Darren Pike is a contributor at Hollywood Ringer, a celebrity news & gossip website.

The 2012 NFL Combine has concluded in Indianapolis. While this event has gained significant fan popularity in recent years, it actually has very little impact on most players. There may be a few each year that make a significant jump or meteoric fall, but mostly it is a convenient way to conduct medical evaluations and allow NFL franchises to interview players.

Skills testing is also an important factor, and certain results will send scouts back to the film room to see what they might have missed. Speed and agility drills will also give coaches an idea of how a player might fit in their specific schemes.

I’ve culled eight combine participants that ran, jumped or measured their way into a better draft position.

Jordan Jefferson Threw Himself into Draft Consideration

Perhaps a player improving his draft stock to the seventh round doesn’t seem significant, but there is a difference entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent vs. being drafted. Jefferson had a solid combine, showing a strong arm and good accuracy in passing drills. His footwork looked sharp while dropping back as well.

Jefferson wasn’t always impressive at LSU, but his athleticism allowed him to extend plays and avoid the rush. There are a few NFL teams that appreciate those qualities and he should get a call from one of them.

Brock Osweiler’s Drop in Height Increases Draft Stock

Arizona State University had Brock Osweiler listed at 6’8″. NFL scouts are leery of quarterbacks that are too tall, partly because taller quarterbacks have a very poor track record of success. Dan McGwire (6’8”) is a prime example. Taken in the first round by the Seattle Seahawks, McGwire had a big, slow release and lacked the mobility to extend plays. His motion telegraphed pending passes to defensive backs, and he was often being hit before he could release the ball.

Osweiler’s release may have an odd hitch to it, but it is quick and compact. Combined with his agility, he looked nothing like some of the taller quarterbacks…and with good reason.

By simply stepping up to the tape, Osweiler improved his draft stock with a 6’6″ measurement at the combine. He had already displayed solid athleticism and escape-ability in college. He already has an NFL-ready arm, something he will certainly showcase at his school’s pro day next month.

Fans could struggle watching him play a brief game of “patty-cake” before throwing the ball. Expect coaches to work on that, along with some of the mental aspects of his game. While he could be a third round pick, odds are that Osweiler will be drafted in the second round of April’s NFL Draft.

Nick Perry’s Speed Could Speed Him Back to Pete Carroll

Nick Perry was hand-picked from his Detroit home by Pete Carroll to fill the “elephant” defensive end position at USC. He took to it immediately and was a disruptive force on the Trojan’s defensive front.

Perry recorded 9.5 sacks as a junior and figures to improve as he matures. At 271 lbs and turning in a 4.64 40-yard dash, he could be a spark on several NFL defenses, possibly landing in the top-10.
Carroll is now the Seahawks head coach. He calls the fast, undersized pass-rush specialist the “Leo” end. He controls the 12th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, and Carroll would likely embrace drafting Perry to join him in Seattle.

Perry has been considered a late first-round pick, but he turned in a monster performance at the combine. His experience with Carroll’s defense would make him a logical target at 12, representing a big move up the draft board.

Andre Branch Takes Root as a 1st-Round Hopeful

While Quinton Coples has been considered the top defensive end in the 2012 draft, Andre Branch actually showed better straight-line speed. He also outperformed him in timed agility drills, carving a full half-second off Coples 20-yard shuttle.

At 6’4″, 259 lbs, Branch is a bit under-sized as a defensive end for most NFL franchises. He could be dropped back to play outside linebacker in some 3-4 sets, but expect a team to grab him in the first round as an edge pass rusher.

Dontari Poe Emerges as a Top Defensive Tackle

Prior to the combine, Poe was getting attention as a second-round prospect. A few analysts had him going late in the first round. He was one of the biggest combine attendees at 6’4″ and 346 lbs. That made him hard to miss, but dropping a 40-time of 4.87 seconds makes him impossible to ignore.

Poe has been criticized for a lack of consistency. However, the physical talent will captivate defensive coordinators around the league. With questions surround the other top DTs, Poe figures to be a top-10 draft pick in April.

Stephen Hill Runs the Gauntlet to Gain Attention

While watching receiving drills, I found myself impressed by a player I was not that familiar with. He was quick and made effortless catches of passes while running the gauntlet. Then he hit the jet pack to make a diving over-the-shoulder catch on a go route, and I knew it was time to look a bit deeper.

Hill had already posted one of the fastest 40-times of the weekend, notching a 4.36 run. His hands and agility will leave scouts gathering all the footage they can on Georgia Tech’s was a run-first offense. General managers will see the potential and one of them is likely to make a first-round move for him.

Devon Wylie Does a Stephen Hill Impersonation

While I knew very little about Stephen Hill, Devon Wylie wasn’t even on the bulletin board that holds my radar screen. He wasn’t a starter at Fresno State, but was active in the return game when he could stay healthy. He’s only 5’9” and 187 lbs, which could cause issues in the NFL.

However, Wylie is fast and elusive, and his 4.39 40-time will get him some attention in the middle of the draft. He could be a menace out of the slot on Sundays.

Luke Kuechly Takes the Edge for Best ILB in 2012 NFL Draft

Luke Kuechly entered the combine as one of the combatants for the top inside linebacker in the 2012 NFL Draft. He is known for having great instincts and being a smart player. What was unclear was how well his game would transition to the professional ranks and if he had the speed to be viable in pass defense.

Kuechly answered those questions, posting marks as a top performer in every skill except bench press. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.58 seconds and posted a time of 4.12 in the 20-yard shuttle. These marks will keep him in contact with most every tight end in the NFL and should also allow him to cover running backs in pass patterns.

The Philadelphia Eagles and Seattle Seahawks will both be quite interested in Kuechly. He’d be good system fits and would also be surrounded by a solid talent base to help him mature and prosper.

I was introduced to the idea of a draft bust in 1998, that was the year Ryan Leaf entered the draft, along with Peyton Manning, Randy Moss and Charles Woodson. Before this time, I was a NFL fan, but I hadn’t yet blossomed into the full-time, diehard football dweeb I am today.

I can still vividly remember the pregame hype surround the Rose Bowl that year between Ryan Leaf’s Washington State Cougars and Charles Woodson’s Michigan Wolverines. Leaf, to his credit, led the Cougars back to the Rose Bowl for the first time in 67 years.

They had a great passing offense going into the teeth of one of most-hyped and best college cornerbacks of a generation in Heisman Memorial Trophy winner Charles Woodson.

Leaf lost that game. Woodson validated his winning of the Heisman. Those who preferred Manning over Leaf were nodding their head in agreement. That day, not the draft, was the beginning of the end for Leaf. And somewhere, Randy Moss was being Randy Moss.

Every year, the NFL Draft provides immense fame, glory and potential riches to a new group of young men. Yet year after year, NFL talent evaluators crash and burn by selecting a bust. Some guys pan out and others don’t.

With the 2011 NFL Draft recently over, I thought I’d revisit some of the biggest draft busts since 2000 since if you’re 21 years old right now, you were maybe 8 years old in 1998. You were too busy listening to “Closing Time” and “Bitter Sweet Symphony” to care about football. Or if you’re closer to my age, watching “The Big Lebowski” and “American History X.”

In this list, I’ll cite one bust from 2000 to 2009 and give some honorable mentions. One final note, some “classic” draft bust selections aren’t quite as bad as others.

Click on the image below to begin the gallery.

The revolution will not be brought to you by the University of Southern Cal; will not star Cam Newton or John Blake and Butch Davis or Jim Tressel. The revolution will not give you a playoff system. The revolution will not get rid of sports agents on campus. The revolution will not put a mid-major in the National Championship game because the revolution will not be televised, brother.

With all due respects paid to Gil Scott-Heron, the man who wrote the poem “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”, nothing could be more apropos.

HBO’s “Real Sports” on March 30 highlighted former Auburn football players were coerced with consistent large sums of money to be paid for their loyalty, performances and commitment to their school.

