Michael Marquardt: Focused on His NFL Future

Photo Credit: Arizona State University Athletics
Former Arizona State defensive end Michael Marquardt kindly spoke with Football Review Daily prior to the NFL Draft.

He recently signed a rookie free agent contract with the Cincinnati Bengals. The defensive end’s journey to the NFL began in a football family, detoured abroad, and was finalized at Arizona State.

Marquardt grew up in a football household. His father Peter played at UCLA and his two older brothers also played collegiate football. Daniel played on the defensive line at Brigham Young University and Brian played at defensive tackle for Weber State. While a certain amount of competitiveness permeated the household, Marquardt believes that the support dynamic was more important for his development. “There is a degree of competitiveness, but on the flip side,” Marquardt added, “I used to call one of my brothers after every game and ask him what he thought.”

Before his junior season, Marquardt spent time abroad as a missionary for his LDS church. Living and working in the futbol hotbed of Argentina seems like hardly a place to hone one’s American football skills, but the time spent in Bahia Blanca allowed Marquardt to set his sights on his football future. “You really become more focused on what you want.” Marquardt continued, “You have that time to sit and think about it.”

With his mission work finished, Marquardt completed two successful campaigns for the Sun Devils. He started all 23 collegiate games he played in. In both his junior and senior season, he was named as an All-Pac-10 honorable mention. In his final regular-season game against the University of Arizona on December 1, 2007, the senior captain blocked a field goal attempt, recovered a fumble, and added a solo tackle. After the game, he was named the Most Valuable Player, a distinction that earned him the Ben Goo Trophy.

The student-athlete majored in urban planning. He was also a two-time First Team Pac-10 All-Academic selection and he was named to Arizona State University’s National Football Foundation Hall of Fame Scholar-Athletes.

Now a member of the Cincinnati Bengals, Marquardt feels that the time he invested this spring preparing for the NFL will be the difference. “There was nothing to distract me from preparing for the NFL. It has been really nice to focus on football.”

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Adrian Peterson Aims for 2,000…Can He Do It? (Part II)

By: Mo Noorali
Football Review Daily

Read Part I: The 5 RBs in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards

Now, let’s look at what Adrian Peterson’s chances are of eclipsing the 2,000 yard mark. The Tavaris factor can be thrown out the window, since history is showing us that the worse the passing offense (3 of the 5 2,000 yard rushers were on a team that was last or 2nd last in the league in passing yards), the more yards for Peterson. In other words, greatness finds ways to get their yards, even if the defense knows its coming. Another thing Peterson has going for him is the fact that he has a great defense backing him, as did four of the five previous 2,000 yard rushers (with Barry Sanders being the exception). Having a good defense helps because they force three and outs, and help the offense get more possessions, which leads to more potential carries for the back (in the Lions case, they just let the other team score as quickly as possible, and Barry got his chances that way).

The Vikings should also be good enough to (at least) land in the middle of the pack in points scored, as have the other five teams of the previous 2,000 yard rushers. Also similar to all the teams but the 1998 Broncos, the Vikings will probably have a record around 9-7 or 10-6. Another similarity between AD and four of the five players to previously accomplish the feat is that he is known as an “upright runner” (all the others were except for Sanders). On that note, some feel that Peterson being an upright runner leaves him susceptible to big hits from on-coming linebackers and safeties, which will lead to him getting injured. Though it is a fact Adrian has not had a completely healthy season since his senior year in HS, it looked like he was going to make it last year, until a fluke of an injury. If Peterson stays healthy all year will it be enough?

History tells us that Chester Taylor’s presence will not stop Peterson since all five current members of the 2,000 yard club played on teams that were either 1st or 2nd in the league in rushing, and all five allowed their teammates to pick up at least 400 yards. It is possible that Chester gets more than that, but he should not get many more than that, he should get about 100 carries, and at a generous 4.5 yards per carry, he would yield 450 yards on the season. The carries though will be Peterson’s downfall. There is no way the Vikings will let him carry the ball more than 300 times. OJ Simpson had the least carries of the five, at 332 to reach the feat.

Even if we were to bump Peterson’s average of 5.6 yards per carry last year to 6.2 this year (which would be higher than any of the other 2,000 yard rushers), at 300 carries, that is still going to leave him 140 yards short of the mark. For those of you that think if he gets close enough, the Vikings will increase his load so that he can reach the mark, think again. There are too many other factors, such as potential rest in the final game for the playoffs, the track record of 2,000 yard rushers in the following season (there has always been a considerable drop off the next season), and the fact that they would choose his future health over a potentially historic season.

The truth is that, the way the NFL is constructed right now; there might not ever be another 2,000 yard rusher. Teams are starting to favor the two-back system more and more, and the health risks of giving one guy that big of a load (to get all the way to 2,000 yards) outweigh everything else. With that said, Peterson does have a chance to do it down the line, since the NFL could be changing very soon. It has been reported that in the new CBA a 17th regular season could be added, which could give Peterson a chance, but until that happens, the chances of another 2,000 yard rusher are pretty slim.

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Adrian Peterson Aims for 2,000…Can He Do It? (Part I)

By: Mo Noorali
Football Review Daily

Adrian Peterson excited Vikings fans and fantasy owners alike earlier this off-season when he stated that he will rush for 2,000 yards this season. Early last season, it seemed as if AD was going to pull off the feat in his rookie year, but eight and nine man fronts along with a knee injury prevented that from happening. The Vikings still have their superb offensive line intact, and are expecting Tavaris Jackson to make a big improvement in his second full year as a starter. Adrian Peterson has many obstacles in his way to reaching 2,000 yards though, including but not limited to Jackson’s inefficiency, staying healthy, and sharing the load with Chester Taylor. Along with all those factors is the fact that only five running backs in the history of the NFL have ever rushed for over 2,000 yards. Let’s take a moment to look over those five historic seasons before making any predictions for Peterson in 2008.

OJ Simpson – 1973 – 2,003 Yards

Let’s not forget that OJ did it (yes, I did just use those three words together) in just 14 games because that was how many they played per season back then. It took him 332 carries to get his total for the season, which resulted in an average of 6.0 yards per carry. It should be noted that Simpson only had one “horrible” game, in which he went for 55 yards on 14 carries. He had another one in which he was “average” in which he totaled 79 yards on 20 carries. His other 12 games, he was either at or over 99 yards…including 11 100+ yard games, six 150+ yard games, and three 200+ yard games, along with his dazzling opening week game of 250 yards. The Buffalo Bills as a team went 9-5 on the season (missed the playoffs), had the 15th ranked offense out of 26 teams, and the 10th ranked defense, points wise. Yards wise, the Bills were ranked 10th offensively and 14th defensively. The Bills ranked last in passing offense with a total of 997 yards on the season, and predictably finished 1st in the league in rushing yards, with 3,088 yards on the ground for the season.

Eric Dickerson – 1984 – 2,105 Yards

Dickerson, unlike Simpson, accomplished the feat in 16 games; therefore, his per game average was not as high (131.6 for Dickerson to Simpson’s 143.1). Dickerson, however, still holds the single season record for rushing yards in a season. He also carried the ball quite a few more times than Simpson, 379, and had a yard per carry average of 5.6. A glance at Dickerson’s game logs from 1984 show that he had a couple of very bad games and was still able to rush for over 2,000 yards (he had games of 49 and 39 yards). In his other 14 games though, Dickerson went for 98 or more in 13 of them, topping out at 215. He actually rushed for 215 in the game in which he broke Simpson’s record (the 15th game of the season). The St. Louis Rams as a team went 10-6 on the season (also missed the playoffs), had the 12th best offense out of 28 teams, and the 13th best defense, when looking at points. They were ranked 21st in offense and 14th in defense when looking at how many yards they gained and allowed. The Rams were 27th in passing offense with a total of 2,142 and 2nd in rushing yards, with 2,864 yards on the season.

Barry Sanders – 1997 – 2,053 Yards

Sanders famously started out the season with 2 sub 100 yard games (33 and 20), and finished it with 14 straight 100 yard games (which is still a single season record). It took him 335 carries to reach his total, and Sanders averaged 6.1 yards per carry, the highest among all 2,000 yard rushers. Along with his 14 100 yard games, Sanders mixed in five games of at least 150 yards, including two 200 yard games, topping out at 216. In 1997, the Detroit Lions were 9-7 and made the playoffs as a wild-card team (remember that there were no wild-cards when Dickerson and Simpson accomplished their feats), losing in the 1st round to the Tampa Bay Bucs. They scored the 4th most points in the league (out of 30 teams), and gained the 2nd most yards. The Lions were 21st in the league in points allowed, and 14th in the league in yards allowed. They were ranked 12th in the league in passing offense with a total of 3,334 yards and 2nd in rushing yards with 2,464 yards.

