The Final Cut: Part II

Ok now I’m going to cover the Saints defense, but before I get started I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the performance of Rod Harper who may have just slid himself in above Courtney Roby last night with that punt return for a TD and a few nice grabs. Also, I have to point out that in my last blog I mentioned that Joey Harrington was a lock to make the team. This is not completely accurate due to the pending suspensions Charles Grant, Will Smith and Garret Hartley. This means that the Saints have to bring extra defensive ends and an extra kicker in order to have players at those positions for the first four games. This creates a roster squeeze. In this respect Harrington’s veteran status hurts him because ordinarily you would put your 3rd string quarterback on the practice squad. However, Harrington is 30 years old and has accrued too many NFL seasons to be placed on the practice squad. This makes Harrington a likely candidate for a cut tomorrow. Another element that may alter how the final roster shakes out is the season ending injury to Billy Miller last night. You always hate to see an injury like that in such an insignificant game. And it couldn’t have happened to a better guy. In all of my dealings with this team Billy Miller was by far the most affable guy in that locker room. His presence will definitely be missed in the locker room. Best of luck to him. Now on to the defensive roster.

Defensive End- Charles Grant and Will Smith are locks at this position. However, Charles Grant really needs to produce this year when he comes back off of suspension, otherwise you may start to hear rumblings about him being cut this coming off season. Bobby McCray is treated like a starter in this defense due to his ability to rush the passer on 3rd downs. This means the saints must decide between Charleston and Spicer for the final defensive end position. The veteran Spicer has played in a Gregg Williams defense so he likely has the advantage in this situation.

Defensive Tackle- Sedrick Ellis and Kendrick Clancy are the week 1 starters at this position. Anthony Hargrove has shown himself to be a 3rd down pass rushing specialist much like McCray so he is pretty much an alternate starter and a lock to make the roster. The remaining positions come down to Demario Pressley and Remi Adoyele. Adoyele's play late last season and throughout camp and the preseason give him the nod here.

Linebacker- The Saints will start Fujita, Vilma, and Shanle at linebacker. Troy Evans is a lock because he provides the Saints with versatility and he is a great special teams player. Dunbar showed his potential last night against the Dolphins with 13 tackles and forced fumble as well as a fumble recovery. Marvin Mitchell will also make the roster as a solid back up at the middle linebacker spot and a solid special teams performer. The final spot in this unit will come down to Waters and Cassilas. Here it would make sense for the Saints to hold on to Waters and place Cassilas on the practice squad.

Cornerback- The Saints will go with Jabari Greer, Tracy Porter, Randall Gay, and Malcolm Jenkins. Leigh Torrence is the man on the bubble in the corner group. Gregg Williams likes versatile players in his secondary so it may come down to Prioleau and Torrence for a roster spot. If Prioleau can play the saftey as well as the corner, Williams may elect to stick with Prioleau. Torrence may have a shot at the practice squad if he has not been in the league too long. Danny Gorrer will likely be in the group of players cut Saturday.

Safety- At the Safety position, Darren Sharper and Roman Harper will be the day one starters. Usama Young and Chris Reis have likely locked up back up spots and they will both play major roles on the Saints special teams. Pierson Prioleau may be the odd man out at this position. He was brought in, in large part to help teach the rest of this secondary how to play a “Greg Williams Style” defense. Now that the preseason is over and it is time to trim the fat off of this roster, the Saints may decided he has done enough teaching. The rookie Chip Vaughn will likely be placed on IR because he simply has not had enough time to prove himself. Although he claims that his injury has healed, the Saints can’t risk waiting to see if he can clear waivers in order to be placed on the practice squad. This would be the only way that the Saints would be able to allow him the opportunity to make the active roster at some point this season

Punter- Thomas Morestead already got the nod at punter when the Saints cut Glenn Pakulak. This was really a no brainer after we spent a draft pick on a punter.

Kicker- The Saints will have two kickers on the roster for at least the first four games with Garret Hartley suspended, John Carney will step in and fill this role.

The Final Cut: Part I

45-7?! 9 pre-season turnovers?! Lets just hope the Saints can keep rolling like this right into the regular season. A lot of people say that the preseason means nothing, but Saints fans really can’t help but get excited when they see that the record breaking offense of last year remains (with what appears to be a stronger running game) and new defensive philosophy is in toe. A defensive philosophy that stresses getting pressure on the quarterback and forcing turnovers is just what the doctor ordered. In keeping with that excitement, lets look at the offensive side of the Saints roster before the Saturday cuts that will form the final 53 man roster.

Quarterback- This is the one position on the Saints roster where there are no question marks. With three veteran quarterbacks over the age of 30, we pretty much know what we have at this position. All three of these guys look to make the final cuts. The only real question here is how much longer will Drew Brees be able to perform at this record breaking level.

Running Back- There is a lot depth at this position this year and at least one of these guys will likely be cut by Tuesday and maybe two by Saturday. Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas are locks to make the roster. We haven’t seen too much from either one of these guys in camp and pre-season because of injuries and because the coaches focused their observations on the other four backs. The big story in the backfield during camp and pre-season has been Mike Bell. A former fullback who has played at up to 235 pounds, Bell showed up to camp at 219 pounds, displaying more quickness than what Saints fans became accustomed to a year ago. Bell has looked great in camp with the exception of two fumbles. Bell all but sealed his spot on the roster and a substantial amount of weekly carries with his week two pre-season performance against the Texans tallying 10 carries for 100 yards. The Saints will definitely keep at least one fullback on the active roster and that will be Heath Evans, the free agent acquisition from New England.

This is where it gets interesting in the back field. The Saints now have to decide between the three remaining tail backs and one fullback. The battle for the “big back”or short yardage back spot is between Lynell Hamilton listed at 6'0 235, 5'10 226 pound rookie Herb Donaldson, and 5'10 218 pound rookie PJ Hill. Hamilton, the elder statesman of the group appears to have the edge given that he is the most familiar with the system and is the biggest of the bunch. His numbers (31-143-0 through two games) are the best of the group. Hamilton’s only issues have been that he has failed to get into the endzone and he fumbled twice in the first game. Donaldson and Hill have both shown flashes of the talent that warranted the Saints taking a chance on them. Hill made a really solid showing in the 45-7 blow out against the Oakland Raiders putting up twelve carries for eighty three yards and two touchdowns. Donaldson had a nice fourteen yard touch down run on third down against the Texans.

There are a few possible scenarios in terms of how the Saints can handle the situation at running back. First , it is possible that all three of these backs do not make the roster. It is also possible that the Saints keep Hamilton on the 53 man active roster and keep either Hill or Donaldson for one of the 8 members of the practice squad. The last possible scenario is that the Saints keep only Hamilton and put him back on the practice squad where he remained the majority of last season. I think the likely scenario here is that the Saints keep Hamilton as the fourth back and Hill on the practice squad. At the back up fullback spot, Olaniyi Sobomehin will probably be placed back on the practice squad.

Wide Receiver- There is another intense battle going on for the Saints at the Wide Receiver position. The Saints are pretty much locked in on Marques Colston, Lance Moore, Devery Henderson, and Robert Meachem making the roster. However, this leaves room for probably one, or at most, two more receivers on the 53 man active roster. Three players have made a case for the one or two spots that remain. Courtney Roby came along last year and showed that he can be a dangerous kick returner, but that begs the question, should the Saints use a roster spot solely on a kick returner. Adrian Arrington spent last year on the practice squad with coaches raving about his potential. However, he can’t return kicks and this would still leave the Saints with a hole at the kick returner spot. #13 Rod Harper is the third receiver that has made a case for this spot. Harper has come on strong proving his worth as a receiver and a special teams player. Harper returned a punt for a touchdown and also hauled in a touchdown catch. In my eyes you try to go with six here and keep Roby and Arrington and place Harper on the practice squad. Sklyer Green appears to be the odd man out here. He just is not a great wide receiver and does not appear to have the break away speed necessary to be a return specialist.

Tight End- At the Tight End position, Jeremy Shockey and Billy Miller are locks to make the roster. The problem at this position is that the loss of Dan Campbell for the season leaves us without a blocking Tight End. Buck Ortega, Darnell Dinkins and Martrez Milner are our remaining options. Dinkins is probably the best blocker of the group, but he has missed a great deal of camp due to injury. Milner was a long shot to begin with and has not done anything overly impressive to earn his keep. This means that Ortega will likely be the third Tight End for the Saints. We shall see what type of impact this has on the Saints running game.

Offensive Line- The Saints will start Jamaal Brown, Jahri Evans, Jonathan Goodwin, Carl Nicks, and Jon Stinchcomb on the Offensive Line. With the surgery to Jamaal Brown, Jermon Bushrod will start the season at Left Tackle, with Zach Strief possibly seeing some playing time. Former starting Guard Jamar Nesbit, along with back up Center Nick Leckey will round out this unit.

That’s its for the Saints Offense. Stay tuned for a breakdown of the Saints D...

Update

A lot has gone on in sports since I last posted. So I think that its best for me to just give a brief synopsis of my opinion on some of the more relevant stories, at least those relevant to me:

• Rest in Peace Steve McNair, Arturo Gatti and Vernon Forest. All of these situations are very sad and tragic in their own right. All of these men were known for there courage, playing/fighting through injuries, and leaving it all on the field. I think its best we try to remember them for those attributes.
• Happy Trails to Tyson Chandler. I blogged a while back about the Chandler-Wilcox trade that was never finalized due to a failed physical. Chandler returned from injury after that non-trade to have his best week of the season, only to return to the bench with that same nagging toe injury. So this time around I’m glad that the Hornets were able to execute the trade and get more of a comparable player with less mileage than Chanlder. If Okafor can hold his own defensively against Western Conference Centers, this should be a good trade for the home team.
• I’m on the fence about the acquisition of Ike Diougu, but there is very little risk with this signing and there is an opportunity for a decent sized reward. However, the acquisition of Diogu doesn’t make it any easier knowing that Brandon Bass should be our back up Power Forward.
• David Ortiz on roids?!?!?! And the Red Sox clubhouse investigated for an in house supplier?!?! I believe I predicted this a few months back when the Manny story broke. Still waiting on Bill Simmons to write something now that his worst nightmares have been all but confirmed.
• Starbury: Whats really good dude? Tears, vaseline, car accidents, twitter, and ustream are never a good combination. We are getting a first hand view of a career coming to a train wreck of an end. I feel like I’m watching Iron Mike Tyson all over again. All we need now is “fade into bolivian” speech.
• Along these same lines, I think I’m due for a blog on my views on the effect that twitter and other online social mediums are having on the sports landscape and the dissemination of information. Look for that in the weeks ahead.
• Am I the only person feeling like all is right with the world now that football season looms. Fantasy Football, games on Thursday through Sunday, its like 6 months of Christmas. The gift that keeps on giving.
• Next blog will cover the latest from the Saints training camp with news and notes from around the rest of the league.

NBA Finals Prediction

Okay, I know I haven’t blogged about B-ball this season (with the exception of a post on the Hornets after the Tyson Chandler trade), but it’s the NBA Finals folks, so I have to weigh in and give my two cents. So here it goes:

Initially, my head says the Lakers and my heart says the Magic. I’m not the biggest Kobe Bryant fan, or Laker fan in general. Never have been. And the Magic bring a great story to the table: a young team riding a waive of emotion coupled with a whole lot of talent and offensive fire power. On top of that, the Magic are fun to watch and they bring an infectious spirit to the competition that makes fans enjoy watching them.

However, you can't just be a “fan” when making these types of predictions. You have to step back and analyze. And after analyzing the match-ups in this NBA Finals I predict that the Lakers will win this series in 7 games.

The Front Court

The front court match ups in this series are really important, because the key player for the Orlando Magic is Center Dwight Howard. How the Los Angeles Lakers handle Dwight Howard offensively and defensively will go a long way in determining how this series plays out. If the Lakers get Dwight Howard in early foul trouble, it will clear up the lane for Kobe to drive, and create space for Gasol to work in the low post. This will also give Bynum a much easier time on the boards because the 6'11 Orlando Magic PF, Rashard Lewis, has little interest in rebounding. Also, getting Howard in foul trouble eliminates him from the offensive end where he also presents a large problem for the Lakers. While Bynum and Gasol match up with Howard much better than Varejo and Ilgauskus did in the Eastern Conference Finals, they still will not be able to match his strength and athleticism. However, they may have enough fouls between them (and other Laker big men off the bench- Odom/Walton) to slow Howard down and force him to hit free throws which is something he isn’t very comfortable with (59.4 % on the season).

The Lakers will also have a tough time matching up with Rashard Lewis with Gasol or Bynum. Lewis may try to get off to a strong start early, before the Lakers go to Odom off of the bench who will match up much better against him. If the Lakers play Gasol and Odom the majority of the time in the front court they will have solid match-ups offensively and defensively that even out the scales enough for Kobe to put in work from the back court and tilt the scales in their favor.

At the small forward the Lakers are going with Trevor Ariza and he will be matching up with Hedo Turkoglu. While the Hedo Turkoglu will probably put up more points than Ariza, Ariza will slow down Turkoglu enough and bring other intangibles to make him a valuable asset in this series (see late games steals in the Denver series). Turkoglu will not be able to have his way with Ariza like he did with the 6'2 Delonte West in the Eastern Conference Finals.


The Back Court

The back court is where things tilt in favor of the Lakers. The Kobe Bryant Courtney Lee match up is almost laughable and surely Mickael Pietrus will spend the majority of the game matched up with Kobe just like he did Lebron. And just like the Lebron match-up, Pietrus can only hope to slow Kobe down. Kobe will ultimately be the difference maker in this series because he is the only player with any experience as an NBA Finals starter where his team relied on him to carry them. Kobe has been here and done this before and now he is playing to solidify his legacy. I think ultimately that fire burning inside of him is enough to give him the killer instinct that the Lakers have been lacking in the playoffs.

The point guard match up between D. Fish and Skip To My Lou (Raefer Alston) is fairly even. These are two crafty veteran point guards that can knock down open jumpers and take you off the dribble when necessary. One thing is for sure though, Phil Jackson will not allow Alston to stand flat footed behind the three point line and launch wide open threes. Alston will have to work harder than that in this series.

The Bench

The Lakers have a much stronger bench in this series. The Magic rely on Pietrus for most of their points of the bench and he becomes a starter for the most part when you look at minutes played. Based on that you can say that Jameer Nelson, if healthy, and Courtney Lee will be the majority of the Magic's bench production in terms of points. Other than that Anthony Johnson can steal some minutes at the point position and Marcin Gortat will come in for Dwight Howard. This bench pales in comparison when you look at the Lakers, who will bring in Sasha Vujacic and Jordan Farmer for some good solid minutes of points and outside shooting off the bench. The Lakers will also bring Luke Walton and Lamar Odom in the front court. Both of these players play solid all around basketball and this has the Lakers going 9 deep which is not common in basketball today.

And this is why I have the Lakers in 7......weigh in tell me what you think!




Free Counter

What's fair is fair...

So Manny was roided up all along huh? Well, I’d like to say that this information doesn’t make me feel a little bit better about that 2004 colossal collapse by the Yankees against the Red Sox and everything that’s gone on in recent years with the Yanks Bosox rivalry, but I’d be lying. I’d like to say that Bill “The Sports Guy” Simmons’s worst nightmare doesn’t make me quietly giddy. I’d like to be able to say that I’m so much of a true baseball fan that something that hurts the integrity of the game as much as this, hurts me. But, that simply wouldn’t be true. The honest truth is I’m more a Yankees fan than I am a baseball fan. Maybe its because growing up and attending PS 20 in Brooklyn we got free tickets from Mr. Marcus for dressing out everyday for PE. I still remember going to games on week nights. Just me and my mom and a bunch of classmates with their parents. Catching that train the Bronx, sitting in the upper deck singing Take Me Out to The Ball Game during the seventh inning stretch. Begging my mom to let us stay 15 more minutes outside of the Yankees player entrance to wait and see if we could catch a glimpse of Donnie Baseball and Wade Boggs leaving the locker room. Or maybe its because of that special summer afternoon game that my brothers 5th grade teacher Mr. Cantos took us to in the summer of ‘93, right after my dad died and right before we moved from Brooklyn to New Orleans. The batting glove, the baseball cap, and the cards that he bought to make sure we had the best game experience ever: all things I’ll never forget. I’ll say that pretty much sealed the deal. A Yankees fan for life (no disrespect to those Mets teams: Doc Gooden, Straw and HoJo were staples of my childhood along with that “Lets Go Mets, Do it Again!” chant). Through thick and thin, I am forever a die hard Yankees fan.

Three years later when Joe Torre took the ‘96 Yanks on that special World Series run with his brother Frank in the hospital with cancer it was just so special. I had followed the Yanks the whole season because I had just got internet access. Knew the lineup even down to Mariano Duncan at second base, and Luis Sojo and Charlie Hayes as infield reserves. Such a special team, such a special season. From there the Yanks went on one of the greatest runs in sports history winning four out five World Series from ‘96-‘00 and playing in six out of eight World Series from ‘96-‘03. But everything ended in ‘03 when the Marlins took us down. By this time the Yankees have morphed into the evil empire, as we were branded by the BoSox and most of baseball at this point baseball. The model that was built by Buck Showalter and Gene Watson, which relied on developing our farm system (it produced Rivera, Jeter, Williams, Pettite and Posada among others), was replaced by the old Steinbrenner way of doing things- trading away the farm for over priced aged veteran All-Stars. (Ironically the Watson and Showalter method was only implemented because of Steinbrenner suspension in 1990 due to the Dave Winfield scandal- hate to think what life as Yankee fans would have been like if Steinbrenner was never suspended). This all culminated with the Yanks fielding a team with the least heart in baseball (see the Arod signing) and experiencing the most monumental collapse in sports history, coughing up a 3-0 series lead. The BoSox won the series that year and the Yankees haven’t been back since. As a Yankees fan sometimes I feel like the curse of the Bambino was transferred over to us that year or something (especially with all these new stadium issues).

So folks naturally as a true Yankees fan hearing this news about Manny allowed my mind to run wild. What if Manny was juiced all along. What if Manny and Big Papi both Dominican born ball players were both juicing and the guys responsible for the greatest come back in sports playoff history were basically Sammy Sosa and Mark McGuire batting in the heart of the line-up. I mean is this really so far fetched. Dominican players are known for having easy access to a wide array of substances that aren’t available in the states. And if Manny and Big Papi were on it, what about others. Trot Nixon and Kevin Millar maybe. I mean really where did those guys come from? And even better question where did they go after the Red Sox magical run? (I feel like that’s a question we may be asking about Big Papi in the not too distant future).

So I should feel all better right. I mean once we crack the code on the Manny situation and trace back to his supplier we should uncover another pipe line, maybe not of BALCO fame, but one that may lead us to some other athletes (likely some of his Red Sox teammates). Then I should be able to rest easy knowing that the breaking of the curse was a fraud. I mean thats fair right. The Yanks got caught up in the scandal and had the organizations reputation smeared when Red Sox minority owner George Mitchell helped create a report that implicated half the notable Yankee players of the late 90's while only naming one Red Sox minor leaguer and now we find out the most notable Red Sox player of the last 10 years was juiced. Karma right. Everything changes now right. Maybe this even comes with a re-institution of Yankee dominance.

But the reality of it all is that nothing changes. The more steroid scandals that break, the more I try to determine when this steroid thing really took of. When did it enfultrated the Yankee organization? Did it begin with Clemens and McNamee? Surely my ‘96 Yankees weren’t tainted. Then I start to wonder what about Tino Martinez and Scotty Brosuis and the 98 team. Where did these guys come from, and where did they go? I swear, if somebody tells me that everything I witnessed from Bernie and Jeter was fraudulent, I may shed a tear. I mean you can't just reach into my childhood memories and grab a big chunk out of it and think thats okay. For better or for worse, Jeter and Bernie's late game heroics are as much a part of my childhood as John Starks' 2-18 performance in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. As a New York sports fan you can't have one without the other. You lived and died on every shot and you lived and died on every swing thats just the way it was and still is. And thats really the shame of it all. The thought that the nights spent up past your bed time hanging on every pitch could possibly be a fraud is just too much to handle. I mean if thats the case can we agree that John Starks' 2-18 game was a nightmare and somebody shake me wake me up and make the New York Knicks the 1993 NBA Champions. Fair is fair right??? Wrong. And thats the one thing that I do know. That in sports these days fair is not fair. Because at the end of the day, the Red Sox fans, the Yankee fans, the Dodger fans, we're the ones left wondering. Left wondering what and who to believe. Wondering if the money we spent on tickets was worth it. Wondering if the nights we stayed up were worth it. Wondering if what we witnessed with our own eyes was real. The players in most cases aren't asked to return back pay checks or better yet pay the fans back for the card, jersey, and ticket money spent. And the players definitely aren't asked to return MVP trophies and World Series rings. So if this whole situation teaches me anything, its that the baseball that I watched was never about me the fan, and I for one think that thats not fair.

The Non-Mock Draft Mock Draft

So lets cut to the chase. I have been MIA for a while. I let March Madness go by without any posts. I didn’t want to burden true hoop fans with my sub-par commentary on College Basketball. But its draft time so I’m back. I was all over the Senior Bowl and followed the combine pretty closely so I’ve got some strong opinions on who the top prospects are and where they should end up.

Before I talk about who should go where I’d just want to put it out there that the predicting the NFL Draft is an in-exact science at best. Its kind of like playing the stock market. You can put in all the work and research time that you want, but at the end of the day its possible that a monkey could throw darts at a dart board with random stock on it and choose a more valuable stock than you. Not probable, but possible.

With that said every year you read a ton of mock drafts done by people who claim to have insider information and claim to have watched a ton of film. They’ll tell you they talked to the players agents, shrinks and ex’s as if this means they know where the player will end up. The only problem with this whole scenario is that every year one player surprisingly falls and one or more teams trade back. These two occurrences have a tendency to shake up the whole first round and change everyone’s predictions of where players will end up. For example, last year the top ten picks were fairly predictable. People even knew that the Saints would likely try to trade up because of their interest in grabbing one of the two defensive tackles that would likely be off the board by the tenth pick. However, nobody knew who the Saints would trade with which ended up making all the difference in he world in terms of where players actually ended up. In that scenario, the Top 10 for the most part consisted of the players that everyone expected. However, the order in which these players were drafted and the teams that drafted them were anyone’s guess.

So, my point here is that as much as much fun as it is to speculate, its just that...speculation. You may guess right on a few picks here and there, but to even get the top 15 picks perfect would be like....well, like having a perfect March Madness bracket.

Okay, now that we have established that deciding who will be drafted where is pretty much a waste of time...Lets start wasting time:

(Note: My mock draft is as much about who I think a team should draft as much as it is about who they will draft)

1.) Detroit Lions: I think its obvious that this team has holes every where, but when you have the number one pick I think its safe to say that you should go with a guy that will be the corner stone of your franchise for the future. The major question here seems to be will the Lions pass on the pick, go with an OT, a or QB. My personal vote here is for an OT, preferably Jason Smith. Stafford seems to be pretty strong QB, but he was never as dominant in the SEC to me as a Peyton, an Eli, or even Matt Ryan in the ACC. And, in recent years OT has proven to be a fairly safe pick (see: Joe Thomas and Jake Long the last two years). Even Robert Gallery has shown himself to be a solid guard after failing at the Left Tackle position. And...well, we all know what happened the last time the Lions picked a QB top 5.

Update: Lions and Stafford nearing aggrement.

2.) St. Louis Rams: The Rams just let Orlando Pace go, so a left tackle makes sense for them here. Also, the Rams are on record as saying they do not want a QB so if the Lions don't go with Stafford, I don't see the Rams moving on him either. I think the Rams should definitely look to replace Pace with an OT. Jason Smith is the pick if the Lions take Stafford and Eugene Monroe if Smith goes at #1.

3.) Kansas City Chiefs: By all accounts, it appears that even after the Zach Thomas pick up, Aaron Curry is the no brainer here. He is probably the closest thing to a sure thing that exists in this years draft. However, if the Lions take my advice and take Smith and Monroe goes at #2, phones will ring off the hook with teams trying to move up and get Stafford. The Chiefs can move back a few spots and still pick up a LB.

Update: Chiefs interested in trading down.

4.) Seattle Seahawks: Okay it gets a little interesting here. If Stafford is still on the board (unlikely because if Detroit takes my advice and doesn’t draft him somebody likely trades up by now) then the Seahawks can take him as the QB of the future. If Stafford is gone, then the Seahawks can take Sanchez as the QB of the future. However, if Stafford is gone I believe that the Seahawks should take BJ Raji . This will keep Offensive lineman off of Lofa Tatupu at MLB. I think that is the smartest move that they can make here. But we have to wait and see if the marijuana allegations cause Raji to drop in the draft.

Update: Sports Illustrated apologizes for the Raji story.

5.) Cleveland Browns: If the Browns do in fact move Braylon Edwards before the draft, Michael Crabtree seems like the obvious pick here, especially given the departure of Kellen Winslow. However, Mangini is a defensive minded coach and may be looking for some LB’s to mold. If that is the case look for them to take Brian Orakpo as a 3-4 OLB.

Update: Cleveland not sold on Crabtree. Orakpo may be the pick now.

6.) Cincinnati Bengals: The need for an OT in Cincy is pretty strong. The Bengals haven’t been able to effectively protect Carson Palmer in recent years. If Eugene Monroe falls this far, the Bengals will undoubtedly take him. However, if Jason Smith and Eugene Monroe are gone this may be too early to reach on a troubled prospect like Andre Smith. If they choose not to reach on Andre Smith, they can always work on their porous defense and go after Brian Orakpo to add to their pass rush.

7.) Oakland Raiders: Kick Returner, Johnny Lee Higgins led the Raiders in receptions last year. The verdict: The Raiders need a WR. And everybody knows that Al Davis loves athletic WR’s so there is no way that Crabtree lasts past this pick. If he is gone, look for the Raiders to take Jeremy Maclin and give Jamarcus Russell a good young athletic target. Personally I don’t think you should draft a WR this high. You can get good WR value after the first round. I have a philosophy that the WR position in the NFL takes so much work, that the best receivers end up being the ones with the most incentive to work hard. (Comparing these wide outs and their draft position should serve as a solid evidence for my philosophy: Laverneus Coles, Peter Warrick, Robert Meachem, Steve Smith, Marques Colston, TO, Ocho Cinco, and Anquan Boldin).

8.) Jacksonville Jaguars: I look for the Jaguars to be our first trade of the day. The Jaguars have some holes to fill, but the eight spot is too early for them to address their major needs. They could go with Mark Sanchez here, but he would be the quarterback of the future and they may be able to win now if they address some of their holes. They could also go with Andre Smith here if he is still available and he would be an instant upgrade to the O-line. I think they should attempt to trade back and look at a RB to replace Fred Taylor (Chris “Beanie” Wells) or a LB to replace Mike Peterson. The Jets would likely be a willing participant in a trade at this spot.

9.) Green Bay Packers: Let me just start out as saying I am a Saints fan and I hope this doesn’t happen. But, the Malcolm Jenkins pick makes a lot of sense here with the aging Charles Woodson and Al Harris as the starting corners. However they may look to upgrade the pass rush here and take whoever remains of Orakpo, Brown, and Maybin (in that order).

10.) San Francisco 49ers: The 49ers need a dynamic WR. Isaac Bruce just won’t cut it. I think the 49ers go one more year with the three headed monster at QB, hoping that Alex Smith can get on track. They would like to draft Maclin with this pick to give Smith a legit target. However, if Maclin goes to the Raiders as I predict, Brian Orakpo would be a good addition to their defense.

11.) Buffalo Bills: After trading Peters, the Bills have a huge hole to fill. They practically have to take an OT here. Look for the Bills to take Michael Oher out of Ole Miss if the other top tackles are already off the board. This mostly depends on what Detroit decides to do at #1.

12.) Denver Broncos: The Broncos had a porous defense last season. They could not stop the run. This year the Broncos are moving to a 3-4 front. The Broncos should take Tyson Jackson here who is being touted by most as the only legit 3-4 Defensive End. The Broncos could go with Sanchez here, but the Broncos seemed to be intrigued by Orton and feel that he will excel in their offense.

13.) Washington Redskins: The word on the street is that Redskins owner Daniel Snyder likes Mark Sanchez. We all know that Snyder gets what he wants. It has been reported that the Redskins brass met with Sanchez over the weekend and had him meet with their coaching personnel. If Sanchez is here I think the Redskins take him. Personally I think the Skins could be looking for a pass rusher with this pick considering the loss of Jason Taylor. I say Everette Brown or Aaron Maybin here.

14.) New Orleans Saints: I’m way too excited about this pick. I think we can do a lot here and it’s a hard pick to mess up. I think inevitably there is a possibility that somebody of value falls to this spot. It could be Raji with the character concerns, Crabtree with the bad foot that kept him from running the 40, Jenkins with his slow 40 time, or Sanchez could still be available. If Raji falls, you have to take the big NT and put him next to your 3-tech Ellis which would remind many Saints fans of the days of Hand and Glover. If Crabtree falls, I’d be really tempted to take him just so you don’t end up like all those teams that passed on Randy Moss. I’d put Crabtree with Colston and figure the rest of the WR rotation out later. Somebody would be getting traded and/or cut though. Meachem would be at the top of the list. If Jenkins is there you snatch him. He is an instant upgrade to a Saints secondary that has never had a premier talent. With the scenario of Sanchez being available however, I think you trade this pick to the NY Jets or someone in similar situation and get back further in the 1st round. That allows you to hit our major need which is defense. At this point your best bet is LB or CB. At corner there will likely be Vontae Davis and at the OLB (Vilma has MLB on lock) spot you will likely have Cushing and Matthews to pick from. And my vote is to go with Clay Matthews. He has great NFL genes and demonstrated a great work ethic walking on at USC. At a minimum he will serve as an instant upgrade to the Special Teams unit.

15.) Houston Texans: I see the Texans taking a RB with this pick. I don’t think the Texans expected the 1200 yards that they got out of Slaton this past season. With that in mind I look for the Texans to take a big back in Chris Wells at this spot to compliment Slaton. But I don’t project Wells as a perinial pro-bowler and so I think this is too high of a spot to draft him. I think Brian Cushing would be a good pick up for the Texans who are pretty week at the Strong side Linebacker position. The Texans are also very thin at corner and may need to pick a player like Vontae Davis here.

16.) San Diego Chargers: The Chargers do not have many glaring holes. With that said, you can never have too many solid LB’s running a 3-4 defense. Rey Maualuga may be good fits here. However, If Tyson Jackson slips this far look for him to come off the board here.

17.) New York Jets: The Jets have two glaring needs created by the departure of Brett Favre and Laverneus Coles. The Jets may trade up to go after Sanchez. If the Jets do not trade up and go after Sanchez, I look for them to go after Josh Freeman. Their need at QB is that great. Personally I don’t feel like that truly addresses their concerns. The Jets have assembled a solid veteran core and Freeman is a QB of the future and may not be affective any time soon. If the Jets go wide receiver, Heyward-Bey is likely the WR that they will pick. As I said I see the Jets trading up with the Saints or possibly the Bills (if they are trying to leap frog the Skins) to get Sanchez. (Note: There are some whispers as Sanchez climbs the draft board, due to all his media hype, that the Seahawks are giving him some serious consideration as their QB of the future. If that is the case a team would have to move up to #2 or #3 to have a chance at Sanchez).

18.) Denver Broncos: The Broncos seem pretty stacked at the offensive skill positions so I wouldn’t look for them to take one of the available RBs (they already have Correll Buckhalter, Lamont Jordan, JJ Arrington and Selvin Young) or TEs (they already have Daniel Graham) here. They should probably try to address the Defense with this pick. They already have a nice start at LB with Elvis Dumervil, Jarvis Moss, Boss Bailey, Andra Davis, DJ Williams, and Wesley Woodyard so they should probably look Defensive line with this pick. The Broncos simply don’t have any 3-4 Defensive lineman (other than Tyson Jackson if they have drafted him at this point). The problem becomes that Peria Jerry is the best d-line prospect available at this point, but he is not a 3-4 NT. He is probably better suited to play the 3-tech. The same problem exists with 275 pound Tennessee Defensive End Robert Ayers who would probably fit better in a 4-3 defense. However, I think you can add a few pounds to this guy and let him get after it. He would be my pick here. The Broncos could also trade back and let somebody move up for one of the running backs or draft a replacement for the aging Champ Bailey (Vontae Davis).

Update: Broncos look to trade Jarvis Moss who is more of a 4-3 D-end.

19.) Tampa Bay Bucaneeers: The Bucs decided to clean house this off season. Part of the reason was because they had an older team that crumbled down the stretch, losing the last four games. This collapse was partially due to the Bucs inability to stop the run. A DT would seem like a good pick here, but the Bucs are looking for a NT because they already have Hovan at the 3-tech. The Bucs should look to the OLB position at this pick because they still need to replace June and Brooks. The Bucs should draft Clay Matthews or Brian Cushing depending on who is available (in that order). If the Saints and Texans have followed my recommendations however, DT Peria Jerry will likely be best pick for the Bucs.

20.) Detroit Lions: The Lions need help every where. If they go OT with the first pick, they should definitely go defense here. However, if they go with Stafford as the first pick, OT Michael Oher would probably be their target at this point. However it is quite possible (if the other 3 OT s go top ten that Oher will be gone at this point. If that is the case the Lions should go defense and draft Aaron Maybin to play the true DE spot ala Dwight Freeney.

21.) Philadelphia Eagles: If the Eagles don’t trade this pick for Anquan Boldin, which I happen to think is the smartest move, they will likely draft a RB to play alongside Westbrook. Chris “Beanie” Wells would be a good fit here as a thunder to Westbrook’s lightening. However, I have been high on Knowshon Moreno since he started at UGA and I personally don’t think Beanie is as much thunder as people would like to believe. Moreno would be the better fit in this offense so he would be my pick at this spot. The Eagles could also look to replace LJ Smith and draft Brandon Pettigrew at this spot.

22.) Minnesota Vikings: The Vikings desperately need a playmaker on offense besides Adrian Peterson. Percy Harvin was dynamic in college with the ball in his hands.

Update: Harvin was one of the players that failed Combine drug test.

23.) New England Patriots: Darius Butler. The Patriots have been really high on Butler, the only issue is whether or not they use this pick on him or try to wait until 34 to snatch him off the board.

24.) Atlanta Falcons: The Falcons really need defense. Last year they relied on their pass rush from John Abraham and their running game’s ability to keep the opposing offense on the sideline. That is why the Falcons probably won’t move on a TE at this spot. The Falcons should go with Evander “Ziggy” Hood at the DT to give Abraham some help rushing the passer.

25.) Miami Dolphins: The Dolphins desperately need a WR and a CB. With Vontae Davis still on the board and Bill Parcells negative feelings for drafting a WR this high (see I'm in good company), I think Davis is the pick here.

26.) Baltimore Ravens: The Ravens need to replace Bart Scott, but they won’t be able to find that replacement here. The Ravens would also like to trade this pick for Anquan Boldin, but they feel that the asking price of a 1st and a 3rd is too high so this seems like an appropriate spot for them to draft a strong athletic WR like Boldin. Darius Heyward-Bey would be a good pick here considering the strong workout that he had with Ravens' QB Joe Flacco.

27.) Indianapolis Colts: The Colts need a DT and a WR to replace Marvin Harrison. With the top three DTs off the board I think the Colts should go WR here and take Hakeem Nicks to play along side Reggie Wayne.

28.) Buffalo Bills: If the Buffalo Bills decide to go with OT Oher on their first pick TE Brandon Pettigrew is a great pick her to give Trent Edwards all the weapons necessary to take this offense to the next level. If the Bill don't get Oher with the first pick, likely go with OT Eben Britton.

29.) New York Giants: I believe the Giants will trade this pick for Braylon Edwards. However, if the Giants hold on to this pick look for them to replace Plaxico Burress with another big strong target in Kenny Britt. If Cleveland picks here I can see them drafting James Laurinitas or Alphonso Smith.

30.) Tennessee Titans: The Titans need a DT to replace Haynesworth. They wont find one of value here. They also need a WR, but they traditionally don’t take first round WRS. The Titans can upgrade the Offensive line and take OT William Beatty here or ILB James Laurinitas.

31.) Arizona Cardinals: The Cardinals need a back to replace the aging Edgerin James. Chris “Beanie” Wells finally comes off the board here. Rumors of chronic foot problems and his inability to play in many of OSU’s big games cause him to drop this far in the draft.

32.) Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers biggest problem was their Offensive line. Look for the defending Super Bowl Champs to address this need by drafting OL Max Unger. This may be a little high for Unger so I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Steelers go with William Beatty here or trade down a few spots to make this same selection.

Mt. Rushmore of Sports

Below I have an interesting topic I saw on ESPN.com a few weeks back. It was a Mt. Rushmore for sports done for each state. People voted in a variety of ways to reach a consensus on who should be placed on each state's Mt. Rushmore of sports. Athletes were voted to the state's Mt. Rushmore based on their career accomplishments irrespective of what state they were born in. Athletes could be voted on to a Mt. Rushmore for a state that they are from, played in, currently live in, or played college ball in. With that said I think that the two states that I grew up in did really well. New York was to be expected, because honestly up and down the list you see other states laying claim to guys that either played professionally in NY or were born in NY. LT, Tyson, and Vince Lombardi just to name a few. Louisiana on the other hand did real well and surprisingly enough it was done with mostly basketball players (Shaq, Pistol Pete, Bill Russell, and Terry Bradshaw. But my two favorite states were Alabama and Mississippi. Who knew states that struggle in so many other important categoriese like education and health could produced some of the finest athletes our generation has seen. My biggest problem on this list however is the state of Florida and if you have read my past blogs you already know what it is....Tim Tebow. With all the great athletes to come out of the state of Florida how does a college junior in Tim Tebow make the Mt. Rushmore. This guy won't even be an 1st round pick in the NFL. I mean really, Tim Tebow?! Really?! Tim Tebow over Neon Deion "Primetime must be the money" Sanders. Really?! Ok I'll let it go, its not like this thing is really getting built. But I'd like some feed back on this one. How did your state turn out? Who do you think got left of the list unfairly? Talk to me...





Alabama
Hank Aaron Bear Bryant Bo Jackson Willie Mays

Alaska
Carlos Boozer Scott Gomez Joe Redington Susan Butcher

Arizona
Pat Tillman Lute Olson Jerry Colangelo Luis Gonzalez

Arkansas
Scottie Pippen Frank Broyles Brooks Robinson John McDonnell

California
Tiger Woods John Wooden Magic Johnson Jackie Robinson

Colorado
John Elway Joe Sakic Todd Helton Goose Gossage

Connecticut
Jim Calhoun Geno Auriemma Chris Drury Walter Camp

Delaware
Rich Gannon Randy White Tubby Raymond Dallas Green

Florida
Dan Marino Don Shula Bobby Bowden Tim Tebow

Georgia
Hank Aaron Herschel Walker Ty Cobb Bobby Jones

Hawaii
Duke Kahanamoku Bryan Clay Colt Brennan Wally Yonamine

Idaho
Harmon Killebrew Picabo Street Jerry Kramer Dan O'Brien

Illinois
Michael Jordan Walter Payton Ernie Banks Mike Ditka

Indiana
Larry Bird Bob Knight Peyton Manning John Wooden

Iowa
Dan Gable Kurt Warner Nile Kinnick Bob Feller

Kansas
Barry Sanders Wilt Chamberlain Danny Manning Jim Ryun

Kentucky
Muhammad Ali Adolph Rupp Secretariat Rick Pitino

Louisiana
Terry Bradshaw Pete Maravich Shaquille O'Neal Bill Russell

Maine
Cindy Blodgett Paul Kariya Joan Benoit Mike Bordick

Maryland
Cal Ripken Jr. Michael Phelps Johnny Unitas Brooks Robinson

Massachusetts
Ted Williams Bobby Orr Tom Brady Red Auerbach

Michigan
Steve Yzerman Barry Sanders Gordie Howe Joe Louis

Minnesota
Kirby Puckett Herb Brooks Harmon Killebrew Bud Grant

Mississippi
Jerry Rice Walter Payton Brett Favre Archie Manning

Missouri
Stan Musial Jack Buck Lamar Hunt George Brett

Montana
Brent Musberger Evel Knievel Phil Jackson Dave McNally

Nebraska
Tom Osborne Tommie Frazier Bob Gibson Gale Sayers

Nevada
Greg Maddux Andre Agassi Jerry Tarkanian Mike Tyson

New Hampshire
Carlton Fisk Bode Miller Chris Carpenter Jenny Thompson

New Jersey
Martin Brodeur Bill Parcells Carl Lewis Lawrence Taylor

New Mexico
Brian Urlacher Al Unser Sr. Nancy Lopez Tommy McDonald

New York
Babe Ruth Jackie Robinson Jim Brown Joe Namath

North Carolina
Michael Jordan Dean Smith Dale Earnhardt Mike Krzyzewski

North Dakota
Roger Maris Phil Jackson Lute Olson Darin Erstad

Ohio
Jack Nicklaus Jesse Owens Paul Brown Woody Hayes

Oklahoma
Mickey Mantle Jim Thorpe Barry Sanders Barry Switzer

Oregon
Steve Prefontaine Clyde Drexler Phil Knight Gary Payton

Pennsylvania
Joe Paterno Mario Lemieux Roberto Clemente Wilt Chamberlain

Puerto Rico
Roberto Clemente Ivan Rodriguez Wilfredo Benitez Jose Ortiz

Rhode Island
Ernie DiGregorio Rocco Baldelli Nap Lajoie Dave Gavitt

South Carolina
Joe Frazier Kevin Garnett Shoeless Joe Jackson John McKissick

South Dakota
Adam Vinatieri Sparky Anderson Billy Mills Brock Lesnar

Tennessee
Pat Summitt Peyton Manning Reggie White Wilma Rudolph

Texas
Nolan Ryan Lance Armstrong Tom Landry Earl Campbell

Utah
John Stockton Karl Malone Steve Young LaVell Edwards

Vermont
Jake Burton Tom Brennan John LeClair Patty Sheehan

Virginia
Arthur Ashe Bruce Smith Lawrence Taylor Sam Snead

Washington
Ken Griffey Jr. Steve Largent Edgar Martinez Don James

Washington, D.C.
Joe Gibbs Sammy Baugh John Thompson Walter Johnson

West Virginia
Jerry West Mary Lou Retton Sam Huff Randy Moss

Wisconsin
Vince Lombardi Brett Favre Hank Aaron Al McGuire

Wyoming
Rulon Gardner Jay Novacek Kenny Sailors Bobby Harris

A Sad Day For New Orleans Sports Fans

In one day, New Orleans lost two of its most high profile athletes and what many consider to be high character guys. In Deuce's case we lost a back that is hands down the greatest to ever put on a Saints uniform. Given Deuce's knee problems and the size of his 2009 salary, it may have been time for the teams to part ways. But it is definitely sad to see it happen. I'm never a fan of seeing a player prove himself over several years in the NFL and then reaching his big NFL pay day in the form of a back loaded contract, the lion share of which he will never see. It happens time and time again in the NFL. A player gives up his body for a team and takes them to the next level. The player has a mediocre salary during those years provided he wasn't a top 10 pick. The player exits that contract and signs a new one which is supposed to be his big pay day. It is his reward for helping to turn around the franchise. Only the contract is back loaded and when the time comes for the team to ante up, they claim that it doesn't make business sense to pay him all of this money now that he is on the down side of his career and his body is all beaten up. And the team is right. It doens't make business sense at that point. But what does make business sense is for the players agent to force the hand of the team and use his leverage to get more money up front (in the form of a guaranteed signing bonus) and a more evenly distributed contract, or even one that declines over the years (starts high and gets lower like Jason David's contract or Dre Bly). The only problem with this idea is that when players hire aggressive agents who make these types of requests, the teams and owners ussually use the media as leverage to make the player appear unloyal and greedy. But, at the end of the day as the Saints and Deuce McAllister made very clear, this is a business and these are merely business decisions.

Check out the Times Picayune article here:
http://blog.nola.com/saintsbeat/2009/02/post_deuce_story_here.html

And all this talk of business decisions brings me to my second rant; the loss of Tyson Chandler. TC was definitely not one of the premier big men in the league and his numbers were down and on top of all of that he has proven to be fairly injury prone over his NBA career. But with that said this move, which is being defined by many NBA insiders as a business move (to get under the cap), was a bad move! Need I say it again? Ok. IT WAS A BAD MOVE! Don't get me wrong, as a Hornets fan, I'd love to eat those words but I dont think I will. Lets look at the facts. TC was a legit 7 footer and he was only 26 years old. Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox are both 6'10 and Joe Smith is 33 and on the verge of retirement. Chris Wilcox showed flashes last year of potential when his numbers were up around 13 ppg and 8 boards. However, he mostly plays from the PF position as does Joe Smith. And oh by the way David West plays PF for the Hornets and he is an all-star. So now we have a log jam at the Forward position. Think about the Hornets have West, Wilcox, Smith, Ely, Posey, Ju-Ju, Marks, Butler, and Peja. All these guys play the three or the four (Posey, JuJu and Butler also get burn at the 2 but thats probably more out of necessity). So now we are going to try to make a playoff run with these PFs moving up to play Center.

But I digress. The crux of my argument here is that the Hornets have robbed Peter to pay Paul. They made the move to get rid of TC because he was going to put them over the salary cap next season. So in return for TC they got what amounts to expiring contracts. Ok now after those contracts expire who are the Hornets going to replace TC with. What Center will they go get on the open market that is as good or better than TC. If you can't afford to pay your Center, who only averages 8 and 8, what makes you think you will me able to get a better one in Free Agency. Someone please explain this to me, I'll ask one more time. Whos is going to play Center next year and in the future for that matter for the New Orleans Hornets?!.......I'll wait......Exactly. No One! So now you have open cap space next season, the majority of which will end up going to CP3 whos contract is set to increase. However, your team is declining. You have a ton of money locked into CP3 for the next 3 years, but your lost one of your best young defenders and a major piece to the puzzle. And who are we left with. An aging Peja Stojakavic who only brings streaky shooting to the table (and this is your highest paid player at around 14 mil), an all-star in David West who is kind of like a poor mans Karl Malone (on the back end of Karl's career), and over paid role players like James Posey, Rasual Butler, and Mo Pete. The bottom line is that this is not going to get it done.

So this brings me to my last point which ties the Hornets and the Saints together. If you can't develop your young talent (ie. Usama Young, Marvin Mitchell, Josh Bullocks, Roman Harper, JR Smith, Julian Wright, Hilton Armstrong) into serviceable starters you end up reaching in FA or via trades. You over pay your FA's (see Peja and Jason David), you trade for over paid players (see TC and Shockey), or you over pay the few guys who manage to materialize in your organization (ie Will Smith). And now the Saints and the Hornets are in the same situation. Shedding players who they would otherwise keep because they have so many average players that are overpaid. They are the opposite of a team like the Patriots or even the Ravens and Colts who constantly re-tool through the draft shedding over priced veterans as they reach the down side of their career replacing them with players that they have drafted and trained to be their replacement (see Rodney Harrison, Tony Saragosa, Marvin Harrison, Junior Seau, Brandon Merriweather, Anthony Gonzales, Haloti Ngata, and Jerod Mayo).

Signing Day

ITS SIGNING DAY PEOPLE!!!!! I'm pretty happy with where my Seminoles finished. Top of the ACC by all accounts so its a good day overall. I feel we are on our way to a BCS game very soon. I posted two lists down here for you so that you can see where the experts differ (Do a little compare and contrast and you see what an inexact science this ranking process is). Look and see where your team ranks:

Rivals:
1. Alabama
Head of the class: OT D.J. Fluker, RB Trent Richardson Buzz: Alabama dominated its home state again, landing the state's top seven players. The Tide also landed the top prospect in Florida in running back Trent Richardson, a terrific safety in Rod Woodson from Mississippi and three solid offensive linemen from Georgia. This is the second consecutive No. 1 class hauled in by Saban and company. Big fish that got away: OL Bobby Massie (to Ole Miss).

2. LSU
Head of the class: WR Rueben Randle, QB Russell Shepard Buzz: This is an unbelievable class with in-state stars such as Chris Davenport, running back Michael Ford, Barkevious Mingo and offensive lineman Chris Faulk and out-of-staters such as Shepard, linebacker Kevin Minter, athlete Drayton Calhoun, and safety Craig Loston. The Tigers loaded up. Big fish that got away: WR Andre Debose (to Florida).

3. USC
Head of the class: QB Matt Barkley, DE Devon Kennard Buzz: Another year, another elite class for the Trojans. USC once again has the best class in the Pac-10, and this year's group has plenty of stars other than Barkley and Kennard. Patrick Hall is one of the nation's best athletes, and the five-star prospect should star at safety in the future. Kennard might have ascended to the No. 1 ranking in the nation, but he suffered a knee injury. Big fish that got away: LB Vontaze Burfict (to Arizona State)

4. Ohio State
Head of the class: LB Dorian Bell, CB Corey Brown Buzz: The Buckeyes jumped out of the gate early, securing a majority of their commitments before the season even got into high gear. As always, Ohio State did a lot of their damage in their backyard, plus they went national to score some other key prospects. A late addition of four-star offensive tackle Marcus Hall was a nice boost right before Signing Day. Big fish that got away: CB Justin Green (to Illinois)

5. Texas
Head of the class: QB Garrett Gilbert, DE Alex Okafor Buzz: Texas landed three in-state five-star recruits in Gilbert, Okafor and offensive lineman Mason Walters. Further bolstering that in-state dominance, the Longhorns landed one of the state's best defenders in Calvin Howell, a great possession receiver in Greg Timmons, a jumbo athlete in Chris Whaley and a shut-down corner in Marcus Davis. Texas also added depth to the offensive line beyond Walters with Thomas Ashcraft, Garrett Porter and Paden Kelley and two of the nation's best tight ends in Barrett Matthews and Trey Graham. After Oklahoma snatched up some of the state's best in 2008, the Longhorns locked down the state in 2009. Big fish that got away: LB/DE Jarvis Jones (to USC)

6. Florida State
Head of the class: DT Jacobbi McDaniel, CB Greg Reid Buzz: Florida State had another great recruiting year and hit on most of their needs. Two four-star running backs, Lonnie Pryor and Chris Thompson, lead the offensive charge along with wide receivers Willie Haulstead and Rodney Smith and linemen Henry Orelus and Aubrey Phillips. On defense, McDaniel and Reid are five-star pickups and are joined by four-star defensive ends Brandon Jenkins and Demonte McAllister, four-star linebacker C.J. Mizell and four-star defensive backs Jajuan Harley. Athlete Willie Downs could be an impact guy on offense or defense, and FSU did a great job getting quarterback Will Secord away from Arkansas. Big fish that got away: RB Trent Richardson (to Alabama)

7. Michigan
Head of the class: DT William Campbell, S Justin Turner Buzz: While it was a disappointing season on the field for the Wolverines, there were only a few disappointments in the recruiting front. Rich Rodriguez was able to scour the nation for the type of offensive skill players – led by quarterback Tate Forcier and athlete Jeremy Gallon – that should help immediately. Big fish that got away: DT DeQuinta Jones (to Arkansas)

8. North Carolina
Head of the class: WR Jheranie Boyd, DE Donte Moss Buzz: North Carolina's recruiting has changed since Butch Davis took over the program. The Heels now are consistently involved with top players up and down the East Coast. UNC nailed it at numerous key positions including along the defensive line, at linebacker and at wide receiver. UNC dominated its home state, pulling in seven of the top 10 players. Big fish that got away: OT Xavier Nixon (to Florida)

9. Georgia
Head of the class: QB Aaron Murray, CB Branden Smith Buzz: Georgia signed two big-time quarterbacks (both already are enrolled), a touchdown machine in running back Washuan Ealey and playmakers at receiver in Marlon Brown and Rantavious Wooten. There's a strong group of linemen headed to Athens. Smith is one of the nation's best corners. Big fish that got away: LB/DE Jarvis Jones (to USC).

10. Florida
Head of the class: WR Andre Debose, LB Jelani Jenkins Buzz: This is another good class for Urban Meyer and his Gators. The national champs loaded up on speed and athleticism with Debose, Joshua Evans and Mike Gillislee. The Gators filled big needs on the offensive line and at linebacker. Five-star prospect Gary Brown has a chance to be a big-time defensive tackle. Big fish that got away: RB Trent Richardson (to Alabama)

11. Miami
Head of the class: ATH Ray Ray Armstrong, RB Lamar Miller Buzz: Obviously, running back Bryce Brown would be the headliner of this class had he decided to sign. But Armstrong and Miller are talented prospects and lead a strong class for the 'Canes. In addition to Miller, Miami signed another talented running back in Mike James. Miami also did well along the offensive line. But it's on defense where the Hurricanes really hit the jackpot. Armstrong will be a monster at linebacker or safety, and the defensive line is loaded. Brandon McGee is a great get at cornerback. Big fish that got away: WR Andre Debose (to Florida)

12. South Carolina
Head of the class: ATH Damario Jeffery, ATH Stephon Gilmore Buzz: Steve Spurrier and his staff reeled in a good class. This group is loaded with athletes such as Gilmore, Jeffery, Matt Coffee, Leon Mackey, Chaz Sutton, Devonte Holloman and Jarvis Giles. Getting wide receiver Alshon Jeffery – an in-state star who once was committed to USC – was huge for the Gamecocks. Big fish that got away: OL Quinton Washington (to Michigan)

13. Oklahoma
Head of the class: CB Gabe Lynn, DT JaMarkus McFarland Buzz: The Sooners landed another nationally regarded class, thanks mainly to the defensive group heading to Norman. The Sooners reeled in three top-50 national prospects – Lynn, McFarland and linebacker Ronnell Lewis. Major depth was added at linebacker with head-hunter Tom Wort a major steal from the state of Texas. Big fish that got away: WR Rueben Randle (to LSU)

14. Arkansas
Head of the class: ATH Ronnie Wingo Jr., CB Darius Winston, Buzz: With limited talent in-state this year, the Arkansas staff scoured the heartland and the southeast for top prospects and brought in a nationally ranked class. Winston and offensive lineman Colby Berna were big pickups and ensured that the top in-state players stayed home. The Razorbacks signed good players from Texas and Louisiana. Brandon Mitchell – a former LSU basketball commitment – may be the sleeper of the class at quarterback. Big fish that got away: OL Aubrey Phillips (to Florida State)

15. Michigan State
Head of the class: RB Edwin Baker, OT David Barrent Buzz: The Spartans were one of the nation's biggest surprises, and they also surprised a lot of local observers with their dominating in-state class. Led by recruiting coordinator Mark Staten and ace recruiter Dan Enos, Michigan State scored some major head-to-head wins against Michigan. Big fish that got away: DE Michael Buchanan (to Illinois)

16. UCLA
Head of the class: WR/TE Morrell Presley, OT Xavier Su'a Filo Buzz: Rick Neuheisel said he was going to make recruiting his No. 1 priority. Some outsiders might view the Bruins' class as second-rate compared with USC's, but there's no question there is more talent heading to Westwood than in years past. The Bruins moved up the charts with a nice NSD effort that saw them land surprises signings from Su'a Filo, a Rivals100 offensive lineman, and four-star athlete Damien Thigpen. Big fish that got away: LB Manti Te'o (to Notre Dame)

17. Ole Miss
Head of the class: WR Patrick Patterson, RB Rodney Scott Buzz: Few teams had as impressive a close as the Rebels. Signing Day saw Houston Nutt welcome in linebacker Mike Marry, four-star quarterback Raymond Cotton, Mississippi's top prospect in wide receiver Patrick Patterson and Bobby Massie - Michael Oher's heir apparent. The exciting day only added to a group that already included highly touted prospects such as defensive tackle Corey Gaines and outside linebacker D.T. Shackelford. Big fish that got away: WR Marlon Brown (to Georgia)

18. Auburn
Head of the class: DT Jamontay Pilson, QB Tyrik Rollison Buzz: Auburn closed exceptionally well, getting running back Dontae Aycock and wide receivers Emory Blake and DeAngelo Benton on Signing Day. Auburn landed a gem at quarterback in Rollison and a big-time back in Onterio McCalebb. Pilson, Philip Lutzenkirchen, Jamar Travis, Andre Harris and Reggie Taylor are other top-notch prospects headed to the Plains. Big fish that got away: LB Greg King (to Tennessee)

19. Stanford
Head of the class: WR Jemari Roberts, LB Shayne Skov Buzz: Easily one of the nation's biggest surprises. The Cardinal's average national recruiting ranking the past three years was 51st, but Jim Harbaugh reeled in the school's first top-25 class since 2003. The Cardinal did a tremendous job in California and nationally. Big fish that got away: G Michael Philipp (to Oregon State)

20. Notre Dame
Head of the class: LB Zeke Motta, LB Manti Te'o Buzz: It was an up-and-down season for Notre Dame, on the field and on the recruiting trail. The Irish started out well and scored some big-time early commitments, then lost some players late. But that doesn't take away from the good group heading to South Bend. Major needs were met along the offensive line with Zach Martin and Alex Bullard, and linebacker also was filled with some impact prospects. Big fish that got away: CB Marlon Pollard (to UCLA)

21. Texas A&M
Head of the class: RB Christine Michael, WR Uzoma Nwachukwu Buzz: With the exception of Michael, Texas A&M didn't clean up with the most highly rated in-state players. The Aggies did pick up a laundry list of quality players from within Texas and a few great ones from outside. Four-star prospect Patrick Lewis is an undersized offensive lineman who is tenacious and could be an option at either guard or center. Another Louisiana native, Jonathan Stewart, is a physical linebacker who will add toughness to the defense. Chris Henderson is a disruptive interior defensive lineman, and Steven Terrell adds size and athleticism to the secondary. Big fish that got away: S Craig Loston (to LSU)

22. Mississippi State
Head of the class: WR Chad Bumphis, DE Fletcher Cox Buzz: Despite being faced with the obstacles of a 4-8 season and a coaching change, Mississippi State put together a terrific class that has its strength from within the state borders. The top players of the class are Mississippi natives and extremely athletic additions to the roster. The Bulldogs also picked up one of the top junior college prospects in the country in defensive lineman Pernell McPhee and got some versatility in athletes such as Cameron Lawrence and Nickoe Whitley. Big fish that got away: WR Patrick Patterson (to Ole Miss)

23. Tennessee
Head of the class: LB Jerod Askew, WR Nu'keese Richardson Buzz: The Vols' coaching staff did a nice job of getting some visits from some outstanding prospects, and they even signed a few. Tennessee managed to land some good ones in Askew, James Green, Eric Gordon, Mike Edwards, Nigel Mitchell-Thornton, Marlon Walls and JerQuari Schofield. Richardson, Darren Myles, Marsalis Teague and Greg King were big Signing Day pickups. Big fish that got away: WR Marlon Brown (to Georgia)

24. Virginia Tech
Head of the class: TE Logan Thomas, RB David Wilson Buzz: Virginia Tech had one of their best recruiting years under Frank Beamer. Wilson is a franchise running back and Thomas is a mismatch for any defensive back or linebacker in the ACC. Wide receiver D.J. Coles has great size and is ready to compete right away, and offensive lineman Andrew Miller has good long-term potential. On defense, four-star defensive backs Jayron Hosley and Jerrodd Williams are athletic and versatile, and defensive linemen Lanford Collins, James Gayle and DeAntre Rhodes could be future stars. Big fish that got away: QB Kevin Newsome (to Penn State)

25. Penn State
Head of the class: QB Kevin Newsome, OT Eric Shrive Buzz: Penn State hasn't drawn the type of national headlines that Ohio State or Michigan have this recruiting season, but the group heading to Happy Valley definitely will keep the Nittany Lions on the right track. Quarterback was a monster priority for the Nittany Lions, so that's why landing four-star dual-threat Kevin Newsome was vital. The group is heavy on offensive linemen, and there are some great ones in the group, led by Shrive. The defensive back group also is special with four-star prospects Derrick Thomas and Darrell Givens at cornerback. Big fish that got away: LB Jelani Jenkins (to Florida)

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1. LSU Tigers
LSU went into signing day with the country's top recruiting class and held onto to it with a strong finish. The Tigers had a big day, inking raw but very talented defensive end Sam Montgomery (Greenwood, S.C.) and ESPN's No. 1 receiver Rueben Randle (Bastrop, La.). The Tigers signed 10 ESPNU 150 prospects and addressed areas of need with speed and athleticism. They raided the state of Texas for some of the better prospects in the country, including ESPN's top-rated safety Craig Loston (Aldine, Texas/Eisenhower) and No. 1 athlete Russell Shepard (Houston/Cy-Ridge). Shepard eventually could be the answer at quarterback thanks to his electrifying dual-threat skills, but he could be employed first at any number of skill positions. Joshua Downs (Bastrop, La.), the No. 4 DT in the country, leads the Tigers' in-state recruits. He could develop into a disruptive force in Baton Rouge, and defensive line was a position that needed to be addressed by the Tigers. He's joined by DT Chris Davenport (Mansfield, La.) and ESPNU 150 RB Michael Ford (Leesville, La.), who will be a legit high-carry back for LSU. CB Janzen Jackson (Lake Charles, La./Barbe) is expected to sign with the Tigers and that will make an already impressive class even better.

2. Alabama Crimson Tide
Alabama signed an elite class in 2008 and 2009 was just as good, if not a little better. The Crimson Tide signed nine players from the ESPNU 150, up from seven from last year's third-ranked class. Premier corner Dre Kirkpatrick, (Gadsden, Ala.), teammate WR Kendall Kelly (Gadsden, Ala.) and top 10 OLB Tana Patrick (Stevenson, Ala./North Jackson) headline the class. Kirkpatrick gives the Tide three No. 1 positional prospects, joining RB Trent Richardson (Pensacola, Fla./Escambia) and OT D.J. Fluker (Foley, Ala.). Richardson was a significant pickup with the loss of Glenn Coffee to the NFL and should immediately challenge RB Mark Ingram for reps. He has a supreme blend of size, speed and power as a downhill back. The massive Fluker could be inserted into Andre Smith's left tackle spot. Alabama also signed ESPN's No. 4 quarterback prospect A.J. McCarron (Mobile, Ala./Saint Paul's Episcopal) to add depth to the position with the graduation of John Parker Wilson. The defense also got a much-needed boost in the middle of their 3-4 defense with top 5 inside 'backers Nico Johnson (Andalusia, Ala.) and Petey Smith (Seffner, Fla./Armwood). The overall top-to-bottom quality in this class is very impressive.

3. Texas Longhorns
Texas did not have a flashy signing day, but it was a good one. The Longhorns just continue to reload and did a great job filling their needs at offensive line and running back. They got after it early with this class and, as usual, stayed at home and signed just a handful of prospects outside of the state. No. 1 center Mason Walters (Wolfforth, Texas/Frenship) and No. 2 offensive tackle Paden Kelley (Austin, Texas/Lake Travis) headline a talented group of offensive line prospects. Overall, this class has nine top-10 positional prospects, including major offensive firepower with ESPN's No. 2 quarterback Garrett Gilbert (Austin, Texas/Lake Travis), well-rounded tight end Barrett Matthews (Houston/North Shore) and 6-foot-3 running back Chris Whaley (Madisonville, Texas). Of all the prospects in this group, Gilbert has the talent to be a special player in Austin and help the Longhorns continue being an annual national title contender. Adding talented youth on the defensive perimeter was important and Texas has a great one in top 10 corner Marcus Davis (League City, Texas/Clear Creek).

