There’s still no labor peace in the NFL, but NFL Draft season continues on as we inch closer and closer to Radio City Music Hall in New York at the end of April.

This week featured another round of Pro Timing Days, including a controversial stop at Georgia’s Pro Timing Day in Athens, where league scouts were forced to watch WR AJ Green workout on TV screens due a strange rule surrounding the lockout.

Since Green will be off the board before the Ravens select at 26th, I won’t bore you with further details.

Before I continue, I remind you of the players we have already profiled during Draft season.

QB-Ricky Dobbs (Navy), Pat Devlin (Delaware), Colin Kaepernick (Nevada), Josh Portis (California-Pennsylvania), Taylor Potts (Texas Tech), Christian Ponder (Florida State), Tyrod Taylor (Virginia Tech), Jake Locker (Washington), Greg McElroy (Alabama), Andy Dalton (TCU)
FB-Anthony Sherman (Connecticut), Owen Marecic (Stanford)
RB-Evan Royster (Penn State), Da’Rel Scott (Maryland), DeMarco Murray (Oklahoma), Damien Berry (Miami), Kendall Hunter (Oklahoma State), Roy Helu Jr. (Nebraska), Alex Green (Hawaii), Shane Vereen (Cal), Jordan Todman (Connecticut), Dion Lewis (Pitt), Jacquizz Rodgers (Oregon State), Mark Ingram (Alabama)
WR-Lester Jean (Florida Atlantic), Terrence Toliver (LSU), Leonard Hankerson (Miami), Austin Pettis (Boise State), Denarius Moore (Tennessee), Owen Spencer (North Carolina State), Jock Sanders (West Virginia), Titus Young (Boise State), Vincent Brown (San Diego State), Ryan Whalen (Stanford), Torrey Smith (Maryland), Randall Cobb (Kentucky), Jon Baldwin (Pittsburgh), Greg Salas (Hawaii), Cecil Shorts III (Mount Union), Jerrel Jernigan (Troy), Niles Paul (Nebraska)
TE-Will Yeatman (Maryland)
OT-Matthew O’Donnell (Queens University Canada), Gabe Carimi (Wisconsin), Nate Solder (Colorado), Anthony Costanzo (Boston College), Joseph Barksdale (LSU), Derek Sherrod (Mississippi State)
G-Danny Watkins (Baylor)
C-Zane Taylor (Utah), Kris O’Dowd (Southern Cal), Rodney Hudson (Florida State)
DE-Justin Trattou (Florida), Allen Bailey (Miami), Eddie Jones (Texas), Ryan Kerrigan (Purdue), Brooks Reed (Arizona), Cliff Matthews (South Carolina), JJ Watt (Wisconsin), Cameron Heyward (Ohio State), Dontay Moch (Nevada), D’Aundre Reed (Arizona)
LB-Mark Herzlich (Boston College), Casey Matthews (Oregon), Adrian Moten (Maryland), Nate Irving (NC State), Colin McCarthy (Miami), Martez Wilson (Illinois), Kelvin Sheppard (Louisiana State), 
S-Jermale Hines (Ohio State), Jaiquawn Jarrett (Temple), Maurice Rolle (Louisiana-Lafayette), Rahim Moore (UCLA), Ahmad Black (Florida)
CB-Anthony Gaitor (Florida International), Aaron Williams (Texas), Jalil Brown (Colorado), Jimmy Smith (Colorado), DeMarcus Van Dyke (Miami), Brandon Harris (Miami)

If you missed any of those profiles, you can check them out in the archives here at WNST.net.

Part 1-A look at players who participated in the East West Shrine Game in Orlando, Florida
Part 2-A look at players who participated in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama
Part 3-A look at players who participated in the NFLPA Game (former Texas vs. The Nation Game) in San Antonio, Texas
Parts 4, 5 & 6-Previews of players ahead of the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis
Part 7-A look back at players who made in impact at the National Football League Scouting Combine at LucasOil Stadium
Part 8-A look at players who participated in the first week of Pro Timing Days

The Baltimore Ravens made no personnel changes this week, so my team needs remain the same…

1. Defensive End
2. Offensive Tackle
3. Wide Receiver
4. Cornerback
5. Fullback
6. Inside Linebacker
7. Safety
8. Center
9. Running Back
10. Quarterback

Here are ten more prospects whose schools have already held their Pro Timing Days.

Thanks to CBSSports.com/NFLDraftScout.com, NFLDraftBible.com, WNST.net (The AP), ESPN.com, Wikipedia, YouTube and various official athletic websites for helping to put together the profiles.

DE Aldon Smith (Missouri)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBee49viSK8[/youtube]

There was a time when the former Mizzou pass rusher was believed to be available for the Ravens at 26.

As Draft season has continued, that can no longer be considered a certainty.

Smith is a 6’4″, 263 pound beast who combined for 17 sacks over the last two seasons for the Tigers despite missing three games last season with a broken leg.

Smith played just those two seasons in Columbia, opting to depart after his redshirt sophomore season for the Draft.

There’s plenty to like about Smith. He ran a 4.74 in the 40 yard dash while in Indy, and has shown his versatility in different defenses. His wingspan was measured at an astounding 84 inches.

He also told reporters at Pro Day he can do a standing backflip-but we haven’t seen that yet.

The Ravens have scheduled a workout with Smith and will find themselves in an interesting position should he be available at 26. He’s clearly a talent, but he’s probably still a bit of a project at this point.

The Ravens desperately need a pass rusher on the edge. The demise of Trevor Pryce has left them in a bad spot. If they think the presence of Smith can generate a better rush (along with LB Terrell Suggs), he’d almost certainly be on his way to Charm City.

C Brandon Fusco (Slippery Rock)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-oyDfPkV-A[/youtube]

Quick-does anyone know where Slippery Rock is located?

If you said Butler County, Pennsylvania you’re a big winner.

A four year starter for The Rock, Fusco has been a steady riser throughout his career and now into Draft season.

He’s a 6’4″, 316 pound solid player who has shown off his athleticism after moving from tackle to center. He even made a catch (for nine yards) during his senior season.

The Ravens will be looking for center depth in the Draft. Matt Birk has said he’ll come back this season, but they’ll have to work with the expectation that Birk could be entering his final season. Chris Chester is still in the mix (he’s expected to be back as a restricted free agent), but is likely better served at guard than moving back to center.

It’s not a very deep draft at the position, but Fusco could be an option in the later rounds. He put together a solid Pro Day (although it was held at Lehigh) and has likely guaranteed himself a Saturday selection.

CB Ras-I Dowling (Virginia)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwYM_5uJ0MY[/youtube]

In one sentence, I think Dowling would be labeled as “obvious talent with obvious injury issues.”

Dowling is an impressive 6’1″, 198 pound corner who posted eight interceptions, three forced fumbles and a sack over his first three seasons with the Cavaliers. He posted an impressive 4.40 40 at the Combine.

Unfortunately, Dowling played in just three games during his senior campaign in Charlottesville, as he battled a broken left ankle, right knee issues and a lingering hamstring problem.

After all of that, he pulled up with another hamstring issue during the Combine.

Yikes.

Dowling actually WASN’T able to participate in the Wahoos’ Pro Day due to his injuries, he’ll instead delay until April 3rd-when he’ll hold his own individual Pro Day.

Cornerback is an issue for the Ravens. Chris Carr, Josh Wilson and Fabian Washington are unrestricted free agents. Domonique Foxworth is coming off a torn ACL.

They’ll have to address the problem somehow, whether in the Draft or later.

Dowling will be intriguing. He was an arguable first round talent a year ago. He’s clearly no longer a first round guy. But how soon would a team like the Ravens be willing to consider snapping him up to join Chuck Pagano’s defense? That much we don’t know yet.

DT Muhammad Wilkerson (Temple)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q8TQg6uoSg[/youtube]

It has been a bit puzzling to keep seeing Wilkerson’s name linked to the Ravens in mock drafts.

The reality is that the Ravens have an anchor in the middle of their defensive line (Haloti Ngata) and have plenty of depth behind him at the position (Terrence Cody, Brandon McKinney, Lamar Divens, Kelly Talavou, Arthur Jones).

This could really test General Manager Ozzie Newsome’s steadfast “best player available” policy in the Draft. National Football Post reported the team will work out the former Owls big man this week, and could face a serious decision should he be available at 26.

On paper, Wilkerson LOOKS like a Raven. He measured in at 6’4″, 315 pounds in Indianapolis and tallied 10 sacks from the interior in 2010.

He doesn’t appear to be the type of player who could move to the outside and become a natural rush end, but the Ravens could certainly benefit from having another player on the field who is capable of pressuring opposing quarterbacks.

Wilkerson stood on most of his Combine numbers, posting only a 29 inch vertical at his Pro Day in Philadelphia.

He’s a late first round/early second round type of player. The only question will be whether or not he’s a true fit for a Ravens team that doesn’t really have a need for him.

QB Jeremiah Masoli (Mississippi)

In draft season, he’s been known as Jeremiah “Red Flag” Masoli.

We all know the history of Masoli’s transgressions.

In 2005, Masoli was forced to spend time in juvenile hall for his participation in a robbery. After transferring from City College of San Francisco to Oregon in 2008, Masoli kept his nose clean for a short time. That came to a halt when plead guilty to second degree burglary in March 2010. After a later arrest for marijuana possession in 2010, Masoli was dismissed by Ducks coach Chip Kelly but managed to catch on at Ole Miss.

Beyond his transgressions, Masoli showed himself capable of being a solid player at times. In three years of playing time, Masoli put up 5,930 yards passing and threw for 42 TD’s. He also ran for 1,930 yards and 29 TD’s. At his Pro Day this week in Oxford he worked out as both a quarterback and as a running back, with the thought being that teams could choose to use him as a Wildcat option at the next level.

The Ravens have historically (mostly) stayed away from players like Masoli. But after cutting Troy Smith following the 2010 Training Camp, they were left without a mobile QB on the roster-and had to use position players in practice to replicate opposing mobile QB’s. It would be safe to assume they’d like to get a mobile QB on the roster somehow.

It’s also no guarantee that Masoli gets drafted at all. In fact, the chances are probably no greater than 50-50 at best. The likelihood of Head Coach John Harbaugh considering a player like Masoli would go up if the team could add him as an undrafted free agent instead of using a pick on him.

Of course, UFA’s can’t be signed this year until a new labor deal is in place-but let’s worry about that another day.

My guess is that Masoli doesn’t end up in Purple and Black…but he’s certainly an interesting player to discuss between now and the end of April.

DE Adrian Clayborn (Iowa)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbXmQTn_D7w[/youtube]

The Ravens had an obvious presence at the Hawkeyes’ Pro Day in Iowa City, giving additional evidence that the team is legitimately considering using an early pick on the Clayborn to bolster their D-Line.

Clayborn is an impressive 6’3″, 281 pound specimen who electrified the Big Ten with 63 tackles and 11 sacks in 2009. Those numbers dropped off in 2010, as the big man managed just 52 tackles and only four sacks. The drop-off was particularly alarming considering Clayborn did not miss any time due to injury.

Clayborn’s size and speed (4.78 40) as well as a solid week at the Senior Bowl have kept him in the conversation as a first round pick-perhaps a player who could go off the board even before the Ravens select at 26.

D-Line coach Clarence Brooks needs outside help. Clayborn certainly appears to be the type of player capable of creating pressure on his own. That might very well make him a perfect fit in Baltimore.

FB Shaun Chapas (Georgia)

AJ Green may have been the star of the Bulldogs’ Pro Day, but there were other players working out who were worth paying attention to as well.

Chapas could be intriguing to the Ravens whether or not FB Le’Ron McClain departs as an unrestricted free agent.

Chapas is a 6’2″, 247 pound bruiser who was clocked with a 4.87 40 time in Indianapolis. He’s not likely to be an explosive Chris Cooley-type of H-Back; but instead is expected to play a natural fullback role.

