NFL Informer

The Falcon fans are excited to see Matt Ryan in an Atlanta uniform. Looks like he had a good practice.

Marvin Harrison owns a bar and a car wash. There was a shooting near his bar and Harrison’s gun matches the bullets found at the scene.

From prison for rape to a potential NFL player.

First time ever that a receiver was not selected in the first round. In 1990, the very last pick of the first round was Rob Moore to the New York Jets.

After hours and hours of thoughts on this and after documenting everything for the past 30 days or so, here is my final draft. Some things have been finalized, Jake Long to 2nd is a definite. Players like Malcolm Kelly and Mario Manningham have fallen tremendously. Branden Albert is now a Top 10 pick. What will Saturday and Sunday bring…I know I am excited and watching every minute of this draft. Enjoy draft weekend!

1.Miami Dolphins - OT Jake Long (Michigan)
2.St. Louis Rams - DT Glenn Dorsey (LSU)
3.Atlanta Falcons - QB Matt Ryan (Boston College)
4.Oakland Raiders - RB Darren McFadden (Arkansas)
5.Kansas City Chiefs – DE Chris Long (Virginia)
6.New York Jets - DE Vernon Gholston (Ohio State)
7.New England Patriots (via SF) - CB Leodis McKelvin (Troy State)
8.Baltimore Ravens – OG Branden Albert (Virginia)
9.Cincinnati Bengals - DT Sedrick Ellis (USC)
10.New Orleans Saints - OLB Keith Rivers (USC)
11.Buffalo Bills - WR Devin Harris (Mich St)
12.Denver Broncos - OT Chris Williams (Vanderbilt)
13.Carolina Panthers - DE Derrick Harvey (Florida)
14.Chicago Bears - OT Ryan Clady (Boise State)
15.Detroit Lions - RB Rashard Mendenhall (Illinois)
16.Arizona Cardinals - CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (Tenn St)
17.KC Chiefs (via Minn) - OT Jeff Otah (Pittsburgh)
18.Houston Texans – RB Jonathan Stewart (Oregon)
19.Philadelphia Eagles - CB Mike Jenkins (South Florida)
20.Tampa Bay Buccaneers - WR Limas Sweed (Texas)
21.Washington Redskins – DE Phillip Merling (Clemson)
22.Dallas Cowboys (via CLE) – WR DeSean Jackson (California)
23.Pittsburgh Steelers - CB Aqib Talib (Kansas)
24.Tennessee Titans - WR James Hardy (Indiana)
25.Seattle Seahawks - DT Kentwan Balmer (North Carolina)
26.Jacksonville Jaguars - DE Quentin Groves (Auburn)
27.San Diego Chargers - OT Gosder Cherilus (Boston College)
28.Dallas Cowboys – RB Felix Jones (Arkansas)
29.San Francisco 49ers (via IND) - LB Jerod Mayo (Tennessee)
30.Green Bay Packers - CB Brandon Flowers (Virginia Tech)
31.New York Giants - S Kenny Phillips (Miami Fl.)

The Super Bowl Champions lost a few solid pieces this offseason and really didn’t add anything great. They have clear cut needs on defense. Safety, Linebacker, Corner, and Defensive tackle are needs. Offensive line is a question mark on the offensive side of the ball but other then that I don’t forsee the Giants going Offense in round 1.

Kenny Phillips would be a nice additions for the Giants here replacing Gibril Wilson. They added Sammy Knight in the offseason but if Phillips is there I don’t see how the Giants can pass on him. Dan Connor could be a nice pickup here for the Giants, while he played middle backer at Penn State he has the versatility to move outside and keep Pierce inside.

The glaring need for the Giants is at Safety and with Phillips still on the board the Giants will jump.

