OrangeMan or (The Unexpected Sadness of Coaching Searches)

The past few nights, some time around 4 am, I have stumbled to this desktop, or gotten on my tablet, and opened twitter.  Instead of scrolling through to see what the random celebrities, wrestling personas, and sportswriters I follow have to say, I immediately search the following phrase- "Syracuse Coach".  I do this because, after a 4-8 season, my alma mater Syracuse University fired their football coach Scott Shafer.  It was time for him to go.  The football team, while putting in some great efforts in losses to much better teams like Clemson and LSU, once again failed to qualify for bowl eligibility.  There were other problems as well.  Shafer let QB Eric Dungey play when he may have had a concussion, and at best was beat up pretty bad.  Shafer started lashing out at the media, which you can really only get away with when you have the clout of winning behind you, like Nick Saban.  Shafer, having gone 3-9 and 4-8 the past two years, had none of that.  So, new AD Mark Coyle decided to go in a different direction.  I have no problem with that.  Shafer wasn't winning, and wasn't his guy.  We move on.

So what now? What comes next?  That is where the problem starts.

Since I arrived on Syracuse's campus as a bearded freshman in the late summer of 2004, there have been two constants about Orange sports- The basketball team is pretty damn good, and the football team is pretty damn bad.  I got to suffer through the Greg Robinson era.  I felt the pain when Doug Marrone, who looked like he had turned Cuse back into a perennial bowl contender, left to coach the Buffalo Bills, leaving Shafer behind to coach.  I have seen attendance drop, and every ACC football team other than Wake Forest use us as a doormat.  Long story short, the Syracuse football head coaching position isn't what it used to be.  The previous decade has made placed us firmly in the bottom third of Power 5 conference coaching position.  How can we attract a good candidate?

It doesn't help, of course, that 15 schools needed a new head coach, whether by firing or retiring.  So, the powers that be decided to take a proactive approach and fly to meet candidates even before Syracuse's last game of the season.  The man to get, according to everyone with an opinion, was Oregon offensive coordinator Scott Frost.  He is one of the masterminds behind the high-octane offense that put Nike U on the map, and has learned from two of the better college coaches in Chip Kelly and Mark Helfrich.  How amazing would that offense be in the weather-controlled environment of the Carrier Dome?  He was an obvious choice.  So Coyle went.  He met.  He offered $1.2 million a year, roughly what Shafer was paid.  And then Frost took the opening at 0-12 UCF.

0-12.

Winless.

He chose them over Jim Brown's alma mater. Over Donovan McNabb's alma mater.  Over the school that made Chandler Jones, Art Monk, Marvin Harrison, Larry Csonka, Ernie Davis, Floyd Little, and Dwight Freeney, among many others.

That is how far Syracuse has sunk.  We can't even be a stepping stone for a super-ambitious young coach.  I say stepping stone because there is no chance Frost stays at UCF for long.  He is simply biding his time until his alma mater, Nebraska, decides to fire their head coach.  That, by the way, may not be long since this is the school that fired Bo Pelini, and all he did was win at least 9 games a year every year.

So what now?  What comes next?  The problem continues.

Now that we know we lost out on Coyle's main guy, alumni are starting to get nervous.  What if we can't get any good candidate?  What if we end up with some retread old coach like Greg Schiano?  Sure, he was good at Rutgers after a while, but his epic failure in the NFL must have hurt his appeal a bit.

What if the next best option takes a different job?  Apparently Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Chris Ash may be the next man up.  There is also Bowling Green head coach Dino Babers, who would bring that same spread offense to the Dome, but would bring some head coaching experience as well.  Babers was rumored to have locked up the UCF job, but after denying he took it (he wanted to concentrate on his team playing in the MAC championship game this Friday) had it taken away.  Either one of those might be attractive names to Syracuse.  They may also be attractive names to Rutgers. Or UVA. Or Minnesota.

Syracuse fans are hurt right now.  We are the jilted lover.  The guy we thought we loved, the rough, hard-nosed type that the players all loved, turned out to not be that great of a coach.  Then, the hot new guy we fell in love with at first sight (His name is Frost, for Christ's sake.  How perfect would that be at Cuse?) spurned us for some Florida bimbo he will leave in a little bit anyway for a more familiar Midwestern love.  We are afraid that we won't find the right coach for us.  We are even more afraid that there just isn't a coach for us at all.  We might be doomed to wander the landscape of college football alone, without someone to nurture the program back to prominence.  If Ash or Babers isn't the pick, take other jobs, and we have to dive even deeper into the potential head coaches pool, we may be inconsolable.  Meanwhile, at prime recruiting time, those young men are seeing us get rejected and thinking, "Why should I go there?  No one likes them anyway."

Syracuse football will have a head coach next season.  It may be the 7th choice.  It may be the 2nd choice.  We know it won't be the 1st.  As great as Syracuse sports have been so far this year (men'ss and women's basketball both ranked, National Champions in field hockey and men's cross country), this massive cloud hanging over the football program just blocks all that beautiful sun.  Its a cloud that will not go away until we have a new coach the players, administration, alumni and fans can be excited about and proud of.

So what now?  What comes next?  The problem has to end eventually.

Until then, we'll be crying in the corner listening to Adele.

How to Fix the Nationals? Part 2

Before I even got a chance to write this, the Nationals took the most obvious step towards changing things from last season: They fired Matt Williams this morning.  Look, he is a really nice guy, knows the game (especially hitting) pretty well.  However, he was completely in over his head with this team.  He has no idea how to manage pitching, which at one point was this team's strength.  He lost the clubhouse and the fans.  He had to go.  I am sure he will end up on his feet somewhere soon, though, as a great hitting coach.

The more surprising move is that the Nats fired the entire coaching staff.  Many of those guys, especially beloved bench coach Randy Knorr, have been there since the team either came to DC, or before the franchise became good.  It will be tough losing them all, though I am sure they will all have major league jobs next season if they so desire.  I could still envision Randy Knorr getting an interview for the head job with the Nats if he chooses.

So, now that Matt Williams is gone, who takes over a team with so much talent and so little to show for it?  Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post wrote a great piece looking at various options, the most intriguing to me being Bud Black, Dave Martinez, and Ron Wotus.  All three have some sort of managerial experience, even as a bench coach.  Bud Black clearly has the most time as a leader, even though his time in San Diego wasn't spectacular, it was solid for a team that didn't want to spend much money.  Plus, he understands pitching much better than Williams.  Both Martinez and more-so Wotus come from under the tutelage of winning managers, and may just need the chance to shine on their own.

There are other names out there for sure.  MASN's Byron Kerr brings up two interesting options, both with a JR after their name- Nats AAA manager Billy Gardner, Jr and Orioles Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr.  Call was a popular name when Matt Williams was hired, and would be viewed as something of a shot across the bow of that team in Baltimore.  However, he has zero managerial experience, and coming off of Williams' failures, I doubt that would be an option.  Gardner has managed in the minors for 21 years, was the 2014 International League Manager of the Year, but his Syracuse Chiefs struggled to a 66-78 record this year.  It may not be his time just yet.

The final name I would like to toss out, just because we know he can win and has the Hall of Fame clout to get guys to listen to him, is Tony La Russa.  I know, he is retired and has a front office position with the Diamondbacks.  However, the allure of being able to manage Bryce Harper and Max Scherzer for an extended period of time has to be appealing on some level to anyone that loves the game of baseball as much as La Russa does.  He is the type of manager that could come in, even at 71 (just turned 71 on 10/4. Happy Birthday!), get guys to buy in, and win a championship.  Just an idea.


So there you have it.  The Nats search for a manager has officially begun.  The free agents will all be gone soon, and the appropriate moves have to be made.  For a team that had such high hopes, this season was a massive failure and extreme disappointment.  It is possible to fix the Nationals.  But will that fix be an easy one?

How to Fix the Nationals? Part 1

It goes without saying that my beloved Washington Nationals crapped the bed this season.  Aside from Bryce Harper's MVP campaign, there is very little to be happy about.  Sure, Stephen Strasburg has been excellent since coming back from his injury.  However, his injury history itself is a problem, much like Jayson Werth, Ryan Zimmerman, and now Anthony Rendon.  Of course, the massive issue of an inept manager could be the biggest issue, but I will be saving that for Part 2 of this piece.  Instead, Part 1 will look at the projected 25-man roster for next year as I see it, and how I would tweak it to make the team better.  I think that GM Mike Rizzo, pictured above, should listen to these.  This also assumes the loss of all free agents the team has, so Ian Desmond, Jordan Zimmermann, Denard Span, Doug Fister, and some bullpen arms/bench players.  We'll start with the position players:

Starters in italics:

1B: Ryan Zimmerman, Clint Robinson
2B: Danny Espinosa, Trea Turner
3B: Anthony Rendon
SS: Yunel Escobar
C: Wilson Ramos, Jose Lobaton
LF: Jayson Werth, Tyler Moore
CF: Michael A Taylor, Matt den Dekker
RF: Bryce Harper

Aside from losing Denard Span to free agency, which I am still not sure is going to happen considering how much better the team played with Span in the lineup, this is how I see the starters and the bench.  Michael A. Taylor starts in CF to replace Span.  Yunel Escobar moves over to his natural position of SS because Desmond is gone.  This also moves Anthony Rendon back to 3B, which is his best position.  The question will be who starts at 2B.  Danny Espinosa certainly earned a chance to start with his fill-in duty this year, and isn't a free agent until 2018.  However, GM Mike Rizzo may choose to keep the super utility man on the bench and start either Trea Turner at 2B (where he has been playing since he was called up), or a more natural 2B like Wilmer Difo.  Both Espinosa and Turner are Clint Robinson has had a stellar rookie campaign, is a great left-handed bat off the bench, and can play 1B, 3B, or the corner outfield positions.  Matt Den Dekker can play all three outfield positions, has shown power himself, and is another lefty option.  Switch-hitting Lobaton will once again be the backup, but may earn himself more playing time if Wilson Ramos has another down year.

There is some talk of adding another bat to the lineup.  I don't think that is necessary.  Given that the team has all of those bench players under contract for significant amounts of time, relying on them and a potent-when-healthy lineup should be the way to go, especially if the Lerner family doesn't want to spend much money.  The pitchers, on the other hand, could be a different story.

Starting Rotation

1. Max Scherzer. RHP
2. Stephen Strasburg, RHP
3. Gio Gonzalez, LHP
4. Joe Ross, RHP
5. _____________

That 5th spot will be a pretty big hole to fill if the Nationals do not re-sign Jordan Zimmermann.  Jordan is, quite simply, the best pitcher in the history of the Washington Nationals franchise (2005-present).  He was also the most consistent pitcher.  Replacing what he brought will be extremely difficult.  However, there may only be enough money to keep him or Strasburg along with Max, and Strasburg, when he is healthy and focused, has the better stuff.  So, what does the team do if it loses Zimmermann?  Top prospect LHP Lucas Giolito may be ready, though he is only 21 and has never pitched above AA.  The team could use a placeholding starter like Taylor Jordan, or move Tanner Roark back to the rotation full time until Giolito has some more experience.  There may be a cheap veteran on the market as well, a la Dan Haren a few years ago.  Even with that big hole at the #5 spot, however, the rotation isn't the biggest issue.  That is clearly the bullpen.

