Let's Make a Deal--2012 version

The 1st Round of the 2012 NFL Draft has come to an end. Give me a minute and as soon as my head stops spinning from all the trades I should be able to continue. The biggest impact on this draft was not the players but the rookie salary cap. With the new collective bargaining agreement, it is actually lower this year than last. What that meant was that moving up in the draft would cost you a draft pick or 2 but not much money. When the draft rolled around, Monty Hall might as well have calling the picks instead of Roger Goddell. The top 6 picks went as most everyone foresaw, with a little shuffling. Cleveland moved up one spot to get their man in Trent Richardson, and Matt Kalil fell one spot to #4. Jacksonville made the first bold move by moving up in front of St. Louis to get Justin Blackmon, and Dallas made an even bigger move to get Morris Claiborne. Tampa Bay got the best safety of the draft in mark Barron and Miami made a bold move of their own by not moving and selecting Ryan Tannehill. St. Louis seemed to be a step behind and kept missing out on the wide receiver they were looking for to get some help for Sam Bradford. After Jacksonville picked Blackmon, the Rams missed out on Michael Floyd when Arizona selected him at #13. But St. Louis has the first pick of Round 2, and do not be surprised if they take Stephen Hill there, and with two other picks in the round they will be able to fill a lot of holes on Day 2. The big shocker came at #15. Philadelphia moved up from there to #12 to select Fletcher Cox, and Seattle picked Bruce Irvin. Irvin is seen as a pass rushing only specialist, and perhaps as a mid-second rounder at best. Irvin can get to the quarterback, but if the Seahawks are playing from behind then the pick of Irvin may come back to haunt them. Another big surprise came from the New England Patriots. Bill Belichick has made a living out of trading down in the draft and stockpiling picks, this year they move up twice to shore up their defense. Chandler Jones is an excellent outside linebacker, and Dont'a Hightower will anchor the middle for years to come. As for my own mock draft, I had 25 out of the 32 players from my picks selected in the first round. The DSA Player Rankings had 26 out of 32. If anyone out there had A.J. Jenkins going in the 1st Round I give you mad props for that. As for Round 2 tomorrow night, there are 17 players who got first round grades that were listed on the DSA Player Rankings at one time this year who are still available. With the exception of Irvin and Jenkins, there were no real reaches in Round 1. With the talent still available, overall draft grades will be solidified by who the do or do not pick on Friday. Day 1 is done. Let's get ready for Day 2.

TMG DraftZone Final Mock Draft 2012

Greetings and Salutations to all It's just under 3 hours until the 2012 NFL Draft, and it's time for the final TMG DraftZone Mock Draft. Watching the pre-draft coverage and the trade talks going around makes me think there will be some shuffling at the top, but there's not a lot I can do about it. So here is my final Mock Draft for 2012: 1) Indianapolis--Andrew Luck 2) Washington--Robert Griffin III 3) Minnesota--Matt Kalil 4) Cleveland--Trent Richardson 5) Tampa Bay--Morris Claiborne 6) St. Louis--Justin Blackmon 7) Jacksonville--Melvin Ingram 8) Miami--Ryan Tannehill 9) Carolina--Fletcher Cox 10) Buffalo--Michael Floyd 11) Kansas City--David DeCastro 12) Seattle--Luke Kuechly 13) Arizona--Riley Reiff 14) Dallas--Mark Barron 15) Philadelphia--Quinton Coples 16) NY Jets--Courtney Upshaw 17) Cincinnati--Stephon Gilmore 18) San Diego--Dontari Poe 19) Chicago--Jonathon Martin 20) Tennessee--Whitney Mercilus 21) Cincinnati--Cordy Glenn 22) Cleveland--Kendall Wright 23) Detroit--Dre Kirkpatrick 24) Pittsburgh--Dont'a Hightower 25) Denver--Michael Brockers 26) Houston--Stephen Hill 27) New England--Shea McClellin 28) Green Bay--Nick Perry 29) Baltimore--Peter Konz 30) San Francisco--Coby Fleener 31) New England--Harrison Smith 32) NY Giants--Mike Adams I'm looking forward to seening how the first round develops, who has made the bold moves and who will be making the picks people will be talking and blogging about until next year.

