What Should They Do? - Vikings

The Vikings are sort of stuck in an awkward position with the seventh pick. Their most glaring need is at WR but the trio of Ted Ginn, Dwayne Bowe, Robert Meachem, and Dwayne Jarrett offer little in the way of distinguishing which player is better than the other three. The best player on the board is Brady Quinn, but they drafted a QB in the 2nd round last year who is just this season getting the opportunity to play. The best move would be to trade down to a later slot with a team that might desperately want Brady Quinn like the Dolphins, Jacksonville, Kansas City, or Baltimore. If a move like that does not happen, the team would be forced to select a WR with this pick. The most complete WR is Dwayne Bowe who has a great mixture of size, strength, speed, and route running. He is a consistently hard worker and a good blocker in the running game.

In the second round the team should look to add depth on the offensive line at guard. The best available guard at this spot in the draft is Arron Sears of Tennessee. Sears might end up starting opposite Steve Hutchinson by the time the season is over and will additionally be able to backup Bryant McKinnie at the LT position. Sears should team with Hutchinson to form a devastating run blocking duo that will be the envy of the league as early as next season.

With their third round pick, the Vikings should again look to the WR position. The candidates who could still be available at this spot are Jason Hill, Craig Davis, Steve Smith, and Courtney Taylor. The pick should be Steve Smith, who may be a first rounder if he had played for another team and was not so overshadowed by Dwayne Jarrett as the focal point of the offense. Smith is fast, has adequate size, runs crisp routes and has great hands. He will be a great fit opposite Bowe.

What Should They Do? - Redskins

With the Redskins in the unenviable position of having only one pick in day one, the logical thing for them to do would be to trade down two to three times in the first round in order to drop into the early twenties and select the best player available, acquiring much needed picks in the process. However if they had to stay put, they would be unable to fill the teams biggest need at DE or WR with the 6th pick as no player of that value is still available at this slot. The next area of need would be to draft a FS for the purposes of moving Sean Taylor to his more natural positon of SS, where his gambling style will have less effect. LaRon Landry is far and away the best FS in this draft, with 4.3 speed, great size, and even better instincts on the field. Landry will instantly solidify the secondary, assuming that Shawn Springs can stay healthy as well. It will be intersting to see which Landry becomes the toast of the area as LaRon's brother Dawan is the starting FS for the Baltimore Ravens.

What Should They Do? - Cardinals

The Cardinals selection is the most obvious at this point in the draft. With their many years of offensive line woes the Cards should select Joe Thomas, LT, from Wisconsin. Thomas will step in from day one and start at either the LT or RT positions depending on where they want him with Matt Leinart being a left hander. Thomas' great run blocking skills will also be shown when Edge James finds a little more daylight this year than he did last season.

With their 2nd rounder the team should focus on acquiring a DE to provide a serious pass rush opposite a healthy Bertrand Berry. Players who could be available at this point are Charles Johnson, Anthony Spencer, and Quentin Moses. The player who has the size and speed to succeed in the NFL is Charles Johnson, who will hold up against the run a lot better than the other two, who may be better utilized as situational pass rushers.

With their 3rd round pick the team needs to add a run stuffing DT to the defensive line, where Darnell Dockett and Kendrick Clancy are better suited to play the three-technique defensive tackle. The best DT available at this spot is Marcus Thomas, who was the most talented defensive player at Florida but was kicked off the team for marijuana use. Thomas has top 15 talent to go with his 315lb frame. He will provide a huge pass rush as well as run stuffing from his spot and the behavioral risk is offset by depth at the position and getting him in the third round.

What Should They Do? - Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Bucs like many teams drafting this high have a lot of holes. The Bucs are no exception with glaring holes on the defensive line, wide receiver, and at the safety position. Prospects are available to fill all of these positions this high in the draft, but the team should look to the positions of scarcity. In this particular draft it is DE where only a few elite prospects exist. Gaines Adams of Clemson should be the Bucs selection. He will provide an immediate boost in the 3rd down pass rush opposite Simeon Rice and will probably be able to take over as the starter at the other DE by next season. Expect Adams to be around 10 sacks and in the top 3 for Defensive Rookie of the Year by the time the season is over.

