2013 Mock NFL Draft

Thanks again for checking out the blog. Below you’ll find my mock draft for 2013. The drama, uncertainty and surprises during the draft are what make me love it so much, and this year will be no exception. In fact, with no surefire stars but so many potential starters, this draft could be as wild and unpredictable as any in recent memory. Now usually, I don’t like to include projected trades in mock drafts because my name is not Adam Schefter. I have no clue when the hell a trade will occur, but they happen all the time. However, I do feel so confident about one potential trade that I included it below. The rest is all predictions and players I feel would fit certain teams depending on how the draft plays out. I also try to include “Best available” picks because as Arizona Cardinals GM Steve Keim once told me in an interview, you have to pick the best player available rather than reach for a need. Check out my big board to see my best available players.

Scott Halleran/Getty Images

1. Kansas City Chiefs: Luke Joeckell, OT, Texas A&M — The Chiefs need a solid tackle to be a cornerstone in the rebuilding process. Head coach Andy Reid knows he will need to protect Alex Smith at quarterback, and will get the guy to do just that. The Chiefs are looking into trading offensive tackle Brandon Albert, and will probably use that pick on defense later in the draft.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars: Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan — Even though the Jaguars have a new coaching staff and are left with a still-developing quarterback they didn’t draft, I think they’ll give him another year to prove himself and get some protection for him at this spot. It’s tempting to put Dion Jordan here, but Fisher is arguably the best player in the draft on some boards. Fisher is the pick.
3. Oakland Raiders: Shariff Floyd, DT, Florida — The Raiders need a lot of things, so as long as they get someone who can make an immediate impact, it’ll be a good pick. Floyd can do just that for this defense. Even though they traded for Matt Flynn, expect the Raiders to attempt the Seahawks approach of drafting a mid-round quarterback to compete with him.
4. Philadelphia Eagles: Dion Jordan, DE/OLB, Oregon — There’s a lot of media buzz about how the Eagles are such a wild-card in this draft and how no one knows what they’re going to do with the number four pick. If Jordan is here at four, it’s simple. Jordan will fit in well with what former Oregon head coach Chip Kelly wants to do on defense. Jordan will also breathe some new life into a defense which was horrendous last season.
5. Detroit Lions: Ezekiel Ansah, DE, BYU — The Lions will not only be filling a need with this pick since they lost Cliff Avril, but will be getting an extremely athletic player with enormous potential. Ansah could be the fastest rising prospect in draft history. Why is that? This guy didn’t play football until 2010. Now he’s a projected top five pick. His freakish athleticism combined with his ability to learn the game quickly will make head coach Jim Schwartz salivate.
6. Cleveland Browns: Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama — This pick could be a possible trade down spot for the Browns, as there are a lot of decent cornerbacks in this draft and could garner a lot of attention from teams looking to get Lane Johnson. It’s too difficult to say who would jump up here though, so I have the Browns taking Milliner to combine with former first rounder Joe Haden. Ignore the recently-surfaced issues about Milliner’s ball skills and past surgeries. Milliner has said he models his game after Haden, and the two will make a great duo to stifle the AFC North passing attacks.
7. Arizona Cardinals: Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma — The Cardinals luck out that a great player falls into their lap to fill a need. The Cardinals offensive line is arguably the worst in the league, and Johnson is an athletic tackle converted from tight end. He’ll be able to protect newly-acquired Carson Palmer immediately, and whoever the long-term quarterback is in the future.
8. Buffalo Bills: Chance Warmack, OG, Alabama — Warmack is one of the best players in the draft, and I don’t think the Bills hesitate if he’s still on the board. Some people this week have been saying the Bills will draft Ryan Nassib in a panic-move to make sure no one else gets him. I think they’ll be fine waiting a few picks and trading back into the round to get Nassib, a move I really think can and will happen. With Warmack, they’ll have a guard to protect Nassib for a decade.
9. New York Jets: Jonathan Cooper, OG, North Carolina — Guards are hardly graded at a premium, but they are rarely as talented as Warmack and Cooper. The Jets grab Cooper in an effort to ensure they can protect the quarterback and prevent whoever that may be from butt-fumbling.
10. Tennessee Titans: Barkevius Mingo, DE, LSU — The Titans could go a couple of different ways here, but I have them improving their pass rush to make it one of the best in the AFC. Sure, they need help at guard and safety, but the best guards are gone and this is a deep safety class where one can be picked in the second round. At this point, the Titans go best available with Mingo.
11. San Diego Chargers: D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama — The Chargers had an almost non-existent offense last season, and much of it was because of the poor offensive line play. Fluker may not be as good as the three tackles going before him, but he will help a poor offensive line right away. Maybe with a new head coach and more protection, Philip Rivers can get back to his productive and winning ways.
12. Miami Dolphins: Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State — With the Dolphins close to wrapping up a trade for Albert from the Chiefs, they’ll be set at tackle and won’t have to reach for one here. The Dolphins trading down with someone coveting Tavon Austin or Kenny Vaccaro is a possibility, and is probably the better option. If they can’t find a trade partner though, they could benefit from a big corner like Rhodes. He’s a big strong corner who played receiver in high school, and will do well if he takes his talents to South Beach.
13: New York Jets (From Buccaneers): Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia — Surprise! Not many people think the Jets will be taking Smith. In fact, the oh-so-great Todd McShay doesn’t even have Smith in the first round. Smith is not elite, but the hundred quarterbacks the Jets have on the roster are average at best. This is where new general manager John Idzik puts his stamp on the franchise. With the pick they get from the Revis trade, which officially started the rebuilding process, the Jets get their quarterback of the future. Smith isn’t elite yet, but he definitely has more potential than the other Jets quarterbacks.
14. Carolina Panthers: Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah – The Panthers have been suffering at this position for a few years now. Remember, head coach Ron Rivera is a defensive guru. All the attention the Panthers get focuses on the offense because of Cam Newton and his weapons, but Rivera would love to have someone like Lotulelei anchoring his defensive line and helping his group of talented linebackers. Lotulelei may have slipped a couple of spots because of his health concerns, but the Panthers will pounce on him when he does.
15. New Orleans Saints: Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia — I imagine Rob Ryan throwing a tantrum in order to have the Saints pick Jones. The offense isn’t the biggest worry except for tackle, but that could be found later. The Saints defense was horrible last year and Jones would be a huge improvement. There are concerns with Jones due to his health, but his explosiveness will outweigh them in the eyes of the Saints.

