There has not even been a draft yet. There might not even be a season next year but Auburn’s Cam Newton is set. This week Cam, and not his dad, signed on with Under Armour to what looks to be the largest shoe and apparel deal in incoming rookie history.

Under Armour already deals with Auburn as the schools provider of unis and shoes so taking on Cam seemed like a no-brainer.

Terms were not disclosed, but according to sources this deal will be the largest deal ever given to an incoming NFL rookie, surpassing the $1 million a year deal adidas gave to Reggie Bush in 2006 both in terms of annual guarantee and overall dollars.

Sources said the deal seeks to capitalize on both Newton’s fame in college and his future potential. Under Armour will unveil a whole collection of Cam Newton Auburn items, including jerseys with his name on the back, as well as football and training gear, including signature a signature shoe line. [via CNBC]

Carolina holds the #1 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft as things stand right now. Personally, I think the Panthers should jump on the choice of Newton as their franchise QB because, and I hate to disappoint Irish fans, but Jimmy ain’t gonna do it.  Cam is an exciting player to watch play and one of the most identifiable players in the draft.  Drafting a franchise QB would not hurt the Panthers who no doubt miss those good years of Jake Delhomme.  Not his off years mind you.  No one misses those.

The Panthers will no doubt listen to offers from other teams for the spot to take Newton but a lot depends on the upcoming Lockout. One of the issues looming is a rookie wage scale which might make it easier for teams to draft a #1 pick and not break the bank. Not good for Cam but I think it’s safe to say he doesn’t have to work paycheck-to-paycheck….unless his dad goes on a shopping spree.

I’m not surprised that the computers over at EA Sports accurately picked this years Super Bowl winner at the beginning of the season. It can’t be that hard, can it?

Take a look at what our crack Fantasy writer Matt De Lima said at the beginning of the season:

The Baltimore Ravens and Green Bay Packers play in Super Bowl XLV. The Packers go on to win the game 31-27. No one remembers the article written by Matt De Lima that correctly predicts the result. He wins no money, gets no credit and actually forgets that he made this prediction.

Well, he only got one team right so I guess that deducts a few points but to pick the Packers is awesome. To almost get the score is freaky! The final score was 31-25 this year.  Our boy Matt was 2 points away from calling it.

Of course that beats my original pick of Detroit and Jacksonville in the  Super Bowl with a score of 72-4.  I guess that’s why they don’t let me pick those things.

Now over the course of the last 8 years, the EA computers have outdone Matt and picked up all but one Super Bowl winner.  Not bad at all.  Wonder if there will be some bookies in Vegas picking up a copy of the game next season.

Aside from the Packers celebrating their fourth Super Bowl win in franchise history, quarterback Aaron Rodgers looks to be this year’s regular-season MVP, racking up 4,639 yards passing, 36 touchdowns, and only nine interceptions. (You can bet Rodgers will be a hot pick this weekend as everyone is studying up for their fantasy football drafts.) His number-one wide receiver, Greg Jennings, should be the big beneficiary of Rodger’s prowess in the air, accounting for 102 catches, 1,438 receiving yards and 13 scores.

Stat wise they were a tad off.  Rodgers only passed for 3,922 yards, 28 TDs but they got close as he did only giveaway 11 INTs.  Jennings, his receiver,  was close at 1265 yards and 12 TDs.  So, the EA computers were in the ballpark.  Not bad info come time to draft my fantasy team next year.

Other random stats for the season were way off.  Of course, no one say Arian Foster coming or the fact he would lead the league in rushing.  So, I’ll give anyone that.  That’s just a freak happening.   But the EA computers should have picked the 2nd place rusher, right?

Was it JaMaaaaaal Charles (KC) or Michael Turner (ATL)?  Let’s see….

Oops.  The EA computers got lazy and went with the 2010 rushing leader, Chris Johnson, who had a horrible year with only 1,364 yards.  Man, not even 1,400.  What a lazy guy, eh?

The EA choice for top receiver was Andre Johnson (HOU) who hobbled into 6th place overall with a bum leg.  So it looks like the EA computers were good when it comes to Super Bowl time but not too reliable for the rest of the stats.

