Top 100 sneak peek

[Icness]

Here's the working draft version of my top 100. It will be revised once all the juniors declare and I talk with a couple more people for feedback.

Any feedback from y'all is welcome, but make it more than "Paul Hubbard WTF?@?" or "UR an idiot for having Ali Highsmith so low". Try something mroe substantive, like "I think you are overestimating Kevin Smith, he's not that tough and played against cupcakes."

1. Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
2. Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
3. Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville
4. Chris Long, DE, Virginia
5. James Laurinaitis, LB, Ohio State
6. Ryan Clady, T, Boise State
7. Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
8. Dan Connor, LB, Penn State
9. Jake Long, T, Michigan
10. Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio State
11. Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida
12. Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC
13. Limas Sweed, WR, Texas
14. Keith Rivers, LB, USC
15. Jonathan Stewart, RB, Oregon
16. Quentin Groves, DE, Auburn
17. Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois
18. Terrell Thomas, CB, USC
19. Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida
20. Kenny Phillips, S, Miami FL
21. Jeff Otah, T, Pittsburgh
22. Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas
23. Calais Campbell, DE, Miami FL
24. Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas
25. Sam Baker, T, USC
26. Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma
27. Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina
28. Kevin Smith, RB, Central Florida
29. Tracy Porter, CB, Indiana
30. Gosder Cherilus, T, Boston College
31. Pat Sims, DT, Auburn
32. James Hardy, WR, Indiana
33. Lawrence Jackson, DE, USC
34. Erin Henderson, LB, Maryland
35. John Carlson, TE, Notre Dame
36. Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy
37. Andre Caldwell, WR, Florida
38. Antoine Cason, CB, Arizona
39. Chris Johnson, RB/KR, East Carolina
40. Desean Jackson, KR/WR, California
41. Erik Ainge, QB, Tennessee
42. Martin Rucker, TE, Missouri
43. Phillip Wheeler, LB, Georgia Tech
44. Deon Thomas, WR, Michigan State
45. Frank Okam, DT, Texas
46. DeJuan Tribble, CB, Boston College
47. Fred Davis, TE, USC
48. Chevis Jackson, CB, LSU
49. Andre Woodson, QB, Kentucky
50. Adarius Bowman, WR, Oklahoma State
51. Vince Hall, LB, Virginia Tech
52. Beau Bell, LB, UNLV
53. Chris Williams, T, Vanderbilt
54. Martellus Bennett, TE, Texas A&M
55. Reggie Smith, CB, Oklahoma
56. O

[bigboy1234]

Why do you have Highsmith so low?

No Doucet?

Terrell Thomas a little high?

I won't say anything about possible juniors because you probably left them out for a reason if they aren't already there.

[Next Coming]

Yeah I thought Terrel Thomas was ranked pretty high there. And I'm starting to think that Adrian Arrington is better than Mario Manningham.

[Manhattan Project]

Terrell Thomas, CB, USC
Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida
Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas
Tracy Porter, CB, Indiana
Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy

I find this interesting because I really feel that Cason is a top five CB in this draft. Also going to be interesting to see where King falls in once the revision comes along.

Another surprise for me is seeing Brohm ahead of Ryan, Ainge ahead of Woodson. Henne and Flacco also ahead of Colt Brennan, obviously Ive never seen much of Flacco though to judge.

Not a bad list at all, just cant wait to see the revision.

[studcrackers]

why are you so high on limas sweed?

[PhilipNelsonFan]

What is it that separates Dan Connor for Paul Posluszny so much that Connor is rated as a top-10 pick?

Also, I'd have DeSean Jackson LOWER than 40th. That seems generous.

[CJ_18]

I think the Miami Safety Kenny Phillips should be a bit higher than 20.

Ive read about him and he's supposed to be the real deal. And the history of Safeties/Defensive players coming out of the U is great.

[Jose7]

I take Flacco over Henne and Ainge.

Dont like both QBs in top 7 at all.

[Monkeyfeng06]

dan connor is top 10?

[The_Child_Prodigy]

I don't agree with this list sorry.

I would take Jake Long over Clady.

Brohm and Ryan have fallen pretty low in some mock drafts they are not top 10 players in this draft.

[Jose7]

And little animal is returning I read.

[NoSkyy]

why are you so high on limas sweed?

I want to know this as well. NFLdraftscout,com(I'm not sure how reliable they are but they sure as hell got a lot of information) recently had him ranked 10th best in the WR core but now has him 3rd behind Doucet/Hardy and this isn't including Johnson (who you aren't high on at all). What's with the sudden rise of stock even before the combine? and how much do you know about that wrist of his?

[Icness]

To answer a couple:

Doucet was suposed to be on the list. He's actually on the Word clipboard but I forgot to paste him back where I wanted him. Somewhere in the 40s--I don't see it at all but too many people I trust and respect have him very high.

Laurinaitis is headed back to OSU, so that shakes things up a bit. Expect Keith Rivers and Dan Connor to both have more inherent value now, whether they desrve it or not. I happen to really like Connor, who reminds me a great deal of Keith Bulluck. Probably not quite as explosive or as good in coverage, but he's got better instincts and gets off blocks better than Posluszny.