Photo credit: AP

16. St. Louis Rams: Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia — The Rams catch a break with Austin still being available, and rush up to the podium to get him. Austin is the perfect weapon for Captain Check-down, AKA Sam Bradford. He’ll be able to run bubble screens, quick slants and hitch routes for Bradford and will be a big time threat for yards after the catch. With Danny Amendola gone, there’s no way the Rams pass on Austin if he’s available.
17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas — Many draft experts think Vaccaro will conveniently be available for the Cowboys so that the Longhorn can play in Dallas. However, the Cowboys will have to trade up ahead of the Steelers if they really want Vaccaro. Vaccaro could sit behind either Ryan Clark, who gets banged up throughout a season and can’t play in Denver, or Troy Polamalu, who is also injury prone and getting old. Yet if called upon, Vaccaro could contribute right away and would be the first player in a much needed Pittsburgh youth movement.
18. Dallas Cowboys: Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri — Dallas could use a couple of more picks and trade down a few spots, but Richardson might be too good to pass up here. If the Cowboys are indeed going into a 4-3 defense, Richardson would be perfect under Monte Kiffin. He’s got a good combination of strength and quickness, and could even move to a 3-4 defensive end should Dallas decide to switch back to that.
19. New York Giants: Alec Ogletree, LB, Georgia — In my opinion, ever since the Giants acquired Eli Manning, they’ve nailed it every time they had a first round pick. They take an extremely talented player despite questions other teams may have about them. This year won’t be any different. By getting Ogletree, the Giants will not only be addressing the linebacker issues, but getting one of the ten best players in this draft. Questions be damned, Ogletree will be a Giant.
20. Chicago Bears: Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee — Didn’t it seem like all the Bears offense was last season was Jay Cutler to Brandon Marshall? This left defenses able to focus on Marshall for the entire 60 minutes. With a big-time threat like Patterson, that won’t be happening much longer. Yes, the Bears need to replace Brian Urlacher, but Patterson is too good to take a middle linebacker at this point.
21. Cincinnatti Bengals: John Cyprien, FS, FIU — The Bengals are interested in Cyprien, who would not only fill a need for them, but is a darn good player. People can try to knock Cyprien for playing at Florida International, but he held his own at the Senior Bowl with the other top talent and played well when FIU went up against bigger schools. Plus, the Bengals don’t care where you’re from, what you did, or who you are if you can help them win.
22. St. Louis Rams (From Redskins): Eric Reid, S, LSU — This one is a trickier pick for the Rams. They could go best available after addressing a big time need at number 16, but this pick could be a bit need-based as well. In a division with the 49ers and Seahawks, the Rams need a player who can help against the run, cover tight ends and prevent the deep ball. Enter Eric Reid to replace the loss of Craig Dahl to San Francisco.
23. Minnesota Vikings: Manti Te’o, MLB, Notre Dame — Picking Te’o is going to get a huge reaction from the crowd at Radio City Music Hall, but the Vikings will also be getting a decent player to step in right away and help a struggling linebacker group. A coach like Leslie Frazier is not going to care about Te’o's fake girlfriend or overblown 40-yard dash time. All he’ll care about is Te’o's ability to keep up with tight ends such as Martellus Bennett, Jermichael Finley and Brandon Pettigrew. Te’o can do that.
24. Indianapolis Colts: Bjoern Werner, OLB/DE, Florida State — Dwight Freeney is no longer a Colt, Robert Mathis is aging, Jerry Hughes is off and on as a pass rusher, and Erik Walden is a linebacker the Packers didn’t care to keep. So how do you solve this? Take Werner, stand him up as a 3-4 outside linebacker, and let him get after the quarterback. The Colts were twenty-third in sacks last season with only 32. Werner can get at least 10.
25. Minnesota Vikings (From Seahawks): Keenan Allen, WR, Cal — The Vikings haven’t had much luck with free agent wide receivers in recent memory (see Bernard Berrian and Michael Jenkins), and they just signed Greg Jennings away from Green Bay. To avoid another wide receiver letdown, the Vikings could benefit from a young, quick receiver like Allen. Allen could not only act as Jordy Nelson opposite Jennings, but will certainly help Christian Ponder grow into the above average quarterback he can be.
26. Green Bay Packers: Matt Elam, S, Florida — Elam will be able to eventually take over the position Charles Woodson left empty, but will be able to immediately help this team in dime packages too. With his playmaking ability and excellent ball skills, the Packers won’t have to worry about another interception/touchdown debate with the Seahawks. Too soon? Good thing Elam is available then.
27. Houston Texans: Menelik Watson, OT, Florida State — All the talk here is that the Texans could draft Andre Johnson’s eventual replacement, or at least a wide receiver to help him immediately. That could happen, but another thing that will help the Texans passing game is keeping Matt Schaub on his feet. Watson could compete for a starting job immediately at right tackle. Houston has been making a habit of drafting someone that leaves people scratching their head on draft day, but working out well for them like Kareem Jackson, J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus. Watson could be next in that list.
28. Buffalo Bills (From Broncos): Ryan Nassib, QB, Syracuse — Since John Elway doesn’t particularly like this draft class, I don’t expect the Broncos to be picking here at all, but rather trading down. This was as close to a logical spot I could envision for the Bills to be trading back into the round to get their quarterback. Nassib’s college head coach, Doug Marone, is of course the new Bills head coach. Nassib will know the offense well, has a strong arm to through in Buffalo, and will beat out Kevin Kolb for the starting job at some point this season. The Bills won’t reach for Nassib at eight, but will get him twenty picks later.
29. New England Patriots: Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington — It seems as if the Patriots will always need help in their secondary as they consistently have above average cornerbacks. Trufant, however, has potential to be really good and will contribute immediately in nickel/dime situations and on special teams. That, or the Patriots could go back to being the Patriots and trading down for picks in future drafts.
30. Atlanta Falcons: Jamar Taylor, CB, Boise State — Speaking about needing a cornerback, the Falcons are probably hurting the most at the position. All they have is Asante Samuel at cornerback. They’ve lost Dunta Robinson, Brent Grimes and Chris Owens. They could take any one of the available corners and be happy, but with Taylor they’ll get a sound, quick player who will be the number two cornerback from day one.

Photo by kcchiefs.com

31. San Francisco 49ers: Margus Hunt, DE, SMU — With all the picks the 49ers have, it’s possible they move up from this spot to get a safety. D.J. Swearinger will be available three picks later at 34 though, so they can get him there. They could look at tight end Zach Ertz, a player Jim Harbaugh recruited to Stanford and who has also said his biggest influence is former 49er great Brent Jones. But again, he’ll be available three picks from now, so who do they take? In this great position, I say the 49ers go with Margus Hunt. The guy is freakishly tall and with a year behind Justin Smith to learn and get some bulk, the 49ers won’t have to worry about losing their entire pass rush when Smith is gone. Until then, Hunt can contribute on special teams. He set an NCAA record with 17 blocked kicks. He’s a player Harbaugh will love.

32. Baltimore Ravens: Arthur Brown, MLB, Kansas State — He signed with Miami coming out of high school. Draft experts say he is undersized. Instinctive defender who players bigger than he is. Sound familiar? I wasn’t describing recently retired Ray Lewis. Brown is all of these things and would immediately help the Ravens alongside Elvis Dumervil, Terrell Suggs and Courtney Upshaw. Sometimes, things work out just right. A lot of times, general manager Ozzie Newsome nails it in the draft. This is one of those times.

2013 NFL Draft Big Board

My favorite time of year could possibly be late April. This is not because of the weather, baseball’s return, or the NBA playoffs (although I do love baseball and NBA playoffs), but because of the NFL Draft. Therefore, it’s only fitting that I return to blogging with a post on the draft.

If you’re new to TorresSports, I welcome you and hope you enjoy what I’m rambling about. If you used to read this blog when I kept up with it, I thank you for taking the time out to read it once again. My last post was on September 4, 2012, and seven-plus months is far too long. I have been lacking the desire to write in the past few months, and you simply viewing this page encourages me to get back into it. For that, I thank you.

Now, back to the topic at hand. Below you will find my 2013 NFL Draft Big Board (it’s more of a long list than an actual big board, but whatever). I originally wanted to do a list of the top 50 players in this draft, but after I listed 50, I kept thinking about other players I really liked. Before I knew it, I had a top 70 list, so I decided to just do my homework and make it a solid 100. I won’t get into detail for every player, but here are some thoughts on my rankings.

The quarterbacks are nowhere close to what we saw last year, but under the right systems, there are a handful that can succeed in the NFL. The running backs in this draft are getting undersold because the NFL is a passing league, but there are several good backs available. I’ve ranked a dozen of them here, and not much separates them, which is why you’ll see a few of them clumped together. If I were an NFL GM, I would love to have any one of them on my team. The draft is not full of stars, but more players with starting capabilities than any draft in recent memory. It is a deep draft for both offensive and defensive line prospects. I really like the top few tight ends available. We’re also getting a worthy safety class, whereas in the past couple of years the safety position has been weak.

Remember, this is all just a matter of opinion. It’s not a prediction of where these players will be drafted. You’ll see rankings vary wherever you go, from NFL.com to Bleacher Report to USA Today. I simply take what I know from the college game, reading and watching videos and present to you 100 players I like in the NFL Draft. Have fun with it: use it while you’re watching the draft to see who my best available player is, argue with me over how much I over/under value someone, or marvel in how awesome I am at ranking these guys. Just kidding. Kind of. Either way, here it is.

1. Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M

2. Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan

3. Chance Warmack, OG, Alabama

4. Dion Jordan, OLB/DE, Oregon

5. Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama

6. Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma

7. Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida

8. Jonathan Cooper, OG, North Carolina

9. Alec Ogletree, LB, Georgia

10. Ezekiel Ansah, DE/OLB, BYU

11. Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri

12. Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia

13. Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah

14. Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas

15. Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia

16. D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama

17. Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State

18. Sylvester Williams, DT, North Carolina

19. Barkevious Mingo, OLB, LSU

20. Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State

21. Damontre Moore, DE, Texas A&M

22. Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington

23. Zach Ertz, TE, Stanford

24. Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame

25. Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia

26. Robert Woods, WR, USC

27. Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee

28. Keenan Allen, WR, Cal

29. Matt Barkley, QB, USC

30. Eddie Lacy, RB, Alabama

31. Manti Te’o, LB, Notre Dame

32. Margus Hunt, DE, SMU

33. John Cyprien, FS, FIU

34. Eric Reid, S, LSU

35. Menelik Watson, OT, Florida State

36. Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee

37. Alex Okafor, DE, Texas

38. Kyle Long, OL, Oregon

39. Johnathan Hankins, DT, Ohio State

40. Johnthan Banks, CB, Mississippi State

41. Kevin Minter, LB, LSU

42. Matt Elam, S, Florida

43. Cornellius Carradine, DE, Florida State

44. Datone Jones, DE, UCLA

45. Kawann Short, DT, Purdue

46. Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU

47. Jamar Taylor, CB, Boise State

48. Arthur Brown, LB, Kansas State

49. DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson

50. Terrance Williams, WR, Baylor

51. Jesse Williams, DT, Alabama

52. Barrett Jones, OL, Alabama

53. Travis Kelce, TE, Cincinnati

54. Larry Warford, OG, Kentucky

55. Darius Slay, CB, Mississippi State

56. Giovanni Bernard, RB, North Carolina

57. Stedman Bailey, WR, West Virginia

58. Ryan Nassib, QB, Syracuse

59. Dallas Thomas, OT, Tennessee

60. Montee Ball, RB, Wisconsin

61. D.J. Hayden, CB, Houston

62. John Jenkins, DT, Georgia

63. Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina

64. Joseph Randle, RB, Oklahoma State

65. Stepfan Taylor, RB, Stanford

66. Andre Ellington, RB, Clemson

67. Kenjon Barner, RB, Oregon

68. Le’Veon Bell, RB, Michigan State

69. Kevin Reddick, ILB, North Carolina

70. Justin Pugh, OT, Syracuse

71. Travis Frederick, C, Wisconsin

72. EJ Manuel, QB, Florida State

73. D.J. Swearinger, SS, South Carolina

74. Chase Thomas, OLB, Stanford

75. Quinton Patton, WR, Louisiana Tech

76. Marquise Goodwin, WR, Texas

77. Blidi Wreh-Wilson, CB, Connecticut

78. Brandon Jenkins, DE, Florida State

79. Markus Wheaton, WR, Oregon State

80. Jordan Reed, TE, Florida

81. Johnathan Franklin, RB, UCLA

82. Mike Gillislee, RB, Florida

83. Kiko Alonso, LB, Oregon

84. Khaseem Greene, OLB, Rutgers

85. Nico Johnson, ILB, Alabama

86. Terron Armstead, OT, Arkansas-Pine Bluff

87. Christine Michael, RB, Texas A&M

88. William Gholston, DE, Michigan State

89. Mike Glennon, QB, NC State

90. Khaled Holmes, C, USC

91. T.J. McDonald, FS, USC

92. Robert Alford, CB, Southeastern Louisiana

93. Leon McFadden, CB, San Diego St.

94. Brian Winters, OG, Kent State

95. Gavin Escobar, TE, San Diego St.

96. J.J. Wilcox, FS, Georgia Southern

97. Philip Lutzenkirchen, TE, Auburn

98. Ryan Swope, WR, Texas A&M

99. Corey Lemonier, DE, Auburn

100. Tyler Bray, QB, Tennessee

Keep an eye on these players also, because if they get a chance with the right team or system, they can flourish: Zac Dysert, QB, Miami (Ohio), Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma, Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU, Bacarri Rambo, SS, Georgia, Denard Robinson, WR, Michigan, Terrell Sinkfield, WR, Northern Iowa.

2012 NFL season preview

As the NFL season is set to kick off, here are my predictions for this season. Feel free to comment on whether you agree, disagree, or don’t care for any portion of this post, but above all, enjoy the return of football.

AFC East

AP Photo/Dave Martin, File

1st- New England Patriots: Tom Brady. Bill Belichick. And, wait for it, a couple of first round draft picks actually used for once? This team will dominate the division yet again, and their schedule is the easiest on paper in the NFL. The biggest weakness for this team last season was a pass rush, and the Patriots used two first round draft picks, instead of trading back for more, on defensive end Chandler Jones and linebacker Dont’a Hightower. Also, if having Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez and Wes Welker wasn’t enough, throw wide receiver Brandon Lloyd into the mix for Brady to play with. Expect the Patriots to be playing late into January once again this season.

2nd- Buffalo Bills: The Bills lead the group in this division which is a clear drop off from the Patriots. Nevertheless, the Bills should be an exciting team to watch. They have some excellent weapons on offense in wide receiver Stevie Johnson and running backs Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller. Overpaid quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick will have to settle down with the interceptions though, because he threw almost as many picks as he did touchdowns last season (24 TDs to 23 INTs). The Bills definitely improved on defense with the signing of Mario Williams and Mark Anderson, and drafting of Stephon Gilmore. However, many players return from a unit which gave up 434 points last season. Defensive coordinator Dave Wannstedt will have to instill a different mindset into this group for the team to catch the Patriots.

3rd- Miami Dolphins: The Dolphins are in rebuilding mode, but I’m going out on a limb and saying they finish ahead of the Jets. Running back Reggie Bush was a pleasant surprise last season, and leads a group of running backs which will need to help the rookie quarterback. Speaking of which, Ryan Tannehill takes over as the starter and still doesn’t know his NFL conference alignment. It makes sense since his college team was leaving to the SEC and who knows what’s happening in college football realignment, but that’s another story. Tannehill will at least be playing under a familiar system with his college head coach, Mike Sherman, as the offensive coordinator. The defense kept several games close last season and, if they do it again this year, could steal some games away from teams. The biggest issue is the secondary though, as an already weak group lost Vontae Davis to trade.

4th- New York Jets: This team, despite the media circus which surrounds them 24/7, is set up for a disappointment. Mark Sanchez sorely needs the full support of a team and he did not get it when the Jets traded for Tim Tebow. If and when Sanchez struggles, the media and fan base will be calling to see what Tebow can do. The Jets also plan to misuse Tebow in all sorts of ridiculous ways rather than letting him develop in his third offense in as many years. Their running backs are slow and above average, and their defense is overrated. Yes, they have Darrelle Revis and David Harris, but everyone else is aging or above average. Rex Ryan had this team in great position a couple of years ago, but this team has serious locker room issues which could be disastrous. Ryan will have to retake control quickly to avoid a big downfall.

AFC North

AP Photo/Nick Wass

1st- Baltimore Ravens: In the most physical division by far, I expect the Ravens to survive and make it out on top. I don’t care what anyone says, Joe Flacco can sling it during crunch time and is better than people give him credit for. He’ll have Ray Rice, one of the best in the league, once again to do damage in both the running and passing game. The defense is still a great one, and lucked out with linebacker Courtney Upshaw falling to them in the draft because they’ll be without Terrell Suggs for most of the year. Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, despite being grandpas in football years, can still play with the best of them. This team is remarkably similar to their rival in Pittsburgh in many ways but, if they stay healthy, should be able to stave off an angry Steelers team.

2nd- Pittsburgh Steelers: How do you replace a good offensive mind in Bruce Arians? Replace him with a better one in Todd Haley. With head coach Mike Tomlin, offensive coordinator Haley, and defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, the Steelers have one of the best coaching staffs in the country. Which is why I believe they will be in playoff contention despite injuries and departed players. The iconic Hines Ward will not be playing for Pittsburgh for the first time since 1997, and mainstays James Farrior and Aaron Smith are gone as well. The Steelers had one of the best draft selections in guard David DeCastro, but he is out for most the season after tearing his MCL and dislocating his knee. The defense will be similar to last season, and the Steelers still have Ben Roethlisberger to lead the offense. The key, as always for this time, is staying healthy. They will be banged up during the season as their bye week comes quick in week four, but if they can get well in December, this time will be playing in January again.

