The 2015 NFL Draft: #6 to #10

{Click here to see "The 2015 NFL Draft: The First Five"}

Well if you're reading this, then you've clicked on the link that brings you here to the second half of the Top Ten Draft Picks this year for the 2015 NFL Draft. So let's finish this thing off and continue with #6 to #10.

No. 6 Overall Pick: New York Jets

The New York Jets have the sixth pick in the draft today and all because they could not finish with anything better than the 4-12 record they got in the 2014 season. They've since said goodbye to head coach Rex Ryan and signed Arizona Cardinals' offensive coordinator Todd Bowles. They have a number of issues that they are looking into addressing, as most teams do in the top ten, but one of the biggest is really at positions like quarterback, offensive line, defensive line, linebacker, wide receiver, and... no that's about it I think. The point is: the Jets need some serious life saving in order to become a AFC championship game competing team once again. 

Right now, experts have put the Jets going all over the board including going off of it by trading away the pick for a chance to acquire someone like Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston to become the team's QB as all hope and faith in Geno Smith becoming the man has just been sunk to bottom of the ocean. They could even draft Mariota or Winston if the situation comes about that they have somehow (by the miracle of God himself) drop to No. 6 in the draft.

Away from QBs, they've also said that the team could go after Leonard Williams and Dante Fowler Jr. is available or feel that they are the player that they desire to acquire. But since my opinions have that being more unlikely than it actually happening, the best bet for them would be to improve the offensive line or defensive line with a different player.

One possibility as far as offensive line could be Iowa's Brandon Scherff. The Jets' line broke own too much and had too many missed blocks throughout the season which caused their own demise in some fashion. I mean granted, Geno Smith was no star QB, but he may have been better if he would've had better protection than just Nick Mangold and D'Brickashaw Ferguson.

Scherff has the size at 6'5' 319 lbs. to play either guard or tackle. He has some pretty quick feet that combines with his strength in his lower and upper body to make him an intense blocker to have to deal with up front. He has had a good efficient ability to stop attacking pass rushers from flying through and getting the quarterback. Another plus is that Iowa has always had a good history of providing strong, versatile offensive linemen over the past couple of years so that reputation helps out a lot.

Scherff's faults seem small, but could lead to his career coming to a halt. Brandon Scherff has had a history of injury problems with his legs and could be what stops him from being at his best if it does return again. Another issue he has that will come with more time and practice is that he tends to rely too much on his strength alone which can cause him to sit back on his heels instead of being in the balls of his feet for better leverage.Ultimately, I think Brandon Scherff will be more of a "Win Now" player in the NFL because while he does show that he has the size and skill to be a impacting player, he needs a lot of fine work to become better and more in-tune, and I just have that feeling that he will not get that chance because of injuries or because he'll never pick it up.

Defensively, there are really two options that we could look at for them. On one hand is Missouri defensive end Shane Ray. The Jets have some fantastic looking defensive linemen, but could still use some improvement upfront still a speedy and strong pass rusher. That's where Shane Ray could come into play.

Ray is a mystery because his frame of 6'3" 245 lbs. makes him the right size to be a blitzing outside linebacker, but he seems to be content on trying to play defensive end. The problem is that he is too small at his size. Regardless, he's been said to have 4.44 sec 40 yard dash which shows that he has the speed to get it done. His upper body strength and explosive first step makes him perfect for taking on larger offensive linemen in the NFL. On the other side of it, Ray's speed is only by his word-of-mouth and often can get caught and entangled in making moves past his opponents instead of combining it with his strength. He needs to improve getting off his blocks overall and start being more aware of cut blocks coming his way. If not, Shane ray could get seriously hurt as he has had injuries in the past which could come back to haunt him. The worst of it is the trouble he had with marijuana just this past week which could mean the difference between Top 10/first round and sliding to later rounds. Overall, Shane Ray is a "Win Now" player for a team that is looking to improve quickly in a speedy and agile defender.

Other options that could be there would be the possibility to add Vic Beasley to the linebacker corp if Shane Ray is not the type of player that they want to see if he can work out as a blitzing linebacker. But a better option then could be Kentucky's Alvin "Bud" Dupree. Dupree's skills are similar to last year's Top 10 pick from Kentucky in Khalil Mack. Dupree has shown great leader strength to help the team and amazing vision on the field when locating the ball carrier. He is also very versatile in his ability to play both outside linebacker and defensive end. His biggest downsides are that he lacks some of the necessary strength needed to perform in the NFL and he has trouble shooting his hands up into his opponents. Overall, Bud Dupree I think will be a "Fine Wine" player for the Jets or any team that decides to draft him.

My Opinion: If the New York Jets do not trade away this pick, their best bet would be to take Alvin "Bud" Dupree.

No. 7 Overall Pick: Chicago Bears

This pick I hold very dearly because this is my hometown's team: the Chicago Bears. The team has a Top 10 pick for the first time in a long time after finishing last year with a 5-11 record under former second head coach and new Bucs' offensive coordinator Marc Trestman. Let's not be cute about this one and just say what we know: the Bears were down right awful after finishing the year before last season with a franchise-record breaking offense. We've since traded our top receiver Brandon Marshall, hired new GM Ryan Pace, new head coach and former Denver Bronos' head coach John Fox, offensive coordinator Adam Gase that was with Fox in Denver, and defensive coordinator of the San Fransisco 49ers Vic Fangio.

