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Sunday, February 28, 2010

Buccaneers and Browns Eyeing Defensive Backs with Top Picks in 2010 NFL Draft

Numerous mock drafts predict that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will select Tennessee defensive back Eric Berry with the third pick in the 2010 NFL Draft and that the Cleveland Browns will take USC cornerback Joe Haden with the seventh choice.

If Berry is picked third, it will be the earliest a defensive back has been selected since 1997 when the Seahawks selected Shawn Springs from Ohio State with the third pick. The earliest a defensive back was ever taken was in 1991 when the Cleveland Browns selected Eric Turner of UCLA with the second pick and the Atlanta Falcons followed by taking Bruce Pickens of Nebraska with the third choice. Johnny Robinson (3rd, 1960, Lions, LSU) and Bennie Blades (3rd, 1988, Lions, Miami FL) are the only other pure defensive backs selected so early.

Certainly, it is not unusual for defensive backs to be drafted with high picks, 54 have been taken in the first round from 2000 onwards. It is unusual, however, for teams to expend super premium picks on them, although that has been a growing trend in the NFL arena-ball era. Whether the picks have been worth it is another question.

Take a look at the defensive backs taken in the top ten during the past decade. There are some good players on the list, whether most of these players where worth top ten value, however, is debatable.

The Chargers took Quentin Jammer (8 years, 16 interceptions) with the fifth pick in 2002. The Cowboys selected Terence Newman (7 years, 23 interceptions, 1 pro bowl) with the fifth pick in 2003. The Redskins chose Sean Taylor (4 years, 12 interceptions, 2 pro bowls) with the fifth pick in 2004. Pacman Jones (3 years, four interceptions, missed 2007, 2009) went to the Titans, to their regret, with the sixth pick in 2005. LaRon Landry (3 years 3 interceptions) was taken by the Redskins with the sixth choice in 2007. The Raiders took Michael Huff (4 years, 4 interceptions) with the seventh selection in 2006. The Cowboys used the eighth choice in 2002 on Roy Williams (8 years, 19 interceptions, 5 pro bowls, now with the Bengals). The Falcons spent the eighth pick in 2004 on DeAngelo Hall (6 years, 26 interceptions, 2 pro bowls) who moved on to the Raiders and then the Redskins. Antrel Rolle (5 years, 12 interceptions) was the eighth choice, by the Cardinals, in 2005. The Bills nabbed Donte Whitner (4 years, 4 interceptions) with the eighth pick in 2006. The Redskins used the ninth pick on Carlos Rogers (5 years, six interceptions) in 2005. The Texans called out Dunta Robinson (6 years, 13 interceptions) when they picked tenth in 2004.

Note that the Washington Redskins drafted three defensive backs in the top ten this past decade (Sean Taylor, LaRon Landry, and Carlos Rogers) and picked up two additional top ten picks along the way (Shawn Springs and DeAngelo Hall). Exactly how good is the Redskins defensive backfield? It certainly hasn't taken them far lately.

The Dallas Cowboys have used top ten picks on defensive backs twice since 2000 (Roy Williams and Terence Newman). Williams had some pretty good years, but now labors for the Bengals. Newman has also provided some quality, nabbing more interceptions than anyone on the list other than DeAngelo Hall. But we haven't seen the Cowboys in the Super Bowl recently either.

Now take a look at the list of 2009 Pro Bowl safeties and cornerbacks and note where they were drafted. Only two of the top 12 defensive backs elected to the Pro Bowl were taken with top ten picks and both are headed for the Hall of Fame after illustrious careers that began before we entered the new millenium: Charles Woodson, the fourth pick in 1998 and Champ Bailey, the seventh pick in 1999.

Defensive backs have gained significant importance in the pass first NFL. But taking them early remains risky business. The Buccaneers and the Browns had darned better do their due diligence before using their super premium picks on defensive backs. They might get lucky and come up with the next Champ Bailey or Charles Woodson, or be less fortunate and get stuck with something much, much less.

Football News

USA Today

• Cardinals: Matt Leinart is 'ready to take the reins' as starting QB
• LaDainian Tomlinson on Jets: 'I've come here to win a championship'
• Calif. patrol: Packers' Havner faces DUI charges
• NFL: Giants get opening game in new stadium, Jets get 'MNF'
• Brady Quinn happy to be with Broncos, wants to start this year
• LB Larry Foote accepts role as backup in return to Steelers
• LaDainian Tomlinson picks the Jets; RB agrees to 2-year deal
• Jets coach Rex Ryan relaxing after weight-loss surgery
• Browns, QB Jake Delhomme agree to two-year contract
• Brad Childress testifies at Williamses' NFL drug lawsuit

ESPN

• Ben Roethlisberger has not met with Georgia Bureau of Investigations, according to special agent
• LaDainian Tomlinson: Familiar offense, chance to win in New York drove decision to sign with Jets
• Buffalo Bills coach Chan Gailey not naming starting QB envisions camp competition
• Source: RB Mike Bell signs offer sheet with Philadelphia Eagles
• NFL adds two chairmen to concussion committee
• Denver Broncos quarterback Quinn makes it clear he wants to start
• Browns see QB Jake Delhomme as veteran presence
• Sources: Dez Bryant of Oklahoma State Cowboys moves date, location of pro day
• Reports: New England Patriots linebacker Adalius Thomas not at voluntary workout
• New England Patriots' Ty Warren skips bonus to work on degree

Sports Illustrated

• FanHouse: Pack's Havner hurt in crash, gets DUI
• L.T.: Favre did not tip his hand about retirement
• Latest on draft prospects
• Chiefs sign LG Lilja to strengthen offensive line
• Bills' Gailey not yet ready to name starting QB
• Andy Staples: Playing the quarterback draft match game
• Clausen moves into top five
• Raiders sign Gradkowski to compete with Russell
• Jets, Giants both play first week in new stadium

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Coin Flips Determine Final Order of 2010 NFL Draft

The three coin flips needed to determine the final order of the first round of the 2010 NFL draft were held on Friday at the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Jacksonville, Tennessee and Atlanta prevailed. The Jaguars won the right to the 10th pick, leaving the Denver Broncos with the 11th choice. The Broncos obtained that pick from the Chicago Bears last year as part of the Jay Cutler trade. The Titans will draft 16th, leaving the San Francisco 49ers with the 17th selection. The 49ers obtained the pick from the Carolina Panthers last year on draft day when they traded their 2nd and 4th round picks in return for this year's 1st round choice. The Panthers used the 2nd round pick on defensive end Everette Brown of Florida State and the 4th round choice on running back Mike Goodson of Texas A&M. The Falcons won the 19th pick and the Houston Texans will draft 20th. The coin flips were needed because other tie-breakers did not determine the final outcome.

The Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers will each have two first round draft choices. The Seahawks will choose 6th and 14th. The Seahawks obtained the 14th choice from the Denver Broncos when they traded a 2nd round pick in 2009, the 37th player overall, in exchange for a first round pick in 2010. The Broncos selected defensive back Alphonso Smith of Wake Forest. San Francisco owns the rights to the 13th and 17th choices.

Neither the Carolina Panthers nor the Chicago Bears own a first round pick in 2010. The Bears paid a steep price for quarterback Jay Cutler. In exchange for Cutler and a 5th round choice in 2009, the Bears gave the Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton, a first and third round pick in 2009 and a first round pick in 2010. The Broncos used the 2009 first round choice to select defensive end Robert Ayers from Tennessee. The Broncos passed the 3rd round choice on to the Pittsburgh Steelers who drafted wide receiver Mike Wallace from Mississippi. The Bears used the 5th round pick to select wide receiver Johnnie Knox of Abilene Christian. Unless new offensive coordinator Mike Martz can turn that situation around, that trade will become one of the biggest busts in recent memory. Some have gone so low as to compare Cutler with the enigmatic Jeff George.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

NFL 2010 Free Agent Class Includes 21 First Round Draft Picks

The 2010 NFL free agent season is underway. Over 100 players are available, although most are likely to resign with their former teams. The 2010 free agent crop includes players from all positions with a wide range of talent levels. The group includes 21 former first round draft choices: quarterback Jason Campbell; running back Cadillac Williams; wide receivers Braylon Edwards and Donte' Stallworth; tackle Jammal Brown; guard Logan Mankins; center Chris Spencer; defensive ends Julius Peppers, Richard Seymour and Marcus Spears; defensive tackles Casey Hampton, Ryan Pickett and Vince Wilfork; outside linebackers Keith Bulluck, Thomas Davis and Shawne Merriman; inside linebacker Derrick Johnson; cornerbacks Marlin Jackson, Dunta Robinson and Carlos Rogers; and placekicker Sebastian Janikowski.

If things don't work out, the offensive line of the Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints could be decimated. The Saints have three offensive linemen who are free agents: tackles Jammal Brown and Jermon Bushrod and guard Jahri Evans. The Saints might also lose both of their starting safeties: Roman Harper and Darren Sharper. Other Saint free agents are running back Pierre Thomas and wide receiver Lance Moore. New Orleans' front office has its work cut out for it this off-season. The Indianapolis Colts, the Super Bowl losers, have five free agents, including four members of the defensive. The Colts' free agents are: tackle Charlie Johnson, defensive tackle Daniel Muir, inside linebacker Gary Brackett, cornerback Marlin Jackson and safety Antoine Bethea.

NFL teams have already entered a few agreements with 2010 free agents. After being released by the Cleveland Browns, wide receiver Donte' Stallworth signed a one-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens. Placekicker Sebastian Janikowski signed a record breaking contract for a kicker to remain with the Oakland Raiders. Guard Eugene Amano resigned with the Tennessee Titans.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

NFL Teams Seeking QB Help Eyeing Kolb, McNabb, Vick, Pennington, Rosenfels

Nearly half the teams in the NFL have question marks at quarterback with some situations being more dire than others. We won't even bother counting the Detriot Lions (Matt Stafford), New York Jets (Mark Sanchez) or Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Josh Freeman) under the assumption that they are happy with their 1st round draft picks from 2009 even though none of them overwhelmed.

The St. Louis Rams have an aging and injury prone Marc Bulger along with Kyle Boller and Keith Null, which isn't a pretty sight. The Buffalo Bills have had a dismal quarterback situation ever since Wade Phillips benched Doug Flutie right before the playoffs years ago (Oh they did have a declining Drew Bledsoe for a while, but I prefer to believe in the curse of Doug Flutie). J.P. Losman disappointed as has Trent Edwards. J.T. O'Sullivan is not the answer and Brian Brohm didn't get much of a look after joining the Bills near season's end.

Ooooohhhh pity the poor coach in Oakland, whoever it turns out to be. Al Davis desperately wants JeMarcus Russell, the top pick in 2007, to succeed and Davis may demand that Russell not only be kept on the roster but that he also starts. Problem is, Russell is one of the worst quarterbacks around and doesn't show the inclination to try to improve. Behind Russell are Bruce Gradkowski, Charlie Frye and J.P. Losman. The quartet is a coach and franchise killer. Losman and Gradkowski may be the best of the bunch.

Carolina must decide whether Matt Moore can succeed a broken-down Jake Delhomme. Is Matt Leinart a worthy successor to Kurt Warner in Arizona or will the Cards draft a quarterback or give Brian St. Pierre a chance to get on the field. In Seattle, Matt Hasselbeck is one of the oldest starting quarterbacks in the league and hasn't had a good season in several years. Seneca Wallace has done a decent job in a backup role, but he doesn't appear to be the Seahawks' long-term answer.

In Cleveland, the Browns have the choice of Brady Quinn, Derek Anderson or, more likely, none of the above. The Washington Redskins must determine whether Jason Campbell is the man, or they'll need to develop someone quickly to lead the offense. Unfortunately, behind the ancient Todd Collins, there is only the inexperienced Colt Brennan. The San Francisco 49ers have Alex Smith and Shaun Hill who have both shown flashes at times but have yet to give the team confidence in the future. The Denver Broncos can't be too sure about Kyle Orton either.

Miami gave Chad Henne his shot when Chad Pennington went down with an injury but it's still unknown whether the Dolphins will give him the job permanently. In Tennessee, Vince Young helped turn the team around after a miserable start behind Kerry Collins, but Young was in the doghouse just 12 months ago and the team still can't be sure how fully committed he is. The Jacksonville Jaguars have disappointed in recent years and David Garrard may be part of the problem even though his numbers don't appear all that bad.

Even the Minnesota Vikings have to wonder whether Brett Favre will return and, if he does come back, when he will finally succumb and begin playing like his age. If they need to make a change, will Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels be the answer?