Offensive Coordinator Cam Cameron appears to be in the market for that exact type of player right now.

Making the case more compelling for Chapas, he received the types of honors during his time in Athens that the Ravens would like to see.

From GeorgiaDogs.com:

“At team’s annual awards Gala, earned team’s Coaches Leadership Award for Special Teams, the Leon Farmer Award for dedication to the strength and conditioning program and the David Jacobs Award as the player who by example portrays courage, spirit, character and determination.”

Sounds like someone Director of Player Personnel Eric DeCosta and company would be interested in if you ask me. As the Draft goes deeper into Saturday, he would almost have to be a consideration.

LB Alex Wujciak (Maryland)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxpcfXl-guo[/youtube]

I will admit that I was quite surprised when the former Terrapins standout did not receive an invite to the Combine.

He certainly did everything necessary during his ACC career to earn an invite. He tallied 354 tackles over three seasons in College Park, mixing in three forced fumbles, four interceptions and two touchdowns.

Wujciak certainly doesn’t lack the size (6’3″, 250 pounds) to play an Inside backer position at the next level. Teams might want him to be a bit quicker (his 40 time was 4.79), but he’s never appeared slow in coverage.

Wujciak comes from an athletic family, as his father (Alan Wujciak) was an OL for Notre Dame while his younger bother (Connor Wujciak) plays for Boston College.

At this point most projections have Wujciak as a late round pick at best. The Ravens need inside backer help. Dannell Ellerbe, Tavares Gooden and Jameel McClain have been not quite good enough to lock down a position and Ray Lewis is getting no younger.

Alex Wujciak is no Ray Lewis.

But he’s certainly deserving of an opportunity to prove himself at the next level.

(Wujciak joined Thyrl Nelson and myself last Thursday on “The Mobtown Sports Beat” on AM1570 WNST-you can hear the conversation in the BuyAToyota.com Audio Vault here at WNST.net.)

CB Richard Sherman (Stanford)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzm6HeFS2sE[/youtube]

Continuing the trend of “intriguing prospects”, there are few players in the Draft more intriguing than Sherman.

Fact: Sherman’s 6’3″, 195 pound frame and 4.54 (40) speed are solid if not ideal for a NFL CB prospect.

Other fact: Sherman has played corner for just two seasons in Palo Alto, and his skills (despite 6 interceptions in his Cardinal career) are still considered to be raw.

He’s going to be a later selection if he’s selected at all. The Ravens will have at least some familiarity with him as Harbaugh’s brother (Jim Harbaugh) coached him at Stanford before accepting the head coaching gig with the San Francisco 49ers.

He’s obviously not “the answer” for the Ravens secondary; but he could be a project worth taking a shot on as the Ravens will continue to face big receivers in the AFC North. The Cleveland Browns are expected to be in the market for the aforementioned Green, which would give the division one more matchup problem.

RB Ryan Williams (Virginia Tech)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGAQP1Rwsus[/youtube]

The Ravens are expected to part ways with RB Willis McGahee and Le’Ron McClain may be on the way out as well.

That would leave the team with just Ray Rice & Jalen Parmele (and Curtis Steele, Matt Lawrence and Jason McKie for what it’s worth) in their backfield.

They’re going to need to upgrade somehow.

Williams could very well be an option. His size is more similar to Rice (5’9″, 212 pounds) with pretty good speed (trimmed his 40 time down to 4.53 at his Pro Day in Blacksburg).

Williams had an explosive season in 2009 (1,655 yards rushing and 21 TD’s), but a hamstring injury cost him four games in 2010. His numbers were trimmed to 477 yards rushing and nine TD’s as he split time with fellow Hokies back Darren Evans.

The Ravens will have to pay extra close attention to the injury-but they’ll also have to determine if Williams would be a fit behind Rice. He’ll likely be a Friday night pick-and might end up coming off the board to early to be the choice in Baltimore.

Flexing my mic muscles since 1983…

-G

Yep…it’s another list. Hey, it’s the end of the year.

As Ralph Friedgen’s tenure as University of Maryland football coach comes to a close with this afternoon’s Military Bowl contest against East Carolina at RFK Stadium (Luke Jones hosts our “Turtle Power” live chat here at WNST.net at 2:30), I figured I’d look back on the era of “The Fridge” by remembering his best victories as Maryland football coach.

(Edit from GMC: It was brought to my attention at 9:55am that my friend Patrick Stevens of D1scourse.com posted a similar list at 9:43am. S.O.B. I encourage you to check his list out as well.)

Honorable Mention: Maryland 24, Purdue 7 (December 29, 2006 Champs Sports Bowl Florida Citrus Bowl Orlando, FL); Maryland 35, California 27 (September 13, 2008 Byrd Stadium College Park, MD); Maryland 23, Navy 20 (September 3, 2005 M&T Bank Stadium Baltimore, MD); Maryland 17, Navy 14 (September 6, 2010 M&T Bank Stadium Baltimore, MD); Maryland 26, Wake Forest 0 (October 18, 2008 Byrd Stadium College Park, MD); Maryland 20, Clemson 17 (September 27, 2008 Memorial Stadium Clemson, SC); Maryland 14, Miami 13 (November 11, 2006); Maryland 27, Florida State 24 (October 28, 2006 Byrd Stadium College Park, MD); Maryland 28, Virginia 26 (October 14, 2006 Scott Stadium Charlottesville, VA)

10. Maryland 38, NC State 31 (November 27, 2010 Byrd Stadium College Park, MD)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nz6qO2a5nRI[/youtube]

The last regular season win of Friedgen’s career certainly stands out to some extent.

It looked (at the time) like this was the “statement” win the Terrapins needed with Danny O’Brien under center to prove they were headed in the direction of an ACC title.

They might still be, it just won’t be with Friedgen at the helm.

Wherever Torrey Smith ranks amongst the great players in Friedgen’s tenure, this was clearly his best game. He was absolutely DOMINANT against the Wolfpack…who I have a funny feeling will show up again on this list.

9. Maryland 37, Clemson 20 (November 10, 2001 Byrd Stadium College Park, MD)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T6pGkM-Sxw[/youtube]

This game was already going to be meaningful, as it was the first time Byrd Stadium was sold out in the Friedgen era.

After North Carolina State beat Florida State earlier in the day, the game became very significant-as it put the Terps on the track towards the BCS.

The game itself wasn’t of the epic nature; but the Terps had lost eight straight to the Tigers before finally breaking through.

This was also the first “rush the field” moment in Friedgen’s ten seasons.

It wasn’t quite as big as the team’s next win, but we’ll get to that.

8. Maryland 26, NC State 24 (November 22, 2003 Carter-Finley Stadium Raleigh, NC)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GQAxI9q5dI[/youtube]

This game was significant for multiple reasons.

First, it finished off a perfect 4-0 record for Friedgen against NCSU while Phillip Rivers was quarterback.

Second, the game did have a bit of an epic nature after Nick Novak missed what would have been a game-tying extra point. Leroy Ambush forced a turnover, and Novak was able to get redemption by kicking the game-winning field goal.

And third, it kept Maryland on track for what would eventually be a Gator Bowl berth on New Year’s Day.

7. Maryland 20, Georgia Tech 17 OT (October 11, 2001 Bobby Dodd Stadium Atlanta, GA)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtcYJK21R0s[/youtube]

This might not be high enough on the list. Hell, I know it isn’t high enough on the list. But I already made the list. I’m not changing it now.

This was the very first significant win in the Friedgen era at Maryland, and it was absolutely miraculous.

Yellow Jackets RB Joe Burns inexplicably ran out of bounds late in regulation with his team ahead 17-14; setting up a career long 46 yard field goal by Novak (who had been AWFUL up to that point in his Maryland career) to send the game to overtime. In OT, another Burns fumble would seal the first win over a ranked team for Friedgen at his alma mater.

With the win, Friedgen’s Terps improved to 6-0; forcing fans throughout the Mid-Atlantic to take notice of what was happening in College Park.

6. Maryland 34, Rutgers 24 (September 29, 2007 Rutgers Stadium Piscataway, NJ)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=485yysHK7m8[/youtube]

Of all of the wins on this list, this is certainly the most improbable.

When Jordan Steffy went down against the Scarlet Knights, a large number of Maryland fans had to think to themselves “who the hell is Chris Turner?”

They’d find out in a big way.

Perhaps the game was more significant because of the sheer number of then-current or former Garden State residents who went to the University of Maryland.

There were definitely a number of households torn up and down the I-95 corridor because of the matchup.

For Friedgen, it would be the first of two wins over Top 10 opponents that season.

5. Maryland 41, West Virginia 7 (January 1, 2004 Gator Bowl Alltel Stadium Jacksonville, FL)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q63nyT2mhtM[/youtube]

The ONLY thing about this game that gets it on the list was the fact that it was a New Year’s Day game played on NBC-making it arguably the highest profile win in the Friedgen era.

The game wasn’t exactly exciting, save for some impressive Scott McBrien to Steve Suter theatrics. The matchup was disappointing, as the Terps had already posted a blowout victory over WVU earlier in the year.

It was the third straight high-profile bowl game Maryland reached to start Friedgen’s career. Unfortunately, it was also the last.

It was also the last time Friedgen would collect a victory over the Mountaineers.

Had those last two statements been different, the Friedgen era might not be coming to a close in DC today.

4. Maryland 42, Boston College 35 (November 11, 2007 Byrd Stadium College Park, MD)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6di8qtmN9Zo[/youtube]

When he’s 70 years old, Chris Turner will still be able to tell everyone he talks to that he once beat Matt Ryan.

Ryan entered the Saturday night national TV showdown (ABC) near the front of the Heisman Trophy race. He didn’t necessarily disappoint (421 yards passing and 3TD’s) in front of the College Park crowd, but he was outdone by a guy who was better known for looking like Napoleon Dynamite.

Turner threw for 337 yards and 3TD’s himself, while Lance Ball added 122 yards on the ground and a rushing TD. Maryland was ahead 42-21 in the second half before eventually holding off the Eagles late.

It was an impressive victory for a frustrating team. Friedgen’s Terps beat two Top 10 teams that season, but finished just 6-6 and lost to Oregon State in the Emerald Bowl.

3. Maryland 20, Florida State 17 (October 30, 2004 Byrd Stadium College Park, MD)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGX8Mvr5Evw[/youtube]

Maryland was 0-14 all time against FSU until this game.

Friedgen was ofer in his first three contests against the Seminoles himself until this game.

History will forever note that Joel Statham was the first ever Maryland QB to beat Florida State.

Six years later, I still really can’t believe it happened.

2. Maryland 30, Tennessee 3 (December 31, 2002 Peach Bowl Georgia Dome Atlanta, GA)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDi9rXxCGSQ[/youtube]

You can count Ralph Friedgen’s wins over SEC programs on one finger.

Not only was Maryland’s Peach Bowl romp over the Volunteers the first significantly high-profile (New Year’s Eve on ESPN) non-conference win under Friedgen, it was also the statement game for E.J. Henderson; who will probably go down as the best player of the Friedgen era.

It was the type of win that allowed Maryland fans to measure the progress the Terps had made through two seasons.

It was also the type of win that made fans think more postseason wins over SEC teams would be coming in the future.

Obviously they didn’t.

1. Maryland 23, NC State 19 (November 17, 2001 Carter-Finley Stadium Raleigh, NC)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QszioOHki8[/youtube]

Shaun Hill and Guilian Gary will forever be remembered as the combination that sent Maryland to their first ACC Championship in 16 years and their first Orange Bowl berth since 1956.

The only unfortunate thing about #1 is that most coaches probably don’t want to be remembered as collecting their most significant victory in their first season.

Friedgen never returned to this moment, but it doesn’t take anything away from the victory itself.

