Once again, it's time for my 1st round draft review. This review is solely based on my personal opinions using my personal weights. This is done for fun and hopefully nobody gets offended if I give them a bad grade...its happened in the past.

1.1
Kansas City Chaos
Infinity on Trial
QB Robert Newsome 37/93 vol 22
6'1" 221 lbs
Towson State University

The team selects a small college quarterback who set the football world on fire. Scouts believe this is a generational talent who should become one of the alltime greats in the league.

Grade A+

1.2
New York Empire
Brohl
QB Sherman Griffith 34/87 vol 84
6'0" 206 lbs
Georgia

The team selected the clear cut 2nd best quarterback in the draft. Scouts have questioned his size and feel he is more volatile in his potential but has a chance to become above average to elite if his skills transition to the pros.

Grade A-

1.3
Tampa Bay Fireballs
CASUALCNOTE
FS Ronald McDougall 35/90 vol 22
5' 11" 198 lbs
Georgia

The 2nd straight Georgia player is taken and he is a clear cut top 5 pick. Despite playing free safety in college, scouts believe he has the skills to become a lock down corner in the pros.

Grade A+

1.4
Chicago Avengers
Hollyhh2000
WR Courtney Sutton 44/89 vol 20
5' 11" 169
Mississippi

They selected perhaps the fastest player in the draft. A polished reciever with great hands whose only knock is his size and whether he can hold up in the pros.

Grade A

1.5
Cincinnati Defenders
Fhunt3
TE Leon Hunt 32/83 vol 12
6' 3" 274 lbs
Tennessee

They selected this big bodied tight end with great blocking skills and decent hands who should be a dual threat tight end. His blocking skills could make him a 6th offensive lineman and he has the versatility to play FB. His combination of size and speed make him a great asset on offense.

Grade A

1.6
Philadelphia Slayers
Jaulschge
MLB Robert Patterson 44/88 vol 18
5' 10" 251 lbs
Stamford

The first of a strong class of MLB comes off the board. Patterson has all the intangibles and attributes to become a dominant MLB in this league for years to come.

Grade A+

1.7
Washington Warriors
Crm63
WLB Alfred Kirshner 44/88 vol 20
6' 0" 219 lbs
Grambling

Kirshner and Patterson were considered 1a and 1b as far as linebackers in the draft. Despite playing outside linebacker in college, scouts believe he has the skills, intelligence and leadership to move inside.

Grade A

1.8
Los Angeles Challengers
Bgedgerly
MLB Felix Franz 37/87 vol 44
6' 1" 262 lbs
Brigham Young

The run on linebackers continue with one of the larger middle linebackers in the draft. He may not be quite as fast as the previous 2 selected but he makes up for it with his shear size and strength.

Grade A-

1.9
Montana Grizzlies
Trslick
RB Robert Covington 36/90 vol 68
5' 10" 216 lbs
Arizona

Montana takes this stocky runningback out of Arizona. While he lacks top end speed, his size and strength make tackling him like hitting a fire hydrant. He is somewhat of a gamble but has potential to be a complete back.

Grade B+

1.10
Texas Hold'em
Dyluckyguess
FS Jerrell Cave 34/82 vol 8
6' 0" 220 lbs
Florida State

Cave is a big hard hitting safety who lacks elite speed but has a nose for the ball and shows quick acceleration.

Grade A

1.11
Houston Roughnecks
Texasfan
WLB Richard Flanigan 34/82 vol 72
5' 11" 253
Henderson State

This pick is a little bit of a gamble with Flanigan coming out of a small school but scouts love his size, strength and intelligence to potentially move inside to MLB. This kid lives and breathes football and if he can reach his potential could be a dominant middle linebacker in this league.

Grade B+

1.12
Seattle Barbarians
Timreesejr
RB Jose Jones 36/85 vol 46
5' 11" 217 lbs
Virginia

Scouts rated Jones as the top all around complete running back in the draft. His combination of size, speed and strength plus his ability to catch passes coming out of the backfield make him a true 3 down back.

Grade A

1.13
Texas Hold'em
Dyluckyguess
WR Laurence Thompson 32/83 vol 22
5' 8" 211 lbs
Richmond

Thompson is considered the #2 wide receiver in the draft. There are some concerns about his height but he has great hands and route running skills to go along with high end speed.

Grade A

1.14
Texas Hold'em
Dyluckyguess
MLB Robert Spicer 38/85 vol 46
6' 1" 246 lbs
Mississippi State

Texas uses their 3rd 1st round pick to take one of the 5 linebackers ranked as a 1st rounder. With his size and speed, he plays the run equally as well as the pass and should man the middle for years to come.

Grade A

I was actually pretty pleased with this draft. A little nervous about my linebackers but I think they have enough physical skills to do ok even if camp is not the greatest. Super happy with my first 2 picks and where i got em.

1.15
Vancouver Vandals
Setherick
WR Greg Hewitt 37/88 vol 8
5' 11" 198 lbs
UCF

Hewitt is a slash type player who can play as reciever or running back with incredible pass catching and ball carry skills. The only concern by the scouts is his speed which is average at best. Scouts dont see him as a primary reciever or feature back but should excel in certain sub packages and formations.

Grade B

1.16
Texas Hold'em
Dyluckyguess
SLB Johnnie Perez 36/78 vol 32
6' 2" 246 lbs
Washington

Texas continues to bolster their defense with this outside linebacker with great pass rush potential. He could bulk up and play defensive end but he has solid pass coverage skills so WLB may be his best position.

Grade A-

1.17
Daytona Beach Bull Sharks
TheAdmiral
WR Jeffrey Ruch 36/88 vol 94
5' 9" 214 lbs
Alcorn State

Daytona selects this speedy reciever out of a small school. Scouts love his tools and potential but this is definately a gamble with him never playing in division 1 or facing elite competitors. If he can develop fully, he could be a top end wide receiver but should make the team with his size, speed and versatility.

Grade B-

1.18
New England Crusaders
John97334
DT Wm Smith 36/80 vol 56
6' 3" 290
California

The first true nose tackle is taken with the 18th pick. Smith has decent size and strength but it's his speed at defensive tackle that makes him a dual threat defensive lineman stopping the run and rushing the passer.

Grade A

1.19
Texas Hold'em
Dyluckyguess
RT Jerry Coleman 46/87 vol 100
6' 5" 327 lbs
Clemson

Texas uses its 5th and final 1st round pick on the gigantic RT out of Clemson. He is a complete road grater blocking for the run with the only question being his ability to pass block in the pros.

Grade A

1.20
Carolina Cobras
Slowtospeak
LT Terry Verduzzo 39/85 vol 30
6' 4" 303 lbs
Penn State

The 2nd straight offensive lineman comes off the board. Verduzzo is considered by scouts as the best LT in the draft.

Grade A

1.21
Pittsburgh Blitzkreieg
ArmchairQb
SS Mark Henderson 41/80 vol 30
5' 10" 201 lbs
Texas Tech

With Henderson's top end speed, he has the potential to be a playmaker at safety and has decent cover skills especially bump and run so he could switch to cornerback.

Grade A-

1.22
Miami Nemesis
Gridironfan
LG Lucas Himes 33/82 vol 50
6' 5" 305 lbs
Nebraska

This big run blocking guard from Nebraska has every chance to start on this league and some scouts believe his best position would be at center.

Grade B+

1.23
Providence Islanders
Rednu
C Leroy Braxton 37/79 vol 14
6' 2" 278 lbs
Northwest

Although he played center in college, scouts think he should bulk up and use his top end blocking skills at LG. While he can play center, scouts question his snapping skills translating to the pro game.

Grade B

1.24
Oakland Outlaws
Crazyrazor
TE Samual Broderick 31/87 vol 54
6' 3" 267 lbs
UCLA

Broderick is a big body tight end with a very complete and versatile skill set. He could gain weight and play the offensive line, become a blocking tight end or fullback with both pass catching and ball carry skills. Every team needs players like this with his only knock being below average speed.

Grade A-

1.25
Vancouver Vandals
Setherick
RDE Carey Edge 32/81 vol 38
6' 4" 286 lbs
Oklahoma

Edge has the size and strength to play either defensive tackle or defensive end. He is great at stopping the run and rushing the passer and scouts believe his best position may be DT.

Grade A-

1.26
Denver Extreme
Plasteredpickl2
TE Mark Jones 36/87 vol 64
6' 2" 250
Arizona

Jones is a great tight end coming out of college but may be better at fullback. If Denver moves him to RB and have him cut weight, he may become the steal of the draft as his speed goes from great to elite. If he booms in training camp and meets his full potential, he could become a dominant player in the league.

Grade A+

1.27
St. Paul Punishers
Wolveraider
LT Ross Hake 32/84 vol 24
6' 5" 323 lbs
Michigan State

Scouts see Hake as the 2nd best LT in the draft, just a small step below Verduzzo only due to a slight difference in run blocking. He is equally as good at pass blocking and has better size.

Grade A

1.28
Oakland Outlaws
Crazyrazor
CB Paul Travis 32/79 vol 74
6' 0" 201 lbs
Iowa

Oakland selects this cornerback out of Iowa with elite speed. They are banking on his coverage skills developing on the next level where he has a chance to become a top end corner. So what of a gamble but his speed plays at this level.

Grade B-

1.29
Brooklyn Hitmen
4343
RB Lucas Brown 31/84 vol 92
6' 0" 215 lbs
Maryland

Brooklyn is taking a flyer on this three down back from Maryland with decent speed. Some off the field issues dropped him in the draft so his volatility is a concern if he will develop in the pros.

Grade B

1.30
Houston Roughnecks
Texasfan
LDE Jerry Lee 29/80 vol 62
6' 2" 301 lbs
Louisiana State

Despite playing defensive end in college, he has the size to play DT in the pros where his size and speed make him a 3 down nose tackle with his ability to stop the run and pressure the quarterback.

Grade A-

1.31
Gem City Gangsters
Raidergreg69
C Robert Salisbury 44/88 vol 54
6' 1" 285 lbs
Brigham Young

The best pure center in the draft falls all the way to 31 and lands on a team that made the title game last season. A complete steal for an already great team.

Grade A+

1.32
Oakland Outlaws
Crazyrazor
WR Michael Mach 39/80 vol 18
5' 11" 194 lbs
Alabama

Oakland selects perhaps the fastest wide receiver in the 1st round who has fantastic route running skills but the question has always been about his hands when it comes to both pass catching and holding onto the ball after the catch.

Grade A

So ends my annual 1st round draft review.....

I tried to be fair and honest and everyone did a fantastic job as I believe a " B- " was the lowest grade I gave out.

That tells me that everyone is really paying attention and the level of competition continues to rise.

Good luck to all in the rest of the draft as this seems to be a deep draft class.

I had hoped to go defense on this pick, but decided that if Henderson (drafted 21st by Pittsburgh) wasn't available I'd go this route since I wasn't enamored with another defensive player from a risk/reward standpoint at this pick. Braxton is tentatively slated to fill our need at RG, but could slide elsewhere if the midrounds cough up a nice gem.

Great read as always CJ...love that you take the time to do this each season!