NFL Draft: Five "Bust" Prospects

The 2009 NFL Draft is less than a day away and the excitement continues to build! Trade talks, different players' draft stocks continue to rise and fall, and war rooms across the NFL are buzzing with activity! I've decided to unveil a list of five players that I think will "bust" and not live up to their hype.

1. Matthew Stafford--QB--Georgia--Let me be the first to say that I like Matthew Stafford and I really liked his game coming out of high school. I kept waiting for him to live up to his lofty billing coming out of high school, in Dallas, Texas, but it never really happened. I hope he does well in the NFL, but my mind is saying since he's going to Detroit he has no chance of succeeding. Sure, $41 million in guaranteed money and being the top overall pick sounds great, but it also comes with great expectations and pressure.

Every year NFL scouts seem to fall in love with the tall, strong-armed quarterbacks and Matthew Stafford is this year's love affair. Every which direction you see nothing but praise for this rocket-armed gunslinger.

Stafford is a pretty solid quarterback, but there's no way I would pick him or Mark Sanchez in the first round. The Lions would be smarter to start building an offensive line in this draft, then take QB Colt McCoy out of Texas or QB Sam Bradford out of Oklahoma next year. The Lions simply have too many needs and drafting a QB when your offensive line gave up 52 sacks last year doesn't make alot of sense to me.

Stafford has an extremely strong arm, but he's never had the accuracy to match it. Ball placement is what the quarterback position is all about and Stafford simply has average ball placement on his throws.

He only completed over 60 percent of his passes during one of his three seasons at Georgia, and he also threw double-digit interceptions each of his three seasons, throwing 13 his freshman year, 10 his sophomore year, and 10 this past year.

To his credit, Stafford made several clutch plays for the Bulldogs over the years--none of them being bigger than the touchdown pass to Mikey Henderson to beat Alabama in overtime in 2007.

The Lions must draft offensive line and a solid supporting cast on the defensive side of the ball--time will tell if they can make me eat my words. For Stafford's sake--I hope they do.

Below are his highlights:




2. B.J. Raji--DT--Boston College--Listed at a behemoth, 6'2, 337 pounds, it's not surprising that big things will be expected from Raji on the next level, because he'll be drafted in the top 10. There are plenty of other nose tackles out there I think are better than Raji, including his teammate Ron Brace and Missouri DT Evander "Ziggy" Hood. There were rumors surrounding Raji about a failed marijuana test at the combine. I'm not sure if it was a team starting the rumor to see if his stock would drop and they could get him at a cheaper spot, but I don't like to hear that.

If anybody fails a marijuana test at the combine--then they must be certifiably insane. You know the test is coming months in advance, so if you can't stop smoking marijuana when there are millions of dollars at stake, what's to stop you from failing tests during the regular season. Doesn't make a lot of sense.

Marijuana rumors aside, Raji is a behemoth of a man and his size is coveted by many teams that want a "space-eater" to clog the lanes in the middle and take on two blockers at all times. Having a guy like Raji would help free up so many other players on a team's defense.

Raji is one of those guys I really can't tell you why I don't like him, but I just don't. Time will tell if the behemoth can control his weight problems and become a force on whatever NFL team he lands on.



3. Percy Harvin--WR--Florida-- The guy is an exceptional playmaker and will be a threat to take the rock to the house as soon as his hands get on the pigskin, but the more I watch Percy Harvin in interviews the less I like him. I think he'll be a locker room cancer and will be detrimental to his team.

Also, anybody who fails a marijuana test before the NFL combine must be an absolute idiot(please see above). I think there will be numerous off-the-field or locker room issues with Harvin.

One of the biggest issues with Harvin is also the fact that he never played an entire 12 game schedule in college football without being injured. What makes anybody believe that he will last 16 games in the National Football League? I have my doubts.



4. Darrius Heyward-Bey--WR--Maryland-- This guy has bust written all over him. His measurables are extremely attractive and he has excellent, vertical, straight ahead speed. I've followed his career pretty closely throughout his college career at Maryland and he disappeared in numerous games. His hands were questionable and apparently the Maryland coaches almost told him to go ahead and focus on track exclusively and to forget about football.

