DB Andrew Sendejo, Rice- A rock at 6’1, 213, Sendajo is also one of Conference USA’s best kept secrets. Incredibly active, he’s one of the most versatile defensive backs in the entire country, intercepting five passes (one returned for a touchdown) and notching up 107 tackles in 2007 as a true sophomore. Sendejo is one of the rare combinations of a guy with great range who also happens to be a ferocious hitter, and looks primed to lead what figures to be a much improved Rice Owl defense is 2008.

DE Larry English, Northern Illinois- NIU may have struggled through an injury plagued 2007 campaign, but for the second consecutive year defensive end Larry English was all but unstoppable for opposing offensive lines. The rising senior recorded 10.5 sacks, 17 tackles for loss, and recovered a fumble for a touchdown in 2007. At 6’3, 254 he figures to be a classic tweener at the next level, but for now he remains one of the most relentless defensive ends in the game. With NIU rebuilding under new head coach Jerry Kill, I look for English to lead a refocused defense in 2008.

OLB Clayton Mullins, Miami (Oh)- The reigning MAC Defensive Player of the Year, Mullins played like a man possessed in 2007 for the Red Hawks, totaling 143 tackles (69 solo, 16 tfl), four sacks, and six passes defended. At 6’2, 235 he has next level size for his position at outside linebacker, and more than enough speed and recognition ability to make plays both between the lines and on the perimeter. The leader of the MAC’s best defense, Mullins and Miami should contend for the MAC title yet again in 2008.

LB Frantz Joseph, Florida Atlantic- A big part of FAU’s unlikely turnaround in 2007, Joseph finished 28th in the country in tackles per game last year with just over 10 per contest. He also led the Sun Belt conference in tackles for loss (17) while recording two interceptions and two and a half sacks. Originally a transfer from Boston College, Joseph is a tremendous competitor with great range and instincts who should have FAU back in contention for the Sun Belt crown in 2008.

LB Adam Leonard, Hawaii- A first team all WAC selection in 2007, Leonard is not only one of the WAC’s hardest hitters, but one of its biggest defensive playmakers. Second on the team with 105 tackles last season (53 solo, 11.5 tfl) Leonard also took two interceptions back for touchdowns and broke up four passes. Not the tallest player, he nevertheless has a great feel for the game and the always underrated ability to shed blocks with ease. He’s a versatile player can play either the “mac” or “buck” linebacker positions as they’re known in Honolulu, and should be a major asset in new head coach Greg McMackin’s efforts to keep the program competitive.

DT John Fletcher, Wyoming- One of the major factors in Wyoming’s defensive dominance over the past two years, Fletcher is the 6’6, 275-lb stonewall that anchors the Cowboy defensive line. A dominating force inside with long arms and a powerful upper body, Fletcher registered an unusually high 10.5 sacks from the defensive tackle position last year, in addition to 14 tackles for a loss. His size and athleticism makes him a potential NFL sleeper down the road, but for now he remains the anchor on one of the country’s best and most underrated defensive lines.

FS Ryan Downard, Eastern Michigan- When commentators use the term “playing center field” to describe the actions of a free safety, their explaining the way rising sophomore Ryan Downard played in 2007 to a tee. Downard is one of those guys who has the uncanny ability to just make plays on the football, picking off six passes as a redshirt freshmen last year. I love his feel for the game at free safety, and he shows maturity beyond his years in reading quarterbacks. His continued progression gives perennial MAC bottom feeder Eastern Michigan a chance to be competitive in the MAC next season.

CB Joe Burnett, Central Florida- A rising senior who originally declared for the 2008 NFL draft, Burnett instead chose to return to Central Florida for his senior season after a monster junior campaign in 2007. An aggressive corner who excels against both the pass (12 career interceptions) and the run (148 career solo stops), Burnett also doubles as one of the nation’s most explosive punt returners with three career touchdown returns. His versatility and nose for the football make him not only one of the best defenders in the conference, but also a potential Day 1 draft pick in next year’s draft.

DB Wyatt Middleton, Navy- While I’m willing to admit that this is a blatently homeristic call on my part, I truly believe Middleton is the second coming of former Navy great Josh Smith, who recorded about a bazillion tackles for the Mids between 2002-2004 and was basically a one-man wrecking crew who I swear could have made it in the NFL had he wanted to. Middleton isn’t overly flashy (at least not yet) but he does do what 95% of college defenders can’t- he tackles with proper form. In a day and age where defenders almost always leave their feet, forget to bring their arms, and most of the time get truly and disgustingly high pad level, Middleton displays proper form and good courage against much bigger players. While my esteemed colleague has often noticed his habit of being out of position in the passing game, a solid spring should pay dividends on the field in 2008.

Note: UCF cornerback Johnell Neal was to be included in this list until a recent shooting on May 10th left him injured and put his status in jeopardy for the 2008 season. Neal, who recently graduated early from UCF, picked off six passes in 2007 and broke up another ten. We wish him a speedy recovery and return to the field, whether it be on the college level or the next.