3rd- Cincinnati Bengals: The popular consensus seems to be that the Bengals will improve from last year’s playoff appearance. This is Cincinnati we’re talking about though, who has only made the playoffs in consecutive years once (1981-82) and is led by head coach Marvin Lewis, who has a below .500 career record with zero playoffs wins. With the Ravens and Steelers to contend with, it will be difficult for this team to repeat the success of last season. The Bengals did set themselves up greatly for the future, with an excellent draft class and the signing of BenJarvus Green-Ellis. The focus of the team will once again be youngsters Andy Dalton and A.J. Green, who took the league by storm in their rookie season.  Not much has changed from the successful team last year, but I just have a hard time seeing another playoff appearance this season. Look out in 2013 though.

4th- Cleveland Browns: The Browns will try to do what the Bengals did last year: start two rookies on offense as your main threats and fight hard enough on defense to make the playoffs. Unfortunately for Cleveland, the team outside of the two rookies isn’t very good. The old rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden will have a bunch of unproven, under-achieving targets to throw to, and fellow rookie Trent Richardson is already banged up. The defense is a scrappy bunch, but for every good player they have, there is an average one. Cornerback Joe Haden is also facing a four game suspension. They really need to improve their rush defense, and adding defensive ends Frostee Rucker and Juqua Parker is not the answer. Sorry, Cleveland fans, this just isn’t the turn around year you’re waiting for.

AFC South

AP Photo/Bill Haber, File

1st- Houston Texans: If Matt Schaub had been healthy last season, they very well could have been the representative in the Super Bowl last season. Schaub is back, and so is Arian Foster. So is Andre Johnson. As long as the three can stay healthy, they form part of one of the best offenses in the league. Mario Williams is gone, but so what? This defense was great without him last season and the loss will not have as much of an impact as many think. Brooks Reed played great when Williams was hurt, and the Texans also added first round draft pick Whitney Mercilus to get after the quarterback. Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips is excellent in this role rather than a head coach, and his group will have continued success pounding teams into the ground. This is a balanced team which is poised to make plenty of noise in the post-season.

2nd- Tennessee Titans: The key to the Titans finishing this high will be how Jake Locker handles being the starting quarterback. I believe Locker can excel in this league and provide enough spark for this team to actually make the playoffs this year. Last season, the Titans were the only team to have a winning record and miss the playoffs, and no one seems to be giving them credit going into this year. The addition of Kendall Wright will make up for when Kenny Britt gets hurt/suspended/taken out of the game. Chris Johnson and Javon Ringer give the Titans a good one-two punch in the backfield. The defense will actually benefit from having troubled cornerback Cortland Finnegan leave for St. Louis, and have a young defensive line which has potential to be explosive. If the Titans last through a tough early schedule, their second half allows for a chance to get hot when it counts.

3rd- Indianapolis Colts: The Colts were atrocious last season, but I think they turn a few heads by not finishing last in the division. Everyone compares first overall pick Andrew Luck to John Elway or Peyton Manning, but in my opinion, he is the first Andrew Luck and will succeed right away. One of the most underrated moves the Colts made which could pay off big as the season progresses was drafting Luck’s college tight end Coby Fleener. The team still has Reggie Wayne and Donald Brown on offense, so they could actually score some points this season with Luck instead of Kerry Collins/Curtis Painter. The defense is still below average, but defensive coordinator Greg Manusky will have this 3-4 defense much improved by the end of the year. It’ll be interesting to see how Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis handle the hybrid 4-3/3-4 defense. If Freeney and company can get after the passer, they may surprise some people.

4th- Jacksonville Jaguars: Analysts keep praising Blaine Gabbert for his great pre-season, but I’m still not sold on him. He’s learning a new system with new head coach Mike Mularkey, which is something no young quarterback wants to do (see Alex Smith’s first few years). Maurice Jones-Drew is finally back with the team after his lengthy holdout, and history tells us that players in that situation don’t immediately return to their previous form. The team does have rookie Justin Blackmon, who will electrify the field when he can and if he stays out of trouble. The defense has a decent set of linebackers, but there are too many question marks in the secondary and defensive line in order to sustain success.

AFC West

AP Photo/Jack Dempsey, File

1st- Denver Broncos: Peyton Manning hardly had good defenses in his time with Indianapolis. The Broncos did not have consistent quarterback play last year when they made the playoffs. Combining Manning with this defense seems like a perfect match, at least one to win the division that is. Manning has always been able to make those around him better, no matter how average they seemed. This offense has a few above average to decent players, and Manning will make the likes of Eric Decker, Joel Dreessen, Willis McGahee and DeMaryius Thomas better. If the defense can continue the way they played last season and create turnovers for Manning, we’ll see bigger leads for the Broncos and higher sack totals for Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil as teams play from behind.

2nd- San Diego Chargers: The Chargers are the best of the rest in the division, but that doesn’t mean they’re a good team. I honestly believe this team will be stuck in neutral until Norv Turner is out as head coach. Until then, Phillip Rivers will have to pass his arm off and force more throws to keep his team in the ball game. This is a tougher task without Vincent Jackson and a banged up Ryan Matthews. The defense has some talented players like safety Eric Weddle and rookie outside linebacker Melvin Ingram, but it’s not an overwhelming group. The problem is that this team can never seem to put together a string of wins when they matter most, and this year will be no different. Chargers fans, you’ll get your wish of a new head coach after this season.

3rd- Kansas City Chiefs: This team could have been much better last season had everyone not gotten hurt. Returning for the Chiefs are some of their best players like running back Jamaal Charles and safety Eric Berry. The defense was much better when Romeo Crennel took over last year, and I expect more of the same this year. In this 3-4 scheme, rookie nose tackle Dontari Poe has potential to be a huge assist to linebackers Derrick Johnson and Tamba Hali. The secondary should do fine without Brandon Carr, as they still have Berry, Brandon Flowers and added Stanford Routt. A backfield consisting of Charles, Peyton Hillis and Dexter McCluster should be dangerous, but a lot relies on whether quarterback Matt Cassel can finally produce. Sadly for the Chiefs though, Cassel may not provide enough.

4th- Oakland Raiders: This may sound mean, but the Raiders were never going to get better with Al Davis still leading the charge. With Davis gone, this team could have a bright future. That future does not start now though, as the Raiders welcome yet another head coach in first-year-man Dennis Allen. Carson Palmer returns at quarterback and while he showed flashes of his old self last year, he isn’t quite what he once was. Running back Darren McFadden is one of the best in the league when healthy, but he is also made of glass and will most likely get hurt at some point in the season. This year, the Raiders will not have Michael Bush to fill in for Run DMC. The defense has a good defensive line and safeties but bad cornerbacks. When signing former 49ers cornerback Shawntae Spencer is your best option at the position, you’re in for a bad year. With not much of a draft to bolster the defense, expect the Raiders to stick around in games but falter too often.

NFC East

AP Photo/Julio Cortez

1st- New York Giants: The Giants were a good team last year during the regular season, despite their struggles and criticism from the media. Then in the playoffs, they proved just how good they were. Most of that team returns, as the pieces they lost in the off-season were replaced via free agency or the draft. Eli Manning showed he truly is one of the league’s best, and will carry the offense. The loss of Mario Manningham won’t hurt too much as they still have Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks. Brandon Jacobs won’t me missed either with the addition of first round running back David Wilson. Wilson was the sole reason Virginia Tech had an offense last season, and will thrive in the NFL. Defensively, the pass rush should be able to mask any weaknesses, like losing Terrell Thomas again. Adding linebacker Keith Rivers will be a big help too. The Giants have the toughest schedule in the league, but they have proven time and again they are a resilient bunch. I expect them to build the bridge and stay successful.

2nd- Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys have done enough to get back into the playoff race, but they will be in a tough battle with the Eagles for second place in the division. In all honesty, a playoff berth for either team would be a success, but everyone knows the ridiculous expectations for each franchise will not allow that. Dallas will look better on defense as they drastically improved their secondary. Brandon Carr was a big signing, and Morris Claiborne will only get better with experience. The question marks for Dallas are really on offense. Will their receiver’s mature and live up to their potential while Jason Witten’s spleen suffers? Can DeMarco Murray stay healthy for a full season? Will Tony Romo be, well, not Tony Romo? Okay, maybe that was harsh, but Romo will have to continue to hold his end of the bargain for this team to survive.

