King signs with the Rams

Wednesday, former Penn State cornerback Justin King signed a three-year deal with the St. Louis Rams. The amount of the deal wasn't released when I heard this, but I imagine it's a nice package. The Rams need all the defense they can get, and with a guy like King, things will only get better.

From the Rams' Web site:

"At 5’10, 192 pounds with speed in the 4.3-4.4 range in the 40-yard dash, King will be expected to compete right away in the secondary, particularly in nickel packages. He also will be asked to work on special teams, perhaps even getting an opportunity as a returner such as he did at times during the team’s May minicamp."

5'10"? Seems Penn State did some fibbing in the height department. I was always under the impression he was just under 6-foot. Oh well, good for King. Let's hope for his sake that the decision to leave early was a good one. Good luck, Justin!

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Golden picked up by Eagles; I was wrong

According to the Eagles' Web sight, Terrell Golden was acquired by Philadelphia as a free agent. I'll be the first to admit I was wrong. I didn't think Golden would get picked, even as a free agent. Golden actually has great measurables for an NFL wide receiver (6'3" 215lbs), but hasn't been too consistent. If it were not for the likes of Derrick Williams, Deon Butler and Jordan Norwood, Golden mights have been a full-time starter for he Nittany Lions. So good for him, and I hope he makes the team this summer. Good luck, Terrell.

--In other news, I heard that Matt Hahn went to the Oakland Raiders. And Austin Scott was invited to try out for the Cleveland Browns.

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2008 NFL Draft: The Hangover

That was probably the weirdest draft I've ever watched. My guess is that everyone knew who was going first, had a real strong clue who was second, and the best player in the draft--Darren McFadden--didn't even crack the top three. Penn State only had two players drafted, but this year's episode was a bit more dramatic for the Nittany Lions on the board.

Dan Connor: ZN Pick, Round 1. Actual Pick, Round 3... Wow. That's all you can say. He was the BEST steal of this draft, period. As one reputable Web site said, Connor could have gone in the first round, and no one would have blinked. But he went almost 50 picks later than anyone expected. The best thing he can do now is make all those other teams feel like crap for not drafting him. Like Paul Posluszny before him--before Poz broke his arm--Connor will win the starting job right away and lead the team in tackles.

Justin King: ZN Pick, Round 4. Actual Pick, Round 4... Not bad, not great. He'll get some playing time on special teams, and maybe turn into a good return man. Depending on how the Rams feel about him, he might turn into a dual-threat player. I know it's very rare in this age of the NFL, but throwing King in on a few offensive plays couldn't hurt the Rams.

Anthony Morelli: ZN Pick, Round 6. Actual Pick, Free Agent to the Cardinals... This might work out better than expected for Morelli. There's a great opportunity for him to win the backup. You knew his arm was too much to pass up.

Rodney Kinlaw: ZN Pick, Free Agent. Actual Pick, nothing yet... I hope this kid gets a shot.

Now, on to the 2008 college football season.

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2008 NFL Draft: Penn State's pro prospects and Mock First Round

As part of ZN’s 2008 NFL Draft analysis and projections, here’s a quick rundown of where Penn State’s four pro prospects could end up this weekend. Also included is the “official” ZN mock first round. Now I know nothing about how the NFL franchises pick their players in the draft, nor do I ever care to figure it out. I stick to college. But it’s still fun, so here it goes.

Penn State pro prospects 2008:

Dan Connor: First Round. If he falls to the second round, it will be considered a disappointment for Penn State fans everywhere.

Justin King: Fourth Round. He’ll be a steal at this point. If he goes on the first day, I’ll be shocked. His speed will get him a higher selection than he deserves.

Anthony Morelli: Sixth Round. Don’t get all bent out of shape if Morelli doesn’t go at all in this year’s draft. I know, it’s horrible, but true. His arm should get him a late pick, though.

Rodney Kinlaw: Free Agent. Kinlaw's the kind of player that just needed a chance to prove himself. He might get a chance to do it at the next level, too.

Terrell Golden: Sorry, but he never made an impact on the team other than being captain in 2007. He was a solid contributor for the Nittany Lions and we will all miss him.

