who started 7 games last year is also gone.

Let's take a look at how the Cats are going to line up this year.

Center

Look for the Cats to have Colin Baxter at center. Baxter stepped in last year after a knee injury to starter Blake Kerley. Baxter will be a huge anchor on the offensive line and is on the 2009 Remington Trophy Watch List. Baxter will be backed up this year by senior Herman Hall. Hall played in four games in 2008 and would be a capable center if needed to be called on.

(Baxter will hold down the line at center this year)

Left Tackle

The Cats will have Jack Julsing at left tackle this season. Julsing is a juco transfer coming from College of the Desert. He enrolled in January and has been getting accustomed to the offense since then. He emerged as the stronger player in spring drills and jumped Phillip Garcia on the depth chart. Garcia injured his knee last year in spring drills and was forced to redshirt 2008. Although Julsing will start out on top in August, don't be surprised if this is one of the biggest battles of the preseason drills.

(Julsing will hold down the left tackle spot)

Left Guard

Mike Diaz, former juco transfer, will hold down the line at left guard. Last year, Diaz was tabbed as a backup but when Blake Kerley went down, Colin Baxter moved from left guard to center, opening up the position for Diaz to fill. He did quite a job. Diaz ended up opening up huge holes for Grigsby throughout the year and started the final 9 games of the year. Diaz will be backed up by Conan Amituanai, who will be another "backup" on the Arizona line with enough skill to be able to step in and play with the first team in no time. Consider Conan to be the Diaz of 2009.

(Diaz will be pushed by Amituanai for playing time)

Right Tackle

Adam Grant will start the season at right tackle for the Wildcats this spring. This guy is 6'6" tall and 325 lbs. He will be stepping in and filling big shoes with the departure of Eben Britton. Grant has had considerable experience in his years at Arizona and will look to finish off his senior year with a strong, healthy showing in 2009. Grant started the first five games of 2008, only to be sidelined with a hand injury and only filling in the rest of the season. Trace Biskin, resdhirt freshman, will backup Grant this season and hopefully get his feet wet for the 2010 season. Also, look for Zink to rotate in some as they Cats brought in the juco transfer for a reason. He is a monster and has developed significant strength in his 2 years at Shasta College. Oh yeah, he's 6'7" and weighs 295 lbs.

(Stay healthy big man.)

Right Guard

Vaughn Dotsy will round out Cats at right guard this year. Dotsy is a true sophomore who played in at right guard and Adam Grant at right tackle. The big man played only spot duty last year in four games, however; this should be the experience he needs to lock up the role this season. Dotsy will be backed up by Jovon Hayes who saw action in two games last year (Cal and WSU). Look for Dotsy to wrap this one up well be fore September.

(Dotsy with the experience should lock it down)

Recruits

The Cats recruited four OL this year including Jake Baratz , Chris Putton, Jack Jusling (juco transfer), and Shane Zink (juco transfer). Look for Jusling to start this season and for Zink to be used to rotate in immediately in the event of an injury. Zink is listed third on the depth chart for the Cats at right tackle, but was brought in to help out immediately and should see some time early and often.
(Baratz is going to be a monster)

Wildcats Position by Position Breakdown: Running Backs

joenewby4040 — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 06:00:13 -0000

RUNNING BACKS

The Cats return Nic Grigsby who rushed for 1,153 yards on 214 carries for a 5.4 average and scored 13 TD’s. Talk about a quiet 1,253. Nic is one of the nation’s most underrated backs in college. He enjoyed the open running lanes created by the awesome passing scheme involving Tuitama and Mike Thomas. However, this year seems to be much different. The Cats will have to find their vertical passing game somewhere else and figure out who is going to be their QB. This directly affects the running game. Also, depending on who is in at QB (Foles or Scott), the Cats scheme will greatly change. With Foles in, look for more straight up zone plays, draw plays, or possibly a FB in to give Grigsby an Iso. With Scott in , the Cats basically have two running backs in the backfield, creating a zone read option which drives defenses mad. Grigsby will also have to deal with the loss of his workhorse, Eben Britton, to the NFL.

