Football Blog

USA TODAY PROJECTS KYLE WILSON A FIRST ROUND PICK IN THE NEXT NFL DRAFT
Courtesy: Boise State Sports Information

BOISE, Idaho – With the 2009 NFL Draft completed just last month, USA Today is already working on next year’s pro football draft and has selected Boise State University cornerback/punt returner Kyle Wilson as a first round pick.

            A senior from Piscataway, N.J., Wilson was one of 32 players the national newspaper selected as the top collegiate seniors to watch during this upcoming season.  In its brief commentary on each of the players, USA Today stated “Not only does he have excellent coverage skills, but last year Wilson averaged 14.2 yards on punt returns with three touchdowns”.  

            Wilson is coming off a stellar junior season earning second team All-American honors as a punt returner from Sporting News & SI.com when he returned 33 punts for 470 yards and three touchdowns.

He also received first team All-Western Athletic Conference (WAC) honors on defense in 2008 leading the Broncos in interceptions with five.  Wilson also broke up 10 passes and made 35 tackles, including three behind the line of scrimmage.

Boise State has had only one player selected in the first round of the NFL Draft when offensive tackle Ryan Clady was picked by the Denver Broncos as the 12th overall selection in 2008.  Clady, who will be starting just his second year with Denver, was recently named by Sporting News as the top offensive tackle in the NFL.

The Broncos open the 2009 season on Sept. 3 (Thursday) at Bronco Stadium against the University of Oregon in a nationally televised ESPN game.

Ian Johnson is one of the many talents being scouted at the Combine, and he’s not doing bad.

Ian looked impressive and took advantage of this opportunity to show NFL scouts and coaches what he is made of.

Ian had an impressive second fastest time, out of 32 running backs, in the 40 yard dash, running a 4.46. He also had the fourth fastest time in the 20 yard shuttle, tied for fourth in the 60 yard and eighth in the 3-cone drill.
Put up 225 lbs for 26 reps.

Ian will be back in Boise in March for the Broncos Pro day and yet another chance to show the NFL and everyone else what he is made of.

Ian is expected to be a second day selection at the NFL draft in April.

Teams looking for intangible that can’t be measured by drills
By Steve Wyche  |  NFL.com
Senior Writer

INDIANAPOLIS — The prospective NFL offensive linemen moved about the media circuit at the combine Thursday at Lucas Oil Stadium following extensive medical workups. Most looked the part, strolling around in black sweats, meeting media that probed which teams the players will be meeting with before going through a multitude of drills in the coming days.

Yet, this whole circuit might not dictate much of what teams — especially those in desperate need — are looking for in an offensive lineman.

“Toughness,” Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said about the main trait he wants in an offensive lineman.

Can’t measure that in a 40-yard dash or in drills where guys go at it in non-padded Under Armour gear. You can measure it, though, but it might take the insight of an offensive line coach, by nature, like Sparano.

“It’s OK to watch them against the best player, but I kind of like to watch them against people they should play well against and see maybe what they’re about,” Sparano said.

Manhandling the vulnerable measures a player’s focus, will and, maybe, his nasty streak — requirements that are mandatory in the NFL, where there are no patsies eager to make their mark by racking up quarterback sacks and tackles for lost yardage.

Sparano, along with members of Miami’s personnel staff, saw what he liked in Michigan tackle Jake Long and used the NFL draft’s No. 1 pick on him last season. Though a lot of other things fell in place, Long’s development at left tackle factored into the Dolphins advancing to the playoffs after winning just one game the season before he was drafted.

As a result, Miami will select 25th overall in April’s draft, long after most of the top offensive line prospects have been snatched up.

Tackles Andre Smith (Alabama), Eugene Monroe (Virginia), Jason Smith (Baylor) and Michael Oher (Mississippi) and centers Alex Mack (California) and Max Unger (Oregon) lead an offensive line group that is highly regarded for its depth and top-end talent, especially at tackle. The guard group isn’t viewed as spectacular, but solid players can be found (isn’t that what is always said about guards?).

“We coached in the Senior Bowl last year, and you had a pretty good idea about both (teams’) lines,” Raiders coach Tom Cable said about the offensive line prospects in the 2008 draft class. “This year, just going to the Senior Bowl and watching, I thought all these guys are going to be NFL players. I wasn’t sure about all those guys last year.”

