BCS Rejects Playoff Proposal

Don’t expect any major changes for the current BCS system for at least the next six years. ESPN reports that John Swofford, who serves as the BCS Chairman and ACC commissioner, announced today that they will keep the current BCS system of 4 BCS bowl games and one national championship bowl game through the 2014 season.

The announcement wasn’t surprising, as only he and SEC commissioner showed any support for the alternate proposal of a plus-one series, in which the top 4 BCS ranked teams would be matched in two semifinal games and the winners would play in a national title game.

As much as we kick and scream for a BCS playoff system, it will probably won’t happen for a while, and a plus one system is looking like the most probable alternative for at least the next twenty years. That means we can look forward to more BCS Bowl Game whuppings (see George/Hawaii, USC/Illinois, WVU/Oklahoma) while wondering what some of those winning teams might have been able to do against LSU last season, in place of the underachieving Ohio St. Team. Yeah I said it.

I for one, am always going to resent the BCS system for its infamous snub of Cal back in 2004. How a team goes 11-1, with its only loss to the top ranked team AT their stadium, losing only on the last play of the game, and gets shut out of a BCS Bowl game entirely will always be beyond me. I know they’ve tweaked the system now, essentially opening 2 more teams to get in with the addition of the national championship game, but it’s going to be harder and harder to take college football’s post season seriously without any semblance of a playoff. Until then, we can continue to look forward to the GMAC Bowl.

(What do you mean we're going to the Holiday Bowl!?!)

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Cal Bears Free Agent Signings

It seems that the Cal Bears players who didn’t get a call about being drafted this weekend, have found a home—for now. Wide receiver Robert Jordan and Offensive Lineman Brian De La Puente have reportedly signed free agent deals with the San Francisco 49ers.

Like most free agent deals, both players will have to bust their tails off to fight to make it onto the active squad, let alone the practice team, but hey, at least they’re getting the opportunity.

As a 49ers fan, I’m pretty pumped on the news and hope to see one or both play on Sundays in the next few years. I think both have a lot to contribute and wish ‘em well.

On an interesting side note, Cameron Colvin, the WR from Oregon who had the critical fumble into the endzone for a touchback last year in the thrilling Cal/Oregon game, has also been signed as a free agent. I wonder how much Jordan or De La Puente will let him live that down.

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Other Pac-10 QB Battles Decided…Or Are They?

A few weeks ago, I had given a Pac-10 QB Battle Update, highlighting that Patrick Cowan had won the long-stranding QB Battle over Ben Olsen for the starting position.

Well it appears the Patrick Cowan can’t catch a break.

Cowan will miss the entire season after injuring his left knee while scrambling in practice today. It was a complete freak accident as it was during a non-contact play. The Redshirt Senior has already used his redshirt, and will have to be granted an unlikely sixth year of eligibility to give it a go in 2009. But in all likelihood, I think we may have seen the last of Cowan. Even if he were to be granted a sixth year, could he come back? The kid has messed up his knees so badly at this point, I’ll be surprised if he’ll be able to run normally, let alone stand the rigors of collegiate ball.

You have to feel for Cowan. Despite my disdain for UCLA, I’ve had some strange inkling of respect for Cowan, and hate to see a player’s career so hampered, and ultimately ended by injury, especially after he’s gotten so close on so many occasions of being “the man” and truly leading his team. I hope he’s given another chance, but I don’t know, it’s not looking too good.

And if that weren’t bad enough, Dwight Schrute, I mean, Ben Olsen, ended up going down the same day, again in another non-contact play. Olsen broke a bone in his right foot and will miss the next few months. The 25-year old will now be competing with JUCO transfer Kevin Craft for the starting job. What no McLeod-Thompson?

Man, not to get too “Thank God that ain’t us!” but…Thank God that ain’t us. I know Nate is down, but he’ll be back and hopefully we’ll have a healthy QB battle this fall. Either way, I feel pretty good about our QB position for the upcoming year. I don’t think Bruins fans can say the same right now. Who knows, maybe Craft will be the next great UCLA quarterback…or maybe he’ll be the next Bethel McLeod-Thompson.

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2008 NFL Draft Recap – Other Cal Players Drafted

Cal exported its largest draft class in school history, with 6 Golden Bears being drafted yesterday. I already covered Cal's top draftee Desean Jackson yesterday, and am finishing the rest of the look at the other Bears taken.

3^rd Round

22. (85^th Overall) Tennessee Titans - Craig Stevens, TE

For some reason, Stevens strikes me as the player most ready to contribute right away at the pro level. He doesn’t have the sexy Vernon Davis level of athleticism (*click clack*) but seems to have all of the physical attributes, work ethic, and toughness to fit in very quickly in the league. While he won’t burn a defender deep, Stevens has good speed for his size (4.59 40 yard dash—faster than Michigan WR “Super” Mario Manningham), is adequately strong (27 bench press reps—most out of all tight ends at the combine), and has shown that he can put it all together on the field, contributing heavily in Cal’s running and receiving game over the past few years.

Many have questioned Stevens’ hands over the past few seasons, and has made a number of drops, but I think he’ll be just fine. He didn’t drop a single ball in any of the combine passing drills, and keep in mind, a lot of Stevens drops were in traffic as he was most likely to go over the middle. He will certainly have to improve this aspect of the game if he’s going to be a legitimate receiving option in the pros, but then again, teams drafted him more for his incredible blocking skills anyway.

And that’s the area where he will most likely shine and be consistent with Tennessee. Not to say that the guy is going to dominate right away, but I can imagine him coming in and definitely contributing in his first season. Granted, the Titans just signed former Pro-Bowler Alge Crumpler, but look for Stevens to back him up, line up on the other side, and become the starter in a few years time.

35. (98^th Overall) Atlanta Falcons – Thomas DeCoud, FS

DeCoud was pretty solid with his production at Cal. A special teams monster for his first few years with his team, DeCoud moved into a starting role in the last two years. DeCoud has pretty good speed (a 4.48 40 yard dash) as we’ve seen with his time with the Bears. I’ll say it again, I have never seen anyone else make as many TD saving last minute tackles as this guy. Just watch the Tennessee game from last year, and see how many times DeCoud got there just in time to knock a player out of bounds at the 5 yard line. Most teams would end up scoring a few plays later anyway, but that’s another story.

While he’s not the biggest safety (6’2 196 lbs), DeCoud knows how to lay a licking, as his hit in the Desean Jackson punt return against UCLA is already engrained in Cal football history lore, and shows good run coverage. Justin Forsett once said of DeCoud: "I've been hit by everybody on the team. When Thomas hits you, it's not something you want to remember."

Those of you who might need a reminder:

He will need to show better consistency in his pass coverage, as he will need to make more plays on the ball in the air, but is rare to miss when he gets into position to make the play. Another concern is that he’ll be going to going into a situation where there will be a lot of depth at the safety position, after the Falcons just signed Erik Coleman in the offseason. In all likelihood, DeCoud probably won’t start this season, or maybe even next, but like his career at Cal, expect him to contribute heavily on special teams before getting the chance to shine as a starter.

4^th Round

27. (126^th Overall) Tennessee Titans – Lavelle Hawkins, WR

Hawkins will be joining fellow teammate Craig Stevens out in Tennessee this upcoming year. The “Hawk” was taken in about the mid-range of where most NFL scouts had expected him to go. Some had him as high as a late second-rounder, while some saw him falling to about the mid 5^th-round range.

Hawkins is a pretty strong example of a player who plays a lot faster and stronger than his numbers would dictate. He doesn’t possess blazing speed (running a 4.53 at the combine, although improved his time with a 4.48 at Cal’s Pro Day), Hawkins has shown that he is quicker than fast, being incredibly productive as a slot receiver.

He also doesn’t have all the attractive measurable as well. Short arms and marginal leaping ability, and like Desean, isn’t the biggest receiver ever. While he had a productive career, also had lapses of consistency where he would explode in certain games, and disappear a bit in others. He may also take some time to mentally learn the game, as it took him a few years at Cal before he really broke out.

With all that said, I love the Hawk and confess to have done the “hawk” flap a few times myself both at Memorial Stadium, and sadly enough at home as well. C’mon, you know you wanted to after his 64 yard TD catch, and fight for the first down in the OSU game last year. I think it will take a few years time, but best case scenario, the Hawk may end up being a Nate Burleson type of receiver in a couple of seasons. And maybe a few seasons after before the “Hawk” flap starts to catch on.

5^th Round

18. (184^th Overall) Philadelphia Eagles – Mike Gibson, OT

Gibson has shown pretty good versatility in college, playing every position at the offensive line, so it’s possible that the Eagles might switch him to the guard position, especially since he doesn’t have the longest arms for a tackle. He also appears to work well in unison with the rest of the line, another sign that he’ll be better suited for the guard position.

The biggest issue for Gibson will be the ability to stay healthy. The guy played through the 2006 season with a tear in his left shoulder, opting to get surgery done after the season was over. And as I covered extensively in my recap of the past few drafts, lingering injuries can become career killers for offensive linemen in the pros, so here’s hoping he can have a fairly long and successful career in the pros.

7^th Round

26. (233^rd Overall) Seattle Seahawks – Justin Forsett, RB

I for one was about as happy as a Cal fan could have been on Sunday when I found out that Forsett got drafted. Maybe relieved is a better word. I’ll be honest, in keeping up with NFL.com’s Draft Tracker, I was getting pretty nervous when we were nearing the end of the 7^th round, and Forsett’s name never came up. But I’m glad he got drafted, as I feel it couldn’t have happened to a better guy.

I’m a Forsett fan. Some of my friends looked at me like I was crazy when I predicted Forsett would rush for over 1400 yards his senior season. I smiled with the “I told you so” type of smile when he crushed that with 1546 yards. He also led the entire Pac-10 in rushing TDs. But more importantly, he’s about as much of a quality character as you can ask for in a player: humble, hardworking, and on numerous occasions last season, put the team on his back (see Arizona game).

The biggest knock on Forsett was his size and lack of top-end speed. Undersized at 5’8, and lacking great sprinting speed (4.6 40 yard dash), a lot of teams were wondering what they could really do with him. A great college player, many wondered how it would translate in the pros. But there are a lot of reasons to like Forsett in addition the quality characteristics I mentioned earlier. He’s got underrated hands, good burst, is more quick than fast, and can change directions incredibly quickly. I remember the New Mexico State game a few years back, when Forsett took the ball off a handoff, charged into the line, saw nothing, stopped and in one fluid movement dashed off to the side about as quickly as I’ve ever seen. That’s when I knew the kid was pretty good.

Biggest concern for Forsett? Being buried in Seattle’s depth chart. Even after releasing former league MVP and Madden coverboy Shawn Alexander, the Seahawks have pretty good depth at the RB position with the signing of TJ Duckett, Julius Jones, and last year’s incumbent backup Maurice “Momo” Morris. It might be a season or two before Forsett even gets a crack as a 3^rd down back. But if there’s one thing we’ve learned about Forsett, is that he’s learned patience and humility in his entire career, from not being recruited in high school and backing up Marshawn Lynch for 3 years before getting to start. If we’ve learned another, it’s that Justin will make the most of his opportunity when it eventually comes.

Alrite, that's about it for now, I'll try and keep ya'lls posted with the Free Agent signings in the next few weeks as well. Definitely more to come. Read the rest of the post and comments here >>

2008 NFL Draft Recap – Philadelphia Eagles take Desean Jackson

What a weekend it was for the draft! Actually, not really. With the exception of Desean Jackson’s mini-slide (fall to the 2^nd round), most of the Cal players were taken about where most draft scouts expected them to. By the time the draft was over, 6 Cal players were taken, and I expect a few more to sign in free agency over the course of the next few weeks or months (Robert Jordan, Andrew Larson etc).

