It’s been a couple of years since we’ve done an edition of our MLB Draft Review series. When we last left off, RotoRob had started previewing the 2001 draft, the first part of which you can find here. Over the next few parts of this series, I’ll be previewing the rest of this draft through the first round as well as looking at some other notables that came out of that class.

We’ll pick right up where we left off at the sixth pick in the draft.

6. Josh Karp, RHP, Montreal Expos

The Skinny: Karp was a hard-throwing righty who left his mark on the UCLA record book ranking fifth in wins and sixth in strikeouts after three seasons with the Bruins. Sporting a fastball that consistently reached the mid-90s, along with a plus curveball and changeup, Karp looked like a nice pick at six. Unfortunately, his stuff never translated into professional success. His first year of pro ball was solid as he split time between High-A and Double-A and looked to be on the fast track to the Expo rotation. However, Karp never again experienced professional success after that first year. He struggled with his control and never learned to use his three-pitch arsenal to his advantage. By 2006, he was out of baseball because of arm problems.

Strengths: Three plus pitches, including a fastball consistently in the mid-90s.

Weaknesses: Pitch location and selection and over reliance on his change up. Scouts also questioned his mental toughness and makeup.

Final Analysis: Karp’s failure became even more painful after then-General Manager Omar Minaya gutted the Expos system of Cliff Lee, Grady Sizemore and Brandon Phillips to obtain Bartolo Colon. The Expos soon became the Nationals and have suffered from bad drafts and poor management to become the Major League’s worst team in 2009.

7. Chris Smith, LHP, Baltimore Orioles

The Skinny: Smith signed with the Orioles almost immediately after they drafted him out of Cumberland University, but he didn’t make his professional debut until several weeks later. In 2006, Smith claimed that an Oriole trainer injured him during a workout, pretty much derailing his career before had a chance to get started. Before the injury, Smith sported a 90 mph fastball. Afterwards, he was wild, walking 21 batters in 11 innings in 2002 before being shut down. Smith missed 2003 and most of 2004 with a shoulder injury. In 2005, he was released by the Os and tried his hand at Independent ball with no success. By 2006, his career was over.

Strengths: Smith was a lefty with a 90 mph fastball, always a coveted commodity.

Weaknesses: Wildness. This may have been a result of his injury, but nevertheless, Smith had trouble finding the plate during his pro career.

Final Analysis: After it became evident that local boys Mark Teixeira and Gavin Floyd wouldn’t be around for the Orioles at number seven, the team more than likely agreed to a pre-draft deal with Smith. It was money they might as well have flushed down the toilet as Smith gave them absolutely no return on their investment. The Smith pick was just another in a long line of first round failures for the Orioles and part of the reason they have failed to keep pace with division rivals, New York, Boston and Tampa, teams that have drafted well. Having said that, the Orioles have shown some improvement in this area in the later part of this decade, so we’ll see how that plays out.

8. John VanBenchoten, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates

The Skinny: The Pirates shocked everyone when they selected VanBenchoten as a pitcher out of Kent State. The righty was the Golden Eagles’ closer, but was more highly regarded for hit bat. He led Division I with 31 homers in his junior year and most teams viewed him as a prototypical right fielder. VanBenchoten made the Pirates look good early though as he rose steadily through the minor league system, pitching in the 2003 Futures Game, before making his big league debut in 2004. Unfortunately, his career was derailed in 2005 when he went under the knife to repair torn labrums in both arms and a torn rotator cuff in his left (non-pitching) arm. In limited chances in 2007 and 2008, VanBenchoten couldn’t duplicate his minor league success with the major league club, recording a 9.20 ERA in 26 games, 19 of them starts. He became a free agent after the 2008 season and signed with the Chicago White Sox, for whom he was ineffective in a swingman role for their Triple-A club.

Strengths: A 90 MPH fastball and a plus curve. He also has a change up and slider in his arsenal.

Weaknesses: VanBenchoten mostly pitched as a reliever at Kent State, so stamina was a big deal as the Pirates tried to make him a starter. His delivery had a tendency to be inconsistent.

Final Analysis: VanBenchoten might eventually make it as a long reliever in the majors, but more than likely he’ll just be organizational depth. He follows a long line of Pirate first rounders that haven’t made a big league impact. Pittsburgh hasn’t had a winning season since Barry Bonds left town years ago and the farm system hasn’t produced an impact player since. One might wonder, however, how VanBenchoten’s career might have gone if he had been selected as a position player. Rick Ankiel, anyone?

9. Colt Griffin, RHP, Kansas City Royals

The Skinny: Scouts were mesmerized by Griffin when he became the first high school pitcher to hit 100 mph. Blinded by the velocity, scouts ignored the other factors in Griffin’s game, most notably that he couldn’t pitch worth a lick. It didn’t matter as the Royals grabbed him with the ninth pick hoping they could tame this wild Colt. Despite his blazing fastball and a plus slider, Griffin couldn’t find the strike zone. He led the minors in walks in 2003 while uncorking 23 wild pitches. Coaches worked to tone down his violent delivery and Griffin dialed down his velocity in order to gain more control. He topped out at Double-A in 2005 and underwent major shoulder surgery. Griffin decided to retire rather than try to come back.

Strengths: Duh! A 100 mph fastball. He also had a good slider.

Weaknesses: Control. The kid had none, averaging a shocking 6.9 walks per nine innings in his five seasons in the minors.

Final Analysis: Griffin was the ultimate boom or bust player. Salivating over his heater, teams ignored every other aspect of his game and hoped to catch lightning in a bottle. Griffin’s unwillingness to attempt a comeback from shoulder surgery says much about his desire. He just took his $1.85 million signing bonus and went home. Griffin was the fifth straight pitcher the Royals picked in the first round, none of whom ever fulfilled their promise. Not a single one made it as starters and thus crippled the low-budget Royals’ chance to assemble a talented homegrown rotation. It’s worth noting from a timely perspective, that Baseball America writer Jim Callis, in a recent chat, uttered Griffin’s name when making a comparison of the skill set of current hyped prospect Aroldis Chapman. Just some food for thought for you when considering the Cuban this spring.

10. Chris Burke, ss, Houston Astros

The Skinny: An All-American out of Tennessee, Burke looked like he was going to be a future table setter for a long time for the Astros. In the minors, he showed the ability to get on base and steal one if necessary. Although he started out as a shortstop, Burke lacked the arm to stay there and moved over to second. He made the Astros’ Opening Day roster in 2005, but got demoted after a month. Burke was recalled in June and split time between 2B and the outfield, hitting only .248. The highlight of Burke’s career came in the divisional playoff series against the Atlanta Braves when he hit a series ending home run in the 18th inning to propel the Astros into the next round against the St. Louis Cardinals. Burke received a little more than 300 at bats in each of the next two seasons, but failed to win consistent playing time. He was eventually traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2008 in the deal the netted the Astros Jose Valverde. Burke was little more than a utility player with the D-Backs and was non-tendered after the season. He wound up in the Padre system, but was traded to Seattle in Spring Training earlier this year. Less than a month later, San Diego reacquired Burke, but he was completely ineffective in a part-time role and outrighted to Triple-A in June. He refused the assignment and wound up signing a minor league deal with the Braves and spent the rest of 2009 toiling for their Triple-A team, putting up a .285/.351/.401 line in 274 at bats.

Strengths: Burke is a good athlete with speed. He showed a solid bat in the minors, with a career OPS of 786.

Weaknesses: Burke lacked the arm strength to stick at shortstop. He was also unable to adapt to major league pitching, recording a career OPS of 674 in parts of six seasons.

Final Analysis: Now 29, Burke is little more than a backup utility player at this stage in his career. He can play 2B and SS as well as in the outfield if needed. Burke can offer some speed off a Major League bench, but has really done nothing to show he has much value with the bat. His early minor league career suggested he could be a solid MLB lead-off hitter (at Triple-A in 2004, for instance, he had a . 396 OBP with 37 steals), but that never happened. Whether it was a lack of ability or lack of consistent at bats, we’ll probably never know. What we do know is that when Burke has been giving opportunities, he hasn’t taken advantage of them. As the Astros have long drafted near the bottom of the first round, failing with a top 10 pick hurts, especially considering Houston hasn’t drafted well at all. Their lack of minor league talent is evident as the Astros sink into second division status.

By Steven Ovadia and RotoRob

With the 2009 NHL Draft going down this weekend, we present our take on all the players taken in the first round.

1. John Tavares, C, London Knights, New York Islanders: The buzz started when Tavares was given an “exceptional player” exemption that allowed him to play in the OHL at the tender age of 14. I went to see him play with the Generals shortly after he had turned 15, and filed the following report back in November, 2005:

“Now that Sidney Crosby is in the NHL, who’s the next big thing? Yesterday afternoon, I got a chance to see him and his name is John Tavares. He created waves when earlier this year he fought for and ultimately gained a special exemption to be drafted into the Ontario Hockey League at the age of 14. The Oshawa Generals were only too happy to snap him up with the first overall pick and are definitely reaping the benefits. Tavares, who turned 15 three days before his junior debut, is more than just holding his own (better than a point per game) playing against competitors as many as five years older than him. He’s clearly the most creative and talented, if somewhat raw, player on the ice. He has tremendous ice presence and surprising size, but is knocked off the puck fairly easily (of course, given the attention his plight to gain entry into the league caused, he may as well have a bulls eye on his back). That will change as Tavares fills out. He showed his range of skills on a variety of plays; one particular give-and-go was just stunning and a move he made behind the net that turned an opposing defenceman inside out left the crowd gasping in awe. Tavares seemed to generate a scoring opportunity every time he was on the ice. He’s very good on his feet in traffic, reacting to the play quicker than anyone on the ice, can move very well and has a very strong skating stride. As Tavares gets stronger and gains more experience, he will continue to improve. He looks like a shoo-in for OHL Rookie of the Year, and it wouldn’t shock me if he’s the best player in the league within a year and a half. At this point, Tavares would have to be the favorite to be the first pick in the NHL draft in 2009. Yes, he’s four years from being drafted, but owners in keeper leagues that can hoard juniors would be well-advised to tuck this kid away.”

Anyone who saw Tavares, 18, dominate the 2009 WJC knows that this kid is capable of one day bringing the Islanders back to their glory days in a similar manner that Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have done for the Penguins. – R.R.

2. Victor Hedman, D, Modo (Sweden), Tampa Bay Lightning: Tampa was so shorthanded on defense last season, it had to bring Marek Malik back to the NHL. The buzz on Hedman is that he’s NHL ready, and for that reason alone, Tampa was psyched to get him. But Hedman should blossom into a high-quality defenseman. And hopefully he’ll work out better than Steve Stamkos, not that Stamkos sucked, but he did take some time to find his groove before turning in a pretty darned good rookie season. — S.O.

3. Matt Duchene, C, Brampton Battalion, Colorado Avalanche: It’s ironic that in a season when this franchise had this high a pick for the first time since 1995, it picked a kid that many compare to Joe Sakic, the greatest player in the history of the team and the team leader who is expected to retire this summer. Duchene, 18, used his great hands to score 31 goals and 79 points last season, adding 14 goals and 26 points in just 21 playoff games. – R.R.

4. Evander Kane, C, Vancouver Giants, Atlanta Thrashers: The Thrashers have had their share of high-flying offensive geniuses like Dany Heatley, Ilya Kovalchuk and Marian Hossa, and for whatever reason, it’s never worked out for the team. So lately, they’ve become attracted to more rugged, two-way players. Kane is a player in that mold, and will be even more rugged once he has some AHL seasoning. – S.O.

5. Brayden Schenn, C, Brandon Wheat Kings, Los Angeles Kings: Schenn will trade in his Wheat Kings uni for an LA Kings one. This 18-year-old is a great playmaker, having logged 56 assists in 70 games in the WHL last season. LA is really stockpiling some great young talent, and it got a great one in Schenn, a player the Leafs coveted and had hoped to draft to team up with his older brother, current Leaf Luke Schenn. – R.R.

6. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, D, Leksand, Phoenix Coyotes: Phoenix is trying to transition into more of a finesse offense game and Ekman-Larsson, an offensive defenseman, seems to be the kind of player who can thrive in that kind of system. While the Nicklas Lidstrom comparisons might be a little premature, he should be a solid offensive presence on the blue line. – S.O.

7. Nazem Kadri, C, London Knights, Toronto Maple Leafs: Shut out in their bid to trade up and draft either Tavares or Schenn, the Buds settled for Kadri, an 18-year-old who potted 25 goals in just 56 games in the OHL last season. He’s a tremendously gifted offensive player who should soon take his place among the top two lines in Toronto. He’s an intense player, and the fact that he’s of Lebanese decent could generate interest in the Leafs among the city’s Muslim community – not that Leaf Nation isn’t already busting at the seams. – R.R.

8. Scott Glennie, C, Brandon Wheat Kings, Dallas Stars: A solid goal-scorer, Glennie should eventually give Dallas the offensive punch it’s lacked for the past few seasons. – S.O.

9. Jared Cowen, D, Spokane Chiefs, Ottawa Senators: He’s immense (6’5”, 218) yet mobile, but unfortunately, Cowen’s 2008-09 season ended early thanks to an ACL injury. A true defensive defenseman, Cowen required reconstructive surgery and won’t be able to begin skating until late August. But the Senators don’t believe this will affect his ability to have a long NHL career. Still, picking a one-dimensional defenseman this early in the draft raised some eyebrows — especially considering this class was littered with defense prospects. – R.R.

10. Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson, LW, Timra (Sweden), Edmonton Oilers: Paajarvi-Svensson is all about the speed. His lack of defensive responsibility could cause fits for defense-minded assistant coach Tom Renney, should Paajarvi-Svensson wind up playing with the Oilers next season. Odds are, he’ll need to flesh out his game a bit more. – S.O.

11. Ryan Ellis, D, Windsor Spitfires, Nashville Predators: Ellis is a gifted offensive defenseman who proved at the WJC that he can be a dominant force on the power play. The fifth OHL product among the top 11 picks, this 18-year-old scored 89 points this season, adding an eye-popping 31 in just 20 playoff games. Ellis is small, but should soon be part of a phenomenal young collection of Predator defensemen that already includes Shea Weber and Ryan Suter at the NHL level, with Cody Fransom and Jon Blum not far behind. – R.R.

12. Calvin de Haan, D, Oshawa Generals, New York Islanders (this pick was acquired by the Islanders from Minnesota for picks 16, 77 and 182): de Haan is a solid, if unspectacular defenseman. The big hook for him is that he’s played with top pick Taveras, and therefore had his game elevated by the top pick. Using the two of them together on a five-man unit could be a huge offensive boost for the Islanders. – S.O.

13. Zack Kassian, RW, Peterborough Petes, Buffalo Sabres: The OHL’s domination of this draft continues with the selection of Kassian, a player with a great blend of size and skill. This power forward is not afraid to use his size to his advantage and that helped him dramatically increase his output last season. The Sabres need a player that is capable of being a presence in front of the opposition’s net, and Kassian fits this bill perfectly. – R.R.

14. Dmitry Kulikov, D, Drummondville Voltigeurs, Florida Panthers: Kulikov is a solid defenseman who could be ready for the NHL as soon as next season. He won’t replace Jay Bouwmeester, but he might learn a lot from Jordan Leopold. – S.O.

15. Peter Holland, C, Guelph Storm, Anaheim Ducks: At one point Holland was ranked near the ISS’s top 10 prospects, so Anaheim was undoubtedly quite pleased to land him at No. 15. The 6’2”, 190-pounder is coming off a season in which he logged 39 assists and then ripped four goals in just four playoff games. Holland — one of five Storm players taken in this draft – is part of an impressive project by the Ducks of retooling while remaining competitive, highlighted by the immense booty they received when they dealt away Chris Pronger. – R.R.

16. Nick Leddy, D, Eden Prairie, Minnesota Wild (pick acquired by Islanders from Columbus, along with the 77th pick, for No. 26, No. 37, No. 62 and No. 92; the Isles then dealt this pick to Minny as discussed in No 12 above): The Minnesota native was drafted by his hometown team. He’s got a reputation as an offensive defenseman who knows how to do the right thing in his own end. A player like that will fit in anywhere, but the pride of playing for his local NHL team might give his play an emotional edge. – S.O.

17. David Rundblad, D, Skelleftea AIK (Sweden), St. Louis Blues: This kid can skate, and he’s got coast-to-coast ability thanks to some superb puck-handling skills. Don’t expect him to have a legitimate chance to win a job in St. Louis until at least next season, but add him to the growing pile of prospects the Blues are stockpiling – they now have 17 players who were picked in the first three rounds between 2006 and 2009 either already with the team or who still have a chance to play in the NHL. – R.R.

18. Louis Leblanc, C, Omaha Lancers, Montreal Canadiens: Leblanc is a physical forward who’ll be playing for Harvard next year, but you have to wonder if the college game will impede his development. While some Harvard players, like the Moore brothers, have succeeded in the NHL, it’s not the best breeding ground for two-way talent. – S.O.

19. Chris Kreider, C, Andover, Ma., New York Rangers: The highest-ranked high school player, Kreider finished 14th overall in the rankings, but slipped a few spots to the Rangers. A gifted skater, Kreider is headed to Boston College next season after piling up 56 points in just 26 games in his final season of high school. His selection continues a trend towards top talent heading to US colleges; all told seven current or future college players were taken in the opening round. – R.R.

20. Jacob Josefson, C, Djurgarden (Sweden) , New Jersey Devils (picks acquired from Calgary for picks No. 23 and 84): You know Josefson has upside if the Devils are drafting him and he’s not an American. Hell, they even traded up to get him. elHell, He’s supposedly skilled, but not much of a finisher. But if the Devils see something in him, you can bet the finishing touch will emerge soon. – S.O.

21. John Moore, D, Chicago (USHL), Columbus Blue Jackets (pick acquired from Anaheim for picks No. 26 and 37; this is the pick that Anaheim originally acquired as part of the Pronger trade): Moore has committed for 2009 to Colorado College, a school that’s known for its hockey program. Yet another offensive defenseman in this draft, Moore could be the best skater available this season. Even though the Jackets traded up to get this pick, they were still picking later than they ever have in their history. Given the plethora of young talent they’re hoarding – and you can now add Moore to this mix – the Blue Jackets won’t be getting any high draft picks again for quite some time. – R.R.

22. Jordan Schroeder, C, University of Minnesota, Vancouver Canucks: Schroeder is aa talented forward with a very complete game for someone so young, but the big knock on him is that he’s undersized (5’8”, 165). But as more and more players in the new NHL will tell you, size isn’t everything. – S.O.

23. Tim Erixson, D, Skelleftea AIK (Sweden), Calgary Flames: The son of former NHLer Jan Erixon, Tim was actually born in New York, but he played professionally in Sweden. Another offensive defenseman, Erixson went right about where expected in this draft. His selection by the Flames signals a change in their drafting philosophy – picking a skill player as opposed to a grinder. — R.R.

24. Marcus Johansson, C, Farjestad (Sweden), Washington Capitals: Johansson is fast and a bit of a playmaker. The Capitals are probably imagining an older Johansson playing next to Alexander Ovechkin, dishing the puck and, hopefully, burying the puck when Ovechkin creates time and space. But is Johansson big enough for the NHL at 5’11”, 180? — S.O.

25. Jordan Caron, C, Rimouski Oceanic, Boston Bruins: Caron developed into a much bigger offensive force in his third QMJHL season, potting 36 goals and 31 assists in 56 games, but the fact that he snuck into the first round was a bit of a surprise, as most experts had him projected as an early second round selection. The native Quebecer is likely headed back to Rimouski next season, and with the Bruins already overflowing with young talent, there’s no reason to rush him. — R.R.

26. Kyle Palmieri, RW/C, USA-18, Anaheim Ducks: This pick was also a bit of a surprise, given that Palmieri’s reputation is more checker than scorer. Obviously, the Ducks see some kind of potential, but it’s hard to know what it is. No one projected Palmieri as a first-round pick. — S.O.

27. Philippe Paradis, C, Shawinigan Cataractes, Carolina Hurricanes: Paradis showed more offensive touch in his second season in the QMJHL last year, potting 19 goals with 31 assists for 50 points in 66 games. The 18-year-old Quebec native also contributed six goals and six assists in 21 playoff games. No, those numbers aren’t really that impressive, and this was another pick that raised some eyebrows as most projected Paradis as a second or even third rounder. But he’ll bring the size (6’2”, 197) and grit that the Canes need. — R.R.

28. Dylan Olsen, D, Camrose Kodiaks, Chicago Blackhawks: A big defenseman (6’2”, 195), Olsen might develop more of an offensive game with some time in the minor leagues. This is seemingly a good long-term investment for Chicago. — S.O.

29. Carter Ashton, LW, Lethbridge Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning (pick acquired from Detroit for picks No. 32 and 75): The son of Brent Ashton, a journeyman who played almost 1,000 NHL games, Carter had a bigger role for the Hurricanes this past season, scoring 30 goals with 20 assists for 50 points in 70 games. The 6’2” winger is just one of many kids who went in this draft that have some kind of NHL bloodlines. — R.R.

30. Simon Despres, D, Saint John Sea Dogs, Pittsburgh Penguins: Like Olsen, Despres is a big defenseman (6’4”, 215) with a hint of offensive potential. We might not see Despres in the NHL for a while, but when we do, he could make an impact. — S.O.

Every year, the NBA season comes and goes, and with it arrives the NBA Draft. College students and players from abroad declare their eligibility for the draft and NBA scouts and front offices set up their “war room” to rank the players on their own draft board. Here, I am going to rank the top 10 as I see them, leaving out their probable or possible NBA teams because until the May 19th Draft Lottery, we don’t know who is picking where.

1. Blake Griffin, PF, Oklahoma Sooners: When you look at which player in this draft is the most NBA ready, Griffin’s name has to be No. 1 on that list. You see, you have to take a closer look at his stats to truly appreciate how good this kid looks on paper: Griffin had the most in-the-paint baskets per game at 7.9, he shot 75.5 per cent on those short range attempts and he was fouled 18 per cent of the time when he touched the ball in the low post. Griffin is a strong and athletic PF that should go No. 1 overall regardless of who gets the pick.

2. Hasheem Thabeet, C, Connecticut: At 7’3”, this kid is a monster around the basket. He finished with 10.8 rebounds and 4.2 blocks per game last season, but the 13.6 PPG is a little disappointing considering his low-post presence. He compares to Dikembe Mutombo because of his rebounding/shot blocking and lack of offensive ability. Guys with his size and defensive abilities are hard to find, so going No. 2 is not a bad call.

3. Jordan Hill, PF, Arizona: Hill has developed nicely throughout his college career and his ideal size and wing span make him an interesting pick at No. 3. He has a very good jumping ability, which only enhances his athleticism. The problem with Hill is his substandard free-throw shooting (65.4 per cent), his 2.9 turnovers per game this past season and the way he seems to try to power his way to scoring as if he was Shaquille O’Neal instead of Jordan Hill.

4. James Harden, SG, Arizona State: When people talk about Harden, you would think you were listening to someone describe a point guard, but Harden plays the two-guard instead. His strengths are his ability to shoot, pass and handle the ball, but at just 6’5”, he is a bit small for an NBA SG. Harden also could be a liability on defense as he didn’t stand out in college and will be facing better competition once he reaches the pros. Look for more of a Manu Ginobili type of player…think sixth man.

5. Ricky Rubio, PG, DKV Joventut (Spain): Rubio is an 18-year-old PG out of El Masnou, Spain. The knock on him has been his inability to create his own shot, his accuracy when shooting and when he does manage to create contact he expects to get the “Jordan treatment” from the refs. The reason I rank him at No. 5 is because at his young age he is already playing against more mature and much better competition overseas and should be able to improve his skills with time in the NBA. I foresee another Darko Milicic, to be honest.

6. DeMar DeRozan, SG, USC: A lot of mocks have Brandon Jennings going here, but why? The kid went to Europe out of HS and managed just 19 minutes and 7.6 PPG, hardly worth getting excited over. DeRozan will be a project because he still needs to become more consistent in all facets of his game. His greatest attribute is his athletic ability which has been compared to that of Vince Carter.

7. Brandon Jennings, PG, Lottomatica Roma (Italy): Even though I said I wouldn’t rank players with their prospective team, Jennings is one that gets his rank because of the two teams most likely to pick here (Memphis and Golden State). Being that he played in Europe last season, teams will take a chance on him even though he shot just 38.7 per cent from the field and turned the ball over 1.2 times a night while playing under 20 minutes. Jennings is better suited for the And 1 tour than he is the NBA tour.

8. Tyreke Evans, SG, Memphis: Evans was hyped up quite a bit in high school and that causes many players to lose focus. The good thing about him is his natural basketball skills and ability to score almost at will. But, Evans is one of those people whose greatest attribute is also his downfall in that since basketball comes so easy to him, he seems to take a lazy attitude at times on the floor. He is a solid combo guard that can become a star if he works on improving his game and not relying on his athletic ability to overpower the competition.

9. Ty Lawson, PG, North Carolina: Lawson lead the Tar Heels to a national championship, which means someone is bound to take this quick PG in the top 10. He has amazing speed and quickness to go with his court vision, but standing just 6’0” tall will hamper him in the NBA. He can’t create his own shots and will have a problem defensively against bigger NBA players, but he can shoot the longball, averages 2.1 steals and doesn’t turn the ball over a lot for a PG.

10. Stephen Curry, SG/PG, Davidson: I don’t really care for Curry as a player (I am thinking he’s the next Steve Kerr), but his 28.6 PPG average will raise some eyebrows. He makes smart decisions and can find his own shot, but at 6’2”, he is as tall as a small PG and trying to play the SG role. He will be a problem on defense and will have trouble finding that shot that made him so fearless in college, so he better get used to coming off the bench and being a situational player. I would much rather see someone like Earl Clark or Gerald Henderson go here.

Others of Note

Earl Clark, SF, Louisville: Athletic and strong, but struggles with his jump shot.
James Johnson, PF, Wake Forest: Sophomore big man logged heavy minutes for the Demon Deacons.
Johnny Flynn, PG, Syracuse: He’s small, but man, can he fly.
Gerald Henderson, SG, Duke: Tremendous mid-range game, but is not a primary scoring option.
Eric Maynor, PG, VCU: Perhaps the best true PG in draft, but may get overlooked because he toiled in non power conference.

The participants in the league include Elliotte Friedman, CBC’s hockey and basketball sideline reporter; Eric Smith, who covers the Raptors for the Fan 590; Adam, who covers the Raptors for Hooplife.ca; Tommy Beer, an analyst for Hoopsworld.com; Ryan, from HoopsAddict; Tim Chisolm, from TSN; Scott Cullen, from TSN.ca; Ali Lila, who calls himself White Chocolate; and Muhammad Lila, a CBC News at Six reporter.

My indoctrination into the league got off to a shaky start when my team was somehow omitted from the draft selection – a process that was videotaped and put up on YouTube for dramatic effect. Well, imagine the dramatic effect that had on me when I watched the whole damn thing and failed to hear my team name picked! It turns out just 11 teams in this 12-team, H2H league where picked from the hat, but the commissioner managed to address that situation, and I wound up with the 10th overall pick.

Not great, but at least I had a friggin’ pick now!

I was sitting on Al Jefferson as my first round pick, having ranked him 10th overall, but when Deron Williams slid to me, I had to bite. That selection drew its share of pissed off reactions, which made it all the more satisfying. But when Big Al fell to me in the second round, I felt like I had somehow stolen the equivalent of two first-round talents. Not too shabby, considering I was batting in the 10-hole. Things were looking up.

My goal heading into this draft was to aim for a well-balanced team, but my specific focus was to make sure I didn’t leave myself short in dimes – a trait I’ve been known for in my excursions into expert leagues before. Getting D-Will with my top pick certainly helped address that, and I later added Ray Felton, Rafer Alston and Mike Conley for good measure.

For scoring, both Williams and Jefferson will help, but I’m hoping my third rounder – Jason Richardson – will come close to repeating his 2007-08 season. My fourth rounder – Kevin Durant – could easily wind up as the top scorer on my team. Other picks that should help in scoring include Ricky Davis and Rudy Fernandez.

I’m good in rebounding with Jefferson, Andrew Bogut, Chris Kaman, Andrei Kirilenko (assuming he bounces back in that area this year), Chris Wilcox and my last-round flyer – Spencer Hawes.

I love this team’s 3-point shooting with J-Rich, Alston and Ricky Davis. And I should be in solid shape in blocks thanks to Big Al, Bogut, Kaman and AK-47. I’ve got steals covered with Williams, Richardson, Kirilenko, Davis, Alston and Felton.

Where I may fall a bit short is in the percentages, especially FT shooting. On the FG percentage side, Williams is great for a guard, Jefferson rocks, and Bogut and Wilcox will both do well. In terms of FT shooting, Durant might be my best, and it’s not a major strength for anyone else on the team.

But the beauty of a H2H league is I can still do extremely well even if punting one or even two categories, so I’m not too worried.

Anyways, let’s review the draft results, round-by-round, with my commentary after each round.

