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This year's first-round rookie class has done something that hasn't been done in ten years.

Buffalo running back C.J. Spiller and Seattle offensive tackle Russell Okung, the last two unsigned first-round picks entering today, have come to terms with their respective teams on rookie deals.

Okung, who was the sixth-overall pick, agreed to a six-year deal worth $48.5 million ($29 million guaranteed), according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen. The maximum value of the contract is $58 million.

Spiller, who was the ninth-overall pick, agreed to a five-year contract worth $25 million ($20.8 million guaranteed), according to ESPN's John Clayton. The maximum value of the contract is $37.5 million.

San Francisco's Michael Crabtree, who slipped to tenth overall in last year's draft, missed five games due to an extended holdout. It's good to see that we won't have any holdouts this year (at least when it comes to rookies).

And according to ESPN, this is the earliest that all first-round picks have signed since 2000.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 04:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With top-flight rookies looking to get as much money as possible before beginning their (usually short-lived, non-guaranteed) careers, fans, players, agents, teams, etc. can get a little frustrated when a player holds out of training camp.

And with the immediacy of sites like Twitter, we can easily see that frustration manifest itself.

As one of the final 2 first-round holdouts (Seattle's Russell Okung is the other), Buffalo's C.J. Spiller is getting a little frustrated with people bugging him about his holdout.

Here's what Spiller tweeted: "Watching my favorite rocky 3 so if ppl keep talkin trash ab wats going on I’m get my rocky on wit sumbody. Go bills #21"

Social networking at its finest.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Unless, of course, he was already a rich man. If so, he's now a much richer man.

The Detroit Lions have agreed to terms with Ndamukong Suh, the second-overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, according to Tom Kowalski of MLive.com.

Kowalski reports that the five-year deal includes $40 million of guaranteed money and has a maximum value of $68 million.

Although the guaranteed amount is less than the $41.7 million guaranteed money given to Matthew Stafford, who was selected by the Lions last year with the top overall pick, it is more on a per annum basis since Stafford signed a six-year deal.

With Suh reaching a deal with the Lions, there are now only two unsigned first-rounders remaining: Seattle's Russell Okung and Buffalo's C.J. Spiller.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

One day after the Jaguars stated (and Tyson Alualu's agent denied reports) that their first-round pick had signed on the dotted line, he, well, signed on the dotted line.

According to Aaron Wilson of National Football Post, Alualu yesterday agreed to a five-year deal worth $28 million, $17.5 million of which is guaranteed.

In addition to Alualu, two other first-rounders signed become multi-millionaires yesterday.

The Indianapolis Colts signed Jerry Hughes, the 31st-overall draft pick, to a five-year deal worth $12 million. Meanwhile the Cincinnati Bengals signed Jermaine Gresham, the 21st-overall draft pick, to a five-year contract worth $15.85 million (up to $18.5 million) with $9.6 million guaranteed, per Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

With these signings, there are three first-rounders that remain unsigned, as of August 3rd: Detroit's Ndamukong Suh (second-overall pick), Seattle's Russell Okung (sixth-overall pick) and Buffalo's C.J. Spiller (ninth-overall pick).

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Arizona Cardinals have signed defensive tackle Dan Williams to a five-year deal, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Williams, who was the 26th overall pick, is strong against the run, not much of a pass-rusher and has been inconsistent and some have questioned his motivation.

Here is part of what DraftCountdown.com wrote in their scouting report for Williams: "... Talented prospect who can be as good as he wants to be but shaky intangibles are a big concern --- Showed what an impact player he is capable of being at times as a senior but the key will be keeping him in shape and motivated --- Boom or Bust."

There are now six unsigned first-rounders considering that Jacksonville's Tyson Alualu hasn't officially accepted/signed his offer from the Jaguars, according to his agent.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 05:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Jacksonville Jaguars announced that they have agreed to terms with defensive tackle Tyson Alualu, the tenth-overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. (Here's a video of coach Jack Del Rio calling it "good news" that Alualu's signed.)

Meanwhile, that's not what Kenny Zuckerman, Alualu's agent, says.

According to Vito Stellino of the Florida Times-Union, Zuckerman said that "he did not agree to terms."

Instead, he said he recommended his client accept the offer, but that Alualu and his family "will pray on it" before making their final decision.

Per Stellino, the estimated value of the contract is $28 million over five years and includes between $17-$18 million of guaranteed money.

As a top ten pick (see all picks), Alualu was a bit of a reach. But he has a high motor and over his 51-game collegiate career at Cal, Alualu finished with 16 sacks and 190 tackles.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 04:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The San Diego Chargers have signed running back Ryan Mathews, their first-round pick, to a five-year deal worth $25.65 million, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The guaranteed portion of the contract is $15.08 million.

"We are excited to have Ryan here and ready to go," Chargers president Dean Spanos said, per the USA Today. "Aside from his outstanding talents on the field, he's a class young man and the kind of player we're proud to add to our team."

That said, it's unknown whether Mathews will participate in this afternoon's practice, which will be the team's first in full pads, since Mathews still has to take a physical, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Earlier this off-season, head coach Norv Turner had said that he expects Mathews to get around 250 carries. In a league that has transitioned away from workhorse running backs, 250 carries would have ranked tenth in the NFL in 2009.

In our fantasy football rankings, Mathews is the 12th-ranked running back on our list.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 04:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The initial rumors were that Ndamukong Suh, the second-overall pick by the Detroit Lions, wanted more than the record-setting guaranteed money ($50 million) given to Sam Bradford, the first-overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.

Eugene Parker, the agent for Suh, has told ESPN's Chris Mortensen that "Suh's deal will come in less" than Bradford's.

Even so, there is a reasonable chance that Suh will receive more guaranteed money than what Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford received from the team last year ($41.7 million) as the top overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, as pointed out by MLive.com's Tom Kowalski.

Last year, Suh had 12 sacks at Nebraska including four in the Big 12 Championship game against Texas.

In addition, he won numerous college football awards, such as the Bronko Nagurski Award, Chuck Bednarik Award, Outland Trophy and Vince Lombardi Award.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 02:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

As of 9 p.m. ET last night, there were 11 unsigned first-round draft picks. Twelve hours later, the number stands at eight.

Seattle has reached a deal with safety Earl Thomas, who was the 14th-overall pick and the second of the Seahawks' two first-rounders. Per the AP, the deal is worth $21.1 million over five years.

