2008 NFL Draft winners and losers

By Rick Morris

On last week's FANTASYDRAFTHELP.COM INSIDER program (Wednesdays, 7-9 PM EDT on SportsTalkNetwork.com), we examined the 2008 NFL Draft winners and losers as determined by our Senior Editor Jason Jones. Here's his lists again (and here's the draft listings for Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, Round 4, Round 5, Round 6 and Round 7):

WINNERS
Kansas City
Pittsburgh
Baltimore

LOSERS
Tennessee
Chicago
Buffalo

Using the alphabet/grade approach, I'm going to offer my own list. I will speak on these during the FDH INSIDER tomorrow night.

A+: none
A: Pittsburgh
A-: Kansas City, New York Giants
B+: Buffalo, Green Bay, New Orleans, Atlanta, Arizona
B: Miami, New York Jets, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Jacksonville, Dallas, Washington, Carolina
B-: New England, Indianapolis, Denver, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, St. Louis
C+: Minnesota, Detroit
C: Cleveland, Houston, San Diego, Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco
C-: none
D+: Tennessee
D: Oakland
D-: none
F: none

Additionally, as promised on last week's INSIDER, I have the breakdown of how teams scored based purely on collecting players in Jason's Top 200 Overall from our FREE draft guide (you can still download it). The scoring works like this: 200 points awarded to the team taking the #1 player on Jason's list (Chris Long), 199 points for the #2 player and so on, all the way down to a single point for #200 on the list. Note that Kansas City scored particularly high because they accrued many picks and were able to use quite a few of them on players who were high on Jason's board.

1. Kansas City: 911
2. Arizona: 843
3. Chicago: 746 (those of you listening to the show last week heard Jason's shock when I read him this ranking -- I saved that information to tell him for the first time when we were on the air!)
4. Tampa Bay: 729
5. Philadelphia: 714
6. Baltimore: 694
7. New York Giants: 693
8. Indianapolis: 667
9. Seattle: 654
10. New Orleans: 651
11. Carolina: 647
12. St. Louis: 631
13. Green Bay: 607
14. Detroit: 595
15T. Denver: 592
15T. Atlanta: 592
17. Washington: 584
18. San Francisco: 550
19. New York Jets: 542
20. Pittsburgh: 514
21. Cincinnati: 492
22. Buffalo: 452
23. Dallas: 433
24. Jacksonville: 425
25. Houston: 404
26. Miami: 392
27. New England: 375
28. San Diego: 329
29. Tennessee: 253
30. Cleveland: 229
31. Oakland: 193
32. Minnesota: 89

As an FYI, here's Jason's Top 200 Overall from our draft guide, with the draft destination of each player. Those who were not drafted are marked with "XXXXX" (including those who subsequently signed with another team in free agency.

