Darius Hill Update

We, along with numerous mainstream media outlets, reported on Monday that former Cardinal Tight End Darius Hill was headed to the Giants. That report, as it turns out, is kind of false, and the many layers of Hill's potential journey to the NFL was reported by Muncie Star Press Ball State beat writer Doug Zaleski.

Z reports via his blog this evening:

The 6-foot-6 tight end will make his first attempt at getting into the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Hill’s agent, Storm Kirschenbaum, told me today that at least five NFL teams have interest in signing Hill. The strategy is to have Hill attend the Bengals’ rookie mini-camp this week and sign with them if they offer him a free-agent deal.

If that doesn’t happen, Hill will attend the rookie camp of the New York Giants from May 7-10. But clearly his interest is with the Bengals.

“All of Cincinnati’s tight ends are blocking tight ends,” Kirschenbaum said. “They drafted Chase Coffman and plan to use him as a blocking tight end. If (Hill) goes to Cincinnati and gets a contract, he won’t go to the Giants’ camp.”

Hill’s strength as a tight end is as a pass-catcher, which he showed throughout his career with the Cardinals. If neither the Bengals nor the Giants sign Hill, he has generated interest from the Browns, Jaguars and Panthers, according to his agent.

So we were sort of half right, which amounts to basically all wrong, but we did have the team right in the Giants, which is more than some can say. Here's hoping that big 88's workouts go exceptionally well and he ends up wherever they will get the most production out of him, whether it be Cincy, New York, or some yet to be named NFL team.

Kentucky Players Drafted, Blue-White Game Action

A big weekend in Wildcat football saw a player transition from Saturday to Sunday, as Myron Pryor went to the New England Patriots with their 6th Round selection. Pryor, one of dozens of SEC players to hear their name called in Radio City Music Hall, was the only University of Kentucky player to get the nod. For those curious what opposing offenses are going to be looking at next year...


Congrats to the big fella, and here's to the chance that maybe, just maybe, he will help me not despise the Patriots as much as I do.

A host of Wildcats also have signed undrafted free agent deals as well. Among them: S Marcus McClinton (New England), P Tim Masthay (Indianapolis), and LB Johnny Williams (Jacksonville). Check out their new threads...

Outside of the draft, there was also a Spring football game, as the Blue team defeated the White team 28-23. From all indications it was a nice afternoon of football that showcased some surprises, most notably the play of reserve QB Will Fidler. Solid play from the defense, Randall Cobb, and the run game all gave the 20,000 or so fans on hand reason to smile.

Coach's Brooks' comments after the game...

Opening statement…
“Injury wise-it doesn’t appear that we had anything serious. E.J. Adams had a slight AC strain in his shoulder on a pass that he caught. Alfonso Smith sprained his arch in his foot. Danny Trevathan, on that last scramble by Mike Hartline, got a little bit of a hip pointer. Coshik Williams bruised the other shoulder, it wasn’t the same one. That was the extent of the injuries. From that standpoint it has to be the best spring that I’ve ever had as far as no serious injuries. So, from that standpoint it was excellent.

“I thought the effort all spring was excellent. Today, it’s never going to look as polished as you want when you mix and draft your team. Coach (Steve) Brown is 2-0 now in this game. So, he’s feeling pretty good. I think that there were a lot of good things that happened out there. There are some things that we obviously need to get better at. I think our fans got a great opportunity to see some new faces who will be doing some big things for us this next year. I was very pleased with the energetic crowd, and a very big crowd. I think it was the biggest crowd I’ve seen for a spring game since I’ve been here. It was fun for them I think, and it was fun for the players.”

(Editor’s note: spring game records are incomplete, but today’s attendance of 20,200 is the second-largest in UK history based on available information. The known record is 20,325 in 1987.)

On how the draft was constructed in allowing the Blue team to have Trevard Lindley, Micah Johnson, Jeremy Jarmon and Randall Cobb…
“You have an old draft guy on that side of the ball. Steve Ortmayer has run a lot of drafts in his day. It just works out how it works out. Joker (Phillips) had the first pick. Then each side got to take two at a time. So, hey, how it works is how it works. It ended up being competitive. It didn’t look like it would be in that first quarter. But, (Mike) Hartline, after what I thought was a shaky start throwing the ball, came back and did some very good things. He showed the competitor that he is when he brought his team back there in the second half. It was, I think, an entertaining game. Spring games are not always a really good, polished game. There were some turnovers. Most of them (turnovers) were by back-up players. The two interceptions were off of tipped balls.”

