DSA Player Rankings 3.0

In the latest DSA Player Rankings, the value of offensive lineman is becoming more pronounced. Bryan Bulaga has moved up past Joe Haden to the seventh slot, and Trent Williams moves up two slots to the #9 position. A number of drafts placing Bruce Campbell eighth overall to Oakland has him gaining a spot, while Russell Okung and Anthony Davis hold onto their positions. That is 5 of the top 18 players in the draft being offensive tackles. It is going to pay to be one of the big guys up front in the 2010 NFL Draft. Here are the DSA Player Rankings, Version 3.0:

1) Ndamukong Suh 1.90
2) Sam Bradford 2.27
3) Gerald McCoy 2.90
4) Russell Okung 4.2
5) Eric Berry 5.63
6) Jimmy Clausen 7.27
7) Bryan Bulaga 10.17
8) Joe Haden 10.73
9) Trent Williams 11.57
10) Rolando McClain 12.23
11) Derrick Morgan 12.77
12) Dez Bryant 13.47
13) C.J. Spiller 14.03
14) Anthony Davis 15.7
15) Dan Williams 16.57
16) Jason Pierre-Paul 17.07
17) Earl Thomas 17.90
18) Bruce Campbell 18.17
19) Sergio Kindle 21.83
20) T-Brandon Graham 22.20
20) T-Taylor Mays 22.20
22) Mike Iupati 22.87
23) Kyle Wilson 23.93
24) Carlos Dunlap 26.73
25) Jermaine Gresham 27.03
26) Brian Price 27.27
27) Everson Griffen 27.40
28) Maurkice Pouncey 27.63
29) Sean Weatherspoon 28.63
30) Ryan Mathews 29.30
31) Jerry Hughes 29.60
32) Jared Odrick 29.70
33) Golden Tate 30.00
34) Charles Brown 30.20
35) Demaryius Thomas 31.00
36) Arrelious Benn 32.27
37) Patrick Robinson 32.63
38) Devin McCourtey 33.17


After his Pro Day Workout, Sam Bradford is going to be the consensus 1st Overall selection. He still ranks #2 Behind Ndamukong Suh because early drafts had him going fourth or lower, while Suh has been consistently in the top 2 or 3. The next DSA Player Rankings will most likely have Bradford at the top. It will be interesting to see if there will be any more big moves up or down the board.

What a Difference a Pro Day Makes

Even with the NFL Scouting Combine, draft prospects seem to feel more at ease in the comfy confines of their college practice fields. College Pro Day workouts are structured to the point of being scripted. But no matter what players still have to perform, and two of the top prospects showed just that the last 2 days.

Sam Bradford had more to lose than anyone with his Oklahoma Pro Day. Coming off of a shoulder injury that required surgery and caused him to sit out most of the 2009 season, Bradford needed to impress and then some after not throwing or working out at the NFL Combine. He did just that. 63 passes. 62 completions. And many thought that ball could have been caught. His accuracy was considered his strength, and he showed just how pinpoint that accuracy can be. He has filled out physically, and he carries the extra weight well. He is a deceptive 235 pounds. He always looked skinny but now it looks like he is maturing in the manner he needs to in order to withstand the rigors of an NFL season. The St. Louis Rams have pretty much made up their minds about selecting Bradford, and the choice was cemented by his Pro Day workout. Look for Bradford to sign a contract equal to or better than the one Matthew Stafford signed with Detroit in 2009, and he can thank his workout performance for that.

The next day Dez Bryant held his Pro Day workout. After running the 40 in a slower than expected time, he got the same response as Joe Haden after the NFL Combine. That he looks faster on film. But Haden ran a bit faster in his Pro Day workout, and any doubts about his ability seems to have been put to rest. Bryant is a different story, and there is a recent draft pick that some will probably start to compare him to. Mike Williams from USC.

