The weekend of July 26th marks the start of the NFL Season. Training Camps have opened or will open this weekend for all NFL teams. As of today, 28 of the 31 1st Round Picks have been signed. The only 3 that are missing are picks 7, 8, and 9. Those are Sedrick Ellis of the New Orleans Saints, Derrick Harvey of the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Keith Rivers of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Here is a quick breakdown of the latest signings:

5th Overall Glenn Dorsey, DT, Kansas City Chiefs - 5 years, $51 million ($23M guaranteed)

6th Overall Vernon Gholston, LB, New York Jets - 5 years, $50 million ($21M guaranteed)

10th Overall Jerod Mayo, LB, New England Patriots - 5 years, $18.9 million ($13.8M guaranteed)

13th Overall Jonathan Stewart, RB, Carolina Panthers - 5 years, $20 million ($10.795M guaranteed)

22nd Overall Felix Jones, RB, Dallas Cowboys - 5 years, terms undisclosed

23rd Overall Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers - 5 years, $12.555 million ($7.125M guaranteed)

25th Overall Mike Jenkins, CB, Dallas Cowboys - 5 years, terms undisclosed

28th Overall Lawrence Jackson, DE, Seattle Seahawks - 5 years, $11.25 million ($6.1M guaranteed)
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So far, in our series on best draft picks per round, we have found some of the top stars in the game. Today, we look at the 3rd Round. Unlike the previous parts of the series, this is the first round where teams and fans expect solid performance from their selections. The following 7 Third Rounders did not disappoint.

Frank Gore, RB, San Francisco 49ers, 2005
Gore was the 65th pick, the first of the 3rd round, in the 2005 NFL Draft. As a high-profile High School Recruit, Gore chose The U and immediately contributed to the Hurricanes’ success in the early 2000s. After an outstanding Freshman Year, Gore, who beat out Willis McGahee for the starting RB spot, suffered a torn ACL which kept him out of the 2002 season. He regained his momentum in his senior year and finished his collegiate career with a 7+ Yards per Carry average.

Chris Cooley, TE, Washington Redskins, 2004
Chris Cooley has been an outstanding Tight End since High School. The Utah State product was built to be a Tight End, and performed well in all aspects of the position. In 2003, his final season at Utah State, he led the nation in receptions for Tight Ends. His solid performance was enough to have the Redskins select him 81st overall in the 3rd round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He has gone on to write a successful blog and make the Pro Bowl.

Lance Briggs, LB, Chicago Bears, 2003
Briggs played his college football at Arizona, and put up solid numbers in his career as a Wildcat. Originally from Sacramento, the 6’1” Briggs was selected 68th overall by the Chicago Bears. This instantly created a scary Linebacking Core in Chicago with Briggs on the Strong Side and Brian Urlacher in the middle. Briggs is a three time Pro Bowler and a two time All Pro for the Chicago Bears.

Jason Witten, TE, Dallas Cowboys, 2003
Recently, Jason Witten has emerged as one of the league’s premier Tight Ends. Surprisingly however, Witten was recruited by the University of Tennessee as a Defensive End. Due to injury and lack of depth, the Volunteers volunteered Witten to try Tight End. He went on to set school records as a Tight End, and was chosen 69th overall by the Cowboys in 2003. Witten has quietly been selected to the last four Pro Bowls and was an All-Pro Selection in 2007.

Brian Westbrook, RB, Philadelphia Eagles, 2002
One of Chris Berman’s favorite picks, Brian Westbrook was selected 91st overall from Villanova. Concerns about the level of competition in 1-AA didn’t stop the Eagles from taking a shot with Westbrook. As a Villanova Wildcat, Westbrook set the NCAA Record for Most All-Purpose Yards. He continued his dominance across the field in the pros as he has become one of the most versatile Running Backs in the game. Westbrook is a two time Pro Bowl Selection and one of the Eagles’ Most Loved Players.