Bullpen

1. Jonathan Papelbon, RHP
2. Drew Storen, RHP
3. Casey Janssen, RHP
4. Blake Trienan, RHP
5. Craig Stammen, RHP
6. Tanner Roark, RHP
7. Felipe Rivero, LHP

Yeah, there are a few issues there.  First, only having one lefty reliever is foolish, even if Felipe has shown that he is probably the best arm out of the bullpen.  Losing Matt Thornton to free agency will be a big blow, and is one I personally feel should be avoided.  Here is how you make room to keep him, and add some more dependable arms:

1- Buy out Casey Janssen.
          Janssen has a $1.5 million buyout on his projected $7 million mutual option this offseason.  He cannot come back to the team for that much money.  Instead, he should be bought out, and the money saved should be used to re-sign Thornton.  If Thornton is not the option, then bring up lefty Matt Grace full time in the 'pen.

2- Keep Blake Trienan in AAA
          Trienan has a power arm.  He can get up to 99 on the gun.  The problem is, he only throws straight fastballs, and has no go-to get-out pitch, like a great changeup or breaking ball.  Opposing teams have figured him out.  He has to stay in AAA Syracuse until he develops that second or third pitch.

3- Trade/dump Papelbon and Storen
          Jonathan Papelbon is a cancer.  He has proven to be that by headhunting against Manny Machado, and starting a fight with the MVP Bryce Harper.  He was brought to DC in a move that proved to be a massive mistake.  After he arrived, the entire bullpen went to hell and the Nats collapsed.  I don't care that he is due $11 million guaranteed next year, or that he has a partial no trade clause.  If I am Mike Rizzo, I would promise to pay at least 3/4th of his contract, or just pay it in full and release him.  Drew Storen, whose amazing fall from grace the second Papelbon arrived is worthy of a Greek tragedy, would be better served elsewhere as well.  Since Storen has shown that, when he has the faith of the organization behind him he can be a reliable closer, he could be a valuable trade piece, perhaps as part of a deal to get a new starter.  However, Rizzo holds a grudge, so I imagine we would have seen the last of Drew Storen in a Nats uniform.

4- Sign Darren O'Day
          O'Day is an unrestricted free agent this offseason, after spending some great years in Baltimore.  He is coming off the best season of his career, and was a 2015 All Star.  O'Day has shown to be reliable and durable, can be an excellent set up man, or could even close.  He would be a fantastic addition to the bullpen.  I, for one, was arguing that the team should have traded for him during the year instead of Papelbon.  Who knows what would have happened then?

The bullpen, after these moves, would look like this:

1. Matt Thornton, LHP
2. Felipe Rivero, LHP
3. Craig Stammen, RHP
4. Darren O'Day, RHP
5. Tanner Roark, RHP
6. ________
7. ________

The final two spots could be won in Spring Training, or filled by another free agent signing.  AJ Cole, Sammy Solis, Erik Davis, or Rafael Martin would all be solid options.  I, personally, believe that Rivero has the stuff to be an extremely effective closer, with O'Day as his set up man.  I think that this is still an improvement over the current bullpen situation.



So there you have it, a rough look at next season's 25 man roster, with some major changes to the bullpen.  Will all of this matter, of course, if Matt Williams returns as manager?  Stay tuned for Part 2 to find out.

JFLANland's 2015 NFL Season Picks!

Football starts tonight, my friends.  I am extremely excited, not only because of football's own glory, but because I means I don't have to worry about that damned disappointment of a baseball team I root for.  I could do an entire season preview, and still may before Sunday, but instead I will just give you my playoff picks for this season.  These are the teams I think will win their divisions, as well as the two wild card teams for each conference.  We'll start in the NFC:

NFC East: Dallas Cowboys
NFC South: Atlanta Falcons
NFC North: Green Bay Packers
NFC West: Seattle Seahawks
Wild Cards: Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals

I think that the easiest picks for the playoffs this year in the NFC are the Packers and Cowboys.  While I am sure that the Eagles and Giants can give Dallas a run for their money, I still think the Cowboys are a bit too talented to miss out on the division.  Also, I do not think that Sam Bradford will last the season, so the Eagles will fall off towards the end of the season.  The Packers are clearly the class of the North, even without Jordy Nelson, and even with the Vikings getting better.

The NFC South should once again be a ridiculous mess.  The Saints have improved their offensive line, but lost their best weapon in Jimmy Graham.  The Panthers have already lost Kelvin Benjamin.  The Bucs are still extremely young.  Give me the Falcons.  They have the most experience, possibly the most talent, and new coaches to give the franchise some energy.

The Seahawks and the Cardinals will have the closest race in the NFC.  As long as Carson Palmer stays healthy, the Cardinals have a chance to win the division.  However, given his track record, there is nothing to suggest that Palmer will, so the Seahawks will take the division again.  I'll take those improving Vikings to hold off the Giants, Panthers, and Eagles for the 2nd Wild Card.


AFC East: New England Patriots
AFC South: Indianapolis Colts
AFC North: Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC West: Denver Broncos
Wild Cards: Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs

The Colts are a complete given to win the South.  If they don't, they will be the biggest disappointment in the NFL.  I think that the Patriots will come back angry as hell, and do their best to run rampant over their schedule.  Denver, too, should be the favorite in the West, even if Peyton is another year older.  They still have the best weapons of any team in that division, and a solid defense.

The AFC North is always the toughest division to predict.  The Bengals are always in the discussion under Marvin Lewis, but merely flop once they get to the playoffs.  The Ravens have been the model of consistency since drafting Joe Flacco, almost always getting to the playoffs and getting that one Super Bowl win.  However, I think that the boys in Baltimore lost a bit too much firepower on offense to keep up with the Steelers, who have a great QB, excellent running back, and one of the best wideout corps in football.

The Wild Cards in the AFC are much more difficult to pick than the NFC.  Baltimore, Houston, Miami, KC, San Diego, and Cincinnati are all realistic options.  Some think that the Jets or Bills could also make a push with their new coaches and strong defenses, though their QB questions will keep them out in my eyes.  Give me Miami and KC.  Ryan Tannehill has gotten better every year, they have excellent young position players, and the team added Ndamukong Suh to their defense.  Kansas City is just a team that screams Wild Card to me. Alex Smith, Jamaal Charles, Jeremy Maclin, and a solid defense should put them above the rest of the contenders.



I won't go so far as to predict my conference champions yet, though I do like the Packers,Cowboys, Steelers and Colts to get to the championship games.  Hopefully your team, whoever it may be, will do well this season.  Or, if you are like me, hopefully your team is bad enough where they have an excellent draft pick.  Enjoy the season, readers!

The 2015 New York Mets aka 2012 Washington Nationals

     

      It is all but officially over for my Washington Nationals after last night's complete collapse against the NL East-leading New York Mets.  I won't get into that.  It is far too depressing for me at the moment.  But, upon watching these Mets (so, basically, the past month and a half), I see a very familiar team.  In fact, I see the 2012 Washington Nationals.  It goes beyond the fact that the Mets were not picked by many (or any) to win the division, like the Nats were back in 2012.  There are some strikingly similar lineup and rotation similarities.

      First, we can start with the pitching.  The 2012 Washington Nationals were anchored by three great young star pitchers in Gio Gonzalez, Jordan Zimmermann, and Stephen Strasburg, along with steady work from Edwin Jackson and Ross Detweiler.  They finished with a team ERA of 3.33.  Strasburg, who had shown flashes of brilliance before, was recovering from Tommy Johns surgery, had an innings limit, and there was a great controversy about whether or not he should be shut down.  In the end he was, and the national media credits that with the team's loss in the playoffs (not the bullpen collapse, which is a common issue in DC it seems).

      These Mets are anchored by three great young star pitchers in Jacob DeGrom, Noah Syndegaard, and Matt Harvey, along with steady work from Johnathan Neise and age-defying stuff from Bartolo Colon.  They currently have a team ERA of 3.37.  Harvey, like Strasburg, has shown he can be dominant, but is recovering from Tommy Johns, is approaching an innings limit, and there are massive rumblings out of Queens that if Harvey doesn't give it his all, the fans will turn and want him traded immediately.  The plan right now is for Harvey to essentially be shut down, but come back and pitch a little in the playoffs, though no more than 50 or so pitches and probably only one appearance per series.  If you thought the media was hard on the Nationals for Strasburg, imagine what just New York writers will do to the Mets.

      Next, we have some of the similarities in the lineup.  True, these seemed to manifest themselves a lot more after the Mets made some great moves at the deadline, thus rejuvenating their lineup and remembering how to hit.  Since then, they have managed to pair younger or new guys on amazing hot streaks like Wilmer Flores and Yoanis Cespedes with veterans or journeymen who get to see more pitches to hit.  Some of these guys would be Curtis Granderson, Lucas Duda, Daniel Murphey, and even Juan Uribe before David Wright came back.  This has turned a struggling offense into one of the most potent in baseball, consistently scoring 14 runs a game as if it was normal.

      The 2012 had a similar pairing of young stars with effective journeymen.  The arrival of Bryce Harper to the major leagues put everyone on notice of his ability, as he hit 22 home runs that Rookie of the Year season.  Silimarly, Ian Desmond put together his first of three Silver Slugger campaigns.  If you add those to the 35 and 36 HR efforts of Ryan Zimmerman and Adam LaRoche, plus the emergence of former bench player Michael Morse to dominance and Jayson Werth's consistent (when healthy) play, you find a lineup with great scoring ability.  The 2012 Nationals averaged 4.51 runs per game, 0.3 runs ahead of these Mets' 4.21.

      But the similarities do not end there!  Both teams also suffered injuries to their young starting catchers, as well as to their team's veteran leader.  Travis d'Arnaud broke his wrist this April and has only appeared in 48 games.  Wilson Ramos tore his ACL in 2012 after only 25 games, and missed the rest of the season.  David Wright had issues with his back, and has only recently returned to the lineup, having played just 20 games.  Jayson Werth broke his wrist on a Sunday night game vs the Phillies, and ended up with only 81 games played.  See?  Doesn't sound so crazy after all.

      Finally, there is the division competition.  Well, this might be where the team differ, actually.  The 2012 Nationals won 98 games, the most in baseball, winning the NL East by 4 over the favored Braves.  There is almost no chance the Mets are going to win that many games.  Furthermore, the Mets wouldn't even have enough wins to be the Wild Card if they were trailing in the division.  However, the Mets are winning (or being handed) enough games to hold off the 2015 Nationals, their only real competition in the worst division in baseball.

