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Draft King Analysis

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It's mailbag time! Also, so I don't forget to mention this later, you absolutely owe it to yourself to read this article about 6'3" 290 pound high school senior Jamarkus McFarland, who recently made a verbal commitment to go to Oklahoma. Texas, LSU, and USC fans might not be so happy to read what the article said about their recruiting tactics.

My favorite accusation in the piece involved Texas. McFarland wrote: "Girls were acting wild by taking off their tops, and pulling down their pants. Girls were also romancing each other. Some guys loved every minute of the freakiness some girls demonstrated."

The stories sound similar to some things I saw in Tampa during my time there a few years ago. But, for now, we move on with the mailbag...

From: Clayton Riley
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Thu, Dec 18, 2008 at 12:50 PM
Subject: Mizzou Defensive Players

I asked about the Mizzou WR's awhile back, now I am wondering about players on the other side of the ball. Where do you think these guys will go?

Sean Weatherspoon-OLB
Brock Christopher-ILB/OLB
William Moore-FS/SS
Ziggy Hood-DT
Stryker Sulak-DE

Lou: William Moore *should* be a first-round pick, but he could slip to early round two. He's the sort of solid defensive player who could slip who Detroit might be well-advised to use pick #33 on if that opportunity presents itself.

Ziggy Hood is a well-rounded defensive tackle. (Icon SMI)

Sean Weatherspoon would likely be better off with one more year of college. If he does come back I see him as a third-round selection, though perhaps he could sneak into the second round or perhaps the very bottom of round one with a great combine and workout. He has made a ton of tackles in his Missouri career. He has filed paperwork with the NFL to see where they think he might go, but he was quoted by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch as saying, "It would be a drastic change from what I'm feeling right now if I (were) to leave."

Brock Christopher has size (6'2" 235) but he is too slow (with estimates ranging from 4.75 to 4.95) to be a major factor in the draft. He might make it on somewhere as a free agent but he will need to show more speed than he has to this point.

Things look better for Evander "Ziggy" Hood. He doesn't have explosiveness or flash from the DT position, but he is a well-rounded player who has the good fortune of coming along in a year that is rather weak at defensive tackle. I'd guess early third round but he might end up as a late day one selection.

Stryker Sulak hasn't had much help on the pass rush from the rest of his front four group at Missouri this year. He really broke out in 2007 but his production wasn't quite the same this year, though again that might be due more to teams concentrating on blocking him than anything. He'll probably be a late day two pick, perhaps somewhere in round six or maybe round five if he does well in the off-season.

From: Nick Greco
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Wed, Dec 17, 2008 at 8:12 PM
Subject: RE: sure man sure

Pat White is still the greatest player to EVER put on a Mountaineer uniform. I am not one of those that thinks he will be a QB... he looks like he could be another Randel El type player... but who knows with the NFL that continues to tinker with certain Wildcat formations? White has an uncanny ability to escape and run away from everyone... He runs a 4.4 maybe 4.3 at best but his temporary "game speed" is like 4.1... it will not be as easy in the NFL but I think he has a good shot if he goes to the right team. I mean if Rasheed Marshall can be drafted and play... the All Time leading rusher in college football history can make a few heads turn.

Lou: This is from my friend Nick who I've known since the first grade. He's my go-to guy for WVU football; Nick graduated from West Virginia and has the ESPN college football package so he can see all of WVU's games. I asked him about his thoughts of Pat White as a pro, and that's what he sent me. When he says that he considers White to be the best player to ever put on a Mountaineer uniform, he means it.

For now, White remains an enigma relative to the NFL Draft and where he might go. I have a sneaking suspicion that he will jump up into day one of the draft, but if not he should be snatched off the board in round three. Any longer than that (barring injury, trouble, etc.) and I'll be surprised. If Matt Jones could go from Arkansas QB to NFL wide receiver (and a first round pick at that), who knows what could happen with White.

From: Douglas Hamm
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Fri, Dec 26, 2008 at 7:28 AM
Subject: Packer's Pick in your 12/21 update

Fist of all, where is Eugene Monroe? If he is still around at #9, don't you think the Pack would have to grab him. Chad Clifton is done. He can't practice anymore because his knees are shot. Mark Tauscher tore his ACL, and he might be done too. The Pack's biggest need is pass rush, but if Orakpo and Michael Johnson are both off the board, I think they go OT.

Lou: Seeing Monroe slide out of round one was surprising to me, but it came down to him or Ciron Black at #26 and I penciled in Black. Monroe should be a first round pick but it doesn't always work out that way. Remember Marcus McNeill in 2006, in the first round who I projected would go but who fell to San Diego in round two? These things happen sometimes. McNeill, meanwhile, performed great right away and played in the Pro Bowl in 2006 and 2007.

I still think highly of Monroe and believe he will be a solid pro, but with so much depth that will be out there at offensive line in the upcoming draft if it's not him that slides it will be somebody else. As it is, Monroe will likely be back in the first round mix when I make my next mock draft. But if he really does fall out of round one, he could be a steal of a pick for a team like the Raiders drafting high in round two.

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