The guy is a solid football player, but there are plenty of receivers that you could choose ahead of him with better hands like Hakeem Nicks of North Carolina.

Scouts are in love with him because of his speed, but fast football players don't always make the best players.

Time will be the judge on Heyward-Bey.




5. Josh Freeman--QB--Kansas State--Freeman is pretty much a more athletic version of Matthew Stafford, tall and strong-armed. It's easy to see why scouts would fall in love with him because they constantly fall in love with tall and strong armed quarterbacks.

Freeman has accuracy issues and didn't do nearly enough at Kansas State to prove to me that he can be a top-notch quarterback in the NFL--let alone be worthy of a first-round draft pick.

He's a reach in the first round and I can't see him doing well in the NFL. Out of all these prospects, I might like Freeman the least. Him and Heyward-Bey battle out for that dubious distinction.

NFL Draft: Sports Talk in Athens, Ohio

What's up guys--here is a sports talk radio show I recently appeared on here in Athens, Ohio talking about the upcoming NFL Draft--topics discussed include sleepers in the draft(Cal Poly's WR Ramses Barden), the Jets interest in QB Mark Sanchez from USC, and much much more! Check it out below--special thanks to Jimmy Smith for having me on the show once again! Check back soon for a review of the draft on Tuesday!

NFL Draft: Five "Can't Miss" Prospects

The NFL Draft is rapidly approaching so I've decided to announce a list of five players I think will do extremely well in the NFL.


1. Michael Crabtree--WR--Texas Tech--Out of all the prospects in the 2009 NFL Draft, Crabtree is easily the biggest "can't miss" prospect. He's a lock to be a future star and a future all-pro receiver for several years. He's blessed with excellent hands, precise route running, and has a knack for his ability to put his ass on opposing defenders and shield them away from the football. He finished his two-year career at Texas Tech as one of the best receivers in the history of college football, becoming the only player ever to win the Biletnekoff Award twice--the award given to the nation's top receiver. His stats after his freshman season were flat out astronomical--he hauled in 134 catches for 1,962 yards and 22 touchdowns. Those are video games numbers, folks! During his redshirt sophomore campaign, he still put up outrageous numbers and snatched 97 balls for 1,195 yards and 19 touchdowns. In two years, he had piled up 231 receptions for 3,127 yards, while scoring 41 touchdowns.

Here's his highlight package below:



2. Aaron Curry--LB--Wake Forest--the 6'3, 250 lb. Curry is what I like to call a "heat-seeking missile" in pads. He flies to the football remarkably quick for somebody his size and is a ferocious hitter on top of that. Over his four-year storied career at Wake Forest, Curry racked up 320 tackles, forced 5 fumbles, and even snatched 6 interceptions. He's definitely the best defensive prospect in this draft.

Here's his highlight package below:



3. Jeremy Maclin--WR--Missouri--Maclin quickly established himself as one of the premiere players in all of college football, in 2007 he chewed up over 2,776 yards as a redshirt freshman--setting the NCAA record for all purpose yardage by a freshman. Listed at 6'0, 199 lbs. Maclin is blessed with stunning speed and even better acceleration to allow him to coast through opposing defenses in the open field. He runs so smoothly in the open field, it really looks like he's on cruise control out there. He once said, "I have a tendency to start gliding. When I'm running and I know I'm beating everybody, I have a tendency to start gliding."

Maclin was a jack-of-all trades for the Missouri Tigers over the past seasons--returning punts, kickoffs, running out of the backfield, and of course his primary position, receiver. He can do it all and do it all with a very high level of efficiency. Missouri used him very well in their spread offense--using alot of misdirections, jet sweeps, and reverses, to help them get the ball in his hands.

The biggest thing about drafting a receiver like Maclin is you get such an excellent value out of him because you can utilize him at a variety of different positions. He's probably the best receiver in this draft after the catch in the open field because of his lethal combination of speed and acceleration.