The Cal players drafted were: Desean Jackson, Craig Stevens, Thomas DeCoud, Lavelle Hawkins, Mike Gibson, and Justin Forsett. I’ll be providing my thoughts on each of the selections, but thought I’d get the biggest one out of the way.

2^nd Round

18. (49^{th Overall}) Philadelphia Eagles – Desean Jackson, WR

Jackson ended up being the 7^th overall wide receiver taken. By the time I realized that the first round was going to be focused on franchise building offensive linemen and defensive players, I wasn’t too surprised to see Jackson fall to the second round. I was however, surprised to see him get drafted behind so many other wide receivers.

It was somewhat of a funky draft for the wide receivers. None were taken in the first round, and a lot of those taken before Jackson were projected as 2^nd round guys, but not rated higher than he was. That is to say, many of the “higher” rated wide receiver prospects (Malcom Kelly, Limas Sweed, even James Hardy) were taken after those who expected to go in the second (Eddie Royal, Donnie Avery, Devin Thomas etc...).

Jackson has already openly stated that he will be playing with a chip on his shoulder, motivated by concerns about his size. But he appears to be happy to be with Philly. "I felt like I would go higher than I did, but God had a plan for me and I knew it would be a team that would pick me up and put me in a great position," Jackson said. "Everything happens for a reason and I think this is going to be a great fit for me." (Okanes)

With that said, I think Philly will be a great fit for Jackson, since he’ll be playing in a football market, with an established veteran QB and strong offensive system.

And speaking of Jackson’s size, anyone know the line on when Jackson expects to take his first pro game pop? I mean, getting knocked the F out. It’ll happen. I don’t wish harm on the guy at all, but it’s going to happen. Look what happened to Reggie Bush in his first year.

Even in college, plays like this one at USC in ’06 is what you can probably expect on a weekly basis:

But he’ll get back like he always does, and by season’s end, I hope we’ll be seeing more plays where he’s doing this:

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Live Draft Updates

4:50 - It's official. With the 18th pick in the 2nd round - THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES HAVE DRAFTED DESEAN JACKSON.

I'll analyze this more early next week along with the other Cal draftees, but Desean Jackson's mini-slide provides much to talk about. Either way, congrats Desean and have fun in Philly.

Okay, I'm off to a wedding, we talk more later. Payce all.

4:34 - We're midway through the 2nd round and none of the "big 3 WRs" (Malcom Kelly, Desean Jackson, and Limus Sweed) have yet to be drafted. Looks like the teams who passed up on them in the 1st round may get some steals in the 2nd. A lot of the 2nd tier WRs are jumping up draft boards and going before these guys. Really interesting. You have to wonder any of the Big 3 thought they'd dip this low. You have to think they're sitting at home like this:

3:20 - The Niners take Kentwan Balmer, DT out of North Carolina. I think that seals it--Desean drops to the 2nd round unless Green Bay or the Giants take him, which I don't think is likely considering their needs.

3:18 - If the Niners don't take Desean Jackson with their 29th overall pick, it's fairly safe to say that Jackson falls out of the 1st round completely. Wow. When was the last time that happened? Seriously, anyone know?

2:55 - With the Titans having picked Chris Johnson with their 24th pick, and the Cowboys going with Felix Jones with the 22nd, two of the teams that had been potentially projected to select Desean Jackson have gone in other directions.

No other wide receivers have been selected so far in the draft, so it's still a question as to who will be the first to go.

It's obvious that Desean Jackson isn't going to benefit from the full Ted Ginn Jr. effect and get a surprising reach pick. He'll probably end up about where people thought he would go, but you have to think that he's getting a little nervous with 7 picks left in the first round. Does he fall to the Niners???

Oh the human drama. Read the rest of the post and comments here >>

NFL DRAFT - Moments Away...

Hey all. In spending all this recapping the previous five drafts for Cal players, I haven't spent much or really any time covering this year's draft. That's mainly because I wanted to avoid speculation and spend more time extensively covering the draft AFTER it was over.

But I can't help myself. I can't help but wonder what will happen to Desean: Ted Ginn Jr. like early swoop, or Aaron Rodgers like fall to the bottom of the first or possibly into the second round?

And what about all of our other Cal Bears? DeCoud seems to be a look in the 3rd round, but where does Lavelle Hawkins go? The 3rd as some hope, or all the way down to the 5th? And does Larson get drafted? What about Jordan? And which team will take the chance on Forsett?

I can't wait. Keep hitting back for more this weekend, and look for a more extensive breakdown in a day or two. Read the rest of the post and comments here >>

2007 NFL Draft Recap - Cal Players Taken

We wrap up the look back at the past five drafts to look at the careers of the Cal players taken in the NFL draft, and how things have been working out for them. We've seen our shares of highs, lows, and a lot of players who discovered just how hard it is to play, let alone stay healthy, in the NFL.

2007 was another strong year in the draft for the Bears, headlined by the Beast himself, Marshawn Lynch.

1^st Round

12. Buffalo Bills - Marshawn Lynch, RB

Who doesn’t love Marshawn? Seriously. Who has ever watched this baller carry multiple defenders, break tackles, ghost ride trainer carts, flash his golden grills and said, “What a douche.” No one. Because from the day Marshawn "BEAST" exploded onto the scene, Lynch wowed the crowds with his running style, and gained the admiration and respect from his teammates and coaches.

Grounded in family values, as evidenced by his public self-proclamation of being a Mama's boy (complete with having it tatooed on his back), and flashing the "family first symbol" after every score, Lynch was destined for great things.

