Changing of the Guard?

The ESPN Scout inc. came out with their updates Top 32 prospects for the upcoming draft. If you take a close look at it you will discover some interesting statistics. There are two Rutgers players in the Top 32, OT Anthony Davis (ranked #5 overall) and CB Devin McCourty (ranked #31 overall). Both of these players continue to generate draft buzz and look to climb into a solid round 1 pick after the scouting combine.
If you took another look you would notice there is only one Penn State player in the Top 32, DT Jared Odrick (ranked #28 overall). It is surprising to see Rutgers, a school that annually loses it's top in-state prospects to Penn State, with more players in the Top 32. Granted OLB Navarro Bowman has been in and out of the Top 32 and will most likely be a 1st round pick this year, but still, in the updated Top 32 there are less Nittany Lions than Scarlet Knights. Who would've thought? Well Greg Schiano has done a great job at Rutgers bringing in solid talent and molding them into top players.
If you took another look there is only one more Oklahoma Sooner than Rutger Scarlet Knight. Before five years ago that would never have been possible to fathom and now its a reality. There are two Alabama players in the Top 32. That's right, the same team that just won the National Championship with the same amount of Top 32 players than the Scarlet Knights of the lackluster Bis East.
How about the team Alabama played in the National Championship? Texas only has two members of the Top 32 as well.
I could continue to go on and on with very well known teams lacking supreme talent, but that's not my point. My point is that with the new scholarship rules the top teams of the NCAA are not able to hoard all the talent in the country. Therefore that talent is trickling through to the second tier teams. As a result these teams are now becoming more competitive and making the overall college football field a lot stronger across the board. In the near future look out for some fairly unknown teams to overtake the traditional giants. Just ask Notre Dame who by the way have no players in the Top 32.

Spotlight: Devin McCourty (CB, Rutgers)

I grew up in New Jersey watching Rutgers from the stands singing "Hoo Rah Hoo Rah Rutgers Ra" every game watching the program slowly ascend the rankings of the college football elite. They are still not there yet, but if you look at the amount of prospects being drafted now and where they are being drafted compared to five years ago, you can see the program getting much stronger. The prospect I'd like to focus on is cornerback Devin McCourty.
His brother, Jason, is now playing for the Tennessee Titans. He was a sixth round draft pick last year, but do to little depth in the secondary he started part way through the year.
Devin, who was back in school in 2009 because of a redshirt his freshman year, took advantage of the sole spotlight. He had 80 tackles and ten pass breakups this past season and anchored the defense that lost multiple players to the NFL last year. Also, McCourty is a tremendous special teams player, which will raise his draft stock because he can come in from day 1 and contribute in ST while making the adjustment to being an NFL CB. He is a very sound player and does not have many holes in his game. He isn't flashy and wont stand out except on special teams where he can block punts and change a game. But, at corner he will do his job quietly and efficiently. He is getting comparisons to Ronde Barber from Tampa Bay. That is a pretty good player to be compared to. Barber has been to multiple Pro Bowls and is very consistent in his play. He is also a great leader and a very talented defensive back.
McCourty also is very good against the run. He is a strong tackler and is able to consistently wrap up the ball carrier. That is the biggest weakness of most NFL corners. Asante Samuel has missed the most tackles I have ever seen and I think is one of the worst tacklers in football. Any team could use a corner that is sound in coverage, man and zone, and also attacks the run, tackles well and can read the quarterback well. He can blow up screen plays, which is Sheldon Brown-esc. The bottom line is McCourty is a very solid player with leadership ability and few, if any, holes. He can immediately contribute on special teams and he wont be far off from contributing on defense as well. Any team that takes him will have a very strong, well-rounded corner for years.

Eagles 1st Round Mock Draft

Round 1: Taylor Mays (S, USC)--In the Eagles defensive scheme the safeties must be able to be the overall leaders. They have to play deep zone, man coverage on and off the line of scrimmage and also be very good at wrapping up tackles. No one I have ever seen played this position better than Brian Dawkins. He was able to cover receivers, tight ends and running backs, while wrapping up well and being able to deliver the big hit. The Eagles secondary needs safeties that scare receivers of going over the middle. Without Dawk the other teams do not respect the secondary and constantly test it. In this draft the Eagles must address this issue early. I have felt for the last two seasons that Mays is the best safety in college football. I think of him as the next coming of Dawk, maybe its just the big hits and tinted visor, but I believe that Mays is the perfect fit for Philly. His stock dropped due to a season of not living up to the hype and expectations, but I expect it to rise after the combine where he will display his freakish size and speed. Therefore, the Eagles might have to trade up in order to get him. This is possible due to the fact that they are bound to trade one of their three quarterbacks. They could make a package trade with one of their early picks and a QB for that teams first round choice.
Other Round 1 choices: Patrick Robinson (CB, Florida St.); Kyle Wilson (CB, Boise St.); Devin McCourty (CB, Rutgers); Brandon Graham (DE, Michigan); Everson Griffen (DE, USC)

Philadelphia Eagles' Secret Weapons

DeSean Jackson. No. Jeremy Maclin. No. Brent Celek. No. Give up? I have one offensive and one defense player for you. Jason Avant and Tracy White.
Avant has been linked as McNabb's favorite target before the entrance of Jackson and Maclin. The reason? He is a polished route runner with strong hands and a knack for finding the first down marker on third down. This four year veteran has developed into a solid slot option and a very reliable option on short throws to counter the down-field explosion of Jackson and Maclin. This past season he set career highs in receptions (41), receiving yards (579) and touchdowns (3). He also recorded just his second 100 yard receiving game of his career this against San Diego in November. In that game Avant set a career long catch of 58 yards. He also set single game career records of catches (8) and yards receiving (156). He rarely drops passes and doesn't shy away from contact when he has to go over the middle to convert the third down. I simply cannot find a reason to dislike him. He isn't flashy and exciting, but he is reliable and always gets the job done. My hat is off to you Jason Avant.
On the defensive side of the ball there is one player that stood out in my mind all season. Every time I saw the lackluster effort of the sluggish, unmotivated defense get turned around, only momentarily, it was by the play of number 52, Tracy White. He was brought in as a free agent in 2008 after spending time with Seattle, Jacksonville and Green Bay. White was an undrafted free agent out of Howard, so in order to stay in the league he had to perform well on special teams. He came to Philadelphia as a special teams player, but due to injuries and lifeless play, White got a chance to play live game snaps. Knowing that he must make the most out of every opportunity he got, White played with tremendous passion and energy, something the team has been lacking.
Two unsung heroes, Avant and White, have excelled in their play and as a result they provided the team with some life during points this season where the light at the end of the tunnel looked like the eye of a needle. White took advantage of injuries and poor play by the starting linebackers and worked his way into a very productive season. Perhaps his stats don't suggest he had a tremendous season, but his work ethic on the field caught the eye of the coaches as he showcased his ability as a linebacker, not just a special teamer. Perhaps his play will earn him a considerable look this upcoming training camp. I know he deserves it. As for Avant, his consistency will continue to earn him playing time. He makes the most of his catches and due to his hard work he has earned the respect of his teammates. White and Avant are two of the players that make the wheels on the Eagles' bus go, and hopefully next year they will help the team churn those wheels all the way to the Super Bowl.

Another name to remember

Redshirt freshman John Boyett. Free Safety: Oregon. He replaced the defensive leader T.J Ward for six games this season and lead the Ducks with 78 tackles. He played tremendous in the glorious opportunity he was presented with. Instead of doing nothing with the golden opportunity he made the most of it. He parlayed his efforts into a first team All-America recognition. During the Rose Bowl against Ohio State he displayed his athletic ability. He was playing a two deep zone and followed the eyes of Buckeye quarterback Terrelle Pryor and shaded over to elevate up and pick the ball off. On another play a Buckeye receiver went up for a catch and on his way down Boyett made an outstanding football play. He went low on the receiver cutting out his legs from under him causing the receiver to hit the ground on his shoulder. Due to the impact the receiver lost control of the ball and the end result was an incomplete pass. It was a very smart football play by a very intelligent football player. I cant wait to see over the next three seasons how Boyett grows as a football player. He seems to have all the intangibles a safety needs to be successful in college football. He will take the gift of playing time he had this season and parlay it into a strong sophomore campaign now that he has experienced playing major FBS football against strong competition. I think he will develop into a very good all-around safety by his junior season.

Ronnell Lewis (Remember the name)

Wow! What a hit! A big time special teams play could energize an entire team and motivate them to play with heart and determination. While watching the Sun Bowl today between Stanford and Oklahoma I saw one of the best special teams hits I have ever seen. It was reminiscent of Colts' Darrell Reid's explosion on Chris Henry of the Titans in 2007. True Freshman linebacker Ronnell Lewis, Oklahoma, ran downfield unblocked and unloaded on the Stanford returnman like a freight train. He did not slow down to make the hit, instead he bulled him over and ran right through him. Then on that same Stanford possession their RB Toby Gerhart ran through multiple tackles and was on his way to the endzone when Lewis hustled back and performed a textbook strip move as he punched the football out of Gerhart's arm causing a fumble in the endzone. Then, later in the game the Stanford FB ran a delay curl route and a poorly thrown ball caused his to stretch out unbalanced right as Lewis unloaded on his back right between the numbers. It was his second vicious hit of the game as the fullback's head snapped back when he went to the ground. What a tremendous hit by Lewis to explode into the receiver. Remember this kid's name. He is only a true freshman, but has the looks of a dominate linebacker for the next few years in college football. I think he will be playing on Sundays and quite possibly could be a 1st round pick on his way there. Keep an eye on Ronnell Lewis.

Florida Citrus Bowl Field is a disgrace

For whoever watched the Miami (Fl.) vs. Wisconsin in the Champs Sports Bowl is was undeniable to notice the fact that the sod on the field was defective and dysfunctional for a football game. The most unfortunate player on the field was Miami game-breaker Graig Cooper. On the play he was returning a kick and while running through a hole up the field went to cut inside and saw his knee collapse just like the ground he planted his foot into. His right foot pushed up about a foot of useless sod when he planted it into the sloppy field. Instead of getting the anticipated push off from a solidified ground Cooper sadly mistrusted the soft sod of the field and as a result he received a terrible knee injury. His game was done, season was done and according to AP reports his 2010 campaign is done as well. An injury that serious most definitely means a torn ACL and possibly a torn MCL too. Cooper is a integral part of the Hurricanes backfield and is a heck of a football player. He displayed tremendous athletic ability and speed early in the 1st quarter of the game when he bounced outside and got into the endzone for a Miami touchdown. He was a big part of the team's plan for the game and when he went down so did his team's offense. Without him they had to rely on the arm of Jacory Harris and the Wisconsin defensive line knew it. They pinned their ears back and went after his all game long beating his up in the pocket. He also injured his knee during the game due to the field and the ruthlessness of the monsters in red. The Hurricanes started the game two-dimensional, then become one-dimensional when Cooper got hurt and then became no dimensional when Harris started taking a beating behind center. Any football fan feels for Graig Cooper because no one wants to see anyone go through that kind of pain. Hopefully he will recover quickly and be ready to dominate college football during his senior season in 2011. Also, for the safety of the players and the fairness of competition lets hope the people involved with the field care at the Florida Citrus Bowl field figure out a better way to take care of the surface so we can avoid these terrible injuries in games to come.