Some Things and Other Things: The “Post Draft Hangover” edition
By Dr. Bill Chachkes-Executive Editor-Football Reporters Online/Pro Football NYC
(Photos By A.F. Chachkes for Football Reporters)

This years’ NFL Draft was so different from the 26 others I have covered because of the continued presence of the labor dispute between the owners and the players. Nowhere was it more present then on the first night of the Draft when most of the fans in the balconies booed Mr. Goodell , and chanted “We want Football” at the top of their lungs for over 5 minutes…

That made for a very unusual draft the rest of the way, which we will chronicle in an upcoming 2 or 3 part series, now that we have had time to “digest” it all (and get our main computer back and get all of our media loaded onto it from our laptops).

Some of the notable and not so notable news the last two weeks ….

The Lockout was lifted, and then re-instated in a little over 1 day’s time. This probably marred this draft for all of history as ”the Lockout Draft.” I’d like to sit here and type this, telling you in three months that it won’t matter, but now that the courts are deeply involved, I can’t tell you where this is going or for how long.

If nothing else, the NFLPA is winning the social media war. They have engaged the public just about every day since late last year, and their “Rookie Debut” party was broadcast live over their “You Tube” Channel. Try telling the NFL Network they have to make room for three guys with a Few Microphones, a 4 channel Mixer and an HD camera.

One commentator with ties to the league was rumored to have been calling around to college coaches telling them to tell their players “if you go to any of the NFLPA events it will hurt your Draft status.” Well Rahim Moore of UCLA was in a Presser with us Friday Morning and he was still drafted by Denver in the second round Friday night….

Lots of players and players to be are trying to get out in front of what is going on by hiring PR firms (or using the ones they already have contracted with via their agents) to get their stories out to the media and fans on what they are doing to cope with the lockout. The Redskins’ TE Chris Cooley found a two year old box of fan mail in his garage and went through it, answering each letter. I asked him about it at the NFLPA Media access event that Friday morning, and he told me he found about a dozen wedding invites, but he has no plans to be in the sequel of “wedding crashers.”

We are already hearing about some teams disregarding the current lockout rules by contacting their drafted players, so it’s only a matter of time before those same teams’ personnel will start having the coaches call players who were under contract to come to “secret” workout locations…The Question is, how many will come in, and how many will stick by the Players Association and stay away.

Several of the teams’ QB’s are running “mini” passing camps, like the Saints Drew Brees, and the Cardinals ‘ Larry Fitzgerald. The Jets’ Mark Sanchez is running his “Jets West” camp in a more advanced state then last off-season, even running film study sessions. Indeed, Dallas Cowboys’ New Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan can’t be too thrilled these days, as he was cited by the league for a violation of the lockout rules. Ryan was accused of contacting his players to get them a copy of his defensive scheme. Next we’ll hear that some team issued pre-paid “Burn Phones” to coaches to make contact with players to give out study Dvd’s.

If nothing else, the NFL lockout has become a plus for other pro leagues, most notably the Arena Football League because they won’t loose nearly as many players to NFL camps this summer, and the United Football League, who continues to show fans the love by keeping the prices to their games low, while putting a high quality product on the field. Several players who would have been Priority Free Agents in the NFL after they weren’t drafted instead were drafted on May 2nd by the UFL.
Several others are actively pursuing UFL tryouts this month as well…

Our last few stories come from the College football ranks…

We hear Blaine Gabbert’s little brother Tyler is fed up with the University of Missouri after getting bumped back to second string after the spring football game. He’s decided to transfer, but to where is the current hanging question of the day…

We’re also told a certain “Training Program Company” for college athletes will no longer be offering it’s trainees a trip to the Bahamas as part of it’s “coursework” for NFL Combine readiness due to “Improper Conduct” of some trainees the last few years. My suggestion: the Marines have several small sandbars just off Paris Island that they no longer use for amphibian training….

This writer is hoping that one of his favorite small college conferences, The Colonial Athletic Association, will be able to come up with some new teams to replace the ending of programs at Northeastern & Hofstra back in 2009, and the defection of UMass to the MAC conference after this season. We also keep hearing unsettling rumors of Villanova leaving for the Big East. One team beginning play in the CAA this year is Old Dominion. Big Ups to ODU’s Ronnie Cameron, a native Long Islander and former Holy Trinity H.S. Standout who this writer saw dominate in the Outback Steakhouse Empire all-star game a few years back before he spent his first few years playing college ball at Hofstra.

With the Pride football program slowly fading into memory these days, that leaves only one Division 1-AA (I know I know, I’m supposed to say FCS) program left on Long Island, Stonybrook, and only one other school on the Island, CW Post (In D-II) playing ball.

I hope in my next Installment of ST&OT I will be able to bring you some better news….

Football Reporters Online NFL Draft

11:10:00 AM

American Dream to Benefit Jets, Giants, & Meadowlands-By David Levy-Fan Experience Reporter-Football Reporters Online



(Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Standing in a building that has remained unchanged and likely to get over $200 million in tax incentives, Gov. Christie ushered in the arrival of the "American Dream" in North Jersey last week. The much-maligned and long-stagnant Xanadu development at the Meadowlands, which Christie called the "the ugliest damn building in New Jersey, and maybe America," along with everyone else who drives by it, will get a makeover by the Canadian developer who built Mall of America in Minnesota.

