- SPORTSBYBROOKS reports that ESPN The Magazine will be doing a "nude" issue this fall featuring Danica Patrick.

- NO GUTS NO GLORY informs us that former Kentucky head coach Billy Gillispie got popped for a DUI. No word on whether or not Gillispie was drowning his sorrows over his inability to close the deal with ESPN sideline reporter Jeannine Edwards.

- THE COOLEY ZONE describes a new insurance that is hitting the market -- fantasy football insurance.

- EPIC CARNIVAL has video of the 10 best one-kick knockouts in MMA.

- With all the recent talk about NBA scorekeepers inflating certain numbers, DAILY THUNDER wonders if this is happening to Kevin Durant, who averages far more assists at home than he does on the road.

According to 49ers beat writer Matt Maiocco, the 49ers could have trouble signing first round pick Michael Crabtree in time for the start of training camp.

If history tells us anything it's that Crabtree's agent, Eugene Parker, does not mind engaging in holdout tactics. (Technically, an unsigned rookie is not a "holdout" because no contract has been agreed upon. I'll try my best to refrain from calling it a holdout. Rather, it's a contract stalemate.)

At least four of Parker's clients had contract issues last season. Bills tackle Jason Peters skipped 43 days and missed the season opener. Rams running back Steven Jackson held out for 27 days before signing a new contract. Bears return man Devin Hester did not report for the first two days of camp before signing a new deal. And Cardinals rookie cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie missed two practices before signing his contract.

Yes, the 49ers have been successful in getting their draft picks signed on time in recent years. But the agents deserve some credit, too.

The 49ers - and every team in the NFL - believe that a player's rookie contract is essentially predetermined by where he was selected in the draft. As the No. 10 overall pick, Crabtree should receive less than the No. 9 pick and a little more than No. 11.

I don't believe the 49ers would buy the suggestion that Crabtree deserves more money because a lot of outsiders thought he should have been selected sooner in the draft and he was generally regarded as a better prospect than receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, whom the Raiders selected with the seventh pick.

As Maiocco indicates in the article, there’s still a ton of time and more importantly, only four first round picks have signed (Matthew Stafford, Mark Sanchez, Alex Mack and “Ziggy” Hood) up to this point, which indicates that it isn't out of the norm that the Niners haven't signed Crabtree yet. It might take the Packers signing B.J. Raji (who was selected a pick ahead of Crabtree) or the Bills signing Aaron Maybin (who was selected a pick behind Crabtree) before the 49ers are able to work out a deal with Crabtree.

Either way, panic shouldn’t be setting in San Fran just yet.

In one of the dumber moves in Roger Goodell’s tenure as NFL commissioner, the draft will now be a three-day event.

The 2010 NFL Draft will now start on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and only the first round will be held on that day. The second and third rounds will resume on Friday, April 23 at 6:30 p.m. and Rounds 4-7 will be at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday.

"We continue to look for ways to make the draft more accessible to more fans," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said. "Moving the first round to prime time on Thursday night will make the first round of the draft available to fans on what is typically the most-watched night of television."

I get what Goodell is trying to do. The first round is what most people care about, so he’s trying to get maximize the number of viewers he can attain for that round by having it on a popular TV night.

That’s fine, but the draft to me is about getting together with a bunch of buddies on the weekend, kicking a few back and gushing (more like ranting on most occasions) over who our favorite teams selected. Two years ago you could kill a Saturday watching the first three rounds and making it into a big event. Now I feel that Goodell is turning the draft into the Emmys with having the first round be on a Thursday night and then kicking the other rounds to the side by having it on Friday night and Saturday morning.

Maybe it’s just me and I’m making a bigger deal out of this than I should be. But I hate the thought of not being able to get up on a Saturday morning all pumped up for the first two rounds of the draft.

My colleague (and inspiration according to him) John Paulsen did a great job of highlighting the impact that this year’s offensive rookie class could have in terms of fantasy football, so I thought it would only be appropriate to show some love to the defensive rooks.

I’ve ranked the 10 rookies who I feel could make the biggest impact for their teams in 2009. This doesn’t mean that I think they’ll put up gaudy numbers, although they could. These rankings are more of a reflection of how I feel each rookie fits into their specific defensive scheme and what teams can expect in terms of overall production from these players in their first season.

Side Note: I stuck to only the defensive players that were drafted in the first two rounds. While plenty of mid-round picks have started and were successful in their rookie seasons, it’s a little hard to project at this point which third and fourth rounders could have an impact with training camps still a month or so away. Maybe I’ll re-visit this topic once again before the season starts and dedicate another piece to the mid-rounders that could have an immediate impact.

1. Aaron Curry, LB, Seahawks
Curry might not have been the first defensive player to come off the board in April (that honor went to LSU’s Tyson Jackson, who was selected with the third overall by the Chiefs), but he was the best defender that the 2009 draft class had to offer. Curry has the ability to play all three linebacker positions in a 4-3, although he’ll likely start on the strong side, allowing the Hawks to keep LeRoy Hill at weakside ‘backer. Curry has outstanding speed (4.5), size (6’2”, 254 pounds) and can stay on the field in passing situations, unlike some linebackers, who are often replaced in nickel packages because they can’t hang with backs, tight ends and receivers. Curry isn’t one of those situational prospects – he’s a complete player and should make a significant impact in his first year.

2. B.J. Raji, DT, Packers
When Dom Capers was hired to be the Packers’ new defensive coordinator, the plan was to use Ryan Pickett at nose tackle in the team’s switch to a 3-4 front. But when Raji slipped to the ninth overall pick, the Packers jumped at the chance to select the dynamic Boston College product. The immediate reaction to the selection was that Raji would play end and move inside to nose once Pickett becomes a free agent at the end of the season. But now it’s believed that Raji will eventually earn the starting nose spot given his size (6’2”, 337 pounds) and ability to rush the passer. With Raji at nose, the Packers can change their one and two-gap looks, which hopefully will allow him to either occupy multiple blockers or split the gap and create havoc in the backfield. Defensive linemen tend to struggle in their first season, but Raji could be the exception based on his versatility and overall athleticism.

