A lot of trade talk and rumors have surrounded the Vikings of late now that No. 4 is back under center, and the speculation is that Sage Rosenfels is on his way out of Minnesota. Sports Illustrated’s Don Banks had an interesting article speculating on a number of possible trade fits for Rosenfels, but I think he left out maybe the most obvious one, the St. Louis Rams. Now in fairness Banks wrote his piece before A.J. Feeley went down with an injury the other night, but even before then the Rams should be interested in a stopgap starting quarterback.

A.J. Feeley isn’t exactly the best option for a starting quarterback in this league and the Rams desperately need someone to hold the reins while Bradford gets his feet wet. I know there is a growing sentiment in the NFL to start rookie quarterbacks in year one, despite the fact that it rarely works, but the Rams need to be smart here. This isn’t the New York Jets last year, a playoff caliber team (and I still believe that the Jets might have rushed Sanchez) for a rookie quarterback to hide his inexperience on. The Rams have been awful for quite some time, and they don’t exactly have the best offense around Sam Bradford.

In two preseason games Bradford has struggled mightily, and things will only get worse when he is in regular game action. I know the Rams invested a lot of money and their top pick in him, but that is no reason to rush him into the starting role. In fact it is because they invested so much in him, that they should be extra cautious and careful with Bradford. And trading for Rosenfels would help solve their dilemma at quarterback. Right now it might make sense to put Bradford atop the depth chart given that his performance isn’t that much worse than Feeley (though considering how low that bar is set, it should be cause for concern), and he has this seemingly limitless potential. But if they add Rosenfels then there is a quarterback who can keep the seat warm, and teach the kid a thing or two.

Rosenfels I think could be a solid starter in this league. And while the Rams offensive situation won’t help his numbers, he should be manageable. Now I don’t think he will turn them into automatic contenders or completely make fans forget about Bradford. What he will do is let the rookie learn the game and the league, and take all the pressure off of him.

Now I am not saying Bradford should never play, maybe some mop-up duty late in games, and if he shows something, a start or two at the end of the year. But Bradford has no business starting more than half of the Rams games. There will be no good coming from that, and will likely only set him back another year or more in his development. If Brees, Brady, Rivers, Rodgers, and even Favre (as well as plenty of others) needed a year or more to develop, do we really think that Bradford is ready from day one? If the Rams are smart, they will give up a late round pick or two for protection for their future ‘franchise’ quarterback.

Much of the debate this off season leading up to the draft has involved where the top two quarterbacks Sam Bradford and Jimmy Clausen should fall, and whether it is worth drafting them ahead of other more talented players. The answer to the second question is dependent on each team, for a team like the Redskins who have one of the leagues worst offensive lines and skill player sets, it doesn’t make sense to add a quarterback to a team that can’t support one. For a team like the Rams who at least has a solid-good offensive line and a top notch running back, it makes a bit more sense to add a young quarterback. Now as to the answer to the first question as to where these quarterbacks should fall, I think it will take a bit more insight.

The hardest thing about slotting quarterbacks is figuring out who really needs a young signal caller. Going back to our earlier example of the Rams and the Redskins, the Rams are a no brainer, considering Keith Null started the last 4 games of the season for them last year. The Redskins on the other hand didn’t make nearly as much sense (though plenty of people in Washington thought so). Sure the Redskins would love to draft the next Manning or Rivers, but there is absolutely no guarantee that either Bradford or Clausen will become that. What there is a guarantee of is that neither quarterback would perform better than Jason Campbell, who put up good numbers last year in a bad offense. Maybe three years down the line they could be better quarterbacks, but for the hear and now they didn’t represent an upgrade and the Redskins had bigger needs along the offensive line to fill. Which is exactly why they traded for Donovan McNabb instead of drafting an unproven rookie.

So in looking at need you can cross the Lions and Buccaneers off the list, because they spent first round picks last season on quarterbacks. And you can probably cross the Chiefs and Seahawks off the list because they have ‘filled’ their need as well (I think it is pretty debatable that their quarterback positions are set, but given the value they traded away I don’t see either team using a first round pick on a QB). So that leaves the Browns, Raiders, Bills and Jaguars as top 10 teams that could have a need at quarterback. The Jags are on the fringe because Pro Bowler (how he ended up in the Pro Bowl is beyond me) David Garrard is there and is an average quarterback. Jacksonville could use a dynamic signal caller, but will probably look to the defensive side of the ball in the 1st round. The Browns went out and acquired two placeholders at quarterback, and while they need a long term answer my guess is they will target Colt McCoy in Round 2. The Raiders are a possibility, but it is almost impossible to predict what they will do. Bills seem like the most likely target for a quarterback. They do have serious offensive line issues, so they aren’t the best fit for a young guy. At the same time though, fortunes have been so bad in Buffalo and the offense so anemic, that a lack of a quarterback has been what is holding them back.