Next to the Jets and Giants stadium, with a dead-on view of the Manhattan skyline, the newly minted complex, called American Dream at Meadowlands, will feature high-end shopping, a 26-screen movie theater, nightclubs, a performing arts theater, restaurants, an indoor ice-skating rink, and an indoor ski slope (with moguls and a snowboard half-pipe), according to Triple Five, the developer.

And in a structural addition to the original Xanadu, there will be glass-domed amusement and water parks - with sand and palm trees. Triple Five has been know to do this in Mall of America and other malls across Canada. They design their malls to be places of destination for everything under one roof rather than finding entertainment is several locations.

Reuters reported that Triple Five will be developing the world's largest and most comprehensive retail, entertainment, amusement, recreation, and tourism project ever built. Not a bad way to help crate jobs and revenue for New Jersey. The economic impact for New Jersey would be $3.8 billion according to Triple Five.

Many might wonder how this will benefit the Jets and Giants. What this will do is add options to fans and families for weekend getaways. So instead of a Sunday of football, there is a weekend of activities. The Jets and Giants could run activities a few days before across the road to get people psyched up for Sunday's game. Not to mention tie ins and other pregame festivities run by the organizations.

Show up on a Friday night to a local hotel and have dinner at American Dream and do whatever fun activity there is to do. There is something there for every member of the family. On Saturday one can do so much in one location, why go anywhere else? Sunday is football. Those not attending the game will have restaurants to watch the game in, some will shop as other family members attend the game.

The project will get at least $200 million in tax incentives from the state, Christie said at a news conference last Tuesday inside the 2.4 million-square-foot, partially built structure. But he refused to provide more details about the deal his administration worked out with Triple Five. I am sure a lot of those breaks also include some incentives for certain NJ politicians.

The Sierra Club blasted the arrangement, releasing a statement even before the media tour of the facility was over. The environmental group said American Dream, sitting on the most valuable piece of real estate in New Jersey, would end up getting $350 million in tax subsidies once it expands, as it has planned. If NJ is in need of the business, jobs, and revenue, there should be not be given that much tax subsidies, but then again, NJ tax payers do not make those decisions.

Triple Five may want to call this the American Dream, but it is a nightmare to taxpayers that will pick the pockets of us regular New Jersey citizens. It is ludicrous that at a time when many are hurting financially, local governments are broke, and property taxes are rising, that we are subsidizing this monster mall.

According to the Christie administration, the complex will create more than 9,000 construction jobs and 30,000 permanent jobs once it opens. Officials expect between 50 million and 60 million annual visitors, with half of them tourists. Expect big numbers on football weekends as well. I am sure the teams will set up weekend packages with tickets.

Most of American Dream will open in the fall of 2013, in time for the Super Bowl scheduled to be played at the new Meadowlands stadium. One will wonder if American Dreams theater's will air the Super Bowl to keep patrons there. I am sure screens will air it all over the place to keep people shopping, riding rides, and doing what it takes to keep them there to spend money.

Triple Five plans to invest $1.5 billion atop the $2 billion already spent there, and expand by nearly a third, or one million square feet. The existing structure is well on its way to completion, with extensive aesthetic changes planned. Other essentials - such as escalators and the ski lift - also are in place.

One can only wonder if the expansion will take up more room in the non PSL parking. Will it create trouble for those parking by the Izod Center? Will this expansion do anything to disrupt the tailgating that goes on. No one can tailgate in the parking garage so that is out. Also, with the building through 2013, how will this affect fans parking for Jets and Giants games? We can only wait and see.

The theater at American Dream will have seating for 2,000 to 3,000 people. Screens in the center of the complex will change colors on football game day, depending on whether the Jets or Giants are playing next door. And there are plans to build either a bar or movie theater on an outdoor patio that has spectacular views of New York, about 10 miles to the east.





Most of all, Triple Five vowed to replace the massive multicolored exterior panels, so hated by Christie and most of us here in New Jersey. Driving by it it looks like a rust colored piece of trash. Triple Five plans to give it a more glowing feel so people will be amazed at it look from a distance.

The Jets and Giants have both been waiting for someone to pick it up across the road. With the American Dream coming in, it can only help their overall business from an off the field point of view. It provides more opportunities to hold events. The restaurants, stores, and other facilities might even have events or specials to help draw customers to spend more. Clothing stores will have sales on jets and Giants merchandise so fans can have it in time for the game on Sunday.

I am sure Triple Five has been in touch with the Jets and Giants. To see what opportunities it can provide each other. Not to mention what it can do to help each other make more revenue during the 2014 Super Bowl. Triple Five knew the opportunity and make a calculated decision. The NY teams will have a presence at American Dream. Might even see ESPN do some broadcasting from there at some point.

Once American Dream is completed, New jersey will have a another destination that many will flock to for vacations. We have Atlantic City, the Jersey shore, and now American Dream. Being close to NYC, it creates a good destination for those wanting to visit both. It also provide the Jets and Giants an opportunity to keep fans close for an entire weekend. But how will it benefit them financially? We can only wait and see. Right now, Triple Five & New jersey seem to be the only one set to profit.

Eds. Note: While we feel this is a great Idea to revamp the area and will provide additional jobs, it should NOT go on the backs of tax payers!

football NFL Football Reporters Online New Stadium

10:46:00 AM

Pro Football NYC Merges With Football Reporters Online

For General Release

Brooklyn, NY May 5, 2011

Pro Football NYC, the website created to preface the groundswell of excitement leading up to the 2014 Super Bowl in New York, has been annexed by Football Reporters Online, the long-standing, hard-hitting behind-the scene entity run by Dr Bill Chachkes.