3. Brian Cushing, LB, Texans
Cushing will start at strong-side linebacker this season, which should mean big things for him in his first year. He’ll immediately replace Zach Diles, who was leading the Texans in tackles at the strong-side ‘backer position last season before breaking his tibia. Houston likes to flush a lot of action toward its strong-side linebacker, which could allow Cushing to lead the team in tackles this season. Cushing is a fiery competitor who has excellent size at 6’3”, 243 pounds and has the speed to close in on ball carriers, although nobody will mistake him for A.J. Hawk. Cushing will have every opportunity to make an impact on an ever-improving Texan defense.

4. Rey Maualuga, LB, Bengals
Maualuga was an absolute monster at USC and could have the same success in the NFL. He’s a pure thumper who will make his presence felt on running plays and who is expected to beat out strong-side ‘backer Rashad Jeanty for a starting spot. He’s also expected to play one of the nickel positions in passing situations, which is a little surprising considering the knock on him was that he was only a two-down linebacker prospect coming out of college. But obviously the Bengals envision big things out of the former Trojan and he could wind up being one of the steals of the second round.

5. Larry English, LB, Chargers
Head coach Norv Turner has already said that English will see plenty of snaps in his first season and chances are he’ll be used as a situational pass rusher. English excelled at getting after the quarterback in college and while he isn’t being viewed as Shawne Merriman’s successor at this point, if he produces right away he’ll give San Diego options for when Merriman becomes a free agent in 2010. Depending on Merriman’s health and the overall opportunities he gets, it wouldn’t be farfetched to think that English could rack up seven to 10 sacks this season.

6. Louis Delmas, S, Lions
Delmas played for one of the worst defensive backfields in the nation last year at Western Michigan, but he was the a diamond in the rough. Some project him as the next Bob Sanders and new defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham has already compared him to former Kansas City All-Pro Dale Carter. Delmas flies to the football and should make an immediate impact against the run. He might have issues in coverage at first, but if the Lions are patient, he should improve in that area with more seasoning. Rumor has it that he was the most impressive player in the Lions’ minicamp in early May.

7. Tyson Jackson, DE, Chiefs
Jackson’s impact won’t be reflected on the stat sheet because 3-4 ends don’t have the opportunity to rack up a lot of sacks. (Plus Jackson isn’t much of a pass rusher anyways.) But the fact general manager and top talent evaluator Scott Pioli passed on drafting dynamic linebacker Aaron Curry to select Jackson tells us everything we need to know about the former LSU product’s potential. Pioli believes Jackson could be the Richard Seymour of KC’s new 3-4 defensive scheme and if that winds up being the case, nobody is going to remember (or care) that he was a reach at No. 3. Jackson isn’t much of a pass rusher, but he’s outstanding against the run and if he holds his edge, expect the Chiefs’ linebackers to make a ton of tackles this season.

8. James Laurinaitis, MLB, Rams
I was surprised to see the Rams pass on Rey Maualuga in the second round, but new head coach Steve Spagnuolo has an eye for defensive talent so I won’t question his choice of Laurinaitis. The former Ohio State product is expected to start right away at middle linebacker, forcing Chris Draft to move to the strong side to fill the void created when Piso Tinoisamoa was released. Laurinaitis had trouble shedding blocks in college and seemed to run around blockers instead of through them, but there’s no doubt he’s a hard worker and will have every opportunity to excel in Spagnuolo’s 4-3 defense. He could be a force against the run.

9. William Moore, S, Falcons
Any one of the three defensive players the Falcons drafted in the first three rounds (Moore, Peria Jerry, Chris Owens) could have an immediate impact as rookies because they’re all projected to start. But Moore is the most intriguing player in the group because had he come out after his junior season, he would have likely been a top 15 pick. Injuries during his senior season, coupled with a poor week at the Senior Bowl caused his draft stock to fall, but he definitely still has top-15 talent. The Falcons have long needed an impact player at the safety position and might have gotten a steal with Moore in the second round. He should make an immediate impact against the run, which helps, but the Falcons need him to be solid in coverage because Lawyer Milloy was such a liability as a pass defender last year. He’ll need to beat out former third round pick Thomas DeCoud.

10. Fili Moala, DT, Colts
It was a little surprising that the Colts drafted a running back (UCONN’s Donald Brown) with the 27th overall pick in the first round instead of addressing their need at defensive tackle, but they did well by trading up in the second to nab Moala. The former USC product should start right away and not unlike most rookie defensive tackles, his impact probably won’t be felt immediately on the stat sheet. At 6’4”, 305 pounds, his main responsibility will be to eat up space and keep blockers off of Indy linebackers, which are two things he should excel at.

According to a report by Michael Lombardi of the National Football Post, one of the reasons why linebacker Rey Maualuga fell in last month’s draft (he was selected by the Bengals with the 38th overall pick after most projected him to go in the first round) was because he was a “handful” at USC.

Rey Maualuga, the second-round pick of the Bengals, needs to make sure he walks a very tight behavior line in Cincinnati. Maualuga slipped in the draft for a number of reasons, and he must keep his off-the-field behavior in check and not create problems for the coaching staff. In talking to some NFL people, I heard that Maualuga was not always compliant with the rules on and off the field at USC. He was, as one GM said to me, putting it mildly, “a handful.”

Well, Maualuga wound up in the right place if he’s intent on being disorderly.

When you think about it, Maualuga slipping into the second round isn’t that big of a surprise. First of all, scouts consider him a two-down linebacker in that he can be a force against the run, but a liability in coverage and thus he’ll have to come off the field in obvious passing situations. And if teams knew he caused coaches grief off the field while at USC, then it makes sense that NFL GMs hesitated taking him in the first round. No pro team is going to want to invest first round money on a player who was known to be (to borrow the exact word from the report) a handful while in college, not to mention will have limitations on the field at the next level.