Ten non-BCS conference players who could make or break their team’s chances in 2008. Click the links to view highlight clips.

RB Harvey Unga, BYU- Big, physical, and athletic, Unga was the lead horse in a very good stable of running backs at BYU last year, and already looks primed for an even bigger 2008. Earning both Mountain West Conference Freshmen of the year and Freshmen All-American honors, Unga powered his way to 1,227 yards on the ground (5.0 avg) and an incredible 655 yards through the air in 2007 en route to BYU’s second consecutive Mountain West Title. Joined by All-MWC performers Max Hall at quarterback and Austin Collie at wide receiver, Unga has a very real shot of leading BYU to a BCS bowl game in 2008.

RB James Starks, Buffalo- Starks is an intriguing case because he might be the most talented skill player at the University at Buffalo since Drew Haddad in the late 90s. At 6’2, 210 he’s big enough to be an effective inside runner, but he has uncanny straight line speed for a guy his size in the open field. He’s a duel threat guy out of the backfield and has great ball skills, catching 41 passes in 2007 while not fumbling once in 251 carries. One of the key role players in Buffalo’s recent turnaround, Starks looks ready to lead the Bulls to a bowl eligible season in 2008.

QB/SB/PR Jarod Bryant, Navy- It’s not often that the buzz around a given team’s spring practice revolves around the backup quarterback, but in the case of the Naval Academy that’s exactly what happened this April. A multi-faceted athlete from the famed Hoover High program, backup quarterback Jarod Bryant spent last year in spot relief duty of Kaipo-Noa Keheaku-Enhada before new Head Coach Ken Niumatalolo added slotback and punt returner to his list of duties this offseason. With Vick-like quickness and feet in the open field, Bryant has the natural ability to just flat out make people miss whenever he has the ball in his hands, and will likely play a key role in Navy’s quest to make it to a sixth consecutive Bowl game.

WR Casey Fitzgerald, North Texas- A bigtime playmaker in every sense of the word, Fitzgerald thrived in his first year under Head Coach Todd Dodge, leading a resurgent Mean Green offense in reception (111), receiving yards (1322) and receiving touchdowns (12.) His 11.9 yard average doesn’t jump out on paper, but catch and runs of 99 and 69 yards sure do on tape. While he has the physical skills of speed and body control that make him an NFL prospect, it’s his recognition ability and route running which make him the dominant receiver in the Sun Belt conference. I’m expecting Dodge and North Texas to be at the top of the Sun Belt in 2008, and this guy is a big reason why.

QB Chase Clement, Rice- Clement may very well be the best duel threat quarterback in the country you’ve never heard of, and he’s got the numbers to prove it. Hitting 60% of his passes in 2007, Clement threw for 3377 yards and 29 touchdowns, while rushing for 535 yards and eight touchdowns. He doesn’t have the strongest arm in the world but at the same time he doesn’t have to, as he’s incredibly accurate and has the ability to make mid range throws with consistency. With some stability finally coming to the Rice coaching staff Clement has the ability to take the Owles back to the postseason this season.

RB Luke Lippincott, Nevada- Another physical runner, Lippincott literally ran through WAC defenses last year en route to a 1420 yard (5.3 avg) year on the ground in 2007. Well trained in Coach Chris Ault’s pistol offense, Lippincott is the perfect compliment for speedy quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who himself gave Nevada’s offense a much needed spark last year. With a wide open WAC this year I look for Nevada to use Lippincot aggressively and return to the postseason.

WR Kevin Jurovich, San Jose State- If this is your first time hearing about Jurovich then don’t worry, you’re not alone. Maybe the lone bright spot on San Jose State’s anemic offense last season, Jurovich has a chance to be one of the most prolific skill position players in the WAC next season. A very smooth route runner with good quickness and decent long speed, Jurovich went from being a backup safety in 2006 to the team’s leading receiver in 2007. With a new quarterback coming into SJSU this year it’s going to be critical for SJSU to get the ball into Jurovich’s hands as much as possible, especially if the Spartans wish to return to their 2006 season form.

TE Bear Pascoe, Fresno State- You don’t often think about possession tight ends when you talk about the one most important player on an offense, but in the case of Fresno State’s offense you might have to. The rising senior has ideal size (6’5, 265) and tremendous body control, which makes the fact that he was an option quarterback in high school all the more insane. He almost single-handedly obliterated Texas A&M’s secondary last season (7 catches, 3 TDs) and figures to be an iatrical part of Fresno State’s loaded offense in 2008.

RB Eugene Jarvis, Kent State- The leading returning rusher in the country, Jarvis ran for 1669 yards (6.0 avg) and ten touchdowns in 2007 to very little national acclaim. A scat back with tremendous vision and change of direction ability in the open field, watching Jarvis is like watching former MAC great Garrett Wolfe out of a zone running based offense. The challenge for Jarvis will be whether or not he can help get Kent State over the hump in a MAC title race in which one team’s chances seem to be as good as the next’s. If he can, then don’t be surprised to see him replicate Wolfe’s minor Heisman Run from a few years ago in 2008.

