Wierd player rankings at NFL.com

[Guiness]

I'm sure Mike Mayock (who the heck is he, anyways ) is just trying to stir the pot by presenting some alternative player draft rankings, but he's got some weird ones up.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/story/9341853

He's cut Cutler ahead of Leinhart, but I have seen that before.

Jimmy Williams isn't even ranked in his top 6 CB's. I know he's been dropping, but that's ridiculous. I almost have to assume that's an oversight.

Donte Witner top ranked safety? I dunno about that.

Darryl Tapp as the third ranked DE, ahead of Hali and Edwards. Not a chance.

Bunkley ahead of Ngata. I guess a lot of people have them neck in neck.

[Tarlam!]

I thoóught LenDale White was considered #2 RB?

[HarveyWallbangers]

I don't trust anything Mayock writes. He was one of the first to jump on the Cutler bandwagon at the end of the year, and he wants his guy to pan out. While I was watching Cutler struggle with his accuracy at the combine, he sold him like he was the new John Elway. Instantly, I came to question his scouting abilities.

[Guiness]

But what do you think of J. Williams falling out of the first round?

Wow - I'd be happy with that guy at #5 in the second round!

[HarveyWallbangers]

But what do you think of J. Williams falling out of the first round?

Wow - I'd be happy with that guy at #5 in the second round!

I think he'll end up going in the first round, and I wouldn't trust what Mayock writes. If you want a draft guru, follow Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News. He usually ends up being the closest among the draftniks. He doesn't pretend to be a scout, but he must have some really good contacts in the NFL. One example was he was spot on ranking Nick Collins in his top 60 last year while most had Collins with a 4th round grade. Two or three years ago somebody told me that he was the most accurate, and I've been following his rankings since.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Gosselin has the Minnesota OL ranked at a spot we could pick them up in the middle rounds. I think they are ideal for the zone blocking scheme. I'd love to get Eslinger or Setterstrom.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/football/nfl/draft/gosselin_rankings.html

[HarveyWallbangers]

Here are his rankings for those that don't want to register for the DMN. I'm sure this will change a bit between now and the draft, but it's as good as any. Darnell Bing has really fallen off.

Rick Gosselin's NFL draft rankings
(Updated April 7, 2006)

Top 10 at each position (except center and inside linebacker):

QUARTERBACK
1. Matt Leinart, Southern California
2. Jay Cutler, Vanderbilt
3. Vince Young, Texas
4. Brodie Croyle, Alabama
5. Kellen Clemens, Oregon
6. Charlie Whitehurst, Clemson
7. Darrell Hackney, Alabama-Birmingham
8. Bruce Gradkowski, Toledo
9. Travaris Jackson, Alabama State
10. Bruce Eugene, Grambling State

RUNNING BACK
1. Reggie Bush, Southern California
2. D'Angelo Williams, Memphis
3. Laurence Maroney, Minnesota
4. LenDale White, Southern California
5. Joseph Addai, LSU
6. Maurice Drew, UCLA
7. Jerious Norwood, Mississippi State
8. Jerome Harrison, Washington State
9. Brian Calhoun, Wisconsin
10. Leon Washington, Florida State

WIDE RECEIVER
1. Santonio Holmes, Ohio State
2. Chad Jackson, Florida
3. Sinorice Moss, Miami
4. Greg Jennings, Western Michigan
5. Derek Hagan, Arizona State
6. Demetrius Williams, Oregon
7. Maurice Stovall, Notre Dame
8. Travis Wilson, Oklahoma
9. Jason Avant, Michigan
10. Brandon Williams, Wisconsin

TIGHT END
1. Vernon Davis, Maryland
2. Marcedes Lewis, UCLA
3. Anthony Fasano, Notre Dame
4. Leonard Pope, Georgia
5. Joe Klopfenstein, Colorado
6. Tony Scheffler, Western Michigan
7. T.J. Williams, North Carolina State
8. David Thomas, Texas
9. Dominique Byrd, Southern California
10. Owen Daniels, Wisconsin

OFFENSIVE TACKLE
1. D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Virginia
2. Winston Justice, Southern California
3. Marcus McNeill, Auburn
4. Eric Winston, Miami
5. Rashad Butler, Miami
6. Andrew Whitworth, LSU
7. Ryan O'Callaghan, California
8. Daryn Colledge, Boise State
9. Jonathan Scott, Texas
10. Jeremy Trueblood, Boston College

GUARD
1. Davin Joseph, Oklahoma
2. Max Jean-Gilles, Georgia
3. Charles Spencer, Pittsburgh
4. Taitusi Lutui, Southern California
5. Fred Matua, Southern California
6. Rob Sims, Ohio State
7. Will Montgomery, Virginia Tech
8. Mark Setterstrom, Minnesota
9. Jason Spitz, Louisville
10. Jahri Evans, Bloomsburg State

CENTER
1. Nick Mangold, Ohio State
2. Chris Chester, Oklahoma
3. Marvin Philip, California
4. Ryan Cook, New Mexico
5. Greg Eslinger, Minnesota

DEFENSIVE END
1. Mario Williams, North Carolina State
2. Tamba Hali, Penn State
3. Manny Lawson, North Carolina State
4. Kamerion Wimbley, Florida State
5. Mathias Kiwanuka, Boston College
6. Darryl Tapp, Virginia Tech
7. Frostee Rucker, Southern California
8. Chris Gocong, Cal Poly
9. Victor Adeyanju, Indiana
10. Mark Anderson, Alabama

DEFENSIVE TACKLE
1. Brodrick Bunkley, Florida State
2. Haloti Ngata, Oregon
3. John McCargo, North Carolina State
4. Claude Wroten, LSU
5. Gabe Watson, Michigan
6. Kyle Williams, LSU
7. Babatunde Oshinowo, Stanford
8. Dusty Dvoracek, Oklahoma
9. Jonathan Lewis, Virginia Tech
10. Rodrique Wright, Texas

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER
1. A.J. Hawk, Ohio State
2. Ernie Sims, Florida State
3. Chad Greenway, Iowa
4. Demeco Ryans, Alabama
5. Bobby Carpenter, Ohio State
6. Thomas Howard, UTEP
7. Roger McIntosh, Miami
8. Clint Ingram, Oklahoma
9. Jon Alston, Stanford
10. James Anderson, Virginia Tech

INSIDE LINEBACKER
1. D'Qwell Jackson, Maryland
2. Abdul Hodge, Iowa
3. Gerris Wilkinson, Georgia Tech
4. Leon Williams, Miami
5. Anthony Schlegel, Ohio State

CORNERBACK
1. Michael Huff, Texas
2. Jimmy Williams, Virginia Tech
3. Jonathan Joseph, South Carolina
4. Kelly Jennings, Miami
5. Jason Allen, Tennessee
6. Antonio Cromartie, Florida State
7. Tye Hill, Clemson
8. Richard Marshall, Fresno State
9. Ashton Youboty, Ohio State
10. Cedric Griffin, Texas

SAFETY
1. Donte Whitner, Ohio State
2. Daniel Bullocks, Nebraska
3. Ko Simpson, South Carolina
4. Anthony Smith, Syracuse
5. Bernard Pollard, Purdue
6. Pat Watkins, Florida State
7. Eric Smith, Michigan State
8. Calvin Lowry, Penn State
9. Darnell Bing, Southern California
10. Roman Harper, Alabama

SPECIAL TEAMS
1. Willie Reid (KR), Florida State
2. Skyler Green (KR), LSU
3. Nick Huston (K), Ohio State
4. Ryan Plackemeyer (P), Wake Forest
5. John Stelly (P), Louisiana-Monroe
6. Stephen Gostkowski (K), Memphis
7. Jeremy Bloom (KR), Colorado
8. Boone Stutz (DS), Texas A&M
9. Steve Weatherford (P), Illinois
10. Courtland Finnegan (KR), Samford

[HarveyWallbangers]

Guys I'd like to see us target:

WIDE RECEIVER
7. Maurice Stovall, Notre Dame
10. Brandon Williams, Wisconsin

We may be able to get Stovall in the 3rd round and Williams in the 4th round.

TIGHT END
1. Vernon Davis, Maryland
10. Owen Daniels, Wisconsin

Davis if we trade down from #5. We could pick up Daniels with one of our later round picks.

GUARD
1. Davin Joseph, Oklahoma
8. Mark Setterstrom, Minnesota

We probably would have to use our 2nd round pick to get Joseph. We could get Setterstrom in the middle rounds.

CENTER
5. Greg Eslinger, Minnesota

We probably could get Eslinger in the middle rounds.

DEFENSIVE END
1. Mario Williams, North Carolina State

I'd love to see him fall, but it probably isn't going to happen.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER
1. A.J. Hawk, Ohio State
4. Demeco Ryans, Alabama
5. Bobby Carpenter, Ohio State
6. Thomas Howard, UTEP
7. Roger McIntosh, Miami

INSIDE LINEBACKER
1. D'Qwell Jackson, Maryland
2. Abdul Hodge, Iowa

Really, I'd like Hawk in round 1 and any of the other guys in round 2.

CORNERBACK
2. Jimmy Williams, Virginia Tech
3. Jonathan Joseph, South Carolina
6. Antonio Cromartie, Florida State
7. Tye Hill, Clemson
8. Richard Marshall, Fresno State
9. Ashton Youboty, Ohio State
10. Cedric Griffin, Texas

We seriously have to think about any of these corners if they fall to round 2. (Some maybe round 3.)

SAFETY
2. Daniel Bullocks, Nebraska

I really like Bullocks, but we are probably okay at safety, and we'd have to use our 2nd round pick to get him.

[Anti-Polar Bear]

No way Huff should play CB in the NFL, unless he's drafted by a team desperate at that position. You put Huff at CB and you are not utilizing his talent in best way by making him one dimensional. Play him at S and he gets to roam all over the field.

[Rastak]

What about Mangold if he fell to #5 in round 2?

[Harlan Huckleby]

I think this is certainly somebody's personal evaluation of talent, rather than a projection of draft order.

Vince Young will be drafted before Cutler.

Calhoun #9 !? Wouldn't that be third round?

I often see Calhoun on Saturday mornings, he eats at the Curve, a grubby little diner that I hit on weekends. He looks big and broad in person, compared to when you see him standing next to the oxen on the field. He just tells people he is "Brian" and most don't know who he is.