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      FOX Sports Experts Draft

      April 23, 2010 /

      Through TSR’s association with Yardbarker, I was invited to be one of the “experts” to participate in Fox Sports’ mock draft, which will apparently be published in its fantasy football magazine later this summer. The other participants were John Juhasz, John Halin, Roger Rotter and Michael Harmon (of FOX Sports), Chris Wesseling (Rotoworld), John Hansen (Guru Report), Derek VanRiper (RotoWire), David Gonos (OPEN Sports), Michael Fabiano (NFL.com), Emil Kadlec (Football Diehards) and Dan Roemhild (MockDraftCentral).

      This is a 12-team mock, with high-performance, PPR scoring. The starting lineups consist of a QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, a flex, a TE, a K and a DT. I had the #5 overall pick. Unfortunately, the flash-driven draft room was giving my computer fits and I kept getting disconnected. I probably reloaded the room 100 times over the 90-minute draft and had a to make a few picks with only 30 seconds on the clock and five or six picks ahead of me that needed to be crossed off my cheatsheet.

      Anyway, enough with the violins, here’s how the draft went:

      1.05: Andre Johnson, WR
      When I saw that I had the 5th pick, and Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Maurice Jones-Drew and Ray Rice off the board, my first instinct was to take Frank Gore or Steven Jackson, but with PPR scoring and 3-4 starting WRs, it really enhances the value of the position. Last season, AJ scored 302 points under this format, with Gore (255) and Jackson (242) far behind. Besides, there were a few RBs that might be available in the 4th or 5th rounds that I liked, so I figured I would zag while the rest of the league was zigging.

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      External Sports, Fantasy Football, NFL

      2010 NFL Draft Second Round Recap: Head-Scratchers, Values & More

      April 23, 2010 /

      Best Value: Jimmy Clausen, QB, Panthers
      The Panthers wanted to wait to select a developmental quarterback late in the draft and had targeted a wide receiver with their selection in the second round. But as Clausen continued to fall, they couldn’t pass on the opportunity to nab him at No. 45. He’s going to a great situation where he won’t be pressed to start right away, but he could also challenge Matt Moore in preseason. It’s hard to argue that Carolina didn’t get tremendous value for a player that could have went in the top 15.

      Potential Steal: Vladimir Ducasse, G, Jets
      The J.E.T.S. followed up the first round steal of cornerback Kyle Wilson with the selection of Ducasse in the second. At 6’5”’ and 330 pounds, Ducasse is a mauler in the run game and is a candidate to start at guard once Alan Faneca is released later this offseason. I thought the Jets might take a guard to replace Faneca at No. 29, but they did well to nab Ducasse at No. 61, seeing as how he had a first round grade and they were able to land Wilson earlier.

      Another potential steal is the Patriots’ selection of linebacker Brandon Spikes with the 62nd overall pick. Spikes ran a 5.0 40 in pre-draft workouts and teams decided to avoid him the smelly kid in class thereafter. But he was extremely productive at Florida, he played against top competition and he could do wonders playing alongside Jerod Mayo in Bill Belichick’s 3-4 scheme. And while we’re on the subject, the Patriots did well to add tight end Rob Gronkowski in this round, too. The Arizona product had a first round grade but slipped due to concerns about his back.

      Biggest Head Scratcher: Brian Price, DT, Buccaneers
      Price is a fine prospect, but I’m a little confused by the Bucs’ plan of attack here. They used the third overall pick on Gerald McCoy (who is also a three-technique player like Price) and also have a promising youngster in Roy Miller already on the roster. Price must have been the top player on Tampa’s board, or else why would Raheem Morris and company draft the UCLA DT with so many other needs to fill? I like the player, but I don’t know what the Bucs’ strategy was behind the pick.

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      External Sports, NFL, NFL Draft

      49ers might be the perfect fit for Mays

      April 23, 2010 /

      The book is already out on Taylor Mays and it reads: Can’t cover, terrible ball skills, isn’t a reliable tackler.

      But if there’s one coach that can turn a great athlete into a football player (there’s a fundamental difference between the too), it might be the 49ers’ Mike Singletary.

      San Francisco took Mays with the 49th overall pick in the second round on Friday night, which is roughly 15 spots lower then where the safety was projected to go. Many pundits had Mays falling to the bottom of the first round or even the early second, but the 49th overall pick is pretty low for a player that runs a sub-4.4 40 and terrific size (6’3”, 230 pounds). (Not to mention one that was also considered a top 10 pick in 2009.)

      All of Mays’ weaknesses aren’t correctable. He’ll probably never be good in man-to-man coverage because he has a tough time keeping up with backs and tight ends in open space. But his inconsistent tackling technique is something Singletary can correct and one day, maybe he’ll mold Mays into a solid strong safety that can mask his weaknesses with excellent athleticism and a good football IQ.

      Two years ago, people were ready to give up on former top 5 pick Vernon Davis. Highly regarded as a phenomenal athlete, Davis struggled to learn the nuances of the game and what it meant to challenge himself when preparing for Sundays. Then Singletary came along and made Davis not only realize his potential, but fulfill it. Now he’s considered one of the better playmaking tight ends in the league and he only appears to be getting better.

      It’s not surprising that Mays slipped as far as he did, but he could wind up being one of the steals of the draft. He’s going to a good situation in San Francisco and will be able to learn from a coach in Singletary that has a knack for molding young men.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, NFL, NFL Draft

      Paul Pierce’s buzzer-beater upends Heat

      April 23, 2010 /

      The Celtics went up 3-0 with a 100-98 win over the Heat. Here is Pierce’s game-winner:

      Pierce always wants to get to the same spot — about 20-feet out to the right of the top of the key. The defender needs to force him left and make him uncomfortable. By having his left leg back, the defender invited Pierce to go right, and that played right into his hands.

      It looks like Miami is done.

      External Sports, Fantasy Basketball, NBA, Video

      Browns get great value, take McCoy in third round

      April 23, 2010 /

      One of the many reasons why the Browns hired Mike Holmgren to help turn around their franchise was because he knows the quarterback position. He knows what kind of player it takes to run his offense and he understands value when it comes to spotting players in the draft.

      Take Texas quarterback Colt McCoy for example. He has enough talent to have been selected anywhere in the second round, yet he fell all the way to the 85th overall pick in the third. The Browns could have selected him at the top of the second, but Holmgren gambled that McCoy would fall and that’s exactly what happened. Not only did the Browns get great value, but they also took the best player on the board and one that fits their system well.

      McCoy isn’t an elite prospect, which is probably why he fell all the way to the third round. He doesn’t have a strong arm, isn’t a real big kid and he was exposed by Ndamukong Suh in the Big 12 Championship Game. But he’s the perfect fit for the West Coast Offense because he reads defenses well, is extremely accurate and makes good decisions.

      To be honest, I would have liked McCoy to the Browns at No. 38. So for them to land him at No. 85 represents tremendous value. Again, he’s not an elite prospect, but that could work to his advantage. He has no pressure to start with Seneca Wallace and Jake Delawful ahead of him, so he can learn the offense and mature at a natural pace. Plus, Cleveland fans should love him. He’s a great kid, a hard worker and a winner.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, NFL, NFL Draft

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