RB Ian Johnson, Boise State- After eclipsing 1700 yards rushing and 25 touchdowns in 2006 it seemed like Johnson was a viable contender for the Heisman in 2007, but a retooled Boise State offense transferred much of the load to fellow running backs Jeremy Avery and DJ Harper last season. Still, Johnson is one of the elite start-stop runners in all of college football, and surpassed the 1000 yard rushing mark last season. After a quiet year in 2007 expect Johnson and Boise State to make another run in the WAC, where the departure of Colt Brennan and June Jones at Hawaii has suddenly left the conference wide open.

I was rather critical of Les Miles earlier in the month for his less than harsh punishment(s) of star quarterback Ryan Perrilloux. But today, Miles finally had enough and kicked the blue chip quarterback off the team for good. On one hand I applaud Miles, but on the other, I wonder what the heck took him so long to do this?

From the beginning we all knew that Perrilloux was no saint. Let’s look at some of the trouble he has been in while being at LSU:

1. Late 2006 - Perrilloux was questioned by federal officials for his role in a counterfeiting ring being investigated in his hometown of LaPlace. Perrilloux had tried to pass to counterfeit $20 at a LaPlace area convenience store. He was never arrested for this but did community service work.

2. May 2007 - Cited by Baton Rouge Police for attempting to enter a downtown gambling casino with false identification. He was not 21 at the time. Punished for the summer (Ouch!). Reinstated for fall practice.

3. October 2007 - Perrilloux was in a barroom brawl near the LSU campus. He was questioned by Baton Rouge Police but not arrested. Miles suspended him for the Nov. 3 Alabama game, however, and he did not make the trip to Tuscaloosa, Ala. He re-joined the team two days after the game.

4. January 2008 - Skipping classes and team meetings. Miles suspends him from the team, yet allows him to go to the White House with the team to be honored by President Bush. He is one of the few members of the team to shake the President’s hand. The suspension was lifted late during the Tigers’ spring drills.

I can see giving a person a second chance, but he had a history of bringing trouble with him, and part of the blame has to go to Miles and the LSU staff. They knew what they were getting into when recruiting Perrilloux, yet looked the other way to get a superstar on their team. Well guys, you got your National Title, so everything is alright.

There is no doubt that Perriloux will try and transfer to another program, but what program would want to take a chance on a kid like this? I know there is one or two out there, but I believe he will end up in the ranks of the FCS Division. He would be too much of a distraction to only be able to have for one year for an FBS team to take a chance on him.

If you watched the NFL Draft this weekend, you will have noticed that the biggest cheer occurred when the Detroit Lions selected a Safety from Army by the name of Caleb Campbell. In the past when players from the Academies were selected to play in the pros, they still had to server their time, sometimes before they entered the pros.

Campbell becomes first Cadet drafted since 1997

But now the Army has made exceptions. They are offering theirtop athletes a side door to professional sports. West Point has implemented an alternative service option program that allows cadets to turn pro and play right away. Cadets accepted into the program “will owe two years of active service in the Army, during which time they will be allowed to play their sport in the player-development systems of their respective organizations and be assigned to recruiting stations. If they remain in professional sports following those two years, they will be provided the option of buying out the remaining three years of their active-duty commitment in exchange for six years of reserve time.”

On the surface this sounds great for the school and its recruitment process, but there are people (who have loved ones deployed) up in arms; citing special treatment for athletes. If you listen to the podcast you will remember that back in December in the 2007 wrap-up show I had a friend of mine from Seattle sit in and talk college football with me who is an Army Officer. My best-friend, CPT Lou Nemec, recently deployed to Iraq for a 12-15 month tour. I sent him an email yesterday asking his opinion on all of this, and I asked him to talk to some of the people around him and write me a general consensus response back to me and what he wrote is below. One disclaimer, I do not care what your stance is on the war, so any comments regarding that will be deleted.

“Everything is fine here, I just got my own room, so that’s a hell of a lot better than the 75 man tent I’ve been sleeping in while in Kuwait.

My thoughts on Caleb Campbell: The Army pays for your education, its their option to have you repay your debt to them however they see fit. If that’s leading troops because they deem that’s your area of expertise or special skill, that’s their choice. If its playing football in the NFL and doing PR tours at local recruiting offices and Army events then that’s their choice as well. I think its great for both the Army and West Point to have a player able to go straight into the NFL. The academies have been struggling lately and what better way to showcase that they are still competitive and produce world-class athletes. They already do the same thing with the World Class Athlete Program. Specially talented athletes join the Army and then do nothing but train for their sport leading up to the Olympics and do PR gigs for the Army. Its a mutually beneficial relationship and I see the same thing with Caleb Campbell. While he might make 1 good officer, his notoriety in the NFL might bring 1000 good officers into the Army. The benefits curve is exponential for both parties. Believe me, there are plenty of troops in Iraq doing their time and very few would begrudge Caleb Campbell the opportunity to represent them in the NFL.

