Running Buffaloes

There are few things in this world that get me really excited. Some of these things include finding $20 in an old jean pocket, icing your friend with a Strawberry Acai, Chipotle, beating my friends in Words With Friends and ultimately, seeing Buff players get nationally known for their talents and eventually getting drafted.

Today Alec Burks announced that he is going to be taking his talents, not to the new CU basketball/volleyball facilities, but to the NBA and will forfeit the last two years of his college career. It's sad to see Alec leave but I can never be mad at a person for accepting millions of dollars and taking a shot at stardom. Well actually, yes I can (see Montag, Heidi). I can't wait until draft night to see where he might land, though. As of right now, ESPN ranks Alec Burks as the #1 shooting guard in the draft - yes, even above Kemba Walker - and the 14th overall prospect. Generally speaking, that means there is 13 players that will go ahead of Burks in the draft and then factor in a few overrated Europeans and it looks like Burks may have a shot of landing with a solid team that is in need of a scoring 2 guard. So what team will be sitting in the 15-20 range and in need of a wing player?? Well by the way things are shaping up for the Nuggets (down 0-2 in the playoffs, with JR Smith saying he likely won't return next year...) they may be in prime position to draft Burks and keep him in Colorado. I won't get my hopes up but it's wishful thinking. Aside from some other former Buffs that got a shot at the NBA, I think Burks has the best shot at making a name for himself. His size is ideal for an NBA shootingguard (6'6) and he definitely has the athleticism. Aside from most shooting guards coming out of college, Burks' stregth is attacking the rim and not settling for jumpers. His game reminds me of Dwayne Wade in a sense that he fearlessly drive the lane and then counters it with a mid range jumper when the defense plays off him. This is exactly what NBA scouts look for when drafting because the last thing they want to do is draft a shoot first shooting guard who ends up being Rashad McCants.

Burks ripped it up this year and headlined the All-Big 12 team because he averaged 20.5 points, leading the Big 12 in scoring and breaking CU's single-season record for points scored. He also led the Buffs in assists and was second on the squad in rebounds, averaging 6.5 boards per game. I have went 3 1/2 years in college with losing sports teams and then on the last leg of my senior year, I get a gift from the sports gods who bless me with a good basketball team. Top flight players, big time dunks, beating ranked teams, etc. were all present in a season that was cut too short by the douche-bags who finalize the March Madness bracket. That aside, it was nice to see a team, well you know, actually play basketball and win some games for a school that was in much need of shot of life in the athletic department.

Anywho, best of luck to Burks and his career. It will be nice to see a Buffalo in the NBA outside of Chauncey. Man that's depressing to see only ONE Buff in the NBA...

Cory Higgins - Whether he was droppin' dimes at the Coors Event Center or picking up dimes at the Absinthe House, the dude always brought his "A" game. I had the pleasure of watching Higgins play for all four years because he was in my freshman class. I actually met him like the first week of school because we had some mutual friends (he went to Danville High with a few of my good friends) and I knew the guy was legit. Lets be honest here, Higgins could and should have been playing for a big time basketball program but it was his wiliness to start something new and build up CU's basketball program that brings out the true character in Higgins. His loyalty to CU paid huge dividends to the program as we soon collected some talented prospects in Burks, Roberson, Sharpe, etc. which eventually allowed us become a top tier basketball team team in the country. It's a shame that the Buffs got completely screwed out of the March Madness tournament because that would have been a fitting way to end his career. BUT none the less, Higgins will have his name forever placed in the Buffaloes record books and there still is a chance that the scoring two-guard may get some looks in the NBA. By the way, it doesn't hurt when your god-father is the greatest basketball player to ever grace this planet (Michael Jordan) and your dad is the GM for an NBA team (Rod Higgins)....