Steve Smith, WR, Carolina Panthers, 2001
Steve Smith’s rise to the NFL is a great story. He went to Santa Monica Junior College, and successfully completed two years as a standout in athletics and academics. He received a scholarship to the University of Utah and excelled as a Speedy WR for the Utes. His hard work and perseverance earned him an NFL Contract as the Carolina Panthers selected him in the 3rd Round (77th overall) in 2001. Smith has since emerged as a top-tier WR in the league after a breakout season in 2005 in which he led the league in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns.

Joey Porter, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers, 1999
It seems as if Joey Porter has been playing in the NFL for a lot more than ten seasons. The Colorado State Ram excelled as a rookie with the Steelers and was a dominant fixture of the Steelers defense for years. Currently playing for the Miami Dolphins, Porter has amassed three Pro Bowl Selections, three All Pro Selections, and a Super Bowl Championship. The Steelers made a great selection at 73 overall in the 3rd Round in 1999.
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We are at the midway point on our series of Best Draft Picks Per Round. Today, we are moving up the ladder and looking at 4th Round Selections. As we move closer to Day One of the draft, the picks become more valuable and the risks become greater. The fourth round has produced notable stars that have made a big impact for their NFL Teams.

Elvis Dumervil, DE, Denver Broncos, 2006
This is probably my favorite draft pick of all time. According to the every draft "expert," Elvis Dumervil was too small to succeed in the NFL. At only 5'11", 255, he was undersized to be a D-End. Dumervil was absolutely dominant at Louisville, setting records in his final two seasons. One of which, the all-time record for most sacks in a game, came in 2005 when he had 6 sacks against Kentucky. He is the Big East all time single season sack record holder. He won the Bronco Nagurski Award and This was the pick of the draft, and I wish it was more publicized. The so-called experts really screwed up on this one, and it was so obvious. Dumervil fought for playing time, and eventually got into the defensive rotation in Denver. Last year, he put up 12.5 sacks, putting him among the league leaders.

David Garrard, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars, 2002
This time we have a QB who stuck with his position throughout College. David Garrard starred at East Carolina University as a four year starter. His large frame and amazing mobility allowed Garrard to lead the Pirates to three big seasons starting with his Sophomore year. Since his sophomore year, Garrard was the Starting QB for the Pirates each game until he graduated. Looking towards the future after the great (and ridiculously underrated) Mark Brunell, the Jaguars selected David Garrard in the 4th round. He didn't immediately get this chance as the Jags drafted Byron Leftwich 7th overall the following year. Garrard eventually won the love of Jacksonville Fans and the starting spot in 2007 as the Jaguars released Leftwich and gave Garrard control. After an 11-5 season and the first playoff victory for Jacksonville in almost ten years, the Jaguars rewarded Garrard with a $60 Million Contract Extension.

Marion Barber III, RB, Dallas Cowboys, 2005
Marion Barber was an accomplished RB from the University of Minnesota. During his time as a Golden Gopher, Barber shared time and carries with Laurence Maroney. The two put up great numbers together, and Barber was awared the MVP in the Music City Bowl in 2004. In 2005, the Dallas Cowboys, who the year before drafted rookie sensation Julius Jones, took another RB with Barber in the 4th round. After a poor training camp, Barber got his chance due to injuries. Jones and Barber eventually went on to split carries until this past season when the Cowboys released Jones and rewarded Barber wtih a $45 Million Contract.

Kerry Rhodes, SF, New York Jets, 2005
Originally recruited by Louisville as a Quarterback, Rhodes was moved to safety in his freshman year. He immediately blossommed at his new position and became one of the stars of the Cardinals' Defense. He consistently put up solid numbers throughout his collegiate career and was named to the first-team All Conference USA Team. The Jets selected him 123rd overall in the 4th round. Rhodes had a strong training camp and won the starting Strong Safety Spot. He went on to a great rookie season, and continued to improve in his 2nd year, barely missing the Pro Bowl.