That’s how I feel about that. So thanks for the great question and I’ll have you know I’ve been listening to my podcasts on my IPOD. That thing is great. Alright buddy, take care of yourself and get that golf swing in tune for the summer.”

Lou

I know Lou’s response does not represent every soldier’s but I thought it would be nice to get his opinion. Only time will tell if this does help Army with their recruiting and if Air Force and Navy follow suit with rules like this for their own. But I can tell you this, college football would be a lot better with the likes of Army, Navy, and Air Force contending in the Top 25.

This is the final segment for the 2008 NFL Mock draft. Earlier we looked at picks 1-10 and picks 11-20. In here we finish the first round. This mock draft will be presented in the form of a mock draft, but is not meant to be predictive. Rather, with each team we’ll take a look at their needs, and who is likely to be available that they might covet.

Vince Young would love to throw to this Longhorn

21. Washington (needs - WR, defensive line, CB) - Phillip Merling, DE, Clemson - Merling is a run-stuffing DE, as opposed to a pass rusher like Derrick Harvey.

22. Dallas (needs - CB, WR, RB) - Antoine Cason, CB, Arizona - Very similar profile to Mike Jenkins, but not quite as athletic. I don’t buy the rumors that Dallas wants to trade up to get McFadden. Dallas needs youth at both DB and WR, and I expect them to use one of their first round picks on each position.

23. Pittsburgh (needs - offensive line, tall WR) - Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College - Pittsburgh’s o-line collapsed last year, and then they lost their best linemen to free agency. Cherilus is one of the last lineman worthy of a 1st round pick, and he might not be available. Cherilus is a big mauler who may be best suited for guard, which suits the Steelers needs fine. If Cherilus is gone, they may look at Limas Sweed or James Hardy.

24. Tennessee (needs - WR, defensive line) - Limas Sweed, WR, Texas - Vince Young needs targets. Sweed missed most of his last college season with a bum wrist, but it doesn’t sound like an injury that will have long-term implications. He’s big (6′4″, 220), athletic, and is familiar with Young’s strengths and weaknesses.

25. Seattle (needs - RB, offensive line, DT, CB) - Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas - The Seahawks don’t have a lot of needs, but RB is clearly one of them. Jones is thought to be vaguely similar to Shaun Alexander, and is also an outstanding kick returner.

Jones can make it 2 Hog RBs in the First Round

26. Jacksonville (needs - DE, offensive line) - Calais Campbell, DE, Miami - Jacksonville needs a pash rushing defensive end, so they may look to move up to snag Derrick Harvey. If they can’t pull that off, Campbell is likely to be available. Campbell has all the potential in the world, but has rarely been able to channel that on the football field. His draft range is all over the place - he could get picked as high as the second half of the first round, he could slip to the 3rd round.

27. San Diego (defensive line, defensive back, RB) - Kenny Phillips, FS, Miami - The Chargers have few obvious holes, but could use some depth at a number of positions. Kenny Phillips would be solid value here. He’s far and away the highest rated safety in this class, and has a similar profile to Sean Taylor, although he’s not quite as well-regarded a talent.

28. Dallas (needs - CB, WR, RB) - James Hardy, WR, Indiana - Hardy has some pretty striking negatives. His character and his work ethic are question marks, and he’s not a great athlete. On the other hand, he’s really tall (6′6″) which makes him a weapon at the goal line.

29. San Francisco (needs - WR, offensive line) - Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma - The WR version of Adrian Peterson? From Oklahoma, very productive, very talented, but significant durability concerns. The 49ers were a trendy pick for the playoffs a year ago; their roster looks really poor now, particularly on the offensive side.

30. Green Bay (needs - CB, offensive line, TE) - Sam Baker, OT, USC - Green Bay does not have many obvious needs, but they have some aging players at key positions, like CB and offensive line. They may look for a TE here (Purdue’s Dustin Keller, perhaps), but I have a feeling they’ll try to shore up their o-line to make things as easy for Aaron Rogers as possible. Baker could probably play any position on the O-line, and he’s a good athlete.

31. NY Giants (needs - defensive back, offensive line) - Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas - Talib has as much talent as any DB in this draft, but is apparently a pothead (reports that he failed multiple drug tests in college), which will hurt his stock. The Giants may also look at Auburn product Quentin Groves as the eventual succesor to Michael Strahan, or somebody like Xavier Adibi from Virginia Tech, to replace Kawika Mitchell.

If you missed picks 1-10, you can find them here. In this part we will look at picks 11-20 which reflect the Jared Allen trade. This mock draft will be presented in the form of a mock draft, but is not meant to be predictive. Rather, with each team we’ll take a look at their needs, and who is likely to be available that they might covet.

