11:03 p.m. -- New Orleans Saints, CB Patrick Robinson, Florida State
-- I'm going to drive home and then type up a "best available" post. This is going to be amazing. I now LOVE the new draft set-up.

10:59 p.m. -- I half-expect to see NBA-style deals tonight, with re-evaluations making teams re-value guys they wanted who were already picked.

10:55 p.m. -- No. 31 Indianapolis Colts, OLB Jerry Hughes, Texas Christian
-- Bob is displeased. Indy needed a lineman and I thought they could go quarterback, but the Colts now have some depth if Dwight Freeney's injury is worse than thought. This is setting up to be an incredble overnight as both McCoy and Clausen will be available, as will Charles Brown and Mount Cody. I expect the Saints to go with Taylor Mays to fill the Darren Sharper void, unless they trade out.

10:46 p.m. -- No. 30 Detroit Lions, RB Jahvid Best, Cal
-- Best is an unruly freak. Played with Reggie Bush-ish dominance at Cal before getting hurt on that disgusting flip into the air when he went 345 feet into the air. Love this pick for Detroit.

10:45 p.m. -- And they do... Vikings go to second pick of second round. Their quarterback will likely be there.

10:42 p.m. -- With the whole day to debate the second round's beginning, expect all these picks to take the full 10 minutes. Even if the Vikings love Clausen or McCoy, they have to be salivating at the idea of moving out.

10:38 p.m. No. 29 New York Jets, CB Kyle Wilson, Boise State
-- The Jets wants to have the deepest secondaries in the NFL, not even taking into account Antonio Cromartie's many soon-to-be draft eligible children.

10:30 p.m. No. 28 Miami Dolphins, DT Jared Odrick, Penn State
-- Odrick, like many NFLers, is built like a house. With Paul Solial as their current NT, they really needed a monster DT unless they plan on playing the 3-4 the Bills want to play, where Kyle Williams can play the base NT and an OLB slides on a given side depending on the match-up. Weird.

10:23 p.m. -- No. 27 New England Patriots, CB Devin McCourty, Rutgers
-- It would be dishonest for me to tell you I know anything of value about Devin McCourty. Here's something: he could be Irish.


10:13 p.m. -- No. 26 Arizona Cardinals, NT Dan Williams, Tennessee
-- Two straight picks that the Bills were rumoured to be interested in at No. 9. Gotta be a bummer for Buddy Nix and company.

10:07 p.m. THE EARTH SHOOK. Just kidding, but Tim Tebow is selected.

No. 25 Denver Broncos, QB Tim Tebow, Florida
-- Kinda wished it happened in Buffalo just because I believe he will put it together as a quarterback. The under-center and throwing motion garbage is trying way too hard. That said, Colt McCoy is still available.

9:58 p.m. -- The Patriots deal their pick to the Cowboys. How is it that the ex-Pats-ish teams are the only ones smart enough to keep trading down?

No. 24 Dallas Cowboys, WR Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State
-- That's exactly what I thought.

9:52 p.m. No. 23 Green Bay Packers, OT Bryan Bulaga, Iowa
-- Our collective hands slap our foreheads as OURLADS' No. 2-rated tackle goes to the Packers. This is a very surprising drop indeed.


9:46 p.m. No. 22 Denver Broncos, WR Demaryius Thomas, Georgia Tech
-- Thomas' parents couldn't decide between the Y and the I, so they went with both.

9:41 p.m. -- No. 21 Cincinnati Bengals, TE Jermaine Gresham, Oklahoma
9:40 p.m. -- No. 20 Houston Texans, CB Kareem Jackson, Alabama
-- I can't tell you all that much about Jackson other than he played on a ridiculously good defense, but Gresham is a potential monster for Carson Palmer. Last year, Gresham would've gone ahead of Brandon Pettigrew, but came back only to be injured. This makes an absurd amount of Sooners taken soon...er than some thought.

9:31 p.m. -- No. 19 Atlanta Falcons, OLB Sean Witherspoon, Missouri
-- Brad is ecstatic after seeing Witherspoon torture UB at Mizzou a couple years back. The Falcons were yearning for LB help so good for them.


