NFL: Mike Mayock's post-combine position rankings

Quarterback

1. Geno Smith, West Virginia
2. Matt Barkley, USC
3. Mike Glennon, NC State
4. Ryan Nassib, Syracuse
5. Landry Jones, Oklahoma

Running Back

1. Eddie Lacy, Alabama
2. Montee Ball, Wisconsin
3. Andre Ellington, Clemson
4. Giovani Bernard, North Carolina
5. Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina

Wide Receiver

1. Cordarrelle Patterson, Tennessee
2. Keenan Allen, Cal
3. Tavon Austin, West Virginia
4. Quinton Patton, Louisiana Tech
5. DeAndre Hopkins, Clemson

New entry: Hopkins
Rise: Austin (4), Patton (5)
Out: Terrance Williams, Baylor (3)

Tight End

1. Tyler Eifert, Notre Dame
2. Zach Ertz, Stanford
3. Gavin Escobar, San Diego State
4. Travis Kelce, Cincinnati
5. Vance McDonald, Rice

New entry: McDonald
Out: Jordan Reed, Florida (5)

Center

1. Travis Frederick, Wisconsin
2. Brian Schwenke, Cal
3. Barrett Jones, Alabama
4. Khaled Holmes, USC
5. Braxston Cave, Notre Dame

Guard

1. Chance Warmack, Alabama
2. Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina
3. Larry Warford, Kentucky
4. Kyle Long, Oregon
5. Brian Winters, Kent State

Tackle

1. Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M
2. Eric Fisher, Central Michigan
3. Lane Johnson, Oklahoma
4. D.J. Fluker, Alabama
T-5. Menelik Watson, Florida State
T-5. Justin Pugh, Syracuse

4-3 Defensive End

1. Bjoern Werner, Florida State
2. Ezekiel Ansah, BYU
3. Damontre Moore, Texas A&M
4. Sam Montgomery, LSU
5. Tank Carradine, Florida State

3-4 Defensive End

1. Star Lotulelei, Utah
2. Margus Hunt, SMU
3. Datone Jones, UCLA
4. Jesse Williams, Alabama
5. William Gholston, Michigan State

Defensive Tackle

1. Sharrif Floyd, Florida
2. Sheldon Richardson, Missouri
3. Sylvester Williams, North Carolina
4. Kawann Short, Purdue
5. Johnathan Hankins, Ohio State

Rise: Richardson (3), Williams (4), Short (5)

4-3 Outside Linebacker

1. Jarvis Jones, Georgia
2. Khaseem Greene, Rutgers
3. Arthur Brown, Kansas State
4. Sio Moore, Connecticut
5. Chase Thomas, Stanford

3-4 Outside Linebacker

1. Dion Jordan, Oregon
2. Jamie Collins, Southern Miss
3. Barkevious Mingo, LSU
4. Michael Buchanan, Illinois
5. Corey Lemonier, Auburn

Inside Linebacker

1. Alec Ogletree, Georgia
2. Manti Te'o, Notre Dame
3. Kevin Minter, LSU
4. Kevin Reddick, North Carolina
5. Kiko Alonso, Oregon

Cornerback

1. Dee Milliner, Alabama
2. Xavier Rhodes, Florida State
3. Desmond Trufant, Washington
4. Blidi Wreh-Wilson, Connecticut
5. B.W. Webb, William & Mary

New entry: Wreh-Wilson, Webb
Rise: Trufant (4), Patton (5)
Out: Johnthan Banks, Mississippi State (3); Jordan Poyer, Oregon State (5)

Safety

1. Kenny Vaccaro, Texas
2. Matt Elam, Florida
3. Jonathan Cyprien, Florida International
4. Eric Reid, LSU
5. Shamarko Thomas, Syracuse

New entry: Thomas
Out: Zeke Motta, Notre Dame (5)

@ nfl.com

NFL: Winners and losers in Indy by Bucky Brooks

Scouts and coaches will tell you that most evaluators leave the NFL Scouting Combine with more questions than answers after watching top prospects work out for four days in Indianapolis.

With a little bit of time to reflect on the happenings at Lucas Oil Stadium, here are some answers to a few prominent questions in my mind:

1) Who helped himself the most?

Margus Hunt, DE, SMU: Hunt put himself squarely on the radar of scouts after turning in sensational marks in the 40-yard dash (4.60 seconds), vertical jump (34.5 inches), broad jump (10-foot-1) and bench press (38 reps). He also displayed outstanding movement skills, agility and body control in positional drills, leading some scouts to believe he can develop into an immediate-impact player as a five-technique (a defensive end in a 3-4).

Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia:Austin, who also had a remarkable workout, likewise deserves mention. His 4.34 40 answered questions about his speed, while a superb positional workout showcased his hands and receiving skills. Given his overall explosiveness, Austin is worth considering at the bottom of the first round.

2) Who went in the wrong direction?

Damontre Moore, DT, Texas A&M: Moore had arguably the worst combine of any prospect in attendance, posting a disappointing 12 reps in the bench press and barely cracking the five-second mark in the 40-yard dash. Additionally, he reportedly came off as immature and unprepared in interviews with scouts and coaches. With so much riding on his performance in Indianapolis, Moore likely torpedoed his chances of coming off the board with one of the first five picks.

3) Which prospect/team match do I feel confident about?

Dee Milliner and the Detroit Lions: Team executives will wax poetic about taking the best available player, but most teams actually try to fill their biggest needs. A lack of solid secondary play should lead the Lions to take Milliner in the first round. Not only is he the best cornerback in the draft, but he certainly is worthy of a top-five selection (Detroit holds the No. 5 pick), based on his immense talent and potential.

4) Who is facing the most pro-day pressure?

Matt Barkley, QB, USC: Barkley reportedly shined in interviews with scouts and coaches, but he didn't throw, meaning he must dazzle evaluators with his physical skills at his pro day. He must display exceptional arm strength and impress with his accuracy and ball placement. Additionally, Barkley will need to meet the standard measurements in a battery of agility tests to prove he is athletic enough to effectively play quarterback as a pro. If Barkley steps up to the challenge in all aspects, he definitely could earn a spot in the first round as the second quarterback taken off the board.

5) Who emerged as a Day 2 value pick for April's draft?

Terron Armstead, OT, Arkansas-Pine Bluff: Most of the pre-draft attention is focused on the first round, but general managers and scouts quickly will tell you that championship teams also find integral pieces in the second and third rounds. Armstead is the guy to watch, based on his strong play at college all-star games, as well as his fabulous showing at the combine (highlighted bya 4.71 40 at 306 pounds). He is an extremely athletic edge blocker with the size, strength and agility to be a solid starter at right tackle or offensive guard as a pro. @ nfl.com

NFL: San Francisco 49ers agree to trade Alex Smith to Chiefs

There aren't any truly great options at quarterback in the 2013 NFL Draft. Free agency is even more barren. That leaves a quarterback-desperate team like the Kansas City Chiefs more than ready to lock down their quarterback for 2013 right now.
Fox Sports insider and NFL Network contributor Jay Glazer reported that the the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers have agreed upon a trade that will send Alex Smith to theChiefs. The deal can't be official until the league year starts on March 12, but the Chiefs have made a "clear commitment" to Smith, according to Glazer.

NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported the compensation is a second-round pick in 2013 and possibly a pick in 2014. Glazer's wording suggests that a new contract could be coming for Smith, who was due $7.5 million in the final year of his deal. The Chiefs wouldn't give up this much in the draft for a one-year rental.

Glazer said on NFL Network that the Chiefs believe they have their quarterback for the next "several" years. Reid is very high on Smith and the trade terms prove it.

Incumbent quarterback Matt Cassel, once acquired in a similar deal by former GM Scott Pioli, is expected to be released by the Chiefs any day now. New GM John Dorsey and coach Andy Reid are starting over from scratch at the quarterback position, with Smith the first big piece in place. Don't be surprised if they add another quarterback through the draft, but this trade is an admission that no rookie quarterback was ready to start right away.

With his smarts and his underrated mobility, Smith makes a lot of sense as an Andy Reid-style quarterback. He can help the Chiefs compete right away because the team has talent on defense and some pieces in place offensively likeJamaal Charles, Jon Baldwin and possibly Dwayne Bowe, who sounds likely to get the franchise tag. The downside for Smith: He doesn't have Jim Harbaugh to guide him anymore.

Smith had a ton of ups and downs in San Francisco. Now he gets what he wanted most: A fresh start and an organization that truly wants him. @ nfl.com

NFL: Mike Mayock's four weekend combine observations

NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock ended his seven hours of NFL Scouting Combine coverage Sunday with a 30-minute media session at Lucas Oil Stadium. Here are the highlights of his weekend evaluations:

» Central Michigan tackle Eric Fisher could be in the mix for the No. 1 overall pick. Mayock said he thought Fisher already had closed the gap on Texas A&M's Luke Joeckel at the Senior Bowl. He doesn't see much of a difference between the two, so if Joeckel is considered a possibility for theKansas City Chiefs then Fisher should be, too.