The Bengals’ draft this year has boom or bust written all over it, or at least their first two picks do. Andre Smith was the riskiest pick in the first round given all the baggage he carried with him coming into the draft and now it’s clear that Maualuga was a risk as well, even for the second round. But both players are immensely talented and if they can fly straight and just play football, then Cincy might have gotten two steals. Plus, there's a difference between being a handful and being destructive. We're not talking about choir boys here and as long as Maualuga can respect his coaching staff and not get in trouble with the law, then I doubt the Bengals care if he's a bit of a character.

As I write this, I’m amazed that I could simultaneously post a message on my Twitter account that reads: Writing a new post for Scores Report. Very excited. Still haven’t showered. The thing is, while I'm in awe of the technology, I'm not overly excited about it. I could never fathom why anybody would want to know what I'm doing throughout my day. I imagine that my friends (or “followers”) would finish reading my “tweet,” and have the mental thought of, “God, what a loser. Why would he post this?” Maybe not. However, after reading various friends’ and professional athletes’ Twitter posts, I’m always let down. What was I expecting? These people are just as boring or normal as I am. Instead of sitting here reading what other people are doing, I could be doing something more constructive. So, no, I don’t have a Twitter account. I don’t have a MySpace page or a Facebook account, either. If friends want to know what I’m doing, they can hit me up on my pager. Just kidding. Nevertheless, I do see the upside of certain sports figures posting frequent updates about the state of their teams or careers. It’s just when it borders on the excruciatingly mundane or stupid that I yearn for the days of the telegram.

Upside

On April 24th, those who checked Lance Armstrong’s Twitter learned that French anti-doping authorities had thankfully dropped charges against the cyclist that could have banned him from the Tour de France. Really think about that for a second. This information, which is important to so many people, was available before any media outlet could report it. Yes, blogs have shown the ability to run news and rumors more quickly than traditional media, but Twitter reveals “stories” first-hand, because it comes straight from the horse’s mouth. I think that’s incredible. Of course, there are two sides to every coin, and what one athlete “tweets” can obviously contradict a more truthful report – the kind television and newspaper journalists spend hours putting together. In a society of whirlwind information, we need those institutions now more than ever. Anybody who’s seen Season 5 of “The Wire” can attest to this statement. Although, blogs and now Twitter provide instantaneous content, those who operate them understand their audience and the “quick fix” it expects. What I appreciate about newspapers is the fact that they compile information from a myriad of sources before presenting this data in a single story. Still, it’s only a matter of time before ESPN starts a show called “The Chirp” (or something equally insipid) that does a run down of the best of athletes’ Twitter accounts. If not, they’ll at least include it in their rolling crawl at the bottom of the screen.

Downside

The NFL used Twitter last week to announce draft selections. College coaches are using it to keep prospects informed about their program. These are both creative and relevant uses for the service. Unfortunately, a strong percentage of athletes are frighteningly dumb, and given a medium to express their vanity can both elicit and express their sometimes-poor judgment. Brian Wilson of the San Francisco Giants, who may or may not be a Rhodes scholar, recently “tweeted” about an altercation he had at a bar with some Arizona locals. Though the Giants were on a road trip and likely had a game the next day, Wilson’s last post came at 3 in the morning. I understand the life of a young athlete must be a constant party, even during the season. However, whereas management turns a blind eye because they never see the behavior, Twitter provides incriminating evidence of athletes’ misguided actions. I’m not saying I would be any different. Drop $5 million a year into my bank account to throw a baseball and I’m likely to break at least every ordinance in the Midwest at least once. Add that to the knowledge that thousands of people on the Internet can be alerted of my every move and I’d have to put on a show.

Twitter can also warrant unwanted consequences since it can connect athletes to their fans in a way that’s never before been possible. It seems like more and more often athletes are bothered by an obsessed individual who takes their support a bit too far. Twitter discloses information about who you know and where you go. It can’t be too hard for a potential stalker to get dangerously close to the athlete of their choosing. That is, unless the athlete uses the service wisely, hiding certain personal details about their lives.

Believe me, I’m all for the salty displays of mischief that athletes feel the need to tell us -- it makes for an entertaining read. I’m just concerned about the repercussions Twitter can have when management is investing millions of dollars on these guys. Isn’t that why people buy tell-all books, to read about the juicy stuff? Forget that -- Twitter makes the information available practically in real time. Still, I’ve never bought a tell-all book. Why? I’ve got my own life to live and don’t want to spend 300 pages worth of time on someone else’s. The raunchy stuff may be good for a blog on a slow news day, but after a while it just confirms the negative side about being a young millionaire. And that can quickly become boring.

The Average Joe

Luckily, this is something you or I don’t have to worry about since injuring our arms, hamstrings, and ankles won’t cost us our jobs. It goes without saying that we can be just as carefree at night without having to face Albert Pujols the next day. Still, posting your debaucheries on Twitter could possibly get you into trouble, say, if you had a tech-savvy boss. “Chris, I was just checking the Twitter mill last night – as I do all my employees – and I noticed you got a public urination ticket a 4 AM before blowing $100 at our local Denny’s.” I know, that’s completely farfetched and I take comfort in knowing I can get away with these things without being fired or punished by someone indirectly involved. Athletes don’t have this luxury, so it will be interesting to see how they evolve in the world of Twitter.

- SPORTSbyBROOKS.COM uncovers the story that ABC (via ESPN) might expand the NFL draft to three days and show it in prime time. Holy overexposure, Batman…

- CAGE POTATO.COM compiles the eight greatest technical submissions of All-Time. (With Video)

- THE LOVE OF SPORTS breaks down the hilarity that ensues when fans don’t like the players their favorite NFL teams select at the draft.

- YARDBARKER has video of new Lions’ quarterback Matthew Stafford, who got to poke fun of himself recently on the David Letterman show.

Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com speculates that the reason why the Lions passed on a middle linebacker in last weekend’s draft was because they knew the Steelers would release Larry Foote shortly thereafter.

Let's put a couple of factors together and see what we come up with -- the Detroit Lions passed on a taking a middle linebacker in the first two rounds, Pittsburgh inside linebacker Larry Foote was just released in a widely anticipated move and Foote has not hidden his desire to return to Detroit and play for his hometown Lions.

