Going camping: Broncos in the NFL, Part I (AFC edition)

NFL training camps kick off next week, and there are a good variety of former Boise State players dotting rosters across the country. Today, we'll take a look at the AFC. Tomorrow, we'll tackle the NFC. Saturday, we'll re-order the rosters in Madden 08 according to our personal biases. We have a lot of work to do.

T Ryan Clady, Denver Broncos
Other Denver Broncos tackles on the roster: Ryan Harris, PJ Alexander, Erik Pears, Tyler Polumbus
Camp starts: 7/24, Englewood CO
Link: Denver Post: contract negotiations could won't be done soon

Outlook: Clady should be a fixture in Denver for years, and he seems to already have the city wrapped around his finger. The only question will be when he signs his contract. Holding out for a bit probably won't cost him a starting spot, but it will be enough to elicit a Woody Paige column or two. "Kids these days have no respect for the game! Bllllaaaarrrrrgggghh!" You tell 'em, Woody!

T Dan Gore, Miami Dolphins
Other Miami Dolphins tackles: Vernon Carey, Jake Long, Daren Heerspink (Portland State rookie), Julius Wilson
Camp starts: 7/26, Davie FL
Link: Sun-Sentinel blog: Gore's versatility could increase his value

Outlook: Gore will be given every opportunity to make the team. Such is life in the post 1-15 era of the Miami Dolphins. If anything was a strength of the team last year, it might have been the offensive line, but that doesn't mean there is no room for Gore. The depth at tackle is rather shallow (Heerspink's a Portland State rookie, Wilson has big arms), so we're picking Gore to stick on the opening week roster.

TE Derek Schouman, Buffalo Bills
Other Buffalo Bills tight ends: Robert Royal, Courtney Anderson, Derek Fine (rookie), Tim Massaquoi
Camp starts: 7/25, Rochester NY
Link: BuffaloBills.com: Schouman and Trent Edwards have chemistry

Outlook: Schoumann played the dreaded H-back role last year, which is usually where tight ends go to die. However, he survived, and the Bills are willing to slide him back to a true tight end this season. He has NFL vets Royal and Anderson to contend with, as well as fourth round pick Fine, but potential injuries and the low ceilings of Royal and Anderson should be enough to keep Schoumann solidly into the #3 TE role.


CB/KR Chris Carr, Tennessee Titans
Other Tennessee Titans cornerbacks: Reynaldo Hill, Cortland Finnegan, Eric King, Nick Harper, Marquice Hill, Cary Williams, Shirdonya Mitchell
Camp starts: 7/25, Nashville TN
Link: Tennessean: Carr will answer kick return question

Outlook: Carr is the new Pac-Man Jones in Tennessee, sans Atari nickname. The kick return duties should be his (sorry, Chris Johnson; actually, no we're not). The real question mark will be where Carr fits in the Titans' secondary. Will he be content being a dime back the rest of his career? Will facing Vince Young in practice be better than facing Andrew Walter?

WR Legedu Naanee, San Diego Chargers
Other San Diego Chargers receivers: Chris Chambers, Eric Parker, Vincent Jackson, Buster Davis, Mark Jones, Kassim Osgood, Malcolm Floyd, Billy Pittman, Gary Banks, Marco Thomas
Camp starts: Sunday (rookies), 7/24 (veterans), San Diego CA
Link: Pro Football Weekly: back to wide receiver for Naanee

Outlook: Naanee received encouraging news this summer when he was switched from a TE/WR hybrid to a full-time wideout. And good for him; he has the ability to be a good pro receiver. However, the Chargers are pretty stacked at the position, so Naanee may be no better than a 3rd or 4th option. Of course, he can play so many positions on the team (WR, TE, QB, Phillip Rivers' wingman) that San Diego can't afford not to keep him around.

