Matty's Rookie of the Week

The 2009-2010 season has begun and my weekly rookie of the week is back. We had a lot of great performances this week, from quarterbacks and wide receivers especially. So, without further delay here is All Day Football's ninth Rookie of the Week of the season.

Matty's Rookie of the Week

Josh Freeman
6'6" 248 lbs.
Kansas State
1st round selection, 17th overall
14/31 for 205 yards and 3 TDs, INT

Josh Freeman was efficient in his first start and lead the 0-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers to their first win of the season. Freeman did everything you expect from a cagey veteran QB, but what is most impressive is that it was his first start. Some might say that Green Bay was sorely unprepared for the Freeman onslaught, but I like to think that the Bucs have found their QB of the future. Freeman has the biggest amount of potential in the draft as he has great size and athletic ability and showcased his cannon and accuracy against a stout Green Bay pass defense featuring Charles Woodson, Al Harris and Nick Collins. So, congratulations go out to Freeman for his great performance and making sure the 2009-2010 campaign has no team go 0-16. Congrats Josh, you earned it! Also, NFL.com fans are ridiculous for not giving the Pepsi ROTW honours to Josh and instead giving it to Mike Wallace.

Runner Ups:

Offense

Mike Wallace
6'0" 180 lbs.
Ole Miss
3rd round pick, 84th overall
4 recs for 69 yards and TD

Defense

Jerraud Powers
5'10" 192 lbs.
Auburn
3rd round pick, 92nd overall
10 tackles, 1 INT

Be sure to check back next week for the Week 10 ROTW!

Matty's Rookie of the Week

The 2009-2010 season has begun and my weekly rookie of the week is back. We had a lot of great performances this week, from quarterbacks and wide receivers especially. So, without further delay here is All Day Football's eighth Rookie of the Week of the season.

Matty's Rookie of the Week

Percy Harvin
5'11" 184 lbs.
Florida
1st round selection, 22nd overall
5 recs for 84 yards and TD, 5 returns for 175 yards

Percy Harvin was a one man wrecking crew against what was supposed to be a stout Green Bay defense. It seemed that every time a big play came around, young Harvin was making it. He hooked up with Brett Farve for a huge TD mid game and constantly had the Vikes in great field position. The contributions of this young receiver cannot be denied and I thought he was going to struggle a bit, I can honestly say that I would want him on my team, he plays tough, he plays smart and he plays with great speed and passion, he'll be a cornerstone for the Vikes for years to come and we haven't even begun to see the best that Harvin has to offer. So, congrats Percy on your first ROTW award, you earned it bud!

Runner Ups:

Offense

LeSean McCoy
5'10" 198 lbs.
Pittsburgh
2nd round pick, 53rd overall
11 rushes for 82 yards and TD, 2 recs for 10 yards

Defense

Brian Cushing
6'3" 262 lbs.
USC
1st round pick, 15th overall
10 tackles, 1 INT, 1 sack

Be sure to check back next week for the Week 9 ROTW!

Matty's Rookie of the Week

The 2009-2010 season has begun and my weekly rookie of the week is back. We had a lot of great performances this week, from quarterbacks and wide receivers especially. So, without further delay here is All Day Football's seventh Rookie of the Week of the season.

Matty's Rookie of the Week

Shonn Greene
5'11" 226 lbs.
Iowa
3rd round pick, 65th overall
19 rushes for 144 yards and 2 TDs

Shonn Greene burst onto the scene and single handed ran over, through and around the Oakland Raiders defense. In his first big chunk of playing time Mr. Greene has shown some serious skills and with Leon Washington succumbing to injury and ending up on injured reserve, Greene emergence couldn't come at a better time. Greene showed some break away speed that not a lot of people thought he had and average over 7 yard per carry. There's a good chance that anyone who faces the Jets from this point on are going to get a steady dose of Jones and Greene, strap up your chinstraps boys, Jets are going to test you. Congrats Shonn on your first ROTW award!

