Yardbarker: Charles Woodson

Our Long National Nightmare Is Over, Brett Favre Is A Jet

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 01:46:40 -0500

Or should I rather say has just begun (muhahaha!). At 10:45 pm last night, Brett Favre was officially traded to the New York Jets and is allegedly prepared to report to camp as soon as he can. The winner in the battle royale for who would break the story first appears to be Jay Glazer of FOX Sports, but in the end I think we're all losers in this crazy roller coaster ride....

The Brett Favre era in Green Bay is now officially over. But Favre's legendary career is not.

The month-long saga has finally come to an end, with the Packers trading their future Hall-of-Fame quarterback to the New York Jets.

The exact compensation was not immediately known, but it is believed to be a single draft pick that increases in value depending upon how the Jets perform during the 2008 season.

As a result of this, the Jets will likely release a quarterback. Signs have been pointing to Chad Pennington as the likely culprit because the team will need to free up cap room to fit Favre's contract under the salary cap.

To be completely honest with everyone, I've had this post ready to go for three days. Of course all the Jets mentions were Bucs mentions, but other than that everything has stayed the same. I knew Glazer was going to get to the story first, and I put together a cute little look back. Shall we?
_____________________

Best Quotes:

"I'll practice my butt off, if it comes to that, and I think we all know what the end result will be, but this probably isn't going to work."- Brett Favre

"I do believe if the Packaneers and Buccaneers can get together on compensation, uh then it's reasonable in light of the circumstances"- Chris Mortensen

"This has been going on for over a decade. Going into '96, the Super Bowl that he won. He talked about it prior to that game that if he won that Super Bowl he may in fact retire. And since that time it's been twelve years now that we've talking about whether or not Brett's going to retire."- Troy Aikman

"ESPN's Michael Smith has confirmed that Brett Favre has been traded to the Jets."- Stuart Scott (Well good for him)

"I'm a football coach. I know (talking to the media) is part of my job description, and I don't mind doing it, but I have no desire to stand out there and answer all the political questions. I'm going to tell the truth, and that's that. I'm not going to be politically correct. I'm sick of it."- Packers Coach Mike McCarthy

"We are a good football team. We're trying to become a great one. We'll do anything we can to get better. And if that involves looking at other players, by George that's our job. That's our responsibility."- Bucs Coach John Gruden

"Once you're on another team, you're on another team. I think for the most part the locker room would have liked to see him back here. But like I say, once you're on another team..."- Packers CB Charles Woodson

"The train has left the station, whatever analogy you want. He needs to jump on the train and let's go. Or, if we can't get past things that have happened, I have to keep the train moving."- Packers Coach Mike McCarthy

"Yeah, dead man walking."- Jeff Garcia

"We're talking to Tampa and the Jets. I don't think anything has changed. We'll see what happens."- Brett Favre

Timeline:

-March 6: Favre's tearful press conference.

-Week of March 24: During the coaching staff's spring break, Packers offensive line coach James Campen, whose in-laws live in New Orleans, goes up to visit Favre in Mississippi on March 26. On the 27th, Campen tells McCarthy Favre is having second thoughts and McCarthy should call him.

-March 29: Favre calls McCarthy to deliver a message: Thanks, but no thanks.

-April 24: On the 24th, McCarthy explains the team's decision to place Favre on the reserve/retired list.

-May 6: With the NFL draft out of the way, Thompson visits Favre in Mississippi and has lunch on his back porch. Thompson says they have a "good conversation," but don't spend too much time talking about the idea that he might be having second thoughts.

-June 7: During a staff retreat in Kohler, Wis., Campen says he's worried about Favre. McCarthy tells Campen to go to Mississippi - not as an official team intermediary, but as Favre's friend.

-June 16-20: Acting on Campen's advice, McCarthy calls Favre. They play phone tag for a few days but eventually connect. "You and Ted need to have a plan if I do come back," Favre says, according to McCarthy. "Either give me my helmet or give me my release."

-July 4: Favre sends a text message to Thompson, who responds by saying he is traveling and asks if they can talk Monday. Cook begins texting Thompson, and a conference call is arranged.

-July 8: A conference call is scheduled involving Favre, Cook, Thompson, McCarthy and Russ Ball, the team's VP of football administration/player finance, to discuss Favre's request for a release.

-July 27: Packer players report to camp, without Favre, as the quarterback agrees to let Thompson try to work out a trade solution in hopes of keeping Favre from coming to Green Bay.

-July 29: Favre finally faxes his official request for reinstatement to the league.

-July 30: Reports leak that Packers president Mark Murphy flies to Mississippi to extend a lucrative olive branch: $20 million over 10 years for Favre to stay retired and remain with the Packer organization in a marketing capacity.

-July 31: Trade talks become serious with the New York Jets. Favre apparently decides he doesn't want to play for that team, and reportedly considers the marketing offer.

-August 3: Favre flies to Green Bay at the same time the Packers are having their Family Night scrimmage. He's greeted at the airport by cheering fans.

-August 4: NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reinstates Favre, and the Packers add him to the 80-man roster. McCarthy is scheduled to meet with Favre, then address the team, then address the media. However, his meeting with Favre extends to roughly 4 hours — Thompson also meets with Favre — and the team meeting and media conference are canceled. Goodell also rules the Vikings didn't tamper with Favre.

-August 5: Favre and McCarthy meet again at Lambeau Field. Then, Favre, Thompson, Murphy and others meet at Favre's home in Ashwaubenon. McCarthy indicates Favre's mindset isn't right for him to rejoin the team, but says he plans to speak to Favre again in the evening.

-August 6: Favre is traded to the New York Jets.

Media Winner: Jay Glazer of Fox Sports

Jay had both the trade story today and the overnight report that Favre and the Packers were at a standstill after all night meetings. I don't know how he does it, but the guy can't be sleeping more than 4 hours a night.

Media Loser: ESPN

They're not necessarily a loser in all of this, but they threw everything at this and got scooped once again. I don't entirely blame them for their over-the-top coverage, but you could tell that they wanted to break the story live on a "Sports Center Special" for the last two days. Glazer also reported the story about an hour before ESPN did, and Sal Pal was still on Sports Center talking about the Bucs deal as FOX's story went live. It seems like they've been scrambling all night and ESPN.com still doesn't have a full story up as of midnight. They sure did try though and I feel bad for Wendy Nix after being stuck in Green Bay for what seems like three months.

Also, their hole plan for Brett Favre's jersey retirement ceremony before the opening Monday nighter is trashed and they have to go back to the drawing board. At least they have a new angle now.
__________________________

In the end I think the process gave ESPN a good look at how draining the 24-hour news cycle can be and they have to now be more prepared than ever to go live with Sports Center next week. The bottom line though is that a majority of Country honestly cared about the outcome (I don't care what you all say) and all of the outlets searching for more and new information is a great thing. Say it loud and say it proud New York....

Brett Favre is the quarterback for your New York J-E-T-S, JETS! JETS! JETS!

