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NFL Mock Draft 2009 Draft of 2009 Lacks Star Power NFL Draft 2009: Getting Started Super Bowl Well Worth Tuning In For
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Prospects On Center Stage NBA Preview 2008/09: Final Call
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2008 Top Prospects: Week 9 By Ron Jumper With an interesting week behind us, I have to say there are several guys on this list that need to bounce back. At first, I assumed there would be a lot of movement this week. However, no one really took advantage of the chance to move up the list. Some guys did help their Heisman chances, but didn’t necessarily help their draft stock. Don’t worry, I’ll explain it all as we go… The Top 15 1. RB Darren McFadden, Arkansas With a boring win over Florida International, one might have expected the yardage total to be much higher. However, scoring 4 TDs helps make up for only getting 61 yards on 19 carries. He also had 3 receptions for 22 yards. This is a make or break week for McFadden with South Carolina coming to town. This is a big game on ESPN2 and he can get right back in the Heisman race with a monster performance and perhaps a Razorback win. 2. DT Glenn Dorsey, LSU Dorsey and the LSU Tigers enjoyed a bye last week so their isn’t much to dissect here. However, I do want to talk about the chance he has this week to perhaps take the top spot. With LSU going down to Alabama to take on Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide, Dorsey has a chance to make a statement in a big game to show just how dominant he can be. Alabama likes to have a balanced attack. Keep an eye on how well the Crimson Tide are able to run the ball, especially early. If Dorsey and that Tiger defense can make ‘Bama one-dimensional, it could be a long day for Saban and company. 3. QB Matt Ryan, Boston College While his Heisman stock went up this week, most scouts will look at what happened the first 55 minutes and way that more heavily than what he did in the last 5 minutes. He struggled to move the ball against the Hokies defense all night. It wasn’t until the Hokies dropped back and allowed the underneath throws that Ryan was able to have any success. In Ryan’s defense, he just doesn’t have the same weapons that some of the other QBs have though. He doesn’t have a Jonathon Stewart, Rafael Little, Keenan Burton, Harry Douglass, or Mario Urrutia at his disposal. This weekend against Florida State might just create similar matchup problems for BC. 4. QB Andre Woodson, Kentucky This was easy to see coming, as the Wildcats had to have been emotionally spent after 3 tough games in a row. While it was embarrassing to lose to Mississippi State, I don’t knock Woodson that much here. He had receivers drop passes and fumble after the catch, plus special teams made some costly mistakes. Overall, the Wildcats still had some success moving the ball and should bounce back after their bye this week. 5. DE Calais Campbell, Miami Another guy that there isn’t much to discuss this week, as he also had a bye this last weekend. Miami plays an okay N.C. State team this weekend, so Campbell should be able to steadily compile some numbers to his season totals again this week. We’ve said it before, but could this be that breakout week? 6. QB Dennis Dixon, Oregon While his Heisman stock has skyrocketed, I’m a little curious as to exactly what type of NFL QB he will be. Is he going to be able to stand in the pocket or will he be more of a Vince Young type? He has a little bit of both and Oregon plays a wide open spread offense. I’m not sure if he can play in, say, the West Coast Offense but he is such a playmaker that he will find a home somewhere. 7. LB Dan Connor, Penn State Even though Ohio State won the game, I would certainly say that Connor won the battle of the linebackers. Connor racked up a mind-boggling 18 tackles and an interception against the Buckeyes. In my mind, he easily is the best linebacker in the nation. I absolutely love what he brings to the table. Besides, aren’t we used to Penn State producing great linebackers? 8. WR Desean Jackson, Cal I’ve finally seen the light with Desean. While he had solid numbers against Arizona State, he would have had a phenomenal game if it wasn’t for his QB having a total meltdown in the second half. There were several times that Jackson was open and could have made a big play but the ball simply didn’t get there. While he had 5 catches for 88 yards, he could have been close to 200 yards receiving had the throws been on the money. 9. QB Brian Brohm, Louisville Another week, another less impressive performance from Brohm. Whatever the reason, the Cardinals have steadily declined in offense over the last few weeks. They were scoring 40 or 50 points every week, but now they aren’t even getting into the 30’s the last 3 weeks. With the offense built around Brohm, how can you not put some of the blame directly on his shoulders? 10. DE Derrick Harvey, Florida He had to drop down a little bit here, as he didn’t contribute much in that thumping they got from Georgia last week. When you get lit up like that and you don’t make much of a contribution, it can really hurt your stock in big games of that nature. Well, he better play good this week against an inferior Vandy. That is certain. 11. LB James Laurinaitis, Ohio State He had to drop a little bit here, as he didn’t stand out against the Nittany Lions. Connor outplayed him substantially, so it will take some monster outings for him to climb back up the list. That being said, it is going to be really tough for him to surpass Connor. 12. RB Jonathon Stewart, Oregon He debuts on our list at 12 this week, as I needed to see him play against a top defense like USC before I could really be sold on him. Now I know it isn’t the system or anything like that, he can do it all. He has size and speed, as well as being able to catch the ball out of the backfield. 13. RB Felix Jones, Arkansas Continues to do a little bit of everything and show his versatility, even against lowly Florida International. He is another guy that could use a big game in front of a national audience, as they host the Gamecocks this weekend. 14. DE Chris Long, Virginia This is a guy that has been pumped up for awhile now, however he never seemed to produce the numbers to back it up. That has changed this year, as he has 11 sacks already this season. He has turned that Virginia defense into a very nice unit and has them quietly in the running for the ACC championship. Long should stay on the list and steadily rise up now that he has shown me he can bring it every week. 15. WR Adarious Bowman, Oklahoma State Dropped a little bit during his bye because of the play of some other guys, but expect him to show what he is made of this week against Texas. If he can have a big week, he could really help his stock out. Watchlist: -RB Steve Slaton, West Virginia -SS Kenny Phillips, Miami -RB Louis Rankin, Washington -RB Marlon Lucky, Nebraska -WR Earl Bennett, Vanderbilt -WR Mario Urrutia, Louisville -RB Kalvin McRae, Ohio -TE Shawn Nelson, Southern Miss -FS Derek Pegues, Mississippi State -CB Brandon Sumral, Southern Miss -LB Robert James, Arizona State -WR Jabari Arthur, Akron -RB Yvenson Bernard, Oregon State -LB Tavares Gooden, Miami -RB Calvin Dawson, ULM -CB Dwight Lowery, San Jose State -WR Early Doucet, LSU -WR James Hardy, Indiana -CB Tracy Porter, Indiana -DE Jonal Saint-Dic, Michigan State -LB Shawn Crable, Michigan November 1, 2007 |
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Be Careful What You Wish For
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| NCAA Basketball | |
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Jumpology: My Bracket Jumpology: Scouting The Heavyweights Jumpology: Reviewing The Bracket
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