Below are his highlights:



4. Alphonso Smith--DB--Wake Forest--Alphonso Smith established himself as one of the premiere cornerbacks in all of college football over the past four years. I realize that Malcolm Jenkins of Ohio State is probably the best cornerback in this draft, but I decided to mix it up a bit and go with Smith in this spot. Picking all of the top prospects is too easy, anyways. You have to get bold and stick your neck out there a little, or else it isn't any fun.

Smith is 5'9, 190 lbs., but makes up for what he lacks in size with unbelievable ball skills, hauling in 21 interceptions for the Demon Deacons over the past four years. He's also blessed with blazing speed and acceleration, making him a threat to take the rock to the house once the ball touches his hands. He even returned four interceptions back for touchdowns during his career at Wake Forest.

Below are his highlights:



5.Knowshon Moreno--RB--Georgia

Knowshon Moreno established himself as one of the best running backs in SEC football and college football history over the past two years. He's blessed with one of the best all-around skill sets that I've seen in a running back in a long, long time. He can jump over, spin around, and dance his way through defenders with ease. Moreno is also blessed with tremendous balance.

He's the best all-purpose running back in this draft, without question. He has excellent hands and is extremely elusive in the open field. Over the past two seasons, he piled up over 2,700 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns on the ground. He also hauled in 53 passes for 645 yards and 3 touchdowns.

He plays with tremendous passion and intensity and is one of the first players to bounce up off the ground and head back to the huddle. His passion for the game is contagious and I think that will rub off on his teammates.

Below is his highlight package:





Look for my Five "Bust" Prospects sometime tomorrow!

NFL Draft Podcast

Here's the NFL Draft Podcast I did on Wednesday with Caleb Troop and Brian Boesch on the SportsFan on 970 WATH located in Athens, Ohio.

Here is the link if you want to listen in: NFL Draft talk begins around 20:00 into the podcast...just wait a few minutes for it to load.

http://thesportsfan.mypodcast.com/2009/04/The_Sears_Sports_Fan_42209_with_Wade_Peery-201717.html


Look for me in the near future about the NFL Draft!

Where Are They Now? Former Ohio LB Matt Muncy

The older I’ve gotten the more I’ve learn to appreciate football players like Matt Muncy. Sure, he took care of business on the gridiron, but he also took care of business off of it. In this era of players like Pacman Jones and Plaxico Burress, it seems like you can’t sneeze without turning on the television and watching another football player get in trouble. It aggravates me to watch players that play the sport I love make such stupid mistakes.

It is refreshing to have players like Muncy, who was an elite football player, but a good citizen as well. In 2006 he was nominated for the Lott Trophy as the Defensive IMPACT(Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community, and Tenacity). Past winners of the Lott Trophy are: LB James Laurinaitis of Ohio State, DT Glenn Dorsey of LSU, DB Daymeion Hughes of California, LB DeMeco Ryans from Alabama, and DE David Pollack of Georgia. Simply being nominated for the award is quite an honor.

A dominant linebacker for the Ohio Bobcats in his college days, Muncy racked up an impressive 203 solo tackles, ranking him second in Ohio football history. He also had 39.5 career tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks during his days in Athens, Ohio. One of his best seasons came in 2006, when he led the Bobcats to a MAC East title, a MAC Championship game appearance, and a 2007 GMAC Bowl berth against Southern Miss. The bowl appearance marked the first time the Ohio Bobcats had gotten a bowl since 1968.

Muncy ended up making a roster in the NFL, the Cincinnati Bengals, and in doing so fulfilled a life long dream. The dream was short-lived, but not many of us can say that we have filled our childhood dreams like that. The Miamisburg, Ohio native was gracious enough to answer a few questions through e-mail on Facebook with me. Below is the interview and I hope you enjoy it.


Q: You were a legendary linebacker for the Ohio Bobcats--you finished your career as the second all-time leading tackler in Ohio Bobcat football history. What was your favorite game that you played in for the Bobcats and why?

A: I played in alot of memorable games so it's tough to choose one. I guess I would have to say our OT win over Pitt my junior year. It was Frank's first home game, our first nationally televised home game, and Pitt was ranked that year to start the season.




Q: You and fellow linebacker Tyler Russ spearheaded a dominant Bobcat defense that was crucial in leading the Bobcats to one of the best seasons in Ohio football history, earning Ohio its first bowl berth(GMAC Bowl) since 1968. Could you talk about how much it means to you to be such a big part of a special season in Ohio football history?

Ohio LB Matt Muncy leaps through the air to tackle Jeremy Young of Southern Miss during the GMAC Bowl.

A: It was definitely a memorable season. It meant even more since my classes’ first four years had been losing seasons. I think all that losing gets to you after a while and we just had enough of it.

Q: You had a mysterious "staph" infection during your senior year at Ohio--a problem that has become more and more common across the country in the game of football. Could you explain how exactly you got the infection and talk about how serious it was?

A: We had a lot of staph infections that year; I was one of the only ones who had to be hospitalized. I had gotten a turf burn against Northern Illinois and the next week we played at Rutgers. I guess I didn't cover up the burn well enough because as soon as the game was over I could tell something wasn't right.

Q: What's the hardest tackle you ever dished out on anybody throughout your football career? Could you give me a play-by-play description?

A: Once again it's hard to pick one. I laid out a guy pretty hard against Kent State my junior year. They ran a quick underneath route and it looked like the quarterback didn't like the guy he was throwing it to because he just set the guy up to get killed.

Q: You had the privilege to play for the Cincinnati Bengals for a little bit in the NFL, why don't you talk about how that was a dream come true for you, being that you are from the Dayton, Ohio area.

LB Matt Muncy fulfilled a lifelong dream, getting to play for the Cincinnati Bengals.

A: It was definitely a surreal experience at first because nobody had been a bigger Bengals fan than myself. I got over the "awe" factor pretty quickly and did everything I could to make the team. In the end they picked a guy off waivers who I felt was an inferior player. That’s another story, but it just wasn't the way I would have liked it to end.

Q: Of all the players you played with in your football career, high school, college, or professional, which player did you admire the most and why?

A: I had to think pretty hard about this one and I can't honestly name one. I would have to say I admire the whole class of seniors in '06 for perservering through all the hard times. It meant a lot to go out on a high note and start taking the program to a higher level.

Q: Which coach or person had the most influential impact upon your football career?

A: Once again I had so many great coaches throughout my football career that I can't name just one. All my high school coaches, coach Steve Russ, Pete Germano, Sonny Sano, Ross Els, the list goes on and on. You always remember the coaches who you felt cared about you more so than just a football player.

Q: What are you planning to do and where are you planning to live these days?

A: I'm living in Dayton at the moment working in sports marketing. I enjoy what I'm doing and couldn't ask for a better first job. I would like to go back to school and get my masters so I can continue to work in sports; in coaching or athletic administration.

Q: If you somehow won a lottery of $500,000 what would you do with the money and why?

A: First of all there is no way that would happen because I'm not a very lucky person. If it did I would probably buy a few things and use the rest to start my own business.

Q: Let's say a doctor tells you that you've been hit with a mysterious illness which will kill you and you only have 24 hours left to live. What would you do with those precious 24 hours?

A: I would let every person who made an impact on my life know how much I appreciate them.

Q: What kind of music are you cranking these days?

A: I listen to it all depending on the mood I'm in.

Q: Name one city that you plan to travel to that you've never been to before and explain why you want to go there.

Muncy would like to go to Japan someday, pictured above.

A: I won't name one city but I would really like to go to Japan.


That’s it for now folks, look for more interviews and football articles from me in the future! Remember, “Life is best described in football terms!”

Where Are They Now? Former Gallia Academy QB Donnie Johnson

Donnie Johnson. A mere mention of the name brings back fond memories of watching him play football and basketball for the Gallia Academy Blue Devils. I had the privilege of covering him for WOUB’s hit high school football Friday night show—Gridiron Glory.

In my two years of working with Gridiron Glory, the fleet-footed quarterback was without a doubt, my favorite football player that I watched in Southeast Ohio. He danced around defenders with ease and when the pressurized moments reached their peak, Johnson always seemed to raise his game up another notch.

