First 10 Picks of the 2010 NFL Draft (if it happened today)

1) St. Louis Rams select Colt McCoy, QB, Texas. -It’s safe to say that a team that is inept on both sides of the ball needs a building block.  Bulger won’t be around for much longer, and Kyle Boller certainly isn’t a franchise QB by any means.  McCoy is a sure pick.  Efficient, good arm, and great scrambling ability.  Something he’ll need with the Rams patchwork O-line.

2) Tampa Bay selects Jahvid Best, RB, Cal. -The Bucs could easily go with a DB here, but they’d be better suited to get a dynamic playmaker on offense.  Derrick Ward is a serviceable back, but I don’t think he’s a 25 carry a game guy.  Neither is Cadillac Williams who’s got legs made of glass.

3) Kansas City selects Taylor Mays, S, USC. -The Chiefs have placed their eggs on the Matt Cassell basket, and as shaky as that seems things could be worse (i.e. see Raiders, Oakland).  KC has decent WRs and an O-line that seems to be improving.  A stud DB can always help.  Mays would be the best thing to happen to the Chiefs secondary since Albert Lewis.

4) Tennessee selects Eric Berry, S, Tennessee. -You really could switch out Berry and Mays, as both have the stuff to be All Pros in the NFL right away.  Berry is a straight up playmaker.  The Titans really need to seek out a QB, because it’s painfully obvious they’ve completely lost faith in Vince Young.  Looking at the team this year, suddenly their pass defense is atrocious.  Berry can certainly help with that.

5) Buffalo selects Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State. -The best thing for the Bills to do would be select an offensive lineman.  However, few followers of the NFL believe Terrell Owens will remain a Bill after this season, leaving room for an explosive WR target for Trent Edwards.  Lee Evans is solid, but hasn’t been that 100 yards a game go to guy yet.

6) Cleveland selects Eric Norwood, LB, South Carolina. -The Browns boast the worst rushing defense in the league, giving up over 170 yards a game on the ground.  Norwood is an animal of an athlete who lives in the opponents’ backfield.  He stops the rush and the pass, and would be Cleveland’s best option here.

7) Oakland selects Russell Okung, OL, Oklahoma St. -The Raiders always seem to have an interesting draft, and not in a good way.  Heads are still being scratched from their Darrius Heyward-Bey pick in the 1st round last year.  And as bad as the Raider defense is, the passing game is just as anemic.  There are certainly some defensive options here, but a solid O-lineman to help protect JaMarshmallow Russell would help out a lot.

8 ) Detroit selects Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida. -It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Lions have given up more passing TDs than any other team in the league so far this year.  However, with a pick this high, there aren’t any stud DBs left worth taking at #8.  So they’ll go with the next best thing: the best LB from perhaps the best defense in college football. 

9) San Francisco selects (via Carolina) Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska.  -Pronouncing his name may be difficult, but even more so is trying to block this kid as a center.  Suh projects as the top interior defensive lineman in the draft, and with good reason.  He lead all Cornhuskers in tackles last year and would be the perfect complement to the outstanding linebacker group the 49ers have.

10) Washington selects Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma.  -Along with hiring a new coach (you know Zorn will be gone at some point), the Redskins really need to look for a new QB as well.  Jason Campbell is really nothing more than a backup.  Should Bradford’s shoulder continue to heal, he’ll be a great QB to build an offense around, provided he gets protection as well.

NFL Predictions

AFC North

Pittsburgh (14-2)

Baltimore (12-4)

Cincinnati (6-10)

Cleveland (5-11)

AFC East

New England (13-3)

NY Jets (8-8)

Buffalo (6-10)

Miami (5-11)

AFC West

San Diego (11-5)

Denver (6-10)

Oakland (3-13)

Kansas City (2-14)

AFC South

Indianapolis (12-4)

Tennessee (10-6)

Houston (8-8)

Jacksonville (5-11)

NFC North

Minnesota (12-4)

Green Bay (10-6)

Chicago (9-7)

Detroit (5-11)

NFC East

Philadelphia (11-5)

NY Giants (10-6)

Dallas (9-7)

Washington (8-8)

NFC West

Arizona (10-6)

Seattle (9-7)

St. Louis (3-13)

San Francisco (3-13)

NFC South

New Orleans (10-6)

Atlanta (9-7)

Carolina (8-8)

Tampa Bay (4-12)

 

AFC PLAYOFFS

Pittsburgh, New England, Indianapolis, San Diego (Wild Card- Baltimore, Tennessee)

WILD CARD ROUND

SAN DIEGO over Tennessee

BALTIMORE over Indianapolis

DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS

PITTSBURGH over San Diego

NEW ENGLAND over Baltimore

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP

PITTSBURGH over New England

 