John Fennelly, the founder of PFNYC, said in a statement today that the site would immediately fall under the FRO badge and diligently continue to cover the New York Football Scene.

In addition, Mr. Fennelly said he will no longer be involved in the day-to-day operations of the site, which was founded in March of 2010 and quickly became the fastest-growing NY-based sports site on the net.

Dr. Chachkes will assume the role as CEO and Managing Editor. The FRO staff and their affiliates will begin to migrate the site in next few weeks.

"I have full confidence in Bill and his team, that they will see this site to its fruition," said Fennelly. "He has been covering football for nearly four decades and no one knows the terrain better than he does."

“The Focus of PFNYC will not change, but will be enhanced by the combining of the two staffs into one,” said Dr. Chachkes “ “Even though John will no longer be a day to day contributor, he will continue to be a trusted advisor, and our staff will continue to support and submit written content to John’s “Giants Football Blog” at SNY.tv, and John will continue to broadcast with us on Tuesday evenings when he is able. We will continue to bring Football fans in NYC and across North America the story, and go deeper behind the story.”

Football Reporters Online nyc pro football

3:01:00 PM

(This is the 10th installment of the "Pro Draft Report" Presented by Football Reporters
Top 30 Centers Ranked for the 2011 NFL Draft
By Rafael Garcia Sr. Contributing Writer-Southeast Region-Football Reporters Online

1. Stefen Wisniewski C Penn State 6'3" 313 lbs. 40 Time: 5.26 Bench @225- 30x Sr. Wisniewski is very smart on and off the field. He excels in the classroom as well and teaches 10th grade English. He is the first Nittany Lion to start as a true freshman since 1999. He played guard his first two seasons and switched to center in his junior year. He is very sound fundamentally and knows how to use his body. He has NFL blood in him as his father and uncle both played on Sunday's before him. A very good interior lineman with good footwork. He will need to bulk up if he wants to play guard at the next level. He does not have that quickness or first step off the ball and he has to learn to use his hands better. He is also not the most athletic player on the field. He loves to do the work and could do very well in a zone blocking scheme. Loves to drive a player back with his leg strength to open holes for his backs. Very good at pulling in front of his backs too. He will become a great leader and expect him to play for many years in the NFL. Projected Round: 2

2. Rodney Hudson C Florida St. 6'2" 299 lbs. 40 Time: 5.27 Bench @225- 27x Sr. Hudson has been an All-American an won the Jacob's Blocking Trophy as the best offensive lineman in the ACC. He allowed only 1.5 sacks this year to go with just one penalty. Those are staggering numbers matched by no one in the conference. In the running game his blocking will need work because of his size. He is very quick off the snap and uses his size and leverage to make some big hits at times. Uses his hands to wrap and tackle blocker very effectively. Has very good technique when it comes to sealing off defender. Very good at the trap block using the defenders push to get to him and knock him to the ground. Is very quick to get to the point of contact and and get downfield to the second level.Has a tendency to bend too much and lose some balance in the process. He is undersized and could become a hidden gem at center in the future. His tendency to lunge cause him to miss badly on some tackles. He will have to bulk up to be able to sustain the punishment of the NFL. Projected Round: 2

3. Kristofer O'Dowd C USC 6'5" 300 lbs. 40 Time: 5.20 Bench @225- 31x Sr. O'Dowd is a very polished and experienced player. He is a very good run blocker that keeps his ground. He has above average leverage and is very good in pass protection. He is athletic and agile enough to get down the line of scrimmage. Has good size and is technically sound at his position. Gets off the ball quick and can get to the second level. He has battled knee and shoulder injuries during his collegiate career. Needs to improve his hand placement and learn to drive defenders off the line. He needs to improve his field vision as he has trouble locating quick pass rushers. Overall, he is very intelligent with great instincts and awareness. He has great work ethic and has played plenty of games against the best opposition in the land. He needs to become more physical and bulk up for the next level. His durability will be questioned. Projected Round: 4

4. Alex Linnenkohl C Oregon St. 6'2" 303 lbs. 40 Time: 5.36 Bench @225- 24x Sr. Linnenkohl may lack the height for his position, but that allows him to play with great leverage at the line. He is very good at getting around his blocks and getting to the next level. Shows agility in the pass game and possess decent athleticism. He is very quick off the line and uses his hands very well. Above average foot work, range and flexibility. Does not have the needed upper body strength. He shows that he has a good football mind and loves to hit defenders. He has a tendency to be overpowered by more physical defenders. His lack of power will make it hard to stick with his block for the whole play. He excels on the pull and pivot when trying to get his block. Looks to make an NFL roster in the future, probably in a zone-blocking scheme. Since he probably won't get any taller he will have to add a lot of bulk to sustain an NFL career. Projected Round: 5

5. Brandon Fusco C Slippery Rock 6'5" 305 lbs. 40 Time: 5.18 Bench @225- 26x Sr. Fusco is a very big and physical football player. His long arms allow him to dominate opposing players. He has great leverage and uses it exceptionally well in the run game. He has excellent footwork that allows him to make the block and get down field. He loves to put in the work and will undoubtably be a leader in the future. He does not have a lot of experience at his position and needs to improve on his pull. Does not possess the speed and agility, so he will need to work on that. Though he comes from a Division 2 school he is one of the highest ranked offensive lineman in the country. Once he gets to the second level and finds his block, defenders will not stand a chance. Durability should not be a question since he never missed a game during his career. As long as he continues to improve there is little doubt he will be a starter. Projected Round: 5