In the 2nd round, the Bucs hold two picks, a high one and a low one acquired from Indianapolis in the Anthony McFarland trade. With the higher pick the team should look to fill the hole at DT left by McFarland and select Jonathan Harrell, DT, from Tennessee. Harrell has massive size and could play north of 325lbs. He also has remarkable toughness after playing an entire game with a torn biceps tendon. He could step in immediately and start opposite Chris Hovan. With the later pick, the team should address their need at S by selecting the versatile Eric Weddle from Utah. Weddle can play either safety spot and corner, has great speed and instincts, which are required of safeties in the Cover 2 scheme more than the corners. Weddle could start at SS right away or allow Will Allen to be moved there, while also providing an effective backup to Ronde Barber and Brian Kelly at the cornerback position.

With their 3rd round pick the Bucs should select Daymeion Hughes, CB, from California. Hughes is an elite talent that dropped due to him running in the 4.5s in individual workouts. Anyone watching him on film notices that he stands out more than any other player in the game, making tackles, intercepting balls, and shutting down wide receivers. His tackling abilities and coverage instincts make him an ideal fit in a Cover 2 scheme. He should be starting opposite Ronde Barber by next season.

What Should They Do? - Browns

With a team full of holes, the first thing that the Browns should try and do is trade down twice. First into the bottom half of the top 10 and then into the mid teens where they would be able to select either a LT like Joe Staley or Levi Brown, or a CB like Chris Houston, Darrell Revis, or Leon Hall. However since that is not likely with many teams looking to trade down this year, the Browns should select the best player available in the first round which falls to JaMarcus Russell. Russell may be hit or miss but his physical skills, arm strength, accuracy, and on field performance are undeniable. His size should also allow him to absorb some of the punishment that seems to plague Browns signal callers during the season. The safe choice would be Joe Thomas, but if Calvin Johnson is gone and no trade down available, the Browns should go with Russell.

In the 2nd round the Browns should take LT Joe Staley or CB Chris Houston if either of them are available. I'm betting that Houston would be more likely to still be there. Houston is freakishly fast and strong for a CB and has an impressive resume of shutting down Dwayne Jarrett, Dwayne Bowe, Earl Bennett, Dallas Baker, and every other WR he faced except for Sidney Rice. He also should a great affinity to coming up and supporting in the run game.

With their 3rd round pick the team should look at OGs to provide depth behind the always questionable Ryan Tucker. At this point the best available guard should be Josh Beekman of Boston College. Though a little short at 6'1", Beekman has shown a great ability to get out and maul players while pulling. He will provide great depth and possibly start opposite Eric Steinbach as early as next season.

What should they do? - Lions

The Lions hold the 2nd pick in the draft. The team's biggest needs are at the DE, CB, OL, and QB positions. A lot of problems exist for the Lions in drafting from this spot without trading down. For instance there is not a DE that is considered a top 3 pick and it would not make sense to draft one here unless they trade down 3-5 picks to do so. There is not a CB prospect who is a top 10 pick and this draft is very deep at corner with many first round talents available in the 2nd or even the 3rd round. At OL most of the Lions problems are in the interior line positions with Jeff Backus and the recently acquired George Foster above average OTs on the outside. Saying that, there are not any players that are even in the top 15 that are interior lineman. At QB, the Lions believe that they can develop a non-1st round player, utilizing the abilities of Mike Martz to do so, with his impressive track record with Trent Green, Kurt Warner, and Mark Bulger.

There is nothing logical for the Lions to do but to trade down 3-5 picks to a team that really wants one of the QBs or Joe Thomas. Arizona, Minnesota, and Miami are possibilities. The trade down would allow them to pick up 2-3 extra draft picks. But regardless of whether the trade happens or not, the Lions would likely select a DE with the top two candidates being Jamal Anderson of Arkansas or Gaines Adams of Clemson. Anderson is the larger player at 6'6", 280lbs, with Adams measuring at 6'4", 260lbs. They are both great players with Anderson playing the run slightly better and Adams rushing the passer better. It is basically a coin flip as to which player the team would select at this point.

In my opinion the selection should Jamal Anderson. Though Adams has the better track record of success, he will never be a guy that could get up to 290lbs and provide the versatility of Jamal Anderson. Anderson had a breakout season this past year, notching 14 sacks while playing in college football's best conference. Anderson has long arms and a quick burst from the line, though he will need to develop his pass rush moves in the pros. He should step in immediately and do well given the double teaming of Shaun Walker in the middle.

