NFL Draft: Bust Watch

To qualify as a bust on this list, you have to be picked within the first two rounds (Sorry Mr. McCoy). 


There is nothing more frustrating to an NFL franchise than missing with your top draft picks. In recent years, the likes of JaMarcus Russell went from the second coming of Daunte Culpepper to an adequate fill-in for Santa at your local mall. And Vernon Gholston looked put a Ivan Drago-like workout for the scouts at the NFL Combine, and now is lucky to be on the New York Jets special teams squad.





There's also many who successfully fill in for their new teams immediately after being drafted. For many, notably skill positions like quarterbacks, it takes time to develop so there's no immediate way to label them a "bust" yet -- or maybe a change of scenery (see Brady Quinn). 


So here's the Top Six 2010 NFL Draft Bust Watch:


48. Jimmy Clausen (Notre Dame) to Panthers



In watching Clausen last season at Notre Dame, you saw that he was a dynamic quarterback for a pro-style offense under Charlie Weis. Clausen was a highly regarded recruit since coming out of high school, and in his final season as a Golden Domer he broke out. 


What makes me nervous about Clausen is his mechanics, college experience and his attitude. 


Clausen has a tendency to make a lot of plays while on the move. The Carolina offense is run-heavy, and when a passing play is called it is typically a three or five step drop. Jake Delhomme did not have the same set of skills as Clausen, so it will be interesting to see if the team adapts to him.


Also, Clausen makes a low of throws through a sidearm delivery. While many question that delivery when he's facing NFC South pass rushers like John Abraham or Will Smith, there have been other gunslingers who have been successful.





In college, Clausen without a doubt put up outstanding numbers passing in a pass-first offense. Question marks include the fact that he had superior physical receivers in Golden Tate and Michael Floyd. In addition, he showed steady improvement in his three years, reducing his 17 picks in 2008 to just three in 2009. But this is only one year in which he put up those stats.


Finally, the last knock on Clausen is his attitude - a tendency to get fired up and point the blame. While right now this can be detrimental to his success, he can easily turn this into a positive. He can use his passion for the game to motivate his team, not blame them.


37. Nate Allen (South Florida) to  Eagles


This is definitely a different type of a bust. Nate Allen may have all the talent in the world, but he certainly will face all the scrutiny in the world if he does not live up to it.


Allen will be filling a hole that the Eagles have yet to fill since the departure of Brian Dawkins. Not only is he expected to fill that gap, but he was selected with the pick the Redskins traded to the team in exchange for former franchise quarterback Donovan McNabb. Don't you wish you were in Allen's shoes?





25. Tim Tebow (Florida) to Broncos


After becoming the most scrutinized and anticipated draft pick for the past two years, Tim Tebow finally arrived on the professional scene after the Broncos selected him 25th overall.


Even Mel Kiper Jr. was speechless.



Tebow is an excellent football player. He is more passionate about the game, his team and being a winner than any player I can recall in recent memory. But in order to become an NFL quarterback, there are certain measures that need to be taken.


Aside from basic throwing mechanics, Josh McDaniels, head coach of the Broncos, will have to transform his offense to suit Tebow's talents. Tebow will not be the Tom Brady, Peyton Manning-eque quarterback that we have grown used to. Tebow has to utilize his tremendous athletic ability -- his speech, strength and versatility as a runner and passer. 


There is hope.


McDaniels is the same coordinator who put together the dynamic Patriots offense in 2007. He created a spread offense that is primarily used in college (See Urban Meyer). Tebow thrived in the spread, and with the talent around him -- Eddie Royal, Knowshon Moreno and newly drafted Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker -- there is definitely potential.

16. Derrick Morgan (Georgia Tech) to Titans


The first sign of a bust is when a projected top-five draft choice slips to the second half of the round. In this year's draft, the big surprise was the demise of Derrick Morgan, the defensive end out of Georgia Tech.


In the first round, two other defensive ends were picked ahead of Morgan, including Jason Pierre-Paul and Brandon Graham. What makes this more imminent is that the teams that opted to draft other defensive ends were two NFC East teams, the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants.


