NFL Combine Big Winners and Losers–By Jeff Dunbar

Each year, millions of dollars are at stake in Indianapolis, as top college players take part in testing and interviews at the NFL Combine.  Depending on their performances over four-day period, these young men can literally make or lose millions of dollars based on what they show NFL scouts in this short amount of time.

This year was no different from years past as a few individuals improved their stock, while others likely took major hits to their wallets.  College FootBlog breaks down six of the biggest winners and three of the biggest losers based on their combine performances.

Winners

Jacoby Ford posted the Combine's top forty time at 4.28 seconds (google images)

1.  Jacoby Ford (WR/Clemson):  Ford stole the show on the wideout day, posting a ridiculous forty time of 4.28.  At 5’9″ and 186 lbs, many experts had him pegged in the later rounds of the draft.  Ford helped his stock even more by running very crisp routes, negating the criticism that he was just a return man.  With his performance in the receiver drills and his forty time, Ford is now drawing comparisons to Carolina Panther All-Pro Steve Smith.

2.  Taylor Mays (Safety/USC):  Mays was already tabbed as a first rounder, but his 4.43 time in the forty may have moved him into the top 10.  Mays has made a steady climb since the Senior Bowl, where he intercepted a pass in the game, showing critics that he is only a big hitter that he can also perform in coverage.

3.  Jahvid Best ( RB/Cal):  Best was right in the thick of the Heisman race before he was forced to miss several games due to a concussion.  His speed has been well-documented–Best was the California state champion in the 100-meter dash as a senior with a blistering time of 10.31 seconds.  That speed was on display for the pro scouts at the combine as Best posted the top time for all running backs, edging CJ Spiller by 0.02 seconds with a time of 4.35.

4.  Eric Berry (Safety/Tennessee):  Berry also showed out in the forty-yard dash, posting an official time of 4.47.  Like Mays, Berry was already considered a first rounder, but the versatile defensive back showed a lot of confidence and great hips and change of direction in the combine drills.  That, in addition to playing for defensive guru Monte Kiffin should result in a nice payday for him next month.

5.  Sean Weatherspoon (ILB/Missouri):  Weatherspoon continues to see his stock soar as he ran a 4.68 forty, which is very respectable for a middle linebacker.  He also did an unbelievable 34 reps of 225 lbs in the bench press.  This strong performance combined with his dominance in the Senior Bowl, where Weatherspoon showed cover skills to compliment his ability to close holes and make tackles will only help his stock.

6.  Dekoda Watson (Linebacker/Florida St.):  Watson ran a 4.52 forty and is now up to 240 lbs.  FSU’s defensive captain from 2009 battled minor injuries throughout his career, but his speed off the edge and his improved muscle mass should help the OLB move higher in the third round or potentially crack the late second round.

Losers

Joe Haden's slow forty time likely dropped him out of the Top 10 in next months draft (google images)

1.  Joe Haden (CB/Florida):  Haden was widely considered the to DB in the draft this year, but his stock took a major hit at the combine, as he posted a very unimpressive 4.57 and followed that time up with a 4.60.  Despite all the great film of Haden from his dominant days at Florida, this slow time will have a major impact on his stock. 

2.  LeGarrette Blount  (RB/Oregon):  Blount was already fighting an uphill battle due to his actions in the 2009 opener against Boise State when he KO’d Byron Hout and then had to be held back by coaches and teammates from going into the crowd to fight fans.  After a solid performance at the Senior Bowl, Blount showed up at the combine looking like he was carrying some extra, unnecessary weight. 

That proved to be the case when he clocked in at 4.62 and 4.69 in the forty.  His 241-pound frame should help his cause, but even for a big back, 4.62 is not a solid time.  Blount could have offset the less than stellar forty time with the bench press, but he managed 19 reps of 225 lbs, which is okay, but not spectacular.

3.  Tony Pike (QB/Cincinnati):  Pike was on a lot of scouts’ radar going into this season, but after a rather unimpressive performance at the Senior Bowl, he had a lot to gain going into the combine.  After the combine, he likely dropped even lower.  Pike took part in throwing drills and many scouts were unimpressed with his arm strength.  Pike, who is not a physical specimen, will have to hope for a third round selection.