Good luck to all who are leaving Happy Valley. Now for the mock first round:

1. Dolphins: Jake Long
2. Rams: Chris Long
3. Falcons: Glenn Dorsey
4. Raiders: Darren McFadden
5. Chiefs: Ryan Clady
6. Jets: Matt Ryan
7. Patriots: Vernon Gholston
8. Ravens: Sedrick Ellis
9. Bengals: Keith Rivers
10. Saints: Mike Jenkins
11. Bills: Devin Thomas
12. Broncos: Branden Albert
13. Panthers: Derrick Harvey
14. Bears: Chris Williams
15. Lions: Dominique Rodgers-Chromartie
16. Cardinals: Leodis McKelvin
17. Chiefs: Limus Sweed
18. Texans: Jonathan Stewart
19. Eagles: Jeff Otah
20. Buccaneers: DeSean Jackson
21. Redskins: Phillip Merling
22. Cowboys: Felix Jones
23. Steelers: Gosder Cherilus
24. Titans: James Hardy
25. Seahawks: Rashard Mendenhall
26. Jaguars: Lawrence Jackson
27. Chargers: Brandon Flowers
28. Cowboys: Aqib Talib
29. 49ers: Dan Connor
30. Packers: Jerod Mayo
31. Giants: Antoine Cason

That’s about as in-depth as I get with this NFL crap. It's still a whole lot of fun, though!

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For disappointing draft class in Michigan Football history, the winner is…

2008.

I don’t know if things can get much worse for this bunch. Although Chad Henne hasn’t really done much to hurt his draft status, he still isn’t the killer prospect everyone thought he would be during his days as a Wolverine. That doesn’t help the matter. But what is really solidifying this class as one of the most underachieving ever is the lack of production from its supposed star players in this year’s draft.

“Mario Manningham, WR Michigan
Six receivers ran 4.4 or better and 11 ran under 4.5. Manningham wasn't one of them. Rail thin at just under six-feet and 181 pounds, his biggest strength was supposed to be his speed, and then he came up with a 4.59 and a 4.62. While fine at the ball drills, he wasn't as polished as many will probably make him out to be. However, he caught the ball well and still showed enough skill to be among the top five receivers taken. While he'll get another shot back on Michigan's campus to show what he can do, he all but blew any chance of being a first round pick. – CFN.com”

Everyone at Penn State knew that Manningham wasn’t that great, compared to the Michigan wide outs that have ripped us in the past. In fact, he’ll be remembered for only one play when it’s all over. “The Catch” against Penn State in 2005. Outside of that, has he ever showed up in the games that mattered? Ohio State? Bowl games? Of course, he’s coming out early, and if he’d stayed another season, things might have been different. But if you want to look at the icing on this draft class’ cake, look no further than Mr. Mike “Talks-To-Much” Hart.

“Mike Hart, RB Michigan
At 5-9 and 206 pounds, he lifted well with 23 reps, but overall appeared scrawnier than expected, especially in his legs. The big problem was his lack of speed and burst in the quickness drills. The 4.65 and 4.75 40s were disastrous, and he showed little overall athleticism compared to the other smallish backs like Ray Rice and Steve Slaton. His problem will be the workload. Not a third down back or a role player, he's a runner who needs 25 carries and can be a workhorse. Now, it's doubtful anyone will ever think of him as a No. 1 back. – CFN.com”

I don’t know what’s sweeter; that Manningham won’t go in the first round, or that Hart may not even go on the first day. After all the loud-mouthing and constant crap flying out of his mouth, he’s still going to be remembered as a great college back. He’s a back that could will his team to victory—against everyone but Ohio State and three of four bowl game opponents—and pound out drives single handedly behind some of the best offensive linemen in college. But what will that get him? As of right now, not much; maybe he’ll get a nice paycheck every year, but no first-round dough, no instant starting job, and no pro-bowls. I’m not going to say that that last one is a lock, as other backs have defied all and made it to the all-star teams. What I will say is that for the last three seasons, Michigan hasn’t produced knockout pro-prospects the way it did for 35 years. In all seriousness though, I hope Hart and Manningham get playing time, so that they can meet the likes of true first-rounder Dan Connor, and Buffalo Bills starter Paul Posluszny. Have fun guys.

