LSU Shows Promise in Final Scrimmage

With the season opener on Sept. 1 against North Texas right around the corner, the Tigers looked to fine tune some things in their last scrimmage of Summer practice Tuesday night and by all accounts; they look GUD!

 

The running game looked as good as it can be with five backs battling for time and the top two, Spencer Ware and Michael Ford, sitting out due to minor injuries. Junior running back Alfred Blue led all backs with 6 carries for 70 yards and 2 touchdowns. Sophomore Kenny Hilliard finished with 11 carries from 67 yards and rounding out the day was Freshman Jeremy Hill going for 43 yards on 8 carries.

Zach Mettenberger threw 26 completions on 36 attempts for 336 yards and as Les put it "a number of touchdowns." 

I know its premature but 336 YARDS?!...I digress.

Backup quarterbacks Rob Bolden and Stephen Rivers had brief showings with Mettenberger clearly getting the playbook thrown his way.

The wide-outs were led by Odell Beckham (no surprise here) with 4 catches for 100 yards. Russell Shepard pulled in 3 catches for 40 yards and a touchdown and Jarvis Landry grabbed 4 passes for 20 yards. James Wright continue to impress with a 4 reception for 40 yards and a touchdown showing.

Like always, this is only a scrimmage and shouldn't be taken seriously BUT you have to admit; these numbers are what we have been waiting for. A passing game to compliment the the ground and pound that we have been known for over the years. This Fall is shaping up to be a good one.

LSU Gets Commitment From Jones

 The LSU Tigers once again grabbed a pretty good LB to add to their 2013 class when 4-star LB Melvin Jones from Washington-Marion High School in Lake Charles committed.

This 6'3, 245 pound monster is right now bigger than all but one linebacker on LSU current roster which will make him a great fit for the physical grind he'll be expected to endure while competing in the SEC. As a Junior he recorded 140 tackles ( 15 TFL ). 5 sacks, 4 picks and 4 fumble recoveries.

In addition to playing linebacker; Jones took snaps last year. This is not a typo people; he played Quaterback. He has the speed and athleticism to chase down carriers, drop into coverage, as well as take on a Fullback in the A gap.

This is an exciting commitment from my standpoint. Not only do we keep one in-state but he a damn good prospect. It's going to be fun trying to keep with these guys the upcoming Fall under the Friday night lights; just hope I have enough time to keep y'all posted : /.

Let's Make A Deal: BCS edition

Decisions, Decisions.

I remember sitting on the couch last year watching the BCS selection show thinking to myself  "If LSU play 'Bama again...the playoff system will be upon us. There is no way the other conference presidents will allow this happen ever again."

So, thank you SEC for destroying the other conference opponents in the BCS championship for the past 6 years and causing something to happen in Division I that we all thought was a far fetched fantasy; The NCAA D-1 Playoffs.

And now, it's on the discussion table...well...sort-of.

The current BCS system will be in place for the next two years but the future changes will be discussed June 26. So far the idea that anything larger than four-team playoff is out the window. So with that being said, here are four possibilities that could reshape college football as we know it:

Scenario I - Plus One Format

This format is gaining popularity amongst most conferences because it doesn't extend the college post-season by that much. Basically, the top four teams (determined by the current BCS formula) are seeded 1-4. 1 plays 4; 2 plays 3. The winners would play each for the national title.

One issue - Sooooo where will they play the games? There is a lot of speculation surrounding this question. Many believe that the higher seeded teams should host the first round and the title should be played at a neutral site. This could drive bowl executives nuts whom of which would lose the most money if this format is adopted...unless the bowl committees are given a chance to bid on the neutral site or something like that.

Scenario II - Top Four Overall

Another top four format but the selection would come from a committee or a predetermined formula. Venues would bid to host the games with the national title being played a week later. This format lacks the traditional hype leading up to bowl games; something that the NCAA "desperately" wants to keep apart of the college post season. If this is the option they choose; I'll be shocked.

Scenario III - Top Four Champions

This option will follow the top four overall format but the only people eligible are those who won their conference championship. Looking at last year for example, #1 LSU v #10 Wisconsin, #3 Ok State v #5 Oregon....really?

This is what weaker conferences are dreaming of. I just can't see a team like UConn going undefeated in the Big East, ranking in the top 5 and getting a shot at a title game. You can argue that they did their job in winning the games before them but in order for this to pass; those big conferences have to vote for it...highly unlikely.

Scenario IV - Three-and-One

Ok, this one is slightly different. The semifinals must include the top three conference champs but the fourth spot can be filled by any team. So you get a wild card team. Of course, the wild card selection would cause some backlash but you can't please everyone, right? 

Something that you have to include when talking about each and every last one of these options is money. Money will drive each conference on each level to vote in favor of getting the biggest slice of revenue regardless who plays and where it's played. The NCAA knows this; why else would they entertain half of these options. That's what it all boils down to at the end of the day; how can I make the most money for my conference. 

I personally think the Plus one format is the best option here. Top four teams get a chance at the 'ship no matter whose in those slots. The selection of these teams can cause a couple of issues just because strength of schedule has to be factored into all of this. Just because you win your conference championship with a 9-4 record doesn't  mean you are a top 5 team in the nation.

We all can argue against or for the adoption of all of these options. That's what we are here for; to go back and forth about who should really play for the 'ship. No matter if you are pulling for good ole Boise State or Wake Forest. We want to see the nations top four teams play for the crown.

Now on the more silly side of the spectrum, if EA Sports NCAA 2013 had a "Create Your Playoff" feature I'd solve it myself. Cut out the cupcake games, adopt the D-2 playoff system and have the final four play in the highest bidding bowls. Extensive? Yes. Extreme? Hell yes! Will it happen? Never. But this is just my opinion....

What's yours?