Bradford or Clausen?  An Inside Look at the Draft’s Top 2 QBs–by Jeff Dunbar

As the NFL Combine continues through this weekend, much of the buzz the last few days has centered around the debate of which quarterback will be the first to go in April’s draft.  College FootBlog will break down the top two candidates, Notre Dame’s Jimmy Clausen and Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford by analyzing five key categories to see which one is most likely to hear his name selected first by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

1.  Size

Bradford is hoping that his added body weight will help ease NFL scouts' concerns of his durability (google images)

At 6’4″, Bradford is an inch taller than Clausen, but the biggest difference is weight.  Bradford tipped the scales at 238 lbs last week, which should make NFL scouts feel much more comfortable about his durability (which came into question last season after separating his shoulder).  While Clausen showed durability at Notre Dame, he is about twenty pounds lighter than Bradford.  EDGE:  Bradford

2.  Accuracy

Clausen has proven he can make every single throw, but Bradford may be the most accurate quarterback to enter the draft since Drew Brees.  Not only did Bradford consistently deliver accurate passes that hit his receivers in stride, he did it consistently with a multiple receivers like Ryan Broyles, Jermaine Gresham, Juaquin Iglesias, etc.  While Clausen is very accurate as well, the vast majority of his passes were to his go-to receiver, Golden Tate.  EDGE:  Bradford

3.  Offensive System

While OU head coach Bob Stoops brought Bradford more under center and had more of a pro-style offense his sophomore season, there is no question that Clausen has the edge here.  Although Charlie Weis did not perform as a head coach, Notre Dame’s offense is as close to an NFL offense as any college program in the country.  Clausen, and more importantly, his future NFL team will benefit greatly from Weis’ tuteledge.  EDGE:  Clausen

4.  Competition

Oklahoma not only competes in one of the major BCS conferences, but they also play at least one competitive non-conference game a year.  Bradford also faced much better defenses in his bowl games, as he led the Sooners to back to back BCS games.  Even though the Big 12 is known more for its explosive offenses, Bradford did have to go against Will Muschamp in the Red River Rivalry three times in his career.

Notre Dame on the other hand, had a schedule that was absolutely laughable during Clausen’s career.  The Irish didn’t exactly load up with competition last year, scheduling Nevada, Washington, Washington State and UConn.  EDGE:  Bradford

5.  Intangibles

Bradford ran a no huddle offense that was one of the most explosive attacks in college football history.  Although his back up, Landry Jones, did an admirable job replacing him last season, Bradford was clearly what made OU’s offense click on all cylinders.  He had a solid grasp of the scheme, and he showed the ability to read defenses.

Clausen not only had a strong grasp of Weis’ offense, in nearly every game last season, he showed a lot of poise and moxy.  He was at his best when the game was on the line and always seemed to make big plays when it counted the most.  EDGE:  Clausen

Final Analysis: An argument can be made for either Bradford or Clausen to the be first QB taken in the upcoming draft, and both have put up big numbers in their college careers.  However, Bradford had two exceptional seasons at Oklahoma, while Clausen really only shined in his third year at Notre Dame against a weak schedule.  Despite Bradford’s injury last season, he has the more impressive and more complete body of work that Clausen.

Let us know your thoughts!  College FootBlog wants to know who you think should go first in the NFL Draft?

By Coden Mruk

MORGANTOWN, WV – In part 1 of this 3 part look in to the first round of the NFL Draft we saw a shake up at the top with the Rams selecting QB Sam Bradford over DL Ndamukong Suh with the first overall pick. With the rest of the top 10 picks we saw another quarterback go, a wide receiver,  linebacker, and a safety.The majority of the top picks were used on the offensive and defensive line. Not much of a surprise considering it would be a lineman with the best opportunity to step in immediately for his team. In Part 2 of this series I predict, and analyze draft selections 11-20. I credit ESPN.com, draftdaddy.com, profootballweekly.com, footballdraftanalysis.com, Men’s Fitness, Scout.com, and draftboardinsider.com for the majority of my research.

For an in-depth look at picks 1-10 check out part 1 of this 3 part series by clicking the link below.

http://www.collegesportsfeed.com/2010-nfl-mock-draft-a-detailed-look-in-to-the-1st-round-part-1-of-a-3-part-series/

#11 Jacksonville Jaguars - Derrick Morgan DE Georgia Tech - The Jacksonville Jaguars somehow managed to record only 14 sacks through 16 games last season making them the team with the lowest sack total in the league. Jacksonville missed two years ago on Derrick Harvey, who played the same position as Morgan but at Florida. Harvey has  managed to record only 5.5 sacks over his disappointing two year career. Because of this I look for the Jacksonville Jaguars to pass on my #1 rated DE Carlos Dunlap (out of Florida), and select the leaner, more athletic Morgan who recorded 12 sacks last season for the Yellow Jackets. Generating a pass rush should be the #1 priority for the Jaguars and they address that with this pick.