First Round

1. LeBron James Team Steroids
2. Chris Paul RapsHQ Runni…
3. Kobe Bryant Eazy E’s
4. Dwyane Wade TSN Takedown
5. Amare Stoudemire Cabbage Blat…
6. Dirk Nowitzki Starbury Bea…
7. Caron Butler CBC Shot Cal…
8. Elton Brand TeeBall
9. Kevin Garnett media whores
10. Deron Williams RotoRob
11. Shawn Marion TSN.ca
12. Allen Iverson White Chocolate

I would have taken Chris Paul first in a turnover league, but it’s hard to argue with LeBron at one, considering that 30-10-10 season is coming one of these days. I was surprised to see Flash goes this high, and Caron Butler as well, but this round was mostly on track. Having Williams fall to me at 10 made my pick a no-brainer. I got the player I felt was the best available off the board and solved my age-old assist crisis in one fell swoop.

Second Round

1. Danny Granger White Chocolate
2. Chris Bosh TSN.ca
3. Al Jefferson RotoRob
4. Steve Nash media whores
5. Josh Smith TeeBall
6. Carlos Boozer CBC Shot Cal…
7. Baron Davis Starbury Bea…
8. Tim Duncan Cabbage Blat…
9. Dwight Howard TSN Takedown
10. Yao Ming Eazy E’s
11. Jose Calderon RapsHQ Runni…
12. Chauncey Billups Team Steroids

I love Granger, but this felt too high for me and Bosh going this high in the round also surprised me. But hey, it worked out for me, because I like Big Al more than either of those two, so I felt like I was sitting pretty after two rounds, and well on my way to a balanced attack as well. Nabbing Josh Smith this low was a solid pick.

Third Round

1. Pau Gasol Team Steroids
2. Joe Johnson RapsHQ Runni…
3. Marcus Camby Eazy E’s
4. Andre Iguodala TSN Takedown
5. Carmelo Anthony Cabbage Blat…
6. David West Starbury Bea…
7. Kevin Martin CBC Shot Cal…
8. Paul Pierce TeeBall
9. Rudy Gay media whores
10. Jason Richardson RotoRob
11. Vince Carter TSN.ca
12. Rashard Lewis White Chocolate

Gasol as the top pick in this round is a reach; I had him scheduled to be picked early in the fourth round. I think Team Steroids reached for Billups too soon in the last round as well, but it didn’t jump out at me like the Gasol pick did. I really like the Joe Johnson pick in this round – I think that’s a great value selection. I was happy to get J-Rich here to fill my SG slot, giving me positional flexibility (I can use him at SF as well) and filling in the area I had yet to address with my first two picks – 3-point shooting.

Fourth Round

1. Ron Artest White Chocolate
2. Andrew Bynum TSN.ca
3. Kevin Durant RotoRob
4. Brandon Roy media whores
5. Hedo Turkoglu TeeBall
6. Antawn Jamison CBC Shot Cal…
7. Mo Williams Starbury Bea…
8. Josh Howard Cabbage Blat…
9. Jason Kidd TSN Takedown
10. Andre Miller Eazy E’s
11. Stephen Jackson RapsHQ Runni…
12. Rasheed Wallace Team Steroids

Bynum’s selection here jumps out at me as too high. I guess when Camby went high in the third round, Scott felt that he better take a No. 1 centre off the board. Personally, I would have preferred Bogut or Mehmet Okur here, as Bynum is still a risk, as far as I’m concerned. With the propensity of power forwards that also qualify at centre, I think Bynum is a borderline No. 1 centre. Mo Williams before Jason Kidd and Andre Miller? That surprised me, and I think that TSN Takedown and Eazy E’s said ‘thank you, very much,’ and nabbed themselves solid No. 1 PGs in the process. Some may think I reached for Durant here, but I wanted to fill my SF slot (he also qualifies at SG, so that’s a bonus) and get a guy who could potentially score close to 30 PPG. There’s major upside here, and that was another goal of mine – try to focus on players poised to take their games to the next level. Williams, Jefferson, Durant, Bogut, Conley and Hawes all fit into this category, and Fernandez is a major sleeper, of course.

Round Five

1. Michael Redd Team Steroids
2. Al Horford RapsHQ Runni…
3. Gerald Wallace Eazy E’s
4. Tyson Chandler TSN Takedown
5. Emeka Okafor Cabbage Blat…
6. Mike Dunleavy Starbury Bea…
7. Devin Harris CBC Shot Cal…
8. Greg Oden TeeBall
9. Mehmet Okur media whores
10. Andrew Bogut RotoRob
11. Jamal Crawford TSN.ca
12. Andris Biedrins White Chocolate

Horford going second in this round continues the trend of centres going far above slot. I love “the other” Big Al, but I had him going in the middle of Round Six. Tyson Chander’s selection here kept that pattern alive. The Dunleavy pick was a superb selection; I was primed to grab him if he fell to me, and I started thinking he might for a while there. But when Oden was grabbed (again, perhaps two rounds too early), I’m sure media whores was stoked to get Okur and I was only too happy to take breakout candidate Bogut. Not only did this give me a true centre (Jefferson qualifies there), but it really provided a shot in the arm to my team’s rebounding and shot blocking capabilities. Bogut is slagged as a bust because he went No. 1 overall and got a the huge contract, but he just keeps getting better and we haven’t come close to seeing the best he has to offer yet.

Round Six

1. David Lee White Chocolate
2. Tracy McGrady TSN.ca
3. Chris Kaman RotoRob
4. Corey Maggette media whores
5. Lamar Odom TeeBall
6. LaMarcus Aldridge CBC Shot Cal…
7. Mike Miller Starbury Bea…
8. Samuel Dalembert Cabbage Blat…
9. Peja Stojakovic TSN Takedown
10. Tony Parker Eazy E’s
11. Zydrunas Ilgauskas RapsHQ Runni…
12. Ray Allen Team Steroids

Wow, I love David Lee as much as the next person; in fact, he almost single-handedly carried my expert team to a title a couple of years ago, but this is way too early. On the other hand, getting T-Mac in the sixth round? Sweet score. I was primed to take McGrady, and suck up all the panic attacks that owning him entails, so in a weird sort of way, I was happy the choice was taken out of my hands. But then came the glitch. I had a quick Internet hiccup (there was a thunderstorm), and that’s all it took for the system to autopick Kaman for me. Now, if you’re going to be screwed into an autopick, there are worse ways to go – a couple of years ago, I got stuck with Eddie Jones this way. Yikes! So, I sucked it up, and figured, what the hell, that takes care of my second centre. I had planned to take Richard Jefferson in this slot to give me a true SF, but maybe it’s for the best – RJ seems to be struggling to find his offense in Milwaukee. Other picks that jumped out at me in this round: Ilgauskus — this is way too early for Big Z – another centre getting pulled up the draft. However, Ray Allen lasting to the end of this round provides a great value pick.

Round Seven

1. Richard Jefferson Team Steroids
2. John Salmons RapsHQ Runni…
3. Brad Miller Eazy E’s
4. Mike Bibby TSN Takedown
5. Luol Deng Cabbage Blat…
6. Jermaine O’Neal Starbury Bea…
7. Randy Foye CBC Shot Cal…
8. Rajon Rondo TeeBall
9. Michael Beasley media whores
10. Andrei Kirilenko RotoRob
11. O.J. Mayo TSN.ca
12. Jason Terry White Chocolate

There goes RJ – a nice pick this late in the draft, giving Team Steroids a nice one-two coup in the middle of the draft. I was planning to take J.O. in this round, and got scooped, but that may be another situation where the pick you don’t make winds up being your best choice, as Starbury should count his lucky starts if O’Neal plays 65 games. So then I set my sights on Beasley, but got beaten to him by one freaking pick. My consolation prize is an athlete who openly cries in front of the media. That’s okay – he’s sensitive. And although he has never touched his numbers from three and four years ago, AK-47 remains a top shot blocker, and that’s shaping up like an area where I am going to be very competitive in. Plus, this pick seems to piss off a couple of people, so that’s always sweet.

Round Eight

1. T.J. Ford White Chocolate
2. Derrick Rose TSN.ca
3. Raymond Felton RotoRob
4. Zach Randolph media whores
5. Charlie Villanueva TeeBall
6. Troy Murphy CBC Shot Cal…
7. Al Harrington Starbury Bea…
8. Leandro Barbosa Cabbage Blat…
9. Thaddeus Young TSN Takedown
10. Marvin Williams Eazy E’s
11. J.R. Smith RapsHQ Runni…
12. Richard Hamilton Team Steroids

I love the Derrick Rose pick here, even though it’s a bit gutsy. I chose a much safer (and less dynamic) option in Felton, yet again thinking that “I won’t get screwed in assists…I won’t get screwed in assists…” Z-Bo is a tremendous pick in the eighth round and I also love the Marvin Williams pick – I wanted him in Round Nine coming the other way. Young, however, feels early. Others seemed quite stoked about this pick, but maybe I’m just not as high on him as most. I didn’t love the Harrington pick here, either.

Round Nine

1. Manu Ginobili Team Steroids
2. Gilbert Arenas RapsHQ Runni…
3. Shane Battier Eazy E’s
4. Anthony Parker TSN Takedown
5. Jameer Nelson Cabbage Blat…
6. Kirk Hinrich Starbury Bea…
7. Matt Barnes CBC Shot Cal…
8. Monta Ellis TeeBall
9. Mickael Pietrus media whores
10. Rafer Alston RotoRob
11. Al Thornton TSN.ca
12. Jason Maxiell White Chocolate

And so it begins – the round of taking players who are currently out with long-term injuries. Manu, Hibatchi and Ellis all go in this round, but with just two bench slots, it seems early to use up half your bench on a player who won’t play for two months (Ginobili) or longer (Arenas, Ellis…although reports on Arenas coming back earlier make this choice much easier to swallow). But hey, you’ve got to take risks to win, and each of these three owners had the balls to go get marquee talents in the ninth round. I don’t like Battier here – it’s too early, and although he helps in everything, he really doesn’t excel in anything, especially since defensive acumen and leadership aren’t fantasy categories. Jameer Nelson here could be a very solid pick. Once he was gone, I opted to take another PG (I shall not leave dimes on the table) in Alston. Skip to my Lou could kill my FG percentage, but the threes are sweet.

Round 10

1. Jamario Moon White Chocolate
2. Andrea Bargnani TSN.ca
3. Ricky Davis RotoRob
4. Luis Scola media whores
5. Drew Gooden TeeBall
6. Kenyon Martin CBC Shot Cal…
7. Beno Udrih Starbury Bea…
8. Ronnie Brewer Cabbage Blat…
9. Wilson Chandler TSN Takedown
10. Ben Gordon Eazy E’s
11. Nick Collison RapsHQ Runni…
12. Tayshaun Prince Team Steroids

Moon scares me…I am not liking the reports I hear; Bargnani, on the other hand, could prove to be a great pick. I opted for a safe scorer – going with Davis, who could put up big numbers on a Clipper team that no longer has Elton Brand. I love the Prince selection at the end of this round; he could be poised for a big season.

Round 11

1. Boris Diaw Team Steroids
2. Joakim Noah RapsHQ Runni…
3. Jeff Green Eazy E’s
4. Nene Hilario TSN Takedown
5. Andray Blatche Cabbage Blat…
6. Kevin Love Starbury Bea…
7. Luke Ridnour CBC Shot Cal…
8. Chris Andersen TeeBall
9. Brook Lopez media whores
10. Mike Conley RotoRob
11. Chris Duhon TSN.ca
12. Francisco Garcia White Chocolate

I’ve soured on Noah this fall; maybe I’ll be proved wrong, but I’m not that high on him right now. Chris Andersen is a seriously deep sleeper – that pick could have been had in the last round, in my opinion. I may regret taking Conley over Duhon here, but it just seems to me that Conley’s upside is far higher, even though Duhon seems to have the job nailed down.

Round 12

1. James Posey White Chocolate
2. Shaquille O’Neal TSN.ca
3. Rudy Fernandez RotoRob
4. Rodney Stuckey media whores
5. Ramon Sessions TeeBall
6. Udonis Haslem CBC Shot Cal…
7. Tyrus Thomas Starbury Bea…
8. Kendrick Perkins Cabbage Blat…
9. Nate Robinson TSN Takedown
10. Travis Outlaw Eazy E’s
11. Brandon Bass RapsHQ Runni…
12. Antonio McDyess Team Steroids

We’re starting to see players that I would have assumed would be available on the waiver wire here. Posey? Sessions, to a lesser extent? Certainly Bass as well could have been had later on. It’s hard to believe Shaq has fallen to the 12th round…wow. I went for the media darling sleeper here in Fernandez as it felt like people were starting to reach for their sleeper picks (once Blatche went in the previous round, it was getting to that time). Stuckey follows in this pattern and so do Thomas and Robinson – all of which could be fantastic picks.

Round 13

1. Andres Nocioni Team Steroids
2. Amir Johnson RapsHQ Runni…
3. Raja Bell Eazy E’s
4. Marc Gasol TSN Takedown
5. Rashad McCants Cabbage Blat…
6. Marcus Williams Starbury Bea…
7. Hakim Warrick CBC Shot Cal…
8. Delonte West TeeBall
9. Robin Lopez media whores
10. Chris Wilcox RotoRob
11. Vladimir Radmanovic TSN.ca
12. Sean Williams White Chocolate

Johnson is another sleeper pick that’s gained tremendous media appeal. We’ll see – I love the shot blocking, but the dude can’t really score. The Gasol pick was sweet – another great sleeper, and Marcus Williams may fall into that category once Nellie realizes that Captain Jack isn’t really a PG. I wanted Warrick here – I love that pick by CBC, but I settled for Wilcox. My team was feeling a bit small, so I wanted another big rebounder here. Sean Williams is another super sleeper – man, would I love to see how many shots he’d block with 30 MPG.

Round 14

1. Ryan Gomes White Chocolate
2. Louis Williams TSN.ca
3. Spencer Hawes RotoRob
4. Kelenna Azubuike media whores
5. Tim Thomas TeeBall
6. Earl Watson CBC Shot Cal…
7. Paul Millsap Starbury Bea…
8. Jerryd Bayless Cabbage Blat…
9. Stephon Marbury TSN Takedown
10. Yi Jianlian Eazy E’s
11. Grant Hill RapsHQ Runni…
12. Ben Wallace Team Steroids

And so it ends. I went for a flier and tried to bring in more rebounding with Hawes. What the hell. If he sucks, I will use the wire. I love CBC getting a starting PG (for now, anyways) in Watson this late, although I really expected Russell Westbrook to go before him and he’s still sitting on the wire. Millsap is a great final pick, and so are Marbury and Jianlian.

Overall, I’m quite pleased with my team. I feel like I stuck to my plan and didn’t get sucked into any runs for centres, PGs, injured players or what have you. I walked away feeling pretty stoked about my team — especially given my low draft standing.

So it is with great interest that I pour over some of the names of players drafted this year, which include over 20 sons of former or current big leaguers.

Some of the highlights:

Austin Yount is the son of Larry (who got hurt warming up, but is credited with one major league appearance) and nephew of Hall of Famer Robin. A 21-year-old outfielder, Yount was taken by the Dodgers in the 12th round out of Stanford, and has enjoyed a strong pro debut at Rookie-level Odgen, batting over .290 through 29 games.

Cutter Dykstra (how’s that for a perfect baseball name?) is the son of Lenny, one of my personal faves growing up. An infielder in high school, as a pro Cutter has been moved to centrefield, the same position his dad played. Taken by Milwaukee with the second of its three second-round picks (54th overall), Dykstra started his pro career with ten games for the Arizona League Brewers, scoring five runs and showing good patience at the plate. He was moved up to Helena of the Pioneer League, and the 19-year-old has started to show his power potential, while maintaining a decent BA.

The Pirates drafted a couple of offspring of former big leaguers. In the 22nd round, they took Patrick Palmeiro, a third baseman from a Texas high school who has yet to sign. Unfortunately, he has a legacy to live down, not to live up to. In the eighth round, the Bucs grabbed Jeremy Farrell, son of former Indian hurler and current Red Sox pitching coach John. Unlike his father, 21-year-old Jeremy is an infielder, and he wasted no time making a splash, batting .306 with 20 RBI in 46 games, good enough to earn a berth in the NYPL All-Star game.

Kyle Hurst, son of former Red Sox lefty Bruce, was taken by the Angels in the 36th round out of an Arizona community college. The 23-year-old righty was assigned to Oregon of the Pioneer League, but after struggling badly in a couple of games there, was demoted to the Arizona League. Hurst has fared much better, striking out 40 and walking just five in 34 1/3 IP.

Jesse Orosco Jr. was selected by the Diamondbacks in the 38th round, and the 21-year-old right-handed reliever is doing fairly well in his pro debut, pitching for the Missoula Osprey of the Pioneer League. His command needs refinement, but after a rough start, Jesse Jr. is definitely looking much stronger over the past month.

Jeremy Barfield was taken by the A’s in the eighth round and he’s the second son of Jesse to play professionally (Josh, of course, was a top prospect in the Padre organization, but his career is fizzling now that he’s with the Indians). Anyways, we have our doubts about how fuzzy and warm Jesse’s relationship is with Jeremy. You may recall that just over two years ago, Jeremy was arrested after pushing Jesse down a flight of stairs. At any rate, Jeremy has enjoyed a somewhat productive debut with the Vancouver Canadians of the Northwest League. He’s shown decent on-base skills, but the 20-year-old doesn’t appear to have his father’s power quite yet, unless, of course, you factor in family squabbles.

San Francisco selected Tyler Thompson, son of former Giant Robby, in the 42nd round, but the outfielder hasn’t signed and plans to head to the University of Florida to improve his draft stock down the road. Tyler was projected to go in the first five rounds, but signability was a big issue, as apparently the outfielder wanted first or second round money.

Although he was a decent player in his time, Robby was apparently far more prolific in the bedroom than he was on the diamond. Tyler’s twin brother Logan was also taken in the 42nd round, by the Indians. Logan is also currently unsigned. Older brother Drew was selected by the Twins in 2005 and is toiling in their system.

Kenny Williams Jr., son of Chisox general manager Kenny, was taken by his dad’s team in the sixth round (wouldn’t you have loved to be a fly on the wall for those contract negotiations?). Anyways, “Kenneth,” as junior is now known, is struggling as a 22-year-old outfielder in the Pioneer League. He was batting just .114 through his first 11 games, and is assumedly hurt (although he’s listed as active on MiLB.com), as he hasn’t played since late-June.

Speaking of negotiations that would have been fun to watch, how about those between the St. Louis Cardinals and their 35th round pick, Shane Boras, son of the beloved Scott Boras? Shockingly, Shane has yet to agree to a deal. It appears the second baseman has committed to USC next year and I wouldn’t be holding out for him to sign if I were a betting man.

Among active major leagues, Phillie reliever Tom Gordon’s son, Devaris Strange-Gordon, was selected in the fourth round by the Dodgers. The 20-year-old shortstop is turning heads at Rookie-level Ogden, batting .320 with good on-base skills through his first 55 professional games. He’s currently riding an eight-game hit streak, batting .432 during over this stretch.

Boras the Bastard Update

In other matters, as a followup to our article about Pedro Alvarez failing to report to the Pirates, Pittsburgh has now placed its first-round pick on the restricted list as Boras is attempting to renegotiate a deal that’s already been verbally agreed to.

Philadelphia Flyers GM Paul Holmgren had indicated he wasn’t happy with the number of draft picks the Flyers had so he did what a GM does best in such a situation and he dealt a slew of picks for other picks and players and, at the end of the day the Philadelphia came out looking pretty good considering how things appeared the day before.

Luca Sbisa, D, Lethbridge, WHL (19th overall)

Philly used the pick they acquired in the deal that sent R.J. Umberger to Columbus to select Sbisa 19th overall. A steady defender with Lethbridge of the WHL, Sbisa is Italian born and played most of his hockey in the Swiss League. He is considered something of an offensive defenseman, but is quite poised in his own end as well. He is a bit lean and while he’s tagged with the typical knock of having played in the Swiss league (many times such players are deemed “soft”), Sbisa may appear soft on the surface, but he can deal out a big hit and back it up with his fists when called upon. However, that’s not how he usually plays the game; he is a finesse player first and foremost.

Sbisa’s weaknesses are that he doesn’t play physical enough or at least when he does show a bit of toughness, he needs to remember to do so in the next three games as well. Developing more consistency with that aspect of his game will go a long way towards determining his success in the NHL. It’s inaccurate to suggest that he coughs up the puck prematurely or makes poor reads because, while this happened occasionally, Sbisa is very much the thinking man’s hockey player and shows good judgment in those same situations most of the time.

Sbisa is strong on his skates and fluid in stride with very good lateral movement to either side. His skating will likely give him an edge over other young players in training camp. While the NHL is still a few years away, there is a lot to like about Sbisa’s chances as smart, fluid defenders with a flare for offense are always in demand.

Marc Andre Bourdon, D, Rouyn-Noranda, QMJHL (67th overall)

Philly’s third round pick came as the second part of the Columbus package for Umberger, and the Flyers used it wisely. Having done their homework and scouted the entire crop, the club selected Bourdon, who may turn out be something of a gem for a host of reasons.

The Captain of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies was voted the league’s most valuable defenseman, providing leadership, offense and plenty of grit. In fact, the only question mark about Bourdon’s game is his skating, but it sure didn’t interfere with his ability to produce.

He scored 12 goals and 59 points while spending 114 minutes in the penalty box during 69 games.

If this combination of all purpose skills isn’t enough to get one’s attention, Bourdon posseses some intangibles that could add to his appeal. Some say Philly is a tough town on its athletes (really?), and hockey is no exception, but judging by the way Bourdon handled the press, it wasn’t surprising to see full articles on him in the sports pages the day after he was drafted. He has that unpretentious and self-effacing honesty to go along with a blue colour charisma that Philadelphia fans often rally around. It’s the reason that players like Ron Hextall and Steve Downie are favoured over more polished players. They play hard and don’t hide from criticism.

Bourdon has that quality in spades. On draft day he said, “I think I had a good year, maybe not too much, but I don’t think I could have done more than what I did.” He also told the truth, saying there was one team in particualr he wanted to go to, but he felt he fit the pattern in Philly because of his physical play and added that he liked the enthusiastic crowd when they get into the spirit of things with the all of the orange shirts in the playoffs.

If there is a such thing as a born Flyer, Bourdon might be that guy.

Jacob DeSerres, G, Seattle, WHL (87th overall)

DeSerres is a confident goalie who doesn’t quite fit into the mold of the typical butterfly goaltender. There are plenty of elements of that to his game, but he has moments of blending it with a bit of a stand up game as well. While drafting goaltenders is an especially tricky business, the Flyers show signs of great diligence here as many of this year’s crop of puckstoppers were quite highly touted. DeSerres, much like Bourdon, may slipped under the radar a bit despite putting up strong numbers. There were several experts who quietly acknowledged the upside of Deserres, and while every player is a gamble to an extent, finding the ones with the upside are why one goes to the table. With a .922 save percentage and 2.28 GAA in 34 games, DeSerres will have to get in a few more games and establish that this year was not a fluke. But given his confidence level and reaction time to shooters, there is no reason to think he won’t be able to continue to improve and raise a few eyebrows doing so. He has displayed a bit of a fiery, competitive streak, which will suit the Flyers just fine.

Zac Rinaldo, C, Mississaugaga, OHL (178th overall)

Rinaldo is an intense role player, an agitator who brings some grit and intangibles to the table. While not especially offensively gifted, he could be the sort of player that embraces and thrives in the role of checking forward while stirring things up to aid his team. However, he would have a long road to the NHL and he would have to refine his game in several of the finesse areas. Before one writes him off, though, consider the Sutters, players whose drive carried them through any other shortcomings and cast long shadows on the ice for years because of it. Rinaldo could develop into such a player with increased dedication to rounding his game.

Joacim Eriksson, G, Brynas Jr., Swedish Junior League (196th overall)

Some say the Flyers had targeted a goalie with 19th pick and fell one pick short when Chet Pickard was taken 18th overall by Nashville. Instead, the Flyers opted for a highly touted defender. If that’s true, then the Flyers once again proved they comb the leagues for lesser-known talents that most other NHL team miss. Philly scout Ilkka Sinisalo brought Eriksson to the Flyers attention and seemingly with very good reason. His stats are startling to say the least: Boasting an eye-popping 1.25 GAA and .961 save percentage at the Under 17 tournament, Eriksson still has a lot to prove during the regular season, but he definitely looks like a prospect.

He plays a compact style of netminding and drops down frequently, but without unneccesary theatrics. He’s somewhat of a dark horse gamble this late in the draft, but with goalies it is much tougher to project their futures, and Eriksson has shown flashes of sheer brilliance in net so he may be well worth keeping an eye on.

1. Tampa Bay Rays – Timothy Beckham, SS, Griffin HS (Georgia): This five-tool player was atop pretty much every pre-draft list, so this selection shocked exactly no one. As if the Rays didn’t have enough young talent already, within two or three years, this 18-year-old will be manning shortstop for this team. Beckham is a superb athlete who was the clear cut best available high school player this year.

2. Pittsburgh Pirates – Pedro Alvarez, 3B, Vanderbilt U.: Alvarez is another good athlete, and his bat is his best tool. From a very young age, this kid differentiated himself with his powerhouse tendencies. Considered the best third baseman in college ball, Alvarez is a good runner, and described by his coach as a real leader. The 21-year-old New York native was drafted by Boston in the 14th round in 2005 out of high school. Obviously, opting for college did him and his draft status wonders.

3. Kansas City Royals – Eric Hosmer, 1B, American Heritage School (Florida): This guy’s got some serious pop, even to the opposite field, and small wonder with a 6’4”, 215-pound frame that still has filling out to do at his tender age of 18. He’s blessed with a very natural left-handed swing that will probably require very little tinkering, so Hosmer has a chance to move through the Royals’ system quickly. He’s been lauded for owning a very advanced bat for a high school player.

4. Baltimore Orioles – Brian Matusz, LHP, U of San Diego: This 21-year-old southpaw, the first pitcher taken in the draft, has long been a fixture on the various pre-season college award watch lists. He’s reached 94 mph, but tends to comfortably pitch in the high 80s, low 90s. Matusz’s delivery seems fairly low-effort, so he should maintain the good health he’s experienced up until now. Matusz was a big-time high school prospect, but because of his salary demands, he slipped until the fourth round when he was first drafted, opting to go to USD when negotiations broke down with the Angels.

5. San Francisco Giants – Gerald Posey, C, Florida St. U: More commonly known as “Buster,” Posey is an All-American who has a chance to become the Giants’ starting catcher in the not-too-distant future. Certainly, there’s plenty of opportunity in this organization, still fairly barren, although on the rebound after years of being unable to produce position players. The 21-year-old not only can hit, but he has a chance to stay behind the plate, and that’s a rare commodity.

6. Florida Marlins – Kyle Skipworth, C, Patriot HS (California): The Giants started a mini run on catchers here, with the Marlins grabbing the first high school backstop in Skipworth. This continues a trend for Florida of selecting power hitting high school prospects in the first round, something the team also did last season. This 18-year-old has a nice line-drive stroke from the left side of the plate. Skipworth will face what most young catchers – especially from the high school ranks – have to deal with, specifically, questions about his ability to hit enough while also remaining behind the plate. However, Skipworth really opened eyes at the prospect showcases in the last year, soaring up the rankings in the process. At one point this season, he set a new state record with 18 consecutive hits, reaching base in 25 straight plate appearances along the way. I guess that’ll do.

7. Cincinnati Reds – Yonder Alonso, 1B, U of Miami: Alonso arrived in the U.S. from Cuba at the age of seven. Now 21, he’s coming off a season with the Hurricanes in which he was a Louisville Slugger Pre-season Second Team All-American, bagging a couple ACC Player of the Week Awards along the way. Alonso has good bloodlines, as his father was a professional catcher and first baseman in Cuba. He’s adept at driving the ball the other way, and projects as a tremendous run producer.

8. Chicago White Sox – James Beckham, SS, U of Georgia: The second Beckham taken (no relation) is also a middle infielder, an area the Sox have lacked depth at for some time. The A’s were said to be after him, hoping to convert Beckham into a second baseman, something that’s likely to happen to him in any organization. Apparently, he isn’t the type of prospect that will jump out at you at first blush, but he does a lot of things well, including hitting with some surprising power.

9. Washington Nationals – Aaron Crow, RHP, U of Missouri Columbia: This 21-year-old righty was another pre-season All-American. Crow first gained national attention by being named the top prospect of the Cape Code Summer League in 2007. Some have questioned how durable he’ll be as a pro, but he set a Missouri school record for starts in a season in 2007. Crow is able to crank it up to 96 mph – fast enough to become the first righty taken off the draft board this year.

10. Houston Astros – Jason Castro, C, Stanford: Castro, not to be confused with the American Idol contestant, believes he’ll sign with the Astros shortly after Stanford’s season ends, and you’ve got to believe Houston will be motivated to get his name on the dotted line after failing to sign its top pick last year. The third catcher taken in the top ten picks, Castro is enjoying a breakout year for the Cardinal, leading the team in hitting. Last month, he was named a semifinalist for the 2008 Coleman Company-Johnny Bench Award, given to the top collegiate catcher in the game. Houston surprised some by grabbing Castro this soon, especially considering he has shown himself to be vulnerable to change-ups.

11. Texas Rangers – Justin Smoak, 1B, U of South Carolina: The Rangers have done a great job restocking their farm system with recent trades. The selection of Smoak continues that process. Another pre-season All-American, Smoak was considered the third best college prospect heading into the season, but he slipped in the rankings. Regardless, Texas may have landed itself a steal in this 21-year-old, who was the 2006 Cade Cod League MVP. He certainly excited plenty of Gamecock fans with his power. Lauded for his swing mechanics, Smoak is a powerful switch-hitter in the Mark Teixeira/Chipper Jones mold. For the Rangers, it’s the ideal acquisition after they dealt away Teixeira last season.

12. Oakland A’s – Jemile Weeks, 2B, U of Miami: Like many first rounders, Weeks was a pre-season All-American. The 21-year-old is the younger brother of Rickie, currently manning second for the Brew Crew. A prototypical lead-off man, Weeks will add a dimension to the A’s they aren’t exactly known for in recent years – blazing speed. Here’s a closer look at the kid, who gained great big game experience in this year’s College World Series. The second of three Hurricanes to hear their name called in the first round, Weeks was originally selected by Milwaukee in the eighth round of the 2005 draft. But just like it did for his older brother, going to college really helped improve Jemile’s draft stock.

13. St. Louis Cardinals – Brett Wallace, 3B, Arizona St. U: The Cards were very intrigued with the bat this 21-year-old wields. The 2007 Pac 10 Player of the Year (and Triple Crown winner), Wallace is considered among the best hitters in college ball, known for his fantastic patience. Originally drafted in the 42nd round by the Jays in 2005, Wallace opted to go to college instead as he always wanted to be a Sun Devil. Smart call, as he’s now among the top power prospects in the game. He projects as a first baseman as a pro.

14. Minnesota Twins – Aaron Hicks, OF, Woodrow Wilson HS (California): This 18-year-old is considered a premium athlete and was lauded as the best two-way star in his draft class. His future is as an outfielder, however, not on the mound. Hicks was a run machine this year, scoring 50 times in just 34 games. He’s quite small right now, but some think he projects to have five-tool potential because of his incredible athleticism. For a high school player, this pick is a tremendously safe one for the Twinkies.

15. Los Angeles Dodgers – Ethan Martin, RHP, Stephens County School (Georgia): Martin, who turned 19 Friday, is all about power. He has a fantastic arm and can smack the hell out of the ball at the plate. Originally considered a two-way possibility, Martin’s maturation on the mound has dictated that his future will be as a pitcher. He was reaching 95 mph over a year ago, and has been clocked up to 96 more recently. Martin has the athleticism and confidence to rise quickly through a Dodgers system known for developing high school pitchers.

16. Milwaukee Brewers – Brett Lawrie, C, Brookswood SS (British Columbia): The fourth catcher taken in the first 16 picks – sensing a trend yet? – was the first Canadian taken off the board. Catcher is a position the Brewers have struggled to find consistent offense from for many years. Jason Kendall is obviously on his way out, and backup Mike Rivera, at 31, isn’t much younger. The team does have a couple of catching prospects in the pipeline, but Lawrie immediately takes the mantle as the catcher of the future. The highest Canadian position player taken in the draft since 1985, Lawrie could be part of the nation’s baseball entry at the Olympics this summer. This 18-year-old has strong hands and was the MVP of the Canadian National Junior Team, attracting plenty of media attention for his efforts.

17. Toronto Blue Jays – David Cooper, 1B, UC Berkeley: The Jays were said to be interested in Lawrie, but once he was taken off the board, they opted for the best available player remaining on their list in Cooper. The 2007 All-Pac 10 selection also took home the California Student-Athlete of the Week honour on March 31 of this year. Not only did he lead the Bears in home runs, but he also paced the team in walks – a very nice combination of power and patience. Cooper is known for his quiet and easy left-handed swing, but he’s capable of making plenty of noise on the stat sheet. His advanced bat is exactly what this team needs as it struggles on offense. Cooper should be able to move very quickly — the sooner, the better as far as Toronto is concerned.

18. New York Mets – Isaac Davis, 1B, Arizona St. U: Isaac Davis, the son of former Yankee pitcher Ron Davis, became the fifth first baseman taken. Adding a blue chip prospect like Davis is huge for the Mets, who have dealt away much of their system depth in recent years. Tampa Bay picked this now 21-year-old in the 19th round in 2005, but like many youngsters taken out of high school, opting for college was a wise move for Davis. He is projected to be able to hit for more power as he matures.

19. Chicago Cubs – Andrew Cashner, RHP, Texas Christian U: For the second straight season, the Cubs selected this 6’6” right-handed hurler. Last year, they took him in the 29th round, but he opted to head back to college. The year before, the Rox picked him in the 18th round. Apparently, the Cubs don’t believe signing the 21-year-old this time around will be problematic. The reliever has come a long way in the past year, upping his velocity to the 97-98 mph range, so surely the Cubbies will be falling over themselves to get Cashner’s John Hancock on a contract. College closers have made it to the majors very quickly in recent years, with mixed results. The Cubs seem content with Kerry Wood at closer for the time being, and have Carlos Marmol at the ready should he be needed when Wood breaks down again, so there’s no reason to rush Cashner. Of course, they have to sign him first.

20. Seattle Mariners – Joshua Fields, RHP, U of Georgia: Let the run on college closers begin! Taken by the Braves in the second round last year, Fields, who had a sos-so junior season, opted to head back for his senior season. Of course, the fact that he was represented by Scott Boras and negotiations didn’t go his way didn’t help matters. Now, Fields says he hopes to be in the majors by 2009. Here’s a look at him.

21. Detroit Tigers – Ryan Perry, RHP, U of Arizona: Perry, who can bring it at up to 100 mph, marks yet another college reliever plucked in this first round. This 6’4” 21-year-old has decent sink on his fastball when he keeps it down. Perry’s classic delivery allows him to generate serious heat. The selection of Perry continues Detroit’s trend of taking pitching in the opening round – this is the fifth time in the past six years the Tigers have taken an arm over a bat to start the draft. There’s still some debate about whether Perry will wind up as a reliever or possibly a top starter. The former option would be a quicker way to get him to the Show, but if Detroit opts to make him a starter, it will take some time before it sees the fruit of that labour.

22. New York Mets – David Havens, SS, U of South Carolina Columbia: Havens, 21, has shown nice improvement at the plate thanks to his patient approach. He doesn’t project as a serious power threat, but with his bat speed, he should be a modest source of double-digit dingers. Unfortunately, he doesn’t even rank out as an average runner, speed-wise, so don’t be looking to Havens as a source of steals. Boston almost grabbed this kid as a first-rounder three years ago when he was a very productive high school prospect, but even if the Sox had wanted him again, he was long gone by the time they picked at No. 30. The fact that the Mets, with their second first round pick, grabbed him this early is a surprise, especially given that Havens is projected to have to move to third, a position the Mets have sewn up pretty nicely these days.

23. San Diego Padres – Allan Dykstra, 1B, Wake Forest U: Dykstra, who turned 21 last month, is a powerful behemoth, standing 6’5” and weighing 240. He’s an advanced hitter who was among the top power bats in college baseball this year. That the Padres – desperately in need of pop – picked him wasn’t a shock. Except, of course, for the fact that they already have a pretty darned good young first baseman in Adrian Gonzalez. And don’t think for a second that Dykstra – the sixth first baseman taken in the opening round – is capable of handling another defensive assignment with his size, unless it’s with an AL team as a DH, of course. Oh, and by the way, in case you were wondering: he is not related to Lenny, despite the relative scarcity of that surname.

24. Philadelphia Phillies – Anthony Hewitt, SS, Salisbury School (New York): This Brooklyn native hit .496 for his undefeated high school team this season. Check out his sweet right-handed swing, lauded for becoming much cleaner and more efficient this season, here. The 19-year-old, expected to develop power as he matures, is currently blocked by Jimmy Rollins, but he’s got plenty of development time ahead of him either way, so I’m not immediately worried by that. I’m a bit surprised the Phils didn’t grab someone a bit more major-league ready, given their paucity of top prospects at higher levels, but Hewitt has some tremendous upside.

25. Colorado Rockies – Christian Friedrich, LHP, Eastern Kentucky U: This 6’3” southpaw, despite some control problems in 2007, was on the Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award watch list this season. I’m not overly worried about the walks, as long as he can continue to chalk up the Ks as he did in college (307 in 232 IP, including summer league play). Last summer, thanks to his tremendous curveball, Friedrich ranked fourth among Cape Cod League prospects.

26. Arizona Diamondbacks – Daniel Schlereth, LHP, U of Arizona: Schlereth, a 6’1” southpaw, is yet another college closer, one who set the Arizona record for saves in a season by a freshman back in 2006. He comes from a sports family (father Mark won three Super Bowl rings with the Broncos and Redskins). Daniel, who turned 22 last month, has been clocked as high as 97 mph with his fastball, which is complimented by a strong curve. Confidence isn’t his weakness; Schlereth thinks he can be in the majors by September; a lofty goal considering his college season hasn’t even ended yet.

27. Minnesota Twins – Carlos Gutierrez, RHP, U of Miami: Another trend has definitely emerged here with the Twins taking college closer Gutierrez, who returned this season from Tommy John surgery, a procedure that caused him to be redshirted in 2007. The third of a school-record three Miami players taken in the first round, Gutierrez was a surprise pick in this high a slot given his lack of a secondary pitch. He can bring the heat with his fastball, but doesn’t really have a second go-to pitch, and even as a reliever that’s a stretch. You certainly can’t argue with his college results, however; Gutierrez’s command at Miami was impeccable.

28. New York Yankees – Gerrit Cole, RHP, Orange Lutheran HS (California): This 17-year-old is gifted with an ideal pitcher’s frame (6’3”, 190) and an arm capable of reaching as high as 98 mph, but with a comfort zone in the 92 to 94 mph range. He has a commitment to UCLA, but given that he’s a lifetime Yankee fan, convincing him to turn pro shouldn’t be took difficult (assuming the right amount of zeros are tossed his way). Cole is considered the top right-handed pitching prospect to come out of Southern California since Phil Hughes. And now the Yankees have both of them as they continue to add young arms to the organization.

29. Cleveland Indians – Lonnie Chisenhall, SS, Pitt CC: Chisenhall comes with baggage, having been sent packing from the University of South Carolina after burglary/grand larceny charges last year. He was a high profile recruit for the Gamecocks, so the story made big news. Chisenhall wound up pleading guilty and getting six months of probation. Of course, this isn’t the first time Cleveland has brought in a player with a history. Remember Kaz Tadano and the gay porn scandal? At any rate, Chisenhall isn’t likely to stay at short, projecting at a third baseman as a pro. Let’s hope he sticks to stealing bases from this point on.

30. Boston Red Sox – Casey Kelly, SS, Sarasota HS (Florida): The son of former major leaguer Pat Kelly, Casey Kelly is a hell of an athlete, not only starring as a two-way talent in baseball, but also being a good enough quarterback to be ranked as the 31st best QB prospect by ESPN. Even as a junior at high school, the scouts were already drooling over Kelly. He enjoyed a productive senior year at the plate, and on the mound was dominating. It’s going to cost some bucks to lure him away from a football career, but assuming the Sox can do so, it will be interesting to see if they plan to use him as a shortstop or a pitcher. You can see him hit and pitch here.

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys - The big news on draft day for Dallas was the selection of Arkansas running back Felix Jones. Every fantasy owner should have groaned with the selection, because it negatively affects Marion Barber and ensures that Jones won’t be nearly as valuable as he would have been elsewhere. The Cowboys also nabbed Georgia Tech back Tashard Choice, who could have been a deep sleeper with other teams. Here, he’s third on the depth chart.

New York Giants - The Super Bowl champion Giants waited until the third round to select an offensive player. Mario Manningham adds depth to a receiving corps that features the aging Amani Toomer, but do not expect big things. Apparently, the Giants dig quarterbacks from the SEC. Eli Manning, Jared Lorenzen and fellow Wildcat Andre Woodson all played in the conference. Manning obviously doesn’t need to worry about Woodson’s selection. Lorenzen, who was shocked at the Woodson pick, is another story. Woodson will compete for the back-up job.

Philadelphia Eagles - The only skill player Philly added through the draft was California wide out DeSean Jackson. Jackson will need time to grow as an NFL receiver, but he’ll surely show some flashes along the way this season. Actually, his biggest early impact should come on special teams, where he stands to make a few big returns. If your league awards points for return yardage, he’s a sneaky spot starter option.

Washington Redskins - Lacking significant pass catching threats, the Redskins grabbed two receivers in two of the first three rounds. Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly should add playmaking ability to a rather average group. Under new head coach Jim Zorn expect the Redskins to run a lot, but these receivers help the passing game. A bad performance in the combine and a poor Sugar Bowl landed quarterback Colt Brennan in the draft’s sixth round. He will not contribute.

NFC North

Chicago Bears - With the Bears’ defense in a bit of turmoil, (where are you Brian!?) Chicago rolled the dice by selecting offensive players with its first three selections. Chris Williams, an offensive tackle from Vanderbilt, will be expected to anchor the Bears’ line. Matt Forte, a second-round half back from Tulane, is my pick for “rookie runner in the best situation.” He should beat out Cedric Benson for the starting job by, oh, Week Two. Finally, another Vanderbilt stand out, wide receiver Early Bennett, fell to Chicago in round three. He will have some adjustment issues, especially with the physical NFL corners, so don’t expect too much this season.

Detroit Lions - Understandably, Detroit focused most of its attention on its porous defense. However, the Lions did not neglect their mediocre running game, grabbing Central Florida running back Kevin Smith in the third round. Keep an eye on him as he may compete for time with starter Tatum Bell. Not to shy away from their recent roots, the Lions picked up Wake Forest receiver Kenneth Moore. Don’t expect him to be a fantasy factor.

Green Bay Packers - Green Bay didn’t possess a first round selection, but it did spend two second round picks on offensive players. Jordy Nelson, of Kansas State, adds another wide receiver weapon for new starter Aaron Rodgers. Of course, Rodgers will have some pressure on himself with the other second round selection, Louisville’s Brian Brohm. The Packer offense could be very good for fantasy owners or very disappointing, so the two rookies have a chance to make some kind of impact. It’s just very hard to know if they’ll have a chance to.

Minnesota Vikings - Minnesota strayed from concentrating on offense in the draft, which is shocking considering how average it is offensively with one notable exception at running back. The Vikings selected USC quarterback John David Booty, who probably will not see significant time on the field unless Tavaris Jackson goes belly up. The Vikings lack strong receivers and Jaymar Jackson in the sixth round is not the answer.

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons - Everybody knows the biggest selection for the Falcons was Matt Ryan. Mel Kiper and ESPN made sure of that. He will probably step in as a starter at some point, but don’t expect it to happen too soon. Even if he is named a starter early on, his fantasy impact will be minimal. Obviously, Ryan is more of a dynasty league prospect. The Falcons also spent an early pick on Louisville wide out Harry Douglas. He’s a smaller receiver, but that fits with the team. Roddy White clearly will attract attention, but Douglas should make plays out of the slot. The Falcons aren’t quite as good as the Patriots (surprise), so Douglas’ fantasy value isn’t very high. Still, he’s worth keeping an eye on in dynasty leagues.