Name Position School

1 Chris Long DE Virginia ST LOUIS 200

2 Matt Ryan QB Boston College ATLANTA 199

3 Sedrick Ellis DT USC NEW ORLEANS 198

4 Rashard Mendenhall RB Illinois PITTSBURGH 197

5 Jake Long OT Michigan MIAMI 196

6 Vernon Gholston DE Ohio St NEW YORK JETS 195

7 Leodis McKelvin CB Troy BUFFALO 194

8 Darren McFadden RB Arkansas OAKLAND 193

9 Glenn Dorsey DT LSU KANSAS CITY 192

10 Kenny Phillips FS Miami (FL) NEW YORK GIANTS 191

11 Lawrence Jackson DE USC SEATTLE 190

12 Josh Barrett SS Arizona St ARIZONA 189!!!

13 Ryan Clady OT Boise St DENVER 188

14 Jonathan Stewart RB Oregon CAROLINA 187

15 Dominique Rogers-Cromartie CB Tennessee St ARIZONA 186

16 Keith Rivers OLB USC CINCINNATI 185

17 Jeff Otah OT Pittsburgh CAROLINA 184

18 Derrick Harvey DE Florida JACKSONVILLE 183

19 Mike Jenkins CB S. Florida DALLAS 182

20 Branden Albert OG Virginia KANSAS CITY 181

21 Quentin Groves DE Auburn JACKSONVILLE 180

22 Felix Jones RB Arkansas DALLAS 179

23 Reggie Smith CB Oklahoma SAN FRANCISCO 178

24 Brian Brohm QB Louisville GREEN BAY 177

25 Devin Thomas WR Michigan St WASHINGTON 176

26 DeSean Jackson WR California PHILADELPHIA 175

27 Chris Williams OT Vanderbilt CHICAGO 174

28 Kentwan Balmer DT North Carolina SAN FRANCISCO 173

29 Jerod Mayo ILB Tennessee NEW ENGLAND 172

30 Dan Connor ILB Penn St CAROLINA 171

31 Malcolm Kelly WR Oklahoma WASHINGTON 170

32 Dustin Keller TE Purdue NEW YORK JETS 169

33 Calais Campbell DE Miami (FL) ARIZONA 168

34 Aqib Talib CB Kansas TAMPA BAY 167

35 Chad Henne QB Michigan MIAMI 166

36 Jamaal Charles RB Texas KANSAS CITY 165

37 Chilo Rachal OG USC SAN FRANCISCO 164

38 Curtis Lofton ILB Oklahoma ATLANTA 163

39 Erin Henderson ILB Maryland XXXXX

40 Cliff Avril OLB Purdue DETROIT 161

41 Carl Nicks OT Nebraska NEW ORLEANS 160

42 Gosder Cherilus OT Boston College DETROIT 159

43 Limas Sweed WR Texas PITTSBURGH 158

44 Trevor Laws DT Notre Dame PHILADELPHIA 157

45 Antione Cason CB Arizona SAN DIEGO 156

46 Pat Sims DT Auburn CINCINNATI 155

47 Fred Davis TE USC WASHINGTON 154

48 Joe Flacco QB Delaware BALTIMORE 153

49 Ray Rice RB Rutgers BALTIMORE 152

50 Sam Baker OT USC ATLANTA 151

51 Jacob Hester FB/RB LSU SAN DIEGO 150

52 Mario Manningham WR Michigan NEW YORK GIANTS 149

53 Jordy Nelson WR Kansas St GREEN BAY 148

54 Anthony Collins OT Kansas CINCINNATI 147

55 Barry Richardson OG Clemson KANSAS CITY 146

56 Xavier Adibi OLB Virginia Tech HOUSTON 145

57 Philip Wheeler ILB Georgia Tech INDIANAPOLIS 144

58 Roy Schuening OG Oklahoma St ST LOUIS 143

59 Marcus Howard ILB Georgia INDIANAPOLIS 142

60 Kevin Smith RB Central Florida DETROIT 141

61 John Carlson TE Notre Dame SEATTLE 140

62 Owen Schmidt FB W. Virginia SEATTLE 139

63 Tavares Gooden ILB Miami (FL) BALTIMORE 138

64 James Hardy WR Indiana BUFFALO 137

65 John Greco OT Toledo ST LOUIS 136

66 Peyton Hillis FB Arkansas DENVER 135

67 Geno Hayes ILB Florida St TAMPA BAY 134

68 Matt Forte RB Tulane CHICAGO 133

69 Mike Pollak C Arizona St INDIANAPOLIS 132

70 Early Doucet WR LSU ARIZONA 131

71 Phillip Merling DE Clemson MIAMI 130

72 Jonathan Goff ILB Vanderbilt NEW YORK GIANTS 129

73 Shawn Crable OLB Michigan NEW ENGLAND 128

74 Drew Radovich OG USC XXXXX

75 Kellen Davis TE Michigan St CHICAGO 126

76 Beau Bell OLB UNLV CLEVELAND 125

77 Dwight Lowery CB San Jose St NEW YORK JETS 124

78 Tom Zbikowski SS Notre Dame BALTIMORE 123

79 Dre Moore DT Maryland TAMPA BAY 122

80 Chris Ellis DE Virginia Tech BUFFALO 121

81 Mike McGlynn OG Pittsburgh PHILADELPHIA 120

82 Vince Hall ILB Virginia Tech XXXXX

83 Kenny Iwebema DE Iowa ARIZONA 118

84 Jamar Adams SS Michigan XXXXX

85 Tracy Porter CB Indiana NEW ORLEANS 116

86 Wesley Woodyard OLB Kentucky XXXXX

87 Bruce Davis OLB UCLA PITTSBURGH 114

88 Robert Felton OG Arkansas XXXXX

89 Jermichael Finley TE Texas GREEN BAY 112

90 Eric Young OG Tennessee XXXXX

91 Quintin Demps FS UTEP PHILADELPHIA 110

92 Terrell Thomas CB USC NEW YORK GIANTS 109

93 Ali Highsmith OLB LSU XXXXX

94 ***Heath Benedict (deceased) OG Newberry XXXXX

95 Spencer Larson ILB Arizona DENVER 106

96 Charles Godfrey CB Iowa CAROLINA 105

97 Matt Flynn QB LSU GREEN BAY 104

98 Marcus Griffin SS Texas XXXXX

99 Red Bryant DT Texas A&M SEATTLE 102

100 Andre Woodson QB Kentucky NEW YORK GIANTS 101

101 Kirk Barton OT Ohio St CHICAGO 100

102 Ezra Butler DE Nevada XXXXX

103 Craig Steltz SS LSU CHICAGO 98

104 Dominique Barber SS Minnesota HOUSTON 97

105 Dexter Jackson WR Appalachain St TAMPA BAY 96

106 Eddie Royal WR Virginia Tech DENVER 95

107 Chris Johnson RB East Carolina TENNESSEE 94

108 Brad Cottam TE Tennessee KANSAS CITY 93

109 Tyrell Johnson CB Arkansas St XXXXX

110 Adarius Bowman WR Oklahoma St XXXXX

111 Adrian Arrington WR Michigan NEW ORLEANS 90

112 Frank Okam DT Texas HOUSTON 89

113 Jeremy Zuttah C Rutgers TAMPA BAY 88

114 Caleb Campbell SS Army DETROIT 87

115 Mike Hart RB Michigan INDIANAPOLIS 86

116 DeMario Pressley DT N.C. State NEW ORLEANS 85

117 Jacob Tamme TE Kentucky INDIANAPOLIS 84

118 Justin Forsett RB California SEATTLE 83

119 Lavelle Hawkins WR California TENNESSEE 82

120 Donnie Avery WR Houston ST LOUIS 81

121 Ben Moffitt ILB S. Florida XXXXX

122 Brandon Flowers CB Virginia Tech KANSAS CITY 79

123 Allen Patrick RB Oklahoma BALTIMORE 78

124 Jason Jones DE Eastern Michigan TENNESSEE 77

125 John David Booty QB USC MINNESOTA 76

126 Kevin O'Connell QB San Diego St NEW ENGLAND 75

127 Andre Caldwell WR Florida CINCINNATI 74

128 Steve Slaton RB W. Virginia HOUSTON 73

129 Martellus Bennett TE Texas A&M DALLAS 72

130 Justin King CB Penn St ST LOUIS 71

131 Chevis Jackson CB LSU ATLANTA 70

132 Steve Justice C Wake Forest INDIANAPOLIS 69

133 Kory Lichtensteiger C Bowling Green DENVER 68

134 Titus Brown DE Mississippi St XXXXX

135 Patrick Lee CB Auburn GREEN BAY 66

136 David Roach SS TCU XXXXX

137 Wallace Gilberry DE Alabama XXXXX

138 Josh Johnson QB San Diego TAMPA BAY 63

139 Jerome Felton RB Furman DETROIT 62

140 Marcus Monk WR Arkansas CHICAGO 61

141 JoLonn Dunbar ILB Boston College XXXXX

142 Cory Byrd RB S. Carolina TAMPA BAY 59

143 Jonathan Zenon CB LSU XXXXX

144 Shannon Tevaga OG UCLA XXXXX

145 Paul Hubbard WR Wisconsin CLEVELAND 56

146 William Franklin WR Missouri KANSAS CITY 55

147 Erik Ainge QB Tennessee NEW YORK JETS 54

148 Earl Bennett WR Vanderbilt CHICAGO 53

149 Jack Ikegwuonu CB Wisconsin PHILADELPHIA 52

150 Chris Harrington DE Texas A&M ARIZONA 51

151 Oniel Cousins OT UTEP BALTIMORE 50

152 Jameel McClain ILB Syracuse XXXXX

153 Martin Rucker TE Missouri CLEVELAND 48

154 Chad Rinehart OT Univ of N. Iowa WASHINGTON 47

155 Chase Ortiz DE TCU XXXXX

156 Dennis Dixon QB/WR Oregon PITTSBURGH 45

157 Johnny Dingle DT W. Virginia XXXXX

158 Matt Spanos C USC XXXXX

159 Tommy Blake DE TCU XXXXX

160 Joe Jon Finley TE Oklahoma XXXXX

161 BenJarvis Green-Ellis RB Ole Miss XXXXX

162 Ryan O'Hara QB Central Oklahoma XXXXX

163 Jamie Silva SS Boston College XXXXX

164 Colt Brennan QB Hawaii WASHINGTON 37

165 Glenn Sharpe CB Miami (FL) XXXXX