4. USC Trojans
It's no surprise to see the Trojans near the top of the final recruiting rankings as they have consistently recruited well under coach Pete Carroll. The Trojans did lose a few prospects on signing day in ESPNU 150 receiver Alshon Jeffrey (Saint Matthews, S.C/Calhoun County) and No. 1 ILB Vontaze Burfict (Corona, Calif./Centennial), but landing No. 3 OLB Frankie Telfort (Miami/Gulliver), No. 6 OLB Jarvis Jones and No. 1 DE Devon Kennard (Chandler, Ariz./Desert Vista) softens the blow. Getting back No. 4 athlete Byron Moore Jr. (Harbor City, Calif./Narbonne) on signing day also had to bring smiles to the Trojans' staff. USC boasts an impressive nine ESPNU 150 prospects and started off strong with ESPN's No 1 overall player, QB Matt Barkley (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei), committing over a year ago. The class includes three players who rank No. 1 at their positions -- including guard John Martinez (Salt Lake City, Utah/Cottonwood) -- as well as three more players who rank within the top five at their respective positions. And while safety T.J. McDonald (Fresno, Calif./Edison) and offensive tackle Kevin Graf (Agoura, Calif.) are USC legacies (their dads played for the Trojans), that's not the reason they were signed. McDonald is the 10th-rated safety and Graf is the fourth-ranked OT in the country.

5. Florida Gators
With half of their class residing in the ESPNU 150, the Gators are capitalizing on their second national title in three years. Florida enjoyed a big signing day with the pickup of No. 2 OLB Jelani Jenkins (Wheaton, Md./Good Counsel). However, the defection of our No. 2-rated CB Greg Reid (Valdosta, Ga./Lowndes) down the stretch to rival Florida State still stings in Gainesville. The addition of WR Andre Debose (Sanford, Fla./Seminole) couldn't come at a better time as Percy Harvin is heading for the NFL, and DeBose is Harvin-like in his speed and versatility. The Gators added impact defensive players in Gary Brown (Quincy, Fla./West Gadsden), who is quietly one of the best DTs in the country, and top-10 linebacker Jon Bostic (Wellington, Fla./Palm Beach Central) could eventually replace some of Brandon Spikes production in the middle. And don't forget about ESPN's No. 2 safety in 2008 Dee Finley (Auburn, Ala./Milford Academy), who officially joined this class after a year in prep school. Speedy athlete Josh Evans (Irvington, N.J.), who could eventually play defensive back, was also a nice pickup on signing day.

6. Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia had a big signing day by landing No. 3 WR Marlon Brown (Memphis, Tenn./Harding) and doing a great job of filling needs in this class. The Bulldogs have the daunting task of replacing QB Matthew Stafford and RB Knowshon Moreno, but landed one of more prolific runners in Georgia history with 2009 RB Washaun Ealey (Twin City, Ga./Emanuel County) and signed Aaron Murray (Tampa, Fla./Plant) and Zach Mettenberger (Watkinsville, Ga./Oconee County), the Nos. 3 and 9 rated quarterbacks, respectively. Murray's the better athlete and gunslinger, while Mettenberger will remind Georgia fans of David Greene with a stronger arm. The Bulldogs also signed help upfront with No. 5 OT Austin Long (Memphis, Tenn./Briarcrest Christian) and No. 2 OG Chris Burnette (La Grange, Ga./Troup Comprehensive). On the other side of the ball, ESPN 150 CB Branden Smith (Atlanta, Ga./Booker T. Washington) will help make up for the loss of Asher Allen to the NFL.

7. Miami Hurricanes
Miami had a quiet signing day but still signed another top 10 class to add to last year's No. 1 overall class. Randy Shannon & Co. have been able to lure championship-caliber defensive talent to South Florida and their most recent addition, S Ray Ray Armstrong (Sanford, Fla./Seminole), could be another Kenny Phillips. While it's still important for the Canes to sign RB Bryce Brown (Wichita, Kan./East) after signing day, we feel both Lamar Miller (Miami/Killian) and Mike James (Davenport, Fla./Ridge Community) combine for similar attributes. We thought Miami needed to focus on the cornerback position in this class and it did just that, signing No. 5 corner Prince Kent (Norcross, Ga.) and sleeper athlete Jamal Reid (Mayo, Fla./Lafayette). Getting versatile DE/TE Billy Sanders (Coeur D'Alene, Idaho/lake City) back on signing day will add great depth to both sides of the ball.

8. Florida State Seminoles
It's no surprise coach Bobby Bowden closed strong and signed a top 10 class. He's been doing it for years and this year's late run was highlighted by his ability to snag No. 2 corner Greg Reid (Valdosta, Ga/Lowndes) from Florida. The Seminoles signed four prospects in the ESPNU 150 and eight who rank in the top-20 at their respective positions. FSU has reloaded on defense in this class, especially along the defensive front. Under Armour All-American Jacobbi McDaniel (Greenville, Fla./Madison County) is the nation's fifth-rated prospect, and the No. 1-rated defensive tackle. With sack artist Everette Brown bolting for the NFL, the addition of explosive DE Demonte McAllister (Tampa, Fla./Alonso) is also big. Top 10 safety Gerald Demps adds versatility and talent at safety, which was needed. The class also features some tall receiving targets, including 6-foot-6 Rodney Smith (Miami/Archbishop Carroll), a top-20 receiver prospect, and Willie Downs (Tallahassee, Fla./Godby). who may make the move to safety. Don't underestimate the importance of special teams as the Seminoles signed Dustin Hopkins (Houston/Clear Lake), ESPN's top kicker.

9. Ohio State Buckeyes
The Buckeyes did a good job of retaining most of the state's top players as well as landing a few key out of state prospects. Landing the explosive Jaamal Berry (Miami/Palmetto) out of Florida, the No. 3-rated running back, softened the blow of Chris "Beanie" Wells leaving early for the NFL. And signing three top-30 linebacker prospects, highlighted by Dorian Bell (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway), the No. 4-rated outside linebacker who can run and hit as well any backer in this class, helps ease the pain of losing Ohio State is also losing LBs James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman. The Buckeyes signed several good receivers, including ESPNU 150 prospect Duron Carter (Ft Lauderdale, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas). Ohio State has a solid class that filled up quickly, but we do the question the future impact of some of OSU's lower signees. The loss of athlete Justin Green (Louisville, Ky./Louisville Male) to Illinois was significant as well.

10. Michigan Wolverines
Despite having a disappointing first year under Rich Rodriguez, fans have to be pleased with Michigan's successful signing day. The Wolverines got their much-need second quarterback in Denard Robinson (Deerfield Beach, Fla.), who is a difference-maker with the ball in his hands and has deceptively good passing skills. They were also able to sign QB Tate Forcier (San Diego/Scripps Ranch). Snagging top-10 receiver Je'Ron Stokes (Philadelphia/Northeast) from Tennessee was also huge and increases their overall speed. Michigan also signed some prospects with great upside including DE Anthony LaLota (Princeton, N.J./The Hun School) and OT Taylor Lewan (Scottsdale, Ariz./Chaparral). LaLota is still fairly new to the game of football, but has the tools to be a good college defensive end, while Lewan has a great frame and wonderful potential. The addition of No. 6 guard Quinton Washington (Saint Stephen, S.C./Timberland) will also improve their line upfront. The Wolverines' defense will also get a boost from disruptive edge rusher Craig Roh (Scottsdale, Ariz./Chaparral) and 6-foot-1 safety Isaiah Bell (Youngstown, Ohio/Liberty).

11. Oklahoma Sooners
No significant news out of Norman on signing day. It was just business as usual for the Sooners as they signed a top 10 class. This class should make defensive coordinator Brent Venables smile as it's loaded on his side of the ball with their top six prospects all defensive players . Interior additions Jamarkus McFarland (Lufkin, Texas), the sixth-ranked DT, and fellow top 10 defensive lineman Justin Chaisson (Las Vegas/Bishop Gorman) and safeties Kevin Brent (Dallas/South Oak Cliff) and Gabe Lynn (Jenks, Okla.) bolsters OU's defensive class. The linebacker group of Tom Wort (New Braunfels, Texas), Ronnell Lewis (Dewar, Okla.), Gus Jones (Wagoner, Okla.) and Jaydan Bird (Conway Springs, Kan.) is one of the better units in the country. Lewis could be this year's biggest sleeper as the athletic linebacker's background is 8-on-8 football. There was some bad news as losing receiver Eric Ward (Rider, Texas) down the stretch to Texas Tech definitely still stings -- wideout was a position of need for the Sooners -- but it's still an impressive haul.

12. South Carolina Gamecocks
Landing in-state ESPNU 150 wide receiver Alshon Jeffrey (Saint Matthews, S.C./Calhoun County) from USC was a major coup for the Gamecocks and one of the biggest surprises on signing day. South Carolina also bolstered its receiving corps by signing 6-foot-3 WR Lamar Scruggs (Neptune Beach, Fla./Fletcher), who will form a nice tandem with Jeffrey. Explosive RB Jarvis Giles (Tampa, Fla./Gaither) was another big addition, but the Gamecocks failed to land a top-tier quarterback, which we thought was necessary. However, Steve Spurrier did manage to bring in one of the best defensive backs groups the SEC has seen in recent years. Safeties Stephon Gilmore (Rock Hill, S.C./South Pointe), Devonte Holloman (Rock Hill, S.C./South Pointe), Damario Jeffery (Columbia, S.C.), Chris Payne (Columbia, S.C.) and D.J. Swearinger (Greenwood, S.C.), who are all within the top 15 at the position and Gilmore, Holloman and Jeffery are in the top 6. But don't be surprised if Holloman, Jeffery and Payne could switch to OLB.

13. North Carolina Tar Heels
North Carolina bounced back strong on the recruiting trail from a year ago as Butch Davis continues to turn around the Tar Heels' once-struggling program. Based on this class, their quarterback play should be productive and consistent for years to come due to the signings of QB Bryn Renner (Lorton, Va./West Springfield) and ATH Donavan Tate (Cartersville, Ga.). Renner is an underpublicized prospect, but he's a terrific athlete who could easily become a dual-threat player for Davis. Tate would also give the Tar Heels quarterback position a boost, if he decides to play football, because he also a highly-touted baseball prospect. Whoever is under center, will have WR Jheranie Boyd (Gastonia, N.C./Ashbrook), who is UNC's highest-rated prospect, to throw to. He will certainly help fill the void left by WR Hakeem Nicks, who is opting for the NFL. The Tar Heels also landed top 10 DE Donte Moss (Jacksonville, N.C./Hillside).

14. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The rivalry between Notre Dame and USC got a little hotter as the Fighting Irish lured away two top recruits, No. 1 OLB prospect Manti Te'o (Honolulu/Punahou) and No. 4 WR prospect Shaquelle Evans (Inglewood, Calif./Inglewood). Te'o should make an immediate impact due to his size, speed and often-underrated instincts, while Evans is a difference-maker at receiver and in the return game. These are off-the-field victories over USC, which might lead to some wins down the road over the Trojans. Aside from Te'o and Evans, the Irish boast two other top-five positional prospects in DT Tyler Stockton (Princeton, N.J./The Hun School) and OG Chris Watt (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West). Stockton, the No. 3 DT, might lack ideal size, but is extremely quick off the ball and good against the run or pass. Stockton, Watt and versatile S Zeke Motta (Vero Beach, Fla.) filled positions of need in South Bend, but ESPNU 150 ATHs Cierre Wood (Oxnard, Calif./Santa Clara) and E.J. Banks (McKees Rocks, Pa./Montour) could be key to this class due to their potential.