As an avid Madden fan I’m glad to hear this news.  Now when I spend hours on the game I can tell people I’m doing research for the next season.   Now if I can just find some way to make that excuse for Call of Duty.  That game is ruling my life….

Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford took his team to a BCS Championship, but the former University of Oklahoma quarterback threw his most important passes this week in front of just a handful of people.

On Monday, NFL scouts got their first look at Sam Bradford during his Pro Day. And with less than a month until the 2010 NFL Draft, teams were wanting to know one thing: Was his shoulder healthy?

Bradford is coming off major shoulder surgery to reconstruct his AC joint last October and has only been throwing for the last 4 weeks. There seems to be very few signs of the injured shoulder to worry about, however.

NFL scouts were on hand to watch Sam Bradford toss around 70 passes during his workout and the overall feeling is that Bradford looked very strong and healthy. Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll tweeted that Bradford “lit it up” and Gil Brandt, who was Vice President of player personnel for the Dallas Cowboys from 1960 to 1988, stated in his NFL.com blog:

“… I think everyone here was in awe of Bradford’s performance. In fact, he put on the best quarterback workout by a draft prospect that I’ve seen since I watched a private workout Troy Aikman put on for us with the Cowboys in California.”

Now those are some very strong words of praise.

At 6 ft 5 in and 236 lbs., Bradford is the prototypical quarterback NFL Draft scouts love. One key issued addressed is that Bradford has added about 12 lbs. to his frame to strengthen up. Many scouts believed he was too skinny or fragile to survive the rigors of an NFL season.

By showcasing that his healthy shoulder Bradford is not an issue it looks like the biggest decision about Bradford is whether the Rams will use their #1 pick on him or not. The Rams passed on Matt Ryan two years ago and Mark Sanchez last year and will have to address their QB situation very soon which makes the Bradford pick a seemingly logical choice.

We are taking a look at some of the key players of the upcoming NFL Draft and one of the more compelling men whose name will be called in the first round is name that many people might not know how to pronounce.

Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (pronounced En-dom-ah-ken Soo) became one of the Big 12’s most dominant defensive players during his junior season.  And with his senior season at the University of Nebraska he became an absolute terror to quarterbacks like Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford.

Ndamukong’s mother hails from Jamaica and his father from Cameroon. They lived in Portland, Oregon, when Ndamukong was born and his name in the Ngema tribe in Cameroon means “House of Spears.”

Suh looks to be one of the top defensive players drafted next month in the NFL and some speculate he could be the top pick overall for the Rams.  ESPN’s draft analyst Mel Kiper, Jr. even went so far as to describe Suh as “maybe the most dominating defensive tackle I’ve seen in 32 years.”

Wherever the talented player lands he will no doubt make an immediate impact.  After four years of playing for the University of Nebraska Suh was able to tally up a number of impressive awards including the Lombardi Award, the Outland Trophy Award, and the Bronko Nagurski Award. He also finished fourth in the 2009 Heisman voting.

Suh attended Grant High School in Portland, Oregon, where he earned Parade All-America honors and was voted the 2004 Portland Interscholastic League Defensive Player of the Year and the state Class 4A Defensive Player of the Year.

As a freshman at Nebraska in 2005, Suh played 2 games before injuring his knee and received a medical redshirt. His 2006 year was a strong comeback as Suh played 14 games as a backup defensive lineman and earned freshman all-conference honors from The Sporting News. Suh’s sophomore year in 2007 saw him take the field for the Cornhuskers for 11 starts, producing four games with four or more tackles.

It was his junior year that Suh broke into the spotlight and was the first Nebraska defensive lineman to lead the team in tackles since 1973, and his 76 total tackles were the most by a Husker lineman since 1992. He also tallied 7.5 sacks.

He exploded for a career game against Kansas, finishing with 12 total tackles, including five solo stops. He had 2.5 sacks for 18 yards in losses and four tackles for loss totaling 19 yards. His 12 tackles were the most by a defensive lineman in three seasons while the 2.5 sacks were the most by any Husker since 2003 and the four tackles for loss were the most by an NU defender in 38 games

Suh made five tackles, including two tackles for loss and a sack at Kansas State, then capped the regular season with three tackles and the crucial touchdown against Colorado. He closed his season in style in the Gator Bowl victory over Clemson. Suh made eight total tackles, including six solo stops. He tied his career high with four tackles for loss and had two sacks for 19 yards.