DSA Player Rankings 4.0--2012 Final

It's the Night Before the NFL Draft, and all through Radio City Music Hall There are college football players waiting to hear the call. The Commissioner is at the podium with card in hand In a few moments they will know where they stand. Some years the Colts would feel like they have a pick with which they are stuck But this year they will get a quarterback for the future named Andrew Luck. Washington is next and they approach the stage with glee As they get their own franchise qaurterback named RG3. The experts all think they know which players will have team uniforms to be worn When Mr. Goddell announces the names Kalil, Richardson, Blackmon and Claiborne. From here on in is where the the fun starts to come into sight When the 2012 NFL Draft commences at 8 pm tomorrow night. It is time for the final TMG DraftZone DSA Player Rankings of 2012. All of my research has shown that the draft is going to really start when the Jacksonville Jaguars are on the clock with the 7th Overall selection. The first six picks seem to be set. There has been some dissention in the ranks concerning picks 3-6, but for the most part only a shuffling of the deck. There are possibilities that some players may move into the top 6, but if that is the case then who is going to fall out? Most draftniks ar saying that Minnesota might seelct Morris Claiborne at #3, but as bad as they need to shore up their secondary, protecting Christian Ponder and blocking for Adrian Peterson may be a bigger priority. If St. Louis passing on him, Janoris Jenkins may still be available at the top of Round 2. A Kalil/Jenkins draft pairing would be better than a match of Claiborne and any other tackle, even if Mike Adams is still there at #35. Of course you have to take into account whether Minnesota wants another player with a checkered background now that they have signed Jerome Simpson right after he finished serving a 15 day jail sentence and who will miss the first 3 games of 2012 for violating the league personal conduct policy. With everything else that has been discussed concerning the draft, what I do know is that it is time for the final DSA Player Rankings of 2012. I'm looking forward to seeing how they match up with the pick tomorrow night. 1) Andrew Luck 1.00 2) Robert Griffin III 2.00 3) Matt Kalil 3.30 4) Trent Richardson 4.10 5) Morris Claiborne 4.90 6) Justin Blackmon 6.00 7) Ryan Tannehill 8.00 8) Fletcher Cox 8.70 9) Luck Kuechly 10.70 10) Melvin Ingram 12.80 11) Stephon Gilmore 12.80 12) Mark Barron 12.90 13) Michael Floyd 13.10 14) Quinton Coples 14.10 15) David DeCastro 14.50 16) Dontari Poe 16.10 17) Riley Reiff 16.90 18) Dre Kirkpatrick 19.80 19) Michael Brockers 20.20 20) Whitney Mercilus 20.70 21) Chandler Jones 23.40 22) Courtney Upshaw 23.40 23) Jonathon Martin 24.20 24) Dont'a Hightower 24.40 25) Cordy Glenn 24.80 26) Kendall Wright 25.70 27) Stephen Hill 27.60 28) Shea McClellin 27.90 29) Nick Perry 28.40 30) Coby Fleener 31.40 31) Peter Konz 32.00 32) Harrison Smith 32.50 I will be posting the final TMG DraftZone tomorrow, right before the draft. I have my picks on NFL.com and I'm looking forward to winning that trip to the Super Bowl. Or I might be looking forward to winning it next year. Whichever, I hope you are looking forward to the NFL Draft as much as I am. Let's get the cards up to the Commish and get this thing going. I can't wait.

DSA Player Rankings 3.0 2012

The 2012 NFL Draft is just 5 days away, and there are some things we know for certain, others we think we know, and a whole lot that you just never know about. We know that Andrew Luck is going first overall to the Indianapolis Colts. We also know that Robert Griffin III is going second to Washington. We think we know that Matt Kalil, Trent Richardson, Morris Claiborne and Justin Blackmon are going to be the next four picks. But what you never know about is who will be making the last minute trade to leapfrog the competition and take the player they covet the most. But until those trades are made, there is quite a bit of certainty amongst my fellow draftniks as to who will be going where. In this edition of the DSA Player Rankings, the top 6 were unanimous for their slots. Ryan Tannehill was as well going to Miami at #8. And there were a number of players who moved up and down the list, and two new players who are getting a lot of love in mock drafts. So here is the TMG DraftZone DSA Player Rankings 3.0 for the upcoming 2012 NFL Draft: 1) Andrew Luck 1.00 2) Robert Griffin III 2.00 3) Matt Kalil 3.00 4) Trent Richardson 4.00 5) Morris Claiborne 5.00 6) Justin Blackmon 6.00 7) Ryan Tannehill 8.00 8) Fletcher Cox 9.00 9) Melvin Ingram 9.70 10) Luke Kuechly 11.30 11) Michael Floyd 11.50 12) Riley Reiff 12.40 13) Quinton Coples 13.70 14) David DeCastro 13.90 15) Jonathon Martin 17.70 16) Stephon Gilmore 16.70 17) Dontari Poe 17.80 18) Courtney Upshaw 18.70 19) Dre Kirkpatrick 19.50 20) Michael Brockers 21.80 21) Cordy Glenn 22.00 22) Kendall Wright 23.20 23) Whitney Mercilus 24.90 24) Dont'a Hightower 25.00 25) Jonathon Martin 25.20 26) Chandler Jones 27.00 27) Mike Adams 28.60 28) Stephen Hill 29.10 29) Shea McClellin 29.50 30) Nick Perry 29.60 31) Coby Flenner 31.60 32) Peter Konz 31.60 From out of nowhere, Chandler Jones and Shea McClellin have entered the draft picture. This was the first time I found either one of them listed on a mock draft. A premium is always placed on quarterbacks, but when the draft rolls around the ability to get to the quarterback is valued just as much. Just look at Fletcher Cox. He was 18th on the last DSA Rankings, and now he is 8th. Quinton Coples has fallen from 7th to 13th, but I see him as another Carlos Dunlap. Criticized for not giving maximum effort but a freakish athlete. Dunlap fell all the way into the middle of Round 2 in 2010 to Cincinnati, but he has been a force for the young Bengals defense when he has been on the field. Coples is nearly a mirror image size wise to Dunlap, and teams that pass on him may regret it down the road. With players rising up the board, there are those who fall. Janoris Jenkins is seen as perhaps too much of an off field problem, and now it has been announced that Mike Adams tested positive for marijuana at the NFL Combine back in February. There is no denying their ability, but teams may be taking less of a chance on players with too much baggage. Players who are suspended don't exactly contribute much when they are on the sidelines. I will be posting my final DSA Player Rankings and Mock Draft right before Round 1 on Thursday. Perhaps there will be a trade or 2. Who knows. What we do know is that, for all intents and purposes, the Minnesota Vikings are on the clock. Let's get the NFL Draft rolling. I can't wait.

Great Expectations

And with the first pick of the 2012 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts select Ryan Tannehill, quarterback, Texas A & M.

OK, we're not going to hear that from Mr. Commish Roger Goddell, but the way teams are fawning over the Aggie signal caller you would think it might just happen. With the addition of Tannehill to the top of the draft along with Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, it is going to be a heavily scrutinized draft. The great expectations on all three will by far surpass that of 1999, when Tim Couch, Donovan McNabb and Akili Smith went 1-2-3 and harken back to the days of 1971, when Jim Plunkett, Archie Manning and Dan Pastorini were the first three names off the board.

There is a strong possibility that Miami may just trade up to #3 and get the pick currently held by Minnesota so they can take Tannehill. The Washington Redskins have already mortgaged a good bit of their future to move up to the second pick, and the Dolphins will have to do the same if they want to insure that Tannehill is their man. The question is 'Will he be worth it?' In both cases, I believe it will be.

Griffin is a rare talent, and proved it during his final year at Baylor. Physically gifted and even more so intellectually, Griffin and Luck will be competing for not only titles but the hearts and minds of football fans for years to come. Tannehill is more of a project, but Miami is the best landing point for him. His college coach is the offensive coordinator, and the new head coach runs a system that suits his talents. He has a veteran in Matt Moore already on the roster who is capable of holding the fort until it is time for Tannehill to take over.

But once again, great expectations may get in the way. It is the expectations of Dolphins fans looking for a quarterback to take over for Dan Marino. They have been waiting for 13 years. Now they have to wait 12 more days to see if their Dolphins either make the move up to #3 or have Tannehill fall to them at #8. If they are lucky, they won't have to sell the farm to get him. We shall see.

2012 DSA Player Rankings 2.0

Last year, Da'Quan Bowers had a free fall down through the draft boards that was pretty much unprecedented. He was seen as a possible #1 Overall pick, and because of injury concerns he would up going #51 to Tampa Bay. This year, Ryan Tannehill is the Reverse Bowers. When I tabulated the first DSA Player Rankings of 2012, Tannehill was at #20. A little too raw for a high first round pick, but talented enough for a selection late in the round. Then a combination of draft room panic and an excellent pro day has seen his stock shooting up to the top. Tannehill has risen 12 places to #8, and he could conceivably go higher the closer we get to the 2012 NFL Draft. But for now here is the 2012 DSA Player Rankings 2.0:

1) Andrew Luck 1.00
2) Robert Griffin 2.00
3) Matt Kalil 3.00
4) Morris Claiborne 5.30
5) Trent Richardson 5.40
6) Justin Blackmon 5.80
7) Quinton Coples 9.30
8) Ryan Tannehill 9.70
9) Riley Reiff 10.60
10) Melvin Ingram 10.90
11) Dontari Poe 11.20
12) David Decastro 12.60
13) Michael Floyd 14.30
14) Luke Kuechly 14.70
15) Jonathon Martin 17.70
16) Michael Brockers 17.90
17) Dre Kirkpatrick 18.90
18) Fletcher Cox 19.20
19) Courtney Upshaw 19.50
20) Cordy Glenn 21.60
21) Whitney Mercilus 22.00
22) Kendall Wright 22.30
23) Stephon Gilmore 22.40
24) Janoris Jenkins 23.00
25) Mark Barron 23.40
26) Mike Adams 26.20
27) Stephen Hill 27.40
28) Nick Perry 27.60
29) Devon Still 28.80
30) Dont'a Hightower 28.80
31) Jerel Worthy 30.80
32) Peter Konz 30.90


The player whose draft stock is going to be affected the most by the rise of Ryan Tannehill is going to be Trent Richardson. If Cleveland passes on him and selects Tannehill, and if Tampa Bay goes defense with Morris Claiborne, Richardson could fall all the way to Cincinnati at #17. But one thing I can say is that I'd hate to face a power running back with a chip on his shoulder simply because they didn't pick him in the draft. Richardson could very easily be that player, and the Bengals would be the very happy recipients of Cleveland going quarterback instead of running back. The 2012 NFL Draft is in 3 1/2 weeks. We shall see.

TMG Draft Zone Mock Draft 2012 1.0

The NFL off-season is well into free agency, and with a month before the draft the teams have been filling holes in their rosters with veterans before they get the chance to select their future rookies. The mock draft season has been going on even longer, and I waited to see who would sign where before putting my first mock out here. I've also been way too busy with work, but I've been able to piece together where the picks are going to fall. So here is the TMG DraftZone Mock Draft 1.0 for 2012:

1) Indianapolis Andrew Luck
2) Washington Robert Griffin III
3) Minnesota Matt Kalil
4) Cleveland Trent Richardson
5) Tampa Bay Morris Claiborne
6) St. Louis Justin Blackmon
7) Jacksonville Quinton Coples
8) Miami Ryan Tannehill
9) Carolina Melvin Ingram
10) Buffalo Riley Reiff
11) Kansas City David DeCastro
12) Seattle Luke Kuechly
13) Arizona Jonathon Martin
14) Dallas Janoris Jenkins
15) Philadelphia Courtney Upshaw
16) NY Jets Michael Floyd
17) Cincinnati Dre Kirkpatrick
18) San Diego Dontari Poe
19) Chicago Stephen Hill
20) Tennessee Whitney Mercilus
21) Cincinnati Cordy Glenn
22) Cleveland Stephon Gilmore
23) Detroit Mike Adams
24) Pittsburgh Nick Perry
25) Denver Fletcher Cox
26) Houston Kendall Wright
27) New England Michael Brockers
28) Green Bay Peter Konz
29) Baltimore Mark Barron
30) San Francisco Coby Flenner
31) New England Lamar Miller
32) NY Giants David Wilson

The top three picks appear to be set. Cleveland holds the key to the rest of the first round. Although many mock draft have Ryan Tannehill going there, I believe the Browns will look to continue their tradition of power running and select Trent Richardson. The smart pick for Cleveland might be Justin Blackmon, but I see them going after the replacement for Peyton Hillis instead. I also have the Browns selecting Stephon Gilmore with their second pick in Round 1, and the pairing of him with Joe Haden could become the premier cornerback pair in the NFL.

St. Louis has had Blackmon on their radar since before the trade with Washington, and if he is still there at #6 then they will make out like bandits. The pick they acquired from Washington along with their own will go a long way to filling holes on their defense after getting the playmaking receiver for Sam Bradford to throw to in Round 1.

The NFL Draft is in four weeks. There are going to be many more mock drafts hitting the net in that time. I'll be putting one more out before my final mock draft the day before the NFL Draft. If Ryan Tannehill has a stellar pro day, I wonder if Cleveland will be looking to take him at #4. If so, then there will be more shuffling in mock drafts than with cards at a blackjack table in Vegas. We shall see.

Panic in the Draft Rooms-Version 2012

The panic is starting to settle into the NFL Draft Rooms. Perhaps not quite as badly as it did last year, but is back. It's the panic to draft a quarterback.

In 2011, the early mock drafts had Jake Locker going late in Round 1, and Christian Ponder not at all in the first 32 picks. But then you started to see the signs that something was going to change. And on draft day it did. Locker went #8 to Tennessee, and Ponder four picks later to Minnesota. San Francisco then traded up early into Round 2 to select Colin Kaepernick. The need to get your franchise quarterback is a strong one, and it is starting to look like the same thing is happening again in 2012.

