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Still no Tight End selected by the Dolphins and another player expected to convert to a new position in the NFL.
NFL.com writes- Pick Analysis: McCoy, from Middle Tennessee State, is another small-school defensive end projected to convert to outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. McCoy has a quick first step, is a natural bender and has a great motor. Like most of these small-school conversion projects, he’s undersized.
Here it is-
Like with the Men’s tournament, I’ll take a shot at making some guesses predictions in the women’s also.
No I’m not talking about some middle aged man propelling a ball at some objects at the end of a lane, but the games that climax every college football season. Bowl season officially starts this afternoon, here are the matchups for all the college football fanatics out there.
Note- I gave the shortened name version of all the upcoming games. Also I listed what broadcast network would be televising the game and what time they would be coming on the air. All times are Eastern Standard.
Dec 19
New Mexico- Fresno State vs. Wyoming 4:30 p.m. ESPN
St. Petersburg- Central Florida vs. Rutgers 8 p.m. ESPN
Dec 20
R+L Carriers New Orleans- Southern Miss vs. Middle Tennessee 8:30 p.m. ESPN
Dec 22
MAACO Las Vegas- Oregon State vs. BYU 8 p.m. ESPN
Dec 23
Poinsettia- Utah vs. Cal 8 p.m. ESPN
Dec 24
Sheraton Hawaii- Nevada vs. SMU 8 p.m. ESPN
Dec 26
Little Caesars- Marshall vs. Ohio 1 p.m. ESPN
Meineke- Pitt vs. North Carolina 4:30 p.m. ESPN
Emerald- Boston College vs. USC 8 p.m. ESPN
Dec 27
Music City- Kentucky vs. Clemson 8:30 p.m. ESPN
Dec 28
Independence- Texas A&M vs. Georgia 5 p.m. ESPN2
Dec 29
EagleBank- UCLA vs. Temple 4:30 p.m. ESPN
Champs Sports- Miami vs. Wisconsin 8 p.m. ESPN
Dec 30
Humanitarian- Bowling Green vs. Idaho 4:30 p.m. ESPN
Holiday- Arizona vs. Nebraska 8 p.m. ESPN
Dec 31
Armed Forces- Houston vs. Air Force Noon ESPN
Sun- Oklahoma vs. Stanford 2 p.m. CBS
Texas- Navy vs. Missouri 3:30 p.m. ESPN
Minnesota vs. Iowa State 6 p.m. NFL Network
Chick-fil-A- Virginia Tech vs. Tennessee 7:30 p.m. ESPN
Jan 1
Outback- Northwestern vs. Auburn 11 a.m. ESPN
Capital One- Penn State vs. LSU 1 p.m. ABC
Gator- West Virginia vs. Florida State 1 p.m. CBS
Rose Bowl- Ohio State vs. Oregon 4:30 p.m. ABC
Sugar- Cincinnati vs. Florida 8:30 p.m. FOX
Jan 2
International- South Florida vs. Northern Illinois Noon ESPN2
Papajohns.com- South Carolina vs. UConn 2 p.m. ESPN
Cotton- Oklahoma State vs. Ole Miss 2 p.m. FOX
Liberty- Arkansas vs. East Carolina 5:30 p.m. ESPN
Valero Alamo- Michigan State vs. Texas Tech 9 p.m. ESPN
Jan 4
Fiesta- Boise State vs. TCU 8 p.m. FOX
Jan 5
FedEx Orange- Iowa vs. Georgia Tech 8 p.m. FOX
Jan 6th
GMAC- Central Michigan vs. Troy 7 p.m. ESPN
Jan 7th
BCS National Championship Game- Texas vs. Alabama Jan. 7 8 p.m.
Some random notes on the above 34 games
*- 19 of the 34 games are not scheduled till Dec. 31st or later. I guess college football fanatics are expected to flip channels very quickly on those 3 days(Dec 31-Jan 2) when 15 games are being aired.
*- What a downer must it be for Oregon State players and fans. A few weeks ago they were one win from a Rose Bowl trip. Instead they lost to Oregon and are playing in a minor bowl before Christmas.
*- The NFL network televises a college football game. I guess that’s the cable sports equivalent of the Sci-Fi channel showing wrestling….
*- The bowls are now set where now certain conference finishers are locked into the same bowl games every year. I understand why the current system is done, but I prefer the day when bowl games would have greater variance from year to year. The Peach bowl would usually invite a ACC or SEC school but they could be creative, like when they invited Army and Illinois. Wouldn’t a SEC team against BYU or Wyoming be nice for a change?
*- Bobby Bowden’s farewell game is against the same school(West Virginia) that he left before coming to Florida State. I do know FSU and WV have played at least twice previously in bowls during the Bowden-Florida State era.
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| Sunday, April 27, 2008 |
 The Dallas Cowboys, with the opening pick of the 6th round of the 2008 NFL Draft (via the Miami Dolphins in the Jason Ferguson trade) is Middle Tennessee State defensive end Erik Walden. Not a position of need, by any means.
He’s not listed in the Scouts, Inc. Top 150, Rick Gosselin‘s top 100, or Mel Kiper‘s Big Board.
Given that this was the 167th pick in the draft, that’s no great surprise, although ranked players — including safeties and offensive linemen, positions of ostensible need for the Cowboys — were still available.
UPDATE: Albert Breer reports that Walden “is not even listed in the Pro Football Weekly draft guide.” Given that he’s only 6-2 and 237 pounds, bets are that he’ll be converted to linebacker. Because the Cowboys so desperately need more of those.
One of Breer’s commenters supplies this, via CNNSI:
40 Time: 4.75
BIOGRAPHY: Moved into the starting lineup as a freshman and has played both defensive end spots as well as outside linebacker the past four years. Senior-year totals included 46/8.5/2 with one interception. Posted career-high numbers of 48/14.5/11.5 as a junior when he was an All-Conference selection.
POSITIVES: Aggressive defender who makes plays all over the field. Gets depth on drops, displays good range, and stays with assignments. Forceful up the field, plays with good leverage, and chases hard to make plays. Displays a good degree of quickness in his game as well as a closing burst of speed.
NEGATIVES: Marginally strong at the point and struggles against blocks. Limited skills making plays in reverse.
ANALYSIS: Walden possesses the size and speed to play at the next level. His ability to penetrate the line of scrimmage will get him consideration as a pass-rushing linebacker in a 3-4 system.
PROJECTION: Undrafted Free Agent
Scouts, Inc. agrees:
Walden excels at getting to the quarterback and has experience lining up at linebacker and end. This is the second pick in a row on which we feel Dallas has reached; Walden isn’t big enough to hold his ground at defensive end position and his speed will make it difficult for him to be effective in coverage as a 3-4 outside linebacker.
The pick just makes no sense. This is probably a guy available as an undrafted free agent and at a position where, unless he’s truly phenomenal, he has no chance of making the squad.
Meanwhile, some ranked safeties and offensive linemen — and project quarterbacks — were available.
Man, I’m hating this draft. It looks like Bad Jerry is back and in charge of the draft room. At least, unless I’m missing something after 97 trades up and down the board for no apparent reason, the Cowboys are done for this year.
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