Runner Ups:

Offense

Hakeem Nicks
6'0" 215 lbs.
North Carolina
1st round pick, 29th overall
4 receptions for 80 yards and TD

Defense

Jairus Byrd
5'10" 200 lbs.
Oregon
2nd round pick, 42nd overall
2 tackles, 2 INTs

Be sure to check back next week for the Week 8 ROTW!

Matty's Rookie of the Week

The 2009-2010 season has begun and my weekly rookie of the week is back. We had a lot of great performances this week, from quarterbacks and wide receivers especially. So, without further delay here is All Day Football's sixth Rookie of the Week of the season.

Matty's Rookie of the Week

Ryan Succop
6'2" 218 lbs.
South Carolina
7th round pick, 256th overall
4/4 FGs, Long of 46

First time I have ever had a kicker as my rookie of the week, but in all honesty, I can't think of anyone more deserving who beat the odds to become a player who made an impact in the Chiefs getting their first win of the season. Succop kicked 4 FGs to help the Chiefs surpass he struggling Redskins, he was poised, he was consistent and he is reliable. Everything one could ask for from their kicker, Succop is 9/10 on FGs this season with a long of 53 and 9/9 on extra points. Congrats Mr. Irrevelant, not so Irrelevant now, are you?

Runner Ups:

Offense

Hakeem Nicks
6'0" 215 lbs.
North Carolina
1st round pick, 29th overall
5 receptions for 114 yards and TD

Defense

Clay Matthews
6'3" 250 lbs.
Southern California
1st round pick, 26th overall
5 tackles, 2 sacks, FF

Be sure to check back next week for the Week 7 ROTW!

Matty's Rookie of the Week

The 2009-2010 season has begun and my weekly rookie of the week is back. We had a lot of great performances this week, from quarterbacks and wide receivers especially. So, without further delay here is All Day Football's fifth Rookie of the Week of the season.

Matty's Rookie of the Week

Austin Collie
6' 200 lbs.
Brigham Young
4th round pick, 127th overall
8 receptions for 97 yards and 2 TDs

Austin Collie erupted against a subpar Tennessee Titan defense and really has become one of Peyton Manning`s go to guys with Anthony Gonzalez on the injury report still. Collie is a great route runner and although his speed isn`t as great as it could be he makes up for it with solid quickness in and out of his routes and an incredible football IQ that allows him to be on the same page as Peyton Manning. The Colts offense remains a juggernaut and with a couple young guys like Collie and Garcon stepping up, there is no doubt that so long as Peyton is under center, they will continue to roll.

Runner Ups:

Offense

Knowshon Moreno

5'11" 210 lbs.

Georgia

1st round selection, 12th overall

21 rushes, 88 yards and 4 receptions for 36 yards

Defense

Aaron Curry

6'2" 254 lbs.

Wake Forest

1st round selection, 4th overall

10 tackles, 1 sack, FF

Be sure to check back next week for the Week 6 ROTW!

Matty's Rookie of the Week

The 2009-2010 season has begun and my weekly rookie of the week is back. We had a lot of great performances this week, from quarterbacks and wide receivers especially. So, without further delay here is All Day Football's fourth Rookie of the Week of the season.

Matty's Rookie of the Week

Mohamed Massaquoi
6'2" 207 lbs.
Georgia
2nd round pick, 50th overall
8 receptions for 148 yards

Massaquoi exploded against the Bengals this past week and showed real promise for the future. So much so that Braylon Edwards was sent off to the Jets for a couple Mangini guys and a couple draft picks. But that is another story altogether, Massaquoi was an efficient target for Derek Anderson down the field, he made big catches and was very consistent and hopefully he can build on this success and give the Browns a more consistent big play target. Way to go Massaquoi, congrats on being named ADF ROTW for week 4.

Runner Ups:

Offense

Brandon Pettigrew
6'5" 265 lbs.
Oklahoma State
1st round pick, 20th overall
4 receptions for 64 yards

Defense

Brian Orakpo
6'3" 260 lbs.
Texas
1st round pick, 13th overall
7 tackles, 1 sack

Be sure to check back next week for the Week 5 ROTW!

Matty's Rookie of the Week

The 2009-2010 season has begun and my weekly rookie of the week is back. We had a lot of great performances this week, from quarterbacks and wide receivers especially. So, without further delay here is All Day Football's first Rookie of the Week of the season.