Both the Eagles and Giants have histories of drafting or signing top pass rushers (Osi Umenyiora, Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck, Trent Cole, Javon Kearse). The Eagles even traded up to take Graham, a real slap in the face to Morgan.





Fortunately, Morgan will have a chance to develop in a Jeff Fisher-run defense. But for now, the pre-draft defense end that was rated so high fell in the minds of NFL scouts and owners, a real warning sign for bust-ness.


9. C.J.  Spiller (Clemson) to Bills


While C.J. Spiller has been an electric back in his time at Clemson, there is reason to fear he will be an ultimate bust. And no, it is not because he was drafted by the Buffalo Bills.


Well, maybe.


The Bills have had a history of drafting dynamic running backs -- Marshawn Lynch and Willis McGahee -- and when the running backs are doing well, the team shows glimpses of potential. But with McGahee fleeing town because of a lack of excitement, and Marshawn becoming more into running from the cops than from inside linebackers, the Bills might have too high of expectations for their newly drafted back.





Spiller was outstanding at school, but he played in a not-so-tough ACC conference. 


Aside from Clemson, the ACC had just three defenses ranked in the top 30 in total defense in 2009. Spiller did not play against their top-ranked Virginia Tech defense, but he did face No. 26 Boston College and No. 29 Miami.


The Eagles, who ranked 14th in the country in rushing defense, one of only two ACC schools with a rush defense ranked in the top 40, held Spiller scoreless. On 17 attempts, Spiller rushed for only 77 yards.


The U, whose rush defense was not ranked in the top 40, and overall defense just made the top 30, held Spiller to 81 rushing yards.


Not so dynamic when the defenses got tougher, even for the ACC.


3. Gerald McCoy (Oklahoma) to Bucs


McCoy unfortunately entered the NFL Draft at the same time my Rookie of the Year pick Ndamukong Suh entered, especially after he thrilled the nation in the Big 12 Championship Game where he made Colt McCoy look like Gumby.





G. McCoy is supposed to be an NFL defensive tackle. However, i feel he is too undersized to do so.


At the NFL Combine, McCoy measured in at 6'4 and under 300 pounds. He was only able to put up 23 bench press reps, which was 11 less than the average for the top 10 at his position.


He also failed to rank in the top 10 in the 40-yard dash, vertical jump or three-cone drill.


What this shows to me is that McCoy lacks the strength, jumping ability, speed and agility to play defensive tackle in the NFL. As a defensive tackle, you need to battle and stuff rough and tough offensive lineman, spring up and try to swat down passes and hold your own while you try to tackle quick running backs. In his combine workout, McCoy showed he had none of these physical skills.


I also question the weight of McCoy, in that he may be too light to hold his own and prove to be a durable player. Some of the defensive tackles on top 12 defenses looked at following:

• Kris Jenkings (NYJ) - 360 pounds
• Haloti Ngata (BAL) - 345 pounds
• Casey Hampton (PIT) - 325 pounds
• Pat Williams (MIN) - 317 pounds
• Albert Haynesworth (WAS) - 350 pounds
• Vince Wilfork (NE) - 325 pounds

McCoy is still below the 300 pound-mark, so he better invest deeply in the Costco snacking isle if he wants to be a baller in the professional ranks.

Buyer Beware

On the day of the NFL Draft, multiple reports have surfaced stating that the Pittsburgh Steelers are shopping their Super Bowl winning, franchise quarterback in exchange for a top 10 draft pick.


Doesn't this storyline sound oddly familiar?







When the Chicago Bears acquired Jay Cutler from the Denver Broncos, they traded two first-round drafts and Kyle Orton. And in return, they received 26 interceptions. And no, they will have no chance to pick in the first round this evening.


While Cutler and Big Ben have reached different points in their career, their playing style is remotely similar. They have a propensity to run around and try to sling the ball to their receivers. They can make plays with their arms or legs. But Ben, has won two Super Bowls in the past five seasons -- Cutler has yet to lead his team to the playoffs.


So why trade Ben? The quarterback now faces a six-game suspension, and is at risk for a harsher punishment if he becomes a third-time offender, poses a risk to the integrity of the Steelers organization.But is he worth risking victories?