NFC PLAYOFFS

Minnesota, Philadelphia, Arizona, New Orleans (Wild Card- Green Bay, NY Giants)

WILD CARD ROUND

GREEN BAY over Arizona

NEW ORLEANS over NY Giants

DIVISONAL PLAYOFFS

NEW ORLEANS over Philadelphia

MINNESOTA over Green Bay

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP

NEW ORLEANS over Minnesota

 

SUPER BOWL

NEW ORLEANS 34, Pittsburgh 31

Top Coaches of the Decade

Last week, the Sporting News released their list of the top  50 coaches of all time ( you can read their list here: http://www.sportingnews.com/college-basketball/article/2009-07-29/sporting-news-50-greatest-coaches-all-time)

A good list, but not very relevant to the young people like myself who follow sports today. Most of us have no clue as to what Toe Blake did in the NHL, or Hank Iba in college basketball, and I’m guessing a big majority of us don’t care. What we do know is what’s happened in major sports recently, and that’s what I aim to address here.

 

Below you’ll find my Top Ten Coaches of the Decade list. Love it, hate it, question it, whatever. Just read it and leave your thoughts. I know you’ve got some.

 

 

1. Pete Carroll, Football Head Coach, USC

   2 National Titles are nice. 7 straight Pac-10 titles are pretty sweet. But when you start talking about 3 Heisman winners and 25 All-American first team players, that’s impressive. Carroll consistently has the Trojans in the BCS Title hunt, not to mention constant attention on his players from NFL scouts.

   

   Haters unite: Carroll is better than your team's coach, no question. (Photo courtesy of tigerrag.com)

2. Bill Belichick, Head Coach, New England Patriots

   When you win on a regular basis in a sports league that seems to have more parity than any other, that’s the essence of high-caliber coaching. Cut off hoodies and emotionless faces be damned, Bill Belichick has been the epitome of dominance in the NFL in the 2000’s. He’s led the Pats to 3 Super Bowl wins and 4 AFC titles. He’s had only one losing season this decade (2000), but the kicker may be his playoff record: 14-3.

3. Urban Meyer, Football Head Coach, Utah/Florida

   He’s largely thought of as the man reinventing the college football wheel, making opposing defenses look downright silly with his spread offense. It’s been good enough to win 2 of the last 3 BCS titles, not to mention winning the toughest conference in the land those 2 years as well. However, we’ve got to include Meyer’s full body of work from the decade. He won the Mountain West conference as the coach at Utah, where he went on to win his first BCS game against Pitt in dominating fashion.

4. Geno Auriemma, Women’s Basketball Coach, UConn

   I’m not sure what’s more surprising: seeing a women’s basketball coach this high on the list, or seeing a women’s basketball coach NOT named Pat Summitt this high on the list. However, when you break down the numbers from this decade alone, Auriemma’s have been downright outstanding. He’s led UConn to 5 NCAA titles, 7 Final Fours, and 8 Big East titles. During the 2000’s, he’s lost only 7 Big East games.

   

   Geno cuts more nets than an over-eager fisherman. (Photo courtesy of fansonly.com)

5. Phil Jackson, Head Coach, Los Angeles Lakers

   One of the biggest (and lamest) knocks on Jackson is that his titles are based more on the players he’s coached (Jordan, Pippen, Shaq, Kobe) than his actual coaching talent. Whatever the case, the man has more hardware than Home Depot and more rings than Marks and Morgan. He’s had 4 NBA titles this decade, with 5 1^st place finishes in the Pacific Division. Not a year that he’s coached has he NOT made the playoffs, boasting a 98-50 post season record.

6. Roy Williams, Basketball Head Coach, North Carolina

   Like Urban Meyer in football, Williams has managed success at two separate schools in this decade. Starting it off at Kansas where he managed to win two Big 12 titles, to 2003 when he left for his home state of North Carolina, leading the Tarheels to 2 NCAA titles, 4 ACC titles, and 2 ACC tourney titles. Not once this decade has Roy Williams failed to make it past the first round of the NCAA tourney.

7. Billy Donovan, Basketball Head Coach, Florida

   In a day where most young talents leave college early (if they go to college at all) for the NBA, Donovan managed the near impossible: keeping together his core of players to win back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007. Donovan had 8 straight NCAA tournament appearances, winning 3 SEC titles during that span.

   

   Like his stars from 2006, Donovan resisted the lure of the NBA himself a few years ago. (Photo courtesy of projo.com)

8. Tony LaRussa, Manager, St. Louis Cardinals

   Most baseball fans don’t think LaRussa right away when they consider great baseball managers this decade. However, LaRussa has definitely proved his worth, leading the Cards to 2 World Series’, winning one of them. He’s had 8 playoff appearances, winning the NL Central 6 of those seasons.