Suh also blocked a second-quarter Tiger field-goal attempt, his second blocked kick of 2008. [via]

Suh overall has the combination of size, skills and competitiveness to make NFL scouts drool. He is big man who is tough enough to hold down the middle yet has the quickness to move over to defensive end if he winds up in a 3-4 system.

Dr. Wedge Buster places his, um..is that paint? er uh..places his bets on the Top 25

Thursday 7:45

(13) OKLAHOMA STATE -17 over Colorado

The Buffs are terrible at home and worse on the road.  OK State is pretty good against the weak opposition.

Friday 9:30

(6) Boise State -23.5 over UTAH STATE

Remarkably, the Aggies are 7-2 against the spread this year, despite having won just three games outright.  They haven’t faced anyone this good though.

Saturday Noon

(8) Ohio State -12.5 over MICHIGAN

You can say that anything can happen in a rivalry and you’d be right to some degree, but not when there is a considerable gap in talent and experience.

Minnesota +10 over (15) IOWA

I don’t see the Hawkeyes beating anyone handily.

(25) North Carolina -3.5 over BOSTON COLLEGE

The Heels are riding high after the big win over Miami last week.  Plus they have more talent than the Eagles.

Duke +20 over (24) MIAMI

The Devils will cause fits with the Hurricanes as they air it out and make it interesting.

12:20

(3) ALABAMA over Chatanooga

No line.  No contest.

12:30

(1) FLORIDA over Florida International

Ditto.

1:00

Memphis +24 over (22) HOUSTON

Hard to predict the Cougars.  Seems like their D needs to get lucky to stop anyone.

2:00

(4) TCU -31.5 over WYOMING

I won’t bet against the Horned Frogs.

3:30

NORTHWESTERN +7 over (14) Wisconsin

The Badgers struggle away from Camp Randall and the Wildcats sport a feisty squad.

(12) Penn State -3 over MICHIGAN STATE

Sparty sucks.

NC State +21 over (16) VIRGINIA TECH

The Pack can score enough to hang around for awhile.  The Hokies haven’t wowed me this year.

(10) LSU +4 over OLE MISS

I’ll take the points and the better team.  The Rebels have yet to net their first marquee win.

(18) BYU -10 over Air Force

BYU owns this series over the last 5 years and they are playing better of late.

4:00

(18) UTAH -20 over San Diego State

The Utes are runnin’ mad after being humiliated by TCU on nation television.  They return home to crush the Aztecs.

5:00

(20) Oregon State -31 over Washington State

A ridiculous line for a conference game on the road, but the Beavers are hot right now.  Can’t say the same about the Cougars.

7:30

Cal +7 over (17) STANFORD

Can anyone cool the Cardinal?  The Bears look to maul the high powered O and stop Heisman hopeful Toby Gerhart in his tracks.  It’s a hotly contested rivalry and this looks like game of the week material.

7:45

Kansas State +17 over (25) NEBRASKA

K-State can run the football and Big Red hasn’t proved it could stick in the Top 25.  This line is a bit too big for a Big 12 North battle like this one.

8:00

(11) Oregon -6 over ARIZONA

The Ducks appeared to be the class of the Pac 10 before a steamrolling by Stanford.  They’ll keep their Rose Bowl hopes alive against AZ.

Kansas +27.5 over (2) TEXAS

The Jawhawk Offense is good enough to hang around.  Isn’t it?  Maybe?  That is quite a large line.

Dr. Wedge Buster places his bets on the Top 25

Friday 8:00

(5)  CINCINNATI -10 over West Virginia

Noel Devine has been banged up and Jarrett Brown is inconsistent. The Bearcats will continue to outscore their opponents. These teams have gone in different directions the last couple years.

Saturday Noon

Michigan +9 over (20) WISCONSIN

Eventually, the Wolverines are going to protect the ball enough to stay in the game. The Badgers will control the clock with their bevy of backs and should hang on to win a tight one.

(17) PENN STATE -25 over Indiana

Penn State could very well shut out the Hoosiers. They will win at the line of scrimmage and dominate.

