Mel Kiper draft notes (1 Viewer)

[jeter23]

January 16, 2009

What did you think of Mark Sanchez' decision to go pro? He is riding a wave of momentum, especially from the Rose Bowl. If he had not played well, he may have stayed. Bradford's decision likely affected him. Sanchez feels he could be #1, #3, or 10th pick at the latest. What Carroll says has merit. Will Stafford's experience push him over Sanchez? Did not even have a full season as the healthy starter. If he goes 1 or 3, it is a great decision. His success will determine if it was a good decision.

Talked Ravens-Steelers- Ravens have been a team of destiny, Pitt D overrides Balt D, heart says Balt, but picks Pitt/Ariz.

 

[Raider Nation]

Dont be surprised to see the next big sleeper to come out of the University at Buffalo!!! ok, maybe a homer pick, but Drew Willy can play. Hes got a big arm, hes the right size and hes as smart as they come. Had the trust in the coaches to make whatever presnap audibles or adjustments, and reads defenses pretty well. Im sure he has his flaws but look out cause he'll get drafted and he's got the style that translates.

I saw him once, in the International Bowl against UCONN. The Huskies were probably the best team he faced. He was awful.

 

[Devine Intervention]

Dont be surprised to see the next big sleeper to come out of the University at Buffalo!!! ok, maybe a homer pick, but Drew Willy can play. Hes got a big arm, hes the right size and hes as smart as they come. Had the trust in the coaches to make whatever presnap audibles or adjustments, and reads defenses pretty well. Im sure he has his flaws but look out cause he'll get drafted and he's got the style that translates.

I saw him once, in the International Bowl against UCONN. The Huskies were probably the best team he faced. He was awful.

Nice way to watch one game and come up with a judgement lol. Cause Ive never seen a good QB have a bad game. I watched some game, i think the national championship, and there was this guy named Bradford, what a bum.

 

[Sinrman]

Did not even have a full season as the healthy starter. If he goes 1 or 3, it is a great decision. His success will determine if it was a good decision.

Isn't this a wee bit contradictory? "Did not even have a full season as a healthy starter" and then the very next sentence, "If he goes 1 or 3, it is a great decision." HUH?

 

[Raider Nation]

Dont be surprised to see the next big sleeper to come out of the University at Buffalo!!! ok, maybe a homer pick, but Drew Willy can play. Hes got a big arm, hes the right size and hes as smart as they come. Had the trust in the coaches to make whatever presnap audibles or adjustments, and reads defenses pretty well. Im sure he has his flaws but look out cause he'll get drafted and he's got the style that translates.

I saw him once, in the International Bowl against UCONN. The Huskies were probably the best team he faced. He was awful.

Nice way to watch one game and come up with a judgement lol. Cause Ive never seen a good QB have a bad game. I watched some game, i think the national championship, and there was this guy named Bradford, what a bum.

Oh, sorry. I was going to comment on his performances in the games I didn't watch, but felt that would be a bit presumptuous.

 

[jeter23]

A little bonus this week. Todd McShay was on the Scott VanPelt show, talking about the underclassmen who declared, and those who stayed.

Most surprising- volume of those who came out, we expected a record (maybe as many as 80), but it looks like less than 50.

Gerald McCoy was a surprise, all of the Sooners- looks like they wanted to stay and make a run next year

Bradford- he does need to get bigger and stronger. Did not feel the pressure in the Big 12 like he did vs Florida.

Great for college football with Tebow, McCoy and Bradford all back.

Head scratchers- Hartline from Ohio St- may have been in the dog house with Tressel

Josh Freeman- could have been a top 15 pick next year

Reaction to Pete Carroll- very surprised, but he does everything for a reason, sending a message to future recruits, he does believe that Sanchez needs more time in college.

 

[Devine Intervention]

Dont be surprised to see the next big sleeper to come out of the University at Buffalo!!! ok, maybe a homer pick, but Drew Willy can play. Hes got a big arm, hes the right size and hes as smart as they come. Had the trust in the coaches to make whatever presnap audibles or adjustments, and reads defenses pretty well. Im sure he has his flaws but look out cause he'll get drafted and he's got the style that translates.

I saw him once, in the International Bowl against UCONN. The Huskies were probably the best team he faced. He was awful.

Nice way to watch one game and come up with a judgement lol. Cause Ive never seen a good QB have a bad game. I watched some game, i think the national championship, and there was this guy named Bradford, what a bum.

Oh, sorry. I was going to comment on his performances in the games I didn't watch, but felt that would be a bit presumptuous.

Yeah but the post you were responding wasnt saying he played good in the international bowl, it was saying he's a good player all around, so to reply to me saying how he is on the year with an evaluation of a single game just doesnt make sense. You cant make a judgement call on how he will perform in the NFL based on one game, which seemed like you were doing. which again, is silly.

 

[jeter23]

Did not even have a full season as the healthy starter. If he goes 1 or 3, it is a great decision. His success will determine if it was a good decision.

Isn't this a wee bit contradictory? "Did not even have a full season as a healthy starter" and then the very next sentence, "If he goes 1 or 3, it is a great decision." HUH?

He was really trying to show both points of view for Sanchez/Carroll. He also said that if he is take 1 or 3, it would be a good decision financially, but does not equate to success, obviously. Sorry if I did not post enough info to make it clear.

 

[Raider Nation]

Dont be surprised to see the next big sleeper to come out of the University at Buffalo!!! ok, maybe a homer pick, but Drew Willy can play. Hes got a big arm, hes the right size and hes as smart as they come. Had the trust in the coaches to make whatever presnap audibles or adjustments, and reads defenses pretty well. Im sure he has his flaws but look out cause he'll get drafted and he's got the style that translates.

I saw him once, in the International Bowl against UCONN. The Huskies were probably the best team he faced. He was awful.

Nice way to watch one game and come up with a judgement lol. Cause Ive never seen a good QB have a bad game. I watched some game, i think the national championship, and there was this guy named Bradford, what a bum.

Oh, sorry. I was going to comment on his performances in the games I didn't watch, but felt that would be a bit presumptuous.

Yeah but the post you were responding wasnt saying he played good in the international bowl, it was saying he's a good player all around, so to reply to me saying how he is on the year with an evaluation of a single game just doesnt make sense. You cant make a judgement call on how he will perform in the NFL based on one game, which seemed like you were doing. which again, is silly.

Tell me specifically which part of my original reply was unfair/silly/untrue or implied I was making any final judgements based on same.

 

[Devine Intervention]

Dont be surprised to see the next big sleeper to come out of the University at Buffalo!!! ok, maybe a homer pick, but Drew Willy can play. Hes got a big arm, hes the right size and hes as smart as they come. Had the trust in the coaches to make whatever presnap audibles or adjustments, and reads defenses pretty well. Im sure he has his flaws but look out cause he'll get drafted and he's got the style that translates.

I saw him once, in the International Bowl against UCONN. The Huskies were probably the best team he faced. He was awful.

Nice way to watch one game and come up with a judgement lol. Cause Ive never seen a good QB have a bad game. I watched some game, i think the national championship, and there was this guy named Bradford, what a bum.

Oh, sorry. I was going to comment on his performances in the games I didn't watch, but felt that would be a bit presumptuous.

Yeah but the post you were responding wasnt saying he played good in the international bowl, it was saying he's a good player all around, so to reply to me saying how he is on the year with an evaluation of a single game just doesnt make sense. You cant make a judgement call on how he will perform in the NFL based on one game, which seemed like you were doing. which again, is silly.

Tell me specifically which part of my original reply was unfair/silly/untrue or implied I was making any final judgements based on same.

I was stating how I think hes got talent and maybe could surprise, I assumed that by responding to it in an opposite manor that you were disagreeing with what I was saying. I think most wouldve gotten that vibe from the responding post. Its not just what you wrote but also what you responded to. Maybe you werent responding, but yet just making a statement not really related to my post. my bad

 

[Raider Nation]

Dont be surprised to see the next big sleeper to come out of the University at Buffalo!!! ok, maybe a homer pick, but Drew Willy can play. Hes got a big arm, hes the right size and hes as smart as they come. Had the trust in the coaches to make whatever presnap audibles or adjustments, and reads defenses pretty well. Im sure he has his flaws but look out cause he'll get drafted and he's got the style that translates.

I saw him once, in the International Bowl against UCONN. The Huskies were probably the best team he faced. He was awful.

Nice way to watch one game and come up with a judgement lol. Cause Ive never seen a good QB have a bad game. I watched some game, i think the national championship, and there was this guy named Bradford, what a bum.

Oh, sorry. I was going to comment on his performances in the games I didn't watch, but felt that would be a bit presumptuous.

Yeah but the post you were responding wasnt saying he played good in the international bowl, it was saying he's a good player all around, so to reply to me saying how he is on the year with an evaluation of a single game just doesnt make sense. You cant make a judgement call on how he will perform in the NFL based on one game, which seemed like you were doing. which again, is silly.

Tell me specifically which part of my original reply was unfair/silly/untrue or implied I was making any final judgements based on same.

I was stating how I think hes got talent and maybe could surprise, I assumed that by responding to it in an opposite manor that you were disagreeing with what I was saying. I think most wouldve gotten that vibe from the responding post. Its not just what you wrote but also what you responded to. Maybe you werent responding, but yet just making a statement not really related to my post. my bad

Yeah, I could only comment on what I witnessed. I know if I was a scout and watched only THAT game tape, I'd be concerned.With all of the small school QBs killing it these days, you can't discount anyone until you see them in person at the combine.

 

[Tyrion]

Dont be surprised to see the next big sleeper to come out of the University at Buffalo!!! ok, maybe a homer pick, but Drew Willy can play. Hes got a big arm, hes the right size and hes as smart as they come. Had the trust in the coaches to make whatever presnap audibles or adjustments, and reads defenses pretty well. Im sure he has his flaws but look out cause he'll get drafted and he's got the style that translates.

Yeah but can he catch the ball?

 

[-OZ-]

The best QB will probably end up being someone from a non-BCS conference that is barely getting noticed now.

You mean like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Carson Palmer, Drew Brees, Eli Manning, Donovan McNabb, Jay Cutler, Aaron Rodgers, Philip Rivers or Matt Ryan?

Jason.....all those guys come from BSC schools.....he was saying Non-BCS schools

My point exactly...It's great to get super excited about the small school guy who teams are going to scout and he's going to blow you away; and they certainly exist. I'm sure the Steelers are thrilled they took a chance on a kid from Miami (Ohio), for example. But by and large, the league's elite QBs come from BCS schools.

I think there are two issues being discussed here . . . QBs from non-BCS schools and QBs drafted fairly late (say second day picks 4th round or later). While I generally agree that teams are probably better off with QBs from BCS schools and taking them earlier rather than later on draft day, there are currently quite a few QBs that don't fit that profile. There are probably more QBs than many would think:BOTH:

Garrard, Carolina (4th)

Thigpen, Coastal Carolina (7th)

Fitzpatrick, Harvard (7th)

Delhomme, Louisianna-Lafayette (Undrafted)

Garcia, San Jose State (Undrafted)

Romo, Eastern Illinois (Undrafted)

Warner, Northern Iowa (Undrafted)

NON-BCS:

Culpepper, Central Florida (1st)

Flacco, Delaware (1st)

Leftwich, Marshall (1st)

Losman, Tulane (1st)

Pennington, Marshall (1st)

Roethlisberger, Miami, OH (1st)

Favre, Southern Mississippi (2nd)

Tarvaris Jackson, Alabama State (2nd)

4th ROUND OR LATER:

Orton, Purdue (4th)

Brunell, Washington (5th)

Orlovsky, Connecticut (5th)

Brady, Michigan (6th)

Bulger, West Virginia (6th)

Hasselbeck, Boston College (6th)

Cassel, USC (7th)

Trent Green, Indiana (8th)

Clearly the huge majority of them are not SB winners, but there certainly are a number that have led some solid teams.

Look where the Final Four QBs are from.Syracuse

Northern Iowa

Delaware

Miami (Ohio)

Not exactly football factories. If you can play football, someone will find you.

Syracuse is a Big East school which produced 6 1st round picks in a 5 year span (Freeney, Bulluck, Will Allen, McNabb, Tebucky Jones, and Donovin Darius) plus Marvin Harrison 2 years before that. It was a football factory.

 

[coolnerd]

Dont be surprised to see the next big sleeper to come out of the University at Buffalo!!! ok, maybe a homer pick, but Drew Willy can play. Hes got a big arm, hes the right size and hes as smart as they come. Had the trust in the coaches to make whatever presnap audibles or adjustments, and reads defenses pretty well. Im sure he has his flaws but look out cause he'll get drafted and he's got the style that translates.

I saw him once, in the International Bowl against UCONN. The Huskies were probably the best team he faced. He was awful.

Nice way to watch one game and come up with a judgement lol. Cause Ive never seen a good QB have a bad game. I watched some game, i think the national championship, and there was this guy named Bradford, what a bum.

Oh, sorry. I was going to comment on his performances in the games I didn't watch, but felt that would be a bit presumptuous.

Yeah but the post you were responding wasnt saying he played good in the international bowl, it was saying he's a good player all around, so to reply to me saying how he is on the year with an evaluation of a single game just doesnt make sense. You cant make a judgement call on how he will perform in the NFL based on one game, which seemed like you were doing. which again, is silly.

Tell me specifically which part of my original reply was unfair/silly/untrue or implied I was making any final judgements based on same.

