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NEXT LEVEL SCOUTING, INC.
"When it comes to Scouting & Evaluation... We are the Professional Grade!"
By: John Murphy
"TRADE WINDS BLOWING AGAIN?":
There were several indications throughout the day on Friday made to Next Level Scouting, Inc. that a new suitor for the top overall pick may have stepped forward, as the MINNESOTA VIKINGS seem to be showing more than a passing interest in obtaining the #1 pick in next weekend's NFL Draft... while the Vikings own a pair of first rounders of their own (#7, #18) that alone would not allow them to vault up to the top spot... as a matter of fact the team's second round choice, which is #49 overall would still leave them considerably short in terms of how most NFL teams judge potential trades of draft choices... "Well, they (Minneosta) certainly have the ammunition to try making a move like that, but it would likely be a costly trade in terms of (total) choices exchanged", explained one NFL scouting director who was posed the idea of the Vikings attempting to move up with San Francisco... using even our own version of the "Trade Value" chart, the one possible scenario that "On Paper" would be considered as a plausible trade option for both sides would include the 49ers sending the #1 overall choice, plus their own third round choice (#65) to the Vikings for their two first round choices (#7, #18), as well as their second round pick (#49) and third round pick (#80)... as on most "Trade Value" charts that would workout to a "Total Points" trade of roughly 3300 (3270) from the 49ers perspective and 3200 (3165) coming from the Vikings... should a deal like this get consummated than the Vikings would make MICHIGAN senior wide receiver BRAYLON EDWARDS the first overall selection... while the 49ers could then have several options available at #7, as there could actually still be one of the two QB's still on the board at the point, as well as Miami cornerback ANTREL ROLLE or possibly USC wide receiver MIKE WILLIAMS... the Vikings would catapult up to take possilby the #1 player on their draft board, while also obtaining back a third round choice that could be used to potentially grab Ohio State kicker MIKE NUGENT... a future replacement for offensive guard Dave Dixon... or another defensive player for depth purposes; defensive end or cornerback.
"TROUBLE IN ATHENS":
GEORGIA junior linebacker ODELL THURMAN was involved in a nightclub incident last weekend that may have led to him being formally arrested... although there have been no arrest papers or charges officially released... a number of current and former Georgia Bulldogs' football players were involved in an arguement that grew into a full-fledged fight at a local area Athens night spot... Thurman was recognized and pointed out by one managers of the establishment who saw him lead away by local authorities after the incident... this is obviously something that needs to be further investigated, but Thurman continues to confound even his biggest supporters... he had several similar type off-field problems that led him to miss several games due to suspension, and initially caused him to attend a military prep school coming out of high school... however, on the flip side, he is a kid that has seen both of his parents already pass away, while also being the father of two small children... there are several teams that feel he will be fine in a structured environment, while others have been left to wonder how he well he will adjust to the NFL lifestyle.
"INSIDE THE WAR ROOMS":
MIAMI DOLPHINS head coach Nick Saban has been part of an NFL "War Room" before during his tenor with the Cleveland Browns (1991-1994)... interestingly enough one of his assistants between 1991-1993 was none other than Cleveland Browns new GM Phil Savage, who will be guiding his own first draft with the pick directly following Miami's at #3... in 1991 the Browns grabbed UCLA safety Eric Turner in the first round... Auburn guard Ed King never really panned out in the second round... but defensive lineman James Jones (3rd) and wide receiver Michael Jackson (6th) were fine selections... not to mention the fact that Coach Saban would probably love to have a 12-round draft back again for this year... moving ahead... "Touchdown" Tommy Vardell was the #1 pick in 1992... they then played "Let's Make a Deal" with Dallas... which really only helped land defensive tackle Bill Johnson (3rd) and linebacker Gerald Dixon (3rd), but neither really were more than steady NFL players... while wide receiver Patrick Rowe (2nd) was never more than a tease... if that... the 1993 draft was one they felt was going to help them turn the corner... offensive lineman Steve Everitt (1st)... defensive lineman Dan Footman (2nd)... also traded a third for DT Jerry Ball and 4th for OL Jay Hilgenberg... Everitt had a few solid years... Footman spent too much time nursing injuries... Ball played his role in the middle... but his best years were in Detroit... third year in a row they failed to find a late round sleeper... his final year saw them grab cornerback Antonio Langham in the 1st... wide receiver Derrick Alexander in a trade up to the end of the first round... defensive tackle Romeo Bandison (3rd)... and once again the standard "Three-and-Out" to finish the draft... now granted he had only some or rather very much less say into these selections... but those four drafts would get average to slightly below average grades overall... so his track record will really start to be made when the clock strikes 00:00 at roughly 12:30 to 12:45pm Saturday, April 23rd.
CLEVELAND BROWNS GM Phil Savage will enter his first draft in charge with a different background or resume than that of his two predecessors in the draft (Mike Nolan and Nick Saban)... while both the former are distinguished coaches first and foremost... Savage is a guy that has worked his way from doing the "Grunt" work of scouting to the adminstrative side... but at heart he is still ss a "Film" guy, so it will not be surprising to those in the "Know" to see him make some shrewd moves during the draft in terms of trading up or down... as well as knowing when to play it safe... and when to go out on a limb for a player he really likes or expects to reach their full upside potential... one of the most often told comments to me over the past 8-10 years of learning and studying the draft and evaluation of players has been "The draft is not about guessing... it's about making decisions... you don't guess who is going to be the best player... you use the tools that you have; film, stats, production, but most importantly your own eyes"... keep an eye on how deliberate the Browns are with their selections, while also looking at the makeup of this year's roster... who will be available as free agents in 2006... who are the top prospects heading into the 2005 college football season... and how their own division is now shifting to having more passing based offenses than ever before with the additions of Carson Palmer (Cincinnati) and Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh) to the equation.
"DRAFT DAY VALUE BOARD":
MIAMI, OH senior power forward DANNY HORACE is eyeing a possible change in professions, as he goes from low post threat to tight end prospect... while he averaged 15 points and nine rebounds, as a first-team All-MAC power forward... wide upper body, but athletic (not bulky) between the waist and lower body... he has impressive athleticism for his size... including 38" vertical and 11'0" broad jump... weighs 6056, 250 pounds... did not play in a regular season college football game, but worked with the team last spring... catching two passes for 16 yards in the team's spring game, while playing against the first-team defense... he wore jersey #83 for the WHITE team... this is also the only current available game film available on him... played two years of football in high school at Western Hills High School in Cincinnati... will turn 22 years old the day before the draft on April 22nd... has a private workout scheduled with Washington on April 19th (Tuesday)... a total of 12 teams have called and requested additional information and a copy of the spring game tape... #33 on the basketball team... #83 on the spring game tape... please contact his agent for more information and game film... a copy of that spring game tape is currenty en route to our own office, as well.
"WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING":
AUBURN senior cornerback CARLOS ROGERS, our #1 rated cornerback before the Combine, as earned or tied for that top spot on most NFL teams' boards along with MIAMI'S ANTREL ROLLE... there are a few teams that feel that Rolle could be an elite free safety, but will struggle in certain defensive schemes if left at cornerback... while WEST VIRGINIA junior cornerback/return man ADAM "PACMAN" JONES comes up next, although some teams have given him more of a late first-round grade.
OKLAHOMA senior offensive tackle JAMAAL BROWN, who is listed as high as #2 on some boards at his position, has also drawn some added attention by teams that are researching his medical records to be sure they are confident in his durability and injury history... while some feel he could develop into a dominating right tackle... there are others that grade him somewhat lower based on durability/injury/strength questions.
OKLAHOMA senior defensive end/linebacker DAN CODY has drawn a few more concerns from teams that are pondering his professional future, while analyzing how the medication he currently takes for clinical depression might effect him short-or-long term... the concerns don't seem to be about his on-field performance or ability to handle the NFL lifestyle, but more about his ability to keep up his weight, battle little injuries if he cannot mix and match other prescribed medications, and also the vulnerability of how a pro athlete in a new area might be effected by the every day run of the mill things that can confront them.
OKLAHOMA STATE junior running back VERNAND MORENCY, who surprisingly never decided to run/workout for scouts a second time after running between 4.58 and 4.66 in the 40 at Miami's Pro Day, was receiving a lot of positive attention after coaches/scouts evaluated more of his game film, but it has been balanced out by the fact that the former minor-league baseball prospect drew several red flags for issues involving his off-field behavior... he is still throught to be a solid mid-to-late "Day One" selection, depending on your total evaluation of him on-and-off the field.
SAN DIEGO STATE junior MATT MCCOY, who recently had one of his final private visits with the NY Jets, weighed in at 6020, 245 pounds at the team's Hempstead, NY complex... while many other outlets have reported his weight at being in the 230-pound range he has not been below 235-238 pounds since the end of the season... which was much closer to his actual playing weight than the 220 pounds listed on the school's website the past two years... McCoy actually reported out of high school at between 218 and 224 pounds... keep an eye on Atlanta, Baltimore, Philadelphia, all of whom could have him rated above several other more well-known names.
SOUTH CAROLINA senior defensive tackle DARRELL SHROPSHIRE and MISSISSIPPI STATE senior defensive tackle RONALD FIELDS have been the two names most often mentioned in terms of players that could now move up draft boards based on the reports that came out earlier this week, regarding the positive drug test results that came back on Northwestern's LUIS CASTILLO and Wisconsin's ANTTAJ HAWTHORNE... "Both of those guys (Shropshire/Fields) could now be solid day one picks if there is a run on interior defenders... (I) think that Castillo will slide about half a round based on the reports (I) have seen... Hawthorne... it is too early for me to make a decision on that right now", explained one team official.
TEXAS senior outside linebacker DERRICK JOHNSON, who is considered a sure-fire Top-10 choice by most outlets, does not get the same full ringing endorsement by all 32 NFL teams... "(I'm) still waiting to see him get off a block on these (college) tapes", said one position coach... "If you take away those ESPN highlights than there is very little else to see in terms of big plays out of this guy (Johnson)", explained one area scout... so while there is still a high percentage of teams that have him rated highly... a small minority does not even consider him a first round prospect... meanwhile, TEXAS senior running back CEDRIC BENSON has also seen some criticism during the mid-to-late portion of the evaluation process... there is a decent percentage of teams that think that in another year he could slide down the draft board in similar fashion to Steven Jackson (St. Louis) at last year's draft... "(I'd) take him with a mid-to-late first round choice, but he's (Benson) not a clear cut Top-10 draft choice... (I) don't always see the second gear of speed in his game... and he is inconsistent in finishing his runs", said one team official.
VIRGINIA junior tight end HEATH MILLER has been unable to workout for scouts/coaches leading up to the draft due to a sports hernia... but there have been several teams that feel that this might become a more serious problem, as it is the type of injury that can become a lingering issue... while he does not have any other specific injuries to date on record... there were a host of teams that wanted to get their own team doctors to evaluate his full medical history in recent weeks.
"PLAYER UPDATES":
OKLAHOMA senior wide receiver WILL PEOPLES and SHAW U. senior linebacker CHRIS PEAVY have both obtained new player representation in the past few weeks... so teams might want to contact them directly in case any "Draft Day" contact information has changed... the same is true for CLEMSON senior defensive lineman ERIC COLEMAN, who made a switch shortly after the Combine, so his point of contact and information might also have changed.
"PRIVATE VISIT & WORKOUT UPDATES":
ALABAMA senior linebacker CORNELIUS WORTHAM has drawn additional interest from Chicago, Green Bay, New England, Pittsburgh, San Diego and Tampa Bay... keep an eye on the Buccaneers who coached Wortham at the Senior Bowl.
ALABAMA senior offensive guard DANNY MARTZ has received additional interest from Denver.
ARKANSAS senior wide receiver/tight end MATT JONES had a private workout on-campus with several members of the Phildelphia Eagles on Friday... including Jason Licht (Player Personnel), David Culley (WR coach) and Marty Mornhinweg (Offensive coordinator)... he met with the team officials and also did positional drills... keep an eye on the progress of Licht, who is quickly becoming a well-respected talent evaluator, having started his career with the New England Patriots, and could earn some additional attention for available positions after next season... Jones also has had a private visit with Washington.
CALIFORNIA junior quarterback AARON RODGERS has not received a formal offer to review from San Francisco, as of late Friday afternoon, although his representation expects things to heat up over the weekend and early next week... as they feel that teams are confident in Rodgers' ability to step-in and play next season, as a rookie, as compared to UTAH junior quarterback ALEX SMITH, who even the biggest supporter of his skill level and upside has not once mentioned the idea of inserting him into the starting lineup as a rookie.
CINCINNATI senior linebacker JAMAR ENZOR, who was not able to workout because of illness (strep throat) at the team's second Pro Day, had a private workout on-campus, which was attended by Indianapolis and Jacksonville, earlier this week (April 14th), he did not run the 40-yard dash... but had a 10'0" broad jump... and ran in the neighborhood of 4.2 in the short shuttle and 6.9 in the three-cone... also did a full positional workout that lasted nearly 30 minutes... Cleveland, Miami and NY Jets have also shown additional interest in him.
