28
May
2009
NFL Rookie Dance Off!
Thirty-four members of the 2009 NFL Rookie Class were gathered together in Los Angeles this past weekend for the annual Reebok NFL Players Rookie Premiere Upper Deck Photo Shoot.
In addition to getting their pictures taken for their trading cards, the rookies were challenged to perform their best Touchdown Dance, with the winner taking home an autographed Michael Jordan jersey.
Let’s go to the videotape:
If you disregard the fact that most of these would draw a 15-yard penalty for including props (and the fact that we’ve seen half of those before anyway), there were actually some decent moves in there. Broncos RB Knowshon Moreno taking home the prize for his lumberjack celebration … I don’t know, I kind of liked Aaron Curry‘s, myself.
29
Apr
2009
SI’s Impact Players of the 2009 Rookie Class
6'6" WR Ramses Barden has a chance to replace Plaxico Burress as Eli Manning's red zone target in NY (Photo by Ben Liebenberg)
SportsIllustrated.com has selected their NFL Rookies With an early chance to shine in 2009.
Again, this is basically an exercise in futility, but that’s what we’re all about here at ReadAndReact, right? SI’s Don Banks looks at the NFL teams/situations where draftees have landed, and selects his impact players at each position based on their likelihood to contribute right away.
At WR, even though the Giants selected Hakeem Nicks in the 1st round, Banks thinks it’s their 3rd round pick, Ramses Barden who will make the biggest splash in NY:
While I think Cleveland second-round pick Brian Robiskie is going to walk into a major role in the Browns’ receiver-thin offense, on a hunch I’m giving my top billing to Barden, the 6-foot-6 Cal Poly product who is slated to inherit Plaxico Burress’s job of out-skying opposing cornerbacks and safeties in the red zone. Barden caught 50 touchdowns in college, so it’s a key role the third-round pick appears up for.
Other impact players of note include RB Donald Brown (Colts), C Alex Mack (Browns) and LB James Laurenitis (Rams).
On the flip side, RedZoneReport has their Top 10 2009 NFL Draft Bust Candidates. Interestingly, both articles selected the same player at #1 – QB Mark Sanchez (Jets).
And, one more reminder to check out the list of Undrafted Free Agent signings, to see which players your teams will be bringing into camp for a look.
