KD's NFL Draft Grades - Dallas Cowboys

Jerry Jones has never shied away from drafting poorly, and he's been stuck in a rut the last few years. The Cowboys have a lot of talent for a team that ended up picking in the top 10 of the Draft. Just look at the last few years picks outside of Dez Bryant, the 2009 class in particular. Losing Tony Romo to injury was the final nail in the coffin for the Cowboys in the 2010 season, and it prompted Jerry Jones to do something he'd not done since purchasing the team in 1989. He drafted an offensive lineman in the first round. It wasn't Florida C Mike Pouncey, who tweeted that he'd be surprised if he wasn't Dallas' pick at the 9th overall spot. That honor went to USC T Tyron Smith. Dallas added more pieces, but were they the right ones?

1st round, 9th overall) Tyron Smith - T - USC
The first tackle to come off the board lasted a while in 2011 as compared to other years. There wasn't an elite prospect like a Jake Long or Joe Thomas nor was their a pretty good prospect like Russell Okung or Trent Williams. This year's tackle class was deeper, but it's ceiling wasn't as high. Ironically, Smith is a natural right tackle despite having elite athleticism and several draft experts have said he might have a difficult time transitioning. A pair of former Oklahoma Sooners, Jammal Brown and Trent Williams, made the same move with minimal experience on the left side at the collegiate level.

How he fits in: The Cowboys O-line was a disaster last year. Alex Barron single-handedly cost them the season opener. Doug Free held his own on the left side, but with Marc Colombo's injury problems, Free might be better suited on the right side of the line. Or, they may insert Smith at his natural right side spot and groom him slowly to take over the left side down the line, as the Ravens did with Michael Oher (though Oher was a left tackle at Ole Miss).

Outlook: Smith is very athletic and was even a bit undersized at USC. In the pre-draft process he put on some weight and got himself to 6'5" 307lbs, which is big for him. He also has amazingly long arms at nearly 37 inches, which will help keep bigger defenders from getting their hands inside on him. Smith is a nice pass-blocker, but due to Matt Kalil's presence at USC, Smith rarely faced the best pass-rusher on the opposition. He'll certainly earn his lumps at the NFL level at the beginning, but he should be a solid starter at either tackle spot for a long time in the NFL.

2nd round, 40th overall) Bruce Carter - LB - North Carolina
Jerry Jones has a fettish with drafting 'tweener linebacker propsects. Brandon Williams, Sean Lee, and Victor Butler have all been drafted recently, though all three were probably best suited for a 4-3 defense. Bruce Carter was the best of the 'tweener types this year. At 6'1" 241lbs and DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer entrenched as starters, Carter will have to make his hay in the middle. Keith Brooking's best days are long behind him, and the Cowboys really like Sean Lee to take over next to Bradie James, that is unless Carter can beat him out. Carter is recovering from a torn ACL he suffered in late November last year. His health will determine whether or not he's able to challenge Sean Lee for a starting spot. I'm still puzzled by this pick as Carter was certainly a better fit for a 4-3 defense.

3rd round, 71st overall) DeMarco Murray - RB - Oklahoma
Again, I'm not sure where Jerry Jones is going with this pick. Marion Barber is slowing down, Felix Jones isn't a quality starter, and Tashard Choice just isn't quite where he needs to be in order to be a starting running back. Murray, who is very similar to Jones in a lot of ways, is a solid runner and a terrific receiver out of the backfield who is great in space, but, he's very injury prone. I don't think he's got what it takes to be an every-down starter for Dallas, but if they can find a way to get him touches, he might be akin to what Leon Washington was to Thomas Jones when they were both with the Jets.

4th round, 110th overall) David Arkin - G - Missouri State
The Cowboys continued to try and upgrade their O-line here, and I like the pick. Left guard Kyle Kosier's been hurt and he's headed towards free agency. He's also on the wrong side of 30. Arkin plays with a nasty demeanor and has adequate size and feet to step in for Kosier at left guard. Despite coming from a small-school program, he's got ample experience and showed very well in the East-West Shrine game against better competition. He's also got experience as a tackle, so he could be a swingman in a pinch, but his true home at the NFL level will be at guard.

5th round, 143rd overall) Josh Thomas - CB - Buffalo
The Cowboys needed to upgrade their depth behind starters Terrence Newman and Mike Jenkins. Orlando Scandrick has played well, but the Cowboys have asked too much of him at times, and he and Jenkins are both prone to getting beat deep. Thomas profiles as a nickel back at 5'10" 191lbs, but he comes with plenty of experience having played in 47 games. He's not shy about mixing it up against the run having racked up 202 tackles. He's a guy whose best football is still ahead of him and he might be able to challenge for a starting spot in a few years.

6th round, 176th overall) Dwayne Harris - WR - East Carolina
Dallas has two outstanding threats on the outside in Miles Austin and Dez Bryant, but aside from Jason Witten, they don't really have anyone that is a threat between the numbers. Martellus Bennett has been a dissapointment, so Dallas tried to address a need here. Harris is a thickly built guy at 5'10" and 203lbs. He was extremely productive for the Pirates over the last two years catching 184 passes and 17 TDs. He cranked out an 1,100 yard effort as a senior. He's also seen some time at running back and is a pretty good blocker in space. He'll get an early crack at the 3rd wide receiver job, though I expect Dallas to bring in some competition via free agency.

7th round, 220th overall) Shaun Chapas - FB - Georgia
Chris Gronkowski's not as good as his brother in New England and the Cowboys brought in some competition at the fullback spot to try and revamp their running game. Chapas is a sizeable player at 6'2" 247lbs and was a 22 game starter and played in 49 total games in his career with the Bulldogs. He's a good straight ahead blocker and is big enough to stymie bigger linebackers at the NFL level. Chapas is a decent goaline reciever, but wasn't overly productive as a receiving threat. He'll have to show he can contribute on special teams to stick, but this is one training camp battle that will bring out the best in either Gronkowksi or Chapas for the Cowboys.

7th round, 252nd overall) Bill Nagy - C - Wisconsin
Purely a depth pick here. Nagy was a career backup for the Badgers, but earned a few starts as a senior, but most of which came as a TE in Wisconsin's jumbo package. He made a start against Indiana after Wisconsin's stud C Peter Konz (a name to keep an eye on next year) was injured. Nagy's got good size and has played guard and center. He's 6'3" 318lbs, but with only 11 career starts at a few different positions, he's a longshot to make the roster unless the Cowboys really start unloading some of the veterans they have along the O-line.

