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Mel Kiper: (2:08 PM ET ) Today is the time to look at the bowls. We'll be in the throws of bowl week at this time next week so check out my website for the latest big boards and more! Let's get to those questions.
Chris ( Florence, SC ): Mel, Why has Marlin Jackson been taken of the big board? Do you think he is a legitimate corner in the NFL? What are his weaknesses?
Mel Kiper: (2:10 PM ET ) That's the question -- Is he a legitimate NFL player. Recovery speed is up in the air, that is the lingering doubt. He's looked at more of a second round possibility right now. Whether he is a safety, or whether he is a true corner -- that will be answered during workouts.
Matt (Austin): Recently, I saw a list of your favorites to have the best pro career. Of the current seniors, you had Cedric Benson at the top, and I can't agree more. But the list showed six or seven names, and Derrick Johnson wasn't on there. Where do you rank him in such a list?
Mel Kiper: (2:11 PM ET ) Derrick is in the top top on any board that you look at. The juniors push him down a little bit on my board. The concern with Derrick is that he kind of over-pursues and he misses some tackles. He is credited with a ton of tackles, but I'm not convinced that he is as sure as his statistics suggest.
Chris (Akron,OH): Hey Mel! Do you see Nugent from OSU getting drafted in the 1st round like Janikowski a few yrs ago?
Mel Kiper: (2:13 PM ET ) I never really project kickers into the first round. Gruden drafted Janikowski in the first round and then punter Lechler in the fifth round! Normally you don't see that. Jason Hanson went in the second round and that panned out but so did John Lee and that didn't work. I think Mike Nugent is certainly the top kicker ... No. 2 is another Big 10er Dave Rayner from Michigan State. I project Nugent as a solid second round pick. He will have a slightly higher grade than Nate Kaeding did last year coming out of Iowa.
Tom Iowa City, IA: Mel, Will all four of Iowa's Defensive linemen get drafted?
Mel Kiper: (2:15 PM ET ) Right now, there is a big difference in grades. Matt Roth is a mid-first round draft choice. He is outstanding and he jumps out in front immediately. Dan Cody and Erasmus James are the only ones I rate ahead of him in the country. Jonathan Babineaux is not that big -- he's only 275 -- he's more of a third rounder. Derreck Robinson the DE is a draftable player, maybe a second day possibility.
Mike (Sacramento, Ca.): Hey Mel! I really trust your instincts as an evaluator of talent. That's why I was surprised when D'Brickshaw Ferguson, who you have projected as a possible top 5 pick, didn't make 1st 2nd or 3rd team All-American honors. What gives? Of the many needs the Dolphins have, would LT be their top priority?
Mel Kiper: (2:18 PM ET ) I have absolutely no idea why that happened. He is in a league with a lot of elite tackles. But he just toys with the DEs that he is working against. He will probably be 315 lbs by the time of next season, he'll just get bigger and bigger and I think he is as good as any other player I've seen. I think he showed flashes of being right on par with Robert Gallery. I think maybe people mistakingly think that D'Brickishaw is undersized b/c he was only listed at 265 when the season began. That may have skewed some people's opinion of him.
Joe (Tremonton, UT): Mel, the real ESPN dream job would be working with you. Nothing is more fun than trying to predict the NFL's next star. Lately, there haven't been truly dominant linebackers in drafts. However, Derrick Johnson is one this year. Are there any freshman or sophs that you believe can get the Arrington-esque buzz in the next couple of years?
Mel Kiper: (2:20 PM ET ) Good question, you don't see great numbers from linebackers like we once did. There are two players listed as sophs but are really 3 years removed from H.S. Ahmad Brooks from VA and Channing Crowder from Fla. ........ Chad Greenway is a fourth year junior who is really an every-down player. Just outstanding there with the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Ed (VA): Mel, Bryan Randall has been an incredibly hard worker and has really improved in his four years at VT. Do you see him being drafted in the later rounds? I don't think you can go wrong with the guy with his leadership and hard workiing qualities.
Mel Kiper: (2:22 PM ET ) Bryan is just 6 feet tall. He is very athletic, he can escape and move even though he is really not as fast as he plays. His 40 time is not that impressive. He needs improvement in his accuracy throwing the football. Bryan is probably a late rounder or undrafted free agent. At best he could be a serviceable NFL backup.
Rudy(Columbia, SC): Since Troy Williamson of South Carolina has announced his early entry how soon will he go. And should he haved stayed in the Spurrier offfense another year
Mel Kiper: (2:23 PM ET ) I think that's the thing. Spurrier has a lot of WRs that went very early in the first round. This is a system that allows receivers to put up big numbers -- if they have the right passing QB. Troy is about 6'1, he has good size, good hands, and he is the kind of guy that will probably be viewed as a potential first DAY pick. Had he gone back, he probably would have elevated his grade for next hear IF SC had a promising passing quarterback for him to work with.
Andy(OK): hi mister Kiper..i was just wondering..is there any possible way that Jason White end up to be # 1 draft pick? thanks
Mel Kiper: (2:25 PM ET ) No. Right now, Jason White will go in the fourth or fifth round. He is a tough kid but he is not a starting NFL QB. His arm strength is average, but he had phenomenal talent around him. I'm not taking anything away from him, I'm just crediting the talent of that Oklahoma team.
syl(dallas): Hi mel,how many Sooners do you think will be drafted overall, and in the first round?
Mel Kiper: (2:27 PM ET ) First round definites -- Dan Cody, Jammal Brown, Mark Clayton, Mark Bradley -- the most underrated standout in college football -- should be a late first round pick. Then, depending on the decision of safety Brodney Pool and G Davin Joseph the Sooners could add a few more in there. Antonio Perkins could have been in this mix had injuries not pushed him out of there.
Mel Kiper: (2:28 PM ET ) Four with as many as six.
Mike (Seattle): Hey Mel, USC or Oklahoma
Mel Kiper: (2:29 PM ET ) I stick with the team I picked to win the national championship back in August -- Oklahoma. From a pure talent standpoint, these two teams matchup very well. In terms of weaknesses, BOTH teams have struggled. If this game comes down to a field goal, Bob Stoops and Pete Carroll will be holding their breath b/c their kicking games have been questionable. I'm sticking with the Sooners, even though they are a 3-point underdog.
Tim (Springfield, MO): Mel, how many players in the Orange Bowl will be drafted this spring?
Mel Kiper: (2:31 PM ET ) Well, I think Southern Cal, let's see, Leinart could be the No. 1 pick overall, then there's Shaun Cody, I also like Mike Patterson their DT. So, you could have as many as eight first rounders from this football game.
Jon (Minneapolis, MN): After Eli Manning's reaction to being drafted by the Chargers last year, I started wondering how often this sort of thing happens. I mean, is it common for players to be open about a dislike for the team that drafted them? I just imagine a Wisconsin kid from the Green Bay area getting drafted by Chicago or something similar, got my imagination going.
Mel Kiper: (2:35 PM ET ) In all the years -- my 26 years -- I remember John Elway in the '83 draft was drafted by the Balt. Colts and said he would rather use his baseball draftability and go to the Yankees. The Colts waited a year and then he was traded to the Broncos. That's the only other time that I've seen it affect where the player actually ended up. Sure there are players who may not be thrilled about where they are going, but John Elway and Eli Manning are the only two players that I have actually seen go somewhere else within the league. Bo Jackson ended up playing baseball instead of going to Tampa Bay, Jim Kelly didn't go right to the Bills, he went to the Houston Gamblers of the USFL ... and then there was the Steve Young situation. But, nothing like Manning or Elway.
Bob (london): Hey Mel. How did so many so-called experts miss the boat with Julius Jones? What were your thoughts on him coming out of college and what do you see now? thanks, Bob
Mel Kiper: (2:42 PM ET ) I like Julius Jones, I made the comment on draft day that once they decided to trade they HAD to find a RB. What saved them is that they got Julius Jones in round 2. He had a phenomenal season, he put up HUGE numbers at Notre Dame last year. He has real quick feet and he catches the ball, he's just a complete back with compact size. I think he was a nice recovery for the Cowboys after they traded away that pick who was potentially S. Jackson. That was a great move by Parcells.
Ian J. Morris (San Francisco): Mel, please help us on the west coast by doing two things: Propose that both Aaron Rodgers and Marshawn Lynch should be early favorites for next year's Heisman and give us your guess on whether or not Rodgers will stay at CAL.
Mel Kiper: (2:45 PM ET ) I think that's a real dilemma for Rodgers, if Leinart comes out as No. 1 and Rodgers comes out as No. 2, you have the Cleveland Browns picking No. 3 who NEED a QB. I think Cleveland could take Rodgers if he is available OR if they pass then he could still interest some teams in teh middle of the first. If he goes back to Cal, he could end up as the No. 1 QB overall in 2006. Lynch is so special, this is a start, he is not far behind Adrian Peterson.
Clark (Baton Rouge): Last year was a big year for receivers in the draft, which position will carry the draft this year?
Mel Kiper: (2:50 PM ET ) Good question. I think, right now, it's pretty wide open, not to dodge the question, but the junior issue makes that question almost unanswerable right now. RBs will dominiate the top of the board if juniors come out with with Benson, Brown, C. Williams, D. Williams and Fason -- there's five RBs. Last year you had four QBs in the first round, I think this year you could see 3-5 QBs this year. That's the projection, but, in reality, RBs always drop down a little bit so somebody will get a great back in the second round. There are 5 elite RBs, but they are not all going to go in the top 10.
Chris ( Florence, SC ): Mel, Why has Marlin Jackson been taken of the big board? Do you think he is a legitimate corner in the NFL? What are his weaknesses?
Mel Kiper: (2:10 PM ET ) That's the question -- Is he a legitimate NFL player. Recovery speed is up in the air, that is the lingering doubt. He's looked at more of a second round possibility right now. Whether he is a safety, or whether he is a true corner -- that will be answered during workouts.
Matt (Austin): Recently, I saw a list of your favorites to have the best pro career. Of the current seniors, you had Cedric Benson at the top, and I can't agree more. But the list showed six or seven names, and Derrick Johnson wasn't on there. Where do you rank him in such a list?
Mel Kiper: (2:11 PM ET ) Derrick is in the top top on any board that you look at. The juniors push him down a little bit on my board. The concern with Derrick is that he kind of over-pursues and he misses some tackles. He is credited with a ton of tackles, but I'm not convinced that he is as sure as his statistics suggest.
Chris (Akron,OH): Hey Mel! Do you see Nugent from OSU getting drafted in the 1st round like Janikowski a few yrs ago?
Mel Kiper: (2:13 PM ET ) I never really project kickers into the first round. Gruden drafted Janikowski in the first round and then punter Lechler in the fifth round! Normally you don't see that. Jason Hanson went in the second round and that panned out but so did John Lee and that didn't work. I think Mike Nugent is certainly the top kicker ... No. 2 is another Big 10er Dave Rayner from Michigan State. I project Nugent as a solid second round pick. He will have a slightly higher grade than Nate Kaeding did last year coming out of Iowa.
Tom Iowa City, IA: Mel, Will all four of Iowa's Defensive linemen get drafted?
Mel Kiper: (2:15 PM ET ) Right now, there is a big difference in grades. Matt Roth is a mid-first round draft choice. He is outstanding and he jumps out in front immediately. Dan Cody and Erasmus James are the only ones I rate ahead of him in the country. Jonathan Babineaux is not that big -- he's only 275 -- he's more of a third rounder. Derreck Robinson the DE is a draftable player, maybe a second day possibility.
Mike (Sacramento, Ca.): Hey Mel! I really trust your instincts as an evaluator of talent. That's why I was surprised when D'Brickshaw Ferguson, who you have projected as a possible top 5 pick, didn't make 1st 2nd or 3rd team All-American honors. What gives? Of the many needs the Dolphins have, would LT be their top priority?
Mel Kiper: (2:18 PM ET ) I have absolutely no idea why that happened. He is in a league with a lot of elite tackles. But he just toys with the DEs that he is working against. He will probably be 315 lbs by the time of next season, he'll just get bigger and bigger and I think he is as good as any other player I've seen. I think he showed flashes of being right on par with Robert Gallery. I think maybe people mistakingly think that D'Brickishaw is undersized b/c he was only listed at 265 when the season began. That may have skewed some people's opinion of him.
Joe (Tremonton, UT): Mel, the real ESPN dream job would be working with you. Nothing is more fun than trying to predict the NFL's next star. Lately, there haven't been truly dominant linebackers in drafts. However, Derrick Johnson is one this year. Are there any freshman or sophs that you believe can get the Arrington-esque buzz in the next couple of years?
Mel Kiper: (2:20 PM ET ) Good question, you don't see great numbers from linebackers like we once did. There are two players listed as sophs but are really 3 years removed from H.S. Ahmad Brooks from VA and Channing Crowder from Fla. ........ Chad Greenway is a fourth year junior who is really an every-down player. Just outstanding there with the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Ed (VA): Mel, Bryan Randall has been an incredibly hard worker and has really improved in his four years at VT. Do you see him being drafted in the later rounds? I don't think you can go wrong with the guy with his leadership and hard workiing qualities.
Mel Kiper: (2:22 PM ET ) Bryan is just 6 feet tall. He is very athletic, he can escape and move even though he is really not as fast as he plays. His 40 time is not that impressive. He needs improvement in his accuracy throwing the football. Bryan is probably a late rounder or undrafted free agent. At best he could be a serviceable NFL backup.
Rudy(Columbia, SC): Since Troy Williamson of South Carolina has announced his early entry how soon will he go. And should he haved stayed in the Spurrier offfense another year
Mel Kiper: (2:23 PM ET ) I think that's the thing. Spurrier has a lot of WRs that went very early in the first round. This is a system that allows receivers to put up big numbers -- if they have the right passing QB. Troy is about 6'1, he has good size, good hands, and he is the kind of guy that will probably be viewed as a potential first DAY pick. Had he gone back, he probably would have elevated his grade for next hear IF SC had a promising passing quarterback for him to work with.
