The National Football League Draft is one of the most highly anticipated events on the sporting calendar as the 32 NFL franchises select the best young American Football players from the collegiate leagues to replenish their ranks. Predictably, a large portion of players who go on to become stars in the NFL are selected in the first round, where selections can make or break teams for years to come.

Names such as Ryan Leaf, Tony Mandarich and JaMarcus Russell should serve as cautionary tales to NFL General Managers, but the sheer amount of quality available in the Draft arguably makes it easier to hit, rather than miss, on a player in the first round.

On the flip side, for every Leaf or Russell, there is a Tom Brady or Kurt Warner, players who fall to the later rounds of the Draft or even fail to get drafted at all, but who go on to have stellar careers within the NFL.

With that in mind, we have examined which current NFL rookies (non-first and second rounders) have the potential to stand in the lofty heights created by the likes of Brady and Warner.

1) Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks.

Wilson was selected in the third round by the Seahawks, presumably to learn from the duo vying for the starting jersey, Matt Flynn and Tavaris Jackson. Not even the most optimistic of Seahawks’ fans would have predicted that their young rookie would oust the highly paid acquisition that was Flynn, but he did just that.

Wilson has thrown for 2,051 yards and 17 touchdowns so far this season, despite playing behind an inexperienced offensive line and without an elite receiving corps. With a few decent additions to Seattle over the coming years, Wilson could, and perhaps should, develop into an elite quarterback.

2) Alfred Morris, RB, Washington Redskins.

Understandably, headlines were focused on another Redskins pick at the start of the season, a certain Robert Griffin III but fast forward a few months and, well, they’re still focused on RG3, but running back Morris is also earning some time in the spotlight.

Selected in the sixth round, Morris has perhaps offered more value for money than any other rookie currently in the NFL. Morris has 982 rushing yards (fifth in the NFL), with an average of 4.7 yards-per-carry, further proving that excellent running back prospects can be found towards the end of the draft (honorable mentions also to Daryl Richardson and Bryce Brown).

3) Vontaze Burfict, LB, Cincinnati Bengals.

The former Arizona State University player went undrafted this year, despite entering the 2011 NCAA season as one of the most highly rated prospects in the country. A poor combine workout, personality concerns and testing positive for marijuana all ensured that Burfict slipped off of most teams’ radars.

He has already collected 76 combined tackles this season and would perhaps have more if he had not been moved from inside to outside linebacker. More importantly, Burfict is repaying the faith shown in him by Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis by training hard, playing well and avoiding any off-field controversies. Providing he can continue in this vein, we could well be witnessing the first few steps of the next Ray Lewis.

4) Alfonzo Dennard, CB, New England Patriots.

There was little fanfare in New England when Dennard was selected in the seventh round. Fans were far more focused on defensive counterparts Chandler Jones and Don’t’a Hightower, both of whom were selected in the first round, whilst the secondary was also strengthened in the second and sixth rounds with the acquisitions of Tavon Wilson and Nate Ebner. Although it was safe to say Dennard flew in under the radar, there is nothing under the radar about his play since.

Dennard has three interceptions — one of which was returned for an 87-yard touchdown — in just seven games and already looks at home in the Patriot’s defense. His form has also allowed for Devin McCourty to move back to safety, with a potentially dominant secondary forming among the young defensive backs for New England.

5) Justin Tucker, K, Baltimore Ravens.

The Ravens were faced with a conundrum at the beginning of the season: stick with veteran kicker Billy Cundiff or roll the dice on the undrafted Justin Tucker? Tucker eventually won the battle in preseason and neither Tucker nor the Ravens have looked back since.

The kicker has missed just two of his field goal attempts, has 100 percent success rate on extra point attempts and has broken the franchise record with a 56-yard field goal. Although Baltimore was criticized by some for going with the rookie at the start of the season, they have proved their critics wrong as Tucker has arguably outshone all the kickers drafted above him, with perhaps the exception of Greg Zuerlein.

Image Courtesy : Seattle Seahawks

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Adam Vinatieri made a field goal to put the Indianapolis Colts ahead by one point with 56 seconds left in the fourth. Given Blaine Gabbert’s tremendous struggles all afternoon long, virtually everyone in the building thought it was over.

To no surprise, that may have even included a number of his Jacksonville Jaguars teammates, as well.

In an AFC South showdown that the Colts (1-2) were less than a minute away from winning, the Jaguars (1-2) instead ended up leaving Lucas Oil Stadium with a 22-17 victory that completely shattered the hearts of Andrew Luck along with the rest of Indianapolis.

Only eleven seconds after the snap of the first play from scrimmage following Vinatieri’s clutch field goal, which just barely snuck through the left upright, Cecil Shorts III had just dove across the goal line while being tackled, finishing off an 80 yard catch and run up the middle of the field to give the Jags the eventual winning score.

“I told the guys going out onto the field, ‘We’re going to win. Right here, right now,’” said Gabbert. “We happened to get the right look for the play that was called. We just went with it.”

By the time the play was over the venue had instantly gone from jubilant to punched-in-the-stomach shocked. No one donning royal blue was able to process what had just taken place.

The game-winning touchdown pass was Gabbert’s only scoring throw of the game, and also just his tenth and final completion. He netted only 155 yards through the air on the day.

“This one’s going to sit in the pit of their stomachs for quite some time,” said Colts head coach Chuck Pagano of his players. “Obviously, we’re going to have to get over it and move on and get better from here.”

Pro start number three was another success for Luck, with the exception of how the final score turned out. Luck threw for 313 yards and two touchdowns. His interception with less than seven minutes remaining in the third quarter would set up a 47 yard field goal by Jacksonville kicker Josh Scobee that cut the Indianapolis lead to 14-13 a few minutes later.

After taking an early 3-0 lead on the game’s opening possession, the Jags did not find themselves back in the driver’s seat until the 11:02 mark of the fourth quarter thanks to a 26 yard field goal by Scobee.

Two first half touchdown passes by Luck – a 40 yarder toward the right sideline to rookie receiver T.Y. Hilton and a 4 yard slant to running back Mewelde Moore helped the Colts establish a 14-3 advantage going into halftime.

Maurice Jones-Drew broke a 59 yard untouched rush to the right and took it all the way for the score early in the third to bring Jacksonville within four. He had an unstoppable day, recording 177 yards on 28 carries.

On the ensuing Colts possession, receiver Austin Collie, who suffered a concussion in the preseason and has had three in total dating back to the 2010 regular season, took a hard hit over the middle after making his first catch of the season and then had to be carted off the field with a knee injury.

Trailing 16-14 inside of five minutes to go in the fourth, Vinatieri just missed a 36 yard field goal wide left following an inexplicable delay of game penalty that appeared to make all the difference on the attempt.

The Colts found themselves on their own 35 with no timeouts at their disposal shortly after Shorts III’s late touchdown. Luck was able to get them all the way down to the Jacksonville 26 yard line, but a final jump ball for Reggie Wayne in the end zone was knocked away to conclude the ball game.

No matter how wild it was, Jacksonville will certainly take the win.

“This win is close to the top,” said Jaguars cornerback Rashean Mathis. “That was pretty much a ‘Hail Mary’, but it was great.”

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The only thing the Houston Texans (3-0) did wrong on Sunday was not allow quarterback Matt Schaub to go home with his entire left ear intact. Other than that, they took care of business the way they had it planned all week.

On a high hit handed out by Denver linebacker Joe Mays, which warranted a flag, Schaub severely cut his left ear and had to come out of the game for a play. It turned out that a chunk of the lobe actually fell off.

“I felt fine,” Schaub said. “I just lost a piece of my ear. I was bleeding and my helmet came off. So, I had to come out for a play, but I was fine.”

Schaub threw for 290 yards and four touchdowns, Arian Foster tallied 105 yards on 25 carries and the Texans held on late to clinch their third consecutive win to open the season, defeating Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos (1-2) on the road, 31-25.