Matty's Rookie of the Week

Matthew Stafford
6'3" 232 lbs.
Georgia
1st round pick, 1st overall
21/36 for 241 yards and 1 TD, 2 rushes for 23 yards

Matthew Stafford hasn't yet lived up to his billing as the 1st overall selection but he is well on his way to getting there leading the Lions to their first victory since 2007. He showed poise in the pocket, he showed mobility and escapability and showed the power and touch that his throwing arm possesses as he threw some very pretty passes to Calvin "Megatron" Johnson and Bryant "Wishes He Has Optimus" Johnson.

Runner Ups:

Offense

LeSean McCoy
5'10" 198 lbs.
Pittsburgh
2nd round pick, 53rd overall
20 rushes for 84 yards and 1 TD, 1 rec., 9 yards

Defense

Victor Butler
6'2" 246 lbs.
Oregon State
4th round pick, 110th overall
3 tackles, 2 sacks, FF

Be sure to check back next week for the Week 4 ROTW!

Matty's Rookie of the Week

The 2009-2010 season has begun and my weekly rookie of the week is back. We had a lot of great performances this week, from quarterbacks and wide receivers especially. So, without further delay here is All Day Football's first Rookie of the Week of the season.

Matty's Rookie of the Week

Mark Sanchez
6'2" 225 lbs.
Southern California
1st round pick, 5th overall
14/22 for 163 yards and 1 TD

Week 2 and Sanchez already has his second rookie of the week award. Sanchez played like a cagey veteran against a stout New England Patriots team. He looked absolutely amazing in the game, he had great pocket presence and stood up to the rush of the Pats. He took what the defense gave him and never put his defense in a bad position by making a stupid turnover. The ball came out of his hands quickly which says that he is reading defenses well and he is getting the ball down field to his playmakers as he has instantly made Jericho Cotchery, Dustin Keller and Chansi Stuckey extremely dangerous. If he continues to play like he has the last two weeks and avoids the rookie wall, rookie of the year is his, guaranteed.

Runner Ups:

Offense

Percy Harvin
5'11" 184 lbs.
Florida
1st round pick, 22nd overall
5 receptions, 41 yards, 2 rushes, 14 yards and 1 TD

Defense

Rey Maualuga
6'2" 255 lbs.
Southern California
2nd round pick, 38th overall
4 tackles, 1 sack, 2 FF

Be sure to check back next week for the Week 3 ROTW!

Matty's Rookie of the Week

The 2009-2010 season has begun and my weekly rookie of the week is back. We had a lot of great performances this week, from quarterbacks and wide receivers especially. So, without further delay here is All Day Football's first Rookie of the Week of the season.

Matty's Rookie of the Week

Mark Sanchez, QB
6'2" 225 lbs
Southern California
1st round pick, 5th overall
18/31 for 272 yards and 1 TD

The first time starter unleashed on the unsuspecting Texan defense and they often didn't have an answer for the sensational rookie. Though his completion percentage was just a little north of 50% he put up massive yardage and a score to Chansi Stuckey. If this is how he is playing in his first game as an NFL QB then I think he has a very bright future ahead of him. Congrats on the first of presumably many ROTW's to come Mark!

Runner Ups:

Offense

Louis Murphy, WR
6'2" 200 lbs
Florida
4th round pick, 124th overall
4 receptions, 87 yards and 1 TD

Defense

James Laurinaitis, LB
6'2" 247 lbs
Ohio State
2nd round pick, 35th overall
14 tackles, FR

Be sure to check back next week for the Week 2 ROTW!

Freshman to Watch: Offense

Denard Robinson
QB Michigan

Freshman
6'0" 174 lbs.

Week 1 vs. Western Michigan
2-4 18 yards, 11 rushes 74 yards TD

Denard Robinson was a highly touted freshman coming to play for Rich Rodriguez at Michigan and after watching him play on Saturday vs. a pretty solid Bronco team, Denard Robinson could easily be the next great Rodriguez QB following in the shoes of Pat White... only "Shoelaces" as Denard is known might be more explosive when running and might have a stronger, albeit less consistent arm.