PBS’ “Frontline” on March 29 covered college basketball and NCAA basketball corruption, highlighting how schools are using players to line their own pockets.

Over the last year, it has come to light that Fiesta Bowl officials had set up a scheme to be reimbursed for their own political contributions. Using college football’s tax-exempt status, because of course this is amateur athletics we’re dealing with, the Fiesta Bowl was extorting its own state’s money.

Considering there are dozens of bowl games and how the NCAA had no idea what was going on (a Fiesta Bowl employee spoke out about the matter), how can anyone assume more corruption isn’t to be found elsewhere?

Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel is caught lying to NCAA investigators and covering up a scandal. University of North Carolina defensive line coach John Blake, affectionately known as Black Santa for his penchant for gift-giving, is found funneling college athletes towards a sports agent for whom he was previously employed. Not to mention, he formerly worked at the University of Oklahoma during the Barry Switzer era, another regime found to have been corrupt. Blake resigned from his position but UNC has still yet to be punished for that or when multiple players were found to be taking gifts from sports agents. And all the while, head coach Butch Davis claims ignorance of the situation and that he was unaware of any wrongdoing. Right.

University of Auburn’s Cam Newton was alleged to have solicited money for his “services” when transferring to a new school. He was exonerated, at least for now, and the burden was placed on his father with the NCAA unable to find a paper trail.

This issue is so widespread that there is no quick fix. This is a broad systemic problem. Colleges are giving out scholarships to athletes who would otherwise not qualify to enroll. Using the exorbitant profits from TV licensing deals, college football wields power and influence on the backs of so-called student-athletes. State tax money is paid to public colleges to subsidize them which in turn is used to pay for huge college football coach contracts, bigger stadiums, better facilities, etc.

Given the background of many student-athletes, their best interests are compromised when well-to-do boosters grease their palms with money. Many of these student-athletes come from less-than-ideal upbringings. As a young teenager, if their mother or other close relative can’t afford to pay rent, how wrong is it for him to sell sports memorabilia given to him by the school in order to make ends meet for his family? Rather than pay handouts like Auburn, couldn’t a school simply give a player a few extra game jerseys for them to sell on their own as a loophole in the system?

The NCAA cannot afford to enforce its own rules. Bringing down UNC, Auburn, Ohio State and other big-time schools hurts the sport. Sure, the NCAA hit USC with sanctions, but that’s one school and one incident. Are we to believe that some mysterious force is just out to harm college sports? All these allegations are false? An unfortunate coincidence?

The game has been compromised. In due time, something will occur which will force the system to reassess its practices. We all know the game is dirty, most every fan knows the BCS is full of it for not having a playoff system. For now, all a fan can do is hope that his or her school is clean.

When the leaves turn a rusted hue and soft summer breezes become biting chilly gusts, man turns to the NFL and fantasy football for warmth and comfort. Chicken wings, pizza and beer ease his soul as he Googles “fantasy football sleepers” and “running backs age 30 or older”. Women (their callous hearts forsake the game) roll their eyes with apathy and disinterest as men gather ‘round draft boards to tell tales of fantasy football’s past. Men dream longingly of tailgates long ago: Bags of ice. Foam fingers. Kegstands. Pull-start backup generators. Charcoal. Sausage, oh, the sausage!

What is one to do? “Clear the rain gutters,” says your wife. “Let’s go to the arts and crafts store,” says your girlfriend. Man’s greatest excuse, “Baby, the game is on,” is no more.

Fox is showing “Everybody Loves Raymond” re-runs. CBS is running infomercials. ESPN analysts Chris Berman and Tom Jackson are sitting at their homes, likely in the very same position as you. NBC’s Bob Costas is covering European Alpine Skiing as men around the United States clench their fists and pound on the armrest of their lounge chairs.
Saddest of all, desperate men watch Arena Football games with blank stares. Their needs not met, the color washed away from their face.

Somewhere, Adrian Peterson sheds a single tear.

But fret not gentlemen, this is America. Too much money is at stake. The combined value of each team in the NFL is $33 billion. Think of all the jobs in the NFL cities that profit from the NFL like bars, restaurants, hotels, flights, car rentals and so on. Yes, the owners want another sliver of the NFL money pie, but not at the cost of having no pie this year at all.

Like all things in this country, it’s hype. It’s sensationalism at its finest. The NFLPA and owners posture themselves in an attempt to make the other group call their bluff. In the end, if the owners cannot attain what they want, they will hold off another year or two to try again.

Do not toss and turn in your sleep to visions of an apocalypse this fall, the lockout is a boogeyman.

Can one player make all the difference? No, not in the NFL.

But adding one player can make an organization look like a collective genius. For example, the St. Louis Rams add Sam Bradford and now look like a promising young team on the upswing. And of course, on the other side of the spectrum, the Carolina Panthers are in a deep hole because it looks as though they missed on their QB prospect, Jimmy Clausen.

The talking heads of the NFL all agree that the NFL is a quarterback-driven league. No player offers the upside, big arm.

The Panthers will have to make a decision if they already haven’t about Jimmy Clausen’s future? If he’s not the guy next year, a QB in round one is a must and that quarterback has to be Cam Newton.

Carolina has four big position needs: defensive tackle, quarterback, offensive guard and wide receiver.
They won’t select an offensive guard with the first pick so it boils down to three positions: QB, DT and WR. With new head coach Ron Rivera in the fold, selecting a DT or WR would be the wrong choice and I have two examples to illustrate it.

First, think of the San Francisco 49ers. They selected Michael Crabtree with the No. 10 pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. With the No. 17 pick, Tampa Bay selected Josh Freeman. Instead, San Francisco waited until the fifth round to select Nate Davis who is no longer with the team. While Crabtree is great, he’s got no one to throw him the ball and the Bucs are moving their way towards playoff contention.

Next, in that same draft, with the No. 9 pick the Packers selected B.J. Raji, a defensive tackle. While a nose tackle in a 3-4 defense is very important, the Packers already had numerous pieces in place and addressed those needs after positions like quarterback had been well-established.

Of course, there is no blueprint on how to build a team or which position appropriately begins a rebuilding process but all the right players across the field won’t matter if a team doesn’t have a great quarterback.

The perceived problem with this quarterback class is that each of the top prospects has big question marks coming into the league. Newton has character issues and looks inaccurate. Blaine Gabbert was not productive in his junior season despite playing in an offense where his numbers should’ve been huge. Ryan Mallett has off-the-field and character concerns. Jake Locker plays erratically, struggles to read defenses and lacks accuracy.

But what separates Newton is his outstanding athleticism and natural charisma. Sure, he’s going to have to win over teammates after making a few silly comments in the press, but the NFL is full of big egos like any other sport.

With the right mentoring and coaching, Newton can absolutely succeed in the NFL even if it takes a couple seasons to guide him in the right direction.

The NFL Lockout. It’s a topic on all the minds of football fans and it’s coming to a critical point where if owners and players cannot come together we will not have a NFL season. While we have heard about the looming issue it may be that some of the key points get lost in the sensational headlines. Here’s a look at 10 NFL Lockout facts that fans need to know.

1. The NFL’s TV money is guaranteed even if no games are played

Earlier this month, the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) lost in an attempt to prevent owners from receiving around $4.5 billion in guaranteed TV contracts. The NFL granted their TV partners additional benefits in 2010 in exchange for guaranteed payments in 2011. So to reiterate, even if there are no games, the owners still receive money from their TV contracts and this was all done intentionally in order to gain leverage during collective-bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations. Teams will also continue to receive corporate sponsorship money, i.e. stadium naming rights.

2. In a nutshell, the owners want a $1 billion reduction in salary and two more regular season games

What if your boss told you that you had to work an extra hour every day and take an 18% paycut? This is what the owners are pushing for. They want another billion dollars off the top of profits before determining the salary cap for every team and they also want to expand the regular season by two games.