Terrell Davis – 1998 – 2,008 Yards

Davis enjoyed his 4th and final great season in 1998 eclipsing the 2,000 yard mark in 392 carries, with an average of 5.1 yards per carry. He had 11 games of 100 yards or more, along with five games of 150 plus yards, and one 200 yard game, his season high of 208. Of all the 2,000 yard rushers, Davis’ team enjoyed the most success going 14-2 in the regular season, and winning the Super Bowl. In the playoffs he actually rushed 78 times for a total of 468 yards, so it could be argued that he truly is the record for most rushing yards in a season, but that’s an argument we’ll let Davis and Dickerson decide. The Broncos, coming off a Super Bowl the year before, finished 2nd in the league (out of 30 teams) in points scored and 3rd in the league in yards gained. The defense allowed the 9th fewest points in the league that year, and the 11th fewest yards. The Broncos were 7th in the league in passing offense with 3.624 yards (some guy named Elway played behind center that year), and 2nd in the league in rushing offense with a total of 2.468 yards.

Jamal Lewis – 2003 – 2,066 Yards

The 5th and most recent member of the 2,000 yard club is Jamal Lewis. He reached his total in 387 carries, at an average of 5.3 yards per carry. Lewis gained a ridiculous amount (500) of those yards against his current team, the Cleveland Browns, including a then record-breaking 295 yards in week 2. Lewis crossed the century mark 12 times, but only had three 150 yard games and two 200 yard games (both against the aforementioned Browns). The thing that helped Lewis the most was his consistency, as his lowest total on the season was 68 yards. That season, the Baltimore Ravens went 10-6, made the playoffs, and lost to the Titans in the 1st round. They scored the 9th (out of 32 teams) most points in the league, and allowed the 6th fewest. The Ravens gained the 21st most yards, but were able to overcome that by allowing the 3rd least yards in the league. They were ranked last in the league in passing offense, gaining a total of 2,255 yards through the air, but finished 1st in rushing yards with 2,674.

So, now that the history lesson is complete, can Adrian Peterson rush for 2,000 yards?
Find out tomorrow in part II of my report.

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Art Monk: Just One Part of the Redskin's Dynamic Trio

By: William Calvin
Football Review Daily

In the late 1980s and early 1990s there was a trio of NFL wide receivers like no other, The Posse was their name, consisting of recent Hall of Fame inductee Art Monk, small in stature but big in heart Gary Clark, and speedster/Super Bowl record breaker Ricky Sanders. While Clark’s and Sanders’ statistical achievements were not head and shoulders above other NFL receivers, the three combined wreaked havoc on opposing defenses with their sure-handedness and lighting fast speed.

Art Monk, easily the most known of the three receivers, frequently rested among the NFL’s elite in various receiving categories. Known to most as “Quiet Man” or sometimes even “#81” because of his humble nature, Art Monk was one of the most reliable receivers to ever lace ‘em up. With his precise route running and sure hands he was able to eclipse 900 receptions, the first receiver in history to do so. With 940 receptions, over 12,000 career yards, and 68 touchdowns, Art seemed to be a shoe-in for the Hall of Fame. Yet it took the famed receiver almost 9 years to achieve what lesser receivers had already done. On February 2nd, 2008, the 1980 All Rookie winner, 3-time All Pro, 3-time Pro Bowler, and one time #1 receiver in NFL history was finally enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Gary Clark, one time USFL player, was well respected for his ability to play big while being only 5’9” 180 lbs. In 1985, Clark was signed by the Washington Redskins and went on to have an amazing rookie campaign consisting of 72 receptions, nearly 1000 yards, and 5 touchdowns. Consistently a 1000 yard per season receiver, Clark still holds a Redskins Monday Night Football receiving record of 11 receptions, 241 yards, and 1 touchdown. A 4-time Pro Bowler, Redskins’ Ring of Honor inductee, and one of Washington’s 70 Greatest Redskins, Gary Clark was a huge cog in this trio of miracle working receivers.

Ricky Sanders, while not the most popular member of The Posse, Sanders was easily the fastest and most electrifying on the trio. In Super Bowl XXII, Sanders had one of the greatest games in Super Bowl history. With 9 passes for 193 yards and 2 touchdowns, Sanders was able to haul in 168 of those yards in one quarter along with 2 touchdowns, all while tying a touchdown receiving record of 80 yards on one play. After a brief run in with the law in 1991, Ricky Sanders was eventually released in 1993 and signed by the Dolphins where he never played another down.

With nearly 35,000 receiving yards, 2100 receptions, and roughly 190 touchdowns combined, The Posse will forever go down in NFL history as one of the toughest trio of receivers to cover, as most teams did not have 3 top cornerbacks to do so.

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Why Owners Opted Out

By: Scott Rogers
Football Review Daily

As we all know by now, the NFL owners opted to terminate the collective bargaining agreement early with the players union, giving the potential for a lockout in 2011. Scary stuff? Please!

Right now, there is absolutely no reason to think this will not be resolved with a few concessions on both sides. Any other doomsday scenarios that you read are just posturing from one side. In effect, there were three main reasons Commissioner Roger Goodell listed as the main reasons for early termination.

1. High Labor Costs
2. Rookie Money Pool
3. Inability to recoup bonuses in contracts where players breach the contract of refuse to perform
   

The high labor costs will remain, if only because every industry from McDonald’s to the NFL has to spend a certain amount of money on salaries. Roughly 60% of league revenue goes toward player costs. Don’t expect to see this change too much. What I believe will change is the way rookie contracts are handed out. There will be some sort of cap, not as low as the NBA rookie salary structure, but a bit more manageable so we won’t see Matt Ryan with a bigger guaranteed bonus than Larry Fitzgerald.

The bonus issue is a big deal. The Michael Vick court ruling is a warning for all owners that when you guarantee money, you do not face good odds in getting it back. What will happen is some sort of guidelines will be drawn up for many scenarios showing how much money owners can recoup. Most likely all other issues will end up before independent arbitration.

So do not panic. The sky is not falling. Realistically, nothing will get accomplished for the rest of 2008. 2009 should be the jump off for real negotiations and if nothing has happened in two years, then we can hit the panic button.

Scott Rogers will report on the economic state of the NFL as well as the latest trends in performance training.

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Money for Nothing and Your Cleats for Free

By: Scott Rogers
Football Review Daily

Being the worst team in the NFL is bad enough. No one went through last season without poking fun at the Dolphins, especially the ill-fated Ricky Williams comeback. Not only does your fan base become agitated, but your talented players feel like seniors at the freshman dance. So as a reward, you get the first pick in the NFL Draft. Exciting? Yes. Getting a great college player? Yes. Getting a great NFL player? Possibly. Spending some money? Absolutely.

The first pick in the NFL Draft can be a blessing and a curse. For Jake Long, the blessing comes in the form of $30+ million guaranteed. For the Dolphins, a Courtney Brown-esque curse? Time will only tell.

Cade Massey and Richard Thaler highlighted this phenomenon in “The Loser’s Curse”, whose subtitle should have been that players drafted in the first round have as good of a chance as making it to the pro bowl (9%) as they do never starting a single game (8%). This study is a must read for any football junkie. But how can we predict which group our pick will land in?

For one, it is very complicated to analyze with a formula. A player’s impact at a skill position is easy to see. But what about a defensive tackle? A starting guard? It becomes a bit murky. The easiest way to assign a value to each pick is the NFL Draft chart that teams use when trading. We would also need to take into account the average amount of guaranteed money doled out to each spot over the past 4 years. As you can see, with the variables we will be adding, this could get extremely complicated.

The easiest way to look at it is by comparing guaranteed money. Salaries are available for the average fan to see. Looking at only guaranteed money, Long and Matt Ryan are both around $35 million in guaranteed salary. This type of investment is rarely given to the best players. Larry Fitzgerald renegotiated his contract this off-season and got $30 million guaranteed. Alan Faneca got $21 million guaranteed. These two guys have been to multiple pro bowls and Faneca is consistently one of the best lineman in the game. Something has to give.

From a finance standpoint, giving a proven player a lot of money upfront carries a small risk. Giving a rookie, who may not even start right away, a bigger bonus carries exponentially greater risk. But what is a bad team to do? Fans do not want to hear fiscal responsibility and risk reduction in a $6 billion dollar industry. In the end all fans care about is wins, which if the team had any, then they wouldn’t be in this spot in the first place.

Scott Rogers will report on the economic state of the NFL as well as the latest trends in performance training.

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Pay Day

Three big paydays recently:

- QB Matt Ryan signed a $72 million, six-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons.

- The Dallas Cowboys restructured CB Terence Newman's deal as they added a six-year extension to the final year left on his initial contract. Included in the deal is a $12 million signing bonus and $22.5 million guaranteed over the first three years.

- The 'Boys also inked RB Marion Barber to a new $45 million, seven-year contract that includes $16 million in guaranteed bonuses.

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NFL Owners Opt out of Collective Bargaining Agreement

The NFL owners voted this morning to opt out of the CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) which was put in place in 1993. Here are the details of this mornings announcement.

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Edward Blaine Ph.D. Interview

His time as a football player included an All-American selection playing offensive guard at the University of Missouri plus an impressive NFL career capped by his 1964 All-Pro selection; but, these gridiron feats pale in comparison to what Edward Blaine, Ph.D. achieved in his post-football career. He has tirelessly worked to improve the quality of life for men and women throughout the world as one of our nation’s foremost medical and pharmaceutical researchers. He kindly agreed to speak with Football Review Daily about his collegiate memories, playing under coaching greats Vince Lombardi and Dan Devine, and the importance of maintaining a life-time exercise plan.

