Frank Gore—Making Himself at Home?

2005 third-round pick Frank Gore seems to be making a push to establish himself at the new number one running back for the San Francisco 49ers.

The statistical analysis over at FootballOutsiders.com shows that Frank Gore is actually having the best season of any rookie running back (DPAR, ranked 17th overall). What's more, in terms of value per play (DVOA), Gore is doing more than twice as better than the next rookie, Ronnie Brown (7.1%, 9th overall, versus -6.1%, 25th overall).

Favre Should Keep Playing

Too many reporters and supposed football "experts" write about players as if they're nothing more than graphics in a John Madden video game. The Green Bay Packers team is going out there tomorrow and next week, and they're going to give their all, and they deserve the best chance to win the game. Brett Favre gives them that, not Aaron Rodgers. There's no such thing as a "meaningless game" to a player, though some games certainly have less importance than others. The idea that Rodgers needs playing time doesn't hold water because the situation isn't right. Rodgers is not going to be battling the current starter for the spot next year. Favre is the man until he announces he's retiring, or he because completely inept at his job. Of course, Favre is open to criticism for not letting the team know his plans at this point; an argument can be made that he needs to consider where his team is at and that the front office people need to know his leanings, at least, so that they can best do their job. But until there is a real quarterback controversy in Green Bay, not one projected by reporters needing to come up with a storyline, Favre should be in there unless the game gets out of hand as it did last Monday night.

Pro Bowl Players Tend To Be High Draft Picks

Chris Malumphy of Drafthistory.com offers his take on the correlation between high draft picks and players selected to the Pro Bowl.

Another Article on Belichick's History Lesson

This time from the Boston Herald's John Tomase: Class in session: Prof. Belichick teaches media Football 101.

Umenyiora Signs 6-year Extension

Len Pasquarelli of ESPN.com reports that New York Giant's defensive end Osi Umenyiora has agreed to a $41 million contract which will run through 2012. Though "only" $15 million is guaranteed, Pasquarelli notes that "The guaranteed part of the contract is believed to be the largest ever awarded to a three-year veteran."

Belichick's History Lesson

I'm glad Football Outsiders linked to this blog report by Boston.com's Mike Reiss. Wish there were even more details, but maybe more will emerge in articles in tomorrow's papers. This is the kind of thing, besides the three Super Bowl wins in four years, that separates Bill Belichick from the rest of the league's coaches. He really is an original. Though I will always hold a bit of a grudge against him for choosing Vinny Testaverde over Bernie Kosar, who was one of my favorite players at the time. Anyway, it'd be awesome if Belichick could take some time in the offseason to put together a show or two (or three or four) for NFL films.

Majority of Pro Bowl Position Players Were First Round Picks

Great Blue North's PRO BOWL ROSTER REPORT notes that "70 of the 76 players named to the Pro Bowl this year at regular positions were drafted. In fact, over half of this year's AFC and NFC Pro Bowl positional players - 40 of 76 or 53% - were first round picks and 83% of all positional players named to this year's Pro Bowl, were first day picks selected in the first three rounds."

DeMarcus Ware Hopes To Make an Impact Down the Stretch

For the first half of the season, DeMarcus Ware of the Dallas Cowboys was the hot defensive rookie. But over the course of the second half of the season his play has dropped off and the attention has shifted to Shawne Merriman of the San Diego Chargers. Both are outside linebackers in 3-4 defenses. Merriman was selected just one spot behind Ware in the 2005 NFL draft and was just voted in to the Pro Bowl. Todd Archer of the Dallas Morning News reports that Ware is frustrated by his recent lack of production.

Bloomin' Prospect

Jeff Legwold's weekly NFL notebook looks at skier/NFL prospect Jeremy Bloom and lists some of the top candidates for the Texans head coaching job. And, yes, I'm still irked that Art Shell is not among those mentioned.