CINCINNATI senior safety DOUG MONAGHAN has received additional interest from Indianapolis and Jacksonville.
COLORADO STATE senior offensive tackle ERIK PEARS ran between 5.07 and 5.12 in the 40... 1.65 10-yard... 31" vertical... weighed in at 6076, 315 pounds... still not 100% recovered from post-season shoulder surgery... but has made a faster recovery than expected... as he was able to do a partial-workout on-campus earlier this week (April 13th)... the doctor that performed the surgery expects him to be full-go before or by the start of training camp... Indianapolis was on hand for this workout... please contact his agent for more information or to receive a copy of his updated medical file.
CONNECTICUT senior wide receiver/return man MATT CUTAIA has received additional attention from both Green Bay and New Orleans since running sub-4.4 40-times (4.36/4.39) at the school's second Pro Day.
DELAWARE senior defensive lineman CHRIS MOONEY, who is capable of playing DE or adding weight and moving inside to DT, has been receiving additional attention from both NY Giants and New Orleans... will not be surprising to see him taken in the late rounds by one of several suitors.
DRAKE, IA senior wide receiver JASON JONES had a private workout with Kansas City last weekend, as he was never able to get a Pro Day scheduled.
DUKE senior cornerback KENNETH STANFORD (#3) has received additional interest, as he was a four-year starter... ran 4.51 in the 40... 1.59 10-yard... 4.30 short shuttle... 6.95 three-cone... 35.5" vertical and 10'3" broad jump at his Pro Day.
FLORIDA STATE senior cornerback LEROY SMITH (#32), who was not invited to the Combine, has drawn interest from a lot of teams since his Pro Day, as they continue to review his potential to contribute initially on special teams and as a possible nickel back... shows good ball skills on tape... ran better than expected at his Pro Day even on a fast track... experienced corners with good cover skills that can come up and stick a slot receiver in the league can usually find themselves taken off the board in the late rounds if not earlier.
FRESNO STATE senior defensive end/linebacker CLAUDE SANDERS has drawn additional attention from Houston, Oakland and several other 3-4 defensive based teams.
GEORGIA TECH senior offensive tackle KYLE WALLACE has had private visits with Atlanta and NY Giants.
GEORGIA TECH senior offensive tackle KENTON JOHNSON has drawn additional interest of late, even had a private workout with Atlanta earlier this week.
GRAND VALLEY STATE senior defensive tackle/nose guard KEYONTA MARSHALL has drawn additional interest from Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, New England and NY Giants... not as quick, but has a similar body-type to former NFL interior run stuffer Jerry Ball... if he keeps his weight and conditioning under control he could prove to be an above-average PFA based on his position and the specific strengths of his game.
HUMBOLDT STATE, CA senior wide receiver DUSTIN CREAGER has drawn additional interest from Chicago, San Diego, San Francisco among others.
IOWA senior defensive end MATT ROTH has received additional attention from Jacksonville, Minnesota and Philadelphia... there have been several discussions that he is one of the "Safest" picks in the draft, as most feel that he can develop into a Grant Wistrom-type (Seattle) performer... his attitude and work ethic have already excited a number of position and head coaches a like.
LEHIGH senior tight end ADAM BERGEN has drawn additional attention from Arizona and San Francisco.
LINDENWOOD, MO/MEMPHIS senior running back DERRON PARQUET has had at least one private visit since his recent Pro Day workout, which was done in the New Orleans area... he has received additional attention from New Orleans, NY Giants and San Francisco among others.
MASSACHUSETTS senior fullback RICH DEMERS has drawn additional attention from Buffalo, Dallas, Miami, San Diego and Tennessee.
MICHIGAN STATE senior defensive tackle KEVIN VICKERSON had a private visit with Detroit yesterday.
MICHIGAN STATE senior tight end ERIC KNOTT has drawn significant interest from teams since his Pro Day on March 19th... ran 4.85 in the 40... 4.40 short shuttle.. 7.27 three-cone... 34" vertical... 9'2" broad jump... 33" arms... 10 1/2" hands... weighed in at 6030, 256 pounds... caught the ball very well during the positional drills... showed better than advertised athleticism and receiving skills... might also have the largest hands of any available tight end.
MIDWESTERN STATE, TX senior offensive tackle AMARIAH FARROW is being further evaluated by our staff over the weekend, as we have received additional game film on him (Friday, April 15th), which contains two additional game tapes, as well as a videotaped workout... please contact his agent for more information or a copy of this tape/DVD.
MISSOURI senior cornerback SHIRDONYA MITCHELL had a private visit with Miami... he has also had private visits with Dallas and Indianapolis... teams with additional selections on the second day, as well as those who were excited at his Pro Day workout results prior to his knee injury are expected to explore the idea of drafting him in the mid-to-late rounds... some still have him as high as the fifth round based on his size, speed and upside... remember he was only converted to defense two years ago after starting his career off as a wide receiver.
MURRAY STATE senior tight end JIMMY ST. LOUIS has drawn additional attention from NY Jets, St. Louis and Tennessee.
NORTHERN ARIZONA senior running back/return man ROGER ROBINSON now has additional game tape available on him, which is mainly special teams film from when he was at Utah State, please contact his agent for more information.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS senior wide receiver/return man DAN SHELDON ran 3.86 short shuttle... 6.85 three-cone... 34.5" vertical... 9'8" broad jump... has previously been timed at between 4.42 and 4.45... weighed in at 5085, 176 pounds... senior tight end BRAD CIESLAK ran 4.13 short shuttle... 7.12 three-cone... 28" vertical... 8'9" broad jump... weighs 6036, 262 pounds... previously ran between 4.92 and 4.98 in the 40 and 23 reps of 225 pounds at the school's first Pro Day (March 4th), which was attended by Indianapolis and New Orleans... both of those two teams, as well as Chicago and Jacksonville have shown additional interest in him... all times were recorded on an outdoor FieldTurf surface... the conditions were too windy for accurate 40-times to be recorded.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS senior offensive guard MATT MCGHGHY had a private visit with Cincinnati earlier this week.
NORTHWESTERN senior offensive guard IKE NDUKWE had a private workout with St. Louis offensive line coach John Matsko recently... he did a full positional workout that lasted over an hour... Green Bay and Miami have also showed additional interest of late.
NORTHWESTERN STATE, LA senior fullback ISSA BANNA has drawn additional interest from Dallas, NY Giants, Tennessee among others... could be a late round surprise, but if he goes un-drafted expect the NY Giants to battle their divisional rival Dallas for his services.
