Matthew Stafford - Credit: Lynn Bass/Icon SMI

Following Week #4 of the College Football Season I resemble a prophet in regards to some of my opinions towards the college football landscape as a whole. As inspired as I am to watch the weekly tussles that take place in the SEC and as much enjoyment as I get from watching the top-tier teams in the Pac 10, I am completely uninspired yet again by the Big Ten. As stated following the Week 3 roundup, there is nothing to take from the Big Ten teams that even resemble a National Championship contender. The Nitney Lions lost on Saturday to the Michigan Wolverines starting a true freshman QB in Ryan Mallett, this statement in itself should explain where the Big Ten resides in the hierarchy of college football conferences. What was once the cream of the crop has now fallen to the basement. I would rather watch the Big 12, ACC, or Big East as a matter of fact. Not even the Wisconsin faithful can send in hate mail this week considering that they squeaked out a victory last Saturday 17-13 over un-ranked and undermanned Iowa. Hopefully the Big Ten does us all a favor and ensure us that all of the Big Ten teams lose at least once or they take their conference out of the running for consideration in the National Championship game, because otherwise, it would be a disgrace. Switching gears briefly, the other topic I wanted to discuss prior to getting to this week’s “Prospect Stock Market” is the official arrival of the next in the line of great college football quarterbacks, Matthew Stafford QB Georgia. It takes time for a young QB to assimilate the speed and skill level of college football, but throughout the great careers of the quarterbacks you remember in college football there are several games that stand out in your memory, and most importantly there is always that one game you can point to as the “arrival” of that QB. If you missed it, last Saturday the Georgia Bulldogs visited the Alabama Crimson Tide in their backyard, following all the momentum the Tide had following the previous week’s victory against Arkansas, and beat them in stunning fashion in overtime 26-23. To use a pun “the tide did in fact turn” as Stafford threw a perfectly thrown ball into the corner of the end zone to WR Mikey Henderson to complete the win. The rest of the SEC better be on alert, because the Matthew Stafford era at Georgia has OFFICIALLY begun, and this is just one of the many, many reasons why, for my money, the SEC is the best week in and week out college football action on the planet. Now, to this week’s “Prospect Stock Market”:

RISING:
Miami (FL) Hurricanes: After getting obliterated in the opening game of the season against Oklahoma, the Hurricanes have turned what could have been a horrendous season around and are now 3-1 and a legitimate threat to win the ACC.

Michigan Wolverines: The Wolverines were left for dead following their two losses to Appalachian State and Oregon to open up the season. Following RB Mike Hart’s comments following the Oregon loss the team has rallied for consecutive victories over Notre Dame and Penn State and it is not inconceivable that in the porous Big Ten the Wolverines still couldn’t make a run at the Big Ten crown and salvage their season. Stranger things have happened.

Matt Ryan QB Boston College: He just continues to impress, and the possibility of Ryan making a run at the Heisman trophy and a first round selection are very real indeed.

Hawaii Warriors: No Colt Brennan, no problem, without their star QB, they failed to skip a beat and continue to roll on. Could they be this year’s Boise State and crash the party that is the BCS? Stay tuned…

Kentucky Wildcats: With a Heisman Trophy candidate at QB in Andre Woodson the Kentucky Wildcats have turned the college football world upside down and they are legitimate contenders for the BCS bowl games at this point. Their talent was evident on Saturday night, but was most impressive to me anyway was that they displayed some moxie in taking down a very talented Arkansas team down on the road, and scoring three touchdowns in the 4^th quarter only increased the impression left on the fans who watched the game. Their remaining schedule is vicious including three games in a three week stretch that includes: @South Carolina, then home games against top 5 teams LSU and Florida. This stretch will in most likelihood eliminate them from National Championship contention, but they will most assuredly be a team to keep your eye on during that stretch and for the remainder of the 2007 season.

The Heisman candidacy of Tim Tebow QB Florida: I understand the argument that sophomores very rarely win the Heisman trophy, but what Tebow is doing so far this season for the Gators does deserve some consideration. So far in 2007 Tebow leads the team in passing, obviously, but also leads the team in rushing. He has produced a combined 1454 yards and 17 touchdowns in just four games so far this season. Tim Tebow is the engine that makes the car that is the Florida Gators go. Do I think he will be able to run the football 20 times against LSU? No I think Glenn Dorsey and Co. will make mince meat of him before that happens, but what he has been able to do via the air and ground this year is impressive.

STATUS QUO:
The Major Powers: USC, LSU, Oklahoma, Florida, West Virginia, California, and Texas continue to roll own without a hiccup and any incidents that would cause concern. Status Quo remains the optimal term for these teams.

The Up-Starts: You have to be impressed by Oregon, Boston College, and Clemson respectively. They continue to win games in impressive fashion and won’t be too much longer before the ‘major powers’ notice as well and feel them on their heals.

