Top Needs: Owner. Coaching Staff. [My apologies to Greg.]

In the first round, the Bengals have to take a wide receiver, as neither Terrell Owens nor Chad Ochocinco will likely be back. That means Georgia WR A. J. Green gets stuck in Cincinnati, the poor guy.

Given that starting QB Carson Palmer doesn’t want to play in Cincy anymore, they could also draft Missouri QB Blaine Gabbert. 

But really, who cares?

And how much Branch Rickey’s faith was a part of the decision:

Those NFL-minded folks around the office know that I beat this drum every chance I get. The Patriots of old (early 2000s) had defense. Real punishing, smothering, lockdown defense. Who wouldn’t, with the Pro-Bowl likes of Mike Vrabel, Tedy Bruschi, Asante Samuel, Ty Law, and Lawyer Milloy?

With the departure of Vrabel and retirement of Bruschi, the newer, younger Patriots defense has had some good seasons statistically, but they’ve lacked in one area: good, consistent, old-fashioned pressure on the quarterback. (Pressure, not necessarily sacks.) As a result of this, the abilities of the cornerbacks and safeties have often been unfairly called into question.

So what will Belichick do with two picks in each of the first, second, and third rounds? I have no idea. (If you’re reading this, Bill: I love you, man.) But what I would like is if they picked up a good OLB — a Clay Matthews type. I also wouldn’t be surprised if they pick up someone for the offensive line, which is both experienced and aging. (As Doc Rivers once put it, “When we win, [they say] it’s because we’re experienced, and when we lose, [they say] it’s because we’re old.”)

The Black & Gold had a great run last year and came up just short of their seventh Lombardi Trophy. That doesn’t mean there aren’t glaring weaknesses and holes that need to be addressed. Steelers’ drafts are usually uninspiring affairs. Rarely do fans get overly excited by the names that get called. But the team has been good at finding value picks after the first frame: Recent examples include WR Mike Wallace in 2009′s third round, and LB LaMarr Woodley in 2007′s second round.  

DEFENSIVE BACKS
Aaron Rodgers made the Steelers CBs look silly in the Super Bowl, and S Troy Polamalu has become injury prone. Look for the Steelers to make CB Aaron Williams from Texas their first-round pick. I would also expect them to take at least one other corner in the first four rounds. As a Virginia Tech alum, I’m crossing my fingers that Rashard Carmichael is that other corner.  

OFFENSIVE LINE
Last year, the Steelers’ offensive line was held together with super glue and duct tape. Backup TE Matt Spaeth was even pressed into service as a tackle at one point. The Steelers love drafting linemen, so I wouldn’t be surprised if these were their second- and third-round picks. It would be great to see current starting center Maurkice Pouncey’s brother, Mike, still on the board for them to take in the first round, but that’s just not going to happen.  

DEFENSIVE LINE 
The D-line fared better last year, but Aaron Smith will be coming back from a torn rotator cuff in 2009 and a torn tricep in 2010. Casey Hampton will be entering his 11th year at nose tackle. Names I’m seeing on Steeler draft boards include nose tackle Kenrick Ellis from Hampton and defensive end Zach Clayton from Auburn.

QUARTERBACK
I know this might sound like heresy, but the Steelers could stand to draft a guy who can be developed into a quality backup for Ben Roethlisberger. Given Big Ben’s taste for motorcycles and cocktail waitresses (not to mention the number of hits the guy takes on the field), they could use an insurance policy. I have no idea who that might be, especially in this draft that looks lean on QB talent. 

— Corey Dean Hall played intramural flag football at Virginia Tech.

All indications are that Carolina will roll the dice on Auburn QB Cam Newton with the first pick. There are three primary reasons for the choice.