Tennessee has reached a deal with Derrick Morgan, the 16th-overall draft pick, on a five-year contract although the financial terms of the deal weren't disclosed, according to The Tennessean.

The Jets have reached a deal with cornerback Kyle Wilson, the 29th-overall pick, on a five-year deal, according to Jenny Vrentas of the Newark Star-Ledger. The contract has a guaranteed amount of $7 million and can reach a maximum of $13 million.

As Vrentas pointed out, Wilson tweeted, "I'm a millionaire!!!!!!!!!! And headed to camp."

The eight remaining unsigned first-rounders are: (2) Ndamukong Suh, Detroit, (6) Russell Okung, Seattle, (9) C.J. Spiller, Buffalo, (10) Tyson Alualu, Jacksonville, (12) Ryan Mathews, San Diego, (21) Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati, (26) Dan Williams, Arizona and (31) Jerry Hughes, Indianapolis.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The New York Giants have signed rookie defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, their first-round draft pick (15th overall), to a five-year contract worth $20+ million, per Ralph Vacchiano of the NY Daily News.

Out of the $20,050,000, the guaranteed portion of the contract is $11,629,807.

Houston's Brian Cushing, the 15th overall pick in 2009, received a five-year contract worth $14 million with $10.435 million guaranteed and a maximum value of $18 million.

With the Pierre-Paul signing, there are currently 11 unsigned first-round draft picks.

As pointed out by Evan Silva of Pro Football Talk, Pierre-Paul is a freakish (and acrobatic) athlete with tons of upside.

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

Denver has now signed all of the rookies in their 2010 draft class.

Per Lindsay Jones of the Denver Post, the Broncos have agreed to terms with wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, the first of their two first-round picks, on a five-year contract worth $12.155 million. According to Jones, the guaranteed amount is $9.35 million while the maximum amount could reach $15.5 million.

Despite missing the rookie practices during training camp, Thomas will report in time for the team's first practice with rookies and veterans (Sunday at 8:45 a.m.).

Thomas, who was the first receiver drafted, had 46 receptions for 1,154 yards (25.1 yards per catch) and eight touchdowns as a junior at Georgia Tech, which runs a flexbone option offense. In other words, it could take a bit of time for Thomas to become acclimated to a pro-style system.

That said, there are similarities between Thomas and Detroit's Calvin Johnson due to attending the same alma mater and their size/speed combinations. Thomas is 6-foot-3, 229 pounds and has run a sub-4.4 forty.

Here's our poll/forum thread on which rookie receiver will finish with more receiving yards: Thomas or Dez Bryant, who has since suffered a high-ankle sprain?

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Washington Redskins have signed offensive tackle Trent Williams, the fourth-overall pick in this year's draft, and he will report to the team's practice today, per Jason Reid of the Washington Post (via Pro Football Talk).

"We just got the deal done in the last couple of hours," said agent Vincent Taylor, who negotiated the deal along with Ben Dogra (per Reid). "There are just a couple of things we have to still work out, a few details to work out, but Trent plans to be there [at Redskins Park] to sign it and get going."

Before Williams reached a deal with the Redskins early this morning, the highest draft pick to sign was Oakland's Rolando McClain, who was the eighth-overall pick in the draft.

According to Reid, Williams will start at left tackle and the team will now shift their focus to working out a long-term deal for the man Williams will protect.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Oakland Raiders have signed linebacker Rolando McClain, their first-round pick and the eighth overall selection of the 2010 NFL Draft.

By signing McClain, the Raiders will open training camp in Napa (CA) with all of their rookies under contract.

Last year, McClain won the Butkus Award, which is given to college football's top linebacker, and helped to lead the Alabama Crimson Tide to a BCS Championship.

After the draft, R.J. White of NFL FanHouse gave the Raiders an "A" for their selection of McClain in the first round over the workout warriors they typically draft.

Many mock drafts had projected the Raiders selecting offensive tackle Bruce Campbell at that spot. Instead the Raiders waited and selected Campbell in the fourth round.

McClain becomes the third first-rounder to signed. The first two were Dez Bryant of Dallas and Devin McCourty of New England.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford believes the Rams offense, which averaged only 10.9 points per game in 2009, is making progress everyday.

"I think this offense has great potential, and I feel like we've gotten better every practice," Bradford said Thursday, per Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "One thing I can attest to is a great attitude. Everyone comes ready to work. When we go to meetings, everyone's positive. When we come on the field, everyone's excited to be here. I think there's a lot of talent, and I think we're going in the right direction."

While Bradford, who the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2010, has taken reps with the first-team offense, he's taken more reps with the second and third units than he has with the first.

It's unlikely that Bradford will begin the season as the starting quarterback as coach Steve Spagnuolo had previously suggested that the Rams would like to bring along Bradford similarly to the way they did (when he was in Philadelphia) with Donovan McNabb, who started around mid-season.

Regardless of which unit he's on to start the season, Bradford expects to have a deal done before training camp even though he's not concerning himself with the contract stuff.

"I haven't even talked to my agent (Tom Condon) about it," Bradford said. "I'm not concerned about it. That's why I hired an agent, and I think he's very good at what he does. I'm sure he and the Rams will come to an agreement before training camp. I expect to be here on time."

From a fantasy perspective, Bradford has little value in a non-keeper leagues or shallow leagues where owners start only one quarterback. Nonetheless he ranks as my top rookie QB for fantasy football.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed rookie cornerback Myron Lewis to a four-year contract, per the Tampa Tribune.

Lewis, who was the team's third-round pick (67th overall), is the second Buccaneer rookie to sign. (Wide receiver Mike Williams has also signed.)

"He's a big, tall, athletic corner with great ball skills," general manager Mark Dominik said shortly after drafting Lewis. "He's a good tackler, a great kid off the field as well. He's got very good feet for such a big man. Part of what we wanted to do here is build a bigger football team, and I believe we did that with his selection."

Expected to compete as the team's nickel corner, Lewis had four interceptions last year at Vanderbilt, where he started 36 games in his collegiate career.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It will be difficult for Alabama running back Mark Ingram to duplicate the success he had in his sophomore season where he won the Heisman Trophy and helped lead the Crimson Tide to the BCS national championship.

As he enters his junior season, however, he is avoiding the speculation that this could be his last collegiate season.

