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Within the past 7-10 days, we have released two 2012 NFL mock drafts: one by Brendan Donahue and one by Kevin Hanson.

In both of those mocks, we have the Browns, who own the fourth overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, taking Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III, who was this year's Heisman Trophy recipient.

That said, we both point out the very real possibility of another team trading up with the Rams so that they can draft RG3.

In fact, the Browns, who have another first-round pick (22nd overall from Atlanta), may trade up themselves to draft Griffin.

If they don't, the team most likely to trade up to No. 2 is Washington, who desperately need to upgrade over Rex Grossman, John Beck, etc.

Will another quarterback-needy team like Seattle or Miami trade up to take Griffin? Who will draft RG3?

Related: Our NFL Mock Draft Database - Our Poll on the No. 2 Overall Pick

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Last night, Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon announced that he will enter the 2012 NFL Draft.

Named the MVP of the Tostito's Fiesta Bowl, Blackmon finished the game with eight receptions for 186 yards and three touchdowns.

On the season, he finished with 121 receptions for 1,522 yards and 18 touchdowns. In the past two seasons combined, Blackmon has totaled 232 receptions for 3,304 yards and 38 touchdowns.

Blackmon, two-time recipient of the Biletnikoff award, will likely be the first receiver taken in this year's draft and a top 5-10 pick.

Related: Our 2012 NFL Mock Draft Database

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Four and a half months from now, Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck will (almost) certainly be this year's top overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.

That said, Luck, who is one of the five finalists, seems less likely to be this year's Heisman Trophy winner than he does the top pick in the draft.

The other four finalists are Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III, Alabama running back Trent Richardson, Wisconsin running back Montee Ball and LSU defensive back Tyrann Mathieu a.k.a. the Honey Badger.

Griffin leads the country in quarterback rating (192.3) and has more yards (3,998), touchdowns (36) and fewer interceptions (5) than Luck (167.5-3,170-35-9).

Meanwhile, Ball leads the country in rushing (1,759) and rushing touchdowns (32). Richardson, who ranks sixth in rushing, has 1,583 yards and 20 rushing touchdowns.

The last defensive player to win the award was Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson in 1997. In the 13 years since Woodson won the award, the Heisman Trophy has gone to nine quarterbacks and four running backs.

Who will be this year's Heisman Trophy winner?

Related: Our 2012 NFL Mock Draft Database - Past Heisman Winners

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert will forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the 2011 NFL Draft.

“This is definitely a bittersweet day for me, I was really looking forward to having a chance to do some special things next season with my teammates, but in the end, this is the right decision to make for myself and my family,” Gabbert said in a statement, per the Kansas City Star.

Gabbert, six-foot-five and 240 pounds, has thrown for 6,822 yards (fourth in school history) and 40 touchdowns (third) in his collegiate career.

Former teammate (and current St. Louis Rams receiver) Danario Alexander described Gabbert as the "prototypical quarterback" and that Gabbert has "the size, the big arm to make every throw."

ESPN's Todd McShay has Gabbert going fifth overall to the Arizona Cardinals in his latest mock draft.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 12:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 24th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys select Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant.

Bryant, who was suspended for ten games last year due to lying to an NCAA investigator, has had some questions about his character. That is why he slipped to this point in the draft.

That said, Bryant has size (6-foot-2, 225 pounds) and speed and it's likely to not take long before he becomes the team's No. 2 receiver behind Miles Austin.

Now the Denver Broncos, who traded with the Baltimore Ravens, are the on the clock with the 25th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 21st pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals select Oklahoma tight end Jermaine Gresham, who is regarded as the top-rated tight end in the draft.

Gresham, who missed all of 2009 due to injury, caught 66 passes for 950 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2008.

Last year, the Bengals tight end (J.P. Foschi) finished the season with 27 receptions for 260 yards so Gresham provides the Bengals with a big upgrade at the position.

Gresham becomes the fourth Sooner drafted in the first round behind QB Sam Bradford, DT Gerald McCoy and OT Trent Williams.

Now the Denver Broncos, who traded with the New England Patriots, are the on the clock with the 22nd overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 19th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons select Missouri linebacker Sean Weatherspoon.

Weatherspoon, who was a three-time first-team All Big 12 selection, has 376 tackles, 12 sacks, four interceptions and three forced fumbles in the past three seasons.

Now the Houston Texans are the on the clock with the 20th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 14th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Texas safety Earl Thomas.

Thomas had eight interceptions in 2009. Only UCLA's Rahim Moore had more (10).

With the sixth overall pick, the Seahawks selected Oklahoma State's Russell Okung as their left tackle of the future.