Playing Your Senior Year

Alabama linebacker DeMeco Ryans could have declared for the 2005 NFL draft, he was reasonably assured of a day one pick, probably the late second or early third round. In this report by AP writer John Zenor, Ryans shows that Matt Leinart wasn't the only top prospect to be glad to have come back for his senior year. Said Ryans, "I would tell anybody, if you have the opportunity, to come back. There's no other experience like it."

How Manning Started Calling His Own Plays

In advance of the Colts game against Seattle, Gregg Bell reports on how Manning's NFL play-calling autonomy began in Seattle. This throwback aspect of his game is probably the main reason I love it when the Colts are on TV.

Berger: Leinart? Jets might pass

Ken Berger considers the likelihood that the Jets will make an unpopular decision on NFL draft day 2006. He reports that "Jimmy Williams of Virginia Tech... is said to thrill coach Herman Edwards." If Virginia offensive tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson is already taken (which I think would be the Texans best move), the Williams pick could be a good one, but that would mean not only passing up on Leinart and Bush, but on a whole crop of other top rated offensive linemen that the Jets sorely need (and won't be able to afford in free agency).

SCHATZ: Rookies Redefine 'Skill Positions'

Aaron Schatz of FootballOutsiders.com writes in The New York Sun about this year's impact rookies. From my perspective though, Lofa Tatupu is a much bigger surprise than Kirk Morrison who I had rated as the best ILB prospect ahead of Odell Thurman and Channing Crowder.

Frank Coyle's Top Prospects for the 2006 Draft

Great Blue North has posted a preview of draft expert Frank Coyle's Top 25 Pro Prospects for the 2006 NFL Draft. It's good to see Bobby Carpenter make the list, who I think has not been placed high enough so far by many of the top ranking sites. But given that Coyle is including juniors who haven't declared yet, I'm surprised not to see Winston Justice on this list. Also, Tamba Hali should probably be in there as well.

Should scouts determine NFL awards?

Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel argues that scouts should determine NFL awards. I don't agree with him about the pro bowl, since it's just an all-star game to bring in more money for the league and entertain some fans, but it would make sense for an official all-pro team to be selected by those most knowledgeable people who evaluate players for a living. The league should seriously consider getting the personnel folks together and working on this.

Not the Only One Thinking of Shell

Eric Gilmore of the Contra Costa Times confirms that Art Shell Still Wants a Second Chance.

Will Both Virginia ILBs Declare?

According to Jeff White of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, "Groh didn't name any names but said he'd talked to a couple of his players about the wisdom of leaving school early for the NFL. He's believed to have advised [Ahmad] Brooks to leave and [Kai] Parham to return." Ready for the NFL as he may be for, Brooks could find himself slipping into the second or even third round because of this past year's health concerns, unless he can really impress the scouts over the off-season.

Art Shell Deserves Another Shot

If the Lions, Texans, Saints, and any other team that will be looking for a new head coach don't bring in Art Shell for an interview and have him starting out at or near the top of their lists, then there really is something wrong with the NFL. Not only does Shell have a proven record as a winning coach who knows how to get the most out of his teams, but as a member of the Hall of Fame for his outstanding offensive line play, he brings serious credentials that demand a certain level of respect from players.

In 1989 Art Shell took over for a 1-3 Raiders team, leading them to a 7-5 record the rest of the way. In 1990 the Raiders finished 12-4 for their first winning record in five years. In Shell's five full seasons as head coach, the Raiders posted a winning record four times and made the playoffs three times. Shell's playoff record with those Raider teams was a respectable 2-3. In Shell's last year, 1994, the Raiders went 9-7. Without him, the Raiders wouldn't again post a winning record until 2000.

His experience as an offensive lineman and as an offensive line coach might also go a long way toward helping the Texans and the Lions in particular, as they are two teams whose offensive line play has left much to be desired this past season. No matter what QB or all-world RB they bring in, improvement for such teams isn't going to happen until they shore up their front lines. And there's no coaching candidate out there that would be better served to lead the way.

