10 College Football Impact Freshmen for 2012

Over the past week, I reviewed more film on this year's top senior High School football players while also analyzing the tapes of the ESPN Under Armour and U.S. Army All-Star games.  Below is a list of 10 potential 2012 Impact Freshmen who "flashed" on film and in one of the All-Star games:

WR Marvin Bracy, Florida State commit:  Bracy may be the fastest players in the nation with legitimate 4.35 speed and will also run track at FSU.  On film, he will remind you a little of Packers Rookie WR and Returner Randall Cobb, as he is explosive in space and can be a weapon in the slot and on special teams.  Expect Bracy to make an immediate impact for the Noles next fall, giving QB EJ Manuel another weapon while also jumpstarting the Noles' return game.

DE Dante Fowler, Florida State commit:  While fellow FSU commit DE Mario Edwards Jr. will receive more hype, Fowler has great power and edge explosion and will form an amazing bookend duo with Edwards over the next 3-4 seasons.  He reminds me a little of former Noles' star Reinard Wilson, and Folwer and Edwards could end up reminding many of WIlson and his former star teammate Peter Boulware before the two leave Tallahassee.

DE Noah Spence, Ohio State commit:  Spence was electric off the edge on film and during the Under Armour All-Star Game, as he had 3 sacks, 4 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and numerous pressures during the contest.  Spence may have been the best player in the game, as he demonstrated a lighting quick first step, a high motor, hip explosion and great bend off the edge.  He will step right into the Buckeyes' two-deep and will make an immediate impact off the edge in passing situations.  He and Army All-Star DE Adolphus Washington will also form quite a duo in Columbus. 

RB T.J. Yeldon, Alabama commit:  Yeldon has great size at 6'2' and 210-pounds, incredible power and athleticism, which was demonstrated during the Army All-Star game when he twice went airborne to allude would-be tacklers.  He and Texas commit Jonathan Gray are the two best RB's that I've seen on film this year, and Yeldon will be able to immediately step into the void left by RB Trent Richardson, who is expected to announce that he will be turning pro.

RB Jonathan Gray, Texas commit:  Gray lacks great size, but he is physical, finishes his runs and has tremendous quickness and acceleration.  Moreover, he may have the best hands of any RB in the 2012 Class and is capable of being an immediate three-down back in Austin.  Gray will split time with Freshman starter Malcolm Brown and will give the Longhorns the nation's best blend of power and speed with their 2012 backfield.  Also, watch for Texas to have offensive sets where both Brown and Gray are on the field together to take advantage of Gray's quickness in space and his unique receiving skills.

S Shaq Thompson, Cal commit (see above):  Most experts regard Thompson as one of the top two Safety prospects in the Class of 2012, as he possesses great size -- 6'2" and 210 lbs -- speed, instinct and tremendous explosion through a ball carrier.  Thompson has an aggressive, intimidating style that you would expect from a LB, while also having the ability to excel in coverage.  Thompson leads what could be Cal's finest recruiting class in the last 25 years.

DE/OLB Ifeadi Odenigo, Northwestern commit:  Odenigo, who only started playing football as a sophomore in high school, is one of the top 3 recruits in the Pat Fitzgerald era.  While raw and still needing to add some bulk strength to his upper body and trunk, Odenigo has tremendous edge speed (4.5 forty) and first-step quickness and should improve immensely with reps, coaching and Northwestern's solid strength and conditioning program.  He will be able to see the field next fall as at least a situational edge rush rusher, or to replace outgoing four-year starter Vincent Browne at DE.

DT Ondre Pipkins, Michigan commit:  The 6'3 and 325-pound Pipkins will be able to help immediately fill the void of Michigan losing both starting senior DT's to graduation, including All-Big Ten selection Mike Martin.  Pipkins has great quickness, tremendous strength and a non-stop motor.  While he can improve his technique and tighten up his build, you can't teach the quickness and athleticism that he possesses.  If he can push underachieving but ultra-talented DT William Campbell to play with intensity on every down, the Wolverines should have two outstanding two-gap standouts next fall.