On the play of Will Fidler…
“I thought Fidler played the first quarter, and the first drive in particular, as well as I’ve ever seen him perform. Will’s problem isn’t arm strength. It’s usually been making the right decision, making it on time and he showed definite improvement in that area today. He started off like gang-busters. He had a pretty good guy to throw to (Randall Cobb) who made a few good plays. The one play Randall made reminded me of the one Dicky Lyons made when it was thrown behind him and he reached up and tipped it to himself and then turned it up the field and got some extra yards. Those are the kinds of plays that we need our receivers to make from time to time. Randall is obviously going to be a big-time playmaker and can help any quarterback I think look better. But, Will did a really good job early. He got some balls batted down later, which is not all his fault. We’ve got to get our offensive line a little more aggressive in getting the defender’s arms down. I thought he clearly closed the gap. And there was a gap. I feel much, much better about Will Fidler after this scrimmage. Obviously, he got the win.”

On the development of the receivers this spring…
“They’re not where I’d like them to be. We had a few guys make some plays. We had a young man not too many people knew about, but we knew about him in the last two or three weeks who has been impressive is Nick Melillo. He has put himself in a position where he is going to be looked at very hard in the fall. He doesn’t drop anything. He is physical. He plays hard. He plays fast. I’m encouraged from what I’ve seen from him. We did have some of our signees here today. I’m anxious to get them in here, one of them in particular was out here today a 6’5 200-pounder who runs fast -- junior college player Chris Matthews. It is going to be a lot more competitive. Some people in the receiving position helped themselves today and some people were either stagnant or took a step back. That’s what the competition will be all about. There are some plays, in particular early, that I wasn’t happy about Hartline all spring were his deep throws. Today they were similar. They floated a little bit too much. I will say this, the wind was blowing very hard and made it extremely hard to throw deep. When you do throw deep it better be a tight spiral or the wind is really going to take it over. That’s what happened on several of those deep throws. One of the balls that was intercepted down in the endzone our receivers have to come back and compete for that ball and not allow an interception. Although the defender made a good play, I thought the receiver did not compete for the ball as he should have.”

On the play of the linebackers…
“How long has it been since Kentucky had a linebacker fast enough to return kickoffs? (referring to Danny Trevathan) That’s the encouraging thing about the speed of our team. We graduated a couple of really good linebackers in Braxton Kelley and Johnny Williams and now you put Sam Maxwell and Danny Trevathan on the field. I promise you, as good as those two guys were who graduated, these two guys filled it up this spring. They had great springs. Trevathan can run now. He got a little worn down and he still has some things to learn but, he is a playmaker. He not only has speed, he not only is tough he is instinctive. That’s a great combination of things to have.”

Cardinals Rock the Draft

For any who may have missed it this weekend, Ball State represented the MAC and the Cardinals by sending two players to professional rosters. One higher than expected, one lower than expected, but still a successful day for the program, the players, and the fans of the Cards. Get 'em while they're hot...

Offensive tackle Robert Brewster and quarterback Nate Davis were both selected on Sunday, Brewster heading to the Dallas Cowboys in the 3rd round with the 75th overall pick, and Davis heading to the San Francisco 49ers in the 5th round, with the 171st overall pick.

For Brewster, it was a surprise to say the least, to see the big fella head off the board as the 7th tackle chosen in the 09 draft. Listening to the pundits on ESPN chat about him, they liked the pick, but are concerned with Brewster's ability to play tackle in the NFL, insisting that he will likely end up as a guard. Regardless of where he ends up, he is a professional football player as of this moment, so congrats to Brewster.

For Nate Davis, it was a mixed bag all around. Though not surprising that he came off when he did, as most thought Davis was a 4th or 5th round selection, what was surprising was the players that came off the board at his position before him. Names like Stafford, Sanchez, and Freeman were to be expected, but names like Rhett Bomar and Stephen McGee were shocking to see chosen ahead of 13. The debate can begin now as to whether or not Nate should have stayed or left, but for this very moment, he deserves some celebration. He is a professional quarterback whose name was called during the NFL draft. And that alone, regardless of what Nate does in San Francisco or beyond, is a tremendous accomplishment.

Some other draft thoughts from an admitted NFL casual fan...

• Can someone explain to me how the draftniks like Kiper and McShay can go to lauding Mark Sanchez as the next great thing to talking about him as a potential bust all in the course of 24 hours?
• If someone can also explain to me why Tampa Bay felt the need to trade up two spots to take Josh Freeman, that would be most excellent.
• Same goes for Oakland and Darius Heyward-Bey. Fantastic player, but they passed up Jeremy Maclin, Michael Crabtree, and Percy Harvin to grab him. Very very strange.
• Aside from the Cardinals, other MAC draftees included: Northern Illinois' DE Larry English (Round 1), Ohio's S Michael Mitchell (Round 2), Western Michigan's S Louis Delmas (Round 2) and CB Edjuan Biggers (Round 7), Temple's DE Terrance Knighton (Round 3), Eastern Michigan's OT T.J. Lang (Round 4), Kent State's WR Julian Edelman (Round 7), Miami's TE Jake O'Connell (Round 7)
• Ball State's Chris Miller, Darius Hill, BJ Hill, and Dan Gerberry could potentially make a roster as an undrafted free agent, which Andre Ramsey has done... signing with the Seahawks late Sunday night.
  

