CHIZZY'S WEST BREAKDOWN

Big Papa of the West: UConn (3). Tempted to put Texas here (who is my Final Four pick in at least one bracket), but chose not to because of two words: Kemba Walker. Again. KEMBA. WALKER. And because I hate Duke. I know they struggled at the end of the regular season, but over the years it’s been the case that one dominant player can carry a team all the way to the Final Four. Think about it: Gordon Heyward for Butler, Derrick Rose for Memphis, Carmelo Anthony for Syracuse, Dwayne Wade for Marquette. Also, UConn has the momentum of being the first ever team to win five straight Big East games to win the conference championship. I really like their draw. Cincinnati doesn’t scare me, but Missouri’s 40 minutes of hell may pose some problems in the second round. I don’t see Temple, Penn State, or San Diego State being able to hang with UConn, so an Elite 8 matchup with Duke, Texas, or Arizona looms. I like Kemba to lead this team to a deep tourney run.

If not the favorite, then: Duke (1). I was tempted to put Arizona here thanks to Derrick Williams, but Duke’s depth and experience are too much. Admittedly, I should have put them as the favorite, but I hate Duke. I repeat: I. HATE. DUKE. I’m hoping they take the fall against either Michigan or Tennessee, but unfortunately I just don’t see it happening. I think an Elite 8 date is set with UConn in Anaheim, and Singler, Nolan, and company will take Coach K’s team pretty far. Throw in the return of super frosh Kyrie Irving from a midseason injury, and this is a team I wouldn’t want to face.

Don’t Go To Sleep Against These Guys: Temple (7). I really like Temple’s draw here. I felt like they, not Xavier, were the A-10’s best team. They are a battle tested team, having dominated the A-10 and playing at Duke, at Villanova, and against Texas A&M. Penn State will be a tough matchup in the first game, but I like their ability to slide by the weakest 2 seed in the field in San Diego State. If they can beat UConn in the Sweet 16, I like Temple to move all the way to the Final Four as long as they don’t play Duke to get there, since Duke spanked them a few weeks ago. They’re a balanced team, with Lavoy Allen leading the way in the post with over eight boards a game. Scottie Randall, Juan Fernandez, Khalif Wyatt, and Ramone Moore lead an experienced perimeter group that take care of the basketball and shoot it from deep.

Who Gets Blown Up: Missouri (11) over Cincinnati (6). Now, I am a proud tuition paying student at the University of Cincinnati College of Law. But I’m not high on this team, and haven’t been all year. Look at Cincinnati’s last 8 wins. Georgetown twice (in a tailspin), South Florida (so what), DePaul (worst team in Big East), Providence (not 1 of 11 Big East teams in the Dance), Rutgers (not in Dance), and Marquette. Fine, I’ll give you Marquette as a quality win. What wins are you impressed by with UC? 30 point win against Xavier in the Crosstown shootout. Beat my alma mater, Dayton, by 30, who lost last night in the NIT to College of Charleston. Their best win is at MSG against St. John’s… by two points. They have not beaten anyone that I really consider to be a top tier team, and it is my opinion that their seed is not warranted. On the flip side, I know Missouri hasn’t really beat anyone either, but I feel that their breakneck pace behind guards Flip Pressley and Marcus Denmon will break down Cincinnati’s perimeter play. Cincy’s star Yancy Gates can be neutralized on the boards by Missouri’s Laurence Bowers and Ricardo Ratliffe. Advantage: Tigers.

West Man-Beast: Kemba Walker, UConn. I basically covered him in the UConn section. He’s really all they have. But he’s a surefire Top-5 pick in June if he comes out, and why wouldn’t he? Millions are waiting. He fills it up from all over, and for a 6-1 guard has a lot of rebounds. He also averages two steals a game, so his defensive presence can be felt. With the ball in his hands, UConn is confident. He needs to keep it in his hands for six more games.

Who the &#*% is This Guy, and Why Is He Awesome: Derrick Williams, Arizona. I know he plays for Arizona, but I still feel like a majority of the country has never gotten to see super soph Derrick Williams. I watched a lot of his play over the last two weeks, and the guy can flat out play. This season he’s led the Wildcats by posting 19 points and 8 rebounds a game while shooting 61.5% from the field and an absolutely RIDICULOUS 60.3% from behind the arc. He’s only shot 58 threes this year, but if you have a 6-8, 240 forward with stellar low post moves that can step back and shoot the three, you have matchup problems galore when playing the Wildcats. He’s going to give anyone fits, so watch him play. Thank me later.

Picks: First Round

Duke over Hampton, Michigan over Tennessee, Arizona over Memphis, Texas over Oakland, Missouri over UC, UConn over Bucknell, Temple over PSU, SDSU over N. Colorado

Second Round

Duke over Michigan, Texas over Zona, UConn over Mizzou, Temple over SDSU

Sweet 16

Texas over Duke, UConn over Temple

Elite 8

Texas over UConn (I'm conflicting my analysis up there, but who gives a crap. I do what I want).

CHIZZY'S EAST BREAKDOWN

Big Papa of the East: Ohio State (1). Yea, yea yea. I’m from Columbus. I may be a homer, I may not. But the facts show that this is the best team in the country. They went 30-2 this season, with their only losses being on the road at 4 seed Wisconsin and 3 seed Purdue. They beat 16 teams that are in this season’s tournament, and established themselves as a front runner early on this season by spanking 2 seed Florida in Gainesville by 18. Their team doesn’t go very deep, but why would they? Jared Sullinger and Aaron Craft have been stellar. I’ll cover Sullinger below, but Craft handles the ball well, makes clutch shots, and plays within his game. The only question to me is how will the diaper dandies hold up with the pressure mounting deeper into March? My guess is they’ll be just fine. Senior leaders are present with man-beast Dallas Lauderdale, Jon Diebler, and 5^th year senior David Lighty, the only holdover from the 2007 final team. Diebler is one of the best three point shooters in NCAA history, and was known in high school for pulling up from half court to shoot, where he would often make them. With Thad Matta manning the helm, there’s a lot to like about this team’s chances, even in a tougher than expected draw with a second round matchup with either George Mason or Villanova waiting and a potential blue chip meeting with Kentucky in the Sweet 16.

If not The Pick, then: Kentucky (4). Kentucky is a scary looking team, having won eight of their last nine. Sure, they’ve lost eight games this year, but six of them were by four points or less. The only game they really got blown out in was against UConn, but that was pre-Thanksgiving. As is typical of Kentucky teams of late, they’re led by three freshman, Brandon Knight, Terrence Jones, and Doron Lamb. They’re a balanced team, with four Wildcats averaging double digits on the year. Senior leader Josh Harrelson may be one of the only players in the field whose size can hold up to slow down Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger. I like the draw, as I don’t think Princeton will be a threat in the first round and don’t see West Virginia as a team that can knock Big Blue Down. If the Cats can get past OSU in the Sweet 16, they may go dancing all the way to Houston.

Don’t Go to Sleep Against These Guys: George Mason (8). I was really disappointed to see GMU receive an 8 seed, because I feel like their tourney run will end against Ohio State in the second round. The question is how a team that really doesn’t have any marquee wins against BCS schools will fare against the likes of Villanova, Ohio State, and either West Virginia or Kentucky. The Colonial league has three teams in the field, and George Mason clearly was a head above the rest of the mid-majors this year. Considering they didn’t even get to the CAA’s final and still got an 8 seed, the committee must have agreed. Until the loss to VCU on March 6, GMU hadn’t lost since a January 8 heartbreaker to Old Dominion. For those counting at home, that’s a 16 game winning streak. I don’t care who you are, but that’s impressive. And for those doubters out there, remember this: in 2006, Jim Larranaga’s squad beat Michigan State, North Carolina, and Connecticut on the way to the Final Four as an 11 seed.

Who Gets Blown Up: Marquette (11) over Xavier (6). I’m not sure if this is more me being high on Marquette or low on Xavier. Because of my perpetual hatred of Xavier, I’m guessing it’s the latter. I’m not that familiar with Marquette, but I’ve seen Xavier play many times this year. While they dominated the A-10, I just don’t feel like the team has the assets to advance deep into March. While Tu Holloway is a stud, I’m a little concerned with the rest of the team’s ability to step up if Holloway isn’t on fire or Marquette’s quick guards shut him down. The key for the game will be Marquette’s ability as an undersized team to stop 7 foot ogre Kenny Frease, or as like to call him, Shrek. With only one player on the roster over 6-7, Marquette needs to hold fort in the paint and let its perimeter players do the rest. I’m confident in their ability to do so.