"My main focus right now is being the best player I can be for this team and helping this team win games and win another championship," Ingram said according to Don Kausler Jr. of the Birmingham News (via John Taylor of College Football Talk). "Anything else is not necessary to talk about."

In their 2011 NFL Mock Draft, WalterFootball.com has Ingram going as the 12th overall pick (and first running back off the board) to the New England Patriots.

Because the shelf life for a running back in the NFL is so short-lived, it makes no sense for Ingram (or any other top RB prospect, for that matter) to return for (and risk injury in) his senior season.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Per the Decatur Daily (via Pro Football Talk), Raiders rookie linebacker Rolando McClain won't be a holdout when training camp starts.

"I'm not looking to sit out," McClain said. "In order to play for the team, I need to be in training camp. I'm going to OTAs and not worried about the contract."

McClain, who won the 2009 Butkus Award, was the eighth-overall pick and the first linebacker selected in the 2010 NFL Draft.

The Raiders haven't had much luck with their recent first-round (top ten) picks (all offensive players): quarterback JaMarcus Russell, who was released this off-season, Darren McFadden, who has underwhelmed thus far, and Darrious Heyward-Bey, who had only nine catches in 11 games as a rookie.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Today the Tampa Bay Buccaneers reached a four-year agreement with rookie wide receiver Mike Williams, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. The deal is worth $3.15 million.

"I love this game, so I urged my agent, Hadley Engelhard, to reach an agreement quickly," Williams said in a statement issued by the team (via Cummings). "I am focused on the opportunity to contribute to the team and am very excited to be a Tampa Bay Buccaneer."

Williams missed a season at Syracuse due to academic suspension and also missed the final three games last year after he quit the team. But Daniel Jeremiah, who's now in the Eagles' scouting department, tweeted (after the Draft) that Williams was a "sleeper rookie of the year candidate."

It's off-the-field (or "in-school," as Williams calls it) issues that caused Williams to drop all the way to the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. If it weren't for those "in-school" issues, Williams might have been a first-round pick.

"I'm not a bad guy,'' Williams said shortly after being drafted in late April. "I didn't have off-the-field issues. I just had some in-school issues. ..."

In my rookie fantasy rankings, I ranked Williams as the fifth-best rookie fantasy wide receiver. Fellow rookie receiver and teammate Arrelious Benn is third on the list.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 04:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Today the Chargers signed a player they hope to not see play (at least, during regular-season and post-season games).

Per Jason La Canfora of NFL Network, the Chargers agreed to a four-year deal with rookie quarterback Jonathan Crompton. According to Aaron Wilson of National Football Post, the maximum value of the contract is $2.675 million.

Crompton, who was the team's fifth-round pick, threw for 2,800 yards and 27 touchdowns for the Tennessee Volunteers in 2009.

He will back up both Phillip Rivers (who's fourth in my latest fantasy QB rankings) and Billy Volek.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

According to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, the Philadelphia Eagles have agreed to a contract with rookie running back Charles Scott, who becomes the team's first pick to sign.

The four-year deal is worth $1.88 million, per Wilson.

Scott, who was drafted in the sixth round, rushed for 2,317 yards and 32 touchdowns during his collegiate career at LSU.

In addition to starter LeSean McCoy, Scott will compete with Leonard Weaver, Mike Bell and others for carries.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 05:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Seattle Seahawks have agreed to terms with rookie tight end Anthony McCoy, according to the team's website.

Of the team's nine draft picks, McCoy is the first to sign although terms were not disclosed. However, Aaron Wilson tweeted (via Greg Johns of SeattlePI.com) that it's a four-year, $1.895 million deal.

“I think our background with Anthony helps us,” Carroll said after selecting McCoy. “… We’ve played a lot of games with Anthony, he’s done a lot of great things and he has made some mistakes along the way. ... if we work together on this thing, he can be a tremendous, tremendous value to our football team – probably the best guy at the position that we got in the draft.”

McCoy, who was drafted with the 185th pick, tested positive for marijuana at the NFL Combine otherwise he would have likely been a much higher draft pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

At the University of Notre Dame, quarterback Jimmy Clausen wore jersey #7.

According to Charles Chandler of the Charlotte Observer, Clausen will switch to #2 since #7 was taken by Panthers punter Jason Baker.

Clausen says that the number will remind (and motivate) him since he dropped to the second round (pick 48 overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft.

In his three-year collegiate career in a pro-style offense, Clausen threw for 8,148 yards and 60 touchdowns. Last season, he set highs in completion percentage (68.0%), yards (3,722) and touchdowns (28) while setting a low in interceptions (four).

It looks as though Matt Moore will enter the off-season as the top quarterback on the depth chart, but will Clausen win the starting job by the end of the season? (Weigh in on the debate in our forums.)

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When the Chargers released LaDainian Tomlinson this off-season, it was expected that they would draft a running back to be "featured" in the offense.

So, it was little surprise when the Chargers traded up into the 12th-overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft to make Fresno State running back Ryan Mathews the second running back selected. (Buffalo selected Clemson's C.J. Spiller with the ninth overall pick.)

And even though they brought back Darren Sproles for a hefty sum, he's a dynamic (yet smaller) back that is better suited to continue in his role as the team's third-down back.

"... there are games that come up like the Tennessee game and the Denver game (last season) where you run the ball 40 times. I’d like every game to be that way. Unfortunately, it’s not. But I would expect Ryan to have 250 carries and 40 catches, something like that. That’s obviously saying Darren is going to have the same role he’s had," coach Norv Turner said, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

In 2009, 250 carries would have ranked a rusher tenth in the league in between Baltimore's Ray Rice (254) and Denver's Knowshon Moreno (247).

Mathews, who finished second in rushing in college football, will be the top-rated rookie running back in my fantasy football (rookie) rankings later this week.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

There is a reason the Rams had the top overall pick in this year's draft. They were (and are) awful.

So, aside from the notable exception of the fortune that the Rams will pay (the currently unsigned) quarterback Sam Bradford, this year's top overall pick, there is no reason to rush him onto the field.

It looks as though the Rams are leaning towards using a plan similar to what was used with Redskins (and then Eagles) quarterback Donovan McNabb, who started roughly half of his rookie season with Philadelphia.

"This will be a step-by-step process," Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said, per Steve Korte of the Bellesville News-Democrat. "There are a lot of different ways that it's been done. It's been well documented. Myself and (offensive coordinator) Pat Shurmur have been around a certain way. I thought what Andy (Reid) did in Philadelphia was terrific with Donovan and that worked out pretty good."