#12 Miami Dolphins – Jerry Hughes DE/OLB Texas Christian U - Look, Miami is not too far off from being a good team. They have an effective offense led by Ronnie Brown and a recharged Ricky Williams. The defense wasn’t half bad either recording 44 sacks on the season. However, 9 of those came from Joey Porter who was released this off season. Another 7 from Jason Taylor who will be 36 years old by seasons start. By drafting Jerry Hughes you immediately fill the void left by Joey Porter and the need for a pass rusher off the edge. Hughes recorded 26 sacks over the last two seasons, making him the definitive leader on an outstanding defense. Scouts love the versatility of Hughes who is listed at 6’3 260lbs and can be down on the end or standing up on the outside.

#13 San Francisco 49ers – Bruce Campbell OT Maryland – The San Francisco 49ers made a late season switch this past year to a more pass oriented spread style offense and it paid dividends to the growth of Alex Smith. This being said, they still rely heavily on the success of Frank Gore. They want to get him back to producing numbers similar in terms of yards as 2006 and to continue finding the end zone at a higher rate. From everything I’ve read and heard Bruce Campbell is a freak. Bruce Feldman did a feature on Campbell back in May on just how much of a freak. He reported that Campbell bench pressed 490lbs and ran a 4.8 40. If this was back in May I can only imagine where those numbers will be come the NFL combine. You team him up with Joe Staley and you have bookends for the next decade.

#14 – Seattle Seahawks – Taylor Mays S USC – Lets not forget that Pete Carroll only agreed to the Seahawks job If he had full control of the team, and he got it. Taylor Mays played 4 years under Pete Carroll at USC and showed signs of greatness throughout his career. Mays could be the player who is helped most by his combine showing. He’s probably the best overall athlete in this year’s draft. He stands 6’3 and weighs in at 230lbs. Nate Millado wrote an article for Mens Fitness where he says that in high school, while running track, Mays was consistently times in the 40 in the neighborhood of 4.25 seconds. Everyone is aware of his work ethic in the weight room. With his combination of size and speed as well as his familiarity with Carroll, I expect the Seahawks to waste no time taking Mays at 14.

#15 -  New York Giants – Joe Haden CB Florida – Joe Haden has the potential of a top 10 pick and some mock drafts I have seen project him going as high as #7 to Cleveland. It’s obvious that the Giants need major help on defense. Their unit gave up 427 total points and that was 110 more than the next highest total in the division. The loss of captain Antonio Pierce needs to be addressed but Haden’s value is too high at this point to pass on. With Haden on one side and Aaron Ross or Corey Webster the other, it should lessen the need for double teams and allow the safeties to be looking to stop the run. Haden was a first team All-American for the Gators in 2009.

#16 – Tennessee Titans – Terrence Cody NT Alabama – First of all let me just say that I love this guys name…ha. Ok, Terrance Cody is 6’5 and weighs in at about 355 lbs…on a light day. The Tennessee Titans are still looking to fill the void left by Albert Haynesworth. After seeing how the defense struggled in his absence I’m sure the front office has no problem bringing in a long time replacement. He was the anchor in the middle for that Alabams defense and is has a lot to do with Rolando Mcclain being a first round pick. Plus, Kyle Vanden Bosch is probably gone to free agency and Jevon Kearse is not Jevon Kearse anymore. The line needs the help.

#17 San Francisco 49ers – Earl Thomas S Texas – With their second pick in the first round the 49ers could significantly bolster their already above average defense by drafting Earl Thomas. Having locked down the offensive line earlier the 9ers are free to use this pick by taking a high value guy at this point with potential to start right away. Thomas reminds me a lot like Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed in that he has a nose for the ball, and a nose for the end-zone. he picked off 8 balls last season against a good group of quarterbacks and took two of them to the house. Mike Singletary would love a guy like Thomas on his defense and I think he gets him.