WR Drisan James, Oakland Raiders
Other Oakland Raiders receivers: Javon Walker, Ronald Curry, Drew Carter, Todd Watkins, Will Buchanon, Marcel Reece, Jonathan Holland, Johnnie Lee Higgins, Chris McFoy, Chaz Schilens, Arman Shields
Camp starts: 7/24, Napa Valley CA
Link: MVN: Raider WR competition will be fierce

Outlook: James has yet to make much noise in the league, but at least he is getting opportunities. The Raiders, though they signed Walker in the offseason, could always use a hard-working receiver, and James could certainly be that. Yet we get the feeling like he might be better off in the CFL or starting a garage band with Jared Zabransky. We guess there's no reason why he couldn't do both.

Colt Brennan speaks via Google News

Shall we check in with our favorite overrated, system quarterback?

Apparently Google News now pulls out random quotes from the person you're searching for. With Google's tendency to pull the most popular things first, it doesn't look like I'm the first person to put in Brennan's name. See below:

Now, that's the spirit!

To be fair, here's the whole story that he was quoted in. It was part of a longer quote basically about how June Jones had brainwashed him into thinking that he was the best quarterback to ever play college football, ever, but then realizing when he stepped onto the mainland how things really are. He was miffed by the thought of NFL scouts grading him on his physical abilities at this newfangled thing called the "combine". Well, that was my interpretation at least. You might want to read it for yourself.

Redskins Select Hawaii QB Colt Brennan in 6th Round [WUSA9.com]

Blogging's place in local media

Warning: There is some serious stuff in here. If you are looking for a typical OBNUG fluff piece, try this link. Proceed with appropriate seriousness.

Blogging has been in the news recently thanks to the ambush-discussion on HBO with Deadspin editor Will Leitch and a bunch of crotchety old men who aren't open-minded. Websites have lit up with talk of blogging's virtues (mostly on blogs) and blogging's faults (mostly on newspaper sites). The Statesman's Brian Murphy used his Sunday column to tackle the issue.

Now it is our turn.

Obviously, we have an opinion on the blog debate. But instead of rehashing breakdowns of blogging's validity, we want to turn the tables to blogging's place among the local media in Boise. OBNUG, Fight Fight BSU, and Statue Left are the three most predominant Bronco blogs, and there has yet to be a proper discourse on how our influence affects the big boys of the Idaho Statesman, Idaho Press-Tribune, KTVB, and others.

To start with, let's get a few basic facts out of the way:
1. Blogs are here to stay.
2. Traditional media doesn't need to understand or appreciate blogs in order for them to succeed.
3. Blogs serve a meaningful purpose in the new era of media.

We truly believe all those points, and we feel that in a few years, these tenets will be common knowledge. As such, we feel the discussion of whether or not blogs are relevant is pointless. Our numbers after three months in existence testify to this, and the popularity of OBNUG, Fight Fight BSU, and Statue Left is further proof.

Blogging, in general, provides a significant supplement to traditional news coverage. Blogging, in Boise, has the potential for far greater traction.

To say that the local media does not cater to a demanding Boise State audience would be an understatement. There is simply not enough constant, streaming news and information to satisfy a diehard fan, which is why forums and message boards have gained so much popularity. We started our website because we saw a need for Boise State content that was written by Boise State fans, for Boise State fans. We target our content to be accessible to casual fans, but we have found that the diehard fan gets just as much use out of it.

Why? Because they have no other choice. The traditional Boise media does not do a good enough job of providing content on a consistent, regular basis.

Case in point: the NFL Draft. Brian Murphy decided to dedicate his Murph's Turf blog to the NFL draft for the week leading up to draft day. He started on Monday; his last post was on a Tuesday. For the next few days, he posted various short items related to the Broncos.

Similarly, we decided to dedicate OBNUG to draft coverage for the entire week. We had multiple stories each day on the prospects of Boise State players and the latest news leading up to the draft. We live-blogged the draft on Saturday and we followed up with breaking news and video on Sunday.

If BSU fans wanted instant updates, they had to go to the blogs. And they did. During draft weekend, we received some of our highest ratings yet because we were live-blogging, updating, and breaking news. The Statesman wasn't, and knowledge-hungry fans recognized this.