East Man-Beast: Jared Sullinger, Ohio State. Just watch a game. He’s a man playing against boys out there. He has completely dominated games, which is impressive because he’s not really a high-flyer. His post moves are very refined, and his defensive presence on the court cannot be overstated. He may not be an athletic superfreak, but his fundamentals and smooth play continue to amaze. He’s lived up to his billing as the top recruit in the country, and I can’t wait to watch this guy play over the next three weeks. Buckeye faithful are praying he stays, and the consensus seems to be that he’ll be there for at least one more year.

Who the #*&% is That Guy, and Why Is He Awesome: Cam Long, George Mason. A wiry 188 pounds on a 6-4 frame, Cam Long is not an imposing figure. But the senior averaged 15.3 points per game this season and shoots 43% from behind the arc, and is a player who has a lot to prove to NBA scouts hoping to take a stab on him in June’s draft. He has been the mark of consistency this season, having failed to reach double digits in points only three times. His best game was a 30 point outing against James Madison, where he hit all four three-pointers he attempted and made 10 of 13 from the line. He’s a very smooth, unselfish player who can finish with both hands once he takes it to the hole. Look for him to make a name for himself over the first couple rounds of the tournament.

Picks: First Round (I don't care what anyone says, this is the first round)

Ohio State over Play-in, George Mason over Nova, WVU over Clemson, Kentucky over Princeton, Marquette over Xavier, Syracuse over Indiana St., Washington over Georgia, UNC over LIU.

Second Round

Bucks over GMU, Kentucky over WVU, Syracuse over Marquette, UNC over Washington.

Sweet 16

Bucks over Kentucky, Syracuse over Marquette

Elite 8

Bucks over Syracuse to the Final Four.

KD's NCAA Tournament Bracket - East & Southwest

East Region

I don't know if I've ever seen a region as tough as the East this year. Gene Smith, the AD at Ohio State and chairman of the NCAA Selection Committee, did his Buckeyes no favors. Ohio State, North Carolina, Syracuse, Kentucky, West Virginia, and 2006 Final Four team George Mason are all in this bracket.

That said, I like the Buckeyes (I think) to come of the East to take on San Diego State in the Final Four. Jared Sullinger is good (not great) in the post, John Diebler and William Buford are knock-down shooters, and they play solid defense. I think they'll have some trouble as they're not deep, but they're top 6 are better than anyone else's.

Upset Special - It's tough to really pick an upset here, but I like Georgia to out-physical Washington, and if they can play their game and slow it down, I can see them giving North Carolina some trouble.

Southwest Region

Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk, KU. I like Kansas to win the whole thing, which is strange as I usually don't trust Kansas at all. With my luck, they'll lose in the Sweet 16. I like the Morris brothers, and I feel like they can negate Jared Sullinger if they were to meet Ohio State in the Championship Game.

I also like the Purdue Boilermakers, and wouldn't be shocked if they go pretty far as well. I'm not a big fan of Notre Dame; when they shoot well, they're tough to beat, but I don't think they'll stay as hot as they were in the Big East Tournament.

Upset Special - I'll go with the Richmond Spiders. They run shades of the Princeton Offense, and rebound very well as a team. I like them to take down Vanderbilt in the first round.

Final Four - Three #1 seeds seems like a lot to me, but I just don't see that many upsets happening to the lower seeds. I'll take Ohio State over San Diego State and Kansas over Pittsburgh.

National Champion: Kansas Jayhawks

KD's NCAA Tournament Bracket - Southeast & West

Southeast Region

The Bottom half of the bracket (click the picture to zoom in and see my picks) I thought was more difficult to pick. I think Pittsburgh has a pretty soft region playing the the Southeast.

I like the Pitt Panthers to come out of this region. Wannamaker and Gibbs are a very good backcourt duo, and I don't think anyone else in the region can compete with Gary McGhee in the middle.

