N.Y. Orangeman

Premium article on scout.com, so I can't post the entirety, but: A league source has told Scout.com that Buffalo, Carolina, Arizona, Tampa, Pittsburgh, Dallas and Green Bay all have first-round grades on Cason

Love it.

It seems one of the constant debates relating to the draft is whether we draft to need and fill depth or trade up for a quality player who can become a difference maker in a particular facet of the game (i.e., Peterson with the running game). I'd be interested to know your thoughts on where we are as a franchise. Specifically, are we really a LB/RB/CB and depth away from being a real SB contender or do we really need a difference maker (whether that be at the RB spot with Peterson or elsewhere)? Does it matter?

Agree completely. I'd wager that the great majority of people who are knocking him have never seen him play and many of the rest have only seen him once or twice. I'd submit he is just what this team needs and can make a bigger difference than any of the other defensive players in the draft considering our current roster makeup. Solid post.

You are a prince. Throwing all political debate aside, instead of celebrating your apparent success, you come in here and blast the current WNY population. Please don't tell people you were born in Buffalo; it makes the rest of us former WNYers look terrible.

link Rick Gosselin's first mock draft 12:56 AM CDT on Sunday, April 15, 2007 The last time the Oakland Raiders held the first overall selection of a draft, they chose a quarterback. That was in 1962 when Oakland played in the AFL – but the Raiders lost out for the services of Roman Gabriel in a bidding war with the Los Angeles Rams. The Raiders have the first pick of the 2007 draft and have as much need for a quarterback now as in 1962. Raiders owner Al Davis believes in the vertical stretch offense and loves big-armed quarterbacks like Gabriel. LSU's JaMarcus Russell has an even bigger arm than Gabriel. The Raiders would consider Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson along with Russell. But wideouts historically don't go first overall – only two since the AFL and NFL merged drafts in 1967. Fifteen quarterbacks have gone first overall since then, including five in the last six years. So give Russell to the Raiders in the first mock draft offering from The Dallas Morning News. Here's the rest of the draft: Team Player Pos. School 1. Oakland JaMarcus Russell QB LSU 2. Detroit Adrian Peterson RB Oklahoma Matt Millen has struggled with top-10 picks in his stint as general manager of the Lions. Peterson would be a safe and popular choice. Detroit had success using first-round picks on Oklahoma runners Steve Owens (1970) and Billy Sims (1980). 3. Cleveland Calvin Johnson WR Georgia Tech 4. Tampa Bay Brady Quinn QB Notre Dame 5. Arizona Joe Thomas OT Wisconsin 6. Washington Gaines Adams DE Clemson 7. Minnesota LaRon Landry S LSU 8. Atlanta Leon Hall CB Michigan 9. Miami Alan Branch DT Michigan 10. Houston Amobi Okoye DT Louisville 11. San Francisco Jamaal Anderson DE Arkansas 12. Buffalo Marshawn Lynch RB California 13. St. Louis Darrelle Revis CB Pittsburgh 14. Carolina Patrick Willis LB Mississippi 15. Pittsburgh Adam Carriker DE Nebraska Carriker is the prototypical defensive end for a 3-4 scheme. But his true value lies is his versatility. With his size (6-6, 296), he can line up at any of the four positions along the defensive line. 16. Green Bay Ted Ginn Jr. WR Ohio State 17. Jacksonville Jarvis Moss DE Florida 18. Cincinnati Reggie Nelson S Florida 19. Tennessee Robert Meachem WR Tennessee 20. N.Y. Giants Levi Brown OT Penn State 21. Denver Lawrence Timmons LB Florida State 22. Dallas Dwayne Bowe WR LSU With two starting wide receivers in their 30s, the Cowboys need a young player to build a future downfield passing game for Tony Romo. Bowe is a physical receiver in the Michael Irvin mold. 23. Kansas City Justin Harrell DT Tennessee 24. New England Jon Beason LB Miami 25. N.Y. Jets Aaron Ross CB Texas 26. Philadelphia Chris Houston CB Arkansas 27. New Orleans Dwayne Jarrett WR Southern California 28. New England Michael Griffin S Texas 29. Baltimore Joe Staley OT Central Michigan 30. San Diego Anthony Gonzalez WR Ohio State 31. Chicago Paul Posluszny LB Penn State 32. Indianapolis Greg Olsen TE Miami

I think that is a bit of a stretch to say they outshined Bush and Williams. The three you mentioned were given the opportunity to get playing time very early and capitalized. Bush and Williams, on the other hand, had established, quality vets ahead of them in McAllister and Foster. Also, ESPN analyzed this recently: "Nearly half of the NFL's starting running backs in 2006 were former first-round picks, and nearly 90 percent of the league's starters came from the first three rounds. Further dispelling the theory is the fact that 17 of the NFL's top 20 rushing leaders in 2006 were former Day 1 draft picks -- and 14 of those 17 were found in the first two rounds. Frank Gore (49ers) has become the recent poster boy for this myth, but he was taken with the first pick of the third round in 2005. After studying the situation more closely, here's my advice to teams in need of immediate help at running back: Don't reach for a bad value in the first round, but be ready to grab the one you like in Round 2 or early in Round 3."

I'd give up a 2nd to move up and grab him. We'd then have 3 legitimate weapons on offense, setting us up for the next 8 years. I don't think we are a contender this year, but we could be next year with a stud like this.

With Imus and his potential resurrection, we had a real chance to have a raw dialogue on race which would have benefited us all. Instead, we are more divided then ever and will remain so in the near term.

1. Taurus? 2. Seifert present?

Too funny...Robert Johson (BET) just said if he said this about Jews, he'd have been off the next day. LOL.

What is your argument: that it isn't occurring or that its effects are still as yet to be determined?

Figures the ND grad would miss the context..

Disagree. I'm 32 and love Imus. Putting aside the issues, he gets incredible guests on a daily basis. Eff Revered Al and Jessie; their act is old and tired.

Believe me, I'd hurl if we drafted anyone but Jackson and especially hard if we drafted Smith.

FYI...not that it means anything, but I found this interesting... 1. ILB Patrick Willis, Ole Miss 2. CB Tarrell Brown, Texas 3a. RB Chris Henry, Arizona 3b. DB Tanard Jackson, Syracuse 4. OLB Zack DeOssie, Brown 6. OLB Kelvin Smith, Syracuse 7a. RB Jon Cornish, Kansa 7b. CB Darius Vinnett, Arkansa

Not only would I take AP at #12 if he is available by some turn of fate, I trade up to get him if given the opportunity at a reasonable price. Willis is a great player, but AP is a game changer and very well may be the best back to come out of CFB since LJ or LT in 01 and 02, respectively (I'll take AP over Bush any day). 8-7 AP

Agree completely. A core on offense of Losman, Peterson and Evans would be fantastic.

Poz, IMO, is not worth the #12.

This argument "tell me how many playoff games we won with x, y and z" is ridiculous. The question to be asking is how much worse/better are we without them when considering the other additions to the team.

I'd take Branch over Okoye every day.

I think he is a bit more versatile and athletic than Fowler, but the comparison isn't unfair as far as it applies to the C position. The thing I love about Datish is that, in my humble opinion, his downside is incredibly low. At best, IMHO (and I am certainly not an expert), is a poor man's Adam Timmerman (without the Pro-Bowls). At worst, I believe he'll be the equivalent of Whittle. In fact, after I wrote this, I looked up Whittle's profile on ESPN. Do they sound similar or what: "Whittle understand the mantra that the more you can do the longer you will be around. Whittle has learned to continue his career as a professional football player and plays multiple positions as well as contribute in a variety of ways on special teams. Whittle is able to play all five positions on the offensive line and is an intelligent player that uses angles to his advantage against defenders. He works hard to use great technique using hand placement and leverage to wall off opponents, but he lacks the power to move defenders and expand the hole. This lack of lower-leg strength is also evident when Whittle faces two-gap defensive linemen that are able to stalemate him at the point of attack and shed him to make plays. Whittle does a nice job in space engulfing linebackers at the second level when pulling. When asked to start at guard this season for Minnesota the Vikings actually fared better up front with Whittle in the game. In pass protection, Whittle does a very good job working his hips and feet together with average punch but good hand placement re-directing the pass rusher. Along with decent size Whittle brings versatility, football smarts and deceptive athleticism for an offensive lineman that will allow this veteran to continue to make a roster, get on the field and contribute."

