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National Football League Draft (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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From NFLMedia.com

4/12/12

RECORD 26 PLAYERS TO ATTEND NFL DRAFT

A record twenty-six top prospects are confirmed to attend the 2012 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, the NFL announced today. That includes a record five players from BCS National Champion Alabama: S Mark Barron, LB Dont’a Hightower, CB Dre Kirkpatrick, RB Trent Richardson and LB Courtney Upshaw.

Louisiana State will have three players in attendance, while Baylor, South Carolina, Southern California and Stanford will each have two players in New York this year.

The players confirmed to attend this year’s NFL Draft:

1)	Mark Barron	S	Alabama		14)	Melvin Ingram	DE	South Carolina
2)	Justin Blackmon	WR	Oklahoma State		15)	Matt Kalil	T	Southern California
3)	Michael Brockers	DT	Louisiana State		16)	Dre Kirkpatrick	CB	Alabama
4)	Morris Claiborne	CB	Louisiana State		17)	Andrew Luck	QB	Stanford
5)	Quinton Coples	DE	North Carolina		18)	Shea McClellin	LB	Boise State
6)	Fletcher Cox	DT	Mississippi State		19)	Nick Perry	DE	Southern California
7)	Coby Fleener	TE	Stanford		20)	Dontari Poe	DT	Memphis
	Michael Floyd	WR	Notre Dame		21)	Rueben Randle	WR	Louisiana State
9)	Stephon Gilmore	CB	South Carolina		22)	Trent Richardson	RB	Alabama
10)	Cordy Glenn	T	Georgia		23)	Devon Still	DT	Penn State
11)	Robert Griffin III	QB	Baylor		24)	Ryan Tannehill	QB	Texas A&M
12)	Dont’a Hightower	LB	Alabama		25)	Courtney Upshaw	LB	Alabama
13)	Stephen Hill	WR	Georgia Tech		26)	Kendall Wright	WR	Baylor

2012 NFL DRAFT FACTS & FIGURES

2012 FIRST ROUND DRAFT ORDER

# – As Per Coin Flip Held at NFL Scouting Combine

By Dr. Bill Chachkes-Executive Editor/Managing Partner-Football Reporters Online.

Staff for NFL teams at the 2010 NFL Draft. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Loyalty: it’s a word no one associates with professional football any longer. Today it’s all about the “Dollar signs” ($$$). Usually when I read those I expect to pay more money for a meal in a restaraunt or for tickets to a show.  But with NFL player salaries going up constantly, the teams’ rosters should have $$$’s next to each player’s names. For example, if a player was an Undrafted free agent or a late round selection, he should get 1 dollar sign next to his name, Two dollar signs would go to a mid-round Draft choice who successfully intergrated into his new team and contributed. Three dollar signs goes to a high round selection or expensive free agent. Lastly, four dollar signs should signify an “Over priced” free agent or someone who did not live up to expectations as a draft selection. I think I will call it “Dr. Bill’s NFL Player value ranking system.”  No wonder why the salary cap has increased 7+ times it’s original amount since free agency‘s inception in the NFL.

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By Dr. Bill Chachkes-Executive Editor-Football Reporters Online

What do St.Patricks day, The IRS, and NFL Free Agency have in common? Their busy seasons all start in MARCH. As for the bank accounts of future “million dollar babies,” please don’t think that they are getting handed something for nothing. They are all expected to produce on the field or they can kiss most of that cash goodbye (See JaMacus Russel). These days there are lots of “incentive clauses” built into contracts, as well as “ethics” clauses for “behaviour of an unbecoming nature.”

A big part of the interview process when teams check out players these days, are surveys and “human science” driven conversations to determine if a player has underlying issues. Still, it’s easy to miss something if your not looking hard enough for it. NFL teams would do well to employ their own investigators so their local police departments don’t have to do the work for them when it’s too late.

(JaMarcus Russell at the 2007 NFL Draft)

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By Bobby “Blackjack” –Taking Football Live Host-on Special to Football Reporters

Rutgers running back, Joe Martinek, after the Rutgers-Army game. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Greetings from Piscataway!  Ok, so it doesn’t have the same zing as Bruce Springsteen’s Greetings from Asbury Park.  But those in attendance were there to see either the next great export from New Jersey, WR Mohamed Sanu or perhaps the next great hidden gem, FB Joe Martinek.  Among those under the Rutgers practice dome included scouts from 25 NFL teams and I even saw one from the Canadian Football League.  Rutgers’ Alums in attendance included All-Pro RB Ray Rice, Bengal RB Brian Leonard, the Dolphins’ new LB Jamaal Westerman and Eric LeGrand among others.

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By JP FOX-Contributing Writer-Football Reporters Online

FOXBORO, MA - DECEMBER 27: Randy Moss #81 of the New England Patriots reacts on the sideline after he caught his third touchdown pass of the day against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fourth quarter at Gillette Stadium on December 27, 2009 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

November 28, 1998. Minnesota Vikings rookie Wide Receiver Randy Moss: 3 catches 163 yards and 3 touchdowns in a Thanksgiving Day game against the Dallas Cowboys. I was 8 years old at the time and about 2 or 3 years into my never-miss-watching-a-cowboys-game career. In the 1998 draft, Marshall Wide Receiver Randy Moss was probably one of the most talented players in the entire draft. Off the field problems had people projecting a draft day plunge. While Dallas Cowboys held the 8^th overall pick in the draft, Moss was then reportedly told by Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones that he would be selected at that spot. The 8^th overall pick came, Dallas selected DE/OLB Greg Ellis, and Moss plummeted into the laps of the Minnesota Vikings with the 21^st pick. Moss said he would make it a point to beat the Cowboys every time he played them. That game in his rookie season was a clear indication of things to come for Moss. Including that game, Moss finished with 69 receptions for 1,313 yards including a rookie record 17 touchdowns. This was a clear sign of the superstar status that Moss would soon proclaim.

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Image by Getty Images via @daylife

By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer
Southeast Region
March 18, 2012

It has been some off season so far and it is just getting started. Free agency began with a bang when the Colts released future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning. He is recovering from a couple of neck surgeries and is looking to see what team fits him the best. It has come down to three and he should be making his decision in the next day or two. One of those teams is the Titans and they were not a player until late in the game. Owner Bud Adams made it known that he wanted Manning at any cost.

After working out for the Titans, Manning went to look at his notes and make his choice based on many things one would guess. Let’s take a look at his career and how he would fit in Tennessee.

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