It was an awesome moment in University of Maryland athletics history.

Flexing my mic muscles since 1983…

-G

It’s a very special edition of “The Morning Reaction” on AM1570 WNST, as Drew Forrester and I are going to say “Thank You” for everything you in the WNST community have done recently.

As Drew so eloquently explained, you all have come through in ways we could have never imagined.

First, you helped us raise nearly $5,000 for the Fuel Fund of Maryland.

Then, you collected 2,112 cans of food for the Canton Baptist Church.

Now, you collected 232 coats as well as nearly 100 more hats, gloves, blankets, etc. for the Helping Up Mission on E. Baltimore Street.

And all of this has happened since OCTOBER.

You guys have blown us away.

So this morning, we’re giving back.

We still have a handful of the Ray Lewis Old Spice t-shirts we gave away to folks who donated coats this week. They’re not available in stores, and they’re very cool…

I of course remind you that Old Spice is “The Greatest Smell in the NFL.”

I know how much you guys like the shirts, because you’ve been talking about them on Twitter all week!

On top of that, we’re also giving away books.

We have books written by Bobby Bowden, John Feinstein, Darryl Strawberry, Pat Kirwan, UFC Fighter Brian Stann, Oregon State Coach (and Barack Obama brother-in-law) Craig Robinson, Patrick McEnroe and more. Plus books written about Michelle Wie, Tiger Woods, Don Larsen, Mark McGwire, Lance Armstrong, Mickey Mantle and more.

The shirts (and the books) will make great last minute Christmas gifts or stocking stuffers for the sports fans on your list.

All you have to do is tune in to “The Morning Reaction” at 8am.

AND…you have to be somewhat of a regular listener.

We want to reward folks who have participated with us regularly.

We have ten prize packs. All of them include three books and one XL Ray Lewis Old Spice t-shirt.

If you know the show (at all), you’ll be a winner.

Make sure you’re tuned in. And from the bottom of our hearts…THANK YOU.

-G

Honorable Mention-Women’s College Basketball: ACC/Big Ten Challenge-Maryland @ Purdue (Thursday 6:30pm from West Lafayette, IN live on Big Ten Network), Appalachian State @ Maryland (Sunday 2pm Comcast Center); NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Show (Friday 9pm from Las Vegas live on SPEED); Golf: PGA Tour Chevron World Challenge (Thursday & Friday 4pm live on Golf Channel, Saturday & Sunday 3pm live on NBC. All golf from Thousand Oaks, CA)

10. Michael Buble (Tuesday 8pm Verizon Center); George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic (Thursday 7pm Rams Head Live); Dashboard Confessional (Friday 7pm Recher Theatre); Eddie Money (Tuesday 8pm Rams Head On Stage), Marc Broussard (Wednesday 8pm Rams Head On Stage), Carbon Leaf (Saturday 4:30pm & 8:30pm, Sunday 8pm, Monday 8pm Rams Head On Stage); Jim Breuer (Friday-Sunday, DC Improv)

Hate on Michael Buble all you want, but this song with Sharon Jones kicks some real ass…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wVqgrD_tCE[/youtube]

I might not go see Eddie Money Tuesday night, but I’ve certainly spent plenty of nights belting out his songs in my life…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbhXmSBlS_U[/youtube]

Marc Broussard? Silly good…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuWPseegaKw[/youtube]

And while I’m not depressed and have never cut myself, there’s still a few times where I’ve thought “you know, I kinda dig Dashboard Confessional.” Most of those times were Spider-Man 2 related…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WoJV4NLxqg[/youtube]

9. NBA: Washington Wizards @ Toronto Raptors (Wednesday 7pm from Toronto live on Comcast SportsNet), Portland Trailblazers @ Washington Wizards (Friday 7pm from Verizon Center live on Comcast SportsNet), Washington Wizards @ Phoenix Suns (Sunday 8pm from Phoenix live on Comcast SportsNet)

Oh, the Blazers are coming to DC this week? That’s great, I’ve been wanting to get a look at that guy they picked #1 a few years ago. Greg Oden? I hear he could be the next Patrick Ewing!

Meanwhile, the ‘Zards will also be headed to Arizona this week. While they’re in the Valley, they may run into a distraction or two of their own…

8. NHL: Washington Capitals @ St. Louis Blues (Wednesday 8pm from St. Louis live on Comcast SportsNet PLUS & NHL Network), Washington Capitals @ Dallas Stars (Saturday 8:30pm from Dallas live on Comcast SportsNet), Atlanta Thrashers @ Washington Capitals (Saturday 7pm from Verizon Center live on Comcast SportsNet), Toronto Maple Leafs @ Washington Capitals (Monday 7pm from Verizon Center live on Comcast SportsNet)

So apparently there are a number of fans of the Caps who are up in arms about this 3 minute video of Alex Ovechkin dancing…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeL-zXsxGzY[/youtube]

I guess everyone is upset because they think “The Great 8″ is more concerned about being a Russian playboy than being a Stanley Cup champion. While I certainly HOPE that’s the case, I’m not necessarily convinced it is. I’d lean more to the idea that Alex is just hoping he can get a role in the upcoming remake of “The Goonies”…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5whaRkuipU[/youtube]

7. Pro Wrestling: TNA “Final Resolution” (Sunday 8pm from Orlando live on Pay-Per-View)

Why would I watch TNA’s PPV event Sunday night? Two words. ANGELINA.LOVE.

6. Soccer: 2018 & 2022 FIFA World Cup Host Announcement (Thursday 10am from Zurich, Switzerland live on ESPN & Fox Soccer Channel); College Soccer-NCAA Tournament: Michigan @ Maryland (Saturday 1pm Ludwig Field)

Thursday’s announcement is particularly significant here in Charm City as M&T Bank Stadium could end up being a host stadium for the 2022 Cup should the USA win the bid.

I know it’s tough to get excited about something that would be 12 years away. I’m going to be about 40 years old by then. Thank God I have such boyish good looks.

As far as Maryland-Michigan is concerned, I guess I’m going to have to quickly develop some hate towards Big Blue. I’m not totally comfortable reaching out to Ohio State fans, so instead I’ll ask Tom Hanks for his opinion…

5. Mixed Martial Arts: UFC “The Ultimate Fighter” Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck Finale (Saturday 9pm from Las Vegas live on SpikeTV); Strikeforce: Dan Henderson vs. “Babalu” Sobral II (Saturday 10pm from St. Louis live on Showtime)

The Strikeforce card loses a little bit of luster because Herschel Walker got hurt. But wait, was it Herschel Walker….or Herschel Walker?

(Edit from GMC: Don’t get the reference? Do some research.)

I don’t know if I’m going to be able to watch any of the fights Saturday night, even if they’re free. I’ve got a busy schedule. I mean, I HAVE to find some time to go see “Love and Other Drugs” at some point, right?

4. College Football-SEC Championship Game: Auburn vs. South Carolina (Saturday 4pm from Atlanta live on CBS); ACC Championship Game: Florida State vs. Virginia Tech (Saturday 7:45pm from Charlotte live on ESPN); Big 12 Championship Game: Nebraska vs. Oklahoma (Saturday 8pm from Dallas live on ABC); Oregon @ Oregon State (Saturday 3:30pm from Corvalis, OR live on ABC)

And if the Tigers and Ducks win Saturday, we’ll know who will head to Glendale for the BCS Championship Game.

Insert your own Cam Newton joke here.

Me personally, I’m kinda rooting for Auburn to end up out at University of Phoenix Stadium for the title game. I’m sure you’ll understand…

3. College Basketball: ACC/Big Ten Challenge-Maryland @ Penn State (Wednesday 9:15pm from State College, PA live on ESPN2), BB&T Classic-Maryland vs. Temple (Sunday 8pm from Verizon Center live on MASN); Coppin State @ Morgan State (Saturday 4pm Hill Field House); Lincoln (Pennsylvania) @ Coppin State (Tuesday 7:30pm Coppin State Physical Education Complex); Western Michigan @ Towson (Wednesday 7pm Towson Center); St. Peter’s @ Loyola (Thursday 7pm Reitz Arena)

Attention WNST employees Luke Jones and Ashley Bishoff:

If I hear even ONE positive word regarding the EFFING Nittany Lions this week, there will be HELL to pay. HELL I tell you.

Don’t understand? I refer you to Paul Finebaum…

2. High School Football: MPSSAA State Finals-4A: Urbana vs. Henry A. Wise (Friday 7pm), 3A: Franklin vs. Wilde Lake (Thursday 7pm), 2A: Middletown vs. McDonough (Saturday 3:30pm), 1A: Dunbar vs. Havre De Grace (Saturday 12pm)…all games from M&T Bank Stadium live on WNUV 54

GO YOU FRANKLIN INDIANS, GO!!!

If anyone has a version of this photo from the end of Franklin’s win over North Harford, I’d pay you money for it…and I’d wear it as a t-shirt.

1. NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens (Sunday 8:20pm from M&T Bank Stadium live on NBC)

Well this just about goes without saying, right?

Flexing my mic muscles since 1983…

-G

Honorable Mention: Soccer-NASL: Portland Timbers @ Crystal Palace Baltimore (Saturday 4pm Paul Angelo Russo Stadium-Calvert Hall); MLS-Houston Dynamo @ DC United (Saturday 7:30pm from RFK Stadium live on Comcast SportsNet); NBA-Washington Wizards Pep Rally (Monday 10pm Presidents Park)

10. Virgin Mobile FreeFest feat. Ludacris, T.I., Joan Jett, M.I.A., Jimmy Eat World, Temper Trap (Saturday 12pm Merriweather Post Pavilion), Sunday In The Country feat. Lady Antebellum, Eric Church, Joe Nichols (Sunday 2pm Merriweather Post Pavilion); Casey Cares Foundation Bash feat. Night Ranger (Saturday 6:30pm Rams Head Live); Broken Lizard Live (Friday 9pm Recher Theatre), Laughing Colors (Saturday 8pm Recher Theatre); Anti-Flag (Tuesday 8pm Ottobar); Shooter Jennings (Saturday 8pm 8×10 Club); Big Head Todd and the Monsters (Thursday 7pm 9:30 Club); WMZQ Fall Fest feat. Sugarland, Little Big Town (Saturday 4pm Jiffy Lube Live); Alice In Chains (Sunday 7pm Patriot Center); !!! (Wednesday 8pm Black Cat); Lewis Black (Thursday-Saturday 8pm Warner Theatre); Macy Gray (Monday 7:30pm Birchmere); Zac Brown Band “You Get What You Give” available in stores/on iTunes (Tuesday), John Legend & The Roots “Wake Up” available in stores/on iTunes (Tuesday), Maroon 5 “Hands All Over” available in stores/on iTunes (Tuesday)

Despite the fact that Pavement and Thievery Corporation do nothing for me, I am REALLY excited about the bill at VirginFest. Especially the (particularly underrated) Temper Trap…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C8e7nNLZNs[/youtube]

I have no idea if I’m going to make it down to Columbia for VirginFest, but I KNOW I’m getting to Columbia on Sunday for WPOC’s event after the Ravens beat the Browns; mostly because “Boomer Sooner” and I happen to really dig the new Lady Antebellum tune…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaOKbvpxnTo[/youtube]

BROKEN LIZARD LIVE?!?!? How can I possibly not be in Towson Friday night? Super Troopers? Beerfest? Might be NSFW, but also amazing…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SOsPCL4hXw[/youtube]

It’s very difficult logistically to get to Washington to see Lewis Black, but it would certainly be worth it. You can bring grandma, the language is right up her alley. Just NSFW…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mCDZMWVWuc[/youtube]

I saw Zac Brown Band 3 times this summer (Preakness and two Dave Matthews Band shows), so I’ve heard a lot of their new record. I really dig “Settle Me Down”…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRD-MyRS8KU[/youtube]

9. “30 Rock” season premiere (Thursday 8:30pm NBC), “The Office” season premiere (Thursday 9pm NBC); “Modern Family” season premiere (Wednesday 9pm ABC); “The Simpsons” season premiere (Sunday 8pm FOX), “The Cleveland Show” season premiere (Sunday 8:30pm FOX), “Family Guy” season premiere (Sunday 9pm FOX)

All of these shows are hilarious.  I give you Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTj47rcuM-4[/youtube]

And while a bit played out, Jim & Pam’s wedding from “The Office” is pretty strong…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX7iwwB9zQ4[/youtube]

I just got into “Modern Family” last season. This is my mistake…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaPKYd2XujY[/youtube]

I have no idea if The Simpsons have this awesome of an intro to go to again; but I can certainly hope…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faRlFsYmkeY[/youtube]

Apparently The Cleveland Show is bringing Kanye West back this season. Was pretty good last year…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWjqEgDymus[/youtube]

And my favorite clip in Family Guy history??? “Who wants CHOWDER?!?!?”