Another prime example is the latest Marty Tadman news. Last night, while we were prepping for the week ahead, we came across a story about Marty Tadman being in Jets camp. At first, we couldn't believe our eyes. We had been searching feverishly for Tadman news ever since the draft ended. As one of our favorite Broncos, we were shocked when his name never turned up on initial free agent signings, but all of a sudden, here he was in Jets camp.

We searched the Statesman and the Press-Tribune for any similar stories, and they had nothing. Then, we had to double-check the source just to make sure it wasn't a mistake (that's right, we're a blog that actually checks sources). It wasn't. Tadman was indeed in Jets camp.

We posted the story late last night, as soon as we found out. We thought Bronco fans would want to know, and again, we were right. Fight Fight BSU linked to the story, and we've had a great number of hits today from fans who want more.

Our point is that Boise State blogs are committed to the Boise State football team. Other local media are decidedly less so. Having a team page devoted to Boise State isn't going to cut it in today's day and age. Fans want websites of news and information. They want devoted writers. They want quality and quantity.

The amazing thing is that local blogs provide their services with absolutely no pay. We do not have resources or funding or financial backers. What we do have is jobs--real, tangible, 9-to-5 jobs. We do the blogging on the side because we love the team and because we want to help support the Bronco football program. Imagine what we could do if we were getting paid a salary to report on the Broncos. OBNUG would be ten times this size!

The world is changing, and the next generation of consumers have a different approach to news and information. Instant gratification and instant knowledge is the new standard. The Statesman doesn't have it. The Idaho Press-Tribune doesn't have it. KTVB.com doesn't have it. Broncosports.com certainly doesn't have it.

Blogs do.

If we were granted the access and resources and support of a traditional media outlet, the competition would be over. As it stands, we still depend on outlets like the Statesman and KTIK for stories and news. But their autonomy won't last forever. Boise State bloggers have started cultivating our own sources and breaking our own news. We certainly have an edge when it comes to research and knowledge. And, most importantly, we understand the needs of our audience.

The future is bright for Bronco bloggers. Until the local media catches up, the same cannot be said of them.

WIR: Clady gets drafted, Tadman gets ignored

After the exciting NFL draft, Week in Review (WIR) is realizing the long summer that lays before us. Surely we can all get through this together.

Meanwhile, a wrapup of a busy week:

• OBNUG live-blog's the draft, Brian Murphy does his best to keep up
• Clady drafted 12th, becomes highest drafted Boise State player ever
• Gore signs, celebrates with family
• Vandal becomes irrelevant
• Tadman still waiting, OBNUG pleads
• BCS committee surprises no one
• Spring wraps up for Hawkins, Brandstater
• We bid farewell to David Shields as a player
• The cruel summer awaits us

Have a great, albeit boring weekend Bronco fans!

An open letter to the NFL

Dear NFL,

You are a sporting mecca, a world power, a bastion of all that is great about commercialism, success, and propriety. But you are nothing without Marty Tadman.

The former Boise State safety deserves to be a member of your league as much as Ed Hochuli deserves to be drug-tested. Tadman would make a great NFL player. He is tough, smart, dependable, omniscient, tattooed, self-healing, bondable, and awesome. He won't make it rain at strip clubs, and he won't fight dogs for sport. He will, however, always be in the right place at the right time, and he might convert teammates to Christianity.

Still, Tadman sits at home with no offer.

We know this issue is not simply a matter of economics and roster spots. To be sure, we went through the current list of your safeties, and we found the results to be lacking in quality, production, and name recognition. Here are a few:

Hamza Abdullah, Denver Broncos
Twenty-three times Abdullah has appeared in an NFL game; zero times has he intercepted a pass. Also, his last name makes him sound like a genie.

Jordan Babineaux, Seattle Seahawks
In four years, Babineaux has failed to stick in the Seahawks' starting lineup, which is like a 12-year-old having a hard time sticking in fourth grade.

Oliver Celestin, Arizona Cardinals
Celestin's longevity in the league has allowed him to play in 48 career games. At least we think he played in them. He only has 56 career tackles.