While at this point it is a foregone conclusion that Sam Bradford will be drafted first by the Rams, leaving Jimmy Clausen as the quarterback wondering where his next home will be, I think the Rams were a bit too hasty in their decision. For me, I think Clausen is the better option than Bradford. To be honest I love and hate both quarterback prospects. I love them because I see their skills and potential, but I hate them as early first round picks because I think there are too many questions about them still unanswered. Again, I get why the Rams are drafting a quarterback number 1, but I don’t understand the who and I have doubts that they will find that next great signal caller.

Bradford and Clausen might be major upgrades over the Keith Null’s and Kyle Boller’s of the league, but neither one strikes me as a top-notch quarterback. Particularly if they are going to start from day one, which more often then not stunts a quarterbacks growth. For me, I have more faith in Clausen because he came out of a pro style system, and has much better experience dropping back and reading defenses from behind center. I also saw a lot of development in him over the years, and he no longer seems like the entitled 18 year-old freshmen he was when he started with the Irish. His arm strength isn’t fantastic, but I do believe it’s good enough almost nearly equal to Bradford’s.

As for Bradford, while he looked healthy in his Pro Day, and I’m sure his individual workouts, you have no true litmus test to see if his arm is truly 100%. You don’t know how it feels the next day after throwing, you don’t have a baseline to compare the week-in-week-out. And you have no idea how his arm will hold up after it gets hit a few times. On top of all of that concern about his health, I think not seeing him this past year behind a weaker Sooner team should have some cause for concern. I was very interested to see if he could rise to the challenge with so many new offensive starters. Remember Jevan Snead gets blasted for putting up worse numbers despite losing key offensive linemen and weapons. It is quite possible that Bradford might not have handled the change well either. I’m not saying it should be a knock on Bradford, just that I believe there were legitimate questions going into last season, that one year later remain unanswered. For me, all those old questions are there, about the system, adjusting to lower quality personnel, and new ones have risen about his health. I can’t put Bradford ahead of Clausen. The Rams will go in a different direction, but I would be a little worried if I were a Rams fan if it’s the right direction.

There is no other way to describe how I felt after reading today’s Washington Post, where it is suggested that the Redskins could be so enthralled with Sam Bradford at quarterback that they’d be willing to trade up in next month’s NFL Draft. Currently the Redskins hold the 4th pick in the draft, and would need to trade up to number 1 to ensure the get Bradford. The Post make the obvious comparison to the Eli Manning-Phillip Rivers scenario 7 years ago. Where the Chargers traded Manning to the Giants for Phillip Rivers (the 4th pick) a 2004 3rd rounder, and the Giants 1st and 5th round picks in 2005. Let me make this decision easy for the Redskins — Sam Bradford is not worth the price of admission.

Drafting 1st round quarterbacks is a risky proposition that doesn’t always work out, making the drafting of Bradford or Claussen a mistake to begin with, for the rebuilding Redskins. And trading up for one of them is pretty much the surest way to kill this team’s long term future. The Giants paid a king’s ransom to trade one Pro Bowl caliber quarterback for another. Now Manning did win a Super Bowl for the Giants so its hard to fault them too much, but Rivers is every bit as good if not better than Manning, and they gave up some other very valuable assets.

The most frustrating part about this idea to trade up is the perception that Bradford will cure all the Redskins woes and instantly make them a contender. I like Bradford, I really do, but I don’t think he is able to step into the starting line up from day one. He’s not that type of quarterback. Not only is he coming off an arm injury, so I’d be a bit weary to put him behind a horrendous offensive line, but he’s coming from an offense where he spent the vast majority of his time in the shotgun. He’s going to have to learn to read defenses and pass rushers all while performing 3, 5, and 7 step drops that he is not used to. That is not a recipe for success. Last year the two quarterbacks taken in the top five didn’t have either concern, and both had stronger arms, yet had awful seasons.

Bradford is more like a Phillip Rivers or Aaron Rodgers, quarterbacks who got a couple years of apprenticeship before becoming starters. That is the most surefire way to get a rookie quarterback to succeed (no it doesn’t work all the time, but it has more success then starting a quarterback in year one). So if Bradford shouldn’t be playing in his first (or even second) year, is it really a good idea to trade future assets for him? NO, of course not. In fact, given the Redskins needs, its not a good idea to draft a quarterback in the first two rounds of next month’s draft.

Washington needs guys who can play in 2010. They have not been active this year in free agency, and while they might still yet add a few solid players, they aren’t going to be long term solutions or definitive starters. Meaning the Redskins hope for rebuilding will come through the draft. They have major needs along the offensive line, with none of their starters or primary backups under the age of 30 (Stephon Heyer shouldn’t be either a starter or a primary backup). And the linemen they do have make up one of the worst units in the league. They also need help at running back and fullback, as well as another receiver.

Their situation at running back is nearly as bad as their offensive line one. Clinton Portis has aged quickly, and has taken quite a beating these past few years. His only backup right now is Larry Johnson, who has aged even quicker and has taken his own share of abuse. The Redskins could desperately use both a third down back and power back, but at least one of which should have the overall talent to begin to take a significant load by 2011, since both Portis and Johnson could be done by then.