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eYSpIz2FjU[/youtube]

8. Baltimore Book Festival (Friday-Sunday 12pm Mt. Vernon Place)

I’m not much of a bookworm, but I know some other folks who are. Myself, I might stop by the Festival. Why? Have you heard who’s going to be there???

7. NHL: Washington Capitals Training Camp scrimmage (Tuesday 12pm Kettler Capitals IcePlex)

The Caps are also playing a couple of preseason games at Columbus and Nashville this week; but there’s no TV so I didn’t include them.

I’m not one to “Rock The Red”, but I will admit that I’m happy to have hockey back for two reasons.

One…Carrie Underwood is now married to a hockey player…Mike Fisher from the Ottawa Senators. The more we see of her, the better…

Two…it’s time to HOWL!!!!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdlGBJj1jzE[/youtube]

6. High School Football: Parkville @ Perry Hall (Friday 7pm), Glen Burnie @ Northeast (Friday 6:30pm)

I know we got worked over a bit by Tuscarora last week, but there’s NO CHANCE the Gators could possibly lose to the Knights, is there???

If so, I think I should probably wander over to PHHS with another great Perry Hall alum to give a stern pep talk…

5. Auto Racing: NASCAR AAA 400 (Sunday 1pm from Dover live on ESPN)

Since you’re gonna be in Delaware, might as well throw down a few bets while you’re there. For example, I’d bet on Jimmie Johnson to win the car race. I don’t know anything about it, but he wins a lot.

I’d also bet on West Virginia against LSU Saturday. Just have a hunch.

Oh…and I’d also bet on Randy Orton against Sheamus at Hell in a Cell. I mean, the guy once took out Triple H AND Ric Flair within moments…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXrBPvIck3M[/youtube]

4. Golf: PGA Tour FedEx Cup Playoffs The Tour Championship (Thursday & Friday 1pm live on Golf Channel, Saturday 10am live on Golf Channel 12pm live on NBC, Sunday 11:30am live on Golf Channel, 1:30pm live on NBC. All golf from Atlanta); Champions Tour SAS Championship (Friday & Saturday 6:30pm, Sunday 7pm on Golf Channel. All golf from Cary, NC)

Apparently the TOUR Championship has some sort of significance. For me, it’s the significance that Drew Forrester won’t be able to talk about golf on “The Morning Reaction” anymore. That IS significant.

You know what else is significant? The uniforms Team USA will wear for the Ryder Cup…

Snazzy. Almost as snazzy as a uniform I saw at another major sporting event earlier this year…

3. Mixed Martial Arts: UFC 119-Frank Mir vs. Mirko Cro Cop (Saturday 10pm from Indianapolis live on Pay-Per-View); Bellator Fighting Championships 30 (Thursday 7pm from Louisville live on Fox Sports Net)

Indianapolis, huh? Home of “the best dang football team in the whole USA”? Hope Dana White and company say hello to Merton while they’re in “The Friendly Heart of the Midwest.”

Also, do I know why UFC Magazine included a photo shoot with Holly Madison? I do not. Do I care? Of course I don’t. (Thanks Guyism!)

2. College Football: Florida International @ Maryland (Saturday 12pm from Byrd Stadium live on ESPNU)

I’m not sure Isaiah Thomas’ boys are quite ready for a showdown with the Terps just yet. Not them? Oh.

In other college football action this week, Boise State is hosting Oregon State Saturday night. To prepare for the trip to Boise, the folks in Beavers country had a unique idea…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vcA_vgImHQ[/youtube]

I’m moving into a new house next Thursday. I will be doing this there.

1. NFL: Cleveland Browns @ Baltimore Ravens (Sunday 1pm from M&T Bank  Stadium live on CBS-WJZ 13 locally)

A retro classic…

Flexing my mic muscles since 1983…

-G

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Baltimore Ravens introduced newly signed WR TJ Houshmandzadeh to the local media Tuesday, and the former Pro Bowler wasted no time providing quotes that were ready to be passed around via Twitter all day.

The first question asked of Houshmandzadeh was whether or not the confidence of former Cincinnati Bengals and Oregon State Beavers teammate Chad Ochocinco rubbed off on him. His response?

“I rubbed off on him. That’s just the truth.”

Houshmandzadeh proved to be just as entertaining if not quite as comical as his former Cincy teammate; offering memorable quotes throughout the introductory session.

When asked his feelings about leaving a losing team like the Seattle Seahawks for greener pastures with the Ravens, Houshmandzadeh said “it’s refreshing…it’s hard to optimistic when you know what you’re going against.”

When asked whether it would be a little weird to put on a Ravens jersey after playing eight years in the Queen City, he quipped “it was a little weird putting on my helmet today…but I look forward to it man. I’ve been on a lot of losing teams in my career.”

When asked about his potential role in the Ravens offense with established receivers like Anquan Boldin and Derrick Mason around him, he responded “I don’t know…that will play itself out over the course of the season. We’ll see what happens. But I’m a firm believer that if you show the coaches that they should get you involved, then they’ll get you involved. That’s what I plan on doing every day when it’s time to practice.”

When asked about the end of his tenure in the Emerald City, Houshmandzadeh replied “I can promise you, me not being there has nothing to do with football.”

And then of course there was the quote that has become an immediate sensation on Twitter-already “re-Tweeted” by the likes of Ravens FB Le’Ron McClain and Cincinnati Enquirer beat writer Joe Reedy. The quote where Houshmandzadeh explained that Bengals coaches would be “nervous” before the team would face the Ravens’ defense.

“I used to always tell the coaches-and Marvin (Lewis) knows this-’Marvin, tell the coaches-why are they nervous? They’re not the ones playing’. They would be nervous like they were the ones playing.”

Houshmandzadeh brought a positive attitude and an engaging back and forth to his first press conference as a Raven. He showed why he has been a popular figure in the NFL since he was selected in the 7th round of the 2001 NFL Draft.

In the end, Houshmandzadeh’s personality won’t define his tenure in Charm City. His production on the field, his ability to work with QB Joe Flacco and fellow receivers Mason and Boldin will have much to do with how his tenure is defined. Whether or not the Ravens can go on to win the AFC North and represent the AFC in the Super Bowl will be equally important when judging Houshmandzadeh’s time with the Ravens.

Houshmandzadeh signed just a one year deal with the Ravens, but could factor in to the long terms plans of Ozzie Newsome, John Harbaugh and company should the 2010 season play out the well all parties clearly hope it will. The receiver said he would like to stick around longer “if everything falls into place” when asked about his future Tuesday.

If he’s as entertaining on the field as he is off, he’ll have every opportunity to stick around.

NOTES: Hear from Houshmandzadeh NOW in the BuyAToyota.com Audio Vault here at WNST.net……Houshmandzadeh was introduced at his press conference by WR Coach Jim Hostler……The start of the press conference was delayed after Houshmandzadeh bumped into Flacco in the halls at 1 Winning Drive

-G

Happy Thursday!

It’s a Happy Thursday for me because the World Cup starts tomorrow, which gives us one more thing to pay attention to besides baseball. Some folks don’t think Spain should be favored to win the Cup. Apparently those people haven’t wandered over to Deadspin to see the UNBELIEVABLE way they moved the ball for a goal against Poland…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPNjELcdyUw[/youtube]

They’re…ummm…good.

Let’s see what everyone has to say…

1. The AP’s David Ginsburg says Sabathia’s arm, Cano’s glove, Luke Scott’s glove helped Yankees top Orioles again

Another inspired performance last night at OPACY, and by “inspired” I mean ZZZZZZZ….

As if beating CC Sabathia wasn’t tough enough, Chris Tillman and Cesar Izturis (as well as Luke Scott) thought defense blunders might help the cause. Of course, Tillman threw pretty well and Izturis had two hits (if he gets 3 tonight, I owe Drew Forrester a dollar!), but sadly-you have to do more than one thing well in baseball to win.

Last night was really one of those “unwatchable” types of games we’ve grown so accustomed to. The weather sucked, the stadium was empty, there was no excitement, there was no interest, there was no passion, there was no way to enjoy watching the game.

16-43 now. Why shouldn’t the team be under .300? All of the hitters in the lineup are…

2. The AP/WNST.net offer numerical evidence of another loss

16,451 tickets sold to a game against New York???

This is BAD.

I certainly didn’t go to the game last night, so I can’t even begin to estimate how many folks might have actually been in the building-but if they can’t sell tickets when the Yanks are in town, they’re in real trouble.

And by “real trouble”, I mean that if future games against the Bronx Bombers and Boston Red Sox are attended at an equally poorly level; this franchise could be in trouble.

They have to make money. The MASN TV deal will help them a great deal over the next few years, but it can’t save the future of the franchise. Only winning can do that.

For the record, Garrett Atkins had a hit and a RBI last night. Take that, haters.

3. The Sun’s Dan Connolly says Rick Dempsey ‘wants to’ manage, hasn’t talked to Andy MacPhail or Peter Angelos

And apparently he’s only ever had one formal discussion with Andy MacPhail during Andy’s tenure in Charm City. Hard to believe.

I’m not as much in the Rick Dempsey camp as some others in town are. I think his relationship with Peter Angelos is one of the reasons why he’s NOT an ideal candidate. This team doesn’t need a manager that will work as a “yes man” for a DREADFUL owner. I don’t know that Rick Dempsey IS that guy, but I know he’s came off that way in interviews.

Speaking of potential managerial candidates, if you missed former Milwaukee Brewers/Detroit Tigers/Houston Astros manager Phil Garner this morning on “The Morning Reaction” on AM1570 WNST, make sure you head on over to the BuyAToyota.com Audio Vault to check it out. Other guests this morning included our own O’s reporter Luke Jones; as well as our World Cup analysis with Loyola coach Mark Mettrick and Maryland soccer coach Sasho Cirovski.

4. WNST.net’s Luke Jones says Arrieta to make first start of MLB career tonight for O’s vs. Yanks

Well…no pressure.

Not exactly the way you’d want to make your major league debut, but I guess you have to make your debut against someone. When you’re debuting for the worst team in baseball, no matter who you go up against-they’re going to be better than you.

Of course, according to the man selected by “The Great Arbitrator” as “Apologist of the Morning” today-James Baker from Oriole Post-it isn’t fair. Baker says….

“Strasburg gets the Pirates; Arrieta gets the Yankees. If that doesn’t illustrate the gaping difference between the AL East and the NL East then I don’t know what will.”

Well James, I know this much. The NL East doesn’t have a single team in the division that has just 16 wins.

5. MLB.com’s Noah Rosenstein says John “T-Bone” Shelby’s son Jeremy Shelby amongst those selected by Birds on Day 3 of MLB Entry Draft

A lot of great players have been found on the final day of the Draft. Mike Piazza is of course the name that jumps out at everyone.

