Miami Dolphins 2008 Draft Interview List

** This was done prior to the Fasano and Adeyole trades **

OK so it’s Christmas Day. We know obviously that Jake is in the bag, but with two second rounders – I certainly foresee trades from Jeff Ireland – and the possibility of adding another late 1 or early to mid 2 if Jason Taylor DOES get dealt, means we’re going to be busy tomorrow. We kick off day two as well, where teams have been able to re-stack their boards overnight and again it becomes a hotbed of trade activity. Over the past 3 months I’ve tried to keep track of the players that Miami have interviewed formally, either at one of the All Star games, in Indianapolis, in private campus workouts or at the team facility in Davie, to try and get an idea of who the targets are. As I said initially, Bill Parcells said that the Miami Draft Board would consist of no more than 150 players. Oddly, that's quite a large number; the previous Falcons regime of Rich McKay and Tim Ruskell for example, went into drafts with a maximum of 80 names on their board. They eliminated some 500 players and concentrated solely on those 80 names. So 150 is quite a number.

Clearly it’s an inexact science, but the internet is a marvelous place if you know where to look. The occasional tip off came in handy as well. I would like to think that if we hit 75% of our picks from this list that it will be worthwhile resurrecting in 2009. The players below – all 149 of them – have spoken to the Dolphins in one form or another. I have absolute, 100% confirmation on that front. So what does it all mean? The interview process is essentially to gain an idea of what the players personality is like, how they might fit in the locker room of a particular team, etc. Take the Patriots question to Jerod Mayo about the last time he cheated on his girlfriend; it’s a good question. When clubs are spending the sort of money that the FBI is spending on investigating terrorists to find out what makes these kids tick, you can see why questions like that are asked. Teams will already know the answers to most of the questions, so many are interested to note how honest they are and to work out just how much they've been coached up in their pre-draft camps. And of course it's an ideal chance to break out the old chalk board and get them to draw up some plays. For some players, that’s been a boon. For others, they’ve struggled at that. In Indianapolis, formal interviews last 15 minutes. Teams have to submit a list of no more than 60 players that they want to talk to and then the National Scouting people who run the Combine - the NFL doesn't run the Combine - give teams and players a timed list of interviews.

OK. This is what we know.

QB:
As time has gone by, it’s pretty obvious, at least to me, that Miami wants John Beck to win the job. The Pete Carmichael thing is very telling and I think the reason it was played down by the Dolphins was in large part because they didn't want it to become common knowledge that they were looking to build an offense round John so as to continue the ruse that Matt Ryan, and indeed Joe Flacco and Chad Henne, were genuine targets. I simply don’t see the time being spent, very meticulous time by David Lee, in trying to turn this kid into a top flight NFL QB. From the snippets I’ve been able to garner, they have been changing his delivery and are pleased with the results. Josh McCown is a very valuable number two. In a way, he's almost a number 1 and a half. He can start, he has ability and he’s mobile and can make plays with his arm. I think there’s a possibility that we’ll take a QB at some stage, although I’m ambiguous about whether that will play out over the weekend. Three names that have been mentioned to me over the last 48 hours are John David Booty, Andre Woodson and intriguingly, Josh Johnson, who was excellent in the East/West game. But the fact remains, we're a 1-15 team. Beck simply has to be given the opportunity. With a high round QB like Henne or Flacco breathing down his neck, the first mistake he makes and the boos and the catcalls will come to start the new kid. Anyway, these are the names that we've shown an interest in:

• Matt Ryan – Boston College – Projected round: 1
• Joe Flacco – Delaware – PR: 1 to 3.
• Erik Ainge – Tennessee – PR: 4-6
• Andre Woodson – Kentucky – PR:4-6
• John David Booty – USC – PR: 3-5
• Brian Brohm – Louisville – PR: 1-2
• Chad Henne – Michigan – PR: 1-2
• Omar Haugabrook – Troy – PR: FA
• Colt Brennan - Hawaii - PR: 5-7
• Kyle Wright - Miami - PR: 7-FA

