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Florida Holds #1 Position

Team of Week - Miami U
Photo – Mardy Gilyard - Cincinnati

Gators Bye Week Helps Tim Tebow Recover for LSU Matchup

1. Florida (4-0) – Gators hope Tebow is ready for huge clash with LSU this Saturday.
2. Texas (4-0) – Longhorns are well rested for key October battles.
3. Alabama (5-0) – Tide face a strong run of SEC opponents.
4. LSU (5-0) – Tigers held on again to win vs a good Georgia club
5. Virginia Tech (4-1) – Tech struggled with Duke after big Miami victory.
6. Boise St (5-0) - Broncos are coasting through a weak schedule.
7. USC (4-1) – Talented Trojans beat Cal in a statement game.
8. Ohio St (4-1) – Buckeyes crushed a weak Indiana team last Saturday.
9. Miami (3-1) – Canes won their biggest game in a decade vs Oklahoma last week.
10. Texas Christian (4-0) – TCU is capable of running the table in the MWC.
11. Cincinnati (5-0) - Beatcats have a spunky club this season.
12. Oregon (4-1) – Ducks headed to clash with Southern Cal later this month.
13. Iowa (5-0) – Hawkeyes just got by Arkansas St last week.
14. Kansas (4-0) - Jayhawks rested after a bye week.
15. Mississippi (3-1) – Rebels came up big last week with huge matchup with Alabama on deck.
16. Penn St (4-1) – Nittany Lions back on beam with win over Illinois.
17. Auburn (5-0) – Tigers have the talent to be a huge surprise this fall.
18. Oklahoma (2-2) – Sooners are not the same club without Sam Bradford.
19. South Florida (5-0) – Face Cincinnati in next game with a bye week to prepare.
20. Oklahoma St (3-1) – Cowboys hope they found a defense in their bye week.
21. BYU (4-1) – Cougars might not get tested until later this month.
22. Wisconsin (5-0)- Badgers know how to win close games.
23. Nebraska (3-1) – Huskers rested for key Big 12 battle with Missou this Thursday.
24. Georgia Tech (4-1) –Tech face big tests vs Florida an St and Virginia Tech over next two weeks.
25. Missouri (4-0) – Tigers face a strong Oct schedule that will determine their season.

Frank Coyle is a longtime Member of the FWAA and voter in College team and player awards - Heisman, Outland, Nagurski, Thorpe, etc. He is a voter for the College Team Polls throughout the season that will present Grantland Rice award to the national champion in January 2010. He is also a voter for Players of the Week and for the FWAA All-American teams at the conclusion of each season.

NFL Draft 2010 – QB Tony Pike Fast Rising Pro Prospect

Photo – QB Tony Pike – Cincinnati

Pike on Center Stage in Big East
Senior QB Tony Pike of Cincinnati is one of the hottest pro prospects of the young 2009 season. Pike is off to a terrific start that has been instrumental in the fast 4-0 start by the Bearcats. Pike has justified our high rating after we placed him on our Senior Bowl All-star invite list in early September, ranking among the top three QB prospects for the NFL Draft 2010. Currently, he has competed over 70% of his passes for 1223 yards and 11 TDs. He is a tall strong armed passer who drives the ball down the field with many of his throws from the middle zones and beyond. He has completed 17 passes over 20 yards with another 7 completions of over 30 yards. In last week’s win over Fresno St., he threw for over 300 yards for the 5th time of his career. His TD passes marked the 14th straight game he has thrown a scoring strike. He has prototypical size and skill set for the position with the intangibles the NFL scouts seek in a starting pro QB. With further impressive performances, he could emerge as a top selection and possible firs round pick in April 2010.