Williams was seen as the top receiveing prospect coming out of college, but he had to sit out a year due his unsuccessful challenge of the NFL Draft eligibility policy. The time off seemed to allow a lot of rust to settle and he never did live up to expectations. He was a bit taller and heavier than Bryant, but it is going to be tough not to comapre the two receivers. Bryant sat out the 2009 season at Oklahoma State, and now it looks like he isn't the reciever he was in college. Now Jerry Jones is looking to wine and dine Bryant. If he is still avaliable at the #27 slot for Dallas, he is going to lose a lot of money in signing bonus because of a slow 40 time at his Pro Day workout. Let's hope Bryant has a much more successful career than Mike Williams did.

All sorts of Quarterback news

Sam Bradford finally had his workout at the University of Oklahoma for NFL coaches, scouts and front office personnel. 63 passes later it looks like an Ivory Soap percentage that St. Louis will take him 1st overall-99 and 44/100%. The Rams have announced that they won't make up their mind until Bradford works out again for them 3 days before the draft.

Now if this is the case it looks to be a long shot that he will be signed before the draft, unless there is a little cloak and dagger negotiations going on behind the scenes. I just wonder how much of an issue the signing bonus is going to play in all of this. St. Louis has been put in their own little version of Salary Cap Hell with the bonus money paid out to the #2 overall picks from 2008 and 2009, Chris Long and Jason Smith. Quarterbacks always demand, and get, the premium signing bonus payouts for their draft slots. Matthew Stafford got a nearly $42 million signing bonus as the 1st overall pick in 2009. With the addition of Bradford's contract look for the Rams to be a vocal proponent of a rookie salary cap during the ongoing Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations.

Even though Bradford does not look to start right away, considering his lack of experience taking snaps under center, what the Rams can't afford is a holdout. Which brings me to the other big quarterback news of the day. The Oakland Raiders has emerged as the front runner to trade for Donovan McNabb. The Eagles have stated they will take a pick in the top 42 for McNabb, and Oakland has the 39th overall selection. Now if this trade does occur, it begs the question: What will happen to JaMarcus Russell?

If there was ever a quarterback who might end up the poster child for First Overall Selection Busts, it looks to be Russell. Lengthy holdout. Rarely played in his rookie season. Then the Raiders discovered that his work ethic did not match his arm strength. After three seasons he still seems to have trouble grasping the pro game. On his side his biggest supporter is Al Davis. But when the Raiders start winning games with Bruce Gradkowski, and the rest of the team seems the journeyman backup as the real leader of the team, then you have to think that Russell's days are numbered.

Now Oakland is looking to acquire Donovan McNabb. Could it be that Russell could be released after just 3 seasons? It is possible. Oakland could sign McNabb to an extension, let go of Russell and just cut their losses. But I wonder: If Russell is released, who would sign him? I'm sure someone will, but I imagine his days as a starter in the NFL are numbered.

The Un-Sexy Draft

Every year the NFL Draft seems to be defined by what you might call The Sexy Picks. Or even The Pretty Boys. You know exactly who I am referring to-the offensive skill players. Quarterback. Running Back. Wide Receiver. You can even put tight ends in this group, as they seem to have the diva streak running through them at times, but any coach and quarterback can attest to their value to an offense. But it looks more and more like that the 2010 NFL Draft will be defined by The Big Uglies. The big guys up front on the offensive and defensive lines.

Since 2000, the fewest number of first round picks that were used on quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers was in 2008, when there were 7 picks, as well as 1 tight end. A breakdown of each year, the number of QBs, RBs and WRs, and the number of TEs is as follows:

YEAR QB,RB,WR TE

2009 11 1
2008 7 1
2007 10 1
2006 8 2
2005 12 1
2004 14 2
2003 9 1
2002 8 3
2001 10 1
2000 11 2


My first TMG DraftZone Mock Draft has 6 QB/RB/WR, and 1 TE. Sam Bradford to St. Louis, Jimmy Clausen to Buffalo, Dez Bryant to Denver, C.J. Spiller to Seattle, Ryan Mathews to San Diego, Golden Tate to the New York Jets, and Jermaine Gresham to Cincinnati. The first 4 are pretty much a lock to go in the first round. After that it's pretty much a crap shoot. Many posts have Demaryius Thomas going in the first round, as well as Jahvid Best and Arrelious Benn. But this is the draft for the big guys. And when you think about it, the success or failure of the draft class will be determined by the success or failure of Sam Bradford and Jimmy Clausen. You got to hand it to The Pretty Boys. They get all the spotlight, even if they are standing in the background.