#18 – Pittsburgh Steelers – Bryan Bulaga OL Iowa – The Steelers had an extremely disappointing season last year and right now look like the third best team in that division. For that to change they are going to have to get back to a hard nosed running game like they had when they were winning super bowls. Bryan Bulaga is 6’6 312lbs and was an All-American in what was his junior season. The Big Ten is run heavy conference and Bulaga has proved he can get the job done by winning the award for the top offensive lineman in the conference.

#19 – Atlanta Falcons – Patrick Robinson CB FSU – Atlanta looks pretty good on the offensive side of the ball when everybody’s healthy so look for them to draft defense throughout the entire day. The Falcon’s depth chart at the corner position reads as Chris Owens, Brent Grimes, and Chevis Jackson. They need a lot of help in the secondary and could even be looking to draft a safety if a guy like Mays or Thomas falls to them. Patrick Robinson has decent size at 5’11 190lbs and could run as low as a 4.3 40 at the combine. He led FSU with 6 picks on the year and is considered a good cover corner. Plus, The Falcons like really fast corners from Florida State.

#20 Houston Texans – Sean Weatherspoon OLB Missouri – I know the Texans are not happy with their running back situation right now so I could see them going for C.J. Spiller out of Clemson. However, the offense has proven its self already and they have to get better on defense if they want to finally get in to the playoffs after two straight years of being the sexy pick and failing to get in. Sean Weatherspoon was a three time all conference player and in 2009 led the Big 12 in tackles, averaging over 11 per game. Weatherspoon is big, fast, strong, and plays like he has a chip on his shoulder. He is an outside linebacker by trade and that works perfectly with DeMeco Ryans in the middle and Brian Cushing on the strong side. This young, talented trio would be in consideration for the top linebacking core and maybe be what they need to get to the post season.

The defense dominated picks 11-20 having 8 of those 10 selections going to the defensive side of the ball. I hope you enjoyed my predictions and analysis. Look for the final part of this three part series very soon.

By Coden Mruk

MORGANTOWN, WV - This is a three part series in which I break down the first round of the draft. This first part will analyze the drafts 1-10 picks. The predictions and analysis are my own personal opinion. I credit ESPN.com, draftdaddy.com, profootballweekly.com, footballdraftanalysis.com, Men’s Fitness, Scout.com, and draftboardinsider.com for the majority of my research.

I have seen many versions of the 1st round of this years upcoming NFL Draft. I’ve seen Suh, Mccoy (Gerald), and Bradford all projected as #1 picks. I’ve seen mocks that have as many as two running backs off the board, and as many as four wide receivers being taken round 1. I’ve seen the conservative mocks with DL and OL dominating the top 15 selections. From everything I’ve seen, it is obvious that this years first round is going to be exciting. This mock draft is due to change throughout the draft process especially after the NFL combine. This mock draft does not take in to consideration draft day trades.

#1 St. Louis Rams – Sam Bradford QB Oklahoma- Like most people, I originally had the Rams selecting Ndamukong Suh with the #1 overall pick because of his “can’t miss” draft status. After looking at the situation more closely, Sam Bradford would Make the Rams better at the most important position of the field immediately. The NFC West is up for grabs with the departure of Kurt Warner from the Cardinals. With no premiere quarterbacks in this division everyone is scrambling to address their situations. The winner could be the team who finds their quarterback first. Bradford stands tall at 6’4 weighing 225. When he was healthy he had 86 touchown passes over a two year span and probably would have been a top 5 pick had he come out last year. Don’t forget how they missed in the first round in ’08 on defensive lineman Chris Long.

#2 Detroit Lions – Ndamukong Suh DT Nebraska – With the Rams passing on Suh and the Lions looking to bolster their defensive line, Suh slips no further than #2. The Lions have shown interest in DT Gerald Mccoy from Oklahoma but Suh is the more dominant of the two on a consistent basis. Standing 6’4 and weighing in at 300 lbs. Suh has recorded 158 tackles over his last two seasons at Nebraska. That is a ridiculous number for a DT. Everyone is in agreement that this guy is a freak. He would be the right pick for a Detroit team that did make small strides on the offensive side of the ball last season with rookie QB Mathew Stafford.

#3 Tamba Bay Bucs – Gerald Mccoy DT Oklahoma – Lets face it, the Bucs were awful. I mean they were almost unwatchable. They do however have a ray of hope in their young quarterback from last year’s draft, Josh Freeman. With a couple pieces on the offense already in place look for Tampa Bay to be spending the majority of day one drafting defense. We all know a good defense can win games even if paired with a pedestrian offense, and it all starts down in the trenches. I know safety Eric Berry is a play maker and game changer but bolstering the run defense and getting a push up front should be a priority.