Jared Allen, DE, Kansas City Chiefs, 2004
The Los Gatos, California native originally chose Rodeo over Football. Fortunately for Allen, he gave up chasing steer and started chasing Quarterbacks. Allen went to Idaho State University and was a four year starter. He recorded solid numbers and was named to the All Big Sky Team four times. The Chiefs chose Allen in the 4th round, 126th overall. The 6'6", 270 pounder immediately excelled in the NFL, and became on of the leagues top D-Ends. Allen, who was originally home schooled, gave his Mom a shoutout on Sunday Night Football by saying "Home School, thanks Mom" in his introduction.

Asante Samuel, CB, New England Patriots, 2003
Another QB turned Defensive Back, Samuel played his college ball at Central Florida. In High School, Samuel was an "every-position player," starting at QB, DB, Kicker, Punter, and Kick Returner. After putting up solid numbers at UCF, the Patriots selected him with their 4th round pick. His first two years were pretty successful going 2 for 2 in Super Bowls. His solid play in his 2nd year earned him the starting CB spot for the Patriots in Super Bowl 39.

Rudi Johnson, RB, Cincinnati Bengals, 2001
Rudi Johnson played college football at Auburn University. Although he shared the backfield, he still set an Auburn Tigers Single Season Record with 324 carries. The Bengals selected him as a backup for Corey Dillon. Johnson sat on the bench for most of his first two years while learning from Dillon. Once Dillon left for the Patriots, Rudi immediately took the spotlight and rushed for close to 1500 yards in his first season as a starter. He was named to the AFC Pro Bowl team in 2004 and is a big part to the turnaround in Cincinnati.
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Part 4 in our series of Best Draft Choices Per Round takes a look at the best 5th rounders of the last ten years. So far, Rounds 6, 7, and Undrafted Rookie Free Agents have produced some of the biggest names in the league.

Attention NFL General Managers: Trade your 5th Round Pick for 6th and 7th Round Picks! Why? See Below...

Donte Hall, WR/KR, Kansas City Chiefs, 2000
The Human Joystick had to wait over 150 picks to hear his name called in the 2000 NFL Draft. A Texas A&M Aggie, Hall starred as a WR and Return Specialist in the Big 12. After being selected by the Chiefs in the 5th round of the 2000 NFL Draft, Hall spent some time in NFL Europe until he exploded as a Kick Returner in the NFL. In 2003, Hall set an NFL Record with a Return Touchdown in four consecutive games. Hall produced a ton of highlights for the Chiefs between 2002-2006 until he was traded to the Rams in 2007 for a 5th rounder. To really top off his career, Lil Wayne mentioned him in a rap.

Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, DE, Green Bay Packers, 2000
Muhammed-Kabeer Olarewaju Gbaja-Biamila, also known as KGB, attended San Diego State University. As a three year starter at SDSU, KGB racked up an impressive sack total each year and eventually set the Aztecs' record for all-time sacks. Before sacking QBs in college, Gbaja-Biamila started his own food company during High School, called Food From the Hood. Not heavily scouted, the Packers selected KBG with the 149th overall pick of the 2000 Draft. Between 2001-2004, KBG developed into one of the league's premier pass rushers, collecting double digit sacks each year. This 5th rounder has become the Green Bay Packers all time leader in sacks.

Aaron Kampman, DE, Green Bay Packers, 2002
Although the 5th round has been a relatively weak round over the past 10 years, it seems the Packers have a knack for finding pass rushing D-Ends in the 5th. Aaron Kampman, from the University of Iowa, follows KGB as a 5th round steal for the Packers. Kampman had a fantastic collegiate career, starting from Day 1 of his Freshmen Year. His first two years were at Linebacker, then he switched to D-End before his Junior Year. Although he put up great numbers in the Big Ten, NFL scots were not impressed. He fell to the Packers at 156 overall. Kampman really came in the playoffs of his 2nd season, leading the NFC with 3 playoff sacks. Kampman has been selected to the Pro Bowl two consecutive years, the only 5th rounder on this list to achieve that.