The interesting matchups for the Mets begin in the playoffs.  Can their inexperienced crew overcome their first round opponent?  Are they doomed to heartbreak like the 2012 Nationals?  If the similarities are truly there, I wouldn't doubt it.

Syracuse Football Schedule: Any Chance of a Bowl?

          Happily, it is almost football season.  For me, as an alum of Syracuse University, that means it is a great time to read up on schools that will actually be good.  Let's face it: we stink.  Since I arrived on campus as a freshman in 2004, we were a perennial bowl team that produced such highly-touted prospects as Donovan McNabb and Dwight Freeney.  Once I arrived, as is the case with teams I like, it all went south.  Paul Pasqualoni was fired after a 6-6 season and a bowl loss to Calvin Johnson's Georgia Tech Yellowjackets.  In came new coach Greg Robinson, and the single worst 4 year stretch in the history of the program.  The team went a combined 10-37 under GRob, and he was justifiably fired.  Then, former Syracuse lineman Doug Marrone came home to coach and brought the school back from futility to mediocrity.  We won the Pinstripe Bowl twice, each season winning 8 games.  Then, just as we transitioned to the ACC, Marrone left for the Buffalo Bills, and Scott Shafer was thrust into the spotlight.  We won the Texas Bowl, but followed it up with only 3 wins last season.  So, as the 2015 season approaches, how high should the hopes of Orangemen and Orangewomen everywhere?  Pretty low.

          Yes, Cuse probably won't be that good this year.  It may not even be the fault of the players, to be honest.  Nor the coaches.  It is the fault of the schedule makers.  The first three games of the year are winnable, true.  Hosting Rhode Island, Wake Forest, and Central Michigan could mean this team gets out to a 3-0 record.  If they are impressive in doing it, and have some help with other teams losing, they could even get some Top 25 votes.  But then everything goes to hell, thanks to our insane desire to schedule difficult teams and gain viewers.  In the past, we have had out-of-conference games with Notre Dame, Penn State, Purdue, Northwestern, and even USC.  Who did we pick to start a home and home with this season?  The LSU Tigers.  Yes, a SEC blueblood program is coming to the Dome to destroy us.  I don't know why we insist on scheduling these teams.  The school recently announced that they have a future series with perennial Top 15 team Wisconsin set.  WHY?  Surely, there are other dismal Power 5 conference teams like us that need to play another mediocre big conference schools to help bowl chances.  Syracuse football is no longer prestigious enough to schedule major programs.  Indiana, Iowa State, Wazzu, Kentucky- These are the teams we need to start scheduling.  So, it is safe to assume that the team, at best, will be 3-1 after the Tigers come to town.

          After LSU, the team will travel down to USF.  This is one of our tossup games.  USF isn't that much better than Syracuse.  I could see the Orange winning, but could also see USF defending their home turf well.  Conference play begins with two more tossup games, at UVA and hosting Pitt.  The ACC is a fairly good conference this year, so expecting to win these games may be a bit optimistic.  The next three, as is to be expected, are not winnable by normal Syracuse expectations-  At #10 Florida State, at Louisville, vs #12 Clemson.  These are the best teams in this conference.  Barring a massive upset, these are losses.  So, between them and LSU, the Orange begin their season with 4 losses.  The season ends at NC State and hosting those pesky BC Eagles, both of which should be better than Syracuse, but are not guaranteed losses.

          So, that is 3 expected wins, 4 guaranteed losses, and 5 tossup games.  The Orange have to be able to beat 3 of the tossup teams (USF, UVA, Pitt, NC State, and BC) if they want a bowl birth.  This with a team that has lost numerous pieces on defense, is installing a new offense, and has a starting QB coming off of an injury-plagued year.  Call me a pessimist, but I could see my alma mater lose its last 9 games, or even lose to Wake Forest.  Remember, this team barely beat Villanova last year, and they play in the FCS.  So, as much as I would love to see 6 wins and see my school playing in a bowl game this holiday season, I don't think it is going to happen.

          If it does, feel free to remind me of this post.  I'll be thrilled to be wrong.  Go Orange!

Ryan Tannehill: Miami Hero? Fantasy Hero?

          I am so ready for football, I have been doing mock NFL fantasy drafts for weeks.  I have done so many I am starting to see patterns in the ESPN autopick robot.  Yet I have found that, in many of these mocks, I am ending up with Ryan Tannehill as my starting QB.  Now, you may say that it is because I am not drafting a QB early enough.  This could be true.  I'm one of those guys that is usually more than happy to ride the coattails of a stud QB and strike it lucky on a rookie running back or two to get to the playoffs.  Drew Brees was that guy for me for three straight years.  But looking into it more, I might be ending up with the Miami signal caller because he could be really good.

          Tannehill has improved every year he has been in the league.  Last year, he had 27 TDs to 12 INTs and guided the Dolphins to another 8-8 season.  He also ran for over 300 yards, showing he still has some of that mobility he had at Texas A&M.  However, ESPN's Matthew Berry is still ranking him the #11 fantasy QB heading into the year, including behind Tom Brady who may be suspended for 4 games.  I think he could be much better than #11.  Obviously, Rodgers and Luck will be the top 2.  After that, they rank Russell Wilson #3, 8 spots ahead of the Dolphins QB.  Why?  Tannehill can do everything that Wilson can do, and doesn't have to feed the beast in the backfield as much.  True, Wilson gets to throw against easier defenses because Marshawn Lynch demands 8 men in the box most plays, but the Dolphins running game could be solid.  Lamar Miller was the #10 running back last year by yards, gaining 1,099 and scoring 8 times.  He is also a respectable threat out of the backfield in the passing game, securing 38 catches for 275 yards and a score.  Jay Ajayi, rookie RB from Boise State, was an excellent offensive player in college.  If those two are able to make an excellent RB tandem, then teams must respect the running game, thus opening things up for Tannehill. 

          Assuming that Tannehill does get those easier looks thanks to a flourishing running game, the Dolphins have given him some solid weapons in the passing game.  Jarvis Landry returns as his #1 target.  They brought in Greg Jennings, Kenny Stills, and Jordan Cameron via free agency or trades.  They drafted Devante Parker, the standout WR out of Louisville, in the first round of the NFL Draft.  A young QB dreams of having all those weapons; both veteran and young guys, deep threats and possession guys.  Ryan Tannehill has not had this many skill positions players in his career.  He can open up the offense in ways he wasn't able to before, even in a 4000 yard, 27 TD campaign last season.

          Finally, look at the Dolphins' schedule.  Its not like they are playing the '85 Bears defense every week.  Yes, the Jets are solid, and have a good secondary.  That is only 2 games out of the year, and the Jets have no depth at the moment behind Revis and Cromartie.  The Patriots defense lost Revis and Brandon Browner.  The Bills' have Rex Ryan's swagger, but not the same level of personnel as he had once had.  Stephon Gilmore, Aaron Williams, and Corey Graham are all better than average to great, but they are also starting a rookie at the 2nd corner spot.

          Outside the AFC East, the Dolphins get the NFC East for 4 games.  Giants/Skins/Eagles all have unproven to awful secondaries.  The Cowboys were torched by Aaron Rodgers and rookie DeVante Adams in the playoffs last year.  I wouldn't be surprised if Tannehill went off for 4 touchdowns each of those games.  Then there is the AFC South. The Dolphins get the Colts (could be a shootout there), Jags, Texans, and Titans, none of whom are elite defenses, though if JJ Watt and Clowney are both healthy, Houston may not let Tannehill get a pass off all game.  Finally, the Dolphins have the Ravens (already without safety Matt Elam for the year) and the Chargers.  Again, not the worst in the world, but certainly not on the level of the Seahawks.

          If he shows the upward progression he has had the first three seasons, I think Ryan Tannehill could be a Top 5 fantasy QB.  He has the weapons around him.  He has the talent.  He has the schedule that can allow him to go a long way.  I think I am a believer in the South Beach signal caller.  I am starting to like the Dolphins more and more in that division, as long as Brady stays suspended. 

          Maybe it is a good thing that I keep ending up with Ryan Tannehill is these mock drafts. 

Serena: Just How Great Is She?

Serena Williams just completed her 2nd "Serena Slam", and has to be considered a heavy favorite going into the US Open at the end of August.  She is currently dominating the sport of tennis in a way no other athlete in all of sports is able to do.  In fact, she is only one Grand Slam title away from tying Steffi Graf for most in the modern era. So, I thought to myself the other night, who are two other dominant modern athletes that we can compare her to?  From that, I got to thinking about why she is dominating tennis like she is.  Is she on top because she is simply able to raise her game above the level of her excellent competition, or is she the best because her competition really isn't that good, and she is just so far ahead of them it isn't fair?

The all-time great dominant athletes that I think Serena can be compared to are 1990s Michael Jordan and 1999-2002 Tiger Woods.  The interesting thing about these comparisons is that, usually, an all-time great tends to fall back to the pack as they get older.  With Serena, it is the exact opposite.  When she began her career, there was legitimate competition that she couldn't always beat.  Remember, while Serena was the first of the two to win a Grand Slam title, it was Venus Williams who first took the tennis world by storm with her power and athleticism.  After Serena's win in the 1999 US Open, she didn't win another til 2002. Serena took a bit longer to blossom fully, and had some serious competition to deal with.

Much like Michael Jordan played against a slew of other Hall of Fame players (Ewing, Barkley, Olajuwon, Stockton & Malone), Serena dealt with some great opponents early on.  Venus Williams, Martina Hingis, Jennifer Capriati, Lindsay Davenport, and Justine Henin all beat Serena and won numerous Grand Slams.  In 2002, however, Serena was able to raise her game and took the 3 final Slams of the year, followed by the Australian Open in 2003, thus completing her 1st Serena Slam.  Much like Jordan, even faced with extremely good competition (particularly from Henin, who owned a 6-6 record against her) Serena was able to win 8 Slams through the end of 2007.

Then, things started to change.  Serena was still an excellent tennis player, but the competition started drying up.  Venus only won 1 more Slam title, at the 2008 Wimbledon.  Henin abruptly took an early retirement to concentrate on other endeavors, despite the fact she was the #1 ranked player in the world. Hingis, Davenport and Capriati retired after successful and long careers.  There was a sudden void for a true rival to Serena.  Even when Maria Sharapova burst on the scene to win the three titles in 5 years, she only beat Serena in one Slam finals.  Furthermore, Sharapova has not beaten Serena in a head to head match since 2005.  Serena owns a record of 18-2 vs the 2nd best player of this generation in Sharapova, who herself has a career Grand Slam.  It was only occasional injuries and illness that kept Serena from advancing deep in Slam tournaments.