2005's Final Mock Draft

For 2006 I'll be looking to improve on this year's mock draft, which was the first one I ever did. Using The Huddle Report's scoring method, I tallied 42 points. Not too shabby, but certainly leaving room for improvement.

2005 NFL Mock Draft

1. 49ers - Alex Smith, QB, Utah
2. Dolphins - Braylon Edwards, WR, Michigan
3. Browns - Mike Williams, WR, USC
4. Bears - Ronnie Brown, RB, Auburn
5. Buccaneers - Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, RB, Auburn
6. Titans - Adam "Pac Man" Jones, CB, West Virginia
7. Vikings - Troy Williamson, WR, South Carolina
8. Cardinals - Antrel Rolle, CB, Miami
9. Redskins - Carlos Rogers, CB, Auburn
10. Lions - Aaron Rodgers, QB, California
11. Cowboys - Demarcus Ware, DE/OLB, Troy
12. Chargers (f/ NYG) - Shawne Merriman, DE/OLB, Maryland
13. Texans - Alex Barron, OT, Florida State
14. Panthers - Cedric Benson, RB, Texas
15. Chiefs - Derrick Johnson, OLB, Texas
16. Saints - Thomas Davis, S/OLB, Georgia
17. Bengals - Travis Johnson, DT, Florida State
18. Vikings - David Pollack, DE, Georgia
19. Rams - Jammal Brown, OT, Oklahoma
20. Cowboys (f/ BUF) - Marcus Spears, DE, LSU
21. Jaguars - Khalif Barnes, OT, Washington
22. Ravens - Mark Clayton, WR, Oklahoma
23. Seahawks - Matt Roth, DE, Iowa
24. Packers - Marlin Jackson, CB, Michigan
25. Redskins (f/ DEN) - Jason Campbell, QB, Auburn
26. Raiders (f/ NYJ) - Darryl Blackstock, OLB, Virginia
27. Falcons - Roddy White, WR, UAB
28. Chargers - Matt Jones, WR/TE, Arkansas
29. Colts - Fabian Washington, CB, Nebraska
30. Steelers - Heath Miller, TE, Virginia
31. Eagles - Erasmus James, DE, Wisconsin
32. Patriots - Barrett Ruud, ILB, Nebraska

2005 NFL Draft Positional Rankings

Final 2005 NFL Draft Positional Rankings

OFFENSE

Quarterbak
1. Alex Smith, Utah
2. Jason Campbell, Auburn
3. Aaron Rodgers, California
4. Charlie Frye, Akron
5. David Greene, Georgia
6. Adrian McPherson, Florida St.
7. Andrew Walter, Arizona St.
8. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Harvard
9. Kyle Orton, Purdue
10. Jason White, Oklahoma

Running Back
1. Ronnie Brown, Auburn
2. Cadillac Williams, Auburn
3. Cedric Benson, Texas
4. Vernand Morency, Oklahoma St.
5. Cedric Houston, Tennessee
6. Marion Barber III, Minnesota
7. Ryan Moats, Louisiana Tech
8. Ciatrick Fason, Florida
9. Frank Gore, Miami
10. J.J. Arrington, California

Fullback
1. Nehemiah Broughton, The Citadel
2. Manuel White, U.C.L.A.
3. Kyle Eckel, Navy
4. Zach Tuiasosopo, Washington
5. Paul Jefferson, Penn St.