One, the Newton NFL QB project provides Panther GM Marty Hurney with job security for the coming year, probably the next, and possibly a third. That is an epoch in NFL time. Two, the franchise is in desperate need of a face and a salesman after last year’s horrid 2-14 dumpster fire and owner Jerry Richardson’s serial public implosions. Newton has star power to burn — even if Newton might need to burn three time-outs to call an NFL play. And three — call them 3A and 3B — Ben Roethlisberger and Josh Freeman. Richardson has long fancied the Panthers as Steelers South and Big Ben’s body of work as a big, physical QB has made a big impression on the Big Cat. Reinforcing that impression is the fact that division rival Tampa Bay had a big, physical project of a QB turn it around (25 TDs, 6 INTs) in just one season. Freeman positively abused Carolina last year (118.3 passing rating), with Panther defenders bouncing off him like BBs as he converted third down after third down.

More broadly, the Panthers are convinced that NFL rule changes give TE-sized QBs a distinct advantage in what has become a big-play league. Carolina was outscored 408 to 196 last year, or 25 to 12 per game. The Panthers literally could not compete against most NFL teams.

There remains a chance the Panthers trade out and down of the first slot, but the offer would have to be crazy good — and probably from a team not looking to draft Newton. You never say never on Draft Day — especially given the gaping holes up and down Carolina’s near UFL roster — however Hurney seems pretty wedded to Newton.

From there, Carolina is mostly in best-available player mode — even though the Panthers lack a second rounder (which is another argument for trading down to add picks.)

Only S, LB, and RB are remotely staffed to NFL starter-quality levels — and that assumes that free-agent RB DeAngelo Williams does not return. The Panthers have long indicated that they thought that RBs Jonathan Stewart (2,739 career yards) and Mike Goodson could carry the backfield load, making DWill yet another Pro Bowler the Panthers are willing to let walk rather than pay.

Both interior lines are train wrecks, with little reason to believe that former first-round earthmover Jeff Otah will return to his stellar work at OT after chronic knee and now shoulder issues. OL then is absolute need, so look for a third rounder to be used on OT James Brewer (Indiana), G Orlando Franklin (Miami) or C/G John Moffitt (Wisconsin.) But so is DL, so maybe DTs Drake Nevis (LSU), Jurrell Casey (USC), or DT Marvin Austin (North Carolina) will get the call.

Then again, the Panthers kissed off their most consistent CB in Richard Marshall (32 games started, 7 INTs over the last two years), who will not re-sign with the team. You need three good CBs in the today’s NFL. So CBs Johnny Patrick (Louisville), Curtis Brown (Texas), Marcus Gilchrist (Clemson), Chimdi Chekwa (Ohio State), and Shareece Wright (USC) will all get looks.

In the fourth round, Carolina will still be looking for trench help — OT/G Jason Pinkston (Pittsburgh), OT Joseph Barksdale (LSU), DT Jerrell Powe (Ole Miss) are all possibilities, as are more CBs and some depth at WR, particularly if Pro Bowl WR Steve Smith has seen his last days as a Panther — and Smith probably has. In the fifth, CB Kendric Burney (North Carolina) got caught up in the NCAA snafu in Chapel Hill and dropped down the board as a result. If he is still around and CB is still a need, Burney is a no-brainer.

In the out rounds, maybe Carolina takes a flyer on RB Mario Fannin (Auburn) to both add RB and special-team depth and give Newton a familiar running-mate during the whirlwind Cam is about to step into.

Although Panther officials will deny it, picking Newton will task the young man with nothing less than saving an NFL franchise from extended mediocrity and fan indifference.

— Jeff A. Taylor is a contributing editor to the Carolina Journal.

The Buffalo Bills have been in search of two things over the past 15 years: relevance and a franchise quarterback. Neither is likely to arrive in Western New York via the 2011 NFL draft.

But the team does have a number of ways to make strides toward a better on-field product. Two such possibilities in the first-round: OLB Von Miller and DT Marcell Dareus.

Miller’s athletic ability would immediately add to the Bills struggling 3-4 scheme and bottom-of-the-league pass rush. Dareus could instantly aid the worst rush defense in the league.

Trading down and picking up tackle Anthony Castonzo is plausible. A beast by any measure, he would help address the Bills’ one consistency over the last decade: a terrible offensive line.