OTP's Mock Mock Draft

In case you've been hiding under a rock lately or haven't watched any ESPN programming over the last month, you may have missed all the Mock Drafts being bantered about on the Network, sports talk radio, and the web. Frankly, every Tom, Dick, and Harry have a mock draft out, including Todd McShay, who still isn't as good at broadcasting as Harry Kalas' corpse.

For particpation's sake, we, your faithful site authors, decided to throw our hats in the ring with our individual Mocks.

Alan's Mock Draft
Notable Disclaimer: I am not an NFL watcher. I watch the Colts and Bears, if on, and am forced to watch the Steelers since I have found a Steeler fan who is willing to put up with me on a regular and committed basis. Having said that, I do know enough about the teams and, more importantly, the draftees, to have some semblance of what's what when it comes to the NFL Draft.

I also understand that mock drafts, in and of themselves, are overrated self-indulgent shots in the dark. Sort of like drafting itself. You are staking your franchise and hundreds of millions of dollars on a 22-year old who may or may not even be able to read his own name. The whole world has gone crazy. Off we go...

1. Detroit - Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia: Stafford, though some will tell you otherwise, is a franchise type QB. He's talented, tall, and decent, and let's be honest, Detroit needs something good to happen with their football program.
2. St. Louis - Jason Smith, OT, Baylor: Quality tackles, much like blondes that can also do long division, are hard to find. Smith doesn't have major personality flaws, he's quick for a lineman, and he eats a ton of space at 6'5" and 310 lbs.
3. Kansas City - Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU: Jackson is one of two prospects moving up draft boards and benefiting from some pre-draft hype. Kansas City has their future offensive star in Matt Cassel, so a pick to shore up a defensive unit isn't a surprise.
4. Seattle - Mark Sanchez, QB, USC: The other player rocketing up draft boards is Sanchez. Seattle may grab him here or Washington may trade up for him, but either way, Sanchez is off the board in the top 5. Exceptionally talented with the media, has a good pedigree, and brings in no off the field issues whatsoever.
5. Cleveland - Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech: This is assuming that the Browns can get a done deal for Braylon Edwards before draft day. If not, I expect them to look defensively and draft Curry or Raji.
6. Cincinnati - Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia: Again, another big time tackle with 6'6". 310 size, and no character issues. Monroe is durable, experienced, and aggressive, and has good football smarts from all accounts.
7. Oakland - Andre Smith, OT, Alabama: Were it not for his tremendous size, Smith wouldn't be here. The guy has work ethic questions, character issues, and problems out the rear end, but it's hard to overlook the sheer massiveness of this kid. Plus, it's the Raiders, and they don't seem to mind.
8. Jacksonville - Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri: Speed. Maclin is the best WR on the board after Crabtree, and new Jags QB Byron Leftwich will need some speedy sure-handed targets. Maclin fits that bill.
9. Green Bay - BJ Raji, DT, Boston College: Raji, presumed a sure fire top 3 or 4 pick by some, slips a bit only because of the epic hype around some other prospects. At 6'2" 337, Raji is another epic space eater who's fast off the ball and is a huge force in the run game, which plays in important part of the NFC North.
10. San Francisco - Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest: San Francisco, much like Detroit, just has too many holes to fill, and Curry is the top talent still on the board. If they get him here, and it's a big if, it's an absolute steal.

BONUS PREDICTIONS: Nate Davis goes in the late 3rd round, probably to the Colts, and Robert Brewster goes to the Pats in the 6th.



Edge's Mock Draft
Notable Disclaimer: I respect the brain. Therefore, I'm offering a coda to my recent Wonderlic article. These brains are the best of 2009, and they apparently haven't been too battered on the gridiron (yet). I based this on the Wonderlic batting average. I could have done the most correct answers, but you know, that's pretty boring. Batting averages are more exciting. Plus I got to use my Excel skills on this. Thanks, University of Phoenix Online!

1. Detroit - Tony Fiammetta, FB, Syracuse: 0.880
2. St. Louis - Marquez Branson, HB, Central Arkansas: 0.875
3. Kansas City - A.Q. Shipley, C, Penn State: 0.870
4. Seattle - Donald Washington, CB, Ohio State: 0.850
5. Cleveland - Don Carey, CB, Norfolk State: 0.840
6. Cincinnati - Ramses Barden, WR, Cal Poly: 0.839
7. Oakland - Andrew Gardner, OT, Georgia Tech: 0.829
8. Jacksonville - Kory Sheets, RB, Purdue: 0.826
9. Green Bay - Anthony Hill, TE, North Carolina State: 0.826
10. San Francisco - Kevin Barnes, CB, Maryland: 0.820

BONUS PREDICTIONS: Percy Harvin (0.286) will get stoned tomorrow. Very stoned. I mean, it's not like they'll give him another test so soon after he failed, right? Emmanuel Cook of South Carolina (0.224) will want to play in the NFL, but Roger Goodell will require he attend summer school instead. And Matt Stafford (0.778) will be drafted first.



