FanHouse MarcusHenry

Last season's biggest rags to riches story, Kansas is hoping to buck history and assemble another top 10 team. Hard enough to do in basketball, but nearly impossible in football. To heck with that though, they'll sure try but things get tougher with Oklahoma and Missouri both expected to be improve.

WHY THEY'LL WIN

Crafty quarterback Todd Reesing is back. Expectations are high but in a place like Kansas, the pressure isn't out of control. Last year taught them how to win consistently and a projected 15 starters are back. Lots of good indicators there.

More importantly, Kansas can run the ball (4.8 yards/carry last year) and stop the run (just 3.1 yards/carry). Three defensive line starters return, but bruising tailback Brandon McAnderson who was tremendous late last year, is gone. Jake Sharp has some nice bounce and totaled 800 yards of his own on the ground but he could use some help from a yet-unknown stablemate.

New York Jets 2008 Draft Picks:

Round 1 (6): Vernon Gholston, DE/LB, Ohio State
Round 1 (30): Dustin Keller, TE, Purdue
Round 4 (113): Dwight Lowery, CB, San Jose State
Round 5 (162): Erik Ainge, QB, Tennessee
Round 6 (171): Marcus Henry, WR, Kansas
Round 7 (211): Nate Garner, OT, Arkansas

The Good: There might not be a player with Gholston's upside in the entire draft. A physical freak who made a mess of offensive lines in big games, Gholston could have a Shawne Merriman-type impact on the Jets pass rush. The questions about his consistency and effort need to be answered but there wasn't another player the Jets could've taken with this pick. Henry will be a good red zone target and Garner is a road grader in the run game. Keller will definitely help the offense. Even though he doesn't block, he catches the ball well and creates matchup issues. Brian Schottenheimer will use him in a variety of ways but ...

The Bad: did they really need to trade up to pick him? I don't think he was worth the fourth-round pick they gave up nor the fact that the contract issue with Chris Baker will now be a full-fledged distraction. Lowery isn't fast enough to man up with receivers which will be a problem if the Jets commit to being an attacking defense. Maybe he moves to safety? Either way the four you spent on Keller could have been used to get a better corner, which was a bigger need.

The Kansas Jayhawks opened spring practice looking for a way to replace the impact of running back Jon Cornish, who is currently preparing for the NFL Draft. Cornish carried the offense a year ago, rushing for 1,457 yards and 8 touchdowns as KU finished the season with a 6-6 record. With a new offensive coordinator in Ed Warinner, the Jayhawks are hoping for better production from their receiving corps. One player that has already been singled out is 6-4, 200 pound senior Marcus Henry (pictured at right) who will line up at the X-receiver spot.

"The only guy that's a constant," Mangino said of Henry. "His abilities fit that position to a T. X is a guy that can stretch the field. He's a guy that, if you a roll a corner up to him, he should be able to get off the press coverage. Not neccesarily your fastest guy, but a big, rangy guy."

Henry was fourth on the team with 25 receptions for 316 yards and 3 touchdowns in 2006. He joins fellow receivers Dexton Fields, Derek Fine, and Marcus Herford who all return in 2007. With the graduation of leading receiver Brian Murph, Henry expects the wideouts to take on a bigger role.

"Our role is pretty important," Henry said. "Once we get our offense situated and everything, we've got to go out there and make plays and be in the right spot at the right time."

Henry seems to have the size and body that you look for in a go-to receiver. Should he come into his own in 2007, the development of sophomore quarterback Kerry Meier is sure to benefit.