Packers trade Favre to Jets (FOX Sports)
Packers detail timeline of Favre's decisions (FOX Sports)
Favre timeline: It's been a strange 5 months (Packer News)

(Photo via FOX's Alex Marvez)

Monday Recruiting

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:11:27 -0500

Update 8/4: Linked to articles on FL LB Brandin Hawthorne and FL RB Vincent Smith (one, two), AR CB Darius Winston (second), FL RB Jaamal Berry, MD DE Jason Ankrah and MD CB Travis Hawkins, OK RB David Oku, MI S Thomas Gordon, GA LB Devekeyan Lattimore, FL S DeAngelo Hadley, FL CB Mywan Jackson, TN CB Marsalis Teague, MD CB Travis Hawkins, header on FL CB Mywan Jackson. Moved FL S Mike Jones to committed. Linked to video on FL WR Jeremy Gallon, FL RB Vincent Smith.

Removed SC OL Quinton Washington (dropped us), FL WR Rontavious Wooten (dropped us), FL OL Andrew Carter (Illinois?), MD CB Travis Hawkins (dropped us).

Added FL CB Josh Robinson, VA DT(DE?) Deantre Rhodes, FL CB Jayron Hosely.

Also, an article on Michigan's recruitment of kickers from Helmholdt; not adding Jerome Swinton just yet but keep an eye on him, I guess. And WTKA's recruiting insider podcast has useful info on Bryce McNeal and FSU commit Willie Haulstead; also some interesting items on defensive ends and Mywan Jackson. (As per usual, some links from VB.)

Editorial Opinion: Safety Mike Jones looks to be just the tip of a three-star Florida commitment iceberg. A couple of Pahokee kids, FL LB Brandin Hawthorne and FL RB Vincent Smith, are announcing August 29th, but all indications are the "announcements" are a foregone conclusion. Josh Helmholdt:

FlaVarsity.com publisher Michael Langston, who has covered both Pahokee prospects' careers the past few years, feels Michigan is the team that has the best chance to land both players.

"With Vincent, it's the ties there, how he would fit into the system and the fact that Michigan offered him first," Langston said. "With Brandin, he feels comfortable with that staff and feels he can come right in and play linebacker or whatever position they are going to play him. There's no guarantees, but those are reasons why I think those two will pick Michigan." ...

Hawthorne said Monday that his decision will come down to Michigan, West Virginia and South Florida, but he also predicted that he and Smith would be playing together in college. Michigan is the one school remaining on both prospects' lists, so the writing appears to be on the wall.

The Facebook wall, more specifically. Varsity Blue:

Pahokee Blue Devils Brandon Hawthorne and Vincent Smith won't announce their respective college decisions until August 30th, but it appears as though Michigan has a very good shot at landing both. Several readers have chimed in to let me know that each has changed various aspects of his Facebook page to indicate impending commitment to Michigan.

We saw something similar with MN WR Bryce McNeal, who decked out his Myspace page with an eye-gouging Michigan layout and told at least a couple questioners he'd decided on Michigan; public disavowals were for show and McNeal ended up committing publicly -- more publicly, at least -- a few weeks later. You can pencil those guys into the class. (McNeal, by the way, has backed off on his official visit plans and now says he is 100% Michigan.)

So we can pencil those guys into the class. Hawthorne's a slightly undersized outside linebacker sort while Smith may be the smallest guy Rodriguez has recruited to Michigan, which is saying something. Pat Summerall narrates a fluff piece with some swanky junior-year highlights:

That kid might look like he's starring in an urban remake of "Honey, I Shrunk The Kids" but he looks like he's going to break the sound barrier on a couple of those runs.

Keep your pencils out for FL CB Mywan Jackson , too:

Jackson has made unofficial visit to several programs this summer, including all of the major in-state programs as well as Louisville, Middle Tennessee State and North Carolina. Michigan, though, stood out above the rest.

"Oh, yes. Definitely," Jackson said when asked if Michigan was the best he's seen.

Jackson's actually a quarterback for his high school team but most everybody's recruiting him as an athlete with an eye towards making him a defensive back. He visited Auburn with a couple teammates this weekend; he may commit right quick or extend his decision a bit further into the fall.

Aaaand one more: some kicker. Though TX K Anthony Fera was reported to have an offer last week, it appears this is not the case and that Michigan is still deciding between him and some guy from, yes, Florida. Said guy is FL K Brendan Gibbons. Someone will get an offer soon and quickly commit:

"I went to (Michigan's) camp and I think I'm their number one guy," Gibbons told Rivals.com last week.

Fera also feels strongly about his chances of being Michigan's top guy. He reported Sunday evening that he had received an email from Michigan assistant coach Fred Jackson saying the decision was down to two guys. If the lot is cast in Fera's favor, he is ready to make a decision.

"If they end up offering both of us at the same time and it is first come, first serve, then I will probably take it," Fera said. "But if they give me a week or two, then I would probably take that week or two and talk it over with my parents."

Add those guys in and Michigan is suddenly getting full before football season even starts. Jackson, Smith, Hawthorne, and Some Kicker Guy would be commitments 15 through 18; Michigan's current count of open scholarships for 2009 is 17. There will be further attrition before February -- probably four or five guys, if not more -- but spots are rapidly dwindling. There is an undercurrent of panic on the message boards about the three-star flood, especially in relation to Ohio State's monster haul. I'll address all that in a separate post.

Onto non-impeding-commitment news: a few weeks ago, five star AR CB Darius Winston decommitted from Arkansas and named Michigan his leader; unfortunately, in recent articles he's backed off that assertion. His coach still thinks he's leaning north, though:

"I know Michigan has come on strong as of late and if I had to guess I'd say that's where Darius is currently leaning," Smith added. "But Darius is really open to everyone right now."

Long way to go there, obviously.

Two Southern defensive backs have three-star ratings but pretty wicked offer sheets and are listing Michigan. First, FL S Angelo Hadley :

Another school whose tradition of great players impresses Hadley is Michigan. "They have great tradition too," he said. "They always have good defensive backs and I liked guys like Charles Woodson and Desmond Howard. They always have their players highly drafted and I like the new coaches. They seem nice and I definitely plan to take a visit there this fall."

If he's serious he'll schedule an official; that's up in the air. Meanwhile, TN CB Marsalis Teague has had some interesting conversations with Michigan coaches:

Most of the schools in Teague's top six are recruiting him for cornerback, except for Michigan which he says are liking him as a signal caller. "I love their new style of offense they are gonna run under coach Rich Rodriguez ," he said. "It's the same offense we run at my high school and they said I could play quarterback there.

"Coach Rodriguez says they need a guy like me to run his offense," he said. "But they are also looking at me for corner or receiver. I guess the defensive coordinator wants me for cornerback and the offensive coordinator wants me for quarterback. Either way they've got a spot for me."

Teague is 5'10" and I will bet anyone other than the coaching staff one million dollars that even if he commits -- unlikely as he has a Miami offer and has liked them since he was a wee tyke -- he never sees a snap at quarterback.