FALLING:
Brian Brohm and the Louisville Cardinals: A week after watching their defense get portrayed as fraudulent on national television by the Kentucky Wildcats, they manhandled again by the Syracuse Orange who one reporter had dubbed earlier this season as “the worst team in college football”. Things just went from bad to worse. They lost 38-35, but they rallied for 3 touchdowns late to make the game look much closer than it actually was. They got thrashed plain and simple. The Heisman candidacy of Brian Brohm is over, the possibility of him going #1 overall in the 2008 NFL Draft has taken a serious body blow of which he may never be able to overcome.

The Big Ten Conference: I know I’m beating a dead horse here, but in case I didn’t make myself clear in the opener, none of these teams are ANY good.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish: Well Notre Dame fans…trust me…it can’t get any worse. A year or two from now when QB Jimmy Clausen is leading the Irish to winning seasons you will look back at the 2007 season as a necessary evil. Kind of like the Big Ten.

* If you get a chance this weekend football fans, please by all means do yourself a favor and check out the California Golden Bears face off with the Oregon Ducks. This game will prove to be one of the better college games all year long.

The college football season continues to roll on and after week #3 is in the books, the landscape of the collegiate ranks is beginning to come into focus. We are now beginning to separate our ‘contenders’ from the ‘pretenders’. Sure the Big Ten is still an awkward mess and the South Carolina’s and Hawaii’s of the world are still unbeaten and in the top 20, but they are not national championship contenders, let’s just be realistic shall we. After awakening from the stupor I was in on Saturday night after watching my arch-nemesis the Michigan Wolverines trounce my beloved Notre Dame Fighting Irish I came to one realization—that every team in the nation has a fatal flaw that they can’t overcome—except for a selected seven teams that I feel have LEGIT national championship aspirations. Those seven in no particular order are: USC, LSU, Oklahoma, Florida, West Virginia, California, and Texas. And there in lies the beauty that is college football, there is at least one major elimination game each and every weekend. Don’t get me wrong, I would absolutely love a ‘tournament’ style playoff system for college football, but while that doesn’t appear to be on the immediate horizon, you have to appreciate what college football is offering currently. Of the top seven teams listed above, USC will have to square off with California, LSU and Florida will have to battle it out for the SEC crown, and the annual celebration that is Oklahoma vs. Texas will also take place in a couple weeks. West Virginia doesn’t have it easy by any means, they will have to play Louisville as well as Rutgers. I just hear this hyperbole that there will be several undefeated teams at the end of the regular season, and I know better than to join these bold conclusions, at the end of the day, there will only be two undefeated teams remaining (if were lucky, hopefully it’s not one because that would open up a whole new can of worms) and those two teams are going to be the USC Trojans and the West Virginia Mountaineers.

Now that this week’s rant is complete, let’s move on to “The Prospect Stock Market”:

RISING:

USC Trojans: The Trojans were absolutely dominant on Saturday night against the Nebraska Cornhuskers. They were impressive in several fashions, but their offensive line stood out more than most. Anchored by potential 1^st round prospect Sam Baker the Trojans were opening up monstrous holes for their running back by committee to run through. The Trojans are already #1 in the polls so they can’t rise there, but their overall perception should rise in the minds of college football fans everywhere.

LSU Tigers: Once again they did not play the greatest competition in Middle Tennessee, but the LSU defense is flat out scary. With star defenders Glenn Dorsey and Ali Highsmith leading the way, this team might be on their way to the SEC crown.

Florida Gators: Their offense is high octane, and hanging 59 point on the Tennessee Volunteers, down year or not, is always impressive. I still worry about this team’s defense and wonder if it will lead to their downfall eventually, however, they have been really impressive and their chance for back to back championships are much more legit than originally thought.

Andre Woodson QB Kentucky: I mentioned in this very segment two weeks ago that eventually there would be debates in draft circles whether Andre Woodson or Brian Brohm would be the top QB selected in the 2008 NFL Draft. Well, after Kentucky’s upset of Louisville on Saturday night…let the debate begin.

Matt Ryan QB Boston College: How impressive have Matt Ryan and the Boston College Eagles been so far in 2007? Three consecutive wins over ACC opponents, including knocking off last years ACC Champion Wake Forest as well as a very impressive win this past weekend at #15 ranked Georgia Tech. Last week I wanted to see how Ryan did against better defenses, point proven Matt Ryan. His stock is climbing significantly as many scouts see a Matt Schaub comparison in Ryan. Don’t look now folks, but the Boston College Eagles will most likely be favored in every game they have the rest of the regular season and could be crashing the national championship party.

Justin Forsett RB California: Forsett will never be an every down back at the next level, but he’s got some abilities and with the NFL utilizing more and more running backs out of the backfield as receiving options, Forsett might be able to get some interest from NFL scouts.

Jonathan Stewart and the Oregon Ducks: The momentum just continues to build for the Ducks as they rolled over the Fresno State Bulldogs on Saturday 52-21. Their offense is prolific and WRR favorite Jonathan Stewart is extremely quick for a man his size and could make a perfect fit for an NFL Franchise at the next level. 165 yards on just 17 carries with two touchdowns fully displays his talents for the first time this season.

STATUS QUO:

Colt Brennan QB Hawaii: Colt Brennan displayed a new element to his game late Saturday night when he RAN for 3 touchdowns. He’s not much of a scrambler, but I just thought it was something of note. His accuracy is better than advertised going 26 of 32, 81% completion percentage. Colt Brennan is the pure definition of status quo for me, at this point, I just want to see how he does in the workouts following the season.

Darren McFadden RB Arkansas: In a losing effort against the Alabama Crimson Tide Darren McFadden ran for 195 yards and two scores. Week in and week out he puts on a show, and is as solid a player there is in college football. As the game wore on the ‘Bama defenders wore down and McFadden took advantage. His performances have been very solid considering the Razorbacks have no passing game to speak of and teams game plan to stop McFadden week in and week out. There is one concern, rumor has it that in the crunch time on Saturday night he took himself out of the game ala Scottie Pippen. I am not sure if this is the case or not, but it has been rumored.

Texas Longhorns: Yes, they are winning ball games right now, but they are doing it in a sloppy fashion. If they play against Oklahoma like they have the past two weeks the Sooners will walk the dog on the Longhorns.

PJ Hill RB Wisconsin: Before I receive any ‘hate mail’ regarding PJ Hill, I will mention the Wisconsin RB once again this week. While the stat line of 168 yards and 4 touchdowns line may be impressive, it was against the Citadel and they were struggling with them in the first half. Hill is a very good collegiate RB, I have never doubted this, I am just not sure if he will make it as an every down back at the next level, and nothing I have seen has changed my mind, like Colt Brennan, all my interest is in the individual workouts whenever Hill decides to turn pro.

Ohio State Buckeyes and Penn State Nitney Lions: I am still not blown away by either team. I know that someone has to win the Big Ten, but that someone appears to be Wisconsin in 2007. I expect both the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions to have 2 or 3 losses when all things are said and done.

Rutgers, South Carolina, and Clemson: They beat up on inferior opponents…nothing else to see here.

FALLING:

Oklahoma State offense: Outside of the Michigan Wolverines, the so-called “Greatest Offense in the World” hailing from Oklahoma State, the trio of Bobby Reid, Adarius Bowman, and Dantrell Savage have been the most over-hyped entity that college football has to offer. Neither Reid nor Savage even played in Week #3 and Bowman was average at best in their embarrassing loss to Troy.

Brian Brohm QB Louisville: If I am going to slam the duo of Chad Henne and Mike Hart for coming back for their senior season to compete for a National Championship and then lay a goose egg, I have to slam Brian Brohm as well. Brian Brohm doesn’t play on defense, where the Cardinals have their biggest issues, however, being out-dueled by cross-state Kentucky gun-slinger Andre Woodson is not a good thing to have happen during your senior season. On Saturday is conceivable that Brohm lost his chance at the Heisman Trophy, a National Championship, and the #1 overall selection in the 2008 NFL Draft.

UCLA Bruins: The Bruins got stomped Saturday night by un-ranked Utah 44-6. It is a jaw-dropping result, trust me, I wasn’t able to watch the game and when I saw the score, my jaw literally dropped. Bigger things were expected from this team and now you have to wonder if this is even the 4^th best team the Pac 10 has to offer with California and Oregon continuing to win impressively. QB Ben Olsen did not have a terrible game statistically, he just made several costly errors with the three interceptions.

Nebraska Cornhuskers: I know Nebraska fans that you may not know what that buzz-saw was that hit you on Saturday night…it was the USC Trojans, and yes, they are that good.

Any senior playing for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish: Now I’m just self-loathing…

In a blur of upsets and great finishes week #2 of the College Football season is in the books and Matt MacCoy, War Room Report Analyst and Lead Offensive Scout takes a look back at the noteworthy performances from this past weekend’s games and who’s stock might be “rising”, “falling”, or who’s stock remains “status quo”:

Before I get to the evaluation of week #2 and the stock of many pro prospects I have a few things I would like to get off my chest:

• If I hear this question posed one more time on one of ESPN’s tiring, re-tread shows ala “Cold Pizza” or “First and 10”, or whatever they are calling the monstrosity now I’m going to jump through my TV set and strangle Skip Bayless—the question being which Head Coach is under more pressure: Charlie Weis or Lloyd Carr? I am far from a genius, but I think I know an illogical question when I hear one. The Michigan Wolverines entered into the 2007 season with a 4-year starting senior QB Chad Henne, senior RB Mike Hart, and All-American offensive tackle Jake Long returning to make one more run at a Big Ten title and a possible National Championship only to lose to Division I-AA Appalachian State in one of the biggest upsets in college football history, and turn around a week later and get destroyed by Oregon 39-6, both games in the “Big House.” The Notre Dame Fighting Irish entered the 2007 season hoping for a winning season and possible bowl game appearance. They lost their QB Brady Quinn, RB Darius Walker, their top two options at WR Jeff Samardjiza and Rhema McKnight, top offensive lineman Ryan Harris, and top defensive lineman DE Victor Abiamiri. They are now starting a true freshman at QB in Jimmy Clausen, and while he has a very bright future, it is anticipated that he will struggle early. They lost to a respectable Georgia Tech team, and then in Happy Valley against Penn State. The major difference here is expectations—the Wolverines were gunning for a National Title, the Irish are in an obvious rebuilding season, and both teams have produced the same results. The Wolverines are the far more disappointing team, and following the 2007 season Charlie Weis will still have his job, the same I can not say for one Lloyd Carr.