166 Larry Grant LB Ohio St SAN FRANCISCO 35

167 Jonathan Hefney FS Tennessee XXXXX

168 Chauncey Washington RB USC JACKSONVILLE 33

169 Yvenson Bernard RB Oregon St XXXXX

170 Mario Urritia WR Louisville CINCINNATI 31

171 Adam Kraus OG Michigan XXXXX

172 Trae Williams CB S. Florida JACKSONVILLE 29

173 Greyson Gunheim DE Washington XXXXX

174 Sam Keller QB Nebraska XXXXX

175 Dantrell Savage RB Oklahoma St XXXXX

176 DaJuan Morgan RB N.C. State XXXXX

177 D.J. Wolfe CB Oklahoma XXXXX

178 DeJuan Tribble CB Boston College SAN DIEGO 23

179 Kyle Wright QB Miami (FL) XXXXX

180 Rafael Little RB Kentucky XXXXX

181 Doug Legursky OG Marshall XXXXX

182 Kalvin McRae RB Ohio University XXXXX

183 Tyler Polumbus OT Colorado XXXXX

184 De'Cody Fagg WR Florida St XXXXX

185 Pedro Sosa OT Rutgers XXXXX

186 Darius Reynaud WR W. Virginia XXXXX

187 Bryan Kehl ILB BYU NEW YORK GIANTS 14

188 John Sullivan C Notre Dame MINNESOTA 13

189 Franklin Dunbar OT Mid Tennessee St XXXXX

190 Jordan Grimes OG Purdue XXXXX

191 Tom Santi TE Virginia INDIANAPOLIS 10

192 Thomas DeCoud SS California ATLANTA 9

193 Michael Grant S Arkansas XXXXX

194 Gary Guyton ILB Georgia Tech XXXXX

195 Andre Callender RB Boston College XXXXX

196 Kolo Kapanui TE West Texas A&M XXXXX

197 Shannon Boatman OT Florida St XXXXX

198 D.J. Hall WR Alabama XXXXX

199 Taylor Mehlhaff K Wisconsin NEW ORLEANS 2

200 Zach Bowman CB Nebraska CHICAGO 1

I May Be Biased, But...

By Paul Belfi

I have to say (a few tech glitches aside) that I was very proud of our coverage of the 2008 NFL Draft on the mothership, sportstalkNETWORK.com.

I said it on my blog on STN but it certainly merits repeating here - Jason Jones was outstanding. I will put his knowledge on players, talent evaluation, etc. up against ANYONE in the industry - and when I say 'anyone' I mean ANYONE.

And if that wasn't enough, another outstanding edition of the FDH LOUNGE capped off a very long (but fun) weekend. I encourage anyone who may have missed the show to hit it on the archive. You won't be disappointed.

STN has deployed several new market sites in Detroit, Seattle and Canada with more on the way in the next few weeks - and all too happy to feature content from the staff of FANTASY DRAFT HELP.com

NFL Draft Day One recap

By Rick Morris

The format of our special edition of THE FANTASYDRAFTHELP.COM INSIDER on SportsTalkNetwork.com during our gavel-to-gavel coverage of NFL Draft Day One did not allow for me to conduct any liveblogging. I apologize for that, but frankly, it was difficult enough to emcee our coverage with the smaller interval between picks without also being able to contribute thoughts here in real time. Lesson learned: unless the league goes back to 15-minute breaks between first-round picks, the days of me being able to put up 25 blog entries WHILE ALSO BROADCASTING THE EVENT are over!

I want to mention also how much we enjoyed being joined by Ken Becks from Gridiron Evaluations. He operates an outstanding site dedicated to revealing the insights gained from extensively breaking down game film. In life and in business, you are lucky to come across people whose knowledge helps you take your game to another level. Since our Senior Editor Jason Jones took the torch from me and became the lead FDH NFL Draft analyst, his exposure to Ken's work has really helped him in terms of becoming one of the foremost authorities on the draft today and for that I am really grateful. It was also a lot of fun having Ken on with us and I urge all of you to check out the archives on STN.

I also want to refer you yet again to our draft guide and to the full rundown of who went where in Round 1 and Round 2.

Now, most of my sports work with FantasyDrafthelp.com throughout the year is dedicated to fantasy sports; I do focus on the NFL, NBA and NHL drafts a bit, but for the most part my work revolves around fantasy and roto sports. As such, though, I am always looking for similarities between the fantasy and "real" realm to demonstrate to all of you how much people who are paid to run pro franchises operate by our concept of obtaining maximum value. Well, most of the time, anyway! We saw some real winners and losers today in terms of obtaining value for the selections.

VALUE WINNERS
^ Denver: Ryan Clady was more OT than they thought they'd be able to get at 12, even if Mike Shanahan was on suicide alert after Sedrick Ellis went off the board. Of course, Eddie Royal sucked as a second-round value, so The Rat is still on The Clock.

^ Pittsburgh: NO WAY NO HOW should Rashard Mendenhall have fallen all the way to the favorite team of the overalls crowd and the AFC North will pay the price for the stupidity of others for years. Plus Limas Sweed in the second? No freaking way!

^ New York Giants: The Super Bowl champs prove that the rich do get richer. They need to fill a hole at safety and end up getting the best one in the draft with Kenny Phillips. Pencil them in for a long playoff run again next year.

^ Washington: They trade back from 21 in the first round into the second and still get the best WR in Devin Thomas? The rest of the league needs to get a collective saliva test. The inexplicable slides of Thomas and Mendenhall will be questioned for years to come.

^ Philadelphia: DeSean Jackson may not be exactly what they need at WR, but they traded back to the mid-second round to take him, so how can you complain?

^ Arizona: Calais Campbell in the mid-second. Niiiiiiiiiiiice.

VALUE LOSERS
^ Oakland: Well, Al Davis isn't so much a value loser as a life loser at this point. He's got four potentially viable RBs on his roster and can't live without a fifth. Enjoy your next 4-12 season, old man!

^ New England: Did Bill Belichick of New England get replaced by Bill Belichick of Cleveland? 'Cause there's faint echos of the Touchdown Tommy Vardell/Kyle Brady insanity in his desire to take Jerod Mayo a good 10-15 picks before anyone else would bother.

^ Jacksonville: You could have traded up a good five spots lower and still drafted Derrick Harvey.

^ Carolina and Dallas: Jonathan Stewart and Felix Jones over Mendenhall? I mean, I know that Jerry Jones had to get his Hog Quota since he lost out on Darren McFadden, but really now!

^ Tennessee: Another marginal prospect over a franchise WR. Different year, same feces in Nashville.

^ Houston: Yeah, because why take a RB when you've got a shifty scatback like Ron Dayne ready to go?

^ St. Louis: Donnie Avery and Jerome Simpson at WR? Give us a call when you learn the meaning of value.

Join us for Day Two coverage on STN and for a recap on our FDH LOUNGE program tomorrow night (8-11 PM EDT) on STN.

Final Rick Morris NFL mock draft

By Rick Morris

Here is my final NFL mock draft. Remember to download our FREE 2008 Pro Football Draft Guide and to tune in to a special edition of THE FANTASYDRAFTHELP.COM INSIDER on SportsTalkNetwork.com for live coverage of the NFL Draft all weekend starting at 3 PM today. Among other great guests: the one and only Hall of Fame quarterback and Fox Sports analyst Troy Aikman!