Bonus random Southern defensive back! This one's FL CB Jayron Hosley:

Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez may also be on the verge of offering Hosley.

"They (Michigan) want to come see me play. They haven't seen me play in person; they've just seen my film. They are going to see a game and go from there. I think in September," said Hosley.

The two Michigan assistants handling Hosley's recruitment are Quarterbacks Coach Rod Smith and Defensive Coordinator Scott Shafer.

Hosley's a Rivals 250 guy.

Etc.: MD CB Travis Hawkins is leaning heavily to Maryland; he's dropped. FL RB Jaamal Berry is all but committed to OSU. More on Cass Tech S Thomas Gordon.

Cornerback Tandems: Rating the NFL's Best

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:40:05 -0500

With the trade of DeAngelo Hall and the signing of Asante Samuel, cornerbacks have been heavily talked about during the offseason. With the growing number of high-octane offenses throwing the ball at will, the league has started to place a premium on having two (and sometimes three) quality cornerbacks to match up with receivers. With the new rules in place, we will most likely never see a complete shutdown corner in the likes of Mel Blount, Night Train Lane, and Deion Sanders but these are the best combos out there today. Honorable mentions go to Marcus Trufant and Kelly Jennings of the Seattle Seahawks, as well as Walt Harris and Nate Clements of the San Francisco 49ers. No. 5: Asante Samuel and Sheldon Brown, PHI Asante Samuel is a smaller corner but plays bigger than he is, often trying for the big hit against bigger-bodied wideouts. Samuel is not a corner with tremendous speed, but he does well in zone or man-to-man coverage. Developing with the Patriots has given him a strong sense of awareness of the ball and the field. Without the blazing speed, he occasionally gets beat in coverage by faster receivers, but usually makes up with it on cuts and angles. Another area of attack for opposing offenses is his size. At 5-foot-10, quarterbacks sometimes toss up the jump ball against him and he can be had on fade patterns, but is very willing to fight for the ball. He does take chances to make a play on the ball, but has the closing burst to close well and is a great open field tackler. He also has good hands, allowing him to pick off passes and fend off receivers. Questions about Samuel usually revolve around how good he will be now that he is out of the Patriot fold. We all saw the decline in Ty Law once he left. However, the Eagles' scheme is very similar to the Patriots. It is a pass rush-heavy pass defense. Expecting Lito Sheppard to be traded, Sheldon Brown would be the likely pair with Samuel in the Eagles' secondary. Brown is also a smaller, physical player who is a good press-cover corner, and excels in man-to-man coverage over zone coverage. He is very strong and loves to play the bump-and-run. Once in coverage, Brown has learned to get in position and is quite adept at reading routes. Working in Jimmy Johnson's defense has really improved his technique. He has excellent ball skills and is a good tackler against the run. Brown's shortcomings are very similar to Samuel in that he also lacks the size to compete with the bigger wideouts and the speed to keep up with the burners, and that remains the biggest concern in this backfield. No. 4: Nnamdi Asomugha and DeAngelo Hall, OAK Nnamdi Asomugha was a slow study to start his career, but has really blossomed of late. He has excellent tools to work with; excellent size at 6-foot-2, 210 lbs to go along with top-end speed. Although, he is not as fluid as some of the other top corners, his foot quickness and agility are adequate but he has a little stiffness in his hips and knees. He is a better bump-and-run corner where he can trail the receiver instead of a cover corner. He looks a bit tight in transition and often loses a step on the receiver, but has enough explosive quickness and speed to make up the difference. Asomugha struggles a bit from man-off as he is not yet good at route recognition or reading the quarterback's eyes and getting a jump on the ball. This will all come with more playing time. He is strong and has long arms that allow him to jam receivers or re-route them when he is able to get a hand on them. He is also a strong tackler and is not afraid to come up and force the run. The 2006 season was a breakout for Asomugha as he came up with eight interceptions after being shutout his first three years in the league, and he built on that last year as well. He has come a long way in terms of playing the ball he is still a work in progress. Playing with DeAngelo Hall may help his development. Hall is a corner of polarizing opinions. He is an exceptional man-to-man defender but an ordinary zone defender who uses his incomparable 4.2 speed to compensate for bad decisions. In addition to his speed, Hall also has phenomenal quickness, closing speed, and agility, preferring to play off his man to try and jump the routes. While he is not the strongest of corners, he has some upper-body strength. He is able to jam receivers and can shed a block, providing some help on run support but it is not his strength. Hall also has great instincts with the ball in his hands, and combined with his speed is a threat to take it the distance any time he intercepts the ball. Hall's coverage skills start to break down when a receiver manages to get in his head. He is brash and arrogant and will over-commit. He also needs to work on his has sloppy footwork. Not the best in the film room, Hall hasn't taken the time to work on getting proper body position and has gotten used to solving all of his problems with just his speed; this causes him to gamble and is prone to giving up big plays. Overall, this tandem has amazing speed and can keep up with any of the receivers in the league. Given they are both better as man-to-man, expect them to play limited zone coverages. No. 3: Quentin Jammer and Antonio Cromartie, SD His development was slow, but Quentin Jammer has developed to the point where he's a Top 15 NFL corner, and one of the best pure cover corners. He is also a very physical corner (matching his name), excelling in run coverage and hits and tackles with the very best corners in the league. Now six years into the league, Jammer had to adjust to the significant rule changes that penalize corners for any intentional contact with receivers more than five yards off the line of scrimmage. In fact, Jammer led the league in flags for illegal contact in 2005, and was near the top again in 2006; last season he seemed to figure it out. The ongoing fault people find with Jammer, and what limits him from being a truly elite corner is his lack of interceptions. He has never had more than four interceptions in a season. However, with Antonio Cromartie on the other side, his team doesn't suffer from his lack of interceptions. His overall game is so rounded that his interception deficiency can be over looked. Dubbed "The Natural" by ESPN's John Clayton, he excels in man-to-man coverage and is still learning the zone schemes. At 6-foot-2, 200 pounds and possessing long arms, Cromartie is ideal for press coverage. Nearly as fast as Hall, he still clocks in with a 4.3 40 yard time, and his style is smooth. Cromartie uses his breakneck speed, can't-be-taught instincts, exceptional turn-and-go flexibility, and exceptional hands to control his game. Like Asomugha, he is still learning, and that is the scary part. Cromartie is an athletic freak, and his position coach, Bill Bradley, said he is becoming a student of the game. As is the knock on a lot of speed corners, Antonio isn't the most physical of cornerbacks. Working with one of the most physical in Jammer, he's improved his hitting and tackling. One AFC scout says that Cromartie will guess on some plays (going for the big play), which leaves him vulnerable to completions. He still can be beaten with some double moves, but he will improve in that area the more he plays. No. 2: Champ Bailey and Dre Bly, DEN Champ Bailey possesses the best combination of skill, instinct, and knowledge for a cornerback in the game and is the closest thing to a true shutdown corner we have today. He will blanket the other team's top receiver and will often take him completely out of the game. He is excellent in both bump-and-run coverage, as well as zone schemes. Bailey has always shown great quickness and technique, combined with excellent speed. With his talent and ball skills, Bailey could easily be a wide receiver and has been used in set offenses from time to time. He is very active in run support, and plays the run well. The biggest knocks on Bailey have been that he is eager to gamble, and will lose occasionally, like he did last year against Brett Favre for two 79-yard touchdowns. He is also not a big hitter, and once the receiver has the ball, rarely causes fumbles. Being paired with Bailey, Dre Bly had the first opportunity to be a No. 2 corner in a defense after being the top corner in Detroit and St. Louis. Bly maybe undersized at 5-foot-10, but he is a real playmaker. Seemingly in spite of his size, he is very confident and loves to challenge the bigger receivers. He gets good position on his receivers and plays tough, but he sometimes has trouble against the bigger receivers that he challenges, as they push off for separation. Another tremendous athlete, Bly doesn't waste much motion, and has very fluid hips, turning on a dime. He too will gamble, and lose more than he should because he has concentration lapses. He has a rare combination of quickness to cover the slot and top-end speed to play on the perimeter. As a contrast to Bailey, he isn't very physical and isn't much help in run support. His tackling can actually be a liability and he struggles to shed blocks while seeming a little indifferent to the play once it is out of the air. No. 1: Charles Woodson and Al Harris, GB The baby of the pairing at age 31, Charles Woodson has been a premier man-to-man cover cornerback in the NFL for about nine years, first with the Oakland Raiders and now with the Green Bay Packers. While age has caught up with Woodson. He no longer has the same speed that the 1997 Heisman Trophy winner showed, but he more than compensates for any slowdown with great instincts and awareness. He uses these skills to anticipate the receiver's route and breaks on the ball. Woodson continues to be a smart football player who combines that intelligence with a physical style and a love for the game that shows in his energetic play. The teamwork between Woodson and Al Harris is evident to each other when Woodson is quick to credit Harris' shutdown abilities for the playmaking opportunities that are coming his way with the Packers. Like Asomugha, Harris is one of the few bump-and-run specialists remaining in the game, and he can be extremely physical at the line of scrimmage. A tough, smart veteran, Harris regularly shadows the opposing team's top receiver and holds him in check. This role has led Harris to be a meticulous student in the film room to prepare. He is very quick to pick up on small signals in a receiver's game that hint at what is about to come. At age 33, speed is also a concern for Harris. Woodson and Harris face their biggest problems when faced with burner wideouts, and they resort to their bump-and-run to slow them down.

