Guest post by Kyle Howe of NFLDraftGeek.com.

It is always interesting to see how a Draft Expert’s projections turn out, and we here are very intrigued by this years class of rookies. Every week we give you the top 5 players in the hunt for Rookie of the Year on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. Click here for the Defensive Rankings.

1. Cam Newton- QB Carolina Panthers

Newton had his first game in which he threw for under 400 yards this past week against the Jags. Much of that can be attributed to the fact that the Panthers and Jaguars played their game on a field that resembled the Florida Everglades for much of the game. Completing passes would have been difficult for anyone.

However, Expect Newton to have more “humanly” statistical performances like he did against the Jags, and less like Keep Reading…

With Draft Breakdown writers living across the country, we’ve been able to cover several different slates of regional games. In our Risers/Sliders piece, our crew goes through the draft-eligible prospects who either impressed or disappointed them.

Enjoy!

Chad Davis

Risers

Vontaze Burfict LB Arizona State

Burfict got his season off on the right foot, albeit against an overmatched UC-Davis team, with three sacks that resulted in 20 yards lost for the Aggies. He showed every bit of aggressiveness and physical play that you would expect, but without the ridiculous penalties that sometimes follow. Burfict was explosive and smart with his timing, showed great speed for an inside backer, and punished the QB when he hit him. The biggest downfall here is that he managed only the three tackles, which will need to improve as the season progresses.

Bo Levi Mitchell QB Keep Reading…

1. Cincinnati Bengals   

Andrew Luck – QB – Stanford*

After struggling badly in the first two preseason games, Andy Dalton played dramatically better against Carolina, completing 11 of 17 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown. While a positive development, it’s important to note that the same Panthers defense was picked apart by Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne, who’s anything but a franchise QB.

Hopefully, Dalton will continue to improve, but he’s still battling the prospect of the team drafting Andrew Luck. To keep Luck out of Cinci, he’ll have to excel against the AFC North’s tough defenses. Also, his arm strength will be tested as the Ohio weather gets increasingly awful.   If the team’s season’s wrecked by poor QB play, the Bengals won’t be able to pass on Luck. The Stanford quarterback possesses the ideal attributes for an NFL quarterback, especially when it Keep Reading…

With plenty of cap space and a roster full of unproven young’uns, the Browns were expected to be very active in free agency. But instead of making it rain, Mike Holmgren and Tom Heckert limited themselves to a few low-dollar moves.

Because of the front office’s conservative approach, the team will be heavily reliant on their rookies to contribute this fall. At least three rooks will start, and others could earn significant roles. Fortunately, it looks like a few already are prepared to log significant snaps, and the other drafted rookies have shown a good deal of promise.

First round pick Phil Taylor appears poised to make a big impact this fall. The mammoth defensive tackle already has made his presence felt, most notably in last night’s game against the Lions. Taylor clogged the middle, allowing his teammates to make plays. When he shut down an Keep Reading…

All summer long, JMPasq and Mario Clavel have been breaking down tape of the top 2012 draft prospects. They’ve already produced well over a hundred prospect videos and gained plenty of insight on the upcoming draft class.

To put that knowledge to work, the draft video kings have assembled preliminary 2012 mock drafts. They used the same draft order as last week’s pair of “Way Too Early” mocks. And as you can see, there’s a good deal of variation between the very early projections.

Take a look at who they have your team taking and be sure to leave your comments below. Also, drop by the Draft Breakdown Message Board to share your draft takes.

JMPasq Mario Clavel 1. Andrew Luck – QB – Stanford Andrew Luck – QB – Stanford 2. Alshon Jeffery – WR – South Carolina Alshon Jeffery – WR Keep Reading…