3. The NFLPA has very little leverage in this situation

Since the owners are guaranteed money and not every player in the NFL makes Peyton Manning-type money, the owners hold almost all the leverage.

The players have already proposed a 50-50 money split between owners and players and the owners rejected it.

4. The owners rejected a rookie pay scale

The NFLPA proposed a “Proven Performance Plan” which would have shifted money away from rookies and given it to veterans and former players. The owners wanted no part of it, the owners would prefer a veteran pay scale where pay is rigidly based upon years played and position.

5. Players are seeking extended health benefits

It currently takes three years in the NFL to receive five years of post-career healthcare. So hypothetically, a player is drafted at age 22, leaves the league when he is 25 and therefore will receive no more health benefits from the NFL and its multi-billion dollar enterprise after the age of 30.

6. If there is no 2011 season due to lockout, there will still be a 2012 NFL Draft (April 2012)

Owners would then own those players’ rights and at the same time, teams would not need to give that player a contract or pay them.

7. Owners will not pay for healthcare to any player, past or present, during a lockout

NFL players have made a lot of money over the years, but to take away healthcare is a low-blow. Is it not a moral imperative or obligation that the NFL should help those who gave to the sport? In their eyes, it is not.

8. The players are satisfied and would play under the current agreement

It’s important to remember the owners are locking out the players. The owners, as stated, want an additional $1 billion of the revenue. Despite reports that claim otherwise, the players and owners split revenue 50-50 with very tiny variance from year to year.

9. Owners overstate financial risks of team ownership

As previously stated, NFL owners claim they aren’t making enough money, some claim they are losing money depending on the year. Yet take for example the NFLPA agreeing to reduce the salary cap of the Jets and Giants by $800 million over a 15-year period.

This money was put toward the new stadium and yet gave the players no ownership stake in the organization.

All they can receive from that is additional revenue possibly generated from year-to-year. In essence, current Jets and Giants players agreed to slightly less money in order to potentially have future players earn more money. Even if we assume that the NFL teams and owners are losing money…

10. The owners will not reveal their financial records

First of all, citizens are paying the cost for the vast majority of these new NFL stadiums. Yet the owners are making all sorts of claims on how they are losing money while not revealing any single specific or verified fact about their financials. The Green Bay Packers are a fan-owned team, that’s right, they have no owner and since they are a publicly-owned team, their books are wide-open. They are operating at a profit and in the last two years alone, have made over $30 million in profit. While this is only one team out of 32 teams that we know for certain is making money, why won’t the other teams step up to the plate and show their losses? If things are as bad as they say, transparency would benefit them. Logically, we can therefore presume that their opaque approach means the opposite and they are overstating or fabricating their losses.

Matt De Lima, our resident Fantasy Expert, takes a look at the (hopefully) upcoming 2011 NFL Draft with another Mock Draft. Be sure to listen to him. This is the guy who almost predicted the Super Bowl. You can also follow Matt on Twitter.

2011 NFL MOCK DRAFT

ROUND ONE

1. Carolina Panthers: DT Nick Fairley, Auburn
Fairley can be a game-changer at his position and a disruptive pass rush is the easiest way to improve a struggling defense. Carolina needs a quarterback or wide receiver as well but it seems as though there are no QBs who are worthy of a No. 1 pick. A.J. Green could go here or Da’Quan Bowers.

2. Denver Broncos: DE Da’Quan Bowers, Clemson
Since John Fox is the new head coach, Denver will switch back to a 4-3 defense. Fox began his career in Carolina by selecting Julius Peppers with the No. 2 overall pick in 2002. Lightning strikes twice here with the second selection as Bowers is athletically-gifted enough to compare to a young Peppers.

3. Buffalo Bills: OLB Von Miller, Texas A&M
New head coach Chan Gailey saw Von Miller and all his hype at the Senior Bowl. If Miller excels at the Combine, Gailey may view him as the safest bet after growing more familiar and comfortable with Miller’s elite pass-rushing talents.

4. Cincinnati Bengals: WR A.J. Green, Georgia
It appears Bengals owner Mike Brown is bending over backwards to appeal to QB Carson Palmer. He’s fired the offensive coordinator and he may get rid of both T.O. and Chad Ochocinco. This would obviously create a huge need that only Green could possibly fill.

5. Arizona Cardinals: DE/OLB Robert Quinn, North Carolina
Arizona will not draft a quarterback in the first round. The Cards may need offensive line help badly but every single prospect would be a reach. The next big need is a pass rushing outside linebacker. Quinn needs some fine-tuning but he can definitely learn a few things from an aging Joey Porter.

6. Cleveland Browns: WR Julio Jones, Alabama
Cleveland could use upgrades across the defense but adding a receiver for QB Colt McCoy will likely tempt the organization to take Jones. He isn’t a perfect prospect and isn’t as fast as some expect, but he should be a top notch possession receiver.

7. San Francisco 49ers: CB Patrick Peterson, LSU
Peterson slips slightly in the draft after both Buffalo and Denver pass on him. San Francisco would be delighted to have Peterson fall in their lap, much like Crabtree did two years ago.

8. Tennessee Titans: DT Marcell Dareus, Alabama
Every team could use a player like Dareus. He’s big, strong and plays well against both the run or pass in either a 3-4 or 4-3 defense. The AFC South is full of dynamic offenses so improving a slumping defense should be Tennessee’s top concern.

9. Dallas Cowboys: CB Prince Amukamara, Nebraska
Amukamara is solid, but he’s a bit of a reach here. He isn’t gifted athletically and when people say “pure cover corner”, they generally mean a player is good in coverage but doesn’t make a lot of plays. For a top-ten cornerback, a guy has to be a dynamic game-changer, something Amukamara is not.

10. Washington Redskins: QB Blaine Gabbert, Missouri
The Redskins are going to pursue a veteran QB but I don’t think they succeed. Washington as an organization has to be one of the least appealing destinations for a free agent with a long history of hype over substance.

11. Houston Texans: DT/DE Cameron Jordan, California
Houston will need to rebuild their front seven as they transition into a 3-4 defense with Wade Phillips in town as a defensive coordinator. Jordan is a great fit as a 3-4 DE with ample size and strength.

12. Minnesota Vikings: QB Cam Newton, Auburn
Newton fits with the overall theme of Minnesota’s offense: athleticism. Adrian Peterson, Percy Harvin and Cam Newton would make for quite an offensive trio.

13. Detroit Lions: OT Nate Solder, Colorado
Detroit’s most pressing needs are on defense in the eyes of both fans and analysts. But let’s not discount the fact that Matthew Stafford has been getting injured a lot. The Lions must better protect their prized quarterback. Solder is a huge prospect with loads of upside.

14. St. Louis Rams: DE Ryan Kerrigan, Purdue
Kerrigan would be best suited slimming down and coming off the edge as a pass rushing outside linebacker. He’s a bit of a tweener at defensive end in a 4-3.

15. Miami Dolphins: RB Mark Ingram, Alabama
The list of team needs for Miami is long. Does the Chad Henne experiment continue? How do they replace free agents Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams? Ingram is the obvious choice here as the first running back selected. His draft projection could drop if he runs poorly at the combine. Ingram’s 40-yard dash numbers seem greatly exaggerated.

16. Jacksonville Jaguars: OLB Akeem Ayers, UCLA
Ayers has questions surrounding his work ethic but he’s a dynamic athlete at the position who can rush the passer. Many mock drafters are sending Ryan Kerrigan here so if he’s available, he also makes sense for the Jags.

17. New England Patriots: OT Tyson Smith, USC
New England could use a pass-rushing outside linebacker but with a couple offensive linemen needing to be re-signed they may need depth along the offensive line. It’s futile to predict what New England could do here, but Smith is the best man available for the job at offensive tackle. He will need a year to develop but the Patriots can afford to wait.