In the 2nd round the Lions should focus on the OG position with Justin Blalock of Texas and Ben Grubbs of Auburn possibly available. Either of these players could step in immediately and start, greatly enhancing the effectiveness of the running game. If both of these players is gone, the focus should shift to CB or QB with CB Marcus McCauley of Fresno State, QB Drew Stanton of Michigan State, CB Eric Wright of UNLV, or CB Daymeion Hughes of California (assuming the team is serious about acquiring a CB that can tackle). Any of these players would fit the bill quite well.

In the 3rd round, the Lions should look at the CB position again with the focus resting on Daymeion Hughes of California, Fred Bennett of South Carolina, or Johnathan Wade of Tennessee. The selection of two quality CBs in this draft would greatly upgrade the Lions secondary, especially after the trade of Dre Bly to the Broncos. There is a chance that the Lions could be starting two rookies by the end of the season.

What should they do? - Raiders

Oakland holds the first pick in the draft. Numerous early reports have them taking Jamarcus Russell from LSU with this pick. Russell may be an intriguing talent with the best arm for a QB in a decade, but he should not be the pick they make. When picking first overall in the draft it is more imperative than ever that the team select as guaranteed an impact player as possible. Whiffing with this high a selection can have a poisonous impact on team morale. Ask the Browns and Bungles about this.

The Raiders have a need at many positions. The serious needs are on the offensive side where WR, QB, and OL are a tremendous priority. But among these WR is the most glaring. Though the team has "name" players like Randy Moss and Jerry Porter, they do not have quality at the position as these two are more concerned about earning their way out of town than earning their paychecks. QB has an intriguing prospect in Andrew Walter, who has himself an incredibly strong arm, has started 10 games with essentially dismal results. But remember that he did this behind a woeful O-line throwing to WRs who admittedly were not really trying to catch the ball. Walter should be given more time to prove himself before drafting a guy like Russell who is a very similar player. A veteran QB that knows that he is only there to mentor Walter should be brought in to do so. A guy that is too old to be taken seriously as a starting candidate, like a Vinny Testaverde, could really help Walter figure out the QB position even if a horrendous QB coach is in place. The awful O-line should be addressed later in the draft since there is not a player who is a surefire #1 pick available.

The Raiders pick should be Calvin Johnson. He automatically gives the team a tremendous mismatch on the outside ever time he is on the field. He leaves the other WRs in single coverage automatically. Even if he is doubled, when Walter is in trouble he can likely have a pretty nice safety valve in just throwing it high to Johnson who is well noted for his ability to catch the ball in traffic. Additionally Johnson is an aggressive blocker who should help free up Lamont Jordan or Dominic Rhodes on the outside. Johnson could also be moved all over the field, put on the outside, the slot, and even at TE to really confuse other teams and get him really mismatched on a LB. Johnson is the only guy the Raiders should even be considering with this pick. Russell is not much more than a heavier, blacker version of Andrew Walter, who still has not failed to the point of going in another direction.

With their second round pick the Raiders should look at the OL and possibly the QB position. At OL, Justin Blalock of Texas and Joe Staley of Central Michigan could still be available at this point. Blalock would be an immediate infusion of talent at the OG position and really help the running game get going. Staley could step in and be the LT of the future, moving Robert Gallery to the RT slot, where his short arms are less likely to be exposed by pass rushers. If these guards are taken the team is better off trying to move down into the middle of the round, picking up a few more picks, and picking OG Arron Sears of Tennessee. If that is not available to them, they should stand pat and pick QB Drew Stanton of Michigan State. Stanton has a strong arm, toughness, and a tremendous upgrade in mobility over any QB on their roster.

With their 3rd round pick the Raiders should look again at upgrading the OG position. If Arron Sears is still available then he should be the pick. If he is gone, they could trade down to the middle of the round and grab a guy like OG Manuel Ramirez or Texas Tech or OG Josh Beekman of Boston College.

