ESPN’s Todd McShay is one of the best in the business and he’s got Texas’ [tag]Brian Orakpo[/tag] headed to the Cleveland Browns with the 5th pick in his latest mock draft. He also has some pretty high praise for Rak:
Orakpo exited the combine as the top hybrid DE/OLB in the 2009 class. His pass-rushing skills would be a welcome addition to a Cleveland defense that notched just 17 sacks in 2008.
Some experts aren’t as high on Orakpo as McShay, claiming he’s close to his ceiling and knock him somehow for being a high motor guy. Of the defensive ends that are available he is definitely the best bet, but I could see him falling a little based on team needs near the top of the draft. They’re calling him a hybrid DE/OLB but he didn’t play much without his hand on the ground at Texas so it will be interesting to see if a 3-4 team thinks he could play linebacker in that scheme.
Update: Orakpo goes 3rd to KC Chiefs in another mock draft on NFL.com.
Lance Zierlein of the Houston Chronicle has posted his list of the five best and worst underclassmen decisions of 2009 draft and I think they’re pretty dead on. He’s one of the few guys out there that really knows his stuff regarding the [tag]NFL Draft[/tag] and Big 12 football.
Zierlein thinks Texas linebacker/defensive end [tag]Sergio Kindle[/tag] made the right call by returning to Texas for his senior season. Right now Kindle is still relatively raw at both linebacker and as a pass rusher, and with another year of seasoning under [tag]Will Muschamp[/tag] he could explode in 2009. I also agree completely with his thoughts on the decisions by players such as USC’s Mark Sanchez, OU’s Sam Bradford, and Kansas State’s Josh Freeman.
The relevant notes from Zierlein are posted below:
Best
3. Sergio Kindle, DE/OLB, Texas – Staying In: Kindle opened up many scouts eyes as a pass-rusher this year at Texas. Will Muschamp recognized that Kindle’s top potential wasn’t at LB but as a pass rusher. Kindle has good straight line speed but needs to become a more fluid athlete and he has a chance to do that with another year at Texas.
Worst
2. Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma – Staying In: I say this is a bad decision, but as long as he plays well next year, he’ll be a top 3 pick next season. The problem is that he is losing almost his entire offensive line as well as two of his top targets. Injury is the only real concern for me here, but he probably would have been a top 3 pick this season and maybe the top pick.
3. Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State – Coming Out – What are you thinking, Josh? You have the size and arm strength that NFL teams would salivate over if you could just put together a big year on the collegiate level. Why not go back and improve on your numbers and then become the hot name in the 2010 draft?
Colt McCoy will return for his senior season
Texas’ hopes for the 2009 season just got a lot higher. Junior quarterback (and Heisman leader) [tag]Colt McCoy[/tag] told the Austin American-Statesman today that he would be staying at UT for his senior season. Here’s the Bevo Beat story:
Longhorns quarterback Colt McCoy will stay for his senior season.
McCoy told the American-Statesman of his decision Monday.
“I’m not going anywhere,” McCoy said.
McCoy said he wants to play for a national championship, after falling one spot short of the title game this season.
“I’m coming back because we have a solid coaching staff,” he said. “And I’m coming back because I feel like I can develop the young receivers we have.”
McCoy said he will not “initiate” an evaluation with the NFL underclassmen committee. He said his coaches may ask for an evaluation for informational purposes, but he does not plan on asking them to do so.
McCoy is a redshirt junior. After this semester, he’ll have 12 hours remaining before he graduates. He said he’s planning on doing an internship this summer and will take a final course next fall, then graduate.
Freaking. Fantastic. News.
It can’t be overstated how important this is for the Longhorns in 2009. [tag]John Chiles[/tag] improved by leaps and bounds this season but he’s not ready to lead this team where they’re capable of going. This team should be in this year’s title game and (depending on who returns at OU) and with McCoy returning will likely be one of the top three teams in next year’s preseason polls. The Longhorns are less than a month away from playing in the [tag]Fiesta Bowl[/tag] and I’m already fired up for next season.
According to Sports Illustrated draft expert Tony Pauline, Texas wide receiver [tag]Quan Cosby[/tag] is one of the biggest risers for the 2009 NFL Draft. He thinks he is a midround selection but could be headed toward a long NFL career.
Quan Cosby/WR/Texas: The Longhorns sure handed pass-catcher finished his senior campaign with career numbers and now has scouts grading him as a potential mid-round choice. Cosby came up big during critical moments all season and projects as a fourth receiver in the NFL.
Love to see this as Quan has been one of my favorite players the last two seasons. He just has a knack for making the big play and never letting his quarterback down. I’m not sure I’ve seen a college receiver make as many in traffic, while being pass interfered catches as Quan has at Texas. His absence due to injury during the [tag]Texas Tech[/tag] was one of the biggest reasons the Horns came up short. It be great if Quan (and two or three more good WRs) could end up in Tennessee to help out [tag]Vince Young[/tag].
Here’s our projections for how the first round of this Saturday’s NFL Draft will go down. After the first seven picks all hell breaks loose as Matt and I very greatly on who we think goes where. Just one of the many reasons why the NFL Draft is like Christmas and Opening Day rolled into one weekend for both NFL and college football fans.
We’ll have a little further analysis and thoughts on where the other Longhorns like David Thomas and Cedric Griffin will be headed in the next couple of days.
Here’s the picks for the First Annual BevoSports Mock Draft:
| Brian | Matt | Actual Picks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Texans | Reggie Bush | Reggie Bush | Mario Williams |
| 2. Saints | D’Brickashaw Ferguson | Mario Williams | Reggie Bush |
| 3. Titans | Vince Young | Matt Leinart | Vince Young |
| 4. Jets | Matt Leinart | D’Brickashaw Ferguson | D’Brickashaw Ferguson |
| 5. Packers | Mario Williams | AJ Hawk | AJ Hawk |
| 6. 49ers | Vernon Davis | Vernon Davis | Vernon Davis |
| 7. Raiders | AJ Hawk | Vince Young | Michael Huff |
| 8. Bills | Haloti Ngata | Michael Huff | Donte Whitner |
| 9. Lions | Michael Huff | Winston Justice | Ernie Sims |
| 10. Cardinals | Jimmy Williams | Jay Cutler | Matt Leinart |
| 11. Rams | Brodrick Bunkley | Haloti Ngata | Jay Cutler |
| 12. Browns | Ernie Sims | Brodrick Bunkley | Haloti Ngata |
| 13. Ravens | Jay Cutler | Manny Lawson | Kamerion Wimbley |
| 14. Eagles | Winston Justice | Santonio Holmes | Brodrick Bunkley |
| 15. Broncos | Santonio Holmes | Chad Jackson | Tye Hill |
| 16. Dolphins | Chad Jackson | Antonio Cromartie | Jason Allen |
| 17. Vikings | Chad Greenway | Jimmy Williams | Chad Greenway |
| 18. Cowboys | Kamerion Wimbley | Ernie Sims | Bobby Carpenter |
| 19. Chargers | Donte Whitner | Tye Hill | Antonio Cromartie |
| 20. Chiefs | Johnathan Joseph | Kamerion Wimbley | Tamba Hali |
| 21. Patriots | Bobby Carpenter | Bobby Carpenter | Laurence Maroney |
| 22. 49ers | Manny Lawson | Laurence Maroney | Manny Lawson |
| 23. Bucs | Nick Mangold | Eric Winston | Davin Josephy |
| 24. Bengals | Tye Hill | Leonard Pope | Jonathan Joseph |
| 25. Giants | DeMeco Ryans | Johnathan Joseph | Santonio Holmes |
| 26. Bears | Antonio Cromartie | Marcedes Lewis | John McCargo |
| 27. Panthers | LenDale White | DeAngelo Williams | DeAngelo Williams |
| 28. Jaguars | Leonard Pope | Bobby Carpenter | Marcedes Lewis |
| 29. Jets | DeAngelo Williams | Marcus McNeill | Nick Mangold |
| 30. Colts | Laurence Maroney | LenDale White | Joseph Addai |
| 31. Seahawks | Jason Allen | Ashton Youboty | Kelly Jennings |
| 32. Steelers | Mathias Kiwanuka | Sinorice Moss | Mathias Kiwanuka |
Someone sent me this hilarious quote about Vince Young and Marcus Vick.
“Texas quarterback Vince Young has decided to go pro, and Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick has decided to go con.”
So true. So true.
The Houston Chronicle is reporting that Vince Young has scheduled a press conference for 3pm today and will announce he is headed for the NFL. Young will reportedly sign with Steve McNair’s agent Bus Cook.
Obviously disappointing news for Longhorn fans but probably the best decision for Vince. His stock is about as high as anyone’s could get right now and he’s probably got a chance for some endorsements coming off his legendary Rose Bowl performance. Also, the hometown Houston Texans are drafting number one overall and his mentor McNair’s Tennessee Titans are sitting at number three. I think things are setting up for him to head to the Titans and spend a year or two learning under McNair (who is unsigned but looks close to completing a deal) while he finishes up his career.
Young’s departure would leave the Horns unbelievably thin and inexperienced at the quarterback position for next season. Redshirt freshman Colt McCoy would be the only scholarship QB on campus right now and he’s never taken a snap. Fortunately, blue chip recruit Jevan Snead will also be on campus this Spring and will have a chance to go through practices with the team. Snead performed very well in yesterday’s US Army All-American Bowl and will compete for the starting job. We’ll have a complete look at the Longhorn depth chart for 2006 sometime in the next couple of weeks.
Again, tough news if true but we wish him the best and will immediately become fans of whatever team he ends up with.
Update
It’s official, good luck Vince.
Update 2
Just to clear something up, I didn’t mention Sherrod Harris, the other QB recruit coming in, because unlike Snead he won’t be here in the Spring and I think that puts him well behind McCoy and Snead. He definitely has the skills and smarts to make an impact at Texas but he’s more of a project and might not be able to compete for the position immediately.
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