FDH Managing Partner Rick Morris' Mock Draft
Team
Player
Position
School
1. MIA-
Jake Long
OT
Michigan
2. STL-
Chris Long
DE
Virginia
3. ATL-
Glenn Dorsey
DT
LSU
4. OAK-
Darren McFadden
RB
Arkansas
5. KC-
Matt Ryan
QB
Boston College
6. NYJ-
Vernon Gholston
DE
Ohio St
7. NE-
Leodis McKelvin
CB
Troy St
8. BAL-
Ryan Clady
OT
Boise St
9. CIN-
Sedrick Ellis
DT
USC
10. NO-
Keith Rivers
OLB
USC
11. BUF-
Devin Thomas
WR
Michigan St
12. DEN-
Chris Williams
OT
Vanderbilt
13. CAR-
Rashard Mendenhall
RB
Illinois
14. CHI-
Jeff Otah
OT
Pitt
15. DET-
Derrick Harvey
DE
Florida
16. ARI-
Dominique Rogers-Cromartie
CB
Tennessee St
17. KC-
Branden Albert
OG
Virginia
18. HOU-
Mike Jenkins
CB
South Florida
19. PHI-
Malcolm Kelly
WR
Oklahoma
20. TB-
DeSean Jackson
WR
California
21. WAS-
Calais Campbell
DE
Miami (FL)
22. DAL-
Aqib Talib
CB
Kansas
23. PIT-
Gosder Cherilus
OT
Boston College
24. TEN-
Limas Sweed
WR
Texas
25. SEA-
Kentwan Balmer
DT
North Carolina
26. JAX-
Kenny Phillips
FS
Miami (FL)
27. SD-
Sam Baker
OT
USC
28. DAL-
Felix Jones
RB
Arkansas
29. SF-
Dan Conner
ILB
Penn St
30. GB-
Brandon Flowers
CB
Virginia Tech
31. NE-
PICK FORFEITED DUE TO CHEATING
32. NYG-
Jerod Mayo
ILB
Tennessee

Final Jason Jones NFL mock draft

By Rick Morris

Here is the final mock draft from our Senior Editor Jason Jones.

FDH Senior Editor Jason Jones' Mock Draft
Team
Player
Position
School
1. MIA-
Jake Long
OT
Michigan
2. STL-
Chris Long
DE
Virginia
3. ATL-
Glenn Dorsey
DT
LSU
4. OAK-
Vernon Gholston
DE
Ohio St
5. KC-
Matt Ryan
QB
Boston College
6. NYJ-
Darren McFadden
RB
Arkansas
7. NE-
Keith Rivers
OLB
USC
8. BAL-
Leodis McKelvin
CB
Troy St
9. CIN-
Sedrick Ellis
DT
USC
10. NO-
Dominique Rogers-Cromartie
CB
Tennessee St
11. BUF-
Devin Thomas
WR
Michigan St
12. DEN-
Rashard Mendenhall
RB
Illinois
13. CAR-
Chris Williams
OT
Vanderbilt
14. CHI-
Ryan Clady
OT
Boise St
15. DET-
Derrick Harvey
DE
Florida
16. ARI-
Jonathan Stewart
RB
Oregon
17. KC-
Branden Albert
OG
Virginia
18. HOU-
Mike Jenkins
CB
South Florida
19. PHI-
Kenny Phillips
FS
Miami (FL)
20. TB-
DeSean Jackson
WR
California
21. WAS-
Calais Campbell
DE
Miami (FL)
22. DAL-
Aqib Talib
CB
Kansas
23. PIT-
Jeff Otah
OT
Pitt
24. TEN-
Malcolm Kelly
WR
Oklahoma
25. SEA-
Limas Sweed
WR
Texas
26. JAX-
Kentwan Balmer
DT
North Carolina
27. SD-
Gosder Cherilus
OT
Boston College
28. DAL-
Felix Jones
RB
Arkansas
29. SF-
James Hardy
WR
Indiana
30. GB-
Antoine Cason
CB
Arizona
31. NE-
PICK FORFEITED DUE TO CHEATING
32. NYG-
Jerod Mayo
ILB
Tennessee

Final NFL mock draft from FDH Insider show

By Rick Morris

Our Senior Editor Jason Jones and I did a mock draft for our April 23 episode of THE FANTASYDRAFTHELP.COM INSIDER (7-9 PM EDT Wednesdays on SportsTalkNetwork.com). Additionally, check out our 2008 Pro Football Draft Guide, which is a FREE download!


Mock Draft from April 23 FDH Insider Program
Team
Player
Position
School
1. MIA-
Jake Long
OT
Michigan
2. STL-
Glenn Dorsey
DT
LSU
3. ATL-
Matt Ryan
QB
Boston College
4. OAK-
Vernon Gholston
DE
Ohio St
5. KC-
Chris Long
DE
Virginia
6. NYJ-
Darren McFadden
RB
Arkansas
7. NE-
Leodis McKelvin
CB
Troy St
8. BAL-
Ryan Clady
OT
Boise St
9. CIN-
Sedrick Ellis
DT
USC
10. NO-
Keith Rivers
OLB
USC
11. BUF-
Devin Thomas
WR
Michigan St
12. DEN-
Branden Albert
OG
Virginia
13. CAR-
Rashard Mendenhall
RB
Illinois
14. CHI-
Chris Williams
OT
Vanderbilt
15. DET-
Derrick Harvey
DE
Florida
16. ARI-
Jonathan Stewart
RB
Oregon
17. KC-
Jeff Otah
OT
Pitt
18. HOU-
Dominique Rogers-Cromartie
CB
Tennessee St
19. PHI-
Malcolm Kelly
WR
Oklahoma
20. TB-
DeSean Jackson
WR
California
21. WAS-
Calais Campbell
DE
Miami (FL)
22. DAL-
Aqib Talib
CB
Kansas
23. PIT-
Gosder Cherilus
OT
Boston College
24. TEN-
Limas Sweed
WR
Texas
25. SEA-
Phillip Merling
DE
Clemson
26. JAX-
Kenny Phillips
FS
Miami (FL)
27. SD-
Sam Baker
OT
USC
28. DAL-
Felix Jones
RB
Arkansas
29. SF-
Dan Conner
ILB
Penn St
30. GB-
Mike Jenkins
CB
South Florida
31. NE-
PICK FORFEITED DUE TO CHEATING
32. NYG-
Jerod Mayo
ILB
Tennessee

Drawing Comparisons

by Jason Jones

I just spent some time watching game film on RB Kevin Smith of University of Central Florida. If you were not aware, yes…there is a RB draft prospect who shares a name with the Don of Independent films (Clerks, Mallrats, etc). Like the filmmaker, Kevin Smith the running back is coming from moderate to small beginnings. The kid is sick. It is a travesty that he will probably fall to the 4^th round of this weekend's draft. He will have the kind of career that will cause teams to kick themselves for passing on him. Similar to the filmmaker, this Kevin Smith is going to shock everyone. Albeit, not from toilet humor or low budget camera angles. If he isn’t hit by the time he takes his second step, it is a guaranteed 6-60 yards. He has more large yardage games and multiple TD games than anyone in the country. Coming from a small program will hurt him. Not saying he will be as good, but so did Walter Payton and Terrell Davis. He is fluid in traffic, spins out of tacklers, high steps and hurdles diving tackles and runs as well inside as he does outside. Not to mention Kevin Smith, not Darren McFadden, led the nation in rushing and rushing td’s. Kevin Smith is the real deal. Anyone drafting in the 4^th round or so, where RB is even a secondary or tertiary need, just cannot pass on him. Or they will regret it.