1. Miami Dolphins – Chris Long, DE Virginia
2. St. Louis Rams – Jake Long, OT Michigan
3. Atlanta Falcons – Matt Ryan, QB Boston College
4. Oakland Raiders – Vernon Gholston, DE/OLB Ohio State
5. Kansas City Chiefs – Glenn Dorsey, DT LSU
6. New York Jets – Darren McFadden, RB Arkansas
7. New England Patriots – Leodis McKelvin, CB Troy
8. Baltimore Ravens – Ryan Clady, OT Boise St
9. Cincinnati Bengals – Sedrick Ellis, DT USC
10 .New Orleans Saints – Keith Rivers, LB USC
11. Buffalo Bills – Malcolm Kelly, WR Oklahoma
12. Denver Broncos - Chris Williams, OT Vanderbilt
13. Carolina Panthers - Derrick Harvey, DE Florida
14. Chicago Bears - Jeff Otah, OT Pittsburgh
15. Detroit Lions – Rashard Mendenhall, RB Illinois
16. Arizona Cardinals – Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB Tenn St
17. Minnesota Vikings – Phillip Merling, DE Clemson
18. Houston Texans – Aqib Talib, CB Kansas
19. Philadelphia Eagles – Mike Jenkins, CB S Florida
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Devin Thomas, WR Michigan St
21. Washington Redskins – Branden Albert, OL Virginia
22. Dallas Cowboys – DeSean Jackson, WR Cal
23. Pittsburgh Steelers – Limas Sweed, WR Texas
24. Tennessee Titans – Kentwan Balmer, DT North Carolina
25. Seattle Seahawks – Dustin Keller, TE Purdue
26. Jacksonville Jaguars – Quentin Groves, DE Auburn
27. San Diego Chargers – Gosder Cherilus, OT Boston College
28. Dallas Cowboys – Felix Jones, RB Oklahoma
29. San Francisco 49ers – Jerod Mayo, LB Tennessee
30. Green Bay Packers – Antoine Cason, CB Arizona
31. New York Giants - Kenny Phillips, S Miami

Final Update - April 25

The Packers without Brett Favre enter there 1st draft in a long time. Aaron Rodgers is ready to take over under center, but will the Packers draft a QB at all in the 2008 NFL draft? The Packers need help on both sides of the ball.

I would say their biggest needs are in the secondary. They could use a corner or a safety. Also, don’t be surprised if they try and trade down. Rumor has it the Packers are looking to stockpile picks. Other needs for the Packers are Offensive tackle and a RB. I don’t forsee them going Dline or Linebacker, as they have a real solid front 7. Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, and James Jones likely keeps them from taking a WR. Donald Lee is a solid TE. So it’s secondary or offensive tackle. With 5 tackles off the board, it’s not worth it to reach on a tackle. So if the Packers stay here, it comes down to Kenny Phillips at Safety or CB Antoine Cason.

1. Miami Dolphins – Chris Long, DE Virginia
2. St. Louis Rams – Jake Long, OT Michigan
3. Atlanta Falcons – Matt Ryan, QB Boston College
4. Oakland Raiders – Vernon Gholston, DE/OLB Ohio State
5. Kansas City Chiefs – Glenn Dorsey, DT LSU
6. New York Jets – Darren McFadden, RB Arkansas
7. New England Patriots – Leodis McKelvin, CB Troy
8. Baltimore Ravens – Ryan Clady, OT Boise St
9. Cincinnati Bengals – Sedrick Ellis, DT USC
10 .New Orleans Saints – Keith Rivers, LB USC
11. Buffalo Bills – Malcolm Kelly, WR Oklahoma
12. Denver Broncos - Chris Williams, OT Vanderbilt
13. Carolina Panthers - Derrick Harvey, DE Florida
14. Chicago Bears - Jeff Otah, OT Pittsburgh
15. Detroit Lions – Rashard Mendenhall, RB Illinois
16. Arizona Cardinals – Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB Tenn St
17. Minnesota Vikings – Phillip Merling, DE Clemson
18. Houston Texans – Aqib Talib, CB Kansas
19. Philadelphia Eagles – Mike Jenkins, CB S Florida
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Devin Thomas, WR Michigan St
21. Washington Redskins – Branden Albert, OL Virginia
22. Dallas Cowboys – DeSean Jackson, WR Cal
23. Pittsburgh Steelers – Limas Sweed, WR Texas
24. Tennessee Titans – Kentwan Balmer, DT North Carolina
25. Seattle Seahawks – Dustin Keller, TE Purdue
26. Jacksonville Jaguars – Quentin Groves, DE Auburn
27. San Diego Chargers – Gosder Cherilus, OT Boston College
28. Dallas Cowboys – Felix Jones, RB Oklahoma
29. San Francisco 49ers – Jerod Mayo, LB Tennessee
30. Green Bay Packers – Antoine Cason, CB Arizona
31. New York Giants - April 24

Final Update - April 25

The niners can’t be happy drafting this low, they need help and they need it bad. I believe they are hoping an offensive tackle falls to them here, but I don’t see how. The only one who possibly can is big man Gosder Cherilus, who I don’t see making it. With Alex Smith not prooving to be the answer, I could see a potential Brian Brohm here. Do I think it will happen? No, but I think it’s as good of spot as any. WR and RB, I doubt will be the pick between DeShaun Foster, Isaac Bruce, and Bryant Johnson, the Niners put enough money into those positions already in the offseason. If they go offense, it will be Cherilus or Brohm.

If someone like Malcolm Kelly or DeSean Jackson gets here they may go WR and hope for that future #1 for years to come, because I can’t imagine Bryant Johnson will solve that and Isaac Bruce is at the end of his career.

I think they go defense. Specifically, linebacker, if the following mock plays out. Dan Connor and Jerod Mayo are 2 studs who remain on the board. I expect Mayo to go higher, but he is still here and I have to squeeze him in somewhere. Mayo goes to the niners.

1. Miami Dolphins – Chris Long, DE Virginia
2. St. Louis Rams – Jake Long, OT Michigan
3. Atlanta Falcons – Matt Ryan, QB Boston College
4. Oakland Raiders – Vernon Gholston, DE/OLB Ohio State
5. Kansas City Chiefs – Glenn Dorsey, DT LSU
6. New York Jets – Darren McFadden, RB Arkansas
7. New England Patriots – Leodis McKelvin, CB Troy
8. Baltimore Ravens – Ryan Clady, OT Boise St
9. Cincinnati Bengals – Sedrick Ellis, DT USC
10 .New Orleans Saints – Keith Rivers, LB USC
11. Buffalo Bills – Malcolm Kelly, WR Oklahoma
12. Denver Broncos - Chris Williams, OT Vanderbilt
13. Carolina Panthers - Derrick Harvey, DE Florida
14. Chicago Bears - Jeff Otah, OT Pittsburgh
15. Detroit Lions – Rashard Mendenhall, RB Illinois
16. Arizona Cardinals – Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB Tenn St
17. Minnesota Vikings – Phillip Merling, DE Clemson
18. Houston Texans – Aqib Talib, CB Kansas
19. Philadelphia Eagles – Mike Jenkins, CB S Florida
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Devin Thomas, WR Michigan St
21. Washington Redskins – Branden Albert, OL Virginia
22. Dallas Cowboys – DeSean Jackson, WR Cal
23. Pittsburgh Steelers – Limas Sweed, WR Texas
24. Tennessee Titans – Kentwan Balmer, DT North Carolina
25. Seattle Seahawks – Dustin Keller, TE Purdue
26. Jacksonville Jaguars – Quentin Groves, DE Auburn
27. San Diego Chargers – Gosder Cherilus, OT Boston College
28. Dallas Cowboys – Felix Jones, RB Oklahoma
29. San Francisco 49ers – Jerod Mayo, LB Tennessee
30. Green Bay Packers – April 24
31. New York Giants - April 24

Final Update - April 25

There is no arguing that Chad Johnson, Jeremy Shockey And Marion Barber will likely be the biggest name free agents should they pursue the free agent market and/or their team allows it.

The 2008 NFL draft is four days away but that didn’t stop Miami from making their pick early. The Miami Dolphins have already agreed to a contract deal with Jake Long, the offensive lineman from Michagin. What every happened to actually making your pick on draft day?

Here is the press conference with Jake Long.