LSU 2013 Commitments

Since this list is beginning to get lengthy, I figured I'd make my own and include their highlight reel. The list will be updated on a regular basis so keep your eyes open!

GEAUX TIGERS!

ATH  Jeryl Brazil 5-9 176 Loranger

 WR  Chuck Baker  6-2 193 Salmen

CB  Tre'Davious White 5-11 160 Green Oaks/Shreveport

DB  Jeremy Cutrer  6-3 175 Jewell Sumner

OL  Josh Boutte  6-4 305 Westgate/New Iberia

WR  John Diarse (Sophomore season) 6-0 210 Neville/Monroe

DT  Tevin Lawson 6-4 275 Denham Springs/Denham

DE  Michael Patterson 6-3 232 Winnfield/LA

OL  K.J. Malone 6-4 285 Cedar Creek/Ruston

WR  Quantavious Leslie   6-4 190 Hinds (Miss) CC

TE  Logan Stokes 6-4 240 Northeast Miss. CC

QB  Hayden Rettig   6-3 210 Cathedral/Pasadena

OT  Ethan Pocic  6-6 285 Lemont Township (Ill.) HS

DE  Frank Herron 6-4 245 Memphis Central HS/Memphis

WR  Kyrion Parker  6-3 185 Manvel HS/Pearland TX **DECOMMITTED**

FB  Kennard Swanson 6-0 245 Lake Gibson HS/ Lakeland, Fla.

QB Anthony Jennings 6-2 200 Marrietta (Ga.) HS/Marrietta, GA

LB Melvin Jones  6-3 245 Washington Marion/ Lake Charles, LA


TE DeSean Smith  6-4 220 Barbe HS/ Lake Charles, LA

17th Commitment From Georgia Dual-Threat QB

Since JaMarcus's departure, true LSU fans wondered "When will we have another good quarterback under center?" Some thought it would be Jordan Jefferson others pushed for Jarrett Lee. The result?

2,135 passing yards between the both of them. Just to keep things in perspective the top SEC quarterback threw for 3,638 yards (Tyler Wilson) and good ole Case Keenum threw for over 5,600 yards. Of course numbers are skewed with LSU attempting only 279 times last year but if we had a quarterback that really could slang it around; wouldn't our attempts reflect that?

In my opinion, it would and looking at the moves we are making in recruitment, the coaching staff agrees.

The Tigers received another four-star quarterback commitment; this one coming from Marietta, Georgia's Anthony Jennings on June 7. Jennings chose the Tigers over 40 other schools including Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi State.

Jennings is a 6'2, 205 pound dual-threat quarterback. He played his Junior year with a torn knee ligament and still managed to throw for 2,187 yards, 19 touchdowns and only four interceptions on top of rushing for 464 yards and 8 touchdowns. Jennings was also named the MVP of the Elite 11 Atlanta Region. He will now participate and compete in the Elite 11 finals in California in July against the nations top high school quarterbacks.

Jennings will join Hayden Rettig  as two of the nations top qartuerbacks in packing their bags for LSU in  2013. If these two stay committed, we can be looking a pretty decent group for seasons to come. Both have the opportunity to redshirt and develop into premiere players; solving the quarterback conundrum for the first time in years.

This sets up pretty nicely for us but I can't get this past season out of my head. Let's fast forward to the 2015 season. It's the beginning of Spring practice and Coach Miles (assuming he is still here) says "Well ummmm we have two great quarterbacks ready to take the wheel of this offense. Either one can be the starter but we'll use the two quarterback system when needed." *insert face palm* Hopefully this is just me playing Devil's advocate and I won't have to dig up this post down the line. May the best man win.

LSU Gets FB Commitment

If you guys been following my post (which I hope you have), you'll know that this recruiting season has been a busy one especially the last couple of weeks. So on the heels of getting verbals from some of the nations top defensive ends, wide-outs, and offensive tackles; we add a tree stump to the backfield in Kennard Swanson from Lakeland, Fla.

The 6 ft 245 pound Swanson started 3 years on the defensive line in addition to getting a couple snaps at fullback, offensive guard, and some special teams duty. He received offers from Miami and Central Florida to play fullback as well as USC, Pitt, USF, WVU and Purdue for defensive line. During his Junior season, Swanson had 46 tackles and 11 sacks. 

Since we typical see athletes convert to fullback out of high school ( I am notorious for this in NCAA football), it isn't a shock that he played all over in high school. Shows that he isn't all about self and willing to help the team in any shape, for, or fashion. He'll learn a lot from our current RB staff.

Tigers Get Four-Star DE.

So, I think we have figured it out; cracked the code so to speak. Not only are we getting recruits; we are getting GOOD recruits. 

Next on the list of commitments this Summer is the 6'5 254 pound defensive end Frank Herron out of Memphis,Tn. Herron had offers from Arkansas, Ohio State, USC, Auburn and Notre Dame. He is considered one of the top D. Ends in the 2013 class and does everything to make you think so as well. The announcement came following the Memphis Nike Football Training Camp after Herron received the Defensive line MVP. One of his deciding factors was the relationship he has with defensive line coach Brick (dude name is Brick!) Haley.

Herron has displayed some skills as a young defensive end playing with both power and quickness. As long as he is willing to work hard and perfect his craft he should have no problem becoming a household name. The burden is now on the Tigers to make sure he is consistently getting better the entire year.

LSU Gets Another JUCO Player

This one folks is a tad on the "Who the hell is this?" side but the upside for Northeast Mississippi Community College Logan Stokes is tremendous.

From a build prespective, he stands 6'5, 240 which is ideal for a TE and will help fill some voids left that position. Here is some (the only) footage I was able to find on Stokes.

Good blocker; decent hands. Potential through the roof!

Four-star OL Coming Down South

It's happening so fast; it's becoming a full-time job just to keep up!

