Travesty!

With the NBA Playoffs going on, you would think that the Rookie of the Year Award would not be the most important thing on everyone's mind. You would be wrong. Hawks Coach Mike Woodson called the decision to give Kevin Durant the award a, "travesty and it's not right."

When asked whether he should be more focused on his playoff series with the Boston Celtics, Woodson deferred the question to special assistant Jim Mora, who said, "Playoffs? Don't talk to me about Playoffs. I'm worried about the Rookie of the Year Award."

Woodson then summed up his argument by pointing out that Horford averaged 10.1 points per game and 9.7 rebounds per game while fighting for minutes with perennial all-stars Zaza Pachulia and Sheldon Williams. He also noted that unlike Durant's Sonics, the Hawks were in the playoffs. "Anytime a team can make the playoffs with a losing record, it means one of two things. Either your entire Conference is awful, or you have the rookie of the year on your team. I think it's obvious in this case, that it's the latter of the two."

Woodson says he looks forward to a quick and painless exit from the Playoffs in Game 6 so he can focus his attention on lobbying the NBA Offices and Commissioner David Stern for a recount.

Durant To Win Rookie of the Year

According to several sources, Kevin Durant will be named the 2008 Rookie of the Year tomorrow. A great award for Durant, it comes as a surprise to just about no one. In a ROY battle that was hyped to be a season long duel between Kevin Durant and Greg Oden, it fizzled quite short, pretty much since Oden missed the entire season due to injury.

Without Oden, the 2008 rookie class looks rather pedestrian, as Al Horford, who had an impressive season for the Atlanta Hawks, finished second in the voting. Outside of Durant and Horford, the second and third selections overall, no one in the Top 10 probably even got a vote. Greg Oden (#1/POR), Mike Conley (#4/MEM), Jeff Green (#5/SEA), Yi Jianlian (#6/MIL), Corey Brewer (#7/MIN), Brandan Wright (#8/LAC), Joakim Noah (#9/CHI), and Spencer Hawes (#10/SAC) all either were limited in playing time or positive impacts with their teams.

Rather, the other rookie contenders came from out in left field. Luis Scola (HOU/28 yrs. old/2002 draft/2nd round, #57 by SAS), Thaddeus Young (#12/PHI), Carl Landry (HOU/2nd round, #31 by SEA), and Jamario Moon (TOR/UDFA). And can you even count Scola? Just because he was killing it in another country and not in this country doesn't mean he's a rookie. With the closest competition having no pre-season pub, it pretty much made it a contest between Durant and Horford. While Al Horford is a great player and has had a great season, he's not the type of player that is a certainty to put up the kind of numbers that will bring hardware and fan fare.

Which pretty much leaves Durant. While Durant still would have won the award by simply taking more shots than everyone else in the competition, Durant actually progressed a lot during the season, to the point that he actually deserved the award. He spent the first half of the season taking too many shots and too many bad shots. His defense was atrocious and he didn't do enough other things on the court.

While his defense still needs improvement, and his other areas of his game are still emerging, Durant played much better in the second half of the season. His shot selection and his shooting percentage both sky rocketed in the second half of the year. However, Durant probably locked up the award with the way he played in his last games as a Seattle SuperSonic. In a city that was having its basketball taken away from them, Durant played like a man that wanted to win games for his city. They may have been meaningless to the NBA, but to Durant and the city of Seattle, they were their Championship games. And Durant poured his heart and soul into winning them that Championship. He showed why many think he will one day be a star in this league.

In his final game for Seattle, on the road at Golden State, Durant had 42 points on 18-25 shooting (1-2 3P; 5-6 FT), 13 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks in a 126-121 victory. Two days before that, in his final game in Seattle, Durant scored twice in the final 45 seconds as the Sonics overcame a 6 point deficit in the final 3 minutes to defeat the Mavericks 99-95. Durant showed the kind of ability and passion that it takes to make a champion.

On the season Durant posted 20.3 ppg on 43% shooting. He had a dismal 28% 3P%, but posted a respectable 4.4 rpg, 2.4 apg, and nearly a steal and block per game. Durant earned the rookie of the year award and showed all the makings of the star that many believed he would be. He also made the best of a situation where he had minimal talent around him, smack dab in the middle of a strange quagmire of a city having its team stolen from them and shipped to Oklahoma City.