NOTRE DAME senior defensive tackle GREG PAULY has received additional interest from Green Bay, New Orleans and San Francisco... medical updates are available by contact his agent... but he will have the cast taken off his ankle on April 26th... the doctor that performed the surgery has stated that he feels certain that he will be full-go by or before the start of training camp... there is a strong contingent of teams that feel that he will be best utilized as an offensive tackle rather on the defensive side of the ball... with teams hoping he would be available as a PFA, but now there is some talk of taking him in the late rounds... bulking him up towards the 300-310 pound mark and using his rookie campaign to get him adjusted to his new position.
PENN STATE senior wide receiver/return man GERALD SMITH had drawn additional interest from several teams, including the NY Giants.
SAN JOSE STATE junior defensive end/linebacker TONY FICKLIN had a private workout with San Francisco last weekend... he did positional drills at both DE and LB... and then also did a workout as a fullback... catching passes and impressing team officials with his overall athleticism.
SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT STATE senior linebacker SARTH BENOIT had a private visit with St. Louis.
SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT STATE senior quarterback MIKE ABATE has drawn additional attention from Cleveland, Philadelphia and St. Louis... which have all received additional game film on him.
SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI senior linebacker ANTOINE CASH had a private workout on-campus, which was attended by Atlanta and Philadelphia earlier this week (April 13th)... ran between 4.49 and 4.64 in the 40... actually ran three-times... the variety of times were 4.49, 4.52, 4.59, 4.61, 4.64... followed that by doing positional drills with Atlanta's linebacker coach... weighed in at 6004, 220 pounds (219.5 to be exact)...
SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI senior defensive tackle CHAD RUFFIN has drawn additional attention from Indianapolis, Jacksonville, New Orleans and Washington... ran between 5.00 and 5.08 in the 40... 4.38 short shuttle... 30.5" vertical... 8'8" broad jump... and also did 34 reps of 225 pounds at his Pro Day... also did a full positional workout in the afternoon that day.
STANFORD senior tight end ALEX SMITH has/did not have a private visit with the NY Jets, but has received a lot of attention from them... Detroit, Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay have also shown additional interest.
TEXAS A&M senior defensive lineman MARCUS JASMIN has also been evaluated by some teams as a conversion to offensive tackle... he's also done offensive line drills at some private workouts.
UTAH senior defensive end JOHN FANENE has had private visits with Cincinnati, Houston, Jacksonville, Miami, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Diego, San Francisco and also had one with Oakland yesterday... has also drawn additonal interest from Cincinnati, Dallas and Miami, all of whom have held private workouts with him... Cleveland has also looked into scheduling a private workout... impressed all in attendance at his Pro Day... ran 4.90 in the 40... 4.28/4.32 short shuttle... 23 reps of 225 pounds... weighed in at 6030, 291 pounds... is now drawing mid-to-late round consideration from a wide variety of teams.
WISCONSIN senior tight end TONY PACIOTTI had a private workout with Baltimore earlier this week (April 11th)... caught 19 of 20 passes during his positional drills... has earned interest from teams after playing 33 consectutive games... known more for his blocking... he is viewed as a solid backup/special teams guy.
Former WEST VIRGINIA All-American, three-time National wrestling champion GREG JONES, who played defensive back in high school, will have a workout with Pittsburgh in the near future... did not play football in college... weighs 6006, 185 pounds.
"BIGGER BACKS THE TREND":
If you take a look back over nearly the past 15 years... not since NY GIANTS running back Joe Morris... has there been a team that has made a "Run" (literally) at actually capturing the Super Bowl title without having what would be described as a "Bigger" back as the feature back of their offense... even when you look back at TAMPA BAY (Michael Pittman)... ST. LOUIS (Marshall Faulk)... GREEN BAY (Dorsey Levens and Edgar Bennett)... who have all won Super Bowls in the past ten years... they have all had a primary running back that is of the larger variety... although Faulk is also noted as one of the league's best all-purpose backs, since he possesses wide receiver hands and route running skills... over the past five years, the average size of the starting running back on the Super Bowl winning team has been 6'1", 230 pounds.
"SMOKE SIGNALS OR SIGNAL CALLERS":
Basically for the last three-to-five years a wide variety of "Outlets" have speculated on when or where will the GREEN BAY PACKERS locate a future replacement for quarterback Brett Favre... and outside of grabbing Craig Nall in the fifth round a few years back... the team has decided not to spend a high draft choice on an heir apparent... in recent days/weeks... the Packers have spent a lot of time reviewing signal callers... having a few in for private visits and eyeing the workout of Akron senior quarterback CHARLIE FRYE closeup... while most would see this as a sure sign that this could be the year they finally pickup a young passer it could also be a great "Smoke Screen" device used to throw off teams that will be drafting in the mid-to-late portion of the first round... there are two tangible reasons for this, including the fact that they believe in their system and diagnosis of quarterback prospects and feel that there are a few "Lesser-known" quarterbacks that can be found on the second day of this year's draft... secondly, they have a signal caller already waiting in the wings that has all the physical tools and potential to develop into a starting caliber quarterback, J.T. O'SULLIVAN... while it will never happen while Favre is on the roster... this is a kid that should he ever be given the chance to take the reigns of a football team will prove to be a dynamic performer in his own right... so while the future QB issue is not 100% certain in Green Bay... everyone will be forced to wait until late Saturday afternoon (next weekend) to see if they spent time evaluating signal callers or sending out very carefully devised smoke screens.
"QB'S AND THE SUPER BOWL":
The last PAC-10 quarterback to win a Super Bowl was John Elway with the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXIII.
The last Mountain West Conference quarterback to win a Super Bowl was technically Trent Dilfer with the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV, although when he played at San Diego State they were in the WAC.
"INTERESTING SIDE NOTES":
The NFL has instituted several new rules in recent years to help the draft process along... teams can only interview so many players at the Combine... they can only have so many players in-town for private visits before the draft... and cannot have any visits past a certain date... so how do you get all your work done with these new rules in effect... easy... if they can't come to you... you go to them... several top prospects have had their "Private" visits in the comfort of their own home town or college campus... while others have been persuaded to change dates or schedule their visits based on the following... "Well, our team makes it a rule that we cannot put you on our draft board without having you take a physical with our own team doctors"... now that works on a 20-22 year old kid that wants to see his name called at the end of April... and can also make an agent decide to send his player on a seven teams in nine day trip across the country... but it is also how teams find out what's going on during the "Private Visit" circuit... you can see what city the player came from... and what city he is going to next... and who he saw or ran into at that last team's complex... so while many things have changed or been altered to help smooth out the draft process... some things will always stay the same... therefore if you see a "Goodyear" blimp overhead in the weeks leading up to the draft it's likely not a re-make of "Black Sunday" rather just someone doing some "Advanced" scouting on who's visiting your team's facility.
