Dominating the Trenches

Building a successful football team starts by strengthening both offensive and defensive lines. Finding a piece that fits the puzzle is most apparent in the NFL draft.

The 2008 draft is loaded with talent on both sides of the ball. Expect teams to spend high draft picks on anchoring their lines. Players that could be drafted early are Jake Long, Chris Long, and Glenn Dorsey.

All of these candidates are safe picks at number one and will make an immediate impact if the Miami Dolphins choose to pick at the one spot.

Shockey Tests Free Agency Market?

According to an undisclosed source, New York Giant Tight End Jeremy Shockey has had discussions with the New Orleans Saints.

Last week Shockey and Pro Bowl Defensive End Osi Umenyiora spent the weekend in the Bahamas where Shockey had discussions with his agent.

Apparently, Shockey will not be participating in the Giants mini camp and will be working out in Miami which raises speculation of where he will suit up this season.

Cromartie’s Stock On the Rise

Tennessee State’s Dominique Rodgers Cromartie has witnessed an all time stock boost after his postings at both the combine and his pro day. The talented defensive back, whose name didnt appear in any early mock drafts is now a candidate to be first taken from his position.

The cousin of All Pro San Diego Charger Antonio Cromartie, has wowed scouts by his lockdown cover skills and explosive speed after running a 4.33 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine.

Cromartie’s only setback coming out of college is the lack of competition he participated against because he played D1AA football.

The speedy cornerback hopes to prove skeptics wrong and solidify the Cromartie family name after he tightens his chinstrap for one lucky team come this fall.

Odds Are Slim On Being Drafted

NFL Draft prospects eat, sleep, and breathe their work ethic. For every decision that players make their is a consequence, details are crucial in this business.

What the players do in the dark will eventually come to light, on Draft day or in the near future. Four year college studs can turn into complacent busts in the NFL. But, the player must first be drafted.

This is a tough task in itself. The odds of a college football player being drafted into the NFL is as good of odds as a man being electrocuted by a technology gadget. The odds are very unlikely. There are 119 teams in Division One Football, yet the NFL also plucks players from the D-1AA, D2, and D3 leagues.

The combined amount of teams in college football is 645. An average of 55 players on each team results in 35,475 students competing in collegiate football. The NFL consistently drafts 224 players who participated in college football the previous year.

This leads to the fact that nearly .006 percent of students are being drafted into the NFL and others are going professional in something rather than football.

It is more likely that a man gets shocked to death by his cell phone than a collegiate football player being drafted into the NFL.

Players compete for each position in the NFL because if an athlete can’t satisfy the positions duties someone else is waiting to take the job from them.

Free Agency Stirs Draft Day Decisions

Get rich to this. An obtrusive motto Asante Samuel lives by. After Samuel earned his first NFL contract, he had his favorite saying inked permanently.

Last Thursday Samuel and his agent decided to test the free agent market. After their first stop, Samuel reached a $57 million, 6 year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles according to philadelphiaeagles.com. “Its (Philadelphia) always been a winning organization and has a lot of history here. I just want a chance to win and go back to the Super Bowl,” said Samuel in a press conference.

When Samuel signed his name to his new contract, he left the near perfect New England Patriots with a gaping hole in their secondary.

For every move in the NFL, there is a counter. With the absence of Samuel taking place in New England, Scott Pioli (Vice President of Player Personnel) and the Patriots will fill their need. The picture seems a bit blurry for who will play in Samuel’s shoes at starting cornerback, but it may be addressed April 26th(Day of the draft).

The Patriots hold the seventh overall pick in the draft and pending other teams decisions, shutdown corner Aqib Talib of Kansas fits nicely here.