Levi Knutson - Leave it to Jeff Bzdelik to bury our teams best shooter on the bench for his first 3 years. Levi came through huge for the Buffaloes this year and took home the Sixth Man of the Year award which was well deserved considering that Levi helped secure the Buffs backcourt which was desperately hurting in the point guard position. Levi was a sniper from downtown and smart/gritty defender on the perimeter. This year, Levi was a lot like Vanilla Ice. He burst onto the scene out of nowhere, began dominating a black mans craft, and everyone was asking "where the hell has this guy been all along?" Like Vanilla Ice though, he was a one hit wonder, his career was short lived and he will never be heard from again. At least Levi doesn't have a real name like Robert Matthew Van Winkle. It should be a law that no one with a name like that can pick up a microphone and try to rap. Stick to country. Or yodeling.

Andre Roberson - This kid came out of nowhere. At 6'7 I thought he was a small forward but his wingspan and insane leaping ability turned him into one of the most productive rebounders and shot blockers in the Big 12 (set the freshman Colorado rebounding record). With Harris-Tunks being sidelined for the season, Roberson was our last line of defense against opposing big men. Whether it was his explosive weak-side blocks or his monster jams, the sky is the limit for the guy who was already turning heads during his first year. He isn't a stiff either. He hit a few three's and could handle the ball better than expected for power forward.




Shannon Sharpe - If Shannon spent as much time working on his jumper than he does on Twitter than the Buffs might have made March Madness without any controversy. With Nate Tomlinson playing like how you would expect and short, white, Australian to play, the Buffs point guard position was Sharpe's to take this year. Shannon played pretty well considering he was coming off a season ending injury last year but his inconsistent jump shot and lack of left handled dribbling cost him big time minutes. Like I said, Levi filled in very nicely at the point for a majority of the game so we could afford to have Shannon come in as only a defensive specialist but next year will be Shannon's time to step with the departure of Burks, Higgins, and Knutson. I am excited to see the potential of Sharpe because the sky is the limit with him. If he can develop a consistent outside shot than watch out because he can already do things like this:

Broncos Mock Draft 2011

It's been awhile since I last posted (over a year ago.... my bad) but a lot has changed (or hasn't changed) for the Broncos since the end of the 2009 season (do I put too many brackets into my sentences? Oh well, it's my blog so I'll do what I please). The Broncos still can't play defense and they still don't have the fatzo's upfront that are necessary to stopping the run or generating a consistent pass rush. So, another draft is on the rise and the Broncos are sitting pretty with the 2nd overall pick and a new defensive coach that picked multiple Pro Bowl defensive players over his eight year tenure with the Carolina Panthers. If the Silver Fox is as smart as I think he is (dominate the LOS and establish the running game) I believe that Fox should do as follows in the offseason:

First and foremost, trade Orton away for a 3rd and 4th round pick. Orton is a good (but not great) quarterback who can win you games if you surround him with a good defense and a consistent ground game. The Broncos don't have either of those and they are in a rebuilding state so the time to dump Orton is now since he is coming off of a very attractive season and there is good, playoff caliber teams who are in need of a reliable, veteran QB (49ers, Vikings, Cardinals, Seahawks, Bengals, etc.). Throw in the overall weak QB draft class this year (special shout out to all the sisters at every sorority at Stanford for enticing Andrew Luck to stay in school for another year), the unknown CBA rules, and Orton all the sudden becomes one of the hottest free agents on the market. For the purpose of simplicity, let's just say the 49ers trade for him since they have all the pieces to be a playoff team except for a QB and John Harbaugh isn't going to put his new reputation on the line by developing a crappy rookie QB.

Trade Jabar Gaffney to the Rams for their 4th round pick. The Rams wide receiving core is as bad as I have seen in awhile. That's what happens when your starters consist of guys like Danny Amendola, Brandon Gibson, and Laurent Robinson. With Josh McDaniels coming to St. Louis as the Offensive Coordinator, he will be implementing his pass heavy scheme. And you
don't have to know much about football to know that passing only works when you have someone there to catch the ball. So what better guy is there than Gaffney to come in, teach the system to the young guys and be a reliable pass catcher for a young and emerging Sam Bradford?? Match made in heaven if your the Rams and the Broncos don't need Gaffney anymore since were overloaded with talented wide outs like Lloyd, Royal, Thomas, and Decker.

Resign Champ Bailey. Champ still has it. Champ Bailey is like the Diane Lane of the NFL. Sure, he's getting old but he still looks as good as the hot, new, mid-20's players. Champ's new nickname might be "The Cougar." Even if Champ loses a step (which he hasn't shown yet) than he can pull a Ron Woodson and move to safety where he can be an OUTSTANDING ball hawking safety and finish his career as one the best players to roam the secondary in the history of the NFL.

"Yep. I still got it."

Resign Ryan Harris. I think Harris was a victim of McDaniels "Oh.... You were drafted by Mike Shanahan??? Than you suck and I need to replace you with a crappy old veteran that once played for the Patriots when I was coaching there" -ism. Harris struggled a bit last year but he was always hurt and coming off the IR. I think that going back to a zone-blocking scheme system and having him get fully healthy will allow Harris to return to his dominant 2008 form.

Sign DeAngelo Williams. I think this is a no brainer move by
the Broncos front office. Our running game is terrible, Know-sho Moreno isn't a very good tailback, and Carolina isn't going to resign Williams since they have Jonathan Stewart as their featured back and they can't afford to put money into another tailback when they have a ton of other needs to address. DeAngelo was drafted by John Fox and knows he'll come in and start over Knowshon because well, DeAngelo is a very good runner and Knowshon isn't. Plus, DeAngelo is coming off of an IR infested season where he only played in 5 games so his contract won't break the Broncos piggy bank. Not to mention DeAngelo just looks better in Orange anyways. It really brings out his eyes.

Sign Tom Zbikowski. Wait who??? That slow, white, back up free safety from the Ravens?? How many drugs did you take since you were gone for the past year, Matt? Okay, so this was a guy I was very high on when he was coming out but of course we weren't going to get him because McDaniels played the whole "I'm not going to draft anyone that Matt Allen wants" thing over the past two years so the crafty Ravens managed to steal another very talented defensive player. It's apparent that our safeties didn't have a very good year. Injuries, age, lack of support, etc. gave way to too many big plays and too many missed tackles. Although Dawkins injury played a big role in his lack of performance, I believe he might be on the decline of his career finally. With that, bring in a young free agent Zbikowski who is a Dawkins type leader and player (big hits, sure tackler) and who will be available since the Ravens have to re-sign fellow safety Dawan Landry. Zbikowski filled in for Ed Reed for the first 5 weeks of this season and did you notice that the Ravens defense didn't really fall off at all? Hum...Come to Denver big "Z" and be a rnext year in place of Renaldo Hill...

Okay, those are my immediate signing/re-signing as of right now. Onto the draft:

1. De'Quan Bowers - Defensive End - Clemson (1st round, 2nd Overall)

Rawr.

Assuming Carolina takes Nick Fairley with the first pick (which appears to be the case) than that leaves the Broncos with a no brainer pick in De'Quan Bowers. With the Broncos looking to move to a 4-3 defensive scheme, Bowers is a high impact 4-3 Defensive End that John Fox would love to have as a Julius Peppers type player. A lot of people are saying that the Broncos should draft Patrick Peterson here but with the re-signing of Champ Bailey, I think we need to go with a big, athletic lineman here. The Ravens, Steelers, and Colts were 3 of the top 4 defenses against the pass this year. They all have terrible corner backs but they all have great pass rushers that can apply pressure. It's the big boys that win you games in this league, not the shut down corners. As is why I would with Bowers over Peterson. Bowers was known for his run stuffing abilities for the first 3 years of his college career but this year he put it altogether and lead the nation in sacks. He is still a beast against the run but now he added a pass rushing weapon to his arsenal. Bowers has the athleticism and speed to be an edge rusher (4.7 Forty, Runningback/Punt Returner in High School) but also has the size to hold up against the run and be a bull rusher (6'4- 280 lbs). Bowers led the nation this year with 15.5 sacks and also ranked second nationally with 25 tackles for losses. Coupled with his rare athleticism for a man of the size, Bowers has the potential to be a dominant two-way player at the next level. He is already a very reliable tackler, having racked up an impressive 105 stops in his first two seasons as a collegian. Even if we stay in a 3-4 defense, Bowers can easily be a 3-4 OLB. The thought of Bowers and Dumervil pass rushing the QB for the next 10 years is already making Philip Rivers ice his vagina.