Could Matt Ryan be this year’s Brady Quinn?

11. Buffalo (needs - DE, CB, WR) - Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee State - Buffalo is rumored to be working a trade with Philadelphia, involving Lito Shepperd and a swap of 1st round picks. DRC is a tremendous athlete, but pretty raw as a CB. He’s a first round pick based mostly on his combine. If Buffalo trades the pick, they will not be needing a CB, and will likely be targeting a possession WR, like Malcolm Kelly or Limas Sweed.

12. Denver (needs - DT, OL) - Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt - Denver is one of those teams that may like to try to move up to get Sedrick Ellis. Failing that, they will likely settle for the best available offensive lineman. Williams is very athletic, appears to be a good fit with Denver’s system, and should play left tackle eventually.

13. Carolina (needs - RB, offensive line, defensive line) - Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College - Ryan’s senior year was in some ways the converse of Brady Quinn’s senior year. Quinn started his senior year as the Heisman Trophy favorite, and, despite playing well, was viewed less and less favorably as a prospect, eventually being picked by Cleveland with their SECOND pick of the draft. Matt Ryan started his senior season as one of a bunch of QBs behind Brian Brohm, and, despite not playing much better than he had as a junior, gradually climbed up the prospect boards until he was the consensus top quarterback, and a potential #1 overall pick. Its hard to explain why Ryan is viewed as the better prospect than Brohm; BC had a better year than Louisville, but mostly that was because of the way the respective defenses played. Nevertheless, Ryan will be the 1st QB taken. Carolina has more pressing needs, but its hard to believe they’d pass on a potential franchise qb.

14. Chicago (needs - OL, WR, RB) - Devin Thomas, WR, Michigan State - Chicago is like Carolina, they’re pretending they don’t need a QB, but aren’t actually fooling anybody. If Ryan is still around, they’ll probably take him. Their most glaring deficiency is at WR, and Thomas looks to be a good one. Good size (6′2″, 215), good athlete, good hands, more of a possession receiver/red zone type, also returned kicks in college. The Bears also need help at OL and RB, which might mean either Jeff Otah or Rashard Mendenhall. Also, don’t rule out Brian Brohm this early.

15. Detroit (needs - LB, CB, OL, RB) - Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida - Harvey is perhaps comparable to Dwight Freeney, and may have ruined Troy Smith’s shot at being taken in the first round - Harvey absolutely demolished Ohio State in the BCS Championship Game two years back. Detroit has a lot of needs, and could go in a lot of different directions. Harvey is likely to be coveted by a number of teams who might try to trade up to get him, such as Jacksonville, Minnesota, and Washington.

Brohm might have been a Top 10 pick in 2007

16. Arizona (needs - RB, CB, WR) - Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois - This is a very deep draft for RBs, so its likely that some teams that need one in the first round will fill a different need, thinking to pick up somebody like Ray Rice or Matt Forte later in the draft. Mendenhall has ideal size (5′11″, 210), good vision, outstanding measurables, and was productive and durable in college, also excelling in the passing game. Arizona may look at one of the CBs available, as well.

17. Kansas City (from Minnesota) (needs: offensive line, CB) - Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida - The Chiefs traded for this pick on Tuesday, as part of a trade for Jared Allen. Jenkins is a big (6′0″, 200), physical cover corner who could probably also play safety. The Chiefs also now have a hole at defensive end to fill; they may have made the trade thinking either Vernon Gholston or Chris Long would be available at #5, or they may be targeting Phillip Merling or Derrick Harvey here.

18. Houston (needs - RB, CB) - Jonathan Stewart, RB, Oregon - Houston is the team most likely to draft a RB in the first round. Stewart is a power back, possibly comparable to Michael Turner, who played in a spread offense in college.

19. Philadelphia (needs - OL, WR) - Jeff Otah, OT, Pittsburgh - As mentioned, Philadelphia is rumored to be working on a trade with Buffalo. I think Otah is the player they are targeting, but I don’t see who would pick Otah between 11 and 19, so I don’t think Philadelphia needs to trade. If Otah isn’t available, Philadelphia may look at somebody like Gosder Cherilus. All signs point to Philly picking an offensive lineman. Otah is considered a right tackle - he’s enormous, and powerful, but not particularly agile.

20. Tampa Bay (needs - QB, WR, defensive line) - Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville - As I said above, I’m not clear why some people are down on Brohm. He really couldn’t have played better as a senior, although Louisville’s defense could have. Obviously, that can’t be held against him. He was criticized for skipping the Senior Bowl, but Matt Ryan also skipped the Senior Bowl. Brohm is generally acknowledged as the more accurate passer, and has superior footwork. Ryan’s advantages are durability, and intangibles. Both are good prospects, and Tampa seems like a good fit for Brohm - he seems comparable to Rich Gannon, who flourished under Jon Gruden.