Many Lions fans were surprised when the team passed on Ohio State's James Laurinaitis and USC's Rey Maualuga with the team's No. 20 and No. 33 selections. It's possible the Lions knew that Foote would be released soon and they might be in the running to sign him. Another factor why the Lions would pass on a rookie and try to get Foote -- or another veteran -- is the fact that defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham has a well-documented disdain for starting a lot of rookies at the same time.

Foote, who will be 29 in June, has played seven years in the league and has started the last five seasons and hasn't missed a game due to injury in the last six years. He's also helped the Steelers win a couple of those Lombardi Trophy things.

Foote graduated from Pershing High School in Detroit and already expressed interest in playing in his home state earlier this offseason. If Mayhew did pass on a linebacker in the draft knowing that Foote would be available soon thereafter, it was a clever move on his part and it would certainly help answer some questions regarding the Lions draft.

If the Lions do sign Foote, then the selections of Bradon Pettigrew and Louis Delmas in the first two rounds look pretty solid – especially considering both players were the top-rated prospects at their respective positions.

Of course, if Foote signs with someone else, then this move will backfire horribly because Detroit would be left with Jordon Dizon as their starting middle linebacker. And given that Matt Millen drafted Dizon, chances are the young man doesn’t have much upside.

Regular readers know that Anthony Stalter is our NFL guru and that I'm a huge Packer fan. And since Green Bay's general manager, Ted Thompson, made one of the more questionable trades of the day -- giving up a second round pick and two third round picks to move up and select USC linebacker Clay Matthews -- we thought it would be interesting to have Anthony play general manager for those three picks and see if things would have turned out better had the Packers stood pat (and drafted on Anthony's recommendations). So Anthony is going to pick players at 2.09, 3.09 and 3.19 (the three picks Thompson gave up for Matthews) and see if he can do any better.

Thompson has a reputation for being one of the best general managers in the league on draft day, but Anthony sure didn't agree with how much the Packers gave up in order to land Matthews:

But to give up their second round pick and two third round selections was just too much – especially considering Matthews could be one of the more overrated prospects in this draft. Some believe that he’s more of a bodybuilder posing as a football player (i.e. he looks great in workouts but could fizzle once he gets onto the field) and his character has come into question after it was made public that he and fellow USC teammates started a Facebook group called, “White Nation,” in which they posted a picture of an African American baby in handcuffs and had a caption underneath that read, “arrest black babies before they become criminals.” He claims it was just a joke and maybe he will turn out to be a versatile pro. But the trade and selection were very un-Ted Thompson-like for draft day.

We'll revisit this after each of the next three seasons (unless the winner becomes obvious before then) and see how the two strategies compare. In the interests of fairness, I asked Anthony to make his pick at 2.09 without thinking about who slipped to 3.09 or 3.19.

So, without further ado, Anthony's picks...

2.09 (No. 41): Clint Sintim, OLB, Virginia
Where he wound up: No. 45 to the Giants
Matthews would probably be off the board at this pick, which is why Thompson obviously felt the need to sacrifice three possible (I did say possible) starters to get him at No. 26. Outside linebacker is a major need for us and while it would be tempting to go with Florida State OLB/DE Everrette Brown at this pick given that he was regarded as a top 20 pick coming into the draft, he didn’t play OLB in college and therefore his development would be slowed. We need an impact starter opposite Aaron Kampman and given that Sintim played in a 3-4 under Al Groh at Virginia, he could start as a rookie. Sintim was an absolute beast at Virginia, leading the nation in sacks as a senior and racking up 245 tackles in three seasons. He has excellent size at 6’2”, 256-pounds, is tough and has good instincts. He’s the type of player Green Bay fans could fall in love with because he isn’t flashy and is an extremely hard worker. He already has tons of experience in the 3-4, so I would feel really good about him starting in his first year. (Side note: In my first two mock drafts, I had Sintim going in the first round, so I would have jumped at the chance to take him here in the second.)

3.09: Jamon Meredith, OT, South Carolina
Where he wound up: No. 162, Packers
If I’m truly pretending that I don’t know how the rest of the draft would play out, I would have taken Meredith here. Obviously this looks like a horrible reach considering Thompson landed him in the fifth round, but again, I’m being honest. Considering we run the zone-blocking scheme in Green Bay, Meredith is an outstanding fit given that he’s extremely agile, great on his feet and has excellent athleticism. The only reason he slipped in the actual draft is because he had some character and injury issues in college. Otherwise he was a second or third round pick, which is why I would have nabbed him here. I have to tip my cap to Thompson for landing him in the fifth round, because he really is a solid fit for the zone-blocking scheme Green Bay runs.

3.19: D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt
Where he wound up: No. 119, Bears
As it turns out, Moore would have been a reach at No. 19 in the third round, but just like with the Meredith pick at 3.09, I wouldn’t have known that. While cornerback isn’t a huge need for us, I feel confident at this point in the draft that we’ve come a long way in addressing top need areas along the defensive line, at outside linebacker and offensive tackle. That said, Moore is one of the best players available and to me, would be great value here. Charles Woodson and Al Harris are 32 and 34, respectively, and while we have some nice talent on the roster in Tramon Williams and Will Blackmon, I could see Moore getting on the field in nickel and dime packages this season. The only reason he slipped this far is because he’s 5’9”. If he were two inches taller, he would have been long gone by this point given how athletic and fast he is. Forget the size – this kid can play.

Keep in mind, the Packers did get pick 5.26 as part of their trade with the Patriots, and they took Meredith with that pick. But since Anthony picked him at 3.09, we can remove him from consideration. To judge this trade, it's really Matthews versus Sintim and Moore. Obviously, we'll never know how each of these players would have performed in different environments, so all we have to go on is how much success each player had with the team that drafted him. Sintim joins a stacked Giants' LB corps so it may take a while to figure out which was the better draft.

We'll readdress this at some point around next year's draft, so be sure to set a reminder on your calendar to check back. After all, we need to know who's smarter -- Anthony Stalter or Ted Thompson.

The Dolphins have waived former second round pick John Beck.