While some quarterbacks have started from day one and gone on to tremendous success after a rocky rookie campaign, there seems to be as many examples of the opposite. For example, Peyton Manning, who threw 28 interceptions in rookie season, has achieved a completely different level of success as David Carr, that was sacked 76 times in his rookie year.

If Bradford starts roughly half of the Rams' games, he will get plenty of reps in his rookie season to build upon for the future. But he also won't suffer the level of punishment that Carr faced that limited his ability to reach his potential.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

While it may not be the ideal situation, quarterback Jason Campbell is going to get a new start with the Oakland Raiders, who only four NFL Drafts ago selected JaMarcus Russell with the top overall pick.

To acquire Campbell, the Raiders gave their fourth-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft to the Redskins.

According to the Associated Press, Campbell will earn $3.14 million in 2010 and has agreed to a $4.5 million extension for 2011. Those two seasons ($7.64 million) are almost $2 million less than what Russell ($9.5 million) will earn (and I use that term loosely) this upcoming season.

In his tenure with the Redskins, Campbell worked with various offensive coordinators and head coaches. Although he didn't exactly set the league on fire, he performed reasonably well.

In 2009, Campbell ranked in the top half of the league in QB rating (86.4, 15th), completion percentage (64.5, tenth) and passing yards (3,618, 14th). He also set a career high in passing touchdowns (20) and he ranked fourth among quarterbacks in rushing yards (236) due to his mobility.

One of Campbell's former teammates, who also played for the Raiders, has confidence in Campbell being able to succeed in Oakland.

"You know, if anybody can go to Oakland and excel there it'd be Jason," [cornerback DeAngelo] Hall said, per Rick Maese of the Washington Post. "Like I said when I left there, it's the kind of place that, given a lot of freedom, you can let yourself go. You can go out, hang, party, try to run with the wrong crowds, and it'll hurt you. Jason's not that kind of guy that's gonna be out partying, running with the wrong group of guys, so I definitely feel like if anybody can go out there and succeed, it would be him."

Last season, Russell, who was benched in favor of Bruce Gradkowski, threw only three touchdowns and eleven interceptions in 12 games. As a team, the Raiders had only ten passing touchdowns.

Based on talent, it would seem obvious that Campbell will be the starting quarterback in 2010. That said, what seems obvious to the rest of the world doesn't always seem obvious to owner Al Davis.

Fortunately for Campbell, the Raiders offensive coordinator is Hue Jackson, who helped to groom young quarterback Joe Flacco as his quarterbacks coach in Baltimore.

As Hall points out, however, the Raiders "don't have the best offensive line, they don't have the best weapons."

In this year's draft, they added Maryland tackle Bruce Campbell (pick 106) and Clemson receiver Jacoby Ford (pick 108).

Last year, they reached with the first pick by selecting Maryland's Darrious Heyward-Bey, an explosively fast receiver with hands of stones. They made a better pick in last year's draft finding value by selecting Louis Murphy in the fourth round. Murphy led Oakland receivers with 521 receiving yards and four touchdowns while tight end Zach Miller was their most productive pass-catcher (66 receptions for 805 yards).

The addition of Campbell should help Miller, who ranked as my 13th fantasy tight end for 2010, and also the other receivers as he's an obvious upgrade over Russell or Gradkowski. Murphy could be a sleeper pick in fantasy football, especially in deeper leagues.

When I make an update of my 2010 Fantasy Football Quarterback rankings, I will move up Campbell, who was in the 24th spot due to his back-up role in Washington, into the top 20. However, I think it will difficult for him to duplicate last year's numbers (3,618 yards and 20 touchdowns) as a Raider.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Earlier in the day, the Seattle Seahawks acquired running back LenDale White (and defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson) from the Tennessee Titans while swapping their fourth- and sixth-round draft picks.

With those picks, the Titans drafted UCLA cornerback Alterraun Verner in the fourth round (104th overall) and Florida Atlantic quarterback Rusty Smith in the sixth round (176th overall). Meanwhile, the Seahawks drafted Oregon cornerback Walter Thurmond in the fourth round (111th overall pick) and USC tight end Anthony McCoy (185th overall).

White, who played his college football at USC under Pete Carroll, carried the ball only 64 times in 2009 for 222 yards and two touchdowns as Chris Johnson became the sixth NFL running back to top the 2,000-yard milestone. Over the previous two seasons, White had 503 carries for 1,883 yards and 22 touchdowns.

Who would have expected that kind of decline after White, who lost 20 pounds in the 2009 off-season, gave up the tequila?

But the Seahawks also added another running back.

After drafting USC running back Joe McKnight in the fourth round, the Jets decided to trade Leon Washington (and a seventh-round pick) to the Seahawks for a fifth-round pick that they used to draft Kentucky fullback John Conner.

Washington missed more than half of the season after suffering a compound fracture in his leg, however, when healthy, he's one of the league's most versatile backs. Based on the one-year tender he received as a restricted free agent, Washington will earn $1.759 million in 2010.

"Right now, my focus is on just getting healthy, back healthy, 100 percent," Washington said, per Danny O'Neill of the Seattle Times. "Getting on the football field and contributing and trying to win football games. That's my main focus, and then when I do that, everything else off the field will take care of itself. I'm just excited about the opportunity that I have."

The other running backs on the Seahawks roster include Julius Jones, Justin Forsett, Louis Ranking and Quinton Ganther.

In my top 40 fantasy running back rankings for 2010, I put Forsett at number 32 on the list.

At the time, I wrote, "It looks as though the new regime led by coach Pete Carroll will give Forsett a fair shot to win the role as the featured back over Julius Jones although there is the possibility they will draft an elite running back prospect this week. Either way, Forsett (5.4 YPC) was much more productive than Jones (3.8 YPC) when given the chance."

With the familiarity and comfort that White presumably has with his former collegiate coach, I expect White to be the starting running back in this offense in 2010 and to get the largest workload. If Washington comes back healthy for week one, he does well what Forsett does well as a versatile, third-down back.

So, in other words, Forsett will not be in the top 40 fantasy running backs when I update the rankings to include the rookie draft class as well as to adjust for trades and off-season news.