18. San Diego Chargers: DT Stephen Paea, Oregon State
Paea could be taken off the board far earlier than this but San Diego would be a great fit for him. He could begin his career at end and possibly move to NT after a year or two of bulking up. The Chargers need to understand they aren’t simply one player away from a Super Bowl and shore up problem positions like DT, SS, ILB and OT.

19. New York Giants: C/G Mike Pouncey, Florida
Pouncey can play anywhere along the interior of the offensive line. This is a slight reach for him but with the injuries and age of the Giants offensive linemen, the position has become a pressing need.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: DE J.J. Watt, Wisconsin
Watt led the nation in sacks last season at Wisconsin while the Bucs had the second fewest sacks in the NFL. For a team that had such a rich history of getting after the quarterback, those days are now gone. Watt can definitely reignite that history.

21. Kansas City Chiefs: NT Phil Taylor, Baylor
In order to run a 3-4, nose tackle is the keystone position. The Chiefs simply do not have a viable NT. It starts and ends with that one player. Taylor really displayed his talents at the Senior Bowl and went from a potential second rounder to now a potential first rounder.

22. Indianapolis Colts: OT Anthony Castanzo, Boston College
The offensive tackle ratings are going to be all over the place in this draft and Castanzo may be gone by now or he could slip to round two. In any case, he is the most well-rounded prospect at the position. He’s strong and well-equipped to protect Peyton Manning.

23. Philadelphia Eagles: OT Derek Sherrod, Mississippi State
Philadelphia could wait to select an offensive lineman in this year’s draft but why wait on a sure thing? Sherrod is a giant at the position and the Eagles desperately need to better protect Michael Vick.

24. New Orleans Saints: DE Adrian Clayborn, Iowa
New Orleans is a team without a true glaring need but defensive end is a position that could use depth and an upgrade. Clayborn is a steal this late in the draft after being considered a potential early first-round projection. His production went declined his senior year but he is effective against both the run and pass.

25. Seattle Seahawks: CB Brandon Harris, Miami
Harris is definitely a steal at this point of the draft and projects somewhere in the early teens but cornerback would be a luxury selection for almost any team that early. Seattle needs a cornerback as bad as team in the NFL.

26. Baltimore Ravens: DE Cameron Heyward, Ohio State
Heyward isn’t a pass rusher. He’s one of those classic no-name 3-4 defensive ends who eats up running backs and spits out reverse pancakes. Ray Lewis lighting a fire under Heyward could go a long way.

27. Atlanta Falcons: WR Jonathan Baldwin, Pittsburgh
Atlanta has needed to address WR2 for quite sometime. In the playoffs, their offense was bottled up due to having limited offensive firepower. Baldwin is a big, athletic receiver who can open up the short receiving game as a possession guy.

28. New England Patriots: DT Corey Liuget, Illinois
Liuget is a good fit as a defensive end in a 3-4. He’s athletic, possesses a good burst, can pass rush and has a lot of potential. Will New England stick around with this many picks in the first two rounds in order to select Liuget? That’s a whole other issue but as they are, he’d be a nice pick-up.

29. Chicago Bears: C/G Stefen Wisniewski, Penn State
Chicago struggled to protect the quarterback all season and that was exploited in the NFC Championship against Green Bay. If the Bears resorted to playing their third-string quarterback in such a high-profile game due to injuries, it’s time for an upgrade in protection. Wisniewski can play anywhere in the interior from day one.

30. New York Jets: DE Aldon Smith, Missouri
Smith has all the potential in the world and that’s why he could potentially go earlier in than this in the draft. But the reality is that he is still young and will need some time to develop. Rex Ryan and Co. have a veteran front seven that needs to be infused with a young pass-rusher.

31. Pittsburgh Steelers: CB Jimmy Smith, Colorado
How did Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers beat the Steelers? By exploiting Pittsburgh’s pass coverage all day long. The Steelers may resist the natural inclination to fully address this issue in round one but I’m not them. They need help now and Smith could actually be the biggest steal of the first two rounds.

32. Green Bay Packers: OT/G Gabe Carimi, Wisconsin
Green Bay battled a lot of injuries on defense but the easiest fix is along the offensive line. Carimi may not be a true left tackle, but they don’t him to be which is what makes this a natural fit.

ROUND TWO

1 (33). New England Patriots: WR Leonard Hankerson, Miami
New England seems to make due with any receiver they stick in the starting lineup but Hankerson is a potential WR1 with round two value. He’s a nightmare one on one with the ability to go up and catch anything in sight, especially in the red zone.

2 (34). Buffalo Bills: DT Muhammad Wilkerson, Temple
Buffalo needs to get serious and find the right pieces for the 3-4 defense. Wilkerson is a good fit as a 3-4 DE. The Bills defense shined at times, but they also had lapses, particularly with their pass rush. A brute like Wilkerson would help bolster this inconsistent unit.

3 (35). Cincinnati Bengals: RB Mikel Leshoure, Illinois
Leshoure is one of those backs that is currently under the radar, but there’s a lot to like. The combine is going to be his coming out party, especially if he can run a sub-4.5 40 time.

4 (36). Denver Broncos: DE/OLB Justin Houston, Georgia
Houston is somewhat lost in the shuffle when it comes to the many talented pass-rushing players in this draft class but he’s a very talented guy who is slowly climbing up draft boards. Denver needs to improve their pass rush dramatically as they battled injuries and poor performers all season long.

5 (37). Cleveland Browns: ILB Martez Wilson, Illinois
The Browns’ linebackers are serviceable but ILB Eric Barton will turn 34 this season. Wilson would be a dramatic improvement and provide some great athleticism to an up-and-coming defense.

6 (38). Arizona Cardinals: WR Titus Young, Boise State
Young looked mighty impressive at the Senior Bowl and despite his diminutive frame, he’s a burner who can stretch the field. Arizona’s offense struggled all year but add Young along with Larry Fitzgerald and a veteran QB free agent and this team can contend in a weak NFC West.

7 (39). Tennessee Titans: G Benjamin Ijalana, Villanova
The Titans’ bread and butter? The running game led by RB Chris Johnson. Ijalana is a road grader and one of the best small school prospects this draft has to offer.

8 (40). Dallas Cowboys: G Danny Watkins, Baylor
Watkins is 27 years old and that may end up hurting his increasing draft stock but he’s ready to play right now. Dallas offensive line struggled all year and needs to be fixed.

9 (41). Washington Redskins: DE Allen Bailey, Miami
Albert Haynesworth anyone? The Redskins need to find real answers in their 3-4 defense and Bailey is a big-bodied athletic prospect who is an absolute steal in the second round.

10 (42). Houston Texans: S Rahim Moore, UCLA
Houston’s defense was repeatedly torched by the pass and Moore is easily the best ball-hawking safety prospect in this draft. The Texans may also need an outside linebacker for their new 3-4 defense.

11 (43). Minnesota Vikings: CB Aaron Williams, Texas
Williams is a natural at the position and a very solid player. Minnesota needs youth at the position. Age and injuries have lain waste to the Vikings current corners so an upgrade is needed now, not later.

12 (44). Detroit Lions: CB Kendric Burney, North Carolina
The Lions too desperately need to resolve their cornerback issues to pass on a corner in the first two rounds. Really, they may be better served doing that in round one if possible. In any case, Burney is an immediate improvement and has a knack for making plays on the ball.

13 (45). San Francisco 49ers: QB Jake Locker, Washington
No one knows whether the 49ers will address the QB position this year or next but it should be on the team’s radar. Everyone knows about Alex Smith, there’s nothing to rehash but Locker presents a great value at this stage of the draft.

14 (46). Denver Broncos: CB Curtis Brown, Texas
Most Denver fans would be satisfied if with their first three selections they got a pass-rushing defensive end, a pass-rushing outside linebacker and a cover corner. Brown completes this defensive trifecta that could eventually be looked back on as a big turning point for the franchise.