But good news is great news in recruiting; especially after you land a freak of nature like this one.

On May 29th the Tigers got yet another class of 2013 commitment from Illinois lineman Ethan Pocic who had offers from 'Bama, USC, Cal, Oklahoma, and Florida just to name a few.

The 6'6 285 pound tackle is rated the number 36 player by Rivals.com and the 6th best OT in the nation. The deciding factor for Pocic was the physical play of LSU's run game. After his visit to LSU this past weekend; Pocic knew LSU was the right fit for him.

In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Pocic said; "It's all about the offensive line at LSU and the running game" stated Pocic. "They love to run the football and it's a great fit on and off the field for me."

Many analyst love the upside of this kid. He possess the athletic ability to play tackle as a true freshman and have the frame to be an effective blocker at the next level. Adding another pillar to an already stacked offensive line is writings on the wall that LSU will always be a run first team.

To be honest, I couldn't pick out a weakness from watching his highlight tape. Could be the fact that he was so much bigger than the person in front of him but you don't run across too many 6'6 offensive tackles in high school. Either way, I'm sure he will have a stellar career at LSU. This verbal commitment makes 14 for the class of 2013.

...plus that highlight link is SICK!

Tigers Grab Houston Receiver

It almost seems like a kid verbally commits to the Tigers everyday now with this one coming from a familiar place.

Three-star wide receiver Kyrion Parker announced Monday that he will join the Tigers in 2013 according to multiple recruiting websites.

Parker told TigerBait.com "I verbally committed today; We were sitting down talking to Les Miles about the program and everything. I really liked it a lot."

The 6'3, 185-pound receiver missed most of his Junior season with a broken collarbone and has since transferred  from Lamar of  Houston ( former high school of Tiger favorite Brandon LaFell) to last year's state runner-up Manvel in Pearland, Texas.

This 2013 class is really starting to take on a personality of it's own claiming more and more great high school athletes. Let's ride this wave of momentum and see if we can get a couple of five-stars as well as the recruiting period continues.

Top QB Prospect commits to LSU

The quarterback position has been a hot topic for the tigers ever since the departure of JaMarcus Russell. With the lost of one of the top QB prospects in this year class (see Gunner Kiel); the focus immediately shifted to the 2013 season and they might have nabbed  a pretty good one out of Cali.

Hayden Rettig stands a prototypical 6'4 with a 215 frame; with some growing years left before him and a big arm. The 4-star QB is coming from a pro-style offense at Cathedral High School and look to fill a void that had most us Tiger faithfuls concerned to say the least.

At Cathedral, he threw for 3,041 yards and 24 touchdowns with a dismal 23 ints (Freshmen and Sophomore years respectively). His Junior campaign was cut short due to a torn ACL where he only played in 2 games.

With Mettenberger being a Junior ( presuming he won't declare for the draft next year), this gives Rettig a chance to redshirt, learn the offense, then compete for playing time the 2014 season. If the Tigers can create some type of revolving door at the QB position like all the other positions on the team; the energy in Baton Rouge will be electrifying.

It's another verbal commit but you can't help but get excited about this one. It seems like recruiting top QB prospect has been a weakness ever since...Ryan Perrilloux (instant-anger). So maybe this will start the trend that LSU has always needed; a QB that can get the job done in the air FIRST then on the ground.

LSU Gets JUCO Stand-out

The 2012 recruiting class is over and done with but us true football fans *hand high* knows that recruiting is a year long non-stop courtship that many NCAA coaches have to master in-order to be successful. Frank Wilson is one of those coaches.

Looking forward to the 2013 season LSU has got a verbal commitment from one of the most sought after JUCO wide-outs of that class; HINDS CC Quantavious Leslie.

The 6'4, 190 lb. receiver had 26 catches for 501 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2011 and shows good body control for his size; something we haven't seen since the Dwayne Bowe days. His numbers are pretty impressive as well, running a 4.4 in the forty with a 33 inch vertical leap. He definitely has the criteria to come in and leave a lasting impression on Death Valley. In other words, he's a beast in the making Quantavius Leslie Highlights.

Of course this road wasn't the chosen path by Leslie. He initially signed with West Virginia in 2009 as a high school Junior but failed to qualify academically. I'm more than sure once he gets on campus, the Cox Communications building (Academic Center for Student-Athletes) will become his second home.

Now, I can't stress enough that this is a VERBAL commitment meaning he could change his mind several times if he so choose to (See Gunner Kiel). One school that he was hoping would offer him a scholarship was Georgia. Being a native of there, the opportunity to play 2 hours away from his childhood home may still be a dream for Leslie. Let's hope he has the "I'll show you!" state of mind and put up crazy numbers when/if we see Georgia again in the near future.

But to be honest...all I keep seeing is Odell on one side and Leslie on the other; throw in a good quarterback ( the wild card) and we will be hanging another championship flag.

All-In: Cassel's Last Hand

Can this be it?! The year we make it past the first round and deep into the play-offs?! Even - should I say - Super Bowl run???

Chiefs' fans, the pieces are there and in place. But there is one piece that is raising more than enough questions this off-season; Is Cassel ready?

I don't believe he has a choice. The Chiefs signed Brady Quinn as a backup and still have Ricky Stanzi is waiting in the wings. Not to mention hosting Peyton Manning this off season which definitely had some Chiefs' fans saying "Matt who?" All signs are pointing to Cassel as the starter but those actions had to rub Cassel the wrong way and showed that Crennel won't hesitate to pull him if he begins to struggle.

Now with that said; Cassel isn't a slouch ( most people beg to differ). In 2010, his last healthy year as a Chief, Cassel threw for 3116 yards and 27 touchdowns. He has shown that he could excel when under center and coming off of an season ending injury in addition to his critics should motivate him to work harder than he ever has...but will that translate to a playoff win?

