Vince Young Awards

• 2007 Pro Bowl
• 2002 Pete Dawkins Trophy
• 2005 Rose Bowl MVP
• 2005 Manning Award
• 2005 Maxwell Award
• 2005 Davey O'Brien Award
• 2005 Cingular All-America Player of the Year
• 2005 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year
• 2005 Consensus First-Team All-American
• 2006 Rose Bowl MVP
• "4 weeks" 2006 NFL Rookie of the Week Awards
• 2006 NFL AP Offensive Rookie of the Year
• 2006 Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year

Players who's going to impact the NFL

The NFL draft is one of the most exciting times of the season for us NFL geeks. As the pre-season begins, it is time to discuss how these drafted players are going to impact the league. Each year, there is a player or two that stands out and really has an impact. Some of these players were expected to have a big influence, e.g., Reggie Bush, and some come out of nowhere, e.g. Marques Colston. This year should be no different; although I am not going to try and guess which seventh-round pick may have a positive effect on his team, I will mention some guys that could be this year’s high-impact offensive rookies. Some you know, and some you will get to know really soon:

* Marshawn Lynch - With the departure of Willis McGahee, Marshawn Lynch should step right in as the starting running back for the Buffalo Bills. Lynch is a good inside runner who can burst through the initial hole. He also has the ability to get to the corner and eat up yardage on outside runs. The thing that makes Lynch unique is his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. If he can pick up the pass blocking assignments, he has the potential to be great and help his team from day one.

* Calvin Johnson - Some are touting Johnson as the best WR prospect in years. This tall, fast, physical receiver has landed in Detroit where he can be a star immediately. He’s in the perfect situation as he has a proven star, Roy Williams, playing opposite him. Williams should help him avoid double teams.He is also in Mike Martz’s pass-happy offense, and Jon Kitna is going to love throwing to this super star!

* Anthony Gonzalez – Gonzalez is just what the doctor ordered in Indianapolis. The Colts offense is designed to have three great receivers. With the loss of Brandon Stokley to Denver, the Colts needed a third receiver and they found him in Anthony Gonzalez. He is a smart receiver that runs good routes and isn’t afraid to go over the middle. He is not your typical home run hitter, but Indy has Wayne and Harrison for that. Gonzalez should have 50-60 catches, which will loosen things up for Manning and the other offensive weapons.

* Tony Ugoh - It seems odd that we have two rookies on this list from the Super Bowl Champs. The Colts didn’t expect Tarik Glenn to retire this off-season but are glad they drafted Big Tony Ugoh as his replacement. Tony will be thrust into the starting line-up and expected to protect Manning’s blindside. He needs to work hard on his footwork and his ability to get to the second level. He has to get the job done from day one or Manning may look like David Carr, on his back.

* Brandon Jackson - Jackson reminds me of another Green Bay runner, Ahman Green. He is quick and shifty with the ability to run up the middle and outside. He also has the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. With a lack of experienced RBs, the Packers will count on Jackson to learn quickly and make an impact. He is the future in Green Bay, and the future has to be now.

These are the guys that have a real chance to be high-impact rookies. Guys like Adrian Peterson and Robert Meacham will struggle this year, although they may have great careers. Do you have other rookies you believe will be big contributors this year? I would love to hear from you.

Lions Sign Wide Receiver Calvin Johnson

The Lions have finally signed their superstar wide receiver.
Rookie wide receiver Calvin Johnson has finally signed, while JaMarcus Russell is still holding out.

The Lions signed the star receiver to a six-year $64 million deal with $27.2 million fully guaranteed. The Signing allows Johnson to finally get to camp for workouts, he's already missed eight days of training camp.

"I know the expectations are really high, but I'm hoping I can live up to them," Johnson said. "Now that I'm here, I can start working on that."

Johnson and the team agreed to terms and signed the contract early Friday, said Lions executive vice president Tom Lewand.

"It's good to be on the field and not be dealing with contract stuff any more," Johnson said. "At first, I was trying to be patient, but it's been pretty nerve-racking for the last few days."

Johnson was regarded by some as the best player in the draft after catching 78 passes for 1,202 yards and 15 touchdowns during his All-America junior season at Georgia Tech. He won the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation's top college receiver.

Anthony Gonzalez

Anthony Gonzalez was born in Avon Lake, Ohio. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts, in the 2007 NFL Draft.Gonzalez is a receiver who teamed with Santonio Holmes and Ted Ginn, Jr. in 2005 to give the Buckeyes three big-play receivers on what was one of the most explosive offenses in the country. His acrobatic 26-yard catch at Michigan in the 2005 regular season finale set up the game-winning score with 37 seconds to play. His role in 2006 increased with the departure of Holmes to the NFL via the 2006 NFL Draft. Gonzalez was selected with the 32nd pick of the first round by the Indianapolis Colts.

