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By Tom Hatfield, Razor Sharp Sports

Every year when I go to write this article, the first thing that I do is come up with a list of potential players that could emerge to be the top college player in the country. Most years there are a couple of players that jump out at you from what they have done in the past, but I always have to go digging to find those young players that will step up their game. This year, coming up with a list was the easy part. Narrowing down the list to come up with a Top-5 was the hard part. Of course, when you have a returning winner, you have to put him on top or near the top of the list. When Tim Tebow won the award last year, the first sophomore to ever win it, it opened the door to many other underclassmen to go after the award. Lets take a look at who may take home the hardware this season.

1. Tim Tebow – QB (Florida) – How can you not put last year’s winner on the top of the list. Last year Tebow set record after record, and with his Gators teammates starting to gain experience, look for Tebow and Florida to be even better this year. Look for WR Percy Harvin to be one of the reasons that Tebow’s numbers are even better.

2. Michael Crabtree – WR (Texas Tech) – Last season, Crabtree was the Freshman of the Year and, I believe only because he was a freshman, he didn’t receive an invite to the Heisman Ceremony. Crabtree set countless receiving records for Texas Tech, the Big-12 and the NCAAs. The return of his QB Graham Harrell should also keep Crabtree’s numbers increasing.

3. Chase Daniel – QB (Missouri) – Last season, the Missouri Tigers emerged as one of the bigger surprises in College Football. One of the main reasons was the arm of QB Chase Daniel. Daniel’s strong arm put the Tigers offense on the map, and his return for his senior year gives Tiger fans plenty to smile about. What gives Daniel something to smile about? Seeing Mr. Versitile Jeremy Maklin in the backfield and split wide gives Daniel that big weapon.

4. Pat White – QB (West Virginia) – If it wasn’t for an injury late in the year that slowed White down a step, he may have won the Heisman, and for that matter, his Mountaineer team may have been playing for the National Championship. White will be without backfield mate Steve Slaton, but he, like the others I have mentioned before, will have some help. Sophomore RB Noel Devine will be a solid compliment to White on offense.

5. Knowshon Moreno – RB (Georgia) – Of the top five players that I have mentioned here, Moreno is the least known. By the end of the year, things will change. Whether he wins the Heisman or not, college football fans will know the name Knowshon Moreno. Last year as a freshman he became only the second RB in bulldog history to rush for 100 yards in five straight games. The other was Hershel Walker.

Other Players to Watch – P.J. Hill – RB (Wisconsin), Sam Bradford – QB (Oklahoma), Chris “Beanie” Wells – RB (Ohio St), Ian Johnson – RB (Boise St), Todd Reesing – QB (Kansas), Juice Williams – QB (Illinois), Graham Harrell – QB (Texas Tech) and James Laurinaitis – LB (Ohio St)

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By Tom Hatfield, Razor Sharp Sports

Every year you see a couple of NFL teams take all that extra money that they have under the salary cap and over-spend on high priced free agents. More often than not these teams seem for one reason or another to fall short of their main goal - the Super Bowl Championship. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that teams shouldn’t try to improve themselves through free agency, but they must realize that putting together a solid core of players and then adding a piece or two via the free agency market seems to be the recipe for success. That is why this weekend’s NFL draft is so important for both the teams that are in contention for a title and for the teams that are trying to pick themselves up from the bottom of their divisions. When it comes to the draft, you should expect immediate impact. It takes a couple years for these young players to adjust to the NFL, learn the system and jell with their teammates. The whole jell thing is the reason I believe the big free agent move thing seems not to work. If you take a look at the past couple Super Bowl champs you will see exactly what I am talking about.

First of all, we have the current holders of the Lombardi Trophy, the New York Giants. Of course, it all starts with the field general. QB Eli Manning was the first overall pick in the NFL draft in 2004. Yes, I know that he was drafted by the San Diego Chargers, but can you really count that after the draft day trade to the Giants. To go along with Manning, you have RB Brandon Jacobs, a fourth round selection by the Giants, out of a small school (Southern Illinois). There is Super Bowl standout WR David Tyree, who was a Giants’ 6th round pick in 2003. The entire starting receiving corps, besides Plaxico Burress, was drafted or originally picked up as a free agent by the Giants. On the other side of the ball, the defense was full of past Giants draft picks especially on the front line (Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, & Mathias Kiwanuka).

Looking at the Colts from the year prior and they also start with a former first overall pick at QB named Manning. Peyton Manning’s main weapons we also past Colt draft picks. WR Marvin Harrison (1st Round - 1996), Reggie Wayne (1st Round - 2001) & TE Dallas Clark (1st Round - 2003) were Manning’s favorite targets through the air. On the ground that year it was Dominic Rhodes (Colts Free Agent on 2001) and Joseph Addai (1st Round - 2006). All 5 starters on the offensive line were also either drafted or originally picked up as free agents by the Colts. On defense, 9 of the 11 starters had only played for the Colts in their NFL careers including DE Dwight Freeney (1st Round - 2002), S Bob Sanders (2nd Round - 2004) & LB Gary Brackett (Free Agent -2003).

So with all this said, this weekend which NFL will begin to build for a future Super Bowl. Here is a look at the first round selection order.

2008 NFL Draft Order
1. Miami
2. St. Louis
3. Atlanta
4. Oakland
5. Kansas City
6. N.Y. Jets
7. New England (from S.F.)
8. Baltimore
9. Cincinnati
10. New Orleans
11. Buffalo
12. Denver
13. Carolina
14. Chicago
15. Detroit
16. Arizona
17. Minnesota
18. Houston
19. Philadelphia
20. Tampa Bay
21. Washington
22. Dallas (from Cleveland)
23. Pittsburgh
24. Tennessee
25. Seattle
26. Jacksonville
27. San Diego
28. Dallas
29. San Francisco (from Indianapolis)
30. Green Bay
31. N.Y. Giants

*New England forfeited their original first round pick (31st overall) due to the Spy-gate scandal.

So who will be the newest stars to be selected and help lead their teams to a title. Will it be QB Matt Ryan (Boston College), OT Jake Long (Michigan), DE Chris Long (Virginia), RB Darren McFadden (Arkansas) or an unsung player taking in the fourth or fifth round? We will just half to wait and see. I guess with all the speculation and the coverage we could talk for days and days about it, probably until they kickoff the regular season. I guess that is why the NFL is the best pro sports league around.

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