“We knew that we had to try to get the ball downfield because they had a lot of people committed to the run,” said Texans head coach Gary Kubiak. “We did what we had to do to win, convinced them that we had to make some big plays and they did.”

Houston responded to Denver’s quick five points at the outset with a 60 yard Andre Johnson touchdown to gain a 7-5 lead at the 6:38 mark of the first quarter.

They never trailed again from that point on.

A three yard touchdown pass to Foster and 52 yard strike to receiver Kevin Walter later, the Texans had extended to a 21-5 advantage less than midway through the second quarter.

By halftime the Broncos were not done, though, as they were able to cut it to a 10 point game with two field goals before entering the locker room.

A dominant third quarter by the Texans in which they outscored the Broncos 10-0 put a considerable amount of distance between the two at 31-11.

It appeared to be over, but Manning, as he has always done, would not go down without swinging.

Manning found his old battery mate from his Indianapolis days, Brandon Stokley, for 38 yards and a touchdown to trim the deficit to 31-18 with just under 10 minutes remaining in the fourth.

Another Manning touchdown pass with exactly three minutes left to go gave the Broncos an opportunity to win the game if they could find a way to come up with a much needed stop.

But that didn’t happen, as Schaub found Johnson down the left sideline on a critical 3rd and 5 in Houston territory. They were eventually forced to punt, but by that time the Broncos were left on their 14 yard line with just 20 seconds on the clock.

They tried to pull off a lateral-laced miracle as the clock struck zero, but to no avail.

“Second week in a row we lost by six points,” said Broncos head coach John Fox. “It’s the second week in a row we started very slowly. Different side of the ball this time.”

“We have to learn from this game, address it, be honest, everybody needs to be accountable and try to improve forward,” Manning said. “It’s not the ideal situation. Everybody would love to be 3-0. That’s not the way it is right now.”

While Manning and his new crew are still trying to find themselves, Schaub and the Texans just keep rolling along, even if pieces of body parts are literally being torn off.

Said Kubiak of Schaub’s performance, “Boy, he played like a champ today.”

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Sunday’s showdown between the Detroit Lions (1-2) and Tennessee Titans (1-2) in Nashville ended up turning into a good old fashioned shootout. One which needed an extra 8:25 to decide a winner.

And at the end of the day, it was the Titans who found themselves on top, 44-41, in what was probably the wildest game the day had to offer.

“Both of us looked at each other and said, ‘We’ve never been through something like this in our lives,’” said Titans head coach Mike Munchak of his counterpart Jim Schwartz. “It’s hard to put in words what to say about that. We both could’ve won in so many ways.”

Titans quarterback Jake Locker threw for 378 yards and two touchdowns while completing 29 of 42 passes and leading his team to their first win of the season.

Tennessee, who was previously winless, went into halftime with a 20-9 lead over a Lions team that is anything but a pushover.

After only seven points were scored in the third quarter via a one yard Mikel Leshoure rushing touchdown, the fourth quarter saw scoring come from left and right in every which way, through offense, defense and special teams.

A total of 46 points were scored in the final period of regulation.

Brandon Pettigrew’s fumble at the Tennessee 28 yard line with the Lions trailing 34-27 with about three minutes remaining in the fourth was recovered by Tennessee cornerback Alterraun Verner and run back 72 yards for a touchdown and what undoubtedly appeared at the moment to be the final dagger.

But Lions backup quarterback Shaun Hill had other plans.

Matthew Stafford, the Lions starting quarterback, did not return to the field due to injury following Pettigrew’s fumble. He had an outstanding day nonetheless, going 33/42 through the air for 278 yards and a touchdown.

Hill suddenly found himself thrown into a game trailing two touchdowns with just 1:16 left on the clock. He would put together an 80 yard touchdown drive in just 58 seconds, which ended with a 3 yard scoring toss to Calvin Johnson, who had yet another monster performance with 164 yards on 10 receptions to go with that touchdown grab.

Detroit successfully recovered the ensuing onside kick, and was stationed at the Titans 46 yard line with just 18 seconds remaining.

Hill’s prayer on second down was answered downfield by receiver Titus Young, as he hauled in a touchdown that set up the game-tying extra point as time expired.

Locker remained composed, however, and put Tennessee in position to take a 44-41 lead with 10:36 left in overtime.

Schwartz wanted to end it once the Lions made their way all the way down to the Tennessee seven. It would be a decision that would come back to bite him, as Hill attempted to scramble for the first down on fourth and one, but lost a yard and came up short to seal the victory for the Titans.

The play did undergo a booth review and was upheld, ending the madness.

Trying to somehow put everything into words, Munchak said, “I can honestly say, 30 years being around the NFL, I never saw anything close to what we experienced in this game, the highs and the lows, both sides of the ball.”

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The Minnesota Vikings pulled off the unthinkable, upsetting the 2-0 San Francisco 49ers 24-13 at the Mall of America Field.

Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder continues to play well for Minnesota, completing 21 of 35 passes for 198 yards, and two touchdowns in their upset victory. Percy Harvin led the Vikings in receiving, catching nine passes for 89 yards. Harvin was also featured in the backfield, having one carry for nine yards. Minnesota had an effective day running the ball against one of the NFL’s best defenses. The Vikings ran for a total of 146 yards and scored once on the ground. This was the first time the 49ers gave up over 100 yards rushing this season.

Adrian Peterson led the running attack with 25 carries for 86 yards. Quarterback Christian Ponder scrambled seven times for 33 yards, including his 23 yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph caught five passes for 36 yards and two touchdowns. Rudolph has already matched last seasons’ three touchdown total just three games into the 2012 season, and seems to be a key target for Christian Ponder and the Minnesota offense. The Vikings’ offensive line contained the ferocious 49ers blitz and did not allow them to sack Ponder once.

Alex Smith completed 24 of 35 passes for 204 yards, one touchdown, one fumble and one interception in Sunday’s loss. Smith’s lone interception ended his franchise record 249-throw streak without an interception. Smith’s favorite receiver was Mario Manningham, who caught five passes for 56 yards. Tight end Vernon Davis also caught five passes for 53 yards. In addition, 49ers veteran wide receiver Randy Moss caught three passes for 27 yards against his old squad. Frank Gore led the 49ers in rushing with 12 carries for 63 yards, and caught one pass for nine yards along with one fumble loss.

Although not being able to stop Christian Ponder, the 49ers’ defense was well led by linebacker NaVorro Bowman. Bowman had a career-high 18 tackles. Patrick Willis also contributed, with 10 tackles.  The 49ers will look to bounce back from this shocking upset next week against the New York Jets. The Vikings are looking to continue playing well, and will be on the road against division rival the Detroit Lions.

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In what was expected to be a tough match-up on the road for the New York Giants, especially while missing key members on offense such as Hakeem Nicks, Ahmad Bradshaw, David Diehl and Domenik Hixon, turned into the Giants defeating the Carolina Panthers 36-7.

Giants running back Andre Brown continues to make a name for himself  after his performance last night against the Panthers. The Giants could not have asked for more from their back up running back. Brown had 20 carries for 113 yards and two touchdowns.

At wide receiver, four-year player Ramses Barden started in place for the injured Nicks. Barden lead all receivers, with 9 receptions for 138 yards. Barden’s performance could have landed him a spot to see the field more often.

Giants tight-end Martellus Bennett caught 6 receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown. This is Bennett’s third consecutive game with at least one touchdown. Astonishing enough, the last time Bennett scored a touchdown in three consecutive games was back in 2008 when he was with the Dallas Cowboys.

Eli Manning was extremely efficient Thursday night, completing 27 of 35 passes for 288 yards and one touchdown. Eli had a quarterback ratting of 110.2, his highest rating of the season. His 77.1% completion percentage was a season best thus far. Manning was able to enjoy the victory and watch the final minutes of the game from the sideline.