The team in the best situation with a question at quarterback is Philadelphia. The Eagles must make the tough call of whether to continue with the aging, but still effective, Donovan McNabb, or go with the much younger Kevin Kolb, who did well in a brief midseason starting role. The Eagles also have Michael Vick as either a backup or trade bait.

And then, every team must plan ahead and have a quality backup in case of injury.

With so many teams in need, quality quarterbacks will be in big demand at draft time. Unfortunately, fewer and fewer college quarterbacks have experience in pro-style offenses. The consensus appears to be that Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen and Oklahoma's Sam Bradford are the only quarterbacks coming out that are worthy of being first round choices. Tim Tebow has big-time doubters that he can even play the position in the pros. Colt McCoy is said to have an arm that is too weak. Jevan Snead of Ole Miss has bad mechanics and may have benefitted by remaining in college to gain more experience. West Virginia's Jarrett Brown ability to read defense and his game awareness have been questioned but he impressed others at the Senior Bowl. Tony Pike of Cincinnati may have benefited from a system and could be injury prone. Central Michigan's Dan LeFevour may be worth a shot, but he is no sure thing. BYU's Max Hall is short at 6-1. There are others who may garner some interest, but when you go down the list this far, it is only a crap shoot.

There are a number of backup quarterbacks around the league that could provide the right team with a boost, however. Fans like to talk up Michael Vick. Some teams drool over the chance to pry either McNabb or Kolb from the Eagles with the right offer. There are other backups who have had some success on the field and who could help a bad team become respectable or give a decent team a better shot at making the playoffs.

Most good quarterbacks can probably be slotted into one of two categories: the gun-slingers (those quarterbacks who can move the team down the field and who won't come up short when a long pass is called) versus the game managers (those who might not have the arm, but who display sound decision making that avoids costly mistakes). Any good quarterback will have strong leadership skills that cannot be measured by statistics.

Solid quarterbacks typically: 1) complete 60% or more of their passes, 2) get the ball down the field by averaging at least 6.7 yards per attempt, 3) get the ball into the endzone with 4% of their passes; 4) make good decisions and hold their interception percentage to 3% or less, and 4) make decisions quickly in order to keep their sack percentage at 5% or below. Stats like that result in a quarterback rating of at least 80. Few quarterbacks have all those traits. Many fall woefully short in one or more categories.

Age is also a big factor, but it should affect the decisions of some teams more than others. A decent team might look to a good quarterback, even if he is older, to get it into the playoff hunt. An older quarterback might also be the right choice for a team that plans to draft a quarterback, or already has a young one on the roster, but doesn't want to hurt his development by playing him too soon. A younger quarterback might better suit the needs of a team that has no chance to win today and is building for the future.

Looking at those criteria, it appears that in addition to McNabb and Kolb teams might also want to consider the following quarterbacks:

Chad Pennington doesn't have the strongest arm, but he has always made up for it by being one of the most accurate passers in the league. His 66% completions permit him to average 7.2 yards per attempt. He gets the ball in the endzone better than many (4.1%) and throws few interceptions (2.6%). He gets sacked 6.2% of the time. For someone who could be available, Pennington's career quarterback rating of 90.1 is about the best you can hope for. On the downside, he is 33 and has been injury prone.

Sage Rosenfels is a sleeper. He did not get on the field in 2009. Before the season began, he was traded from the Houston Texans to the Minnesota Vikings to challenge Tarvaris Jackson for the starting spot. Then Brett Favre decided to unretire. For Rosenfels, the season was wasted. But like Favre, Rosenfels is a gunslinger whose stats show many positives but one glaring negative. Rosenfels completes 62.5% of his passes for an outstanding 7.4 yard average. He gets the ball into the endzone 5.3% of the time which again is well above average. His career quarterback rating is 81.2. He is very mobile and makes quick decisions which makes him one of the hardest quarterbacks to sack in the NFL (3.3%). The weakness is Favre-like. He takes chances, sometimes wild chances, and has been intercepted 5.3% of the time he throws. But if he could learn to protect the ball, Rosenfels would make a team like the Panthers truly formidable and would go a long way to making a team as bad as the Rams respectable. He is 31.

Kevin Kolb may currently be the most desirable backup in the NFL based on his play in 2009. Kolb has completed 60.8% of his passes for a 6.8 yard average. Kolb has avoided the sack almost as well as Rosenfels, albeit behind a much better line than Rosenfels ever played behind. However, Kolb is no sure thing, in his limited play he has thrown touchdowns only 3.1% of the time and has an interception rate of 5.4%. His career quarterback rating is only 68.9% which is below average, but his play in 2009 did show much promise and he is just 25.

If the Eagles like Kolb, they may try to trade Donovan McNabb now while he still has high value. A year from now, he may be worth much, much less. McNabb was one of five quarterbacks drafted in the first round in 1999 along with Tim Couch, Akili Smith, Daunte Culpepper and Cade McNown. He is the only with with long-term success and, along with Culpepper, the only one still active. For his career, McNabb has completed 59% of his passes for 6.9 yards per attempt. He throws touchdowns 4.6% of the time. He is especially good at protecting the ball, limiting interceptions to 2.1%. His career rating is 86.5. He is sacked 7% of the

Shaun Hill was a big part of the 49ers' turn around at the end of 2008. Then, the team got off to a slow start in 2009 and he lost his job to Alex Smith. While Hill does not have a big arm, he might be a quarterback that a decent team, or a team in need of a short-term caretaker, should take a good look at. Hill has a winning record as a starter. He completes 61.7% of his passes for a 6.7 yard average. He can get the ball into the endzone (4.1%) and throws few interceptions (2.1%). His career rating is 87.3. On the downside, he gets sacked a bit more than usual (8.3%). He is 29, so he could play for several more years given the right circumstances.

Tyler Thigpen had the opportunity to play a lot for a horrible Chiefs' team in 2008. He completes 54.4% of his passes for 6.3 yards per attempt. He threw more touchdowns (4.4%) than interceptions (3.5%). His quarterback rating was 73.8 and he was sacked 5.9% of the time. Given his ability to help a bad team get the ball into the endzone, Thigpen might be worthy of getting another opportunity to play. He is 25.

Knowledgeable teams will not pursue Kellen Clemens. Although he is only 26, he is highly inaccurate (51.8% completions), can't move the ball down the field (6.0 yards per attempt), is lousy at getting it into the endzone (1.8% touchdowns), is intercepted too often (3.9%), has a miserable quarterback rating (59.7), and is a slow decision maker which has resulted in his being sacked 11% of the time. Nuff said.