Let's hope the elements around him can get us there. Not saying that is incapable of doing so himself but the Crennel's game plan won't call for it. What most people fail to realize is that the Chiefs are one of the last organizations that play old school football; run first and play good defense. Last year the Chiefs finished 15th in rushing (without Jamaal Charles) and the defense ranked 12th. Adding Poe should instantaneously push us into the top 10. The backfield resembles a Kentucky Derby line-up and hopefully with the re-signing of D.Bowe; the options are limitless.

Maybe Cassel has to play the Trent Dilfer, Brad Johnson role on this team but if winning a Super Bowl his ultimate goal; he should be jumping at the opportunity.

Locked and Loaded

It was a dark dreary day on turf in mid September that we watched our All-Pro running back Jamaal Charles go down out of bounds with a torn ACL. The pain; The hurt; The uncertainty we all shared as he was carted off with "that look". The question of if he could return for Week 1 or if he could simply recover from this injury was 80 percent answered two weeks ago. Via the Chiefs organization; Jamaal had this to say:

"I'm hungry. I want it this year. I've got the passion for it. I can be patient. I just can't wait to play football, I can't wait to bring stuff back to this community and show how much we can win. And I feel like this is a year for us, that we can go all the way because I can feel it. And me, I feel I can bring a lot to the team this year being bigger and stronger, and I don't know, maybe even faster. I can wait awhile. In my mind, I want to get back out there because I want to see where I'm at, but I feel like I'm already there, so I can just wait. Just like when I had my shoulder surgery, I waited the whole training camp to go back. I didn't do anything really during OTAs or minicamp."

Make ya feel good don't it?!

When asked about how he felt watching the games on the bench from the sideline after his injury; He replied:

"It was sick. It made me stronger. It made me the person that I am today, I can't wait and I know how to take care of my body, how to eat right and do the right things and it's made me not want to wait to touch that field again. When I touch that field going out there, you're going to feel my pain; you're going to go through what I went through. That right there is going to be there for the rest of my career because I don't want to be out a whole year ever again. That point, at my stage, I'm 25 years old, I'm at the point in my life that I've got to win games, I want to go to the playoffs, I wonder why we can't go to the Super Bowl. That had me thinking a lot and made me a better player."

Over-excited would be an understatement! I can't wait to see Charles back to 100%. With all the pieces coming back and the additions from the draft; I'm thinking about what design will Nike come up with this year for the division champs shirts.

Goodell vs Evilma

The latest penalties against the New Orleans Saints were issued earlier this week with a strong message: Bounties will NOT be tolerated in the NFL. Four players received suspensions; two of which are still on the Saints roster. Scott Fujita (currently with the Browns) was hit with a 3 game suspension, Will Smith was handed 4, Anthony Hargrove (currently with Packers) was given 8 games and Jonathan Vilma was slapped with a *drum-roll* season long suspension. SEASON LONG?!?! How crazy is that?!

Let's first discuss the what we could have been looking at. I reported in an earlier post  that 22 out of 27, former and current players were involved in the scandal so all things considered, we got off easy. We could have easily been looking at an entire new defense come September. Also, keep in mind that we signed 3 very good and athletic LBs this off-season which shows that we were preparing for life without Vilma far before any of this happened so from a talent standpoint; we are still a Super Bowl caliber team (once Drew signs of course).

The issue I have - as well as many others - is that this entire investigation has been fueled by the current player safety lawsuits. Instead of fairly being punished we are now the poster team for his "Not on my watch" campaign and Vilma is now the villain; Dr. Doom and Frieza ( for my DBZ lovers) wrapped in one. From here on out, Vilma and bounty scandal will be synonymous with each other. We all know he has the option to and will appeal the rulings but Goodell is the judge and jury so I don't think he'll change mind on the topic.The damage is done and now it is becoming more and more ingrained in everyone's head day after day (see Sports Illustrated cover up top).

Goodell isn't concerned about how fair the punishments are at this point, it's the message. Why else would you suspend a player for an entire year for something that did not give the team an competitive advantage? On second thought, I guess we shouldn't be shocked at all. It is Roger Goodell we are talking about. Giving his track record, it fits.

But who's really the villian in all this???

And the Verdict is...?

GUILTY!

...but we've known that. In matter of fact, we - the Who Dats - have known that since early March. So what's the hold up on the rest of our punishments?

The NFL has made it pretty known that they aren't taken the bounty scandal lightly. Coach Sean Payton is suspended for a year, GM Mickey Loomis is suspended for the first 8 games of the season, Assistant Coach\Interim HC is suspended for the first 6 games of the season, and the organization was hit with a $500,000 fine and the lost of some draft picks in this year and next year draft. Not to mention former DC Gregg Williams indefinite suspension from the NFL. And now, the final part of these punishments; the player suspensions.

The initial investigation found that between 22 and 27, former and current players were involved in the scandal. Given Mr. Goodell's reputation; we should expect the worse but the process has been dragged out for the past 2 months. Weekly "leaks" has suggested that the penalties would come as early as last week but the commish did not want to "interfere" with the draft. That's cool; I understand that, but don't think the punishments aren't already drafted sitting on some one's desk right now somewhere. It took approximately 18 days for the NFL to issue their first wave punishments against the Saints organization...we are now on day 60.

Granted, I can only imagine the amount of work that goes into an investigation such as this one. Speaking with the organization, NFL Players Association, owners etc. can take months but, as we've seen since he has taken over, he is THE COMMISH! He has the power to do what he wants; when he wants. Unlike his predecessor Paul Tagliabue, Goodell understands the full extent of his power as the commissioner and he isn't afraid to use it...heavily.