Tampa Bay with the 3rd Overall Selection

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2009 had an interesting year, to say the least. They started out by nearly making the playoffs in 2008, then fired their coach in Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen, the man in charge of the front office. They ushered in the Raheem Morris by moving up in the draft to select Josh Freeman, then fired the offensive coordinator before the season started. Hoping to have Freeman learn from the bench with a veteran leading the team on the field resulted in a 3 win season. All three wins were directed by Freeman, who was rushed onto the field but held his own under difficult circumstances.

Now if there is one team that is looking to reap the rewards of a draft heavy at the top and deep through the first 2 rounds, it is Tampa Bay. They own the 3rd overall selection, the 35th and and 42nd as well, the latter they picked up from Chicago in the deal for Gaines Adams. Adams, the fourth overall selection in 2007, was a bust in Tampa, then tragically passed away after the '09 season following the trade to Chicago.

Tampa Bay was last in rush defense in 2009. Needing a premier defensive tackle to stop the run. How about Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy? If St. Louis selects Sam Bradford with the first pick, then either one of these tackles will be there waiting for them. If the Rams pull a surprise and don't go with Bradford, then both Suh and McCoy will most likely be gone. Alternatives. How about Eric Berry, the dynamic, game changing safety or Russell Okung, the top rated tackle to protect their franchise quarterback in Freeman. With either scenario, they look to improve immediately.

At #35, they should be able to find a quality wide receiver for Freeman to target and to compliment Kellen Winslow, Jr. Golden Tate, Demaryius Thomas, and Arrelious Benn might all be available. Seven picks later, if the Bucs are looking for more offensive weapons, perhaps Jahvid Best could be waiting for them. But one pick I believe they might look at is Brandon Spikes, the middle linebacker from Florida. Once seen as a first rounder, he has fallen out of favor due to slow 40 times at the Florida Pro Day, but he has the football instincts you need from your middle linebacker, and putting him behind Suh or McCoy would shore up the run defense immensely.

The 2010 season for Tampa Bay depends on the development of Freeman, but with their selections in the first 2 rounds, and 10 picks overall, Tampa Bay looks to be able to pick up a number of building blocks to put together a winner once again.

DSA Player Rankings 2.0

The latest DSA Player Rankings are here, and it goes to show that some players pick up momentum and others fall out of favor. But the fallen are lead by the two players that seem to be dropping the fastest. Dez Bryant fell fro 8th to 13th, and Bruce Campbell went from 15th to 19th. The top of the DSA Rankings stayed the same for the first seven positions, and most mock drafts have those players going to the teams in the matching slots with the exception of Jimmy Clausen, who looks to be headed to Buffalo with the 9th over pick. But enough drafts have Clausen going to Washington at #4 to push his average higher. So here is the latest DSA Player Rankings:

1) Ndamukong Suh 1.77
2) Sam Bradford 2.73
3) Gerald McCoy 2.77
4) Russell Okung 4.14
5) Eric Berry 5.36
6) Jimmy Clausen 7.23
7) Joe Haden 10.32
8) Bryan Bulaga 10.77
9) Rolando McClain 12.00
10) Derrick Morgan 12.41
11) Trent Williams 12.68
12) C.J. Spiller 13.77
13) Dez Bryant 13.82
14) Anthony Davis 14.86
15) Dan Williams 16.82
16) Earl Thomas 17.32
17) Jason Pierre-Paul 18.41
18) Sergio Kindle 19.86
19) Bruce Campbell 20.77
20) Taylor Mays 21.95
21) Brandon Graham 22.95
22) Mike Iupati 23.18
23) Kyle Wilson 24.45
24) Brian Price 26.41
25) Carlos Dunlap 26.45
26) Everson Griffen 26.95
27) Jermaine Gresham 27.77
28) Maurkice Pouncey 27.86
29) Sean Weatherspoon 28.55
30) Jerry Hughes 28.95
31) Jared Odrick 29.32
32) Ryan Mathews 29.45
33) Golden Tate 29.64
34) Demaryius Thomas 29.82
35) Charles Brown 30.82
36) Arrelious Benn 31.91
37) Patrick Robinson 32.00
38) Devin McCourtey 33.18