Mid March Positional Rankings (As I see it)

QB

Jamarcus Russell, LSU

Brady Quinn, Notre Dame

Drew Stanton, Michigan State

Trent Edwards, Stanford

Troy Smith, Ohio State

Sleeper - John Beck, BYU

RB

Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma

Marshawn Lynch, California

Kenny Irons, Auburn

Chris Henry, Arizona

Antonio Pittman, Ohio State

Michael Bush, Louisville

Lorenzon Booker, Florida State

Sleeper - Deshawn Wynn, Florida

WR

Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech

Dwayne Bowe, LSU

Robert Meachem, Tennessee

Ted Ginn, Ohio State

Sidney Rice, South Carolina

Anthony Gonzalez, Ohio State

Dwayne Jarrett, USC

Sleeper - Roy Hall, Ohio State

TE

Greg Olsen, Miami

Zach Miller, Arizona State

Ben Patrick, Delaware

Matt Spaeth, Minnesota

Joe Newton, Oregon State

Sleeper - Jonny Harline

OT

Joe Thomas, Wisconsin

Levi Brown, Penn State

Joe Staley, Central Michigan

Tony Ugoh, Arkansas

James Marten, Boston College

Ryan Harris, Notre Dame

Doug Free, Northern Illinois

Sleeper - Jarred Gaither, Maryland

OG

Justin Blalock, Texas

Ben Grubbs, Auburn

Arron Sears, Tennessee

Josh Beekman, Boston College

Mansfield Wrotto, Georgia Tech

Manuel Ramirez, Texas Tech,

Tim Duckworth, Auburn

Sleeper - Gabe Hall, Texas Tech

C

Ryan Kalil, USC

Samson Satele, Hawaii

Doug Datish, Ohio State

Dustin Fry, Clemson

Leroy Harris, North Carolina State

Drew Mormino, Central Michigan

4-3 DE

Jamal Anderson, Arkansas

Gaines Adams, Clemson

Adam Carriker, Nebraska

Charles Johnson, Georgia

Tim Crowder, Texas

Jarvis Moss, Florida

Anthony Spencer, Purdue

Sleeper - Bryan Robison, Texas

3-4 DE

Jamal Anderson, Arkansas

Amobi Okoye, Louisville

Adam Carriker, Nebraska

Marcus Thomas, Florida

Charles Johnson, Georgia

Sleeper - David Patterson, Ohio State

DT

Amobi Okoye, Louisville

Alan Branch, Michigan

Jusitn Harrell, Tennessee

Quinn Pitcock, Ohio State

Tank Tyler, North Carolina State

Ray McDonald, Florida

Brandon Mebane, California

Sleeper - Keith Jackson, Arkansas

OLB

Paul Posluszny, Penn State

John Beason, Miami

Lawrence Timmons, Florida State

Tim Shaw, Penn State

Rufus Alexander, Oklahoma

Sleeper - Antwan Barnes, FIU

ILB

Patrick Willis, Mississippi State

Brandon Siler, Florida

David Harris, Michigan
Rory Johnson, Mississippi
HB Blades, Pittsburgh
Tony Taylor, Georgia
Anthony Waters, Clemson
Sleeper - Jon Abbate, Wake Forest

CB

Chris Houston, Arkansas

Daymeion Hughes, California

Darrell Revis, Pittsburgh

Eric Wright UNLV

Leon Hall, Michigan

Marcus McCauley, Fresno State

Aaron Ross, Texas

Sleeper - John Bowie, Cincinnati

S

LaRon Landry, LSU
Reggie Nelson, Florida
Brandon Merriweather, Miami
Sabby Piscitelli, Oregon State
Michael Griffin, Texas
John Wendling, Wyoming
Aaron Rouse, Virginia Tech
Sleeper - Daren Stone, Maine