6. Tim Barnes C Missouri 6'4" 300 lbs. 40 Time: 5.18 Bench @ 225- N/A Sr. Barnes is very athletic and has the quickness needed to be a center. He is solid in pass protection and plays very aggressive football. He has good football smarts and could work in a zone blocking offense. Has a quick snap from center and his first step allows him to get to his defender. He shows good lower body work and agility. Very good at picking up stunts and moving in space. He will need to work on many things first. Film has shown that he stands straight up too much when blocking in the pass or run game. He must learn to use his leg drive much more. Does not work well against 3-4 defense. Needs to work on his anchor strength to hold off oncoming rusher. He has the potential to be a guard if he wants to. Projected Round: 6

7. Ryan Bartholomew C Syracuse 6'2" 300 lbs. 40 Time: 4.93 Bench @225- 34x Sr. He is a very solid overall player that excels in the passing game. His long arms allow him to keep his defender at a distance. He has very good lateral movement and has the power needed for his position. Has good footwork that allows him to be effective once he reaches the linebackers. He uses his legs to get the advantage against bigger defenders. Very good at getting into the proper position for the block. Has good field vision and recognition of the play. Has the tendency to not finish a play and needs to keep his head up more. He is very inconsistent in screen blocking. Needs to work more on his drive off the ball. His lack of height and weight may be an issue, but his strength and mobility are not. His combine numbers were very impressive, but he will need a whole lot more than that to make it. Projected Round: FA

8. Kevin Kowalski C Toledo 6'4" 299 lbs. 40 Time: 5.05 Bench @225- N/A Sr. Kowalski is a very smart player that possess the strength and power to stay at the next level. His recognition of blitzes and stunts are solid. He has very good footwork as well as getting the angles. He has the ability and experience to play guard. He has great work ethic on and off the field. He is very good at his reads and line calls. He is very solid at getting into position for the block. He is not very athletic and plays too high at times. He struggles with quicker defenders and needs to hold his block longer. He tends to lean into defenders too much and is a step to slow. Needs to improve his hand placement to offset his lack of size. Does not possess enough lower body strength. Projected Round: 6

9. Zach Williams C Washington St. 6'3" 309 lbs. 40 Time: 5.18 Bench @225- 28x Sr.
Williams is a hard worker who fights to get into position to make blocks. Effective puller who can blocks in space. Explosive blocks on the second level on screen passes. Picks up stunts and blitzes well. Very good awareness and field vision. Can get past defender and get to the second level. A waist bender with adequate at best strength. Inconsistent use of leverage. Lacks the foot quickness to slide over in pass pro against quicker rushers. Needs a better anchor in pass protection. Needs to work getting bulked up to be able to dominate at the next level. Projected Round: FA

10. Zane Taylor C Utah 6'2" 309 lbs. 40 Time: 5.61 Bench @225- 33x Sr. Taylor is one of the most underrated prospects in this draft. A very smart player with a good football IQ. He has excellent lateral movement and knows how to stay square. He knows how to use his hands and arms an possess enough upper body strength. Very good against the run and can drive his defender back. Good at the pull and getting to the second level. His footwork and effort make him a good open field blocker. Loves to play aggressive and as tough as nails. He works very hard at finishing off his block. His short arms won't help him and he gets beat by quicker defensive linemen. Needs to improve his field vision and reading the defense. He needs work against stunts, blitzes and stop lunging so much. He needs to learn his craft much more to stay on a team. Still, his versatility and upside should intrigue a few teams. Projected Round: FA

11. Jason Kelce C Cincinnati 6'4" 280 lbs. 40 Time: 4.93 Kelce plays hard nose, aggressive, don't stop till the whistle football. He loves to attack his opponent with his smack you in the mouth attitude. He is outstanding using his hands in pass protection and run blocking. Has the lateral quickness and good knee bend for a adequate base. Has a great anchor though his size may not show that. Has the strength to put his man down and get to the second level. Gets the good angle on stretch plays and can come off a double team as well. Very good snapper in the shotgun. In order to be more effective at the next level he will have to improve his base. Needs work on drive blocking and awareness. He needs to improve on help defense and his footwork. He is not very effective picking up stunts and blitzes. Projected Round: FA

12. Colin Baxter C Arizona 6'3" 311 lbs. 40 Time: 5.42 Bench @225- 22x Sr. Baxter is smart football player. Gives 100 % effort and is average in pass and run blocking. Needs to work on bulking up and his footwork. Injuries to his knee will worry some teams. Projected Round: FA

13. Ryan McMahon C Florida St. 6'2" 285 lbs. 40 Time: 5.16 Sr. McMahon is a very durable player starting 53 straight games during his career. He has a high football IQ with a lot of determination. His size will be an issue and he will have to work his tail off to play every Sunday for years to come. Projected Round: FA

14. Chase Beeler C Stanford 6'3" 285 lbs. 40 Time: 5.26 Sr. Beeler may be small for his position, but he is quick of the ball and to the block. Very good in pass protection with good vision and field awareness. Make good line calls and reads stunts and defenses pretty good. His size will be an issue as will his power. He will need more work as a run blocker. Projected Round: FA

15. J.C. Brignone C Mississippi St. 6'1" 304 lbs. 40 Time: 5.16 Sr. Brignone is a very intelligent player with excellent awareness. He is quick of his stance and is effective in pass protection. Does not posses the best athleticism or speed. Needs to work on field vision more. Gets bullied too much at times. Projected Round: FA

16. Alan Pelc C North Carolina 6'5" 302 lbs. 40 Time: 5.38 Sr. Pelc is very good on the angle block. Gets out of stance quick and prepared for the block in the pass and run game. Very limited player that needs to work on footwork, sealing off defender and his leg drive to name a few. Projected Round: FA

17. Howard Barbieri C Rutgers 6'5" 305 lbs. 40 Time: 5.34 Sr. Barbieri has very good size for a center in the NFL. Very strong with good hand work. Knows his assignments and gets to next level pretty quickly. He is another limited player that will need work on blocking, footwork and consistency. Projected Round: FA

18. Donovan Edwards C California 6'5" 295 lbs. 40 Time: 5.27 Sr. Edwards has good athleticism and technique for a big man. Reads and plays stunts very good. Gets to second level. Needs to be better at his footwork and using his hands in pass protection. Projected Round: FA

19. Ryan Pugh C Auburn 6'2" 300 lbs. 40 Time: 5.18 Sr. Pugh is another intelligent player that makes the right protection calls. Good at seeing the field and run block. He will need work on run blocking and his agility. Projected Round: FA

20. Julian Vandervelde C Iowa 6'2" 294 lbs. 40 Time: 4.90 Sr. Vandervelde is a good athlete with some quickness. Has good balance and can move laterally. Picks up stunts. His small frame will hinder him at the next level. Power is limited. Projected Round: FA

21. Colin Miller C Central Michigan 6'3" 299 lbs. 40 Time: 5.30 Sr.

22. Beau Warren C Virginia Tech 6'3" 292 lbs. 40 Time: 5.12 Sr.

23. Taylor Boggs C Humboldt St. 6'2" 294 lbs. 40 Time: 5.38 Sr.

24. Matt Allen C Texas A&M 6'3" 281 lbs. 40 Time: 5.23 Sr.

25. Brad Thorson C Kansas 6'4" 301 lbs. 40 Time: 5.29 Sr.

26. Brad Serini C Florida International 6'2" 296 lbs. 40 Time: 5.44 Sr.

27. Jordan Holmes C Oregon 6'4" 305 lbs. 40 Time: 5.58 Sr.

28. Chris Guarnero C California 6'3" 289 lbs. 40 Time: 5.34 Sr.

29. John Gianninoto C UNLV 6'3" 292 lbs. 40 Time: 5.25 Sr.

30. Ailao Eliapo C San Jose St. 6'1" 295 lbs. 40 Time: 5.25 Sr.

Football Reporters Online NFL Draft

7:15:00 AM

This is the 9th Installment of the "Pro Draft Report" presented by Football Reporters Online)

By Mark Kern-Writing Intern-Football Reporters Online



1. Mike Pouncey OL. 6’5’’ 303lbs 5.28 40 yd.

Pouncey is the brother of Pittsburgh Steelers lineman Maurkice Pouncey. Blessed with the same talent as his brother, Mike has a chance to be a very good lineman. He has all the physical tools and knows how to play. One thing Pouncey needs to do is to get a little stronger. Defensive lineman that are very strong are able to go through them every once in a while. Look for Mike to join his brother in being a first round pick somewhere around 13-18.

2. Tyron Smith OT 6’5’’ 307lbs 5.10 40yd.

Smith is an extremely raw tackle. He is not as polished as some of the other lineman in the draft, but is believed to have the most potential. He is a very athletic big man who can get out in lead the running back down the field. Will probably start out on the right side of the line, but has the capability to eventually play the left tackle for many years. He should be off the board right around the same time Pouncey does.

3. Anthony Costanzo OT 6’7’’ 295 5.2 40yd.

Constanzo is very intelligent football player that is going to play hard every play. Constanzo really excels in pass blocking; which he shown in a match-up with another potential first round pick DaQuan Bowers of Clemson. A slight on him is that he is tends to not keep the same intensity for lesser opponents. That will need to be fix as there are no plays off in the NFL. Overall, another outstanding lineman in this class and should be off the board from 18-21 in the first round.

4. Gabe Camiri OT 6’7’’ 325 lbs. 5.03 40 yd.

Camiri was a standout lineman that featured one of the best ground games in the country. He showed how good he was going against standout defensive linemen Adrian Clayborn and Cameron Heyward. He also showed a very good ability to get his block early and then get to the linebackers. He needs to get stronger in the legs and work on his footwork. Camiri will not make it past the Eagles at 23 and the Chiefs at 21 could take him as well.

5. Nate Solder OT 6’8’’ 319 lbs 4.96 40 yd.

Solder is a freak athlete. He weighs 320 pounds and is able to run a sub 5.0 40 yd. dash. This impressive athleticism including his incredible makes it very tough for the defensive end to get around him. A negative is that he only benched 225 21 times, so a lot of people say that he is weak and will struggle with big d-lineman. However, if you could get him to get stronger while keeping his athleticism, then you have a potential star at tackle. He will go in the later first round possibly to the Jets or Steelers.

6. Derrick Sherrod OT 6’5’’ 308 pounds 5.18 40 yd.

He is very athletic for a man his size. Once he gets his hands on you, he does not seem to let you go. When he gets someone smaller than him, he sometimes gets lazy and just tries to lean on them causing himself to lose his balance. Overall, he is a solid lineman who will be a bargain in the middle of the second round.

7. Danny Watkins T 6’4’’ 310 lbs. 5.46 40 yd.

He is the opposite of Solder. Watkins is kind of the old school a lot nastier physical lineman. Takes it upon himself to make sure the quarterback does not get hit. He was a huge reason why the Baylor Bears offense was so improved and helped lead them to a bowl. Watkins is still raw on his blocking and the fact that he will be 27 to start his rookie season will make some people pass on him. Smith will probably be an early 2nd round pick with a chance of sneaking in at the end of the first round if teams start drafting lineman.


8. Rodney Hudson C 6’2’’ 288 lbs 5.08 40 yd .

Hudson is a very athletic lineman that gets out and leads on the sweeps. He has a great understanding for the game and is able to help the quarterback out by making sure his lineman know who has who on different blitzes. Not extremely big guy that does have a tendency to struggle with the big defensive tackles. If drafted into a system that likes the quicker linemen, could develop into a very solid pro for many years.

9. Stefen Wisniewski, G 6’3’’ 295 lbs 5.11 40 yd.

Started the sixth game of the sixth game his freshman year and was the starter after that. He is thought to be a center and the NFL and with his athleticism has a real chance to be an elite center. A negative is that he struggles with his balance against a quick smaller rusher. He is the nephew of former pro-bowl and current Oakland Raiders offensive line coordinator Steve Wesniewski. There is a possibility that he could be reunited with his uncle early in the second round, but look for him to go more towards the later part of the second.

10. Ben Ijalana-OT/OG 6"3-1/4" 320 5.36 40 Yd.

Started 53 games for FCS powerhouse Villanova of the CAA. A quality lineman with very good feet and hands and good frame. Very bright young man who should have little trouble learning the NFL game if he has a year to "ease in." Better then average balance and flexibility. Not always as explosive off the snap as you might like, but can improve that with the right finishing. Might not be a OLT for most teams but could play anywhere else on the line.



11. Marcus Gilbert G/T 6’6’’ 315 lbs 5.53 40 yd.

Gilbert is extremely tough to get around as a defensive lineman. He is a very fluid athlete that shows the ability to get to the second level and block. Has a real tendency to just not put out the effort that is needed. He also does not finish blocks like he should. Talent-wise, he has the potential to be a high round draft pick, and if he can get his lazy streaky fixed, could be a huge steal in the third round.



12. James Carpenter OT 6’5 300lbs 5.02 40 yd.

Carpenter is another very athletic offensive lineman in this class. He went to Coffeyville Community College in Kansas to develop before going to Alabama and performing very well. He is very good at getting out and blocking downfield for his running back. He tends to block to finesse and does not just deliver the devastating block he is capable of. He is going to need some good coaching, but in the right system could be a very effective right tackle. He will probably be drafted in the second to third round

Sleeper: Marcus Cannon OT 6’6’’ 355 lbs 5.36 40 yd.

Cannon is as big as lineman as you will find. What has the scouts loving him is that for his size, he is extremely athletic and agile. He is very strong in the upper body bench-pressing 225 33 times. His main weakness is that he does not have a high football I.Q. He does not read a blitz very well, causing him to whiff on some blocks. However, the size and athleticism is too good to knock take a chance, he could go as high as 2nd round, but will probably go late third.