Demayrius Thomas has worked onto the list as many see him moving up their boards, with Baltimore eyeing him at #25 to pair up with Anquan Boldin. One thing is certain though-there is a lot of depth in the draft at just about every position. Teams drafting late in the first round are going to get players who some people see as middle first rounders, and players looked at as late round picks are going to slide to the second round through no fault of their own. If a team is looking to draft the best player available they might not have enough time on the clock in Round 1 to make a decision.

Falling in and out of favor

Has there been a player in recent memory who shot up the boards and fell back as quickly as Bruce Campbell? Going into the combine he was seen as a raw talent with all the physical skills to play at the next level. A late first round or early second round pick. Then he worked out at the Combine.

After he finished working out you thought he was going to be the second coming of Jim Parker, Anthony Munoz and Johnathon Ogden all rolled into one. But what was interesting is that everyone saw the Raiders being the team that would take Campbell. It was the Darrius Heyward-Bey Effect all over again. Workout Wonder. Al Davis falls in love with the physical skills. The Raiders make a reach and take him in the Top 10. Then you find out that he can't catch the ball, and has a wasted rookie season. Looks to be a classic draft reach bust.

Campbell had the same look. Workout wonder. No problem. Al Davis loves the players who work out great. Make a reach for him in the top 10. No problem again. The Raiders select 8th, and they need to shore up the offensive line. One problem, though. Campbell isn't much of a blocker. And that is a big problem when you are trying to protect the blind side of JaMarcus Russell.

Campbell was a popular choice to go 8th overall after the Combine. That's where I have him going in the first TMG Draft Zone Mock Draft. I still think he will go at that slot. Why? I kept telling myself that the Raiders would take Michael Crabtree with the 7th Pick in 2009, and that Heyward-Bey would go late in the first round. Then the Raiders made the pick. I can still see the same thing happening this year. If Trent Williams, or even Bryan Bulaga are still available, Oakland would be smart to take either player in the eighth slot. But I keep getting that old sinking feeling with Bruce Campbell.

Even though Campbell has been falling out of favor in just about every mock draft out there, you just never know with the Raiders. I guess everyone will know for sure on April 22nd.

Trade winds-starting out as a breeze

Every year the NFL Draft has it's share of trades. Either before or during, but teams swap players and picks like they are trading properties in a game of Monopoly. If you are lucky you can find a trading partner like the Jets did with Cleveland last year and they can move way up the board to take the player they really want. This year the big chip in play looks like it is going to who wants to trade for Donovan McNabb, and what are they prepared to give up to add him to their roster. Two teams that have expressed interest are Buffalo and Oakland.

Now I'm not an Eagles fan. I've watched McNabb from a distance and I would say that he can make many teams better immediately. But under the right circumstances. McNabb has taken a beating over the years, and if you put him behind a porous offensive line he's not going to be as effective as his suitors would like. Buffalo and Oakland are teams that need help up front, and picking up McNabb may not be the right fit.

Now I can't see any team giving up a first round pick for McNabb, so both the Bills and Raiders could shore up the line with their first rounder. Russell Okung looks to be gone by picks #8 and #9, and Bryan Bulaga might be gone as well. Which leaves Trent Williams, Bruce Campbell, and Anthony Davis as likely selections. All three players look to go in those slots as of now, so the teams taking any one of those tackles would not be a reach.

