Pre-Draft Preparation and Cheat-sheets

The Counselor is IN:

Before Draft day, there is much preparation to be done. Here is a list of the things to examine. Most of them are related to your cheat-sheets. Your cheat-sheets should be the results of your hard work. It is also important to know your league.

1) Know your league rules and scoring
This may appear obvious but many of the owners do not fully grasp the rules and scoring of their league. They may not know that Tight Ends get a 5 point bonus if they have over 5 catches per game or that interceptions are minus 2 points. Owners need to know how to pick up players for injuries and if their league has injured list spots or does the league have a waiver wire. You need to know all of the rules and how they will affect your team and what kind of backups you need to draft.

2) Customize your cheat-sheets
I will update and re-post the article from last season about why you need to customize and how to customize your cheat-sheets. In a nutshell, you need cheat-sheets which are specialized to your league and your preferences. Stay tune and the article will be posted in the next couple of days.

3) Overall and Positions with your cheat-sheets
It is important that your cheat-sheets should have an overall rankings of the players especially at the beginning of the draft. Equally important is the rankings of each position on your cheat-sheets. This allows you to easily find the best wide receiver left on the board, according to your rankings. During the draft, you usually have less than a minute to pick your next selection so you need quick access to your lists.

4) Tier your cheat-sheets
Along with the customizing the rankings, you need to Tier your lists. Tiers work by grouping players together that are comparable. You want to Tier the position rankings. It is not as important to Tier the over all list but some people find it helpful. The advantage of using Tiers give you a visual on the level of that position players left and will assist you in deciding when to draft a player.

5) Other important information on your cheat-sheet
It may be important to include other informaiton on your lists. The off weeks for the player is very important because you do not want to draft your top three running backs with the same off week. There may be other important infomation to include depending on your needs and your league.

6) Fantasy Mock Draft
Nothing prepares you for an event like practice. Fantasy Mock Drafts are your practice before Draft Day. There are a ton of sights that have mock drafts set up such as ESPN.com and NFL.com. Most allow you to pick your draft position so if you know your draft position ahead of time then you can practice from that position numerous times.

Do not expect your draft to go just like the Fantasy Mock Drafts because it won’t but it should give you an idea of where players are going in the draft. Face to Face drafts are much less likely go like a mock draft than an online draft.

7) Understand the tendencies of your league Owners
If you are in a reoccurring league, you can examine the draft tendencies of the owners over the seasons. Most of us are creatures of habits. Most will use similar draft strategies from year to year.

8) Know your own tendencies
If you know the tendencies of your fellow league owners, some of them are likely to know your tendencies. It is important to be aware of your tendencies and if you are tipping your next pick. When possible during the draft, it is good to occasionally change up slightly to cause confusion to your opponents but don’t do something crazy just to do it, like drafting a kicker in the first round.

The Counselor is OUT:

Post Draft Blues

The Counselor is IN:

I am sitting in my easy chair relaxing. I have a bla feeling and I am unmotivated to do anything. It is the post NFL Draft Blues.

The NFL Draft is the high point of the off season for NFL Fans. There is a level of Christmas morning anticipation the new players which our team will select. We ask ourselves questions like: "Will our team go and get that great player that I loved in college last year?"; "Will our team listen to the fans and focus on that one position?"; or "Will our GM (or owner) go make a crazy move and cause me to yell at the TV?"

I have been preparing for the Draft for several months. At Cowboys Pride, we have been examining mock drafts and prepping our owns. There is a sense of relief when you finally complete a project but there is also a let down.

I loved the Cowboys pick of Dez Bryant. He was worth moving up to select. I do think he is a huge talent and will upgrade the Cowboys all ready good receivers.

I am sure the Cowboys' other picks will work out. I think they were value picks. But I am discouraged that we did not meet the needs of the Free Safety and Offensive Line with early picks. I am sure some of my frustration has led to my blues.