Losing Brandon Davies hurts BYU, and I don't think Jimmer Fredette is going to carry them all the way.

Upset Special I'll take the University of California Santa Barbara Gauchos over the Florida Gators - yeah, I know that's a 15 over a 2, but I think Florida is overrated and will be coming off a hangover losing to Kentucky in the SEC Championship Game.

West Region

The defending champion Duke Blue Devils are in this region, and Nolan Smith is playing lights out right now. If they still had Kyrie Irving, I'd pick them to win the whole thing, but I like the San Diego State Aztecs, who went 32-2 (lost to BYU twice). I really like Kahwi Leonard's game, and I think the Aztecs have enough pieces to win the region.

Upset Special - Give me the Oakland Golden Grizzlies over Texas and Arizona - yeah, that's right 2 games. They're experienced, have a lot of size (two 7-footers) and can hit the 3.

NFL Combine Stock Watch: Defensive Players

Time for the breakdown of Defensive Players. Again, I'll have a Stock Up, Stock Down, and Neutral Player from the past two days.

Defensive Line - Includes 4-3 and 3-4 DE's, DT's, and NT's

Stock Up: Marcel Dareus, Alabama. I hate to pick a player that's at the top of the draft board already, but Dareus cemented his status as the top interior defensive lineman of the draft. He weighed in at 6'3" 319lbs - big enough to play 3-4 DE, or 4-3 DT. He ripped off a 4.93 40 and looked very fluid in all of the drills. He's played in one of college football's most complex defensive schemes at Alabama, which is one of a very few defenses that run a base 3-4 package. He's had more success and has a lot more experience than Auburn's Nick Fairley, a JUCO transfer, who only had one great season. I've got to give a mention to Wisconsin's J.J. Watt, who was also outstanding, but Dareus is just that impressive. Outlook: Top 5 Prospect

Stock Down: Jeremy Beal, Oklahoma. Beal is a 4-3 DE/3-4 OLB prospect. He's been one of those prospects that's never really lived up to the hype he received in Norman and benefited from a lot of better players around him (Gerald McCoy). Beal ran a 5.16 40 and only had 21 reps on the bench despite checking in at 6'2" 262lbs. He's built top heavy, plays with a narrow base, and did nothing in my opinion to dispel that at the combine, which could really dip his stock as many teams were eying him to move to OLB. Outlook: Mid Round Prospect

Neutral: Phil Taylor, Baylor. Big Phil had an outstanding week at the Senior Bowl and should be the first pure 3-4 NT selected in the 2011 draft. While he's not as explosive as Vince Wilfork, Paul Soliai, or Casey Hampton are for such large human beings, Taylor is still a solid prospect in his own right. He checked in at 6'3" 334lbs with long arms, 34 inches, big hands (which he uses very effectively), and ran a 5.20 40. The former Penn State transfer might even sneak into the beginning of the 2nd round, depending on the needs of 3-4 teams. He could also play a 1 or 3 technique in a 4-3 defense. Outlook: 2nd or 3rd Round Prospect

Linebackers

Stock Up: Von Miller, Texas A&M. Again, as with the Defensive Line, Miller was already one of the top Linebacker prospects in the draft, and is now the top LB prospect in the draft. Miller checked in 9lbs heavier than he weighed in at the Senior Bowl, weighing in at 6'2" 246lbs. A lot of his numbers compare to the Cowboys DeMarcus Ware from the 2005 Combine. While he looked a little stiff in some of the drills, Miller profiles as a weakside OLB, like Ware, and won't be asked to move into coverage much, which will maximize his pass-rush skills (27.5 sacks the past two years). Again, a runner-up would be Martez Wilson of Illinois. Outlook: Top 10 Prospect

Stock Down: Casey Matthews, Oregon. Another over-hyped prospect (let's be clear, he's not going to have an NFL career even remotely close to what his brother Clay has done for the Packers, end of story) Matthews aggravated a shoulder injury during the bench press. He weighed in at only 231lbs and had pretty short arms, 31.5 inches. The injury dates back to his freshman year and that's going to raise a red flag as one of the knocks on Matthews is that he has trouble stacking and shedding. Outlook: Late Round Prospect