During a broken play in the 2nd quarter on a botched QB read/run play, Robinson dropped the snap and when things broke down, he turned it up by taking the ball 43 yards while evading tackles, stopping and juking on a dime and then taking it through a safety and cornerback by accelerating through their angles.

He is definitely the future and could see himself moving into a solid role in the future, however, starting QB Tate Forcier won't give up the job willingly as he burned the WMU defense to the tune of 13-20 for 179 yards and 3 TDs.

Matty's Big Board Prospect Countdown: 17!

Hey folks, the Super Bowl is behind us and it's time to focus on the next big event and that is the all powerful and mighty draft, which has the ability to take a team from the bottom of the barrel and turn them into a playoff caliber team (ex. Dolphins and Falcons). What I plan on doing is twice a week until draft weekend, I'll be counting down my top 25 prospects, discuss their strengths, weaknesses, overall impact in the NFL and potential landing spot. So, without further delay, I bring you the player who ranked number 17...

17. Andre Smith, OG/OT Alabama Crimson Tide

2008 Season Stats:
Outland Trophy Winner

Career Stats:
07-08 1st team All-SEC

Personal Stats:
6'4" 334 lbs. JR

Strengths:

Andre Smith is a beast of an offensive lineman and the pure definition of road grater. He is a wide bodied, long armed beast of a lad, he is a crushing run blocker and a well balanced pass blocker as he knows how to lock out, sink his hips and anchor against bullrushers and react to more finesse moves. He has fairly good athleticism and mechanics and definitely has a lot of upside and potential considering how young he is and the frame he has where he should be able to make himself a tad lighter so he can be quicker against speed rushers. He gets to the second level fairly well and blocks nicely in space, he has a mean streak and all the intangibles to be a solid NFL lineman.

Weaknesses:

Andre Smith has a few weaknesses, the most blatant and obvious one now is his severe lack of maturity. Andre Smith proved to be not ready for the rigors and bright lights of NFL when he came off as immature in his interviews and proved to be ridiculously unprepared as he was overweight, out of shape and not ready to handle his duties for the biggest job interview of his life. He also lacks the ideal athletic ability and height to be a great offensive tackle in at the next level, though he has long arms he has short legs and tends to bend at his hips a lot when he should be bending at the knees.

Overall:

Andre Smith has done a lot for his career at Alabama, but he has also done a lot to hurt it as well. Getting suspended for the Sugar Bowl, not interviewing well and leaving the combine early are all red flags but I believe some team will find the upside in Andre Smith and get themselves a Pro Bowl player. I feel he won't be a tackle at the next level but an elite guard, much like Davin Joseph, Shawn Andrews and Leonard Davis. I think he has a lot of value and versatility but considering his character red flags I would be tentative to give him a lot of guaranteed money that a top 5 to 10 selection warrants.



Projected NFL Destination:

With the 16th selection, the San Diego Chargers select...









There you have it folks, be sure to tune in later this week for Prospect #16!

Michael Crabtree opts for surgery

Texas Tech stand out wide receiver Michael "Crank Dat" Crabtree has decided that he will take the advice given to him by scouts and analysts and go in for surgery on his left foot. Crabtree was hesitant on going in for surgery and wanted to run on Texas Tech's Pro Day on March 26th but when he called into the NFL Total Access booth during the combine he was advised by Mike Mayock, Deion Sanders and other in the know analysts that he should let his tape speak for itself and that he should get the surgery because we know he can play but he shouldn't sacrifice his mini camp and OTA experience just so he can run a 4.55.

During his time at Texas Tech, Crabtree racked up 231 receptions for 3127 yards and 41 touchdowns in just two years of work. He is a top 5 pick at best regardless of what he does and at worst he's a top 10 pick. Crabtree will not lose much money in not working out because he'll never be a burner but his skills are unparalleled. However, it still will be very interesting to see how this effects his draft status.

-Matty

Andre Smith: Puts the OL in AWOL

Alabama Crimson Tide offensive lineman capped off an interesting junior campaign by completely blowing up at the combine. Unfortunately, not in the good way as Andre Smith's stock has completely imploded with him not coming off well in interviews, and not to mention him leaving early and telling teams that he was out of shape and not ready to work out at the Scouting Combine.