The draft class of one year HC Cam Cameron is getting thinner every day. The Miami Dolphins have announced the release, not the trade, of 3rd string QB John Beck. Beck rode the bench last year and never saw the field the entire season. After the Dolphins drafted QB Pat White over the weekend, it was evident that Beck’s future with the team was seriously in doubt.
The release comes following a weekend when the Phins likely tried to move the QB VIA trade, but it is obvious that the team couldn’t get anything in return. Beck started 3 games in his rookie season after being drafted in the 2nd round. He won no games.

Beck has a strong arm but his experience and age, 28 made him an unlikely candidate with this regime to not only see playing time, but stick on the roster. Earlier this off-season, HC Tony Sparano said that it would be hard to find Beck practice reps this off-season as they groom Chad Henne.

Beck becomes another 2nd round QB that the Dolphins have swung and missed on in the last few years. The Dolphins traded a high 2nd round pick for AJ Feely to Philadelphia, spent a high 2nd round pick on Daunte Culpepper, drafted John Beck with a high 2nd round pick, drafted Chad Henne with a low 2nd rounder, and of course this year spent the 44th overall pick, a 2nd rounder, on QB/RB/WR Pat White.

Hindsight is always 20/20, but what a brutal pick in the second round. Scouts knew that he played in a system that allowed him to put up gaudy numbers at BYU, yet they ignored that and just paid attention to his arm strength. Some team will likely give him a shot as a backup, but in his brief starting appearances in Miami, he was brutal.

Maybe this means that they’ll give Pat White – whom they took in the second round last weekend – a shot to play quarterback. Some envision White as a receiver at the next level, but he had the best scouting combine of any quarterback in this year’s draft, and that includes Mark Sanchez. White has the arm strength to complete all of the passes in the NFL and obviously has the mobility to make things happen with his feet. Clearly the Dolphins are going to find ways to get him on the field if they took him in the second round, most likely in their “Wildcat” formation.

I’m going to channel my inner Peter King and dole out a crap load of quick-hit thoughts on last weekend’s NFL draft, which by the way, was one of the more unpredictable drafts I have ever witnessed.

Below are 65 observations from the 2009 NFL Draft. Why 65? I don’t know – don’t worry about it. Originally I came up with 62, but I know that some people freak out when things aren’t in round numbers, so I added three more. But the number 65 means nothing, so don’t waste time searching for its meaning.

Obviously these are all my opinions and feel free to debate them. But before you do, I already know that it supposedly takes three seasons to fully grade a draft and that no prospect is a sure thing. Again, I’m projecting here – so lighten up and let’s strike up some good debates.

1. Outside of the fact that he’s now a millionaire and could buy a small country, I kind of feel bad for Matthew Stafford. You know some halfwit fan or media member can’t wait to utter the comment, “For $72 million, he should have made that pass.” I hate the fact that money plays such a huge role in sports because when you get down to it, completing a pass, making a catch or kicking a field goal has nothing to do with how many zeros are on your paycheck.

2. I know I’m not saying anything new here, but the rookie salary structure is a joke. When teams don’t even want a top 5 pick anymore because of the financial burden that comes with it, there’s a huge problem.

3. The kid could turn out to be the next Ryan Leaf on the field, but Lion fans have to at least take comfort in the fact that Matthew Stafford is saying all the right things at this point. He did an interview with the NFL Network on Sunday and he talked about how he wants to be a starter right away, but also wants to learn and be patient in his development. From all accounts, he looks like he has a great head on his shoulders.

4. If Tyson Jackson turns out to be the next Richard Seymour like Chiefs’ GM Scott Pioli believes, then nobody is going to remember (or care) that he was taken with the third overall pick in a weak draft class.

5. Out of all the prospects to come out of this draft class, I’m going to find myself rooting the hardest for Aaron Curry. It was incredibly heartwarming to see him bring a 12-year old leukemia survivor to the draft and it was touching to see how emotionally happy he was on the stage after his name was announced. You can tell that the young man takes nothing for granted in life.

6. Jet fans are excited that they have a quarterback for the future, as well they should be. But I can’t help but think about how if Mark Sanchez had waited to come out next year, there’s a good chance he would be the third quarterback taken behind Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy. Yet he was a top 5 pick in this year’s draft and the Jets had to trade two high picks and three players in order to select him. Yikes.

7. I absolutely loved what Cleveland did in the first round. They not only saved a truck load of money by trading out of the top 5, but they also didn’t reach for a prospect just to fill a need and acquired a ton of picks by continuously trading down.

8. I loved all of Cleveland’s wheeling and dealing in the first round, but not as much as I loved the acquisition of safety Abram Elam as part of the deal for the No. 5 pick. He is one of the most underrated players in the league and he obviously is a fit for Eric Mangini’s defensive scheme. Besides having the desire to get out of the top 5, Elam was the key component to that entire trade for the Browns.

9. Some may hammer the Browns for taking a center in the first round, but many considered Alex Mack the type of prospect that could change the way teams draft the position in the future. Plus, you have to love how Cleveland continues to upgrade the most important unit on the football field: the offensive line.

10. The Bengals never learn do they? Andre Smith is incredibly talented but he carries more baggage with him than a 787.

11. Darrius Heyward-Bey could turn out to be a solid deep threat in the NFL, but Michael Crabtree has the potential to be one of the best receivers in the game for a very long time. Not that he cares, but Al Davis is nuts for passing on the talented Texas Tech product.

12. Speaking of Crabtree, one of the potential reasons of why he fell as far as he did could be because of his attitude. Cleveland was apparently turned off by his “diva” persona during a pre-draft visit, but if there is any person that can humble the young man, it’s 49ers’ head coach Mike Singletary.

13. The Jaguars did incredibly well in the first two rounds. It wasn’t a flashy draft, but how often does a team land two starting-caliber offensive tackles in their first two picks? This was a team crippled by injuries along the O-line last season, so adding Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton was fantastic. (Somewhere, Maurice Jones-Drew is smiling.)

14. I’ve hammered the Packers for much of the offseason because of the lack of attention paid to filling needs in their new 3-4 defense. But GM Ted Thompson came through at No. 9 with the selection of B.J. Raji, who could play end this year and then nose next year if the team decides not to bring back Ryan Pickett, who becomes a free agent after this season.