He returned a fumble for a touchdown against Athens in a game that was so foggy, it looked as if the clouds practically landed on the field. That touchdown also happened to be a crucial turning point in the game, giving the Blue Devils a victory. Then when he had a SEOAL crown on the line and a playoff berth at stake against Logan, Johnson delivered what was arguably his finest performance of his high school football career—five rushing touchdowns, one passing touchdown, and one interception on defense. Simply put, it gets no better than that folks.

Johnson was a player who always had a knack for making the biggest plays on the biggest of stages. In his senior season for the Blue Devils, Johnson coasted through opposing defenses to the tune of 1,372 yards on 124 carries, averaging a gaudy 11 yards per attempt, and piling up 15 touchdowns on the ground.

The southpaw was clearly a far better runner in the open field than he was a passer. In 2003, he threw for over 1,000 yards, tossed ten touchdowns, while throwing eight interceptions. Still, he could throw a beautiful looking deep ball from time-to-time, one such occasion came against the Logan Chieftains in 2003, when he completed a beautifully lofted touchdown pass to a Blue Devil receiver.

He helped the Blue Devils win the SEOAL title in 2003 and led them to a playoff berth. Johnson racked up the individual honors in the post-season, including the prestigious award of 2003 Gridiron Glory Player of the Year—the honor given to the top football player in Southeast Ohio by WOUB.



Johnson is discussed in the video at 1:30 until the end.

The thing about Johnson is he was a superior athlete—not just a football player. He earned all-state honors twice in Division III(Ohio) for basketball and football. Perhaps even more impressive, he was the only player ever to earn MVP honors in the SEOAL in both football and basketball in the same season. He was a remarkable athlete and I’ll never forget watching him play. He went on to star for the Tiffin University Dragons, where he played quarterback, receiver, and running back at times.

A torn PCL later, Johnson landed a GA position at Urbana University, where he began coaching quarterbacks and working as the team equipment manager in summer of 2008. He’s been coaching there ever since.I had the chance to catch up with Johnson via Facebook and ask him some questions through e-mail.

The fleet-footed signal caller was gracious enough to answer some of my questions and I thank him once again for taking the time to answer some questions. The interview is listed below and I hope you enjoy the interview with a man that will forever be known as a Southeast Ohio legend—former Gallia Academy QB Donnie Johnson.

Q:You were one of the best athletes in the history of the SEOAL—the only athlete ever to be named MVP in both basketball in football in the conference in the same season. Was there ever a moment when you were growing up as a kid when you thought, “Hey, I could have a serious future in athletics!”

A: As a kid I grew up with two guys--Joey and Greg James--who were great basketball athletes. They were also seven and nine years older than I was at the time, so playing against someone everyday who was that much older than me—it forced me to always raise my game up to not be kicked off the court day after day. I always excelled in sports at a young age. I always dreamed of becoming the best I could be throughout my career and just in life as well. All the hard work from when I was a young kid to present day has been a big contribution to my success.

Q: You were a rather legendary signal-caller for the Gallia Academy Blue Devils in high school, tormenting opposing defenses time and time again. What was your favorite game in your high school football career and why?

A: My favorite game would have to be the Logan game my senior year. It was for the SEOAL title, and we also needed a win to have a chance to get in the playoffs. This game was a playmakers’ dream because what better game to play in than the tenth game of the season with league title and playoffs written all over it. I love pressure situations and this was a pressure game. So, by far, this was the favorite game in my high school career. It shows from the stats of that game, I had five rushing touchdowns, one passing touchdown, and I had one interception on defense.

Q: You made one of the most amazing plays I’d ever seen by a football player against Athens High School. It was so foggy that you couldn’t even see the action from our cameras with Gridiron Glory on WOUB. You stole the ball from Athens WR Ryan Mingus, then raced off to score a touchdown that happened to be a difference maker in the game. Can you talk about how you pulled that off?