RV's Mock Draft
Notable Disclaimer:
Coming soon!

Life on the Edge: The Wonderlic Explained

Most of you know Edge as the roving correspondent for our OTP Muncie bureau. He brings delight and joy to the masses with his Rock & Roll Report Cards after Ball State games which he decides to rock out at in person. In an effort to ensure your Awesome Quotient, or AQ as we like to call it, increases on a weekly basis, Edge offers insight into the Cards' upcoming opponent or random goings on in college football. This week's edition? The Wonderlic Explained.

Life on the Edge:

The Wonderlic Explained

Most of you that read OTP will understand about the Wonderlic. But I've been hearing questions about this test from some casual OTP readers (we'll call them the fairweather fans). As the resident, somewhat scholarly rocker, I think it's my duty to explain some things about this test. Here goes:

50 questions, 12 minutes. Go.

That's pretty much it, my fellow Einsteins. But what questions are on this test... Well, here's a few brain busters (Note: these can be found on the Internet. They are not confirmed as being on this year's test, but they are confirmed as the types of questions asked):

• "What number month is September?"
• "When rope is selling at $.10 a foot, how many feet can you buy for sixty cents?"
• "A boy is 17 years old and his sister is twice as old. When the boy is 23 years old, what will be the age of his sister?"

Your brain hurt yet? Well, before you think you'd be the next Stephen Hawking, the test does get progressively harder. Such as:

• "A physical education class has three times as many girls as boys. During a class basketball game, the girls average 18 points each, and the class as a whole averages 17 points per person. How many points does each boy score on average?"
• "A box of staples has a length of 6 cm, a width of 7 cm, and a volume of 378 cm cubed. What is the height of the box?"
• "What is the average of all of the integers from 13 to 37?"

Granted, I'll bet most college-educated people could figure these out relatively easily. But, keep in mind: 50 questions, 12 minutes. See how things can get a bit difficult? It's no wonder that the averages tend to be in the mid-twenties for most test-takers. Scoring a 50 would probably get you drafted in the first round of the MENSA draft. Scoring a 6? Well, I guess you could be a mentally unstable quarterback for the Tennessee Titans.

Take a second and check out this year's scores. I'll wait while you review...

So, how about that 11, Nate?

So close... Derp.

Let's be honest here: that's pretty bad. "Learning disability" or not, it's just... not good. "Ah, but numbers can be deceiving, can't they Edge?" Well, I suppose an 11 out of 30 wouldn't be too bad, right?

But that's not what happened here... when you answer 45 questions and only get 11 right? Ouch dude. That's a 0.244 batting average. To put this into a little more perspective, the second-worst correct answers on the test for a quarterback was 16. Also not good. Until you take into account he only got through 21 questions. That's a 0.762 batting average. Game over, get your free Coke at the concession stand.

Now, I know that most teams aren't looking to draft financial advisers and chemists, but when a team sees a guy that's... slow?... you have to believe that they'll have some doubts. In my quick scan of scores (2nd test), I see only four who scored a worse batting average than Davis (and Johnny Knox of Abilene Christian, also a 0.244 hitter).

Valedictorian of Dumbshit U. - Emmanuel Cook of South Carolina scored an 11 of 49; a 0.224 batting average
Salutatorian of Dumbshit U. - David Richmond of San Jose State scored a 10 of 43; a 0.233 batting average
Ummm.. Co-Thirdatorians of Dumbshit U. - Taurus Johnson of South Florida and Sen'Derrick Marks of Auburn both scored a 12 of 50; a 0.240 batting average

Now, there were plenty of 11s, 12s, even a 9. But I tend to glance at the number to the right which indicates the number of questions answered. Even if a player only answers 30, but gets 20 correct, that indicates intelligence on some level. It may mean he takes too long reading or that he's too meticulous, or he knows he's dumb, so he only answers the ones he's sure are right - thus an intelligent move. But he still got 2/3 of the questions correct. Certainly better than under 1/4, right my fellow mathmeticians?

Bottom line? The Wonderlic sacked Davis. It gang-sacked him. And his approach was borderline idiotic. Here's the deal... too late now of course: if you don't know the answer, SKIP IT! At least you can feign intelligence this way. Like him or not, "learning disability" or not, his stock has not increased, and he's going to be hard-pressed to get the contract he thought he'd get before the MAC championship. And note to self: if I ever take a test next to Nate Davis, don't copy off of him.