But if you listen to “the experts,” a franchise quarterback is necessary. Maybe, but that player is not Blaine Gabbert or possible second rounder Christian Ponder.

The team must address the lack of depth on both sides of the line in the second and third rounds. New assistant head coach Dave Wannstedt could vouch for OT Jason Pinkston, whom he recruited as head coach at Pitt. For a steal in later rounds, they should consider Julius Thomas, the newest basketball player turned TE.

Rolling the dice on a quarterback in the first or second round would ignore the multitude of holes throughout the team. Besides, Ryan Fitzpatrick is a capable signal caller that gives the team a chance to win. The team cannot afford to take on another long-term project. They need relevancy now: The uncertain future of team ownership and the siren song of a move to California are the real story for this team. Unless the Bills make smart choices in this draft, they could become the Los Angeles Dollar Bills sooner than any Western New Yorker wants to acknowledge.

— Harrison Moar is the Cato Institute’s media-relations manager.

The eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers nudged the New York Giants out of the playoffs last year, despite Big Blue’s 10-6 record. (Life is tough in the NFC East — just ask the Redskins.) Their 2010 performance was just good enough to give the Giants the worst draft position of all the non-playoff teams. So, how will the Giants use their eight draft picks? (They have no fifth rounder, but pick up two compensatory picks in the sixth.) What do they need?

OFFENSIVE LINE
Picking at No. 19, the Giants could very well have their pick of Anthony Castonzo, Gabe Carimi, Nate Solder, and Derrick Sherrod. Of the 2011 draft’s OTs, only Tyron Smith should definitely be gone at this point (though the Cowboys, Lions, Rams and — dare I say it — the Patriots all have QBs that need protecting). If he’s still there, the pick will likely be Castonzo, who went to Boston College — where Tom Coughlin coached for three years and where his son-in-law, guard Chris Snee, went to school. (Notre Dame fans will recall BC’s 41-39 upset win over the top-ranked Golden Domers in 1993, under Coughlin.) 

But if the Dolphins opt for RB Mark Ingram over the oft-mentioned (and, accordingly, overvalued) Mike Pouncey, then Big Blue may look to Pouncey. (Pace David Guenthner, I don’t think Miami’s possible signing of DeAngelo Williams rules out the Fins’ picking Ingram at 15.) Mike Pouncey is not as good as his brother Maurkice (a Pro bowler for the Steelers as a rookie last year), but he’s versatile enough to get action at a few positions along the offensive line while being groomed to take over for center Shaun O’Hara, the eldest of the Giants aging front five. I wouldn’t absolutely love the pick, but I can see it happening.

Expect the Giants to draft at least two offensive lineman.

LINEBACKER
I really wanted Rolando McClain to fall to the Giants in last year’s first round, and the Giants still need a lot more speed at middle linebacker — and at outside linebacker — to firm up their run defense up the middle, which got noticeably softer as last season progressed. Alas, there is no Rolando McClain in this year’s draft. Given the Giants’ fondness for Tarheels, their reaching for Quan Sturdivant in the second round is not out of the question, but it’s just as likely that this need will be filled later. We might see the Giants take one of the quicker DE prospects and stand him up at OLB.

My colleague and fellow Giant fan Russ Jenkins thinks a run-stuffing defensive lineman would suffice to take some pressure off the LB corps, and I can see the merit in that argument. They needed a MLB last year, and settled for pass-rushing DL Jason Pierre-Paul. Perhaps that would have worked out if Pierre-Paul were a run-stuffer. I’d rather have speed at LB.

CORNERBACK
The Giants always need defensive backfield help. Nowadays, they need a guy fast enough to cover Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson, who they’ll face at least twice. If, by some miracle, Miami CB Brandon Harris should fall to them in the second round, they should jump. At 5′ 10″, he lacks ideal size for a CB, but DeSean Jackson is . . . 5′ 10″.