No. 18 Pittsburgh Steelers, C Maurkice Pouncey, Florida
-- Supposedly the fans chanted, "She said no." I love the fans right now.

No. 17 San Francisco 49ers, OG Mike Iupati, Idaho
--Two picks that don't hurt the Bills. In fact, I'm extremely surprised Clausen didn't go here.

9:21 p.m. -- No. 16 Tennessee Titans, DE/OLB Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech
-- There goes that theory. Cue some video of him dancing like an idiot. Solid, solid pick-up for Jeff Fisher.


9:15 p.m. -- No. 15 New York Giants, DE/OLB Jason Pierre-Paul
-- If Derrick Morgan continues to drop, the Buffalo Bills could very well jump up to grab him. Chan Gailey recruited him to Georgia Tech, and he fits what the Bills need.

9:11 p.m. -- OURLADS on Spiller: "A bolt of lightning type runner that is a threat to score as a receiver, ball carrier and return specialist." Hmmm, that sounds good. I'll have that. A BOLT OF LIGHTNING type? According to Wikipedia, there are six main types of lightning: bead, staccato, forked, ribbon, heat and sheet. We think he's staccato lightning.


9:04 p.m. -- No. 14 Seattle Seahawks, S Earl Thomas, Texas
-- Quite a drop from where he could've gone. CRY, EARL THOMAS, CRY.

9:01 p.m. -- The reason the 49ers took Davis instead of Jimmy Clausen is likely because no one needs a quarterback between their two picks, while Davis would've certainly been selected by someone in the interim.

8:57 p.m. -- No. 13 Philadelphia Eagles, Brandon Graham OLB/DE, Michigan
-- Granted I'm a Michigan guy, but I love Graham. A combination of instinct, smarts, speed and skill, any team would be blessed to wind up with him commanding either side of their defense. Nice pick.

8:53 p.m. -- Denver trades down again. Stockpiling picks in a pretty solid move here.

8:50 p.m. -- No. 12 San Diego Chargers, RB Ryan Mathews, Fresno State
-- Mathews scored a lot of touchdowns.

8:45 p.m. -- No. 11 San Francisco 49ers, OT Anthony Davis, Rutgers
-- He's lazy. I'm glad he's not a Bill. The 49ers traded a fourth-round pick to get this pick from Denver. Now at 12, San Diego has traded with Miami to slide into the next position.

8:43 p.m. -- Sixteen minutes later, I'm totally on-board with the Spiller pick. He probably is the best all-around talent in the draft. YES, you can get good running backs at the Buz'n'Bee in South Buffalo, but I'm going to go on record as saying this pick works for me.


8:33 p.m. -- No. 10 Jacksonville Jaguars, DT Tyson Alualu, Cal
-- I'm feeling even better about the Spiller pick now.

8:31 p.m. -- No. 9 BUFFALO BILLS, RB C.J. SPILLER, Clemson
-- He's an incredible running back, but is this what they need? He's 5'11" and definitely better than the simple "waterbug" Chan Gailey said he needed. He can be LaDanian Tomlinson. Seriously. Let's hope they have a plan to get him some blocking and a quarterback.


8:29 p.m. -- No. 8 Oakland Raiders, OLB Rolando McClain, Alabama
--And a double whammy... Adam Schefter said C.J. Spiller is the pick for the Bills. Whammmmmmy.

8:27 p.m. -- After all is said and done, I wouldn't be surprised to hear the Steelers had dealt Ben Roethlisberger to get into this spot.

8:26 p.m. No. 8 Oakland Raiders, DRUG Cocaine, Colombia


8:23 p.m. No. 7 Cleveland Browns, CB Joe Haden, Florida
-- More tears. It makes me kinda wish he was crying because he had his heart set on Cleveland and they called to say they just killed his cat.

8:06 p.m. -- No. 6 Seattle Seahawks, OT Russell Okung, Oklahoma State
8:03 p.m. -- No. 5 Kansas City Chiefs, S Eric Berry, Tennessee
-- As Brad just said, not a single pick has gone down that will change the Bills idea of what they'll do at No. 9. Okung is a solid selection and Berry is the hard-hitting speed freak who knocked out Tim Tebow. Now here's Cleveland who loves Colt McCoy. This is where things get very intriguing.

7:59 p.m. -- No. 4 Washington Redskins, OT Trent Williams, Oklahoma
-- I thought Okung was the play here, but Williams should do just fine. Tackles named Williams tend to work out at No. 4. Whoops. By the way, Trent Williams... call J.P. Dockery for me to complete an odd pairing.

7:53 p.m. -- What will Washington do? Well, their line is absolutely awful and they have their pick of the OT litter. Book it. It's over-thinking if they don't go Russell Okung, but almost everyone thinks Trent Williams will go to D.C.


7:51 p.m. -- No. 3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers - DT Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma
-- Don't cry, large young man... you're rich now.


7:44 p.m. -- No. 2 Detroit Lions - DT Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska
-- Aaaaaaand that's the last time I have to use CTRL-V to paste the name "Ndamukong."

7:40 p.m. -- The Lions are currently starting Ko Simpson at safety, so it makes sense to me that Detroit might want to see what they can get for Ndamukong Suh, and drop a few slots to pick up Earl Thomas or Eric Berry. I know they play free safety, but move Louis Delmas over if you want.

7:37 p.m. -- PICK -- No. 1, St. Louis Rams, QB Sam Bradford, Oklahoma
-- As I've said, he's really good at throwing a football and can heave it far when he has to. Great arm and smart kid. His only issue in my mind is his back-to-back injuries. A risk worth taking.

7:20 p.m. -- Among this red carpet B.S. is our conversation about a potential rookie salary cap coming in 2010. So... you'd have to REALLY believe in a QB at No. 9 overall, because there's a strong possibility that next year you could pay a whole lot less for your "next franchise quarterback."

7:09 p.m. -- Aaaaaaaand we're on the air on WECK 1230AM and streaming online at http://www.weck1230.com . Get me on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/NicholasMendola, or email nickonweck@gmail.com

7:01 p.m. -- Remember how Ndamukong Suh was the best prospect in the last 30 years? That sentiment is less than 100 days old and he won't go first. So.... 30 years, huh?

6:50 p.m. -- This draft has no "gotta get him" player for me, especially in the first round. By nature, I love freaky-nasty (not Freaknasty, I think that was a pop group) linebackers, so I would be pleased with Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain at No. 9 overall. Yet I'd be pleased in just about any scenario.

A) Trade up. Take Sam Bradford. He's good at football. I promise.
2) Trade down. Get another second round pick and get more prospectively good football players because you don't have a ton of them.
D) Take someone you believe.

It's Buddy Nix and Chan Gailey. There is no legitimate reason to doubt them at either GM or head coach because neither guy has truly failed in that position. You can be cynical and dislike them because they're old, but then karma will put you in a bad nursing home one day.

Beginning around 6:30 p.m., I'll be blogging it up pick-by-pick while on-air with Brad Riter, Scott Wilson and Bob Gaughan on WECK 1230 AM. Can I multi-task despite a decades-old case of ADHD? Listen longer and find out!

Just a quick thought... an immediate reaction if you will.

As I sit here hosting Sportstalk Saturday, the reports continue to roll in regarding NFL free agency, and the celebrated Howard Simon Show question, "Are the Bills better today?", is unclear. Sure, they've signed a second-string signal caller in Ryan Fitzpatrick, but everyone in the AFC East has made a significant improvement in the first 24 hours of free agency.

(Fitzpatrick married a fellow Harvard athlete who played goalkeeper on the Crimson soccer team. Did the Bills get rights to their child?)

I'm not going to jump into the NHL rhetoric -- which may be true, according to my talk with Kevyn Adams -- that Buffalo is the opposite of a destination city, but you have to wonder what the heck is going on.