Tomorrow we finish off the draft with the remaining picks.

This will be presented in the form of a mock draft, but is not meant to be predictive. Rather, with each team we’ll take a look at their needs, and who is likely to be available that they might covet. Not being an insider, all that I know is that Miami will pick Jake Long, since they have negotiated a contract with him already.

Jake Long already knows he’s #1

1. Miami - Jake Long, OT, Michigan - Jake Long is a very good prospect. He’s more skilled as a run-blocker than a pass-blocker, and is probably not as good as Joe Thomas, Cleveland’s outstanding rookie LT, but is at least in that neighborhood. He has outstanding work ethic and character, marking him as an extremely safe pick.

2. St. Louis (needs: WR, defensive line, LB, CB) - Chris Long, DE/OLB, Virginia - A number of teams, including St. Louis, are moving to what you might call a 3-4 hybrid defense, with one of the OLB’s being essentially a smaller, faster DE - the Patriots did that for years with Willie McGinest as a pass-rushing OLB. There are also a number of potential 1st round picks who will be able to fill that role - Long, Quentin Groves from Auburn, Vernon Gholston. Chris Long is also capable of fitting into a traditional 4-3, making him one of the most versatile players in this draft. St. Louis might also consider Vernon Gholston or Glen Dorsey.

3. Atlanta (needs: Everything but RB) - Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU - If it weren’t for some knee trouble as a senior, Dorsey would almost certainly be the top pick in this draft. He’s clearly the best prospect in this class, but just as clearly brings some degree of medical risk. Defensive tackles have a fairly high flame-out rate: Steve Entman and Courtney Brown come to mind. Still, if the doctors and trainers can keep him at 100%, Dorsey could be the best player in this draft. Dorsey making it past Atlanta would be a major shock, but if St. Louis were to pick Dorsey, Atlanta might look long and hard at Matt Ryan, Sedrick Ellis, or Vernon Gholston.

4. Oakland (needs: WR, offensive line, defensive line) - Vernon Gholston, OLB, Ohio State - Gholston is a very impressive looking pass-rusher, but doesn’t bring much else to the table. Like Dorsey, he’s something of a high-risk pick, but for different reasons: On most Saturdays, Gholston, despite his awesome physical gifts, was not the best defensive player on the field. That doesn’t mean he can’t be good on Sundays, but Oakland doesn’t seem like the best destination for a high risk pick. Darren McFadden might make more sense for Oakland; their #1 pick last year was a QB, and it would be wise to provide Russell with some support. I think Oakland would also like to trade out of this pick, but it doesn’t seem likely to me that they will be able to.

5. Kansas City (needs: offensive line, CB) - Ryan Clady, OT, Boise State - The Chiefs are probably the first team in a good position to trade down. There are a number of teams who will covet Sedrick Ellis, Matt Ryan, or Darren McFadden, and KC can still trade down and get a good OL prospect. If KC keeps the pick, they will probably use it on Clady, an early entrant from Boise State. He looks like the ideal left tackle, but is thought to be something of a project, probably because he played in the WAC instead of the Pac 10. The Chiefs might also consider Matt Ryan here.

Will McFadden Fall out of the Top 10?

6. NY Jets (needs - offensive line, DB) - Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas - Like Miami and Oakland, the Jets have signed a lot of players in the offseason. Like Kansas City, the Jets are in a good position to trade down should they want to. McFadden, you probably know about - he had a tremendous college career, finishing 2nd in the Heisman Trophy voting twice, and is compared to Adrian Peterson without the injury issues. He should be one of the best RBs in the league eventually, if not as a rookie.

7. New England (needs - CB, LB) - Branden Albert, OL, Virginia - New England is hard to read, but their two best CBs signed free agent contracts with other teams, leaving that particular cupboard bare. Its pretty unusual for a rookie CB to make much of an impact, and all of the top CBs in this class seem unlikely to go against that trend. New England’s current management has a history of valuing linemen, both offensive and defensive, more highly than just about any other position, and the offensive line fell apart in the Super Bowl. Albert was on the field in the ACC as a true freshman, unusual for an offensive lineman, and is versatile enough to play anywhere on the offensive line, including left tackle. Trading down is a strong possibility here, as well, and they certainly might pick a CB.

8. Baltimore (needs - CB, QB, WR, OT, OLB) - Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy State - The Ravens can’t be too confident with Kyle Boller and Troy Smith at QB, but this organization’s strength has been defense, a unit which desperately needs an infusion of youth. Matt Ryan is the best QB in this class, but not by a lot, and the Ravens may be able to get Chad Henne or Joe Flacco in the second round, or even somebody like Andre Woodson or J.D. Booty on the second day. McKelvin is smallish and raw at corner, but is a tremendous kick returner, so this would be a good situation for him: He could ease into the lineup as a nickelback, and make his impact returning kicks.