3rd- Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles look poised to bounce back from the infamous ‘Dream team’ season, but there seems to be one thing after another to put that in question. Left tackle Jason Peters was lost for the season earlier this year. Andy Reid’s son tragically passed away, bringing about the usual doubts of the team’s focus. Michael Vick proved during the entire preseason to be made of glass still and it is highly unlikely he will last all sixteen games. Nevertheless, the Eagles did make improvements on defense, adding to their defensive front seven with players like first round pick Fletcher Cox and middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans from Houston. LeSean McCoy will continue where he left off last season and could potentially lead the league in rushing. Still, there are too many questions with this team and will be in a fierce competition with the Cowboys for second place.

4th- Washington Redskins: All the excitement in Washington surrounds the arrival of Robert Griffin III, but they will need more than RGIII to get out of last place. The Redskins have added “weapons” for Griffin, but none are truly formidable. Griffin’s best target remains Fred Davis, his tight end, despite the additions of wide receivers Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan. Both receivers have potential, but only potential to be solid number twos at best. Santana Moss is past his prime, and dropping nearly twenty pounds off his 200 pound frame will only help so much. The running backs are supposed to excel in Mike Shannahan’s zone blocking sceme, but I have a hard time believing in the likes of Roy Helu, Alfred Morris and Evan Rosyter. The defense will keep them in games enough for RGIII to steal a few here and there, but eventually in this pass-happy league their secondary will be exploited. RGIII could one day be one of the elite, but he will need help getting there, and it won’t happen immediately this year.

NFC North

AP Photo/Al Behrman

1st- Green Bay Packers: For the Packers last year, the best defense was a good offense. Expect more of the same this season. A draft full of defensive players, Including outside linebacker Nick Perry and defensive end Jerel Worthy, will certainly help but the secondary needs to step things up. The Packers lost Nick Collins last season and it hurt them a lot; Collins will not return this season. When the offense is as good as this one though, not much defense is required. Aaron Rodgers is arguably the best quarterback in the game, and he has a crew of wide receivers that can be number one guys on many other teams. The addition of Cedric Benson at running back is a big improvement over any other player in their backfield. The Packers will still be explosive, but until defensive coordinator Dom Capers gets his group to be more consistent, another 15-1 season will be virtually impossible.

2nd- Chicago Bears: The Bears at number two in the North is not so much that I think they are much better than the Lions, but more of a hunch. After a season plagued with injuries, this team definitely improved it’s depth chart with names like Michael Bush, Jason Campbell, Blake Costanzo, Brandon Marshall, Chilo Rachal and Eric Weems. Top picks Shea McClellin and Alshon Jeffery will help too. Quite a bit, isn’t it? And with a healthy Jay Cutler, this team shouldn’t go through the disastrous downfall it did last year. The key will be consistency on defense, much like the Packers. This is an aging defense with an average secondary. If the pass rush isn’t there, this defense could be exposed. Expect the Bears to start off well, with only one playoff team from last year in their first five games. They’ll need to hang on and stay healthy to avoid a repeat of last year.

3rd- Detroit Lions: Calvin Johnson is on the cover of Madden NFL 13, therefore rendering the Lions a non-playoff team. Just kidding. All jokes aside though, the Lions will have a hard time repeating the same type of run they had last year. Their passing game will remain one of the best in the league, but where will the balance be with no semblance of a running game? Electrifying running back Jahvid Best will start the season on the PUP list, and his concussion history is not a good sign. Kevin Smith is also made of glass, leaving Mikel Leshoure, who was out all of last year due to injury. On defense, the Lions lost cornerback Eric Wright, and Jacob Lacey won’t be as good as him right away. They do return ten starters, but is that a good thing when this is a defense which gave up over 900 yards and 90 points in their final two games? Plus, Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley are wildcards who could get injured, suspended or thrown out of a game. It’ll be a battle for a playoff spot in Detroit.

4th- Minnesota Vikings: Last year I said Christian Ponder was a huge reach and he proved he was. I stick by my opinion in that he is not that good or ready to lead this team, and their offense will continue to suffer. The Vikings have taken a big step back from where they were just a few years ago, when they had one of the best rushing attacks and rush defenses. Adrian Peterson will be returning from his injury, but with an injury history like his, we’ll see if he can hold up. If not, Toby Gerhart is not the man you want getting 25 carries a game. Percy Harvin is a dangerous player playing for a non-threatening team, and it’s a shame. Defensively, the Vikings have lost their groove and while head coach Leslie Frazier has a good defensive mind, he does not have the talent. Their secondary is below average and put far too much pressure on Jared Allen and the defensive line. Combine all of this together and you have another down year, and Frazier on the hot seat.

NFC South

AP Photo/Lynne Sladky

1st- Atlanta Falcons: Two main reasons why the Falcons will win this division, and they are not related to their offense or defense: The Saints won’t overcome the loss of their head coach and several players to suspension, and the NFC South has never had a repeat winner. Therefore, as the next best team in the division, the South is the Falcons’ to lose. Expect Julio Jones to have a breakout sophomore season, and the running game to flourish with more of a committee. This way, Michael Turner will not be worn down by the end of the season. Matt Ryan is still one of the best quarterbacks in this conference, and should lead the offense to many points. The loss of linebacker Curtis Lofton on defense will hurt, but they also improved their secondary on the cheap by trading for Asante Samuel. In a division with quarterbacks Drew Brees, Josh Freeman and Cam Newton, having elite corners like Samuel, Brent Grimes and Dunta Robinson will be great. The key will be the pass rush, but that’s why defensive coordinator Mike Nolan was brought in. The Falcons should do well, the question is can they win a playoff game.

2nd- Carolina Panthers: Sophomore slump for Newton the way Freeman had one in Tampa Bay? Don’t expect one. Newton not only silenced doubters last year, but tied, gagged and threw them into the ocean. Together with backs Jonathan Stewart, Mike Tolbert and DeAngelo Williams, Newton and the Panthers form one of the best backfields in the league. Steve Smith proved me wrong last year when I thought he would slow down due to injuries, and I now expect him to play through them again and at a high level. With a decent offensive line and Greg Olsen at tight end, the offense should remain a high octane one. The defense could use improvement though. Their linebackers should be solid with the return of Thomas Davis and the signing of first round pick Luke Kuechly, who could be a Pro Bowl player in his rookie season. Their sack production was weak last year and outside of Chris Gamble, the secondary is suspect. If this team can make some stops though, the offense could propel them to a playoff spot.

3rd- New Orleans Saints: Had the bounty scandal never occurred, I would pick the Saints to play for a Super Bowl in their own stadium. However, head coach Sean Payton is just as vital to the team as Drew Brees is, and Brees cannot carry them alone. Although the team will have different interim head coaches, the offense will basically be run by Brees. Although he is great, I don’t know if that is a good thing. The Saints still have plenty of playmakers on offense to keep them in games, but can the defense hold up their end of the bargain? They were able replace the loss of Jonathan Vilma to suspension by signing Lofton away from Atlanta, but Greg Williams will no longer be there to add incentive. Without Williams’ strategy, smarts and funds, I expect the defense to take a step back. In this division, losing their best coaches will cost them a playoff spot.

4th- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Buccaneers will be better under head coach Greg Schiano than they were with Raheem Morris, but not immediately. Nevertheless, expect quarterback Josh Freeman to bounce back from last year’s disaster. He’ll have better weapons with wide receiver Vincent Jackson and rookie running back Doug Martin. Expect Schiano to take the pressure off Freeman and utilize Martin, as he hopes he’ll be like Ray Rice was for him at Rutgers. On defense, the additions of cornerback Eric Wright and rookie safety Mark Barron will provide sorely needed upgrades to a secondary which got torched last season. If the front seven, can stay healthy, they’ll avoid getting run over as well. If players start going down like last season though, there is little quality depth. This team will be exciting to watch, but that does not always leads to wins.

