As fans of football, the NFL Draft can be seen as a culmination of a player’s collegiate career. I personally believe the top pick in the NFL Draft is an honor that celebrates excellence in college football even more than the Heisman Trophy. And of course that doesn’t even scrape the drama of watching the draft as a fan of an individual team.

With days to go before the clock starts officially, fans start flocking to the web to research the various players their team may be looking at. Rumors appear in newspapers and on websites, and no doubt fans of NFL franchises start to wonder just who these guys are that they keep hearing about. Below is a sample of draft-eligible players likely to be selected on Saturday, separated by how safe of a pick they seem to be in theory.

Can’t Miss:
-Joe Flacco, QB, Delaware. Flacco was arguably the most impressive quarterback at the draft combine held every winter in Indianapolis. Riding a national championship in the Championship Subdivision (I-AA), Flacco has probably gained more ground on the draft board than anyone since the beginning of 2008. Though he’s not the most mobile quarterback in this year’s draft, the Delaware quarterback may have the best arm. Enough can’t be said of his accuracy and distance, which makes him a good draft option for a team with fast receivers and a strong offensive line. Flacco isn’t likely to go in the first round, but that’s likely for the best. A team with the quarterback position already sewn up may look for an able-bodied backup, or a team with an aging quarterback could look at Flacco as a future starter. Though for some reason I keep thinking that a scenario might be plausible in which Green Bay picks Flacco and trades Aaron Rodgers. With the way the Packers’ offensive line performed last year, that’s a dream scenario for Flacco, and he’s more likely to go early in the second round. If the Bears are lucky, he’ll fall to their second pick (#44 overall, assuming they don’t trade it to New England as part of a package for that #7 pick.)

-Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College. While Joe Flacco has made the biggest splash in 2008, no draft-ready quarterback had a better ’07 than Matt Ryan when it comes to improving draft standing. Ryan excelled in 2007, leading a surprising Boston College team. His biggest strength is his ability to manage an offense. Ryan’s uncanny field vision is enhanced by his height, which is only surprising because Ryan is coming from the same school as Doug Flutie once did. Though not a running quarterback by any means, he can evade a blitz very well, and he’s been praised for his accuracy and touch on deep passes. Although a few quarterbacks stand out in this draft, Ryan is probably the only one that could be effective in the 2008 NFL season. Ryan would make a smart, traditional and immediately beneficial pick for Miami, who has “earned” themselves the top pick this time around. In fact, to me he’s reminiscent of another quarterback picked #1 overall by a Parcells-led team: Drew Bledsoe. Atlanta could also possibly take Ryan with the third pick, or Baltimore if he falls to #8. It’s unlikely that would happen, because if he were available at #7, somebody—Chicago comes to mind—would make a trade with the New England Patriots to get Ryan with the pick that once belonged to San Francisco. Chicago would probably be the best scenario for Ryan even if it’s by far the most pressure of any team that could end up with the BC quarterback.

-Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas. I’ve had McFadden at the top of my “draft-ready” list ever since his mother told the world he’d be going into the ’08 draft before the season started. At the time, I laughed at that. Now I’m wondering if the 2007 season wasn’t one big NFL audition for the versatile tailback. The Arkansas offense ran through him, and McFadden almost single-handedly beat eventual national champion LSU last November. McFadden reminds me of a stronger Reggie Bush, and that comes with good news and bad news. The good news is that he has the speed, agility and game awareness to be a feature back in the National Football League. The bad news is that like Bush, McFadden split carries with another immensely talented back in college ball (in this case, Felix Jones) and will likely need to split carries in the NFL to be effective for the first few years. It seems unlikely that Miami would take McFadden, even if he and Ronnie Brown would make the Dolphins better the second they started splitting carries. Don’t hold your breath, Cowboy fans: Dallas has more pressing needs than the running game. Look for them to draft for defense and depth as opposed to big names and big plays, although I could imagine the Cowboys taking Felix Jones, McFadden’s Arkansas cohort, later in the draft. So where does McFadden end up? Atlanta, Oakland, and the Jets would all have some interest at least in the back, but Atlanta has more pressing needs. In the end I think the prize goes to the Raiders, as Layne Kiffin’s work with the aforementioned Reggie Bush at USC could be the groundwork for a new look Raider offense.