Football Reporters Online NFL Draft

10:42:00 PM

By Don Stokes-Senior Writer-Midwest Region-Football Reporters Online

Returning to the aforementioned Miami Dolphin dominance during the early part of the decade with 5 playoff seasons in a row and 3 straight Super Bowl appearances (1971- ’72 and ‘73). In the bright Oakland Coliseum sun the run finally concluded for the Fish. During the 1974 AFC Divisional round the two time defending champion Miami Dolphins lost a slugfest to the Oakland Raiders 28-26. When the Raiders QB Kenny Stabler fluttered an 8 yard pass to RB Clarence Davis in the end zone through the Miami “Sea of hands” with just 24 seconds remaining for the winning score, most football experts at the time stated the 1974 AFC Title game was just completed. The powerful Raiders had beaten the back to back Super Bowl Champions Dolphins surely they would easily beat their next opponent at home and go on to Super Bowl IX and become the NFL’s newest dynasty. Who was the “Silver and Black” opponent in that ‘74 AFC Championship game? The young and hungry Steelers of Pittsburgh, PA.
Pittsburgh did do one thing nearly better than any other team during that 1974 season. Their defense was proclaimed “The Steel Curtain” and played great football all season long. But they had a noticeable Achilles heel. For all of the teams who had made the NFL playoffs in 1974 everyone’s perceived strength was considered Pittsburgh’s biggest weakness. That was of course being the Quarterback position. The Steelers QB was in then his 5th year and still could not play with a level of consistency. Their now starting QB had actually lost his job to a 2nd year player early during that same season. Looking back if any one player had a right to have the preverbal “chip” on his shoulder during that time period it should be the Steelers Terry Bradshaw. Although because of his inconsistency at the position most of ills on the field was of his own accord. In telling Bradshaw’s account one must also mention another QB who just may have helped pushed Bradshaw to finally play up to his potential. The casual NFL fan born after 1970 may not recall the colorful name of one Jefferson Street Joe Gilliam, a lanky, rail thin man of color with a powerful arm. The tale of this duel began with Bradshaw joining an up and coming Steelers team in 1970.
Despite being the 1st pick of that year’s NFL draft the rocket armed University of Louisiana blond bomber Terry Bradshaw struggled the first 4 seasons of his career. Bradshaw still led Pittsburgh to 2 straight playoff appearances in 1972 and 1973 but his play at quarterback was continually erratic. By 1974 the Steelers knew were ready to seriously contend for an NFL Championship. But their 5 year quarterback unfortunately Bradshaw still was not. During the ’74 pre-season Steeler Head Coach Chuck Noll had enough of his gifted but frustrating passer. He also knew third year pro Joe Gilliam had the physical skills to compete against Bradshaw while the other vet on the roster (QB Terry Hanratty) did not. Joe beat out Bradshaw and won the starting job. Gilliam played well early. Beginning with the 1974 season opener, a 30-0 win against the Colts (257 yards) then a week 2 35-35 tie against the Broncos (348 yards) Joe Gilliam was the talk of the National Football League. But Gilliam’s success was short lived. An 8 for 31 passing performance for 106 yards during a week 3 (17-0) loss against the Raiders began the slide. Although the Steelers rebounded with wins against Houston, Kansas City and Cleveland Joe’s play was not impressive. Other factors (to be mentioned later in this piece) may have contributed to Joe Gilliam regression but he began to spiral out of control.
Coach Noll, who some later argued did not show the same patience with Jefferson Street Joe (4-1-1 in his starts)after 6 games as he did with the 4 seasons of unpredictable play with Bradshaw soon pulled the plug on the Joe Gilliam experiment. Terry was returned as the starter for the remainder of the season first beating the Raiders in the AFC Title game, then leading Pittsburgh to their 1st Super Bowl victory against Minnesota 16-6. Regarding the Jefferson Street Joe Gilliam story? It’s a sad one with a “What might have been” ending. Substance abuse dogged his brief career in Pittsburgh. After Gilliam received his 2nd Super Bowl ring Coach Noll, growing weary of his personal issues released him in 1975. His NFL career was over. With Gilliam athletic abilities and raw talent maybe Noll used him to push Terry to become a better quarterback in 1974.
By the 1975 season Terry Bradshaw had become a Pro bowl QB. After back to back championship seasons in 1974-’75 and 1978-’79 the Steelers impressive run had ended by 1980. The final total: 4 Super Bowls wins in 6 years. Terry Bradshaw by that time had become the 2 time Super Bowl MVP Hall Famer bound QB finishing his career at a still high level. Bradshaw most surely would have played a few more seasons if not for an elbow injury which hastened his retirement. Bradshaw played in but one game the entire 1983 season, the final one of the year. Terry started and threw the final two touchdown passes of his career during the Steelers 34-7 win against the Jets. A pop in his elbow after a 2nd quarter TD pass signaled the end of his playing career. With Bradshaw’s elbow being a season long problem it gave an opportunity for his back up 5th year pro Youngstown State’s Cliff Stoudt to show his skills. Stoudt played well enough to win 9 games and lead Pittsburgh to the AFC Central crown.
Terry Bradshaw’s 1978 NFL MVP (top) last winning Super Bowl season and Cliff Stoudt’s (bottom) 1983 best NFL season
Games Att Comp Pct% Yards TD INT Rating
16 368 207 56.3 2915 28 20 84.7
16 381 197 51.7 2553 12 21 60.6

