1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck (QB, Stanford) – Luck has been the top prospect for about two years running now and even with the specter of Peyton Manning looming in the background it seems unlikely the Colts will pass on the guy who has been the highest rated QB prospect since, well, Peyton Manning.

Other Possibilities: It seems silly, but, if the Colts think Manning is going to be able to give them two or three more years, they could trade the pick, or they could opt to take Matt Kalil who would give them a blue chipper to protect Manning’s blindside.

2. St. Louis Rams: Matt Kalil (OT, USC) – This where things could get really interesting.  The big question here is do the Rams spend another high pick on an offensive tackle or do they hope Rodger Saffold and Jason Smith recover from season ending injuries to re-stabilize what was an atrocious offensive line last season? Or, do they trade down, pick up an extra pick or two with eyes on giving Sam Bradford a legit #1 receiver to throw the ball to?

Other Possibilities: If the Rams keep the pick they could also go for Morris Claiborne who would go a long way to improve a leaky secondary.  Did Justin Blackmon do enough in the Fiesta Bowl to warrant a look by the Rams at #2?

3. Minnesota Vikings: Morris Claiborne (CB, LSU) – For a team that registered 50 sacks last season the Vikings gave up far too many passing yards and touchdowns.  Opponents completed over 68% of their passes against the Vikings and the pass rush clearly is not the issue.  Claiborne is the top rated lockdown corner in this draft.

Other Possibilities: The Vikings will probably be tempted by teams looking to deal up and grab Robert Griffin, III.  Another possibility could be that the Vikes take Griffin themselves if they do not think Christian Ponder is the long term solution at QB.  They could also opt to grab Justin Blackmon as the offense is in dire need of a play-maker in the passing game.

4. Cleveland Browns: Robert Griffin, III (QB, Baylor) – Griffin is the hot prospect right now and teams could potentially try to move up to #2 or #3 to grab him.  This pick is largely going to depend on whether the Browns think Colt McCoy deserves another year or not.  The Browns are in a tough position in that they have no real weapons in place for a young QB to succeed.

Other Possibilities: If they decide to give McCoy another year then expect Justin Blackmon to be the pick here.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Riley Reiff (OT, Iowa) – With the past season being such a train wreck the Bucs could really go in several different directions here.  They likely go with who they have rated as the top player on the board who is not a QB.  One would imagine almost every starting job is going to be up for grabs entering the summer.

Other Possibilities: The Bucs are one of the few teams at the top of the draft who probably will not have any real interest in Griffin with Josh Freeman already in place.  They could look at Dre Kirkpatrick or Quinton Coples to help sure up what was a leaky defense last season.

6. Washington Redskins: Justin Blackmon (WR, Oklahoma State) – Most of the experts don’t think Blackmon grades out as a top 10 prospect, but with the offensive emphasis shifting to passing in the NFL teams are more willing to spend high picks on QBs and WRs than they ever have been.  The Redskins desperately need a franchise QB, however there are none worth taking this high after Luck and Griffin come off the board.

Other Possibilities: The offensive line is still pretty shaky and they could opt to go with the best offensive lineman on the board.  If they cannot upgrade the QB position then they will need to do a better job of protecting the ones they have.  Don’t be shocked if the Redskins try to work a deal to move up and grab Griffin.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Johnathan Martin (OT, Stanford) – Eben Britton’s career could be up in the air having just played 11 games the last two seasons and Eugene Monroe has not exactly been the mark of stability at LT.  The Jags need to do a better job of protecting Blaine Gabbert as they are going to be stuck with either him or a journeyman QB for the time being.

Other Possibilities: Rashean Mathis has never lived up to the season he had in 2006 and the secondary could use a play maker making Dre Kirkpatrick a possibility here.  UNC DE Quinton Coples is another possibility to help boost a so-so pass rush.

8. Miami Dolphins: Nick Perry (DE/OLB, USC) – Quarterback and Right Tackle are obviously bigger needs, but there are not any on the board that would not represent tremendous reaches at this stage.  Perry is a bit of a reach here but with Jason Taylor retiring the team needs to find an edge rusher to fill his shoes and line up opposite Cameron Wake.

Other Possibilities: Would not be surprised to see them deal the pick with eyes on adding a receiver or an upgrade at RT.

9. Carolina Panthers: Dre Kirkpatrick (CB, Alabama) – The Panthers need to spend all of their picks on defensive players this spring.  The Panthers ranked dead last in the league in average yards per pass attempt allowed, 30th in opponents completion percentage, and 25th in TD passes allowed.  The Panthers need to get better at defending the pass if they want to compete with the Falcons and Saints in the NFC South.

Other Possibilities: DE Quinton Coples or DT Devon Still would not be bad picks as well, the defense needs help just about everywhere.

10. Buffalo Bills: Courtney Upshaw (OLB, Alabama) – The Bills need to find someone who can get after the quarterback and defend the run as well.

Other Possibilities: No matter how one slices it the defense, especially the front seven, has been bad in Buffalo for a few years now.  They could opt for a defensive lineman here as well.

11. Kansas City Chiefs: Quinton Coples (DE, UNC) – Did not play in a 3-4 front in college, but he is a DT who moved to DE and has the frame to be able to play DE in a 3-4 front.  The Chiefs simply need more play-makers in the front seven on defense.

Other Possibilities: Trent Richardson is still on the board and with Thomas Jones in the twilight of his career and Jamaal Charles coming off of major knee surgery Richardson would be an awfully attractive insurance policy for the Chiefs running game.  Dwayne Bowe is a free agent and me looking to get out of KC.

12. Seattle Seahawks: Trent Richardson (RB, Alabama) – Marshawn Lynch is a free agent and is reportedly looking for a big payday.  Richardson gives them some insurance in the event Lynch bolts and he gives them a bit of negotiating leverage as well.

Other Possibilities: Pete Carroll would have loved to have gotten QB in this draft, but taking anyone after the first three this early in the first round is a huge reach.  Pass rush or offensive line help could be in the offing here as well.

13. Arizona Cardinals: Luke Kuechly (LB, Boston College) – Stewart Bradley was a bust via free agency and the run defense suffered because of it.

Other Possibilities: The Cards could look to shoring up the offensive line and take the best available offensive lineman at this spot.

14. Dallas Cowboys: Alfonzo Dennard (CB, Nebraska) – Probably a bit of a reach here, but how long can the Cowboys afford to try and “get by” with their current corps of defensive backs?

Other Possibilities: The safeties have been an issue for a while as well making Mark Barron a possibility.

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Vontaze Burfict (LB, Arizona State) – The Eagles need to get better in the middle of the defense and Burfict is the best available at this stage.

Other Possibilities: This pick could largely depend on whether the Eagles think they will re-sign DeSean Jackson or not.  They could take a receiver here to give them a bit of leverage with Jackson, they also reportedly do not want to pay Jackson what he thinks he is worth.  They could also go OLB or DT here as well.

16. New York Jets: Michael Floyd (WR, Notre Dame) – There is a lot of speculation as to whether Santonio Holmes and/or Plaxico Burress will be back next season.

Other Possibilities: Their safeties were rather ordinary last season making Mark Barron a possibility here.

17. Cincinnati Bengals (From Oakland): Janoris Jenkins (CB, North Alabama) – Leon Hall is rehabbing a torn Achilles and Nate Clements is in the twilight of his career and was never exceptional to begin with.  Jenkins comes with off field baggage, but that has never stopped the Bengals in the past.

18. San Diego Chargers: David DeCastro (OG, Stanford) – Kris Dielman’s career very well may be over as a result of the concussion that put him on Injured Reserve earlier this season.

Other Possibilities: The pass rush was lacking last season so they could opt for a pass rusher here if there is one they like.  This draft is rather void of pass rushing talent this year though.  The Chargers also need to decide what to do with Vincent Jackson and could look to draft a replacement at this spot as well.

19. Chicago Bears: Kendall Wright (WR, Baylor) – One of the better speed receiver prospects in the draft and the Bears need to find a legit #1 for Jay Cutler.

Other Possibilities: Matt Forte is a free agent making Lamar Miller or David Wilson possibilities.

20. Tennessee Titans: Melvin Ingram (DE, South Carolina) – The Titans need to upgrade the pass rush.

Other Possibilities: Secondary could use some help as well.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Lamar Miller (RB, Miami) – There is growing speculation that Cedric Benson will not be back next season and Bernard Scott has yet to show himself capable of being an every down back.

Other Possibilities: They could look to upgrade the interior of the offensive line here.

22. Cleveland Browns (From Atlanta): Alshon Jeffery (WR, South Carolina) – The Browns need to upgrade their pass catchers in some fashion this off season.

23. Detroit Lions: David Wilson (RB, Virginia Tech) – Jahvid Best has elite talent but is too injury prone to be an every down back.  Wilson gives them more stability at the RB position.

Other Possibilities: The o-line needs some help as does the secondary.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Devon Still (DL, Penn State) – Chris Hoke’s career may be over and Casey Hampton will be 35 when the season kicks off next September.  The Steelers will look to get younger in the middle of the DL.

Other Possibilities: The Steelers defense looked old and tired in spots in the playoff loss to the Broncos.  CB has been a concern for the Steelers for a few years now.

25. Denver Broncos: Dwayne Allen (TE, Clemson) – Broncos TEs caught just 30 passes last season and a good pass-catching TE could be just what Tim Tebow needs to move his development along this off season.

Other Possibilities: Brian Dawkins looks like he is nearing the end of his career making Mark Barron an option here.

26. Houston Texans: Mohamed Sanu (WR, Rutgers) – Prior to Schaub’s injury the Texans were emerging as Super Bowl contenders in the AFC so there are not a lot of holes to fill heading into the off season.  The Texans have been in need of an upgrade to the WR slot opposite Andre Johnson for a while now.