J.P. Losman spent a year in the UFL trying to resurrect a career that reached its peak on draft day in 2004 when he was selected in the first round and which has gone downhill ever since. He continues to face an uphill battle in Oakland. Losman completes a fair percentage of his passes (59.2%) but is a slow, poor decision maker that has resulted in his throwing more interceptions than touchdowns and in being sacked an ungodly 9.9% of the time. Losman is 28.

Michael Vick's name is mentioned in every city with a quarterback need. Some fans believe he could be a franchise saviour. Like Jim Mora, Sr., others know that he can be a coach killer, raising a team's expectations beyond what he can deliver. His past is polarizing. His statistics are ambiguous, but enlightening. He is not accurate (53.7% completions), but he can still got the ball down the field (6.7 yard average). He throws more touchdowns (4.1%) than interceptions (3.0%). His 75.9 quarterback rating is pedestrian. The most remarkable statistic of all, however, is the percentage of times sacked, 9.7%. Despite his reputation and statistics demonstrating that he is a threat to run at any time, Vick has failed to avoid the rush. Slow and poor decision-making are the cause. The other bad thing about Vick is that he has not really played quarterback now for over three years, two of which were spent in prison. No one knows whether he has retained the skills he once had, let alone be able to improve his ability to complete passes and avoid the rush. Even his ability to run the ball is now in question. In 2009, his rushing average was two yards below any prior year and he completed only 46% of his 13 passes. As a starting quarterback with the Falcons, he had a winning record of 38-28-1 life-time. Other than his first season as a starter in 2002, a Vick led offense has never put more than 351 points on the board. That is just not enough to succeed in today's arena football style NFL. There are just too many question marks regarding Vick to give much hope that he will have a successful comeback. Jim Mora, Sr. probably hit the nail on the head. His son certainly found out. A general manager or coach who trades for Vick is rolling the dice with his own career.

Statistically, it would appear that Seneca Wallace has done a nice job whenever he has filled in for Matt Hasselbeck. He completes 59.9% of his passes but only for a 6.4 yard average. He throws touchdowns at an above average rate (4.5%), protects the ball well (2.3% interceptions) and has an above-average quarterback rating (83.1). However, he gets sacked more than usual (7.3%). The low yards per attempt and higher than usual sack rate seemingly offset his positive attributes. Still, he is a quarterback worth considering. He might be an under-appreciated player on a bad team. He is 29.

Byron Leftwich has had the opportunity to start in Jacksonville and Tampa Bay. He is still just 29. He completes a fair amount of his passes (58.3%), averaging 6.6 yards, 3.8% for touchdowns and only 2.7% for interceptions. He gets sacked 5.3% of the time and has a career quarterback rating of 79.6. He is mediocre, but he is better than what many teams currently send onto the field.

Super Bowl starter Rex Grossman is still young at 29, but none of his stats give any reason to believe that he will ever receive another starting opportunity.

Every now and then people mention Troy Smith. Before he got sick during the preseason, he was the frontrunner to be the starting quarterback in Baltimore in 2008. His illness paved the way for Joe Flacco to start, which may have happened soon anyway. Smith has had limited opportunity and hasn't done poorly. He hasn't wowed either and at 6-1 many feel he is too small. He has protected the ball well (1.1% interceptions), hasn't been sacked as many as some (5.5%), but has completed only 53.9% of his passes and averaged only 6.3 yards. He is still 25 and it would be interesting to see him get an opportunity to compete somewhere.

Trent Edwards is a dink and dunker who doesn't put points on the board. He completes 61.3% of his passes for a 6.7 yard average. He rarely gets the ball in the endzone (2.9%) but protects the ball o.k. (3.0% interceptions). His quarterback rating is 77.9 and he is sacked 6.6% of the time. He is only 26, so he could get another chance to start, but he must learn to put points on the board.

Compare Brodie Croyle's numbers with Tyler Thigpen's remembering that they both spent time playing for the same team. It will be a reach for Thigpen to get another chance. Thus, it will be a real longshot to see Croyle play much in the future.

Jason Campbell is currently Washington's starting quarterback, but the odds of his remaining so for long are no better than 50-50. His numbers are fairly decent until you realize that he probably plays too conservatively, checking down too often, which results in a low average yards per attempt (6.6) despite his good completion rate (61.2%). Campbell does protect the ball (2.3% interceptions) but doesn't throw enough touchdown passes (3.4%) for today's NFL. He has a decent quarterback rating (82.3) but gets sacked a little more than he should (6.2%). He is 28

When a number one draft choice stumbles in his first efforts with a bad team, you always wonder if they should get a second chance. The Raiders were sure glad they provided Jim Plunkett that opportunity, he won Super Bowls for them in 1981 and 1984. Plunkett took a beating in his early years in New England, didn't fair much better in two years in San Francisco, but went 38-19 as a starter over several seasons with the Raiders. While Plunkett will never be considered a great quarterback, he does have those Super Bowl rings.

Could David Carr be that type of player. The odds are against it, but there are so many teams with a need at quarterback that Carr, who is only 30, could still get that chance. Plunkett, after all, didn't get to the Raiders until he was about 32, and then he sat on the bench for a year or two. Carr currently has had a comfortable spot in New York watching Eli Manning. He also spent a year on the bench for Carolina. Perhaps he has had time to heal. He is a fairly accurate passer (59.8%) but he's had trouble getting the ball in the endzone (2.9% touchdowns) and hasn't been good, but not particularly bad either, at protecting the ball (3.1% interceptions). Slow decision making and playing behind an expansion team line resulted in a horrible 10.5% sack ratio. His career quarterback rating is 75.2 but with limited play it has been 144.1 and 93.6 in New York.

Kyle Boller was the young quarterback that Coach Brian Billick was going to mold into a champion. It never happened and Billick is now an ex-coach looking for work. Boller does nothing particularly well, nor poorly, with the exception that he can't get the ball down the field averaging only 5.9 yards per attempt. There's no sense in exploring this player any further.

Ryan Fitzpatrick is a poor man's Kyle Boller. Charlie Frye is an even poorer man's Ryan Fitzpatrick. Drew Stanton plays slow and has been intercepted a whopping 8.8% of the time and sacked 13.9%.