Post Combine Positional Rankings

QB

Jamarcus Russell, LSU

Brady Quinn, Notre Dame

Drew Stanton, Michigan State

Trent Edwards, Stanford

Troy Smith, Ohio State

Sleeper - John Beck, BYU

RB

Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma

Marshawn Lynch, California

Kenny Irons, Auburn

Chris Henry, Arizona

Michael Bush, Louisville

Antonio Pittman, Ohio State

Lorenzo Booker, Florida State

Sleeper - Garret Wolfe, Northern Illinois

WR

Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech

Dwayne Bowe, LSU

Robert Meachem, Tennessee

Ted Ginn, Ohio State

Sidney Rice, South Carolina

Anthony Gonzalez, Ohio State

Dwayne Jarrett, USC

Sleeper - Legeda Naanee, Boise State

TE

Greg Olsen, Miami

Zach Miller, Arizona State

Ben Patrick, Delaware

Matt Spaeth, Minnesota

Joe Newton, Oregon State

Sleeper - Jonny Harline, BYU

OT

Joe Thomas, Wisconsin

Levi Brown, Penn State

Joe Staley, Central Michigan

Tony Ugoh, Arkansas

James Marten, Boston College

Ryan Harris, Notre Dame

Doug Free, Northern Illinois

Sleeper - Jarred Gaither, Maryland

OG

Justin Blalock, Texas

Ben Grubbs, Auburn

Arron Sears, Tennessee

Mansfield Wrotto, Georgia Tech

Josh Beekman, Boston College

Manuel Ramirez, Texas Tech

Tim Duckworth, Auburn

Sleeper - Gabe Hall, Texas Tech

C

Ryan Kalil, USC

Samson Satele, Hawaii

Doug Datish, Ohio State

Dustin Fry, Clemson

Leroy Harris, North Carolina State

Sleeper - Drew Mormino, Central Michigan

DE

Jamal Anderson, Arkansas

Gaines Adams, Clemson

Adam Carriker, Nebraska

Charles Johnson, Georgia

Anthony Spencer, Purdue

Tim Crowder, Texas

Jarvis Moss, Florida

Sleeper - Bryan Robison, Texas

DT

Alan Branch, Michigan

Amobi Okoye, Louisville

Quinn Pitcock, Ohio State

Tank Tyler, North Carolina State

Jonathan Harrell, Tennessee

Ray McDonald, Florida

Brandon Mebane, California

Sleeper - Keith Jackson, Arkansas

OLB

Paul Posluszny, Penn State

Jon Beason, Miami

Tim Shaw, Penn State

Lawrence Timmons, Florida State

Rufus Alexander, Oklahoma

Sleeper - Antwan Barnes, FIU

ILB

Patrick Willis, Missouri

Brandon Siler, Florida

David Harris, Michigan

Rory Johnson, Mississippi

HB Blades, Pittsburgh

Tony Taylor, Georgia

Anthony Waters, Clemson

Sleeper - Jon Abbate, Wake Forest

CB

Chris Houston, Arkansas

Leon Hall, Michigan

Darrell Revis, Pittsburgh

Aaron Ross, Texas

Marcus McCauley, Fresno State

Eric Wright, UNLV

Jonathan Wade, Tennessee

Sleeper - Daymeion Hughes, California

S

LaRon Landry, LSU

Reggie Nelson, Florida

Brandon Merriweather, Miami

Sabby Piscitelli, Oregon State

Michael Griffin, Texas

John Wendling, Wyoming

Aaron Rouse, Virginia Tech

Sleeper - Daren Stone, Maine

S and CB Combine Risers

Chris Houston, CB, Arkansas - Houston went into the Combine as a sleeper of sorts, projected as a day 1 pick, but with many curious about his ability to completely shut down some of the best WRs in college football. Houston blew everyone away this weekend, making up for his lack of height (slightly below 5'10") with the sheer amount of physical superlatives in other drills. Houston easily had the best physique, wowing onlookers with his LB-like build and strength as he posted 27 bench reps, no doubt the reason he is a killer in press coverage. In addition to that he ran the fastest 40 of all DBs, soundly beating a number of noted speedsters with a 4.32. Combining those physical numbers with his collegiate performance, I cannot see how Houston would not be a mid-first round pick.

LaRon Landry, S, LSU - Landry came into the weekend locked into a battle with Reggie Nelson and Brandon Merriweather over who would be the first safety selected. Landry stood out this weekend running the second fastest 40 behind Houston. Already much larger than the other two, Landry proved he was much faster as well, likely vaulting him into the top 10.

Sabby Piscitelli, SS, Oregon State - Watching Piscitelli play at 220lbs+ ambling around the Beavers's secondary this season, he looked for sure like a candidate to be converted to LB as a pro. However his speed and agility times were quite impressive. Sabby ran a sub 4.5 40 along with posting a 3.9 shuttle which was the best among all athletes invited to workout this weekend. He is a tackling machine with the speed to cover. He still might get converted into a LB ala Brian Urlacher but that depends on what team drafts him.

Jonathan Wade, CB, Tennessee - Wade came in with many seeing the SEC standout as a S due to speed concerns. Wade swept away those concerns with a blazing 4.36 40 time that will surely keep him at CB and coupled with his sure tackling ability locks him in as a day 1 selection.