27. New England Patriots (From New Orleans): Mark Barron (S, Alabama) – The Patriots defense was atrocious last season, especially when it came to defending the pass.  Barron gives them a presence in the secondary it has lacked since Rodney Harrison retired.

Other Possibilities: They could opt for a pass rusher here.

28. Green Bay Packers: Fletcher Cox (DL, Mississippi State) – The Packers defense really missed Cullen Jenkins this year.

Other Possibilities: The Pack struggled to pressure the QB all season long so a pass rusher could be an option here.

*29. New York Giants: Zebrie Sanders (OT, Florida State) – The Giants offensive line has looked old and slow the past couple of years.

Other Possibilities: The back seven on defense was downright awful at times last season and they could go with a LB or DB if there is one on the board that they like here.

*30. Baltimore Ravens: Peter Konz (C, Wisconsin) – Matt Birk turns 36 this summer and there has been talk of him retiring after this season.  His backup, Andre Gurode, turns 33 this spring.

*31. San Francisco 49ers: Nick Toon (WR, Wisconsin) – Probably a bit of a reach here, but Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis are the only two players on the team to catch more than 20 passes last season.  They need to upgrade their receivers this off season.

Other Possibilities: Don’t be surprised if the Niners deal out of the first round to take a receiver near the top of the second and get better value for the pick.

*32. New England Patriots: Jerel Worthy (DL, Michigan State) – The Pats hope Worthy is to them what Albert Haynesworth was supposed to be.

Other Possibilities: It would not be surprising to see Belichick deal this pick for a couple of third and fourth round picks or a bunch of picks in next year’s draft.

*The last four picks will ultimately be determined by the conference championship games and the Super Bowl.

Click Here to View a Breakdown of the top Quarterback Prospects

Click Here to View a Breakdown of the top Running Back Prospects

Click Here to View a Breakdown of the top Wide Receiver Prospects

Bottom line with the Colts is, top-to-bottom, they were not a great team even when Manning was healthy in 2011.  One could see the Colts slipping last season when they slipped to 10-6 and needed a late season 4-game winning streak just to get to 10 wins.  The Colts started looking like the Dolphins during the twilight of Dan Marino’s career.  Bottom line is the Colts are staring rebuilding the franchise from bottom up in the face due to the Polian’s inability to draft for the future.

The Colts recent track record in the draft has not been good, especially for a team that built itself into a perennial contender via the draft in the late 90s and early 2000s.  They have not drafted well along the offensive line and were left with plugging in first and second year players this season who were clearly not ready to be starters at the NFL level.  They never successfully replaced Edgerrin James at running back despite spending two number one picks on the position.  They have missed more times on defense than they have hit in recent years.

With the Polians being shown the door there is widespread speculation as to whether Jim Caldwell will back as head coach.  When one gets right down to it it seems unlikely he is back and with that being the case will Peyton Manning be back?  Does Peyton want to be back if Jim Irsay is blowing the whole thing up and starting from scratch again?  This seems to be setting the city of Indianapolis up for the inevitable move of Peyton Manning being elsewhere next season.  Surely he has no real interest in hanging around if the Colts are entering a re-building phase.  Peyton’s injury simply accelerated the need to rebuild.  Even if Manning were healthy this year this team was probably only an 8 to 10 win team.  Typically when a team goes 2-14 there is more to it than just needing a quarterback.

Look for Jim Irsay to make the hardest choice an owner has to do and cut ties, one way or the other, with Peyton Manning and draft who he thinks is the franchise QB of the future whether it be Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III.

Raheem Morris, Tampa Bay – Is there any way Morris can save his job after Sunday’s pathetic performance against Atlanta?  Regardless of that, this was supposed to be the year Tampa took another step forward and competed for the NFC Championship.  This was the hot young and up-and-coming team on the rise after last season.  Now they look like just another also-ran.  Josh Freeman seemingly regressed and the defense was a complete mess this season.

Steve Spagnuolo, St. Louis – The NFC West was supposed to be the Rams to lose this season.  Like the Bucs the Rams were supposed to be a young team on the rise and it fell flat and underachieved even more so than Tampa given its lack of overall competition within the division.  With rumors of a new GM coming into St. Louis it seems unlikely Spags keeps his job as he has given the team little reason to retain him.

Norv Turner, San Diego – This season marks the second underwhelming year where the Chargers entered the year as perceived Super Bowl contenders and struggled to hit the .500 mark.  It is probably time for a change in San Diego.

Jim Caldwell, Indianapolis – There has been increasing speculation as the season wore on that Caldwell will not be retained after the season.  A lot will depend on whether the Colts truly believe Peyton Manning has enough left for another run at the Super Bowl or if they are looking at scrapping the whole thing and rebuilding around Andrew Luck.  The entire season cannot be laid at the feet of Caldwell, didn’t we already know the Colts were not even a playoff team without Manning?

Andy Reid, Philadelphia – Reid likely did enough to save his job for one more year by closing the year out winning his last four and five of the last seven games.  They looked like the team everyone thought they were in the month of December.  He may have to make some changes on his defensive coaching staff however.

Tom Coughlin, New York Giants – Coughlin may need to win a playoff game or two to salvage his job.  The Giants have not won a playoff game in the three years since winning the Super Bowl and for the third straight season they have faded badly in the month of December.  He could get a pass for the amount of injuries he had to deal with this season though.

Mike Shanahan, Washington – To date the Shanahan Era in D. C. has been a big disappointment, however, next season will likely be the make-or-break year for him in Washington.

Rex Ryan, New York Jets – Given he led the Jets to back-to-back AFC Championship games the last two years he will probably get a chance to salvage the disappointment that was the 2011 season.  It is hard to see the offensive coaching staff coming back in its entirety though.  They will probably be in the market for a QB guru who can come in and Mark Sanchez’ career back on track.

While landing Paul would have been a coup of sorts, the deal in and of itself leads one to believe the Lakers do not think they are going to win another title with Kobe Bryant.  Why else would they be willing to part with their second and third best scorers and rebounders just to land the one player?  They would be giving up 33 points and 19 rebounds per game to get a player who has struggled to stay healthy and has seen his numbers drop off quite a bit over the last two years.

Don’t get me wrong Paul is a great, dynamic player, but giving up two post players, and arguably your two best role players, to get him really hamstrings the team.  You are putting a lot on Andrew Bynum who has played in more than 65 games in a season just once in his 6 year career.  He has also never averaged more than 30 minutes per game in his career.  Having Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol affords the team that luxury.  Bynum’s a great talent but it just seems like he is never going to be the stud in the middle they thought he was going to be.

The other thing that had me scratching my head was the subsequent outrage by other owners over this deal.  My thought was why are they so upset about this?  If Chris Paul is telling the Hornets this will be his last season with the team then the Hornets should be out trying to get a reasonable package in return.  They had a deal on the table for Odom, Luis Scola, and Kevin Martin.

Odom is a solid role player who is generally good for 10+ points and 8+ rebounds per game.  Scola is generally good for 16 to 18 points and 8+ rebounds per game.  Martin is an All Star caliber scorer who has averaged over 20 points per game five years running.

Overall the deal lands the Hornets three potential starters for a team that is sparse on veteran talent.  Sure it leaves them without a superstar, but it does give them some good building blocks to start with and besides Paul is going to bail on them after the year anyway leaving them with nothing to build with at all.

Why move a guy who has saved 72 games for you over the last two seasons into the rotation?  In the modern game elite closers are tough to come by and are worth their weight in gold.  Another thing to consider is the fact that Feliz has never thrown more than 127 innings a season at the professional level.

Irregardless of the fact that moving Feliz to the rotation is a bit of a gamble in general is the fact that they are handing the closer role over to a guy whose arm looks to be shot.  It would be one thing if they were getting the Joe Nathan of three or four years ago, but this is a guy who missed all of the 2010 season due to a bum elbow and never looked particularly sharp last season for the Twins.

It is not as if it was a case of Nathan needing to knock off the rust at the beginning of the year.  Granted he was better down the stretch than he was at the start of the year, he simply was not that good in general last season.  He did convert all six of his save opportunities the last two months of the season, but he did so while posting a 5.06 ERA.

It would be one thing if they went out and signed Johnathan Papelbon to take Feliz’s spot but Joe Nathan seems like a step back for the Rangers.  This move also makes one wonder if they do not think they have a shot at re-signing C. J. Wilson.

Tony Sparano, Miami – Sparano’s a dead man walking.  The Dolphins are a complete mess right now.

Jack Del Rio, Jacksonville – Del Rio’s head has rumored to be on the block on more than one occasion in recent years but has always managed to survive.  The problem is Jags fans have grown rather apathetic towards a team that keeps struggling to stay above .500 each year.  It is probably time for some new energy in Jacksonville to get fans interested again.

Ken Whisenhunt, Arizona – The Cards have lost 16 of 19 games dating back to last season and very little has gone right for them in the post Kurt Warner Era.  Unless the Cards get out of this tailspin my guess is they are looking for a new coach this spring.

Steve Spagnuolo, St. Louis – The Rams were the odds on favorites to win the NFC West this season and looked like a team on the come after just missing out on the playoffs last season.  But the Rams have lost 9 of 10 games dating back to last season.

Andy Reid, Philadelphia – This week’s game against Dallas could be a make or break one both for the Eagles season and Reid’s career in Philly.  He has to be feeling some heat after the team dropped four straight after rolling the Rams in the season opener.  If Philly wins this week they are right back in the middle of the NFC East race, if not it may be time to figure out which players to scout for next spring’s draft.

Jim Caldwell, Indianapolis – There have been rumors in the Indy media this week that Caldwell’s future with the Colts is in doubt.  It is hard to lay this fiasco entirely at his feet.  The dirty little secret in Indy has always been that this is not much of a team without Manning at the helm and it has bore itself out this season.