"When it comes to Scouting & Evaluation... We are the Professional Grade!"
By: John Murphy
"TRADE WINDS BLOWING AGAIN?":
There were several indications throughout the day on Friday made to Next Level Scouting, Inc. that a new suitor for the top overall pick may have stepped forward, as the MINNESOTA VIKINGS seem to be showing more than a passing interest in obtaining the #1 pick in next weekend's NFL Draft... while the Vikings own a pair of first rounders of their own (#7, #18) that alone would not allow them to vault up to the top spot... as a matter of fact the team's second round choice, which is #49 overall would still leave them considerably short in terms of how most NFL teams judge potential trades of draft choices... "Well, they (Minneosta) certainly have the ammunition to try making a move like that, but it would likely be a costly trade in terms of (total) choices exchanged", explained one NFL scouting director who was posed the idea of the Vikings attempting to move up with San Francisco... using even our own version of the "Trade Value" chart, the one possible scenario that "On Paper" would be considered as a plausible trade option for both sides would include the 49ers sending the #1 overall choice, plus their own third round choice (#65) to the Vikings for their two first round choices (#7, #18), as well as their second round pick (#49) and third round pick (#80)... as on most "Trade Value" charts that would workout to a "Total Points" trade of roughly 3300 (3270) from the 49ers perspective and 3200 (3165) coming from the Vikings... should a deal like this get consummated than the Vikings would make MICHIGAN senior wide receiver BRAYLON EDWARDS the first overall selection... while the 49ers could then have several options available at #7, as there could actually still be one of the two QB's still on the board at the point, as well as Miami cornerback ANTREL ROLLE or possibly USC wide receiver MIKE WILLIAMS... the Vikings would catapult up to take possilby the #1 player on their draft board, while also obtaining back a third round choice that could be used to potentially grab Ohio State kicker MIKE NUGENT... a future replacement for offensive guard Dave Dixon... or another defensive player for depth purposes; defensive end or cornerback.
"TROUBLE IN ATHENS":
GEORGIA junior linebacker ODELL THURMAN was involved in a nightclub incident last weekend that may have led to him being formally arrested... although there have been no arrest papers or charges officially released... a number of current and former Georgia Bulldogs' football players were involved in an arguement that grew into a full-fledged fight at a local area Athens night spot... Thurman was recognized and pointed out by one managers of the establishment who saw him lead away by local authorities after the incident... this is obviously something that needs to be further investigated, but Thurman continues to confound even his biggest supporters... he had several similar type off-field problems that led him to miss several games due to suspension, and initially caused him to attend a military prep school coming out of high school... however, on the flip side, he is a kid that has seen both of his parents already pass away, while also being the father of two small children... there are several teams that feel he will be fine in a structured environment, while others have been left to wonder how he well he will adjust to the NFL lifestyle.
"INSIDE THE WAR ROOMS":
MIAMI DOLPHINS head coach Nick Saban has been part of an NFL "War Room" before during his tenor with the Cleveland Browns (1991-1994)... interestingly enough one of his assistants between 1991-1993 was none other than Cleveland Browns new GM Phil Savage, who will be guiding his own first draft with the pick directly following Miami's at #3... in 1991 the Browns grabbed UCLA safety Eric Turner in the first round... Auburn guard Ed King never really panned out in the second round... but defensive lineman James Jones (3rd) and wide receiver Michael Jackson (6th) were fine selections... not to mention the fact that Coach Saban would probably love to have a 12-round draft back again for this year... moving ahead... "Touchdown" Tommy Vardell was the #1 pick in 1992... they then played "Let's Make a Deal" with Dallas... which really only helped land defensive tackle Bill Johnson (3rd) and linebacker Gerald Dixon (3rd), but neither really were more than steady NFL players... while wide receiver Patrick Rowe (2nd) was never more than a tease... if that... the 1993 draft was one they felt was going to help them turn the corner... offensive lineman Steve Everitt (1st)... defensive lineman Dan Footman (2nd)... also traded a third for DT Jerry Ball and 4th for OL Jay Hilgenberg... Everitt had a few solid years... Footman spent too much time nursing injuries... Ball played his role in the middle... but his best years were in Detroit... third year in a row they failed to find a late round sleeper... his final year saw them grab cornerback Antonio Langham in the 1st... wide receiver Derrick Alexander in a trade up to the end of the first round... defensive tackle Romeo Bandison (3rd)... and once again the standard "Three-and-Out" to finish the draft... now granted he had only some or rather very much less say into these selections... but those four drafts would get average to slightly below average grades overall... so his track record will really start to be made when the clock strikes 00:00 at roughly 12:30 to 12:45pm Saturday, April 23rd.
CLEVELAND BROWNS GM Phil Savage will enter his first draft in charge with a different background or resume than that of his two predecessors in the draft (Mike Nolan and Nick Saban)... while both the former are distinguished coaches first and foremost... Savage is a guy that has worked his way from doing the "Grunt" work of scouting to the adminstrative side... but at heart he is still ss a "Film" guy, so it will not be surprising to those in the "Know" to see him make some shrewd moves during the draft in terms of trading up or down... as well as knowing when to play it safe... and when to go out on a limb for a player he really likes or expects to reach their full upside potential... one of the most often told comments to me over the past 8-10 years of learning and studying the draft and evaluation of players has been "The draft is not about guessing... it's about making decisions... you don't guess who is going to be the best player... you use the tools that you have; film, stats, production, but most importantly your own eyes"... keep an eye on how deliberate the Browns are with their selections, while also looking at the makeup of this year's roster... who will be available as free agents in 2006... who are the top prospects heading into the 2005 college football season... and how their own division is now shifting to having more passing based offenses than ever before with the additions of Carson Palmer (Cincinnati) and Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh) to the equation.
"DRAFT DAY VALUE BOARD":
MIAMI, OH senior power forward DANNY HORACE is eyeing a possible change in professions, as he goes from low post threat to tight end prospect... while he averaged 15 points and nine rebounds, as a first-team All-MAC power forward... wide upper body, but athletic (not bulky) between the waist and lower body... he has impressive athleticism for his size... including 38" vertical and 11'0" broad jump... weighs 6056, 250 pounds... did not play in a regular season college football game, but worked with the team last spring... catching two passes for 16 yards in the team's spring game, while playing against the first-team defense... he wore jersey #83 for the WHITE team... this is also the only current available game film available on him... played two years of football in high school at Western Hills High School in Cincinnati... will turn 22 years old the day before the draft on April 22nd... has a private workout scheduled with Washington on April 19th (Tuesday)... a total of 12 teams have called and requested additional information and a copy of the spring game tape... #33 on the basketball team... #83 on the spring game tape... please contact his agent for more information and game film... a copy of that spring game tape is currenty en route to our own office, as well.
"WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING":
AUBURN senior cornerback CARLOS ROGERS, our #1 rated cornerback before the Combine, as earned or tied for that top spot on most NFL teams' boards along with MIAMI'S ANTREL ROLLE... there are a few teams that feel that Rolle could be an elite free safety, but will struggle in certain defensive schemes if left at cornerback... while WEST VIRGINIA junior cornerback/return man ADAM "PACMAN" JONES comes up next, although some teams have given him more of a late first-round grade.
OKLAHOMA senior offensive tackle JAMAAL BROWN, who is listed as high as #2 on some boards at his position, has also drawn some added attention by teams that are researching his medical records to be sure they are confident in his durability and injury history... while some feel he could develop into a dominating right tackle... there are others that grade him somewhat lower based on durability/injury/strength questions.
OKLAHOMA senior defensive end/linebacker DAN CODY has drawn a few more concerns from teams that are pondering his professional future, while analyzing how the medication he currently takes for clinical depression might effect him short-or-long term... the concerns don't seem to be about his on-field performance or ability to handle the NFL lifestyle, but more about his ability to keep up his weight, battle little injuries if he cannot mix and match other prescribed medications, and also the vulnerability of how a pro athlete in a new area might be effected by the every day run of the mill things that can confront them.
OKLAHOMA STATE junior running back VERNAND MORENCY, who surprisingly never decided to run/workout for scouts a second time after running between 4.58 and 4.66 in the 40 at Miami's Pro Day, was receiving a lot of positive attention after coaches/scouts evaluated more of his game film, but it has been balanced out by the fact that the former minor-league baseball prospect drew several red flags for issues involving his off-field behavior... he is still throught to be a solid mid-to-late "Day One" selection, depending on your total evaluation of him on-and-off the field.
SAN DIEGO STATE junior MATT MCCOY, who recently had one of his final private visits with the NY Jets, weighed in at 6020, 245 pounds at the team's Hempstead, NY complex... while many other outlets have reported his weight at being in the 230-pound range he has not been below 235-238 pounds since the end of the season... which was much closer to his actual playing weight than the 220 pounds listed on the school's website the past two years... McCoy actually reported out of high school at between 218 and 224 pounds... keep an eye on Atlanta, Baltimore, Philadelphia, all of whom could have him rated above several other more well-known names.
SOUTH CAROLINA senior defensive tackle DARRELL SHROPSHIRE and MISSISSIPPI STATE senior defensive tackle RONALD FIELDS have been the two names most often mentioned in terms of players that could now move up draft boards based on the reports that came out earlier this week, regarding the positive drug test results that came back on Northwestern's LUIS CASTILLO and Wisconsin's ANTTAJ HAWTHORNE... "Both of those guys (Shropshire/Fields) could now be solid day one picks if there is a run on interior defenders... (I) think that Castillo will slide about half a round based on the reports (I) have seen... Hawthorne... it is too early for me to make a decision on that right now", explained one team official.
TEXAS senior outside linebacker DERRICK JOHNSON, who is considered a sure-fire Top-10 choice by most outlets, does not get the same full ringing endorsement by all 32 NFL teams... "(I'm) still waiting to see him get off a block on these (college) tapes", said one position coach... "If you take away those ESPN highlights than there is very little else to see in terms of big plays out of this guy (Johnson)", explained one area scout... so while there is still a high percentage of teams that have him rated highly... a small minority does not even consider him a first round prospect... meanwhile, TEXAS senior running back CEDRIC BENSON has also seen some criticism during the mid-to-late portion of the evaluation process... there is a decent percentage of teams that think that in another year he could slide down the draft board in similar fashion to Steven Jackson (St. Louis) at last year's draft... "(I'd) take him with a mid-to-late first round choice, but he's (Benson) not a clear cut Top-10 draft choice... (I) don't always see the second gear of speed in his game... and he is inconsistent in finishing his runs", said one team official.
VIRGINIA junior tight end HEATH MILLER has been unable to workout for scouts/coaches leading up to the draft due to a sports hernia... but there have been several teams that feel that this might become a more serious problem, as it is the type of injury that can become a lingering issue... while he does not have any other specific injuries to date on record... there were a host of teams that wanted to get their own team doctors to evaluate his full medical history in recent weeks.
"PLAYER UPDATES":
OKLAHOMA senior wide receiver WILL PEOPLES and SHAW U. senior linebacker CHRIS PEAVY have both obtained new player representation in the past few weeks... so teams might want to contact them directly in case any "Draft Day" contact information has changed... the same is true for CLEMSON senior defensive lineman ERIC COLEMAN, who made a switch shortly after the Combine, so his point of contact and information might also have changed.
"PRIVATE VISIT & WORKOUT UPDATES":
ALABAMA senior linebacker CORNELIUS WORTHAM has drawn additional interest from Chicago, Green Bay, New England, Pittsburgh, San Diego and Tampa Bay... keep an eye on the Buccaneers who coached Wortham at the Senior Bowl.
ALABAMA senior offensive guard DANNY MARTZ has received additional interest from Denver.
ARKANSAS senior wide receiver/tight end MATT JONES had a private workout on-campus with several members of the Phildelphia Eagles on Friday... including Jason Licht (Player Personnel), David Culley (WR coach) and Marty Mornhinweg (Offensive coordinator)... he met with the team officials and also did positional drills... keep an eye on the progress of Licht, who is quickly becoming a well-respected talent evaluator, having started his career with the New England Patriots, and could earn some additional attention for available positions after next season... Jones also has had a private visit with Washington.
CALIFORNIA junior quarterback AARON RODGERS has not received a formal offer to review from San Francisco, as of late Friday afternoon, although his representation expects things to heat up over the weekend and early next week... as they feel that teams are confident in Rodgers' ability to step-in and play next season, as a rookie, as compared to UTAH junior quarterback ALEX SMITH, who even the biggest supporter of his skill level and upside has not once mentioned the idea of inserting him into the starting lineup as a rookie.
CINCINNATI senior linebacker JAMAR ENZOR, who was not able to workout because of illness (strep throat) at the team's second Pro Day, had a private workout on-campus, which was attended by Indianapolis and Jacksonville, earlier this week (April 14th), he did not run the 40-yard dash... but had a 10'0" broad jump... and ran in the neighborhood of 4.2 in the short shuttle and 6.9 in the three-cone... also did a full positional workout that lasted nearly 30 minutes... Cleveland, Miami and NY Jets have also shown additional interest in him.