Guy we've shown most interest in: Chad Henne
Of the guys there, I don’t see Ryan in play at all. Flacco I have some well documented issues over in terms of footwork, mechanical breakdowns under pressure and overall ability level. Ainge is an interesting guy flying a little under the radar. Phil Fulmer knows a thing or two about passers and he’s voluminous in his praise for Ainge. He was up and down in Mobile all week, but the kid can play. Woodson has really fallen from grace, but he hasn’t become a bad QB over night. Far from it. He’s something of a Drew Bledsoe clone. Booty is interesting, but I think he’s more the sum of USC’s parts and his inability to set his feet in the pocket frustrates the hell out of me. Brohm is another who didn’t become a bad passer overnight and is someone who I think in the right system will be a solid NFL starter. Henne’s inconsistencies worry me, although his natural talent and arm are outstanding. Haugebrook is a dual threat who offers some ability at WR and who apparently caught the ball very smoothly at the Dolphins local player day about a fortnight ago. I have a soft spot for Brennan who, if he should fall as far as the top of the 6th round, would represent stunning value. Wright, in my opinion, given his remarkably heralded arrival in Miami, is destined for a career change.

TB:
Ronnie Brown clearly has as much ability as any back in pro football. The Falcons had him rated as the #1 overall prospect by a good margin in the 2005 draft and Bill Belichick often refers to him as the best back, along with LT, to have come out ion the past few years. But I digress. As a runner, he proved just how good he could be last year. We've always known he was a fine pass catcher and he's one of the top 3 or 4 blocking backs in the game. But he can't stay healthy. Ricky Williams is there, as is Patrick Cobbs and Lorenzo Booker should be very excited because he's going to catch a lot of passes and get a lot of touches. But Miami are clearly in the market for a tough inside runner who can pound the football and who can split some carries with Brown or with Williams if Brown gets hurt. And when you look at the names, it’s tough inside bangers that they’re looking at. Again, these are the names we've shown an interest in:

• Tashard Choice – Georgia Tech – PR: 3-4
• Ray Rice – Rutgers – PR: 2-3
• Thomas Brown – Georgia – PR: 4-6
• Matt Forte – Tulane – PR: 2-3
• Chris Johnson – East Carolina – PR: 1-2
• Chauncey Washington – USC – PR: 2-4
• Rafael Little – Kentucky – PR: FA
• Yvenson Bernard – Oregon State – PR: FA
• Jalen Parmele – Toledo – PR: 6-FA
• Ryan Torien – Arizona State – PR: FA
• Tim Hightower - Richmond - PR: 6-FA
• Kevin Smith - Central Florida - PR: 3-4
• Jerome Felton (FB) - Furman - PR: 7-FA
• Rolly Lumbala (FB) - Idaho - PR: FA

Guys we've shown most interest in: Tim Hightower, Chauncey Washington.
Of that list, Choice is a quick footed downhill runner, although less of a pounder; he does his best work gliding in and out of creases. Rice showed outstanding numbers in Indianapolis and at his pro day, but he has a lot of tread on the tyres. Brown is an intruiging prospect between the tackles, whilst Forte may well go off the board in round 2. The Bears are said to be very interested after he quietly lit up the Senior Bowl with his ability. Johnson may well go as high as the late 20’s and he’s a speed demon who came to Davie for a private workout, whilst Washington’s stock has risen steadily. Little would battle Lorenzo Booker, whilst Bernard has fallen off the side of the world after his horrendous forty time. Parmele is an interesting candidate, a strong back in the Brandon Jacobs mold up around 230lbs. Torien is another big banger and he’s been injured and therefore has struggled in his workouts; anyone who saw him play knows he’s a lot quicker than a 4.61 back. Hightower is a guy who has done a decent tour round the NFL but I haven’t seen him play, whilst Smith is a guy who represents great value in R3. Felton is a do it all fullback, whilst Lumbala has the best name in the draft.