Q. Can you elaborate on your favorite moments from your collegiate playing career at Missouri?

Of course, there are many and it is always difficult to pick a single instance that was most important. But if I must, I would say it was our victory over Navy in the Orange Bowl in 1960 (actually New Year’s Day 1961). We had been ranked number one in the nation coming into our last game of the season against our arch rival Kansas. Kansas won that game (one of the low points of my recollections) and we lost the right to call ourselves the nation’s number one team. Joe Bellino was the Heisman Trophy winner that year and our victory over a great Navy team led by the Heisman Trophy winner went a long way to restore honor. Another great memory was our victory over Michigan in 1959, perhaps the beginning of the great Devine era at Missouri. Then, there was the pass I intercepted and ran back almost for a touchdown before I was tackled on the 2 yard line!

Q. In 1991, you were elected to the University of Missouri's Athletic Hall of Fame and you gave the and you spoke to the graduating seniors at their commencement services. Can you elaborate on these experiences?

Actually, the start of this experience which ultimately resulted in my return to MU for the final phase of my career began in 1989 when I was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science from the University of Missouri. This is the highest award that a university can bestow and I was deeply honored by it. Subsequently, I was asked by then Chancellor Haskell Monroe if I would deliver the commencement address to the graduating class of 1991. That too, was a great honor and probably nothing in my life was so uplifting and gratifying as standing before that audience that day and delivering that address. I still remember the thrill to look out on all those faces and recall that just a few years earlier I had been sitting out there looking back. You have to remember, I’m a kid from a very small town in Missouri, Missouri was always the only school I ever considered attending and I was the first of my family to go to college. In fact, my brother next to me in age was the first to finish high school in our family. None of that is meant to diminish the honor of being inducted into the University of Missouri Athletic Hall of Fame. That, too, was a great honor and I’m ever so proud that I was selected among those great athletes.

Q. What are your thoughts on the Missouri football program's recent success?

Everything good. I really like Gary Pinkel and I think what he’s done to revive the MU football program is nothing short of sensational. We’ve gone through a long dry spell and all I can say Go Mizzou!

Q. After your All-American collegiate career, you were drafted by the Green Bay Packers. What do you remember most about being coached by Vince Lombardi?

Being coached by Vince Lombardi! Without a doubt the greatest coach I was associated with. Mind, I think Dan Devine was also great. I was doubly blessed to have experienced two of the really great coaches of that era. Lombardi was a man who was in control. Even when he was coaching some of the truly best players in the NFL he was the person who called the shots. If you didn’t like it you took a hike. I like that kind of leadership and I think both Lombardi and Devine demonstrated it masterfully. Somehow, I also liked his New York character suppressed in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It didn’t surprise me at all when he took the job in Washington. I just couldn’t ever figure out why they didn’t offer him the Giant’s job. When I was drafted by Green Bay in the second round, it was a great surprise to me and a lot of others. I only spent one year with the Packers, but it was one of the best years of my life and I owe that all to Lombardi. He had confidence in me and I hope I didn’t let him down.

Q. You then moved on to the Philadelphia Eagles. Were the fans as notorious then as they are now?

Yes! The Boo Birds were perched in Franklin Field and that was pretty much all we heard when we were on the field. Franklin Field was a great old venue to play in and only concentrated the sound. To tell the truth, most of us didn’t hear a lot of it because we were too immersed in the game.

Q. Can you speak about the Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center?

My career in science has been as rewarding to me personally as my career in sports. They are really two very different worlds, but I can tell you there are a heck of lot more people in science who ask me about sports than there ever were people in sports who asked me about science. Very few get to experience two very satisfying careers in a single lifetime. I feel doubly blessed because of that. Football was hard to leave, but it was the right thing to do and I did it at the right time, despite what a lot of people said at the time and perhaps still feel. My father-in-law suggested I might want to seek the help of a psychiatrist to understand why I walked away just as my football career was peaking. Nevertheless, my career in science has taken me all over the world and to intellectual places I never even dreamed of. Returning to my alma mater as director of the Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center culminated a long and satisfying career in science.

Our focus at Dalton is collaborative, interdisciplinary research in the cardiovascular sciences. We seek to join scientists for a variety of disciplines to bring their highly specialized knowledge to bear on important problems of cardiovascular health. We are particularly blessed at MU to have a medical school, a veterinary school, a college of engineering as well as arts and science and agriculture all on one campus. The possibilities are awesome. The new director is bringing new things to the fore and one of the most promising is a collaboration between cancer researchers and vascular biologists. A powerful combination to seek novel treatments for two of the most dreaded maladies of humankind.

Q. What has been your greatest achievement during your medical research career?

This is a much more difficult question to answer than the first one – what were the high points of my sports career. I’m very proud of all the work I’ve done to define the hormonal control of salt and water balance and the role played by the kidney in blood pressure regulation. Much of this is fundamental work that contributes to the advancement of science but may not make the headlines of the newspapers. However, during my career in the pharmaceutical industry I was associated with the development of some of the most important drugs now available for the treatment of hypertension, blockers of the renin-angiotensin system. I’m also very proud of the role my colleagues and I played in the discovery of and development as a drug of a novel hormone, atrial natriuretic peptide. Science has much less visible rewards than sports and you have to be satisfied with what you do on a personal basis and not depend on a lot of lights and signing autographs.

Q. What advice can you give to aspiring professional athletes with regards to maintaining their overall cardiovascular health?

Watch the weight. Football players particularly linemen are prone to be heavy. During their playing days there is a lot more muscle than fat, but as you age, it becomes harder and harder to keep the fat under control. Burning 5-6000 calories may be possible for an active player, but burning 2-3000 afterward is a much more difficult problem. Obesity is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease and it is an insidious problem. Life-time exercise is very important and that becomes especially relevant to those of us who have suffered joint damage and are limited in what we can do to keep active. I love to ride my bicycle and I would urge everyone, not just athletes, to keep as fit as you can as long as you can.

Football Review Daily's NFL Alumni Series

• Raúl Allegre - Kicker - 5/1/2008
• Edward Blaine Ph.D. - Guard - 5/17/2008

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Simpson & Slaton - Potential Fantasy Gems?

By: Mo Noorali
Football Review Daily

It’s never too early to start thinking about fantasy football. This year’s NFL was loaded with players who will make an impact this year and in the future. Anyone can draft the likes of LT, Brady, and Adrian Peterson, but in recent years, the key to fantasy championships is finding late round gems during the draft and/or picking up waiver wire gold throughout the season. Here is two rookies that could possibly make a significant impact this year in fantasy football:

Steve Slaton, RB, Houston Texans

Houston Head Coach Gary Kubiak is a disciple of Mike Shanahan and runs the same zone blocking scheme in Houston. Neither Ahman Green nor Chris Brown is going to be the answer at running back for the Texans this year. Green is always injured and Brown is not suited for the one-cut system. If Slaton is given the opportunity to come in and compete for the starting running back job, given his speed and prowess catching the ball out the backfield, he could surprise a lot of people. There is a durability concern with Slaton, but if he can avoid injury, the revamped Texans offensive line could help him make a run at a very solid rookie campaign. Take a flyer on late him in your draft. Projection: 1000 total yards, 4 TDs

Jerome Simpson, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

He was everyone’s favorite sleeper heading into the draft, and he landed in the perfect situation in Cincinnati. The Bengals are stuck in a division where they will get into shootouts with the Browns, and will be unable to run on the Steelers or Ravens. That, along with Carson Palmer at quarterback will lead to numerous looks for the Chris Henry replacement out of Coastal Carolina. If Ocho Cinco follows through with his threatened holdout (which he won’t, but anything is possible with Rosenhaus), Simpson could find himself on the short list of rookie wide receivers who have gone over 1,000 yards. Monitor his battle for the #3 receiver with fellow draftee Andre Caldwell and of course Chad Johnson’s situation going forward in Cincinnati. He is also worth a late round flyer as a high upside pick, and a must-draft in 16 team or deeper leagues. Projection: 750 yards, 4 TDs

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SMU's Head Coach June Jones Speaks to PonyStampede.com

Jones finally brought his aerial attack to the mainland. His pass-first offensive schemes were sadly ignored by the major media while he was on the Hawaiian Islands.

Now, the head coach at SMU, June Jones recently spoke with PonyStampede.com. You can find his exclusive interview in their Premium Story section otherwise known as the subscription portion of the site.

But don't hang your heads just yet, the site is offering a 7-Day Free Trial!

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Ducking an Egg in a Trip to “The Farm”

By: Ted Kaiser
Football Review Daily

Every now and then I will share some experiences from the college football scene through recounting road games and bowls. Each game and location has its own unique flavor. This is the first of several articles that will take us from LA to the Bay Area to Nebraska to Miami and more. As a big time USC fan, most of the games include the Trojans, but I’ve had the chance to visit many schools and will get to more in the future.