It's time to git'er done Commish. I dare to speculate that the reason behind the stalled process is personal driven but I'm not one to dive into conspiracy theories. We need to know sooner than later or better yet, now. The task to solidify a team without it's leaders is already an enormous one but throwing in the uncertainty of if players will be there come opening day kick-off is asking a dog to run a race with 2 legs! Unfair is an understatement.

So c'mon commish; stop pouring salt in our wounds. We have enough injuries to last this year.

Tigers going to the next level

The draft was another good one for the LSU Tigers and the SEC as a whole. This shouldn't come as a surprise given that the past 6 BCS champions have come from the SEC. 42 players were selected from the SEC (one more than the Big Ten) and a number of undrafted free agents will be picked up over the next couple of days ( if not already). Here is the list of LSU's drafted and undrafted players going to the next level.

Drafted:
Rd 1. 6th pick - Moe Claiborne - Dallas Cowboys
Rd. 1 14th pick - Michael Brokers - St. Louis Rams
Rd. 2 63rd pick - Rueben Randle - New York Giants
Rd. 3 73rd pick - Brandon Taylor - San Diego Chargers
Rd. 4 124th pick - Ron Brooks - Buffalo Bills

Undrafted Free Agent Signees:
Ryan Baker - LB - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Will Blackwell - T -  Carolina Panthers
Jordan Jefferson - QB - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jarrett Lee - QB - San Diego Cahrgers
Kendrick Adams - DE -  Jacksonville Jaguars
T-Bob Hebert - G/C - St. Louis Rams
Deangelo Peterson - TE - St. Louis Rams
James Stampley IV - FB - Seattle Seahawks ( invited to free agent tryout)

As always, we wish our Tigers nothing but success in the future!

Geaux Tigers!

New Orleans Saints Full Draft Results

Here is a more in-depth look of all of the New Orleans Saints' 2012 draft picks.

Rd 3: DE Akiem Hicks (Regina, Canada)

The post on this shines light on his road to the NFL. Check it out!:

http://thaboothreview.blogspot.com/A.Hicks

Rd 4: WR Nick Toon (Wisconsin)

The son of former NFL All-Pro receiver Al Toon, is a versatile sure handed receiver from a run-happy program. He showed a lot promise at Wisconsin while on the field. A major foot surgery slowed down his development his Junior year but he bounced back for a decent Senior campaign.

Strengths: Great hands; Well polished route runner. Can also block  out on the edge.

Weaknesses: Doesn't have burner type speed (4.54 at combine) but has a knack for getting open. He runs

pretty high after the catch and his durability will be questioned at the next level. 

Rd 5: SS Corey White (Samford)

The 6'2" 205 pounder is a versatile DB that can play either S or CB. Very consistent tackler at Samford and a ball-hawk snatching 7 ints.

Strengths: Plays like a S in run support and  takes great angles to the ball. Good athleticism when the is in the air. 

Weaknesses: Foot control and indecisiveness. He tends to shuffle his feet more than usually when a receiver changes direction which would make him more of a lock for safety and not corner.

Rd 6: OG Andrew Tiller (Syracuse)

Big dude (6'4" 324) that is expected to give D-lineman fits just with his sheer size. Blocked for a 1,000 yard rusher at Syracuse and made All Big-East First Team.

Strengths: Great Size and can run block. Good slide pass protector.

Weaknesses: Tends to lunge at blockers and lose his center of gravity. Technique needs to be worked on. Plays upright.

Rd 7: OT Marcel Jones (Nebraska)

Tiller is big; Jones is even bigger. Standing at 6'6" 325, he is very unpolished but has the tools and athletic ability to become a dominate force in the league.

Strengths: Good all around blocker and extremely athletic for his size. Has to work on his flexibility in order to start as a left tackle

Weaknesses: Poor balance. Injury prone.

An average Joe may doubt or second guess the direction the Saints went in this year's draft but we have some very promising players here.I don't expect all of the above to come in and start but they will compete with the current roster. Next on the agenda, signing Drew!

Kansas City Chiefs Full Draft Results

Here is a more in-depth look of all of the Kansas City Chiefs' 2012 draft picks.

Rd 1: DT Dontari Poe (Memphis)
In case you missed the write up; here's the scoop on Poe.
http://thaboothreview.blogspot.com/Dontari Poe

Rd 2: OT Jeff Allen (Illinois)

A very versatile lineman that can play on the left or right side of the line. Served as a team captain his senior year and was rated the #12 rated prospect at his position. 

Strengths: He has a lot of experience playing the right and left side of the line.  Good hands and feet.

Weaknesses: Lack the physicality most good lineman possesses.

Rd 3: OT Donald Stephenson (Oklahoma)

One of the steals of the draft. He has the ability to be molded into one of the best but it may take some years.

Strengths: Great vision with his 6'5" frame. Naturally quick and an athlete. He ran a 4.94 in the 40 and jumped 35.5 inches in the vertical leap at the combine.

Weaknesses: Inconsistency. He is a very raw prospect but he must commit himself to the game in order to get the most out of it.

Rd 4: WR Devon Wylie (Fresno State)

An undersized receiver that may be used solely as a kick returner and slot receiver. Wylie ran a 4.37 the 40 yd dash and impressed scouts with his strength; benching 225 17 times at the combine. ( He weighed in at 186 pounds).

Strengths: Quickness, speed, and strength. He has the ability to be a very effective as a kick returner and a deep threat from the slot position. Look for quick screens going his way as well.

Weakness: Injury prone. His durability will definitely come into question throughout the season.

Rd 5: CB DeQuan Menzie (Alabama)

Somewhat the forgotten DB for the Crimson Tide but remembered by opposing teams. Menzie was around the ball a lot and is a great tackler.

Strengths: Good cover corner and great at blitzing.  Has enough speed to stick with his man. Very good foot quickness.

Weaknesses: Extremely risky player. Would rather go for the pick 6 than the pass deflection and punt.

 As a result, he gets burned.