Cleveland Browns Draft Board (4th-7th Rounds)

By Jason Jones



The Cleveland Browns have a very intriguing situation going into this weekend's draft. It may seem like a poor situation in the eyes of the fans. I do not believe that Savage and his scouting staff would agree. It may be a reach, but it seems that the Browns inability to draft well in later rounds is due to not spending as much time on said later rounds. For example: Babatunde Oshinowo. However, since the free agency period rendered trades that lost picks in rounds 2 and 3, the staff has spent all of their time working on prospects in the 4th-7th rounds. As they have done, so have I. There is a small chance that they could trade up in the draft. Do not fool yourself, if they trade up, it will be higher in the 4th or maybe into the back end of the 3rd. Do not expect a blockbuster that will put the Browns into the first day...not going to happen. (just for fun, there is a rumor circulating that since Herm Edwards wants to acquire starters, they may consider packaging a deal to the Browns with a 1st [17th] and a 3rd for Derek Anderson). The following is the draft board as I see it for players the Browns could be interested in, based on need, players available, potential moves by position, and upside. If there is a player not mentioned...chances are, he will either be gone by the end of the 3rd, does not fit the Browns well, or just is not as good as advertised. The BOLD players indicate the players I really would want if I were making the picks.

1. Bruce Davis-OLB-UCLA
2. Shawn Crable-OLB-Michigan
3. Ali Highsmith-ILB-LSU
4. Philip Wheeler-ILB-Georgia Tech
5. Jordan Dizon-ILB-Colorado
6. Andre Woodson-QB-Kentucky*
7. Kevin Smith-RB-Central Florida
8. Jacob Hester-FB/RB-LSU
9. Frank Okam-DT-Texas
10. Antwaun Molden-CB-Eastern Kentucky
11. Mario Manningham-WR-Michigan**
12. Kevin O’Connell-QB-San Diego St
13. Dexter Jackson-WR-Appalachian St
14. Jeremy Zuttah-OG-Rutgers
15. Mike McGlynn-OG-Pittsburgh
16. Marcus Howard-OLB-Georgia
17. Stanford Keglar-OLB-Purdue
18. Zach Bowman-CB-Nebraska
19. Jamar Adams-SS-Michigan
20. Beau Bell-ILB-UNLV**
21. Eric Young-OG-Tennessee
22. Tony Hills-OT-Texas
23. John David Booty-QB-USC
24. Peyton Hillis-FB/RB-Arkansas
25. Owen Schmidt-FB-West Virginia
26. Tyvon Branch-CB-UConn
27. Orlando Scandrick-CB-Boise St
28. Barry Richardson-OT-Clemson
29. Allen Patrick-RB-Oklahoma
30. Craig Steltz-SS-LSU
31. Paul Hubbard-WR-Wisconsin
32. Chauncey Washington-RB-USC
33. Kirk Barton-OT-Ohio St
34. Jack Williams-CB-Kent St
35. John Carlson-TE-Notre Dame
36. Oniel Cousins-OT-UTEP
37. Kenny Iwebema-DE/OLB-Iowa
38. Jack Ikegwuonu-CB-Wisconsin***
39. Marcus Griffin-FS-Texas
40. Jonathan Hefney-FS-Tennessee
41. Ryan O’Hara-Central Oklahoma
42. Adrian Arrington-WR-Michigan
43. Adarius Bowman-WR-Oregon St**
44. Robert Felton-OG-Arkansas
45. Ben Moffitt-ILB-South Florida
46. Caleb Campbell-SS-Army****
47. Dwight Lowery-CB-San Jose St
48. Adam Kraus-OG-Michigan
49. David Roach-FS-TCU
50. Eric Ainge-QB-Tennessee
51. Cory Byrd-RB-South Carolina
52. Chevis Jackson-CB-LSU
53. Chris Hopkins-TE-Toledo
54. Jonathan Zenon-CB-LSU
55. Doug Legursky-OC-Marshall
56. Shannon Boatman-OT-Florida St
57. Matt Flynn-QB-LSU
58. Geno Hayes-OLB-Florida St
59. Justin Forsett-RB-California
60. Dominique Barber-SS-Minnesota
61. Tim Hightower-RB-Richmond
62. Wallace Gilberry-DE-Alabama
63. Jamie Silva-SS-Boston College
64. Pedro Sosa-OT-Rutgers
65. Chase Ortiz-DE-TCU
66. Kyle Wright-QB-Miami
67. Tommy Blake-DE-TCU
68. Jordan Grimes-OG-Purdue
69. Mario Urrutia-WR-Louisville
70. Tyler Polumbus-OT-Colorado
71. JoLonn Dunbar-OLB-Boston College
72. Jeremy Geathers-DE-UNLV
73. Xavier Lee-QB/WR-Florida St*****
74. De’Cody Fagg-WR-Florida St
75. Greyson Gunhiem-DE/OLB/ILB-Washington

1-37 are 4th round projected players
38-59 are 5th round projected players
60-70 are 6th round projected players
71-73 are 7th round projected players
74, the last physical freak who will play out of position if at all
75, Undrafted Free Agent

* = Formerly top 2-3 Round player who has dropped significantly
** = Higher rated player who has dropped far based on workouts or off field issues
*** = Injured during workouts. Ikegwuonu is my pick for "Steal of the Draft"
**** = The Army Academy has a program allowing cadets to play professionally immediately
***** = Xavier Lee was Terrell Pryor of a few years ago. He is a freak, but won't play QB due to a troubled, and short, career. If he can translate into a WR, he could be a major steal. Keep in mind what happened to Josh Cribbs after embracing his future as a special teamer. Even Cribbs' did NOT have the personal "issues" that Lee does.

Fun Timewasters: Video Clips

By Rick Morris

From time to time, we try to accommodate our Lounge content consumers who just want some fun, light entertainment. Hence this edition of our Video Clips series, entitled "Fun Timewasters."

These are simply some video clips that you can enjoy and consume in the form of good, mindless entertainment. On with the show!

In honor of "Big Ben" Wallace bringing back the 'fro just in time for he and Lebron James to lead a spanking of the overrated Wiz in the playoffs, we honor the man with the greatest 'fro ever, Billy Preston (sorry, Oscar Gamble!). After elbowing Gilbert Arenas in the head at some point during the series, I'd like to see Wallace stand over him and croon, "Don't you remember I told you? I'm a soldier. In the war on poverty!"



Now that's old school! No pyro, no promos, just pro wrestling 1930s-style! Ed "Strangler" Lewis brings the noise.



If it's springtime, it's that time of year when our thoughts turn to brutal mayhem in hockey rinks during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. To celebrate, I bring to you the top five Bob Probert fights of all time!



The Barack Obama-Pastor Wright 12-inch dance remix.



Our Senior Editor Jason Jones says Rashard Mendenhall is actually the best running back in next weekend's NFL Draft. Judge for yourself.



