NFL Draft Predictions

I'm a self-confessed NFL draftnik. And not in the Mike Mayock, ability to either scout or predict order kind of way. More in the "hopelessly in love with both college and NFL football so that I sit down and watch the entire draft" kind of way.

Pathetic, I know.

But the draft always brings around a level of excitment in that I get to see who my Niners pick up, and where my Cal Bears end up. Very rarely if ever, do those two sectors combine.

But the Golden Bears have been represented in the draft pretty well over the years and I don't anticipate it being too different this year.

So without any further adieu, here are my bold predictions for where this year's draft prospects end up.

Keenan Allen - 1st Round - 27th pick overall (Houston)
Allen has had a bit of a crazy offseason. After a knee injury sidelined Allen for the last three games of the season, Allen was unable to participate at the NFL combine and instead had to wait until his own personal workout in front of NFL scouts. Despite posting a subpar 4.7 40, he still impressed in nearly every other aspect. Shortly after, Allen was flagged for having unusually high water levels in his urine, often an indication that a player might be trying to flush his system of any drugs. His agent has denied any such reports, but few players have had as crazy of an offseason.

Still, the fact remains that Allen is still likely the most polished receiver in this year's draft, and easily be a Top 20 pick if he were healthy through workouts. Some teams that need a WR in this year's draft might be looking at more speedster options like Tavon Austin or Cordarelle Patterson, but I do think Allen still ends up somewhere near the bottom of the first round with a team that can use him immediately in the short to intermediate passing game.

Houston seems like the best fit, as the Texans desperately need another option to complement an aging Andre Johnson. St. Louis and Minnesota both have two first round picks and could use a receiver here, but they've kept their WR preferences pretty close to their vest. I can't imagine Allen lasting beyond the first 40 picks in the draft however. That would be an absolutely ridiculous steal.

Brian Schwenke - 3rd round - 94th overall (Baltimore)
Schwenke looks to continue the proud tradition of Cal o-linemen who go on to some underratedly fantastic careers in the pros. Schwenke is probably under a few people's radar because of how awful the Bears' o-line has been the past few years, but Schwenke was one of the few bright spots of last year's offensive line.

Schwenke was also hugely impressive at the senior bowl, and most some of the better measureables among all the centers at the combine. He has the experience and flexibility to play at either the center or guard position, and is good enough to immediately contribute. He may not be an immediate starter, but he's going to give you a solid outing for the next 8-10 years if he stays healthy. And speaking of which, injuries have rarely if ever, been an issue for Schwenke.

I can also see a handful of teams picking him up in 3rd or 4th round such as Chicago, or Cincinnati.

Marc Anthony - 6th round - 182nd overall (Carolina)
Anthony has been universally praised by scouts for his coverage skills, specifically in ability to play physical in press coverage. Like much of of his career at Cal however, his durability and speed concerns persist. His 4.63 time at the combine isn't impressing anyone.

He still has the ability to be an eventual contributor as a reserve player in the future however, and I see teams taking a waiver on him in the later rounds.

Steve Williams - 6th round - 194th overall (Seattle)
For what it's worth, I do believe Williams will be severely under-drafted. As an early-entrant, Williams hasn't been on most scouts' radars as he didn't necessarily win any post-season accolades or get any real press during the season.

Williams did turn some heads however after he notched a 4.2 hand timed 40 at the combine, before settling with the official 4.4 time.

While I completely understand William's reasoning for declaring early, the 4th year junior probably could have moved up a few rounds had he stayed for another year. He would have easily returned as one of the best corners in the conference his senior year.

He's got the coverage skills and speed to be a contributor at the next level, and honestly, I thought he was Cal's best player on defense last season. He still needs to improve his tackling and physicality to be a more rounded player at the next level, but a team his definitely going to take a chance on his potential.

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New Cal Uniforms and Logo Are Here!

(Source: CalBears.com)

In the lull that is college football offseason, today is freaking Christmas come early. At least for me.