Overall Grade: C-
It's hard for me to discern what the Cowboys acutal draft strategy was. Clearly they intended to upgrade their offensive line, and I think they did a good job of doing that with Tyron Smith and David Arkin. Bruce Carter could become a nice player, but I think he's better suited for the 4-3 than the 3-4. The rest of their class just seems to be kind of scattered. DeMarco Murray just doesn't seem like a good fit as he's too similar to Felix Jones. Josh Thomas could prove to be a nice pick, but I think there were better options at CB out there on the board. They also didn't address their defensive line at all, and the Cowboys run defense wasn't very good last year. They've got a couple of free agents pending the new CBA, and the talent they have surrounding Jay Ratliff is marginal at best. I think Dallas accomplished their primary objective, which is nice, but the rest appears to me like they threw several darts at wall.

KD's NFL Draft Grades - Tennessee Titans

Sorry for doubling up on the Draft Reviews today. Chizzy and I both have been ridiculously busy the past week, but I think things are finally back on schedule...for me at least. Since I missed Monday and Tuesday, I'll add the Titans today as well.

Tennessee made a huge wave by selecting Jake Locker with the 8th overall selection. Many draft experts had Locker pegged at the bottom of the 1st round, at the highest, while most had him in the 2nd round. The Titans took him in the Top 10 as the anti-Vince Young, and they'll have to live with him for the next few years, as opposed to taking Blaine Gabbert, or even Nick Fairley, who was projected to go to the Titans by many. Here's how their entire draft class shook out:

1st round, 8th overall) Jake Locker - QB - Washington
Jake Locker actually went in the first round and Todd McShay and Mike Mayock both get vindicated a ton for riding that bandwagon since 2009. Locker's a prospect whose intangibles are off the charts and hard not to like, much like Tim Tebow of the 2010 class. He's a natural leader, he's tough, smart, and loyal to his teammates. He's 6'2" and 231lbs and you can make the case that he's the most athletic quarterback selected in the draft not named Cam Newton.

How he fits in: If you believe Bud Adams talk, then Vince Young is as good as gone in Nashville, even though several players, including running back Chris Johnson have asked for him to come back. Young is a certifiable headcase, but he still went 30-17 as a starter, which is the measuring stick for Jake Locker. With Young gone, the Titans have the ancient Kerry Collins, the enigma of Chris Simms and his mystical car rides through New York City, and Rusty Smith who saw some game action last year. The smart money says you almost have to put Locker out there from day one and let him earn his lumps while Chris Johnson is still going strong. That defense will take some time to get back to where it was under Jim Schwartz, so the more experience Locker gets, the better.

Outlook: If you've watched any of Locker's games, you'll know that he's a tremendous competitor. He's got a decent enough arm, and he can make a lot of throws. That said, some of his decisions are just outright terrible. I mean, really, really terrible. That, and he's not accurate. The highest completion precentage he posted at UW was 58.4% as a junior and his career clip was only 54%. He's much better at throwing the underneath stuff than he is going deep, and the Titans traditionally have thrown deep more than they've used underneath stuff. There's a lot of myster surrounding the offense, other than Chris Johnson, now that Jeff Fisher isn't running the show any more. But you can take it to the bank that the Titans are banking big-time on Locker panning out. They'll be in even worse shape than they are now if he doesn't.

2nd round, 39th overall) Akeem Ayers - LB - UCLA
The Titans weren't able to pick up the slack left from losing Keith Bulluck last year. Gerald McRath got the first crack at it, but he's very undersized. Ayers will likely supplant him from day one. Ayers is a solid yet unspectacular prospect who does a lot of things well, but nothing great. He's got great size at 6'2" and 254lbs, and even garnered some consideration by 3-4 teams looking for pass-rushing linebackers. While that was a bit far-fetched, he still racked up 14 career sacks. The main knock on Ayers is that he doesn't have great instincts and the motor isn't always running. He'll disappear for long stretches at a time, but he seemingly knows when to turn the motor back on. If the Titans can get him to keep the light on at all times, they'll have a very nice player on their hands.

3rd round, 77th overall) Jurrell Casey - DT - USC
The Titans are still searching for a replacement for Albert Haynesworth as Sen'Derrick Marks hasn't developed and Jovan Haye simply can't hold the point well enough. Even solid starter Jason Jones is undersized. This need is why many thought Nick Fairley was a perfect target, but Tennessee passed. Casey is also somewhat small at an even 6' and 300lbs. Casey was a solid player for the Trojans and came on a bit in 2010 racking up 11 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. He's certainly capable of competeing for a starting job as a rookie, but he might be better served as a rotational player for the time being.

4th round, 109th overall) Colin McCarthy - LB - Miami
The Titans may lose middle linebacker Stephen Tulloch, a tackling machine, depending on the outcome of the new CBA. The Detroit Lions are heavily targeting him as former Titans DC Jim Schwartz, now the Lions coach, knows all about him. McCarthy is an insurance pick. He can play both inside and outside positions in the 4-3, and may be a weakside option if the Titans opt to move Akeem Ayers to the middle. McCarthy isn't the typical explosive, hard-hitting linebacker from "The U", rather he's an undersized, football savvy player who gets the job done with his smarts. McCarthy battled through injuries throughout his entire career missing games in every season except his junior year in Coral Gables. He's an experienced player who at the very least should be a nice backup. He's got to stay healthy though.

4th round, 130th overall) Jamie Harper - RB - Clemson
Chris Johnson isn't going anywhere, and is perhaps the most explosive player in the league. His backup, Javon Ringer, whom I still have nightmares about as yours truly was knocked of the Ohio State Playoffs by his Chaminade-Julienne team in 2002, showed pretty well in very limited action. Harper gives the Titans an option they've not had since LenDale White quit drinking tequila a few years ago. Harper is 5'11" 233lbs and just couldn't get out of C.J. Spiller's shadow while at Clemson. He's a big back whose physical, but lacks speed and athleticism. He should give the Titans a nice short-yardage back as both Johnson and Ringer clock in at under 210lbs.