DUKE +13 over (7) Georgia Tech

The Blue Devils are better than ever…or at least since anyone this side of the Ole Ball Coach remembers. Ga Tech has pulled out a few tight ones recently and this one will be no different. It will be interesting to see the Air-Ground game contrast in this one.

(2) Texas -24 over BAYLOR

Come on.

CENTRAL FLORIDA +5 over (12) Houston

Just a hunch. Houston has endured too many heart attack games in recent weeks. O’Leary’s guys gut one out finally.

1:00

(21) Virginia Tech -18.5 over MARYLAND

The “We must protect this house!” joke has run its course…so has Maryland’s season.

2:00

(22) BYU -27 over NEW MEXICO

You can’t possibly bet on a team that is 0-9. I don’t care what the line is.

3:30

(6)  BOISE STATE -31.5 over Idaho

The Vandals get Smurfed! I don’t care what flight Idaho’s Athlectic Director arrives on.

(13)  Iowa +17 over (8) OHIO STATE

Look, Stanzi is out and Vandenberg is inexperienced, but he can’t be much worse. And Ohio State’s defense is really good. We know all that. The Bucks looked great last week. Everything is going right now. A 17 point line is too much though. Iowa’s defense is too good and they lead the nation in interceptions. Terrelle Pryor isn’t exactly a Peyton Manning-type decision maker back there.

(10)  USC -10.5 over Stanford

The Trojans are much better at home. The Cardinal are in for a letdown after last week’s ambush of Oregon.

NORTH CAROLINA +3 over (15) Miami

Butch Davis gets revenge on his former squad. Miami’s been too shaky. I’ll take the points and the home team.

7:00

CAL NO LINE over (19) Arizona

I’m skeptical of Arizona. The Pac 10 is wild this year, and this may be their year, but they’ll have to prove it to me on the road.

MISSISSIPPI STATE +12.5 over (3) Alabama

I don’t think the Bulldogs will win outright but they have managed to hang with Florida, LSU, and Houston this year. Starkville isn’t the easiest place to play.

Louisiana Tech over (11) LSU

Alright, not really. If there were a crazy big line though, I’d take La Tech. LSU’s offense has yet to impress.

GEORGIA -4.5 over (25) Auburn

Neither team is very consistent and neither should be ranked and I wouldn’t bet on either team.

7:30

(14) Utah +19.5 over TCU

TCU will need to survive a scare. The Utes beat them last year and this battle for the Mountain West will be hotly contested.

8:00

Notre Dame +7 over (9) PITTSBURGH

There won’t be much of a home field advantage at Heinz and Notre Dame manages to play every game down to the wire. Take the points and Jimmy Heisman

(17) OKLAHOMA STATE -4.5 over Texas Tech

Pokes in a defensive struggle.

Kidding, of course.

Pokes in a barnburner!

10:20

Arizona State +18.5 over Oregon

No idea what the Ducks will do this year. Looking at the numbers it looks a little more even than the records indicate.

Dr. Wedge Buster places his bets on college football’s top 25

Friday 8:00

(5) Boise State -21.5 over LOUISIANA TECH

Boise is 6-1 against the spread this year and undefeated.  They owned La-Tech last year.

Saturday Noon

(14) PITT -21 over Syracuse

Pitt has taken seven straight against the Cuse and this is the best Pitt team yet.

Northwestern +16 over (6) IOWA

Iowa covering last week was a complete fluke coupled with bad officiating and another IU meltdown.  Not to mention, the Wildcats beat the Hawkeyes a season ago.

(22) Wisconsin -11 over INDIANA

Speak of the devil.  I think Wisconsin is underrated.  They are a complete team that does a lot of things well.  They will pound IU on the road.

Central Florida +34.5 over (2) TEXAS

Ironically, the Longhorns have a losing record (3-4-1) against the spread.  UCF isn’t too bad either.  They only lost too Miami by 20 and they’re 5-2 against the spread.

Virginia +14 over (17) MIAMI

Miami has been a hard team to pin down this year.  They needed a heroic comeback to win at Wake last week, otherwise they wouldn’t be in this Top 25 pick ‘em.  In recent history this has been a close game.  I’ll take the Wahoos and the points.