To the Rams or Bills or Browns, there is no reason why they should not be willing to trade their first-round pick to attain Ben. While he'll be sitting out the first six games, it is not as if either one of those times is a playoff-bound team that will need those wins.


And is Ben worth the pick? Let's look at the playoff teams last year: Colts, Jets, Chargers, Bengals, Patriots, Ravens / Saints, Cowboys, Eagles, Vikings, Cardinals and Packers. Common denominator: franchise quarterbacks. In the top ten pick, most are linemen. I don't see any left tackles leading the Saints to their Super Bowl title.


And while questions surround Ben's behavior off-the-field, there are just as many questions about the potential draft picks. Sam Bradford -- will his college success translate? Jimmy Clausen -- will his mechanics hurt him? Colt McCoy -- is he an NFL talent? Tim Tebow -- will he even be a quarterback next year?





Other quarterback options: Marc Bulger -- because he has a lot left in the tank. Michael Vick -- keep your doggies away. Trade for Jason Campbell -- has proved nothing in the NFL.


Well, there's also Daunte Culpepper, Patrick Ramsey, Mark Brunell, JP Losman, Josh McCown. Oh, and Brian St. Pierre?


For the Steelers, they could be geniuses or morons. For their trade partners -- the same fate. Either way, buyer / seller beware.

All Aboard in NY

Everyone is jumping on the (NY) Jet right now. I'm just saying to keep it on standby.

The New York Jets have made a tremendous splash this off-season, a trend that they've been building up the past few seasons. With the signing of over-the-hill veterans, and trades for question-mark talent, Gang Green is certainly heading into the season with big expectations. But with great expectations also come the chance for great disappointment.

After a Super Bowl appearance for the Chicago Bears, Thomas Jones was traded to the Jets in one of the most uncharacteristic moves by the team in its history. A year later, they supplanted beloved but injury-prone quarterback Chad Pennington with the ageless wonder: Brett Favre. And after week 4, they traded for Braylon Edwards to become their star wideout -- the biggest (literally, he's tall) threat in the passing game since one Keyshawn Johnson. It was hard to see the potential of Chansi Stuckey go though.

But after Favre took the team from turmoil to AFC contender, he fled for the team he really wanted to play for, leaving a gaping hole in the the hungry Jets.

Enter Sanchize.

A Southern Cal boy dropped right into the Big Apple when former Jets fan nemesis Eric Man-Not-So-Genius looked to regain the likes of his old draftees. From that point on, the Jets went on a magical run. Too bad they must have gotten there magic tricks from Michael Scott.

Sanchez started strong and shocked the football world by leading his team over the Jets arch rival Patriots, potential-ridden Houston Texans and a Tennessee Titans team that people waited to break out. But it was a beat down in the Big Easy that struck reality in the team.

Eight picks in three games between the Saints, Dolphins and oh, the lonesome Buffalo Bills. Who saw an AFC Championship run in that team?

After an inconsistent stretch, the team head into the playoffs hot (although they faced the immaculate Curtis Painter and suffered a loss of a two-minute drive anchored by Matt Ryan). But really, the loss vs. Atlanta -- can you blame Sanchez? It was a little chilly to be throwing the ball (see three interceptions).

But the miraculous run into the playoffs, including wins over AFC North Champion Cincinnati Bengals and AFC West Champion San Diego Chargers, the Jets ended up faltering the second half to one Peyton Manning, who in fact, is no Curtis Painter.

However, the success of the Jets and their anticlimactic end to their unimaginable season did not sit well in the minds of owner Woody Johnson or General Manager Mike Tennanbaum.

The Jets let go of running back Jones, safety Kerry Rhodes and corner Lito Sheppard, as well as the always-reliable Jay Feely. They signed future Hall of Famer Ladainian Tomlinson and Brodney pool, and traded for the likes of Antonio Cromartie and Santonio Holmes. Currently, they are bringing "the full court press" to sign Jason Taylor, hated rival of Gang Green, who has enlightened fans of his hatred on many occasions. (Sorry Fireman Ed).