5th round, 142nd overall) Karl Klug - DT - Iowa
While the Iowa Hawkeyes aren't quite the class of the Big 10 conference, they're always near the top in defense, and their players have gone on to show strongly in the NFL. Karl Klug, and undersized plugger at defensive tackle is another in the long line of Hawkeyes on NFL rosters. He's just 6'3" 275lbs - some NFL linebackers are that size, like former Hawkeye Matt Roth for example - but Klug has been a disruptive force. A high school state qualifier in wrestling, Klug understands leverage and uses it well despite his lack of size. He's got pretty good technique, as most Hawkeye defenders do compared to other programs, and he should stick on the roster as part of the Titans infamous D-line rotation.

6th round, 175th overall) Byron Stingily - T - Louisville
The Titans might've found a late round gem here on the offensive line. Michael Roos is one of the best left tackles in the NFL, and David Stewart might be the best right tackle in the entire league, so Stingily probably won't start right away if they like him to stay on the outside. At 6'5" 313lbs Stingily is extremely atheltic, and clocked a blazing 4.95 40 (okay, fast for a lineman). Only a two-year starter at Louisville, Stingily's best fight might come at left guard where the Titans have developed several players into legitimate NFL linemen including Jacob Bell (Rams), Leroy Harris, and Eugene Amono (both with Tennessee). Stingily will need some refinement with his technique, but I've got a feeling he'll become a starter sooner rather than later.

7th round, 212th overall) Zach Clayton - DT - Auburn
The Titans ended up taking Nick Fairley's starting teammate later on in the draft. Clayton started next to Fairley every game in 2010, but only started one other game throughout his career. Clayton notched 28 tackles, 8 for loss and a sack playing next to Fairley, which is a bit underwhelming considering the amount of attention that Fairley was drawing, especially later on in the season. Clayton fits that undersized mold at 6'3" 299lbs. He's a guy that will struggle to crack Tennessee's rotations, and might be a practice squad candidate. If there's anyone who could've developed, it would've been former Titans D-line Coach Jim Washburn, now with the Eagles (Chizzy's team got a helluva coach), so Clayton probably won't be long for the roster this year, though the Titans new D-line coach is Tracy Rocker, who comes directly from Auburn.

7th round, 251st overall) Tommie Campbell - CB/S - California (Pennsylvania)
Campell took an interesting route to the NFL. His first two collegiate seasons were spent at Pitt, where he started 6 games at weakside linebacker, starting next to H.B. Blades and Clint Session, two NFLers in 2006. In 2005, he saw action in 11 games as a reserve strong safety. He then went to Edinboro College where he started 4 games at strong safety out of the 8 that he played. He then was out of school for two and a half years, then enrolled at California, Pa. and started 4 games at cornerback. So, as you can see, Campbell has bounced around schools and positions, but he brings a nice build to Tennessee at 6'3" 205lbs (pretty similar to Sean Smith of the Dolphins when he came out of Utah in 2009). The Titans have a very deep secondary at both the corner and safety positions, so Campbell's a big-time longshot for the roster. He might be interesting enough to keep around on the practice squad, and his size is intriguing.

Overall Grade: C
My initial reaction, much like San Francisco's draft, is that Tennessee's class is underwhelming. They swung for the fences with Jake Locker, but until he proves anything on the field, it looks more like a single than anything else. Locker and Ayers should both be day one starters for better or worse, and the Titans should get some solid rotational play out of Colin McCarthy, Karl Klug, and Jurrell Casey on the defensive side of the ball. I'm not sure where Jamie Harper's going to get carries from. Byron Stingily is a steal who could become a starter in due time, and they had some nice developmental prospects in Clayton and Campbell. I'd have scored the draft much higher had they selected Blaine Gabbert or Nick Fairley as opposed to Jake Locker. We do know that there were several teams, Minnesota and Miami, who also had Locker pegged as the top QB on their draft boards, so Tennessee pulled the trigger on the guy they liked before someone else got him. That said, I don't like Jake Locker all that much (for the record, I'd have been absolutely livid had the Dolphins taken him, thus I'm thankful for Tennessee not allowing Miami the chance to step up to the plate with Locker) and that's why I've given them a C. However, much like Cam Newton in Carolina, Locker's got the potential to bump that grade up considerably higher if he performs well, and that matter is something we'll have to wait and see about.

KD's NFL Draft Grades - San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers vindicated me from the KD & Chizzy's Alternating Mock Draft as they eschewed taking Blaine Gabbert or Jake Locker with the 7th overall pick and will be relying on Alex Smith yet again this year. Chizzy laughed at that notion, but if there's any coach who could get something out of Alex Smith, it might just be Jim Harbaugh whose succesfully developed Josh Johnson (Tampa Bay) and Andrew Luck (Stanford) during his coaching tenure. The 49ers have some pieces to work with on defense and added to it early on taking Missouri DE Aldon Smith and grabbing Nevada QB Colin Kaepernick in the second round. The Niners Draft class was split between adding offensive and defensive talent, as 5 picks were added for each side of the ball. Let's take a look at what they did.

1st round, 7th overall) Aldon Smith - OLB - Missouri
The Niners needed a pass-rushing linebacker to complete their front 7 in the 3-4 defense. Manny Lawson's been a bust at OLB despite being one of the most complete athletes in the NFL. Not even Mike Nolan, who has made stars of Elvis Dumervil in Denver and Cameron Wake in Miami, could get Lawson to live up to his potential. Parys Haralson isn't a bad all-around player by any means, but he's not the type who is going to get you 8+ sacks in a season. With Lawson and potentially Haralson both free agents, the Niners needed some help, which is where Smith comes in.

How he fits in: I think I mentioned it in nearly every mock draft I did, but Aldon Smith has absolutely violent hands. At 6'4" 263lbs with long arms and good athleticism, Smith should be able to play either side in the 49ers defense. Ideally, you'd like to see him on the weakside opposite Haralson, as he wasn't asked to drop into coverage at Mizzou, but he might have the skills to do it. However, despite having violent hands, Smith is still pretty raw technique-wise, and sometimes has trouble against the run, hence why he should start on the weakside.

Outlook: This was a bit of a surprising pick, especially considering that Blaine Gabbert and Jake Locker were still on the board. Smith will start from day one unless both Lawson and Haralson are brought back, which is unlikely given Lawson's dismal 2010 season. He should be a solid starter if he's put in situations that allow him to succeed, meaning he shouldn't be asked to do a whole lot other than rush the passer, much like guys like DeMarcus Ware and Cameron Wake do. Once he improves his technique, then the Niners can start moving him around to get better matchups across the line of scrimmage for he and Haralson.

2nd round, 36th overall) Colin Kaepernick - QB - Nevada
Aside from Cam Newton, there may not have been a more polarizing QB prospect than Kaepernick in this year's draft. Coming from Nevada's pistol offense, he became the only player in college football history to rush for more than 4,000 yards while passing for more than 9,000 yards in a career. He was very productive, but the offense was not conducive to an NFL system. More athlete than QB, Kaepernick has a funky delivery that makes even Philip Rivers' windup look good. At 6'4" 233lbs he's got good size and and has decent speed at 4.53 in the 40, but watching him it takes him a while to get up to full speed. He'll have to take some serious baby steps to get acclimated to Harbaugh's system, which will require some patience. His deep ball may be the worst of the major QBs in the draft, so he'll really have to learn the nuances of the West Coast Offense to be successful.

3rd round, 80th overall) Chris Culliver - CB - South Carolina
Culliver's draft stock really got pretty hot right before the draft as there's not really a whole lot to notice looking at his career numbers. A well-sized corner at 6'0" 199lbs with 4.40 speed, Culliver will allow the 49ers to move on from Nate Clements if they so choose. Clements and opposite starter Shawntae Spencer are both getting up there in age and have slowed a bit. Culliver may be able to start off in the slot as a nickel if Clements stays, or, he might be able to see some time at safety as he had experience there with the Gamecocks. Not a flashy pick, but the 49ers get a good, solid prospect whose best football is still ahead of him.

4th round, 115th overall) Kendall Hunter - RB - Oklahoma State
I was really surprised the 49ers were able to land Hunter as late as they did, and he could prove to be a steal in a few years. Brian Westbrook and Xavier Omon aren't going to beat him for a roster spot, so Hunter will likely step in as a 3rd down back as a rookie. Obviously Frank Gore is still the main man, and Anthony Dixon is a nice big back who excels close to the goaline and in short yardage situations. Hunter is a smaller back, much like Gore was early on in his career, but he runs hard and has the best feet of any back in the draft. He's not overly fast, he's got excellent vision and decent burst. Short-term, his numbers won't blow anyone away, but in the long-term, he could be Frank Gore's replacement. Very underrated player.

5th roundd pick, 163rd overall) Daniel Kilgore - G - Appalachian State
One of the stranger picks of the Draft here. The 49ers are set at the tackle position with Joe Staley and Anthony Davis. They just drafted Mike Iupati and have Chilo Rachal as starting guards. Center David Baas is a free agent, but the 49ers drafted Kilgore and Mike Person, two guards, while also having Nick Howell and Tony Wragge there as well. Obviously not all of those names will get out of camp, but why they didn't draft a center is puzzling. Kilgore has more experience at RG than any other position, but did play some LT as a senior. Not very big, and not very athletic, Kilgore will have to fight just to stick as depth.

6th round, 187th pick) Ronald Johnson - WR - USC
The Niners got another talented player later in the Draft than I expected with Ronald Johnson. Michael Crabtree, Josh Morgan, and Dominique Zeigler should all make the roster, and Ted Ginn adds some value as a returner, but none of the later three names are all that great opposite of Crabtree. Morgan is the best of the bunch, so Ronald Johnson will probably initially be the 3rd or 4th receiver in the group competeing with Zeigler. Johnson at 5'11" 199lbs isn't much of a deep threat and has some lapses in concentration and will drop an easy one every once in a while, but he's tough, and is able to run a lot of underneath routes, which will compliment Michael Crabtree in Harbaugh's system. He could be a solid contributer as a rookie with some starting potential down the line.

6th round, 190th overall) Colin Jones - S - Texas Christian
Purely a depth and special teams pick here for the Niners. Dashon Goldson, who is very underrated, Taylor Mays, Reggie Smith, and maybe Curtis Taylor will make up the 4-man safety group. There may be an additional spot for someone with special teams potential, and that's where Jones fits in. An undersized SS for the Horned Frogs, Jones stands 5'11" and 203lbs, he's a bit undersized, but that didn't stop him from logging 80 tackles as a senior. He'll face an uphill battle just to make the roster, but he can stick if he shows a thing or two on special teams.

7th round, 211th overall) Bruce Miller - FB - South Florida
Miller, an outside linebacker at South Florida, is being groomed to replace Moran Norris at FB. This has been done a few times in the past with guys like Spencer Larsen in Denver, and Owen Marecic at Stanford, now with the Browns. And as you notice the Stanford connection, Harbaugh's done this song and dance before so you've got to give him the benefit of the doubt. At 6'1" 254lbs, he was undersized as a DE for the Bulls, but that's pretty good size and build for an NFL fullback. His development bears watching, but they may stash him on the practice squad or even on the roster and keep him inactive (remember, teams can only activate 45 of their 53 players on game day) so they can develop him behind Norris.

7th round, 239th overall) Mike Person - G - Montana State
As I alluded to earlier, the 49ers drafted a pair of guards. Person is the other one and he to comes from a small school program. At 6'4" 299lbs he was a RT for the Bobcats as a senior. Lacking the necessary size and athletcism to play T at the NFL level, he'll slide inside to G. Again, this is purely a depth pick and I think it's going to be a scenario in which either Kilgore or Person sticks on the roster, not both. I'd certainly be surprised anyway. Again, with Baas as a potential free agent, I'm surprised they didn't tacke a chance on a C late as there were some decent ones that were available in Missouri's Tim Barnes and Syracuse's Ryan Bartholomew.

7th round, 250th overall) Curtis Holcomb - CB - Florida A&M
The Niners knew they had some issues at the corner position and added three guys there. Holcomb's a smaller guy at 5'10" and 190lbs he'll be looked at as a developmental slot corner, though he barely registerd on scouts' radars. Holcomb started all 11 games last year for the Rattlers, and will have to make a big jump to the NFL. He's not going to see the field this year, so he'll have to latch on to a practice squad somewhere in the league and bide his time before he gets a chance to prove his worth.

Overall Grade: C
The 49ers draft was like a roller coaster all the way through. A lot of ups and downs. They avoided getting snookered by the Patriots in the 2nd round in a trade to move up for Colin Kaepernick. But, they still drafted Colin Kaepernick in the 2nd round and they'll have to live with that. I liked the selections of Aldon Smith, Kendall Hunter, and Ronald Johnson. Chris Culliver might be a good fight, but someone will have to explain the philosophy of drafting two small school guards with what they already had on the roster, and neither of them to my knowledge, have any experience at the C spot, which could be a primary need for the 49ers. Bruce Miller could be a poor man's Owen Marecic, and that's an intriguing conversion prospect to watch. I'm not sure what the rest of the defensive backs already add to the 49ers roster. I know they needed depth, but some other names might've better suited them.

Jim "The Vest" Tressel: Thanks for the Memories, But You Had To Go

Hey everyone, glad to be back. I've been busy the last few weeks with finals, graduation from law school, and now beginning to study for the bar, so I haven't had much time to write. But I'm BACK BABY! So I'll say a big thanks to KD for carrying the load lately and move on with this story.

As many of you probably have heard by now - unless you live under a rock - Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel announced that he would be stepping down as coach of the Scarlet and Gray. The university basically forced Tressel to take this action. If he hadn't, they would have done what just a few months ago E. Gordon Gee stated was unfathomable: Fire the Vest.

As a diehard Buckeye fan since the age of 5, I've seen the highs and lows of the program over the years. The Rose Bowl win over Arizona State in 1997, followed by the shocking loss to Michigan State when ranked #1 in 1998. John Cooper v. Michigan. Eddie George's 327 yard game against Illinois. Jim Tressel v. Michigan. Stanley Jackson and Steve Bellisari as QB1's. Joe Germaine and Troy Smith as QB 1's. The National Championship in 2003 followed by the stunning demise of Maurice Clarett the following season. The victory in the 1 v. 2 game against Michigan, shortly followed by back-to-back blowout losses against Florida and LSU in the BCS National Championship game. The list can go on and on.

As the events of the last few months have unfolded, the mindset of Buckeye fans has been extremely mixed. But after polling some friends about how they feel now that Tressel is gone, the reaction is largely that while they're sad to see The Vest go and they agree it was the right move, they want to say "Thanks for the Memories."

His reputation will be forever tarnished, and the books he wrote about living by the virtues of honesty and integrity will most certainly provide comedic entertainment for college football fans everywhere for generations to come. The media has protrayed him - and perhaps he deserves it - as a lying, dishonest individual that should never have let the program get to this level.

But the truth is that Jim Tressel brought more joy to this program that any of us ever could have imagined when he was announced as coach back in 2000. And he did it with no recruiting violations, unlike the scandal with Reggie Bush at USC. Sure, boosters paid college athletes. So what? It happens at every school, whether fans like to believe it or not. Ohio State just got caught, and Tressel got wrapped into the situation of trying to cover it all up. Anyone who believes in the fallacy of collegiate athletics (particularly football and basketball) as an "amateur" environment should look up to the ceiling above you because the word "gullible" is written above it. In my mind, when all is said and done I'll hold him up there 20 years from now in a light much like the way we Buckeye fans hold another tarnished Ohio State coach, Woody Hayes, on a pedestal.

So Jim Tressel, on behalf of Buckeye fans everywhere, I would like to say thank you. The lows we experienced, such as losses in the BCS National Championship games, were lows that most programs can only dream of. But the highs - 8 BCS games, a multitude of Big 10 titles, a National Championship and the oh-so-sweet 9-1 record against Michigan - those were moments that I will never forget.

In 2003, I went over to my buddy Curry's house to watch the 2003 National Championship game against Miami. After the victory, a group of us were so jacked up. We had just watched Ohio State's first National Championship since 1968, and wanted to go downtown on campus to celebrate with the masses. Even though we didn't do that, we all sat in agreement at his house and said "this is a night we will never forget." And it was. For that moment alone, thanks Tress, and wherever the road may take you, good luck.

So what exactly does this all mean for Buckeye Nation? I wrote about the effect it will have in on the Ohio State fan base here, but ultimately I'm not so sure what the effect will be on the program. Ohio State is still the predominant program in the Big 10. It still has a stranglehold on the Ohio recruiting base, and even if it loses scholarships over the next few years I find it hard to believe that the Bucks won't still challenge for Big 10 and National titles in the not so distant future.

If the NCAA does decide to bring the hammer down on the program to set an example for the future (which would be an unfair move on the NCAA's part), I think it could be a few dark years ahead for the boys in the Scarlet and Gray. People are directly pointing fingers at Tressel and ignoring the transgressions of the players. Why? When do we start holding collegiate athletes that think they are professionals accountable? Where did their sense of entitlement come from? Just because you're great at catching, throwing, or running with a football, why do you think you deserve something? That's not the way the world works. You have to pay your dues, bide your time, and earn the things that you receive.

How come everyone is just focusing on Terrelle Pryor, and not Boom Herron, DeVier Posey, or even the benchwarmers that get these benefits? When do we hold boosters responsible for treating these kids like they are demi-Gods, bestowing gifts upon them such as cars, jewelry and other items? And when do we look in the mirror and realize that maybe - just maybe - we take sports just a little bit too seriously? After the NCAA investigation concludes, I think we are going to be taking a deeper look into these questions.

Many Ohio State fans will hold the result of the last few months' investigation against Tressel. They'll say he ruined the program. And to those fans, I'd like to pose a question: would you rather have had Tressel go out this way after the 10 year run we just had or would you rather have never had Tressel at all?

KD's NFL Draft Grades - Atlanta Falcons

You may remember by NFL Draft Rumors post a few days before the Draft. In it, my 3rd rumor was that Atlanta was looking to move into the top 5 for A.J. Green or Julio Jones. I thought that may have been a smokescreen to try and target a defensive end. Well, the Falcons didn't trade into the top 5, but they did land Julio Jones. In the flashiest move of the entire draft, the Falcons traded up from their 27th spot in the draft to Cleveland's 6th spot in exchange for 2nd and 4th round picks in 2011 and 1st and 4th round picks in 2012. Atlanta, the top seed in the NFC last year, is in a serious win now mode and Julio Jones offers an immediate upgrade over Michael Jenkins across from Roddy White. The Falcons offense was already potent, and now Matt Ryan has another elite weapon. That limited the Falcons resources in the immediate future, they still made some solid hits, adding to GM Thomas Dimitroff's impressive record.

1st round, 6th overall) Julio Jones - WR - Alabama
Jones was widely regarded as only a small step behind Georgia's A.J. Green ever since they came out of high school together. Jones blazed a 4.39 40 on a broken foot at the Combine. He already had enough tape to warrant a top 10 selection, and his performance in Indianapolis only raised his stock even more. At 6'3" 220lbs Jones has elite size and is the best blocking receiver to come out since Brandon Marshall went to the Denver Broncos. Jones also offers a unique skillset having taken snaps in Alabama's Wildcat formation.

How he fits in: Roddy White is a top 5 receiver in the NFL already and Tony Gonzalez, despite being in the twilight of his career, is still a very good tight end. However, after those two, Michael Jenkins and Harry Douglas don't offer as much as Atlanta would like, so they chose to upgrade their weapons around Matt Ryan. Jones should swipe Michael Jenkins' starting spot with his first step onto the field. While he ran a 4.39 in Indy, Jones' tape shows he doesn't play that fast. He's not overly explose, like an Andre Johnson, and he can't break away like Randy Moss can. I think a fair comparison is a cross between Larry Fitzgerald and Brandon Marshall. He's got outstanding hands and leaping ability like Fitzgerald, and is very physical and not afraid to run any route over the middle like Marshall, and he's built similarly to both.

Outlook: The Falcons, whose number one need was probably a pass-rushing defensive end, gambled here on upgrading the offense, much like the Packers have done over time. The Falcons rid themselves of a lot of picks, and with 3 impending free agent starters on the O-line (LG Justin Blalock, RG Harvey Dahl, and RT Tyson Clabo) Atlanta must be hoping for a hometwon discount to at least bring two of them back and still have enough left to sign a DE since they didn't have the picks to make those moves. Jones gives them a ridiculous shot in the arm, but Matt Ryan, who already takes a lot of hits, could suffer if he loses two of those guys in free agency, especially Dahl or Clabo. Jones the player is fine, he'll be great, but this was a high risk, high reward move in executing the trade with the Browns.

3rd round, 91st overall) Akeem Dent - LB - Georgia
The Falcons have two very good players in the linebacking corps in Curtis Lofton and Sean Weatherspoon, but veteran Mike Peterson is fading fast, and there's little in the way of depth behind the starting trio. Enter Dent, a 5th-year senior from Georgia. He's a sizeable player for Atlanta's system at 6'1" 243lbs, and is decently athletic. Atlanta may have a move in mind to slide Curtis Lofton from the middle over to the weakside and let Dent play his natural inside position. Playing in the shadow of guys like Rennie Curran throughout his career, Dent finally broke through and had a superb senior year with the Bulldogs notching 126 tackles, 6.5 for loss, and 2.5 sacks. He's a plugger and won't do a whole lot coverage wise, but Atlanta may envision him as a 2-down middle backer and keep Weatherspoon and Lofton on the field in nickel and dime situations.

5th round, 145th overall) Jacquizz Rodgers - RB - Oregon State
The Falcons landed the BPA here and married it with a need. Jerious Norwood can't stay healthy and is a free agent. Jason Snelling is more fullback than running back and with Ovie Mughelli, the NFL's best fullback, on the roster, Snelling's role is limited. Michael Turner is a workhorse, but Atlanta needed a better compliment. Rodgers, a mighty-mouse player at 5'5" 197lbs, he's very shifty and is thick enough to run between the tackles. A poor 40 time in Indy and his lack of height caused him to tumble down draft boards until Dimitroff snatched him up. Rodgers will be a very good #2 to Michael Turner and may be able to help Eric Weems with return duties. A great value pick that ticked off a need for the Falcons.

6th round, 192nd overall) Matt Bosher - K/P - Miami
K Matt Bryant and P Michael Koenen have both been pretty steady over the years. Bryant's range has diminished some, but he's very accurate, and with the Falcons offense, he hardly has to kick long-range field goals. Michael Koenen's a boomer, but has some accuracy issues. Matt Bosher, who was surprisingly drafted over several other notable kickers, had a pretty good year for the Hurricanes hitting 45 of 53 field goals with a career long of 52 and missing only 3 extra points in 130 tries. I'm not sure how Atlanta plans to use Bosher, as he can punt as well, so I'll just have to scratch my head on this one.

7th round, 210th overall) Andrew Jackson - G - Fresno State
The Falcons needed depth on the O-line, especially if they lose some of their starters. I'll figure Justin Blalock won't be back as the Falcons have Mike Johnson waiting in the wings at left guard. Blalock had lost a step over the past few years anyway. Jackson fits the mold of the long, lean, yet physical guard prospect that they already have in Harvey Dahl. Dahl, their best lineman, will receive big money form the Falcons or someone else, so Jackson was needed as depth. At 6'5" 299lbs he was a 3-year starter at Fresno State, but definitely profiles as a backup in the NFL.

7th round, 230th overall) Cliff Matthews - DE - South Carolina
Jamaal Anderson has been a big-time bust for the Falcons at defensive end and he may be cut outright if they're able to land a big name free agent. John Abraham is still a fierce rusher in short stretches, but he's nearing the end of his career. Kroy Biermann gives them some hope for the future, but even he's iffy as a 3-down player. Matthews provides the Falcons with some depth at the very least, and should be able to take some snaps at strongside DE if he makes the roster. At 6'3" 257lbs, he's undersized, but is a steady player. A team captain who racked up 18.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks the last two years has played in 51 games and is athletic enough to make his mark on special teams, which he'll have to do to stick on the roster.