(Repeat of 2008, injury free I hope)

Make no mistake, the loss of Tuitama will be huge on the entire offense, including the rushing attack. I still think that Grigsby reaches 1,000 yards this season and will possibly get 175 carries this coming year. Grigsby was also honorable mention Pac-10 in 2008. Look for Grigsby to be the inside the tackles back and grind out short yardage on third down. Also coming in on third downs and goal line situations is redshirt freshman Greg Nwoko who comes in at 6’2" and 220 lbs. Depending on how he handles his playing time, Nwoko could be the go to guy close to the goal line and on third downs with less than two yards to go.

(Short yardage king)

The "other" back Arizona deployed in 2008 was Keola Antolin. All he did was carry the ball 117 times for 525 yards for a 4.5 yard average and 10 touchdowns. Not too bad for an every third down back. Antolin, who is a little quicker than Grigsby, is able to come into the ballgame and possess the ability to break the long one at any time. His longest rush last year was 59 yards, and nobody was going to catch him. Don’t give this guy a crease or he’ll be gone before you know it.

Arizona did a good job recruiting in 2009 and picked up running back sensation Daniel Jenkins who could possibly be the fastest running back on the team. Jenkins, from Moreno Valley, California, was a four star recruit (Rivals). He is a mini Keola Antolin and could see some playing time in 2009. His ability to catch the ball gives him a small chance to play in the slot for the Cats if running back doesn’t work out for them.

(Don't let Jenkins break on you or he's gone!)

Also recruited by the Cats is freshman Kylan Butler. Butler is 5’8" and 180 lbs in high school and comes out of powerhouse De La Salle in California. Butler has good size, and should probably come into fall drills heavier than 180, which makes him another option for inside the tackles should anything happen to Grigsby this year.

(Kylan Butler can fly too. May be slot receiver/KR)

The coaches have also tinkered with putting Butler in the slot position as well. All in all, the Cats will have two great returners, one promising redshirt, and two outstanding 2009 recruits to add to the depth chart for 2009.

Wildcats Position by Position Breakdown: Quarterbacks

joenewby4040 — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 06:00:10 -0000

ARIZONA WILDCATS PREVIEW 2009

The Arizona Wildcats come into 2009 with searing momentum from their 2008 campaign in which they went 8-5 and beat BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl 31-21 on December 20, 2008 for its first bowl win in 10 years. Coach Mike Stoops will look to build on that season in 2009 and got off to a good start by signing 24 solid football players for 2009. This year the Cats will try to move on in 2009 after losing one of the best receivers in school history (Mike Thomas), the loss of one of the best QB’s in school history (Willie Tuitama) and one of the best OL in school history (Eben Britton). Fortunately, with the solid recruiting by Stoops in the past few years, the Cats will look to re-load and not re-build.

QUARTERBACKS

The loss of Willie Tuitama is definitely a blow to the offensive production of the Cats. Tuitama, the all time leading passer in school history, adapted to Sonny Dykes spread offense installed in 2007 and excelled immensely. The Cats will look to either Matt Scott (Sophomore) or Nick Foles (Sophomore) to fill the shoes. There have been some rumors out of Tucson from the voluntary workouts that Bryson Beirne (Sophomore) is also in the mix. Tough luck for Mike Stoops to have three quarterbacks battling for the top spot. Foles and Scott got the majority of the snaps during the spring but I would gladly accept more competition from Beirne this summer and hope it pushes all three of them to excel to their maximum potential.