This isn't a new clip; it's from a few years ago, but I don't care, I'm posting it anyway. It might well be the best feel-good video clip I've ever seen. Jason McElwain outdoes every sports movie ever with an out-of-this-world performance.

I told you so...Kind of...

By Jason Jones

As we get closer to the 2008 NFL Draft, a great number of questions still loom. As you begin to seriously look at the top 5 (or 6 for this example), most of the country's analysts are still shuffling the top of their mock drafts. Note: Our entire NFL Draft Guide is completed and up for download at www.fantasydrafthelp.com.

Up until this week, EVERYONE had Miami selecting Chris Long first overall, now they are shifting between that and Jake Long (despite the fact that Jake wants no part of Miami, poor guy, everyone should be so unlucky). At 2 and 3 (St. Louis and Atlanta, respectively) there are pretty much 3 guys who could go. At 4, still 90+% of people have Oakland taking Darren McFadden, and so on and so on. I, on the other hand, have not wavered or changed the top of my mock draft in well over six weeks. One of the mainstays I speak of is Darren McFadden donning the Green and White of a New York Jets jersey. As crazy as it may seem, my name does not echo miles of credibility when weighed against some of the heavy hitters on ESPN or the NFL Network television crews.

Well, that has changed. As I have been the relative voice of difference across the NFL Draft analyst spectrum in saying McFadden will be a Jet, finally someone of national recognition has agreed. Adam Schefter (Mr. Breaking NFL News) has finally made the connection. The New York Jets look like a mirror image of the 2007 Minnesota Vikings (pre-draft). The Vikings had a questionable QB situation, serviceable RB's, middle of the road WR's, a franchise left tackle (picked high in the first round), arguably the best OG and a notable OC. The Vikings picked Adrian Peterson and immediately produced roughly twice the wins. I've been saying since December that this is an avenue that the Jets would consider. The signing of guard Alan Faneca only solidified that concept. It took him a while, but Adam Schefter of the NFL Network has in effect put his name next to the idea that the Jets will be looking to draft Darren McFadden in the hopes that the selection will render similar results as it did for the Vikings. Personal note: IT WON'T! Although this makes perfect sense on paper, McFadden can't carry Peterson's shoulder pads (trying to keep this rated G). Naturally, all of this is dependent on Al Davis not making McFadden a Raider. Adam Schefter reports (as he does on everything NFL-he seems to be Mr. Exclusive in that regard) that the Raiders are not expecting to draft McFadden (assuming both McFadden and Vernon Gholston are on the board at 4, furthermore Dorsey and Chris Long are still possibilities). Not to say Schefter is the end-all be-all, but at least I am not alone. Mike Mayock (whom I greatly respect) agrees with me that McFadden isn't even the best RB in this class-check the blog archive, it's in there somewhere. Now Schefter agrees that McFadden is going to the Jets. A coincidence? WAKE UP...and check out the FantasyDraftHelp "FREE" NFL Draft Guide available on www.fantasydrafthelp.com. If I were in such a situation, I would put something on it...that our guide is as good if not excessively better than anything you will find on a newsstand. After the draft has concluded, I plan on comparing the results from to our draft guide. And like this new revelation from Adam Schefter, I believe we will be much more accurate that the "experts"...AGAIN! Check the record, I believe Mel Kiper was batting somewhere in the 0.280 range while myself and Managing Partner of FDH Rick Morris were somewhere north of 30-50 points higher. If you are at all interested in the NFL Draft, it is in your best interest to spend the 20 seconds it will take to acquire the FDH NFL Draft Guide.

McFadden Is NOT the #1 Running Back

by Jason Jones

Have you ever wondered why every picture or video clip has McFadden all by himself or running in the open field? The big question at this juncture of pre-draft thoughts is, "Do the top 10 projected picks really deserve to go that high"? Matt Ryan, Jake Long, Chris Long, etc...yes. Darren McFadden, not so much. I know that sounds outlandish, but the stats and game film do not lie. There are four RB's projected to be potential first-round picks. Due to his injury and subsequent surgery, we will leave Jonathan Stewart out of the conversation. Then compare McFadden vs. Felix Jones and then compare Rashard Mendenhall. The results may surprise you.

Felix Jones

133 rush attempts

1162 yards rushing

8.7 yards per carry

11 td's

16 receptions

176 yds

11.0 yds per reception

vs Troy-12 att, 129 yds, a long of 44 (10.8 avg)

vs Kentucky-12 att, 133 yds, long of 73 (11.1 avg)

vs N.Texas-7 att, 132 yds, long of 71 (18.9 avg)

vs Chattanooga-13 att, 141 yds, long of 59 (10.8 avg)

@ Mississippi-15 att, 101 yds, long of 38 (6.7 avg)

vs South Carolina, 13 att, 166 yds, long of 72 (12.8 avg)

long runs-(of 30 yards or more)44, 36, 73, 71, 59, 38, 72, 31

Darren McFadden

325 rush attempts

1830 yards rushing

5.6 yards per carry

21 td's

21 receptions

164 yards

7.8 yards per reception

vs Troy-24 att, 151 yards, a long of 25 (6.3 avg)

@ Alabama-33 att, 195 yards, a long of 23 (5.9 avg)

vs Kentucky-29 att, 173 yds, a long of 56 (6.0 avg)

vs N.Texas-19 att, 138 yds, a long of 51 (7.3 avg)

vs Chattanooga-25 att, 122 yds, a long of 21 (4.9 avg)

@ Mississippi-22 att, 110 yds, a long of 30 (5.0 avg)

vs South Carolina-34 att, 321 yds, a long of 80 (9.4 avg)

@ Tennessee-22 att, 117 yds, a long of 20 (5.3 avg)

@ LSU-32 att, 206 yds, a long of 73 (6.4 avg)

long runs-(of 30 yards or more)56, 51, 30, 80, 73

When you multiply Felix Jones' attempts by 2.45, they have roughly

the same attempts -- then by averaging things out...

Felix Jones (at 325 attempts)

325 rush attempts

2,846 yards rushing

8.7 yards per carry

27 td's

Darren McFadden (at 325 attempts)

325 rush attempts

1830 yards rushing

5.6 yards per carry

21 td's

Jones had 5 games averaging over 10 yards per carry

McFadden's best average was 9.4 vs S.Carolina

Jones had 8 long runs over 30 equaling 424 yards

McFadden had 5 long runs over 30 equaling 290 yards

All this means is that McFadden is not the second coming of RBs, especially in this draft. Felix Jones also has return abilities that McFadden just doesn't have. Everyone wants to believe that McFadden is great, elite, or perfect. If that is the case, then why do most people believe that Felix Jones is only a first-round pick if Dallas reaches for him? This is why scouting has gone by the wayside. Arkansas rushed (as a team) for almost 4,000 yards. McFadden is responsible for less than half of it while getting the vast majority of carries. Felix had 35% less yards than McFadden on 60% less carries. If statistical analysis serves over hype and word of mouth, Mendenhall should be the first RB taken and McFadden/F.Jones should both be late first round selections. As statistics are not the end-all be-all, look at on-the-field play. All we have been seeing is McFadden running wide and beating D-lineman and linebackers to the edge. A cutback here, a counter play there. What the television networks won't show you is the bread-and-butter of the NFL running game. What happens when the cutback isn't there or when the defense collapses the edge.?Darren McFadden running between the tackles probably ranks in the double digits of running backs in this draft class. Sure, if there is a hole to expose then McFadden will expose it. He is good in the second phase of the defense (open field), but really how often is that the case in the NFL. NFL defenses are too fast to allow a guy like McFadden to just run ragged. When he gets hit, he goes down. Almost instantly. He cannot bounce off of tacklers; he has little to no movement when the tackler is engaged. Felix Jones is much better in these areas. He tends to earn his yards more effectively. This is not to say, McFadden has no worth -- it's just not in the upper half of the first round.