Overall Grade: B I'd like to give Atlanta something higher as the deal they made with the Browns was nowhere near as bad as many thought it out to be. They still had a good haul this year and they'll be surrendering high picks in rounds 1 and 4 next year for a player that's got a chance to be a potential superstar a year or two down the road. However, the Falcons had a big hole at DE that's still there, and they must be banking on re-signing the likes of Harvey Dahl and Tyson Clabo on the O-line as they didn't draft any replacements. Akeem Dent and Jacquizz Rodgers were both very good value picks and will contribute in major ways early on and their last three picks all have sticking potential. My only issue is they didn't address their two biggest needs, though Dimitroff knows what he's doing and has a plan in place, so I can't knock them too much.

A ShaqFu Farewell - By KD

Perhaps my Daily Rant entitled "Will We (Ever) See Physical Dominance Again?" was a bit premature. Shaquille O'Neal has officially retired, via Twitter yesterday, as the NBA's 5th All-Time leading scorer. Perhaps, he was the greatest player of all-time (just ask Dwight Howard), certainly the most dominant, and had he been fully committed to offseason conditioning, who knows how well he would've been. 19 seasons spent with the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Boston Celtics later, the Diesel has finally hung 'em up.

I'm not sure we'll ever see a superstar with the charisma of Shaq ever again. Peyton Manning? Ken Griffey Jr? Sidney Crosby? I don't think they'll ever match what O'Neal did, not only in the NBA, but in the entertainment industry. Even as a statue or an orchestra conductor , better known as Maestro Shamrock, O'Neal could do it all. He appeared in movies "Blue Chips", "Kazaam", and had a cameo in "Space Jam". He delivered some absolute gems behind the mic, and at this point I'm not talking about his rap career.

He had many nicknames throughout his career. Superman. Shaq. Diesel. ShaqFu. Fu Schnickens. The Big Aristotle. Self-proclaimed G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time). The Big Shamrock. The list can go on. He even had a verbal spat a few years back because Dwight Howard infringed upon the Superman moniker that adorns O'Neal's arm. He was so big that he changed the game. His rookie year, playing against Robert Parish and Kevin McHale on the Celtics, O'Neal threw down a power dunk over the Chief. On the way back down the court Parish said to McHale, "It's probably time we hang 'em up". Not a bad impression for a rookie to make as a Hall of Famer.

O'Neal was dominant in Orlando, ripping down backboards and breaking hoop superstructures. He won multiple titles with the Los Angeles Lakers, while rapping all about it afterwards. He won again in Miami alongside Dwyane Wade, bringing the Heat their only NBA Title.

Looking back on his career, the numbers are undoubtedely Hall of Fame worthy. I've summed it up in these 15 points for you:

1) 28,596 points - good for 5th all-time.
2) 13,099 rebounds - 12th all-time.
3) 2,732 blocks - 7th all-time.
4) 23.4 ppg average his first 11 seasons in the NBA.
5) Avreaged 10.7rpg in those 11 seasons.
6) Averaged 29ppg three times throughout his career.
7) Four NBA Championships - 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2006.
8) 3-Time NBA Finals MVP - 2000-2002.
9) NBA MVP - 2000.
10) NBA Rookie of the Year - 1993.
11) 15 All-Star Game Appearances and 3 MVPS.
12) Two-time NBA Scoring Champion - 1995, 2000.
13) Eight appearances on the All-NBA 1st Team.
14) 1994 FIBA World Championship MVP.
15) Must I continue?

Yes, he had some incidents on the court involving: the Houston Rockets, Brad Miller, Charles Barkley, Dennis Rodman, Andrew Bynum, and he took his fighting talents off the hardwood and into the ring against Oscar De La Hoya, and The Big Show on WWE Raw. But that's what made him so great. He could physically dominate anybody, whether in straight up basketball or in street brawling. He could do it lyrically as he rapped about Kobe Bryant, or by producing music videos.

Shaq did it all. He did it on and off the court. He did it for a long, long time, and was at the top of his game, if not the entire NBA, for most of that tenure. He'll be missed by just about everyone in the league, except maybe Kobe, and as Steve Nash said on Twitter last night, I can't wait to see what's next from the Diesel. He'll be at the top of the list of athletes that I tell my kids and grandchildren about. My dad told me stories of Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, and the Big Red Machine. He told me tales of Magic Johnson versus Larry Bird. Of Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. Of Vince Lombardi and the Packers teams of the 60's. Of The Beatles. I think Shaq is the athletic equivalent of our generation to what the Beatles were musically, to our parents generation. And, at 39 years young, he's still got so much left to do.

I'd urge you all to watch a few Shaq highlights, just so you can remember, at least for a day, the most physically dominant athlete of our generation. He was relevant nearly every year of his 19 year career, and my gut says that he'll continue to be relevant well into the future. But, for now, from a basketball perspective, you'll be sorely missed Shaquille O'Neal.

KD's NFL Draft Grades - Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals were sitting in the catbird seat in this draft knowing that they were going to land a top prospect just by standing pat with the 5th overall pick. While their dream prospect, Von Miller, went off the board at two, they were still able to land my #2 overall rated player in the entire Draft, LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson. While many people thought that the Cards might pull the trigger on Blaine Gabbert, they've not so subtly let it be known they have a wink-nod deal with current Ravens backup Marc Bulger. Yes, he's still alive after the beatings he took with the Rams a few seasons ago, and several Ravens players said that in practice, he's the best quarterback on the Ravens roster, including Joe Flacco. I must quote Allen Iverson here..."We talkin' 'bout practice?!" Kevin Kolb's been the nom du jour as of late, but that's a steep price to pay the Eagles for someone with so little starting experience.

1st round, 5th overall) Patrick Peterson - CB - LSU
Peterson, who stands at 6'0" 219lbs and clocked a 4.34 in the 40, is one, if not the best athletes in the entire 2011 Draft Class. A 3-year starter for the Tigers, Peterson was named SEC Defensive AND Special Teams player of the year in 2010, and added to his trophy case collecting the Thorpe Award (Best DB), and Bednarik Award (Best defender) in 2010. He profiles much like Charles Woodson did coming out of Michigan, as someone who can play either cornerback or safety and be successful at both.

How he fits in: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie isn't going anywhere, but the Cardinals could stand to upgrade at CB over Greg Toler on the other side. I think Peterson will start at corner off the bat as the Cards have a pair of veteran safeties in Kerry Rhodes and Adrian Wilson, and they're still trying to bring former 2nd round pick Rashad Johnson along behind Rhodes. However, behind those three, there's little depth, so Peterson may see some time at safety in certain pacakges like the Dolphins do with Sean Smith, who is the only CB bigger than Peterson in the league. Peterson's got true shutdown potential, and I think he's cut in the mold of Nnamdi Asomugha. He can also be a kick returner if need be.

Outlook: Really, you can't go wrong with Patrick Peterson. Whether he's a corner or safety will be determined later on, but you've got to wonder if Arizona made the right decision passing on a quarterback. Peterson himself should start from day one and will probably get a lot of consideration for Defensive Rookie of the Year. He'll be pressed into one-on-one duty quite a bit as the Cardinals pass-rushers are either too old, or too unproven. Peterson and DRC give them a pair of cornerstone corners for the next 8-10 years, and both may have teh ability to switch to safety later on. Great pick, but he's got to be put to the right use to get the most out of it.

2nd round, 38th overall) Ryan Williams - RB - Virginia Tech
The Cards run game has been abysmal, even when they had Kurt Warner leading the team. Beanie Wells has been hurt and doesn't run very well. Tim Hightower is pretty limited athletically and is more of a 3rd down back. Ryan Williams was brought in and he should be able to overtake the starting role from Beanie Wells. He's more lightning to Wells' thunder, but he's been a workhorse. Plagued by injuries and caught in a rotation with the Hokies last year, you actually should watchin his 2009 tape if you want to see what Williams brings to the table. He shredded some elite defenses that year, and ran for 1,655 yards and 21 TDs. If he can overcome the injuries and prove he can run between the tackles at the NFL level, he'll be a solid starter, but he's not overly special in any particular area.

3rd round, 69th overall) Rob Housler - TE - Florida Atlantic
Housler's stock caught fire at the NFL Combine when he scorched a 4.55 40 (faster than Ryan Williams) to lead all tight end prospects. Housler is relatively inexperienced but caught 32 passes as a junior before redshirting prior to his senior season. He even played some scout team quarterback for the Owls during the off year. Housler came back to catch 39 passes and 4 scores with a 16.1 ypc average. He also used the off year to bulk up from 215lbs to 248lbs, and at 6'5", he's an impressive athlete. Ben Patrick and Stephen Spach are steady blockers, but don't really give the Cards a passing threat, so Housler should have ample opportunity to win the 2nd tight end job early on.

4th round, 103rd overall) Sam Acho - OLB - Texas
The Cardinals have really struggled with finding 3-4 OLB for their defense. Acho is a conversion prospect, having played 4-3 DE at Texas. Joey Porter and Clark Haggans are old and falling apart. O'Brien Schofield sat out all last year due to injury, and Cody Brown was let go. Acho could start on the strongside quickly, though he'll certainly struggle with technique issues from the start. Acho's a smart player with a good motor, but he's not athletic and plays with a narrow base. His play really came on as a senior in Austin as he notched 17 tackles for loss and 9 sacks, but you've got to wonder whether or not he's really on the ascent, or he was a one-hit wonder for the Longhorns. I think Arziona could've done better at this position.

5th round, 136th overall) Anthony Sherman - FB - Connecticut
True fullbacks are a dying breed in the NFL. Most teams don't even carry a traditional one any more. If they do, it's typically a guy who can also play tight end or that's used as a short yardage back and not necessarily a primary blocker. Well, Anthony Sherman is a fullback in the traditional sense. He's a 5'10" 242lbs battering ram that will be a lead blocker for Williams, or Wells, or Hightower, in hopes revamping the Cards running game. Remember the Steelers fullback Dan Kreider? Well, that's what former Steelers coordinator, and current Cards coach, Ken Whisenhunt has in mind. Sherman's a decent receiver out of the backfield, but his primary duties will be blocking.

6th round, 171st overall) Quan Sturdivant - ILB - North Carolina
A hamstring injury that cost him 5 games as a senior, coupled with a marijuana arrest prior the season really deflated Sturdivant's draft stock. He still managed to play in 8 games tallying 61 tackles, 3 sacks, and an interception for the Heels, but he wasn't fully healthy coming off the hamstring injury. Losing so many key defenders to suspsension also hampered his ability to roam the field as well. Sturdivant will be asked to play the weak inside linebacker spot in the Cardinals defense. Gerald Hayes won't be long in Arizona and Darryl Washington is the only other inside backer who should challenge Sturdivant for playing time. If his hamstring is finally right, the Cardinals may have a steal on their hands here.

6th round, 184th overall) David Carter - DT - UCLA
Carter might've seen his draft stock rise slightly with the play of Brian Price the year before. Carter's decent in his own right, but he might have to switch to DE for the Cardinals to make an impact in the NFL. At 6'4" 297lbs, he's a decent enough athlete to pull of the switch, but he really lacks core strength and the ability to hold at the point of attack. He posted some decent numbers for the Bruins, but he wasn't as active as you'd like to see, especially with the benefit of having played with and learning from someone like Brian Price.

7th round, 249th overall) Demarco Sampson - WR - San Diego State
The Aztec program has seen a lot of its receiving corps stick at the NFL level as of late. Roberto Wallace made Miami's roster as an UDFA in 2010 and Vincent Brown was drafted by the Chargers in the 3rd round. Sampson, certainly the least heralded of the three, surprisingly got drafted. Sampson posted 125 catches over the last two seasons, including a 1,220 yard effort in 2010. The Cardinals have a lot of quality talent at the receiving position, but Sampson provides them with an athletic, big target they could use as a 4th or 5th option. He'll have to show something on special teams to stick on the roster though. He has returned kicks in the past, so that might help in to some degree.

Overall Grade: C
Aside from Patrick Peterson, there's not too much to get excited about. Ryan Williams is solid, but unspectacular. They probably overdrafted Housler, Acho, Sherman, Carter, and Sampson, but got a potential steal in Quan Sturdivant. The Cards passed on a quarterback and if Sam Acho is their grand plan at OLB, they're in trouble as they've been unable to find pass-rushers since Ken Whisenhunt first took over the job, other than Betrand Berry and Chike Okeafor. The Cardinals got better, but I think they plugged a lot of their smaller holes, and ignored several large gaps in their roster. A part-time running back, second tight end, a fullback, and a backup DE probably won't add too many wins to the Cardinals 2011 record, but they're several baby steps closer to competeing at a high level again.