In a much hyped promotion campaign, Nike and Cal unveiled the new streamlined look for Cal Athletics wear, with much of the emphasis being on the new Cal uniforms.

Overall, I have to say I love the new uniforms. LOVE 'EM. I do have my share of gripes though. Check out my full reactions after the jump.

(1) Big Fan of the overall uniform
All in all, I'm digging the new unis. In terms of designing a uniform that's the right combination of old school meets new school, I'd say the uniforms are a smashing success. They look sleek without getting too gimmicky, which I thought the last generation of uniforms did with the introduction of the stripes.

I'm glad that the previously mentioned gold portion around the collar turned out to be a nice slick V-collar designs, and that the uniform doesn't deviate in its use of the primary Cal colors.

For as much as they wanted to pay homage to the past, the uniforms are unabashedly modern, and not anything close to being considered retro. I like it.

(2)The Cal script lives on!
My biggest concern going into the uniform overhaul was that the athletics department would ditch the Cal script. Thankfully this wasn't the case, and if anything, they've highlighted it even further, as it's much larger on this helmet this time around.

(3) Logo is ok, but not on the uniform
In addition to introducing the new uniforms, the Bears also introduced the new Bear logo. They really tried to emphasize the ferocity of the Bears. And you know me, I'm all about Bears with claws, or Bears with Fangs.

Well, this new logo, it's...it's....interesting.



Ok, let's be honest, it kind of looks like a vagina. And if you don't see it, then you clearly have never...nevermind.

I'm not a huge fan, nor do I see the need for a Bear logo. With that said, I suppose it looks better than the other "angry Bear" logos we've had.



Fortunately, though I'm not a huge fan of the logo, it's use on the uniforms is actually pretty slick. First, in the picture below, you'll notice that the Bear logo is actually in the uniform number itself. I barely even noticed it the first time I looked at the uniforms.



Secondly, it looks like they're stitching a 3D patch of it on the hip pocket, which actually doesn't look too bad.



I will say that I'm not a fan of its third use though: a tone on tone stich that will be hard to see from a distance, but visible close up.



It just seems a bit unnecessary, and I would have been completely fine with just the first two aforementioned uses.

(4) Like the Matte Helmet Look
The helmets are reportedly actually textured, though they have the matte look. I gotta say I dig it. It's sleek, with the times, it's just sharp overall.

(5) Return of the Banana Suit
Looks like I counted my chickens before they hatched because the photos seem to show that that the gold on gold look is still very much a possibility. I thought they'd stick with just blue-on-blue, or blue-on-gold, but the banana suit seems to be out in full force.



The blue accents don't make it seem as appalling as the previous unis, but I'm still not a fan of the look. At least this means we haven't gotten rid of the gold on blue look which is still the best color combination in my opinion.

Grey? GREY?!
The Nike press release just kind of threw this out there, but it looks like the Bears will indeed go the same route as schools who choose to ditch their primary colors for the grey look from time to time.

Conceptually, I don't like the idea. Never have, and never will. It just doesn't make sense, and I'm reminded of how dumb Stanford looked in their black unis. But then again, Stanford always looks awful.

I haven't seen an official photo of these, though I did find this photo on the BearInsider Forums.




If that uniform on the left is indeed grey, I've got to say this is a "thumbs down" from me. Insert sad face.

A win overall
Again, overall I'm a fan of the new uniforms. There are far more hits than misses, and more than anything, it isn't a complete faceplant of a brand relaunch. These uniforms are classy and slick. A hard line to balance.

Check out the reactions from the Cal team. They didn't quite explode, but their reactions tell you all they need to know. These kids are pumped.



Now go out and win some games in them fellas.

What do you guys think about the uniforms? Curious to hear your thoughts.

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Keenan Allen Runs 4.7 40 Yard Dash at Pro Day

Keenan Allen injured his left posterior cruciate ligament to his left knee which caused him to not only miss the final three games of his 2012 season, but also made him unavailable for any type of combine or pro day workouts. The projected late 1st round pick has left scouts waiting anxiously for his personal pro day workout which took place today back in his hometown of Greensborough, North Carolina.