Dan Koppen, C, New England Patriots, 2003
Koppen played his college ball at Boston College in the Big East. He was a starter for his final three seasons at BC, and although he was a premier Big East lineman, he did not receive much attention from NFL Scouts. The Patriots saw something they liked and took Koppen with the 164th overall selection in the 5th round of the 2003 NFL Draft. Today, Koppen is still the starting Center in New England and has two Super Bowl rings. More importantly, Koppen was featured on that Visa commercial with Tom Brady.

Trent Cole, DE, Philadelphia Eagles, 2005
Trent Cole was one of those players that was too small to make it. At only 6'2, 257, Cole was undersized as a D-End. Playing Nose Tackle and DE at Cincinatti, NFL Scouts dismissed Cole's performance in college and labeled him too small. The Eagles took a chance on him in the 5th round of the 2005 NFL Draft. Cole immediately proved the other 31 NFL Teams wrong by recording 5 sacks in his first 4 games. Although he did not immediately start the next year, he was put back into the starting lineup later in the season. Cole earned his first Pro Bowl birth in 2007.
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Newsworthy Rookie Alerts

From Army to NFL
7th Round Selection Caleb Campbell has two battles in front of him if he wants to make the Detroit Lions. First, he needs to make the final 53-man roster. This means an impressive training camp, hard work in practices, and a lot of time with the defensive playbook. Unfortunately for Campbell, that is the easy part. His true test will be trying to be released from the Army's ADSO, active duty service obligations. According to the ADSO, to be eligible, you must serve at least 24 months of active duty. It seems that the Army is being very reasonable with Campbell, giving him the option to be a Detroit-Area Recruiter for 2 years if he makes the team. The ADSO Release is also contingent upon a signed, valid contract offer by the Lions. Good luck to Mr. Campbell.

Colt Brennan Ready to Prove Himself
After off-season hip surgery, Colt Brennan has proclaimed himself 95% fit. He also has announced he is ready to prove himself in the NFL. The record-setting college Quarterback knows that the NFL game is a whole lot different than playing for the Unversity of Hawaii. But this understanding will be a great motivator for Brennan, who will always have to play to prove his records. If Jason Campbell goes down and Brennan has a good training camp, the Skins may give him a try. Brennan is hoping to be 100% for the first day of Redskins Training Camp in late July. Like most, I'm skeptical of Hawaii's QBs having success in the NFL, but Brennan seems to understand the differences from NCAA to NFL and might have a shot to impress.

Ray Rice Signing Autographs Back at Rutgers, Trying to be MJD?
Ray Rice is going back to Rutgers this Sunday, July 13th, to sign autographs at the Scarlet Fever Fan Shop. Rice performed well in the Ravens' OTAs, and the organization is hoping for big things from this year's 2nd rounder. Rice was an elite college RB for the last two years, consistently putting his name with the likes of Darren McFadden, Mike Hart, and Steve Slaton. With Willis McGahee as the starter, Rice will look to make an impact as a Spell Back. Although his receiving game isn't as well developed as Maurice Jones-Drew, the Ravens would like to use him in the same way. Seeing Rice live for 3 years at Rutgers, I can say he is surprisingly explosive. I'm not sure if he can put up the same numbers as MJD, but he will definitely help expand the Ravens' rushing game.
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Continuing on in our series of Best Draft Choices per Round, Rookie Alert presents the Best 6th Round Draft Choices of the Last 10 Years. Yesterday, we looked at the best the 7th round had to offer. Today, we move up one round to examine the best 6th round draft choices of the last 10 years.

Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots, 2000
"Oops. My Bad. Maybe we shouldn't have passed on the chance of using a 6th round pick to grab Tom Brady." That was a recent quote from EVERY NFL TEAM (other than the Patriots). Nearing the 200th pick of the 2000 Draft, Tom Brady was still on the board. The Michigan Wolverine, fresh off an Overtime Orange Bowl win vs Alabama, finally heard his name called with the 199th selection of the 2000 NFL Draft. Yes, 198 players were chosen before Tom Brady. Today, the Patriots wouldn't trade him for any combination of them. The Patriots took a shot on him, and you know what, I think it paid off. 3 Super Bowls later and Tom Brady is one of the best QBs to ever play the game.

Adalius Thomas, LB, Baltimore Ravens, 2000
Back at the 2000 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens' Defense was preparing for a dominant season which would end with the Lombardi Trophy landing in Baltimore. Late in the draft, the Ravens were looking for another Linebacker to compete for backup spots on the depth chart. His dominating play in college earned him the 1999 Liberty Bowl MVP, but not respect from 31 other NFL teams who continously passed him for almost six full rounds. Hailing from the University of Southern Mississippi, Thomas finally heard his name called with the 186th selection of the 2000 NFL Draft. Thomas joined the already loaded Ravens defense and won a Super Bowl with them in his rookie season. He has now grown into one of the league's premier Linebackers with the Patriots.

Marc Bulger, QB, New Orleans Saints, 2000
2000 seemed to be the year of 6th rounders. Add Rams Quarterback Marc Bulger to the list. This West Virginia Mountaineer was originally drafted by the New Orleans Saints with the 168th pick of the 2000 NFL Draft. A 3 year starter at West Virginia, he was an integral part of the Mountaineers success in the late 90s. He continously put up big numbers down in Morgantown, but apparently not enough for NFL Teams. Everyone passed on him, and while the New Orleans Saints drafted him with their 6th round selection, he was cut before training camp. He signed on with the Atlanta Falcons later that summer, but was again cut and did not make the final roster. St. Louis finally signed him in early 2001, and Bulger became the starter mid-way through the 2005 season. Since then, he has been putting up tons of pasing yards and touchdowns year in, year out.

Neil Rackers, PK, Cincinnati Bengals, 2000
Yet another from the Class of 2000. Neil Rackers, out of Illinois, was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals with the 169th overall pick. Since then, Rackers has been one of the best kickers in the league, setting a record in 2005 by kicking 40 Field Goals in a season.

Chester Taylor, RB, Baltimore Ravens, 2002
Chester Taylor finished off his collegiate career with a bang. In the highly scouted Hula Bowl, Taylor put on a show that earned him MVP honors. Add that to a senior season with close to 1500 yards and you have yourself a Day 1 prospect right? I guess not... Taylor had to wait until late in Day 2 to hear his name, finally being selected by the Baltimore Ravens to compete for the backup spot to Jamal Lewis. The 2002 207th pick impressed teams as Lewis' backup and was rewarded with a 4 year, $14.1 Million contract with the Minnesota Vikings in 2006.

Derek Anderson, QB, Baltimore Ravens, 2005
Oregon State already produced star power in the late rounds, so why not Derek Anderson, a Beaver Alum, as well? Anderson is the third player on this list originally drafted by the Baltimore Ravens. Their scouting department is definitely doing their job, but maybe someone should tell their GM/Front Office to hold onto their draft picks. All 3 players originally drafted by the Ravens are now on different teams. Anderson was a 3-year starter at OSU, and improved steadily throughout his collegiate career, but apparently not enough for NFL Teams to take a chance with him. The Ravens used a 6th round selection on the OSU QB. Anderson now punishes the team that gave him a shot twice a year with the Browns.

Antonie Bethea, SF, Indianapolis Colts, 2006
Coming out of little known Howard University, Bethea had hope that his play was big enough to get him drafted. Late in the 6th round, the Indianapolis Colts took a shot. Bethea immediately proved the Colts right as he had a great rookie season. In 2007, he was named the starting safety for the Colts and was named to the Pro Bowl in only his second season.

2008 6th Rounder To Look Out For
Mike Hart, RB, Indianapolis Colts. For the past 3 years, Mike Hart was an elite college RB. A Michigan Wolverine, Hart was a two-time Doak Walker Award Finalist, a Maxwell Award semi-finalist, and a Heisman Trophy finalist. Hart also broke the all-time rushing record at Michigan with over 5000 career rushing yards. Hart was consistently in the top tier of running backs for the past few years rivaling Darren McFadden, Steve Slaton, and Ray Rice for best collegiate RB. Hart fell to the 6th round over concerns of his size (5'9"), but is in a great situation with one of the league's best offenses. Hart may be able to transfer his collegiate success to the next level.