WR:
It’s clear that there is an interest in bringing in a wide receiver. And if Hyde’s man is correct, that may well come on day 1. We have Ted Ginn and we have Ernest Wilford and then we have a lot of bodies. David Kircus and Greg Camarillo have ST value and Camarillo played like a guy with a future down the stretch. Derek Hagan is, for me, in the room marked 'borrowed time'. This is a vital year for him to step and show that the real Derek Hagan is the one that set records in the PAC-10 and not the one who's been on a downward spiral since the Senior Bowl. Tab Perry is a very good special teams guy, but he also knows Karl Dorrell well. He has great size and some good ability if he can bounce back from injury. But like I said, it’s painfully clear that some talent will be added here and especially a big, tall guy as many of the targets we’re looking at fit that mold. These are the guys we've shown interest in:

• Andre Caldwell – Florida – PR: 1-2
• James Hardy – Indiana – PR: 1-2
• Adarius Bowman – Oklahoma State – PR: 5-FA
• Eddie Royal – Virginia Tech – PR: 2-3
• Harry Douglas – Louisville – PR: 3-5
• Limas Sweed – Texas – PR: 1-2
• Joe West – UTEP – PR: 6-FA
• DJ Hall – Alabama – PR: 4-5
• Devin Thomas – Michigan State – PR: 1
• Malcolm Kelly – Oklahoma – PR: 1-3
• Steve Johnson – Kentucky – PR – 5-7
• Mario Urrutia – Louisville – PR: 7-FA
• Jabari Arthur - Akron - PR: 7-FA
• Will Franklin - Missouri - PR: 2-3
• Devaughn Flagler - Gardner-Webb - PR: FA
• Mario Manningham - Michigan - PR: 2-4
• Adrian Arrington - Michigan - PR: 6-7
• Lance Leggett - Miami - PR: FA
• Pierre Garcon - Mount Union - PR: 6-FA
• John Dunlap - NC State - PR: FA
• Darnell Jenkins - Miami - PR: FA
• Donnie Avery - Houston - PR: 2-3
• Marcus Smith - New Mexico - PR: 5-6

Guys we've shown most interest in: Andre Caldwell, Harry Douglas, Adarius Bowman and Mario Manningham. That’s a pretty stacked list. Caldwell we spoke to in Indy and at the Senior Bowl. Seems like Bubba’s been on our radar a while, but I want to see more consistency across the middle. Hardy has the best hands in the draft, ran very good times and whilst the off field issues are there, you can’t escape the talent. Bowman is hugely talented, but in all my years covering the draft, it’s hard to think of a player who’s fallen so far so fast without failing a drugs test or raping someone. Royal is very underrated, a great kid, team captain as well as a solid route runner with fine hands and ST value. Douglas has said that Miami have shown a great deal of interest in him, whilst Sweed may fall into our area depending on the wrist. Keith has him as his #1 WR. West is a decent target over the middle, whilst DJ Hall has abilities, but to steal a quote, looks like Trazan, plays like Jane. He’s not going over the middle anytime soon. Thomas has electric speed and return value, but just a year of production which frightens me. Kelly is the #1 wideout on my board, although his histrionics during the run up to the draft are strange. The knee issues bear watching also. Steve Johnson was Andre Woodson’s best friend and carries the underrated tag for me, whilst Urriutia has million dollar physical ability on a $2 dollar head. Arthur is a former QB who had a good year last season and has been compared to Brandon Marshall whilst there is a lot of interest in Will Franklin who has great speed and soft hands, but needs some route refinement. I’ve not seen Flagler, and the Michigan pair have been well discussed. Leggett is headed to Canada or Arena Ballm whilst Garcon is quietly climbing the boards. He’s a 210lber who blocks like Hines Ward. Dunlap has knee issues whilst Jenkins is a free agent type. Avery has seen his stock fly to the point where I’ve seen him sneak into 1. Look for Indianapolis to study him hard at the end of R1. Marcus Smith is a real Jeff Ireland type; team captain, good hands, good route runner and fearless over the middle.

TE:
There's some good talent at this position in the draft. Less so on our roster. David Martin was lucky to survive the cull in my opinion, although there are varying reports on whether he’s safe in 2008. Justin Peelle's blocking ability went west after Ronnie Brown got hurt; to that point he'd been very successful blocking behind Rex Hadnot on the power O that was becoming our staple. Sean Ryan is a Parcells kid, but doesn't immediately strike me as a guy that should be making the roster. That said, he’s easily the best blocker of the three. Help is definitely required for a down the field threat, especially if Lee and Ireland have studied Beck at BYu and seen just how successful he was with Johnny Hartline. Anyway, here are the guys we've been interested in:

• Martin Rucker – Missouri – PR: 4-5
• Jermichael Finley – Texas – PR: 3-4
• Darrell Strong – Pittsburgh – PR: 6-FA
• Chris Hopkins – Toledo – PR: FA
• Joey Haynos – Maryland – PR: 6-7
• Brad Cottam - Tennessee - PR: 2-4
• Matt Mulligan - Maine - PR: 6-FA
• Anthony Cotrone - Maine - PR: 6-FA (H-back)
• Dustin Keller - Purdue - PR: 1-2
• Fred Davis – USC – PR: 2-3

Guy we've shown most interest in: Finley/Cottam.
Of the guys mentioned, Rucker’s stock is fluctuating because of injury concerns and an unwillingness to block. Finley seems undersized, but has upside, whilst Strong, Hopkins, Haynos and Mulligan look like number two’s, although Hopkins has good hands and Mulligan is raw but well thought of. Cottam has had a big rise, but injuries, 9 career starts and 1 touchdown catch in his Tennessee career – coming in his last game has to be a concern. Cotrone is more of an h-back, whilst Keller’s name has surfaced in the last 48 hours and given the blocking ability of Lee, he has to be seen as a very intriguing candidate should he get out of round 1. Davis won the Mackey Award and has excellent hands and is a solid if unspectacular blocker.

OT:
Jake Long was the number one pick and with Vernon Carey on the other side, that’s a quality set of book ends. Throw in Justin Smiley and Samson Satele and that’s 4/5ths of a dominating NFL line. It may be that Drew Mormino, who certainly did enough to warrant starting through much of training camp, gets the nod at LG, but it would seem unlikely to start two guys without an NFL snap between them on Beck’s blindside. Barry Sims has been touted and would make sense. I think they’ll look at bringing in another tackle and at least one guard as depth is an issue, especially given Smiley’s injury history and the departure of both Rex Hadnot and Mike Rosenthal, although the latter may get re-signed. It's the strongest tackle class I can remember – very deep at the top and solid at the second and even the third levels and its obvious the youth movement will continue on the interior, especially given Sparano's background. One to watch will be whether Miami looks to move Samson Satele to left guard. The interest in both Justin Hartwig and Chris Myers who was traded to Houston, suggests that's a possibility. This is the list of tackles first, followed by the guards.

• Jake Long – Michigan – PR: 1
• Ryan Clady – Boise State – PR: 1
• Chris Williams – Vanderbilt – PR: 1
• Sam Baker – USC – PR: 1-2
• Anthony Collins – Kansas – PR:1-2
• John Greco – Toledo – PR: 2-4
• Mike Butterworth - Slippery Rock - PR: FA
• Brandon Keith - Northern Iowa - PR: 4-5
• Gosder Cherilus - BC - PR: 1-2
• Duane Brown - Virginia Tech - PR: 2-3
• Carl Nicks - Nebraska - PR: 2-4
• Nate Garner - Arkansas - PR: FA
• Oniel Cousins - UTEP - PR: 3-5

Guys we've shown most interest in: Long, Greco, Brown.
Long is already a Dolphin as we know. Clady and Williams will be off the board quite by the 19th pick. Baker’s stock is back in the late 1 area. Collins is a mid to late 2 and a solid pass protector who needs to stay on his feet more. Greco has certainly got a lout of fans and he’s a Miami front office type, who figures to see time at guard and a RT. I’ve not seen Butterworth or Keith, although Keith is a very powerful run blocker with a great wingspan and excellent feet. Gosder Cherilus is a solid right tackle, whilst Duane Brown has impressed me continually. Carl Nicks has a world of talent, but is another carrying a $2 head. Nate Garner is a solid run blocker, but a liability in pass pro and Oniel Cousins figures to carry the underrated tag at present. Inexperienced, he has the look of a guard to me, but his upside is massive.