LB and DL Combine Risers

Adam Carriker, DE, Nebraska - Carriker validated himself as the most athletic of the large 3-4 type DEs, weighing in at 290lbs, but running a shuttle drill and a 3-cone drill in the top three of defensive lineman at the combine, most of whom he outweighs by 30lbs. Carriker has solidified a top 15 slot in the draft.

Patrick Willis, LB, Missouri - Willis had one of the best seasons of any LB in the draft as well as having a standout Senior Bowl. He went into the Combine as an early 2nd rounder or a late 1st rounder because of questions about his athleticism. Willis answered the skeptics by posting a blazing 4.51 40 and a 39 inch vertical leap, likely solidifying a slot in the middle of the 1st round.

Tim Shaw, LB, Penn State - After spending a season playing DE, Shaw reminded everyone at the combine how well he could play MLB. Shaw ran a 4.51 40 and posted a shuttle time in the top 3 of all LBs. Shaw has served notice and the MLB rankings will probably be shuffled because of it. Shaw will likely be a day 1 selection after this weekend.

Dallas Sartz, LB, USC - Sartz went into the weekend as a clear late round pick, with many believing that he was not athletic enough to start at LB in the NFL. Sartz answered those questions, not with his speed, but with his impressive change of direction abilities, posting times near the top of all LBs at the Combine. Sartz's numbers are reminiscent of times of Zach Thomas or John Holocek, notoriously slow in the 40 with exceptional quickness. Only difference is that Sartz is faster than those two. Sartz will likely be selected at the beginning of day 2 now.

QB, RB, and WR Combine Risers

Drew Stanton, QB, Michigan State - Stanton showed off better than expected arm strength and accuracy, especially on the 15 yard out patterns. In addition to a great physique, Stanton also impressed in his 40 time, which was in the low 4.7s. Stanton seems poised at this point to take over the 3rd rated QB position behind Russell and Quinn.

Anthony Gonzalez, WR, Ohio State - Gonzalez turned in an impressive workout, posting a 40 in the mid 4.4s, soft and consistent hands in the pass catching drills, as well as matching the best shuttle time among wide outs at 4.08s. Gonzalez has solidified a spot in round 2 with the possibility of sneaking into the bottom of round 1 depending on the workouts of those that bypassed performing at the combine.

D'Juan Woods, WR, Oklahoma State - Woods athletic numbers tended to be in the middle of the pack of this impressively fast group of WRs. However Woods displayed far and away the best hands of any offensive player at the combine, using his unusually large and soft mitts to pull in anything and everything near him, including a spectacular one-handed snag over his shoulder while in a full sprint. Woods might have snuck into Day 1 with his performance.

Chris Henry, RB, Arizona State - Henry probably had the biggest jump of the day, going from a late round pick to a likely first day pick. Henry weighed in at 230lbs and then went on to tie for the fastest 40 time among all RBs at the combine as well as one of the top shuttle times. He has only started a handful of games at ASU due to injuries but one team might jump on his excellent combo of size and speed at the end of round 1.

OL and TE Combine risers

Greg Olsen, TE, Miami - Olsen probably made himself the most money this weekend with his 4.5 40, good reps on the bench, and display of pass catching abilities. He will probably move to he middle of the first round at this point. However I am still not sold on him being worth that high of a pick. He disappeared in too many games for someone with the talent and skills that he has. People make excuses for him using the offense and QB as an excuse, but true talent does not get completely snuffed out by poor play around him. Calvin Johnson had one of the worst QBs tossing the ball to him and he stood out every game that he was in.

Justin Blalock, OG, Texas - Blalock showed nimble feet, good balance, great bend at the knees and ankles, and top notch strength in his workouts. His 40 was average but that is an overrated measurement of offensive linemen anyway. He should go in the middle of the first and deserves to be taken that high.

Tony Ugoh, OT, Arkansas - Ugoh came into the Combine with the reputation of being a little bit raw skill wise but having great athleticism for his position. Sure enough Ugoh performed great in all of the measureables including jumping a whopping 9'9" in the broad jump after he had pulled a quad. He showed that he is athletic enough to be a LT in the league but he needs coaching in proper technique first. He should be a second rounder.

Michael Allen, TE, Whitworth - Allen came into the Combine as the only DIII prospect in attendance. He showed that he has some ability, displaying good pass catching skills, and a 40 time that was the second fastest behind Olsen. He solidified that he would be drafted and might even make it into the 4th round.