Pro Prospect NFL Draft – Draft Insiders' Preview - Pike report
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Tony Pike - 6’6” 225 lbs. - Cincinnati
Classic pocket passer is coming off a strong finish as a junior that has him ranked with the nation’s top passers. He makes all the throws and stands tall in the pocket, showing no fear when under a heavy pass rush. He gets the ball down the field with fine accuracy and velocity to pressure a defense. He has good overall accuracy with the talent to make the tough throw and touch for the deep ball. He has adequate mobility to avoid the rush and the physical frame and package to fill out further that will also help him from a durability standpoint. He has impressed and was on our Senior Bowl All-star invite list that can earn him a high draft selection with a strong week. He has made fast progress this fall that has drawn rave reviews entering the mid season.

DraftInsiders.com and ProFootballDraftNetwork.com will be collaborating on a weekly article (posted every Wednesday during the college football regular season) to review the prior weeks most notable performances from a 2010 NFL Draft perspective.

Photo - TE Ed Dickson - Oregon

Ed Dickson has been selected as the national offensive player of the week by the Walter Camp Football Foundation for Week 4 of the 2009 college football season. Dickson was also named John Mackey Tight End of the Week by the Nassau County Sports Commission. He had career-highs of 11 receptions, 148 yards and 3 TDs in Saturday’s 42-3 win over then-No. 6 Cal. His 11 grabs equaled the most ever in a single game by a UO tight end, tying Josh Wilcox’s 11-catch effort in the 1995 Rose Bowl. The senior All-America candidate is now 6 receptions shy of Wilcox (103) for the most career catches by an Oregon tight end.

NFL Draft 2010 Prospects - Week 4 Performances

Frank Coyle - www.draftinsiders.com
Draft Insiders’ Digest –19th Season

TE Ed Dickson - Oregon
Mobile senior tight end had career highs in receptions (11), receiving yards (148) and touchdowns (3) as the Ducks overwhelmed ninth-ranked California, 42-3. Dickson caught scoring passes of 26, 9 and 36 yards. He combines natural receiving skills with fine size for the position to become a well rounded pro starter. He has the speed to stretch the field and run after the catch ability to pressure a defense. He has good size to become a solid inline blocker, though he needs technique work to use his size better, in addition to further strength development.

Safety Chad Jones - LSU
Big junior safety made seven tackles (4 solo) plus a 93-yard punt return for a TD in the fourth quarter as the Tigers defeated Mississippi St., 30-26. His punt return was the second longest in school history. Chad is big, strong defender who is a ferocious hitter. He has to show that he has well developed pass coverage skills and instincts to declare for the draft and warrant an early round pick in the NFL Draft. Jones is an extra linebacker in run support as an in the box safety, but he must answer coverage questions especially man situations to be ready for the pro game.

LB Paul Angerer – Iowa
Aggressive senior defender had a dominant performance vs Penn St that was instrumental in the Iowa victory. He is a savvy defender with a quick first step and the power to gain a fast advantage to defeat blocking angles. He showed the talent to make plays both inside and at the sidelines.
In the Penn St win, as he registered a game-high 14 tackles and produced two key turnovers. His 38-yard interception return set up an Iowa TD that gave them an 18-10 advantage. He also forced a fumble in the 4th quarter that stalled a Lions' drive at Iowa's 18-yard line. His ability to run well and drop in coverage at 245 lbs. allows him to be an every down defender and capable of playing in either pro scheme.

LB Sean Weatherspoon – Missouri
Mobile senior defender has been a mainstay in the Tigers defense since early in his career, seeing time both inside and outside. He had an impact performance vs Nevada when he made a 9 tackles, 1 TFL and 1 sack, in addition to calling sets for the Tigers defense. He is a tough, instinctive linebacker who flows to the ball and gets through traffic very well with the speed and tackling ability to finish with sure strong tackling. His size and mobility will allow him to play in either scheme and both inside and outside in the base 4-3 set.

RB Toney Baker - NC St
Short compact senior running back had a strong performance in the NC St win over Pittsburgh including the game winning touchdown. He is a powerfully built back who has performed well since his freshman season, though his career has been continually marred by injuries. He is very effective running inside where his lateral quickness and strength allows him to move through holes fast with the power to break tackles. He lacks outstanding size, speed and quickness that will keep him from the top tier of backs, but he is an honest runner with natural skills that will draw much attention over his final season.