Washington showed just how much they wanted Robert Griffin III by trading 3 first round picks and a second to select the Heisman Trophy winner in the second slot. After that things are getting interesting. Ryan Tannehill has all the tools to be a solid starter, but he was seen as someone who needed seasoning to reach his potential. PANIC!!! Now it's not whether or not he will go in Round 1, but how high.

As I have been compiling data for my latest DSA Player Rankings, Tannehill is making a move up the charts like I've never seen. Miami is looking to be the likely landing spot, but there is a question out there that only Mike Holmgren can answer: Will the Cleveland Browns take Ryan Tannehill with the 4th Overall Pick of the 2012 NFL Draft?

Cleveland lost out on Griffin, and I have previously posted that I thought it might work out best for the Browns as they could get Tannehill at #22. He won't last that long. After not being able to get Peyton Manning and Matt Flynn in free agency, Cleveland is going into the season with Colt McCoy at quarterback in a division with three playoff teams. With two first round picks, there is a possibility that they might trade up with the pick they acquired last year from Atlanta to get Tannehill, but that cost would be just as great as the Falcons paid to the Browns.

If that is the case, Tannehill better pan out, or Cleveland will be crying PANIC!!! in the Draft Room again, looking to find their franchise quarterback.

The Big Trade

It will become official next week when the NFL business years begins, but the Washington Redskins are the ones who will be making the trade up to #2 in the upcoming NFL Draft. Robert Griffin III will be making his way to the nation's capital courtesy of a blockbuster trade with the St. Louis Rams.

The trade is one that people will be talking for a long time. To move up four spots and most likely select the Heisman Trophy winner, Washington will be sending to St. Louis the #6 pick in the draft this year, their second round pick this year (39th overall), plus #1 picks the next two seasons. To say the least, it is a hefty ransom to pay for the reigning king of college football.

If Griffin can live up to his potential and make the Redskins winners again, then Washington will be seen as making a good deal in the long run. But for now, the two teams I see as reaping the biggest rewards are St. Louis and Cleveland.

The Rams are targeting Justin Blackmon so that Sam Bradford can have a playmaking target on the outside. At #6, there is a good chance he will still be there when they pick in the slot formerly held by Washington. Now they have their own pick at the top of the second round as well as the one just acquired by trade. That give them three picks in which to select building blocks for the future. Wide receiver to throw to, offensive lineman to block for Bradford and Steven Jackson, and a cornerback to shore up a secondary that was devastated by injury in 2011. With Jeff Fisher running the show in St. Louis, if the Rams can stay somewhat healthy, they may be able to make another dramatic turnaround just as they did in 2010.

I thought that Cleveland would be the team that would make the trade to move up and acquire Griffin. But by not trading they are a winner as well. They hold their own pick at #4 overall, and the #22 pick they acquired from Atlanta in the Julio Jones trade from last year. And with the 37th overall pick, they also hold three high draft picks this year. Running back is going to be a focal point with Peyton Hillis hitting the free agent market, and Trent Richardson is the prototypical power back that Cleveland has featured for years. His ability to catch passes out of the backfield makes him a valuable asset for the Browns and their West Coast offense.

At #22, they could select a top flight receiver for Colt McCoy to throw to, perhaps Michael Floyd or Kendall Wright. Or even another cornerback to play opposite Joe Haden or an offensive lineman to compliment Joe Thomas and Eric Steinbach. Taking one here and another in Round 2 will strengthen Cleveland, and in the AFC North they are going to need a lot of help in this draft. But one player they could get with either one of these picks could be Ryan Tannehill, the strong armed quarterback fro Texas A&M.

Any team that does not get Peyton Manning and who does not already have a solid quarterback situation will look at Tannehill. The team outside of the top 10 who fills this bill is Seattle. Tavaris Jackson and Charlie Whitehurst were both seen as the answer, but both have only brought about questions about their ability to lead the Seahawks past the resurgent San Francisco 49ers. If they do not take Tannehill at #12, they may want to trade up and get him late in the first round. Or Cleveland could land him at #22. Colt McCoy has shown flashes of talent, but has suffered enough concussions to make one worry about his long term viability. If Cleveland gets Richardson, Tannehill and perhaps Alshon Jeffrey, their offense will become very formidable in the years to come.

The two biggest offseason questions were who was trading for Robert Griffin III and where will Peyton Manning land. One has been answered. The other will come about soon enough. The landscape of the 2012 NFL Draft is starting to blossom. The picture will become much more clear in the next few days.

