TheDailyBlitz.com

Within the past 7-10 days, we have released two 2012 NFL mock drafts: one by Brendan Donahue and one by Kevin Hanson.

In both of those mocks, we have the Browns, who own the fourth overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, taking Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III, who was this year's Heisman Trophy recipient.

That said, we both point out the very real possibility of another team trading up with the Rams so that they can draft RG3.

In fact, the Browns, who have another first-round pick (22nd overall from Atlanta), may trade up themselves to draft Griffin.

If they don't, the team most likely to trade up to No. 2 is Washington, who desperately need to upgrade over Rex Grossman, John Beck, etc.

Will another quarterback-needy team like Seattle or Miami trade up to take Griffin? Who will draft RG3?

Related: Our NFL Mock Draft Database - Our Poll on the No. 2 Overall Pick

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Alabama junior cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick declared himself eligible for April's NFL Draft and is projected by many to be a top-10 pick.

Most draft analysts project Kirkpatrick to be the second cornerback selected in the draft after LSU's Morris Claiborne, the Jim Thorpe award recipient this year.

Kirkpatrick didn't help his draft stock any today, however, as he was arrested early Tuesday morning on a marijuana possession charge. He was released this morning on $120 bond and his court date is set for February 21st.

With the NFL Scouting Combine next month (Feb. 22-28), it makes no sense why Kirkpatrick would allow himself to end up in this situation.

Our initial mock drafts will be posted within the next week, but you can view our 2012 NFL Mock Draft Database here.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 07:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Going into Monday's night BCS Championship Game, there was no controversy around the unbeaten and top-ranked LSU Tigers playing for the national title.

With no playoff system in place to determine who should meet in the championship game, however, there was plenty of debate about whether it should be Alabama or Oklahoma State that faces LSU. Since Alabama finished second in the BCS standings ahead of Oklahoma State, who beat Stanford in the Fiesta Bowl, it will be the second time that LSU and 'Bama face each other this season.

The fact that these two teams faced each other already has no bearing on whether or not I think they should meet in the championship game although I would much rather have the matchups determined by a playoff (ideally eight teams).

In their first matchup, LSU beat Alabama by a field goal in overtime in Tuscaloosa, but the Crimson Tide were only two-of-six on field goal attempts in that game.

Alabama and LSU rank first and second, respectively, in scoring defense (8.8 and 10.5 points allowed per game) and total defense (191.3 and 252.1 yards allowed per game). Will it be another defensive battle between college football's top two defensive teams?

Alabama, who hasn't played since November 26th, are two-point favorites over LSU, who last played on December 3rd in the SEC Championship Game against Georgia.

Who will win the BCS Championship Game?

Related: Full Bowl Schedule/Results - Get Tickets to BCS Championship

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 04:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Wisconsin running back Montee Ball has decided to return to school for his senior season.

One of the main factors influencing Ball's decision to stay in school was the draft grade he received from NFL evaluators.

"I got it back two or three weeks ago, and obviously it weighed a lot on my decision. They came back, they said third round, and obviously I was a little disappointed. I felt like I was better than third round. Me coming back now, I'll be able to focus on my strength, my speed and all that stuff, and I believe I can better my stock," Ball said.

An area of focus for the 205-pound back will be to add about 10 pounds to his frame, however, he dropped 25-30 pounds going into last season. "I'm sure my body is a little confused with that, going from 230 to 205 and now I have to get back up to 215," Ball said.

Ball tied the NCAA record for touchdowns (39) set by Hall-of-Fame running back Barry Sanders and he finished with 1,923 rushing yards last year. In other words, he is unlikely to improve upon his on-field performance.

I understand why Ball would be disappointed by the draft grade he received. Considering how short-lived the career of an NFL running back is, however, I don't understand why he wouldn't cash in on his opportunity to move on to the next level.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Last night, Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon announced that he will enter the 2012 NFL Draft.

Named the MVP of the Tostito's Fiesta Bowl, Blackmon finished the game with eight receptions for 186 yards and three touchdowns.

On the season, he finished with 121 receptions for 1,522 yards and 18 touchdowns. In the past two seasons combined, Blackmon has totaled 232 receptions for 3,304 yards and 38 touchdowns.

Blackmon, two-time recipient of the Biletnikoff award, will likely be the first receiver taken in this year's draft and a top 5-10 pick.

Related: Our 2012 NFL Mock Draft Database

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 06:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Four and a half months from now, Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck will (almost) certainly be this year's top overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.

That said, Luck, who is one of the five finalists, seems less likely to be this year's Heisman Trophy winner than he does the top pick in the draft.

The other four finalists are Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III, Alabama running back Trent Richardson, Wisconsin running back Montee Ball and LSU defensive back Tyrann Mathieu a.k.a. the Honey Badger.

Griffin leads the country in quarterback rating (192.3) and has more yards (3,998), touchdowns (36) and fewer interceptions (5) than Luck (167.5-3,170-35-9).

Meanwhile, Ball leads the country in rushing (1,759) and rushing touchdowns (32). Richardson, who ranks sixth in rushing, has 1,583 yards and 20 rushing touchdowns.

The last defensive player to win the award was Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson in 1997. In the 13 years since Woodson won the award, the Heisman Trophy has gone to nine quarterbacks and four running backs.

Who will be this year's Heisman Trophy winner?

Related: Our 2012 NFL Mock Draft Database - Past Heisman Winners

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 09:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Not only will Terrelle Pryor miss the first five games of the season as Ohio State's quarterback, he'll miss them all.

"In the best interest of my teammates, I have decided to forego my senior year of football at the Ohio State University," Pryor said in a statement released by his lawyer, Larry James, on Tuesday evening, via the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

But, wait, there's more.

In addition to the news that Pryor will skip his senior season, there is an ESPN Outside the Lines report with allegations from a "former friend" that Pryor was paid up to a total of $40,000 to sign memorabilia in 2009-10.

That's just what the Ohio State football program needs: more alleged violations.

Pryor, who compiled a 31-4 record over three seasons, threw for 2,772 yards, 27 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in addition to rushing for 754 yards and four touchdowns last year.

The likely next step for Pryor will be the NFL supplemental draft, provided there is one. If he declares himself eligible for the supplemental draft, however, it's likely he'll only be a mid-round pick.

Per Rob Rang of CBS Sports, a scout told him Pryor "is a nice college player playing in a system that caters to his strengths. He’s a basketball player playing football, though, when it comes to the NFL. He’s not a quarterback. He doesn’t have the makeup, the release or the accuracy for it. And he isn’t one of those guys that you can make into another position. He’s going to run well and people are going to get excited about him, but he isn’t a football player. What you’ve seen at Ohio State – on the field and off – is what you get with him.”

And ESPN's Todd McShay tweeted a question that has an answer that probably won't make Pryor too happy, "Has anyone explained to T Pryor how much mid-round supplemental draft picks make?"

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 12:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Heading into the 2011 college football season, Ohio State was already expected to be without coach Jim Tressel -- in addition to five players including quarterback Terrelle Pryor -- for the first five games of the season.

Not only will Tressel miss those five games, but he will miss all of the team's subsequent games as well. This morning, Tressel submitted his letter of resignation to Ohio State AD Gene Smith.

Therefore, Luke Fickell, who was a former Ohio State defensive lineman, will remain the team's interim head coach throughout the entire 2011 season.

"... Recruitment for a new head coach - which is expected to include external and internal candidates - will not commence until the conclusion of the 2011-2012 season," OSU President E. Gordon Gee wrote to the school's trustees, per the Columbus Dispatch.

ESPN's Bruce Feldman identifies seven possible replacements for Tressel (and Fickell) in 2012: ESPN analyst Urban Meyer, Nebraska coach Bo Pelini, TCU coach Gary Patterson, ESPN analyst Jon Gruden, Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio, Florida State defensive coordinator Mark Stoops and Missouri coach Gary Pinkel.

In his ten seasons at Ohio State, Tressel compiled a 106-22 record, won a national championship (2002) and seven Big Ten titles while beating archrival Michigan nine of ten times. Tressel has led the Buckeyes to a BCS Bowl game for six consecutive seasons, which is three times the next longest active streak of two by Oregon and TCU.

While Tressel ranks third all-time in wins at Ohio State behind Woody Hayes (205) and John Cooper (111), he won a larger percentage of his games (.828) than Hayes (.761).

SI's George Dohrmann has a story coming out soon and he tweets, "... Timing of Tress [decision] will make sense after you read it" so stay tuned ...

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 04:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Notre Dame wide receiver Michael Floyd was arrested on the school's campus for drunk driving early Sunday morning, per WNDU-TV in South Bend (via College Football Talk).

Per WNDU-TV, Floyd is scheduled to appear in court on April 2nd.

This is not the first time that Floyd has had legal troubles involving alcohol.

In January 2010, Floyd was cited for underage drinking in his hometown of Minneapolis. With blood on his shirt and hands, Floyd told police then that he was involved in a fight at a party when he and Minnesota running back Shady Salamon, who was driving and charged with DUI, were pulled over.

Floyd, who decided to return for his senior season at Notre Dame, finished with 79 receptions for 1,025 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2010. For his career, he ranks second in receptions (171), third in receiving yards (2,539) and first in receiving touchdowns (28).

ESPN's Mel Kiper has Floyd ranked as the third-best wide receiver prospect in the 2012 NFL Draft behind a pair of Big 12 receivers: Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon and Oklahoma's Ryan Broyles.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The bad news?

An initial report indicated Georgia starting quarterback Aaron Murray broke his ankle in two places playing a pick-up soccer game.

The good (or less bad) news?

The updated report is that Murray has a sprained -- not broken -- ankle and is expected to be ready to return for spring practice.

Per Seth Emerson of Ledger-Enquirer, the Bulldogs have their first spring practice on March 10th, which is the day before spring break, and Georgia doesn't practice again until March 22nd. So, in other words, it's possible they sit Murray on the March 10th practice to allow him extra time to heal.

As a freshman, Murray threw for 3,049 yards, 24 touchdowns and only six interceptions in 2010.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 08:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Utah linebacker Timote Nai Fotu was busted for driving under the influence Sunday morning, per the Deseret News (via Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports).

As Fornelli writes about Fotu being arrested at 10 a.m., he "either drank his way through the entire night without sleep, or passed out and was still intoxicated when he woke up."

Fotu, who has two years of eligibility remaining, started nine games in 2009 but missed the 2010 season due to a torn ACL.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 05:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

West Virginia junior safety Robert Sands will forgo his senior season and enter the 2011 NFL Draft, per ESPN's Joe Schad.

"This is a great opportunity for me," Sands said. "I can cover receivers or tight ends. I consider myself a ballhawk."

Before the Champs Bowl, Sands said he'd go pro if he were projected to go in the first two rounds of the draft and return if he were projected to go in the third round or later.

"Third round and beyond, I'll stay," Sands said, per Mike Casazza of the Charleston Daily Mail. "Second round, I've got to weigh my options on that. There's a lot of stuff to consider."

Sands, who was named first-team All-American by the Sporting News, has six interceptions, three sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss in his collegiate career.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 12:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Miami Hurricanes cornerback Brandon Harris has decided to forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the NFL Draft.

"The overriding factor was being able to live out my dream. I've always wanted to play in the National Football League since I was a child. To be this close in the process, it was something I just couldn't turn down,'' Harris said, per Susan Miller of the Miami Herald.

Harris, who started 32 of 39 games in three seasons, was first-team All-ACC selection in 2009. This year, he was named to the All-ACC's second team.

In his updated mock draft, Rob Rang of CBS Sports has Harris being selected by the Eagles with the 24th overall pick. Rang writes, "The Eagles feature one of the league's best corners in Asante Samuel, but have struggled with consistency on the other side without journeyman Ellis Hobbs, who missed almost half of the season with a career-threatening neck injury. Harris struggled early on in the Sun Bowl loss to Notre Dame, but his speed and agility make him one of the draft's top corners and a good value here."

After having at least one player selected in the first round from 1995 to 2008, the Hurricanes haven't had a first-round pick in either of the past two drafts.

In 2009, the 'Canes had only one draft pick: Spencer Adkins by Atlanta in the sixth round. In 2010, they had four draftees, the highest of which was Jimmy Graham, who was drafted in the third round by the Saints (95th overall).

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert will forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the 2011 NFL Draft.

“This is definitely a bittersweet day for me, I was really looking forward to having a chance to do some special things next season with my teammates, but in the end, this is the right decision to make for myself and my family,” Gabbert said in a statement, per the Kansas City Star.

Gabbert, six-foot-five and 240 pounds, has thrown for 6,822 yards (fourth in school history) and 40 touchdowns (third) in his collegiate career.

Former teammate (and current St. Louis Rams receiver) Danario Alexander described Gabbert as the "prototypical quarterback" and that Gabbert has "the size, the big arm to make every throw."

ESPN's Todd McShay has Gabbert going fifth overall to the Arizona Cardinals in his latest mock draft.

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 12:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

After last night's blowout loss to Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, UConn running back Jordan Todman has announced that he will enter the 2011 NFL Draft, per Zac Boyer of the Hartford Courant.

"I felt like it was the right time for me," Todman said. "I stand pretty good with the competition … me and my family decided it's the right decision for me."

After a three-year career at UConn, Todman ranks second all-time in rushing yards (3,179) and rushing attempts (616) in school history.

Per the San Jose Mercury News, another running back to declare himself eligible for the 2011 NFL Draft was California's Shane Vereen, who graduated one month ago.

“Over the past month my family and I have been discussing a very tough decision,” said Vereen in a statement released by the school . “After much thought and deliberation we decided that this was the best time for us to move forward and enter the 2011 NFL Draft. I cherish my time at Cal and wouldn’t trade it for anything. This was one of the toughest decisions I have made, but feel like I will always be a part of the Cal family. I leave Cal with a degree and great memories. Go Bears!”

Vereen, who backed up Detroit's Jahvid Best for his first two seasons, rushed for 1,167 yards and 13 touchdowns this season.

MockingTheDraft.com ranks Vereen and Todman as their 76th and 91st overall prospects in this year's draft.

The four running backs they rank higher are Mark Ingram (Alabama), Mikel Leshoure (Illinois), LaMichael James (Oregon) and Ryan Williams (Virginia Tech).

Posted by Kevin Hanson at 11:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)