I hope you know I had to wake up from a comfortable nap for this.
This weekend, the NFL will put on their college selection dog-and-pony show. And all of you sheep (and I’ve herded a few) will be sitting there in front of the tube, and not in the stands, or on a field, or on a barstool, where I will be, making puppy-dog eyes at the redhead in the corner.
Of course, with this circus, you don’t get free peanuts. Oh no, you get mock drafts.
Lots and lots of mock drafts that you’ll spend hours reading only to have them become meaningless after each pick is read.
At least the Redskins are keeping things interesting, talking with the Bears and other teams about moving up. By the end of the day, they’ll be swindled out of two-first round picks, LaVar and Joe Gibb’s iPod for a pope trading card collection.
And that still would be a better decision than Pete Prisco and Street & Smith picking Alex Barron for the Bears. What planet are they on?
NFL draft
Saturday, Rounds 1-3
11 a.m., ESPN
4:30 p.m., ESPN2
Sunday, Rounds 4-7
10 a.m., ESPN
Ronnie Brown, RB, Auburn
I don’t trust Cadillacs, ever since my ear got caught in the automatic window of a ’92 DeVille. And the mileage! As far as Benson goes, he wasn’t that good when he was a TV show. Brown, will be there–the trade-happy Skins will see to that. And Brown combines the speed, power and receiving ability the Bears will need.
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Other views
Mike Williams, WR, USC
Don Pierson, Chicago Tribune
Another running back to complement Thomas Jones makes sense. But another receiver to complement Muhsin Muhammad makes more sense. Only one running back plays at a time. There are two receivers, often three or four. And good receivers have as much to do with good running teams as do good running backs.
Braylon Edwards, WR, Michigan
Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN
Edwards has the size and ability to make defensive backs sweat. He would be a terrific addition opposite Muhsin Muhammad and allow quarterback Rex Grossman to open things up a bit.
Cedric Benson, RB, Texas
Pat Kirwan, nfl.com
They could consider a wide receiver like Mike Williams, but Benson makes a lot of sense.
Carnell Williams, RB, Auburn
Dr. Z, Sports Illustrated
I narrowed it down to … Cadillac and Hyundai–I mean Cadillac and Cedric Benson–and chose the former on gut instinct.
Cedric Benson, RB, Texas
The Sporting News
Bears officials say they can get a receiver at the top of Round 2. Benson would be the prototypical, cold-weather back.
Alex Barron, T, Florida State
Pete Prisco, sportsline.com
If they stay here, they go for the best linemen in the draft, filling the important left tackle spot.
Cedric Benson, RB, Texas
John Clayton, ESPN
GM Jerry Angelo believes in making a safe pick. What can be safer than a back who gained over 1,000 yards in four straight seasons at Texas?
Ronnie Brown, RB, Auburn
Joe Posnanski, The Kansas City Star
Most mock drafts have the Bears getting Braylon Edwards, but it doesn’t seem likely he will fall to the fourth spot. Brown barely edges out his teammate, Carnell Williams.
Cedric Benson, RB, Texas
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
40 times are in the 4.6 range, but Benson would represent an upgrade over current Bears starter Thomas Jones.
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Edited by Phillip Thompson (plthompson@tribune.com) and Chris Courtney (cdcourtney@tribune.com)