2012 DSA Player Rankings 1.0

After working way too much at my bill paying job, it is finally time to put forth the first DSA Player Rankings for the 2012 NFL Draft. After collecting data from mock drafts of all kinds, there are a number of things that are as certain as you are going to see this early in any draft year:

Andrew Luck is going #1 Overall to the Indianapolis Colts. With the announcement today of Peyton Manning and the Colts parting ways, there is no doubt now that Luck will be the first player taken in the draft.

Robert Griffin III is going #2 Overall, but to whom no one is certain yet. The St. Louis Rams are openly shopping the pick, and who makes the deal will be influenced by who signs the newly free agented Manning. I see the Cleveland Browns trading up to take Griffin, not just because they want the Heisman Trophy winning quarterback but also because the Rams are targeting Justin Blackmon, the dynamic playmaking wide receiver, and going any further down the draft board than 4th puts Tampa Bay into play in possibly selecting Blackmon. The Rams had problems on the offensive line, but that was mostly due to injuries. With a healthy Rodger Saffold and Jason Smith to provide time for Sam Bradford, St. Louis sees Blackmon as this years' A.J. Green, and after seeing how well Green and Andy Dalton worked together in Cincinnati they can only hope for similar results in St. Louis.

Matt Kalil is going to Minnesota with the #3 Overall pick. Christian Ponder showed promise at the end of the 2011 season for the Vikings, and putting Kalil at left tackle will only make him better. Plus, with Adrian Peterson coming back from knee surgery, Minnesota will need the anchor on the left side to protect their young quarterback and to open holes for their all-pro running back.

There are players who are already widely ranging up and down the mock draft boards. Trent Richardson is as high as #4 and as low as #17. Riley Reiff can be found up at #6 and down at #29. Janoris Jenkins is listed at #9 in one mock draft and not even in the first round in two others. While the top of the draft is what I call an Ivory Soap Lock (99 44/100%), the rest of the first round looks to be as unpredictable as ever. So here is the 2012 DSA Player Rankings 1.0:

1) Andrew Luck 1.0
2) Robert Griffin III 2.0
3) Matt Kalil 3.0
4) Justin Blackmon 4.60
5) Morris Claiborne 5.10
6) Quinton Coples 8.00
7) Melvin Ingram 9.60
8) Trent Richardson 10.00
9) Riley Reiff 11.20
10) Courtney Upshaw 13.80
11) Luke Kuechly 14.10
12) David DeCastro 14.80
13) Dre Kirkpatrick 15.60
14) Jonathon Martin 16.00
15) Dontari Poe 16.30
16) Michael Floyd 16.40
17) Michael Brockers 17.90
18) Cordy Glenn 19.10
19) Nick Perry 20.00
20) Ryan Tannehill 20.40
21) Janoris Jenkins 21.10
22) Whitney Mercilus 21.40
23) Fletcher Cox 23.20
24) Devon Still 23.30
25) Mark Barron 24.70
26) Mike Adams 25.90
27) Kendall Wright 26.10
28) Peter Konz 29.50
29) Dont'a Hightower 30.20
30) Jerel Worthy 30.30
31) Zach Brown 30.30
32) Coby Fleener 31.10
33) Stephen Gilmore 31.80
34) Andre Branch 32.70
35) Stephen Hill 34.40


In the next few days, it will be interesting to see what happens to the draft stock of Ryan Tannehill. Where Peyton Manning lands and who trades for the second pick to take Robert Griffin III will determine where Tannehill might land. I see the Browns moving up to take Griffin, and Manning going to a team with a better chance to win now. In the top 10, that would be Miami more than any other team, and I'm starting to get that gut feeling that the team he will land at in San Francisco. Great defense, weapons on offense and one of the best offensive lines in the league. I currently have Tannehill going #6 to Washington, and if everything falls into place the Redskins may be his new home simply because they could not get the other quarterbacks they wanted.

The 2012 NFL Draft season is starting to warm up. I for one am looking forward to it.

Working out at The Workout

The NFL Scouting Combine is quickly approaching, and when it comes to the quarterbacks there is one question that is always asked: Who is going to throw at the Combine, and who is going to pass on the opportunity, so to speak.

This year, Andrew Luck has already stated that he will not. Robert Griffin III will participate in all the on-field workouts but will not throw. Ryan Tannehill is recovering from an injury and will have to wait until his pro day. But looking at the 2011 Combine, there are two quarterbacks who did throw and it paid off for them.