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2008 NFL Draft preview, best 32 available

I’m not going to try to predict which NFL franchise will pick any particular college player. I don’t know enough about the NFL, and rarely do the “experts” pick correctly. So, with that said, I’ll just give a rundown of the top 32 draft prospects. Some players I’ve seen much more than others.

1. Darren McFadden, RB, Junior, Arkansas
2. Jake Long, OT, Senior, Michigan
3. Brian Brohm, QB, Senior, Louisville
4. Sedrick Ellis, DT, Senior, USC
5. Vernon Gholston, DE, Junior, Ohio State
6. Chris Long, DE, Senior, Virginia
7. Matt Ryan, QB, Senior, Boston College
8. Glenn Dorsey, DT, Senior, LSU
9. DeSean Jackson, WR, Junior, California
10. Kenny Phillips, Saf., Junior, Miami(FL)
11. Derrick Harvey, DE, Junior, Florida
12. Jonathan Stewart, RB, Junior, Oregon
13. Ryan Clady, OT, Junior, Boise St.
14. Mike Jenkins, CB, Senior, South Florida
15. Aqib Talib, CB, Junior, Kansas
16. Dan Connor, LB, Senior, Penn St.
17. Keith Rivers, LB, Senior, USC
18. Reggie Smith, Saf., Junior, Oklahoma
19. Calais Campbell, DE, Junior, Miami(FL)
20. Sam Baker, OT, Senior, USC
21. Limas Sweed, WR, Senior, Texas
22. Michael Oher, OT, Junior, Ole Miss
23. Andre Woodson, QB, Senior, Kentucky
24. Jeff Otah, OT, Senior, Pittsburgh
25. Malcolm Kelly, WR, Junior, Oklahoma
26. Felix Jones, RB, Junior, Arkansas
27. John Sullivan, C, Senior, Notre Dame
28. Mike Hart, RB, Senior, Michigan
29. Erik Ainge, QB, Senior, Tennessee
30. Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Junior, Illinois
31. James Hardy, WR, Junior, Indiana
32. Branden Albert, OG, Junior, Virginia

Let me know what you think.

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Article of the day

I generally try to feature an article each day from another Big Ten blog. Usually they're from Penn State blogs, sometimes from other sites. Please check out the author's Web site. I always supply the link in the introduction.

Here's the scouting report I got on Dan Connor, from NFL Draft Countdown. I added the Web site to the list, for future reference.

Height: 6-3 | Weight: 233 | 40-Time: 4.65

Strengths:
Above average athleticism...Reliable tackler...Will deliver the big hit...Physical and aggressive...Adequate timed speed...Has sideline-to-sideline range...Does a solid job in coverage...Smart with excellent awareness and instincts...Versatile...A hard worker and leader...Intense and competitive with a non-stop motor...Tough...Has a lot of experience against top competition...Productive...Great program pedigree.

Weaknesses:
A tad undersized and needs to bulk up...He will have to get stronger...Has trouble taking on blockers head-to-head...Isn't stout at the point...Lacks fluid hips to turn and run in man coverage....A little rigid and mechanical...Minor character concerns.

Notes:
The latest product of Linebacker U...Older brothers Jim (Boston College) and Mike (Lehigh) both played college football...Could project inside or outside at the next level...Was suspended for a few games in 2005 for making harassing phone calls to a former assistant coach..He may have been a little overhyped by the media...A weakside prospect who carries a pro grade similar to Paul Posluszny's a year ago.
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Career Statistics
Year GP TKL TFL SACK PBU INT
2004 10 85 4.5 1.0 0 1
2005 9 76 5.5 1.5 8 0
2006 13 113 9.0 5.0 2 2
2007 13 145 15.0 6.5 6 1
Totals 45 419 34.0 14.0 16 4

This is one of the most realistic analyses I've seen. The rest of the draft board is very well done, also. NFL Draft Countdown does the best job of remaining objective in their picks and projections, not letting biases get in the way, or media hype. They look at the real player and what that player can really do in the NFL.

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