A couple of observations from last night's game:

First off, Ronald Stanley, MLB, Michigan State really improved his draft stock, being the game's MVP with not one, but two defensive touchdowns. Stanley has good experience at state, his father played, and he shouldn't go undrafted anymore. I'm guessing someone will pick him up in the 7th round, for sure, maybe earlier.

Fort Valley State's Derrick Wimbush was very impressive with his touchdown run. Wimbush wasn't even talked about being drafted, but improved his stock well. He goes 6-2, 220, and averaged 7.4 yards per carry. He was second in voting for Division 2 player of the year, behind Colorado Mines QB Chad Friehauf, who put up ridiculous numbers.

Another runningback, DeWhitt Betterson of Troy State played well. He is 6-2, 225. Had a great season this year with Troy, saw him against Missouri earlier in the year, but was more impressed with DeMarcus Ware.

I wasn't impressed with any of the QBs. Jared Allen, QB, FAU, threw a pick in his first series. Timmy Chang and Sonnie Cumbie looked like what scouts perceived them as, system quarterbacks. The best QB there was Ryan Fitzpatrick, Harvard. He will be a 7th round pick.

The top prospect in the game was Chris Kemoeatu, OG, Utah. He has a chance to be a 3rd round selection. Other prospects with a 5th round grade or higher that appeared: Charles Frederick, WR, Washington; Jonathan Clinkscale, OG, Wisconsin; Aaron Francisco, S, BYU; Reggie Harrell, WR, TCU; Sione Pouha, DT, Utah; and Scott Starks, CB, Wisconsin.

ally though, this bowl game didn't feature any first day prospects, and unless you really care about the draft, it was a waste of time. Unless you are a state fan.

Great write up Brian...keep it coming. IMO you make Mel Kiper look like a slacker

Great job......
....and Mel does a really good job making himself look like a slacker. Does anyone know how that bum got that job???

For ESPN it's all about the HAIR BABY!!!! That's how Kiper got his gig. It certainly isn't based on his knowledge of draft prospects and team needs.

No, certainly not his knowledge. All you have to do is look at who he says a team will pick, and how often he's right!! Oh wait, he usually is right. Dang!!

I beg to differ. I have watched the draft on ESPN for years, and have seen him predict live who will be going next, only to have the team pick otherwise. And those were top fifteen selections. The top five or ten are usually pretty easy to figure out for anyone. After that, the analysts are supposed to have an inside track on what is going on. Kiper's choices and predictions don't match, percentage wise, what many of the lesser known analysts and websites have accomplished over the last five years.

With the amount of picks that are on hand, he does pretty well. I have seen what a lot of people have written and heard what a lot have said, and if pressed, would rather listen to Kiper. It's all about percentages. He's not always right, but look at the overall picture and he's right more often than a lot of others. But I don't think he could do it without the hair!!LOL

Mel does a great job. He knows his stuff, you could just mention someone's name to him and he could go on for minutes talking about his height and weight, a mini scouting report, etc.

Most draft people on the web have been modifying their rankings as Kiper changes him. It makes me laugh. Jonathan Babineaux, Terrence Murphy, Charles Frederick, none of them were on people's lists before the season, and he puts them on his list, and they pop up around the web. Scott Wright has been modifying his stuff for years around what Kiper says.

While people generally do indeed do better than Mel, it's because they are looking at his draft, then doing a few changes. The guy who won on ESPN last year said that he basically copied Kiper's draft, except changed Philip Rivers to #4 and Roethlisberger #11, because he thought SD and NYG may do that trade. Kiper's draft came out 3 days early, so everyone was given the oppurtunity to change their drafts.

I think he does a good job. He may be wrong this year with the corners, I believe, he doesn't have Jackson as a top 5 corner, and he has Rolle out of the top 14, whereas Adam Jones is 6th overall. He's going to be changing his mind after the combine numbers come out. Pac-Man isn't going to run a 4.2, as he says he does. Marlin isn't slow, and neither is Rolle.