Their football futures were so bright, their potential so limitless, it would have been hard to imagine that the three college superstars had just peaked. Bush, Young and Leinart were taken Nos. 2, 3 and 10, respectively, in the 2006 NFL draft. But in the three years since, Canton has faded beyond the horizon as expectations have been adjusted downward for the once-dazzling trio.

As it stands, the less-heralded USC running back LenDale White — taken with the 45th pick in the 2006 draft — has been a much better pro than Young, Leinart or Bush. White ran for 1,110 yards in 2007 and scored 15 touchdowns last year.

Find out why did these NCAA stars went bust!

Michael Crabtree was anointed with the “prima donna” label when he came out of Texas Tech for the NFL draft; that’s not so good if you’re a wide receiver hoping for a big payday.

Nevertheless, San Francisco took him with their 10th overall pick. And Crabtree seems to be putting his hope in the bank–by threatening to sit out the entire year and re-enter the draft in 2010.

Check out Crabtree’s take on the situation!

With NFL mini-camp season kicking off this week it’s time to talk football, is there ever a bad time to talk football? I think not!

Everyone is making bold predictions about what the NFL’s premiere players will be doing in the upcoming season. Will Larry Fitzgerald have another monster year? Will Adrian Peterson rush for 1,700+ years again?

Sure everyone loves the QB who tosses for over 5,000 yards or the guy who has 1,500+ receiving, it’s the dizzying monster stats that make the game exciting and earn superstars massive paydays. But what about the Chad Pennington’s of the league who don’t lead in any statistical categories but provide their team with experience, leadership, consistency and other intangibles that turns a team of duds into a team of studs.

Let’s turn the spot light away from the superstars of the league and focus on some of the most underappreciated players in the NFL today and in the leagues history. (more…)

NFL mock drafts have been undergoing dynamic shifts across the internet nearly every week for the past three months, ultimately trying to predict which hotshot prospect is going to land in which NFL city this spring.  Well, draft day is rapidly approaching and now it is time for COED to take a look at who’s hot and who’s not heading into this weekend’s draft. (more…)

According to reports at Yahoo! Sports, the Cleveland Browns are moving toward an agreement that will send wide receiver Braylon Edwards to the New York Giants in exchange for wide receiver Dominik Hixon along with a 2nd and 5th round pick in this month’s NFL Draft.

This move makes sense for both teams as the Browns are looking to move in a new direction under new head coach Eric Mangini, while the Giants are looking to return to Super Bowl form after jettisoning their troubled star receiver Plaxico Burress.

Edwards would immediately fill the number-one receiver slot for the G-Men, and fit perfectly in a leadership role to help fellow former Michigan Wolverine star wideout Mario Manningham improve on his limited rookie season.  Edward’s big body and ability to dominate a game will be music to the ears of quarterback Eli Manning, who thrived with a larger Burress as his primary option.

To continue along the Michigan Connection trail both Edwards and Manningham could team up to help fill the void left by Burress and the recently released former Wolverine and all time Giants receiving leader, Amani Toomer.

NFL teams will need to lower their expectations overall this year as they evaluate the realities of supply and demand related to the 2009 draft class. Thanks to an infusion of talented underclassmen — who are among five of the top 10 and 15 of the top 32 overall prospects — teams will certainly be able to enlist top-shelf talent. [USA Today]

College Ousts Marine For Legally Concealed Gun

A Marine has been arrested, suspended from college and ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation for bringing a handgun and knife to campus, even though he holds a concealed carry permit issued by the state. [World Net Daily]

Twittering, With Pete Carroll

Twittering has an Adrian Peterson feel to it, no? AP dives into the line three times, and then gallops for a long touchdown. You might skip a couple days of twitter, and then go nuts with like 10 updates in a day. USC football coach Pete Carroll is on Twitter. But what nobody knows is that he’s deleted a ton of entries. We were able to find the deleted ones! Nobody else has been privy to these! [Big Lead]

If Tebow had decided to enter the NFL draft this year it is projected he would have gone in the middle of the first round. But at 6-foot-3-inch, 240-pounds most NFL scouts agree that Tim Tebow’s best position as a pro is probably not as quarterback.

Some say Tebow is a “Pro Bowl tight end waiting to happen. Others see him as a safety. He could even be a running back.” If you were an NFL GM where would you stick Tebow in your line-up? Vote below and tell us whether or not removing him from QB duties would be a retarded move.

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• Sam Bradford Says No To NFL Draft

The press conference is at 3 pm, but the UGA boards all morning have been buzzing that both are goners. Intern Parrish said via email that the Bulldogs next year will look like the Tide did this year, and be bowling again. Stafford as a pro? Eh. Ditto for Moreno, whom we loved as a sophomore (when he had that awesome blocking FB). We suspect both will still go in the first round. [Big Lead]

Least Watched Bowl Game In History

Try to imagine what you could do to make sure no one attended or watched a bowl game.  Pick two small-conference schools, like Tulsa and Ball State?  Check.  Play the game in Mobile, Alabama?  Check.  Make the game a blowout?  Check.  Play the game in a driving rainstorm?  All aboard for the Empty Stadium Express! [With Leather]

Does The BCS Violate Antitrust Laws?

Utah’s attorney general is investigating the Bowl Championship Series for a possible violation of federal antitrust laws after an undefeated Utes team was left out of the national title game for the second time in five years. Attorney General Mark Shurtleff contends the BCS unfairly puts schools like Utah, which is a member of a conference without an automatic bid to the lucrative bowl games, at a competitive and financial disadvantage. [ESPN]