OG:
• Shawn Murphy – Utah State – PR:
• Branden Albert – Virginia – PR: 1-2
• James Blair – Western Michigan – PR: 5-FA
• Donald Thomas – UCONN – PR: 3-5
• Jeremy Zuttah – Rutgers – PR: 3-4
• Eric Young - Tennessee - PR: 4-5
• Ryan Poles - BC - PR: FA
• Mike Fladell - Rutgers - PR: FA
• Andrew Bain - Miami - PR: FA
• Derrick Morse - Miami - PR: FA (Morse is an OC)

Guy we've shown most interest in: Jeremy Zuttah.
Murphy is another who carries the underrated tag having played only 2 years on the OL, but is one of the most consistently high graded linemen in college football who gets excellent movement in the run game. Albert has enjoyed a phenomenal rise, but will be out of reach of us. That said, he made a visit to Davie this week, a third meeting. Blair is a good anchor inside, whilst Thomas has impressed at the All Star practices and has excellent feet and quickness. Zuttah can play anywhere and Hyde told me he was a name that was consistently mentioned in dispatches with his source. He bears watching because a number of observers think he can play center and handle the line calls, something Satele didn’t do and might precipitate Samson going to LG. Young has fallen off the face of the earth, but can play, whilst the rest are FA fodder, although Andrew Bain has the physical ability to develop.

DT:
It's clear that Jason Ferguson and Randy Starks and Paul Soliai are going to work that position, but it's also clear that Ferguson is aging and coming off a serious injury, Starks is a DT in a 4-3 or ideally a 3-4 end and Soliai, who was a nose guard in a 4-3 in college, needs a lot of work. I would think that Joseph Bryant would make ideal sense at the start of round 2. Remember, this is a kid who Chris Grier was scouting way back in the season and who, despite my earlier reservations, clearly has the speed to shift to end if need be. Also look at us targeting college tackles who can bump outside to end, such as Missouri's Williams, as well as guys who can play the 3 technique when we shift to a 4-3, which I’m sure we'll do at times. Here’s the final list.

• Marcus Harrison – Arkansas – PR: 2-3
• Joseph Bryant – Texas A+M – PR: 1-2
• Sedrick Ellis – USC – PR: 1
• Glenn Dorsey – LSU – PR: 1
• Lorenzo Williams – Missouri – PR: 6-FA
• Reggie Paramoure - Maine - PR: FA
• Bruno Dorismond - Maine - PR: FA
• Carlton Powell - Virginia Tech - PR: 4-6
• Kory Robertson - Virginia Tech - PR: FA
• Pat Sims - Auburn - PR: 1-3
• Teraz McCray - Miami - PR: 7-FA
• Jason Shirley - Fresno State - PR: FA

Guys we've shown most interest in: Carlton Powell, Pat Sims, Joseph Bryant.
Harrison has some pretty big off field issues but is a talent. Bryant is a load inside, whilst Ellis and the best player in the draft, Glenn Dorsey, will be long gone. Williams is a load inside and plays with good leverage, but is too small to kick outside. I’ve not seen the Maine guys, but Carlton Powell is a serious candidate. Kacy Rodgers dined with him the night before the Tech pro day and he’s since been to Davie for another workout and chalk session. His team mate Robertson is another load at 335lbs, whilst Pat Sims, at 6’2, 310, has to be considered a major target at pick 32 (33). He too has been at the Davie facility in the last ten days. He looked to me to be developing into a very good player and if he’d stayed for his senior year, you might have been looking at a top 10 pick. McCray is undersized at 6 foot even and 290, whilst Shirley has the sort of off field issues that would worry OJ Simpson.

DE:
It’s a difficult one to call this, because it seems like Ireland is targeting college DT’s and kicking them out to be ends, then looking at the guys in the 265-275 area and trying to convert them into DeMarcus Ware clones. Clearly the position is in something of a flux, despite the emerging talent of Rod Wright as well as the aforementioned Randy Starks and Vonnie Holliday as well as the incumbent Matt Roth. Langford's star is in the ascendancy and Miami have been all over him.

• Kendall Langford – Howard – PR: 2-4
• Jason Jones – Eastern Michigan – PR: 1-2
• Chris Long – Virginia – PR: 1
• Vernon Gholston – OSU – PR: 1
• Jeremy Thompson – Wake Forest – PR: 3
• Chris Ellis – Virginia Tech – PR: 3-4
• Eric Foster - Rutgers - PR: 5-7
• Brian Johnston - Gardner-Webb - PR: 4-5
• Calais Campbell - Miami - PR: 1-2
• Lawrence Jackson - USC - PR: 1-2
• Derrick Harvey - Florida - PR: 1