15 (47). St. Louis Rams: OLB Mason Foster, Washington
Foster makes sense for many teams who are seeking a tackling machine at linebacker. He’s not a flashy prospect, but he plays hard and fast. St. Louis has a better than expected defense and Foster would go a long way for this unit.

16 (48). Oakland Raiders: CB Rashad Carmichael, Virginia Tech
After waiting 48 picks, Oakland definitely needs to address their most pressing concern: cornerback. Nnamdi Asomugha will be a free agent this offseason. Carmichael is the fastest cornerback available at this stage, so, welcome to Oakland.

17 (49). Jacksonville Jaguars: QB Christian Ponder, Florida State
Any number of quarterbacks could be considered at this spot but Ponder is a familiar face to the area and a good prospect with some mobility and a good arm.

18 (50). San Diego Chargers: ILB Quan Sturdivant, North Carolina
Name a San Diego Chargers inside linebacker. No, not Junior Seau! All kidding aside, ILB Kevin Burnett did have a great season, but they could use an upgrade to go alongside of him. Sturdivant is a very productive linebacker with good speed and can contribute in coverage.

19 (51). Tampa Bay Buccaneers: G/OT Marcus Cannon, TCU
If a defensive end slides down in the draft, Tampa Bay should certainly grab them here. If not, help along the offensive line is key. Protecting Josh Freeman and blocking for LeGarrette Blount are now priority No. 1. Cannon is a safe pick for a team that is close to competing at a playoff level.

20 (52). New York Giants: OLB Bruce Carter, North Carolina
The Giants’ Keith Bulluck isn’t getting any younger. They also lack depth at the position and need to secure their free agents at the position. If they don’t address that here, they may just take the best player available.

21 (53). Indianapolis Colts: G John Moffitt, Wisconsin
Protecting Peyton Manning is very important to this team. This past season showed what can happen if Manning isn’t given much time. Teams were able to get after him more than in previous seasons and it affected the Colts’ offense negatively.

22 (54). Philadelphia Eagles: CB Brandon Burton, Utah
The Eagles have plenty of warm bodies at cornerback but plenty of issues. Asante Samuel tends to miss games every year and Dmitri Patterson is better suited as a nickel back. Burton is an under the radar guy with a lot of talent and physicality despite a lean frame.

23 (55). Kansas City Chiefs: OLB Jeremy Beal, Oklahoma
Kansas City needs to lock-up OLB Tamba Hali but even if they don’t, adding another pass-rusher would improve their defense in a big way.

24 (56). New Orleans Saints: DT Drake Nevis, LSU
Defensive tackle is one of the few positions of need for a very good New Orleans team. Local prospect Drake Nevis is a good fit for the Saints’ pass-rush heavy defense.

25 (57). Seattle Seahawks: QB Colin Kaepernick, Nevada
Matt Hasselbeck is hanging on by a thread and Charlie Whitehurst may not be the answer. Kaepernick has a strong arm, great mobility and a project. Seattle may select a different QB, but they need one nonetheless.

26 (58). Baltimore Ravens: WR Torrey Smith, Maryland
Baltimore needs to get with the program and draft a receiver. Derrick Mason and T.J. Houshmandzadeh have nothing left. Boldin is great but he’s lost a step and needs more room in coverage to play his game. Smith can stretch defenses and has great hands.

27 (59). Atlanta Falcons: TE Kyle Rudolph, Notre Dame
Roddy White can’t do it all by himself forever. Atlanta needs a compliment and Tony Gonzalez won’t be around much longer.

28 (60). New England Patriots: RB Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech
Assuming New England hasn’t traded this pick for a first-rounder in 2012 or something ridiculous like they always seem to do, it’s anyone’s guess at this stage. Mock drafters love to assign New England a running back and Williams would be a prospect that analysts would crown the steal of the draft if the Patriots landed him here.

29 (61). San Diego Chargers: G Rodney Hudson, Florida State
The Chargers have a number of free agents they need to re-sign which will ultimately dictate where they go in the draft. Their offensive line needs work no matter what happens and Hudson is a solid and talented interior lineman who can come in and contribute immediately.

30 (62). Chicago Bears: DT Jurrell Casey, USC
Chicago actually benched DT Tommie Harris this season so the position is obviously up for grabs. Casey is a big and powerful prospect who may need a year to improve his fundamentals, but the potential is there.

31 (63). Pittsburgh Steelers: G Jason Pinkston, Pittsburgh
Pinkston looks great as a run-blocker which is exactly what Pittsburgh needs. He’s also athletic enough to pull along the line and that’s something the Steelers love to do.

32 (64). Green Bay Packers: RB Shane Vereen, California
Vereen isn’t getting much attention yet but he’s very good. Green Bay had a ton of issues at the running back position once Ryan Grant went down and need a better insurance policy. Vereen is quick and can make guys miss as a big-play guy.

Our head Fantasy expert Matt De Lima takes a look at the upcoming draft with his first 2 rounds of what may happen in April. The teams that are in the playoffs are listed in finishing order by regular season. The final few teams will be finalized at the end of the Super Bowl with the winner picking last which will change since we all know that the 2 best teams, Atlanta and New England, are busy at home making draft day plans instead of Super Bowl reservations.

Round One

1. Carolina Panthers – Da’Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson
Carolina won’t have Luck next year. See what I did there? Anyway, while one could argue there are better players in this draft, Bowers rates highest at key position, defensive end. Problem is, Bowers is far from a sure-thing in the NFL. He played poorly in his first two years and still has a lot to learn for the position.

2. Denver Broncos – Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU
The Broncos may be better off going after a defensive linemen here since they are weak upfront but it’s likely Champ Bailey is gone via free agency. Denver needs a guy they can plug in on day one and Peterson can certainly do that.

3. Buffalo Bills – Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn
Fairley addresses a need and has the talent to back it up. He can play a number of positions along the defensive line and will be a disruptor of backfields for years to come.

4. Cincinnati Bengals – A.J. Green, WR, Georgia
Cincinnati is thin all over the field but Green will likely replace one half the departed T.O. and Ochocinco duo. Green has too much talent to slip past this point and could just as easily be the first pick in the draft as well.

5. Arizona Cardinals – Marcell Dareus, DE/DT, Alabama
Dareus had a good, but not great 2010 season but to be fair, the expectations were high. Dareus is a big-bodied lineman who can play end or tackle. Arizona had a terrible pass rush and is still a couple players away in their front four.

6. Cleveland Browns – Robert Quinn, DE/OLB, North Carolina
Sure, cornerback Eric Wright had some awful games this year but defending the pass is more than just having big-name talent. Cleveland needs a pass rush coming off the edge. Quinn is a guy who can play all three downs on defense with a hand on the ground or at outside linebacker.

7. San Francisco 49ers – Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas
Both San Francisco and Tennessee need quarterbacks and they pick back-to-back. This is where I feel a trade might happen, particularly if San Francisco covets a QB that may slip in the first round, but for the time being Mallett has all the physical gifts to play the position.

8. Tennessee Titans – Cam Newton, QB, Auburn
Seems a bit too obvious but if Newton is the next Vince Young, he’ll have a chance to prove it, won’t he?

9. Dallas Cowboys – Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska
Dallas has issues all over their secondary and could be best served trading down to address bigger position problems. If they pick here, Amukamara is rated higher than Peterson by some and would be a nice addition.

10. Washington Redskins – Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri
Considering I feel Gabbert is a bust prospect, it makes sense that Washington would buy into the hype, select him and thusly ruin the next three years of the franchise because of a big whiff at the top of this draft.

11. Houston Texans – Von Miller, DE/OLB, Texas A&M
In 3-4 defenses, you need as many good linebackers as possible. Miller provides a pass rush on the edge to a defense that struggled to find the quarterback.

12. Minnesota Vikings – Nate Solder, OT, Colorado
I consider this a reach but Minnesota won’t draft a quarterback, they’re going to go after a free agent. With that being the case, they need to protect their new investment at QB and their best player in Adrian Peterson. Solder is a huge prospect, literally.

