26 Things to Watch Until Next Saturday

Since there will be no show this Saturday, November 13th, there would be nothing better to point out 26 things that might happen in the next week and a half.

Some of them have no relevance or are sarcastic remarks about things that are not important.  However, it will give some food for thought.

1.  The Gamecocks and Gators battle for the SEC East – The winner of this game gets to face a team from the mighty SEC West in Atlanta on December 4th.

The bad news:  one of these teams will have to face a team from the SEC West.  The Western Division is so much better than the East this year, that you almost wish that two teams from the SEC West would play in the championship game.  Unfortunately, the rules don’t work that way.  Unfortunately, the winner of this game will likely be throttled by any team in the SEC West.

2.  Auburn’s Cameron Newton is not ineligible – It seems like nobody can accept that Newton is better than everyone in college football.

A week after rumors that Newton was purchased by Auburn, now news comes out that he cheated on tests while at the University of Florida.

While that is no laughing matter, let us not take away from the fact that Newton turned his life around from the mistakes he made with the Gators.

Oh, and this just in, Cameron Newton just kicked a puppy.

3.  TCU is for real, just don’t tell the BCS that – What is it going to take for people to realize that TCU actually deserves a spot in the National Championship?

After stomping over the 5th-ranked Utah Utes, TCU was still stuck at third in the BCS.  Utah did not get passed the 50-yard line until mid-way through the second half.

Everyone entered this season talking about Boise State’s chances to make the title game, but TCU quietly has become in the driver’s seat as the non-BCS team to play for a national championship.

While it was just Utah, they aren’t your everyday non-BCS team.

4.  There is no dominate NFL team – The closest thing to the best team in the NFL is the Pittsburgh Steelers.  But they are only tied for first place in the AFC North.

Normally at this point in the season, there is still an undefeated team or two, typically the Indianapolis Colts.  There is also at least one team on the verge of clinching a spot in the postseason.

This is truly a league of parity right now, and for the NFL, that is not what you wanted.  Potentially on the verge of a work stoppage, the NFL was hoping for a great season, not one of multiple controversies and lousy play.

5.  Jimmie Johnson will win at Phoenix – After an embarassing run at Texas, which included switching the pit crews with a teammate, Johnson will come out a determined driver at Phoenix.

Johnson, usually up by over 100 points by the second to last race of the season, is actually second in points to Denny Hamlin.

The drive for five has been a rough road for Johnson, but you can never overlook a four-time consecutive defending champion.

6.  Tennessee will win out and go to a bowl game – This would mean the team would have to win every game the rest of the season, but their schedule is relatively easy.

Tennessee faces Ole Miss this week, followed by games against Vanderbilt and Kentucky.  It is not an easy road, but very doable.

It won’t be a premier bowl, but the strong run to the finish will put the Volunteers in a lower-tier bowl.  Plus, they have also found their quarterback in Tyler Bray.

7.  Oregon will lose this season – Oregon, dominating teams all season, will lose before this season is over.  Unfortunately for the Ducks, that will cost them a chance at a national championship.

Oregon faces California, Arizona, and Oregon State to round out their season.  They have also lost their backup quarterback, Nate Costa, for the remainder of the season due to a knee injury.

Oregon is an extremely fast team, but one of those teams will trip up the Ducks chance for an undefeated season.

7.  Eric Mangini is a ‘Man’gician – Cleveland Browns coach Eric Mangini seems to pull off miraculous wins left and right.  He beat the defending Super Bowl champion’s New Orleans Saints and the New England Patriots.

Both times, Mangini has just flat out beaten these teams.  The favorites were outplayed on both occasions by the Browns.  Also, don’t overlook the play of Colt McCoy.  Once thought to be on the bench most of the season as a rookie, McCoy has looked impressive in each game he has played.

8. Arkansas slams South Carolina – In a meaningless game for South Carolina, the Gamecocks looked like they could not even beat Furman right now.

It was their worst game of the season, and it came at the worst moment.  With Florida coming up, the Gamecocks have no momentum heading towards Gainesville.

In addition, the fans were embarrassing to South Carolina again.  Shots of a empty Williams-Brice Stadium was all over television, displaying that most of the fans of the team, only care if South Carolina is winning.  You will never be a powerhouse football program if 75% of the fans leave at halftime.

9.  The next NFL coach to go:  Brad Childress – Yes, the Vikings did win on Sunday, but it was a game that Arizona lost.

It is very clear that the Vikings should not have welcomed back Brett Favre and should not have re-acquired Randy Moss.

It is also clear that coaching has a large part in this team’s failures.  Adrian Peterson and the running game has disappeared, and a once stout defense has some holes.

A team should not fall off so much from one year to the next, but Childress’ coaching and questionable personal decisions will cost him his job, potentially before the end of the season.

10.  It will get worse in Dallas before it gets better – After firing Wade Phillips on Monday, Dallas looks to regroup for the future with Jason Garrett as the new head coach.

However this is a team that can go two ways, up or farther down.  With so many personalities on the team, Dallas is more likely to self-destruct as this miserable season continues.

That is where Garrett has to step-up.  He has to figure out which players continue to play their hearts out, and which players give up on the season.  The players that play hard, have the upper-hand in earning their stars for 2011.

11.  Bruce Ellington will be better than Devan Downey – Sure it is a bold prediction after only one exhibition game, but he performed that well.

There were times watching the freshman point guard for South Carolina where he bursted down to the other end of the floor in the time of blinking an eye.

He tossed up a miracle shot at the end of the first half that somehow went in as time expired.

The Gamecocks and Ellington are going to take some hits this season; but watch out as this young team that Darrin Horn has put together matures.

12.  Bruce Pearl must have a great season to stay at Tennessee – While it was merely an exhibition game, it was a loss to Division-II opponent Indianapolis.

Bruce Pearl also has been in the news with recruiting violations not only while at Tennessee, but throughout his coaching career.

If Pearl wants to stay as the Volunteers’ coach after this season, he must show that the exhibition loss was only a fluke and this team will contend for an SEC title in the 2010-11 season.

Should Pearl not do that, I-40 or I-75 can take you out of Knoxville, depending on which direction you want to go.

13.  The NFL will suspend someone for hitting after this week – It was another rough week in the NFL.  Green Bay Packers S Nick Collins was fined $50,000 for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Dallas Cowboys WR Roy Williams.

After the crackdown on hits, the NFL really had no issues.  The players seemed to ease up for a week or two, in hope of letting this storm pass over.

The NFL has only fined players since the declaration that they would suspend players.  The NFL might be ready to send the message that they are serious and don’t have a problem sitting players for hitting.

14.  Ellis Johnson and Lorenzo Ward are fighting for their jobs – South Carolina Assistant Head Coach for Defense Ellis Johnson and Defensive Coordinator Lorenzo Ward are fighting for their jobs as the Gamecocks’ defensive secondary refuse to stop a passing game.

South Carolina was lit up by a freshman quarterback two weeks ago against Tennessee (Tyler Bray), and then there was Ryan Mallett (no explanation needed there).  While depth is an issue, the Gamecock defense was supposed to be a strength of this team.

However, the defensive effort against Kentucky in the second half, was not an abhorrition.  That game revealed a serious problem for this team.  The repeated breakdown and the drop-off from a year ago puts Johnson and Ward on the hot seat.

15.  SC’s Women’s Basketball will have a better record than the men – Since both Darrin Horn and Dawn Staley arrived at the beginning of 2008, the men and Darrin Horn have had the upper hand.  Not so fast, my friend.

The women, with some addition by subtraction in terms of Kelsey Bone, might try and make a legitimate run.  Staley is a good coach, and the university is giving her time.

However, the women must start making strides this season.  Staley’s job is not in jeopardy, but it could be.  Many of the players recruited by Staley have had time to gel, so an improvement is expected.

Meanwhile, the men are rebuilding with Horn’s recruits.  The only holdover from the Dave Odom-era is Sam Muldrow, who is expected to contribute big time.  This team is still waiting on the return of sophomore Ramon Galloway from a broken foot, and the hopeful emergence of some freshmen to be competitive.

In short, the men will have a tough year; the women look to compete.

16.  There will be no surprises with the MLB awards – People will be looking for upset winners for Most Valuable Player and Cy Young Award winners for the 2010 season.

For each league, there are the favorites for the award, and generally, there will not be anyone upset over who wins the awards.

Also, like normal, the announcements will come and go without much pomp and circumstance.  That is a far cry from when everybody spend days speculating on MLB award winners.

17.  Virginia Tech will still go to a BCS game – When Virginia Tech lost to Boise State to open the season, it is excusable; Boise State is a good team.  Lose to James Madison, well you know the answer.

However, those were Virginia Tech’s only losses this season.  The Hokies are in position to win the ACC and return to a BCS game.  Still like the BCS?

Love or hate the BCS, Virginia Tech has done everything they were expected to do.  Frank Beamer once again asserted why he has been with the Hokies for so long, and how success leads to job security.

18.  The NCAA is clearly investigating Cameron Newton – Already referencing this, it needs to be done so again.

There is no question that the NCAA is investigating Newton.  Typically, you can tell it when tidbits of information surrounding a player is continuously revealed.

Auburn has little they can do about this now.  If Newton was ineligible, they would already have to give up ll the wins this season, meaning it makes no sense to sit him to try to ‘save the season.’

It would truly be a shame if an incredible athlete like Newton, would be sullied by this investigation.

19.  Terrell Owens makes a team bad – It did not even take a full season for Cincinnati Bengals’ WR Terrell Owens to make his presence known.

Normally Owens gets along with everyone in the first season or two before he forces his personality on his teammates.  This was quite evident in Monday’s game against the Steelers as Owens began to yell at Carson Palmer.

Owens still believes that he is the best receiver in the league.  However, Owens is no more than a complimentary receiver that cannot run routes and cannot make the easy catch.

20.  Fear the Beard – As one bearded man goes away, San Francisco Giants’ reliever Brian Wilson, another returns to the spotlight.

Conan O’Brien returns to television after nine months of being censored from television.  Why does this apply to a sports blog?

Both would help out the rest of the world by shaving the beard off.  Raise some money for charity.

21.  Jon Miller and Joe Morgan leave Sunday Night Baseball – ESPN announced that the duo will not return to its Sunday Night Baseball telecasts in 2011.

Morgan’s contract expired and will not be renewed.  Miller will be offered to return as a baseball announcer for ESPN Radio’s baseball coverage.  That isn’t a slap in the face.

Perhaps, this means that Jon Sciambi will get a chance to be the new voice of Sunday Night Baseball, after Miller and Morgan went 21 years.

22.  Without Lattimore, the Gamecocks have nothing – In games against Kentucky and Arkansas, the Gamecocks have been forced to operate the offense without freshman phenom Marcus Lattimore.

It is nice when one guy brings such talent to an offense, but no team can fall flat on its face when he goes out of the lineup.

This team goes when Lattimore goes.  When he is on the sidelines, this team is lost and could not beat an average team offensively.

23.  Dolphins give up on Chad Henne – Sure this might be a little over the top, but explain to me what you are gaining by starting Chad Pennington?

Pennington has the intangibles, and he has an arm that can make a throwing motion, but the ball doesn’t go anywhere.  Henne at this point is the better quarterback, even if he has thrown 4 interceptions in his last two games.

This is a desperation move by the Dolphins, that will soon become an epic fail.

24.  Wade, James, and Bosh…the terrifice trio – Maybe not.

It has been more of a one man show of Dwyane Wade.  Wade was responsible for every point in overtime against Utah on Tuesday night.

Eric Spoelstra has to feel that seat getting warm with the poor start of the Miami Heat.  Pat Riley, although he has denied it, has to be licking his chops to get the opportunity to coach this team.

25.  College Basketball Starts this week – The most exhilarating sport in college finally returns.

Four more teams get to play in the NCAA Tournament this year.  March is just around the corner and these games are pivotal in building that resume.

At the same time, you can overcome losing early.  Figure out the problems in November, so that you can win the games that count in February.

26.  Congratulations – You actually read through all of this.  Feel free to give yourself a hand-slap; you deserve it.

We will return on Saturday, November 20th at 8 am on WUSC.  Enjoy your sports!

2010 South Carolina Gamecocks’ Football Predictions

With the season opening Thursday night against the Southern Miss, now is probably the right time to put down on paper my predictions for the 2010 South Carolina Gamecocks football season.

As much as diehard Gamecock fans want this season to be the year, it is just not going to happen.  A tough schedule is going to burn the Gamecocks.

Let me, however, clarify something.  This is the Gamecocks best opportunity to make some noise in the SEC East.  A somewhat down year for the division gives the Gamecocks a fighting chance.

September 2nd – vs. Southern Miss – Unlike the past 2 years, a victory is not a guarantee against the Golden Eagles.  Southern Miss brings a fast-paced, pass-happy offense that South Carolina’s Assistant Coach for Defense Ellis Johnson will have to dial in the right scheme.

This is a game that should be close through 3 quarters, but the power of the SEC will allow the Gamecocks to pull away late.  Gamecocks 24, Golden Eagles 14.

September 11th – vs. Georgia – No one expected the sloppy, high-scoring game that occurred last year between these two teams, which had the Bulldogs outlasting the Gamecocks 41-37.

Georgia will have to rely on the running game and a stout defense in order to beat the Gamecocks in the suffocating heat, which will certainly be a factor as kickoff is scheduled for noon.

The Gamecocks will have the more complete, well-balanced team, and will bring home the victory.  Gamecocks 20, Bulldogs 13.

September 18th – vs. Furman – If South Carolina Head Coach Steve Spurrier is going to be tempted to give Connor Shaw an opportunity to start, this is going to be the game.

Shaw, a true freshman, has easily out-practiced incumbent Stephen Garcia.  It’s just hard for Spurrier to start a freshman quarterback.

An otherwise uneventful game will carry a big storyline out of it, who will start the following week at Auburn.  Gamecocks 35, Paladins 10.

September 25th – at Auburn – This is the Gamecocks’ first test on the road in the 2010 season, and it could not have come at a tougher venue–Auburn, Alabama.

This is truthfully a toss up game.  Both teams have the same amount of talent, it is just going to be about which team can minimize the mistakes, and take advantage of turnovers and defensive stops.

The edge goes to Auburn, simply because this game is being played at Jordan-Hare Stadium.  Just like any stadium in the SEC, it’s a tough place to play.  Tigers 24, Gamecocks 20.

October 9th – vs. Alabama – The Gamecocks will get two weeks to prepare for the defending national champions, the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Last year, in Tuscaloosa, the Gamecocks did not get the best of Alabama.  South Carolina could not hold up Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram, who might not even be the team’s best back.  The Gamecocks could have legitametly beaten Alabama, if they had just held Ingram to maybe 100 fewer rushing yards.

The Crimson Tide is an excellent pick to win both the SEC Championship and the National Championship again this season.  Alabama will once again roll over the Gamecocks, just this time, it’s in Columbia.  Crimson Tide 28, Gamecocks 10.

October 16th – at Kentucky – The Gamecocks, just having lost their last two games after winning their first three, have an excellent opportunity to get back to their winning ways.

Kentucky will come into this game still trying to figure out if they have a chance to go to a bowl game, or will this just be another long season for the Wildcats and new coach Joker Phillips.

However, the last few games between these two teams have been very close, including last year’s 28-26 win by South Carolina.  This is a game that if the Gamecocks do not watch out, Kentucky can pull the upset.

On the road in Lexington, Kentucky have brought memorable moments in Gamecocks’ history, the hope is this year, that won’t be needed.  Gamecocks 17, Wildcats 10.

October 23rd – at Vanderbilt – For the last few years, Vanderbilt has driven the Gamecocks crazy.  South Carolina barely won last year.  The Commodores pulled the upset on a Thursday night in Nashville two years ago.  Vanderbilt also defeated the Gamecocks when they were in the top 10 in the polls in the last five years.

There is no reason why South Carolina struggles so mightily against the Commodores, but they seem to have the Gamecocks’ number.

With all that said, and despite new head coach Robbie Caldwell’s endearing personality, the Gamecocks are a more balanced team and should beat the inexperience in Nashville.  Just like any game between these two teams, it’s going to be a nail-bitter.  Gamecocks 13, Commodores 3.

October 30th – vs. Tennessee – The Gamecocks would like to punish the Volunteers, much like what happened on Halloween one year ago in Knoxville.

Tennessee, under new coach Derek Dooley, will struggle to get the six wins to become bowl eligible.  However, this team will fight hard and tough, maybe pulling an upset in one of those games.

Both teams will bring a solid defense, but South Carolina has the edge in offense.  Just like in trying to win any football game, the Gamecocks need to minimize turnovers, and take advantage of the mistakes of a young Tennessee offense.  To steal a line from Lee Corso, this one is going to be closer than the experts think.  With a win, the Gamecocks will become bowl eligible.  Gamecocks 27, Volunteers 14.

November 6th – vs. Arkansas – The Arkansas Razorbacks have one of the top three teams in the SEC.  It is truly a shame that they play in the same division as Alabama.

With quarterback Ryan Mallett returning with a passing game expert in coach Bobby Petrino, this team will battle with Alabama for the top spot in the SEC West.  The talented defensive backfield of Stephon Gilmore, Chris Culliver, and Akeem Auguste of South Carolina will struggle to contain this passing attack.

The only hope South Carolina has is that Mallett becomes too confident at times and force the ball into spaces that will create turnovers for South Carolina.  If the Gamecocks want a legitimate chance to win this game, they will have to do it on defense.  Razorbacks 35, Gamecocks 17.

November 13th – at Florida – After nearly beating Florida one year ago, the Gamecocks will try to win in Gainesville.  For some reason, the Gamecocks tend to bring their A-game when playing at Florida, even before Steve Spurrier became coach.

The Gators will not lose a whole lot with John Brantley taking over for Tim Tebow, if any.  Brantley might fit into Urban Meyer’s system better than Tebow.  Brantley is comparable to Alex Smith, who played as Meyer’s quarterback at Utah.

Regardless of who is the quarterback, Florida is still the team to beat in the SEC East, and they will show that in what will be a close game down in “the swamp.” Gators 24, Gamecocks 14.

November 20th – vs. Troy – For the first time in a couple years, the Gamecocks will not have an off-week between Florida and Clemson, part of the ‘orange-crush.’

There are benefits and risks to having a game after Florida and before Clemson.  You have the opportunity to work on plays that you might use against the Tigers.  At the same time, you risk injury to a star player right before your rivalry game.

The last time these two teams met was in 2005, when South Carolina defeated Troy 45-20.  This is a game to build up the confidence for Clemson, that you might have lost against Florida.  Gamecocks 34, Trojans 7.

November 27th – at Clemson – It is very tempting to pick Clemson in this game, after being embarassed in Columbia last year, and wanting to impress the home crowd at Death Valley.

However, the Gamecocks want to prove that they want to make this an even rivalry once again.  Clemson will be better than originally thought with Kyle Parker playing one final year as quarterback, and a triple-headed running attack.

Expect a much closer game than last year, as these two teams will be battling for playing in December or playing in January (not a BCS game).  Gamecocks 27, Tigers 21.

The Gamecocks will end the season 8-4, 4-4 in the SEC conference.  If all goes well, the Gamecocks will likely play in a New Year’s Day bowl, hopefully in the warm climate of Florida.  (Anyone that went to Birmingham knows its not warm.)

This year’s big storyline will be about the quarterbacks, as Spurrier will often find himself using both Garcia and Shaw.  That means that this team will have to rely heavily on its stout defense if it has real aspirations to go to Atlanta for either the Chick-Fil-A Bowl or the SEC Championship.

Section 26 Sports Final Mock Draft

So here it is folks.  This is the final NFL mock draft of the year.  This mock draft is full of interesting draft picks that you may not see anywhere else.

And keep in mind I don’t do trades in my mocks.  They get way too complicated and are impossible to predict.   I could easily see some teams, especially Detroit trading down, and some others, especially Oakland or Cleveland trading up at some point.

Round One
1. St Louis – Sam Bradford QB Oklahoma – They obviously need a franchise QB and Bradford is tops in the draft class.
2. Detroit – Ndamukong Suh DT Nebraska – I could easily see a trade down here. Detroit has holes to fill as positions with depth in the draft (RB, OT, DT). However, because I don’t do trades, they take Suh.
3. Tampa Bay – Gerald McCoy DT Oklahoma – Defensive line help is the biggest need for Tampa and they get an elite DT.
4. Washington – Russell Okung OT Oklahoma St – Chris Samuels retired and Washington got their QB in McNabb. Step 2 is the franchise LT, Okung.
5. Kansas City – Trent Williams OT Oklahoma – Kansas City could go in quite a few directions here, but if they’re smart they’ll go with the offensive line. Branden Albert faded quickly last season and they need someone to fill in and protect Cassel.
6. Seattle – Bryan Bulaga OT Iowa – With Seattle’s two first round picks, they will try to bolster the trenches. It seems sure one of the top two DE’s should drop to them later so they take Bulaga here.
7. Cleveland – Eric Berry FS Tennessee – It is amazing Berry fell this far and Cleveland should be thrilled. They fill a need with one of the top players in the draft. Berry will also help in the return game which would assist Cribbs moving to WR permanently.
8. Oakland – Bruce Campbell OT Maryland – This is a HUGE reach. Campbell is not a top player, but he’s very athletic for a tackle and, well, this is Al Davis after all.
9. Buffalo – Anthony Davis OT Rutgers – Buffalo has one of the worst offensive lines in the league so they desperately need to address it. With a line that bad, it doesn’t matter who is at QB. Anthony Davis is a bull when run blocking and Buffalo will have to rely on their run game, as they have no pass game. This seems a natural pick.
10. Jacksonville – Derrick Morgan DE Georgia Tech – Morgan is the best pass rushing DE in the draft and he will go to the worst pass rushing team in the NFL, Jacksonville. Jacksonville did sign Aaron Kampman, but that won’t be enough. This will give youth and fire to the weak defensive line.
11. Denver (from Chicago) – Dez Bryant WR Oklahoma St – As expected, Brandon Marshall is gone. We also found out that Tony Scheffler is going to Detroit. Eddie Royal is a good WR, but not a number one option. They need an elite receiver and Bryant is the best in the class.
12. Miami – Dan Williams DT Tennessee – Miami has a few needs but nose tackle is a glaring one. However, if they do trade Ronnie Brown, CJ Spiller could jump up to this pick for Miami.
13. San Francisco – Joe Haden CB Florida – Haden does not fill their strongest needs, offensive line and quarterback, but he’s the best player available and the 49ers have two first round picks. He’s worth the pick here as a top notch player.
14. Seattle (from Denver) – Jason Pierre-Paul DE S Florida – As stated before, Seattle has to start from the inside out with the trenches. It’s time for the defensive line and Jason Pierre-Paul is the pick. He can play a 4-3 DE or a 3-4 rush LB. Here he’ll play at DE and rush the passer, which is his specialty.
15. NY Giants – Rolando McClain ILB Alabama – Antonio Pierce was a staple on the Giants defense, but his neck injuries led to his release. The Giants need to retool and the best place to start is at MLB. However, if they trade Osi Umenyiora they could draft a DE here, possible Carlos Dunlap.
16. Tennessee – Kyle Wilson CB Boise St – The could go defensive line, but I really think they need to go with a CB here. Wilson is a physical back and fits well with Tennessee’s philosophy.
17. San Francisco (from Carolina) – Jimmy Clausen QB Notre Dame – Some say Clausen would never fall this far, but I really don’t like his future. He has an attitude issue and a slow deliver at times. However, the 49ers need a QB and Clausen has potential.
18. Pittsburgh – Devin McCourty CB Rutgers – The current CB’s on the Steelers’ roster are weak and can’t get it done. McCourty is an underrated CB that will fit well with the Steelers’ defense.
19. Atlanta – Carlos Dunlap DE Florida – Jamaal Anderson is a bust, we all know that now. It’s time to get a young pass rusher to play opposite John Abraham. Dunlap is a big pass rusher with the size and speed to start immediately. He does however have motivation problems at times.
20. Houston – Earl Thomas FS Texas – Houston will need to fill a big need at both safety positions as well as replace CB Dunta Robinson. Here they will go with Thomas who will fall further than his talent level represents. The bottom line is that this is a steal for Houston.
21. Cincinnati – Taylor Mays SS USC – Simply put, Cincinnati needs safety help and they love the USC products. Mays will fit in very well.
22. New England – Sergio Kindle OLB Texas – The Patriots need to fill a pass rushing void and Kindle would work well as a top-level 3-4 pass rusher.
23. Green Bay – CJ Spiller RB Clemson – This is the surprise pick of the draft. Green Bay doesn’t have too strong of a need at RB and Spiller may not fall this far. However, I see him dropping for various reasons, including his horribly low Wonderlic score. Green Bay will fill two secondary needs, backup RB and return specialist.
24. Philadelphia – Kareem Jackson CB Alabama – With Sheldon Brown gone, the Eagles will need a CB opposite Asante Samuel. Jackson is a great talent and will fit very well with the fast, athletic ideals of the Eagles defense.
25. Baltimore – Jermaine Gresham TE Oklahoma – Todd Heap has been invisible for Baltimore lately. They need another pass catcher for Flacco. They picked up Boldin and re-signed Derrick Mason. Here they will get their much needed TE.
26. Arizona – Brandon Graham DE Michigan – Graham is an underrated pass rusher. He will be one of the better 3-4 rush LB’s in this year’s draft. Arizona needs a pass rush. The signing of Joey Porter helps, but he’s already in trouble. They need youth at the position.
27. Dallas – Mike Iupati OG Idaho – Flozell Adams is gone from the offensive line and Dallas was relatively weak at guard last season. Iupati is the next Steve Hutchinson. Dallas gets a great one here.
28. San Diego – Ryan Mathews RB Fresno St – Mathews is the most complete and NFL-ready RB in this draft. San Diego needs to replace Tomlinson and Mathews is the best guy to get it done.
29. NY Jets – Jerry Hughes OLB TCU – Pass rush is a strong need for the Jets, along with FS. Here they get another one of those top-level 3-4 OLB’s. Hughes will come in ready to get some sacks. Even if they do sign Jason Taylor, Hughes is still the pick here.
30. Minnesota – Patrick Robinson CB Florida St – Injuries at CB hurt the Vikings late last year. Here they get Robinson, a great cover CB who can come in ready to start on a powerful Vikings defense.
31. Indianapolis – Brian Price DT UCLA – The Colts need to get depth and competition on their lines and Brian Price is a good start. He’ll compete from day one.
32. New Orleans – Sean Witherspoon LB Missouri – Witherspoon would have gone sooner if the Steelers had not signed Larry Foote or the Eagles had not traded for Ernie Sims. However, here we are. The Saints get a much needed defensive play-maker with the swagger to fit right in with New Orleans.

Round Two
1. St Louis – Everson Griffen DE USC – The Rams need more pass rush help and if they don’t trade for Osi Umenyiora, Griffen is a great pick here.
2. Detroit – Jahvid Best RB California – If the Lions trade for a RB, expect Penn St LB Novorro Bowman to be the pick here. However, they need more stability at RB and Best is a big play threat and elite return man.
3. Tampa Bay – Arrelious Benn WR Illinois – With Antonio Bryant in Cincinnati, Josh Freeman needs something resembling an offensive weapon. Benn is a good start.
4. Kansas City – Terrence Cody DT Alabama – Scott Pioli wants his “Vince Wilfork” and that’s what Cody is. He eats space at NT which is what the Chiefs need.
5. Philadelphia (From Washington) – Maurkice Poucey OL Florida – Interior offensive line is a need for Philadelphia. Pouncey falls a little far and the Eagles get a steal here.
6. Cleveland – Colt McCoy QB Texas – This is a little bit of a reach, but McCoy will fit with Cleveland well and could adapt into a very efficient QB.
7. Oakland – Linval Joseph DT E Carolina – This is another reach, but Joseph has the measurables to be an elite NT in the NFL in time. Joseph is 6’4″ 328 pounds, had 39 reps on the bench press and ran his 40-yard dash in less than 5.00.
8. San Diego – Cam Thomas DT N Carolina – Another NT off the board. Jamal Williams is in Denver so the Chargers need to replace him very quickly.
9. Buffalo – Ricky Sapp OLB Clemson – Buffalo still needs a lot and a pass rushing OLB in their new 3-4 defense is much needed.
10. Tampa Bay (From Chicago) – Donovan Warren CB Michigan – Aside from Aqib Talib, there is no Buccaneer CB with a future.
11. Denver (from Miami) – Jared Odrick DT Penn St – Odrick will be a great 3-4 DE and will fit in nicely next to newly acquired NT Jamal Williams.
12. New England (From Jacksonville) – Lamar Houston DT Texas – The same assessment from Odrick goes for Houston. The Patriots need to get younger up front and Houston will fit in nicely.
13. Denver – Vladmir Ducasse OG UMass – Denver is filling many needs in this draft and interior offensive line is just another one. Ducasse is underrated because he comes form UMass.
14. NY Giants – Geno Atkins DT Georgia – With Fred Robbins gone to the Rams, the Giants need a new DT quickly. Atkins will come in ready to make an impact. However, he is one of those players that could also easily slip to the third round. Luckily for him, DT is a league-wide need this year.
15. Carolina – Mardy Gilyard WR Cincinnati – Steve Smith wanted more speed at WR. Gilyard provides that, as well as return skills.
16. New England (From Tennessee) – Jonathan Dwyer RB Georgia Tech – It is time for Moroney to go away and Dwyer would be ready to play right away for the Patriots.
17. San Francisco – Charles Brown OT USC – The 49ers got their QB and an elite CB prospect. Here they get a big, smart tackle with great footwork.
18. Houston – Ben Tate RB Auburn – Houston needs RB depth and Tate is very underrated. He has a fair blend of speed and power. He will fit nicely with the Texans.
19. Kansas City (From Atlanta) – Kao Misi OLB Utah – Kansas City has their linemen and now need a good pass rusher. Misi is an underrated prospect that will fit in as a 3-4 OLB.
20. Pittsburgh – Demaryius Thomas WR Georgia Tech – Thomas doesn’t run the best routes, but he’s got the physical tools most WR’s dream about. With Holmes traded to the Jets and Hines Ward and Antwaan Randle El aging, the Steelers need a young possession receiver.
21. New England – Damien Williams WR USC – The WR corps in New England is aging. Luckily the Patriots have four picks in the first two rounds and can afford to use one on a WR. Williams has soft hands and runs smooth routes, exactly what you need in the Patriots’ offense.
22. Cincinnati – Aaron Hernandez TE Florida – The Bengals have gotten their WR’s and now need a pass-catching TE. Hernandez isn’t much for blocking but he’s an elite receiving threat at TE.
23. Philadelphia – Nate Allen FS S Florida – The Eagles need to upgrade at the safety position, Allen is a great talent.
24. Green Bay – Chris Cook DB Virginia – Cook can play both CB and FS, both of which are aging positions for the Packers.
25. Baltimore – Golden Tate WR Notre Dame – Baltimore is making an offensive overhaul early in the draft. Tate will be an amazing slot receiver inside of Boldin and Mason and his speed will match perfectly with Flacco’s strong arm.
26. Arizona – Kyle Galloway OT Iowa – Arizona needs depth and competition at LT and Galloway could come in ready to compete.
27. Dallas – Jordan Shipley WR Texas – This isn’t an obvious need for Dallas, but Shipley is a Texas man and a great return man. Patrick Crayton needs to stop returning punts. Shipley will be the new and improved Patrick Crayton.
28. Seattle – Dexter McCluster RB Mississippi – While not a typical NFL RB, McCluster does provide a firm change of pace for Seattle’s offense as well as versatility to play in the slot, in the Wildcat and in the return game.
29. NY Jets – Morgan Burnett FS Georgia Tech – Burnett simply fills the void left by Rhodes who left for Arizona. Keep in mind, Burnett is a high-risk/high-reward type player. Potentially a bust.
30. Minnesota – Chad Jones FS LSU – Chad Jones is a smart athlete, and solidifies the defensive secondary for Minnesota along with first round pick Patrick Robinson.
31. Indianapolis – Rodger Staffold OT Indiana – Staffold is a highly underrated OT in the draft. He’s not quite first round talent, but very close on some people’s boards. The Colts continue to help their lines.
32. New Orleans – Alex Carrington DE Arkansas St – The Saints partially addressed DE in the offseason, but Carrington will provide depth for a team that needs defensive line help.

There are some interesting picks, I know. I’m sure it won’t turn out just like this, but these would be interesting picks. I could see all of these happening, even though they may not.

And some other prospects that could fit into the second round in some way:
Corey Wooton DE Northwestern – He has the talent to go in the first round, but the lack of 4-3 DE needs drops his chances.
Brandon Spikes LB Florida – Spikes was originally seen as first round talent but ended up slow and out of shape.  He should fall to the late third round.
Brandon LaFell WR LSU – Depending on the type of WR a team is looking for, LaFell could go in the middle of the second round.
Navorro Bowman LB Penn St – I originally had Bowman to the Saints in the first round, but with Witherspoon falling to them, and the lack of a desire for 4-3 OLB’s dropped Bowman very far.
Daryl Washington LB TCU – Washington can play any LB position in a 4-3 or an inside LB in the 3-4 defense.  He’s very versatile on defense, but barely misses the cut.
Eric Norwood LB South Carolina – Norwood is no longer looked at strictly as a 3-4 OLB.  He has dropped weight and added mobility to increase his ability to play OLB in a 4-3.
Mike Johnson OG Alabama – Very few guards get taken in the first two rounds it seems and Johnson drops some because of that.

James’ NCAA Conference Realignment Theory, Part Two

In part one I began to describe my theory on realigning the 120 division I-A football teams into ten evenly divided conferences.  I set the new conferences to the scheduling setup currently used by the ACC and SEC.

Before I move into the final three BCS conferences, will recap the previous three from part one:

The ACC did not require any changes as it is one of the two conferences set as an example for the rest.

For the Big 12, I replaced Iowa State in the north division with BYU and replaced Baylor in the south with TCU.  The teams were then paired with a rival team from the opposite conference for their yearly inter-divisional rivalry game.

Four teams were added to the Big East, giving the conference twelve teams.  The four added were Army, East Carolina, Navy, and Notre Dame.  The teams were divided into two division:  the north would have Army, Pittsburgh, Connecticut, Syracuse, Notre Dame, and Rutgers; the south division would have Navy, Cincinnati, East Carolina, South Florida, Louisville and West Virginia.

Now I will continue by finishing the final three BCS conference:  the Big Ten, the Pac-10 and the SEC.

Big Ten – One very odd thing about the Big Ten conference is that it actually contains eleven teams.  If you recall the changes in the Big 12 from part one, my theory replaces Iowa State with BYU, leaving Iowa State without a conference affiliation.  I feel that the Big Ten is a perfect fit for the Cyclones, and vice versa.  The biggest rivalry for Iowa State is the in-state with the Iowa Hawkeyes.  Moving Iowa State to the Big Ten would add even more of an importance to this heated rivalry by making it a conference game as well.  Now that the Big Ten would have its twelve teams, it just needs its two divisions.  The theory divides the conference into east and west divisions.  The Big Ten East would have Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Indiana and Purdue; the Big Ten West would host Iowa, Illinois, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the newly added Iowa State Cyclones.  The inter-divisional rivalries are as follows:  Indiana is paired with Northwestern; Michigan is paired with Minnesota; Michigan State is paired with Iowa; Ohio State is paired with Illinois; Penn State is paired with Wisconsin; Purdue is paired with Iowa State.

*** The Big Ten realignment has since been edited, view more recent S26S posts for updates. ***

Pac-10 – The Pac-10 Conference does not need too many changes, and the few that need to be made are quite simple and obvious.  Two of the most notable current non-BCS teams are out west and obvious choices for the Pac-10’s two additions, Boise State and Utah.  This gives the Pac-10 its twelve teams, making the next step its divisions.  In the Pac-10 North, I have put Washington, Washington State, Oregon, Oregon State, Boise State and Utah.  This leaves the Pac-10 South hosting Southern Cal, California, Stanford, UCLA, Arizona and Arizona State.  The inter-divisional rivalries are as follows:  Boise State is paired with Stanford; Oregon is paired with California; Oregon State is paired with Southern Cal; Utah is paired with UCLA; Washington is paired with Arizona; Washington State is paired with Arizona State.  I believe that these changes give the Pac-10 conference, as well as the Boise State and Utah football programs more legitimacy.

SEC – The SEC, like the ACC is used in this theory as the standard for the rest of the conferences to immolate, and therefore requires no changes to the members or rivalries within the conference.

Stay tuned for part three, which will show changes to the non-BCS conferences, including the combining of the Mountain West conference and the Western Athletic Conference, resulting in the removal of the Mountain West Conference.