2:00

(25) BYU -13 over WYOMING

This game has not been close in awhile.  Wyoming’s 6-1 against the spread mark needs some correction in the wrong direction.

2:30

Navy +12.5 over (21) NOTRE DAME

The Mids have kept this one close in this usually one-sided rivalry.  This will be an interesting contest due to the contrasting styles.  Notre Dame is 2-6 against the spread and has barely eeked out several of their games this year.

3:30

(11) GEORGIA TECH over Wake Forest

No line in this one.  The teams have not met since 06.  The Jackets strike me as the better team and they are at home.

(18) Oklahoma State -7.5 over IOWA STATE

They Cyclones don’t have the forces to stop the Cowboys.  Last year, OK State whipped them 59-17.

(9) LSU +7.5 over (3) ALABAMA

This is too big of a line.  I think the Tigers defense keeps it close and they could very well win it outright.  This should be the best game of the week with a ton of talent on both sides.

(12) Ohio State +5 over (10) PENN STATE

These teams are very similar.  This is just a gut call.  The Ohio State defense will keep them in it so I’ll take the points.

Washington State +32 over (19) ARIZONA

Unbelievably, 1-7 Wazzou is 5-3 against the spread.  Wait…Arizona is ranked?  What in the name of Ortege Jenkins?

(8) Oregon -7 over STANFORD

After last week, I find this line hard to believe.

4:00

(4) TCU -24.5 over SAN DIEGO STATE

Give the Aztecs Marshall Faulk and Darnay Scott (in their primes) and I’ll consider it.

7:00

Oregon State +7.5 over (23) CAL

Tough one to judge.  The Beavers have won 8 of their last 10 meetings, but the two losses are Cal blowouts.  I’ll take the points I guess.

7:15

(1) FLORIDA -35 over Vanderbilt

This is quite a line but I have a feeling the Gators will get on the gas pedal and not let off.  Too much of a talent gap here.

(15) Houston -2 over TULSA

The Cougars are better and they won by 40 last year.

8:00

Connecticut +17 over (7) CINCINNATI

UCONN is a tough team and they’re battling in every game.  With Tony Pike unlikely to suit up, I think the Huskies hang in there.  Hey, they blew out this Bearcat bunch last year in Storrs.

NEBRASKA +5 over (20) Oklahoma

I think Big Red nips them in a tight one.  Night game at Nebraska.  This is as good of a chance as ever for the Huskers to get this rivalry back in order.

ARIZONA STATE +10.5 over (13) USC

USC is 2-6 against the spread and the Sun Devils at home.  Erickson will have his guys ready to go.  USC in a close one.

With just a quarter left in the 2009 college football schedule, here’s my premature prediction of how I see the BCS Bowls shaping up:

BCS Championship

Alabama vs Texas

Bama knocks off Tebow and the Gators in the SEC Championship game and earns a trip to the National Championship Game where they meet undefeated Big 12 Champion, Texas.

Orange Bowl

Georgia Tech vs Cincinnati

The Yellow Jackets win the ACC outright and get the automatic berth to the Orange Bowl.  The Orange Bowl gets the 1^st pick of teams after the replacement picks, and selects the undefeated Big East Champion Bearcats.

Sugar Bowl

Florida vs USC

Alabama goes to the National Championship Game and the Sugar Bowl gladly takes Florida as its “replacement team”.  With its at large pick, USC is selected to pair two teams that many thought would meet for the national title.

Fiesta Bowl

Boise State vs Iowa

The Fiesta Bowl selects undefeated Boise State as its replacement pick.  Iowa is selected as an at large team after OSU knocks them off for the Big 10 championship.  This is TCU’s spot if they get past Utah.  I say they don’t.

Rose Bowl

Oregon vs Ohio State

The Big 10 and Pac 10 Champions are set to battle for the roses.  Oregon is almost a lock at this point and I feel Ohio State runs the table to earn the Big 10 title and yet another BCS berth.

Dr. P’s picks with Dr. Crackback’s outrageously hilarious commentary.

Texans -3 over Niners

Apparently Crabtree only plays in Texas, but it won’t be enough to stump the Schuab.

Chiefs +5.5 over Chargers

The electricity is out in Sandy Eggo, Cassel keeps the winning streak alive in Arrowhead.