As of today, if I had to rank the fantasy value of the Seahawks' running backs, they would be as follows: (1) LenDale White, (2) Justin Forsett, (3) Leon Washington and (4) Julius Jones.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 03:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It's wise to adopt the philosophy of not believing everything (or anything) you hear when it comes to NFL Draft and/or trade rumors.

NFL Network's Jason La Canfora, a former Washington Post 'Skins beat writer, and new Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan have a difference of opinions (at least, publicly) on the topic of defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth.

La Canfora writes that his sources "remain convinced" that a deal shipping Haynesworth out of the nation's capital is sure to happen with the most likely scenario being in a trade today with the Tennessee Titans in exchange for the 77th overall pick (third round).

Contrary to what La Canfora wrote, Shanahan said on NFL Network (via USA Today) Friday, "No, it's not going to happen. There's a lot of rumors... but Albert Haynesworth will not be traded."

Haynesworth turned back-to-back All-Pro seasons in 2007 and 2008 into a lucrative, $100 million contract as the most coveted free agent of the 2009 off-season. But not only did Haynesworth disappoint in his first season in Washington, he's also uninterested in transitioning to nose tackle in a 3-4 defense.

In 2009, he finished with 37 tackles and four sacks in only 12 games. Haynesworth hasn't played a full season since his rookie season in 2002 with the Titans.

That said, I will believe Shanahan -- once the Panthers are on the clock with the 78th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 32nd pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints select Florida State cornerback Patrick Robinson.

Robinson is the fifth cornerback drafted after Joe Haden, Kareem Jackson, Devin McCourty and Kyle Wilson.

According to Fanhouse's Jim Henry, Robinson ran a 4.25 forty at FSU back in 2008.

He becomes the first Seminole drafted in the first round since 2007 when the Steelers drafted Lawrence Timmons in the first round.

The draft resumes tomorrow with round two at 6 p.m.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 31st pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts select TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes.

Hughes, who is six-foot-two and 255 pounds, runs a 4.69 forty, has had 26 sacks over the past two seasons.

Now the New Orleans Saints are the on the clock with the 32nd overall pick, which is the last pick of the night.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 30th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions, who traded up with the Minnesota Vikings, select California running back Jahvid Best.

Best is the third running back off the board after Clemson's C.J. Spiller (to Buffalo) and Fresno State's Ryan Mathews (to San Diego).

In 2009, Best finished with 867 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns after missing the final three games of the season. Two years ago, he rushed for 1,580 yards and 15 touchdowns.

The Lions drafted Kevin Smith two seasons ago, but he is coming off knee surgery and may not be ready for the start of the season.

Now the Indianapolis Colts are the on the clock with the 31st overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 29th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the New York Jets select Boise State cornerback Kyle Wilson.

Wilson is the fourth cornerback off the board after Florida's Joe Haden, Alabama's Kareem Jackson and Rutgers' Devin McCourty. But

This is a case of the rich getting richer.

The Jets, who had the league's top-rated defense, already have Darrelle Revis, who is the league's best cornerback in my opinion, and Antonio Cromartie.

Now the Minnesota Vikings are the on the clock with the 30th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 28th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins select Penn State defensive tackle Jared Odrick.

Odrick, who has a good motor and good size (6-foot-5, 304 pounds), has the flexibility to play inside in a 4-3 defense and outside in a 3-4 defense.

Now the New York Jets are the on the clock with the 29th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 27th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots select Rutgers cornerback Devin McCourty.

McCourty was a great special teams player at Rutgers and was a physical cornerback, especially given his size (5-foot-11, 193 pounds).

In the Fanball Sports Network Mock Draft, I selected him for the Baltimore Ravens (who traded down tonight in the real draft from pick 25) at FootBaltimore.com.

Now the Miami Dolphins are the on the clock with the 28th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 26th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals select Tennessee defensive tackle Dan Williams.

Williams, who is a 6-foot-3, 327-pound nose tackle, is a good value pick by the Cardinals. NFLDraftScout.com had Williams ranked as the 14th overall prospect.

One of the teams that was looking to draft Williams was the Miami Dolphins, who traded down with the San Diego Chargers to 28th overall.

Now the New England Patriots are the on the clock with the 27th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 25th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, who was arguably the most decorated quarterback in college football history.

But wow.

With the group of quarterbacks in Denver (Kyle Orton, Brady Quinn, etc.), it's surprising that the Broncos select a quarterback that is viewed as a project in the NFL at the quarterback position over someone like Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen.

Now the Arizona Cardinals are the on the clock with the 26th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:11 PM | 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 23rd pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers select Iowa tackle Bryan Bulaga.

Many mock drafts projected Bulaga going as high as the fifth pick to the Kansas City Chiefs.

With issues protecting quarterback Aaron Rodgers last year, this is a great pick by the Packers.

Now the Dallas Cowboys, who traded with the New England Patriots, are the on the clock with the 24th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 22nd pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select Georgia Tech wide receiver Demaryius Thomas.

Although Oklahoma State Dez Bryant may be regarded as the top receiver in the draft, Thomas becomes the first selected.

Thomas, who is coming off a broken bone in his foot, has great size (6-3, 224 pounds) and speed (4.38 forty) to be a big-time NFL receiver.

With the other receivers on the Broncos' depth chart, Thomas has an opportunity to make a big impact in fantasy football in his rookie season.

Now the Green Bay Packers are the on the clock with the 23rd overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:55 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 20th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans select Alabama cornerback Kareem Jackson.

Jackson, who started for three years, skipped his senior season at Alabama against the advice of coach Nick Saban.

Over those three seasons, Jackson finished with 156 tackles and five interceptions.

Now the Cincinnati Bengals are the on the clock with the 21st overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:44 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 18th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select Florida center Maurkice Pouncey.

Here are his NFL.com draft profile strengths: "Pouncey has the size and quickness we look for in an interior offensive lineman. Has the versatility to play both center and guard. Exhibits great awareness and can handle complex defensive line play. Really active. Displays impressive body control and balance when getting out in front in the running game. Plays with good leverage."

And his weaknesses: "Not too many holes in his game. Durability is a concern after Pouncey underwent torn labrum surgery. Could benefit from playing with a higher degree of tenacity. We’d like to see him more consistently finish off his blocks and fight until the whistle."

Now the Atlanta Falcons are the on the clock with the 19th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 17th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers select Idaho guard Mike Iupati.