CINCINNATI senior safety DOUG MONAGHAN has received additional interest from Indianapolis and Jacksonville.
COLORADO STATE senior offensive tackle ERIK PEARS ran between 5.07 and 5.12 in the 40... 1.65 10-yard... 31" vertical... weighed in at 6076, 315 pounds... still not 100% recovered from post-season shoulder surgery... but has made a faster recovery than expected... as he was able to do a partial-workout on-campus earlier this week (April 13th)... the doctor that performed the surgery expects him to be full-go before or by the start of training camp... Indianapolis was on hand for this workout... please contact his agent for more information or to receive a copy of his updated medical file.
CONNECTICUT senior wide receiver/return man MATT CUTAIA has received additional attention from both Green Bay and New Orleans since running sub-4.4 40-times (4.36/4.39) at the school's second Pro Day.
DELAWARE senior defensive lineman CHRIS MOONEY, who is capable of playing DE or adding weight and moving inside to DT, has been receiving additional attention from both NY Giants and New Orleans... will not be surprising to see him taken in the late rounds by one of several suitors.
DRAKE, IA senior wide receiver JASON JONES had a private workout with Kansas City last weekend, as he was never able to get a Pro Day scheduled.
DUKE senior cornerback KENNETH STANFORD (#3) has received additional interest, as he was a four-year starter... ran 4.51 in the 40... 1.59 10-yard... 4.30 short shuttle... 6.95 three-cone... 35.5" vertical and 10'3" broad jump at his Pro Day.
FLORIDA STATE senior cornerback LEROY SMITH (#32), who was not invited to the Combine, has drawn interest from a lot of teams since his Pro Day, as they continue to review his potential to contribute initially on special teams and as a possible nickel back... shows good ball skills on tape... ran better than expected at his Pro Day even on a fast track... experienced corners with good cover skills that can come up and stick a slot receiver in the league can usually find themselves taken off the board in the late rounds if not earlier.
FRESNO STATE senior defensive end/linebacker CLAUDE SANDERS has drawn additional attention from Houston, Oakland and several other 3-4 defensive based teams.
GEORGIA TECH senior offensive tackle KYLE WALLACE has had private visits with Atlanta and NY Giants.
GEORGIA TECH senior offensive tackle KENTON JOHNSON has drawn additional interest of late, even had a private workout with Atlanta earlier this week.
GRAND VALLEY STATE senior defensive tackle/nose guard KEYONTA MARSHALL has drawn additional interest from Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, New England and NY Giants... not as quick, but has a similar body-type to former NFL interior run stuffer Jerry Ball... if he keeps his weight and conditioning under control he could prove to be an above-average PFA based on his position and the specific strengths of his game.
HUMBOLDT STATE, CA senior wide receiver DUSTIN CREAGER has drawn additional interest from Chicago, San Diego, San Francisco among others.
IOWA senior defensive end MATT ROTH has received additional attention from Jacksonville, Minnesota and Philadelphia... there have been several discussions that he is one of the "Safest" picks in the draft, as most feel that he can develop into a Grant Wistrom-type (Seattle) performer... his attitude and work ethic have already excited a number of position and head coaches a like.
LEHIGH senior tight end ADAM BERGEN has drawn additional attention from Arizona and San Francisco.
LINDENWOOD, MO/MEMPHIS senior running back DERRON PARQUET has had at least one private visit since his recent Pro Day workout, which was done in the New Orleans area... he has received additional attention from New Orleans, NY Giants and San Francisco among others.
MASSACHUSETTS senior fullback RICH DEMERS has drawn additional attention from Buffalo, Dallas, Miami, San Diego and Tennessee.
MICHIGAN STATE senior defensive tackle KEVIN VICKERSON had a private visit with Detroit yesterday.
MICHIGAN STATE senior tight end ERIC KNOTT has drawn significant interest from teams since his Pro Day on March 19th... ran 4.85 in the 40... 4.40 short shuttle.. 7.27 three-cone... 34" vertical... 9'2" broad jump... 33" arms... 10 1/2" hands... weighed in at 6030, 256 pounds... caught the ball very well during the positional drills... showed better than advertised athleticism and receiving skills... might also have the largest hands of any available tight end.
MIDWESTERN STATE, TX senior offensive tackle AMARIAH FARROW is being further evaluated by our staff over the weekend, as we have received additional game film on him (Friday, April 15th), which contains two additional game tapes, as well as a videotaped workout... please contact his agent for more information or a copy of this tape/DVD.
MISSOURI senior cornerback SHIRDONYA MITCHELL had a private visit with Miami... he has also had private visits with Dallas and Indianapolis... teams with additional selections on the second day, as well as those who were excited at his Pro Day workout results prior to his knee injury are expected to explore the idea of drafting him in the mid-to-late rounds... some still have him as high as the fifth round based on his size, speed and upside... remember he was only converted to defense two years ago after starting his career off as a wide receiver.
MURRAY STATE senior tight end JIMMY ST. LOUIS has drawn additional attention from NY Jets, St. Louis and Tennessee.
NORTHERN ARIZONA senior running back/return man ROGER ROBINSON now has additional game tape available on him, which is mainly special teams film from when he was at Utah State, please contact his agent for more information.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS senior wide receiver/return man DAN SHELDON ran 3.86 short shuttle... 6.85 three-cone... 34.5" vertical... 9'8" broad jump... has previously been timed at between 4.42 and 4.45... weighed in at 5085, 176 pounds... senior tight end BRAD CIESLAK ran 4.13 short shuttle... 7.12 three-cone... 28" vertical... 8'9" broad jump... weighs 6036, 262 pounds... previously ran between 4.92 and 4.98 in the 40 and 23 reps of 225 pounds at the school's first Pro Day (March 4th), which was attended by Indianapolis and New Orleans... both of those two teams, as well as Chicago and Jacksonville have shown additional interest in him... all times were recorded on an outdoor FieldTurf surface... the conditions were too windy for accurate 40-times to be recorded.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS senior offensive guard MATT MCGHGHY had a private visit with Cincinnati earlier this week.
NORTHWESTERN senior offensive guard IKE NDUKWE had a private workout with St. Louis offensive line coach John Matsko recently... he did a full positional workout that lasted over an hour... Green Bay and Miami have also showed additional interest of late.
NORTHWESTERN STATE, LA senior fullback ISSA BANNA has drawn additional interest from Dallas, NY Giants, Tennessee among others... could be a late round surprise, but if he goes un-drafted expect the NY Giants to battle their divisional rival Dallas for his services.