The Giants used a lot of three-safety sets last season because of their lack of quality depth at CB. Alas, I don’t think this is a draft in which they can make up that deficit.  

WIDE RECEIVER
I saw a mock drafter the other day listing WR as the Giants’ top need, which made me wonder if the guy has ever seen a Giants game. Sure, possession specialist Steve Smith is returning from injury; top-ten stud Hakeem Nicks has been repeatedly dinged up in his two years in blue; and former Michigan standout Mario Manningham is likewise injury prone. But when healthy, that trio compares favorably to most teams’ in the league.

When healthy. So yes, Big Blue will probably add a late-round WR to ensure that they have enough warm bodies in camp. 

RUNNING BACK
Here, too, the Giants are solid if injury-prone, with scatback Ahmad Bradshaw (1,500 total yards last year) and linebacker-sized bruiser Brandon Jacobs (800 yards, 9 TDs) leading the way. Both still have tread on the tire, but neither is the ideal size. Expect the Giants to add a 5′ 11″, 210-pound back in the later rounds.

If Mark Ingram falls to them at No. 19, forget everything I just said.

UPDATE: I had completely forgotten about Sturdivant’s marijuana bust. He’ll last until the sixth round, at least.

Here’s my pick. Yes, he’s in 7th grade but he’s better than anybody on my Raiders:

1. A new owner.

2. A new coach.

3. Well, the good news is the Raiders don’t have a pick until the 2nd round, thus avoiding another JaMarcuss Russell debacle.

Who will the Raiders pick? It’s anyone’s guess. They need help everywhere. And I’m not sure how any fan can get really excited about the draft as the odds are pretty good that the Raiders will have a whole new system next year.

With that said, I’d go with a big offensive lineman with my first pick. You need those cats no matter who the coach is or what system he’s using. After that, best player on the board.

Go Navy:

Will Huntsman, son of Mary Kaye and Jon Huntsman, Jr., will attend the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and will have the opportunity to play football for the Midshipmen. The Naval Academy competes in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as an Independent. The Midshipmen are coached by Ken Niumatalolo. Niumatalolo is the first coach in school history to lead Navy to a bowl game in each of his first two years and is the first Service Academy coach to win the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy in his first two years.

Huntsman signed his letter of intent in February in a most unusual place, the Marine House attached to the United States Embassy in Beijing, China.

“I chose to sign my letter of intent in the Marine House because it was a significant part of my life in Beijing,” reflected Huntsman. “I spent a lot of time there rehabbing my knee and the Marines have helped me train physically and prepare mentally for what it takes to be in the military. Maybe someday I will look back in 10 years and be sitting in the same spot, who knows.”

Huntsman has been looking forward to attending the Naval Academy from the beginning of his high school career.

“I chose the Naval Academy because service to country means a lot to me, especially in uncertain times,” said Huntsman. “I want to be a part of something bigger and make my own path. Being able to play football there is just a bonus because it is not a school that someone goes to just to play a sport or have a great social experience. It has been my goal all along.”

Huntsman plans to continue his study of Chinese and possibly foreign relations or political science. His target for his initial five-year service is to pursue Marine Special Forces and hopefully turn that into a career.

Having to watch the former Houston Oilers move to Tennessee and become a perennial contender for most of the past 15 years was painful for this Houston native. The Jeff Fisher Era began in Texas, only to go on to rousing (and near-championship) success in Tennessee. This year, the Titans start their first post-Fisher year with a new coach and an old quarterback. Kerry Collins is the incumbent starter after headcase Vince Young was run out of town.

Like any team picking in the top ten, Tennessee has a number of holes all over the field: offensive line, defensive line, safety and, of course, quarterback. TCU QB product Andy Dalton has rocketed up draft boards over the last few weeks, peaking this week with him possibly going to the Titans at No. 8.