Iupati, 6-foot-5 and 331 pounds, has a lot of power, toughness and intensity and he becomes the Niners second offensive lineman to be drafted in the first round.

Earlier in the first round (pick 11), the 49ers traded up to draft Rutgers offensive tackle Anthony Davis.

Now the Pittsburgh Steelers are the on the clock with the 18th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 16th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Tennessee Titans select Georgia Tech defensive end Derrick Morgan, who was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2009.

Now the San Francisco 49ers are the on the clock with the 17th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 15th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the New York Giants select South Florida defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul.

Pierre-Paul, who claims he can do 23 back flips in a row, played only one year of major college football.

In that one season, he finished with 45 tackles, 16.5 tackles for a loss and 6.5 sacks.

Now the Tennessee Titans are the on the clock with the 16th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:20 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 13th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles, who traded with the Denver Broncos to move up to this spot, select Michigan DE/LB Brandon Graham.

Graham, who is six-foot-one and 268 pounds, has recorded 28 sacks in the past three seasons at Michigan. He has been compared to another small(ish) pass-rusher: Denver's Elvis Dumervil.

According to Pro Football Talk, it looks like the Eagles traded their first-round pick and two third-round picks to move up.

Now the Seattle Seahawks are the on the clock with the 14th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 12th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the San Diego Chargers select Fresno State running back Ryan Mathews.

In 2009, Mathews rushed for 1,808 yards and 19 touchdowns. Mathews ranked second in the country in rushing yards behind Stanford's Toby Gerhart, who rushed for 1,871 yards.

While Mathews was the second running back drafted so far in 2010, his situation is more favorable than that of C.J. Spiller, who was drafted by Buffalo.

The Chargers have an explosive passing offense, which means defenses won't be able to load the box. Meanwhile, Darren Sproles is better suited for a third-down back role, which should mean that Mathews gets the bulk of carries.

Now the Philadelphia Eagles, who traded with the Denver Broncos, are the on the clock with the 13th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the 11th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers, who traded with the Denver Broncos to move up to this spot, select Rutgers offensive tackle Anthony Davis.

Davis, who was a second-team All-American in 2009, becomes the third offensive lineman drafted.

Many project Iowa's Bryan Bulaga, who's still available, ahead of Davis.

Now the San Diego Chargers, who traded with the Miami Dolphins, are the on the clock with the 12th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the tenth pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars select California defensive end Tyson Alualu.

Here's the scouting report from thefootballexpert.com on Alualu: "Tyson Alualu has one of the best motors in this draft. He never gives up on a play. He gives 110% on every play; that is easily his biggest strength. This kid is quick, physical and deceptively strong. He is effective against the pass and the run and can play DT in the 4-3 or DE in the 3-4. My main area of concern is his habit of relying on the bull rush. He was able to use this move a lot in college but he won't in the NFL. ... He will need to improve himself by learning how to effectively use the rip, swim and other moves in order to beat NFL linemen. In addition to that concern, he will also need to improve his basic techniques (not over-pursuing, using his hands better ect..) Tyson Alualu is one of my favorite players in this year's draft. He is a playmaker (strong, physical, instinctive) who has great intangibles. I wouldn't be surprised to see him go off the board early in the 2nd round."

So, in other words, they would likely be very surprised to see Alualu go early in the 1st round.

Now the San Francisco 49ers, who traded with the Denver Broncos, are the on the clock with the eleventh overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the ninth pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills select Clemson running back C.J. Spiller.

Spiller, who ran the fastest forty time (4.37) for running backs at the NFL Scouting Combine, rushed for 1,212 yards in 2009. He has finished with 36 receptions for 503 yards.

He finished with a combined 16 rushing and receiving touchdowns.

It looked as though Fred Jackson would get his opportunity to be a viable starting running back in fantasy football in 2010. Jackson, who rushed for 212 yards in week 17, finished the season with 1,062 rushing yards on 237 carries.

Now the Jacksonville Jaguars are the on the clock with the tenth overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the eighth pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders select Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain.

Not only was McClain the SEC Defensive Player of the Year last season, he won the Dick Butkus award.

Now the Buffalo Bills are the on the clock with the ninth overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the seventh pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns select Florida cornerback Joe Haden.

Heading into the NFL Scouting Combine, Haden was widely-regarded as the top cornerback in the NFL Draft. However, he disappointed many scouts with his slower-than-expected forty-yard dash time at the Combine.

Last year, Haden finished with four interceptions and he had eight in his three-year career with the Gators.

In 2009, the Browns ranked fourth-to-last in passing defense (244.7 yards allowed per game).

Now the Oakland Raiders are the on the clock with the eighth overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:26 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 fifth pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs select Tennessee safety Eric Berry.

Many draft analysts projected the Chiefs to take an offensive lineman if they didn't select Berry.

A guy that Berry has been compared to is Baltimore's Ed Reed in his ability to cover as a safety. Berry ran a 4.47 forty at the NFL Combine and had a 43-inch vertical jump.

In 2009, Berry had 83 tackles and two interceptions for Tennessee as a junior.

Now the Seattle Seahawks are the on the clock with the sixth overall pick. They also have the 14th overall pick.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:07 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)

At the NFL Scouting Combine, LSU return specialist Trindon Holliday was hoping to beat Titans running back Chris Johnson's 40-yard dash time of 4.24.

ESPN's Adam Schefter tweets, "There's smoke coming off the track: LSU WR Trindon Holliday just recoreded one of fastest 40-yard dashes ever run in Indy, a blazing 4.22."

However, NFL.com says Holliday's unofficial 40-yard times are 4.27 and 4.32 seconds.

Either way, he's fast.

At LSU, Holliday finished his four-year career with 776 rushing yards and four touchdowns as well as seven career receptions for 72 yards.

At 5'5" though, he's likely to be a late-round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft and he will primarily be a return specialist at the next level.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When the Florida Gators play the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship Game on Saturday for the right to play in the BCS Championship Game, they will do so without defensive end Carlos Dunlap.

Coach Urban Meyer has suspended Dunlap indefinitely after he was arrested early this morning for DUI.

"Carlos obviously made a very poor decision," Meyer said. "I have not spoke to him or his family yet. He's not going to play. But I want to visit with him and his family first and go from there."

Police spokesman Keith Kameg said that officers "approached the car and found the suspect slumped over in the driver's seat. He appeared to be asleep. The car's windows were cracked so they attempted to wake him up. They talked to him and he would only open his eyes for a few seconds and then fall back asleep."