The Counselor is OUT:

NFL Draft live thread for CowboysPride.net on Thursday evening

The Counselor is IN:

I will man the NFL Draft live thread for CowboysPride.net on Thursday evening. Grab your computer while you watch the Draft and tell me what you think. Historically, the Fantasy Sports Counselor has blogged the first round live. Instead, I will bring my thoughts and commentary to the live thread and give you a chance to response.

It should be fun. I will be live at Buffalo Wild Wings on Battlefield in Springfield, MO. If you are in the area stop by and see me. Watching the Draft, hanging with the guys, eat wings and drinking beverages, while giving my "expert" draft coverage should be a fun challenge.

At 9:00 pm, Doyle and I will take the Air Waves Cowboys Pride Radio on Blog Talk Radio for a two hour NFL Draft Extravaganza. We hope to bring the Cowboys pick to you live and give you our thoughts, cheers and or tears. I will keep the Live Thread section going while juggling everything else.

The Counselor is OUT:

Larry's 2010 Mock Draft

The Counselor is IN:

1. STL: Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
Year in and year out, the Rams have passed on the top Quarter Backs. This year they will take one. They have passed on Stafford, Sanchez, Ryan, Flacco, and ect.

Other options:
Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame- some analysts have Clausen ranked higher than Bradford.

Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska- The Rams could opt for the stud DT and pick up a QB in the Second round or trade back into the first round. The rumors are that the Rams were impressed with Colt McCoy.

2. DET: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
I watched Ndamukong Suh dominate offensive lines in the Big 12. He was a man amongst boys in one of the best NCAA Football Conferences. This will make the Lions defense roar.

Other options:
Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma
McCoy is also a stud DT. You can make arguments that he is even better than Suh in certain aspects of his game and may be a better prospect. I think Suh goes first but would not blink if they go with McCoy.

Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State
As my buddy Doyle has stated, Stafford is the franchise for the Lions. They need to start protecting him much better. Okung would be an ideal LT to start protecting Stafford. I think Suh is too much a stud for them to pass up and I look for the Lions to pick up a good lineman in the 2 round.

3. TB: Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma
Tampa Bay’s Coach Morris wants to revamp the Buc’s Defense. They would love a Defensive Tackle in the mold of Warren Sapp and McCoy has a good chance of being this type of player. McCoy will be a great addition for the new Bucs D.

Other options:
Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
If Suh is still on the board with McCoy, Morris will do a jig and have to select between stud A and stud B for his defense. If Detroit takes McCoy, then Tampa will be excited to have Suh instead of McCoy.

Eric Berry, S, Tennessee
Berry should only be the pick if McCoy and Suh are both off the board. It is not ideal for Tampa but they would satisfied this stud Safety.

4. WAS: Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma
All Pro QB- check, a bunch of over the hill running backs- check, Left Tackle- NEED ONE! Williams is a better match than Okung with the Redskins zone blocking scheme according to some experts. I agree with their diagnosis.

Other options:
Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State
Okung is regarded as the best Offensive Lineman in the draft. He could easily be the selection here.

5. KC: Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State
This would be a dream scenario for Kansas City. They need to shore up their sparse offensive line. He would allow Alberts to be moved to either RT or guard. This would help protect their investment of Matt Cassel.

Other options:
Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa or Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma
Okung may already be off the board. If that happens, the Chiefs will have to pick between two very good back up options for tackle.

Eric Berry, S, Tennessee
Safety has been a hole for the Chiefs for some time. Berry would instantly improve their defense. This is not out of the realm of possibility.

6. SEA: Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa
All Signs are pointing towards LT Walter Jones retiring. This is huge hole (pun intended) for the Seahawks line. I look for them to take the best tackle on the board. If the draft goes this way, I would expect them to select a great pick of Bulaga.

Other options:
Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State or Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma
One of the three big tackles should be left on the board. If they do not select Bulaga, then they should select either Okung and Williams.

Eric Berry, S, Tennessee or Earl Thomas, S, Texas
Seattle could use assistance at Safety. Berry is seen as the best but Thomas has been climbing up draft boards. Either one would instantly assist the Seahawks defense.