Neutral: Justin Houston, Georgia. Houston's stock has been rising as of late. He did nothing to hurt himself at the combine checking in at 6'2" 270lbs and running a 4.68 40. He also 34.5 in arms (very impressive) and big hands at 10.25 inches and had the 2nd most bench reps at 30 (Ohio State's Ross Homan had 32). The question I have around Houston is how he'll translate. Can he handle the strongside a 3-4 like LaMarr Woodley? Or is he an oversized weakised OLB like Shawne Merriman? The track record of former Bulldog defensive players in the front 7 isn't all that great in recent years. Outlook: 1st or 2nd Round Prospect

Cornerbacks

Stock Up: Jimmy Smith, Colorado. Yes, Patrick Peterson of LSU dominated, but that was to be highly expected. Smith was a prospect with a lot of hype and he backed it up. He checked in at 6'2" 211lbs (think Nnamdi Asomugha & Sean Smith size) while posting a 4.46 with an impressive 24 reps on the bench. He looked pretty fluid in most of the drills. Smith is a willing run defender, unlike Sean Smith, but he did flip his hips and showed good transition skills and in my opinion, did a lot better than I was expecting him to look. Outlook: 1st or 2nd Round Prospect

Stock Down: Prince Amukamara, Nebraska. Very surprised to have him as my pick. He measured in well at 6'0" 206lbs with an impressive 4.43 40. However, in watching him in the backpedal and tracking drills, he moves very high, and looked very stiff in transitioning. He played with some more than talented personnel in the Nebraska defense in Eric Hagg and DeJon Gomes, who are also in this year's draft. Amukamara should still be the second CB off the board, but probably won't go as highly as anticipated. Outlook: 1st Round Prospect

Neutral: Kendrick Burney, North Carolina. Burney measured in at 5'9" 186lbs and turned in a pedestrian 4.72 40, but don't let that fool you. Burney is pretty good in press coverage and looked pretty fluid in most drills. While he won't play fast, his footwork is solid and will give teams something to work with. While he won't be able to keep with burners at the receiver position, he will be a very solid Cover 2 CB in the NFL. Outlook: Mid Round Prospect

Safety

Stock Up: Joe Lefeged, Rutgers. Lefeged followed up a decent Senior Bowl week with a solid showing at the Combine. While he's not in the same echelon as Rahim Moore, Deunta Williams, or DeAndre McDaniel, Lefeged might sneak into the upper part of that second tier of safeties. Lefeged came in at 5'11" 210lbs and ran a 4.43 40, which was a lot faster than I was expecting. A very experienced player having played in 50 games for the Scarlet Knights, Lefeged improved his stock as much as any other safety which should earn him some coin. Outlook: 3rd or 4th Round Prospect

Stock Down: Shiloh Keo, Idaho. Keo had been labeled as a small-school prospect who could sneak into the late 2nd or early 3rd portion of the draft. However, he certainly didn't pass the eyeball test, coming in at 5'11" 219lbs, but the 219lbs wasn't a good 219lbs. Let's just say he looked rather soft. Turning in a 4.72 40 certainly didn't help his efforts either, nor did his 30" arms. That said, Keo put up outstanding career numbers with the Vandals where he played in 55 games, and was, surprisingly, a very good punt returner. However, Keo probably lost the hype he was riding in on. Outlook: Mid-Round Prospect

Neutral: Tyler Sash, Iowa. Sash is one of the more underrated prospects for the safety crop. Sash had a very solid career at Iowa, and projects as a decent strong safety prospect at the next level. At 6'0" 211lbs and coming from Kirk Ferentz's defense he should be pretty scheme diverse. While he won't confuse anyone for former Hawkeye Bob Sanders, he's a solid prospect. Turning in a faster 40 than I expected at 4.63, that should alleviate some concerns over his speed as Sash's smarts and ability to understand angles help him out tremendously having racked up 13 INTs for 392 reutrn yards in 38 games for the Hawkeyes. Outlook: Mid-Round Prospect

NFL Combine Stock Watch: Offensive Players

I watched a considerable amount of the NFL Combine Coverage over the weekend, some might say too much, but here is the NFL Combine "Stock Watch". Rather than give a synopsis of every player, I'll break down each position and give a Stock Up, Stock Down, and Neutral for each position.