In a QB class loaded with question marks, the Titans could indeed roll the dice with Dalton. No one likes to pass on the next superstar at the most important position on the field. New coaching regimes have been known to hitch their wagon to a single sink-or-swim QB, and it’s unknown what new coach Mike Munchak’s tendencies are. Nonetheless, if they really want a QB, they could trade down and grab another second-tier QB prospect and extra draft picks. It’ll be a battle between Tennessee’s obvious recent history with a high-pick QB bust and owner Bud Adams’ love of glitz, glamor, and media attention.

It’s rumored that the coaching staff has been infatuated with both Auburn DT Nick Fairley and North Carolina DE Robert Quinn. Look for those players at No. 8.

Throughout the rest of the draft, they’ll need to restock their offensive line, as inconsistent play and free agency last year resulted in a weak line that hurt star tailback Chris Johnson’s performance. They’re also worried about the safety position, as in-house question marks mean they’ll need some insurance and competition.

— Kevin Glass is a writer and editor at Townhall.com.

With pick No. 23, the Birds should select a beast for the offensive line, a guy who can protect quarterback Michael Vick this fall. If I was in Andy Reid’s seat, I’d go with Tyron Smith, the broad-shouldered tackle out of Southern Cal. Reid has a good eye for O-linemen, so I’m sure he has a few others on his radar. I would not be surprised if Wisconsin’s Gabe Carimi, Baylor’s Danny Watkins, and Colorado’s Nate Solder get hard looks.

But if the top offensive-line talent is picked early, and Reid does not trade up, I see him going with a defensive tackle (or cornerback) to shore up some weak spots from last season.

— Robert Costa is a political reporter for National Review. 

Unless a soul for Jay Cutler is available at the 29th pick, one can expect the Bears to finally confront their long-glaring needs on the offensive line, with play-making speed at receiver and cornerback a distant second and third.

Chicago was in the bottom third of the league in both rushing and passing last year, enjoying another wild-ride playoff season mostly because of turnovers generated by the defense. But the team seems bent on soldiering forth with Cutler and featured runner Matt Forte in the backfield, and ’tis true that either might have been better had they not spent much of the year getting pummeled by unblocked defenders. Thankfully, there is athletic O-line beef to spare on the board. The Bears’ first-round draft position could net them either of two imposing tackles: regional prospect Gabe Carimi of Wisconsin, or Derek Sherrod of Mississippi State. Dark horse: Mike Pouncey of Florida, who could be plugged in anywhere in the interior line and whose twin brother Maurkice is already enjoying pro success with the Steelers.

The Bears have a pick in each of the first five rounds, and can always be counted on to lean toward the defensive side of the ball. Look for them to address Tommie Harris’ departure at defensive tackle, and reach for a cornerback project or two. The playoff lay-down against the Packers demonstrated that even backup quarterback is an area of sore need for this team. But this draft is bereft of signal-callers, in my opinion (Cam Newton? More skeletons than Arlington National Cemetery. Jake Locker? Accurate as a drunk weatherman. Ryan Mallett? JaMarcus Russell’s life coach’s second-best pupil. Andy Dalton? a.k.a. Smurfette. Blaine Gabbert? All the mobility of Michelangelo’s David.) So the Monsters of the Midway will again have to sink or sail with Cutler . . . or fans will have the Todd Collins Show to look forward to.

— Chris Kennedy is a Chicago expatriate and director of media relations at the Cato Institute.

The Miami Dolphins are a franchise in a hurry — in more ways than one. Last season’s disappointing 7–9 record exposed the team’s lack of speed and athleticism on offense. Beyond that, the postseason pursuit of then–Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh showed how impatient Dolphins owner Stephen Ross was with the poor performance, especially the 1–7 home mark.

Head coach Tony Sparano (and general manager Jeff Ireland?) have one more chance to get the Dolphins back in the playoffs before Ross goes in the cliched “different direction.” Making matters more challenging is that they have a bunch of needs to fill and they gave up their second-round pick in the trade for Brandon Marshall.  Just like last year, Miami is actively looking to regain that pick by trading back from #15 toward the end of the first round.

The Parcells rebuilding framework has been to draft from the inside out: rebuild your lines first, add skill positions later. And if there is a silver lining, it’s that the defensive needs are few: a backup nose tackle, a dime corner, and a backup safety who can become a core special teamer. All can be addressed via late-round picks or undrafted free agents — the latter being an area where Ireland has had success. Accordingly, Miami’s draft will tilt heavily toward the offense.

Quarterback
The Sparano/Ireland regime pinned its hopes that Chad Henne would make Miami fans forget about Dan Marino. Last season, he made us long for Jay Fiedler. Henne looks the part but plays like a robot. By contrast, backup Tyler Thigpen can win and lose games by himself. The Dolphins are doing their due-diligence on quarterbacks but will only use a high pick if it is a player they believe can come in and win games this year. Miami has met with Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett four times since the draft, but if they address this position through the draft instead of with a veteran, it’ll be on Friday.

Running back
Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown are free agents and will be elsewhere this fall. As such, the Dolphins need two running backs. Most draft experts have Alabama’s Mark Ingram to Miami in the first round, but that’s not a good value pick for a committee situation — especially when Kansas State’s Daniel Thomas (big back) and Eastern Washington’s Taiwan Jones (4.30) will be on Friday’s board. I also expect Miami to sign Carolina’s DeAngelo Williams when veteran free agency begins.  

Offensive line
The interior line was a hot mess all season, which hindered Miami’s running game.  The Dolphins re-signed Richie Incognito and plan to use him at center, which means both guard spots need upgrades.  Look for Miami to take two interior linemen in this draft.  Do not be surprised if the Dolphins use their first-round pick on Florida guard Mike Pouncey or even a college tackle like Wisconsin’s Gabe Carimi, who will start off at right guard for a year or two and then move outside to tackle once Vernon Carey breaks down.

Wide receiver
The Dolphins have a dominant lead receiver (for now) in Brandon Marshall, an excellent slot receiver in Davone Bess, and a solid but unspectacular receiver in Brian Hartline. They desperately need a speed receiver who can threaten defenses deep. I expect this to be addressed early on Saturday, but that could be augmented with an earlier pick depending on what the team’s security investigator discovers before Thursday as to Mrs. Marshall’s motives for stabbing her husband.

Tight end
The Dolphins have an average starting tight end in Anthony Fasano, and a big pile of nothing and not-yets behind him. Expect the team to do as they did last year and fire another dart at the board in about Round 5, hoping to find a solid second tight end who exhibits the tenacity, character, and passion of Jim Mandich, the ex-player-turned-iconic-broadcaster who passed away on Tuesday night.

Look at the Dolphins’ roster of token celebrity own- . . . uh, that is . . . “partners,” and there is no mistaking that Ross is enamored of star power. You can’t survive in a notoriously fickle sports town against King James if you don’t have it. Sparano and Ireland have one more chance to put some sort of star power on the field at Sun Life Stadium. Otherwise, Ross is sure to have big-name coaches and football executives on speed dial.

– David Guenthner is senior communications director at the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

It sometimes feels to conservatives that nothing has gone right in Washington since Bill Clinton was elected, and that’s the same for Redskins fans, too.

Our draft needs show exactly how far this storied franchise has fallen. The team needs major upgrades at every position except safety, punt returner, and perhaps tight end (though Chris Cooley hasn’t looked quite the player he was since breaking his ankle on Monday Night Football in 2009).

The two highest-profile trades in football in the last two offseasons — Albert Haynesworth and Donovan McNabb — have proved to be disasters. Ordinarily, drafting a nose tackle and/or a quarterback would be locks for a team in this state of disarray, but with so many needs, it’s hard to say that either will be the priority they might otherwise be. Quarterback is a definite need, but coach Mike Shanahan has particular requirements at that position, so unless Blaine Gabbert falls to No. 10, it’s unlikely a QB will be the Skins’ first pick. Most mock drafts have us taking Julio Jones in the first round, and he’d be a great upgrade to a wide-receiver corps that has had to start a No. 2 wideout as its No. 1 for longer than fans care to remember (not that Santana Moss hasn’t performed above and beyond the call of duty in that role).