On defense the Redskins are better and should have a talented unit this season, but they still have both short term and long term questions. They are making the transition to the 3-4, and while Albert Haynesworth can be disruptive as an end, they need to add additional 3-4 ends and nose tackles to ensure their success. Also, while Brian Orakpo should have little trouble making the switch to a rush linebacker, there is some worry about Andre Carter making the switch as well. Washington needs more depth at both inside and outside linebacker. The Redskins secondary was their Achilles Heel last year on defense, and for the most part hasn’t been addressed. The Skins should think about adding another corner, from one of the deepest corner drafts in recent memory, and adding a true free safety would allow LaRon Landry to possibly make the switch to strong safety, where his lack of coverage skills won’t get as exposed.

That is quite a bit of needs for a team looking to use their top pick on a quarterback who shouldn’t play a meaningful snap in 2010. I have no problem drafting a quarterback and addressing that need as well, but if they aren’t going to play right away and can be a bit more of a project, why not grab one in the 3rd-5th round (the Redskins currently don’t have a 3rd round pick, though they could easily remedy that with a trade). There are some very interesting projections in those rounds, guys like Tim Tebow, Jevan Snead, Dan LeFevour, Tony Pike, or John Skelton.  Any of whom could very well end up being the best quarterback in this draft class. It will also allow Washington to address their MAJOR need at left tackle, in the first round. Because unlike quarterback, where you can find franchise players in every round (or even undrafted), franchise offensive tackles come pretty much from round 1. If they draft and or trade up for a quarterback, and I legitimately think the price would be the 4th pick this year, their 2nd rounder, and next year’s 1st round pick. Then the Redskins would have no way of fixing their holes on the offensive line. Those are the picks where they can find a starting tackle, and the fact of the matter is they need two of them.

Washington shouldn’t take away any of their draft picks this year or next, in fact they should be doing everything in their power to be adding to them (including trading back from 4). This is easily the deepest draft class this decade and possibly the deepest since the 1996 draft class. Their is talent at every position and about 60 guys with legit first round grades. Next year’s draft class is already shaping up to be a good class as well, since a number of quality players returned to school, because while they have first round talents they might not have cracked the top 40 picks in this class. In addition their is a very talented rising Junior class as well, that should add a number of underclassmen. Also, for what its worth, I think the top two quarterbacks in next year’s class Jake Locker, and Ryan Mallett are already better prospects than either Sam Bradford or Jimmy Claussen. There is no reason the Redskins need to force the issue this year when their team has so many needs, they should focus on filling those needs first, then add their a top quarterback (if they haven’t already found one with a mid-round pick).

Now I realize the Redskins could potentially trade a package of young players/restricted free agents with the 4th pick to move up, and preserve their draft picks. But even if they were able to package 2-4 of Jason Campbell, Rocky MacIntosh, Reed Doughty, Carlos Rodgers, Kendrick Golston (restricted free agents), Malcolm Kelly, and Fred Davis (young players) it wouldn’t be a good deal for the Redskins. Not only is it unlikely the Rams would want to shell out the long term contracts for some of the restricted players, but that is a gross overpayment in talent for a guy, who again won’t be playing this next season. While the Redskins should consider moving some of their restricted free agents if they aren’t going to sign them long term, they should get either draft picks or young players in return, that way they can fill all their needs as well as the new holes they will create.

The Redskins should table any idea of trading up for a quarterback, as well as any idea that has them taking one in the top two rounds of the draft. Sam Bradford won’t help the Redskins blocking, or running the ball and he won’t be able to help their passing attack much either since Skins won’t have addressed their first two issues.

1. St. Louis Rams: Sam Bradford.  There are a lot of questions about how he will transition to the NFL and his shoulder, but Bradford will likely be the Rams pick. He wouldn’t be my pick, but I understand the need for the Rams to get a ‘face of the franchise’.

2. Detroit Lions: Ndamukong Suh.  The Lions should probably go with the top OT on their board (Russell Okung), but I don’t know if they will pass up the best player in this draft.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Gerald McCoy.  The Bucs have a lot of options, but they need help up front on defense and McCoy is the disruptive force that fits that bill.

4. Washington Redskins: Russell Okung.  Reports out of DC indicate that the Skins are only interested in Bradford for the QB of the future in the early first round. While a trade back may still be possible, taking the top OT would fill a big need.

5. Kansas City Chiefs: Bryan Bulaga.  Its hard to get a feel of how the OT’s are ranked, but I think Bulaga is the 2nd best LT in the draft. Chiefs need to move Branden Albert inside where he is a better fit and grab the top OT on their board.

6. Seattle Seahawks: Eric Berry.  With the addition of Whitehurst QB is a little less of a need, allowing the Seahawks to pass on Claussen. They will still be able to at an LT with their 14th pick, allowing them to take the best player available here in Berry.