Trying to Save the Season With No Hits

From the beginning of the season the Longhorns looked a little bit off. While they were ranked in the top 25 nationally and had a solid record, the Horns were playing inconsistent, uninspired baseball and didn't look promising going into conference play. The lackluster play finally turned into a full blown disaster as the Longhorns have been 11-11 since March 28th and have a un-Longhorn-esqe 10-11 conference record.

What was the absolute low point? Probably losing to UT-Arlington and UT-San Antonio during that 22-game stretch has to be near the top. A 3-6 record at home during conference play has been a point of embarrassment, but the worst moment probably goes to that 31-12 drumming at the hands of Missouri. (Yes, that's a baseball score.)

What has been the problem? Well the hitting hasn't been spectacular, but a .284/24/128 isn't far off 2007's .302 average during conference play. The defense has certainly been underwhelming, with 24 errors in 21 games. But one would definitely need to look at the pitching to find the source of the Longhorn's problems. A 6.34 team ERA in conference play is absolutely atrocious, especially compared to last year's 3.19 mark in conference play.

The biggest problem has been the Longhorns inability to find starting pitching. Though the entire staff hasn't exactly been anything other than a big problem. The ace of the staff, Austin Wood has been 1-1 with a 7.26 ERA in conference play, while Riley Boening (7.13) and Kenn Kasparek (6.16) haven't faired much better against the Big XII. Augie Garrido has been trying everything as Cole Green, Chance Ruffin, and Brandon Workman (7.01) have gotten chances to start as well. Green (2.81) and Ruffin (2.93) have been working out of the pen mostly, but the two freshman might have to be what carries this team down the stretch.

The Longhorns might be trying to turn the corner, as Kenn Kasparek threw a complete game no-hitter against Texas State yesterday, but the Longhorns will need to greatly improve as a staff if they hope to turn this season around. Texas has 7 games left and will need to show well to even hope for an at large birth into the NCAA Tournament. The way this season has been going, the safest bet looks to be that that Longhorns will be at home this post season. Which might not be a bad thing, as bad of a disaster as this season has been. But, there is still a hope if the Longhorns can sweep the Baylor (26-20) series and take that momentum into their three game season finale against #6 Texas A&M (38-7). Taking two out of three from the Aggies would put the Horns in good shape with a (33-19)(16-12) mark, and riding great momentum.

But, that is highly optimistic. It might be better off to hope that the Aggies don't drop 31 runs on us, and let this season ride off slowly into the sunset and out of our collective memory

Grading the Cowboys Draft

This past weekend's draft was as crazy a draft as I've ever seen with a record 34 draft day trades. The Cowboys came in with two first rounders after acquiring the Browns first round pick last year allowing the Browns to draft Brady Quinn. Expectations were high in Big D and it looks like Jerry Jones and the Boy's answered the call. Two days after the draft I reflect back on the Cowboy's selections and assign grades to every pick....

First Round

Pick #22 - Felix Jones - Arkansas RB – There was no question after the releasing of Julius Jones as a free agent, that the Cowboy's would be looking to the draft to find the perfect compliment to bruising back Marion Barber III. His 4.4 speed is a major plus for Dallas as they look to keep defenses honest on the corners while still pounding Barber down the middle. His 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns at Arkansas show that he is able to produce in a two back system and doesn't mind sharing the load; in fact it may help in preserving both backs for the Cowboys. As a running back, he is fairly comparable to a Cadillac Williams who likes to bounce the ball to the outside with his first instinct. I think Jones will be an instant contributor in all facets for the Cowboys, most notably in kick returns. He is creative enough to vary his speed, set up the defender, execute a fake and then accelerate into the open. Jones should be an instant feature in the Cowboy's offense.

Pick grade – B - Good overall pick here, although I think Rashard Mendenhall was worth more of a look here. Also the first round worked out well with Jenkins at 25, but I couldn't figure out why they didn't wait for Jones at 28 since Mendenhall was still on the board and corners were more likely to be drafted.

Pick #25 - Mike Jenkins – South Florida CB – Immediately after getting their guy at RB, the Cowboys knew that their number one CB was still in reach and made a move up to get him at 25. Jenkins could very well be the best cover corner in this draft. Many fans will question this pick with the acquisition of Pacman Jones, but at this point we can't even be sure that Jones will be reinstated and even if he is, depth at corner has become a must-have for a successful NFL franchise. Jenkins has the perfect frame for a top corner and no one has questioned his 4.3 speed. He is undoubtedly best in press coverage and needs to work on run support in his first few mini-camps. Reports are saying that it's his leadership skills and work ethic may make him the best secondary prospect in the draft. I see him working as a first year nickelback and getting some reps in on CB late in games.

Pick grade – A+ - Ed Werder has reported for a couple of weeks now that Jenkins was the top CB on the Cowboy's big board and they ended up getting him with their second pick. CB depth was their biggest issue this offseason and Jones answered it in astounding fashion bringing in Pacman Jones and arguably the best CB in the draft. I'm not sure if there has been a better pick for the Boys in the last few drafts. You could say DeMarcus Ware, but I think that pick has only shown itself through his progress. This pick was smart and the best pick from the minute the card was turned in.

Second Round

Pick #61 - Martellus Bennett – Texas A&M TE – Personally I loved this pick. I felt like the receiving class was overrated and generally shallow and with the big names off the board, I don't feel like this pick would have warranted a receiver. Bennett is a huge bodied tight end who looks like an oversized WR. Regarded as the "most complete" prospect at his respective position in the 2008 NFL Draft, Bennett combines excellent size, strength and quickness to excel not only as a clutch mid-range receiver, but also as a devastating blocker. He started off at A&M as a two-sport athlete, earning a scholarship to play basketball as well as football. Speed seems to be the big red flag with Bennett, but I feel like his overall athleticism makes up for the lack of speed. With the trade of Anthony Fasano on Thursday, the Cowboys needed another tight end and they may have gotten an upgrade. Martellus is just too much of a beast not to be effective.

Pick grade – A – I thought this was a great pick. Yes, the Cowboys needed a receiver, but there just wasn't one to take here. I wouldn't have minded Limas Sweed or James Hardy, but they were both off the board. Instead, Jones grabbed a 6'6" tight end that could be a huge receiver like Antonio Gates. His immediate effectiveness will be his size and blocking ability.

Fourth Round

Pick #122 – Tashard Choice – Georgia Tech RB – I assume that with the pick of Jones in the first round, the Cowboys simply felt like Choice was the best available prospect and they still felt like a receiving prospect was a waste. Choice is a big back that runs hard and does not shy away from contact. He is very comparable to a LaMont Jordan or Tatum Bell in his running style. Injuries have consistently been an issue with Tashard and he'll need to work hard to stay fit and durable. Overall, I'd say he is more or less a big third down situational back that is more comparable to MB3 than complimentary to him.

Pick grade – B- – I didn't see this pick coming. I felt like it would have been more effective to grab a middle-level receiver here, a prospect on the offensive line or depth at DT, but apparently Cowboys fans are surprisingly ok with this pick. I guess I understand why they made this "Choice" here (yay for puns); with Julius Jones out and MB3 coming into a contract year, the Boys must have felt it best to get plenty of insurance at running back. If Barber goes down this year, this pick may look smarter as Felix Jones probably can't carry the load on his own.

Fifth Round

Pick #143 – Orlando Scandrick – Boise State CB – Scandrick is another one of those cornerbacks who make great plays on the ball. Very similar to the type of corner that Jenkins is in the way he goes after the ball and runs extremely well. Got a lot of experience at Boise State and will contribute immediately on special teams, in fact he was a special teams demon for the Broncos. The knock on Scandrick is his average tackling skills, again like Jenkins, but he makes up for it with his pass coverage. Had a number of off the field concerns, but if there is a team who obviously places potential over concern, it's the Dallas Cowboys.

Pick grade – B- - Without fully knowing what will happen with Pacman Jones, getting depth in the secondary was a good move for Dallas. If for some reason, Goodell does not reinstate Jones, or Jones is not as well conditioned as he once was, the Cowboys still needed to bolster cornerback depth. Scandrick is fairly similar to Jenkins and will make this team based on his special teams merit alone. Kiper projected him as a third round talent corner with some off the field red flags, so to get this guy in the fifth was a great value pick. I know we had other need areas, but I just feel like we will be pleasantly surprised with this pick.

Sixth Round

Pick 167 – Erik Walden – Middle Tennessee State DE – I'll be honest when I say that this was the only guy we drafted that I had never heard of and in this age's NFL draft that is not uncommon. Walden is a big bodied, relentless pass rusher who shattered MTSU's career sack record with 22.5 and is second in tackles for loss in MTSU's history. He is a finesse rusher and relies on quick feet and finesse moves over bull rushing. Pro scouts think that he can easily make the transition from end to outside backer in the 3-4 defense.

Pick grade – C – I don't know a lot about this kid, but it sounds like he has great potential and a big upside. I don't feel like a hybrid outside backer/end was our biggest need here. It may have been better to grab a lengthy WR prospect or a powerful DT to add some depth in the interior. In the same regard, I don't hate this pick, because I like big bodied speed rushers that can provide an outside rush and cause Eli & Donovan to make quick decisions.

OVERALL DRAFT GRADE – B+ If you would have asked me at the end of Day 1, I would have easily given the Cowboys and A for their selections. Grabbing both the running back they wanted and the supposed number one corner on their big board was a perfect one-two punch in the first round. Only Kansas City's ability to grab both Glenn Dorsey and Branden Albert made for a better round one in my opinion. Both Jones and Jenkins will make immediate impacts for the defending NFC Champs (yes, not the Giants). Grabbing Martellus in the second may just prove to be a diamond in the rough for both the Cowboys and All-Star quarterback Tony Romo. Day 2 of the draft wasn't as productive as the first, but I think the Cowboys grabbed some role players with great upside. I did believe however that after not taking a receiver in the first two rounds to play opposite of T.O., that the Boys would inevitably take a chance on one in the later rounds. Receiver was one of three glaring needs coming into the draft and was the only one that the Cowboys didn't attack. They got two running backs and snagged two cover corners, but no young guys to play out wide. I also thought that if you were going to focus on defensive help that some depth at defensive tackle was more pressing than a 3-4 hybrid. If they can get help from free agency in Texas Tech WR Danny Amendola and Stanford WR Mark Bradford, then these late round picks look even better. Overall, it was a great draft for Dallas and was leaps and bounds better than last years draft weekend.

Top Coaching Jobs - #2

With Indiana facing certain sanctions from the NCAA for the next several years, the Hooisers were still able to land Tom Crean. Roy Williams left the Kansas Jayhawks for North Carolina in 2003. Kansas was able to replace him with Bill Self, from Illinois, who just recently turned down Oklahoma State to stay at Kansas.

It makes you wonder, what are the Top 10 coaching jobs in college basketball? We here at Drinking the Forty consulted with some of the finest basketball experts in the country to find out. Hey, if ESPN can pull random people off the street and call them experts, then we can too.

Here is our Top 10, based on a program’s national persona, recent success, fan base, facilities, history and tradition, and potential for future success.

#2.) UCLA Bruins

UCLA is easily the most storied program in college basketball history. The records amassed under John Wooden, with players like Lou Alcindor and Bill Walton will never be touched again in college basketball. With ten national titles in a twelve year span, UCLA has forever etched their place in college basketball lore.

However, since 1975, the UCLA program had struggled only winning one national title, in 1995. The program struggled after the 1995 title, leading to Steve Lavin’s departure and a few seasons with a losing record, which had previously been unheard of for the Bruins. However, things started to change with the hire of Ben Howland, from Pittsburgh. Howland has restored the program to one of the elite in college basketball, as the Bruins have accomplished three straight Final Four appearances, an astonishing feat for today’s game.

Howland has re-energized the program with a dedication to defense and the ability to recruit top notch talent like Kevin Love, Darren Collison, and Jrue Holliday to Los Angeles. UCLA has remained atop what is a very competitive Pac-10. There have been many challengers, but no one has been able to unseat them from the top. With the history and prestige of the program, coupled with their renewed success, UCLA is back in the national limelight and it will allow them to continue to recruit. With a top notch location in UCLA, pro prospects heading to the NBA, and a cross town rivalry with USC starting to heat up, UCLA is in prime position to dominate the West Coast.

While it is tough to maintain a rabid fan base in such a sports saturated and red carpet dominated market, UCLA has a loyal group and as long as they remain successful will be able to pack the house. The glimmering lights of LA and Hollywood will play to Howland’s favor in recruiting players that want to prepare for the NBA while achieving the maximum exposure. While they are currently re-stocking their NBA talent, and have only become relevant again in the past five years, UCLA appears here to stay with a program that is made for the big time. With a great coach, a solid fan base, a storied program, and a great locale for recruiting, UCLA is firmly entrenched at number two on this list, and it may not be long before it reclaims its grasp on number one.

#3.) Kansas Jayhawks
#4.) Duke Blue Devils
#5.) Kentucky Wildcats
#6.) Indiana Hooisers
#7.) Florida Gators
#8) Michigan State Spartans
#9.) Connecticut Huskies
#10.) Arizona Wildcats

Top Coaching Jobs - #3

With Indiana facing certain sanctions from the NCAA for the next several years, the Hooisers were still able to land Tom Crean. Roy Williams left the Kansas Jayhawks for North Carolina in 2003. Kansas was able to replace him with Bill Self, from Illinois, who just recently turned down Oklahoma State to stay at Kansas.

It makes you wonder, what are the Top 10 coaching jobs in college basketball? We here at Drinking the Forty consulted with some of the finest basketball experts in the country to find out. Hey, if ESPN can pull random people off the street and call them experts, then we can too.

Here is our Top 10, based on a program’s national persona, recent success, fan base, facilities, history and tradition, and potential for future success.

#3.) Kansas Jayhawks

For starters, winning a National Championship is always helpful your program’s prestige. The win marked the third National title in the program’s long and storied history. Bill Self pushed the program over the top, doing something that seemed to be out of reach for several talented Jayhawk teams over the past decade.

Kansas has been at the top of the Big XII since the beginning of the program and is continually a player on the National stage. They bring in top players from Chicago to Texas and throughout the Midwest, and are a regular for ESPN’s late game on Big Monday broadcasts. They have also had top tier coaches in the past decade, adequately replacing Roy Williams with Illinois coach Bill Self. The Jayhawks have apparently found their man as Self refused courting by the Cowboys of Oklahoma State and the deep pockets of oil tycoon Boone Pickens. His decision to stay will allow Kansas to continue their success at the highest level.

As for the history of the Jayhawks’ program, you don’t have to look too hard. With Dr. James Naismith as a former head coach, your program is basketball. With 13 final four appearances and 10 NBA alumni currently in the league, such as Paul Pierce, Kirk Hinrich, and Drew Gooden, Kansas has gotten success from their players in college as well as at the next level. This has helped Kansas recruit successfully, and with their most recent championship, it looks like Kansas is in position to continue that success.

Kansas also has a loyal and rabid fan base that makes Allen Fieldhouse one of the toughest places to play in the country. Opposing teams (Texas for one comes to mind) have struggled mightily at the hands of Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk. While their location in the middle of the Midwest might hurt their recruiting somewhat, this program has established itself as one of the tops in the country. Their ability to stabilize their coaching situation with Bill Self will only improve their stock going forward. That is why Kansas comes in at number three on our list.

#4.) Duke Blue Devils
#5.) Kentucky Wildcats
#6.) Indiana Hooisers
#7.) Florida Gators
#8) Michigan State Spartans
#9.) Connecticut Huskies
#10.) Arizona Wildcats

Mocking Down the Second Round

With the draft only a day away, I couldnt help but to continue in my mockery and go for the second round. So here are picks 32-63 with my personal "I'm better than Mel Kiper" guarantee....

If you haven't seen my first round mock, you may want to start there first to get the gist of how far we've come. Check it out at: http://drinkingtheforty.blogspot.com/2008/04/my-final-mock-draftmaybe.html


32. Miami – Dan Connor, Penn State LB – This could easily be a QB like Chad Henne, but I think they can wait for him. With Zach Thomas in Dallas, the Fins need LB help.

33. St. Louis – Mario Manningham, Michigan WR – I could also see an OT like Sam Baker, but they lost Issac Bruce and Torry Holt is getting restless too.

34. Atlanta – Sam Baker, USC OT – They got a franchise QB in the first round, now they need to protect him. Could also be a DT like Trevor Laws.

35. Kansas City – Justin King, Penn State CB – Ty Law is gone and Patrick Surtain is old. CB makes sense here since they got line help on both sides already.

36. New York Jets – Andre Caldwell, Florida WR – The Jets can continue to bolster the offense with a big speedy receiver like Caldwell or Early Doucet. Could also be a secondary pick.

37. Atlanta – Trevor Laws, Notre Dame DT – Works out well for the Falcons since they missed out on Dorsey at #3.

38. Baltimore – Phillip Merling, Clemson DE – Merling is a steal in the second round and I think that Baltimore can wait till day 2 to grab a QB like Andre Woodson.

39. San Francisco – Lawrence Jackson, USC DE – I don’t think Jackson will ever last this long, but a pure pass rusher will help the Niners. Need an outside linebacker or offensive lineman, but Jackson is the best available here.

40. New Orleans – Pat Sims, Auburn DT – If the Saints miss out on moving up in the first round to snag a DT, they’ll still need one sooner or later. Sims is a run stuffer that could pan out in the NFL.

41. Buffalo – Jordy Nelson, Kansas St WR – It was too early to take a WR at #11, and maybe they’ll move down for Lito Sheppard. If not they still need a WR. Nelson is a big speedy receiver who has climbed the charts, but they may go with someone more athletic like Doucet or Earl Bennett.