LT: He is closer to the Hall of Fame at times than he is to being LT circa 2004. But there are bright spots -- he's going to be a part of a three-running back system with the budding star Shonne Greene, and the always dangerous scat back Leon Washington. What LT can contribute: the lost leadership of Jones.

Holmes: The deep threat wide receiver has already been a Super Bowl MVP, but that is when he has a strong-armed quarterback at the helm. With Sanchez, the sophomore slump is always a possibility. If Sanchez can put on a show like he did throughout the playoffs -- consistent play, avoiding turning the ball over and making a big throw when the moment calls for it -- Holmes can ultimately be the benefactor. Edwards and Jerricho Cotchery are all capable options, as well as tight end Dustin Keller and LT / Washington in the backfield. Sanchez is being surrounded by a multitude of weapons -- but can he handle it?

Cromartie: The typical "My Baby's Daddy" that Antonio is -- seven kids in five states has to be some sort of national record. But his off-the-field record is not what the Jets traded for. The organization is hoping fiery head coach Rex Ryan will control that, and help him transition back to his 2007 form where he single-handedly owned Peyton Manning, and racked up 10 interceptions. If Cromartie fits the scheme, the Jets see his as the solution to their playoff fault -- the corner opposite Darelle Revis to provide protection.

A lot hinges on the chemistry the team can build over the next few months. While many people have been jumping on the New York Jets bandwagon over the past few weeks, there are still way too many question marks hinging on the new players they've acquired, and their success is no sure bet.

After all, they are the Jets, and the one thing you can count on: is them letting you down (see depressing photos below):

The Pittsburgh Steelers Are Hypocrites?

About midnight Sunday, ESPN's John Clayton reported (in about a five second clip in between Phil v. Tiger and NHL playoff preview) that the Jets had acquired former Pittsburgh Steelers wideout Santonio Holmes in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick.

What a steel (er).

After being drafted in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft, many immediately posted the "bust" label on Holmes. What they have failed to see is steady improvement over his past four seasons. As Pittsburgh moved from a run-heavy offense into a Ben Roethlisbergr-pass-it-all-around offense, Holmes' numbers improved.

Rookie: 49 Rec. 824 yards. 2 TD.

Year 2: 52 Rec. 924 yards. 8 TD.

Year 3: 55 Rec. 821 yards. 5 TD.

Year 4: 79 Rec. 1248 yards. 5 TD.

Oh, not to mention he made one of the most infamous Super Bowl grabs in NFL history en route to becoming the MVP versus the Arizona Cardinals.

But to be honest, I see the biggest issue with this trade is the underlying fact that the Steelers try to pride themselves on being a no-nonsense organization. Holmes, who today was slapped with a four-game suspension in the upcoming season for violating the league's substance abuse policy, presented a risk off-the-field for the organization.

While Holmes may have a troubled past, he is certainly not the only one.

Big Ben, a two-time winning Super Bowl quarterback for the Steelers, was recently involved in a third major off-the-field incident. His behavior and decision-making have become massive question marks for an organization who preaches good citizenship.

Following a Super Bowl victory over the Seattle Seahawks in 2006, Big Ben was in a motorcycle accident in which he did had an expired license and was not wearing his helmet.

In 2009, he was accused of sexually assaulting a hotel employee while participating in a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe.

Last month, he was investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation after a woman claimed she was sexually assaulted by him at a college nightclub.

Isn't the old saying "three strikes and you're out?"

For Holmes, a second accusation while a member of the Steelers was enough to be considered for release, and eventually valued at a fifth-round pick. Even with his potential high and prospects rising, the Steelers saw no future for Holmes with the team given his tendency to be troublesome off the field.

As for Big Ben, today marks a meeting between him and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. The no-nonsense commish has a past of both giving second chances (see Michael Vick, Pacman Jones) and being very strict with others (see Chris Henry, Donte Stallworth, Tank Johnson).

If Roethlisberger receives any type of punishment from the league, it is only right the Steelers make his fate similar to that of Holmes -- ship him off or release him. The zero tolerance reputation the Steelers are trying to live up to should pertain to all of their players -- whether they are a special teamer, young wide receiver or Super Bowl winning quarterbacks.