7. Cleveland Browns: Joe Haden.  Browns are a big wild card, they somewhat filled the need of QB and OT likely addressing those positions in the later rounds. While they could grab Haden here, CB is one of the deepest positions in this draft. I could see them trying to trade up to grab Suh, McCoy, or Berry, and if they can’t, I believe they will try to trade back to acquire more picks. If they stay where they are Haden and DE/OLB Jason Pierre-Paul offer the best value.

8. Oakland Raiders: Bruce Campbell.  The Raiders need an OT and Campbell is the best physical specimen there is. While he’s a raw player and probably shouldn’t be drafted for another 10-15 picks, he fits the Raiders draft philosophy perfectly.

9. Buffalo Bills: Jimmy Claussen.  The Bills need to address the O-line as well, and Trent Williams is a legitimate option, but I don’t know if they can pass up a quarterback here. I like Claussen and think if he’s brought along slowly (ex. Phillip Rivers) he could develop into a very good quarterback.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars: Derrick Morgan.  The Jags luck out somewhat that Morgan falls to them. He’s a pure 4-3 end, taking him squarely off a number of team’s boards. In reality he is a top talent and will be a major boost to the Jags anemic pass rush.

11. Denver Broncos: Rolando McClain.  Most people will be clamoring for Dez Bryant here, but I’m not sold on him as a top 1 or 2 receiver in this league, and especially not in year 1. McClain can be an immediate starter at ILB for the Broncos a become a tackling machine.

12. Miami Dolphins: Dan Williams.  Another spot where Bryant will get a look, but I think Parcells is too smart to take a questionable receiver with this pick. Dan Williams gives Miami their anchor in the middle of their 3-4 defense, and will go a long way to allowing their top free agent signing, Karlos Dansby to make plays.

13. San Francisco 49ers: Trent Williams.  The 49ers have a big need at tackle and Williams can step in on the right side from day 1. Since the 49ers are set on the left side they might not want to grab a tackle this early, but getting a bookend like Williams will help their offense tremendously.

14. Seattle Seahawks: Anthony Davis.  I think the Seahawks were hoping T. Williams fell to them, but they will take the next best tackle in Davis. Anthony Davis hasn’t had a good offseason, but he is still a very good tackle prospect. Anywhere from 15-20 would be good value for him so, grabbing him at 14 isn’t really a reach.

15. New York Giants: Jason Pierre-Paul.  The Giants need to improve on defense and get good value here with Pierre-Paul. He’s an excellent pass rusher who is coming off a breakout season. He is an extremely raw prospect but with unlimited potential. If he reaches it he is an All-pro, if not he could be a major bust. He makes sense for New York, because their depth along the defensive line will allow them to use him solely as a pass rusher early on, and ease him into being an every down end.

16. Tennessee Titans: Everson Griffin.  The Titans need help along their defensive front, and that need got greater with the loss of free agent Kyle Vanden Bosch. Griffin has had an impressive off season and is moving himself up draft boards. I’d expect him to get a long look in Tennessee.

17. San Francisco 49ers: Kyle Wilson.  The 49ers could go a number of directions here with their 2nd pick, but Wilson would be a great addition to their secondary. I think he is a very underrated corner back and may end up being just as good as Joe Haden.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Iupati.  With the signing of Ryan Clark and the top two corners off the board, I think the Steelers look to get back to smash mouth football with this pick. Iupati is an absolute beast in the interior, and while some believe he could move out to tackle, the Steelers should just leave him where he’s at and get ready to send him to the Pro Bowl.

19. Atlanta Falcons: Brandon Graham.  Atlanta needs to keep improving their defense, and while they took the first steps last season they aren’t done yet. Graham should give a nice boost to their pash rush and hopefully help give the Falcons a playoff caliber defense.

20. Houston Texans: Ryan Mathews.  Now I know everyone believes that C.J. Spiller should be the top back off the board, but he is far too similar to Steve Slaton. Mathews is the perfect compliment and probably the most complete back in this class. While the need at corner back is there, the Texans should be able to find a good one in round 2.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Jermaine Gresham.  I would give Spiller consideration here as he’s a great compliment to Benson and will make the Bengals more explosive, but I give Gresham the edge. Spiller is a want for the Bengals, where as Gresham is a need. Cincinnati has a big hole at tight end, and Gresham would give Palmer a great underneath option as Ochocinco and Antonio Bryant stretch the field.

22. New England Patriots: Dez Bryant.  I think the Patriots would have taken Gresham if he was available, but will instead opt for another pass catcher. Spiller could be another option here, but New England could be concerned with Welker’s injury and Moss’s potential contract status. New England also seems to be more focused on building their offensive weapons, which will likely push down defensive needs or addressing the O-line.

23. Green Bay Packers: Charles Brown.  The Packers need to address their offensive line, and Brown is the best tackle still available. This might be a slight reach for him, but the Packers starting tackles are old with bad injury histories. Last year without a good back-up plan Aaron Rodgers almost got killed, and it cost the Packers dearly in the playoffs.