That area belongs to Rashard Mendenhall.

As for the top:

Darren McFadden-6'1, 211lbs, 4.27 40, 33.5 vertical

Rashard Mendenhall-5'10, 225lbs, 4.37 40, 33.5 vertical

Anytime a guy runs a sub-4.3 40, he will generally get the top spot, especially if he has a high rushing total. McFadden rushed for 1830 yds (325 attempts). Mendenhall rushed for 1681 yds (262 att) and had twice the receiving yards. But the key to this is not the stats, even though they are extremely close and the average is in Mendenhall's favor. The difference is Mendenhall is a helluva task to take down, whether its in the open field or between the tackles. Highlight reels aside, Mendenhall is clearly a better NFL running back. He is bigger (3.2 pounds per inch) vs McFadden (2.7 pounds per inch). All things considered, Mendenhall is a better running back and deserves to be the first RB taken, somewhere in the top 10, while McFadden should go somewhere between 15-32. And wherever he goes, Felix Jones should be +/- 5-10 picks. NFL executives are getting caught up in the speed. In 2006, no RB in the draft ran under 4.4. But ask Chris Henry how his 4.3 speed translated in his rookie year. If LenDale White keeps screwing up, maybe we'll see something come of it. Henry, to some degree like McFadden, is a Combine phenom, but is not all that impressive running between the tackles. Don't let the speed fool you. Go back and look at the game film again. Darren McFadden without the 4.27 speed is just another testing phenom. He may evolve into a good running back, but not at the cost it will render if he goes in the top 6 (I have projected him to the Jets at #6). I hope this clears some of the air. I present this merely in the hopes that not everyone will simply take the so called "experts" words as Divine Mandate.

...On the Matthew Berry Front...

by Jason Jones

We have been hammering home this idea that the #1 perceived sports network's (ESPN) lead fantasy sports expert is a sham or a mockery, in Matthew Berry's case; a SHAMOCKERY. I have no doubt that anyone who is serious about fantasy sports could easily do as well if not better than Berry without trying very hard. When the guy is not giving safe advice (LaDainian Tomlinson is worth a top 5 pick), he is giving bad advice (bench Adrian Peterson against San Diego, which by the way was the game he broke the single-game rushing record). The guy has a list of players to never draft under any circumstances. Anyone who knows fantasy sports knows, the beauty of the game is how each circumstance is different and each fantasy owner must adjust accordingly. Before the '07 season, he said never draft Terrell Owens. Maybe if you believe T.O. is not worth taking in the first or second round, that's fine. What if everyone in your league is thinking the same thing, you mean to tell me that you wouldn't take T.O. in the 4th or 5th when the value dictates that you HAVE TO take him. The guy lead all receivers in TDs in '06. The guy is an idiot. As if I am the only one who feels this way, here are some points made on a non-FDH affiliated message board.

-He is that dude that came on ESPN last night and said people are drafting Ryan Howard too early. He is the same guy that had his own fantasy football show on ESPN this year, and b/c of him, I drafted Chris Chambers real early, and he sucked this year. He is a smug, cocky, idiot, and I am 100% positive all of us here could run circles around him at his job. Ya feel me!!!

-Agreed...him being on TV really has annoyed me. I used to read his website, but since he aired on ESPN I have realized his information is useless. I think I saw some website who compared and analyzed his rankings (for basketball) against other sites and his picks were by far the worst overall.

-He is definitely too cocky for me, too bad ESPN partnered with him.he keeps saying Igawa will have DiceK like numbers. i dunno about that.

Now clearly, this was in response to comments made pre-baseball season. The Kei Igawa thing is almost unforgivable in hindsight. That's convenient to say now, I know. If you really look and/or listen to Matthew Berry, those comments come up more often than not. The guy really doesn't know what he's talking about. Fantasy sports can not be relegated to crunching stats and matchups as the only literal approach to the analysis. As we at FDH say often, its all situational and value is the most important factor. Here's a fun tidbit of analysis.

The following is a fantasy team of mine that I did just for fun, winning a title.

QB-Tom Brady
RB-Jamal Lewis
RB-Adrian Peterson
WR-Randy Moss
WR-Chad Johnson
WR-Calvin Johnson
TE-Kellen Winslow
K-Jason Hanson
DEF-Jacksonville

All due to VALUE, VALUE, VALUE

According to Berry,

^ Tom Brady is in the top 4-6 QB fantasy wise (League MVP, and finished 4800 yds/50tds)

^ Jamal Lewis is over the hill and done (1300 yds/11 combined tds)

^ Adrian Peterson, never draft rookies (1341 yds/13 combined tds-oh, and rushing champ)

^ Randy Moss, he will never be the Moss of old, (1493 yds/23 F#$@ing tds!)

^ Chad Johnson, he's good but not worth taking too high (1440 yds/8tds in a very down year)

^ Calvin Johnson, he's a rookie so don't bother (756 yds/5 tds-not great but a decent 3rd WR)

^ Kellen Winslow, hasn't proven himself enough to worry about (1106 yds/5tds-4th best fantasy TE)

^ Jason Hanson, who cares about kickers anyway? (139 fantasy points-5th best K points wise)

^ Jacksonville, don't worry about defenses, i.e. Punt the position (14th best and taken late)

Here's the point. It's all about value. In hindsight it would make sense if the draft went-Brady (1st), A. Peterson (2nd), and Moss (3rd). That is clearly not how it went down. The following is the order in which players were selected. Again remember value is everything. If I listened to Berry there is no way I could have drafted this team.

1st round (pick 8) Chad Johnson
2nd round (pick 13) Randy Moss
3rd round (pick 28) Tom Brady
4th round (pick 33) Calvin Johnson
5th round (pick 48) Jamal Lewis
6th round (pick 53) Cadillac Williams
7th round (pick 68) Matt Hasselbeck
8th round (pick 73) Adrian Peterson
9th round (pick 88) Kellen Winslow
10th round (pick 93) Jay Cutler
11th round (pick 108) Joe Horn
12th round (pick 113) Devin Hester
13th round (pick 128) Greg Olsen
14th round (pick 133) Jacksonville
15th round (pick 148) Jason Hanson

Note: 6th round pick C.Williams never played. If you draft correctly a third of your picks will never play outside of bye weeks (Hasselbeck, Cutler, Horn, Hester, Olsen).