Who's behind Johnson

Probably the 2nd most talented WR in the draft behind Calvin Johnson is Robert Meachem(born September 28, 1984 in Tulsa, Oklahoma). This guy was extremely raw, and had a huge junior season for Tennessee last year. At 6’ 3” and 220 pounds he is the prototypical NLF wideout. He also gets the luxury of playing in one of the most productive offenses in the NFL. Mark this guy down as a definite sleeper pick in any draft, and don’t hesitate to select him over veteran receivers in the late rounds. Colston and Meachem could prove to be a formidable 1-2 punch in the NFL for years to come, and with Brees chucking it around, and McAllister and Bush in the backfield, this could prove to be something very special. Combine his size with 4.4 speed and watch for this guy to possibly make a big impact in 2007.

Johnson, Quinn and Thomas is amazing combination

Detroit Lions general manager Matt Millen did something that he hasn't done, well...in like two years. He drafted a wide receiver in the first round with Calvin Johnson. Yes, we all know Johnson is the best player in the draft. Eh. Yes, we know Johnson has everything you need (6’ 5” and 235 pounds with the speed to run a 4.35 40 yard dash, and a vertical leap of 42 ½ inches) to be the best wide receiver in the NFL for the next ten years. Eh. We also know this is the Lions. No offensive line. No quarterback. The Lions took the best player available, exactly did what they are supposed to be doing, but when there are two glaring needs starting them right in the face (quarterback and offensive line), you need to take one of them. Joe Thomas and Brady Quinn were right there to make them a better team next year. Guess what? Lions aren't moving up until they get a QB and a better offensive line.

NFL Draft Offers Gems for Fantasy Football Players

Fantasy football players rarely pay much attention to National Football League rookies, during their fantasy football drafts. Rookies, you see, are not usually worth much to fantasy teams. It takes most rookies a year or two or in many cases even three or four to get fully acclimated to the NFL. Consequently, competitive fantasy football people usually steer clear of them.

This year may be different. More NFL rookies will likely appear on fantasy rosters than in the past decade, because this draft is rich with impact players. Thats right, rookies that can actually play this year and contribute to fantasy football rosters some even as starters. I see at least seven players taken in the first round of the NFLs draft that can start on fantasy teams, depending on how many teams are in your league. Obviously, smaller leagues (8 and 10 team leagues) will be too rich with veteran talent to have rookies as starters. Following is an assessment of these players and others to keep an eye on as you prepare for your fantasy draft. Notice the QBs are left out, as they wont contribute much, even if they start.

The seven NFL first-rounders to target are: Ronnie Brown, Braylon Edwards, Cedric Benson, Carnell Williams, Troy Williamson, Mike Williams and Mark Clayton. Brown, Benson and Williams are potential starters in any fantasy league. In one of the best running back classes in recent memory, these guys will enter their rookie campaigns as feature backs for Miami, Chicago and Tampa Bay, respectively. These teams have proven that with the right guy toting the mail, they all can produce fantasy stars.

Although not the best player, Benson is probably the best pick of all the rookies, in terms of fantasy football value. He is a no-brainer in basic scoring leagues. Hell be the starter from day one, and some experts have called him the best goal line runner ever to come out of college. If healthy, Benson could easily rush for 12 or more TDs in his inaugural NFL season.

Edwards is an immediate starter for the Browns, and this guy is a true stud. Although he can start in some fantasy football leagues, youll want to get him later, as Cleveland is a team that hasnt shown much in recent years. Edwards is a steal, if you can get him in later rounds. Then, let him sit for a few weeks, and watch his production. The same goes for Williams, taken by Detroit, and Clayton, selected by Baltimore. Both of these receivers will likely start for their new teams, but a wait-and-see attitude is indicated, as both teams are in weak passing offenses, although the sky is the limit for the Lions who have selected a wideout with their first pick in each of the last three seasons.

Aside from these seven, there are several players taken after the first round of the NFL draft that are worth drafting on fantasy football teams. Most notably is J.J. Arrington, taken at number 12 in round two by Arizona. Dennis Green loves this guy and hinted on draft day that Arrington will be his feature back. This guy is a compact runner and has a nose for the end zone. A feature back on an improving Cardinals team could be a big scorer for fantasy teams.

The easiest steal in your fantasy football draft will be Ryan Moats, taken in the third round by Philadelphia. Moats, a smallish tailback from Louisiana Tech, could surprise for an Eagles team in need of a star at the position. Although hell likely be relegated to special teams and third-down use early on, watch for him to emerge, especially if someone gets hurt. He is a quick slashing runner and a real workhorse, despite his 5-8, 210-pound frame. An eye-popping senior season saw him log 288 carries for 1,774 yards and 18 touchdowns. His 1,890 all-purpose yards set a school record, as he proved he can catch the ball with nearly equal acumen. With a career average per carry of 6.4 and 28 TDs, Moats is definitely worth watching. Grab this hard worker in the late rounds of your draft, and wait for him to get his turn. If the stars align in Philadelphia, you might just get yourself the steal of your fantasy football draft.

Here are a few other notables you may want to watch for a late selection or a free-agency pickup, as the season moves ahead:

1Heath Miller, TE taken by Pittsburgh: Would be ranked higher, because hell probably start, but tight ends are always a big question mark. If you are in a fantasy league that requires you to take a tight end, Miller is a good one.

2Vernand Morency, RB selected by Houston: Watch for an injury to Domanick Davis and grab Morency the second it happens.

3Maurice Clarett, RB taken by Denver: They love him and would like to see him prove all of the critics wrong. Hell get a chance to play.

4Matt Jones, WR selected by Jacksonville: Many feel the former QB is the best athlete in the NFL draft. At 6-6 with 4-5 speed and great hands, who knows?

5Roddy White, WR taken by Atlanta in the first round. Very fast and underrated. The Falcons saw little from Michael Jenkins last season, so keep a close eye on White.

6Chris Henry, WR taken by Cincinnati. Very big and fast. Could be a factor around the goal line in three and four receiver sets.

7Reggie Brown, WR selected by Philadelphia. The Eagles have a few question marks at the position, not the least of which is the bizarre antics of Terrell Owens.

8Ciatrick Fason, RB taken by Minnesota. With running back being so unsettled, Fason could emerge as the starter. Watch this one very closely.

Calvin Johnson; to tackle a global sanitation

Perhaps better known for his skills as a wide receiver, third-year Management major Calvin Johnson has nevertheless proven himself to be much more than just a star football player.Johnson dedicated his time to service as he worked to solve sanitation problems that are currently present in Bolivia.

During the 2006 summer, Georgia Tech Research Institute was given the option of working on either constructing environmentally friendly luxury condos, or a project building solar latrines to improve sanitation in Bolivia. Johnson chose the latter, as he wanted to help the less fortunate. He also traveled to Bolivia in January 2007 as part of the project.

"I just get the satisfaction of being able to help somebody," Johnson said.

Joe Thomas: the Potent Blocker

Joe Thomas (born on December 4, 1984 in Brookfield, Wisconsin) is an offensive tackle taken by the Cleveland Browns on April 28, 2007 during the NFL Draft. He played collegiately for the Wisconsin Badgers.

The Cleveland Browns drafted Thomas in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft (3rd overall) to fill a dire need on the team's offensive line. The Thomas pick ended much speculation that the Browns would choose other players including former Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn with the 3rd overall pick in the draft, whom they traded to get later at spot 22. Instead of attending the 2007 draft festivities in New York, Thomas chose to continue a family tradition and go fishing on Lake Michigan with his father. He found out he was drafted by the Cleveland Browns by cell phone.

Jimmy Clausen

James Richard "Jimmy" Clausen (born September 21, 1987, in Thousand Oaks, California) is an American football player. He is a quarterback at the University of Notre Dame. and is one of the candidates to replace Brady Quinn as Notre Dame Fighting Irish starting quarterback.

Clausen, who graduated high school one semester early, enrolled at Notre Dame on January 16, 2007. He will compete for the starting quarterback job with then-junior Evan Sharpley and then-sophomores Demetrius Jones and Zach Frazer when spring practice starts.

Frederick’s moment to shine



Charles Frederick (born February 2, 1982)
One of he more perplexing careers of a Washington Husky football player was that of WR Charles Frederick. He was blessed with tons of physical ability, but he never really realized his full-potential because of homesickness and injuries. Earlier this past week, Frederick was named Co-Rookie of the Year for the AFL after helping to lead the Kansas City Brigade to the playoffs.
Frederick, who shared the award with Tamp Bay Storm QB Brett Dietz, led all first-year players in receptions (115), yards from scrimmage (1,518), first downs (100), all-purpose yards (2,129), rushing attempts (50), rushing yards (133), rushing touchdowns (14), and scoring (246 points on 41 TD). He was also named to the 2007 All-Rookie team and set a single-game franchise record for rushing yards (59 on March 4 vs. Chicago), tied the single-game franchise and rookie record for TD receptions (5 on May 20 at New York), and tied the single-game franchise record and set the single-game rookie record for rushing TD (3 on March 4 vs. Chicago and March 16 vs. Dallas).

Even with all the accolades being thrown at him now, Frederick still remembers his tumultuous final season at the University of Washington.

“I pulled my hamstring and it set me back,” Frederick recalled. “It was almost like I was going to give up on it, but my dad told me to stick it out so I rehabbed my leg and got it stronger.”

Frederick wasn’t drafted by an NFL team, so he signed with the Spokane Shock of Arena 2 just to stay active in the game.

“It was nice because it was just like being back home in Seattle,” Frederick said with a laugh. “I mean, it rains, but it doesn’t rain that much and it’s a cool place to be.”

Shortly after his season ended he was called up by the Brigade who had just hired his head coach as their offensive coordinator.

“That was cool knowing the offense that they were going to run,” Frederick said. “The key for me was after the championship game I really didn’t take a break. I worked really hard at staying in shape and was just trying to get better and it paid off.

“It’s not hard to get used to playing Arena Football. It’s kinda like basketball. A lot of guys come to us from the NFL and they can’t get it down because it’s so different, but I really took to it.
washington.scout.com

Mark Anderson

Mark Anderson (born May 26, 1983 in Tulsa, Oklahoma) is a defensive end for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He played for the Hornets at Booker T. Washington High School. He attended the University of Alabama (where he became a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.). He was selected with the 159th overall pick (5th round) in the 2006 NFL Draft. Despite not being an official starter in the Bears Cover 2 defensive scheme, Anderson has thrived in his role as a third-down pass rusher, and during the 2006 regular season he totaled 12 sacks, a Chicago Bears rookie record, which was previously held by Brian Urlacher. Anderson also received consideration in 2006 Defensive Rookie of the Year, finishing second in the voting

Calvin Johnson: the Best Wide Receiver

Calvin Johnson(born September 25, 1985 in Tyrone, Georgia) is a professional American football player who was drafted by the Detroit Lions. He spent three years for the Yellow Jackets at Georgia Tech until declaring for the 2007 NFL Draft. He played his first season for the Yellow Jackets in 2004 as a wide receiver. Johnson has a rare combination of size (6 ft. 5 in., 239 lb/ 196 cm, 108 kg), speed (4.35 sec 40-yard dash), strength, leaping ability (more than 45" (114 cm) vertical),[1][2] body control and hand-eye coordination. It is often mentioned that he is also a very humble and well-behaved person, exemplified by his building trip (see below), and his refraining from showing off or getting into confrontations on the field. On January 8, 2007, Johnson declared he would forego his senior year and enter the 2007 NFL Draft. Johnson was selected by the Detroit Lions as the 2nd pick overall in the 2007 NFL Draft.

Johnson was SI.com's Midseason NFL Draft Projection #1 pick, though Johnson had stated that he intended to earn his degree from Georgia Tech. On January 8, 2007, Calvin Johnson declared himself eligible for the NFL Draft, bypassing his senior season at Georgia Tech. He is regarded as the best athlete in the draft and is the #1 player on most draft boards. Johnson is said by ESPN to be able to be productive as a rookie, much like receiver Randy Moss was as a rookie.

In a mid-February workout with speed and conditioning coach Tom Shaw, Johnson clocked a remarkable 4.33 second 40-yard dash, recorded an 11-foot standing broad jump, and had a vertical leap of 43 inches.

Johnson surprised many when he weighed in at 239 pounds at the combine, 12 pounds more than expected, although he claims that this season he played "at about 235 and I got up to 238" and that his weight was not a problem. Johnson had told the media that he would not run the 40 yard dash at the combine but would wait until his March 15 workout at Georgia Tech. At the last minute, however, he was thought to have borrowed a pair of shoes from East Carolina QB James Pinkney and clocked an impressive 4.35 in the 40 yard dash. He later insisted that he had not borrowed the shoes, but simply reclaimed his own. Pinkney arrived in tennis shoes, and Johnson informed him he needed cleats and lent him his own. When he later returned to retrieve his shoes to run, many thought he was borrowing Pinkney's cleats. Johnson ultimately allowed the 4.35 to speak for itself and wowed scouts with his jump drill results, his receiving skills, and his 11 ft 7 in (3.53 m) broad jump, which is "best broad jump I can ever remember an NFL prospect having," according to Gil Brandt.

Johnson was selected by the Detroit Lions as the 2nd pick overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. This is the highest a Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket has ever been drafted. The Lions were expected to trade Johnson, most likely to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the team announced that they were keeping him. The next day the Detroit Tigers invited him to throw out the first pitch.