Rams +14 over Colts

Because it’s too easy the other way around.

Pats -15.5 over Bucs

If it snows in London, 59-0.

Vikings +4.5 over Steelers

Everyone seems to think the Brett Favre fairy tale has to end soon. I think the Brett Favre fairy tale is just overshadowing how good the rest of the team is.

Packers -7 over Browns

Browns forfeit.

Panthers -7 over Bills

MJD complained and got his, It’ll work for Steve.

Raiders +7 over Jets

Jamarcus has arrived!! Nah, but New York is falling fast.

Bears +1 over Bengals

Bears would beat tigers in a fight says a Discovery Channel show. So do I. But maybe they just agree that everyone wins and this happens!

Cowboys -4 over Falcons

Tashard runs wild. Miles Austin easily hits 250 again. Maybe even 350 or 4.

Dolphins +7 over Saints

Brees grows noticeably frustrated when Ronnie and Ricky control the ball for all 60 minutes.

Giants -7 over Cards

I agree.

Eagles -7 over Skins

McNabb goes off. Maclin goes off. Westbrook goes off. DeSean throws ball into stands before he scores.

Noon

(13) Georgia Tech -6 over VIRGINIA – Not nearly enough points for a Cavs team that dropped a home game against William & Mary. Tech ain’t half bad either.

(17) OHIO STATE over Minnesota +17.5 – It’s a little shaky picking the Buckeyes after last week’s debacle, but they should be pretty fired up and happy to be home. The Gophers face an identical line to last week and last week they got shut out.

(19) PITT -6.5 over South Florida – South Florida was unimpressive at home last week and Pitt is on the rise.

(22) WEST VIRGINIA -7.5 over Connecticut – The Mounts are also rolling since an early loss to Auburn. With all of the off field issues hampering the Huskies, it will be a tough cover in Morgantown.

12:20

Arkansas +6.5 over (25) OLE MISS – Despite their woeful record, the Razorbacks have proven they can play with anyone, anywhere. Ole Miss really has lacked the luster that had some calling them Top 10 early on.

12:30

(12) Oklahoma State -10 over BAYLOR – It’s Baylor.

3:30

(9) MIAMI -5.5 over Clemson – Canes are crushing folks at home.

(2) ALABAMA -14.5 over Tennessee – Too many turnovers to turn the Tide.

WASHINGTON +10 over (14) Oregon – U-Dub hangs tough in big games. Big test for the Ducks. (11)

Penn State -4.5 over MICHIGAN – A tough call on this one because the Wolverines are hard to figure. They are undefeated at home but their youth and inexperience often leads to some big plays for the opposition. Penn State’s staunch defense will carry them in this one.

(21) KANSAS +8 over Oklahoma – After the meltdown at Colorado, KU is looking to bounce back in a big way. Bradford is out so there’s no better time for the Jayhawks to make a statement.

Louisville +18 over (6) CINCINNATI – Tony Pike’s injury gives me a bit of pause and the rivalry nature of the game indicates that this is too big of a line. I’ll take the Bearcats, but won’t give you that many.

4:00

(20) UTAH -9.5 over Air Force – The Falcons have taken a step back and the Utes have run forward. With the exception of a tough road loss to Oregon, Utah could be in this muddled BCS talk.

7:00

(7) Iowa +1 over MICHIGAN STATE – Another game where the better Iowa team is getting points. I don’t get that at all.

7:30

(8) TCU -2.5 over BYU – The TCU defense and interception-prone Max Hall for BYU are not a good match.

MISSISSIPPI STATE +22.5 over (1) Florida – The Bulldogs have hung tough at home and the Gators have limped through their last few. I expect a Florida win but not your typical blowout.

(10) LSU -7.5 over Auburn – Auburn is too inconsistent and not quite tough enough to go into Baton Rouge and pull one out.

8:00

(3) Texas -12.5 over MISSOURI – The Texas defense stepped up last weekend and they’re starting to show that even when Colt is off, they can contribute.

Oregon State +21 over (4) USC – The Beavers have been a thorn in the Trojans side of late and this is far too big of a line.

11:00

HAWAII +24.5 over Boise State – The trip to the islands is never a fun one. I’ll take the Broncos but in a bit of scary close one.