To me, the trade that makes the most sense would be the Rams trading the 33rd overall pick to Philadelphia for McNabb, then taking Ndamukong Suh first overall. They get the best player in the draft and add a veteran quarterback who can help them win now. But as it is with many things in the NFL, it comes down to money. Would McNabb want to sign a contract extension with St. Louis? If not then that trade, or any trade where McNabb doesn't want to sign an extension, doesn't make a lot of sense. Also, keep this in mind. Jake Plummer was traded to Tampa Bay, and decided that retirement was a better option. What if McNabb gets traded to a team he doesn't want to play for, or a team he feels doesn't give him a good shot to get back to the Super Bowl. Would McNabb see retirement as a better option as well? Then again, Philadelphia might see McNabb as their best option to get back to the Super Bowl, and tell all the potential suitors thanks, but he's our man. In my opinion that is the best option, and the best fit, for Donovan McNabb.

The Right Player for The Right Team

What the teams in the NFL are looking to do with their draft picks is match the right player for their team. Sometimes it is the best player available and find a the right place on the team for that player. Other times the team is looking for a player to fill a need, and they try to find the right player to fill that need. When prognosticators fill out a mock draft, they are doing a little of both. Best player at that stage of the draft, and team needs with the players available.

Looking through the mock drafts I have researched so far, there is one player who is seen to be the player that matches up with a team in a specific slot. Ndamukong Suh? Gerald McCoy? Sam Bradford? They are the consensus Top 3 Picks, and easily the top 3 on my DSA Player Rankings. But the player who is forecasted to go in one specific slot on the highest percentage of mock drafts? Joe Haden to Cleveland with the 7th overall pick. 71% of the mock drafts have Haden at that specific slot. Who is second? Bruce Campbell, with 59% of the drafts having him going to Oakland with the 8th overall selection. The two players tied at 3rd? C.J. Spiller at #14 to Seattle and Kyle Wilson at #20 to Houston, both at 53% of the drafts having them going at those specific position.

Cleveland needs help in many positions, but Haden is the premier cornerback in the draft. Even with his slow 40 time at the Combine, teams have seen enough game film of him playing at an elite level at Florida, and even though they need to shore up the defensive line Cleveland is looking like they will select Haden to solidify the pass defense.

Oakland has a priority to rebuild it's offensive line, and it appears that the Workout Wonder that Bruce Campbell became at the draft may be too tempting for Al Davis to pass up. Spiller looks to be the versatile, multi-threat back that Pete Carrol had at USC with Reggie Bush, and Seattle has issues in the offensive backfield. Houston was hit hard in free agency with the loss of Dunta Robinson, and Kyle Wilson is the 2nd rated corner and looks to fill the void.

Some teams draft for need, some take the best player available. That's what makes this draft so interesting. It is deep and filled with quality players. Teams can choose one or the other and the picks are most likely to work out in the end.

Draft Slot Average (DSA) Player Rankings

With all of the Mock Drafts out there (including my own), it is time to reveal the very first TMG DraftZone Draft Slot Average, otherwise know as the DSA's. The first compilation had 19 players listed on all the mock drafts. That list is now down to just 16. So if you take what the draft experts are saying there are just 16 sure-fire 1st Round picks. That and a buck gets you a chicken sandwich at McDonald's.

But looking at the DSA's I can see the draft falling in line with very little variation. The top of the draft depends on whether or not the Rams take Sam Bradford, and the order of offensive tackles depends on the Raiders taking Bruce Campbell, Anthony Davis or Trent Williams with the 8th overall selection. The DSA's will get updated as more mock draft information rolls into the TMG DraftZone. So here is the player rankings and average draft slot as foretold by the DSA's:

1) Ndamukong Suh 1.71
2) Gerald McCoy 2.71
3) Sam Bradford 3.24
4) Russell Okung 4.12
5) Eric Berry 5.12
6) Jimmy Clausen 7.18
7) Joe Haden 9.42
8) Dez Bryant 11.53
9) Derrick Morgan 11.59
10) Bryan Bulaga 11.71
11) Rolando McClain 11.82
12) Trent Williams 13.18
13) Anthony Davis 14.71
14) C.J. Spiller 14.94
15) Bruce Campbell 17.12
16) Earl Thomas 17.82
17) Jason Pierre-Paul 18.00
18) Dan Williams 18.18
19) Sergio Kindle 20.88
20) Taylor Mays 22.24
21) Mike Iupati 22.76
22) Brandon Graham 23.94
23) Carlos Dunlap 24.88
24) Brian Price 25.88
25) Kyle Wilson 26.18
26) Everson Griffen 26.41
27) Jermaine Gresham 26.47
28) Jerry Hughes 27.35
29) Maurkice Pouncey 27.94
30) Golden Tate 28.41
31) Sean Weatherspoon 29.71
32) Ryan Mathews 30.35
33) Jared Odrick 30.88
34) Arrelious Benn 31.00
35) Charles Brown 31.82
36) Patrick Robinson 32.59
37) Devin McCourtey 33.24

The DSA's are computed using the average position of players in various mock drafts. If a player is not listed in the first round they are assigned a draft selection of 35, the 3rd pick of the 2nd Round. The way I see it, if a player is deemed good enough to be a first round selection, then if they are not listed in the first round they would probably go in the top of the 2nd Round. If that selection is a top 5 of the 2nd Round, the average of the top 5 picks is the 35th selection. As deep as the 2010 Draft is, it would not be surprising that any player seen as a first rounder could easily fall to Round 2. In 2009, Rey Maualuga was looked at as a mid first rounder, with many mock drafts having him going as high as #12. He fell all the way to #38, and played like a first round selection. It will be interesting to see who will be the player to fall out of Round 1 who goes out and proves everyone wrong.

TMG Draft Zone 2010 NFL Mock Draft 1.0

After much research, and consternation, it is time to post the TMG Draft Zone 2010 NFL Mock Draft 1.0.

Free Agency and trades have changed the needs of teams and shuffled the order of many other drafts already posted. Which is why it may be fashionable to have a mock draft as soon as college underclassmen declare, but not practical. I'll be tweaking my mock draft from time to time, but as soon as blogging and draft prognostication pay the bills I'll be able to change my mock draft every day.

This mock draft is very much contingent on whether Washington wants to rebuild it's offensive line with Russell Okung or take it's latest franchise quarterback in Jimmy Clausen. As much as Mike Shanahan would love to develop Clausen into the next John Elway, he also knows that he won in Denver with outstanding offensive line play. So here it is, the first TMG Draft Zone 2010 NFL Mock Draft:

1) St. Louis--Sam Bradford QB
2) Detroit--Ndamukong Suh DT
3) Tampa Bay--Gerald McCoy DT
4) Washington--Russell Okung OT
5) Kansas City--Eric Berry S
6) Seattle--Bryan Bulaga OT
7) Cleveland--Joe Haden CB
8) Oakland--Bruce Campbell OT
9) Buffalo--Jimmy Clausen QB
10) Jacksonville--Derrick Morgan DE
11) Denver--Dez Bryant WR
12) Miami--Rolando McClain ILB
13) San Francisco--Trent Williams OT
14) Seattle--C.J. Spiller RB
15) NY Giants--Dan Williams DT
16) Tennessee--Jason Pierre-Paul DE
17) San Francisco--Sergio Kindle OLB
18) Pittsburgh--Mike Iupati G
19) Atlanta--Brandon Graham DE
20) Houston--Kyle Wilson CB
21) Cincinnati--Jermaine Gresham TE
22) New England--Carlos Dunlap DE
23) Green Bay--Anthony Davis OT
24) Philadelphia--Earl Thomas S
25) Baltimore--Jerry Hughes OLB
26) Arizona--Taylor Mays S
27) Dallas--Charles Brown OT
28) San Diego--Ryan Mathews RB
29) NY Jets--Golden Tate WR
30) Minnesota--Devin McCourtey CB
31) Indianapolis--Brian Price DT
32) New Orleans--Sean Weatherspoon OLB

Looking at the draft there are 2 things that stand out. First, it is a draft for the guys in the trenches. I have 15 interior lineman, 4 linebackers and 1 tight end going in the first round. Second, it is a deep draft. Players like Maurkice Pouncey, Rodger Saffold, Vladimir Ducasse, Rob Gronkowski, Dorin Dickerson, Aaron Hernandez, Demaryius Thomas, Arrelious Benn and Jahvid Best on offense, and Everson Griffen, Jared Odrick, Terrence Cody, Daryl Washington, Navarro Bowman, Brandon Spikes, Patrick Robinson, and Chad Jones on defense. There are going to be teams get great value with picks in the top of the 2nd Round. Because of this I foresee many teams wanting to trade down to stockpile picks, but will they find any takers. We shall see.