13. Detroit Lions – Janoris Jenkins, CB, Florida
Jenkins is as tough as nails and Detroit desperately needs to improve their pass defense. After Peterson and Amukamara, it’s a toss-up at which corner will go next but Jenkins has the athleticism to make a big splash at the combine and secure his place in the Top 15.

14. St. Louis Rams – Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State
The Rams had a game of musical chairs going on with their wide receivers and considering Sam Bradford’s talent, a receiver would go a long way in this offense. Blackmon is a production machine and makes sense right here.

15. Miami Dolphins – Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
After Ricky Williams badmouthed the Dolphins, it is clear the team will have a new backfield to start the season. Ingram is the safe pick at running back at this time but don’t discount the combine results, someone may shine and build some hype to supersede him.

16. Jacksonville Jaguars – Brandon Harris, CB, Miami
Harris is a physical corner who needs to be coached up on the finer points of pass coverage fundamentals. But that being said, he is already a very special player who could easily go higher in the draft.

17. New England Patriots (from Oakland Raiders) – Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue
New England has a knack for finding gems and Kerrigan could be the next. He’s got all the buzzwords that scouts love: motor, upside, freak.

18. San Diego Chargers – Akeem Ayers, OLB, UCLA
San Diego has lost a lot of bite to their pass rush in recent years but Ayers can change all that. He provides instant every-down athleticism.

19. New York Giants – Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconson
New York’s offensive line is advancing rapidly in age. Carimi is a mauler who would stand to benefit playing amongst veterans as he isn’t quite talented enough to be a “franchise” left tackle.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Rahim Moore, FS, UCLA
Moore is going to fly up draft boards, it’s only a matter of time once his game film gets viewed. Every safety wants to be the next Ed Reed and he is close to it.

21. Kansas City Chiefs – Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
Jones fits right in to Kansas City’s ball-control offense. He’s a big target with deceptive speed and athleticism. The Chiefs looked a bit one-dimensional as the Ravens draped Dwayne Bowe in coverage all day. Give the Chiefs another receiver to defend and it opens things up for their run game.

22. Indianapolis Colts – Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State
The offensive tackle ratings are going to be all over the place in this draft and Sherrod may be gone now. It could be Solder here, it could be Castanzo. No matter who it is, the Colts need him as their once stout offensive line is no more.

23. Philadelphia Eagles – Mike Pouncey, C, Florida
Philadelphia struggled to convert some short third downs against Green Bay and it ultimately cost them their season. Pouncey is one of the best interior linemen prospects out there with his size, pedigree and ability.

24. New Orleans Saints – Stephen Paea, DT, Oregon State
New Orleans has some of the best depth in the league so it’s anyone guess what they choose to do here. Paea can really get after it and in a division that has some good backs, the Saints could afford to bolster their interior defense.

25. Seattle Seahawks – Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
Clayborn was once a top 10 prospect but really, he wasn’t that impressive in 2010. A strong combine could boost his stock again, but for the time being, he’s slipping fast.

26. Green Bay Packers – Ryan Williams, RB Virginia Tech
Green Bay isn’t exactly hurting on offense but they do need a bigger talent at running back. Ryan Grant, Brandon Jackson and even James Starks, they’re solid but Williams is dynamic with quickness, agility and vision.

27. New York Jets – Allen Bailey, DE/DT, Miami
How do you pass rush Tom Brady in a 3-4? Find guys who can pressure the quarterback at defensive end in order to keep your linebackers in coverage. Bailey has the size to do it but can Rex Ryan light a spark under him to keep his motor running?

28. Baltimore Ravens – Aaron Williams, CB, Texas
The Ravens are lacking talent at cornerback despite having six players at the position under the age of 30 years old. They’re young, injury-prone and begging for an upgrade. Williams is tall for the position and athletic enough to have a chance at a quality NFL career.

29. Chicago Bears – Anthony Castanzo, OT, Boston College
Chicago would be fortunate to have a top tackle slip to them and Castanzo is the last of top candidates. He actually may be the most well-rounded, NFL-ready player but teams always love the allure of upside and raw ability. Castanzo should have an immediate impact.

30. Pittsburgh Steelers – Stefen Wisniewski, G, Penn State
Pittsburgh needs to get back to its bread and butter: a power running game. Wisniewski is a quick, tough guard who can come in and compete immediately.

31. Atlanta Falcons – Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame
Tony Gonzalez is as good as gone if Atlanta makes a deep playoff run and they look to be headed that way. Rudolph is the only blue-chip prospect at the position but he can do it all.

32. New England Patriots – Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame
Floyd needs to test well at the combine but he has that special ability to fight for more yards. He can turn a short pass into a game-breaking play. New England makes due with what they have, but Floyd has first-round talent.

Round Two

33. New England Patriots (from Carolina Panthers) – Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State
Heyward is a good fit for a DE in New England’s 3-4. Pairing him beside Vince Wilfork would be a nightmare on rushing downs. He may still need some NFL polish but he can be coached up.

34. Buffalo Bills – Drake Nevis, DT, LSU
Nevis will need to learn to play his assignments and fill his gaps, but Buffalo needs to get tougher upfront in a division full of tough teams and tough defenses.

35. Cincinnati Bengals – Cameron Jordan, DT/DE, California
Jordan may not slip this far but there are a ton of defensive end prospects so one is bound to slip. Cincinnati is in need of depth at the defensive end position and would benefit from Jordan’s 12.5 TFL and 5.5 sacks this past season.

36. Denver Broncos – Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri
Smith wasn’t on the radar since he was only a redshirt sophomore but since he has declared early, he is now. In two years, he had 17 sacks at Missouri. He’s still a bit lean, but his long frame is built to get after the quarterback.

37. Cleveland Browns – Torrey Smith, WR, Maryland
Smith was productive at Maryland despite being a player keyed on every week by opposing defenses. He has the play-making ability that Cleveland has lacked to provide for Colt McCoy.

38. Arizona Cardinals – Jake Locker, QB, Washington
How the mighty have fallen for both Locker and the Cards. Arizona whiffed at the quarterback position in 2010 and could even take a QB in round one. But if they like Locker, they can have him here as his stock has free-fallen.

39. Tennessee Titans – Rodney Hudson, G, Florida State
Hudson’s big 2010 season helped Florida State find their running game for the first time in many years. Tennessee’s run game wasn’t nearly as impressive as most would’ve expected and a lot of that had to do with their guard play.

40. Dallas Cowboys – Deunta Williams, FS, North Carolina
Dallas needs to improve their pass defense. The NFC East is full of game-breaking receivers and Dallas has no answer for them. Williams could get passed on the big boards as there are a number of safeties poised to make a move with a good combine.

41. Washington Redskins – Leonard Hankerson, WR, Miami
Hankerson gives Washington a big target at receiver. There’s a long tradition of quality receivers coming out of Miami and Hankerson was impressive in his time there.

42. Houston Texans – Greg Jones, ILB, Michigan State
Moving to a 3-4 means you’re going to need two quality inside backers. Add Jones alongside DeMeco Ryans and suddenly, things are looking much better on defense for Houston.

43. Minnesota Vikings – Jared Crick, DE/DT, Nebraska
Minnesota could see a shakeup along their front four with Ray Edwards possibly leaving due to free agency and the Williamses at defensive tackle aren’t getting any younger. Crick is a gamer, an absolute mauler that fits right into what Minnesota wants to do with their front four.

44. Detroit Lions – DeMarcus Love, OT, Arkansas
With all the injuries that Matthew Stafford seems to sustain, Detroit needs to surround him with better blockers. Love would be a steal at this point of the draft to say the least.

45. San Francisco 49ers – Jeremy Beal, DE/OLB, Oklahoma
San Francisco may or may not stick with the 3-4 defense under Jim Harbaugh but in either case, they need help at OLB. Beal is a quality pass rusher who is a hybrid OLB who can also play DE.