24. Philadelphia Eagles: Devin McCourty.  The Eagles need to address their depth at cornerback, and both of their starters are getting up there in age. While the Eagles have some other needs I think they will opt at adding another top line corner to try to slow down Eli Manning and Tony Romo.

25. Baltimore Ravens: Earl Thomas.  While the Ravens want to add a tight end they will probably wait till the 2nd round to address that need. Thomas would give Ed Reed a fantastic safety duo. And with all the talk of Reed possibly retiring in the near future, would ensure that Baltimore’s secondary still has an elite presence at safety.

26. Arizona Cardinals: Rodger Saffold.  I see a serious run on offensive tackles in this draft and with the Cardinals filling their needs on the defensive side of the ball in free agency they will be able to turn their attention to the offensive line. Saffold is a bit of a reach here but Arizona needs to address their line, especially with their questions at quarterback.

27.  Dallas Cowboys: Taylor Mays.  Cowboys likely wanted to add an Offensive tackle, but everyone is off the board at this point. They could go with a defensive lineman, but I see them liking Mays’ athleticism and hitting ability. Roy Williams struggled because he wasn’t fast enough but that isn’t a problem with Mays. He does need to learn coverages better and take better angles, but he could develop into an elite safety.

28. San Diego Chargers: C.J. Spiller.  I know Spiller is probably too similar to Sproles for most people to consider him here, but Sproles is almost definitely gone after this season. Spiller can still be that home run hitter in the backfield, as well as helping in the return game.

29. New York Jets: Demaryius Thomas.  I think Thomas will end up being the best receiver in this class. He is still raw as a route runner, but should develop quickly. He has excellent upside for the Jets here and given their depth won’t need to be relied upon from week 1.

30. Minnesota Vikings: Maurkice Pouncey.  The Vikings offensive line crumbled last season and has already seen their top back up leave in free agency. If they want to get Adrian Peterson going again, and convince Brett Favre to come back addressing this need is key. Pouncey can play any of the interior positions, where the Vikings were the weakest.

31. Indianapolis Colts: Carlos Dunlap.  Dunlap has had some off the field and work ethic issues, but he represents tremendous talent for this spot. The Colts pass rush and defense in general was tied solely to Dwight Freeney last season. While Freeney can still bring the heat, the Colts need to give him some help. Dunlap has the physical tools to develop into a premier talent. Hopefully being on a team with guys like Manning and Freeney will allow him to unlock his potential.

32. New Orleans Saints: Jared Odrick.  The Saints could go for a number of positions here, but Odrick does everything along the trenches and would be a good fit for New Orleans. Their defensive line depth was pretty weak last season and it showed down the stretch. Upgrading that area will likely be the Saints top focus.

There was shocking news yesterday, that Oklahoma redshirt junior Sam Bradford may need surgery and is likely done for the season. Bradford came into this season with high expectations coming off his brilliant Heisman Trophy campaign where he threw for 4,700 yards and 50 touchdowns. This season has been an absolute disaster for Bradford and the rest of the Sooners. Bradford has played in just three games this season, getting injured in two of them. In that limited time Bradford did not look sharp or resemble the quarterback that led the Sooners to the National Championship game last season. Now part of that is due to the initial injury he suffered in the first game of the season, but another part is that Oklahoma lost most of their offensive line and one of their top receivers. Without them, their offense sputtered and Bradford couldn’t save them. Now, Bradford being down for the year will have a lasting impact on Oklahoma, the NFL and himself.

Going into the season Bradford was the odds on favorite to be the first quarterback taken in the first round, and likely the number one overall pick. Bradford was so far ahead of other quarterbacks, that had he declared for the draft last season, he may have gone ahead of Mark Sanchez and even Matt Stafford. And while there are a number of talented signal callers in college football today, Bradford had a commanding lead on being the leader of the pack (50 touchdowns will do that). Now Bradford stock has taken a huge hit due to injury and ineffectiveness. Now Bradford has zero shot of being the first quarterback taken and could even be falling out of the top 10 or even top 15 range. Now the question is whether or not Bradford will come out and be taken late or roll the dice again and return to Oklahoma. Being a redshirt junior Bradford could decide to come back for his senior year, which will leave the Sooners in an interesting predicament. Don’t get me wrong Oklahoma would love to have Bradford back, but doing so would screw up a plan they long had in place.

Redshirt freshman Landry Jones will retake the reins of the Oklahoma offense for the rest of the season. Jones replaced Bradford earlier in the year and had some mixed results. He struggled with some reads and definitely wasn’t ready to have the Sooners season dumped on his shoulders, but he did show a lot of promise. Overall, I would have said the Sooners have a bright future with Jones at quarterback. Now Jones will have to navigate a tough conference schedule, and if he does well that could create a problem for the Sooners. While you can’t bench Bradford, its hard to shutdown the development of your future after he held his own against the Big 12. It will be interesting to watch how it plays out with Jones and Bradford, but in reality I don’t see the situation getting that far.

The only way I see Bradford returning to school is if his injury will have him out until mid to late summer. If he can’t throw until then, I could see him returning to Oklahoma since his draft stock will have fallen well out of the first round. Outside of that unlikely scenario, Bradford should come out this year and not risk another year (injury) in college. He may no longer be the top QB taken or a top 10 pick, but Bradford can still find a nice home in the NFL, and some team will love to grab him later in the first round. He has too much to lose to risk coming back another season, and plenty of great QB’s were taken outside of the top 10.

College Football: No more upsets, Return of the Stars

Just two weeks after seven top 25 teams got upset in a single weekend, this past weekend saw only one team, the Auburn Tigers, get knocked off by a weaker opponent. A number of other top 25 teams went down to the wire, but only Arkansas was able to pull off the upset. That might have more to do with the fact that preseason polls artificially prop up teams that don’t deserve to be ranked so high. Now we are seeing a top 25 made up of the 25 best teams and not just the 25 most popular teams. As conference play progresses I have little doubt that we will see weeks with multiple upsets, but I doubt we will have another week this season with as many as seven or as few as one.

Yesterday the last two Heisman Trophy winners, Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford returned to action after suffering serious injuries. Tebow didn’t miss a game due to a bye week, but was a game time decision last night against the 4th ranked LSU Tigers. Tebow was efficient and did enough for the Gators to pull out a win on the road, but he didn’t seem like he was 100%. Bradford on the other hand hadn’t played since week one, had a big game yesterday in his return. He was off on some throws, and wasn’t nearly as efficient as he usually is, but he still threw for almost 400 yards (it was against Baylor so keep that in mind). I think within one more week both Bradford and Tebow will be back to mid-season form and lighting up scoreboards at will.

Baseball: Dodgers sweep the Heavily Favored Cards

So did people underestimate the Dodgers or just overestimate the Cardinals, because their series didn’t play out like anyone expected. I understand that at the end of the day Vincent Padilla and Randy Wolf, are still Vincent Padilla and Randy Wolf, but both pitched great for the Dodgers this year. The Dodgers were the best team in baseball the first half of the season, and that was while Manny was suspended and before Padilla, Jon Garland, Jim Thome, George Sherrill and Ronnie Belliard were on the roster. No team strengthened their pitching depth and bench more than the Dodgers did at the trade deadline. Those moves came up big in this series, Sherrill pitched in every game, Belliard had a big hit in game two, and Padilla pitched seven strong innings yesterday. Yeah the Dodgers weren’t playing their best baseball when the season ended, and they definitely weren’t the hottest team as the playoffs began, but they were the best team 1-25 on their roster can match up with any other team, and they showed that this series.

Yankee Bowl?: The New York Yankees announced the formation of the “Yankee Bowl” yesterday. Which will pit the 4th place finisher of the Big East against the 7th place team in the Big 12, or potentially Notre Dame if they don’t have a better bowl offer. The game will be played at Yankee Stadium starting in Dec. 2010. If approved by the NCAA (which lets be honest isn’t going to turn down the New York market or the Yankees) the “_____” Yankee Bowl (can’t wait to see who will be the corporate sponsor here), will represent the 35 post season bowl game in college football. I love the idea for two main reasons. One it brings to mind the nostalgia of a time when football and baseball shared stadiums, and it will be interesting to see how they reconfigure Yankee Stadium for the game. The other reason I like the idea, is I’m in the group of people that don’t mind all the bowl games in December/January. Look I want to see the BCS scrapped and replaced with a playoff system as much as the next guy, but that doesn’t mean you have to get rid of all the various bowls to do it. Its a topic for a longer post, but taking the top 8, 12, or 16 teams and separating them out in a playoff to determine the National Champion, should have no impact on all the other bowl games out there. Already these bowl games have no impact on the National Championship and are for league and team pride, which I see nothing wrong with. We still have the NIT and other postseason basketball tournaments that have no impact on the NCAA tournament. I like having a number of bowl games to watch around the holidays, why because I enjoy watching football. Also these bowl games are crucial to a number of programs survival. Plenty of teams really don’t have National Title hopes, but they do have a chance to get a moderate bowl, and that money allows them to recruit better, build a program, and maybe one day be an elite program.

Injuries piling up: Baylor sophomore QB Robert Griffin is now out for the year with a knee injury. Griffin is a dual-threat quarterback that made the Bears a team with upset potential against the big boys in the Big-12. Senior cornerback Walter Thurmond will miss the rest of Oregon’s season with a knee injury as well. Thurmond was the Ducks best defensive player, and one of the best defensive backs in the nation. He was a dangerous return man as well, already returning one punt this season for a touchdown. The Ducks will need some help in the defensive backfield with Washington and USC coming up on the schedule. Speaking of USC their freshman defensive end (sack machine) Nick Perry, who leads the Pac-10 in sacks will likely miss Saturday’s game against the California Golden Bears. Its a huge game for USC on Saturday, if Perry can’t go they will need to find someone else to generate pressure in the Golden Bears backfield. USC’s senior running back Stafon Johnson is communicating after surgery yesterday to repair this throat after a serious weightlifting accident on Monday. Johnson’s playing days at USC are done, but the fact that he is alive and well, and should make a full recovery after the injury that he had, is a great blessing for him, his family and all of USC football.

Heisman Quarterbacks, Coming Back: The last two Heisman winners, Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford should be making their return to the gridiron soon enough. Bradford who has been out since week one, could play in this week’s match up against Miami. He will almost assuredly be back the following week when the Sooners begin their conference schedule against Baylor. Personally I’d give the redshirt freshman Landry Jones a chance to see what he can do against Miami, and have Bradford there in case things go sour quickly. Don’t rush your star QB back when you still have your whole season ahead of you. As for Tebow, he won’t miss any games since Florida is off this week. But it sounds like it was a pretty serious concussion if he is still dealing with headaches and prohibited from watching game film. The Gators face a major challenge in two weeks against LSU, and will need Tebow at 100% to stay undefeated.

It might be September but it is never too early to start looking at next April’s draft. I’ll post a weekly mock draft, based on team needs. Since its still early in the season I’ll base my draft order on last year’s. As we get deeper into the season, I’ll start basing it on actual standings.

* denotes underclassmen

1. Detroit Lions: Gerald McCoy DT*

I don’t think the Lions will be picking first again, but if they are I can’t see them passing up a talent like McCoy. McCoy is a difference maker along the interior and would be the perfect compliment next to Grady Jackson. The Lions focused on offense last year in the first round, so this year they should target defensive players. While their defensive tackles are improved with Jackson in the middle, they need to add another force in the middle. Detroit could go a number of directions here, with Offensive tackle and defensive end the next two likely choices.

2. St. Louis Rams: Sam Bradford QB*

Last year the Rams added their LT, now the Rams need to add someone for him to block for. Marc Bulger’s time in St. Louis is all but over, and the Rams will be quite lucky to replace him with Sam Bradford. Bradford is the best quarterback in the country despite being injured in week one against BYU. Bradford will rejuvenate the Rams offense, and could bring them back to the glory days of ten years ago.

3. Kansas City Chiefs: Russell Okung OT

Safety Eric Berry is the best player on the board right now, but I have a feeling the Chiefs will play it safe here and go with the best OT on the board. Okung will get some competition for that spot, but right now he is the best OT in the nation. Okung is a powerful blocker that is equally talented in run and pass blocking. Kansas City could use some help up front and Okung should give Cassell the kind of protection that he needs.

4. Seattle Seahawks: Eric Berry S *

The Seahawks would have wanted either Bradford or Okung, but with them off the board they will gladly take Berry the best player in this draft. Berry is a ball hawk in the mold of Ed Reed or Bob Sanders. He will fill a big need on defense, and be a cornerstone for Seattle to build around. With two first round picks the Seahawks can ignore their bigger needs on offense and draft the best available player here. Quarterback, running back and offensive tackle are all positions that need addressed as well.

5. Cleveland Browns: Jahvid Best RB*

This is a tough pick for the Browns, they have any number of needs but the three positions that there are plenty of top-10 talent available are, offensive tackle (Joe Thomas), defensive tackle (Shaun Rodgers), and quarterback (Quinn/Anderson) the Browns seem set at. Now Quinn has not looked impressive so far, but I think they will give him one more year after this to prove himself. Maybe they draft a quarterback in the 2nd or 3rd round, but I don’t see them spending a top 5 pick on a QB. The Browns could go after S Taylor Mays here, but running back is the bigger need right now. Best isn’t a top 5 player in the country, and probably is a stretch to say he’s worthy of a top 10 pick, but the Browns running game is so awful they need to upgrade here. Even if that means a bit of an overdraft. Best will give them a playmaker and weapon on offense, but I don’t see him as an every down running back.

6. Cincinnati Bengals: Ndamukong Suh DT

Bengals are another team that could go a number of directions here. They need a running back, but with Best off the board no one is good enough to even over draft at this point. They could use a safety but Mays is a SS and Roy Williams has been working out so far. They need another offensive tackle, but the Bengals aren’t the type of team to spend top-10 money on bookend tackles. I think they grab Suh here, which is an absolute great value. Suh is a force in the middle, which should give Odom even more freedom from his defensive end spot. Suh is a prototypical nosetackle that should occupy a number of blockers to free up the Bengals talented linebacking corps to make plays.

