Giants Gab

According to a list obtained by The Associated Press, there are 212 players who would be considered restricted free agents — instead of unrestricted — if there is no salary cap in 2010. There is at least one player from each of the NFL’s 32 teams on the list.

Pro Bowl linebackers Elvis Dumervil of the Broncos and DeMeco Ryans of the Houston Texans are in the group of potentially affected players, as are starting quarterbacks Kyle Orton of the Broncos andJason Campbell of the Washington Redskins.

“Free agency’s always been something for the players, always been a great thing,” Orton said before the Broncos practiced Wednesday. “If you get one crack at free agency as a player, that’s what you dream of. How it stands right now … guys aren’t going to be able to have that dream, to be a free agent. That’s a shame for the players, I think.”

In an uncapped year, a player would need at least six years in the NFL, up from the current minimum of four years in the league, to be an unrestricted free agent able to sign with any team.

The other Pro Bowl players who could find themselves missing out on a chance to cash in this offseason areGreen Bay Packers safety Nick Collins, New England Patriots guard Logan Mankins, New Orleans Saints guardJahri Evans and Philadelphia Eagles fullback Leonard Weaver.

In addition to the NFL’s sacks leader (Dumervil) and the NFC’s leader in receiving yards (Austin), other prominent names on the list include San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman, New York Jets wide receiver Braylon Edwards, Indianapolis Colts safety Antoine Bethea, Miami Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown and Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski.

If players lose out on the chance to become unrestricted free agents this offseason, they might not receive what they were expecting to be a huge payoff. They also won’t have the luxury of moving freely anywhere in the league.

A restricted free agent’s old team has a chance to offer the player a one-year contract at different levels of pay which determine what level of draft-choice compensation the old club would receive for losing the player. And the old team has the right to match any offer another club makes to a restricted free agent.

Other rule changes would go into effect if there is no salary cap in 2010. There would be no minimum or maximum amounts that teams could spend on payroll, and each club would have an extra “transition player” tag. A “transition player” must be offered a minimum of the average of the top 10 salaries of the prior season at the player’s position or 120 percent of the player’s previous year’s salary, whichever is greater.

O.K. so I give in. I know there are more than a few of you out there who are intersted in the Giants moving up to get Eric Berry, and while I am not one of them I’ll respect your wishes and profile Mr. Berry.

Let me first start off with a trade value chart becuase I can not see Eric Berry lasting later than 7th under any conditions that do not involve a significant injury during a pre-draft workout.

(Walterfooball.com is where I got the chart you can get it in a lot of places though. Profootballtalk.com and 1,00o others).

the 15th overall pick is worth 1,050 points. The 2nd round pick, or 47th pick, is worth 430, 3rd is 195, 4th is worth 72, 5th 34.5, 6th 21.4, 7th is worth 8.6

To move up to 7th it would cost the Giants a 1st, a 2nd, and a 6th (you could live with that becuase you’d still get four other picks)

to move up to 6th it would cost the Giants a 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th (eh. not ideal)

to move up to 5th it would cost the Giants a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 6th (No thank you)

to move up to 4th it would cost the Giants a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th. (Only if you’re Mike Ditka looking for Ricky Williams)

You get the point.

To move up anywhere past 7th would be very, very costly.

Now, maybe the trade value chart has changed, and you could get it for less than the value chart indicates, but if you want to move up to 5th (latest I think Eric Berry will be drafted) it’s probably  a 1st, a 3rd, and 4th and 7th or something.  I mean you’d still get a 2nd round pick and a 5th round pick, but that’s a lot to give up before you pay the guy top ten money.

So now that you understand the cost of moving up let’s get to Eric Berry.

Prodraft Party Video

Eric Berry

Measurables

5′11 200 pounds. Born December 29, 1989. Junior.

via Cbs Draft Scout Full name: James Eric Berry … Born: Dec. 29, 1988. Father, James Berry, was a three-year starter, four-year letterman and 1981 team captain for the Vols … Aspiring dentist is currently serving an internship at a dental office in Georgia …

His blood lines are so good, his thirteen year old brother has already committed to Teeneessee

Stats

Career: 214 tackles, 2 FF, 14 INT (three years)

2009: 83 tackles (54 solo), 1 FF, 2 INT, 7 passes defensed.

Big Games:

VS UCLA 10 tackles

@ Florida 11 tackles (9 solo), 1 INT

vs Auburn 14 tackles (11 solo), 1 pass defensed

vs Alabama 5 tackles 2 passes defensed

@ Mississippi 8 tackles

Eric Berry was very productive every year he was at Teenessee. He was good vs the run and very good in pass coverage. In 2008 he had 7 INT in  the 12 games he played 2 of which he brought back to the house. 

Just a very productive College football player.

He even had 37 career rushing yards and 1 career reception.

Scouting Reports

New Era Scouting.com

Agility/Hips: Berry is smooth out his breaks and transitions out his backpedal with ease. Really shows his agility on interception returns. Is a shifty runner, which helps him stick with quick receivers in pass coverage.

Ball Skills: Has natural hands and frequently makes a lot of plays on the ball. Finished his career with 14 interceptions. Nicely secures the ball after making an interception.