It's been a whirlwind of an offseason, but speculation still looms over where the Bears will be with the No. 7 overall pick. Right now, this team is all over the board and place. In the beginning, the Bears were said to be in need of a defensive back, which is a big pool to jump into, but I think the best one for us to go to would be Michigan State's cornerback Trae Waynes. We lost one of the best defensive backs in our team's history in Charles Tillman, who is at the end of his career. Luckily, we had drafted Kyle Fuller for this exact moment when he left so to hopefully lose no momentum. On the other side is Tim Jennings, who is talented at defending the pass but has begun to show the signs of wear and tear.

Trae Waynes' size is a huge plus side at 6'0" 186 lbs. Combined with his ability to ballhawk the football out of the air and amazing 4.31 sec 40 yard dash speed, Waynes could establish himself as a dominant cornerback in the NFL for many years to come. His negatives are that he does not have the physical looking body that many of the NFL cornerbacks have to work with in having skinny arms and legs. He also has concerns in being able to tell apart run/pass plays on play action and has a tendency to be hit with defensive pass interference calls. In the all, Trae Waynes I think will be a "Fine Wine" player for the Bears as he somewhat shadows the skill set and abilities that Kyle Fuller has brought to the team.

Chicago has also been noted as to potentially take another defensive tackle to add to the roster's depth in order to man the middle in the new 3-4 defense that is planned to be put into effect by Vic Fangio. That would mean drafting a big solid nose tackle to help stop the run and get pressure on the quarterback. The best choice in this case would be Washington nose tackle Danny Shelton. This past season saw just an ugly show from the Bears' defensive line as they finished at the bottom of just about every category that you could think of to mark. So of course, it would make sense to load the line with enough guys to take over just in case someone else were to get hurt at some point as injuries were also an issue of ours as well.

As far as Danny Shelton goes, he has a the size at 6'2" 339 lbs. and has shown to have the ability to plug up the holes in which the ball carrier can run through. His biggest plus sides for this team should be that Shelton has never missed a single college game in his life and has not a single injury that hangs over him. The other reason is that Shelton took his schoolwork very seriously which shows that he has a dedication to working hard and making an impact to the team. Shelton's issues come from the fact that he is not really the best pass rushing option that most would look to use and can sometimes find himself being thrown off the line and to the side in plays where double teams concentrate their efforts on him. For Shelton, I think he could become a a very talented "Fine Wine" player that can be one of young building blocks in the team's climb back to being a great defense.

My Opinion: The Chicago Bears are in their city for this year's draft and could potentially make a trade for the No. 2 overall pick with the Tennessee Titans to get Marcus Mariota, but problems seem to persist as the Titans seem to not want Jay Cutler which the Bears need to ditch in order for this to happen. Other than that, I think they'll take Danny Shelton with the No. 7 overall pick.

No. 8 Overall Pick: Atlanta Falcons

This year's No. 8 overall pick belongs to the Atlanta Falcons, who have done a complete 180 from where they once stood at 13-3 in the NFL and was considered one of the most versatile offenses and have now slipped down to a 6-10 record last season. The Falcons have made some major moves in letting go of head coach Mike Smith in order to bring in former Seattle Seahawks' defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. The hopes are that this team's offense can be restored back to strength, but more importantly is the necessity for them to improve on the defensive side of the ball which has struggled for quite some time now.

On the defensive side of the ball, we could be looking at the Atlanta Falcons taking a pass rusher to make up for where they once were with former DE/OLB John Abraham. The best two at this point in my picks would be the Vic Beasley or Bud Dupree. Both players bring a certain style of pass rushing the quarterback. Beasley would be most effective from coming out of the linebacker position, whereas Bud Dupree would be somewhat considered to be a younger John Abraham for the team.

The other route they could go is drafting offensive lineman Brandon Scherff in order to give Matt Ryan more protection and help be a bigger support on the inside for a steadier ground game. Speaking of ground game, another great pick would be for the team to use it on a running back, such as Georgia's Todd Gurley. Atlanta's issue in the run game has been a problem for a long time in their entire franchise history, except for that time when they had Michael Turner on their roster and he charged over everyone. But this is where Todd Gurley would fit in just right.

Gurley's biggest up-sides are that he is built for the NFL level at 6'1" 222 lbs. and has shown a good balance of power and speed when at his healthiest point in the game. He has shown to not only be talented at running the ball (like he should), but can also be a lethal component to the passing game. Todd Gurley does have a few faults that is mainly concerned with if he will be healthy enough to go all out and be an every down running back that you can depend on to give the ball to in the clutch moment. As much as I would like to see Gurley have a long career, I think he'll just be another "Win Now" player that will be effective for a few years before going down with injuries and becoming a journeyman around the NFL.

My Opinion: Out of all the options that are available for them out there, I think it will be a toss up between Brandon Scherff and Vic Beasley, with Beasley winning out as the Atlanta Falcons' No. 8 overall pick.

No. 9 Overall Pick: New York Giants

The New York Giants currently have this year's No. 9 overall pick after going through a season that ended with them finishing with a 6-10 record. The Giants have fallen on tough times since winning two Super Bowls (2007, 2011). Tom Coughlin knows that he really hit a spark in in last year's first rounder Odell Beckham Jr. But this year, the Giants have a lot of pieces that have fallen or are falling apart on the roster.

The biggest concern for this team has been in the offensive line and that would be the spot of Brandon Scherff. New York has suffered up front in age and injuries for the team which has lead to a lack of protection for Eli Manning. Scherff's versatility to play both guard and tackle could really help benefit this team in the end. They also need more support in the running back game which is where a man like Todd Gurley would certainly help to pick up the extra yards that they were able to get out of Rashad Jennings, who came through and surprised a lot of people in his skill and ability.

My Opinion: Look for the New York Giants to go ahead and draft themselves the man from Iowa Brandon Scherff to help protect Eli Manning for the next couple of years.

No. 10 Overall Pick: St. Louis Rams

The St. Louis Rams haven't seen a draft in the last five years that did not include a first rounder somewhere in the Top 10, but to round out our Top 10, we're looking at the Rams to potentially take some with the NO. 10 overall pick after finishing with a 6-10 record last year. They lost so much and have yet to really gain any ground. They finally have a strong QB in Nick Foles, whose showed his promise with the Philadelphia Eagles, however, the rest of the team is is just a complete mess all over.

Right now, this team is in desire to look at taking an offensive tackle. the two best options would be either Miami's Erik Flowers or Stanford's Andrus Peat. When it comes to their offensive line, they selected Auburn's Greg Robinson with the NO. 2 overall pick last year, but he needs more help in anchoring this offensive line. For Erik Flowers, we are looking at quick feet and intense strength with a wide body to help him block as being his biggest attributes for the team. His biggest negatives seem to be in picking up the extra blocks and can sometimes really get caught on his heels. Surely, I think Flowers has a chance to be a "Fine Wine" player for this team as being the other tackle to anchor the Rams' O-Line.

The other mention is Andrus Peat, who has shown the skill set to be a well designed and power proven offensive lineman. He also is very tactical in using his mind to oversee the defense in making big time blocks. His issues mostly are with using his arms in a well extended length and making sure that he is in position to make the key block on his opponent. Overall, I think that Peat will become a "Fine Wine" player for this team.

My Opinion: This team will go ahead and take shot with drafting the strong offensive lineman from Stanford in Andrus Peat.

{Click here to see "The 2015 NFL Draft: The First Five"}

The 2015 NFL Draft: The First Five

{Click here to see "The 2015 NFL Draft: #6 to #10"}

Well, I did one last year. So now it's that time again when we settle down in front of the TV tonight and prepare to see what the draft brings to us. It's when we are able to see just who will become the No. 1 pick and who will be the very last man off the board and become this year's "Mr. Irrelevant" of the draft. So Let's get this thing started.

Quick Note: "Fine Wine" player - A player that may not be very impacting at first, but will become a great player over time. "Win Now" player - a player who will be more accustomed to making an impact right off the back, but may not produce into a long time impacting player.


No. 1 Overall Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The 2015 NFL Draft will be kicked off by starting with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this year, who finished the 2014 season with a 2-14 record under new their head coach, former Chicago Bears' head coach Lovie Smith, and new ownership after former owner Malcolm Glazer's passing in May of last year. In last year's draft, many people argued that there was only one clear cut No. 1 pick in Jadeveon Clowney who was selected No. 1 by the Houston Texans. However, last year produced more players that had much stronger names and brands to themselves which is what made it a bit more difficult to, I believe, try to land on a definitive player to be that man.

This year, the experts have been pretty straight up in making it known that this year's draft is "no contest" as they all are picking Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston. After a failed experiment in having veteran NFL QB Josh McCown come in to take over, then let go, and signed by the Cleveland Browns and seemingly no confidence being put forward in Mike Glennon, it makes Winston look like the best possible decision to make after the way he's played in his football career thus far. He's coming into the NFL draft after two years of stellar play, with his freshman year in 2013 being his launch point by throwing for over 4,000 yards, 40 touchdowns with just 10 inceptions, completed almost 67% of his passes, and was able to capture the Heisman Trophy as the second freshman in history (Johnny Manziel was the first the year before) as well as the 2013 national title for the Seminoles.

As far as Winston's positives, there are quite a few such as his skill set that makes him look like an NFL QB with a strong arm that hits his targets with accuracy while all coming from a very smooth flowing and fluid like motion when throwing. So basically, throwing is never going be a problem for him. Along with a strong upper body, Winston's legs have shown some great skill and power that have allowed him to be able to shake off sacks and make his way around the edge to run with the football. He also possesses that great sense of poise in the pocket and does not seem to ever be afraid to stand in there and make his throw and a strong emotion for the game that seems to reflect on those he plays with and helps to build a strong sense of trust which will be key for a young NFL quarterback.

However, in spite of all that Jamies Winston does, he does have a few hiccups to his name. One problem may be his mentality and ability to adjust to the NFL game. It's not say that he is not bright, but he tends to make poor choices both on and off the field. On the field, his biggest problem is seeing him throwing the football into traffic when there is a much better option to go with instead after starring down his receivers on occasion. Off the field has of course been the media's biggest concern. Allegations that are ranging from stolen food to sexual assault cases have appeared for this young man so it is not in the wrong to question if he will be able to deal with having millions of dollars at his disposal, the fame, and the freedom.Right now, I look at Jamies Winston and see him being a "Fine Wine" player, so long as he buries his past and problems in the dirt and leave them behind. Also, I say this because Tampa Bay is still trying to adjust to Lovie's style of play and now must work with new offensive coordinator and fellow former Chicago Bears' head coach Mark Trestman. Hopefully if drafted, Winston may be one of the key pieces that could help drive the Bucs back into the glory of 2002 when they won their first ever Super Bowl.

However, as much as this team is in need of a quarterback, we need to make this one a little longer because the experts have shown that they could be interested in taking someone along the defensive side of the ball with this pick. One possible option may be USC defensive end Leonard Williams. Tampa Bay's experiences with defensive end Da'Quan Bowers and former defensive end Adrian Clayborn did not go as planned which led to Clayborn's release and Tampa looking to maybe trade Bowers away unless he can show a strong improvement after four years with just 7.0 sacks to show for it. This is why Williams as the No. 1 may work out well.

A strong argument can be made that the 6'5" 302 lbs. DE from Southern Cal may be the best defensive linemen to be drafted this high since [current] Miami Dolphin defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was drafted by the Detroit Lions in 2011. Why? Well when you look at them both, their actually about the same size or so and have the same style of play and technique in the game. The only difference is that Williams seems to be the much more somber and quite type, especially when compared to the bold and brash Suh of the NFL (and while I do not respect nor approve the way he acts on the field in the cheap shots, he's still one of my favorite to watch).

Williams' plus sides range from his strength, quickness, explosive first step, impressive moves to get past the offensive line, outstanding intelligence and vision for locating the ball carrier, and an amazing show of how to tackle securely with the hands wrapped up while also delivering a big hit to his opponent. As for his downsides, well, he really doesn't have to many to be honest with you guys. The only ones I could take notice of is that his size could be an issue on the type of leverage he can get against tackles and guards in the NFL. He also has shown to sometimes be late getting off the ball right at the snap some of the time and has yet to fully develop his entire arsenal of moves to get past his opponents. But while he is still relatively raw and needs some work, I think Leonard Williams will be a "Fine Wine" player for the Bucs or whatever team that decides to draft this young man.

My Opinion: Look to Tampa Bay to take some time in deciding which way to start this thing off. There may be even a case where they may trade depending on the route they desire to take, but my best bet is that they will land Famous Jameis Winston.

No. 2 Overall Pick: Tennessee Titans

So right after the No. 1 pick is made by Tampa, the draft then falls into the laps of the Tennessee Titans and their No. 2 overall pick, which that received after also going 2-14 in the 2014 season. The Titans are in their second year with new head coach, former Arizona Cardinals' head coach Ken Whisenhunt, at the helm in which the team went through a rotating door usage of their quarterbacks Jake Locker, Charlie Whitehurst, and Zach Mettenberger and experienced a number on injuries and let downs on both offense and defense.

This year, it's easy to say that Tennessee has a number of issues and holes that need to be examined and filled in for next season. One of which is at quarterback where most experts are saying that the Titans will use their No. 2 pick to take Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota. In the rotating QB play that happened in Tennessee, Jake Locker was supposed to become the definitive starter about two seasons ago, but never had the chance to flourish with the team that Tennessee had on the field, and after being released, Locker decided that he was done with playing football and retired this past March. Meanwhile, Charlie Whitehurst only had a few good moments when he was out on the field, but could never shine as a full time option and was eventually benched with Locker for rookie QB Zach Mettenberger, who had trouble adjusting his skills to the NFL style of play. In three years as the starter at Oregon, Mariota has thrown for over 10,000 yards, 105 touchdowns with just 14 interceptions, completed 66% of his passes, and won the Heisman Trophy this past season.

Marcus Mariota has many positives which all start from the fact that he is the most athletic QB in this draft, which he proved in the NFL combine after leading in all of the major categories that are looked at in the NFL (40 yd dash, Vert jump, Broad jump, 3-cone drill, 20 yd shuttle). In his athletic ability, Mariota is the fastest QB this year after posting a 4.52 sec. 40 yard dash which means that Tennessee can lean on him more to help in their lackluster run game. He also has a knack for using his cannon of an arm to throw the ball deep down the field both in the pocket and scrambling. Marietta also shows a great deal of intelligence on the field in making smart decisions and has a strong sense of leadership that can help him to adjust to the NFL lifestyle quicker than his younger companion Jameis Winston.

Like any player though, Mariota does not come without his own issues like his inaccuracy in throwing the ball; many times has the Oregon QB thrown the ball up for grabs and been lucky enough that it was just knocked down or away instead of being an INT. Also, he has a tendency it seems to somewhat fly away from the pocket too soon as though pressure is coming at him, even when it may not even be close. For Marcus Mariota, I have to say that I think his career will be one of a "Win Now" player as his skill set is closely related to that of 49ers' QB Colin Kaepernick and Redskins' QB Robert Griffin III.

Just like Tampa, the Titans are in some desperate need of obtaining a strong and agile defensive lineman like Leonard Williams that they have not had since Jevon Kearse from 1999-2003 and current defensive end turned outside linebacker Derrick Morgan that they selected in the first round of the 2010 draft. This is where a man like Williams can certainly come into effect in helping to restore the team's pass rushing and run stopping plays on the line which was a huge issue last season and a couple years going back now. Currently, the team's depth chart shows the starting ends to be 6'8" 315 lbs. Ropati Pitoitua and 6'4" 329 lbs. Sammie Hill.

 Both of these players I have seen before and both have shown flashes of skill that could still turn out to be worth something to this team. However, both players seem more along the lines of nose tackles to line up over the guards and take on the double team. Williams would allow those men (or at least one of them) to be moved on the inside and do just that job while Williams could come around the end and try for the sack or the stop.

My Opinion: The Tennessee Titans will be looking into all options on what they could do with this draft pick. So much talk has been surfacing about trades that could or should be made that I cannot really pinpoint how this one will go. But I think that regardless of whatever the case may be, the Tennessee Titans will select Marcus Mariota with this pick. What they decide to do with him afterwards is completely up to them.

No. 3 Overall Pick: Jacksonville Jaguars

So far, we may be looking at back-to-back Heisman Trophy quarterbacks being selected No. 1 and 2 this year; a first in NFL history. But what about the Jacksonville Jaguars? How do they follow up such picks like that? Well once again, the Jaguars have the No. 3 overall pick after suffering yet another 3-13 record in 2014. last year, they drafted the first quarterback of the draft in Central Florida's Blake Bortles, who did not not have the type of rookie year I had hopes for, but I did say in the last one of these I did called, "First Five", that he would be a "Fine Wine" player for the Jaguars to craft and find the best possible targets for him to use.

But even still, they had a really off year once again. They had lost their franchise player Maurice Jones-Drew and relied on the talents of Bortles to throw to wide outs Justin Blackmon and rookie Marquise Lee. The running game came from a multiple running back system, but the most rushing yards came from former Michigan quarterback and Jacksonville's proclaimed "offensive weapon" player (meaning he did not have a definitive spot at any position on the roster) Denard Robinson getting it done. Boy, that's quite the 180 that Jacksonville just had in the ground attack.

Just like the top two teams, Jacksonville has a lot that needs to be addressed in this draft as far as starters and getting depth in their roster. But honestly, defense is the key focus for this draft pick and should be for the Jaguars. Right now, many experts have put the attention on outside linebacker Dante Fowler Jr. of the Florida Gators. Fowler's path is somewhat similar to that of former 49ers' outside linebacker Aldon Smith and Oakland Raiders' outside linebacker Khalil Mack in that he shed the pounds off and converted to a stand-up defensive end so that could be effective from either the two or three point stance. Right now, the Jaguars are lacking much depth at linebacker and this would be the perfect place for Fowler, being a Florida native himself.

Dante Fowler's positives are that he has pretty well rounded speed that is matched with good upper body strength to help him take on the offense and thanks to him being so quick and agile, it will drive offenses nuts just trying to find a way to keep a man on him. Some of down sides, however, are that he still needs to improve on being a better pass rusher and get a little bit stronger in order to take on the bigger NFL offensive linemen as well as improve on his run recognition skills as well as keeping himself more under control when attacking the ball carrier.

As of now, I see Fowler being a "Win Now" player for Jacksonville as they are in need of fixing the linebacker situation that they have right now. He has the chance to be one that has a long career along the lines of someone like Terrell Suggs, but just like Smith and Mack, Fowler will more than likely be called on as a one-trick pony in pass rushing the quarterback and stopping the run behind the line.

Another choice they could make if Fowler is not there for some reason or they decide to not take him, they could go ahead and take Clemson outside linebacker Vic Beasley. Beasley's plus sides make him an impressive outside linebacker and fits the profile at 6'3" 246 lbs. He possesses the best explosive first step in the NFL Draft this year along with a combination of unbelievable agility that helps him get around the corners to go and get the quarterback or ball carrier. On the down sides, Beasley still needs to hone his craft as a pass rusher, needs to bulk up on muscle and gain a bit more strength to take on the blocks better, needs to improve on reading the run, and needs to work on his moves for getting past blocks.

Beasley's talents will put him in the first round and I think that he will be along the same lines of Fowler as a "Win Now" player because once again, his skill set seems to be more focused on just being a pass rushing linebacker and will need some much needed improvement to get past that knock against him and become a much more well rounded NFL outside linebacker.

The experts have also said that their could be a chance that the Jaguars take DE Leonard Williams if they feel the need to help upgrade their defensive line, which does need a bit of help. Both defensive ends Tyson Alualu and Chris Clemons are quite talented and Ziggy Hood has been a nice addition in the middle, but Williams would help provide that large force on the either inside or outside.

My Opinion: Depending on what trade offers get made or what they desire to take, I think from where they stand now that they will select either Fowler or Beasley, with the winning name being Dante Fowler Jr.

No. 4 Overall Pick: Oakland Raiders

The first three picks of the draft are gone and now it's fallen to No. 4, which is held by the Oakland Raiders who received the draft pick after ending the 2014 season with a 3-13 record. Okay now, I just don't know what else I can say or do to help try to shed some nice bright light on the Raiders' situation and issues. This team plays in a stadium with a nickname known as "The Black Hole" and essentially it seems like the organization has ben sucked into one. They hire a head coach in Dennis Allen, who never produces what they needed from him, fire him, and then need Tony Sparano to step in as the interim coach.

They lack so much and need all the help that they can ask for because singing top players has seemed to be an issue with so many of their players always getting injured. Luckily, the Raiders do have some rays of hope, mainly from their first round pick from last year, OLB Khalil Mack, and their second round pick, QB Derek Carr, showed that they have the skills to help bring Oakland back into relevance.

With the No. 4 pick, it would be wise for the Raiders to go out and get Derek Carr a target or two in which he can use to improve his chances at scoring more TDs for the team and produce into a better quarterback. One great option that seems like it would work out best would be Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper.

The Raiders have had some pretty talented wide outs in the past like Fred Biletnikoff, Cliff Branch, Tim Brown, Jerry Porter, James Jett, and even had Jerry Rice for three years and Randy Moss for two. Since then, they have not been able to duplicate the type of passing system they were once highly known for back in the day. This is why a guy like Cooper could help bring it all back. His biggest year was this past season when he caught 124 passes for 1,727 receiving yards, and scored 16 touchdowns in the air.

Cooper's plus sides aren't just in the stat sheets, but also on the field. His size is right on the money when we talk about NFL wide out at 6'1" 211 lbs. He also has incredible 4.42 sec 40 yard dash speed that he possesses, which helps him to outrun his opponents but can do so with such efficiency and quickness that he can run his routes to solid provision. He also a great sense of knowing where he is on the field and being able to make solid catches in traffic when needed.

Amari Cooper does have his issues also that go to the lengths of sometimes running a completely different route than he is suppose to and has seemed to have a major issue with dropping catchable passes that get thrown his way.

Amari Cooper was kind of feeling like a "Win Now" player, but I must say that I do believe that he will become a "Fine Wine" player for the Raiders along with fellow "Fine Wine" quarterback Derek Carr and becoming the key catalyst that speak the flames of Oakland back into better days that result in playoff appearances, and eventually a division title.

While on the subject of wide receivers, there is one other that is in competition with Cooper as the best wide receiver to take in this draft and that man is West Virginia's Kevin White. When comparing Cooper and White, White is surprisingly overpowering in some categories like size (6'3" 215 lbs.) and speed (4.35 sec 40 yard dash). He also outshine Cooper in his amazing leaping ability by going 36 1/2 in. in the air. That's about 3 1/2 in. more than what Cooper hit (33 in. vert jump). White's first step off the snap has also proven to be quick and powerful which helps him to break away from coverage with some relative ease that combines with his unique sense and vision for knowing where he is on the field at all moments of the game to make a play and see where his opponents are at as well.

White's negatives are slim, but they are there. Although he is pretty fast, he sometimes doesn't turn it on all the way it seems when, if was to, he'd probably be beating guys left and right. He also has had problems with sometimes sustaining a strong technique when holding a block, despite the fact that it is considered to be a something that he does quite well.Regardless, Kevin White will produce into a "Fine Wine" player for whatever team takes an opportunity to give him the green light to be apart of their receiver corp. And of course, there are many questions as to if Oakland's defense is up to the task next season up front and may want to consider drafting a defensive linemen for support. So it could be the landing spot for the USC defensive end Leonard Williams as well.

My Opinion: The Oakland Raiders will probably try to make some move or have some offers thrown in their direction, but ultimately, I think they will choose Kevin White as the No. 4 overall pick.

No. 5 Overall Pick: Washington Redskins

It's the last pick that will round out the Top Five in the NFL Draft and questions loom over what the Washington Redskins will do after they got the pick from finishing with a very disappointing 4-12 record in the 2014 season. Most probably thought that they would see the resurgence of Robert Griffin III into the RGIII machine that helped the Redskins to an amazing season about a couple years back. Unfortunately, the team is in a rut as they have no idea what their team is going to be doing this season with Jay Gruden coming into his second year, an open window at the QB position for anyone to come flying through that wants it, and a defense that is just... UGH!

So this year, the concern for this team should be focused on the defense as the past few seasons in the draft and free agencies have been focused mostly on improving the defense. The perfect selection for them: Leonard Williams. It seems like quite a drop from potentially being No. 1 to becoming No. 5, but he is a top five player and should be selected as such. Williams would bring a big, strong, and bold defensive piece to the D-line and the defense as a whole. This group in Washington has potential to become something pretty good, and Williams could be the spark that lights the powder keg in the locker room. He would be the perfect "Fine Wine" defensive lineman for many years to come for the franchise.

The other possibility that could come here would be either outside linebackers Dante Fowler Jr. or, more likely, Vic Beasley. Both would be good with the Redskins was the team has been looking to add a better pass rushing element to their roster to be able to take out QBs in the NFC East like Tony Romo and Eli Manning. The problem that I would see with their selection would be that they are following the route they took with RGIII in that they are "Win Now" players and are more than likely not going to be stellar superstars for years to come. It would far better to have a player that can last the long run and be apart of the remake that is needed.

My Opinion: If the Washington Redskins don't decide to trade down or away the No. 5 overall pick, then this pick should definitely be DE Leonard Williams.

{Click here to see "The 2015 NFL Draft: #6 to #10"}

2015 NBA Draft: It's Not Worth Trying

This is essentially what college has become & it's a joke.

This year's NBA Draft may be one of the most interesting as it could potentially be one of the weakest draft classes in NBA history. Don't get me wrong, there are a few kids that stand out with Duke's center Jahlil Okafor and Wisconsin's center Frank Kaminsky that really stood out above and beyond the rest in their skills, but after them, I just can not seem to find anyone that really catches my eye. It's mostly from the perspective that my Chicago Bulls will more than likely have a low first round pick in the early to mid 20s potentially. But is it even worth the use? I don't think so. In fact, I think it would be much more beneficial to the Bulls and other franchises outside the Top 10 or even Top 5 to start trading away their first round picks and try to acquire some well established veteran players.

Devin Booker

And that is the key to why this draft is going to be historically very weak: lack of experience. The big push for this comes from the fact that the Kentucky Wildcats are sending seven players from their roster and bench to the NBA Draft. The oldest in junior center Willie Cauley-Stein, whose numbers are no where near what they should be for a 7'0" big man in the SEC with 8.9 PPG and 6.4 RPG. Then there are the twin sophomore guards Andrew and Aaron Harrison and sophomore center Dakari Johnson. Aaron Harrison was the better of the two with 11.0 PPG while his brother posted just 9.3 PPG. Dakari Johnson meanwhile had numbers very close to that of Cauley-Stein with 6.4 PPG and 4.6 RPG. But at least I give these guys credit for staying another year (or two in Cauley-Stein's case) in order to improve there game (though it was not by much).