Denis Krusos - Editor
Pro Football Draft Network
www.profootballdraftnetwork.com

RB Toby Gerhart, Senior, Stanford-
Gerhart powered Stanford’s offense in their 34-14 victory over Washington. He rushed for a career best 200 yards on 27 carries (7.4 per) and scored on a 60-yard run. His vision, power, speed and patience were all on display on the 60-yard jaunt. Gerhart can run between the tackles and has a nose for the endzone. Scouts will be interested in seeing how well he catches the ball and blocks at the Senior Bowl.

DE George Selvie, Senior, South Florida-
The Bulls dominated Florida State 17-7 with an impressive defensive performance. Selvie’s fine statistics for the game (4 tackles, 1 sack, 2 tackles for losses and a fumble recovery) do not tell the whole story. He displayed excellent strength for his size (6’ 3” and 245 pounds) and really held up well in run support. Florida State ran for a measly 19 yards on 27 attempts (.7 yards per). Selvie also helped free up his teammates who chipped in with 4 sacks. The South Florida defensive line dominated this game. Selvie is undersized for an NFL defensive end, but just may have the natural strength and ability to play with leverage to overcome this disadvantage.

LB Jamar Chaney, Senior, Mississippi State-
Chaney led a determined Bulldogs’ defense that almost helped pull-off an upset of LSU. The Tigers were held to only 30 rushing yards on 31 attempts. 2010 NFL Draft running back prospects, Charles Scott and Keiland Williams, were held in check. Chaney led Mississippi State with 8 tackles, 1.5 tackles for losses, 2 pass break-ups and a sack. He patrolled the middle with his speed and did a good job of recognizing plays that LSU was running.

WR Mardy Gilyard, Senior, Cincinnati-
You could call Gilyard “Mr. September” for his consistent production in the first month of the college football season. He had his best game of the season with 9 catches for 177 yards (19.6 per) and 2 touchdowns in Cincinnati’s 28-20 win over Fresno State. Gilyard caught a big 23-yard touchdown pass in the 4th quarter. Gilyard catches the slant pass very well and can pick-up yards after the catch. His reliable hands and quickness make him an attractive target on 3rd down.

QB Jevan Snead, Junior, Mississippi-
Snead played poorly in Ole Miss’s 16-10 defeat to South Carolina. The game was a prime opportunity for Snead to showcase his skills against a tough defense in a hostile environment. The Mississippi signal caller let the South Carolina pass rush rattle him and he was inaccurate for most of the game. Snead finished the game 7 for 21 (33%) and threw for only 107 yards with 1 touchdown. He tried to rally his team late in the 4th quarter, but was unable to make the big play. It would have been huge for Snead to come through at the end after struggling for much of the game (like Matt Ryan did versus Virginia Tech a couple of years ago).

Giants Hold NFL’s Top Ranking

Photo - Peyton Manning - Colts

Rank Team

1. New York Giants (3-0)
The G Men have matured and learned how to win in tough NFC East.

2. Indianapolis Colts (3-0)
Colts are capable of running the first half schedule.

3. New England Patriots (2-1)
Patriots get a strong AFC challenge with Ravens at home this week.

4 Baltimore Ravens (3-0)
Ravens have an offense now that can assist their tough defense and challenge in the AFC.

5. San Diego Chargers (2-1)
Chargers are this good and could prove to be the best in the conference by season’s end.

6. Philadelphia Eagles (2-1)
Eagles get a bye week to get McNabb healthy to make run at the NFC East title.

7. New York Jets (3-0)
Jets are looking to ride hot rookie QB Mark Sanchez to the AFC postseason.

8. Minnesota Vikings (3-0)
The Vikings’ are looking to ride Brett Favre’s heroics in key matchup with Packers at home Monday night.