Leslie Frazier, Minnesota – I don’t know that he is on the hot seat just yet, but, the Vikings have lost 10 of their last 12 under Frazier’s guidance.  The one thing in his favor right now is the team is breaking in a new QB so he could get a pass the rest of the year, but the Vikings may need to show some signs of improvement the second half.

Pete Carroll, Seattle – I cannot help but wonder if Carroll is showing us once again why he flamed out in his previous stints as a NFL coach.  His saving grace here may be the amount of money the team still owes him that they would rather give him another year rather than buy out the rest of his contract.

… Any of the four teams could win the NFC East.

… Tim Tebow = Doug Flutie.  It may not look pretty, but in the end Tebow is a guy who will find ways to win games for the Broncos.

… That I reserve judgement on DeMarco Murray until he does it against a team worth mentioning.  Remember Timmy Smith?  Anyone?

… That I seem to be one of the few that was not bowled over by Christian Ponder’s performance.  He looked pretty much the same as he did at FSU.

… It Seems like teams are starting to figure the Lions out.  To me they are a bit of a one-trick pony on offense and without Jahvid Best they have nobody to make teams respect the run at all.

… Reggie Wayne may have been right about Curtis Painter.  Granted he has not set the league on fire as of yet, but his QB Rating is 20 points higher than Kerry Collins’.

… What happened to the Kyle Orton bandwagon?  Remember when he was a hot commodity this summer?  He seems to be an afterthought now and it appears more and more apparent that his success was more a result of playing in Josh McDaniels’ system than his actual skill as a QB.

… The Carson Palmer trade may eventually pay dividends for the Raiders, I just do not know that it will be this year.

… For all of the talk of Mark Sanchez not progressing he is on pace to set career highs in yards and touchdowns.

… How good would Steve Smith’s career have been if had a QB the caliber of Cam Newton throwing him the ball the bulk of his career?

… Why does ESPN keep trying to promote the idea that NFL teams are tanking games on purpose for the chance to draft Andrew Luck?

… I can’t help but wonder if the Eagles are preparing for life without DeSean Jackson.  It seems like LeSean McCoy is a guy whoo has outplayed his rookie contract and less of a gamble in terms of giving him a big contract.

… Why do Cards fans want the plug pulled on Kevin Kolb already?  Haven’t we already seen that Max Hall and John Skelton are not starting quarterbacks at the NFL level?  Or, is it they want Luck?

… Aldon Smith is the pass rusher the Niners have been looking for since letting Julian Peterson go.

… Chris Johnson is all about Chris Johnson.  I cannot help but think that since he got his money his best days are behind him.

The Philadelphia Eagles are the only team that has the feel of being a legit contender heading into the season.  Of the four teams they are the only one that made any significant moves this summer to try and improve their team.  It feels like it could be the Eagles and then everyone else in the division this season.  They seemed to make all of the right moves in improving their defense and adding some needed depth on offense.  If this team does not win the division it will be because the team failed to address linebacker and/or the offensive line starts to break down again.

On paper the Dallas Cowboys look like a playoff team, but they did nothing to improve their team other than shed dead weight contracts in Roy Williams, Marion Barber, Marc Colombo, and Leonard Davis.  Honestly the only thing that did was get them under the salary cap.  Jerry Jones rolled the dice on giving players like Barber, Williams, DeMarcus Ware, etc. huge contracts thinking there might not be a salary cap with the new CBA and it blew up in his face.

The New York Giants have a feel of a team in flux right now.  Osi Umenyiora wants a new contract and when the team balked at giving him one he decided he needed to have knee surgery.  The team shed some veterans along the offensive line this offseason and it will be relying on some unproven players to protect Eli Manning this year.  There are also a lot of questions along the front seven on the defense particularly at LB.

The Redskins are probably the worst of the bunch.  Either Rex Grossman or John Beck are going to be the starting quarterback this season and that is pretty much enough said.  The team did little to try and improve a leaky offensive line and did not acquire anyone who anyone expects to make any kind of an impact this season.

MVP Candidates

If a MVP comes out of the NFC East this season it is likely to be Michael Vick since none of the other teams really have the feel of being contenders this season.  Tony Romo tends to choke in the big games, Eli Manning seemed to take a step back last season and he tends to struggle when the line does not do a good job of protecting him.  The Redskins really do not have anyone on their roster that excites anyone.

On the defensive side of the ball Dallas’ DeMarcus Ware is always capable of putting up 16 to 20 sacks per season.

Now that the Eagles have addressed some of their issues in pass coverage and added some help with the pass rush Trent Cole could be in line for a monster season.  He has never played on a line with as much depth and talent across the board as this year’s has.  Teams will not be able to key on Cole as much and he should stay fresher down the stretch.

Rookie-of-the-Year Candidates

I am not sure if there are any real ROY candidates in the conference this year.  Dallas spent most of its picks on adding depth and developmental players and did not take anyone expected to make an immediate impact this season.  Tyron Smith is slated to start at RT while Bruce Carter is coming off of ACL surgery and is expected to begin the year as a backup while he works his way back from that injury.  He does have the potential to be an impact player down the road though, and the expectation is that Smith should develop into a LT within the next couple of years.

New York’s top picks have been hit with the injury bug this summer.  Prince Amukamara is out with a foot injury and may be ready to go for the opener and second round pick Marvin Austin is out for the season with torn pectoral muscle.  The rest of their picks are mostly expected to be depth/developmental guys.

Casey Mathews is currently the starting Middle Linebacker in Philly, however, he has struggled mightily in the early going.  If he gets it together he could be candidate for Defensive ROY, but it seems to be a longshot at this point.  Everybody is very high on top pick Danny Watkins, but when was the last time a guard won ROY?  Probably never.  Second rounder Jaiquawn Jarrett has struggled to pick up the defense and has been unable to unseat Kurt Coleman as the starting strong safety.  Curtis Marsh has turned more than a few heads at CB, however he is buried behind the Nnamdi Asomugha,  Asante Samuel, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie on the depth chart.  He should be an impact player two or three years down the road though.

Washington’s top pick, Ryan Kerrigan, has struggled a bit in transitioning from being DE to an OLB in a 3-4 front.  He has the potential to be an impact player though.  Second pick Jarvis Jenkins is likely to miss the year with an injury.  Leonard Hankerson is one to keep an eye on though.  With Santana Moss being the only real established WR on the roster Hankerson could emerge as the #2 guy in the passing game this fall.  Roy Helu has also shown some flashes at RB.

Coach(es) on the Hot Seat

With Mike Shanahan entering his second season in D. C. and Jason Garrett his first full season in Dallas it seems unlikely either will be a candidate to lose his job after this season unless things go drastically wrong.

Andy Reid is safe for now, but his seat may be mildly warm and one wonders if anything but an appearance in the Super Bowl will be good enough for him to keep his job.  Jeff Lurie seems to like Reid a lot, though, and it would probably take a disastrous season for him to lose his job.

There is some speculation that Tom Coughlin’s job could be on the line if the Giants do not make a playoff appearance this season.  The team has lost its lone playoff game since winning the Super Bowl in ’08.

On the Rise

These are wide outs coming off of breakout seasons or are stars on the rise close to establishing themselves as elite fantasy players.

Brandon Lloyd, Denver – Finally showed what all the hype was about when he came out of Illinois in 2003.  He led the league with 1,441 receiving yards and scored 11 Touchdowns.  Now the big question is can he do it again?

Mike Wallace, Pittsburgh – Wallace is coming off a breakout season in 2010 that saw him catch 60 balls for 1,257 yards and 10 touchdowns.  His elite speed means he does not need as many catches to make a major impact for the Steelers.

Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City – Bowe finally got his act together posting career highs of 1,162 yards and a league best 15 TDs.

Steve Johnson, Buffalo – Came out of nowhere to post 1,073 yards and 10 TDs.  With Lee Evans out of the way he will be the go-to-guy in Buffalo this season.

Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants – Posted his first 1,000 yard, 10 TD season in just his second year as a pro.  Now if he can just stay healthy enough to play 16 games.

Mike Williams, Tampa Bay – Williams was a nice surprise as a rookie for the Bucs catching 65 passes for 964 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Keep an Eye On

These are potential sleepers who could be poised for breakout years this season.

Chad Ochocinco, New England – Ocho should be the Pats top outside receiving threat and he is likely going to be playing like a guy with something to prove.

Steve Breaston, Kansas City – Breaston is going to be catching passes from a QB on the rise in Matt Cassel.

Jordan Shipley, Cincinnati – No T. O. and no Ocho means Shipley is the top returning receiver from last year’s team.

Mike Sims-Walker, St. Louis – With Sam Bradford throwing him the ball and Josh McDaniel coordinating the offense Sims-Walker could hit the 1,000 yard, 10 TD marks for the first time in his career.

Roy Williams, Chicago – Williams is reunited with Mike Martz whom he had his most productive season playing under in Detroit.  Williams is also a guy who comes into this year feeling like he has something to prove after being a huge disappointment in Dallas.

Buyer Beware

These are guys who have potential stumbling blocks in their way this summer.

Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis – Could his numbers dip if Manning is not in peak form to start the season?

Santana Moss, Washington – Moss bounced back to have a nice season last year, but does anyone believe he can do it again with John Beck and/or Rex Grossman under center?

DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia – Yes he is one of the most explosive players in the league.  Showed up to camp late because he wants a contract extension and has not gotten one yet.  He has shown a propensity in the past to sulk and have mental lapses on the field.  If he does not get a new deal prior to the season will it seep over into his play on the field?  If he does get an extension then he is worth targeting as he should be good for 1,000 yards and upwards of 10 TDs.

Miles Austin, Dallas – Austin’s numbers dipped last season.  Is this due to Romo’s injury or the fact that teams are keying on him as the go-to-guy now?  Still posted over 1,000 yards and 7 TDs though.

Brandon Marshall, Miami – Posted four year lows of 86 catches, 1,014 yards and 3 TDs after averaging 102/1237/8 the previous three years in Denver.  Marshall’s career may have already peaked and it may be tough to reach those numbers again if the Dolphins do not solve their issues at QB.