I was stating how I think hes got talent and maybe could surprise, I assumed that by responding to it in an opposite manor that you were disagreeing with what I was saying. I think most wouldve gotten that vibe from the responding post. Its not just what you wrote but also what you responded to. Maybe you werent responding, but yet just making a statement not really related to my post. my bad

Yeah, I could only comment on what I witnessed. I know if I was a scout and watched only THAT game tape, I'd be concerned.With all of the small school QBs killing it these days, you can't discount anyone until you see them in person at the combine.

FWIW, I remember Kiper constantly repeating how Big Ben did not play well against some Big 10 team (think Michigan) and downgrading him too much for that game. Overall, especailly at QB the more games you look at the better from a scouting perspective. Another note on smaller school QBs, I heard/read some scout (sorry no linkage) who said that there are advantages when scouting mid-level BCS or lower level QBs over the ones from the top 50 or so schools:

1) You generally get to see them throw into tight windows, because they don't have 4 or 5 guys who are athletically superior most CBs that the team faces or can make the Qbs bad throws look good.

2) usually get see how the QB handle pressure because they not sitting behind a line with 3 or 4 NFL draftable players.

3) They get a lot of reps, often early their careers because they are superior talents at their school.

4) These QBs carry a greater burden of thier team success than does a QB at the higher end programs (mental pressure).

 

[MAC_32]

A little bonus this week. Todd McShay was on the Scott VanPelt show, talking about the underclassmen who declared, and those who stayed.Most surprising- volume of those who came out, we expected a record (maybe as many as 80), but it looks like less than 50.Gerald McCoy was a surprise, all of the Sooners- looks like they wanted to stay and make a run next yearBradford- he does need to get bigger and stronger. Did not feel the pressure in the Big 12 like he did vs Florida.Great for college football with Tebow, McCoy and Bradford all back.Head scratchers- Hartline from Ohio St- may have been in the dog house with TresselJosh Freeman- could have been a top 15 pick next yearReaction to Pete Carroll- very surprised, but he does everything for a reason, sending a message to future recruits, he does believe that Sanchez needs more time in college.

Hartline and Tressel had a huge falling out in November, it was assumed at that time he wasn't coming back and with only one more year of eligibility his options were go to lower division football, transfer + sit out a year, or go pro. None of which were optimal solutions.

 

[jeter23]

A little bonus this week. Todd McShay was on the Scott VanPelt show, talking about the underclassmen who declared, and those who stayed.Most surprising- volume of those who came out, we expected a record (maybe as many as 80), but it looks like less than 50.Gerald McCoy was a surprise, all of the Sooners- looks like they wanted to stay and make a run next yearBradford- he does need to get bigger and stronger. Did not feel the pressure in the Big 12 like he did vs Florida.Great for college football with Tebow, McCoy and Bradford all back.Head scratchers- Hartline from Ohio St- may have been in the dog house with TresselJosh Freeman- could have been a top 15 pick next yearReaction to Pete Carroll- very surprised, but he does everything for a reason, sending a message to future recruits, he does believe that Sanchez needs more time in college.

Hartline and Tressel had a huge falling out in November, it was assumed at that time he wasn't coming back and with only one more year of eligibility his options were go to lower division football, transfer + sit out a year, or go pro. None of which were optimal solutions.

I had also heard somewhere else that he is already married, is very close to graduating, really little reason to stay.

 

[Hoss_Cartwright]

Chat with Mel Kiper

Welcome to The Show! On Wednesday, college football season officially gets underway, because Mel Kiper Jr. will be hosting his first chat of the 2008 football season.

Send your questions now and join Mel this Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET!

Kiper Archive: Chats | Columns

Buzzmaster: We're getting Mel right now!

Mel Kiper: Great to be back for another college and NFL season. We can start talking a lot of draft stuff too. The first top 25 Senior Big Board will debut on Wednesday, August 27, one week from today. Every Wednesday we'll be here from 1-2 chatting.

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Kurt (Chicago, IL): Mel, I love your work. Its time to get started. What kind of pro prospects does the Illini have?

Mel Kiper: Their top prospect is a junior CB Vontae Davis, the younger brother of Vernon Davis. Very skilled, a first round pick, possibly an early to mid-round pick. An interesting guy is Xavier Fulton, a sr. LT. He was on offense for the first time last year. Tough kid, strong, quick feet. Also, Will Davis, senior DE - who should be one of the best outside pass rusher in the conference.

Mel Kiper: Those are the main guys.

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Joey (Brooklyn): MEL!!!! Great to have you back. Who is the better NFL prospect, CJ Spiller or James Davis?? Thanks!

Mel Kiper: I would say Spiller will be an interesting guy for the NFL because he has great outside speed. Davis is a move-the-chain, tough inside runner. He's quicker than people give him credit for. You've got the tough guy in Davis and the fast, home run hitter in Spiller. 40 times for RBs, historically have been overrated. Sometimes just getting the yards and being productive. Like Ron Jaworski says, keeping your offense on schedule.

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SprungOnSports (Long Island): How good do you see Darren McFadden being in his rookie season?

Mel Kiper: I think he'll be as good as JaMarcus Russell and that OL allows him to be. There's also Michael Bush and Justin Fargas there. They have three good RBs. Bush has the ability to look like he's shot out of cannon. I think McFadden will have a good rookie year. RBs historically translate well into the NFL. He doesn't have to be the center piece of that offense, with those other RBs.

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Broad Street Brian (Philly): WELCOME BACK MEL!, Oh how I missed your insight. Do the Auburn Tiger have a shot at the SEC Crown when the will be playing 2 Qb's?

Mel Kiper: I think they have a shot, certainly. If LSU would have had their QB returning, they would have been the hands on favorite to win that division. But he's not there, so the balance of power swings a little bit. In the SEC West, it's LSU and Auburn. What they hope to have happen with the QBs is that the offense is productive. Someone has to settle in there. This offense is the question mark. We'll have to see if Alabama can compete. Auburn should be right in the thick of it in the West. Do I think they'll win the entire SEC? No. Florida and Georgia are better. Tennessee will be an interesting team to watch as well.

Mel Kiper: They have to get out of September no worse than 4-1.

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Brad (Gadsden,Alabama): Mel, Will Julio Jones make a big impact this year for Alabama? Is he a early fav. for Freshman of The Year?

Mel Kiper: I think he is. He'll have a huge impact. He'll be wearing No. 8. John Parker Wilson, their QB, they're expecting a better year out of him. Andre Smith at LT, he has his weight down a little bit. He should be better at left tackle. Burton Scott, another freshman WR, they have high hopes for as well. Jones has a chance to be a productive rookie.

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Chris (staten island, NY): Mel, how does Chris Wells, Lesean McCoy and Knowshon Moreno compare to last years 1st rounders McFadden, Stewart, Jones and Mendenthal?

Mel Kiper: I'd rank them right now: Moreno, Wells and McCoy 2 and 2A. McFadden jumped up after the great year. Stewart needed to stay healthy and he did until the end of the year. There's no one out of this current group that needs to have a great year. They've already had that big year. Two of these three are on national title contenders. And McCoy still had over 1,300 yards on a team without a passing game. I think Moreno could be one of the first two or three players drafted, if he stays healthy. Ultimately, I think these backs will go higher overall.

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Will J (Portland, OR): Mel, are there a few players you're really excited to see play this year?

Mel Kiper: Yeah, there are a lot of guys. Some of the young guys I think are interesting: Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech, a senior. He could have 15 sacks this year. Virginia loves to use the TE. John Phillips, a senior, who's a great blocker and a better receiver than people think. Anthony Davis, sophomore with Rutgers and has a chance to be the first first rounder at Rutgers. It will be interesting to see how he develops.

Mel Kiper: Michael Jones, senior WR at Arizona State. Tall, angular WR, actually played in the Yankees organization this summer. He's a threat down the field. The next great Florida DE is sophomore Carlos Dunlap. He's a real tall kid, great athlete, long arms. He could be a feared sack artist. He could be the next Javon Kearse. Another guy is Ricky Jean-Francois, DT at LSU. Here's a kid that has awesome ability. With a full season this year at LSU, he could be one of the elite players in college football.

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Steve (Syracuse, NY): what impact does Michael Crabtree make at the next level?

Mel Kiper: I'll tell you what, he has enormous ability. When you look at his size, natural pass catching skills. He and Graham Harrell, their QB are both legit Heisman candidates. Crabtree can really just put on a show for you. He is eligible for the draft as a third-year sophomore. He could go very early in the draft. He's going to go very high.

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Will J (Portland, OR): Alright Mel, everyone else has had their say.........who you got on September 13th in the Clash of the Titans USC or Ohio St.?

Mel Kiper: I'm taking Ohio State. USC's QB situation with Sanchez's injury and not knowing how he'll be at that time. Their OL going into the year is suspect. Joe McKnight is banged up right now. USC does have a great defense. I would expect this to be a low scoring defense. OSU's a little more balanced.

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Tim (KC): Hello Mr. Kiper... What is Chase Daniels' outlook for the NFL? Thanks!

Mel Kiper: Height is the big thing. He plays in a very friendly system. He doesn't have the phenomenal arm. But he's definitely a Heisman candidate. That first game Aug. 30 against Illinois, if they can survive that....Plus they play at Lincoln, and they haven't won there in 30 years. They also have to play at Texas. Those are two very strong road games. Daniel doesn't have the arm strength or the ideal height.

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Joe (Huntsville,AL): Is Michael Oher a top 5 pick?

Mel Kiper: Yeah, he could be. He's got a chance to be a great player. He's a LT, very skilled. He and Eugene Monroe are the two seniors that should go in the top 10 overall.

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ryan (melrose,ma): Who is this year's Matt Ryan,Mel?

Mel Kiper: Hunter Cantwell is a QB at Louisville. I would expect him to put up some good numbers at Louisville. People haven't heard a lot about him. This is his final year and he should be able to emerge.

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Mike (PA): Any sleeper teams or players?

Mel Kiper: A guy I'm watching is Domonique Johnson, who is a senior CB for Jackson State. Last year, 5 INTs, broke up 14 passes and did a great job. He's a former player at Missouri. Big kid, excellent recovery speed, very athletic. He could be this year's Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. We go from one Dominique to another.

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Will J (Portland, OR): Mel, you must have been on vacation, long time no hear. So have you been working, or have you been a little distracted by the Olympics like everyone else?

Mel Kiper: I was not at all distracted by the Olympics. I used May, June and July to evaluate the freshman and sophomores. That's when I really do the hardest work. That's when you have the time. You don't have time to break it down September through January. There are no distractions May-July. I gain a lot of knowledge in those months. I do take a couple of weeks for vacations, but that's when you have to do most of your work.

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rian (st pete, fl): can you list your top 5 heisman hopefuls?

Mel Kiper: Hmmm, let's see....I would say Knowshon Moreno; Beanie Wells; Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree; Chase Daniel and Maclin; obviously you have to put Tim Tebow in the mix; Juice Williams, if he carries Illinois, he'll get some recognition; Sam Bradford at Oklahoma. It's a shame he's not completely healthy, Percy Harvin at Florida. He is recovering from a foot injury.

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Josh (Lincoln, NE): What do you think of Nebraska RB Marlon Lucky?

Mel Kiper: He has an opportunity. I wouldn't say one of the top backs in the country. He averaged almost 5 yards per carry. He's got ability. What he needs is for this offense, particularly Joe Ganz at QB to do well. Matt Slauson and Lydon Murtha on the line need to play well. I don't see Lucky being an early round guy gaurantee. He could be a mid-round guy. He could be one of the top 6-9 RBs in the country. That includes the juniors as well.

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Chris (Baltimore): Assuming no major injury concerns this year, how high could you see Heyward-Bey being drafted? Top 10? Also, where do you see the Terps finishing within the Atlantic division?

Mel Kiper: I'm from Baltimore and I try not to be a homer. And don't say that I am after saying this, but I see them being 8-4 this year. Things could have been a lot better last year. I think Heyward-Bey, who's a junior, comes out after this year and could be one of the top 3 WRs in the draft. He should be one of the best WRs in college football. He seems ready to put up some numbers. Last year, he caught 51 passes and 3 TDs. I expect those numbers to go up.

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Brock (IL): Mel, what realistic expectaions should I have with Notre Dames record this year?

Mel Kiper: Realistically? I'm a huge Notre Dame fan. The question marks are the DL and OL. If those two concerns solidify, and I think the OL has a chance to be better than some expect. Stewart and Young, both juniors on the OL, are key guys. Jimmy Claussen has added about 20 pounds to his frame. They have two young sophomore RBs that they like. I'm not concerned with the offense. There are a couple of young guys that they think can have an immediate impact. One is Michael Floyd, a WR. Also, Kyle Rudolph, a TE. I think the offense will be very good. Defensively, they need to be better. The key guy on defense is not a player, it might be a coach - John Tenuta, who came over from Georgia Tech. He's going to assist the defensive coordinator. Who will be their three best defensive players? Crum, David Bruton and Brian Smith.

Mel Kiper: They have a lot of swing games on this schedule. I think they win eight games. And definitely a bowl game.

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Brian (Charlotte, NC): Can Michigan go 9-3 in Rich's first year?