Guys we've shown most interest in: Gholston/Long/Langford.
Kendall Langford is one of those small school guys who has a shot at stardom. You only had to watch him in the Shrine game to see his ability off the edge. Jones has made a meteoric rise and is being mentioned now as a late 1. He’s a very good run defender, but struggles to get consistent pressure on the QB. Long and Gholston will be gone, whilst Jeremy Thompson visited this week, but needs to be more consistent in getting to the passer. Chris loves Chris Ellis looks primed to kick back to 3-4 OLB, whilst Eric Foster is a nice 3-4 end. I’ve not seen Brian Johnston, but his workout numbers and body of work at Gardner-Webb stand up to scrutiny. It’s not out of the question to see him go in R2. Calais Campbell is another Tarzan/Jane type, although if you could light a fire of consistency under him, you’d have something special. Jackson looked smooth in LB drills and Harvey seems another major target, although he’s likely to be off the board.

LB:
Despite adding 7,982 linebackers in free agency, it's clear that we're still an impact inside linebacker short and with the interest in Ellis, Groves, Long, Jackson, Gholston, etc., it's pretty clear we're looking for an OLB as well. It may be that Joey Porter kicks inside or more likely that Jason Taylor gets moved. Raebal and Biermann are small schoolers and on the inside, every time I watch Curtis Lofton I see a future Pro Bowler. At the moment it looks like it will be between Torbor, Crowder and a draftee on the inside.

• Titus Brown – Mississippi State – PR: 7-FA
• Keith Rivers – USC – PR: 1
• AJ Raebal – Wisconsin Whitewater – PR: FA
• Kroy Biermann – Montana – PR: 7-FA
• Quentin Groves – Auburn – PR: 1
• Curtis Lofton – Oklahoma – PR: 1-2
• Curtis Johnson - Clark-Atlanta - PR: 4-7
• Red Keith - Central Michigan - PR: 5-FA
• Jerod Mayo - Tennessee - PR: 1-2
• Jameel McClain - Syracuse - PR: 6-FA
• Beau Bell - UNLV - PR: 3-5
• Dan Connor - Penn State - PR: 1-2
• Tavares Gooden - Miami - PR: 2-4
• Bryan Smith - McNeese State - PR: 6-7
• Wesley Woodyard - Kentucky - PR: 2-4
• Kelly Poppinga - BYU - PR: 6-FA
• Philip Wheeler - Georgia Tech - PR: 2-3
• Marcus Howard - Georgia - PR: 2-4
• Cliff Avril - Purdue - PR: 2-3
• Gary Guyton - Georgia Tech - PR: 5-6
• Ben Moffitt - South Florida - PR: 6-7

Guy we've shown most interest in: Curtis Johnson.
Titus Brown disappeared off the face of the earth. Rivers doesn’t do enough for me, especially when the play goes straight at him, and I haven’t seen Raebal. There is a You Tube video of Biermann and he is the owner of a very fine first step. Groves should be target number 1 at pick 32 (33) should he still be there. If Ireland is still looking for that DeMarcus Ware, he could do a lot worse than Groves. Lofton is the most instinctive linebacker in the draft, whilst there seems a legitimate interest in Johnson. Keith I’ve not seen, but Jerod Mayo is my 10th best prospect in the draft and a major target for New England, probably as a WLB. McClain is a banger who gets off blocks and makes plays, whilst Beau Bell works out like someone who couldn’t care less, but when he straps on the helmet, he’s ready to work. Connor would be a great pick at 32 (33) and can play in or out and Gooden would be a fascinating pick at that spot as well. His lack of instincts and his injuries would concern. Smith I’ve not seen, but Woodyard was the Mike Mamula of the Combine and may play safety in some schemes. Poppinga is interesting 3-4 MLB and a team captain, whilst Wheeler is a fine blitzer inside and represents great value should he still be on the board at the start of day 2. Miami requested further tape of Marcus Howard, whilst Cliff Avril flatters to deceive when I watch him play. Guyton is quick and athletic, but doesn’t show up on tape, whilst Moffitt is underrated; he plays the run well and is a good coverage linebacker.