Most of the teams in the top 10 of the draft need to upgrade their offensive lines with top-level players (St. Louis, Cincinnati and Jacksonville, especially), and some of them will. The run on tackles could start much earlier than last season, when six went in the top 19 picks. There might not be as many tackles selected, but the top four could be gone before the 15th selection.

The projected first-round picks among the offensive linemen have the size, footwork, strength and athleticism to be anchors for years. Yet, do they have that extra bit of heart that will let them overcome being whipped by Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison on the previous play? Do they possess that extra toughness to move Albert Haynesworth back a yard at money time after being hammered for the better part of four quarters?

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Well the Super Bowl is over, and what a great super bowl it was, I was pulling for the Cards but I am not disappointed by any means as it was a great game.

The NFL draft is only 79 days away.

There are lots of hot prospects on the list and we should see some amazing rookie talents show through next year.

Here are some of the first round prospects and the draft order.

1. Detroit Lions - Matt Stafford, QB, Georgia

2. St. Louis Rams - Andre Smith, OT, Alabama

3. Kansas City Chiefs - Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss

4. Seattle Seahawks - Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech

5. Cleveland Browns - Rey Maualuga, ILB, USC

6. Cincinnati Bengals - Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas

7. Oakland Raiders - Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech

8. Jacksonville Jaguars - Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake Forest

9. Green Bay Packers - Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State

10. San Francisco 49ers - Mark Sanchez, QB, 49ers

11. Buffalo Bills - Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia

12. Denver Broncos - James Laurinaitis, ILB, Ohio State

13. Washington Redskins - B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College

14. New Orleans Saints - Brian Cushing, OLB, USC

15. Houston Texans - Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois

16. San Diego Chargers - Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB, Ohio State

17. New York Jets - Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia

18. Chicago Bears - Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss

20. Detroit Lions (from Cowboys) - Everette Brown, DE, Florida State

21. Philadelphia Eagles - Jason Smith, OT, Baylor

22. Minnesota Vikings - Alex Mack, C, California

23. New England Patriots - D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt

24. Atlanta Falcons - Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati

25. Miami Dolphins - William Moore, FS, Missouri

26. Baltimore Ravens - Percy Harvin, WR, Florida

27. Indianapolis Colts - Sen’Derrick Marks, DT, Auburn

28. Philadelphia Eagles (from Panthers) - Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State

29. New York Giants - Fili Moala, DT, USC

30. Tennessee Titans - Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri

31. Arizona Cardinals - LeSean McCoy, RB, Pitt

32. Pittsburgh Steelers - Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma

Being a Bears fan I am excited to see a WR on the list but I still hope that some day Chicago can find A QB.

The list for the Draft is in (depending on who wins the Super Bowl) and here are some of the 1^st round picks that are being speculated.

1. Detroit Lions - Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia

2. St. Louis Rams - Andre Smith, OT, Alabama

3. Kansas City Chiefs - Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss

4. Seattle Seahawks - Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech

5. Cleveland Browns - Rey Maualuga, ILB, USC

6. Cincinnati Bengals - Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas

7. Oakland Raiders - Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech

8. Jacksonville Jaguars - Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake Forest

9. Green Bay Packers - Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State

10. San Francisco 49ers - Mark Sanchez, QB, 49ers

11. Buffalo Bills - Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia

12. Denver Broncos - James Laurinaitis, ILB, Ohio State

13. Washington Redskins - B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College

14. New Orleans Saints - Brian Cushing, OLB, USC

15. Houston Texans - Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois

16. San Diego Chargers - Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB, Ohio State

17. New York Jets - Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia

18. Chicago Bears - Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss

20. Detroit Lions (from Cowboys) - Everette Brown, DE, Florida State

21. Philadelphia Eagles - Jason Smith, OT, Baylor

22. Minnesota Vikings - Alex Mack, C, California

23. New England Patriots - D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt

24. Atlanta Falcons - Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati

25. Miami Dolphins - William Moore, FS, Missouri

26. Baltimore Ravens - Percy Harvin, WR, Florida

27. Indianapolis Colts - Sen’Derrick Marks, DT, Auburn

28. Philadelphia Eagles (from Panthers) - Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State

29. New York Giants - Fili Moala, DT, USC

30. Tennessee Titans - Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri

31/32. Arizona Cardinals - LeSean McCoy, RB, Pitt

31/32. Pittsburgh Steelers - Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma