Brady Quinn, talkin' smack

Notre Dame S Chinedum Ndukwe, drafted by the Bengals, on his new rival Brady Quinn (also his friend and roommate): "Brady's already talking smack about how he's going to beat us the times he plays us. He's already talking that junk, so we'll have to take care of that."

I'm not sure I can bring it upon myself to actually cheer for the Bengals, but I hope Ndukwe picks off Brady at least once. First he'll have to make the team, though; he was a seventh-round draft pick, I think.

Coach Tomlin on drafting a punter

Coach Mike Tomlin, on not only drafting a punter, but trading a sixth-round pick to move up seven slots to grab him: “That is a legitimate phase of football. We are going to put our money where our mouth is in regards to that. He is a left-footed punter and he punts it a great distance with great flight time. He is a very talented guy and we supported that all the way.”

I hate to say it, but I agree with him. Maybe not on blowing the sixth-round pick to trade up, but on taking a gamble with a fourth-round pick and selecting a punter. Against Baltimore, if you win the game of field position, chances are you're going to win the game. Current Steelers punter Chris Gardocki hasn't had a punt blocked in 17 years, which sort of makes him the Ray Lewis of punting. And with that sort of success in the punting game and an aging punter, you've gotta start thinking about the future. This new guy apparently boots the ball a mile and puts a weird spin on it, which makes it more difficult for returners to catch, apparently. That could be bad news for the Ravens (hopefully) newest kick returner, Kansas State WR Yamon Figurs, who apparently may suffer from occasionally slippery fingers.

2007 NFL Draft: Ravens QB Troy Smith (Ohio State video)

Ohio State QB Troy Smith might've been Baltimore's sixth pick in this year's draft, but he's also the pick most likely to excite Ravens fans. We need something to look forward to for when Steve McNair retires. Forget that Troy Smith collapsed in the national championship game against Florida, during which he went 4-14 for 35 yards and a pick. He had a great career before then, including a great performance in a 42-39 win against Michigan in his second-to-last college game (29-41, 316 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT).

Watch this Heisman-hype video, a collection of Troy Smith's senior-year touchdowns (30 in the air, one on the ground). The video is complete with dramatic music and even a classy supernova fireworks explosion about 45 seconds in. Troy Smith was a steal with the 174th pick in the draft.

2007 NFL Draft: done and done.

After more than 19 hours, 253 draft picks and 72 blog postings, the 2007 NFL Draft is finally over.

2007 NFL Draft: Cincinnati Bengals (round 7)

With the third-to-last pick in this year's NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals select Notre Dame S Nedu Ndukwe. I hope he gets cut; I don't want to have to learn how to spell his name. The Bengals had a very strong first day, getting the draft's best cornerback (Michigan's Leon Hall) and one of its more elusive running backs (Auburn's Kenny Irons). They continued to improve on day two, particularly on defense, and even got some insurance for Carson Palmer in Nevada QB Jeff Rowe. The Bengals are looking like the biggest threat to knock the Ravens from their AFC North perch.

2007 NFL Draft: Cleveland Browns (round 7)

The Browns end their draft with Arizona WR Syndric Steptoe, the second "toe" player taken by an AFC North team on day two, the first obviously being Cincinnati's Matt Toeaina. It has been a long day -- a long two days -- and most Browns fans probably didn't care who their team drafted at this point.

Throughout the past two days, the Browns got for themselves the draft's best tackle and a highly rated quarterback in Draft Day Baby Quinn, who like him or not, at least has the potential to turn around the franchise. I don't think he will, but the possibility exists. He'll face a lot of pressure, though, and he'll be on the hot seat as soon as next year's draft, when Browns fans are faced with the reality of having given up their first-round selection for a guy who may or may not pan out. It happened to Ravens fans with Kyle Boller, and it will happen with Draft Day Baby Quinn.

2007 NFL Draft: Pittsburgh Steelers (round 7)

An all-around good 2007 NFL Draft for the Pittsburgh Steelers. They strengthened the pass rush, secondary and offensive line, and got themselves a tight end and even a punter, too. With the strength of the Bengals offense (and Baltimore's improved offense) it's not surprising to see Mike Tomlin & Co. focus so heavily on defense. They ended their draft with some offense: Florida WR Dallas Baker, whose biggest strength is his consistency. He could be good for Ben Roethlisberger, and Big Ben could be good for him.

2007 NFL Draft: Cleveland Browns (round 7)

LSU DE Chase Pittman is the pick. Pittman originally played at Texas and he put up decent numbers at each school, which means he isn't the product of a system. That usually results in a higher draft grade, but Pittman didn't even get an invite to the NFL Combine. The only reason he gets picked here is because he looked good at the Senior Bowl. He's a below-average pass rusher.

2007 NFL Draft: Baltimore Ravens (round 6)

After Ohio State QB Troy Smith dropped to the Ravens at the final pick of the fifth round, I would have been OK with the Ravens selecting Paris Hilton with its sixth-round and final selection in the 2007 NFL Draft. At this point, GM Ozzie Newsome can do no wrong. Plus, Hilton could be a nice distraction for Kyle Boller during his lame-duck farewell tour. After this season, backup Boller will not be back.

But the Ravens didn't select Paris Hilton. Michigan OLB Prescott Burgess is the choice. Burgess isn't as versatile as you'd like, but he provides even more depth at the Ravens strongest position, linebacker, and he was the second-best linebacker on a great Michigan defense last year. Great move by a great front office, and ostensibly the end of this year's draft for Baltimore. Over the past two days, the Ravens got for themselves depth at two positions of need, offensive line and linebacker; they plugged holes at more immediate needs, including fullback and kick returner; and they built for the future with the fifth-round selection of Troy Smith at quarterback, a guy who five months ago I would've been happy to take in the first round.

2007 NFL Draft: Cleveland Browns (round 6)

Hawaii DE Melila Purcell was a three-year starter in college, but he's an average pass rusher. He's also the 200th pick in the draft.

2007 NFL Draft: Mike Tomlin: day-two interview

New Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was just on ESPN talking about his first two draft picks.

Florida State OLB Lawrence Timmons: "great upside, young guy; scored three TDs last year as a linebacker, blocked a couple kicks."

Michigan DE LaMarr Woodley: "capable of providing edge pressure; high motor, hustler and hitter."

He dodged questions on veteran G Alan Faneca, who may refuse to play if he doesn't receive a new contract. He also was happy to get a punter from Baylor because, to paraphrase, there are a lot of opportunities to punt at Baylor.

2007 NFL Draft: Cincinnati Bengals (round 6)

With the 187th selection in the NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals select... Oregon DT/DE Matt Toeaina. The Bengals have done a good job so far of improving on both sides of the ball, and Toeaina can play two different positions. He was a full-time starter for two seasons, but he doesn't make a ton of tackles.

2007 NFL Draft: Baltimore Ravens (round 5)

Yes. Yes, yes, yes. The Ravens select Ohio State QB Troy Smith, who slipped to them at the bottom of the fifth round. The last pick. Some of the earliest mock drafts had the Ravens taking him at the bottom of the first round. But the Ravens remained patient, and in the meantime picked up a great guard, a hybrid guard-tackle, a guy who can return kicks and catch passes, and a fullback to replace Ovie Mughelli.

I love Smith's attitude, and even though he struggled at the very end of his career, he made some huge plays in big wins earlier in his career. A bunch of times. He won the Heisman trophy in a very difficult football conference for good reason. I am very happy with this pick. If it doesn't pan out, no big deal; it's the last pick in the fifth round. If it does work out, you have a solution at quarterback after McNair hangs 'em up, because Kyle Boller never was nor never will be the answer.

Two picks following Smith was Oklahoma LB Rufus Alexander, whom the Ravens may have also been targeting.

2007 NFL Draft: Pittsburgh Steelers (round 5)

Louisville CB William Gay has good instincts, but can get beat deep. The Steelers are reloading on defense in a big way. New head coach Mike Tomlin is loving this.

2007 NFL Draft: Randy Moss to the Patriots

Earlier this year I was in Vegas and was surprised to see that the Patriots were only 10-1 favorites to win the Super Bowl next year. And this was after they picked up former Ravens LB Adalius Thomas in free agency. Online, I heard the odds were 15-1. I thought they would be somewhere around 7-1, which is where they'll probably be now with Randy Moss on the team.

I don't care that he can be lazy. When he wants to play, he's awesome, and he'll want to play with Tom Brady, who is a big step-up from any quarterback with whom Moss has ever played. Even Culpepper back in his Minnesota prime. But I don't think they're the shoe-in favorite that today's hype is suggesting. There are still some great teams in the AFC. The Colts, Ravens and Chargers could all beat them. And Chicago is getting stronger in a weak NFC.

2007 NFL Draft: Matt Milen: day-two interview

Detroit Lions GM Matt Millen, when asked about his tenure of losing, just said, and I'm paraphrasing, that you never look behind because you don't know who's gaining on you. Earth to Millen: The only team behind you is the Raiders. Detroit deserves better: its auto industry is in shambles and its football team isn't any better. That's why Barry Sanders called it quits in his prime. Detroit needs to step up and stop being a losing franchise.

2007 NFL Draft: Pittsburgh Steelers (round 5)

Rutgers' women's basketball team may be the most-talked-about team at Rutgers this year, but its football team was the story last year. The Steelers chose Rutgers G Cameron Stephenson to help them pound the football, which is what Pittsburgh does best. Not a very sexy pick, but probably a smart one, especially in the AFC North.

2007 NFL Draft: Cincinnati Bengals (round 5)

Carson Palmer is clearly the man in Cincy, so the selection of Nevada QB Jeff Rowe is just insurance. You know, in case Pittsburgh decides to shred Palmer's knee again.

2007 NFL Draft: Cleveland Browns (round 5)

Memphis CB Brandon McDonald is a cousin of Eagles RB Correll Buckhalter, which means Browns fans should expect McDonald's knee to crumple by the third week of training camp, and that he'll continue to disappoint year after year.

2007 NFL Draft: Cleveland Browns (round 4)

No picks for the Browns this round.

2007 NFL Draft: Baltimore Ravens (round 4)

The Ravens picked up a linebacker and a fullback: Florida International OLB Antwan Barnes and Alabama FB Le'Ron McClain. I was really hoping they'd draft a quarterback, specifically Ohio State's Troy Smith. But I've gotta trust Ozzie, and there's no doubt picking a fullback fills an immediate need following the departure of Ovie Mughelli. Also, linebacker depth is an issue. Ozzie knows what he's doing, so I'm not going to complain, but I will cross my fingers that Troy Smith keeps dropping. Or maybe Pittsburgh's Tyler Palko. The Ravens need an answer longterm at quarterback.

2007 NFL Draft: Cincinnati Bengals (round 4)

TCU FS Marvin White plugs another hole in the Bengals' secondary. Tough kid, difficult upbringing, used football to make his dreams come true, et cetera. He's avoided crime for this long, but that'll be even more difficult once he gets to Cincinnati, home of the NFL's longest rap sheet.

2007 NFL Draft: Pittsburgh Steelers (round 4)

The Steelers took left-footed Baylor P Daniel Sepulveda, who sounds a lot like Chris Gardocki, who in 17 years with the Steelers has never once had a punt blocked. Ever. That is ridiculous. Every time the Ravens play the Steelers, I always find myself hoping that Ed Reed sneaks through and bats one down. I don't want Gardocki to retire with a clean record.

Later in the round they took Oklahoma State DE Ryan McBean. A defense-heavy draft so far for the Steel Curtain.

2007 NFL Draft: Brady Quinn: day-two interview

Just now, on ESPN: Brady Quinn said that there's little doubt in his mind that Wisconsin T Joe Thomas will be a Hall of Famer. What is he supposed to say, that Joe Thomas will be the next Robert Gallery? Thomas is a great prospect, and not only is he a better prospect than Quinn, he's more down to earth, too. Quinn spent yesterday sweating it out in the green room. Thomas spent his day fishing with his dad.

2007 NFL Draft: AFC North, day one recap

The Steelers picked up three guys who all fit Pittsburgh's mold. Florida State OLB and Michigan DE LaMarr Woodley will both put pressure on the quarterback, and Minnesota TE Matt Spaeth is a 6’7” bulldozer, apparently. New head coach Mike Tomlin is probably happy.

The Bengals picked up the cornerback they needed in Michigan’s Leon Hall. Hall’s stock dropped a bit because of a late-season collapse, but he was the best corner available and AFC North fans should be nervous with Hall in tiger stripes. Also, Auburn RB Kenny Hall is made to order for the Bengals offense. I like Kenny Irons.

The Ravens focused on their primary need, shoring up the offensive line. Auburn G Ben Grubbs will almost certainly start in place of former Steelers G Keydrick Vincent, who has been a disappointment. Iowa’s Marshall Yanda can play either guard or tackle, and is good insurance in case Ogden retires after this season or gets injured. The Ravens also got a guy who can return kicks: Kansas State WR Yamon Figurs, maybe the fastest player in the draft.

The Browns hit blackjack at #3 with Wisconsin T Joe Thomas and then let it ride by trading up to #22 to snag Notre Dame QB Draft Day Baby Quinn, a quarterback the Browns think will turn around the franchise. Browns GM and Ozzie Newsome protégé Phil Savage tries to match Ozzie’s 1996 draft, during which Oz landed two future Hall of Famers in the first round, Jonathan Ogden (#4) and Ray Lewis (#26). Or maybe he just felt sorry for Brady, who wanted nothing more than to be drafted #1 overall, and then hid in a private suite when it became clear he'd drop to the bottom half of the first round. The Browns also picked up UNLV CB Eric Wright in the third round.

2007 NFL Draft: Chicago Bears (3.93)

The Bears got a nice steal late on the first day: Northern Illinois RB Garrett Wolfe. At least it's a steal in my opinion. Lots of mock-drafters had him going in the fifth or sixth round. Not sure exactly where he fits in with the Bears, though. They already have the fastest man on the planet in Devin Hester, and the truth is that Wolfe is probably more likely a special-teams guy in the NFL, even though he never played special teams in college. Or maybe I see him more as a special-teams guy because that's where he would've fit if he'd been drafted by the Ravens; he could also be a change-of-pace back.

2007 NFL Draft: Buffalo Bills (3.92)

The wait for the selection of Stanford QB Trent Edwards is over. The quarterback who went 0-7 last year as a starter (and who also has injury concerns) was drafted by the Buffalo Bills. I understand that his supporting cast at Stanford was weak, but he had barely more than 1,000 yards passing all of last year, and still commentators gush over this guy's future. Particularly Ron Jaworski. Jaws is a very smart football guy, but I don't see the appeal of Edwards. And don't tell me he has great arm strength because, well, so does Kyle Boller.

2007 NFL Draft: New Orleans Saints (3.88)

Nice pickup in the third round by the New Orleans Saints: Akron G Andy Alleman.

2007 NFL Draft: Baltimore Ravens (3.86)

The Ravens give up a few picks on day two to move up to the 86th overall selection, which they use to select Iowa G/T Marshall Yanda. Some Ravens fans grumble at the selection, wishing instead that the Ravens would take Trent Edwards, who they've now passed over twice in the third round. But I like Yanda, who provides depth and value on the offensive line. The Ravens offensive line will be anchored by Ogden for at least one more season, and there are no glaring holes to be filled in the near future (assuming Yanda plays tackle, not guard).

The Ravens don't have a ton of money to spend, so it was probably wise to dump some of tomorrow's picks in order to move up. And they still have four selections tomorrow. At least I think it's four. There have been so many trades today it's tough to keep up. But Yanda? I like Yanda.

Watch this killer highlight play featuring Yanda.

2007 NFL Draft: Pittsburgh Steelers (3.77)

The Steelers draft Minnesota TE Matt Spaeth, a hard-nosed guy who has played through multiple shoulder injuries. He's big (6'7"), tough and can bowl over defenders, but he's not going to be a downfield threat. He sounds exactly like the kind of tight end you'd expect to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

2007 NFL Draft: Baltimore Ravens (3.74)

Delayed update on the Ravens third-round pick. Kansas State WR Yamon Figurs was unexpected, but I think it's a great pick. Figurs primarily will be a kick returner, which is something the Ravens need more than its fans would like to admit. Current return man B.J. Sams has two DWIs within the past year and may get suspended for a few games this upcoming season.

Figurs is absurdly fast, and even though I think speed is generally an overrated metric for football players, I don't think that's the case in the return game. I think this is an excellent pickup for the Ravens, who thankfully aren't buying into the Trent Edwards hype. The major knock on Figurs is his small size and sometimes questionable hands.

2007 NFL Draft: Arizona Cardinals (3.69)

The Cardinals select Florida State LB Buster Davis, who might've been an attractive choice for the Ravens had he remained on the board for a few more picks. But it's probably good for Ravens fans that he's off the board now. There are two types of players I don't want playing in Baltimore: lazy guys and crazy guys. The Ravens have had enough legal trouble in the past, and I'm content with the criminal crown remaining in Cincinnati. That's not to say Davis is a bad character, but he has been accused of being lazy. And that desert heat doesn't exactly motivate you to work any harder.

2007 NFL Draft: Oakland Raiders (3.65)

To pick up Georgia DE Quentin Moses at the top of the third round is a nice draft-day coup for Al Davis. The 65th overall pick is not too early to select a guy who can improve an already great defense. The Raiders had a terrible record last year because its offense was atrocious. If you look at the numbers, they rarely were beaten by large margins.

2007 NFL Draft: Detroit Lions (2.61)

In a way it's a relief that USC C Ryan Kalil was off the board. He would've been a very enticing choice here for Baltimore, who would've struggled to juggle its roster to accommodate another center; either that or current center Chris Chester would've had to play guard, a position for which there's also no room in the starting lineup. But that doesn't matter because Kalil was gone.

Looks like the Ravens have a trade: The Lions are now on the clock. I'm OK with this. I wasn't very excited about Stanford QB Trent Edwards, who very likely could've been the Ravens' selection had they stood pat with the 61st selection. The Detroit Lions selected Boise State FS Gerald Alexander. For the selection, the Lions gave up two picks in this year's draft: a high third-rounder and a high fourth-rounder.

Great news for Ravens fans. They'll have the second pick on day two of the NFL Draft. No more waiting six-plus hours. The Ravens' next selections will be the 74th and 101st picks in the draft. Note: The fourth-rounder is the Lions' original fourth-round selection , but the third-rounder is a selection that originally belonged to the Buffalo Bills, so it's the 10th pick in the third round.

2007 NFL Draft: Carolina Panthers (2.59)

The Carolina Panthers had a disappointing season last year, but the truth is they were more talented than their record. And they've had a great draft so far today. A great linebacker, great wide receiver and now a great center in USC C Ryan Kalil. Panthers fans should be very happy right now.

2007 NFL Draft: Seattle Seahawks (2.55)

The Seahawks finally pick. After what feels like 109 hours, I believe they're the last team to make a selection. And it was a good one. Maryland CB Josh Wilson is popular with Ravens fans, many of whom follow Maryland football closely, and many of whom wanted Wilson to drop another five or six slots to the Ravens. I also think USC C Ryan Kalil would've been a great fit for Seattle, but plugging holes in the secondary is smart, too.

2007 NFL Draft: Cleveland Browns (2.53)

The Browns improved their offensive line in the first round with the draft's best tackle (Joe Thomas) and traded up for a guy in the second (Brady Quinn) who they think will be the answer at quarterback. And in the third round, the Browns traded up again to shore up the defense by snagging one of the two best remaining cornerbacks (the other being Maryland's Josh Wilson). The Browns gave up the their third- and fourth-rounders in this year's draft (and also swapped sixth-rounders) to secure Dallas' second-round pick.

UNLV CB Eric Wright has great talent, but he also allegedly gave the date-rape drug to an 18-year-old girl, and when the police raided his apartment, they allegedly found more than 100 ecstasy pills. Sounds pretty shady to me. The charges never stuck, but it did force Wright to transfer from USC to UNLV.

A surprise from GM Phil Savage, who probably buckled from pressure courtesy of coach Romeo Crennel. Crennel is on the verge of getting the axe, and he'll take talent any way he can get it. Savage might be on the hot seat, too, and all this trading up suggests an air of desperation. After all, as general manager, Savage is the one responsible for pulling the trigger.

2007 NFL Draft: Cincinnati Bengals (2.49)

I said before that I like Auburn RB Kenny Irons, but now that he's been drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the middle of the second round, I wish I could change my mind. But I can't. Irons is a good running back. But great running backs have struggled against the Ravens, so a good running back shouldn't worry Ravens fans. What should concern Ravens fans is a healthier Carson Palmer beating them deep. Even with Chris Henry suspended for half of the 2007-2008 season, the Bengals' passing game will be even better than last year.

2007 NFL Draft: New York Jets (2.47)

Midway through the second round and the Jets pick Michigan LB David Harris, whom I was hoping would slip to the Ravens at the bottom of the second round. That's the breaks. He's a great player, one whom I've had my eye on since the beginning of this past season. He's undersized, but that's not a huge deal if you've got a good defensive line. If the Jets' defensive line can keep Harris free from blockers, he'll be very successful making plays in the AFC East.

2007 NFL Draft: Pittsburgh Steelers (2.46)

New coach Mike Tomlin should be very happy with the team's first two picks: a strong linebacker and a quality pass rusher. Michigan DE LaMarr Woodley led the Wolverines in sacks each of the past two seasons. His presence can be minimized by bigger offensive linemen, but he's a gamer that will grind it out from the first to the final whistle. The Steelers are retooling on defense, which should make for some nice matchups next year with Baltimore, who is doing the same with its offense. Sort of. The Ravens aren't so much retooling an offense as they are trying to build a great one for the first time in team history.

2007 NFL Draft: Carolina Panthers (2.45)

USC WR Dwayne Jarrett is one of my favorite players in this year's draft. With fellow Trojans alum Keyshawn Johnson in town, Jarrett will feel at home in Carolina. He's not blazingly fast, but he has great timing and k