Jeremy Maclin, Philadelphia – Normally a 3rd year guy coming off a year that saw him post 964 yards and 10 TDs would be a player on the rise.  Maclin would be if not for the fact that he has yet to suit up for a practice this summer and nobody seems to know when he might be cleared to do so.

Johnny Knox, Chicago – Knox had a solid season last year, however with the addition of Roy Williams he is likely to see fewer balls thrown his way and there is already talk of him requesting a trade.

Michael Crabtree, San Francisco – Crabtree is having issues with his foot again and may or may not be ready for Week One.

Kenny Britt, Tennessee – Britt would be a player on the rise if not for his inability to avoid the cops during the off-season.  He could be facing a suspension early in the season.

Hines Ward, Pittsburgh – Ward saw his numbers dip significantly with the emergence of Mike Wallace and had thumb surgery this off-season.  The team also recently signed Jerricho Cotchery.  Could this be the beginning of the end of Ward’s tenure in Pittsburgh?

Rookies

There are two or three rookies worth keeping an eye on this summer that have a chance to crack the starting lineup.

A. J. Green, Cincinnati – With Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco out of the way Green is almost a mortal lock to be in the starting lineup when the Bengals kick off the season.  But with the situation at QB looking a bit dire right now it is hard to say what kind of numbers Green might post this season.  He is probably a good bet for at least 750 yards and five touchdowns though.

Julio Jones, Atlanta – The Falcons gave up the bulk of their draft to get this guy so one can expect him to be a key component of the offense.  Expect him to post a minimum of 800 yards and 8 TDs this season if not more.

Jonathan Baldwin, Kansas City – Reports out of camp have Baldwin struggling to learn the offense and he recently suffered an injury after getting into a fight with teammate Thomas Jones.  Don’t expect much from him this season.

Titus Young, Detroit – Nate Burleson was a bit of a disappointment last season and Young’s speed means he will see his share of playing time this year.  He could challenge Burleson for the #2 spot behind Calvin Johnson.

Torrey Smith, Baltimore – When the Ravens were willing to let Derek Mason go it seemed like the #2 receiver spot was Smith’s to lose.  With the recent acquisition of Lee Evans from Buffalo there are whispers that Smith has been a disappointment thus far.  His speed means he should get on the field when the Ravens run multiple receiver sets.

Greg Little, Cleveland – After Green and Jones Little is probably the third best bet to land a starting job this summer.  Many thought Little could have been a first round pick had he not gotten suspended last season.  The WR spots are wide open in Cleveland and he seems to be a good bet to land one of those jobs.

Randall Cobb, Green Bay – With Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones, and Jordy Nelson already entrenched on Green Bay’s roster it seems unlikely Cobb will see much action that does not involve returning punts or kick offs this season.

Austin Pettis, St. Louis – St. Louis is another team looking for significant upgrades at the receiver position this summer.  Sims-Walker will likely lock up one of those jobs, but after that it is pretty wide open and Pettis should compete for the #2 or #3 spots.

Leonard Hankerson, Washington – The expectation is that Hankerson will challenge for the #2 WR spot behind Santana Moss.

On the Rise

These are young backs coming off big seasons and are close to establishing themselves as one of the league’s best fantasy backs.

Arian Foster, Houston – Had a breakout season last year for the Texans leading the league in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.  He also racked up over 600 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns catching the ball out of the backfield.  The only thing to be wary of is he had 393 touches last season.  Can he handle that many touches two years in a row?  He is also battling a hamstring injury this summer.

LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia – Showed why the Eagles were not that desperate to keep Brian Westbrook for another season.  In his first season as the full time starter he posted 1,672 yards of offense, caught 78 passes and scored 9 touchdowns.

Rashard Mendenhall, Pittsburgh – Has quieted a lot of the doubters over the last two seasons.  He has rushed for over 1,100 yards the last two seasons, but the one thing that makes him a player on the rise is his touchdowns rose from 8 to 13 last season.  The only downside is he gives fantasy owners little to nothing in the passing game.  He has caught just 48 passes over the last two years and has just one career touchdown reception.

Peyton Hillis, Cleveland – After Foster Hillis may have been the biggest surprise at running back last season.  Nobody had him putting up 1,600 yards of total offense and hitting paydirt 13 times at the start of last season.  Not only did he run for 1,177 yard, but he also caught 61 balls out of the backfield.  Should be interesting to see what he does now that he goes into camp knowing he is the number one back.

LeGarrette Blount, Tampa Bay – Blount took the league by storm down the stretch closing the season with 3 100-yard games over the last five weeks.  He managed to post 1,000 yards and score 6 times despite only playing in 13 games and seeing significant action in 11 of those.  With Cadillac Williams out of the picture in Tampa Blount is a sure bet to see 300 carries and could challenge the 1,500 yard mark.  He should also be a good bet to hit the 10 TD mark.  The major downside to Blount is he will not give fantasy owners anything in the passing game.

Darren McFadden, Oakland – Finally showed everyone why he was worthy of being the 4th pick of the draft in 2008.  Finally stayed healthy enough to post over 1,600 yards of offense and score 10 TDs.  The biggest issue with McFadden is he still missed 3 games last season and he is still going to split carries with Michael Bush.  Probably not a guy to target as your number one back but not a bad play as your #2 RB.

Keep an Eye On

Keep an eye on how these guys progress this summer, they could be candidates to be fantasy sleepers this season.

Felix Jones, Dallas – With Marion Barber being cut loose the job is now truly Jones’ to lose.  He should be the top back entering the season.  Question is can he stay healthy enough to carry the ball 300 times this season?

Knowshon Moreno, Denver – New coach John Fox likes to build his offense around a strong running game meaning Moreno should get upwards of 300 carries if he stays healthy this season.

Tim Hightower, Washington – Hightower appears to have established himself as the top back for the ‘Skins this summer.

Shonn Greene, New York Jets – I know a lot of people got burnt on Greene last season, but he could unseat LaDanian Tomlinson as the top back.  LT appeared to run out of gas down the stretch last season and the team could look to feature Greene more earlier in the season to save LT for the playoff run.

Willis McGahee, Denver – Fox is not adverse to running the ball 500 times in a season meaning McGahee could see significantly more than the 100 carries he got in Baltimore last season.  He could be a good play for a #2 back given his ability to find the end zone in the goal line situations.

Javon Ringer, Tennessee – With Chris Johnson continuing his hold out Ringer seems the most likely candidate to benefit as he should be elevated to the top of the depth chart while Johnson stays away.

Beanie Wells, Arizona – With Hightower out of the picture Wells has no real competition for carries from an established player.  This could be the first year he sees 275 to 300 carries if he can stay healthy.

Buyer Beware

These backs have some serious question marks or potential stumbling blocks in their way this summer.

Chris Johnson, Tennessee – There is no doubting the talent here, however, his numbers took a huge step back last season and then there is the fact he has yet to show up to training camp and it does not appear as though he will be showing up any time soon.  Stay away from him until he shows up to camp.

Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville – Still as good a rusher as there is in the league, however, his TD numbers tumbled from 16 in ’09 to 7 last season and he is coming off off-season knee surgery.

Steven Jackson, St. Louis – Should still be a good fantasy play this season, however, with the Rams adding both Jerious Norwood and Cadillac Williams via free agency he is bound to see a significant drop in the number of touches this season.  The Rams would probably like to keep him under 300 touches this year.

Cedric Benson, Cincinnati – There is a chance Benson could be facing a suspension after an arrest this summer.

Matt Forte, Chicago – Forte wants a new contract and the presence of both Chester Taylor and Marion Barber are going to limit the number of times Forte sees the ball this season.

Fred Jackson, Buffalo – One has to assume C. J. Spiller is going to get every chance to win the starting job, right?

Reggie Bush, Miami – Anyone who thinks Bush going to Miami could be just the thing to jump start his career is probably kidding themselves.  He will probably see a significant boost in the number of times he gets the ball, but he is never going to be a premiere back in the league.

Rookies

With what looks to be an underwhelming rookie class at the running back position which rookies could push the 1,000 yard mark this season?

Mark Ingram, New Orleans – Ingram seems to be the best bet to open the season as the Saints starting running back.  The question with Ingram will be whether Sean Peyton is willing to give him the ball 20 times a game every week.  He is a good bet to push the 1,000 yard mark if he stays healthy this season.  Ingram is also a good bet to push the 10 TD mark as well.  With Darren Sproles on the roster in New Orleans one can probably expect Ingram to not be on the field much in passing situations.

Ryan Williams, Arizona – With Hightower being shipped to Washington Beanie Wells is the de facto #1 back.  Given that Beanie has never notched more than 176 carries due to injury and inconsistent play Williams is a good bet to get 150+ carries this season.

Shane Vereen, New England – With BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead already ahead of him on the depth chart it seems unlikely Vereen is going to be a significant part of the Pats offense this season.

Mikel Leshoure, Detroit – Leshoure was expected to compete for the starting job this summer, however, he has already been lost for the year due to a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Daniel Thomas, Miami – With Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown leaving via free agency and Reggie Bush being the only real established vet on the roster Thomas has a good shot at winning the starting job in Miami this summer.

Demarco Murray, Dallas – Has great talent but could never seem to stay healthy in college.  He could challenge Tashard Choice for the number two spot in Dallas.

Stevan Ridley, New England – Like Vereen, Ridley is likely to get caught up in the numbers game in New England this summer.

Jacquizz Rodgers, Atlanta – The Falcons envision Rodgers being a Dexter McCluster, Darren Sproles, or Percy Harvin type of player who they look to give the ball to 8 to 10 times a game in hopes that he can break a big play with his speed.

On the Rise

These are quarterbacks whose stock is on the rise and and are coming off breakthrough years for them.

Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay – Freeman broke through a lot sooner than anyone expected him to.  In just his second season he saw his touchdown passes go from 10 to 25 and interceptions drop from 18 to 6.  He also threw for over 3,400 yards and ran for 364.  The only downside is he only really has two targets to throw to and if Kellen Winslow or Mike Williams get injured his numbers could suffer significantly as a result.

Matt Cassel, Kansas City – Cassel threw a career high of 27 TD passes and a career low 7 interceptions last season after throwing 37 touchdowns and 27 interceptions over the last two seasons combined.  The additions of former Arizona receiver Steve Breaston and rookie Johnathan Baldwin only serve to buoy expectations for Cassel this summer.

Matt Ryan, Atlanta – Bounced back after a “Sophomore Slump” to post career highs in yards (3,705) and touchdowns (28) and thew just 9 interceptions.

Keep an Eye On

Keep your eye on how these guys progress during the summer.  They could sneak up and surprise some people this season.

Jay Cutler, Chicago – While Roy Williams was a huge failure in Dallas he did have his best years in Detroit in Mike Martz’s offense.  Martz happens to be the Bears offensive coordinator.  If Williams re-focuses himself this season he is easily better than any other receiver on Chicago’s roster.

Matthew Stafford, Detroit – If Stafford can stay healthy for 16 games he could finally be his big breakout season.  The Lions have done a good job in giving him the weapons to succeed throwing the ball, however, the offensive line is still a big question mark.

Alex Smith, San Francisco – Will Jim Harbaugh be the guy to finally get Smith pointed in the right direction in the NFL?  A lot of the experts seem to think he will be.

Buyer Beware

These are guys who have some big question marks coming into the season.

Peyton Manning, Indianapolis – Manning has had two neck surgeries in the last year and began camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list.  He is expected to be ready to go for the season opener, but is he starting to show the wear and tear of starting every game of his career over the last 13 years?

Michael Vick, Philadelphia – Vick is always going to be one of the top fantasy scores in weeks he plays, the only problem is his style of play lends hm to taking big hits and he missed 4 games due to injury last year.  Fantasy owners who end up with Vick will want to make sure they have a capable backup on hand.

Kevin Kolb, Arizona – There are huge expectations for Kolb this season, however, the jury is still largely out on this guy.  Sure he has 3 300-yard games in just 7 career starts, but, he also has just 10 TDs against 9 INTs in those seven games and he has yet to show he can deliver against the better defense in the league.  The bulk of his numbers have come against teams who had suspect secondaries at the time.

David Garrard, Jacksonville – Garrard may lose his job as the starter in Jacksonville and if the Jags struggle early one can bet he will not end the season as the team’s starter.

Kyle Orton, Denver – Orton should win the starting job in Denver, however, like Garrard, if things go sideways quickly Tebow will close the season as the starter.  Another thing to keep in mind here is Orton had his two most productive seasons playing for Josh McDaniels who is no longer in Denver.

Eli Manning, New York Giants – Yes Manning threw for 4,000 yards and a career high 31 touchdowns last season, however, the offensive line is in flux right now and he threw a career high 25 interceptions.  The team also let Kevin Boss go and Steve Smith, who had established himself as one of Manning’s favorite targets prior to getting hurt last season, bolted for the Eagles.

Chad Henne, Miami – Henne did not progress as expected last season despite the addition of Pro Bowl wideout Brandon Marshall.  There is early speculation as to whether his job is up for grabs this summer and he could be on a short leash this season if he does not progress as expected.

Mark Sanchez, New York Jets – Sanchez showed improvement last season after the Jets spent money upgrading the receiving corps.  Some would argue his numbers were disappointing though.  The question now is whether he is going to be an elite passer or just a guy who wins ball games.

Matt Hasselbeck, Tennessee – Hasselbeck is expected to begin the season as the starter for the Titans, but if things go south quickly expect Jake Locker to see some significant playing time.

Donovan McNabb, Minnesota – Sure he is in a better situation in Minnesota, but who is he going to throw the ball to?  With Sidney Rice bolting to Seattle the Vikings are left with Percy Harvin, Visanthe Shiancoe, and a handful of #2 receivers.  Then again he was always fairly productive in Philly when all he had to throw to was a bunch of #2s.

Rookies

Which rookies are worth rolling the dice on this season?  Only one stands out as a sure fire bet to win a starting job this summer.

Cam Newton, Carolina – Newton has yet to be named the starting quarterback in Carolina, odds are he will be starting by the end of the year unless the Panthers manage to stay in playoff contention with Jimmy Clausen or Derek Anderson under center.  He is definitely worth grabbing for keeper leagues.

Jake Locker, Tennessee – Barring injury Locker will begin the year as a backup to Hasselbeck.  However he could see time under center if and when the Titans fall out of contention.  Definitely worth a look in keeper leagues.

Blaine Gabbert, Jacksonville – Started the Jags first preseason game and it was not a complete disaster.  If he continues to progress he could beat out Garrard, but it seems unlikely he is the starter for the opener.  Keep an eye on this though.

Christian Ponder, Minnesota – There is little to no shot he wins the starting job over Donovan McNabb this summer.  The Vikings signed McNabb to a one year deal with the hopes Ponder is ready to start in 2012.  Ponder could see some starts if the Vikes are not in contention come November or December.

Andy Dalton, Cincinnati – Dalton seems the most likely candidate of this year’s rookie class to start right away.  With Carson Palmer seemingly following through on his threat to retire and the likes of Bruce Gradkowski, Dan LeFevour, and Jordan Palmer competing with Dalton for the starting job it seems like it is Dalton’s to lose.  One should expect big numbers from this season however as the Bengals seem to be a franchise heading in the wrong direction.

Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco – Kaepernick could see playing time this year if Smith never gets it together, but he definitely will not open the season as the starter.

Ryan Mallett, New England – It seems highly unlikely Mallett will ever be the starter in New England.

Dallas Cowboys – Grabbing a tackle at 9 was a good move for them even if it is a guy who never played the left side at USC.  Some believe Tyron Smith can develop into a left tackle down the road.

Grabbing Bruce Carter and Demarco Murray in the second and third rounds make little sense as they fill no immediate needs.  The only way these make sense is if the Cowboys are looking at cutting some of their high priced talent that has underachieved in recent years.  It is hard to imagine Murray even seeing the field with Marion Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice already atop the RB depth chart.

They got decent value picks in the later rounds landing corner back Joshua Thomas in the fifth round and WR Dwayne Harris in the sixth round.  Both could end up being steals in this draft.

Overall they did a decent job adding needed depth and youth on the offensive line.  They still have glaring needs to address in the secondary and potentially the defensive line.

New York Giants – The Giants get bonus points for getting great value with their first two picks.  Prince Amukamara was a top ten talent who slid all the way to 19 and Marvin Austin was considered a fringe first round pick.

The biggest issue with this draft for the Giants is they waited until the 4th round to address their sketchy offensive line and grabbed a guy, James Brewer, who is widely seen as a developmental player who is probably a couple of years away from being a major contributor.

They also failed to land any LBs who may have a chance at contributing next season.  The two they did take, Greg Jones and Jacquian Williams, are seen as guys who will likely never be anything more than career backups/special teamers.

Seventh rounder Da’Rel Scott has the size and physical tools to be a productive back in the NFL a few years down the road.

Overall it is an uneven draft for the Giants.  The offensive line still has some question marks and the LB corps still needs an upgrade.  Amukamara and Austin will provide an upgrade in talent at their respective positions though.

Philadelphia Eagles – There is not a lot to be excited about here.  Top pick Danny Watkins should step in and start somewhere on the right side of the offensive line be it guard or tackle.

The selection of safety Jaiquawn Jarrett in the second round could mean the end of Quintin Mikell’s tenure in Philadelphia as he is lated to hit free agency.

Third rounder Curtis Marsh has the potential to be a starting corner but is probably a couple of years away from doing so.

Fourth round pick Casey Matthews could end up being the sleeper pick at linebacker.

Landed David Akers eventual successor in the fourth round in Alex Henery.

Overall it was not bad, but it was not great either.  The team still has a glaring need for another starting cornerback, they did not land one in this draft.

Washington Redskins – They added some needed depth in the front seven by adding DE Ryan Kerrigan and DT Jarvis Jenkins with their first two picks.

Third round pick Leonard Hankerson should give the ‘Skins a legit number two receiver behind Santana Moss.  This team was sorely lacking in talent at the position after Moss.

Fourth rounder Roy Helu has the physical tools to be a productive back and could see action next season with Clinton Portis not expected to be back.

Ultimately they got three guys who should see regular time next season in Kerrigan, Jenkins, and Hankerson, but not a lot else after that and a fourth that has the potential to in Helu.  The rest of the class looks like developmental/special teams players for right now.

The quarterback position remains a big question mark heading into the summer as the team did not take a quarterback leaving it up to Rex Grossman and/or Donovan McNabb.  It was surprising not to see them grab a QB, especially when Blaine Gabbert was there for the taking at the 10 spot.

1. Carolina Panthers – Cam Newton (QB, Auburn) - Not a huge surprise that this was the pick.  It could be a couple of years until he pays dividends though.  It remains to be seen whether he will be able to adapt to a pro style offense or not.  Fortunately for the Panthers they have good depth at running back and run the ball fairly well so the offense will not be solely dependent on Newton being a star right away.  Newton was not considered the top prospect by a large margin, but the Panthers QB play was awful last season and they needed to do something to try and generate interest in the team.

2. Denver Broncos – Von Miller (LB, Texas A&M) – Great talent, just not wild about this pick though.  He is arguably the best defensive player in the draft, but is he the best fit for this defense and what the Broncos need.  The Broncos play the two best running teams in the league next season in Kansas City and Oakland and really need to add a run stuffer to an abysmal run defense.  I am not sure how Miller greatly improves their run defense.  It seems he may have fit better as an edge player in a 3-4 front.