Carolina Panthers - Carolina struggled with its offensive and defensive line play last season, so the club focused its draft there instead of on the skill positions. However, Carolina used its first round pick on running back Jonathan Stewart. He’ll join DeAngelo Williams in the backfield to form a solid one-two punch. Stewart should be one of the more productive rookie backs. Louisville tight end Gary Barnidge was productive in college, but slid to the fifth round.

New Orleans Saints - The Saints already have a potent offense so they wisely spent their higher picks on defensive players, therefore there’s not much to mention here. Since we have a down moment, I’d like to point out there’s a new kind of scary ant in Texas. I’m very afraid (even if they do taste like raspberries).

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Appalachian State receiver Dexter Jackson adds speed and youth to Tampa’s offense. The Bucs don’t throw the ball around a la the ’07 Patriots, so his production will not be overwhelming. The Bucs seemingly have ten quarterbacks on their roster, hence, Josh Johnson, a fifth round selection, has his work cut out for him. Nonetheless, with Jeff Garcia heading into the twilight of his career, stocking up is not a bad idea.

NFC West

Arizona Cardinals - The Cardinals, who probably should have drafted one of the highly touted running backs, decided to go defense first and then took LSU wide out Early Doucet. In addition to having a kickass name, Doucet is my pick for best rookie receiver. He has similar size to Anquan Boldin, is active after the catch, and showed a natural instinct for going over the middle. Obviously, he will find the looks tough to come by with Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald around, but both of those guys have had injury issues. If one goes down, Doucet could be a big surprise.

San Francisco 49ers - The ‘Niners went with one skill player, which makes little sense considering how badly the offense played last season and that they brought in Mike Martz as the new offensive coordinator. Receiver Josh Morgan has speed, but will not make a major impact offensively. He may be more of a significant factor on special teams. Looking towards 2008, the combo of Isaac Bruce and Bryant Johnson will not get it done. The ‘Niners should have looked at receivers earlier than the sixth round.

Seattle Seahawks - The Seahawk offense under Mike Holmgren has never really utilized the tight end position, so that might explain why they used a second round selection on Notre Dame tight end John Carlson. He wasn’t a dominating performer in school, but he is adept at receiving and blocking, and was one of the few tight ends in the draft that showed competence at both of those skills. He’s not worth worrying about, however, unless he can string together some effective games.

St. Louis Rams - St. Louis addressed needs on the defensive side of the ball in the first round, then countered in the second by drafting two receivers including Donnie Avery, whom impressed head coach Scott Linehan with his speed. Keenan Burton is also a burner and will be a welcome addition to the Ram passing attack. Torry Holt cannot do it forever and bolstering the group should give it new life.

AFC East

Buffalo Bills - The Bills only spent two of their top five picks on offense, and the only one of those who has potential to make a fantasy impact is second round wide out James Hardy. Hardy played college ball at that noted football powerhouse Indiana and comes into the league with a number of question marks. The most significant issue is whether he is big enough. He is 6’ 5” but was under 200 pounds in school. Hardy is obviously bulking up, but a certain amount of weight room work remains. Another matter is his off the field issues, which include domestic abuse charges. Expect Hardy to show some flashes this season, but unless you’re in a dynasty league, he’s not worth drafting.

Miami Dolphins – Miami’s biggest offensive addition came with the arrival of tackle Jake Long, who will help an underwhelming offensive line. Chad Henne will compete for the starting quarterback job with vets John Beck and Josh McCown. Sixth round pick, running back Jalen Parmele, may be utilized as a fullback, while Lex Hilliard is another big body that has promise but is not likely to be a contributing factor to the Miami running game.

New England Patriots – The Patriots did absolutely nothing to help their offense, but after scoring 55 points a game (or whatever absurd total they put up), I suppose they get a pass. Oh, they did draft San Diego State quarterback Kevin O’Connell in the third round. But that makes sense, because Tom Brady probably only has another five or six years in the starting role. Yeah.

New York Jets – The Jets added some spice to their quarterback situation by drafting Erik Ainge, however, he will not be an immediate answer at quarterback. Tight end Dustin Keller may be a nice pass catching tight end, while receiver Marcus Henry has a chance to press for a roster spot.

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens – The big news was, of course, the Ravens’ selection of Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco in round one. Flacco will take over for Kyle Boller, and the smart money would be on that happening at some point this season. Flacco isn’t exactly the most mobile of quarterbacks, so offensive line play is very important. Unfortunately, the Ravens have an over-the-hill offensive line and they only picked up fourth rounder David Hale from Weber State to boost that group. Unfortunately, Flacco could find himself in a tough spot when he does take over.

The Ravens also took Rutgers running back Ray Rice, although he’d be lucky to get more than five carries a game this year. Willis McGahee remains the workhorse there. Finally, Baltimore spent a fourth round pick on New Mexico wide out Marcus Smith. Smith is a prospect that dynasty leaguers should watch carefully. The Ravens aren’t exactly loaded at that position and if he shows flashes, Smith could be starting sooner than expected.

Cincinnati Bengals – What happens when a team’s star receiver becomes disgruntled? The employer goes out and drafts three more pass catchers. Jerome Simpson has the best chance to make an immediate impact as the Bengals try to fill Chris Henry’s spot. Andre Caldwell and Mario Urritia will compete at receiver as well. Caldwell is more NFL ready than Urritia. Villanova tight end Matt Sherry performed well in workouts, but the Bengals do not focus on his position with their offense.

Cleveland Browns – The only selection that you or I care about is Martin Rucker, a tight end from Missouri. Rucker won’t really, you know, block, but most of the top receiving tight ends don’t. Unfortunately, the Browns already have one receiving tight end in Kellen Winslow, so the ceiling is relatively low for Rucker. Still, Winslow has had health issues, so keep Rucker in mind if Winslow finds time to get on his motorcycle again.

Pittsburgh Steelers – Rashard Mendenhall adds a potential threat in the backfield and will at worst serve as a backup to Willie Parker at running back. If Parker is slow to return from a broken leg, Mendenhall could be one of the best fantasy rookies. Receiver Limas Sweed is another receiving option for Ben Roethlisberger and will offer up big plays in the Steel City. Quarterback Dennis Dixon is a project that should not be considered a fantasy option.

AFC South

Houston Texans – The Texans made a couple of offensive selections early in their draft. The first was Virginia Tech offensive tackle Duane Brown. The second was West Virginia running back Steve Slaton. Both should get plenty of playing time as early as Week One, assuming the two can get over their intense school rivalry. WVU and VT are rivals, right? Anyway, Slaton doesn’t have a ton of competition for carries, so if he shows any success at all, the job should be his to lose.

Indianapolis Colts – Indy loves its tight ends. Jacob Tamme may be a potential backup for Dallas Clark, who seemingly always gets injured. Tom Santi is another pass catching option who will try to replace Ben Utecht. Michigan’s Mike Hart will have a chance to compete for a job with the Indy’s lack of running back depth. Keep an eye on Mount Union product Pierre Garcon. Garcon dominated at Division III with game-breaking speed and may just latch on as a fourth or fifth receiver.

Jacksonville Jaguars – There’s nothing to see here. The only pick the Jaguars made for the offense was a seventh round running back. Jacksonville has plenty of offensive talent, so this isn’t too surprising. It still would have been nice to bolster the offensive line, but the Jags didn’t consult fantasy owners.

Tennessee Titans – First round pick Chris Johnson is a change of pace running back who offers tremendous speed. He’ll be used in a Reggie Bush role, running and receiving. Johnson, who ran the fastest 40-yard dash at the combine with a 4.2, could be a fantasy threat down the road. Receiver Lavelle Hawkins is not the game-breaking threat that the Titans need, while tight end Craig Stevens is best known for his blocking.

AFC West

Denver Broncos – Interestingly, the Broncos’ top draft pick, offensive tackle Ryan Clady, was a Bronco in college as well. I am pretty sure that factored into the decision for the Denver brass. Clady, who is comfortable being a horse, is a nice addition to a group that was trying to get by on reputation, not talent, last season. This helps the Broncos’ starting back, whoever the hell that might be.

Also, with Brandon Marshall’s 2008 status iffy, the Broncos used their second round pick to grab wide receiver Eddie Royal from Virginia Tech. Now, I don’t like Royal at all. He never had a ton of success in school and seemed to be more of a “combine” guy, but he does have talent. It’s a matter of whether that will come out in the NFL. Don’t draft him unless Marshall is definitely sidelined.

Kansas City Chiefs – Jamaal Charles is likely to replace Kolby Smith as Larry Johnson’s replacement. Johnson is coming off an injury and due to his well-documented heavy workload, he may be hard pressed to stay healthy. Charles could be the beneficiary of Johnson’s overuse. Tight end Brad Cottam is poised to be Tony Gonzalez’s backup, while receiver Will Franklin possesses good speed and size that might help a mediocre receiving corps.

Oakland Raiders – Well, there was the whole Darren McFadden selection. There’s really not much more that can be said about that. Every expert has chimed in, but essentially, he’ll get the chance to succeed in the league. If McFadden makes the most of his carries, he’ll get more of them. If not, there are plenty of interesting guys who will steal some. Other than McFadden, the Raiders took wide out Arman Shields. The Richmond product is in a good situation with a young quarterback and terrible competition for playing time. If he develops a rapport with JaMarcus Russell, there’s no reason he can’t develop into a spot starter at some point in his career.

San Diego Chargers – Remember the name Marcus Thomas. Drafted out of the fifth round from Texas-El Paso, he could be used to spell LaDainian Tomlinson with Michael Turner out of the picture. He has to fend off a competitive backfield siuation behind Tomlinson, though. Fullback Jacob Lester was the only other skill player selected, but he’ll be asked to fill the void left by Lorenzo Neal’s retirement.

While I was socializing recently, I received a phone call from the formerly esteemed Andy Goldstein. In this memorable phone call, Andy stated, “Derek, I will go the entire year without watching the Colts on television. I can’t stand them. You write this article. I’m not doing it.”

So, here I am to provide you information on the 2007 first round selection of the Indianapolis Colts, former Ohio State Buckeye Anthony Gonzalez, since Andy (aka Larry Johnson, Jr.) is too conflicted with Colts angst to do it. Andy, some of us are professionals or masquerade around as one at the very least.

The game plan for the 2007 Colts looks pretty simple. They are just going to outscore people. After watching their defense lose more depth on the defensive line and in the secondary during the offseason, the Colts decided to do what any other logical team would do in this situation. They decided to add to the offense in the draft.

With the loss of Brandon Stokely, Gonzalez steps in as a legit slot receiving threat. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.29 seconds and this type of speed was something the Colts lacked whether Stokley was on the field or not at the slot position. Gonzalez possesses good hands and solid route running which certianly is a bonus for a rookie trying to adjust to the NFL. Lord Peyton will also enjoy Gonzalez’s knack of holding onto the ball. During his days as a Buckeye, Gonzalez never fumbled despite catching 87 passes worth 1,286 yards.

Once he gets up to speed on Indy’s offense, Gonzalez will try to alleviate pressure on teammates Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne, who’ll draw plenty of attention. This is nothing new for Gonzalez though, who played opposite of the electrifying Ted Ginn, Jr. in college. Suffice to say, with Harrison, Wayne and Dallas Clark roaming the field on passing formations, Gonzalez should get outstanding opportunities to make plays. Most importantly, due to the prolific nature of the Colts offense, he’ll have a chance to produce touchdowns.

From a fantasy standpoint, Gonzalez probably has most value in a touchdown-only league. He did not show the consistent ability to break tackles at Ohio State and that is not necessarily conducive to gaining serious yards after the catch. He’ll have to get a bit stronger to add that dimension to his game.

When you have King Manning firing the football to you, that makes things a lot easier. Certainly, with the number of weapons in Indy, there is a ceiling for Gonzalez’s immediate potential. However, he’ll give Manning a good slot target and could be a solid red-zone threat. If you’re looking to cash in on the Colts’ offensive riches, he would not be a bad guy to have on your roster in larger leagues.

That ends our look at Gonzalez. You see Goldstein, it was just that easy. Get off your high horse and start watching, writing, eating and sweating to the oldies with the Colts. Whether they are good, bad or indifferent, you’ll be a better person for it.

One of the men who brought you Miami’s infamous 7th Floor Crew, lands in Chicago as one of the Bears’ newest offensive weapons.

While Greg Olsen will never elicit comparisons to Jay-Z, the Notorious B.I.G., Tupac, 50-Cent, Grandmaster Mele Mel, the Daddy or anyone else skillful in the rap world, the man played a mean tight end at the University of Miami. However, can “G-Reg” (as his 7th Floor peeps called him) breathe life into a one-dimensional Chicago passing game?

Despite Olsen’s athletic ability, that 500-pound anvil hovering over his head is none other than Rex Grossman. Olsen is no stranger to playing with a quarterback of questionable ability though (see U of M’s Kyle Wright). He’ll attempt to make the best of a strained quarterback situation in the Windy City.

From an attributes standpoint, Olsen is more Jeremy Shockeythan Vernon Davis if you’re looking for an NFL comparison. He does not possess the same freakish ability of Davis but he’ll find ways to run respectable routes and get open. He lacks the explosiveness of previous first round tight ends we have seen come down the block in the last few seasons. Nonetheless, he owns a pair of solid hands and will need to maintain sharper focus than he did at times while at Miami.

During the 2006 season with the Hurricanes, Olsen only caught one touchdown. Further compounding problems for the Miami offense over the past two seasons was Olsen’s lack of productivity on third down. He converted only seven of 30 third down situations since the ‘05 season. Considering how the Bears operate with the passing game, producing on third downs and being a factor in the red zone is probably what Chicago’s brass has in mind for the 6′4″, 252-pound native of Wayne, New Jersey.

Making things tougher for him will be veteran Desmond Clark, who caught 45 passes and hauled in six touchdowns in 2006. Olsen will attempt to earn chances in an offense where he’ll have to fend off the vastly experienced Clark, overcome a stagnant Bears passing attack that only seems to thrive when throwing deep to Bernard Berrian, and come to grips with that fact that Chicago is a predominately run-first team.

Those factors equal a tough first year for Olsen who may be best suited for a touchdown-only league. Don’t worry though, fantasy football fans. If the Bears get back to the Super Bowl again, maybe he can bring his rap acumen to the table so they can produce the long awaited sequel to the Super Bowl Shuffle.

By Rob Reath

WINNERS

Chicago Blackhawks

Securing Patrick Kane with the first pick took no special talent, but picking three of my own recommended sleepers did.