CB Brian Poole, Florida commit:  Poole has NFL size -- 5'11 and 195-pounds -- and an NFL build and plays with great instinct and explosion.  He is very physical in run support, has loose hips and can really break on the ball.  In fact, he seems to move at a different speed than other players and even demonstrated this in the Under Armour Game.  He should be a future All-SEC player who will finally fill the void left when CB Janoris Jenkins was dismissed from Florida last year.

S Landon Collins, Alabama commit:  Collins will be able to step right into the shoes of departing Safety Mark Barron, who will likely be the first safety selected in the 2012 NFL Draft.  Collins, like Thompson, has great size, explosion and toughness and can also fill a hole like a LB.  He possesses 4.43 speed, fluid hips and tremendous instincts as well as some nastiness, which will remind you a little of a young Steve Atwater.  In fact, I would not be surprised if Collins and Thompson both end up as first day NFL picks in three or four years.

It's NFL Playoff Time

A few weeks back I wrote about the recent shift in the balance of power from the AFC to the NFC, and with the recent surge of the Giants and the return of their once feared pass rush, I still feel that the four best teams may reside in the NFC as we enter the Playoffs.  The Packers, of course, have simply been the best team in the NFL this year, though recent concerns with the health of LT Chad Clifton and RT Bryan Bulaga, along with the lack of a consistent pass rush throughout the season, have caused many to question whether the Saints are a more complete team. 

That said, the good news for Packers' fans is that Chad Clifton appears to be healthy and is supposed to start next week's Divisional Game.  The Packers are also hopeful that Bulaga may be ready for action next week, as well. Even with the injuries at tackle, Aaron Rodgers still finished the season with the highest passer rating in NFL history at 122.5.  Rodgers has benefitted from the return to health of TE Jermichael Finley, a dynamic seam threat and a cover-2 exploiter, and from the addition of Rookie WR Randall Cobb, who has added much needed speed and open-field ability, both after the catch and on special teams.  Their concerns again surround the health of their OT's, the lack of a difference maker at RB and a consistent pass rush, either from inside at DT or off the edge opposite Clay Matthews.  

The Saints' Offense may be as dangerous as Green Bay's, as Quarterback Drew Brees set the NFL record for yards passing this season behind possibly the League's best offensive line, which features a Pro Bowl LT, Jermon Bushrod, and the two starting Pro Bowl Offensive Guards in Carl Nicks and Jahri Evans.   TE Jimmy Graham has emerged as the NFC's equivalent of the Patriots' Rob Gronkowski and has been a difference maker along with Mr. Versatility, Darren Sproles, who was arguably the NFL's best free agent signing, as the lightning quick Sproles broke the NFL record for all-purpose yards this season and provided a huge boost on special teams, as well as in both the running and passing game.  Also, the Saints Defense is opportunistic and has benefitted from improved LB play and a ball-hawking secondary.

The Giants are again getting hot at the right time and are a matchup headache for any team because they are physical in the trenches on both sides of the ball and can hammer you and control the clock on offense in bad weather with RB's Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs, while QB Eli Manning and WR Victor Cruz have found their groove.  What makes the Giants even more dangerous, however, is the return of their pass rash, as OLB Mathias Kiwanuka and DE's Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck are again healthy and have recently begun to look like their old selves.  Throw in rising superstar and future NFL Defensive Player of the Year, DE Jason Pierre-Paul and his 16.5 sacks, and you will not find a better pass-rushing foursome in football, as Pierre-Paul can be moved inside on passing downs.  The Giants are indeed a scary team and could pose a formidable foe for the Packers' offensive line if they are able to get past the Falcons this week.  

Meanwhile, the 49'ers won 13 games and placed four defensive starters on the Pro Bowl, though arguably their best defender, NaVorro Bowman, was snubbed, along with Rookie OLB Aldon Smith and his 14 sacks.  Their ball-control, physical offensive attack is the perfect complement for their Defense and presents a squad that is built for any and all weather conditions.

Any of these four teams could represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, but if Clifton and Bulaga are healthy, the Packers are still the team to beat.

In the AFC, the Patriots garnered the top seed with 13 wins, though not one of their victories was over a team with a winning record.  Tom Brady had another fabulous season, but their Offense lacks vertical speed and a difference maker in the backfield.  Moreover, their Defense ranked 31st overall in the NFL, giving up 411.1 yards per game along with 21.4 points per contest.  