Mel Kiper: That would be tremendously optimistic. Rich Rodriguez would be one of my candidates for coach of the year if they go 9-3. They only went 8-4 last year with Chad Henne, Mike Hart, Jake Long, Mario Manningham, Arrington. To say they'll go 9-3 with a revamped offense. Their defense will be very good. They're adjusting to a new system. Keep an eye on two true freshman on offense - RB Sam McGuffie and WR Michael Shaw. Those two are already considered two of their fastest players on the team. McGuffie will wear No. 2 and Shaw No. 20. They're the present and the future of this offense. I think 7-5 is a good year for Michigan. If I'm a fan, 7-5 or 8-4 would be very good. Expectations are low, so a 7 or 8 win season would be a success.

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Kyle(Philadelphia): Who are your top 5 prospects right now?

Mel Kiper: The best seniors are James Laurinaitis, LB, OSU; Rey Maualuga, LB, USC; Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss; Michael Johnson, DE, GT; Monroe, OT.

Mel Kiper: The top underclassmen who are draft eligible: Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech; Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia; Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia; Tim Tebow, QB, Florida; Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma; Ricky Jean-Francois, DT, LSU; Beanie Wells, RB, OSU; Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois; Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland; Percy Harvin, RB/WR, Florida; Greg Hardy, DE, Oklahoma.

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Steve (Syracuse, NY): most overrated team?

Mel Kiper: I think Georgia. They have a little issue now with the left tackle position. He's injured and out for the year. The WRs have to convince me that they'll produce week-to-week. They lost their kicker to the NFL, their best pass rusher. Plus, they have a tough schedule. I'm not ready to put them at the top spot. I'd say they're somewhere between the fourth and fifth team going in. To me, OSU and USC are the two best teams going into the year.

Mel Kiper: And I think Florida is a little bit better than Georgia in the SEC.

Mel Kiper: Underrated...Northwestern in the Big Ten. I think they win 8 games. They didn't go to a bowl last year. They have one of the most entertaining and exciting offenses.

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Kiran (philly): Your prediction for the BCS Championship game?

Mel Kiper: Ohio State I think wins it all. Ohio State and USC. I think we have a rematch of the Sept. 13 game in the national championship game. I think they're the two best teams in the country. Terrell Pryor the true freshman QB I think will help out Beckman and give OSU a boost.

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Tod (Sedona, Az): Does Rudy Carpenter have any real pro potential?

Mel Kiper: He definitely has pro potential. How highly he'll rank? He doesn't have the great arm strength. He's not going to wow people over. He's up to 225 from about 205. He loves to play the game of football. No one studies the game like Rudy Carpenter. He's got a Peyton Manning like focus when it comes to studying the game. Can he become a starting QB in the NFL? Yes he can.

Mel Kiper: Talk about a tough schedule. They host Georgia, then at Cal and at USC. Then Oct. 25, they host Oregon. Those four games will tell you everything you have to know about the team. They're the only team in the nation that can say they play Georgia and USC.

Mel Kiper: By the way, do you know who could be the next starter for Arizona State after Carpenter? Danny Sullivan is in the mix as a sophomore, but Jack Elway, the son of John Elway, after redshirting this year will be in the mix as well.

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Michael (West Viginia): Mel, is Noel Devine a viable NFL prospect, or will his size scare off NFL GM's?

Mel Kiper: I think as a situational guy. Garrett Wolfe is playing in the NFL. There is not a more explosive or dynamic weapon in college football than Noel Devine. The kid can fly. He's only about 5-7, but he runs a legit 4.3 40. He's got rare speed. He's only about 5-7, 170 pounds, but he's a tough kid. Tough to tackle. He's a true sophomore. There's a place for a kid like him in the NFL as a spot back. You know he's never going to be a main entity. There's definitely a future for him in the NFL.

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RJ - Dallas: Can you give a scouting report on Tennessee QB Jonathon Crompton? All the other parts of the team seem pretty good, but he's the big question mark

Mel Kiper: They have a situation where the defense improved late last year. They lose Jerod Mayo to the NFL, however. They still have a chance. They get Demetrice Morley back after missing last year. He has a chance to be an outstanding free safety. He'll work next to Eric Berry, a sophomore. That's one of the best safety tandems in the country. I think there's a chance that this defense could build on that success.

Mel Kiper: Crompton has ability. He's got Lucas Taylor at WR and some guys on the line that can get it done. Erik Ainge was a good college QB, but he was no Peyton Manning. Crompton, I think is going to be as solid at that position as Ainge was. I don't think there's any drop off. They have to win that first game at UCLA. Monday, Sept. 1. That's a game that Tennessee should get out of the blocks with a victory.

Mel Kiper: Thanks for all the questions!

 

[awesomeness]

that transcript is kind of outdated. Sounds like its from August 2008. Though still an interesting read.

 

[jeter23]

January 23, 2009

Discusses the QBs from the 2004 draft. Ranks them 1. Ben, 2. Rivers, 3. E Manning. Long discussion on this...

Leads to this year's QB (has Stafford @1, Sanchez @3, Freeman @19) Are any franchise QBs? Avoids the question somewhat and says he does not like the term "franchise QB," any QB that goes in the top 10 are supposed to be franchise QBs, so both Stafford and Sanchez should be within 3 years. Many things affect a QBs success. Carr, McCown and others have been hurt by their situation.

Mel's Mock--

1. Stafford

2. A Smith

3. Sanchez

4. Crabtree

5. Curry

6. J Smith

7. Maclin

8. Monroe

9. Jenkins

10. Maybin

17. Harvin

 

[rock753]

The best QB will probably end up being someone from a non-BCS conference that is barely getting noticed now.

You mean like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Carson Palmer, Drew Brees, Eli Manning, Donovan McNabb, Jay Cutler, Aaron Rodgers, Philip Rivers or Matt Ryan?

What round was Brady drafted in?

 

[jeter23]

Here is the ESPN.com chat w/ Kiper from yesterday...

Mel Kiper: WE have the first round projection out last Thursday. We have the new ratings and new evaluations coming out.

Matt (NJ): Mel, who wins the Super Bowl? What's the score and why?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think Pittsburgh wins it. I always go defense over offense. I'm a pitcher over hitting, always. This is not just a good offense, it's an outstanding offense. Warner gets the ball out quick. Heat doesn't bother him. Philly outscored Arizona in the second half. Pittsburgh doesn't scare you on offense. The Hines Ward injury. In the end, Pittsburgh has been in a lot of close games this year. You think you've beat them for four quarters, but they find a good way to beat you. I expect Arizona to make it competitive. Pitt 31, Arizona 21.

Bryan (Fairfax): Mel, do you really think Tennessee needs another DE over a WR? What are the chances they trade up to get a good WR?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: Well, you can't take players based on positional needs. You don't just take a player to take a player. This is not a one round draft. You don't have one pick and that's it. Some teams have multiple picks. You don't worry about needs all the time. The thing that hurt Tennessee down the stretch was injuries to Vanden Bosch. Based on the way my first round projection went, which WR are you going to give to them that makes sense. I agree that they need a WR. Hakeem Nicks, Heyward-Bey, one of those would be interesting. But the way I had the projection going, those two kids were already off the board.

Ben (State College, PA): Mel, What is the steelers priority in the draft. Who are some players you could see them taking?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: Alex Mack, a center out of California. He really helped himself at the Senior Bowl. He is clearly the best center prospect. You can work centers at guard, tackles at guard. You can always try to make a center a guard initially. It gives you some flexibility. They're another team to look at WR. You need some help at that position. You could look later in the rounds. Defensively, this is the best defense in the NFL. When you continue to upgrade and get depth as much as you can. Getting Alex Mack in the first round, he's a value pick at 32, if he's still there.

Jeff (NYC): More likely to be a starting QB in 2011 --- Leinart or Vince Young?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: In terms of both of them, they both have to wait their turn. They have given way to veterans. Kurt Warner is a Hall of Fame QB. Leinart will have to wait his turn until Warner gets to a point that he can't get the job done any longer. You just don't know when that's going to happen. He's going to be the QB next year and maybe the year after.

SportsNation Mel Kiper: In terms of Young, he's going to have to wait too. It wasn't Kerry Collins' fault that they lost to the Ravens. He carved up the Ravens defense, he just made that one bad throw. He has some seasons left. They're going to have to be backups for a while. Which one will play first? I don't know. It's a nice situation for the teams to be in. They think they have the heir apparent at QB, they just have to wait their turn.

Marc (Slippery Rock, PA: Mel, i was wondering where you would rank Big Ben with todays quaterbacks? And i was wondering also if you think Arizona can beat our defense?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think he's one of the best. I would say right now a healthy Tom Brady is ahead of him; Peyton Manning and that's it. Big Ben would be third.

SportsNation Mel Kiper: Manning at one and a healthy Brady and Roethlisberger three.

Steiny (NYC): How much did B.J. Raji's stock is on the rise after an impressive week at the Senior Bowl?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think the thing with him is he had a very good year. He had some dominant games. There were several games where he was a dominant performer. He had Ron Brace. They gave the Eagles some outstanding DLs. What Raji showed at the Senior Bowl was he was an outstanding pass rusher. That got some attention. The pass rush helped him. I had him going 12 to Denver. I think Todd McShay has him up at 4 to Seattle. I don't know if he's that hight, but 12 is the lowest he could go. He's a guy on the rise. If he continues to impress through the draft process, you could argue that he could be the first DL draft. This is the reason why I said a week ago that Gerald McCoy, the third year sophomore from Oklahoma, this is the exact reason why I said he made a mistake in returning. He could have been the first DL taken and he's going back to Oklahoma. He's a better player.

Max (Phoenix): Besides either teams fans, what do you think people would rather see, Steelers get another championship or the underdogs to get there first?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: There are a lot of Steelers haters out there, they're the team on the hill. They're a team that a lot of people love to hate. I know here in Baltimore people are rooting for Arizona. But Pittsburgh is a great football town. It's a great uniform, great helmet. If you watch the Steelers in the 70s, it's the same as now. The only change in uniform is the tweaking of the numbers. Great franchise, great Rooney family. This is a team that everyone cares about. But in my mind, I think people are probably going with the Cinderella story. This is like if Utah had been able to play in the BCS title game. But we'll never see that in the college game. We see it in the NFL.

Russ (Cleveland, OH): Better pro wideout: Percy Harvin or Jeremy Maclin?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: Maclin will be rated higher, so I'll go with the guy ranked higher. Maclin is a speed merchant and he's versatile. I think with Harvin, you'll get big plays and versatility as well. I like Harvin a lot. Maclin is going to go as high as 7 and Harvin at 17. You're getting good value with him at 17.

Steve (Issaquah, Wa): Mel, Where do you see Grahm Harrel and Chase Daniel going in the draft? after the numbers they put up in college why are they not ranked higher?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: Graham Harrell has to adjust to an NFL offense. He doesn't have great physical tools. He's probably a fifth round type of guy. Chase Daniel is a system QB, average arm. System QB, I'd say 6-7 round. It would not shock me if he went undrafted. But we've seen undrafted QBs do well in this league - Jon Kitna, Kurt Warner, Jake Delhomme, Tony Romo, Jeff Garcia.

J.B. (Dunmore, PA): Who do you see as the next non-BCS school QB who will have a significant impact in the NFL?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: I like Drew Willy from Buffalo has a chance to surprise some people. Nate Davis at Ball State could have an impact.

Brian (Phoenix AZ): Mel - Who do you think the Cardinals will take in the first round of the draft?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: Running back. It's ironic that they're playing Pittsburgh and I have them picking a Pittsburgh RB - McCoy. He needs to try and not always hit the 60-yard run and just get the 3-4 yards. He's a talented all around back. Lots of skill. If they could get him at the 31-32 spot, that's a good pick.

Jonathan (NY,NY): Mel, who is the best Strong Safety in the draft?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: The best are William Moore from Missouri, who did not have the great senior year, but great junior year. Patrick Chung out of Oregon would fall into that category.

Travis (Montoursville, Pa): How do you think Aaron Maybin from PSU will do in the NFL??

SportsNation Mel Kiper: He hasn't done anything yet. He cna't play in any all star games. I think he could go as high as 10 to San Fran. He could be the edge pass rusher that teams really like. I would say in that 10-13 range.

Jon, Abingdon, VA: Mel, If Tenn can't get the Haynsworth deal done, and given their 30th spot, is there any value DT picks that could be available in the first 3 rounds?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: Peria Jerry I don't think he'll be there, but if he were, I think it would be a nice pick. Sen-Derrick Marks from Auburn would be a nice pick. Ziggy Hood from Missouri is a third rounder. Ron Brace from BC is a possible second rounder.

nate (Cleveland, OH): Who do you think will be a better pro linebacker, laurinitus or mauluga

SportsNation Mel Kiper: They're both good prospects, they're not great prospects. You thought at the beginning of the year that one of them would be among the elite players. Neither of them have proven that. Maualuga traded big plays for consistency and Laurinaitis hasn't been as consistent. Maualuga provides good range, but he needs to do a better job of getting off of blocks. I have Mauluaga going 20 to Detroit and Laurinaitis to the Giants.

Patrick (Hoop Hall City): If the Pats franchise and trade Cassel, is a mid 1st rounder too much or too little to ask?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think they could get two 1's. That's the asking price. Kansas City might. It would be the third pick overall, fi they make that move. But I just don't see them trading Matt Cassel. He has great value to them. I don't think Robert Kraft wants to trade him. You don't know when Brady will be ready to go at 100%. Cassel might be a huge insurance policy, an expensive one. I feel like they feel compelled to keep him there. Then, maybe late in the process if Brady shows to be 100%, they could trade him. But I think they keep him one more year.

