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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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).
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.Get the latest coverage on your favorite teams thanks to CBS Radio. Listen Now