Dunlap is a potential high first-round pick if declares himself eligible for April's NFL Draft.

Meyer made the right decision to suspend Dunlap. Allowing a college kid that gets busted for DUI to play in a football game a few days later would have sent the wrong message.

Florida and Alabama will play on Saturday, December 5th at 4 p.m. in Atlanta.

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"It's me being dumb, just trying to have people leave me alone," Glenn told the AP when asked today about why he gave the Washington media the story about the tickets. "It's something I said that I probably shouldn't have, looking at it now."

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"We're more confident now, with the timing of the first round, that it can fit a 3½-hour window," [NFL Commissioner Roger] Goodell said. "We think it can be very appealing from a fan's standpoint and an audience standpoint.

"We'll talk to our teams about it. We have to see what impact this would have on them. But I think it has potential."

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"...I know he had that same concern when Spencer came in. He had that same concern when he moved over (from defensive end to outside linebacker). And that's rightfully so. I think the world of Greg, but anything we do there one way or the other, I don't want him to read about it. I want to sit down and talk to him about it."

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"We might even get a few draft picks out via Twitter before they are announced on TV, so any Patriots fans following the draft closely are encouraged to begin following RealPatriots on Twitter," Patriots Vice President of Media Relations Stacey James said in a statement.

"After the draft, we will review how the teams are announcing their picks and determine whether we need to develop a policy," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Friday.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 02:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Obviously being the No. 1 pick would be a great honor and going to Detroit would be a lot of fun," Stafford said. "I'm excited about it."

"He is a witty guy, and I feel like I kind of am myself, too," Stafford said. "I try to shoot it back at him as much as I possibly can and have some fun with it. Especially playing quarterback in this league, you've got to be able to react and make decisions quick. That's the last thing on my mind when I'm shooting something back at him, but it probably comes off in a positive light."

"And to the people who doubt me, I try to prove it on the field. That's the No. 1 thing, is try to win football games. That's what it's all about at quarterback. You can have all the stats you want, but it comes down to wins and losses."

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"I loved Cleveland and would love to play there," Crabtree said in an e-mail. "It's a team with great history and great fans who love football."

"I am a complete football player. If anybody wonders about me, I'm a complete football player. I can say it twice. You can't do no better," says Crabtree.

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"I just spoke with Demetrius' mother and she said that he has mostly bumps and bruises," Byrd's junior college coach, Tim Hatten of Pearl River Community College, told ESPN's Joe Schad. "She said his injuries are not life threatening and should not be football threatening."

"This tragic accident puts in perspective just how fragile life can be," said LSU head coach Les Miles. "Demetrius is an outstanding young man with a bright future ahead of him. He was a joy to coach and he brought a great smile and a wonderful attitude to our football team. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family as we hope for a speedy recovery."

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"Sanchez is most accurate of the three," Mayock said. "He might not have as much arm strength. He might not be quite as exciting. But at the end of the day, if I've got a top-10 pick and my job is on the line at the quarterback position, I'm taking Sanchez."

"You don't want to go into training camp with only two quarterbacks, certainly, but it's doable if that's what the situation is," Broncos coach Josh McDaniels said. "But you would love to have a third quarterback that could be competitive."

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"He's as talented as anyone in the draft this year," said Gil Brandt, the longtime general manager of Tom Landry's Dallas Cowboys and now a draft analyst for NFL.com. "But he has those off-field problems, and that's going to knock him down a little bit."

"If you move up from the 12th spot to the ninth spot, there might be $3 million involved," Brandt said. "How did someone find out about Harvin? Did Kenny Britt's agent do this? Did (Darius) Heyward-Bay's? You just don't know."

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"You don't want to bring a guy in that the coaches don't want," [Vikings vice president of player personnel Rick] Spielman said. "That's where you kind of get into some scenarios that, 'OK, why don't we want this guy in? Does he fit our offense? Is it the type of character guy [we want]?' ... Everybody gets to weigh in their opinions, and we decide what's best for the organization."

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"Brian Murphy, Chief Operating Officer of Athletes First, which represents Raji, told SI.com: 'We will not comment on rumors from unnamed sources. I do know that B.J. has been one of the hardest workers and nicest individuals that we at Athletes First represent. There is no doubt that he will be an invaluable addition to an NFL team both on the field as a player and in the community as a role model.'"

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"I was with him for a year," said Morris. "Absolute specimen to look at. Physical. Tall, big. Big arm. Deceptively quick, even though the 40 time says 4.8, he's got that Ben Roethlisberger effect where he's hard to tackle once you get back there, so you'd better send somebody blitzing big enough to get him on the ground."

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"The problem you have with him is he can run like a deer and he can play like a deer - scared."

"I like his size. He attacks the football," Johnson said. "He doesn't look like he's fast, but he gets down the field because he has a long stride. I think he'd fit good with Ted Ginn."

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“After thorough consideration and discussion with my advisers and doctors, I decided to have the surgery rather than risk any further injury,” Crabtree said in a statement. “As a competitor, I wanted to run at my pro day, but it became clear that the best thing for me is to have the surgery and be ready to get on the field as soon as possible.”

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"I'm being completely honest, and it has nothing to do with money -- I would love to go to Detroit," Stafford said. "My friends say, 'C'mon, gimme a break.' But I'm a competitive guy. The Lions have passionate fans, a great stadium, and I'd be throwing to the biggest freak (Calvin Johnson), with the most talent, of any receiver in the NFL."

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“I could feel it for the past two weeks,” Mauluga told the NFL Network’s Scott Hanson. “I just wanted to come out here and compete with the very best. I wanted to show the coaches and scouts I could do everything. Now I’m just going to go to the trainer and get right and hopefully be able to do the Pro Day."

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“Just to know that they’re considering taking a linebacker No. 1 overall … just that whole thought process is amazing,” Curry said. “I came out here today with that in the back of my head."

He plays 'Sam,' but it was interesting at Wake. He played an on-the-ball 'Sam' linebacker, which not a lot of people play anymore. You have to be really strong. But they also put him out in space ... almost like a nickel back. Those are two almost mutually exclusive skill sets.

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Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith says: “He’s not going to play anytime soon, as I see it. It’s not a career-ending injury or anything like that. He’s a good football player. He has got plenty of time to get well. I don’t think it’ll hurt him a lot. Everybody has a history. He has a history; his history is pretty good. I think he’ll be OK.”

