Top Cornerbacks 25 and Under

We have seen lists consisting of who people think are the top 5 QBs under 25, as well as top RBs and WRs under 25. There have also been lists of who the top 5 remaining free agents are, as well as top active safeties. Unfortunately, no one has made a list of who they think are the top CBs age 25 and under. So, allow us to enlighten you on who we think are those top candidates.

9. Sean Smith – Kansas City Chiefs

Smith turns 26 in July, so good thing that this is being put out right now. Standing at a towering 6’3”, Smith’s greatest asset is his ability to be physical with the new breed of big, fast, strong WRs. What he lacks is fluidity in the hips, so when he is facing the shorter guys who run crisp routes, he tends to get beat on short-to-intermediate routes and double moves. Great thing about Smith, though is that he is still young, and given the contract he received from KC, they have high hopes for him to compliment Brandon Flowers similarly to how Brandon Carr did, which is kind of a big deal.

8. Morris Claiborne – Dallas Cowboys

(dallasnews.com)

            Claiborne was often injured in his rookie season last year, but he showed great upside and fortitude when at his best. In his first game as a professional, Claiborne had a difficult task covering Hakeem Nicks the entire game, while Brandon Carr shadowed Victor Cruz, vowing to not allow him to salsa on their defense. In 6 targets, Nicks caught four passes for only 38 yards with the rookie Claiborne defending him. From that moment on, Claiborne set the ceiling high for himself. He also performed well against Torrey Smith, holding him to only two receptions for 24 yards and one score. Expect vast improvements from Claiborne in the near future.

7. Casey Hayward – Green Bay Packers

            Hayward was a late first-early second round pick to most spectators covering the 2012 NFL draft. A lot of people were bewildered when he fell to the bottom of the second round. Hayward proved his value early in his rookie year when veteran leader Charles Woodson went down and he was asked to step in immediately. Hayward played on the outside as well as at nickel cornerback, arguably the most difficult position on defense. He managed to pick off 6 balls and force one fumble in his best Charles Woodson impersonation. Hayward might surpass Tramon Williams for the #1 spot on GB’s depth chart for his tackling ability, something Williams is a bit inferior at. The NFC North has arguably the best QBs among all divisions in the NFL, so Green Bay were smart to take Hayward, as he will help out their pass defense significantly.

6. Janoris Jenkins – St. Louis Rams

            Ask a group of people which rookie would they have rather had in 2012 out of Jenkins and Hayward and it might be even split. Hayward’s cover skills may be a tad bit better than Jenkins’, but Jenkins’ ball hawk skills sore over Hayward’s. They both spent staccato time at nickel last year, but Jenkins made several key plays on blitzes and in the run game, including returning three interceptions for TDs. Also, his cockiness on the field stands out like a sore thumb. You need confident corners in this passing league, and Jenkins is one of those guys each team would like to have.

5. Devin McCourty – New England Patriots

            If I could use one word to define McCourty it would be zealous. When a corner gets beat, he has to have short-term memory. McCourty had a bit of a rough season as a rookie in 2010, but he also recorded seven interceptions and received an invite to the Pro Bowl. In 2012, New England was doomed by injuries in their secondary. McCourty had the heart to perform at cornerback well and switched to safety later in the season, adding another dimension to his game that some might have not known he had.

4. Patrick Peterson – Arizona Cardinals

(zimbio.com)

            Some think Peterson should be number one on this list, but I object. His outstanding punt return ability has allowed some people to look over his coverage skills. He is not a bad cover corner, but he has bad days every once in a while like everyone else. But as we spoke earlier about having a short-term memory, that is Peterson down to a tee. His most difficult game was probably his rookie year when Dez Bryant had 8 catches for 86 yards and a TD. But he was in fact one of the best corners in the league last year when Darrelle Revis went down and we were looking for another guy to crown. Peterson had 7 INTs in 2012, and had arguably the best game of his young career against New England, as he was a nuisance for Tom Brady the entire game. Do not be surprised if he is the most impressive cornerback in the NFL in 2013 overall. The kid can ball.

3. Chris Harris – Denver Broncos

(zimbio.com)

            Some people still do not even know who this kid is. The undrafted 3^rd-year corner from Kansas was the 5^th corner on Denver’s depth chart at the start of the season. There was of course the ageless Champ Bailey, Tracy Porter, Tony Carter and Omar Bolden. Porter was injured early in the year and Carter struggled in man coverage. And while Harris was seeing minimal time as a blitzing nickel corner, we started to see him in more coverage calls and being a burden for most WRs he faced. He probably got his most recognition when he returned a 98-yard interception against the Baltimore Ravens while covering Anquan Boldin. Denver recently signed Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Quentin Jammer, as well as drafted another corner. But that might be because of the age of Champ Bailey and inexperience of Tony Carter. Harris isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. He already is the best nickel corner in the league, and he gets to practice against Wes Welker for the next two years. Scary.