There is no better USC football experience than “The Weekender” aka the annual migration of Trojans up the freeway to the Bay Area to watch the game against Stanford or Cal. The 2004 season saw the Trojans get off to a 3-0 start after capturing a share of the national title in 2003. But this year there was visions of an undisputed championship and the trip to Stanford was expected to be just another W on the way to Miami.

Just one year before, the Weekender had turned into a disaster with a triple overtime loss at Cal. Most SC fans went straight home after the game, others drank their sorrows away in silence. Nightmares of Hershel Dennis fumbling inside the five-yard line in overtime still haunt Trojan fans to this day. With those memories in the back of our minds, my friends and I loaded up the car and drove up Interstate 5 to San Francisco. If you ever go to a game at Stanford, it is highly recommended that you stay in the city and not in Palo Alto. There is a reason the school is fondly nicknamed “The Farm” by the USC faithful. While Palo Alto is a beautiful town, the nightlife leaves something to be desired and if you are looking to have some fun, stay in San Francisco and make the thirty minute drive on gameday. Fair warning: if driving up I-5, prepare for the smell of cow manure to last about 1/3 of the drive because contrary to popular belief, most of California is rural farmland.

After sitting through Bay Area rush hour traffic, we arrived at our hotel, if you could call it that. The name of the place escapes me, probably because I would never stay there again after enduring the stained and smelly bed sheets, disgusting shower, and a few unmentionables strewn throughout the hallway. Of course, being in college at the time, we tried to save money, but this was not what we had signed up for. We hoped this was not a sign of things to come for the weekend. Otherwise, Friday evening in San Francisco was a good time, complete with dinner, a USC Pep Rally in Union Square, and a trip to the bars.

Gameday came quickly and the later start time allowed for a few hours to tour the city. Quick visits to the Golden Gate Bridge and Lombard Street were a must for me in my first trip to San Francisco. Soon it was time to head down to Palo Alto. Because we opted to the tour the city, there was little time for tailgating, but that ended up being a wise choice. The tailgate scene at Stanford was pretty dull with only a few BBQs throughout what seemed like a giant farm for a parking lot. Here I thought “The Farm” was a silly stereotype, but the area around the stadium was in fact a giant unpaved area with trees.

The walk to Stanford Stadium seemed like a mile and the overall atmosphere was pretty quiet. Not much was expected of the Cardinal that year and the stadium renovation that was expected to draw fans wasn’t going to be ready for another two seasons. We got to our seats which were the old wooden bench style. It was not too difficult to imagine the number of times drunk students might have fallen between the wooden rows. But the stadium had a small town charm to it and the beautiful setting was relaxing on the cool, crisp late afternoon.

The relaxation would quickly turn to trepidation in the Pac-10 Conference opener. With the Cardinal fresh off a bye week, they held a stunning 11-point lead at halftime thanks to a touchdown on the final play of the second quarter. The USC halftime locker room was an emotional moment with seniors such as defensive end Shaun Cody speaking up and getting the team energized for the second half. In the stands, a state of panic had set in. How could this happen again on “The Weekender”? What about the plans for Miami? Why are we playing so bad? Outside on the concourse, Stanford fans started to show some life with some mild trash talking of the SC contingent. My friend, an avid gambler at the time, scrambled to find out what the second half line was by making a few phone calls. Upon hearing the line was minus-7, he turned to us for advice.

“Should I take it?” he asked.

“Heck yes!” several of us responded.

Just like that we went from feeling sorry for ourselves to being completely fired up for the second half. There was no way we were going to lay an egg at The Farm. We came to Stanford expecting a cakewalk and a boring game, but the play of the Cardinal and a few playful yaps from the opposing fans had woken us up. Fortunately, the Trojans woke up too and went on for a 31-28 victory thanks to Reggie Bush, Lendale White, and company.

The post-game celebration was back in SF at Fisherman’s Wharf, a great little area with restaurants and bars. As we were waiting in line for one bar, a couple in their 50s and their college-age son were walking out. We asked “The Murphy’s” how it was and they said it was okay, but to come with them to this great little bar down the street called the Buena Vista. To our surprise, this kind and apparently financially well-off family, proceeded to buy us several hundred dollars worth of drinks. A few beers, car bombs, and wild turkeys later, the night was a success. Sunday’s trip home to LA down the must-see scenic Pacific Coast Highway was a happy one. “The Weekender” was over and SC was a step closer to going to Miami.

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Ted Kaiser writes about his college football experiences in an exclusive series here at Football Review Daily.

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New Set of NFL Head Coaches Looking to Make Their Mark

By: Mo Noorali
Football Review Daily

Every year there is always a huge focus on which players have switched teams, and how each team has changed their personnel during the off-season. People are always looking to see which guy will make the biggest impact on his new team. When these conversations come up though, the names of the people that end up making the biggest impact are rarely discussed. As you can tell by the title, I am referring to the Head Coach. This year we have four teams that have a different Head Coach from the one they had last year. Unlike most years when we look at this list, all of the new Head Coaches this year are exactly that, new, in that all of them are first time Head Coaches in the NFL. It is refreshing to see some fresh faces getting a chance to prove what they are made of, instead of the same old faces being recycled and re-used throughout the league. Since most people are not familiar with these guys yet, here is a closer look at them, and what should be expected of them this year, and for years to come:

John Harbaugh – Baltimore Ravens

Harbaugh is coming over from the Philadelphia Eagles, where he served as the Special Teams coordinator for seven years and as the Defensive Backs coach last year. Expect him to bring over to Baltimore the same philosophy as his mentor, Jim Johnson, and turn the Ravens into a blitz-happy defense. He has already made a great hire for his offensive coordinator in Cam Cameron, and most people would agree that even though Cameron did not work out as a Head Coach, his knowledge of the offensive side is something that will definitely help a Ravens offense that has been struggling for the better part of a decade now.

Expect Harbaugh to be similar to his younger brother, Jim, as far as his coaching style is concerned. He will speak his mind, and wear his emotions on his sleeve. Harbaugh is exactly what the Ravens needed, a young energetic coach that will put some life back into a Ravens team that looked very lethargic last year. Sure we all remember how passionately they played against the Patriots, but the other 15 games, their effort was not at the level that it needed to be at.

Under Harbaugh the Ravens should win around 9 to 10 games, and possibly challenge for a playoff spot in the AFC via the wild card. If the Ravens are patient, Harbaugh could continue to be their head man for many years to come, as he has the knowledge and passion for the game that is needed in every coach.

Tony Sparano – Miami Dolphins

Sparano is probably most famous for being featured in Kenny Mayne’s Mayne Event late last year. In Dallas, he gained a reputation for being a very good coach. He got his chance under Bill Parcells, who gave him offensive play-calling duties in 2006 after Sean Payton left to coach the Saints. His official position with the Cowboys for the last five years was listed as the Offensive Line Coach, and he did a great job turning them into a formidable bunch to protect Tony Romo and open up holes in the running game. He comes to Miami via Bill Parcells and Jeff Ireland, who also came over from the Dallas Cowboys. It has been speculated the Parcells “owed him one” after Parcells held Sparano back from joining Sean Payton with the Saints as Payton’s offensive coordinator. Instead, Sparano stayed with Parcells, and has since been labeled a “Parcells Guy.”

Sparano should immediately improve a Dolphins offense that struggled mightily last year. It’s fitting that a former offensive linemen brought in an offensive linemen as the first overall pick in the draft. Jake Long’s development will be accelerated because he has a Head Coach that emphasizes the offensive line, and realizes its importance. While Dan Henning will most likely be doing the play calling for the Dolphins, expect Sparano to have a lot of input throughout the week in the team’s strategy week in and week out. Expect the Dolphins to improve this year from the dismal year they had last year. They will probably be able to win 5-6 games and start on the right path to rebuilding.

Unlike Harbaugh though, Sparano does not fit the mold of an ideal NFL Head Coach. He is a guy that will stand on the sidelines with his glasses on, and not be much of a yeller and screamer. It seems as though those types of Head Coaches are far from the trend now-a-days. Though we still do have guys like Andy Reid in Philadelphia and Mike Holmgren in Seattle, they are the exception, not the rule. Sparano will probably be given a chance for two or three years, but unless the Dolphins show a vast improvement, I expect to be writing about their new coach in 2011.

Mike Smith – Atlanta Falcons

Of the four new coaches hired this year, Mike Smith probably has the best track record. Though many people had not heard his name mentioned on a national level until he was hired by the Falcons, most everyone is familiar with his work. He was the Linebackers coach of arguably one of the best linebacking groups in NFL history, with the Ravens from 1999-2002. The guys that played under him from most of that stretch were Ray Lewis, Adalius Thomas, Jamie Sharper, and Peter Boulware. Due to his successes as the Linebackers coach in Baltimore, he was hired as the Jaguars Defensive Coordinator in 2003. Since then, the Jaguars have become known as one of toughest and hardest hitting defenses in the league.