9. Cincinnati (needs - defense, WR) - Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC - Like Dorsey, Ellis is a tremendous athlete who has had some leg injuries, but for some reason is not considered as risky a pick. After Ellis, there’s a big drop off at DT, so there could be some teams trying to move up to get him. Cincinnati needs help all over the defense, but especially on the defensive line. The Chad Johnson saga could obviously impact what Cincinnati does on draft day, so keep an eye on that situation.

10. New Orleans (needs - defense, offensive line, WR) - Keith Rivers, OLB, USC - New Orleans LBs were awful last year, so Rivers should be able to play right away. He’s fast and athletic, and could play any one of the three LB positions, but is probably best suited to weak-side. Rivers will probably be able to make an immediate impact. The Saints offensive line was very inconsistent last year, so they may consider somebody like Jeff Otah as well.

Tomorrow we will look at picks 10-20.

Just to get you in the correct mood for this post, watch this first:

First we start in the nation’s heartland where new coach Bo Pelini has visions of bring back Nebraska football to the way it was in the mid 90s, but don’t expect any miracles to happen for this year. That doesn’t mean there is not optimism for the Husker fans. There have been reports that fans have paid in excess of $95 to see a practice game. Seriously, we’re talking about practice here, not a game, but practice. Corn Nation has a list of the teams for the practice game over on his site. Sometimes I wonder about that guy, he would rather watch how the hogs are doing up front than the skilled guys.

Mitch couldn’t beat out Sanchez

Keeping in the Big 12 North, the Missouri Tigers might not even have enough players to field a team for their spring game. The latest is backup O-Lineman Austin Wuebbles got arrested when the cops found marijuana and a metal marijuana smoking pipe. It doesn’t end there, Wuebbles also had a fake ID and beer in his car. Instead of having football practice, maybe the Tigers’ coaching staff should hold practice on how to act like a normal adult. But I got to hand it to Big Head, even when faced with all this trouble for his team, he still knows how to rub one in on his rival.

The players over at UCLA must have a little bit of Allen Iverson syndrome since the seniors thought they were too good to practice. Actually it is a time honored tradition where the Seniors skipped a practice, but most of Bruin Nation, including offensive coordinator Norm Chow, isn’t laughing at all. I thought all that Senior skip stuff was only done in High School? Maybe it is a sign to Bruins fans that this year’s team might resemble a high school one. But even with the missed practice. head coach Rick Neuheisel has seen enough of the quarterback battle to name Patrick Cowan the starter over Ben Olson.

One way to get out of practice is to not attend class and get ruled ineligible to participate in practice in the Spring. That was what happened to USC’s Joe McKnight. McKnight dropped a class in the Spring and that put him below the 12 credits needed to participate. This should have no bearing on his fall eligibility though. Unlike McKnight, Mark Sanchez took full advantage of his time on the field last year and in spring practice this year. So much so that Pete Carroll named Sanchez the starter for the fall over Mitch Mustain. I don’t think this is much of a surprise given that Sanchez has been with the program for awhile, and has game experience. But one has to wonder if Mustain is second guessing his decision to transfer to USC and not another team with a quarterback situation that would’ve better suited him.

Ryan doesn’t need practice!!

If you are envious of Joe McKnight not having to go to class and therefore forfeiting his right to practice, Ryan Perrilloux has one upped McKnight. Not only did Perrilloux not practice with LSU much (if at all) this spring, he got in trouble at a local bar, he was suspended due to violating team rules, and has academic problems (says Miles). One writer says that LSU should dismiss Perrilloux for these violations, but we all know that won’t happen, especially in the SEC. One would think that a player that has gotten into so much trouble would either have to work in practice to get his job back, or be off the team all together. No way, Miles tells us that it was all a misunderstanding, no one knows what is going on inside his team but him and that Perrilloux is key to the success of the Tigers.

In Hawaii I am sure they are longing for Yesterday, but without Colt Brennan and his cast of characters, including June Jones, the Warriors are trying to find out in practice what kind of team they will have this year. This team will have to travel to Florida to play the Gators early in the season, ouch! This Hawaii football blog is a good source of info for the Warriors and how they are progressing through the 2008 Spring practice drills.

Finally, I will be heading up to State College to watch the annual Penn State Blue and White practice Game. One of the battles I have been watching closely is the quarterback one. Both Daryll Clark and Pat Devlin have looked good in practice, and even though many think it is Clark’s to lose due to Paterno’s allegiance to the older one, I think this will continue into the fall. And maybe into the season. This is a case where I believe we could seen another two quarterback system in Happy Valley, like in 1999 with Kevin Thompson and Rashard Casey. For more coverage of the happenings in the Valley, check out the Blue and White Roundtable.

Well all in all I got 18 practices in, not bad but no where near as good as Mr. Iverson.

Has Joe lost his touch?