15. I was surprised the Bills passed on offensive tackle Michael Oher at No. 11, but teams were worried about his ability to grasp an offense at the next level so at least Buffalo addressed its need for a pass rusher in Penn State defensive end Aaron Maybin.

16. Should anyone really be surprised that new Broncos’ head coach Josh McDaniels went offense at No. 12?

17. Speaking of that pick, Knowshon Moreno has the best vision of any running back taken in this draft. He’s a stud and should do well in Denver.

18. Washington got one of the steals of the first round when Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo fell to them at No. 13. He was an absolute force against Oklahoma and Texas Tech last year and should be motivated after falling out of the top 10.

19. I know he had a brutal showing at the NFL scouting combine, but trust me – Malcolm Jenkins can play. He was highly productive at Ohio State and was less of a risk than fellow cornerback prospect Vontae Davis, even though Davis has the superior athletic skills. (More on Davis later.)

20. You have to hand it to the Texans. This was the second year in a row that some believed Houston would address the running back position in the first round, but they continued to build their defense with the selection of linebacker Brian Cushing. Maybe 2009 will finally be the year this team makes a playoff run.

21. Larry English might not be an every down player at the next level, but what a pick by the Chargers. They really didn’t have a ton of needs to address and English was a monster in the MAC last year. The Bolts will find ways to get him on the field and don’t be surprised if he piles up 7-10 sacks next year.

22. I have several issues with the Bucs’ decision to draft Josh Freeman in the first round. First and foremost, in a better quarterback class, he might be a second or even third rounder given how raw he is as a prospect. Secondly, why the hell did Tampa trade up to get him? Did they really think Denver was going to take him at No. 18 with so many holes to fill on the defensive side of the ball?

23. Weren’t Jon Gruden and GM Bruce Allen ridiculed and essentially (in part) ushered out of Tampa for concentrating too much on the quarterback position? Yet, the new regime of Raheem Morris and Mark Dominik have already re-signed Luke McCown, signed free agent Byron Leftwich and drafted Josh Freeman. And oh-by-the-way, they still have Brian Griese and Josh Johnson on the roster. I have no idea what Morris and Dominik are doing in terms of a game plan to rebuild the Bucs.

24. Isn’t Jeremy Maclin essentially the same receiver as DeSean Jackson? I’m surprised the Eagles didn’t add a bigger complement to Jackson if they were focused on drafting a receiver in the early rounds.

25. It’s easy to slam Detroit’s selection of Brandon Pettigrew at No. 20, but what is always considered a young quarterback’s best friend? A tight end – and Pettigrew is one of the better tight end prospects to come out in some time.

26. That said, how did the Lions not address their middle linebacker need with the No. 20 pick? Rey Maualuga was there for the taking and he would have filled a bigger need than Pettigrew. Jordon Dizon is your middle linebacker, Lions? Seriously?

27. One more note on the Lions drafting Pettigrew; tight end is also viewed as an extension of the O-line, which was a major need for Detroit coming into the draft. For better or worse, Pettigrew was essentially Martin Mayhew’s answer in addressing that need.

28. I was shocked that the Vikings selected Percy Harvin at No. 22 – not because they didn’t need a receiver, but because it was reported that Brad Childress had removed all prospects with poor character from his draft board. This was just another example of how you can’t believe everything reported before the draft.

29. Baltimore got a first round steal in offensive tackle Michael Oher. As previously noted, some teams were worried about whether or not Oher could grasp a pro offense, but at No. 23, he was worth the risk.

30. Peria Jerry fits a major need for the Falcons – or does he? Scouts believe he’s an under tackle at the next level and Atlanta already has a productive player at that position in Jonathan Babineaux. Obviously Thomas Dimitroff and Mike Smith feel as though Jerry can play the nose and after the draft those two compiled last year, I trust their judgment.

31. Vontae Davis doesn’t really seem like a Bill Parcells-type does he? Regardless, he’s loaded with talent and if he can keep his emotions and attitude in check, he could turn out be a solid corner.

32. My coworker John Paulsen and I are going to do more on this topic soon (so check back), but I thought the Packers’ deal with the Patriots at No. 26 was the worst trade of the first round. Green Bay filled a huge need with the selection of outside linebacker Clay Matthews, but they gave up a second round pick and two third rounders in doing so. Considering Matthews might be one of the more overrated prospects in the draft, I was shocked that GM Ted Thompson would give up so much for that pick.

33. It’ll be interesting to see which receiver taken in the bottom of the first round (Hakeem Nicks or Kenny Britt) goes on to have the more productive career. They both have great hands, above-average speed and will play for decent offenses in New York (Giants) and Tennessee, respectively.

34. How did Chris “Beanie” Wells fall all the way to No. 31? I know there are injury concerns, but he had the best blend of size, speed and strength of any running back prospect in the draft and Arizona might have gotten a steal.

35. Some have compared Western Michigan safety Louis Delmas to Bob Sanders. Too bad Delmas might rot in Detroit.

36. Far be it for me to question Bill Belichick on draft day, but Patrick Chung at No. 34 in the second round? That’s freaking high.

37. Ohio State prospect prediction #1: Linebacker James Laurinaitis will struggle finding a position in the pros.

38. Ohio State prospect prediction #2: Brian Robiskie is going to flourish as a quality possession receiver in the NFL.

39. I love Alphonso Smith and think he could turn out to be a solid corner, but why would the Broncos give up a first round pick in 2010 to trade up in the second round of a weak draft?

40. As long as I’m crapping on the Broncos, did anyone tell Josh McDaniels and Brian Xanders that teams are usually more successful when they trade down, not up? Every time they announced a trade, it was usually Denver moving up. I don’t necessarily dislike the prospects they wound up with, but their approach in this draft was bizarre.

41. Whose mother did Rey Maualuga punch for him to fall all the way to No. 38? Nice pick, Bengals.

42. Whose baby did Duke Robinson punch for him to slip all the way into the fifth round? How the hell does a first-round talent drop to the No. 163 overall pick? Nice value, Carolina.