Kansas City Chiefs GM Scott Pioli says: “You’ve got a bunch of tapes to watch guys. From our standpoint, we evaluate guys on how they play football, not just on how they run. Football players play with injuries; football players get injuries. The combine is great, but you watch players perform on tape. That’s really the top evaluation.”

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"A number of factors were considered with regard to this issue," [Cmdr. Joe] Carpenter said. "(Kettani) was denied participation because it would not be consistent with current Navy efforts to support active-duty readiness during wartime. His participation in the NFL Combine could incorrectly imply that the Navy would support him in pursuing a professional football career immediately after graduation."

"I respect the academy's decision. I have never asked to get out of my service obligation," said Kettani.

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"The goal right now is preparing for the combine, because that's the next step for me. I can't dictate where I'm drafted. All I can do is to continue to position myself as the best player at my position. So hearing all those things, I pretty much let it go in one ear and out the other."

"I've never really had a big interest," Monroe said. "If you asked me football history, I'd give you blank answers."

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A gifted athlete, but his production never has matched the skill. A real boom-or-bust prospect who will be selected a lot higher than many think because of his upside.

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"I will have a lot of great memories from my time at Florida, but the [BCS] championships we won in 2006 and 2008 will be at the top of my list," Harvin said in a statement released by the university. "When it is all said and done, I wanted to win. I wanted to be a part of championship teams."

"It was a tough decision for me and my family," Spikes said. "I just felt like it was the right choice to come back. I love the coaching staff and my teammates and I look forward to playing another year in front of the best fans in America."

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"It has been my dream since I was just a little kid to play in the NFL and thanks to this great academic institution and football program, I have the opportunity to realize that dream," said Sanchez, dapperly dressed in a business suit.

"It was with a heavy heart that I say goodbye to this university. But I can't tell you how excited I am for this dream to come true," he said.

"We don't see this decision the same... Mark is going against the grain on this decision and he knows that. He knows that coming out early is a tremendous challenge for a quarterback and the statistics don't back up that it's easy to be successful in the way that he's going about it," Carroll said."

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"I'm shifty," McCoy said. "I can make you miss. I can do a lot of things. I got a good report. I love Pitt, but this is a great opportunity.

"As a result of a season-ending injury my senior year, I learned a humbling lesson," McCoy said. "Nothing is promised to us and it can all be taken away in a moment."

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"I've dreamed about playing at Oklahoma since I was little," Bradford said. "My three years here been probably the three of best years of my life. ... I feel there's no need to cut this experience short."

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"At the beginning of the season, I wanted to leave," Mays said then. "Halfway through, it was 50-50. Now, if I do leave, it feels like a perfect way to go if I leave. That would be the way to do it."

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"I know what I'm about to do won't be easy," Davis said in a statement. "But it's what my heart and head want to do at this time. It's the right thing for me and my family at this time."

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"Leaving Penn State was one of the most difficult decisions I've faced," Maybin said in a statement. "In the end, I've decided this is an opportunity I would like to pursue."

"He's not ready for the next level," NFL draft analyst Chris Steuber of scout.com said.

Steuber went on to note, "I think it was evident on the field during the [Rose Bowl]. I think he was manhandled at the line. ... To me, he's just an undersized defensive end right now. You look at him, he's so skinny, he looks like a tight end or a wide receiver on the field.

"He still needs another year in college," Steuber added.

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"Overall, I just felt loyal to this place," Tebow said. "I feel like I'm a role model, and a lot of times people start things and don't finish them. I didn't want to be like that. I wanted to be loyal to the university. I wanted to finish what I started and play another year."

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"I really enjoyed my time at the University of Alabama, but I think it is the right time for me to move on to the NFL," Coffee said in a statement. "Alabama has been a tremendous place for me to develop as both a football player and a person. I couldn't have asked for a better group of coaches."

"He's probably the second-strongest guy on the team (behind nose tackle Josh Chapman)," Smith said of Coffee earlier this season. "He's stronger than me in some cases. He's a freakish athlete. He set a couple of records in high school weightlifting down in Florida in competition. He's a real outstanding guy, both on and off the field."

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"It is a choice I feel comfortable making," said Collie, the all-time leading receiver in BYU history. "I am ready for the next challenge."

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"I think he's going [to the NFL] and I think it's the best decision for him," [Texas Tech coach Mike] Leach said late Friday night. "We wish him the best, and I'm sure he'll do well."

“We thought about (him returning to Tech),” the elder Crabtree said. “Probably be better to go now. He had small injuries this year. We didn’t want there to be any major injuries or anything (in the future) to keep him from going pro.”

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"This decision hasn't been easy," Maclin said, adding that he didn't completely make up his mind until 10 minutes before the news conference. "As much as I love you guys ... I feel like I'm ready for the next level."

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"I want to thank my teammates, my coaches, my teachers and the academic advisors for all they have done, and I definitely want to thank the Buckeye fans for all their support," Wells said in a statement. "Ohio State has become like a family to me, and it will always be that way. But in the best interest of my family, it's time to move on and take a chance at fulfilling my lifetime dream of playing in the NFL."

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"I would like to thank my teammates, coaches and the Badger fans for the great experience I had during my time at UW," [Hill] said.

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"I think whichever NFL teams get them will be very excited and very blessed by it," [Georgia head coach Mark] Richt said. "They'll not only be good players but they'll be good in their locker rooms and good in their communities. They're gonna do well."

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"After the bowl game I sat down with my mom, my aunt and coach [Ralph] Friedgen to explore my options and felt like the time is right to take my game to the next level," Heyward-Bey said Wednesday. "It was a very difficult decision. I love the University of Maryland and everything people have done for me the last four years. Not only the coaches, but also the players and support staff."

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"I clearly think that most everybody feels pretty confident he's probably going to have a great chance to be a first-day draft selection," said Davis, who spent 10 years in the NFL with Dallas and Cleveland, and reached out to GMs and assistants on Nicks' behalf.

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"It's just a shame that the people in Connecticut won't get one more year to see him play, and the people around the nation who missed out on honoring this kid for what he did this year," [UConn coach Randy] Edsall said, his voice beginning to tremble with emotion. "I told him I'll be his biggest fan as he moves forward. I love the kid to death and I know he's going to be very successful."

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