7. CLE: Eric Berry, S, Tennessee
Cleveland has a ton of needs but one of the glaring needs is for help at Safety. Berry is the best Safety on the board according to most experts. He is your pontifical Free Safety which can be a ball hawking center fielder or a guy that drops in the box for run support. Berry was projected as a top 5 pick but because of the needs at Tackle for many teams, Berry might just be available here.

Other options:
Earl Thomas, S, Texas
Thomas is shutting up the draft boards for many experts. I have heard that numerous teams have changed their ranking to put Thomas in front of Berry. If Cleveland ends of being one of these teams or if Berry is snatched up earlier, Thomas will be a great fit for their need.

Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame or Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
Bradford will not drop to 7th but there is a lot of noise about Cleveland trading up for Bradford. If they stay pat, they could select Clausen. It does not appear they are very interested in Clausen but you can never trust what teams are saying before the draft.


8. OAK: Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland
The Raiders under Al Davis love players that perform well at the Combine. No player had a better Combine than Campbell. They have a huge need for a legitimate Left Tackle. That being said, you never know what the Raiders will do. They are the ultimate wild card in any draft.

Other options:
Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers
Davis is a really talented Offensive Tackle and may have the most upside of any tackle in the draft. He has been knocked for being lazy and not a hard worker. This would be a better pick for the Raiders but what is the likely hood that the Raiders will take the Better Pick?

Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame
The rumors are out there that Oakland has an interest in Clausen. That would mean that the Raiders would have to admit that Russell was a failure. This is a possibility and Oakland does like to make a splash at the draft.


9. BUF: Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee
I have gone back and forth several times with this pick. One moment I have Clausen penciled in and the next moment, I have Williams. Buffalo is changing to a 3-4 base defense. They have a mammoth need for a Nose Tackle. They will not find another nose tackle in this draft.

Other options:
Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame Clausen continues to be on the other options list. He would clearly meet a huge need for the Bills as their QB. They need a face of the franchise. They have been down this road before and it sound like they are not completely sold on Clausen. This is one of the reasons I dropped him back behind Williams.

Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers or Any OT
If Davis is on the Board, he would be a good selection. They have a real need for their offensive line.

10. JAX: Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech
Morgan is a great pass rusher. He is 6-4 and 272 pound and has good speed around the corner. The Jags only had 14 sacks last year. Morgan’s addition should add badly needed sacks.

Other options:
Joe Haden, CB, Florida or Earl Thomas, S, Texas
The Jags also have a need to shore up their secondary. Either Haden or Thomas would fit a need for this team. Both are good options and are about at the level for Jacksonville to pick between if they decide to go with secondary instead of DE.


11. DEN: Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama
The Broncos continue their conversion to the 3-4. They have huge need at inside linebacker. McClain is a perfect fit. The Broncos could select a WR or even Clausen but my money is on McClain.

12. MIA: Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida
Look for the Dolphins to convert Pierre-Paul to an OLB in the lines of DeMarcus Ware. He has a ton of potential and a fierce motor. Plus he can do backflips and that moves prospects up my draft board.

13. SF: Joe Haden, CB, Florida
Biggest need for the 49ers is cornerback. The best corner in the draft is on the board. It should not be hard to pull the trigger on this pick.

14. SEA: CJ Spiller, RB, Clemson
The Seahawks need a running back. How about one who can run fast, catch the ball out of the backfield, and score touchdowns? I think Spiller will be a good fit for Seattle.

15. NYG: Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri
The Giants have several needs but aging linebackers need to be replaced. Weatherspoon is a great pick up for the Giants. As a Missouri Tigers fan, I hate to see Weatherspoon go to the Giants.

16. TEN: Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan
DE Kyle Vanden Bosh is gone. The Titans need some playmakers on the Defensive Line and Graham is a play maker.