Daunte Culpepper has had some remarkable seasons throwing 33 touchdownds with 16 interceptions in 2000 and 39 touchdowns with only 11 picks in 2004. His quarterback ratings those years with the Vikings were outstanding: 98.0 and 110.9. He was a first round pick the same year that Donovan McNabb was drafted. But injuries, age and conditioning have left him a shell of what he once was and he has now failed in Miami, Oakland and Detroit. He regularly gets sacked 10% of the time nowadays although his career percent is 8.5 and he was a smidgen better than that in 2009 at 8.2%. At 32, Culpepper could still pull a Plunkett, but it would probably have to be with a team that relied on a strong running game like the Panthers.

Chris Redman doesn't get any respect. It's not that he is worthy of too much, but he does deserve some, and in the right situation he might be a good caretaker. During his career, Redman has completed 56.7% of his passes for a 6.4 yard average, which are both a little below average. But he has thrown touchdowns at a 4.5% pace and protected the ball well with only 2.8% interceptions. His quarterback rating is 79.3. He's unlikely to get you to a Super Bowl, and at 32 his prospects are short term, but he could be an improvement over some of the current starters in the NFL. He is a worthy backup.

The Colts' Jim Sorgi seems more deserving than having to spend his entire career behind Peyton Manning. He has completed 63.5% of his passes averaging 6.0 yards. He's put the ball in the endzone 3.8% of the time and has only been intercepted once in 156 attempts, a remarkable 0.6%. He has avoided the sack well (3.7%) and has a very good quarterback rating of 89.9. You might think that is all due to playing for a good Colts' team, however, because Sorgi was injured in 2009, we had the chance to see a different backup play behind Manning and the results were not nearly as pretty. Curtis Painter completed only 28.6% of his throws for a 3.0 yard average with 7.1% of his throws being intercepted and being sacked 9.7% of the time. Had Sorgi been available, the Colts might have finished with a perfect regular season even after sitting Manning out during those last two games. Sorgi is a player who deserves a chance.

Early in his career, Billy Volek put up some decent statistics for a pretty bad team in Tennessee in 2003 and 2004. Then, when the Titans drafted Vince Young, Volek decided to leave and signed with the Chargers where he has thrown only 43 passes in four years. The only year Volek tossed more that 88 passes, he was very good, completing 61%, averaging 7.0, with 18 touchdowns (5.0%) and only 10 interceptions (2.8%) and an 87.1 rating. Totals for his career are 60% completions, 4.8% touchdowns, 2.7% interceptions, 84.9 rating and 8.0% sacked. At 33, the train has probably already left the station for Volek, but it would have been nice to see what he would have accomplished if he had been given a real opportunity to play.

Brian Brohm was acquired by the Bills near the end of last season and presumably has a chance to challenge for the starting position in 2010. Brohm has completed 58.6% of his 29 passes but for only a 5.0 yard average. He hasn't thrown a touchdown and has been intercepted twice (6.9%) and sacked 6.5% of the time. One can't draw many conclusions from such limited play, but the Bills definitely need a quarterback that can put up some points.

Brady Quinn has spent a year with the Browns watching Derek Anderson and two others challenging him for the starting job. Neither has excelled. Quinn has completed just 52.1% of his passes for a miserly 5.4 yard average. He has trouble getting the ball near, let alone into, the endzone (2.8%). He does protect the ball well, as is often the case with quarterbacks who don't throw downfield (2.5% interceptions) and has been sacked 5.4% of the time. His career rating is 66.8. He does seem to run the no huddle offense well and, in Cleveland, neither he nor Anderson has received much help from either the other players on the offense or the coaching staffs they've worked under. Quinn is just 25, so there is still hope, but he must show something soon.

Derek Anderson was a legitimate Pro Bowl quarterback just three years ago in 2007 when he tossed 29 touchdowns with 19 interceptions while leading the Browns to a 10-5 record. Things have gone downhill swiftly from there, however, Anderson is still only 26. Anderson is very good at throwing the bomb, but he is highly inaccurate, especially on shorter routes where he barely comes close on simple dump passes to runners out of the backfield. Anderson completes 52.9% of his passes for a 6.4 yard average. He can get the team into the endzone as evidenced by his 4.1% touchdown rate, but he also throws numerous interceptions (4.1%). In 2007 he did a good job of avoiding the pass rush (2.6% sacked) but has been more pedestrian for his career (4.1%). His rating is a subpar 69.7. Anderson has the size and arm strength. Better coaching could help improve his accuracy and decision making. Whether he has the personality and leadership skills remains to be seen. Anderson may not be a diamond in the rough, but he could be a gem in the right situation. It would be interesting to see what a coach like Mike Martz would do with Anderson.

Josh and Luke McCown are nearly one and the same. In fact, I can barely remember which is which even though one of them started a few games for my favorite team when he was a rookie. Josh is 30 and started for the Cardinals early in his career but has since been relegated to backup duty. Luke, 28, started a game or two with the Browns, and has floated around the league ever since. Josh has completed 57.7% of his passes for a 6.2 yard average with 3.3% touchdowns, 3.8% interceptions, 8.2% sacks and a 71.3 rating. Luke, who has played much less, has completed 59.3% for a 6.7 yard average, 3.7% touchdowns, 4.1% interceptions, 10.7% sacks and a 74.7 rating. Both McCowns take a lot of sacks, throw a lot of interceptions, and are unlikely to be the answer for any team in need.

Matt Leinart hasn't been horrible, but he will need to improve an awful lot before he makes anyone in Arizona forget Kurt Warner. Leinart's statistics are below average in almost every respect: 57.7% completions, 6.5 yard average, 2.4% touchdowns, 3.4% interceptions, 4.6% sacks (which isn't bad), and a 70.8 rating, which is far from good. People as knowledgeable as Kurt Warner have said that Leinart has the skills needed to succeed. Many have questioned his dedication to football. With nothing more to prove at USC, he remained another year even though he would have been a first round pick. The college/party life-style may be more to Leinart's liking than what's necessary to excel in pro football. Arizona should definitely consider bringing in someone to provide Leinart an immediate challenge.

David Garrard is currently at the top of the depth chart for Jacksonville, but things change quickly in the NFL, and he could be available if the Jaguars decide to go in a different direction. Garrard completes 61.1% of his passes for a 6.9 yard average. He protects the ball very well (2.0% interceptions) but is subpar in tossing touchdowns (3.4%). He gets sacked fairly often (7.1%) but has a better than average 84.9 rating. The most important stat, however, is that the Jaguars are only 31-31 when Garrard has started. Maybe it's the team, maybe it's Garrard. Maybe he will have to move on for us to find out. His stats show he might fit in well elsewhere. Alas good quarterbacking often transcends the stats.

