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Draft Insiders' NFL 2008 Season Awards
Photo - QB Peyton Manning - Colts

Award Winners

MVP - QB Peyton Manning- Indianapolis Colts

Offensive Player of the Year -
RB Adrian Peterson- Minnesota Vikings
Defensive Player of the Year -
LB James Harrison - Pittsburgh Steelers

Coach of the Year -
Tony Sparano- Miami Dolphins
Runner Up Coach - John Harbaugh- Baltimore Ravens

Executive General Manager of the Year - Jerry Reese - NY. Giants
Runner Up - General Manager - Jeff Ireland - Miami Dolphins

College Scouting Director of the Year - Eric DeCosta - Baltimore Ravens
Runner Up - College Scouting Director - Dale Strahm - Houston Texans

Best Free Agent Signing - RB Michael Turner - Atlanta Falcons
Worst Free Agent Signing - WR Jerry Porter - Jacksonville Jaguars

Matt Ryan Heads Strong 2008 All- Rookie Team
Photo - QB Matt Ryan - Atlanta Falcons

Draft Insiders.com named its annual All-Rookie team today week after an outstanding '08 season performance by many first year players. Atlanta's QB Matt Ryan is our Rookie Player of the Year after leading the lowly Falcons to the playoffs after completing a disastrous '07 season. Ryan has been a major rookie impact performer during the Falcons incredible turnaround '08 season. Ryan was our #1 pro prospect from August 2007 and never moved off the top spot in our NFL Draft '08 ratings. He has had an exceptional first season especially for a QB where most young passers sit several seasons or pay a high price for their dues during their NFL Baptism. Ryan beat out fellow rookie QB Joe Flacco who has had an excellent rookie campaign for the Baltimore Ravens. Flacco was a prospect we scouted extensively at Delaware over the 2007 college season and a prospect we recommended to the Senior Bowl committee in October 2007. Ryan earned our Player of the Year award by beating out one of the most outstanding groups of rookie running backs that may be the watershed first year class for the position of years to come. Three rookie runners, Matt Forte of Chicago, Chris Johnson of Tennessee and Steve Slaton of Houston have already surpassed the 1000 yard rushing mark with one game remaining in a terrific group of first year feature backs. This is only the third time in NFL history that has happened with the first time during the '95 season. Rookie backs Kevin Smith of Detroit and Jonathan Stewart of Carolina can also reach the 1000 yard mark with big final performances this weekend. Other rookie backs like Ray Rice, Tim Hightower, Felix Jones and Darren McFadden have had their moments over their inaugural '08 season and make this not only a special talented group of runners but maybe the deepest class of first year backs in league history. Only time will tell about that statement, but this class of rookie backs has certainly had a major impact on the NFL 2008 season and most likely for seasons to come.

Draft Insiders' All- Rookie Team 2008
Player - Team - Round in NFL Draft 2008
QB Matt Ryan - Atlanta - 1
QB Joe Flacco - Baltimore - 1
RB Matt Forte - Chicago - 2
RB Chris Johnson - Tennessee - 1
RB Steve Slaton - Houston - 3
RB Kevin Smith - Detroit - 3
RB Jonathan Stewart - Carolina - 1
FB Peyton Hillis - Denver - 7
WR Eddie Royal - Denver - 2
WR DeSean Jackson - Philadelphia - 2
WR Donnie Avery - St. Louis - 2
WR Josh Morgan - San Francisco - 6
TE John Carlson - Seattle - 2
TE Dustin Keller - NY Jets - 1
TE Martellus Bennett - Dallas - 2
OL Jake Long - Miami - 1
OL Jeff Otah - Carolina - 1
OL Ryan Clady - Denver - 1
OL Duane Brown - Houston - 1
OL Branden Albert - Kansas City - 1
OL Carl Nicks - New Orleans - 5
OL Mike Pollak - Indianapolis - 2
OL Jeremy Zuttah - Tampa - 3

Return Specialist - Leodis McKelvin - Buffalo - 1
Placekicker - Dan Carpenter - Miami - FA

Rookie Offensive Player of the Year - QB Matt Ryan - Atlanta Falcons

Photo - LB Brandon Spikes - Florida

The college football bowl postseason schedule was announced with Florida facing Oklahoma in the BCS national title game. The BCS championship game will take place in Miami on Jan. 8, 2009 between the winners of the SEC and Big 12 championships. Florida made a classic comeback to beat Alabama while Oklahoma pounded an undermanned Missouri team. The game will demand much discussion especially with Texas holding an impressive win over Oklahoma only one month ago.

FedEx BCS National Championship Game
Florida vs. Oklahoma Miami
Dolphin Stadium - Jan. 8, 2009 8 p.m. FOX

For the entire Bowl schedule for 2008-2009 go to College Dates link on main page.

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers Breakout Player

Photo - QB Aaron Rodgers - G.B. Packers

The Green Bay Packers made major news this past offseason when they traded longtime star QB Brett Favre to the NY Jets for a few NFL Draft selections. The trade allowed former #1 pick, QB Aaron Rodgers to take over the reigns after sitting behind Brett his first three seasons. Rodgers has been outstanding in his first season at the helm despite dealing with shoulder problems since the first month of the season.
We took a lot of criticism prior to the NFL Draft '05 when we ranked Aaron Rodgers the #1 QB prospect ahead of highly regarded Alex Smith. Rodgers went late in the first round while Smith went the #1 overall selection in the process. Smith has failed miserably for the S.F. 49ers and has currently been benched this season in favor of veteran J.T. O'Sullivan. Rodgers sat behind future Hall of Fame passer Brett Favre his first three seasons before taking over the reins this fall. He has responded with a terrific effort that has him ranked at the top of the current NFL QB rankings. He has the Packers tied for the NFC Central lead with the Chicago Bears. His 66% completion percentage is among the top five in the league and his 4 interceptions are near the top of the league. He has the makings of being among the premier leaders in the league and carry on a great Packer tradition at the position.

Aaron Rodgers Scouting Report below - March 2005

Receivers On Block for Trading Deadline

Photo - WR Roy Williams - Detroit Lions

The NFL trading deadline closes Tuesday October 14th and could present several interesting moves that would have a huge impact for several contending teams through the rest of the '08 season. The NFL trading deadline has been an afterthought in recent years with few moves with any impact for clubs especially for the remaining season. This year a few of the game's better receivers could be available for the right price. There have been reports that veteran receivers, Roy Williams of the Lions, the Bengals' wideouts T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chad Johnson and the Rams receiver Torry Holt to Bucs are all possible acquisitions for the right price. Teams like the Cowboys, Titans, Bucs, Eagles, Seahawks and Bills are all definitely interested in this short but talented group of receivers. The Cowboys are inquired about each of these receivers, but would have to surrender a #2 pick for either Roy Williams or Chad Johnson. Williams has stated he is interested in going to either Dallas or Tennessee with the Lions holding out for a #2 pick plus conditional other selections at this point. The Cowboys situation has been affected by the hand injury to starting QB Tony Romo who is expected to miss a month of action. The Titans are interested in several receivers including Torry Holt, though the 32 year old veteran would most likely not command more than a middle round selection. They are entertaining dealing for Roy Williams and Chad Johnson if they can agree on compensation.

Georgia Edges USC in Draft Insiders' Preseason Poll
DraftInsiders.com - Preseason Top 25

Photo - LB Rey Maualaga - Southern Cal

Top 25 Teams - Aug. 6
Frank Coyle - Head Scout - DraftInsiders.com
Frank Coyle is a longtime Member of the FWAA and voter in College player awards - Heisman, Outland, Nagurski, Thorpe, etc. He is a voter for the Super 16 College Team Polls throughout the season for the Grantland Rice award and All-American teams at the conclusion of the season.

Rank - Opening Game
1. Georgia vs. Georgia So. (0-0)
2. USC at Virginia (0-0)
3. Oklahoma vs. Chattanooga (0-0)
4. Florida vs. Hawaii (0-0)
5. West Virginia vs. Villanova (0-0)
6. Missouri vs. Illinois (0-0)
7. Ohio St vs. Youngstown St. (0-0)
8. LSU vs. Appalachian St. (0-0)
9. Texas vs. Florida Atlantic (0-0)
10. Clemson vs. Alabama (0-0)

NFL 2008 Supplemental Draft Canceled

The NFL 2008 Supplemental Draft has been canceled this summer because of few participants. The Supplemental Draft has been an annual mid July event since its inception in 1977. The Supplemental Draft has allowed players who are three years removed from high school to enter the NFL Draft under this special selection process. It has become a little used player process with only marginal prospects over the past decade after supplying some premier prospects during the 1980s.