Rd 6: RB Cyrus Gray (Texas A&M)

Work horse. Gray carried the ball 632 times racking up 3,298 yards and 30 touchdowns.

Strengths: All around back. Can run, catch, and block.

Weaknesses: Tends to dance in the hole a lot and lacks that "burner" speed.

Rd 7: DT Jerome Long (San Diego State)

Was All Mountain West two consecutive years. Smaller name prospect big the 285 pounder begs to differ.

Strengths: Has a nose for the ball. Long was second on the team in tackles, sacks, and tackles for loss.

Weaknesses:Will need a lot of coaching to make the team. Has more potential than most will give him.

Rd 8: WR Junior Hemingway (Michigan)

The draft ended for the Chiefs' with a sleeper pick. Hemingway led Michigan in receptions last year and was named the Sugar Bowl's MVP (y'all saw the catches!).

Strengths: He's an all around good possession receiver. Pretty decent blocker and reliable hands.

Weaknesses: Doesn't have blazing speed or great route running ability.

All in all I think we did pretty good in draft. We filled some troubled areas from last year and added some other potential play-makers into the fold. As long as we stay healthy; we should destroy the AFC West.

Go Chiefs!

Who, Dat???

 After a long agonizing 27 hour wait the Saints finally made their selection at the 89th pick. 

Akiem Hicks - DT - University of Regina

To most this is some unknown name from a university that you have never heard of ( including myself) but to us LSU fans; it rings a bell. 

After being recruited by LSU from Sacramento City College (Junior College) in 2008, Akiem found himself on the wrong side of an NCAA investigation. He was a recipient of improper benefits, a violations which caused former LSU assistant coach DJ McCarthy to resign and the university two scholarships in 2011. His eligibility was stripped and he never played a down for the purple and gold.

Unable to transfer to any NCAA football program, Hicks made  the decision to continue his education and enroll at the University of Regina; declining an offer to play for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. He declined another offer to play professional football when the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League drafted him during his second year at Regina.

In his second year at Regina, Hicks made 42 tackles and 6.5 sacks and was named the top lineman of the CWUAA ( Canada West Universities Athletic Association) but his stock really rose after the East-West Shrine game. Dane Brugler of NFLDraftScout.com said the following after the East-West Shrine game:

 "DT Akiem Hicks, Regina: At 6-feet-4 and 324 pounds with an 84" wingspan, Hicks made an enormous impression on scouts this week. He is unpolished and needs a lot of technique work, but he flashed his raw potential with good quickness and overall range. Hicks is a bit stiff and plays upright, but scouts aren't interested in the prospect he is now, but rather the player he could be down the road after a year or two with NFL coaching -- will be a late-round developmental defender.

As you can see Spags is assembling a D-line that can he play anywhere along the front 4. This pick speaks volumes for the amount of dedication our scouting staff have to find a raw gem like this one.

Lets hope he continues the tradition of our late draftees becoming NFL superstars.

And with the 11th pick; the Kansas City Chiefs select...

...Dontari Poe? The kid from Memphis who couldn't dominate Conference USA???( for those who don't know C-USA; Tulane is a member).

I think I speak for about 91% of Chiefs fans that damn near threw their phone,remote control, or pet last night. Looking at the board I was certain that we would have taken Cox or DeCastro at that pick; that seemed like the right pick at that time. It took me awhile but I'm feeling a little bit better about the pick especially after listening to Coach Crennel's post-draft comments but I don't 100% agree with the pick. Coach said the following:

"Because he played every down at 350 pounds and he played position on the line in every game. He's playing a nine technique; he's playing a seven technique, a five technique, a three technique, a one technique, a two technique and head up on the nose sometimes. He's the jack-of-all trades. It's hard to be good at any one thing when you're doing all of those things."

The fact that he feels strongly about it and he has a way of really getting the best out of DT's makes this pick  more tolerable. I still do not believe he was the best player available at pick 11 but he could turn into first round talent. So instead of 100%; I'll give him 90.2% until I start seeing what Poe is really capable of.

TAC's Mock Draft 17-32

The continuation of TAC's mock draft. Let me preface this again by saying this is what I think will happen; not what I want to happen. The second half of the first round is tough as you start basing your predictions off the best available versus what needs to be filled. Second half; *Ding!

17. Cincinnati - Dre Kirkpatrick DB, 'Bama

The Bengals secondary has diminished in value due to age and injuries and as much as I hate to admit it;  Saban is a damn good DB coach. Kirkpatrick could play man-to-man, press, deep 1/3 etc. He should   make an immediate impact.

18. San Diego - Whitney Mercilus DE, Illinois

Edge rusher + 3-4 defense = Mercilus. Pretty simple equation.

19. Chicago - Chandler Jones DE, 'Cuse

Him going to the Bears to complement Peppers is scary. You want to beat the Packers? Put pressure on 

Rodgers.

20. Tennessee - Michael Floyd WR, Notre Dame

We all saw what these receivers in Tennessee can do without K. Britt...nothing. Second best receiver in the draft snatch him up!

    

21. Cincinnati - Andre Branch DE, Clemson

Cincy's pass rush was anemic last year. Having the ability to pick up two studs within 5 picks of each other should produce some good result for ole Marv.

22. Cleveland - Kendall Wright WR, Baylor

There is no way you pass up Wright, Cleveland. Adding the top RB and 3rd best WR in the draft sounds  

like a fantasy football roster. If they do the norm and go off the grid; my sympathy for them becomes   comical...don't mess this up!

23. Detroit - Courtney Upshaw DE, 'Bama

The Lions found out last year that they could score with anybody but the real challenge is stopping the other team from scoring. Upshaw brings that mentality that the Lions need to go along with Suh and 

Fairley...just nasty.

24. Pittsburgh - Cordy Glenn OT, Georgia

Big Ben will always be one of the top QBs to get hit; it's his style of play, but eliminating the unnecessary  sacks is the basis of this pick.

     

25.  Denver - Dontari Poe DT, Memphis

Mr. Developmental. His results at the combine blew everyone away but will that translate on the field?  Analyst have said that the tape is not all that praise worthy which is why he falls to Denver.

     

26. Houston - Coby Fleener TE, Stanford

Houston is on the verge of having all the pieces in place. Throw in a TE; They will dominate the AFC South (until Luck gets some toys).

27.  New England - Harrison Smith SS, Notre Dame

Pats and Lions fell into the same "Anything you can do, I can do better...but I can't stop you from doing what you're doing" syndrome. Difference? That got the Pats to the Super Bowl. They are in desperate need of a SS. Harrison, come on down.

     

28. Green Bay - Shea McClellin DE/LB, Boise State

The difference between the Packers and the aforementioned  is they produced turnovers. You can   never  have too many pieces when you play a 3-4 so their versatility just got better.

29. Baltimore - Dont'a Hightower LB, 'Bama

Whenever you can get a young freakish LB to learn under Suga Ray; it's a win.

30. San Francisco - Doug Martin RB, Boise StateI think the 9ers feel that they'll take the best available RB before they let him go somewhere else...gotta watch ole Jim.

31. New England - Nick Perry DE, USC

Adds a game changer at DE. They will get the most out of him.

32. New York Giants - Jonathan Martin OT, Stanford

Even though Eli survived... he kissed the canvas too much last year. If they want to repeat; Eli has to  make it through the season...healthy

Potential Winners: Browns, Pats, and Texans.

Potential Loser: Jags and Broncos.

Good luck to all die-hards out there. May your draft be a good one.

TAC's Mock Draft 1-16

While reading this keep in mind that this is what I think will happen; not what I want to happen. So hopefully some of my predictions are wrong but we shall see! Enjoy.

1. Indianapolis - Andrew Luck QB, Stanford

This has been a lock since Week 14 of last year. No big surprises here.

2. Washington - Robert Griffin III QB, Baylor

The 'skins has been in desperate need of a QB since...Brad Johnson (2000)? O_o.

3. Minnesota - Matt Kalil OT, USC

There are a couple of areas that Minnesota could fill here but in-order to compete with anybody your young QB have to stay off the ground.

4. Cleveland - Trent Richardson RB, 'Bama
C'mon Cleveland! This is your shot to take the best RB in the draft this year and with P. Hillis leaving; it make sense...don't mess it up.

5. Tampa Bay - Moe Claiborne DB, LSU

How do you compete in a division with Brees, Ryan, and Cam??? Make sure your secondary is on the up and up. Aquib Talib is the most talented but has an issue with staying out of trouble and Ronde Barber is turning 52 this year.

6. St. Louis - Justin Blackmon WR, Oklahoma State

You made a splash with taking a franchise QB in 2010 plus Stephen Jackson is still a work horse. Gotta go with the best wide-out.

7. Jacksonville - Fletcher Cox DT, Mississippi St.

The Jags are in a tough position...it seems like the pick inbetween 7- 10 each year! This is a gut pick; Cox.

8. Miami - Ryan Tannehill QB, Texas A&M

Peer pressure will definitely make this a "too soon" pick. He might have an awesome career but I don't believe he is a plug and play QB right now.

9. Carolina - Luke Kuechly LB, Boston College

Those backers used to be the focal point of Carolina's defense and with your current core being injury prone; there is no other choice.
10. Buffalo - Stephon Gilmore DB, South Carolina

The Bills' secondary are looking to move toward more man-to-man and away from the cover 2. Gilmore size and ability will make the transition a smooth one.

11. Kansas City - David DeCastro OG, Stanford

Building a Pro Bowl O'Line is the recipe for success. The Chiefs can start here.

12. Seattle - Quinton Coples DE, North Carolina

Could be a Pete Carrol experiment. He has the ability but does he have the will? Pete will surely "Rah,Rah,Rah" him to death if he doesn't.
13. Arizona - Riley Reiff OT, Iowa

Think about it...most of Arizona highlights were either PP running one back or Kevin Kolb on the ground...I rest my case.
14. Dallas - Mark Barron S, 'Bama

Cowboys secondary was the weak point of last year's unit. They need a play-maker now and Barron fits the bill. (SN: I see Jerry pulling the trigger on s draft day trade...just keep your eyes open).

15. Philadelphia -Micheal Brockers DT, LSU

Stout run defender...they need one.

16. New York Jets - Melvin Ingram DE, South Carolina

Something about Rex Ryan says they'll take Ingram. He'll fit the Jets scheme perfectly.

Stayed tuned for Picks 17-32 a little later today!

NFL's Most Wanted

Well Who Dats, we are once again the center of attention (like we ever left) and for more BS. According to ESPN Outside The Lines report; Mickey Loomis had the ability to listen in on opposing teams game-plans and strategies for some of the 2002 and all of the 2003 and 2004 seasons. During Randy Meuller's tenure, a wired jack of sorts was installed in the GM suite to listen in on game day communication of the Saints coaching staff.  It is alleged that Mr. Loomis had this line rewired to listen to only opposing coaches; with a button that switched between offense and defense instead. The jack was un-installed in 2005 before Hurricane Katrina destroyed the Superdome. A former employee that worked on the communication systems for the Saints made the allegations which prompted the investigation. The FBI and Louisiana State troopers have joined forces in the investigation and the league has said they won't pursue any punishments until the investigation is over.