9. Gregg Popovich, Head Coach, San Antonio Spurs

   A true model of consistency, Popovich has turned one of the lesser known NBA cities into a title town. The Spurs have won 3 NBA titles playing fundamental basketball using role players instead of a lineup of superstars. They’ve had 6 1^st place finishes in the Midwest Division, and have only made the playoffs one year where they didn’t get out of the first round.

10. Mike Krzyzewski, Basketball Head Coach, Duke

    While certainly not experiencing the splash of success this decade his rival Roy Williams has, Coach K has definitely shown he’s not about to play second fiddle to anyone. Duke has 1 NCAA title this decade, with 8 Sweet Sixteens and 6 ACC tournament titles. The key sidebar for Coach K is his success with NBA players. He led the USA’s “Redeem Team” to the 2008 Gold Medal last year in Beijing.

    

    It wasn't so much his work at Duke, but his work in the Olympics that got Coach K on this list. (Photo courtesy of butthegameison.com)

 

Honorable Mention: (Joe Torre (Yankees/Dodgers), Terry Francona (Red Sox), Nick Saban (LSU/Alabama/Dolphins), Tony Dungy (Colts), Pat Summitt (Tennessee Women’s Basketball), Larry Robinson (New Jersey Devils), Mike Babcock (Ducks/Red Wings), Jim Tressel (Ohio State), Bob Stoops (Oklahoma), Larry Brown (76ers/Pistons)

5 “Under the Radar” Studs To Draft

Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers

 

Favre (left) has passed to torch to Rodgers, and he's done well with it thus far. (Photo courtesy of The Cheese Heads @ blogspot)

Rodgers is quickly proving to be the medicine for Packers’ fan’s going through Favre withdrawal. Many expected Rodgers to be decent, but he was much more than that in his first full season as a starter in 2008. Throwing for over 4,000 yards and 28 touchdowns, Rodgers also threw only 13 picks, a number that matched Favre’s career LOW in interceptions. Rodgers has great targets in Greg Jennings (the next superstar WR), Donald Driver (reliable No. 2), and Ryan Grant in the backfield. Rodgers may not have the need to pass as often this year with an improved Green Bay defense, but he’ll still be just as efficient (if not more so) and will put up similar TD numbers.

 

Tony Gonzalez, TE, Falcons

 

Gonzo will be the same beast he was in KC, but with a better QB. (Photo courtesy of nflgoddess.com)

No off-season acquisition, not even Housh to Seattle or Haynesworth to Washington, will have the impact that Tony Gonzalez to the Falcons will have. In 2008, Gonzo managed over 1,000 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns and had nearly 100 receptions. Did I mention that was all while playing for a team that used a combination of Tyler Thigpen and Brodie Croyle at quarterback? Now Gonzalez is with the Falcons, a team chock full of play makers and a young dynamo at QB. If you’re in a keeper league, Gonzalez’s age may be a bit of a concern (he’s 33). But in one year leagues, you can’t do much better at the tight end position than this guy. He’s always been a top 5 TE, and his move to the ATL only increases his stock.

 

Steve Slaton, RB, Texans

 

Slaton could be a top 5 RB by year's end, or higher. (Photo courtesy of Sports Illustrated)

Take a look back at the 2008 draft, and tell me which rookie RB led the league in rushing. Forte? Nope. McFadden? Not even close. Chris Johnson? Good guess, but you’d be wrong. It was Steve Slaton, the kid from West Virginia who, in the early summer of ‘08, was looking like he’d be third on the depth chart behind Ahman Green and Chris Brown. However, an early season injury to Green opened the door for Slaton, and all he did was rush for nearly 1,300 yards and 9 touchdowns. The stat line doesn’t end there for Slaton. He’s also a receiving threat, catching 50 balls for 377 yards. Now as the featured back going into the season, Slaton is sure to be a key part of an offense featuring Andre Johnson at WR. Look for Slaton to close in on 1,700 yards and possibly 14-16 touchdowns. Don’t be scared to grab him in the first round.

 

Dwayne Bowe, WR, Chiefs

 

Bowe will benefit from a new QB and the departure of Tony Gonzalez. (Photo courtesy of fanhouse.com)

It’s not often I say that Matt Cassel improves someone’s fantasy projections (in fact, this will probably be the only time). However, such is the case with Chiefs’ WR Dwayne Bowe. Last year, catching from the same QB carousel that Tony Gonzalez dealt with, Bowe managed 86 catches and over 1,000 yards receiving. Todd Haley comes to KC as the new coach, and we all know what he did running the Cardinal’s offense last year. Bowe has enough capable receivers around him to where he’s not forced to carry the workload, but he can expect to be the main target. Combine that with Cassel’s impressive stint as a starter for the Patriots last year, and you have perhaps the perfect storm. Bowe is worthy of being the first WR you take in the draft.