A: Hahaha that game was crazy. Initially it was a clear game with no fog, then Athens scored a touchdown. Then, as me and Jaymes Haggerty were back to return the kickoff, we look out of the end zone and the fog was just settling in. We looked at each other and were wondering “What the heck is that?” We thought it was smoke from someone grilling at the game. Then we thought maybe it was smoke from a cannon, but we didn’t hear a cannon. Then about five plays later, you couldn’t see from the sideline to the opposite hash. That play was crazy. Athens quarterback Grant Gregory threw an out route and I broke on the receiver(Mingus), wrapped him up, and saw our free safety coming to clean up the tackle. Then I just stripped the ball out, picked it up, and jogged to the end zone with only the ref who was right in front of the play.

Q: Who is your favorite football player of all-time and why?

A: I would have to say running back Reggie Bush, his running style is what I take after and also his versatility. He’s my favorite player even though he doesn’t play QB, but I moved to QB my senior year in high school because we didn’t have anyone else to play the position.

Q: What person had the biggest impact on your football career throughout your life?

A: I know you said one person, but there are too many people who have had a huge impact on me. My mom, dad, my brother, and two sisters. All of my friends, and my boy Jim Jim.

Q: You joined the Urbana Blue Knights coaching staff in the summer of 2008, serving as the quarterbacks coach and equipment manager. What made you want to get into football coaching?

Donnie Johnson now coaches quarterbacks for the Urbana University Blue Knights. He's chatting with some of his players right here.

A: I love the game of football and when I tore my PCL in my left knee during my fourth game of my senior year at TU, I had to think of a way to stay involved with football. I’ve always wanted to coach but I never thought it would be this soon. Since I was a kid I’d always wanted to play somewhere at the next level and when the injury happened I knew I had to take a different route. So I finished my senior season with a torn PCL. Then the opportunity came for me to follow most of the coaching staff at Tiffin to Urbana and become a grad assistant and coach quarterbacks. Now that I'm here, I love this profession and will continue to strive from here on out to become successful.

Q: What qualities/characteristics do you think most great quarterbacks have?

A: All great quarterbacks have to have a great amount of work ethic, drive, confidence and be great leaders.

Q: What is your favorite type of offensive scheme and why?

A: The spread offense is the best offensive scheme in all levels of football. It is really changing the way the game is played and the type of athletes playing it.

Q: You saw action at quarterback, running back, and receiver for the Tiffin University Dragons. What was your favorite position to play and why?


Donnie Johnson was also a star for the Tiffin University Dragons.

A: I loved playing all of the positions. First, we had a great quarterback in Matt Root and he was a beast. So it was great because I could do a lot of the quarterback running plays, then next I could line up at wide receiver. It made the defense very nervous to have two quarterbacks on the field the whole game. So I really loved playing all of them, not just one.

Q: What was your favorite moment of your college days at Tiffin?

Johnson discusses his best memory at Tiffin.

A: The best moment from TU was kinda like the same from high school, we were going into the last game of the season and fighting for a league title. We played Central State at their place and won 62-23 to cap off a 9-2 record and 19-3 for my junior and senior year.

Q: What kind of music do you like to listen to?

A: Man, I listen to R&B, Rap, anything with a good beat, but Lil’ Wayne most of the time.

Q: Do you have any aspirations to coach football on the Division 1-A level or NFL someday? What teams would you be interested in coaching?

A: Yes, I would love to coach at the highest level possible. That would be great to reach the top as a coach. My favorite team is the Dallas Cowboys so I would love to coach there.

Q: Who are some of the current coaches in college football that you admire the most and why?

A: Dave Taynor, this guy is a coaching machine. He knows the game very well and brings a lot of passion to the game of football. He is a coach who fits my style of play and loves the game even more than I do. (Coached me at TU and now is the head coach at Urbana University).

Jim Osbourn--basketball coach at Gallia Academy. He developed me in the sense of having the mindset I have to play any sport. If you have no chance of winning a game on paper, this is the coach you want to prepare you for having a chance to win that game.

Head coach Matt Bokovitz (Gallia Academy), coach Saunders (football coach—Gallia Academy) and everyone else who I had the privilege to play for.