Where will Matthew Stafford go if the Lions don't pick him?
This is the one question that Stafford's agents, Tom Condon and Ben Dogra, must have answered in their own minds If the Lions pass, where does Stafford fall to and how much of a financial hit will they take for not taking the Lions' offer?
The Rams have made it clear the one thing they are not doing is taking a quarterback. There's a chance Seattle might take him, but it's only a chance. I would suspect the Seahawks have Mark Sanchez rated higher on their board. The Browns? Who knows what they're doing besides trading their whole team, but on the surface, Stafford would fit the big-arm theory that I'm hearing Eric Mangini wants in his new quarterback. Jacksonville? Again, not sure where he fits in their minds, but I did learn Tuesday that the Jaguars are going to pick the highest-rated player on their board regardless of position and most likely will not take a wideout in the first round.
All those words and I still haven't answered the question, right? I sense there is no answer, and that should cause Team Stafford some concern and maybe push them into doing a deal with the Lions. Right now, it's all about leverage, and I'm not sure Stafford has a guaranteed landing spot if the Lions pass. The value of being the No. 1 overall pick is very appealing, and Stafford must think of all his options as he weighs them in the next few days.
Will the Skins move up to get Mark Sanchez?
My sense is that the 'Skins are an emotional management team and they make emotional decisions. They're not very good at keeping their plans to themselves, and it's clear they're in love with Sanchez.
I'm sure head coach Jim Zorn sees that Sanchez would be the perfect player to run his west coast offense and would be able to come in and help the 'Skins win right away, as Matt Ryan did for the Falcons last year. Sanchez is mentally and physically ready, and with a sound run game, he can grow as the season goes along. Having spent Monday with him here in Los Angeles, he struck me as a very confident player, one who has leadership skills. He's prepared to play right now despite playing only 16 games in his college career. His practice time at USC enabled him to learn about the speed of the game and the speed required for a quarterback to make decisions.
(Side note I like Sanchez as the best quarterback in the draft, and if I were working for the Lions, he would be my pick.)
Has Andre Smith moved into the Top 10 for sure?
With the selection of Priority Sports to take over Smith's representation, I was told by a general manager in the top 10 that this move was an 11th-hour save. Before this hire, there was no certain landing spot for Smith, and there was a "piling on" with regard to his work habits and preparation. What a good agent does is bring peace of mind to the clubs. It allows the club to call the agent and know it can get some help dealing with any problems involving the player. The contract is another reason to have a great agent, but for teams, it's very important to have someone you can call and know they will help.
Smith is a lock to go to Cincinnati or Jacksonville (remember, Mike Shula recruited him at Alabama and is on the staff at Jacksonville), and now might go as high as No. 2 to the Rams or No. 4 to the Seahawks.
Who's the hottest name besides Sanchez right now?
Michael Oher from Mississippi is the hot name, not just Sanchez. Oher has the league buzzing with his athletic talent, and the fact he's the last left tackle has increased his value. This is not a surprise name, as I talked about this in the Sunday column two weeks ago, but since then I think he's gotten hotter.
Who's the biggest surprise name I've heard in the first round?
Phil Loadholt, the tackle from Oklahoma. I'd be shocked if this happens, not because Loadholt is a bad player, but because he's just a right tackle. I'm not a fan of taking a one-dimensional player because it limits his chances of being able to make the team. What happens if Loadholt can't play right tackle? He gets cut and the pick is blown. For me, I want linemen who have positional flexibility.
Even so, I've heard his name, and he seems to be the other option along with Eben Britton from Arizona.
Who is the best player you have played against?
Every time I talk to a player, I always ask who the best player was they played against in their career. I keep a list, and often the names are not the same. But when the same name seems to come up all the time, I make sure I do more work on that player. This year, it seems like Ohio States' Chris "Beanie" Wells is the winner. His combination of speed, power and size seems to have players in awe.