Any team that can walk away with Kane, Bill Sweatt, Akim Aliu and Maxime Tanguay, can also give itself a big pat on the back for a job well done and try not to snicker at how some of the other squads faired. Kane may well become a superstar and Sweatt has speed to burn and a great sense of the game. Aliu has size and skill, and while there may be questions about his attitude and fading during the playoffs, he has persevered through lots of other obstacles and usually when a player gets a rep for disappearing in the playoffs at a young age they make it their life’s work to erase that image. He seems to have the tenacity required to that and, if he does, look out.

Tanguay seems to have dropped deeper into the draft than expected, and Chicago was wise enough to grab him before he fell any further.

Reath’s Grade: A++’

St. Louis Blues

St. Louis did extremely well in its drafting this year. Not only did the Blues select the superb Lars Eller with their first pick but they also grabbed the other half of the dynamic duo he formed with teammate Simon Hjalmarsson. These two are going to make goalies and scouts sorry for years to come. That was enough to impress me, but the fact that St. Louis also landed promising rearguard Ian Cole and LW David Perron from the QMJHL sealed the deal. The Blues even scooped up one of the best fighters in the entire draft in Anthony Peluso with the 160th pick, a player who may make the NHL on his pugilistic prowess alone, a rarity in today’s ‘kinder, gentler’ NHL.

Reath’s Grade: A++

Colorado Avalanche

Colorado’s three top picks include two very good defensemen: Kevin Shattenkirk with his leadership abilities and strong overall game, and Colby Cohen, with his explosive offense. The Avalanche also grabbed netminder Trevor Cann, whom many feel was the best goalie available in’the draft.

Reath’s Grade: A

Honourable mention to the New York Rangers for bagging Alexei Cherepanov with the 17th pick, one of the top steals of the draft as the top-rated European skater slipped to the middle of the first round.

LOSERS

While it’s impossible to say whether someone’s picks will emerge from the most unlikely corner of the universe and overcome every imaginable obstacle stacked against them, one can surely put themselves in the best position to succeed. On these criteria, I will question a few moves by the experts in place.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Dale Mitchell certainly makes for a good pick if you start at 74th overall’and while it is understood the Leafs generally used their picks for players’who are more NHL ready, eschewing higher upside, but longer term prospects, they still left themselves’pretty far out of the running as far as the quality of their draft goes.

Reath’s Grade: D-

Buffalo Sabres

Defenseman T.J. Brennan is a good player, yet given all Sabres’ concerns about retaining their free agents, one would expect them to try and replenish their forward stock down the road in a draft heavy with up front talent. There was a host of promising forwards available and the Sabres opted to avoid them for reasons known only to them.
‘
Reath’s Grade: D-

Los Angeles Kings

Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi shocked a number of experts with his choice of Thomas Hickey with the fourth overall pick. It should be noted that Hickey has a lot to offer, and is by no means a slouch as a player; in fact, he’s a lot better than most King fans are probably guessing right now. The troubling fact is that with so many bigger names available, it begs the question, why didn’t he trade down several picks, get compensated for dropping and then grab Hickey with a lower selection?’There was some speculation another team wanted Hickey as well but surely Lombardi could have swung some kind of deal to improve his odds. To his credit, Lombardi rebounded nicely by choosing Oscar Moller with his next pick, but failing to capitalize on their first round pick hurt the Kings.

Reath’s Grade: C

By Rob Reath

Editor’s note: Special thanks to draft expert Rob Reath for supplying us with his analysis of the Philadelphia Flyers’ picks from this weekend’s draft. Rob will be back tomorrow with more draft analysis when he reviews the winners and losers of the 2007 NHL Draft.

First round (No. 2 overall): James vanRiemsdyk, LW, USA

James vanRiemsdyk is a big, fast skating forward who reminds many of a budding John Leclair. While there have been questions about his natural aggressiveness and his choices in terms of competition, it’s hard to deny he has the enviable qualities of producing in big games when everything is on the line. vanRiemsdyk?s performances in international play have been stellar, and — unfortunately for his competition — he is still growing. He does drive hard to the net, but I think the label of power forward may be inaccurate. James is a skill player with a big frame which is similar, but I see him more as the player who comes on during the power play or penalty kill after the power forward has been sent to the box, and scores the big goal to put his team ahead.

Second round (No. 41): Kevin Marshall, D, Canada

In one of the quietest trades of the draft, the Flyers moved up and acquired a second round pick that had been the property of four different teams. In exchange for a couple of picks, the Flyers were proud to select Marshall; a player that earned the approval of the entire scouting staff from Philly. Marshall offers a lot to like in a hockey player: He brings a competitive streak like few others, he has fought with teammates in the past, he is a supreme agitator, he will fight and loves to hit and he excels at the one-on-one game. Marshall?s stickhandling is weak, yet he can move the puck well enough to make that crucial first pass to an open forward. His coaches love having him on their teams and hate having him as an opponent.

Marshall cited his play as fitting Philadelphia’s style because he plays a rough game. His defensive skills should not be overlooked either; he is remarkably steady in his own end and — while not flashy — his stability may have been the very quality that prompted Philly to deal for him. Marshall patterns his game after Chris Chelios.

Third round (No. 66), Garrett Klotz, LW, Canada

Many people were baffled at General Manager Paul Holmgren’s choice of Klotz with the 66th pick overall. Klotz was not even on most scouts? radar after scoring only four points all year at he left wing position. Still, it’s an exaggeration to call him unskilled. Klotz is an enormous physical specimen at 6′6? and 225 pounds. Despite this size, he skates hard and knows how to keep himself in motion, although he does need to work on his turning and overall mobility. Klotz also added a new dimension to his game this year by playing the role of heavyweight scrapper for his team. It was in this category that he drew the most attention. Holmgren likes Klotz?s skating and sees room for development in the rest of his overall game. I’ve seen Klotz fight and he can more than hold his own with anyone. While Holmgren’s ability to judge talent is indisputable, this player is a project for certain, and it’s hard to believe he wouldn’t have been available in the next few rounds.

Fifth round (No. 122), Mario Kempe, RW, Sweden

What an intriguing pick! Kempe is a very special player who has some spectacular traits along with a few areas of concern. First, his strengths: Skating, agility and scoring touch. This kid can wheel with the best of them, often going coast to coast with speed bursts that other players only wish they had. Kempe is also very crafty with puck, swaying it back and forth in a side to side fashion that, when combined with the swiveling of his hips, can leave defenders confused, and then it’s too late. He is driving along the wall in top gear and they can only turn and watch him go hard at the net with a late move on the goalie that reminds me of a young Pavel Bure. Kempe is extremely agile and can spin around on his skates and continue to skate backwards after a battle in the corner retrieve the puck, turning a lost situation into a breakaway. The breakaway, by the way, is his forte; he is just deadly on in that situation.

So what’s not to like? Kempe desperately needs to use his teammates better. He has the passing skills, but rarely uses them unless he been taken out of the play altogether.?Kempe is not easy to hit because of his waterbug-like shiftiness, but when he is hit, he gets taken out of the play completely and he lacks the size to contend with the big hits that come his way so often. All in all he is a very intriguing pick and well worth keeping an eye on.

Sixth round (No. 152), Jon Kalinsky, LW, Canada

Kalinsky is good player that plays with a lot courage, speed and purpose to his game. He excels on the penalty killing unit and can chip in on the power play as well. He hasn’t put up the sort of numbers that will dazzle anyone, but he offers plenty of intangibles and has an outside chance at becoming a special teams? expert. Kalinsky is a medium-sized player that can boast that he’s someone that people often take note of and enjoy watching compete.

Sixth round (No. 161), Patrick Maroon, LW, USA

If the purpose of every draft is to find a gem — a diamond in the rough — then there is a chance the Flyers may have struck gold in Patrick Maroon, the player nobody wanted in last year?s draft. It is amazing how much a change in eating habits can affect some players. Maroon shed 20 pounds and now stands at an impressive 6′4? and 225 pounds. Playing in the NAHL, his competition may not have been the best available, but the changes in production for Maroon were outstanding. He scored 40 goals and 55 assists in 57 games while racking up 155 PM in the process.

Maroon also led his team to the Robertson Cup. If Holmgren was on a quest to find the great American power winger in this year?s draft, there is definitely all kinds of potential in Maroon. He has a choice between Ferris State and playing for the Hunter brothers in London of the OHL and is believed to be leaning towards Ferris St.

Seventh round (No. 182), Brad Phillips, G, USA

The Flyers rounded out their draft this year with a thin goaltender. Much has been made of Phillips? slender build and that he can be pushed around in his crease as varying reports of his weight suggest he?s anywhere from 143 pounds to 161 pounds while standing 6′1?. None of these overreactions stood in his way from being named goaltender of the tournament at the Under 17 World Championship, nor did they prohibit him from posting a .913 save percentage along with a 2.33 goals against per game average. So maybe everybody needs to stop worrying about his weight and focus on his abilities.?I am confident that by the time he comes back from the Universtiy of Notre Dame he will have put on a pound or three and then everyone will be talking about his play instead. This is a good late, late round grab by Philly.

It would have been easy for Craig Davis to go somewhat under the radar in the 2007 draft thanks to his teammates, quarterback JaMarcus Russell and wide out Dwayne Bowe both being surefire first rounders. Fortunately for ‘Buster,’ the San Diego Chargers didn’t miss his 56 catches, 836 yards, and four touchdowns in 2006. They took Davis with the 30th overall pick and will probably get, if nothing else, a player with a chance to break into the starting lineup sooner rather than later. That is, of course, unless Eric Parker stops acting like Samie Parker.

Davis’ game is very rough around the edges. He’s not the greatest route runner, which will neuter any chance for fantasy success this year. Another mark against him is that as the goal-line approaches, he becomes less and less of a factor. That being said, the guy did this, which is pretty cool. As you can see in the video, he has quicks, hands, and looks good when dramatic music is played in the background. But let’s be honest, you and I would do a lot better in life if we had this kind of soundtrack following us around. We’d finally get some respect. It’s also possible I’m the only person worried about this.

As I alluded to earlier, his ability to fit into the Chargers scheme will ultimately determine Davis’ long term success. There’s no crafty vet to teach this rookie the ropes. In fact, Bowe would take more pressure off of Davis in the NFL than the guys that the Chargers have now. On the flip side, Davis’ trek up the depth chart isn’t exactly climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. If he averages three and a half catches per game, he’ll be eons ahead of the aforementioned Parker (either of the Parkers, actually).

Okay, now it’s the time where the doctor (me) puts down the pen (the first three paragraphs) and gives you the diagnosis (the diagnosis). Davis will have no fantasy impact for the first 22 or 23 games of his career. At this point, he’ll either start to pick up the style and speed of the NFL game or completely fall off the fantasy map. Obviously, in redraft leagues, you shouldn’t even consider this LSU Tiger. I personally wouldn’t worry too much about him in dynasty leagues either, as guys like this tend to end up back on the waiver wire early in their second season (or maybe even earlier).

But at least there’s a dramatic YouTube video of the guy. That’s more than I can say for myself. Waaaa!

[Note from the editor: RotoRob is, in fact, working on a YouTube video of Andy that depicts him working feverishly away, set to the classic sounds of Abba's "Dancing Queen."]

We’re back for Part Two of our NHL Draft Preview. Part One can be found here.

• Looking for a first round sleeper? Rob thinks Bill Sweatt qualifies. Not only is he considered the fastest player available, but many suggest he’s also the most NHL-ready. A Colorado College forward, Sweatt is the top collegiate player available in this draft. Since joining the U.S. National Team Development Program in 2004, Sweatt has been a scout’s delight. He’s truly a boy among men at college, the youngest player on the team’s roster and the third youngest in the entire WCHA. The Illinois native, standing 5′11′ and weighing in at 185 pounds, is considered a very fine defensive player. That’s not to say he doesn’t have the skill to make plays on offense, of course. But the member of the U.S. 2005 Under 18 team isn’t likely to develop into a major scoring threat. Look for him to be plucked in the middle of the first round.
• Another player Rob says he’s not as bullish on as the masses is James Van Riemsdyk. Considered a refined skater, the New Jersey native plays with the U.S. National Team Development Program. This was his second season with the NTDP, one in which Van Riemsdyk established himself as someone who will definitely go in the very top portion of the first round. In fact, don’t be shocked if the left winger goes in the top three (both ISS and TSN rank him No. 2 overall) as many teams are seeking a power forward who can play a physical game the way Van Riemsdyk does. He’s already 6′3′ and once he fills out his frame and gains more endurance and strength, look out.
• Trevor Cann, the goalie for the Peterbough Petes, looks like a mid-second rounder. Despite toiling for a bad team this year, Cann was an all-star in the OHL. Peterborough wasted no time getting Cann on the fasttrack, bringing him on to the team as an underage player in 2005-06 and handing him the starting job from the outset last season. The Canadian boy, one of the top-ranked North American goalies available in this draft, recorded a 3.69 GAA and .909 save percentage this season ‘ certainly not eye-popping numbers, but given the travails of the Petes, these were fine figures indeed. At 5′11′, 200 pounds, he covers a lot of the net and has surprisingly good lateral movement for his size. Yet another butterfly goalies, Cann is known for his quickness, especially in terms of getting ready for the shot.
• The top Swedish skater available is Mikael Backlund, projected as a late first rounder and ranked No. 2 among European skaters by CSS). The 6′2′ centre was a member of Team Sweden’s Under-18 contingent last year. Not only is Backstrom an intelligent centre, but he’s fast. The fact that he’s as highly ranked as he is despite a knee injury that caused him to miss much of the season tells you a lot. Backlund also proved he can be successful in North America when he was named MVP of last year’s Mac’s Cup. He’s a strong skater considered to have excellent hockey sense.
• Still with Sweden, Mark Owuya is not only one of the best European goalies available, but he’s a fascinating personality. Born to a Uganda father and a Russian mother, Owuya is known for his rapping on the Swedish version of Idol as ‘Mark in the Park.’ Big shock, he’s another butterfly goalie, but his technique is rather raw. He’ll need plenty of refinement before he’s ready to man the crease in an NHL game. Playing for Djurgadens of the Swedish Jr. League this season, Owuya recorded three shutouts in 12 games. The season before, he was part of the Swedish contingent in the Mac’s Tourney. We can’t guarantee this guy is going to make it, but he’s arguably the most interesting story in the draft.
• Let’s not ignore the Czechs. Right winger Jakub Voracek not only calls the same town home that Jaromir Jagr does, but his game is compared to the Ranger great. Voraceck came over to North America this season and wound up scoring 86 points to lead all QMJHL rookies while playing for the Halifax Mooseheads. That effort earned him a spot on the QMJHL All-Rookie team. A great sign was that Voracek improved when the stakes went up, averaging two points per game in the postseason. He has decent size at 6′2′, 185 and was tabbed with the first overall selection in the CHL Import draft. Voracek could go in the top five, possibly to the Kings at No. 4.
• Max Pacioretty is another prospect Rob identifies as a first round sleeper. At the top of a very deep USHL class, the Connecticut native scored 21 goals in 60 games last season while playing for Sioux City. He was even better in the playoffs, scoring four goals and adding six assists in just seven games. The left winger looks like a prime power forward in the making, already sizeable at 6′1′, 203 despite his tender age. Pacioretty’s +20 ranking last season certainly suggests he’s a solid two-way player and his skill, combined with his size, should translate into a solid NHL career. Known for creating traffic in front of opposing goaltenders, Pacioretty is an ideal fit for a team looking to add a gritty, competitive edge.
• Finally, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention Logan Couture. While he should go in the top half of the first round, possibly even making the top 10, his future is likely guaranteed regardless of whether he makes it in the NHL or not. With a handle like Logan Couture, after all, surely there’s a bright future for him in porn should his hockey aspirations fizzle out.