The Steelers do matchup well against New England, but they are banged up, as RB Rashard Mendenhall tore his ACL in the season finale against Cleveland, and QB Ben Roethlisberger has a gimpy ankle.  However, Mendenhall wasn't a huge factor this season, and Isaac Redman is a capable replacement as long as keeps the ball off the turf.  With the Steelers having the League's top-ranked Defense, it will likely come down to the health of BIg Ben, as Pittsburgh has developed an elite passing attack which now features the League's top deep threat and burner in WR Mike Wallace, along with underneath weapons in speedy WR Antonio Brown and veteran Hines Ward, not to mention seam stretcher and red zone threat, TE Heath Miller.

The Ravens still have one of the League's top three Defenses and the solid ground game of RB Ray Rice.  They have also benefitted from finally having a vertical threat to compliment cagey veteran WR Anquan Boldin, as Rookie WR Torrey Smith is continuing to become more of a more polished WR and not simply a former track star who plays football.  However, it will ultimately come down to the play of QB Joe Flacco, and that's why I like the chances of the Patriots and the Steelers more in the AFC than I do of the Ravens.

Let the fun begin!

A Look Around College Football

Great Hire By Pittsburgh:  With Pitt now being on their fourth Head Coach in the last thirteen months, Athletic Director Steve Pederson had to get the right man, and they did with the hiring of Wisconsin Offensive Coordinator Paul Chryst, who has been the Badgers' Offensive Coordinator the last 7 seasons, while spending 2003-04 as the Oregon State Offensive Coordinator under Mike Riley.  Chryst is generally regarded as one of the bright young offensive minds in CFB, helping mold the 2011 Badgers' Offense around the skills of transfer QB Russell Wilson, as the Badgers averaged 44.6 points and 447 yards per game this fall.  

Chryst and the Badgers' Staff were also successful during his tenure of going into Ohio, Florida, New York, Missouri (Montee Ball) and New Jersey to recruit offensive weapons, and now with the scandal at Penn State, Chryst should be able to once again get a leg up in Pennsylvania recruiting.

PAC-12 will be stung by early defectors:  While everyone knows that it will be hard for Stanford to recover from the loss of Junior QB Andrew Luck to the NFL Draft, the Cardinal will also likely lose LT Jonathan Martin and All-American Guard, David DeCastro, as early entrants into the 2012 Draft.  Martin is a projected Top-10 selection, and DeCastro may ultimately end of up being the best offensive linemen from the upcoming Draft.  In fact, DeCastro could be the highest Guard selected since Chris Noeole went 10th to the Saints in 1997, especially if some teams project DeCastro as a potential Right Tackle.  

USC will also lose DE Nick Perry and LT Matt Kalil early to the Draft, and Oregon is going to lose RB LaMichael James.  In fact, if USC QB Matt Barkley enters the Draft, the PAC 12 could have as many as 5 of the Top 10 selections -- Luck, Kalil, Barkley, Martin and DeCastro -- with all of them being early entrants.  It would not even be a stretch to see the PAC-12 have the top 3 selections in the Draft in Luck, Kalil and Barkley.

Speaking of QB's and the 2012 Draft:  If Matt Barkley does declare for the Draft, we may see a run on QB's in April like we haven't seen since 6 of them -- John Elway, Jim Kelly, Dan Marino, Tony Eason, Todd Blackledge and Ken O'Brien -- were selected in the famous 1983 draft.  In addition to Barkley and Luck, Heisman winner Robert Griffin III of Baylor and Oklahoma Junior Landry Jones are also projected as potential Top-15 picks.  Former Wide Receiver and now QB Ryan Tannehill of Texas A&M has the size, toughness, arm strength and leadership qualities that scouts crave, and considering that he's only been a starting QB for less than 2 full seasons, he has the upside that coaches and GM's fall in love with prior to the Draft -- which could also make Tannehill a first rounder.  

Throw in Arizona's Nick Foles, a player with great size, experience and productivity who's never benefitted from being surrounded by a superior Offensive Line or Running Backs, and you may have this year's Christian Ponder after Foles spends a week at the Senior Bowl, where Ponder rose from a second rounder last January.

Urban's Impact:  While Ohio State and Athletic Director Gene Smith handcuffed new Coach Urban Meyer with a 2012 bowl ban by inexplicably failing to self impose a 2011 bowl ban after the University was hit with a Failure to Monitor Charge this fall on top of their potential repeat offender status from prior sanctions, Meyer has gone defensive in his first month on the job, landing commitments from 3 of the top 15 Defensive Linemen in the country in a recruiting class that arguably now has 2 of the Top 3 Defensive Ends in the nation in Noah Spence and Adolphus Washington, along with top-10 DE Se'von Pittman and former PSU commitment, DT Tommy Schutt.  Ohio State should have one of the Top-2 defensive line classes in the country in 2012, after having a Top-3 DL class last February.  

Meyer knows that the key to SEC football, which is now guaranteed the National Champion for the last 6 seasons, is fast, athletic future NFL Defensive Lineman, and he has made that his number one priority at Ohio State.  You have to look no further than the LSU vs Alabama National Title Game to see the importance that D-Linemen have had on those squads, as LSU boast 9-10 future NFL Defensive Linemen, including four potential future first rounders, and Alabama has at least 6-8 who will one day be drafted or in NFL camps.  

Furthermore, Meyer now has a Defensive Staff full of NFL pedigrees to coach these future stars to the next level, as new Co-Defensive Coordinator Everett Withers and CB Coach Taver Johnson have NFL coaching experience, and LB's Coach Mike Vrabel is former a 14-year vet.  Even Co-Defensive Coordinator Luke Fickell spent a year on the IR with the Saints.

Basketball Buckeyes Are Off to an Impressive Start, But Still Have Glaring Concerns

No. 2 ranked Ohio State's 85-63 victory Tuesday night over third-ranked Duke was a very impressive win in a game that was never really close.  However, despite Ohio State's 7-0 start, the talented basketball Buckeyes have four glaring deficiencies that will need to be addressed over the course of the season if they are to cut down the nets in New Orleans in April:  outside shooting, scorers who can create off the dribble, size and depth -- or at least Head Coach Thad Matta beginning to play more than seven players during a competitive game.

That said, Ohio State boasts the potential National Player of the Year in powerful Sophomore Jared Sullinger, Senior scorer William Buford, SF DeShaun Thomas and the scrappy glue who holds it all together, Sophomore PG Aaron Craft, giving the Buckeyes the horses to again run through the Big Ten.  However, if the team wants to accomplish its ultimate goal of winning a National Championship, then it must address the above issues to be able to match up against long, talented teams like North Carolina and Kentucky.

North Carolina starts two 7-footers in Tyler Zeller and John Henson, along with dynamic SF Harrison Barnes, an explosive scorer who is adept at creating his own shot.  The Tar Heels also have additional length and athleticism from impact Freshman F James Michael McAdoo.  Kentucky also has incredible athleticism and length up front from three future NBA Lottery picks, Sophomore F Terrence Jones, Freshman F Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and the potential number one pick of the 2012 Draft, 6-10 Anthony Davis.  Kentucky was a difficult matchup for Ohio State in last year's tournament because of their length and athleticism, and both the WIldcats and the Tar Heels would pose similar challenges to this year's Buckeyes.

However, there is hope for Matta and Buckeye fans, and that rests in trusting and developing some of their young bench players, notably Freshmen PG Shannon Scott, C Amir Williams and soon to be eligible Forward, LaQuinton Ross.  

Scott has a great handle and can penetrate.  He's also a polished, intelligent player with NBA bloodlines who could add depth and create scoring opportunities off the dribble.

The 6'11 Williams' development is crucial, as the Buckeyes will need his size and shot blocking skills if they are to have a deep run in the tournament and face a squad like North Carolina, Kentucky or even UCONN.  Currently, the Buckeyes seven-man rotation only has two players over 6'8",  F Evan Ravenel, who is generally listed at 6'8", and Sullinger.

When Ross becomes eligible on December 9th, he will be the best athlete on the squad, as he has great length to defend and the ability to create and score from the outside, as the team misses the outside shooting of David Lighty and Jon Diebler from last year's squad and needs additional options other than Buford and Thomas, as both players have proven to have streaky moments from the perimeter.  If Matta is willing to work him into his rotation, Ross, like Scott and WIlliams, has the ability to overcome some of the deficiencies of a very solid Buckeyes team.

Matta is an excellent coach, but if he wants his young Buckeyes to cut them down in New Orleans, then he needs to trust and develop his young bench and focus not on how to match up against Big Ten teams, but on how to beat teams like Kentucky and North Carolina.

Hiring Meyer Will be Great for Ohio State, But Not for the Rest of the Big Ten

From Bowling Green to Utah to Florida, Urban Meyer has won early and won big.  And when the Ohio native becomes the next Head Football Coach at The Ohio State University, he will have the talent and the resources to have an immediate impact and turnaround on a young, but extremely talented Buckeye squad

Twenty-five years ago, Meyer started his college coaching career as a Grad Assistant for former Ohio State Head Coach and now mentor and close friend, Earle Bruce.  While at OSU, Meyer would openly tell student athletes that he would one day be the Head Football Coach at Ohio State, fulfilling both his and his late father's dream.  Now, that dream is about to become a reality for Meyer and Buckeye fans.

When Meyer assumes the Head Coaching reigns, he will be positioned to compete for a Big Ten Championship and a BCS birth next season, as Ohio State returns 10 starters on Defense and several talented skilled athletes on Offense, led by Freshman Quarterback Braxton Miller, who Meyer called one of CFB's "best athletes" earlier this fall.  Miller will be the centerpiece of the turnaround under Meyer, as he possesses the unique combination of passing skills and elusiveness to star in Meyer's Spread Option attack.  Miller has shown great promise as a Freshman, running for 7 scores and 695 yards, while passing for 11 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions.  He was also able to lead his team to dramatic 4th Quarter comebacks at home against Wisconsin and on the road vs Purdue.

While Miller must improve his footwork and his accuracy, he is an extremely hard worker who should greatly benefit from improved coaching this spring.  Moreover, he possesses incredible acceleration, lateral quickness and a unique ability to almost always make the first defender miss.

And while it helps that Meyer will inherit a potential Heisman candidate in Miller and arguably the Nation's best 2011 Freshman Class, he will also have the unmatched resources to dominate the Big Ten for the foreseeable future.  

For one, Ohio is the only top-5 High School Football State in the Nation -- Ohio, Florida, Texas, California and Georgia -- without an in-state rival to recruit against.  Moreover, Meyer, an Ashtabula, Ohio, native, has strong relationships with Ohio High School Coaches and should be able to once again "lockdown" the state in the same manner as previous Head Coach Jim Tressel.  Moreover, Meyer is rumored to be adding several Assistants to his staff who also have Ohio ties.  And while Michigan's Brady Hoke is taking advantage of Tressel's dismissal and the NCAA's ongoing investigation of Ohio State in recruiting Ohio this year, expect that to end immediately under Meyer.

Furthermore, Ohio State has one of the Nation's largest Alumni bases, top-5 facilities, storied tradition and tremendous University and Alumni support.  And unlike the SEC where Meyer's Florida teams would have to face physical opponents on a weekly basis with similar elite athletes drawn from both high schools and the Nation's top Junior Colleges, he will not have to worry about that at Ohio State.

While Michigan has improved under Hoke, and Michigan State's Mark Dantonio, Iowa's Kirk Ferentz, Nebraska's Bo Pelini and Wisconsin's Bret Bielema have all built solid programs, they simply do not have the recruiting bases in their states to consistently compete with top Ohio High School talent.  Michigan is primarily a high school basketball state, and only produces 3-5 potential impact recruits each year, while Ohio can consistently boast 10-15.  Moreover, the Wolverines appear to be losing a little of their national recruiting appeal, as only 2 out-of-state recruits from their last 6 recruiting classes have been chosen First Team All-Big Ten.

Iowa, Nebraska and Wisconsin are similar to Michigan in that the states rarely produce more than 3-5 top prospects a year, though each University has been very successful in recruiting and developing linemen.  Furthermore, Nebraska will no longer be able to recruit extensively from the JUCO ranks, as the Big Ten has more restrictive rules and higher standards for accrued credit hours for transfers than do other Conferences like the Big 12 and the SEC.  Pennsylvania's high school football talent has been declining in recent years, and the current situation at Penn State doesn't bode well for the immediate future of the program.

Therefore, each of Ohio State's competitors must continue to recruit outside of their state -- often in Ohio -- to have any chance to compete athletically against Ohio State, who historically cleans up Ohio and goes into Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indiana and occasionally Texas to add speed and talent in positions where Ohio may be thin during a certain year.  Meyer should only make the Big Ten talent gap between Ohio State and their rivals wider, as he will have even better recruiting inroads for the Buckeyes in Florida, Georgia, Maryland (ex-Gator Joe Haden), Philadelphia (current Florida DT Sharif Floyd), New York and New Jersey, while again building a wall around Ohio, the one Northern State whose High School football seemingly remains unaffected by the Nation's vast migration toward the Sunbelt and the West Coast.

And, unlike Tressel, Meyer will be more aggressive on both sides of the ball and will be much more explosive and imaginative on offense.  However, like Tressel, Meyer will have the resources and talent to not only dominate the Big Ten, but to again win a National Championship as soon as his second season in Columbus.

The NFL's Balance of Power Has Clearly Shifted to the NFC

From 2002-2007, the AFC won five out of six Super Bowls, including three by the Patriots.  Those six seasons also boasted several excellent Steelers, Ravens, Chargers and Colts squads.  It was truly an era of AFC dominance.

Although the AFC has still won six of the last ten Super Bowls, the balance of power has clearly shifted to the NFC, as they arguably boast the NFL's four best teams -- Packers, 49'ers, Giants and Saints -- and winners of the last two Super Bowls.

The Packers are the NFL's only undefeated team at 9-0 and are led by the NFL's best player and highest rated passer, QB Aaron Rodgers, who has five solid receivers and an outstanding tight end at his disposal.  Their talented defense will also send 5-6 starters to the Pro Bowl.  Furthermore, they have one of the NFL's youngest squad's with ten starters who are 26 or younger.

The 49'ers are the League's only 8-1 squad and are lead by a defense that boasts four potential Pro Bowlers -- LB's NaVorro Bowman, Patrick Willis, Aldon Smith and DE Justin Smith.  They also possess a physical, rugged rushing attack led by RB Frank Gore.  They beat an outstanding Giants team on Sunday, 27-20.

The Giants are 6-3 and have one of the League's best defenses, featuring one of the NFL's deepest defensive lines, which includes rising second year Defensive End Jason Pierre-Paul -- who has 9.5 sacks -- and veteran Osi Umenyiora.  However, what has propelled the Giants to one of the NFL's top squads has been the outstanding play of QB Eli Manning, who is having his best season, completing 63.1% of his passes for 2,688 yards (298.7 a game), 17 scores and a 97.0 Quarterback Rating.

The Saints improved their record to 7-3 on Sunday with a hard fought overtime victory in Atlanta.  Drew Brees is having another Pro Bowl season, completing 71% of his throws for 3,326 yards, 23 scores and a 101.3 Rating.  His production has been further buoyed by the offseason acquisition of versatile RB Darren Sproles and the emergence of second year TE Jimmy Graham, who leads all NFL tight ends with 62 catches for 873 yards; he also has 6 touchdown receptions.

The Packers, 49'ers and Saints also have three of the top four point differentials in the NFL.

On the other hand, the AFC top four teams -- the Ravens, Steelers, Texans and Patriots -- are all deeply flawed.

The Steelers have a suspect offensive line without a standout offensive tackle, an aging defensive line, a liability at corner, and they lack a true downhill, pounding running back, with Rashard Mendenhall averaging only 3.8 yards a carry.

The Ravens are 2-3 on the road, with losses to Jacksonville and to Seattle, and still have inconsistent moments on offense.  The Texans have already lost Pro Bowler Mario Williams for the season, and now QB Matt Schaub is out indefinitely with an injured foot, while the Patriots entered Week 10 with the NFL's lowest rated defense, as Bill Belichick starts three former undrafted free agents, including two in the secondary.  The Patriots problems are compounded by the lack of a true starting caliber running back on offense.