Quarterbacks

Stock Up: Christian Ponder, Florida State. Ponder weighed in at 6'2" 229lbs, bigger than most expected, ran a 4.65 40 and had bigger hands than expected, coming in at 10 1/4 inches (second only to Ryan Mallett, who is 6'7"). Ponder built on his MVP Senior Bowl performance throwing very well, and even hit on some of the deeper throws, not his strong suit at Florida State. The key for Ponder will be his medical checks as he's suffered a separated shoulder on his throwing arm, and an elbow injury that required two in-season surgeries as a senior. Outlook: 3rd Round Prospect

Stock Down: Cam Newton, Auburn. The hype train has returned to the station. Newton measured in just fine at 6'5" 248lbs and turned in some eye-popping numbers with a 4.59 40 and a 10'6" broad jump. He clearly handled the media well and "Team Newton" (i.e. Cecil Newton) played a big part in that. However, he completed just 11 of 21 throws and look pretty bad throwing outs and deep balls. Playing in Gus Malzahn's offense at Auburn clearly won't help him, as pretty much every call comes in from the sideline as opposed to Newton reading the defense and making sight adjustments. There were also several rumors that his passing offense was dumbed-down to 1 or 2 reads and run. Outlook: 1st Round Prospect, with a huge "Buyer Beware" label.

Neutral: Blaine Gabbert, Missouri. Do you think he wishes he would've worked out? I think Gabbert will put on a show at his pro day and in private team workouts and will ultimately be the first QB selected unless Buffalo or Cincinnati pull some shenanigans with the Newton Hype Train. Gabbert also comes from the spread offense, but he's athletic, can run, and measured in well at 6'4" 234lbs. Outlook: 1st round prospect

Runningbacks

Stock Up: Mario Fannin, Auburn. An afterthought in the Auburn offense in 2010 with the emergence of Cam Newton, Michael Dyer, and Onterio McCalebb, and Ben Tate the year before, Fanning got lost in the shuffle. Fannin checked in at 5'10" 231lbs and blazes a 4.38 40 and looked good in just about every drill. While he's got good long speed, he wasn't as explosive in a short area as Mark Ingram and Kendall Hunter were, but he definitely raised his stock. Outlook: Mid Round Prospect

Stock Down: Ryan Williams Virginia Tech. The former Hokie had an outstanding 2009 season at VPI, rushing for 1,655 yards and 21 TDs. Injuries and a rotation limited Williams to just 10 games and 110 carries (down from 293) in 2010. Williams, known as a speed back clocked in a 4.61 40 and had only 9 inch hands. He didn't look all that explosive in the drills. He did weigh in at 5'9" and 212lbs, but I don't think he'll sniff the 1st round any more. Outlook: 2nd or 3rd Round Prospect

Neutral: Mark Ingram, Alabama. Despite a pedestrian 4.62 official 40, Ingram did nothing to dispel the notion he'll be the first RB taken in the 2011 draft. His short area burst was fantastic as he notched a 1.53 10 yard split (better than the top 3 splits from the best 40's from this year) and his agility is only rivaled by Kendall Hunter of Oklahoma State. At 5'9" 215lbs, the comparisons to Emmitt Smith won't stop. Outlook: 1st Round Prospect

Receivers

Stock Up: Julio Jones, Alabama. The offensive start of the combine. Julio measured in at 6'3" 220lbs and clocked a 4.39 40. The best blocking receiver in the draft already, Jones displayed excellent hands in the vaunted "gauntlet" drill and notched a 38 vertical. He definitely closed the gap with A.J. Green for top WR, and might have even worked his way into the top 10. Outlook: Top 15 Prospect

*Edit* Charley Casserly of NFL Network also just reported that Julio Jones participated in the Combine with a broken foot and will need screws inserted before the season. This is very similar to the injury that Michael Crabtree suffered, which makes his performance all the more impressive. This injury shouldn't reflect upon Julio's draft status much as he's shown the ability to play through and recover swiftly from injuries throughout his tenure with the Crimson Tide.