Read It And Weep, Prisco

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:49:48 -0500

I loved Prisco's top 50, but there were definite faults in it. Even though he did a great job tackling the Brady v. Manning topic, some of his picks were, how do you say, questionable. Here is my attempt at naming the top 50 players in the NFL. With 1696 players on the active roster, cutting it down to 50 is tough, but here I go. 1. Tom Brady/QB/New England Patriots (Prisco Ranking-1): Ugh. I hate this. I hate putting Brady at number one. 50 touchdown passes does qualify him for this spot though. This doesn't feel right. Do I have to put Patriots players on my list? 2. Peyton Manning/QB/Indianapolis Colts (Prisco-2): Ah, this feels better. Manning in his downyear through for more than 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns, got his team a first-round bye while missing his top wide receiver for most of the year. Scary to think of what he can do with the whole team in his "great" years. 3. Randy Moss/WR/New England Patriots (Prisco-4): When he's not bumping traffic cops, he's pushing off of cornerbacks and safeties to break the receiving touchdowns in a season record (although that title is complete bogus). He should do well again this year, but not 20+ touchdowns. 4. LaDanian Tomlinson/RB/San Diego Chargers (Prisco-3): LDT is a Hall of Fame running back, but there are other backs in the league that are catching up to him. Tomlinson can do it all: run, catch, and even pass. He's the definition of an all-around back. 5. Bob Sanders/S/Indianapolis Colts (Prisco-7): Sanders is definitely the best defender in the league. No other defensive player changes a game in the way that Sanders does. We've all seen what the Colts did on defense in 2007 as opposed to the Sanders-less 2006. 6. Jared Allen/DE/Minnesota Vikings (Prisco-12): Legal matters aside, Allen has moved into the category of a healthy Julius Peppers and Dwight Freeney as the game's premier pass rushers. He got 15.5 sacks in 14 games last year. It is crazy to put him out of the top 10. 7. Antonio Cromartie/CB/San Diego Chargers (Prisco-NR): I have no idea how Antonio Cromartie was not ranked by Prisco. Cromartie led the league in interceptions, returned a missed field goal for a touchdown, and he recovered 2 fumbles. He was definitely the best corner in the league last year. 8. Adrian Peterson/RB/Minnesota Vikings (Prisco-15): Peterson exploded onto the scene last season, running for over 1300 yards, leading the league in rushing yards per game, and taking home the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. 9. DeMarcus Ware/OLB/Dallas Cowboys (Prisco-9): Last season, Ware had the best season of his career. He had career-highs in sacks and tackles, and he is only going to improve. 10. Walter Jones/OT/Seattle Seahawks (Prisco-16): Even though the Seahawks have no offensive weapons, the Seahawks have a top 10 offense. How is it possible? This man is the reason why. 11. Nnamdi Asomugha/CB/Oakland Raiders (Prisco-29) 12. Brian Westbrook/RB/Philadelphia Eagles (Prisco-20) 13. Reggie Wayne/WR/Indianapolis Colts (Prisco-22) 14. Steve Hutchinson/OG/Minnesota Vikings (Prisco-19) 15. Albert Haynesworth/DT/Tennessee Titans (Prisco-14) 16. Terrell Owens/WR/Dallas Cowboys (Prisco-13) 17. Jeff Saturday/C/Indianapolis Colts (Prisco-NR) 18. Champ Bailey/CB/Denver Broncos (Prisco-5) 19. Shawne Merriman/OLB/San Diego Chargers (Prisco-11) 20. Kevin Williams/DT/Minnesota Vikings (Prisco-10) 21. Dwight Freeney/DE/Indianapolis Colts (Prisco-25) 22. Ed Reed/S/Baltimore Ravens (Prisco-23) 23. Jason Peters/OT/Buffalo Bills (Prisco-27) 24. Richard Seymour/DE/New England Patriots (Prisco-30) 25. Braylon Edwards/WR/Cleveland Browns (Prisco-34) 26. Devin Hester/RS/Chicago Bears (Prisco-50) 27. Andre Johnson/WR/Houston Texans (Prisco-26) 28. Chad Johnson/WR/Cincinnati Bengals (Prisco-28) 29. Asante Samuel/CB/Philadelphia Eagles (Prisco-37) 30. Patrick Willis/MLB/San Francisco 49ers (Prisco-43) 31. Antonio Gates/TE/San Diego Chargers (Prisco-24) 32. Osi Umenyiora/DE/New York Giants (Prisco-42) 33. Tony Romo/QB/Dallas Cowboys (Prisco-NR) 34. Tony Gonzalez/TE/Kansas City Chiefs (Prisco-46) 35. Steven Jackson/RB/St. Louis Rams (Prisco-33) 36. Patrick Kerney/DE/Seattle Seahawks (Prisco-NR) 37. Mario Williams/DE/Houston Texans (Prisco-6) 38. Ernie Sims/OLB/Detroit Lions (Prisco-39) 39. Larry Fitzgerald/WR/Arizona Cardinals (Prisco-31) 40. Ben Roethlisberger/QB/Pittsburgh Steelers (Prisco-17) 41. Lofa Tatupa/MLB/Seattle Seahawks (Prisco-40) 42. Adrian Wilson/S/Arizona Cardinals (Prisco-NR) 43. Shawn Andrews/OG/Philadelphia Eagles (Prisco-38) 44. Tommie Harris/DT/Chicago Bears (Prisco-36) 45. Pat Williams/DT/Minnesota Vikings (Prisco-NR) 46. Aaron Kampman/DE/Green Bay Packers (Prisco-45) 47. Drew Brees/QB/New Orleans Saints (Prisco-35) 48. Brian Urlacher/MLB/Chicago Bears (Prisco-32) 49. Larry Johnson/RB/Kansas City Chiefs (Prisco-NR) 50. Plaxico Burress/WR/New York Giants (Prisco-NR) Unranked Players On My List That Are On Prisco's List: Carson Palmer (8) Charles Woodson (18) Steve Smith (21) Vince Wilfork (41) Kellen Winslow (44) Marcus Trufant (47) Wes Welker (48) Fred Taylor (49)