• If you went to bed early Saturday night you missed a thrilling ending to the Auburn vs. South Florida game. As I was watching the game one thought kept ringing through my head: “I don’t believe I have ever seen a game where one team tried to give away the game to this extent, while the other team refused to take it from them.” If you missed it, let me briefly recap—the Auburn Tigers converted only 2/13 on 3^rd down conversions, all while turning the ball over FIVE times to South Florida. South Florida took the ball in turn, got into scoring range only for place kicker Delbert Alvarado to miss FOUR field goals. It was one of those jaw-dropping games where you just couldn’t believe what you were seeing. From a prospect point of view Brandon Cox is too shaky to make it to the next level, and is lucky there isn’t a suitable backup QB waiting in the wings or he would lose his starting job. Matt Grothe, who is only a sophomore, has got “it”. The coaching staff seemed to lose confidence in every player on the field besides Grothe at the end of the game. He is only 6’0 and 200 pounds, but he has some leadership qualities you have to like in a young QB. He needs some work, but he reminds me of a young Drew Brees.

Now that I got that off my chest, let’s move on to the up and down world that is “The Prospect Stock Market”:

RISING:

DeSean Jackson WR California: If you haven’t caught on that Jackson is the most exciting player in America you don’t have a pulse. On a day when his QB Nate Longshore wasn’t at his best, Jackson did it again with a 73-yard RUSHING TD. Yes critics, he is still undersized, but if that is your only concern, than you’re missing out. He will be a playmaker at the next level, I am sold on this.

Oklahoma Sooners: They thoroughly dominated the University of Miami (FL) on Saturday and put the rest of College Football on notice that this team is dangerous. I was very impressed with the Offensive Line of the Sooners who handled DE Calais Campbell and Co. pretty well up front; it will be interesting if any top-notch prospects emerge from this group. I was also very impressed with the Sooners’ pair of wide receivers Malcolm Kelly and Juaquin Iglesias. Iglesias may be the 2007 version of Anthony Gonzalez, he may be overshadowed by his teammate Kelly, but he is precise route runner and might workout very well and his stock might “rise”. Malcolm Kelly is very smooth and seems to make plays effortlessly; if I had to make a comparison to a player at the next level he reminds me a lot of Javon Walker.

LSU Tigers: I apologize to the entire state of Louisiana; I vastly underrated the LSU Tigers. After watching their first game this season I thought the play calling was too conservative and would bite them against Virginia Tech, oh how I was wrong. LSU has speed all over the field and will cause match-up problems for virtually every team they will encounter in 2007. Early Doucet stretches the field and the defense has to respect his speed up top, and in doing so leaves gapping holes for the Tigers other offensive weapons. All the props in the world to LSU, however, I still don’t see them in the National Championship. The lack of a ‘true’ #1 tailback and the blistering schedule they will have to endure in the SEC makes it very difficult for me to believe they will go unbeaten. They might be the 2^nd best team in the country, but I don’t think they will make it to their ultimate goal.

South Carolina Gamecocks: Steve Spurrier took his his South Carolina squad on the road in the SEC and beat a legit top 15 team. This is noteworthy in itself, and why some believe it is preposterous to think that South Carolina can win the SEC, no one gave Duke a chance to win the ACC either and Spurrier succeeded in that venture as well.

Tashard Choice RB Georgia Tech: He was playing against Samford this week and hung 110 and 2 touchdowns on them before being taken out of the game, but the week before he rushed for 196 yards and 2 touchdowns against Notre Dame. He isn’t very flashy, and is floating under the radar somewhat, but if he continues to produce at this rate he won’t be under the radar for long.

Dennis Dixon QB Oregon: He is not much of a pro prospect at this point, in fact he is probably a future major league baseball player, but how can you not be impressed by his performance in Ann Arbor last Saturday. He looked like Vince Young in the Rose Bowl, he dominated with his arm, and then with his legs. If the baseball thing doesn’t work out, he could become a later round draft pick in the NFL.

Chase Daniel QB Missouri: The competition thus far has not had the stingiest of defenses (Illinois and Ole Miss), but you have to be impressed with Daniel’s productivity and versatility. He is on pace for approximately 4,400 total yards and 48 touchdowns in the regular season. He is another prospect listed just at 6’0, so that is a major cause for concern, but he is a prospect to keep your eyes on at the very least.