Mike (Boston): Who does Aaron Curry project favorably to in the NFL?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think he could project very favorably to Kansas City. Cleveland. Those would be very good spots for him. He's the kind of guy that makes everyone about him better. He has a great attitude, great approach. He plays the pass. He showed pass rush ability late in the year. He has good punt coverage abilities.

SportsNation Mel Kiper: Cleveland needs more speed at LB and Curry would provide that.

Eli(Chicago): Can you give Bears fans a scouting report on the DL from LSU that you project the Bears taking? Who would you compare him to?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: He's a big kid. He can play virtually in any defensive system. You can move him inside in certain situations. Excellent against the run. I thought he had a very good year. He flew under the radar. He had been elite in his junior year. He'll be someone that we talk about a lot more positively as we move through the draft process. This offense could use some help as well. It's not a one round draft. you don't draft a player to fill a need. DL is a need for the Beras, so it's not like you're drafting for a place you don't need any help.

Anthony (Seymour, CT): What happens with Peppers, and how does it change Carolina's draft strategy if he leaves?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: Yeah, it does. That's the same. For Carolina, they have to make a decision on him. He still has a lot of good football left in him. I think Carolina, they have to asses their situation. They have no first round pick. They got Jeff Otah and gave up their pick to get that player. Carolina has to make some decisions too. I have to wonder about the QB situation. Jake Delhomme, solid QB. Is he going to be a guy to win a SB for you? That playoff game, against Arizona is going to be tough to overcome. They have to figure out what direction they're going in.

Derek (Springfield, IL) : Mel, will Beanie Wells make an impact for ANY team in the NFL in the future?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: If he runs in the 4.3, like somepeople think he could. He has top 5 talent. He had the injury with his foot. He didn't run as aggressively as he has. He has incredible talent. He showed his talent against LSU in the championship game. If he runs in the 4.3s, he's moving way up. You could be looking at Cleveland in the 5.

adam (nyc):: chances rex ryan brings ray lewis to the jets? and if not do we still draft a reciever first round given ryans defensive mentality?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: I can't see Ray going anywhere. He now becomes the leader down there. I thought Bill Cowher might get that Jets job. The Jets went after Rex Ryan. He's a tremendous motivator. He's been around Brian Billick and John Harbaugh. He puts his players in position to be successful. If Vernon Gholston isn't a big time player for Rex Ryan, then he won't for anybody. We'll know whether Gholston was a true bust or a boom. Brett Ratleff is a guy undrafted out of Utah that has shown a lot of promise. He's the kind of sleeper QB. I think they feel internally about is Brett Ratleff. He showed really well in the preseason. Seems to have the intuitiveness. He's one of hte sleepers in that organization.

SportsNation Mel Kiper: I have them taking Percy Harvin, a jack of all trades on offense.

Chuck (Atlanta, Ga): Mel, how come Knowshon Moreno seems to not be getting any love?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: He's not doing anything. There's nothing happening. There's going to be no impact ont he draft status of the players until the combine. Juniors haven't done anything. They haven't played in any all star games. I think he could go as high as No. 16. I think he could be a mid first rounder. He's too versatile and too great of a character guy. You have great versatility and you play in the SEC, I can't see him getting past the first round. People compare him to Cadillac Williams, but I think he's a mid first rounder at worst. I could see him going in that general area. I could see him going to Denver, San Diego, Philly, any of them as possibilities.

Jeff (Breaux Bridge): Where, if any, are Dallas' biggest needs for this draft?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: They still have to think about an offensive lineman. It majorly underachieved. A very overrated OL going into the year. I think they have to make a decision on where to go at WR. Defensively, the secondary is an area they'll have to think about. No first round pick, it went to the Lions in the Roy Williams trade. They could use a WR, even with that trade, but not early. DB, OL are the areas early on.

David (Tampa): Mel, where's the DE from USF, George Selvie, being projected?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: He's going to back to USF for his senior year. I thought that was a good move on his part. Next year he'll be one of the top DEs going into the season.

Pao St paul,mn: Who are the top 5 WR?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: Michael Crabtree is the only one that could go in the top 5. He has great speed. Great WR. Competitive player. He's worthy of a No. 1 or No. 2 pick overall. Maclin I have going 7.

Gus (Virginia): Mel Can you go out to dinner without someone asking you a question about the NFL draft?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: Very rarely. That's true. Very rarely. I'm happy about that, because I enjoy talking to the fans about the teams. There's always a Redskins fan or Ravens fan or Eagles fan around in this area. But by in large, 95% of the questions are about the Ravens. It's a Ravens town. It's not an Orioles town anymore. I think it's one of the best football towns.

SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think 10,000 strong went down to Nashville for the playoff game. This town is all about purple.

Eddie (Charlottesville, Va): Will Myron Rolle be a better doctor or NFL player?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: Hopefully he'll be outstanding at both. He was a good player at FSU. I didn't see him raise his performance to elite status. He's tremendously intelligent. He has very good skills as a football player. Had he been in this draft, he would have been a 2-3 round pick. Being out of football will impact him in the draft.

Andrew Mattison Gouverneur NY: Toughest the Steelers had the toughest schedule in NFL history with a super bowl win does this put these Steelers as the best NFL team ever?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: I don't know about one of the best teams ever. They were in a lot of close games. They had to overcome a lot of injuries. Hines Ward injury. You had Paumalu. Roethlisberger was banged up. Willie Parker was out a lot. They got nothing out of the first pick in Mendenhall. They'll be one of the most resilient teams ever, considering all of the things they overcame. They battle. They don't whine, they don't complain. Another player steps in and picks up the slack. An injury for one provides another opportunity for another. Pittsburgh is a Steelers town. They always reflect the Rooney influence. I'm not a Steelers fan, but if you ever hear me talk about them, you think I am. I respect them. I have as much respect for them as any team in the league. They've become a great rivalry in the league.

Bruce (Wayne): Cardinals going to score enough points to win this game? Is the over a good idea?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: It's possible. I don't see Pittsburgh caving. I don't see them playing poorly in this type of environment. They can hit you early with some big plays. If you have the best offense against the best defense, I take the defense. You saw what the Eagles did in that second half. The Eagles dominated the second half.

Rob (Storrs): Mr. Kiper...any uconn players going in the first day?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: Donald Brown, the RB will. I think he could be, maybe, becomes a second or third round pick. Darius Butler could be a 2-3 round mix. He also played some offense. Also, Cody Brown, DE, could be a 3-4 OLB. 3-5 area for him. Will Beatty, OT could be in the 3-4 round mix.

 

[Billy Ball Thorton]