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In the 2nd part of Rookie Alert's series on best draft choices per round, today we will be examining the Best 7th Round Draft Choices of the Last 10 Years. Yesterday, we checked out the Best Undrafted Rookie Free Agents of the Last 10 years. On today's list, NFL GMs had to risk something, albeit a 7th round pick is worth as much as Chad Johnson's demands to be traded, to select these future stars.

T. J. Houshmandzadeh, WR, Cincinnati Bengals, 2001
Unlike the other WRs on the list, Housh went to a pretty big school in a good conference. As part of the Pac 10, TJ went up against some good competition before the Bengals decided to take a chance on him. Seven years later and it is 415 Receptions, 33 Receiving TDs, and a 2007 Pro Bowl Selection. After TJ's rookie season, Cincinnati went back to Oregon St to take a guy named Chad Johnson.

Donald Driver, WR, Green Bay Packers, 1999
Before exploding on the NFL scene, Driver was an olympic hopeful at Alcorn State University. Driver was a potential track and field star for the USA in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. This is all before the Green Bay Packers saw potential in the ASU WR. Totaling just 88 receptions in college, Driver has gone on to become a 3-time NFL Pro Bowler. Rewind to '99 and the Browns may consider him instead of Tim Couch.

Ahmad Bradshaw, RB, New York Giants, 2007
Bradshaw came on strong during the last few games of the Giants' Regular Season in 2007. He continued to earn carries into the playoffs, and played an important part in the Giants' upset over the undefeated Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. Coming from the MAC, Bradshaw rushed for over 1500 yards and 19 touchdowns in his junior (and final) year. After being passed up upon by 31 other teams for almost 7 full rounds, Bradshaw went on to be the leading rusher in Super Bowl XLII.

Marques Colston, WR, New Orleans Saints, 2006
251 picks came and went at the 2006 NFL Draft. Marques Colston, out of Division 1-AA Hofstra, did not get his name called until number 252. The New Orleans Saints gave Colston a shot with a 7th round pick. Colston immediately burst onto the NFL Scene and from Week 1 of his Rookie Year, he was dominating NFL secondaries on a weekly basis. At 6'4", Colston quickly developed into the prototypical big receiver, giving opposing defenses trouble in matchups.

Ronald Curry, WR, Oakland Raiders, 2002
Another College QB turned WR, Curry was a two-sport athlete at UNC. He was the starting QB for the Tar Heel Football Program and the starting PG for the prestigious UNC Basketball Team. Curry has been an elite athlete since High School, battling with former first rounder Michael Vick throughout HS and College. The Raiders took a chance on Curry and it paid off. They recently rewarded him with the starting spot and a 5 year, $20 Million contract.

Patrick Crayton, WR, Dallas Cowboys, 2004
If the Dallas cowboys are running a trick play with a pass involved, you can count on 7th round selection Patrick Crayton to be involved. Crayton played his college ball at Northwest Oklahoma State University where he lined up as Wide Receiver for his first three years. His Senior year was a bit different as Crayton moved under center to be the team's Starting QB. The 216th overall pick in 2004, Crayton got his chance on field due to injuries and never gave up the spot. He received a pretty nice extension from the Cowboys in 2007.

Brian Jennings, LS, San Francisco 49ers, 2000
Why is a Long Snapper on the list? How many Long Snappers from the 7th round have made it to the Pro Bowl? Jennings, a Sun Devil from ASU, was selected to the 2003 Pro Bowl. He is still the Long Snapper for the 49ers.

2008 7th Rounder To Look Out For
Marcus Monk, WR, Chicago Bears. Out of Arkansas, Monk was a dominating Wide Receiver. At 6'4", he is built to be a big bodied, possession receiver. Without injury, Monk would have been a possible Day 1 selection. If Chicago can straighten out it's passing game, Monk may become a nice steal for the Bears Organization.
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