I’d break down more about the team’s picks in the 40th or 47th Rounds, but none of you would care. So instead I’ll pass along the picture of Alessia Ventura that was posted at Busted Coverage…

6. The Sun’s Dean Jones Jr. says Armanda Gabino, Rhyne Hughes had big night on farm

And before we move on from the Orioles, a reminder that the Birds ARE back in action tonight-Jake Arrieta faces AJ Burnett with first pitch at 7:05pm from Oriole Park at Camden Yards. You can see the game on MASN, where Eddie Murray has actually really added something to a series that would otherwise be dreadful to watch.

I’d say I think the Orioles could win tonight…if I thought the Orioles could win tonight. I really just hope Arrieta can go 6 innings. I’m just not necessarily expecting it.

7. National Football Post’s Aaron Wilson says veteran DB’s Ken Lucas, Walt Harris, Ken Hamlin trying out with Ravens during Passing Camp

What we know about these three:

-Lucas is a 6 foot, 31 year old veteran who has split his career between the Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers-having returned to the Emerald City last season. He compiled 6 interception seasons in both 2004 and 2005, but tallied just 1 a season ago.

-Harris is a 5’11″, 35 year old veteran who has played for the Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts, Washington Redskins and San Francisco 49ers. He made the Pro Bowl in 2006, but missed all of last season with a torn ACL.

-Hamlin is a 6’2″, 29 year old veteran safety who has split his career between the Seahawks and the Dallas Cowboys. He was a Pro Bowler in 2007, but played in just 12 games in 2009.

None of the players in this bunch is “the answer” in the secondary, but they could offer some help.

8. BaltimoreRavens.com’s Ryan Mink says team will wear black alternate uniforms October 10 vs. Denver Broncos, November 28 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, December 19 vs. New Orleans Saints at M&T Bank Stadium

A lot of people really care what color jerseys the team wears at home. While I think the black really IS a sharp look, I’m not the type of person that feels like it really matters that much.

You know who really DOES look good in black? Winnie Cooper herself, Danica McKellar. Thanks Maxim!

9. The Sun’s Ken Murray says Le’Ron McClain signed one year tender

The Ravens are back in action today at 1 Winning Drive, Luke Jones and I will be over in Owings Mills to cover everything going on-and if the team signs one of these veteran DB’s, we’ll get it to you via our WNST Text Service. Also make sure you’re following on Twitter, you can follow us @WNST.

It will be interesting to see whether or not Jared Gaither has returned to practice. My guess is no, but we’ll find out.

10. UMTerps.com says Xavier assistant Bino Ranson officially hired to join Gary Williams’ staff

We missed him this morning because he actually has a JOB to do, but we’ll have Bino with us tomorrow morning at 8:05 on “The Morning Reaction” on AM1570 WNST.

In the meantime, a congratulations both to him and to the University, as this appears to be a tremendous hire. Bino’s connections to Juan Dixon clearly played a major role in getting the St. Frances Academy alum to College Park, and he’ll be expected to help keep Baltimore talent in-state.

I can already tell you he won’t get it all. No one could have swerved Josh Selby to Maryland instead of Kansas. But if he gets more than they HAVE been getting in College Park, it will make a lot of us happy.

11. D1scourse’s Patrick Stevens says Maryland to open with Seattle, College of Charleston at Comcast Center in Coaches vs. Cancer Classic

Both of these are tricky teams, as the Redhawks got wins over Utah and Oregon State last season, while the Cougars managed to pick up wins over Davidson and North Carolina.

Should either of these games be trip-ups for a young Maryland team? No. Should I be tripped up by sexy pictures of Rachael Cordingley ahead of Team USA’s showdown with England Saturday? Well, maybe…

12. The Diamondback/Terrapin Trail’s Jeremy Schneider says Debbie Yow still doesn’t see Maryland leaving ACC for Big Ten

Don’t even get me started. I don’t like anything about the conference re-alignment situation, and I’m not convinced that Maryland would be helped by moving into the Big Ten in EITHER sport. Yes, it means they get Big Ten Network money, and games against Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State every few years at Byrd Stadium. But they lose hoops games against Carolina and Duke.

It might be good for money. It might be good for competition in basketball.

I’m just not sure I like anything about it.

13. The Sun’s Jeff Barker says Morgan State lost 2 basketball scholarships, 3 football scholarships due to academic progress

Rumor has it that by “academic progress”, they actually meant “disturbing fans”…

This is SOMEWHAT serious, but a difficult situation for Todd Bozeman and Donald Hill-Eley. To get talent in the MEAC, you have to take a shot on some kids that have less than desirable academic standards. It’s a tough spot.

And finally, I leave you with this.

Here’s the video of Jeremy Roenick crying after the Blackhawks beat the Philadelphia Flyers to win the Stanley Cup last night. I know he’s a tough guy and all, but isn’t there no crying in NHL Hockey???

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yNmnViwZ7U[/youtube]

Flexing my mic muscles since 1983…

-G

Welcome to the 5th installment of my NFL Draft profiles for 2010. If you missed my first 4 installments, I previewed players who participated in the East West Shrine Game and Senior Bowl; then recapped those performances in Orlando and Mobile, as well as those who participated in the Texas vs. The Nation game in El Paso.

Here are the players you can go back and read profiles of if you check my previous installments…

QB’s Daryll Clark (Penn State), Sean Canfield (Oregon State), Max Hall (BYU), Jarrett Brown (West Virginia), Jonathan Crompton (Tennessee), Ryan Perrilloux (Jacksonville State)
RB Dexter McCluster (Ole Miss), Trindon Holliday (LSU)
WR’s Freddie Barnes (Bowling Green), Mardy Gilyard (Cincinnati), Verran Tucker (Cal), Blair White (Michigan State), Jeremy Williams (Tulane), Taylor Price (Ohio), Marcus Easley (UConn), Juamorris Stewart (Southern)
TE’s Andrew Quarless (Penn State), Richard Dickson (LSU), Jimmy Graham (Miami), Riar Geer (Colorado), Ed Dickson (Oregon)
OG’s Mike Iupati (Idaho), Jeff Byers (USC)
OT’s Vladimir Ducasse (UMass), Rodger Saffold (Indiana)
C John Estes (Hawaii), Kevin Matthews (Texas A&M)
DE’s Greg Hardy (Ole Miss), Brandon Graham (Michigan), Alex Carrington (Arkansas State), E.J. Wilson (North Carolina)
DT Travis Ivey (Maryland)
LB’s Ross Pospisil (Navy), Jason Beauchamp (UNLV), Sean Weatherspoon (Missouri), Daryl Washington (TCU)
S’s Kam Chancellor (Virginia Tech), T.J. Ward (Oregon), Myron Rolle (Florida State), Van Eskridge (East Carolina)
CB’s Devin Ross (Arizona), Brian Jackson (Oklahoma), Trevard Lindley (Kentucky), Javier Arenas (Alabama), Alterraun Verner (UCLA), Kyle Wilson (Boise State), Cornelius Brown (UTEP)
K’s Leigh Tiffin (Alabama), Hunter Lawrence (Texas)
P Brent Bowden (Virginia Tech)

Draft season now heads to “The Friendly Heart of the Midwest” as our buddy Merton would say, with the annual NFL Scouting Combine at LucasOil Stadium in Indianapolis. The hottest words around Draft season right now are “Will he or won’t he?”, with players deciding whether or not they will work out in Indy. It is mostly quarterbacks who choose to pass, but injuries could keep other players from taking part in the weekend.

The Ravens DID see some player movement since my last update (signing Donte’ Stallworth and releasing TE Quinn Sypniewski), but my team needs remain the same…

1-WR
2-TE
3-CB
4-OLB/DE
5-S
6-G/C
7-OT
8-QB
9-K
10-P

Here are the next 10 players worth taking a look at during the NFL Draft. Thanks to CBSSports.com, NFLDraftScout.com, The AP and Wikipedia for help in research, as well as the individuals  players’ respective collegiate athletics websites. Starting with this update, I will also include a brief note on the players involved from Joe Hortiz-Director of College Scouting for the Baltimore Ravens. I asked Joe to give me a Twitter-style (140 characters or less) statement about potential Ravens targets.

OT Bruce Campbell (Maryland)

I don’t know how many teams will have to protect their QB’s from rogue monster truck tires in pursuit, but the team that selects Campbell will be happy to know that he is all too capable of handling the job.

Terrapins strength coach Dwight Galt told ESPN.com last year that Campbell was “the offensive line version of Vernon Davis.” If that’s the case, NFL scouts watching Campbell this weekend should be prepared for a VERY impressive workout performance, as Indy was where Davis set himself up to be selected 6th overall by the San Francisco 49ers in 2006.

Campbell is a monster, measuring in at 6’7″, 310 pounds; and it’s almost all muscle. The obvious comparisons will be to current Ravens OT Jared Gaither, and no NFL source I’ve talked to about Campbell has felt the need to dismiss the comparison.

While some analysts believe he is a Top 10 talent, others say he’s only a borderline 1st round pick. The biggest red flag on Campbell’s resume is his health-he was able to start only 17 games during his career in College Park due to turf toe and a knee injury. Drafting Campbell would have be a sign that the Ravens can’t afford to keep former Terp Gaither in Charm City long term.

Joe Hortiz says: “Athletic kid, can function at LT. Health not a major concern. Tall, long frame.” Hortiz also felt that it was fair to compare Campbell to Gaither, and other OT’s with big builds.

What might hurt Bruce Campbell’s draft stock? He’s been known to keep some questionable company…..

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve_as9k6PvI[/youtube]

TE Rob Gronkowski (Arizona)

Like Bruce Campbell, Gronkowski departed school a year early, and the Combine will be very important as he was unable to participate in any all-star games. However, the Combine (and the rest of Draft season) will be even more important for Gronkowski, as he missed his entire junior season in 2009 due to back surgery. The man known as “Gronk” around Tucson has to prove not just that he’s healthy, but also that he’s ready, and that missing the entire season didn’t cause him to fall off in football ability.

He is part of football blood, as his brother Dan Gronkowski previously played for Maryland and is now with the Detroit Lions; and his brother Chris Gronkowski just finished his own Wildcats career after transferring from Maryland.

Gronkowski’s size is what immediately jumps out (no pun intended), as he measures in at 6’6″, 265 pounds and he turned plenty of heads during his two seasons with the Cats, making 75 catches for 1,197 yards and 16 TD’s. Some might compare him to Todd Heap when Heap came out of Arizona State-and while he might not be quite the big play guy Heap was early on in his career, he’s bigger and might be a more consistent target.

Joe Hortiz says: “Really good year as a sophomore, understood how to get open. Better than his brothers, and it’s probably not even close.”

WR Dezmon Briscoe (Kansas)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5x7WIGuBM4[/youtube]

The best thing about potentially drafting Dezmon Briscoe would be the opportunity for the Ravens to have him and David Tyree hold a helmet catching competition in Training Camp. I’ll go with Tyree, but Briscoe’s was pretty good too.

Briscoe’s decision to leave Lawrence following his junior season with the Jayhawks was a bit puzzling, especially considering he claimed it had nothing to do with Mark Mangino’s firing. That being said, Briscoe’s size (6’3″, 200 pounds) and numbers (218 catches for 3,240 yards and 31 TD’s) make him look a LOT like a player who is ready for the next level. The issue is his speed-as he’s projected to only run a 4.62 40.

With the acquisition of Stallworth not addressing the Ravens’ need for a big receiver, Briscoe could be the type of player available on Friday night (or even Saturday) with sleeper potential they could consider should they go elsewhere with their first few picks.

Joe Hortiz says: “Good speed, big guy. Had a really good year. Not a blow by you burner, but good stride.”

WR Riley Cooper (Florida)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuFI2X64YoQ[/youtube]

I have no reason to believe that Ozzie Newsome and Eric DeCosta are looking for the ability to make circus catches in players they scout, but if they are-both the aforementioned Briscoe and Cooper would be solid choices.

Cooper is a tough case to fully understand, as he didn’t become much of a numbers guy in the Gators’ offense until 2009, when he grabbed 51 balls for 961 yards and 9 TD’s. However, his 6’4″, 215 pound frame always made him a potential redzone target for Tim Tebow in Gainesville, as he finished his career with 18 TD grabs.

Cooper is a hell of an athlete, as he was also selected by the Texas Rangers in the MLB Entry Draft, but he chose to pursue an NFL future instead. An impressive weekend in Indianapolis could help bump him up from the later rounds to a Thursday or Friday night selection. Much like Briscoe, he could be a value to the Ravens if they look at another position on Thursday night.

Joe Hortiz says: “Tough kid. Really good baseball player-a lot of upside from being able to dedicate himself to football.”

RB Toby Gerhart (Stanford)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjLh_yO41jw[/youtube]

There is no NFL team that will have as much information on Gerhart as the Ravens will, as John Harbaugh can turn to his brother Jim Harbaugh-who is of course the head coach in Palo Alto. Harbaugh’s father Jack Harbaugh was also Gerhart’s position coach for the Cardinal leading up to their loss to Oklahoma in the Brut Sun Bowl.

The obvious thing that jumps out about Gerhart is his size-as he measures in at 6’1″, 235 pounds; and uses every pound effectively in running the football. His tremendous senior season (1,871 yards and 27 TD’s) made him a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, which many Pac 10 and West Coast analysts felt he deserved to win.

Gerhart will inevitably be compared to former Tampa Bay Buccaneers back Mike Alstott, but multiple league scouts have told me they believe he deserves the chance to play a more natural running back position before being converted to fullback or a 3rd down/goal line specialist. Without a natural fullback last season (and with Lorenzo Neal having handled the position quite well in 2008), the Ravens could consider Gerhart as part of a bigger backfield alongside Le’Ron McClain should he stay on the board until late Friday night.

Joe Hortiz says: “Really good career-runs hard, needs to get lower. Doesn’t lose a lot of yards. Similar to Le’Ron McClain.”

RB Ben Tate (Auburn)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfBkonPBFGY[/youtube]

As much as it had to have pained a Crimson Tide legend like Ozzie Newsome to have selected Auburn OG Ben Grubbs in 2007, I think it is quite evident that the pick worked out. Now, should the Ravens choose to add Ben Tate to a backfield that includes Alabama’s Le’Ron McClain, there could be some awkward moments around Thanksgiving next year leading up to the Iron Bowl in the Ravens locker room.

If Willis McGahee’s future in Baltimore is in question, Ben Tate might be a similar running back for the Ravens do add into their backfield mix. Tate isn’t quite as big as McGahee (5’11″ to McGahee’s 6’1″); but he is a similar back in that he can both wear down the middle of a defense and then break out for yards to the outside.

Tate finished his SEC career with an impressive 3,321 yards and 24 TD’s; and he has respectable speed (he’s expected to post a 40 in the range of 4.50). He’s expected to be available Friday night or Saturday, and could be even more intriguing for the Ravens considering he lived on the Eastern Shore and played his high school ball at Snow Hill.

Fellow Auburn alum Joe Hortiz says: “Really good year (in ’09), between the tackles runner. Not game breaking speed.”

DE Derrick Morgan (Georgia Tech)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10cTyF6CxOE[/youtube]

Could Derrick Morgan slip to the Ravens at 25? Probably not. Could he slip a little bit and the Ravens move up to grab him? Maybe. It certainly worked out for the Ravens in their pursuit of Michael Oher a season ago.

The comparisons with Morgan will be to Michael Johnson-the former Yellow Jackets DE drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals a season ago. And while Morgan isn’t quite as big up and down as Johnson (Morgan is 6’4″, 272 pounds to Johnson’s 6’7″, 266 pounds), he has an even better motor.

Morgan was especially impressive during his senior season, posting 12 sacks and forcing 2 fumbles in helping the Jackets win the ACC Championship and advance to the Orange Bowl. However, Morgan will have something to prove in Indianapolis after struggling against the Iowa Hawkeyes’ O-Line in Miami during the final game of his college career, and not being able to participate in any other postseason events due to leaving Atlanta a year early.

Joe Hortiz says: “He’ll be gone early. Grinding player, works his ass off.”

DE Carlos Dunlap (Florida)

While the bulk of the NFL scouts I’ve talked to have said they don’t think Dunlap’s DUI arrest prior to the SEC Championship Game will prevent him from being selected in the first round of the NFL Draft; many of the same scouts have admitted to me that they thought it would impact whether or not the team they worked for would select Dunlap.

Arrest aside, Dunlap is a tremendous football player. He’s a beast on the outside, measuring in at 6’6″, 290 pounds. He collected 18 sacks over the last two seasons (before leaving a year early), including 2 in a blowout win over Cincinnati in January’s Sugar Bowl. He is deceptively quick for his massive frame, and is a blocking nightmare for any team that faces him.

ProFootballTalk.com/NBC Sports’ Mike Florio recently mocked Dunlap to the Ravens, which makes sense considering the fact that the Ravens need to upgrade their pass rush in the offseason, preferably with an end that can excel in a Greg Mattison scheme that doesn’t rely on blitzing.

Joe Hortiz says: “Compares to (Arizona Cardinals DL) Calais Campbell. Great frame, really good athletic traits. Still had 8 1/2 sacks despite up and down season.”

WR Danario Alexander (Missouri)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfO3XOv0oEw[/youtube]

Alexander recently underwent a 4th knee surgery, which will keep him from working out at the Combine or his own Pro Day in Columbia. This is absolutely THE biggest red flag for a player that might otherwise be an interesting prospect for the Ravens. Alexander will still attend this weekend’s Combine even if you don’t see him working out during the televised portion of the Combine on NFL Network. He’ll be there to participate in interviews and to take the Wonderlic test, but clearly teams will be most interested in his knee.

The good news about this most recent surgery is that it will likely keep him on the board until Saturday of Draft weekend. The Ravens will be hard pressed to find any other 6’5″, 215 pound receivers that are coming off a season with 113 catches, 1,781 yards and 14 TD’s that late in the Draft.

At the Senior Bowl, the biggest knock on Alexander was his inability to change directions quickly. This often happens when players who are #1 receivers in college are forced to move into more flexible roles at the next level. If the knee makes Alexander tentative, this will only get worse.

Joe Hortiz says: “Knee is an issue. Good run after catch ability.”

WR Brandon LaFell (LSU)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xtix6FfAKuA[/youtube]

If not spectacular, LaFell’s career in Baton Rouge was certainly solid. He finished with 650 or more yards in each of the last 3 seasons, including a career high 929 during his junior year. He caught 23 TD’s during his Tigers career, including 11 as a senior.

The biggest question mark surrounding LaFell has to be whether or not it is worth spending a high draft choice (either a 1 or a 2) on a player who may or may not be a prototypical #1 receiver at the next level. This is an especially big question mark for a Ravens team that desperately needs a go-to #1 receiver. LaFell has the size (6’3″, 206 pounds) and appears to have the speed (he’s expected to post a 40 in the range of 4.54), but doesn’t necessarily have the pedigree to just be expected to assume a #1 role in Cam Cameron’s offense.

An inevitable comparison will be made between LaFell and former Louisiana State WR Devery Henderson. Henderson had another solid season for the New Orleans Saints en route to winning Super Bowl XLIV, but he has been by no means spectacular at any point in his career despite being selected in the 2nd round of the 2004 Draft. Same for Bucs receiver Michael Clayton (also from LSU). LaFell will hope scouts notice that he is more similar in size to Kansas City Chiefs WR Dwayne Bowe, who has been better (numbers wise) during his NFL career, despite a down season in 2009.

Joe Hortiz says: “Would have liked to see him show up at the Senior Bowl. Not a burner, but he’ll get by you. One of the better route runners.”

-G

Welcome to the 4th installment of my NFL Draft profiles. If you missed any of my first 3 installments previewing the East West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl or recapping the All-Star Games in Orlando or Mobile; here are the players you can go back to check out profiles of…

QB’s Daryll Clark (Penn State), Sean Canfield (Oregon State), Max Hall (BYU), Jarrett Brown (West Virginia)
RB Dexter McCluster (Ole Miss)
WR’s Freddie Barnes (Bowling Green), Mardy Gilyard (Cincinnati), Verran Tucker (Cal), Blair White (Michigan State), Jeremy Williams (Tulane), Taylor Price (Ohio)
TE’s Andrew Quarless (Penn State), Richard Dickson (LSU), Jimmy Graham (Miami), Riar Geer (Colorado), Ed Dickson (Oregon)
OG’s Mike Iupati (Idaho), Jeff Byers (USC)
OT’s Vladimir Ducasse (UMass), Rodger Saffold (Indiana)
C John Estes (Hawaii)
DE’s Greg Hardy (Ole Miss), Brandon Graham (Michigan), Alex Carrington (Arkansas State)
LB’s Ross Pospisil (Navy), Jason Beauchamp (UNLV), Sean Weatherspoon (Missouri), Daryl Washington (TCU)
S’s Kam Chancellor (Virginia Tech), T.J. Ward (Oregon), Myron Rolle (Florida State), Van Eskridge (East Carolina)
CB’s Devin Ross (Arizona), Brian Jackson (Oklahoma), Trevard Lindley (Kentucky), Javier Arenas (Alabama), Alterraun Verner (UCLA), Kyle Wilson (Boise State)
K’s Leigh Tiffin (Alabama), Hunter Lawrence (Texas)

Super Bowl weekend, Draft season moved to El Paso for the annual “Texas vs. The Nation” All-Star game presented by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This installment will take a look at some of the risers from the week in El Paso.

No player movement, but my offseason priority list for the Ravens makes a couple adjustments…..
1-WR
2-TE
3-CB
4-OLB/DE
5-S
6-G/C
7-OT
8-QB
9-K
10-P

Thanks to CBSSports.com, SportingNews.com and SI.com for reports from the all-star games-and to NFLDraftScout.com & Wikipedia for help regarding particulars.

WR Marcus Easley (UConn)

One of the more underrated WR prospects in this year’s draft class, Easley has the body of a NFL wide receiver even if he doesn’t have the profile or proof of the skill set just yet. Easley checks in at 6’3″, 214 pounds and is expected to post a very quick 40 time at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Easley came from out of nowhere for the Huskies, rising from walk-on to impact maker in 2009. He made 48 catches for 893 yards and 8 TD’s, all in his final 10 games. Coach Randy Edsall admitted that when he first joined the team, he had no idea who Easley was. Now, he appears to be a likely Saturday pick-with the type of body whose skills a coordinator like Cam Cameron might be able to help develop.

DT Travis Ivey (Maryland)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpuFeodEZYE[/youtube]

Despite the fact that he’s known to hang out with some seedy characters (like above), Ivey is a legitimate NFL prospect. He has the body to fill up gaps against AFC North running backs (or other running backs around the league) at 6’4″, 341 pounds. He was never much of a stats guy in College Park, having tallied just 54 tackles and 2 sacks in his Terrapins career. But he’s always been a space-eater, and that will translate at any level. Ivey bounced back nicely this season from a foot injury in 2008, showing no signs of being slowed. Ivey has also been the leader of the Terps’ D-Line for multiple seasons, and his maturity will help him during the interview process in Indy. The Ravens may not necessarily NEED a D-Tackle right now-but we know they’re always willing to add more (keeping Brandon McKinney and Kelly Talavou last season was a direct example).