Smith is going to bring that same smash mouth attitude to the Atlanta Falcons. His hiring will help guys like Keith Brooking and John Abraham elevate their game to an even higher level. Expect both of those guys to have career years this year, as well as for 2007 first-round pick Jamaal Anderson to show a lot of improvement in his game. Similar to Harbaugh, Smith has also gone out and got himself a very capable offensive coordinator to take care of the offense in Mike Mularkey. This will let Smith focus on rebuilding the defense, and gaining from the team what Bobby Petrino never did: respect.

Under Mike Smith, the Falcons will improve, but their record might not show it. They will not win more than 5 games just because the talent is not there. This year, he will build the foundation to succeed: revamp his defense, and slowly bring around his young QB Matt Ryan. If Arthur Blank is patient, he may have found his coach of the future. Blank should learn from the other teams in his division and try to stick to one coach over a long period of time and establish some stability in the organization. His demeanor is similar to that of John Fox, and like Fox has done with the Panthers, Mike Smith will make the Falcons a respectable franchise once again.

Jim Zorn – Washington Redskins

Zorn has built up his reputation with the work he has done with Matt Hasselbeck throughout Hasselbeck’s career in Seattle. He served as the Seattle Seahawks Quarterbacks coach from 2001-2007. Zorn also played in the NFL on and off for 11 years. Most people know that this hiring was made mostly to help with the development of Jason Campbell. The team showed in the draft that they are fully committed to giving Campbell every opportunity to succeed. Zorn’s coaching career, however long it lasts will be measured by Campbell’s success, and they are now forever linked together in their careers.

Zorn is going to bring his experience of being around a consistent offense with him to the Redskins, who have shown flashes of brilliance over the last couple of years, but never seem to find consistency. Unlike Sparano and Smith (and Harbaugh to a lesser degree), Zorn will be expected to win right away in the toughest division in football. His job is simple, turn Campbell into one of the top QBs in the game, and don’t mess anything else up. They want the defense to keep playing the way they did towards the end of the season, seen in the hiring of Greg Blache from within the organization.

There is no doubt that Zorn will help out Jason Campbell, but the fact that he has never even been an offensive coordinator has to concern Redskins fans. He was brought in initially to be the Offensive Coordinator, which is a natural move from being a Quarterbacks Coach, but will the jump to Head Coach be too much to handle? Looking at the situation, it’s seems like the answer to that question will be yes. The expectations along with the pressure that will be put on him by Daniel Snyder is going to prove to be too much for Jim Zorn. He will leave the offense better than he found it, but the next coach will reap the benefits, expect Jim Zorn to put up 2-3 years of 9-7, and be shown the door soon thereafter.

*****
Which new coach will enjoy the greatest success in 2008? Let Football Review Daily know in this article's comment section.

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Stat of the Day

The most fumbles by a player in a NFL game is 7 held by Len Dawson, Kansas City vs. San Diego in 1964.

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Highsmith Looking to Impress in Arizona

By: Floyd Randolph
Football Review Daily

As the final seconds ticked off the 2008 NFL Draft clock, most players who had been passed over in the earlier portion of the draft finally began hearing their names being called in the latter half, yet one thing was left unsettled – LB Ali Highsmith’s name was still out there. A surefire first round pick only a couple months ago, his stock had severely slipped, and as the final picks were announced his name was still left on the board.

Highsmith became the victim of a poor combine, tallying forty yard dash times in the low fives and not showing the explosive nature he showed back at LSU where he was once rated as one of the premier linebackers in the nation. Highsmith had a monster 2007 college season where he racked in 101 tackles, recorded three sacks and two forced fumbles; after the season was over, Highsmith was rated near the top of every draft board in terms of linebackers.

Highsmith, known for his physical play has also been praised for his knack of being in the right place at the right time – he is the type that won’t go down until the whistle is blown. This is the type of characteristic that is far too often ignored on draft day – Ali is not only a gifted athlete, but rather a highly intelligent football player with the tools defensive coordinators drool over once they see his productivity in their system.

Now with the dust settling, Ali is ready to make his mark in the league. Highsmith signed a two-year rookie free agent contract with Cardinals soon after draft day and will be looked upon as one of the few potential undrafted impact players. He’s been given a second chance to make his mark, and after seeing how productive Ali is on the field, it’s only a matter of time before those scouts who erased his name off of their draft boards will regret their passing of not only a gifted athlete, but rather a true football player with a relentless passion for the game.

*****
SI.com's NFL Draft Film Room compiled a highlight reel from the Highsmith's collegiate career.

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Who Will It Be This Year?

By: Mo Noorali
Football Review Daily

Since the 1998 NFL Draft, a team that finished with a record in the bottom 10 of the league the previous season, and had a pick in the top 10 has gone on to make the playoffs the season after being in the bottom 10. Some people do not believe in the concept of parity that has been thrown around by NFL analysts for the better part of the last decade, but this stat shows that parity does indeed exist. Let’s take a look at the last 10 occurrences of this phenomenon, followed by a look at who will be able to pull it off this year, and continue the trend.

1998 – Arizona Cardinals, Andre Wadsworth, DE (3rd Overall Pick)

1999 – Indianapolis Colts, Edgerrin James, RB (4th Overall Pick), St. Louis Rams, Torry Holt, WR (6th Overall Pick), Detroit Lions, Chris Claiborne, LB (9th Overall Pick) …The Redskins also took Champ Bailey with the 7th Overall Pick (and made the playoffs), but they had the 11th worst record the year prior, and traded up to the 7th Pick.

2000 – Philadelphia Eagles, Corey Simon, DT (6th Overall Pick) …The Ravens also made the playoffs that year, and had two top picks (Jamal Lewis and Travis Taylor), but similar to the Redskins, they finished with the 15th worst record the year before, and acquired the top 10 picks through trades.

2001 – New England Patriots, Richard Seymour, DT (6th Overall Pick), San Francisco 49ers, Andre Carter, DE (7th Overall Pick*), Chicago Bears, David Terrell, WR (8th Overall Pick)

2002 – Indianapolis Colts, Dwight Freeney, DE (11th Overall Pick**)

2003 – Dallas Cowboys, Terrence Newman, CB (5th Overall Pick), Carolina Panthers, Jordan Gross, OT (8th Overall Pick), Baltimore Ravens, Terrell Suggs, LB (10th Overall Pick)

2004 – Atlanta Falcons, DeAngelo Hall, CB (8th Overall Pick)

2005 – Chicago Bears, Cedric Benson, RB (4th Overall Pick), Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cadillac Williams, RB (5th Overall Pick), Washington Redskins, Carlos Rodgers, CB (9th Overall Pick)

2006 – New Orleans Saints, Reggie Bush, RB (2nd Overall Pick), New York Jets, D’Brickashaw Ferguson, OT (4th Overall Pick)

2007 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Gaines Adams, DE (4th Overall Pick), Washington Redskins, LaRon Landry S (6th Overall Pick

[Note]

*The 49ers originally had the 9th worst record before making the Andre Carter pick, and they traded up to the 7th pick.

**Dwight Freeney was the 11th pick, but the year before the Colts did have one of the 10 worst records in the NFL, but received the 11th pick in the draft because the expansion Houston Texans received the 1st overall pick.

***Looking to 2008***
It seems like this is more than a coincidence. It looks like this trend will continue for years and years, and it is definitely good for the game, as fans from all over the country have hope that their team can go from a seller dweller to a team in contention in just one years time.

2008 NFL Draft Top 10 Picks

1) Miami Dolphins, Jake Long, OT
2) St. Louis Rams, Chris Long, DE
3) Atlanta Falcons, Matt Ryan, QB
4) Oakland Raiders, Darren McFadden, RB
5) Kansas City Chiefs, Glenn Dorsey, DT
6) New York Jets, Vernon Gholston, DE/LB
7) New Orleans Saints, Sedrick Ellis, DT
8) Jacksonville Jaguars, Derrick Harvey, DE
9) Cincinnati Bengals, Keith Rivers, LB
10) New England Patriots, Jerod Mayo, LB

First of all, New England and Jacksonville don’t qualify, since both of them made the playoffs last year. It looks like the New Orleans Saints will be the team that continues the trend this year. They had a number of injuries last year that derailed their season, and got off to a very slow start. Look for them to recover this year, as Sedrick Ellis will fill a big need for them at defensive tackle and be a starter from day one. The Chiefs and Jets will also be very much improved, but they may find it harder to make the playoffs in the more competitive AFC, whereas the Saints will be guaranteed a playoff spot with 10 wins, and could possibly sneak in with 9.

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Spotlight on Kenny Iwebema

The Arizona Cardinals did not have to look far when searching for information on DE Kenny Iwebema who they selected with the 116th overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. Iwebema was one of three DE taken by the Cardinals. Calais Campbell (Miami) went off the board in the second round, Iwebema in the fourth, and Chris Harrington (Texas A&M) went in round six.

Iwebema's defensive line coach at the University of Iowa up until his junior season is current Arizona Cardinals defensive line coach Ron Aiken. Aiken spent eight seasons with the Iowa Hawkeyes before moving to the NFL to join head coach Ken Whisenhunt’s coaching staff in 2007. Aiken recruited the defensive end while with the Hawkeyes.