Would be the perfect add to the mix IMHO in the . Never going to be a star but he is the equivalent of a top-notch utility player. Love this guy and believe he'll be a quality starter if given a couple of years. Would be a perfect pick for this team. Profile: Combine Results Pro Day Results Combine Invite: YesHeight: 6041 Weight: 302 40 Yrd Dash: 5.13 20 Yrd Dash: 2.99 10 Yrd Dash: 1.75 Wonderlic: 225 Lb. Bench Reps: 31 Vertical Jump: 26 Broad Jump: 8'6" 20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.65 3-Cone Drill: 7.51 Dates: 03/10/07 Height: 6041 Weight: 302 40 Yrd Dash: 20 Yrd Dash: 10 Yrd Dash: Did not do agility drills at Pro day. 225 Lb. Bench Reps: Vertical Jump: Broad Jump: 20 Yrd Shuttle: 3-Cone Drill: Overview Datish fits the mold of recent Ohio State offensive linemen who have entered the NFL ? versatile, strong and aggressive. The consummate team player, Datish has played every position on the OSU front wall during his career. With situational substitution a major factor in the pros, having an athlete with the ability to play a variety of positions and even handle deep snapping duties is a high priority that will make Datish an inviting prospect on draft day. His father, Mike Datish, played for the Buckeyes in 1975 when OSU posted an 11-1 record and went to a still unprecedented fourth consecutive Rose Bowl. Doug is not only a solid performer on the field, but also excels in the classroom. He received his degree in History at the end of the 2005-06 Winter Quarter and is currently attending graduate school. On the football field, he stepped in at center for graduated Nick Mangold, a first-round pick of the New York Jets in last spring's NFL Draft, and more than capably filled those big shoes. For his career, Datish started 35 of 41 games, starting 14 times at center, at left tackle in 12 games and at left guard in nine others. Datish was considered one of the top linemen in the nation as a senior at Howland High School. He earned first-team All-Ohio honors as a senior and was a standout on both offense and defense. He was selected as the Associated Press Division II Co-Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. Super Prep rated him the fifth-best offensive lineman in the country and he earned Prep Star Dream Team honors. Datish also played basketball as a freshman, but concentrated on football his last three years. In 2002, Datish enrolled at Ohio State, spending the season performing on the scout team as an offensive guard. He appeared briefly in four games at the right guard position in 2003. Hard work in preseason camp saw him earn a starting job at left guard in 2005, where he started nine games. He also started at center for an injured Mangold against Michigan State. In 2005, Datish switched positions with Rob Sims, taking over left tackle duties while Sims shifted inside to left guard. Datish moved again in 2006, taking over center duties with Mangold in the NFL. He provided stellar pass protection in the pivot, helping quarterback Troy Smith win the Heisman Trophy. Despite his third move in three years, Datish did not allow any quarterback sacks or pressures in 2006, and was awarded with All-Big Ten Conference first-team honors. Analysis Positives: Has a well-proportioned frame with good chest thickness, developing upper body arm muscles and has room to add at least another 15 pounds of bulk with no loss in quickness...Natural mover off the snap with smooth footwork in his kick slide and retreat to protect the pocket...Has nimble feet on the move, showing ease of movement sliding left or right...Gets out of his stance quickly and has the short-area burst to block in the second level...Natural knee bender who does an effective job breaking down in space...Very intelligent player who not only calls blocking assignments, but knows the plays for every position on the line...Very alert to stunts and twists and does a good job of firing out of his stance with a strong hand punch to jolt...More of a position-and-sustain type of finesse blocker, but consistently maintains hand position to sustain...Keeps his pads down and plays with a solid base, as it is rare to see him go to the ground...Keeps his feet moving and shows patience, as he won't lunge just to make a block...Quick out of stance on pulls and traps, squaring his shoulders properly while keeping his hands in front to widen the rush lane...Has the hip snap to break down and adjust down field...Shows the alertness and agility to recover in his pass set, sliding his feet laterally to mirror the rusher...Does a good job of getting his hands inside the opponent and generates a functional pop on contact (more finesse though)...Was one of the best deep snappers in high school (not asked to snap in college) and has a snap time average of 7.0 seconds (with an NFL ball)...Has the incline quickness to get into position and sustain. Negatives: Needs to increase his overall bulk and improve his lower body strength, as he tends to lose anchor at times, especially vs. stunts...Doesn't have the hand punch or brute strength to drive an opponent off the ball...Knows angles and sticks to his blocks, but without more strength he won't be able to match up vs. the bigger NFL nose guards... Must strike with more force (lacks a strong hand punch), but does a good job of keeping his hands inside...Also must be more active with those hands in attempts to lock on and control (still learning how to grab). Compares To: BRAD MEESTER-Jacksonville...Like Meester, Datish's versatility will see him get drafted higher than his draft stock indicates. He has good short-area quickness and nimble feet, but must learn to shoot his hands with a stronger punch and improve his lower body strength to maintain position vs. stunts. At the Senior Bowl practices, he was having trouble vs. strength moves, which is to be expected due to his lower body power issues. But he also struggled to pick up the quick stunts.

Since when did chimps teach the Jets fans how to use computers?