General

Shanoff’s W.U.C.: 2010 Draft, 58, NHL Game 7

Apr 28, 2009, 12:18 PM UTC

Today’s Calls: Pat White vs. Tim Tebow, Chauncey Billups vs. Chris Paul, Celtics vs. Bulls, Caps vs. Rangers, Barry Bonds vs. Giants fans, Chase Daniel vs. Graham Harrell and More.â†µâ†µThe Opening Pitch: Is it too early to look ahead to the 2010 NFL Draft? Never!â†µ

â†µâ†µThe most intriguing name of the 2010 NFL Draft is: Tim Tebow. And so the most important person in Tebow’s NFL future is ... Pat White.â†µ

â†µâ†µIf White comes into Miami and is remotely productive as a Wildcat specialist (I’ll make a prediction for his rookie season: 10 TDs, passing or rushing out of the Wildcat), Tebow will be a top-half 1st-rounder in the 2010 Draft, as other teams jump on the Wildcat bandwagon in full force.â†µ

â†µâ†µAs far as his NFL prospects go, what Tebow needs is the rest of the NFL to see the Wildcat unleashed by a QB who can run OR throw, equally well -- not just some gimmick for a RB, but a legitimate offensive set that can be deployed throughout the game, with great success.â†µ

â†µâ†µI will make another prediction, and this one sort of hurts: Tebow will be drafted by the Pats. That prediction is based on …â†µ

â†µâ†µ• Belichick’s tight relationship with Urban Meyer.â†µ
â†µ• Previous admiring things Belichick has said about Tebow.â†µ
â†µ• Belichick’s rep as an innovator (See Brady in the spread).â†µ
â†µ• All those 2nd-round picks stockpiled ... to move up.â†µ

â†µâ†µThen you will have to sedate me: My favorite player in my most loathed sports city? Conflicted!â†µ

â†µâ†µAfter the jump: More projections for the 2010 Draft!â†µ

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â†µ2010 NFL Draft Preview: Sam Bradford will be the consensus "franchise QB" and top contender for the No. 1 overall pick -- unless, of course, that pick is earned by the Lions (who would undoubtedly find someone to trade with -- um, Seattle?)â†µ

â†µâ†µTop Prospect at Each Position Heading into ‘10:â†µ

â†µâ†µTop WR: Aurelious Benn, Illinoisâ†µ
â†µTop RB: Joe McKnight, USCâ†µ
â†µTop TE: Jermaine Gresham, Oklahomaâ†µ
â†µTop OL: Russell Okung, Oklahoma St.â†µ
â†µTop DE: Carlos Dunlap, Floridaâ†µ
â†µTop DT: Gerald McCoy, Oklahomaâ†µ
â†µTop LB: Sergio Kindle, Texasâ†µ
â†µTop S: Taylor Mays, USCâ†µ
â†µTop CB: Joe Haden, Floridaâ†µ

â†µâ†µPut your own players to watch for the 2010 Draft in the Comments.â†µ

â†µâ†µNBA Playoffs: 58. You have never seen a pasting like the Nuggets gave the Hornets last night. No, really: They tied the NBA record from 1956 with a 58-point margin of victory. (58! And that was at New Orleans!) If there was ever an indication that this isn’t your regular, playoff-chokey Nuggets -- but your new Billupsified Nuggets -- that was it.â†µ

â†µâ†µMore: â†µ

â†µâ†µThe Lakers wrapped things up with the Jazz and will perhaps find out their West semi opponent tonight, if the Rockets can finish off the Blazers ... Speaking of 4-5 series, the Hawks reclaimed home court advantage over the Heat with a rare playoff road win (holding Wade to 9/26 FG shooting). ... The most must-see series of the NBA Playoffs continues tonight: Game 5 of Celtics-Bulls, in Boston.â†µ

â†µâ†µNHL Playoffs: The Sharks are out. The team with the best record in the regular season couldn’t even make it out of the first round of the playoffs. Let’s be clear: San Jose’s fantastic season was a waste.â†µ

â†µâ†µMeanwhile, there is no intensity like playoff hockey Game 7s: The Caps crowd should be rocking tonight in the Caps-Rangers G7, with all sorts of nastiness -- suspensions! chokery! biting! -- as the subplots. As if the game needed any more than this: Win or go home. (Canes-Devils is a Game 7 tonight, too.)â†µ

â†µâ†µ(Plus: The Blackhawks are the NHL’s Nuggets -- two teams that have had terrible postseason success over the last decade and a half, finally breaking through.)â†µ

â†µâ†µMLB Talking Points:â†µ

â†µâ†µ• SF fans still love Barry:Why not re-sign him?â†µ

â†µâ†µ• MLB’s Hottest:Red Sox win 11th straight.â†µ

â†µâ†µ• Yankees lose again:CC beaten by Verlander.â†µ

â†µâ†µ• The NL’s Greinke?Joel Pineiro is 4-0â†µ

â†µâ†µ• Fantasy Stud:Dexter Fowler (5 SBs!)â†µ

â†µâ†µNFL Draft: UFA! UFA! Got a draft hangover? Try the run on undrafted free agents the Monday after the draft is over. Be honest: Would you rather be a 7th round pick for a specific team or get to take your pick of situations best-suited for your skills?â†µ

â†µâ†µOf the undrafted players with the most intrigue, try the pair of QBs from the Big 12: Mizzou’s Chase Daniel went to the Redskins, and Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell went to the Browns (a bit ironic, given that Mike Leach ripped Eric Mangini about possible negative rumors the Browns spread around about Michael Crabtree’s attitude that may or may not have led to his slide to No. 10).â†µ

â†µâ†µNBA Draft: In a weak year, will the players NOT turning pro (DeCourcy calls the “Blake (Griffin) Effect”) regret not jumping? Ed Davis, Willie Warren, Greg Monroe, Al-Farouq Aminu, Craig Brackins. With a freshman class headlined by star guards (Wall, Stephenson, Bradley), bigs like Davis, Monroe and Aminu may battle for Top 5 position in 2010. They could have been Top 5 picks THIS year.â†µ

â†µâ†µVick Watch: If I were a GM, I would have traded a 7th-round pick for the rights to Vick, then negotiated down his $9M salary. Maybe the team doesn’t want the headache, but fans will forgive the move if Vick helps a struggling team get back to the playoffs.â†µ

â†µâ†µThe Last Word: Up up. Down down. Left-right, left-right. B-A. Enterenterenterenterenter. Ooh: So pretty!â†µ

â†µâ†µDan Shanoff writes The Wake-Up Call every weekday morning for SportingNews.com and blogs daily at DanShanoff.com. Got any comments, questions or feedback? Email Dan at shanofftsn-[at]-gmail-[dot]-com. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/danshanoff. â†µ

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This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.

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