Known for his strength off the edge and ability to contain the running game, Iwebama's technique will be fine tuned under the tutelage of coach Aiken. In his final three collegiate seasons, Iwebema, who played on the right, collected a total of 13.5 sacks. 2005 ended up being his most prolific season statistically. He finished with 32 solo tackles, seven sacks, ten tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, and two blocked kicks.

SI.com's NFL Draft Film Room compiled a highlight reel from the defensive end's collegiate career.

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2005 Draft Revisited - Five Picks That Have Paid Off From Round 1

Next time you look back at the 2005 NFL Draft, shield your eyes from the horror that was Round 1. The notorious round was a personnel minefield that most teams would love to forget about. Certainly, it had its share of misses, but it also produced several elite players. Football Review Daily reviews five that are still relevant.

Braylon Edwards – Pick 3 – Cleveland Browns
Braylon continued the long-standing tradition of breakout performances for wide receivers in year three of their NFL careers. 80 receptions for 1289 yards plus 16 TDs add up to an AFC Pro Bowl invitation. Thank you, Braylon, for keeping the WR Year 3 Rule safe and sound.

DeMarcus Ware – Pick 11 – Dallas Cowboys
Bill Parcells’ evaluation skills gained more notoriety with this selection at pick eleven. Ware’s speed off the edge and overall athleticism allowed the LB to rack up 33.5 sacks to date in Dallas.

Shawne Merriman – Pick 12 – San Diego Chargers
Equally impressive as Ware when it comes to pressuring the QB, Merriman’s career sack total equals 39.5. Cowboy head coach Wade Phillips has been fortunate enough to coach both of these LBs.

Derrick Johnson – Pick 15 – Kansas City Chiefs
221 solo tackles, 10.5 sacks, 2 Interceptions, and 7 forced fumbles are solid enough stats for a three year period. The University of Texas product has shown that he belongs in the league.

Luis Castillo – Pick 28 – San Diego Chargers
Off-field issues caused the defensive lineman's stock to fall on draft day similar to Warren Sapp's situation several years prior. Castillo has produced Sappian numbers in his three years with the ‘Bolts including 13 total sacks.

Football Review Daily wanted to end this piece talking about five who haven’t lived up to their first round selections; are you listening Mr. Williams? But any article where you use the word Sappian in it should always end on a positive note…

Derek Anderson threw for 3787 yards and 29 TDs last season. Not too shabby for the 213th selection in the 2005 NFL Draft.

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Stat of the Day

Six current teams have never played in the Superbowl - Arizona, Cleveland, Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville, New Orleans

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News and Links from Around the Net

Three links of note to chew on...

• Stewart Mandel's Power Rankings via SI.com
• Redskins' Antwaan Randle El's knee surgery update via SI.com
• The Cooley Zone's Newest Post via Yahoo! Sports' Shutdown Corner

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Not The Start He Expected

Rashard Mendenhall was on top of the world a week ago. Funny how things can change in a week.

Mendenhall was drafted 23rd overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in last weeks NFL Draft. He then flew to Pittsburgh and joined the team for their first mini-camp. During only his first day of practice, Mendenhall tweaked his hamstring and had to sit out the rest of the three day camp - not the kind of start a first round draft pick is looking for. (Mednenhall is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for the Steelers open camp this summer.)

Unfortunately it doesn't end there for Mendenhall. While back in Illinois this weekend, Mendenhall was robbed at gun point. Police report at roughly 2 AM Monday morning, Mendenhall was robbed of his wallet and cell phone while strolling along Chicago's South Side lakefront. Mendenhall was not hit or punched and was uninjured during the stick up; however it was a very scary moment for the NFL rookie. No one has been arrested for the crime.

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University of San Diego Head Coach Ron Caragher Interview

In his first season, head coach Ron Caragher built upon the recent tradition at the University of San Diego football program. The Toreros compete in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision and are members of the Pioneer Football League. Over the last three years, the team executed a trio of successful campaigns and now are considered one of the perennial powers in the Pioneer Football League. San Diego won the league championship in 2005 and 2006. The Toreros ended 2007 with a record of 9-2 behind the strong play of quarterback Josh Johnson who was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft.

As he prepares for his second season in charge, head coach Ron Caragher recently found time this spring to answer a few questions for Football Review Daily.

Q. When you reflect on your first season, what have you taken from 2007?

Confirmation that our approach and philosophy of ‘coming out of the gate’ fast and playing hard & smart was key to our success. Further, football is still the ultimate team sport and that all eleven players on the field must carry their weight and execute their assignment. The game comes down to blocking, tackling, turnovers, and scheme execution.

Q. With season one completed, what has been your main focus heading into season two?

Balance and execution. We want to be a well balanced football team that is fundamentally sound. For example, on offense, while we like to throw the football, we know that we must be able to run the football to have sustained success. Defensively, we want to have an attacking, aggressive defense.

Q. What is your overall assessment regarding the incoming class of recruits?

We are very excited about this years incoming recruits. We feel we addressed all of our needs and are looking forward to working with these young men when they report in August. Two already have made an impact as they were here for the spring semester. Nick Kostielney (Gavilan JR. College) came out of spring as our starting center and Chris Danser (San Jose State transfer) will be a contributor if not starter on the offensive line.

Q. Were you pleased with your team's performance at spring practice?

Yes, for the most part. While it is hard to replace key contributing seniors such as Josh Johnson, Eric Bakhtiari, Wes Doyle, Ronnie Pentz, etc., I felt other individuals stepped forward and showed they can play at a high level. Further, some of these individuals stepped into the leadership role that we need them to.

Q. Have you decided on a QB for 2008 or are you still evaluating?

Unfortunately, Andrew Rolin, our most experienced returning QB, missed most of spring practice with a stress fracture in his lower back. With the additional repetitions and practice opportunities, Ben Hannula emerged at the QB position and had a terrific spring. He has a good grasp of our passing game concepts and uses his athleticism to make plays when the pocket collapses. The keys for the fall will be to see Ben continue the high level of execution at the position and to see how Andrew bounces back.

Photo Courtesy University of San Diego Athletics

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Stat of the Day

Graham Harrell from Texas Tech lead the NCAA with 5,705 passing yards in 2007.

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Reggie Smith's Impact Certain with 49ers

After several seasons of fielding a less-than-stellar secondary, the San Fransisco 49ers assembled a strong unit in 2007. The off season saw the team bring in Pro Bowler Nate Clements to serve as the team's lockdown corner. Former Philadelphia Eagles' safety Michael Lewis signed on and ended with a statistically successful campaign. Mark Roman, Walt Harris, and Shawntae Spencer also added veteran expertise to the unit.

With the drafting in the third round of the University of Oklahoma's Reggie Smith, the 49ers secondary look prepared to make an even greater impact in the NFC West.

Smith is an instinctive and versatile player who could see significant playing time this season in the 49ers' nickel package. By season's end, it is not a stretch to say the he could be pushing for starting minutes alongside Clements.

Smith recently commented on the San Fransisco 49ers' official site that he prefers to play corner but is open to playing safety if needed.

SI.com's NFL Draft Film Room compiled a highlight reel from the defensive back's collegiate career.

[Note] --- The 49ers also signed Smith's teammate Lewis Baker listed as a 6-3, 203 pound safety to an rookie free agent contract.

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Stat of the Day

Cleveland's Josh Cribbs had 1,809 kick return yards in 2007 to lead the NFL.

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Raúl Allegre: One Tee for Another

The New York Giants' team from Super Bowl XXI was loaded with such star-studded players as Lawrence Taylor, Harry Carson, Phil Simms, and Mark Bavaro. Equally instrumental to the success of that team was the clutch kicking of Raúl Allegre.

Nowadays, Raúl Allegre has seamlessly transitioned into the post-playing career world. He is a successful TV personality on ESPN & ESPN Deportes as well as the President of the NFL Alumni Chapter serving Austin, Texas and the surrounding areas.

The NFL Alumni Chapter in Austin, Texas is comprised of 120 eligible players. Suitable candidates had to have signed a contract to attend an NFL training camp. "The pool of potential players is pretty big," Allegre said, "especially with the University of Texas here." Once granted membership in the alumni chapter, a player normally devotes the majority of his time and energy to charity work around the community as well as meeting and socializing with the other alumni members.

The Austin chapter's major event is the NFL Alumni Golf Classic held at the prestigious Hills of Lakeway Golf and Country Club. The golf course is home to the FedEx Kinko's Classic which is a Champions Tour event. "We have a golf tournament that we do every year to benefit the Center for Child Protection." Allegre added, "The tournament is on June 20 (and) we anticipate having 30 to 34 teams. Every team is made up of four players and an alumni captain. The top four teams go to an open shot playoff."

The championship foursome progress on to a national tournament sponsored by the NFL Alumni. "The winning team gets to go to the NFL Alumni's Super Bowl of Golf which is held every year in the month of April," Allegre said, "and they get to compete against other cities that have NFL Alumni chapters."

