One Step Closer To Kickoff

It is that beautiful time of year once again. On Thursday we will be one step closer to the kickoff of the NFL regular season... Take a minute to soak that in. 

Just look at the beauty. 

Now I am not going to give you my personal mock draft because, quite frankly, Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr.'s mock drafts are the only ones that matter. Make sure you pay attention to which running back goes first because it really is a classic case of one guy battling injury, but seems to be the most NFL-ready versus a back who has proven himself and whose Pro Day was fantastic, but does not seem AS ready. 

Now I know you all are confused why I am actually talking about two other players other than the projected number one and number two pick. Believe it or not there are more than just Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston heading to the NFL, but we will get to those other guys later. 

Marcus Mariota smoked Winston in the 40-yard dash, the vertical leap, and the broad jump. Are either of these categories that vital to the QB position? Not really. It most definitely has its perks, but QB's can get by without the quickness and the leaps. I like to think of Winston and Mariota as the modern day Ben Roethlisberger and Russell Wilson. Both future Hall Of Famers have had extremely successful careers thus far and yet they both have completely different styles of play and have opposite athleticism. 
Ben Roethlisberger, 6'5" and 241 pounds. 40-yard dash time = 4.75
Jameis Winston, 6'3" and 231 pounds. 40-yard dash time = 4.97

Winston is big, durable, can scramble and come up with big time plays, all with a rocket for an arm. Are you convinced yet? According to Todd McShay and Mel Kiper, Jameis is off to Tampa Bay. It would only make sense... That is if there are no local seafood stores around the area. Tallahassee, Florida and Tampa are just four hours apart. The fan base would be extravagant. If the Buccs are willing to put up with some possible off-the-field issues, then they cannot go wrong with picking the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner. As much as it is up for debate with all of Winston's allegations, he is the most NFL-ready QB within this draft. 

For kicks and giggles...

Mariota and Wilson's 40-yard dash time? .03 seconds apart. Both have the legs and the ability to rush like a running back. 
If you have Winston going number one, which I am sure is 90% of you, I bet you have Mariota going at number two. I mean, who else? Tennessee has the number two pick, right now. The Titans' quarterback depth consists of Zach Mettenberger and Charlie Whitehurst... Yeah, Mariota is needed to say the least. But the Cleveland Browns just recently gave the proposition of trading their two first rounds picks (no. 12 and no. 19) for Tennessee's number two pick. Sorry, Johnny. Maybe Mariota is crossing his fingers that Tennessee does not fall for it because we all know how Cleveland's QB's turn out. Again, sorry, Johnny. 
It will be interesting to see where Mariota ends up because he has some serious potential. I would like to see him end up in Chicago, but the loyalty to Jay Cutler is endless. For some odd reason. Mariota is a freak of an athlete and should be successful wherever he ends up. I hope defenses are ready because he will be a trip. He didn't win the year's Heisman Trophy for nothing. 

Alright. Let's get back to those running backs that I was discussing earlier; Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon. 

Many are saying that Todd Gurley, from Georgia, must go before Gordon. Not only does he have some injury issues, but was suspended for four games in 2014 due to violating NCAA rules. His first game back? Torn ACL. In 2013 he was held up by an ankle injury. 

In case you forgot what he looked like on the field.

Something to take note of, Gurley has spent some time with the one and only Jerry Jones and Jason Garrett. The Dallas Cowboys also just got rid of DeMarco Murray, how convenient, so they are in desperate need of a back. With Dallas' offensive line, Gurley could do some serious damage. Who knows if he will last until the 28th pick though. He has speed, power, and he does not look to run out of bounds on each of his runs, at least that is how he was before injury. Just three fumbles on 510 carries is not too shabby. His NFL comparison? Marshawn Lynch... But I hear that Gurley does not mind talking to the media? 

Melvin Gordon, Heisman runner-up from Wisconsin, is a 6'1" 215 pound beast. This past season he rushed for the second-most single-season rushing yards in FBS History with 2,587. You ask who holds that number one spot? Barry Sanders. Gordon led the nation with 29 rushing touchdowns in 2014. This could be because Gurley was out due to injury, but we cannot discredit this man's success. Impressively, Gordon is able to transition from inside to outside without losing any speed. 

Gordon also has much to play for. He is a momma's boy, and I mean that with the upmost respect. His family means the most to him and even though his father is incarcerated for 10 years, it seems as though he is playing for him. Melvin has kept in contact with his father via email through his college career and when he received runner-up to Mariota for the Heisman, his father knew. It is hard to beat a story like Gordon's, he deserves the best. 

Another finalist for the 2014 Heisman Trophy was Amari Cooper. I know you all have heard of him. He should definitely be going in the top 10. He is compared to Marvin Harrison with his consistent speed and ability to adjust and avoid big hits. Cooper is no weak link. He is not afraid to go across the middle and will secure a tough catch. Maybe not like Odell Beckham kind of tough, but tough nonetheless. Does he have a weakness? You could say that dropping 13 passes over the last two seasons is one of the them. Cooper needs to work on finishing routes instead of occasionally stopping or adjusting because this will in-turn put the QB's pass in danger of being intercepted. 

We can admit that he has Beckham Jr. potential.

There are seven rounds of this beautiful madness and I have only covered five of the top prospects. A few other notable picks on the defensive side include:
Leonard Williams, defensive end from USC
Dante Fowler, defensive end from Florida
Bud Dupree, outside linebacker for University of Kentucky

I think it is safe to say that the Pittsburgh Steelers are on their knees praying for one of these guys. Lasting until pick 22 of the first round might be a task though. Not only are the Pittsburgh Steelers dealing with the parting ways of the legendary Dick LeBeau (it might actually be too soon for any Steeler fan to be able to talk about this), but Brett Keisel, Troy Polamalu, AND Ike Taylor just recently retired. My word of advice to you is do not bring this up to any Steeler fan unless your shoulder to available to cry on. These three are absolutely irreplaceable, but rebuilding must be done. 

I might place my bet on one of the defensive players heading off to Philly to play for Chip Kelly and his Eagles... We all know that a QB is the least of their worries. 

Reunited and it feels so good?

No matter where any of these guys go, watching each individual take the next step in their career and watching their dreams come true in front of our very eyes is the best part of the NFL Draft. Mock drafts are made and predictions are compared, but the draft is something so unpredictable... And enjoyable. Tune in to a weekend full of the NFL... How much more could you possibly want? 

Wait... Let us all take a moment and admire. 

If you would like to see Winston's and Mariota's 40-yard dash... 

http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2015/2/21/8082035/nfl-combine-2015-marcus-mariota-jameis-winston-40-yard-dash