The Jets picked up a linebacker and cornerback who would be the best on the Bills, in Baltimore's Bart Scott and Philadelphia's Lito Sheppard, respectively. The Patriots received a second-round pick for their second-string quarterback, Matt Cassel (Kansas City), and also picked up Fred Taylor, away from the Bills. They also got a pick for a linebacker on the extreme downside of his career, Mike Vrabel. The Dolphins added a starting safety in Gibril Wilson.

I'm not saying things have to happen in the first 24 hours, and the truth is that the Bills could sign someone the minute I leave the studio to head for the gym. Still, this is a scary spot for Bills fans, who are facing a daunting schedule -- which could look less daunting come September, this is the NFL -- and opened up a hole at left guard by releasing Derrick Dockery, when there may have been something in return left by the fax machine (?!?).

Is it absurd to suggest the Bills best moves would be the two with the fewest question marks. Re-inking Angelo Crowell and Jabari Greer would bring back two guys who their teammates like. You might doubt that about Crowell, but look at it from the athlete's perspective... he left one day after he knew he would get paid. That's the culture.

As far as Greer, I have a feeling that Detroit is going to give him dollars that ensure a private island, but if not, why not fork over the bucks for a corner who knows "the system." Greer isn't a world-beater, but he's solid, and hopefully after 2009, you're looking at him as the No. 2 to an improved Leodis McKelvin, with Terrence McGee getting far too much money somewhere else.

Look at it this way: the Jets hole is.... quarterback. Maybe running back. Either way, with Sheppard across from Darrelle Revis, and Scott behind that defensive line... wow. The Dolphins and Pats certainly have less holes than the Bills. There's a lot of work to be done, and it can be, but if Friday is the starting line, the Bills got a start that is average at best, and the other runners might be faster, anyway.

Theser are just some quick thoughts that could be moot in 20 minutes. I don't care if that's irresponsible: nick@wgr550.com

Scanning the list of NFL free agents, here are five quick names that jumped off the bottom of the page:

Chris Simms, quarterback, Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- Simms isn't a name that's really "under the radar," but I'd love to see him get a shot. Had a miserable start to 2006 before that pesky exploded spleen thing put him down for almost two years. The 10-TD, 7-INT season he put together in 2005 has lingered in my mind for a while now. Hard to believe he's 28.

Leonard Pope, tight end, Arizona Cardinals (RFA) -- The 6'8', 258-pound under-achieving monster kind of screams Courtney Anderson and whoever the other stupid tall guy the Bills signed in 2008, but hear me out. Pope was absolutely vicious for Georgia, and was behind several receiving options on the NFC Champs. Then again, we said the same about Bryant Johnson...

Kendall Simmons, guard, Pittsburgh Steelers -- The Derrick Dockery demons that say, "He comes from a good offensive line" trouble me, but may be a bargain coming off an injury that sidelined him for much of 2008.

Maurice Morris, running back, Seattle Seahawks -- Combining with Fred Jackson for a few weeks might be enough to lure him to Buffalo for some increased workload. I wonder if a one-year deal would sound about right to a guy who generally averages over 4.2 yards-per-carry but has never hauled more than 162 carries in a year. The Oregon Duck could end up back in Seattle, tempted by another chance to be a true No. 1 back if he can trump Julius Jones.

Andra Davis, linebacker, Cleveland Browns -- While I'm expecting the Bills to go OLB/DE with their No. 1 pick in April's draft, Davis would be a servicable alternative re-signing Angelo Crowell.

Email: nick@wgr550.com

Thanks to my brother Sam for sending the above photo. Now, before I get to Bills' personnel issues...

You don't care about performance-enhancing drugs.

You might care about the records broken on account of them, but you don't give a crap who is using them with the exception of the morbid curiousity that comes with knowing who is doing what.

Anyone who doubts this needs to take a step back and gaze at the hallowed New England Patriots. The news today is that special teams ace Larry Izzo is going to testify in the perjury case against Barry Bonds. Rodney Harrison was suspended for steroid use. No one is being asked to give their titles back.

======================

In getting prepared for my NFL draft podcasts and other assorted draft shenanigans, I've decided that the two guys I'm going to fawn over this year are on defense:

Penn State defensive end (now with linebacking capabilities!) Aaron Maybin and USC linebacker Ray Maualuga

At the outset of this year, I wanted the Bills to wind up with Maualuga, and I'm still down for the Trojan linebacker.

The Washington fan site "Hail Redskins" compiles every single mock draft they can imagine, and who the 'Skins selected. Can someone please do this for the Bills' draft? All Bills fans would explode with gratitude.

Side note: I also wouldn't hate if the Bills took Mississippi's Michael Oher, but that's because I read Michael Lewis' "Blind Side" about how left tackle is the most important position ever in the history of any sport, and that Oher may be better than Orlando Pace and Anthony Munoz's genetically-impossible mutant child one day. So... he sounds like a good idea.

They let him place point guard in high school basketball. "Let" being the key word.

Our own Joe Buscaglia has his mock draft out ahead of his trip the combine. He, too, has the Bills selecting a perimeter rusher, and I wouldn't hate the fella he chose, either.

===================================

Marshawn Lynch is favorite on-field Bill since Chris Spielman, and Cornelius Bennett before that. All that said, his misconduct off the field has me 100 percent prepared to trade him if value is offered in return.

I know bad guys are good at sports, and that there are some on every team, but if you came offering a second- and a third-round pick, or a first, or a tight end who can play football with decent success rates in rushing and passing, I'd listen.

Heck, deal Lynch and Jason Peters together to the Bengals or the Raiders. They'd love these two. Then, sign Fred Taylor to go with Fred Jackson for the Fred offense. Idea doesn't sound right to you?

Why not? He's known as a character guy, and was drafted with the pick we dealt for Rob Johnson. Also all the folks who bought A-Train jerseys can do the whole tape trick. Make amends!

It's a goofy sort of day. I'm going to the dentist and then Napville: nick@wgr550.com

If you missed this week's Sportstalk Saturday, you missed Nick Mendola and Pat Malacaro's playoff picks. Prompted by a caller to the show, the two delivered the names, and now they back up their picks:

NFC East
Nick- Washington- Call it absurd, but I'm playing a hunch here. I really like Jason Campbell's chances of blossoming with Chris Cooley, Santana Moss, Devin Thomas and Antwaan Randle-El. I'll have to bet that Clinton Portis will have a resurgence, and that their defensive tackle injuries don't hurt them, but I like the 'Skins to have a tremendous year in a very difficult division.

Pat- Dallas- The ‘Boys may have the best offense in the NFL with Tony Romo under center, Marion Barber carrying the ball out of the backfield, and wide outs T.O. and Patrick Crayton running smooth routes. Head coach Wade Phillips is a defensive minded coach, so don’t expect Dallas to do much worse than the 9th place finish in YPG given up last season.

NFC North
Pat- Minnesota– Two letters: A.P. Add WR Bernard Berrian into the receiver mix, and the only question mark on offense is QB Tarvaris Jackson. The Vikings do have Gus Frerotte is a older in sports standards, but still can step in if Jackson does not get the job done. On defense Pat Williams sits in the middle of the d-line that gave up the fewest rushing yards per game last season.

Nick- Green Bay- I like Aaron Rodgers to be good enough to get the Packers of the North, and Ryan Grant and A.J. Hawk really impressed me last year. Look for the Packers corners to have a big year.

NFC West
Nick- Seattle- I consider Matt Hasselbeck to be the NFL's barometer for quarterbacks. You need a guy at least as good as Hasselbeck to make a Super Bowl run, and this year he's got a nice stable of running backs, including Julius Jones, a back that I was surprised to see fall out of favor in Dallas, though Marion Barber III is pretty good.

Pat- Seattle – Much like Nick, I too feel that Matt Hasselbeck is just good enough to be a top level QB in the NFL, but not quite athletic enough to be on the elite level of some of the greats that have played. The addition of Julius Jones to the running game is an improvement over the Shaun Alexander we saw the last few seasons. The NFC West is not as awful as most think, but the Seahawks did dominate their division opponents 5-1 last year.