Another key factor in Thursday’s victory was the Giants defense. Although struggling in the secondary because of injury, they were able to force Cam Newton to throw three interceptions. In addition, the Panthers put the ball on the ground two times; both times, the Giants were able to recover and regain possession. The Giants limited Newton to 242 passing yards and only 6 carries for 6 yards on the ground. Newton had a quarterback rating of 40.6, a career worst for the 2nd year star. The Giants were also able to maintain the rest of the Panthers high powered running threats, only giving up 60 yards on 20 attempts.

Panthers back-up quarterback Derek Anderson took over when the game was out of reach, with less than a minute to play.

The Giants have some much needed rest to catch up on with their upcoming schedule. New York will be traveling to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles Sunday September 30.

For additional player or game stats please click here. 

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The NFL’s oldest rivalry will meet for the 185th time Thursday night at Lambeau Field. The Packers will try to bounce back from a Week One, 30-22 defeat by the San Francisco 49ers, and the Bears look to make an early divisional statement and improve to 2-0 on the season.

Green Bay had an extremely difficult time stopping the 49ers’ offense this past Sunday. Green Bay gave up a total of 377 yards: 191 via pass, and 186 on the ground. In addition, the Packers struggled running the ball, compiling a total of 45 rushing yards. Packers’ newly acquired running back, Cedric Benson, only had nine carries for 18 yards- not exactly what the Packers wanted to see from their free agent signing. Unfortunately, the Packers also may be without wide receiver, Greg Jennings, who is ailing with a groin injury.

As for the Bears, their offense looked explosive. The Bears had a total of 428 yards, sixth best in the NFL, against the Indianapolis Colts. Jay Cutler and wide receiver Brandon Marshall did not miss a beat. In a Tuesday conference, when asked about the Packers’ defensive backs pressing and being physical with receivers Cutler said, “Good luck.” A very bold yet confident statement to make just a week into play.

Chicago’s running back duo could possibly be the best in the NFL. Matt Forte and Michael Bush were very effective Week One combining for 122 yards and three touchdowns. Defensively, the Bears were able to create turnovers, forcing three interceptions and two fumbles. Bears’ linebacker Brian Urlacher is expected to play even though he is still suffering knee problems. Also cornerback, Charles Tillman is expected to play. Tillman left Week One with an apparent shin injury.

Keys to Victory for the Packers:

Put pressure on Jay Cutler:

The Packers are going to have to be effective on the blitz and force Jay Cutler to make mistakes. They cannot allow him to settle in the pocket and find open receivers. Several times, Cutler threw questionable passes into double coverage in Week One against the Colts; Green Bay must capitalize on these mistakes, force turnovers and let their offense control the game.

Establish Some Type of Run Game:

The Packers had absolutely no run game Week One, which needs to change as the season progresses. By establishing a run game the Packers’ offense becomes more dangerous, and less predictable. This also gives Green Bay the ability to control the clock, and keep Cutler and his explosive offense off the field.

Keys to Victory for the Bears

Attack Green Bay’s weak Secondary:

The Bears have a talented offense and Cutler can definitely distribute and pass the ball. Cutler and the Bears should want to keep the ball in the air and see if the Packers are capable of stopping their receiving core revolved around Brandon Marshall.

Keep Aaron Rodgers off the Field:

Rodgers was not named MVP last year for nothing. He is extremely talented and executes very efficiently. The Bears must try and control the clock with Forte and Bush. The longer their offense is on the field the longer Rodgers is on the sideline. The Bears want to keep him off the field and put more pressure on the Packers’ defense to come up to make a big play.

The Packers will look to expand their current winning streak over the Bears to five games, but it definitely will not come easy. As coach Mike McCarthy said while addressing the press: “It’s a tough game every time we get together on the field, so we are expecting that, but yes we are focusing on winning the game.”

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South Florida, U.S.A. — Football Connect, is now available with its 2012-2013 version for iOS devices. In Football Connect 2012-2013, players use their iOS devices to access a unique board with tiles made up of NFL players and game events.

Each game’s goal is to line up tiles based on in-game player and team NFL events, adding an entirely new level of gameplay and game participation. Fans can play along with live NFL games to predict events that will happen and compete to get tiles in a row.

“Given the huge popularity of professional football and the widespread use of tablets and smartphones in front of the TV, Football Connect adds a layer of competition and entertainment during NFL games,” said Daren Trousdell, founder and CEO of OneUp Games. “Football Connect gives fans a rewarding and unique approach to the game, allowing them to socialize with others and take their sports on the go.”

OneUp Games newest app continues to provide fans with a fresh way to interact with their game of choice. Football delivers casual live-play games that enhance the user experience.

Key features include:

• Matching Players and Events – Think your favorite QB is about to get sacked? Line up players with actions as the game progresses and get points based on how well you predict the game.
• Live Information – Player boards are kept up-to-date with live information based on actual game events.
• Gamecast – Not near a TV for the game? Doesn’t matter. Every yard counts on the gridiron, and with a live gamecast built into the app, players will never be far from the huddle with up-to-date information on the current drive.
• Enhance Your Board – If you’re unhappy with your current tiles, use tokens earned through gameplay to add power ups and weapons, which will give you the edge over your competition.

Football Connect is now available for free in the iTunes store for iOS devices with optional in-game purchases. For more information, please visit http://www.1up.me.

About OneUp Games

Established in 2011, OneUp Games enhances TV sports watching, using the power of mobile and social platforms to bring teams, fans and friends together. OneUp Games use of the second screen compliments live sporting events, through interactive games and conversation. Realizing a missing link in the world of social TV between fan and sport, OneUp Games created Football Connect, a first-of-its-kind mobile app connecting sports fans to the live event through a bingo-type game.

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The linebacker out of Boston College is undoubtedly the standout inside linebacker of this year’s class and may well fall to the Bills. Having already signed both Mario Williams and Mark Anderson in free agency, Buffalo are making a concerted effort to improve their defense, and the addition of Kuechly to this unit may not be desperately needed, but will be highly desired by the Buffalo top brass.

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With the furore surrounding the release of Peyton Manning and the quarterback’s visits to prospective employers, the Washington Redskins’ move for the St Louis Rams’ number two pick in the forthcoming draft went fairly unheralded.

As the dust settles on the deal, opinions seem to be polarized, with many believing the Redskins have paid to heavy a price for a single draft pick, even if that pick will be to take the supremely talented Robert Griffin III, whilst others have said there is now a light at the end of the tunnel for Washington who had to make do with a combination of John Beck and Rex Grossman last season.

All in all, the Redskins had to give up their first round picks for the next three years, as well as an additional second round pick in the upcoming draft in order to secure the probable acquisition of Griffin. This will have Rams fans enthused about their future, with a franchise quarterback already in place in the form of Sam Bradford, and the potential arrival of five first-round talents in the next three years.

Redskins General Manager Bruce Allen has moved to quickly dispel any concerns the Washington faithful have over the future of the franchise, reassuring fans that they haven’t ‘mortgaged their future’ with the trade. A statement which is backed up by the fact that Washington still have six picks in the 2012 draft to help compliment a squad which seems to be getting progressively younger thanks to a multitude of picks the franchise had in the 2011 draft.

Although you quite often hear stories of players from the later rounds going to become stars in the NFL, there is no denying that the majority of ‘superstars’ in the league are drafted in the first round, and to deny yourself the opportunity to have a chance of recruiting these players in the 2013 and 2014 drafts is quite a risk (providing the Redskins don’t trade for other teams first round picks of course).

This means that the Redskins will need to be very astute in Free Agency over the coming seasons, most likely starting with the retention of both London Fletcher and Laron Landry. With upcoming first round picks no longer available to them and a rather unexciting free agent class currently on display, the Redskins would be best served trying to secure these key players to new deals, especially Landry given the lack of other options at the safety position.

This speculation is likely to continue for the foreseeable future, with extra scrutiny being put on Washington’s free agency moves in order to minimize the damage that losing the two extra first round picks will cause. The only thing which will stop people from criticizing the Redskins’ decision will be for Griffin to make an immediate impact in the NFL, somewhere in the region of Cam Newton’s impact on the Carolina Panthers last season, and instantly cement himself as the franchise quarterback for Washington.