Stock Down: DeAndre Brown, Southern Mississippi. Brown, a big, rangy prospect at 6'5" 233lbs was a guy I had my eye on as a mid round prospect in the Plaxico Burress mold. Brown was slow in the 40 at 4.59, but looked slow in everything else. He had a very awkward gate and running motion in the tracking drill and didn't haul in any passes. Outlook: 6th Round Prospect

Neutral: Jerrel Jernigan, Troy. Jernigan, a do-everything prospect that's played QB, RB, and WR, as well as returning kicks and punts at Troy had a school listed 40 time of 4.35, but managed only a 4.46. He definitely looked more quick than fast, but displayed good hands and outstanding agility and should still be a 2nd or 3rd round prospect. I'm very interested to see which one between he and Boise State's Titus Young goes off the board first.

Tight Ends

Stock Up: Virgil Green, Nevada. Coming from a spread, pass-happy offense at Nevada, there weren't really questions over Green's receiving abilities. He's a willing, adequate blocker in the mold of the Jets Dustin Keller, but Green may be more explosive. He broke Vernon Davis' vertical jump record turning in a 42.5" vertical, a 4.54 40, and looked the part at 6'3" 249lbs with 33.5" arms and a decent 23 reps on the bench. Outlook: 3rd Round Prospect

Stock Down: Lance Kendricks, Wisconsin. Kendricks is a better blocker than Green, playing at Wisconsin will do that. He's a solid receiving threat as well. He's more down because of Green's performance than his own. Kendricks looked okay during the drills, nothing outstanding, and Kendricks came in at only 6'2" and 243. He should still be a solid H-Back type prospect though. Outlook: 3rd Round Prospect

Neutral: Schuylar Oordt, Northern Iowa. Oordt, an under-the-radar prospect came in and did alright competing with the big guys. He's a big man himself at 6'5" 261lbs and running a 4.67 40. His 18 bench reps were disappointing, but he looked to be a more fluid athlete than I initially thought. Outlook: Mid-Round Prospect

Offensive Lineman - Includes Tackles, Guards, and Centers

Stock Up: Jah Reid, Central Florida - OT. I've got to give kudos out to a poster on a site I frequent, CK, for first mentioning Reid at the East-West Shrine Bowl. (You can check out CK's weekly draft column in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel every Tuesday. It's Miami Dolphin oriented, but his article on Cam Newton made it to CNBC, and his stuff is outstanding). Reid's stock is absolutely on fire coming in at 6'7" 327lbs (way down from his in-season weight) and looked silky smooth in every drill. Slow 40 aside, this guy made some serious cheddar this weekend, compared to where he would've been. Outlook: 4th Round Prospect

Stock Down: Jason Kelce, Cincinnati - OC. The "smallest" of the OL at the combine at just 280lbs. Kelce, who I once considered a mid-round prospect, probably won't be drafted as he was unable to put on weight. He might excel in a system like Indianapolis who tabbed his former UC teammate Jeff Linkenbach, but Kelce looked like a boy amongst men. He's a fluid athlete, but just doesn't have the look of an OL at 6'2" 280lbs (there are bigger TE's out there than that. Outlook: Undrafted

Neutral: Mike Pouncey, Florida - OG. While not the elite prospect as his twin brother Maurkice was a year ago, Mike is a fine prospect in his own right. I thought he might dominate the combine and rise quite a bit, but he opted not to participate in some of the exercises, choosing to wait for his Pro Day. At 6'5" 305lbs, he certainly has the look of a pulling guard and did well in the mirror and slide drill. His 32" arms might cause some teams to shy away, but all things considered, he should still be the first interior lineman taken. Outlook: 2nd Round Prospect

Welcome

Welcome to Two Guys Talking Sports. My name is Kevin and my cohort Chad and I (a pair of University of Dayton alums) will be bringing you sports coverage, and our opinions, on several major sports including the NFL, MLB, PGA Tour, NBA and NCAA Basketball, and a few other odds and ends.

To start out, I'll be providing a "Stock Watch" from this weekends NFL Combine for both offensive and defensive players, and then Chad and I will be providing a preview for Major League Baseball within the coming weeks as the 2011 season approaches.