3. Buffalo Bills – Marcell Dareus (DL, Alabama) – The Bills rated dead last against the run last season and Dareus is arguably the best run stuffing d-lineman in this year’s draft.  Good pick up for the Bills.  He fills a primary need and should pay dividends right away.

4. Cincinnati Bengals – A. J. Green (WR, Georgia) – This comes as no surprise as the Bengals are not expected to re-sign Terrell Owens and there is growing sentiment that Chad Ochocinco will not be back either next season.  It feels like the Bengals may be getting ready to clean house a bit and bring in some fresh talent on offense.

5. Arizona Cardinals – Patrick Peterson (CB, LSU) – More of a value pick then a need pick, but then again with teams running more and more three and four receiver sets in their base offenses these days teams can never have too many DBs who can cover down the field.

6. Atlanta Falcons – Julio Jones (WR, Alabama) – The first sort of wow moment of the draft.  It was not a huge shock to see Jones go this high, but it was quite a surprise who he ended up going to.  I am not a huge fan of the deal Atlanta made for several reasons.  The first being they have more pressing needs then to find a top flight receiver.  Yes, they need to find a better compliment to Roddy White then Michael Jenkins has given them, but is the team’s biggest need?  No.  They have serious holes to fill on defense and they end up giving away way too much for a player who is, at best, going to be option number three and likely number four behind Michael Turner, White, and Tony Gonzalez.  That is not even to mention the issues Jones has had staying healthy for an entire season of college football.

7. San Francisco 49ers – Aldon Smith (DE/OLB, Missouri) – He fills a need from a versatility standpoint and the Niners have been looking for a potential edge rusher with some impact for a while now.  The only real quibble here is they probably could have traded back several spots and still landed him.  It feels like a bit of a reach at seven.

8. Tennessee Titans – Jake Locker (QB, Washington) – It is no huge surprise that Locker ends up in Tennessee as they have always been rumored to have an interest.  What is a surprise is the fact he came off the board before Blaine Gabbert did.  It was always assumed that Gabbert would not last past San Francisco at 7.  I am not a huge fan of Locker’s, I am just not sold he has the accuracy to succeed at the next level.  It has always felt like he was so highly regarded because of his athleticism.

9. Dallas Cowboys – Tyron Smith (T, USC) – The big question here is whether he is a left or right tackle.  He only played the right side in college and Doug Free is Dallas’ current starter on the left side, for what that is worth.  It would seem awfully high to take a RT.  He does fill an immediate need for the Cowboys though and likely spells the end of Marc Colombo’s tenure in Dallas.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars – Blaine Gabbert (QB, Missouri) – The Jags swap spots with the Redskins after seeing Gabbert fall this far.  They finally get someone whom they hope will push David Garrard to the side by the end of next season.

11. Houston Texans – J. J. Watt (DE, Wisconsin) – Fills a need for the Texans as they transition to a 3-4 defensive front.  Many had him listed as the best 3-4 end in this draft.  It seems like Prince Amukamara would have been a better pick here given the team’s inability to stop anyone on pass defense last season.

12. Minnesota Vikings – Christian Ponder (QB, Florida State) – The biggest reach of the round.  The Vikings probably could have traded back at least 10 to 15 spots and still landed him.  This seems like an awfully high pick to spend on a quarterback who is on the small side and struggled to stay healthy at the college level.  There is no questioning his heart and leadership skills, but health issues aside was he really considered a first round prospect to begin with?  To be quite honest he was not that remarkable of a quarterback at Florida State even when he was healthy.

13. Detroit Lions – Nick Fairley (DT, Auburn) – Great pick from a value standpoint but when I heard about it I had flashbacks to the days when Matt Millen was running the team and kept spending first round picks on wide receivers.  Seems like they have much bigger needs to fill in the secondary and on the offensive line.  They don’t quite have the luxury to add depth to one of the strengths of the team.

14. St. Louis Rams – Robert Quinn (DE, UNC) – This feels like another value pick as well.  Starters James Hall and Chris Long combined for 19 sacks last season so there is not a huge need to add another pass rusher to the mix.  With Julio Jones off the board the Rams simply took the top player left on their board.

15. Miami Dolphins – Mike Pouncey (OL, Florida) – The Dolphins sunk to 3.7 yards per carry last season and have a need to bolster the interior o-line positions.  Pouncey rates as the best of the bunch and should step in and start right away next season.  Solid pickup for the ‘Phins.

16. Washington Redskins – Ryan Kerrigan (DE/OLB, Purdue) – The ‘Skins land a much needed complimentary pass rusher to line up opposite Brian Orakpo.

17. New England Patriots – Nate Solder (OT, Colorado) – The offensive line looked beaten and battered in the Pats’ playoff loss to the Jets.  This pick could mean Matt Light is not back next season and it definitely means they will not break the bank to keep him.

18. San Diego Chargers – Corey Liuget (DL, Illinois) – With Jaques Cesaire hitting free agency and Luis Castillo’s numbers steadily declining over the past few years Liuget could slide over to an end position for the Chargers next season.

19. New York Giants – Prince Amukamara (CB, Nebraska) – The Giants get great value here as Amukamara was widely viewed as a top ten talent.  The Giants have also struggled just to have three or four warm bodies available at the corner position the last few years.  He gives them some much needed depth at the position.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Adrian Clayborn (DE, Iowa) – With questions about his health and durability this seems like a bit of a gamble and a reach for the Bucs when guys like Da’Quan Bowers and Cameron Jordan are still on the board.  He does fill a primary need for the Bucs who have to get better at the DE position if they want to make another serious run at the playoffs next season.

21. Cleveland Browns – Phil Taylor (DT, Baylor) – The Browns add some much needed depth and talent at the defensive line position.  With the team transitioning to a 4-3 defense they need to add more defensive lineman to the roster.

22. Indianapolis Colts – Anthony Castonzo (T, Boston College) – If the Colts expect Peyton Manning to play out the balance of the new deal he signs this summer they need to get better protection for him.

23. Philadelphia Eagles – Danny Watkins (OL, Baylor) – Fills an immediate need for the Eagles to upgrade the interior of the offensive line, just not convinced this was the best pick at this spot.  Watkins is 27 years old and it feels like the talent is there for the offensive line as long as it stays healthy whereas there is a serious lack of talent at the corner position right now.  It just seems as though Jimmy Smith may have been the better pick here.

24. New Orleans Saints – Cameron Jordan (DE, California) – Great value here as some see Jordan as a top ten talent.  The Saints had a need at the end position and they fill it here.

25. Seattle Seahawks – James Carpenter (OL, Alabama) – A bit of a reach here as they probably could have traded back another 10 to 15 spots and still grabbed him.  I don’t think many folks had him rated as a first round talent.  He does, however, fill a huge need for the Seahawks who struggled to find any consistency on the offensive line last season.

26. Kansas City Chiefs – Jonathan Baldwin (WR, Pittsburgh) – Another guy who is a bit of a reach at this stage, and the Chiefs could have used the pick to address some more pressing needs on the defense.  However, the Chiefs do need to find a suitable compliment the Dwayne Bowe at the receiver position.

27. Baltimore Ravens – Jimmy Smith (CB, Colorado) – The Ravens have needed to get younger and better at the corner positions for a couple of years now.

28. New Orleans Saints – Mark Ingram (RB, Alabama) – The Saints slipped to 28th in the league in rushing last season and struggled to find two healthy backs at times.  Could the addition of Ingram spell the end of the Reggie Bush Era in New Orleans?  He certainly seems to think it might.

29. Chicago Bears – Gabe Carimi (T, Wisconsin) – The Bears two biggest needs this spring are to bolster the receiving corps and find guys who will do a better job at protecting Jay Cutler.   Carimi should provide an upgrade over last year’s tackles.

30. New York Jets – Muhammad Wilkerson (DL, Temple) – The Jets find the successor to Kris Jenkins whose days in New York are likely over.

31. Pittsburgh Steelers – Cameron Heyward (DE, Ohio State) – Aaron Smith is 35 years old and played a total of 11 games the last two seasons.  Good move by the Steelers to land a guy who should challenge Smith for the starting job this summer.

32. Green Bay Packers – Derek Sherrod (T, Mississippi State) – Aaron Rodgers still takes more sacks than he should and the Pack only averaged 3.8 yards per carry last season.

We are less than a week away from the NFL draft and talks are heating up as to who the number one pick is going to be.  Will the Panthers roll the dice on Cam Newton or go a safer route and fill a need at corner or the defensive line with someone who has fewer skeletons in their closet?

1. Carolina Panthers – Cam Newton (QB, Auburn): A couple of months ago Nick Fairley seemed to be the guy, but as we get closer to the draft there is more and more chatter about Fairley being a one year wonder and whether or not he simply showed out to secure a high pick in this year’s draft.  There are some areas of concern with Newton however, especially in his maturity and off field behavior.  Given some of the choices he has made in the past few years some teams are going to be wary of giving him a big contract.  However, the impending collective bargaining agreement is likely going to have provisions to curb how much money rookies get up front making it easier to roll the dice on a player like Newton whose talent suggests the sky is the limit but his off field transgressions suggest he could just as easily flame out in two or three years.

Wildcards: The Panthers could go several different ways here.  The consensus is that LSU’s Patrick Peterson is the top prospect, however, corners do not ever go at the top of the draft.  Not even Deion Sanders warranted the top pick in the draft.  They could also plug a need at DT and take Alabama’s Marcell Dareus or go the safer route at QB and take Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert.

2. Denver Broncos – Marcel Dareus (DL, Alabama): With the team re-signing Champ Bailey the immediate need for a top flight corner is lessened a bit.  The Broncos need to upgrade their defense and will take whoever they have rated as the top defensive player on the board.  The Broncos are expected to switch back to a 4-3 front under new head coach John Fox and they have a serious need for someone who can stuff the run.  Dareus’ stock has been rising this spring and he seems to be the consensus number on defensive lineman in this draft.