Lynch compiled 3,230 yards and 29 TDs rushing, along with 600 yards and 6 TDs receiving. On top of that, Lynch also threw for 2 TDs in his career as well. To absolutely no one's surprise, Lynch declared for the draft after his junior year. Despite a few concerns about Marshawn's character issues, stemming from a sexual assault allegation that was eventually dropped, Marshawn did nothing to shake his position as the #2 RB available in the draft behind Adrian Peterson. Marshawn followed up a solid career at Cal with 4.4 40 time in the draft and solid workouts.

(Editor's Note: In my research, I stumbled upon a Wikipedia entry that said that Lynch scored a 42/50 on the NFL draft IQ Wonderlic exam. Excuse me for sounding surprised, but a 42!? A score of 32 is considered well above average for the average NFL draftee, so a 42? His favorite book is Cat in the Hat for crying out loud. I digress.)

It was a no-brainer when the the Buffalo Bills selected Lynch with the Number 12 overall pick. With the Willis McGahee's exit, a franchise running back was their top choice, and with Adrian Peterson taken by the Vikings, Lynch was the obvious choice. Marshawn Lynch became the Bears' highest draft pick since Andre Carter was taken by the 49ers in 2001.

To say that Lynch had a successful rookie year is huge understatement. Despite missing 3 games with an ankle injury, Lynch finished 11th in the league in rushing yards at 1115, 8th in YPG (85.8), and scored 7 rushing TDs. He also threw for a memorable passing TD to tight end Robert Royal. He also answered questions about whether Lynch could be an everydown back, by getting the 9th most number of carries in the league.

However, more importantly, just as Cal fans fell in love with Lynch and his work ethic, abilities, and commitment to his team, the entire city of Buffalo has done the same. Moving his entire family there, Lynch was a "fresh of breath air" (Royal reference) compared to the moody and tempermental former RB McGahee who had become unhappy with his tenure with the Bills. You can see what I mean below.

Lynch is bound to have a bright future ahead of him, assuming he can stay healthy. His running style has always made him susceptible to ankle injuries, so only time will tell how his entire career will pan out. But if his time at Cal, and successful rookie campaign is any indication, we'll be seeing a lot more "Beast Mode" for time to come.

3^rd Round

85. Seattle Seahawks - Brandon Mebane, DT

Brandon Mebane embodied the pass rush that Cal needed, and has needed during the Jeff Tedford regime. Although teams began double and triple teaming Mebane during his junior and senior seasons, in which Mebane would go on to earning All 1st team Pac-10 honors, Mebane was still one of the most productive tacklers and sack leaders on the team. In his senior season, Mebane led the team with 52 tackles, 10 tackles for losses and 4 sacks.

Mebane was taken in the 3rd round by the Seattle Seahawks, ahead of Daymeion Hughes (more on that later) and was expected to develop slowly and become a star defensive lineman later in his career. That developed was quickly accelerated however, after he was pushed into a starting role when starters Chartric Darby and Marcus Tubbs went down with a season ending injury.

Mebane would fill in solidly his rookie years and has Seahawks fans excited about his young talent and potential moving forward. He will most likely remain in his starting role next season, and we can expect more from now that he has a lot of game time under his belt.

3^rd Round

95. Indianapolis Colts - Daymeion Hughes, CB

Daymeion Hughes, has who has changed his name to “Dante” (which I will be referring him to as because it’s easier to type) entered into his senior season as one of the premier defensive backs in the country, and didn’t disappoint. Hughes would go on to become and All-American and win the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year award as well as the Ronnie Lott Trophy. His statistics backed up his award as well: Hughes put up monstrous numbers, breaking up 19 passes, nearly led the team with 72 tackles, and recorded 8 interceptions on the year, one of which he returned for TD, stomping on Rudy Carpenter in the process. By the season's end, Hughes had established himself as the top cover corner in the nation, and possibly the first CB taken.

Ironically enough however, it was as soon as Hughes stopped playing football, that his draft stock started slipping. Despite his spectacular performances in the Senior Bowl, scouts paid more attention to Hughes' slow 40 yard dash time. Some scouts had him clocked in the 4.5s, while some even had him in the 4.7s. Hughes attributed his slow times to a lingering hamstring pull, but in the NFL, those times simply wouldn't do. It became increasingly evident that Hughes would most likely only flourish in the league in a cover 2 scheme, where help over the top would come in case he got burned by a speedy receiver.

And what better cover 2 scheme to play for than with the coach who pretty much perfected it. Tony Dungy and the Indianapolis Colts snagged Hughes up in the 3rd round. While Hughes hasn't served a backup and special teams role in his times with the Colts before going down with an injury in November of 2007.

While talk of Hughes and his potential have been quieted, I'm still under the belief that the Colts may have had the steal of the draft in 2007. He may not have the wheels, but in the Colt's cover 2 scheme, Hughes has the athleticism and more importantly, the skills and instincts to become a monster corner in the NFL. And I mean MONSTER. Just you wait.

Sixth Round

192. Green Bay Packers - Desmond Bishop, LB

In his short career at Cal (JUCO transfer student), Desmond Bishop or "the Bishop" as teammates would call him, would end up doing a lot of this (see left image). The Bishop was everywhere on defense. EVERYWHERE.

We're talking interceptions, sacks, tackles for losses, goal line stops; it was not uncommon to watch a game and hear his name called out by the announcers every defensive series or find that he was involved in nearly ever play. By the end of his senior season, he led the entire conference in tackles.

Scouts recognized Bishop's strength and non stop motor, but were concerned about his overall lack of speed. He was more quick than fast, and while he showed good instincts and nose for the ball, were wondering how that would translate to the NFL in chasing after running backs and receivers with world class vertical and lateral speed.

The Packers took a chance with the Bishop in the 6th round of the draft, and he would contribute mainly on special teams and in reserve roles. It is reported that Bishop could contend for a starting position as early as this year which would be pretty significant considering his youth and lack of experience in the NFL. Stay tuned as to whether or not the Bishop will get to do this on a regular basis:
Okay, that wraps it up. Whew. I know it's overhyped, but I'm looking forward to tomorrow's draft, and hope we can get at least 6 Cal Bears in the NFL before the weekend is over. Keep checking back to see my thoughts on this weekend's draft. Till then. Cheers! Read the rest of the post and comments here >>

2006 NFL Draft Recap - Cal Players Taken

As we approach the end of the week leading up to the NFL Draft, we look back at the previous NFL Drafts and how they've worked out for the Cal Players drafted, and their respective teams. After a monstrous 2005 year that saw 5 Cal players taken in the draft, 2006 would prove to be a more quiet year. In place of the Heisman candidates and 1st round picks were the late rounders who exemplified the quiet yet solid strength of the Cal program for the last number of years--the offensive linemen. All 3 players who were drafted that year were O-line guys, and we take a look to see how things have worked out.

5^th Round

3. (136) New England (from Oakland) - Ryan O'Callaghan, OT

Ryan O'Callaghan was rated one of the best right tackles going into the year's draft. And for good reason. He started in 35 games in the course of his 4 years with the Cal program, was an All-Pac10 First Team selection, Morris Award Winner, oh and helped pave the way for a 1000 yard rusher in all of his seasons.

O'Callaghan's experience at the collegiate level and durability has served him well, as he contributed immediately with the Patriots when they picked him up in the 5th round of the draft. O'Callaghan played in 11 games as a rookie, starting in 6 of them. He helped the Patriots net 1,969 yards rushing, and more visibly, helped protect Tom Brady do what he did best--

--star in VISA Commercials.

You probably heard O'Callaghan's name called a bit more often this past season, 1) because the Patriots were the media darling because of their 18 (and 1 baby) record, and 2) played in 15 games that year. Granted, he spent most of his time in a reserve role and on special teams, but still played fairly significantly this past year. He even lined up as a tight end on a few plays. I don't think he'll be trying to click-clack like Vernon Davis anytime soon, but it's safe to say that as long as he stay healthy, O'Callaghan has a pretty bright future ahead of him with a solid franchise.

6^th Round

32. (201) Pittsburgh Steelers - Marvin Philip, C

Before Alex Mack, there was Marvin Philip, Cal's All-American center and the anchor of the offensive line. Although undersized for the center position at 6'1, Philip more than made up for his lack of size with good strength, leverage and technique.

Scouts recognized that while Philip wasn't necessarily the most athletic center, his grittiness and skill at his position would at have scouts looking in his direction.

The Pittsburgh Steelers pickup up Philip in the seventh round, where Philip made the active roster, but in a 3rd-string center role. Philip would only see snaps during the preseason, and because many teams don't usually hold more than 2 quarterbacks, let alone centers, on their active rosters, was waived in December of 2007.

The Browns immediately picked him up to provide depth at the center position behind Hank Fraley. Interestingly, the Green Bay Packers were also interesting in picking up Philip, but the Browns got the first choice because of their worse record. Huh. I for one would have been interested in seeing Rodgers take snaps behind Philip again in a few years, just for old times sake.

7^th Round

40. (248) Buffalo (Compensatory) - Aaron Merz, G

Aaron Merz was the last of the three Cal O-line men who would get picked up in the draft. Merz went from walk-on to second-team All Conference player. At the end of his senior season, Merz was given Cal's Ken Cotton Award as the team's most courageous player, as an inspiration to the rest of his team.

Aaron Merz is also a smart dude. Why? First off, he was a fellow Sociology major at Cal. Didn't see him in any of my classes though. Secondly, the guy reportedly scored an impressive 39 on the Wonderlic exam. That's 33 points better than another young NFL Player:

With the Bills, Merz was moved to a backup center role and didn't see any playing time as he was inactive for the 2006 season. 2007 didn't look any better for Merz as tore the left labrum in his left shoulder and would miss the preseason, and eventually the rest of the season. He was eventually released in February, and is currently a free agent.

Please, someone just pick the guy up. I'm getting depressed writing up on all these former Cal players who are getting rocked by injuries in the pros before they end up hanging it up. Just goes to show you how tough it is to make it in the big league. Hopefully Merz can get signed and get some playing time somewhere else.

Alright, the 5th and final part of this series wraps up tomorrow as I recap last year's 2007 draft and the goodness that followed.

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2005 NFL Draft Recap - Cal Players Taken

2005 was a banner year for Cal in terms of the talent they had drafted that year. Highlighted by NCAA season rushing leader J.J. Arrington, and Heisman candidate and potential #1 overall pick Aaron Rodgers, there appeared to sure fire hits with most of the Bears drafted. Oh, but the drama that would ensue...

1^st Round

24. (24) Green Bay Packers - Aaron Rodgers QB

Aa-ron Rod-gers Aa-ron Rod-gers . The chant emanated from the student section, growing quickly until it reverberated through Memorial Stadium. Aaron Rodgers, the Junior Cal Quarterback, had just thrown for 260 yards and 4 touchdowns in his performance against the UCLA Bruins, and after his performance against USC the prior week (tying an NCAA record for 23 consecutive completions in a game) had emerged as a legitimate Heisman candidate. Unable to ignore the chants any further, Rodgers eventually turned slightly to the crowd and thrust his fist into the air, and smiled quietly as the crowd erupted in applause.

The “Aaron Rodgers” chants would eventually turn into “ONE MORE YEAR!” chants as it became increasingly evident as the 2004 season progressed that Rodgers was one of the top QBs in the draft, and likely #1 Overall pick.

Alas, it was not to be, as the possibility of being the top pick in the draft and the opportunity to play for his childhood home team the San Francisco 49ers, was too much to pass up, and Rodgers declared for the draft at the season’s end. Rodgers talked openly about his hopes to lead the same team as his childhood idol Joe Montana, and knew that even if the Niners were to decide with Alex Smith, the quarterback out of Utah, Rodgers would most likely end up with the Browns at the number 3 spot in the draft. Not bad for a kid from Chico who had been playing at Butte Junior College a few years prior.