Now the New York Giants are the on the clock with the 15th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the sixth pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Oklahoma State left tackle Russell Okung.

The Seahawks are lucky to have Okung fall to them with this pick. Okung was projected by most to be drafted in the top four overall picks and as the first offensive lineman.

Five of the first six selections have now come from the Big 12 Conference.

In addition to this pick, the Seahawks have the 13th pick in the first round.

Now the Cleveland Browns are the on the clock with the seventh overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the fourth pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins select Oklahoma offensive tackle Trent Williams.

Although Williams is noted for his athleticism, the knock on him is his inconsistency.

Williams is the third pick (out of the NFL Draft's first four selections) from the University of Oklahoma. All four of the first picks are from the Big 12 Conference.

Many ranked Russell Okung of Oklahoma State as the top-rated offensive lineman in this year's draft.

Now the Kansas City Chiefs are the on the clock with the fifth overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the third pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy.

In addition to Sam Bradford and Ndamukong Suh, McCoy makes all of the top three picks in the 2010 NFL Draft from the Big 12 Conference.

McCoy had 15 1/2 tackles for a loss and six sacks in 2009.

Now the Washington Redskins are the on the clock with the fourth overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the second pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions have selected Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

Suh, who won the Outland Trophy, had 12 of his career 24 sacks in 2009. He was also the only defensive player to be a finalist in the Heisman voting last year.

He also became the first defensive player to win the Associated Press College Player of the Year Award.

Now the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the on the clock with the third overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the first pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the St. Louis Rams select quarterback Sam Bradford from Oklahoma.

Bradford, who won the 2008 Heisman Trophy award, played only three games in 2009. In 2008, Bradford threw for 4,720 yards, 50 touchdowns and only eight interceptions.

After his Pro Day, it became more apparent that Bradford would the top overall pick.

Last year, the Detroit Lions selected Matthew Stafford (Georgia) as the first overall pick. Before he decided to return for his junior season, some projected Bradford to be the first overall pick in 2009. From 1991 to 1997, only one quarterback (Drew Bledsoe in 1993) was selected first overall. From Peyton Manning (1998) to Bradford (2010), ten quarterbacks have been selected first overall.

While Bradford is clearly the franchise's quarterback of the future, the question will be who's the quarterback of now. Will Bradford start in 2010 or be given the opportunity to develop?

Now the Detroit Lions are the on the clock with the second overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Less than three years ago, the St. Louis Rams showed quarterback Marc Bulger the money.

To be exact, they gave him a six-year, $65 million contract with $27 million guaranteed and his agent, Tom Condon, said at the time, "He'll be in the very upper echelon of quarterbacks."

Today the Rams showed Bulger something else. The door.

Instead of shipping him out of town yesterday, on Easter, the Rams waited ... for his birthday today.

Rams coach Steve Spanuolo said, “It is always hard to part ways with someone you care for and appreciate. . . . I will always be indebted to him for his work ethic, character and leadership. We wish him and his family nothing but the best.”

Bulger ranks second all-time on the franchise's career passing yards list with 22,814 yards.

In those three seasons since signing the extension, however, Bulger has thrown 27 touchdowns and 34 interceptions in 36 games while missing 12 games.

It makes sense to speculate about Bulger reuniting with Mike Martz and backing up Jay Cutler in Chicago. That said, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Sun-Times said tweeted that he doesn't see that happening.

It appears as though it's becoming (more of) a lock that the Rams will have Oklahoma prospect Sam Bradford under center in 2010. Interestingly enough, Bradford's agent is Tom Condon.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ka-ching!

Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford had a "near flawless" performance during his Pro Day, according to NFL.com's Gil Brandt.

Of the 63 passes he threw today, only one wasn't caught and that wasn't Bradford's fault, per Mike Mayock of NFL.com.

Meanwhile, new Seahawks coach Pete Carroll tweeted that Bradford, "lit it up!”

Many 2010 NFL mock drafts have the St. Louis Rams, who own the top overall pick in the draft, selecting Bradford. And as Brandt wrote, "I’m not saying he solidified his spot at the top of the draft, but he sure didn’t hurt himself..."

Bradford has only been throwing for about four weeks since being cleared by doctors. However, there were no signs of lack of arm and shoulder strength and he should continue to get stronger.

"My shoulder feels great. I feel like it’s getting stronger every week," Bradford said. "As long as it continues to get stronger, I think there is no doubt that by the time it levels off it will be better and stronger than it was before the surgery."

If the Rams pass on Bradford and take a defensive tackle, the Lions (who drafted Matthew Stafford last year) and the Bucs (Josh Freeman) pick next. The Redskins, who have Jason Campbell, might be the next team is interested in drafting a quarterback.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 05:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)