Pre - FA Team Needs

Arizona - DE, LT, DT, FS, CB

Atlanta - DE, S, RB, CB, QB

Baltimore - RB, QB, OT, MLB, CB

Buffalo - CB, MLB, DE, RT, CB

Carolina - RT, MLB, OG, WR, QB

Chicago - DT, TE, QB, OG, OLB

Cincinnati - CB, OLB, DT, DE, OLB

Cleveland - LT, CB, OG, DE, RB

Dallas - FS, OT, WR, ILB, CB

Denver - DE, CB, FS, RB, SS

Detroit - DE, OT, WR, RB, OG

Green Bay - RB, DT, TE, FS, WR

Houston - RB, DT, S, OLB, QB

Indianapolis - DT, OLB, MLB, DE, RB

Jacksonville - DE, OLB, MLB, SS, OL

Kansas City - OG, WR, S, C, QB

Miami - QB, DT, CB, FS, C

Minnesota - WR, QB, CB, DT

New Orleans - CB, DT, SS, OLB, DT

New England - LB, SS, CB, RB, WR

New York Giants - CB, LT, DT, OLB, FS

New York Jets - CB, DT, OLB, RB, OLB

Oakland - QB, OT, OG, WR, OLB

Philadelphia - OLB, CB, MLB, WR, FS

Pittsburgh - C, OG, DE, CB, OT

San Diego - WR, SS, DE, ILB, OT

San Fransisco - WR, CS, SS, DT, DE

Seattle - DT, C, TE, OG, CB

St. Louis - DE, OLB, CB, RB, WR

Tampa Bay - DE, WR, QB, DT, CB

Tennessee - CB, DE, OT, WR, S

Washington - DE, DT, CB, FS, OT

Guys to watch at Combine

Chris Houston, CB, Arkansas - Houston went under the radar of more prominent prospects for most of the regular season. Houston's work on the field should bring him a lot of acclaim in draft circles however. When matched up against some of the top WRs in the country, Houston stood out when it mattered most. Houston held heavyweights such as Dwayne Jarrett, Robert Meachem, Dallas Baker, Dwayne Bowe, Courtney Taylor, and Earl Bennett, in check well below their season averages. In fact the only WR to get the best of Chris Houston this season was Sidney Rice. Houston has blazing speed and a phenomenal upper body for a CB, making his jams at the line very effective. I would not be surprised to see Houston turn in a 4.4 4o time and 25 reps in the bench. He is going to get himself noticed this weekend.

Michael Coe, CB, Alabama State - Coe will use this weekend to display his formidable physical talents in front of every pro team that did not get a chance to see him play until he made a statement as an injury replacement. Expect Coe to post a 40 in the 4.4s along with great change of direction abilities. He is raw from a technique standpoint but that should improve with quality coaching at the next level.

Joe Staley, LT, Central Michigan - Staley is a converted TE moved to LT his sophomore year of college. He has great feet and movement skills and should display those abilities this weekend, moving him into the bottom of the first round. Staley still needs to add strength, but it is clear that he was a state qualifying 200m sprinter in high school when the 300lb tackle runs down the field.

Lorenzo Booker, RB, Florida State - Booker will make himself some money this weekend as he reminds scouts what a phenomenal talent he is with his sure to be gaudy numbers in the 40 and the directional drills. Also on display will be his receiver-like hands and instant acceleration. His size will be a drawback, but it also makes him an asset on screens hiding behind those lineman.

