March Madness has arrived. I've been watching Day 1 of the NCAA Tournament, and the games are as exciting as ever. My brackets are shot to hell, but I'll keep rooting for my picks anyway.
The NFL Draft process could very well be described as madness, as witnessed by the newest DSA Player Rankings. As I blogged earlier, quarterbacks are moving up as teams put a premium on selecting their franchise signal caller. Cam Newton moved up five spots to take over the #1 position, and Blaine Gabbert also moved up 5 positions. Nick Fairley fell five spots to number 7, and he has done nothing to hurt his draft stock through his workouts. He was good at the NFL Scouting Combine, and even better at the Auburn Pro Day. What this might result in will be Fairley playing with a chip on his shoulder in the same way that Warren Sapp played after falling to #12 in the 1995 NFL Draft. So here is the DSA Player Rankings 3.0:
DSA Rankings 3.0 Plus
Minus
1) Cam Newton 5
2) Da'Quan Bowers (1)
3) Blaine Gabbert 5
4) Marcel Dareus 3
5) A.J. Green (2)
6) Patrick Peterson (2)
7) Nick Fairley (5)
8) Von Miller (3)
9) Prince Amukamara 0
10) Robert Quinn 0
11) Julio Jones 1
12) Cameron Jordan 2
13) Mark Ingram 3
14) Tyron Smith 4
15) J.J, Watt (4)
16) Aldon Smith 3
17) Ryan Kerrigan (4)
18) Nate Solder (3)
19) Anthony Castanzo 2
20) Gabe Carimi 3
21) Adrian Clayborn (4)
22) Jimmy Smith 5
23) Mike Pouncey 1
24) Justin Houston (2)
25) Corey Liuget 1
26) Jake Locker (1)
27) Derek Sherrod 7
28) Akeem Ayers (8)
29) Muhammad Wilkerson 11
30) Brandon Harris 0
31) Ryan Mallett 0
32) Cameron Heyward (4)
33) Phil Taylor 0
34) Stephen Paea 1
35) Torrey Smith 3
36) Aaron Williams 6
37) Jonathon Baldwin (5)
38) Danny Watkins 5
39) Mikel Leshoure (10)
40) Martez Wilson
41) Lance Kendricks
42) Orlando Franklin
43) Rahim Moore
44) Leonard Hankerson
45) Benjamin Ijalana (4)
46) Brooks Reed
Another gainer at the top is Marcell Dareus, who is being seen by many as a better pro prospect than Fairley, and it could very well be that these two become the Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy of 2011. One thing is certain though: it is a very deep draft, and with no lock for the #1 pick, the NFL Draft version of March Madness will most surely become April Madness in draft rooms everywhere.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
Panic in the Draft Rooms
Now that Pro Days have kicked into high gear on campuses across the land, it is also the time of year that one word starts to creep into draft rooms of NFL teams. Panic.
The panic comes from teams not having a franchise quarterback. Plain and simple. When mock drafts started to be released even before the Super Bowl, Blaine Gabbert and Cam Newton were seen as potential #5-#15 picks, with Jake Locker and Ryan Mallett late first or even second round picks. Their performances at the combine, one would think, didn't endear the top quarterbacks to many teams. Gabbert didn't throw. Newton couldn't hit water if he were standing on a pier. Mallett answered questions at his media interviews as if he were running for office. Locker had the best overall workout, but there are accuracy questions from his senior season that still linger. After all, what top of the draft quarterback goes into the second half of his bowl game before completing a pass?
Now Pro Days have begun. Quarterbacks can show off their wares to teams under controlled and scripted workouts. Throw to receivers they are familiar with. Work with coaches that know them and their routine. And the biggest benefit of all-NFL teams start to panic and tell themselves 'We need a quarterback. We need a quarterback. We need a quarterback.'
So the Post-Combine mock drafts that are coming out are more and more putting either Gabbert or Newton at the first overall pick of the Carolina Panthers, third to Buffalo, and fourth to Cincinnati. Arizona, San Francisco, Tennessee and Washington are also looking for quarterbacks within the top ten. So when panic sets in at NFL Drafts Rooms, quarterbacks rise to the top of the boards.
The player who is going to benefit the most may be Ryan Mallett. Character issues are still following him, but there is no denying his talent. Of the four top quarterbacks, he is by far the most pro ready. Played in a pro style/non-spread offense, and has the best arm. A team that cannot draft Gabbert, Newton or Locker is going to trade up into the first round and grab Mallett. Which means the team that drafts Mallett is going to have a very solid piece of the puzzle in place from the top of the first round and then select their quarterback. The question is: Which team is going to panic the least and wait for the draft to unfold? We shall see.