7. Oakland Raiders: Taylor Mays S

The Raiders would have drafted Mays last year at the 7th spot had he entered the draft, so they will be quite happy to take him here this time around. He hits like a linebacker and runs like a corner back, making him one of the best physical specimens in this draft. He doesn’t have great ball skills, leaving some to wonder if he’s more like Roy Williams rather than Sean Taylor. I think there is a big of a risk with Mays, i’m not sold that he is the next Polamalu just because he went to USC (that line of thinking didn’t work out to well for the Raiders when they drafted Bing a few years ago). I would not be shocked if his ultimate position is outside linebacker given his speed and strength. The Raiders will draft him as a safety and he should be an upgrade there, but be wary of considering him a savior.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars: Tim Tebow QB

I’m not sold on Tim Tebow as a quarterback or as a 1st round pick. I think he does a lot of things well, and good things always seem to happen when the ball is in his hand, but its tough to project him as a top-10 pick. While I don’t want to deny the natural talent and leadership that he possesses, I also can’t deny that his success screams “system quarterback”. No one has ever seen what he can do under center in a pro style formation, and until you do see that drafting him early in the 1st round is a major risk. Given all of that I believe the hype I think the Jaguars will take the risk and sign the local hero to market him to their fans. It might not be the smartest pick on the field, but it probably will be at the box office.

9. Green Bay Packers: Trent Williams OT

Its very likely the Packers won’t have a top-10 pick, but regardless of where they pick offensive tackle should be their top priority. It’s simple if they can keep Aaron Rodgers upright they have a chance to win, when he spends most of the afternoon on his back or running for his life, they get upset by the Bengals. Green Bay desperately needs a help along the line so Williams will fill a major void in Wisconsin. If they can’t get good value at OT look for them to turn their attention on the defensive side of the ball.

10. San Fransisco 49ers: Jevan Snead QB*

The 49ers got screwed this year with the Michael Crabtree holdout. Hopefully for their sake they will be able to trade his rights before the draft and maybe get at least a 2nd round pick out of the fiasco. This year I think San Fransisco will target a signal caller to give Singletary a quarterback to build around. Shaun Hill has been nice but he’s taken the 49ers as far as his arm will allow. He is solid enough where he can stick around another year and let Snead learn from the sidelines. Snead is a quality prospect, and I wouldn’t knock him too much for his performance against South Carolina. I think he’ll bounce back and show that he is a Franchise talent.

11. Buffalo Bills: Brian Bulaga OT*

When your bookend tackles are Demetrius Bell and Jonathan Scott offensive line help is a must in the first round. The Bills might have needs on defense or at wide reciever, but they just can’t afford to pass up Bulaga at this point. Bulaga would be best suited to start out at RT and move over to the blindside after a couple of years, but I don’t think Buffalo can wait, and will stick him in their opening day line up at LT. Bulaga is a mauler though and should be able to handle the tougher position with ease.

12. Seattle Seahawks (from the Broncos): C. J. Spiller RB

Quarterback is a STONG possibility here Hasselbeck is near the end of his career and Wallace isn’t the heir apparent, but I think Seattle goes in a different direction here. The NFC West is a poachable division and if the Seahawks add another playmaker they could make a pretty good run if Hasselbeck stays healthy. Julius Jones has been solid so far this year, but he needs another back to compliment him and that back’s name isn’t Edgerrin James. Spiller would be a nice upgrade at running back, and give Seattle a ground attack that can keep the chains moving.

13. Washington Redskins: Colt McCoy QB

Their is little doubt in my mind that Jim Zorn and Jason Campbell are out in Washington after this year. Offensive tackle is a priority as well, but I think they will look for their franchise signal caller in the first round. Jimmy Clausen is an option here as well, but I’d like to see if he can keep up his early success as the competition gets tougher, and with his top receiver out for the year. McCoy worries me given his lack of arm strength, but I think he is a leader and a winner overall, and is worth the risk. He reminds me of Mark Brunell (Jaguars years, not his time with the Skins) as a quarterback with a weaker arm, but his leadership and athleticism wins through in the end.

14. New Orleans Saints: Sean Weatherspoon LB

The Saints have one of the best offenses in the league, now they need to build a defense that is comparable. There are more talented defensive linemen available, but the Saints biggest need is at linebacker. Weatherspoon is always around the football, and unlike many college linebackers he his a complete player, that has the ability to drop back into coverage. New Orleans will likely address their defensive line and secondary in the next two rounds.

15. Houston Texans: Carlos Dunlap DE*

Dunlap has the physical talent to be the best defensive player in the country, he just hasn’t shown it so far on the football field. He is a Mario Williams clone at defensive end, and bookending him with Williams should jump start a pass rush that has disappeared this season. The Antonio Smith signing has been a bust so far, even if he starts producing I don’t see the Texans letting Dunlap fall any further in the draft. Even though it would be yet another 1st round pick used on the defensive line, the Texans need to start putting more pressure on the quarterback, and Dunlap fits the bill perfectly.

16. San Diego Chargers: Terrence Cody DT

Cody is a monster in the middle and a pure nose tackle prospect. He needs to be blocked by at least two players and clogs up the interior with the best of them. He is a perfect fit for San Diego, as good as the Chargers defense is they don’t really have a quality NT. Drafting Cody will allow their linebackers to get more freedom to get after the quarterback.