As stated before Stoudt led the Steelers to a playoff berth in 1983 were they were soundly beaten by the eventual Super Bowl Champion LA Raiders in the AFC Divisional round 38-10. With both QB’s interceptions were a problem but in the case of Terry Bradshaw there was much more productivity than Stoudt via the TD passes. With any team success (especially in Steel Town) there is a harsh reality from fans when you follow a successful winner at the hot spot of QB, much is expected. In the case of Cliff Stoudt, after a 9-2 start struggled towards the end of the season losing 3 straight games. To right the ship a tender elbowed Bradshaw volunteered to play the regular season finale at Shea Stadium against the Jets. Sometimes great results by both the media and fans are expected and expected quickly. And, also sometimes for some players the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. Or in the case of Cliff Stoudt the green was money from another league: The United States Football League. The USFL Birmingham Stallions signed Stoudt to play for them in 1984. For 2 seasons he played quite well for Birmingham throwing for 60 TD passes. But the league itself was unstable. Unfortunately the USFL took the NFL on in court. And congrats to them, they won their lawsuit. What was the USFL winning judgment? One single lonely buck. The new league was done and for the most part so was Stoudt’s career. After stops with the Cardinals and Dolphins it ended in Dallas on their practice squad in 1991.
As the mighty Steeler dynasty was ending by 1980, a new one began in the City by the Bay in San Francisco, CA by 1981. For many seasons before the San Francisco 49ers were called many different things. They were called also rans, bridesmaids all the like. But they were never crowned an NFL champion until the arrival of Bill Walsh. In the beginning no one would have believed this because the 49ers had fallen upon hard times. Everyone knows the story of Walsh coming from Paul Brown’s Cincinnati’s via Don Coryall’s Chargers and the 2-14 record during his 1st season as 49ers head coach in 1979. During that uneventful ’79 season new head coach Walsh was blessed with not just 1 but 2 young QB studs. The incumbent was the 2nd year starter Steve DeBerg, who started 15 of the 16 games in ’79 and threw for over 3600 yards and led the NFL in pass completions. The other quarterback was a rookie who started just one game that season, a week 14 loss against the NFC Champion Los Angeles Rams: A 3rd round pick from the University of Notre Dame, Joe Montana. By the 1980 NFL season both Steve DeBerg (9 starts) and Joe Montana (7 starts) were splitting time at QB with each having their ups and downs. Despite winning but 2 games as a starter in ’80 but still leading the NFL in completion percentage with 64.5% the decision made to keep Montana over DeBerg. After the 1980 season the 49ers traded Steve DeBerg (to the Denver Broncos….. remember DeBerg’s name but that’s another story for later) before the start of the 1981 season and named Joe Montana the full time starter at quarterback.
Some possible reasons: Although not blessed with great foot speed or a rocket throwing arm, what Montana did bring to the table was an ability to find the open man and quick feet to avoid the pressure of a pass rush. Something the somewhat stationary Steve De Berg did not have. Another possible reason was the West Coast offense system that Walsh implemented which calls for a more mobile and accurate type of passer. A bigger reason may have been Montana’s ability to coolly bring his team back from seemly insurmountable odds. One of the two games Montana won that 1980 season was a 38-35 win against the Saints with the 49ers trailing 35-7 at the half that may have helped open Walsh’s eyes about Montana’s leadership skills for his very young team. By 1981 the San Francisco 49ers rise to the top was the surprise of the National Football League with a 13-3 mark. Leading the young 49ers into the NFC Playoffs, Montana led San Francisco over the Giants in the 1st round. Now “Americas Team” the battle tested Dallas Cowboys awaited. With a historic Dwight Clark pass from Montana (“The Catch”) now in NFL lore the San Francisco 49ers moved on to Super Bowl XVI. Joe Montana was voted Super Bowl MVP as the 49ers beat Cincinnati 26-2I. A Super Bowl type layover hit the 49ers in 1982 crashing with a 3-6 strike shortened record.
But by 1984 the 49ers again were back on top of the football world by beating the Dan Marino led Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX 38-16. However by the ’86 campaign Joe Montana, after numerous injuries was feeling the effects of years of lingering back pain and his continued excellent play was at that point in question. With that in mind the 49ers made a steal of a deal that would allow them continued success far into the next decade. The victim of the theft: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs drafted their seemly new franchise QB with their 1st pick of the 1987 NFL draft: The University of Miami’s Vinnie Testaverde. Already on the Buccaneers roster at the end of the 1986 season was veteran QB Steve DeBerg (remember him?) and the extremely mobile but still raw University of Brigham Young QB Steve Young. Coach Walsh was so impressed with the athletically gifted Young he traded an 2nd and a 4th rounder for the USFL castoff. With the arrival of Steve Young by 1987 the 49ers had the QB necessary to remain a football dynasty for many more years to come. But Joe Montana by all means wasn’t finished just yet. Montana and the 49ers returned to the Super Bowl winning in back to back seasons in 1988 and 1989. By 1994 San Francisco with Steve Young finally entrenched under center as the starter won Super Bowl XXIX against the San Diego Chargers 49-26.

Here are the stats for Joe Montana’s (top) 1989 last Super Bowl winning NFL season and Steve Young’s (bottom) 1994 NFL Super Bowl winning season

Games Att Comp Pct% Yards TD INT Rating
13 386 271 70.2 3521 26 8 112.4
16 461 324 70.3 3969 35 10 112.8

Looking at both Hall of Famers stats in those Super Bowl winning seasons their numbers are eerily similar in productivity. Montana played just 13 games in 1989 and still averaged 270 passing yards per game. Young (who started slow because of a thumb injury) averaged 248 yards passing in 16 games in 1994. Their completion % is but .1 percentage point difference. And their passing rating is just .4 points apart. And both were voted the NFL MVP in their respective seasons. But as far as their careers were concerned they ended in very different ways. For Joe Montana a pre-season elbow tendon injury before the 1991 season caused him to miss all of 1991 and all but one game of the 1992 season. With Young’s growth and success on the field this effectively ended Joe’s time as a San Francisco 49er starting QB. Sensing the 49ers split in the locker room Joe requested a trade and found new life as a Kansas City Chief in 1993. Along with another reclamation project RB Marcus Allen, Montana led the surprising Chiefs to an AFC Title game appearance and for him another Pro Bowl. In 1994 the 38 year old Montana again led the Chiefs to another playoff berth. But just as in his very 1st NFL start Joe Montana’s NFL career ended with a loss this time in an AFC Wildcard game against the Dolphins 27-17.
While Montana was traded from Candlestick to Arrowhead in the spring of 1993 Steve Young’s career took off. Only the Dallas Cowboys ended their seasons in both the 1992 and 1993 NFC Championship games. By 1994 as Joe’s career was winding down, Steve Young’s was on the rise. He finally overcame the Cowboys for the NFC Title. A Super Bowl record 6 TD passes by the game’s MVP Young soon followed. He like his QB rival Joe Montana had now become both a 49er and NFL icon. The following years for Steve Young were successful statistically for him as he led the NFL in passing in 1996 and 1997. But not for the 49ers team in general, for they have not returned a Super Bowl since the 1994 season. With Young the injuries began to mount up as the years went by. Being an athletic running type of passer Young suffered numerous concussions through out his career. The final career ender for Steve occurred on a Monday Night Football game week 3 encounter against the Cardinals in 1999. Young was forced to retire with post-concussion syndrome. Just like Montana before him, the doors of Canton opened wide for Steve Young making the San Francisco 49ers one of the few teams in NFL history to have two Super Bowl winning QB’s in the Pro Football’s Hall Of Fame.

Coming soon Part 3: Troy Aikman, Aaron Rodgers and ……… The happy sack play in the desert.

football NFL Football Reporters Online

4:35:00 AM