The Rams Are On The Clock, Just Not First

The NFL Draft starts on Thursday.  This primetime event will make some college players dreams come true and mark the beginning of a new era for teams.  For months, NFL personnel have studied the players.  They watched the tapes, measured physical skills, conducted background checks and interviewed everyone from the player’s past.  Now it is time for them to make a selection.  Who will go in the first round?  Who will be the Number 1 Overall Pick?

It has been an interesting draft season.  Neither one of the top prospects at the quarterback position, Sam Bradford and Jimmy Clausen, threw at the Combine.  At the Senior Bowl, we saw a disappointing performance by Tim Tebow, one of the best college quarterbacks, that led to him changing his throwing technique.  He did not throw at the Combine, but really impressed scouts at his Pro Day. 

It’s crazy that I am even mentioning Tebow in a discussion about the first round of the draft.  He will most likely not get drafted until the second round (at the earliest), but the guy is a marketing machine, so I have to keep you in the loop.  Ticket sales for the Senior Bowl increased by 5,000 after he announced that he would participate.  He already has a deal with Nike and is on the cover of EA Sports’ college football game.  Even the NFL invited him to Radio City Hall for the first night of the draft.  (This is unheard of for a player with his draft stock.)  Will teams place more value on his image or his skill?

OK, last week I said that the Redskins would trade Jason Campbell to the Rams.  If this trade happens on Wednesday evening, everyone is shocked and here is how the first round of the NFL Draft goes.

1.     Washington Redskins (from Rams) – Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma. 

Snyder and Shanahan like McNabb, but they know that he only has a few more years.  They prepare for the future with a young quarterback. 

2. Detroit Lions - Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State

4.     St. Louis Rams (from Redskins) – Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame.

Billy Devaney knew that he needed a quarterback.  He got Jason Campbell to go out there immediately and got a great deal on his future starting QB.

5. Kansas City Chiefs—Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma

6. Seattle Seahawks—Eric Berry, S, Tennessee

7. Cleveland Browns- Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech

8. Oakland Raiders—Earl Thomas, S, Texas

9. Buffalo Bills – Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma

10. Jacksonville Jaguars—Joe Haden, CB, Florida

11. Denver Broncos—Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama

12. Miami Dolphins—Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee

13. San Francisco 49ers—Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida

14. Seattle Seahawks—C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson

15. New York Giants—Everson Griffen, DE, USC

16. Tennessee Titans—Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida

17. San Francisco 49ers—Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa

18. Pittsburgh Steelers—Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho

19. Atlanta Falcons—Brandon Graham, OLB/DE, Michigan

20. Houston Texans—Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State

21. Cincinnati Bengals—Ryan Matthews, RB, Fresno State

22. New England Patriots—Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers

23. Green Bay Packers—Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma

24. Philadelphia Eagles—Taylor Mays, S, USC

25. Baltimore Ravens—Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State

 26. Arizona Cardinals—Sergio Kindle, OLB/DE, Texas

27. Dallas Cowboys—Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State

28. San Diego Chargers—Sean Witherspoon, OLB, Missouri

29. New York Jets—Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers

30. Minnesota Vikings—Kareem Jackson, CB, Alabama

31. Indianapolis Colts—Jerry Hughes, OLB, TCU

32. New Orleans Saints—Jahvid Best, RB, Cal

As for Tebow, he will go in Round 2 or Round 3 to a team with an established quarterback like the Patriots or Steelers.  At the end of the day, this is a sports competition, not a congeniality contest.  So skills win.

The NFL will release the full 2010 schedule tonight at 7 p.m.   Check out your team schedule at nfl.com.

Ciao!

Heels &  Helmets