But now, a mere handful of days from the biggest event in any college player's career, I feel it's time I took-up where I left off and gave you my personal insight into a few key players who have been working their butts off for the scouts, and postulate where they are likely to land come draft day and, possibly more interestingly, where they might work best.
Every day in the run-up to the draft I'll pick a player and discuss their most probable new homes. Now, I'm not a scout - I've never seen these guys play in person - and much less do I have a fully comprehensive understanding of each teams financial wiggle-room and how it might affect free agent signings that could have a knock-on effect in the draft, but here's my surface overview of the first four players whose lives are up for dissection.
Sam Bradford
Two months ago, the experts had this guy sliding to the Cardinals and me (a long-time Desert Bird aficionado) jumping for joy. Sure, I'm more than happy to give Matt Leinart a decent shot at filling Kurt Warner's roomy size elevens, but seriously, a little competition can't hurt. That said, I'm always sceptical when a QB is projected this high (the men in the know suggest Bradford is a lock for the struggling St Louis Rams who own the first overall pick). College excellence really means very little in the pros, and this is probably no more true than for the QB position. QBs are pretty players: they have the charisma, often the looks and always the voice. Remember how highly Brady Quinn was touted? Well, he slid to number 23 and wound-up at his childhood team, the Browns, only to be shipped to Denver a fortnight ago for a lack of game. Fair? Probably not in his case, but for so many it is exactly what they deserve. The number one pick carries with it a great deal of responsibility and, on the team's part, financial investment. These days, with all the guaranteed money going the players' way, I would always be tempted to trade down in the first round and hope to pick up a compensatory second or third round selection - often the local of mouldable talent and at a fraction of the price.
Bradford will almost certainly go the Rams who have lost faith in the league's one-time highest paid player, Marc Bulger. Where he might land as a result is anyone's guess - although he would be a fine tutor for his youthful replacement, he'd be a damn expensive back-up. Maybe Philadelphia - who, just this week, sent the face of their franchs, Donovan McNabb, to Washington and now hope to soar to their usual heights on the back of the impressive, though as yet untested, Kevin Kolb. Kolb has been sitting behind McNabb for as long as most Running Backs play the game and is likely more than ready, but the Eagles' penchant for hoarding Pro Bowl QBs should not be overlooked. Perhaps more likely is Arizona, who, without Warner, have diddlysquat in terms of experience, although they have snared Derek Anderson who has one decent season under his belt at the Browns. They might have hoped to pick-up Delhomme from the Panthers but he wound-up in Cleveland - a clear stop-gap player until Mike Holmgren finds a franchise QB he can trust. As unpopular and, perhaps, boring a pick as it is, I would like to see an anchor taken top. Like Joe Thomas who went third for the Browns a couple of seasons ago, that kind of money deserves a long term return. A non-skill position can offer that kind of longevity and is more likely to grind out its bang for its buck. So with the top pick and top QB all but sew-up, what other talent is left at that position in the latter half of the first round? Call me crazy if you like, but I like Florida's poster-boy. None other than Tim Tebow.
Tim Tebow
Okay, so Tebow has taken shed-loads of stick in recent weeks for a poor, long-winded throwing motion, a lack of focus and is somehow criticisable tendency to 'play' football.
Two years ago, Tebow was on the cover of the now defunct British rag, First Down, touted then as the future of the NFL. He is tough. He is gritty. He is a utility player in every sense of the word. He is not just what Pat White is to the Wildcat, or what Michael Vick is to a footrace with the cops. He is the Wildcat package in one body and he would never in a million years find himself in trouble with the law, but you can bet your seventh round pick on him being able to escape capture if he did.
Tebow has worked on his wind-up. He's getting better. Sure, ideally you want the finished article - especially in a first round prospect - but this guy has so much talent for the game, can he really be overlooked? If he falls to the Bills in the second they will feel like its Christmas. He is so robust he could probably (probably) survive a full season behind their porous offensive line and likely make some wowing plays with his arm, feet and maybe even hands.
Rumours are he might go to the Saints. Possible? Sure, but unlikely. Brees will play for longer than Tebow should be sat. Arizona could take him - they should definitely look at him if he's around in the second (though I doubt he will be). I'd say look to the Bills or Cleveland to take him in the second round, unless some voodoo goes down and he winds up somewhere like Jacksonville as a result of a first round trade-down from tenth to the mid-twenties. Don't rule that out. Teams needing a QB in the next couple of seasons could look to get good value on their first-round pick and slide for Tebow, who likely won't go above 25th. I hope he gets a first day selection. This guy's the messiah!
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day; Bar Centro; or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre.
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