Granted, Andre Smith is still a kid and is quite immature but if he was not ready for the rigors of the NFL, then why did he decide to come out early? Andre Smith has done nothing but hurt his stock and for a player who was once considered the prize offensive tackle in the draft may not be even be top 10 consideration now which in terms of dollars and cents is a significant loss.

Teams are definitely going to red flag this as if he wasn't ready to interview for a job that will make or break his career, what chances are there that this happens again when he has millions of dollars thrown at him? He's going to need to do a lot between now and his Pro Day to prove to NFL teams that he belongs and it starts with SHOWING UP ON TIME!

-Matty

Rhett Bomar: Tangled up in Sam Hou.

Former Oklahoma and Sam Houston State QB Rhett Bomar is looking to shed the demons of his past and turn it into a future in the NFL. Before having his time at Oklahoma cut short by accepting some free cash from an alumni, Bomar was on his way to becoming an upper echelon starter and potential first rounder NFL quarterback.

However, couple years later and he finds himself on the outside looking in and he hopes to make a name for himself again. I believe that he is the 4th/5th quarterback in this draft, tied for early second day consideration with Ball State QB Nate Davis.

Bomar has the size, speed, athleticism, arm strength and mechanics to make for a great QB in the NFL and he will need to show up at his Pro Day as well to make sure scouts know he is the real deal and if he performs up to his potential he could potentially move into 1st day consideration especially after lackluster showings by Stafford, Sanchez and Freeman. I for one hope everything goes well for him as it is tough to seethe 2 top QBs from one high school class fizzle so poorly. (Yeah, I'm talking about you Brian Brohm!)

-Matty

Shady vs. The Flu

Former Pittsburgh running back and NFL draft hopeful LeSean 'Shady' McCoy did not enjoy his combine experience as he couldn't partake in any drills because of a serious case of the flu.

McCoy plans on working out at the Pittsburgh Pro Day on March 17th to showcase to all the scouts and NFL general managers that he belongs in the NFL. I think Shady has really hurt his stock with his flip flopping on declaring and now the flu so he's going to need to interview and test very well if he wants any shot of being not only a first round running back, but a first day running back as guys like Knowshon Moreno, Chris Wells, Donald Brown and Shonn Greene may be passing him by.

Stay tuned to the Alldayfootball's blog to get updates on Shady and be sure to check out the mock drafts to find out just where Shady will be playing his football on Sunday and if he'll be helping or hindering your favourite team.

-Matty

Combine Top Performers: Offense

It's that time again where talented players from all over the United States migrate to Indianapolis for the annual NFL Scouting Combine. It is here where future NFL talent is put to the test to see if they have the physical, mental and emotional strength to handle the rigors of the national football league.

Days 1 and 2 showcased the offensive players who will find their way on to rosters and starting lineups on Sundays and we saw some tremendous feats of strength, agility and athleticism from a lot of players, here are the players who I thought shined for their respective groups:

QBs:

Pat White, West Virginia

Top Performer:

40 yard dash: 4.55

Vertical jump: 35"

Broad jump: 9'9"

3 Cone: 7.06

20 yard shuttle: 4.42

Pat White put on a show as a quarterback looking fluid in all his testing drills along with the quarterback drills, he has made a case for himself to be the next big time mismatch player that will fit well in trick plays or in a wild cat system. I'm not quite sure where he projects in the NFL but I have a feeling he'll be a early-mid 2nd day selection after his performances at the Senior Bowl and Combine.

RBs:

Andre Brown, North Carolina State

Top Performer:

40 yard dash: 4.49

Vertical jump: 37"

Bench Press: 24 reps

Andre Brown was on the cusp in terms of running backs who could be selected Day 1, he was an incredibly productive runner at N.C. State and he looked really good at the Senior Bowl but he did not have the elite speed to get him into the first day, well now I think he deserves consideration as he is a between the tackles runner, he catches well out of the backfield and he isn't afraid to block, I think he is the Matt Forte of this years draft, not the sexy pick but a workhorse nonetheless.

