FanHouse Nfl Draft

Although ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper and NFL Network draft expert Mike Mayock always say nice, pleasant, cordial things about each other, they have an undeniable rivalry. And Kiper took a bit of a swipe at Mayock on Friday morning.

The Oakland Raiders shocked everyone this off-season when they made Maryland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey the seventh-overall pick in the NFL draft, and gave him a contract guaranteeing him at least $23.5 million. If you're still not sure why Raiders owner Al Davis fell in love with Heyward-Bey, the explanation is contained in the above video.

As I watched Florida quarterback Tim Tebow in Saturday's win over Tennessee, I became more convinced than ever that he won't be an NFL quarterback. Tebow is a great quarterback in Florida's offense, but Tennessee defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin exposed real limitations, including an inability to feel pressure and a slow delivery, that just won't work in the NFL.

Offensive tackle Andre Smith became the 31st 2009 first-round draft pick to sign, coming to terms with Cincinnati. Find all the signed picks' contract details below:

The number of unsigned 2009 first-round draft picks dwindled from two to one on Sunday, as offensive tackle Andre Smith finally agreed to terms with the Cincinnati Bengals. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The No. 6 overall pick missed all of Cincinnati's training camp and the Bengals' first three preseason games. Smith is basically locked into a starting tackle spot once he gets up to speed -- his challenge now will be accelerating that process with the regular season two weeks away.

Smith's signing also means that Michael Crabtree's San Francisco mess is the lone top pick not under contract yet.

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Michael Crabtree is right and he's wrong. He's right that he should have been picked before Darrius Heyward-Bey. He's right that he's a better receiver than Heyward-Bey is, and if that's the standard you want to apply, then he's right that he should be paid more. Where he's wrong is in expecting life to be fair, and in delaying the start of his NFL career to prove a pride-based point. He got a tough break, but it's not the toughest break ever. Tenth-pick money is lots, and if Crabtree's as good as he and the rest of us think he is, he'll get the chance to prove it (and to profit from that chance).

The big-picture problem with the Crabtree situation is that it has led to renewed calls for the NFL to seek a rookie wage scale -- to push for a provision in the next collective bargaining agreement that would establish rigid and restrictive guidelines for rookie salaries based on where the players are drafted. This is an easy and simplistic solution for which to press. (Everybody can agree it seems foolish that Matthew Stafford makes more money than Tom Brady.) But the facts are that it's too easy, too simplistic and, given the current structure, totally unnecessary.

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.

Giants rookie wide receiver Ramses Barden is impressing many at Giants training camp. At 6-foot-6 he has incredible speed, running the 40 in 4.37 seconds. In this FanHouse exclusive, we talk to Ramses about many things. Among the topics are why he chose 13 as his number, what the title of a movie about his life would be, and more. We also talk to actor Samuel Jackson.

Check out the video after the jump.

Give the San Francisco 49ers a little credit. The rebuilding franchise may have screwed up royally by using the No. 10 overall draft pick on a high-maintenance wide receiver, Michael Crabtree, who has yet to prove to anyone he is anywhere close to NFL-ready following surgery to repair a left foot fracture.

At least the 49ers are displaying solidarity in refusing to buckle to Crabtree's stubborn demands that he is paid what a Top 5 draft pick should receive, and not what a No. 10 selection is worth.

The team is moving on with business sans Crabtree -- and that's a good thing, for a struggling football operation that desperately needs to salvage credibility within the Bay Area community and around the NFL.

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The biggest domino amongst the remaining group of unsigned 2009 first-round picks has toppled. No. 3 overall pick Tyson Jackson signed with the Chiefs on Friday, a deal that's believed to be for five-years and just above $50 million. (Update: ESPN's John Clayton reports the deal is $57 million over five years, $31 million guaranteed).

Assuming Jackson joins Kansas City's training camp immediately (and stays healthy), he's a near-lock to be the Chiefs' starting left end in Week 1.

The situation is not as rosy for the Bengals' top choice, offensive tackle Andre Smith. The No. 6 pick in 2009, Smith is reportedly miles away from signing with Cincinnati.

On Wednesday the Giants made Eli Manning one of the league's highest-paid players. It's a long way from April 2004, when the Chargers selected him first overall, even though the Mannings specifically warned the team not to.

But everything has worked out: the Giants made a draft-day trade for Manning, sending Philip Rivers (and draft picks that would become Shawne Merriman and Nate Kaeding) to San Diego. And after a rocky first three years in the league, it all came together for Eli midway through the 2007 season ... all the way through the Super Bowl.