Meet Jeron Johnson, strong safety from Boise State (BSU).

Currently ranked the 21st overall safety by Scout Inc.’s draft board on ESPN.com, Johnson is looking to prove that there is plenty of value in this supposedly weak safety draft class in 2011.

Johnson is a 5’10’’, 200lb player who runs the 40 in approximately 4.5 seconds. He has solid speed for a defensive back, and it should continue to improve as he trains for the draft down in Dallas, Texas. The thing that makes him so good out on the football field is his balanced style of play, highlighted by exceptional intelligence and strength. “I’m a smart player with defensive knowledge, situational awareness and physical presence,” said Johnson. “I’m a pretty well-rounded player, but there’s always room for improvement.” Although T.J. Ward reminds him most of his style of play, he tries to model his game most after Keep Reading…

Meet Stephen Franklin, inside linebacker from Southern Illinois (SIU).

Currently ranked the 30th overall inside linebacker by Scout Inc.’s draft board on ESPN.com, Franklin is hoping to shed the Division 1AA label and prove that he can be an NFL-caliber player.

Franklin is a 6’0’’, 237lb player who runs the 40 in approximately 4.5 seconds, impressive speed for a linebacker. This speed, along with agility and quickness, makes his athleticism the most impressive facet of his game. “Athleticism is my biggest thing,” Franklin said. “It allows me to be able to put myself in position to make plays by breaking blocks and closing space down in a hurry.” Despite being a big fan of NFL linebackers like Jon Beason and Patrick Willis, Franklin says that the tenacity and athleticism of Bart Scott most reminds him of the way he plays.

Even with his outstanding athleticism, Franklin sometimes Keep Reading…

This is an ongoing list of underclass college football players who have decided to forego their remaining eligibility and officially declare for the 2011 NFL Draft. They have until January 15th to make their decision. Updates will come as more news is received.

Player, School (Projected Round)

Quarterback Blaine Gabbert, Missouri (1st) Ryan Mallett, Arkansas (1st) Cam Newton, Auburn (1st)

Running Back John Clay, Wisconsin (7th/UDFA) Darren Evens, Virginia Tech (3rd) Jamie Harper, Clemson (4th/5th) Mark Ingram, Alabama (1st) Taiwan Jones, Eastern Washington (5th/6th) Mikel LeShoure, Illinois (1st/2nd) Dion Lewis, Pittsburgh (2nd) Stevan Ridley, LSU (4th/5th) Jacquizz Rodgers, Oregon State (3rd/4th) Jordan Todman, Connecticut (3rd) Shane Vereen, Cal (2nd) Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech (2nd)

Fullback Henry Hynoski, Pittsburgh (4th/5th)

Wide Receiver Jonathan Baldwin, Pittsburgh (1st/2nd) DeAndre Brown, Southern Mississippi (5th) Randall Cobb, Kentucky (2nd/3rd) Tandon Doss, Indiana (3rd) A.J. Green, Georgia (1st) Tori Gurley, Keep Reading…

According to multiple sources, quarterback Blaine Gabbert of the Missouri Tigers has decided to skip his last year of eligibility and head for the NFL. He is the first of three big-name underclass quarterbacks, the others being Andrew Luck of Stanford and Ryan Mallett of Arkansas, to decide to enter the 2011 NFL Draft.

After a phenomenal sophomore year during which he led the Tigers to an 8-4 regular season record and an appearance in Texas Bowl against Navy, a lot was expected of Gabbert heading into the 2010 season.

Even with a disappointing statistical season compared to 2009, he managed to lead his Tigers back to national spotlight in 2010 much like Chase Daniel did back in 2008. He passed for 3,186 yards and 16 touchdowns while completing 301 of his 475 passes. His yards-per-attempt average as well as touchdowns took a significant hit, but he stayed Keep Reading…

Let the mocking begin!

The NFL regular season has come to end and the playoffs are upon us. The front offices of teams that will be watching the post-season from the comfort of their own homes can now start preparing for the late-April draft that looms just around the corner. With final regular season records set in stone after tonight’s showdown between the St. Louis Rams and the Seattle Seahawks, the draft order is now locked up for the first 20 spots. The position of teams with identical records is decided by their strength of schedule. The rest of the 32 draft positions will be decided during the next few weeks of the playoffs.

1. Carolina Panthers (2-14) 2. Denver Broncos (4-12) 3. Buffalo Bills (4-12) 4. Cincinnati Bengals (4-12) 5. Arizona Cardinals (5-11) 6. Cleveland Browns (5-11) 7. San Francisco 49ers (6-10) 8. Tennessee Titans (6-10) 9. Keep Reading…