Here is the ESPN.com chat w/ Kiper from yesterday...Mel Kiper: WE have the first round projection out last Thursday. We have the new ratings and new evaluations coming out.Matt (NJ): Mel, who wins the Super Bowl? What's the score and why?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think Pittsburgh wins it. I always go defense over offense. I'm a pitcher over hitting, always. This is not just a good offense, it's an outstanding offense. Warner gets the ball out quick. Heat doesn't bother him. Philly outscored Arizona in the second half. Pittsburgh doesn't scare you on offense. The Hines Ward injury. In the end, Pittsburgh has been in a lot of close games this year. You think you've beat them for four quarters, but they find a good way to beat you. I expect Arizona to make it competitive. Pitt 31, Arizona 21.Bryan (Fairfax): Mel, do you really think Tennessee needs another DE over a WR? What are the chances they trade up to get a good WR?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Well, you can't take players based on positional needs. You don't just take a player to take a player. This is not a one round draft. You don't have one pick and that's it. Some teams have multiple picks. You don't worry about needs all the time. The thing that hurt Tennessee down the stretch was injuries to Vanden Bosch. Based on the way my first round projection went, which WR are you going to give to them that makes sense. I agree that they need a WR. Hakeem Nicks, Heyward-Bey, one of those would be interesting. But the way I had the projection going, those two kids were already off the board.Ben (State College, PA): Mel, What is the steelers priority in the draft. Who are some players you could see them taking?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Alex Mack, a center out of California. He really helped himself at the Senior Bowl. He is clearly the best center prospect. You can work centers at guard, tackles at guard. You can always try to make a center a guard initially. It gives you some flexibility. They're another team to look at WR. You need some help at that position. You could look later in the rounds. Defensively, this is the best defense in the NFL. When you continue to upgrade and get depth as much as you can. Getting Alex Mack in the first round, he's a value pick at 32, if he's still there.Jeff (NYC): More likely to be a starting QB in 2011 --- Leinart or Vince Young?SportsNation Mel Kiper: In terms of both of them, they both have to wait their turn. They have given way to veterans. Kurt Warner is a Hall of Fame QB. Leinart will have to wait his turn until Warner gets to a point that he can't get the job done any longer. You just don't know when that's going to happen. He's going to be the QB next year and maybe the year after.SportsNation Mel Kiper: In terms of Young, he's going to have to wait too. It wasn't Kerry Collins' fault that they lost to the Ravens. He carved up the Ravens defense, he just made that one bad throw. He has some seasons left. They're going to have to be backups for a while. Which one will play first? I don't know. It's a nice situation for the teams to be in. They think they have the heir apparent at QB, they just have to wait their turn.Marc (Slippery Rock, PA: Mel, i was wondering where you would rank Big Ben with todays quaterbacks? And i was wondering also if you think Arizona can beat our defense?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think he's one of the best. I would say right now a healthy Tom Brady is ahead of him; Peyton Manning and that's it. Big Ben would be third.SportsNation Mel Kiper: Manning at one and a healthy Brady and Roethlisberger three.Steiny (NYC): How much did B.J. Raji's stock is on the rise after an impressive week at the Senior Bowl?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think the thing with him is he had a very good year. He had some dominant games. There were several games where he was a dominant performer. He had Ron Brace. They gave the Eagles some outstanding DLs. What Raji showed at the Senior Bowl was he was an outstanding pass rusher. That got some attention. The pass rush helped him. I had him going 12 to Denver. I think Todd McShay has him up at 4 to Seattle. I don't know if he's that hight, but 12 is the lowest he could go. He's a guy on the rise. If he continues to impress through the draft process, you could argue that he could be the first DL draft. This is the reason why I said a week ago that Gerald McCoy, the third year sophomore from Oklahoma, this is the exact reason why I said he made a mistake in returning. He could have been the first DL taken and he's going back to Oklahoma. He's a better player.Max (Phoenix): Besides either teams fans, what do you think people would rather see, Steelers get another championship or the underdogs to get there first?SportsNation Mel Kiper: There are a lot of Steelers haters out there, they're the team on the hill. They're a team that a lot of people love to hate. I know here in Baltimore people are rooting for Arizona. But Pittsburgh is a great football town. It's a great uniform, great helmet. If you watch the Steelers in the 70s, it's the same as now. The only change in uniform is the tweaking of the numbers. Great franchise, great Rooney family. This is a team that everyone cares about. But in my mind, I think people are probably going with the Cinderella story. This is like if Utah had been able to play in the BCS title game. But we'll never see that in the college game. We see it in the NFL.Russ (Cleveland, OH): Better pro wideout: Percy Harvin or Jeremy Maclin?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Maclin will be rated higher, so I'll go with the guy ranked higher. Maclin is a speed merchant and he's versatile. I think with Harvin, you'll get big plays and versatility as well. I like Harvin a lot. Maclin is going to go as high as 7 and Harvin at 17. You're getting good value with him at 17.Steve (Issaquah, Wa): Mel, Where do you see Grahm Harrel and Chase Daniel going in the draft? after the numbers they put up in college why are they not ranked higher?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Graham Harrell has to adjust to an NFL offense. He doesn't have great physical tools. He's probably a fifth round type of guy. Chase Daniel is a system QB, average arm. System QB, I'd say 6-7 round. It would not shock me if he went undrafted. But we've seen undrafted QBs do well in this league - Jon Kitna, Kurt Warner, Jake Delhomme, Tony Romo, Jeff Garcia.J.B. (Dunmore, PA): Who do you see as the next non-BCS school QB who will have a significant impact in the NFL?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I like Drew Willy from Buffalo has a chance to surprise some people. Nate Davis at Ball State could have an impact.Brian (Phoenix AZ): Mel - Who do you think the Cardinals will take in the first round of the draft?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Running back. It's ironic that they're playing Pittsburgh and I have them picking a Pittsburgh RB - McCoy. He needs to try and not always hit the 60-yard run and just get the 3-4 yards. He's a talented all around back. Lots of skill. If they could get him at the 31-32 spot, that's a good pick.Jonathan (NY,NY): Mel, who is the best Strong Safety in the draft?SportsNation Mel Kiper: The best are William Moore from Missouri, who did not have the great senior year, but great junior year. Patrick Chung out of Oregon would fall into that category.Travis (Montoursville, Pa): How do you think Aaron Maybin from PSU will do in the NFL??SportsNation Mel Kiper: He hasn't done anything yet. He cna't play in any all star games. I think he could go as high as 10 to San Fran. He could be the edge pass rusher that teams really like. I would say in that 10-13 range.Jon, Abingdon, VA: Mel, If Tenn can't get the Haynsworth deal done, and given their 30th spot, is there any value DT picks that could be available in the first 3 rounds?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Peria Jerry I don't think he'll be there, but if he were, I think it would be a nice pick. Sen-Derrick Marks from Auburn would be a nice pick. Ziggy Hood from Missouri is a third rounder. Ron Brace from BC is a possible second rounder.nate (Cleveland, OH): Who do you think will be a better pro linebacker, laurinitus or maulugaSportsNation Mel Kiper: They're both good prospects, they're not great prospects. You thought at the beginning of the year that one of them would be among the elite players. Neither of them have proven that. Maualuga traded big plays for consistency and Laurinaitis hasn't been as consistent. Maualuga provides good range, but he needs to do a better job of getting off of blocks. I have Mauluaga going 20 to Detroit and Laurinaitis to the Giants.Patrick (Hoop Hall City): If the Pats franchise and trade Cassel, is a mid 1st rounder too much or too little to ask?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think they could get two 1's. That's the asking price. Kansas City might. It would be the third pick overall, fi they make that move. But I just don't see them trading Matt Cassel. He has great value to them. I don't think Robert Kraft wants to trade him. You don't know when Brady will be ready to go at 100%. Cassel might be a huge insurance policy, an expensive one. I feel like they feel compelled to keep him there. Then, maybe late in the process if Brady shows to be 100%, they could trade him. But I think they keep him one more year.Mike (Boston): Who does Aaron Curry project favorably to in the NFL?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think he could project very favorably to Kansas City. Cleveland. Those would be very good spots for him. He's the kind of guy that makes everyone about him better. He has a great attitude, great approach. He plays the pass. He showed pass rush ability late in the year. He has good punt coverage abilities.SportsNation Mel Kiper: Cleveland needs more speed at LB and Curry would provide that.Eli(Chicago): Can you give Bears fans a scouting report on the DL from LSU that you project the Bears taking? Who would you compare him to?SportsNation Mel Kiper: He's a big kid. He can play virtually in any defensive system. You can move him inside in certain situations. Excellent against the run. I thought he had a very good year. He flew under the radar. He had been elite in his junior year. He'll be someone that we talk about a lot more positively as we move through the draft process. This offense could use some help as well. It's not a one round draft. you don't draft a player to fill a need. DL is a need for the Beras, so it's not like you're drafting for a place you don't need any help.Anthony (Seymour, CT): What happens with Peppers, and how does it change Carolina's draft strategy if he leaves?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Yeah, it does. That's the same. For Carolina, they have to make a decision on him. He still has a lot of good football left in him. I think Carolina, they have to asses their situation. They have no first round pick. They got Jeff Otah and gave up their pick to get that player. Carolina has to make some decisions too. I have to wonder about the QB situation. Jake Delhomme, solid QB. Is he going to be a guy to win a SB for you? That playoff game, against Arizona is going to be tough to overcome. They have to figure out what direction they're going in.Derek (Springfield, IL) : Mel, will Beanie Wells make an impact for ANY team in the NFL in the future?SportsNation Mel Kiper: If he runs in the 4.3, like somepeople think he could. He has top 5 talent. He had the injury with his foot. He didn't run as aggressively as he has. He has incredible talent. He showed his talent against LSU in the championship game. If he runs in the 4.3s, he's moving way up. You could be looking at Cleveland in the 5.adam (nyc):: chances rex ryan brings ray lewis to the jets? and if not do we still draft a reciever first round given ryans defensive mentality?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I can't see Ray going anywhere. He now becomes the leader down there. I thought Bill Cowher might get that Jets job. The Jets went after Rex Ryan. He's a tremendous motivator. He's been around Brian Billick and John Harbaugh. He puts his players in position to be successful. If Vernon Gholston isn't a big time player for Rex Ryan, then he won't for anybody. We'll know whether Gholston was a true bust or a boom. Brett Ratleff is a guy undrafted out of Utah that has shown a lot of promise. He's the kind of sleeper QB. I think they feel internally about is Brett Ratleff. He showed really well in the preseason. Seems to have the intuitiveness. He's one of hte sleepers in that organization.SportsNation Mel Kiper: I have them taking Percy Harvin, a jack of all trades on offense.Chuck (Atlanta, Ga): Mel, how come Knowshon Moreno seems to not be getting any love?SportsNation Mel Kiper: He's not doing anything. There's nothing happening. There's going to be no impact ont he draft status of the players until the combine. Juniors haven't done anything. They haven't played in any all star games. I think he could go as high as No. 16. I think he could be a mid first rounder. He's too versatile and too great of a character guy. You have great versatility and you play in the SEC, I can't see him getting past the first round. People compare him to Cadillac Williams, but I think he's a mid first rounder at worst. I could see him going in that general area. I could see him going to Denver, San Diego, Philly, any of them as possibilities.Jeff (Breaux Bridge): Where, if any, are Dallas' biggest needs for this draft?SportsNation Mel Kiper: They still have to think about an offensive lineman. It majorly underachieved. A very overrated OL going into the year. I think they have to make a decision on where to go at WR. Defensively, the secondary is an area they'll have to think about. No first round pick, it went to the Lions in the Roy Williams trade. They could use a WR, even with that trade, but not early. DB, OL are the areas early on.David (Tampa): Mel, where's the DE from USF, George Selvie, being projected?SportsNation Mel Kiper: He's going to back to USF for his senior year. I thought that was a good move on his part. Next year he'll be one of the top DEs going into the season.Pao St paul,mn: Who are the top 5 WR?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Michael Crabtree is the only one that could go in the top 5. He has great speed. Great WR. Competitive player. He's worthy of a No. 1 or No. 2 pick overall. Maclin I have going 7.Gus (Virginia): Mel Can you go out to dinner without someone asking you a question about the NFL draft?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Very rarely. That's true. Very rarely. I'm happy about that, because I enjoy talking to the fans about the teams. There's always a Redskins fan or Ravens fan or Eagles fan around in this area. But by in large, 95% of the questions are about the Ravens. It's a Ravens town. It's not an Orioles town anymore. I think it's one of the best football towns.SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think 10,000 strong went down to Nashville for the playoff game. This town is all about purple.Eddie (Charlottesville, Va): Will Myron Rolle be a better doctor or NFL player?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Hopefully he'll be outstanding at both. He was a good player at FSU. I didn't see him raise his performance to elite status. He's tremendously intelligent. He has very good skills as a football player. Had he been in this draft, he would have been a 2-3 round pick. Being out of football will impact him in the draft.Andrew Mattison Gouverneur NY: Toughest the Steelers had the toughest schedule in NFL history with a super bowl win does this put these Steelers as the best NFL team ever?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I don't know about one of the best teams ever. They were in a lot of close games. They had to overcome a lot of injuries. Hines Ward injury. You had Paumalu. Roethlisberger was banged up. Willie Parker was out a lot. They got nothing out of the first pick in Mendenhall. They'll be one of the most resilient teams ever, considering all of the things they overcame. They battle. They don't whine, they don't complain. Another player steps in and picks up the slack. An injury for one provides another opportunity for another. Pittsburgh is a Steelers town. They always reflect the Rooney influence. I'm not a Steelers fan, but if you ever hear me talk about them, you think I am. I respect them. I have as much respect for them as any team in the league. They've become a great rivalry in the league.Bruce (Wayne): Cardinals going to score enough points to win this game? Is the over a good idea?SportsNation Mel Kiper: It's possible. I don't see Pittsburgh caving. I don't see them playing poorly in this type of environment. They can hit you early with some big plays. If you have the best offense against the best defense, I take the defense. You saw what the Eagles did in that second half. The Eagles dominated the second half.Rob (Storrs): Mr. Kiper...any uconn players going in the first day?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Donald Brown, the RB will. I think he could be, maybe, becomes a second or third round pick. Darius Butler could be a 2-3 round mix. He also played some offense. Also, Cody Brown, DE, could be a 3-4 OLB. 3-5 area for him. Will Beatty, OT could be in the 3-4 round mix.

KIPER = CLUELESS

 

[Hoss_Cartwright]

KIPER = CLUELESS

Which part?

 

[MAC_32]