 

Jason Witten, TE, Cowboys

 

Sign him up: Witten is ready to be your dynasty TE superstar. (Photo courtesy of tristarproductions.com)

If the team chemistry in Dallas doesn’t improve with the departure of Terrell Owens, one thing’s for sure: Witten’s production is bound to increase big time. Last year, Antonio Gates was the only TE in the league targeted more times than Witten. Now with the largely disappointing Roy Williams as the only other recognizable receiving threat, expect the man crush Tony Romo has on his tight end to grow. Witten’s got great hands and is just as reliable in the red zone as anyone else in the league. It wouldn’t hurt to snatch him up even as early as late 3^rd round.

5 Players To Avoid On Draft Day

LaDanian Tomlinson, RB, Chargers

 

Is LT's career as a fantasy must-have over?

Okay, don’t get me wrong. I like LT. He’s been as dominant a fantasy RB as we’ve ever seen. But looking at the numbers across the board (we tend to do that), LT is just SOOOO 2006. In fact, Tomlinson had more rushing touchdowns in ‘06 than he has the past two seasons combined. Now 30 years old, injuries not withstanding, LT has more to prove this year than ever before, at least in terms of fantasy. A younger (and speedier) Darren Sproles saw an increase in his workload last season with injuries to LT, and we expect to see Sproles play an even bigger role in this year’s offense. Combine that with the strong passing game of Rivers and talented receivers, LT will have even fewer opportunities to make an impact. If he’s still dangling in the late second- early third rounds, don’t hesitate to grab him. But he’s not a first round talent anymore. Let someone else in your league deal with the week-to-week frustrations of wondering if LT will play or not that Sunday.

 

Eli Manning, QB, NY Giants

 

Eli- the wrong Manning to have. (picture courtesy of Silent Archimedes)

Nobody in the Giants organization needed Plaxico Burress to remain on the team more than his QB Eli Manning. He was Eli’s crutch for a big stretch of last season (and all of seasons before), and without that big target, Manning flounders. Once Burress was gone last season (Nov. 30 was his last game), Manning failed to throw 200 yards in their last 4 games, and only threw 2 touchdowns during that time. He’ll go into the 2009 season with Steve Smith as his #1 wideout (no, not THAT Steve Smith). There are some talented rookie receivers on the squad, but the bulk of offense for the Giants will come from running back Brandon Jacobs. Passing will be an after thought for Manning this year. He should be a first-string QB in only the deepest of leagues. More so, he’s a serviceable bye week fill-in.

 

Joseph Addai, RB, Colts

 

Addai is no longer the lead Colt. (Photo courtesy of Sporting News)

Owners of Addai last year were sorely disappointed in their high expectations of the Colts feature back. Nagging injuries killed production, and Addai ended with only 5 touchdowns and 544 yards. His yards per carry average trended down for the second straight year, causing further concern for fantasy owners. Then, if the stats in injuries weren’t enough, the decision to draft U of Connecticut RB Donald Brown in the first round helped to hammer the nail in the “Addai as the main guy” coffin. Addai may still get some goal line carries, but this team is destined for a dual RB backfield, with the new guy getting the bigger chunk of work. Leave Addai on the board for someone else to be disappointed by.

 

Torry Holt, WR, Jaguars

 

Torry Holt's best days are behind him. (photo courtesy of Rock The Wrist Band @ blogspot)

Remember the glory days of “the greatest show on turf”? Well, that was back when Holt was young and played on carpet with a gunslinger for a QB. Those days are long gone, as Holt now finds himself in sunny Jacksonville, running routes for David Garrard. A quick glance at Garrard’s numbers would cause you to think that the Jags are now running a pass-happy offense. Reality is, however, that with an offensive line that is completely healthy and Maurice Jones-Drew finally being relied on as the featured back, the passing game won’t resonate as it did (or had to) last year. Holt is still likely the featured receiver for the Jags, simply because there’s not much else to choose from. But questions about his durability and how many opportunities he gets will surround him. Don’t grab him earlier than the 6^th round, and when you do, don’t expect too much.

 

__________, RB, Patriots

 

It's no coincidence Maroney rhymes with phony. (Photo courtesy of projo.com)

If you’ve owned a RB from the New England Patriots at any point in the past 3 years, let’s now take a moment of silence for all the wasted roster spots…..

 

Feel better? Good. Now heed this advice: the only Patriots NOT worth drafting are those in the backfield. Sure, you can get Laurence Maroney at a bargain, b ut why risk it? Obviously the Pats don’t have faith in him since they brought in Fred Taylor to help out. Throw Sammy Morris and Kevin Faulk in the mix, and it’s a true fantasy football roulette: you can take a gamble on any of the guys, but chances are you’ll lose. Why risk it?