The Baylor product undoubtedly has the skill and physical attributes to succeed right from day one, not to mention an extremely mature attitude for someone so young, but as is often said, quarterback is the most difficult position to play in terms of the transition from college to the NFL, and only time will tell whether Griffin proves the Redskins’ decision to be genius or foolish.

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With excitement growing over the upcoming NFL draft following the annual Combine, the opportunity arises to evaluate whether or not this draft can live up to the lofty expectations placed upon the class’ offensive players by their predecessors. The exceptional performances of Cam Newton and co. have surprised nearly everyone, coaches and fans alike, and have set the bar high for Andrew Luck and his colleagues.

Although he was drafted first overall by the Carolina Panthers, Newton had his critics before the start of the season, much of which was due to a poor preseason, and was not expected to make the kind of impact that you would expect from a number one pick. In addition to this, the fact Newton is a quarterback, arguably the most difficult position to successfully transition from College Football to the NFL, had many people writing him off before he had even begun.

An exhilarating start against the Arizona Cardinals, with Newton passing for over 400 yards, and people were regretting their decision to judge the quarterback prematurely. Fast forward another few weeks and a string of similarly impressive performances had erased almost all doubts and even had some foolhardy, most likely Carolina fans, labelling him as an ‘Elite Quarterback’.

This heaps pressure onto fellow Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III and projected No. 1 pick Andrew Luck considerably. Both will be coming into the NFL with more expectation on them than Newton had and will be required to perform to a similar level now that Newton has set the bar for rookie quarterbacks.

In a year that saw the rise to prominence of the tight end, it was rookie wide receivers that were making a name for themselves. First round wide receivers A. J. Green and Julio Jones both made big contributions to their respective teams, whilst second round pick Torrey Smith had a good season for the Baltimore Ravens, giving their offence a much needed deep threat.

Justin Blackmon of Oklahoma State is clearly the best wide receiver coming into the NFL this year, but his ability to make an impact on the level of Green and Jones depends much on which team, and their respective quarterback, drafts him. Georgia Tech product Stephen Hill also excelled at the combine and could find himself drafted late in the first round where many of the elite quarterbacks will be waiting to link up with him.

The offensive line may be one area in which the upcoming set of rookies have the edge on their predecessors, lead by the powerful Matt Kalil. Kalil, the younger brother of Panthers center Ryan Kalil, heads a group of young offensive linemen that include Wisconsin’s Peter Konz and Iowa’s Riley Reiff to name but a few.

It often takes a season or two before a young offensive linesman is ready for a starting role in the NFL, but this group of players seem as ready as any group that has preceded them. The Dallas Cowboys’ Tyron Smith was arguably the pick of the 2011 class and has been tipped to make the daunting move to left tackle this coming season, a position which Kalil has been tipped to be ready for in his rookie season.

With the increase in passing yards per game and the relatively short careers of running backs, many experts are saying the days of running backs being drafted in the first round are numbered, with the class of this year tending to agree with this prediction. Trent Richardson of Alabama is an incredible prospect and has been tipped by most to go with the third or fourth pick in the first round, but beyond Richardson there are no real standout prospects and there is a good chance no other running back will be drafted in the first round.

It is hard to predict the effectiveness of running backs in their debut NFL season due to the nature of frequent injuries in the position affecting how many touches a player is going to get. Richardson will have to outperform DeMarco Murray who was the best rookie running back in the NFL last season, but with the diminishing role of running backs in the professional game, it remains to be seen whether or not this will come to pass.

The extra pressure placed on Luck and Griffin because of Newton’s outstanding season could well be their downfall, with both also unlikely to have a wide receiver of Steve Smith’s quality to pass to. That being said, the fact the top four prospected picks are all offensive players speaks volumes about how talented these players are, and providing they have the right pieces around them, the offensive rookies in the upcoming draft may even be able to outshine a great group in the class of 2011.