What else do we need? A running back or two, a full back, an offensive line, a defensive line, at least one more impact linebacker, and a close-down corner to play opposite ball hawk DeAngelo Hall. Oh, and a kicker and a punter.

And we don’t pick between no. 41 and no. 144.

Apart from that, we’re in perfect shape.

— Iain Murray is vice president for strategy at the Competitive Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C.

NFL fans generally judge their team’s first-round draft picks based on two criteria: 1) Have I ever heard of the guy? 2) Does his position fill a need?

If your team satisfies one of these two tests, you will generally be pretty happy. If the pick satisfies both of the criteria, you’re on the phone trying to get your name in the Super Bowl ticket lottery. Neither criteria: “BOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

In Green Bay, there’s actually a third test: “Is the player a ‘throwback Packer?’”  (If you are a Green Bay draft pick and are considered an “old school” Packer, congratulations: you are a Caucasian. See: Hawk, A. J.; Matthews, Clay; and Bulaga, Bryan.) When the Pack drafts a player that hits the trifecta, their first trip to Green Bay involves making a cast of their head for the bronze bust in Canton.

But these cases are rare in Green Bay under the Ted Thompson regime.  Thompson drafts as if he’s the smartest guy in the league — and a lot of the time, he is.

Take, for example, his 2005 decision to use the 24th pick to end the draft freefall of Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers (whom some had projected the 49ers to take with the first pick) even when he had a Hall of Fame quarterback still playing close to his prime. Witness Thompson parlaying the pick he stole from the Jets for an older Brett Favre into still-developing USC linebacker Clay Matthews.  Wonder at Thompson drafting Super Bowl stalwarts in the mid-rounds: Greg Jennings, Nick Collins, James Jones, James Starks, Josh Sitton, Jason Spitz, Daryn Colledge, T. J. Lang, Desmond Bishop — the list goes on. Their two most promising cover corners, Tramon Williams and Sam Shields, were undrafted free agents.

Not that there haven’t been missteps. Despite his big-time reputation coming out of college (and his vocal conservatism), fifth overall pick in the 2006 draft A. J. Hawk has been merely an average NFL linebacker. (Thirteen of the players drafted in the first round in 2006 have gone to the Pro Bowl; Hawk is not one of them.) He gets torched by fast tight ends, which is why he was released early this offseason and re-signed to a much less lucrative deal to stay with the team.

The next year, Thompson used the 16th overall pick on Tennessee defensive lineman Justin Harrell, who has played a grand total of 13 games in his career with the Packers. The same year, the Packers used their second-round pick on Nebraska running back Brandon Jackson, whose name translated means, “run three yards and fall down.”

So what does this all mean for the Packers’ 2011 draft? Who knows? But let’s start with where they need help the most:

Offensive Line
Left tackle Chad Clifton began playing in the leather-helmet era. Right tackle Mark Tauscher, after 12 years in the league, has actually turned into a giant donut. Starting guard (and Sarah Palin enthusiast) Daryn Colledge is probably leaving via free agency. Bryan Bulaga, the Packers’ 2010 first round pick, struggled at times during his rookie year, but appears to be the heir apparent when Clifton calls it quits.

The experts say Wisconsin tackle Gabe Carimi, Mississippi State tackle Derek Sherrod, and Baylor guard/tackle Danny Watkins might be available at the end of the first round. Carimi will most likely be gone, and if you’ve ever heard of Sherrod and Watkins, it might be time for you to relearn the names of your children.

Running Back
Ryan Grant missed all but a few plays of the 2010 season. James Starks, who carried the team through the playoffs and Super Bowl, is loaded with talent but rumored to be a headcase. Brandon Jackson will likely be gone after setting the league record for rushing attempts by a mummy.