QB Jonathan Crompton (Tennessee)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxSXov8a4Ug[/youtube]

Finally getting the opportunity to be “the guy” for the Volunteers in 2009, Crompton showed off his arm strength and overall ability in going 224-384 for 2,800 yards and 27 TD’s, with just 13 picks. In fact, he showed so many signs of promise that a number of Vols fans wished he had 3 more years with Lane Kiffin. Actually, everyone in Knoxville hoped they had 3 more years with Lane Kiffin, but that’s a story for another day. The fact that no Tennessee QB since Peyton Manning has had an impact at the NFL level will hurt Crompton’s chances (the failures include Tee Martin, Casey & Rick Clausen AND Erik Ainge); but a solid performance in El Paso should help him get back on track in Draft season. He certainly has the size (6’4″) to succeed at the next level, and if Troy Smith is dealt-the Ravens might be willing to consider him on Saturday.

CB Cornelius Brown (UTEP)

Perhaps no player improved his draft season stock as much as Cornelius Brown during Texas vs. The Nation week. He played above his 5’11″ frame; and showed off his versatility. Brown received MVP honors for the game by returning a fumble 35 yards for a TD, collecting two tackles and a pass breakup, downing a punt inside the 5 yard line, and returning a kickoff 30 yards. There’s almost no chance he rises to the 3rd round, but he certainly has some of the same qualities as Lardarius Webb. There will be questions not only about his height, but also about the fact that he did not post a single interception during his senior season for the Miners.

RB/WR Trindon Holliday (LSU)

If Dexter McCluster is a poor man’s Ray Rice, Trindon Holliday may well be a poor man’s Dexter McCluster. Holliday’s track background translates to superb speed, but that speed hasn’t always necessarily translated into major offensive contributions. In fact, Holliday has never put together more than 367 total yards of offense in a single season, and managed just 162 yards of offense and 1 TD in his senior campaign in Baton Rouge. Holliday has had a level of success as a returner, having return 2 kicks and 2 punts for TD’s during his Tigers career. Holliday is even smaller than the other backs (5’5″, 161 pounds); but is just as dangerous in space. He’ll almost certainly be on the board late Saturday, and could very well fit as another playmaker in the Ravens’ offense. He was superb in El Paso, scoring 2 TD’s and racking up 209 all-purpose yards.

DE E.J. Wilson (North Carolina)

Wilson made a big statement in the Texas vs. The Nation game; recording 6 tackles, 2 TFL’s, 2 sacks, and a fumble recovery. Wilson was never a monster during his career in Chapel Hill-he averaged just 3 sacks per season. But he has the frame of a monster (6’3″, 289 pounds); and his speed in Indianapolis and at his Pro Day could help him prove that he is capable of haunting NFL quarterbacks. Scouts will be interested in a thigh injury that caused him to miss time this season, and they’ll also be interested in improving the 2 fumbles he forced during his entire Tar Heels career. There is at least a chance he could develop into Trevor Pryce’s role in Greg Mattison’s defense if the Ravens find him on the board late Saturday.

C Kevin Matthews (Texas A&M)

At 6’3″, 298 pounds; Matthews will likely need to add some bulk to be an NFL Center, but he already has a bit of a head start. Matthews is the son of Hall of Fame OL Bruce Matthews, the nephew of former Pro Bowl Cleveland Browns LB Clay Matthews, the cousin of current Green Bay Packers LB Clay Matthews, and the cousin of current Oregon Ducks LB Casey Matthews. Football is clearly in his blood. Matthews will be a Saturday pick (possibly an UFA), and could be an option for a Ravens team looking to develop a center behind current starter Matt Birk. Aggies coach Mike Sherman singled out Matthews’ solid play during his junior and senior seasons despite the overall struggles of the TAMU O-Line.

P Brent Bowden (Virginia Tech)

As I’ve warned in the past, teams without solid specialists always tend to overvalue specialists who ARE capable players. The Ravens are not likely to lose Sam Koch, but you never know what another team might believe his value to be. If for some reason the Ravens WERE to lose Koch, they’d definitely have to consider players like Brent Bowden. Bowden was solid throughout his Hokies career, which is not particularly surprising considering how stellar teams always are on special teams during Frank Beamer’s tenure in Blacksburg. Bowden punted 57 times in his senior season (the fewest of his 3 seasons of punting for Va Tech), averaging a career high net of 43.8 yards.

WR Juamorris Stewart (Southern)

After transferring from Southern Miss, Stewart exploded over his junior and senior seasons with the Jaguars, combining for over 2,100 yards and 23 TD’s. Stewart has the body of an NFL receiver (6’3″, 205 pounds); and is expected to post a reasonably fast 40. It is easy for some scouts to point out that his strong numbers came against lesser SWAC competition, but Morris had a solid day in El Paso against stronger competition; making 5 grabs for 89 yards and a TD. Likely to be available on Saturday in late rounds, the Ravens would have to consider Stewart as they look to upgrade a disappointing group of receivers.

QB Ryan Perrilloux (Jacksonville State)

It probably isn’t fair for me to post this particular picture, but there is absolutely no doubt that Perrilloux’s off-field issues will be discussed as much during Draft season as his on-field capability. Perrilloux lead Louisiana State to an SEC Championship Game victory in 2007, and was the backup QB for the Tigers team that defeated Ohio State for the BCS National Championship. But he’s better remembered for off-campus fights, federal investigations, failing drug tests, missing team meetings, skipping classes and showing up late for workouts. Perrilloux got his future back together with the Gamecocks, throwing for over 4,500 yards and 42 TD’s with just 15 INT’s over the last two seasons. There’s no question that Perrilloux has the physical ability to play at the next level (CBS College Sports analyst Tom Lemming once compared him to Philadelphia Eagles QB Donovan McNabb), it is absolutely more of a question of whether or not NFL scouts and executives are convinced his troubles are behind him. Ozzie Newsome has taken a few chances on guys late in the Draft before (Troy Smith himself was a bit of a reach), but Perrilloux might not be a John Harbaugh type of guy.

-G

Welcome to the third installment of my NFL Draft profiles, which I will be doing throughout the months leading up to Draft season in hopes to make sure you are introduced to every player who might be a future member of the Baltimore Ravens.

Sorry for how long this took, as our trip to Ft. Lauderdale to cover the Super Bowl and “Snowpocolypse 2010″ have limited my ability to get this posted quickly.

So far, I have previewed players participating in the East West Shrine Game in Orlando and Senior Bowl in Mobile, AL. If you missed either update, these are the players you can go back to learn about….

QB’s Daryll Clark (Penn State), Sean Canfield (Oregon State)
WR’s Freddie Barnes (Bowling Green), Mardy Gilyard (Cincinnati)
TE’s Andrew Quarless (Penn State), Richard Dickson (LSU), Jimmy Graham (Miami)
OG Mike Iupati (Idaho)
OT Vladimir Ducasse (UMass)
DE’s Greg Hardy (Ole Miss), Brandon Graham (Michigan)
LB Ross Pospisil (Navy)
S’s Kam Chancellor (Virginia Tech), T.J. Ward (Oregon), Myron Rolle (Florida State)
CB’s Devin Ross (Arizona), Brian Jackson (Oklahoma), Trevard Lindley (Kentucky), Javier Arenas (Alabama)
K Leigh Tiffin (Alabama)

This week, I’m going to try to take a look back at what transpired in Orlando and Mobile, and who may have risen on the Ravens’ radar moving forward. With still no player movement, my team needs for the Ravens remain the same….

1-WR
2-TE
3-CB
4-S
5-OLB/DE
6-K
7-QB
8-G/C
9-OT
10-P

Thanks to CBSSports.com, SportingNews.com and SI.com for reports from the all-star games-and to NFLDraftScout.com & Wikipedia for help regarding particulars.

East West Shrine Game…

QB Max Hall (BYU)

Statistically, there is really no argument that can be made against Max Hall. During his 3 seasons in Provo (after transferring from Arizona State), Hall threw for over 11,000 yards and nearly 100 TD’s. Sometimes success from a Brigham Young quarterback can be dismissed based on the level of competition he played against in the MWC; but that’s not the case with Hall. Not only was he strong against teams like Utah (who he awkwardly said he “hated” in a post-game press conference), but he compiled an impressive 7-2 record against BCS opponents. He has no more than average size (6’1″, 200 pounds or so); but he’s a bit older (24) due to his LDS mission. Comparisons to current Ravens and former BYU QB John Beck would be pretty fair, as both came from similar backgrounds and systems. Hall made a nice impression while in Orlando; putting together a very solid 4th quarter in the East West Shrine Game, including a TD pass to Ryan Moya.

C John Estes (Hawaii)

Estes was a steadying force for the Warriors, even if not an overwhelming one. His size (6’2″, 295 pounds) will make his performance on the bench even more important at the NFL Scouting Combine. He is by no means small, but no NFL team will want to have a sub-300 pounder on their offensive line. Estes will likely need to add bulk as well as prove he has the muscle to battle with the Haloti Ngata and Shaun Rogers of the world inside. As a player who will be available late Friday night and possibly even on Saturday, Estes may be a good fit for the Ravens. Estes could spend a year or two adjusting his body to the NFL level while Matt Birk continued to anchor the middle of the line in Charm City.

WR Verran Tucker (Cal)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVIBjWcO0ls[/youtube]

Tucker was showing some positive signs in Orlando before a hamstring injury stunted his Draft season progress. Tucker will have to make up for that in Indianapolis and with his own Pro Day in Berkeley, as he does not have the resume and profile to fall back on. Tucker was never a big numbers guy for the Golden Bears, tallying just 815 yards and 4 TD’s during his 2 year career after transferring from El Camino Junior College. In fact, Tucker had as many 100 yard seasons for the Bears as you and I did. But there are positives about Tucker for sure-he’s in the 6’1″-6’2″ range, and can move his sub-200 pound frame very quickly (he’s expected to run in the 4.4 range in Indy). He’ll need to show teams in individual workouts that he can be a slot receiver at the NFL level,capable of picking up yards after catches over the middle. Ozzie Newsome and company will need multiple receivers before the season begins, so adding a player like Tucker late in the Draft might be an option.

TE Riar Geer (Colorado)

What impressed scouts most about Geer in Orlando was his solid blocking and safe hands in passing situations. In terms of 2nd tight ends, Geer really appears to fit the bill. He’s definitely got the size (6’3″, 252 pounds) to play the position, but he’s not particularly quick-which will limit his ability to be an offensive playmaker. Geer was never much of a numbers guy (his 402 yards receiving during his senior season in Boulder were almost twice as much as his next biggest season), but he was dependable, and could be a nice late round option for a team needing help in 2 TE sets. His red flags include a knee injury and a previous arrest due to an off-campus fight. There is the possibility Geer could play some Fullback at the next level as well. While the Ravens could use another player to line up next to Todd Heap, it is more likely they’d be looking for a player who could develop into more of a playmaker.

OT Rodger Saffold (Indiana)

Maybe no player solidified their stock at the Shrine Game as much as Saffold did, as he was REALLY impressive against Ole Miss DE Greg Hardy in practice-winning most 1 on 1 matchups. At 6’5″, 312 pounds; Saffold is roughly the size of Michael Oher, who the Ravens selected in the first round a season ago, and ended up being a Rookie of the Year candidate. Saffold is a likely mid-round pick right now, but he could rise over the coming weeks as more teams deem him capable of being an OT at the next level instead of needing to move to OG, which a number of scouts thought he would before his performance in Orlando. If he stays in the mid-rounds, Saffold would likely be the type of player the Ravens would look at with Jared Gaither’s future still up in the air.

LB Jason Beauchamp (UNLV)

The biggest question about Beauchamp’s draft status absolutely surrounds what position he will play. He appears to be an outside linebacker-but not necessarily a great pass rusher. He has the tackling ability of someone who can play inside, but got around the edge nicely when he wasn’t hurt last season. His tackling numbers in Las Vegas were impressive-he tallied 332 for his career, 221 over his final two seasons. At 6’3″, 243 pounds; teams will watch his numbers in the 40 and on the bench closely as they try to determine where he might fit in on their defense. He’s clearly a very bright kid, as he wrote a weekly column for the Las Vegas Sun on top of his football duties. In a defense with as many movable pieces as Greg Mattison’s, Beauchamp could slide in at Jarret Johnson’s current position, or possibly at the JACK position Dannell Ellerbe currently mans.