Draft day came, and Rodgers saw his dreams of being the #1 overall pick and playing for his hometown team pass before his eyes as the Niners announced that Alex Smith would be their guy. Rodgers smiled and applauded politely as he witnessed Smith walk to the podium and proudly hold the 49ers jersey for the world to see the new franchises QB.

Crushed, but not destroyed, Rodgers sat patiently as he waited for his agent to call him to let him know he’d go to the Browns at Number 3. The call never came. The Browns went with Michigan wide receiver Braylon Edwards, so Rodgers just waited.

And waited.

The first ten picks went by and no call. Then the next ten. It became painful to see Rodgers waiting in the Green Room, and at that point, no one really knew how far Rodgers would fall.

Finally, the call came, and the pick was announced: Rodgers was going to the Packers at the 24^th Overall pick, and the second quarterback taken (not counting Arkansas QB Matt Jones who was drafted as a WR).

Rodgers’ draft slide became embedded in recent NFL draft lore, and would be the immediate comparison anytime a top prospect fell further than expected (see Brady Quinn). His draft slide however, was just the beginning of Rodgers’ quiet yet dramatic start in the NFL.

Much has been written about Rodgers’ time in Green Bay as the cocky first round pick who would sit in the shadow behind NFL great and hall of famer Brett Favre for the next three years while he witnessed Alex Smith get immediate playing time with the Niners. I won’t go into too much detail here, as it has been covered extensively in the past, and will expectedly be covered much more in the future, but Rodgers again had to learn the virtues of patience of backing up an ironman quarterback who not only never missed a start, but nearly played every single snap. Rodgers would have to learn by watching.

With Favre’s recent and surprising retirement, Rodgers will finally get his chance. He will undoubtedly see his share of struggles, and will have to play under the most extreme expectations of his franchise and fans. Already questioned for his durability for having suffered thigh injuries and a broken foot, he will have to show that he can fill in, and fill in quickly and perform consistently as the heir to the Green Bay QB throne.

Only time will tell how ready Rodgers is to be the franchise quarterback. The few glimpses we have seen, particularly Rodgers’ performance against Dallas last season in which he threw for 201 yards and a touchdown and nearly rallied the Packers for a win, have been promising. Again though, the question will be whether he can do that consistently, not only for a season, but for the next eight to ten years. I believe that Rodgers has all the tools, and new maturity to succeed in the NFL. It’s just a matter of putting it all together. But as one of the fans in attendance who joined in on the “Aaron Rodgers” chant years ago in Memorial Stadium, I’m optimistic that in a few years time, Packers fans will be chanting the same.

2^nd Round

44. Arizona Cardinals - J.J. Arrington RB

J.J. Arrington benefited from one of the greatest rushing seasons in not only Cal football history, but in NCAA History. In his senior season, Arrington exploded onto the scene and destroyed records along the way. In 2004, Arrington rushed for over 100 yards in every single game, compiling a ridiculous 2,018 yards and 15 TDs for the season. He became a consensus All-American, and earned the Pop Warner Award (given to the best West Coast senior player). Inexplicably though, Arrington wasn’t mentioned in the Heisman finalists conversation, despite having better numbers than both Reggie Bush and Adrian Peterson.

The Cardinals drafted Arrington in the second round, in the hopes that he would split carries with Marcel Shipp. Arrington struggled however in his first game, rushing for only 5 yards on 8 carries (0.6 ypc) and would proceed to struggle for the remainder of his rookie season with 370 yards on 112 carries (3.3 ypc) and 2 TDs. This prompted the Cardinals to sign Edgerrin James the following year, and Arrington has served in a backup role and on special teams since.

In 2006, Arrington’s carries were incredibly limited, where he rushed only 14 times for a mere 19 yards, but did return a kickoff for a 99 yard touchdown.

In 2007, Arrington improved a bit, gaining 78 yards on 26 attempts, but more significantly, 241 yards on 29 catches and a score. Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt appears to like Arrington’s pass catching abilities, so they hope to use him more in that role.

Most signs point to Arrington not turning out to be the explosive little RB like Brian Westbrook or even Maurice Jones-Drew that some teams would have hoped for, but Arrington may continue to contribute as a 3^rd down back and on special teams for years to come.

4^th Round

118. New Orleans Saints – Chase Lyman WR

If there were ever any player who characterized the “What if” mold for a Cal player drafted in recent years, it would certainly be Chase Lyman. A solid receiver with great speed for his size (6’4, 310 lbs), he would be seemingly cursed with the injury bug in his time at Cal and eventually the pros, suffering through various ankle, groin, hamstring, hip injuries, and an appendicitis.

Lyman won a starting spot at the receiver position in 2002, only to tear his hamstring on the first day of Fall camp—an injury that would keep him out for the majority of the next two years.

With limited playing time and only 100 receiving yards during his 2003 campaign, Lyman finally got his chance in the 2003 Insight Bowl, as he filled in for an injured Geoff MacArthur and contributed 149 receiving yards and a score.

He would go on to play much more during the 2004 season, highlighted by a 176 yard, 3 TD performance against Oregon State. He would eventually go down again with injury during the USC game, and would miss the remainder of the season.

The Saints still saw his incredible potential, and took a shot at him in the fourth round. Things were looking great…until Chase Lyman tore his ACL in fall camp.

He was signed the following year to the Saints' practice squad, but would get eventually get waived, and just like that, Lyman's NFL career was over without getting him getting to play a single NFL snap.

And that pretty much ended it for Chase…for his NFL career that is. Last time I heard, Chase was doing commercial real estate with his dad in Palo Alto, and appeared to be pretty happy about it as an alternative to football. “I realized it’s (football) not what I want to do with my life. There is a lot more to life than football. The way my body has been, and the pounding it had taken, it wasn’t worth it to me anymore to fight my way through each practice.” (Daily Cal)

Good for him. I wish him the best. But the real estate market isn’t looking too hot right now though…

135. Indianapolis Colts – Matt Giordano DB/FS

Matt Giordano finished a solid career at Cal with All Pac-10 1^st Team Honors and an All-American Honorable mention his senior year. Needing depth in the secondary, the Colts drafted him in the fourth round, and it’s safe to say that they probably haven’t regretted it.