46. Denver Broncos (from Miami Dolphins) – DeAndre McDaniel, FS, Clemson
McDaniel is one of those players who does everything well. He isn’t as flashy as some other players in the draft but he addresses a big need for Denver who needs a player who can both cover and defend the run.

47. St. Louis Rams – Martez Wilson, OLB, Illinois
Wilson is a specimen who at times underachieved for Illinois. He’s got the talent to go here, or even earlier and provides explosiveness to the Rams’ linebackers.

48. Oakland Raiders – Tyron Smith, OT, USC
Smith has a lot of athleticism and could climb draft boards in a tackle class that is lacking any big-time talent. Oakland struggled to protect the quarterback this year, one of the few remnants of those awful Raiders years.

49. Jacksonville Jaguars – Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado
Smith is a diamond in the rough. Good technique, quality fundamentals, speed, size, man-to-man, zone. You name it, he’s got it. Jacksonville would be lucky to have him here.

50. San Diego Chargers – Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois
Liuget is under the radar, for now. He’s athletic, powerful and has a quickness not seen in many of the big defensive line prospects this year.

51. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Bruce Carter, OLB, North Carolina
Carter is fast and strong, two things that players have to be in a Tampa-2 scheme. He is versatile enough to play in coverage or in pursuit of a running back from sideline-to-sideline.

52. New York Giants – Shane Vereen, RB, California
Vereen is a grinder, exactly the sort of back New York loves. He’s not going to break off a lot of big runs, but he’s going to run hard.

53. Indianapolis Colts – Phil Taylor, DT, Baylor
Love the sound of “Phil Taylor from Baylor” but Indy has been just awful slowing down inside run plays. Baylor is a legit DT with size and strength.

54. Philadelphia Eagles – Rashad Carmichael, CB, Virginia Tech
Carmichael has enough speed to get by but what separates him from other corners is work ethic and focus. Philadelphia needs to improve their pass defense in a division that’s not afraid to attack down the field.

55. Kansas City Chiefs – Jabaal Sheard, DE, Pittsburgh
Sheard is a prototypical 4-3 defensive end with a big, lean frame. He needs to continue to add weight as Kansas City loves to play tough and physical upfront.

56. New Orleans Saints – Mikel Leshoure, RB, Illinois
Although he has yet to declare for the draft, Leshoure looked very good in 2010 with nearly 2,000 total yards and 20 total TDs. New Orleans needs a back who can take some punishment and Leshoure is fast and tough.

57. Seattle Seahawks – Pat Devlin, QB, Delaware
Seattle needs to address the quarterback position sooner or later and Devlin is one of those quarterback prospects with all the right tools. Height, arm strength, leadership and more.

58. Green Bay Packers – Davon House, CB, New Mexico State
Charles Woodson is still one of the best, but he’ll be 35 soon. House was easily the best corner in the WAC conference. He has great ball skills to go along with speed and adequate height.

59. Baltimore Ravens – Marcus Cannon, OT, TCU
Cannon has the talent to be a great tackle in the NFL. He’s 6’6″ and 350 pounds and Baltimore could use a mauler upfront to help make things happen in their power offense.

60. San Diego Chargers (from New York Jets) – Quinton Carter, S, Oklahoma
San Diego has depth issues across the defense but safety is a position of need right now. The Chargers have a ton of free agents upcoming this offseason so it’s anyone’s guess what they’ll need most but Carter would be an absolute steal this late in round two.

61. Chicago Bears – Christian Ballard, DE, Iowa
Chicago is, of course, still playing great defense but they aren’t as tough upfront as they were in years past. Ballard is a very good player who at times outperformed his highly-touted teammate Adrian Clayborn.

62. Pittsburgh Steelers – Brandon Burton, CB, Utah
The Steelers would be best served taking a few offensive linemen in this draft but another team need is at corner. Burton is a burner and could post one of the top 40-yard dash times at the combine.

63. Atlanta Falcons – Titus Young, Boise State
Young is undersized but he’s a dynamic playmaker with quickness that’s perfect for the slot. Atlanta is thin at receiver and needs to provide Roddy White some breathing room as defenses continue to smother him.

64. New England Patriots – Curtis Brown, CB, Texas
In addition to being a lightning fast corner, Brown can return kicks as well. New England continues to rotate mediocre cornerbacks on and off the team but Brown could come in and surprise.

1) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (13-2)

New England hasn’t lost since the first week of November. Their offense also hasn’t scored fewer than 31 points since that Week 9 loss to Cleveland.

2) ATLANTA FALCONS (12-3)

Atlanta couldn’t get anything going against the Saints on Sunday. But they have one final warm-up against the lowly Carolina Panthers, talk about a confidence boost.

3) CHICAGO BEARS (11-4)

Chicago’s offense is heating up at the right time of the year. With 40 points against Minnesota and then 38 points against the New York Jets last week, they’re peaking at the right time.

4) BALTIMORE RAVENS (11-4)

Baltimore has only lost to Pittsburgh, Atlanta, New England and Cincinnati this season. It’s safe to say the Bengals game was a fluke, but those three losses say a lot: The Ravens are good, but they may not be great.

5) NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (11-4)

The Saints are winners of seven of their last eight games. The lone loss came against the Baltimore Ravens. New Orleans desperately needs a running game to take pressure off Drew Brees.

6) PITTSBURGH STEELERS (11-4)

Pittsburgh really needs a first-round bye to allow as much time as possible for Troy Polamalu to get healthy.

7) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (10-5)

Just when you think nobody can beat the Eagles, they lose a game. They need to stomp Dallas to finish the year and build some positive momentum entering the playoffs.

8 ) NEW YORK JETS (10-5)

Losers of three out of their last four games, the Jets are backing into the playoffs. Assuming Green Bay makes the playoffs, the Jets will have a combined 2-4 record against 2010 playoff teams.

9) KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (10-5)

The Chiefs only loss in the last six weeks was a game in which they didn’t have their starting quarterback, Matt Cassel. Sure, they beat some cupcakes, but they’re still a dangerous team with a dynamic offense.

10) GREEN BAY PACKERS (9-6)

Aaron Rodgers returned to the starting lineup and the Packers obliterated the New York Giants. The Packers are hot and cold, but they can beat anybody in the league when they’re hot.

11) INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (9-6)

The Colts may have stumbled in the middle of the season, but they’ve won the games they had to win. It all means nothing if they lose to Tennessee and Jacksonville wins.

12) TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (9-6)

Raheem Morris deserves to win head coach of the year, especially if they can beat New Orleans to close the season.

13) NEW YORK GIANTS (9-6)

Sure the Packers are a good team, but getting blown out at this critical time of the year was a team-wide failure. That’s two straight losses to playoff-caliber teams.

14) SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (8-7)

San Diego needs to show up the first two months of the season. The lack of urgency to start the season is the fault of the coaching staff. Norv Turner is an offensive coordinator, not a leader of men.

15) JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (8-7)

Jacksonville needs a new coaching staff. Jack Del Rio has had enough chances; it’s time for a new direction.

16) ST. LOUIS RAMS (7-8)

St. Louis is letting rookie quarterback Sam Bradford lead them to wins and with a victory over Seattle, they’ll be in the playoffs.

17) MINNESOTA VIKINGS (6-9)

For those who haven’t seen new quarterback Joe Webb and really for those who have, what an athlete! This young guy makes Cam Newton look out of shape.

18) OAKLAND RAIDERS (7-8)

It’s too bad Oakland selected JaMarcus Russell in the 2007 NFL Draft. They could’ve had Calvin Johnson, Joe Thomas, Adrian Peterson, Patrick Willis, Darrelle Revis or even Ahmad Bradshaw who was selected in the seventh round as the sixth-to-last pick. With any of those guys, they might be playoff-bound.

