We all know who the top rookies were last season: Cam Newton, Von Miller, A.J. Green, etc., but while Newton, Miller and Green are known to most who follow the NFL, what about the second-year players who flashed promise as rookies and have the potential to take the next step to stardom?

With that said, I’ve chosen seven second-year players (one from each round of the 2011 draft), analyzed their performances in their first-year, observed their current situations and determined them to be the sophomores likely to take the next step... read more

By now the analysis and grades from last month’s draft are complete, and it’s time to look ahead to the upcoming season and project how this year’s rookie class will fair at the next level.

With that said, I introduce my “Rookie Most Likely To...” feature, which includes 12 predictions for the upcoming season. A couple of players are mentioned multiple times, but they are two players that I believe will have an instant impact on their respective teams... read more

Prior to the 2012 NFL Draft, I released my initial 2013 NFL Draft Big Board, which featured the top 25 draft-eligible prospects for next April's draft. Today, I release my initial top 100 list of draft-eligible prospects for the '13 draft.

This list is fluid and will change a lot during the college football season and the '13 draft process. But for now, as we're a few months away from the college football season set to kick-off, here's how I rank the top draft-eligible prospects... read more

With the 2012 NFL Draft in the books and draft grades making their rounds, I took a few days to let the draft sink in and evaluate the picks round-by-round. There were a lot of great selections, but obviously some questionable ones that could come back to haunt certain organizations. I’ve decided to pinpoint the best and worst selections in each round.

Identifying one prospect per round was difficult, but my selections were based on value in each round, fit with drafting team and immediate impact... read more

We’re less than a week away from finding out where this year’s top prospects will end up, and as the anticipation grows for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to walk to the podium and announce, “Welcome to the 2012 NFL Draft,” let’s fast forward and take a peek at what’s on the horizon for the 2013 NFL Draft.

Southern California quarterback Matt Barkley leads a potentially strong crop of draft-eligible prospects, who may consider leaving school early; 15 of the 25 players featured in my Big Board are underclassmen. Some of the prospects listed in my Big Board are also teammates; five teams (Alabama, Florida State, LSU, Notre Dame and USC) have at least two players listed... read more

An extension of my Top 25 Big Board, the Top 25 Prospect Reflections features the 25 prospects listed on my Big Board and previous NFL prospects to whom they compare. Some of the comparisons may seem obvious, but the goal isn't to identify every prospect with an All-Pro or Hall of Fame NFL player; it's to compare this year's talent to current and past NFL players as collegiate prospects entering the NFL.

Again, these comparisons are not a reflection of how the prospects' careers will unfold at the next level; I'm comparing them as prospects. For example, Robert Griffin III reflects Andre Ware as a prospect. They possess similar body types, throwing styles, athleticism, collegiate production, accolades, etc... read more

We're two weeks away from the NFL Draft and draft boards are starting to come together all around the National Football League. Many prospects have helped their stock with their performances this offseason and others have hurt their draft positioning for various reasons.

In regards to my Big Board, not much has changed except for some shuffling of the prospects that appeared in my previous version. A few prospects that have elevated their status on my board are South Carolina hybrid Melvin Ingram and cornerback Stephon Gilmore, as well as Notre Dame wide receiver Michael Floyd... read more

The draft process is winding down and we're only two weeks away from draft day, so I thought this version of my mock draft, which will be my last version until I release my FINAL first-round mock draft on Wednesday, April 25th, would be a good time to unveil a three-round forecast.

I've had this mock draft laid out since Thursday, April 5th, but with the Easter holiday and creative elements that I feature it took a little time to put together... read more

We’re less than a month away from the NFL Draft, and prospects are being shuffled on draft boards like a deck of cards. It’s all a part of the process, and there are many factors contributing to why a player is pushed up or down on a board.

Here are five offensive players that I feel are being undervalued at this point and time for various reasons - whether it’s because they didn’t test out well, don’t possess the desired attributes, slowed by injuries, etc... read more

We’re less than a month away from the NFL Draft, and prospects are being shuffled on draft boards like a deck of cards. It’s all a part of the process, and there are many factors contributing to why a player is pushed up or down on a board.

Here are five defensive players that I feel are being undervalued at this point and time for various reasons - whether it’s because they didn’t test out well, don’t possess the desired attributes, slowed by injuries, etc... read more

The Philadelphia Eagles received some devastating news on Tuesday of this week, but it wasn’t made public until Friday afternoon that All-Pro left tackle Jason Peters suffered a ruptured right Achilles and will likely be out 9 – 12 months.