Along with his duties as President of the Austin chapter, Raúl Allegre also works for ESPN serving on the network's Spanish-language Monday Night Football commentator team. Allegre expanded, "I am the color commentator for the Monday Night Football games. I also do a show called NFL Semanal (on ESPN Deportes with Alvaro Martin and Eduardo Varela). We come on once a week." NFL Semanal is now in its 5th year and the show is one of ESPN Deportes' most successful programs.

Raúl Allegre has traded in one tee for another these days. Instead of kicking in the Super Bowl, he is teeing off for charity in Austin, Texas surrounded by his fellow NFL Alumni.

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Tony Dorsett Meets LeSean McCoy

Tony Dorsett was recently at the UPMC athletic facility to meet LeSean McCoy. The press conference was attended by several media and WTAE was one of the TV stations on hand to cover the event. The video is courtesy of the WTAETV Channel at YouTube.

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Are the Eagles' Offensive Questions Answered?

By: Brian Strocko
Football Review Daily

Philly fans are certainly thrilled with the acquisition of much heralded defensive star Asante Samuel in the off-season, but many question if this brilliant move will be complimented by the offensive needs being adequately addressed as well.

Philadelphia’s abysmal redzone production in 07’ has many analysts and fans questioning if they have all the offensive pieces in place to make a run in the fiercely competitive NFC East this year. Has Donny Mac’s lobbying for another playmaker been answered this past draft weekend?

Surely acquiring young and flashy talent from the Miami Dolphins in Lorenzo Booker raises some questions how he can contribute and be utilized in the Eagles’ backfield. A great receiver like Westbrook, his new role in the offense is quite puzzling as he is quite similar rather than a complement to Westbrook’s style of play. Much of the buzz around Philly is also surrounding the 2nd round selection of DeSean Jackson from the University of California and the potential of his rookie impact as a return specialist and wide receiver. An explosive runner and speedster drawn to the likes of Devin Hester, Jackson has been docked at a diminutive 5’ 9 ¾” and 169lbs at the NFL combine.

However, his tutelage from Hall of Fame great, Jerry Rice, is producing expectations for a speedy NFL readiness to perform at a high level in 08’. Marty Mornhinweg, now the offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles, has coached the great Jerry Rice and has described the physical similarities with Jackson when he first encountered the Hall of Famer as a thin, but quick athlete many years ago in San Francisco. Mornhinweg speaks about Jackson ‘s potential impact and the general “State Of The Offense” on the Eagles’ official website, “DeSean gives us a little juice”, He may very well help us, real quick.” Mornhinweg describes the tremendous amount of speed and quickness gained and the overall new dimension of the offense with the additions of Booker and Jackson as well as retaining L.J. Smith and welcoming back a healthy McNabb. It will be interesting to see the personnel groupings this year in this offense which has been described as potentially “explosive”.

The idea to ponder is if Philly has the necessary skill players in place or just an increasing plethora of mediocre skill-player personnel. Unarguably Westbrook is a proven star but what about his supporting cast? Will the Eagles use offensive schemes to accentuate their strengths and create continual mismatches for opposing defenses on a week to week basis? Impatient fans want to see more than “a little juice” from the new acquisitions. Trading away the first round pick once again this year has received mixed reviews as evident by fan blogs and boards on the official team website. Many fans remain optimistic a ‘Lito trade’ will save the year and rejuvenate the team, bringing a bonafide and true #1 wideout to the Linc in 08’. These conjured thoughts of acquiring a proven and legitimate star such as the likes of Roy Williams, Chad Johnson, or Anquan Boldin still remain fantastical daydreams at this time. Only time will tell as we progress toward the new season.

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Rookie Sleepers Can Be Found in Every Round

By: Nick Kappel
Football Review Daily

You can go anywhere to read that Darren McFadden landed in a crowded Oakland backfield, or that Rashard Mendenhall’s fantasy value takes a hit sharing carries with Willie Parker in the Steel City.

Both of these situations are commonly known among average fans. I decided to dig a little deeper, to bring your attention to the fantasy diamonds in the rough of the 2008 NFL Draft.

After hours of searching, I have found one player drafted from each round that possesses an excellent skill set, and has landed in a favorable situation with their new team. You may not know it yet, but all seven of these players have a great chance to contribute to your fantasy team in 2008 and beyond…

Dustin Keller – TE – New York Jets
1ST ROUND (30TH OVERALL) – PURDUE

The Jets gave the Packers their 2nd and 4th round picks to move up into the 1st round to acquire Dustin Keller. Many people criticized the trade, saying the 30th pick was a reach for Keller. For this reason, Dustin Keller could soar under fantasy owners’ radar as the top rookie Tight End heading into the 2008 season. Keller is a converted WR, and at 6-2, 242 pounds, will create match-up problems for many linebackers and corners. He is very athletic and displays good hands. With Chris Baker and Bubba Franks already on the roster, Keller’s versatility could enable the Jets to line him up as a third receiver. He should fit well into offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer’s scheme.

Matt Forte – RB – Chicago Bears
2ND ROUND (44TH OVERALL) – TULANE

Cedric Benson has failed to live up to expectations, and the Bears plan on giving Matt Forte every chance to take his starting spot. Forte rushed for 2,127 yards and 23 touchdowns last season at Tulane. He is strong and runs well between the tackles. Forte has displayed the ability to break tackles and make defenders miss, and is also a solid receiver. He may or may not begin the season as the starter, but he landed in a great situation, and should get the chance to run behind a solid offensive line in Chicago. He will soon become a must-own player at the running back position.

Kevin Smith – RB – Detroit Lions
3RD ROUND (64TH OVERALL) – CENTRAL FLORIDA

After releasing Kevin Jones, the Lions were left with Tatum Bell, Brian Calhoun and Aveion Cason at the RB position. Based on this fact alone, Kevin Smith has immediate fantasy value as the likely starter in Detroit’s backfield. Last season at Central Florida, Smith rushed for 2,566 yards, the second highest total in NCAA history. Smith possesses good field vision, and is a tough runner who will fit into the Lions’ new zone running scheme. The running game is relevant again in Detroit now that Mike Martz is out of town, and Kevin Smith is a guy to keep your eye on.

Lavelle Hawkins – WR – Tennessee Titans
4TH ROUND (126TH OVERALL) - CALIFORNIA

Hawkins was the first and only receiver drafted by the Titans, even though the team is considered to be very weak at that position. For this reason, Hawkins has a good chance to gain some fantasy value. The former Cal standout lacks size, (5-11, 187) but is a solid pass-catcher and has displayed the ability to make tough catches over the middle. Hawkins’ speed allows him to gain separation, and he has experience as a kick returner as well. Hawkins could be a player to keep your eye on in deeper fantasy leagues.

John David Booty – QB – Minnesota Vikings
5TH ROUND (127TH OVERALL) – SOUTHERN CAL

I know what you’re thinking. How could a 5th round QB, who is likely to be a backup, have fantasy value? My reasoning is simple. Booty landed in a great situation with Minnesota, behind an inconsistent Tavaris Jackson. In 16 career games, Jackson has thrown 11 touchdowns to 16 interceptions at a 58.1 completion percentage, and sports an ugly 69.0 QB rating. Needless to say, I’m not sold on the guy. At 6-2, 218, John David Booty doesn’t have the size or strength of a typical QB, but his skills would fit very well into the Vikings’ west coast offense. Booty is a smart, hard working player. He is a good pocket passer, gets rid of the ball quickly, reads defenses well and makes good decisions. Minnesota is a very talented young team on the rise, but I believe Tavaris Jackson is holding them back. The Vikings may have found their future QB in Booty with the 127th pick in the 5th round. Keep your eye on the situation as it progresses, as Booty may have fantasy value in deeper leagues by the end of the season.

Paul Hubbard – WR – Cleveland Browns
6TH ROUND (191ST OVERALL) – WISCONSIN

Here’s a guy you’ve probably never heard of before. Paul Hubbard is track star turned football player, and possesses good size (6-2, 221) in addition to his natural speed and strength. He is still very raw, and will need time to gain experience. However, his rare size/speed combo gives him a chance to be a playmaker, especially if he is able to stay in Cleveland’s pass-happy offense. Hubbard is a raw project, but could have fantasy relevance down the road if he figures things out.

Chauncey Washington – RB – Jacksonville Jaguars
7TH ROUND (213TH OVERALL) – SOUTHERN CAL

Chauncey Washington was one of the most talented players selected in the later rounds of the draft. At USC, academic ineligibility and durability concerns forced him to miss several games during his college career. Despite this, his strength, size and toughness are undeniable. During his senior year at Southern Cal, Washington rushed for 969 yards (5.0 yards per) and ten touchdowns. He also added seven catches for 59 yards and two scores. In addition, he displayed the ability to return kicks. His style of play is very similar to new Jag teammate Maurice Jones-Drew. If Washington can keep his head together and continue to work hard, he will eventually become relevant in all fantasy leagues.