Here is the ESPN.com chat w/ Kiper from yesterday...Mel Kiper: WE have the first round projection out last Thursday. We have the new ratings and new evaluations coming out.Matt (NJ): Mel, who wins the Super Bowl? What's the score and why?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think Pittsburgh wins it. I always go defense over offense. I'm a pitcher over hitting, always. This is not just a good offense, it's an outstanding offense. Warner gets the ball out quick. Heat doesn't bother him. Philly outscored Arizona in the second half. Pittsburgh doesn't scare you on offense. The Hines Ward injury. In the end, Pittsburgh has been in a lot of close games this year. You think you've beat them for four quarters, but they find a good way to beat you. I expect Arizona to make it competitive. Pitt 31, Arizona 21.Bryan (Fairfax): Mel, do you really think Tennessee needs another DE over a WR? What are the chances they trade up to get a good WR?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Well, you can't take players based on positional needs. You don't just take a player to take a player. This is not a one round draft. You don't have one pick and that's it. Some teams have multiple picks. You don't worry about needs all the time. The thing that hurt Tennessee down the stretch was injuries to Vanden Bosch. Based on the way my first round projection went, which WR are you going to give to them that makes sense. I agree that they need a WR. Hakeem Nicks, Heyward-Bey, one of those would be interesting. But the way I had the projection going, those two kids were already off the board.Ben (State College, PA): Mel, What is the steelers priority in the draft. Who are some players you could see them taking?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Alex Mack, a center out of California. He really helped himself at the Senior Bowl. He is clearly the best center prospect. You can work centers at guard, tackles at guard. You can always try to make a center a guard initially. It gives you some flexibility. They're another team to look at WR. You need some help at that position. You could look later in the rounds. Defensively, this is the best defense in the NFL. When you continue to upgrade and get depth as much as you can. Getting Alex Mack in the first round, he's a value pick at 32, if he's still there.Jeff (NYC): More likely to be a starting QB in 2011 --- Leinart or Vince Young?SportsNation Mel Kiper: In terms of both of them, they both have to wait their turn. They have given way to veterans. Kurt Warner is a Hall of Fame QB. Leinart will have to wait his turn until Warner gets to a point that he can't get the job done any longer. You just don't know when that's going to happen. He's going to be the QB next year and maybe the year after.SportsNation Mel Kiper: In terms of Young, he's going to have to wait too. It wasn't Kerry Collins' fault that they lost to the Ravens. He carved up the Ravens defense, he just made that one bad throw. He has some seasons left. They're going to have to be backups for a while. Which one will play first? I don't know. It's a nice situation for the teams to be in. They think they have the heir apparent at QB, they just have to wait their turn.Marc (Slippery Rock, PA: Mel, i was wondering where you would rank Big Ben with todays quaterbacks? And i was wondering also if you think Arizona can beat our defense?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think he's one of the best. I would say right now a healthy Tom Brady is ahead of him; Peyton Manning and that's it. Big Ben would be third.SportsNation Mel Kiper: Manning at one and a healthy Brady and Roethlisberger three.Steiny (NYC): How much did B.J. Raji's stock is on the rise after an impressive week at the Senior Bowl?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think the thing with him is he had a very good year. He had some dominant games. There were several games where he was a dominant performer. He had Ron Brace. They gave the Eagles some outstanding DLs. What Raji showed at the Senior Bowl was he was an outstanding pass rusher. That got some attention. The pass rush helped him. I had him going 12 to Denver. I think Todd McShay has him up at 4 to Seattle. I don't know if he's that hight, but 12 is the lowest he could go. He's a guy on the rise. If he continues to impress through the draft process, you could argue that he could be the first DL draft. This is the reason why I said a week ago that Gerald McCoy, the third year sophomore from Oklahoma, this is the exact reason why I said he made a mistake in returning. He could have been the first DL taken and he's going back to Oklahoma. He's a better player.Max (Phoenix): Besides either teams fans, what do you think people would rather see, Steelers get another championship or the underdogs to get there first?SportsNation Mel Kiper: There are a lot of Steelers haters out there, they're the team on the hill. They're a team that a lot of people love to hate. I know here in Baltimore people are rooting for Arizona. But Pittsburgh is a great football town. It's a great uniform, great helmet. If you watch the Steelers in the 70s, it's the same as now. The only change in uniform is the tweaking of the numbers. Great franchise, great Rooney family. This is a team that everyone cares about. But in my mind, I think people are probably going with the Cinderella story. This is like if Utah had been able to play in the BCS title game. But we'll never see that in the college game. We see it in the NFL.Russ (Cleveland, OH): Better pro wideout: Percy Harvin or Jeremy Maclin?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Maclin will be rated higher, so I'll go with the guy ranked higher. Maclin is a speed merchant and he's versatile. I think with Harvin, you'll get big plays and versatility as well. I like Harvin a lot. Maclin is going to go as high as 7 and Harvin at 17. You're getting good value with him at 17.Steve (Issaquah, Wa): Mel, Where do you see Grahm Harrel and Chase Daniel going in the draft? after the numbers they put up in college why are they not ranked higher?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Graham Harrell has to adjust to an NFL offense. He doesn't have great physical tools. He's probably a fifth round type of guy. Chase Daniel is a system QB, average arm. System QB, I'd say 6-7 round. It would not shock me if he went undrafted. But we've seen undrafted QBs do well in this league - Jon Kitna, Kurt Warner, Jake Delhomme, Tony Romo, Jeff Garcia.J.B. (Dunmore, PA): Who do you see as the next non-BCS school QB who will have a significant impact in the NFL?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I like Drew Willy from Buffalo has a chance to surprise some people. Nate Davis at Ball State could have an impact.Brian (Phoenix AZ): Mel - Who do you think the Cardinals will take in the first round of the draft?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Running back. It's ironic that they're playing Pittsburgh and I have them picking a Pittsburgh RB - McCoy. He needs to try and not always hit the 60-yard run and just get the 3-4 yards. He's a talented all around back. Lots of skill. If they could get him at the 31-32 spot, that's a good pick.Jonathan (NY,NY): Mel, who is the best Strong Safety in the draft?SportsNation Mel Kiper: The best are William Moore from Missouri, who did not have the great senior year, but great junior year. Patrick Chung out of Oregon would fall into that category.Travis (Montoursville, Pa): How do you think Aaron Maybin from PSU will do in the NFL??SportsNation Mel Kiper: He hasn't done anything yet. He cna't play in any all star games. I think he could go as high as 10 to San Fran. He could be the edge pass rusher that teams really like. I would say in that 10-13 range.Jon, Abingdon, VA: Mel, If Tenn can't get the Haynsworth deal done, and given their 30th spot, is there any value DT picks that could be available in the first 3 rounds?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Peria Jerry I don't think he'll be there, but if he were, I think it would be a nice pick. Sen-Derrick Marks from Auburn would be a nice pick. Ziggy Hood from Missouri is a third rounder. Ron Brace from BC is a possible second rounder.nate (Cleveland, OH): Who do you think will be a better pro linebacker, laurinitus or maulugaSportsNation Mel Kiper: They're both good prospects, they're not great prospects. You thought at the beginning of the year that one of them would be among the elite players. Neither of them have proven that. Maualuga traded big plays for consistency and Laurinaitis hasn't been as consistent. Maualuga provides good range, but he needs to do a better job of getting off of blocks. I have Mauluaga going 20 to Detroit and Laurinaitis to the Giants.Patrick (Hoop Hall City): If the Pats franchise and trade Cassel, is a mid 1st rounder too much or too little to ask?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think they could get two 1's. That's the asking price. Kansas City might. It would be the third pick overall, fi they make that move. But I just don't see them trading Matt Cassel. He has great value to them. I don't think Robert Kraft wants to trade him. You don't know when Brady will be ready to go at 100%. Cassel might be a huge insurance policy, an expensive one. I feel like they feel compelled to keep him there. Then, maybe late in the process if Brady shows to be 100%, they could trade him. But I think they keep him one more year.Mike (Boston): Who does Aaron Curry project favorably to in the NFL?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think he could project very favorably to Kansas City. Cleveland. Those would be very good spots for him. He's the kind of guy that makes everyone about him better. He has a great attitude, great approach. He plays the pass. He showed pass rush ability late in the year. He has good punt coverage abilities.SportsNation Mel Kiper: Cleveland needs more speed at LB and Curry would provide that.Eli(Chicago): Can you give Bears fans a scouting report on the DL from LSU that you project the Bears taking? Who would you compare him to?SportsNation Mel Kiper: He's a big kid. He can play virtually in any defensive system. You can move him inside in certain situations. Excellent against the run. I thought he had a very good year. He flew under the radar. He had been elite in his junior year. He'll be someone that we talk about a lot more positively as we move through the draft process. This offense could use some help as well. It's not a one round draft. you don't draft a player to fill a need. DL is a need for the Beras, so it's not like you're drafting for a place you don't need any help.Anthony (Seymour, CT): What happens with Peppers, and how does it change Carolina's draft strategy if he leaves?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Yeah, it does. That's the same. For Carolina, they have to make a decision on him. He still has a lot of good football left in him. I think Carolina, they have to asses their situation. They have no first round pick. They got Jeff Otah and gave up their pick to get that player. Carolina has to make some decisions too. I have to wonder about the QB situation. Jake Delhomme, solid QB. Is he going to be a guy to win a SB for you? That playoff game, against Arizona is going to be tough to overcome. They have to figure out what direction they're going in.Derek (Springfield, IL) : Mel, will Beanie Wells make an impact for ANY team in the NFL in the future?SportsNation Mel Kiper: If he runs in the 4.3, like somepeople think he could. He has top 5 talent. He had the injury with his foot. He didn't run as aggressively as he has. He has incredible talent. He showed his talent against LSU in the championship game. If he runs in the 4.3s, he's moving way up. You could be looking at Cleveland in the 5.adam (nyc):: chances rex ryan brings ray lewis to the jets? and if not do we still draft a reciever first round given ryans defensive mentality?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I can't see Ray going anywhere. He now becomes the leader down there. I thought Bill Cowher might get that Jets job. The Jets went after Rex Ryan. He's a tremendous motivator. He's been around Brian Billick and John Harbaugh. He puts his players in position to be successful. If Vernon Gholston isn't a big time player for Rex Ryan, then he won't for anybody. We'll know whether Gholston was a true bust or a boom. Brett Ratleff is a guy undrafted out of Utah that has shown a lot of promise. He's the kind of sleeper QB. I think they feel internally about is Brett Ratleff. He showed really well in the preseason. Seems to have the intuitiveness. He's one of hte sleepers in that organization.SportsNation Mel Kiper: I have them taking Percy Harvin, a jack of all trades on offense.Chuck (Atlanta, Ga): Mel, how come Knowshon Moreno seems to not be getting any love?SportsNation Mel Kiper: He's not doing anything. There's nothing happening. There's going to be no impact ont he draft status of the players until the combine. Juniors haven't done anything. They haven't played in any all star games. I think he could go as high as No. 16. I think he could be a mid first rounder. He's too versatile and too great of a character guy. You have great versatility and you play in the SEC, I can't see him getting past the first round. People compare him to Cadillac Williams, but I think he's a mid first rounder at worst. I could see him going in that general area. I could see him going to Denver, San Diego, Philly, any of them as possibilities.Jeff (Breaux Bridge): Where, if any, are Dallas' biggest needs for this draft?SportsNation Mel Kiper: They still have to think about an offensive lineman. It majorly underachieved. A very overrated OL going into the year. I think they have to make a decision on where to go at WR. Defensively, the secondary is an area they'll have to think about. No first round pick, it went to the Lions in the Roy Williams trade. They could use a WR, even with that trade, but not early. DB, OL are the areas early on.David (Tampa): Mel, where's the DE from USF, George Selvie, being projected?SportsNation Mel Kiper: He's going to back to USF for his senior year. I thought that was a good move on his part. Next year he'll be one of the top DEs going into the season.Pao St paul,mn: Who are the top 5 WR?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Michael Crabtree is the only one that could go in the top 5. He has great speed. Great WR. Competitive player. He's worthy of a No. 1 or No. 2 pick overall. Maclin I have going 7.Gus (Virginia): Mel Can you go out to dinner without someone asking you a question about the NFL draft?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Very rarely. That's true. Very rarely. I'm happy about that, because I enjoy talking to the fans about the teams. There's always a Redskins fan or Ravens fan or Eagles fan around in this area. But by in large, 95% of the questions are about the Ravens. It's a Ravens town. It's not an Orioles town anymore. I think it's one of the best football towns.SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think 10,000 strong went down to Nashville for the playoff game. This town is all about purple.Eddie (Charlottesville, Va): Will Myron Rolle be a better doctor or NFL player?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Hopefully he'll be outstanding at both. He was a good player at FSU. I didn't see him raise his performance to elite status. He's tremendously intelligent. He has very good skills as a football player. Had he been in this draft, he would have been a 2-3 round pick. Being out of football will impact him in the draft.Andrew Mattison Gouverneur NY: Toughest the Steelers had the toughest schedule in NFL history with a super bowl win does this put these Steelers as the best NFL team ever?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I don't know about one of the best teams ever. They were in a lot of close games. They had to overcome a lot of injuries. Hines Ward injury. You had Paumalu. Roethlisberger was banged up. Willie Parker was out a lot. They got nothing out of the first pick in Mendenhall. They'll be one of the most resilient teams ever, considering all of the things they overcame. They battle. They don't whine, they don't complain. Another player steps in and picks up the slack. An injury for one provides another opportunity for another. Pittsburgh is a Steelers town. They always reflect the Rooney influence. I'm not a Steelers fan, but if you ever hear me talk about them, you think I am. I respect them. I have as much respect for them as any team in the league. They've become a great rivalry in the league.Bruce (Wayne): Cardinals going to score enough points to win this game? Is the over a good idea?SportsNation Mel Kiper: It's possible. I don't see Pittsburgh caving. I don't see them playing poorly in this type of environment. They can hit you early with some big plays. If you have the best offense against the best defense, I take the defense. You saw what the Eagles did in that second half. The Eagles dominated the second half.Rob (Storrs): Mr. Kiper...any uconn players going in the first day?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Donald Brown, the RB will. I think he could be, maybe, becomes a second or third round pick. Darius Butler could be a 2-3 round mix. He also played some offense. Also, Cody Brown, DE, could be a 3-4 OLB. 3-5 area for him. Will Beatty, OT could be in the 3-4 round mix.

KIPER = CLUELESS

Says the guy who said (paraphrasing) the Titans sucked and would be exposed soon before the end of September.

 

[Chachi]

