“Each of these players is highly capable of starting at their respective positions, and even dominating at the next level.”
pictured: Brady Quinn
by Kevin Roberts
(4/26/07) Just two days remain until the NFL Draft. All eyes are set on the Oakland Raiders as they gear up to undoubtedly make the foolish decision of picking LSU quarterback Jamarcus Russell. With a better prospect and player at their disposal in Brady Quinn, this move will still be totally predictable. In a time where the black athlete easily over powers the white athlete in prestige in football because of the Caste System, here is a look at my top 10 available players in the first 3 rounds that are either under-rated, or simply are not being considered among the elite.
The following players are white athletes who have outstanding skills or have performed very well in college and deserve another look before the draft.1. Adam Carriker—DE (Nebraska) – He is up there with the best defensive linemen in the Draft. I don’t see any reason why Gaines Adams should be mentioned in the top 3 and this guy is in the middle of the first round on boards all across the nation. He could go as high as the Vikings, where their young defensive ends have failed them, or as low as St. Louis, where thier line is quietly aging.
2. Anthony Gonzalez—WR (Ohio State) – The kid has the speed and quickness of a Santana Moss or Steve Smith, yet he’s just hovering in the first round. Unfortunately, I believe it’s possible he could slip into the middle of the second or even the early part of the third round. I honestly feel his talent can get him as high as St. Louis, where Buler would make him a mighty fine cliche’ third receiver. He is more liekly to drop to Indianapolis and play the slot there. That is, if he stays in the first round.
3. Brian Leonard—TB(Rutgers) – The fact that he clearly prefers playing tailback over fullback may render him useless to nearly all NFL teams. However, his abilities and attitude alone will get him drafted on the first day. The teams most likely pursuing Leonard are the Giants and the Eagles, neither of which would be using him as a starting rusher.
4. Paul Posluszny—ILB (Penn State) – Not the most athletic of linebackers, but no one in this Draft beats him in heart or knowledge. You don’t get called the best linebacker to ever suit up for Joe Pa for nothing. He should land somewhere between 15-25 in the first round.
5. Greg Olsen—TE (Miami) – Why this guy didn’t play receiver in college and isn’t trying to in the NFL is beyond me, but he is definately capable of doing so. His 4.5 40 times keep him at the top of the tight end race, and making him a lock to be drafted in the first round. He could go as high as Green Bay, or as low as Philadelphia.
6. Eric Weddle—CB (Utah) – This might be as close as you come to a white cornerback prospect in this day and age. He has very good speed and solid coverage skills. His main strength, though, is his versatility. He really could be a first round pick, but the depth at safety this year will cheapen his value a bit. He is likely to fall to late second, mid-third round.
7. Trent Edwards—QB (Stanford) – Missing out on half of his senior season hurt him a good deal, but playing only decently in his limited action hurt him even more. Edwards has the size and mobility to be an elite quarterback if given time. He has the talent to land early in the second, but it is more likely he’ll fall somewhere in the third. If the Lions don’t draft Quinn or Russell in the first, Edwards is a possibility later.
8. Sabby Piscitelli—S (Oregon State) – He sports excellent speed and play-making ability, but lacks in finishing plays, hitting, and tackling. Still, his athleticism alone, as well as versatility, will get him drafted on the first day. My hope is that he doesn’t slip down past Green Bay in the third round, but if he does, he won’t fall any further than Tennessee.
9. John Wendling—S (Wyoming) – Wendling is an athletic freak, but just hasn’t had the stage or exposure to show it off. He’s a big guy who can play either safety position, with great speed and exceptional tackling ability. Unfortunately, he probably will just barely make the cut in the first day. He’s borderling third rounder/fourth rounder.
10. David Ball—WR (New Hampshire) – Apparently if you go to USC and play in a system that produces over-rated receivers filled with college stats, you get drafted in the first two rounds by default. But if you break Jerry Rice’s touchdown record you go undrafted. Ball is not a speed demon, but he’s no chump. His hands and positioning are sickly good, and his ability to score with the ball is unmatchable. His level of competition leaves much to be desired, but footage of senior games showed his talent well. He can compete on a high level, and is a much better prospect than people lead you to believe. In my opinion, he is at least third round talent. However, he will be extremely lucky if he gets a call from a team in the final picks of the seventh round.
Each of these players is highly capable of starting at their respective positions, and even dominating at the next level. Hopefully they all get drafted and can prove to the rest of their doubters that they belong.