It is during this time, from 2008 until now, that we see years similar to the first dominant years of Tiger Woods' career, which is what makes Serena so interesting.  Tiger came onto the PGA Tour and set it ablaze, hitting farther, putting better, and just having an overall game that dominated all comers.  There were some that won majors, sure.  Vijay, Phil, Paddy, Ernie Els:  All of them won a few majors, yet none of them came close to touching Tiger.  Then, over the past few years, Tiger's fallen back to Earth.  This is what happens with phenoms.  The game, the time, and the competition all eventually catch up.  But not Serena.

New tennis players have come and gone.  New challengers have arisen.  Yet Serena Williams is still at the top of her game. She has her 2nd Serena Slam.  She only needs to win the US Open to get a true Grand Slam (all 4 titles in one calendar year).  She is Jordan at his peak.  She is early Tiger.  We are seeing something special on the tennis courts every time she plays.  How great is she?  She may be the greatest of all time.

JFLANland 2015 NFL QB Rankings

There has been a small amount of controversy here in the DC area about Andy Benoit (of MMQB) and his rankings of the NFL quarterbacks.  Many seem to think that RG3 deserves to be a bit higher.  I am not one to defend RG3 anymore, considering his injuries and regression, but having him as the #31 QB out of 32 does seem a bit odd.  So, I have decided to publish my own list, and here it is.  Note- this is based mostly on recent performance, though expectations for next year do come into play a little-

1. Aaron Rodgers
I think he is the best in the game today.  2-time MVP, Super Bowl champ. Would have made it back last year if not for a backup tight end ruining an onside kick.

2. Tom Brady
He could be the greatest ever, and he is coming off of his 4th Super Bowl.  Deflating balls don't add up to all that success.  He is just damn good.

3. Peyton Manning
Everyone pointed to his offense going down at the end of that year.  That was because the Broncos ran more, not because of Peyton.  Still one of the best ever, even if its most in the regular season.

4. Andrew Luck
Everyone had super high hopes for Luck, and he has delivered.  Living up to the billing as the next Peyton Manning is a hard job, but I see no reason why he can't.

5. Drew Brees
The best QB in Saints history, playing with no defense and (now) with fewer weapons.  Yet still manages to throw for around 5,000 yards every year.

6. Russell Wilson
Would he have been higher on this list if they win another Super Bowl?  Maybe.  The kid just wins, knows how not to get hit, and needs to get paid.  If Seattle doesn't want him, a bunch of other teams will.

7. Ben Roethlisberger
Big Ben used to just be a guy you couldn't tackle.  Now, he is coming off his best statistical year, and already has 2 rings.

8. Tony Romo
Everyone makes fun of him, but he seems to have gotten that 4th quarter failure bug out of his system.  If Dez had caught that ball (he didn't), then what are we saying about Romo beating Rodgers in Green Bay?

9. Joe Flacco
All he does is get his team to the playoffs every year.  He has a ring.  He is consistent.

10. Philip Rivers
Without Rivers, the Chargers could very well be a 2-14 team.

11. Matt Ryan
It certainly helps when you have great wideouts, but Ryan is a great QB.  What Kyle Shanahan will do with him is the better question.

12. Matt Stafford
When healthy, he slings it as well as anyone.  Again, having Megatron helps a lot.

13. Cam Newton
Crazy athlete with a big arm that got his team to the playoffs last year.  Could fine tune his touch a little, but you cannot deny the natural skills.

14. Alex Smith
He has gotten better under Andy Reid, even if their wideouts don't catch touchdowns.  I wish he was allowed to let it fly a little more,

15. Ryan Tannehill
He has gotten better every year in Miami.  Still behind Luck and Wilson in his draft class, but Tannehill shows every sign of a QB growing in confidence.  He could make a big leap this year.

16. Andy Dalton
The playoff success isn't there, but the Bengals are in the thick of the AFC North every year thanks to Dalton and his consistent play.

17. Eli Manning
A guy with two Super Bowl rings should be higher, but Eli has started throwing picks at an alarming rate.  Hopefully Odell Beckham's great hands will bring those numbers back to earth.

18. Colin Kaepernick
It will be interesting to see what Kap can do on a team that appears to be falling apart.  His past success was pretty astounding.  Without his coach there, could he fall back to the pack in the 20s?

19. Teddy Bridgewater
As Kap is falling, Bridgewater is rising.  I like the kid a lot, and with Minnesota adding weapons, Teddy could take a step up in the eyes of many.

20. Derek Carr
I love Derek Carr.  I have him this low because of two things- First, I don't want to play favorites.  I could move him up to 15, but he only played one year.  I just really really like him.  The second reason?  He still plays on the Raiders.  I hope that he is able to turn that franchise around.  At least he has a #1 WR in Amari Cooper now.

21. Jay Cutler
See what I said about Eli's INTs, take away the two rings, and then take away Brandon Marshall.  Yeah.

22. Nick Foles
This guy threw for 7 touchdowns in a game.  He is a lot better than I thought he would be.  I am still not sure what the Eagles were doing trading him away for a guy further down on the list.

23. Carson Palmer
The old guy who falls under the "When he's 100%, he's awesome" category.  Bruce Arians has given him weapons, and they improves the line.  The Cardinals could win the NFC West.

24. Robert Griffin III
So here is RG3, the young guy in the "When he's 100%, he's awesome" category.  What is alarming to those of us in DC is that he may never be 100% healthy again.  Two ACL tears have limited his mobility.  He gets hurt on non-contact plays.  What's worse is that his time away from the field has cause a regression in his reads and mechanics.  This is a make-or-break year for him.  Personally, I will be paying close attention to a lot of the NCAA QBs this year, cause RG3 may not be long for DC.

25. Sam Bradford
When he's 100%, he's...  Well, I don't know.  He has never been healthy for long enough.  When he played 16 games his rookie and 3rd year, he was ok.  That might be a reflection on the Rams roster over his play.  However, he was hurt his 2nd year, his 4th year, and missed all of last year.  Maybe Chip Kelly can keep him healthy?

26. Josh McCown
A journeyman in every sense of the word, McCown (the pride of Sam Houston State!) is in Cleveland now.  His three year contract probably means he will begin the year as the starter.  However, the Browns offense is less than stellar, and he may just be keeping the seat warm for Johnny Football.

27. Brian Hoyer
Cleveland's old QB is now in Houston with former fellow-Patriot Bill O'Brien as his coach.  He has a good running back.  He has some decent young receivers.  He has a solid defense.  Hoyer could improve a lot this year, and would need to in order to be successful.

28. Matt Cassell
Another former Pat, now taking the helm in Buffalo.  Kyle Orton retired, and EJ Manuel has been a bust in every possible sense of the word.  Now that Rex Ryan is the coach, the offense of the Bills will probably take a backseat to the defense.  Ryan got the Jets to the playoffs with Mark Sanchez.  Can he work wonders with Cassell?

29. Geno Smith
Geno had some flashes of brilliance in his career.  However, the Jets have been looking to replace him for a while.  I think he will start the season of Ryan Fitzpatrick, but he has to be great to keep his job.  A decent QB would be able to put up numbers throwing to Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker.  Is Geno a decent QB?

30. Blake Bortles
He is very young, and was on a very bad team.  While Bridgewater and Carr showed a ton of potential and talent, Bortles seemed to only throw Pick-6's.  I'm not ready to give up on him yet, but he needs more pieces around him.

31. Jameis Winston
32. Marcus Mariota
Why are these two at the bottom of the list?  Cause they haven't played a game in the NFL yet!  I am not saying I expect them to be this low all the time.  I think they are both going to be successful QBs in this league for a number of years.  However, it is unfair right now to put anyone else below them.  By the end of this year, both could be in the top 20.  At this moment in July, they have to be at the bottom.

There is the list.  Debate away!

A Solutions-Oriented Post About the Name of DC's NFL Team

The other day, ESPN panelist and new Washington Post contributor Kevin Blackistone wrote a piece about the Washington Redskins.  It was much of the same sound arguments opponents of the team's nickname have had for years, though I was rather disappointed that Mr. Blackistone made little to no mention of the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks and their fans, some of whom decided going red-face with headdresses was a good way to celebrate at their parade, but I digress.  We all know the arguments against the team's name.  They are solid arguments, and they are mostly correct.  The name does need to change.  But I am not here today to discuss those arguments.  I am instead here, in a solutions-oriented manner, to tell you why another name is infinitely better in every way anyway.  It is an alternative that has been a round for a couple of years, ever since the Washington City Paper decided to use it.

That's right- The Washington Pigskins!

So, what follows is my list of ten reasons why this name is so much better than the Redskins anyway.  Hope you enjoy, and then join the movement.

- It's not racist.  That's pretty much self-explanatory.  Plus, the change would mean more attention would be paid to the team and not the name, which could force the powers that be to put a good product on the field.

- It is football-relevant.  The first footballs were made from pigs' bladders and then covered in leather.  See? Football!

- It has team history.  The Hogs were the offensive linemen that helped Washington win 3 Super Bowls between 1982-1992.  They were local celebrities.  Grown men were willing to put on dresses, sunhats and snouts and go to games as the Hogettes. If there was ever a fan tradition that needs to live on, its the Hogettes.

- The team still can be called the Skins.  I don't know about you, but I almost never call the Redskins "The Redskins".  I call them the Skins.  Everyone I know calls them the Skins.  This way, you get to keep that nickname, and lose the whole racism part.

- It fits the song "Hail to the Redskins".  "Hail to the Pigskins! Hail Victory! Hogs on the Warpath! Fight for Old DC!"  See?

- Pigs are actually terrifying creatures.  Yes, we all think of Babe or Charlotte's Web whenever we think of pigs.  But they can be voracious and mean.  As any fan of the film Snatch can tell you, a group of hungry pigs can eat a 200 pound man in about 8 minutes.



I don't know about you, but the idea fo being chased and eaten by angry hogs is rather frightening to me.  Surely its scarier than any of the bird mascots in the NFL.  What the hell can a Cardinal really do to you anyway?

- Snyder could make more money with new merchandise.  This one isn't as much about the fans as it is for team business.  You change the name and the logo, you can sell a ton of new gear.  The DC fan base is loyal to a fault.  Hell, we've supported this franchise for the past 23 years since they won a Super Bowl, and they have usually been a laughingstock.  They will certainly buy new uniforms, new hoodies, new shirts, new everything.  Give us more things to buy!  We want to show our fandom!

- Snyder can make more money by selling old jerseys as throwbacks when the team wears them ones game a year.  The only thing we like more than new merchandise is throwback merchandise.  I own a John Riggins jersey.  He retired a few months before I was born.  It not only hearkens back to a time when Washington was successful, but gives the fan a feeling of nostalgia.  We'll certainly spend our money for that comfortable feeling.