Edge's Do's and Don'ts for a Rockin' Rookie Season

Roving OTP Reporter and our OTP Muncie Bureau Chief, Edge brings his rock and roll attitude to the college football world whenever he gets the inkling. Through the season you'll find him grading the Cardinals in his weekly Rock and Roll Report Card, and checking in from time to time with his Life on the Edge series.

Edge's 25 Do's and Don'ts for a Rockin' Rookie Season

Congratulations! You are no longer a college football player, and your career in the NFL is just beginning. Here are 25 lessons from Edge to succeed as a rookie in the NFL:

#1 - Don't get arrested one month before the draft
#2 - Don't forget that Marvin Harrison has shot a man.
#3 - Don't decide to stage animal fights unless you want to get F'd in the A.
#4 - Don't eat everything in sight.
#5 - Do accept the Madden cover photo at your own risk. Same advice goes for clubbing and hanging with Ricky Williams.
#6 - Do avoid being a whiny bitch if your name comes up in trade talks. If you do your job well, this won't happen.
#7 - Don't think Plaxico Burress is a role model.
#8 - Do make it rain.
#9 - If Terrell Owens is traded to your team, do begin chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
#10 - Don't get diabetes.
#11 - If you really want to get paid handsomely, do stomp on someone's helmetless head, repent, and wait for the money bags to arrive in multiple Brinks armored trucks.
#12 - Don't take parenting advice from Travis Henry.
#13 - Don't accept the responsibility of holding any videocameras for a staff member from New England.
#14 - Don't expect retirement money.
#15 - Do make jokes at Vince Young's expense and make gentlemanly wagers on the exact day of his suicide.
#16 - Don't sleep over at Sean Taylor's house.
#17 - Do attend Narcotics Anonymous at least once with Michael Irvin just to get perspective.
#18 - Don't sign up for Ryan Leaf's "Steps to Success" seminar in Ballroom B of the Hilton.
#19 - Don't date Jessica Simpson.
#20 - Motorcycles. Don't.
#21 - Don't even let Roger Goodell find out you cheated on your math test in 2nd grade. That's 5 games, $45,000, and one weekend vacuuming his pool.
#22 - Do take part in a team dance, but challenge yourself to make it somewhat heterosexual.
#23 - If you love a crowd, don't head to Detroit.
#24 - Don't attend Ray Carruth's "So You Got Your Girlfriend Pregnant?" seminar, taking place in Ballroom A of the Hilton immediately following Ryan Leaf.
#25 - Do attempt to break records if you have the skill. Don't attempt to break Nate Newton's weight records - physical and weed-smuggling.

Nate's Results In...

We are mere days away from the NFL Draft on Saturday and most of the news about potential prospects and their problems has already been well publicized. Unfortunately for former Ball State QB Nate Davis, there was one critical piece of information that was yet to hit the mainstream media, and that was his Wonderlic test results.

For this unfamiliar, the Wonderlic is basically an intelligence test that is supposed to measure a prospect's ability to succeed when it comes to grasping the intellectually heavy lifting of an NFL playbook and system. Prospects get 12 minutes to answer the 50 question test. There have been numerous stories about former busts on the Wonderlic, including Vince Young, who hung a reported 6 on the board.

In comparison, Paul Zimmerman lists the following averages for the various positions in his book The New Thinking Man's Guide to Pro Football:

• Offensive tackle - 26
  
• Center - 25
  
• Quarterback - 24
  
• Guard - 23
  
• Tight end - 22
  
• Safety - 19
  
• Linebacker - 19
  
• Cornerback - 18
  
• Wide receiver - 17
  
• Fullback - 17
  
• Halfback - 16

Before you get to Nate's results, his QB competition in this year's draft included well-reviewed prospects who also put up fairly impressive Wonderlic scores. Matt Stafford (Georgia) put up a 38, Mark Sanchez (USC) put up a 28, and Josh Freeman (Kansas State) scored a 27. All respectable, and all way ahead of Nate Davis, who scored a, wait for it.... 11, as reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Saturday.


Now, I, along with others, will tell you that taking a 50 question test, to me, is in no way a sure-fire indicator of potential success in the NFL. I'm sure a QB like Terry Bradshaw would have struggled mightily on the Wonderlic, if he even could have got the seal open. But the fact remains that those that matter seem to hold the Wonderlic in fairly high regard, and this is simply another possible reason for pause for those who may consider selecting the QB, learning disability or not.

Regardless, I'm sure when the Draft draws to a close on Sunday, there will be no one happier to have it over than Davis, who can hopefully get away from test results, pro days, and combines, and get back to what he's good at: flinging the pigskin all over the field.