#4 Washington Redskins – Eric Berry S Tennessee - It’s true that Shanahan may want to bring in his own guy to play quarterback but with Bradford gone to the Rams I don’t see the skins taking Clausen with this high of a pick. Unless they feel he can really make an impact right away and would be better right now than Jason Campbell. Look for the Redskins to go best available and take Berry. Berry is a play maker with a nose for the ball and has been his whole college career. In three years he accumulated over 240 tackles, 14 interceptions, and returned those 14 picks a total just under 500 yards. The Redskins defense was a really solid unit last year despite their 4-12 record, gave up 336 points which was second in their division behind only the Dallas Cowboys. The Addition of Berry makes the Redskin’s defense a top notch squad.

#5 Kansas City Chiefs – Russell Okung OT Oklahoma St. – Kansas City seems to be stuck in a state of perpetual building as a franchise. They Made two big front office moves hiring Charlie Weiss and Romeo Cronnell to the staff. The on-field situation may be more difficult to address. Matt Cassel was brought in to be the quarterback of the future for Kansas city but has yet to see any real success. Drafting Russell Okung to play the left tackle position makes perfect sense given that current left tackle Branden Albert is actually a guard by trade. on top of that, current LG Brian Waters is turning 33 years old this week. Okung at LT, move Albert down to guard and all the sudden you have a powerful left side of the line. Okung was a two time All-American at Ok. St. and was the recipient of the 2009 Jim Parker award, given to the top offensive lineman in the country. A perfect fit to cover Cassel’s blind side and lead the way for up and coming running back Jamal Charles.

#6 Seattle Seahawks – Anthony Davis OT Rutgers – Pete Carroll’s number one concern coming in to this season is figuring out how to get the stagnant offense of the Seahawks moving. Everything was a disappointment for Seattle last season. No running back ran for more than 680 yards. T.J. Houshmandzadeh did manage to catch 79 balls but only 3 of those were touchdowns. By drafting Anthony Davis You can solidify the left side of the line immediately leading to better pass protection on the blind side and more push for the run game. Davis is a beast at 6’6 325 lbs he has the potential to play the left tackle position in the NFL for a long time, as do many of this years OL prospects. The Seahawks pick again at 14 and could take a chance on a guy like Dez Bryant or Jimmy Clausen if either of those two are still around.

#7 Cleveland Browns - Dez Bryant WR Oklahoma State – The Cleveland Browns are a really fun scenario because Mike Holmgren is in charge of all things football. Who knows what he could have up his sleeve. Dump a QB and start fresh? Maybe. Holmgren has been around football a long time and knows you need big physical play makers on the offensive side of the ball. Remember when he drafted Koren Robinson. Robinson’s draft analysis read as “Explosive breakaway threat with impressive leaping ability… Explodes coming off the line and uses his hands well to escape press coverage…Has an array of moves to elude defenders”. Sound like Dez, yeah. Plus, if you are being realistic you can not truly believe that Josh Cribbs and Muhomed Massaquoi are a good enough one two punch to ever allow the Browns to make a run at the rest of the division. You have to replace Braylon Edwards.

#8 Oakland Raiders – Rolando Mcclain LB Alabama – The Oakland Raiders beat a couple pretty good teams last season and that was in a large part because their defense really isn’t all that bad. The problem is the quarterback situation is awful and the stable of running backs has been anything but impressive. It also doesn’t help that Zack Miller continues to be the number 1 target through the air. However, this is not the pick to address the offense. You aren’t going to take a QB in the first round unless you have completely given up on Jamarcus Russell. The Raiders just used a top ten pick last year on Heyward Bey and Darren Mcfadden the year before that and you do have to let those two continue to develop on by being on the field. What Rolando Mcclain brings to the Raiders is instant production and leadership. He had 105 tackles last season for Alabama and was the captain for the #1 defensive unit in the country. It doesn’t hurt that he’s a beast and Al Davis loves “freaks”. Standing at 6’4 Mcclain is a solid 260 lbs. He has the ability to move left to right and stuff the middle.