CB Alterraun Verner (UCLA)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eit1ZcphBtc[/youtube]

If the Ravens add just one cornerback this offseason, my best guess is that it will be someone a bit taller than Verner, who at 5’10″ is actually not even as big as Domonique Foxworth, Fabian Washington or Frank Walker. But if John Harbaugh and staff decide that they want to bring in more than one CB, Verner may be a solid option. As you can see, he’s a very capable defensive playmaker, having intercepted 13 passes, forced 3 fumbles and scored 4 defensive TD’s during his Bruins career. In that way, he reminds me of Lardarius Webb, a pick that appeared to work well for the Ravens last season. He also reminds me of Webb in that he might have to move to safety to make his speed effective at the NFL level. He’s believed to be a mid-round pick, and his size will probably prevent him from rising too much higher than that.

K Hunter Lawrence (Texas)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjZLxsxmBSc[/youtube]

Believe it or not, Hunter Lawrence actually made a few other kicks during his Longhorns career. Of course, clearly none of them were as meaningful as the pressure kick he made to beat Nebraska inside Cowboys Stadium to win the Big 12 Championship Game and advance to the BCS Championship Game. This would mean that he’s connected on one more big kick in his life than say Steve Hauschka or Billy Cundiff (unless of course you consider a game winner for the Browns in a 6-3 victory over the Bills a “big kick”). But beyond that kick, Lawrence was 34/39 on FG attempts during the two seasons he kicked in Austin; including 13-15 tries from between 40-49 yards. He doesn’t have a giant boot necessarily (in fact he missed his only career try from beyond 50 yards), but for a steady kicker who has had to make pressure kicks before, he could work as solid competition for Cundiff; especially if he ends up going undrafted.

WR Blair White (Michigan State)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhd7nvwEXWA[/youtube]

It took him until his senior year to become a reliable target in East Lansing, but he certainly delivered. White finished his senior season with 70 catches for 990 yards and 9 TD’s. Over his final two seasons, he put together 6 100+ yard games. At 6’2″, 205 pounds; White would not likely be the typical #1 receiver in the NFL, but he certainly could fill a role. The comparisons to guys like Austin Collie and Brandon Stokley are inevitable (likely having a lot to do with the fact that White is…..well….white), and they might very well be fair. White got Draft season off to a great start, nabbing 7 catches for 93 yards in the East West Shrine Game. White would be a solid option for the Ravens should he be available on Saturday.

S Van Eskridge (East Carolina)

Scouts would probably like to see a little bit more speed from a free safety prospect like Eskridge, but he certainly has plenty to offer otherwise. At 6’1″, 195 pounds; he’s probably big enough to play at the next level, potentially even big enough to play CB. He showed unique playmaking ability during his career with the Pirates-picking off 11 passes and forcing 5 fumbles. He’s also a very capable tackler, having tallied 290 over the last 3 seasons. Moreover, Eskridge performed at the most important times; having combined for 19 tackles, 2 interceptions and 2 pass defenses in ECU’s win over Houston in the Conference USA Championship game and their loss to Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl. On top of that, he ended up claiming defensive MVP honors in the Shrine Game. There are few red flags on Eskridge’s resume, and he could be a very intriguing prospect should he be available on Saturday.

Senior Bowl…..

WR/RB Dexter McCluster (Ole Miss)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZNCPOMuXhA[/youtube]

While he is one of the biggest stars of Draft season thus far (and has a big fan in our man Paul from Hawaii), McCluster may not be a perfect fit for the Ravens, mostly because he’s almost a clone of Ray Rice. McCluster is an explosive playmaker, tallying 2,997 total combined yards during his junior and senior seasons in Oxford. McCluster is roughly Rice’s size (each are somewhere between 5’7″-5’9″, with McCluster clocking in at just a few pounds below Rice’s 210. But the idea remains the same. McCluster is at his best when teams get him the ball in space-which he proved during a stellar Senior Bowl week in Mobile. The Ravens weren’t shy to take chances on Rebels prospects a season ago, drafting Michael Oher and adding FB Jason Cook & LB Tony Fein before letting each go at the end of Training Camp. With Willis McGahee’s future questionable, Cam Cameron could decide to take a chance on another playmaker to help make the Ravens’ offense even more unpredictable. We know one thing-McCluster does the one thing Cameron wants his backs to do-he catches the ball. He’s probably a Friday night guy in April’s Draft.

LB Sean Weatherspoon (Missouri)

376 tackles, 12 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 4 interceptions and 2 defensive TD’s made the last 3 seasons of Weatherspoon’s Tigers career particularly memorable. To make his NFL career memorable, he’ll have to settle in at a LB position-which could be outside or a JACK-type of position depending on the team he ends up with. Weatherspoon is a beast at 6’2″ and 245 (or so) pounds, and is expected to be able to post a 40 in the 4.5 range on the fast track at LucasOil Stadium. Weatherspoon comes from a family of athletes, including his cousin-former WNBA star Teresa Weatherspoon. Lions DC Gunther Cunningham told the Detroit Free Press that Weatherspoon showed a great deal of leadership during Senior Bowl week. Should he play inside, the Ravens may be looking for a leader after the eventual retirement of Ray Lewis. However, Weatherspoon is expected to be a Thursday or Friday night pick-which may be a bit too early for the Ravens to pull the trigger on a LB that isn’t a pass-rusher.

WR Jeremy Williams (Tulane)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV1E83U6zK4[/youtube]

He’s taller than Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton, but 6’1″ may not be the ideal size for a receiver the Ravens are looking at in the 2010 Draft. But if Williams stays on the board until Saturday, he will be a reliable target for any team that takes a chance on him. Williams had a spectacular senior campaign for the Green Wave, grabbing 84 catches for 1,113 yards and 7 TD’s. His season included 5 games where he tallied 100 or more receiving yards. Williams capped that off with a strong performance at Ladd Peebles Stadium, where he made 6 catches for 83 yards and finished with over 100 yards of total offense. Of course, things haven’t necessarily worked out well stemming from the last time the Ravens drafted a WR named Williams…

WR Taylor Price (Ohio)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIOwxj0oh6Q[/youtube]

Scouts around Mobile compared Taylor Price to Chicago Bears WR Johnny Knox. I’m not sure if you’re aware, but Johnny Knox is LIGHTNING fast. I’ll reiterate that I don’t think a 6’1″ receiver will address the Ravens’ problems at the position, but I know having game-breaking speed has worked for other #1 WR’s around the league, including Carolina Panthers star Steve Smith. Price didn’t put up eye-catching numbers during his Bobcats career, but he finished with just over 2,000 yards receiving and 14 TD’s. On top of that, Price spent some time during his career as both a punt returner and kick returner-but wouldn’t be an obvious candidate to compete with Lardarius Webb, Jalen Parmele or Chris Carr for a return job in Baltimore.

CB Kyle Wilson (Boise State)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxpdHHWKLiE[/youtube]

The oddest thing about Kyle Wilson’s draft profile is trying to figure out how a player with his speed managed to end up at Boise State despite being from Piscataway, New Jersey. Strangely enough, it WASN’T because Rutgers wasn’t interested. Wilson wasn’t highly recruited out of high school, but he proved his doubters wrong during his career with the Broncos. Not only did he finish his career with 11 interceptions and 2 defensive TD’s, he also added 3 punt return TD’s. Wilson’s speed isn’t a concern, but his size (5’10″) makes it difficult to assume he can transition from WAC star to shutdown NFL corner. There will be plenty of comparisons made between Wilson and Jacksonville Jaguars safety Gerald Alexander, who also went to the Draft coming off a BSU victory in the Fiesta Bowl.

TE Ed Dickson (Oregon)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpXURJqx8MU[/youtube]

Unlike Riar Geer, Ed Dickson does appear to be the type of TE who could develop into a big playmaker while splitting time with a former Pro Bowler like Todd Heap to start his career. Dickson has tremendous size (6’5″, 244 pounds); and could really make sure he doesn’t stick around until Saturday on draft weekend by posting a 4.6-ish 40 at the Combine. Dickson didn’t exactly put up insane numbers in Eugene, but he did average over 500 yards receiving and 4 TD’s over each of the final 3 seasons of his Ducks career. Dickson is a tremendous athlete, having previously played LB and DE in High School and early in his college career. What makes him even more intriguing is that his size (much like the size of Miami TE prospect Jimmy Graham) makes him a legitimate jump ball and endzone threat, which the Ravens are currently lacking.

LB Daryl Washington (TCU)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0gc2ODyM1w[/youtube]

While pass rusher Jerry Hughes is the Horned Frogs defender that is getting the most attention during Draft season, Washington has quietly made a name for himself as a riser at the ILB position. Washington had a stellar senior season in Fort Worth; tallying 109 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 interceptions and a INT return TD. Washington moves well for someone who is about 6’3″, 234 pounds; but he moved to strong side during the Senior Bowl, and scouts will want to see continued progress from him at that position. Where he could fit in for the Ravens would be as a reserve MLB, as his ability to move downfield in pass coverage could get him playing time in obvious passing situations with Ray Lewis having appeared to lose a step in 2009. He looks like a Friday night pick as of right now.

OG Jeff Byers (USC)

If some schools are “Linebacker U” (like Penn State) or “Wide Receiver U” (Tennessee and Michigan State have been given that nickname), when will we finally recognize Southern Cal as “Interior Lineman U”? After players like Deuce Lutui (Arizona Cardinals), Ryan Kalil (Carolina Panthers), Sam Baker (Atlanta Falcons) and others, Byers is just another steady O-Lineman the Trojans are going to send to the NFL. The issue that is holding Byers back is his history of injuries. His career was slowed in 2005 and 2006 by hip and back injuries that caused him to miss the better part of two seasons. But Byers showed solid versatility in his senior season, even starting a game at center when Kris O’Dowd was hurt. Byers measures in at 6’3″ and right around 300 pounds-making his growth and bench performance very important as teams like the Ravens consider him on Saturday.

DE Alex Carrington (Arkansas State)

One of the most below the radar pass rushers in the entire FBS, Carrington is out to prove that his 19 sacks over his final two seasons in Jonesboro were about his own individual ability, not the Sun Belt level of opposition he faced with the Red Wolves. Carrington is an absolute monster, checking in at 6’5″, 280 pounds and expected to post a 40 somewhere in the 4.7 range at the Combine. Scouts in attendance at the Senior Bowl were blown away by his strength and versatility; as he’s believed to be capable of rushing in either a 3-4 or 4-3 set. Carrington would be a VERY intriguing selection for a Ravens team with Trevor Pryce’s long-term future in the air; and needing someone to perform opposite Terrell Suggs.

QB Jarrett Brown (West Virginia)

The inevitable comparisons with Brown will be to Miami Dolphins QB Pat White, but that’s only because the two players aren’t standing next to each other. Brown wasn’t overwhelming during his only season as a starter in Morgantown; he threw for 2,144 yards and 11 TD’s; adding 452 more yards and 6 TD’s on the ground. But Brown has great size for a player looking to prove himself at the next level-at 6’4″, 200 pounds. He’s not blazingly fast, but he definitely has the ability to move in the pocket-and his time in the 40 could change where he ends up getting picked. If the Ravens do end up moving Troy Smith-Brown’s size gives him an obvious advantage over the former Heisman Trophy winner as far as how his game will translate. He looks like a borderline Friday night or Saturday choice as of right now, which will certainly impact whether or not the Ravens would be interested.

Next week I’ll take a look back on the “Texas vs. The Nation” game risers.

-G