OTP News Exclusive: Percy Harvin

Roving Muncie bureau chief Edge was able to score an exclusive interview with Percy Harvin, he of blazing (see what I did there?) fast speed and paper mache ligaments. Harvin has been a newsmaker recently after two reports (1|2) surfaced that he allegedly failed a drug test for the ganj at the NFL Combine. There's been no comment from Percy or his agent.... until now.


Percy. Dude.

'Sup.

Any response about the news today?

Greg Paulus as the Michigan QB? Or my positive drug test?

Let's start with your positive test.

You know, the thing about that is it should be, you know, legal, you know? We got guys that drink and drive and all that, but I smoke a little. So what? My roommate listens to a lot of Widespread and the Dead, so it's just there, man. I mean it could be worse. What if they found coke? Or heroin? I mean, come on, there's worse things man... airplanes freak me out. How do they stay in the air?...what was your question?

I didn't really ask one Percy.

Well, anyway. I probably shouldn't talk about all this just yet without my lawyer or my agent.

Speaking of agents, how do you think your draft status will be affected by your positive test?

I don't know, really. Uhhh... just... I hope I land somewhere good where I can help.

Really? That's a stock answer if I ever heard one.

Ok, I really want to play for the Raiders. Sickest green out there, man. Any kind you want. Plus, they got this doctor that can flush you out, like they did for Latimer in "The Program".

I'm surprised you didn't try the cranberry juice method.

Nah man, that shit don't work. Clearly. Hey, did you ever see "The Matrix"?

Yeah...

That was the shit. Makes you think. Sometimes I sit and think that I'm just a battery. And I'm just providing electrical energy for someone or something. I don't know... it just makes you think, you know?

Uh, yeah. So back to...

Like, what if, like... ok... instead of my agent, it was really a Matrix agent. And he is trying to make sure that I stay plugged into the Matrix by keeping me happy with a big deal.

Yeah, that could be it. I could see that. Has Tim Tebow reached out to you yet?

Yeah, he said something about mission work and how it would help to get right with the Lord and all that. But I'm starting to believe in the Matrix. So, is there a God? Or is it some kind of all-knowing machine-baby?

Can we talk about something other than the Matrix for a second?

Sure, ok.

Other than getting baked, what do you do to relax? This has to be a stressful time for you, wondering who's going to pick you up and how much you'll make next year.

It is stressful. And occasionally, I like to smoke. Whatever. Other than that, I just like to think about stuff, you know? Like, ok... you know those areas of Africa that haven't even been explored yet? What kind of stuff do you think lives there? Some tribes, or a whole new species of bugs? Also, the pyramids. How did the Chinese make those? Then I think about other stuff, like do animals have a conscience? Sometimes it gets overwhelming thinking of all that, so I just go out and glue peoples' mailboxes shut, then I feel better.

Alright Percy, anything else you want to talk about before we wrap it up?

Nah, just that I'm pumped about the draft, and thanks for the talk. I like to just sit and talk about stuff sometimes. Like, how do those Kinoki foot pad things work? It's pretty cool, you know?

Ok Percy, nice talking to you. Thanks for the interview. I really have to go now.

Wanna hang later? We can watch "The Matrix".

Yeah, I'll call you.

Well... At Least It's Publicity, Nate

The adage says that the only bad publicity is no publicity and up until yesterday, that's the position that former Ball State Cardinal Nate Davis found himself in. Everyone's media darling in November, as the Cards rolled to a 12-0 record, there was chatter that Davis could be drafted in the first round. There were USA Today articles touting his ability to overcome his well documented learning disability. There were pro scouts on the sidelines, draftniks raving about The Gloved One, and the future looked exceptionally bright for the soft spoken junior from Bellaire, Ohio.

Unfortunately for Davis, the good came with a heavy dose of reality as the MAC Championship game, the GMAC Bowl, and a less than stellar combine began a free fall through mock drafts and a decrease of the chatter to almost non-existent levels. The folks championing him throughout the season as the next great savior for a team in need (See: Whitlock, Jason) were suddenly nowhere to be found. Davis was moving from darling to questionable to irrelevant in epic record time.

The next chapter in this Davis saga came via the WorldWideLeader on Wednesday as Jeffri Chadiha penned a fairly extensive piece on Davis, viewable here.

The piece as a whole is insightful into the human center of Davis' football exterior. His work with disabled students at his high school, his work off the field to get to where he is, and his inherent ability to remain positive and somewhat grounded as people who have never met him pick apart any and everything about him is impressive. However, in true ESPN fashion, nothing is ever as good as it seems.