With RotoRob hockey expert Mike Chen currently indisposed with a heavier-than-usual workload and a wedding to plan (he mumbled something about needing to go for his dress fitting), I’ll be cobbling together our NHL Draft Preview this year. Part One runs today, and Part Two will appear Thursday.

With an assist to Rob Reath, who supplied the Philadelphia Flyers perspective, we’ve attempted to throw down our thoughts on what you can expect to see this weekend in Columbus.

While this year’s crop of prospects includes several difference makers at the very top of the heap, the overall talent pool available is not expected to be able to compare to the depth of next season’s draft.

Apparently, finding prospective draft choices who have listed anyone other than the Rangers, Canucks or Wild as their favourite team is harder than building a Stanley Cup winner in Toronto. Only a couple are enamoured with the idea of being selected by the last-place Flyers. It’s a real dark period in the team’s history.

So instead of offering up the traditional mock draft, we’re going to spew out observations. Let the spewing begin.

• Danish forward Lars Eller, ranked third among European skaters by Central Scouting, is expected to go in the first round, and will turn a few heads, Rob thinks. He put on a show at the World Juniors under 18 tourney this year, racking up 10 points in five games for the second straight season. Eller proved he can handle tougher competition when he also averaged better than a point per game at the under 20 tourney. Teams seeking skill and speed will be all over Eller.
• Centre Kyle Turris is considered the top North American player available. Playing for the Burnaby Express in the British Columbia Hockey League this season, Turris scored 66 goals and added 55 assists for 121 points. A member of Team Canada at the Under 18 championships, Turris is known for his work ethic, ice vision and ability to anticipate the play. The Canadian Junior A Player of the Year is expected to be the highest ever selection to come out of the BCHL. Rob likes Turris more than Patrick Kane or James Van Riemsdyk, and while the comparisons to Joe Sakic may be a bit overblown (Rob doesn’t believe Turris will have that kind of grit), he still thinks Turris is more of a sure thing than the other two prospects.
• The top goaltending prospect on this side of pond is Jeremy Smith of the OHL’s Plymouth Whalers. He lost just six times (in only 34 games) this season, recording four shutouts along the way with a 2.59 GAA. Smith, who employs the butterfly technique, was part of the U.S. silver medal winning squad at the 2006 Under 18 tourney, twice earning Player of the Game for the Americans. Some suggest he wasn’t thoroughly tested in the OHL and that his numbers were a product of the defensively sound Plymouth system. Still, in a draft that’s lacking in top goaltending, Smith could find himself on the podium in the late first round or early second round.
• Among European prospects, Alexei Cherepanov and Joel Gistedt are considered the top skater and goalie, respectively. Cherepanov, a Russian right winger, had 29 points for Avangard of the Russian Super League this season. The Siberian Express wound up with more points as a rookie than Evgeni Malkin, Alexander Ovechkin or Ilya Kovalchuk. He also topped Pavel Bure’s record for goals by a rookie. Expect to see him scooped up in the top five.
• Swedish netminder Gistedt was part of a rebuilding program this season for the Frolunda Indians of the Swedish Elite League. He made an instant impact with a shutout in his first ever senior pro game. Gistedt, known for his agility, played 35 games for Frolunda this season, and is yet another butterfly goaltender.
• Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2004, the Lightning has had to kick and scratch to make the playoffs the past two years. And don’t look for an immediate infusion of talent this weekend. Tampa Bay has no first round pick and with Florida having the option of taking its second rounder this year or next, the Lightning could find itself shut out of the first two rounds.
• Patrick Kane, a right winger for the London Knights, enjoyed an all-star campaign in the AHL this year, scoring 145 points. The Buffalo-born Kane doesn’t seem to have a favourite NHL team (what? He doesn’t like the banana slugs?). At any rate, unless Buffalo makes a big move, Kane won’t be headed to his hometown team, who is without a first rounder this season. His big showing at the WJC this year helped Kane soar up the draft charts. Of course, proving he could get it done in the postseason (10-21-31 in 16 games) sure helped too. Originally a fifth round pick by London in 2004, Kane didn’t make his debut with the Knights until this season. As recently as three months ago, Kane was considered a possibility to go first overall thanks to his superb feel for the game. Many believe he remains the top forward and think Chicago will still take him with the first pick. He’s a wonderful playmaker who will fit right in with the new NHL where skill reigns supreme. At just 160 pounds, Kane is wheelbarrow full of cheeseburgers shy of being NHL size. That’s my main concern at this point. Rob also says he’s not as high on Kane as most seem to be (CSS ranked him as the second-best North American skater).

We’ll be back with Part Two of our Draft Preview Thursday.

The year was 1987. Glenn Anderson ruined my first viewing experience of a hockey game on television; Hulk Hogan shook the world by slamming Andre the Giant at Wrestlemania III; the Beastie Boys were all the rage; the Giants ruled the NFL roost and I was a scrawny third grader who collected baseball cards. I loved the Topps 1987 baseball stock and the razorblade sharp gum that always came with the pack. However, there was one minor problem. I kept getting repeats of Yankees shortstop Bobby Meacham. This guy haunted my dreams because every other pack I would buy contained his likeness. I think at one point I owned 15 of his cards. Ten years later, the name makes its return to haunt me again, albeit with a slight variation on the spelling.

WR Robert Meachem (he doesn’t like to be called Bobby, I take it), the Saints first round selection, brings solid hands and playmaking ability to an explosive, but yet very young group of receivers in the Big Easy. Note that the former Tennessee Vol may enter training camp with the tag of being injury prone. His early days as a Saint featured an ankle injury during the team’s first minicamp, and most recently he damaged the medial meniscus cartilage in his right knee. Meachem is expected to be sidelined for four-to-six weeks.

Rookie wide receivers typically struggle to adjust to the NFL game considering they don’t face too many tomato cans at cornerback as they would most Saturdays in college. If Meachem can’t shake the injuries, he’ll struggle to handle the speed of the game and make an impact with an already talented receiving corps. From last year’s rags to riches story, Marques Colston and Devery Henderson comprise a respectable one-two punch. During the offseason, the Saints also added veteran wideout David Patten to the mix, a member of the dreaded 2001 Patriots. With the Saints already armed with Colston, Henderson, Reggie Bush and new tight end Eric Johnson, it seems like Meachem’s chances will be at a premium.

This holds true especially if he cannot get on the field because of constant injuries. We know one thing about the Saints during the Sean Payton era: They have no problem restricting the playing time of oft-injured receivers. Just ask Donte Stallworth, who earned a one-way ticket out of town due to numerous hamstring issues.

Meachem showed at Tennessee that he can be a consistent threat. He ranked fourth in the nation last season in yards receiving per game with 99.8. Yet, he needs time to gel with the offense to be the player the Saints desire. Ultimately, Meachem must get healthy and stand out among one of the league’s best offenses.

Because of the team’s explosive offense, he’ll get looks, but do not expect an Anquan Boldin-esque rookie campaign. There are too many cooks in this kitchen for Meachem to be a significant player in Year One. He may have a bright future, but he’ll have to turn some heads in New Orleans to become a contributor.

Don’t expect Meachem to be a significant fantasy factor in his first season.

Six years ago, Reggie Wayne was taken 30th overall by the Indianapolis Colts. He has gone on to play in two Pro Bowls. Between that pick and this year’s draft, no other wide out taken in the latter stages of the first round has gone on to produce much of anything. Enter Dwayne Bowe, taken 23rd overall by the Kansas City Chiefs. Bowe has the pleasure of joining an offense that has…ummm…well, not much going for it. Yes, there’s Larry Johnson, who will probably need mechanical legs in order to repeat last season. And Tony Gonzalez is still around, although I’m pretty sure he’s pushing 50 now. But fear not, Damon Huard has a firm grip on the starting quarterback job.

Okay, so the offense probably isn’t going to be putting up 30 points a game, but this could be a good thing. The Chiefs could find themselves down in a majority of games this season, needing to air it out much more than they have in the past. That, and Gonzo et al. won’t dominate touches as they have in the past. This is an offense that is ready for a young receiving threat. In fact, they’ve been ready for Bowe for about three or four seasons now.

The former LSU star is, to put it simply, very good. In fact, he’s very, very good. Many NFL onlookers might even say JaMarcus Russell went too high because of how good Bowe (and Craig Davis) made him look. The 23rd overall pick possesses great physicality and yards-after-the-catch ability. Those traits seem to be better indicators of NFL success than speed does (think Roy Williams and Anquan Boldin).

So you’re wondering what to do with Bowe come draft day, aren’t you? Obviously, you don’t want to put yourself in a situation where you need to rely on Bowe for, well, anything. Rookie wide outs, even ones who become perennial Pro Bowl participants, very rarely produce much in their frist season. That being said, the ones that do (Randy Moss, Boldin) are fearless, tackle-breakers who make the most of their opportunities. That’s the kind of player I envision Bowe being. If you need a fifth wideout late in a draft, taking a flyer on Bowe seems to be a gutsy, ton-of-upside-pick. It still beats taking Eddie Kennison.

He sat there with that expression. You know, the one where things go completely wrong and unexpected. When you were a kid you probably dropped your fresh ice cream cone or the ground; or maybe you walked into a toy store and you realized that Teddy Ruxpin was sold out (an extremely dated reference, by the way). That was Brady Quinn. After not being selected at nine by the Dolphins which was considered the furthest possible drop for him, Quinn’s name was finally called at number 22 when Cleveland jumped back into the first round.

Quinn’s green room nightmare, which included a trip into a private room thanks to Mother Teresa…err, Roger Goodell, may have cost him millions of dollars, but he has an opportunity to start right away in Cleveland.

Not to go all Tony Robbins here, but Quinn going at 22 may work out for him in the long run. At number three, the Browns got tackle Joe Thomas which could pay dividends for Cleveland’s running game and, naturally, its pass protection. Essentially, by going at 22, Quinn’s chances to succeed may have improved depending on how quickly Thomas can help. If you’re the Browns, getting Quinn and Thomas sounds a heck of a lot better than just getting one of them.

While the offensive line stands to improve, a key to Quinn’s development will be the skill positions of wide receiver, tight end and running back. The star-crossed group featues two talented and loquacious players, Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow Jr.

While Edwards and Winslow continue to develop, the running game is still a question mark. The remains of Jamal Lewis will likely get the start. However, this isn’t the Lewis of yesteryear (the one not wearing the orange jumpsuit, by the way), and that will put pressure on whomever is playing quarterback.

Speaking of which, Quinn will have to beat out Charlie Frye for the starting quarterback spot, which shouldn’t be the most challenging thing in the world. The only question is how soon he can do it.

Teams often use the approach of having a veteran quarterback begin the season to teach their young quarterback as the schedule wears on (i.e., Kurt Warner-Matt Leinart, Kerry Collins-Vince Young). Cleveland does not have a seasoned veteran to teach Quinn (sorry, Frye and Ken Dorsey do not qualify), thus, how the Browns handle him will be very important.

Ultimately, Quinn’s work will be cut out for him for numerous reasons including the defenses in the AFC North. Playing Baltimore and Pittsburgh will not be easy. That’s just a small reason why he can’t obviously help your fantasy team this season. He’ll get a grip on things eventually, but with Cleveland’s horrible run of luck, Quinn will need just more than a good college pedigree to change the team’s fortunes.

Not only must Quinn cure the quarterback woes of Cleveland, he must overcome his own big game jitters — he was notoriously average in the Fighting Irish’s biggest games. If he doesn’t, another mistake by the lake will be in store for Browns’ fans. Well Cleveland, at least you have LeBron James and Daniel “Boobie” Gibson.

Every now and then, comedic observers declare the end of the ironic age. Sometimes it’s because of catastrophic events, sometimes it’s because of Carlos Mencia (somewhat catastrophic in his own respect). What these people overlook is that irony isn’t just for sitcoms or standup routines. Sometimes it occurs in the strangest of place — the NFL.

Willis McGahee is the sort of ironic story that literature students strive to think up. The 2002 season was an incredible, record-setting year for McGahee. He ran for over 1,700 yards and racked up 28 touchdowns. Ironically, he wasn’t even supposed to start that season. Frank Gore was slated to be the top guy, but an ACL injury to the future 49er made McGahee the starter.

Of course, the story doesn’t quite end there. In the fourth quarter of the BCS Championship game that season, we all know what happened to McGahee. More specifically, we know what happened to his knee. It was catastrophic and ironic all at once. Most McGahee videos you’ll find on YouTube are of the injury, a fact which has a certain irony to it in its own right.

The Buffalo Bills didn’t really seem to mind that McGahee was questionable to ever play again or that they had a running back — Travis Henry — who was establishing himself as a top NFL back and had missed only one game in the previous two seasons. They McGahee in the first round, allowed him to take a year to recover and inserted him as a starter when, you guessed it, Henry went down with a rib injury.

McGahee finished 2004 with 1,128 yards and 13 touchdowns in essentially 12 games. Going into the next season, fantasy owners had the former Hurricane pegged as a top five selection. In fact, some experts put him as high as the third slot. And after McGahee had 790 yards, four touchdowns, and four 100-yard games in the first half of the season, no one questioned how high he went.

It was after that eighth game that McGahee made the curious claim that he was the best running back in the league. Aside from the obvious fact that he wasn’t, if we were to at least give him the benefit of the doubt that he meant ‘one of the best,’ this is ironically, precisely the moment he stopped being in the club.

Between making that statement and the last game he played in Buffalo (22 contests), McGahee only had three 100-yard games and seven touchdowns. This past offseason, McGahee dissed the city of Buffalo, got himself run out of town, and joined the Baltimore Ravens.

So you’re sitting there saying you thought this was a draft preview on Marshawn Lynch and wondering why anyone cares about McGahee at this time. That’s the point. There is a story that’s in the process of being written and the author relishes irony. Lynch is just a new character that’s being introduced in the climactic third act. And if this story ends as well as it’s begun, Lynch will be one of the best running backs in the league and the Bills will win the Super Bowl. That or Travis Henry regains his elite status and the Broncos hoist the Lombardi trophy.

Long live irony.