Here is the ESPN.com chat w/ Kiper from yesterday...Mel Kiper: WE have the first round projection out last Thursday. We have the new ratings and new evaluations coming out.Matt (NJ): Mel, who wins the Super Bowl? What's the score and why?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think Pittsburgh wins it. I always go defense over offense. I'm a pitcher over hitting, always. This is not just a good offense, it's an outstanding offense. Warner gets the ball out quick. Heat doesn't bother him. Philly outscored Arizona in the second half. Pittsburgh doesn't scare you on offense. The Hines Ward injury. In the end, Pittsburgh has been in a lot of close games this year. You think you've beat them for four quarters, but they find a good way to beat you. I expect Arizona to make it competitive. Pitt 31, Arizona 21.Bryan (Fairfax): Mel, do you really think Tennessee needs another DE over a WR? What are the chances they trade up to get a good WR?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Well, you can't take players based on positional needs. You don't just take a player to take a player. This is not a one round draft. You don't have one pick and that's it. Some teams have multiple picks. You don't worry about needs all the time. The thing that hurt Tennessee down the stretch was injuries to Vanden Bosch. Based on the way my first round projection went, which WR are you going to give to them that makes sense. I agree that they need a WR. Hakeem Nicks, Heyward-Bey, one of those would be interesting. But the way I had the projection going, those two kids were already off the board.Ben (State College, PA): Mel, What is the steelers priority in the draft. Who are some players you could see them taking?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Alex Mack, a center out of California. He really helped himself at the Senior Bowl. He is clearly the best center prospect. You can work centers at guard, tackles at guard. You can always try to make a center a guard initially. It gives you some flexibility. They're another team to look at WR. You need some help at that position. You could look later in the rounds. Defensively, this is the best defense in the NFL. When you continue to upgrade and get depth as much as you can. Getting Alex Mack in the first round, he's a value pick at 32, if he's still there.Jeff (NYC): More likely to be a starting QB in 2011 --- Leinart or Vince Young?SportsNation Mel Kiper: In terms of both of them, they both have to wait their turn. They have given way to veterans. Kurt Warner is a Hall of Fame QB. Leinart will have to wait his turn until Warner gets to a point that he can't get the job done any longer. You just don't know when that's going to happen. He's going to be the QB next year and maybe the year after.SportsNation Mel Kiper: In terms of Young, he's going to have to wait too. It wasn't Kerry Collins' fault that they lost to the Ravens. He carved up the Ravens defense, he just made that one bad throw. He has some seasons left. They're going to have to be backups for a while. Which one will play first? I don't know. It's a nice situation for the teams to be in. They think they have the heir apparent at QB, they just have to wait their turn.Marc (Slippery Rock, PA: Mel, i was wondering where you would rank Big Ben with todays quaterbacks? And i was wondering also if you think Arizona can beat our defense?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think he's one of the best. I would say right now a healthy Tom Brady is ahead of him; Peyton Manning and that's it. Big Ben would be third.SportsNation Mel Kiper: Manning at one and a healthy Brady and Roethlisberger three.Steiny (NYC): How much did B.J. Raji's stock is on the rise after an impressive week at the Senior Bowl?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think the thing with him is he had a very good year. He had some dominant games. There were several games where he was a dominant performer. He had Ron Brace. They gave the Eagles some outstanding DLs. What Raji showed at the Senior Bowl was he was an outstanding pass rusher. That got some attention. The pass rush helped him. I had him going 12 to Denver. I think Todd McShay has him up at 4 to Seattle. I don't know if he's that hight, but 12 is the lowest he could go. He's a guy on the rise. If he continues to impress through the draft process, you could argue that he could be the first DL draft. This is the reason why I said a week ago that Gerald McCoy, the third year sophomore from Oklahoma, this is the exact reason why I said he made a mistake in returning. He could have been the first DL taken and he's going back to Oklahoma. He's a better player.Max (Phoenix): Besides either teams fans, what do you think people would rather see, Steelers get another championship or the underdogs to get there first?SportsNation Mel Kiper: There are a lot of Steelers haters out there, they're the team on the hill. They're a team that a lot of people love to hate. I know here in Baltimore people are rooting for Arizona. But Pittsburgh is a great football town. It's a great uniform, great helmet. If you watch the Steelers in the 70s, it's the same as now. The only change in uniform is the tweaking of the numbers. Great franchise, great Rooney family. This is a team that everyone cares about. But in my mind, I think people are probably going with the Cinderella story. This is like if Utah had been able to play in the BCS title game. But we'll never see that in the college game. We see it in the NFL.Russ (Cleveland, OH): Better pro wideout: Percy Harvin or Jeremy Maclin?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Maclin will be rated higher, so I'll go with the guy ranked higher. Maclin is a speed merchant and he's versatile. I think with Harvin, you'll get big plays and versatility as well. I like Harvin a lot. Maclin is going to go as high as 7 and Harvin at 17. You're getting good value with him at 17.Steve (Issaquah, Wa): Mel, Where do you see Grahm Harrel and Chase Daniel going in the draft? after the numbers they put up in college why are they not ranked higher?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Graham Harrell has to adjust to an NFL offense. He doesn't have great physical tools. He's probably a fifth round type of guy. Chase Daniel is a system QB, average arm. System QB, I'd say 6-7 round. It would not shock me if he went undrafted. But we've seen undrafted QBs do well in this league - Jon Kitna, Kurt Warner, Jake Delhomme, Tony Romo, Jeff Garcia.J.B. (Dunmore, PA): Who do you see as the next non-BCS school QB who will have a significant impact in the NFL?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I like Drew Willy from Buffalo has a chance to surprise some people. Nate Davis at Ball State could have an impact.Brian (Phoenix AZ): Mel - Who do you think the Cardinals will take in the first round of the draft?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Running back. It's ironic that they're playing Pittsburgh and I have them picking a Pittsburgh RB - McCoy. He needs to try and not always hit the 60-yard run and just get the 3-4 yards. He's a talented all around back. Lots of skill. If they could get him at the 31-32 spot, that's a good pick.Jonathan (NY,NY): Mel, who is the best Strong Safety in the draft?SportsNation Mel Kiper: The best are William Moore from Missouri, who did not have the great senior year, but great junior year. Patrick Chung out of Oregon would fall into that category.Travis (Montoursville, Pa): How do you think Aaron Maybin from PSU will do in the NFL??SportsNation Mel Kiper: He hasn't done anything yet. He cna't play in any all star games. I think he could go as high as 10 to San Fran. He could be the edge pass rusher that teams really like. I would say in that 10-13 range.Jon, Abingdon, VA: Mel, If Tenn can't get the Haynsworth deal done, and given their 30th spot, is there any value DT picks that could be available in the first 3 rounds?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Peria Jerry I don't think he'll be there, but if he were, I think it would be a nice pick. Sen-Derrick Marks from Auburn would be a nice pick. Ziggy Hood from Missouri is a third rounder. Ron Brace from BC is a possible second rounder.nate (Cleveland, OH): Who do you think will be a better pro linebacker, laurinitus or maulugaSportsNation Mel Kiper: They're both good prospects, they're not great prospects. You thought at the beginning of the year that one of them would be among the elite players. Neither of them have proven that. Maualuga traded big plays for consistency and Laurinaitis hasn't been as consistent. Maualuga provides good range, but he needs to do a better job of getting off of blocks. I have Mauluaga going 20 to Detroit and Laurinaitis to the Giants.Patrick (Hoop Hall City): If the Pats franchise and trade Cassel, is a mid 1st rounder too much or too little to ask?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think they could get two 1's. That's the asking price. Kansas City might. It would be the third pick overall, fi they make that move. But I just don't see them trading Matt Cassel. He has great value to them. I don't think Robert Kraft wants to trade him. You don't know when Brady will be ready to go at 100%. Cassel might be a huge insurance policy, an expensive one. I feel like they feel compelled to keep him there. Then, maybe late in the process if Brady shows to be 100%, they could trade him. But I think they keep him one more year.Mike (Boston): Who does Aaron Curry project favorably to in the NFL?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think he could project very favorably to Kansas City. Cleveland. Those would be very good spots for him. He's the kind of guy that makes everyone about him better. He has a great attitude, great approach. He plays the pass. He showed pass rush ability late in the year. He has good punt coverage abilities.SportsNation Mel Kiper: Cleveland needs more speed at LB and Curry would provide that.Eli(Chicago): Can you give Bears fans a scouting report on the DL from LSU that you project the Bears taking? Who would you compare him to?SportsNation Mel Kiper: He's a big kid. He can play virtually in any defensive system. You can move him inside in certain situations. Excellent against the run. I thought he had a very good year. He flew under the radar. He had been elite in his junior year. He'll be someone that we talk about a lot more positively as we move through the draft process. This offense could use some help as well. It's not a one round draft. you don't draft a player to fill a need. DL is a need for the Beras, so it's not like you're drafting for a place you don't need any help.Anthony (Seymour, CT): What happens with Peppers, and how does it change Carolina's draft strategy if he leaves?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Yeah, it does. That's the same. For Carolina, they have to make a decision on him. He still has a lot of good football left in him. I think Carolina, they have to asses their situation. They have no first round pick. They got Jeff Otah and gave up their pick to get that player. Carolina has to make some decisions too. I have to wonder about the QB situation. Jake Delhomme, solid QB. Is he going to be a guy to win a SB for you? That playoff game, against Arizona is going to be tough to overcome. They have to figure out what direction they're going in.Derek (Springfield, IL) : Mel, will Beanie Wells make an impact for ANY team in the NFL in the future?SportsNation Mel Kiper: If he runs in the 4.3, like somepeople think he could. He has top 5 talent. He had the injury with his foot. He didn't run as aggressively as he has. He has incredible talent. He showed his talent against LSU in the championship game. If he runs in the 4.3s, he's moving way up. You could be looking at Cleveland in the 5.adam (nyc):: chances rex ryan brings ray lewis to the jets? and if not do we still draft a reciever first round given ryans defensive mentality?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I can't see Ray going anywhere. He now becomes the leader down there. I thought Bill Cowher might get that Jets job. The Jets went after Rex Ryan. He's a tremendous motivator. He's been around Brian Billick and John Harbaugh. He puts his players in position to be successful. If Vernon Gholston isn't a big time player for Rex Ryan, then he won't for anybody. We'll know whether Gholston was a true bust or a boom. Brett Ratleff is a guy undrafted out of Utah that has shown a lot of promise. He's the kind of sleeper QB. I think they feel internally about is Brett Ratleff. He showed really well in the preseason. Seems to have the intuitiveness. He's one of hte sleepers in that organization.SportsNation Mel Kiper: I have them taking Percy Harvin, a jack of all trades on offense.Chuck (Atlanta, Ga): Mel, how come Knowshon Moreno seems to not be getting any love?SportsNation Mel Kiper: He's not doing anything. There's nothing happening. There's going to be no impact ont he draft status of the players until the combine. Juniors haven't done anything. They haven't played in any all star games. I think he could go as high as No. 16. I think he could be a mid first rounder. He's too versatile and too great of a character guy. You have great versatility and you play in the SEC, I can't see him getting past the first round. People compare him to Cadillac Williams, but I think he's a mid first rounder at worst. I could see him going in that general area. I could see him going to Denver, San Diego, Philly, any of them as possibilities.Jeff (Breaux Bridge): Where, if any, are Dallas' biggest needs for this draft?SportsNation Mel Kiper: They still have to think about an offensive lineman. It majorly underachieved. A very overrated OL going into the year. I think they have to make a decision on where to go at WR. Defensively, the secondary is an area they'll have to think about. No first round pick, it went to the Lions in the Roy Williams trade. They could use a WR, even with that trade, but not early. DB, OL are the areas early on.David (Tampa): Mel, where's the DE from USF, George Selvie, being projected?SportsNation Mel Kiper: He's going to back to USF for his senior year. I thought that was a good move on his part. Next year he'll be one of the top DEs going into the season.Pao St paul,mn: Who are the top 5 WR?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Michael Crabtree is the only one that could go in the top 5. He has great speed. Great WR. Competitive player. He's worthy of a No. 1 or No. 2 pick overall. Maclin I have going 7.Gus (Virginia): Mel Can you go out to dinner without someone asking you a question about the NFL draft?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Very rarely. That's true. Very rarely. I'm happy about that, because I enjoy talking to the fans about the teams. There's always a Redskins fan or Ravens fan or Eagles fan around in this area. But by in large, 95% of the questions are about the Ravens. It's a Ravens town. It's not an Orioles town anymore. I think it's one of the best football towns.SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think 10,000 strong went down to Nashville for the playoff game. This town is all about purple.Eddie (Charlottesville, Va): Will Myron Rolle be a better doctor or NFL player?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Hopefully he'll be outstanding at both. He was a good player at FSU. I didn't see him raise his performance to elite status. He's tremendously intelligent. He has very good skills as a football player. Had he been in this draft, he would have been a 2-3 round pick. Being out of football will impact him in the draft.Andrew Mattison Gouverneur NY: Toughest the Steelers had the toughest schedule in NFL history with a super bowl win does this put these Steelers as the best NFL team ever?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I don't know about one of the best teams ever. They were in a lot of close games. They had to overcome a lot of injuries. Hines Ward injury. You had Paumalu. Roethlisberger was banged up. Willie Parker was out a lot. They got nothing out of the first pick in Mendenhall. They'll be one of the most resilient teams ever, considering all of the things they overcame. They battle. They don't whine, they don't complain. Another player steps in and picks up the slack. An injury for one provides another opportunity for another. Pittsburgh is a Steelers town. They always reflect the Rooney influence. I'm not a Steelers fan, but if you ever hear me talk about them, you think I am. I respect them. I have as much respect for them as any team in the league. They've become a great rivalry in the league.Bruce (Wayne): Cardinals going to score enough points to win this game? Is the over a good idea?SportsNation Mel Kiper: It's possible. I don't see Pittsburgh caving. I don't see them playing poorly in this type of environment. They can hit you early with some big plays. If you have the best offense against the best defense, I take the defense. You saw what the Eagles did in that second half. The Eagles dominated the second half.Rob (Storrs): Mr. Kiper...any uconn players going in the first day?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Donald Brown, the RB will. I think he could be, maybe, becomes a second or third round pick. Darius Butler could be a 2-3 round mix. He also played some offense. Also, Cody Brown, DE, could be a 3-4 OLB. 3-5 area for him. Will Beatty, OT could be in the 3-4 round mix.

KIPER = CLUELESS

Says the guy who said (paraphrasing) the Titans sucked and would be exposed soon before the end of September.

Billy Ball Thorton is now on my ignore list.

 

[Billy Ball Thorton]