Body Control: Keeps good balance when he’s dropping back in coverage. Gets solid position before having to get off the ground to make a play in the air. Doesn’t have the best leaping ability, but gets good hand placement to break up a pass.

Instincts: The recognition skills Berry possesses are as sound as any defender in college football. In zone coverage, Berry’s ability to read a quarterback’s eyes is impressive and perhaps just as good as Troy Polamalu’s. Rarely gets fooled on play-action passes, draws and pump fakes.

Pass Coverage: Can be used in man-to-man and zone equally well. At times, Berry was lined up cornerback throughout his career and managed to hold up fairly well. He is smooth in his backpedal and keeps a manageable cushion.

Pursuit: Berry takes excellent angles toward the ball carrier and closes really fast. He likes to mix it up in the trash, which can sometimes get him in trouble. If a lineman gets his hands on Berry, he doesn’t have the functional strength to disengage.

Run Support: During his junior season, Tennessee used Berry more in the box to stop the run. Although his strength didn’t always allow him to make tackles, he was almost always in on plays. Where he could improve here is in coming in sooner to make a play. Instead, Berry will sometimes wait for a play to come to him. Played sort of a hybrid safety/linebacker position in 2009.

Size: Berry’s size — said by Tennessee to be 5?11 and 203 pounds — is adequate. It’s not impressive, but it’s not a hindrance. He could stand to get a little stronger, but it’s hard to say how this would affect his quickness and speed.

Speed: Closes really fast in zone coverage, which helps him stop receivers from getting yards after the catch. Shows a really good burst to get back into position to make a play on the ball or make up lost ground when coming out his backpedal.

Tackling: For Berry to become a better tackler, he’ll have to add more strength to his entire frame. There were times in 2009 when Berry whiffed on a tackles against strong running backs. he’s a sound wrap-up tackler, however, and will easily improve in this area. He doesn’t shy away from contact at all and really gets after the ball.

Final word: Just about everything about Berry is impressive — and that’s not even including his pure football skills. He was a captain of the Tennessee team and regarded as having great character. Unlike most football players who take easy majors, Berry studied dentistry and interned at a Georgia dentist office.

Berry is known as an excellent teammate who even played on special teams as a junior. He was moved around a lot during his junior season, which cause his interception totals to drop, but Berry didn’t complain.

Playing in defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin’s defense, Berry’s football intelligence only improved as a junior. He now has a skillset and intelligence base that should help him start immediately in the NFL. Clearly a proven pass defender entering 2009, Berry is now a premier all-around safety.

Berry is certainly a top 10 pick, and whatever team drafts him will get a versatile defender. Berry is certainly good enough to start at strong safety and be the next Ed Reed. Or a team could move him to cornerback and he’s good enough to be the next Darrelle Revis.

Walterfootball.com

Strengths:

Extremely productive

Highly athletic

Great initial quickness; short-range explosion

Nice recovery speed

Terrific instincts; anticipates the play

Smooth athlete

Fluid hips

Shows textbook footwork

Absolute playmaker

Can really lay the wood

Physical and violent player

Interception machine

Does a great job of reading the quarterback’s eyes

Gets out of backpedal cleanly and breaks on ball

Soft hands

Good route recognition

Doesn’t miss tackles

Elite range in pass coverage

Turns INTs into TDs

Aggressive against the run

Closes in on ball-carrier quickly

Scheme and position versatility (FS or SS)

Plays through pain

Elite skill set

Very intelligent

Nice work ethic

Weaknesses:

Lacks some upper body strength

Average height

Inconsistent when taking angles against the run

Could perfect his backpedal as he has a tendency to get too high

Left shoulder needs to check out medicallySummary: Eric Berry is an elite talent and a top-10 pick. It is as simple as that, barring injury next season. Berry is one of those few individuals where it just seems like this is what he was born to do. He is a natural on the football field with the intangibles to boot. He will also be coached by one of the best defensive coordinators of all time in Monte Kiffin who knows how to coach the strong safety position (John Lynch and Jermaine Phillips).What really impresses me about Berry is he reportedly played all of the 2008 season with a nagging shoulder injury, which he then had surgery on in December. Berry is the No. 1 prospect in the 2010 NFL Draft, in my opinion.Player Comparison: Ed Reed. Both players are 5-11 with a surreal knack for the game of football and have the ball skills, range, and playmaking ability you look for.

Draft Board Insider.com

Scouting Report-Berry is one of those special players in the secondary that don’t come along very often.  Going into the season I figured it would be he, and Taylor Mays head to head to be the first defensive back off the board, but Mays isn’t in his league.  Berry is so smart, and just has that “it” factor when it comes to making the right play.  Whether it’s sniffing out a screen pass, baiting a quarterback into a throw, or coming up and stuffing the run, Berry is always there for the play.  He plays with a very aggressive nature but it’s always under control, and he uses that to his advantage.  He’s going to have a great 40 time, but in short bursts is where is speed is most evident.  He can play any safety spot, and it wouldn’t shock me if he played some cornerback in the NFL as well.  He’s such a hard working player, I’m not sure there’s anything he can’t do.  He’s got the best hands of any dback in the draft, and does a great job picking the ball up in the air, and making the interception instead of just the knockdown.  The biggest knock on Berry might be the combination of a shoulder injury mixed with his overly aggressive nature/average size.  I have to wonder if Berry is going to be a Troy Polamalu type who has a huge impact on the game, but will be out of the lineup periodically with injuries from that aggressive and explosive style.