19) MIAMI DOLPHINS (7-8)

Losing to the Lions, even if they are on a hot streak is pitiful. Miami is a quarterback away from competing for a playoff spot.

20) WASHINGTON REDSKINS (6-9)

Tennessee won their first game since October 24. By limiting Houston to only 30 rushing yards last week, it’s too little, too late for the Titans.

21) TENNESSEE TITANS (6-9)

With only one win since Halloween, does head coach Jeff Fisher have any job security left?

22) DALLAS COWBOYS (5-10)

Dallas has allowed the most points in the NFC, but they’ve scored the third most. They’re not far off if they can improve the defense in the offseason.

23) HOUSTON TEXANS (5-10)

Losing to a Tim Tebow-led Denver Broncos team is unacceptable. Houston has quit on themselves.

24) SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (6-9)

In their nine losses, Seattle is averaging 14 points and 35 points allowed. Those are blowouts, it’s not even close.

25) DETROIT LIONS (5-10)

The last time Detroit won two straight road games goes all the way back to 2004.

26) CLEVELAND BROWNS (5-10)

Head coach Eric Mangini is as good as done now that the Browns have lost three in a row.

27) SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (5-10)

Owner Jed York should’ve held a press conference and said “Can not play with them! Can not win with them! Can not coach with them! Can’t do it! I want WINNERS!” then walked off stage with no pants on.

28) BUFFALO BILLS (4-11)

Heading into 2011, the offense isn’t that bad but the defense is. They need to big draft of defensive playmakers.

29) ARIZONA CARDINALS (5-10)

The Cards showed up in a big way last week. What’s silly is, they’re only two games behind the division-leading St. Louis Rams.

30) CINCINNATI BENGALS (4-11)

The Bengals are officially on a win streak. T.O. little, too late.

31) DENVER BRONCOS (4-11)

Tim Tebow won his first game as a starter in Week 16 against the Texans. Has the Tebow era begun?

32) CAROLINA PANTHERS (2-13)

The Panthers are now on the clock in the 2011 NFL Draft with the No. 1 pick.

1) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (12-2)

A slight hiccup in a closer-than-expected game led by a Matt Flynn-led Packers isn’t enough to knock the Pats off their pedestal.

2) ATLANTA FALCONS (12-2)

What a contrast for Atlanta’s final two games: Week 16 against New Orleans and Week 17 against
Carolina. A win against either team gives them the NFC South crown.

3) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (10-4)

With their crazy comeback against the Giants, the Eagles leap from #7 up to #3 in the rankings. If the Eagles can score four touchdowns in just under eight minutes then no team is safe against them.

4) BALTIMORE RAVENS (10-4)

Ray Rice led the Ravens victory over the Saints and while the Eagles’ victory stole the headlines,
Baltimore very quietly had a statement win of their own.

5) NEW YORK JETS (10-4)

Winning on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers is no easy task. Winning on the road at Chicago this week would go a long way in taking the Jets more seriously after their embarrassment against the Pats.

6) CHICAGO BEARS (10-4)

Chicago may have gotten the last laugh against Brett Favre and the Vikings but Chicago’s offense is clicking again during the right time of the year. The 40-spot they put on Minnesota was their highest point total of the season.

7) PITTSBURGH STEELERS (10-4)

With Troy Polamalu out, the Steelers are an entirely different defense. Pittsburgh is 5-7 when he’s out and 13-4 when he plays in the last two seasons.

8 ) NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (10-4)

While the Saints are 5-2 on the road, they now face the Atlanta “6-0 at home” Falcons. New Orleans gave the game to Atlanta in Week 3, losing a close one in overtime.

9) NEW YORK GIANTS (9-5)

Those New York “Football” Giants need to be very careful. They next face Green Bay who will likely have Aaron Rodgers back. A letdown game on the road at Lambeau Field may be coming.

10) SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (8-6)

The Chargers are one of the hottest teams in the league and they’re clawing their way back into the playoff picture. San Diego could win their next two games and still miss the playoffs so they’re losing is not an option against Cincinnati in Week 16.

11) KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (9-5)

What a difference a week makes. Matt Cassel returns and things are back to normal, for now. They still need to win out to make the playoffs.

12) INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (8-6)

If the playoffs were set after last week, Indy would sneak into the playoffs. Darren McFadden has been running all over defenses and the Colts have one of the worst.

13) JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (8-6)

After starting 3-4, the Jags are now won 5 of their last seven. With Maurice Jones-Drew in the backfield, anything’s possible, including the playoffs.

14) GREEN BAY PACKERS (8-6)

While the Packers have lost two straight, it shouldn’t be ignored that they lost those games without Aaron Rodgers. Well, he’s back this week and the Packers can’t afford to lose another.

15) TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (8-6)

Losing the Lions in overtime hurts and the Bucs are fading fast, having lost three of their last four
games. A home game against Seattle should get them back on track.

16) MIAMI DOLPHINS (7-7)

The Dolphins continue to alternate wins and losses. They’ve “won one – lost one” in 10 straight weeks. With a loss to Buffalo last week, they’ve got Detroit next week and New England the next. Smart money says they “win one – lose one” yet again.

17) OAKLAND RAIDERS (7-7)

If not for that tough loss to Jacksonville in Week 14, the AFC West’s divisional race would’ve been even more interesting. Darren McFadden needs to run all over Indianapolis this week to keep the AFC playoff picture interesting.

18) ST. LOUIS RAMS (6-8)

The Rams have lost four of their last six and close the season in back-to-back games against divisional opponents. These games (SF, @SEA) either put them in the playoffs or end their season.

19) DALLAS COWBOYS (5-9)

Dallas may end the season as the best non-playoff NFC team which counts towards their ego but does them no good in the 2011 NFL Draft.

20) TENNESSEE TITANS (6-8)

Tennessee won their first game since October 24. By limiting Houston to only 30 rushing yards last week, it’s too little, too late for the Titans.

21) SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (5-9)

San Francisco remains, somehow, in the playoff picture. A win this week against the St. Louis Rams puts them position to win their play in the postseason.

22) CLEVELAND BROWNS (5-9)

With back-to-back losses to the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals, the Browns only appear to play up to their tough competition.

23) HOUSTON TEXANS (5-9)

The Texans continue to have great offensive production but with the hands-down worst pass defense, they’re vulnerable against any opponent.

24) SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (6-8)

Seattle has one win in their last five and it came against the lowly Carolina Panthers. The ‘Hawks weak run game and inability to stop the pass is a tough formula to hold and maintain a lead.

25) WASHINGTON REDSKINS (5-9)

Well, Rex Grossman looked good (sometimes) against the Cowboys but is he really the answer at
quarterback for Washington in 2011?

26) MINNESOTA VIKINGS (5-9)

Minnesota has had a pretty tough schedule this year. In their losses, the “worst” team they lost to was a 7-7 Miami team. Then again, their best wins came against two 5-9 teams, Dallas and Washington.

27) DETROIT LIONS (4-10)

Winning at Tampa Bay isn’t easy and Drew Stanton ended Detroit’s ridiculous road-game losing streak.

28) BUFFALO BILLS (4-10)

A win against Miami is nice, but unfortunately, they close the season with back-to-back games versus New England and at the J-E-T-S! Jets-Jets-Jets!

29) CINCINNATI BENGALS (3-11)

Only Peyton Manning and Drew Brees have attempted more passes this season than Carson Palmer, but on the other hand seven quarterbacks have more yards and twelve have more touchdowns.

30) ARIZONA CARDINALS (4-10)

How bad is Arizona? They lost to the Carolina Panthers. Yeah.

31) DENVER BRONCOS (3-11)

What happens when you combine a poor rushing offense with a terrible defense? You end up with the 2011 Denver Broncos!

32) CAROLINA PANTHERS (2-12)

Carolina had their sweet respite last week with a win of Arizona at home but that time has now passed. They now go on the road in back-to-back games at Pittsburgh and at Atlanta. Yikes.