With the Packers and 49'ers being two of the NFL's youngest squads, we may well be entering a new era of NFC dominance and a true shift in the NFL's balance of power.

Aaron Rodgers and the Packers Headline the NFL's Midseason Awards

Top Team:  The Packers were a young team that had an incredible 16 players on the Injured Reserve List when they won the Super Bowl last season, and now that they are relatively healthy and a year older, they are off to a very impressive and undefeated 8-0 start.  Quarterback Aaron Rodgers continues to grow and mature and is now playing at the elite level that we saw in last season's playoffs.  He benefits from as many receiving weapons as any quarterback in football and has been buoyed by the return to health of athletic Tight End Jermichael FInley and Running Back Ryan Grant.  The injury to Left Tackle Chad Clifton is a concern, though the steady veteran vows to return this season.  Throw in arguably the League's best and deepest LB corp and three outstanding Corners, and the Packers defense also continues to excel and improve.

Most Surprising Team:  This was a close call between the upstart and overachieving Bills and Jim Harbaugh's 49'ers.  I will give the edge to the 49'ers due to their 7-1 start, which includes road wins at Detroit, Cincinnati, Philadelphia and Washington.  Jim Harbaugh has transformed both sides of the ball, with a physical power running game and ball control offense and an aggressive, attacking defense -- not to mention elite special teams.  Moreover, the work that Quarterbacks Coach Geep Chryst and Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman have done with QB Alex Smith is remarkable, while Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio has several starters playing at a Pro Bowl level, including DE Justin Smith and LB's NaVorro Bowman, Patrick Willis and Rookie Aldon Smith.  Fangio has also helped resurrect the career of LB Ahmad Brooks.

Most Disappointing Team:  The Colts are 0-8, but I always felt that they had NFL bottom-5 talent -- especially on defense -- that was camouflaged by the brilliance of the injured Peyton Manning.  Therefore, I will go with the Eagles (3-4) who many "experts" thought had the most talent prior to the start of the season.  Unfortunately, these experts ignored the fact that the Eagles had a new starter at Center and at Right and Left Guard, and lacked a true two-gap Defensive Tackle and run stuffer, along with not having one difference maker at the second level of their defense, as they Eagles currently start Rookie Brian Rolle, Moise Fokou and Jamar Chaney at Linebacker.  Throw in a revolving door at Strong Safety and the health scare of DT Mike Patterson, and the Eagles have struggled defensively.

Best Player:  Aaron Rodgers is the clear choice here, leading the Pack to an undefeated start by completing 171 of 239 passes (71.5%) for 2,372 yards (338 a game) and 20 scores with only 3 interceptions.  Rodgers also boasts an incredible 125.7 Quarterback Rating.  Simply put, he continues to improve and is the NFL's best player on the League's best team.

Best Offensive Rookie:  While Rookies like the Bengals WR A.J. Green and QB Andy Dalton have excelled, Carolina QB Cam Newton has been outstanding, completing 174 of 287 passes (61%) for 2,293 yards (299 yards a game) and 11 scores.  Moreover, Newton became the first Rookie QB in NFL history to throw for over 400 yards in each of his first two starts.  The Panthers GM Marty Hurney was wise to surround Newton with a young QB's best friend:  solid veteran Tight Ends, as Hurney brought in Jeremy Shockey and Greg Olsen this offseason.   The return to health of WR Steve Smith, a solid offensive line and three starting-quality running backs have given Newton great support in his incredible first half.  That said, Newton's mechanics, touch, pocket presence and ability to read defenses are light years ahead of where most scouts thought he would be at this point in his development.

Best Defensive Rookie:  While Broncos LB Von Miller has been solid, and Bills DE Marcel Dareus is starting to make an impact, the 49'ers OLB Aldon Smith has 6.5 sacks through seven games, even though he has yet to become a starter.  Smith has tremendous edge quickness, bend and natural pass rush skills that remind me of a young DeMarcus Ware.  Moreover, Smith will only get better as he continues to add bulk and strength to his frame, as well as game reps.   What is even more exciting for 49'ers' fans is that all of Smith's sacks -- 6.5 -- have come in the last four games, resulting in Smith being named the NFL Rookie Defensive Player of the Month for October.

*Player statistics are through Week Eight.