9. New Orleans Saints (3-0)
The Saints clash with the Jets at home in a battle of unbeatens.

10. Chicago Bears (2-1)
Da Bears are looking to build an early lead in the tough NFC Central.

11. Green Bay Packers (2-1)
Packers face former GB great Brett Favre in Minnesota in a pivotal early NFC Central clash.

12. Atlanta Falcons (2-1)
Falcons get an early bye prior to a long stretch of NFC opponents.

13. Dallas Cowboys (2-1)
Cowboys came up big with Monday night home victory in new setting.

14. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2)
Steelers need to regroup quickly with San Diego coming to town this week.

15. Denver Broncos (3-0)
The Broncos have won vs soft early schedule but face a very tough stretch the next two months.

16. Cincinnati Bengals (2-1)
The Bengals are off to a good start, but go on the road for two AFC North matchups.

17. Arizona Cardinals (1-2)
Cardinals get a much needed early bye to regroup and get Kurt Warner healthy.

18. San Francisco 49ers (2-1)
The 49ers lost an unforgiveable game on the last play on Brett Favre’s heroics.

19. Seattle Seahawks (1-2)
Seahawks get a tough road assignment with the Colts up next.

20. Miami Dolphins (0-3)
Dolphins are much better than their record, but not according to the Tuna.

21. Washington Redskins (1-2)
Skins lost to the Lions and every job on the club is on the line especially HC Jim Zorn.

22. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2)
Jags get a key win over Houston and face a stretch of winnable games over the next few months.

23. Houston Texans (1-2)
Texans still don’t know how to win with the game on the line.

24. Buffalo Bills (1-2)
Bills don’t know how to win close games that has their rebuilding program totally stalled.

25. Tennessee Titans (0-3)
Titans better get well quickly with tough stretch of games coming up.

26. Carolina Panthers (0-3)
Panthers have dug themselves a huge hole in the early season.

27. Oakland Raiders (1-2)
The Raiders look terrible again and face a very difficult stretch over the next 5 games.

28. Kansas City Chiefs (0-3)
Chiefs face some painful growing pains this season.

29. St. Louis Rams (0-3)
Rams might be lucky to win 6 games this season.

30. Cleveland Browns (0-3)
Browns are facing a huge rebuilding process.

31. Detroit Lions (1-2)
Lions Win!!! Lions Win!!! Car Rebates for everyone.

32. Tampa Bay Bucs (0-3)
The Bucs are a total mess. It probably gets very ugly after winning 9 games last season.

Virginia Tech - Team of Week

Photo – Safety Taylor Mays – Southern Cal

Gators Bye Week Helps Tim Tebow Recover

1. Florida (4-0) – Gators blitzed the Wildcats but Tebow hurt entering bye week.
2. Texas (4-0) – Longhorns always get off to great start.
3. Alabama (4-0) – Tide continues to crush opponents.
4. LSU (4-0) – Tigers held on to win with a tough goal line stand vs Miss St
5. Boise St (4-0) - Broncos might not get tested during the regular season.
6. Oklahoma (2-1 – Sooners well rested with Miami coming up.
7. USC (3-1) – Talented Trojans beat the other Washington state team on Saturday.
8. Ohio St (3-1) – Buckeyes bombed a lackluster Illinois club last Saturday.
9. Virginia Tech (3-1) – Tech moves into top ten with an impressive win over Miami.
10. Texas Christian (3-0) – Horned Frogs taking care of business in the early going.
11. Oregon (3-1) – Ducks crushed Cal in a critical Pac 10 matchup.
12. Cincinnati (4-0) - Cats will get the BCS nervous this season.
13. Iowa (4-0) – Hawkeyes surprised an overrated Penn St club.
14. Kansas (4-0) - Jayhawks get a bye week before making run at Big 12 title.
15. California (3-1) – Bears have to regroup quickly with Southern Cal coming in this week.
16. Mississippi (2-1) – Rebels came up flat on national stage vs South Carolina.
17. South Florida (4-0) – Won for the first time vs Top Three In Florida.
18. Penn St (3-1) – Nittany Lions looked like an average club vs Iowa.
19. Auburn (4-0) – Tigers hit the road for two SEC games.
20. Houston (3-0) - Cougars won a thriller over Texas Tech.
21. Oklahoma St (3-1) – Cowboys light up the scoreboard every week.
22. Miami (2-1) – Canes hope to rebound vs Oklahoma this week.
23. Georgia (3-1) – Bulldogs get LSU at home this week in pivotal SEC clash.
24. Michigan (4-0) – Wolverines face big road tests vs Michigan St and Iowa.
25. BYU (3-1) – Cougars headed for late season showdowns with TCU and Utah.