Wildcards: If the Panthers opt for Dareus then Nick Fairley or Texas A&M’s Von Miller could come in to play.  One should also not rule Peterson out of the mix here either.  Bailey is on the downside of his career and nobody knows what Perish Cox’s availability is going to be in the wake of his off season arrest for sexual assault.  At the very least the Broncos can probably expect a suspension of some kind when all is said and done.

3. Buffalo Bills – Von Miller (OLB/DE, Texas A&M): All signs seem to be pointing towards the Bills taking Miller who has established himself as potentially the best edge rusher in this year’s draft class.

Wildcards: It seems unlikely the Bills would pass Miller up given their need for an impact pass rusher, but their pass defense was one of the best in the league last year and their defensive front was a sieve when it came to stopping the run.  They could opt for Dareus or Fairley at this spot in hopes they can shore up the run defense.  The Bills are believed to have more than a passing interest in Newton and would probably take him if the Panthers pass on him.  There are those who believe the Panthers are feigning interest in Newton in hopes they can entice the Bills to make a deal to move up and get him.

4. Cincinnati Bengals – A. J. Green (WR, Georgia): It has already been reported that Terrell Owens will not be back and there is widespread belief that Chad Ochocinco will be let go as well.  If the latter comes to fruition then the Bengals will be in the market for a top flight receiver and Green is believed to be the best of the bunch with some arguing he is the best player in this year’s draft.

Wildcards: There has been a lot of talk about the Bengals cutting Carson Palmer loose so they could go QB or trade down and take a QB.  Newton, if he is still on the board, or Gabbert are real possibilities here if Palmer is no longer around.  They could also use another pass rusher to pair with Carlos Dunlap who really came on the second half of his rookie season.  There is also a need for an impact player at DT.

5. Arizona Cardinals - Blaine Gabbert (QB, Missouri): Ken Whisenhunt used three different starting QBs this season and nobody won him over.  The Cards are likely to take the best available QB at this spot and Gabbert is a nice prospect to start over with.

Wildcards: The Cards have several needs on defense as well and could go with Peterson or Miller if he is still on the board at this spot.

6. Cleveland Browns – Robert Quinn (DE, North Carolina): The Browns have been looking for a true impact player along the front seven for a couple of years now.  Quinn potentially gives them the impact pass rusher they have been lacking for several years now.  He entered the fall as the top pass rushing and defensive line prospect in the draft.  He slipped a bit due to some off field problems that caused him to be suspended for the year.  With some teams questioning Da’Quan Bowers knee Quinn is starting to creep back up as the safer pick.  With the team going back to a 4-3 front they need to find a pass-rushing end.

Wildcards: The Browns would love to find a top flight receiver to go along with second year quarterback Colt McCoy and they could go with Green if he is still on the board or even opt for Julio Jones.  This may be too high for a guy like Jones who has struggled with injuries and this draft is deep enough at the position that the Browns could potentially find an upgrade with the 37th pick.

7. San Francisco 49ers - Patrick Peterson (CB, Louisiana State): I originally had them taking Ryan Mallett at this spot, but his stock seems to plummeting due to character issues and there is a chance the team could grab him or someone comparable in the second round with guys like Christian Ponder and Andy Dalton potentially working their way into the second round of the draft.

The Niners would love to add an impact player to a secondary that nabbed just 9 interceptions last season.

Wildcards: They could also opt for an impact player in the front seven like Bowers, Quinn, or Fairley if they are still on the board.  The Niners have a need for an impact pass rusher or someone who can plug the middle of the defensive line.  Gabbert or Newton would also be in play here if they are still on the board.  Jim Harbaugh says he believes he can jump start Alex Smith’s career but one has to think he would be interested in one of the young QBs if he can grab one he likes.

8. Tennessee Titans - Prince Amukamara (CB, Nebraska): The Titans appear to be a franchise in complete disarray right now.  They reportedly are set to cut ties with Vince Young once a new CBA is in place, Jeff Fisher is out as the head coach, and Kenny Britt is working hard to become the team’s latest in long line of recent problem children.

The Titans’ pass defense has been atrocious the last couple of years and the team desperately needs a shutdown corner and Amukamara potentially fits the bill.

Wildcards: The Quarterback position is obviously in play here if Gabbert or Newton are still on the board.  They could also go with Julio Jones given Britt’s uncertain future or Fairley given they have never really replaced Albert Haynesworth at defensive tackle.

9. Dallas Cowboys - J. J. Watt (DE, Wisconsin): Marcus Spears’ tenure in Dallas appears to be coming to an end and Watt has been one of the post season workout warriors who has seen his stock skyrocket this spring.  Many see him as the top 3-4 end prospect in this draft.

Wildcards: Jerry Jones is always the wildcard for the Cowboys.  There is no telling what he may do here.  He tends to go for guys who will sell tickets as opposed to the ones that address the team’s biggest needs.  Dallas desperately needs a shutdown corner and would love it if Peterson or Amukamara fell to them here.  They also have a huge need to get better and younger on the offensive line, however, many would argue there are not any OL prospects worthy of being a top ten pick this year.  It would not be surprising to see Dallas trade back a few spots and grab one of the top OL prospects that should still be there in the middle of the round.

10. Washington Redskins – Julio Jones (WR, Alabama): Santana Moss is still productive but he is not getting any younger, nor is he the big play receiver he was when he first came into the league.  With no d-lineman prospects who are suited to play the 3-4 on the board and no QB prospects worthy of being the 10th pick still around the ‘Skins will settle on upgrading their receiving corps.  Jones shot up due to his impressive workouts, but injury concerns could lead to him falling down the board a bit further.

Wildcards: They still need help on the offensive line and would love to upgrade the pass rusher as well.  It would not be surprising to see the ‘Skins look to trade back and pick up another pick or two.

11. Houston Texans - Cameron Jordan (DE, California): New Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips is a 3-4 guy which would necessitate the Texans finding front seven players who fit into that scheme.

Wildcards: The secondary was a train wreck this season but after Amukamara and Peterson there are not any corner prospects worth taking this high.

12. Minnesota Vikings - Nick Fairley (DT, Auburn): Pat Williams is 38 and a free agent and it is believed he will not be back next season and Kevin Williams had just one sack last season.  Fairley is just too big of a talent not go here.

Wildcards: It would not be a surprise to see an offensive tackle come off the board here.  With Ray Edwards set to hit free agency Bowers could also be in play here.

13. Detroit Lions – Tyron Smith (OT, USC): They need to do a better job of protecting Stafford who is not as mobile as Shaun Hill or Drew Stanton and their backs averaged just over 3.5 yards per carry.

Wildcards: Secondary and linebacker are big needs as well, but there are not many prospects left on the board worthy of going this high.

14. St. Louis Rams – Corey Liuget (DT, Illinois): The Rams would love for Julio Jones to drop this far and some think they may try to move to be able to grab him.  Given what is available on the board Liguet makes the most sense in terms of filling a need for the upstart Rams.

15. Miami Dolphins – Mike Pouncey (OL, Florida): The Dolphins need to shore up the interior line.

Wildcards: There are rumblings of the Dolphins being ready to give up on Chad Henne meaning they will be thinking long and hard about grabbing a QB here if there is one they like at this spot.  With Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown both impending free agents Mark Ingram could be the guy here, but some teams are worried about his knee injury and lack of top end speed.

16. Jacksonville Jaguars – Da’Quan Bowers (DE, UCLA): The Jags desperately need someone who can make plays on defense and Bowers was once seen as a potential top five pick.

Wildcard: Thtey have been threatening to dump David Garrard for a couple of years now and could be tempted by Jake Locker at this spot.

17. New England Patriots – Anthony Castonzo (OT, Boston College): Offensive line play was a big reason the Patriots lost to the Jets in the playoffs last season.  With Matt Light on the wrong side of 30 and both he and Logan Mankins potentially leaving via free agency the Pats have some potential holes to fill on the offensive line this spring.

Wildcard: They could also opt for and edge rusher if there is someone on the board that Belichick really likes.

18. San Diego Chargers – Muhammad Wilkerson (DL, Temple): The production for the Chargers ends left something to be desired this past season and Watt’s stock is on the rise.

19. New York Giants – Gabe Carimi (OT, Wisconsin): The team needs a true left tackle and Will Beatty is not showing any signs of being the guy to take the job over from David Diehl.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Ryan Kerrigan (DE, Purdue): The Bucs need to get better rushing the passer and stopping the run and Kerrigan is a defensive lineman who can help out in both those areas.

Wildcard: With Aqib Talib looking like he may not be back on the field any time soon the Bucs could take someone like Jimmy Smith or Brandon Harris to plug in at corner here.

21. Kansas City Chiefs – Aldon Smith (DE/OLB, Georgia): Tamba Hali and Mike Vrabel are both free agents and it seems unlikely both will be back in KC next season.

22. Indianapolis Colts – Nate Solder (OT, Boston College): The Colts do what they should have done last spring which is upgrade the offensive line.

23. Philadelphia Eagles – Jimmy Smith (CB, Colorado): Teams are warming up to the idea that Smith some of the “character issues” in relation to Smith are being a bit overblown and that he is worthy of being taken this high.  There is no question he has the talent it is just a matter of whether he can stay focused and is mature enough to be an impact player in the NFL.

Wildcards: Reid loves drafting lineman in the first round and the interior line has been a weakness in Philly this year.

24. New Orleans Saints – Adrian Clayborn (DE, Iowa): The production of their ends left something to be desired last season and the Saints will likely take whoever they have rated as the top front seven defensive player on the board at this stage.

25. Seattle Seahawks – Jake Locker (QB, Washington): He comes from the same offensive system Pete Carroll ran at USC and they have the luxury of him sitting behind Matt Hasselbeck and Charlie Whitehurst until he is ready to start.