Giordano has performed solidly as a backup strong safety behind Pro Bowler and 2007 Defensive Player of the Year Bob Sanders. He’s put up solid numbers in the backup role, as well as contributing on special teams, and hey, he's already got his Super Bowl Ring from the Colts' 2006 season. Take that Marino.

He has three interceptions in 39 career games, including one he returned 83 yards for a touchdown in a season-opening win over New Orleans last year, and recently resigned with the Colts earlier in the month as a restricted free agent.

Not much else to Giordano’s story. Unlike many other recently drafted Cal players who have had to battle injuries and fight to get spots on practice squads, Giordano has found a comfortable and solid backup role with the Colts.

6^th Round

38 (212 Overall) Oakland Raiders – Ryan Riddle LB

Ryan Riddle was drafted in the 6^th round after coming off a monster senior season with 49 tackles and single season record of 14.5 sacks (Man we could use that now…)

After being drafted though, Riddle was cut by the Raiders the following year (anyone else noticing a trend of Cal players being cut by the Raiders in recent years?) and later signed with the New York Jets. The Jets though released Riddle in December where he signed on with the Falcons. However, in August 2007, Riddle signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Ravens, but was waved prior to the beginning of the 2007 Regular Season. Whew…let's see if we can create flow chart for that shall we?

Whew. That's a lot of teams. It didn't help that Riddle only registered 7 tackles in his entire year with Oakland and 5 with the Jets. Riddle hopes to start his career fresh in the AFL where he signed on in January as a defensive end. It's been hard to find any real stats on he's been doing since the AFL doesn't appear to really post any stats about anything other than their ridiculous offense (the Avengers' most recent loss was a 83-69 affair).

Interesting note though, Riddle's teammate, Avenger's QB, is the same guy who lit us up for 520 yards and 3 Touchdowns in the 2004 Holiday Bowl Debacle. Yep…that's right…you guessed it—Sonny Cumbie.

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2004 NFL Draft Recap - Cal Players Taken

2004 was a very quiet year for Cal’s player presence in the draft considering they came off a year in which they had two first round selections. Only two players were selected in the draft, and both have had a rocky journey to say in the least in four years they've been in the pros. And what's worse, they've both ended up with the Raiders...

5^th Round

19(151 Overall) Washington - Mark Wilson OT

Mark Wilson was drafted in the 5^th round by the Redskins, and ended up breaking his bloody (no pun intended) nose before the season began. He was inactive for seven of the first 11 games of the season, before making his first NFL start in Week 12. He went right back onto the inactive list the week after hurting his knee in that game, and sat out the rest of the year.

New year, fresh start. Wilson was back and ready to challenge for a starting spot or at least serve as a solid backup…before he ended up spraining his back in fall camp. The Redskins pretty much said, “Ahh to hell with it” and released him on Sept. 3, 2005.

The Vikings snatched him right up two days later, and signed him to the practice squad. Poor guy ended up getting released the following year, without playing a meaningful down.

The Oakland Raiders picked him up in Jan of 2007, before waiving him in September, only to sign him to their practice squad a few days later. Although Wilson, still would end up getting promoted to the active squad near the end of the season, he still would not get any playing time.

So in the end, we have a tackle that has started and played in one NFL game, and has battled the injury bug or practice squad hell for the last 4 years. The good news is that he was recently resigned by the Raiders last month, so will again have to compete for some real playing time.

7^th Round

7(208 Overall) Cleveland - Adimchinobi Echemandu RB

In Echemandu’s short four year career in the NFL, he’s already become a RB journey man, signing with 4 different teams, twice with the Raiders. Let’s recap shall we?

Echemandu was drafter in 2004 by the Browns, and saw only eight carries for 25 yards, and caught the ball only 3 times for 25 yards.

He then signed with the Minnesota Vikings the following year and didn’t get any snaps, spending most of his time on the practice squad. When asked why, he simply cited “Politics of the game.” (Houston Chronicle)

In 2006, Echemandu signed with the Oakland Raiders’ practice squad, and only saw action in preseason games.

2007 began shaping up more interestingly for Joe as he was praised openly by then new Raider’s coach Lane Kiffin as the team’s “surprise player.” But the depth at the tailback position in Oakland (the emergence of Justin Fargas, veteran Lamont Jordan, Dominic Rhodes coming off suspension, and Lousiville draft pick Michael Bush) pretty much ruled him out of any playing time, and Echemandu was cut.

Echemandu called it a “blessing disguise” because he almost immediately signed with the proverbial empty backfield of the Houston Texans, and made an immediate contribution. In his first game in which he received a considerable number of carries, Echemandu rushed for 62 yards on 10 carries against the Chargers. And next up was the game against the Raiders, the same team that had cut him. Sweet sweet redemption.

Except…in that 62 yard performance, Echemandu ended up pulling his hamstring on the first play of the game, and would proceed to only get 2 carries in the Oakland game for 6 carries, and limited carries for the rest of the season.

Echemandu was then cut by the Texans at the end of the year, and resigned with Oakland in 2008.

On a side note, I think it’s interesting that the Raiders decided to pick up Echemandu at this point in the year. I know Kiffin was a fan of his last year, but with all the talk about the Raiders picking up Darren McFadden in the draft, that would give them SIX running backs if they don’t release Lamont Jordan (which they will). You have to wonder whether they will actually indeed pick up McFadden, or if Joe is merely a pawn to make it seem like the Raiders are no longer interested in McFadden to help increase the likelihood they will draft him. Who knows what Davis is thinking?