15. Tennessee Volunteers
Tennessee had its ups and downs the past, but new coach Lane Kiffin weathered the storm and signed a strong class, despite not signing a quarterback. Kiffin and his veteran recruiting staff had a successful signing day, which featured No. 13 WR Nu'Keese Richardson (Pahokee, Fla.), No. 5 safety Darren Myles (Atlanta/Carver) and No. 12 OLB Jerod Askew (Chesapeake, Va./Oscar Frommel Smith). Askew is very explosive and could see the field early. However, the decommitment of RB David Oku (Midwest City, Okla./Carl Albert), the loss of No.8 WR Je'Ron Stokes (Philadelphia/North East) to Michigan and failing to sign in-state WR Marlon Brown (Memphis, Tenn./Harding Academy) will sting. But, we feel the Vols will be near the top of next year's recruiting class after having a full recruiting season under their belt.

16. Penn State Nittany Lions
Joe Paterno has taken a lot of heat for his age, but continues to prove he can win and recruit as reflected in this top 15 class. Penn State didn't make a lot of significant noise on signing day, but the addition of top 25 WR Justin Brown (Wilmington, DE/Concord) was huge. He brings great size (6-foot-3) to a position in need of some talented youth. WR Shawney Kersey (Woodbury, N.J.) was also a solid pickup down the stretch, but we thought PSU could have done better to help compensate for the loss of their three key playmakers. Paterno hopes he found Daryll Clark's successor in Kevin Newsome (Hargrave Military Academy), especially now that Pat Devlin transferred. The Nittany Lions' incoming class also features some talented offensive linemen, including two top-25 tackle prospects in Eric Shrive (Scranton, Pa./West Scranton) and Mark Arcidiacono (Philadelphia/St. Joseph's Prep) and the No. 5-rated center in Ty Howle (Bunn, N.C.). The defense and special teams also needed to be replenished because several upperclassmen are manning the secondary and accomplished kicker Kevin Kelly moved on. Which is why No. 6 corner Darrell Givens (Indian Head, Md./Lackey) and No. 2 kicker Anthony Fera (Houston/Saint Pius X) were crucial signings.

17. UCLA Bruins
Most of the recruiting spotlight in the city of Los Angeles is usually focused on USC, but that could be changing quickly judging by this class and the way it closed. The Bruins had a successful signing day, particularly upfront on the offensive line with Stan Hasiak (Kapolei, Hawaii) and No. 3 OT Xavier Su'a-Filo (Pleasant Grove,Utah/Timpview) signing. Although there is plenty of work to be done, UCLA's class has some strong points. The Bruins are hoping they found their quarterback of the future in ESPNU 150 prospect Richard Brehaut (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Los Osos). Working to leave no stone unturned, UCLA lured some other talent away from other programs aside from Hasiak (Cal) that can help the Bruins, such as former Arizona commit linebacker Taniela Maka (Long Beach, Calif./David Starr Jordan), a former Arizona commit, and the No. 1-ranked tight end Morrell Presley (Carson, Calif.). Presley was a big get for the Bruins; they were able to get him away from rival USC. Presley is a good player who can help the Bruins offense right away. The Bruins were also able to get back a prospect they lost in corner Marlon Pollard (San Bernardino, Calif./Cajon), who is one of three top-50 corners in the Bruins' class.

18. Virginia Tech Hokies
No. 22 CB Jayron Hosley (Del Ray Beach, Fla./Atlantic Community) was a nice land on signing day and one of the few prospects signed outside the state. The Hokies' class has a potential difference-maker at RB in David Wilson (Danville, Va./George Washington), who has more speed than incumbent Darren Evans and could be good change of pace. Virginia Tech also signed two quality ATHs in Logan Thomas (Lynchburg, Va./Brookville) and Theron Norman (Richmond, Va./Hermitage). Thomas is built a lot like Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor and could play wide receiver, H-back or even QB, while Thomas could make an impact at safety or receiver. Most importantly, the Hokies signed sleeper LB Tariq Edwards (Cheraw, S.C./Marlboro County), who fills a need and could make an impact in the near future.

19. Clemson Tigers
The Tigers fell short of their No. 2 finish in 2008, but after a tumultuous fall did sign five ESPNU 150 prospects including top-10 WR Bryce McNeal (Minneapolis/Breck) and top 5 QB Tajh Boyd (Hampton, Va./Phoebus). Clemson's class also boasts No. 11 OT J.K. Jay (Greenville, S.C./Christ Church), who's already on campus, and No. 9 DE Malliciah Goodman (Florence, S.C./West). Goodman and DaQuan Bowers could give Clemson a formidable bookend duo. Also, Clemson has a verbal commit from Under Armour All-American LB Eric Fields (Warner Robins, Ga./Northside), who would fill a major need for the Tigers, but it looks like he will be a late qualifier.

20. Arkansas Razorbacks
No significant news out of Fayetteville on signing day but Bobby Petrino have to be pleased with his top-20 class, despite a lack of success during the season. He has aimed to keep the top in-state prospects within Arkansas' borders, and it showed. The Razorbacks landed three of the state's top-five prospects, led by No. 3 CB Darius Winston (Helena, Ark./West Helena Central) and No. 5 OG Colby Berna (Fayettevill, Ark.). However, the Razorbacks have done well in surrounding areas as well by signing No. 12 CB David Gordon (Tulsa, Okla./East Central), RB Knile Davis (Missouri City, Texas/Thurgood Marshall), Ronnie Wingo (Saint Louis/Saint Louis University) and USC transfer RB Broderick Green. Gordon will enhance the team's overall speed, while Davis is a sleeper who could develop into a productive, workhorse back.

21. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Coach Greg Schiano knows the importance of defense, which reflected in this year's recruiting class. Four of the Scarlet Knights' top-five recruits line up on defense, including No. 9 DT Antwan Lowery (Miami, Fla./Christopher Columbus). However, No. 8 QB Tom Savage (Philadelphia/Cardinal O'Hara) is their best prospect and one of the top pocket-passers in the nation. If it wasn't for decommitments from No. 3 C Mark Brazinski (Basking Ridge, N.J./Immaculata), No. 23 RB Desmond Scott (Durham, N.C./Hillside) and safeties Terrance Taylor (Miami/Archbishop Carroll) and Gerald Hodges (Paulsboro, N.J.), the Scarlet Knights would have been much higher on this list.

22. Ole Miss Rebels
Mississippi head coach Houston Nutt has carried his programs' on-field success over to the recruiting trail in 2009; Ole Miss signed a talented and deep class. There are some questions about how many of these players the Rebels will actually head to Oxford next fall -- the oversigned the limit by more than 10 players. The Rebels had a successful signing day with the inking of top-15 WR Pat Patterson (Macon, Miss./Noxubee County) and ESPNU 150 TE Zaccheus Mason (Nashville, Tenn./Christ Presbyterian) on offense. The physically impressive Willie Ferrell (Tallahassee, Fla./Florida A. & M. U.) could make an impact at inside linebacker. Korvic Neat (Hallandale, Fla.) and Rodney Scott (Cross City, Fla./Dixie County) are explosive Sunshine State products when the ball is in their hands, and they will add dynamic presence to Mississippi's offensive roster in the fall. On defense, Ole Miss added a pair of good-sized, well-rounded safeties in Dele Junaid (Fort Bend, Texas/Hightower) and Frank Crawford (Miami/Gulliver). They also landed a major pickup down the stretch in the form of ESPNU 150 defensive end Craig Drummond (Chicago/ Morgan Park), who decommitted from Illinois. He has great size, a long wingspan, excellent reach and could help Ole Miss quickly as a run-stopper with his ability to use his hands and create great separation.

23. Mississippi State Bulldogs
Recently hired head coach Dan Mullen inherited a solid class, including one ESPNU 150 prospect from Sylvester Croom, and quickly hit the trail signing some gems of his own. Landing WR Brandon Heavens (Bessemer, Ala./Bessemer Academy) from Auburn on signing day sent a message and added another playmaker to Mullen's spread system. Mullen's biggest recruiting achievement was landing Chad Bumphis (Tupelo, Miss.), the state's top-rated athlete and the No. 120 prospect in the 2009 class. Bumphis could serve as a Percy Harvin-type in the new head coach's system. Fellow top-10 Mississippi athletes LaDarius Perkins (Greenville, Miss./St. Joseph), Dennis Thames (Louisville, Miss.), and Jonathan Banks (Maben, Miss./East Webster) will join Bumphis. Look for the versatile, quick-footed Perkins to serve in a similar role to Bumphis'. Under Armour All-American running back Montrell Conner (Monroe, La./Ouachita Parish) is still the Bulldogs' top prospect in a quietly-strong class from top to bottom. Mullen made a huge splash on the trail once he officially became a full-time coach in Starkville.

24. South Florida Bulls
The Bulls land in the Top 25 for the first time in the young program's history. Stealing versatile athlete Kayvon Webster (Miami, Fla./Pace) from Miami was significant, but the most impressive thing about South Florida's recruiting in 2009 is how the Bulls won some of the head-to-head battles against higher-profile universities, including other Florida schools. A perfect example of this is the signing of defensive end Ryne Giddins (Seffner, Fla./Armwood), the nation's fifth-rated player at his position with the pass rushing skills to eventually fill some of the void left by George Selvie. Teammates No. 19 RB Victor Marc (Hallandale, Fla./Hallandale) and No. 13 CB Ricardo Dixon (Hallandale, Fla./Hallandale) had their choice of major schools as well, but signed with the Bulls.

25. Auburn Tigers
A once top-15 class has imploded after Tommy Tuberville's resignation in December. But new head man Gene Chizik inherited some quality prospects and landed a few of his own. The loss of WR Brandon Heavens (Bessemer, Ala./Bessemer Academy) to Mississippi State is significant, but landing top-25 quarterback Tyrik Rollison (Sulpher Springs, Texas) down the stretch was a great land for the program; he could develop into a productive dual-threat at that position. Rollison's an important piece to this class but whether he qualifies is the big question. Athlete Travante Stallworth (Leesville, La.) will enhance this roster at a position in need of young depth. Philip Lutzenkirchen (Marietta, Ga./Lassiter) is one of the more athletic pass-catching tight ends in the country. Auburn traditionally has recruited well on defense, and it shows in this class. Terrence Coleman (Mobile, Ala./Williamson) can provide some pressure as a speed-rusher. Athlete Izauea Lanier (Gordo, Ala.) was Chizik's first commitment in his return to The Plains. Lanier's is an underrated skill player with the versatility to play both safety and receiver. Also, former Southern Miss commit Jamar Travis (East Brewton, Ala./W.S. Neal) will be a handful in the trenches.