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National Football League
Draft King Analysis
November 30, 2007
Lou Pickney, DraftKing.com
Reader feedback is always welcomed here at DraftKing.com. Send your thoughts to me at LouPickney@gmail.com.
A friend of mine sent me a text message tonight: "McFadden better than AD?? Bold call draft king..." I explained my thoughts to him, and I want to do the same on here.
In my opinion, Darren McFadden is a stronger NFL prospect than Adrian Peterson was at this point last year. That is *not* to say that McFadden will be a better pro than Peterson. AD (which is the abbreviation for All Day, Peterson's nickname, which has taken off and I guess is what happens when you share the same first and last name with another active NFL starting RB) has had a phenomenal rookie year, and he has certainly set the bar high for McFadden to try to match for next season, should be opt to come out early.
But, the reality is that there were durability concerns surrounding Peterson that lasted all the way up to draft day, concerns which aren't there for McFadden. The upside for fans of both players is that they are both top-notch athletes who both look to have great NFL careers.
I happened to catch some of the Fresno State at New Mexico State game on ESPN2 tonight at the gym. There wasn't much there as far as scouting for high-end draft picks, but it was enjoyable to have college football available as a supplement to the NBA game on the other TV. Fresno State junior TE Bear Pascoe is on my radar as far as tight ends go, where there haven't been any major breakout stars (compared with years past.) While he would likely be well-served to return to school for his senior year, it's not outside the realm of possibility for him to land a spot in the draft (albeit on day two) if he comes out early. He's a super athletic guy for the position, which is a growing trend in the NFL.
Tomorrow is Championship Game day, which should be intriguing. It's amusing to me that UCLA could beat USC and, with the right circumstances, end up as 7-5 and yet playing in the Rose Bowl as the Pac-10 champ. Remember, they lost to Notre Dame. Meanwhile, a four-loss Tennessee team could be in the Sugar Bowl with an upset over LSU in the Georgia Dome.
The big game is, naturally, Missouri vs. Oklahoma in San Antonio. Chase Daniel is playing great ball, though at 5'11" he's going to have a tough time cracking into the top two rounds of the draft in 2009. Missouri has possibly the best tight end combo in the country, including perhaps the top tight end in the nation, senior Martin Rucker. Keep him in mind if your favorite pro team is looking for a good receiving TE option; while he's not a renowned blocker, his speed and pass-catching skills are strong.
For Oklahoma, they have several up-and-coming junior prospects worth watching, particularly WR Malcolm Kelly and OG Duke Robinson. The secondary has two underrated players (both also juniors) in safety Nic Harris and corner Reggie Smith. If the Sooners can get all of these guys to come back to school next year, along with talented ILB Curtis Lofton (yep, also a junior), they could be exceptional. As it is, they have the talent to give Missouri a strong challenge, as evidenced by OU's win over Mizzou in Norman earlier this year.
I'd be remiss to not mention the Virginia Tech vs. Boston College rematch in the ACC Title game; their Thursday night battle in October was a memorable battle, particularly with BC's impressive comeback. VT will be out for revenge, which should make for a fun challenge for BC quarterback (and near first-round lock) Matt Ryan.
The positive feedback to this article by Dan Wetzel has been overwhelming. I heard about it merely by linking to it from the front page of this site. If you enjoyed that, you should check out this follow-up by Wetzel. Clearly, there is widespread support for a playoff system out there.
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