NFC South
Pat- Tampa Bay– The emergence of RB Ernest Graham was a pleasant surprise when Cadillac Williams went down for the season last year. QB Jeff Garcia is certainly a better option than Luke McCown and the recently released Chris Simms. The Bucks have an aging defense, but still has gotten the job done consistently year after year. They had the best pass defense, and second best total defense last season.

Nick- Tampa Bay- The Bucs still have a good defense, and Jeff Garcia is still solid. I wish I had more to say about Tampa. No, actually, I don't. Enjoy the malaise.


NFC Wild Cards
Nick- Philadelphia and Dallas- Are the Eagles and Cowboys good enough to overcome playing six games in division? Absolutely. It's terrible that folks continue to underrate Donovan McNabb, who is one of the best signal callers of his era, and even Jessica Simpson won't derail Dallas (For the record, Tony Romo, I can't see how Carrie Underwood wasn't good enough. I wouldn't say you upgraded. What a world we live in where this analysis happens).

Pat- Carolina and Washington – My sleeper of the year is Carolina RB Jonathan Stewart. John Fox is still one of the top game day coaches in the NFL, their defense was middle of the road last year when the offense could not stay on the field. For the 'Skins, Expect bigger things out of QB Jason Campbell this season. In 13 starts last year Campbell threw 12 TDs, but had 11 INTs. The Redskins rush defense was in the top 5 last year, expect it to stay near the top.

AFC East
Nick- New England- The Pats will lose a handful of games in 2008, a year which will definitely be a drop-off from their record-shattering 2007 campaign, but Jerrod Mayo was the right pick at the right position, and should help re-energize their linebackers. Their d-line is still solid, and will help minimize the loss of Asante Samuel. Look for Randy Moss' numbers to drop, and Laurence Maroney's to rise.

Pat- New England- Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Laurence Maroney. Need I say more? The defense will take a hit with the loss of Asante Samuel, but they still have one a top three offense in the NFL. I am going to go out on a limb and say the Pats will go at least 4-2 against the rest of the AFC East, meaning they will only need to go 8-2 or 7-3 to finish atop the AFC.

AFC North
Pat- Pittsburgh- The home playoff loss to the Jaguars in the Wild Card round last year left a lot to be desired by the Steelers. On the offensive side of the ball, Big Ben will have another solid year throwing the ball to Santonio Holmes and Hines Ward. Add in first rounder Rashard Mendenhall and you have a solid 1-2 running back punch with Willie Parker. The Steelers’ had the best overall defense last season, giving up the fewest total yards per game on average, and were tied for second in touchdowns given up (31).

Nick- Pittsburgh- I have some questions about the defense, but I love Lamarr Woodley in the linebacking corps. I love Roethlisberger, and see Holmes having a big year, and don't think this is the year Ward drops off. Parker's injuries aren't as much of a concern with Mendenhall as a safety valve. Pittsburgh's my favorite to dethrone the Pats in the AFC.


AFC West
Nick- San Diego- As much as I think Shawne Merriman is one of the dumbest men on Earth for falling into the giant machismo trap that is "NFL toughness," the Chargers will be better than ever in 2008, which isn't saying all that much. With all due respect to Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates remains a one-of-a-kind threat until Vernon Davis really shows the league something.

Pat- San Diego– The Chargers’ defense will most certainly take a hit with a less than 100% Shawne Merriman. However, with Quentin Jammer and Antonio Cromartie on the corners and a solid return game, the defense will still be near the top in the AFC. Expect QB Philip Rivers to have a solid year with WRs Chris Chambers and Vincent Jackson, TE Antonio Gates, and, oh yeah, Ladanian Tomlinson coming out of the backfield.

AFC South
Pat- Indianapolis- The Colts are a very balanced squad on offense and defense. Wide outs Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison and Anthony Gonzalez show a great potential for Manning to 35 TDs this season. Add in a potent running game with Joseph Addai and there is no reason to expect the Colts’ offense to fall out of the top 5 from last season. The two anchors on the defensive side of the ball look in peak for. Defensive End Dwight Freeney should have a big year in the trenches, and SS Bob Sanders should continue to lead by example in the secondary.