Jamaal Charles RB Texas: Jamaal Charles is currently ranked 5^th on the War Room Report running back rankings, higher than most other publications, and for good reason. He has an exceptional initial burst and above average build and his production is showing up so far in the 2007 season. The TCU front seven is as tough as they come in college football and Charles averaged 6.1 yards per carry on Saturday rushing for 134 yards and a TD in the effort. The Longhorns don’t really focus Charles in the offense, so his numbers may never be eye-popping, but rest assured he is a very solid prospect.

James Hardy WR Indiana: Coming into the 2007 season it was a question mark whether James Hardy was even going to be able to play early on due to injury. Well, he has played and has only recorded six catches, but he has made the most out of them, turning those six catches into FOUR touchdowns and a 30.0 yard average. As the season progresses you will see more catches and consistency from Hardy, but he is a home run threat if nothing more.

STATUS QUO:

Brian Brohm QB Louisville: Another 400 yards passing a 4 touchdowns. Still the consensus #1 overall selection in my view, and he might be garnering some Heisman momentum.

Ray Rice RB Rutgers: He is what he is, one of the most reliable running backs in the collegiate game today.

Steve Slaton RB West Virginia: West Virginia got away from what they like to do in the first half and got themselves into trouble. You know what you are WVU, you want to run the ball with Slaton and White. Run the ball with your two studs, roll them up in bubble wrap after every game, avoid either getting injured, and you’ll be in the National Championship game. Slaton took over the game in the 2^nd half on Saturday; his end game stats were 146 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Calais Campbell DE Miami (FL) and Kenny Phillips S Miami (FL): Both players made a few solid plays, but Oklahoma hung 51 points on your defense. Two top-flight pro prospects should step up their game and not allow this to happen, and obviously this did not occur. Their draft status doesn’t change following this game, but it is something to keep an eye on as the season progresses.

Curtis Painter QB Purdue: Is he a product of the system? He has an NFL ready body, the size scouts look for, and so there is debate here. Workouts will be of most importance for Painter.

Matt Ryan QB Boston College: Another solid performance by Ryan. I don’t see any glaring weaknesses. I am really interested to see how he does against some better defenses.

Andre Woodson QB Kentucky: Another guy who has an excellent chance to impress when he gets into the heart of the SEC schedule. He doesn’t make mistakes either, doesn’t throw interceptions, and seems completely at ease with the offense at UK.

Colt Brennan QB Hawaii: Almost 1,000 yards passing in two games and a 10:1 TD: INT ratio is excellent, but more impressively is that they gutted out a tough victory on Saturday against Louisiana Tech.

FALLING:

Sam Keller QB Nebraska: He is just too inconsistent for my liking. Some plays he looks great, some he looks as if he has no idea what is going on out there. He is beginning to remind me a lot of Kyle Boller, and this is not a good thing. This was a big year for Keller to impress the scouts, and there is still time, but his biggest problem is consistency, if this doesn’t improve almost nothing else will matter.

Ohio State Buckeyes: Yes, the good news is they are off to a 2-0 start, but anyone who watched last weeks game against Akron can tell you that there is just something wrong with this team. Whether it is the lack of a passing game or the fact that they are just missing so many parts from their offense a year ago, this is not a good football team NOW, but with such a soft early schedule they have time to iron some things out.

Michigan Wolverines: You know the story, you have seen the games, and you draw your own conclusion.

Boise State Broncos: The Broncos lost and broke their winning streak on Saturday. Ian Johnson couldn’t get anything going with the running game, and they just didn’t seem to be in sync all day.

Virginia Tech’s Defense: Vince Hall and Co. disappointed Saturday. The Hokies were beaten in every facet of the game, even in their forte of defense and special teams.

PJ Hill RB Wisconsin: I might be too critical of PJ Hill, but then again I wasn’t the one telling everyone who would listen how he had slimmed down and was going to be more explosive. He ran for 147 yards on Saturday night, and while that is all well and good the productivity from Hill has never been the question mark, the quickness and initial burst has been and I might be the only person in America who is so critical of him, but in two games, I have yet to see it.

Week #1 of the College Football season is in the books and Matt MacCoy, War Room Report Analyst and Lead Offensive Scout takes a look back at the noteworthy performances from this past weekend’s games and who’s stock might be “rising”, “falling”, or who’s stock remains “status quo”:

RISING:
Brian Brohm QB Louisville: The early favorite to be the #1 overall selection in the 2008 NFL Draft didn’t disappoint in his 2007 debut. Displaying accuracy and the ability to make the big play he turned his 16 completions into a whopping 375 yards and seems to be making a smooth transition to any changes that may have been made in the coaching switch from Bobby Petrino to Steve Kragthorpe. I understand the performance was against Murray State, so we shouldn’t go overboard with excitement, but to see Brohm in mid-season form and showing no residual effects from his injury last season is an excellent sign.