NFC West

AP Photo/Joe Mahoney, File

1st- San Francisco 49ers: The 49ers came two Kyle Williams fumbles away from playing in the Super Bowl last season. Even though their schedule will be much more grueling than it was last season, expect them to come back with a vengeance. Williams returns for the 49ers, but behind much better options for quarterback Alex Smith. When the Giants exposed the 49ers weakness at receiver, they vowed to improve the position, and they did with the likes of first round pick A.J. Jenkins, Manningham and Randy Moss. Also, to avoid running back Frank Gore from wearing down like he did last season, he’ll have help from Kendall Hunter again, but also Brandon Jacobs and rookie LaMichael James. The team also returns all 11 starters on defense, bringing back a group which did not allow a rushing touchdown for the first 14 games. The 49ers are considered a Super Bowl contender due to their stingy defense, strong rushing attack and improved passing game, but the team has to find a way to convert on third down and red zone situations. Kicker David Akers had so many field goals last year because the 49ers could not punch it in. If they do, big things could happen.

2nd- Seattle Seahawks: The Seahawks were a quarterback from contending for the playoffs last season. Therefore, the team signed Matt Flynn away from Green Bay. But then comes rookie Russell Wilson who steals the job away and could possibly take the NFC by storm. Wilson provides a spark the Seahawks offense has been lacking in recent years, and should be formidable with a solid Marshawn Lynch-led rushing attack. If Wilson’s receivers can step up, like Sydney Rice and Golden Tate, they could give San Francisco a run for their money. The defense is led by a great secondary, a quality needed in today’s NFL. They’ll also play against weak offenses this year like Arizona and St. Louis twice, Miami Minnesota and the New York Jets. They will need a better pass rush though, which is why they reached for defensive end Bruce Irvin of West Virginia in the draft. If Russell Wilson and the secondary can perform at a high level, no one will care about Pete Carroll’s recent draft reaches, as they’ll be in the playoffs.

3rd- Arizona Cardinals: The Cardinals had a weak quarterback competition during training camp and the pre-season, and the one who survived the stalemate was John Skelton. As much as I personally would like to see the El Paso, Texas native do well, I don’t anticipate him being leaps and bounds better than Kevin Kolb could have been. Skelton will have big, strong targets in Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd, as well as running back Ryan Williams, who missed the entire season last year. But their offensive line is still shaky. They stole guard Adam Snyder away from San Francisco, but lost tackle Levi Brown to injury. The Cardinals have a solid defense, and I expect Patrick Peterson to get better and be more of a shut down corner.

4th- St. Louis Rams: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Sam Bradford is overrated. The last quarterback drafted in the same class as Bradford, Zac Robinson, could have won rookie of the year when he did in that dink and dump system. This offense is the Steven Jackson show and Bradford is simply a beneficiary of it. There is still no proven wide receiver and the line is still one which allows several sacks. The defense is one which has made several improvements, with the likes of cornerbacks Cortland Finnegan and Janoris Jenkins, and first round draft pick defensive tackle Michael Brockers. This group would have been even better had Greg Williams not gotten suspended for the bounty scandal. The defense will no longer be a pushover under Head coach Jeff Fisher, but still not a great one. Fisher has this team in a great position for the future as they have almost every Redskins draft pick in the next couple of years, but this season will be another struggle to stay relevant.

Final note: In the AFC, I have the playoff seedings as follows: (1) Patriots, (2) Texans, (3) Broncos, (4) Ravens, (5) Steelers, (6) Titans.

In the NFC: (1) Packers, (2) Giants, (3) 49ers, (4) Falcons, (5) Cowboys, (6) Seahawks.

In wild card weekend, I have the Broncos beating the Titans, the Steelers beating the Ravens, the 49ers beating the Seahawks and the Cowboys beating the Falcons. The following week the Patriots beating the Steelers, the Texans beating the Broncos, the Packers beating the Cowboys and the 49ers beating the Giants. In the conference championships, I’m going with the two number one seeds losing, with the Texans beating the Patriots and the 49ers beating the Packers.

Finally, in the Super Bowl, a first for both franchises: The Texans win their first Super Bowl, and the 49ers lose their first in a low scoring, defensive affair. Houston Texans 20, San Francisco 49ers 17.

Top five improvements needed for Madden NFL 13

Calvin Johnson will be on the cover of Madden NFL 13.

With the Madden cover now in the sure hands of Calvin Johnson (apologies to all Lions fans), I thought it would be fitting to discuss the improvements EA Sports needs to make for it’s upcoming release of the popular video game. Sure, die-hard football fans will flock to the nearest store and buy a copy in August, but how can EA keep these fans from becoming disinterested and also bring in a bigger casual audience? EA is already hard at work to improve this year’s edition, and have already made Madden dreams come true by taking Cris Collinsworth out of the game. There is still plenty of work to be done, however, and here are 10 things they can do to make Madden NFL 13 one of the best yet.

Improve the game day presentation, make it feel real

This is one of the biggest things that can be done to draw in the casual football fan but make hardcore fanatics wet their pants with excitement. EA Sports has to make the game presentation completely bland so it doesn’t resemble watching a game on any of the major networks. Madden has the full NFL license, so why not take advantage and get NFL Network into the game? For example, you’re playing and exciting first half of football when halftime comes about. You can sit at the main menu and look at stats or even replay any play. That’s all well and good, but how about cutting to Rich Eisen, Mike Mayock, Steve Mariucci and Deion Sanders in the NFL Network studios for an analysis of the first half? Sanders can rant about the ineptitude of a defense, or Mariucci can praise your quarterback for throwing three touchdowns. Highlights can be shown and the crew can talk about what each team needs to do in the second half to win. A quick thirty second breakdown is all that’s needed, and can easily be done with the powerful engines of the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360.

Sorry, EA, but your post-game cut scenes are terrible. Everyone knows at the end of the game when coaches go to greet each other they’re surrounded by security, media and players. What the current edition of Madden has is a couple of scattered players here and there and a quarterback jumping to high five a fan, no matter what quarterback it is. Let’s crowd the field with all the players from both sides and a little huddle of cameras and microphones around the coaches as they say hi. Also, how about some off-setting penalties? Whenever there’s a holding call, I know I can easily get away with a pass interference or roughing the passer because it won’t be called, and let’s be honest, it’s fun to put a quarterback on his butt without the refs saying anything. This is not how the NFL conducts it’s business, however, so let’s, “Protect the players,” and penalize people for their actions. Last, but definitely not least, find a way to get Bill Belichick in the game. His scowl in a hoodie needs to be featured in every one of New England’s games, but instead we’re left with a bland, “NE Head Coach.”

Improve the NFL Draft

This is where the biggest football fans will get the most enjoyment. EA does a great job in allowing you to transfer players from your NCAA Football dynasty to your Madden dynasty every season you go through. In the most recent installment of each game, however, EA dropped the ball. NCAA Football would ask you twice if you wanted to export your players to Madden, and if you said yes the first time, your players weren’t transferred correctly. Once you did get them to madden successfully, several rookies would come out so strange it made you want to start your dynasty over. Wide receiver Justin Blackmon would appear to have bone-thin arms and overly huge shoulder pads, while punter Drew Butler would have the arms of a UFC heavyweight fighter. Or, Matt Barkley’s profile picture would turn out to be some scrawny guy with brown hair. It ruins the authenticity and makes one think, “Yeah, that’s not really Blackmon,” when he’s running over the middle and his shoulder pads are bigger than Ndamukong Suh’s thighs.

For aesthetics in the Draft, how about some more pre-draft hype? Maybe some mock drafts while you’re conducting combine workouts or rumors that certain teams will trade up to get a specific player because they have a huge need. All of that could appear simply in a small news portion of the off-season, and could even change your strategy if you realize you’re in a competition to draft a certain guy.

Adjust player proportions and progression

Certain players look way too big for their actual size. Quarterbacks like Rodgers or Alex Smith look like linebackers when shown in suits during a cut-scene. I’m glad most players have a striking resemblance in the game, but not every single one of them needs to look like an action figure. If EA is going to continue down this path, at least let the user edit the physical features of each player.