2. Richard Sherman – Seattle Seahawks

(sports-kings.com)

            I’ve noticed Sherman’s capabilities since his rookie year, and knew he’d be an elite corner in the NFL soon, but not as soon as he did. The 5^th round pick in the 2011 NFL draft painted a mental picture of every cornerback who was drafted ahead of him and used that to fuel the burning fire he has inside on why he was selected so late. Sherman is in the conversation with being the very best corner in the league. He doesn’t back down from any challenge and he backs up everything he has to say. He will try it all, but that can not work in your favor all the time. Sherman is a great corner on the outside, and very knowledgeable at playing off-man coverage, because he loves intercepting balls. That does not discredit him for his play in press coverage. Because the 6’3” hard-hitting corner can perform however he pleases. He and the “Legion of Boon” (Seattle’s secondary) are in for a challenge this season, something they actually like. They talk a lot of game, and have recently backed it up. They had it handed to them in the playoffs against Atlanta, so it will be interesting to see how they rebound after such a dramatic loss. Especially Richard Sherman, who gave up a critical touchdown in the game.

1.     Joe Haden – Cleveland Browns

(bleacherreport.com)

Haden is arguably the second best cornerback in the NFL behind the one and only, Darrelle Revis. Haden has great man-to-man cover skills that go unmatched. A defensive coordinator should feel just as comfortable leaving Haden on an island with a WR as one would with Revis. He can also move inside and play nickel effective (again, a very rare trait), so when a WR is running from him to try to get a mismatch, Haden will follow him and not allow that to happen. With the noise Richard Sherman has caused around the NFL, self-promoting himself as the best cornerback in the NFL, we should expect huge seasons from Darrelle Revis and Joe Haden, in attempt to prove Richard Sherman wrong and state their claim of being better. However, if Sherman has a better campaign in 2013 than the one he had in 2012, it’ll be difficult to dispute his claim. Expect huge things from Joe Haden.

The 2013 rookie class of cornerbacks was very deep. From Dee Milliner, Robert Alford, DJ Hayden, Darius Slay and Johnthan Banks to say the least, don’t be surprised if more than one of those rookies make next years’ list, as there were three guys on this list who were rookies in 2012. And as this is a QB-driven league, a team cannot have too many cornerbacks (just ask Tampa Bay or Oakland). Will be interesting to see how the ratings of this list shapes throughout the 2013 season. Stay tuned.

Who’s the Next Pound-for-Pound Champ?

(en.wikipidea.org)

The title “Pound-for-Pound champion” was invented for the great Sugar Ray Robinson, who fought over 200 fights spanning for 3 decades.  Robinson debuted as a lightweight (135lb) and campaigned up to light-heavyweight (175), something that is hard to witness with today’s boxers. Robinson loved a challenge, and he it is arguable that he would have defeated Joey Maxim for the light heavyweight championship had they fought elsewhere. The fight was at Yankee Stadium on June 2, 1952 in 104 degrees. And with Robinson giving it his all to move up to 175, he wasn’t as prepared as Maxim was, and he eventually fainted in the ring from the heat. But nevertheless, his courage alone to face such a great challenge is a reward in and of itself.

P4P Great Oscar De La Hoya punishing Julio Caesar Chavez (ioffer.com)

It is hard to find P4P fighters nowadays because some fighters would rather fight at a catch weight rather than move up a class, and others would skip a weight class while moving up. But one guy who came after Ray Robinson who is regarded as one of the P4P best is Roy Jones Jr., Captain Hook himself. Jones debuted as a middleweight and would later go on to campaign at super middleweight, Light heavyweight, cruiserweight and heavyweight. Jones wasn’t reluctant to fight anybody. He knocked people out from left to right and made most of his opponents look like nobody’s. As spectators began to criticize Jones, discrediting him with who he beat, he famously quoted, “It’s not that I ain’t beat nobody, I just make them all look like nobodies.” He in fact did. Jones was so focused on trying to prove people wrong that he moved up to heavyweight, desperate to make a fight between him and Mike Tyson happen. But while the fight never happened and Jones became a comfortable heavyweight boxer, he then accepted a fight with Antonio Tarver, moving down from 200lbs to 175 for the fight. That was arguably the beginning of the end for Jones; he was 49-1 after beating Tarver, and went 7-7 for the rest of his career, finishing 56-8.

(sports.ca.msn.com)

As Jones was near the end of his career, Floyd Mayweather was abruptly climbing up the charts, gaining recognition from everyone in the boxing world. Money Mayweather debuted as a junior lightweight and stormed in the boxing world on a crescendo level, defeating the WBC champion at each level as he moved up. He took the WBC junior lightweight title from Genaro Hernandez in ’98, the WBC lightweight title from Jose Luis Castillo in ’02, the WBC junior welterweight championship from Arturo Gatti in ’05, the WBC welterweight title from Carlos Baldomir in ’06 and the WBC light middleweight title from Oscar De La Hoya in 2007. Since then, Floyd has fought four fights back at welterweight and one at light middle, with another scheduled for September 14^th against Canelo Alvarez.

The current P4P king, 8 time champ in 5 different weight classes Floyd Mayweather (sportsbycolin.com)

With his outstanding 44-0 record, 22-0 in title defenses, he is arguably the best P4P boxer we have seen since Sugar Ray Robinson. And with just five fights remaining before he officially calls it quits, the question begins to circulate: who will be the next P4P king once Mayweather retires? Here are a few candidates.