*Scratches head*

Ok, (sigh) something just doesn't sound right to me on this one. This allegedly started 10 years again...10 YEARS!  All of a sudden it comes out now??? While we are trying to get back up from the knock out blow we just took from the league regarding the bounty scandal? Really??? The timing couldn't have been any worse. Either the league had this information and held it until the timing was "right" or the former employee saw this as an opportunity to kick us while we're down.  The front office and former coaches vehemently deny these reports which is hopefully a good thing ( last time we denied something; Goodell dropped the hammer).

It sucks seeing your team have a special category on ESPN's ticker every morning for several weeks especially when it's about scandals and wrong-doings. As a TRUE Who Dat; it's disturbing but if it's one thing we are known for, it's our resiliency as a city. It's true; "When it rains, it pours" and real fans are there through rain,sleet,snow,hail,tornado,sand storm etc. These dark gray clouds will soon pass and when they do, we'll be in the Superdome on February 3, 2012 hosting our own Super Bowl.

New Orleans' Draft Preview 2012

Top Needs: DE, OL, DB

The Saints' off-season has been...well...ummm...let's just say it's been one to forget. Amidst the bounty scandal, suspensions, and penalties; the Saints also had to give up their second round pick in this year draft along with next year's first round pick. Their first round pick was traded away last year for Heisman trophy winner Mark Ingram so now they find themselves picking int the third round at slot 89. 

Since Spagnuolo was hired as the Defensive Coordinator the emphasis has been put on transforming a lack- luster defense into a fast and versatile QB destroyer (#NoBounty) so looking at a pass rushing DE seems to be the logical pick here. West Virginia Bruce Irvin could be a possibility but A LOT of teams would have to passon him and that is highly unlikely. Another Defensive End that could fall is Vinny Curry out of Marshall. He has the size and athleticism that would fit perfectly into Spags system.

Besides all of the Bounty scandal stories coming from 'Met-tree"; the next biggest stories would be the lost of All-Pro guard Carl Nicks and Super Bowl hero Tracy Porter. The Saints did a pretty good job of snatching up Ben Grubbs, another Pro Bowl caliber Guard, to fill that void but grabbing a developmental OL would all so make plenty of sense. Colorado's Guard Ryan Miller and Arizona State Garth Gerhart are two studs to look out for. 


Defensive Back is a tricky position this year. There is a sudden drop off in "known" talent after to the top five or six DBs are drafted but film and combine performance will raise some stocks. With the known success of the Saints' finding gems from all around I like Trumaine Johnson from Montana. He doesn't fit the mold Spags usually go for (6'3 204) but he has long arms and enough strength to keep a wide receiver busy off the line. Another DB that has grabbed some attention is Iowa State's Leonard Johnson. He may not have all of the measurables of some DBs but he showed up and competed in big games for the cyclones this year. His 4.5 speed will most likely land him on special teams or at the fourth corner back position.

The Stretch - I think we can all agree that predicting any of the above mentioned prospects is a stretch with the 89th pick :\ .

My Spill  - Pass rusher, need I say more Who Dats? Last year proved that when you have zero pressure on the QB it's gonna be a lonnnnnng game. Will Smith has lost a step and Cam Jordan is great against the run but his pass rushing skills have to get better. Compared to the D-line of the 2007 Giants we look like tree stumps. In order to really see Spags work his magic we must start with the front 4.

Kansas City's Draft Preview

Top Needs: NT, OL, DE

This off-season has been a successful one for the 7-9 Chiefs from a year ago. Three key players were added to help their stagnate offense; Peyton Hillis, Kevin Boss, and Eric Winston. Offense was clearly the priority this off-season and the front office did a terrific job in addressing those issues. So with the 11th pick of the upcoming draft, what direction should they go?

The safe pick here will be to take top guard prospect Stanford's David DeCastro.Winston and Albert will hold down the right and left tackle positions respectively. Some have Rodney Hudson moving to center this year due to some impromptu starts at center last year. Jon Asamoah had a decent season at the right guard position which leaves Ryan Lilja - who struggled last year- the odd man out out. Making a pick like this one could solidify the left side of the line for years to come.

Thinking on the nasty side of the ball; there are a number of picks that would make sense here. Even though the defense was the strongest unit last year, some obvious weaknesses could be addressed this draft. Kelly Gregg performed below average last year so picking up a NT would work in their favor. Brockers, Cox, and the one of this year's draft surprises, Dontari Poe, will more than likely still be on the board at the 11th pick. On the other hand, picking the top LB prospect in Luke Kuechly from Boston College would add an instant improvement to a 3-4 LB core that could use it. Where ever the pick is on the defensive side of the ball it has to be within that front 7.

The Stretch - Tannehill, Tannehill, Tannehill! Almost like saying Bettlejuice three times and expecting some sort of horror act to follow. The Chiefs are making it known that they are interested in the Aggie by holding a private workout for him for the team. Bringing in Brady Quinn and taking a look at one of this year's top QBs should raise red flags for Cassell. With 8 picks, the Chiefs have plenty of ammo to pull of a trade up scenario come draft day.

My Spill - Even though I would LOVE for my Chiefs to select Kuechly, I believe grabbing big DeCastro at the 11th pick is a franchise builder. Having that solid line will carry the team a long ways.Sitting at pick #44 could also provide a number of other LBs that could fit the bill. A few that could be left on the board are Keenan Robinson - Texas, Bobby Wagner - Utah State, and Dont'a Hightower - 'Bama. Either way we should make more than a splash this year. We have the ammo, let's just make sure he hit a couple of bull-eyes.

Magic 8 ball

The Chiefs 8 picks for the 2012 draft are as followed:

1st rd. -  11

2nd rd. - 44

3rd rd. - 74

4th rd. - 107 

5th rd. - 146

6th rd. - 182

7th rd. - 218

7th rd. - 238

The first round will be taking place Thursday, April 26 @8:00 (ET), followed by the second and third rounds on Friday, April 27 @6:00 (ET). Rounds 4-7 will be on Saturday, April 28 @Noon (ET).