Trey Lyles

Then of course, we have three of the team's freshman that decided that they were good enough this year to become NBA superstars. The best of the bunch was Karl-Anthony Towns, who averaged 10.6 PPG and 6.7 RPG, which is not bad but could become better had he stayed another year at Kentucky. Then comes Devin Booker, who averaged 10.0 PPG, 2.0 RPG, and 1.1 APG, which says that he can [somewhat] score but has still a lot to develop in his game. The last one is Trey Lyles, who averaged 8.7 PPG and 5.7 RPG, which again is not bad but no where near what a first round pick should be.

Karl-Anthony Towns

So far, there has been a lot of talk about if Karl-Anthony Towns or Jahlil Okafor should be the No. 1 pick. Somehow, these so called "experts" continue to try and make us believe that this will be a tough choice. In my opinion, it shouldn't be such a contest because Okafor is clearly much better, more powerful, better crafted to be able to handle the NBA style of play. I mean, I honestly believe Frank Kaminsky is the actual No. 1 pick for this year, but out of Towns or Okafor, I will have to say that it is Okafor. And, if Towns does [somehow] become the No.1 pick this year then I just do not know what to say about the NBA except it's turning into high school basketball and getting so much weaker than it once was.

This year's draft is definitely not worth watching or putting the time into listen to because what names are there that actually ring of some type of relevance in basketball. The reason why guys like Milwaukee forward Jabari Parker and Minnesota guard Andrew Wiggins were able to be the Top 2 picks in the 2014 NBA Draft was because of the fact that they had built a name for themselves in high school that echoed across the country as the No.1 recruits in the country, which was then topped off with a stunning performance by Parker at Duke and a pretty good one from Wiggins at Kansas. These year's freshmen have yet to show me anything close to that of NBA talent except Okafor and even Oho State guard D'Angelo Russell.

Kwame Brown: one of the biggest
 reasons why coming out
 early is a bad idea.

I never had the chance, but when the 1980s were going on, you had some of the greatest college basketball players and some unknowns that eventually became NBA Hall of Famers. But how did they become so great? I think the biggest reason is they all stayed at their schools for the long run. I mean, would we think about men like Patrick Ewing, Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, and so many others if they did not stay in school for ore than one year? it's possible, but highly unlikely as well. Now you may come at me with the stories of LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Garnett coming out of high school, however, those men were the special case "gods among boys" type of players that were pro ready in high school. You want an example of a failed high school "prodigy" in the NBA? Well has anyone heard of the name Kwame Brown in quite some time? If not, it's probably he's sitting at home and waiting for a call to get out of free agency or he's retired. Either way, he was once the No.1 pick in the 2001 NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards. Since then, Brown has played for six other teams and has a career average of 6.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 0.6 BPG. Some have even considered Brown to be the biggest bust in NBA history as he was built up to be the next KG and then some in the NBA.

Although he won an NCAA Title in
1982 as a freshman, Michael Jordan stayed in
school till his senior year & look at him now.

Not too long ago, NBA Hall of Fame center Alonzo Mourning made a statement that Michael Jordan could have easily dropped around 50 points a game in today's NBA games. He even said that he would've loved to see someone like LeBron James play in the late 1980s to early 1990s NBA era. Honestly, I have to agree. I grew up in the '90s and was able to watch Jordan work his magic in his last two championship seasons for the Chicago Bulls. It was so impressive that even at that time in his career when it seemed that he should have slowed down, that he almost seemed to actually get better, like if he was fine wine or something or that nature. So if Mourning would be right about Jordan scoring 50 points in today's games, then how much would Kobe Bryant score in his prime as a man who once dropped 81 points in a single game. Or even worse, if the Big Dipper Wilt Chamberlain, who is the only man to ever score 100 points in a single game, were still alive and in the prime of his career. You can only imagine the destruction that would be had on teams today.

His comment of LeBron James playing back in the day has been one of discussion some times before, especially when you try to compare the "who's better?" argument between James and Michael Jordan. First off, they played different positions on the court. Second, I think Mourning's saying was meant to say that James would not be able to hang in the '80/'90s era, but I think that a 26-29 years old James would be able to, however, I think he would find himself as just a very good player and not the most amazing player in the NBA. More than likely, James would find it hard to drive to the basket against guys like Ewing, Olajuwon, Malone, Mutombo, and even Mourning himself. His career maybe would have finished with around 20.0-21.0 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and about 3.0 APG. But hey, all we can do is speculate what could have been if he would have been there.

So I know this write-up has seemingly become a way for me to vent out my anger toward the NBA for it's lack of talent... because it actually is for half of it. The rest is to just show and explain the whole concept of what this rule about "one and down" has brought to the pro level. It's kind of similar to a guys that's gun just jammed, so he points it down at his foot while he tries to unjam it. The next thing you know, BOOM! He just shot himself right in the foot due to his own stupidity. I hope the NBA gets a chance to read this, and if you do, then I want to know what you guys think about this subject as well. After all, I cannot be the only one that thinks that the NBA has become a weaker and more disorganized league than what it use to be when it was filled with some the world's best athletes.  I hope the NBA are happy with themselves because they may one day be the blame of what caused so many kids to give up the dream of an education in order to try and pursue a dream that seemed so bright thanks to their "one and done" rule but were never able to get to the top.