Frank Coyle is a longtime Member of the FWAA and voter in College team and player awards - Heisman, Outland, Nagurski, Thorpe, etc. He is a voter for the Super 16 College Team Polls throughout the season that will present Grantland Rice award to the national champion in January 2010. He is also a voter for Players of the Week and for the FWAA All-American teams at the conclusion of each season.

Prospect George Selvie - South Florida

Pro Prospect NFL Draft – Draft Insiders' Preview - Special Offer for Full Subscription Available Now - Order Today

Photo - George Selvie - South Florida

George Selvie is one of the highly rated senior defensive players for the NFL Draft 2010. He has been instrumental in the USF fast 3-0 start this season despite special attention by offensive lines. Over 3 games, he has 14 tackles with 3 TFLs and 1 sack in a return to his sophomore performance level when he ranked with any edge defender in the nation. Last season, he flashed big play ability again, but had too many periods of inconsistent play when he struggled facing double team blocks for the first time. He is on my Senior Bowl preliminary recommended September list that will be updated several times prior to the classic All-star game and week in late January 2010.
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Pro Prospect NFL Draft – Draft Insiders' Preview Scouting Report
George Selvie - 6’4” 255 lbs. - South Florida
Quick relentless senior pass rusher returns after only a good junior performance. As a sophomore, he was a difference maker for the USF defense, showing the speed from the outside that allowed him to rank with the nation’s best pass rushers. He looks to establish himself as a complete pro prospect this fall with better hand technique and improved functional strength to perform well vs the run both at the point of attack and in pursue. He is well developed in most areas and is one of the blue chip performers at this critically vital position.

DraftInsiders.com and ProFootballDraftNetwork.com will be collaborating on a weekly article (posted every Wednesday during the college football regular season) to review the prior weeks most notable performances from a 2010 NFL Draft perspective.

NFL Draft 2010 Prospects - Week 3 Performances

Photo - WR Brandon LaFell - LSU

Frank Coyle - www.draftinsiders.com
Draft Insiders’ Digest –19th Season

DE Carlos Dunlap - 6’5” 290 lbs. - Florida
Huge athletic edge rusher has displayed impact ability over his SEC career and had a strong effort in the Gators win vs Tennessee. He makes big plays off the edge, relying on a quick first step and technique to separate from blockers and the power to overwhelm blockers. He has the upfield speed to pressure the QB with the wingspan and frame to incredibly grow further to become a dominant every down pro defender. His ability to apply pressure off the edge has drawn rave notice from scouts and he will be watched closely over his junior season.

WR Brandon LaFell - 6’3” 210 lbs. - LSU
Smooth senior receiver has been instrumental in the Tigers offense this season. He is a highly rated prospect who flashed impact ability at times earlier in his career, but also periods of inconsistency that included mistakes and injuries. He combines good size, speed, agility and hands along with his fine level of development that makes him valuable for the pro game. He displays a well developed skill set for the position that has allowed him to get a strong start to his final season. He earned his third multi-TD game on LSU's first drive of the 2nd half, catching a 20-yard pass from Jefferson. He could be one of the top senior playmakers in this overall draft class with a consistent final effort.

LB Micah Johnson - 6’1” 250 lbs. - Kentucky
Aggressive senior defender has been a dominant performer over his SEC career. He has the quick first step and power to gain a fast advantage to defeat blocking angles. He has shown the talent to make big plays with the upfield speed to get after the QB and go sideline to sideline. His ability to run well at over 250 lbs. allows him to be an every down defender and capable of playing in either pro scheme. He was instrumental in the Wildcats big win over Louisville last week, making several key stops and providing leadership to the defense.