42. Denver – Reggie Smith, Oklahoma S – Defensive tackle is also a concern, but I just don’t like the second tier group of tackles. John Lynch is getting older and Smith could be a young athletic spark on defense.

43. Carolina – Tyrell Johnson, Arkansas St S – Offensive tackle is supposedly a concern, but I think the resigning of Jordan Gross is heavily underrated. An upgrade at safety is a better move here.

44. Chicago – Joe Flacco, Delaware QB – Rex Grossman’s days are numbered in the Chicago. I think Flacco gets the nod here over Henne due to his arm strength that will favor him in the Windy City.

45. Detroit – Curtis Lofton, Oklahoma LB – The Lions got some offensive help in the first round and now need help in the heart of their defense. Lofton is an improvement at middle linebacker.

46. Cincinnati – Early Doucet, LSU WR - If the Bengals get Ellis in the first round, they’ll turn to either WR or OLB here. With the WR depth, I’m saying they take a big receiver like Doucet for some Ocho Cinco insurance.

47. Minnesota – Carl Nicks, Nebraska S With the acquisition of Jared Allen, the big concerns turn to the offensive line and secondary. I think the Vikings take the best available in Nicks. They’d be in big trouble if Bryant McKinnie goes down.

48. Atlanta – Patrick Lee, Auburn CB - Atlanta could have an entirely different team by the end of the second round, but I think they may trade on or two these picks. If not, they can look for someone to replace DeAngelo Hall.

49. Philadelphia – Duane Brown, Virginia Tech OT – The Eagles need some line help, made evident by their dismal performance against New York. Brown is still a very good OT in a deep class.

50. Arizona – Jamaal Charles, Texas RB - After skipping on a running back in round one, the Cards need some insurance on ol Edgerrin James. Jamaal Charles is a crazy fast compliment to James.

51. Washington – Donnie Avery, Houston WR – If the Redskins can’t make a deal for Chad Johnson, then receiver is still a need here. Donnie Avery is an underrated quick receiver from Houston who will surprise some folks.

52. Tampa Bay – Marcus Harrison, Arkansas DT – The Bucs addressed receiver and now they could use some depth or even replacements on the defensive line. Harrison could make a good compliment to Chris Hovan.

53. Pittsburgh – Earl Bennett, Vanderbilt WR - I never like the first two picks for a team to both be offensive linemen, so I think that the Steelers go with a young guy at WR to appease Big Ben who loved to throw to Plaxico in his irreplaceable rookie season.

54. Tennessee – Quentin Groves, Auburn DE – Tennessee needs some help on defense and Groves is a steal if he falls this far.

55. Seattle – Fred Davis, USC TE – The Hawks used their first round pick to replace Shaun Alexander and now they need a big tight end to assist the vertical game. Davis has fallen with pre-draft workouts, but his potential is so high, it’s a safe pick.

56. Green Bay – Josh Barrett, Arizona St S – This is a position that Green Bay could definitely use some help with. Depth in the secondary is a serious problem for the Packers.

57. Miami – Chad Henne, Michigan QB – Miami finally gets their quarterback late in the second round and it may surprisingly be well worth the wait.

58. Jacksonville – DaJuan Morgan, North Carolina St S – The Jags grabbed a great free safety in Reggie Nelson last year and now need a strong safety to play alongside him. Morgan may be one of the best safeties in this class.

59. Indianapolis – Ray Rice, Rutgers RB – The NFL is moving more toward a two back system and Addai could use a compliment back. Rice is a speedy small back who could take some pressure off of Addai.

60. Green Bay – Oniel Cousins, UTEP OT – The Packers could use some line depth to protect first year starter Aaron Rodgers. Cousins is a lot like Ryan Clady in size and technique.

61. Dallas – Terrence Wheatley, Colorado CB - If the Boys are confident that the league will reinstate Pacman then they will use their two first rounders elsewhere. Here they’ll try to grab some insurance in a second-tier corner. Could also be used for some offensive line help.

62. New England – Xavier Adibi, Virginia Tech LB – The Patriots are aging quickly and could use some depth at linebacker. Adibi could learn from some of the leagues best.

63. New York Giants – Martellus Bennett, Texas A&M TE – I’m a conspiracy theorist who believes that Jeremy Shockey will be traded. If that happens, New York should be looking for another big dependable target for Eli Manning.

Eat your heart out McShay.....