Last year, Matt Forte and Leodis McKelvin opened some eyes with their Senior Bowl performances, and both would go on to have outstanding NFL rookie seasons. Andre Woodson, on the other hand, struggled in the college football showcase game, and the former Kentucky star's draft stock plummeted -- he eventually ended the 2008 season on the Giants practice squad.
While a poor Senior Bowl won't automatically torpedo a prospect's NFL aspirations (Joe Flacco stumbled through the game last year), it's a great way for players to separate themselves in a crowded field.
After the jump: a quick rundown of those who impressed and those who didn't.
You've got questions. I've got answers. If not, I'll make them up. Each Thursday at 1 p.m. EST, I answer your queries on all things related to the NFL. If you have a question, send it over to NFLMailbag@gmail.com. Don't forget to include your name and location. Click here for the archives. Rock'n'roll.
How will the Saints offense make up for the loss of Jamar Nesbit and Jeremy Shockey for the next month, especially with Marques Colston out? Do you see any receivers finally catching anything? - J. Willits, Jackson, MS
The Saints have been debacled by injuries so far this year; one-fifth of the roster appeared on this week's injury report. Nesbit's suspension makes him the 11th starter from the presumed opening day roster to miss time this year. That being said, while it never helps to lose a starter, Nesbit's injury opens the door for coaches to get a look at Carl Nicks, the one-time Nebraska right tackle they drafted in the fifth round this year. Nicks was thought generally to have second- or third-round talent, but some trouble he got into in college, causing him to be banned from Nebraska's pro day, caused him to drop. He was converted to left guard in the offseason and coaches rave about the athletic ability he has for his size (6'5'', 343). Nesbit has been the weakest link on a line that has really performed poorly in the run game, so seeing what Nicks can do might prove to give the line a spark.
As far as the receivers are concerned, Robert Meachem is going to get increased looks, and rightfully so. He's only got three catches in two games, but they've totaled 105 yards and a touchdown, and all have been for first downs. Each catch has showed a flair for the ability to make plays. The Saints always find a way to move the ball through the air, so they'll put together a good enough attack to hold them over, but Meachem will work his way into the forefront. By the way, the Saints have San Francisco, Minnesota, and Oakland in the next few weeks, so their schedule is pretty favorable while everyone gets healthy.
Training camps are underway, the NFL season is right around the corner, and to get you ready for 2008, FanHouse previews all 32 teams, "heat index" style. We'll rate each club in 10 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.
Quarterback: The J.P Losman era has come to its logical conclusion. Which is to say, he probably won't be around after this season. Trent Edwards, the team's 2007 third-round pick is now the starter, and if the Bills are to have any chance to improve on last year's 7-9 record, it will lie largely with him. Heat Index: 5
Running backs:Marshawn Lynch had a relatively quiet offseason until he accidentally ran over a pedestrian and bonked out before the cops showed up. The case has been settled, and he won't miss any time, which is great news for a Bills offense that can't afford to lose one of its best players. I suspect the hit-and-run victim might feel differently, however. Fred Jackson is more than capable behind Lynch. Heat Index: 8
Buffalo Bills strong safety Donte Whitner has one of the brightest futures of any NFL player. He's already started 29 games in his career, and he's only 22 years old. I like him a lot.
So that's why, while I'd consider this type of statement to be over the top coming from some players, I kind of like it from Whitner:
When asked if he expects the Bills to make the playoffs, Whitner makes it clear how serious he is. "Do I expect us to make the playoffs?" he says. "I'm guaranteeing it.
That's what Whitner said to Clifton Brown of The Sporting News in a story that portrays Whitner as one of the league's smartest and hardest-working young players, not to mention as a mentor to Bills rookie Leodis McKelvin, who is only a month younger than Whitner but is much less experienced.
I don't know if I'm ready to buy into Whitner's guarantee, but I do know that I like his confidence. It sure seems like a long time ago that people were criticizing the Bills for drafting him.
Safety Donte Whitner is apparently very serious about helping the Bills turn things around. The former first-round pick is entering Year 3, and Buffalo has managed seven wins in each of his first two seasons. Not awful, particularly given their division, and the fact that they haven't had much stability at the quarterback position. But not great, either.
In any case, Whitner's not taking any chances. He's taking the team's 2008 first-round pick, cornerback Leodis McKelvin, under his wing.
"I'm having him stay with me until he finds a place of his own," said Whitner. "Each night I'm going to teach him a little bit more about the defensive scheme. It's hard as a rookie because you're going to make mistakes. So I'll try to slowly bring him up to speed on things and be a sounding board for him if he has any questions."
BuffaloBills.com's Chris Brown writes that McKelvin "was floored by the offer ... but happily accepted the invite." This could be the turning point in McKelvin's rookie season; often early-first-round defensive backs come into the league with humongous expectations only to flounder for a year or two. Usually, it has very little to do with being physically overmatched and everything to do with being mentally overwhelmed. The Redskins' Carlos Rogers immediately comes to mind.
Ideally, McKelvin would be eased into the lineup, but there's a chance he starts opposite Terrence McGee, and Jabari Greer moving to nickel back. And while it's way too early to pencil in the starters, working with Whitner certainly won't hurt McKelvin's chances for the gig.
The Good: Not only was Buffalo able to land the cornerback they so desperately needed, they were also able to land the big-time wide receiver they coveted as well. Both Leodis McKelvin and James Hardy will come in and have an immediate impact for the Bills, giving them two dimensions they were lacking last year. Additionally, Derek Fine was a tremendous value pick in round four and will likely add some quality depth to Buffalo's currently shallow tight end position.
The Bad: Outside of McKelvin and Hardy, many of the players Buffalo drafted have several question marks. Can Ellis become a more consistent player at the next level? Is Corner's size (or lack thereof) a major concern? Is Bowen big enough to play every down? And does Bell have enough game experience to offer any significant value? Those are some rather concerning questions ...
The Grade: B-. At the very least, Buffalo got two solid starters out of the draft and a lot of depth. Some of the other players will most likely realize their talent and reward the Bills, while the rest will eventually fade away into nothing. It wasn't an outstanding draft by any means, but it certainly wasn't a poor one either.
Heading into yesterday's festivities, Bills fans had pretty much resigned themselves to the team landing either a big-play cornerback or deep-threat wide receiver. But certainly not both.
Which is exactly what happened thanks to a bunch of trades, an early run on defensive linemen and linebackers, and a mid-round run on offensive tackles. Leodis McKelvin, who can also return kicks, was the first cornerback off the board when the Bills selected him 11th. He's in line for the starting job opposite Terrence McGee, which will allow Jabari Greer to move to nickel back. Everybody's happy ... well, except for J.P. Losman.
With the 10th pick in the second round, Buffalo looked to be prime position to take their game-changing wideout since one wasn't drafted in Round 1 for the first time in the history of man. And then, just like DL, LB and OT before them, there was a run on receivers. Three of the first five second-round selections were wideouts, but 6-6 James Hardy was still on the board when the Bills went on the clock.
While there was no agreement on a name, there was a pre-draft consensus that the Bills needed a tall target to line up opposite Lee Evans. Done and done. And head coach Dick Jauron was, in his own special way, super psyched:
Personally, for me, I'm really pleased," said Bills coach Dick Jauron. "It's a relief in terms of the draft because these are two critical positions on any football team, and on ours they were two critical needs. Now we go into the second day of the draft a little more open, a little more at ease."
Troy cornerback Leodis McKelvin was a dominant player at cornerback as a senior, and as you can see in the above video he's one of the best punt returners in college football history. The Bills took him with the 11th pick in today's draft, making him the first cornerback off the board.
I'm not totally sold on him, though. I don't think McKelvin's any better than Aqib Talib of Kansas, and I certainly wouldn't have taken McKelvin this highly.
And so the gossip keeps flying. Adam Schefter reported last night that the Saints have inquired about what it would take to move from their spot at 10 to the Rams' at two.
Schefter believes the Saints are eyeing Glenn Dorsey or Vernon Gholston. A trade involving Dorsey would seem more likely -- they love him, and if it only takes their second-rounder or perhaps their third and right tackle Jon Stinchcomb, who Rams defensive coordinator Jim Haslett drafted, it'd be worth it. But Gholston makes no sense. That rumor is based on defensive end Will Smith's hold out, but the Saints would have to pay Gholston comparable money to what Smith is seeking, and those slight savings aren't worth risking a Pro Bowler for an unproven rookie.
As far as the Rams are concerned, the deal makes more sense. If they're hell-bent on getting a tackle and Jake Long is gone, the Rams could save money and get Jeff Otah, Branden Albert, or Ryan Clady (or Stinchcomb). They could also grab Leodis McKelvin or Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie with rumors that Fakhir Brown will be suspended for the season, or even Devin Thomas to replenish their receiving corps.
All in all, I don't buy it. For one, if the Saints are positioning themselves to grab Dorsey ahead of division rival Atlanta, what would stop Atlanta from offering less and assuring the Rams a smaller drop? Secondly, Jim Haslett left New Orleans on very bad terms, and though he doesn't call the shots I'd be surprised if he'd hand the Saints a player he also covets, one that could help his own unit tremendously. File this as unlikely.
As of right now, and this could change in the next 15 minutes or so, it looks like the Ravens are leaning towards taking a cornerback with their eighth-overall pick. Of course, much will be decided by the seven teams that draft in front of them, but assuming quarterback Matt Ryan is off the board, taking a defensive player seems perfectly logical.
Supposing Baltimore ends up with a Leodis McKelvin type in Round 1, that likely means they will look to later in the draft to find a quarterback.
The Ravens have several impending workouts and visits with top draft prospects, including Michigan quarterback Chad Henne, Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm, Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco and Troy cornerback Leodis McKelvin. ...
With prototype size and outstanding arm strength, Flacco is one of the fastest-rising draft prospects and might climb into the latter half of the first round. It hasn't exactly been a closely-guarded secret that the Ravens like Flacco a lot.
Last week, Michael David Smith mentioned that Brian Brohm could sneak into the first round, which barring a trade down (or up), virtually guarantees the Ravens won't take him. Of course, given Aaron Wilson's piece in the Carroll County Times, it sounds more likely that Baltimore would consider moving around the board to get Flacco.
Which raises another question: what does this mean for Troy Smith? Last year's fifth-round pick handled himself nicely in limited playing time as a rookie, but if Baltimore drafts another quarterback a year later, it can't mean much for his long-term chances.
Last year, Matt Forte and Leodis McKelvin opened some eyes with their Senior Bowl performances, and both would go on to have outstanding NFL rookie seasons. Andre Woodson, on the other hand, struggled in the college football showcase game, and the former Kentucky star's draft stock plummeted -- he eventually ended the 2008 season on the Giants practice squad. 
You've got questions. I've got answers. If not, I'll make them up. Each Thursday at 1 p.m. EST, I answer your queries on all things related to the NFL. If you have a question, send it over to 
Buffalo Bills strong safety 
Safety 
Buffalo Bills 2008 Draft Picks:
And so the gossip keeps flying. Adam Schefter reported last night that 