As far as progression goes, it’s unfortunate that if a player is given a B potential, he could never be more than an 89 overall. You could start Javon Ringer and give him record breaking season’s, but he’ll never be the best running back in the league unless you go in and change his attributes. There is no comeback player of the year for a guy who shouldn’t have a good season season but does, because the following year he’ll have stayed on the plateau EA has given him. This goes for rookies too. Not every late round pick is going to be a D or F potential. This doesn’t allow for players like Tom Brady or Marques Colston to come into the league, since being drafted so late means you’re nothing but free agency filler. Users should be allowed to take a player and develop him in practice, pre-season and regular season to mold him into the player they wanted from the beginning. Players should be rewarded with improvement for career high statistics. Make it happen, EA.

The limits of editing a player in superstar mode.

Drastically change superstar and create modes

NCAA Football has a great version of this mode where you take a player and make him earn everything from his starting position to the ability to audible at the line of scrimmage. You start off as a backup, and have to practice your butt off to earn a starting spot. In order to keep that job, you have to work meticulously to be near flawless. In Madden’s superstar mode, the player automatically gets a starting position and while playing the entire time forgets to do it’s job, taking the enjoyment out of playing. This can easily be tweaked to have a player actually want to compete, win and become a true superstar.

Creating a team, player or stadium should be all about customization to the very last detail. In previous Madden entries, gamers could edit a player’s hair, face, body type, height and weight. Now, you should consider yourself lucky that you could give a player a choice of gloves. As far as teams go, Madden should adopt something similar to what it’s younger brother, NCAA football, has; an online creation tool. If EA won’t provide better logos for created teams, let the customer upload or create their own image and create their team around that. This shouldn’t be too hard as Nike has recently become the provider for NFL uniforms, and you know how thrilled they are with making crazy uniforms. The create-a-stadium mode is nice, but stadiums should have more options as well. You can’t create a new stadium for a team in franchise mode without relocating the franchise, and that’s just dumb. What about teams with old or terrible stadiums? What if a user wants to have the 49ers play in their new stadium down the line?

Actually test the game before rushing it out

How many flaws were pointed out in this blog? Quite a few, I know. Now, how many of those flaws could have been corrected before the game was even shipped by simply testing it out? Yes, EA, I’m asking you grab a couple of guys, sit them down and play through a few years of franchise mode, superstar mode and online matchups to see how you can improve things. Let go of the, “We’re the only studio officially licensed by the NFL so people have to buy it,” mentality and make a game you’re proud of. How amazingly detailed are your other games, like Mass Effect or Crysis? Those games are built from the ground up, yet this one already has the groundwork laid and just needs tweaking or cleaning up. Football is arguably the most popular sport in the United States, yet Madden NFL is not even the best sports game out there as FIFA (also an EA Sports game) NBA 2K and MLB The Show pound Madden into the dirt. If the game were properly tested and fixed, it’s sales would exceed anything EA Sports could have imagined. EA, make more improvements than what you have, for both your sake and the fans.

2012 NFL Mock Draft

This year, I decided to only do one final mock draft. In previous years, I would have different mock drafts from the time of the combine to draft weekend. This time around, I had rough drafts, if you will, and here is my final version as the first round approaches on Thursday.

A photoshopped image of Andrew Luck in a Colts uniform.

Here’s how I broke down my mock draft. Everyone knows Andrew Luck will be the first pick, which is no surprise. Robert Griffin III going second is not shocking either. So really, the draft begins with the Vikings at number three. Adam Schefter tweeted that an NFL general manager said, “Picks 3-16 are all trying to trade back.”People believe because of this, the draft will be a crazy ones with several teams trading up. I, however, am predicting the opposite. Several teams trying to trade back means few are looking to trade up. Draft day trades are made mostly when teams are looking to trade up for a specific player, not when there’s a scramble to give them away. So until there is a blockbuster trade on draft day which causes a chain reaction of dealing, teams will have little success in trading back.

It’s hard to predict draft day trades, as there is so many emotions and unexpected picks which trigger a deal. So in the interest of making this mock draft a bit more interesting, I included a couple of trades I can see happening. Some picks will have an explanation in this mock draft. Each pick does take need into account, but the best player available philosophy outweighs team needs in this mock draft. Two Arizona Cardinals scouting personnel members recently told me in an interview for North Valley Magazine that taking the best player available is a better way to draft than drafting based on needs in April. Best player available here is determined by who I feel would be the the ideal player remaining on the board. Also used to create this mock draft are reports of certain players rising on draft boards and others falling.

Now that I’m done rambling, here is my 2012 NFL mock draft. Enjoy, and please comment whether you agree or disagree.

1. Indianapolis Colts- Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
2. Washington Redskins- Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor
3. Minnesota Vikings- Matt Kalil, OT, USC:
   

   Photo by Neon Tommy

   Although Minnesota is looking for a playmaker and are in need of a cornerback in the pass happy NFC North, the Vikings would be foolish to pass on Kalil. A huge reason for Matt Barkley’s success this past season was Kalil’s ability to keep him on his feet. Kalil would be able to protect quarterback Christian Ponder for years to come, if last year’s first round reach is indeed their quarterback of the future. Also, with Adrian Peterson recovering from injury, the Vikings will need all the help they can get in the running game. Just because Kalil is not a, “sexy pick,” does not mean he is the best pick.

4. Cleveland Browns- Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU
6. St. Louis Rams- Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State
7. Jacksonville Jaguars- Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame: Blackmon is the best receiver in this draft, but Floyd is a very close second. The Jaguars are in a position where drafting Floyd is neither a reach or a consolation prize, and he will definitely help in the much-needed maturation of Blaine Gabbert.
8. Miami Dolphins- Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M: To me, Tannehill is not a top ten talent yet, but several teams love him. As Brian Billick said, it’s better to reach for a quarterback of the future than to pass one up, and the Dolphins have done just that too many times.
9. Carolina Panthers- Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State
10. Buffalo Bills- Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa
11. Kansas City Chiefs- Luke Kuechly, MLB, Boston College
12. Philadelphia Eagles (trade from Seattle Seahawks)- Mark Barron, S, Alabama: In a coup to beat their rivals Dallas Cowboys to the punch, the Eagles trade up to draft a player rising up draft boards. Barron is far and away the best safety in the draft, and the Eagles have not been the same on defense since Brian Dawkins left. Enter Barron to stop the likes of Griffin, Eli Manning and Tony Romo twice a year.
13. Arizona Cardinals- Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford: At this point, this pick could either be Martin or David DeCastro, the offensive guard also from Stanford. Both have equal grades, but with offensive tackle Levi Brown not working out as expected, quarterback Kevin Kolb concussed most of 2011, John Skelton always finding himself under duress and the addition of guard Adam Snyder via free agency, Martin seems to make more sense here.
14. Dallas Cowboys- David DeCastro, OG, Stanford
15. Seattle Seahawks (trade from Philadelphia Eagles)- Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina
16. New York Jets- Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, South Carolina
17. Cincinnati Bengals (from Oakland’s Carson Palmer trade)- Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina
18. San Diego Chargers- Chandler Jones, DE/OLB, Syracuse: Not sold on Jones, but he is another player shooting up draft boards. No offense to Chargers fans, but their recent picks have not turned out too well. Only six of their past 34 picks have been starters, while ten are now on other teams. For every Eric Weddle lies a Craig Davis or Larry English. We’ll see where Jones lands on this scale.
19. Chicago Bears- Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois: Mercilus ends the run on defensive ends/potential outside linebackers.
20. Tennessee Titans- Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
21. Cincinnati Bengals- Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor: Although the Bengals have a superstar in A.J. Green, he’ll need help at the other receiver spot. With Wright, the Bengals can have an explosive passing attack to expose the potentially flawed secondaries of Baltimore and Pittsburgh. Plus, the Bengals would prevent their in-state rivals in Cleveland from drafting the speedy wide receiver.
22. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta’s Julio Jones trade)- Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama: For some reason, Upshaw is falling down draft boards, and Cleveland will count their blessings for this. Upshaw will be a Pro Bowl caliber player wherever he winds up.
23. Detroit Lions- Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama
24. Pittsburgh Steelers-Dont’a Hightower, MLB, Alabama
25. Denver Broncos- Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis
26. Houston Texans- Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech
27. New England Patriots (from New Orleans’ Mark Ingram trade)- Shea McClellin, DE/OLB, Boise State: The most draft-trade-happy team in the NFL shocks the world and keeps their draft pick; well, one of them. McClellin is drawing a lot of late attention, and rightfully so. He is an often overlooked player who has tremendous talent and hustle. While comparison’s to Clay Matthews are a bit overboard, McClellin can definitely provide the pass rush New England has needed in the past couple of years.
28. Green Bay Packers- Andre Branch, DE/OLB, Clemson
29. Baltimore Ravens- Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin
30. San Francisco 49ers- Michael Brockers, DT, LSU:
    

    LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers, left, vs. Auburn last year (AP file photo)

    It is tempting to predict the 49ers taking Coby Fleener, as he played under Jim Harbaugh at Stanford. San Francisco could also take guards Kevin Zeitler of Wisconsin or Cordy Glenn of Georgia to replace the recently departed Snyder, but it’s unfathomable that Brockers is still available at this point. The 49ers are in a prime best available position, and Brockers is definitely the most talented still on the board. Brockers would provide immediate depth on a great defense and could eventually replace Justin Smith when he hangs up his cleats.