One was Cam Newton. The Heisman Trophy winner was not a clear choice to go first overall in the draft heading into The Combine. He was not expected to throw but chose to do so anyway. The results were not impressive, to say the least. Questions about his accuracy surfaced right away when he was having trouble hitting his targets on even short routes. But one thing that impressed the Carolina Panthers was that he did choose to participate in the drills in the first place, and put himself out there for all to pick apart and criticize. One aspect of leadership is courage. Having the courage to go out on a limb and take a chance when you can very easily walk away is something every team should look for in its quarterback. Carolina saw what Newton was made of, and it paid off to the tune of 4,000 yards passing and 14 rushing touchdowns, both NFL rookie records.

The other quarterback who took advantage of an opportunity to throw at the 2011 NFL Combine was T.J. Yates from North Carolina. Yates led a team that would have been a national title contender if not for a long list of players who were suspended for the entire 2010 NCAA season for rules infractions. Yates got his chance to throw not as a top invitee but as one of the quarterbacks who got to throw to the receivers during the wideouts workouts. Yates could have just worked out at the UNC pro day, but the opportunity to impress all 32 teams was there and he too advantage. He looked good enough that the Houston Texans selected him in the 5th Round. He made the team as the 3rd string QB, and after injuries to Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart he got his chance. Yates led Houston to their first AFC South title and a win in the playoffs against Cincinnati. The Bengals were impressed by Yates at The Combine to the point where Coach Marvin Lewis said that if they had not been able to select Andy Dalton they were going to take Yates. It makes you wonder how many other teams had Yates on their radars after the 2011 Combine workouts, and how many would have overlooked him if he had not had the opportunity that was presented him last February.

The quarterback I see that has the best chance to impress at The Combine is Case Keenum. He is smaller in stature than most of the other quarterbacks, and is seen by many as a product of the Houston Cougar system. But he is a very accurate passer, and if he can make all the throws and hit the targets in unfamiliar surroundings teams may start to say 'He's about the same stature as Drew Brees, and he turned out to be a pretty good quarterback. Perhaps we should take a chance on him.'

That's all a lot of the players at the NFL Scouting Combine are looking for: a chance. Let's hope that those who take that chance can make it pay off in the end.

To Manning or Not To Manning...

...That is the question for the Indianapolis Colts.

It's amazing. The Super Bowl is being played in 2 days at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, and I'd say at least half of the talk this past two weeks has been about Peyton Manning.

Now that talk has been ramped up. Manning's doctors have cleared him to play. Jim Irsay, the owner of the Colts, then came out and tweeted that Manning has not been cleared by team doctors. Speculation is that Manning will be released. Or that the Colts will pick up his $28 million option. Or that Manning will retire. Whatever happens, I find it very interesting that the Colts find themselves in a situation that they faced, although with some differences, with a legendary quarterback nearly 40 years ago.

Let's go back to the early 1970's. The Baltimore Colts were Super Bowl champions in 1970, and lost in the AFC Championship game to Miami the next season. John Unitas was their quarterback, but he was at the end of his career. Robert Irsay, the father of the current Colts owner, purchased the Los Angeles Rams and then traded the franchise for the Colts from then owner Carroll Rosenbloom. One of Irsay's first moves was to move on from the Unitas era and start fresh. But Colts coach Don McCafferty was loyal to his old quarterback Unitas, and he did not want to make the change. Irsay then fired the coach who won the Super Bowl just two years earlier.

The Colts went into the 1973 NFL Draft with the 2nd Overall Pick. They then selected Bert Jones, the All-American quarterback from LSU. Irsay wanted to make a clean break from Unitas and then traded him to San Diego. Unitas played one season for the Chargers. He had the will, but his arm couldn't find the way after suffering a number of injuries beginning in the 1968 season. Playing for a bad Chargers team did not help, and the greatest quarterback of his era retired at the end of the season.

The Colts in 1973-74 were not the same team that had so much success in 1970-71. The players on the championship team got old fast, and Baltimore was left with a young team that struggled. But it all came into place in 1975, and Jones led the team to three straight AFC East titles. He also won the 1976 NFL MVP award, and was one of the best quarterbacks in the league during a time when you had Hall of Famers like Terry Bradshaw, Roger Staubach, Bob Greise, and Fran Tarkenton, along with Ken Stabler, Ken Anderson and others leading their teams.

But Jones got injured at the start of the 1978 season, and his reckless style of play was starting to catch up with him. He was traded before the 1982 season to the Rams, but played one year before retiring. The injury that shortened his career-a neck injury.

Peyton Manning will most likely be released by the Colts and will be a very sought after free agent. Jim Irsay is going to follow in his father's footsteps and will move forward with Andrew Luck at quarterback. The Colts might struggle at first but I don't think it will be for long. Manning will be playing the role of the Spartan warrior of long ago. Come back with your shield or on it. He could lead a good team to the top, or he could be carted off never to take the field again. But all I can think about is the line in Jurassic Park, when Dr. Malcolm is trying to convince John Hammond that creating dinosaurs is a bad idea:

Yeah but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.