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Alexis Serna Focused On Kicking

Kickers are measured and remembered by their stats. Longest field goal, most consecutive extra points, and career points are just a few of the stats used. Alexis Serna assembled an impressive set of stats during his four years at Oregon State (9-4). For the good of the team, he also added punting duties to his resume this past season after the punter left in preseason camp. For someone who last punted in high school, his punting stats were fairly solid. He punted 81 times on the season with 19 landing inside the twenty-yard line. It was a task that the team-first player gladly accepted. Serna commented on the experience.

“I had to take on punting this year. I decided to step into this role because I felt that I was the best option for the team. Coach Riley and Coach Ungerer allowed me to be the starting punter. I took on that task as well as kicking. It was my first time really punting since high school. I had to learn how to punt; it took a month coming into September. I started picking it up better towards the end of the season. I wouldn’t take it back because I did it for my team.”

With his punting internship completed, Serna was once again free to focus solely on his kicking game as he awaited an opportunity to compete for an NFL kicking job. Serna spent the spring fine tuning his kicking mechanics and preparing for both the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine. He spoke about his preparation.

"I kept everything going. I lifted four times a week and kicked about four times a week as well. My preparation was the same as in season except I only focused on kicking."

Serna’s collegiate career concluded with a host of awards, accolades, and records. In 2005, he was the Lou Groza Award winner and was named to Pac-10 Conference First Team. He was also an American Football Coaches Association All-American and an Associated Press Second Team All-American in 2005. At Oregon State, Serna ended with a record 144 consecutive extra point attempts made. He also owns the OSU record for field goals with 80 converted. His 384 career points are the benchmark at Oregon State. His career points are also good for second all-time in the Pac-10 and eighth all-time in the NCAA for a kicker.

Impressive and historic stats defined Alexis Serna’s collegiate career; hopefully, he will get an opportunity for his stats to define his professional one.

Photo Credit: Gregory McKie

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Top College Recruiting Classes

Now that the aisles and stage have been cleared at Radio City Music Hall, we thought it would be a good idea to take a look back at how ESPN ranked the college recruiting class. According to their rankings, Miami took the top bill this year by bolstering their defense with an outstanding class of linebackers and linemen. Rounding out the top five were a surprising Clemson, Alabama, Florida and Georgia. Check out the full list here.

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Stat of the Day

New England lead the league with 393 first downs in 2007. San Francisco had the lowest first down total with 218.

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NFL Draft's Make or Break Fantasy Picks

By: Richard Oh
Football Review Daily

Football season is back. And that can only mean one thing: Fantasy football has returned.

Who could forget Adrian Peterson’s spectacular year? Marshawn Lynch’s solid rookie debut and Brady Quinn’s fade into fantasy oblivion were just some of the big storylines from last year’s rookie class. And while this year’s first round draft showcased a lot of defensive players as well as offensive linemen, everyone knows that the offensive skill players will make or break your 2008 fantasy season.

Here are some of my picks that will make or break your team.

Make

Matt Ryan, QB, ATL

Matt Ryan takes over as the face of the franchise. With only Joey Harrington standing in his way, Ryan might start in week 1. While the Falcons may not have any receiving threats, RB Michael Turner in his first starting season, may help the rookie open up the Atlanta passing game.

Jonathan Stewart, RB, CAR

Jonathan Stewart will take over RB duties after the Panthers cut DeShaun Foster. While incumbent DeAngelo Williams is still with Carolina, he is better suited as a change-of-pace RB, and is not the power rusher that Carolina needs. Stewart fills that role nicely and should play a major role in Carolina’s running game this year.

Darren McFadden, RB, OAK

Darren McFadden enters a horrible situation in Oakland with several RBs blocking his path to NFL stardom. But owner Al Davis did not draft McFadden to sit on the sidelines. McFadden will bring his blazing speed to the table, and I expect a decent season from him. QB Jamarcus Russell is still inexperienced, so expect Oakland to run the ball often.

Felix Jones, RB, DAL

With Julius Jones gone, Felix Jones will step in and be the speed back coexisting with RB Marion Barber. While he may have to split carries, Jones will utilize his speed and I expect decent numbers from the rookie RB.

James Hardy, WR, BUF

James Hardy should benefit from the double coverage that Lee Evans often receives. With his 6-5 frame, Hardy should be one of QB Trent Edwards’ favorite red zone targets.

Break

Joe Flacco, QB, BAL

Joe Flacco reminds me of former starter Kyle Boller. Strong arm, but without a QB’s mind to dissect an NFL defense. Expect a lot of turnovers and mental struggles from the young QB, as the Ravens will miss Steven McNair.

Rashard Mendenhall, RB, PIT

Rashard Mendenhall comes into a decent situation with RB Willie Parker still recovering from injuries. Although Mendenhall has plenty of talent, his style does not seem apt to fit into the Steelers offense, and I expect him to struggle with the team. The Steelers need a power runner, and Mendenhall isn’t it.

Chris Johnson, RB, TEN

After last year’s pick of Chris Henry, one would think GM Mike Reinfieldt wouldn’t want to mess with another RB, but he did it again with Chris Johnson. Johnson is just as overrated as Henry was, and I expect Johnson to struggle as much as Henry did last year.

Who made your rookie list of makes or breaks for the upcoming season? Feel free to leave a comment.

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FRD's Draft Day Winners and Losers

After 252 picks time finally expired on the 2008 NFL Draft. Now we get to sit back and put on our owners’ hat and critique the men who get paid to make these picks because obviously we know more then they do.

Draft winners:

Dallas Cowboys - The Cowboys may not have taken the best running back on the board at the time, Rashard Mendenhall, but they got the best running back for their system in Felix Jones. They also picked up another fine running back out of Georgia Tech in Tashard Choice. Mike Jenkins is just a tremendous athlete; he will need to be fine tuned in the NFL but will have no problem adjusting to the speed of the game. Martellus Bennett is a huge tight end who will be an ideal young player to develop.


Kansas City Chiefs – How can you not like their draft. They did an amazing job wheeling and dealing to acquire a wealth of draft picks, twelve to be exact. Their first three picks, Glenn Dorsey, Branden Albert, and Brandon Flowers could all be starters come September. Jamaal Charles, Brad Cottam and DeJuan Morgan might not be the flashiest picks but they all can become contributors on the roster. One of their Seventh Round picks, Brian Johnston, has the chance to be a sleeper out of Gardner Webb.


Baltimore Ravens – The Ravens are another team who got the most out of the draft by making draft day deals to accumulate picks. They made the most of their drafting experience by picking up the highly praised Joe Flacco from near by Delaware. Flacco reminds us at Football Review Daily as a Ben Roethlisberger type with his size and presence in the pocket. Ray Rice and Tom Zbikowski are great second and third round picks. Stock piling WR’s and OL won’t hurt either, the Ravens had an exceptional draft.


Draft Losers:

Tennessee Titans – The Titans did not draft one potential starter in the draft and yet again picked another running back early in the early rounds. Playing in the AFC South is tough enough; they can’t blow the draft and expect to compete in this division.

New York Giants – Yes they are the Super Bowl champs but they still need to have a good draft. Why they didn’t deal Shockey is anyone’s guess. Being that they didn’t do that, they are draft day losers in our mind.

Cincinnati Bengals – Who knows what’s going on in Cinci. This team was on the edge of surpassing the Steelers a few years ago, now they just keep back pedaling. This team fails again because of their lack of a draft day trade, how can you pass up two first round picks for 85???

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Kory Lichtensteiger Drafted in 4th Round

Bowling Greens' Kory Lichtensteiger was drafted in the 4th Round (pick 108 overall) by the Devner Broncos. Lichtensteiger will join an organization that boosts one of the elite offensive lines in the NFL. Football Review Daily spoke with Lichtensteiger earlier this week in an interview about his move to the NFL.

• Kory Lichtensteiger Interview

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Raiders will regret passing on Dorsey; select McFadden

By: Floyd Randolph
Football Review Daily

Al Davis and the Raiders continued their roster overhaul with the selection of physical specimen Darren McFadden. With players like Vernon Gholston and Glenn Dorsey still available the Raiders opted for the more flashy pick, staying true to their past history of taking players with jaw dropping physical skills.

As good as McFadden will be in the NFL, Glenn Dorsey could be that and a little better. Dorsey could have been the answer to a run defense that ranked second to last in the league, but instead the Raiders added another back to an already crowded backfield.

What’s even more harmful to the Raiders passing on Dorsey is division foe Kansas City nabbing him right after their selection at the number five slot.

The Chiefs were as surprised as anyone when Dorsey fell into their laps; before the draft started most analysts had Dorsey ranked upon the top of their mock board in terms of raw talent.

Now with Dorsey scheduled to be playing the Raiders twice a year the Raiders must hope their passing of him won’t further dampen their rebuilding process, rather Darren McFadden blossoming into the dual threat back they envisioned while selecting him at number four.

McFadden will add a strong presence to an abysmal Raiders offense, pairing him with former first round pick JaMarcus Russell in hopes of resurrecting what was once one of the best in the league.

With the first two rounds concluded and the dust starting to set, the Raiders now have their back of the future in Darren McFadden, but was the cost of passing on surefire future defensive stud Glenn Dorsey worth it?

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