April 19th is a day that I had circled on my calender since the ending of the BCS Championship game in January. Why April 19th you ask? Because that was the day I got my spring fix of football as I head up to Penn State to see the Annual Blue-White Game. Usually it is a time filled with optimism about the upcoming season and a time to welcome in spring with a few burgers and beers. But the time between the Alamo Bowl and the Blue-White Scrimmage has been anything but fun for Penn State fans.

Bruce Feldman writes in his latest blog about Unhappy Valley for Lions. In that blog entry he talks about all the trouble that the Nittany Lions players have gotten into lately, whether it be Chris Bell pulling a knife on a teammate, Chris Baker being charged in two fights, or Andrew Quarless getting a DUI which is his second drinking offense in as many years. Add to that the leader of the team Sean Lee tearing his ACL, and Penn State fans haven’t had much to cheer about since that Alamo Bowl victory.

In Bruce’s blog he asks what Penn State fans think of what is going on in Happy Valley, and our take on it. Here is the email I wrote to him.

There are a few reasons why I think all of this trouble is going on at Penn State, and some of it isn’t really new. With the internet, you tube, and everyone wanting information now, it is much harder cover up bad behavior by student-athletes. One little mess up at a bar and all it takes is someone with a camera phone, or even someone with a blog to post it. I am sure bad behavior such as fights and underage drinking went on at Penn State but it was much easier for Joe to handle it. The cops would just call him and he would handle it internally, now that doesn’t happen anymore. It becomes front page news.

Many people say that Joe has lost his team, that since he works at home most of the time he doesn’t have the same grasp over his team like he use to. To an extent that is true, but he has delegated a lot of that to the staff. But in the end it is up to the football players to police themselves. Their coaches can’t be babysitters, they are grown men and there is only so much time the coaches can be in contact with them in a day. In my opinion this team, as well as most other Penn State teams since 2000 (minus 2005) are lacking leadership. They are lacking that presence in the locker room that will kick your butt if you get out of line. A group of people that will call you out in front of your peer if you do something wrong and set a good example with their actions, not only on the field but in the community too.

I’m sure you noticed this when you wrote Meat Market, but kids now have this aura of self-entitlement. They feel they should be given everything just because who they are and what potential they have going for them. Take Chris Bell for instance, he was trouble since Penn State started recruiting him. On his trip he stepped on the “S” in the middle of the locker room and when the players told him he had to do push ups…he refused. In High School these kids were treated like gods, and I’m sure they weren’t saints there. But it was easier for their bad behavior to get swept under the rug in a smaller town, with less spotlight on them.

Which brings me to my next point; I think Joe and his staff has taken more chances on players with character issues than in years past. After going through those losing skids, I think he realized that he needed to get better athletes in the program and with that it included taking in some kids in which he might have passed on before because of their character. It is great if those kids get their act straight or if Joe can get through to them and turn their attitude around, but that doesn’t happen all the time. He is over 80 years old and some what out of touch with today’s young adults, so that task might be more difficult than it at first thought for him.

You made a quote in your blog: “According to Bracken’s column, there have been over 60 Penn State players who “have run afoul of the law just since 2002.” That is a staggering number, especially for a program that has had a long reputation for doing things the right way.”"

For years Penn State touted “Success With Honor” and winning the right way. When you start waving that around it is great when your team is winning and your kids aren’t getting in trouble, but once they start getting in trouble, the media and opposing fans are going to make sure you hear about it. They are going to point out that your program is getting in trouble in the police blotter and how you rubbed it in for years that you won without this happening. It is a way for the rest of the college football world to chuckle.

As far as the subject of Joe Paterno as head coach of the Nittany Lions; put me in the camp that is undecided. Ivan Maisel writes an excellent article on Paterno. Yes there is a air of uncertainty surrounding the program, but there still is something to be said for a man doing as well as he is at 81, coaching a major university. Plus there are still kids out there that want to play for a legend like Paterno. I guess my big wish is for him to come down a peg or two and start to lay out plans for when he does decide to hang it up. Maybe he has already done it behind the scenes, but if I were a betting man, I suspect he hasn’t just yet.

I usually don’t like to take an entire week off without posting anything on the blog, but last week was just one of those weeks. I had the pleasure to go and visit the most beautiful golf courses in the world last Monday; Augusta National. Last Monday I got to walk around the course and take pictures, and if you are a golf fan reading this, try and find someway to see the course. You’ll thank me later.

Okay, enough about golf and back to college football. Later this week I’ll post my Bold Predictions for my surprise and disappointing teams for the 2008 college football season. I hope you were lucky enough to catch College Game Day this Saturday. It was 2 hours of jam packed fun, followed by the Florida spring game. The best part about it all, no not that Kirk, Lee, and Chris were talking about College Football in April, but we got some nice shots of Erin Andrews. It’s always nice to see her in the sun.

One final note, I got an email saying that there has been trouble posting comments to the site. Is anyone else having this issue? If so, shoot me an email and I’ll do what I can to fix it. I was thinking about making everyone have to register, but I didn’t want to have to go that far.