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Reminiscent of the infamous ‘Wide Right’ miss by Scott Norwood in Super Bowl XXV, Billy Cundiff’s failed 32-yard field goal attempt against the New England Patriots broke the hearts of Ravens’ fans worldwide. In addition to being a missed opportunity for Baltimore, it raises widespread concerns over whether or not the current side can mount another genuine shot at Super Bowl glory.

With defensive talismans Ray Lewis and Ed Reed both winding down their illustrious careers, it remains to be seen whether they will be able to maintain their high level performances for another season. Although Lewis has already moved to reassure fans he will be back next season, and remains confident of being able to challenge for the Super Bowl once more, he is not the only issue Baltimore will have to contend with as they move into the offseason.

Primary amongst Baltimore’s concerns will be resolving questionmarks over both defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. Pagano has orchestrated another great season for the Ravens, helping them maintain their position as one of the best defenses in the league, ending the regular season ranked 3^rd in Total Defense, 3^rd in Sacks and 1^st in Forced Fumbles.

These kind of statistics are hard to ignore and Pagano has been linked with several of the vacant Head Coach positions around the league, and as such, ensuring his continued position at the Ravens must be a priority for Baltimore.

Questions of a different kind abound over the future of Cameron however, with the OC coming in for widespread criticism from both fans and pundits alike. Most prominent of these criticisms have been Cameron’s inability to get Ray Rice the touches he needs to be a dominant force in games, and his persistence to try and shoehorn Joe Flacco into a system which the quarterback is clearly not comfortable in.

Highlighting this problem has been the fact that some of Flacco’s best plays this season have come either in the no huddle offense or when he is escaping the pocket and giving his receivers more time to find space. Whether they stick with Cameron or decide to pursue an alternative, Baltimore need to make a decision quickly in order to ensure the least possible disruption come the preseason.

In terms of personnel on the playing field, the Ravens have key opportunities in the upcoming draft to address positions which are in need of an injection in both quality and depth. The first of these positions is the inside linebacker. Although Lewis has performed exceptionally given his age this season, he no longer has the pace to make himself a force in coverage, which means both he and Jameel McClain are focused on stopping the run, and leave the vaunted Ravens defense susceptible to the pass and feeling unbalanced.

Another receiver would also be top of the Ravens wish list, whether he is a tight end or a wide receiver. Rookie Torrey Smith has done well in his first sseason, but has yet to develop the ability to catch the ball consistently, whilst Ed Dickson showed signs of his potential early in the season, but like Smith, has a penchant for dropping passes which are relatively pressure free.

Anquan Boldin and Dennis Pitta have both acquitted themselves well this season, but the lack of reliable targets in his receiving core has led to Flacco recording his lowest completion rate since he entered the NFL, as well as his quarterback rating dropping to a similar level that he recorded in his rookie year.

Come the Ravens’ pick in the first round, inside linebacker Vontaze Burfict of Arizona State could be available, but would represent a high-risk reward scenario for Baltimore. None can doubt his talent, and he possess the speed that would make him an excellent tandem with both Lewis and McClain, but his form has been highly inconsistent this season and he has been known to give away unnecessary penalties when he lets his anger get the better of him.

These are flaws which can be corrected however, and there is arguably no better guy for him to learn from and have as a positive role model than Lewis. In terms of taking a receiver with their first round pick, the Ravens could do far worse than Mohamed Sanu of Rutgers who, whilst not quite possessing the top end speed of Smith, is a good route runner and has reliable hands.

An alternative to both of these could be Nick Perry of USC who is an outside linebacker with a great ability to rush the passer, making him the perfect option to line up opposite of Terrell Suggs and really torment opposition quarterbacks.

Whichever way Baltimore decides to go this offseason, fans can be left fairly assured that GM Ozzie Newsome has rarely led the Ravens astray in recent seasons and that between himself and Head Coach John Harbaugh, the Ravens will be in a good place come preseason and ready to give both Lewis and Reed probably their last shot at Super Bowl glory.

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