If I led one of the teams in need of a quarterback, I'd take a long look at Chad Pennington, Sage Rosenfels, and Kevin Kolb/Donovan McNabb. Shaun Hill and Tyler Thigpen would also get a look. Depending on my team's situation, I'd be somewhat interested if David Garrard, Seneca Wallace, David Carr, Jason Campbell, Byron Leftwich or Billy Volek were available. I'd like to give a chance to Jim Sorgi or Troy Smith to see what they could accomplish. I might even try Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson in hopes that it was the poor coaching and a bad team rather than inferior skills that have held them back. I'd only go to Daunte Culpepper as a last resort. I wouldn't give a second thought to Kellen Clemens and frankly, not much more to Matt Leinart or even Michael Vick.

Of course, my top choice would be to get a stud in the draft to obtain a long-term fix. Jimmy Clausen would be the first choice, Sam Bradford the second, and Jarrett Brown is intriguing. Colt McCoy is also an option. If Tim Tebow is available in the second round, I'd think about it long and hard. If he lasts to the third I'd jump at the opportunity whether he can play quarterback or not.

Saturday, February 06, 2010

Drew Brees Only 5th Starting Super Bowl Quarterback Drafted in 2nd Round

The quarterback selected earliest in the NFL Draft has won each of the past four Super Bowls. The New Orleans Saints' Drew Brees will attempt to stop that streak in Super Bowl XLIV when the first pick in the second round of the 2001 Draft faces the number one pick in 1998, Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts.

Thus far, 43 Super Bowls have been played. Little more than half (44) of the 86 starting quarterbacks have been first round picks. The other 42 starters have been a smorgasboard of selections from other rounds as well as two undrafted quarterbacks. Only five Super Bowls have been started by 2nd round choices, 11 by 3rd round picks, four by 4th rounders, seven by 6th round choices, one by an 8th round selection, two by 9th round choices, four by 10th round picks, two by a 17th round choice, one each by 18th and 24th round picks, and four by undrafted quarterbacks.

Quarterbacks drafted in the first round have a better overall Super Bowl record (25-19, .568) than quarterbacks selected in any other round except the 17th round where Bart Starr was 2-0 and the sixth round where Tom Brady's prowess places that round ahead by a mere .003. No round other than the first is more than two games above or below playing .500 ball.

First round quarterbacks have faced off against each other nine times. That means first rounders are 15-10 (.600) when playing against teams led by quarterbacks selected in later rounds or not drafted at all. Given the number of Super Bowls played thus far, it is somewhat surprising that a first round quarterback has started against a second rounder only three times with the first rounders possessing a 2-1 (.667) record: Jim Plunkett (1st round) and the Raiders bested the Eagles' Ron Jaworski (2nd round) in 1981; Brett Favre (2nd round) and the Packers topped the Patriots' Drew Bledsoe in 1991; and John Elway (1st round) and the Broncos beat the Packers and Favre in 1998.

Brees will become only the fifth player drafted in the second round to start at quarterback in a Super Bowl. Brett Favre did it twice, and Ron Jaworski, Ken Stabler and Boomer Esiason started one each. Overall, second round picks are 2-3 (.400) as Super Bowl starters. Second rounders are 1-2 against first rounders and are 1-1 against later drafted quarterbacks: Ken Stabler (2nd round) beat Fran Tarkenton in 1977 while Joe Montana (3rd round) and the 49ers topped the Bengals' Boomer Esiason (2nd round) in 1989.

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Saints and Colts Take Different Route to Building NFL Super Bowl Lineups

The 2010 Super Bowl contestants are a study in contrast as to how their starting lineups were built. On offense, the Indianapolis Colts depend solely upon home grown players with first round draft choices manning four of the skill positions: quarterback Peyton Manning, wide receiver Reggie Wayne, tight end Dallas Clark and running back Joseph Addai. Conversely, the New Orleans Saints starting offense will include three players cast-off by other teams (quarterback Drew Brees, tight end Jeremy Shockey and center Jonathan Goodwin) and will not include a first round draft pick of their own, although Shockey was selected in round one by the Giants. On defense, the Colts' starters are again homegrown, with the exception of tackle Antonio Johnson, but include only one first round draft pick, sack artist Dwight Freeney. The Saints' defense will counter with five players from other teams (end Bobby McCray, linebackers Scott Fujita, Jonathan Vilma and Scott Shanle, and safety deluxe Darren Sharper) and will have two first round draft choices of their own (defensive linemen Sedrick Ellis and Will Smith) and another who was originally selected by the Jets (Vilma).

Neither the Saints nor the Colts expended high draft picks to build the offensive lines that will start in the Super Bowl. The starting lineman drafted earliest for the Saints is Jonathan Stinchcomb, who was selected with the 5th choice in the 2nd round, the 37th player drafted in 2003. The remainder of the Saints' starting offensive linemen are 4th or 5th round picks. The Colts' starting offensive line will have three undrafted players, including perennial Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday, and a 4th and 6th round draft pick. The last time the Colts expended a first round pick on an offensive linemen was 1997 when they drafted Tarik Glenn of California with the 19th pick. The Saints last chose an offensive linemen in the first round when they selected Jammal Brown of Oklahoma with the 13th pick in 2005. Brown was unable to play this season. In an era when the prevailing thought is that you must have a strong offensive line anchored by a premier left tackle in order to succeed, it is a wonderment how the Colts and Saints flourished with such high octane offenses by constructing their offensive lines without using high draft picks.

General Managers and coaches around the league might also take note that not one of the defensive backs starting in the 2010 Super Bowl was a first round draft choice. There are usually one or two outstanding defensive backs available in each draft, but often as many as six or seven are taken in the first round. Of the eight defensive backs starting in the Super Bowl this year, the one drafted earliest was Tracy Porter, with the 9th pick in the 2nd round, the 40th player selected in 2008. Four of the defensive backfield starters were 2nd rounders, one was selected in the 3rd round, another in the 6th, and two were undrafted.