Andy(OK): hi mister Kiper..i was just wondering..is there any possible way that Jason White end up to be # 1 draft pick? thanks
Mel Kiper: (2:25 PM ET ) No. Right now, Jason White will go in the fourth or fifth round. He is a tough kid but he is not a starting NFL QB. His arm strength is average, but he had phenomenal talent around him. I'm not taking anything away from him, I'm just crediting the talent of that Oklahoma team.
syl(dallas): Hi mel,how many Sooners do you think will be drafted overall, and in the first round?
Mel Kiper: (2:27 PM ET ) First round definites -- Dan Cody, Jammal Brown, Mark Clayton, Mark Bradley -- the most underrated standout in college football -- should be a late first round pick. Then, depending on the decision of safety Brodney Pool and G Davin Joseph the Sooners could add a few more in there. Antonio Perkins could have been in this mix had injuries not pushed him out of there.
Mel Kiper: (2:28 PM ET ) Four with as many as six.
Mike (Seattle): Hey Mel, USC or Oklahoma
Mel Kiper: (2:29 PM ET ) I stick with the team I picked to win the national championship back in August -- Oklahoma. From a pure talent standpoint, these two teams matchup very well. In terms of weaknesses, BOTH teams have struggled. If this game comes down to a field goal, Bob Stoops and Pete Carroll will be holding their breath b/c their kicking games have been questionable. I'm sticking with the Sooners, even though they are a 3-point underdog.
Tim (Springfield, MO): Mel, how many players in the Orange Bowl will be drafted this spring?
Mel Kiper: (2:31 PM ET ) Well, I think Southern Cal, let's see, Leinart could be the No. 1 pick overall, then there's Shaun Cody, I also like Mike Patterson their DT. So, you could have as many as eight first rounders from this football game.
Jon (Minneapolis, MN): After Eli Manning's reaction to being drafted by the Chargers last year, I started wondering how often this sort of thing happens. I mean, is it common for players to be open about a dislike for the team that drafted them? I just imagine a Wisconsin kid from the Green Bay area getting drafted by Chicago or something similar, got my imagination going.
Mel Kiper: (2:35 PM ET ) In all the years -- my 26 years -- I remember John Elway in the '83 draft was drafted by the Balt. Colts and said he would rather use his baseball draftability and go to the Yankees. The Colts waited a year and then he was traded to the Broncos. That's the only other time that I've seen it affect where the player actually ended up. Sure there are players who may not be thrilled about where they are going, but John Elway and Eli Manning are the only two players that I have actually seen go somewhere else within the league. Bo Jackson ended up playing baseball instead of going to Tampa Bay, Jim Kelly didn't go right to the Bills, he went to the Houston Gamblers of the USFL ... and then there was the Steve Young situation. But, nothing like Manning or Elway.
Bob (london): Hey Mel. How did so many so-called experts miss the boat with Julius Jones? What were your thoughts on him coming out of college and what do you see now? thanks, Bob
Mel Kiper: (2:42 PM ET ) I like Julius Jones, I made the comment on draft day that once they decided to trade they HAD to find a RB. What saved them is that they got Julius Jones in round 2. He had a phenomenal season, he put up HUGE numbers at Notre Dame last year. He has real quick feet and he catches the ball, he's just a complete back with compact size. I think he was a nice recovery for the Cowboys after they traded away that pick who was potentially S. Jackson. That was a great move by Parcells.
Ian J. Morris (San Francisco): Mel, please help us on the west coast by doing two things: Propose that both Aaron Rodgers and Marshawn Lynch should be early favorites for next year's Heisman and give us your guess on whether or not Rodgers will stay at CAL.
Mel Kiper: (2:45 PM ET ) I think that's a real dilemma for Rodgers, if Leinart comes out as No. 1 and Rodgers comes out as No. 2, you have the Cleveland Browns picking No. 3 who NEED a QB. I think Cleveland could take Rodgers if he is available OR if they pass then he could still interest some teams in teh middle of the first. If he goes back to Cal, he could end up as the No. 1 QB overall in 2006. Lynch is so special, this is a start, he is not far behind Adrian Peterson.
Clark (Baton Rouge): Last year was a big year for receivers in the draft, which position will carry the draft this year?
Mel Kiper: (2:50 PM ET ) Good question. I think, right now, it's pretty wide open, not to dodge the question, but the junior issue makes that question almost unanswerable right now. RBs will dominiate the top of the board if juniors come out with with Benson, Brown, C. Williams, D. Williams and Fason -- there's five RBs. Last year you had four QBs in the first round, I think this year you could see 3-5 QBs this year. That's the projection, but, in reality, RBs always drop down a little bit so somebody will get a great back in the second round. There are 5 elite RBs, but they are not all going to go in the top 10.