Here is the ESPN.com chat w/ Kiper from yesterday...Mel Kiper: WE have the first round projection out last Thursday. We have the new ratings and new evaluations coming out.Matt (NJ): Mel, who wins the Super Bowl? What's the score and why?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think Pittsburgh wins it. I always go defense over offense. I'm a pitcher over hitting, always. This is not just a good offense, it's an outstanding offense. Warner gets the ball out quick. Heat doesn't bother him. Philly outscored Arizona in the second half. Pittsburgh doesn't scare you on offense. The Hines Ward injury. In the end, Pittsburgh has been in a lot of close games this year. You think you've beat them for four quarters, but they find a good way to beat you. I expect Arizona to make it competitive. Pitt 31, Arizona 21.Bryan (Fairfax): Mel, do you really think Tennessee needs another DE over a WR? What are the chances they trade up to get a good WR?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Well, you can't take players based on positional needs. You don't just take a player to take a player. This is not a one round draft. You don't have one pick and that's it. Some teams have multiple picks. You don't worry about needs all the time. The thing that hurt Tennessee down the stretch was injuries to Vanden Bosch. Based on the way my first round projection went, which WR are you going to give to them that makes sense. I agree that they need a WR. Hakeem Nicks, Heyward-Bey, one of those would be interesting. But the way I had the projection going, those two kids were already off the board.Ben (State College, PA): Mel, What is the steelers priority in the draft. Who are some players you could see them taking?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Alex Mack, a center out of California. He really helped himself at the Senior Bowl. He is clearly the best center prospect. You can work centers at guard, tackles at guard. You can always try to make a center a guard initially. It gives you some flexibility. They're another team to look at WR. You need some help at that position. You could look later in the rounds. Defensively, this is the best defense in the NFL. When you continue to upgrade and get depth as much as you can. Getting Alex Mack in the first round, he's a value pick at 32, if he's still there.Jeff (NYC): More likely to be a starting QB in 2011 --- Leinart or Vince Young?SportsNation Mel Kiper: In terms of both of them, they both have to wait their turn. They have given way to veterans. Kurt Warner is a Hall of Fame QB. Leinart will have to wait his turn until Warner gets to a point that he can't get the job done any longer. You just don't know when that's going to happen. He's going to be the QB next year and maybe the year after.SportsNation Mel Kiper: In terms of Young, he's going to have to wait too. It wasn't Kerry Collins' fault that they lost to the Ravens. He carved up the Ravens defense, he just made that one bad throw. He has some seasons left. They're going to have to be backups for a while. Which one will play first? I don't know. It's a nice situation for the teams to be in. They think they have the heir apparent at QB, they just have to wait their turn.Marc (Slippery Rock, PA: Mel, i was wondering where you would rank Big Ben with todays quaterbacks? And i was wondering also if you think Arizona can beat our defense?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think he's one of the best. I would say right now a healthy Tom Brady is ahead of him; Peyton Manning and that's it. Big Ben would be third.SportsNation Mel Kiper: Manning at one and a healthy Brady and Roethlisberger three.Steiny (NYC): How much did B.J. Raji's stock is on the rise after an impressive week at the Senior Bowl?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think the thing with him is he had a very good year. He had some dominant games. There were several games where he was a dominant performer. He had Ron Brace. They gave the Eagles some outstanding DLs. What Raji showed at the Senior Bowl was he was an outstanding pass rusher. That got some attention. The pass rush helped him. I had him going 12 to Denver. I think Todd McShay has him up at 4 to Seattle. I don't know if he's that hight, but 12 is the lowest he could go. He's a guy on the rise. If he continues to impress through the draft process, you could argue that he could be the first DL draft. This is the reason why I said a week ago that Gerald McCoy, the third year sophomore from Oklahoma, this is the exact reason why I said he made a mistake in returning. He could have been the first DL taken and he's going back to Oklahoma. He's a better player.Max (Phoenix): Besides either teams fans, what do you think people would rather see, Steelers get another championship or the underdogs to get there first?SportsNation Mel Kiper: There are a lot of Steelers haters out there, they're the team on the hill. They're a team that a lot of people love to hate. I know here in Baltimore people are rooting for Arizona. But Pittsburgh is a great football town. It's a great uniform, great helmet. If you watch the Steelers in the 70s, it's the same as now. The only change in uniform is the tweaking of the numbers. Great franchise, great Rooney family. This is a team that everyone cares about. But in my mind, I think people are probably going with the Cinderella story. This is like if Utah had been able to play in the BCS title game. But we'll never see that in the college game. We see it in the NFL.Russ (Cleveland, OH): Better pro wideout: Percy Harvin or Jeremy Maclin?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Maclin will be rated higher, so I'll go with the guy ranked higher. Maclin is a speed merchant and he's versatile. I think with Harvin, you'll get big plays and versatility as well. I like Harvin a lot. Maclin is going to go as high as 7 and Harvin at 17. You're getting good value with him at 17.Steve (Issaquah, Wa): Mel, Where do you see Grahm Harrel and Chase Daniel going in the draft? after the numbers they put up in college why are they not ranked higher?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Graham Harrell has to adjust to an NFL offense. He doesn't have great physical tools. He's probably a fifth round type of guy. Chase Daniel is a system QB, average arm. System QB, I'd say 6-7 round. It would not shock me if he went undrafted. But we've seen undrafted QBs do well in this league - Jon Kitna, Kurt Warner, Jake Delhomme, Tony Romo, Jeff Garcia.J.B. (Dunmore, PA): Who do you see as the next non-BCS school QB who will have a significant impact in the NFL?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I like Drew Willy from Buffalo has a chance to surprise some people. Nate Davis at Ball State could have an impact.Brian (Phoenix AZ): Mel - Who do you think the Cardinals will take in the first round of the draft?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Running back. It's ironic that they're playing Pittsburgh and I have them picking a Pittsburgh RB - McCoy. He needs to try and not always hit the 60-yard run and just get the 3-4 yards. He's a talented all around back. Lots of skill. If they could get him at the 31-32 spot, that's a good pick.Jonathan (NY,NY): Mel, who is the best Strong Safety in the draft?SportsNation Mel Kiper: The best are William Moore from Missouri, who did not have the great senior year, but great junior year. Patrick Chung out of Oregon would fall into that category.Travis (Montoursville, Pa): How do you think Aaron Maybin from PSU will do in the NFL??SportsNation Mel Kiper: He hasn't done anything yet. He cna't play in any all star games. I think he could go as high as 10 to San Fran. He could be the edge pass rusher that teams really like. I would say in that 10-13 range.Jon, Abingdon, VA: Mel, If Tenn can't get the Haynsworth deal done, and given their 30th spot, is there any value DT picks that could be available in the first 3 rounds?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Peria Jerry I don't think he'll be there, but if he were, I think it would be a nice pick. Sen-Derrick Marks from Auburn would be a nice pick. Ziggy Hood from Missouri is a third rounder. Ron Brace from BC is a possible second rounder.nate (Cleveland, OH): Who do you think will be a better pro linebacker, laurinitus or maulugaSportsNation Mel Kiper: They're both good prospects, they're not great prospects. You thought at the beginning of the year that one of them would be among the elite players. Neither of them have proven that. Maualuga traded big plays for consistency and Laurinaitis hasn't been as consistent. Maualuga provides good range, but he needs to do a better job of getting off of blocks. I have Mauluaga going 20 to Detroit and Laurinaitis to the Giants.Patrick (Hoop Hall City): If the Pats franchise and trade Cassel, is a mid 1st rounder too much or too little to ask?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think they could get two 1's. That's the asking price. Kansas City might. It would be the third pick overall, fi they make that move. But I just don't see them trading Matt Cassel. He has great value to them. I don't think Robert Kraft wants to trade him. You don't know when Brady will be ready to go at 100%. Cassel might be a huge insurance policy, an expensive one. I feel like they feel compelled to keep him there. Then, maybe late in the process if Brady shows to be 100%, they could trade him. But I think they keep him one more year.Mike (Boston): Who does Aaron Curry project favorably to in the NFL?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think he could project very favorably to Kansas City. Cleveland. Those would be very good spots for him. He's the kind of guy that makes everyone about him better. He has a great attitude, great approach. He plays the pass. He showed pass rush ability late in the year. He has good punt coverage abilities.SportsNation Mel Kiper: Cleveland needs more speed at LB and Curry would provide that.Eli(Chicago): Can you give Bears fans a scouting report on the DL from LSU that you project the Bears taking? Who would you compare him to?SportsNation Mel Kiper: He's a big kid. He can play virtually in any defensive system. You can move him inside in certain situations. Excellent against the run. I thought he had a very good year. He flew under the radar. He had been elite in his junior year. He'll be someone that we talk about a lot more positively as we move through the draft process. This offense could use some help as well. It's not a one round draft. you don't draft a player to fill a need. DL is a need for the Beras, so it's not like you're drafting for a place you don't need any help.Anthony (Seymour, CT): What happens with Peppers, and how does it change Carolina's draft strategy if he leaves?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Yeah, it does. That's the same. For Carolina, they have to make a decision on him. He still has a lot of good football left in him. I think Carolina, they have to asses their situation. They have no first round pick. They got Jeff Otah and gave up their pick to get that player. Carolina has to make some decisions too. I have to wonder about the QB situation. Jake Delhomme, solid QB. Is he going to be a guy to win a SB for you? That playoff game, against Arizona is going to be tough to overcome. They have to figure out what direction they're going in.Derek (Springfield, IL) : Mel, will Beanie Wells make an impact for ANY team in the NFL in the future?SportsNation Mel Kiper: If he runs in the 4.3, like somepeople think he could. He has top 5 talent. He had the injury with his foot. He didn't run as aggressively as he has. He has incredible talent. He showed his talent against LSU in the championship game. If he runs in the 4.3s, he's moving way up. You could be looking at Cleveland in the 5.adam (nyc):: chances rex ryan brings ray lewis to the jets? and if not do we still draft a reciever first round given ryans defensive mentality?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I can't see Ray going anywhere. He now becomes the leader down there. I thought Bill Cowher might get that Jets job. The Jets went after Rex Ryan. He's a tremendous motivator. He's been around Brian Billick and John Harbaugh. He puts his players in position to be successful. If Vernon Gholston isn't a big time player for Rex Ryan, then he won't for anybody. We'll know whether Gholston was a true bust or a boom. Brett Ratleff is a guy undrafted out of Utah that has shown a lot of promise. He's the kind of sleeper QB. I think they feel internally about is Brett Ratleff. He showed really well in the preseason. Seems to have the intuitiveness. He's one of hte sleepers in that organization.SportsNation Mel Kiper: I have them taking Percy Harvin, a jack of all trades on offense.Chuck (Atlanta, Ga): Mel, how come Knowshon Moreno seems to not be getting any love?SportsNation Mel Kiper: He's not doing anything. There's nothing happening. There's going to be no impact ont he draft status of the players until the combine. Juniors haven't done anything. They haven't played in any all star games. I think he could go as high as No. 16. I think he could be a mid first rounder. He's too versatile and too great of a character guy. You have great versatility and you play in the SEC, I can't see him getting past the first round. People compare him to Cadillac Williams, but I think he's a mid first rounder at worst. I could see him going in that general area. I could see him going to Denver, San Diego, Philly, any of them as possibilities.Jeff (Breaux Bridge): Where, if any, are Dallas' biggest needs for this draft?SportsNation Mel Kiper: They still have to think about an offensive lineman. It majorly underachieved. A very overrated OL going into the year. I think they have to make a decision on where to go at WR. Defensively, the secondary is an area they'll have to think about. No first round pick, it went to the Lions in the Roy Williams trade. They could use a WR, even with that trade, but not early. DB, OL are the areas early on.David (Tampa): Mel, where's the DE from USF, George Selvie, being projected?SportsNation Mel Kiper: He's going to back to USF for his senior year. I thought that was a good move on his part. Next year he'll be one of the top DEs going into the season.Pao St paul,mn: Who are the top 5 WR?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Michael Crabtree is the only one that could go in the top 5. He has great speed. Great WR. Competitive player. He's worthy of a No. 1 or No. 2 pick overall. Maclin I have going 7.Gus (Virginia): Mel Can you go out to dinner without someone asking you a question about the NFL draft?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Very rarely. That's true. Very rarely. I'm happy about that, because I enjoy talking to the fans about the teams. There's always a Redskins fan or Ravens fan or Eagles fan around in this area. But by in large, 95% of the questions are about the Ravens. It's a Ravens town. It's not an Orioles town anymore. I think it's one of the best football towns.SportsNation Mel Kiper: I think 10,000 strong went down to Nashville for the playoff game. This town is all about purple.Eddie (Charlottesville, Va): Will Myron Rolle be a better doctor or NFL player?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Hopefully he'll be outstanding at both. He was a good player at FSU. I didn't see him raise his performance to elite status. He's tremendously intelligent. He has very good skills as a football player. Had he been in this draft, he would have been a 2-3 round pick. Being out of football will impact him in the draft.Andrew Mattison Gouverneur NY: Toughest the Steelers had the toughest schedule in NFL history with a super bowl win does this put these Steelers as the best NFL team ever?SportsNation Mel Kiper: I don't know about one of the best teams ever. They were in a lot of close games. They had to overcome a lot of injuries. Hines Ward injury. You had Paumalu. Roethlisberger was banged up. Willie Parker was out a lot. They got nothing out of the first pick in Mendenhall. They'll be one of the most resilient teams ever, considering all of the things they overcame. They battle. They don't whine, they don't complain. Another player steps in and picks up the slack. An injury for one provides another opportunity for another. Pittsburgh is a Steelers town. They always reflect the Rooney influence. I'm not a Steelers fan, but if you ever hear me talk about them, you think I am. I respect them. I have as much respect for them as any team in the league. They've become a great rivalry in the league.Bruce (Wayne): Cardinals going to score enough points to win this game? Is the over a good idea?SportsNation Mel Kiper: It's possible. I don't see Pittsburgh caving. I don't see them playing poorly in this type of environment. They can hit you early with some big plays. If you have the best offense against the best defense, I take the defense. You saw what the Eagles did in that second half. The Eagles dominated the second half.Rob (Storrs): Mr. Kiper...any uconn players going in the first day?SportsNation Mel Kiper: Donald Brown, the RB will. I think he could be, maybe, becomes a second or third round pick. Darius Butler could be a 2-3 round mix. He also played some offense. Also, Cody Brown, DE, could be a 3-4 OLB. 3-5 area for him. Will Beatty, OT could be in the 3-4 round mix.

KIPER = CLUELESS

Says the guy who said (paraphrasing) the Titans sucked and would be exposed soon before the end of September.

Billy Ball Thorton is now on my ignore list.Nooooo---- Don't do that to me.. wierdo

 

[Jeff Tefertiller]

Thanks for doing these, Jeter. They are appreciated.

 

[Domination]

Thanks for doing these, Jeter. They are appreciated.

X2

 

[LBH]

Here is the ESPN.com chat w/ Kiper from yesterday...

adam (nyc):: chances rex ryan brings ray lewis to the jets? and if not do we still draft a reciever first round given ryans defensive mentality?

SportsNation Mel Kiper: I can't see Ray going anywhere. He now becomes the leader down there. I thought Bill Cowher might get that Jets job. The Jets went after Rex Ryan. He's a tremendous motivator. He's been around Brian Billick and John Harbaugh. He puts his players in position to be successful. If Vernon Gholston isn't a big time player for Rex Ryan, then he won't for anybody. We'll know whether Gholston was a true bust or a boom. Brett Ratleff is a guy undrafted out of Utah that has shown a lot of promise. He's the kind of sleeper QB. I think they feel internally about is Brett Ratleff. He showed really well in the preseason. Seems to have the intuitiveness. He's one of hte sleepers in that organization.

SportsNation Mel Kiper: I have them taking Percy Harvin, a jack of all trades on offense.

agree with Kiper on Ratliff

 

[Lott's Fingertip]

Good read.

(notice how I did NOT quote the entire chat session? And requote it. egad.)

 

[awesomeness]

Chris Wells running in the 4.3s? I'd be surprised if he ran under 4.45, who is saying hes running 4.3s?

I don't think he's watched much LeSean McCoy. LeSean McCoy doesn't try to break 60 yard runs every play. He takes the yards that are given to him all the time.

 

[On The Rocks]

 

[Chachi]

Chris Wells running in the 4.3s? I'd be surprised if he ran under 4.45, who is saying hes running 4.3s?

I don't think he's watched much LeSean McCoy. LeSean McCoy doesn't try to break 60 yard runs every play. He takes the yards that are given to him all the time.

I only watched 4 Pitt games last season but I noticed he always trys to break the big one myself, I guess we interpreted his film differently or seen different games, I hardly ever noticed him take what was given to him.