Limas Sweed would be thought of in a similar vein as Calvin Johnson had he not gotten hurt or had such an inconsistent QB this season. He's not as fast, but his hands, his toughness, his body control, his blocking--they're all as good as Johnson was at GT. If he clocks poorly, and he very well might, he'll drop like a rock on this (and other) boards.

I strongly encourage everyone to watch both the Arkansas and OSU games for LSU and then tell me why you think Ali Highsmith should even be drafted. Start counting how many running plays he overpursues and abandons his gap assignment--you'll need your neighbors to take off their shoes to keep track. He's a great athlete (though his 4.7 40--slower than Connor--time says otherwise) but not a great football player. See the difference between Vernon Davis and Kellen Winslow, and that's the difference between Highsmith and Connor (or Rivers, or Bell).

If Antoine Cason clocks better than his current best time of 4.64, he'll go up. Until then he has no prayer of doing anything in the NFL except playing strict Tampa-2. Which he should do quite well.

The team I'm working with this draft has the QBs ranked like this:
1. Brohm
2. Ryan, and it's not close
big gap
3. Henne
4. Ainge
5. Flacco
6. Woodson
7. Booty

For those who haven't seen Flacco, think a cross between Jason Campbell and Roethlisberger, but in need of polish and experience. They ran an offense that attacked downfield at every opportunity and asked him to make a lot of plays on his own. Expectations should be tempered by the fact he left Pitt because he couldn't beat out Tyler Palko, now the Saints #3 QB.

Woodson's painfully slow release and apparent inability to quickly diagnose coverages are very real problems that might not be able to be coached out of him. It's too bad because other than Brohm he throws the most catchable ball and has proven great leadership.

[NO-KG-AI]

We all know that Calais Campbell is likely to soar up the boards.

[Monkeyfeng06]

i never liked woodson anyway. never got the hype for him.

sigh... i really wanted laurinaitis.. are you 100% sure he's going back?

[The_Child_Prodigy]

I dont follow NCAA but I am pretty sure that Campbell was good at getting to the qb before this year. The exact opposite can be said for Chris Long who only started getting sacks this year.

Why has Long gone so far above Campbell even though Campbell has had better seasons?

I think Calais will be a dominant pro.

Why would Laurinaitis go back? I mean alot of people thought he was headed to NE and unless his play really falters he won't play there/

[Jose7]

To answer a couple:

Doucet was suposed to be on the list. He's actually on the Word clipboard but I forgot to paste him back where I wanted him. Somewhere in the 40s--I don't see it at all but too many people I trust and respect have him very high.

Laurinaitis is headed back to OSU, so that shakes things up a bit. Expect Keith Rivers and Dan Connor to both have more inherent value now, whether they desrve it or not. I happen to really like Connor, who reminds me a great deal of Keith Bulluck. Probably not quite as explosive or as good in coverage, but he's got better instincts and gets off blocks better than Posluszny.

Limas Sweed would be thought of in a similar vein as Calvin Johnson had he not gotten hurt or had such an inconsistent QB this season. He's not as fast, but his hands, his toughness, his body control, his blocking--they're all as good as Johnson was at GT. If he clocks poorly, and he very well might, he'll drop like a rock on this (and other) boards.

I strongly encourage everyone to watch both the Arkansas and OSU games for LSU and then tell me why you think Ali Highsmith should even be drafted. Start counting how many running plays he overpursues and abandons his gap assignment--you'll need your neighbors to take off their shoes to keep track. He's a great athlete (though his 4.7 40--slower than Connor--time says otherwise) but not a great football player. See the difference between Vernon Davis and Kellen Winslow, and that's the difference between Highsmith and Connor (or Rivers, or Bell).

If Antoine Cason clocks better than his current best time of 4.64, he'll go up. Until then he has no prayer of doing anything in the NFL except playing strict Tampa-2. Which he should do quite well.

The team I'm working with this draft has the QBs ranked like this:
1. Brohm
2. Ryan, and it's not close
big gap
3. Henne
4. Ainge
5. Flacco
6. Woodson
7. Booty

For those who haven't seen Flacco, think a cross between Jason Campbell and Roethlisberger, but in need of polish and experience. They ran an offense that attacked downfield at every opportunity and asked him to make a lot of plays on his own. Expectations should be tempered by the fact he left Pitt because he couldn't beat out Tyler Palko, now the Saints #3 QB.

Woodson's painfully slow release and apparent inability to quickly diagnose coverages are very real problems that might not be able to be coached out of him. It's too bad because other than Brohm he throws the most catchable ball and has proven great leadership.

Is it true that Connor has a 50" vertical? I heard something crazy like that.

[randomhero423]

i really have not seen much of mizzo this year. but i'm surprised fred davis isn't ahead of their TE. he was their #1 option and he's been very consistent for us, and was our only reliable option. i think he can become a very good TE in the NFL.

i would not mind NYG trading shockey and drafting davis (although boss looks good). have you heard anything abotu shockey going?

[Monkeyfeng06]

i really have not seen much of mizzo this year. but i'm surprised fred davis isn't ahead of their TE. he was their #1 option and he's been very consistent for us, and was our only reliable option. i think he can become a very good TE in the NFL.

i would not mind NYG trading shockey and drafting davis (although boss looks good). have you heard anything abotu shockey going?

giants need to focus on their LB corps first.

[Flash3]

James Laurinaitis is going back to school for his Sr. season....