31. Indianapolis Colts (trade from New England Patriots)- Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford: There’s no way the Patriots could go without making a trade in the first round. When the Colts come calling to jump over the Giants at 32 and Rams at 33, the Patriots happily accept to stockpile picks as always. The Colts currently have three tight ends on their roster in Brody Eldridge, Ryan Mahaffey and Kyle Miller. If you asked yourself who, no one will blame you. The tight end position is becoming extremely important in the NFL (just look at the success of New England, New Orleans and San Francisco) and the top pick in the draft currently has no safety valve to get the ball to. Who better to select than Luck’s Stanford teammate? Fleener has great potential and both he and Luck can be the next Peyton Manning and Dallas Clark.
32. New York Giants- Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State

2012 NFL Draft: Ryan Tannehill

In the 2012 NFL Draft class, there are two quarterbacks who stand above the rest: Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III. There is a significant drop off after those two in my opinion. Many feel the next best quarterback would be Ryan Tannehill. In fact, experts have Tannehill as a top 10 talent, especially after his pro day. I, however, feel that taking Tannehill with such a high draft pick could be dangerous.

Photo by Dirk Hansen

Info:

• Height:

  6’4″

• Weight:

  221 lbs.

• Arm Length:

  32 5/8 in.

• Hand Size:

  9 in.

Initial thought:
There is no doubt Tannehill is athletic, continuing the recent trend of mobile quarterbacks being taken high. He has an ideal size for a quarterback in terms of his height and build. He has a strong grasp of playing offense after spending time at receiver for Texas A&M. His time at wide receiver displays a team first attitude after being a highly recruited quarterback coming out of high school. Spending two years at wide receiver though limited his time under center, however, as he only spent one full season as starting quarterback. Tannehill accumulated a total of 15 starts at Texas A&M. This reminds me a lot of Mark Sanchez, who spent one full season as starter in a pro-style offense at USC before entering the NFL Draft. Tannehill will be entering after playing in Mike Sherman’s spread offense. If Sanchez has struggled in the league after being coached by Pete Carroll, how will Tannehill far coming out of this offense? Another concern could be Tannehill’s throwing motion. I’m not a fan of his throwing motion as it’s not always consistent; it changes when from time to time, somewhat like Phillip Rivers does. Apparently I’m not the only one who thinks so. Most concerning to me is Tannehill’s ability, or lack thereof, to lead a team in big games. Sure, Tannehill was largely responsible for A&M’s strong finish in 2010, but the Aggies entered 2011 as a top ten team and ended up disappointing several times. As NFL.com’s Charles Davis points out, Tannehill threw more interceptions than touchdowns against the five best teams A&M faced and the Aggies lost each time.

To quote Davis: “Tannehill only completed 54.7 percent of his passes with nine touchdowns and 11 interceptions… Tannehill didn’t make enough plays from the pocket to help his team take those competitive battles. Whether it was a critical interception or a poor throw on a pivotal third down, Tannehill appeared to come up short when it mattered most.”

Skills:  When you look at the guy, you can see why Tannehill ran a 4.58 40 yard dash at his pro day; he’s built well with plenty of muscle, which most likely stems from his days as a wide receiver. Tannehill showed grit by coming back from a January foot injury to make up for lost time at the NFL Combine and Senior Bowl with his performance at his pro day. He has a strong arm which allows him to make tight accurate throws even while on the run. It’s strong enough to make the deep passes needed from an NFL quarterback. Even when throwing off his back foot, Tannehill’s arm can get the ball where it needs to be. He has a confident gunslinger-type attitude, which many teams want in their quarterback. On top of this, Tannehill is smart, having made the Academic All-Big 12 first team. All of these are pluses for Tannehill which give him a lot of upside. There is no doubt he is talented, the question is simply whether or not he is ready for the NFL. His decision-making can be questionable sometimes, but the argument could be made that this comes from his having to play from behind a lot and forcing throws. He can be rattled sometimes when under pressure, but who wouldn’t be with barely over one full season as a starter?

Final thought: The point is, Tannehill has plenty of potential and could develop into a good starting quarterback. To consider him a top ten player is a bit too much though. This is not like last year in which I thought Ryan Mallett was a highly overrated quarterback who did not deserve to be drafted in the first round. I can see why there is intrigue in Tannehill as a first round quarterback, just not in the top ten. I wish him well and could be proven wrong, but my belief is if he is drafted that high by a team like Cleveland or Miami, he may be set up to fail. I’ll leave with this: In the 2005 NFL Draft, a smart, mobile, six-foot-four-inch quarterback from a similar offense was selected first overall. His name was Alex Smith. Many critics think Smith’s struggles are linked to his “small hands.” Well, Tannehill’s hands measured smaller at the NFL Combine than Smith’s in 2005. You be the judge.

Are the Giants and Buster Posey making the right move?

Buster Posey in 2010 before his injury. Photo by SD Dirk

With MLB Spring Training on the horizon, San Francisco Giants pitchers and catchers reported over the weekend. This meant Buster Posey returned to the field for the first time since his horrific injury last May. With this came word that manager Bruce Bochy does not want Posey to block the plate any longer.

Bochy’s decision opens the floor for several questions, such as: Why not move Posey to first base? Why is Bochy depriving Posey of being a true catcher? Should the Giants even take into consideration Posey’s wishes and do what’s best for his health?

While Posey may have stated on The Franchise he would not let his children play catcher, the Giants are right in honoring his wishes to continue behind the plate.

Posey was quickly becoming one of the best catchers in the game, only behind the likes of Brian McCann and Joe Mauer (who was also nagged with injuries in 2011). This was because Posey has the ability to call a brilliant game for a talented staff as well as gun runners down trying to steal second. Posey’s ability to call a game was sorely missed in 2011. This was not evident in Matt Cain’s numbers, but Tim Lincecum’s strikeout total was lower than every season other than his rookie year, and Barry Zito was virtually non-existent whereas he at least had some good starts in 2010. It’s clear Posey has a strong rapport with the pitching staff, and it was missed last season.

Posey at catcher also leaves first base open to Aubrey Huff, Brandon Belt or even Brett Pill should he make a splash in spring training. If Posey is at first, someone will be left out with Eli Whiteside at catcher. Whiteside did as much as possible to keep the Giants in contention last year, but his numbers at the plate practically hampered San Francisco. 2010 was sad to watch as the defending champions never found a lineup which worked to make up for what often ended up as six or seven average batters ahead of Whiteside. The Giants have more flexibility with their lineup when Posey can play catcher rather than Whiteside.

All in all, Bochy’s decision to honor Posey’s continued desire to play catcher yet keeping him out of harms way is a class move. Bochy is getting this out before it becomes a topic during the season, and he’s not throwing Posey under the bus for it.

“I certainly don’t want people to think he’s backing off on his own,” said Bochy, and that’s how it should be.

Bochy knows a thing or two about the position, as he played catcher in the majors. If anyone knows how to protect Posey and help the ball club at the same time, it’s Bochy. If it just so happens that Posey gets injured in a play at the plate again, there’ll be plenty of second guessing, but this move is the correct one. Posey is the Giants catcher until he proves he cannot play the position any longer.