Wildcards: The secondary play was not stellar and they could look to upgrade the offensive line as well.

26. Baltimore Ravens – Brandon Harris (CB, Miami): The Ravens have needed to get younger and better at the corner position for a couple of years now.

Wildcards: They could also look at adding depth along the front seven with Sergio Kindle yet to step foot on the field for them.

27. Atlanta Falcons – Cameron Heyward (DE, Ohio State): They need to find someone other than John Abraham who can get after the quarterback.

28. New England Patriots – Mark Ingram (RB, Alabama): Ingram is the type of back that coaches like Belichick and Parcells love to have.  He is not flashy by any means, but he just gets the job done.

Wildcards: Don’t be surprised to see the Pats trade down and collect an extra pick or two.

29. Chicago Bears – Akeem Ayers (OLB, UCLA): The Bears would love to grab a play-maker at receiver or an OT to better protect Jay Cutler but there is not a lot here to warrant taking this high.

Wildcard: Don’t be surprised if the Bears trade down a few spots to where they can get the right value for the player they are targeting.

30. New York Jets – Phil Taylor (DT, Baylor): Kris Jenkins’ days in New York are probably over and his career may be as well.

Wildcards: Braylon Edwards, Santonio Holmes, and Brad Smith are all potential free agents so the Jets could take the top receiver left on their board or trade back.

31. Pittsburgh Steelers – Aaron Williams (CB, Texas): The corners have been lacking for a couple of years now and when Polamalu is not on the field the pass defense suffers because of it.

Wildcards: The situation at OT is not ideal in Pittsburgh and they could opt to go that route as well.

32. Green Bay Packers – Danny Watkins (OL, Baylor): Offensive line play has still been erratic for the Pack.

Wildcards: They could look to add some depth along the front seven on defense, especially with Cullen Jenkins set to hit free agency and John Jolly’s career apparently being over.

However, the Hawks won the season series three games to one.  With that said the Magic hold the home court advantage in this series and the Hawks were sub-.500 on the road this season.  The Hawks also come into the post season on a six game losing streak and always seem to be a team that just does not have enough to get to the next level.

The Magic has built their team around Dwight Howard and features a ton of depth and versatility around the perimeter but have no real answer when Howard gets into foul trouble.  Howard is as good as their is under the basket but after him there is not much else there for Orlando.

The Hawks rely on a versatile athletic front court that features Al Horford, Josh Smith, and Marvin Williams.

Joe Johnson is the team leader and he coupled with 6th man Jamal Crawford give the Hawks scoring from the perimeter.

Another main difference between the two teams is Crawford is the only player who sees significant playing time off the bench while Ryan Anderson, Gilbert Arenas, and J. J. Redick all typically see over 20 minutes a night when healthy.

In the end I like the Magic’s depth off the bench, Dwight Howard being the only true super star in this series, and playoff experience to win out in a hard fought series.  This Hawks team just has a history of folding in the playoffs and they are lacking that true franchise player.

The Heat easily have the three best players in this series which is why they are heavy favorites to win.  Miami swept the season series winning all three games by 9 points or more.

On paper the Sixers have no real answer for the Heat’s big three.  About the best they can hope for here is that Andre Iguodala’s length creates some problems for Dwyane Wade and Elton Brand is able to make Chris Bosh work on defense, which is something he is not wont to do, and get into foul trouble.  There is no depth in the frontcourt after Bosh unless Udonis Haslem is able to make it back for the playoffs.

The only areas where the Sixers hold any kind of an advantage in this series are at point guard and the bench.  Jrue Holliday enjoyed a breakout season at the point for the Sixers averaging 14 points and 6.5 assists per game.  Meanwhile the point guard position has been a revolving door for the Heat this season as Mike Bibby, Mario Chalmers, and Carlos Arroyo have all taken their turns in the starting lineup.

Bench productivity is not even close.  Lou Williams and Thaddeus Young combine to give the Sixers over 26 points per game off the bench whereas Wade, Bosh, and LeBron are the only three Heat players to average double digits in scoring this year.

The only way the Sixers stand a chance in this series is if second unit guys like Young, Williams, and Evan Turner simply dominate the Heat’s second unit.  Those three will have to give the Sixers in the neighborhood of 35 to 40 points a game off the bench if they are to even make this series competitive.

Bottom line is the Heat just have too much star power for the Sixers to make a series out of this.  Like the Pacers the Sixers may steal one at home but that will be about it.  The Sixers are still a franchise player away from being a serious championship contender again.  As it is right now they have a lot of good players but no great ones and you need an elite player on your team to win in the NBA post season.

One should not expect the Pacers to put up much of a fight in this series.  Aside from an overtime loss to the Pacers the last time they played in March the Bulls pretty much had their way with Indiana.

The Pacers are a bad road team and does not defend well.  The only potential match up in this series that possibly favors the Pacers is at Small Forward where Danny Granger will lock horns with Luol Deng and even that is probably a push.  Granger had a down year scoring-wise but is capable of being a 25 point a game guy if need be, while Deng is playing the best ball of his career now that he is finally healthy again.

Derrick Rose is arguably the league’s MVP and top point guard going right now.  Indy’s Darren Collison is not even in Rose’s league.  Rose is one of those types of players who is capable of putting his team on his back and carrying them to victory if need be.

While Tyler Hansbrough and Roy Hibbert are two of the most improved players in the league this year and a formidable pair under the basket they are no match for the Bulls bigs of Joakim Noah, Carlos Boozer, Taj Gibson, and Kurt Thomas.  When healthy Boozer and Noah are top ten rebounders in the league and Boozer is a formidable low post scorer in the half court.  Gibson and Thomas give them a couple of bruisers off the bench who can eat up space and rebound the basketball.  Gibson would probably start on a lot of other teams in the league.

Keep an eye on how coach Tom Thibodeau manages some of his younger players’ minutes.  Deng played in all 82 games for the first time since the ’06-’07 season and both he and Rose posted career highs in minutes played this season.  Noah and Boozer also missed significant time during the season with various injuries.

Bottom line is barring injury to Rose and/or Boozer and Noah the Bulls should take this without too much effort.  The Bulls are one of the best defensive teams in the league and the Pacers don’t really defend anyone well.  The Pacers could steal one at home but one should not expect this to go more than five if it evens goes that long.

The Knicks have lost six straight and 9 of their last 10 games.  That stretch includes losses to the Pistons and Bobcats as well as a pair of losses to the Bucks and Pacers, all teams lower than them in the standings.  They now stand at 7-12 since the Carmelo Anthony trade, so much for him being the franchise’s savior.

I have always said the Knicks are in need of a lot more than a player like Anthony.  It takes more than a couple of stud players to win in the NBA as Heat fans are discovering this year.  Anthony and Amar’e should be enough for them to beat most teams, but even that is not happening right now.  The thing is, while Amar’e and ‘Melo are great talents they simply are not winners.  They have never consistently lead their teams on significant playoff runs.

It would seem that the only thing Mike D’Antoni can do to save his job is upset a team like the Celtics, Heat or Bulls in the first round of the playoffs.

Speaking of the Celtics what has happened to them?  The Celtics have dropped 6 of 10 including home games to the Clippers, Grizzlies, and Bobcats.  Is this the time of the show where the aging Celtics run out of steam?

The Celtics did a decent job of stockpiling front court talent for the playoff run, but I cannot help but wonder if they are missing Nate Robinson more than anything right now.  Without him they have no backcourt scoring threat off the bench.

I can see Pearl ending up on TV somewhere next season.  He is a very telegenic personality and would do well on TV a-la Jim Valvano.

One can only assume they will be looking at VCU’s Shaka Smart to take Pearl’s place.

Notre Dame’s Michael Floyd has the talent to be a top pick, but his personal life may keep him from a big payday right out of college.  His drinking issues could end up costing him a ton of money this time next year.  He could end up being next year’s Warren Sapp.

It sounds more and more like Auburn’s Nick Fairley could end up as this year’s Warren Sapp.  All of the pre-draft chatter has teams being a bit concerned about his character and the fact that the first year he is draft eligible he decides to play up to his talent level.

If the Eagles put Kevin Kolb up for bid prior to the draft look for them to maneuver high enough up in the draft to be able to nab Nebraska’s Prince Amukamara or possibly Patrick Peterson.  It seems unlikely, though, that they will be able to move up high enough to grab Peterson.  There is expected to be a strong market for Kolb if the Eagles look to move him.

It is being rumored that the Seahawks are showing an interest, but with a lack of blue chip talent at the position in the upcoming the draft the Eagles may be hoping a team like the 49ers or the Cardinals step up and offer their first round pick for him.

The Knicks are now 7-8 since the Carmelo Anthony trade.

I cannot help but wonder whether Shaka Smart will be coaching elsewhere next season.  With openings at Georgia Tech and North Carolina State it is going to be tough for Virginia Commonwealth to hang onto him.

Remember when everyone was up in arms about VCU being given a shot at a play-in game over the likes of Colorado and Virginia Tech?

Has anyone’s stock risen more than Harrison Barnes’ the last few weeks.  He has really come on the second half of the season and is a huge reason the Tar Heels won the regular season conference title and ended up as a #2 seed when, early on, it looked like they were destined to be an 8 or 9 seed.

John Henson is one of the most maddening players to watch.  He is always going to rebound and defend, but some games he has a great offensive presence and others it seems like he is barely there.  He strikes me as a taller, longer version of Tyrus Thomas or Tyson Chandler.  I doubt he will ever dominate on the offensive end in the NBA, but guys like Chandler can make good career out of being a dominant rebounder and shot blocker.

Jimmer Fredette is going to be the guy who gets taken too high in the draft and will not amount to anything in the NBA.  About the best a team can hope for is he is a J. J. Redick type of player who can give a team 25 minutes and 10 points per game off the bench.  He simply does not have the height, the athleticism, or the defensive ability to be a starter in the NBA.