The Detroit Lions-Here we go again!

The Detroit Lions have the 2nd pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. You could say that judging by past history they are liable to take anyone here. But the Matt Millen days are over. The selection of Matthew Stafford 1st overall in 2009 seems to make one think that a bit of sanity is returning to Detroit.

It has been said that the NFL is a copycat league. Someone has a great new innovation, then everyone starts to use it. Come up with a plan to build a franchise, and others will try the same plan if it has been successful. Detroit had a chance in 2009 to do just that, and blew it right out the window.

For years Detroit has been the butt of draft jokes for who they took high in the first round. Joey Harrington, Charles Rogers, Roy Williams, Mike Williams. It seemed to be a never ending list of offensive skill players that did not work out. Then inspiration came in the form of the Atlanta Falcons in 2008.

There have been very few franchises in a state of disarray as Atlanta after the 2007 season. Their coach goes pig-sooey and takes off for Arkansas before the end of the season. Their quarterback ends up in Leavenworth after conviction on dog fighting charges. But a new coach and new general manager had a plan, and it worked to a T.

With the 3rd Pick, the Falcons select Matt Ryan. Their quarterback of the future and the face of the franchise. Then they trade up to the 21st slot and take Sam Baker, offensive tackle from USC. Many people saw this as a reach. Atlanta did not. They knew Ryan needed a blind side protector, and unless they wanted a repeat of what happened with David Carr in Houston they had to move up to grab Baker.

The plan worked perfectly. The addition of Michael Turner in free agency and the revitalization of Roddy White helped make Ryan a sensation from his first pass, a 62 yard touchdown. Atlanta finished 11-5 and made the playoffs as a wild card. Injuries slowed the Falcons in 2009, but they finished with the first back-to-back winning seasons in franchise history

Detroit had the opportunity to copy Atlanta, but got it half right. The selection of Stafford seems wise, but with the 20th selection Detroit opted for Brandon Pettigrew instead of Michael Oher. Pettigrew has the tools to be a great tight end, but Oher showed in his rookie season that he is a great tackle now. Injuries to Stafford in his rookie season has many people wondering why they passed on Oher when he was there for the taking.

Detroit has a lot of holes on both sides of the ball. Now there are many who say they might take Russell Okung with the 2nd overall pick in 2010. Okung has all the tools to be a great left tackle for years to come, but with the depth of lineman on both sides of the ball I can't see them passing on either Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy when they can get a tackle like Charles Brown, Vladimir Ducasse, Anthony Davis or Bruce Campbell at the top of the 2nd Round. In much the same way St. Louis needs to find the best pair of picks for their team, Detroit does as well. Talents such as Suh and McCoy don't come around often. Take the player you feel can stop the opponent the best, then take the tackle who can best protect Stafford. A Win/Win for Detroit, after too many years of Loss-Loss-Loss-Loss....

Mock Drafts Galore

Everywhere you look, someone has a mock draft. I'll have one soon enough. But there are two things I have noticed when looking at the drafts posted all over the Internet. Point #1, the top picks are the top picks, no matter where you look. Sam Bradford, Ndamukong Suh, Gerald McCoy. They are the Top 3, and will most likely go in that order to St. Louis, Detroit and Tampa Bay. Point #2, the rest of the picks are scattered from the top to the bottom, and you are not likely to see agreement on who will go where.

So I had the idea to take all the information I could from mock draft everywhere and compile that info into what I hope is a useful tool. I call it the Draft Slot Average, or DSA. It's a simple concept. Take the positions that players are projected to go at, add them together and divide it by the number of drafts they are listed in. Simple enough in theory, and for a draftnik like myself it is like being in numbers heaven.