The panic comes from teams not having a franchise quarterback. Plain and simple. When mock drafts started to be released even before the Super Bowl, Blaine Gabbert and Cam Newton were seen as potential #5-#15 picks, with Jake Locker and Ryan Mallett late first or even second round picks. Their performances at the combine, one would think, didn't endear the top quarterbacks to many teams. Gabbert didn't throw. Newton couldn't hit water if he were standing on a pier. Mallett answered questions at his media interviews as if he were running for office. Locker had the best overall workout, but there are accuracy questions from his senior season that still linger. After all, what top of the draft quarterback goes into the second half of his bowl game before completing a pass?
Now Pro Days have begun. Quarterbacks can show off their wares to teams under controlled and scripted workouts. Throw to receivers they are familiar with. Work with coaches that know them and their routine. And the biggest benefit of all-NFL teams start to panic and tell themselves 'We need a quarterback. We need a quarterback. We need a quarterback.'
So the Post-Combine mock drafts that are coming out are more and more putting either Gabbert or Newton at the first overall pick of the Carolina Panthers, third to Buffalo, and fourth to Cincinnati. Arizona, San Francisco, Tennessee and Washington are also looking for quarterbacks within the top ten. So when panic sets in at NFL Drafts Rooms, quarterbacks rise to the top of the boards.
The player who is going to benefit the most may be Ryan Mallett. Character issues are still following him, but there is no denying his talent. Of the four top quarterbacks, he is by far the most pro ready. Played in a pro style/non-spread offense, and has the best arm. A team that cannot draft Gabbert, Newton or Locker is going to trade up into the first round and grab Mallett. Which means the team that drafts Mallett is going to have a very solid piece of the puzzle in place from the top of the first round and then select their quarterback. The question is: Which team is going to panic the least and wait for the draft to unfold? We shall see.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
The Looming Lockout
The extension agreed to by the owners and players seems to have only prolonged the inevitable. I see no reason to believe that there will be a new collective bargaining agreement and there will be a lockout. The thought of no NFL football when training camps open in late July is a scary thought. But the 2011 NFL Draft will go ahead as planned, and the draftees are put in a tough situation.
Every players dreams of hearing his name called on draft day, and standing up on stage at Radio City Music Hall with the commissioner with the #1 Jersey of the team that just selected him. But if there is a lockout will the draft picks be there, or will there be solidarity for the players union from the soon to be rookies?
In this situation, I'm on the side of the players. I have yet to see Jerry Jones, Daniel Snyder or any of the other owners take a snap on the field. The players generate the revenue and take the physical risks. Yes, the owners put up the money to place the product on the field, but it seems to me that they are asking for too big of a piece of pie that they did not spend all the time fixing in the kitchen.
I would like to see the potential draft picks not attend the draft in New York unless a new CBA has been agreed upon. I would very much like to see them hold there own draft celebration at another location. They could walk up onto a stage, and have the player reps of each team present them with a jersey. Fans could attend, and the only difference would be that they would not be on stage with the owners lead negotiator.
I believe there will be a lockout. I just hope that it is a short one. No point in killing the goose that has been laying the golden eggs. Let him spread his wings, take flight, and lay a few more of those precious eggs.
Every players dreams of hearing his name called on draft day, and standing up on stage at Radio City Music Hall with the commissioner with the #1 Jersey of the team that just selected him. But if there is a lockout will the draft picks be there, or will there be solidarity for the players union from the soon to be rookies?
In this situation, I'm on the side of the players. I have yet to see Jerry Jones, Daniel Snyder or any of the other owners take a snap on the field. The players generate the revenue and take the physical risks. Yes, the owners put up the money to place the product on the field, but it seems to me that they are asking for too big of a piece of pie that they did not spend all the time fixing in the kitchen.
I would like to see the potential draft picks not attend the draft in New York unless a new CBA has been agreed upon. I would very much like to see them hold there own draft celebration at another location. They could walk up onto a stage, and have the player reps of each team present them with a jersey. Fans could attend, and the only difference would be that they would not be on stage with the owners lead negotiator.