(Matt Scott. Does mobility rule in Tucson? We'll see this fall)

Nick Foles is a bigger quarterback at 6’5" and 235 lbs. His arm is stronger than Scott’s but his mobility is less. Foles has had a troubled college career, starting out committing to Arizona State out of high school, only to drop his commit and go to Michigan State. His tenure at Michigan State didn’t last long and Foles transferred to Arizona in 2008. Foles’ big arm would be the reason he would take the spot. His mobility would be the reason he would watch from the sidelines.

(Worst jersey I've ever seen. Go Maroons)

Bryson Beirne is a sophomore from Honolulu, Hawaii. He is 6'3" and 225 lbs. He contended in 2008 with Matt Scott for the backup role and fell short. He displayed bursts of potential throughout 2008. This year he is the obvious long shot to start for the Cats in 2009 but there is word out of Tucson that he is competing hard and could push for some reps to start the season. He did play in two games in 2008 against Idaho and Washington, so he does have some experience.

(2009 spoiler?)

Matt Scott is the smaller of the two front runners standing at 6’3" and 190 lbs. Obviously, his mobility is far superior to Foles. Scott was the back up for Tuitama last year and played in 6 games in 2006. His ability to run creates an opportunity for Sonny Dykes to design plays which get Scott outside of the tackles and into the open field for either a run or pass. Look for this matchup to heat up in August. If Beirne gets in the mix, things could get crazy and fast.

The Cats recruited Richardson Morrison in 2009. He hails from Royse City, Texas and is 6'0" and 180 lbs. He was an absolute stud for his high school in 2008 and was recruited by Mark Stoops and Sonny Dykes. Dykes obviously thinks that he will fit the system and recruited him directly. Look for Morrison to redshirt this season in order to learn the plays and get some experience in practice.

Britton Signs Four Year Deal with Jaguars

Smooty — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:04:01 -0000

The Arizona Daily Star reports that former University of Arizona standout Eben Britton has signed a four year, $4.6 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Britton, the Jaguars second round selection, is guaranteed $2.8 million. Eugene Monroe, the Jaguars first round pick out of the University of Virginia and also an offensive tackle, remains unsigned.

Britton is expected to challenge for a starting position on the Jaguars offensive line this training camp.

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.

Theorizing the Buffalo Bills' NFL Draft plan

Brian Galliford — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:00:13 -0000

More photos » by MARK J. TERRILL - AP

USC outside linebacker Clay Matthews III is a likely first-round target of the Buffalo Bills. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)

Browse more photos »

We are now officially 26 hours away from the start of the 2009 NFL Draft. The time has arrived where Buffalo Bills fans (as well as NFL fans in general) cross the realm from mock draft land to the land of rumors and speculation. We're happy to add a little bit of both to your Bills thoughts and discussions this afternoon.

Throughout the pre-draft process, we have closely monitored the rises and falls of draft prospects' stock as well as been the beneficiary of some (incomplete) legitimate first-hand information. From there, we have boiled it down into a simple pre-draft post for y'all to ponder this afternoon. There is a degree of truth to the post - but please don't take it to be anything more than that. This is a theory post - not a law post. We believe thoroughly that what we type below can, and probably will, change in an instant when the draft begins tomorrow afternoon.

High-Priority Round One Targets
Through various discussions that we've had over the past several weeks, we believe that we can identify four targets that the Buffalo Bills will focus on in the first round. We know that the Bills like all of these players, but that's where the knowledge ends and speculation begins. We have no idea where these players fit on the draft board or how they figure into the plans, but you can rest assured that the Bills are interested in the following four names (listed in our believed order of preference, though clearly we don't have - and wouldn't want - a means to confirm this):

Andre Smith, OT, Alabama. The massive 340-pound Jason Peters clone is one of the hottest names in the draft right now despite a rocky pre-draft process and lingering questions about his maturity. He could go as high as No. 4 overall to Seattle, but rest assured he wouldn't slip past the Bills at No. 11. (And no, we don't think Buffalo is serious about trading up for him.)

Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State. We have spoken at length about the Bills' preference for finding immediate, well-rounded contributors at the top of the draft. The Bills lost a degree of physicality in their run blocking department when Peters was traded. Pettigrew would instantly restore that as well as give Trent Edwards a solid short-area and red zone target. There isn't a more NFL-ready player in this draft class.

Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee. Mike Mayock's favorite defensive prospect is flying up draft boards thanks to an impressive pre-draft process and a terribly weak natural 4-3 defensive end class. He's not a guy that will immediately solve Buffalo's pass rushing woes, but he can play immediately on any down, has a lot of natural ability, and can be a major player in Buffalo's DE rotation.

Clay Matthews III, OLB, USC. Put all thoughts of Brian Cushing out of your head, folks - the Bills (and many other NFL teams) see Matthews as the best of the LB bunch from USC with the most upside. Matthews is an elite blitzing prospect, having played the elephant (rush linebacker) position as a Trojan, but he's got the athletic chops to man virtually any linebacker position imaginable. Buffalo will do its absolute best to not enter 2009 with Keith Ellison as a starting linebacker. Matthews would help them accomplish that.

We've heard the rumors that the Bills are exploring a trade up to land Alabama's Smith, but we're not buying it - even if we do know that Smith tops the Bills' board at OT by a considerable margin. The Bills have too many holes. Far more importantly, this team's front office and coaching staff - particularly head coach Dick Jauron - has too much invested in this draft class to throw half of it away for one player. They are in win now mode, and trading picks for one guy doesn't help the team plug holes. If anything, we believe the team would prefer to trade down. It's likely that the Bills have discussed (and will continue to discuss) moving up, but we see it as a due diligence matter that won't get any further than the exploratory stages. (Feel free to speculate on if that theory is shot when/if Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry begins to slide.)

If you're asking me now (or any time within the past two weeks), I think the Bills would ideally like to find a way to get two of these players onto its roster. With two first-round picks and nine in total, they have the ammo to shift themselves into better position in the first round to get that done. We're not making any promises, but given Smith's popularity at the moment, we think that the team will be aggressive in nabbing two of Pettigrew, Ayers and Matthews tomorrow afternoon.

What if that doesn't work? Good question - and it's actually one that we're not too thrilled to ponder. Head on in past the jump to peruse five names that we think the Bills might focus on if they can't land two of the names listed above.

Be prepared to pinch your nose, because we're guessing that the notion of taking any of these guys at No. 28 wouldn't thrill most of you. We're not jumping for joy at the thought, either, and we're guessing the Bills themselves will do their best to avoid it. The Bills will likely focus on two things if they can't get two of their (as we see it) top four targets: offensive line help and defensive playmaking - position be damned.

That's why I think these five guys become priorities if two of the four names mentioned aren't Bills by pick No. 28. Yes - this is ALL speculation on my part, and shouldn't be taken as anything more.

Eben Britton, OT, Arizona. He visited Buffalo on a pre-draft visit, so we at least know the Bills are curious. Britton is one of the most boring prospects you'll ever encounter - nothing about his game is exciting, and he doesn't have one trait that blows you out of the water. He will likely be a liability as a rookie when it comes to pass protection, which means he'll play RT in his first season. But he's a solid athlete that competes, finishes and plays the game intelligently. If the Bills are serious about moving Langston Walker to the left side, Britton would be a safe investment with the potential for a long, stellar career.

Andy Levitre, OG, Oregon State. I don't think it's a lock at all that the Bills target OT with either of their first round picks (unless, obviously, Smith is available). Britton will be considered, but I think it's far more likely that the Bills look at an interior lineman like Levitre. A left tackle in college, Levitre lacks the measurables to play outside in the NFL - but he's got loads of potential as a guard. He plays mean, finishes blocks and has good hands and feet. He's a little rough around the edges, but he's an immediate starter, unlike Britton. That in itself leads me to believe he'd be the top offensive lineman on Buffalo's list at the end of round one and into round two.