Glenn Earl, Houston Texans
Earl did not play in 2007, but the Texans must have been sold on his three interceptions in 31 games. Either that, or they liked the fact that he has two first names.

Vernon Fox, Washington Redskins
For his career, Fox averages 0.85 tackles per game. Great for annual yield on a US Bank checking account; bad for NFL safety.

Eric Smith, New York Jets
Looking at Smith's career stat sheet is like looking in the wallet of hobo. Two career interceptions, one career return yard, zero career sacks, lint.

Cameron Worrell, Miami Dolphins
Worrell has exactly one pass defensed in his five-year career, which is one more than what we have.

We know Marty Tadman can do better because he has done better. In addition to being a demon on special teams and an asset in the return game, here are Tadman's defensive stats from his senior year.

Marty Tadman: 93 total tackles, 57 solo, 36 assists, 2.5 TFLs, 2 INTs, 10 passes defensed, 1 FR, 1 TD, grew a third arm once just for fun

Without a doubt, Tadman belongs in your league, NFL. You have enough issues to worry about between the personal conduct policy, Chad Johnson, rookie contracts, globalization, and long hair.

A lack of Marty Tadman doesn't belong on that list.

Sincerely,
OBNUG

High expectations for Ian Johnson

Might Ryan Clady's status as the highest drafted BSU player be in doubt? One misinformed Chicago Bears fan sure thinks so. An early 2009 mock draft done by a prescient member of the Bears' message board has Boise State's Ian Johnson going in the top ten of next year's draft.

That's all well and good, but we have Doug Martin going number one overall in 2010.

The world's first mock draft [Chicago Bears message board]

OBNUG takes part in Bronco Nation podcast

Whether out of obligation or habit, we were invited to join in another podcast over at Bronco Nation N.O.W. This week, we waxed poetic about Ryan Clady, Orlando Scandrick, and Irrelevant Vandals with JT Ray from Bronco Nation N.O.W. and Drew from Fight, Fight, BSU.

Here is the link: Talking Points Podcast.

Thanks again to Bronco Nation N.O.W. for having us.

Utah State outdoes itself

There were plenty of surprises in last weekend's NFL Draft, but perhaps none more so than the relative glut of Utah State Aggies who were drafted.

G Shawn Murphy and WR/KR Kevin Robinson each found NFL homes; Murphy went in the fourth round to the Dolphins and Robinson was picked up by the Chiefs in the sixth. The flying pigs in frozen hell found this particularly interesting.

The duo are the first USU players chosen in the NFL draft since Chris Cooley in the third round of the 2004 draft. Murphy and Robinson also become the first two Aggies to be picked in the same draft since 1989 when wide receiver Kendal Smith and quarterback Brent Snyder were both selected in the seventh round.

Utah State's excitement was tempered, however, when they realized that they will be minus two NFL draftees next year.

Murphy and Robinson drafted [KVNU Full Court Press]

Wither Marty Tadman?

It has been two full days since the NFL Draft, and Marty Tadman still seems to be without a team. In related news, the world is a terrible, hateful place.

In addition to the signing of Taylor Tharp and Dan Gore to free agent contracts, former Broncos Jeff Cavender and Tad Miller were invited to try-outs with NFL clubs. Tadman? Nothing. There is still time for the former Boise State safety/immortal to find work at the next level, but we would have expected him to be a hot commodity soon after the draft ended. Who would have thought that NFL GMs think differently than we do?

We've commissioned Chadd Cripe (via passive aggressive email) to get on the case and find out what is happening with Tadman. This is a matter with which Brian Murphy cannot be trusted. In the meantime, we'll do our best to plug Tadman's abilities here in the hopes that curious NFL scouts are scouring blogs for biased perspective on potential prospects.

FOXSports.com gets Clady and Tharp confused

They do look an awful lot alike.

2008 NFL Draft pick-by-pick analysis [FOXSports.com]

An irrelevant Vandal? That seems about right

The University of Idaho can't even win when their players get drafted.

The St. Louis Rams made Vandal LB David Vobora the last pick of the NFL Draft, awarding him the title of Mr. Irrelevant. You know what they say, "Once irrelevant, always irrelevant."

Idaho's Vobora is 'Mr. Irrelevant' [Idaho Statesman]

NFL Draft recap

Here is a roundup of links from this weekend's NFL Draft.

Ryan Clady links
Deadspin can't imagine anyone wanting to leave Boise early [Deadspin.com]
Denver Post: happy to have him [Denver Post]
Brian Murphy's take: typical [Idaho Statesman]
The Scott Slant: Clady to start at left tackle [KTVB.com]
Arbiter story: full of good quotes [Arbiter Online]

Orlando Scandrick links
Cowboys' beat writer gives team a B [Dallas Morning-News]
Scandrick Q&A [Cowboys Blog]
Scandrick has no regrets about coming out [Dallas Morning-News]

Other draft links
Mel Kiper's draft grades: Broncos C+, Cowboys B+ [ESPN.com]
Utah State has two drafted; hell freezes over [KSL.com]
Brennan a Redskin: good thing Georgia doesn't play in NFC East [UH Athletics]

Tharp to the Panthers

Former BSU QB Taylor Tharp has signed with the Carolina Panthers. Take that, Vinny Testaverde!

Tharp will be the fourth quarterback on the Panthers’ roster, behind veteran Jake Delhomme, former Oregon State quarterback Matt Moore and former Northwestern quarterback Brett Basanez.

With the fragility of Delhomme, Tharp stands a good chance to be a part of the team sometime this fall, and he may already be better than the last year's Carolina back-up, David Carr.

Former BSU QB Tharp agrees to deal [Idaho Statesman]

Bold predictions for the week ahead

We sure did have a fun weekend with the NFL Draft. They should do this more often. Ryan Clady went No. 12 overall, Orlando Scandrick became a Cowboy, and the ESPN crew broke the record for most uncomfortable moments in a broadcast. The only thing missing was the Lions drafting a receiver.

Here is what we see happening in the next few days.

• Clady's new contract with the Denver Broncos will include performance incentives for touchdown catches and sweet end zone celebrations.
• Once he sees Cowboy headquarters in Dallas, Scandrick will change his MySpace mood to "off the chain."
• After no wide receivers were drafted in the first round, Vinny Perretta will have serious regrets about not turning pro after his junior year.

Breaking news! Dan Gore to the Dolphins

Photo courtesy Idaho Statesman.
Our sources have confirmed that Dan Gore has signed a free agent contract with the Miami Dolphins. That's right. We have sources.

Gore will join number one overall pick Jake Long as part of the Dolphins' youth movement along the offensive line.

Update: Here are photos from the Gore family. Congrats, Dan!


Gore with high school coach Tom Moore


Gore with parents


The big moment

Video: Ryan Clady drafted by Denver Broncos

Here is a link to the video:
Redlasso

NFL Draft live-blog

Welcome, Bronco fans, to OBNUG's NFL Draft live-blog. I'm Kevan, and I'll be taking you through today's picks. First, there are a few things you should know about me before we begin.

1. I am a die-hard Patriots fan.
2. I may fall asleep during some point of the first round.
3. I cannot stand Chris Berman.
4. Stuart Scott interviews make my head hurt.
5. I think Clady will fall to the Ravens.

I'll drag this live-blog on long enough to see Ryan Clady get drafted. No promises after that.

Enjoy.

12:45 Coverage starts in a few minutes. I could not be more excited! Word is that the Rams are going to take Chris Long from Virginia with the number two pick, rather than LSU's Glenn Dorsey. Here's what I don't get: Dorsey was the consensus number one throughout the college football season. Now, he will be, at best, the third pick? I think the three months before the Draft gives teams the opportunity to overthink their picks. Remember Adrian Peterson last year? Yeah, exactly.
I'll get off my soapbox now...but only because my Pop-Tarts are ready.
12:57 Sure hope Miami doesn't use their whole ten minutes to make their pick.
12:59 Will Jake Long's nose get its own signing bonus?
1:01 Tacky suit update: Keyshawn Johnson is in the lead.
1:03 We are under way! The Dolphins waste no time in selecting long, and ESPN wastes no time in jumping to commercial. Seriously?! A commercial break 45 seconds into the NFL Draft?! I could not find the NFL Network fast enough.
1:05 I still cannot get over the size of Jake Long's nose. It is Jim Halpert big!
1:07 Am I the only one expecting to see Teri Hatcher in the Chris/Howie Long family? She is nowhere to be seen. Suzy Kolber, get on this!
1:11 Clady's picture has popped up along the side of the ESPN broadcast with the Boise State logo. That is some serious exposure that we aren't used to having. It is pretty cool.

#2: Chris Long to the Rams.

1:14 NFL Network's Deion Sanders seems to be getting exclusive interviews with the draftees. This could provide some great unintentional comedy. We'll keep tuned.
1:16 Adam Schefter just reported Matt Ryan to the Falcons. Ugh.
1:17 The Chiefs will have either Gholston or Dorsey to choose between when they pick at No. 5. If they truly want a defensive lineman over Clady, then they will have their opportunity.

#3: Matt Ryan to the Falcons.

1:18 Now might be a good time to point out that I’m wearing my Tim Couch jersey.
1:25 OK, couple of things. First of all, Matt Ryan is wearing a sweater vest. Bad choice. Second, I'm pretty sure good teams don't draft quarterbacks this high any more. Third, will the Raiders be able to resist McFadden? Fourth, please God let Dorsey fall to the Patriots.

#4: Darren McFadden to the Raiders

1:29 Interesting, Oakland. I wonder how much Adrian Peterson had to do with this pick. He fell last year and was the best rookie in the league; McFadden can do the same thing.
1:31 Whoa, McFadden's family is rushing the stage! Way to represent.
1:32 The Chiefs are the first team that experts thought Clady might go to, but with the way the draft has gone, I don't see him going here. The real question is who might trade up to get Dorsey or Gholston?

#5: Glenn Dorsey to the Chiefs

1:37 The Jets are on the clock. Care for a re-do on D'Brickshaw Ferguson?
1:38 Clady prospect update: the Patriots? You have to think that Gholston will go to the Jets, and the Patriots always love their value picks. Clady could go No. 7.

#6: Vernon Gholston to the Jets
(that's a picture of Mike Mamula, by the way)

1:44 And the green room just went 6-for-6! Gholston is one of those workout warriors who didn't have a stellar career, but does have stellar muscles. I believe Chris Mortensen just referred to him as having a "Tarzan body." Reaching for defensive linemen in the first round reminds me of this:

1:47 There doesn't seem to be a camera at Clady's draft party. On the other hand, we did get to see Branden Albert's wardrobe sponsored by American Eagle.
1:49 ESPN could have gone without mentioning the Patriot's Super Bowl loss. Jerks.
1:50 Yes! Patriots trade their pick! I love this team!

#7: Sedrick Ellis to the Saints

1:55 Ryan Clady is Mel's best available and Jacksonville just moved up. Could this be it?

1:56 I'm about to get my Cheetos on.

1:58 DeSean Jackson cam. That might be there all day.

#8: Derrick Harvey to the Jaguars

2:02 I guess Clady will be going to Denver at #12 now, unless some more trades keep coming. That will be a good fit. Let's just hope he doesn't fall even further.

2:05 Does Chris Berman even know how football works? His take on Derrick Harvey to the Jaguars was how exciting it will be when the Jags face the Ravens in Week 17 because it will be Harvey versus Troy Smith in a rematch of the 2007 BCS championship.

I sure hope Clady goes soon.

#9: Keith Rivers to the Bengals

2:09 Would it have killed Rivers to wear something with a collar today?

2:11 Alright, Patriots back on the clock! I could get used to this...unless ESPN uses it as an excuse to show more Super Bowl highlights.

#10: Jerod Mayo to the Patriots

2:15 A linebacker who runs a 4.54? There's something the Patriots sure don't have.

2:16 Berman just made a terrible Mayo pun. I am so done with ESPN right now.

#11: Leodis McKelvin to the Bills

2:20 Is it Ryan Clady time? I can feel it!

2:21 Where is Todd McShay during all of this? Sitting in his living room having pretend arguments with Mel Kiper? First Teri Hatcher, now this. What are those journalists doing?

2:23 Clady getting love on NFL Network right now.

#12: Ryan Clady to the Broncos

2:25 Clady to the Broncos! Excellent. He'll be a great fit there. Denver has some of the best o-line coaches in the league, and he will have every opportunity to succeed.

2:28 The Boise media will eat up the "once a Bronco, always a Bronco" line. We'll go ahead and put the over-under on that phrase at 15.

The studio coverage of Clady's pick was absoutely terrible. After Mel Kiper did his spiel, Chris Berman changed the topic to Jay Cutler's quarterback skills. Seriously?! What a joke of a broadcast. Mort finally brought things back together after Keyshawn and Steve Young yukked it up about Cutler for awhile.

I caught the end of the NFL Network coverage, and they were showing how Clady blew several blocks in the Hawaii game. They were kind of tearing him apart.

Also, no one had a camera at Clady's party. Hopefully David Augusto will come through for us tonight on KTVB News at 10.

That does it for OBNUG's NFL Draft live-blog. My personal highlights: Roger Goodell's opening fistpump, Matt Ryan being a complete waste, the Patriots trading down, and Clady going to a solid team. Lowlights: every time Chris Berman opened his mouth.

We'll try to post video this weekend of the Clady pick, and we'll break things down for you next week. Feel free to keep the conversation going in the comments section, especially now that the Lions have a chance to reach for a wide receiver.

WIR: NFL Draft countdown

Week in Review (WIR) is looking forward to OBNUG's live-blog of the NFL Draft tomorrow. With Ryan Clady going in the first few picks, the excitement is palpable. Or is that our mondo nacho platter? Either way, tomorrow should be fulfilling.

Here is the best from the past week:

• New WAC bowl? Yeah, that's what we need.
• Akey's foster family.
• Brian Murphy strikes again.
• No wonder the WAC is so depressing.
• Clady is the Black Power Ranger.
• S*Club party
• Dan Hawkins: Public Enemy #1!
• Life Coach waxes wise.
• NFL Draft scouting report.
• Fresno State a little amped.
• Broncos sure are good at sports.
• Do the right thing, Kansas City.

See you for tomorrow's live-blog, Bronco fans.

An open letter to the Kansas City Chiefs

Dear Kansas City Chiefs,

With the fifth pick in Saturday's NFL Draft, you have an opportunity to significantly upgrade your team, and we would like to give you advice on how not to blow it. Picking a bust is a lot easier than you might think (Ryan Sims knows what we're talking about), which is why we feel obligated to help.

Make no mistake, there is one true and right way to draft on Saturday, and his name is Ryan Clady.

You need a difference-maker, Chiefs, and Clady is that difference-maker. Remember the days when you used to dominate teams along the offensive line with powerful, smart players who controlled the line of scrimmage and kept the offense moving? We hardly do. Wasn't that, like, five years ago? Clady can help restore that luster.

And really, you are going nowhere without a consistent offense. Brodie Croyle is horribly mortal and the receivers are tragically unremarkable. But put Clady in at left tackle and at least Croyle will have seven seconds to not find the right receiver and Eddie Kennison will have plenty of opportunity to not get open. If all else fails, you can call Larry Johnson off-tackle plays until you're blue in the face.

The way we see it, here are your draft needs:

• Wide Receiver. There are no receivers worth a top ten pick this season, meaning that you may have to wait until the second day to get a playmaking wideout. You are not the Lions.
• Defensive Line. With Jared Allen gone, Tamba Hali needs a new bookend. Or does he? At least you still have one quality DE. If he demands double-teams, you can find any noob to fill the other side, one-on-one.
• Safety. Safeties just shouldn't go as high as No. 5 overall. Except for Marty Tadman.
• Offensive Line. Hmm, we can think of a fairly good prospect who will be available.

Clady makes too much sense at No. 5. He will be a franchise player for years to come, and he will make an immediate impact. Sure our advice is motivated by a desire to see a Boise State player go in the top five picks, but we also want to see you succeed. We can't stand the Chargers.

When you go on the clock Saturday, there will be pressure to write down the name of an overrated defensive lineman (Vernon Gholston), an overrated quarterback (Matt Ryan), or God's gift to the left tackle position (Clady).

Write down Ryan Clady's name. You won't regret it.

Sincerely,
OBNUG

Boise State's NFL Draft scouting report

To help NFL teams with their drafting needs, we have provided the following scouting reports for Boise State players who might hear their names called in this weekend's NFL Draft. Granted, we are not professional scouts, so our opinions might not carry much credence or value. Also hurting our cause? Intense non-objectivity. Oh well. Here goes nothing!

Ryan Clady
Clady has the potential to be a star at the next level. He can dominate an opponent in a number of different ways: with power, with technique, with Jedi mind tricks. WAC competition did him a disservice because flipping Utah State pancakes is a lot harder than mauling BCS competition.

Clady could stand to add some girth and muscle, but he will always have his quickness and athleticism. The NFL is the perfect place for a prospect like Clady, and he should only get better year after year.

Orlando Scandrick

O.S. is fast, aggressive, and confident—attributes that make him an ideal NFL cornerback. He is a younger, saner version of DeAngelo Hall, and he will be an asset in coverage and in run support.

As a safety, Scandrick showed range and toughness, but his greatest Boise State season came last year at cornerback. Scandrick’s steady improvement hints at untapped potential, and provided he can overcome cockiness, riskiness, and shirtlessness, he should make a solid pro.

Marty Tadman

All personal biases aside, Tadman is the greatest football player we have ever seen. We’re not sure if this is because we have attended mostly Seattle Seahawks and 2A high school football games or if Tadman is, in fact, God’s gift to secondaries. We’re going with the latter.

Tadman has the intangible qualities that scouting combines and drills can’t measure. He is football smart, like Stephen Hawking is math smart. His ability to always be in the right place at the right time is invaluable, and he is rarely caught out of position.

Weaknesses? Is being too perfect a weakness?

Dan Gore

Gore may become the second BSU lineman to go in the draft thanks to his room to grow both physically and technically. At well over six feet tall, Gore definitely has the height, and a solid NFL weight training program could bulk him up to pro playing weight. Plus, having played defensive line for years, Gore’s O-line prospects are much more limitless than most people realize.

Also, his last name is a type of torture. That can’t hurt his chances.

Tad Miller

NFL teams would be wise to give Miller a long, hard look. He is a powerful, sound blocker who has proven to be a winner over his years on the Bronco O-line. Also, he regularly checks his GMail account and responds to pretty much any interview request (notably, ours).

Nick Schlekeway

An excellent pass rusher is a valued commodity in today’s NFL, and Schlekeway would certainly revitalize a team’s pass rush. During his BSU days, he showed great speed and power off the edge, and he had the ability to make an impact in a game. Bigger and stronger defensive ends may be available on draft day, but there will be no player who matches the amount of consecutive consonants in Schlekeway’s last name.

Jeff Cavender

A key member of the Broncos line over the past few years, Cavender has made his mark as a jack of all trades. He can seamlessly switch between different offensive line positions, playing everything from guard and tackle to center and giant tight end. His maneuverability masks a remarkable talent for always being in the right position with his excellent technique and footwork.

Of course, we could be talking about Pete Cavender right now and not know it.

Taylor Tharp

If third-string quarterbacks were valued as highly as franchise left tackles, Tharp would be a Top Ten pick. He proved at Boise State that the spotlight is a little much for him, but mop-up duty against third-teamers couldn’t be more up his alley.

He put up great numbers with the Broncos with his quick decision-making, knowledge of the offense, and accurate arm. His sideline tosses lacked urgency, but his deep balls always had enough behind them.

As a bonus, Tharp would make best friends with the kickers.