#9 Buffalo Bills – Jimmy Clausen QB Notre Dame – The New York Jets found their QB of the future in last years first round and I expect the Bills to follow suit. They are the last team in the division looking for a quarterback and need one now if they want to seriously compete in the next 3-5 years. Clausen is considered somewhat of an athletic freak just like Quinn before him and his showing at this years combine could be exactly what the Bill’s front office needs to pull the trigger. He may be able to step in immediately coming from a pro style offense under Charlie Weiss. Clausen is built to play in the NFL at 6’3 225. Last year at Notre Dame he completed his passes at a 68% clip and threw 28 touchdowns to only 4 INTs.

#10 Denver Broncos – Mike Iupati OG Idaho – The Denver Broncos are short on play makers without Brandon Marshall in the lineup but with Dez Bryant off the board there is not a receiver available worth the #10 pick. Like always they do have a young stable of running backs and will use this pick to get Knowshon and company out and running. Iupati is a people mover at 6’6 330 lbs. He plays gaurd and would be an awesome fit next to Ryan Clady on the left side of the line. Iupati was a 2009 All-American.

Thank you for reading and I appreciate any and all comments. For an in-deptch look in to the rest of the first round check out parts 2 and 3 of this series by clicking on the links below.

http://www.collegesportsfeed.com/2010-nfl-mock-draft-part-2-of-a-3-part-series-picks-11-20/

http://www.collegesportsfeed.com/2010-nfl-draft-part-3-of-3-part-series-picks-21-32/

The future looks bright for former Bearcat.

By Coden Mruk

MORGANTOWN, WV – Cincinnatti QB Tony Pike has finished his college career as a two year starter for the Bearcats throwing for over 5,000 yards and 49 touchdowns. In his final season at Cincinnati, Pike led his team to a 12-0 regular season record and a birth in the 2009-2010 Allstate Sugar Bowl. Improving each year, Pike saw his touchdown numbers shoot from 19 to 29 this past season. Just as impressive was that he threw those touchdowns without turning the ball over, throwing only 6 INTs on the season. Coming in to the final game of the season against Pitt for the Big East championship Pike had only thrown 3 interceptions on the year. He managed to match his 3 additional interceptions with 3 touchdowns and the all important game winner to take the conference and finish out a perfect regular season. Also note that he threw 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions in Cincinnati’s only loss to Florida.

Much of this past year’s success can be credited to the Bearcats high flying offense led by Pike and senior wideout Mardy Gilyard. The duo hooked up for a total of 9 touchdowns in as many games. Pike missed 3 regular season games due to injury but before going down was considered a candidate for the Heisman trophy.

Now, after impressing everyone at the Senior Bowl including ESPN’s and Scout.com’s Todd McShay, Tony Pike finds himself right in the middle of the draft process and there is a ton of buzz around this guy. In fact, Mcshay called Pike the “best all around prospect” at this years Senior Bowl. Pointing out Pike’s upside,Mcshay calls his ball “deadly accurate”, and continued by noting Pike “shows good poise in the pocket”. If he can continue to improve on his pocket awareness and ability to read coverages he becomes an elite NFL QB prospect standing 6’6 and weighing in at 225 lbs. He has the body of your prototypical quarterback resembling Peyton Manning and Carson Palmer. Scouts and GMs both love what Tony Pike brings to the table at the quarterback position.

Lets be realistic, there are about ten total teams whose quarterback position can be considered up in the air or unsettled. From the Rams to the Vikings, throw in the Jaguars, Cardinals, Panthers, and Seahawks…to name a few. I’m not saying that ten teams are going to draft a quarterback, especially not within the first three rounds of this years draft. What I’m saying is that if you are one of these GMs and you see a quarterback on your draft board who you feel can make your team better you draft him. As we all know the quarterback is the leader of the offense and by default the scape goat when things turn sour. Having a quarterback whose abilities only allow him to manage an offense puts a strain on defenses that few teams can afford. That’s why the strong arm and accuracy of Pike has a lot of people taking a closer look. Here is a short look at a few of those scenarios.

Minnesota Vikings- This whole situation revolves around Brett Favre’s decision to come back or retire. For sake of this argument lets say he retires. The Minnesota Vikings are stacked on the defensive side of the ball however they are aging quickly. The offense has a premiere running back, three good wide receivers, and a tight end already in place. We have all seen  what Minnesota can do with an effective passing game and we have also seen just how ineffective Tavaris Jackson can be. Minnesota could address the  defense early and Tony Pike could find his way on the Vikings draft board come round 3.