Nick- Indianapolis- Even if Marvin Harrison falls further away from his legendary statistics this year, the Colts have more than enough fire power to get them through what is a very favorable schedule. If Peyton Manning's bursa sac issues are more than we know, than Jacksonville will thrive, but the Colts should only lose a handful of games.

AFC Wild Cards
Nick- Jacksonville and Denver- I hate doing this, Bills fans -- and my goodness, do I hope I'm wrong -- but the Jags have a very good schedule, and Denver scares me. Mike Shanahan knows how to coach, and the Champ Bailey/Dre Bly combo should prove more stout than last year. I'm not as big a fan of their wide-outs as Pat (see below), but Jay Cutler has finally won me over. Turns out it wasn't just "Kiperhype."

Pat- Denver and Jacksonville- I expect QB Jay Cutler to have a solid year with Brandon Marshall and Keary Colbert to throw to. Head coach Mike Shanahan is a magic man when it comes to his offensive line and the running game, expect RB Selvin Young to continue the trend. The Jags have maybe the best 1-2 running back punch with Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor (assuming Taylor isn't headed to jail). Jacksonville had the 12th best overall defense last year, allowing 313.8 ypg last season. There should not be much of a drop off, despite the loss of Marcus Stroud on the d-line in the off-season.

Pat's conference championship and Super Bowl picks
AFC- Pats over Colts
NFC- Cowboys over Panthers
Super Bowl- Pats over Cowboys

Nick's conference championship and Super Bowl picks
AFC- Steelers over Colts
NFC- Redskins over Cowboys
Super Bowl- Steelers over Redskins

Email: nick@wgr550.com

Here we are, the culmination my favorite year in college football and my most prepared year in draft history. I'm ready to be content if Buffalo goes in several directions this weekend, and have a couple ideas of what could set me off in an opposite humor.

So, before Greg Bauch and I hit the airwaves at 11 a.m. Saturday to kick-off 12 hours of draft coverage on WGR, here's a brief review of the impressions I received from the players who appeared in my podcast series, and the date to find them in the Audio Vault. We'll go alphabetically, and throw some video links along the way. Afterwards, I'll detail some prospect movement from the final day of rumorville:

Jabari Arthur, WR, Akron (4/14 Podcast)
— French-Canadian MAC stand-out is big and funny. The kid is a Montreal Canadiens fan who can jump really high without lighting cars on fire. Watch his Day Two prospects.

Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina (4/25 Podcast)
— A+ interview for the likely first-round pick. Big fella, at 6'5", 312 pounds, and models himself as a Richard Seymour of defensive ends. Yeah, that sounds pretty darn good. Polite, professional and humble. First round pick.

Gary Banks, WR, Troy (4/15 Podcast)
— Was covered every day by Troy corner Leodis McKelvin, and said he learned a lot from the highly-touted corner. Also made me think McKelvin is as good as advertised. Calls himself a physical receiver, though he isn't a big guy. Late Round/Priority Free Agent.

Jason Boone, OL, Utah (4/16 Podcast)
— Big prospect heading into this year before a knee injury. Recuperation is apparently going well, and seems like a nice enough guy. From Day One to Day Two after a knee injury... just imagine if you hurt your knee and all the work you did in college lost half it's value. Late Round Pick.

Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville (4/11 Podcast)
— Talking to him about Bobby Petrino, his change in draft stock and all-around approach to quarterbacking made me want him in red, white and blue. Hard to imagine his status won't rise in the wash. First round pick.

Curtis Coker, DT, Oregon State (4/14 Podcast)
— Nice kid, seems to love the game. Very late rounds/Free agent.

Angelo Craig, LB, Cincinnati (4/17 Podcast)
— Hard-working linebacker from a "blue collar" city who comes from a big family. Early-to-mid Day Two pick.

Andre Fluellen, DT, Florida State (4/15 Podcast)
— So impressed with this John McCargo-like defensive tackle. Terrific interview, and excited to followed this former chorus member's career in the NFL. Day One pick.