Pre-Combine Rankings

Pre-combine Positional ranking

QB

Jamarcus Russell, LSU

Brady Quinn, Notre Dame

Drew Stanton, Michigan State

RB

Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma

Marshawn Lynch, California

Michael Bush, Louisville

3rd Down RB

Lorenzo Booker, Florida State

Darius Walker, Notre Dame

Garrett Wolfe, Northern Illinois

WR
Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech

Dwayne Bowe, LSU

Ted Ginn, Ohio State

TE

Zach Miller, Arizona State

Greg Olsen, Miami

Ben Patrick, Delaware

OT

Joe Thomas, Wisconsin

Levi Brown, Penn State

Joe Staley, Central Michigan

OG

Justin Blalock, Texas

Ben Grubbs, Auburn

Arron Sears, Tennessee

C

Ryan Kalil, USC

Doug Datish, Ohio State

Dustin Fry, Clemson

4-3 DE

Jamal Anderson, Arkansas

Gaines Adams, Clemson

Jarvis Moss, Florida

3-4 DE

Jamal Anderson, Arkansas

Adam Carriker, Nebraska

Charles Johnson, Georgia

DT

Alan Branch, Michigan

Amobi Okoye, Louisville

Johnathan Harrell, Tennessee

NT

Alan Branch, Michigan

Johnathan Harrell, Tennessee

Quinn Pitcock, Ohio State

OLB

Lawrence Timmons, Florida State

Paul Posluszny, Penn State

Jon Beason, Miami

MLB

Patrick Willis, Mississippi

Brandon Siler, Florida

Tony Taylor, Georgia

CB

Daymeion Hughes, California

Chris Houston, Georgia

Darrell Revis, Pittsburgh

S

Laron Landry, LSU

Reggie Nelson, Florida

Brandon Merriweather, Miami

Altered perceptions at the Senior Bowl

Risers

Dwayne Bowe, WR, LSU - No one did more during the week to improve his draft stock. Bowe essentially put on a clinic during the week, especially during one-on-one and passing skeleton drills. Bowe exhibited tremendous body control, strong hands, polished route running, and effective blocking. The strength of his hands really came through in several jump ball situations in which he was able to pull the ball out of the hands of a DB on several occasions. His ability to position his body to shield a close defender from the ball and his strong lower body that allows him to break tackles make him an ideal fit for a West Coast offense. He will fit well anywhere, but look for a West Coast based offense to value his skills at a higher level than a vertical based passing system.

Ryan Kalil, C, USC - Kalil came into the Senior Bowl, likely positioned as the second or third best center prospect, but clearly leaves Mobile as the top rated center. Kalil displayed a technical expertise far superior to the other lineman at the combine, showing great hand placement, an intuitive knee bend, and a unique knowledge of hip positioning. Kalil consistently held off larger players in one-on-one and running game drills, even on several occasions in which he was initially beat, shifting his hips on the fly to regain leverage against his opponent. The one drawback to Kalil's technical expertise is that he has little room to improve in that area and may have a lower ceiling than other players. Regardless, once he gets his playing weight to 300, Kalil will be ready to play, especially in a zone blocking scheme.

Brandon Merriweather, S, Miami - Merriweather was able to display his great athleticism and aggressiveness during the week, showing an explosive break on the ball and an ability to "appear out of nowhere" while playing safety. Merriweather was also lined up at CB during the week. While not displaying skills to be a full time corner, he showed enough speed and ability to be a nickelback or a cover-2 corner if it was needed by his team. Eventually, as he became more comfortable with turning toward the ball with his back to it, he could possibly be a starter at CB in the right scheme, but his strengths will always lie at the safety position.

Fallers

Kevin Kolb, QB, Houston - Kolb entered the Senior Bowl positioned as the third best QB on many boards across the league. However, during the week, Kolb proved to be more of a product of being in the same system offensively for eight seasons. Many times during the week did he look unconfident and tentative with where to deliver the ball down the field. His arm strength also did not appear to be a fit for the vertical passing game.

Paul Williams, WR, Fresno State - Williams has every physical tool necessary to become an elite receiver except for the most important one - hands with which to catch the ball. Whether that is simply a lack of concentration or some sort of physical weakness remains to be seen. Williams could also improve his route running, which is not at all polished. Facing the competition he did in college, he could probably get by on pure athleticism. That will not be the case in the NFL however and Williams need to understand the fundamentals of route running if he wants to become a consistent contributor on offense.

Martrez Milner, TE, Georgia - Dressed in full gear, sprinting down the field, Milner looks to be the ideal physical specimen to play TE. However he consistently displays a maddening ability to drop the easiest passes despite his massive hands. I'm not sure how a team could consider him a starter at the next level with such horrible hands.

Mission of Draft Goat

Draft Goat was created to provide you with a knowledgeable and informative take on the NFL Draft, a take that does not get bogged down with hype and frivolity, but is based on fact and past performance. What better animal to convey the unique draft wisdom and advice contained on this page, than a goat, one of the most strategic and calculating animals on the planet. To summarize, if your favorite team had a Draft Goat in the war room with them, they would not be drafting as high as they are right now.