Well, the results are back, and at least one number isn't pretty. Allen reportedly ran a 4.71 and 4.75 in his two attempts at the 40 yard dash. Allen's trainers were clear in stating that although Allen's knee was 100%, he still only had anywhere from 75-80% of the explosion in his legs.

Allen's speed has been the only question preventing him from being the unanimous top wide receiver prospect in this draft.

Scouts who are numbers obsessed, and look at pro workout numbers aren't going to like Allen's 40 time too much, and will find themselves looking elsewhere in the first or even second round.

Scouts who understand that coming back from a PCL injury will naturally means his times are likely a touch under what he might be able to run at full strength. However, these same scouts who actually do their homework will understand that speed was never Allen's top quality. Allen's strengths are in his toughness, hands, and overall athleticism on the field.

Here's what Mike Mayock had to say about Allen:
"Let me preface the whole 40-yard conversation with this: Three months ago, I said -- if you watch this kid on tape -- if you like him, he's Anquan Boldin. If you don't like him, he's speed deficient. So I don't really care what he runs in the 40. On tape, to me, he's a 4.55 guy all day long.

What he (Allen) does give you is 'a big, powerful, wide receiver' who could go anywhere from No. 25 to No. 45 in the draft.

I believe in his toughness and his hands. I would...'bang the table' for Allen."

Ultimately, this time undoubtedly hurt Allen more than it helped him. But for teams who already have a good gauge on the type of player Allen will be at the next level likely aren't wavering too much.

Like Mayock said, I see Allen falling somewhere at the end of the 1st round, or being a steal in the second.
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Kate Scott Views New Cal Uniforms

It looks like the Cal athletic department is continuing to preview show off sneak peaks of Cal's new streamlined uniforms to Cal alum. We saw Jason Kidd's reaction last week, and this week, they continued with former Cal mic woman and one of my pseudo-celebrity crushes, Kate Scott.



Thoughts and some vague clues after the jump.

Although we weren't offered any new glimpses at the blurry uniforms shots we've already seen, we've got Ms. Scott's reactions.

She mentions that the uniform is keeping up with the old traditions, so the uniforms are likely playing homage to an old iteration of a Bears' uniform, or is likely keeping it pretty simple in design.

I'm not sure what Kate saw, but something made her say, "Look at that. Getting a little angry and feisty."

Could it be the famed bear claws on the sleeves? Something on the blurry golden collars? Not sure.

All I know is that April 10th can't come soon enough. Oh, and I love you Kate.
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Mailbag: Sonny Dykes - Savior or Failure?

Every so often I get some email, which I always appreciate. Sometimes they're rants, sometimes they're questions, sometimes they're pretty strange pictures of people in Cal clothing. Those I don't like so much.

Anyway, I received an email this weekend I thought I'd share.

Dan writes:

I am a Cal alum from the 70’s and a fan of your blog. My buddy and I attended a reception for Coach Dykes this week in Southern California. I enjoyed it very much and was impressed by Coach Dykes (I liked his insights on college football and found him to be an engaging speaker).

My friend, who will remain nameless, is also a Cal alum, but sadly he has a cynical streak in him, not a first among Cal fans. At any rate, he dashed off this email/rant after the reception which I thought you might find amusing. Go Bears.

(Dan's friend's email)
Good news! In the upcoming football season, Cal is going to focus on academics and grade point average. Cal is very proud of the fact that it is the top public school in academics and that their football student athletes have close to a 3.5 grade point average (in on camera interviews, the new JC transfers confirmed that they are taking classes like “sports psychology” and “philosophy of physics,” so query how valid that GPA stat is – but, still “yay!”). Fortunately, Cal has doubled the number of “study advisors/helpers” to help the players in the football program with their studies, and their offices are right next to the coaches’ offices, so academic progress (or lack of it) can be closely monitored.