Seattle Seahawks- There is a new sheriff in town in Seattle and he wants to win. Pete Carroll had a short stint in the NFL prior to this gig with the Seahawks but his professional coaching career turned out to be a bust. He moved on to USC where he experienced win after win, bowl after bowl. He’s going to want to win and win now. To do that, don’t be surprised to see the Seahawks draft a quarterback to play and learn behind Matt Hasselbeck, who could be looking for work if he doesn’t get the job done soon.

Arizona Cardinals- It looks like kurt Warner’s career has finally come to an end. Originally, Arizona’s plan was to move in to the future featuring Matt Leinart at the helm. The time Leinart has spent on the feild, though it short, has not been by any means impressive. To me, it is obvious that Matt Leinart is not the answer for the future unless he improves significantly. This improvement could be sparked by creating a small quarterback controversy by drafting a guy like Pike. Give yourself two young quarterbacks both of whom are looking to prove something. Announce Leinart as your starter going in to camp giving him the confidence of the coaching staff and front office and let Tony Pike learn from the sideline.

Do I think Tony Pike is going to be a great NFL quarterback? No. Do I think any team should bet the farm on a guy like Pike? No.I do think that Tony Pike has put himself in position to be considered an elite prospect at the quarterback position. If I’m a GM I take a chance on Pike in round 3. If he falls to round 4 or 5 its a steal.

At the conclusion of this year’s Sugar Bowl, Florida quarterback Tim Tebow wrapped up one of the most storied collegiate football careers of all time.  No one is disputing that.  What is up for debate is how well Tebow’s skill set will translate into the NFL.

College FootBlog will break down the things that made him so successful over the last four years, and we will analyze the degree of success that those skills and attributes should translate to the NFL.

Tim Tebow will have a lot to prove in his first NFL season (google images)

1.  Size/Strength:

At 6 ft 3 and 245 pounds, Tebow is much bigger than the average linebacker, even at the SEC level.  He had the ability to run over the majority of linebackers and DB’s for four seasons.

Will that size and strength translate into the NFL? Not by any stretch of the imagination–not only are NFL linebackers just as big as Tebow, they are much more physical.  Tebow will be in for a rude awakening if he tries to run over Ray Lewis or any NFL linebacker, for that matter.

2.  Running Ability: While Tebow has never been compared to Pat White in terms of speed, he was fast enough to break off big runs throughout his stellar career.  It will be interesting to see his 40-time at the combine this year, but it will be shocking if it is better than 4.6 seconds.

How will his speed translate to the NFL? In the NFL, there are quite a few defensive ends who run 4.6 or better.  At the linebacker position, there are even more players who are below the 4.6 range.

3.  Touchdown/Interception Ratio: Tebow not only put up huge rushing numbers in college, but he also proved many doubters wrong by being a very efficient passer as well.  Over his career, he had 88 TDs and only 16 interceptions.

Will that accuracy translate to the NFL? The odds are against him.  There was a significant drop off his senior season, after the losses of wideout Louis Murphy, who started as a rookie for the Raiders and NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, Percy Harvin.

4.  Leadership: There is one thing you cannot take away from Tebow–the young man is a winner.  His tenacity and toughness led and inspired his teammates throughout his collegiate career.

Will it translate to the NFL? To an extent–while Tebow will not lose his charisma and moxy, if he wants to be viewed as a leader in the NFL, he will have to earn the respect on the field from his teammates.  Off the field, there will be no questioning his drive and leadership abilities, but in the NFL, it is all about what a player does on the field.

Overall, will Tebow make a huge splash in the NFL?

If the history of his peers is any indicator, it may be a rough go of things.  Highly-touted QBs from the major Florida programs have not fared well in the NFL (see Rex Grossman, Chris Weinke, Danny Wuerffel, Ken Dorsey, Geno Torretta, etc, etc, etc…).

While all of the above mentioned quarterbacks had fantastic college careers, they all had distinct advantages of the speed and athleticism of their wide receivers versus inferior defensive backs.  In the NFL, the windows to complete passes are not only much tighter, but if the ball is not delivered at the precise moment, that small opening is quickly shut and can just as quickly turn into a pick-six.  The absence of that speed and talent advantage they had in college proved to be detrimental in each of their careers, and could very well be the same for Tim Tebow, but only time will tell.