Draft Status-The importance of a dominant safety cannot be stressed enough in this league.  Every great defense has a player in the back 4 who can dictate the game on some level.  There aren’t these type of players in every draft, so Berry will be coveted early in the first round.  Probably the top 10 picks.  This is of course assuming his shoulder checks out clean, but even if not, he won’t fall far. 

Final Analysis-Aside from Ndamukong Suh, Berry is the best defensive player in the country and in this upcoming draft.  His impact on opposing offenses will be noticeable early, and his ability to elevate his play will make whatever defense he’s playing on, look even better.   Berry is sort of a mad scientist mix of skills that make him so valuable in today’s NFL.  Berry is going to blow people away this offseason who haven’t gotten to see him play and by next April, the Berry hype machine will be full speed ahead.

Reminds me of: Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh Steelers-I could have said Ed Reed here as well and been able to make a comparison as well.  But for me, the level of intensity and suddeness that Berry plays with, reminds me a lot of the Steeler great. Both are a little undersized, incredible speed and quickness, great hands and a tendency to play a little too aggressive at times.

Big Board Rankings (2/7/10)

Drafttek 2nd

Draft Board Insider.com 3rd

ESPN Scouts Inc 3rd

CBS NFL Draft Scout 2

Walterfootball.com 1

New Era Scouting 3

Where the Mocks Have Him Falling (2/7/10)

Walterfootball 6th (Seahawks)

Draftboard insider 5th (Cheifs)

Mel. Kiper Jr. 3rd (Buccaneers)

Drafttek.com 3rd (Buccaneers)

Bartolis Summary and Final Verdict

 What can you say about Eric Berry? He’s the most hyped up safety I’ve seen in a long time…and is probably the most hyped Safety prospect since Sean Taylor…Taylor was well on his way to becoming an exceptional N.F.L. player before he was tragically murdered.

Taylor had 14 INT in three and a half seasons of N.F.L. play including 5 in 9 games in 2007. To go along with 8 FF.

He was a dynamic play maker in the N.F.L. and Eric Berry might be a slightly more talented player than Taylor was at the same stage in their careers.

Eric Berry has the skill set to become Ed Reed…and that is the biggest comparision he always draws.

Berry is fast, he has good natural football skills. He is always in the right position against the run….he’s very good with the ball AFTER he intercepts it (which is probably where most of the Ed Reed comparisions come from) and Eric Berry WILL be drafted by Cleveland at #7 if he is there. Profootballtalk.com is already reporting that the Browns think they have two players on their entire Secondarysquad that are N.F.L. caliber players.

So at this preliminary stage it looks like they are going to be targeting Eric Berry, Taylor Mays, Earl Thomas, or Joe Haden.

I can see no cirumstance in which Eric Berry makes it past Cleveland at 7…like I said unless he tears his A.C.L. and will miss all of the 2010 season…and then maybe he’d fall to the Giants at 15th.

Moving up to #7 might be O.K. to swallow for the New York Giants, but moving up any higher could be detrimental to the franchise moving forward.

First it cost a lot as far as draft picks go…and secondly it costs a lot as far as money goes…if there is ever a salary cap again it could negatively impact the Giant salary cap numbers who also have a lot of money tied into Eli Manning.

Eric Berry is a dynamic college player and has EVERY ingredient you’d look for in a futur pro. He’s smart, has elite athletic ability, has natural football intelligence and works hard.

He has a low bust rate and a very high Pro-Bowl rate.

I would LOVE to see Eric Berry on the New York Giants next year…but I would NOT trade the draft away in order to do so…if the Giants do make that call ( I highly doubt it) than you can’ t complain about getting Berry but you can be worried about the future.

Previous Profiles

OT Bruce Campbell

ILB Daryl Washington

DT/NT Dan Williams (Updated with K.C. Joyner’s Draft Lab 2/7)

CB Kyle Wilson

DT Jared Odrick

DE Carlos Dunlap

ILB Micah Johnson

DT Arthur Jones

OT Bryan Baluga

OT Anthony Davis (UPDATED 2/5/10)

DT Brian Price

ILB Brandon Spikes

S Earl Thomas

ILB Rolando McClain

RB C.J. Spiller

S Taylor Mays

Giants were awarded OT Herb Taylor off waivers from the Broncos today. The 6-3, 295 lineman played 18 games with the Chiefs in 2007-2008.

So, Super Bowl Sunday is behind us, and we move onto the offseason. Officially, at least. The Giants have been in offseason mode for awhile. I wanted to, before GiantsGab became your home for all offseason Giants news, recap the Super Bowl 44. Here are some next day thoughts, Super Bowl style

-What a ballsy move by Sean Payton to open the second half with an onside kick. Don’t recover it, and you probably lose the game. I thought it was the emotional turning point of the game. Sure, after the Saints scored, the Colts came right back, but now the Saints were in it. I can’t believe Payton did it, though. An onside kick? In the Super Bowl? Unheard of, unless you’re trying to win the game in the waning seconds. Can’t believe he did, but it worked out. He looks like a genius now.