Both Holmes and Big Ben have troubled pasts, with Ben's looking worse than Holmes. Now Holmes finds himself on a playoff-caliber team in the New York Jets, we have no idea of where Roethlisberger may be.

But if nothing is done with Big Ben, does that make the Steelers organization a bunch of hypocrites?

Top 10 Reasons Why Coach K Won't Move to the NBA

Recently, reports have surfaces connecting Coach K with the vaunted New Jersey Nets. Why would anyone in their right mind want to head to the Nets? My point exactly.

Here are the top 10 reasons why Coach K will not leave Duke for the NBA:

10 UNC - Duke Rivalry

Every sport has its top rivalry. For baseball, it's the Yanks and Red Sox. For the NBA, it's Lakers v. Celtics. For college football, it's Michigan and Ohio State. And for college basketball, it is the North Carolina Tarheels and their hated rivals right down Tobacco Road.

Being a part of this rivalry puts you in elite company -- the player who made a game winning shot vs. Duke. The coach who won four straight versus North Carolina. Coach K has been facing UNC for 25 years, beginning with a long string of losses before he started to make the match up competitive again.

His role in the rivalry has made the rivalry what it is. Beginning with his games against legendary coach Dean Smith and then to Roy Williams, Coach K has always been the staple for the Blue Devils.

9 Defense

Coach K has become infamous for his emphasis on playing defense. He brought this strategy to the USA Olympic Team, where in 2008 they earned a gold medal for their hard work. He did the same for his Duke team that allowed 61 points per game and 40.2 shooting percentage against.

In the NBA, players are less willing to play defense as hard as Coach K would expect. With the exception of a few superstars and a few key role players, most NBA games are offensive scoring contests. Defense is on a minimum in the league.

So while Coach K's system may work in the college ranks, and he is a well-respected coach and basketball figure, it's not a sure thing he can make his players believe in playing defense on the professional level.

8 LeBron, Nets - It's not worth it

Let's be clear here -- if LeBron actually wants to flee Cleveland for the New Jersey Nets, someone needs to talk to that kid. Now the Nets aren't the most undesirable team in the league -- they have a handful of young talent; a high lottery pick; new ownership; and a possible move to Brooklyn in the coming years...it could be worse.

But as of right now, the Nets do not have a LeBron or even a superstar on their team. They're a team full of potential -- Brooke Lopez and Devin Harris look like they can be components on a very successful team one day, but they are a dime a dozen. Unless LeBron or another high profile free agent comes knocking on the Nets door, why would Coach K leave his recruiting pool and talent in Durham for Jersey and players with (sigh) potential.

7 Shooting

Take a look at the Duke Blue Devils players this year. What do they all have in common? Yeah, shooting the ball effectively.

Jon Scheyer: 18.2 PPG - 38 percent from 3-point range - 88 percent free throw efficiency

Kyle Singler: 17.7 PPG - about 40% from 3-point range - about 80 percent in free throws

Nolan Smith: 17.4 PPG - about 39% from 3-point range - almost 77% from free throw line

They hit threes, hit their free throws and they do it well.

According to NBA-Reference.com, the averages in those statistics in the NBA (2006): about 36 percent from downtown and 75 percent from the FT line

In the NBA, Coach K's players will not be as special and better-than-average shooters, they will be merely average.

6 College Passion

The biggest (and personally my favorite) different between the NBA and college basketball is the fact that the crowd and passion of the players are so much more prevalent in college. With the exception of guys such as Kobe and LeBron who are driven to be at the top of their game on a world stage, college players are trying to represent their teams, coaches, fans, students, universities and in many cases their states.

In college, a loud, amped up crowd can make the different between a good team and a great team. When a good crowd fills the seat at their arena, players are more motivated and their play on the court is evident of it.

If the home court advantage is at its best, lesser-quality teams can defeat superior opponents. It's impossible to explain how. It could be the electricity -- the volume -- the desire to play your heart out for crowd -- recognizing this game is meaningful to more than just your team. It's just not a part of the NBA (at least in the regular season) like it is in college.