2. Stephen Paea - Defensive Tackle - Oregon State (2nd round, 36th overall)
When the news broke last week that Stephen Paea had to miss the Senior Bowl and probably the NFL combine due to an injury that isn't supposed to be major (he'll be back by the Oregan State Pro Day) I almost creamed my pants as if Katy Perry had just walked into the room. Paea is a Samoan Juggernaut who was shooting up draft boards because of his freakish athleticism and strength. When I first saw him I truly thought he was a middle linebacker but then he checked in at 310 pounds... The guy is just one of those workout warriors that was replacing his bottle of baby formula for protein shakes since the minute he got out of the womb. Don't believe me?? Check out his workout records:

Bench: 225 lbs (44 times)
Bench Max: 550 lbs
Squat: 650 lbs
Power Clean: 365 lbs
Arms: Do you have your tickets yet?

"What's fat?"

At 6'1 (typically a bit undersized) it's not like Paea is a tall, lean 310 lbs. He's a little bowling ball who is light on his feet (6 sacks in 2010) and can live in opponents backfield (10 tackles for loss last season). Basically, Paea is a steal at this pick. I thought that after the combine, Paea had the potential to be a top 10 pick but thanks to the injury gods, we can snag him in the early second. Ideal DT for a 4-3 system and he's a guy with an outstanding work ethic and high motor.

"What's ugly?"

3. Drake Nevis - Defensive Tackle - LSU (2nd round, 46th overall via Miami)

Tim: "See you in Denver. God Bless."

Drake: "Forshizzle."

Drake Nevis is probably my favorite player in this entire draft. Not only does he rock a mean set of dread locks (always a plus) but I think Nevis is a bit of a sleeper in this draft. If we can land him in the second than I think it's a great pick. Nevis is huge and has great feet. He always gets a good push and he never gives up on a play. Big, fast, nimble, light on his feet, and a good motor = a guy I want! Look at what Nevis did when they played Florida this year. He completely dominated Pouncey who's the top rated Center/Guard in this years draft. I'd love Nevis as a DT in a 4-3 or a DE in a 3-4.

4. Casey Matthews - Linebacker - Oregon (3rd round, 67th overall)

The Broncos need help on the front 7 and that includes not just defensive lineman but linebackers. I'm ecstatic about getting DJ WIlliams back to weakside linebakcer in a 4-3 scheme because that's where the guy EXCELS with a capital "X". I also like the potential of Joe Mays but Casey Matthews is a guy that comes from the most dominant line backing families of all time. His dad was a great NFL backer and we all know his brother, Clay, is one of the biggest beast in the NFL right now. Think of their family as the Mannings of linebackers. Although Casey doesn't have the size of his brother, Casey plays like him with his high intensity pace and his cat like instincts. Like Clay, Casey is late bloomer who I believe could end up being a real steal in the draft. He's athletic enough to play in the middle or outside and he's also a ferocious blitzer. Tack on his work ethic and awesome hair and this is definitely a player I want.



4. Nate Irving - Linebacker - NC State (3rd round, 76th overall via 49ers -Orton )

Once touted as a top prospect at inside linebacker, Irving’s stock
dropped after suffering major injuries in a car accident over a year ago. However, he returned for the 2010 season and showed no lingering effects of the accident. Irving is back to form, recording 89 tackles (21.5 of which were for a loss) and 7 sacks this past season. Nate is known for his tremendous instinct and athleticism, being a force in all aspects of the position. With proper coaching he can be special. Jon Fox loves athletic linebacker and knows how to get those most out of these talents (see Jon Beason). Irving is a born leader and someone a defense can be built around. He also delivers nasty hits.