Colt Brennan QB Hawaii: I realize that Northern Colorado may not have a Division I caliber defense, but throwing for 416 yards and 6 TDs—virtually of which was in the first half is still stunning. Look, I get the arguments, the guy is from a pass-happy offense and he is on the smallish side…duly noted. Colt Brennan isn’t Timmy Chang, and he isn’t David Klinger or any other pass-crazy, non pro-prospect reference you want to throw out there. He is freakishly accurate with his passes, displayed by his 34 of 40 performance on Saturday night…yes that is an 85% completion percentage. He needs to bulk up, and needs to show he can take snaps under center and still remain as accurate, but you are looking at a 1^st rounder in the 2008 Draft at this point.

DeSean Jackson WR California: The kid needs to bulk up…that is all. He is as an electrifying a player that college football has to offer and for per touch excitement, only Reggie Bush and Devin Hester come to mind when explaining how skilled Jackson is. He’s not a kick returner playing wide receiver ala Ted Ginn Jr., he is a wide receiver with breathtaking abilities as a return man. As the draft approaches I’m sure we will here the critics break him down due to his size, and their fear that he won’t hold up at the next level. The fears are legit, but drafting DeSean Jackson gives you a Steve Smith or Santana Moss type player on offense RIGHT NOW.

Andre Woodson QB Kentucky: His stock is going to continue to rise until his name is mentioned in debate around draft circles whether a team would be better off drafting him or Brian Brohm. Andre Woodson needs to solidify such hyperbole by showing up in the big games in the SEC, and some wins in these games wouldn’t hurt, but 20 of 29 for 250 yards and 3 touchdowns to no interceptions is a good start.

Ben Olsen QB UCLA: Now is the time for the former prep star to realize his potential. If he can stay away from injuries he can lead this team to some big wins. He has the attributes the NFL scouts covet, and throwing 5 touchdowns in his 2007 debut put everyone in the Pac 10 on alert. I would like to his completion percentage escalate to some degree, but right now, I’m nitpicking.

Steve Slaton RB West Virginia: He is not a complete back quite yet, and he will need some work at the next level, as well as to bulk up a little bit, that being said, he is the most exciting RB in the country Darren McFadden included. Every time Steve Slaton touches the ball your on the edge of your seat thinking he is going to go the distance, and on many occasions he does just that. If he can display improvement in catching the football out of the backfield, he will rival McFadden for the top selection of a RB in the 2008 Draft.

STATUS QUO:
John David Booty QB USC: The Heisman favorite had a ho-hum 206 yards passing and 3 touchdowns against Idaho on Saturday. Nothing to get too excited about, but if you were USC would you get that excited about playing Idaho? His overall performances will get better, but he remains the favorite for the Heisman and a first-day selection.

Darren McFadden RB Arkansas: With a 151 yards rushing and a TD plus a 42-yard TD pass, Darren McFadden made the country well aware that he is the most versatile back in the country and still second to none at the position when it comes to his draft status. Steve Slaton may be on his heels, but with performances like this, McFadden will keep him at bay.

Ray Rice RB Rutgers: 25 carries for 184 yards and 3 touchdowns. Ray Rice is the workhorse for the Rutgers offense, this is well known. After his tremendous sophomore campaign it is tough to impress. He may not be as dynamic or talented as Darren McFadden or Steve Slaton, but Ray Rice gives you steady production at the position, and in this class, 3^rd RB is no slap in the face.

Matt Ryan QB Boston College: Matt Ryan has displayed a complete control of the Boston College offense. 408 yards and 5 touchdowns are pretty impressive considering they were against defending ACC Champion Wake Forest. I’m not sure how high Ryan’s ‘ceiling’ is as far as his draft potential goes, but with consistent performances in 2007 his name will be in the mix as the 4^th-5^th QB to come off the board.

Erik Ainge QB Tennessee: Some scouts are down on Erik Ainge entering the 2007 season, but I am not one of them. His performance on Saturday was a solid outing. With a running game that is below par and wide receiver options that are unfamiliar Ainge still managed to go 32 of 47 for 271 yards with 3 touchdowns to no interceptions in a hostile Golden Bear crowd, all with a broken finger. I know he has less mobility than the Statue of Liberty, but the kid can throw from the pocket and he is accurate and can make all the throws you could want. This might be high praise, but at the end of the day I see more Carson Palmer then Byron Leftwich in Erik Ainge.

Ian Johnson RB Boise State: As far as college running backs go this guy is a stud. His off-season workouts, especially speed and agility drills are going to be of great importance to Ian Johnson. He is tough as nails, and there is a lot to like about the guy, but again, just not sure how high his potential ‘ceiling’ is.

Felix Jones RB Arkansas: 12 rushes for 129 yards and a TD. Another 10 yard+ average game for Jones, but he remains overshadowed by teammate Darren McFadden. I am afraid people don’t realize how good Jones is.

FALLING:
Michigan Wolverines: After the stunning defeat vs. Appalachian State the Wolverines have seen the 2007 season go down in flames and now some of their potential high round picks are going to have their abilities questioned. Jake Long and Mike Hart had solid performances so their stock should remain about where it was prior to the game. However, I’m concerned about Chad Henne and Mario Manningham. Henne connected on only 51.4% of his passes vs. Appalachian State? This sends up ‘red flags’ for me. You expect in his senior season your QB to step up and save the day in such a situation, and Henne played well in the 4^th quarter, but it was too little too late for me. Manningham had only 3 catches for 66 yards, and 1 was the 46-yarder that came in that desperation heave. The Wolverines need to bounce back, and bounce back quick.

Oklahoma State: The supposed “Greatest Offense in the World” fell flat on its face on Saturday against Georgia. They looked out of sync for most of the ball game. Adarius Bowman had an ok performance and has the tools to succeed at the next level, so only slight concern surrounding him, but as far as Bobby Reid and Dantrell Savage goes, they need excellent 2007 seasons to impress the scouts, and they got off on the wrong foot on Saturday, another team that needs to turn it around in a hurry.

Early Doucet WR LSU: What I saw from the LSU Tigers offense in their first game I did not like. They seemed to have very conservative play calling, and in order to display the skills of a top WR like Doucet, they need to open up the playbook a bit more and have more down field passing. His end game numbers, 9 catches for 78 yards and a TD are ok, but just watching the offense, if the play calling remains the same, Doucet could be in for some poor performances in 2007.

Jonathan Stewart RB Oregon: A War Room Report favorite struggled out of the gates, having two teammates rush for more yards than him. I would personally like to see the Oregon coaching staff feature him more in 2007, give him more carries. He is a bruising tailback that should be able to wear down defenses by the time the 4^th quarter rolls around, I’m just not sure if 14 touches a game is going to get it down. I would like to see his workload doubled.

Courtney Tennial RB Tulsa: The former Oklahoma product did not play in Week 1 and it was announced that he will miss the entire 2007 season with an ankle injury suffered in pre-season drills. Tennial has been a hard luck player since entering college, being stuck behind Adrian Peterson at Oklahoma and now suffering this injury. Despite the fact that he has only been a featured back for one year, Tennial will have to petition the NCAA for a 6^th year of eligibility if he hopes to play in 2008.

OTHER PERFORMANCES OF NOTE:
Omar Cuff RB Delaware: Omar Cuff tied a Division I-AA record when he rushed for 7 touchdowns against William & Mary in the opener. He recorded 296 yards of offense to boot. He is a versatile, speedy back and could build momentum to a possible draft selection.

The War Room Report has published our first round of rankings for the 2008 NFL Draft. We started with the quarterback class, which is strong in 2008 and much deeper than previous drafts, especially if a few of the top juniors come out.

Brian Brohm is our easy #1, as he is on almost every list of the top 2008 QB Prospects. Brohm is one of the few prospects who can realstically be considered for the #1 overall spot come next April, with his combination of arm strength, accuracy, and experience. However, one wonders if he will suffer from the same nitpicking that Brady Quinn and Matt Leinart have in recent seasons. Both entered their senior season as the #1 QB on the board, but saw others pass them before the draft. Brohm has a host of players to hold off and any holes in his game will be sure to be picked apart during the season and pre-draft process.

While choosing our #1 QB prospect was easy, there was considerable disagreement about the remainder of the board. In the end we only had to go about an hour east to Lexington to find our #2 ranked QB in Andre Woodson from Kentucky. Woodson is a strong armed player who has flourished under Rich Brooks. He really stepped it up in his junior season, throwing for 31 touchdowns with only 7 interceptions. He leads a potent offense at Kentucky that features prospects Rafael Little, Keenan Burton, and Jacob Tamme and will get ample opportunity to pass behind a poor defense.

The #3 spot in the rankings goes to prolific Hawaii QB Colt Brennan. While most of the main stream media will focus on the questions about Brennan being a “system quarterback” and solely a product of June Jones’ run and shoot, that is not the real concern. Brennan has a stronger arm than many other run and shoot QBs and a quick release. The Timmy Chang comparisons are not relevant and frankly a little bit lazy. The real concern is how Brennan’s body will handle the pounding of the NFL. Listed at 6′3 and 196, Brennan is going to have to prove to scouts that he can function at the NFL level. The size concerns could be alleviated by strong workouts or favorable measurements at the pre-draft camps, but Brennan may still slide down draft boards and have to wait for his chance to compete for an NFL job.

Chad Henne of Michigan will be in the top 3 on many pre season draft boards, but concerns about his mobility have dropped him on the War Room Report rankings. There are no concerns about his arm strength, which is at an elite level. Henne should get a chance to shine in 2007 on a very talented Michigan offense. He should shine in off-season workouts and is very likely to go higher than ranked here. He certainly has the physical tools to be a first round draft pick.