» West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith lived up to everything Mayock previously believed from film study. Consistency remains the problem. There's the potential to be a franchise quarterback with the good arm, mobility and accuracy. Mayock called Smith a very natural thrower and was happy he had the chutzpah to throw and compete, but he still slots the quarterback in the range of the No. 20-32 picks.

"I want to bang the table because I want to like Geno Smith," Mayock said. "But there's just too many inconsistencies on tape for me to say that Kansas City or anyone that high should take him."

» Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson did well for himself Sunday. He ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash and showed the game speed he put on tape. Mayock called him smart, tough and quick. Robinson also caught the ball well and didn't have a single drop during the gauntlet drill despite nerve damage that affects his right hand. Pass-catching skills remain the biggest question, but he did well in that area during the workout.

» Mayock reiterated that 2013 should be a deep draft, though not sexy with four offensive linemen and two defensive linemen in his top 10. He put the over/under on first-round quarterbacks at two.

NFL: Comeback 2013: JaMarcus Russell's Road Back to the NFL

Episode 2


Episode 1

NFL: NFL draft bust JaMarcus Russell is attempting a comeback

One of the biggest draft busts in NFL history is trying to re-kindle his football career. Yahoo! Sports has learned that JaMarcus Russell is planning a comeback attempt that he hopes will see him play in the league again. The former No. 1 pick in the 2007 NFL draft has not played a single NFL snap since the 2009 season with the Oakland Raiders.

The reclamation of Russell will follow a tricky road for a quarterback who was always known more for his physical blessings than technique. Russell, 27, who has effectively been out of football since tryouts with the Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins in 2010, might find overcoming himself his biggest challenge. Currently at 308 pounds, Russell is down from the 320 pounds he weighed this past fall and has been focusing on cardio conditioning the past six weeks to lose the weight.

“My first year out, I couldn’t watch football but after a while, I couldn’t keep the TV off. I got that itchy feeling but now I gotta watch it, gotta watch,” Russell said.

“The last few years, the things going through my life, football is my job and it is how it feeds my family. People would say [that] I didn’t love the game but that pisses me off. People don’t know the real you but I want people to know the real me and see what I can do. People are always saying that I’m a bust. I want show them I’m not. I’m committed to this now.”

Yahoo! Sports has learned that Russell’s mentor through this whole process is former NFL wide receiver Mike Clayton, who like Russell is a LSU product. Over the next couple months, Russell will be training with Brian Martin of TEST Football Academy and TEST West, whose draft products include Joe Flacco and Patrick Peterson among others. In addition, former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jeff Garcia (quarterback technique training), Olympian Ato Boldon (speed training and analysis), Dr. Robert Price of Elite Minds (mental and psychological analysis), former NFL wide receiver Quinn Early (disciplinary work and focus), former New York Giants quarterback Scott Brunner (reading defenses and classroom sessions) and NFL Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk (reading defenses) will work as part of the team trying to reclaim the quarterback’s promise.

A former top pick, Russell never fulfilled his boundless athletic promise, including a 6-foot-6-inch 265 pound frame that looked more like that belonging to a tight end than someone under center. Complicating a comeback from a less than storied NFL career is the fact that Russell will need to overcome the negative perception stemming from his July 2010 arrest for codeine syrup without a prescription.

He has taken steps to make amends for his mistakes, including frequently speaking to youth groups about his poor choices and arrest.

“I’m not looking for a pat on the shoulder from people who haven’t been there for me,” Russell said. “It feels funny not to go through a training camp, that’s just what I’m used to. It’s going to feel good to go back out there again. I will make this happen.” @ sports.yahoo.com