The real crowd pleaser here would be Mark Ingram, the bruising Heisman winner from Alabama. But the chances of his falling to No. 32 are slim, and as we see in draft after draft, there’s always a lot of running back talent in the middle rounds — and this draft is said to be heavy on running back talent (Ryan Williams, Mikel Leshoure, Daniel Thomas, Shane Vereen, DeMarco Murray, Bilal Powell, Kendall Hunter, Stevan Ridley, Taiwan Jones, etc.) It would be out of character for Thompson to reach for a RB — which means it’s probably what he’s going to do.

Defensive Line
As this last season proved, you can never have enough bodies on the D-line. At the end of the year, the Packers were filling in spots with guys they had signed off the street. The spelling-challenged B. J. Raji developed into a force, Ryan Pickett got healthy, and the no-names played over their heads.

Yet there don’t appear to be a lot of sure things on the draft board at the end of the first round. The Packers are said to like Iowa’s Adrian Clayborn, but the words “birth-related nerve condition” tend to send up a red flag. Others likely on the board will be Temple’s Muhammad Wilkerson and Ohio State’s Cameron Heyward — son of the late Craig “Ironhead” Heyward, former NFL running back.

Of course, this is all dependent on there actually being a season in 2011. If there is, the Packers should once again be one of the league’s strongest teams — barring injuries, or the public-employee unions burning the state of Wisconsin to the ground.

— Christian Schneider is a senior fellow at the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute.

That’s how long tonight’s Yankees–White Sox game took.  Isn’t there some rule that every Yankee game has to last at least three hours?  Those Yankee Stadium beer vendors must be mighty disappointed.

And just two pitchers for each team, with the changes coming between innings?  What is this, 1967?  

Well, this is certainly a novel defense against sexual harassment allegations:

The latest Associated Press article regarding Redskins defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth’s latest legal imbroglio focuses on the fact that prosecutors offered Haynesworth a plea deal, and he refused it.

Haynesworth’s attorney A. Scott Bolden (not to be confused with the Scott Bolden) said that the offer consisted of “no deal at all, nor is it one we would entertain.”

Buried in the article are details regarding Haynesworth’s response to the claim that he touched a waitress at a hotel restaurant inappropriately with a credit card.

“I didn’t touch her,” Haynesworth said, according to documents.  He also explained that he doesn’t “even like black girls.”

Haynesworth even took it a step farther, claiming that the alleged victim was motivated by Haynesworth’s taste in women.

“I know what this is about, she is just upset I have a white girlfriend,” Haynesworth reportedly told detectives.  “I couldn’t tell you the last time I dated a black girl.  She was trying to get with me.”

The rest here.

TMZ:

Atlanta Braves pitching coach Roger McDowell has been accused of targeting a group of male fans last weekend at a Giants game in San Fran — allegedly asking them, “Are you a homo couple or a threesome?”

Mega-attorney Gloria Allred announced the allegations moments ago in a news conference — representing a family of four (including two 9-year-old girls) who claim they watched McDowell make the homophobic remark and then use a baseball bat to simulate gay sex.

Last September, four Mets players from the recently expanded roster, including Carlos Beltran, Luis Castillo, and Oliver Perez, missed a voluntary visit to Walter Reed Army Hospital to meet with wounded servicemembers. Subsequently, a few New York columnists went bananas, including the perpetually self-righteous Mike Lupica, who declared:

Of course Beltran and Perez and Castillo don’t get on the team bus to go to Walter Reed. Why get on a team bus when you don’t want to be on the team?”

Yesterday’s trip to Walter Reed seemed to go off sans any drama, even though this time there were two no-shows — Francisco “K-Rod” Rodriguez and Taylor Buchholtz. The lack of an outcry is even more interesting when one recalls that new general manager Sandy Alderson did a tour of duty in Vietnam while in the Marine Corps.

Among other things, maybe the Wilpons, who were reportedly outraged by last year’s no-shows, belatedly figured out that there were far more important issues requiring their attention?

EDIT: Apparently, the “no-shows,” no doubt aware of the earlier tempest, alerted the brass in advance that they had familial obligations.