Outside of Michael Vick or LeSean McCoy, losing Peters is the worst possible news the Eagles could’ve been dealt going into the 2012 season. To date, the Eagles have had a strong offseason by keeping their existing players happy with competitive contracts and contract extensions, and they made a splash by trading for two-time Pro Bowl linebacker DeMeco Ryans, who ironically is 15 months removed from an Achilles injury... read more

I’ve confirmed that 15 NFL teams attended Fresno State’s Pro Day on Wednesday, March 28th. The following teams were in Fresno to observe the Bulldogs talent – the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, Oakland Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The prospect that scouts were anxious to get a closer look at on Wednesday was wide receiver Devon Wylie. The 5-foot-9, 187-pound Wylie impressed scouts with his athleticism, route running and speed at the Scouting Combine last month... read more

I’ve confirmed that 30 NFL teams attended South Carolina’s Pro Day on Wednesday, March 28th. The two teams that did not attend were the Arizona Cardinals and Philadelphia Eagles.

Entering Wednesday’s pro day, the most intrigue surrounded my 29th rated prospect for next month’s NFL Draft, wide receiver Alshon Jeffery. Jeffery, who measured in at the Scouting Combine at 6-3 and a trimmed down 216 pounds, declined to workout at the Combine and decided to save his workout for the Gamecocks Pro Day. And from the buzz that’s making its way around the football universe, Jeffery impressed the assembled gathered in Columbia, SC... read more

I’ve confirmed that 18 NFL teams attended Coastal Carolina’s Pro Day on Tuesday, March 27th. The following teams were in Conway, South Carolina to observe the Chanticleers talent – the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, San Diego Chargers, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Tennessee Titans and Washington Redskins.

It’s possible that more teams were in attendance on Tuesday, but the aforementioned teams were all that I was able to confirm... read more

I’ve confirmed that 17 NFL teams attended East Carolina’s Pro Day on Thursday, March 22nd. The following teams were in Greenville to observe the Pirates talent – the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans.

The most intriguing prospect from East Carolina is quarterback Dominique Davis. A raw talent, who possesses the athleticism and size (6-foot-3, 218 pounds) needed to make it at the next level; Davis could be an interesting late-round selection of a team looking for a developmental quarterback... read more

I’ve confirmed that 25 NFL teams attended Baylor’s Pro Day on Wednesday, March 21st. I was able to track down five of the seven teams that were not represented in Waco on Wednesday - Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks.

The main attraction on Wednesday was quarterback Robert Griffin III. The 6-foot-2, 223-pound Griffin, who dazzled NFL personnel at the Scouting Combine with his explosive workout... read more

I’ve confirmed that 27 NFL teams attended Boston College’s Pro Day on Wednesday, March 21st. The five teams not represented on Wednesday were the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings.

The top prospect for the Eagles is 6-foot-3, 242-pound inside linebacker Luke Kuechly. Kuechly, who is currently rated 13th overall on my Big Board, and is projected to be a top 15 pick in next month’s NFL Draft. Reiff had a standout showing at the Scouting Combine last month and ran a 4.58 in the 40, posted 27 reps on the bench and generated a 38-inch vertical and 10’3” broad jump... read more

I’ve confirmed that 29 NFL teams attended Iowa’s Pro Day on Monday, March 19th. The three teams not represented on Monday were the Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets and Washington Redskins.

There were many notables in attendance to observe the talent in Iowa with the strongest contingent being from the Kansas City Chiefs. Representing the Chiefs at Iowa’s Pro Day were: General Manager Scott Pioli, Head Coach Romeo Crennel, offensive line coach Jack Bicknell and wide receivers coach Nick Sirianni... read more

I’ve confirmed that 18 NFL teams attended Oregon State’s Pro Day on Friday, March 16th. The following teams were in Corvallis: Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tennessee Titans.

The Beavers don’t have any high round prospects eligible for this April’s draft, but playmaker James Rodgers and free safety Brandon Hardin will receive mid-to-late round consideration... read more

I’ve confirmed that 25 NFL teams attended Virginia Tech’s Pro Day on Thursday, March 15th. The seven teams that weren’t in attendance were the Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks
and Tennessee Titans.

The top prospect for the Hokies in this year’s draft is 5-foot-10, 206-pound running back David Wilson. Wilson is a borderline first-round draft pick and will likely be a high second-round selection next month. At the Scouting Combine, Wilson had an impressive workout and flashed his attributes to NFL personnel. He ran a 4.49 in the 40, and displayed his explosiveness by generating a 41-inch vertical and 11-foot broad jump... read more

I’ve confirmed that 28 NFL teams attended Penn State’s Pro Day on Wednesday, March 14th. The four teams that weren’t in Happy Valley were the Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers and Washington Redskins.

The top prospect for the Nittany Lions in this year’s draft is 6-foot-4, 303-pound defensive tackle Devon Still. Still didn’t standout during his workout at the Scouting Combine, where he ran a 5.08 in the 40, posted 26 reps in the bench press and generated a 29.5 inch vertical... read more

I’ve confirmed that 31 NFL teams attended Michigan State’s Pro Day on Wednesday, March 14th. The Kansas City Chiefs were the only team not in East Lansing.

The top prospect for the Spartans in this year’s draft is not quarterback Kirk Cousins, but 6-foot-2, 308-pound defensive tackle Jerel Worthy. Worthy had an average workout at the Scouting Combine last month and was timed a 5.08 in the 40, and generated a 28.5 inch vertical... read more

I’ve confirmed that all 32 NFL teams, except for the Chicago Bears and New York Jets, attended Ohio State’s Pro Day on Friday, March 9th.

The top prospect for the Buckeyes in this year’s draft is offensive tackle Mike Adams, who at the Scouting Combine measured in at 6-7 and 323 pounds. Adams failed to impress at the Combine after running a 5.40 in the 40, benching 225 pounds just 19 times and generating a 28.5-inch vertical and an 8’4” broad jump... read more

I’ve confirmed that all 32 NFL teams, except for the Kansas City Chiefs, attended Southern California’s Pro Day on Wednesday, March 7th.

The top prospect for USC in this year’s draft is offensive tackle Matt Kalil, who measured in at 6-6 ½ and 308 pounds on Wednesday and stood on all of the numbers he produced at the Scouting Combine. Kalil should be a top 3 draft pick in April and appears destined for the Minnesota Vikings... read more

Today, I turn my attention towards the top-two centers. Wisconsin's Peter Konz is destined to be a first-round pick and has the athleticism, size and versatility that teams covet. Although he lined up as a center in college, he could transition to guard at the next level. On the other hand, Jones may be the safe bet for a team looking for a true center prospect. He's not as athletic as Konz, but he's consistent and gives great effort on every down.

The Draft Nemesis feature is a condensed breakdown featuring a PowerGrid, attributes, top performances and current position in my Big Board, Mock Draft and/or Top 100... read more

Today, I turn my attention towards the top-two offensive guards. Stanford's David DeCastro is the premiere interior offensive lineman in the draft, and is widely regarded as a possible Top 10 draft pick. Georgia's Cordy Glenn is coming on strong after a solid showing at the Senior Bowl, and the size and versatility that he possesses will be attractive to teams that hold Top 20 selections.

Again, the Draft Nemesis feature is a condensed breakdown featuring a PowerGrid, attributes, top performances and current position in my Big Board, Mock Draft and/or Top 100... read more

Today, I turn my attention to the tight end position. In my opinion, there isn't a TE worthy of a first-round pick, but the top-two TEs, Clemson's Dwayne Allen and Georgia's Orson Charles, will challenge for opening frame consideration and I pose them against each other in my latest Draft Nemesis feature.

Again, the Draft Nemesis feature is a condensed breakdown featuring a PowerGrid, attributes, top performances and current position in my Big Board, Mock Draft and/or Top 100... read more

Three months removed from season-ending ACL surgery, Oklahoma wide receiver Ryan Broyles confirmed with me during a phone interview that he’s training in California and is back on the field; in his words, “doing everything, but not everything at full speed,” as he prepares for the NFL Scouting Combine, which takes place on February 22nd – 28th in Indianapolis.

The encouraging news on Broyles is that not only is he back on the field, but he ran a 40-yard dash a couple of days ago and was timed at a 4.70. That is a great sign and it shows how much progress he's made in just a few months. When asked what he ran the 40 in prior to the injury, Broyles said, “Prior to the injury, I ran a 4.4."... read more

Today, I turn my attention to the running back position. Since Alabama's Trent Richardson is in a class of his own, I decided to pose the No. 2 and 3 running backs, respectively, on my board in the latest Draft Nemesis feature: Oregon's LaMichael James and Miami's Lamar Miller.

Again, the Draft Nemesis feature is a condensed breakdown featuring a PowerGrid, attributes, top performances and current position in my Big Board, Mock Draft and/or Top 100... read more

Today, I feature the top-two offensive tackles available in this year's draft, Iowa's Riley Reiff and USC's Matt Kalil.

Again, the Draft Nemesis feature is a condensed breakdown featuring a PowerGrid, attributes, top performances and current position in my Big Board and Mock Draft... read more

In the first Draft Nemesis feature I analyzed Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon against Baylor wide receiver Kendall Wright (click here to view it). At this point, Blackmon has the edge, but Wright is rising up draft boards and could ultimately land in the Top 10.

Today, I feature the top-two quarterbacks available in this year's draft, Stanford's Andrew Luck and Baylor's Robert Griffin III. Again, the Draft Nemesis feature is a condensed breakdown featuring a PowerGrid, attributes, top performances and current position in my Big Board and Mock Draft... read more

As the NFL Scouting Combine approaches there are many positional battles that have to be sorted out. The debate between the top quarterbacks, Stanford's Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin, will take centerstage, and the top offensive tackles, defensive ends, linebackers, etc... will also be discussed.

Today, I breakdown the top two wide receivers, Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon and Baylor's Kendall Wright, in a condensed manner, featuring a PowerGrid, attributes, top performances and current position in my Big Board and Mock Draft... read more

This is the time of year where under-the-radar prospects can elevate their draft status with impressive showings at All-Star games, such as the Senior Bowl, and Scouting Combine with their performance during drills and team interviews.

One player who stood out at the Senior Bowl and now finds himself in the discussion as a potential first-round pick is Marshall defensive end Vinny Curry... read more