Chadiha loads his piece full of quotes and commentary from people that know Nate best. Stan Parrish and Brady Hoke as well as his current trainer Steve DeBerg all offer extremely positive reviews of Davis and his ability to succeed at the highest level of football. Also, and not surprisingly so, is commentary from one Jose Davis, Nate's outspoken brother and apparent de facto representation. Chadiha also rehashes the failures in the postseason as well as paying special attention to Nate's private workout, attended by only one team.

The major problem with the article comes from Chadiha's decision to run this particular quote, credited to an "AFC assistant coach":

"Some teams will rate him as a third- or fourth-rounder, but I just didn't like him very much. I love his passion, but it's hard to feel good about a guy with his size who's not a quick-twitch athlete. You'd like to see him have better accuracy or touch or some kind of intangible. I really didn't see that in him. Plus, I had a guy tell me he isn't smart enough to play in this league."

Really? You had me up until the very last line. A second-hand quote meets the standard of publication at ESPN? It's this sort of hackery that makes me happy rather than sad that many of these so called "journalists" will be out of work before long. Having said all that, and focusing only on the content of the quote, if it is assumed accurate, is totally ludicrous. "Not worth feeling good about"? Davis is precisely the guy worth feeling good about. Davis possesses something called work ethic. It's a rare trait in QBs who have been coddled, pampered, and protected from any sort of problem for their entire life.

Davis has earned his success the old fashioned way... he worked his ass off for it. And he worked harder than anyone else because he had to to even have the opportunity to showcase a God-given ability and talent that few possess. He didn't earn it because ESPN dubbed him amazing. He didn't earn it because Pete Carroll said so. He didn't earn it because he was on television every week getting fawned over. He earned it at a smaller school outside of the BCS where athletes are not demi-Gods and the odds of making the League are even smaller than the already miniscule odds at football factories like USC, Notre Dame, and Florida. It doesn't show up on a Wonderlic Test. It doesn't show up in a boxscore. It doesn't show up on the back of a football card. It shows up in results, and no one can argue those when it comes to Davis.

No one is saying that Davis is a prototypical QB. No one expects him to come in and win Rookie of the Year. But I have said from the beginning, and will continue to say now, that given the right coaching, the right situation, and the right sort of franchise attitude, Davis will be successful in the NFL. The proof is in Davis' pudding, and frankly, there will be a team that will want a little taste come draft day.

But general kudos and such to Chadiha for profiling an athlete worth profiling. Bad publicity or good publicity, at least they're talking.

Nate Davis: Here's the Deal

My, my, my… the times they are a–changin'. Take a stroll with me down memory lane, Cardinals fans. It was December 1 of 2008. The Cardinals were preparing for an upstart Buffalo team that most thought was simply a speed bump on the road to undefeated. People were still a little surly over BSU's refusal to play in the Humanitarian Bowl against Boise State, folks were wondering if Brady would stick around, and many openly wondered if Nate Davis would toss his hat in the ring of the NFL.

If this were a fairytale beginning, it surely hit nightmare ending in record time. Goldilocks not only ate the porridge, but the three bears proceeded to gang rape her and then burn down the house. Two losses, a lost head coach, and a decision by QB Nate Davis to enter the NFL Draft after arguably two of the worst games in his career left many scratching their heads. Rumors floated of shoddy advice from his brother Jose Davis. Jason Whitlock blamed new head coach Stan Parrish and Athletic Director Tom Collins of trying to underhandedly convince Nate to stick around. People pointed to his family situation, changing offensive line, etc. Just as many people pointed to his last two games, his lack of big time wins, and his empty conference championship trophy case as reasons to stay. Ultimately, though, it was a decision made, however ill-advised, and there are no go backs.

That brings us to the current moment, where Nate is shopping his wares to the National Football League. He went to the Combine, threw a little, ran the 40, made the rounds. From all accounts, Davis did as expected. The problem for Davis is that his combine had to be huge to vault him into "sure-fire" status. That huge combine never came, and Davis was forced to rely on his pro day.

The internet has been abuzz over the last several days with a story reported by the Muncie Star Press and the Cardinals beat writer Doug Zaleski that only 1 team (the Indianapolis Colts) came to Muncie to watch Davis work out in his private pro day. The reasons for this, of course, could be plenty. Perhaps it was too soon after the combine for teams to want to take a second look at the young man. Perhaps it is because they would like Davis to work out for them individually. Perhaps it is simply a case of poor planning on BSU’s part, other commitments by all of the NFL player personnel, etc. It might very well be any of those things or a host of others that are by no means an indictment of Nate’s viability as an NFL QB.

Of course, what is more likely is that Davis, for whatever reason, seems to have been blackballed a bit by the draftniks, those in the know, and many people who basically make a living finding minuscule things that they deem indicative of a potential future problem in the NFL. "This guy's finger nails are too long! Second round, suck-o!" They say he's too short. They say he's a system quarterback. They say he isn't smooth enough to handle the media and the rigors of life as an NFL QB. They say his funky grip without touching the laces could cause problems. They say with a documented learning disability that Davis might not be able to grasp the complexities of an NFL playbook.

Is it fair? Probably not, though it is debatable. If an employer that's hiring for an entry level management job at 40k finds it necessary to do background checks, credit checks, and Facebook checks, then I can see where a team paying potentially millions of dollars to an unproven entity should in fact look for reasons why this investment might be a bad one. And in the interest of fair and balanced, Davis does have some pretty remarkable question marks. Question marks that in and of themselves, wouldn't be deal breakers if there was something outstanding to balance them with. For example, a killer combine or a BCS busting season might make people forget all about the potential problems, but as it stands, Davis only has two pretty sour games and a mediocre combine to balance out numerous questions. That isn't the way to try and become the next great Sunday signal caller.

Mel Kiper, he of ESPN.com fame, and NFL Draft guru, still has Davis 5th on his big board, and with 6 teams (according to Kiper) with a QB in their top 3 needs, Davis' potential to go in the Top 3 or 4 rounds is still a good possibility. This is a marked shift from Kiper proclaiming Davis 3rd behind Matt Stafford and Mark Sanchez. Currently, Davis sits behind Josh Freeman of Kansas State and Pat White of West Virginia in Kiper's eligible QBs.

When the proverbial rubber hits the road in April for the draft, the bottom line is that if nothing changes between now and then in terms of Davis' positives, absolutely nothing will shock me. Nate could go in the Top 4 rounds, and I'd be ecstatic. And a little shocked. He could just as easily go undrafted, and I'd be equally shocked, but if the "interest" or lack thereof from NFL teams is believed, it isn't out of the realm of possibility. More than likely, Davis will end up somewhere around the late 4th or early 5th. Good, but not great, and nowhere near high enough to justify him foregoing his senior season.

The thing to remember for Davis and Ball State fans is that "When" is nowhere near as important as "Who". For long term success, Davis needs to land on a team where a young icon is not firmly entrenched as QB1 on the depth chart. Andre Woodson of Kentucky found out just how hard it is when that happens, as he was drafted and subsequently released by the New York Giants. Teams like the Colts, Bears, and 49ers have all expressed some interest in Davis at one point or another, and all of those would be phenomenal fits for 13.

Regardless of the messy details of how Davis ends up in the league, it will be an uphill struggle for him to have sustained success, especially as a starter. We wish Nate Davis the best of luck, and frankly, I think he's going to need it.

Nate Davis' Draft Experiment

More later as the train rumbles off any semblance of track with #13 firmly entrenched in the conductor's chair.

Cardinal Combine Report

As the NFL begins its last day of its Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, with only the DBs left to audition, it's time to check out exactly how the two Cardinals invited to Lucas Oil Field did. Robert Brewster, an offensive tackle, and Nate Davis, QB extraordinaire, auditioned for dozens of scouts, player personnel reps, and the media in what has the potential to shape both of their futures for many years to come.

They came to the combine with different experiences, buzz, expectations, and end games. For Davis, it was simply a matter of showing his remarkable talent, and erasing the taste left in many mouths after a substandard performance against Buffalo in the MAC Championship and Tulsa in the GMAC Bowl. For Brewster, it was an opportunity to turn some heads, a chance to showcase solid fundamentals, athleticism, and character, and potentially move himself from a borderline draftee to a mid-round prospect.

Brewster, from all reports, did just that. The measurables for Brewster clocked in at 6'4 and 1/8" with a weight of 325. Speed isn't necessarily the most important thing for a lineman, as most scouts will look only at the first 20 yards or so, but Brewster completed the 40 yard dash in 5.24, but with a 20 yard time of 1.7. Bench press drills are also evaluated heavily by scouts and staff, and Brewster performed well, but not extraordinary. He repped 23 times at 225lbs, which places him in the bottom half of the offensive tackles at the combine. For comparison's sake, Jason Smith of Baylor and Alex Boone of Ohio State put up 225lbs 33 times. Brewster also had a vertical jump of 30.5 inches, a drill that most tackles didn't even complete.

For Davis, it was a fairly run of the mill day at the office. QBs in particular aren't exceptionally pressed physically, but some do choose to compete in various shuttle runs, bench presses, vertical jumps, etc. to showcase their athletic ability. Davis did none of that, opting only to run the 40 and also throw. In the dash, Davis put up a 4.98, which was the 7th slowest time for QBs, but if you knock out Stephen McGee of A&M and Pat White of WVU, it was pretty much in line with most of the big names. Davis' throws were decent, not remarkable, and from all accounts didn't wow, but didn't disappoint. Pretty ho-hum combine for 13.

All in all, Brewster's stock is rising, and Nate is holding steady for the April 25th NFL Draft. Better than it could be, Cardinals fans.