43. Before the draft, word was that the Patriots were absolutely in love with Connecticut cornerback Darius Butler at No. 23. After completely trading out of the first round, New England snagged Butler with the No. 41 overall pick in the second round. That’s the genius of Bill Belichick on draft day.

44. See No. 38, but replace the name Alphonso Smith with Everrette Brown, and the word Broncos with Panthers.

45. What better team for Pat White to go to than the one that founded the “Wildcat” formation last season?

46. I have no idea how he fits into an already stacked Giants’ linebacker corps, but I love their pick of Virginia’s Clint Sintim at No. 45. The guy was a monster in college.

47. I think it was hilarious that Mel Kiper and Todd McShay bashed the Raiders’ selection of Michael Mitchell with the No. 47 pick in the second round (they said they could have gotten him much later), yet the Bears were reportedly ready to take him at No. 49. If Mitchell was good enough for Jerry Angelo in the second round (I said second, not first – Lord knows Angelo can’t judge talent in the first), then chances are he’s a better prospect than Kiper and McShay thought he was.

48. The Eagles took two boom or bust picks in Jeremy Maclin and “Shaddy” McCoy in the first two rounds, but there’s no question they added some athletic talent with each of the selections.

49. I don’t care what anyone says – William Moore (Falcons) was the steal of the second round. I know he had a bad senior year, but he was nicked up and had he come out after his junior season, he would have been a top 15 pick.

50. I still prefer NFL Network’s coverage to ESPN’s, but Marshall Faulk and Jamie Dukes continue to bring nothing to the table. And what was with the on-going camera trick where they kept making everyone’s heads look bigger? It was funny once, but by the fourth time enough was enough.

51. Penn State wideout Derrick Williams (Lions’ third round pick) could turn out to be the next great kick returner in the NFL.

52. Arizona might have found a gem in the third round in Alabama safety Rashad Johnson. He’s not a thumper, but some have compared him to a poor man’s Ed Reed.

53. If Wisconsin's Travis Beckum (Giants’ third round pick) could ever stay healthy, he could have a nice career as a pass-catching tight end.

54. The Bears got the steal of the fourth round in Vandy cornerback D.J. Moore. The only reason why he dropped so far was because of his lack of size (he’s only 5’8”). If he were two inches taller, he would have probably been a second rounder. Yet another mid-round gem by GM Jerry Angelo.

55. Speaking of mid-round Jerry Angelo gems, throw Ohio State outside linebacker Marcus Freeman and Abilene Christian wideout Johnny Knox into that group, too.

56. Atlanta had a really solid second day. Quarterbacks mostly stayed away of cornerback Chris Owens (third round) at San Jose State last year and Lawrence Sidbury (forth round) of Richmond could turn out to be a solid pass rusher. All in all, the Falcons filled needs and got a ton of defensive help throughout the draft.

57. I hate to crap on any prospect, because clearly they have more talent than I do, but I think Seattle wasted their sixth round pick on Rutgers’ quarterback Mike Teel. He has good arm strength, but he really struggles in his decision making I doubt he’s long for the NFL. But still – good luck, Mike!

58. I know I hammered Packers’ GM Ted Thompson for his first round trade at No. 31 on this list, but he really did put together a solid draft. Georgia defensive end Jarius Wynn was a nice find in the sixth round.

59. Someone explain to me how Fresno State tight end Bear Pascoe is not on his way to Chicago right now.

60. Your 2009 Marques Colston Seventh Round Sleeper Award goes to: Rutgers’ wide receiver Tiguan Underwood (Jaguars).

61. I know teams are always enamored with size and arm strength when it comes to drafting quarterbacks, but how do guys like Mike Teel and Tom Brandstater get selected before Graham Harrell? I know Harrell had grossly inflated numbers because he played in Texas Tech’s offensive system, but I still can’t believe that no team took a flier on him in the seventh round, yet Bradstater and Teel go in the sixth.

62. After not selecting a running back the entire draft, keep an eye on the Texans’ interest in Edgerrin James if/when he is released by the Cardinals.

63. After not selecting a pass-rusher in the entire draft, keep an eye on the Patriots’ interest in free agent defensive end Jason Taylor.

64. One has to wonder what Anquan Boldin’s fate is after the Giants and Titans each drafted first round receivers. Are the Ravens still a possibility? And would Arizona be willing to scale back their trade demands?

65. Quote of the NFL draft weekend: “How fitting is it that this year’s Mr. Irreverent is a kicker!” – Rich Eisen, NFL Network.

Other 2009 NFL Draft Coverage:

NFL Draft: 5 Second Day Steals
NFL Draft: 5 First Round Values
NFL Draft: 5 Questionable Day 1 Decisions
NFL Draft: 5 Day 1 Winners
Official 2009 NFL Draft Post & Rumor Mill

- SPORTSbyBROOKS reveals that Spike Lee's documentary about Kobe almost didn't happen because KB24 demanded full creative control. (Keep in mind, this is a story from the NY Post's Page Six, where facts are optional.)

- THE NY POST's Phil Mushnick says Stephen A. Smith makes it impossible to feel sorry for him.

- THE BIG LEAD says that Mike Mayock had the best mock draft, and has the numbers to prove it.

- SCACCHOOPS has an update on top high school basketball prospect John Wall, and the current state of his decision process.

- DEADSPIN has video of the worst chest-bump in the world. They also have video of Ben Gordon "celebrating" after hitting a game-saving three against the Celtics.

Never one to shy away from giving his truthful opinion, Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Star ripped former Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards for his less-than stellar performance on ESPN’s broadcast of the NFL draft last weekend.

Herm spent two days on air making damn sure he didn’t offer one opinion that could potentially put him at odds with an NFL owner, general manager or remotely talented player. Edwards isn’t the first former coach to hit the television airwaves determined to pick up an easy paycheck and protect his future coaching prospects.

If he’s not careful, his ESPN job is going to sabotage his coaching career. In two days of breaking down the draft, Edwards came across as sound and fury signifying absolutely nothing. His commentary was a mixture of Mike Ditka, Sarah Palin and Michael Irvin.