- We could have a lovable mascot!  The Skins do not have a big foam-headed mascot, for good reason.  However, the kids love mascots!  Look at the rest of DC sports.  GeeWiz, Talon, Slapshot, Screech, and the Racing Presidents!  We have great mascots.  The teams sell stuffed versions of these mascots.  A funny-looking hog decked out in burgundy and gold would be an instant must-buy for any die hard Skins fan with a little one at home.

And, what might be the absolute best (non-race related) reason to change the name to the Pigskins,

- It would piss off Jerry Jones royally.  Jerry Jones, owner/GM/President/Emperor of the Dallas Cowboys is a proud graduate of the University of Arkansas.  Arkansas, for those that don't know, has the nickname "The Razorbacks".  Their symbol is a wild hog.  Their mascot is a hog.  Their whole world is about hogs and pigs.  Imagine how steamed Jerry would be if his franchise's biggest rival changes their team name to the same as his alma mater.  He would be so angry, he may go and build another billion dollar stadium to re-inflate his ego.  Anything to annoy the rival owner is reason enough to change the nickname and mascot.


I hope I have been able to convince you that there are reasons aside from the obvious to change the name of the Washington, DC football team.  It is the right thing to do socially, of course, but it is also the right thing to do because Pigskins is just a better name.  It is better for marketing, for mascots, for sales, for football-relevance, and for annoying the Cowboys.  I don't think it gets any better than that.  I can see the headlines now if the Pigskins ever win the Super Bowl again- "HOG WILD!"  "THAT'S SOME PIG!" It'd be wonderful.  I think its time for a change to the Pigskins.  Embrace it, DC.  Another headline, if the team squeaks out a tough win?

"That'll do, Pigskins.  That'll do."

FIFA Fraud- Will This Change Things?

          As any fan of the movie The Untouchables can tell you, the way Eliot Ness finally brought Al Capone down was on a tax fraud and evasion charge.  While it wasn't the most illegal thing that Capone had done wrong, it was a surefire way to put him behind bars, thus ending his reign as the king of Chicago crime.  Now, almost a century later, the same tactics are being used by the United States government.  However, Chicago is no longer the venue.  Instead, it is Switzerland, and playing the role of organized crime is FIFA.

          The United States Department of Justice has decided to press racketeering, bribery, wire fraud, and money laundering charges on a number of FIFA officials for, as US Attorney General Loretta Lynch says, over two decades.  Lynch specifically singled out officials from FIFA, CONCACAF (the governing body of North American, Central American, and Caribbean soccer, including the United States), and CONMEBOL (the governing body of South America) in this sting, and said that over $150 million a piece had been made by some of these corrupt individuals through their illegal activities.  One even requested a knighthood in exchange for his vote.  It is a case that could shake the very foundations of FIFA and international soccer to its core.  The question, however, is this- Will it have enough of an impact to make any real difference?

          While Eliot Ness went after the head of crime, the USDOJ has gone after some in high ranking positions, but not the main guy.  This is probably because the DOJ's jurisdiction is limited.  It may also be because FIFA head Sepp Blatter, widely rumored to be the most corrupt official in an extremely corrupt organization, cannot be directly tied to anything.  He even went as far as to say that today he welcomed the investigation and says misconduct has no place in his sport.  If Blatter cannot be linked to the widespread fraud involved in FIFA, then surely it happening on his watch would be enough to make sure he isn't re-elected in a vote currently scheduled for next week, right?  Even that may not be the case.  Chicago Tribune columnist Phillip Hersh believes that the only way to make any kind of real change and take out Blatter is to have major international sponsors pull their support and their money.  Hersh's view is probably the correct one, and since a major sports outfitter is currently tied in with these charges, having used bribery to gain exclusive rights to dress the Brazilian national team (hi, Nike), that money could dry up quick.

          If the money goes away, and if Blatter is ousted, the first question I would have is about the 2022 World Cup.  FIFA insists that it will go on as planned in Qatar, despite allegations of bribery and corruption by officials to bring the tournament to such a ludicrously inhospitable environment for the sport. Furthermore, why give the massive international event to a country whose team has never qualified for the tournament in the first place?  Even these nonsensical actions cannot be considered the worst part.  My main concern is how Blatter and FIFA continues to support a country that is relying on slave labor and heinous working conditions in order to construct its stadiums.  Numerous workers have already died, and one report suggests that the death toll could reach over 4,000 by 2022.  

          FIFA is actively supporting a country that condones slavery.  They are actively supporting a country that endorses antisemitism, racism, and homophobia on a massive level, all while launching a campaign that calls for the end of discrimination within the sport.  It is a hypocritical position, and only makes sense when you hear these chargers of corruption and bribery.  The Qatar World Cup goes against everything that FIFA says they represent, but goes along with everything this DOJ case shows they truly are.  I hope that this case will change things.  I hope that the beautiful game won't be veiled by ugly corruption for another decade.  I hope that this case is just the first in many dominos that will clean up FIFA top to bottom.  

Fraud charges brought down Al Capone.  Is it enough to bring down Blatter?

The Legend of 44: Did Syracuse Make a Mistake?

       Yesterday, my Alma Mater, Syracuse University, announced that it would be un-retiring the football jersey number 44.  44 has been retired for a decade, and represents the greatest of Syracuse football history.  Jim Brown, the greatest football player of all time, wore it.  Floyd Little, a NCAA and NFL Hall of Famer wore it.  Ernie Davis, the first African-American Heisman Trophy winner, wore it.  It is the number that defines excellence in central New York.  Hell, it is even part of the school's official zip code, 13244.  So the question is, then, why are they bringing it back?

       Well, Floyd Little thinks it is a great idea.  He has been on board with this idea for a while.  He even thinks that his grandson Blaze Jones (a perfect running back name) will attend Syracuse in a couple of years and earn the chance to wear the famed number.  Many fans think bringing the number back is exactly what the team and the program needs.  Let's face it: Cuse has been mediocre at best for most of the past decade.  When I arrived on campus in 2004, I expected some big things from the football team.  We went 6-6, lost our bowl game 51-14, fired our coach, hired Greg Robinson.  Robinson then went 5-37 over the next four seasons, including the only two double-digit loss seasons in the school's history.  We sucked.  Doug Marrone and Scott Shafer have allowed to (mostly) recover from that dark period, but we still max out at 6 or 7 wins.  The pro-restore feeling is that bringing 44 back will remind the players what an excellent program this once was, and motivate them to bring it back.
       There are some former players, however, that don't agree with that sentiment.  Donovan McNabb is the leader of that group.  He called the move disrespectful, and thinks it is a mistake.  Syracuse.com writer Bud Poliquin tends to agree, saying that making the number a perk instead of honoring its legacy is a mistake.  So what do I think?
       I don't have an issue with bringing such a hallowed number back into play for the team.  It is entirely possible that Syracuse will regain some of its former greatness on the football field in the future.  Added revenue from the ACC, upgrades to the practice facilities, and stronger recruiting could bring a forlorn program back to prominence.  We may have even found the first player worthy of wearing it in 2016 RB commit Robert Washington, a 4-star recruit who (unfathomably) chose Syracuse over the likes of Alabama, Michigan, and Florida.  He even understands and appreciates what the number means to the entire Syracuse community.  So I say let Washington wear it... if he earns it.
       Look, there is no bigger supporter of Syracuse then I am, but right now we are not a program worthy of having that number.  We do not have a single player worthy of that number.  Last year, we went 3-9 and didn't have a player drafted for just the 2nd time in 50 years.  That isn't a high point.  Could this be the jolt the program needs?  I think it could be.  Yet it is still way too early to tell.  If Washington comes in, runs for 1,000 yards, and gets us to a bowl game, then he is worthy.  Until then, let's make sure 44 isn't just given away because it can be.  There is a legacy there greater than anything this program has seen in 20 years.  We can't tarnish that.
       And hey, we always have the number 39 to give out.  If it was good enough for Walter Reyes and Larry Csonka, it should be good enough for a freshman.

JFLANland's 2015 NFL Mock Draft- Round 7

The last round!  Its almost over.  Just a few picks left!

Round 7

1 (218)- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Ben Heeney, ILB, Kansas

2 (219)- New England Patriots: Adam Snead, OG, Oklahoma

3 (220)- Jacksonville Jaguars: Geremy Davis, WR, UConn

4 (221)- Oakland Raiders: Julian Wilson, CB, Oklahoma

5 (222)- Washington Redskins: Cam Worthy, WR, East Carolina

6 (223)- New York Jets: Deandrew White, WR, Alabama

7 (224)- New York Jets: Kaleb Eulls, DT, Mississippi State

8 (225)- Atlanta Falcons: Miles Diffenbach, OG, Penn State

9 (226)- New York Giants: Josh Robinson, RB, Mississippi State

10 (227)- St. Louis Rams, Tony Washington, OLB, Oregon

11 (228)- Minnesota Vikings: Austin Shepherd, OT, Alabama

12 (229)- Cleveland Browns: Lorenzo Doss, CB, Tulane

13 (230)- New Orleans Saints: Bryan Bennett, QB, Southeastern Louisiana
          Drew Brees is getting older.  A 7th round flyer on a local kid isn't a bad option.

14 (231)- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Craig Mager, CB, Texas St

15 (232)- Minnesota Vikings: Marcus Murphy, RB, Missouri

16 (233)- Kansas City Chiefs: Da'Ron Brown, WR, Northern Illinois

17 (234)- Buffalo Bills: Edmund Robinson, OLB, Newberry

18 (235)- Houston Texans: Martin Efedi, DE, Memphis

19 (236)- Dallas Cowboys: DeAndre Smelter, WR, Georgia Tech

20 (237)- Philadelphia Eagles: Bobby McCain, CB, Memphis

21 (238)- Cincinnati Bengals: Xavier Cooper, DT, Washington State

22 (239)- Pittsburgh Steelers: Tello Luckett, WR, Harding

23 (240)- Detroit Lions: Patrick Miller, OT, Auburn

24 (241)- Arizona Cardinals: Cameron Clear, TE, Texas A&M

25 (242)- Carolina Panthers: Leon Orr, DT, Florida

26 (243)- Dallas Cowboys: Deontay Greenberry, WR, Houston

27 (244)- Indianapolis Colts: Andy Gallik, OC, Boston College

28 (245)- New York Giants: Josue Matias, OG, Florida State

29 (246)- San Francisco 49ers: Bobby Hart, OT, Florida State

30 (247)- Green Bay Packers: Martrell Spaight, OLB, Arkansas

31 (248)- Seattle Seahawks: Blake Bell, TE, Oklahoma

32 (249)- Atlanta Falcons: Malcolm Bunche, OG, UCLA

33 (250)- Denver Broncos: Deion Barnes, DE, Penn State

34 (251)- Denver Broncos: Blaine Clausell, OT, Michigan State

35 (252)- Denver Broncos: Damian Parms, S, Florida Atlantic

36 (253)- New England Patriots: Jesse James, TE, Penn State
          A coach that has bent the rules gets a player named after an infamous outlaw? Perfect.