All in all, I would love to see Joe get a fair shake with an NFL team, and see what he can do with a healthy season. Mainly because of his significant contributions to Cal during his time year, but also because I'd just love to see all of his hard work and commitment pay off. And because he was also a Soc major like myself and former Cal baller A.J. Diggs and his name is flat out pimp. Adim-chee-noh-bee.....ECHE MANDU. Pimp.

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2003 NFL Draft Recap – Cal Players Taken

Hey all,

To celebrate the week leading up to the NFL Draft, I've decided to take my loyal readers down memory lane and revisit the last 5 NFL Drafts and see how it's worked out for the Cal players selected, and the teams who were lucky or unlucky enough to select them.

We're going to kick it off by looking at the 2003 NFL Draft.

1^st Round

19. Baltimore - Kyle Boller QB

Ahh yes, Kyle Boller. The QB who struggled, along with the rest of the team for his first 3 years, before getting a major career overhaul with the arrival of Tedford in the 2002 season. His breakout season in 2002 (2,815 yards, 28 TDs, 10 INT, and a 126.8 QB rating) helped him to break the school career TD record at 64 TDs, and put him in second on the all time career passing yard record at 7,980 yards.

His strong senior year and the much publicized pro day work out in which he threw a football through the uprights on the 50 yard line on his knees propelled Boller to the top of the draft at the 19^th overall spot, the second QB taken behind Heisman winner and 1^st overall pick Carson Palmer.

Boller started the first 9 games of his rookie season, going 5-3 before his season ending thigh injury. He saw more improvement in his 2004 season, beginning to settle into a starting QB role in the NFL. The next few years would be best described by the following 3 words: injury, mediocrity, and inconsistency. Boller would proceed to miss more games with various injuries, and would finish seasons with nearly even TD-INT ratios. Boller’s QB ratings would range from those as high as 136.8 to numbers much much lower than that * COUGH 3.5 *.

Since then, Boller’s most noteworthy achievements have been dating Tara Reid and…not much else.

Boller lost his starting job to Steve McNair in 2007, and has filled in a bit during the Ravens’ 08 season with McNair battling injuries, and filled in admirably albeit unspectacularly.

With the Ravens being incredibly public about the fact that they hope to snatch up Matt Ryan in the 8^th spot of this year’s draft as their quarterback of the future, Boller has pretty much transitioned from the “the verdict is still out on him” QB to the “First Round Bust” category. Don’t get me wrong, I still think the guy has talent, and may see some success as a backup in the near future, but it’s going to be hard for him to establish himself as a premier QB moving forward. He should still get a pretty decent shot this year, as his only competition at the starting QB spot will be Heisman winner Troy Smtih, and whoever the Ravens snatch up in the draft this year, unless they acquire a veteran QB.

In a more interesting note, one of my friends lived in the same exact apartment that Boller lived in before graduating. She would still get some of his mail years for years after. While she claims to have never opened any of his mail, I would have killed for a Kyle Boller credit card.

31. Oakland - Nnamdi Asomugha CB

Nnamdi Asomugha (pronounced /NAM-Dee Aso-MU-Wah/) began his career at Cal as a free safety before moving to the cornerback position, a position he would keep into the pros. One of the biggest cornerbacks in the 2003 draft, at 6’2 and 213 lbs, Nnamdi was a first round pick based off his safety-type toughness and superior speed. He exhibited very raw talent, and got immediate playing time as a rookie, and has proceeded to play in nearly every game since then.

Nnamdi had a breakout season in 2006, propelling himself to the elite tier of NFL cover cornerbacks, registering 8 interceptions (returning 1 for a TD), 18 pass breakups, along with 51 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble. Geez.

Teams began looking away from Nnamdi’s side of the field, which contributed to him having a quieter 2007 season. The Raiders placed the franchise tag on him in February, and with the recent signing of DeAngelo Hall, he and Hall are expected to be the premier defensive back duo in the NFL for the upcoming year. The Raiders will probably still suck though.

6^th Round

11. (184 Overall) St. Louis - Scott Tercero G

Scott Tercero missed his entire rookie year with a knee injury. He returned in the 2004 season to play an important role filling in for the Rams’ decimated offensive line that year. Tercero played eight games during that season, starting in four of them, filling in first for Kyle Turley at the right tackle spot, and later for an injured Chris Dishman. Injuries struck Tercero again, as he was placed on the injury reserve later in the season on November 16^th with shoulder and wrist injuries.

In somewhat of a surprising move, he Tercero was released the following summer. It was surprising considering how Tercero had emerged as a legitimate candidate to start at the left guard or right tackle spot. The Rams site reported: “Tercero had lost considerable weight after being injured, and was unable to put those pounds back on. Without the ability to gain the weight in time for camp, Tercero was given his release.”

7^th Round

25. (239 Overall) New England - Tully Banta-Cain DE

First off, because he has one of the coolest names ever, and the fact that it’s fairly long, I’m going to refer to Banta-Cain as Tully for the rest of my write up on him. Tully came in to Cal as a linebacker, but made the switch to defensive end, before eventually switching back to the linebacker spot in the pros.

Some draft reports had him projected as high as a 3^rd round pick, but he eventually fell to the 7^th round. This proved to be blessing though, as he ended up with one of the best NFL franchises in the Patriots.

Played consistently in a reserve role and on special teams in all 4 seasons with the Patriots, but it wasn’t until the 2006 season that he started (in 5 games), filling in for Junior Seau after Seau went down with a season ending arm injury. Tully went from a situational pass-rusher to showing that he could be productive as a starting outside linebacker. He went on to register 43 tackles that year (31 solo) and 5.5 sacks. Taking advantage of the solid numbers he put in the last year on his contract, Tully signed with the 49ers for the 2007 season, and put up comparable numbers at 41 tackles (30 solo) and 3.5 sacks.

Tully has an explosive first step, and good speed and range, but must continue to be more instinctive and improve his overall consistency.

Alrite, that about wraps it up for 2003, so check out the site in the next few days for the next few years.

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