Perhaps Manning should stop to think if he should even come back. The NFL is a better league with him healthy and playing. It will take a hit if Manning does as well and his injuries become too much to overcome. I wish Peyton Manning all the best, and most importantly health and happiness. Which he can have by walking away with his shield instead of being carried off on it.

The Quarterback Draft of 2012

The TMG DraftZone is back, and it's time to talk about the upcoming NFL Draft. Last year, interior lineman were a dominant feature on everyones draft boards. It was The Big Uglies that were in the spotlight. In 2012, it will be the pretty boys. Wide receivers, running backs and cornerbacks will get a lot of attention. But the quarterbacks will rule the day.

The top two prospects in the 2012 NFL Draft are quarterbacks Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III. The Indianapolis Colts hold the #1 Overall Selection, and have already indicated they will take Luck. St. Louis has the second pick, and with Sam Bradford already entrenched as their signal caller, teams will be falling over themselves wanting to trade and move up to get Griffin. Jeff Fisher is the new head coach of the Rams, but he may as well be a reincarnation of Monty Hall in Let's Make A Deal.

But beyond Luck and Griffin, quarterbacks already on rosters or free agents will be the reason this year will be The Quarterback Draft. The Colts have a decision to make with Peyton Manning. Do they pick up his option for $28 million, and have him serve as a mentor to Luck? Do they sign him and trade the longtime face of the franchise? Do they make a clean break and let Manning become a free agent? Or does Manning say he has had enough, that three neck surgeries are two many for a quarterback, and say it's time to retire?

My gut feeling is that the Colts will not pick up the option on Manning, and that Peyton will retire. But if the right situation comes around, I could also see Manning moving to a contending team for one last run at a championship that would cement his legacy, and that team could be the New York Jets. Woody Johnson, the owner of the Jets, has publicly supported his quarterback Mark Sanchez, but has also indicated he could pursue Manning if he were available. For arguments sake, let's say the Jets sign Manning. What happens to Sanchez? There is no way he will sit behind Manning, then move back into the starters role after a couple of seasons. His own teammates, albeit anonymously, have criticized his play and work habits. It would not be far fetched that he would demand a trade, and a team like Washington, Miami or Cleveland could be a possible landing spot.

Speaking of which, those three teams are the most likely to trade up with St. Louis to select Griffin. But if Sanchez is available, he could be a less costly move to upgrade the quarterback position. Because the team that trades with the Rams for the second pick will be mortgaging their draft future to get Griffin. Last year, Atlanta traded 5 draft picks to Cleveland to move up to #6 and select Julio Jones. It will take a deal of that magnitude this year to get the Heisman Trophy winner from Baylor. The Browns have the leverage of being able to trade those picks from the Falcons, and they have Colt McCoy in place now who could quarterback the team until Griffin is ready. But after watching Cam Newton and Andy Dalton do what they did in 2011 without the benefit of OTA's and a shortened training camp, and after watching Griffin play last year, he needs to get the ball right away. I believe he will.

The most intriguing free agent quarterback will be Matt Flynn from Green Bay. Intriguing because of excellent results from a small sample size. He started one game against New England in 2010, and played well in a loss. He then started the final game of the 2011 season against Detroit, and set franchise records for yards and touchdowns in a game. And considering the Packers history, those are impressive records. But the question isn't if a team will take a chance on Flynn, it will be which one will.

Finally, what will Denver do in regards to Tim Tebow. John Elway has stated that Tebow will be the teams starter going into training camp, but that endorsement is as lukewarm as a three day old pot of coffee. Brady Quinn is a free agent, and not likely to return, and the only other quarterback on the Broncos roster is Adam Weber, who spent the year on the practice squad. Tebow may have turned the season around for Denver, but the injuries he suffered in the playoff loss to New England should be a warning for the Broncos. No matter how big and tough a quarterback is, if he is a running quarterback he is going to get beat up. Tebow proved that his biggest weakness is as a pocket passer, and I would not be surprised if Weber gets a good look in training camp and in preseason games with the first team starters. If Elway decides to move Tebow, Jacksonville could be a landing spot. You have a new owner looking to fill the stadium and put a winner on the field, and having a hometown hero like Tebow could accomplish both. As long as Tebow can stay on the field.

The 2012 NFL Draft will be dominated by the quarterbacks. Both incoming and already there. Things will start to fall into place once the Colts and Peyton Manning decide what each one is going to do. After that, the dominoes will start falling into place. I can't wait for the push that gets everything going. Let the NFL Draft Season begin.