37 (254)- San Francisco 49ers: Michael Dyer, RB, Louisville

38 (255)- Indianapolis Colts: Aaron Davis, OLB, Colorado State

And Mr. Irrelevant in the JFLANland 2015 NFL Mock Draft...

39 (256)- Arizona Cardinals: Takoby Cofield, OT, Duke


THERE YOU HAVE IT!  All done.  7 Rounds.  256 players.  No kickers or punters (Sorry.  I just don't know where to draft one when there are other needs).  This is a massive labor of love, because I love doing it.  I love watching the entire draft every year.  Is it strange?  Sure.  But its still better than most of what is on TV these days.

Thank you so much for reading, especially if you went through all 7 rounds.  It is nice to think someone else cares as much as I do.  I will update this if there happens to be any big trades before Thursday night.  I will also find some time in my busy schedule to break down some picks I like and dislike.  Finally, I will be live-tweeting the draft @JFLANland, so give me a follow.

Enjoy the Draft my friends.  So many great careers will start this weekend.  Let's hope they all become great men as well.  The NFL needs it.

JFLANland's 2015 NFL Mock Draft- Round 6

Almost done, kids.  The true draft nuts stick around to watch these picks like me.

Round 6

1 (177)- Tennessee Titans: Titus Davis, WR, Central Michigan

2 (178)- New England Patriots: Tyler Varga, RB, Yale
          Boola Boola

3 (179)- Oakland Raiders: Kurtis Drummond, S, Michigan State

4 (180)- Jacksonville Jaguars: Reese Dismukes, OC, Auburn

5 (181)- Seattle Seahawks: Zack Hodges, OLB, Harvard
          Pats draft an Ivy League man, the Seahawks match.

6 (182)- Washington Redskins: Anthony Jefferson, S, UCLA

7 (183)- Chicago Bears: Jamon Brown, OT, Louisville

8 (184)- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Alani Fua, OLB, BYU

9 (185)- Atlanta Falcons: David Cobb, RB, Minnesota

10 (186)- New York Giants: Chris Conley, WR, Georgia

11 (187)- New Orleans Saints: Jordan Richards, S, Stanford

12 (188)- Buffalo Bills: Gerald Christian, TE, Louisville

13 (189)- Cleveland Browns: Robert Myers, OG, Tennessee State

14 (190)- San Francisco 49ers: Dez Lewis, WR, Central Arkansas

15 (191)- Miami Dolphins: Chris Hackett, S, TCU

16 (192)- San Diego Chargers: Tyeler Davison, DT, Florida State

17 (193)- Kansas City Cheifs: Trent Brown, OG, Florida

18 (194)- Buffalo Bills: Shane Carden, QB, East Carolina
          He may not be the answer at QB, but he can't be that much worse than what the Bills have.

19 (195)- Houston Texans: Darren Waller, WR, Georgia Tech

20 (196)- Philadelphia Eagles: Ryan Russell, DE, Purdue

21 (197)- Cincinnati Bengals: Mario Alford, WR, West Virginia

22 (198)- Arizona Cardinals: Amarlo Herrera, ILB, Georgia

23 (199)- Pittsburgh Steelers: Devin Mahina, TE, BYU

24 (200)- Detroit Lions: Audrey Walker, OG, USC

25 (201)- Carolina Panthers: Vince Mayle, WR, Washington State

26 (202)- Cleveland Browns: Malcom Brown, RB, Texas

27 (203)- Denver Broncos: John Miller, OG, Louisville

28 (204)- Baltimore Ravens: Derrick Lott, DT, Tennessee-Chattanooga

29 (205)- Indianapolis Colts: Lynden Trail, DE, Norfolk State

30 (206)- Green Bay Packers: Cedric Reed, DE, Texas

31 (207)- Indianapolis Colts: Damien Wilson, ILB, Minnesota

32 (208)- Tennessee Titans: Ellis McCarthy, DT, UCLA

33 (209)- Seattle Seahawks: Shaq Mason, OC, Georgia Tech

34 (210)- Green Bay Packers: Antwan Goodley, WR, Baylor

35 (211)- Houston Texans: Louis Trinca-Pasat, DT, Iowa

36 (212)- Pittsburgh Steelers: Cameron Artis-Payne, RB, Auburn

37 (213)- Green Bay Packers: Charles Gaines, CB, Louisville

38 (214)- Seattle Seahawks: Frank Clark, DE, Michigan

39 (215)- St. Louis Rams: Kevin White, CB, TCU

40 (216)- Houston Texans: Zach Zenner, RB, South Dakota St.

41 (217)- Kansas City Chiefs: Imoan Claiborne, CB, Northwestern State


One round left.  So close.

JFLANland's 2015 NFL Mock Draft- Round 5

Here is Round 5.  For those of you that are Cuse alums like me, there are a few names you'll recognize.

Round 5

1 (137)- Minnesota Vikings: Jake Ryan, OLB, Michigan

2 (138)- Tennessee Titans: Ibraheim Campbell, S, Northwestern

3 (139)- Jacksonville Jaguars: Durell Eskridge, S, Syracuse

          Go Orange!  He could see playing time there.

4 (140)- Oakland Raiders: Karlos Williams, RB, Florida State

5 (141)- Washington Redskins: Justin Coleman, CB, Tennessee

6 (142)- Chicago Bears: BJ Finney, OC, Kansas State

7 (143)- Denver Broncos: Josh Harper, WR, Fresno State

8 (144)- New York Giants: Jean Sifrin, TE, UMass

9 (145)- Philadelphia Eagles: Quandre Diggs, CB, Texas

10 (146)- Atlanta Falcons: Devante Davis, WR, UNLV

11 (147)- Cleveland Browns: Corey Crawford, DE, Clemson

12 (148)- New Orleans Saints: Wes Saxton, TE, South Alabama

13 (149)- Miami Dolphins: Quinton Spain, OG, West Virginia

14 (150)- Miami Dolphins: Xavier Williams, DT, Northern Iowa

15 (151)- San Francisco 49ers: Jeremiah Poutasi, OT/G, Utah

16 (152)- Houston Texans: Taiwan Jones, ILB, Michigan

17 (153)- San Diego Chargers: Bryce Hagar, ILB, Baylor

18 (154)- New Orleans Saints: Josh Shaw, S, USC

19 (155)- Buffalo Bills: Andrew Donnal, OT/G, Iowa

20 (156)- Philadelphia Eagles: Darrian Miller, OT/G, Kentucky

21 (157)- Cincinnati Bengals: Tye Smith, CB, Towson

22 (158)- Baltimore Ravens: Mike Hull, OLB, Penn State

23 (159)- Arizona Cardinals: David Parry, DT,, Stanford

24 (160)- Pittsburgh Steelers: Sean Hickey, OT/G, Syracuse

          Sean may be a better guard in the pros, but he can play at the NFL level.

25 (161)- Carolina Panthers: Troy Hill, CB, Oregon

26 (162)- Tampa Bay Buccaneers:  Max Garcia, OC, Florida

27 (163)- Dallas Cowboys: Geneo Grissom, DE, Oklahoma

28 (164)- Denver Broncos: BJ Dubose, DE, Louisville

29 (165)- Indianapolis Colts: Jalston Fowler, RB/FB, Alabama

          The first fullback off the board.  He can run, but more importantly he can catch. Look for him to play more of an H-back type, and act as Andrew Luck's safety net.

30 (166)- Green Bay Packers: Rakeem Nunez-Roches, DT, Southern Miss

31 (167)- Seattle Seahawks: Jon Eliciano, OG, Miami

32 (168)- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Ben Koyack, TE, Notre Dame

33 (169)- Carolina Panthers: Nick Boyle, TE, Delaware

34 (170)- Seattle Seahawks: Ladarius Gunter, CB, Miami

35 (171)- Baltimore Ravens: Dres Anderson, WR, Utah

36 (172)- Kansas City Chiefs: Tony Lippett, WR, Michigan State

37 (173)- Kansas City Chiefs: Terrence Magee, RB, LSU

38 (174)- Carolina Panthers: Xzavier Dickson, DE, Alabama

39 (175)- Houston Texans: EJ Bibbs, TE, Iowa State

40 (176)- Baltimore Ravens: Chaz Green, OT/G, Florida

Two more rounds to go.  Hang in there folks!

JFLANland's 2015 NFL Mock Draft- Round 4

My hand is starting to hurt from all the typing.  But it is a labor of love.  I do it cause I love the draft, and because I love my readers.  Well, most of you.  Some of you I just like.

Round 4

1 (100)- Tennessee Titans: Doran Grant, CB, Ohio State

2 (101)- New England Patriots: Kenny Bell, WR, Nebraska

3 (102)- Oakland Raiders: Ty Sambrailo, OT, Colorado State

4 (103)- Jacksonville Jaguars: Senquez Golson, CB, Ole Miss

5 (104)- New York Jets: Tyrus Thompson, OT, Oklahoma

6 (105)- Washington Redskins: Hroniss Grasu, OC, Oregon

7 (106)- Chicago Bears: Gabe Wright, DT, Auburn

8 (107)- Atlanta Falcons: Tyler Kroft, TE, Rutgers

9 (108)- New York Giants: Hayes Pullard, ILB, USC

10 (109)- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tre McBride, WR, William & Mary

11 (110)- Minnesota Vikings: Antoine Everett, OG, McNeese State

12 (111)- Cleveland Browns: Sean Mannion, QB, Oregon State

          Johnny Football might not get a 2nd change in Cleveland. Mannion can sit behind McCown.

13 (112)- Seattle Seahawks: David Johnson, RB, Northern Iowa

14 (113)- Philadelphia Eagles: James Sample, S, Louisville

15 (114)- Miami Dolphins: Buck Allen, RB, USC

16 (115)- Cleveland Browns: Za'Darius Smith, DE, Kentucky

17 (116)- Houston Texans: Jarvis Harrison, OG, Texas A&M

18 (117)- San Diego Chargers: Anthong Chickillo, DE, Miami

19 (118)- Kansas City Chiefs: Lorenzo Mauldin, OLB, Louisville

20 (119)- St. Louis Rams: Cody Prewitt, S, Ole Miss

21 (120)- Cincinnati Bengals: Nick O'Leary, TE, Florida State

22 (121)- Pittsburgh Steelers: Kyle Emmanuel, OLB, North Dakota State

23 (122)- Baltimore Ravens: Clayton Geathers, S, UCF

24 (123)- Arizona Cardinals: D'Joun Smith, CB, Florida Atlantic

25 (124)- Carolina Panthers: Gerrod Holliman, S, Louisville

26 (125)- Baltimore Ravens: Alex Carter, CB, Stanford

27 (126)- San Francisco 49ers: Jordan Hicks, ILB, Texas

28 (127)- Dallas Cowboys: Mike Davis, RB, South Carolina

29 (128)- Indianapolis Colts: Jacorey Shepherd, CB, Kansas

30 (129)- Green Bay Packers: Corey Robinson, OT, South Carolina

31 (130)- Seattle Seahawks: Mitch Morse, OT, Missouri

32 (131)- New England Patriots: Arie Kouandjio, OG, Alabama

33 (132)- San Francisco 49ers: Matt Jones, RB, Florida

34 (133)- Denver Broncos: Ramik Wilson, OLB, Georgia

35 (134)- Seattle Seahawks: Christian Covington, DT, Rice

36 (135)- Cincinnati Bengals: Adrian Amos, S, Penn State

37 (136)- Baltimore Ravens: Jeremy Langford, RB, Michigan State

3 more rounds to go!

JFLANland's 2015 NFL Mock Draft- Round 3

Moving right along, footloose and fancy free.  Enjoy.

Round 3:

1 (65)- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Trey Flowers, DE, Arkansas

2 (66)- Tennessee Titans: Bryce Petty, QB, Baylor

          If no trades happen, here is your competition with Zach Mettenberger.

3 (67)- Jacksonville Jaguars: Duke Johnson, RB, Miami

          Super productive back, and the Jags need help.

4 (68)- Oakland Raiders: Mario Edwards Jr, DE, Florida State

5 (69)- Washington Redskins: Robert Havenstein, OT, Wisconsin

          Huge, athletic, natural right tackle. Fills a need Skins have had since Jon Jansen retired.

6 (70)- New York Jets: Garrett Grayson, QB, Colorado State

          Maybe a new QB for the new Jets regime.

7 (71)- Chicago Bears: Damarious Randall, S, Arizona State

8 (72)- St. Louis Rams: Ali Marpet, OG, Hobart

          So, I have spent a lot of time on the scenic campus of Hobart and William Smith.  To think a football player from this beautiful camps would be drafted is insane, but Marpet has the talent and the size.  3rd round might be too late for him, to be honest.  Hobart Statesmen on the board!

9 (73)- Atlanta Falcons: Donovan Smith, OT, Penn State

10 (74)- New York Giants: Derron Smith, S, Fresno State

11 (75)- New Orleans Saints: PJ Dawson, OLB, TCU

12 (76)- Minnesota Vikings: Eric Rowe, S/CB, Utah

13 (77)- Cleveland Browns: Jeff Heuerman, TE, Ohio State

14 (78)- New Orleans Saints: Daryl Williams, OT/G, Oklahoma

15 (79)- San Francisco 49ers: Markus Golden, DE, Missouri

16 (80)- Kansas City Chiefs: Quentin Rollins, CB/S, Miami (OH)

17 (81)- Buffalo Bills: Rashad Greene, WR, Florida State

18 (82)- Houston Texans: Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon

19 (83)- San Diego Chargers: Sammie Coates, WR, Auburn

          Phillip Rivers is at his best when he has big WRs. Coates is 6'2 200. Works for me.

20 (84)- Philadelphia Eagles: Kwon Alexander, OLB, LSU

21 (85)- Cincinnati Bengals: Nate Orchard, OLB, Utah

22 (86)- Arizona Cardinals: Davis Tull, OLB, Tennessee-Chattanooga

23 (87)- Pittsburgh Steelers: Danielle Hunter, DE/OLB, LSU

24 (88)- Detroit Lions: Ty Montgomery, WR, Stanford

25 (89)- Carolina Panthers: TJ Yeldon, RB, Alabama

26 (90)- Baltimore Ravens: Stefon Diggs, WR, Maryland

          A UMD WR to replace Torrey Smith.

27 (91)- Dallas Cowboys: Darius Philon, DT, Arkansas

28 (92)- Denver Broncos: MyCole Pruitt, TE, So. Illinois

29 (93)- Indianapolis Colts: Anthony Harris, S, UVA

30 (94)- Green Bay Packers: Steven Nelson, CB, Oregon State

31 (95)- Seattle Seahawks: Justin Hardy, WR, East Carolina

32 (96)- New England Patriots: Henry Anderson, DE, Stanford

33 (97)- New England Patriots: Jaquiski Tart, S, Samford

          First compensatory pick of the draft, but #1 in the Best Names draft.

34 (98)- Kansas City Chiefs: Marcus Hardison, DT, Arizona State

35 (99)- Cincinnati Benglas: Jamison Crowder, WR, Duke

Almost half way done.  Hope you are enjoying it so far.

JFLANland's 2015 NFL Mock Draft- Round 2

Round 1 is in the books.  Here comes Round 2.  Again, I don't project trades.  Also, with Rounds 2-7 (yes I went all 7 this year), I won't be providing in-depth analysis unless I feel it is necessary.  Furthermore, I will put the pick number overall in parenthesis next to the number of the pick in the round.

Round 2!

1 (33)- Tennessee Titans: TJ Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh

2 (34)- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tre' Jackson, OG, Florida State
          Who better to protect the new #1 QB than a guy who protected him in college?

3 (35)- Oakland Raiders: Byron Jones, CB, UConn
          Athletic freak who basically set a new standing broad jump world record at the combine.  Sounds like a Raider to me.

4 (36)- Jacksonville Jaguars: Laken Tomlinson, OG/C, Duke

5 (37)- New York Jets: Ameer Abdullah, RB, Nebraska
          Chris Ivory, Steven Ridley and Bilal Powell are not the answers.

6 (38)- Washington Redskins: Eric Kendricks, ILB, UCLA
          Couldn't find anyone to replace London Fletcher last year. Competition for Perry Riley and Keenan Robinson.

7 (39)- Chicago Bears: Eli Harold, OLB, UVA

8 (40)- New York Giants: Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State

9 (41)- St. Louis Rams: Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma

10 (42)- Atlanta Falcons: Denzel Perryman, ILB, Miami

11 (43)- Cleveland Browns: Hau'Oli Kikaha, OLB, Washington

12 (44)- New Orleans Saints: Shaq Thompson, OLB/S/RB, Washington
          Never a bad idea to have a guy that does it all on your team.

13 (45)- Minnesota Vikings: Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma

14 (46)- San Francisco 49ers: Nelson Agholor, WR, USC

15 (47)- Miami Dolphins: PJ Williams, CB, Florida State

16 (48)- San Diego Chargers: Tevin Coleman, RB, Indiana

17 (49)- Kansas City Chiefs: Preston Smith, DE, Mississippi State

18 (50)- Buffalo Bills: Mike Bennett, DE/DT, Ohio State
          First pick for Rex Ryan in Buffalo will be D line, cause that is what he does.

19 (51)- Houston Texans: Phillip Dorsett, WR, Miami
          The next great Miami WR in Texas now that Andre Johnson is gone?

20 (52)- Philadelphia Eagles: Devin Smith, WR, Ohio State

21 (53)- Cincinnati Bengals: Carl Davis, DT, Iowa

22 (54)- Detroit Lions: Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise State

23 (55)- Arizona Cardinals: Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA
          THIS PICK NEEDS TO HAPPEN! The backups on Arizona are no good. Hundley grew up outside of Phoenix and said his dream is the play for the Cardinals. He is super talented and can wait behind Palmer for a year.  It is a no brainer. I would trade up to get him if I was Arizona.

24 (56)- Pittsburgh Steelers: Ronald Darby, CB, Florida State

25 (57)- Carolina Panthers: Tyler Lockett, WR, Kansas State

26 (58)- Baltimore Ravens: Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota
          Rejoice Baltimore.  You get your tight end, and he is the best one.

27 (59)- Denver Broncos: Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE, UCLA

28 (60)- Dallas Cowboys: Stephone Anthony, ILB, Clemson

29 (61)- Indianapolis Colts: Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M

30 (62)- Green Bay Packers: Clive Walford, TE, Miami

31 (63)- Seattle Seahawks: AJ Cann, OG, South Carolina
          First pick for a great team is spent on a guy to protect Russell Wilson, and to help Marshawn Lynch run.

32 (64)- New England Patriots: Grady Jarrett, DT, Clemson


We've only just begun, friend.

JFLANland's 2015 NFL Mock Draft- Round 1

Here we are again, my friends.  It is my favorite three days of the year for my sports nerd side.  That's right- NFL Draft week is upon us.  Once again, I have provided you with my own opinions on who each team should take when, and I will probably be very wrong rather often.  But I love doing it, and page views say that you love reading it, so I won't stop.  As always, I do not project trades.  However, if there happens to be a massive trade that goes down before Thursday, I will attempt to go back and edit accordingly.  You will see there is a certain big-name player who falls quite a way in this first round.  That isn't because I actually think he will fall, but it is because I can't project the team that takes him trading up, which I think they should, but they won't.  Got it?  Good!  Here we go.  The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are on the clock.... And the pick is in!  With the first pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers SHOULD take:

1- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
          Massive character issues, but he is also the best QB available, and that is what Tampa needs.  If they could find a way to trade for a better one, they would.  If they felt like taking RG3 off the Skins' hands, I wouldn't be upset.  But if Winston behaves off the field, he will be pretty good at worst, and is an instant ticket draw in the state of Florida.

2- Tennessee Titans: Leonard Williams, DE, USC
          Not a QB here.  Also, no projecting trades!  So, the Titans go forward with Zach Mettenberger as their starter (for now) and get possibly the best player in the draft.  Some NFL executives have favorably compared him the Reggie White.  That is extremely high praise.  He plugs in on your line and can stay there for years.  Its a no-brainer pick for a team that needs help on the line and pass rush for a team that was 27th in total defense last year.

3- Jacksonville Jaguars: Dante Fowler, DE/OLB, Florida
          Another local pick for a team that needs to sell tickets, and they get a solid pass rusher as well.  Fowler is athletic and has great size.  My only problem with him is that, while he has the talent, it wasn't always on display in college.  This last season, he only had 5.5 sacks in the regular season, and he is supposed to be the #1 pass rusher.  He isn't my favorite, but it seems like he doesn't get by Jacksonville if Williams is gone.

4- Oakland Raiders: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
          The real question in the top 5 isn't "Where do the QBs go?"  Instead it is "Which WR will the Raiders take?"  Lots of people love Kevin White.  Hell, I love Kevin White.  But Amari Cooper is a name who proved himself on the highest level week after week with a constant magnifying glass on him.  Derek Carr needs a true game-breaking weapon, and that is what Cooper is.