I believe there will be a lockout. I just hope that it is a short one. No point in killing the goose that has been laying the golden eggs. Let him spread his wings, take flight, and lay a few more of those precious eggs.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
DSA Rankings 2.0
After the last round of pre-scouting combine Mock Drafts, I have put together the second Draft Slot Average Player Rankings for the upcoming 2011 NFL Draft. The information was accumulated from Mock Drafts leading up to the NFL Scouting Combine, and does not reflect the workouts from this past week in Indianapolis. Considering the outstanding performances of Julio Jones, Marcell Dareus, Robert Quinn, Patrick Peterson, Prince Amukamara and others, as well as the less than stellar workouts of Cam Newton, Cameron Heyward, Torrey Smith, and the evasive answers from Ryan Mallett (whose on-field workouts though may have been the best of any quarterback), Mock Drafts everywhere are sure to have a major shakeup. But here are the DSA Player Rankings 2.0 for the 2011 NFL Draft:
DSA Rankings 2.0 3-1-11
Da'Quan Bowers 1.70
Nick Fairley 3.50
A.J. Green 4.20
Patrick Peterson 4.30
Von Miller 5.60
Cam Newton 5.80
Marcel Dareus 6.00
Blaine Gabbert 7.00
Prince Amukamara 8.30
Robert Quinn 12.70
J.J, Watt 12.90
Julio Jones 14.00
Ryan Kerrigan 16.50
Cameron Jordan 17.10
Nate Solder 17.20
Mark Ingram 18.60
Adrian Clayborn 19.10
Tyron Smith 20.30
Aldon Smith 20.30
Akeem Ayers 20.30
Anthony Castanzo 21.90
Justin Houston 23.30
Gabe Carimi 24.40
Mike Pouncey 24.50
Jake Locker 25.10
Corey Liuget 25.10
Jimmy Smith 25.60
Cameron Heyward 27.10
Mikel Leshoure 30.50
Brandon Harris 30.80
Ryan Mallett 32.80
Jonathon Baldwin 32.90
Phil Taylor 34.00
Derek Sherrod 34.20
Stephen Paea 34.80
Allen Bailey 34.90
Titus Young 35.20
Torrey Smith 35.40
Kyle Rudolph 35.40
Muhammad Wilkerson 35.70
Benjamin Ijalana 36.70
Aaron Williams 37.20
Danny Watkins 37.80
Stefan Wisniewski 39.80
The biggest gainers were Mikel Leshoure and J.J. Watt, who moved up 9 and 8 places, respectively. The players who fell the most were Brandon Harris and Ryan Mallett, who dropped 8 spots each. Da'Quan Bowers took over the top spot from Nick Fairley, who had been a unanimous choice for the #1 overall selection. But after the Scouting Combine, there is sure to be an even bigger shuffling of players up and down the DSA Player Ranking boards. We shall see.
DSA Rankings 2.0 3-1-11
Da'Quan Bowers 1.70
Nick Fairley 3.50
A.J. Green 4.20
Patrick Peterson 4.30
Von Miller 5.60
Cam Newton 5.80
Marcel Dareus 6.00
Blaine Gabbert 7.00
Prince Amukamara 8.30
Robert Quinn 12.70
J.J, Watt 12.90
Julio Jones 14.00
Ryan Kerrigan 16.50
Cameron Jordan 17.10
Nate Solder 17.20
Mark Ingram 18.60
Adrian Clayborn 19.10
Tyron Smith 20.30
Aldon Smith 20.30
Akeem Ayers 20.30
Anthony Castanzo 21.90
Justin Houston 23.30
Gabe Carimi 24.40
Mike Pouncey 24.50
Jake Locker 25.10
Corey Liuget 25.10
Jimmy Smith 25.60
Cameron Heyward 27.10
Mikel Leshoure 30.50
Brandon Harris 30.80
Ryan Mallett 32.80
Jonathon Baldwin 32.90
Phil Taylor 34.00
Derek Sherrod 34.20
Stephen Paea 34.80
Allen Bailey 34.90
Titus Young 35.20
Torrey Smith 35.40
Kyle Rudolph 35.40
Muhammad Wilkerson 35.70
Benjamin Ijalana 36.70
Aaron Williams 37.20
Danny Watkins 37.80
Stefan Wisniewski 39.80
The biggest gainers were Mikel Leshoure and J.J. Watt, who moved up 9 and 8 places, respectively. The players who fell the most were Brandon Harris and Ryan Mallett, who dropped 8 spots each. Da'Quan Bowers took over the top spot from Nick Fairley, who had been a unanimous choice for the #1 overall selection. But after the Scouting Combine, there is sure to be an even bigger shuffling of players up and down the DSA Player Ranking boards. We shall see.
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