NCAA Football: 247Sports 2013 Top50 Recruits

	Name	Pos	Ht	Wt	247Sports Rating	Team
1 1		Robert Nkemdiche Grayson (Loganville, GA)	SDE	6-4	285	5101		▼
2 18		Chris Jones Houston (Houston, MS)	SDE	6-5	250	5100		▼
3 4		Laremy Tunsil Columbia (Lake City, FL)	OT	6-6	295	5100		▼
4 3		Vernon Hargreaves III Wharton (Tampa, FL)	CB	5-11	185	5100		▼
5 2		Jaylon Smith Bishop Luers (Fort Wayne, IN)	OLB	6-3	218	5100		▼
6 6		Eddie Vanderdoes Placer (Auburn, CA)	DT	6-2	310	5100		▼
7 13		Christian Hackenberg Fork Union Military (HS) (Fork Union, VA)	PRO	6-4	210	5100		▼
8 43		Dorian Johnson Belle Vernon (Belle Vernon, PA)	OT	6-5	280	5100		▼
9 54		Tre'Davious White Green Oaks (Shreveport, LA)	CB	5-10.5	170	599		▼
10 10		Montravius Adams Dooly County (Vienna, GA)	DT	6-4	310	599		▼
11 16		Jonathan Allen Stone Bridge (Ashburn, VA)	OLB	6-3	260	599		▼
12 12		Derrick Henry Yulee (Yulee, FL)	ATH	6-3	240	599		▼
13 9		Kenny Bigelow Eastern Christian (Elkton, MD)	DT	6-3	297	599		▼
14 8		Matthew Thomas Booker T. Washington (Miami, FL)	OLB	6-3.5	210	599		▼
15 7		Reuben Foster Auburn (Auburn, AL)	ILB	6-1	240	599		▼
16 5		Su'a Cravens Vista Murrieta (Murrieta, CA)	S	6-1	205	599		▼
17 41		Alex Collins South Plantation (Fort Lauderdale, FL)	RB	5-11	204	599		▼
18 23		Robert Foster Central Valley (Monaca, PA)	WR	6-2	185	599		▼
19 22		Kelvin Taylor Glades Day School (Belle Glade, FL)	RB	5-10	216	598		▼
20 19		O.J. Howard Autauga Academy (Prattville, AL)	TE	6-5.5	221	598		▼
21 28		Robbie Rhodes Southwest (Fort Worth, TX)	WR	6-1	189	598		▼
22 20		Thomas Tyner Aloha (Beaverton, OR)	RB	6-0	207	598		▼
23 25		Ricky Seals-Jones Sealy (Sealy, TX)	ATH	6-5	230	598		▼
24 21		Carl Lawson Milton (Alpharetta, GA)	WDE	6-3	245	598		▼
25 32		Tony Conner South Panola (Batesville, MS)	S	6-1.5	203	598		▼
26 34		A'Shawn Robinson Arlington Heights (Fort Worth, TX)	OT	6-5	302	598		▼
27 49		Elijah Daniel Avon (Avon, IN)	SDE	6-4	250	598		▼
28 14		Laquon Treadwell Crete-Monee (Crete, IL)	WR	6-3	195	598		▼
29 27		Vonn Bell Ridgeland (Rossville, GA)	S	5-11.5	180	598		▼
30 11		Max Browne Skyline (Sammamish, WA)	PRO	6-5	210	598		▼
31 17		Kendall Fuller Good Counsel (Olney, MD)	CB	6-0	175	598		▼
32 53		Alex Anzalone Wyomissing (Reading, PA)	OLB	6-3	232	598		▼
33 24		Keith Ford Cypress Ranch (Cypress, TX)	RB	5-11	203	497		▼
34 29		MacKensie Alexander Immokalee (Immokalee, FL)	CB	5-10	180	497		▼
35 33		Darius James Harker Heights (Harker Heights, TX)	OG	6-6	320	497		▼
36 59		Holland Fisher Manchester (Midlothian, VA)	S	6-1.5	207	497		▼
37 100		Brice Ramsey Camden County (Kingsland, GA)	PRO	6-3	197	497		▼
38 36		DeMarcus Walker Sandalwood (Jacksonville, FL)	SDE	6-3	265	497		▼
39 15		Jalen Ramsey Brentwood Academy (Brentwood, TN)	CB	6-0.5	189	497		▼
40 50		Ryan Green St Petersburg Catholic (Saint Petersburg, FL)	APB	5-10	195	496		▼
41 30		Max Redfield Mission Viejo (Mission Viejo, CA)	S	6-3	195	496		▼
42 31		Leon McQuay III Armwood (Seffner, FL)	S	6-2	184	496		▼
43 97		Hunter Bivin Apollo (Owensboro, KY)	OT	6-7	290	496		▼
44 56		Daniel McMillian First Coast (Jacksonville, FL)	OLB	6-2	220	496		▼
45 48		Eli Apple Eastern (Voorhees, NJ)	CB	6-1	185	496		▼
46 66		Tahaan Goodman Rancho Cucamonga (Rancho Cucamonga, CA)	S	6-3	195	496		▼
47 39		Priest Willis Marcos De Niza (Tempe, AZ)	S	6-2	200	496		▼
48 44		Adam Breneman Cedar Cliff Hs (Camp Hill, PA)	TE	6-5	227	496		▼
49 38		Kent Perkins Lake Highlands (Dallas, TX)	OT	6-6	285	496		▼
50 105		Larenz Bryant Zebulon B. Vance (Charlotte, NC)	OLB	6-1	213	496		▼