Max Unger, G/C, Oregon. Here's another non-flashy player with traits similar to Levitre - positional versatility, intelligence, and a bit of a mean streak. The interior line has always been an area where the Bills look for players that can play multiple positions. Unger is exactly that player, having played LT and C in college. He's another immediate starter.

Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest. We told you it wasn't ideal. We also told you that defensive playmaking was a priority - and Smith is certainly that, having amassed 21 career interceptions at Wake, including 15 in his final two seasons. He's small (5'9", 193 pounds), but size has never stopped the Bills from taking a DB. Smith is aggressive, physical for his size, and possessor of the best ball skills amongst the DB class this year. I think he could beat out Drayton Florence for the nickel corner role right out of the gate - and he offers a bit of return upside as well. CB is obviously not a need, but position won't prohibit the Bills from drafting the best, most impactful players they can find. It's obvious they'd like to avoid it - but as Smith visited Buffalo in March, they clearly like him as a prospect.

Louis Delmas, SS, Western Michigan. I'm very confident that the Bills will take a corner at some point considering the fact that three of their corners (Terrence McGee, Ashton Youboty, Florence) all have contracts expiring within the next two seasons. The same is true at safety, where all five of the team's current players are in the tail ends of their respective deals as well. Delmas is the most complete safety in this class - physical with good range; solid against both the run and the pass; productive, experienced and a leader. In short, he's everything the Bills look for - and he'd likely beat out Bryan Scott for the starting strong safety role by mid-season. Again, it's obviously not ideal from any angle, but production is production - and the Bills could consider this kid if the worst comes to fruition.

That's all we've got. We're speculated out. Consider this your open thread for Draft Eve; we'll hit you back tomorrow morning with our final, very trade-happy first-round mock draft, and then official NFL Draft proceedings begin tomorrow at noon eastern. Hang tight, Bills fans - we're almost there!

Meet the Chiefs Draft Interests (Trade Down Edition)

Joel Thorman — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 12:30:10 -0000

More photos » by Rogelio V. Solis - AP

8 months ago: FILE - In this Nov. 28, 2008 file photo, Mississippi State defensive end Tim Bailey (39) is shoved back by Mississippi offensive lineman Michael Oher (74) during the first half of an NCAA college football game. Oher is a top prospect in the 2009 NFL Draft. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

Browse more photos »

Yesterday, we broke down by position all the draft prospects the Kansas City Chiefs have been reportedly interested in. No surprise that offensive line and linebacker led the way.

Then we looked at the players the Chiefs have worked out that could be the third overall pick.

Today, we're perusing our Chiefs Draft Interests page and highlighting all the players the scouting staff has looked at that are projected to go in the second or third round. If you're watching the Draft on Saturday, and at 3:20 PM you hear the Chiefs have traded down, there's a likelihood they'll know who to pick considering they've focused heavily on players in this draft range.

The list of players below is one of the biggest reasons so many folks across the league expect Scott Pioli and the Chiefs to move out of the third overall pick and collect more picks in the late first to early third round range.

OFFENSIVE LINE

OT Michael Oher (Ole Miss, Rd. 1) - Spoke with at Senior Bow/Attended Pro Day (March 31)/Scouted in person in 2008

*Oher settles in at the tail end of the top ten range to the high teens. If the Chiefs are looking at him as a tackle opposite of Albert (right or left), then they'll need to likely target the Buffalo Bills 11th overall pick.

OT Eben Britton (Arizona, Rd. 1-2) - Private workout (Reported March 25)

*Could be a right or left tackle (6'6", 310 pounds) and could be taken as high as the late teens in the first round.

DEFENSIVE LINE/LINEBACKER

OLB Brian Cushing (USC, Rd. 1) - Spoke with at Senior Bowl/Attended Pro Day (April 1)/Scouted in person in 2008

*Brian Cushing is projected to be a first round pick and would be of interest to the Chiefs if they were able to trade down. He, along with his USC counterparts, could be a tremendous help to the Chiefs and a great value if they were able to drop into to the bottom half of the first round.

DE Connor Barwin (Cincinnati, Rd. 1-2) - Visited with the Chiefs (April 2)

*The Patriots are reported to have a lot of interest in Barwin as well. He's had arguably the best post-season workout run as any player in this draft class. Capable of playing as an OLB (1 year at Cincinnati) or a TE (3 years at Cincinnati), Barwin has been drawn comparisons to Chiefs' Mike Vrabel. He won't make it past the Patriots or Browns, early in the second round.

LB James Laurinaitis (Ohio St., Rd. 1-2) - Visited with the Chiefs (April 2)

*Came in on the same day as Brian Orakpo and Connor Barwin. It's strange...if Lauriniaitis have come out last year, he was projected to be as high as a top ten pick. Now, he's fallen to the tail end of the first round, possibly as low as the second round. He seems to have the Pioli mentality when it comes to football.

LB Larry English (Northern Illinois, Rd. 1-2) - Private workout (Reported April 8)

*English has been shooting up draft boards, possibly into the first round. He's been reported to have drawn the interest of the Patriots in addition to the Chiefs. He's projected as an OLB in the Chiefs' 3-4 scheme.

LB Clint Sintim

*Another interesting prospect as he's projected to go as high as 25th to the Dolphins and as low as the middle of the second round.

DE Jarron Gilbert (San Jose St., Rd. 2-3) - Private workout (April)

*Another guy gaining a lot of steam, maybe even into the end of the first round. Click the link above to see a cool video of him jumping out of a pool (Okay, that sounds weird. Just watch it if you haven't already).

NT Sen'Derrick Marks (Auburn, Rd. 2-3) - Private workout (March 30)

*Nose tackles are hard to come by but one of Marks' biggest knocks is that he's not big enough to handle larger defensive linemen. Not a characteristic a defensive lineman wants. He's likely to be available when the Chiefs pick in the third round.

DT Fili Moala (USC, Rd. 2-3) - Spoke with at Combine

*The Chiefs could be looking for another defensive tackle - though I would imagine they would prefer it to be a more traditional nose tackle.

DE Paul Kruger (Utah, Rd. 3) - Private workout (1st week of April)

*From Utah and is projected as an OLB. He's quick and has the frame to get bigger. The Broncos and Chiefs both worked him out.

SECONDARY

CB Malcolm Jenkins (Ohio St. Rd. 1) - Scouted in person in 2008

*I wouldn't read much into this. The Chiefs scouted him way back when we weren't sure if rookie Brandon Carr could handle the corner job opposite of Flowers (he can).

CB Mike Mickens (Cincinnati, Rd. 2-3) - Scouted in person in 2008

*Director of college scouting says he has the "temperament" to be an NFL corner.

CB Keenan Lewis (Oregon St., Rd. 3) - Spoke with at the Senior Bowl

*From Oregon State and had an interview with the Chiefs at the Senior Bowl. Haven't heard any news on him since that.

QUARTERBACKS

QB Chase Patton (MU, Rd. 7) - Rumored interest

*We just learned tonight the Chiefs have requested a contact number for Patton on Draft day so that's a good sign that he's on the Chiefs radar.

QB Josh Freeman (K-State, Rd. 1-2) - Attended local Pro Day

*Didn't even work out at the Chiefs complex. Nothing to see here. Move along...

QB Pat White (WVU, Rd. 2-3) - Spoke with at Senior Bowl

*Since the Senior Bowl meeting, we haven't been able to get a confirmation of Pat White working out with the Chiefs. He's been linked to the Patriots and Vikings, among other teams.

RUNNING BACKS/WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS

TE Brandon Pettigrew (Oklahoma St., Rd. 1) - Scouted in person in 2008

*The Chiefs could have been doing their due diligence last season when they scouted Pettigrew. Remember, last October, in the height of college football season, Gonzalez was publicly asking to be traded.

TE Chase Coffman (MU, Rd. 2-3) - Attended local Pro Day

*Coffman is an intriguing pick due in large part to the fact that he's local. Though Pioli has picked three tight ends in the first round while in New England, I expect him to hang onto Gonzalez in 2009 with Brad Cottam as his eventual heir.

WR Mike Thomas (Arizona, Rd. 2-3) - Private workout (March 24)

*Both the Chiefs (Pioli) and Broncos (McDaniels) set up a private workout with Thomas so maybe there's a bit of the 'Patriot Way' in him. His skill set is in a Wes Welker type mold, meaning he's a small and quick possession/slot receiver.

RB Andre Brown (NC State, Rd. 2-3) - Private workout (Reported April 16th)

*And here's my "Chiefs work out a RB...replacement for LJ?" post...

It can't be used as a legitimate clue into the Chiefs' front office because our Chiefs' draft interests page is ultimately incomplete, but only two offensive linemen that have been reportedly worked out by the Chiefs are expected to be in trade down territory.

Of these 20 prospects, nine of them were defensive linemen and linebackers. A sign that the Chiefs will be going defense in the even to of a trade down?

Taking the table from Chris' post yesterday where he broke down all the Chiefs draft interests by position, we can see the Chiefs are focusing their reported scouting efforts of defensive linemen and linebackers projected to be selected later in the first round to the third round.

Offense	Defense
OT (10)	LB (11)
WR (4)	DE (6)
QB (3)	DL (5)
OG (3)	CB (4)
RB (2)
PK (2)
FB (1)

Out of the sixteen reported DL/LBs on this list, nine of them would require the Chiefs trading down. That's quite the due diligence.

And with the #53 Pick in the Arrowhead Pride Community Mock Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles Select...

Chris Thorman — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:15:07 -0000

Pittsburgh RB LeSean McCoy

Chiefsfan717 with the pick...

The Eagles are caught scratching their heads for a third time in the AP draft!!! And no, not for a bad reason, but for the simple reason that 'their' guy was (some way/some how) on the board again! Lesean "Shady" McCoy is yet another steal for the Birds at #53!

First of all, let me state that with the recent trade that allowed the Eagles to acquire Jason Peters from the Bills for the 28th pick, the Eagles obviously wouldn't have taken Eben Britton in the first round. In my view they still go with Pettigrew or (possibly Moreno) at #21, and without that second 1st rounder (and no more need on the offensive line), I could see them going defense with their second rounder.

But for the sake of our AP mock draft which has the Eagles at #21, #28, and #53, you could not ask for a better first 3 picks in terms of need and value! This is without an A+++ draft for the Eagles! Pettigrew, Britton, and Shady are all very capable of being picked a bit higher than what they were.

A quick glimpse to why 'Shady' is the pick here:

1. Westbrook will someday have to unlace the cleats! The Eagles find a gem here in the 2nd round as Westbrook's heir apparent. Scout's at Pittsburg's pro-day immediately made comparisons to Shady and Westbrook in the passing game! He is a perfect fit for the west coast system, and he can also pile up carries as he has done at both Bishop McDevitt High School and The University of Pitt.

2. It would be realistic to say that chances are the Eagles go with a defensive player with one of their first 3 picks, but this scenario is just too good to be true! There is NOOOO Way they would pass up McCoy if he were to drop to them here (And I really don't think he will). Recent reports say the Eagles like Moreno. With Moreno gone, Shady is the next best thing (in comparing styles), and IMO will be a better pro. This system is perfect for him, especially with his vision and ability to use mammoth offensive lineman (See Jeff Otah). The Eagles line is the heaviest, and now possibly the best in the league.

3. Lastly, Shady is going to produce more than your typical 53rd pick. His absence at the combine and weak (measurable) portion of his pro-day had his stock take a huge fall. I'm more of a 'tape-before-measurable' type of guy. And this guy's tape does not lie!!! A beast in both high school and college, Shady's NFL career will be nothing short of the success he's had in his past!

Round 1 is here.

Previous pick: WR Mohamed Massaquoi

Read more: Scouting Report (Mocking the Draft)

On the clock: Minnesota Vikings (kcsno56)

Click over for the schedule and current draft results.

Pick	Round 2	Selection	Date	Approval Rating
1(33)	Detroit Lions - UCrawford	CB Darius Butler	Weds., April 8th	48%
2(34)	New England Patriots (From Kansas City) - connerman	DE Robert Ayers	Weds., April 8th	67%
3(35)	St. Louis Rams - Lanier63	DT Evander Hood	Thursday, April 9th	55%
4(36)	Cleveland Browns - HIV2Elway	DE Connor Barwin	Thursday, April 9th	68%
5(37)	Seattle Seahawks - mikvogel	OT William Beatty	Friday, April 10th	67%
6(38)	Cincinnati Bengals - mistamic	C Max Unger	Friday, April 10th	68%
7(39)	Jacksonville Jaguars - DThomasReigns	G Duke Robinson	Monday, April 13th	72%
8(40)	Oakland Raiders - mushin	T Phil Loadholt	Monday, April 13th	68%
9(41)	Green Bay Packers - JasonM	DT Ron Brace	Tuesday, April 14th	62%
10(42)	Buffalo Bills - ArrowDread	DE Michael Johnson	Tuesday, April 14th	60%
11(43)	San Francisco 49ers - Harry Feltersnatch	DE/LB Larry English	Weds. April 15th	67%
12(44)	Miami Dolphins (From Washington) - shraggyj	WR Kenny Britt	Weds. April 15th	69%
13(45)	New York Giants (From New Orleans) - ChiefsFan90s	LB Clint Sintim	Thursday, April 16th	64%
14(46)	Houston Texans - ChiefsDude	FS Louis Delmas	Thursday, April 16th	37%
15(47)	New England Patriots (From San Diego) - connerman	DE/OLB Paul Kruger	Friday, April 17th	64%
16(48)	Denver Broncos (From Texans) - Keyser Sose	RB Donald Brown	Friday, April 17th
17(49)	Chicago Bears - Holmeslice	C Jonathan Luigs	Monday, April 20th
18(50)	Cleveland Browns (From Tampa Bay) - HIV2Elway	RB Shonn Green	Monday, April 20th
19(51)	Dallas Cowboys - chiefsfan1384	SS William Moore	Monday, April 20th
20(52)	New York Jets - PSUkegreen	WR Mohamed Massaquoi	Tuesday, April 21st
21(53)	Philadelphia Eagles - Chiefsfan717	RB LeSean McCoy	Tuesday, April 21st
22(54)	Minnesota Vikings - kcsno56		Tuesday, April 21st
23(55)	Atlanta Falcons - RedNose		Weds. April 22nd
24(56)	Miami Dolphins - shraggyj		Weds. April 22nd
25(57)	Baltimore Ravens - Ben S		Weds. April 22nd
26(58)	New England Patriots - connerman		Thursday, April 23rd
27(59)	Carolina Panthers - 808NaNz808		Thursday, April 23rd
28(60)	New York Giants - ChiefsFan90s		Thursday, April 23rd
29(61)	Indianapolis Colts - saskwatch		Friday, April 24th
30(62)	Tennessee Titans - Lvl.99		Friday, April 24th
31(63)	Arizona Cardinals - THE_TRUTH		Friday, April 24th
32(64)	Pittsburgh Steelers - McWhirt33		Friday, April 24th

Poll

Do you agree with the pick?

Yes

34 votes

No

5 votes

Indifferent

11 votes

50 votes | Poll has closed