Coach Dykes believes that the major reason for the lack of success under Tedford was the focus on “athletics” and not the “student” aspect of the athletes. In fact, he had to meet with several recruits this spring – all of whom were good athletes that had committed to Cal - telling them they should look elsewhere because, based on looking at their transcripts and talking to their high school coaches, he did not feel they did had the academic potential for success at Cal. Fortunately, they were all immediately able to get full scholarships at other schools, so we don’t need to feel bad about them.

We have three (3) quarterbacks, none of whom has ever thrown a down in college football at any level. One has a weak arm, but can run fairly well (maybe not well enough to draw up running plays for him, but good), while the other two performed better in spring ball than Coach Dykes expected. Our offensive strategy, in general, is to play quickly, since that will fool the defense, who will not be ready in time for the plays. His strategy for the offensive line is to “give ground” (i.e., be pushed back into the quarterback), because this is a more effective way to defeat tricky moves by the defensive line. After some training, our new recruits were able to get with this approach, rather than flattening their counterparts like they did in high school. We have one “beast” on the offensive line that is 6’8” and 340 pounds – our strategy is to have him come off the bus first to intimidate opponents. We are weak in the secondary.

I wish I were making this up, but each and every statement above is 100% true, straight from the source. It’s over. We are NEVER going to the Rose Bowl. NEVER. We might have several players who do well on “Jeopardy,” but that is about all we have to look forward to this season. My prediction for the Ohio State game (at home this year) is 68-7. You can bet Urban Meyer didn’t tell his best incoming athletes to go find another program…

Dan's Insights
My reaction to Coach Dykes’ presentation was far more positive than my friend’s. Yes, he did spend a lot of time talking about improving the academic standing of our football players, perhaps not what this older alum crowd was really interested in hearing if you put them under truth serum.

He made some interesting remarks about his football philosophy. He said that he was not really about explosive offenses, but about “scoring one more point than your opponent.” If the talent on his squad is conducive to a fast-paced, run/pass Oregon style offense, then so be it. But a team with strong defensive players may favor a different style of play. He was really about developing a strategy based on the team’s strength in any given year.

He also handicapped the three quarterback candidates. He made is seem that there really is an open competition for the spot, with each having his strength and weaknesses. I thought he was surprisingly candid in his assessment of each.

He also mentioned that he was interested in establishing links with former Cal players who are now playing in the NFL and that he had specifically reached out to Aaron Rodgers.

He had much more to say, but I was two vodka tonics into the evening when Coach Dykes took the lectern and I wasn’t taking notes. Everything mentioned in my friend’s email was said by Coach Dykes. That said, I liked Coach Dykes. He also said some good things about Tedford, which went over well with me given everything Tedford did for the Cal program.

All the best, and thanks for all the time you put in to your exceptional blog.


Thanks for the email Dan. A couple of quick thoughts:

Here's my take on the focus on academics. Whether fans want to hear about it or not, Cal's current APR scores were on a path to lead the Bears into sanction hell. We're talking bowl bans, scholarship reductions, etc. And yes, our APR scores are that bad. We needed a turnaround, and quickly. So the emphasis is very much needed at this point.

I'm not sure if I fully believe that the best students make the best athletes, but I do think there is something to be said about instilling a culture of discipline within a number of athletes. If the student-athlete is having to attend every class, you can bet that desire and discipline will carry over onto the field once they digest all it took for them to be there.

I think it's incredibly premature to say whether we're Rose Bowl bound, or poised to continue the drought for the duration of human existence. Do I have my question marks? Sure. I think the coaching hires as a whole have been underwhelming and a bit WAC-ish, and unimpressed by some of the late recruiting offers for 2012. With that said, I think Dykes and company have done some very good things, and I believe we're seeing some of the early signs.

I also don't think this season should be the barometer for evaluating Dykes either. Let's see how this plays out and try to enjoy it as much as we can in the process. Come year three and find that we're still battling for bowl eligibility and low APR scores, then you might find me next to the NegaBear punch. Until then, let's enjoy, I don't know...the MONTH OF APRIL.

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