-Can we say Drew Brees is the best QB in football? Sure, Manning (Peyton) is tremendous, but Brees was masterful. Absolutely masterful. 32-39. 288 yards. Just incredible. Well deserving of the MVP

-Tracy Porter made a great play on that interception (and honestly, is there a better feeling than that? Running back that interception, to seal a Super Bowl win?), but Reggie Wayne didn’t break out of his cut fast enough. I don’t know if he got mixed up, or if he was just lazy, but he could have at least knocked it down.

-Pierre Garcon’s drop on that third down in the second quarter was huge.

-Garret Hartley has a hell of a leg.

-Time to hang it up, Matt Stover

-I was utterly convinced that Manning would tie the game up. Convinced. Sure of it. And, they were moving. But, one play, one interception, changes everything.

-Saints run defense isn’t that good. I like Joseph Addai, but he’s not that good. Saints are helped by their offense and a great pass defense.

-I watched the game with a bunch of people who don’t like football. It was an interesting experience. First, they just talked during the game. And not about football. About random things. That made it harder to concentrate. But, it was nice actually teaching football to them. I will say, it’s better to watch football with fellow football fans.

-Best Super Bowl ad? Click here

-I liked The Who. Some didn’t. I did. Laser show looked pretty sick.

The Colts, after losing to the Saints on Sunday in Super Bowl 44, are the early favorites to win Super Bowl 45 in Arlington, Texas, according to odds posted on VegasInsider.com. The Saints, meanwhile, are the second choice.

Here are the odds for all 32 NFL teams:

Indianapolis 13-to-2
New Orleans 7-1
Dallas 15-2
New England 17-2
San Diego 17-2
Green Bay 19-2
Minnesota 11-1
Pittsburgh 12-1
N.Y. Jets 14-1
N.Y. Giants 15-1
Philadelphia 18-1
Atlanta 20-1
Tennessee 22-1
Baltimore 24-1
Chicago 28-1
Miami 30-1
Houston 30-1
Cincinnati 35-1
Arizona 40-1
Denver 45-1
Jacksonville 45-1
San Francisco 45-1
Washington 50-1
Cleveland 60-1
Carolina 60-1
Detroit 80-1
Seattle 80-1
Buffalo 100-1
Kansas City 125-1
Oakland 125-1
Tampa Bay 125-1
St. Louis 150-1

Giants have the 10th best odds to win super bowl 45, so place your bets early and often!

This is via walterfootball.com

Although, I don’t think you’ll find it ground-breaking.

Check back later tonight…I’ll post my Eric Berry prospect profile.

Walterfootball.com also has a list of all the Free Agents Available in the off-season.
Most, if not all, the best Free Agents will be restricted if (and it seems likely now) no Collective Barganing Agreement is reached.

I’ll put in my two cents below the article.

Season Summary:
What a disappointment. I’m not talking about this team’s fall from grace after an impressive 5-0 start; I’m referring to the fact that they didn’t put forth a single ounce of effort in the final two weeks of the season. They lost to the Panthers and Vikings by a combined score of 85-16. These athletes are paid millions of dollars. The least they can do is try hard.

Offseason Needs:

1. Defensive Tackle: Fred Robbins is a free agent; Rocky Bernard was a bust signing; and Chris Canty barely played in 2009. Defensive tackle is a major position of need for the Giants.
2. Strong Safety: The Giants can’t get beat over the top dozens of times again next year. There should be plenty of safeties in Round 2 of the 2010 NFL Draft.
3. Middle Linebacker: Antonio Pierce isn’t an effective player anymore, while Jonathan Goff struggled as a substitute toward the end of the year. This position will probably be addressed in Rounds 2-3 of the 2010 NFL Draft.
4. Right Tackle: The right tackle position could be addressed in Rounds 3 or 4 of the 2010 NFL Draft; Kareem McKenzie, 31 in May, appears to be wearing down.
5. Defensive End: Osi Umenyiora missed all of 2008 and had just six sacks in 2009. Now, he’s talking about quitting football if he’s not in the starting lineup. The Giants may just cut him loose if they feel that he’s not worth the trouble.
6. Weakside Linebacker: Michael Boley was hurt this year, but he wasn’t exactly playing on a Pro Bowl level when he was in the lineup.
7. Free Safety: Who knows if Kenny Phillips will ever be the same player again after his nasty knee injury? New York should consider its options if Phillips can’t make it back next season.
8. Cornerback Depth: New York is pretty thin at corner. 

New York Giants Free Agents:

Salary Cap (As of Feb. 8): No cap.