Duke, for instance, has students waiting and camping out in tents weeks in advanced to some of their bigger conference games. The Cameron Crazies, as they are known, never fail to create an electrifying atmosphere for their team -- something Coach K would miss out on if he were to go to..err..New Jersey?

5 Bob Knight

When Coach K played under Bob Knight at Army ten centuries ago, who would have expected the student-mentor relationship would evolve to the point that both are esteemed coaches in the game sport and have accomplished more than anyone could have foreseen.

Knight, who coached at Army, Indiana University and Texas Tech, brought a fire and passion to his teams as he won three NCAA National Champions and was a constant force in the tournament on a yearly basis.

Knight, who has mentored Coach K throughout his career, never made the move to the NBA. Because of their relationship, I could only speculate that Knight would advise his former player that it is not the right move after the successful career he has pieced together at Duke.

4 Failure of past coaches

Other notable great coaches who have failed after the switch to the pro's: Rick Pitino and Tim Floyd.

Floyd, who recently is recognized for his recruiting scandal involving OJ Mayor at USC, one was infamous for being the first NBA coach to achieve 100 losses when in control of the Chicago Bulls. In the NCAA, Floyd went 327 - 181, and went 90 - 231 in the NBA. And despite the recruiting scandal, Floyd is back at coaching -- in the safety of college ball.

Pitino, the beloved coach of Louisville, and former head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, Boston University and Providence, is one of the most respected coaches in the game today, as well as over the past few decades.

Pitino posted a 521 - 191 record as a college coach, winning about 73 percent of his games. Coming into this season, he was ranked 29th in wins among coaches.

When Petino coached the Knicks and Celtics, it was a different story. He was successful with the Knicks, leading them to the playoffs in both years he was in charge, but when he went to Boston, the winning diminished.

Pitino went 102 - 146 as head coach of the Celtics, putting him at under .500 as an NBA Coach. So if an all-time winning coaching in college cannot even perform at .500 in the NBA, what motivation would Coach K see to try and duplicate his predecessors?

3 Loyalty

Since beginning his tenure at Duke in 1980, Coach K has absolutely no reason to move anywhere. He has turned Duke into a national powerhouse that contends almost annually and recruits dream of playing there. He has made the UNC-Duke rivalry competitive again, won four NCAA National Championships and has proven to be one of the all-time greatest in his positions.

So if he accomplished all that he could at Duke, why not try to prove himself elsewhere? Well, it judging by his words, he told fellow NCAA National Championship opposing head coach Brad Stevens of Butler that he would stay at Butler. That advice is another of way of saying that if he could transform his school into a successful program and a staple in the conference and post-season, than Stevens can do the same.

Nobody wants to be a hypocrite by telling other coaches to stay at their program, and then flee their own as soon as they're offered a big pile of cash (see Brian Kelly, John Calipari)

2 Success - Wooden

Coach K is one of six coaches to amass over 800 wins in his coaching career, and recently earned his fourth NCAA National Championship (all for Duke), making him tied with Adolph Rupp of Kentucky and second to only the great John Wooden. He has already surpassed his mentor Knight.

Of active coaches, Coach K has twice as many national titles as does his rival Roy Williams, as well as Billy Donovan (Florida) and Jim Calhoun (UConn). And what's most impressive is that Coach K has won all four of Duke's championships.

So at the top of his profession and atop the college basketball world right now following his fourth championship victory, would you want to leave behind the glory?

1 Pride

There is always a team in every sporting league that receives national attention, the spotlight is always shining on them, and you either love them -- or you utterly and completely despise them.

In Major League Baseball, they are the New York Yankees. In the National Football League, they are the Dallas Cowboys. In College Football, they are Notre Dame. And in College Basketball, they are the Duke Blue Devils.

At this point, there is no team that one could flee to that has more to offer than a program. If you're Coach K, or Joe Girardi, Brian Kelly or Wade Phillips, there is nowhere else you could aspire to be but where you are right now.

So why would Coach K want to leave Duke University, a school where fans plant themselves outside for weeks at a time to see him coach and his players play, where they named the basketball coach after him, where winning national championships is the norm? It's simply a question that Nets fans really need to ask themselves.