My first DSA list has 19 players listed on all the mock drafts I researched, and another 16 that were listed on at least 50% of the mocks. Of the 19 listed on all the drafts, Taylor Mays had the lowest average at 21.00. 5 players were graded at 21.00 or better of those on the remaining boards. Of those only Bruce Campbell had a DSA more than 1 full point better that Mays, and that is due to his outstanding workout at the Combine in Indianapolis. Before then many drafts did not even have him listed as a first rounder.

More research will be added to what I have already come up with and when I get the data I am looking for I'll be posting my Mock Draft based on the DSA scores. I'll put my Mock Draft up against anyone else. Let the Draft Games begin.

St. Louis Rams On the clock

The St. Lous Rams have the 1st Pick in the 2010 NFL Draft and are on the clock. How long ago was it that the Rams were good? Not too long ago. But they hit hard times and haven't gotten back up. They have had the 2nd pick the last two years, now they have the #1 selection.

This years pick is going to be determined as much by who they didn't pick the last two drafts as it is by who they should draft this year. Who didn't they draft-Matt Ryan in 2008, and Mark Sanchez in 2009. Some teams need the franchise quarterback not only to lead the team on the field but to be the face of the franchise off the field. Atlanta has that with Ryan and the Jets have the same with Sanchez. As much as St. Louis would love to line up Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy, the choice is going to be a quarterback. That leaves the selection at Sam Bradford or Jimmy Clausen.

Ask anyone and they will say that Clausen is the most pro ready quarterback in this years class. So why is everyone saying that the Rams will be taking Bradford? I have a hard time understanding this myself. Played in a spread offense. Took snaps out of the shotgun a majority of the time. Sat out most of the year with an injured shoulder. Just the luck of the Rams. No surefire quarterback, running back, blind side blocking tackle, or pass rushing end or linebacker to take with the 1st Pick. Just a pair of qaurterbacks with a littany of questions, and a pair of sure fire defensive tackles that no team has drafted first since 1994.

But the Rams do have one thing going for them. This draft is deep in lineman on both sides of the ball. They can get a batter pair of picks out of a QB first, then a lineman with the 33rd overall at the top of the 2nd Round then they can with one of the premier defensive tackles first overall, then taking the best offensive skill position player in the 2nd Round. It's times like this that causes General Managers to lose sleep every night and wonder if their resumes are updated if the picks don't work out.

2010 NFL Draft

Greetings and Salutations to All

The 2010 NFL Draft will soon be upon us. Isn't is amazing how the NFL has become a 12 month a year sport. There is no off-season any more. Once the Super Bowl is over, free agency begins. Then college underclassmen declare and pre-draft analysis begins. After the draft at the end of April you have draft analysis and coverage of OTA's. Then training came begins. August comes around and the Pre-Season starts. The Regular Season kicks off in September, and the NFL takes control of the spotlight until the Super Bowl. Then it starts all over again.

The TMG Draft Zone is about coverage of the Draft, both before and after. I have my Mock Draft, as does everyone else, and I'm here to analyze which teams might draft which players. Why they should and why they should not. I look forward to hearing from fans and who they think their team should draft and why, and who their team should avoid altogether.

As for the players going into the 2010 NFL Draft, I can't remember a player who has been scrutinized, critisized, and picked over with a fine tooth comb like Tim Tebow. The University of Florida Pro Day has been by far the highest attended, by both the general public and the media. Even with players like Joe Haden and Brandon Spikes working out, it was all about Tebow. All for a player who looks to go in the 3rd Round. Too bad for Spikes everyone there watched him run a 5.0 and a 5.05 in the 40. It might be interesting to se if he gets drafted before Tebow.

One more thought on Tebow. If he does not make it as an NFL quarterback, and say Sam Bradford or Jimmy Clausen don't make it as the franchise QB their teams are projecting them to be with Top 10 picks, who will be considered the bigger draft bust?