NOTRE DAME senior defensive tackle GREG PAULY has received additional interest from Green Bay, New Orleans and San Francisco... medical updates are available by contact his agent... but he will have the cast taken off his ankle on April 26th... the doctor that performed the surgery has stated that he feels certain that he will be full-go by or before the start of training camp... there is a strong contingent of teams that feel that he will be best utilized as an offensive tackle rather on the defensive side of the ball... with teams hoping he would be available as a PFA, but now there is some talk of taking him in the late rounds... bulking him up towards the 300-310 pound mark and using his rookie campaign to get him adjusted to his new position.
PENN STATE senior wide receiver/return man GERALD SMITH had drawn additional interest from several teams, including the NY Giants.
SAN JOSE STATE junior defensive end/linebacker TONY FICKLIN had a private workout with San Francisco last weekend... he did positional drills at both DE and LB... and then also did a workout as a fullback... catching passes and impressing team officials with his overall athleticism.
SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT STATE senior linebacker SARTH BENOIT had a private visit with St. Louis.
SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT STATE senior quarterback MIKE ABATE has drawn additional attention from Cleveland, Philadelphia and St. Louis... which have all received additional game film on him.
SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI senior linebacker ANTOINE CASH had a private workout on-campus, which was attended by Atlanta and Philadelphia earlier this week (April 13th)... ran between 4.49 and 4.64 in the 40... actually ran three-times... the variety of times were 4.49, 4.52, 4.59, 4.61, 4.64... followed that by doing positional drills with Atlanta's linebacker coach... weighed in at 6004, 220 pounds (219.5 to be exact)...
SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI senior defensive tackle CHAD RUFFIN has drawn additional attention from Indianapolis, Jacksonville, New Orleans and Washington... ran between 5.00 and 5.08 in the 40... 4.38 short shuttle... 30.5" vertical... 8'8" broad jump... and also did 34 reps of 225 pounds at his Pro Day... also did a full positional workout in the afternoon that day.
STANFORD senior tight end ALEX SMITH has/did not have a private visit with the NY Jets, but has received a lot of attention from them... Detroit, Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay have also shown additional interest.
TEXAS A&M senior defensive lineman MARCUS JASMIN has also been evaluated by some teams as a conversion to offensive tackle... he's also done offensive line drills at some private workouts.
UTAH senior defensive end JOHN FANENE has had private visits with Cincinnati, Houston, Jacksonville, Miami, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Diego, San Francisco and also had one with Oakland yesterday... has also drawn additonal interest from Cincinnati, Dallas and Miami, all of whom have held private workouts with him... Cleveland has also looked into scheduling a private workout... impressed all in attendance at his Pro Day... ran 4.90 in the 40... 4.28/4.32 short shuttle... 23 reps of 225 pounds... weighed in at 6030, 291 pounds... is now drawing mid-to-late round consideration from a wide variety of teams.
WISCONSIN senior tight end TONY PACIOTTI had a private workout with Baltimore earlier this week (April 11th)... caught 19 of 20 passes during his positional drills... has earned interest from teams after playing 33 consectutive games... known more for his blocking... he is viewed as a solid backup/special teams guy.
Former WEST VIRGINIA All-American, three-time National wrestling champion GREG JONES, who played defensive back in high school, will have a workout with Pittsburgh in the near future... did not play football in college... weighs 6006, 185 pounds.
"BIGGER BACKS THE TREND":
If you take a look back over nearly the past 15 years... not since NY GIANTS running back Joe Morris... has there been a team that has made a "Run" (literally) at actually capturing the Super Bowl title without having what would be described as a "Bigger" back as the feature back of their offense... even when you look back at TAMPA BAY (Michael Pittman)... ST. LOUIS (Marshall Faulk)... GREEN BAY (Dorsey Levens and Edgar Bennett)... who have all won Super Bowls in the past ten years... they have all had a primary running back that is of the larger variety... although Faulk is also noted as one of the league's best all-purpose backs, since he possesses wide receiver hands and route running skills... over the past five years, the average size of the starting running back on the Super Bowl winning team has been 6'1", 230 pounds.
"SMOKE SIGNALS OR SIGNAL CALLERS":
Basically for the last three-to-five years a wide variety of "Outlets" have speculated on when or where will the GREEN BAY PACKERS locate a future replacement for quarterback Brett Favre... and outside of grabbing Craig Nall in the fifth round a few years back... the team has decided not to spend a high draft choice on an heir apparent... in recent days/weeks... the Packers have spent a lot of time reviewing signal callers... having a few in for private visits and eyeing the workout of Akron senior quarterback CHARLIE FRYE closeup... while most would see this as a sure sign that this could be the year they finally pickup a young passer it could also be a great "Smoke Screen" device used to throw off teams that will be drafting in the mid-to-late portion of the first round... there are two tangible reasons for this, including the fact that they believe in their system and diagnosis of quarterback prospects and feel that there are a few "Lesser-known" quarterbacks that can be found on the second day of this year's draft... secondly, they have a signal caller already waiting in the wings that has all the physical tools and potential to develop into a starting caliber quarterback, J.T. O'SULLIVAN... while it will never happen while Favre is on the roster... this is a kid that should he ever be given the chance to take the reigns of a football team will prove to be a dynamic performer in his own right... so while the future QB issue is not 100% certain in Green Bay... everyone will be forced to wait until late Saturday afternoon (next weekend) to see if they spent time evaluating signal callers or sending out very carefully devised smoke screens.
"QB'S AND THE SUPER BOWL":
The last PAC-10 quarterback to win a Super Bowl was John Elway with the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXIII.
The last Mountain West Conference quarterback to win a Super Bowl was technically Trent Dilfer with the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV, although when he played at San Diego State they were in the WAC.
"INTERESTING SIDE NOTES":
The NFL has instituted several new rules in recent years to help the draft process along... teams can only interview so many players at the Combine... they can only have so many players in-town for private visits before the draft... and cannot have any visits past a certain date... so how do you get all your work done with these new rules in effect... easy... if they can't come to you... you go to them... several top prospects have had their "Private" visits in the comfort of their own home town or college campus... while others have been persuaded to change dates or schedule their visits based on the following... "Well, our team makes it a rule that we cannot put you on our draft board without having you take a physical with our own team doctors"... now that works on a 20-22 year old kid that wants to see his name called at the end of April... and can also make an agent decide to send his player on a seven teams in nine day trip across the country... but it is also how teams find out what's going on during the "Private Visit" circuit... you can see what city the player came from... and what city he is going to next... and who he saw or ran into at that last team's complex... so while many things have changed or been altered to help smooth out the draft process... some things will always stay the same... therefore if you see a "Goodyear" blimp overhead in the weeks leading up to the draft it's likely not a re-make of "Black Sunday" rather just someone doing some "Advanced" scouting on who's visiting your team's facility.