2015 NCAA Men's College Basketball Championship

So some of you might be wondering where my write ups of college basketball have been like they were a year ago last year. Well, I'll be honest with you when I say that this year's college basketball season was not really anything very impressive due to what I feel was a lack of standout talent. But this game is exactly what I've been looking and waiting for in two powerhouse teams facing off. But more importantly, we get to witness the two best college basketball players this year in my opinion.

So today, April 6, 2015 at 8:30 PM, there will be three states which will be focused on what will be happening in the 2015 NCAA men's college basketball championship between the West Regional No. 1 seeded Wisconsin Badgers and the South Regional No. 1 seeded Duke Blue Devils. Of course, the states of Wisconsin and North Carolina have something be able to cheer about as Duke is in NC and Wisconsin is in... well you know. But what is the third state I am talking about? Well, it happens to be my home state of Illinois as today's game features two centers, Frank Kaminsky for Wisconsin and Jahlil Okafor for Duke, that both call Illinois home as well.

Frank Kaminsky at Benet Academy
back in high school

One one side, you have Frank Kaminsky. He grew up in Lisle, Il. and attended Benet Academy where he became a huge star in high school. I should know because Kaminsky and I are the same age and I was at a few of the big man's games back in 2010 when I was a student attending Glenbard North High School. he always came off to me as being something similar to that of Dallas Mavericks' center Dirk Nowitzki because he has skills in being a powerful force inside and being able to control the glass but can always sink a nice jump shot every now and then when called to do so.

For Kaminsky, he's 7'0" 235 lbs. which worked beautifully against Kentucky in what may have been his biggest game up to this point. Against his equal-sized combatant, Wildcat center Willie Cauley-Stein, Frank Kaminsky demonstrated that his game is far better and stronger than Cauley-Stein's is right now. Sure, Cauley-Stein can get the rebounds and send back shots, but he seems too finesse about attacking the basket with not much use of weight, throwing the hip and elbows. As for Kaminsky, he can do all that Cauley-Stein does well along with scoring with a finesse/power combination to his game.

Frank Kaminsky's agressive strength will  be
 the difference maker between him and Okafor.

It's incredible to think that I once was in high school at the same time as him and got the chance to watch him play before this moment because I remember those few games and cannot believe how much he has grown in his game and personally. I can only imagine what lies ahead for this young man at the next level. Personally, I feel that Kaminsky may be the finest player in the NBA Draft this year should be this year's No. 1 overall pick over his NCAA title opponent, Jahlil Okafor.

Now onto the other side where we find our man from Duke University, Jahlil Okafor. Just like Kaminsky, he grew up in Illinois. Unlike him though, Okafor grew up in the city of Chicago and attended Whitney Young High School where he simply could dunk everything and anything over anybody on any team. I only got to see one game of his when he played on TV against another school from out of state, which I have to say that he lit up the gym with his ability to dominate the low post. In a sense of NBA, I see him somewhere close to what we expect from former Kentucky and current Sacramento Kings' center DeMarcus Cousins because of his ability to be strong and powerful inside the the post and off the glass. However, don't expect anything close right off the back. It will take the youngster either another year of school ball or a potential 2-3 years in the NBA.

Jahlil Okafor has been throwing it down
since his days back at Whitney Young HS.

With Okafor's size of 6'11" 270 lbs., he is able to just simply go up and destroy the rim. His biggest plays come off of dunking the ball grabbing the offensive rebounds of the missed shots from his teammates. Against the Michigan State Spartans, Okafor was able to up 18 of the 81 points that were scored against the Spartans as well as grab 6 rebounds and block 2 shots. Michigan State's big men consist of two players in 6'9" forwards Matt Costello and Gavin Schilling which both saw Kahlil Okafor dominate over them throughout the game. Although Okafor may be better suited in the NBA as a power forward and will need to work on bringing a more well rounded game to the next level, Duke must be happy with how he has become so productive for them.

Just like Kaminsky, Okafor fascinated me with his dominance and skillful ability to get to the basket and make big plays in clutch situations. Although this is just his first [and potentially only] year in college, he's shown that he has come along from where he was at Whitney Young. I hope that he will stay another year at Duke, but it seems like the NBA Draft is calling and we'll see if he has the ability to bring it to the pros. I honestly think that Jahlil Okafor has the skills needed for the NBA as a center, but may be a more dominate force from the power forward position. Plus the word "power" is in it so it would make sense. Regardless, many experts do believe he'll be this year's No. 1 overall pick over Frank Kaminsky and other talented college players.

Okafor has continued to dominate and slam the ball
down on his opponents in every game thus far

This game is simple. It's Wisconsin versus Duke. It is the state of Wisconsin versus the the State of North Carolina. But in the neutral, Illinois stands proud to watch as these two amazing bug men are set to do battle today for the biggest prize in college basketball. For Wisconsin, Frank Kaminsky is in his senior year and wants to leaves a champion. What this would mean for the Badgers head coach, Bo Ryan, in earning his first Division I NCAA title? Well one would hope that it would start some talk about him getting a ticket to the Basketball Hall of Fame. For Duke, Jahlil Okafor is just a freshman who was the nation's top recruit in the country and would love nothing more than to go pro with a NCAA title under his belt. What this would mean for Duke head coach, Mike Krzyzewski, in earning his fifth Division I NCAA title? If he pulls this off, then Krzyzewski should be considered, if not already, as one of the Top 3 coaches in NCAA men's basketball history and Top 5 in basketball history overall. Today's national title game will see the suburban white guy in Madison go head-to-head with the black kid from the city in Durham. I cannot wait to see this one because I am telling you, this will be one hell of a title game.