Erik Ainge is probably the quarterback that our scouts were split on the most. Some had him ranked 2nd behind Brohm, while others dropped him even further down than 5th. His supporters point to an outstanding junior season, his first with David Cutcliffe, and his strong arm. His detractors argue his flaws are much like Henne’s - below average mobility. They also question rather he has the accuracy to succeed at the NFL level. His performance during the ‘07 season will go a long way to determine his draft status.

It is very early to be projecting the 2008 NFL Draft and our rankings are just guidelines for the start of the season. We have only ranked 10 players to start the season, and the rankings will likely change during the season as players are evaluated. Never the less, it is a fun exercise to kick start the 2008 NFL Draft Season.

Feel free to comment below!

As the 2007 NFL Draft process wraps up, we are turning our attention to the class of 2008. During the off-season, we will be presenting our top prospects lists and juniors to watch list. Below is our early list of prospects, subject to change during the 2007-08 season.

1. Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas (Junior) - The 2006 Doak Walker Award winner, McFadden could enter the 2008 draft as a junior. McFadden’s combination of speed, size, and elusiveness, would rank him among the top running backs to enter the draft in history. He was the runner up for the Heisman Trophy in 2006, after rushing for 1,558 yards. McFadden is a big back at 6′2, weighing 210 lbs. He runs with a great deal of power and has yet to demonstrate any of the durability concerns that have plagued recent top prospects.
2. Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville - Brohm considered entering the 2007 NFL Draft, but decided to return to Louisville, despite a change in the coaching staff. Brohm has ideal size for a QB at a 6′4, 225, and one of the strongest arms in college football. Brohm has been extremely efficient at Louisville, completing over 63% of his passes in 2 years as a starter. Brohm has had thumb and knee injuries at Louisville, but has the size and quick release to remain healthy at the NFL level.
3. Jake Long, OT, Michigan - Long could have been a top 10 pick if he had entered the 2007 NFL Draft. He decided to return for his senior season at Michigan. Long was the 2006 Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year, over top 5 picks, Joe Thomas and Levi Brown. Long has exceptional strength and is very technically sound. At 6′7, 313 lb, Long has the ability to add more weight to his already impressive frame.
4. Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU - At 6′2, 299 lbs, Dorsey is an ideal 3 technique DT. He is another player who could have entered the 2007 NFL Draft and likely would be a high draft pick. He had 64 tackles last season while anchoring the LSU line. He needs to continue to improve his strength, but if he can have another standout season, he will be the top defensive lineman off the board in the 2008 Draft.
5. Sam Baker, OT, USC - Baker also choose to return to school after considering declaring for the 2007 NFL Draft. Baker is a good athlete with outstanding mobility. He needs to add strength to his game, as he is a better pass blocker than a run blocker at this point. He has the athleticism to project to left tackle at the next level.
6. Kenny Phillips, S, Miami (Junior) - Another in the long line of outstanding safeties from the “U”, Phillips has terrific size at 6′2, 202 and outstanding agility. He runs a sub 4.45 40 and unlike some other recent Miami safeties, he is a terrific student who really understands the game. Phillips intercepted 4 passes in 9 games last season and will be expected to step up his game following the departure of Brandon Meriweather.
7. Desean Jackson, WR, Cal (Junior) - Jackson is among the best playmakers in college football. He has value in the return game and is an exceptional receiver. He has good hands and runs his routes well. He has scored 21 touchdowns in 24 career games, which demonstrates his playmaking ability. He had 59 receptions and over 1,000 yards for the productive Cal offense in 2006 and is likely to exceed that production in 2007. Jackson must add bulk - his 166 lb frame is too small for the NFL at this point.
8. Lawrence Jackson, DE, USC - One of the most watched juniors during the 2006-07 season, Jackson regressed slightly after an outstanding sophomore campaign that saw him rack up 10 sacks and earn 1st team All Pac-Ten. Jackson is 6′5, 275 lb and has the frame to add weight without losing mobility. He has an explosive first step and if he can play with more consistency in the 2007-08 season, he will see his name called early in the draft.
9. Dan Connor, LB, Penn State - Another great linebacker from “Linebacker U.”, Connor totaled 113 tackles in his junior season, including 9 tackles for a loss and 4 sacks. Connor will be entering the 2007 season has a four year starter and the top LB prospect in the country. He has the quickness to play sideline to sideline and could project to the NFL as a MLB or an OLB.
10. Paul Oliver, CB, Georgia - Oliver has ideal size for a corner and has the ability both to play off coverage and press coverage. He had an outstanding junior campaign, regularly matching up against the top receiver on the other team. He held Calvin Johnson to only 13 yards and Sidney Rice to 31 yards receiving. He needs to display more consistency in his game, but he has the physical tools to be the top corner in the 2008 class. *** Update *** Oliver has declared for the 2007 NFL Supplemental draft after academics trouble at Georgia.