LB Donald Butler - 6’1” 235 lbs. - Washington
Mobile defender has started since midway of his sophomore season seeing time both inside and outside in the Huskies scheme. He has an impact performance vs Southern Cal last week when he made a game-high 12 tackles, forced a fumble and picked off a pass in the Huskies' 16-13 stunning upset of 3rd-ranked Southern Cal, their 1st victory over a ranked opponent since 2003. He is an instinctive backer who flows to the ball well with speed and finishes with sure strong tackling. He moved up the scouting charts after this impressive performance.

CB Trevard Lindley - 5’11” 185 lbs. - Kentucky
Quick athletic senior corner combines top cover and ball skills to rank among the best secondary defenders this season. He has quick reactions with the fluid hips to break easily on the ball, retain top speed and make plays on the ball. He ranks with any cover man in the nation this year with the talent to shutdown #1 receivers in man situations. He has fine athletic ability including quick reactions with fine ball skills and the ability to plant and break quickly to the ball. He has good speed to match up in the deep game, showing the ability to blanket the game’s best receivers in man coverage. He has shown improvement in run support and play recognition in general.

Denis Krusos - Editor
Pro Football Network
www.profootballdraftnetwork.com

QB Tim Tebow, Senior, Florida - The Gators’ star had a workmanlike performance in Florida’s 23-13 win over Tennessee. Tebow completed 14 passes in 19 attempts (74%) for 115 yards (6 yards per attempt) and committed 2 turnovers (1 interception and 1 fumble). He also ran the ball frequently (24 carries for 76 yards (3.2 per) and scored once. Tebow did not get the ball downfield and looked easy to sack when he stayed in the pocket. Overall, questions still persist about his ability to play quarterback at the next level. Can he get rid of the ball quickly enough and down field with accuracy to be effective in the NFL? Tim Tebow will be one of the more heavily debated prospects in the 2010 NFL Draft.

S Eric Berry, Junior, Tennessee - Berry had a terrific game against Florida in Tennessee’s 23-13 defeat. It was easy to see why he is so highly regarded. Berry made a diving interception and was a force defending the run with 11 tackles (including 2 tackles for loss). He displayed excellent range and a physical presence. He could very well be the 1st safety selected, if he chooses to enter the 2010 NFL Draft.

QB Max Hall, Senior, BYU - The Cougars’ signal caller had a disappointing game in BYU’s 54-28 blowout loss to Florida State. The speed and athleticism of the Seminoles’ defense caused problems for Hall. He finished 20 of 31 (65%) for 306 yards (9.9 per) with 2 touchdown passes and 3 interceptions. Florida State led 44-14 in the 3rd quarter when Hall completed a meaningless 80-yard touchdown pass. Hall’s lack of size and arm strength was evident in this game.

RB Jahvid Best, Junior, Cal - The talented running back tied a school record with 5 rushing touchdowns. Best led Cal to a 35-21 road victory at Minnesota. He finished the game with 131 yards rushing on 26 carries (5 yards per) and caught 3 passes for 17 yards. Best ran effectively inside and of course, outside with his outstanding speed and quickness. The biggest question talent evaluators will have to decide is whether Best will be effective running between the tackles in the NFL. This will decide whether he is another Chris Johnson or a Reggie Bush. The Cal running back has looked comfortable running inside this year. The Heisman Trophy candidate is a true junior, but with 3 seasons under his belt and the demands of his position, he could decide to enter the 2010 NFL Draft.

QB Jimmy Clausen, Junior, Notre Dame - Clausen hit Golden Tate with a 33-yard touchdown pass late in the 4th quarter to lift Notre Dame to a 33-30 win over Michigan State. The Notre Dame quarterback battled through a right foot injury and finished 22 of 31 (71%) for 300 yards (9.7 per) with 2 touchdown passes and 1 interception. It was a big win for Notre Dame after the disappointing loss to Michigan. Clausen showed determination, poise and the ability to accurately throw a wide variety of passes in the victory. He may choose to stick around for another year, but he clearly is playing the best ball of his collegiate career.