Wide Receiver
1. Troy Williamson, South Carolina
2. Braylon Edwards, Michigan
3. Mike Williams, USC
4. Mark Clayton, Oklahoma
5. Roscoe Parrish, Miami
6. Reggie Brown, Georgia
7. Matt Jones, Arkansas
8. Jerome Mathis, Hampton
9. Roddy White, U.A.B.
10. Terrence Murphy, Texas A&M

Tight End
1. Heath Miller, Virginia
2. Kevin Everett, Miami
3. Alex Smith, Stanford
4. Joel Dreessen, Colorado St.
5. Garrett Cross, California

Offensive Tackle
1. Alex Barron, Florida St.
3. Jammal Brown, Oklahoma
3. Khalif Barnes, Washington
4. Adam Terry, Syracuse
5. Jeremy Parquet, Southern Miss

Offensive Guard
1. David Baas, Michigan
2. Evan Mathis, Alabama
3. Chris Kemoeatu, Utah
4. Elton Brown, Virginia
5. C.J. Brooks, Maryland

Center
1. Chris Spencer, Ole Miss
2. Jason Brown, North Carolina
3. Ben Wilkerson, LSU
4. Scott Mruczkowski, Bowling Green
5. Richie Incognito, Nebraska

DEFENSE

Defensive End
1. Marcus Spears, LSU
2. David Pollack, Georgia
3. Matt Roth, Iowa
4. Justin Tuck, Notre Dame
5. Erasmus James, Wisconsin

Defensive Tackle
1. Travis Johnson, Florida St.
2. Luis Castillo, DT, Northwestern
3. Mike Patterson, USC
4. Shaun Cody, USC
5. Anttaj Hawthorne, Wisconsin

Outside Linebacker
1. Shawne Merriman, Maryland
2. Demarcus Ware, Troy
3. Derrick Johnson, Texas
4. Kevin Burnett, Tennessee
5. Darryl Blackstock, Virginia

Inside Linebacker
1. Kirk Morrison, San Diego St.
2. Odell Thurman, Georgia
3. Channing Crowder, Florida
4. Barrett Ruud, Nebraska
5. Robert McCune, Louisville

Cornerback
1. Carlos Rogers, Auburn
2. Antrel Rolle, Miami
3. Pac-Man Jones, West Virginia
4. Justin Miller, Clemson
5. Fabian Washington, Nebraska
6. Bryant McFadden, Florida St.
7. Marlin Jackson, Michigan
8. Corey Webster, LSU
9. Eric Green, Virginia Tech
10. Brandon Browner, Oregon St.

Safety
1. SS Thomas Davis, Georgia
2. FS Brodney Pool, Oklahoma
3. FS Josh Bullocks, Nebraska
4. FS James Butler, Georgia Tech
5. SS Donte Nicholson, Oklahoma
6. FS Kerry Rhodes, Louisville
7. SS Oshiomogho Atogwe, Stanford
8. SS Ernest Shazor, Michigan
9. SS Junior Rosegreen, Auburn
10. FS Mitch Meeuwsen, Oregon State

53 Deep 2004 All-Pro Team

OFFENSE
QB: Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts
FB: William Henderson, Green Bay Packers
RB: Curtis Martin, New York Jets
TE: Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers
WR: Muhsin Muhammad, Carolina Panthers
WR: Hines Ward, Pittsburgh Steelers
T: Walter Jones, Seattle Seahawks
T: William Roaf, Kansas City Chiefs
G: Alan Faneca, Pittsburgh Steelers
G: Brian Waters, Kansas City Chiefs
C: Kevin Mawae, New York Jets

DEFENSE
DE: Julius Peppers, Carolina Panthers
DE: Bertrand Berry, Arizona Cardinals
DT: Richard Seymour, New England Patriots
DT: Kevin Williams, Minnesota Vikings
OLB: Takeo Spikes, Buffalo Bills
OLB: Derrick Brooks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
ILB: James Farrior, Pittsburgh Steelers
CB: Ronde Barber, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
CB: Lito Sheppard, Philadelphia Eagles
S: Ed Reed, Baltimore Ravens
S: Rodney Harrison, New England Patriots

SPECIAL TEAMS:
K: David Akers, Philadelphia Eagles
P: Shane Lechler, Oakland Raiders
KR: Terrence McGee, Buffalo Bills