5- Washington Redskins: Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson
          Brian Orakpo's tenure in DC is done, and Trent Murphy isn't the answer on the other side from Ryan Kerrigan.  The Skins also announced that they are (foolishly) picking up RG3's 2016 option, so Mr. Mariota isn't going here.  Instead, the Skins get Beasley, a speed rusher coming off a great year who showed up at the Combine with 20 pounds of added muscle and still ran a 4.5, and did 35 reps of 225 lbs, tops among linebackers.  All of that, and he shows up on tape. ACC Defensive player of the year, played 4 years, started 25 games, had 52.5 sacks over that time, including 12 last year.  He is probably the best pure pass rusher, and that is what the Skins need.

6- New York Jets: Randy Gregory, OLB, Nebraska
          Massive character issues again.  I don't fault him for smoking weed.  I fault him for smoking weed before the biggest job interview of his life when he knows he is going to be tested.  That either just shows poor judgement and a bit of stupidity, or that he has an addiction that needs to be dealt with.  Nevertheless, he has a great amount of talent, and the Jets could use him.  Also, the Jets are a circus, so this would fit in perfectly.  Is it a smart pick? Nope.  Is it one that the Jets would make?  You bet.

7- Chicago Bears: Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
          The Bears got rid of Brandon Marshall.  I am still not sure why they got rid of Brandon Marshall, but he is gone.  So, Alshon Jeffery needs a running mate, or else he will be getting doubled all game and Cutler will throw twice the interceptions then he would otherwise.  Kevin White is just as good as Amari Cooper, just without the name.  He is a human highlight reel.  As long as Cutler doesn't overthrow him, he should be a great fit.

8- Atlanta Falcons: Bud Dupree, OLB, Kentucky
          Were it not for Shane Ray's troubles, he would be the pick here.  Instead, Dupree rises into the Top 10.  He is a solid pass rusher who will give you sacks and hurries.  That is exactly what the Falcons need, because their OLBs all got hurt last year, and Dupree could be an improvement over Tyson Jackson at the DE position.  Plus, Dupree is fast and long enough to fit in as an ideal rusher in Dan Quinn's system.

9- New York Giants: Brandon Scherff, OT/G, Iowa
          Before the season, Brandon Scherff was a top 3 lock because he was the best OL available.  Nothing has changed with him, but the rest of the Top 10 seems like it isn't prioritizing the offensive line as much as defense.  Instead, the Giants get a bit of a steal with Scherff.  He may not be the answer at left tackle, but he and Justin Pugh are solid young pieces that can protect Eli Manning the rest of his career.

10- St. Louis Rams: Erick Flowers, OT/G, Miami
          This is a difficult pick.  The Rams could use a WR.  The Rams could use some more secondary.  The Rams could use another QB unless they really like Nick Foles.  Yet I think their biggest need is offensive line.  Flowers is a bit raw, and he can start at guard while Greg Robinson kicks out to tackle so he gains NFL experience.  They need to protect the QB and run the ball, and that is what Flowers can do.

11- Minnesota Vikings: DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
          How do you help out a good young QB?  You get him a great weapon.  We saw that with Derek Carr earlier.  How do you really really help a good young QB? You get him his favorite target from college, who also happens to be an insane play-making WR.  Teddy Bridgewater knows exactly how to play with Parker because he threw to him for years at Louisville.  Is secondary a bigger need?  Yeah.  But you cannot pass up a chance to make your QB happy and comfortable.

12- Cleveland Browns: Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
          The Browns are not a good team.  They need everything.  So why not start with a massive run-stopper in the middle of your D-line?  Shelton is a big body with athleticism, even though his 40-time was on par with mine.  He has the talent, and fits one of the biggest holes on a team full of holes.

13- New Orleans Saints: Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon
          You can never have too many pass rushers.  If one of them happens to be a 6'7 athletic freak, then all the better.  The Saints will pick him and use him as the heir to Cameron Jordan, who is entering the last year of his contract.  They only have 3 DEs under contract, so it is a big need.

14- Miami Dolphins: Breshad Perriman, WR, UCF
          The Dolphins still don't have that #1 WR.  Instead, they have a bunch of 2s and 3s.  Mike Wallace and Brian Hartline are gone.  Perriman comes in and can start on the outside instantly.  It seems like an easy pick, unless you think Perriman's hands are questionable.

15- San Francisco 49ers: Trae Waynes. CB, Michigan State
          The ship is quickly sinking in SF, and everyone is jumping off.  Half of their linebacking corp retired, but there isn't a DE or ILB worthy of the #15 pick.  I am sure they would love to trade back to get more picks for all of their holes, but they instead stick here and take the #1 CB.  The 49ers starters are Tremaine Brock and Shareece Wright, so they could use an upgrade big time.  They can worry about the rest of their defense in later rounds when the value is there.

16- Houston Texans: Shane Ray, OLB/DE, Missouri
          Some people have Shane Ray falling really far in this draft, and for good reason.  He is a solid pass rusher who will give you sacks and hurries.  However, he is also out for 5 months, and was arrested early Monday for possession of marijuana and reckless driving.  I think he is worth the risk at 16 though.  Is it too early to call Jadeveon Clowney a bust?  Probably.  But he didn't exactly help them last year.  It was through the grace of JJ Watt alone that the team stayed relevant til the end of the season.  Ray is not only Clowney insurance, but he is also a talented pass rusher that can take some pressure off of Watt.

17- San Diego Chargers: Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
          Once again, I DO NOT PROJECT TRADES!  So, that certain Oregon QB is not going here because the Chargers still have Phillip Rivers.  Andrus Peat, aside from having the strongest lower body I have ever seen, is a natural tackle even if he is raw right now.  He has massive upside to go along with his size, and he should be able to move to LT at some point.

18- Kansas City Chiefs: Cameron Erving, OC, Florida State
          I know what you are thinking: JFLAN, why the hell would a team take a center in Round 1?  Well, first of all, it is a need for the Chiefs.  Second, Cameron Erving was an All-ACC tackle and an All-ACC center.  He is the most versatile lineman in the draft, and the Chiefs need a lot of help along their entire line.  Plug him in anywhere, and he will help a team that could be a real contender next year if they all stay healthy.

19- Cleveland Browns: Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State
          The Browns again.  They have holes.  There is a QB right there... But the Browns aren't going to take him.  They signed Josh McCown, who is a serviceable starter, and getting him real weapons to throw to would help.  Dwayne Bowe is pretty good, and Hartline is a solid slot WR.  Add Strong and the WR corp becomes a strength (oy, puns).

20- Philadelphia Eagles: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
          You had to know, with him falling so far, that this is what I was going for right?  It makes so much sense that it will never happen, but it really should.  Mariota could go to the system that he knows better than anyone, and would be able to make that offense work for the entire season, not just weeks 1-8.  If Chip Kelly were as smart as he is egotistical, he would make this happen.  Again, I don't project trades which is why Mariota fell to 20, but I think he should end up in Philly.

21- Cincinnati Bengals: La'el Collins, OT/G, LSU
          Both of the Bengals starting tackles, Andrew Whitworth and Andre Smith, will be free agents after this season.  The team probably can't afford to keep both.  They need to start grooming a replacement now, and Collins is the best tackle available.  He might have a major off the field issue, since he is being questioned in the shooting death of his ex-girlfriend.  Police have said he is not a suspect, but he still may slide past this pick. TJ Clemmings is another option.

22- Pittsburgh Steelers: Landon Collins, S, Alabama
          So the Steelers' star safety, Troy Polomalu, retires.  Then the top safety in the draft just happens to drop to them.  This seems to happen more often that it does, but Collins fits the immediate need and is super talented.  I don't know why he is falling this far.  Before FA additions, I wanted Collins to go to the Skins at 5.  I think he is a steal at 22.

23- Detroit Lions: Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
          Suh is gone. Fairly is gone. Ngata is in but is old.  Malcom Brown needs to be the pick because he is the best DT available.  Eddie Goldman from FSU is a bigger body to stop the run, but Brown has more talent, athletic ability, and burst off the line.  He isn't Ndamukong Suh, but he isn't a bad replacement.

24- Arizona Cardinals: Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
          The Cardinals are a team that, when healthy, doesn't have a ton of issues.  They could use an every down back to pair with Andre Ellington as a pass catcher.  Gordon is tough, runs physical, but has enough shake to juke defenders.  Draft Tease- if I could project a trade, I would have Arizona trading back into the 1st or up into the 2nd for another player on offense.  You will see who.

25- Carolina Panthers: DJ Humphries, OT, Florida
          Carolina needs to help its running game.  It needs to keep Cam Newton upright.  Adding a tackle (who may get moved to guard to start) is what needs to be done.  Humphries is the the best available tackle.

26- Baltimore Ravens: Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest
          The Ravens secondary is made up of constantly injured guys and nickle corners.  They need a lot of help now.  Ledarius Webb is turning 30, and Jimmy Smith is solid when healthy but gets hurt.  Johnson adds depth, youth, and a healthy body to the secondary.

27- Dallas Cowboys: Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
          The Cowboys were carved apart by the Packers in the playoffs.  Hell, their secondary was carved up by Colt McCoy this past year.  I think that Peters would be a higher pick if he didn't have issues with his coaches and teammates at Washington.  Instead, he falls to the Cowboys, who get a playmaking CB with good cover skills.  Every team needs some of those.

28- Denver Broncos: Jake Fisher, OT, Oregon
          Gary Kubiak loves zone blocking schemes.  He is a product of the Shanahan coaching tree after all.  Zone schemes need athletic lineman, and Jake Fisher is the most athletic one.  He is a former tight end, and has played in the zone scheme at Oregon.  He can come in and compete for a starting spot right away at tackle or guard, and can help protect Manning and aid the run game.

29- Indianapolis Colts: Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
          I think that a running back coming off of two bad knee injuries shouldn't be in the first round.  However, Gurley is so good when he is healthy, and he can doesn't have to be healthy immediately since the Colts signed Frank Gore.  Let Gurley get healthy, then he can come in and take over for Gore late in the year.  The Colts need all the help they can get at RB.

30- Green Bay Packers: Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Mississippi State
          The Packers need help in the middle of their front seven.  Clay Matthews moved over from OLB to MLB just because they needed it.  While he was fantastic there, he is still a better pass rusher.  McKinney is a first team All-SEC LB, and fills the biggest need of a team that will again challenge for the NFC title.

31- New Orleans Saints: Devin Funchess, WR/TE, Michigan
          Hmm.  A super-talented WR/TE, who has playmaking ability and massive ups, playing with Drew Brees.  That sounds a bit familiar.  Jimmy Graham is gone, but Funchess could help fill that massive void.  Add him to a corp with Marques Colston, Brandin Cooks, and Nick Toon, and you have a pretty good 4-WR set.

32- New England Patriots: Jalen Collins, CB, LSU
          The Pats won the Super Bowl, then lost Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner.  Super Bowl hero Malcolm Butler is there, but may not even start.  Jalen Collins adds talent, but is very raw.  Bill Belichick should be able to mold him into a playmaker though.



There's Round 1.  Round 2 is on the way!