WRs:

Darrius Heyward-Bey, Maryland

Top Performer:

40 yard dash: 4.30

Vertical jump: 38.5"

Broad jump: 10'6"

3 cone: 6.80

20 yard shuttle: 4.18

Darrius Heyward-Bey made claim for the spot of #2 wide receiver after Michael Crabtree and he brought it, looking to be every bit the athlete everyone thought he would be. Still doesn't change the fact that he is incredibly raw as a receiving prospect but his intangibles are impossible to scoff at and he is definitely in consideration as a first rounder considering his near limitless potential. DHB also added 16 reps on the bench which was 9th best of all WRs.

TEs:

Jared Cook, South Carolina

Top Performer:

40 yard dash: 4.50

Vertical jump: 41"

Broad jump: 10'3"

Bench: 23 reps

Jared Cook has now in my opinion jumped into first day consideration and is easily the second best tight end in this draft after Pettigrew. He showed he can run fast and be a vertical threat, he showed explosion and he showed functional strength. I believe he has definitely helped himself and he potentially could see himself drafted early 2nd and maybe even late 1st if a team really values him. He really helped himself out with his combine workout.

OL:

Jason Smith, Baylor

Top Performer:

40 yard dash: 5.22

Bench: 33 reps

3 cone: 7.53

Jason Smith used his combine workout to cement to the world that he is a top 5 selection and maybe even a top 3 selection depending on what the Lions and Rams want to do at #1 and #2. He leaped ahead of Andre "AWOL" Smith and Michael Oher to be neck and neck with Virginia OT Eugene Monroe. Jason Smith proved to be athletic, strong and willing to work. He's a bit of a project considering Baylor's spread offense and the fact he never went into a 3 point stance, but I think he has the most upside of any of the tackles in the draft and could definitely be drafted as high as #1 or #2, he really helped himself out at the combine as well.

Stay tuned for tomorrow when I reveal who I thought had the best workouts on the defensive side of the ball.

Matty's Big Board Prospect Countdown: 21!

Hey folks, the Super Bowl is behind us and it's time to focus on the next big event and that is the all powerful and mighty draft, which has the ability to take a team from the bottom of the barrel and turn them into a playoff caliber team (ex. Dolphins and Falcons). What I plan on doing is twice a week until draft weekend, I'll be counting down my top 25 prospects, discuss their strengths, weaknesses, overall impact in the NFL and potential landing spot. So, without further delay, I bring you the player who ranked number 21...

21. Matthew Stafford, QB Georgia Bulldogs

2008 Season Stats:
235/383, 3459 yards and 25 TDs, 10 INTs

Career Stats:
564/987, 7731 yards and 51 TDs, 31 INTs

Personal Stats:
6'3", 228 lbs. JR

Strengths:

Matt Stafford's biggest strength going for him has got to be his arm strength. The boy can launch the football and it seems as though arm strength is becoming a very good barometer for potential franchise quarterbacks as previous draftees Jamarcus Russell, Joe Flacco and so forth have had cannons. Stafford is also an incredibly tough quarterback, he played behind a subpar Georgia offensive line and was able to take a licking and keep on ticking. He also has fairly decent pocket presence and mobility, he can anticipate the rush and get on the move to get the ball down field. I feel Matt Stafford has a high ceiling and with some coaching in the right system with the talent around him, he'll be a definite NFL caliber quarterback.

Weaknesses:

As a quarterback, Stafford has quite a few weaknesses that could potentially be fixed with the right scheme and coaches, but they are definitely red flags for coaches. First of all, he has very poor accuracy and because of his arm strength he tends to either under or over throw his targets leading to costly interceptions as is evidence from his 31 in 3 years. He also makes poor decisions and locks onto his targets more often then he should and because of this he tends to take more hits than he should and gets himself into trouble in opposing secondaries, he also hasn't proved to be any sort of consistent clutch player who can get his team to the big game. He also doesn't have the stats to justify him being a top 10 QB.