-Jake Long, OT, Michigan. When it comes to the NFL draft, consider that almost every team with a high pick right now has it because they didn’t play well last year. The Miami Dolphins were terrible. So were the Rams, Chiefs, Falcons, Raiders and Jets. These teams have running themes, but one of the most common features among them is a poor offensive line. It’s very hard to end up drafting in the top six picks if you have a talented offensive line. This is why I’m shocked every year when a team with an awful offensive line chooses a speedy running back. What good is a halfback with speed if he has no holes to run through?

Enter Jake Long of Michigan. Long is an offensive tackle that has excelled in both run blocking and pass blocking for the Wolverines over his collegiate career. Fans don’t go wild for the offensive linemen, especially on draft day, but consider that without a good run blocker, that highly-touted halfback your team picks in the first round isn’t going to run very far. St. Louis, who already has a solid backfield, could be tempted to shore up the outer end of their line, but would prefer to fill their larger holes. Kansas City is going to be relying on an injury-prone yet talented backfield next year, and Long could do a lot to help Larry Johnson keep healthy by protecting him. Atlanta would be happy to take Long and add some stability to their offensive line, but Ryan might be too tempting.

-Chris Long, DE, Virginia. Speed is going to be an issue with Long, as the defensive end in today’s NFL is typically faster than the prospect from Virginia. At the moment however, speed looks like it’s the only issue with Long. He’s exceptionally strong, to the point that he can put pressure on a quarterback without breaking a block, by simply pushing the offensive lineman toward the signal caller. The work ethic that’s required of an elite NFL lineman is there as well, and obviously the son of Howie Long is likely to know a great deal more about the NFL than most of his contemporaries. It’s not often a defensive line prospect is expected to be a force right away, but it’s expected that Long will make a significant impact right off the bat next season. St. Louis is where he’s most likely to do that, but Long is the biggest wild card in this draft, because almost every team in the top ten picks has a hole at defensive end but could be tempted to fill another hole with their pick. He’s been rumored as a #1 pick, but with the sorry state of Miami’s quarterback and offensive line situations it just seems unlikely they’d make a pick for defense.

Taking a Chance:
-Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville. Of course some pause must be taken to recognize that Brohm had to learn a new system in 2007, but neither Brohm nor his Cardinals looked particularly impressive last year. Louisville came into the season ranked in the top ten teams nationally, but finished the year at .500. Granted, they played in a Big East that was tougher than expected, but 6-6 is not a good headline for a quarterback’s resume. Brohm’s biggest problem is how he performs under pressure, which is not a good sign for an NFL prospect. He’s not very quick, and he has been known to be a little quiet around the game. That isn’t to say Brohm doesn’t have a high ceiling. His mechanics are solid, he’s tough in the pocket, and he puts excellent touch on his passes. He also has an underrated talent for a quarterback: he sells the play action very well. Brohm may or may not be picked late in the first round. My guess is that he’ll be a second round pick for Miami, Atlanta or Baltimore as a consolation prize for not getting Matt Ryan.

-Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU. Don’t get me wrong: Dorsey could be a defensive star in the NFL. He has phenomenal speed and can cause havoc on a pass rush. He’s strong, he hits very hard, and he’s an exceptionally athletic defensive lineman. However, the Arkansas game raised a lot of questions concerning Dorsey’s ability to stop the run. Ideally, today’s NFL lineman is larger than Glenn Dorsey, which could lead to some growing pains. Dorsey could be an All Pro in the NFL, if he plays for the right defense. It seems Dorsey is a good fit for a team sticking with a Cover Two set for their defense, but could struggle early on a larger defense that requires more power from its tackles. Somewhere in the middle are the Oakland Raiders, who could take Dorsey if he’s available to replace the recently retired Warren Sapp. Appropriate because Dorsey’s skill set coming into the NFL is a lot like Sapp’s was at the time. St. Louis will struggle with whether or not Miami has been enamored with Dorsey, but they have a long list of possible choices. The Rams have a defense that Dorsey could lead, and the gut guess is that he’ll end up in St. Louis.

-Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio State. Gholston is an enigmatic pick, as he has at times shown he has what it takes to be a top ten pick. Notably, Gholston has played well against Michigan and fellow draft prospect Jake Long. But the lineman is inconsistent, and there’s something more. Gholston played in a rotation at OSU, which is something that doesn’t happen very often in the NFL. Already, college prospects are facing the first sixteen game schedule of their lives, and add onto that that Gholston isn’t used to playing every down on defense. A ferocious pass rusher when he’s firing on all cylinders, Gholston could also step up his game in the NFL and become an impact player. The physical qualifications are certainly there, but he just hasn’t put together one consistent season. The upside is enough that some people are speculating that Gholston will be picked first, over Jake and Chris Long, over Matt Ryan and Darren McFadden.

Sure You Wouldn’t Rather Trade That Pick?
-Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas. Jones is a small back with exceptional speed and agility, but he lacks power. This means that he’s a risky call on third and short, so he’ll have to split carries like he did at Arkansas. (Is he ready to be a feature back in the NFL when he was a second option in college? Perhaps playing at Arkansas when McFadden isn’t around would have helped him mature.) It also means he’s a liability when trying to block. To succeed in the NFL, Jones is going to need to bulk up significantly without losing speed—something that seems nearly impossible—and he’s going to need to get a lot stronger. As a late first round pick, he would make a solid changeup for a team that has a power back. He could also return kicks rather well with his physical attributes, but it’s a rare talent that gets drafted in the first round to return kicks. If anyone can use him right away, it’s Dallas. Being that owner Jerry Jones is an Arkansas alum, which is the main reason for his alleged interest in McFadden, I think Jones goes at #22 to Dallas. I doubt he’ll grow into the feature back fans dreamed of in McFadden, but kick returners in the NFL are underrated. I really think that Felix Jones will be a special teams star more than a starting halfback in the NFL, at least until he works on his strength. His speed and agility are always assets for teams like Dallas that don’t have many roster holes that couldn’t be better fixed through free agency.

-DeSean Jackson, WR, California. Jackson has speed, and if a wide receiver has speed he’s a threat no matter what. It’s entirely possible that DeSean Jackson will evolve into an NFL playmaker, or at least a solid kick returner like Jones. But even late in the first round Jackson could prove a risky pick, depending on why he’s picked. Teams like Tennessee, Tampa Bay and Seattle, who have holes at wide receiver, are going to take a good hard look at DeSean Jackson for his athletic talent. What Jackson needs to do well in the NFL is a good receiver coach. He drops a lot of passes, particularly passes he should catch. His athleticism makes up for that, but the situation is what’s important here. Teams that look at Jackson will look for him to replace a wide receiver that drops a lot of catchable passes. Jackson is also undersized, which adds to his elusiveness but also adds to a growing durability issue. The plus side is still tremendous, as his problem is one you can teach (catching the football) whereas his strength is something you cannot (being fast and elusive). Jackson is likely to be picked somewhere between pick 20 and 25, when Tampa Bay, Washington, Pittsburgh, Tennessee and Seattle all pick. Each one of those teams could use a wide receiver. Jackson would be best served by a team like Pittsburgh that has gotten strong play out of the position for years. If he learns to catch the football a little more regularly, Jackson could be a difference-maker in this league, but I would beware a wideout that can’t hold onto a football, especially for a team like Tennessee that might try and start him as a #2 receiver immediately.

-Chad Henne, QB, Michigan. A certain few things raise red flags with college football stars in the NFL Draft. Chief among them: a quarterback with a great running back, offensive line, and playmaking wideout. Enter Chad Henne of Michigan, who looked brilliant at times in a pocket created by the likes of Jake Long, throwing to Mario Manningham and handing off to Mike Hart. The problem for Henne is that few teams that have stacked offenses need to draft a QB, and this year none of them do. The plus side here is a golden arm, which makes him a great backup for a team with a solid QB and an offensive line. It’s possible that a team like New England or Dallas, should they make trades and end up with early second-round picks, would consider drafting an emergency backup in case either of their star quarterbacks should go down. Henne could make a great fill-in on a team such as that. However, on a team with offensive line problems Henne might struggle, as he did not look good on the run at Michigan. The team that takes Henne (likely to be someone in the first ten picks of the second round, such as Atlanta or Baltimore) will need to ensure that he gets time to throw the football and that he has at least one playmaker to throw to. Otherwise Henne is likely to force passes and fight with injuries early in his professional career.

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Tim Williams is a columnist covering college sports for MCN Sports. E-mail Tim at TWilliams@mcn.tv