 

Abner Mares – 26-0

 Mares dropping Daniel Ponce De Leon (philboxing.com)

Abner Mares is the current WBC Featherweight champion. He debuted as a Bantamweight in 2005 and later moved up as a Junior Featherweight. In his fight to win the WBC Featherweight title, Mares was the co-main event for Mayweather – Guerrero, in which he took the title from Daniel Ponce De Leon. Mares’ power was put to the test in his fight against PDL, as observers doubted it would translate as he moved up a weight class. It in fact did, and Mares proved why he is regarded as one of the best of the best in the sport. I could see Mares possibly moving up to junior lightweight and even lightweight eventually in his career. He has the potential to dominate for a decade, minimum, as he is only 27 years of age.

Andre “S.O.G.” Ward – 26-0

 

            Believe it or not, but SOG is already regarded as the P4P champ in the sport, despite Mayweather’s dominance over the years. Ward was always known in the boxing world since he won Olympic gold in the 2004 olympics in Athens, campaigning as a light heavyweight. But after an onslaught he displayed against Carl Froch in December of 2011, it became even more evident that Ward is one of the best in the sport. He recently went on record to state that he plans on fighting twice in 20013 – once in September and once in December. Not sure if that’ll fall through, but I do think it is realistic for him to possibly fight once in 2013 and three times in 2014. He doesn’t have anything else to prove, but the sport would love to see him more active in the ring.

Lucas Matthysse – 34-2

 

Matthysse’s two losses are highly questionable. Depending on one’s perception, the argument can be made that he beat both Devon Alexander and Zab Judah, but they were given the decision. Had Matthysse been given the decision in the two “losses” he has, his record would be an outstanding 36-0 with 32 wins by KO. He should already be in the consideration as one of the P4P bests, as he stated himself after knocking out Lamont Peterson that he is the best junior welterweight in the sport, because no one handled Peterson as easy as he did. Matthysse will more than likely be given a shot for the WBC junior welterweight title later this year against Danny “Swift” Garcia. If he wins that title, we can probably expect Matthysse to defend it once or twice before moving up to Welterweight. He did go on record to state that he wants to fight Manny Pacquiao, so a bout between the two of them, or Brandon Rios if he defeats Pacquiao in December would be a lock for next year. The 30 year old Argentinean has a bright future ahead of him.

Adrian Broner – 26-0

 (bestofboxing.tumblr.com)

Broner is the WBC lightweight champion, who just so happened to have skipped the junior welterweight division and moved up two classes to welterweight. For him to have possibly tested his god given talent against any of the countless junior welterweights, especially Matthysse, would be a wonderful thing to see. However, that does not disregard Broner to be in the consideration of possibly moving down to fight at 140 after his June 22^nd bout with Paulie Malignaggi. Broner can still test the market at junior welter, welter, and even junior middleweight would be intriguing for him. He throws some of the best combinations in the sport, and his showboating can get in his opponents’ head and derail their game plan. As long as Broner stays out of trouble, his future in the sport of boxing looks really bright.

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez – 42-0

 (heavy-bag.com)

At just twenty-two years of age and 42 wins with no defeats, Alvarez has already gotten several comparisons to the great Julio Caesar Chavez, Sr. Alvarez entered the sport as a junior welterweight and has found his comfort level at junior middleweight. His biggest test will come on September 14^th against the P4P king Floyd “Money” Mayweather. Alvarez is currently regarded as Ring Magazine’s 10^th ranked P4P best. Their criterion consists of three things: 1) Results, 2) Performance, and 3) Track record. That being said, Canelo’s results, who he has fought and his performance against the opponents he has been matched up with has not heavily impressed Ring Magazine yet. But win or lose, if Alvarez is impressive against Mayweather on September 14^th, and if he fights Miguel Cotto or Sergio Martinez next year like he plans to (and wins, of course), there is no way he can be avoided in the P4P ranking system. He shows a ton of inexperience from time to time, but his youth is a blessing in disguise. He will fix those errors soon, and when he does, it will reek havoc to his future opponents.

Peter Quillin – 29-0

 

            Peter Quillin, or “Kid Chocolate” as he likes to be referred to as, has been calling out every possibly boxer in the sport. He wants Sergio Martinez, but he is done for the year after having to undergo surgery. He called out Gennady Golovkin as well, but Golovkin has a fight already scheduled with Mathew Macklin for June 29^th and it is questionable if he fights again this year. The 29-year-old Quillin will eventually get the matchups he is calling for, and it will be interesting to see if he really wants the best of the best in the sport, because he isn’t that far from Andre Ward’s backyard, just one weight class up. Keep your eyes on this kid.

Mickey Bey Jr. – 19-0

 

The lightweight who is signed to Mayweather Promotions has a splash of Roy Jones Jr. and Shane Mosley in him. Mickey Bey was fined at the beginning of the year for being busted with PEDs, but that is a mistake that is likely not to happen again. When one is as youthful and talented as Bey is, with such a huge supporting cast, he will get future matchups that will force people to recognize him, and he could be one to explore the junior welterweight, welterweight, junior middle and possibly the middleweight class in his young career. Bey Jr. and Broner would have been a great fight, but being that Broner has moved up to the welterweight division, him having to lose 12 pounds to defend his WBC lightweight title after a welterweight bout can be as detrimental to him as it was for Roy Jones Jr. when he moved down from 200 to 175 to fight Tarver, or when De La Hoya moved down from 154 to 140 to fight Pacquiao. The WBC lightweight title should become vacant, and Bey Jr. should be one in the consideration to fight for the title. With Floyd Mayweather Sr. as his trainer and Mayweather Jr. backing him, saying he is the future of boxing, expect to see Bey Jr. really active in the near future, possibly fighting at least three times a year, and eventually becoming one of the P4P best.

The Mayeather – Alvarez fight coming to an agreement to happen let people who were sleeping on the sport know that boxing is back at being the most dominant sport. No hyperbole needed. And with such an array of young fighters, they will keep the sport alive for many years to come.

Predicting Oakland’s 2013 53-man Roster

Jersey Number	Name	Position
TBA	Charles Woodson	DB
5	Chris Kluwe	P
6	Terrelle Pryor	QB
8	Tyler Wilson	QB
9	Connor Vernon	WR
11	Sebastian Janikowski	K
12	Jacoby Ford	WR
15	Matt Flynn	QB
16	Josh Cribbs	WR/KR
17	Denarius Moore	WR
20	Darren McFadden	RB
21	Mike Jenkins	CB
23	Joselio Hansen	CB
24*	Tracy Porter	CB
25	DJ Hayden	CB
26	Usama Young	S
27	Rashad Jennings	RB
28	Phillip Adams	CB
29	Brandian Ross	S
33	Tyvon Branch	S
34	LaTavius Murray	RB
36	Reggie Smith	S
45	Marcel Reece	FB
49	Jamize Olawale	FB/HB
50	Kaluka Maiava	LB
51	David Bass	DE
53	Nick Roach	LB
55	Sio Moore	LB
56	Miles Burris	LB
57	Keenan Clayton	LB
59	Jon Condo	LS
61	Stefen Wisniewski	OL
65	Mike Brisiel	G
67	Alex Parsons	OL
68	Jared Veldheer	LT
69	Khalif Barnes	OL
70	Tony Bergstrom	OL
71	Menelik Watson	RT
77	Alex Barron	T
80	Rod Streater	WR
81	Mychal Rivera	TE
82	Richard Gordon	TE
85	Sam McGuffie	WR
86	David Ausberry	TE
90	Pat Sims	DT
91	Jack Crawford	DE
92	Stacy McGee	DT
93	Jason Hunter	DE
94	Kevin Burnett	94
96	Christo Bilukidi	DT
97	Andre Carter	DE
98	Vance Walker	DT
99	Lamarr Houston	DE

 

8-man Practice Squad

14	Matt McGloin	QB
32	Jeremy Stewart	RB
38	Cory Nelms	DB
54	Billy Boyko	LB
76	Lucas Nix	OL
84	Juron Criner	WR
88	Nick Kasa	TE
95	Kaelin Burnett	DE/LB

 

Hope this list doesn’t offend the Raider Nation, because it is only the opinion of one’s perspective of the Raiders’ roster and who he thinks will be performing when the season starts.

(blog.sfgate.com)

            The controversy surrounding Tracy Porter about the #24 jersey number that belongs to Charles Woodson* could potentially play a role in the Raiders cutting former RB and newly converted CB Taiwan Jones. That way, Porter will get his traditional number 22 and Woodson gets his number 24.

            The Raiders have a ton of WRs and DBs in their camp, and I don’t think that will work out well for some WRs and DBs who might be fan favorites. Yes, I do believe that two undrafted free agent rookies will make the 53-man roster in Connor Vernon and Sam McGuffie. Sorry Brice Butler. I know Reggie McKenzie used a draft pick to lure you to Oakland, but I do not think he will make the team. I also believe WR Juron Criner will be on the practice squad come opening day.

            For the DBs, I do not see the Raiders bringing back Chimdi Chekwa at cornerback. He is the last corner on the roster who was present before Reggie McKenzie became General Manager. RM brought in a flee of DBs last year, but they weren’t as good as the talent he brought in this year.

            Currently, LB Kaluka Maiava has been sporting jersey number 50 in OTAs, which is the number of Travis Goethel who has not participated in OTAs due to injuries. Those injuries will play a linear role in him not making the team, and Maiava being the real number 50 this season in Oakland.

(usatoday.com)

Don’t be surprised if the Raiders trade or release QB Terrelle Pryor. I think his skill set is perfect for the talent they have in place, but with rumors that McGloin has been impressing coaches in OTAs, if there has to be an odd man out between Pryor, Matt Flynn and Tyler Wilson, one has to believe it will be Pryor. McKenzie didn’t use a 4^th round pick on Wilson for no reason, and he is more familiar with Matt Flynn than any of the other QBs, given their time spent together in Green Bay.

            The choice of having WR Sam McGuffie on the 53-man roster is for two main reasons. The first is for special teams purposes to return punts and participate on kickoffs and punt coverage. Oakland has been struggling to find a Punt Returner for quite some time, and McGuffie is probably the best option they currently have. The second reason is for insurance on injury-prone slot WR Jacoby Ford. Ford tweaked his hamstring recently in OTAs, and he has missed the majority of the past two seasons, not playing in one regular season game last season. And with Cribbs returning kicks and McGuffie potentially returning punts, that can either be a sign that Ford is on his way out or McKenzie has future plans for Ford and doesn’t want him returning balls, in an attempt to keep him healthy.

            Kasa was also a draft choice, but I don’t think he’ll initially make the 53. I think Ausberry will be the starting TE, with Rivera getting significant playing time at FB and TE, used similarly to how the San Francisco 49ers used Delanie Walker the past few seasons. Richard Gordon makes the roster as the third TE over Kasa for his outstanding play on special teams. He was in on every tackle in punt coverage last season, and things like that get coaches attention.

            Still in a rebuilding phase, the Raiders will have a very long season. They lack a number 1 WR on their depth chart, but they are relying on their third year guy Denarius Moore to fill that void. He showed some flashes last season, but was inconsistent once injuries began to occur. Their pass rush was putrid last season as well, but bringing back Andre Carter and drafting Sio Moore and David Bass should provide a bit of a better spark than last year. Miles Burris was also a decent 3-4 pass rusher in college, so if Oakland incorporates some 3-4 packages, expect to see a lot of blitzing from Burris and Moore.

            It may be a long season for Oakland. But if guys like McFadden, Ford and Woodson can stay healthy, three leaders on and off the field, Oakland has a chance to be a better team than they were last year. And the open competition is a great concept, but at this point they should establish who their starting QB is, and let the other two battle it out. If one is standing out more than the other, then they should have a competition for the starting job. Presumably the starter is Flynn, but Pryor and Wilson deserve a fair amount of snaps with those first-team guys. They need all the help they can get. 

Hang tight, Raider fans. It’s going to be a long season.

2013 Belongs to Boxing

Mayweather after defeating Robert Guerrero (sports.sho.com)

The year of 2013 has belonged to the sport of Boxing and it isn’t even close. We got huge sparks from the NFL with the Super Bowl, and the NBA has been pretty predictable, as the expected teams are where people thought they should be at this point and time of the playoffs. But fireworks have been flying in the sport of Boxing all year, and they will continue to all year.

First and foremost, a September bout between Floyd Mayweather and the young phenom Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is bound to happen, depending on which title Floyd is set to defend. The Pound-For-Pound king Money Mayweather is the WBC Welterweight and Junior Middleweight champion of the world. And if he doesn’t defend his WBC Junior Middleweight (154lb) title, he will more than likely be stripped of that title. Arguments have been made that the Mayweather camp is leery of fighting Alvarez at 154 primarily because overnight, Alvarez goes from 154 at the weigh-in to up to 170 on fight night overnight. Floyd on the other hand, never has a problem with making the weight requirement. He has only fought at 154 twice (De La Hoya and Cotto), and against Oscar De La Hoya, he came in at 150. That proves that despite the fact that Floyd is the best P4P fighter in the world, he doesn’t necessarily go up in weight that will make him uncomfortable with himself. So going into a fight with Alvarez, who is naturally built bigger than Floyd, will more than likely happen at 154, whether the “Money Team” likes it or not.

Alvarez doesn’t fight at 147, so convincing his camp to meet at a catch weight probably won’t happen. We all think Floyd can beat Alvarez anyway. It’ll just be a tougher fight for Money Mayweather, and with 5 fights remaining on his contract, don’t be surprised if we see a rematch between the two somewhere down the line. And if the two can not come to an agreement, a fight that makes just as much sense as Mayweather for Canelo Alvarez would be Miguel Cotto, as Cotto is eyeing a return to the ring in September as well.

As for the Junior Welterweight (140) class, hard hitting Lucas Matthysse is finally getting the recognition he deserves after an outstanding win against Lamont Peterson on May 18^th. WBC Junior Welterweight champion Danny Garcia (26-0) is set to defend the green belt later this year, and he has been rumored to have his eyes set on moving up to the welterweight (147) division soon. If he somehow dodges his mandatory opponent, Matthysse, the whispers that he fears Matthysse’s power (32 out of 34 wins by KO) will become screams. And moving up to 147 won’t be as polite for him either, as he’ll be in Floyd Mayweather’s backyard.

Matthysse drops Lamont Peterson (www.zimbio.com)

It’ll be interesting to see if Garcia dodges Matthysse, primarily because he’s his mandatory, as well as for the fact that they are both promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, ran by Oscar De La Hoya and Richard Schaefer. The duo of DLH and Schaefer are always looking for the biggest fight at Golden Boy that’ll generate the most revenue. And there is no fight at 140 that’ll be bigger than a bout between Matthysse and Garcia.

A fight that has not been set yet, but would make the most sense in the final quarter of the year would be a bout between Amir Khan and Devon Alexander. Khan (31-3) has his eyes set on moving up to 147 and becoming a possible opponent to Floyd Mayweather somewhere in between the remaining 5 fights on his contract. If he does, he’d have to get pass Alexander (26-1) first, as they are both looking forward to that paycheck against Money Mayweather.

Super Middleweight Champ Andre “SOG” Ward (skysports.com)

Sparks flew on May 25^th in a Super Middleweight bout between Carl Froch and Mikkel Kessler, as Froch got his revenge after suffering defeat to Kessler in 2010. Froch proved to the world why he was once the WBC champ, and with not many opponents lined up, a rematch between Froch and the #2 P4P fighter in the world Andre Ward (26-0) makes all the more sense, as Ward said in a recent interview with www.Fighthype.com  that he wants to fight twice this year, preferably once in August or September and again in December. A couple of names that came up was Gennady Golovkin and Julio Caesar Chavez Jr. But being that Golovkin (26-0) campaigns at 160, we’ll more than likely see a bout between he and Peter Quillin (28-0) before we see Golovkin vs. Ward. It will all depend on how well Golovkin does in his June 29^th showdown with Mathew Macklin.

Froch thinks he and Ward should rematch in Froch’s hometown of England, rather than Ward’s stomping ground of Oakland, California, for the simple fact that it might be the biggest payday of both of their careers. And with Ward desperately searching for an opponent, I don’t see why he shouldn’t give Froch a rematch and build his brand by going abroad.

One of the most obnoxious, but talented fighters in the sport, Adrien Broner (26-0) has moved up two weight classes, from lightweight to welterweight, skipping Junior Welterweight to challenge Paulie Malignaggi (32-4) for his WBA Welterweight title. This will be a huge test for Broner, given the fact that he skipped arguably the toughest weight class in the sport (Garcia, Matthysse, Peterson, Khan, etc.) to face an unorthodox-styled fighter like Malignaggi. Broner hasn’t faced a jabber like Malignaggi in his career, so it’ll be an interesting fight come June 22^nd, and a career-defining moment for both guys.

Broner has (or had) the opportunity to take over the sport of Boxing, as veterans like Mayweather, Pacquiao and Marquez are on their way out soon. And with Broner’s skills, he can keep that 0 of his for quite a while. But the problem with Broner is he claims that he is the next Floyd Mayweather, but the things he does outside of the ring are things we’ve never seen Money Mayweather do.

Broner mocking Paulie Malignaggi with a “Hey Paulette!” shirt (youtube.com)

Floyd doesn’t drink alcohol, but Adrien Broner constantly posts photos of him drinking at parties. Floyd campaigned at Super Featherweight (130lb), Lightweight (135), Junior Welterweight (140), Welter (147) and Light Middleweight (154), proving why he is the best Pound-for-Pound boxer that the sport has seen since Sugar Ray Robinson. Broner, on the other hand starter at Super Featherweight, but he skipped his way up to 147, something Floyd did not do, as he beat the WBC champ at each level while moving up weight classes. The most significant distinction between the two is that despite Floyd’s bad blood in the past with HBO, he was always cordial in his post-fight speeches to Larry Merchant, Max Kellerman and crew. Broner on the other hand creates a bad image of himself in his post-fight speeches, as he tries to be cocky by having a member of his camp bush his hair, and displays minimal admiration to the fans, viewers and interviewers. So despite Broner’s unworldly talent, labeling himself as the next Floyd Mayweather is an inaccurate comparison to give to himself. And if he gets past Malignaggi as well as beat other quality opponents at the welterweight level, don’t be surprised if he and Floyd fight each other. Because despite their close friendship, we all know that Floyd would take Broner to school for a check as big as the one that’ll generate in a fight between them two.

Floyd Mayweather and Adrien Broner (hiphopweekly.com)

Boxing is back at its pinnacle with so many great fighters in different weight classes. We mentioned so many great upcoming fights and left out the Pacquiao-Rios showdown in November and the Bradley-Marquez fight September scheduled fight. We are fortunate to have a year full of exciting fights with hopes of it continuing into 2014. And the fact that the majority of the fighters mentioned are young and some not even in their prime yet, it is safe to say that boxing is back and it is here to stay.

Mock Draft 3.0

 

Many expect the Jacksonville Jaguars to select Fisher or Joeckel, whichever LT the Chiefs do not select at #1 overall. But the Jaguars are in a similar dilemma as the Oakland Raiders. Both teams have so many needs to fix, and have top tier LTs on their roster already. So for either of them to select Fisher, Joeckel or Lane Johnson would be a bad move. With a new owner, new GM and new HC, the current Jags front office might not see Blaine Gabbert in their future. So it might be in their best interest to take Geno Smith at #2 to help them start their rebuilding process head in the right direction.

As for the Oakland Raiders, they need as many picks in this draft as possible given all of their holes. IF they can land three starters in this draft from day one, then a year from now we can say they drafted well. But that being said, they need a 2nd round pick by all means. The Miami Dolphins currently have more trade options for Oakland to dance with, as they have an extra 2nd and 3rd rounder. It’ll be intriguing to see if Miami will give up one of those in each round and swap 1st rounders with Oakland. And if Shariff Floyd is not available for Oakland at #12, they can draft anyone else available who is known for hitting quarterbacks, as they lack pass rushers profusely, as well as DTs as they parted way with three starters. Sheldon Richardson would be a great fit.

Chip Kelly and the Eagles are also headed in a new direction. And many would assume that Kelly would take his former player Dion Jordan, who played for Kelly at Oregon. I think otherwise. Mingo and Jordan both have bright futures, but I think Mingo would be best suited for the 3-4 defense Kelly is installing in Philadelphia. You seriously can’t go wrong with either guy.

The picture above indicates that the New York Jets are to be picking twice in the top 15. That is due to the ongoing flirting between the Jets and Buccaneers about possibly trading cornerback Darrelle Revis. If the trade goes through, the Jets would have the Bucs’ 2013 1st round pick, enabling them to select both 9th and 13th.

We can expect plenty more trades in the later rounds, as the 49ers might try to move up for a 3-tech, 5-tech or a Safety; the Broncos might try to move up for a Cornerback, DE or LB; teams who want a QB in the 2^nd might trade back into the first near the end with teams like the Patriots. Many scenarios can play out. I guess we will just have to wait and see.

Oakland Raiders Mock Draft

(raiders.com)

 

Rd. 1, Pick 3, #3 Overall: Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah

 

Rd. 3, Pick 4, #66 Overall: Blidi Wreh-Wilson, CB, UConn

Rd. 4, Pick 3, #100 Overall: Bacarri Rambo, S, Georgia

 

Rd. 6, Pick 4, #172 Overall: Steven Means, DE/OLB, Buffalo

Rd. 6, Pick 8, #176 Overall: Nickell Robey, CB, USC

Rd. 6, Pick37, #205 Overall: Jake Stoneburner, TE, Ohio State

 

Rd. 7, Pick 3, 209 Overall: Edmund Kugbila, OG, Valdosta State

 

UDFA Rookie Signing: Montel Harris, RB, Temple

 

(Subject to change via trades)

(usatoday.com)

There are very few guys Oakland should consider with the 3^rd overall pick. That being said, it might be in their best interest to trade back and add more depth in the draft, as they do not have a 2^nd nor 5^th round selection as of today in the upcoming draft. Few guys who come to mind who Oakland might select at #3 are DTs Shariff Floyd and Star Lotulelei, DE Barkevious Mingo and DE Ezekiel (Ziggy) Ansah.

Some people suggest Oakland should consider taking CB Dee Milliner (Alabama) or DE/OLB Dion Jordan (Oregon) at #3, but few things concern me as to why they should leave the two alone.

With Milliner, a lot of people argue that he is the best cornerback in this class, but that can be disputed given the depth of Corners and constant different changes of rankings for Corners in the upcoming draft. Also, one can argue that Notre Dame saw some flaw in his game that made them throw at him so often in the BCS National Championship game. Either that, or they just wanted to go to (TE) Tyler Eifert early and often, and Milliner just so happened to be in the vicinity. Another thing is we have seen little film on him back pedaling, something that is key for Raiders Defensive Coordinator Jason Tarver, who runs many different schemes. Had this still been Al Davis’ Raiders, Milliner would have been the ideal cornerback, for his brilliant job of being effective in press-man coverage. But being that is the case, they should let Milliner go elsewhere and take a couple of corners later in the draft, for there will be plenty still around.

(bleacherreport.com)

Dion Jordan is one of the best overall athletes in this draft, standing at 6’7” and having the ability to cover TEs, as well as WRs in the slot, while also bringing an edge rush presence in getting to the QB. But being that at Oregon he was a 3-4 OLB, it still is not a given that Oakland will move to that defense. We saw the massacre that occurred in Oakland named Rolando McClain when they tried to take a 3-4 LB and move him to a 4-3 backer. But granted, Jordan is an OLB and McClain was an ILB; hoping to draft Jordan with the intentions of slapping him at DE could lead to problems as we have seen little of him playing with his hand in the dirt. Jordan deserves the perfect fit on a team, and if Oakland is not moving to a 3-4, then they should not draft him, for he can bring more to the table with a team that is running a 3-4 based defense.

If the Raiders can trade out of that 3^rd pick and somehow get a 2^nd round pick in return, that scenario would probably be in their best interest.

A young team aspiring to rebuild, Oakland could use all the picks they can get, therefore not relying solely on Free Agents; you get to get your guy at a younger and cheaper rate, and help mold him into becoming the character you want to see him be. They will have close to $70million in cap next season, so hopefully they re-sign their key guys and draft well this upcoming year. Good luck, Reggie McKenzie

State of the Franchise: Oakland Raiders

The state of the Oakland Raiders that Reggie McKenzie inherited from the late great Al Davis was one that was coachable, as they went 8-8 the previous two seasons, but fell to 4-12 in the first year under the new regime led by McKenzie and Dennis Allen. But eager to show how he felt about the state of the franchise, McKenzie began cleaning house with some guys who one might have felt was a key contributor, but who he felt was expendable. Guys like Stanford Routt, DeMarcus Van Dyke and Tommy Kelly were released over the last two offseasons; but Mr. McKenzie really got everyone’s attention by cutting ties with former top 10 draft picks WR Darrius Heyward-Bey and FS Michael Huff. He also recently traded former Heisman trophy winning QB Carson Palmer to the Arizona Cardinals, a move to create cap space, as word of mouth was the Raiders was planning to release Palmer. So to get anything in return in that deal was a plus. Within the same 24 hour frame, McKenzie traded for a familiar face to him, QB Matt Flynn from the Seattle Seahawks, who presumably will compete with Terrelle Pryor for the starting QB spot this upcoming season. The following moves might cause some to scratch their heads, and it might cause others to feel positive about the direction he is leading the Raiders organization. But Contra Costa Times columnist Monte Poole suggests that the trade for Flynn and jettison of Palmer puts Reggie’s job on the line, all poker chips in and now it is put up or shut up for him.

(usatoday.com)

Matt Flynn has started two games in the NFL, throwing for 3 touchdowns against New England in 2010 and 6 against Detroit in 2011. However, he managed to get beat out in camp by rookie Russell Wilson after a monster contract from the Seahawks, which led to his departure. McKenzie was in Green Bay when Flynn was drafted, and it is hard to evaluate a guy with such few reps, but either Flynn will be who Reggie thinks he is or he will get beat out of a starting job in camp again by another former 3^rd round (Supplemental Draft) QB in Terrelle Pryor. But make no mistake, QB is probably the least of worries for the Raiders right now. If they truly plan on moving Taiwan Jones to cornerback, Darren McFadden will be the only running back on the depth chart; they’re still missing a veteran presence at WR; RT and G are a concern on the OL; they have no pass rushers; and CB as well as FS are still a concern. But given this long, unpredictable Free Agency period, some people believe that McKenzie deserves a positive grade for what he has done with the organization so far.

Initial Free Agent signings in Oakland came off as adding depth, as opposed to adding starters. It seems the Raiders might be heading to a 3-4 based defense, and the signing of former Bengals DT Pat Sims indicates that they have a NT on board if they make that transition. Jason Hunter is more of a Special Teams/ backup guy who was injured with the Broncos last season, and Kaluka Maiava is a good thumper of an LB, who might compete with Miles Burris for the SLB starting spot. Vance Walker is probably going to start on the defensive line in place of the departures of Richard Seymour, Tommy Kelly and Desmond Bryant. Losing all three means Oakland needs to add more depth other than Sims and Walker in their DT position.

(zimbio.com)

Other signings were former Bears LB Nick Roach, who can play any LB role, as well as Kevin Burnett. CB Tracy Porter was recently given a 1-year deal, in attempts to get his career back on track after suffering a seizure that ended his season in Denver after a good start. But they have still yet to address the FS or pass rusher role in Free Agency, which are dire needs for this organization. Former Raider and one of the all-time greats Charles Woodson is still a Free Agent, who Reggie McKenzie knew well in Green Bay. However, there have been no indications that the Raiders have reached out to him. As we all know, Woodson can play Corner or Safety and still be effective, despite being in his late 30s. Former Arizona Cardinal S Kerry Rhodes is probably the last appealing FA Safety who can start on a team, but they have not reached out to him either.

As far as pass rushers are concerned, there are a few veterans in Free Agency who are getting calls from a lot of teams, excluding Oakland. Unless it is for certain that they will address that need in the draft, some noise needs to be made in FA with one of the experienced guys. John Abraham, Dwight Freeney, Israel Idonije and Shaun Phillips are still out there. They are not the biggest household names at this point in their career, but given Oakland’s circumstances, they should take what they can get.

The Oakland Raiders recently brought in cornerback Mike Jenkins for an interview, who would be another interesting addition for them, given their lack of depth in the DB category. Given that they worked out Jenkins, they should also find some veteran Wide Receivers to work out.

Some might call this a laughing matter, but I think it would be in Oakland’s best interest to add a veteran at WR like Chad Johnson, Laurent Robinson or even Braylon Edwards. Chad Johnson, despite missing all of the 2012 season for his off-field incident, will be good for the young group in Oakland in terms of developing their confidence and getting the attention of #1 CBs on opposing teams. We saw how Denarius Moore struggled last year as the #1 WR, constantly unable to get off of press and dropping several balls that were catchable. UDFA WR Rod Streater shocked the entire league last season, but he is a WR2 at best, to go along with Moore. They get Jacoby Ford back next year, who is in a contract year, which means he needs to stay healthy. But Ford is more of the prototypical slot WR who also returns kicks. That being said, the Raiders still do not have a #1 WR who Terrelle Pryor or Matt Flynn can go to when in doubt. So bringing in a veteran, which will be cheap, can be best for Oakland in terms of the direction the organization is headed.

Reggie McKenzie has been the busiest GM of them all this offseason, and I think it should stay that way. People can stop bringing up the excuse “he inherited this mess,” because the “mess” he inherited was one play away from going to the playoffs, but went 4-12 the following season. Last year, he made a small trade no one cared about, acquiring RB Mike Goodson from the Carolina Panthers. Goodson worked out well for Oakland, but is now a New York Jet. We can expect some more trades along those lines this offseason after the draft to add depth and role players. But until that time comes, expect McKenzie to make a few more Free Agent signings, and potentially a draft day trade getting Oakland out of the #3 pick and adding more selections for the club