I fully expect to soon see Edwards standing in front of the pointless touch-screen prop that had promising Michael Smith looking and sounding more like Vanna White than the next Chris Mortensen during the draft weekend.

For a man who was supposed to be a broadcasting natural, Edwards mumbled, stumbled and clichéd his way through two days of draft coverage. Kansas City’s 2-14 record made sense.

Unfortunately I didn’t see Edwards’ performance on ESPN because my TV never left the NFL Network’s coverage of the draft, but it would make sense that Herm wouldn’t want to ruffle any feathers if he hopes to get another head coaching gig.

Jon Gruden was an analyst for the NFL Network all weekend and while I didn’t think he did a bad job, he didn’t give any earth-shattering commentary either. I thought he played his role – talked about team needs, what a head coach looks for in prospects and gave his opinion on the state of certain franchises. I wouldn’t expect him to rip another head coach, owner or team given the fact that he’ll probably be in the league again next year. I would have to assume that NFL coaches share a brotherhood to some extent, which is why Herm probably didn’t feel the need to lambaste anyone either.

It still would have been nice to see what Whitlock is talking about with Edwards though. Anyone agree with Whitlock’s assessment of Herm’s performance?

What constitutes a second day steal in the NFL draft? Well, opinion of the evaluator above all else, I guess. But if a player was projected to be taken higher than he was, then that plays into the notion that a team got somewhat of a steal for that selection. Below are five players that were selected on Day 2 of this weekend’s draft that I thought were decent steals.

1. Carolina Panthers No. 163, Round 5: Duke Robinson, G, Oklahoma
I was flat out flabbergasted that Robinson fell to the fifth round. Not that this holds much water because I’m not a scout, but I projected Robinson to go to the Steelers with the last pick in the first round in each of my three mock drafts. He was arguably the best guard prospect in the draft and instead of being a first day lock, he fell all the way to No. 163 for reasons unbeknownst to me. He has the talent to be a future starter and maybe sliding this far will motivate him to succeed.

2. Chicago Bears No. 119, Round 4: D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt
The only reason Moore slipped to the fourth round is because of his size (5’8”, 192 pounds) – or lack thereof. If he were two inches taller and 10 pounds heavier, he would have been a second round pick and maybe the fourth corner taken overall in this draft. Moore has tremendous athleticism, good speed and is an aggressive player. Nathan Vasher has struggled the past two seasons for the Bears and I wouldn’t be surprised if Moore challenges for the starting cornerback job opposite Peanut Tillman in training camp. If he doesn’t start, he’ll certainly see some time in nickel packages as a rookie.

3. Philadelphia Eagles No. 157, Round 5: Victor Harris, CB, Virginia Tech
Harris scared teams off because of his lack of speed, but he had a very productive career at VA Tech and always played with a mean streak. He’s also got excellent hands, flashed good instincts and was also a return man in college. He’ll probably never be a No. 1 corner, but he’ll be solid in the slot and has a ton of experience. The selection of Harris, coupled with the trade of Ellis Hobbs from the Patriots, gives the Eagles some added depth in their secondary.

4. Chicago Bears No. 154, Round 5: Marcus Freeman, OLB, Ohio State
The Bears had a nice second day, which was key after trading away all of their first day selections. Freeman is a bit undersized, but he goes to a great defensive scheme in Chicago and could challenge Hunter Hillenmeyer for playing time on the weakside. If the Bears can add some bulk to his frame and get him to be more aggressive, he could be a nice contributor. He had a very productive career at Ohio State, including posting 109 tackles in his junior year.

5. Atlanta Falcons No. 125, Round 4: Lawrence Sidbury Jr., DE, Richmond
Several media outlets including ESPN.com had Sidbury as one of the best available prospects entering Day 2 of the draft. He slipped to the fourth round even though some projected him to go in the second or third and could garner some playing time if the Falcons part ways with former top 10 pick Jamaal Anderson this offseason (which, believe it or not, is a possibility). Sidbury played at a small school, but he was highly productive, amassing 20 sacks in 51 games in college including four in Richmond’s win over Montana in the FCS National Championship Game. Defensive end wasn’t a huge need for Atlanta, but if Sidbury turns out to be an effective pass-rusher, then they made out with this fourth round pick.

Other 2009 NFL Draft Coverage:

NFL Draft: 5 Second Day Steals
NFL Draft: 5 First Round Values
NFL Draft: 5 Questionable Day 1 Decisions
NFL Draft: 5 Day 1 Winners
Official 2009 NFL Draft Post & Rumor Mill

One of the more intriguing rumors that circulated before the draft was one involving the Chiefs trading former 2008 No. 5 overall pick Glenn Dorsey to the Falcons in exchange for Atlanta’s first and third round picks in 2009. Apparently as part of the deal, Kansas City would have also been on the hook for the guaranteed portion of Dorsey’s contract, which would have been roughly $18 million.

From the Falcons’ position, this would have been a phenomenal trade. Dorsey struggled last year as a rookie, but most defensive tackles usually do in their first year. He would have filled a major need for Atlanta, who almost took Dorsey last year but decided instead to select Matt Ryan with the No. 3 pick.

The Falcons eventually wound up filling their defensive tackle need with Peria Jerry, who they chose with the No. 24 pick in the first round of this year’s draft. Jerry isn’t the prospect Dorsey was and it’s questionable if he can play nose in the 4-3, but obviously his selection means that Atlanta won’t continue their pursuit of Dorsey (if they ever did in the first place, that is).

For Kansas City, this would have been a brutal trade outside of the fact that Dorsey doesn’t fit in their new 3-4 defensive scheme. Acquiring another first round pick and an addition third would have been nice, but they would have been giving up on a player in Dorsey who has tremendous upside. Plus, and this is the killer, they still would have had to pay $18 million in guaranteed money to Dorsey. I don’t see how that deal would have been good for KC in the long run although again, they have a player in Dorsey that doesn’t fit their new scheme.

It’ll be interesting to hear if this was just a major rumor or if this was a deal that fell apart on draft weekend.