The value displayed here is unreal. As impossible as it may seem, this is the kind of analysis and success you can come to expect from www.fantasydrafthelp.com, not Matthew Berry.

I would put up my best team from '07 (I love to draft so I have upwards of 14 teams) against any of Berry's and would smoke him by Week 8.

2008 Undeclared Underclassmen...Right, Wrong, or Indifferent

by Jason Jones

Undeclared Underclassmen

1. Darren McFadden-RB
2. Kenny Phillips-FS
3. James Laurinaitus-ILB
4. Ryan Clady-OT
5. Vernon Gholston-DE
6. Calais Campbell-DE
7. Jonathan Stewart-RB
8. Malcolm Jenkins-CB
9. Malcolm Kelly-WR
10. Kevin Smith-RB
11. DeSean Jackson-WR
12. Aqib Talib-CB
13. Felix Jones-RB
14. Rashard Mendenhall-RB
15. Pat Sims-DT
16. Derrick Harvey-DE
17. Jerod Mayo-ILB
18. Jamaal Charles-RB
19. James Hardy-WR
20. Geno Hayes-OLB
21. Ray Rice-RB
22. Mario Manningham-WR
23. Steve Slaton-RB
24. James Davis-RB
25. Adrian Arrington-WR
26. Justin King-CB
27. Brian Robiskie-WR
28. Mario Urrita-WR
29. Jack Ikegwuonu-CB
30. Erin Henderson-OLB
31. Brandon Flowers-CB
32. Earl Bennett-WR
33. Martellius Bennett-TE
34. Devin Thomas-WR
35. Chilo Rachal-OLB
36. Phillip Merling-DE
37. Jermichael Finley-TE
38. Anthony Collins-OT
39. Joe Burnett-OT
40. Branden Albert-G
41. DaJuan Morgan-FS
42. Taj Smith-WR
43. Johnny Dingle-DE
44. Orlando Scandrick-CB
45. Ryan Grice-Mullen-WR
46. Darius Reynaud-WR
47. Victor Harris-CB
48. Franklin Dunbar-OT
49. Davone Bess-WR
50. James Banks-WR

As a draft analyst, it is generally my contention that 85% of eligible players should make themselves eligible for the NFL Draft. In this era of pro football, given a couple years even 6^th rounders make contributions, and dollars. This is the first year I can remember that sure fire top 15 picks have chosen to return to school. One can always find examples (i.e. Matt Leinart). Ironically, the only players on this list who absolutely are NOT entering the draft are Ohio State Buckeyes. Granted, the national consensus is that the Buckeyes were a year ahead of schedule. This could be the only excuse I can fathom. I don’t mean to upset the traditionalists who think all college players should graduate before entering the draft, but ALL of the Ohio State players minus Robiskie SHOULD go pro without hesitation. The only first 3 round worthy players on the fence are: Jerod Mayo, Mario Urrita, Brandon Flowers, Chilo Rachal, Phillip Merling, and Joe Burnett. Jerod Mayo is by far the biggest name on that short list. Since James Laurinaitis is out, officially, that makes Jerod Mayo no worse than the second best ILB in the draft. As well as considering various team needs and Laurinaitis’ exit from draft consideration Mayo could find himself in the top 25. The top 15 of this list are no doubt about it first round selections. With Laurinautis and Malcolm Jenkins out, should open the door for other seniors to move up. Those seniors can be seen at the Under Armor Senior Bowl this Saturday. Later on you can look forward to seeing a Senior Bowl recap.

FDH Lounge Show #23: January 13, 2008

By Rick Morris

It's THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY EDITION of THE FDH LOUNGE on SportsTalkNetwork.com this Sunday night from 8-11 PM EST! As you would expect from the program where "nothing is off-topic," we have a multiplicity of topics that The Dignitaries of The FDH Lounge will be addressing.

In Hour One, after the Opening Statements, we'll be hearing from our good friend Jake Digman, the right-hand man over at the North American Allied Fight Series and Pro Karate Weekly. He'll be discussing several matters with us, including the new NAAFS program coming to STN this Tuesday at 9 PM EST, the rise of MMA as a whole into a huge force in the sports business and what it is like to work with a promotion showcasing some of the hottest up-and-coming amateur and pro fighters. Next, we'll revisit the shocking ups and downs in presidential politics since our last program on December 30 and that will take us well into the second hour.

Then it's time to look back at a year of great FDH Lounge programming. Nobody's ever tried to put on a show as ambitious in scope as this one and we'll revisit topics we covered, as well as overall events between January 14, 2007 and now. This should be another one of our now-legendary free-for-all segments that could verge anywhere and everywhere.

Once we move past that, shortly into Hour Three, we'll be joined by one of our regular guests in The Lounge, dare we say someone verging on Honorary Dignitary status in Russ Cohen. He's the proprietor of Sportsology, a great website dedicated to the vast sports landscape, and he was in Buffalo for the great Winter Classic NHL outdoor game on New Year's Day. He'll tell us exactly what it was like to be there, how it compared to the first NHL outdoor game in Edmonton (which he also attended) a few years ago, what he hears about the future of such events, and much, much more.

We'll wrap up our three hours with The FDH Lounge Pigskin Report, as we take a final look back at the college bowl season, an early glance ahead to the NFL Draft and an examination of the ongoing NFL playoffs and the first Championship Sunday preview you'll find anywhere.

It's been an outstanding first year on The FDH Lounge as we established an ambitious mandate for ourselves creatively and took large steps towards fulfilling it. With this program, we'll celebrate what we've done and continue to demonstrate to you that we're your ultimate source for discussion on anything and everything going on today.

'08 NFL Draft Profile...Kenny Phillips

by Jason Jones

Kenny Phillips – FS – Univ. of Miami (FL) – 6’2, 210 lbs

Kenny Phillips is the next in a long line of impact safeties to come through the U. Shades of Ed Reed and the late Sean Taylor. Phillips came into Miami as a very highly touted prospect. He was noticed as early as his freshman year, and by his sophomore year he registered over 70 tackles (6 TFL) and four interceptions, all while missing the last 3 games of the season. Phillips has all of the measureables you look for in a FS. His size is ideal. He also has the physical abilities to play the always in demand “rover” position. He possess a certain, do whatever it takes to win attitude, that is not as easy to find as we would like to think. Phillips would line up a DT if he thought it would work. Unlike most Miami Hurricanes, Kenny Phillips has achieved All ACC Academic honors. He is as complete a player at his position as there has been in a while. He is solid in every aspect of his responsibilities on the field. He is a head hunter with distinct ball skills. Like his Miami predecessors at the position, he has the potential to be a game changer, even lead his team in tackles and interceptions He is a legit top 10 pick regardless of this years respective team needs. As cliché as it sounds, Kenny Phillips is most favorably comparable to a bigger Ed Reed.

2008 NFL DRAFT PROJECITONS: First Round – Top 10 Pick