Football is a game for youth. Experience counts, but speed and strength can make up for a lot of errors. Safety Darren Sharper, drafted in 1997, will be the most experienced starter on the field. Quarterback Peyton Manning (1998) will be the only other starter drafted prior to 2001. Holder/backup quarterback Mark Brunell was drafted in 1993 and we all pray that he won't need to throw a pass, unless it's on a fake kick.

Players don't need to come from big-name schools to make it to the Super Bowl. Colts wide receiver Pierre Garcon comes by way of Division III Mount Union College. Saints guard Jarhi Evans played at Bloomsburg (PA). Wide receiver Marques Colston comes from Hofstra. Fullback Kyle Eckel was at Navy. Safety Antoine Bethea at Howard. Defensive tackle Daniel Muir is from Kent State University.

Kent State is a college worth mentioning once again. It has produced some fine talent in recent years including three 2010 Pro Bowl selections: Steelers linebacker and Super Bowl hero James Harrison, Cleveland kick returner deluxe Joshua Cribbs, and perennial All-Pro tight end Antonio Gates of Chargers. Wide receiver Julian Edelman, another Kent State alumni, also did well in his limited late-season role replacing the injured Wes Welker in New England. With Daniel Muir starting in the Super Bowl, Kent State will have more starters in the big game than Notre Dame and Texas combined, just as they did in the Pro Bowl (see 2010 Pro Bowl Talent Found In Each Round of the NFL Draft). Now that's really something for a mid-size school in a small conference whose name is generally only talked about when an historical event that occurred nearly 40 years ago is mentioned.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

2010 Pro Bowl Talent Found In Each Round of the NFL Draft

Pro Bowl selections are meant to honor the best players at each position and allow them to display their talents for the fans in a post-season exhibition game. Players are selected in a vote of players, coaches and fans. While the vote may sometimes overlook worthy players in favor of those who are better known, yet less talented, the selections tend to be highly representative of the finest talents in the league. Thus it can often be instructive to review when Pro Bowl players were drafted to determine when the finest talent was found at each position.

The AFC and NFC rosters each have spots for 42 positions: three quarterbacks, three running backs, a fullback, four wide receivers, two tight ends, two centers, three guards, three tackles, three defensive ends, three defensive tackles / nose tackles, three outside linebackers, two inside linebackers, three cornerbacks, three safeties, a kicker, a punter, a kick returner and a special teams specialist. For the 2010 Pro Bowl, 83 players were initially elected with Philadelphia Eagle DeSean Jackson being honored at both wide receiver and kick returner. Because several selected players will be unavailable to play in the Pro Bowl due to injury or other commitments, like the need to prepare for the Super Bowl game, several alternates have subsequently been added to the roster, but those additional players are not part of this analysis.

Of those 83 initial selections, 40 players (48%) were 1st round draft picks, 15 (18%) players were selected in the 2nd round, 6 (7%) in the 3rd round, 8 (9%) in round four, 3 (4%) in round five, 2 (2%) in the 6th round, 1 (1%) in the 7th round, and 9 (11%) players were undrafted. [Read more below the table].

At some positions, almost all the Pro Bowl selections were high draft choices, while the best players at other positions were frequently lower choices or undrafted players. Despite the fact that a sleeper develops now and then, most of the Pro Bowl quality quarterbacks are drafted very high. In 2010, three of the six quarterbacks selected were 1st round draft choices: Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers and Aaron Rogers. Manning was selected with the 1st pick in 1998, Rivers with the 4th pick in 2004, and Rogers with the 24th pick in 2005. Two of the quarterbacks were among the first picks in the 2nd round: Drew Brees with the 1st pick in round two in 2001 and Brett Favre with the 6th pick of round two in 1991. Only Tom Brady is an anomaly, being taken in the 6th round in 2001, the 199th player selected. The odds are overwhelming that if you want a top flight quarterback, you must draft one early. Developing a star quarterback using a later pick sometimes happens, but the odds are against it.

All six Pro Bowl running backs were drafted within the first two rounds. First round selectees include: Adrian Peterson (7th choice, 2007), Steven Jackson (24th, 2004), Chris Johnson (24th, 2008), DeAngelo Williams (27th, 2006). The two second rounders were probably also 1st round talents at the time of the draft but probably sank into round two due to worries about their size: Maurice Jones-Drew and Ray Rice. Although it is readily apparent that top running back talent is easily recognized by the NFL (since the best are taken early in the draft), note that it is hard to remain at the top for long, since only Steven Jackson was drafted earlier than 2006.

Fullbacks are almost an afterthought at draft time. Le'Ron McClain was drafted in the 4th round in 2007. Leonard Weaver was not drafted at all.

Wide receiver is a mixed bag. Great talent is often drafted early (Andre Johnson was selected with the 3rd pick in 2003 while Larry Fitzgerald went with the 3rd pick in 2004), but quality talent is often available much later in the draft as evidenced by Brandon Marshall, a 4th rounder, the 119th player piced in 2006 as well as the undrafted Wes Welker and Miles Austin. Serious wide receiver talent is frequently available late in round one (Reggie Wayne) as well as in round two: DeSean Jackson and Sydney Rice.

Great tight ends can come out of nowhere like the undrafted Antonio Gates, or third rounder Jason Witten, but they might also be primo specimen like Vernon Davis, the 6th pick in round one in 2006. Dallas Clark is another tight end drafted in the 1st round that has done quite well.

Over the past decade, nearly all of the best offensive tackles were high draft picks. Those selected for the 2010 Pro Bowl are no exception. Four of the six spots are 1st rounders: Jake Long was taken number one in 2008, Joe Thomas was number 3 in 2007, Bryant McKinnie was 7th in 2002, Ryan Clady was number 12 in 2008. Johnathan Stinchcomb was the 5th pick in the 2nd round in 2003. Jason Peters is the outlier, being undrafted. If you want the best offensive tackle, you had better pick him early, because he will not last long in the draft.

Guards and centers, on the other hand, are more often selected later. Although four of the six guards elected to the 2010 Pro Bowl were drafted in the 1st round, only Leonard Little was taken early, and he was originally drafted as a tackle. Little was the 2nd pick in 2001. The rest of the 1st rounders come after the round was half over: Steve Hutchison was the 17th pick in 2001, Alan Faneca was 26th in 1998 and Logan Mankins was 32nd in 2005. Jahri Evans was a 4th round selection who was originally drafted as a tackle. Kris Dielman was undrafted.