4. DJ Williams - Tight End - Arkansas (4th round via 49ers - Orton)

Wait.... Don't we already have DJ Williams on our team?? What's going on here? Ironically, the Broncos could have two DJ Williams' on their roster next season. Does that mean both players could potentially have their first, middle, and last name on their jerseys?? I would draft this DJ Williams just so that scenario could play out. Aside from the cool naming drama that we might have, this DJ Williams was one of the most productive tight end last year. He's a big bodied guy who has outstanding hands and makes a lot of playes. Daniel Graham is getting old and Richard Quinn just sucks (as expected... another nice draft pick Josh McDaniels!) so bringing in Williams will help stretch this offense and give Tebow a nice safety valve to throw too.

5. Robert Sands - Safety - West Virginia (4th round via Rams - Gaffney)

Another guy with dreads so I already like the selection.

Side Note - don't think dreads increases a guys ability to be a stud after being drafted? What percentage of all the players that are drafted have dread locks? 5%?? 6%?? Okay, and now look around the NFL and name me how many ELITE players there are that have dreads.... At least like over 15% of elite players have dreads!!! I was watching the Pro Bowl today and it seems like half of the players on both sides had dread locks (Larry Fitzgerald, Roddy White, Chris Johnson, Steven Jackson, Devin Hester, Dwayne Bowe, Darnell Dockett, Jerod Mayo, Brandon Meriweather, Asante Samuels, Devin McCourtey, Michael Griffin, etc. ). That's a shit ton of players!!! BTW, the only guy that the Broncos look last year that had dreads was my main man Syd'Quan Thompson and guess what... the dude turned out to be a stud! Another BTW, notice how Ryan Clady was the most dominant Left Tackle in the game before he cut his dreads off and now he isn't as good. Just saying...

Back to Sands, dread or no dreads, Sands checks in at 6'5 and 220 lbs which is more than NFL size. Not only is he big but he is very athletic and can play both safety positions. Sands recently said "I can cover receivers or tight ends. I consider myself a ballhawk." I didn't want to stretch for a safety but our safeties all have big question marks over their heads, so bringing in a prospect like Sands will really push the competition and give us a future starter since McBath get's hurt every other play.

6. Jalil Brown - Cornerback - Colorado (6th round)

Call me a homer but I would love to see Jalil Brown in a Broncos uniform. I have watched every game that Jalil has played in college and he is a very intriguing NFL prospect. He has very good size at 6' -200 lbs but he is also very fast and not afraid to tackle. Jalil started along side Jimmy Smith (who is projected as a last first round pick) and to be honest with you, Jalil never really looked much worse that Jimmy. They were both very good and considering the Buffs never had any form of pass rush, Jalil and Jimmy really held their own against wide receivers. With question marks surrounding Parrish Cox and Goodmans old age, I think it's a good pick to bring in a cornerback that has the size and work ethic (nice guy too) and he sported the Black and Gold college! Brown had a great week and game at the Senior Bowl so he might be gone at this pick but I'll stay optimistic.

Brown is also an Iron Buffalo winner, the Iron Buffalo award is presented to the Buff who worked the hardest and is most dedicated at each position. He was a great special teamer at CU, and can contribute right away as he develops.

7. Henry Hynoski - Fullback - Pitt (7th round)

One of the top fullback prospects with exceptional size (6'2 260 lbs). Coaches speak highly of his blocking and ability to run with the ball. Perfect for the power running game and play-action. Spencer Larsen took a lot of hits this year and wasn't really a factor doing anything else so I like Hynoski because he can run the ball a bit and add another dimension of our offense. Great short yardage back option as well. How about that goal line run package with Tebow, Hynoski, and LenDale White!

These are my initial thoughts as of right now. Definitely things will change from here to the draft. Who even knows if their will be football next year?? Okay I just got the chills and a gust of cold air just ran through my room... Gotta stay optimistic. Get it done Broncos!

Broncos Mock Draft 2011

k Draft