Overall:

The way Matt Stafford projects as a NFL quarterback is pretty good, I feel he would be better served to wait a year before starting his career behind center to get used to the speed of the game, making the right reads and learning to harness the power of his cannon arm. I think he has the potential to be a great signal caller in the NFL and I feel he will be able to lead an established team to the playoffs and is possibly a franchise piece for a rebuilding team.



Projected NFL Destination:

With the 20th selection, the Detroit Lions select...










There you have it folks, be sure to tune in later this week for Prospect #20!

Matty's Big Board Prospect Countdown: 22!

Hey folks, the Super Bowl is behind us and it's time to focus on the next big event and that is the all powerful and mighty draft, which has the ability to take a team from the bottom of the barrel and turn them into a playoff caliber team (ex. Dolphins and Falcons). What I plan on doing is twice a week until draft weekend, I'll be counting down my top 25 prospects, discuss their strengths, weaknesses, overall impact in the NFL and potential landing spot. So, without further delay, I bring you the player who ranked number 22...

22. Chris Wells, RB Ohio State Buckeyes

2008 Stats:
207 rushes, 1191 yards and 8 TDs

Career Stats:
585 rushes, 3382 yards and 30 TDs

Personal Stats:
6'1" 237 lbs. JR

Strengths:

Chris Wells's strengths are numerous, he is a big bruising back with quick feet and smooth hips. He is a downhill, one cut runner who hits the hole with authority and runs over defenders with ease. He also possesses the speed in order to break the long run and makes quick cuts to make defenders miss in the open field. Chris Wells is a special talent who also excels in blocking and he has the career production to match his skill level, he has been a bruiser and will continue to be a bruiser and opposing defenses will have to watch out for his stiff arm because if you take a wrong angle on him, he will send you flying back and bolt past you without losing a step.

Weaknesses:

Despite his numerous strengths, Chris Wells also possesses some flaws as well. The main flaw that most teams may not be able to overlook are those in regards to his durability, his running style leads him to be more suseptible to injury as he doesn't shy away from contact, much the same way Adrian Peterson did when he played at Oklahoma. He also has trouble catching passes out of the backfield and is a very one dimensional player, if he's in the game, he's likely getting the ball on a hand off and little else.

Overall:

Overall, I think Chris Wells will be a gamebreaking running back in the NFL, I can imagine him having a similar career to that of Adrian Peterson, only not quite as productive based on his durability. Chris Wells is the kind of back teams will be looking for to replicate the Ravens power I run attack that featured LeRon McLain and Lorenzo Neal running over everyone. I think Chris Wells is probably the best candidate for offensive rookie of the year as it stands right now as I imagine he will have the biggest impact of all the rookies especially considering the weak class of QBs.



Projected NFL Destination:

With the 19th selection, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select...









There you have it folks, be sure to tune in next week for Prospects #21 and #20!

Top 5 Remaining Prospects

Hey folks, with the new mock up I've decided to make a quick run down of the top five best available players per position along with a prediction of where they may end up being drafted. So, without further delay, here is the list:

Top 5 QBs:

1. Hunter Cantwell, Louisville: early 5th round

2. Curtis Painter, Purdue: late 5th/early 6th round

3. Mike Reilly, Central Washington: mid/late 6th round

4. Tom Brandstater, Fresno State: mid 7th round

5. Graham Harrell, Texas Tech: mid/late 7th round

Top 5 RBs:

1. Mike Goodson, Texas A&M: early 5th round

2. Kory Sheets, Purdue: mid 5th round

3. Marcus Thigpen, Indiana: late 5th/early 6th round

4. Jeremiah Johnson, Oregon: early 6th round

5. Arian Foster, Tennessee: mid/late 6th round

Top 5 WRs:

1. Sammie Stroughter, Oklahoma State: mid 5th round

2. Demetrius Byrd, LSU: mid/late 5th round

3. Kenny McKinley, South Carolina: late 5th round

4. Mike Wallace, Ole Miss: late 5th/early 6th round

5. Jamarko Simmons, Western Michigan: early/mid 6th round

Top 5 TEs:

1. Travis Beckum, Wisconsin: early/mid 5th round

2. Cornelius Ingram, Florida: early 6th round

3. Davon Drew, ECU: mid/late 6th round

4. John Phillips, Virginia: mid 7th round

5. Bear Pascoe, Fresno State: late 7th round

Top 5 OL:

1. Tyronne Green, Auburn: early/mid 5th round

2. Xavier Fulton, Illinois: mid/late 5th round

3. Greg Isdaner, West Virginia: late 5th/early 6th round

4. Brett Helms, LSU: mid/late 6th round

5. Cedric Dockery, Texas: late 6th round

Top 5 DL:

1. Mitch King, Iowa: early 5th round

2. David Veikune, Hawaii: early/mid 5th round

3. Sammie Lee Hill, Stillman: mid 5th round

4. Michael Bennett, Texas A&M: mid/late 5th round

5. Terrance Taylor, Michigan: late 5th round

Top 5 LBs:

1. Darry Beckwith, LSU: early 5th round

2. Kaluka Maiava, USC: early 5th round

3. Daniel Holtzclaw, Eastern Michigan: mid 5th round

4. Victor Butler, Oregon State: late 5th round

5. Anthony Felder, California: late 5th/early 6th round

Top 5 DBs:

1. Kevin Barnes, Maryland: early 5th round

2. Courtney Green, Rutgers: early 5th round

3. Cary Harris, USC: early/mid 5th round

4. DeAngelo Smith, Cincinnati: mid 5th round

5. Otis Wiley, Michigan State: late 5th round

Top 5 STs:

1. Sam Swank, Wake Forest: mid 5th round

2. Paul Huber, Cincinatti: early 6th round

3. Graham Gano, Florida State: late 6th round

4. Ryan Succop, South Carolina: mid/late 7th round

5. Chris Miller Ball State: late 7th round/UDFA

Matty's Big Board Prospect Countdown: 23!

Hey folks, the Super Bowl is behind us and it's time to focus on the next big event and that is the all powerful and mighty draft, which has the ability to take a team from the bottom of the barrel and turn them into a playoff caliber team (ex. Dolphins and Falcons). What I plan on doing is twice a week until draft weekend, I'll be counting down my top 25 prospects, discuss their strengths, weaknesses, overall impact in the NFL and potential landing spot. So, without further delay, I bring you the player who ranked number 23...

23. Alex Mack, C California Golden Bears

2008 Season Stats:
Draddy Award Winner, 1st team All Pac-10

Career Stats:
3x 1st team Pac-10, 2x Morris trophy winner

Personal Stats:
6'4", 315 lbs. SR

Strengths:

Alex Mack is the epitome of everything a team should be looking for in an interior lineman, especially at the center position. He has tremendous size, strength and intelligence for a college prospect, combine that with his nasty mean streak and his love and driving opposing defenders into the ground and he could be the next All Pro center in the NFL. He understands how to block in terms of leverage and technique as he was a dominant high school wrestler, not to mention he's a workout warrior who will only get better, he is durable and he is a leader. He is the quintessential lunch pale player who goes to work everyday, puts on his hard hat and gets the job done regardless.

Weaknesses:

Alex Mack is a player with very few weaknesses but there are a few that will drop him down on certain draft boards. Though he is an outstanding run blocker, he can be overwhelmed in the passing game as even though he understands leverage, it's hard for a 6'4" center to stay low on a NT on every down. He tends to get blown back and spends too much time off his feet, he needs to learn to anchor like he does in the run game to better develop his pass set and work on his footwork as he tends to be very heavy footed. He also might be too aggressive at times and when trying to finish a block, he ends up on the ground again as he loses control on occasion.

Overall:

Alex Mack is the kind of prospect that comes along very rarely, he has all the athletic and physical ability to become an elite talent in the NFL. He will anchor the middle of an offensive line in the NFL for years to come and even if he gets drafted by a team that currently has a center in place, he could play guard as well as he is just too good not to have on your team. I think he will be a Matt Birk or Nick Hardwick type of center, an extremely smart but nasty and aggressive as well and I think he will make one teams offensive line immensely better.



Projected NFL destination:

With the 26th selection, the Baltimore Ravens select...









There you have it folks, be sure to tune in later this week for Prospects #22!