17. SF: Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame
I doubt if San Fran is sitting around thinking about Clausen but if he falls to the 49ers at 17, they have to consider him. Alex Smith has not worked out the way they expected. Clausen is the most ready for the Pros of the QB prospects. This will give Ten Ginn someone to throw the ball to him. I am sure that Coach Singletary would prefer a defensive pick.

18. PIT: Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State
The Steelers could use an upgrade at Corner. Wilson is an outstanding prospect at Corner. They could go with a Defensive Lineman or even an Offensive Lineman but with Wilson still available, they should select him.

19. ATL: Everson Griffen, DE, USC
Griffen is a pass rusher and the Falcons need a pass rushing DE. This would be a good fit.

20. HOU: Ryan Mathews, RB, Fresno State
The running game for Houston was anemic. Matthews is an upgrade for Houston. He should step in as the starter from day one.

21. CIN: Taylor Mays, S, USC
The Bengals could use an upgrade at both safeties. Mays can play either safety position. He is a hard hitting safety.

22. NE: Jared Odrick, DE, Penn State
Over the last few years, the Pats have lost their big time pass rushers. Odrick should help fill their need as a Defensive End.

23. GB: Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers
Like many teams, the Packers are looking to upgrade their offensive line. Rogers would be happy if he could stay off his back. Davis was a top ten prospect before the Combine.

24. PHI: Sergio Kindle, OLB, Texas
Philly needs to upgrade their defense. They need help with their defensive line and their linebackers. Kindle is the best of the group that is left on the board.

25. BAL: Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahome State
Bryant is a top five talent but has free fallen because of concerns about work ethic. This would be a steal for the Ravens and would give Flacco a great target. Wide Receiver is not the biggest need but Bryant would be too good to pass up.

26. ARI: Jerry Hughes, LB, TCU
Arizona could go several ways. They could use a left tackle but the best are off the table. They could use a top Defensive End but they are also gone. Breaston should be taking over for Boldin so that is not a huge need for them. They need help at Outside Linebacker so Hughes is a solid pick for them.

27. DAL: Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho
The Cowboys need help on their offensive line. Iupati is a prefect fit for them. He may or may not be able to play Left Tackle for them but he sure could help at Guard and maybe Right Tackle. He is coveted by the Cowboys and many of their fans.

28. SD: Terrence Cody, DT, Alabama
The one thing that the Chargers need more than a RB is a Nose Tackle. Cody will meet this need. The Chargers do have an early pick in the 2nd round and there will be a good running back at that point. I am not sure he will be available at the 8th pick in the second round (40).

29. NYJ: Demaryius Thomas, WR, Notre Dame
The Jets do have Edwards and Holmes at Wide Out but neither one of them have contracts past this season. Thomas can sit back, learn, and develop behind Edwards and Holmes. The Jets need to build up targets for Sanchez.

30. MIN: Nate Allen, FS, South Florida
The Vikings do not need many upgrades for starters. But safety is an area that they could use an upgrade both at Free and Strong Safety. Allen will be a great addition to the Vikings.

31. IND: Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida
Jeff Saturday is a great Center for Indy but is aging at 35 years old. Pouncey can help their O line, and one day replace Jeff Saturday. They might go with a Defensive Tackle instead. But I look for them to keep up the protection of Peyton.

32. NO: Brian Price, DT, UCLA
The Saints need help on the defensive side of the ball. Their biggest need appears to be at Defensive Tackle. Price may be a little raw but will bring huge upside at a position of need.

The Counselor is OUT:

32 Team Mock Draft @ Sports Jabber

The Counselor is IN:

The fine folks at Sports Jabber, aka the Wally World of sports sites, is having a 32 Team Mock Draft. If you would like to try your hand at the being the General Manager for a team and pick the first 3 rounds of the NFL Draft, this is the game for you. You will need to sign up with Sports Jabber but it is a free sign up. There are several teams left. Here is a link to the post. If you stop by there, let them know I sent you.

The Counselor is OUT:

1st Round NFL Draft Coverage

The Counselor is IN:

I am live blogging the first round of the NFL Draft. I will update this post continually as the picks are selected.

1. Detroit - Matt Stafford, QB, Georgia

The Lions were able to get a deal done with Stafford and his agent last night. He will be the face of their franchise and he has the skills to be a franchise QB. I think Stafford will be a good QB as long as he does not get gun shy from being sacked continually like David Carr was a few years ago. He does have all the tools with arm strength and decision making.

2. St. Louis – Jason Smith, OT, Baylor
With Pace moving on from the Rams, the Rams needed to get their Left Tackle secure. I think this is a perfect pick for the Rams. They have their LT of the next 10 years. Many think they should have picked QB Sanchez, but I think was their best option at this pick.

3. Kansas City- Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU
Jackson is a great 3-4 DE and the Chiefs are changing to the 3-4 this year. I expected for them to pick Curry, the best player on the board. Jackson will be a great help for them with their defense and their line. This is not a bad pick but not the pick I would have made for them.


4. Seattle - Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake Forest
The Seahawks get a steal with Curry at four. In my opinion, he is the best prospect in the draft. He will be a name that the AFC West teams will fear for many years to come.


5. Cleveland – Trade the fifth pick to the New York Jets
The Jets send their 1st and second round picks and three players to the Browns


5. New York Jets – Mark Sanchez, QB, Southern Cal
The Jets needed a QB and Sanchez is their guy. I have a lot of questions about Sanchez. He is a system QB from Southern Cal. He only has one season of starting. He does have one more season than Matt Cassel had coming into last year. They will live or die with this pick.


6. Cincinnati – Andre Smith, OT, Alabama
Smith is a huge tackle with a lot of talent. There are questions about his decision making and about the combine issues. He can play very well but there are plenty of questions about how he will be as a person off the field and if he will get in trouble.


7. Oakland -Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland
This is a reach pick but what do we expect from the Raiders. Crabtree and Maclin were available. Why not trade down for Bey if you wanted Bey to be your guy. This makes no sense at all.


8. Jacksonville – Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia
This is a solid pick for the Jags. Monroe will be a great left tackle for them for years to come. I might have tried to trade down with a team that wants Crabtree but this is still a great pick.


9. Green Bay – B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College
Raji is a huge Defensive Tackle and will be a great fit in the 3-4 in Green Bay. The Packers need help stopping the run and Raji will instantly help them. This is a great pick!


10. San Francisco – Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech
It is crazy that Crabtree slid all the way down to 10. Crabtree is great receiving prospect. I think he is the second best NFL prospect on the board. The 49ers were handed a gift.

11. Buffalo - Aaron Maybin, DE/OLB, Penn State

The Bills picked a pass rusher that they badly needed in Maybin. This should add some pop to their D-Line. This is a good pick for the Bills.

12. Denver – Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia

This is quite a pick. The Broncos have not drafted a top level Runningback in numerous years. He is a fast back and will be an interesting player for them. They had a lot of other needs like linebacker that I thought would be a better pick. I don’t even have Moreno as the top runningback on the board.

13. Washington – Brian Orakpo, DE/OLB, Texas

This is a great pick for the Redskins. Orakpo fell right into their laps. I thought he would have been gone long before this pick. This will make the Redskins much more nasty on defense.

14. New Orleans- Malcolm Jenkins, DB, Ohio State

Jenkins is a great fit with the Saints. The Saints need a lot of help at Corner and Safety. He should be a defensive playmaker for the Saints. I love this pick for the Saints.

15. Houston- Brian Cushing, OLB, Southern Cal

A perfect fit for a team that is in desperate need for a playmaker at outside linebacker. They also need major help at safety but they should be able to address it in the second round.

16. San Diego- Larry English, OLB, Northern Illinois

This is bit of a surprise for me. English is a good outside linebacker and pass rusher. This should help the Chargers and he may be a good compliment to Merriman. It is not a bad pick but was not what I expected at sixteen.

17. Cleveland –(pick from the Jets) traded to Tampa Bay

17. Tampa Bay – Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State

Is there a team that needed a top level QB more than Tampa? I am not a huge fan of Freeman but he could be the QB of the future for Tampa who has not had a franchise QB in a long time. He does have a great arm and great QB size. I am not a believer in his decision making but if he sits for a year then maybe he will develop into the Quarterback that the Bucs need.

18. Denver (f/CHI)- Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee

Ayers has a ton of potential. He was only a one year starter and is not a master sac artist. He brings intensity and was great at tackling and making plays. This pick should instantly help their defense.

19, Cleveland –(pick from Tampa Bay) - Traded to Philadelphia

19. Philadelphia – Jeremy Maclin, WR, Mizzou

What a steal for the Eagles. Maclin should not have made it out of the top 12. The Eagles trade up and get a difference maker at receiver. He should a wonderful compliment to DeShawn Jackson. McNabb will not have the ability to complain about not having a WR.

20. Detroit (f/DAL) – Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State

The Lions just picked up Stafford and he needs targets. He is a good blocking TE and a receiving TE. I thought they should have picked an offensive tackle in this position at this position but Pettigrew is a good pick up.

21. Cleveland –(pick from the Eagles) - Alex Mack, C, California
Mack can play either Center or Guard. He is a really good lineman. I would have rather had one of the top OT which are left like Oher. Yes they actually made their pick this time.

22. Minnesota – Percy Harvin, WR, Florida

This is an interesting pick for the Vikings. Harvin has a lot of questions around his behaviors and off field life. The Vikings just cleaned house of their character issue players which makes this pick strange. He had a positive test for pot at the combine. He has a ton of talent and Harvin was a stud in for the Gators.

23. New England – Traded to Baltimore for the 26th pick and a 5th round pick.

23. Baltimore– Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss
What a great story Oher is personally. He also is a heck of a OT. Flacco must be loving this pick. Oher will be protecting Flacco for a long time to come.

24. Atlanta – Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss

Jerry is a top notch defensive tackle. He will bring intensity and toughness to that defense. The Falcons are only getting better.

25. Miami – Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois

Davis has slide down to the Dolphins and the Tuna must be ecstatic. Many experts had Davis as a better CB than Jenkins. This is just what the Dolphins needed. He is a little bit of a project but he has great ability.

26. New England – (pick from the Ravens) traded to the Packers for the Packer’s second and 2 third round picks.

26. Green Bay – Clay Matthews, OLB, Southern Cal

This pick is all about the Packers’ switch to the 3-4 defense. They need playmakers in their linebacking group. Matthews is a good player who should help them with this transition. A very good pick for the Packers.

27. Indianapolis – Donald Borwn, RB, UConn

This is a strange pick. The Colts have a bunch of needs on the Defensive side. They have Addai and Hart so what is this pick about.

28. Buffalo (f/CAR via PHI) –Eric Wood, C, Louisville

Wood is one of the best Centers in the draft. This should help the offensive line for the Bills. They had a bunch of needs and Center was not the pick I would have made but it is a good pick for them.

29. New York Giants – Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina

Nicks is a big receiver in the model of Burress. He is a jump ball WR and has good hands. He should be a good target for Manning in the Red Zone and across the middle.

30. Tennessee – Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers

The Titans have needed a top level WR for years. They are hoping that Britt can be this guy. He is a big and physical WR that catch the ball over the middle.

31. Arizona – Chris “Beanie” Wells, RB, Ohio State

This is a steal for the Cardinals at 31. Wells was the best RB in the draft in my opinion. He is quick through the line and has a noise for the endzone. The Cards were dead last in running the ball last year during the season. This is a great pick for them.

32. Pittsburgh – Evander Hood, DT, Missouri

Hood was a stud for Mizzou up front. This is a great pick for the Steelers. They could have ILB Rey Maualuga instead but Hood is a good pick. The Steelers will be a little younger on the Defensive Line.

That is the end of the first round. Thanks for joining me for my thoughts on the first round selections.

The Counselor is OUT: