I can certainly see Russell being the number one pick as the Raiders definitely need a new QB - Brooks has been poor and Walter doesn't look like he'll ever make it. A lot of the other sides above us in the order have young guys coming through: Cards have Leinart, Skins have Campbell, Vikings have Jackson. Texans have Carr and while he's had a poor season I can't see them writing him off yet. And Kitna's not the Lions biggest weakness, so I make that two teams above us in need of a quarterback: Cleveland and Tampa. And even then there's a chance that the Browns will stick with Frye and Anderson and Tampa with their three options, although Gradkowski's did bugger all last season. Probably too early to judge him realistically though.

So maybe we could end up with Quinn.

Alternatively, we could make a play for Matt Schaub in the off-season. Perhaps I'm baised because I played as Atlanta on Madden for so long, but he's looked in superb nick whenever he's been thrown into the mix and is the only notable free agent QB.

I like Matt Schaub.

I'd worry that Matt Schaub would be AJ Feeley all over again (although in saying that I don't think Feeley was ever given a chance to succeed in Miami).

Are you guys interested in meeting up if the Fins play at Wembley? Official announcement is two weeks today. www.nfllondon2007.com

Quinn and Ginn, Jr will go higher than 9 and 10. And is Troy Smith not entering the draft this year? Apart from an O-line collapse in the BCS game, he showed up much better than Quinn in the regular season.

He is going in the draft but will not be picked until the second day according to most polls here now. Many reckon he is just too small and is not great under pressure

I've just read something similar on the NCAA website. How do you rate him compared to Quinn though? Right now, I'd pick Smith but then that's probably why I'm not involved in the NFL and I'm stuck behind a desk :D

Smith might go towards the end of the first round, but he's unlikely to be picked above Russell or Quinn. I agree that he had a narrowly better season than Quinn, but the latter is considered more of an orthodox NFL QB. Having said that Vince Young has shown what an asset an athletic QB can be (and demonstrated more consistency in his first season than the considerably talented Mike Vick) so perhaps someone will take a chance on Smith earlier than expected.

Out of interest, which sides in the top eight do you see drafting QBs? As I mentioned earlier nearly all of them are already grooming a youngster for the starter position (Leinart, Gradkowski, Jackson, Campbell to name four) so it'd make no sense to draft another quarterback when they need to strengthen elsewhere.

Actually, maybe only Oakland.

Frye needs more time at Cleveland and Gradkowski the same at Tampa, IMO. As you said, Cards have Leinart (excellent), Skins have Campbell (improving), Vikings have Jackson (improving), Texans have Carr (not sure!) and the Lions have Kitna (???).

The only way the Lions or Texans would go for a QB would be if they thought they had someone they could throw in almost straight away.

At the start of the season, I saw the Browns lose at home to the Saints and all the fans were calling their season "the race to get Brady". And I still think he'll go #1 to Oakland despite what I said about Smith.

And I guess given I've just persuaded myself that only one or two of the top 8 need a QB, maybe Smith will get bumped down quite a way!!!

Still think Ginn, Jr will be top 5 though. I won't talk myself out of that one :D

Seriously. Troy Smith's stock has dropped enourmously since his mauling by Florida. He was a late first round pick before that game now they are talking about round 4 and lower.

Him and Quinn are quite difficult to compare although id have to say Quinn is better as he did well(ish) behind the dross that was the ND offensive line. Although Quinn has bottled every big game he has played in. Despite Smith's Disasterous last game he has a good record in crunch games.

I think many see him as a Vince Young type player but he is just too small to have a major impact in the NFL

While I agree with everything you say, having read the press, I think you have to look at Quinn's big match temperament... which as you say is not great.

Last year, the draft included some excellent players (Bush, Leinart, Young, Cutler, Hawk, Williams, even Colston being drafted low down as a TE, Maroney, Addai) and they've all stepped up this season as rookies.

The draft for 2007 looks very empty in comparison and I don't think it is such a good year to have early picks. The Texans must regret not taking Bush as first overall...

I definatly think that the Texans not taking Bush will be talked about for years as one of the biggest blunders ever for a first round pick. This years draft does include some very exciting prospects all across the board. i think it is a more well rounded draft than last years with fewer outstanding standout players and more good ones.

i dont think there will be too much trading of picks this year with people wanting or needing to pick certain players. I agree that those with early picks this year can feel themselves a bit unlucky, but as you always see there are hidden gems in there.

Im sure New Orleans just played crap last year to get Bush :D

They lucked out that Houston didn't take him!

They are officially the best "turnaround" team ever - no team has ever made the conference final on the back of a 13 defeat season the year before!

Weird stuff can happen between now and the draft. Last year Vince Young had all kinds of junk written about him, apart from the fact he was the most important player on the college champion Texas team. Leinart, a year removed from winning the Heisman and a national title slipped from being a possible number 1 to number 10.

The year before that Aaron Rodgers was tipped to possibly go at number 1 to San Francisco. He ended up being picked 24th. :eek:

I am going to Wembley (assuming that they let BCAFL teams have an allowance).

If they don't, I'm quitting the game out of anger.

Samardzija's given up football to play baseball... there goes a potential great first or second round pick for somebody.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2736354

Guaranteed money innit.

N.B. Sorry, to be clear, MLB contracts are guaranteed through the life of a contract. If you want to cut a player you have to pay the contract in full, which I don't believe is the case in the NFL.

Looking forward to tonight

Hoping its a Saints/Colts Superbowl

Ugh, thought it was starting at 6pm. It's starting at 8pm instead. :(

I see the Colts President is talking AGAIN about receivers being bumped downfield. So not content with actually changing the rules, he's trying to bully the refs into decisions. I guarantee you'll see one or two crucial pass interference calls against the Pats tonight. After all, we have to guarantee that Manning gets to the Super Bowl don't we.
Fingers crossed for a rematch from 1985. We owe the Bears!

Wasn't surprised when I heard that on a PTI podcast. Has there been any response from New England?

If I were a Colts fan I'd worry that they're getting their excuses in early.