Of the four centers, two were undrafted: perennial Pro Bowler Jeff Saturday and less recognized Shaun O'Hara. Nick Mangold was a 1st round pick in 2006 while Andre Gurode was a 2nd round choice in 2002. Note that Eric Mangini selected Mangold when he was coach of the Jets, and followed it up by selecting another center in the first round, Alex Mack, when he moved to the Browns. The Browns hope they can be as successful in the long run.

The defensive ends elected to the 2010 Pro Bowl are split evenly between two distinct categories: those selected with premium draft choices or those selected much later. In fact, defensive end is the only position that is represented by three players drafted later than the 2nd round. The three defensive ends drafted in the first round were Mario Williams (1st player selected in 2006), Julius Peppers (2nd player, 2002) and Dwight Freeney (11th, 2002). At the other end of the draft spectrum, Jared Allen was selected in the 4th round, the 126th player in 2004, Robert Mathis was picked in round 5, the 138th player in 2003, and Trent Cole went in the 5th round, the 146th player in 2005. The reason for the sharp dichotomy in where the best defensive ends are drafted may be simple. The best defensive ends are noted for their pass rushing skills. The players coming out of college with that skill are often tweeners: players who may, or may not, be best at linebacker or defensive end. Often they play one position in college and the other in the pros, especially if they are not large and hefty. Often their pass rushing skills from a down position are developmental. They are often talented athletes who's potential as NFL starters remains questionable.

Because their pass rushing ability is somewhat thwarted by playing in the middle of the line, defensive tackles generally don't receive the recognition awarded to defensive ends. Nevertheless the majority of premier defensive tackles in the 2010 Pro Bowl were 1st round selections: Kevin Williams was the 9th pick in 2003, Haloti Ngata was the 12th choice in 2006, Casey Hampton was the 19th in 2001, and Vince Wilfork went 21st in 2004. Darnell Dockett was a 3rd round selection, the 64th pick in 2004. Jay Ratliff almost missed being drafted and wasn't selected until the 7th round, the 224th pick.

Those tweeners who aren't suited for defensive end in the pro game are generally shifted to outside linebacker. Thus, we also see a bit of a dichotomy at this position. The outside linebackers on the 2010 Pro Bowl team were generally mid first round choices, with the others being drafted later or not at all. Those selected in the 1st round include: Demarcus Ware, 11th pick in 2005, and  rookies Brian Orakpo, 13th, and Brian Cushing, 15th, in 2009. Lance Briggs was a 3rd round draft selection, the 68th player in 2003 and Elvis Dumervil (a true tweener) was a 4th round choice, the 126th player in 2006. James Harrison of football powerhouse Kent State was undrafted.

And folks, I'm not being snide about Kent State. Although they are not even the best team in a small conference, they continue to produce quality, albeit sometimes unorthodox players. For the second year in a row, Kent State is sending three players to the Pro Bowl: Antonio Gates, James Harrison and Joshua Cribbs. To put that in a little perspective, that is as many 2010 Pro Bowl selections as come from University of Texas. It is more than come from current national champion Alabama. It is more than come from either Notre Dame or Ohio State. In fact it is as many as Notre Dame (0), Ohio State (1) and Alabama (2) combined. If his late season play is any indication, it is not inconceivable that wide receiver Julian Edelman, another product of Kent State, could also join them in the future. Scouts should make a point of checking out the players who attend Kent State, they may find more gems.

The position of inside linebacker is represented entirely by players selected in the top 33 picks of the draft. First rounders include Patrick Willis, 11th player in 2007, Jonathan Vilma, 12th player in 2004 and perennial selection Ray Lewis, 26th player in 1996. DeMeco Ryans was taken with the 1st pick in the 2nd round, the 33rd player, in 2006.

I never know what to say about defensive backs. The best tend to be recognized early by being taken in the 1st round. But their are so many 1st round misses, as there are with wide receivers, that NFL teams have to do their due diligence in scouting these players twice over before safely expending a draft choice on them. Cornerbacks need speed, maneuverability, the ability to tackle now and again, and an overabundance of confidence and daring to succeed. They can never afford to dwell on the last play, but must always be focused on what is happening at the moment. One mistake and it's all over. One good decision and the outcome of an entire game can be changed. Super premium draft picks that have worked out for years include: Charles Woodson, 4th player selected in 1998 and Champ Bailey, 7th player picked in 1999. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was the 16th pick in 2008, Darrelle Revis was taken with the 14th pick in 2007 and Nnamdi Asomugha was the 31st choice in 2003. Asante Samue was overlooked until the Patriots selected him in the 4th round, the 120 pick in 2003.

Only one of the six safeties was drafted in the first round, but none of the players selected to fill that position in the 2010 Pro Bowl were drafted later than the 64th player. All-time great Ed Reed was the 24th player selected in the 2002 NFL draft. Second rounders include: Jairus Byrd, 42nd player in 2009, Nick Collins 51st player in 2005, Darren Sharper, 60th player in 1997, and Brian Dawkins, 61st player in 1996. Adrian Wilson was drafted in the 3rd round, the 64th player of 2001.

NFL teams only occasionally draft players solely for their special team talents, and then it is typically only the kickers. Place kicker Nate Kaeding was a 3rd round choice in 2004 while David Akers went undrafted. Punter Shane Lechler went in the 5th round in 2000 while Andy Lee was taken in the 6th round in 2004.

The most awesome special teams player in the NFL is currently Joshua Cribbs who no holds the all-time record for kick-offs returned for a touchdown. Cribbs has also regularly led the Browns in special team tackles, at least until this year when the team attempted to take advantage of his versatility by playing him as a wide receiver, slot back and runner from the wildcat. Cribbs was a quarterback in college at Kent State, but frankly his passing days are behind him. Nevertheless, he is one of the most exciting players in the league. Cribbs was undrafted. Most NFL teams just can't spot, or won't take a chance on, non-traditional talent. But that is just what the 6th and 7th rounds are for. The other Pro Bowl kick returner is DeSean Jackson. As noted, he was drafted in the 2nd round in 2008 as a wide receiver. He has not disappointed. His stellar return skills are just a bonus.

Both special team specialists, Kassim Osgood and Heath Farwell went undrafted.

Note how youth prevails in the NFL. Only Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Alan Faneca, Ray Lewis, Champ Bailey, Charles Woodson, Darren Sharper and Brian Dawkins entered the league prior to 2000. Surprisingly, four of those eight are defensive backs where speed is necessary, but where undoubtedly as these selections show, experience also prevails.