Four Vikings in Sportsline Top 50

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 12:54:37 -0500

Pete Prisco of CBS Sportsline really likes the Vikings. He placed four members of the Purple in his rankings of the Top 50 players in the NFL. Actually, the four all placed in the top 20. You can probably guess the names. Here's the complete top 20 with the Vikes in bold: Tom Brady Peyton Manning LaDainian Tomlinson (I'm assuming this is regular season only) Randy Moss Champ Bailey Mario Williams (yeah, picking him over Reggie Bush was a real mistake) Bob Sanders Carson Palmer DeMarcus Ware Kevin Williams Shawne Merriman (still has whiplash from AD running by him) Jared Allen Terrell Owens Albert Haynesworth Adrian Peterson Walter Jones Ben Roethlisberger Charles Woodson Steve Hutchinson Brian Westbrook So we know where we're good - defensive line and running game. Pete Prisco and Dr. Z are official Friends of the Purple.

Meet the Draft Picks: Patrick Lee

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:37:45 -0500

Patrick Lee Many of us felt this pick was coming at #30 during the NFL Draft. But that got traded to the New York Jets. Then we thought it was coming at #36. Jordy Nelson came instead. #56? Sounds good to me. Wait, nevermind. Then it finally came at #60, 30 picks later than we thought: the Packers drafted a cornerback. Al Harris is going to be 34 this season. Charles Woodson is going to be 32. Harris was absolutely destroyed by Plaxico Burress of the New York Giants during the NFC Championship Game (which prompted me to push for the drafting of James Hardy). It was the general feeling that the Packers were drafting a cornerback at #30, whether Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Aqib Talib, Mike Jenkins, or Antoine Cason dropped to the Packers or the Packers picked Brandon Flowers. None of the happened. The Packers went with Nelson at #36. Packers fans and analysts were left waiting until #56 to see which cornerback the Packers were going to choose. The Packers threw a curveball by selecting Brian Brohm (I'm still scratching my head). This left #60, where the inevitable happened: the Packers picked a cornerback, the tenth defensive back taken in the draft, Patrick Lee, from Auburn University. From what has been said about Lee, he seems to be the perfect pick for the Packers system. At 6?0?, 200 pounds, he has decent size for a corner and is big enough to imitate the physical style played by Packer starters Woodson and Harris. There is a lot of youth in the secondary currently, with Will Blackmon, Jarrett Bush, and Tramon Williams all with three or less years of experience competing for the nickel back slot next to Woodson and Harris. Williams played there the last few games of 2007 and did a decent job. In his senior season at Auburn, Lee had 55 tackles (40 solo), four interceptions, and 10 passes broken up. Lee can also throw his name into the kick return competition if he so pleases, as he averaged 25.8-yards per kickoff return as a senior. GM Ted Thompson said Lee was a "real good value pick" for #60. I agree with that sentiment as this draft was saturated with cornerbacks, and we definitely do not want an Ahmad Carroll repeat. Thompson also said: "He's a tough guy. He likes to play bump-and-run. We think he's going to fit well with what we do on defense in terms of putting these guys in lockdown situations." I think I'll pick Lee to win the competition for the third cornerback slot. If he doesn't win it, I expect him to have it sometime during the season.

Oakland Raiders silently go about their business

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 04:17:19 -0500

Maybe you have seen the interviews given by Lane Kiffin and JaMarcus Russell at the conclusion of Wednesday's OTA practice. It's possible that you've taken the time to either read the transcript, a story about them, or even catch some video of the 'event.' If you're like me, you were probably too tired after following the unraveling of the Javon Walker story to give it the attention that it deserves. Or maybe there wasn't anything that deserved that much attention.

Whatifsports NFC North Preview - Vikings Lead With Defense

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:59:23 -0500

Whatifsports looks at the NFC North, where the Vikings will have the best defense in the league, led by Jared Allen. In Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers and Ryan Grant will help prevent a post Brett-Favre retirement letdown and the Pack will make another playoff appearance. Kevin Smith is going to be big for the Lions, while Matt Forte will benefit the most from Cedric Benson's troubles. Click below to read more, including team analysis, projected scores for each game, and fantasy numbers.

Fbkid's top ten cornerback tandems

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:09:51 -0500

Cornerback is one of the most important positions in all of football. If you have bad corners, it will change the total outcome of the game as teams will pass on you early and often. If you have good corners, nobody will pass on you and if you can stop the run, you are in great shape to win. Many teams with good corners are also among the leagues elite. Here is my list of who I think are the top ten cornerback tandems in the league. 1. Asante Samuel, Lito Sheppard Eagles: Many considered Samuel one of the top free agents this year. When the Eagles signed him to pair up with Sheppard, offensive coordinators in the NFC cringed. Both Samuel and Sheppard are among the elite corners in the game and have proven track records. Plus Sheldon Brown in the nickel, is not too shabby himself and would be a starter for most teams in the league. 2. Al Harris, Charles Woodson Packers: Harris and Woodson may be older then most of the corners on the list, but that doesn't mean that they still can't play. Harris got more national attention, but Woodson had the better season as he had 4 and 9 pass deflections. Harris excels in the bump and run which is why he struggled against a much taller receiver in Plaxico Burress. This tandem though should fair well again this season in a division with a weak passing game. 3. Antonio Cromartie, Quentin Jammer Chargers: When talking about the best corners in the league, Cromartie is one of the first ones mentioned. Last year he led the league with 10 interceptions but a good part of that was because Jammer was so good. Jammer last year shut down most of the receivers that came his way and that was a main reason why he only had one interception. With Cromartie still developing and Jammer in his prime, the Chargers are a scary duo. 4. Champ Bailey, Dre' Bly Broncos: Heading into last season, this tandem would have been on top of everybody's list. Many feel that Bailey is the best corner in the league and Bly is among the top 15. But last year Bailey had an average year and Bly would've had a hard time covering a baby with a blanket. Bailey went on to have 84 tackles and 3 interceptions but a mediocre season for Bailey is a career best for pretty much anyone else. 5. Terence Newman, Pacman Jones Cowboys: Newman actually had a very good year last year as he had 50 tackles and 4 interceptions. Those numbers are why the Cowboys gave him the contract they did. Jones may not have played a down in the league for a year, but he was becoming an elite corner in the league before his suspension. If his progress continues, Dallas could have a very good secondary but if he fails, they could always use first round draft pick Mike Jenkins. The Cowboys could have a very good secondary this year, now they just have to do something about Roy Williams. 6.Nnadmi Asomugha, DeAngelo Hall Raiders: This duo could be at the very top of this list next year is everything goes as planned in Oakland. Many think that Hall is the better corner, but it is acutally Asomugha as many see him as a top 5 corner in the league. Hall has the potential to be great, but as of now he gambles on to many plays and that doesn't work out most of the time. With this duo and Michael Huff and Gibril Wilson at safety, the Raiders could have one of the best young secondaries in the league. 7. Marcus Trufant, Kelly Jennings Seahawks: Trufant has been one of the best corners in the league ever since he was drafted in 2003. He continued his success with a career best 7 interceptions last year. Jennings is a young corner who improved throughout the course of the season as he had 12 pass deflections. With Trufant in his prime and Jennings improving, this tandem could be even higher next year. 8. Ken Lucas, Chris Gamble Panthers: This duo was much higher around year ago, but both players have started slipping a little. Lucas had a solid season with 13 pass deflections and 2 interceptions. While Gamble ended the year with 6 pass deflections and 1 interception. The Panthers also have young defensive back Richard Marshall who when he played, was the best out of all of them, don't be surprised if he takes a starting spot this year. 9. Ronde Barber, Phillip Buchanon Bucs: It's hard to believe but Ronde Barber is still playing at a high level. Last year Barber had 14 pass deflections with 2 interceptions. Buchanon had lots of balls thrown his way due to Barber's play but held his own with 10 pass deflections and 3 interceptions. With first round pick Aqib Talib developing and two young stars in Tanard Jackson and Jermaine Phillips at safety, the Bucs could have one of the best secondaries in the league in a few years. 10. Charles Tillman, Nathan Vasher Bears: If not for injuries, this tandem would be much higher. Tillman played very well last season as he had 13 pass deflections and 3 interceptions. While Vasher only played 4 games this season and had 1 interception. Look for this duo if healthy, to be much higher on the list next year.

NFL Mock Draft 2009 2.0

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:59:47 -0500

Before anyone criticizes our draft order we did it as fairly as we could. Four of our writers helped with the draft and we all agreed on our 12 playoff teams before we did anything. So we then drew team names out of a hat for the non playoff teams, positions 1-20. After that we stuck our 12 playoff teams in a hat and drew for positions 21-32. Amazingly Carolina got the top pick, which it traded to Philadelphia in the 2008 NFL Draft. There are a lot of happy Eagles fans out there. The biggest loser in our second NFL Mock Draft? The Atlanta Falcons who fall all the way from the #1 pick to the #9 pick. That means no Michael Crabtree or Michael Oher to compliment QB Matt Ryan. This time they select Travis Beckum, a very athletic tight end from Wisconsin. He should still help Ryan a lot. Some of the tougher picks of this mock draft were the Chargers, Saints, Patriots, and Colts picks at the end of the first round. Those four teams are all solid in a lot of areas (especially NE and IND). Guards aren't usually selected in the first round and we have San Diego selecting Duke Robinson. Robinson is a special talent and San Diego selected him in that spot because he probably would be gone by the time they selected in round two. Fili Moala is the big gainer in this mock draft. He gains 17 spots. Just to be honest, we knew he was too low in our initial mock draft but we just couldn't find anywhere to put him. The biggest faller was Tyson Jackson, falling 13 spots, but at least he made this draft. Brian Cushing fell considerably from the first mock draft, mainly due to need. Cushing fell from #19 out of the first round. Michael Johnson is a guy we have ranked fifth on our big board but he also tumbled out of this first round, once again mainly due to need for his position. These guys will eventually move their way back into the first round more than likely. Others that fell out of the first round were Brian Robiskie, Gregg Middleton, Chase Daniel, and Brandon Lafell. One major difference you will notice is that there are no trades in our mock draft. In our first one there were many, but this time around we just didn't see any trades happening although they were considered for every single team. One of the most considered spots to trade in this draft was #24 when San Diego was on the clock. They took Duke Robinson, a guard (as noted above) instead when no trade partner could be thought of. Chicago is a team that could jump in that position by trading future picks to take a quarterback like Sam Bradford or Chase Daniel. That would've also allowed San Diego to move back into the early second round into a spot where Robinson would more than likely be available. If you like this mock draft then please tell people about it. It takes a lot of work to do this every month. Email me here and let me know what you think about it. If you'd like to see what else has changed since our initial mock draft last month you can review our first one right here. Now without further ado, onto the mock draft: # Pick Pos School 1 WR Michael Crabtree (+0) (Via trade with Panthers) WR Texas Tech How about the luck of the Eagles? When we drew the team names out of a hat Carolina was drawn first, having the worst record in the NFL but the Panthers had already traded their pick in the 2008 draft to Philadelphia. That means Philadelphia has to take Michael Crabtree. Donovan McNabb has needed a big play receiver since Terrell Owens left town and the Texas Tech wide receiver would be that guy. 2 Michael Oher (+0) OT Ole Miss Michael Oher is the most talented offensive lineman in the draft. He does it all, and would help any team he goes to, especially the Houston Texans, who give up lots of sacks. 3 Matthew Stafford (+0) QB Georgia Stafford is the pick over Tim Tebow here. Matthew plays in a pro style offense and would probably be more NFL ready than his Florida counterpart. The Chiefs (just like the Jets in our initial mock draft) select a QB #3 overall. 4 Malcolm Jenkins (+4) CB Ohio State The Rams have nobody to hang with big, tall receivers. Jenkins is 6?3? and has excellent coverage skills. He anchored the top pass defense in the country in 2007, so the transition to the NFL should be pretty smooth. St. Louis gets the same guy as last team, only a bit higher 5 James Laurinaitus LB Ohio State In our first mock draft the Raiders took Laurinitus at #4 overall. This time they have the fifth pick and they still get their guy. This pick will help a linebacking core that needs a playmaker, plus Oakland has went offense the last two years. 6 George Selvie (+3) DE South Florida The Denver Broncos choose Selvie to complement Elvis Dumervil. Selvie is very quick off the line, and he makes a ton of backfield stops. He runs a 4.5 40, and should be able to help out Denver's D-Line right away. This guy is the real deal, and will likely impact this team immensely as a rookie. 7 Tim Tebow (-1) QB Florida The choices here were Chris Wells or Tim Tebow. Last time we went with Wells. This time we go with Tebow. Why? Well Jon Kitna is 35 years old and he keeps guaranteeing 10 win seasons for the Lions. That is going to get old in a hurry. 8 Travis Beckum (+12) TE Wisconsin The Atlanta Falcons have no real tight end, and unless one of their current five emerges as a star in the 2008 season, they will look to bolster that position in the draft. Travis Beckum is the best tight end in the draft, and the Falcons scoop him up at number 8. 9 Fili Moala (+17) DT USC Wow. Buffalo is loaded. There really wasn't an area of weakness here with Buffalo being set at every position. Marcus Stroud is recovering from an ankle injury so that's the only hole we can find at all. 10 Percy Harvin (+3) WR Florida Bernard Berrian is not a number one receiver. The Vikings really need help at this position, so they take Percy Harvin, the do-it-all receiver from Florida. Harvin will give Tarvaris Jackson a safety outlet, because he can make something out of nothing with his quickness. 11 Chris Wells (-1) RB Ohio State Cedric Benson has not been the answer at running back for Chicago. They need someone else so they take Wells here, the first running back taken at #11 overall. He would make an immediate impact. 12 Mryon Rolle (+2) FS Florida State Last time we had Andre Smith picked here, but with Scott Locklear and Walter Jones at OT and a rookie joining the depth chart it appears the Seahawks will go somewhere else here. Myron Rolle would help a secondary that could use use some depth. 13 Curtis Painter (-2) QB Purdue This could be a reach because Painter is not really a top rated player but San Francisco needs a quarterback badly. Alex Smith has not grasped the NFL offense and San Francisco has to give up on him eventually don't they? This would be moving past the AS Era in SF. 14 Rey Maualuga (-9) LB USC Maualuga would be an absolute steal here. In the last mock draft we had Washington taking Brian Cushing but by gaining five spots the Redskins can take the even higher rated USC linebacker, Maualuga. 15 Derrius Heyward-Bey (+6) WR Maryland Derrius Heyward-Bey is the choice over Byrd, Robiskie, and Maclin. The Dolphins just drafted Ted Ginn Jr in 07, but he is never going to be a star receiver. He is mainly just an electrifying return man. Their other choices at wideout are Earnest Wilford and Derek Hagan. 16 Andre Smith (-4) OT Alabama Willie Anderson is getting up in years and Smith is a top offensive lineman. The Alabama lineman would be a great choice for the Bengals because he would open up holes for Rudi Johnson and Kenny Watson. 17 Demetrius Byrd (+0) WR LSU Jon Gruden loves big receivers. With Joey Galloway at 36 and Ike Hillard at 31 it is time to go young. The Buccaneers don't know how who their QB of the future is but when they figure it out that guy will need a young receiver to throw the ball to. 18 Knowshon Moreno (+5) RB Georgia We all know what happens when a running back hits 30 and Thomas Jones will do just that this season. If he does slow down then New York will have to draft a running back for the future. Moreno has quick feet and runs through the SEC's best defenses. 19 Alex Boone (-4) OT Ohio State The Ravens selected Michael Oher in our last mock draft but in this draft they are selecting 17 spots later which means they get Boone, the third highest rated OT in this draft. They select him because Jonathon Ogden is 33 and getting up there in years. 20 Tyson Jackson (-13) DE LSU Robaire Smith will turn 31 this upcoming season and he will eventually lose a step. Without any major need positions to fill the Browns draft Jackson, who stumbles 13 spots from our last draft just because of lack of need. 21 C. J. Spiller (-3) RB Clemson Edgerrin James will turn 30 this season and has struggled since he signed with the Cardinals. Whether of not he struggles in 2008 is a guess but either way Arizona needs to grab a young running back. Spiller would be a great addition. 22 Victor Harris (+6) CB Virginia Tech Mike McKenzie is one of the NFL's première corners but is already 32 years old. The Saints just drafted a cornerback, Tracy Porter, this year but they need a big time defensive back. Harris could be that guy for New Orleans if given the chance. 23 Brandon Spikes (+7) LB Florida James Farrior is entering his 12th season and will probably retire within the next three seasons. If Pittsburgh wants to look towards the future then Spikes would be a great choice. He brings lots of athleticism and has a nose that takes him to the football. 24 Duke Robinson (+NR) OG Oklahoma Guard is a position that is usually filled in the second round or later but Robinson is too good to pass up for the Chargers. Mike Goff is 32 years old at one of the most grueling positions in the NFL, so San Diego has to prepare for the upcoming years. 25 Vontae Davis (+0) CB Illinois Sam Madison will play his 12th NFL season this year. R. W. McQuarters will play his 11th. It's time to draft a cornerback if you're the Giants and Vontae Davis is the playmaker they need. He's not afraid to be aggressive off the line and is quick enough to recover if the receiver makes a move to get by him. 26 Aaron Kelly (+NR) WR Clemson I'm not sure how Dallas missed out on taking a receiver in the 2008 NFL Draft but they did, making it an absolute must in the 09 Draft. The Cowboys are so desperate that they are going to use PacMan Jones at receiver due to the Terry Glenn situation. 27 Taylor Mays (-11) S USC Mays is more of a free safety but the Patriots need a strong safety to replace Rodney Harrison when he loses a step. They already have Brandon Merriweather to play free safety. Mays is a great player and would be a steal at #27 overall. In our last mock draft we had him going #16 overall. 28 Jeremy Maclin (-1) WR Missouri This pick would do two things for Tennessee. First of all we know Tennessee has to grab a receiver in this draft because their receiving corps is just not getting it done, so this would fill that need. Secondly Maclin would be a return man that electrifies crowds the same way PacMan Jones did before he was traded to Dallas. 29 Wopamo Osaisai (+NR) CB Stanford The Al Harris-Charles Woodson era in Green Bay cannot last forever. With Davis (the guy Green Bay took in our initial mock draft) gone the Packers go to the next wave of defensive backs. Osaisai will be a late first to mid second round pick. 30 Chase Coffman (+NR) TE Missouri Dallas Clark is a young guy that the Colts move around in the slot and put in many different places. Coffman would be a true tight end that could block and help Peyton Manning in the passing game. Clark is a do it all guy. Coffman would be strictly a tight end, something Indianapolis doesn't already have. They are basically set in every position. 31 Nic Harris (+NR) S Oklahoma Brian Dawkins is 34 and although J. R. Reed and Sean Considine are decent players neither are in the same league as Dawkins. The Eagles hope Harris can fill the void that Dawkins will leave when he retires when they select him here. 32 Senderrick Marks (+NR) DT Auburn The Jaguars continue working on their defensive line after taking Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves in the 08 Draft. Rob Meier is 30 so the Jaguars take Marks in a toss up over Al Woods from LSU here as the final pick in the NFL Draft.

Top players over 30 to watch this season

Thu, 15 May 2008 06:32:59 -0500

Ray Lewis isn't the only NFL star in his 30s whose career is at a crossroads -- and whose performance greatly affects his team. Tom Brady and Peyton Manning have now reached their 30s, and as they go, so go the fates of their teams. Roughly 167 players age 30 and older -- an average of more than five per team -- are starters. These players either provide veteran leadership or are the focal points of their teams. Here are the top 10 players in their 30s to watch this season: CLICK it 4 the list ;0 !!!!!!!

Top 5 Corner Tandems in the NFL

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 19:08:42 -0500

With the recent news of Pacman headed to Dallas to be a Cowboy, it made me wonder of which teams have the best corner tandems in the league. Here's my list of my top 5. 1. Champ Bailey and Dre Bly, Denver Broncos 2. Pacman Jones and Terrance Newman, Dallas Cowboys 3. Asante Samuel and Sheldon Brown, Philadelphia Eagles 4. Al Harris and Charles Woodson, Green Bay Packers 5. Antonio Cromartie and Quentin Jammer, San Diego Chargers

NFL Draft News and Rumors: NFC North

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:42:30 -0500

The latest draft rumors and news from around the blogosphere and local newspapers. Today we take a look at the NFC North.

Leaf's San Diego failure had ripple effect

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:32:35 -0500

Peyton Manning tossed more touchdown passes in his first 10 NFL games than Ryan Leaf threw during his career. A decade after Indianapolis made Manning the first player drafted in 1998, leaving Leaf for San Diego at No. 2, the Chargers have recovered. Their playoff victory over Manning's Colts in January proved as much. But the most regrettable draft outcome in San Diego sports history continues to reverberate well beyond Southern California. Leaf's quick demise impacted the quarterback fortunes of four franchises, demonstrating how draft-day mistakes can carry unintended consequences. If Leaf had performed to expectations, Michael Vick might never have found his way to Atlanta. Drew Brees never would have flourished in San Diego, perhaps diminishing his chances of landing a long-term deal in New Orleans. The New York Giants might have been unable to swing a draft-day trade with San Diego -- or anyone else -- for franchise quarterback Eli Manning. Philip Rivers certainly wouldn't be lining up under center in San Diego. And Bobby Beathard, the Chargers' general manager during the 1990s, would be fielding fewer questions about Leaf and more about his role in building seven Super Bowl teams across four decades. "I thought then and I think today, more sure than ever, that Bobby Beathard belongs in the Hall of Fame," Colts president Bill Polian said. "You never hear his name mentioned simply because of that one pick, and to me that is a tragedy. No one, including [former Giants general manager] George Young, has done what Bobby Beathard did in his career." Few players have undone as much as Leaf managed to undo. this is a great read on the ripple down effect some draft picks have on teams and players-click it if ya wanna ~ peace out ck0712

1998 Draft 10 years later

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 13:32:17 -0500

while 1998 had its share of busts there were a few great ones as well also check out the article above if you click the link 1. Indianapolis Peyton Manning QB Active Comment: Prolific passer has Super Bowl victory to go with gaudy stats. 2. San Diego Ryan Leaf QB Retired Comment: Colossal bust retired after four seasons with 14 TDs and 36 INTs. 3. Arizona Andre Wadsworth DE Retired Comment: Knee injuries derailed his career almost before it began. 4. Oakland Charles Woodson CB Active Comment: Physical cover corner a mainstay of Packers defense. 5. Chicago Curtis Enis RB Retired Comment: Career lasted three seasons and 456 forgettable carries. 6. St. Louis Grant Wistrom DE Retired Comment: High-motor style helped Rams, Seahawks reach Super Bowls. 7. New Orleans Kyle Turley OT Retired Comment: Started 107 games over nine seasons before injuries took over. 8. Dallas Greg Ellis DE Active Comment: Solid starter coming off 12Â½ sack season, Pro Bowl appearance. 9. Jacksonville Fred Taylor RB Active Comment: Still going strong after 10,715 yards and 61 TDs. 10. Baltimore Duane Starks CB Retired Comment: Interception return for a TD helped Ravens win Super Bowl XXXV. 11. Philadelphia Tra Thomas OT Active Comment: Pro Bowl tackle anchors left side of Eagles' line. 12. Atlanta Keith Brooking OLB Active Comment: Pro Bowl linebacker hasn't missed a start in past seven seasons. 13. Cincinnati Takeo Spikes OLB Unsigned Comment: Injuries have prevented Spikes from maintaining Pro Bowl form. 14. Carolina Jason Peter DE Retired Comment: Neck issues forced him to retire after four seasons and 20 starts. 15. Seattle Anthony Simmons OLB Retired Comment: Never lived up to potential as part of underachieving defenses. 16. Tennessee Kevin Dyson WR Retired Comment: Played in a Super Bowl, but never exceeded 825 yards in a season. 17. Cincinnati Brian Simmons OLB Free agent Comment: Seasons with Bengals, Saints have made for unremarkable career. 18. New England Robert Edwards RB CFL Comment: Has spent time in CFL after blowing out knee in rookie game at Pro Bowl. 19. Green Bay Vonnie Holliday DE Active Comment: Solid starter has 51Â½ sacks for Packers, Chiefs and Dolphins. 20. Detroit Terry Fair CB Retired Comment: Started 48 games for Lions, but hasn't been a factor since 2001. 21. Minnesota Randy Moss WR Active Comment: Has posted seven seasons with at least 1,200 yards receiving. 22. New England Tebucky Jones FS Retired Comment: Won Super Bowl with Patriots, but never validated first-round status. 23. Oakland Mo Collins G Retired Comment: Helped Raiders reach Super Bowl, but career shortened by injuries. 24. N.Y. Giants Shaun Williams SS Retired Comment: Started four consecutive seasons for Giants before knee injuries intervened. 25. Jacksonville Donovin Darius SS Free agent Comment: Productive starter teamed with Deon Grant to anchor Jags' secondary. 26. Pittsburgh Alan Faneca G Active Comment: Pro Bowl guard signed massive free-agent deal with Jets last month. 27. Kansas City Victor Riley OT Retired Comment: Started 93 of 111 games played before retiring after 2005 season. 28. San Francisco R.W. McQuarters CB Active Comment: Versatile if unspectacular, McQuarters helped Giants to Super Bowl XLII victory. 29. Miami John Avery RB CFL Comment: Set Dolphins records as a rookie, but has made his mark in XFL, CFL. 30. Denver Marcus Nash WR AFL Comment: Won Super Bowls with Broncos, Ravens before settling in the AFL.