CB:
Will Allen is a very good cornerback. If we weren't 1-15, he'd have garnered some pretty strong All Pro voting and not just from the very excellent Paul Zimmerman. He needs a running mate. Could it be Lito Sheppard? That would be an excellent one-two punch. This is such a brilliantly deep class, I'm sure the answer will come on draft day. We have lots of bits and bobs and bodies still on the roster; Daniels, Goodman, Nathan Jones, Mike Lehan, who for my money is a solid 3rd corner, etc. What you'll see on draft day is guys falling to the mid and late second round who in most other years would carry a mid to late 1st round grade, especially with the strong likelihood that three of the first four CB's off the board will come from smaller schools. This is the list.

• Justin McKinney – Kansas State – PR: 7-FA
• Terrell Thomas – USC – PR: 2-3
• Justin King – Penn State – PR: 2-3
• Marcus Walker – Oklahoma – PR: 7-FA
• Antoine Cason - Arizona - PR: 1-2
• Orlando Skandrick - Boise State - PR: 2-4
• Davanzo Tate - Akron - PR: 6-FA
• Tyvon Branch - UCONN - PR: 2-3
• Tracy Porter - Indiana - PR: 2-3
• Glenn Sharpe - Miami - PR: 7-FA
• Charles Godfrey - Iowa - PR: 2-3
• Patrick Wells - Ferris State - PR: FA
• Terrell Vinson - Purdue - PR: 6-FA

Guy we've shown most interest in: Justin McKinney, Charles Godfrey.
McKinney told Scout.com that Miami have been all over him, whilst Terrell Thomas is a good cover CB who needs to be a more consistent threat in the run game. There are rumours that Justin King will go to Pittsbugh in R1 or Atlanta at the top of R2, whilst Marcus Walker is very inconsistent and disappeared behind Reggie Smith. Cason is the best CB in the draft for me, whilst the pacy Scandrick has shot up the boards. Tate works very well in the trail position and has electric closing speed. Branch is a flying machine who looks like a safety, whilst Porter is a solid player. Glenn Sharpe has seen his stock rise, whilst Godfrey is raw, but talented. He too came to Davie in the past ten days. Not seen Wells play and Vinson at 5’9 is very small.

S:
Is Keith Davis the answer? Is Renaldo Hill? Cam Worrell is gone. What about Jason Allen? Former third round pick Chris Crocker can play. But is he the future? Allen began to develop into a pretty good player from London onwards and he should improve, whilst Crocker and Davis might fight it out to start opposite him. Yeremiah Bell is a very good player, but can he ever be relied upon? As for the 2008 class, it’s not a great one by any stretch of the imagination and if we're going to play Allen at FS – although he played well on the strong side late on in 2007 – then we're looking for a big, rangy body that can attack the line of scrimmage. These are the names.

• Caleb Campbell – Army – PR: 5
• Kyle Jackson – Florida – PR: FA
• Reggie Smith – Oklahoma – PR: 2-3
• Josh Barrett – Arizona State – PR: 2-3
• Simeon Castille – Alabama – PR: 4-5
• Tom Zbikowski - Notre Dame - PR: 3-4
• Kenny Phillips - Miami - PR: 1-2
• Thomas DeCoud - Cal - PR: 3-5
• Quentin Demps - UTEP - PR: 3
• Willie Cooper - Miami - PR: FA

Guy we've shown most interest in: Caleb Campbell.
Campbell is a banger, whilst Kyle Jackson would struggle to make a roster. Reggie Snith offers that Anthony Henry type versatility and may be better suited at safety. Josh Barrett tested off the charts in Indy and may go in round 2, whilst Castille is a corner who will play safety to make use of his abilities when the play is in front of him. Zbikowski can play and offers good ST value, whilst Phillips is a good Miami safety, but not close to being in the same class as much of the legendary group of deep patrollers to have left the U. DeCoud is athletic and aggressive, whilst Demps is a good center fielder with a nose for the ball. Willie Cooper is unemployed as of Saturday.

ST:
• (K) Brandon Couto – Georgia – PR: 7-FA
• (K) Piotr Czech – Wagner College – PR: FA
• (LS) John Rochford - Miami - PR: FA

Couto is very consistent with his field goals but has hamstring issues. Czech had the Dolphins go see him up at Wagner where he boomed 12 for 12, finishing with a 59 yarder. Rochford is a long-snapper who might press John Denney.

Anyway, hope that’s of interest and you can use it during the next 2 days.
Enjoy the draft.

Boomer.