1. Barry Cofield (RFA), DT, Giants. Age: 26.
   Barry Cofield is now two years removed from knee surgery, meaning he should have a big 2010 campaign.
2. Jeff Feagles, P, Giants. Age: 44.
   Jeff Feagles is the master of directional punting, hitting 23-of-64 attempts inside the 20. Feagles could probably play until he’s 50.
3. Danny Clark, OLB, Giants. Age: 33.
   Danny Clark can be a solid backup going forward, but his starting days should be over.
4. Fred Robbins, DT, Giants. Age: 33.
   Fred Robbins lost his starting job in the middle of the season. He’s a solid rotational guy at best right now.
5. David Carr, QB, Giants. Age: 31.
   Poor David Carr has been sacked so many times in his career that he sees pass-rushers coming at him in his sleep. Carr is a reliable backup, but he’s damaged goods and cannot be a starter.
6. D.J. Ware (RFA), RB, Giants. Age: 25.
7. Chase Blackburn (RFA), ILB, Giants. Age: 27.
8. Domenik Hixon, WR, Giants. Age: 25.
9. Kevin Boothe (RFA), G, Giants. Age: 27.
10. C.C. Brown (RFA), SS, Giants. Age: 27.
11. Kevin Dockery (RFA), CB, Giants. Age: 26.
12. Derek Hagan (RFA), WR, Giants. Age: 25.
13. Gerris Wilkinson (RFA), OLB, Giants. Age: 27.
14. Dave Tollefson (RFA), DE, Giants. Age: 28.
15. Darcy Johnson (ERFA), TE, Giants. Age: 27.
16. Guy Whimper (RFA), OT, Giants. Age: 27.

Sinorice Moss (RFA), WR, Giants. Age: 26.

Like I said not a ground-breaking article, but everything he has there is right.

Although he did leave off one area: backup Quarterback. Is Rhett Bomar ready to take over that role?  Do the Giants need to bring back David Carr?

I’m not sure I agree with the order of the needs though. and he missed one big one.

A Leader I honestly think Fewell is that man. We’ll have to see though. Justin Tuck please step-up. Boley in your second year with the team. Kenny Phillips, Corey Webster…ANYONE. SOMEONE. First priority is finding a leader.

With Kenny Phillips injury (and I think it’s a good thing you haven’t heard any more about it…most likely the only information we’d get is that there had been a setback). I’m not sure that Safety isn’t the biggest need as far as positions go.

Michael Johnson, Rouse, C.C. Brown were all pretty bad this year. Phillips might have a down year next year after not playing at all this season…although it happened so early in the year that if he’s already rehabing it shouldn’t be quite the same as what happened with Robbins and Coefield this year.

Second is Return man. I don’t know if it’s return man or special team blockers, but the return game was not anywhere near where I expected it to be this year. If the Giants could get a dynamic punt return man and kick return man it would really bolster the offense even more. Im’ not sure Hixon is the answer…that’s why I think it’s second on the list of priorities.

Third is Middle linebacker. Why Third?  Well becuase I’m not sure that we don’t already have a middle linebacker on the roster. First is Jonathan Goff who could be good…he is still very young.

Next, Im’ not sure that Clint Sintim couldn’t play a very effective middle linebacker. Prior to last year’s draft a lot of people where debating on whether or not Sintim should play 4-3 DE, 3-4 Rush linebacker, 4-3 OLB, or 4-3 MLB. He’s a talented kid who could play well in the middle linebacker spot.

Pierce is NOT the answer, but if the team thinks Goff or Kehl or Sintim is…it’s not much of a need anymore is it? It all depends on the teams’ evaluation of their MLB talent. They know more than we do if Goff has what it takes.   The other option is Michael Boley in the middle.

Next is Defensive tackle. Robbins will porbably be cut. Bernard will probably be cut (no use of keeping that ridiculous contract), but Coefield should be back. Canty should be healthier. Jay Alford should also return. So depth there is needed, but not a complete overall, perhaps.  Next season the Giants will head into camp with Coefield, Canty, and Alford as the three primary guys and there is at least good potential there. Tuck also plays a lot of DT so maybe the Giants need a DE more than they need a DT.

Left Guard or RT. I think Right Tackle is O.K. because I think McKenzie is still a very good player.  The team has two options. First moving Beatty to LT is a given. Second move Diehl to RT and release McKenzie (hurt a lot recently) or move Diehl to LG (my option) and keep McKenzie. LG needs an upgrade either way, I think so I’m in favor of moving Diehl inside, putting Beatty at LT and either drafting a RT (Anthony Davis or Bruce Campbell-my most recent prospect profile) or keeping McKenzie.

Punter Feagles is DONE.  So Long Feagles.

Defensive End. Dave Tollefson is O.K. he could definitely be upgraded though. I think the Giants still have 3 quality DE, but more depth could be useful. If the Giants get another good Defensive End they can play Tuck more in the middle too.

Cornerback Depth. you can NEVER have too many CB…the league is moving more and more to spread offenses. 6,7 good  Secondary players are becoming a necessary almost.

The Giants have four: Webster, Thomas, Ross, Bruce Johnson that are young and improving, but more can’t hurt.

Kicker. I don’t hate Tynes like the rest of you, but it could be better.

I disagree with Weak Side Linebacker. Boley looked like a play maker. Sintim should move to the outside. Only Weakside if Boley moves into the middle.

Phil Simms became the first to utter that famous phrase after the New York Giants won Super Bowl XXI. He was reportedly paid $75,000 for doing the ad.  Click his name to watch this historic event.

Well, it’s Super Sunday. Sadly, our Giants won’t be in it. But, I still enjoy the Super Bowl. I’ll be surrounded by great food, great company. To me, that’s all you can ask for.

As for the game, here are my thoughts. This is a pretty evenly matched game. Both great offenses. Pretty good defenses. However, the injury to Dwight Freeney is a huge blow to the Colts defense. If he does play, he will have a hard time getting to Drew Brees. No pressure on Brees means he’ll have time to pick apart the defense. For the Saints, they’ll have to blitz Manning like there’s no tomorrow. Make him as uncomfortable as possible, and hope the pressure affects his passes. On offense, both teams will have to keep doing what they have been doing, although, on the Saints side, I would like to see Reggie Bush play like he did against Arizona. I think, however, that the Saints won’t be able to get a consistent pass rush on Manning, which gives Indy the slight edge.

There’s the emotional factor, which gives the edge to New Orleans. They are playing for a city, not just for themselves. Is that enough to help them stop Manning? I don’t think so.

Saints are a great team, and I’ll be rooting for them. But, they just don’t have an answer for Manning. He is too good. He’s going to make that extra play to win the game.

FINAL SCORE: Colts 24, Saints 21

The bad news is, of course, the Giants will not be playing this Sunday. But Eli’s brother is apparently playing in this thing so we might want to climb out from under our big long stinking offseason caves and support his team as Giants fans. I know, its the AFC…. buy hey at least it’s not the Chargers… or of course the Cowboys, right?

In all seriousness, Peyton Manning may cement himself as the best NFL Quarterback ever if he wins this game, and he really is the best all around football player I think you could have on your team. Great talent, character, determination – the man is a winner on every level. Tangibles and intangibles, the guy is #1.

But yesterday when I brought myself to check out NFL.com to attempt to get hyped up for the game, I saw this little nugget and was hopeful that the Giants would get the nod as the best Superbowl play of all time… even that was agonizing considering the company.

So if you haven’t seen this collection of Top 10 plays, I suggest you check it out because these are the memories every fan of each team not playing this Sunday has to go on until next season.

Have a great day everyone. I’ll be going with the Colts 34 – 24, Peyton MVP.

If you don’t know his name yet. Learn it. If you’re into drawing up your own mock drafts and such make sure you pay attention to the Combines because Bruce Campbell is about to explode much like Jason Smith did last year (or Tyson Jackson, or Darrius Heyward Bey or Vernon Gholston, Jerod Mayo, Dominque Rodgers Cromarite in 2008).

Bruce Campbell will obliterate all drills in his post-season workouts and WoW scouts.

Measurables:

6′6 314 pounds.

from Maryland athletics website.

posted a bench press of 490 lbs. in spring 2009 testing, the second-highest total in school history … surrendered his final year of eligibility to enter the 2010 NFL Draft

Personal: Born May 25, 1988 … parents are Bruce and Rita Campbell … father was an area high school legend in basketball who ultimately starred at Providence College in the `70s and was selected by the New Jersey Nets in the eighth round of the 1978 NBA Draft … father is in the Providence Athletics Hall of Fame and played professional hoops overseas … enrolled in letters and sciences.

Pro Draft Party Video

Bruce Campbell

Scouting Reports

First up is by one of my favorite Football Writers and that is K.C. Joyner.

Every Tuesday, K.C. Joyner writes up a “Draft Lab” on a potential 2010 NFL Draft entrant. This one isn’t potential — Maryland OL Bruce Campbell has said he’ll be entering the April festivities. For a full archive of KC’s thoughts on various prospects, please click here.

 One of the traps that football personnel evaluators have to constantly remain vigilant against is overvaluing one facet of a position; this often happens, for example, with quarterbacks and arm strength. As important as velocity is for a passer, it is rather meaningless unless it is combined with accuracy. Passing power can be so alluring that it is easy to give it more credence than it deserves if one isn’t careful.

 

That mindset also comes into play for left tackles and pass blocking in large part because of “The Blind Side” (first as a book, then as a movie); the public’s perception of pass blocking is now at the loftiest of heights.

 

As important as protecting the passer is for the left tackle position, two moves made by NFL teams the past two seasons show that professional talent evaluators still understand the value of run blocking at that position.

 The first was when the Miami Dolphins drafted Michigan left tackle Jake Long as the No. 1 pick in the 2008 draft. Long was a good pass blocker — but he was an elite run blocker, and it was the combination of these traits (not just his ability to protect the corner of the offensive line) that moved him to the top slot in the selection process.

 The second was when the Philadelphia Eagles traded for Buffalo left tackle Jason Peters this past offseason. According to the metrics I compiled for Scientific Football 2009, Peters was coming off of a season where he was tied for last place with Houston’s Duane Brown for most sacks allowed among left tackles.

 It may have seemed odd for the Eagles to be willing to part with a first and fourth round draft pick for someone coming off of a pass blocking season like that, but a look at the run metrics shows why Philly wanted Peters. Peters’ 90.9% Point of Attack (POA) run block win percentage was the 2nd highest among left tackles and 8th best among all offensive linemen. The Eagles obviously valued his ability to keep Donovan McNabb from getting hit but they also wanted his help in solving their short-yardage running woes and that was likely the clincher in closing the deal.

 I bring all of this up because of what the metrics said about Maryland left tackle Bruce Campbell (currently listed as the No. 12 pick on Todd McShay’s Mock Draft 1.0). Let’s start with his pass blocking.

 Campbell allowed three splash plays (defined as when a defender does something to negatively impact a passing play) in the five Terrapin games I broke down (at California, vs. Clemson, vs. Virginia, at Florida State and vs. Boston College).

 As noted in the Trent Williams Draft Lab (read that here), the best professional pass rushers allow four or fewer splash plays in a season — so this isn’t a dominant number. Having said that, it does compare favorably to Williams’ splash play totals (four in five games) and was much better than the number tallied in Anthony Davis’ Draft Lab (eight splash plays in five games).

Going on those numbers alone, I would have considered Campbell a solid professional left tackle prospect, but his stock shot up considerably when reviewing the run metric totals. Campbell was at the Point of Attack (POA) of a running play 38 times and won 35 of his blocks. That equates to a 92.1% POA win percentage, which, as detailed in the Peters analysis, would be an elite number in the NFL. In addition, Campbell received double team blocking help on only 11 of those plays, so his one-on-one POA win percentage was a superb 88.9%.

  The scouting eye notes on Campbell’s run blocking weren’t quite as good as numbers, but they were still almost entirely positive. One bright spot was that he was used as a pulling tackle quite often, which is an underrated skill that many NFL teams would take advantage of. His biggest issue is that he didn’t consistently finish his blocks. That would be a problem if it were due to a lack of effort, but in Campbell’s case it was inconsistent technique, so it is something that should be able to be coached out of him.  From a pass blocking viewpoint, the major scouting eye concern is that Campbell received a lot of help from other blockers; this made me look back at the numbers, which showed Campbell received some kind of assistance from another blocker on 31 out of 120 dropback pass plays. That is a bit higher than one would expect from an elite pass blocker, but it is probably more due to Maryland’s heavy use of zone blocking and facing two teams with 3-4 schemes than it is a sign that Campbell has blocking issues.

 The Football Scientist Lab Result: If I were to grade the three left tackles reviewed thus far in the Draft Lab series, I would rate Campbell No. 1, Davis No. 2 and Williams No. 3. I plan to focus on Oklahoma State Cowboys OT Russell Okung in an upcoming edition as well. Campbell is just as — if not more — adept at guarding the blindside as the other two and there is every reason to think he could develop into a dominant NFL run blocker. That doesn’t seem to be the consensus perception of his skills and that disparity means that he receives a TFS seal of approval.

Walterfootball.com

Strengths:

Prototypical length and frame

Athletic freak

Displays good flexibility

Smooth, fluid hips

Outstanding ability to adjust, mirror, and recover

Elite agility and speed

Great in pass protection

Nice awareness; head on swivel and picks up blitz

Good hands; extends and locks on

Light on his feet

Instinctual

Solid run blocker

Love his footwork

Ridiculously high upside

Room to develop strength and body mass

Elite skill set

Weaknesses:

Inexperienced – only 17 career starts

Too upright in pass protection

Natural knee bender?

Plays with narrow base

Legit durability concerns

Summary: Consider Bruce Campbell the Jason Smith of the 2010 NFL Draft class. His stock will be soaring through the roof once we get to the Combine, however, he is more of a natural pass protector than Smith. With more experience, he could become a Pro Bowl left tackle at the next level. Of course, you have to consider his long list of injuries, but he’ll likely be taken in the top 16 picks.

Player Comparison: Branden Albert. Albert and Campbell have great physical tools, but I think Campbell is more of a natural left tackle. Both were raw offensive tackle prospects.

Draft Board Insider.com

Scouting Report:  I had hoped when this season started to just take notes on Campbell, and be ready to hit him hard for he 2011 draft.  But the rumor is, Campbell is seriously considering declaring as a Junior.  First the good news.  Campbell is as athletic a tackle as their is in the country and a pure left tackle prospect.  He’s a very strong run blocker, who’s got an awesome punch, and can navigate much larger defender with his superior leverage.  He gets to the second level and finishes with total disrespect for his opponents.  His athletic ability also shines in pass protection.  He can drop back, slide well, and can cut off a rusher inside and out quickly.  Does  a great job redirecting a pass rusher and has great awareness in assignments.  Lots of great stuff right?  Now the bad news.  Campbell has a laundry list of injury concerns and those could cost him dearly in the draft.  But his inability to stay healthy may push him to the draft, rather than temp another year of injuries without an NFL contract behind it.

Draft Status: If Campbell can get through the year, and check out medically, there’s a real shot he ends  up the 2nd tackle off the board and that means a top 15 pick.  It’ll be a tough call for Campbell, and it’ll depend largely on his health.  Any team that chooses to draft him will have to weigh out if the risk is worth the potential that Campbell has shown.

Final Analysis: In this draft, the no.2 tackle spot is wide open, and there’s a lot of money that goes with it.  Medical red flags are huge in the NFL, maybe moreso than character problems, because if you are a knucklehead you can still get out on Sunday and contribute, but if you are brittle you aren’t any good to anyone.  Campbell has a ton of potential and more upside than any tackle in the draft.  But he’s got a decision to make.  Come back next year, and if you can stay well, probably lock up a top 5 pick or do you bolt now, and not risk getting hurt again in college, and drop further in the 2011 draft.  If I’m campbell, I know I have NFL talent, so I do all I can to get healthy, have a great offseason and head to greener pastures.

Reminds me of:Chris Williams, OT Chicago Bears-Not necessarily in terms of skills, but when you consider the shadow on injuries that followed Williams to the league, and then the problems he had entering the league, you can see where he and Campbell are similar.  Teams must know Campbell is healthy and can play, so they go through what Chicago went through with Williams.

 

       Red Flags: Huge injury red flags

 

CBS Draft Scout

NFL Comparison: Alex Barron, St. Louis Rams

Overview

Despite missing three games in 2009 with a sprained left MCL and turf toe, Campbell decided to leave Maryland a year early. The big man’s athleticism comes from great genetics: Campbell’s father, Bruce, Sr., played well enough for the Providence basketball team that the New Jersey Nets picked him in the eighth round of the 1978 draft.Though the PrepStar All-American never missed a game in high school, his college experience has been very limited. He played in five games as a freshman, with one start against Clemson, after attending Hargrave Military Academy in 2006. As a sophomore, he started the last seven contests at left tackle after appearing as a reserve in the first six games.Teams will consider him a top 50 prospect because of his frame, length and agility. But his relative lack of experience and consistency as a run blocker both on the line and in space will make scouts wonder if he’ll be an elite player at the next level.

Analysis

Pass blocking: Sets quickly with good knee bend. Comes out to meet his man with a strong punch instead of catching him. Uses his length to lock up most defensive ends before they get started on their outside move. When focused, he can move laterally with his man and keep him covered up. Resets his hands after initial contact. Adjusts well to tackle-end twists. His height can be a detriment against strong but small ends, who get under his pads and push him into the backfield. He manages to anchor eventually, though. Lacks recovery speed and will get lazy moving his feet against a hustling end with counter pass rush moves. Uses an armbar to prevent inside rush when beat.Run blocking: Locks onto his man after firing off the snap. Seals the edge well and can turn his man out of the hole. Lunges as a power drive blocker, however, often losing his balance and missing his target. A work in progress in this area.Pulling/trapping: Mobile enough to get out in front of quick screens and off-tackle runs. Must improve his effectiveness as a cut blocker, often failing to even reach the ground. Throws his body towards a defender instead of locking on and sustaining.Initial Quickness: Run blocks and pass protects out of a three-point stance. Fair quickness off the snap, generally getting a good angle on his kick slide and initial pop on run blocks. He will get off late at times and not get set, allowing his man to get him on skates.Downfield: Agile enough to get into space, and knows how to get the correct angle at the second level. Tough to get away from once latched on, but has trouble adjusting to safeties and linebackers because they get by him with quickness. Could hustle a bit more to reach a second target.

 ESPN”s Scouts Inc

Big Board Rankings (2/2)

New Era Scouting 24

ESPN Scouts Inc. 20th

Draft Board Insider  25th

Drafttek.com 32

Walterfootball.com 9th 

Where the Mocks have him falling

Bartolis Summary and Final Verdict

I think I’ve made it pretty clear now that I’m not a man who is entirely concerned with addressing a need in the N.F.L. Draft. I want to take the best player available …and I think for the most part Jerry Reese does do this, although he seems to do this more after the first round.

The first round Reese has often addressed needs (but when doing so often happened to address the Best Player Available or close to as well). Aaron Ross was highly regarded, Kenny Phillips was Best Player Available it just happened to be the position the Giants needed most. I thought he was best player available every single time after Leon Hall was drafted 18th. Hakeem Nicks though seemed to be a need pick although he was good value, I think most people had Rey Maluaga, RB Chris Wells was definitely rated higher, but I think Nicks was rated about where he was picked so good value, but not Best Player Available.

Point is: the Giants Reese will take best player availabe most of the time especially after the first round.

But this year, Reese has more flexiliby than ever deciding on which position to address.

Reese could address Secondary, DL, OL, Running back or linebacker. I expect to get great value at 15th overall and if Bruce Campbell remains at 15th overall it could certainley be great valuable (emphasis on the word Great). He’s as good a player, if not better than Jason Smith (#2 overall) was last year and he has the talent level to be one of the elite tackles in the N.F.L.

He does have some questions though: Is he lazy? Will he stay healthy?

Like I’ve been saying so far…the # 2 tackle battle is wide open and that there are a lot of very quality tackles in this year’s draft. The Giants would make a good choice in taking one of these very good tackle prospects and set themeselves up for the next 10 or 15 years with William Beatty anchoring one side and Davis, Campbell, Baluaga, Trent Williams anchoring the other.

I’ll get into this more later, but after McClain, Spiller, and  Earl Thomas I am FOR drafting an OT at #15th overall and the tackle you want to see there is Bruce Campbell (although Anthony Davis is also a good prospect).

Previous Profiles

ILB Daryl Washington

DT/NT Dan Williams (Updated with K.C. Joyner’s Draft Lab 2/7)

CB Kyle Wilson

DT Jared Odrick

DE Carlos Dunlap

ILB Micah Johnson

DT Arthur Jones

OT Bryan Baluga

OT Anthony Davis (UPDATED 2/5/10)

DT Brian Price

ILB Brandon Spikes

S Earl Thomas

ILB Rolando McClain

RB C.J. Spiller

S Taylor Mays