Steve Justice, C, Wake Forest (4/14 Podcast)
— I'm partial to UB's Jamey Richard if only because of my alma mater ties, but Justice was my first and a quite impressive interview. If the Bills don't go UB, they'll be going earlier to get Justice, and I won't hate it. Late Day One/Very Early Day Two pick.

Haruki Nakamura, S, Cincinnati (4/17 Podcast)
— Undersized but powerful and quick safety whose entire family is composed of black belt martial artists. Yes. Go search his name on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHApgrJarw8. This guy loves to hit. Late Day Two pick.

Frank Okam, DT, Texas (4/15 Podcast)
— Monster of a man with a National Championship resume. Would be an interesting pick to spell Marcus Stroud. Is a first-rounder in some circles. Also talked about Malcolm Kelly and Limas Sweed. Day One pick.

Brian Paysinger, WR, Oregon (4/15 Podcast)
— Productive receiver who can block. Good interview.

Kelly Poppinga, LB, Brigham Young (4/16 Podcast)
— Tackling machine whose draft prospects improved when moved from outside to inside linebacker. Brother of Green Bay stand-out Brady Poppinga and former Chief/Steeler/Seahawk/Eagle tight end Casey Poppinga. Already did service work in Central and South America. Carried himself very well. Day Two Pick.

Jamey Richard, C, Buffalo (4/11 Podcast)
— Nasty, big, physical center who can play guard and models himself after the Colts' Jeff Saturday. Go Bulls (How's that for unbiased journalism).

Martin Rucker, TE, Missouri (4/22 Podcast)
— Perhaps the best interview of the punch from a guy who would help the Bills immediately. Comes from the spread offense and admits to need to learn line blocking. Brother of recently-retired Carolina Panthers end Mike Rucker, and son of Nebraska state representative. Late Day One/Early Day Two.

Dusty Sprague, WR, Colorado (4/16 Podcast)
— An underdog worth rooting for, this kid from the midwest was both easy to talk to and intelligent. Late Round/Priority Free Agent. Reviewed Sweed and Malcolm Kelly.

Jake Standeford, WR, Purdue (4/14 Podcast)
— Tall (6'2"), blocking wide-out who got the chance to shine in a big bowl win over Central Michigan. Definitely Youtube search his block: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtyChk-quDk. Trust me that will be enough to find him. Devastating. Day Two pick (stock rising).

Limas Sweed, WR, Texas (4/21 Podcast)
— What else can I say about Sweed? Wasn't the world's best interview, but I've been arguing for his being a Bill for a year, and I'm not stopping now. One word: Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AHAhZsrEL4. First round pick.

Jeremy Trimble, WR, Amry (4/22 Podcast)
— Impressive young man who detailed the Army/Navy game for me. Should get a shot in the league. Day Two pick/Priority free agent.

Jeremy Zuttah, OL, Rutgers (4/16 Podcast)
— Great interview. Would love the Bills taking a look at a kid who rose with the Rutgers program. Has a nasty edge to him. Day One pick.

MOVING UP:
—Jordy Nelson, WR, Kansas State: 6'2" kid who amassed 122 catches. In one year. Wow.
—Chad Henne, QB, Michigan: Very accurate four-year starter who played through injury.
—Branden Albert, OL, Virginia: Good lineman survive hype.
—James Hardy, WR, Indiana: It's the NFL. Do you think they really care about character concerns with a 6'7" wide-out? I don't like it either.
—Balmer
—Zuttah
—Andre Caldwell, WR, Florida: Good wide-out from a good program. Excels in several areas.
—Reggie Smith, CB, Oklahoma: Seems like the guys who played well in real football are overcoming poor combines. Had a slower-than-usual time on his pro day on the same track as Malcolm Kelly. Coincidence? I think not.

MVP (Most Valuable Podcast) Voting:

1. Fluellen
2. Rucker
3. Justice
4. Zuttah
5. Balmer

Hope to hear from you Saturday morning at 11 a.m., and please don't forget to vote in the "Name my team" web poll on my page: http://wgr550.com/pages/1258107.php?

Email: nick@wgr550.com