The Overrated/Underrated Awards

NCAA Basketball:

Most overrated coach: Roy Williams

So how do you call a coach who has won two NCAA championships within the decade overrated? Easy -- it's all about being a brand name. Roy has has two head coaching gigs in his career -- Kansas and UNC. Wow, I would say it's real impressive for a coach to get recruits when you're coaching two of the most winning college basketball teams in history.

Coach Williams gets to work with the most specular group of talent from all over the country. This year, he has four players for high schools in California, as well as some from Tennessee and Indiana -- the kind of placed you don't see the ACC get unless you're a national powerhouse.

Another hit to Williams' resume is his propensity to lose games where he's expected to win. Since the beginning of his tenure at UNC, Williams has lost numerous conference where his team was favored, including four in 2003-04 and eight this year. But maybe that's more an attribute to the quality of the ACC or that he finally was allowed to have a down year. Or maybe it's the fact that pre-season polls favor UNC regardless of their actual talent and more based on their reputation.

Most underrated coach: Gary Williams

Someone once told me that if Gary Williams and another coach each had the same five players on their squad, Gary would have the heads-up every single game.

Gary does less with more more than any other coach in the country, and these last two seasons have clearly demonstrated that. After missing out on highly regarded recruits, Williams and the Terps relied heavily on Greivis Vasquez if they wanted to contend in the ACC. Well, due to the motivation and attitude Williams shed onto his players, they made the NCAA Tournament both years after neither time anyone picked them to.

Williams refuses to recruit one-and-done players or use under-the-table recruiting tactics, but still his desire to win and knowledge of the game has transcended onto his players. And what could you say about constantly being a contender in the ACC with powerhouses Duke and UNC as opponents usually twice a year?

Well, Maryland finally overcame the hump and defeated the Blue Devils this past March, and the Terps have a two-game winning streak over the Tar Heels now.

Most overrated player: John Wall

I can't just throw statistics at you and saying Wall is not a great player -- he is -- but the award is 'most overrated.' The same argument goes for Wall as does Coach Roy Williams -- it's about the talent that surrounds him.

On the Wildcats, there are a four sure NBA talents besides Wall in DeMarcus Cousins, Patrick Patterson and Eric Bledsoe. The most underrated, Bledsoe, could probably put up identical numbers to Wall if he wanted to. On any other team, Bledsoe could be the superstar we are all talking about.

Most underrated player: Jimmer Fredette

What made this decision most difficult was there are so many under-the-radar teams that may have superstars that I have never seen player and that I would be disrespecting them by not giving them their due.

So I'll put a tag on this award, saying that of the teams I've watched, this is who has impressed me the most.

And a note, second place was given to Xavier's Jordan Crawford -- anyone who can drunk on LeBron gets high consideration.

The winner, Jimmy Fredette, the New York product, led his BYU team into a surprising AP top ranking, and put on a show when he had the NCAA Tournament as his stage.

Fredette, for the not-so-powerhouse of a team he played on, put up great scoring numbers -- over 22 points per game, almost five dimes, three boards and .440 from three-point range.

In BYU's first tournament game, Fredette put up 37 points against the Florida Gators, as his team defeated them by scoring 99 -- not your every day tournament game score.

Fredette was still a force in their next match up against Kansas State when he scored 21, but his team was not so lucky that time around.

So when you're trying to figure out the most underrated player in the country, it never hurts to select a player you've never heard of on a team that you'd never expect to be successful.

Final Four: An Underdog Story

Mark Twain once said: "A thing long expected takes the form of the unexpected when at last it comes."

For the West Virginia Mountaineers, who take on Duke in the Final Four this Friday, the play of junior forward John Flowers can be considered that unforeseen spark they needed.

Flowers in high school

When the team's starting point guard, Darryl "Truck" Bryant, broke his foot practicing for a Sweet 16 game against Washington, Flowers' minutes increased. So did his contributions on the court.

During the season, Flowers, a 6-foot-7, 215-pound Waldorf native who attended St. Mary's Ryken, averaged a sheer 3.0 points per game, with maybe one assist, a block and two rebounds in the limited playing time he received. But statistics don't worry Flowers - he just wants to be a positive spark for his team.

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